Thus we have taken a view of the Patient Sick weake pained consumed deformed wounded and sore bruised without power or help at home without friends abroad no sense of danger no desire of change patient of his disease impatient of his cure but one meanes in the world to helpe him and he unable to procure it and being offered to him unwilling to entertaine it who can expect after all this but to hear the knell ring and to see the grave opened for such a sick person as this Now let us take a view of the Physician Surely an ordinary one would be so farre from visiting such a Patient that in so desperate a condition as this he would quite forsake him As their use is to leave their Patients when they lie a dying Here then observe the singular goodnesse of this physician First though other Physicians judge of the disease when it is brought unto them yet the Patient first feels it and complaines of it himselfe but this Physician giveth the Patient the very feeling of his disease and is faine to take notice of that as well as to minister the cure He went on frowardly in the way of his heart saith the Lord and pleased himself in his owne ill condition I have seene his way and will heale him Isay. 57 17.18 Secondly other Patients send for the Physician and use many intreaties to be visited and undertaken by him Here the Physician comes unsent for and intreates the sick person to be healed The world is undone by falling off from God and yet God is the first that begins the reconciliation and the stick of it is â—n the world and not in him and therefore there is a great Emphasis in the Apostles expression God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not himself unto the world He intreats us to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.19.20 He is found of them that sought him not Isai. 65.1 and his office is not onely to save but to seeke that which was lost Thirdly other Physicians are well used and entertained with respect and honour but our Patient here neglects and misuseth his Physician falls from him betakes himself unto Mountebanks and Physicians of no value yet he insists on his mercy and comes when he is forsaken when he is repelled I have spread out my hands all the day unto a Rebellious people Isai. 65.2 Fourthly other Physicians have usually ample and honourable rewards for the attendance they give but this Physician comes onely out of love heales freely nay is bountifull to his Patient doth not onely heale him but bestows gifts upon him gives the visit gives the physick sends the ministers and servants who watch keep the Patient Lastly other Physicians prescribe a bitter potion for the sick person to take this Physician drinketh of the bitterest himself others prescribe the sore to be launced this Physician is wounded and smitten himself others order the Patient to bleed here the physician bleeds himselfe yea he is not onely the Physician but the Physick and gives himselfe his own flesh his own blood for a purgative a cordiall a plaister to the soul of his Patient Dies himselfe that his Patient may live and by his stripes we are healed Isai. 53.5 We should from all this learne First to admire the unsearchable Riches of the mercy of our God who is pleased in our misery to prevent us with goodnesse and when we neither felt our disease nor desired a remedy is pleased to convince us of our sinnes Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity To invite us to repentance O Israel returne unto the Lord thy God To put words into our mouth and to draw our petition for us Take with you words and say unto him take away all iniquity c. To furnish us with arguments we are fatherlesse thou art mercifull To incourage us with promises I will heale I will love To give us his Ministers to proclaime and his Spirit to apply these mercies unto us If he did not convince us that iniquity would be a downfall and a ruine unto us Ezek. 18.30 we should hold it fast and be pleased with our disease like a mad man that quarrels with his cure and had rather continue mad then be healed Ioh. 3.19 20 21. If being convinced he did not invite us to repentance we should run away from him as Adam did No man loves to be in the company of an Enemy much lesse when that enemy is a Iudge They have turned their back unto me and not their face Jer. 2.27 Adam will hide himselfe from the presence of the Lord Gen. 3.8 and Cain will goe out from the presence of the Lord Gen. 4.16 Guilt cannot looke upon Majestie stubble dares not come neere the fire If we be in our sins we cannot stand before God Ezra 9.15 If being invited he did not put words into our mouthes we should not know what to say unto him We know not wherwith to come before the Lord or to bow before the high God if he do not shew us what is good Mic. 6.6 8. Where God is the Judge who cannot be mocked or deceived who knoweth all things and if our heart condemne us he is greater then our heart and where ever we hide can finde us out and make our sinne to finde us too Gal. 6.7 1 Iohn 3.20 Num. 32.23 where I say this God is the Judge there guilt stoppeth the mouth maketh the sinner speechlesse Matth. 22.12 Rom. 3.19 Nay the best of us know not what to pray as we ought except the Spirit be pleased to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 When we are taught what to say If God do not withdraw his anger we shall never be able to reason with him Iob. 9.13 14. Withdraw thine hand from me let not thy dread make me afraide then I will answer then I will speak Job 13.21 22. If he doe not reveal mercie if he doe not promise love or healing if he do not make it appeare that he is a God that heareth prayers flesh will not dare to come neere unto him 2. Sam. 7.27 We can never pray till we can cry Abba father we can never call unto him but in the multitude of his mercies As the earth is shut and bound up by frost and cold and putteth not forth her pretious fruits till the warmth and heat of the Summer call them out so the heart under the cold affections of feare and guilt under the darke apprehensions of wrath and judgement is so contracted that it knows not to draw neere to God but when mercie shines when the love of God is shed abroade in it then also is the heart it selfe shed abroade and enlarged to powre out it self unto God Even when distressed sinners pray their prayer proceeds from apprehensions of mercy for prayer is the childe of faith Rom. 10.14 Iaâ— 5.15 and the object of faith is mercy Secondly The way to prize this mercie is to grow
private ends to make it a cloake to policy a varnish to rotten wood silver drosse to a broken Potsheard O then when we weep and seperate our selves let us not think to mock God with empty ceremonies of Repentance let us not assemble our selves only to flatter away the rod from our back and to get peace and security to our owne persons and then let the favour of God the power of his Grace the comforts of his Spirit be as unregarded as before as if we fasted and prayed onely for our backs and bellies not for our Consciences or conversations for be we well assured he who doth not aske the things which he ought shall not obtain the things which he asks such a prayer begs nothing but a deniall We have now many fasts together prayed for making up our breaches for reparing our ruines for composing our distractions for reducing this Kingdom unto an happy constitution for a right understanding between the King and his great Councell These prayers we have not found yet return like Noahs Dove with an Olive branch a gracious answer unto us again What 's the reason Where 's the obstruction Is not he a God that heareth prayers Is it not his Title Doth he not glory in it Certainly mercies stop not at God but at us We are not straitned in him but in our own bowels If there come but a little light into a room the defect is not in the Sun but in the narrowness of the window if a vessell fill but slowly the fault is not any emptiness in the Fountain but the smallness of the pipe If mercies ripen slowly or stop at any time in the way it is not because they are unwilling to come to us but because we are unfit to enjoy them Our prayers doubtless in many of us have not been words taken from him but from our own carnal dictates We would fain have things well in our Country but have we hitherto looked after our consciences The destractions without us have they driven us to consider the distempers within or to desire the things above The unsetledness of peace in the Kingdom hath it awakened us to secure our peace with God We would fain have better times but have we yet laboured for better hearts we would fain have a right understanding between the King and his great Councel but have we yet sadly set about it to have a more clear and sweet Communion between us and our God we long to see more good laws but are we yet come to the care of good lives Every one cries out Who will shew us any good but how few think on the light of Gods countenance Hence hence Beloved is the miscarriage of all our Prayers If we would seek gods Kingdom we are promised other things by way of overplus and Accession as he that buyeth a Treasury of Jewels hath the Cabinet into the Bargain But when we place our Kingdom in outward comforts and let our daily bread shut out all the other five petitions out of our prayers no wonder if the promises of this life which are annexed unto Godliness do not answer those prayers wherein godliness is neglected It were preposterous to begin the building of an house at the Roof and not at the Foundation Piety is the foundation of prosperity If you would have your cheldrin like plants like polished stones your Garners ful your Cattel plenteous no complaining in your streets If you would have the King happy and the Church happy and the State happy and peace and prosperity flourish again Let our chief prayer be Lord make us a happy people by being our God Give us thy self thy grace thy favour give us renewed hearts and reformed lives let not our sins confute and outcry and belie our prayers and pray them back again without an Answer And when we seek thee and thy Christ above all we know that with him thou wilt freely give us all other things The spiritual good things which we beg wil either remove or shelter and defend us from the outward evil things which we suffer Secondly this serveth for an instruction unto us touching a sanctified use of Gods judgments or threatnings when we learn obedience as Christ did by the things which we suffer Hebr. 5.8 when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we are chastened and taught together Psal. 94.12 when sufferings do quicken spiritual desires and the more troubles we find in our way the more love we have to our Country when we can say all this is come upon us and yet we have not forgotten thee Psal. 44.17 18. when we can serve God as wel in plowing and breaking the clods as in treading out the Corn Hos. 10.11 When with Ionah we can delight in him even in the Whales belly and suffer not our love of him to be quenched with all the waters of the Sea When we can truly say to him Lord love me and then do what thou wilt unto me let me feel thy râ—d rather then forfeit thine affection when we can look through the Anger of his chastisements unto the Beauty of his Commands and to the sweetness of his loving countenance as by a Rain bow we see the beautiful Image of the Suns-light in the middst of a dark and waterish Cloud when by how much the Flesh is the fuller of pain by so much prayers are fuller of spirit by how much the heavier are our earthly sufferings by so much the stronger are our heavenly desires when God threatneth punishments and we pray for grace this is a sanctified use of Gods judgments And this we should all be exhorted unto in the times of distraction to make it the principal argument of our prayers and study of our lives to obtain spiritual good things and the less comfort we find in the world to be the more importunate for the comforts of God that by them we may incourage our selves as David did in his calamity at Ziglag 1 Sam. 30.6 when the City Shechem was beaten down to the ground then the men and women fled to the strong Tower and shut that upon them Iudg. 9.51 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous fly to it and are safe Prov. 18.18 Herein we shall more honour God when we set him up in our hearts as our fear and treasure and mourne more towards him then for the miseries we feel and suspire more after him then all the outward contentment which we want Herein we shall more exercise Repentance for it is worldly sorrow which droopeth under the pain of the flesh but godly sorrow is most of all affected with the Anger of God Herein we shall more prevail with God the more heavenly the matters of our prayer are the more prevalent they must needs be with an Heavenly Father we have five spiritual petitions unto one for bread the more sutable our prayers are to Gods wil the more easie access
when the night comes open again when the Sun returnes and shines upon them If God withdraw his favor and send a night of affliction they shut up themselves and their thoughts in silence but if he shine again and shed abroad the light and sense of his love upon them then their heart mouth is wide open towards heaven in lifting up praises unto him Hannah prayed silently so long as she was in bitternes of soul and of a sorrowfull spirit 1 Sam. 1 1â— 15. but as soon as God answered her prayers and filled her heart with joy in him presently her mouth was enlarged into a Song of thanksgiving Chap. 2.1 There is no phrase more usual in the Psalmes then to sing forth praises unto God it is not used without a speciall Emphasis For it is one thing to praise and another to Sing praises Psal. 146.2 This is to publish to declare to speak of abundantly to utter the memory of Gods great goodnesse that one generation may derive praises unto another as the Expressions are Psa. 145.4.7 And therefore we finde in the most solemn thanksgivings that the people of God were wont in great companies and with musicall instruments to sound forth the praises of God and to cause their joy to be heard afar off Neh. 12.27 31 43. Isai. 12.4 5 6. Ier. 31.7 This then is the force of the expression Lord when thou hast taken away iniquity and extended thy grace and favour to us we will not onely have thankfull hearts every man to praise thee by himselfe but we will have thankfull lips to shew forth thy praise we will stir up and encourage one another we will tell our children that the generations to come may know the mercy of our God This is a great part of the Communion of Saints to joyne together in Gods prayses There is a Communion of Sinners wherein they combine together to dishonour God and encourage one another in evil Psal. 64.5 Psal. 83.5.8 Prov. 1.10 11. Eve was no sooner caught her self but she became a kinde of Serpent to deceive and to catch her husband A Tempter hath no sooner made a Sinner but that Sinner will become a Tempter As therefore Gods Enemies hold communion to dishonour him so great reason there is that his servants should hold Communion to praise him and to animate and hearten one another unto duty as men that draw at an anchor and Souldiers that set upon a service use to do with mutual incouragements Isai. 2.3 Zach. 8.21 Mal. 3.16 The Holy Oyle for the Sanctuary was made of many spices compounded by the art of the Perfumer Exod. 30.23 24.25 to note unto us that those duties are sweetest which are made up in a Communion of Saints each one contributing his influence and furtherance unto them As in windes and rivers where many