the onely way for people to be saved to be blessed and happy and have it well with them and because else they perish and are ruined and undone and it will certainly be ill with them for ever And hence it is that the Lord makes use of such pathetical and affectionate expressions Say unto them as I live saith the Lord I have Ezek. 33. 11. no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel How vehemently does the Lord here expostulate and press this upon them Turn ye turn ye which denotes the height and vehemency of his affection and desire how much his heart was upon it and is there not good reason for all this why they dye and are undone and perish else for why will ye dye life and death are in these things in turning or not turning to God as life is the happy effect of the one so death and damnation is the fruit of the other And is it any wonder the Lord is then so earnest and importunate when our weal or our woe when it being well or ill with us when our happiness or our misery our being saved or eternally destroyed depends upon this And hence the Lord is not content to speak it once but speaks it again calls for it twice because it was of such absolute and indispensable necessity and not a small matter nor a business of indifferency And what infinite cause have we then to bless the Lord that he should be so intent upon this so frequently and earnestly invite us to this again and again wherein our own good is so much concerned and which is of such indispensable necessity that we cannot otherwise but perish and what can we indeed do better or wherein can we be more happy than in turning to him 6. This informs us and gives us to see whence it is that God's Prophets formerly and his Ministers alate have been and still are so frequent and earnest in preaching and pressing of this why is it because so much depends on this because they know it cannot else be well with them neither can they be saved or be happy nay they know it cannot else but be ill with them and they must else perish and be undone for ever and therefore have they and do they still so much urge and press this not onely speak but cry Be ye not as your fathers unto whom Zach. 1. 4. the former Prophets have cried thus saith the Lord of hosts turn ye from your evil ways and from your evil doings c. They do not onely call but cry yea cry out proclaim so as the rather to be heard and more to be heeded they were zealous and earnest therein why because the matter was of such importance and the danger was so great if they did not hearken And hence is it that Ministers still are so pressing and importunate as to this they pray and beseech yea and if ye will not hear saith the Prophet Jeremy Jerem. 13. 7. My soul shall mourn in secret for you and mine eyes weep sore and run down with tears c. The voice of one crying in the wilderness c. Luke 3. 4. Thus the Prophets and the Apostles cryed and Jesus Christ himself he cryed John 7. 37. In the last day that great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried saying if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink O for poor sinners to come to Christ to believe on him and repent and turn to the Lord is a matter of great consequence of infinite importance not a thing of indifferency but of absolute necessity and hence Jesus Christ is so earnest and intent upon this as appears by his posture he stood up by his vehement speaking he cried he spake with a lowd voice which shewed the fervour and ardency of his Spirit So it is said of Paul that great Apostle that he shewed first unto them of Damascus and Acts 26. 20. at Jerusalem and through all the Coasts of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God c. It was Paul's great work and main business to have it well with all he came among his hearts desire was that they might be saved and therefore was he so intent upon this where ever he came that they might repent and turn to God as the onely soveraign way of it and as knowing it could not else be well with them Hence it was that that holy Martyr Mr. Bradford when he came to the stake cryed out so earnestly and affectionately O England England repent of thy sins repent of thy sins he knew it was the onely way of Englands weal then as it is now and therefore whatever is the zeal and fervency of God's Ministers herein so as that some it may be may think them besides themselves as some did Paul 2 Cor. 5. 13. yet this being the onely way of their being sav'd and they being else und one this gives sufficient reason and ground thereof 7. This lets us see the reason why the Church and People of God have been so fervent and frequent in their Prayers for this that God would turn them again and cause his face to shine as here in one Psalm they instance it no less than thrice v. 3. v. 7. and v. 19. and can ye blame them or was there not good reason for it when as this was the only way for them to be saved to be happy and to have it well with them and how earnest have others also been as to these as David how often and how exceeding earnestly does he beg that Psalm 119. 58. God would make his face to shine upon him and I entreated thy favour or I have earnestly besought thy face so the Dutch with my whole heart or with all my heart and good cause his very happiness and felicity consisting thereon and flowing therefrom c. Poenitentia Angelorū delectatio hilacritas gaudent societati suae restitutos esse quos in tenebris inferni ac Satanae potestate constitutos viderant Gerhard 8. This lets us see whence it is that there hath been and is still such great joy when a sinner turns to God and that both in heaven and earth as the Scripture declares Luk. 15. 7. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth c. and v. 10. Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth c. the repenting and turning though but of one sinner makes all heaven merry as it Heus tu peccator bono animo sis vides ubi de tuo gaudetur c. Tertull were it causes joy all heaven over it puts harps as it were into the Angels hands and songs into their mouths c.
onely asleep but dead and yet quickened and not onely dark but darkness it self in the abstract and yet made light in the Lord. If sinners indeed had never heard of any great sinners that God had turned again from their sins to himself or that it was not better with them then than before when they served their lusts they might have the more plea but there are many presidents in sacred Writ and if with mourning and humiliation thou turnest with them thou shalt be happy with them We find in the 15. of Luke that the Prodigal there went a great way off from his father he took his journey not into some neer adjacent parts but into a far countrey and there he spends all makes himself a meer bankrupt so that he falls to feed Swine and feeds on the husks that the Swine did eat and yet could not have his belly full of them neither and yet this Prodigal he is brought to himself and brought home again to his father and there he is kist and embrac'd and has the best his fathers house can afford How exceeding far had Manasseh turn'd away from God yea how exceedingly had he turn'd against him we scarce read of any that ever did worse read 2 Chron. 33. from the 1. v. to the 10. 2 Kings 21. from the 1. v. to the 17. It is said he used inchantments and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards and wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger he made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom c. and yet Manasseh is made a Convert and turn'd again to the Lord the Lord he turns to Manasseh and turns Manasseh again to himself So what a persecutor was Paul he breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord c. Acts 9. 1 2. yea as himself says he was exceedingly mad against them Acts 26. 11. and yet this persecutor is turned to be a Preacher and to prosecute what he formerly sought to destroy Mary Magdalene had seven Devils lodging Numerus certus pro incerto in her that is many and yet Jesus Christ casts them all out and makes that heart where so many Devils had lodged fit for himself to lodg in who had the seven Spirits of God and she who had been so vile and miserable he appears Mark 16. 9. first to and makes the first witness of his resurrection And such were some of you what 1 Cor. 6. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haeceratis quilibet such kind of things he does not say such men or women but such kind of things as if the Apostle knew not how to stile them nor what to call them and therefore he puts it in the Neuter Gender such kind of things O they were sad and strange kind of things indeed and yet of such kind of things God makes something of yea makes blessed things of but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God It matters not much whither or from whence we are fallen if the Lord undertake but to raise us nor whither we are wandered or Junius before his conversion is said to be an Atheist but afterward became very pious stiled the Glory of Leyden where we are wilder'd if he undertake but to reduce us nor how far we are turned aside or turned away if he undertake but to turn us again no matter what is the sickness if he be but the Physician and undertakes the cure he can do good of any one be it who it will that is very encouraging to poor sinners which he said to Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. My grace is sufficient for thee it is sufficient for the greatest of sinners his accepting grace is sufficient and his sanctifying renewing grace is sufficient one is sufficient against all our unworthiness and the other is sufficient against all our uncapableness and unfitness one is sufficient to put God upon doing what is to be done and the other is sufficient for to do it one as to motive the other as to efficacy he can make dry bones live and is Ezek. 37. 5 6 7. Matth. 3. 9. able of stones to raise children to Abraham he can change condition and disposition pardon and purge justifie and sanctifie yea do every thing and perform all things And therefore let all even such as have turn'd farthest aside from God be encouraged to go unto God and to call upon him and cry unto him to perform all things for them for all things are of him and to Psal 57. 2. perform this for them to turn them again and cause his face to shine Say Lord thou commandest us to turn O do thou make us to turn it is thy precept that we should turn Lord according to thy promise give us grace for to turn Turn us and we shall be turned convert us and we shall be converted we have turned aside after the world and vanity and sin yea after Satan but O turn us again to thy self we have turned aside to our own ways and after our own lusts but O turn us again to thee and thy ways thou sayest Return ye back-sliding children and I Jerem. 3. 22. will heal your back slidings and Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God that thou mayest cause us and inable us to return for the way of man is not in himself it is not in man Jer. 10. 23. that walketh to direct his steps turn us therefore and we shall be turned and thou who givest us space to repent give us grace to repent and to turn to thee and that with a true hearty real and universal turn Lord every thing within us is turned from thee and is averse to thee yea is turned against thee and therefore do thou by thy grace cause all to turn again to thee mind will heart affections all within us and all without us that so we may not be half but whole Converts and our conversion may not be partial but total and universal of the whole man and from all evill and to all that is good Salvation is said to belong unto the Lord and his blessing Psal 3. 8. to be upon his people and let us beg that the Lord would thus save us and not onely us our selves but others also ours his people and that this blessing may be upon us all the blessing of turning us all again to himself and of causing his face to shine the blessing of saving conversion and of Divine favour and affection that the Lord would thus save and bless the Nation this Kingdom Church State Cities Towns Families houses hearts even with the great Gospel-blessing of Jesus Christ raised from the Acts 3. 26. dead in turning us all from our sins and iniquities to himself Lord thus bless the house of
THE Sole and Soveraign Way OF ENGLAND'S being saved Humbly proposed By R. P. Minister of the Gospel O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou may'st be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodg within thee Jer. 4. 14. In his favour is life Psal 30. 5. Poenitentia amara est quidem ad tolerandum saluberrima autem ad convalescendum Bern in Serm. de verbis Sapient Ut malorum omnium haec causa est quod Deus offensus faciem abscondit ita plena salus ab unico favore ejusdem est expectanda Moller LONDON Printed by W. G. and are to be sold by J. Hancock at the three Bibles in Popes-head Alley N. Ponder at the Peacock in Chancery-lane and W. Adderton at the three Falcons in Duck-lane 1671. TO The Right Worshipful Sir THOMAS ALSTON Baronet Much Honoured SIR THE Treatise here ensuing being calculated not onely for the weal of greater Communities as Nations Cities Towns but also of lesser Societies as Families yea and particular persons In tenders of my service to your Self and your so worthily Honoured Lady I make bold here what it is to present it and the rather because it pleases the Lord by a distemper which so often renews its onsets upon you to give you so frequent memento's of that Turn which Moses declares to be the inevitable fate of all indefinitely Thou turnest man to destruction and sayest Psal 90. 3. return ye children of men Thus we run here a short round and soon come to our races end fetch but a turn as it Comparat oursum vitae nostrae gyro c. Calv. in loc were and then return back again Now may the Lord be pleas'd so to sanctifie those frequent memento's of your bodies turn to destruction as to advance more and more thereby that happy turn of conversion here treated of and so thereby bring you more and more under the shines of his face and comfortable displayes and refreshing beams of his favour I have often thought and sometimes upon occasion declar'd that however things appear to common sense yet certainly that is best for us here that state that condition those dispensations be they what they will though never so afflicting that are most effectual and have the fairest and most essential influence as to the advancing of our spiritual good here and our eternal happiness hereafter that is best for us in our way and where we take up onely for a while that doth advantage us most at our journeys end and where we must stay and abide by it for ever that not which pleases us best for a moment but profits us most for ever for things are here and are so to be counted of here as they relate to eternity and as to what is spiritual and everlasting which being the main and chief and that which is of greatest concern is in every thing to be the rule of the rest And because afflictions many times are most conducing here hence the Lord is pleas'd often to afflict those most here which he intends most good to hereafter And truly let our present condition be what it will here if the Lord does but please to mould it for our eternal weal hereafter it is an act of infinite mercy Lord lance here sear Domine hîc ure hîc seca modâ— in aeternum parcas here cry'd Austin so thou spare but hereafter so truly it matters not much what God does with us here so he spare but hereafter And by what he does with us or to us here does but the more fit us and the better mould us for Feliciter infelices infeliciter felices himself and glory hereafter How many are happy in being seemingly miserable while others are miserable in being seemingly happy because their seeming happiness hinders their real for having Psal 55. 19. no changes therefore they fear not God so that to live still in prosperity as is said of Nabal and not to experience those 1 Sam. 25. 6. changes as others do nor be in those troubles as others are as is said of the foolish Psal 75. 5. and the wicked is no such desireable state as many deem but dangerous It is said of our Edward the fourth Never lived Prince whom adversity more hardened Difficile est in honore esse sine tumore in praelatione sine elatione in dignitate sine vanitate Bern. to action nor prosperity softened to voluptuousness Edward the sixth was wont to say No danger to the godly unless by wealth prosperity And we see David himself though a man after God's own Psal 30. 5. heart yet in his prosperity he grew secure It is said of Moab He hath been Jer. 48. 11. at ease from his youth and he hath settled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into captivity that is he hath not been hurried up and down from place to place Non immutavit habitationem non suit â—edibus suis pulsus c. nullam adversitatem expertus est Theodoret. iâ—s locum as Israel was c. and what follows therefore his tast remained in him and his sent is not changed his pride impiety and impurity still continued for it is said he magnified himself against the Lord and we have heard of the pride of â— 26. 29. Moab c. Even as Wines not being drawn off their lees and put into other vessels are not meliorated but retain their first tast and sent So we read of others who being settled on their lees Zeph. 1. 12. and not being emptied from vessel to vessel they say in their hearts The Lord will not do good neither will he do evill that is they grew stark Atheists boldly scorn God and men deny God's providence and make as if he was a very Idol and regarded not nor took notice of the affairs of men and others because God kept silence and did not punish them Ps 50. 21. they thought God such a one as themselves Now certainly it was better our lives were made up of nothing but changes than to come to such a pass and not to have our souls blest and enrich'd with so great a good as the fear of God which is said to be the treasure of Kings and Is 33. 6. which the Lord hath declar'd to man from heaven to be his wisdom and which Job 28. 28. issuing forth into obedience to God's commandements Solomon the wisest King that ever was and one inspir'd by God hath concluded and left upon record Eccles 12. 13. to be the whole and all of man Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia hoc omnis homo vel hoc omne homo est Fear God and keep his commandements for this is the whole duty of man It is in the Hebrew onely this all man that is as it may be rendered this is all
