iniquity for take away this and all other mercies follow after because this onely is it which stops the current of Gods favours which remooved the current of his mercies run amaine As when the clouds are gone the Sun shines out So let our sinnes bee remooved and Gods favour immediately shines upon us Therefore first Take away all iniquity and then we shall see nothing but thy Fatherly face in Christ You see what the care of Gods children is to seeke mercy and favour in the first place as David Psal 51.1 Have mercy on me O Lord this he begs first of all whereas God had threatned other terrible judgements as that the sword should never depart from his house c. yet he neglects all as it were and begs onely for mercy to take away iniquity For a sinner is never in such a blessed condition as he should be in untill he prize and desire mercy above all because though we be in misery untill then with sinfull Ephraim Hos 7.14 wee howle upon our beds for corne and wine preferring earthly sensuall things before all But that soule and conscience which is acquainted with God and the odiousnesse of sin that soule God intends to speake peace unto in the end desires pardon of sinne and mercy above all for it knowes that God is goodnesse it selfe and that when the interposing clouds are vanished God cannot shew himselfe otherwise then in goodnesse grace and mercy Take away all iniquity Quest Before I goe further let me answer one Question Ought wee not to thinke of our former sinnes shall God take them away altogether out of the soule Answ O no! Take them away out of the conscience O Lord that it doe not accuse for them but not out of the memory it is good that sinne be remembred to humbleus to make us more thankfull pitifull and tender-hearted unto others to abase us and keepe us low all the daies of our life and to make us deale gently and mercifully with others being sensible of our owne frailties As they are naught in the conscience so they are good to the memory Therefore let us thinke often of this what the chiefe desire of our soules to God should be for mercy to have sinne taken away In all the Articles of our Creed that of cheefest comfort is That of Remission of sinnes Wherefore are all the other Articles of Christ his Birth Death and Crucifying but that hee might get the Church and that the priviledges thereof might be Forgivenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the Body and life everlasting but Forgivenesse of sinnes is in the first place Quest But may some say How shall I know whether or no my sinnes be forgiven 1. By something that goes before 2. By something which followes after Answ There is somewhat which goes before viz. 1. An humble and hearty Confession as 1 Ioh. 1.9 1. By an hmble confession if wee confesse our sinnes hee is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse therefore whether I feele it or not if I have heartily fully and freely confessed my sins are forgiven God in wisedome and mercy may suspend the feeling thereof for our humiliation and for being over-bold with Satans baites yet I ought to beleeve it for I make God a lier else if I confesse heartily and acknowledge my debt to thinke that he hath not cancel'd the bond 2. When we finde strength against it Mat. 9.2 6. Secondly sin is certainely pardoned when a man finds strength against it for where God forgives he gives strength withall as to the man whom he healed of the Palsie Thy sinnes are forgiven thee take up thy bed and walke When a man hath strength to returne to God to run the way of his Commandements and to go on in a Christian course his sinnes are forgiven because he hath a Spirit of faith to goe on and leade him forward still Those who find no strength of grace may question forgivenesse of sins for God where he takes away sin and pardons it as we see here in this Text after prayer made to take away iniquity he doth good to us 3. Some peace of conscience The third evidence is some peace of Conscience though not much perhaps yet so much as supports us from despaire as Rom. 5.1 Therfore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ that is being acquitted from our sinnes by faith wee have peace with God so much peace as makes us goe boldly to him so that one may know his bonds are cancel'd and his sins forgiven when with some boldnesse hee dare looke God in the face in Jesus Christ A Iudas an Achitophell a Saul because they are in the guilt of their sinnes cannot confesse comfortably and goe to God which when with some boldnesse we can doe it is a signe that peace is made for us 4. By love to God Againe where sin is pardoned our hearts will be much inlarged with love to God as Christ said to the woman Luke 7.47 Her sinnes which are many are forgiven her because she loved much Therefore when we finde our hearts inflamed with love to God we may know that God hath shined upon our soules in the the pardon of sin and proportionablie to our measure of love is our assurance of pardon therefore wee should labour for a greater measure thereof that our hearts may be the more inflamed in the love of God It is impossible that the soule should at all love God angry offended and unappeased nay such a soule wisheth that there were no God at all for the very thoughts thereof terrifie him Againe where sinne is forgiven 5. By mercifullnes to others it frames the soule suetably to be gentle mercifull and to pardon others for usually those who have peaceable consciences themselves are peaceable unto others and those who have forgivenesse of sins can also forgive others those who have found mercy have mercifull hearts shewing that they have found mercy with God And on the contrarie hee that is a cruell mercilesse man it is a signe that his heart was never warmed nor melted with the sense of Gods mercy in Christ Therefore as the Elect of God saith the Apostle put on bowells of compassion as you will make it good that you are the Elect of God members of Christ and Gods children Therefore Their miserable condition who have not forgivenesse of sinnes let us labour for the forgivenesse of our sinnes that God would remoove and subdue the power of them take them away and the judgements due to them or else wee are but miserable men though we enjoyed all the pleasures of the world which to a worldly man are but like the liberty of the Tower to a condemned Traitor who though hee have all wants supplied with all possible attendance yet when he thinkes of his estate it makes his heart cold dampes his courage and makes him
Law and Gospell the whole Word of God which he calleth right not onely because 1. They are Righteous in themselves but 2. Because they reforme whatsoever is amisse in us and rectifie us and 3. VVorke whatsoever is needfull for our good and salvation Now more particularly Gods wayes are 1. Those wayes wherein he walks to us or 2. The wayes that he prescribes us to walk in and 3. Our wayes as they are conformable to his Any of these are the wayes of God of all which more heereafter The wayes wherein he walkes to us Gods wayes to us because many of them are untraceable as unsearchable to us are not here meant As those of Election Predestination and Reprobation the reasons whereof if we take them comparatively cannot be searched out why God should take one and not another it is an unsearchable way But take a man single out of comparison the wayes of God will appeare to be right even in that harsh decree which many men stumble so much at for none are ever brought in the execution of that decree to be damned but you shall see the wayes of the Lord right who a long time together offers them a great deale of mercy which they refusing and resisting the Holy Ghost taking wilfully contrary courses worke out their owne damnation So that at length the issue of those unsearchable wayes will appeare to be right in every particular howsoever the comparative reason at the first why God singles out one man and not another will not appeare As for the wayes of his Providence in governing the world and ruling of his Church The wayes of his Providence c. this is the way of God which is right all which wayes though we cannot in all particulars see in this world yet in Heaven in the light of glory we shall see what cannot now be seene in the light of grace and nature For there be misteries in Providence who can tell the reason why of men equally good one should bee sorely afflicted and the other should goe to Heaven without any affliction in a smooth way none can give a reason of it but we must subscribe to the hidden wisdome of God whose wayes are unsearchable in his Providence yet are they most right though they be above our conceit If wee could conceive all Gods wayes then they were not Gods wayes for in his wayes to us he will so carry them as he will shew himselfe to bee above and beyond our shallow conceits But the wayes especially here meant are the wayes which he prescribes us to walke in and they are 1. What we must beleeve and then 2. VVhat we must doe there is First Obedience of Faith and then Obedience of life These are Gods wayes prescribed in the word and only in the word Now our wayes when they joyne with Gods wayes that is when our life Our wayes joyning with Gods wayes purposes and desires of the inner man in our speeches carriage and conversation agree with Gods wayes then in some sort they are Gods wayes the just shall walke in them They shall walke in these wayes that is in those wayes which God prescribeth As for those wayes wherein God walkes to us we have not so much to doe here to consider them But by walking in the wayes which he prescribes we shall feele that his wayes to us will be nothing but mercy and truth Psal 25.16 The wayes of the Lord are right those wayes that he prescribes to men to be beleeved and done they are right and streight that is they are agreeable to the first rule of all Right is the judgement and will of God He is the first truth and the first good the prime truth and good which must rule all others Mensura mensurans as they use to speake in Schooles the measure that measures all other things for all other things are onely so farre right as they agree to the highest measure of all which is Gods appointment and will So the wayes of God are said to be right because they agree to his word and will they are holy and pure as himselfe is just pure and holy The wayes of the Lord are right Right as they agree to that which is right and streight and right likewise because they lead directly to a right end We know a right line is that which is the shortest betweene