meet in one they are strongest and in Chaines and Jewels where many links and stones are joyned in one they are richest All good is diffusive like Leven in a lump like sap in a root it wil finde the way from the heart to every faculty of soul and body and from thence to the ears and hearts of others Every living creature was made with the seed of life in it to preserve it self by multiplying Gen. 1.1.11.12 And of all seeds that of the Spirit and the Word 1 Ioh. 3.9 1 Pet. 1.23 is most vigorous and in nothing so much as in glorifying God when the joy of the Lord which is our strength doth put it self forth to derive the praises of his Name and to call in others to the celebration of them From all which we learn 1. By what means amongst many others to try the truth of our conversion namely by the life and workings of true Thankfulnesse unto God for pardon of sin and accepting into favour Certainly when a man is converted himself his heart will be enlarged and his mouth will be filled with the praises of the Lord he will acquaint others what a good God he is turned unto If he have found Christ himself as Andrew and Philip and the woman of Samaria did he will presently report it to others and invite them to come and see Ioh. 1.41.46 Ioh. 4.29 If Zacheus be converted he receiveth Christ joyfully Luk. 19.6 If Matthew be converted he entertains him with a feast Luk. 5.29 If Cornelus be instructed in the knowledge of him he will call his kinsfolke and friends to partake of such a banquet Acts 10.24 If David be converted himself he wil endeavour that other sinners may be converted too Psa. 51.13 and will shew them what the Lord hath done for his soul. The turning of a sinner from evill to good is like the turning of a Bell from one side to another you cannot turn it but it will make a sound and report its own motion He that hath not a mouth open to report the glory of Gods mercy to his soul and to strengthen and edifie his brethren may justly question the truth of his own conversion In Aarons garments which were types of holinesse there were to be golden Bells and Pomegranates which if we may make any allegoricall application of it intimateth unto us That as a Holy life is fruitfull and active in the duties of spirituall obedience so it is loud and vocall in sounding forth the praises of God and thereby endeavouring to edifie the Church Gedeons Lamps and Pitchers were accompanied with Trumpets when God is pleased to put any light of grace into these earthen vessels of ouâ—s we should have mouthes full of thankfulnesse to return unto him the glory of his goodnesse And as that repentance is unsound which is not accompanied with thankfulnesse so that thankfulnesse is but empty and hypocriticall which doth not spring-out of sound repentance we use to say that the words of Fools are in labris nata borne in their lips but the words of wise men are E sulcâ—pectoris drawn up out of an inward judgement The Calves of the lips are no better then the Calves of the Stall in Gods account if they have not an heart in them Without this the promise here mad to God would be no other then that with which nurses deceive their little children when they promise them a gay golden new nothing Praise in the mouth without repentance in the heart is like a Sea-weed that grows without a root Like the powring of Balme and Spices upon a dead body which can never thorowly secure it from putrefaction Like a perfume about one sick of the plague whose sweet smell carries infection along with it It is not the mentioning of mercies but the improving of them unto piety which expresseth our thankfullnesse unto God Gods sets every blessing upon our score and expects an answer and returne suteable He compares Corazin and Bethsaida with Tyreâ—nd â—nd Sidon and if their lives be as bad as these their punishment shall be much heavier because the mercies they enjoyed
themselves for a Curse With which prayer I humbly conclude Commending your persons and your weighty affairs to his grace and rest Your most humble Servant in Christ ED REYNOLDS From my Study in Braunston August the 8. 1642. To the Reader CHristian Reader Understanding that my Sermon which was preached three years since before the Honorable House of Commons on the day of their solemn Humiliation was to be reprinted I thought fit to peruse transcribe and enlarge six other Sermons in which I had at mine own charge in the Country on the ensuing Fast days briefly explained and applyed that whole Chapter a portion only whereof was in the first handled and to send them forth together with it unto the publique Which I was the rather induced to do for these two Reasons 1. Because it hath pleased God in his righteous and holy providence to make me by a long infirmity unserviceable to his Church in the principal work of the Ministry the preaching of the Gospel which is no small grief unto me So that there remained no other means whereby my life might in regard of my function be useful to the Church and comfortable to my self then by inverting the words of the Psalmist and as he made His Tongue as the Pen of a ready Writer so to make my Pen the Tongue of an unready Speaker 2. I considered the seasonableness and sutableness of these Meditations unto the condition of the sad and disconsolate times wherein we live very like those which our Prophet threatned the ten Tribes withal throughout this whole Prophecy unto which this last Chapter is a kind of Vse and a most solemn Exhortation pressing upon all wise and prudent men such duties of Humiliation and Repentance as might turn threats into promises and recover again the mercies which by their sins they had forfeited and forsaken Which being restored unto them according to their Petition they are here likewise further instructed in what manner to return unto God the praises due to his great Name And these two duties of Humiliation and Thanksgiving are the most solemn duties which in these times of Judgments and Mercies so variously interwoven together the Lord doth so frequently call us unto Places of Scripture I have for brevity sake for the most part only quoted and referred thee unto without transcribing all the words and have usually put many paralel places together because by that means they do not only strengthen the doctrine whereunto they belong but mutually give light unto one another The Lord make us all in this our day so wise and prudent as to understand the righteous ways of our God towards us That we may not stumble at them but walk in them and be taught by them to wait upon him in the way of his judgments and to fix the desires of our soul upon his Name as our great Refuge and upon his Righteousness as our great Business till he shall be pleased by the dew of his Grace to Revive us as the Corn to make us grow as the Vine and to let the scent of all his Ordinances be over all our Land as the smell and as the wine of Lebanon It will be an abundant return unto my poor and weak endeavors if I may have that room in thy prayers which the Apostle Paul desired to have in the prayers of the Ephesians That utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to preach the mystery of the Gospel The Lord sanctifie all the ways of his Providence towards us that when we are chastened we may be taught and may be greater gainers by the voyce of his Rod then we are sufferers by the stripes The Contents Sermon I. Sect. 1. EPhraims blessings and judgments answerable to his name 2. When judgment purposed against obstinate sinners mercy proclaimed to penitent 3. How good and bad are alike involved in outward judgments Iudgments make no difference but of penitent and impenitent Penitent sinners in all kinds of trouble have a refuge to some promise or other 4. Conversion must be not meerly Philosophical or Political but Spiritual and that full and constant 5. Motives unto conversion mercy and judgment especially interwoven 6. Great preparation due in our addresses unto God The rule matter principle and power of Prayer How sin is taken away 7. When God threatneth judgments we must pray against sins 8. Iudgments may be removed in anger Repentance makes afflictions precious as sin doth corrupt blessings 9. No affliction comes in anger but with respect to sin 10. One sin generally unrepented of may undo a Kingdom we must pray against all and dye unto all 11. Sense of sin The wrath of God beyond the fears of man 12. Confession of sin full and free Our weakness can commit sin none but Gods power can remove it 13. What God worketh in us he also requireth of us Sin most dangerous in great men to themselves and the publick 14. How iniquity is to be taken out of the Land 15. God the author of good the orderer of evil 16. From conversion to salvation free-grace worketh 17. No work truly good but as derived from God 18. Patience in suffering evil in doing duty Humility the companion of Grace pride of emptiness Continual dependance on God Fidelity in services The misery of divisions 19. In temporal judgments pray for spiritual mercies No helps can avail us against Gods anger but his grace 20. Carnal prayers provoke God when men make Religion serve turns Piety the foundation of Prosperity 21. Iudgments are then truly sanctified when they make us more in love with grace Prayer the more heavenly the more prevalent Sermon II. Sect. 1. SPiritual ends of Legal Ceremonies and Sacrifices We return nothing to God but words for mercies 2. A renouncing carnal confidence in the Assyrian Horses Idols How the Church an Orphan 3. Penitents not only pray but covenant Circumcision a Covenant Circumcised in uncircumcision Gentiles converted are called Iews Iews unconverted Gentiles Baptism how the answer of a good conscience The Covenant perpetual 4. God bindeth himself to us by promise by oath We are his by his Soveraign Interest and our own voluntary consent 5. Fickleness of the heart in duty and sluggishness to it 6. Duties in combination strongest 7. Enemies combine Military oaths How Truth a Girdle doctrinally morally 8. Wicked men like Witches in covenant with the Devil doing service for wages 9. Prayer vain without obedience Gods Covenant to us ours to him 10. The material cause of a Covenant our persons our services in matters of necessity Expediency praise 11. The formal and efficient cause Knowledg willingness power of promise and performance 12. Danger of covenanting in the dark only and 13. On the Rack 14. When we promise duty we must pray for grace The final cause 15. The falseness and perfidiousness of the heartâ— how it is unstable as waters 16. Gods faithfulness and mercies Our Baptism
proposed against sinners that are obstinate God doth reserve and proclaim Mercy unto sinners that are penitent When a Consumption is decreed yet a Remnant iâ— reserved to return Isa. 10.22 23. The Lord will keep his Vineyard when he will burn up the thorns and the bryars together Isai. 27.3 4. When a day of fierce anger is determined the meek of the earth are called upon to seek the Lord Zeph. 2.3 When the Lord is coming out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity he calls upon his people to hide themselves in their chambers until the indignation be overpast Isai. 26.20 21. The Angel which was sent to destroy Sodom had withall a Commission to deliver Lot Genes 19.15 God made full provision for those who mourned for publick abominations before he gave order to destroy the rest Ezek. 9.4 6. Men in their wrath will many times rather strike a friend then spare a foe But Gods proceedings are without disorder he will rather spare his foes then strike his servants as he shewed himself willing to have done in the case of Sodom Gen. 18.26 Moses stood in the gap and diverted Judgments from Israel Psa. 106.23 Yea God seeks for such Ezek. 22.30 and complains when they cannot be found Ezek. 13 5. And if he deliver others for them certainly he will not destroy them for others How ever it go with the world and with wicked men it shall go well with the righteous there shall be a Sanctuary for them when others stumble and they shall pass through the fire when others are consumed by it Isa. 3.10 11. Isai. 8.14 15 16. Zech. 13.8 9. Reasons hereof are Gods Iustice he will not punish the righteous with the wicked he will have it appear that there is a difference between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Gen. 18.23 Mal. 3.18 Gods love unto his people He hath a book of Remembrance written before him for them that fear him and think upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I wil spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3.16 17. Here is a climax gradation of arguments drawn from Love In a great fire and devouring trouble such as is threatened there Chap. 4.1 property alone is a ground of care a man would willingly save and secure that which is his own and of any use unto him but if you add unto this preciousness that increaseth the care A man will make hard shift to deliver a rich Cabinet of Jewels though all his ordinary goods and utensils should perish But of all Jewels those which come out of the body are much more precious then those which onely adorn it Who would not snatch rather his childe then his casket or purse out of a flame Relation works not onely upon the affection but upon the bowels Ier. 3â— 20 And lastly the same excellency that the word jewel doth add unto the word mine the same excellency doth service add unto the word sonne A man hath much conflict in himself to take off his heart from an undutiful sonne Never a worse son then Absalom and yet how doth David give a charge to the Commanders to have him spared How inquisitive after his safety How passionately and unseasonably mournful upon the news of his death But if any child be more a jewel then another certainly it is a dutiful childe who hath not onely an interest in our love by Nature but by obedience All these grounds of care and protection for Gods people in trouble are here expressed property they are mine preciousness they are jewels treasures ornaments unto me Relation they are sons usefulness they are sons that serve none could look on a thing so many ways lovely with the same eye as upon a professed and provoking Enemy Lastly Gods name and glory He hath spared his people even in the midst of their provocations for his Names sake Deut. 33.26 27. Iosh. 7.9 How much more when they repent and seek his face He will never let it be said that any seek the Lord in vain Isa. 45.19 But it may be objected Doth not Solomon say that all things happen alike unto all and that no man can know love or hatred by that which is before him Eccles. 9.1 2. And is it not certain and common that in publick desolations good as well as bad do perish Doth not the Sword devour as well one as another It is true God doth not always difference his servants from wicked men by temporal deliverances Troubles commonly and promiscuously involve all sorts But there are these two things considerable in it 1. That many times the good suffer with the bad because they are together corrupted with them and when they joyn in the common provocations no wonder if they suffer in the common judgments Revel 18.4 Nay the sins of Gods people do especially in this case more provoke him unto outward judgments then the sins of his professed enemies Because they expose his name to the more contempt 2 Sam. 12.14 and are committed against the greater love Amos 3.2 and he hath future judgment for the wicked and therefore usually beginneth here at his own sanctuary Ezek. 9.6 1 Pet. 4.17 2. When good men who have preserved themselves from publick sins do yet fall by publick judgments yet there is a great difference in this seeming equality the same affliction having like the Pillar that went before Israel a light side towards Gods people and a dark side toward the Egyptians God usually recompencing the outward evils of his people with more plentiful evidences of inward and spiritual joy A good man may be in great darkness as well as a wicked man but in that case he hath the name of God to stay himself upon which no wicked man in the world hath Isa. 50 10. The metal and the dross go both into the fire together but the drosse is consumed the metal refined So is it with godly and wicked in their sufferings Zach. 13 9 Eccles. 8.12 13. This reproveth the folly of those who in time of trouble rely upon vain things which cannot help them and continue their sins still For Iudgments make no difference of any but penitent and impenitent Sickness doth not complement with an honorable person but useth him as coursely as the base Death knocks as well at a Princes palace as a poor mans cottage wise men dye as well as fools Yea poyson usually works more violently when tempered with wine then with some duller and baser material In times of trouble usually the greater the persons the closer the judgments When Ierusalem was taken the Nobles were slain but the poor of the Land had vineyards and fields given them Ier. 39.6 10. Therefore in troubles we should be more humbled for our sins then our sufferings because sin is the sting of suffering That mercies
