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.]

And in the multitude of their Mighty Men.

This made them very confident in their way: Why, they had an Army to back them,* 1.1 they had an Army to fight for them, to maintain that way of theirs, they had countenance from men of Power, they had strength enough to crush any that should oppose them.

That's the Note that lies plainly before us:* 1.2 When the outward strength of a Kingdom goes along with a way of Religion then men think it must needs be right, and that all men are but weak men that appears against it. Mark the connexion: They trusted in their way: that is, (as I find generally Interpre∣ters go) The way of Religion. And then, their Mighty Men, these two are put together: so that you see the Note is very evident before you,* 1.3 that's the way that generally men will trust in, and men will go that way; were the scale turn'd and the strength of the mighty men went another way; As now, Suppose that the strength of the Kingdom of the ten Tribes had been bent to go up to Jerusalem to worship, and not to worship at Dan & Bethel, Do you think there would have been almost any considerable party that would not have gone up to Jerusalem, but worshiped at Dan & Bethel? but when the strength of the Kingdom held the other way, when the mighty Men and the way of Religion went both in one, the generality of the people went that way that the mighty men went. This is the vanity and the exceeding evil of mens hearts, that which way soever the mighty men go, that way they will trust in. There are very few that will deliberatly say so, I will go that way that I see the mightie men go in: But this is a secret byass & poise upon the spirits of men w^ch inclins them to harken to what may be said for that way, & not willingly to what may be said for another. And secondly, It is such a poise upon their

spirits, as makes them to be willing and ready to let in any probability, if there be but the least probability for the way that the mighty men go on in they take in that, and when they have taken in one probability, that makes way for another, and another, and so they drink in more and more, & so com to be strengthned for that way, so as to put off the strength of any thing that can be said against the way, except it be so apparent, as whether they will nor no, they must be forced to sin against their consciences directly if they go another way; I say, when the spirits of men are byassed by seeing the strength of the Kingdom go in a way, though (perhaps) they may have some good lie at their hearts, yet there is that corruption in mans heart that ex∣cept we can make the other way so cleer, that notwithstan∣ding all shifts, and all kind af reasonings that may be, they shal be self-condemned in their own consciences, that their consciences shall tell them, they go directly against their light, I say, except we can come thus, we cannot prevail with mens hearts, when the sway of a Kingdom goes ano∣ther way. And there are many Truths of God that con∣cerns his Worship, that cannot be made so cleer but that a man may have such a diversion to satisfie his conscience in this, That I in going another way, do not go against my conscience; God would have us, that what is most likely to be his mind that way to go, without any consideration of any outward respects. Now if there be a temptation for outward respects that they will come into the ballance, do but turn the ballance; and suppose in your own heart that all outward respects were in the other ballance, that all the mightie men were of the other way, what would your hearts think?* 1.4 In Revel. 13. 3. That when Power and Au∣thority was given unto Antichrist, The whol World won∣dred after her. So it is ordinary, that way that the mighty men go, that way mens hearts will generally go. Oh! the little honor that Jesus Christ hath by us! Our hearts are swayed for the most part by carnal Arguments, and car∣nal Motives.

Again, They trust in their way and in the multitude of their Mighty Men.

Great Armies are the things that are the Confidence of Carnal hearts:* 1.5 when they can get a great Army up of a multitude of Mighty Men, let there be never such threats in the Word, yet if they think they have strength enough to bear them out, they bless themselves in that. Oh! let us take heed of this Carnal Confidence: Through Gods Mercie the Lord hath given us now, that we have the multitude of Mightie Men on our side,* 1.6 let us take heed that our Faith do not eb and flow as our Armies do; and I wil give you one Scrip∣ture that shews how far a gracious heart is from making flesh his Arm, Cursed is that man (you know the Scripture) that maketh flesh his Arm. But an example of a godly man to shew how far he was from trusting in an Armie of migh∣ty men,* 1.7 in 2 Chron. 14. 11. It is nothing (saith Asa) with thee to help with many, or with them that have no power. Why Lord, though we have no power, yet thou canst help us. Why did Asa speak thus? Had he no power? You shall find in the Chapter a little before, that Asa had five hun∣dred and fourscore thousand valiant fighting men, Almost six hundred thousand valiant men that he had at that time when he is pleading with God, Lord thou canst save where there is no power. We account it a great Army, if we have twentie, or thirtie, or fourty thousand men; he hath al∣most six hundred thousand men, and yet goes to God and praies, Lord, thou canst help where there is no power.

