would pray as hard for purity of heart as purity of ordinances without which it matters not much what judgment or perswasion or society a man is of for however he may be a zealot in bearing witness to what he likes best yet he may be bad enough in the witness of his own conscience It is a grand design of the Devil when men will needs look after religion to make them believe that to be of such a Church or party is to be religious and to trust to that in stead of godliness and how many do so but this being but an house built on the sand when the rain descends and the floods Matth. 7. 27 come and the winds blow and beat upon it it will fall and great will be the fall thereof Among even the Virgins themselves i. e. those who bore the name of Christians and had Lamps made fair professions are found foolish ones such as though they had lamps had no oyl no true grace and therefore are not owned by Christ but shut out of heaven 9. Not having religious parents or relations nor having been brought up in godly families This is indeed a mercy and may prove helpful but speaks not you good unless you experience a saving work of grace upon your own souls Isaac's goodness did not make Esau so nor Elie's Hophni and Phinehas c. It is said of Christ's brethren for Joh. 7. 5. neither did his brethren believe in him their being so neer allyed to Christ did not make them believers and yet if any kin or alliance would have done it Christ's might Two says Christ shall be in one bed the one shall be taken and the Luk. 17. 34. c. other left Think not then to say within your Math. 3. 9. selves we have Abraham to our father for except you have the faith of Abraham it will nothing avail you It is said of one John of Valois that he was Son Brother Unkle Father of a King and yet himself never King There may be found some good even in the worst families and some bad in the best as is sadly experienc'd We read of Saints in Caesar's houshold and of sons of Belial in Elie's 10. Not what the Apostle declares Hebr. 6. 4 5. as having been Perceperant aliquam cognitionem veritatis Evangelicae viz. de Christo glorioso illo adventu futuro Tossan once enlightned i. e. with common illumination having tested of the heavenly gift some tasts but they were but tasts not let down as it were c. being made partakers of the holy Ghost i. e. in regard of more common gifts which were much imparted in the primitive Church having tasted the good word of God i. e. felt some sweetness Magnum est discrimen inter electos vete credentes inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui obiter quaedam dona Spiritûs gustârunt quoad notitiam professionem non autem vere efficaciter regeneratisunt c. Tossan in the promises of the Gospel so as to hear it with joy and the powers of the world to come some glimpse of heaven or some flash of hell upon the conscience or some tasts of the joys of heaven as Balaam Numb 23. 10. Now these seem great things indeed but they must be better than these that speak us Christians indeed and accompany salvation as the Apostle expresses it even saving conversion true faith and unfeigned love c. v. 9. But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewed towards his name c. And therefore never let any rest or take up in these or the like for it must be more than all these that must speak you true Christians even sound conversion which therefore never rest ' till you do attain to 5. This is that which all call and cry to us for God in his Word he every where calls for it and Jesus Christ he came from heaven to call Matth. 9. 13. to it and still by his Ministers calls for it this Church and Kingdom call for City Countrey towns families bodies souls estates liberties lives relations little ones all as to the weal of them and this the Gospel and all that is neer or dear to us call for yea and all God's dealings and dispensations mercies judgments smiles frowns words blows the sinfulness of the the times and the sickliness of the times the sword which did eat the flesh and drink the blood of so many thousands and the pestilence which walked in darkness and destroyed at noon day doing execution continually causing thousands to fall at our side and ten thousands at our right hand laying wast whole families and making burying work 'till scarce room to bury in sweeping away in one year in and about the city so many thousands and this that dreadful fire calls for which in a few days reduc'd so famous a city into ashes O how often hath the Lord smitten us and that with sore smitings such as have not been in our days nor in our fathers Joel 1. 2. days before us such droughts such winds and storms such a pestilence such a fire such grievous gripes whereby multitudes were so suddenly swept away above four thousand three hundred in one year and many the year after Yea the Lord hath smitten us with sorer smitings spiritual smitten us in our Shepherds solemn assemblies in our delectable things with famine in many places not of bread but of hearing Amos 8. 11 12. the word of the Lord c. And what do all these stroaks mean or what is their language and what do they call and cry for surely for this that we repent and turn to God this Micah 6. 9. is their voice to the city and to the countrey to all sorts high and low rich and poor great and mean to all from him that sitteth upon the throne to him that goes by the hig-way side And shall we not hearken to so many lowd calls and cryes how then should God hearken to us 6. This is that which when God's judgments are in the earth he looks for and counts upon Is 26. 9. viz. that then the inhabitants of the world will Per castigationes divinas adpoenitentiam adducuntur Pise learn righteousness i. e. learn to amend their lives This they then should and ought for to do and if ever God counts upon it they will do it then his judgments being means thereof They in their trouble did turn unto the Lord c. 2 Chr. 15. 4. Hos 5. 15. Ps 119. 67. 2 Sam. 24. 29. and in their affliction they will seek me early Absalom sent for Joah once and again to come unto him but he would not come but when he set his corn on fire then he ran c. and shall not we to God when
man or all this is man man indeed and this only is truly and properly man that which speaks man indeed And without this man at his best state as to the very quintessence and greatest confluence of all Psal 39. 5. other things is but altogether vanity And this was that which King David his father when he was to dye left him in charge for to do as whereby to shew himself a man which he therefore the rather commends unto others Now the 1 King 2. 1 2 3 days of David drew nigh that he should dye and he charged Solomon his Son saying I go the way of all the earth be thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eris in virum i. e. praestaâ—te virum Pisc strong therefore and shew thy self a man and how must he do it And keep the charge of the Lord thy God to walk in his ways to keep his statutes and his commandements c. And we can never indeed shew our selves men unless we do this but are as brutes Man that is in Psal 49. â—â— honour and understandeth not i. e. so as to fear God and depart from evill which is the onely true wisdom and understanding is like the beasts that perish And God is said to tread down such as dirt and 119. 118 â— â— to put them all away as dross yea to take them away as dung till it be all gone 1 King 4. 10. though never so great but the godly he hath set apart as persons of honour for Psal 4. 2 3. himself to be for his honour and high and excellent uses here and then to be happy in and with himself for ever hereafter And O that the Grandees and great ones of the world would at length know and be throughly convinc'd of this that this is man and this is true greatness and grandeur indeed To fear God and keep his commandements to pay to him who is their maker owner and benefactour all due observance to look upon the study and glory of God as the importantest imployment and accordingly to give up themselves to it to have honourable apprehensions and highest estimations of him strongest affections towards him and wholly to devote and dedicate themselves to him to have the very drift aim and bent of their lives for God and his glory and heaven and salvation so to serve honour and please God here as to come to enjoy him for ever hereafter And as for the honours and profits of the world and the sensual pleasures and delights of the flesh to contemn them and the rather when Nemo dignus nomine hominis qui unum diem velit esse in voluptate Tullius Major sum ad majora natus quam ut mancipium sim corporis mei Seneca that a very heathen could say that he deserv'd not the name of a Man that would wast but one day in pleasure and another that he was greater and born to greater things than to be his bodies bondslave And when Titus the Emperour though a Pagan sitting on a time in company could cry out O my friends I have lost a day in regard he had spent it without doing some good To think O amici mei perdidi diem c. that book worthiest reading which is of God's own inditing and which King Alphonsus is said notwithstanding all his other imployments to spare time to read fourty times over and that with Comments and Glosses and which Queen Elizabeth after her Coronation being presented with receiv'd with both hands and kissing it said that it had ever been her chiefest delight and that it was a book she would often and often read over To be looking not so much to the things which are seen for they are temporal but the things not seen for they are eternal and to give them the preeminence to be thinking where you shall be thousands of years hence and after your fluctuating condition for a few moments here what must be your standing and eternal estate for ever hereafter To judg that but for the concerns of Gods glory and your soul 's here and the fruition of that future good hereafter it was not worth the while to have been born To have the resolves of your hearts continually to obey God and their desires to enjoy him not onely to know what is virtuous but to be virtuous the actual possession of one virtue being preferrable to the bare speculative knowledg of all The more God honours and does for you the more to honour and do for him and not to be like those great persons and wits who unmindful of that 1 Cor. 4. 