themselves for a Curse With which prayer I humbly conclude Commending your persons and your weighty affairs to his grace and rest Your most humble Servant in Christ ED REYNOLDS From my Study in Braunston August the 8. 1642. To the Reader CHristian Reader Understanding that my Sermon which was preached three years since before the Honorable House of Commons on the day of their solemn Humiliation was to be reprinted I thought fit to peruse transcribe and enlarge six other Sermons in which I had at mine own charge in the Country on the ensuing Fast days briefly explained and applyed that whole Chapter a portion only whereof was in the first handled and to send them forth together with it unto the publique Which I was the rather induced to do for these two Reasons 1. Because it hath pleased God in his righteous and holy providence to make me by a long infirmity unserviceable to his Church in the principal work of the Ministry the preaching of the Gospel which is no small grief unto me So that there remained no other means whereby my life might in regard of my function be useful to the Church and comfortable to my self then by inverting the words of the Psalmist and as he made His Tongue as the Pen of a ready Writer so to make my Pen the Tongue of an unready Speaker 2. I considered the seasonableness and sutableness of these Meditations unto the condition of the sad and disconsolate times wherein we live very like those which our Prophet threatned the ten Tribes withal throughout this whole Prophecy unto which this last Chapter is a kind of Vse and a most solemn Exhortation pressing upon all wise and prudent men such duties of Humiliation and Repentance as might turn threats into promises and recover again the mercies which by their sins they had forfeited and forsaken Which being restored unto them according to their Petition they are here likewise further instructed in what manner to return unto God the praises due to his great Name And these two duties of Humiliation and Thanksgiving are the most solemn duties which in these times of Judgments and Mercies so variously interwoven together the Lord doth so frequently call us unto Places of Scripture I have for brevity sake for the most part only quoted and referred thee unto without transcribing all the words and have usually put many paralel places together because by that means they do not only strengthen the doctrine whereunto they belong but mutually give light unto one another The Lord make us all in this our day so wise and prudent as to understand the righteous ways of our God towards us That we may not stumble at them but walk in them and be taught by them to wait upon him in the way of his judgments and to fix the desires of our soul upon his Name as our great Refuge and upon his Righteousness as our great Business till he shall be pleased by the dew of his Grace to Revive us as the Corn to make us grow as the Vine and to let the scent of all his Ordinances be over all our Land as the smell and as the wine of Lebanon It will be an abundant return unto my poor and weak endeavors if I may have that room in thy prayers which the Apostle Paul desired to have in the prayers of the Ephesians That utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to preach the mystery of the Gospel The Lord sanctifie all the ways of his Providence towards us that when we are chastened we may be taught and may be greater gainers by the voyce of his Rod then we are sufferers by the stripes The Contents Sermon I. Sect. 1. EPhraims blessings and judgments answerable to his name 2. When judgment purposed against obstinate sinners mercy proclaimed to penitent 3. How good and bad are alike involved in outward judgments Iudgments make no difference but of penitent and impenitent Penitent sinners in all kinds of trouble have a refuge to some promise or other 4. Conversion must be not meerly Philosophical or Political but Spiritual and that full and constant 5. Motives unto conversion mercy and judgment especially interwoven 6. Great preparation due in our addresses unto God The rule matter principle and power of Prayer How sin is taken away 7. When God threatneth judgments we must pray against sins 8. Iudgments may be removed in anger Repentance makes afflictions precious as sin doth corrupt blessings 9. No affliction comes in anger but with respect to sin 10. One sin generally unrepented of may undo a Kingdom we must pray against all and dye unto all 11. Sense of sin The wrath of God beyond the fears of man 12. Confession of sin full and free Our weakness can commit sin none but Gods power can remove it 13. What God worketh in us he also requireth of us Sin most dangerous in great men to themselves and the publick 14. How iniquity is to be taken out of the Land 15. God the author of good the orderer of evil 16. From conversion to salvation free-grace worketh 17. No work truly good but as derived from God 18. Patience in suffering evil in doing duty Humility the companion of Grace pride of emptiness Continual dependance on God Fidelity in services The misery of divisions 19. In temporal judgments pray for spiritual mercies No helps can avail us against Gods anger but his grace 20. Carnal prayers provoke God when men make Religion serve turns Piety the foundation of Prosperity 21. Iudgments are then truly sanctified when they make us more in love with grace Prayer the more heavenly the more prevalent Sermon II. Sect. 1. SPiritual ends of Legal Ceremonies and Sacrifices We return nothing to God but words for mercies 2. A renouncing carnal confidence in the Assyrian Horses Idols How the Church an Orphan 3. Penitents not only pray but covenant Circumcision a Covenant Circumcised in uncircumcision Gentiles converted are called Iews Iews unconverted Gentiles Baptism how the answer of a good conscience The Covenant perpetual 4. God bindeth himself to us by promise by oath We are his by his Soveraign Interest and our own voluntary consent 5. Fickleness of the heart in duty and sluggishness to it 6. Duties in combination strongest 7. Enemies combine Military oaths How Truth a Girdle doctrinally morally 8. Wicked men like Witches in covenant with the Devil doing service for wages 9. Prayer vain without obedience Gods Covenant to us ours to him 10. The material cause of a Covenant our persons our services in matters of necessity Expediency praise 11. The formal and efficient cause Knowledg willingness power of promise and performance 12. Danger of covenanting in the dark only and 13. On the Rack 14. When we promise duty we must pray for grace The final cause 15. The falseness and perfidiousness of the heartâ— how it is unstable as waters 16. Gods faithfulness and mercies Our Baptism
proposed against sinners that are obstinate God doth reserve and proclaim Mercy unto sinners that are penitent When a Consumption is decreed yet a Remnant iâ— reserved to return Isa. 10.22 23. The Lord will keep his Vineyard when he will burn up the thorns and the bryars together Isai. 27.3 4. When a day of fierce anger is determined the meek of the earth are called upon to seek the Lord Zeph. 2.3 When the Lord is coming out of his place to punish the Inhabitants of the Earth for their iniquity he calls upon his people to hide themselves in their chambers until the indignation be overpast Isai. 26.20 21. The Angel which was sent to destroy Sodom had withall a Commission to deliver Lot Genes 19.15 God made full provision for those who mourned for publick abominations before he gave order to destroy the rest Ezek. 9.4 6. Men in their wrath will many times rather strike a friend then spare a foe But Gods proceedings are without disorder he will rather spare his foes then strike his servants as he shewed himself willing to have done in the case of Sodom Gen. 18.26 Moses stood in the gap and diverted Judgments from Israel Psa. 106.23 Yea God seeks for such Ezek. 22.30 and complains when they cannot be found Ezek. 13 5. And if he deliver others for them certainly he will not destroy them for others How ever it go with the world and with wicked men it shall go well with the righteous there shall be a Sanctuary for them when others stumble and they shall pass through the fire when others are consumed by it Isa. 3.10 11. Isai. 8.14 15 16. Zech. 13.8 9. Reasons hereof are Gods Iustice he will not punish the righteous with the wicked he will have it appear that there is a difference between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not Gen. 18.23 Mal. 3.18 Gods love unto his people He hath a book of Remembrance written before him for them that fear him and think upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my jewels and I wil spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him Mal. 3.16 17. Here is a climax gradation of arguments drawn from Love In a great fire and devouring trouble such as is threatened there Chap. 4.1 property alone is a ground of care a man would willingly save and secure that which is his own and of any use unto him but if you add unto this preciousness that increaseth the care A man will make hard shift to deliver a rich Cabinet of Jewels though all his ordinary goods and utensils should perish But of all Jewels those which come out of the body are much more precious then those which onely adorn it Who would not snatch rather his childe then his casket or purse out of a flame Relation works not onely upon the affection but upon the bowels Ier. 3â— 20 And lastly the same excellency that the word jewel doth add unto the word mine the same excellency doth service add unto the word sonne A man hath much conflict in himself to take off his heart from an undutiful sonne Never a worse son then Absalom and yet how doth David give a charge to the Commanders to have him spared How inquisitive after his safety How passionately and unseasonably mournful upon the news of his death But if any child be more a jewel then another certainly it is a dutiful childe who hath not onely an interest in our love by Nature but by obedience All these grounds of care and protection for Gods people in trouble are here expressed property they are mine preciousness they are jewels treasures ornaments unto me Relation they are sons usefulness they are sons that serve none could look on a thing so many ways lovely with the same eye as upon a professed and provoking Enemy Lastly Gods name and glory He hath spared his people even in the midst of their provocations for his Names sake Deut. 33.26 27. Iosh. 7.9 How much more when they repent and seek his face He will never let it be said that any seek the Lord in vain Isa. 45.19 But it may be objected Doth not Solomon say that all things happen alike unto all and that no man can know love or hatred by that which is before him Eccles. 