have lost or spare to be left to ruine 3. For others but more especially for Sion for Jerusalem for the Church and people of God we should for such mercies be very importunate as these here and the Prophets and people of God elsewhere as the Prophet Isaiah 62. 1. For Sions sake will I not hold my peace and for Jerusalem's sake will I not rest untill the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth Here the Prophet professeth his serious purpose of an unwearied constant sollicitation of God for his Church of which Sion was a type and it is till its righteousness go forth c. And thus earnest zealous and importunate should we be for the Church and people of God we should not onely propound our desires but press and enforce them as it is said afterward of the watchmen upon the walls of Jerusalem v. 6. I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night and then it follows ye that make mention of the Lord or nearer the Hebrew Rememorantes Dominum vel qui reminiscimini Domini Ye that are the Lord's remembrancers or ye that mind the Lord to wit of his Church whose office it is to be still minding and solliciting him in its behalf it is a term borrowed from the manner of Princes who have certain Officers called their Remembrancers to mind them of such matters as concern the publick weal and welfare and what an honour and priviledg is it to be remembrancers to the King of Heaven and this honour have not onely his Ministers but all his people not that God is subject to forgetfulness or can forget his Church and the things that concern its weal but for his own glory and his peoples greater comfort God will have it be thus viz. that he be earnestly sollicited and sought to and these now are bid to give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the Earth i. e. they must continue instant and constant in prayer be urgent and importunate with God untill he hear and put his Church into such a condition that all may praise her or for which she may become famous throughout the whole world And thus let us both Ministers and people resolve to do not to hold our peace day nor night nor keep silence nor give the Lord rest till he establish and till he make our Jerusalem a praise to the Earth Let us not onely call upon his name but stir up our selves to take hold of him let us put forth all our strength put out our selves to the utmost yet to stay him with us for wo to us if he depart from us Want of this the Prophet Isaiah complains of and acknowledges as a great sin Is 64. 6. And we all says he do fade as a leaf and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away and yet there is none v. 7. that calleth upon thy name that addresseth himself unto thee at least aright or but very few so few as that they were not as it were seen nor did appear but were hid in the multitude or if more did call upon his name yet they did not stir up themselves to take hold of God to stay him with them though he threatened Emphasis est in verbo tenendi sumptâ metaphorâ á patre irato manum ad ferulam expediente cujus manum apprehensam alius teneat conhibeátque nè feriat filium Arular in locum and was upon his departure from them or they took not hold of his hand to stay him from striking them in his anger for thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our iniquities And so the particle is used elsewhere or as some when thou didst hide thy face from us c. and so it is an heavy aggravation of their stupidity sluggishness and security thà t though the Lord did manifest his displeasure against them by the withdrawing the light of his countenance from them and consumed them because of their iniquities as he hath done us yet such was their stupor and sluggishness that notwithstanding they did not stir up themselves to take hold of him though he seem'd to be a going and truely not to stir up our selves at such a time does stir up the Lord the more against us such neglects do much provoke for at such times we should be more than ordinary zealous earnest and importunate sollicitors for Sion not onely proposing our desires but enforcing and pressing the same with all fervency And such let us be O let every prayer be a pleading a wrestling with strong resolution not to let him go till he return in mercy unto Sion and with a smiling and favourable countenance look upon it How earnest and sollicitous was Daniel for Jerusalem in that prayer of his Dan. 9. 3. And I set my face to the Lord God this shews his earnestness setting all other things aside to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes and v. 17. Now therefore O our God hear the prayer of thy servant and his supplications Supplication differs from prayer as being a further degree of enforcing our petitions either by redoubling our suits or pressing them with arguments And cause thy face to shine upon thy Sanctuary for the Lord's sake i. e. shew thy grace and favour by the effects thereof in restoring thy publick worship to the people and v. 19. O Lord hear O Lord forgive O Lord hearken and defer not for thine own sake O my God for thy city and thy people are called by thy name here is further fervency earnestness and holy zeal in prayer uttering strong cryes So David Psal 14. 7. O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion or who will give the salvation of Israel c. or O that some would give it is a Non tam privatim de se cogitat quam de communi Ecclesiae salute sollicitus form and phrase of earnest wishing usual with the Hebrews and often used in Scripture elsewhere and it gives us to see how sollicitous David was for Israel's salvation he forgot himself as it were for to remember that and so should we CHAP. V. The several points of Doctrine observable from the words as more particular and as being implied Doctr. 1. We are all by nature turn'd aside and gone away from God Else what needed this being turn'd again and this is observable from the words as they respect those who were never yet turn'd and therefore are here prayed for that they may be turn'd or converted Indeed as God at first made us he was with us and we with him and our faces were unto him but now having sinned our backs are upon him and we are gone away from him and by going on in sin we go away still further from him and this the Scripture every
the onely way for people to be saved to be blessed and happy and have it well with them and because else they perish and are ruined and undone and it will certainly be ill with them for ever And hence it is that the Lord makes use of such pathetical and affectionate expressions Say unto them as I live saith the Lord I have Ezek. 33. 11. no pleasure in the death of the wicked but that the wicked turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel How vehemently does the Lord here expostulate and press this upon them Turn ye turn ye which denotes the height and vehemency of his affection and desire how much his heart was upon it and is there not good reason for all this why they dye and are undone and perish else for why will ye dye life and death are in these things in turning or not turning to God as life is the happy effect of the one so death and damnation is the fruit of the other And is it any wonder the Lord is then so earnest and importunate when our weal or our woe when it being well or ill with us when our happiness or our misery our being saved or eternally destroyed depends upon this And hence the Lord is not content to speak it once but speaks it again calls for it twice because it was of such absolute and indispensable necessity and not a small matter nor a business of indifferency And what infinite cause have we then to bless the Lord that he should be so intent upon this so frequently and earnestly invite us to this again and again wherein our own good is so much concerned and which is of such indispensable necessity that we cannot otherwise but perish and what can we indeed do better or wherein can we be more happy than in turning to him 6. This informs us and gives us to see whence it is that God's Prophets formerly and his Ministers alate have been and still are so frequent and earnest in preaching and pressing of this why is it because so much depends on this because they know it cannot else be well with them neither can they be saved or be happy nay they know it cannot else but be ill with them and they must else perish and be undone for ever and therefore have they and do they still so much urge and press this not onely speak but cry Be ye not as your fathers unto whom Zach. 1. 4. the former Prophets have cried thus saith the Lord of hosts turn ye from your evil ways and from your evil doings c. They do not onely call but cry yea cry out proclaim so as the rather to be heard and more to be heeded they were zealous and earnest therein why because the matter was of such importance and the danger was so great if they did not hearken And hence is it that Ministers still are so pressing and importunate as to this they pray and beseech yea and if ye will not hear saith the Prophet Jeremy Jerem. 13. 7. My soul shall mourn in secret for you and mine eyes weep sore and run down with tears c. The voice of one crying in the wilderness c. Luke 3. 4. Thus the Prophets and the Apostles cryed and Jesus Christ himself he cryed John 7. 37. In the last day that great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried saying if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink O for poor sinners to come to Christ to believe on him and repent and turn to the Lord is a matter of great consequence of infinite importance not a thing of indifferency but of absolute necessity and hence Jesus Christ is so earnest and intent upon this as appears by his posture he stood up by his vehement speaking he cried he spake with a lowd voice which shewed the fervour and ardency of his Spirit So it is said of Paul that great Apostle that he shewed first unto them of Damascus and Acts 26. 20. at Jerusalem and through all the Coasts of Judea and then to the Gentiles that they should repent and turn to God c. It was Paul's great work and main business to have it well with all he came among his hearts desire was that they might be saved and therefore was he so intent upon this where ever he came that they might repent and turn to God as the onely soveraign way of it and as knowing it could not else be well with them Hence it was that that holy Martyr Mr. Bradford when he came to the stake cryed out so earnestly and affectionately O England England repent of thy sins repent of thy sins he knew it was the onely way of Englands weal then as it is now and therefore whatever is the zeal and fervency of God's Ministers herein so as that some it may be may think them besides themselves as some did Paul 2 Cor. 5. 13. yet this being the onely way of their being sav'd and they being else und one this gives sufficient reason and ground thereof 7. This lets us see the reason why the Church and People of God have been so fervent and frequent in their Prayers for this that God would turn them again and cause his face to shine as here in one Psalm they instance it no less than thrice v. 3. v. 7. and v. 19. and can ye blame them or was there not good reason for it when as this was the only way for them to be saved to be happy and to have it well with them and how earnest have others also been as to these as David how often and how exceeding earnestly does he beg that Psalm 119. 58. God would make his face to shine upon him and I entreated thy favour or I have earnestly besought thy face so the Dutch with my whole heart or with all my heart and good cause his very happiness and felicity consisting thereon and flowing therefrom c. Poenitentia Angelorū delectatio hilacritas gaudent societati suae restitutos esse quos in tenebris inferni ac Satanae potestate constitutos viderant Gerhard 8. This lets us see whence it is that there hath been and is still such great joy when a sinner turns to God and that both in heaven and earth as the Scripture declares Luk. 15. 7. I say unto you that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth c. and v. 10. Likewise I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth c. the repenting and turning though but of one sinner makes all heaven merry as it Heus tu peccator bono animo sis vides ubi de tuo gaudetur c. Tertull were it causes joy all heaven over it puts harps as it were into the Angels hands and songs into their mouths c.
to their capacity and whatever is the stile or language know that the remedy it self here propos'd is not mine but of his making and prescribing who is the great Physician and healer of Nations and he therefore that rejects or despises rejects and despises not man but God onely he 1 Thes 4. 8. hath spirited me and bid and appointed me as he hath some others to mind you of it and to put you speedily upon it yea and to betake your selves to him to help and assist you in it that so the Nation may not perish and so soveraign a remedy at hand for want of being applied and made use of as unto which if any thing here dictated shall prove subservient or any ways adjutant it shall ever be acknowledged as a singular mercy to him from the God of mercies who is and remains A studious well-wisher of Thine and the Nations weal R. P. To the Christian Reader SAlvation is the most sutable and the most desireable mercy for sinners for sinful persons for sinful Nations Salvation as it imports deliverance from evil and that it imports most properly is a very great mercy but as it implies the gift and injoyment of good of the highest good so it is far better Temporal salvation is a signal favour but how unspeakable a favour is Eternal Now as questionless salvation with all the appurtenances and consequents of it is the greatest mercy that can be desired so the greatest question that can be asked is that of the Jaylour Sirs what must we do to Acts 16. 31. be saved Reader the worthy Authour of the ensuing Discourse having I doubt not well weighed and deeply laid to heart the doleful condition of many thousand souls in city and countrey who remain in a state of sin and persist impenitently in the practice even of the grossest sins considering also with himself possibly with others the dangerous state of the whole Kingdom by reason of those much to be lamented overflowings of sin he I say having laid to heart and considered these things hath studied and in this Treatise freely held forth a remedy indeed an unfailing and the onely remedy whereby the souls of men may be saved and delivered from wrath and damnation and the whole Kingdom from ruine destruction and desolation There needs no more for the saving either of persons or Nations but the Lords effectual turning of our hearts from sin by the working of his powerful grace in us and the sweet manifestations of his favourable grace towards us or as the Authors Text hath it the causing of his face to shine upon us A remedy compounded of these two Gospel-ingredients both the fruits of Christ's bloud and death for the cure and help of sin-sick dying souls and Kingdoms thou wiâ—t find Christian Reader ready at hand for thine and the Kingdom 's benefiâ— in the doctrinal part of this book if thou hast an heart to make use of it And that thine heart may be drawn out to make a right use of it thou wilt find it stor'd with many clear directions to guide thee with strong reasons to convince thee with many cogent motives to quicken thee all fetcht from and grounded upon the holy Scriptures many Texts whereof are not onely as thâ—y all are pertinently alledged but solidly pithily and largely paraphrased and expounded I commend all to the blessing of God and thy diligent perusal praying that all may turn not onely to thy souls profit and everlasting salvation but to the temporal salvation of these Kingdoms from those impending evils of punishment which our abounding evils of sin threaten us with and may quickly bring down upon us unless the Lord God of hosts according to his super abounding goodness turn us again to himself and cause his face to shine upon us then and not till then we shall indeed be saved or dwell safely and be quiet from fear of evil This Christian Reader is the apprehension this the daily petition of Thy friend and servant in the Lord JOSEPH CARYL Good Reader WE learn from the story of the Fall that man was first a fugitive from God and then an exile first Adam ran to the bushes and then God drove him out of Paradise and ever since besides the aversion of mans own heart there lieth a legal exclusion on Gods part Man in this condition is become a stranger to God and his own happiness and not only a stranger but an enemy but though we are enemies to God we cannot make good our quarrel against him the Lord of Hosts will be too hard for poor worms Alas what will our many lusts do against his mighty Angels God cannot be overcome yet such is his Grace he is ready to be reconciled Turn unto me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of Hosts Zech. 1. 3. The same stile is used both in the exhortation and the promise 'T is the Lord of Hosts who inviteth us to turn to him by a serious repentance and the Lord of Hosts who promiseth to reward us with all manner of felicity and happiness If we turn not we find him a dreadful adversary but if we have an heart to return to him we shall find him as powerful and delightful a friend Woe to him that striveth with his Maker But blessed he that submitteth to him We keep off from him out of carnal liberty not liking the strictness of his precepts and also out of legal bondage fearing the strokes of his Justice and we are hardened in our alienation from God by patching up a sorry happiness in the creature apart from him our remedy must be fully correspondent with our disease therefore our cure consists in turning from the creature to God from self to Christ from sin to holiness Do this and it shall be well with you sin shall be pardon'd and everlasting happiness shall be your portion But who is sufficient for these things The legal exclusion is taken off by the merit of the Lord Jesus and the straying disposition is cured by the all powerful and converting grace of his Spirit and in conversion we find him to be the Lord of Hosts aswell as in destruction as he conquereth and subdueth mans heart to himself for surely God never made a creature too hard for himself But his grace must be sought after by us in the use of all holy means Gods complaint against his people was that they would not frame their doings to turn unto the Lord surely they do the work of Christianity who most labour in this very thing especially in a time of general defection and corruption of manners when a people temptingly and daringly put it to the tryal whether God will be so severe against sinners as his word representeth him to be in such a time we need cry aloud both to God and men to God that he may turn us by his preventing grace and turn to us by his rewarding grace to
men that they may speedily recover themselves by repentance lest iniquity be their ruin This is the design of the religious Author in this useful and savoury Treatise which is now put into thy hands as much of it as my occasions would give me leave to peruse seemed to be woven with such a constant texture of solidity and piety that I could not but recommend it to thy acceptance and the Lords Blessing Tho. Manton The Contents CHAP. I. THE general scope and summe of the words CHAP. II. The explication of the words p. 5. CHAP. III. 1. Doctr. in general When miseries abide the people of God spiritual mercies are especially to be sought p. 10 Reas 1. This the Lord prescribes 2. thus others have done 3. of the not doing thereof the Lord complains 4. to this the promise is made 5. else miseries cannot be remov'd in mercy 6 these will support under them 11. 12 Use 1. of Reproof 2. Exhortation 15. 16 CHAP. IV. 2. Doctr. in general Spiritual mercies are to be sought with all earnestness 18 R. 1. God's precept 2. others practice 3. their nature requires it 4. this it shews we are in earnest 5. in a fit capacity to receive them 6. because so unworthy of them 7. because of the dear price paid for them 8. this is all that is required for the obtaining of them 9. the way to have them 10. the more to value them p. 20. to 37 Use 1. How sad not to seek them at all 1. It is the badg of wicked men 2. such are practical Atheists 3. as Heathens 4. have not the Spirit 5. are dead 6. lye open to God's fury p. 37. c. Use 2. To be humbled we have sought them no more 2. to seek them more earnestly for the future 1. For our selves 2. for ours 3. for others especially for Sion p. 40 to 49 CHAP. V. The more particular points observable 1. Doctr. We are all by nature turn'd away from God Use 1. It speaks our sin 2. misery 3. necessity of being turn'd again if saved c. p. 49 to 57 2. Doctr. Such as are brought home to God are very ready to turn again aside 1. How this appears 2. whence it is p. 57 58. Use 1. to bewail it 2. not to be high-minded 3. to carry it meekly 4. the more to indeavour to cleave to God several helps propounded p. 59. to 66 3. Doctr. The Lord is the God of hosts Use 1. to fear him 2. not to provoke him 3. to trust in him 4. to be incouraged in our addresses to him 5. to move us to turn to him c. p. 66 67 4. Doctr. The Lord onely can turn us again to himself Use 1. It shews the folly of delaying to turn 2. we should the more fear turning aside 3. apply our selves to him to turn us 4. give him the glory when turn'd 68 69 5. Doctr. When the Lord turns a people again he causes his face to shine 1. He does cause it to shine 2. he will it being 1. his promise 2. sin which interpos'd being remov'd Use 1. Such then are blessed 2. It should move the more to get turn'd p. 70 to 77 CHAP. VI. The principal point p. 78 Doctr. 6. The onely way for a people to be saved it is for God to turn them again and cause his face to shine 77. This illustrated as being 1. the right way 2. a sure way 3. a try'd way 4. the way to be sav'd in mercy 5. universally and that in three respects 6. the onely way p. 78. to 88 CHAP. VII What manner of turn this must be answered 1. more generally 2. more particularly 1. Such as is of God 2. joyn'd with humiliation 3. arising from faith 4. accompanied with shame for sin 5. confession 6. hatred of sin 7. such as is even to the Lord 8. with all the heart 9. universal 1. as to the subject turning 2. object turn'd from 3. object turn'd to 10. Constant and continued p. 92. to 114 CHAP. VIII The Reasons of the point R. 1. Because this is the way these here take 2. that others have taken 3. that the Lord prescribes 4. which as so he hath promised 5. thâ—t Christ took 6. that his Ministers take 7 because it presupposes faith 8. because of what follows 1. upon conversion people being then turn'd 1. from what is destructive 2. to God 1. the chief 2. the ultimate good 3. they being then towards salvation 4. they walk 5. hold on in the ways of salvation 6. such in some sense are sav'd already 2. because of what follows upon God's favour which 1. is salvation 2. that which will accomplish all requisite to salvation 3. it is it self all 1. light 2. life 3. felicity 4. safety 5. health 6. strength 7. joy 8. glory 4. It silences all God hath against his people p. 114. to 139 CHAP. IX Use 1. of information or inference if this be the onely way for a people to be sav'd 1. There is then a way for a people to be sav'd p. 139 2. England then is in a very unlikely way to be sav'd 143 3. The contrary then is the onely way to be destroy'd 148 4. Few then are like to be sav'd 153 5. It gives us to see the reason why the Lord is so intent upon this 155 6. Why his Ministers so much press this 157 7. Why his people have been so earnest for this 159 8. Why such joy in heaven for this Ib. 9. What a choice mercy then the Ministry is 161 10. It speaks highly of conversion and divine favour 167 11. Commends solemn days of fasting and humiliation 166 12. Speaks well of afflictions 168 CHAP. X. Use of Exhortation 1. earnestly to pray for these Motives 1. the Lord invites to it 2. it is great kindness that he does so 3. it is not for any need he has of us 4. yea he indents with us to do it 5. he onely can effect and vouchsafe these 6. he is able to do it and 7. willing to do it 8. does it of free frace 9. by his effectual grace 10. hath done it for the greatest of sinners P. 171. to 196 CHAP. XI The second branch of Exhortation to adde to our Prayers our endeavours in general more particularly 1. to attend constantly on the ministry of the word 2. when the spirit moves to cherish such motions 3. to break off from evil company 4. to get into good 5. to consider our ways 6. to occasion our hearts that way 7. to remember God of his promises 8. to labour to believe 9. to cease the practice of gross sins 10. what we do to dospeedily Twelve Considerations to excite thereto P. 196. to 233 Though we cannot convert our selves yet not in vain to be exhorted thereto shewed in several particulars 234 CHAP. XII Motives to turn to God 1. The equity thereof 2. the excellency 3. the utility 4. the necessity 5. the acceptableness of it to God