7. are as The Honourable Robert Boyl an Honourable person expresses it like those ungrateful clouds that obscure the Sun that rais'd them and so do they the glory of that God who advanc'd them to that height but to resemble and be like those winged Cherubims in the Tabernacle whom as the same Honourable person expresses it all the Gold and Jewels that glittered about and all the clouds of incense that fum'd before them could never divert from a fixt posture towards the Ark of the Testimony which contain'd the law and the mercy seat So to be still eyeing of God and to have your whole life nothing else as it were but a continual attendance upon him and a converse with him and having made him your portion to devote all you have and are to him and his service and as you receive more than others from him so to work more for him It was an excellent speech to this purpose that of Henry the Great King of France and savour'd much of true grandeur and nobleness of spirit indeed When I was born says he there were thousands of others born besides what have I done for God more than they and so that of King James in his book dedicated to Prince Henry that he would have him remember that he differ'd not in stuff but in use from the rest of the people and that by God's ordinance Kings as well as others were bound to read the Scriptures This is 〈◊〉 17. 18 19 20. now the true grandeur and that which exalts great ones indeed and renders them the glory and delight of the places where they live as is said of Titus before mentioned that for his virtues and his sweet and prudent government Deliciae humani generis Princeps bonus orbis amor he was stiled the delight of mankind and his Motto was All the world falls in love with a good Prince It is said of King Edgar that he was a man indeed but of little stature but his excellent virtues stiled him honor deliciae Anglorum honor rosa Regum Anglici orbis flos decus c. And the love and favour of Religion made our Edward the sixth to be called another Josias and occasioned that lugubrous Epicede at his death Vester corruit omnis honos Nam Regum decus juvenum
one truth then were the hearts of the fathers turned to the Flectet suâ efficaci praedicatione omnium hominum ordines ad poenitentiam c. Tossan in loc children 3. Others as Tossanus a learned Expositour understand it that John by his powerful preaching should bring all forts and orders and degrees of men whether fathers or children to repentance and to serve the Lord with one accord c. And some of the Ancients as Austin and Jerom by the Faithers understand Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Prophets and by Children the Jews and thus expound it That when by the preaching of John the Jews should be brought to believe in Christ in whom the fathers had believed then should their fathers hearts be turned and affected towards them which otherwise were averse from them but then should they acknowledg them or then may the hearts of the fathers be said to be turned to the children when being converted themselves their earnest desires are to their children that they might be converted also 5. Others thus that whereas at this time when John came all was out of order and there were many corruptions errours schisms sects Docet Angelus Johannem suo ministerio patres filios existo dissidio in unitatem fidei adducturum c. Winckelm as Pharisees Sadduces Herodians Samaritans c. and many differences divisions and heart-burnings thereupon John by his preaching being made effectual by the Holy Ghost should so turn and convert all orders and degrees of men from the errours of their ways as to heal and reconcile the differences and divisions among themselves and to bring them to an holy union and mutual love and amity one to and with another so as to joyn together as one man to serve the Lord so that Ephraim should no more Isa 11. 13. envy Judah nor Judah vex Ephraim c. And what a blessed work was this thus in this sense to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and of the fathers to the children And oh that God would do this work for England that he would send some Johns filled with the holy Ghost to effect this that the hearts of all that profess his name might be turned to God and turned one to another that all might be one in the father and the Son as the father and son are one in John 17. 21. themselves as Christ prayed that all might serve him with one shoulder or one consent and Zephan 3 9. his way and name might be one in the earth and there might be no other strife but who might serve God best and love one another most the performing of this work upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem how would it further the conversion of the Jews and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentils and how soon then would God subdue our enemies and turn his hand against his and our adversaries round about And this now which way soever we take or understand it it being the work of the ministery the design of the preaching of the Word to turn people to the Lord to turn the hearts of fathers to the children and as it follows the disobodient to the wisdom of the just that is to the wisdom of true converts to that repentance and conversion which they have already been brought to whereby they are brought to themselves and to a sound mind and to be wise indeed as also it being the work of the ministery of the Word to reconcile people to God and to bring them again into favour and friendship with him and to be at peace with him and therefore is it called the ministery and word of reconciliation What a choice mercy and singular priviledg must it needs then be for a people to enjoy it and how much should people prize and esteem and value it and as it is said of those Acts 14. 48. glorifie it If a Traveller was out of his way and travelling in dangerous paths where robberies and murthers used to be be committed what a good work was it for one to inform this Traveller of his danger and to set him into a safe and right way So if he was fallen to have one to raise him up again and this is the work of the ministery Psalm 19. 7. The law of the Lord or the doctrine of the Lord that is his holy Word is perfect converting the soul it says this is the way walk in it and what a mercy is it to enjoy such a word this makes it to such as experience this blessed effect of it better to them than thousands of gold and silver as David Psalm 119. 72. says it was to him The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver that is many thousands though never so many for was it the gold and silver of many worlds what could it do or contribute in the least as to what the Word does 10. This speaks very highly of God's turning a people again and causing his face to shine there being so much in them and that flows from them that when God vouchsafes these to a people they are then saved they are then blessed and happy and it is well with them and it shall be well with them for ever hereafter they are safe and all shall happily succeed they are freed from all evill and in the way of all good and what blessed things are they that put people into such a condition O how well does God deal with those he vouchsafes them to they may well say Thou hast dealt well Ps 119. 65. 65. 4. 63. 3. with thy servant O Lord c. and Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee whom thou turnest to thee and turnest thy face unto him for this is beter than life and man's onely true felicity and soveraign way of being saved c. And therefore how excellent is thy loving kindness O God says David Psal 36. 7. that produces such excellent effects 11. This justifies and much commends solemn days of fasting and humiliation this being the great work and business of them to seek God's face and to further our turning again to him and this being the onely way to be saved this speaks such days to be good days blessed days and such duties to be good duties and such a work to be a good work and it is good for people they tending so much to their weal to be much in them such fasting days proving many times effectual for conversion and so to salvation which makes them * Lachâ—ymae poenitentium vinum Angelorum dum hîc ex animo lugemus commissa diem festum Angeli agunt in coelesti curiâ festival days to the Angels in heaven who rejoyce so much as you heard before in the conversion of sinners and to whom penitents tears become as refreshing wine c. 12. This speaks afflictions not to be such sad things as many
