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.]

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Title
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.]
Author
Burroughs, Jeremiah, 1599-1646.
Publication
London :: Printed by Peter Cole ...,
1650.
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Subject terms
Bible. -- O.T. -- Hosea VIII-X -- Commentaries.
Bible. -- O.T. -- Hosea VIII-X -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A30574.0001.001
Cite this Item
"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.]." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A30574.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed February 8, 2025.

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VER. 7.
For they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.

SOwing is a laborious work; and this Idolatrous people [ 1] were very laborious, took a great deal of pains about their false worship.* 1.1 Those that sow they must be abroad in the cold and wind; Idolaters were willing to take pains and go through many difficulties for the furtherance of their false wor∣ship.* 1.2 Let not us be sluggish then in the true Worship of our God, let us be willing to pass through many difficul∣ties to further the service of our God.

Secondly, Sowing is a labor without any present profit coming [ 2] in by it, the benefit of the labor it lies in expectation for the future.

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Idolaters are content to sow though they gain nothing by their labor,* 1.3 yet in expectation of somewhat hereafter.* 1.4 We are pre∣sently weary of a little labor except we find somewhat co∣ming in presently, we cannot wait for the blessing of the former and latter rain upon our endeavours, we must be alwaies reaping or else we are wearied and discouraged; Idolaters would work hard though they get nothing for the present, how much more should we labor for God in expectation of the harvest that God hath provided?

[ 3] Thirdly,* 1.5 Sowing it is a work for the maintaining of the suc∣cession of provision for one Generation to another.

Idolaters they labor to keep up their false worship for the posterity that is coming after
;* 1.6 they are not content to enjoy it themselves all the while they live, but they take a course to have those they leave behind them to enjoy it when they are gone.* 1.7 Thus we should do, and great reason we have to do thus, in the true Worship of God, not think it e∣nough to enjoy it our selves, but to take al waies that pos∣sibly we can that we may leave our posterity to enjoy it, that we may sow for posterity as well as for our selves, that we may leave a stock of provision for our children after∣wards. Through Gods mercy our forefathers did so, and we have reapt the harvest of their seed, and through their endeavors we have enjoyed much of this Worship of God, and the Truths of God, let us likewise sow for those that are coming after.

[ 4] Fourthly, Sowing is a work that must be done in its season or it is in vain.* 1.8 Idolaters they will observe their seasons, their fit times for the furtherance of their false worship;* 1.9 much more should we do for the Worship of God. We have had a fair season, and we have seemed to be very busie, the Lord grant we do not sow the wind, as it follows in the next words, They have sown to the wind: This is a pro∣verbial speech that signifies, the taking a great deal of pains to little purpose: As a man that should go abroad in the fields,* 1.10 and spread his hands about and take pains,

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and yet hath nothing but air in his hands.* 1.11 The Wind is an empty creature in respect of things that are sollid, there∣fore the Scripture doth often make use of this creature to signifie the vanity of the labors, the hopes, and endeavors of wicked men; you shall find these several expressions in Scripture tending to this purpose: as the Laboring for the wind, Eccles. 5. 16. Secondly, to eed upon the wind, Hos. 12. 1. Thirdly, to bring forth the wind, Isa. 26. 18. And fourthly, to inherit the wind, Prov. 11. 29. And fiftly, here in the text, sowing to the wind.

Many people do nothing all their lives time but sow the wind,* 1.12 they labor and toil, but what comes of it? it is no good account that we can give to God of our time, to say, that we have taken a great deal of pains; we may take pains and yet sow the wind.

Who are those that sow the wind?* 1.13

First,* 1.14 Men that spend their thoughts and strength about things [ 1] no way profitable to themselves or others, those sow the wind; those that do with a great deal of earnestness, do just no∣thing, or what they do is but a trifle; many Scholers stu∣dy night and day, they tire themselves with reading, and musing, and writing, and yet they are no way useful; ei∣ther their studies have been in useless things, aking a∣mong rubbish and lumber, or else they know not how to make use of their reading and learning; and indeed it is a pittiful object to behold, to behold one that hath been all his daies a great Studient, and hath beat his brains, and rose early, and gone to bed late, grutch'd the very time of his meat, and yet he is a useless man in the place where he is, he hath no use at all of all his studies, he is of no service to Church or Common-wealth: Here's a man that hath all his daies sown to the wind.