6. the comfortableness ef it to our selves P. 236. to 276 CHAP. XIII Further motives to turn to God 'till we do this 1. we forget our selves 2. we are not our selves 3. these are times of turning 1. of sinful in regard of men 2. judicial in regard of God 4. Nothing less speaks us true Christians Ten several things instanc'd in 5. This all call for 6. God counts upon 7. want of this God's great complaint 8. not turning when he smites puts him upon greater severities yea makes him resolve upon final ruine p. 276. to 303 CHAP. XIV To incourage one another to turn to God p. 303. c. CHAP. XV To see to it our turning to God be true and real 309 CHAP. XVI To prove God therewith 319 c. CHAP. XVII Motives to seek God's favour 331. c. To consider 1. how excellent it is 2. how honourable 3. how comfortable 4. how profitable 5. how necessary CHAP. XVIII To endeavour the conversion others 337 1. It being of general concern 2. to convert a sinner from the errour of his way it being 1. to save 2. a soul 3. from death 4. a means to cover multitudes of sins Fnrther motives 1. Jesus Christ dyed to save souls 2. others seek to destroy them 3. This is God's great end of giving his Spirit 4. It is an high honour 5. a point of great wisdom 6. an evidence of sincere love 7. Till people are converted they are unprofitable 8. Beasts are to be helped in danger To mannage what we do herein wisely The Conclusion of the whole Some few Errata escaped are thus to be corrected In the Epistle Dedicatory p. 2. 1. 18. for effectual read subservient and l. 19. for essential read effectual Page 23. marg for regio read regno and for summè r. sum me 12. for Hosea 12. 4. r. 14. 70. marg for Jer. 3. r. 31. 72. l. 5. sor Psal 12. r. 11. 73. l. 7. after the Hebrew r. is 95. marg for ipsae r. ipsos 110. l. 25. for our r. one 114. l. 2. for thins r. things 166. l. 12. for Acts 14. r. 13. 245. l. 17. for the second toyling r. toying 247. l. 17. for turn r. turns 301. l. 4. before wrought r. first ENGLAND'S Sole and Soveraign way of being saved PSALM 80. 19. Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts Cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved CHAP. I. The general Scope Summe and Parts of the words IF we consult this Psalm we shall find that the Church and people of God were here at this time in a sad condition they were under sore trials and afflictions Those former manifold mercies which the Lord had exhibited to them were now changed into miseries and distresses The Lord fed them with the bread of tears and gave them tears to drink in great measure He made them a strife unto their neighbours and their enemies laught among themselves v. 6. 7. and being in so sad a condition they do in this Psalm pray for deliverance and these words here which I have chose to discourse of are part of their prayer yea a main chief and principal part With this they begin v. 3. and go on with v. 7. and conclude with v. 19. and a blessed part they are indeed and they in their pressures in their miseries and calamities thus praying pray well and indeed they could not pray better for they thus praying go the right way and take the most effectual course both to be heard Hic versus ordine est tertius tertiò per hunc Psalmum repetitur quod ob id moneo ut intelligamus Prophetam in hac petitione quòd hic versus complectitur universam constituisse salut is spem Musc in loc and to be saved For 1. we in our suits and supplications never please God better nor are welcomer into his presence nor likelier to speed than when we ask most I mean what is best and of greatest and highest importance Math. 6. 33. 2 Chron. 7. 14. And 2. for the Lord God of Hosts to turn a people again and cause his face to shine is the onely way for a people to be saved And this they here pray for yea and this is the onely way to have England saved to have this Nation saved Kingdom saved Church saved City saved Towns saved Families saved our selves and ours and all saved for God to turn us again and cause his face to shine and when God does thus we shall be saved indeed saved to purpose saved in mercy saved aright so that a Discourse of these words must needs be very seasonable and soveraign for they are the very platform of a peoples weal and do contain in them their onely right way of being saved I shall not stand at the present to give you any farther account of the Psalm in general only take notice that the words are the burden or weight of the Psalm we have them no less than twice before as v. 3. Turn us again O God and Versus intercalaris cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved They pray v. 1. 2. Give ear O'Shepherd of Israel thou that leadest Joseph like a flock thou that dwellest between the Cherubims shine forth Before Ephraim Benjamin and Manasseh stir up thy strength and come and save us But how would they be saved what is that they so much desire and breath after that they may be saved why Turn us again say they O God and cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved and then again v. 7. Turn us again c. They had made before very sad complaints v. 4 5 6. how that God was angry against their prayer and fed them with the bread of tears c. But how ill soever it was with them at present they beg but this of God that he would turn them again and cause his face to shine and then they promise to themselves that all shall certainly be well with them and they shall be saved and then again in the 19. v. with this namely the words I have Hic versus principalem continet propositionem hinc tertio repetitur â—óque Psalmus concluditur made choice of they conclude and shut up all Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved Thus they three times repeat the same thing as if they could never pray it enough and we scarce find the like in all holy Writ and therefore is it the more to be looked into and observ'd Mollerâ— and seriously weighed and considered And these Non inanem battologiam dictat nobis Dei Spiritus easdem preces ter incuscando sed ut malis gravati audacti nihilominus assurgamus haec fultura nobis saepiùs offertur their so frequent and earnest requests of the same things we are not to look upon them as vain Tautologies or needless repetitions but as they do denote the fervency
the joy and comfort of them more than countervail the other there being no comparison between them but the one exceedingly transcending the other As the sufferings of this present Rom. 8. 18. time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed hereafter so neither are they to be compared with spiritual mercies here as for God to turn us again to himself to pardon our sins to cause his face to shine to vouchsafe us his favour and his comforts and consolations What sufferings or afflictions will not these comfort and support under or what other wants will they not more than countervail what are the world's frowns to God's smiles the world's troubles to God's peace the world's sorrows to God's joyes the world's afflictions to God's consolations the world's pressures to the pleasures of God's presence or its burdens to the rest which that affords what are its Bitters to God's Sweets its Gall and Wormwood to the Wine of his Love Cant. 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the Kisses of his mouth for thy love is better than wine and v. 4. we will remember thy love more than wine yea 't is better than life and in it even in death it self there is life And hence is it that the Apostle speaks what is a Paradox to the men of the world troubled but not distressed as sorrowful yet always rejoycing as having nothing and yet possessing all things as dying and yet behold we live live in the light of God's countenance in his sight as Hosea 6. 2. and we shall live in his sight where indeed only the Soul truly lives and there it may live even in death and have light arise to it even in darkness and see light in the greatest obscurity and this light I mean the light of God's countenance it giveth Songs even in the night as it did to Paul and Silas when thrust into the inner prison and their feet made fast in the Stocks yet God's gracious presence did so cheer their spirits and put such joy into their hearts that even at midnight they brake forth in praises to God Acts 16. 25. And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God and the prisoners heard them they did not onely pray but sing prayses and sung so loud that others heard them the prisoners heard them they were awaken'd by them And what did they think of them surely they thought they were not well in their wits to sing at such a time and in such a place and in such a condition who having been beaten and many stripes laid upon them were cast into prison yea thrust into the inner prison and their feet made fast in the stocks and yet now to sing O if God cause but his face to shine if he lift but up the light of his countenance it will make a man sing at any time in any place in any condition it will turn a prison into a Pallace and a dungeon into a Paradise This made David to have his Psalms yea Michtams i. his golden Psalms or as the Dutch render it his golden Jewels Aureum ornamentum aut insigne exputissimo auro factum it signifies what is made of the best and finest gold so called because of their singular preciousness and excellency in the saddest places and in the saddest outward condition as when the Philistins took him in Gath when he fled from Saul in the Cave when Saul sent and they watcht the house to kill him c. See Psalm 56 57 59 the Titles Moses Psalm 90. 14. prays O satisfie us early with thy mercy i. e. with thy loving kindness vouchsafe us thy favour that we may rejoyce and be glad all our dayes This is enough to make the people of God rejoice and be glad all their dayes be they never so dark and gloomy evil and perillous As we have received mercy sayes the Apostle we faint not 2 Cor. 4. 1. The Lord tels Moses Exod. 33. 14. My presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest Though Moses was to go through a wearisome wilderness and amidst a wearisom people yet the Lord's presence should give him rest We may go any where with him he will be an hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land Isa 32. 2. Vse 1. Of Reproof to those who when miseries and calamities are upon themselves or the Nation look after the removal of them but not after Spiritual mereies they are very earnest and sollicitous that God would take away their ourward plagues remove his judgments but not that God would take away their sins and turn them again to himself and cause his face to shine But so God will but do the other free them of their miseries let the latter do what they will Psalm 4. 6. There be many that say who will shew us any good i. e. any outward good how to compasse any earthly worldly gain or advantage O that we might have peace and plenty or how shall we once get out of these troubles and afflictions but few say with David lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and then all shall be well if thou do but this Many when they are in pain and sick and weak they cry out indeed but for what for ease and health and recovery not that they may be turned from their sins and recover God's favour as Pharaoh he calls to have other plagues taken away but never begs to have the plague of his own heart taken away which was the greatest of all and far worse than all the other but this is the voice onely of nature and argues a graceless heart and that which the Lord as I said complains of Hos 6. 14. Vse 2. Of Exhortation Then when miseries and calamities do abide us let this be our Prayer let us with the Church and people of God here more especially and most earnestly beg and implore spiritual mercies that God would turn us again and cause his face to shine lift up upon us the light of his countenance vouchsafe us his grace and favour bless us in turning us from our iniquities let us be importunate for these ask them again and again and whatever outward evils or distresses may abide us these as you have heard will not only comfort and support us under them but more than countervail them When he giveth quietness who then can make trouble c if God be for us who can be against us Rom. 8. 31. You know what Philip said to our Saviour John 14. 8. Lord shew us the father and it sufficeth us So let but the Father shew us himself shine on us with his face vouchsafe us his favour and it sufficeth As the Lord said unto Paul and says to all his people 2 Corinth 12. 9. my grace is sufficient for thee though then Paul was in
blessing Gen. 32. 24. And Jacob was left alone this was on purpose and upon choice to wrestle with God by secret prayer and there Voluntariè remanserat solus precandi causa wrestled a man with him untill the breaking of the day This man was the Son of God appearing in the shape of a man called after and by the Prophet Hosea God and an Angel Est in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nam de Deo quasi de viro humanitus Scriptura loquitur Pareus Hosea 12. 3 4. And this strife was more spiritual with prayers and tears than corporal and it 's said v. 26. that the man said let me go for the day breaketh but Jacob said I will not let thee go except thou bless me Though Jacob was lam'd and so exceeding hard laid at yet Etiam luxatus laesus non cessat c. he will not let him go without a blessing v 27. And he said unto him what is thy name as if he had said Thou art such a man as I have scarce met with the like thou deservest a Title of Honour indeed and thou shalt have it who art such a Conquerour who thus not onely stirrest up thy self to take hold of me but hast prevailed over me v. 28. And he said thy name shall be called no more Jacob or not onely or not so much Jacob but Israel for as a Israel i. e. A Prince of God or one having Princely power with God Prince hast thou power with God and with men and hast prevailed See also Hosea 12. 3 4. he wept and made supplication to him c. So how earnest was Moses for pardon and forgiveness for the Israelites Exod. 32. 32. yet now if thou wilt forgive their sin an abrupt manner of speaking noting the earnestness of his prayer we may understand it shall be well and if not blot me I pray thee out of thy book which thou hast written The like we read of Paul Rom. 9. 3. and both shew their zeal for God's glory and earnestness for that which made so much for the weal of those they prayed for So Numbers 14. 18 19. Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy mercy and how earnest was he for God's presence Exod. 33. 15. If thy presence go not with me carry us not up hence for wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight is it not that thou goest with us c. Thus our Saviour tels us Math. 11. 12. That from the dayes of John the Baptist untill then the Kingdom of Heaven suffered violence and the violent took it by force What blessed days were these people then were resolv'd for heaven there was an heaven to be had and an heaven they would have what ever it cost them they did not stand saying shall we shall we as we do in these days but were firmely set and fixt for heaven By the Kingdom of heaven here we are to understand not onely heaven it self a Media illa per quae regio coeli pervenitur Tossan but what leads to it and fits for it as grace holiness righteousness c. and such forwardness and zeal was there then for these that they strove with greatest earnestness to procure them they took them by force as a Castle is taken by storm b Metaphora sumpta a castris vel ab arce quapiam quae irrumpentibus hostibus diripitur Beza they made a prey or prize of them nothing less would satisfie them as it is said of Luther that he protested he would not be put off with other things c Protestatus summè nolle sic satiari ab eo and it is said of Father Latimer that he so plied the Throne of Grace with this once again once again restore the Gospel to England as if he would have no nay at God's hands and he many times continued kneeling and knocking so long together that he was not able to rise up without help and Monica the mother of Austin was so earnest for his conversion that it was said it was impossible for a son of so many prayers and tears to perish And Epaphr as is said Coloss 4. 12. to labour fervently or to strive that is to press with greatest zeal and earnestness in his prayers for the Colossians that they might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God And thus the Citizens of Sion the true members of God's Church are described Psal 24. 6. This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face O Jacob. Selah or seek the face of Jacob that is of the God of Jacob so some supply others say God is pleased to stile himself by the name of Jacob being the God of Jacob and there being such a near union between him and his people as the Church is called Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. or this is Jacob these are the true children of Jacob and true Israelites indeed that herein imitate and resemble Jacob who so earnestly sought the Blessing So that the Saints formerly were so earnest in seeking the Lord and his face that from thence they were stiled a generation of Seekers such who having found God seek him yet again and seek him more and more and here there is still more of God to be found and therefore more to be sought till in heaven we come fully to enjoy him And these are the true Seekers indeed far and altogether different from some who have so stiled themselves in these later days they being no better indeed as one says than the Jesuites by-blows though they are not yet so wise as to know their own Father and an evill and an adulterous generation But these true members of the Church indeed they were such as still sought the Lord and his face with their whole hearts and greatest earnestness of desire Here are two distinct words in the Original and both denote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat quaerere diligenter et cum curâ c. Includit curam sollicitudinem diligentiam LXX reddiderunt verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 studiose quaesivit conatu et studio c. more than ordinary seeking the first signifies a very diligent search a laborious enquiry a strong desire to find what we seek and a kind of unquietness or restlesness till we find it As Psalm 132. 4. And the other word signifies also to seek studiously c. So that they sought and they sought earnestly and there was nothing that they sought nor desired more than God and his favour than communion with him and conformity to him And should not we seek them now as others have done formerly are they not as precious and have we not as much need of them now as ever nay by how much there are now clearer discoveries of them by so much the more earnestly should we seek them R. 3. Because the nature of
procured by dying Lord I will seek it and seek it to purpose intreat it as he says elsewhere with my whole heart Ps 119. 58. And truly we had never had them for seeking if Jesus had not purchased them by suffering never for begging if he had not purchased them by bleeding nor for crying if he had not purchased them by dying R. 9. Because this is the way to have them thus to seek them I mean with all earnestness with all our might with our whole hearts Thus Jacob obtained the blessing Gen. 32. 29. and he blessed him there Moses pardon and God's presence David clensing and the recovery of God's face and favour thus the woman of Canaan obtained the casting of the Devil out of her daughter thus Monica obtain'd the conversion of her son Austin c. The ears of the Lord are open to the cry of the righteous Psalm 34. 15. and James 5. 16. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much That 's the prayer that prevails that carries it the effectual fervent prayer There 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but one word in the Original but it is so sublime and Emphatical that Translations cannot reach the height of it The Greek properly signifies the working prayer and it signifies such a working as notes the earnestest and liveliest activity that can be the greatest force and vehemency of an earnest spirit and affection Excusso stupore torpore ardenter instanter cum fiducia câ—elum pulsemus compleamus clamoribus tum certò confidemus descensuram ad nos domini miserationem Winckelman in Luc. 11. Such a prayer that sets the whole man a work and all the graces a work heart a work and affections a work and faith a work repentance a work love a work c. that strongly presses and enforces as it were upon God and is not so much the labour of the lips but the travel of the heart These are the prayers that prevail when there is an heat and warmth in our spirits and our affections are fired by the holy Ghost and with gracious ascents flame up towards God when we pray a prayer not onely say a prayer and the holy Ghost makes intercession for Rom. 8. 26. us with sighs and groans that cannot be uttered The promise is made to such prayer Jerem. 29. 13. And ye shall seek me and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart Hosea 6. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord c. Prov. 2. 3. Yea if thou cryest after knowledg and liftest up thy voice for understanding v. 4. If thou seek her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures v. 5. Then thou shalt understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledg of God Psalm 81. 10. open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Thus it is wrestling in prayer that prevailes when there is such an holy impudency as it were as to take no denial this is a token for good indeed and to such God hath not said seek ye me in vain Luk 11. 8. I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth That which we translate Importunity is in the Original Impudence and so the Dutch read it nevertheless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his impudence sake because of his immodest persistance taking no denial It seems to be a Metaphor taken from a sort of Beggars that when they come to your doors will not be said without an Almes you can't get them gone do what you can speak them fair or foul all is one they will weary you out but they will have it and so at length get it and if an importunate impudent beggar gets from man how much more shall an humble daily importunate petitioner obtain from God to whom importunity is so acceptable and at no time unseasonable as yet it is to man v. 7. And he from within shall answer and say trouble me not the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed c. as if he should say Is there no time to come but now or is this a time to come Luther was exceeding frequent and fervenâ— in prayer one writes of him No day passes wherein Luther spendeth not three hours at leasâ— in prayer and once it fell out saith he that â— heard him good God what a spirit what a confidence was in his very expressions c. And would to God says Luther I could alway Utinam eodem ardore orare possem c. pray with a like ardour for then I had alwayâ— this answer Be it unto thee as thou wilt Thus to prevail in prayer the way is to be earnest and Fiat quod velis ardent in prayer it is ardency not eloquencâ— that carries it here Matth. 11. 12. and the violent take it by force i. e. they who with greaâ— earnestness and zeal seek after salvation they obtain it and onely they R. 10. Because when we thus seek them and obtain them we shall the more value them and with the more carefulness retain them by how much the more wrestlings we acquired them but lightly come lightly go When the Spouse Cant. 3. was at a loss for her beloved and she after earnest pursuits found him O how did she prize him and value him and how carefully retain him and would not let him go c. v. 4. I held him and would not let him go and so Mary her Master John 20. 16. O this is a mercy says the Soul that cost me many a sigh and many a groan and many a tear and much tugging and wrestling and therefore how singularly dear and precious is it to me and I can by no means part with it c. Vse 1. Are spiritual mercies thus to be sought with such earnestness fervently and frequently what shall we think of those then that in stead of seeking them thus scarce seek them at all O how many prayerless families and persons are there who call not on the name of the Lord and how sad is the state of such it cannot be exprest For 1. This is made the very badg and character of wicked men yea and of the very worst of wicked men Psalm 10. 4. The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God God is not in all his thoughts Psalm 14. 4. Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledg who eat up my people as they eat bread and call not upon the Lord Thus it was said of her that was filthy and polluted the oppressing city Zeph. 3. 1â— she drew not near to her God 2. Such are practical Atheists they live without God in the world yea they say in effect Psalm 14. 1. there is no God for if there be a God why do they not
tender affection and earnest desire of her son's welfare more than she could utter or express and therefore she several times repeats the same thing O he was her Son her most dear Son and therefore the Son of her vows the son of many prayers and probably tears * Cùm filium votorum nominet oftendit se non tantùm cum filio de piâ ejus educatione egisse sed Deo sine cujus auxilio irritus fuisset reliquus labor in precibus commendâsse c. Cartwritus in locum O let us pray for ours as Abraham did for his son Ishmael Gen. 17. 18. And Abraham said unto God O that Ishmael might live before thee not onely live but live before thee or live in thy sight live in thy face so it is in the Hebrew that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in conspectu tuo vel in facie tua is in the shinings of thy face in the light of thy countenance i. e. live and enjoy thy love thy favour find grace in thy eyes O that his soul may live that he may live not onely a natural a temporal but a spiritual and eternal life a blessed and happy life the life of grace and a life in thy favour here and then the life of glory hereafter And Abraham was very earnest and sollicitous for this O says he or O if i. e. I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Utinam Quaeso vocula optantis earnestly wish or I beseech thee I earnestly pray and intreat thee it is the voice of one wishing and earnestly desiring a thing O that Ishmael might live before thee And this Abraham speaks 1. not as slighting or rejecting Gods Videtur Abraham risu intercessione suâ pro Ismaele in quem valdè fuit intentus quasi abrupisse Dei orationem quam igitur v. 19. continuat c. promise concerning a son of Sarah as if he had said Having Ishmael I desire no more nor 2. as despairing of the promise as if he had said I should have but little hope if I had not more hope in Ishmael already born than the promised son yet to be born or how is it possible we should have a son at this age and therefore O that Ishmael might live c. It was not I say from hence nor upon these grounds that Abraham thus speaks for when the Lord had made that promise to him it is said v. 17. that Abraham fell upon his face he bowed himself and this he did not onely as expressing reverence Abraham audiens promissionem de semine ex Sarâ orituro eámque firmissimâ fide amplectens toto pectore laetatur haec non esse dubitantis sed certissimae fidei verba Paulus clarè testatur Rom. 4. Chytraeus in Gen. 17. 17. but shewing his thankfulness which was an evidence that he believed and highly valued and heartily embraced what God had promised and whereas it is said he laughed it was not from doubting or staggering at the promise through unbelief Rom. 4. 20. but as admiring the goodness of God in it not as judging it impossible or thinking it a fable but as overjoyed and even amazed at such welcom tidings it was not from distrust in God's power but out of admiration at God's favour And therefore this earnest wish of Abraham as concerning his son Ishmael that he might live in his sight it proceeded from Abraham's dear and fatherly affection toward Ishmael and his earnest desire of his weal so that his affections being suddenly moved with the thought of Ishmael they make him as it were forget other things to beg for him or as if he had said though I cannot well conceive how this should be that at this age I Bonus pater auditâ promissione de filio novo sollicitus est etiam de Ismaelis salute metuens fortè ne totus abjiciatur vitam ei precatur non modò naturalem sed potiùs felicem c. Pareus in locum should have a son yet I believe and gladly embrace the promise but however O that Ishmael might live before thee let not him O Lord be cast off nor be abandoned by thee but let him live in thy favour though I have a promise indeed of another Son yet I pray thee let it be well with this son also bind up his soul in the bundle of life let him live in thy love let him be an heir of grace here and an heir of glory hereafter Thus though Abraham did yeild to the promise yet he thus speaks as being very sollicitous for Ishmael that God would set his eyes In promislâ felicitate fratri conjungatur Junius and his heart upon him for good for the chief good for spiritual good eternal good for thus Interpreters generally carry it Though God promised more seed to him yea that his seed should be as the stars of heaven for number ch 15. 5. yet this does not remove nor take off his affection from one he had already but still his heart and endeared affections are towards him Quasi dicat peto et ejus haberi rationem ne abjiciatur vel pereat Pareus he knew not how to have any one of his abandoned of God but as if he had said Lord take care of him also that he be not cast off or perish Thus the affections and desires of this holy Patriarch were carried forth not in gathering riches or heaping up treasures for his son Affectus hic pii parentis in filium docet praecipuam parentum curam hanc esse debere pro liberis non ut colligant eis thesauros sed ut conservent commendent eos Deo püs precibus c. Pareus but in earnest prayers to God for his eternal good And this blessed example of his we should follow we should imitate so as to be very earnest and importunately sollicitous for the great concerns of our children for spiritual blessings for them special peculiar favours tender mercies bowels of mercy the blessings of the covenant the sure mercies of David that their souls may live that they may live in his sight in his face in the light of his countenance that as he hath granted them life so he would vouchsafe them his favour which is the life of our lives as Job speaks Job 10. 12. that he would turn them again and cause his face to shine on them and so they may be saved we should wrestle with the Lord that he would thus bless them and resolve with Jacob not to let him go till he so bless them and bless them all every one both small and great that so while some are taken Luke 17. 34 35. others may not be left but that those whom one house hath held one heaven may hold and that being all heirs of grace together here they may come to be all heirs of glory together hereafter that so hell may never be the fuller for any of ours for which of ours can we endure to