of their Prayer so the great importance excellency and necessity of the things prayed for that they were infinitely concern'd in them and that the want of them as to their being saved could not be dispens'd with namely God's turning them again to himself and causing his face to shine So that these words are not onely the burden but the very beauty and blessing of the Psalm It s very marrow and sweetness consists and is concentred in them and hence do they so often repeat them not knowing how to be denied what is contained in them viz. God's turning them again and causing his face to shine but beg them again and again and make them their fixed petition and importunate prayer in which prayer take notice of these three things 1. The person whom they direct their prayer to and that is God to whom alone all prayer is to be directed and him they stile here the Lord God of Hosts and so though their case was dark and seem'd even desperate yet looking to God's power as being the Lord God of Hosts this gives them light and hope of relief for what is or can be too hard for him to do 2. The subject matter of their prayer and that is 1. that God would turn them again and 2. cause his face to shine and then 3. we have here the blessed fruit and happy effect which they promise to themselves upon audience and that is that they shall be saved Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved This prayer is but short but exceeding sweet the words few but very full For we have contained in them 1. The great Gospel-blessing and that of Jesus being raised up by his Father which is the turning of us away from our iniquities Act. 3. 26. Vnto you first God having raised up his son Jesus sent him to bless you but how in turning away every one of you from his iniquities 2. We have contain'd in them man's chief happiness and his true and onely felicity viz. God's favour the light of his countenance for God to cause his face to shine 3. Man's being saved which is very comprehensive and does denote not onely freedom from Enemies and evils of all sorts though that most properly but fruition also of all good CHAP. II. The Explication of the Words Turn us again or convert us i. e. from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Converte nos our sins and iniquities to thy self from our own wayes which have not been good to thine from which we have turned aside and gone astray And well do they begin and continue so earnest for this for as all our misery did at first and does still come in by our Apostacy and turnings aside and turning away from God so our happiness cannot be recovered again but in our returns to him Look as that was and is the very spring and foundation of all our woe so this of our weal and in all our miseries and calamities the very first step to our cure and recovery begins here and hence is it that the Church and people of God are here so urgent upon this again and again yea and hence is this held forth as the great business and design of Christ in suffering for our sins that he might bring us to God for otherwise we could never have been brought again to be happy 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God c. This turning again may refer either to those of them that were never as yet turned or to those who being once turn'd had in some measure at least turn'd again aside made some defection as indeed the best are very prone to do Hos 11. 7. My people are bent to backsliding from me and Exod. 32. 8. They have turn'd aside quickly out of the way c. And thus they here beg of God to turn them again and to heal their backslidings and though this is and ought to be our endeavour yet it being God's work as unable to turn themselves they apply themselves to him and this turn we ought to endeavour and to pray for still more and more it being the work and business of our whole lives to turn to God more and more the last step of repentance being the first step of Glory and the last step of turning the first step of triumphing Some indeed do render this turn us again return us or restore us recover us i. e. say they from our Captivity to our former state c. And many go this way but surely it is more than such a turning that the Church here is so importunate for viz. a spiritual and gracious Kimchi idem esse dicit quod dirige corda nostra ad te hanc lectionem our rejicere mus non apparu it â—lla ratio Musc turn a saving conversion a turning from sin to God that God would make them true Penitents sound converts new men they pray for amendment as the very essence of repentance and without this what would the other signifie or avail or what true comfort could it afford to have their outward condition turn'd and hearts unturn'd or how unless they were turned by repentance could they ever expect that the Lord should shew them the evidence of his favour and besides as to their recovery from their present miseries and calamities that they had prayed for in other verses in this Psalm and in praying for these first they therein take the readiest and most effectual course for the other and therefore this turning here again we are mainly and chiefly to understand of turning to God by repentance as we find the same word elsewhere understood and taken as Lament 5. 21. Turn thou us unto thee O Lord c. and Jer. 31. 18. Turn thou me and I shall be turned c. and so frequently elsewhere the same word is made use of and thus several Expositors carry it and this says a Learned Interpreter is the special petition here insisted upon that God by giving repentance would reclaim them from their Apostacy and grant the evidence of his favour unto them and so deliver and save them So that Repentance Reconciliation and Salvation is that which is here prayed for that God would turn their hearts by unfeigned repentance that so they might be fit for deliverance O Lord God of Hosts Thus they stile God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dominus Deus exercituum and under this notion eye him and consider him the more to strengthen their faith and hope as concerning the things they prayed for and for gaining the more firm assurance of obtaining them In the 3. v. they pray O God in the 7. O God of Hosts and then here in this verse O Lord God of Hosts Thus by degrees they rise higher and higher and get more and more ground for the strengthning of their faith What
the joy and comfort of them more than countervail the other there being no comparison between them but the one exceedingly transcending the other As the sufferings of this present Rom. 8. 18. time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed hereafter so neither are they to be compared with spiritual mercies here as for God to turn us again to himself to pardon our sins to cause his face to shine to vouchsafe us his favour and his comforts and consolations What sufferings or afflictions will not these comfort and support under or what other wants will they not more than countervail what are the world's frowns to God's smiles the world's troubles to God's peace the world's sorrows to God's joyes the world's afflictions to God's consolations the world's pressures to the pleasures of God's presence or its burdens to the rest which that affords what are its Bitters to God's Sweets its Gall and Wormwood to the Wine of his Love Cant. 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the Kisses of his mouth for thy love is better than wine and v. 4. we will remember thy love more than wine yea 't is better than life and in it even in death it self there is life And hence is it that the Apostle speaks what is a Paradox to the men of the world troubled but not distressed as sorrowful yet always rejoycing as having nothing and yet possessing all things as dying and yet behold we live live in the light of God's countenance in his sight as Hosea 6. 2. and we shall live in his sight where indeed only the Soul truly lives and there it may live even in death and have light arise to it even in darkness and see light in the greatest obscurity and this light I mean the light of God's countenance it giveth Songs even in the night as it did to Paul and Silas when thrust into the inner prison and their feet made fast in the Stocks yet God's gracious presence did so cheer their spirits and put such joy into their hearts that even at midnight they brake forth in praises to God Acts 16. 25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God and the prisoners heard them they did not onely pray but sing prayses and sung so loud that others heard them the prisoners heard them they were awaken'd by them And what did they think of them surely they thought they were not well in their wits to sing at such a time and in such a place and in such a condition who having been beaten and many stripes laid upon them were cast into prison yea thrust into the inner prison and their feet made fast in the stocks and yet now to sing O if God cause but his face to shine if he lift but up the light of his countenance it will make a man sing at any time in any place in any condition it will turn a prison into a Pallace and a dungeon into a Paradise This made David to have his Psalms yea Michtams i. his golden Psalms or as the Dutch render it his golden Jewels Aureum ornamentum aut insigne exputissimo auro factum it signifies what is made of the best and finest gold so called because of their singular preciousness and excellency in the saddest places and in the saddest outward condition as when the Philistins took him in Gath when he fled from Saul in the Cave when Saul sent and they watcht the house to kill him c. See Psalm 56 57 59 the Titles Moses Psalm 90. 