Thus when in one and the same time Mercies and judgements are intermixed then is the most solemne season to call upon men for repentance If we felt nothing but fears they might make us despair if nothing but mercies they would make us secure If the whole year were Summer the sap of the earth would be exhausted if the whole were Winter it would be quite buried The hammer breaks mettall and the fire melts it and then you may cast it into any shape â—udgements break mercies melt and then if ever the soul is fit to be cast into Gods mould There is no figure in all the Prophets more usuall then this to interweave mercies and judgements like those Elegancies which Rhetoricians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to allure and to bring into a wildernes Hos. 2.14 And this of all other is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Physicians call it the Criticall time of diseased people wherein the chief conjecture lieth whether they be mending or ending according to the use which they make of such interwoven mercies I have cursorily run over the first part of the Context the Invitation unto Repentance as intending to make my abode on the second which is the Institution how to perform it Therein we have first a General instruction Take unto you words Secondly a particular form what words they should take or a petition drawn to their hands Take away all iniquitie c. Of the former of these I shall speak but a word It importeth the serious pondering and choosing of requests to put up to God The mother of Artaxeâ—xes in Plutarch was wont to say that they who would addresse themselves unto Princes must use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silken words Surely he that would approach unto God must consider and look as well to his words as to his feet He is so holy and jealous of his worship that he expects there should be preparation in Our accesses unto him Preparation of Our persons by purity of life Iob 11. â—3 Preparation of Our Services by choice of matter Iob 9.1 Luk. 15.17 18. Preparation of Our Hearts by finding them out stirring them up fixing them fetching them in and calling together all that is within us to prevail with God The services which we thus prepare must be Taken from him They must not be the issues of our own private and fleshly hearts For nothing can go to God but that which comes from him and this phrase seemeth to import these three things 1. We must attend unto his will as the Rule of our prayers 2. We must attend unto his precepts and promises as the Matter of our prayers 3. We must attend unto the Guidance of his Holy Spirit as the life and principle of our prayers without which we know not what to ask And prayers thus Regulated are most seasonable and soveraign duties in times of Trouble The key which openeth a doore of mercy the slâ—ce which keepeth out an Inundation of judgements Iacob wrestled and obtained a blessing Hos. 12.4 Amos prayed and removed a Curse Amos 7.1.7 The woman of Canaan will not be denied with a deniall Mat. 15.24 27. The people of Israel will begge for deliverance even then when God had positively told them that hee would deliver them no more Iudg. 10.13 15. Ionah will venture a prayer from the bottome of the Sea when a double death had seised upon him the belly of the deep and the belly of the Whale and that prayer of his did open the doores of the Leviathan as the expression is Iob 41.14 and made one of those deaths a deliverance from the other O let the Lords remembrances give him no rest There is a kinde of omnipotencie in prayer as having an Interest and prevalence with Gods omnipotency It hath loosed iron chains It hath opened Iron gates It hath unlockt the windows of heaven It hath broken the bars of death Satan hath three titles given him in the Scripture setting forth his malignity against the Church of God A Dragon to note his malice a Serpent to note his subtiltie and a Lyon to note his strength But none of all these can stand before prayer The greatest malice the malice of Haman sinks under the prayer of Esther the deepest policy the counsell of Achitophel withers before the prayer of Daivd the hugest Army an hoast of a thousand thousand Ethiopians runne away like Cowards before the prayer of Asa. How should this incourage us to treasure up our prayers to besiege the throne of Grace with armies of supplications to refuse a deniall to break through a repulse He hath blessed those whom he did cripple he hath answered those whom he did reproach he hath delivered those whom he did deny And he is the same yesterday and to day If he save in six and in seven troubles should not we pray in six and seven Extremities Certainly in all the afflictions of the Church when prayers are strongest mercies are nearest And therefore let me humbly recommend to the Cares of this honourable Assembly amongst all your other pressing affairs the providing that those solemne dayes wherein the united prayers of this whole Kingdom should with strongest â—mportunities stop the breaches and stand in the gaps at which Iudgements are ready to rush in upon us may with more obedience and solemnity be observed then indeed of late they are It is true here and in other Cities and populous places there is haply lesse cause to complain But who can without sorrow and shame behold in our Countrey towns men so unapprehensive either of their brethrens sufferings or of their own sins and dangers as to give God quite over to let him rest that they themselvs may work to come in truth to Iehorams resolution Why should we wait upon God any longer to grudge their brethrens and their own souls and safeties one day in thirty and to tell all the world that indeed their daies work is of more value with them then their dayes worship multitudes drudging and moyling in the earth while their brethren are mourning and besieging of heaven I do but name it and proceed The second part of the Institution was the particular form suggested unto them according unto which their addresses unto God are to be regulated which consisteth of two parts a prayer and a promise The prayer is for two Benefits the one Remove all of sin the other Conferring of Good In the promise or Restipulation we have first their Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for the hearing and answering of their prayers 2. A speciall care for the Amendment of their lives Secondly the Ground of their Confidence so to pray and of their Resolutions so to promise Because in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy My meditations will bee confined within the
they will have to his eare The Covenant of grace turns precepts into promises and the spirit of grace turns preceps and promises into prayers It is not Gods wil that we should live without afflictions but our sanctification is Gods will 1 Thes. 4.3 The more prayers proceed from love the more acceptable to the God of love now prayer against judgments proceeds from fear but prayer for grace and favour proceeds from love Lastly hereby we shall more benefit our selves Gods grace is much better then our owne ease It gives us meekness to submit It gives us strength to bear It gives us wisedom to benefit by our afflictions Gods favour is much better then our own ease and is a recompence for sufferings beyond all their evils A man would be contented to be loaded with gold so he might have it for the bearing though it be heavy yet it is precious and Gods favour turns affliction into gold If he gives quietness nothing can give trouble Iob 34.29 and if he keep back his grace and favour nothing can give peace neither wealth nor honours nor pleasures nor Crowns nor all the world with the fulness or rather the emptiness thereof nor can doe us any good at all Any thing which wil consist with the reign of lust with the guilt of sin with the curse of the Law with the wrath of God with horrors of conscience and with the damnation of Hel is too base to the called the good of man To doe judgment to â—â—ve mercy and walk humbly with God this is bonum hominis the good of man Mich. 6.8 to fear God to keep his Commandements this is totum hominis the whole end and happiness of man Eccles. 12.13 O then get Remission and Removal of sin get this bonum hominis the oyl of grace in your Lamps the peace of God in your hearts the streams of the Rivers of God in your consciences and then though the earth be moved and the mountains shake and the waters roar what ever distractions what ever desolations happen Impavidum ferient ruinae thou shalt find a Chamber in Gods providence a refuge in his promises a Pavilion in the secret of his presence to protect and to comfort thee above them all THE SECOND SERMON Upon HOSEAH Ch. 14. Ver. 2. Hos. 14.2.3 So will we render the Calves of our lips 3 Asshur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither wil we say to the work of our hands ye are our gods c. IN the whole Context we have before observed two general parts Israels prayer and Israels promise The Prayer we have handled and do now proceed unto the promise wherein are two things to be considered 1. The Covenant self 2. The ground upon which they make it Gods mercy to the fatherless First then of the Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for Gods hearing and Answering of their prayers 2. A special care for Amendment of their lives We wil render the a Calves of our lips The Apostle out of the Septuagint reades it The a fruit of our lips Hebr. 13.15 It is the use of the Scripture to describe spiritual duties by expressions drawn from Ceremonies and usages under the Law as Repentance is called washing Isa. 1.16 and prayer incense Psal. 141.2 Rev. 5.8 and the rigteousness of Saints fine linen being an allusion to the garments of the Priests Rev. 19.8 and Christ an Altar whereby both our persons and services are sanctified and accepted Heb. 13.10 Rom. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.5 Isa. 56.7 Thus here the spiritual sacrifices of praise are called Calves to shew the end of all sacrifices which were ordained for the stirring up of spiritual affections and praises unto God and also to intimate the vanity of Ceremonial without Real services The beast on the Altar was but a Carnal but the faith of the heart and the confession of the mouth was a Reasonable sacrifice No point more insisted on in the Prophets then this Isa. 1.15 Mich. 6.6 7 8. Amos 4.4 5.5.2.1 Psalm 50.13.15.69.30 31. c. They had idolatrously dishonoured God with their Calves of Dan and Bethel and they had carnally and superstitiously placed all worship and holiness in the Calves of the Altar but now they resolve to worship God neither politickly after humane inventions nor perfunctorily with meer outward ceremonies but spiritually and from inward affections For the lips are moved by the heart Now Thanksgiving is further called the Calves or sacrifices of the lips to intimate that after all Gods rich mercies upon us in pardoning our sins and in multiplying his grace and spiritual comforts upon us we like Beggars have nothing to return but the bare acknowledgments and praises of our lips words for wonders And those words too his own gifts we cannot render them to him before we have received them from him Psal. 116.12 13. Matth. 12.34 1 Chron. 29.16 Asshur shall not save us Unto the general confession of sin intimated in those words Take away All Iniquity here is added a particular detestation of their special sins with a Covenant to forsake them lest waxing wanton with pardon and grace they should relapse into them again The sum is to confess the vanity of carnal confidence betaking it self to the aid of men to the strength of horses to the superstition of Idols for safety and deliverance All which they are now at last by their experience and by their Repentance taught to abandon as things which indeed cannot and therefore they are resolved shall not save them By the Assyrian is here intimated All Humane succour procured by sinful correspondence by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole But he is particularly mentioned 1. Because he was the chiefe Monarch of the world to shew that the greatest worldly succours are vain when they are relied up on without or against God 2. Because the Scripture takes notice often of it as their particular sin the sending unto relying upon and paying tribute unto him for aid and assistance Hos. 5.13.7 11 12. 2 Reg. 15.19 20. 3. Because instead of helping he did greatly afflict them Their flying to him was like a birds flying into a snare or a fishes avoiding the pole wherewith the water is troubled by swimming into the net 2 Reg. 15.29 Hos. 13.4 By Horses we are to understand the military preparations and provisions which they made for themselves both at home and from Aegypt 2 Chro. 1.16 Isa. 31.1 By the work of their Hands are meant their Idols which were beholding to their hands for any shape or beauty that was in them The same hands which formed them were afterwards lifted up in worship unto them Isa. 44.10.17.46.6 7 8. Ier. 10.3.15.6.20 Act. 19.26 Time was when we said these are our Gods which brought us up out of Egypt Exod. 32.4 1 Kings 12.28 but now we will not say so any more for how can a man be the maker of his Maker For