from him 1. There being no iniquity in him nor ever any injury done unto us by him What iniquity have your fathers Jer. 2. 5. Micah 6. 3. found in me O my people what have I done unto thee wherein have I wearied thee c. 2. There being no want of any good in him so that there is no need to go from him he being all-sufficient hence the Lord reasons the case with David when he had revolted and tels him I did so and so for thee and I gave such and such things to thee and if that had been too little 2 Sam. 12. 7. says the Lord I would moreover have given thee such and such things and wherefore then hast thou despised the commandement of the Lord c. what cause or ground was there for it what hast thou to say or what canst thou alledge So we find that the children of Israel disobeying the voice of the Lord the Angel of the Lord that is the Son of God he pleads with them I have done so and so for you why then Judges 2. 4. have ye done this and there being no true cause nor ground for it they answer with tears for it is said that they lift up their voice and wept 3. Can we mend or better our selves and who would change but for the better But to be sure if we go from God it will be for the worse When many that profest themselves the disciples of Christ went back and Christ said to John 6. 68. the twelve Will ye also go away you know what Simon Peter answered the Lord To whom should we go thou hast the words of eternal life As if he had said Lord where can we mend our selves to whom shall we go to be better This was the Argument that Samuel made use of to keep the people from turning aside to follow the Lord. And turn ye not aside for then should you go after 1 Sam. 12. 21. vain things which cannot profit nor deliver for they are vain It is as if a man for warmth should go from the Sun to the shade or for water from the fountain to the broken cistern or from the spring to the puddle or as if a man for fresh air should leave the open field and sweet refreshing gales in a garden to go to a smoaky cottage But my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit and they Jer. 2. 11. are gone far from me and walked after vanity Will a man leave the pleasant cooling snow of Jer. 18. 14. mount Lebanon for a dry bare rock of of the field or shall the cool flowing waters be forsaken 4. Let 's consider what respect God has for such as abide with him and turn not aside from him Noah was upright in his generation and Gen. 6. 8. walked with God when all flesh had corrupted their way and it is said Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. So my servant Caleb because Numb 14. 24 he had another spirit with him and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the Land c. And ye are they says Christ which have continued Luke 22. 28 29. with me in my temptations and I appoint unto you a kingdom c. Rev. 3. 5. 5. What a comfort will this be in the evil day and at the hour of death if we have not turned back from God as it has been to the people of God formerly Ps 44. 17 18 19. Job 23. 11 12. and Is 38. 3. c. 6. The Lord doth not turn away our prayers nor himself nor his mercy from us and why Psal 66. 20. Jer. 32. 40. should we turn away from him yea he hath made an everlasting covenant with us that he will not turn away from us to do us good c. 7. If ever he do turn away from us for a time it is not till we first turn away from him He is first in coming but last in going he is ever with us while we are with him as the Prophet told Asa 2 Chron. 15. 2. but if we forsake him and turn away from him he will turn away from us yea against us as the Church complains Lam. 3. 3. Surely against me is he turned he turneth his hand against me all the day 2. Let us be 1. vigilant and very circumspect else if we be careless negligent and secure we shall be in great danger to miscarry 1 Cor. 10. 12. wherefore let him that thinketh he stands take heed lest he fall None are likelier to fall than such as are most self confident and secure and therefore let us carry a holy jealousie continually over our selves how many caveats have we in Scripture to this purpose Matth. 26. 41. Luke 21. 36. Heb. 3. 12. c. 3. Let us be much in prayer that the Lord would keep us for if he leave us we shall soon Jude 24. leave him Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling c. he alone is able and therefore we must watch and pray both c. 4. Let us remember and urge the Lord with his promise viz. that he will put his fear in our Jer. 32. 40. 3. 19. hearts that we shall not depart from him and that we shall not turn away from him 5. Let us exhort one another daily c. This the Apostle prescribes as a good help to keep us from departing from God Take heed brethren Hebr. 3. 12 13. lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin and Heb. 10. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together but exhorting one another c. 6. Let us in the strength of Christ and begging help of God take up strong settled and sincere resolutions of heart to cleave to the Lord and to continue and abide with him who ever turn aside from him as Joshua but as for me and my house we will serve the Lord this that Joshua 24. 15. good man Barnabas exhorted those to that believed and turned to the Lord that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord. And when Acts 11. 23. at any time we have or do turn aside as we are very prone to do let us never rest till we return again as these here how earnest are they upon this they thrice importune Turn us again c. O should not a people return to their God the spouse to her husband children to their father The Prodigal as soon as ever he came to himself Luke 15. 17 18. he resolves I will arise and go to my father Turn O back-sliding children saith the Lord Jer. 3. 14. why for I am married unto you And it can never be well with us indeed till we do this he being the rest
and true and proper center and Ps 116. 7. chief good of the Soul Return unto thy rest O my Soul c. he is our utmost and ultimate good so that the soul hath no further to go when once it is come to him but is as the stone when it is come to the earth which is its center But as for all else there is still something beyond them but nothing beyond God and therefore it was well thought of of those that resolved to go and return to their first husband for then Hosea 2. 7. was it better with them than now and if we return to him he hath promised to heal our backslidings Return ye back-sliding children and I Jer. 2 27. will heal your back-slidings pardon the backslidings past and prevent them for the future And who would not say as they behold we come come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Doctr. 3. The Lord is the God of hosts All creatures are as it were his hosts his armies under his power and at his command and absolute dispose to imploy as he pleases as souldiers under their General and the Lord hath his hosts above and his hosts beneath and all at his beck and this is a title often given to God we have it four times in this Psalm yea Zach. 1. 3. thrice in one verse Thus saith the Lord of hosts turn ye unto me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of hosts and it is an attribute that sets forth God's allmighty power soveraignty and greatness Vse 1. Let us then fear him Let all the earth fear him let all the inhabitants of the world stand Psalm 33 8. in awe of him why he is the Lord of hosts The charets of God are twenty thousand even 68. 17. thousands of Angels the Lord is among them c. Who would not fear thee O King of Nations for to thee doth it appertain c. And fear ye not me saith the Lord O thou even thou art Jerem. 10. 7-5 22. to be feared c. Psalm 76. 7. Use 2. Take we heed then how we provoke him we are no match for him Do we provoke 1 Cor. 10. 22. the Lord says the Apostle are we stronger than he can we wage war with him or carry it against him What King says our Saviour going to make war against another King sitteth 〈◊〉 â— 31. not down first and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand c. In the 2 Chron. 14. 9. we ' read there of a very great host an host of a thousand thousand and three hundred charets but how great is God's host whose are all the hosts in heaven and earth and whose charets are twenty thousand c. and therefore Ps 4. 4. stand in awe and sin not provoke him not or if we do let us not stand it out but presently Ezek. 22. 14. submit for can thine heart says God indure or can thy hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee Use 3. See here the way to have the creatures Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia at peace with us it is to have the Lord whose hosts and armies they are and who is their General at peace with us Use 4. Let his people then trust in him Ps 84. 120. O Lord of Hosts blessed is the man that trusteth in thee c. Use 5. Let this in their addresses unto him strengthen their faith and incourage their hope as to what they go to him for as it did theirs here O what cannot the Lord God of hosts do and effect for his people c. Use 6. Let this prevail with us all to repent and turn to him because he is the Lord of hosts because of his Almighty power Soveraignty and greatness And this he himself makes use of as Zach. 1. 3. an argument thereunto Therefore say unto them Quod toties repetit Propheta nomen Dei emphaticum est ut scilicet doctrina acriâ—s pungat Calvin thus saith the Lord of hosts turn ye unto me saith the Lord of Hosts and I will turn unto you saith the Lord of Hosts Surely there is much in this to back and enforce this duty that the Lord makes use of it thrice in one verse Shall we not turn when such a God commands who being the Lord of hosts is so able to save us and succour us and do us good if we do repent and turn to him or to punish and destroy us if we do not Lo it is he that formeth the mountains Amos 4. 13. that createth the wind c. the Lord the God of hosts is his name Doctr. 4. The Lord God of hosts is he and he alone that can turn a people again unto himself That can turn them at first and turn them again being turn'd aside and therefore to him and him alone do these here address themselves both for turning those that were never yet turn'd as also for turning of those again Deus converte nos aversi enim sumus à te nisi in convertas non convertemur August in locum that were turned but had gone aside Turn us again O Lord God of hosts Thus they pray as being sensible of their own and others utter disability for to turn them without the Lord and therefore they apply themselves to him conversion being no less than the work of an Allmighty power of an omnipotent God even of him who stretcheth forth the heavens and layeth the foundations of the earth whose name is the Lord God of Hosts He must first turn to us as the Church prays O turn thy self to us again Psalm 60. 1. before we can turn to him he must first turn to us by his grace and powerful operation of his Spirit before we can turn to him by repentance We can easily indeed and of our selves turn away from God we are bent and prone to this and sin and Satan and the world and every vanity can easily do this but the Lord God of hosts can onely turn us again This indeed is the great work and business of us who are Ministers to endeavour this but we can never effect this without the Lord. 2 Kings 6. 27. As that King of Israel answered the woman that cried to him for help if the Lord do not help whence shall I help thee 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance We return and repent but grace power and ability to do it is from God Acts 11. 21. And the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. Paul shewed unto them of Damascus and at all places where he came that they should repent and turn to God but it was God enabled them thereto Acts 26. 20. Hence says
Ephraim Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I smote on my thigh c. Jer. 31. 19. So Lam. 5. 21. Turn thou us unto thee O Lord and we shall be turned c. Use 1. See what folly then it is to procrastinate and put off repentance as if it was in our own power to repent and turn when we pleased whereas it is in God's power alone and therefore as the holy Ghost saith to day if you Heb. â— 7 8. will hear his voice harden not your hearts c. Vse 2. Let this make us the more careful how we turn aside from God because though we of our selves can turn away from him he onely can turn us again to him Use 3. As ever then we would that our selves or ours should be turn'd again let us apply our selves to him as these do here turn us again O Lord God of Hosts I have gone astray says Ps 119. 176. David like a lost sheep seek thy servant c. We can lose our selves but we must have recourse to God to reduce us and fetch us home O Lord I know the way of man is not in himself it is not Jer. 10. 23. in man that walketh to direct his steps and therefore let us cry with Ephraim Turn thou me O Jer. 3. 18. Lord and I shall be turned c. Vse 4. Then when we are turned again see here to whom to ascribe it and to whom to give the praise and glory of it even to the Lord God of hosts It is his work he has done it and none else but he could do it and therefore let him have the glory of it alone Doctr. 5. When the Lord turns a people again to himself he causes his face to shine He manifests his favour and shews himself gracious and propitious for these two are here joyned together Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine And this latter may be considered either as the efficient or as that which as an effect follows upon the former or as both So that when the Lord turns a people or a person to himself 1. he does cause his face to shine and 2. when he has turn'd a people again to himself he will cause his face to shine that is he will more and more cause it to shine more and more manifest his favour and to both these I shall speak something briefly 1. He then does cause his face to shine when he turns them again to himself he then remembers them with the favour that he bears Cùm convertit faciem suam Deus ad nos nos respiciâ— tum ad eum convertimur to his people and lifts up upon them the light of his countenance saving conversion being a blessed effect and happy fruit thereof and it being his special favour and grace that puts him upon it I will heal saith the Lord their back-slidings Hosea 14. 4. and whence will he do it what puts him Poenitentia est effectus gratiae fluentis à dilectione Dei in filio Dei fundatâ Pareus in locum upon it his love I will love them freely for his anger is turned away from him We are bid to seek God's face to seek his favour and such have found it and the Lord hath dealt very graciously with them but it is not thus as to the things of the world they in their very quintessence and though in their greatest confluence do not simply of themselves speak God's love and favour no but for all them though in never so great abundance men may be under God's frowns and have none of his favour but hatred and abhorrence for God's heart here does not always go along with his hand God's giving hand and his gracious favourable accepting hand are two distinct things and so is his permissive and his promissive approving Providence Men Ex largitate non ex promisso may have Quails and wrath the daintiest viands and vengeance coin and the curse heap Num. 11. 33. Psalm 33. 7. up wealth and worldly treasures have more than heart could wish and yet be under God's sorest Zach. 1. 15. displeasure I am very sore displeased with the Irâ magnâ irascor heathen that are at ease God's bringing these things abundantly into mens hands is no argument nor intimation of the love of his heart The tabernacles of Robbers prosper and they that Job 12. 6. provoke God are secure into whose hand God bringeth abundantly Ps 73. 12. Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches c. and yet such whom God hates and abhors Psalm 12. 5. But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth and Psalm 5. 5. Thou hatest all workers of iniquity and God is angry with the wicked every day Ps 7. 11. So that these things are no sign of God's favour neither in any or all of them does his face shine or is the light of his countenance lift up but now saving conversion and God's turning of a man again to himself this ever speaks God's favour and the shine of his face and the lifting up upon him the light of his countenance and though such a one may have but little of these things in his hand this is a sure intimation to him of the love of God's heart and this makes the little though it be never so little that such a one hath better than Boni nunquam in statu malo nam illis vel ipsa mala vertuntur in bonum mali contra nunquam in statu bono quia iis vel ipsa bona vertuntur in malum Gryâ—â—ous the riches of many wicked Ps 37. 16. for better says Solomon is a dinner of herbs where love is than a stalled Oxe and hatred therewith Prov. 15. 17. And this makes it that it can never be ill with a godly man how little soever he have of these things because he has still God's love and that it can never be well with a wikced man how much soever he has of these things because he has ever God's hatred therewith and the evil things of the one being turn'd into good and the good things of the other being turn'd into evil Ps 25. 10. Rom. 8. 28. Ps 69. 22. Pro. 1. 32. 2. The Lord will cause his face to shine yea more and more to shine on a people or person that he turns again to himself For 1. it is his promise so to do to be gracious and to manifest his favour to such Job 33. 23. If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness the Hebrew his rectitude that is what is right and straight viz. to repent and turn to God Dutch read it to declare unto man his right duty as indeed conversion and true turning to God it is our duty and it is a right
Zach. 1. 3. the Lord of Hosts turn ye unto me and I will turn unto you For them to turn to him repentingly and for him to turn to them graciously these two do the work as to their weale they turn all evil away from them and set all good a coming towards them the sanctifying grace of God renewing and his accepting grace graciously receiving the sincerity of a peoples repentance and the serenity of God's countenance the effectual working of God's grace and the favourable shining of his face this is the very way for a people to be saved and this I shall illustrate in several particulars 1. This is the right way the true and proper way for a people to be sav'd It is said of Ezra 8. 21. Ezra that he proclaimed a fast c. to seek of the Lord a right way for them and their little ones and all their substance and here 's that right way indeed for us and ours and others for all for our little ones and all our substance for all we have or enjoy and if the Lord delight in us as Joshua and Caleb said of the Land of Numb 14. 8. Canaan he will bring us into this way which he who is just and right yea the most upright prescribes and surely were we our selves and in our right minds we would betake our selves to this as the onely right way of all our weal and happiness 2. It is a sure soveraign way a prevalent way an effectual way it never fails nor falls short and that let a peoples present state and condition be what it will seem it never so sad and desperate yet if the Lord do but turn them again and cause his face to shine they shall be saved yea they cannot but be saved as these undoubtedly here do promise to themselves 3. It is an experienc'd way a well prov'd and tried way a way that hath many probatum est's upon it for never was there people or person that God did indeed turn to himself and cause his face to shine upon but they were saved Niniveh that great city was within 40 days to have been destroyed But God seeing their works Jonah 3. 3. â—â— that they turn'd from their evil way he repented of the evil that he had said he would do unto them and he did it not and although the children of Israel forsaking the Lord and serving other Gods the Lord tels them that he would deliver them no more but bids them go and cry unto the Gods that they had chosen c. yet they Judg. 10. 13 14 15 16. putting away the strange Gods from among them and serving the Lord his soul was grieved for their misery And what an ill case do we find Israel to be in 2 Chron. 15. 3. it is said that for a long season they had been without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law and yet v. 4. when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord and sought him he was found of them So God hearing Ephraim to bemoan himself Jer. 31. 18 19 20. 21. and to repent his bowels are troubled for him or earns towards him as the mothers towards her child and now I will surely says the Lord have mercy on him and now he must think of and prepare for his return Set thee up way-marks c. So in Hosea 14. the Lord there bids Israel take with them words and turn Hosea 14. 1 2 to the Lord and say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously and then they resolve so will we render the calves of our lips that is the spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving and such indeed shall have cause for it cannot but be well with them Thus whatever proofs whatever assays have been made in this kind whether formerly or lately they have done they have been found effectual as to a peoples being saved and never was it yet known that ever a people or a person truly turning again unto God and being graciously received of him did miscarry let any produce an instance if they can Look as he being wise in heart and mighty in strength none ever hardned Job 9. 4. themselves against him and prosper'd so he being great in kindness and rich in mercy none ever turn'd to him but were saved 4. This is the way to be saved in mercy so to be saved as to be blest with Salvation as the Lord promises to his people as concerning peace Psalm 29. 11. that he will bless them therewith It is one thing to have peace and salvation and deliverance and mercies and another thing to be blest with them and to have them in mercy and as mercies and this latter is the greater many have these but few are blest with these but when God so saves a people as to turn them again and cause his face to shine then they are sav'd in mercy so as to be blest with their being saved I speak now of temporal salvation then in love to their souls God delivers them as it is said of Hezekiah Is 38. 17. And they are not so saved as afterward to be destroyed as it is said of the people that the Jude 4. Lord sav'd out of the land of Egypt that afterward he destroyed them that believed not 5. This is the way to be sav'd universally and that in a threesold respect 1. which way soever we take or understand being saved For this word saved is very comprehensive and of large extent denoting not onely the privative part of happiness though that most properly as freedom from enemies and evils of all sorts but the positive also as the fruition of all good and hence is it here variously read and rendred we read it we shall be saved others blessed happy or it shall be well with us and all things Servabimur salvi erimus beati verè felices omnia nobis feliciter cedent vivemus regnabimus nec ullo bono destitueemur shall happily succeed to us or we shall be safe and secure and in a good case and condition we shall live and raign and want no good thing And now which way soever we take or understand it or which way soever we read or render it this here reaches and takes in all and all follow upon this God's turning us again and causing his face to shine and when he is pleas'd to do this to vouchsafe these we may write under it what ever we will that tends indeed to our weal and makes for our good 2. This is the way to have all saved Kingdom saved Nation saved Church saved Court saved City saved Countrey saved Towns Families persons our selves ours others our relations our little ones to have bodies saved souls religion lives liberties estates gospel or whatever else is neer or dear to us 3. This is the way to be saved with all manner and kinds of salvation and from all
Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and return and I will heal your back-slidings So Turn to the Lord your Joel 2. 13 14. God for he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and who knoweth if he will return and repent and leave a blessing behind him c. And Let the wicked forsake his way Isaiah 55. 7 8. and the unrighteous his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy on Nemo se curandum praebeat qui contemptui non compassioni se medico suo putat futurum him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon for my thoughts are not your thoughts c. And so in many places besides and also in the New Testament the promise of grace and pardon and salvation is propounded as the great motive and means and cause of Repentance i. e. as apprehended and received and how can that be but by faith Repent ye for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand and Repent ye and be converted Matth. 3. 2. 4. 17. that your sins may be blotted out c. And hence true repentance may be thus described that it is An Evangelical or Gospel-saving grace whereby a believing sinner or a sinner upon the apprehension and perswasion of the mercy of Acts 3. 19. God in Christ to such as are penitent so grieves and humbles himself for his sins as that he turns from them to the Lord for where there are nothing but apprehensions of wrath and displeasure there can be no true saving Evangelical conversion 4. It must be such a turning as hath joyn'd with it shame and even confusion of face for what the sinner turns from for what he hath been and done for the sins he hath committed And thus it was with Ephraim when he repented and turn'd to God indeed as himself acknowledges Surely after that I was turned I repented that Jer. 31. 19. is God working in me by a spirit of conversion I also cooperated by and with his grace having a lively sorrow for my sin and a striving after newness of life and now my heart was in another frame and my life in another way then before And after I was instructed saw and understood and consider'd how it was with me what I had been and what I had done I smote upon my thigh I was much moov'd troubled and griev'd and not onely so but I was ashamed yea confounded Thus it was when he was turn'd and repented indeed because says he I did bear the reproach of my youth of those sins and excesses and miscarriages of my youth these much dear'd me and exceedingly sham'd me as they will do others when they come to repent indeed O that sin and Satan and the world and vanity should have the prime and flower of their age and the best and first of their days and that in their very strength and vigour when they were best able to do him service they should do him least nay be unserviceable and serve the Devil and their lusts And what a shameful thing is this and how can the sinner but blush when he comes to be sensible of it Pudor est affectus qui nascitur ob aliquam turpitudinem c. P. Martyr Shame and confusion of face is that which arises from doing shameful things from doing what is unworthy unseemly vile even against common principles so from doing that of which comes no fruit or benefit but hurt rather as also from having hopes frustrated c. and all these fall in with sin What a vile and unworthy thing is it that God should be left for the creature the fountain of living waters for broken cisterns that can hold no water that happiness it self should be forsaken for misery all sufficiency for indigency and vanity and the Lord of life and glory for vile lusts and leasing c. There is a natural affection of shame which appears in the countenance by blushing when any thing is done amiss and is to be cherisht especially in young ones so as to be as a bridle to keep off from what is matter of shame so it grow not to excess but then there is a holy and gracious shame which is a concomitant of Repentance and conversion causing trouble and grief and debasing of the soul before God and this hath been still found among true Converts Thus Ezra 9. 6. Ezra I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God c. So the Lord tells Jerusalem Then shalt thou remember thy wayes and be ashamed Ezek. 16. 61. 36. 31. c. And ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities c. And this Sancti viri semper dolent erubescunt de admissis peccatis Pet. Martyr hath such an affinity with repentance that it is sometimes put for Repentance What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed that is whereof ye now repent and from which ye are converted for the end of those things is death and therefore well might they be ashamed of such things in which not onely there was no profit but which tended to so much hurt even to their own ruine and destruction And thus it is with all true converts however before they bore themselves up and set a good face on their sins yet now being enlightned and come to themselves and their right minds they are ashamed And if this be to repent and be converted how few Converts are there in these days and how far are such from it who go on in their sins without shame which is an heavy aggravation of them It is best not to do what is matter of shame but having done it not to be ashamed doubles it and it is that the Lord much complains of Thou had'st a whores forehead thou refusedst to he ashamed And Jerem. 3. 3. 6. 15. were they ashamed when they had committed abominatoon nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush they would not blush and at length they were so hardened they could not blush This the Lord complains of again Jer. 8. 12. and again in Isaiah 3. 9. The shew of their countenance doth witness against them and they declare their sin as Sodom they hide it not they are bold brazen-fac'd impudent Illum ego periisse dico cui periit pudor Salust they care not who sees or knows their sin they glory even in their shame And this is too too much the guise of England this day which does so much aggravate our sin and augment our guilt and is exceeding sad and bodes exceeding ill Our filthiness as was said of Jerusalem Lament 1. 9. is in our skirts it is not hid but open obvious apparent and I have not found it says the Jerem. 2. 34. Lord by secret search or by digging
first calling and bringing home to God and then there is an after or progressive which is the continuation and going on forward in the first throughout the whole course of our lives and where this after does not succeed the first was never sincere Indeed at our first conversion we are turn'd to God but by our continuing the same we are turn'd more and more till we return to that state in which 2 Cor. 3. 18. we once were and that is not till death and therefore this turning is a continued act and daily exercise all this life And there is indeed matter enough to hold our repentance work all our lives both in regard of the sin of our natures hearts and lives our daily infirmities which as we daily renew so are we to renew our repentance and to persevere and continue therein to the end so as not to turn aside again from God and his ways to the crooked ways of sin nor from the holy commandement for it had 2 Pet. 2. 20. 21 22. been better for such not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandement delivered to them and the latter end with them is worse than the beginning Not but that the best Converts have their slips and falls their deviations and wanderings here for in many thins we offend all James 3. 2. Galath 6. 1. and are sometimes overtaken in a fault c. but it is not habitual though they may fall and go astray they get up again and turn into the way the high-way of the upright is to depart from evil A Sheep may fall into the mire but Prov. 16. 17. does not as a Swine wallow therein an ordinary habitual customary turning away or turning aside from God to the crooked ways of sin is inconsistent with true conversion and such as do so God says his soul shall have no pleasure in Hebr. 10. 38. Psal 125. 5. them but he will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity And thus I have now shewn you more particularly what kind and manner of turning that is which is so effectual as to a peoples being saved And now I shall proceed to the second thing I propounded to do which is to give you the Reasons why for God so to turn a people again and cause his face to shine is the onely way of their being sav'd CHAP. VIII The Reasons and Grounds of the point THat for God to turn a people again and cause his face to shine is their onely way to be saved appears R. 1. Because this is the way which the Church and people of God here betake themselves to They earnestly desire to be saved that though it was ill with them at present that yet it might be well with them for the future And what do they do what way do they go what course do they take to effect this why this they do they earnestly intreat again and again that the Lord God of Hosts would turn them again and cause his face to shine Surely had there been any other more effectual way of their weal they would have made use of it but they as inspir'd by God betaking themselves to this and being so importunate for this this must needs be the onely soveraign and most effectual way thereof R. 2. Because this is the way which others also have betaken themselves to as the Church in the very close of the Lamentations Turn thou us Lam. 5. 21. unto thee O Lord say they and we shall be turned renew our dayes as of old that is vouchsafe us thy favour again and so by doing these for us change our present sad condition into that happy state our fathers formerly enjoyed Thus in this way they seek their weal and so elsewhere Turn us O God of our salvation and Psalm 85. 4. 67. 1. cause thine anger towards us to cease and God be merciful to us and bless us but how would they be blest and cause thy face to shine upon us Wherein they plainly allude to the manner of blessing prescrib'd by God himself to Aaron Numb 6. 23. Jerem. 31. 18. So Ephraim Turn thou me c. And thus Moses sought the weal of Israel Psal 90. 13. Return O Lord how long c. and v. 14. O satisfy us dearly with thy mercy that is thy favour thy loving kindness for so the same word is rendered elsewhere as 63. 3. Because Benignitate tuâ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy loving kindness is better than life c. that we may rejoyce and be glad all our days and v. 17. Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us or loveliness some read the pleasantness or Jucunditas Domini pleasing look that is his amiable favour and grace let the Lord our God love us and delight in us let that beauty be upon us which shines in his favour The face is the seat of beauty and love shining in God's face is his beauty upon us By this expression says Calvin upon the place we may gather how incomparable a thing the love and favour of God is David was often under sore tryals and afflictions and what does he still crave for his succour and relief and that he might be sav'd it was God's favour Psalm 4. 6. 31. 16. 119. 132 135. c. that he would make his face to shine upon him and lift up upon him the light of his countenance R. 3. Because this is the way which the Lord himself who knows best what tends to his peoples weal prescribes and invites them to as the onely soveraign way thereof As in that known place Hos 14. 1 2. which contains in it the very way and platform of a peoples weal and being saved O Israel return unto the Lord Hosea 14. thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity The Lord here minds Israel how ill his iniquities had dealt with him how they had even overthrown him and laid him low made his condition exceeding sad this is all he got by them and yet the Lord would have it well with him again and that it might be so what does he advise him it is to return unto him as Continet haec supplicatio unicam consequendae salutis viam viz. si Deus auferat peccata c. Pareus the fountain of all his happiness and welfare and bids them as it follows v. 2. Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity and receive us graciously c. This the Lord prescribes himself as the onely way of their weal as if the Lord had said It is ill indeed with you at present but if you would have it well with you then do thus and say this turn to the Lord and say unto him and say it not onely with your lips but with the ferventest Non ore tantùm sed intimo cordis
7. 21. 6. of joy I hou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time when their corn and wine increased for thou hast made him most blessed for ever thou hast made him exceeding glad with thy countenance it makes exceeding happy and exceeding glad It is the greatest cheerer the choicest cordial for thy love is better and we Cant. 1. 2 4. will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy love more than wine 8. It is glory it is our honour and exaltaion For thou art the glory of their strength and Psalm 89. 17. 148. 14. in thy favour our horn shall be exalted he also exalteth the horn of his people he and his favour whose name alone is excellent and whose v. 13. glory is above the earth and heaven And who should or what should exalt his people if not God and his favour It is a crowning mercy who crowneth thee with loving kindness and Psalm 103. 4. tender mercies the favour of God the loving kindness of God and those special peculiar tender mercies which flow from his very bowels as it were from his tender intimate and affectionate love these crown these are our honour and ornament With favour wilt thou compass 5. 12. him as with a shield the Hebrew is crown him And so the Dutch and others read it thou shalt crown him with thy favourableness or well Ut scuto voluntate coronabis eum pleasing complacency as with a target as with a buckler with favourable acceptation thou wilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coronabis crown him Not only does glory life and immortality crown hereafter but the love and favour of God crowns here yea all the Gold and Gems and Rubies and richest and preciousest stones in the world set and compos'd together can never make such a Crown for the head as the favour of God puts upon the soul With favour wilt thou crown him In the 2 Sam. 12. 30. we read there of a Crown the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones which according to the weight of the Sanctuary weighed above an hundred pound but according to the ordinary talent above fifty four pound but the Crown of Gods favour exceeds it and excels it Thus the favour of God is not only Shield and Buckler but Crown also yea 't is any thing every thing that is truly excellent comfortable and commodious and that his people stand in need for it to be unto them But thou O Lord art a shield for me my glory Psalm 3. 3. Isa 28. 5. and the lifter up of my head In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory and for a diadem of beauty unto the residue of his people c. As he said to Paul his grace is sufficient 2 Cor. 12. 9. Favor Dei auxilium spiritus sancti á favore isto proveniens for us or enough for us and is all in all to us his accepting grace and his helping and sustaining grace his favour and what flows therefrom 4. It covers and silences all that God has against his people So that though his people may have many failings which oppose their weal and might be matter of plea against them yet God shining on them with his face he passes them by and silences all in his love for love even in us covers multitudes of sins how much more 1 Pet. 4. 8. Prov. 10. 12. Zeph. 3. 17. God's love The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty he will save he will rejoice over thee with joy he will rest in his love that is as some render it he will take satisfaction and contentment in loving thee in the affection he bears to thee But the Hebrew is as is noted in the Silebit propter dilectionem suam obmutescet in amore suo Margent he will be silent in his love or because of his love that is he will bear with thy infirmities and pass them by without manifesting any displeasure for them his love shall answer all objections against thee so that thy frailties shall not be charged upon thee but born with The Hebrew signifies also to be dumb or deaf and some render it he shall be dumb in his love or deaf that is to speak after the manner of men his ear shall not hear nor his mouth utter any accusations against thee so as to reject thee though he may humble thee he will quiet himself in his love when his anger is ready to be stirr'd he will pass over many things and as it were wink at them because he loves thee as the tender-hearted loving husband does as to his dear wife the loving father or mother as to her dear child So Hosea 14. 4. I will heal their back-sliding and whence I will love them freely for my anger is turn'd away from him and Micah 7. 19. He will turn again i. e. in mercy and loving kindness he will manifest his love he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea drown them in the ocean of his love Psalm 85. 1 Thou hast been favourable unto thy Land and then v. 2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sin CHAP. IX The Application of the point and first in general by way of Information or inference IS it the onely way for a people to be saved for Use 1. of Information or inference God to turn them again and cause his face to shine as hath been abundantly made good then there are several truths that this point doth inform us of and instruct us in and several things from hence are deducible and may be inferr'd As 1. That then there is a way for a people to be saved and that let their present state and condition be what it will be it never so sad though as sad as this peoples was here whose prayer God had seemed to be angry with a great while v. 4 5 6 12 13 yea and had fed them with bred of tears and given them tears to drink in great measure made them a strife unto their neighbours and their enemies laught among themselves yea though God had planted them as his vine yet now he had broken down her hedges so that all they who passed by the way did pluck her The bore out of the wood did wast it and the wild beast out of the field devoured it yea all God's former mercies were now turned into judgments and yet were a peoples condition as sad as theirs here yea sadder yet there is a way for them to be saved yea let God but turn them again and cause his face to shine and they shall be saved Thus whatever are a peoples sicknesses or sores there is a salve whatever their maladies there is a remedy whatever is their case there is a way of
cure If I shut up heaven says the Lord that there be no rain or if I command the Locusts to 2 Chron. 7. 13. devour the Land or if I send pestilence among my people that is whatever judgments I inflict on a people for under these are comprised all other if v. 14. my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves c. So if they shall confess their iniquity c. and their uncircumcised hearts be humbled c. At what instant I shall Levit. 26. 40. Jer. 18. 7 8. speak concerning a nation and concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy it If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their evil I will repent of the evil I thought to do unto them Is there says the Prophet no balm in Gilead is there no Physician Jer. 8. 22. there Gilead was a place where there was plenty of Balm and it was famous for the soveraignest Balsams for from thence they were wont to be transported into other countreys and there were also store of skilful Physicians and therefore it was strange and matter of wonder indeed that Balm and Physicians should fail and not be had there But admit there should be no Balm no not in Gilead yet is there Balm with God and that all Physicians fail on earth yet is there a Physician in heaven who whatever are a peoples maladies if he do but undertake the cure will be sure to bring remedy Psalm 60. 11. 68. 20. who gives help from trouble when vain is the help of man and unto whom belong the issues from death For we have no might against this great 2 Chr. 20. 12. company that cometh against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee who yet canst help us and save us from above though no help nor way of salvation appears from beneath Thus there is a way for a people to be saved whatever is their case and truly this is a great mercy and that the Lord is pleased also to point a people to it when their case hath been exceeding deplorable and seem'd almost desperate as Joel 2. in the first chapter and the former part of the second what sore and terrible judgments had God threatned and yet v. 12. Therefore also now saith the Lord turn ye even to me c. So Return thou back-sliding Israel saith Hos 14. 1. the Lord c. Who says the Lord would set the briars and thorns against me in battel I would Jer. 3. 12. go through them I would burn them together Or let him take hold of my strength that he may Isa 27. 4 5. make peace with me and he shall make peace with me How desperate seemed Ninivehs condition Jonah 3. 4. yet forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed and yet there was a remedy and they betaking themselves to it are saved And as it is with people so with a particular person and as in regard of their miseries so their iniquities as Shechaniah said We have trespassed against our God and have taken strange wives of the people of the Land directly against God's express Law Dent. 7. 3. yet now there is hope in Israel Ezra 102. concerning this thing our case is not desperate but we may yet be brought to repentance and pardoned Behold thou art wroth for we have sinned in these is continuance that is in those Isa 64. 5. ways of grace and mercy thou art still the same and if thou pleasest thus still to shew and manifest thy self we shall be saved So wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings c. Isai 1. 16 18. and then Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wool These were the deepest Dies implying whatever their sins were though never so great yet upon their repentance they should be graciously and fully pardoned Let Israel hope in the Lord for with Ps 130. 7. the Lord there is mercy and with him is plenteous redemption and he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities There is a way for the wicked and most unrighteous man to be saved which the Lord calls and invites him to Let the wicked Isaiah 55. 7. forsake his way and the unrighteous man his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et vir iniquitatis thoughts Hebr. The man of iniquity or made up as it were of iniquity or the man of wrong or vexation as some render it one word signifies both that hath so much wrong'd not onely his own soul but God vexed his holy and good Spirit yet there is a way for such a one to be saved Let him but forsake his way and his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Hebr. he will multiply to pardon So that his pardons shall infinitely exceed his sins there shall be pardons and to spare as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superabundavit plus quà m abundavit supermultiplicata est Paul expresses it 1 Tim. 1. 14. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant or redundant superabundant more than enough or as it were overfull enough and to spare it abounded to flowing over as the Sea doth above Mole-hills And because we are ready to be measuring God by our selves and to think this cannot be done because we cannot do it we cannot our selves pass by so many and great provocations and therefore how should God hence God foreseeing our low conceits of him he answers v. 8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord v. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts 2. If this be the onely way for a people to be saved this lets us see in what an unlikely way and posture we of this Nation are at this day to be saved And O that we had hearts to bewail it I am sure we have cause even to have rivers of waters to run down our eyes as they did Ps 119. 136. Jer. 9. 1. Davids and to wish with the Prophet Jeremy Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night c. and to say as the Prophet Isaiah Isa 22. 4. Look away from me I will weep bitterly labour not to comfort me c. For are we turned again to the Lord or do we turn from our sins Surely as to the generality of people amongst us nothing less no nor yet though God hath inflicted upon us so many sore and heavy judgments such as scarce have been heard of nor have been in our days nor in our fathers days before us
such a wasting pestilence and such devouring flames and many other judgments and yet such of us as have been spar'd and were pull'd as fire-brands out of the burning how few of us have repented and are turned to the Lord. May not the Lord justly take up the same complaint against England as he did against Israel I have sent among you the pestilence after Amos 4. 10 11. the manner of Egypt your young men have I slain with the sword and have taken away your horses c. yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord. I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and ye were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the burning yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord. Strangers Hos 7. 9 10. have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray hairs are here and there upon him yet he knoweth it not And the pride of Israel doth testifie to his face and they do not return to the Lord their God nor seek him for all this and Is 1. 5. why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more c. The bellows are burnt the Jer. 6. 29. lead is consumed of the fire the founder melteth in vain c. I gave them space to repent but they Revel 2. 21. 9. 20. did not repent And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands c. How have we despised the riches of God's goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the Rom. 2. 4. goodness of God leadeth us to repentance that is not onely affords us time and space to repent but gives us reason to repent but after the hardness and impenitency of our hearts we have gone on to treasure up unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God The Lord hath been hearkning and hearing and may he not justly complain of us as of the Jews of old but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness Jerem. 8. 6. saying what have I done every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel When the hand of the Lord hath been lifted up we have refused to see it and though his judgments are in the earth yet learn we not righteousness We have not said what have we done but have not some in the pride and stoutness of their hearts been ready to say what they would do even as those in Isaiah The bricks are fallen Isa 9. 9 10 down say they but we will build with hewen stones the Sycamores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars i. e. as if they had said our houses indeed are down but what then we value it not we will build fairer and better and will have our streets now broader Thus this is all that they made then that many make now of what the Lord hath done not to be be brought thereby to consider what they have done thus to undo so famous a City but to resolve what they will do as to rearing and bertering their houses but not as to reforming their hearts and lives and therefore the Lord threatens he will set up their enemies and joyn Isa 9. 11 12. them against them both before and behind to devour them with open mouth and yet his anger is not turned away but his hand stretched out still If indeed not to turn again to God but rather more and more away from God and to turn still unto sin and every one to his course as the horse rushes into the battel yea to wax worse and worse and to have our tongues and doings more and more against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory If Atheism profaneness licentiousness superstition idolatry strange doctrines errours heresres schisms apostacies hypocrisies infidelity pride headiness high mindedness hardness of heart carnal security presumption incorrigibleness under judgments unthankfulness for mercies unfruitfulness under means hatred of God and the power of godliness contempt of his word and ways slighting and despising his ordinances resisting and grieving and doing despite unto his Spirit treading under foot his Son crucifying of him as it were afresh and putting him to open shame if shamelesness in sin declaring it as Sodom and hiding it not if swearing cursing blaspheming prophaning God's Name and Sabbaths if murder bloud touching bloud adulteries fornications wantonness lasciviousness and all manner of filthiness and uncleanness if drunkenness gluttony luxury peoples making their belly their God and being lovers of pleasures more than of him glorying in their shame if cruelty unmercifulness maliciousness despightfulness bitterness unrigteousness oppression fraudulent and unjust dealing lying slandering censuring reviling variance strife debate differences divisions emulations selfishness covetousness earthly-mindedness c. In a word if an inundation of all manner of wickedness and debauchery imaginable and the Nation becoming a very sink of vice or at best to have but onely a form of Godliness but to deny the power thereof and if for God in stead of causing his face to shine upon us to hide it from us and to turn his back upon us and to manifest his sore displeasure against us as he hath done alate in regard of those heavy judgments he hath sent among us dealing with us as he threatned to deal with Jerusalem And I will set my face against Exek 15. 7. them they shall go out from one fire and another fire shall devour them And has not God dealt so with us We were scarce got out of one fire which devoured our bodies which from above the Lord sent into our bones into our strongest parts that is sore plagues and pains which like a fire did pierce deep into and consume the most solid and strongest parts of the body as Jerusalem complains Lam. 1. 13. From above hath he sent fire into my bones and it prevaileth against them and against how many thousands of families and persons did that fierce and furious fire of the pestilence prevaile And scarce as I said were we got out of that fire but another fire brake forth which devoured our houses and estates and are there not still many sad symptoms of his displeasure upon us and for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still And if these now were the way for a people to be saved we were a Nation in as likely a way and posture to be saved as ever Nation was under heaven but if for a people to turn again unto God from their sins and for God to cause his face to shine be the way for a people to be saved and the onely way as indeed it is then the Lord have mercy upon us for we are a Nation in as unlikely a way and posture to be saved as ever Nation was and if we go on
