A77979:773
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.
Hath God at any time put into your heart a framable disposition to turn unto the Lord?1 Hath God begun to make you think of your ways? Hath he begun to stir fear in your hearts concerning your eternal estate? Hath he wrought in you some desires to know him, to attend upon him in the use of means? Make much of this framable disposition, for it is very much pleasing unto God; God complains where it is not, therefore he likes it where it is, and improve it: O happy had it been with many had they improved that framable disposition that God hath wrought in them. Cannot you remember when sometimes you came to the word what a melting frame of spirit had you? and in such an affliction you were as iron put into the fire (and you know then it is in a framable disposition to be brought into any fashion) and hath it not been so with you?2 But what is become of this disposition? Is it not worse with you now than before? Have you not lost it? The time was when the word wrought upon you, and you have had good desires and dispositions, and you have thought, Oh now I hope God will turn me unto himself; Now I hope I shall never be at such a pass again as I have been; and thou begannest to abandon such and such a corruption. This was a good frame, and now if you had gone alone and sought God, and Oh that the Lord would perfect this work and put it on, and so improved this framable disposition, it had been well with you; but you have fallen upon other business, and gone into company, and it may be upon the next temptation you have bin overcome & your hearts ⟨p. 384⟩have been hardened,3 and iron you know, when it hath been once in the fire and is grown cold, is more unframable than before; so it is with many, after they have had some workings by the Word and after some melting by affliction, they have been more unframable than they were before.
Hath God at any time put into your heart a framable disposition to turn unto the Lord?1 Hath God begun to make you think of your waies? Hath he begun to stir fear in your hearts concerning your eternal estate? Hath he wrought in you some desires to know him, to attend upon him in the use of means? Make much of this framable disposition, for it is very much pleasing unto God; God complains where it is not, therefore he likes it where it is, and improve it: O happy had it been with many had they improved that framable disposition that God hath wrought in them. Cannot you remember when sometimes you came to the word what a melting frame of spirit had you? and in such an affliction you were as iron put into the fire (and you know then it is in a framable disposition to be brought into any fashion) and hath it not been so with you?