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.]

VER. 2.

Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee.

THE words as they are in the Hebrew are somewhat different from what they are in your books, for Isra∣el in your books is in the first place, but in the Hebrew it is in the last, that is, To me they shall cry, My God, we know thee,* 1.1 Israel: What difference is this? yes, the words thus read have more elegancy in them than otherwise, and they hint some observations that would hardly be hinted to us as it is in your books, as thus:

If you reade it as it is in your books, then it is only a speech of God to them.

But if you reade it according to the Hebrew, they shall cry to me, My God, we know thee, Israel: They here seem to put God in mind who they were, as if they should say, we are Israel who know thee, remember we are not strangers

to thee; They shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee, Israel: It's Israel that cries to thee, Oh my God!

Or as if they should put God in mind of their Father [ 2] Israel in whom their confidence was; They shall cry to me, My God, we know thee, Israel: Oh remember our Father Israel and deal graciously with us for the sake of our Fa∣ther Israel: Just like those in Matth. that would cry, We have Abraham to our Father: so here this people would cry; in their cries in the time of their affliction they would cry to God that they had Israel to their Father, we have refe∣rence to Israel who did so prevail as a Prince with God, and therefore we hope we shall fare the better for Israel;

Or thus, They shall cry to me, My God, we know thee, Israel: [ 3] That is, we know thee to be the God of Israel, we have known how thy waies have been in former times for the good of thine Israel, and Lord, remember how thou hast wrought for thine Israel heretofore, and work now for us in the same manner: thus there is a great deal in this word, [Israel] if you set it in the last place in the verse, more than if you set it in the beginning.

From hence the Notes are these:

First,* 1.2 That in affliction men see their need of God. So the Chaldae paraphrase upon this place,* 1.3 Alwaies when I bring straights upon them then they pray before me and say, Now we see plainly that we have no other God besides thee, Oh! redeem us because we are thy people Israel; so that's the meaning.

Secondly,* 1.4 Even Hypocrites and the vilest Wretches that are, in the time of their distress, will claim interest in God and cry to him; even those that have departed most from him will be ready to claim interest in him in their distress. What an impudency was it for this people that had so grosly depar∣ted from God, that had gone so against their light, and yet they will come boldly and claim their interest in God in the time of their affliction? Truly we see the same spirit in men at this very day, the most wicked and vile ungodly

man or woman that is, yet will be ready in afflictions to claim interest in God;* 1.5 My God. I appeal to you in this Congregation, if one should go from one end of the Con∣gregation and speak particularly to every one, and ask but this question, Do you hope that God is your God? Every one would be ready to say, Yes, we hope he is. This is the impudency of mens hearts that will take liberty to go on in a way of rebellion and fighting against God all their lives, and yet in the time of their distress claim interest in God.

Thirdly,* 1.6 That knowledg and acknowledgment of God in an outward formal way is that which Hypocrites think will commend them much to God in time of affliction; that by which they shall have favour from Him because they have made some profession of God: We know thee: as if they should say, Lord, we were not as others that had forsaken thee, we continued Israel still, we did not turn to be Heathens: It is very hard for mens spirits to be taken off from trusting in formality, in outward worship, we are all Christians, we are not turned Heathens; so they shall call to me, My God, we know thee, Israel; we continue Israel still. Oh! how sweet and comfortable is it then to have a true interest in God?* 1.7 in the time of affliction to be able to say, in truth Lord we know thee, and blessed be thy Name Lord we have known thee, we have had experience of thy good∣ness, and faithfulness, mercy, love, and tender compassion towards us, we have known thee an infinite al sufficient good, thou hast satisfied our souls with thy love, the light of thy countenance it hath been the joy of our hearts, and blessed be the time that ever we knew thee, Oh blessed be the time that ever the Lord made himself known to us; we can say, Lord, we have known thee, and therefore now Lord have mercy upon us; Oh let us all learn to make more of our interest in God, and to labor to know Him more and more, that we may have this comfort in our afflictions, to be able to say in truth, Oh Lord, thou

art our God, and we have known thee. If Hypocrites think it to be so great a comfort that they are Israel, Oh what is it then to be a true Israelite in whose heart is no guile?

Fourthly,* 1.8 Degenerate children they think to have favour for the sake of their godly parents.

We have known thee, Israel.] Children should imitate the vertues of their godly parents, and then they may draw comfort from the godliness of their parents.

But lastly,* 1.9 Hypocrites though degenerate will not only think to fare the better for their godly parents, but they will think to have the same mercy as their godly parents had; they little think of the difference that there is between Israel hereto∣fore, and that Israel that is now so basely degenerated. It follows.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Heb. reading.
• * 1.2

  Obs. 1.
• * 1.3

  Chaldae pa••ephrase
• * 1.4

  Obs. 2.
• * 1.5

  Applicat.
• * 1.6

  Obs. 3.
• * 1.7

  Comforta∣ble; if in truth.
• * 1.8

  Obs. 4.
• * 1.9

  Obs. 5