two tearmes that which leads from point to point is the shortest of all other lines So Gods wayes are right and streight there are no other wayes which tend directly to happinesse without error but Gods wayes all other wayes are crooked wayes So Gods wayes are right as they looke to God and as they looke unto all other inferiour courses they are right to examine all our wayes by being the rule of them And they are right as they looke to Gods will and are ruled by him The wayes of the Lord are right Hence observe we in the first place that the first thing wee should looke too in our conversation must be to know this for a ground Observ That man is not a prescriber of his owne way and that no creatures will is a rule We must imbrace therefore no opinion of any man or any course injoyned or prescribed by any man further then it agrees with the first truth and the first right Gods wayes are right right as a standard that is a measure to measure all other measures by So Gods will and truth revealed is a right rule and the measure of all other rules whatsoever Directions therefore which we have of things to be beleeved and done from men must be no further regarded then as they agree with the first standard Therfore they are mistaken and desperately mistaken that make any mans will a rule unlesse it be subordinate to that which is higher at which time it becometh all one with the higher rule When a man subordinates his directions to Gods then Gods and his are all one Otherwise without this subordination wee make men gods when we make their will a rule of our Obedience The wayes of the Lord are right But of this onely a touch by the way the maine point hence is The Word of the Lord is every way perfect and brings us to perfection Observ As we may see at large prooved Psalme 19.7 c. Where whatsoever is Good Comfortable Profitable or Delightfull either for this life or the life to come is all to bee had from thence And the Wiseman saith Pro. 30.5 Every word of God is pure c. A similitude taken from gold which is fined till it be pure as it is expressed in another place The words of the Lord are pure words Psal 12.6 as silver tryed in a fornace of earth and purified seven times 2 Tim. 3.16 And so the Apostle to Timothy All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Correction for Reproofe for instruction in Righteousnesse that
maine So it is with the soule that is truely convinced it is safe for the maine yet it is tumbled and tossed with many doubts and feares but their Anchor is in Heaven Take this for a ground of comfort subscribed unto in the experience of all beleevers that the Spirit of God so farre convinces them of Christs righteousnesse as preserves in them such a power of grace as to cast themselves upon the mercy of God in Christ and God will not quench that sparke though there be little or no light yet there will be heate God will send his Spirit into the heart so farre as it shall not betray it selfe to despaire and let such a beame into the soule as all the power in hell shall not be able to keepe out but it is our owne neglect that we are not more strongly convinced so as to breake through all This is the priviledge of a constant carefull Christian to bee strongly convinced of the righteousnesse of Christ Vse Thus we see how the Holy Ghost convinceth us of righteousnesse other things I must omit If this be so I beseech you let us not loose our priviledges and prerogatives doth God give grace and give Christ with all his righteousnesse and shall not we improove them Let us use this righteousnesse in all temptations Let us pleade it to God himselfe when hee seemes to be our enemy Lord thou hast ordained a righteousnesse the righteousnesse of Christ that hath given full satisfaction to thy justice and he hath given me a title to Heaven howsoever my soule be in darkenesse yet Lord I come unto thee in the name of my Saviour that thou wouldest perswade my soule of that righteousnesse I would glorifie thy Name Wherein wilt thou be glorified In mercy or justice O in mercy above all I cannot glorifie thee in thy mercy unlesse thou perswade me of the righteousnesse of Christ Can I love thee except thou love mee first Canst thou have any free and voluntary obedience from me unlesse J be convinced that Christ is mine Now Lord I beseech thee let me be such as thou maist take delight in Beloved since we have meanes of such a gift let us never rest till wee have it If Satan set upon us hold this out if he tell thee thou art a sinner tell him I have a greater righteousnesse then my owne even the righteousnesse of God-Man I have a righteousnesse above all my unrighteousnesse Satan saith God is displeased with me J but he is more pleased with me in Christ then displeased with me in my selfe Satan saith J have sinned against God I but not against the remedy send Satan to Christ O but thou hast a corrupt nature that makes thee runne into this sinne and that sinne but there is a spring of mercy in God and an over-running fountaine of righteousnesse in Christ an over-flowing sea of the blood of Christ Therefore let us labour to improove this righteousnesse of Christ to God and Satan and against al temptations yea against our own consciences I am thus thus yet God is thus and thus all his Attributes are conveyed to me in Christ Let us exalt God and Christ and set up Christ above our sins above any thing in the world as S. Paul who counted all things dung and drosse for the excellent knowledge of Christ Quest. You will aske me How shall wee know whether we be convinced of this righteousnesse or no Answ I answer we may know by the Method Christ uses in convincing First he convinces of sinne and then of righteousnesse for a man to catch at righteousnesse before hee bee convinced of sinne it is but an usurpation for the Holy Ghost first convinces of sinne Therfore you have many perish because they never were abased enough Beloved people are not lost enough and not miserable enough for Christ and not broken enough for him and therfore they go without him Quest But how shall I know that the Holy Ghost hath convinced me enough of sin so that I may without presumption apply the righteousnesse of Christ unto my selfe Onely thus if the Holy Ghost have discovered my sinfull condition of nature and life Answ so as to worke in me an hatred of sin and to alter my bent another way and so make Christ sweet unto me then I am sufficiently convinced of sinne This in answer to that Question by the way To returne in the next place I may know I am convinced throughly of the righteousnesse of Christ by the witnesse and worke of the Spirit The Spirit brings light and faith the work of the Spirit hath a light of its owne as I know I beleeve when I beleeve but sometimes wee have not the reflect act of faith whereby to evidence our owne graces to our selves but ever he that is convinced of the Spirit of God his heart will be wrought to beare marveilous love to God upon this apprehension that God is mine and Christ is mine the soule is constrained to love whereupon ensues an enlargement of heart and a prevalency of comfort above all discomfort for love casteth out feare This one comfort that our sins are forgiven and that we have right and title to Heaven when the soule is convinced of this it is in a blessed condition then what is poverty and what is imprisonment not worthy to bee reckoned in respect of the glory that shall be revealed Againe where the Holy Ghost convinces enough there is inward peace and great joy sutable to the righteousnesse As the righteousnesse is an excellent righteousnesse of God-Man so that peace and joy that comes from it is unspeakable peace and joy So that when the heart sees it selfe instated in peace and joy as you have it Rom. 5. Being justified by faith wee have peace towards God not only inward peace and joy but a peace that will shew it selfe abroad a glorious peace a peace that will make us glory verse 3. We glory in tribulation A hard matter to glory in abasement not only so but we glory in God God is ours and Christs righteousnesse ours when Christ hath satisfied Gods wrath then we may make our boast of God Againe where this conviction of righteousnes is it answers all objections the doubting heart will object this and that but the Spirit of God shewes an All-sufficiency in Christs obedience and that sets the soule downe quietly in all crosses and calmes it in all stormes in some degree Where the soule is convinced of the righteousnesse of Christ there the conscience demands boldly It is God that justifies who shal condemne It is Christ that is dead and risen againe and sits at the right hand of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen So that a convinced conscience dares all creatures in Heaven and Earth it works strongly and boldly I shall not need to inlarge this you know whether you are convinced Vse To end the point I beseech you labour to live by this
is set downe a further effect of this Repentance and gratious worke in them A sound and strong well rooted Indignation against their former darling sinnes Ephraim shall say what have I any more to doe with Idols Backt with a strong Consolation I have heard him and observed him c. Verse 8. 6. The Divers Event and Jssue of this Gods so Gratious Dealing is shewed both in the godly and Wicked 1. The Wise and Prudent understand and know that the wayes of the Lord are right and shall walke in them But 2. The Transgressors shall fall therein Ver. 9. O Israel Returne unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine Iniquity Every word hath his waight and in a manner is an Argument to inforce this Returning O Israel Israel we know is a word of Covenant Iacob was Israel a Prince and Wrestler with God as they also ought to be Therefore he enforceth you also ought to Returne because you are Israel And 2. It was also an Incouragement for them to Returne because God so acknowledgeth them to be Israel and will be Gratious unto them though they were such hideous siners Returne saith Hee unto the Lord Iehovah Who is the chiefe good for when a man returneth to the creature which is a particular changable good unsatisfying the soule he is restlesse still untill he come unto Iehovah who is the all-sufficient universall good who fills and fills the soule abundantly therefore Returne to him who is the fountaine of all good and giveth a Beeing unto all things Ierem. 