tender affection and earnest desire of her son's welfare more than she could utter or express and therefore she several times repeats the same thing O he was her Son her most dear Son and therefore the Son of her vows the son of many prayers and probably tears * Cùm filium votorum nominet oftendit se non tantùm cum filio de piâ ejus educatione egisse sed Deo sine cujus auxilio irritus fuisset reliquus labor in precibus commendâsse c. Cartwritus in locum O let us pray for ours as Abraham did for his son Ishmael Gen. 17. 18. And Abraham said unto God O that Ishmael might live before thee not onely live but live before thee or live in thy sight live in thy face so it is in the Hebrew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in conspectu tuo vel in facie tua is in the shinings of thy face in the light of thy countenance i. e. live and enjoy thy love thy favour find grace in thy eyes O that his soul may live that he may live not onely a natural a temporal but a spiritual and eternal life a blessed and happy life the life of grace and a life in thy favour here and then the life of glory hereafter And Abraham was very earnest and sollicitous for this O says he or O if i. e. I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Utinam Quaeso vocula optantis earnestly wish or I beseech thee I earnestly pray and intreat thee it is the voice of one wishing and earnestly desiring a thing O that Ishmael might live before thee And this Abraham speaks 1. not as slighting or rejecting Gods Videtur Abraham risu intercessione suâ pro Ismaele in quem valdè fuit intentus quasi abrupisse Dei orationem quam igitur v. 19. continuat c. promise concerning a son of Sarah as if he had said Having Ishmael I desire no more nor 2. as despairing of the promise as if he had said I should have but little hope if I had not more hope in Ishmael already born than the promised son yet to be born or how is it possible we should have a son at this age and therefore O that Ishmael might live c. It was not I say from hence nor upon these grounds that Abraham thus speaks for when the Lord had made that promise to him it is said v. 17. that Abraham fell upon his face he bowed himself and this he did not onely as expressing reverence Abraham audiens promissionem de semine ex Sarâ orituro eámque firmissimâ fide amplectens toto pectore laetatur haec non esse dubitantis sed certissimae fidei verba Paulus clarè testatur Rom. 4. Chytraeus in Gen. 17. 17. but shewing his thankfulness which was an evidence that he believed and highly valued and heartily embraced what God had promised and whereas it is said he laughed it was not from doubting or staggering at the promise through unbelief Rom. 4. 20. but as admiring the goodness of God in it not as judging it impossible or thinking it a fable but as overjoyed and even amazed at such welcom tidings it was not from distrust in God's power but out of admiration at God's favour And therefore this earnest wish of Abraham as concerning his son Ishmael that he might live in his sight it proceeded from Abraham's dear and fatherly affection toward Ishmael and his earnest desire of his weal so that his affections being suddenly moved with the thought of Ishmael they make him as it were forget other things to beg for him or as if he had said though I cannot well conceive how this should be that at this age I Bonus pater auditâ promissione de filio novo sollicitus est etiam de Ismaelis salute metuens fortè ne totus abjiciatur vitam ei precatur non modò naturalem sed potiùs felicem c. Pareus in locum should have a son yet I believe and gladly embrace the promise but however O that Ishmael might live before thee let not him O Lord be cast off nor be abandoned by thee but let him live in thy favour though I have a promise indeed of another Son yet I pray thee let it be well with this son also bind up his soul in the bundle of life let him live in thy love let him be an heir of grace here and an heir of glory hereafter Thus though Abraham did yeild to the promise yet he thus speaks as being very sollicitous for Ishmael that God would set his eyes In promislâ felicitate fratri conjungatur Junius and his heart upon him for good for the chief good for spiritual good eternal good for thus Interpreters generally carry it Though God promised more seed to him yea that his seed should be as the stars of heaven for number ch 15. 5. yet this does not remove nor take off his affection from one he had already but still his heart and endeared affections are towards him Quasi dicat peto et ejus haberi rationem ne abjiciatur vel pereat Pareus he knew not how to have any one of his abandoned of God but as if he had said Lord take care of him also that he be not cast off or perish Thus the affections and desires of this holy Patriarch were carried forth not in gathering riches or heaping up treasures for his son Affectus hic pii parentis in filium docet praecipuam parentum curam hanc esse debere pro liberis non ut colligant eis thesauros sed ut conservent commendent eos Deo püs precibus c. Pareus but in earnest prayers to God for his eternal good And this blessed example of his we should follow we should imitate so as to be very earnest and importunately sollicitous for the great concerns of our children for spiritual blessings for them special peculiar favours tender mercies bowels of mercy the blessings of the covenant the sure mercies of David that their souls may live that they may live in his sight in his face in the light of his countenance that as he hath granted them life so he would vouchsafe them his favour which is the life of our lives as Job speaks Job 10. 12. that he would turn them again and cause his face to shine on them and so they may be saved we should wrestle with the Lord that he would thus bless them and resolve with Jacob not to let him go till he so bless them and bless them all every one both small and great that so while some are taken Luke 17. 34 35. others may not be left but that those whom one house hath held one heaven may hold and that being all heirs of grace together here they may come to be all heirs of glory together hereafter that so hell may never be the fuller for any of ours for which of ours can we endure to
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
inexcusably will they perish and how by this act of theirs do they their own selves judg themselves unworthy of conversion and salvation as the Apostle told those refractory Jews Then Paul and Barnabas Acts 13. 46. waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing you put it from you and judg your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles And therefore as ever you would be turned again unto God wait for it in a constant and diligent attending upon the plain and powerful preaching of the word which is the great organ and instrument which God hath instituted for that purpose and how many blessed and glorious conversions have been effected by it and that upon most indisposed and unlikely subjects and this is the great reason why Satan does so much rage and set himself against it it being the great Engine and Battery which God makes use of to destroy his Kingdom and to rescue poor souls out of his snares and to turn them to himself and this when you go to attend upon the word preach'd you are chiefly to mind and look after that it may have this blessed effect upon your souls to turn you to God and you should be restless and unsatisfied till it be so The Law of the Lord that is the Psalm 19. 7. doctrine of the word is perfect converting the soul And O that it might convert mine that it might have the same effectual work upon me which it hath had upon others and the rather you are to mind this because if you be not convertible by the word neither would you be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16. 30. And he said nay father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead they will repent v. 31. And he said unto him if they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead And because knowledg and understanding is initial and introductory and primarily necessary as to conversion for as God in the first Creation wrought light so he does in conversion of a sinner who by nature is a miserable chaos of confusion and seeing it is peoples ignorance and stupidity and their want of knowledg of God and themselves of their malady and remedy that does so hinder and indispose them as to conversion beg of God that the ministery of the word which is called the key of knowledg may be effectual to give thee knowledg and understanding and that thine eyes may be anointed with eye-salve that thou mayest see Do as Solomon adviseth Prov. 2. 2 3 4 5 c. O how many are destroyed and never converted because of their ignorance and stupidity because the scales of ignorance are yet upon their eyes and the vail upon their hearts ignorance being not onely a great evil it self but a very source of all evils and that which hinders all good and therefore be earnest for the removal of it 2. When the Spirit at any time comes to thy soul as he does to all at one time or other and begins to stir and move thy heart the Spirit it may be would convince thee of sin and humble thy soul and bring thee to sorrow for sin here to prevent worse even eternal horrours hereafter For do any think ever to go to heaven and never to have their hearts toucht for their sins It is as impossible as for a man below to reach the heavens with his hands Now when I say the Spirit begins to do this this is thy season prize it and improve it take the present opportunity and beseech him whatever he does to go on O cherish and make much of such motions for they are very precious and do not quench them nor resist the Spirit but give up thy self to be wrought upon by him do not say Go away come again another time Remember the Spirit which is the worker of repentance is not at thy beck neither canst thou set him a work when thou pleasest and therefore let him work when he pleases and remember God hath said My Spirit shall not always strive with man and Gen. 6. 3. Hebr. 3. 7 8. therefore To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts 3. Break off from your evil company and have no longer fellowship nor society with them but say depart from me ye evil doers bid them Ps 119. 115. be packing and gone forsake the foolish and live and go in the way of understanding As you love your souls forsake such you dye else your souls perish else but if you forsake such you are in the Ut ii qui in Sole ambulant nigredinem sibi contrahunt sic qui cum sapientibus versatur sapere discet Remus way to live to attain to that repentance which is unto life and to go in the way of understanding which is to depart from evil I dare be bold to say and affirm that there is no one thing under heaven that is a greater hinderance or obstacle to the work of saving conversion and bringing a sinner home unto God than loose jovial vain wicked company for these take off the sinner from being ever serious and considerate of his present condition and from weighing his sins and the evil of his ways and more and more hardens him therein and so proves a marvelous impediment as to any such work How often in affliction and under a Sermon does the heart of a sinner seem to be wrought upon and he is under some conviction of the evil of his former ways and courses and resolves to amend but afterwards by falling into vain and evil company all dwindles away and withers and comes to nothing and as a dog returns to his vomit so a fool returneth to his folly Thus how many have been affected and almost perswaded to be converts at a Sermon one day by falling into evil company have been the same again the next day And therefore hence it was that the Apostle Peter when he perceived that the Jews he had been preaching unto were affected with what he had delivered and their hearts began to be wrought upon and to be toucht for their sin they asking him and the rest of the Apostles what they should do he answers first to them in general Repent but then afterward that so good a work might not be hindered nor obstructed he gives them withall that special advice Save your selves from this untoward generation Acts 2. 40. as if the Apostle had said I perceive God has begun indeed to touch your hearts for your sins and my advice to you is to repent and turn to the Lord but now that you be not hindered therein this I testifie and exhort too that you associate no longer as you have done with this untoward generation but save your selves from it else they will flatten and deaden that work again and so