Secondly, All those who take pains and are at great cost in* 1.15 superstitious worship, all their intentions that they have to [ 2] honor God they come to nothing, it's but a sowing to the wind; and this is that which is here especially meant,

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They sow the wind▪* 1.16 All Idolatrous worshippers that take much pains and are at great cost they do but sow the wind:* 1.17 How many Papists have we that dares not for their lives but rise at their hours that they have vowed, to rise at midnight to their beads, or very early, spend many hours every day at their beads, wear out their bodies by their fa∣sting, by their watching, deny themselves the use of the creatures, wear sackcloath, lie very hard, tire their bodies by pilgrimage, forsake their revenues, that that their pro∣geniters had left them, vow perpetual virginity, shut them∣selves up in Cloisters, what a deal of labor and toil is here to the flesh, and all this with conscienciousness, all this with a desire to honor God, and to afflict themselves for their sins? And yet this not having warrant from God being a will-worship, all this is but sowing the wind, they lose al their labor, cost, and charge, and all their thoughts, and devotions they are all lost.

[ 3] Thirdly,* 1.18 Such as are formal in the true Worship of God, as content themselves in the outward part of Gods Wor∣ship, having no power nor life of godliness in their service they perform: You have many that do things out of cu∣stom, content themselves in the deed done, dare not for their lives neglect Prayer, not one morning nor evening, nor at other times, and are often with Gods People in fa∣sting, or coming to hear the Word; but yet all this while being but formal, they not having the life and power of godliness in these duties, they do but sow the wind, they lose all their labor, and when they shall come upon their sick-beds, and death-beds, and desire comfort from what they have done, they shall find nothing but the wind to feed upon, all will be turned into wind, and they will have no sollid comfort for their souls to feed upon in the day of their distress.

[ 4] Fourthly,* 1.19 Those men sow the wind, who do all that they do out of vain glory, in hypocrisie, to set up themselves among others, spend a long time in prayer, hath admira∣ble

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gifts in prayer,* 1.20 sweat and spend their strength in pra∣yer, but yet a principle of vain glory acting of them all this while; they have been sowing the wind all this time. Men that are publick parted and do abundance of good in the Church of God, and in the Common-wealth, but yet having a principle of self and vain glory that acts them, they lose all, they sow the wind all this while.

A fift sort that sows the wind,* 1.21 are such, as leaves the rule [ 5] of the Word, and carry on their actions altogether by the rules of Carnal Policy, thinking to do great things by the fetches, and reaches they have that way. Your Carnal Polititians that have the Word and Worship of God as things under their feet, but that which their deep reaches are after, are some higher things; they sow the wind. And thus the people here at this time, it was carnal policy that carried them in that way they were in, and God cals it all, but sowing the wind; they thought they had framed to them∣selves a notable piece of work, but saith God, It is but sowing the wind.

Sixtly,* 1.22 Such as seek to shift for themselves by sinful [ 6] waies when they are in any straits, such as go out of any lawful courses to help themselves out of trouble, these are they that sow the wind to themselves, there will nothing come of all the labor they take.

Now first,* 1.23 here the Church of God may have much com∣fort in this thing, That all Idolaters, that all false wor∣shipers, that al carnal polititions that are working against them, in al they do, they do but sow the wind, they can ne∣ver prevail, be not afraid of them. The seed-time of our life is a seed-time for Eternity:* 1.24 It's an evil & dangerous thing therefore now to sow the wind, to lose this seed-time, and to have nothing for our souls to seed upon to all eternity, Oh! how sad will it be when we are entring in upon E∣ternity, then to see that we have all our life-time sown the wind? Did men consider of their actions, that their acti∣ons were seeds for Eternity, certainly they would take

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more heed what they do.* 1.25 Men are very careful of their seed; What Husband-man that is to sow his ground, would go into a Merket to buy Chaff, to buy blasted stuff to be his seed; no, he would buy the greatest and plumpest Corn of all to be his Seed. So should we be careful of all our actions, for they are such seed as must bring forth an harvest of eternal happiness, or else eternal sorrow; and especially we had need look to our Seed when God gives us a fair opportunity of sowing. All Hypocrites and For∣malists, and False-worshipers, they sow the wind, their actions are but as the wind: but the Servants of God whose works come from Faith, and are indeed godly, they sow to immortallity and glory, their Seed will bring forth a glorious harvest. I remember Luther, though he were a man that seemed to beat down works very much, yet he hath this passage concerning works: Take works out of the cause of Justification, and no man can too magnificiently com∣mend good works that come from faith. And speaking of a good work that comes from faith,* 1.26 It is more precious (saith he) any one good works, it is a more precious thing than Heaven and Earth: yea, he himself that is no Merit-monger yet he lifts up good works that come from faith, and saith, the whol world is not sufficient reward for one good work that comes from faith: Indeed the works of the Saints have a great deal of excellency in them,* 1.27 one gracious work hath more of the glory of God in it than all the creation of Heaven and Earth besides; I say, the whol frame of Hea∣ven and Earth hath not so much of the Glory of God in it as one good work that comes from the Grace of God in the hearts of the Saints; and my reason is this, because a good work that comes from the Grace of God in the hearts of the Saints,* 1.28 it is a reflection of spiritual life that is the very life of God, the Scripture calls it, The Life of God, and the Divine Nature; Now, an action of spiritual life doth more set out the Glory of God than any Glory that God hath passively; as the Glory that he hath in the frame