2.13 and not to broken Cisternes Hee is Iehovah like himselfe and changeth not And then He is thy God Therefore Returne to him who is thy God in Covenant who will make good his gratious Covenant unto thee and did choose thee to be his people before all the nations of the world this therefore is also an Incouragement to Returne And then Thou hast fallen by thine Iniquity Therefore because thou art fallen by thy Iniquities and thine owne Inventions have brought these Miseries upon thee and none but God can helpe thee out of these Miseries seeing he only can and is willing to forgive thy sinnes and revive thee Therefore O Israel Returne unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Now in that he forewarneth them of the fearefull Iudgements to come which were to fall upon them unlesse they were prevented by true Repentance hence in generall it is to be observed Obser That God comes not as a suddaine storme upon his people but gives them warning before hee smites them This is verified in Scripture when the crie of Sodome and Gomorrah was great Gen. 18.20.21 The Lord said Because the Cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great and because their sinne is very grievous I will goe downe now and see whether they have done altogether according to the crie of it which is come unto me and if not I will know And wherefore was the Arke of Noah so long in building but to give warning to that sinnefull age which were nothing bettered by it The like we have of Pharaoh Exod. 11.1 and all the Egyptians who had so many warnings and miracles shewed before their destruction came Thus God dealt in Amos Therfore thus will I do unto thee and because I will doe this unto thee Amos. 4.12 Prepare to meet thy God O Israell O Hierusalem Matth. 23.37 Hierusalem saith Christ thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them which are sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy children together even as a henne gathereth the chickens under her wings and ye would not What need wee stand upon proofes are not all the Threatnings of Scripture as so many warning peeces of approaching Iudgements The Reason hereof is His owne nature hee is a Reason 1 God of long suffering Exod. 34 6. he made the world in six dayes yet hath continued it six thousand yeares notwithstanding the many sinnes and provocations thereof His mercies being over all his works Psal 145.9 And partly from a speciall regard to his owne Reason 2 deare children these terrible thretnings not being killing and wounding but like Ionathans warning Arrowes who though he shot yet ment no other harme to David 1. Sam. 20. Vse save to forewarne him of harme Let us therefore observe Gods gratious and milde dealing in so much mercy who giveth us so many warnings by his servants lesser judgments which wee have had amongst us Let us take notice and believe so as beliefe may stirre up feare and feare may provoke care and care stirre up indeavours to provide us an Arke even a hiding place beimes before winter and worse times come upon us Hence issueth another generall Point Observ That The best provision for preventing of destruction is spirituall meanes God himselfe is a Spirit and spirituall means reach unto him who is the first mover of the great wheele of all the affaires of this world It is preposterous to beginne at the second cause we trouble our selves in vaine there when wee neglect the first Wee should therefore begin the worke in Heaven and first of all Take up that quarrell which is betwixt God and our soules If this be done first we need not feare the carriage of second things Rom. 8.28 all which God out of his good providence and gratious care will frame to worke for good to his for whose sakes rather then helpe should faile he will create new helpes Isa 4.5 Wherefore in all things it is best to beginne with God The third generall point is this That Obser Of all Spirituall meanes The best is to returne to the Lord. In Returning 1 There must be a stop In this Returning 1. There must be a stop those who have run on in evill waies must first stop their lewd courses for naturally from our birth and childhood we are posting on to Hell and yet such is our madnesse unlesse the Spirit of God shew us our selves to be angry with these who stand in our way To make this stop then which is alwayes before Returning 1. There must be Examination and Consideration whether our wayes tend there be stopping Considerations which both waken a man and likewise put rubs in his way If a man upon Examination find his waies displeasing unto God disagreeing from the Rule and consider what will be the end and issue of them nothing but death and damnation and withall consider of the day of Iudgment The houre of Death The all-seeing eye of God and the like So the Consideration of a mans owne wayes and of Gods wayes towards him partly when God meetes him with goodnesse I have hitherto beene a vile wretch and God hath beene good to me and spared me and partly when God stops a wicked mans waies with thornes meetes him with crosses and afflictions these will worke upon an ingenious spirit to make him have better thoughts
bring mee forth in the light and I shall see his Righteousnesse If Adam sinne hee shall find a Hell in a Paradice if Paul returne and returne to God hee shall finde a Heaven in a Dungeon It should move us therefore to seeke unto God Vse 2 by unfained Repentance to have our sinnes taken away and pardoned or else howsoever wee may change our plagues yet they shall not bee taken away nay wee shall still like Pharoah change for the worst who though hee had his judgements changed yet sinne the cause remaining hee was never a whit the better but the worse for changing untill his finall ruine came Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is Death Sinne will crie till it hath its wages Where Iniquitie is there cannot but be falling into judgement Therefore they are cruell to their owne soules that walke in evill wayes for undoubtedly God will turne their owne waies upon their owne heads Wee should not therefore envie any man be hee what hee will who goeth on in ill courses seeing some judgement is owning him first on last unlesse he stop the current of Gods wrath by Repentance God in much mercie hath set up a Court in our hearts to this end that if wee judge our selves in this Inferiour Court wee may escape and not be brought up into the higher if first they be judged rightly in the Inferiour Court then there needs no review But otherwise if wee by Repentance take not up the matter sinne must be judged some where either in the Tribunall of the heart and conscience or else afterwards there must be a reckoning for it Vse 3 Thirdly hence wee learne since the cause of every mans miserie is his owne sinne that therefore all the power of the world and of Hell cannot keepe a man in miserie nor hinder him from comfort and happinesse if hee will part with his sinnes by true and unfained Repentance as we know Manasses 2 Chro. 33.12 13. as soone as he put away sin the Lord had mercie upon him and turned his captivity So the people of Israel in the Iudges looke how often they were humbled and returned to God still he forgave them all their sins as soone as they put away sinne God and they met againe Psal 106.43 44. Psal 107.19 So that if we come to Christ by true Repentance neither sinne nor punishment can cleave to us Thou hast fallen c. Fallen blindly as it were thou couldest not see which way thou wentest or to what end thy courses did tend therefore thou art come into misery before thou knowest where thou art A sinner is blind 1 Cor. 4. the god of this world hath put out his eyes they see not their way nor foresee their successe The Divell is ever for our falling that we fall into sinne and then fall into misery and so fall into despaire and into hell this pleaseth him Cast thy selfe downe saith he to Christ downe with it downe with it saith Edom Hell is beneath the Divell drives all that way Take heed of sinne take heede of blindnesse ponder the path of your feet Vse keepe your thoughts heaven-ward stop the beginnings the first stumblings pray to God to make our way plaine before us and not to lead us into temptation Verse 2. Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him c. These Israelites were but a rude people and had not so good meanes to thrive in grace as Iudah had Therefore hee prompts them here with such words as they might use to God in their returning Take with you words whereby we see how gratious God is unto us in using such helps for our recovery and pittying us more then we pitty our selves Is not this a sufficient warrant and invitation to returne when the party offended who is the superiour 2 Cor. 5. desires intreates and sues unto the offending guilty inferiour to be reconciled God is willing to be at peace with us But this is not all he further sheweth his willingnesse in teaching us who are ignorant of the way in what manner and with what expressions we should returne to the Lord. He giveth us not onely words and tells us what we shall say but also giveth his Spirit so effectually therwith as that they shall not be livelesse and dead wordes but as Rom 8.26 with unexpressible sighes and groanes unto God who heareth the requests of his owne Spirit Christ likewise teacheth us how to pray wee have words dictated and a spirit of Prayer powred upon us As if a great Person should dictate and frame a Petition for one who were affraid to speake unto him Such is Gods gratiousnesse and so ready is he in Jesus Christ to receive sinners unto mercy Take unto you wordes None were to appeare empty before the Lord at Ierusalem but were to bring something So it is with us we must not appeare empty before our God If we can bring nothing else let us bring wordes yea though broken wordes yet if out of a broken and contrite heart it will be a sacrifice acceptable This same taking of words or petitions in all our troubles and afflictions must needs be a speciall remedie it being of Gods owne prescription who is so infinite in knowledge and skill whence wee observe That They who would have helpe and comfort against all sinnes and sorrowes Observ must come to God with words of Prayer As wee see in Ionahs case in a matchlesse distresse words were inforcive and did him more good then all the world besides could for after that hee had bin humbled and praied out of the whales belly the whale was forced to cast him out againe Luke 15.18 So the Prodigall sonne beeing undone having neither credit nor coyne but all in a manner against him yet hee had words left him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne make mee as one of thy hired servants After which his father had compassion on him And good Hezekiah Isa 38.2 being desperately sicke of a desperate disease yet when hee set his faith a worke and tooke with him words which comfort onely now was left unto him wee know how after hee had turned his face towards the wall and prayed with words God not only healed him of that dangerous disease but also wrought a great miracle for his sake causing the Sunne to come backe ten degrees Thus when life seemed impossible yet words prayers and teares prevailed with God Iehoshaphat also going to warre with Ahab 2 Chron. 18.31 against Gods commandement and in the battell being encompassed with enemies yet had words with him readie and after prayer found deliverance James 5. Eliah likewise after a great drowth and famine when raine had bin three yeares wanting and all in a manner out of frame for a long time Tooke with him words and God sent raine aboundantly upon the earth againe The Reason
