A77979:299
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 4 › Verse 8
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 Soldiers that shall lengthen out war for the increase of their own pay may be said to drink the blood of people; those cups of wine that go down so merrily and those dishes of meat that they are so jovial with, may be said to be the flesh and the blood of people; but this is not so bad as to feed upon the sins of others. Thou that feedest upon the sin of thy brother do thou know that this diet of thine must needs breed diseases, It is no wholesome diet to feed upon the sins of people, it is such a diet as will breed Worms, breed the worm of conscience one day, and thou wilt get such a surfeit as will need a strong purge of humiliation to purge thee from that surfeit. It was once an expression concerning a Prelate that was very fat, one being asked the reason why such a Prelate was so very fat? why surely (says he wittily) he grows so fat by so often eating of his own words; but no marvel though men grow to have fat hearts that feed upon the sins of people. As this is the ordinary diet of many, merely to feed upon the sins of others, so especially of Ministers, and for Ministers to feed upon the sins of people so as to keep them alive by their flatteries & connivance, that is evil; but if by their faithful preaching they did first slay the sins of the people and then receive maintenance for their work, this is allowed by God, and this they may do; when God bad Peter arise and eat, he first bid him slay, Arise Peter slay and eat; 1so Ministers if first they would arise ⟨p. 108⟩and slay the sins of the people by their preaching, they may eat, that is, they may comfortably then receive maintenance and allowance for their work; but if they keep their sins alive, then their diet is ill diet for they feed upon their sins.
and Soldiers that shall lengthen out war for the encrease of their own pay may be said to drink the blood of people; those cups of wine that go down so merrily and those dishes of meat that they are so jovial with, may be said to be the flesh and the blood of people; but this is not so bad as to feed upon the sins of others. Thou that feedest upon the sin of thy brother do thou know that this diet of thine must needs breed diseases, It is no wholsom diet to feed upon the sins of people, it is such a diet as will breed Worms, breed the worm of conscience one day, and thou wilt get such a surfet as will need a strong purge of humiliation to purge thee from that surfet. It was once an expression concerning a Prelate that was very fat, one being asked the reason why such a Prelate was so very fat? why furely (saies he wittily) he grows so fat by so often eating of his own words; but no mervail though men grow to have fat hearts that feed upon the sins of people. As this is the ordinary diet'of many, meerly to feed upon the sins of others, so especially of Ministers, and for Ministers to feed upon the sins of people so as to keep them alive by their flatteries & connivence, that is evil; but if by their faithful preaching they did first slay the sins of the people and then receive maintainance for their work, this is allowed by God, and this they may do; when God bad Peter arise and eat, he first bid him slay, Arise Peter slay and eat;