A77979:496
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 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.
Obs. 2 Secondly, Whatsoever places have been heretofore, yet when they grow corrupt in Gods worship they lose their honour. Rome heretofore hath been a famous Church, as in Rom. 1. Use. we find that the faith of Rome was spread abroad throughout the world, and so they will yet plead for the glory of Rome, because once it was famous. But it is no matter what it hath been, what is it now? suppose it hath been the seat of Peter, what is it now? If once they are corrupt in themselves they lose the honour of what once they had. Oh let us take heed unto our selves in this. It is true, England 1hath also been a famous place for Religion, and Travellers that have come hither have blessed themselves, and blessed God for seeing what they have done, they never saw so much of God as in England: But if we shall corrupt our ways and grow to be Idolaters and superstitious we may by Gods just judgment be made at infamous and vile as any people upon the face of the earth. And so it is true of particular persons, of persons that heretofore have had much honour among the Saints, have been men of admirable parts and have been useful to the Church, it may be temptation prevails so much with them, I have had such a name, I have done such and such things, I now may be quiet, I cannot but be esteemed of for what I have done. But let a man in his younger time or afterward do never so worthily in the Church of God or Commonwealth, if he decline afterward he loseth all his honour both with God and men, and may be as unsavoury salt, and spurned out and trodden under foot of men; As Gilgal and Beth-aven though honoured before, yet now the people are charged not to come to them. Some men one would have blest themselves before to be in their company in their families, but now grown ⟨p. 189⟩so loose, so sapless in their spirits, so carnal, so malignant, so superstitious, so vain,2 that it is dangerous now to come into their company, so that now we may even hear a voice from God calling to us, go not into such a mans company, as here, go not to Gilgal. Thus you have these words opened unto you and what the mind of God is in them. Come not to to Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven. It follows.