14. prays O satisfie us early with thy mercy i. e. with thy loving kindness vouchsafe us thy favour that we may rejoyce and be glad all our dayes This is enough to make the people of God rejoice and be glad all their dayes be they never so dark and gloomy evil and perillous As we have received mercy sayes the Apostle we faint not 2 Cor. 4. 1. The Lord tels Moses Exod. 33. 14. My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest Though Moses was to go through a wearisome wilderness and amidst a wearisom people yet the Lord's presence should give him rest We may go any where with him he will be an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land Isa 32. 2. Vse 1. Of Reproof to those who when miseries and calamities are upon themselves or the Nation look after the removal of them but not after Spiritual mereies they are very earnest and sollicitous that God would take away their ourward plagues remove his judgments but not that God would take away their sins and turn them again to himself and cause his face to shine But so God will but do the other free them of their miseries let the latter do what they will Psalm 4. 6. There be many that say who will shew us any good i. e. any outward good how to compasse any earthly worldly gain or advantage O that we might have peace and plenty or how shall we once get out of these troubles and afflictions but few say with David lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and then all shall be well if thou do but this Many when they are in pain and sick and weak they cry out indeed but for what for ease and health and recovery not that they may be turned from their sins and recover God's favour as Pharaoh he calls to have other plagues taken away but never begs to have the plague of his own heart taken away which was the greatest of all and far worse than all the other but this is the voice onely of nature and argues a graceless heart and that which the Lord as I said complains of Hos 6. 14. Vse 2. Of Exhortation Then when miseries and calamities do abide us let this be our Prayer let us with the Church and people of God here more especially and most earnestly beg and implore spiritual mercies that God would turn us again and cause his face to shine lift up upon us the light of his countenance vouchsafe us his grace and favour bless us in turning us from our iniquities let us be importunate for these ask them again and again and whatever outward evils or distresses may abide us these as you have heard will not only comfort and support us under them but more than countervail them When he giveth quietness who then can make trouble c if God be for us who can be against us Rom. 8. 31. You know what Philip said to our Saviour John 14. 8. Lord shew us the father and it sufficeth us So let but the Father shew us himself shine on us with his face vouchsafe us his favour and it sufficeth As the Lord said unto Paul and says to all his people 2 Corinth 12. 9. my grace is sufficient for thee though then Paul was in
God the Father rejoiceth and Jesus Christ rejoiceth and the Angels rejoice above and his Ministers and People rejoice beneath It is said of Paul and Silas that passing through Phenice and Samaria and declaring the Conversion of the Gentils they caused Quoties benè agimus gaudent Angeli tristantur Daemones quoties à bono deviamus Diabolum laetificamus Angelos suo gaudio defraudamus great joy unto all the brethren Acts 15. 3. and Acts 11. 21. A great number believing and turning unto the Lord it is said of Barnabas that coming v. 23. and seeing the grace of God he was glad c. and 2 Cor. 7. 9. Now I rejoyce not that ye were made sorry simply made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance and for that I greatly rejoyce What 's the reason and ground of this why the point tells you because when a sinner repents and turns again to God and he causes his face to shine and vouchsafes him his favour he is blessed and happy and safe and it is and shall certainly be well with him he is in a good case and condition all things shall happily succeed to him here and he shall be eternally saved hereafter His repentance is repentance unto life and unto salvation never to be repented of and is not here cause of joy and rejoycing indeed when a soul is saved that was lost more worth than a whole world what should be matter of joy and rejoycing if not this Luke 15. 23. And bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry v. 24. for this my son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found and they began to be merry and v. 32. It was meet we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found So that God is so far from refusing any that turn to him that he rejoyceth very much therein and is more ready to receive them than they can be to come unto him 9. This informs us and gives us to see what a choice mercy and singular priviledg it is for a people to enjoy the ministery of the Word to have God's messengers and ambassadours sent among them to preach and dispense the same why because for a people to be saved the onely way it being for God to turn them again and cause his face to shine this is the way and means which God hath ordered and appointed to effect this to bring about this as the Scripture abundantly declares Thus when the Lord had appeared to Paul and made him a Minister this he declares as the great work and business of his Ministery To open peoples eyes and to turn Acts 26. 18. 20. them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ and this he shewed 1. to them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judaea and then to the Gentils that they should repent and turn to God c. and we preach unto Acts 14. 15. you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God which made heaven and earth c. This is the great work and business of Ministers to shew this preach this press this urge this exhort and excite to this yea and to pray for this This was the great work and business of the Prophets of old and so ever since in Jerem. 25. 4. the Lord there tells the Jews that he sent unto them all his servants the Prophets rising early and sending them and what was their errand what did they say v. 5. They said turn ye again now every one from his evill way and from the evil of your doings c. So Zach. 1. 4. Be ye not as your Fathers unto whom the former Prophets have cryed and what did they cry Turn ye now from your evill way and from your evil doings c. This the Prophets still said and cry'd and press'd and urg'd O turn ye to God and his ways and walk no longer in the ways of sin for they are dangerous ways there are Lyons in those ways that roaring Lyon that seeks to devour and there is hell and death and damnation and all the curses of God in those ways and there 's no going to heaven in them they are not ways to live in much less to dye in and therefore come off from them and speedily turn to better and do this or you dye or you perish And this is made the great end and business of John the Baptist's ministery to turn people to the Lord and turn the hearts of Luke 1. 15 16. the Fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just c. And many of the Convertet ratione sui ministerii praedicando poenitentiam c. Winckelman children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God that is he by his preaching being accompanied with the power of the holy Ghost to make it effectual shall be a means of many of their conversions and so of their happiness and salvation this was the work and should be the happy effect and fruit of his office and employment as it further follows And he shall go before Luke 1. 17. him that is before Christ the Messias in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just c. The former of these seems at first harsh and difficult that the hearts of the fathers should be turned to the children one would think the hearts of the children rather should have been turned to their fathers the place is difficult and is variously interpreted if we understand it simply and properly of Parents and Children we must interpret it of evil Parents and of good Children that are converted Thus many times children are converted and are godly when parents are wicked and unconverted and thus for the hearts of the fathers of the Parents continuing as yet the Devils children to be by the ministery of the Word turned to their children being good and God's children and so to be converted and to be of the same mind as they are is a blessed thing indeed and much to be wish'd and desired But 2. some understand it of the stubborn and refractory Jews that he by his ministery should make to become children of the Church that is of the number of those new converts and Christians in those days Thus some by Fathers understand the unconverted Jews by Children the Apostles and other Christians newly converted according Psalm 45. 16. to that In stead of thy fathers shall be thy children which thou mayest make Princes in all the Earth Thus when the Jews were converted to become Christians and to be of one heart and mind and to consent in