God the Father rejoiceth and Jesus Christ rejoiceth and the Angels rejoice above and his Ministers and People rejoice beneath It is said of Paul and Silas that passing through Phenice and Samaria and declaring the Conversion of the Gentils they caused Quoties benè agimus gaudent Angeli tristantur Daemones quoties à bono deviamus Diabolum laetificamus Angelos suo gaudio defraudamus great joy unto all the brethren Acts 15. 3. and Acts 11. 21. A great number believing and turning unto the Lord it is said of Barnabas that coming v. 23. and seeing the grace of God he was glad c. and 2 Cor. 7. 9. Now I rejoyce not that ye were made sorry simply made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance and for that I greatly rejoyce What 's the reason and ground of this why the point tells you because when a sinner repents and turns again to God and he causes his face to shine and vouchsafes him his favour he is blessed and happy and safe and it is and shall certainly be well with him he is in a good case and condition all things shall happily succeed to him here and he shall be eternally saved hereafter His repentance is repentance unto life and unto salvation never to be repented of and is not here cause of joy and rejoycing indeed when a soul is saved that was lost more worth than a whole world what should be matter of joy and rejoycing if not this Luke 15. 23. And bring hither the fatted Calf and kill it and let us eat and be merry v. 24. for this my son was dead and is alive again he was lost and is found and they began to be merry and v. 32. It was meet we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead and is alive again and was lost and is found So that God is so far from refusing any that turn to him that he rejoyceth very much therein and is more ready to receive them than they can be to come unto him 9. This informs us and gives us to see what a choice mercy and singular priviledg it is for a people to enjoy the ministery of the Word to have God's messengers and ambassadours sent among them to preach and dispense the same why because for a people to be saved the onely way it being for God to turn them again and cause his face to shine this is the way and means which God hath ordered and appointed to effect this to bring about this as the Scripture abundantly declares Thus when the Lord had appeared to Paul and made him a Minister this he declares as the great work and business of his Ministery To open peoples eyes and to turn Acts 26. 18. 20. them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they might receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ and this he shewed 1. to them of Damascus and at Jerusalem and throughout all the coasts of Judaea and then to the Gentils that they should repent and turn to God c. and we preach unto Acts 14. 15. you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God which made heaven and earth c. This is the great work and business of Ministers to shew this preach this press this urge this exhort and excite to this yea and to pray for this This was the great work and business of the Prophets of old and so ever since in Jerem. 25. 4. the Lord there tells the Jews that he sent unto them all his servants the Prophets rising early and sending them and what was their errand what did they say v. 5. They said turn ye again now every one from his evill way and from the evil of your doings c. So Zach. 1. 4. Be ye not as your Fathers unto whom the former Prophets have cryed and what did they cry Turn ye now from your evill way and from your evil doings c. This the Prophets still said and cry'd and press'd and urg'd O turn ye to God and his ways and walk no longer in the ways of sin for they are dangerous ways there are Lyons in those ways that roaring Lyon that seeks to devour and there is hell and death and damnation and all the curses of God in those ways and there 's no going to heaven in them they are not ways to live in much less to dye in and therefore come off from them and speedily turn to better and do this or you dye or you perish And this is made the great end and business of John the Baptist's ministery to turn people to the Lord and turn the hearts of Luke 1. 15 16. the Fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just c. And many of the Convertet ratione sui ministerii praedicando poenitentiam c. Winckelman children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God that is he by his preaching being accompanied with the power of the holy Ghost to make it effectual shall be a means of many of their conversions and so of their happiness and salvation this was the work and should be the happy effect and fruit of his office and employment as it further follows And he shall go before Luke 1. 17. him that is before Christ the Messias in the spirit and power of Elias to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just c. The former of these seems at first harsh and difficult that the hearts of the fathers should be turned to the children one would think the hearts of the children rather should have been turned to their fathers the place is difficult and is variously interpreted if we understand it simply and properly of Parents and Children we must interpret it of evil Parents and of good Children that are converted Thus many times children are converted and are godly when parents are wicked and unconverted and thus for the hearts of the fathers of the Parents continuing as yet the Devils children to be by the ministery of the Word turned to their children being good and God's children and so to be converted and to be of the same mind as they are is a blessed thing indeed and much to be wish'd and desired But 2. some understand it of the stubborn and refractory Jews that he by his ministery should make to become children of the Church that is of the number of those new converts and Christians in those days Thus some by Fathers understand the unconverted Jews by Children the Apostles and other Christians newly converted according Psalm 45. 16. to that In stead of thy fathers shall be thy children which thou mayest make Princes in all the Earth Thus when the Jews were converted to become Christians and to be of one heart and mind and to consent in
one truth then were the hearts of the fathers turned to the Flectet suâ efficaci praedicatione omnium hominum ordines ad poenitentiam c. Tossan in loc children 3. Others as Tossanus a learned Expositour understand it that John by his powerful preaching should bring all forts and orders and degrees of men whether fathers or children to repentance and to serve the Lord with one accord c. And some of the Ancients as Austin and Jerom by the Faithers understand Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the Prophets and by Children the Jews and thus expound it That when by the preaching of John the Jews should be brought to believe in Christ in whom the fathers had believed then should their fathers hearts be turned and affected towards them which otherwise were averse from them but then should they acknowledg them or then may the hearts of the fathers be said to be turned to the children when being converted themselves their earnest desires are to their children that they might be converted also 5. Others thus that whereas at this time when John came all was out of order and there were many corruptions errours schisms sects Docet Angelus Johannem suo ministerio patres filios existo dissidio in unitatem fidei adducturum c. Winckelm as Pharisees Sadduces Herodians Samaritans c. and many differences divisions and heart-burnings thereupon John by his preaching being made effectual by the Holy Ghost should so turn and convert all orders and degrees of men from the errours of their ways as to heal and reconcile the differences and divisions among themselves and to bring them to an holy union and mutual love and amity one to and with another so as to joyn together as one man to serve the Lord so that Ephraim should no more Isa 11. 13. envy Judah nor Judah vex Ephraim c. And what a blessed work was this thus in this sense to turn the hearts of the children to the fathers and of the fathers to the children And oh that God would do this work for England that he would send some Johns filled with the holy Ghost to effect this that the hearts of all that profess his name might be turned to God and turned one to another that all might be one in the father and the Son as the father and son are one in John 17. 21. themselves as Christ prayed that all might serve him with one shoulder or one consent and Zephan 3 9. his way and name might be one in the earth and there might be no other strife but who might serve God best and love one another most the performing of this work upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem how would it further the conversion of the Jews and the bringing in of the fulness of the Gentils and how soon then would God subdue our enemies and turn his hand against his and our adversaries round about And this now which way soever we take or understand it it being the work of the ministery the design of the preaching of the Word to turn people to the Lord to turn the hearts of fathers to the children and as it follows the disobodient to the wisdom of the just that is to the wisdom of true converts to that repentance and conversion which they have already been brought to whereby they are brought to themselves and to a sound mind and to be wise indeed as also it being the work of the ministery of the Word to reconcile people to God and to bring them again into favour and friendship with him and to be at peace with him and therefore is it called the ministery and word of reconciliation What a choice mercy and singular priviledg must it needs then be for a people to enjoy it and how much should people prize and esteem and value it and as it is said of those Acts 14. 48. glorifie it If a Traveller was out of his way and travelling in dangerous paths where robberies and murthers used to be be committed what a good work was it for one to inform this Traveller of his danger and to set him into a safe and right way So if he was fallen to have one to raise him up again and this is the work of the ministery Psalm 19. 7. The law of the Lord or the doctrine of the Lord that is his holy Word is perfect converting the soul it says this is the way walk in it and what a mercy is it to enjoy such a word this makes it to such as experience this blessed effect of it better to them than thousands of gold and silver as David Psalm 119. 72. says it was to him The law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver that is many thousands though never so many for was it the gold and silver of many worlds what could it do or contribute in the least as to what the Word does 10. This speaks very highly of God's turning a people again and causing his face to shine there being so much in them and that flows from them that when God vouchsafes these to a people they are then saved they are then blessed and happy and it is well with them and it shall be well with them for ever hereafter they are safe and all shall happily succeed they are freed from all evill and in the way of all good and what blessed things are they that put people into such a condition O how well does God deal with those he vouchsafes them to they may well say Thou hast dealt well Ps 119. 65. 65. 4. 63. 3. with thy servant O Lord c. and Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee whom thou turnest to thee and turnest thy face unto him for this is beter than life and man's onely true felicity and soveraign way of being saved c. And therefore how excellent is thy loving kindness O God says David Psal 36. 7. that produces such excellent effects 11. This justifies and much commends solemn days of fasting and humiliation this being the great work and business of them to seek God's face and to further our turning again to him and this being the onely way to be saved this speaks such days to be good days blessed days and such duties to be good duties and such a work to be a good work and it is good for people they tending so much to their weal to be much in them such fasting days proving many times effectual for conversion and so to salvation which makes them * Lachâ—ymae poenitentium vinum Angelorum dum hîc ex animo lugemus commissa diem festum Angeli agunt in coelesti curiâ festival days to the Angels in heaven who rejoyce so much as you heard before in the conversion of sinners and to whom penitents tears become as refreshing wine c. 12. This speaks afflictions not to be such sad things as many
life and breath and all things or if it could be Acts 17. 25. supposed that he should want any thing which yet cannot be no ten thousand times sooner may darkness be in the Sun drought in the Sea than any defect in God but suppose such a thing what supply could the fountain have from the cistern yea a broken cistern the Sea from a drop the Sun from a candle the fruitful field from the barren heath the pleasant garden from the wast wilderness all-sufficiency from indigency he who is all from such who are nothing less than nothing and vanity a whole Jsa 40. 17. world of them and yet though he hath no need at all of us that he yet meerly out of that respect he hath to our good should call upon us and invite us to seek so great things so choice mercies the transcendent excellency and indispensable necessity of which might command our seeking of them and that with all earnestness what kindness is this that God should say seek ye me seek ye my face why what can we seek better or that is more what makes heaven but this surely there 's nothing there in comparison nor in competition with this God's face his special gracious benign presence it is the heaven of heaven 4. That the great God should not onely invite us to seek these but that he should as it were indent and covenant and make as it were a contract with us if we will seek them make such and such promises to us and tell us he will do so and so for us if we will seek them yea and upon seeking of them think himself as it were obliged to us though things in themselves so excellent and of such infinite importance and of such indispensable necessity as Seek ye me and ye Amos 5. 4 6. shall live and seek the Lord and ye shall live I will save you alive I will give you your lives Ps 30. 5. 63. 3. for a prey why the Lord's favour is life yea better than life and yet says God seek ye me and ye shall live so seek ye the Lord c. it may Zepli 2. 3. be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger and if my people which are called by my name 2. Chron. 7. 14. shall humble themselves and pray and seek my Facies pro gratia quae in vultûs serenitate ad aliquem conversione cernitur face c. then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land if ye seek my face and seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Now let Heaven and Earth Angels Matth. 6. 33. and men be astonished and stand amazed at this at this way and manner of God that he ☜ should thus as it were indent and covenant to seek such good how well may we cry out as David does in another case and is this the manner of men O Lord God do they use thus to 2 Sam. 7. 19. do or deal no so admirable is thy grace and goodness herein as it altogether exceeds man's way and manner of practice and it is peculiar to thy self alone Great ones do not use to invite and sue unto mean ones to beg great matters of them much less will they engage or covenant or make promises to them if they will seek great things no their way and manner is quite contrary A poor creature may if he beg get it may be some small matter of them but if he ask any great matter he is sent empty away this is not the way to speed but to be denied and have nothing when a poor creature begs a penny will they say ask a shilling or if he beg a shilling will they say ask twenty or if he ask twenty will they say ask as many pounds and you shall then have both no never was any such thing found among men this is onely the way and manner of God which therefore let us for ever admire and adore and withall readily and heartily imbrace and comply with for as David said in another case And what can David 2 Sam. 7. 20. say more unto thee so what can poor creatures say more to thee what can they ask or desire more that thou shouldest give them than that thou puttest them upon asking and seeking And it is that which should very much humble us that though the face and favour of God be that which is our very happiness and felicity and our chief good more than a Kingdom than a world yea many worlds were they extant yea more than heaven or earth too yet that we even we who profess our selves to be ☜ the people of God and are called by his name should be so backward for to seek it and that we should need to be bid yea to be conditioned and indented with for to seek it as you have heard O what strange kind of creatures are we and how woefully degenerate Are people backward to seek the Ruler's face or to intreat the Princes favour to seek the friendship of great ones no Solomon tells us Many Prov. 29. 26. 19. 6. seek the Ruler's favour Hebr. the face of the Ruler and Many will intreat the favour of Hoc Proyerbio inertia nostra insigniter coarguitur ut Deum principum principem non precamur c. Cartwright the Prince c. and are we backward to seek the face and favour of the great God are people backward to seek and desire life no Satan in that said truely skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life and what man is he that desireth life c. Austin brings in all sorts saying I do and I do and I do all Job 2 4. Ps 34. 12. Ego ego c. Ps 30. 5. 63. 3. desire life Why the favour of God is life yea better than life and yet we no more desire it so backward to seek it how should it humble us and stir us up the more to seek it for the future and if this be the will and command Ps 40. 8. and counsel of God let us say with David I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy law this thy law is within my heart I do readily and heartily reverence it embrace it and yeild to it and I will bless the Lord who hath given me this counsel and is this that Lord which thou wouldest have me to do Lord I will do it and thou shalt not say to me do this in vain There be many that say who will shew us any good they are for any good and who will shew us no matter who if any and but shew it we will procure it we will work it out with our own wits let us alone for that we have wit enough to compass it but Lord lift thou up upon us the
light of thy countenance let us but enjoy that Psal 4. 6. good and that shall be in stead of all thy favour Lord thy face one good look from thee one smile from thy countenance vouchsafe us but this and for other things do what seems good to thee we leave them to thy wisdom to dispose as thou pleasest 5. The more to excite us to supplicate these let us consider he onely can effect these and vouchsafe these 1. He onely can turn us again to himself as was hinted before This is God's work the work of no less than an almighty power an omnipotent arme we can easily indeed and of our selves turn aside and turn away from God but it is onely the Lord God of Hosts that can reduce us the arme of Jehovah himself must be revealed to effect this who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Isa 53. 1. Lord revealed The Lord himself must speak and that with a strong hand so to instruct us as not to walk any longer as we have done or as others do as the Prophet Isaiah expresses it For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand or Isa 8. 11. as it is in the Hebr. in or with strength of hand In fortitudine manûs which denotes the strong and powerful operation of the holy Ghost in the Prophet and some others together with him and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people that is that I with others of the godly Jews should not follow the manners and practices of the greater sort of that people and it must be the Lord 's speaking his instructing and that with strength of hand that must effect this else all our speaking and preaching be it never so earnest and often is but with a weak hand and ineffectual and people will walk and go on still as they did we may tell people they should profit or declare to them what is profitable but it is the Lord God onely which can teach them to profit or what is profitable that is effectually So we may shew them the way they should go but the Lord God only can lead them in the way they should go I am the Lord thy God which teacheth Isa 48. 17. thee to profit or what is profitable as the Dutch read it which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go Every one therefore says Joh. 6. 45. Christ that hath heard and learned of the father cometh to me and so by me to him This is never done indeed 'till God does it and therefore how earnest should we be in our addresses to him that he would do it for Ministers can not do it nor can we our selves do it unless the Lord comes in with his help Acts 16. 9. It is there said a vision appeared to Paul in the night there stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying come over into Macedonia and help us our great work and business is to help people to help them in the main in their chiefest and greatest concerns to help their souls to help them as to God to turn them to him to further their being brought home to him and their being reconcil'd unto him but our help will signifie little unless the Lord help as the King said to that woman unless the Lord help how should 2 King 6. 26 27. I help 2. He alone can cause his face to shine we can indeed cause it to frown but he alone must make it smile We can raise those mists and clouds which obscure and hide his face and interpose between us and him and his favour but he alone can scatter and dispell them your iniquities have separated between you and your God and your sins have hid his face from you Isa 59. 2. c. that is have caused him to hide his face from you you have done this but I onely can and must do the other viz. remove that which separates and discover my face and display my favour you can procure my displeasure but I onely must manifest my love you can erect a partition-wall between me and you but I onely can throw it down O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help Ephraim by Hos 13. 9. the iniquity of his covetousness could cause God Is 57. 17 18. to hide himself and to be wrath but God alone could restore comforts to him and to his mourners David he could lose the joy of God's salvation but God onely could restore it I create Psalm 51. 12. Is 57. 29. the fruit of the lips peace peace c. We can marre our peace but God onely can create it and therefore to him we must seek and earnestly sue as the Church here and David and the people of God often elsewhere Lord lift thou up Ps 4. 6. 31. 16. the light of thy countenance upon us make thy face to shine upon thy servant c. 6. As he onely can do these so let us consider how infinitely able he is to do them he being as he is here described the Lord God of Hosts Job 42. 2. I know says Job that thou canst do every thing and that no thought can be withholden from thee that is whatever thou hast purposed and decreed can by no means be hindered or kept from being perform'd Is any thing too hard for the Gen. 18. 14. Lord If any man says Paul be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away and 2 Cor. 5. 17 all things are become new and what follows And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and that was a great work indeed to reconcile heaven and earth yea heaven and hell as it were to reconcile us when we were such desperate enemies to heal a breach that was great like the Sea and which all the creatures in heaven and earth Angels and men could never have effected any thing as to the making of it up and all things are of him who hath done so great things already viz. which concern this new Creation greater than the first all things be they never so many or never so great he can make new heavens and new earth and new hearts and new spirits yea all new and how should we then resolve with David I will cry unto God most high Psal 57. 2. unto God who performeth all things for me and can perform all things for thee be they never so many never so great all things that concern thy weal thy happiness thy soul thy salvation thy conversion and restoring thee into his face and favour here and to eternal felicity hereafter We read often in Scripture of that Phrase and it is very observable of God's commanding such and such things such and such mercies and blessings as of his commanding deliverances for Jacob of his commanding strength of his Psal â—4 4. 68.