think the poorest Carman or tankerd bearer at liberty happier then hee who would not change estates with him So it is with a man that hath not sued out his pardon nor is at peace with God he hath no comfort so long as he knowes his sins are on the file that God in heaven is not at peace with him who can arme all the Creatures against him to be revenged of him in which case who shall be Umpire betwixt God and us if we take not up the controversie betwixt him and our soules Therefore it being so miserable a case to want assurance of the forgivenesse of sinnes it should make us be never an houre quiet till we have gotten it seeing the uncertainty of this life wherein there is but a step betwixt Hell Damnation and us Therefore sue unto God plie him with broken and humble hearts that he would pardon all the sins of our youth and after age knowne and unknowne that he would pardon all whatsoever Take away all iniquity And do good to us For so it is in the Originall but it is all one Receive us gratiously and do good to us All the goodnesse wee have from God it is out of his grace from his free grace and goodnesse all grace every little thing from God is grace as we say of favours received of great persons this is his grace his favour so this is a respect which is put upon all things which we receive from God when wee are in Covenant all is gratious Take wee the words as they are the more plaine in the Originall Take good and doe good to us take good out of thy Treasure of goodnesse and doe good to us bestow upon us thy owne good First Take away our iniquities and then take good out of thy bounty and doe good to us whence we see That Gods mercy to his children is compleate and full Doct. That Gods favours are compleate to his children For hee takes away ill and doth good men may pardon but withal they think that they have done wondrous bountifully when they have pardoned but Gods goes further hee takes away ill and doth good takes good out of his Fountaine and doth good to us Therefore let us make this use of it Vse of incouragement to be encouraged when we have the first blessing of all Forgivenesse of sinnes to goe to him for more and more and gather upon God further and further still for because hee is a Fountaine of goodnesse that can never bee drawne drie hee is wondrously pleased with this Wee cannot honour him more then by making use of his mercy in the forgivenesse of sinnes and of his goodnesse in going to him for it and having interrested ourselves in his goodnesse goe to him for more Lord thou hast begun make an end thou hast forgiven my sinnes I want this and this good together with the pardon of my sinnes doe mee good Receive us gratiously or doe us good That good is the loadstone of the soule Now good is the loadstone of the soule the attractive that drawes it therefore after Forgivenesse of sinnes he saith doe good The Petition is easie God will soone grant it for nothing else interposeth betwixt God and us and makes two but sinne which being remooved he is all goodnesse and mercy All his waies are mercy and truth Psal 25.10 Yea even his sharpest waies are mercy all mercy when sin is forgiven there is goodnesse in all in the greatest crosse and affliction Doe good to us That God appeares to bee good onely to a sanctified soule The soule wee see desires good and needs good It is a transcendent word here and must be understood according to the taste of Gods people of a sanctified soule Doe good especially doe spirituall good to us together with the forgivenesse of sinnes give us the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ sanctifying grace such good as may make us good first for the desire must bee such as the person is who makes it Wicked men as it is said of Balaam have good gifts without the good God but wee must not bee so pleased with gifts unlesse wee bee good our selves and see God making us good Can an evill tree bring forth good fruit Mat 7.18 Therefore the Apostle calls the regenerate person Gods workemanship c. We are Gods good worke and then wee doe good workes being made good good comes from us Doe good to us It is an acknowledgement of their owne emptinesse Doe good to us That asking of good argues the ingenuity of confessing want and emptinesse We are blinde in our owne understandings inlighten us we are perplexed set us right we are dull quicken us we are empty fill us we are darke shine upon us we are ready to goe out of the way establish us every way doe good to us suitable to our wants The best that wee can bring to thee is emptinesse therefore doe thou doe good to us fill us with thy fullnesse Do good to us every way whereby thou usest to convey spirituall things to thy servants soules give us first thy grace thy Spirit which is the spring of all good things for the Spirit of God is a Spirit of direction of strength of comfort and all therefore he who hath the Spirit of God hath the spring of all that is begd in the first place And then give us good Magistrates to rule us well and good Ministers who are the dispensers of grace instruments of our salvation the Conduit-pipes whereby thou derivest and conveyest good to us when thou hast made us good continue the meanes of salvation for our good every way The Church when she saith Doe good to us hath a large desire here be seeds of wondrous large things in these two short petitions Take away all iniquity And doe good to us A Bono Deo c. From the good God nothing can come but what is good therefore do good to us in all spirituall things The Prophet David aimes at this excellent good Psal 4.6 7. saying that other men are for corne wine and oyle and say who will shew us any good But Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thy loving kindnesse is better then life therefore doe good to us When thou hast forgiven our sins shine gratiously upon us in Jesus Christ In the good desired outward prosperity is also included And it extends its limits likewise to outward prosperity this desire of doing good let us have happie daies sweeten our pilgrimage here let our profession of Religion bee comfortable doe not lay more crosses upon us then thou wilt give us strength to beare doe good to us every way But marke the wisedome of the Holy Ghost in dictating of this Prayer to them hee speakes in generall doe good to us not to doe this or that good but he leaves it to the wisedome of God as they here frame their hearts unto the will of
mercy is conversant it is usually about one of these three either Sinne or Misery or Defects and wants that is to Persons in misery for indeed the word is more generall then Fatherlesse Deserted persons that are forsaken of others and have no strength of their owne they are heere meant by the Fatherlesse Who have no meanes wisedome power or ability of their owne but are deserted and forsaken of others whence the chiefe truth that offers it selfe to be considered of us is this Observ That God is especially mercifull to those Persons who stand most in need of mercy Why God is so ready to shew mercy to the Fatherlesse First because these doe relish mercy most and give him the glory of it applying themselves most to his mercy being beaten out of the creature and the more we have communion with God being driven out of the creature and other comforts the more he discovers himselfe to us as the neerer we are to the fire the hotter it is so the neerer wee are to God the more good and gratious hee every way shewes himselfe unto us Now what makes us neere him but extremity of misery whereby we are beaten from all other holds whatsoever Hos 5 15. It is acknowledged to be his worke when hee doth it for these that are deserted of all others then he hath the chiefe glory of it This is one end why God suffers his children to fall into extreamity of great sorrowes and perplexities to fall very low in depths of miseries as the Scripture speakes Psal 131.1 that hee might discover a depth of his mercy beyond the depth of their misery to shew that there is a depth deeper then that depth for their misery is sinne O but the bowels of his compassions are infinite both in measure and time His mercy endureth for ever Psal 136. Againe God is jealous of their affiance and confidence knowing that naturally unlesse we fall into some straites and weaning extremities we shall place our affiance upon the creature therefore he deales thus with us He knowes our sicknesse well enough that we are desperatly addicted to present things therefore to cure this sicknesse in us he drawes us by extremities from the creature to himselfe which when it failes we goe to him Helpe Lord why Psal 60.11 Psal 12.1 for vaine is the helpe of man it is time then to helpe Helpe Lord for the godly are perished from the earth It is time to helpe Lord for if thou doe not none will whereby they come to have their confidence upon the rocke which is worth all Other men they run from creature to creature from helpe to helpe as sicke bodies doe to this and to that drug and to this and that potion they seeke to many things to beg comfort from but a Christian hath a sure foundation that he may stay upon In thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy To come now to speake of the words as they lie in the whole they carry another instruction Observ That God is very gratious and mercifull to fatherlesse and distressed persons As we have it Psal 10.18 That God will judge the fatherlesse and the oppressed that the man of the earth may no more oppresse So Psal 146.9 It is said The Lord preserveth the strangers hee releeveth the fatherlesse and widdow c. And for the generall we have it Psal 145.14 The Lord