his promise If God whose promises are sure binde himselfe to perform them by his oath How much more are we bound to tye our selves by covenant unto God to doe those things which are our dutie to do unto the doing whereof we have such infirme principles as are a mutable will and an unstedfast heart For the latter our relation unto him we are His not onely by a propertie founded in his soveraigne power and dominion over us as our Maker Lord and Saviour Psal. 100.3 1 Cor. 6.19.20 but by a propertie growing out of our own voluntary consent whereby we surrender and yeeld and give up our selves unto God Rom. 6.19 2 Cor. 8.5 we are not onely his people but his willing people by the intervention of our own consent Psal. 110.3 We give him our hand as the expression is 2 Chron. 30.8 which is an allusion to the manner of Covenants or engagements Prov. 6.1.17 18. Ezek. 17.18 We offer up our selves as a free oblation Rom. 15 16. and are thereupon called a kind of first fruits Iam. 1.18 We are His as the wife is her Husbands Hos. 2.19 Ezek. 16.8 Now such an interest as this ever presupposeth a contract As in ancient forms of stipulation there was Asking and Answering Spondes Spondeo Promittis Promitto Dabis Dabo As in contract of Marriage the mutuall consent is asked and given Gen. 24.58 so it is here between God and the soul the covenant is mutuall Gen. 17.2 He promiseth mercie to be our exceeding great reward and we promise obedience to be his willing people and usually according as is the proportion of strength in our faith to beleeve Gods promises of mercy to us such is also the proportion of care in our obedience to perform our promises of duty unto him II. From our selves And here Covenants are needfull in two respects 1. In regard of the falsenes and deceitfulnes of our corrupt hearts in all spirituall duties The more cunning a Sophister is to evade an argument the more close and pressing we frame it The more vigilant a prisoner to make an escape the stronger guard we keep upon him Our hearts are exceeding apt to be false with God One while they melt into promises and Resolutions of obedience as Pharaoh and Israel did Psal. 78.34.37 and presently forget and harden again Lots wife goes out of Sodome for fear of the judgements but quickly looks back again out of love to the place or some other curiosity and distemper of minde Saul relents towards David and quickly after persecutes him again 1 Sam. 24.17.19 This is the true picture of mans Heart under a strong conviction or in a pang of devotion or in time either of sicknesse or some pressing affliction on the Rack in the furnace under the râ—d nothing then but vows of better obedience all which doe oftentimes dry sudenly away like a morning dew and whither away like Ionahs gourd Therefore both to accknowledge and prevent this miserable perfideousnesse of such Revolting Hearts it is very needfull to binde them unto God with renewed Covenants and since they are so apt with Ionah to runne away and start aside to neglect Nineveh and to flee to Tarssish necessary it is to find them out and to bring them home and as David did Psal. 57.7 to fix and fasten them to their businesse that they may not runne away any more 2. In regard of the naturall sluggishnesse which is in us unto dutie We are apt to faint and be weary when we meet with any unexpected difficulties in Gods service to esteeme the wildernesse as bad as Egypt to sit downe as Hagar did and cry to think that half way to heaven is farre enough and Almost a Christian progresse enough that baking on one side will make the cake good enough that God will accept of bankrupt-payment a noble in the pound part of our hearts and duties for all We must sometimes venture to leap the hedge for there is a Lion in the way Now to correct this Torpor this Acedia and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles calls it 1 Thess. 5.14 this pusilanimitie and faint-heartednesse in Gods service we must bind them on our selves with renewed Covenants and put to the more strength because of the bluntnesse of the Iron Eccles 10.10 A Covenant doth as it were twist the cords of the Law and double the precept upon the soul. When it is onely a precept then God alone commands it but when I have made it a promise then I command it and bind it upon my self The more feeble our hands and knees are the more care we should have to bind and strengthen them that we may lift them up speedily keep them straight Hebr. 12.12 13. and the way hereunto is to come to Davids resolution I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgresse Psal. 17.3 Emptie velleities wishings and wouldings will not keep weak faculties together Broken bones must have strong bands to close them fast again A crazie piece of building must be cramped with Iron barres to keep it from tottering So if we would indeed cleave to the Lord we must bring purposes of Heart and strong resolutions to enable us thereunto Act. 11.23 Cleaving will call for swearing Deut. 10.20 As it should be our prayer so also our purpose to have hearts united to fear Gods Name Psal. 86.11 whence the phrases of preparing fixing confirming establishing rooting grounding and other like so frequently occurring in the Scripture 2 Chron. 30.19 1 Chron. 29.18 Eph. 3.17 Heb. 13.9 Iam. 5.8 III. From our Brethren that by an holy Association and spirituall confederacy in heavenly resolutions every mans example may quicken his brother and so duties be performed with more vigour and fervencie and return with the greater blessings If fire be in an whole pile of wood every stick will burn the brighter the greenest wood that is will take fire in so generall a flame Men usually have more courage in the body of an Armie where concurrent shoutings and encouragements do as it were infuse mutuall spirits into one another then when they are alone by themselves David rejoyced in but recounting the companies and armies of Gods people when they went up to Jerusalem in their solemne feasts Psal. 84.7 And therefore most Covenants in Scripture were generall and publick solemnly entred into by a great body of people as that of Asa Iosiah and Nehemiah the forwardnesse of every man whetting the face of his neighbour Prov. 27.17 IV. From the multitudes strength vigilancie malice assiduous attempts of all our spirituall enemies which call upon us for the stronger and more united Resolutions For common adversaries usually gain more by our faintnesse and divisions then by their own strength Therefore Souldiers use to take an oath of fidelitie towards their Countrey and service And Hannibals Father made him take a solemn oath to maintain perpetuall Hostility with Rome Such an Oath have
all Christs Souldiers taken and do at the Lords Supper and in solemne humiliations virtually renew the same never to hold intelligence or correspondence with any of his enemies The first thing in a Christian mans Armor mentioned by the Apostle Ephes. 6.14 is the Girdle that which binds on all the other Armour for so we read of girding on Armor Iudg. 18.11 1 King 20.11 and that there is Truth Which we may understand either doctrinally for stedfastnesse and stability of judgement in the doctrine of Christ which we professe not being carried about with every wind of doctrine but holding fast the form of sound words knowing whom we beleeve and having certainty of the things wherein we have been instructed Ephes. 4.14 2 Tim. 1.12 13. Luk. 1.4 or else Morally and practically for stedfastnesse of Heart in the faithfull discharge of those promises which we have made unto God for so faithfulnes is compared to a Girdle Isa. 11.5 whereby we are preserved from shrinking and tergiversation in times of triall and in our spirituall warfare And this faithfulnesse the more it is in solemne Covenants renewed the stronger it must needs be and the better able to bind all our other Arms upon us Christs enemies will enter into Covenants and combinations against him and his Church Psal. 2.1 2.64.5 6 83.5-8 Act. 23.12 Ier. 11.9 And our own lusts within us will many times draw from us oaths and obligations to the fulfilling of them and make them Vincula Iniquitatis contrary to the nature of an oath 1 King 19.2 Mar. 6.23 How much more careful should we be to bind our selves unto God that our Resolutions may be the stronger and more united against so many and confederate Enemies This point serveth 1. for a â—ust reproof of those who are so farre from entring into Covenant with God that indeed they make Covenants with Satan his greatest enemy and do in their conversations as it were abuse those promises and blot out that subscription and teâ—r off that seal of solemne profession which they had so often set unto the Covenant of obedience Such as those in the Prophets time who were at an agreement with hell and the grave Isa. 28.15 Men are apt to think that none but witches are in covenant with the devill because such are in the Scripture said to consult with familiar spirits Deut. 18.11 But as Samuel said to Saul Rebellion is as witchcraft 1 Sam. 15.23 Every stubborn and presumptuous sinner hath so much of witchcraft in him as to hold a kind of spirituall compact with the devill We read of the Serpent and his seed Gen. 3.15 of the Dragon and his souldiers Rev. 12.7 of some sinners being of the devill animated by his principles and actuated by his will and commands 1 Ioh. 3.8 2 Tim. 2.26 Satan tempting and sinners embracing and admitting the temptation upon the inducements suggested hath in it the resemblance of a covenant or compact There are mutuall agreements and promises as between Master and Servant one requiring work to be done and the other expecting wages to be payed for the doing of it As in buying and selling one bargains to have a commodity and the other to have a price valuable for it Thus we read in some places of the service of sin Ioh. 8.34 Rom. 6.16 2 Pet. 2.19 and in others of the wages belonging unto that service Heb. 11.25 2 Pet. 2.15 Iud. v. 11· and elsewhere of the Covenant bargain and sale for the mutuall securing of the service and of the wages 1 Reg. 21. â—5 Wicked men sell themselves chaffer and grant away their time and strength and wit and abilities to be at the will and disposall of Satan for such profits pleasures honors advantages as are laid in their way to allure them and thus do as it were with cords bind themselves unto sin Prov. 5.22 Ahab bought Naboths vineyard of the devill and sold himself for the price in that purchase Balaam against the light of his own conscience and the many discoveries of Gods dislike never gives over his endeavours of cursing Gods people till he had drawn them into a snare by the Midianitish woman and all to this end that he might at last overtake the wages of iniquity which he ran so greedily after Numâ— 22. â—5 â—1 Numb 23.1.14.29 Numb 31.16 Mic. 6.5 Rev. 1.14 2 Pet. 2.15 Iesabel binds her self by an oath unto murther 1 Kin. 19.2 Iudas makes a bargain for his Masters blood and at once sels a soul and a Saviour for so base a price as thirtie pieces of silver Matth. 26.15 Profane Esau make merchandize of his birâ—hright whereunto belonged the inheritance or double portion the princely power and the office of priesthood the blessings the excellencie and the government Gen. 49.4 2 Chron. â—9 3 all which he parts with for one morsel of meat Heb 12.16 being therein a type of all those profane wretches who deride the wayes of godlinesse and promises of salvation drowning themselves in sensuall delights and esteeming Heaven and Hell salvation and perdition but as the vain notions of melancholie men having no other God but their belly or their gain Phil. 3.19 1 Tim. 6.5 So much monstrous wickednesse is there in the hearts of men that they adde spurs and whips unto an horse which of himself râ—sheth into the battell when the tide of their own lusts the streame and current of their own head-strong and impetuous affections do carry them too swiftly before they yet hoise up sail and as it were spread open their hearts to the winds of temptâ—tion precipitating and urging on their naturall lusts by voluntarie engagements tying themselve yet faster to miserie then Adam by his fall had â—â—ed them and making themselves not by nature onely but by compact the children of wrath One makes beforehand a bargain for drunkennesse another contrives a meeting for uncleannesse a third enters into a combination for robbery and cozenage a fourth makes an oath of revenge and malice like Ananias and Saphira they agree together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord. Act. 5.9 Like Sampsons Foxes joyn together with firebrands to set the souls of one another on fire as if they had not title enough to Hell except they bargained for it anew and bound themselves as it were by solemne obligations not to part with it again O that every presumptuous sinner who thus sels himself to do wickedly would sâ—riously consider those sad encumbrances that go along with this his purchace Those who would have estates to continue in such or such a succession as themselves had preintended have sometimes charged curses and execrations upon those who should alienate or go about to alter the property and condition of them These many times are causlesse curses and do not come But if any man will needs make bargains with Satan and be buying of the pleasures of sin he must know that there goes a curse from heaven along with
know cannot void the Covenant which hee is bound to make and having made to keep but his Covenant doth exceedingly aggravate his ignorance 2 Some make many faire promises of obedience but it is on the Rack and in the furnace or as Schollers under the Rod. O if I might but recover this sicknesse or be eased of this affliction I would then be a new man and redeeme my mis-spent time And yet many of these like Pharaoh when they have any respite find out wayes to shift and elude their owne promises and like melted metall taken out of the furnace returne againe unto their former hardnesse So a good Divine observes of the people of this Land in the time of the great sweate in King Edwards dayes I wish we could find even so much in these dayes of calamitie which wee are fallen into as long as the heat of the plague lasted there was crying out peccavâ— Mercie good Lord mercy mercy Then Lords and Ladies and people of the best sort cried out to the Ministers for Gods sake tell us what shal we do to avoid the wrath of God Take these bags pay so much to such an one whom I deceived so much restore unto another whom in bargaining I over-reached give so much to the poore so much to pious uses c. But after the sicknesse was over they were just the same men as they were before Thus in time of trouble men are apt to make many prayers and Covenants to cry unto God Arise and save us Ier. 2.27 Deliver us this time Judg. 10.15 they iâ—quire early after God and flatter him with their lips and own him as their God and Rock of salvation and presently start aside like a deceitfull bowâ— As Austin notes that in times of calamitie the very Heathen would flock unto the Christian Churches to bee safe amongst them And when the Lord sent Lyons amongst the Samaritanes then they sent to inquire after the manner of his worship 2 King 17.25 26. Thus many mens Covenants are founded onely in Terrours of conscience They throw out their sins as a Merchant at Sea his rich commodities in a Tempest but in a calme wish for them againe Neither doe they throw away the property over them but onely the dangerous pâ—ssession of them This is not a full chearfull and voluntary action but onely a languid and inconstant velleitie Contrary to that largenesse of heart and sixed disposition which Christs own people bring unto his service as David and the Nobles of Israel offered willingly and with joy unto the Lord. 1 Chron. 