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of the Heavens and Earth it is but a passive glory, but here the very glory of God is reflected upon his own face, it is a glory of spiritual life: A man doth not account one so much honored in an Image that is drawn of him, as when he seeth his child to act as he himself doth act,* 1.29 when his child shall present himself in doing that which he himself doth do. Now all the frame of Heaven and Earth it is not so much as a picture, it is but as the foot-steps of God, and the back-parts of God; but in one gracious action of the Saints there God sees his child act as himself doth, he sees the workings of his own holiness and his own vertues; we shew forth the vertues of him that hath call'd us out of darkness into his mervailous light.* 1.30 Ministers of all men they had need take heed they sow not the wind,* 1.31 God hath made them Seeds-men of that eternal Seed of his Word, if they then either because they are loth to take pains, or to be at the charge for good Seed, they sow husks and chaff,* 1.32 and bring meerly empty words unto their peo∣ple; or if they do take pains enough,* 1.33 but bring their own fancies and counsels instead of the precious immortal Seed of the Word, they do but sow the wind. The Seventy translate this that we have here:* 1.34 Sow the wind: Thus; They sow those things that are corrupted by the wind; those a∣ctions that pride corrupts,* 1.35 will never bring forth good fruit. It follows.

And they shall reap the whirlwind.

As we sow, so shall we reap. The word in the Hebrew (Tremelius upon this place notes) hath a syllable added more than ordinary;* 1.36 and that saith he is to encrease the signification of it: To note, that this is not only a whirl∣wind, but a most terrible whirlwind. And mark: he doth not say they sow the wind, and they shall reap the wind; no, there is more in the Harvest than in the Seed; if men will sow the wind, they must expect to reap the whirl∣wind.

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If thou hast but a little pleasure in thy sinful waies, thou must expect a great deal of miseries in the fruit of thy waies. Their labor shall not only be in vain, but much evil shall come, sudden and violent destruction shall come of their labors. All sinful actions are like un∣to the sowing of the wind in the earth: Now we know if windy vapors be got into the earth, they cause Earth∣quakes, they break forth into whirlwinds, into violence: and so wicked actions they break forth into violence and irresistable evils, and wil cause heart-quakes at last. Great is the power of the whirlwind, the Scripture sets it out as very great in 1 Kings, 19. 11.* 1.37 A strong wind th•••• rent the mountains and tore in pieces the rocks, overturned the mountains by the roots. Job, 28. 9. this it is that breaks the Ceders. Sabelicos reports that upon a time, Camby∣se's Soldiers being at dinner in a sandy place, there rises up a whirlwind and drives the sand upon them so that it co∣vered them and choaks them al: And yet, what's the wind, but many vapours being put together? and yet, Oh the mighty strength that there is in them! By the way this meditation may be raised here: What, shal the addition of many such weak things as vapors are come,* 1.38 to such a migh∣ty strength? Oh then, what's the strength of the infinite God unto which nothing can be added? Ad many vapors together and it causes strong winds that rends up the Mountains by the roots; if many weak things put toge∣ther (I say) come to that strength, what's the strength of an infinite God unto which no strength can be ad∣ded?

But observe out of the words,* 1.39 Just with God it is, that those that sow the wind (in all the former regards, those six par∣ticulars that were named) that they should reap the whirl∣wind; should be brought into trouble and vexation, mi∣serable and unremedable distresses: you that spend your time about trifles when as God sets you in the world upon work of great consequence, it is just with God that you

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should have horror upon your spirits hereafter,* 1.40 when God shall make you to see how you have spent that time upon which eternity depended,* 1.41 upon sowing the wind all your daies: And you that spend your time in false wor∣ship and so think to put off God in your false worship, it's just with God that you should reap the whirlwind.* 1.42 And so you that spend your strength and time in formality of worship and never sanctifying the Name of God, it were just with God that horror and distress and trouble should fill your souls.* 1.43 And so you that aim at your own ends and vain glory, when as you should set up the Name of God in your waies, it's just with God that miserable horror should possess you: How many have lain upon their sick∣beds and death beds and cried out, Oh I have done all in hypocrisie! and so horror of conscience hath been as a whirlwind unto their souls.* 1.44 And so carnal polititians that have left God and sought to provide for themselves and others, that by sinful courses have sought to deliver themselves out of straights, the Lord many times brings them into most dreadful straights and the worm of consci∣ence gnawing upon them, and they have found by expe∣rience that they have reapt the whirlwind.* 1.45 And indeed we have begun of late to corrupt the Worship of God, and were carried on by wicked devilish carnal policy, How did we sow the wind? and the Lord hath now made us in great measure to reap the whirlwind. Job saith the whirl∣wind comes from the South; but indeed the truth is, we have had whirlwinds coming from the North and West, and may yet have whirlwinds coming from all parts of the Kingdom, For what hath the Land done of late but sown the whirlwind? Let us not wonder though God doth at this day speak unto us out of the whirlwind, as once he did to Job.