releeveth all that fall and raiseth up all that be bowed downe God he opens his eare to heare their crie to judge the fatherlesse and the oppressed the like we have in Exodus Exod. 23.9 Also thou shalt not oppresse a stranger for ye know the heart of a stranger seeing yee were strangers in the land of Egypt and Exod. 22.23 saith he Thou shalt not afflict any widdow or fatherlesse childe if thou asslict them in any wise and they cry at all unto me I will surely heare their crie These among many are direct places to shew the truth of this that God is mercifull not only in generall but to those persons set downe by a Synechdoche a figure where one is set downe for all of the same kinde God is mercifull to all persons in any kind of misery or distresse whatsoever 2 Cor. 7.6 Psul 46.1 Isa 41.17 Isa 59.16 Jsa 63.5 Isa 48.9 as the Apostle speakes God is he who comforted the abject person the forlorne the castaway persons of the world and he is a very present helpe in trouble So as when there are none to helpe then he awaketh and rouseth up himselfe to lay hold for us His owne arme brings salvation for his owne sake So when there is misery and none to helpe God will finde cause and ground from his owne bowells to shew mercy to take pitty and compassion upon his poore Church and Children which should teach us Vse 1 First of all To take notice of this most excellent Attribute of God and to make use of it upon all occasions at our most need then to present to our soules God thus described and set out by his owne Spirit to be Hee that comforteth the Abject and sheweth mercy to the fatherlesse and oppressed this we should make use of for the Church in generall and for every one of our selves in particular The Church hath beene a long time like a forlorne widdow as it were God hath promised that he will have a care of the widdow and the fatherlesse and so he will of his poore Church We see in the parable Luk 18.5 the widdow with her importunitie prevailed with an unrighteous Judge the Church now being like a widdow what is wanting but a spirit of supplication and Prayer which spirit if the Church had to wrastle with God and lay hold upon him as Iaakob did Hos 12.4 Isa 62.7 and not suffer God to rest till he had mercy on his poore Church Certainely it would be better with it then it is for God comforteth the widdow if one what will he doe for the whole Spouse which hath so long beene a despecable and forlorne widdow And for the time to come It ought to minister matter of comfort for the Church certainely God that is mercifull to the Fatherlesse he will be mercifull to the poore Church We see in the Revelation though the woeman was persecuted by the Dragon Rev. 12.14 yet there were given two wings of a great Eagle to her that she might flie unto the wildernesse where she had a place provided of God It alludes to the story of the Israelites when they came out of Egypt God provided for them in the wildernesse they had Manna from Heaven and water out of the rocke and till they came to Canaan God provided every way for them in a marvellous manner So God will be sure to provide for his in the wildernesse of this world he will have a harbour still for the Church and a hiding place from the stormy tempests of her adversaries
because they feele peace So here those that feele mercy will bee mercifull those that have felt love will be loving to others Pro 12.10 A good man is mercifull to his beast but the mercies of the wicked are cruell Those therefore that are hard-hearted and unmercifull hardening themselves against the complaints of the miserable there is for the present no comfort for them that the Spirit of God hath wrought any change in their hearts for then it would stampe the image of God upon them they would be mercifull to the fatherlesse widow and distressed persons What shall wee thinke then of a generation of men who by griping usury and the like courses have made many widowes miserable Let such professe what they will whilest they are thus hard-hearted they have not the bowels of Christ God is so mercifull that you see as the Jewes call them hee hath hedges of the commandements that is he hath some remote commands which are not of the maine and all to hedge from cruelty as Thou shalt not kill the Dam upon thâ— west Exod. 23.19 Thou shalt not seeth a kid in his mothers milke What tends this too nothing but to shew the mercy and bowels of God and that hee would have us to abstaine from cruelty He that would not have us Murther would have us keepe aloofe of and not be mercilesse to the very dumbe creatures birds and beasts therefore let us labour to expresse the image of our heavenly Father in this Vse 5 Againe we should use this as a plea against dejectednesse at the houre of death in regard of those we leave behind us not to bee troubled what shall become of them when wee are to yeeld up our soules to God but know that hee hath undertaken to be the Father of the Fatherlesse and of the Widow Therefore for shame for shame learne as to live so to die by faith and as to die by faith in other things so to die in this faith that God as he will receive thy soule so he will receive the care of thy posterity Canst thou with affiance yeeld up thy soule unto God and wilt thou not with the same confidence yeeld thy posterity Thou art an Hypocrite if this distract and vexe thee when yet thou pretendest to die in the faith of Christ Canst thou yeeld thy soule and yet art grieved for thy posterity no leave it to God he is All-sufficient Psal 24.1 The earth is the Lords and the fullnesse thereof We need not feare to put our portion in his hands he is rich enough The earth and all is his Therefore when we are in any extreamitie whatsoever relie on this mercy of so rich and powerfull a God improove it for it is our portion especially in a distressed condition Were it not for Faith wrought by the blessed Spirit of God he would loose the glory of this Attribute of mercy Now Faith is a wise power of the soule that sees in God what is fit for it singling out in God what is fit for the present occasion of distresse Is a man in any extremity of misery let him looke to mercy Is a man oppressed let him looke to mercy to be revenged of his enemies is a man in any perplexity let him looke to mercy joyned with wisedome which is able to deliver him Religion is nothing else but an application of the soule to God and a fetching out of him somewhat as he hath discovered himselfe in the Covenant fit for all our exigents as there is somewhat in God and in the Promises for all estates of the soule Faith therefore is wittie to looke to that in God which is fit for its turne Satans pollicie in our extremity how to retort it Let us therefore take heed of Satans policie herein who in our extreamity useth this as a weapon to shake our Faith Tush as it is in the Psalme God hath forsaken and forgotten him Hath he so nay because I am in extremity and deferted above others rather God now regards me more then before because Heb. 12.6 hee scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth So retort Satans fierie darts backe againe For indeed that is the time wherin God exalts and shewes himselfe most glorious and triumphant in mercy where misery is greatest Where sinne abounds Rom. 5.20 there grace abounds much more so where misery abounds mercy superabounds much more Therefore let us be as wise for our soules as Satan can be malicious against them what hee useth for a weapon to wound the soule use the same as a weapon against him To end all let Faith in Gods mercy answer this his description and let it be a description ingrafted into us at such a time Doth God care for the fatherlesse meane persons who are cast down afflicted why then I will trust that God who doth so being in this case my self If he wil help in Extremitie trust him in Extremitie Habak 3.17 If hee will helpe in distresse trust him in distresse if he will helpe when all forsake trust him when we are forsaken of all What if a streame bee taken away yet none can take away God from thee what if a beame be taken away thou hast the Sun it selfe what if a particular comfort be taken away so long as God who comforteth the abject and is mercifull to the distressed Fatherlesse and Widowes continues with thee thou needs not feare A man cannot want comfort and mercy so long as the Father of mercies is in covenant with him If he sinne he hath Pardoning mercy for him if weake he hath Strengthening mercy if in darknesse he hath Quickning mercy if we be dull dead and in danger there is Rescuing mercy and if subject to dangers wee may fall in Psal 32.10 there is for that Preventing mercy Therefore there is mercy ready to compasse Gods children about in all conditions when they are invironed with dangers yet God is neerer to guard their soules then the danger is to hurt them Therefore let us take the counsell of the blessed Apostle Phil. 4.6 7. Be carefull for nothing but in every thing by Prayer and supplication with thankesgi-let your requests be knowne to God and what then will God grant that I pray for perhaps hee will not But yet The Peace of God which passeth all understanding shall guard your hearts and mindes through Christ Iesus As if he should say in nothing be overcarefull let your care bee when ye have used the meanes to depend upon God for support in the event and issue of all If God denie you what you pray for he will grant you that which is better he will set up an excellent inward peace there whereby he will stablish the soule in assurance of his love pardon of sinnes and reconciliation whereby their soules shall be guarded and their hearts and mindes preserved in Christ so they become impregnable in all miseries whatsoever when they have the Peace