God hath appointed to lead to it This is that Rainbow which if God sees shining in our hearts he will never drown our souls Thus you see what a profitable and gainful thing repentance is and I have the longer stood upon this because we are all for gain and profit Who will shew us any good and shall we not then be for that which tends to so much Psal 4. 6. and so great gain and good yea to all good even the greatest Art thou enquiring after good O he hath shewed thee here O man what is good Micah 7. 8. indeed even that which the Lord requires of Job 22. 21. thee viz. for to repent and turn to him for thereby good shall certainly come unto thee David prays that God would shew him a token for Psal 86. 17. good and here 's a token for Good indeed when God turns thee again to himself for all good for spiritual and temporal and eternal for good every where here and hereafter on earth and in heaven below and above in our way and at our journeys end in our exile and in our own countrey while we are abroad and when we come home to our fathers house for godliness which is the very essence of repentance is profitable unto all things having promise of the life 1 Tim. 4. 8 that now is and of that which is to come What man is he that desireth life and loveth many Psal 34. 12 13 14. days that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile Depart from evil and do good c. And O that God would vouchsafe this token for good to England to this Nation and to the whole of the Nation to Court and City and Countrey to every town and fellowship and family yea to every house and heart how would the Lord then give that which is good and glory should Ps 85. 9 12. dwell in our Land and we should be exalted and brought into an happy state indeed but never let any expect good or talk of gain or profit that still persist and go on in their sins for such find no good he that hath a froward heart findeth Pro. 17. 20. no good or a perverse heart and that goes on Perversus animo non consequetur bonum still to pervert his ways he finds no good he shall be sure to find and feel evil enough be filled Pro. 12. 21. with mischief but finds no good he may goods but no good no true good nor gain but such are all upon the losing hand yea are all the greatest losers imaginable for such lose all true joy peace and comfort here and Heaven and happiness and God himself for ever hereafter yea their own souls and what is a man profited should he gain a whole world if he lose his own soul Certainly then the sinners way and course that yet persists and goes on in his sins is the most unprofitable way and course under Heaven The way of transgressours is hard or Pro. 13. 15. sharp harsh grievous it may seem easie at present Via praevaricatorum aspera duriter ◠Deo excipiuntur c. Cart. but it will be sure to be found hard at last in the event not onely not profitable but pernicious such shall be us'd hardly 4. The absolute and indispensable necessity thereof Our turning again to God is not a thing arbitrary or indifferent but indispensably necessary Is to be blest by Christ necessary is pardon is the favour of God the shines of his face the light of his countenance necessary is to be happy in a word is heaven is salvation is eternal life and inheritance among them that are sanctified necessary is not to perish everlastingly necessary and if these be not what is certainly and undoubtedly they are most necessary and if so then is it to repent and turn to God indispensably necessary for without the one there is no attaining the other There is a double necessity 1. a necessity in regard of God's 1. Necessitas praecepti command the great God injoyns it and calls for it and that frequently and earnestly it may seem needless to mention places there are so many every where obvious and therefore there is onely one which I shall press and urge at present and that is Acts 17. 30 31. And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the Dei praecipientis majestas world in righteousness c. Here 's that which shews it indispensably necessary God's command Bonum est poenitere an non quid revolvis Deus praecipit c. Tertull. and the majesty and greatness of that God who commands it Is it good says an Ancient to repent or not why doubtest thou God commands it it is his will c. Such was the state of those former times that God is said to wink at them which may have a double interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pati sinere and both are well worthy our weighing and considering 1. as denoting God's indulgence he did not deal so severely with them sinning but did patiently bear with them as though he had known nothing or was not angry c. because they had not those means and helps to keep them from sin as others now in these knowing times there being then much blindness darkness and ignorance yet not as if there were any such times as God wholly winked at in point of justice so as not to call them to account but comparatively he not so severely dealing with them as with knowing times but never so as to let them wholly go unpunished or not at all to call them to an account for that was inconsistent with his providence and justice for though ignorance and darkness may indeed abate and lessen the measure and degree of sin yet not totally excuse it And what then are the sins of these knowing times and days of so much clear light as we live in how shall God wink at our sins or how is it that he hath winked at them so long O the infiniteness of his patience that he should bear with us so long and not utterly consume us who sin against more light and love than ever Nation did O when shall the riches of such goodness forbearance and long suffering lead us to repentance But there is another sense and interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 negligere LXX usurpant pro indignari c. of these words which some rather imbrace as more fully laying open the meaning of the holy Ghost and as most consonant to what follows And the times of this ignorance God winked at that is he regarded not he had little respect to them of those times but let them go on in their sins as it were without check or controle that is he sent
robs us of our joy peace safety separates from God the chief good and brings horrors of conscience here and to eternal Is 59. 1 2. perdition hereafter which may have a moments pleasure but an eternities torment And can we do better than to incourage one another here to come up to so great a good and to come off from so great an evil Do others incourage one another in evil matters and not we in what is so good to quit sins and the Devil 's Psal 64 5. and hell's quarters murderers quarters our deadly enemie's quarters which seek our bloud and the destruction of our precious souls and to come into heaven's quarters into God's and our friends quarters O who would not incourage here and say come and let us return unto the Lord and so betake our selves to the onely way of our own and the Nations weal And O that it was once come to this that so both our own and the Nations utter ruine might be prevented which God professedly declares yea swears he has no pleasure in We read of those indeed who were ready to cast such a calumny upon God as if he took pleasure in their death for they said if our transgressions and our sins be upon us and Ezek 33 â—â— we pine away in them how then should we live c. as if they had said What do you tell us of living or prophesie of life when we find the quite contrary that we are dying Now as to this God vindicates himself asserting the clean v. 11. contrary by an Oath Say unto them as I live says the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live c. As death is indeed an act of justice punishing the impenitent so it hath the nature of good in it and so it is pleasing to God who is just as well as merciful but as it is meerly the creatures ruine and misery so he delights not in it and to this he swears Indeed God cannot lye and so his word might be enough O beatos noâ— quorum causâ Deus jurat O miseri nos si non juranti Domino credimus Tertull. but the more to confirm what he says he is pleased to swear and happy we for whose sake God swears if we believe but miserable we if he shall swear and we yet not believe him and further to shew his unwillingness that we should dye he doubles his invitation to turn Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel And this ingemination as it shews our dulness and love to our sins and loathness to leave them so a vehemency and intention of spirit in God there being much life spirit and affectionateness in sueh expressions and it shews also a necessity of compliance for that cannot but be a matter of great weight that we are so often invited to such Scripture ingeminations not being vain but the more words from God the more weight and what is doubly prest must needs be doubly our duty and that which we are doubly ingag'd to Surely as it shews God desires it much so that it concerns us much and what indeed can concern us more than that which unless we do we as certainly perish as the Lord lives And what goodness and condescension is it in the great God that he should so earnestly and so often invite us to that which is so much for our own good and that though he cannot be better'd nor made happier by us yet that our salvation should be so dear to him and therefore let us set to it our selves and incourage one another all we can looking up to God for help for though we can turn away Ps 119. 176. Hos 13. 9. we cannot of our selves turn again we can wound but not heal our selves throw our selves down but not raise our selves up loose our selves but not reduce our selves CHAP. XV. To see to it that our turning to God be true and real AND let us not onely incourage one another to turn to God but be sure our conversion be sincere 1. Let there be a sound conviction of sin and a kindly compunction for it with a thorow aversion from it to the Lord both in heart and life in inward principles and outward practises there being a change both of the disposition and affection and love to sin within and of the conversation without and these depend one upon another For 'till the conscience be throughly convinct of sin how should the heart be kindly contrite for sin and 'till the heart be contrite for sin how should it forsake or turn from sin and 'till it do turn from sin how should it turn to God And 2. let this turn be such as is of God as also unto God quite Jer. 4. 1. through unto him and not to any thing below him or on this side him O how sad is it to suffer shipwrack neer the haven to turn towards God and yet never to reach nor take up in God as our true and proper center to come up out of Egypt and yet never to come into Canaan not to be far from the Kingdom of God from heaven and yet to fall short of it and to be turned into hell 3. Let it be such as arises from faith 4. Let it be hearty with all or the whole heart no part of the heart here being reserved for sin but the whole heart inclin'd one way and that to God as it is said of good King Josiah 2 King 23. 25. that like unto him there was no King before him that turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might c. Indeed the heart is the main and what is done Quod cor non facit non fit here unless it be with the heart it is not done And in what should we be hearty indeed if not in what we do to God and in what tends so infinitely to our own good 5. Let it be universal 1. As to the subject turning the whole man body and soul and all the faculties of the one and members of the other compleat as to parts though not degrees as to extension though not perfection in every part though but in part As the Air in the dawning is light in e-every part though but in part else if any one part be unturn'd we shall as one expresses it with our whole go to hell and therefore as all of us and in us is turn'd away from God never let us rest till all be turn'd again to God 2. As to the object turn'd from and turn'd to from all sin to all that is holy and righteous from every false and crooked way to every true and right way for as there 's no Brook so small no River Ps 119. 101 128. so little but if a man follow it it will bring him
to their capacity and whatever is the stile or language know that the remedy it self here propos'd is not mine but of his making and prescribing who is the great Physician and healer of Nations and he therefore that rejects or despises rejects and despises not man but God onely he 1 Thes 4. 8. hath spirited me and bid and appointed me as he hath some others to mind you of it and to put you speedily upon it yea and to betake your selves to him to help and assist you in it that so the Nation may not perish and so soveraign a remedy at hand for want of being applied and made use of as unto which if any thing here dictated shall prove subservient or any ways adjutant it shall ever be acknowledged as a singular mercy to him from the God of mercies who is and remains A studious well-wisher of Thine and the Nations weal R. P. To the Christian Reader SAlvation is the most sutable and the most desireable mercy for sinners for sinful persons for sinful Nations Salvation as it imports deliverance from evil and that it imports most properly is a very great mercy but as it implies the gift and injoyment of good of the highest good so it is far better Temporal salvation is a signal favour but how unspeakable a favour is Eternal Now as questionless salvation with all the appurtenances and consequents of it is the greatest mercy that can be desired so the greatest question that can be asked is that of the Jaylour Sirs what must we do to Acts 16. 31. be saved Reader the worthy Authour of the ensuing Discourse having I doubt not well weighed and deeply laid to heart the doleful condition of many thousand souls in city and countrey who remain in a state of sin and persist impenitently in the practice even of the grossest sins considering also with himself possibly with others the dangerous state of the whole Kingdom by reason of those much to be lamented overflowings of sin he I say having laid to heart and considered these things hath studied and in this Treatise freely held forth a remedy indeed an unfailing and the onely remedy whereby the souls of men may be saved and delivered from wrath and damnation and the whole Kingdom from ruine destruction and desolation There needs no more for the saving either of persons or Nations but the Lords effectual turning of our hearts from sin by the working of his powerful grace in us and the sweet manifestations of his favourable grace towards us or as the Authors Text hath it the causing of his face to shine upon us A remedy compounded of these two Gospel-ingredients both the fruits of Christ's bloud and death for the cure and help of sin-sick dying souls and Kingdoms thou wiâ—t find Christian Reader ready at hand for thine and the Kingdom 's benefiâ— in the doctrinal part of this book if thou hast an heart to make use of it And that thine heart may be drawn out to make a right use of it thou wilt find it stor'd with many clear directions to guide thee with strong reasons to convince thee with many cogent motives to quicken thee all fetcht from and grounded upon the holy Scriptures many Texts whereof are not onely as thâ—y all are pertinently alledged but solidly pithily and largely paraphrased and expounded I commend all to the blessing of God and thy diligent perusal praying that all may turn not onely to thy souls profit and everlasting salvation but to the temporal salvation of these Kingdoms from those impending evils of punishment which our abounding evils of sin threaten us with and may quickly bring down upon us unless the Lord God of hosts according to his super abounding goodness turn us again to himself and cause his face to shine upon us then and not till then we shall indeed be saved or dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil This Christian Reader is the apprehension this the daily petition of Thy friend and servant in the Lord JOSEPH CARYL Good Reader WE learn from the story of the Fall that man was first a fugitive from God and then an exile first Adam ran to the bushes and then God drove him out of Paradise and ever since besides the aversion of mans own heart there lieth a legal exclusion on Gods part Man in this condition is become a stranger to God and his own happiness and not only a stranger but an enemy but though we are enemies to God we cannot make good our quarrel against him the Lord of Hosts will be too hard for poor worms Alas what will our many lusts do against his mighty Angels God cannot be overcome yet such is his Grace he is ready to be reconciled Turn unto me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 1. 3. The same stile is used both in the exhortation and the promise 'T is the Lord of Hosts who inviteth us to turn to him by a serious repentance and the Lord of Hosts who promiseth to reward us with all manner of felicity and happiness If we turn not we find him a dreadful adversary but if we have an heart to return to him we shall find him as powerful and delightful a friend Woe to him that striveth with his Maker But blessed he that submitteth to him We keep off from him out of carnal liberty not liking the strictness of his precepts and also out of legal bondage fearing the strokes of his Justice and we are hardened in our alienation from God by patching up a sorry happiness in the creature apart from him our remedy must be fully correspondent with our disease therefore our cure consists in turning from the creature to God from self to Christ from sin to holiness Do this and it shall be well with you sin shall be pardon'd and everlasting happiness shall be your portion But who is sufficient for these things The legal exclusion is taken off by the merit of the Lord Jesus and the straying disposition is cured by the all powerful and converting grace of his Spirit and in conversion we find him to be the Lord of Hosts aswell as in destruction as he conquereth and subdueth mans heart to himself for surely God never made a creature too hard for himself But his grace must be sought after by us in the use of all holy means Gods complaint against his people was that they would not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord surely they do the work of Christianity who most labour in this very thing especially in a time of general defection and corruption of manners when a people temptingly and daringly put it to the tryal whether God will be so severe against sinners as his word representeth him to be in such a time we need cry aloud both to God and men to God that he may turn us by his preventing grace and turn to us by his rewarding grace to