9.1 2. And is it not certain and common that in publick desolations good as well as bad do perish Doth not the Sword devour as well one as another It is true God doth not always difference his servants from wicked men by temporal deliverances Troubles commonly and promiscuously involve all sorts But there are these two things considerable in it 1. That many times the good suffer with the bad because they are together corrupted with them and when they joyn in the common provocations no wonder if they suffer in the common judgments Revel 18.4 Nay the sins of Gods people do especially in this case more provoke him unto outward judgments then the sins of his professed enemies Because they expose his name to the more contempt 2 Sam. 12.14 and are committed against the greater love Amos 3.2 and he hath future judgment for the wicked and therefore usually beginneth here at his own sanctuary Ezek. 9.6 1 Pet. 4.17 2. When good men who have preserved themselves from publick sins do yet fall by publick judgments yet there is a great difference in this seeming equality the same affliction having like the Pillar that went before Israel a light side towards Gods people and a dark side toward the Egyptians God usually recompencing the outward evils of his people with more plentiful evidences of inward and spiritual joy A good man may be in great darkness as well as a wicked man but in that case he hath the name of God to stay himself upon which no wicked man in the world hath Isa. 50 10. The metal and the dross go both into the fire together but the drosse is consumed the metal refined So is it with godly and wicked in their sufferings Zach. 13 9 Eccles. 8.12 13. This reproveth the folly of those who in time of trouble rely upon vain things which cannot help them and continue their sins still For Iudgments make no difference of any but penitent and impenitent Sickness doth not complement with an honorable person but useth him as coursely as the base Death knocks as well at a Princes palace as a poor mans cottage wise men dye as well as fools Yea poyson usually works more violently when tempered with wine then with some duller and baser material In times of trouble usually the greater the persons the closer the judgments When Ierusalem was taken the Nobles were slain but the poor of the Land had vineyards and fields given them Ier. 39.6 10. Therefore in troubles we should be more humbled for our sins then our sufferings because sin is the sting of suffering That mercies
into the world and men loved darknesse rather then light Iob. 3.19 There was damnation in the world before while it lay in darknesse and in mischiefe and knew not whither it went but not so heavy damnation as that which groweth out of light When Physick which should remove the disease doth cooperate with it then death comes with the more paine and the more speed The stronger the conviction of sin is the deeper will bee the wrath against it if it be not by repentance avoyded No surfet more dangerous then that of bread no judgement more terrible then that which growes out of mercy known and despised The word which I have spoken saith Christ the same shall judge you at the last day Ioh. 12.48 Every principle of truth which is by the Word begotten in the hearts of disobedient sinners and is held down and suppressed by unrighteousnesse lies there like fire raked up under ashes which at that great day will kindle into an unquenchable flame The word can bring much of Hell upon the spirit of impenitent sinners here It can hew and cut and peirce and burn and torment and root out and pull down and destroy and strike with trembling and amazement the proudest and securest sinners Hos. 6.5 Act. 7.54 Heb. 4.12 Esay 49.2 Psal. 45.5 Revel 11.5 10. Ier. 1.10 2 Cor. 10.4 Act. 24.25 we need no messenger from the dead to tell us of the torments there All the Rhetorique in Hell cannot set forth Hell more to the life then Moses and the Prophets have done already Luk. 16.31 But O what a Hell will it be at last when the Word which warned us of it shall throw us into it when every offer of mercy which wee have refused and every threatning of wrath which we have despised shall accompany us unto the tribunall of Christ to testifie against us and into the fire of Hell to upbraid us with our owne perdition O the dolefull condition of impenitent sinners If they have not the Word they perish for the want and if they have it they perish doubly for the contempt of it O that men would consideâ— the terror of the Lord and bee perswaded and that they would learne so much wisedome as not to arm the very mercy of God against themselves A bridge is made to give us a safe passage over a dangerous river but he who stumbles on the bridge is in danger to fall into the river The Word is given as a meanes to carry us over Hell unto Heaven but he who stumbles and quarrels at this meanes shall fall in thither from whence otherwise he had been delivered by it FINIS Gen 35 22. Hos. 13.13 Gen. 32.24 Hos. 12.3 4. Isa. 26.17 18. Psal. 82.1 2 Cor. 2.14 Psalm 45.1 Isai. 26.8 9. Ephes. 6.19 Psal. 94 12 Mic. 6 9. a Gen 42 5â— Sect. 1. b Chap 8.7.9 2 6.16.10 18.11 6 c Ch. 9.11 14 d Isa 26.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato apud A. Gel. li. 6 c. 14. famosos la rones in his locis ubi grassati â—unt surca figendos compluribus placuit ut conspectu deterreantâ—r alii ab iisdem facinoribus ff de poenis l. 28. sect famosos unde in Brutis in rebus in aâ—imatis observata vindicta vid. Pet. Erod Decâ—et l. 2. Tit. 14. Zepper de legib l. 1. c. 11. Pl. l. 29 c. 4. Plut de fortun Ro. f Psal. 52.6 Luk 17.32 Act. 5.11 Luk. 13.1.7 Jer. 3.8 Dan. 5.18.21 Num. 16.38.40 Sect. 2. Sect. 3. g Isa. 26.11 h Rom. 10.3 Heb. 11.6 Non sunt bona quae non de radiâ—e bona procedunt Ea ipsa opera quae dicuntur ante fidem quamvis videantur hominibus lâ—uâ—abilia inaâ—â—â— sunt-ut magna vires curâ—us celeâ—â—â—mus praeter viam Aug. Enars in Pâ—al 3â— vide de Spirit hiâ— c. 20. 2â— 26. Coâ—tra duas Epist. Pelag l. 3. c. 7. ep 106. de side operâ—bus c. 14. contra Iulian lib. 4. cap. 3 i Nih lad ostentaâ—ionem omnia ad conscientiam refert Pâ— l. 1 epist. 22. Nil ilopinionis causa omnia conscientiae faciam Senec. de vita beata c 20 k Ier. 3.10 l Acts 26.23 m Ruth 1.14 n Exodus 8.8 Exodus 9. â—7 â—4 o Psal. 78.34 37 p Semisauciam hac arque hac versâ—re voluntatem Aug. confess l. 8. c. 8. plerique ipsâ—iâ— paenitentiae agunt Ambro. dâ— paenit l. 2. c. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexiâ— 2. strom Irrisor est non paenitens qui adhuc agit quod paeniâ—er c. Isidor de summo â—ono Magnamrem puâ—a unum hominemagere praeter sapientem nemo unum agit Caetera multifoâ—mes sunt Senec. Ep 1â—0 Ambros. ofâ—ic lib. 2. c. 22. q Ioâ—l 2.12 Act. 11. 23. Psal. 57.7 Eph. 3.27 Psal. 86.11 Heb. 13.9 r Ioel 2.12 13. Isa. 55.6.7 â—er 31.18 Hos. 3.5 Psal. 130.4 Acts 2 38. Matth. 3.2 Isa. 64. â— Sect. 5. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Stro. l. 6. s Qui beneficiis noÌ„ intelligitur vel plagis intelligatur Cypr. in Demeâ—â—ia t Danâ— animum ad loquendum libere ultimae miseriae Liv. lib. 29. u.. Inops Senaâ—us Auxilii humani ad Deos populum vâ—ta ver it justi cuÌ„ conjugibus libeâ—ls supplicatum ire pacem expoâ—cere deuÌ„ Liv. l. 3. Cum stupeâ— caelum areâ—annus nudipedalia denunciaÌ„tur Magistratus puâ—pu â—as ponunt fasces retro aver tunt pâ—ecem indigiâ—ant hostiam instaurant Vide Tentuâ— adv physicos c. 16. Clem. Alex. stro l. 6.6 pag. 45.3 Edit Heins Sozom. l. 9. c. 6. Brisso de formul l. 1. x Perdidisti 〈◊〉 mala si nonduÌ„ misera est didicisti Sen. ad Helvidâ— perdidistis utilitateÌ„ calamitatis miserâ—imifacti estis pessim permansistis Aug. de civ Dei l. 1. c. 33. y Isa. 28.15 z 1 King 6.4 a Psal. 18.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de seranumin vindicta b Vide Tertul. contra Maâ—â—ion l. 2. c 13. c Vossius Rhetor li. 5. ca. 12. sect 7. d Vide Gorraei definit medie Lauâ—eur Sect 6. e Plutarch Apophâ—hegm * Iosh. 23.19 Iohn 4.22 Eccles. 5.1 2. Gen. 35.2.3 1 Sam. 16.5 Isa. 1.15.61 f Quantum à praeceptis tantum ab auribus Dei longe sumus Tertul. de Orat. cap. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Illiad g 〈◊〉 Sacerdos 〈◊〉 fiatâ—um 〈◊〉 dicenâ—o suâ—sum corâ—â— Cyprian de Oratione i Isa. 64.7 h 1 Sam. 7.27 k Psal. 57.7.8 l Psal. 103.1 â—â—hrâ—â—â—0 19 m 1 Ioh. 5.14 n 2 Sam. 7.25 o Rom. 8.36 Zach. 2 1â— Iob 37.19 vide Aug. Epist 105. Et Epist. 121 ca 15. q Dei potentiam servi preces impediâ—â—ant Hiâ—â—on ad Gâ—udentium q Act. 16.25 26. r Act. 12.5.10 s 1 Kin. 18.41 Fuâ—men de Caelo precibus suis contra hostium machinâ— mentum 〈◊〉 suis pluvià Impeâ—ratâcum siti laborarent Iulius Capitoliâ— in Antonino vide Iustin. Martyr Apol. 2 Tertâ—l Apolog c. 5.39.40 Et ad