he desires or would have As the observing carefull tender mother many times knowes what the child would have though it cannot speake so God he knowes the desires sighs and groanes of the heart when we cannot speake For sometimes there may be such a confusion upon the soule by reason of divers disturbances that it cannot expresse nor vent it selfe in wordes therefore the Spirit vents it selfe then in sighs and groanes which are heard and accepted because they are the desires of his owne Spirit This much the Prophet David excellently sheweth Psal 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine eare to heare God he first prepares the heart to pray then his eare to heare their prayers and desires If this will not incourage us to be much in suit to God and put up our petitions to him A strong motive to draw us before God in Prayer to labour for a spirit of prayer I know not what will prevaile when we know that no petition shall be turned backe againe unanswered When we are to deale with Princes upon earth they oftentimes regard neither the persons nor their petitions but turne their backes upon both O! but a Christian hath the care of God and Heaven open unto him such credit in Heaven that his desires and groanes are respected and heard And undoubtedly a man may know that he shall be heard when he hath a spirit of prayer in one kind or other though not in the particulars or kindes we aske heare he will for our good God will not loose the incense of his owne Spirit of a spirit of prayer which he stirs up it is so precious Therefore let us labour to have a spirit of prayer which God regards so much Seeing for a certaine wheresoever he gives a spirit of prayer he meanes to give that we pray for but according to his heavenly wisedome as here his answer is I will heale their Backesliding I will love them freely c. God answers them exactly unto all they praid for beginning first with the ground of all our comfort forgivenesse of sinnes According to their petition Take away all iniquity hee answers I will heale their backesliding or their rebellion Backesliding is an aggravation of sin every sinne is not a rebellion Apostasie or backsliding for their be also sinnes of infirmities we usually rancke sinnes thus in 1. Sinnes of Ignorance 2. Sinnes of Infirmitie 3. Sinnes against knowledge with a higher hand And 4. The Sinnes against the Holy Ghost Now this is more then to cure sinnes of Ignorance and of Infirmitie when he saith I will heale their backesliding Quest But why doth he answer the higher pitch of an aggravation when their petition was in a lower straine onely Take away all iniquity Answ To shew that he would answer them fully that is that he would heale all sinnes whatsoever not onely of Ignorance and of Infirmity but also sinnes willingly committed their rebellions and backeslidings For indeed they were backesliding from the time of Ieroboam that made the rent the ten tribes grew worse and worse continually so that they had beene utterly extinguished but that God was wondrous gratious to send them Prophets to preserve many that they should not bow the knee to Baall being mercifull to them to beare with their backesliding so long for besides their calves they had false gods they did not onely worship the true God in a false manner by the calves but they had Baals also So that we see God when he will comfort will comfort to purpose and take away all objections that the soule can make a guilty soule being full of objections Oh my sinnes are many great rebellions and Apostacies But be they what they will Gods mercy in Christ is greater and more I will heale their backesliding or their rebellion God is above conscience let Sathan terrifie the conscience as he will and let conscience speake the worst it can against it selfe yet God is greater Therfore let the sinne be what it will God will pardon all manner of sinnes as they pray to pardon all so he will take away all iniquity heale their backesliding but to come neerer the words I will heale c. The healing meant here is especially in the pardon of their sinnes answerable to their desires in justification And there is a healing also in sanctification by the Spirit when God takes away the venome from the wound then God cures in sanctification both are meant but especially the first In a wound we know there is 1. The malignity and venome of it and then 2. The wound it selfe so festered and rankled Now pardoning grace in justification takes away the anguish and malice of the wound so that it ceaseth to be so malignant and deadly as to kill or infect And then sanctification purgeth and cleanseth the wound and heales it up Now God through Christ doth both The blood of Christ doth heale the guilt of sinne which is the anger and malignity of it And by the Spirit of Christ he heales the wound it selfe and purgeth out the sicke and peccant humor by little and little through sanctification God is a perfect healer I will heale their backesliding See here the state of the Church and Children of God they are prone to backesliding and turning away That the state of the Church and Gods children is prone to backsliding we are naturally prone to decline further and further from God So the Church of God planted in a family in the beginning of the world how soone was it prone to backesliding this is one weakenesse since the fall it is incident to our nature to be unsetled and unsteady in our holy resolutions And whilst we live in the midst of temptations the world together with the sicklenesse of our own nature evill examples and Sathans perpetuall malice against God and the poore Church are ill Pilots to lead us out of the way This is spoken to make us carefull how to shunne Backesliding for we see how many opinions are foisted in amongst us and have got some head that durst not before once be named amongst us Popery spreads it selfe amaine even Churches are prone to backsliding Therefore S. Paules advice is Bee not high minded but feare Rom. 11.20.21 for if God spared not the naturall branches take heed least he also spare not thee What is become of Rome so the same will become of us if wee stop not our backeslidings Now in that Gods promise is I will heale their backeslidings observe in the first place That sinne is a wound and a disease Observ That sinne is a wound disease Now as in sicknesse there is 1. Griefe troubling and vexing the partie who feeles it and 2. Deformitie of the place affected which comes by wounds and weakenesses So in all sinne when wee are sensible of it there is first griefe vexation and torment of conscience and then
unworthinesse whatsoever For all there is for the glory of his Mercy For in the Covenant of grace mercy doth triumph against judgment and justice Rom. 5.21 which mercy of God in Christ is said by the Apostle to raigne unto life everlasting by Iesus Christ our Lord. It reignes and hath a regiment above and over all For mercy in God stirred up his Wisedome to devise a way by shedding of the blood of Christ Jesus God-man to satisfie divine Justice and rejoyce against it But whence comes this that justice should be so satisfied because a way is found out how none of Gods Attributes are loosers by mercy That the greatest sin which is pardonable is to denie God the glory of his mercy Wherefore in any temptation when we are prone to doubt of Gods love say what shall we wrong God more by calling in question his mercy and the excellency of his loving kindnesse which is more then any other sinne we have committed This is a sin superadded against his Mercy Power Goodnesse Gratiousnesse and Love in healing of sinne which takes away the glory of God in that Attribute wherein he labours to triumph reigne and glorifie himselfe most Psal 145.9 and which is over all his workes Therefore he that offends herein in denying God the glory of his great tender unspeakeable mercy whereby he would glorifie himselfe most in the Covenant of grace he offends God most That we honour God most of all by giving him the glory of his mercy Therefore let us at such times as God awakens conscience be so farre from thinking that God is unwilling to cure and helpe us as to thinke that hereby we shall Honour God more by beleeving then we dishonoured him by our sinne For the faith of an humble contrite sinner it glorifies God more then our better obedience in other things doth because it gives him the glory of that wherein he delights and will be most glorified the glory of his mercy and truth of his rich abundant mercy that hath no bounds There is no comparison betweene the mercy of God in the Covenant of grace and that to Adam in the state of nature for in the first he did good to a good man first hee made him good and then did him good but when man did degenerate and was fallen into such a cursed estate as we are for God then to be good to a sinner and freely to doe good heere is goodnesse indeed triumphant goodnesse Cain was a cursed person who said Gen. 4.13 my punishment is greater then can bee borne wee know who spake it no God is a Physitian for all diseases if they be Crimson sinnes he can make them white as wooll Isa 1.18 Who would not be carefull therefore to search his wounds his sinnes to the bottome An incouragement to search our sins deeply let the search be as deepe as we can considering that there is more mercy in God then there can be sinne in us Who would favour his soule especially considering if he neglect searching of it sinnes will grow deadly and incurable upon that neglect Let this therefore incourage us not to spare our selves in opening the wounds of our soules to God that hee may spare all Thus we saw formerly The Church here is brought in dealing plainely with God and confessing all for she had an excellent Teacher and God answers all beginning with this I will heale their backsliding They were Idolaters and guilty of the sinnes of the second Table in a high measure no pettie sinnes yet God saith I will heale their backsliding c. Which being healed then an open high-way is made for all other mercies whatsoever which is the next point we Observe hence Observ That the cheefe mercy of all which leades unto all the rest is the pardon and forgivenesse of sinnes Healing of the guilt of sinne we see is set in the front of these Petitions formerly shewed which as it is the first thing in the Churches desires Take away all iniquity c. So it is the first thing yeelded to in Gods Promise I will heale their backsliding c. Pardon of sin and cure of sinne whereby the conscience ceaseth to be bound over to condemnation is the first and chiefest blessing of God and is that for which the Church falls out in a triumph Who is a God like unto thee Micah 7.18 19 20. that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage because hee delighteth in mercy c. And this is that excellent and sweet conclusion of the new Covenant also whereupon all the rest of those former foregoing mercies there are grounded Ier. 31.34 for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sinne no more Yea this is the effect of that grand Promise made to his Church after the returne of their captivity Jer. 50.20 In those daies and at that time saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall bee sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Iudah and they shall not bee found for I will pardon them whom I reserve The point is plaine and cleere