case as his great concern why Consider this says he ye that Ps 50. 22. forget God lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Consider this that is what I say and threaten and will do to prevent your utter and inevitable ruine which else will be if ye do not O it is inconsiderateness that undoes so many thousands God considers sinners ways and courses but they themselves do not nor will not as the Lord complains And they consider Hos 7. 2. not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness and God declares this as the reason why when he hearkened and heard no man speak right no man repented him of his wickedness Jerem. 6. 6. it was because no man said no man considered what have I done hence every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel whereas David tells us I thought on my Psal 119. 59. ways I considered my ways how they were out of order and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Chishabti I weighed and pondered my ways I turned them upside down as it were looked all over them and on every side of them both above and beneath So much the Hebrew word notes and it seems to be a phrase taken from curious works which are the same on both sides so that they who work them must turn them on every side c. And thus did David as in reference to his ways which caused him to turn his feet unto God's testimonies so it is said of the Prodigal that when he came to himself he said to whom did he say to and with himself he weighed and considered how many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger As if he had said O what a beast what a brute am I thus to feed swine and to feed upon husks that swine do eat and to be in want of them too when I might have bread enough in my father's house why there is never a hired servant in my father's house but is in a far better case than I and the serious weighing and considering of this and dwelling in his thoughts upon this made him resolve as v. 18. I will arise and go to my father c. So it is said of Peter when he thought thereon he wept Mark 14. 72. And the Church Lam. 3. 19. remembring her affliction and her misery that is still remembring it and meditating upon it and especially her sin which occasioned it the wormwood and the gall the bitterness in sin as well as for sin My soul hath them says she still in remembrance v. 20. and is humbled in me c. And beg of God to make thee know whilst yet thou goest on in thy sins the danger thou art in where thou art and whither thou art going upon what slippery and dangerous precipices thou walkest and where thou wilt shortly be unless thou gettest out of the way where thou art Pro. 21. 16. The man that wanders out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead Such a one unless he turn will be shortly lodg'd in hell among the Devils and the damned Now this you may do and this you are greatly concern'd to do to consider your ways c. and that you may do this you must get alone get in secret for there is no casting up of accounts in a crowd no a man must go aside and alone to do this as the Prophet expresses it Lam. 3. 28. he sitteth alone and keepeth silence c. and Zach. 12. 12 13 14. Their families apart and their wives apart and Psalm 4. 4. stand in awe and sin not commune with your own heart upon your bed and be still that is get alone be still and quiet and then commune with your own hearts if you would consider your ways you must sequester your selves and having done thus go unto God and lay open your ways and your case and condition which you have weighed and considered before him confess your sins and humble your souls and seek his face and supplicate his mercy and grace that he would say of you as sometimes he did of Ephraim when he had gone on frowardly in the Isa 57. 17 18. way of his heart I have seen his ways and will heal him c. I will turn him and he shall be turned I will pardon and not impute what is past and prevent and help against the same for the future 6. Occasion your hearts this way as much as you can I mean as to this blessed turn we say Occasion makes a Theef it furthers and helps Occasio facit furem forward his theevery and so it may tend to make a Penitent occasion as it is of great force as to that which is evil so it may prove also as to that which is good it is a main thing as in matters of sin so of grace and therefore if thou wouldest repent and turn to God occasion thy heart that way and it may much further thee therein as by often reading and hearing and meditating on the Word and conferring of the same especially such a word as tends most to help forward such a work so by considering thy sins and what thy misery is till thou dost turn and how happy thou shalt be when thou art turned by considering the motives to repentance as its excellency equity utility and absolute and indispensable necessity c. as shall be afterward held forth Thus give your hearts as many occasions that way as possible ye can and they may take and avail at length Why are men so carnal and worldly and earthly why they occasion their hearts still that way they are still speaking thinking and plodding on the world they speak of little else hear little else think of little else 1 John 4. 5. They are of the world therefore speak they of the world c. they Philip. 3. 19. Psal 49. 11. mind earthly things Their inward thought is that their houses shall continue for ever c. And if men would more occasion their hearts that way they might become more penitent while I was musing says David the fire burned and Ps 39. 3. Mark 14. 72. Peter whiles he thought thereon and so occasioned his heart that way he wept You should deal with your hearts as it is reported Junius his father once in another case dealt with him who perceiving his son Atheistical and knowing the reading of the Scriptures might be a principal means under God to cure his Atheism to occasion him that way he lays a Bible in every Room that so where ever he came he might still have occasion to look into it and read it he could go into no room but still he found a Bible haunting him and as it were inviting him to read it and being thus occasioned to read it at length he read it and was thereby says the ☜
without hurt and though six and seven troubles throng us not any the least evil toucheth Job 5. 19. Ps 25. 10. us but all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth Thus when we turn to God with a holy turn God turns to us with a gracious turn and when God turns to us all good is afloat towards us and all evil is ebbing and hastening from us all in heaven and earth will become turned for our good Deut. 30. 3. The Lord tells Israel that if they shall return to the Lord their God then the Lord their God will turn their captivity and have compassion on them and will return c. But let me a little more particularly and distinctly hold forth some of the benefits of this turn 1. This is the great blessing of the Gospel even the blessing that Jesus Christ himself being raised up and exalted by his father is sent to bless with in the preaching and dispensing thereof Vnto you first God having raised up his son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every Acts â— 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si vos converteritis c. So Syriack and Arabick c. one of you from his iniquities Some indeed read it if you turn or every one of you turning c. and so make being blest an argument and motive to turn And this is a true and a good sense that when we turn away from our iniquities though not by any strength of our own that then Jesus Christ will bless us But first Jesus Christ must bless us in turning us before he bless us being turn'd and therefore others render it as here in turning you as declaring the way and manner how Christ blesses and this agrees well with the word bless for iniquity being that alone which brings the curse the onely way to be blest must needs be to be turned from it and while people are not turned from their sins but still go on impenitently in them they cannot be blest Thus conversion is the great Gospel-blessing and the way to be further yea for ever blest and it prevents the curse which else we cannot evade And he shall turn the heart of the fathers c. Least I come and smite the earth with a curse Mas 4. 6. 2. Upon this follows that great and glorious and inestimable mercy and priviledg of pardon that mercy of mercies which makes 〈◊〉 and the want of which makes hell yea which if not enjoy'd every thing else as one expresses it even our very boards and beds and fields and houses are but as an hell to us David having been for a while under the sense of God's cispleasure for his sins but feeling at length the Sun-shine of God's favour breaking forth through the clouds upon him in this mercy O how jowfully does he break out and how admiringly does he speak of the blessedness of those who partake of so great a mercy of so glorious a priviledg Blessed is he whose transgression Ps 32. 