should not win us that judgment should not awaken us that the rod should speak and we not hear Mic. 6.9 That the fire should burn and we not feel Isa. 42.25 That desolation should be threatned and we not instructed Jer. 6.8 That the hand of God should be lifted up and we not see it Isa. 26.11 That darkness should be upon us we not give glory to God Jer. 13.6 This is that should most deject us that in mercies we have been wanton and in judgments sensless Get Repentance by an affliction and then you may look on it as trafick and not as a trouble like a Merchants voyage which hath pain in the way but treasure in the end No afflictions can hurt him that is penitent If thou escape they will make thee the more thankful if not they will bring thee the neerer and the sooner unto God The way to be safe in times of trouble is to get the blood of the Lamb upon our doors All troubles have their Commission and Instructions from God what to do whither to go whom to touch whom to pass over Be gold and though the fire come upon you you shal keep your nature and purity still Godliness saith the Apostle hath the promises of this life amongst those one special one is that we shall not be tempted above what we are able 1 Cor. 10.13 neither are there indeed any distresses against which there is not a refuge and escape for penitent sinners unto some promise or other Against Captivity When they be in the land of their Enemies I will not cast them away nor abhorre them Levit. 26.44 Against famine and pestilence If I shut up heaven that there be no rain or if I command the locust to devoure the Land or if I send pestilence among my people If my people which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked wayes then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and wil heal their Land 2 Chron. 7.13.14 Against sicknes the Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing and make all his bed in his sicknes Psa. 41.3 Against poverty When the poor and needy seek water and there is none I the Lord will hear them c. Isa. 41.17 Psal. 68.10 Against want of friends When my father and mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up Psal. 27.10 Psal. 72.12 Against oppression and imprisonment He executeth judgement for the oppressed he looseth the prisoners Psal. 146.7 Against whatsoever plague or trouble 1 King 8.37.38 39. He is the God of All consolation how disconsolate soever a mans condition is in any kind there cannot but within the compasse of All consolation be some one or other remedy at hand to comfort and relieve him And so much by the way of the Invitation in generaâ—l In the Invitation we have the Matter of it and the Motives to it The Matter is Conversion without that the hand which is lifted up in threatning will fall down in punishing and where that is God hath a book of Remembrance for his Iewels when his wrath burneth as an Oven against the stubble Mal. 3.16 But this Conversion then must have two conditions in it 1. It must be Ad Dominum To the Lord not meerly philosophicall to some low and generall dictates of Reason such as Aristotle or Plato or Epictetus or Plutarch or the like heathen Moralists could furnish us withall without self-deniall lowlinesse of spirit or faith in Christ. Not meerly politicall to credit or profit or secular ends propter famam non propter Conscientiam as the Orator speaks or as our Prophet hath it for Corn and for wine Hos. 7.16 as good be an empty vine as bring forth fruit onely to our selves Hos. 10.1 But it must be spirituall unto the Lord. If thou wilâ— return O Israel saith the Lord return unto me Ier. 4.1 And not onely Ad Dominum to the Lord for that may be done falsely and flatteringly with a halting and divided heart By the force of Semi-perswasions like that of Agrippa and Orpha complementing with God and then forsaking him By the force of compulsory impressions like that of Pharaoh and Israel in the wildernes Promises on the Rack and pride when there was respite again thawing in the Sun and freezing in the shade melting in the â—urnace and out of it returning unto hardnes again like the Prophets Cake burnt on the one side and dough on the other But it must be Secondly usque ad Dominum so much the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth A full through constant continued conversion with a whole a fixed a rooted an united an established heart yeilding up the whole Conscience and Conversation to be ruled by Gods will in all things The motives to this duty are two First his Mercy he is yet thy God no such argument for our turning unto God as his turning unto us Adam looks on him as a Iudge and hides the Prodigall looks on him as a father and returns As the beam of the Sun shining on fire doth discourage the burning of that so the shining of Gods mercies on us should dishearten and extinguish lust in us This is the use we should make of mercy Say not he is my God therefore I may presume upon him but he is mine therefore I must return unto him Because he is God I will be afraid to provoke him and because he is mine I will be afraid to forfeit him He is so great I must not dare to offend him he is so pretious I must not venture to lose him His mercy is a Holy mercy which knows to pardon sin but not to protect it It is a Sanctuary for the penitent not for the presumptuous Secondly his judgement and that expressed rather as our Act then his Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity If mercies do not work upon Love let Iudgements work upon fear Extremities are a warrant unto Importunities Even heathen mariners in a storm wil cry mightily upon God When there is a deluge coming is it not time for Noah to fear and to prepare an ark Hebr. 11.7 what meanest thou O thou sleeper to losâ— the season and benefit of Gods visitations when there is a tempest over the ship heavy distresses and distractions both at home and abroad to be so secure in thy wonted impenitency as if thou hadst had no sins to procure these judgements or no sence to feel them as if there were agreements and sealed covenants between thee and the sword that it should not touch thee If thou be falling is it not high time to consider thy wayes to search and to judge thy self to have thine eyes like the windows of Solomons Temple Broad inwards to find out thine own provocations and as David speaks to keep thy self from Thine owne iniquity
first of these The prayer of the Church in their fears and sufferings wherein I shall begin in the Prophets order with their prayer against sin Take away all iniquitie The word signifies 1. To expiate and make atonement by a sacrifice So the scape Goate which was a signe of Christ our Sacrifice as risen and living againe is said to carry the sinnes of the People into the wildernesse Levit. 16.22 Thereby signifying Christs taking our sinnes from us Iohn 1.29 Hebr. 9.28 2. To forgive which in the Court of mercy is the taking of sinne away Psal. 32.1.5 3. To remove or take away by destroying So it is used Hosea 1.6 Iob 32.22 and is sometimes used to expresse Burning 2 Sam. 5.21 Nahum 1.5 so sinne is said to be destroyed Rom. 6.6 to be subdued Mic. 7.19 to be purged away with the spirit of Judgement and burning Isa. 4.4 The meaning then is Take away all our sinnes from us lay them upon Christ our Sacrifice for his Merit pardon them by his Grace destroy and subdue them that so the root of Judgements being removed they likewise may therewithall be removed too From hence the Observation which I shall insist upon is this When God threatneth Iudgements we in our Conversion unto him should pray against sinnes Our eye of sorrow should be more upon that which dishonoureth him then upon that which afflicts our selves more upon that which is contrary to his Image then upon that which is contrary to his own nature more upon that which defileth then upon that which paineth us Pharoah cares for nothing but the removall of death Simon Magus for nothing but to have perdition and the gall of bitternesse kept from him But good men like wise Physitians cure the disease at the root as Elisha did the waters by putting Salt into the Spring head The Angell was smiting the people with a plague David betakes himselfe to the right remedy I have sinned I have done wickedly He goes not to the Physitians but to the Altar to make atonement for sinne and so the plague was stayed Destruction was threatned against Israel for their Calfe their murmurings their rebellions Moses stands in the gap to divert it Psal. 106.23 But how doth he doe it surely by praying against their sinnes O this people have sinned a great sin O that thou wouldest forgive them A sick man was brought to Christ to be healed Matt. 9.2 Christ overlookes the disease and begins at the sin Son be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee and this being forgiven the malignitie of the disease was removed though the matter should have remained This was the usuall method of David in his troubles to throw over these Shebaes that had wrought his woe Blot out wash throughly cleanse create renew he is farre more importunate for pardon and purging then for ease and comfort Complaining in trouble is the worke of a man but repenting is the work of a Christian. The Reasons of this point are these Three I If a Judgement should be removed while sin remaines it is not removed in mercy but in anger for many times God gives over punishing in displeasure as a man throweth away the rod when his scholler is incorrigible Why should you be smitten any more you will revolt more and more Isa. 1.5 If men be setled on their lees and will not be reclamed there cannot an heavier punishment light upon them then to be without punishment to be left to themselves and the fury of their own wills speedily to work out their owne perdition that they own pleasures may become their plagues and the liberty of their own lusts their forest bondage God may take away in wrath that which he sent in anger Hos. 13.11 as one the other side he may punish sin then when he forgiveth it and may visit iniquitie with rods then when he will not utterly take away his loving kindnesse from a people Psal. 99.8.89.32 33. II. If a judgement be removed so long as sin remaines it is gone cum animo Revertendi either the same or a worse is likely to succeed for God will overcome when he judgeth Pharoahs stubbornnesse did not but increase his plagues God will not endure that the pride of man should outvie his Iustice. If we doe not take Christs warning to goe and sinne no more we have great cause to feare his inference that a worse thing will come upon us Joh. 5.14 If we doe yet exalt our selves God will yet plead with us If we will walke contrary unto him he threatneth to doe the like unto us and to punish us seven times more for our sinnes If we doe not turne unto him that smiteth us then his anger in smiting shall not be turned away but his hand shall be stretched out still God can bring clouds after rain distresses in Ireland after distractions in Scotland and distractions in England after distresses in Ireland mischiefe upon mischief and counsell against counsell Manasse against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasse to vex and weary out a sinfull people till they pine away in their Calamities III. Sin being removed though the affliction should not be removed yet it is sanctified and turned into good Repentance like the Philosophers stone can turn Iron into Gold can make Golden afflictions So the triall of our faith that is our affliction is said to be more precious then Gold 1 Pet. 1.7 Whereas sinne remaining is like Copres which will turne wine or milk into inke It converts the blessings of God into the provisions of lusts Cankers learning with pride and wit with prophanenesse and wealth with luxury like Leaven which turnes a very Passeover into pollutions As the Pearl which is an Ornament to the woman which wares it is a disease to the fish which breeds it as the same perfume which refresheth a Dove is mortall to a Vulture as the same pillar and cloud was light to Israel but dark to Aegypt the same deep a path to Israel but a grave to Aegypt so the same blessings which by grace are converted into comforts by sin are abused into dishonourable services Sweet powders can make leather an ornament when the Sanies of a plague-sore will render a robe infectious As it was said of Naaman He was a great man an honourable man a mighty man of war But he was a Leaper so what ever other ornaments a man hath sinne staines them with the foulest But that can be brought to deprave the fairest endowments A learned man a wealthy man a wise man an honourable man But a wicked man This makes all those other good things tributary unto Satan And therefore as the gold and silver of the Canaanites was to passe through the fire before it could be used by Israel so all other blessings bestowed on men must passe through the spirit of Iudgement and burning through the purifying waters of