enough it needs no following The Reason is Reason Because it takes away the interposing cloud God is gratious in himselfe pardon of sinne remooves the cloud betwixt Gods gratious face and the soule Naturally God is a spring of mercy but our sinnes stop the spring but when sinne is pardoned the stop is taken away and the spring runs amaine God is not mercifull as a flint yeelds fire by force but as a spring whence water naturally issues Quest Seeing forgivenesse of sinnes unstops this spring why doe we not feele this mercy Answ Surely Why we want the sense of the forgivenesse of sinnes because some sin or other is upon the file uncancelled perhaps unconfessed or because we are stuft with Pride that wee beleeve not or are so troubled or trouble our selves that we apprehend not or beleeve not the pardon of sinnes confessed and hated But sure it is Forgivenesse of sinnes unstops the spring of mercy and unvailes Gods gratious face in Iesus Christ unto us Sinne being not pardoned this stops as the Prophet speakes our iniquity is that which keepes good things from us Therfore the cheefe mercy is that which remooves that which unstops the current of all mercy I will heale their backsliding c. Looke as a condemned Prisoner in the Tower let him have all contentment as long as he is in the displeasure of the Prince stands condemned and the sentence unreversed what true contentment can he have none at all So it is with a sinner that hath not his pardon and quietus est from heaven yeeld him all contentment which the world can affoord all the satisfaction that can issue from the creature yet what is this to him as long as he hath not mercy and that his conscience is not pacified because it is not cleansed
crosse is Gods Anger and wrath this being remooved nothing hurts all crosses then are gentle milde tractable and medicinall when God hath once said For mine Anger is turned away from him After that 's gone whatsoever remaineth is good for us when we feele no Anger in it What is that which blowes the coles of Hell and makes Hell Hell but the Anger of God ceazing upon the conscience Isa 30.33 this kindles Tophet and sets it a fire like a river of Brimstone Therefore this is a wondrous sweet comfort and incouragement when he saith For mine Anger is turned away from him Whence in the next place wee may observe Observ That God will turne away his Anger upon Repentance When there is this course taken formerly mentioned to turne unto the Lord to sue for pardon to vow Reformation Ashur shall not save us and a through reformation of the particular sinne and when there is wrought in the heart faith to rely on Gods mercy as the Father of the Fatherlesse in whom they finde mercy then Gods Anger is turned away God upon Repentance will turne away his Anger The point is cleere wee see when the Lord hath threatned many grievous judgements and plagues for for sinne one upon the neck of another denounced with all variety of expressions in the most terrible manner yet after all that thundering Deut. 28. 29. It followes And it shall come to passe when all these things are come upon thee Deut 30.1 2 3 the Blessings and the Curses which I have set before thee and thou shalt call them to minde among all the nations whether the Lord thy God hath driven thee and shalt returne unto the Lord thy God c. That then the Lord thy God will turne thy Captivity and have compassion upon thee c. After Repentance you see the promise comes presently after not that the one is the meritorious cause of the other but there is an order of things God will have the one come with the other where there is not sence of sinne and humiliation and thence prayer to God for pardon with reformation and trusting in his Mercy there the anger of God abides still But where these are His anger is turned away God hath established his order that the one of these must still follow the other Another excellent place to the fore-named wee have in the Chronicles If my people that are called by my Name 2 Chro. 7.14 shall humble themselves and pray as they did here in this Chapter Take words vnto your selves and seeke my face and turne from their wicked wayes As they did here Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses c. We will no more rely on the barren false helps of forraine strength what then I will heare from Heaven and will forgive their sinne and will heale their land Here is the promise whereof this text is a proofe so in all the Prophets there is a multiplication of the like instances and promises which wee will not stand upon now as not being controversiall It is Gods name so to doe as wee may see in that well-knowne place of Exodus Iehovah Iehovah God Mercifull and Gratious Long suffering and aboundant in goodnesse and Truth Exo. 34.6.7 keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sinne c. And so it is said At what time so ever a sinner repents himselfe of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart I will put all his sinnes out of my remembrance saith the Lord God The Scripture is plentifull in nothing more especially it is the burthen of EZe 18 and .33 forgivenesse of sinnes and remoovall of wrath upon repentance And for Examples see one for all the rest let the greater include the lesser Manasseth was a greater sinner then any of us all can bee because hee was inabled with a greater authority to doe mischeefe all which no private man or ordinarie great man is capable of not having the like power which he exercised to the full in all manner of cruelty joyned with other grosse and deadly sinnes and yet the Scripture shewes 2 Chr. 33.12.13 that upon his humiliation and praying hee found mercie God turned away his anger That of the Prodigall is a parable also fitted for this purpose who had no sooner a Resolution to returne to his Father Filius timet convitium Luk. 15. c. The sonne feares chiding the father provides a banquet So God doth transcend our thoughts in that kinde wee can no sooner humble ourselves to pray to him heartily resolving to amend our wayes and come to him but hee layes his anger a side to entertaine tearmes of love and friendship with us As wee see in David who was a good man Psa 32.3 4. though he slubbered over the matter of Repentance all which while Gods hand was so heavie upon him that his moysture was turned into the drought of Summer hee roaring all the day long But when once hee dealt throughly in the businesse and resolved I will confesse my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne Let our humiliation be reall and through with prayer for pardon and purpose to reforme and presently God will shew mercy Reason The Reason is cleere Because it is his Nature so to doe his Nature is more inclined to mercy then anger For him to be angrie it is still upon supposition of our sinnes But to be mercifull and gratious it alwayes proceedes from his owne bowels whether wee be sinners or not without all supposition God is still mercifull unto whom he will shew mercy Who is a God like unto thee saith the Prophet that pardoneth iniquity Micah 7.18 and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage hee retaineth not his anger for ever because he delighteth in mercy Things naturall come easily without paine as beames from the Sunne water from the Spring and as heate from fire all which come easily because they are naturall So mercy and love from God come easily and willingly it is his nature to bee gratious and mercifull Though we be sinners If wee take this course heere as the Church doth to pray and be humbled then it will follow Mine anger is turned away from him The Vse is Vse First to observe Gods Truth in the performance of his gratious promise who as he makes gratious promises to us so he makes them good His Promise is if wee confesse our sinnes hee will forgive them and be mercifull Pro 28.13 so heere he sayes mine Anger is turned away As they confesse so hee is mercifull to forgive them It is good to observe the experiments of Gods truth Every word of God is a shield Pro. 30.5 that is wee may take it as a shield It is an experimentall truth whereby we may arme our soules This is an experimentall truth that when wee are humbled for our sinnes God hee will bee
and pleasant So that we have here to consider 1. The favour and blessing that he promiseth to be as the dew to Israell 2. The excellency of it in divers particulars 3. The order wherein it is promised Before we come to the wordes themselves if we remember and read over the former part of the prophecie we shall find it full of terrible curses all opposite unto that here promised to shew Observ Wee can never be in so disconsolate a state but God can alter all That God hath a salve for all sores He hath a right hand as well as a left Blessings as well as Curses Mercie as well as Iustice which is more proper to his nature then that Therefore let Christian soules never be discouraged with their condition and state whatsoever it is Reason Eccles 7.14 For as there are many maladies so there are many remedies opposite to them as Salomon saith This is set over against that c. Jf there be a thousand kinds of ills there are many thousand kindes of remedies For Zach. 1 19 20 21. God is larger in his helpes then we can be in our diseases and distresses whatsoever they are therefore it is good to make this use of it Vse To be so conceited of God as may draw us neerer unto him upon all occasions Againe We see here how large the Spirit of God is in expressions of the particulars I will be as the dew unto Israell and hee shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his rootes as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty be large c. Whereunto tends all this largenesse of expression God doth it in mercy unto us who especially need it being in a distressed disconsolate estate Therefore they are not words wastfully spent we may marvaile sometimes in Isaiah and so in some other Prophets to see the same things in substance so often repeated though with variety of lively expressions as it is for the most part the manner of every Prophet Surely because it is usefull and profitable the people of God need it There is nor never was any man in a drouping sinking condition but he desires line upon line word upon word promise upon promise expression upon expression Object One would thinke is not a word of God sufficient Answ Yes for him but not for us we have doubting and drouping hearts and therefore God adds Sacraments and Seales not onely one Sacrament but two and in the Sacrament not onely Bread but Wine also to shew that