A77979:658
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 1
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.
1Thus it hath been with us, how cunningly have men l•id their nets amongst us to catch souls? Say they, it is but yielding thus far, to this thing and the other thing; and authority enjoins it, if it were more it were no great matter, and other learned and godly men they do thus and they think thus; yea, and why should you hinder your self of the good you may do? It is but a matter of circumstance, it is but for decency and order, and there is much devotion this way, we may gain Papists in yielding as far as we can unto them, there is none but a company of simple people against it, this is ancient, the Fathers of the Church have done thus, yea many Martyrs that have shed their blood did thus. Thus many have been caught as a bird in a snare, with these lines and twigs thus cunningly twisted together how have they caught souls?2 and so caught them that they could not tell how to get out, but being once in they were ensnared more and more; as a bird that is once caught in the net it beginneth to flutter a while but at length it is caught so much the faster; so men when they yielded to one thing they could not tell where to stay but at last they have been so deep in and so far ensnared that they could not tell what to do; and the truth is, at length they have even given up their consciences to those things; as a bird that perhaps at first when the net is but stirred it is shy of it, but being once got in it is ensnared all over, so many men at first, being of tender consciences, have been shy of superstitious vanities, but with cunning arguments and devices they have been caught, and they thought they should never hear of them any more, but being once caught so as that they have power over them, they have come upon them with more violence than before, and so have been made to yield so far that at the last their consciences have wholly been given up to those things; They have been vexed and troubled with their consciences at the first, but at length they have been resolved to trouble themselves no more but to yield to whatsoever shall be enjoined. Oh how many have been thus ensnared! This was the plot of the adversary, if possibly they could they would break the consciences of men. Oh it was the most devilish ⟨p. 351⟩plot that ever was in the world that was lately among us.