28. 133. 3. commanding the blessing even life for evermore We beg and intreat and humbly supplicate these but God he can and does command these he can with speed power and authority send these exhibit these he can command conversion and his loving kindness and the light of his Psalm â—2 8. countenance as the Psalmist expresses it Yet the Lord will command his loving kindness in the day time and in the night his song shall be wiâ—h me command his loving kindness that is that it come to me and comfort and save me David at this time was in a very sad afflicted condition all thy waves and thy billows says he in the foregoing Viz. ut ad me veniat Pis c. verse are gone over me and that now which he expects and counts upon for his comfort both day and night is the loving kindness of God the favour of God the shining of his face and this says he the Lord will command he will send forth to it a Mandamus or commission as it were to go to him he does not nor need not stand treating about going or intreating it to go but he bids it go lays his charge and command upon it to go go to such a Soul and it goes and come to such a Soul and it comes it obeys him and indeed onely him we may wish it desire it beg it intreat it but he can command it and powerfully and effectually command it so as to do its work It seems to be a phrase taken from Kings and great Commanders in the field whose way is to command such and such things and whose words of command stand for laws So do God's he commands his loving kindness to go and he commands it to act and work to do its work to comfort and cheer and revive and when he commands it to do so it powerfully and effectually does it it giveth songs in the night and causes even in darkness to arise light he commands Mandare benignitatem dicitur Deus cùm facit ut sensus ejus erga nos á nobis percipiatur reipsa experiatur Mell. the sense of his love and the blessed effects and fruits of it upon the Soul The Lord makes that which his Ministers preach for the peace and comfort of his people to be effectual to help their peace and comfort and so creates the fruit of their lips peace It is said of Jacob that all his sons and his daughters rose up to comfort him because of his grief upon his supposing Gen. 37. 35. his son Joseph to be rent in pieces but he refused to be comforted so would deserted souls whatever we preached as making for their comfort did not the Lord command it but the Lord says Go loving-kindness to such a soul to such a drooping heart and cheer and revive it and comfort it and it goes and it acts and does its work and errand it is sent about 7. Let us consider not onely how able but also how willing he is to do these to turn us again and cause his face to shine if we do indeed seek unto him to do them For 1. what mean else those frequent and earnest invitations to seek them those gracious promises of obtaining them if we do indeed seek them as Ask and it shall be given you seek and ye shall find c. and Luke 11. 9. Amos 5. 5. seek ye me and ye shall live c. And 3. why else does the Lord continue still the seasons of grace and means of converting and turning us again to himself and bringing us into his favour And 4. continue still to exercise such patience and long suffering toward us what is the meaning thereof The Apostle Peter tells us it is because he is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long suffering to Deus expectat conversionem nostram ut revertamur ipsi ad gratiam expectat gemitus sed temporales ut remittat aeternos lachrymas nostras ut profundat pietatem suam Ambr. us ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance 1. He is not slack as if he regarded not what was done here upon the earth but sat in heaven as one of the Idol-Gods Nor 2. as if he was not sensible or laid not to heart men's carriages towards him O he apprehends and is very sensible of the wrong done to him as he often in Scripture expresses it Numb 14. 11. How long will this people provoke me c. Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation c. Behold I am Amos 4. 13. pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves and Thou hast wearied me with thine Isa 43. 24. iniquities and Because I am broke with their whorish heart and God is angry with the wicked Ezek. 6. 9. every day c. But it is because he is patient and Psalm 7. 11. long suffering which was part of his name which he proclaimed before Moses as his glory Exod. 34. 6. So that men count him slack when he is onely patient and bearing long with sinners not willing that they should perish but come to repentance and therefore vouchsafes them time and gives them space to repent and hence v. 15. account says the Apostle that the long suffering of the Lord is salvation that is that the Lord defers his coming to judgment account of this as that which the Lord does as tending to your salvation and as very serviceable for the furthering thereof in giving you time to repent and turn to him He might have sent you to Hell as soon as ever ye came into the world or cut 〈◊〉 many years since as he hath done many the thousands of others cut you off in your youth while ye were pursuing your youthful lusts but that he hath still born with you and spared you from time to time this is the meaning thereof that he is willing ye should not perish but repent and turn unto him and so recover his favour here and eternal salvation hereafter 8. The more yet to encourage us in our suits notwithstanding our own sinfulness and unworthiness let us in our addresses to God consider that when any are turned again unto the Lord and have his face shine upon them it is from meer free grace and undeserved kindness This and this alone is that which puts him upon it and not any thing in those whom he turns and on whom he causes his face to shine the meer favour of God bestows the first grace and following grace and it is from grace that he exhibits grace and turns any by his grace it is from favour that he vouchsafes favour from meer good will that he manifests good will and from his face that he causes his face to shine and from the light of
from darkness to light from death to life from earth yea from hell to heaven from swine and husks Luk. 15. 18. to bread enough in our fathers house from feeding on ashes to feed on Angels food heavenly Poenitentia dicitur conversio ad Deum inter quem nos dissidium faciunt peccata Tossan viands from among murderers to the God of mercies from the crooked vile ways of sin to the even and excellent ways of holiness from ways of danger to ways of safety of trouble to ways of peace of bitterness to ways of pleasantness of wasting and destruction to ways of weal and salvation from broken cisterns that can hold no water to springs of water yea to the fountain of living waters from a wilderness and a land of deserts drought and the shadow of death to a fruitful refreshing Paradise In a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc word from sin which hath in it nothing but guilt and filth and stain and torment and curse and death and condemnation to God who is the sole and soveraign spring and fountain of all good of light life happiness help comfort consolation salvation and not onely how equal but how excellent is this yea and this makes it not onely our duty but highest dignity to turn again it being to God and such a God from what is most vile to an object so infinitely worthy It is best of all indeed not to sin but next to repent and turn from sin to God who Justin Martyr is such a God the most high and most excellent they called them to the most high Hos 11. 7. 5. In its fruits and effects and in its end and issue What excellent things are those the Apostle reckons up as following upon conversion What fruit says he had ye then in those things Rom. 6. 21 22. whereof ye are now asham'd for the end of those things is death But now being made free from sin and become servants of God ye have your fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life O what a blessed change and what an excellent turn is here before servants of sin now servants of God before fruit unto unrighteousness now unto holiness before the end death now everlasting life 1. Here 's the excellentest freedom to be made free from sin 2. The excellentest service to become servants to God 3. The excellentest fruit fruit unto holiness and 4. the excellentest end and that is everlasting life O there is not nobler service performed excellenter fruit growing nor a happier end to be attained in heaven it self And this follows upon our being turn'd again which makes at once the sinner happy heaven merry hell sorry the Devils sad Angels glad the Saints to rejoyce on earth yea and all those celestial Heroes in Heaven and how excellent must that needs be that does all this and therefore to its difficulty oppose its excellency and excellent things are difficult but much to be preferr'd before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Facilis descensus ad orcum things that are easie but base and vile Job speaking of such as were base and acted vile things he tells us they had no helper or as the Job 30. 13. Dutch they needed no helper that is to execute their vile intentions no the work was easie enough they could do it of themselves but it was base vile mischievous destructive work But now to repent and turn to God and honour him and do good is hard and difficult here we need helpers help both from God and man but how infinitely is the one with all its difficulty to be preferr'd before the other with all its facility It is a thousand times more eligible to be labouring for Diamonds than lazing in the dirt to be sweating in a Golden Mine than idling and at ease in the mire to be toyling for treasures than toyling for straws better is the straight gate and narrow way that leads to life than the wide gate and broad way that leads to death Verae salutaris poenitentiae fructus multiples c. Gerh. 3. The utility thereof the profit benefit and commodities that accrew to the sinner thereby and these are so many as cannot be enumerated and so great as cannot be commensurated so that if any should ask what advantage then hath he that turns to God or what profit is there of Repentance I must answer as the Apostle Paul does in another case much every way And when a soul turns again indeed to God it may be said as Leah said when Gad was born A troop or company cometh O how many mercies blessings and benefits come and throng in then upon the convert To turn from sin it is Clavis viscerum Dei says one a key to unlock all the chests of God's mercies and a preservative against all miseries How many mercies are heaped up together in Hos 6. 1. 2. Come and let us return unto the Lord for he hath torn and he will heal us he hath smitten and he will bind up After two days will he revive us in the third day he will raise us up and we shall live in his sight Here 's healing and binding up and reviving and raising and then living in God's sight and v. 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come unto us as the rain as the latter and former rain unto the earth that is we shall experimentally know and tast and see that the Lord is gracious and he in his gracious accesses to our souls will be the same to them as the Sun and the former and latter rain are to the earth And how comfortable profitable refreshing and reviving are these And Thus saith the Lord of hosts turn ye unto me and I Zach. 1. 3. will turn unto you and how much is wrapped up in that expression turn unto you that is mercifully favourably graciously turn my pleasant face to you lift up the light of my countenance upon you vouchsafe you my special grace and favour be reconcil'd to you and at peace with you I will pardon you bless you do good to you multiply all blessings upon you and remove all evils and plagues from you yea turn all into good unto you so that you shall find and feel and abundantly experience the sweet fruits and blessed effects of my turning to you Thus when God turns to us all good turns he being the fountain thereof heaven and earth turn happiness turns the creature turns the Angels turn the Gospel and all the glory and promises and priviledges thereof yea a full and overflowing all-sufficiency of all good turn to us and all evil turns from us all that is evil indeed for afflictions if they abide with us they are turn'd into good yea all now work together for good to us So that amidst ayles we are now without evil and amidst harms
without hurt and though six and seven troubles throng us not any the least evil toucheth Job 5. 19. Ps 25. 10. us but all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth Thus when we turn to God with a holy turn God turns to us with a gracious turn and when God turns to us all good is afloat towards us and all evil is ebbing and hastening from us all in heaven and earth will become turned for our good Deut. 30. 3. The Lord tells Israel that if they shall return to the Lord their God then the Lord their God will turn their captivity and have compassion on them and will return c. But let me a little more particularly and distinctly hold forth some of the benefits of this turn 1. This is the great blessing of the Gospel even the blessing that Jesus Christ himself being raised up and exalted by his father is sent to bless with in the preaching and dispensing thereof Vnto you first God having raised up his son Jesus sent him to bless you in turning away every Acts â— 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si vos converteritis c. So Syriack and Arabick c. one of you from his iniquities Some indeed read it if you turn or every one of you turning c. and so make being blest an argument and motive to turn And this is a true and a good sense that when we turn away from our iniquities though not by any strength of our own that then Jesus Christ will bless us But first Jesus Christ must bless us in turning us before he bless us being turn'd and therefore others render it as here in turning you as declaring the way and manner how Christ blesses and this agrees well with the word bless for iniquity being that alone which brings the curse the onely way to be blest must needs be to be turned from it and while people are not turned from their sins but still go on impenitently in them they cannot be blest Thus conversion is the great Gospel-blessing and the way to be further yea for ever blest and it prevents the curse which else we cannot evade And he shall turn the heart of the fathers c. Least I come and smite the earth with a curse Mas 4. 6. 2. Upon this follows that great and glorious and inestimable mercy and priviledg of pardon that mercy of mercies which makes 〈◊〉 and the want of which makes hell yea which if not enjoy'd every thing else as one expresses it even our very boards and beds and fields and houses are but as an hell to us David having been for a while under the sense of God's cispleasure for his sins but feeling at length the Sun-shine of God's favour breaking forth through the clouds upon him in this mercy O how jowfully does he break out and how admiringly does he speak of the blessedness of those who partake of so great a mercy of so glorious a priviledg Blessed is he whose transgression Ps 32. 1 2. is forgiven whose sin is covered that is by the Lord for man must not cover it but acknowledg it Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity c. Blessed or as others O blessed O happy or O the blessednesses or O welfares the man it is a joyful acclamation for such a man's felicity Dutch read it right happy or happy indeed he is so indeed whose transgression is forgiven c. We have here in several words the same benefit repeated because of the greatness of it and though here is Autology yet not Tautology for these several Metaphorical expressions are wonderfully comfortable 1. Sin is a burden and the first word signifies an easing or taking away and blessed is he that is eased of such a burden 2. Sin is most loathsome and filthy in the sight of God and he is of purer eyes that he can behold or look on it but with utter detestation and abhorrence and the second word notes a covering of it and aâ—â—â—tting it out of his sight contrary to that Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sins in the light of thy countenance To set us our selves there is our happiness but to set our sins there is our wo and misery and there cannot be a greater And cover not their Neh. 4. 5. iniquity c. 3. Sin is a debt and the third notes a not imputing or reckoning it and what a blessed thing is pardon that does all this does sin trouble as a burden pardon eases and takes it off as loathsom pardon covers it as a debt pardon does not impute it and this follows upon repentance this priviledg of remission upon the grace of conversion not as the cause of it but as the way and order in which God will have it to behad And hence we find them joyned together Luke 24. 47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name c. Acts 5. 3. To give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sin c. And be Joh. 12. 40. converted and I should heal them Mark has it c. 4. v. 12. And their sins should be forgiven them which is the souls healing That 's a full place Acts 3. 19. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. The former of these words repent seems to import conviction and contrition the latter conversion and amendment one repentance of sin or for sin the other repentance from sin And this is to repent indeed to do both to bewaile what we have committed and not go on still to commit what we have bewail'd and what follows upon this the Deleta non ut non sint sed ut non imputentur propter imputatam sponsoris nostri obedientiam Tossan blotting out of our sins that your sins may be blotted out that is pardoned our sins are in Scripture compared unto debts and these are registred as it were in God's book and there stand upon record and now the Apostle tells them that if they did repent and were converted these debts should be blotted out God's Metaphora sumpta à creditoribus qui debita vel interveniente satisfactione vel gratis remissa delent book cross'd all scores quit and that hand-writing which was against them should be cancell'd which is so choice a priviledg and mercy of mercies that this if there was no more might seem motive enough to put people upon repenting and turning to God that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall come from the presence of the Lord. There are by the way times of refreshing or cooling as the Greek hath it to come to the people of God after the heat of their afflictions and persecutions here compar'd to fire As there 1 Pet. 4. 12. remains a rest for the
their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will Is 41. 17. 1 King 8. 38 39. hear them c. and what prayer or supplication soever be made though never so weak though but a sigh and by any man that shall know the the plague of his own heart then hear thou in Ps 34. 6. Heaven c. This poor man cryed and the Lord heard him c. And this is as I said a choice mercy a singular priviledg and in this God much favours and honours a poor creature and thus the Lord promises it and thus the Saints speak of it I will set him on high and how 91. 14 15. he shall call upon me and I will answer him and The Lord will hear when I call unto him and 4. 3. 116. 1. 102. 18. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice c. And hence it is said This shall be written for the generation to come that God shall hear the prayer of the destitute it shall be set down in a book and recorded and so published 5. Upon this follows a fitness and aptness to receive the Word and the impressions thereof for upon Ezek. 36. 26. true conversion the stony heart is taken away and there is given a heart of flesh that is a soft or tender heart easily admitting or receiving the Word it being like Wax to the Seal and like Gideon's fleece drinking in the dew thereof or like soft earth to the rain whereas the hearts of such as are impenitent and unconverted are as rocks and steep stony places which shoot off all without any impression Josiah humbling himself and his heart being tender what an impression had the words of the Law upon his 2 Chr. 34. 27. heart the hearts of such open and the Word goes in and there it comes to be ingraffed which is a choice mercy whereas the contrary is the greatest judgment as a stony heart an hard heart and such is every impenitent heart it receives no impression of God's Word nor works it yeilds neither to precepts nor promises nor threatnings nor admonitions nor reprehensions nor perswasions neither to judgments nor mercies But they refused to hearken c. Let favour Zach. 7. 11. Is 26. 10. 1. 5. be shewn to the wicked yet will not he learn righteousness and why should ye be stricken any more c. The natural man receives not the things of God he neither believes them nor yeilds to them There may be some slight superficial Non credit nec cedit reception for a little while as is said of the stony ground but it is not solid nor deep so as to enter root and abide The Word may have place among them but it has not as Christ told the Scribes and Pharisees place within them and therefore they sought to kill him Joh. 8. 37. That which is observ'd in Printing is very appliable and considerable here viz that the Paper which is to be printed upon is not of it self as it is dry and stiff and stubborn fit to receive impression and therefore to render it fit it is several times drawn through the water and so being throughly moisten'd mellowed and made soft it becomes fit and truely so it is with our hearts as they are by nature and of themselves and much more by custom in sin they are hard and stiff and stubborn very unfit to receive any impression of God's truth but being drawn as it were through the waters of repentance and so mellowed and made soft and tender they become fit Thus the repenting Corinthians became 2 Cor. 3. 3. Christ's Epistle for their hearts being made tender the Gospel was wrot upon them with ease and so the hearts of the Romans Rom. 6. 17. were cast into the Word as into a Mould bearing the stamp and figure of it Solomon says A reproof Prov. 17. 10. enters more into a wise man than a hundred stripes into a fool his heart opens and yeilds to reproof Salt enters not into a Stone but it does into flesh and seasons it and makes it savoury and so do reproofs which are as Salt unto hearts of flesh such sit down as it were at God's feet and hear his words and they are willing and pliable and their language is Lord what wilt thou have me to do and Speak Lord for thy servant heareth c. 6. Upon this follows inheritance among them which are sanctified To open Acts 26. 18. their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance c. What an excellent thing is repentance here describ'd to be an opening of the eyes and a turning as you have heard the sinner from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God and then what inestimable benefits do follow thereupon not onely forgiveness of sin as you have heard but inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Christ that is a lot in the heavenly inheritance in that inheritance of the Saints in light which now they are made meet for being delivered from the power of darkness and translated into Col. 1. 12 13. the Kingdom of God's dear son an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fades not away reserv'd in heaven of which such glorious things are spoken which is of God's own preparing Christ's purchasing and that by no less price than his bloud which has the glory of God and where not onely Angels but God himself dwels and resides for ever and into this all true converts have entrance ministred unto them but no other shall or can but are without Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who Psal 24. 3 4. shall stand in his holy place he that hath clean hands and a pure heart c. The wise shall inherit glory but shame shall be the promotion of Prov. 3. 35. fools And thus some interpret that in the Acts 3. 19. That your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord that is that your sins being blotted Ut remissis peccatis vestris recipiamini in coelum ad fruendum aeternis gaudiis c. Pisc out or forgiven you may be received into heaven to partake of those eternal joys c. And hence true repentance is said to be repentance unto life and repentance unto salvation and therefore not to be repented of not as if it was the cause or did in the least merit life or salvation Acts 11. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 10. for ipsae lachrymae lachrymabiles sunt our very tears need washing and our repentance pardon Non agit de causa salutis sed eventu poenitentiae ordinem ostendit quòd nimirum conversis donetur remissio non securis impoenitentibus Tossan but as the end of it and the way and means
you shall not be saved but perish none indeed are saved for it but for me and my merits sake nor can any be saved without it Had Jesus Christ shed Seas of bloud he would never yet save a sinner that he does not bring to repent of his sins The Father and Son never agreed nor resolv'd upon saving man in an absolute illimited way but in such a way and order as in a way of repenting and believing not as if there was Quamvis Christus millies mortem obiisset nullus tamen impoenitens peccatorum condonationem ex illius morte consequetur nec quemvis alium fructum percipiet Deutus any merit or causality in repentance but as the way and condition without which though not the cause for which remission of sins and salvation cannot be obtained Thus Repentance is necessary not onely as God's command but also as a way means and order that God has ordained for remission and salvation so that though there is no causality dignity or merit in our repentance yet it is of that nature that the holy Ghost must necessarily work it in all those who are partakers of them so as to qualifie for them so that either we must repent or Aut poenitendum aut pereundum perish turn or dye be converted or destroyed either this must be done or we undone for ever Ezek. 18. 30. If indeed we repent and turn from our transgressions then the Lord hath told us iniquity 33. 11. shall not be our ruine though it tends to our ruine but unless we repent and turn it will inevitably be so If we still persist and live and lie Si divinae miserationes nequeunt nos allectare tum judica Dei nos terreant in our sins we shall then certainly dye in our sins and perish in our sins Hence says the Lord Turn ye turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye dye O house of Israel implying that 'till we do turn from our evil ways we say in effect we will dye For the turning away of the simple shall Prov. 1. 31. 11. 19. slay them and he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death If thou warn the wicked and he turn not from his wickedness he shall dye in Ezek. 3. 19. his iniquity Either we must be turned to God here or separated from him for ever hereafter either be converted or for ever excluded the Kingdom of Heaven and turn'd into hell Verily I say unto you except ye be converted c. ye Matth. 18. 2. shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven If Tertullian therefore thou be backward in thoughts of repentance be forward in thoughts of hell c. for we must turn or for ever burn in hell Thus conversion is necessary as a means to life and happiness so that as life is a necessary consequent of conversion so death is an inevitable fruit and effect of the neglect of it so that I may say to you as Moses sometimes said to that people See I here set before you this day life and good death and evil life and all manner of good if you obey and repent and turn to the Lord but death and all manner of evil if ye refuse and I call Deut. 30. 15. heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that ye may live Why life and death are the greatest and forciblest arguments in the world what will not a man give or do for life Skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life And death is the most formidable of evils call'd the King of terrours we use to say such a man is as earnest and intent upon a thing as if life and death depended upon it Why truly life or death depend upon our turning or not turning to God life and death are in these things and accordingly such should our prayers and cares and indeavours be in and about the same 5. The gratefulness and acceptableness of it unto God how pleasing welcom and delightful it is to him when a sinner does indeed repent and turn to God! O with what joy and singular complacency does the Lord speak of Ephraim as turning from his Idolatries and not going on as he had done to provoke him and wrong himself Ephraim shall say what have I any more to Hos 14. 8. do with Idols I have heard him and observ'd him and that with a great deal of joy and delight as that I am glad of and rejoyce in So I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself Jer. 31. 18 19. c. that is bewailing his sins the Hebrew is hearing I have heard him that is attentively pleasingly delightfully so as to take special notice of him and to have a singular regard to him and now his bowels are troubled for him and he will surely have mercy on him As God has a singular hatred and abhorrence of sin so Quemadmodum Deus summo odio habet peccatum ita quoque summe hominis poenirentia delectatur per quam à summo malo ad summum bonum convertitur Gerh. he cannot but be much pleased with repentance by which the sinner turns from it to himself from the chief evil to the chief good and it being that wherein his own glory and the sinners good is so much concern'd For thereby God is honoured Jesus Christ sees of the travel of his soul and is satisfied the Spirit ceases to be grieved as formerly sin is pardoned God's favour recover'd Satan defeated and the soul saved how well was God pleased with Josiah his heart being tender and he humbling himself before 2 Chr. 34. 27. God which he twice mentions as being much taken therewith And so Manasseh though so great a sinner yet repenting what respect had God to him yea so acceptable is this to God that he had respect to it even in Ahab so far as temporally to reward it though hypocritical the more to encourage to that which is true And the acceptableness of this to God does further appear by his earnest invitings to it longings after it waitings for it bearing so long with sinners as in reference to it his readiness to receive sinners upon the first discoveries of it and pardoning the hainousest sins upon it Psal 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise and what is a broken heart but a penitent heart an heart kindly melted humbled and in bitterness for sin and this now is the sacrifice of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrificia Dei God 1. Of God to denote its singular excellency it being usual in the Hebrew to set out the excellency of a thing by the addition of the name of God as the mountains and Cedars of God c. 2. It is called the
