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.]

Yea though they bring forth, yet will I slay even the beloved fruit of their Womb.

The word translated Beloved fruit,* 1.1 it is Desirable, the De∣sires of their womb; Children are the desires of the womb, that is,* 1.2 women are very strong in their desires after them, Give me children or else I die (saith Rachel:) Indeed Harlots are not, they care only for their lust, and would have no fruit of their womb: It's an excellent Emblem for the ex∣pression of the vanity of many Preachers that care for no∣thing but to satisfie their lusts,* 1.3 and shew their wit and parts, but care not for any fruit at all, care not for beget-any children to God; like Harlots they desire not the fruit of the womb, but Wives that are faithful to their Hus∣bands, they do desire it. And the same word that is here for desires,* 1.4 and translated beloved, it is likewise in other Scriptures translated beloved, that in Dan. 9. 23. Oh man, greatly beloved▪ Oh man of desires. And so in Dan. 10. where the Angel saith, great beloved, it is a man of desire. And so in Prov. 31. 2. What, my son! and what, the son of my womb! and what, the son of my vows! You may see how So∣lomons Mother speaks with a great deal of affection, Oh my Son! the Son of my Womb, and the Son of my Desires. But indeed the word signifies properly, the Son of my Vows, Oh! I made Vows to God, if God would give thee me, and since I have given thee up to God, and by Vows dedi∣cated thee to God, what, the Son of my Vows! Women therefore they should look upon their children as the chil∣dren of their Vows, and shew forth their love unto them in

the right way that God would have them. It is a strange place that we have in Titus,* 1.5 where aged women are com∣manded to teach the young women to love their hu••bands; and to love their children; it is a strange thing that a mo∣ther must be taught to love her children; thy child is the beloved fruit of thy womb, but yet thou must be taught by God, taught by his People, taught by his Word to love thy children, to love them in a right and holy way; take heed of loving them so as to provoke God to take them from you,* 1.6 take heed that they be not slain for your sakes; many Mothers have slain the fruit of their womb by lo∣ving them too much. Do not honor your children above God as Ely did, when you look upon their natural comeli∣ness consider they have that in them,* 1.7 and that by your means that except they have another birth will make them objects of Gods eternal hatred, they are the beloved fruit of your wombs, and you look upon them and see them sweet babes and very comely, yea, but think withal that you are the cause to bring them into that that if they have not another birth, though they be objects of your mirth by being born to you, yet they will be objects of Gods ha∣tred by being born in sin by you; you may look upon them as objects of your delight, but God may look upon them as those that he hath appointed to slay, Alas those poor sweet babes, what hurt have they done? God sees enough in them that in his Justice he may slay them. But in this that he saith he will slay the beloved fruit of their womb, or the desirable fruit, take but this one Note:

If Gods Honor,* 1.8 and his Ordinances, and his Saints that are deer to him, be not deer to you, even the very fruit of your womb shall not be regarded by him; That's the scope of the threatning: saith he, Oh here's a people that my Honor, my Ordinan∣ces, my Saints are not deer to them, therefore even the desi∣rable things of their womb, the very beloved fruit of their womb, that that goes more to their hearts than any thing in the world, that that is the deerest to them I will

slay them in mine anger. If you would have what's deer to you be deer to God, let that that is deer to God be deer to you.

And then it follows in the last Verse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Expos. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.2

  Honest women ve∣ry desirous of children Harlots not so.
• * 1.3

  Which are an Allegory of a true Preacher & a false.
• * 1.4

  The use of the word translated beloved.
• * 1.5

  Tit. 2. 4. illustrated.
• * 1.6

  Mothers fond Love s••aies their children.
• * 1.7

  A medita∣tion for Parents▪
• * 1.8

  Obs.