procured by dying Lord I will seek it and seek it to purpose intreat it as he says elsewhere with my whole heart Ps 119. 58. And truly we had never had them for seeking if Jesus had not purchased them by suffering never for begging if he had not purchased them by bleeding nor for crying if he had not purchased them by dying R. 9. Because this is the way to have them thus to seek them I mean with all earnestness with all our might with our whole hearts Thus Jacob obtained the blessing Gen. 32. 29. and he blessed him there Moses pardon and God's presence David clensing and the recovery of God's face and favour thus the woman of Canaan obtained the casting of the Devil out of her daughter thus Monica obtain'd the conversion of her son Austin c. The ears of the Lord are open to the cry of the righteous Psalm 34. 15. and James 5. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much That 's the prayer that prevails that carries it the effectual fervent prayer There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but one word in the Original but it is so sublime and Emphatical that Translations cannot reach the height of it The Greek properly signifies the working prayer and it signifies such a working as notes the earnestest and liveliest activity that can be the greatest force and vehemency of an earnest spirit and affection Excusso stupore torpore ardenter instanter cum fiducia câ—elum pulsemus compleamus clamoribus tum certò confidemus descensuram ad nos domini miserationem Winckelman in Luc. 11. Such a prayer that sets the whole man a work and all the graces a work heart a work and affections a work and faith a work repentance a work love a work c. that strongly presses and enforces as it were upon God and is not so much the labour of the lips but the travel of the heart These are the prayers that prevail when there is an heat and warmth in our spirits and our affections are fired by the holy Ghost and with gracious ascents flame up towards God when we pray a prayer not onely say a prayer and the holy Ghost makes intercession for Rom. 8. 26. us with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered The promise is made to such prayer Jerem. 29. 13. And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Hosea 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord c. Prov. 2. 3. Yea if thou cryest after knowledg and liftest up thy voice for understanding v. 4. If thou seek her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures v. 5. Then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God Psalm 81. 10. open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Thus it is wrestling in prayer that prevailes when there is such an holy impudency as it were as to take no denial this is a token for good indeed and to such God hath not said seek ye me in vain Luk 11. 8. I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth That which we translate Importunity is in the Original Impudence and so the Dutch read it nevertheless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his impudence sake because of his immodest persistance taking no denial It seems to be a Metaphor taken from a sort of Beggars that when they come to your doors will not be said without an Almes you can't get them gone do what you can speak them fair or foul all is one they will weary you out but they will have it and so at length get it and if an importunate impudent beggar gets from man how much more shall an humble daily importunate petitioner obtain from God to whom importunity is so acceptable and at no time unseasonable as yet it is to man v. 7. And he from within shall answer and say trouble me not the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed c. as if he should say Is there no time to come but now or is this a time to come Luther was exceeding frequent and fervenâ— in prayer one writes of him No day passes wherein Luther spendeth not three hours at leasâ— in prayer and once it fell out saith he that â— heard him good God what a spirit what a confidence was in his very expressions c. And would to God says Luther I could alway Utinam eodem ardore orare possem c. pray with a like ardour for then I had alwayâ— this answer Be it unto thee as thou wilt Thus to prevail in prayer the way is to be earnest and Fiat quod velis ardent in prayer it is ardency not eloquencâ— that carries it here Matth. 11. 12. and the violent take it by force i. e. they who with greaâ— earnestness and zeal seek after salvation they obtain it and onely they R. 10. Because when we thus seek them and obtain them we shall the more value them and with the more carefulness retain them by how much the more wrestlings we acquired them but lightly come lightly go When the Spouse Cant. 3. was at a loss for her beloved and she after earnest pursuits found him O how did she prize him and value him and how carefully retain him and would not let him go c. v. 4. I held him and would not let him go and so Mary her Master John 20. 16. O this is a mercy says the Soul that cost me many a sigh and many a groan and many a tear and much tugging and wrestling and therefore how singularly dear and precious is it to me and I can by no means part with it c. Vse 1. Are spiritual mercies thus to be sought with such earnestness fervently and frequently what shall we think of those then that in stead of seeking them thus scarce seek them at all O how many prayerless families and persons are there who call not on the name of the Lord and how sad is the state of such it cannot be exprest For 1. This is made the very badg and character of wicked men yea and of the very worst of wicked men Psalm 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts Psalm 14. 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledg who eat up my people as they eat bread and call not upon the Lord Thus it was said of her that was filthy and polluted the oppressing city Zeph. 3. 1â— she drew not near to her God 2. Such are practical Atheists they live without God in the world yea they say in effect Psalm 14. 1. there is no God for if there be a God why do they not
from him 1. There being no iniquity in him nor ever any injury done unto us by him What iniquity have your fathers Jer. 2. 5. Micah 6. 3. found in me O my people what have I done unto thee wherein have I wearied thee c. 2. There being no want of any good in him so that there is no need to go from him he being all-sufficient hence the Lord reasons the case with David when he had revolted and tels him I did so and so for thee and I gave such and such things to thee and if that had been too little 2 Sam. 12. 7. says the Lord I would moreover have given thee such and such things and wherefore then hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord c. what cause or ground was there for it what hast thou to say or what canst thou alledge So we find that the children of Israel disobeying the voice of the Lord the Angel of the Lord that is the Son of God he pleads with them I have done so and so for you why then Judges 2. 4. have ye done this and there being no true cause nor ground for it they answer with tears for it is said that they lift up their voice and wept 3. Can we mend or better our selves and who would change but for the better But to be sure if we go from God it will be for the worse When many that profest themselves the disciples of Christ went back and Christ said to John 6. 68. the twelve Will ye also go away you know what Simon Peter answered the Lord To whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life As if he had said Lord where can we mend our selves to whom shall we go to be better This was the Argument that Samuel made use of to keep the people from turning aside to follow the Lord. And turn ye not aside for then should you go after 1 Sam. 12. 21. vain things which cannot profit nor deliver for they are vain It is as if a man for warmth should go from the Sun to the shade or for water from the fountain to the broken cistern or from the spring to the puddle or as if a man for fresh air should leave the open field and sweet refreshing gales in a garden to go to a smoaky cottage But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit and they Jer. 2. 11. are gone far from me and walked after vanity Will a man leave the pleasant cooling snow of Jer. 18. 14. mount Lebanon for a dry bare rock of of the field or shall the cool flowing waters be forsaken 4. Let 's consider what respect God has for such as abide with him and turn not aside from him Noah was upright in his generation and Gen. 6. 8. walked with God when all flesh had corrupted their way and it is said Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. So my servant Caleb because Numb 14. 24 he had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the Land c. And ye are they says Christ which have continued Luke 22. 28 29. with me in my temptations and I appoint unto you a kingdom c. Rev. 3. 5. 5. What a comfort will this be in the evil day and at the hour of death if we have not turned back from God as it has been to the people of God formerly Ps 44. 17 18 19. Job 23. 11 12. and Is 38. 3. c. 6. The Lord doth not turn away our prayers nor himself nor his mercy from us and why Psal 66. 20. Jer. 32. 40. should we turn away from him yea he hath made an everlasting covenant with us that he will not turn away from us to do us good c. 7. If ever he do turn away from us for a time it is not till we first turn away from him He is first in coming but last in going he is ever with us while we are with him as the Prophet told Asa 2 Chron. 15. 2. but if we forsake him and turn away from him he will turn away from us yea against us as the Church complains Lam. 3. 3. Surely against me is he turned he turneth his hand against me all the day 2. Let us be 1. vigilant and very circumspect else if we be careless negligent and secure we shall be in great danger to miscarry 1 Cor. 10. 12. wherefore let him that thinketh he stands take heed lest he fall None are likelier to fall than such as are most self confident and secure and therefore let us carry a holy jealousie continually over our selves how many caveats have we in Scripture to this purpose Matth. 26. 41. Luke 21. 36. Heb. 3. 12. c. 3. Let us be much in prayer that the Lord would keep us for if he leave us we shall soon Jude 24. leave him Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling c. he alone is able and therefore we must watch and pray both c. 4. Let us remember and urge the Lord with his promise viz. that he will put his fear in our Jer. 32. 40. 3. 19. hearts that we shall not depart from him and that we shall not turn away from him 5. Let us exhort one another daily c. This the Apostle prescribes as a good help to keep us from departing from God Take heed brethren Hebr. 3. 12 13. lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin and Heb. 10. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together but exhorting one another c. 6. Let us in the strength of Christ and begging help of God take up strong settled and sincere resolutions of heart to cleave to the Lord and to continue and abide with him who ever turn aside from him as Joshua but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord this that Joshua 24. 15. good man Barnabas exhorted those to that believed and turned to the Lord that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. And when Acts 11. 23. at any time we have or do turn aside as we are very prone to do let us never rest till we return again as these here how earnest are they upon this they thrice importune Turn us again c. O should not a people return to their God the spouse to her husband children to their father The Prodigal as soon as ever he came to himself Luke 15. 17 18. he resolves I will arise and go to my father Turn O back-sliding children saith the Lord Jer. 3. 14. why for I am married unto you And it can never be well with us indeed till we do this he being the rest
just and equal duty and it brings us into a right state into a right frame sets us at rights and till then our state is wretched crooked and wrong nothing is at rights for how should things be right with us whiles our hearts and ways are not right with God but when that which is so right is shewn to man and shewn powerfully and effectually so as to embrace and do what is made known and shewn Then it follows v. 26. He shall pray unto God and he will be favourable unto him and he shall see his face with joy c. The Lord is very gracious and of a very kind nature and disposition he has always in himself a rich storehouse of kindness and mercy and then he gives it forth Come and let us return unto the Lord Hosea 6. 1. and then v. 2. we shall live in his fight or in or before his face live and enjoy his love and favour the life of our lives He looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which was Job 23. 27 28. right and it profited me not that is if any truely repent what then his life shall see the light he shall live in the light of God's countenance Thus the Lord waits to be gracious he waits for our repentings and turnings to him that he may be gracious and while we retard our repentings and turnings to him we retard his grace and favour from our selves There is indeed a previous preventing grace and favour of God a first shining of God's face and breaking forth of Gratiam qui invenit apud Deum ab eâ primum inventus est quia eam nemo quaerit quem ea prius non quaesierit admiserit Rivet Conditio ad gratiam recipiendam requisita nonponitur in nobis nisi per gratiā praevenientem Pareus the light of his countenance as in the conversion of a sinner which I hinted before when God puts a stop to a poor sinner and gives him to repent and turn to him then is a time of love and then God causes his face to shine when he says to the sinner even in his bloud live but then after this previous preventing favour and grace there is more grace second Acts as it were and renewed manifestations we upon our repenting and turning to God being put into such an estate as in which he owns us and delights in us and is gracious to us How gracious was the Lord to Peter upon his repenting and turning again he was gracious to him before Luke 22. 61. And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter c. and how gracious after Mark 16. 7. tell his disciples and Peter c. And so to Ephraim upon repenting and turning how abundantly did God manifest his grace and favour how lovingly and meltingly and tenderly does he speak of him Jer. 31. 18 19 20. Is Ephraim my dear son c. My bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy on him And so the Prodigal upon his returning how does the father meet him and falls on his neck and kisses him 2. Then that is removed which interposes between us and God's favour and hinders the Luke 15. 17 18 19 20 c. shinings of his face I mean our sins for they and onely they do this Is 59. 