Christ is all in all What large expressions are here thinks a prophane heart what needs this As if God knew us not better then we know our selves Whensoever thou art touched in conscience with the sence of thy sinnes and knowest how great how powerfull how Holy a God thou hast to deale with who can indure no impure thing thou wilt never find fault with his large expressions in his Word and Sacraments and with the variety of his promises when hee translates out of the booke of nature into his owne booke all expressions of excellent things to spread forth his mercy and love Is this needlesse No we need all he that made us redeemed us preserves us knowes us better then we our selves he who is infinite in wisedome and love takes this course And marke againe in the next place how the Holy Ghost fetcheth here this comfort from things that are most excellent in their kinde They shall grow as the Lillie that growes fairely and speedily And they shall take roote as Lebanon to shew that a Christian should be the excellentest in his kinde he compares him in his right temper and state to the most excellent things in nature To the Sunne to Lions Trees of Lebanon Cedars and Olive Trees for fruitfullnesse and all to shew that a Christian should not be an ordinary man All the excellencies of nature are little enough to set out the excellency of a Christian he must be an extraordinary singular man Saith Christ What singular thing doe yee He must not be a common man Therefore when God would raise his people he tells them they should not be common men but grow as Lillies be rooted as Trees fruitfull as Olives and pleasant beautifull as the goodly sweet-smelling trees of Libanus How gratiously doth God condescend unto us to teach us by outward things how to helpe our soules by our senses that when we see the growth fruitfulnesse and sweetnesse of other things we should call to mind what we should be and what God hath promised we shall be if we take this course and order formerly prescribed Indeed a wise Christian indowed with the Spirit of God extracts a quintessence out of every thing especially from those that God singles out to teach him his duty by when he lookes upon any plant fruite or tree that is pleasant delightfull and fruitfull it should put him in minde of his duty I will be as the dew te Israell c. These sweet promises in their order follow immediately upon this that God would freely love them and cease to be angry with them then he adds the fruits of his love to their soules and the effects of those fruits in many particulars whence first of all we observe Observ Gods love is a fruitfull love Wheresoever he loves he makes the things lovely we see things lovely and then we love them but God so loves us that in loving us he makes us lovely So saith God by the Prophet I have seene his wayes and will heale him I will lead him also and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners Ezek 16.2 3. Isa 5 7 18. And from this experience of the fruitfulnesse of Gods love the Church is brought in rejoycing Jsa 61.10 I will greatly rejoyce in the Lord my soule shall be joyfull in my God for hee hath cloathed mee with the garments of salvation hee hath covered mee with the robe of righteousnesse as a bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a bride adorneth her selfe with her jewels Thus he makes us such as may be aimeable objects of his love that he may delight in Reason For his love is the love as of a gratious so of a powerfull God that can alter all things to us and us to all things he can bring us good out of every thing and doe us good at all times according to the Churches Prayer Doe good unto us Vse Wherefore seeing God can doe us good and since his love is not only a pardoning love to take away his anger but also so compleat and fruitfull a love so full of spirituall favours I will be as the dew unto Israell and hee shall grow up as the Lillie c. Let us stand more upon Gods love then we have formerly done and strive to have our hearts inflamed with love towards God againe As the Prophet David doth Psa 116 1. I love the Lord because hee hath heard my voice and
friend for such or suâ—h a purpose to doe this or this good indeed such are gratious Quaeres made to a mans soule to enquire for what purpose hath God raised me to doe this or that To be idle or barren or noysome O no to be a plant of Gods planting my glory shall bee my fruitfullnesse in my place Therefore let us every one consider with our selves wherfore God hath set us in the Church in our particular standings Wherein let us remember this that howsoever God may endure barrennesse out of the Church in want of meanes yet hee will never indure it under meanes It is better for a bramble to bee in the Wildernesse then in an Orchard for a weed to bee abroad then in a garden where it is sure to be weeded out as the other to bee cut downe If a man will be unprofitable let him bee unprofitable out of the Church but to bee so where hee hath the dew of grace falling on him in the meanes of salvation where are all Gods sweet favours to bee a bramble in the Orchard to bee a weed in the Garden to be noysome in a place where wee should bee fruitfull will God the great Husbandman indure this He will not long put it up but that hee exerciseth his children with such noysome trees to trie them as hee hath some service for these thornes to doe to scratch them so were it not for such like services for a time hee would weed them out and burne them for whatsoever is not for fruit is for the fire Mat. 3.10 Yea every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall bee hewen downe and cast into the fire And the more to stirre us up hereunto let us know that wheresoever the dew of grace falls and where there is the meanes of salvation that at that very time there is an axe an instrument of vengeance laid to the roote of the tree which is not struck downe presently but it is laid to the roote that is vengeance is threatned to the tree to that plant which hath the meanes and brings not forth good fruit in time and season What is the end thereof to be hewen downe and cast into the fire As wee see the Church of the Iewes when Christ came the Messias the great Prophet of the Church never was there more meanes of salvation yet even then what saith Iohn Baptist Now even now is the axe laid unto the roote of the tree and indeed in a few yeares after the whole tree the Church of Iewes was cut downe And Revel 6. we see after the Rider on the white horse which is the preaching of the Gospell there comes a red bloodie Horse and a pale Horse Warre and Famine After the white Horse his triumphant Chariot the preaching of the Gospell if this take not place that it winne and gaine not what followes after the red and the pale Horse Warre Famine and Destruction It will not be alway with us as it is for the Gospell having beene so long preached we having beene so long planted in Gods Paradice the Church if we beare not fruit The axe is laid to the roote of the tree God will strike at the roote and roote up all therfore let every one in their place bee fruitfull Every one that is fruitfull God hath a speciall care of The benefit of fruitfullnesse Deut 20.19 20. If any tree were fruitfull the Israelites in their conquests were to spare that because it was usefull and they might have use of it So God will alwaies spare fruitfull trees and have a speciall care of such in common calamities Let us therefore be exhorted not only to bring forth fruit but to bring forth fruit in abundance to studie to excell in good workes the word in the Originall is A Standerdbearer to stand before others in good workes As it is in Titus Titus 3.8 labour to be as Standerdbearers to goe before others in good workes strive to outgoe others in fruitfullnesse for therein is the excellency For those both in the sight of God and men are in most esteeme who are most fruitfull in their callings and places The more wee excell in fruitfullnesse the more wee excell in comfort and the more we excell this way the more we may excell for God will tend and prune good trees John 15.2 that they may bring forth more and better fruit And the more majesty we walke with the more wee dampe the enemies seeing them all under our feete a growing Christian never wants abundance of incouragement for hee sees such grounds of comfort as that he walkes impregnable and invincible in all the discouragements of this world breaking through all Pro. 30.30 as Salomon saith it is a comely thing to see a Lyon walke so much more it is to see a valiant strong well-growen Christian who is bold as a Lyon abound in good workes It is said His beauty shall bee as the Olive and his smell as Lebanon the Olive of it selfe hath no sweet smell therefore it is made up by another resemblance His smell shall bee as Lebanon Lebanon stood on the North side of Iudea and was a place abounding with goodly trees and all sweet plants whatsoever which cast a wondrous sweet sent and smell a farre off as some Countries abound so in sweet fruits and simples as Oranges Lemmans and the like that the fragrancie of the smell is smelt of passengers as they saile along the Coast So was this Lebanon a place full of rare fruits and fragrant flowers which cast asent a farre of Now hence the Holy Ghost fetcheth the comparison They shall smell as Lebanon that is as those plants in Lebanon which cast a sweet and delightfull smell a farre off whence wee will onely observe this Observ That a Christian by his fruitfullnesse doth delight others He is sweet to God and man as the Olive and the Vine speake of their fruitfullnesse They delight God and man So a Christian Iud. 9.9 13. both alive and dead he is pleasing and delightfull to the spirits of others to God and all that have the Spirit of God As for God himselfe wee know that workes of mercy are as it were a sweet odour he is delighted with good works Phil. 4.18 as with Sacrifice smelling a sweet savour from them Psal 141.2 and their prayers ascend as sweet incense before him Every good worke is pleasing and delightfull to God who dwels in an humble heart Pro. 11.20 and broken spirit The upright are his delight We see likewise how Christ commends the graces of his Church which whole booke is full of praises in this kinde one of another The Church sets out the praises of Christ and Christ the praises of the Church The Church is sweet Cano. 2.14 O let me heare thy voice for it is sweet and lovely The Churches voice is sweet praying to God or praising him So whatsoever comes from the Spirit of