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. 7.

The daies of Visitation are come, the daies of Recompence are come. And of Recompence.

GOD hath his set time for the Execution of Judg∣ment.* 1.1

What good is it to a Malefactor that he is let alone a while in the Prison,* 1.2 when he knows that at such a day of the Month must be the day of his Executi∣on?

The day of Visitation and Recompence,* 1.3 i.e. of Enquiry for all thy evil.

Your Judgments they are none other but, Recompences; you may have vain pleas and reasons to justifie your selves, but when God comes to visit you he will deal with you in away of Recompence proportionable to your waies; If you would fall down and acknowledg your sins and your need of Mercy, then it may be you may find Mercy; but if you will stand to justifie your selves, then expect that God when he comes, will come in a way of Recom∣pence.

And now my Brethren, Oh! what a desperate venture is this, that men will venture to deal with God in a way of Recompence, whenas you may be dealt withal in a way of mercy?

You will say,* 1.4 Who are those that will deal with God in a way of Recompence?

Certainly those that will plead and justifie themselves, and will say, God knows I do what I can, and this is not so much my fault as others: Then expect that God when he comes to deal with you he will have your pleas to be ful∣ly examined, and if it prove that your pleas will hold, you shall have accordingly; and if it prove that your pleas

shall be found false, then you shall be dealt withal in a way of justice. Will you venture? dare any of you ven∣ture upon your Pleas to stand it out? if you say, you do what you can, you will be tried by it, and you shall be re∣compenced accordingly; and if it be found indeed that you do what you can, you shall be saved; but if it be found you have not done what you could, you shall perish eternally: Will you venture? certainly, whatsoever you stand pleading to justifie your selves by, you may expect that God will deal with you in a way of Recompence.

The daies of Recompence are come.

Twice come:* 1.5 as it is said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen. Is∣rael was in a way of Recompence and would hardly be moved with any apprehension of danger, and therefore you have it twice repeated.

From thence the Note is this.

That the apprehension of an evil presently coming,* 1.6 that terrifies the soul. You have a notable text for that in Ezek. 7. 6. An end is come,* 1.7 the end is come; and then in the next words, Behold, it is come again. In one little verse three times, An end is come, the end is come; behold, it is come. And in the verse before, it comes, and in the verse after, it is come; five times God tells them that, it is come. Then saith my text,

Israel shall know it.

Wicked men will not know till they feel;* 1.8 when they are struck, then they will know. The best knowledg of Gods displeasure it is from the causes, but if men will not know from thence, they shall know from the effects. In their prosperity they had many false Prophets that soothed them up, so, that they were kept from knowledg, but now when they had felt Gods stroke, then they should know; but he doth not tell you what you should know. They should know these things.

First, They should know what a great God it is they have to deal withal.

Secondly, They should know how vile a thing sin is.

Thirdly, They should know the vanity of all their shiftings.

Fourthly, They should know the dreadfulness of Di∣vine wrath.

Fifthly, The faithfulness of Gods Prophets.

Sixthly, They should know the wisdom of those who dar'd not do as they did.

Seventhly, They should know the follie and vanitie of all the false Prophets that did seduce them before; they should know, that the Prophet is a fool, and the spiritual man is mad. Oh! the knowledg we have of these things in time of affliction,* 1.9 is another manner of knowledg than we know in the time of our prosperitie: It was the speech of a German Divine in an affliction, In this disease I know what sin is,* 1.10 and how great God is in this disease. And yet he was a Divine, why did he not know before? No tru∣lie, I never knew what sin and God was so before.

Now Israel shall know.

The knowledg that men have of the truth of God in time of af∣fliction,* 1.11 is a working knowledg. I appeal to you; How manie of you in the time of your sickness and afflictions have known things after another manner than ever you knew them before? It follows;

The Prophet is a fool, and the spiritual man is mad.

In the time of Affliction they shall cry out that those are fools that did seduce them.* 1.12 One that died not long since by the Exchange, cried out of his keeping companie with lewd Ministers that did encourage him in his waies, and that did harden him against Religion and the Saints of God.

In former times we know how men would close with wicked Ministers, and how they would be hardened in scorning at Religion, and Puritans, but these will have cause upon their sick beds, and death beds, to crie out of them, for they would tell them that they need not be so strict and so pure: take heed now how you be deceived by those that account themselves spiritual men, they here in the text upon experience find that the Prophet did but be∣fool them, and those that had such glorious titles of spiri∣tual men, that they were but mad; and if you take not heed some that are here may find it hereafter true upon their death beds, that they may cry out of such and such Ministers that did perswade them to such and such things.

But truly tis no excuse to men,* 1.13 though they should be led aside by Ministers and others, for you shall find what's the reason that they were given up to Prophets that were fools, it follows in the text: For the multitude of their iniquity, and for their great hatred. Thou hadst a wicked and a vile heart that did hate Gods people and the waies of godliness, and therefore it was just with God to give thee up to those that thou seest now to be fools and mad-men; Oh! it's just with God when mens spirits are against the true Prophets of God, to leave them to Ministers that should cozen and undo their souls everlastingly.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Obs. 1.
• * 1.2

  Admonitiō
• * 1.3

  Obs. 2.
• * 1.4

  Use To those that say they do what they can.
• * 1.5

  Expos.
• * 1.6

  Obs. 3.
• * 1.7

  Ezek. 7. 6
• * 1.8

  Obs. 4.
• * 1.9

  The saying of a Germā Divine.
• * 1.10

  Se Melchi∣er Adams de vitae Theolog. Germ.
• * 1.11

  Obs. 5
• * 1.12

  Obser.
• * 1.13

  Observ.