2. But your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you therefore when we are turned again from our sins to God his face must needs shine What should hinder when the clouds are dispell'd and scattered the Sun appears and its light breaks forth Vse 1. Blessed and thrice happy are they then whom the Lord hath turned again to himself for unto them he hath and will more and more be gracious and manifest his favour and cause his face to shine Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causelt to approach to thee c. Ps 65. 4. For he shares in that and partakes of that which is man's happiness and renders him blessed as appears in that form which the Lord prescribes of blessing the children of Israel Numb 6. 22 23 c. and this makes his present state and condition so comfortable one day of a repenting sinner and so of a sinner that is reconciled to God and to whom he vouchsases his favour being more comfortable than a thousand years of another man that is in continual fear of death and judgment Vse 2. As ever then we would make it out indeed to our own souls that we have any clear evidence or comfortable demonstration of God's favour of his love and the light of his countenance let us never rest 'till we find our selves to be indeed such that the Lord hath turn'd again to himself and then he hath and will cause his face to shine David prays Ps 86. 17. Shew me a token for good and here 's a token for good indeed for the chief good the greatest good God's favour which is life yea better than life Saving conversion is ever a sure sign of divine affection and of a work of grace upon the heart of a souls having found favour in God's eyes our being turned unto God clearly evidences his Si conversi fuerimus per poenitentiam ille omnium placatissimus benignissimus convertentes ad se recipiet Musc having in favour turn'd to us and that he will more and more so turn to us And therefore how earnest and sollicitous should we be for that which gives us so clear an evidence and sure demonstration of so great a good even of the favour of God but never let any bear themselves up with what is consistent with God's hatred and with wrath and eternal death as the honours and profits and pleasures of the world are which men may wallow in the fulness of and yet be under divine frowns and which for the most part are cast upon the worst and vilest of men and upon those whom God's soul abhors which made the very heathens contemn them In hoc coenum in has sordes Seneca being cast upon such dunghils But saving conversion is ever an effect of and followed with divine smiles and on such the Lord God of hosts hath and will more and more cause his face to shine CHAP. V. The main chief and principal point of Doctrine observable from the words DOctr 6. The onely way for a people to be saved it is for God to turn them again and cause his face to shine That is as hath been open'd and explain'd for God to convert them from their sins to himself and his ways and to vouchsafe them his favour to be gracious and propitious to them in his son this is the onely way of a peoples weal it consists in their sound conversion to God and in their finding grace and favour with God in their being turn'd again unto him and in his turning unto them as the Lord expresses it Thus saith
a turning from sin as is Vera conversio est ad Deum reditio Pareus even unto the Lord not onely towards him or half way to him but quite unto him nor to something else beside him or below him but to himself The Lord complains of Ephraim Hos 7. 16. They return but not to the most high he called upon them to return and they were ready to say so they did but not to the most high but turn'd and tackt about to something else besides him or below him it may be from one sin to another or from more gross and open sins to more secret or it may be from prophaneness to some outward shews and semblances of piety or formal duties and performances and outward exercises of repentance as some were much in fastings and outward humiliations and exercises of religion or they return'd to their former sins again but not to the most high he himself was not the end nor center of their motion but though they seem'd to make towards him yet came they short of him Jehu he seem'd to reform indeed and to reduce the people to the true worship of God in taking away Baal but he still retained the Calves They are like says the Lord a deceitful bow which seems to direct the arrow to such a mark but through its obliquity turns it aside another way So they promised and made shews of amendment and of returning to God as their onely scope but Fingunt se velle redire volare ad Deum sed mox animus ipsorum retro agitur per flexuosas ambages vagantur nunquam ad Deum accedunt Arcus obliquus est cor c. Zanch. through the crookedness and deceitfulness of their hearts they were carried aside to something else Here as a Learned Interpreter observes the deceitful Bow is the Heart the Arrows the thoughts and seeming desires of repentance And this is all the change and turn of many they seem to return but not to the most high but take up in something else as in being meerly moral or civil or in some outward forms and superstitious ways of worship or it may be they are not now prophane but what are they meer Scepticks in Religion and wholly taken up in disputations about the same they run roving here and there sometimes of this opinion ☞ and sometimes of that but never fix on God nor Religion indeed And truly this is too too much the guise of the turns of these times but that turn which the Lord calls for is even unto him Therefore also now saith the Lord turn ye even to me and not to other things Usque ad me besides me or below me or a this side me but altogether as far and quite through unto me So the Lord again bespeaks Israel If thou wilt return O Israel return unto me c. as if the Jer. 4. 1. Lord had said Thou makest shews and dost pretend as if thou wouldest return thou makest offers of returning but if thou art minded and resolved to return indeed and to purpose let it be unto me do this or it is nothing all thou doest and this is the right turning indeed when we give God the whole turn and not the half onely so as to be half-converts or almost Christians but altogether so as to go through with the work and not to set onely a little upon repenting and turning and then to give over as many who came out of Egypt but never quite came into Canaan 8. It much be such a turning as is with all the heart and so true and sincere Joel 2. 12. Turn ye even to me with all your heart with the heart and with all the heart in opposition to a divided heart and a double heart a heart and an heart there must be here no halting nor halving with God he will have all or none as Samuel told 1 Sam. 7. 3. Israel if ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts c. And for the want of this the Lord taxes Judah And yet for all this her treacherous Jer. 3. 10. sister Judah hath not turned to me with her whole heart but feignedly saith the Lord that is deceitfully hypocritically and therefore feignedly because not with her whole heart So we read Psalm 78. 34. of the Israelites that when he slew them then they sought him and they returned but it was all but flattering of him and v. 37. lying to him why because their heart was not right with him as Peter told Simon Thy Acts 8. 21. heart is not right in the sight of God and this turning can never be right and sincere where Pro. 23. 26. the heart is not right My son says God give me thy heart the heart in conversion must be given up to God and then our eyes observe his Psalm 95. 10. ways It is a people that do erre in their hearts their hearts were still straying and wandering it may be they pretended fair with their lips but God had not their hearts and therefore he sware in his wrath they should not enter into his rest 9. It must be universal total I as to the Subject turning or turn'd all must be turn'd the whole man Old things must passe away and all things become new 1 Thes 5. 23. And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly c. Look as the whole man every part and faculty of body and soul is by nature and much more by sinful practice averse to God and turn'd away from God so all in conversion must be turn'd again to God both in body and soul every part of one and faculty of the other mind will affections and else it is but partial conversion half-conversion and so not true nor sincere because not universal In true conversion there is not onely a conversion of the mind from errour and heresy to assent to the true faith and doctrine of Christ but also of the will heart and affections to submit to and willingly obey the holy laws and commands of Christ That 's no true conversion when men assent to the truth and yet love the world and their lusts still and are ungodly in their lives but in true conversion there is a turning here also and this is the main and chief and all in all and this is hard and rare but the other which is partial is frequent and often in Scripture condemned Ezek. 33. 31. with their mouth says God they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness and Math. 15. 8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far from me that 's not turned but in true conversion all is turned Hence James 1. 26. If any man among you says the Apostle seems to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiveth his own heart this man's religion is vain For if he was truly religious
Religion would manifest it self in and from his tongue also though not onely as well as be in his heart that also would be turned from the evils thereof as railing reviling foolish and idle and much speaking censuring which many that seem to be religious are very free in and make no great matter of but however such may seem to others or themselves to be religious by the practise of some outward duties and by attending on God's worship c. They do but deceive their own souls and pretend Religion to no purpose for where conversion is true it is so operative and effectual as that it turns all mind will heart affections eyes ears hands feet lips life the mind that is turned from its vanity ignorance and blindness vain thoughts and unbelieving imaginations the will from its obstinacy rebellion and disobedience the heart from its hardness and both it and the affections from those unlawful objects they were placed upon and that excess and violence and immoderacy that they formerly ran out into and so the members of the body from the evils of them as from being any longer instruments and tools for the execution of sin Ro. 6. 13. c. 2. As to the object turn'd from viz. every sin all evill the least as well as the greatest yea and the most beloved at least as to approving of it or lying or living any longer in it and as to the dominion of it Thus all must be turn'd from as none in confession are to be dissembled so none in conversion are to be reserved that Vera penitentia est animi morum ab omni impietate ad pietatem mutatio man can never turn to God in truth that holds fast any known sin There are some indeed darling sins that may more properly be call'd our own we being by nature more especially inclin'd to them and these men would fain have spared but all must be abandoned if ever we would have our conversion sincere As we would have all taken away as to the guilt of them so all must be turn'd from as to the love of them and going on in them as all as to their being remitted so as to their being mortified We could be willing indeed to have all pardon'd that none might hurt us but we are unwilling to part withall especially such as are Mat. 5. 29 30. as our right eye or our right hand but those must be cast from us here or we must be cast into hell hereafter one sin lov'd and lien in undoes for at that our breach death and damnation will enter and that very sin as one expresses it will be as a milstone about the neck and sink the soul forever The Prophet David expresses thus his uprightness I hate every 119 Psal 128. 113. 18. 23. 101. 3. false way and I kept my self from mine iniquity and I have refrained my feet from every evil way and I will set no evil thing before mine eyes c. Such as still go on in any known sin with allowance be it never so close are yet but in a state of nature and never were yet effectually turn'd to God But that sin is in the room of God whatever it be whether Covetousness or Luxury or Pride c. And Coloss 3. 5. Philip. 3. 19. Covetousness which is Idolatry Whos 's God is their Belly People may do much as pray and hear the Word yea with some joy receive it and do many things as Herod did go far in the Profession of Religion and yet having still some Herodias some secret beloved sin that they hug in their bosom and will not part with be still in the very gall of bitterness and in the Acts 8. 23. bond of iniquity And Jesus Christ will never lodg in any such heart where ever any such enemy is yet harboured It is treason to entertain and harbour any one Traytor as well as many and the grounds and reasons for turning from sin if they be spiritual and sincere they hold in every sin as its contrariety to an holy God its crossing his will and opposing his holy just and righteous Law dishonouring his Majesty and grieving his Spirit crucifying his son defacing his Image defiling the Soul and stripping it of its beauty and excellency c. And this now more or less is in every sin and therefore to leave and part with some sins and to spare and hold fast others is but hypocrisy and no sound conversion And besides are not all our Jer. 16. 17. Psal 119. 168. 139. 3. c. ways before the Lord in his view and if therefore we take heed to any of our ways why not to all and does not one sin being indulg'd separate from God as well as many and expose to ruine As one leak in a Ship may sink it one breach in a Castle betray it one knife at the heart peirce it as well as many And therefore there must be here a turning away and an utterly breaking off from all sin be it never so sweet or bring it in never so much pleasure or profit yet it must be abandoned and forsaken if we would approve our conversion sincere 3. As to the object turn'd to viz unto God and all that is good and holy and just and righteous to all God's commandements for there must be no bawking of any but an universal sincere respect to all to one as well as another the least as well as the greatest the difficultest as well as the easiest As God says of David Who shall fulfil all my will and all his judgments Acts 13. 22. Psalm 18. 22. 119. 128. v. 6. were before me and I esteem all his precepts concerning all things to be right and then says he shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy commandements Thus as there must be an abstaining from all evill so a doing of all the contrary good a fulfilling all righteousness Matth. 3. 15. a sincere purpose desire and endeavour at least to conform to all God hath instituted Col. 4. 12. and commanded and to stand compleat in his whole will as it is said of Zacharias and Elizabeth Luke 1. 6. that they were both righteous before God walking in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blameless 10. It must be a constant continued turning as there must be a forsaking of all evil and a practising of all the contrary good so this must be constantly continually and for ever It must be such a turning as is without returning to our sins again Hence some have defin'd it the constant turning of a man in his whole life from all sin unto God c. For as it is the work of the whole man so of the whole life and we are more and more to turn none being so far turn'd from sin to God but have need still to turn more There is an initial or first repentance which is at our