29.17 3 Since a Covenant presupposeth a power in him that maketh it both over his own will and over the matter thing or Action which he promiseth so far as to be enabled to make the promise And since we of our selves have neither will nor deed no sufficiencie either to think or to perform Rom. 7.18 2 Cor. 3.5 Phil. 2.12 Wee hence learne in all the Covenants which we make not to do it in any confidence of our own strength or upon any selfe dependance on our own hearts which are false and deceitfull and may after a confident undertaking use us as Peters used him But still to have our eyes on the aid and help of Gods grace to use our Covenants as means the better to stir up Gods graces in us and our prayers unto him for further supplies of it As David I will keep thy statutes but then doe not thou forsake me Psal. 119.8 Our promises of duty must ever be supported by Gods promises of grace when we have undertaken to serve him we must remember to pray as Hezekiah did Lord I am weak do thou undertake for me Isa. 38.14 Our good works cannot come out of us till God do first of all work them in us Isa. 26.12 He must performe his promises of grace to us before we can ours of service unto him Nothing of ours can go to heaven except we first received it from heaven We are able to do nothing but in and by Christ which strengtheneth us Joh. 15.5 Phil. 4.13 So that every religious Covenant which we make hath indeed a double obligation in it An obligation to the duty promised that we may stir up our selves to performe it and an obligation unto prayer and recourse to God that he would furnish us with grace to performe it As hee that hath bound himselfe to pay a debt and hath no money of his own to do it is constrained to betake himselfe unto supplications that he may procure the money of some other friend Lastly the finall cause of a Covenant is to induce an Obligation where was none before or else to double and strengthen it where one was before to be Vinculum conservandae fidei a bond to preserve truth and fidelity Being subject unto many temptations and having backsliding and revolting hearts apt if they be not kept up to service to draw back from it therefore we use our selves as men do cowardly Souldiers set them there where they must fight and shall not be able to run away or fall off from service III. This should serve to Humble us upon a twofold consideration 1 For the falsenesse and unstedfastnesse of our Hearts which want such Covenants to binde them and as it were fasten them to the Altar with cords as men put locks and fetters upon wilde horses whom otherwise no inclosure would shut in Our Hearts as Iacob said of Reuben Gen. 49.4 are unstable as waters Moist bodies as water is non continentur suis terminis doe not set bounds to themselves as solid and compacted bodies do but shed all abroad if left to themselves the way to keepe them united and together is to put them into a close vessell so the heart of man can set it self no bounds but fals all asunder and out of frame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostles expression is 1 Pet. 4.4 instar Aquae diffluentis Hebr. 2.1 if it be not fastned and bound together by such strong Resolutions Sometimes men either by the power of the word or by the sharpnesse of some affliction are quickned and enflamed unto pious purposes like green wood which blazeth while the bellowes are blowing and now they think they have their hearts sure and shall continue them in a good frame to morrow shall bee as this day But presently like an Instrument in change of weather they are out of tune again and like the Camelion presently change colour and as Chrysostome saith the Preacher of all workmen seldom findes his work as he left it Nothing but the grace of God doth ballance and establish the heart and holy Covenants are an ordinance or means which he hath pleased to sanctifie unto this purpose that by them as Instruments Grace as the principall cause might keep the Heart stedfast in duty If then Isaiah bewail the uncleannesse of his lips and Iob suspect the uncleannesse and wandering of his
goodnes of God in forgiving giving saving honouring us is one of the principall foundations of sincere obedience Then the Soule will thinke nothing too good for God that hath shewed himselfe so good unto it What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits saith the Prophet David Psal. 116.12 and a little after it followes O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the Son of thine Handmaide that is an Home-borne servant thine from my mothers wombe It is an allusion to those who were borne of Servants in the House of their Masters and so were in a condition of Servants Paâ—tus sequitur ventâ—em If the mother be an Handmaide the childe is a Servant too and so the Scripture calleth them filios domus children of the house Gen. 14. 14 15 3 17 12. Lev. 22 11. Ecclesi 2.7 His heart being enlarged in thankfulnesse presently minded him of the deep ingagements that did bind him unto Service even from the wombe True filiall and Evangelicall obedience ariseth from faith and love Faith shewes us Gods love to us and therby worketh in us a Reciprocal love unto him We love him because he loved us first 1 John 4.19 This is the only thing wherein a Servant of God may answer him and may de simili mutuam rependere vicem as Bernaâ—d speakes returne back unto God what he gives unto him If he be angry with me I must not be angry again with him but feare and tremble and begge for pardon If he reprove me I must not reprove but justifie him If he judge me I must not judge but adore him But if he love me I must take the boldnes to love him againe for therefore he loves that he may be loved And this love of ours unto Christ makes us ready to do every thing which he requires of us because we know that he hath done much more for us then he requireth of us The love of Christ saith the Apostle constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead that is either dead in and with him in regard of the guilt and punishment of sin so as to be freed from the damnation of it or dead by way of conformity unto his death in dying unto sinne and crucifying the old man so as to shake off the power and strength of it And the fruite of all both his dying and our loving is this That we should not live unto our selves but unto him that dyed for us and rose again Thus love argues from the greater to the lesser from the greatnes of his work for us to the smalnes of ours unto him If he died to give us life then we must live to doe him Service Feare produceth onely servile unwilling performances as those fruites which grow in Winter or in cold Countries are sowre unsavoury and unconcocted but those which grow in Summer or in hotter Countries by the warmth and influence of the Sun are sweet and wholesome such is the difference between those fruits of obedience which feare and which love produceth The most formall principle of obedience is love and the first beginings of love in us unto God arise from his mercies unto us being thankfully remembred this teacheth the soule thus to argue God hath given deliverances unto me and should I breake his Commandements Ezra 13.14 Christ gave himselfe to redeeme me from all iniquity and to make me in a speciall manner his owne therefore I must be zealous of good workes Tit. 2.14 therefore I must shew forth the vertues of him that called me out of darkenes into his marvellous Light 1 Pet. 2.9 No more frequent more copious common place in all the Scriptures then this to call for obedience and to aggravate disobedience by the consideration of the great things that God hath done for us Deut. 13.20 21 11 7 8 29 32 6 7. Iosh. 24.2 14. 1 Sam. 12.24 Isay. 1 2. Ier. 2.5 6. Hos. 2.8 Mic. 6.3 5. In the Law a Ransomed man became the Servant of him that bought and delivered him and upon this argument the Apostle calls for obedience Ye are not your owne but you are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirits whâ—ch are Gods 1 Cor. 6.19 20. We have but the use of our selves the property is his and we may do nothing to violate that V. Ut instrumentum divinae gloriae As a meanes and instrument of publishing Gods praises There is an Emphasis in the word Lips Sometimes it is a diminutive word taking away from the duty performed as Matth. 15.8 This people honour me with their lips but their heart is far from me But here it is an Augmentative word that enlargeth the duty and makes it wider I will sacrifice unto thee saith Ionah with the voice of thanksgiving Jonah 2.9 God regardeth not the sacrifice if this be not the use that is made of it to publish and celebrate the glory of his name The outward ceremony is nothing without the thankfulnes of the heart and the thankfulnes of the heart is too little except it have a voice to proclaime it abroad that other may learn to glorifie and admire the works of the Lord too It is not enough to Sacrifice not enough to sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving except withal we declare his works with rejoycing psal 107.22 There is a private thankfulnes of the Soul within it self when meditating on the goodnesse of God it doth in secret returne the tribute of an humble and obedient heart back again unto him which is to praise God on the Bed and there is publick thanksgiving when men tell of the wondrous works of God in the great Congregation of his Saints Psal. 149.1.5 Psal. 26.7.12 Now here the Church promiseth this publick thanksgiving it shal not be the thankfulnesse of the heart onely but of the lips too As it is noted of the thankfull Leper that with a loud voice he glorified God Luke 17.15 The living the living shall praise thee saith Hezekiah but how should they doe it The fathers to the children shall make known thy truth Isay 38.19 There are some affections and motions of the heart that do stop the mouth are of a cold stupefactive and constringent nature as the sap staies and hides it selfe in the root while it is winter Such is fear and extremity of griefe Come saith the Prophet Let us enter into our defenced cities and let us be silent there for the Lord our God hath put us to silence Jer. 8.14 Isai. 10.14 Other affections open the mouth are of an expansive dilating nature know not how to be straitned or suppressed and of all these joy and sense of Gods mercy can least contain it self in the compasse of our narrow breast but will spread and communicate it selfe to others A godly Heart is in this like unto those flowers which shut when the Sun sets
extolling the great Name of God ascribing in our hearts and mouths all blessednesse unto him acknowledging his infinite Majesty in himselfe and his Soveraignty over us his poore creatures Exod. 15.11 Mic. 7.18 and so covering our faces and abhorring our selves in his sight Isaiah 6. Ioh 42.5.6 not daring to question any of his deep absoluâ—e and most unsearchable Counsels but because all things are of him to acknowledge that all things oughâ— to be for and to him and are to be reduced to the Ends of his glory by the counsell of his own will Rom. 9.20.21 Rom. 11.33.36 Matth. 11.25 26. Psal. 135.5 6. Iob 9.12 Ephes. 1.11 In the latter respect as hee is the God in whom we live and mâ—â—e and have our being and hope for our blessednesse So it importeth first a glorying and rejoycing in him as our alone felicity Psal. 33.1 Habac. 3.18 Phil. 4.4 Secondly a choosing and preferring him above all other good things making him our end and aym in life in death in doing in suffering Rom. 4 7.8 Thirdly a thankfull acknowledgement of all his mercies as most beneficiall unto us and most gratuitous and free in regard of him 2 Sam. 7.18 Lam. 3.22.23 Lastly a constant endeavour of a holy life so to bring forth fruiâ— to doe the will of God and to finish his work which he hath set us so to order our conversation aright before him as that hee may have ascribed unto him the glory of his authority over the consciences of men and of the power of his Love shed abroad in their hearts and that all that see our conversation may say doubtlesse the God whom these men serve after so holy a manner for whom they despise all outward sinfull pleasures is a holy and blessed God infinitely able to comfort satisfie and reward all those that so conscionably and constantly give up themselves unto him Iohn 15.8 and 17.4 Psal. 50.23 Deut. 4.6 7. Mat. 5.16 2 Cor. 9.13 1 Pet. 2 1â— The second particular in their Covenant is amendmen of life and a more speciall care against those sins of carnall confidence and spirituall adultery whereby they had formerly dishonoured and provoked God From whence there are two observations which offer themselves 1. That true repentance and sound conversion as it makes a man thankfull for the pardon of sin past so it makes him carefull against the practise of sin for the time to come especially those particular sinnes whereby he had formerly most dishonoured God and defiled his own conscience This doctrine consisteth of two parts which we will consider asunder And first of this care and purpose of amendment in generall When the poore Converts who had been guilty of the most precious and innocent bloud that ever was shed began to be convinced of that horrible sin and found those nailes wherewith they had fastned the Lord of glory to a Crosse pricking and piercing of their owne hearts with what bleeding and relenting affections did they mourne over him with what earnest importunities did they inquire after the way of salvation wherein they might serve and enjoy him never were their hands more cruell in shedding that bloud then their hearts were now sollicitous to be bathed in it to be cleansed by it Acts 2.37 The poore Prodigall who is the Embleme of a penitent sinner when hee came to himselfe againe or bethought himself as the phrase is 1 King 8.47 for we doe never depart from God but we doe withall forsake and lose our selves and are transported with a spirituall madnesse from our right mindes immediately grew to a resolution of arising out of that base and brutish condition and of going home to his Father and by that meanes to his wit and senses againe So when by Iohns preaching of repentance men were turned to the Wisdome of the just for all unrighteousnesse is folly and madnes and were prepared for the Lord wee immediately finde what a speciall care they had to be informed in the wayes of duty earnestly inquiring after that new course of obedience which they were now to walk Luke 3.10.12 14. All true penitents are of the minde of these in the Text wee will not say any more and what have I to doe any more with Idols ver 8. as Ezra in his penitent prayer Should we now againe breake thy Commandements Chap. 9.13 When Christ rose from the dead he died no more and when wee repent of sinne it must bee with a repentance that must never any more bee repented of Rom. 6.9 12. 2 Cor. 7.10 The time past of our life must suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.3 This care ariseth from the nature of true repentance which hath two names usually given it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a change of the mind the heart is framed to have other and truer notions of sinne of grace of heaven of hell of conscience of salvation then it it had before for the minde of wicked men being defiled they can frame to themselves none but impure apprehensions of spirituall things as a yellow eye sees every thing yellow and a bitter palate tastes every thing bitter 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a change of the cares and indeavours of life That whereas before a man made provision for the flesh and his study and care was how to satisfie the lusts of his own heart Rom. 13.14 what he should eate what he should drink wherewith he should be cloathed Now his care is how he may be saved how he may honour and enjoy God Acts 2.37 and 16.30 The first question in Repentance is What have I done Ier. 8.6 and the next question is What shall I doe Acts 9.6 And this care repentance worketh 1. By a godly sorrow for sinne past It brings into a mans remembrance the history of his former life makes him with heavinesse of spirit recount the guilt of so many innumerable sinnes wherewith he had bound himselfe as with chaines of darknesse the losse of so much precious time mis-spent in the service of such a Master as had no other wages to give but shame and death The horrible indignities thereby offered to the â—ajestie and Justice of God the odious contempt of his holy Will and soveraigne Authority the daring neglect of his threatnings and undervaluing of his rewards the high provocation of his jealousie and displeasure the base corrivalty and contesting of filthy lusts with the grace of the Gospell and the precious bloud of the Sonne of God the gainsaying and wrestling and stubborne antipathie of a carnall heart to the pure motions of the Spirit and Word of Christ the presumptuous repulses of him that standeth at the doore and knocks waiting that he may be gracious the long turning of his back and thrusting away from him the word of Reconciliation wherein Christ by his Ambassadours had so often beseeched him to be reconciled unto God The remembrance of these things makes a man