Yea, but many they say, That that we have sown it hath some substance in it, it is not only the wind, for we see that it comes to a blade, it comes forth.

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Yea, but saith God here, It shall not bring forth a stalk.

I beseech you observe the words that follow,* 1.46 It shall not bring forth a stalk: But it may be a stalk may come forth: I but saith God, It shall be crushed before it comes to the bud. But what if it doth bud, it shall be blasted, it shall not come to the meal. I but what if it come to the meal? Then strangers shall devour it saith God; so it follows, They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind; it shal not grow to a stalk, or to the bud, or there shall be no meal, or strangers shall devour it. A most elegant expression it is to shew Gods watching over an apostatizing people for e∣vil, and to shew that in whatsoever they may seem to pro∣sper for a while, yet at the last the Curse of God will be their ruin.

Obs. First,* 1.47 Though sometimes Gods Curse is upon wicked acti∣ons, so that nothing comes of them; yet at other times they may be suffered to seem to prosper, to have some degrees of growth, God may let them come to a stalk, or to the bud, or to the meal; this notes the possibility. It may come to the stalk, possibly to the bud, possibly to the meal, but then all shall come to nothing.

My brethren we have found it so by experience,* 1.48 as it was here in this people, for it was spoken of their wicked Idolatry, and their carnal policy. And hath it not been so with our Adversaries? some of their actions God hath crush'd them presently, and then they have grown up to a blade, and they have seemed to have meal in them, but then the Curse of God hath come upon them: Oh! the uncertainty & the vanity of the comforts of ungodly men! When can they bless themselves in any one project? When it comes up to the blade? No saith God, it shal not come to a stalk: God watches there that it seldom comes so far. Well, but then, will they bless themselves if it hath gotten up to a stalk? No, not then neither, God curses them. But if it bud, now may they not bless themselves? Oh! our projects begin to bud, and they thrive bravely, may they

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not bless themselves now? No, God watches them there, and curses them in the very bud. I but what if it comes to meal, that it's ready now to come to a full issue, and rea∣dy even to come to be eaten, now that they come to feed upon their projects, and they think all is sure? No, the curse of God is upon them there, strangers shall devour it. Blessed be that God who hath followed our Adversaries this way, How often have they blest themselves, and when they have had one design, this will do it, Oh how finely it works! and perhaps they get the very advantage that they themselves desire, and think all is well, and then Gods Curse comes upon them. We are my brethren too unbe∣leeving, we are ready to fear if we hear but of any thri∣ving of any plot and project of our Adversaries, if any stalk doth appear, and especially if they begin to bud, Oh! then we think they ripen; & we do not look up to the great God who doth take delight in blasting the projects of the Adversaries; as the Blessing of God is upon the good a∣ctions of his people, so the Curse of God is upon the wic∣ked projects of his enemies. God may seem many times to leave many a good action, but God doth carry it through at length, though it seems to have many things that would crush it in the very bud, yet God carries good projects through many difficulties, and God crushes wic∣ked projects through much prosperity.

Lastly,* 1.49 To have the satisfying of our desires to go on a while, and to have them cut off before we enjoy them, is a great judgment; but just with God it should be so: for ordinarily we are thus in our obedience, that usually withers before it comes to any ripeness; if it get up to the stalk it may be it comes not to a bud; if to meal, some strange lust or other comes in and devours it; Oh how many times doth our strange lusts devour our good actions that comes forth a good way?* 1.50 How many in their young yeers, we had thought very gracious seed began to sprout forth, and we had thought that the seed grew to a stalk, and when they came

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to be for themselves, we had thought they had begun to bud in gracious actions, we had thought it came to be meal, to their middle age; but to their old age strange lusts hath come and devoured all. It's great judgment for strangers to devour our estates when we have scraped a deal together; truly, for strange lusts to come to devour thy hopeful beginnings, it's a greater judgment than for strangers to devour thy estate, that thou hast gotten by a great deal of labor: Many men have labored all their lives, and taken pains, and that which they have done hath seemed to come to something; and the truth is, in the con∣clusion the Devil hath had the advantage of all.

And God seems to be out against us in some degree,* 1.51 even in the waies of his judgments at this day; thus as many of the Adversaries projects, so many of ours the Lord hath blasted before they come to a stalk, and when they have been budded the Lord hath blasted them, by unfaithful∣ness of some or others; when we have had our greatest thoughts, the Lord hath seem'd to blast us, and what God will do with us we know not, only let us make sure that our seed be good, and though this doth not prosper or the other doth not, yet at last God will bring the greater Harvest upon us.

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