A77979:1438
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 6 › Verse 4
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.
And so it should be with us, to those that are under us,1 as to children or servants, all means must be tried to prevail with them before correction, exhort, advise, reprove, and pray for them, have you first taken this course? else you can have little comfort in correcting them: this is Gods way, though you perhaps see it not; God here meets with an objection which repining Israel might seem to make, we are such as do believe, to whom the promise doth belong, why might not the Lord bring mercy to us without using such means of smiting, wounding, killing, and parching of us? no saith God, I could not bring about mine own ends but by this way, Oh therefore let us check our selves at such thoughts as these, God brings us low by afflictions, he could do it by mercies, but then his end which he aims at would not be so fully accomplished.
And so it should be with us, to those that are under us,1 as to children or servants, all means must be tried to prevail with them before correction, exhort, advise, reprove, and pray for them, have you first taken this course? else you can have little comfort in correcting them: this is Gods way, though you perhaps see it not; God here meets with an objection which repining Israel might seem to make, we are such as do beleeve, to whom the promise doth belong, why might not the Lord bring mercy to us without using such means of smiting, wounding, killing, and parching of us? no saith God, I could not bring about mine own ends but by this way, Oh therefore let us check our selves at such thoughts as these, God brings us low by afflictions, he could do it by mercies, but then his end which he aims at would not be so fully accomplished.
- 1Use all means before correction.Use all means before correctiō.
We should not think much to lose our pains in the use of means to others. Obs. 2 God he hath taken pains and been at cost with this people, and he hath lost all, God seems to mourn for the loss of his charges, I have used this admonition, the other counsel, yet still hypocritical, Oh what shall I do unto thee? but yet Gods does not leave them or grow weary of his pains, he persists still in the means to do them good. In this should the Saints imitate God! if this course will not prevail, use a second; if not this use a third, perhaps that may, and if it does do good it will pay for all the pains. And thus much of the words by way of compassion.