looke with selfe-abhorrency upon himselfe and full detestation upon his former courses And he now no longer considers the Silver or the Gold the profit or the pleasure of his wonted lusts though they be never so delectable or desirable in the eye of flesh he looks upon them as accursed things to be thrown away as the Converts did upon their costly and curious Books Acts 19.19 Isa. 30.22 31 7. Sin is like a plaited picture on the one side of it to the impenitent appeareth nothing but the beauty of pleasure whereby it bewitcheth and allureth them on the other side to the penitent appeareth nothing but the horrid and ugly face of guilt and shame whereby it amazeth and confoundeth them Thus the remembrance of sinne past which they are very carefull to keep alwayes in their sight Psal. 51.3 doth by godly sorrow worke speciall care of amendment of life for the time to come 2 Chron. 6.37 38. Psal. 119.59 Ezec. 16.61 63.20.43 2. By a present sense of the weight and burthen of remaining corruptions which work and move and put forth what strength they can to resist the grace of God in us As the time past wherein sinne raigned so the present burthen of sinne besetting us is esteemed sufficient and makes a man carefull not to load himself wilfully with more being ready to sinck and forced to cry out under the paine of those which hee unwillingly lieth under already A very glutton when he is in a fit of the gout or stone will forbeare those meats which feed so painfull diseases A penitent sinner is continually in paine under the body of sinne and therefore dares not feed so dangerous and tormenting a disease The more spirituall any man is the more painefull and burdensome is corruption to him Rom. 7.22 For sin to the new man is as sicknesse to the naturall man The more exquisite and delicate the naturall senses are the more are they sensible and affected with that which offends nature Contraries cannot bee together without combate The spirit will lust against the flesh and not suffer a man to fulfill the lusts of it Gal. 5 16 17. the seed of God will keep down the strength of sin 1 Iohn 3.9 3. By an holy jealousie and godly feare of the falsenesse and back-sliding of our corrupt heart lest like Lots wise it should look back towards Sodome and like Israel have a minde hankering after the flesh pots of Egypt the wonted profits and pleasures of forsaken lusts A godly heart prizeth the love of God and the feelings of spirituall comfort from thence arising above all other things and is afraid to lose them It hath felt the burnings of sinne the stingings of these fiery Serpents and hath often been forced to befoole it selfe and to beshrew its own ignorance and with Ephraim to smite upon the thigh And the burnt child dreads the fire and dares not meddle any more with it Considers the heavinesse of Gods frown the rigour of his Law the weaknesse and ficklenesse of the heart of man the difficulty of finding Christ out when he hath withdrawn himselfe and of recovering light and peace againe when the soule hath wilfully brought it selfe under a cloud and therefore will not venture to harden it selfe against God Thus godly feare keeps men from sin Iob 31.23 Psal. 119.120 Prov. 28.14 Eccles. 9.2 Ier. 32 40. Phil. 2.12 Psal. 4.4 4. By a love to Christ and a sweet recounting of the mercies of God in him The lesse a man loves sinne the more he shall love Christ. Now repentance works an hatred of sinne and thereupon a love of Christ which love is ever operative and putting forth it self towards holinesse of life As the Love of God in Christ towards us worketh forgivenesse of sinne so our reciprocall love wrought by the feeling and comfort of that forgivenesse worketh in us an hatred of sinne A direct love begets a Reflect love as the heat wrought in the earth strikes back a heat up into the aire againe The woman in the Gospel having much forgiven her loved much Luke 7.47 Wee love him because he loved us first and love will not suffer a man to wrong the thing which hee loves What man ever threw away Jewels or money when he might have kept them except when the predominant love of something better made these things comparatively hatefull Luke 14.26 What woman could bee perswaded to throw away her sucking child from her breast unto Swine or Dogs to devoure it Our love to Christ and his Law will not suffer us to cast him off or to throw his Law behind our backs New obedience is over joyned unto pardon of sinne and repentance for it by the method of Gods Decrees by the order and chaine of Salvation and ariseth out of the internall character and disposition of a childe of God We are not Sonnes only by Adoption appointed to a new inheritance but we are Sons by Regeneration also partakers of a new nature designed unto a new life joyned unto a new head descended from a new Adam unto whom therefore we are in the power of his Resurrection and in the fellowship of his suffrings to be made conformable Phil. 3.10 And the Apostle hath many excellent and weighty arguments to inforce this upon us Col. 3. 1 2 3 4. If then ye be risen with Christ seek those things that are above where Christ is sitting on the right hand of God Set your affection on things above not on things on the earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory 1. Our fellowship with Christ wee are risen with him what he did corporally for us hee doth the same spiritually in us As a Saviour and Mediatour he died and rose alone But as a Head and second Adam he never did anything but his mysticall Body and seed were so taken into the fellowship of it as to be made conformable unto it Therefore if he rose as a Saviour to justifie us we must as members be therein fashioned unto him and rise spiritually by heavenly-mindednesse and a new life to glorifie him 2. We must have our affections in Heaven because Christ is there The heart ever turns towards its treasure where the body is thither will the Eagles resort 3. He is there in glory at Gods right hand and grace should move to glory as a piece of earth to the whole And he is there in our businesse making intercession in our behalfe providing a place for us sending down gifts unto us And the Client cannot but have his heart on his own businesse when the Advocate is actually stirring about it 4. We are dead with Christ as to the life of sinne And a dead man takes no thought or care for the things of that life from whence he is departed A man naturally dead looks not after food or rayment
acquainted with our own sicknesse to see our face in the glasse of the law to consider how odious it renders us to God how desperately miserable in our selves The deeper the sense of misery the higher the estimation of mercy When the Apostle looked on himselfe as the cheif of sinners then he accounted it a saying worthy of all Acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 Till we be sicke and weary we shall not looke after a Physician to heale and ease us Matth. 9.12.11 28. till we be pricked in our hearts we shall not be hasty to enquire after the means of Salvation Acts 2.37 Though the proclamation of pardon be made to All that will Revel 22.17 Yet none are willing till they be brought to extreamities as men cast not their goods into the sea till they see they must perish themselves if they doe not Some men must be bound before they can be cured All that God doth to us in conversion he doth most freely but a gift is not a gift till it be received Rom. 5.17 Iohn 1.12 and we naturally refuse and reject Christ when he is offered Isay. 53.3 Iohn 1.11 because he is not offered but upon these termes that we deny our selves and take up a Crosse and follow him Therefore we must be wrought upon by some terrour or other 2 Cor. 5.11 When we finde the wrath of God abiding upon us and our souls shut under it as in a prison Iohn 3.36 Gal. 3.22 and the fire of it working and boyling like poison in our consciences then we shal value mercie and cry for it as the Prophet doth Heale me O Lord and I shall be healed Save me and I shall be saved for thou art my prayse Jer. 17.14 Things necessary are never valued to their uttermost but in extremities When there is a great famine in Samaria an Asses head which at another time is thrown out for carrion wil be more worth then in a plentifull season the whole body of an Oxe Nay hunger shal in such a case overvote nature and devour the very tender love of a mother the life of a childe shall not be so deare to the heart as his flesh to the belly of a pined parent 2 King 6 25 28. As soone as a man findes a shipwrack a famine a hell in his soul till Christ save feed deliver it immediately Christ will be the desire of that soule and nothing in Heaven or earth valued in comparison of him Then that which was esteemed the foolishnesse of preaching before shall be counted the power of God and the wisdom of God then every one of Christs ordinances which are the waters of the Temple for the healing of the Sea that is of many people Ezek. 47.8 and the Leaves of the Tree of Life which are for the healing of the Nations Revel 22.2 and the streames of that Fountaine which is opened in Israel for sin and for uncleannesse Zach. 13.1 and the wings of the Sun of righteousnesse whereby he conveyeth healing to his Church Mal. 3 2. shall be esteemed as indeed they are the Riches the Glory the Treasure the feast the physick the salvation of such a soule Rom. 11.12 Ephes. 3.8 2 Cor. 3.8.11 2 Cor. 4.6.7 Isai. 25.6 Revel 19.9 Luke 4.18 Hebr. 2.3 Iames 1.21 Iohn 12.50 Acts 28.28 And a man will waite on them with as much diligence and attention as ever the impotent people did at the poole of Bethesda when the Angel stirred the water and endure the healing severity of them not onely with patience but with love and thankfulnesse suffer reason to be captivated Wil to be crossed high imaginations to be cast down every thought to be subdued conscience to be searched heart to be purged lust to be cut off and mortified in all things will such a sick soul be contented to be dieted restrained and ordered by the Counsell of this heavenly Physician It is here next to be noted that God promiseth to heale their Back-slidings The word imports a departing from God or a turning away againe It is quite contrary in the formall nature of it unto faith and Repentance and implies that which the Apostle calls a Repenting of Repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 By faith we come to Christ John 6.37 and cleave to him and lay hold upon him Heb. 6.18 Isay. 5â— 2.6 but by this we depart and draw back from him and let him goe Heb. 10.38.39 By the one we prize Christ as infinitely precious and his ways as holy and good Phil. 3.8 2 Pet. 1 4. by the other we vilifie and set them at nought stumble at them as wayes that doe not profit Matth. 21.42 Acts 4.11 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Iob. 21.14.15 For a man having approved of Gods wayes and entred into covenant with him after this to goe from his word and fling up his bargaine and start aside like a deceitfull bow of all other dispositions of the Soule this is one of the worst to deale with our sinnes as Israel did with their servants Ier. 34.10 11. dismisse them and then take them again It is the sad fruit of an evil and unbeleeving heart Heb. 3.12 a And God threatneth such persons to leade them forth with the workers of iniquity Psal. 125.5 as cattell are led to slaughter or malefactours to execution And yet we here see God promiseth Healing unto such sinners For understanding whereof we are to know that there is a Twofold Apostacy The one out of Impotency of Affection and prevalency of lust drawing the heart to look towards the old pleasures thereof againe and it is a Recidivatton or Relapse into a former sinfull condition out of forgetfulness and falsness of heart for want of the fear of God to ballance the conscience and to fix and unite the heart unto him Which was the frequent sin of Israel to make many promises and Covenants unto God and to break them as fast Iudg. 2.18.19 Psal. 106.7 8 9.12 13. And this falling from our first love growing cold and slack in duty breaking our engagements unto God and returning again to folly though it be like a Relapse after a disease exceeding dangerous yet God is sometimes pleased to forgive and heal it The other kind of Apostacy is proud and malicious when after the Tast of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come men set themselves to hate oppose persecute Godliness to do despight to the spirit of grace to fling off the holy strictness of Christs yoake to swel against the searching power of his word to trample upon the blood of the Covenant and when they know the spiritualness and holiness of Gods wayes the innocency and piety of his servants doe yet notwithstanding set themselves against them for that reason though under other pretences This is not a weak but a wilful and if I may so speak a strong and a stubborn Apostaâ—y A sin which wholly hardneth the heart against
