A77979:763
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 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.
Lastly, What advantage they can have against the ways of God, 1that they will take and improve to the uttermost. Those people that are against framing of themselves to turn unto the Lord when God is about to turn them, they discover it in this thing, if at that time there be any disadvantage that their corrupt hearts can possibly take against the ways of God, they will take that and improve it to the uttermost they can; just as a child that you would frame to such a way, if it be an untoward child, he will take any advantage to give you the slip and to run from you:2 so it is with people that have no heart to turn unto the Lord, if they have any advantage in the world, they will take it, to harden their hearts against Gods ways. There is no preparation of their hearts, what then shall I do with them saith God? if their heart• •ere in any preparation it were somewhat, but they are n•• We read in 8 Chron. 20.3 that the high places were not taken away because the people had not prepared their hearts to turn unto the Lord. It is all one with this expression in the text the people were not in a frame, in a teachable,4 in a convertible disposition. The Lord grant that this Scripture may not be ⟨p. 380⟩true of us at this day, that the reason why there remaineth so much evil in Gods worship, is, because the people have not prepared their hearts, they do not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord, they do not seem to be in any posture that way. It was a charge upon Rehoboam, in 2 Chron. 12.14. That he did evil, Quest. §Answ.5because he prepared not his heart to seek the Lord: But you will say, what power had he to turn unto the Lord, he was a wicked man? Yea but this wicked man though he had no saving grace, yet he is charged for doing evil in that he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord. God therefore expects that people, though they are not able to turn unto him thoroughly, yet they should be in a posture that way; And as a people in general, so every soul in particular.