A77979:78
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 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.
It is a dangerous thing to go on long in this controversy with God; it is wisdom to make an end of it betime, Pro. 17.14. The beginning of strife is like the letting out of waters, wherefore leave off contention before it be meddled with. The beginning of strife especially with God is most dreadful, if thou goest on but a little while, thine heart may be most desperately set against God and for ever left to strive against him, never to come in and be humbled before him. This is the reason (I verily believe) of the most horrid wickedness of some men amongst us: we wonder at it that ever any man should dare to venture upon such horrid wickednesses, one after another; Surely here is the reason, at first it may be when they were young there was some dreadful breach between God and their souls, they fell (though the world perhaps knew it not) into some foul and abominable sin, and having made such a dreadful breach ⟨p. 8⟩between God and their souls then, they now go on desperately and fight against the God of Heaven in such a desperate manner as never any age can cell us any examples of such desperate fighting against God as is in this age. God hath a controversy with Nations also for their sin. Those who are to suit for God may well charge us, that the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land at this day. If ever he had a controversy with a people he hath it with us. The Lord hath a fearful controversy with us, he hath most fearful things to charge this land with, I might instance in some things that are more peculiar to this nation than to any other upon the face of the earth.
It is a dangerous thing to go on long in this controversy with God; it is wisdom to make an end of it betime, Pro. 17.14. The beginning of strife is like the letting out of waters, wherefore leave off contention before it be medled with. The beginning of strife especially with God is most dreadful, if thou goest on but a little while, thine heart may be most desperately set against God and for ever left to strive against him, never to come in and be humbled before him. This is the reason (I verily beleeve) of the most horred wickedness of some men amongst us: we wonder at it that ever any man should dare to venture upon such horrid wickednesses, one after another; Surely here is the reason, at first it may be when they were young there was some dreadful breach between God and their souls, they fell (though the world perhaps knew it not) into some foul and abominable sin, and having made such a dreadful breach