they will have to his eare The Covenant of grace turns precepts into promises and the spirit of grace turns preceps and promises into prayers It is not Gods wil that we should live without afflictions but our sanctification is Gods will 1 Thes. 4.3 The more prayers proceed from love the more acceptable to the God of love now prayer against judgments proceeds from fear but prayer for grace and favour proceeds from love Lastly hereby we shall more benefit our selves Gods grace is much better then our owne ease It gives us meekness to submit It gives us strength to bear It gives us wisedom to benefit by our afflictions Gods favour is much better then our own ease and is a recompence for sufferings beyond all their evils A man would be contented to be loaded with gold so he might have it for the bearing though it be heavy yet it is precious and Gods favour turns affliction into gold If he gives quietness nothing can give trouble Iob 34.29 and if he keep back his grace and favour nothing can give peace neither wealth nor honours nor pleasures nor Crowns nor all the world with the fulness or rather the emptiness thereof nor can doe us any good at all Any thing which wil consist with the reign of lust with the guilt of sin with the curse of the Law with the wrath of God with horrors of conscience and with the damnation of Hel is too base to the called the good of man To doe judgment to â—â—ve mercy and walk humbly with God this is bonum hominis the good of man Mich. 6.8 to fear God to keep his Commandements this is totum hominis the whole end and happiness of man Eccles. 12.13 O then get Remission and Removal of sin get this bonum hominis the oyl of grace in your Lamps the peace of God in your hearts the streams of the Rivers of God in your consciences and then though the earth be moved and the mountains shake and the waters roar what ever distractions what ever desolations happen Impavidum ferient ruinae thou shalt find a Chamber in Gods providence a refuge in his promises a Pavilion in the secret of his presence to protect and to comfort thee above them all THE SECOND SERMON Upon HOSEAH Ch. 14. Ver. 2. Hos. 14.2.3 So will we render the Calves of our lips 3 Asshur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses neither wil we say to the work of our hands ye are our gods c. IN the whole Context we have before observed two general parts Israels prayer and Israels promise The Prayer we have handled and do now proceed unto the promise wherein are two things to be considered 1. The Covenant self 2. The ground upon which they make it Gods mercy to the fatherless First then of the Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for Gods hearing and Answering of their prayers 2. A special care for Amendment of their lives We wil render the a Calves of our lips The Apostle out of the Septuagint reades it The a fruit of our lips Hebr. 13.15 It is the use of the Scripture to describe spiritual duties by expressions drawn from Ceremonies and usages under the Law as Repentance is called washing Isa. 1.16 and prayer incense Psal. 141.2 Rev. 5.8 and the rigteousness of Saints fine linen being an allusion to the garments of the Priests Rev. 19.8 and Christ an Altar whereby both our persons and services are sanctified and accepted Heb. 13.10 Rom. 12.1 1 Pet. 2.5 Isa. 56.7 Thus here the spiritual sacrifices of praise are called Calves to shew the end of all sacrifices which were ordained for the stirring up of spiritual affections and praises unto God and also to intimate the vanity of Ceremonial without Real services The beast on the Altar was but a Carnal but the faith of the heart and the confession of the mouth was a Reasonable sacrifice No point more insisted on in the Prophets then this Isa. 1.15 Mich. 6.6 7 8. Amos 4.4 5.5.2.1 Psalm 50.13.15.69.30 31. c. They had idolatrously dishonoured God with their Calves of Dan and Bethel and they had carnally and superstitiously placed all worship and holiness in the Calves of the Altar but now they resolve to worship God neither politickly after humane inventions nor perfunctorily with meer outward ceremonies but spiritually and from inward affections For the lips are moved by the heart Now Thanksgiving is further called the Calves or sacrifices of the lips to intimate that after all Gods rich mercies upon us in pardoning our sins and in multiplying his grace and spiritual comforts upon us we like Beggars have nothing to return but the bare acknowledgments and praises of our lips words for wonders And those words too his own gifts we cannot render them to him before we have received them from him Psal. 116.12 13. Matth. 12.34 1 Chron. 29.16 Asshur shall not save us Unto the general confession of sin intimated in those words Take away All Iniquity here is added a particular detestation of their special sins with a Covenant to forsake them lest waxing wanton with pardon and grace they should relapse into them again The sum is to confess the vanity of carnal confidence betaking it self to the aid of men to the strength of horses to the superstition of Idols for safety and deliverance All which they are now at last by their experience and by their Repentance taught to abandon as things which indeed cannot and therefore they are resolved shall not save them By the Assyrian is here intimated All Humane succour procured by sinful correspondence by a Synecdoche of the part for the whole But he is particularly mentioned 1. Because he was the chiefe Monarch of the world to shew that the greatest worldly succours are vain when they are relied up on without or against God 2. Because the Scripture takes notice often of it as their particular sin the sending unto relying upon and paying tribute unto him for aid and assistance Hos. 5.13.7 11 12. 2 Reg. 15.19 20. 3. Because instead of helping he did greatly afflict them Their flying to him was like a birds flying into a snare or a fishes avoiding the pole wherewith the water is troubled by swimming into the net 2 Reg. 15.29 Hos. 13.4 By Horses we are to understand the military preparations and provisions which they made for themselves both at home and from Aegypt 2 Chro. 1.16 Isa. 31.1 By the work of their Hands are meant their Idols which were beholding to their hands for any shape or beauty that was in them The same hands which formed them were afterwards lifted up in worship unto them Isa. 44.10.17.46.6 7 8. Ier. 10.3.15.6.20 Act. 19.26 Time was when we said these are our Gods which brought us up out of Egypt Exod. 32.4 1 Kings 12.28 but now we will not say so any more for how can a man be the maker of his Maker For
were much greater The not using of mercies is the being unthankfull for them And it is an heavie account which men must give for abused mercies Deut. 32.6 Amos 2.9.13 Luke 13 7. Heb. 6.7 Sins against mercy and under mercy are the first ripe fruâ—â— when the Sun shines hottest the fruits ripen fastest Amos 8.1.2 Ier. 1.11.12 God doth not beare so long with the provocations of a Church as of those that are not a people the sins of the Amorites were longer in ripening then the sins of Israel When judgement is abroad it will begin at the House of God II. We should be so much the more earnestly pressed unto this by how much it is the greater evidence of our conversion unto God and by how much more apt we are to call for mercies when we want them then with the Leper to returne praises when we do enjoy them Ten cried to be healed but there was but one that returned glory to God Vessels will sound when they are empty fill them and they are presently dumb When we want merâ—cies then with Pharaoh wee cry out for pardon for peace for supplies for deliverances but when prayers are answered and our turne served how few remember the method which God prescribes Call on me in the day of trouble I will hear thee and thâ—n shalt glorifie me Psal. 50.15 yea how many like Swine trample on the meat that feeds them and tread under foot the mercies that preserve them How many are so greedily intent upon the things they desire that they cannot see nor value the things they enjoy Omniâ— festinatio caeca est It is noted even of good King Hezekiah that he did not render according to the benefits which he had received 2 Chron. 32.25 Therefore we should be exhorted in our prayers for pardon and grace to do as the Church here doth to promise the Sacrifices of Thankfulnesse and obediene not as a price to purchase mercy for our good extends not unto God Psal. 16.2 but as a tye and obligation upon our selves to acknowledge and return the praise of mercy to him that gives it And this the Apostle exhorteth us unto that our requests should be made known unto God not onely with prayer and supplication but with Thankesgiving Phil. 4.6 1 Thess. 5. 