woes and curses and horrors and terrors and tearings a pieces rolling garments in blood Psal 50. 22. Hos 13. 8. and renting the caul of the heart and devouring like a Lion And sinners not being sensible of this at present does but aggravate their misery and make their condition the more lamentable and is here any ground for mirth and not rather of grief and continual sorrow of heart and well may we say to such as the Apostle James Be afflicted and mourn and â—â—mes 4. 9. weep let your laughter be turn'd to mourning and your joy to heaviness And though in a right way and upon good grounds we wish and desire comfort to all yet as to the state that many are at present in we cannot wish them better than trouble as the way to peace and Timorem plurimum grief as the way to joy as Bernard once writing to one that he thought not sollicitous enough about the judgments of God wisht him much Hos 9. 1. fear Rejoyce not says God to Israel as other people for thou hast gone a whoring from thy God c. And however such may at present find pleasure and delight in sin and carnal mirth in their evil ways yet let them know this is but their disease and from the distemper that is upon their souls for were their hearts right they would cry out of the bitterness of what they now say is sweet and what pleasures are they but such as are common with beasts and of the brutish part and but for a moment and such as have a poysonous sting in them and death and damnation entail'd to them and such as will certainly end in bitterness if not mercifully here dreadfully and eternally in hell hereafter and therefore be no longer enemies to your own comfort in going on still in your sins but turn to the Lord and then you shall experience true joy and comfort indeed and shall not lose your joys nor pleasures but change them for better for spiritual heavenly and more refined Would you not all now have joy and comfort and be glad which indeed is the very strength and support of our spirits and life of our lives for what is life or any thing else without comfort this being as one well expresses it the Spring of our year the light of our day the Sun in our firmament for the joy of the Lord is your strength and a merry heart does good like a medicine yea such a one hath a continual feast and would you have so O then turn to God we who are Ministers are called helpers of others joy and we would be glad to be so but never can we be so indeed till we become helpers of your conversion and instrumental in bringing you to God and turning you to him and then and not 'till then do we become helpers of your joy indeed yea and of our own too in yours and then may we say Go thy way eat thy bread with Eccles 9. 7. joy c. In the transgression of an evil man there Prov. 29. 6. is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce CHAP. XIII Some further Motives to turn to God 1. LET us consider that while we refuse or neglect to do this we forget our selves and hence when people turn to the Lord they are said to remember All the ends of the world Psal 22. 27. shall remember and turn unto the Lord c. It is a Prophecy of the conversion of the Gentiles who turning to the Lord are said to remember but whom or what should they remember why in general themselves and their own interest how much they were concern'd therein more particularly some refer it to what immediately goes before They shall praise the Lord that seek him and their heart live for ever that â— 36. is through the manifestations of his favour be filled with spiritual joy this being indeed the living of the heart as the contrary is its dying 1 Sam. 25. 37. Cogitabunt de suis peccatis miscriis et considerata Dei misericordia tandem seriò expetent opem remedium suorum vulnerum i. e. convertentur Moll or live a spiritual life here and an eternal hereafter and remembring this they shall turn to the Lord or 2. They shall remember their sins the number and nature of them how many and great they have been and their misery by reason of them what wrong by their sins they have done to God and their own souls He that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul they shall remember me c. because I am broken with their whorish heart c. Or 3. remember how Ezek. 6. 9. Zach. 10 9. Prov. 8. 36. much this is their duty as also its equity excellency c. and also how great God's goodness and mercy and riches of grace are to such as do indeed turn or they shall remember God's patience and the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering towards them how long he hath born with them though every day angry with them and provoked by them as it is said of the Israelites that about fourty years God suffered their manners in the wilderness or he bore them as a burden their froward Acts 13. 18. and untoward carriages were as an heavy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 burden is to a man or as the peevishness and unquietness of a sucking Child is to the Nurse c. Now this they shall remember and despise Rom. 2. 4. those riches of goodness no longer but be led by them to repentance c. Thus there 's very much which if we did but remember and seriously consider might put us upon turning to God and how long shall we forget God and our selves and our own concerns and our own and the Nations weal. O that at length we might all remember and turn to the Lord especially considering the lowd cryes we have had to it alate not onely from God's Word but his works his judicious proceedings why whom should we remember if not our selves or what if not our own good we are bid not to forget to do good to others and shall we forget that which makes so much for our own good We would that God should remember us yea and he does or it would be quickly sad with us and shall not we remember him nay our selves but in refusing to return forget both The Psalmist complains his heart was so smitten c. that he forgat to eat his bread that was sad and strange Psal 102. 4. but this is sadder for that can but famish the body but this the soul that can but bring to the grave but this to hell The wicked shall be turned into hell and all the Nations that forget 9. 17. God and forget themselves to turn to him and therefore let us no longer forget our selves but in turning to the Lord shew at length that we remember
all these did not speak them to partake of the grace of the Kingdom We read of others that did eat and drink in Christ's presence and such in whose Luk. 13. 26. streets Christ himself taught they heard him and at their tables entertain'd him and had ordinary converse with him and yet no better than workers of iniquity 3. Not meer morality or civility carrying it fair in the world for these though commendable in themselves come short of conversion and rested in they are but beautiful abominations a smoother way to hell and such are but as wild beasts tamed or tied up their natures not being changed c. 4. Not forms or professions of godliness shews of holiness and being as it were varnisht over 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. with specious semblances of sanctity when there is nothing but rottenness within c. 5. Not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. sapiens gnarus peritus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scire meerly knowing much for the Devils know so much as that they have their name from knowledg and yet they are Devils still and so men may be very knowing but not practising answerably to their knowledg be no better than Jam. 4. 17. Luk. 12. 46. Devils incarnate and their knowledg but aggravate their sin and increase their stripes 6. Not going on in a formal way of duties and in a constant Is 58. 1 2 3. Ezek. 33. 31 32. Luk. 18 12. customary course of performances for this many have done and may do yea be much in extraordinary duties yet never be true Christians because never sincere converts 7. Not Pharisaical Matth. 5. 20. righteousness for Christ hath said except our righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven and yet these were very exact and went very far and it was commonly conceited among the Jews that if but two in all the world went to heaven one should be a Scribe and an other a Pharisee They going far in outward works 1. of piety made long prayers 2. of charity gave much alms 3. of equity tythed Mint Annis and Cummin 4. of curtesy invited Christ often to their tables and yet but hypocrites because they wanted a sound work of conversion upon their souls 8. Not being of such a sect or party nor simply of such a Church or Society or Congregation or way or judgment or opinion or being hearers of such or such Ministers or such a ones people or the like though I fear too too many lay too much stress upon these in these days as if they must needs be good Christians and true Saints because they are in such a way and of such a Church and such a Congregation and adhere to such a party and are hearers of such Ministers and such a ones people as in the Apostles time how many did bear themselves up with this I am of Paul and I of Apollo and 1 Cor. 1. 12. 13. I of Cephas one he cryes up Paul and his preaching and bears himself up as being his disciple and one of his people another he cryes up Apollo c. another Cephas but what says the Apostle Is Christ divided was Paul crucified 3. 3. for you or were you baptized in the name of Paul and whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men For while one saith I am of Paul and v. 4. another I am of Apollo are ye not carnal c. The Apostle Jude speaks of some in his days who separated themselves and yet were sensual Jud. 19. not having the spirit c. they were destitute of true grace and the Spirit of regeneration as appear'd from fleshly lusts having the upper hand and rule in them And the Prophet Isaiah speaks of some which said to others Stand by your selves come not near to us for we are holier Is 65. 5. than you and yet were a smoak in God's nose very loathsome unto him But let not any here mis-construe what I say for I do not speak against fellowships or societies but I would not have any simply take up in this for it is not this but sound conversion that speaks a Christian Judas was of the best fellowship that ever was of that very society that Jesus Christ himself and the Apostles were of one of the twelve and yet for all that a Devil as Jesus Christ himself declares Joh. 6. 70. Have not I chosen you twelve and one of you is a Devil See here 's one of the very society of Christ himself and his Apostles and yet a Devil a strange expression but that we know who said it i. e. of a devilish nature one of his children and if there was a Devil among those that were of the very fellowship of Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles we had need look about us for what fellowship or society can there be under heaven whereof people may be and yet not be Devils incarnate How fair soever they may carry it outwardly as Judas no doubt did insomuch that when Christ told them one of you shall betray me they questioned among themselves who it should be no more suspecting Judas than themselves Joh. 13. 21 22. And therefore I beseech you let none bear up themselves nor lay so much stress on this it is sound conversion that must speak you sincere Christians and not being of such a way or society Jer. 7. 3. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel amend your ways and your doings and v. 4. Trust ye not in lying words saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord are these they pointed as it were with the finger to the temple of the Lord why we have the Temple and the Temple-worship c. but not amending their ways all were but lying words For the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink Rom. 4. 17. but righteousness and peace and joy in the holy Ghost c. The purest Churches may have impure members and the most orderly congregations disorderly persons and among reall Saints may be such as are but painted sepulchres and though they have the Euge and approbation of men yet may they have the Apage and disallowance of God and all his holy Angels It was a notable speech uttered long since by an English Christian of a reformed Church in the Netherlands We have the good orders here but you have the good Christians in England O that it could be said so still and did says a learned godly Divine now with the Lord the servants of Christ know what it is to live in reformed Churches with unreformed spirits under strict order with loose hearts how forms of Religion breed but forms of Godliness how men by Church discipline learn their Church postures and there rest they
would pray as hard for purity of heart as purity of ordinances without which it matters not much what judgment or perswasion or society a man is of for however he may be a zealot in bearing witness to what he likes best yet he may be bad enough in the witness of his own conscience It is a grand design of the Devil when men will needs look after religion to make them believe that to be of such a Church or party is to be religious and to trust to that in stead of godliness and how many do so but this being but an house built on the sand when the rain descends and the floods Matth. 7. 27 come and the winds blow and beat upon it it will fall and great will be the fall thereof Among even the Virgins themselves i. e. those who bore the name of Christians and had Lamps made fair professions are found foolish ones such as though they had lamps had no oyl no true grace and therefore are not owned by Christ but shut out of heaven 9. Not having religious parents or relations nor having been brought up in godly families This is indeed a mercy and may prove helpful but speaks not you good unless you experience a saving work of grace upon your own souls Isaac's goodness did not make Esau so nor Elie's Hophni and Phinehas c. It is said of Christ's brethren for Joh. 7. 5. neither did his brethren believe in him their being so neer allyed to Christ did not make them believers and yet if any kin or alliance would have done it Christ's might Two says Christ shall be in one bed the one shall be taken and the Luk. 17. 34. c. other left Think not then to say within your Math. 3. 9. selves we have Abraham to our father for except you have the faith of Abraham it will nothing avail you It is said of one John of Valois that he was Son Brother Unkle Father of a King and yet himself never King There may be found some good even in the worst families and some bad in the best as is sadly experienc'd We read of Saints in Caesar's houshold and of sons of Belial in Elie's 10. Not what the Apostle declares Hebr. 6. 4 5. as having been Perceperant aliquam cognitionem veritatis Evangelicae viz. de Christo glorioso illo adventu futuro Tossan once enlightned i. e. with common illumination having tested of the heavenly gift some tasts but they were but tasts not let down as it were c. being made partakers of the holy Ghost i. e. in regard of more common gifts which were much imparted in the primitive Church having tasted the good word of God i. e. felt some sweetness Magnum est discrimen inter electos vete credentes inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui obiter quaedam dona Spiritûs gustârunt quoad notitiam professionem non autem vere efficaciter regeneratisunt c. Tossan in the promises of the Gospel so as to hear it with joy and the powers of the world to come some glimpse of heaven or some flash of hell upon the conscience or some tasts of the joys of heaven as Balaam Numb 23. 10. Now these seem great things indeed but they must be better than these that speak us Christians indeed and accompany salvation as the Apostle expresses it even saving conversion true faith and unfeigned love c. v. 9. But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewed towards his name c. And therefore never let any rest or take up in these or the like for it must be more than all these that must speak you true Christians even sound conversion which therefore never rest ' till you do attain to 5. This is that which all call and cry to us for God in his Word he every where calls for it and Jesus Christ he came from heaven to call Matth. 9. 13. to it and still by his Ministers calls for it this Church and Kingdom call for City Countrey towns families bodies souls estates liberties lives relations little ones all as to the weal of them and this the Gospel and all that is neer or dear to us call for yea and all God's dealings and dispensations mercies judgments smiles frowns words blows the sinfulness of the the times and the sickliness of the times the sword which did eat the flesh and drink the blood of so many thousands and the pestilence which walked in darkness and destroyed at noon day doing execution continually causing thousands to fall at our side and ten thousands at our right hand laying wast whole families and making burying work 'till scarce room to bury in sweeping away in one year in and about the city so many thousands and this that dreadful fire calls for which in a few days reduc'd so famous a city into ashes O how often hath the Lord smitten us and that with sore smitings such as have not been in our days nor in our fathers Joel 1. 2. days before us such droughts such winds and storms such a pestilence such a fire such grievous gripes whereby multitudes were so suddenly swept away above four thousand three hundred in one year and many the year after Yea the Lord hath smitten us with sorer smitings spiritual smitten us in our Shepherds solemn assemblies in our delectable things with famine in many places not of bread but of hearing Amos 8. 11 12. the word of the Lord c. And what do all these stroaks mean or what is their language and what do they call and cry for surely for this that we repent and turn to God this Micah 6. 9. is their voice to the city and to the countrey to all sorts high and low rich and poor great and mean to all from him that sitteth upon the throne to him that goes by the hig-way side And shall we not hearken to so many lowd calls and cryes how then should God hearken to us 6. This is that which when God's judgments are in the earth he looks for and counts upon Is 26. 9. viz. that then the inhabitants of the world will Per castigationes divinas adpoenitentiam adducuntur Pise learn righteousness i. e. learn to amend their lives This they then should and ought for to do and if ever God counts upon it they will do it then his judgments being means thereof They in their trouble did turn unto the Lord c. 2 Chr. 15. 4. Hos 5. 15. Ps 119. 67. 2 Sam. 24. 29. and in their affliction they will seek me early Absalom sent for Joah once and again to come unto him but he would not come but when he set his corn on fire then he ran c. and shall not we to God when
to the Sea so there 's no sin so small but if a man Optima poenitentia est nova vita Luther Poenitere â malis abstinere à malis addict himself unto it and still follow and pursue it to the end it will certainly bring him to the dead salt Sea of eternal horrours and everlasting torments And therefore let us turn from all sin and every evil way to the contrary good and give me leave here to instance in some few particulars as from our pride and haughtiness of mind to humility and lowliness of mind It is very sad and bodes ill that though Trade decays and mens estates are lower yet mens minds are still high How many are poorer in purse but not in spirit their means is less and lower but pride and luxury rather greater and higher as if though God humble them they were resolv'd not to be humbled From our garish flanting and immodest attire and that allures to wantonness the great sin of these times to what is sober and modest and becoming such as profess godliness and the fear of the Lord. Tamar's apparrel made Judah to Gen. 38. 15. take her for an harlot and however such says one may be honest yet such as are honest will hardly take them to be so because they lay themselves and others open to temptation Augustus Vestitus insâ—â—nis ac mollis superbiae vexillum est luxuriae nidus Hieronymus Caesar was wont to say that stately and light Apparrel was the banner of pride and nest of luxury and if says one of the fathers women adorn themselves so as to provoke men to lust after them though no evil follow upon it yet those women shall suffer damnation because they offered poyson to others though none would drink it A very Heathen could say Cultus magna ubi cura ibi magna virtutis incuria Cato where there is great care of dressing there 's little care of goodness but now Professours themselves think it little or no fault to be as garish in their Apparrel as others and to follow every foolish strange upstart fashion exceeding in their apparrel beyond their calling and above their means c. but let such read and weigh these and the like places Is 3. 16. c. Zeph. 1. 8. 1 Pet. 3. 3 4. 1 Tim. 2. 9 10. Rom. 12. 2. 1 Pet. 1. 14. c. From our excess and riot and prodigious luxury to temperance and sobriety from all filthiness uncleanness and obscenity to purity chastity and possessing our vessels that is our bodies in sanctification and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence even 1 Thes 4. 4 5. as the Gentils which know not God From our profanations of God's name and day to the sanctifying of the same from our carelesness and security to godly fear and Christian vigilancy from our earthliness to heavenly mindedness our covetousness to contentedness with such things as Heb. 13. 5. Rom. 12. 11. we have from our lukewarmness indifferency and formality in the things of God to zeal fervency and ardency of affection From our slightings and despisings of God's ordinances to the setting of an higher value and esteem upon them from our licentiousness to more strictness and barrenness and ingratitude to greater thankfulness and fruitfulness From our divisions strifes and contentions one with another to union and indearedness of affection one towards another from our animosities to unanimity from our rash and harsh censurings and judgings of others to judging our selves from our frowardness and fierceness to gentleness and meekness from our deceitfulness and fraudulency to faithfulness and sincerity from our self-seekings and lookings every man to his own things to self denyings and looking every man also to Phil. 2. 4. the things of others from our harshness churlishness and uncharitableness to kindness and readiness to do good from speaking evil or 1 Thes 5. 15. rendring evil for evil to any man to shew all meekness and follow that which is good unto all from all errour heresie and strange doctrines and opinions to the form of sound 2 Tim. 1. 13. words and the faith once delivered to the Saints from fickleness and unstayedness in the truth Jude 3. to establishment c. In a word from what ever is offensive and displeasing to God and prejudicial to our selves or others to whatever is pleasing and acceptable to God and profitable to our selves and others And indeed the very essence of repentance lies in this in our turning with our whole man from all sin with grief and hatred of it unto God and all that is good but while we condemn sin with our tongues if yet we regard and take pleasure in any sin in our hearts we are far yet from God yea abominable to him 6. Let our turning to God be from right principles and upon right grounds spiritual grounds as in the name of Christ in his Col. 3. 17. strength and as looking for acceptance both of our persons and repentance in and through him and his merits mediation and satisfaction So let it be in conscience of his commands and out of love to God because we love God therefore let us fear any longer to displease him and turn to him that we may no longer offend nor provoke him It is said of Luther that having heard Staupi a grave Divine say that that was kind repentance which began from the love of God ever after the practice of repentance was sweeter to him So out of hatred to sin as an enemy to God and his glory and our own souls good and because of that repugnancy and contrariety that there is in it to God and his holy nature and law 7. Let it be for right ends as the glory of God this must be the main and chiefest end If whether we eat or drink or whatsoever we do we are 1 Cor. 10. 31. to do all to the glory of God how much more when we repent and turn to God must that be that he may be glorified 8. Let it be speedy Gather your selves together c. before the decree Zeph. 2. 1 2. come forth before the day pass c. O how does the Lord long and is as it were in pain and travel 'till it be 'till we leave our sins and turn to him O Jerusalem wilt thou not be made Jer. 13. 27. 14. 14. clean when shall it once be and how long shall thy vain thoughts lodg within thee and how 31. 22. long wilt thou go about O thou back-sliding daughter and how long will this people provoke Numb 14. 11. me and how long will it be e're they believe me c. And shall we make God long still in vain and be as it were in pain and travel Why God will do that which others will not do They say if a man put away his wife c but thou hast Jer. 3. 1. played the