affectu and entirest affection of your hearts Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously vouchsafe the removal of our sin and favourable and gracious acceptance with thy self that sins guilt may be pardoned its power subdued its pollution purged and thy grace obtained that is in effect that God would turn them again and cause his face to shine So that what his people seek elsewhere that the Lord prescribes here and prescribes it as the onely way of their weal. And so in many other places as Jer. 4. 14. that Jerusalem there might be sav'd from those evils and miseries which else would certainly and unavoidably come upon her to her utter ruine he prescribes and invites her seriously and unfeignedly to repent of her wickedness O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodg within thee Those vain thoughts of help and succour by other ways and means with neglect of the main And how often that poor sinners might live does the Lord who swears he had no pleasure in their death invite them to turn from their way Turn ye turn ye Ezek. 33. 11. 18. 3. from your evil ways and repent and turn from all your transgressions cast them away from you and Jer. 3. 22. 4. 1. c. put your abominations out of my sight c. and so much does our happiness and good our being blest depend upon and consist in the face and favour of God that when God would have his people blest this he prescribes and directs as the very way and means and platform thereof And the Lord spake unto Moses saying speak Numb 6. 22 23 24 25 26. unto Aaron and unto his sons saying on this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel saying unto them The Lord bless thee and keep thee the Lord make his face shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace What goodness and kindness is it in God that as he is most blessed himself so he will have his people blessed also and not be blessed alone and that they may be so he prescribes this as the very form thereof and in these phrases the Priests and Levites were to bless Israel that is to wish them all good all happiness and salvation all being Benedicere est fausta et salutaria precari To pray for and wish all happiness and good summ'd up in the love of God in the manifestations of his favour and therefore because this and onely this was their blessedness therefore in different phrases it is prescrib'd again and again to be supplicated for them R. 4. Because when the Lord hath purposed to make a people happy and to have it well with them indeed this he hath still promised as the onely effectual way and means thereof As to Israel I will heal their back-sliding I will love Hosea 14. 4 5. them freely for mine anger is turn'd away from them It is very observable that what the Lord had before prescrib'd as the onely way of their weal v. 2. that he here promises v. 4. for to Sâ—nare defectiones idem est quod et omnem tollere iniquitatem siâ—ut saepâ—ùs precati sunt Israelitae Zanch in locum heal their back-sliding and love them freely and turn away from them his anger it is to take away all iniquity and receive them graciously Their sins were their sicknesses and the Lord the great Physician that they might recover promises to heal them that is not onely not to impute but pardon what was past so by his grace to prevent the same for the future And I will be as the dew to Israel c. My favour and grace shall be to them as dew to the grass c. Thus when the Lord promises happiness and welfare to those that were carried captive he tells them he will acknowledg them and set his Jer. 24. 5 6 7. eyes on them for good that is manifest to them his favour and they shall says he return unto me with their whole heart See also Ezek. 36. 25 26. c. Micah 7. 19. Zâ—char 12. 10. c. R. 5. Because Jesus Christ himself the eternal Son of God was sent and came into the world to procure our happiness and weal and our being sav'd this way by calling us to repentance and saving us from our sins and by bringing us to God and procuring for us his favour and gracious acceptance As he himself who best knew what was his errand and what he had in commission hath told us I am come to call sinners to repentance and this the Angel witnessed of him that his name should be called Jesus for he should save Matth 9 13. his people from their sins and so his Apostles Acts 3. 26. after Vnto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless you but how in what way and by what means in turning away every one of you from his iniquities and for this purpose was the son of God manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil and he is 1 John 3. 8. 4. 10. said to send his Son to be the propitiation for our Rom. 5. 2. sins and by him we have access into the grace wherein we stand And the Apostle Peter gives us this account of Christ's sufferings that they were to bring us to God to recover us into his favour 1 Pet. 3. 18. and friendship again as our onely happiness and felicity R. 6. Because the Lord hath and doth still send his Ministers to be instrumental of peoples happiness and weal this way as by opening their eyes and turning them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they Acts 26. 18. may receive forgiveness of sins and so be reconciled to God and brought again into his favour and hence their ministery is called the ministery of reconciliation And hence that great Apostle 2 Cor. 5. 18 20 knowing no better nor more effectual way of peoples weal it is said Acts 26. 20. that he shewed first unto them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God c. yea he makes preaching repentance towards God and faith towards our 2 Cor. 5. 18 20 Lord Jesus Christ the very summe of his preaching and that in preaching these he had kept Acts 20. 20 21 27. nothing back that was profitable to them but had declar'd to them all the counsel of God And what way were the Prophets of old sent to prevent peoples ruine and to bring it to be well with them was it not by calling and inviting them to return to the Lord to turn from their evil ways unto him I might give you multitudes of places to this purpose but that it is needless they
being every where obvious So John the Baptist Christ's harbinger and forerunner and afterward Jesus Christ himself whose great business in their preachings was no other then that sinners might be sav'd and that it might be well with them what did they preach it was Repentance And so when he sent forth the twelve it is said they went out and Matth. 3. 2. 4. 17. preached and what did they preach why that Mark 6. 12. men should repent Now had there been any more effectual way or course to have been taken for furthering the good of these they went or were sent to preach to surely they would have taken it but they taking this course and going this way clearly demonstrates that this is indeed the way R. 7. Because true repentance sound Evangelical conversion does presuppose faith yea and Poenitentia ad desperationem trahit nisi fulciatur verá fide de remissione peccati ut est videre in Caino Judâ Saule c. Aretius is a happy fruit and effect thereof faith being that which dissolves and melts the heart into kindly sorrow and grief for former sins and rebellions whereby so good a God hath been grieved and makes the soul to hate and abominate and resolve against them for the future And now true faith is every where held forth as saving He that believeth shall be saved and Mark 16. 16. believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt Acts 16. 31. Ephes 2. 8. Heb. 10. 39. 1 Pet. 1. 9. be saved and we are of them that believe to the saving of the Soul so receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls c. And now true conversion must needs be the onely effectual way for a people to be sav'd because where this is faith is yea in order of nature as I said before faith precedes it as the ground and root thereof Indeed in order of time they are both together and so neither of them is one before the other but in the manifestation of them Repentance is first As the Thunder and Lightning are both at one and the same time yet is one discerned before the other and so is repentance both to a man's self and also to others sooner discerned and discovered than faith one as the sap lying hid within but the other as the bud springing forth and shewing it self without but in order of nature faith is first for 1. God's favour is first apprehended and remission of sins upon repentance believed and then upon that comes repentance and conversion and alteration of heart and life And 2. true repentance being a grace and being repentance unto life Zach. 12. 10. whence should it be had but from the fountain thereof and how should it be had thence but by faith union being the ground of communion and interest of influence So that Jesus Christ must first be received himself before saving conversion or any grace can be received hence our Saviour tells us without him we can John 15. 5. do nothing or severed from him much less so great a thing as to repent and turn to God Some preparations to repentance and preparatory Fides nisi praeluceat nulla vera 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse potest licèt adsit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qualis fuit in Juda. Tossanus beginnings and introductions there are indeed before faith as Legal fears and terrors but no true Evangelical repentance for 3. that is pleasing and acceptable to God and therefore cannot be without faith for without faith it is impossible to please God or that any work should please him that does not arise thence And besides Sine fide omnis poenitentia non solum ociosa est sed expeditum iter ad desperationem Mentzerus 4. without faith we are spiritually dead for the just do live by faith Heb. 2. 4. and repentance is the work of the living But if repentance be after faith how is it may some say that we find repentance put before it as Mark 1. 15. Repent ye and believe the Gospel and Acts 20. 21. To this I answer that the placing of things in Scripture is not always according to Credendo in Christum convertuntur quia fides est praevia conversionis nec ulla est vera conversio sine fide Tossanus in locum the order of nature but sometimes the cause is placed after the effect to shew how we should obtain the effect as 1. repent and then that ye may repent believe Again 2. in other places we find it put after faith as Acts 12. 21. And a great number believed and turn'd to the Lord. Thus the goodness of God and remission of sins by Jesus Christ being apprehended and imbraced by faith this brings on conversion And His duobus summa doctrinae Evangelicae comprehendi solet Non hîc praeponitur poenitentia fidei quasi prior dignitate vel tempore hence these two are made the summe of the Gospel and of Christian doctrine and the Apostles preaching Acts 20. 20. And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you v. 21. Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ and this he calls v. 27. the whole counsel of God viz. which God hath revealed and manifested as concerning our salvation and how we may come to obtain it And this by the way may comfort all true converts as concerning their having had some tasts and particular apprehensions of the mercy of God in Christ and so some measure of faith this being an evident sign thereof and an happy effect which flows therefrom and therefore this must needs be the soveraign way for a people to be saved for God to turn them again it presupposing always this true saving faith R. 8. That this is the onely way for a people to be saved for God to turn them again and cause his face to shine appears from the nature excellency and happy effects of these and from what follows upon these As 1. as to conversion and being turn'd again this must needs be the way to be sav'd yea everlastingly sav'd For 1. such as are indeed turn'd again are turn'd from that which is and indeed onely is destructive which alone does and can indeed destroy and that is sin and iniquity and being turn'd from that which is alone destructive they must needs be in the way to be sav'd he indeed that pursueth Prov. 11. 16. evil pursues it to his own death to his own eternal ruine but now the true convert he turns from it and forsakes it and how then should it be his ruine And hence says the Lord God to Ezek. 18. 30. the house of Israel repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine For you are now turn'd from that which else would and indeed onely could have been your ruine there being
his countenance that he lifts it up It is not that he hath any need of us or any motive from us except our misery and this the Scripture every where holds forth Of his own will that is of his meer good pleasure James 1. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia voluit becanse he would and free grace begat he us with the word of truth this alone is the spring and original both of our regeneration and salvation For by grace ye are saved but God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we Eph. 2. 8. v. 4. 5. were dead in sins hath qu savâ—d us c. But according to his mercy he 〈◊〉 us by the washing Titus 3. 5. of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost c. I will heal their back-sliding I will love Hos 14. 4. them freely c. He will turn again and whence he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities c. Since thou wast precious in my sight that is since thou becamest dear to me Is 43. 4. and I vouchsafed thee grace and favour thou Iter ad gratiam est per gratiam per quae ipsam venitur ad ipsam Prosper hast been honourable and I have loved thee I have manifested my love several ways to thee and all from love and meer grace and good will So that it is of free grace meerly that God exhibits and shews grace it is of love that he manifests love and how much may this encourage poor creatures to seek unto the Lord that he would turn them again and cause his face to shine it being nothing but free grace and meer mercy that hath put him upon doing this for others and though they be so unworthy yet why may not free and rich grace put God upon doing that for them which it hath put him upon doing for others God never turned any again to himself or caused his face to shine on them because they were worthy but because he was gracious not because they deserv'd it but because it was his good pleasure so to do it not because of any merit in them but because of that mercy that is in himself not because of works which they had done but because of what he was pleas'd of meer mercy and free grace for to do Thus the Lord tells Israel that because Deut. 7. 7 8. he loved them he set his love upon them here 's the spring and rise of all the good will and pleasure of God the natural bent purpose and Rom. 9. 15. Phil. 2. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro gratuitâ suâ benevolentiâ Pise inclination of God's heart to do the creature good I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion whom I will have compassion and he worketh both to will and to do of his good pleasure 9. Let us consider that as it is from free grace that any are turned again so it is by grace that they are turned as from favouring accepting grace so by sanctifying renewing grace as from the freeness of the one so by the effectual operation of the other it is free grace alone that puts God upon doing and then sanctifying grace that does it Look what ever any have been or are as to any saving work of conversion upon the soul and turning them again unto the Lord as it has been wholly upon the account of free accepting grace so it has been wholly by the powerful operation of sanctifying renewing grace as meerly from grace so wholly by grace and whatever any have been or are as to any saving work it is by the grace of God that they are what are and what that grace hath done for others that sometimes were what thou now art the same can it effect for thee We all says the Apostle with 2 Cor. 3. 18. open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory But how by the Spirit Psal 51. 12. of the Lord and the Spirit of the Lord is free not only as making free or being freely given but as acting freely The wind bloweth Joh. 3. 8. where it listeth c. and so does the Spirit breath freely where he pleases and can cause the same gales of grace to breath upon thee as he hath done upon others as God vouchsafeth his favour so he also gives grace and works by his grace where when and on whom he pleases and all that any are or have it is by that grace as the Apostle expresseth it as concerning himself that they are what they are and have what they have And last of all he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time For I am the 1. Cor. 15. 8 9 10. least of the Apostles that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God but by the grace of God I am what I am what I am as to that change that is now wrought in me as to any saving work of conversion Quicquid est non sibi aut meritis suis sed soli gratiae Dei tribuit Pareus upon my soul as to being a true convert a true Christian and believer as to being an Apostle and a preacher who before was a persecutor as to what I thus am as it is meerly from grace so it is wholly by grace that I am what I am and others whatever they are being by grace what they are as to any saving work of grace why by the same grace mayest not thou be the same they are Is not grace as free and as effectual for thee as for another can it not do and effect that for thee that it hath done for others Take grace away and others are what thou art let grace work upon thee and thou shalt be the same as others are O what may not free grace put God upon and what will not effectual 2 Cor. 9. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace do And God is able as the Apostle speaks to make all grace to abound towards you that ye always having all-sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work What cause have we to adore the fulness of this Scripture here are five all 's 1. All grace and not some onely 2. All ways and not now and then onely 3. All-sufficiency and not some sufficiency onely 4. In all things and not in some onely 5. To every or all good works and all grace abound as to all these what wants can exceed such supplies what indigencies such sufficiency and what cannot such grace do 10. Consider how far soever thou mayest have turned away or turned aside from God yet God has turned again as great sinners and turners aside as thou hast been or art Ephes 2. 1. And you hath he quickened which were dead in sins and trespasses not