17.18 1 Tim. 2.1 which we finde to have been his own practice Eph. 3 14.20.21 We should keep a Catalogue of Gods mercies to quicken us unto dutie as well as a Catalogue of our own sins to make us cry for mercy And unto this duty of Thanksgiving we may be excited I. By the consideration of Gods greatnesse Great is the Lord and therefore greatly to be praised Psal. 145.3 The praises of God should be according to his Name Ps. 48.10 Ps. 96.8 All things were made for no other end but to return glory to him that made them Because al things are of him therfore all must be to him Ro. 11.36 And this the very Figure of the world teacheth us For a Circular line ends where it began and returns back into its originall point by that means strengthning and preserving it self For things are usually strongest when nearest their originall and the more remote from that the weaker they grow As a tree is strongest at the root and a branch or bough next the trunk or stock and the further out it grows from thence the smaller and weâ—ker it grows too and the further it is from the originall of its being the nearer it is unto not Being So all creatures are hereby taught both for preservation of that being they have for supply of what perfections they want and in both for the setting forth of the greatnesse of their Maker out of whose infinite Being all finite beings are sustained perfected to run back unto God for whose sake they are and have been created Rivers come from the Sea and therefore run back into the Sea again The trees receive sap from the earth and within a while pay it back in those leaves that fall down to the earth again Now as God hath made all creatures thus to shew forth the glory of his greatnes so he will have them do it by these Principles and in that maner of working which he hath planted in them Inanimate and meere naturall creaâ—ures are bid to praise the Lord Psal. 148.8.9 but this â—hey do blindly and ignorantly like the arrow which flies toward the marke but understandeth not its own motion being directed thither by an understanding without and above it self And thus when every thing by the naturall weight and inclination of its own form moveth to the place where it may be preserved or draweth to it those further degrees of perfection whereby it may be improved and have more of being communicated to it it may truly be said to praise the Lord in that it obeyeth the Law which he planted in it and is by his wise providence carried back towards him to derive its conservation perfection from the same fountain from whence it s Being did proceed But now reasonable creatures being by God enriched with Internall knowledge and that knowledge in his Church exceedingly raised by his manifestation of himself as their utteâ—most blessednesse in the Word unto them He therefore requires that we should worke actively and with intention of the End for which he made us guiding all our aimes and inclinations towards his glory by that internall knowledge of his Excellency which he hath implanted in us and revealed to us And indeed all other creatures are in this sense said to glorifie God because the infinite power wisdom goodnesse and perfection of God which are in their beings and workings so notably relucent do become the object of reasonable creatures to contemplate upon and by that means draw forth admiration and adoration of him II. By the consideration of Gods goodnesse He deserves it at our hands He gives more to us then we are able to render unto him The Sun shines on the Moon with his own glorious light the Moon retâ—rns but a 〈◊〉 spotted light upon the world We can return nothing unto God but that which is his own 1 Chro. 29.16 and it goes not with that purity from us as it came unto us We cannot send forth a thought round about us but it wâ—ll returne with a report of mercy and that mercy calls for a returne of praise But above all the goodnesse of God mentioned in the text Taking away iniquity and receiving graciously this calls for the Calvâ—s of the lips to be offered as in the new Moons with Trumpets and solemnity Num 10.10 The beams of the Sun the more directly they fall on the body of the Moone doe fill it with the more abundant light so the more copious and notable Gods mercies are unto us the more enlarged should our praises be unto him Therefore true Penitents that have more tasted of mercy are more obliged unto thanksgiving Psal.
was the continuation of Anger but at last when he admitted him into his presence and kissed him here that Anger was turned away from him too 2 Sam. 14.21.24.33 These words then containe Gods mercifull answer to the first part of Israels prayer for the Taking away of all Iniquity which had beene the fountaine of those sad Judgements under which they languished and pined away Wherin there are two parts 1. The Ground of Gods answer His free love 2. A double fruit of that love 1. In Healing their Backsliding In removing his Anger and heavie Iudgements from them We will breifly handle them in the order of the Text. I will Heale their Backsliding When Gods people do returne unto him and pray against sin then God out of his free love doth heale them of it First he teacheth them what to aske and then he tells them what he will give Thus we finde Conversion and Healing joyned together Isai. 6.10 They shall returne even to the Lord and he shall be intreated of them and shall heale them Isai. 19.22 Return Backsliding children I will Heal your Backslidings Ier. 3.22 Men if they be injured and provoked by those whom they have in their power to undoe though they returne and cry peccavi and are ready to aske forgivenesse yet many times out of pride and revenge will take their time and opportunity to repay the wrong But God doth not so His Pardons as all his other Gifts are without exprobratâ—on as soon as ever his servants come back unto him with teares and confession he looks not upon them with scorn but with joy his mercy makes more haste to embrace them then their repentance to returne unto him Luke 15.20 then out comes the wine the oyle the balme the cordials then the wounds of a Saviour doe as it were bleed afresh to drop in mercy into the sores of such a Penitent O though he be not a dutifull not a pleasant childe yet he is a childe though I spake against him yet I remember him still my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him Jer. 31.20 The Lord greatly complaines of the inclination of his people to backsliding and yet he cannot finde in his heart to destroy them but expresseth a kinde of Conflict betweene Iustice and Mercy and at last resolves I am God and not man I can as well heale their backsliding by my Love as revenge it by my justice therefore I will not execute the fiercenesse of mine anger but I will cause them to walk after the Lord Hos. 11.7.10 Yea so mercifull he is that even upon an hypocriticall conversion when his people did but flatter and lie unto him and their heart was not right towards him nor they stedfast in his covenant yet the Text saith he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity not as to the justification of their persons for that is never without faith unfained but so farre as to the mitigation of their punishment that he destroyed them not nor stirred up all his wrath against them Psal. 78.34.35 for so that place is to be expounded as appeareth by the like parallel place Ezek. 20 17. Neverthelesse mine eye spared them from destroying them neither did I make an end of them in the wildernesse Now the Metaphoricall word both here and so often elsewhere used in this argument leadeth us to looke upon sinners as Patients and upon God as a Physician By which two considerations we shall finde the exceeding mercy of God in the pardon and purging away of sinne set forth unto us Healing then is a Relative word and leades us first to the consideration of a Patient who is to be healed and that is here a grievous sinner fallen into a Relapse Healing is of two sorts The healing of a sicnesse by a Physician the healing of a wound by a Chirurgian And Sinne is both a sicknesse and a wound The whole head sick the whole Heart faint from the soale of the foot even unto the Head there is no soundnesse in it but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Isai. 1.5.6 A sicknesse that wants healing a wound that wants binding Ezek. 34.4 A sick sinner that wants a Physician to call to repentance Matth. 9.12 13. A wounded sinner that wants a Samaritan so the Iewes called Christ Iohn 8.48 to binde up and poure in wine and oyle Luek 10.34 Diseases are of severall sorts but those of all other most dangerous that are in the vitall parts as all the diseases of sinne are and from thence spread themselves over the whole man Ignorance pride carnall principles corrupt judgement diseases of the Head Hardnesse stubbornesse Atheisme Rebellion diseases of the Heart Lust a dart in the Liver Corrupt communication the effect of putrified lungs Gluttony and drunkennesse the swellings and dropsies of the belly despaire and horrour the griefe of the bowels Apostacie a Recidivation or Relapse into all An Eare that cannot heare God speake Ier. 6.10 An Eye quite dawbed up that cannot see him strike Ier. 44.18 Isai. 26.11 A palate out of taste that cannot savour nor relish heavenly things Rom. 8.5 Lips poisoned Rom. 3.13 A Tongue set on fire Iam. 3.6 Flesh consumed bones sticking out sore vexed and broken to pieces Iob 33.21 Psal. 6.2 51.8 Some diseases are dull others acute some â—â—upifying others tormenting Sinne is All. A stupifying palsie that takes away feeling Ephes 4.19 A plâ—guâ— in the Heart which sets all on fire 1 King 8.38 Hos. 7.4 Let us consider a little the proper passions and effects of most diseases and see how they suite to sinne First Paine and distemper This first or last is in All sinne for it begets in wicked and impenitent men the pain of guilt horrour trembling of heart anguish of conscience fear of wrath expectation of judgement and fiery indignation as in Cain Pharaoh Ahab Felix and divers others Gen. 4.13.14 Exod. 9.27.28 1 King 21.27 Acts 24.25 Isai. 33.14 Hebr. 2.15 Rom. 8 15. Hebr. 10.27 And in Penitent men it begets the pain of shame and sorrow and inquietude oâ— spirit a wound in the spirit a prick in the very heart Rom. 6.21 Ezek. 16.61 2 Cor. 7.10 Prov. 18.14 Acts 2.37 Penitency and Paine are words of one derivation and are very neare of kin unto one another Never was any wound cured without paine never any sinne healed without sorrow Secondly c weaknesse and Indisposednesse to the Actions of life Sinne is like an unruly spleen or a greedy wenne in the body that sucks all nourishment converts all supplies into its own growth and so exhausts the strength and vigor of the soul making it unfit and unable to do any good When ever it sets about any duty till sinne be cured it goes about it like an arm out of ioynt which when you would move it one way doth fall back another It faints and flaggs and is not able to put sorth any skill or any