And yet further from the connexion of these two.

Their way in which they trusted.] That is, The way of Re∣ligion, they thought that was good; But had they had no∣thing else to trust in but that, their trust would not have been very sure.

From thence the Note is this,* 1.8 That those who trust to any way of their own, had need of creature strengths to uphold them. It's a Note of very great use, they had need of bladders to be under their arm-holes, if they trust in a way of their

own. But now if the Way be the Way of God that a man hath confidence in, why then though all outward helps should fail him, though all encouragements should fail in this world, though we should see the creatures at never so great a distance, yet the heart that hath confidence in Gods way hath enough to uphold it; here's the difference be∣tween men trusting in their own way, and in Gods way. Indeed when men trust in their own way so long as the Sun shines upon their way, that they have external helps, they can go on confident, but let outward helps fail, and their hearts sink within them.

But now when the heart is upright with God, and trusts in the Word,* 1.9 and Promises, then it is able to say with Ha∣bakkuk, in Chap. 3. 17. That though the Fig-tree shall not blossom, neither the fruit be in the Vines; the labor of the Olive should fail, and the Field should yeeld no meat, the Flock should be cut off from the fold, and there should be no Herd in the stalls; yet they will rejoyce in the Lord, and joy in the God of their salva∣tion. Let Heaven and Earth meet ••••••ether, whatsoever be∣comes of Armies, and of the Policies of men, of Friends, and all outward respects; yet I will bless my self in the Lord, and bless the time that ever I knew God, and his waies,* 1.10 my heart yet is confident it is the way of God, and I can venture my state upon it, and my libertie, and my life and soul upon this way; let all things seem to be under a cloud and never so dismal, yet my heart is steady, and is fixed in this way of God that the Lord God graciously hath drawn my heart into.

Oh! this is an excellent thing.* 1.11 Examin your hearts in that; when at any time you have seen things go very cross, yet then whether you have not had your hearts to shake.

I remember it's an Observation that one hath about John Baptist.* 1.12 After he was cast into prison, he sends two of his Disciples to know whether Christ were the Messias, or no: They think that though before he was cast into prison he did know that he was so; Behold the Lamb of God! but when

once he came to sufferings, some think that there was some shaking of his Spirit. So it is many times with men, that when they begin to set upon a way and things do some∣what shine upon them, and they have some encouragements outwardly,* 1.13 then they go on, and are perswaded that it is a right way; but when things fall cross, that they are like to suffer in that way, and the hearts of men are against it, and they are like to meet with more evils than ever they made account of, then they begin to call things into que∣stion, And is this the right way? Oh! it is a sign that there was much failing in thy heart (at first) when in the time of outward afflictions thou comest to call into question whe∣ther it be the way of God, yea or no. It follows.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Expos.
• * 1.2

  Obs.
• * 1.3

  That way the migh∣ty men go that shall be troden
• * 1.4

  Rev. 13. 1, 2, 3.
• * 1.5

  Obs. 3.
• * 1.6

  Applic. to Engl.
• * 1.7

  2 Chron. 14▪ 11. observed.
• * 1.8

  Obs. 4.
• * 1.9

  Hab. 3. 17▪
• * 1.10

  The con∣fidence of a gracious heart.
• * 1.11

  Use. Examin.
• * 1.12

  John Bap∣tist.
• * 1.13

  when men suffer for a way, then they begin to question it.