to kill we doe first preferre unto some fat pasture And sometimes God gives over punishing not in mercy but in fury leaving men to goe on quietly in their owne hearts lusts that they who are filthy may be filthy still Psal. 81.12 Hos. 4.14.17 Esay 1.5 Ezek. 24.13 God was exceeding angry with Israel when hee gave them their hearts desire and sent them Quailes Num. 11.32.33 Many men get their wills from Gods anger by murmuring as others doe theirs from his mercy by prayer but then there comes a curse along with it Now therefore when our own sword doth devour us when our Land is through the wrath of the Lord of hoasts so darkened that the people thereof are as fuell of the fire no man sparing his brother every man eating the flesh of his owne arme it is the sad character which the Prophet gives of a Civill Warre Esay 9.19 20. Let us take heed of Gods complaint In vaine have I smitten your Children they receive no correction Ier. 2.30 Let us make it our businesse to recover God It is he that causeth Warres to cease in the earth Psal. 46.10 And it is he who powreth out upon men the strength of battell and giveth them over to the spoylers Esay 42.24 25. A sinfull Nation gaines nothing by any humane Treaties policies counsels contributions till by repentance they secure their interest in God and make him on their side God being prevailed with by Moses in behalfe of Israel after the horrible provocation of the Golden Calfe sends a message to them I will send an Angell before thee and will drive out the Canaanite And presently it followes when the people heard these evill tidings they mourned Exod. 33.2 3 4. What were these evill tidings To have an Angel to protect and lead them to have their enemies vanquished to have possession of a land flowing with milk and honey was there any thing lamentable in all this yes To have all this and much more and not to have God and his presence was heavy tidings unto Gods people And therefore Moses never gave God over till he promised them his own presence again with which he chose rather to stay in a wildernesse then without it to goe into the land of Canaan If thy presence goe not along carry us not up hence Exod. 33.13 14 15. Secondly we should from hence learne whatever our spirituall wants are to looke up to heaven for a supply of them Neither gardens nor woods nor vineyards nor fieldes nor flowers nor trees nor corne nor spices will flourish or revive without the Dew and concurrence of heavenly grace Christ alone is all in all unto his Church though the instruments be earthly yet the vertue which gives successe unto them comes from heaven 1. The beauty of the Lillies or as the Prophet David cals it the beauty of holinesse ariseth from the Dew of the morning Psal. 110.3 He is the ornament the attire the comelinesse of his Spouse For his people to forget him is for a mayd to forget her ornaments or a spouse her attire Ier. 2.32 The perfect beauty of the Church is that comelinesse of his which he communicates unto her Ezek. 16.14 Of our selves we are wretched miserable poore naked our gold our riches our white rayment we must buy of him Revel 3.18 He is the Lord our righteousnesse whom therefore we are said to put on Rom. 1â— 14 He hath made us Kings and Priests unto our God Rev. 5.10 and being such he hath provided beautifull Robes for us as once he appointed for the Priests Exod. 28.2 Revel 4.4.6.11.7.9 This spirituall beauty of holinesse in Christs Church is sometimes compared to the marriage ornaments of a Queen Psal. 45 14. Revel 18.7 8.21.2 Sometimes to the choyce flowers of a garden Roses and Lillies Cant. 2.1.2 Sometimes to a most glorious and goodly Structure Rev. 21.11.23 Sometimes to the shining forth of the Moone and the brightnesse of the Sunne Cant. 6.10 Revel 12.1 All the united excellences of the creatures are too low to adumbrate and figure the glories of the Church 2. The root and stability of the Church is in and from him he is the root of David Revel 5.5 Except he dwell in us we cannot be rooted nor grounded Eph. 3.17 All our strength and sufficiency is from him Phil. 4.13 Eph. 6.10 1. Pet. 5.10 The graft is supported by another root and not by its owne This is the reason of the stability of the Church because it is founded upon a Rock Matth. 16.18 not upon Peter but upon him whom Peter confessed upon the Apostles onely Doctrinally but upon Christ personally as the chiefe corner stone elect and precious in whom whosoever beleeveth shall not be confounded or by failing in his confidence be any wayes disapointed and put to shame Eph. 2.20 21. 1 Pet. 2.6 This is the difference between the righteousnesse of Creation and the righteousnesse of Redemtpion the state of the world in Adam and the state of the Church in Christ. Adam had his righteousnesse in his own keeping and therefore when the power of hell set upon him he tell from his stedfastnesse there was no promise given unto him that the gates of Hell should not prevaile against him being of an earthly constitution he had corruptibility mutability infirmity belonging unto him out of the principles of his being But Christ the second Adam is the Lord from Heaven over whom death hath no claime nor power and the righteousnesse and stability of the Church is founded and hath its originall in him The powers of darknesse must be able to evacuate the vertue of his Sacrifice to stop Gods eares unto his intercession to repell and keep back the supplies and influences of his spirit to keep or recover profession against his ejectment in one word to kill him againe and to thrust him away from the right hand of the Majesty on high before ever they can blow downe or overturne his Church As Plato compared a man so may wee the Church unto a tree inverted with the root above and the branches below And the root of this tree doth not only serve to give life to the branches while they abide in it but to hold them fast that none can be able to cut them off Ioh. 10.28 29. 3 The growth and spreading abroad the branches of the Church is from him whose name is the branch Esay 11.1 Zach. 3.8 Unto him are all the ends of the Earth given for a possession and all the Kingdomes of the world are to be the Lords and his Christs In regard of his first dispensation towards Israel Gods first born so the Land of Canaan is peculiarly called Immanuels Land Esay 8.8 But in regard of his latter dispensation when he sent the rod of his strength out of Sion and went forth Conquering and to conquer and gave commission to preach the Gospell unto every creature So the whole world is now under the
Gospell become Immanuels Land and he is King of all the Earth Psal. 47.7 King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 Gentiles come in to the light of his Church and Kings to the brightnesse of her rising and the Nation and Kingdome that will not serve her shall perish c. Esay 60.3.12 Now every Countrey is Canaan and every Christian Church the Israel of God and every regenerate person borne in Sion and every spirituall worshipper the Circumcision now Christ is crucified in Galaâ—ia and a Passeover eaten in Corinth and Mâ—nna fed on in Pergamus and an Altar set up in Egypt and Gentiles Sacrificed and stones made children unto Abraham and Temples unto God See Ioh. 4.21 Mal. 1.11 Zeph. 2.11 Gal. 6.16 Esay 44.5 Esay 14.1 Zach. 8.23 Rom. 2.29 Psal. 87.4 5. Phil. 3.3 Col. 2.11 Gal. 3.1 1 Cor. 5.7 8. Revel 2.17 Esay 19.19 21.23 Rom. 15.16 Luk. 3.8 Eph 2.11 In Christs former dispensation the Church was only Nationall amongst the Iewes but in his latter dispensation it is Oecumenicall and universall over all the world a spreading tree under the shadow of the branches whereof shall dwell the foule of every wing Ezek. 17.23 4. The Graces of the holy spirit wherewith the Church is annoynted are from him He is the Olive tree which emptieth the golden oyle out of himselfe Zach. 4. â—2 Of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 with the same spirit are we anoynted animated by the same life regenerated to the same nature renewed unto the same image reserved unto the same inheritance dignified in some respect with the same Offices made Priests to offer spirituall Sacrifices and Kings to subdue spirituall enemies and Prophets to receive teaching from God and to have a duplicate of his law written in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.21 Ioh. 14.19 1 Cor. 15.48 49. Rom. 8.17 1 Pet. 2 5. Revâ—l 1.6 Ioh. 6.45 Ier. 31.33 5. The sweet perfume and scent or smell of Lebanon which ariseth out of holy duties the grace which droppeth from the lips of his people the spirituall incense which ariseth out of their prayers the sweet savour of the Gospell which spreadeth it selfe abroad in the ministry of his word and in the lives of his servants they have all their original in him and from his heavenly dew Of our selves without him as we are altogether stinking and unclean Psal. 14 3. Prov. 13.5 so we defile every holy thing which we meddle with Hag. 2 13 14. Prov. 28.9 Esay 1.11.15 insomuch that God is said as it were to stop his nose that he may not smell them Amos 5.21 they are all of them as they come from us gall and wormwood and bitter clusters Deut. 29.18.32 32. But when the spirit of Christ bloweth upon us and his grace is poured into our hearts and lips then the spices flow out Cant. 4.16 Then prayer goes up like incense and sweet odours Revel 5.8 then instead of corrupt rotten contagious communication our discourses tend to edifying and minister grace to the hearers Eph. 4.29 then the Savour of the knowledge of Christ manifested it selfe in the mouthes and lives of his servants in every place where they come 2 Cor. 12.4 6. The shadow and refreshment the refuge and shelter of the Church against storme and tempest against raine and heat against all trouble and persecution is from him alone He is the onely defence and covering that is over the Assemblies and glory of Sion Esay 4.5 The name of the Lord is a strong Tower unto which the righteous flye and are safe Prov. 18.10 So the Lord promiseth when his people should be exiles from his Temple and scattered out of their own land that hee would himselfe bee a little Sanctuary unto them in the Countreys where they should come Ezek. 11.16 He is a dwelling place unto his Church in all conditions Psal. 90.1.91.1 2 a strength to the needy a refuge from the storme a shaddow from the heat an hiding place from the winde a covert from the Tempest a Chamber wherein to retire when indignation is kindled Esay 25.4.26.20.32.2 Every History of Gods power every Promise of his love every Observation and experience of his providence every comfort in his word the knowledge which we have of his name by faith and the knowledge which we have of it by experience are so many arguments to trust in him and so many hiding places to flie unto him against any trouble VVhat time I am affraid I will trust in thee Psa. 56.3 VVhy art thou cast down O my soule still trust in God Psal. 42.5 11. He hath delivered he doth deliver he will deliver 2 Cor. 1.10 Many times the children of God are reduced to such extremities that they have nothing to encourage themselves withall but their interest in him nothing to flye unto for hope but his Great name made known unto them by faith in his promises and by experience of his goodnesse power and providence This was Davids case at Ziklag 1 Sam. 30.6 and Israels at the red Sea Exod. 14.10 13. and Ionahs in the belly of the fish Ion. 2.4 7. and Pauls in the shipwrack Acts 27.20 25. God is never so much glorified by the faith of his servants as when they can hold up their trust in him against sight and sence and when reason saith thou art undone for all help sailes thee can answer in faith I am not undone for he said I will never faile thee nor forsake thee 7. The power which the Church hath to rise up above her pressures to outgrow her troubles to revive after lopping and harrowing to make use of affliction as a meanes to flourish againe all this is from him That in trouble we are not overwhelmed but can say with the Apostle As dying and behold we live as chastened and not killed as sorrowfull yet alwayes rejoycing as poore yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things like the corne wich dies and is quickned againe like the vine that is lopped and spreads againe all this is from him who is the Resurrection and the life Ioh. 11.25 who was that grain of wheat which dying and being cast into the ground did bring forth much fruit Ioh. 12.24 the branch which grew out of the rootes of Iesse when that goodly family was sunk so low as from David the King unto Ioseph the Carpenter Lastly as God is the Author of all these blessings unto his people so when he bestowes them he doth it in perfection the fruits which this dew produceth are the fruits of Lebanon the choycest and most excellent of any another If hee plant a Vineyard it shall be in a very fruitfull hill and with the choycest plants Esay 5.1 2. a noble Vine a right seed Ier. 2.21 When in any kinde of straights wee haue recourse to the Creature for supply either wee find it like our Saviours figg-tree without fruit or like our Prophets vine
into kisses Gen. 33.4 and when Saul hath compassed David and his men round about and is most likely to take them he can even then take him off by a necessary diversion 1 Sam. 23.26 27 28. This is the comfort of Gods people That what ever men say except God say it too it shall come all to nothing He can restraine the wrath of men whensoever it pleaseth him and he will doe it when it hath proceeded so farre as to glorifie his power and to make way for the more notable manifestation of his goodnesse to his people Psal. 76.10 And thus farre of Gods answer to the Covenant of Ephraim They promised to renounce Idols and here God promiseth that they should renounce them Now there are two things more to be observed from this expression What have I to doe any more with Idols 1. That in true Conversion God maketh our speciall sinne to be the object of our greatest detestation which point hath beene opened before 2. From those words any more That the nature of true repentance is To break sin off as the expression is Dan. 4.27 and not to suffer a man to continue any longer in it Rom. 6.1 â— It makes a man esteeme the time past sufficient to have wrought the will of the Gentiles 1 Pet. 4.2 3. and is exceeding thrifty of the time to come so to redeeme it as that God may have all doth not linger nor delay nor make objections or stick at inconveniences or raise doubts whether it be seasonable to goe out of Egypt and Sodome or no Is not at the sluggards language modo modo a little more sleepe a little more slumber nor at Agrippas language almost thou perswadest me nor at Felix his language when I have a convenient season I will send for thee but immediately resolves with Paul not to conferre with flesh and bloud Gal. 1.16 and makes haste to flie from the wrath to come while it is yet to come before it overtake us Luk. 3.7 doth not make anxious or cavilling questions What shall I doe for the hundred talents How shall I maintaine my life my credit my family how shall I keep my friends how shall I preserve mine Interests or support mine estate but ventures the losse of all for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Matth. 13.46 Phil. 3.7 8. is contented to part with a skie-full of Starrs for one Sunne of Righteousnesse The Converts that returne to Christ come like Dromedaries like Doves like Ships no wings no sailes can carry them fast enough from their former courses unto him Esa. 60.6 7 8 9. Abraham is up betimes in the morning though it be to the sacrificing of a Son Gen. 22.3 David makes haste and delayes not when he is to keepe Gods Commandements Psal. 119.60 when Christ called his Diciples immediately they left their nets their Ship their Father and followed him Matth. 4.20 22. This is the mighty power of Repentance It doth not give dilatory answers It doth not say to Christ goe away now and come to morow then I will heare thee I am not yet old enough or rich enough I have not gotten yet pleasure or honour or profit or perferment enough by my sinnes but presently it heares and entertaines him I have sinned enough already to condemn to shame to slay me I have spent time and strength enough already upon it for such miserable wages as shame and death come to Therefore I will never any more have to doe with it This is the sweet and most ingenuous voyce of Repentance The thing which I see not Teach me and if I have done iniquity I will doe no more Iob 34.32 There is no sinne more contrary to repentance then Apostacie for godly sorrow worketh Repentance unto salvation which the soule never findes reason to repent of 2 Cor. 7.10 11 Let us therefore take heed of an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God Heb. 3.12 and of drawing back unto perdition Heb. 10.39 of dismissing our sinnes as the Jewes did their servants Ier. 34.16 and calling them back again for Satan usually returnes with seven more wicked spirits and maketh the last state of such a man worse then the first Luk. 11.26 Ground which hath been a long time laid downe from tillage unto pasture if afterwards it bee new broken will bring a much greater crop of corne then it did formerly when it was a common field And so the heart which hath been taken off from sinne if it returne to it againe will bee much more fruitfull then before As lean bodies have many times the strongest appeâ—iâ—e so lust when it hath beene kept leane returnes with greater hunger unto those objects that seed it A streame which hath beene stopped will runne more violently being once opened againe Therefore in Repentance wee must shake hands with sinne for ever and resolve never more to tamper with it Now in that the Lord saith I have heard him and observed him we learne hence First That God heareth and answereth the prayers only of penitents When a man resolves I will have no more to do with sinne then not till then doth his prayer finde way to God Impenitencie clogs the wing of devotion and stops its passage unto Heaven The person must be accepted before the petition Christ Iesus is the Priest that offereth and the Altar which sanctifieth all our services 1 Pet. 2.5 Esay 56.7 And Christ will not be their Advocate in Heaven who refuse to have him their King on earth The Scripture is in no point more expresse then in this If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psal. 66.18 Prayer is a powring out of the heart if iniquity be harboured there prayer is obstructed and if it doe break out it will have the sent and savour of that iniquity upon it The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15.8 both because it is impure in it selfe and hath no Altar to sanctifie it He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law even his prayer shall be an abomination Prov. 28.9 Great reason that God should refuse to heare him who refuseth to heare God that hee who will not let God beseech him as hee doth in his word 2 Cor. 5.20 should not be allowed to beseech God Prov. 1.24.28 Esay 1.15 His eare is not heavie that it cannot heare but iniquitie separates between us and him and hides his face that he will not heare Esay 59.1 2. Ezek. 8.18 God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 the prevalency of prayer is this that it is the prayer of a righteous man Iam. 5.16 And indeed no wicked man can pray in the true and proper notion of prayer It is true there is a kinde of prayer of nature when men cry in their distresses unto the God and Author of nature for such good things as nature feeleth the want of which God in the way of his generall providence
