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 16, 2025.

Pages

They shall bring forth children to the murderers.

Many children have been brought forth to the murde∣rers even in this way. (But for the Observations from the words.)

First,* 1.1 The Curse of God stayes not upon the Parents; but goes forwards to the children; It's for the sin of the parents that the children are to be brought forth to the murderers, and especially it staies not upon Idolaters, but goes to their chil∣dren. There are two branches in this Note.

1. The Curse of God staies not upon the parents,* 1.2 but goes towards the children; in Deut. 28. 18. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and especially to the children of Idola∣ters.* 1.3 In Psal. 137. 8. O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us, happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.* 1.4 And in Isa. 13. 18. Their Bowes also shall dash the young men to pieces, and they shall have no pity on the fruit of the

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womb;* 1.5 their eye shall not spare children. So in the second Com∣mandement, the Lord there threatens, to visit the sins of the fathers, upon the children, to them that hate him, to the third and fourth generation.

You wil say,* 1.6 Why should children suffer for their parents sins?

You will kill yong Vipers and Snakes though they ne∣ver have stung.* 1.7 So, God sees guilt enough in the children of wicked men and of Idolaters, so that in Justice he may destroy them; but he doth rather take advantage to destroy them,* 1.8 because they be the children of wicked men and of Idolaters: As if a man commit TREASON, he deserves death then for his own fault;* 1.9 but if the King hear that his Father and Grandfather were Traitors, he shall die the rather because of them. So it's true, the chil∣dren of godly people have sin and guilt in them, as well as the children of wicked men; Yea, but the children of wicked men having guilt, and so liable to Gods Justice, God will take the advantage the rather to do them Justice because their parents was wicked and ungodly; and this is righteous enough with God.

And the children of Idolaters above all shall not be spa∣red,* 1.10 and especially those that live to many years,* 1.11 because there is no sin that is so much strengthened from their An∣cestors, and the example of their Forefathers as Superstition and Idolatry is;* 1.12 Why should we be wiser than our Fore∣fathers? What's the argument of our superstitious vani∣ties, but our Forefathers did thus? And therefore that's observable,* 1.13 That there's no Commandement in the Ten threatens Gods judgments upon the children, but the se∣cond Commandement,

Because that there's no Commandement broken from the example and plea of forefathers as the second Com∣mandement; and therefore let the children of Idolaters and false Worshipers look to it,* 1.14 that they repent from the sins of their forefathers; Instead of pleading for the sins of your forefathers, you should fall down and humble

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your souls for the sins of your forefathers, or otherwise that's the very reason that God will punish the sins of the forefathers upon the children, because their fathers did worship God in a false way, and they will do so too.

And then another Note is this,* 1.15 That as this is a heavy fruit of Gods Curse upon a people for the Parents sins, for God, Curse to follow to the children: so this is a special fruit of Gods Curse upon children, That they shall be brought forth to the Murderers. In times of War if you make not your peace with God it's just with God that things should be or∣dered so that your children should be brought forth to the Murderers.* 1.16 Oh! you tender hearted Mothers, who are loth that the wind should blow upon your children, look up∣on them and pity them, how can you endure to see their blood gush out, how can you endure to see your little ones sprawling in the streets, or upon the pikes of the Soldiers? If your hearts cannot endure this, seek to make your peace with God, to deliver your selves and your children from this curse that hath befallen many. We know not what these wars may bring forth,* 1.17 what they have done in Ireland we have heard much of, how the Parents have lookt upon their children brought forth to the Murderers; and though it's true, in many Cities and places where the E∣nemy hath come they have not generally (at least) broke forth to such abominable cruelties as this is,* 1.18 but who knows what a Summer or two may bring forth; for cer∣tainly where War continues it drives on with more and more rage.

You will say then,* 1.19 Oh! let us make peace upon any terms.

No, let it rather be your care to make your peace with God,* 1.20 that's your way to deliver your cildren from being brought forth to the Murderers; for if it be a false peace it may be but a further way to bring forth your children to the Murderers. It is an extream sad Curse of God, in this especially, when it shall come before their very Parents sight, for so the Prophet speaks as if they should be brought

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forth even before them: Many of the Heathens have very Pathetical expressions about the sad condition of Parents when their children are slain before their eyes: as that of Priamus Son Polites that was slain by Pyrrhus,* 1.21 he cries to his gods, Oh! if there be any thing in Heaven that doth take care of such things, come and revenge this (saith he,) when as Pyrrhus slew his Son before his eyes. Thou hast before the very face of the Father even sprinkled the blood of the child up∣on his face: he was not able to bear it though he saw him∣self ready to die next, but cries to the very Heavens to re∣venge it. And that was a very sad story of the Emperor Mauritius,* 1.22 that his Sons, and Wife, and Daughters were brought before his eyes and slain before him: This is the woful evil that falls upon Kingdoms.* 1.23 And if your chil∣dren did but understand this very text that now I am ope∣ning, they would even look upon you and cry with tears in their eyes, Oh Father! Oh Mother! Repent, repent, and seek God for your selves and for us, Oh! repent, and make up your peace with God that we may not be brought forth to the Murderers.

Oh! but if this be so great an evil for Parents to have their children to be brought forth to the Murderers here, how great an evil then is it for Parents to bring forth chil∣dren to be fewel for Gods wrath for all eternity, to be the firebrands for Gods wrath to burn upon, milions of years to all eternity? You then that are Parents, and have chil∣dren, look upon them and have such thoughts as these that may break your hearts, Oh! what a sad thing would it be that such a babe that came out of my womb should be a fire-brand for Gods wrath to burn upon to all eternity? Oh!* 1.24 how had I need pray and bring up my children in the fear of God, lest I should be such an unhappy Father that out of my loyns, should not only bring forth a child to the Murderers, but for the Devils in Hell? But let not this discourage you that are godly to venture your chil∣dren in lawful Wars, for when you shall labor to make up

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your peace with God, in such a cause if you be willing to sacrifice your children to God, if thy child should be brought forth even to death, yet he is but brought forth even to Martyrdom, rather than to the Murderers: Thou shouldest rather rejoyce that thou hast a child to bring forth in such a Cause, then to be overprest with sorrow that the life of thy child hath been taken away with the Murderers; & some of your children though with the loss of their own lives, yet they have been a means to keep you, and us all from the hand of the Murderer, to keep the Ci∣ty and the Kingdom from being over-run with Tyranny, Idolatry, and all kind of Prophanness, and it may be worth the lives of your children that good that hath been done. Revel. 12. 11.* 1.25 And they overcame by the blood of the Lamb, and by the Word of their Testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoyce ye Heavens, and ye that dwell in them. They loved not their lives unto the death: there∣fore rejoyce ye Heavens,* 1.26 and them that dwell therein. When parents shall be willing to give up their children in the Cause of God, even children shall be willing to sacri∣fice themselves in Gods Cause, (I say having made up their peace with God) then when they love not their lives unto the death, there shall be joy in Heaven, and they shall over∣come in dying even as Jesus Christ did. I remember I have read of Zenophon,* 1.27 when he was sacrificing to their Idol gods, he wore a Crown upon his head, and there came news to him that his child was dead, he presently pulls his Crown from off his head in token of sorrow; but then asking how he died, answer was made, That he died in the Wars: Then he calls for his Crown again. So per∣haps some of you have lost your Children, nature cannot but work, yea but then ask how they lost their lives, they lost their lives valiantly in a work that did as much con∣cern the glory of God as ever any War did, and seeing they died so, rather bless God than be so sorrowful that they fell into the hand of Murderers. It follows.

Notes

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