Story converted of his Atheism so though repentance seem never so difficult at first to corrupt nature yet frequently occasioning your hearts that way might much help you if you would but be still haunting your hearts with what might further it as with precepts promises threatnings judgments mercies Law Gospel c. and never giving over 'till something comes of it for occasions are to be prest and urg'd to the utmost and throughly to be improv'd as it is said of those Jews I do but allude to it that they said unto Nehemiah and the Premenda est occâsio rest that were building ten times that is very often in all ways that ye passe to and again the Nehem. 4. 12. enemy will be upon you and thus still haunting them with warnings at length they looked about and set guards in every place And so deal with your hearts and warn them often again and again tell them O! if you do not repent the enemy will be upon you the wrath and curse of God will be upon you hardness of heart will be upon you all those judgments threatened will be upon you but if you repent the blessing and favour of God will be upon you grace and mercy and peace will be upon you all the good promised will be upon you yea God himself will dwell in you and his Angels will guard you and minister unto you c. and tell your hearts such and such things often yea never give over 'till you have brought it to some good issue Thus as others occasion their hearts sin-ward hell-ward vanity-ward world-ward so do you grace-ward heaven-ward repentanceward conversion-ward and so salvation-ward 7. Remember God of his promises and in your prayers plead and press and urge the same Lord hast thou not in thy Word of free grace made promises not only to grace but of grace and do Lord as thou hast said be as good as thy word O remember thy promise Thus turn promises into prayers as these and the like Turn you at my reproof behold I Prov. 1. 23. Is 44. 3. will pour out my Spirit unto you c. and I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and not onely so but floods upon the dry ground that is my Spirit upon barren and fruitless hearts that have neither saving knowledg nor are able to perform any good work I will pour my Spirit upon thy Is 35. 5 6 7. seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened c. and in the wilderness shall waters break out and streams in the desart that is the Spirit shall be abundantly poured out upon all sorts even upon such as were as a wilderness and as a dry and barren heath And the parched ground shall become Ezek. 36. 25 26 27. a poole and the thirstly land springs of water in the habitation of Dragons where each lay shall be grass with reeds and rushes Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your Idols will I clense you A new heart also will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments Jer. 3. 19. and do them But I said how shall I put thee among the children and give thee a pleasant land c. that is being spoken of God after the manner of men I thus thought and considered with my self how shall I put thee among the children c. How shall I make such as you my people who are so vile and unworthy and adopt you to be my children and so make you heirs of that heavenly and glorious Canaan of which the other was but a type Now to this God himself makes answer within himself and the more to express the greatness of his mercy and the riches of his free grace against their unworthiness he says Thou shalt call me my father and shalt not turn away from me that is I will by my Spirit being a Spirit of conversion and adoption cause thee to return and to cry unto me in faith Abba father and thou shalt not depart from me Now remember God of these and the like promises and press them and plead them and urge them turn them into prayers 'till God turn them into performances So I might mention others I will heal their back-sliding I will love them freely and they shall return to me with their whole heart and Hos 14. 4. Jer. 24. 7. Psalm 22. 27. all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord c. And because knowledg and understanding is as I said initial and so influential as to conversion urge the promises thereof as these and the like For the earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters Is 11. 9. cover the Sea and They shall all know me from Jer. 31. 34. the least of them to the greatest c. and they shall be all taught of God Is 54. 13. Joh. 6. 45. c. 8. Follow after faith labour to believe for Non rectè possit agere poenitentiam nsi qui speraverit indulgentiam true kindly Evangelical repentance and saving conversion does as I said arise and flow from faith and is an happy effect and fruit thereof and faith at least in some measure must go before it as the ground and root thereof A true repenting sinner is a believing sinner that hath had some apprehensions and perswasions of the mercy of God in Christ and of forgiveness of sin in and through him to such as are penitent And without the root how should you partake of the fruit or without the cause of the effect it is said A great number believed and turned to Acts 11. 21. the Lord if ever we would turn to the Lord indeed we must first believe which should make us therefore the more to study and endeavour by all possible ways and means to obtain that precious grace of faith as the Apostle Peter calls 2 Pet. 1. 1. it precious indeed for what is there that is precious but faith brings us to obtain it and this we must in some measure have if ever we repent and turn to God to purpose for an unbelieving Conversio ad Deum complectitur praecipuè fidem quâ homo in solo vero Deo fiduciam collocat c. Winckelm heart is ever an hard evil and impenitent heart Paul speaking of such as live godly and so are true converts he speaks of them as being in Christ Jesus that is interested in him united to him by faith as branches into the Vine members to the head and such must all be that Joh. 15. 5. live godly for
silence this life is the time of working but death of cessation not onely do civil works cease then as buying selling trading c. but the religious also as praying hearing repenting believing c. The time for these is onely while you are upon the earth there are none of these in the grave nor in hell and therefore how should you resolve to work the work of him that sent you while it is day for when the night Joh. 9. 4. cometh no man can work 9. You can never come hither again to do it when once you are gone there 's no return back As the cloud is consumed and vanishes away so he Job 7. 9 10. that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more He shall return no more to his house neither shall his place know him any more I shall behold Is 38. 11. man no more with the inhabitants of the world And There is hope of a tree if it be cut Job 14. 7 10. down that it will sprout again c. But man dieth and wasteth away yed man giveth up the ghost and where is he c. no more here where ever he is not that Job denied or was ignorant Non negatur resurrectio ad vitam sed ad similem vitam Pined of the resurrection but he speaks it in regard of a natural life he shall come no more into this world to live and dwell here amongst men as he did or to dispatch any work no if his work was not done before he went hence he cannot return again to do it but it must cease for ever death as to that being the utter conclusion of man he is gone and returns no more and had you not need then to hasten to do your work when as Job speaks after a few years are come it may be weeks or days or hours you shall go Job 16. 22. the way whence you shall not return 10. The Scripture runs all upon Nows and upon the present as to this great work Acquaint now thyself with him c. Therefore also now Job 22. 21. Joel 2. 12. saith the Lord Turn ye even to me with all your heart c. and Return ye now every one from Jer. 18. 11. his evil way God does not onely command the duty and makes it every man's duty but prescribes also the time that it be now that it be forthwith without any further delay But now commandeth all men every where to repent and Act. 17. 30. If thou wilt return O Israel saith the Lord return that is presently and To day if ye will Jerem. 4. 1. hear his voice c. See also Eccles 12. 1. Math. 5. 25. Isa 21. 11 12. c. 11. The not doing what you are to do at present as to this great work makes Gods putting a price into your hand in vain and to no purpose Why because you do not imploy it nor improve it and so to what purpose is it it is all one as if you had none Wherefore says Solomon Prov. 17. 16. is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom seeing he hath no heart to it Now to repent and turn to God is your wisdom and you have at present a price in your hand for to get it a price of time strength parts gifts means and opportunities of grace but to what purpose seeing you have no heart to it nor to improve the present price that is in your hand for to get it Whereunto do opportunities and advantages of gettting good serve unless improv'd Say a man wanted some necessary commodity that he could not be without but must perish if he get it not and not having wherewith to procure it another should put a price into his hand now to what purpose was this if he be yet such a fool as not to lay it out but perish with a price in his hand had it not been better he had none To every thing there is a season Eccles 3. 1. and a time to every purpose under heaven and so for this but what are any the near if they let it slip and have no heart as to what they should improve it for which is wisdom saving conversion and so salvation and what should a man have an heart to if not to these 12. The not hearkening to God now at present while he calls does much provoke his wrath and aggravate your sins and will augment your misery For who are we that we should not presently stoop to and obey the call of so great a Majesty especially in what is so much our own concern Because says he I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man Prov. 1. 24 25 26 27 c. regarded But ye have set at nought all my counsell and would have none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear cometh c. And this was the heavy aggravation of Jezebel's fornication that God gave her space to repent but she repented not and so Rev. 2. 21. 9. 20. of those who though not killed by former plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands and Solomon tells us that because to every purpose there is time and judgment therefore Eccles 8. 6. the misery of man is great upon him But how is man's misery therefore great is it not rather a mercy yes but his misery is therefore great because he either is so blind that he cannot see it or else so careless and negligent that he lets it slip For man also knoweth not his 9. 12. time as the fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sons of men snar'd in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them they know not in this their day the things which belong unto their peace at least not practically not savingly so as Luk. 19. 41 42 c. to pursue them till they are hid from their eyes which is so sad as that it made Jesus Christ himself to weep over Jerusalem and the neglecting such opportunities given to sinners for the good of their souls will certainly be another day as a dagger at their hearts when they shall see how wilfully and foolishly they have ruined their own precious souls in delaying to make Cùm nihil morte certius ac horâ mortis incertius quomodo quis audebit sciens ac volens in tanto remanere periculo per quod incurrere potest aeternam poenam c. Gerh. use of those helps they had to have prevented it and that they should be so strangely besotted and as it were bewitched not to look after that which so infinitely concern'd them till it was too late And therefore as you love your souls and tender your salvation delay no longer but forthwith set upon the work and dare not to go one
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