Thus we have taken a view of the Patient Sick weake pained consumed deformed wounded and sore bruised without power or help at home without friends abroad no sense of danger no desire of change patient of his disease impatient of his cure but one meanes in the world to helpe him and he unable to procure it and being offered to him unwilling to entertaine it who can expect after all this but to hear the knell ring and to see the grave opened for such a sick person as this Now let us take a view of the Physician Surely an ordinary one would be so farre from visiting such a Patient that in so desperate a condition as this he would quite forsake him As their use is to leave their Patients when they lie a dying Here then observe the singular goodnesse of this physician First though other Physicians judge of the disease when it is brought unto them yet the Patient first feels it and complaines of it himselfe but this Physician giveth the Patient the very feeling of his disease and is faine to take notice of that as well as to minister the cure He went on frowardly in the way of his heart saith the Lord and pleased himself in his owne ill condition I have seene his way and will heale him Isay. 57 17.18 Secondly other Patients send for the Physician and use many intreaties to be visited and undertaken by him Here the Physician comes unsent for and intreates the sick person to be healed The world is undone by falling off from God and yet God is the first that begins the reconciliation and the stick of it is â—n the world and not in him and therefore there is a great Emphasis in the Apostles expression God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself not himself unto the world He intreats us to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.19.20 He is found of them that sought him not Isai. 65.1 and his office is not onely to save but to seeke that which was lost Thirdly other Physicians are well used and entertained with respect and honour but our Patient here neglects and misuseth his Physician falls from him betakes himself unto Mountebanks and Physicians of no value yet he insists on his mercy and comes when he is forsaken when he is repelled I have spread out my hands all the day unto a Rebellious people Isai. 65.2 Fourthly other Physicians have usually ample and honourable rewards for the attendance they give but this Physician comes onely out of love heales freely nay is bountifull to his Patient doth not onely heale him but bestows gifts upon him gives the visit gives the physick sends the ministers and servants who watch keep the Patient Lastly other Physicians prescribe a bitter potion for the sick person to take this Physician drinketh of the bitterest himself others prescribe the sore to be launced this Physician is wounded and smitten himself others order the Patient to bleed here the physician bleeds himselfe yea he is not onely the Physician but the Physick and gives himselfe his own flesh his own blood for a purgative a cordiall a plaister to the soul of his Patient Dies himselfe that his Patient may live and by his stripes we are healed Isai. 53.5 We should from all this learne First to admire the unsearchable Riches of the mercy of our God who is pleased in our misery to prevent us with goodnesse and when we neither felt our disease nor desired a remedy is pleased to convince us of our sinnes Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity To invite us to repentance O Israel returne unto the Lord thy God To put words into our mouth and to draw our petition for us Take with you words and say unto him take away all iniquity c. To furnish us with arguments we are fatherlesse thou art mercifull To incourage us with promises I will heale I will love To give us his Ministers to proclaime and his Spirit to apply these mercies unto us If he did not convince us that iniquity would be a downfall and a ruine unto us Ezek. 18.30 we should hold it fast and be pleased with our disease like a mad man that quarrels with his cure and had rather continue mad then be healed Ioh. 3.19 20 21. If being convinced he did not invite us to repentance we should run away from him as Adam did No man loves to be in the company of an Enemy much lesse when that enemy is a Iudge They have turned their back unto me and not their face Jer. 2.27 Adam will hide himselfe from the presence of the Lord Gen. 3.8 and Cain will goe out from the presence of the Lord Gen. 4.16 Guilt cannot looke upon Majestie stubble dares not come neere the fire If we be in our sins we cannot stand before God Ezra 9.15 If being invited he did not put words into our mouthes we should not know what to say unto him We know not wherwith to come before the Lord or to bow before the high God if he do not shew us what is good Mic. 6.6 8. Where God is the Judge who cannot be mocked or deceived who knoweth all things and if our heart condemne us he is greater then our heart and where ever we hide can finde us out and make our sinne to finde us too Gal. 6.7 1 Iohn 3.20 Num. 32.23 where I say this God is the Judge there guilt stoppeth the mouth maketh the sinner speechlesse Matth. 22.12 Rom. 3.19 Nay the best of us know not what to pray as we ought except the Spirit be pleased to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 When we are taught what to say If God do not withdraw his anger we shall never be able to reason with him Iob. 9.13 14. Withdraw thine hand from me let not thy dread make me afraide then I will answer then I will speak Job 13.21 22. If he doe not reveal mercie if he doe not promise love or healing if he do not make it appeare that he is a God that heareth prayers flesh will not dare to come neere unto him 2. Sam. 7.27 We can never pray till we can cry Abba father we can never call unto him but in the multitude of his mercies As the earth is shut and bound up by frost and cold and putteth not forth her pretious fruits till the warmth and heat of the Summer call them out so the heart under the cold affections of feare and guilt under the darke apprehensions of wrath and judgement is so contracted that it knows not to draw neere to God but when mercie shines when the love of God is shed abroade in it then also is the heart it selfe shed abroade and enlarged to powre out it self unto God Even when distressed sinners pray their prayer proceeds from apprehensions of mercy for prayer is the childe of faith Rom. 10.14 Iaâ— 5.15 and the object of faith is mercy Secondly The way to prize this mercie is to grow
Repentance and by consequence is incurable To speak against the Son of man that is against the doctrine Disciples ways servants of Christ looking on him only as a man the leader of a Sect as master of a new way which was Pauls notion of Christ and Christian Religion when he persecuted it and for which cause he found mercy for had he done that knowingly which he did ignorantly it had been a sin uncapable of mercy Acts 26.9 1 Tim. 1.13 thus to sin is a blasphemy that may be pardoned but to speake against the Spirit that is to oppose and persecute the doctrine worship ways servants of Christ knowing them and acknowledging in them a spiritual Holiness and eo nomine to do it so that the formal motive of malice against them is the power and lustre of that spirit which appeareth in them and the formal principle of it neither ignorance nor self-ends but very wilfulness and Immediate malignity Woe be to that man whose natural enmity and antipathie against Godliness do ever swel to so great and daring an height It shall not be forgiven him neither in this world nor in the world to come Matth. 12.32 That is say some neither in the time of life nor in the point or moment of death which translates them unto the world to come Others not in this life by Iustification nor in the world to come by consummate Redemption and publick judiciary absolution in the last day which is therefore called the Day of Redemption in which men are said to finde mercy of the Lord Ephes. 4.30 2 Tim. 1.18 For that which is here done in the Conscience by the ministery of the Word and efficacy of the Spirit shall be then publickly and judicially pronounced by Christs own mouth before Angels and men 2 Cor. 5.10 Others Shall not be forgiven that is shall be plagued and punished both in this life and in that to come Give me leave to add what I have conceived of the meaning of this place though no way condemning the Expositions of so great and learned men I take it By This world we may understand the Church which then was of the Iews or the present age which our Saviour Christ then lived in It is not I think insolent in the Scripture for the words Age or World to be sometimes restrained to the Church Now as Israel was God's First-born and the first fruits of his increase Exod. 4.22 Ierem. 31.9 Ier. 2.3 So the Church of Israel is called the Church of the First-born Hebr. 12.23 and the first Tabernacle and a worldly Sanctuary Hebr. 9.1.8 and Ierusalem that now is Gal. 4.25 And then by the World to come we are to understand the Christian Church afterwards to be planted for so frequently in Scripture is the Evangelical Church called the World to come and the last dayes and the ends of the world and the things thereunto belonging Things to come which had been hidden from former ages and generations and were by the ministery of the Apostles made known unto the Church in their time which the Prophets and righteâ—us men of the former ages did not see nor attain unto Thus it is said In these last dayes God hath spoken to us by his Son Heb. 1.1 And Unto Angels he did not put in subjection the world to come Heb. 2.5 and Christ was made an high Priest of good things to come Heb. 9.11 and The Law had a shadow of good things to come Heb. 10.1 and the times of the Gospel are called Ages to come Ephes. 2.7 and the ends of the world 1 Cor. 10.11 Thus legal and Evangelical dispensations are usually distinguished by the names of Times past and the last dayes or times to come Hebr. 1.1 Ephes. 3.9 10. Colos. 