1 2. is forgiven whose sin is covered that is by the Lord for man must not cover it but acknowledg it Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity c. Blessed or as others O blessed O happy or O the blessednesses or O welfares the man it is a joyful acclamation for such a man's felicity Dutch read it right happy or happy indeed he is so indeed whose transgression is forgiven c. We have here in several words the same benefit repeated because of the greatness of it and though here is Autology yet not Tautology for these several Metaphorical expressions are wonderfully comfortable 1. Sin is a burden and the first word signifies an easing or taking away and blessed is he that is eased of such a burden 2. Sin is most loathsome and filthy in the sight of God and he is of purer eyes that he can behold or look on it but with utter detestation and abhorrence and the second word notes a covering of it and aâ—â—â—tting it out of his sight contrary to that Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance To set us our selves there is our happiness but to set our sins there is our wo and misery and there cannot be a greater And cover not their Neh. 4. 5. iniquity c. 3. Sin is a debt and the third notes a not imputing or reckoning it and what a blessed thing is pardon that does all this does sin trouble as a burden pardon eases and takes it off as loathsom pardon covers it as a debt pardon does not impute it and this follows upon repentance this priviledg of remission upon the grace of conversion not as the cause of it but as the way and order in which God will have it to behad And hence we find them joyned together Luke 24. 47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name c. Acts 5. 3. To give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sin c. And be Joh. 12. 40. converted and I should heal them Mark has it c. 4. v. 12. And their sins should be forgiven them which is the souls healing That 's a full place Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. The former of these words repent seems to import conviction and contrition the latter conversion and amendment one repentance of sin or for sin the other repentance from sin And this is to repent indeed to do both to bewaile what we have committed and not go on still to commit what we have bewail'd and what follows upon this the Deleta non ut non sint sed ut non imputentur propter imputatam sponsoris nostri obedientiam Tossan blotting out of our sins that your sins may be blotted out that is pardoned our sins are in Scripture compared unto debts and these are registred as it were in God's book and there stand upon record and now the Apostle tells them that if they did repent and were converted these debts should be blotted out God's Metaphora sumpta à creditoribus qui debita vel interveniente satisfactione vel gratis remissa delent book cross'd all scores quit and that hand-writing which was against them should be cancell'd which is so choice a priviledg and mercy of mercies that this if there was no more might seem motive enough to put people upon repenting and turning to God that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall come from the presence of the Lord. There are by the way times of refreshing or cooling as the Greek hath it to come to the people of God after the heat of their afflictions and persecutions here compar'd to fire As there 1 Pet. 4. 12. remains a rest for the
you shall not be saved but perish none indeed are saved for it but for me and my merits sake nor can any be saved without it Had Jesus Christ shed Seas of bloud he would never yet save a sinner that he does not bring to repent of his sins The Father and Son never agreed nor resolv'd upon saving man in an absolute illimited way but in such a way and order as in a way of repenting and believing not as if there was Quamvis Christus millies mortem obiisset nullus tamen impoenitens peccatorum condonationem ex illius morte consequetur nec quemvis alium fructum percipiet Deutus any merit or causality in repentance but as the way and condition without which though not the cause for which remission of sins and salvation cannot be obtained Thus Repentance is necessary not onely as God's command but also as a way means and order that God has ordained for remission and salvation so that though there is no causality dignity or merit in our repentance yet it is of that nature that the holy Ghost must necessarily work it in all those who are partakers of them so as to qualifie for them so that either we must repent or Aut poenitendum aut pereundum perish turn or dye be converted or destroyed either this must be done or we undone for ever Ezek. 18. 30. If indeed we repent and turn from our transgressions then the Lord hath told us iniquity 33. 11. shall not be our ruine though it tends to our ruine but unless we repent and turn it will inevitably be so If we still persist and live and lie Si divinae miserationes nequeunt nos allectare tum judica Dei nos terreant in our sins we shall then certainly dye in our sins and perish in our sins Hence says the Lord Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel implying that 'till we do turn from our evil ways we say in effect we will dye For the turning away of the simple shall Prov. 1. 31. 11. 19. slay them and he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death If thou warn the wicked and he turn not from his wickedness he shall dye in Ezek. 3. 19. his iniquity Either we must be turned to God here or separated from him for ever hereafter either be converted or for ever excluded the Kingdom of Heaven and turn'd into hell Verily I say unto you except ye be converted c. ye Matth. 18. 2. shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven If Tertullian therefore thou be backward in thoughts of repentance be forward in thoughts of hell c. for we must turn or for ever burn in hell Thus conversion is necessary as a means to life and happiness so that as life is a necessary consequent of conversion so death is an inevitable fruit and effect of the neglect of it so that I may say to you as Moses sometimes said to that people See I here set before you this day life and good death and evil life and all manner of good if you obey and repent and turn to the Lord but death and all manner of evil if ye refuse and I call Deut. 30. 15. heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that ye may live Why life and death are the greatest and forciblest arguments in the world what will not a man give or do for life Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life And death is the most formidable of evils call'd the King of terrours we use to say such a man is as earnest and intent upon a thing as if life and death depended upon it Why truly life or death depend upon our turning or not turning to God life and death are in these things and accordingly such should our prayers and cares and indeavours be in and about the same 5. The gratefulness and acceptableness of it unto God how pleasing welcom and delightful it is to him when a sinner does indeed repent and turn to God! O with what joy and singular complacency does the Lord speak of Ephraim as turning from his Idolatries and not going on as he had done to provoke him and wrong himself Ephraim shall say what have I any more to Hos 14. 8. do with Idols I have heard him and observ'd him and that with a great deal of joy and delight as that I am glad of and rejoyce in So I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31. 18 19. c. that is bewailing his sins the Hebrew is hearing I have heard him that is attentively pleasingly delightfully so as to take special notice of him and to have a singular regard to him and now his bowels are troubled for him and he will surely have mercy on him As God has a singular hatred and abhorrence of sin so Quemadmodum Deus summo odio habet peccatum ita quoque summe hominis poenirentia delectatur per quam à summo malo ad summum bonum convertitur Gerh. he cannot but be much pleased with repentance by which the sinner turns from it to himself from the chief evil to the chief good and it being that wherein his own glory and the sinners good is so much concern'd For thereby God is honoured Jesus Christ sees of the travel of his soul and is satisfied the Spirit ceases to be grieved as formerly sin is pardoned God's favour recover'd Satan defeated and the soul saved how well was God pleased with Josiah his heart being tender and he humbling himself before 2 Chr. 34. 27. God which he twice mentions as being much taken therewith And so Manasseh though so great a sinner yet repenting what respect had God to him yea so acceptable is this to God that he had respect to it even in Ahab so far as temporally to reward it though hypocritical the more to encourage to that which is true And the acceptableness of this to God does further appear by his earnest invitings to it longings after it waitings for it bearing so long with sinners as in reference to it his readiness to receive sinners upon the first discoveries of it and pardoning the hainousest sins upon it Psal 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise and what is a broken heart but a penitent heart an heart kindly melted humbled and in bitterness for sin and this now is the sacrifice of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrificia Dei God 1. Of God to denote its singular excellency it being usual in the Hebrew to set out the excellency of a thing by the addition of the name of God as the mountains and Cedars of God c. 2. It is called the