woes and curses and horrors and terrors and tearings a pieces rolling garments in blood Psal 50. 22. Hos 13. 8. and renting the caul of the heart and devouring like a Lion And sinners not being sensible of this at present does but aggravate their misery and make their condition the more lamentable and is here any ground for mirth and not rather of grief and continual sorrow of heart and well may we say to such as the Apostle James Be afflicted and mourn and â—â—mes 4. 9. weep let your laughter be turn'd to mourning and your joy to heaviness And though in a right way and upon good grounds we wish and desire comfort to all yet as to the state that many are at present in we cannot wish them better than trouble as the way to peace and Timorem plurimum grief as the way to joy as Bernard once writing to one that he thought not sollicitous enough about the judgments of God wisht him much Hos 9. 1. fear Rejoyce not says God to Israel as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God c. And however such may at present find pleasure and delight in sin and carnal mirth in their evil ways yet let them know this is but their disease and from the distemper that is upon their souls for were their hearts right they would cry out of the bitterness of what they now say is sweet and what pleasures are they but such as are common with beasts and of the brutish part and but for a moment and such as have a poysonous sting in them and death and damnation entail'd to them and such as will certainly end in bitterness if not mercifully here dreadfully and eternally in hell hereafter and therefore be no longer enemies to your own comfort in going on still in your sins but turn to the Lord and then you shall experience true joy and comfort indeed and shall not lose your joys nor pleasures but change them for better for spiritual heavenly and more refined Would you not all now have joy and comfort and be glad which indeed is the very strength and support of our spirits and life of our lives for what is life or any thing else without comfort this being as one well expresses it the Spring of our year the light of our day the Sun in our firmament for the joy of the Lord is your strength and a merry heart does good like a medicine yea such a one hath a continual feast and would you have so O then turn to God we who are Ministers are called helpers of others joy and we would be glad to be so but never can we be so indeed till we become helpers of your conversion and instrumental in bringing you to God and turning you to him and then and not 'till then do we become helpers of your joy indeed yea and of our own too in yours and then may we say Go thy way eat thy bread with Eccles 9. 7. joy c. In the transgression of an evil man there Prov. 29. 6. is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce CHAP. XIII Some further Motives to turn to God 1. LET us consider that while we refuse or neglect to do this we forget our selves and hence when people turn to the Lord they are said to remember All the ends of the world Psal 22. 27. shall remember and turn unto the Lord c. It is a Prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles who turning to the Lord are said to remember but whom or what should they remember why in general themselves and their own interest how much they were concern'd therein more particularly some refer it to what immediately goes before They shall praise the Lord that seek him and their heart live for ever that â— 36. is through the manifestations of his favour be filled with spiritual joy this being indeed the living of the heart as the contrary is its dying 1 Sam. 25. 37. Cogitabunt de suis peccatis miscriis et considerata Dei misericordia tandem seriò expetent opem remedium suorum vulnerum i. e. convertentur Moll or live a spiritual life here and an eternal hereafter and remembring this they shall turn to the Lord or 2. They shall remember their sins the number and nature of them how many and great they have been and their misery by reason of them what wrong by their sins they have done to God and their own souls He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul they shall remember me c. because I am broken with their whorish heart c. Or 3. remember how Ezek. 6. 9. Zach. 10 9. Prov. 8. 36. much this is their duty as also its equity excellency c. and also how great God's goodness and mercy and riches of grace are to such as do indeed turn or they shall remember God's patience and the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering towards them how long he hath born with them though every day angry with them and provoked by them as it is said of the Israelites that about fourty years God suffered their manners in the wilderness or he bore them as a burden their froward Acts 13. 18. and untoward carriages were as an heavy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burden is to a man or as the peevishness and unquietness of a sucking Child is to the Nurse c. Now this they shall remember and despise Rom. 2. 4. those riches of goodness no longer but be led by them to repentance c. Thus there 's very much which if we did but remember and seriously consider might put us upon turning to God and how long shall we forget God and our selves and our own concerns and our own and the Nations weal. O that at length we might all remember and turn to the Lord especially considering the lowd cryes we have had to it alate not onely from God's Word but his works his judicious proceedings why whom should we remember if not our selves or what if not our own good we are bid not to forget to do good to others and shall we forget that which makes so much for our own good We would that God should remember us yea and he does or it would be quickly sad with us and shall not we remember him nay our selves but in refusing to return forget both The Psalmist complains his heart was so smitten c. that he forgat to eat his bread that was sad and strange Psal 102. 4. but this is sadder for that can but famish the body but this the soul that can but bring to the grave but this to hell The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget 9. 17. God and forget themselves to turn to him and therefore let us no longer forget our selves but in turning to the Lord shew at length that we remember
you out of the house of servants c. and Have I been a wilderness to Israel a land of darkness c. O with what confusion will this fill the hearts of such another day All says the Prophet Jeremy that forsake Jer. 17. 13. thee shall be ashamed and therefore how good is it for us as to draw neer to God so to keep still with him if we know when we are well for whither should we go from him 1 Joh. 2. 28. And now little children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed at his coming CHAP. XVI To prove God by turning unto him again AND let us now by such a turning as this but prove God and see if he will not bless us and do us good There is indeed an unlawful Deut. 6. 16. proving of God which is call'd a tempting of him and forbidden but this of proving God in doing our duty and in returning to him he puts his people upon Bring you says he all Mal. 3. 10. the tithes into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of hosts if I will not open you the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room to receive it c. i. e. Do you but return to me as he exhorts them more generally v. 7. and do your duty and try me therewith if I will not bless and prosper you And what wonderful condescension is here that the great God even the Lord of Hosts Dignatio stupenda should call upon such as we are to prove him to make as it were an experiment upon him and as if he should say Do it but this one year and ☜ if it do hold on if not afterwards do as you please O that the great God should condescend so low as to deal with such as we are in so familiar a way as not onely to prescribe a remedy for our relief but invite us withall to prove his goodness and faithfulness therein and that with a kind of oath if I will not which is Promission confirmatur juramento Si non aperuero c. non ero deus c. Pisc O immensam nullis nec Angelorum nec hominum linguis satis depraedicandam clementiam O vero nos miseros si tantam dei gratiam contemnimus ipsi tergum obvertentes c. Winkelm in locum to be supplied with something else as let me not else be believ'd hereafter or I will not be God c. with reverence be it spoken and what admiration in the highest degree does this call for and let not only men on earth but all the Angels in Heaven forever admire and adore this so wonderful condescension that the great God should thus put himself upon the proof and tryal and that by such as we are and that with an oath if he do not what he promises if we do but what he commads and who indeed have ever thus prov'd him and have not still found him merciful yea and faithful in his promise The Lord appeals to Jehoiakim as concerning the experience his good father Josiah upon tryal had had of his goodness and bounty upon his obedience of his commands causing it to be well with him when he did well Shalt thou reign says God because Jer. 22. 15 16. thou closest thy self in Cedar that is dost thou think as the Dutch expound it to make thy Kingdom strong and lasting against the threatnings of God because of thy stately and brave Cedar buildings Did not thy father eat and drink that is live quietly and comfortably and do judgment and justice and then it was well with him v. 16. He judged the cause of the poor and needy and then it was well with him c. As if God had said I do appeal to thee was it not thus and did he not thus prove it to be but v. 17. Thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy covetousness and but for to shed innocent bloud and for oppression and for violence to do it Sad that the eyes and heart of so great a person should not be but for such things no better imployed and how could such a one expect it should be well with him So may God say search the Scriptures turn over those sacred Records and see if you can find there any that ever turned to God and it was not well with them that ever truly repented and repented that they repented or were sorry that they turned from their sins to me or with whom it was not far better with than before O what exceeding joy and wonderful sweet peace of conscience have they had upon their turning from their evil ways that they would not have been without for a world And here I might produce several instances as concerning Israel Ephraim Niniveh and others so the prodigal he upon coming to himself resolves by returning to his father to prove his clemency and how does he find it exceeding great for it is said that when he was yet a great way off his Luk. 15. 17 18 20. c. father saw him and had compassion and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him c. And indeed never was there yet Nation people or person that did prove God so as unfeignedly to turn to him but found him very gracious Remember Job 4. 7. I pray thee says Eliphaz to Job who ever perished being innocent or where were the righteous cut off So who ever perisht being truely penitent or when or where was a returning sinner cut off no never any such finally perisht let any produce an instance if they can The word of the Lord is tried it is upon good Psal 18. 30. 12. 6. proof found to be most true without the least dross of deceit And thus Jesus Christ is said to be a tried stone i. e. upon tryal found most firm and precious fit and fully sufficient to bear up all that build upon him and thus he is a stone of proof as we say armour of proof i. e. a stone throughly prov'd that will certainly stay by and stay up all that by faith rest and rely upon him amidst whatever storms may make head against them and that while others fickle stays and refuges of lies which they fondly relied on are swept away And thus God as to his goodness and faithfulness which he manifests to such as truly turn to him is a well tried and experienc'd God and so will ever be as hath been heard so shall it be seen and as it hath been told so shall it be found and much more Indeed the Lord proves us and that several ways sometimes one way sometimes another sometimes with health and prosperity and sometimes with sickness and adversity c. But what pitiful sorry creatures do we upon tryal shew our selves to be and how
much do we fail his expectations and what he promises to himself concerning Quasi dicat omnia tentavi media sed lusi oleum operam nec bonis nec malis estis curabilâ—s c. Pareus us so as that he is even at a stand with us and knows not what as it were to do to us as he says of Ephraim O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee c. for your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away c. Hos 6. 4. A most pathetical expostulation as if the Lord had said I have several ways try'd you and made several assays upon you sometimes one way and sometimes another sometimes by my word and sometimes with my rod one while prospering you another while áfflicting you c. and after all I profess I am even at a stand concerning you and you shew your selves such as that I know not what to do to you Your goodness if any what is it but as the morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away it is but a meer flash an outside fickle unconstant nothing and you unsteady and deceitful So it is said of the Israelites that the Deut. 3. 2. Lord led them fourty years in the wilderness to prove them and to know what was in their hearts whether they would keep his commandements or no and what upon proof did he find them even an awker'd untoward perverse people they gave God indeed good words made him fair promises spake well but acted ill and quite 5. 27 28. contrary to what they pretended God said indeed Surely they are my people children that will Is 63. 8 9 10. not lye so he was their Saviour c. But they Deut. 32. 15. rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit c. When Jesurun waxed fat then he kicked and when lean he murmured It is said God left Hezekiah 2 Chr. 32. 31. to try him to know all that was in his heart and how much pride and vain glory and ingratitude was there found there God many times lays us low and what large promises do we make if he will but restore us which many times the Lord does but what false deceitful creatures do we shew our selves and so we think if we had but such and such mercies how would we improve them but it is quite otherwise upon tryal so before affliction comes we think many times we have a good measure of faith and patience and christian courage and submissiveness to the will of God but upon proof how little does it appear to be But now it is come upon thee and thou faintest it toucheth thee Job 4. 5 6. and thou art troubled c. thus surely men of low Psal 62. 9. degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye to be laid or being laid in the ballance that is put to the tryal they are altogether lighter than vanity i. e. vanity being laid in one scale Sensusest si homines ponerentur in una lance bilancis vanitas verò in altera tum comperirentur leviores esse quâ—mvanitas Pisc and all they together in the other vanity would yet outweigh them and be found weightier than the weightiest of them By a â—ye we are to understand false and deceitful and as men of high and low degree comprehend all sorts of men so vanity and a lye all sorts of deceitfulness and uncertainty But God now he upon proof is ever found what his Word declares and what he promises to be yea such as make proof of him find him to be better and more than what they expected him to be Joshua when he was Josh 23. 14. now going the way of all the earth he appeals to all Israel that not one thing had failed of all the good things God had promised all came to pass and not one thing failed thereof And Solomon declares as concerning his father David that 1 King 3. 6 God had shewed him great mercy and kept for him great kindness according as he walked before him in truth and in righteousness c. and David Psal 119. 65. himself says thou hast dealt well with thy servant O Lord according to thy word And O that England that we of this Nation would at length by true conversion but prove God and see but what would be the effect and issue thereof if he would not bless us and cause it to be well with us we have tryed others and other ways and upon proof found them vain and ineffectual O that at length we would but try here if not for our own sakes yet for the sake of the Nation or at least of our little ones if we have no regard to our selves nor any other yet at least let us have respect to them that they may be saved which are or should be so dear to us and which we especially should seek the good of because while so little they cannot seek it themselves and that when we have served the Lord in our generation they may continue after us to stand up in our stead These Ezra had a Ezr. 8. 21. special regard to in that fast he proclaim'd at Domino parvuli maximae curae sunt nec dubium Deum saepiùs urâ— ibus maximis paâ—cere propter multitudinem infantium c. Winck in loc the river Ahara it was to seek of him a right way for them and their little ones Yea what a singular respect hath God himself to such how have his bowels even yern'd towards them and shall not ours you know what he said to Jonah And should not I spare Niniveh that great City wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand their left that is young children and infants And shall not Parents have a tender respect to such can ye indure to see the evil else that is like to come upon them do but read and seriously weigh what the want of turning to God hath brought upon others little ones * Lam. 2. 11. 4. 10. and shall this move us nothing O that something Hos 13. 16. Ezek. 9. 6. or other might prevail but to try what not try what is purpos'd for our own weal why the Lord you see is pleas'd to put himself to the tryal prove me and shall we refuse when as never yet any prov'd him thus in vain O did we but truly and unfeignedly repent and turn to God we should then see what was the power and prevalency thereof and we should meet with such proofs of God's favour and goodness as would fully convince us that all the while we refus'd to do it we for sook our own mercy and from Hag. 2. 19. that very day would the Lord bless us and let us all set our selves to this as belonging to all and as being the concern of all both old and young high and low rich and poor great and mean
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