1.25 26. The one an Earthly and Temporary the other an Heavenly and abiding administration and so the Septuagint render the Originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa. 9.5 Everlasting Father which is one of the Names of Christ by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father of the world to come The meaning then of the place seems to be this That sinnes of high and desperate presumption committed maliciously against known light and against the evidence of Gods Spirit as they had no Sacrifice or expiation allowed for them in the former world or state of the Iewish Church but they who in that manner despised Moses and his Law though delivered but by Angels died without mercy Numb 15.27 30 31. Hebr. 2.2 3 3. so in the World to come or in the Evangelicall Church though grace should therein be more abundantly discovered and administred unto men yet the same Law should continue stil as we finde it did Hebr. 2.2 3 4 5. Hebr. 6.4 5 6. Hebr. 10.26 27 28. neither the open enemies of Christ in the one nor the false professors of Christ in the other committing this sin should be capable of pardon This doctrine of Apostacy or Back-sliding is worthy of a more large explication but having handled it formerly on Hebr. 3.12 I shall add but two words more First that we should beware above all other sins of this of falling in soul as old Eli did in body backward and so hazarding our salvation if once we have shaken hands with sin never take acquaintance with it any more but say as Israel here What have I to do any more with Idols The Church should be like Mount Sion that cannot be moved It is a sad and sick temper of a Church to tosse from one side to another and then especially when she should be healed to be carried about with every winde Secondly We should not be so terrified by any sin which our soul mourns and labours under and our heart turneth from as thereby to be withheld from going to the Physician for pardon and healing Had he not great power and mercy did he not love freely without respect of persons and pardon freely without respect of sins wee might then be affraid of going to him but when he extendeth forgivenesse to all kindes iniquity transgression sin Exod. 34.6 and hath actually pardoned the greatest sinners Manasses Mary Madalen Paul Publicans harlots backsliders we should though not presume hereupon to turn Gods mercy into poyson and his grace into wantonness for mercy it self will not save those sinners that hold fast sin and will not forsake it yet take heed of despairing or entertaining low thoughts of the love and mercy of God for such examples as these are set forth for the incouragement of all that shall ever beleeve unto eternall life 1 Tim. 1.16 And the thoughts and wayes which God hath to pardon sin are above our thoughts and wayes whereby we look on them in their guilt and greatnesse many times as unpardonable and therefore are fit matter for our faith even against sense to beleeve and rely upon Isa. 55.57 58. Now followeth the Fountain of this Mercy I will leve them freely Gods love is
Thus when in one and the same time Mercies and judgements are intermixed then is the most solemne season to call upon men for repentance If we felt nothing but fears they might make us despair if nothing but mercies they would make us secure If the whole year were Summer the sap of the earth would be exhausted if the whole were Winter it would be quite buried The hammer breaks mettall and the fire melts it and then you may cast it into any shape â—udgements break mercies melt and then if ever the soul is fit to be cast into Gods mould There is no figure in all the Prophets more usuall then this to interweave mercies and judgements like those Elegancies which Rhetoricians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to allure and to bring into a wildernes Hos. 2.14 And this of all other is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Physicians call it the Criticall time of diseased people wherein the chief conjecture lieth whether they be mending or ending according to the use which they make of such interwoven mercies I have cursorily run over the first part of the Context the Invitation unto Repentance as intending to make my abode on the second which is the Institution how to perform it Therein we have first a General instruction Take unto you words Secondly a particular form what words they should take or a petition drawn to their hands Take away all iniquitie c. Of the former of these I shall speak but a word It importeth the serious pondering and choosing of requests to put up to God The mother of Artaxeâ—xes in Plutarch was wont to say that they who would addresse themselves unto Princes must use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 silken words Surely he that would approach unto God must consider and look as well to his words as to his feet He is so holy and jealous of his worship that he expects there should be preparation in Our accesses unto him Preparation of Our persons by purity of life Iob 11. â—3 Preparation of Our Services by choice of matter Iob 9.1 Luk. 15.17 18. Preparation of Our Hearts by finding them out stirring them up fixing them fetching them in and calling together all that is within us to prevail with God The services which we thus prepare must be Taken from him They must not be the issues of our own private and fleshly hearts For nothing can go to God but that which comes from him and this phrase seemeth to import these three things 1. We must attend unto his will as the Rule of our prayers 2. We must attend unto his precepts and promises as the Matter of our prayers 3. We must attend unto the Guidance of his Holy Spirit as the life and principle of our prayers without which we know not what to ask And prayers thus Regulated are most seasonable and soveraign duties in times of Trouble The key which openeth a doore of mercy the slâ—ce which keepeth out an Inundation of judgements Iacob wrestled and obtained a blessing Hos. 12.4 Amos prayed and removed a Curse Amos 7.1.7 The woman of Canaan will not be denied with a deniall Mat. 15.24 27. The people of Israel will begge for deliverance even then when God had positively told them that hee would deliver them no more Iudg. 10.13 15. Ionah will venture a prayer from the bottome of the Sea when a double death had seised upon him the belly of the deep and the belly of the Whale and that prayer of his did open the doores of the Leviathan as the expression is Iob 41.14 and made one of those deaths a deliverance from the other O let the Lords remembrances give him no rest There is a kinde of omnipotencie in prayer as having an Interest and prevalence with Gods omnipotency It hath loosed iron chains It hath opened Iron gates It hath unlockt the windows of heaven It hath broken the bars of death Satan hath three titles given him in the Scripture setting forth his malignity against the Church of God A Dragon to note his malice a Serpent to note his subtiltie and a Lyon to note his strength But none of all these can stand before prayer The greatest malice the malice of Haman sinks under the prayer of Esther the deepest policy the counsell of Achitophel withers before the prayer of Daivd the hugest Army an hoast of a thousand thousand Ethiopians runne away like Cowards before the prayer of Asa. How should this incourage us to treasure up our prayers to besiege the throne of Grace with armies of supplications to refuse a deniall to break through a repulse He hath blessed those whom he did cripple he hath answered those whom he did reproach he hath delivered those whom he did deny And he is the same yesterday and to day If he save in six and in seven troubles should not we pray in six and seven Extremities Certainly in all the afflictions of the Church when prayers are strongest mercies are nearest And therefore let me humbly recommend to the Cares of this honourable Assembly amongst all your other pressing affairs the providing that those solemne dayes wherein the united prayers of this whole Kingdom should with strongest â—mportunities stop the breaches and stand in the gaps at which Iudgements are ready to rush in upon us may with more obedience and solemnity be observed then indeed of late they are It is true here and in other Cities and populous places there is haply lesse cause to complain But who can without sorrow and shame behold in our Countrey towns men so unapprehensive either of their brethrens sufferings or of their own sins and dangers as to give God quite over to let him rest that they themselvs may work to come in truth to Iehorams resolution Why should we wait upon God any longer to grudge their brethrens and their own souls and safeties one day in thirty and to tell all the world that indeed their daies work is of more value with them then their dayes worship multitudes drudging and moyling in the earth while their brethren are mourning and besieging of heaven I do but name it and proceed The second part of the Institution was the particular form suggested unto them according unto which their addresses unto God are to be regulated which consisteth of two parts a prayer and a promise The prayer is for two Benefits the one Remove all of sin the other Conferring of Good In the promise or Restipulation we have first their Covenant wherein they promise two things 1. Thanksgiving for the hearing and answering of their prayers 2. A speciall care for the Amendment of their lives Secondly the Ground of their Confidence so to pray and of their Resolutions so to promise Because in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercy My meditations will bee confined within the