and Common mercies is sometimes pleased to answer sutably to the naturall desires of those that aske them But the prayer of faith which is the true notion of prayer Rom. 10.14 Iam. 1.15 goes not to God as the Author of nature but as the God of grace and the Father of Christ and doth not put up meer naturall but spiritual requests unto him as to an heavenly Father which requests proceed from the spirit of grace and supplication teaching us to pray as we ought Zach. 12.10 Rom. 8.26 27. Gal. 4.6 So that they who have not the spirit of Christ enabling them to cry Abba Father are not able to pray a prayer of faith Prayer hath two wills concuring in it when ever it is right Our will put forth in desires and Gods will respected as the rule of those desires for wee are not allowed to desire what we will our selves of God but we must ask according to his will 1 Ioh. 5.14 Now whensoever impenitent sinners pray for spirituall things they doe ever pray contrary to one of these Two wills when they pray for mercy and pardon they pray against Gods will for that which God will not give for mercy is proposed to and provided for those that forsake sinne Prov. 28.13 hee who choseth to hold fast sinne doth by his owne election forsake mercy for the goodnesse of God leads to repentance Rom. 2.4 Gods mercy is a holy mercy It will pardon sinne forsaken but it will not protect sinne retained Againe when they pray for grace they pray aganst their owne will for that which they themselves would not have It is impossible that a man should formally will the holding fast and continuing in sinne as every impenitent man doth and with the same will should truly desire the receiving of grace which is destructive to the continuance of sinne and if a wicked man do truly will the grace of God when he prayes for it why doth he refuse the same grace when he heareth it in the Ministry of the Word offered unto him If God offer it and he desire it how comes it not to be received Certainly there is not any thing in the corrupt heart of man by nature which can willingly close with any sanctifying grace of the Spirit of Christ. Selfe-deniall is a concomitant in all Acts of grace and selfe-seeking in all acts of lust and therefore where there is nothing but lust there can be no reall volition of grace which is so contrary unto it This teacheth us to have penitent resolutions and spiriturll aimes in all our prayers if we would have them prevaile at the throne of grace We are now under the heavy calamity of a Civill warre And very desirous we are it should be removed we suffer and languish and fret and pine away and we complaine every where of want and violence But who set themselves to cry mightily to God and call upon their soule as the Marriners upon Ionah O thou sleeper what meanest thou arise call upon God Haply we goe so farre we pray too and yet receive no answer because we ask amisse Iam. 4.1 2 3. wee are troubled that our lusts are abridged of their fuell or that our nature is deprived of her necessaries and for these things wee pray But till our troubles bring us to seek God more then our selves make more sensible of his wrath then of our owne wants more displeased at what offends him then at what pincheth and oppresseth our selves we cannot promise our selves an answer of peace The Marriners cryed and the Tempest continued still Ionah was to be cast over so long as there was a fugitive from God in the Ship the storme would not cease Never can wee promise our selves any comfortable fruit of our prayers till the aime of them is spirituall that God may be honored that his Church may be cleansed reformed that our lives may be amended that whatsoever forsakes God in us may be cast away Till Gods whole work be performed upon Mount Sion upon Ierusalem we cannot promise our selves that he will call in his Commission and Charge to take the spoile and the prey Esay 10.12 And therefore our greatest wisedome is to consider what God calls for to make it our prayer and endeavours that his will and counsell may be fulfilled the more wee make God our end the sooner we shall recover our peace again Secondly We learne that our performance of duty doth depend much upon Gods hearing and answering of Prayer Ephraim will have no more to doe with Idols because God hath heard him Prayer is the key of Obedience and the introduction unto duty The principles of duties are wisdome to know and order them will to desire and intend them strength to performe and persevere in the doing of them And all these are the product of Prayer If any want wisedome let him ask it of God Iam. 1.5 so Solomon did 1 Kings 3.9 and who am I and what is my people saith David that wee should bee able to offer so willingly for all things come of thee 1 Chron. 29.14 and the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that God would grant them to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inward man Ephe. 3.16 the Principles of duty are the fruits of Prayer and therefore the performance of duty doth much depend on the hearing and answering of prayer Thirdly we learne from Gods observing or having a carefull and vigilant eye upon Ephraim that when we renounce all carnall and sinfull confidence and cast our selves wholly upon God engaging his eye of favour and providence unto us this will be a most sufficient protection against all the cruelties of men One would think when we heare a sword threatned dashing of Infants ripping of women the Prophet should have called on them to take unto them weapons to make resistance and certainely the use of meanes in such cases is necessary the sword of the Lord doth not exclude the sword of Gedeon One would thinke Take to you words were but a poore preparation against a destroying enemy yet this is all that the Prophet insists on when the Assyrian comes against you do you Take with you words your lips shall be able to defend more then his Armies can annoy Words uttered from a penitent heart in time of trouble unto God are stronger then all the preparations of flesh and bloud because that way as prayer and Repentance goe that way God goeth too Amalek fights and Moses speakes unto God in the behalfe of Israel and the lifting up of his hands prevailes more then all the strength of Israel besides Exod. 17.11 12. One man of God that knowes how to manage the cause of Israel with him is the Chariots and horsemen of Israel 2 Sam. 2.12 What huge Armies did Asa and Iehoshaphat vanquish by the power of Prayer 2 Chron. 14.11.20.23 25. Till God forbid prayer as he did to Ieremy 7.16.11.14 and take of the
ISRAELS PRAYER In time of TROUBLE WITH Gods gracious Answer thereunto OR An Explication of the 14th Chapter of the Prophet HOSEA In seven Sermons preached upon so many days of solemn Humiliation By EDWARD REYNOLDS Minister of the Word of God at Braunston in Northamptonshire and a Member of the Assembly of Divines Published by Authority LONDON Printed by Thomas Newcomb for Robert Bostock dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the Sign of the Kings-head 1645. THE FIRST SERMON UPON HOSEA CHAP. 14. VERS 1 2. Preached in Margarets Church at Westminster before the honorable House of Commons now assembled in Parliament At the late Publique and Solemn FAST Iuly 27. Anno Domini 1642. By EDWARD REYNOLDS Minister of the Word of God at Braunston in Northamptonshire and a Member of the Assembly of Divines Published by Order of the said House The second Edition Enlarged LONDON Printed by Thomas Newcomb for Robert Bostock dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the Sign of the Kings-head 1649. TO THE HONOURABLE House of COMMONS assembled in PARLIAMENT IN obedience to your Commands I here humble present to your view what you were pleased with patience and readiness of affection lately to attend unto I considered that though the Choiceness of the Auditory might require the exactest preparation yet both the condition of the Times and the nature of the Duty did call upon us to lay aside our Ornaments And therefore I speake with such plainness as might commend the matter delivered rather to the Conscience of a Penitent then to the fancy of a delicate hearer The King of Nineveh was a King as well in his Sackcloth as in his Robes And the truth of God is indeed fuller of Majesty when it is naked then when adorned with the dresse of any humane contribution which many times takes from it but never addes any value unto it I looked upon you in your double Relation both Common as Christians and Speciall as men intrusted with the managing of those arduous and most pressing difficulties under which this distempered Kingdom is now groaning And for the quickning of those endevours which belong to you in both those Relations I presented you both with the bottome of a Nations unhappiness which is sin and with the top of their felicity which is Gods free grace and favour That by your serious cares to purge out the one and to procure the other you might by Gods blessing on your Consultations dispell that black tempest which hangs over this Kingdom and reduce the face of things unto calmness and serenity again When the Children strugled together in the womb of Rebekah she was thereupon inquisitive If it be Why am I thus and she addressed her self to God for a resolution Surely this Nation is become like the womb of Rebekah the children thereof strugling in their mothers belly together and when God hath mercifully freed us from forain Enemies Brethren are become enemies to brethren and by their enmities likely to tear and torment the bowels of their mother and to ruine themselves And what have we now to do but to inquire the Cause of these sad cōmotions Why are we thus And surely the Cause is chiefly where the Disease is within our selves We have been like the womb of Rebekah a barren Nation not bringing forth fruits of so many mercies as God hath filled us withall So that now it is no wonder if God cause us to be in pain within our own Bowels and to feel the throwes and struglings of a Travelling woman ready to bring forth her own Confusion a Benoni or an Ichabod a son of Sorrow and of Shame to this hitherto so peaceable and flourishing a Kingdom All that we can comfort our selves with in these pangs and qualms of distemper is that there are some Iacobs amongst us who insteed of supplanting their brethren will wrestle and have power with God The people have often Petitioned sometimes his sacred Majesty sometimes this Honourable House which are his great Councel many overtures endeavor of Accommodation have been tendred yet we cry out in our pangs have as it were brought forth wind neither have we wrought any deliverance in the earth I have here therefore presented a new Petition dictated drawn up to our hands by Gods own Spirit unto which both King and Parliament Peers and Prophets and People must al subscribe and offer it with prostrate penitent hearts unto him who stands in the congregation of the mighty judgeth amongst the gods that he would take away all our iniquity and receive us into favour again and accept of a Covenant of new obedience And this Petition God is pleased to anticipate with an answer of grace in the consequent parts of the chapter whence the Text is taken and that particularly to every branch of the Petition He will take away iniquity His Anger shall not punish His Love shal heal our backslidings the greatness of our sins shall not hinder the freeness of his Grace He will do us good and give us life by the dew of his grace reviving us and Glory clothing us like the Lilly of the field with the beauty of holiness and stability fixing us by his grace as the Cedars of Lebanon are fastned upon their Roots and growth or enlargement as the branches spread forth themselves and continual vigor plenty as the Olive tree which is always green and fruitful and glorious comforts by the sweet savor of the knowledg of God which like the spice trees of Lebanon shall diffuse a spiritual perfume upon the names and into the consciences of penitent converts He will prevent us with the blessings of Safety as well as of Sanctity and Comfort we shall under his shadow finde shelter and protection from all our fears Though like Corn we be harrowed under the Clods though like a lopped vine we seem naked and reduced to lowness though like crushed grapes we lie under heavy pressures yet he will receive and enlarge and comfort us again and when we are in our own eyes as fatherless children He will set his eyes upon us as a Tutor and Guardian He will hear and observe and answer and pity us enabling us to make good our Covenant by his grace and causing the fruits of his loving kindness to be found upon us Thus God is pleased to borrow the various perfection of other things to adumbrate the united and calumniated mercies which he promiseth unto a converting and petitioning people You have the Petition sent you from God and his Answer preventing you in all the members of it with the blessings of goodness I have nothing else to do but to beg of you and of all this great people whom you represent the Subscription of your hearts and lives unto this Petition and to beg of God that he would graciously incline the hearts of this whole Kingdom rather to wrastle with him for a blessing then to struggle and conflict amongst