sacrifices of God in the plural number as denoting the peculiar gratefulness and singular acceptableness of this above all other There were many sacrifices under the Law but none of them all so pleasing as this nor any without this this is the sacrifice of sacrifices and this God will not despise But is that all no there is more intended than spoken the meaning is Thou wilt highly esteem and account thereof it is the most acceptable It is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 endearedst frame under heaven not onely above all sacrifices but above all meer moral performances and Pharisaical duties and perfections this made the poor Publican accepted when the proud Pharisee was rejected The spirit is the best of man and a kindly broken spirit is the best of spirits for such a spirit is ever a believing spirit they shall look upon Christ c. Zach. 12. 10. there 's faith and mourn for him there 's repentance and faith wonderfully pleases God as highly honouring his Son whom he so delights in for it makes to him and leans upon him and clasps fast to him as its peculiar object it goes into the presence of God with him and presents and urges him and him alone and his righteousness and satisfaction for acceptation and propitiation of its sins counting all but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of him and this exceedingly pleases the father that his Son so dear to him should be thus honoured in the Souls having recourse to him and relying on him and such a soul seals to the truth of what the Word says as concerning the greatness of God the vileness of sin and the excellency usefulness and all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ and the Lord cannot but have choice thoughts and an high esteem of such a frame The heaven he says is his throne and the earth is his footstool c. but Is 66. 1 2. to him will he look that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembles at his Word that is not only with a look of bare intuition but dear affection and gracious acceptation yea such a one is the very home and habitation of God himself though so high and holy For thus says 57. 15. the high and lofty one that inhabits eternity whose name is holy I dwell in the high and holy place there 's one of his dwellings with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones there 's his other It is not said the Angels shall dwell with him or grace and peace and joy onely though these are sweet companions but God himself and where God dwels all good dwells there dwels light life joy peace comfort happiness yea heaven it self and how acceptable must he needs be to God whom he thus honours 6. The comfortableness of it to our selves not onely to others but to our own souls It is very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniquitas molestia quae laborem afflictionem parit observable that as the same word that signifies iniquity signifies also pain and sorrow as occasioning the same and as being that whereof comes trouble grief misery and at last confusion and hence some render it painful iniquity or sorrowful sin so the same word in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doluit consolationem invenit that signifies to repent and mourn for sin signifies also to comfort and the reason may be this because such repenting and mourning is the way to comfort and true comfort arises out of Verus poenitens de peccatis dolet de dolore gaudet it and follows upon it Worldly sorrow indeed and joy are contraries but not godly for these effect and help one the other or 2. the reason may be because there is joy even in such sorrow and not onely does comfort follow it but accompany it The true penitent grieves for his sins and rejoyceth for his grief certainly there is an hundred times more true comfort in the sorrow of a truly repenting sinner than there is in all the mirth of a sinner who yet goes on in his sins how refreshing are April showers to the earth and so and much more are true penitential tears to the soul they do not only moisten and mellow the soul as it were for the reception of the word but occasion mirth Musick sounds sweetest upon the waters and sweetest is that joy that accompanies such mourning All true mirth is from a rectitude and right frame of the soul from a being well set and dispos'd as that word implies made use of by the Apostle James for being merry Is any merry the Greek is is any of a good or James 5. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aequo animo est aliquis right mind or well dispos'd is he right set or hung as we say implying that all true mirth ariseth thence and now then and only then that we repent and turn to God are our minds and hearts right and in a right frame or rightly hung or dispos'd And therefore this must needs render our state comfortable indeed when hearts are at rights and ways at rights and besides we are then turn'd to the God of all comfort to the Sun of all refreshings and the fountain of all consolations and therefore can no more want comfort than such as turn to the Sun light or to the fountain water or to the fire heat and as such sorrow is accompanied with joy so shall it be turn'd and end in joy Blessed are they that mourn for they shall Matth. 5. 4. be comforted that is with a godly sorrow for sin they that sow in such tears shall be sure to Psal 126. 5 6. reap in joy and they who so go forth weeping bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again rejoicing bringing their sheaves with them And then such have infinite cause matter and ground of joy as being blest as having Gods favour pardon of sin audience of prayer inheritance among them that are sanctified c. yea over such God himself rejoiceth with joy Zeph. 3. 17. Psal 71. 21. lia 61. 2 3. â—â—b 38. 26. c. Yea rests in his love and joyes over them with singing and shall comfort them on every side Such Jesus Christ himself was anointed to comfort and to them belong the promises of comfort â—sa 65. 13. and what cause and ground then have such to rejoice and again to rejoice Yea to shout for joy but till sinners repent and turn to God they have nothing to do with joy neither have they any true cause or ground for it but we may well say of their laughter it is mad and â—celes 2. 2. of their mirth what doth it such rejoice as are in a state of perdition and in the very gall of bitterness and whose portion in the state they are in is nothing but wrath and death and
can God withhold from those he loves Surely those his heart is set upon his hand cannot but be open to Ps 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly and why not from them why is his hand so open to them because they have his heart the Lord loves them his countenance beholds them Ps 85. 1. Lord thou hast been favourable to thy land says the Psalmist and what then thou hast brought back their captivity forgiven their iniquity covered their sin taken away thy wrath c. The father loveth the Son and hath given Joh. 3. 35. Is 43. 4. all things into his hands I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life c. Moses had asked very much of Exod. 33. 16. God and yet goes on to ask more And what says the Lord I will says he do this thing v. 17. also that thou hast spoken As if the Lord had said I can indeed deny thee nothing I have done it is true much already but I will do this also why for thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name that is I have taken special and particular notice of thee and thy name as one whom I singularly favour and I will v. 19. make all my goodness pass before thee c. O what will not God do for such Hence Moses Exod. 33. 13. 34. 9. often makes use of this argument if I have found grace in thy sight c. The favour of God is all good every mercy radically as the displeasure of God is every judgment that is it is productive of all good of each mercy when a soul has this good which is the chief good it has that good from which all others spring and therefore may write under it and cut out from it any other whatsoever all particular mercies and goods being but the favour of God as it were specificated and brought as it were into this or that particular mercy or good so that such a soul may say of all its other mercies and goods this and that and the other is the favour of God So that the Soul that has it has all good all mercies in the fountain and root and well-spring of them it has that which produces and procures all good and remedies all evils Hence says the Angel to Mary Fear not Mary for Luk. 1. 30. thou hast found favour with God there is no cause why such a soul should fear either the want of any good or the feeling of any evil the favour of God being as a Sun in reference to the one so as a shield in reference to the other and so every way sufficient 5. How necessary it is indeed the one thing needful is life necessary this is life yea better than life and all true life is so much in it that a Soul is but dead without it it being more the life of the soul than the soul is of the body The Sun is not so necessary to the world rain to the earth as the favour of God to the soul the displays whereof are as the morning and as the rain the former and the latter rain unto the Hos 6. 3. earth Is to be happy necessary the favour of God is our happiness and look as we cannot but be happy with it whatever our state otherwise is so we cannot but be miserable without it As it cannot but be day when the Sun ariseth though the Stars disappear but it cannot but be night though they do appear if the Sun be set so it is as to the displayings or withdrawings of God's face and favour Thine absence was my hell And now thou art returned I am well Herbert And hence for this cause the Angel salutes Mary as being blessed because highly favoured Luk. 1. 