An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth, & tenth chapters of the prophesy of Hosea being first delivered in several lectures at Michaels Cornhil, London / by Jeremiah Burroughs ; being the seventh book published by Thomas Goodwin ... [et al.]

Set the Trumpet to thy mouth.* 1.1

Let there be a full,* 1.2 and free, and open ma∣nifestation of the sin and the danger of Israel: The same com∣mandement that we have here to the Prophet, we have in

the 58 of Isa. at the beginning to the Prophet there, Cry a∣loud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a Trumpet, shew my people their transgression, and the House of Jacob their sin.

Ministers must not only be Trumpeters of the Gospel, Trumpeters of Mercy and Peace,* 1.3 but Trumpeters of Judgment and of War; they are set to give warning to people of danger, and wo to them if they do not, God will require the blood of people at their hands. How ever peoples spirits may be against it, against the free and bold work of the Ministry in denouncing Judgments, yet the spirits of Gods Ministers must go on in their way:* 1.4 Luther in his time for the freedom and boldness of his spirit inveighing against the sins of the times, he was called the very Trumpet of Rebellion, he en∣veighs against their sins and threatens Judgments, and they exclaim against him, they are as loud against him, and trum∣pet out their exclamations against him, calling of him the Trumpet of Rebellion and sedition. If a Town be besieged by the enemy, it is not the crying of children or women that must hinder the beating up of the Drums,* 1.5 nor the roa∣ring of the Canon. God takes it exceeding ill at his Mini∣sters hands to be mealy mouthed, when his wrath is incensed; and therefore he calls the Watchmen that did not give war∣ning by an ignominious name, DƲMB DOGS, that cannot bark,* 1.6 in Isa. 56. 10. I remember Pliny in his 29. Book, 4. Chapter, tells of the Dogs in Rome, that were set to keep the Capitol, because when the Gauls did scall the Capitol, the Dogs being fed too full, lay sleeping and did not give war∣ning; they therefore not only hanged them up, but every yeer the Romans observed that time of the yeer, and on that day, hanged up certain Dogs in the City for exemplary Ju∣stice, by way of crucifying of them alive upon an Elder tree,* 1.7 and upon this ground it is thought that the Romans did so hate that kind of death, of hanging upon a tree. And there∣fore it was the more cursed death that Christ died to hang up∣on a tree. It is that that God is exceedingly provoked against his Watchmen for, if they give not warning.

Hosea had proclaimed war before this in the name of the Lord,* 1.8 but he must do it again; from whence the Note is further.

That Gods Ministers must not be weary of their work though they see little good come of it;* 1.9 yea so far from being weary or discouraged as their spirits must rise up in their intentions strength and fervency of it.

Before Hosea's voice was the voice of a man;* 1.10 but now it is the sound of a Trumpet: Let wickedness stop her mouth, but let the mouths of Gods Servants be opened, yea let a Trumpet be set against their mouths in disclai∣ming against the wickedness of the times wherein they live.

Thirdly,* 1.11 The denunciation of threatning in the Name of God, it is a terrible sound, if men be not afraid of this Trumpet, and awakened by it, there is a time that shall a∣waken them, when a Trumpet (I say) shall awaken them and make them afraid, when the Arch Angel shall blow his Trumpet, those that are most awakned and fears the sound of this Trumpet shall have the most comfort when the Trumpet of the Arch Angel shall blow.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Text.
• * 1.2

  2. Apptic. by para∣phrase.
• * 1.3

  Obs. 1
• * 1.4

  Luther called the trumpet of rebellion
• * 1.5

  simile
• * 1.6

  Pliny
• * 1.7

  Why cru∣cifying on a tree was so hateful to the Ro∣mans.
• * 1.8

  Expos. 3.
• * 1.9

  Obser. 2.
• * 1.10

  The para∣phrase.
• * 1.11

  Obs. 3.