A77979:1206
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…
An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of the prophesy of Hosea· Being first delivered in several lectures at Michaels Cornhill London. By Jeremiah Burroughs. Being the fifth book, published by Thomas Goodwin, William Greenhil, Sydrach Simson William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of the prophesy of Hosea· Being first delivered in several lectures at Michaels Cornhil London. By Jeremiah Burroughs. Being the fifth book, published by Thomas Goodwyn, William Greenhil, Sydrach Simson William Bridge, John Yates, William Adderly.
London: printed for Peter Cole, 1650
Title page typeset from the transcription.
AN EXPOSITION Of the PROPHESY of HOSEA. › Chapter 5 › Verse 15
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now if we would not have God to leave us, let us take heed we do not leave God,1 would you have God be for you in adversity, then be you for God in prosperity, nor forsake him when he is afflicted, which is when his people and cause suffer. Many will be for the Saints and own the Cause of God when all things goes well, and their side prospers, but in trouble when they are in disgrace or sorrow, then they forsake them, as if they knew no such people; know that in thus doing thou leavest God, and God may justly leave thee in thy affliction: But now, 'tis God• promise to his people, That he will not leave them, Psal. 31.7, 8. Psal 34. 17, 18. God may bring thee into their power and jurisdiction that are evil, but wait thou on the Lord and he shall deliver thee. We use to say when we are in any trouble, to our dear friend, What will you also leave me? will you not now own me, and stay by me? A• Christ himself said to his Disciples, Will you also leave me,2 and go away? but God will never leave his people in this manner. The Shepherd may suffer his dog to hunt the sheep, to bark at them, to fetch them together, but never suffers him to worry and kill them: so God may suffer the wicked to hunt the Saints, and perhaps to fasten upon them sometimes, but then God will call them off again, for his promise is not to leave them, as he doth the wicked in their afflictions;3 as Heb. 13.5. I will never leave thee nor forsake thee: in which words we have in the Greek five negatives to affirm the truth of this conclusion: that God will never forsake his people, I will not, not leave you, yea but the people of God might say, but Lord we seem to the eye of the world to be forsaken, no saith the Lord, I will not, not leave you; there it two negatives to leaving, and three to forsaking; from whence we may see how strongly God hath engaged himself for his peoples security.
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