28. Hail thou that art highly favoured the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women In a word if to be truly happy so far as we are capable here and to be fully happy hereafter be necessary then this is so as that wherein consists both happiness in its initiation here and in its full consummation in heaven CHAP. XVIII To endeavour the Conversion of others THere is onely one thing further I have to adde and then I shall conclude viz. that this turning again being of such infinite concern unto all that being turn'd again our selves we would indeavour our utmost to be instrumental therein to others and the rather that thereby we may shew our gratitude for God's vouchsafing so great a favour to us And truly next to the conversion and salvation of our own souls we cannot busie our selves to better purpose not onely as to their and our own comfort and benefit but the good of the whole so that this is every ones concern for as one sinner still going Eccl. 9. 18. on in his sins may much hinder so one sinner being turn'd again may much further the Gen. 13. 32. good of the whole And who knows whether one or a few sinners more being turn'd again may not help to make up that number which being found God may be pleas'd for their sakes to spare the whole But the great argument I shall chiefly make use of at present is that of the Apostle James which is somewhat the same indeed with that in the Text but more amplified Brethren if any of you do erre from the truth Jam. 5. 19 20. i. e. in opinion or practice in faith or manners and one convert him that is prove instrumental therein making use of all ways and means subservient thereunto and here that is ascrib'd to the instrument and means which is properly God's work because God in and by those means Verbum servandi ad homines transfertur non quod authores sint salutis sed Ministri Calvin works and conveys a blessing And any one c. for this work is not limited to Ministers onely but belongs to others in their places and stations yea to all who some way or other may be helpful therein The Apostle Peter speaks of husbands being won by the conversation of their wives 1 Pet. â— â— now here 's the duty and then follows the dignity and commodity v. 20. Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the errour of his way shall save a soul from death and shall hide a multitude of sins What weight is there here in every word even such as may quicken our desires and raise our endeavours to the highest pitch and it is observable that with this golden sentence the Apostle shuts up his whole Epistle there being no work as more excellent in it self so more acceptable to God nor profitable to our selves nor others for whoever is instrumental therein 1. He shall save and that 's a Animam per Synecdochen
love to others it must be by endeavouring by all possible ways and means their conversion and so their salvation Thus Paul made appear the sincerity of his love to Israel his hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel being this that they Rom. 10. 1. might be saved And so David to his son Solomon he tells us he was his father's son so were Prov. 4. 3 4 5 c. others but he in a special manner was so being singularly loved and of such a one we use to say he is his father's son and how did he manifest the truth of his love why he taught me also and said unto me let thy heart retain my words c. Get wisdom get understanding c. And we can never approve our selves sincerely to love others but in this way for if to love be to desire and endeavour the good of those we love how can it consist with the neglect of their chiefest good And that this is to love a very Heathen saw To love says he is to desire good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist things for those whom we love and according to our utmost ability to endeavour to accomplish them and what good things to conversion and salvation and therefore while we neglect these we do but indeed hate whom we may pretend to love Many Parents they think they love their children why because they cocker their children and provide well for them as to the world and allow them high fare and fine cloaths and it may be can tumble in silver and gold but such in the mean while neglecting their souls and the means appointed by God for their conversion and salvation they shew plainly Peremptores potiús quám parentes they do not in truth love them but rather hate them and so will be found and accounted of at the last day And how well may such Jud. 16. 15. children say to their Parents what Delilah sometimes said to Sampson in another case How can ye say ye love us when your hearts desires and prayers are no more to God for us that we may be converted and sav'd when you neglect our souls our jewel our darling our principal one and take no more care of our chief good our spiritual and eternal good of that which if we should fall short of it would avail us nothing though you should all your days gather Pearls for us or could procure the gain of a whole world for us The Lord commands Thou shalt Levit. 19. 17. not hate thy brother in thy heart and how is this prevented Thou shalt in any wise rebuke him and not suffer sin upon him so that not to rebuke not to use those ways and means appointed by God for to reclaim and reduce thy brother when he sinneth is to hate him for thereby the guilt of his sin is still suffer'd to be upon him to his soul's ruine which to suffer as it is hatred in thee so the sorest judgement upon thy brother 7. Consider others unserviceableness till they be converted they are altogether unprofitable Rom. 3. 12. Ezek. 15. 4 5. like that Vine branch in Ezekiel that was meet for no work and that girdle hid in Euphrates that was good for nothing and like Salt Jer. 13. 10. Matth. 5. 13. which has lost its savour and is fit for nothing but to be cast out and troden under foot And should we not do our utmost to get others out of such an estate that is so unprofitable wherein they neither can please God nor truly profit themselves or others wherein all their works even their best are but dead works and their Omnis vita infidelium peccatum whole life sin and is this an estate to let them lie in to let them alone in God forbid That 's very observable to this purpose which Paul says of Onesimus viz. that in time past i. e. all the Philem. 10. 11. while before his conversion he was unprofitable but after his conversion then profitable profitato Philemon yea to Paul himself before profitable to none neither to himself nor others but now to all to master and Minister and now he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicit nunc taâ—â—messe planc qualis vocatur answers his name which he never did before to which the Apostle seems to allude 8. Beasts if fallen or strayed and so in danger Exod. 23. 4. Deut. 22. 4. to perish were to be help'd and reduc'd and not men not souls does God take care of beasts would he have us keep them from perishing and not much more men souls but shall we let them alone in the errours of their minds and in the corrupt practices of their lives to stand or fall sink or swim live or dye no matter what what uncharitableness cruelty and hard-heartedness would this argue c. and therefore upon all these considerations let us lay out our selves to the utmost as to so good and blessed a work making use of all possible ways and means as may further the same as instructions exhortations admonitions reprehensions exemplary conversations c. and with and to all let us be sure to joyn our fervent prayers and earnest supplications for unless the Lord comes in with his help and makes successful what we do what can it avail if the 2 Kings 6. 27. Gen. 9. 27. Lord help not as that King said to the woman how should we help God shall perswade Japhet c. It is of God that sheweth mercy and Rom. 9. 16. as God gave to every man else had we the wisdom of Angels what would it avail without God and therefore we must address our selves to the most High and cry unto him who as he hath performed this for us can also for others but of this I have occasionally spoken something before and therefore shall not enlarge here and as we should endeavour this unto all as occasion serves so more especially to our relations and those whose good we have stronger obligations upon us than ordinary for to seek as we who are Ministers whose proper work in a more special manner it is in reference to our people and so Parents in reference to their children and all relations in reference to each other yea if children be converted themselves and their Parents as yet unconverted they should in a special manner indeavour their conversion onely what they do they are to do in an humble way and to mannage it after a reverent manner as beseems that honour that is due to Parents from their children It is controverted by some whether children may not be instrumental of greater benefit to their Parents than they have receiv'd from them and certainly if they prove instrumental as to their conversion they may for to be instrumental of regeneration and a spiritual birth is far better than of generation and a natural birth and to be instrumental to an happy glorious and eternal life than to a