harlot with many Lovers yet return again to me says the Lord. A man will hardly entertain a servant that seeks to him in his old age that refus'd his service all his life before and Nulla poenitentia seria est unquam nimis sera Ambr. how should God and yet he will if sincere and true But though true repentance be never too late yet late repentance is seldom true for mens sins then rather leave them than they their Pecoata ipsos deserunt non ipsi peccata c. Ambros sins and such a cessation from sin is not repentance for sin and therefore take we heed of delays whereby we do more strengthen sin harden our own hearts and give Satan stronger hold and fuller possession Had we a thorn in our foot or a mote in our eye would we delay to get them out and is not the guilt of sin worse in the soul Certainly a man had better lie under the weight of all the mountains in the world than under the guilt of one sin we are bid not to withold good from the owners thereof Say not to thy neighbour go and come again Prov. 3. 27 28. and to morrow I will give when thou hast it by thee And shall we still withdraw or withhold our selves from God whose own we are in many respects and who when he comes to us comes but for his own and shall we detain still from him what is his own which we do while we still refuse to turn to God and lock up our selves as it were in the Devil's hold But let us remember we are the Lords we are bought with a price and he is not onely our owner but our Creatour and Benefactour and 't is well for us we have so good an owner and so kind a Lord and let us not then withhold our selves a moment longer from him but yeild our selves to him for is there any safety but under his wings any happiness but in his presence any peace without his pardon c or can we be holy and happy too soon blessed too soon pardoned too soon in the love in the heart of God too soon under the shines of his face in the light of his countenance too soon free Libertas bonum inestimabile Nulli benè venditur auro and from under the vassalage of sin and Satan too soon especially freedom being so desireable and such an inestimable good Who would not be sui juris free The Rabbins have a saying that if the heavens were parchment and the Sea ink it could not sufficiently contain the praises of liberty how much less of spiritual liberty of being made free from sin so as to become servants to God and have our fruit unto holiness and the end everlasting life to be freed Nec beliua saevior ulla quà m servi rabies c. from his slavery who is a slave himself and no slavery to the service of a slave It was Canaan's curse that he should be a servant of servants Gen. 9. 25. and are not our sins the very gangrenes and plague-sores of our souls the utter enemies of our peace safety and felicity which still distemper and disquiet us and shall these be retain'd still or can they too soon be abandoned 9. Let it be daily constant and continual for we daily sin continually transgress and therefore are still to be daily acting repentance and there being still sin and corruption in us we are still daily and continually to be turning from it to the contrary good we daily wash our hands Quia semper peccamus semper poenitentiam agere dehemus Hier. and clense our houses and so let us by repentance our hearts of those daily infirmities we fall into We are still letting in sin and therefore by repentance should be still pumping it out This might occasion that saying of Tertullian that he was born to nothing else but repentancè for we having brought upon our selves a miserable necessity of sinning daily and continually what can we be more born to than to Dominus dicendo poenitentiam agite omnem vitam fidelium poenitentiam esse voluit Luther be repenting daily and continually 10. Let it be more and more increasing and persevering to the end not onely our daily course but 'till we have finished our course not resting in this that we were once turn'd but still daily more and more turning from all iniquity and practising the contrary duties of Christianity If conversion be good certainly the more the better and the fullest is best we should get more and more chang'd and turn'd into the Lord's image from glory to glory c. and every day get 2 Cor. 3. 18. nearer heaven and salvation then other It is said of Julius Caesar whose warlick exploits were so Nilque putans factum dum quod super esset agendum famous that he still went forward thinking nothing done as it were while any thing was yet to be done So let us with Paul forgetting Phil. 3. 13. those things behind reach forth to what is yet before take we heed of Apostacy from God and 2 Pet. 2. 22. his ways and having known the way of righteousness of turning from the holy commandement to the crooked ways of sin for what was this but to bring as it were an evil report upon God and his ways and to make as if his ways were not such as the Scripture declares them to be yea and as if the ways of sin were better and to be preferr'd before them for having try'd both such as more eligible turn to the other again what a dreadful thing is it to bring as it were an evil report upon God and his ways It is said of those that brought but an evil report up on the Numb 14. 37. land that they died by the plague before the Lord but what will become of those who bring as it were an evil report upon the Lord himself and his ways and make as if there was iniquity in him and hence says the Lord what iniquity have your fathers found in me c. and O my Jer. 2. 5. people what I have done to thee and wherein have I wearied thee testify against me As if the Micah 6. 3. c. Lord had said you make as if I had done so and so unto you but what have I done plead the cause with me what have you to lay to my charge or object speak and I will answer I am willing to submit my ways to scanning and to bring my proceedings with you to a tryal For your better conviction put in your Bill of complaint against me c. O the wonderful condescension of the great God to poor sinners as if he had said Your own consciences which I appeal to cannot but say that I never dealt ill with you but on the contrary well with you for I brought you up out of the land of Egypt and redeemed
much do we fail his expectations and what he promises to himself concerning Quasi dicat omnia tentavi media sed lusi oleum operam nec bonis nec malis estis curabilâ—s c. Pareus us so as that he is even at a stand with us and knows not what as it were to do to us as he says of Ephraim O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee c. for your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away c. Hos 6. 4. A most pathetical expostulation as if the Lord had said I have several ways try'd you and made several assays upon you sometimes one way and sometimes another sometimes by my word and sometimes with my rod one while prospering you another while áfflicting you c. and after all I profess I am even at a stand concerning you and you shew your selves such as that I know not what to do to you Your goodness if any what is it but as the morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away it is but a meer flash an outside fickle unconstant nothing and you unsteady and deceitful So it is said of the Israelites that the Deut. 3. 2. Lord led them fourty years in the wilderness to prove them and to know what was in their hearts whether they would keep his commandements or no and what upon proof did he find them even an awker'd untoward perverse people they gave God indeed good words made him fair promises spake well but acted ill and quite 5. 27 28. contrary to what they pretended God said indeed Surely they are my people children that will Is 63. 8 9 10. not lye so he was their Saviour c. But they Deut. 32. 15. rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit c. When Jesurun waxed fat then he kicked and when lean he murmured It is said God left Hezekiah 2 Chr. 32. 31. to try him to know all that was in his heart and how much pride and vain glory and ingratitude was there found there God many times lays us low and what large promises do we make if he will but restore us which many times the Lord does but what false deceitful creatures do we shew our selves and so we think if we had but such and such mercies how would we improve them but it is quite otherwise upon tryal so before affliction comes we think many times we have a good measure of faith and patience and christian courage and submissiveness to the will of God but upon proof how little does it appear to be But now it is come upon thee and thou faintest it toucheth thee Job 4. 5 6. and thou art troubled c. thus surely men of low Psal 62. 9. degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye to be laid or being laid in the ballance that is put to the tryal they are altogether lighter than vanity i. e. vanity being laid in one scale Sensusest si homines ponerentur in una lance bilancis vanitas verò in altera tum comperirentur leviores esse quâ—mvanitas Pisc and all they together in the other vanity would yet outweigh them and be found weightier than the weightiest of them By a â—ye we are to understand false and deceitful and as men of high and low degree comprehend all sorts of men so vanity and a lye all sorts of deceitfulness and uncertainty But God now he upon proof is ever found what his Word declares and what he promises to be yea such as make proof of him find him to be better and more than what they expected him to be Joshua when he was Josh 23. 14. now going the way of all the earth he appeals to all Israel that not one thing had failed of all the good things God had promised all came to pass and not one thing failed thereof And Solomon declares as concerning his father David that 1 King 3. 6 God had shewed him great mercy and kept for him great kindness according as he walked before him in truth and in righteousness c. and David Psal 119. 65. himself says thou hast dealt well with thy servant O Lord according to thy word And O that England that we of this Nation would at length by true conversion but prove God and see but what would be the effect and issue thereof if he would not bless us and cause it to be well with us we have tryed others and other ways and upon proof found them vain and ineffectual O that at length we would but try here if not for our own sakes yet for the sake of the Nation or at least of our little ones if we have no regard to our selves nor any other yet at least let us have respect to them that they may be saved which are or should be so dear to us and which we especially should seek the good of because while so little they cannot seek it themselves and that when we have served the Lord in our generation they may continue after us to stand up in our stead These Ezra had a Ezr. 8. 21. special regard to in that fast he proclaim'd at Domino parvuli maximae curae sunt nec dubium Deum saepiùs urâ— ibus maximis paâ—cere propter multitudinem infantium c. Winck in loc the river Ahara it was to seek of him a right way for them and their little ones Yea what a singular respect hath God himself to such how have his bowels even yern'd towards them and shall not ours you know what he said to Jonah And should not I spare Niniveh that great City wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand their left that is young children and infants And shall not Parents have a tender respect to such can ye indure to see the evil else that is like to come upon them do but read and seriously weigh what the want of turning to God hath brought upon others little ones * Lam. 2. 11. 4. 10. and shall this move us nothing O that something Hos 13. 16. Ezek. 9. 6. or other might prevail but to try what not try what is purpos'd for our own weal why the Lord you see is pleas'd to put himself to the tryal prove me and shall we refuse when as never yet any prov'd him thus in vain O did we but truly and unfeignedly repent and turn to God we should then see what was the power and prevalency thereof and we should meet with such proofs of God's favour and goodness as would fully convince us that all the while we refus'd to do it we for sook our own mercy and from Hag. 2. 19. that very day would the Lord bless us and let us all set our selves to this as belonging to all and as being the concern of all both old and young high and low rich and poor great and mean
love to others it must be by endeavouring by all possible ways and means their conversion and so their salvation Thus Paul made appear the sincerity of his love to Israel his hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel being this that they Rom. 10. 1. might be saved And so David to his son Solomon he tells us he was his father's son so were Prov. 4. 3 4 5 c. others but he in a special manner was so being singularly loved and of such a one we use to say he is his father's son and how did he manifest the truth of his love why he taught me also and said unto me let thy heart retain my words c. Get wisdom get understanding c. And we can never approve our selves sincerely to love others but in this way for if to love be to desire and endeavour the good of those we love how can it consist with the neglect of their chiefest good And that this is to love a very Heathen saw To love says he is to desire good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist things for those whom we love and according to our utmost ability to endeavour to accomplish them and what good things to conversion and salvation and therefore while we neglect these we do but indeed hate whom we may pretend to love Many Parents they think they love their children why because they cocker their children and provide well for them as to the world and allow them high fare and fine cloaths and it may be can tumble in silver and gold but such in the mean while neglecting their souls and the means appointed by God for their conversion and salvation they shew plainly Peremptores potiús quám parentes they do not in truth love them but rather hate them and so will be found and accounted of at the last day And how well may such Jud. 16. 15. children say to their Parents what Delilah sometimes said to Sampson in another case How can ye say ye love us when your hearts desires and prayers are no more to God for us that we may be converted and sav'd when you neglect our souls our jewel our darling our principal one and take no more care of our chief good our spiritual and eternal good of that which if we should fall short of it would avail us nothing though you should all your days gather Pearls for us or could procure the gain of a whole world for us The Lord commands Thou shalt Levit. 19. 17. not hate thy brother in thy heart and how is this prevented Thou shalt in any wise rebuke him and not suffer sin upon him so that not to rebuke not to use those ways and means appointed by God for to reclaim and reduce thy brother when he sinneth is to hate him for thereby the guilt of his sin is still suffer'd to be upon him to his soul's ruine which to suffer as it is hatred in thee so the sorest judgement upon thy brother 7. Consider others unserviceableness till they be converted they are altogether unprofitable Rom. 3. 12. Ezek. 15. 4 5. like that Vine branch in Ezekiel that was meet for no work and that girdle hid in Euphrates that was good for nothing and like Salt Jer. 13. 10. Matth. 5. 13. which has lost its savour and is fit for nothing but to be cast out and troden under foot And should we not do our utmost to get others out of such an estate that is so unprofitable wherein they neither can please God nor truly profit themselves or others wherein all their works even their best are but dead works and their Omnis vita infidelium peccatum whole life sin and is this an estate to let them lie in to let them alone in God forbid That 's very observable to this purpose which Paul says of Onesimus viz. that in time past i. e. all the Philem. 10. 11. while before his conversion he was unprofitable but after his conversion then profitable profitato Philemon yea to Paul himself before profitable to none neither to himself nor others but now to all to master and Minister and now he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicit nunc taâ—â—messe planc qualis vocatur answers his name which he never did before to which the Apostle seems to allude 8. Beasts if fallen or strayed and so in danger Exod. 23. 4. Deut. 22. 4. to perish were to be help'd and reduc'd and not men not souls does God take care of beasts would he have us keep them from perishing and not much more men souls but shall we let them alone in the errours of their minds and in the corrupt practices of their lives to stand or fall sink or swim live or dye no matter what what uncharitableness cruelty and hard-heartedness would this argue c. and therefore upon all these considerations let us lay out our selves to the utmost as to so good and blessed a work making use of all possible ways and means as may further the same as instructions exhortations admonitions reprehensions exemplary conversations c. and with and to all let us be sure to joyn our fervent prayers and earnest supplications for unless the Lord comes in with his help and makes successful what we do what can it avail if the 2 Kings 6. 27. Gen. 9. 27. Lord help not as that King said to the woman how should we help God shall perswade Japhet c. It is of God that sheweth mercy and Rom. 9. 16. as God gave to every man else had we the wisdom of Angels what would it avail without God and therefore we must address our selves to the most High and cry unto him who as he hath performed this for us can also for others but of this I have occasionally spoken something before and therefore shall not enlarge here and as we should endeavour this unto all as occasion serves so more especially to our relations and those whose good we have stronger obligations upon us than ordinary for to seek as we who are Ministers whose proper work in a more special manner it is in reference to our people and so Parents in reference to their children and all relations in reference to each other yea if children be converted themselves and their Parents as yet unconverted they should in a special manner indeavour their conversion onely what they do they are to do in an humble way and to mannage it after a reverent manner as beseems that honour that is due to Parents from their children It is controverted by some whether children may not be instrumental of greater benefit to their Parents than they have receiv'd from them and certainly if they prove instrumental as to their conversion they may for to be instrumental of regeneration and a spiritual birth is far better than of generation and a natural birth and to be instrumental to an happy glorious and eternal life than to a
with other ways and means then of my appointing instead of repenting and turning to me the onely true way of her weal and means of her cure and which I have so often call'd for and invited her to with much patience and forbearance by my Prophets she hath betaken her self to other ways and means run to carnal helps and all manner of worldly shifts and devices and here she hath been very industrious taken a great deal of pains so as even to weary her self running up and down one while this way and another while another way and all to underprop her ruinous condition and to keep off the threatned destruction but in vain for they are all but lies and vanities and so she shall experience them And why it follows because her scum went not out of her that is her sin and wickedness so call'd for its vileness and filthiness she still retain'd that and therefore she and her scum shall be in the fire that is she neglecting the onely true way of her weal and means of her deliverance which was true repentance and conversion all her other worldly and carnal ways and meanes which she had with so much care and toil sought out shall all prove false and unfaithful to her and deceive her And hence does the Lord so earnestly and pathetically as being very desirous and sollicitous of Jerusalems weal invite her to the right way thereof and to avert that heavy destruction threatned against her and coming upon her O Jerusalem Jer. 4. 14. wash thine heart from wickedness that Officii nostri est poenitentiam agere ut servemur qui quidem poenitentiae fructus est Pisc thou may'st be saved that is repent and turn from thy wickedness reform thy heart and life There is indeed the washing of justification from the guilt of sin by the bloud of Christ and of sanctification from the filth of sin by the Spirit of Christ but by this washing here we are to understand that of true serious and sound repentance and conversion and reformation of heart and life from wickedness when the heart is turn'd from it and engag'd against it And of this washing we read elsewhere and it is called Isaiah 1. 16. James 4. 8. v. 1. returning to the Lord and putting away their abominations out of Gods sight v. 3. Jer. 4. 1. breaking up their fallow-ground v. 4. circumcising themselves to the Lord and taking away the foreskins of their hearts and it is the same with that in Acts 8. 22. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness c. And this the Lord here invites Jerusalem to as her onely way of being saved O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved As if the Lord had said thou cryest indeed wo unto us for we are spoiled v. 13. but yet there is a way of thy being saved and it is the onely way and therefore if yet at last thou hast any mind to be saved and to have it well with thee as I have and to prevent that utter ruine that is coming upon thee betake thy self to it wash thine heart from wickedness how long shall thy vain thoughts lodg within thee Thus the Lord calls all their thoughts and hopes of safety elsewhere and from other means as forraign forces and the like vain such as however they fed themselves with them should never effect their weal nor be able to relieve them but in relying on them they relyed but upon vanity and falshood And hence it is that the Church and people of God here are so intent upon this and so earnest for this they importune it no less than three times as if they would have no denial because they knew full well as this was the right way and a sure way for their weal so it was the onely way and there was no other and God must do this or they could not be saved neither could it be well with them whatever else they betook themselves to CHAP. VII NOw in the further prosecution of this point of so great importance and infinite concern as to our own and the Nations weal I shall do these three things in general 1. I shall shew you what kind and what manner of turn that is and must be that is thus effectual as to a peoples being saved for it is not every turn that does or can effect this 2. I shall give you the reasons of the point 3. I shall apply it and endeavour several ways to improve it As concerning the first truly there are so many excellent Treatises already extant and that both formerly and of late and that by more able pens that it might seem needless to adde more and indeed for substance what more almost can be written that is not written already Yet because variety of gifts may please and I hope profit as to the promoting of so blessed a work wherein not onely our own but the whole Nations weal is so infinitely concern'd and that I may not seem to build without a foundation somewhat I shall say but be the briefer at least as to some things and as concerning this Turn you must 1. know in general that there are several sorts of Turns or Changes As 1. in substance which is called generation 2. In place called local mutation 3. In quality called alteration when things are turn'd and chang'd from one quality and one manner and fashion to another when the present property frame and disposition of a thing is quite turn'd and alter'd from what it was before and of this latter we are to understand this turn or mutation here For 1. there is no In resipiscentia homines adeò immutantur ut quales antea fuerant tales esse desinant non tamen in mole substantia corporis sed in animi inclinationibus appetitionibus c. Dent. d◠resipisc turn or change in substance the person sinning and turning being still the same in substance body and soul the same and all the parts powers and faculties of both the same thus in this sense Manasseh Mary Magdalene Paul c. were the same before and after their conversion Nor 2. in place for the sinner is or may be still in the same place where he was before or if he do change his place it does not avail any thing here for sin as one well observes like a man's sickness is carried with him where ever he goes and change of place no more than change of beds does free him or make him whole No it is not change of place but an effectual work of grace that turns the heart Cain was the same in the land of Nod as he was where he dwelt before and the Israelites which came evil out of Egypt remained the same in the wilderness Thus Moses tels them They provoked the Lord their God to wrath in the Deut. 9. 7 8 22 23 24. wilderness yea from the day that they did depart out of the land
of Ehypt untill they came to that place they had been rebellious against the Lord. Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath and at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth Hattavah And when the Lord sent them from Kadesh-Barnea saying go up and possess the land which I have given you then they rebelled yea says Moses you have been rebellious against the Lord from the day that I knew you In the 33. of Numb Moses there reckons up no less than two and fourty journeys that they made as from Rameses to Succoth from Succoth to Etham from Etham to Pihahiroth c. and yet all these changes of place made no change as to their manners and dispositions but still they carried their sins along with them and the holy Ghost Quidam ex Hebraeo vertunt juxta mare in mari rubro ut sensus sit illos non solùm in littore sed etiam dum ipsum mare pedibus transmitterent de Deo conquestos esse c. Flaminius in locum Vix dum egressi ex Egypto in ipso maris transitu contra suum redemptorem protervè insurrexerint Calvin in locum calls the whole time of their journeying in the wilderness where they removed and changed place so often the provocation Harden not your hearts as in the provocation that is in the time when ye sinned and walked forwardly offending me and provoking me against you breaking my laws vexing and grieving my Spirit and fourty years long was I grieved with this generation c. How often in that time did they change their places and yet still the same yea it is said Psalm 106. 7. They provoked him at the Sea even at the red Sea there they sinned against him yea in the red Sea not onely whiles they were on the bank but even while they were passing through the Lord by a wonderful miracle having made it to them as dry land to walk upon and one would have thought such a place might have made some change in them but it did not there they still continue their murmurings and their mutinings and thus some read it they provoked him in the Sea even when they saw that glorious work and there lies the Emphasis that they provoked him even in that Sea which God carried them through There was a turn and change indeed in the Sea that goes back and becomes dry land and in the waters they are divided and are a wall on the right hand and on the left but none Jerem. 24. in them And thus the figs which were so very evil in Jerusalem continued evil still in Babylon And how many in this great and populous city who upon occasion of the late dreadful and never to be forgotten Fire changed their places still retained their sins and the change of their places have made no change of their conditions but still retain their old frames and dispositions their old pride and luxury and vanity c. and though many have of late changed again their places are they not still the same and though they have new houses chang'd them have they not still their old hearts and therefore this turn and change here is not of places but of Quantum homo à suis consuetis vitiis recesserit tantum in resipiscentiae usu exercitio processit sed qui idem est manetque qualis fuit sanè nunquam resipuit ideoque est damnationi proximus quality when one and the same man is quite turned from what he was before I mean in the present frame state and disposition of the whole man both body and soul and all the parts powers and faculties both of the one and the other as from sin to holiness from iniquity to righteousness from Satan to God from hell to heaven and that I say in the whole man and whole conversation Thus old things are past away and all are in quality and disposition become new There are new hearts and new spirits c. as the Lord promises not as to their essence or substance or powers or faculties but gracious new qualities and inclinations The instrument is still the same and so are the strings but the tune is chang'd and mended the waters are the same but they are healed so that in some sense the man is now quite alter'd and turn'd from what he was before and he is not the same but there is a strange spiritual metamorphosis in and upon him and he has another spirit as is said of Caleb but my servant Caleb because he had another spirit that is an excellent Numb 14. 24. spirit and 2 Cor. 3. 18. we are chang'd into the same image from glory to glory c. Thus in general but now more particularly and distinctly This turn 1. It must be such as is of God as the Lord Peccatoris conversio est opus quod creatae naturae vires excedit God of Hosts himself works and is the author of as is his gift and wrought by his Spirit and not meerly of man or from our selves which is yet all the turn of many and cannot therefore be right it being neither wholly to God nor from God Turn thou me says Ephraim and I Jer. 31. 18. shall be turned then we are turned indeed and not till then 2. Such as is joyn'd with kindly contrition and humiliation and this occasioned by a thorow and sound conviction of sin which the Holy Ghost is the Author and efficient of Joh. 16. 8. and this contrition and humiliation is as it were the foundation and conversion the superstructure and both together contrition and conversion humiliation and reformation are the two main essential parts of repentance a kindly brokenness of heart for sin and a breaking off from sin when we grieve and are deeply humbled for it and depart from it are sorry for it and forsake it and hence we read of repentance of sin or for sin and repentance from sin and the former of these is called in Scripture godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 10. For Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of that is we feeling indeed the bitterness of our sins and being truly touched in conscience for them that we have offended so great and holy a God and so gracious and loving a father we come by the help of God's Spirit to alter and change the purpose and resolution of our hearts before set on sin and turn them to the Lord and now avoid forsake and abandon sin and this is called godly sorrow or as it is in the Original sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 10 Qui secundùm Deum tristis est eo dolore qui à Dei Spiritu manat de peccatis suis dolet idque non poenae formidine territus sed hoc ipsum aegerrime ferens quód Deum clementissimum patrem offenderit c. Beza according to God that is 1. which proceeds and comes from God which the Spirit of God is the Author