Repentance bodily fasting and verball praying is indeed but to flatter God and if we could to deceive him And God will answer such men not according to the prayer of their lips but according to the Idol of their hearts Ezek. 14.4 5 Secondly this teacheth us how to pray against sin It must be against all and in all respects In the Hebrew text there is a kind of unusuall transposiâ—ion of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word all is first Me thinkes it doth intimate an Intentnesse of the Church upon that point to have if it were possible all taken away at the very first If there bee one leak in a ship one gap in a wall one gate in a City unprovided for it is enough to sink a ship to drown a Countrey to betray a Citie One little boy thrust in at a window can unlock the doore for all the rest of the theeves It was but one Ionah that raised a tempest but one Achan that troubled a Camp and one sin generally unrepented of were enough to undo a Kingdome Do not say it is a little one and my soule shall live Even the· Philosopher telleth us that sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the smallest errors prove most dangerous How little soever it bee in its owne nature it becomes hainous by thy allowance It is as much treason to coin pence as twenty shilling pieces because the Royall authority is as much violated by the one as the other This then wee must first and principally remember to set our selves against all sin In Confession none to be dissembled in Supplication none to bee excepted in Conversion none to be reserved never give it over so long as any is left O Lord yet it works yet it lives yet it tempts yet it paines me Sin hath not done accusing of me let not thy mercy have done forgiving of sinne Sin hath not done rebelling in mee let not thy Grace have done subduing of sin When men kill Snakes or Vipers so long as they see them pant or offer to thrust out a sting they strike them still Sin like the thiefe on the Crosse when it is fast nailed and kept from its old tyrannie yet will as much as it can reviâ—e and spit out venome upon Christ. O therefore give it not over break the legs of it crucifie it clean through till it be quite dead None can pray or turne unto God in truth or hope to be delivered from judgements in Mercy so long as he holds fast any known sin Can any man looke to receive benefit by the bloud of Christ who hugs the villaine that shed it Is it not treason knowingly to harbour and entertainâ— a Traytor Whosoever loves and holds fast sinne lies unto God in every prayer that he makes This serveth to reprove and humble us for our hypocrisie and halvings with God in our conversions from sinne and confessions of it we are willing to pray for the pardon of them all wee would have none hurt us but when it comes to parting and taking all away this we cannot away with Some are fat delicate golden sinnes wee would faine spare these as Saul did Agag and hide them as Achan did his wedge Herod heareâ— Iohn gladly in many things but if hee restraine him of his Herodias hee must expect to be himself restrained Agrippa will be almost a Christian but altogether may chance bring a chaine with it Iehu will downe with Baal and his Priests but hee knowes not how to part with his Calves lest he venture his Kingdome Policy is ever entring Caveats against piety Thus men huck and stand upon abatements with Christ in the bargaine of Salvation not considering that the purchase of heaven is like the buying of the Sibyls Prophecie the longer wee stand off the dearer every day it will cost us the more tears the harder repentance the deeper sorrow the stronger cries These men know not the price of a soule nor the worth of a Saviour O if Christ should have served us so in dying for sinne as many of us doe serve him in turning from sin what a condition had our soules been in If he had dyed for some sinnes and not for others if he had been unwilling to save us to the uttermost as wee are to serve him to the uttermost if hee should have stopt before hee came to Consummatum est and left any one drop of that bitter Cup for us to drink after him would it not have caused our belly to swell and our thigh to rot and made us for ever uncapable of any other mercy then onely a lesse damnation Well beloved Christ expecteth that as hee dyed for all sin so we should die to all hee will be counted worthy of all acceptation before hee will bestow himself he will not suffer his Bloud and his Mercy to mingle with sin or to be a protection to it he cannot endure mingling of the holy seed with the prophane swearing by God and swearing by Malcham Samaritan Services to be for the Lord in one thing and for the world and flesh in another one step straight and another crooked one speech Ashdod and another Canaan to let our conversation be yea and nay a mungrill service In this I will do as you bid me but in that I wll not like the Jews that would buy Christs bloud with money but not take the money into the treasurie they were fearfull to defile their Chests but not to defile their Consciences This Christ cannot away with It is dangerous to say with the Pharisee This I am not and that I am not or with the young man This and that I have done and in the meane time to have one thing lacking to have one doore locked up still to keep Christ and salvation from us whosoever keeps a covetous heart for the world or a sensuall heart for the flesh or a proud heart for the Devill is unworthy of Heaven by his own Election and would not goe in thither if the doore were wide open he would not find there any fuell for these his lusts any Nabal or Cosbi or Diotrephes to converse withall And surely he that doth any one wickednesse with allowance in Gods construction is habitually guilty of all Iam. 2.10 Luk. 16.10 Ezeâ— 18.10.13 Therefore in this case as Samuel said to Iesse Are here all thy children If any be left wee will not sit down till he come So we must conceive in our confessions and abrenuntiations of sin that Christ asketh us Are here all If any be reserved I will not take possession till that be cast out there must not an hoof be left in Aegypt if God be to be served Gods Law as well as mans disallows Inmates in the same house he will not endure a divided heart he is heire of all things there lies no Writ of partition in his Inheritance
of calamitie upon us all wisedome and learning and piety prudence are healing things Remember and O that God would put into the hearts of this whole Kingdome from the Throne to the Plow to remember the fate of a divided Kingdome from the mouth of truth it selfe O that we would all remember that misunderstandings and jealousies and divisions of heart are an high evidence of Gods displeasure and that through the wrath of the Lord of Hosts a Land is darkned and as it were infatuated when Manasse is against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasse and every man eateth the flesh of his owne Arme. Isa. 7.9.21 O let us all remember what it cost Shechem and Abimelech what it cost Benjamin and the other Tribes even the losse of threescore and five thousand men remember Priamus and his children will laugh Babylon will clap their hands and wag their head no such time for Shishak the Aegyptian to trouble Jerusalem as when Israel is divided 2 Chron. 12.2 Let it never be said of Gods owne people that they are fallen into the curse of Midianites and Ammorites and Edomites and Philistines to help forward the destruction of one another O that God would give this whole Nation hearts to consider these things that he would put a spirit of peace and resolved unity into the minds of this whole people to be true to their owne happinesse and by how much the greater are the subtilties of men to divide them to be so much the more firmly united in prayers to God and in concord between themselves that they may not expose their persons estates posterities and which is dearest of all their Religion to the craftie and bloodie advantages of the enemies of the Protestant Churches who in humane view could have no way to overthrow them but by their own dissentions I have done with this point and shall conclude all with a very few words of the next which is drawn from the scope and connexion of the prayer suggested to the judgement threatned It is this When temporall judgements are felt or feared Gods people should pray for spirituall mercies Humane sorrows cannot overcome where the joy of the Lord is our strength Thus the Lord seems to have taught his Apostle he was under some pressing discomfort the messenger of Satan sent to buffet him he prayes for particular deliverance and God answers him non ad voluntatem sed ad utilitatem implying a direction unto all such prayers My grace is sufficient for thee 2 Cor. 12.9 When thou feelest a thorn in thy flesh pray for grace in thy heart the buffets of Satan cannot hurt where the grace of God doth suffice so he directeth in time of plague and famine to pray and to seek his face 2 Chron. 7.14 to look more after his favour than our owne ease to be more solicitous for the recovering of his Love than for the removing of his Rod. This is a true character of a filiall disposition In the way of thy judgements even in that way wherein wicked men fling thee off and give thee over and quarrell with thee and repine against thee even in the way of â—hy judgements do we wait for thee and the desire of our soul is more to thy Name than to our own deliverance Isa. 26.8 true Diciples follow Christ more for his Doctrine than his loaves and are willing to choose rather affliction than iniquity The grace and favour of God is life Psal. 30.5 better than life Psal. 63.3 and therefore must needs be the most soveraigne Antidote to preserve and to bear up the soul above all other discomforts whereas if he be angry no other helps are able to relieve us Brasse and Iron can fence me against a Bullet or a Sword but if I were to be cast into a furnace of fire it would help to torment me if into a pit of water it would help to sinke me Now our God is a consuming fire and his breath a streame of brimstone Humane plaisters can never cure the wounds which God makes where he is the Smiter he must be the Healer too Hos. 6.1 All the Candles in a Countrey are not able to make day there till the Sunne come and all the contents of the world are not able to make comfort to the soule till the Sun of Righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings In a Mine if a damp come it is in vaine to trust to your lights they will burn blew and dimme and at last vanish you must make haste to be drawne upward if you will be safe When God sharpneth an affliction with his displeasure it is vaine to trust to worldly succours your desires and affections must be on things above if you will be relieved There is no remedie no refuge from Gods anger but to Gods grace Bloud letting is a cure of bleeding and a burn a cure against a burne and running into Goâ— is the way to escape him as to close and get in 〈◊〉 him that would strike you doth avoid the blow In a tempest at Sea it is very dangerous to strike to the shore the safest way is to have Sea-roome and to keep in the Main still there is no landing against any tempest of Gods judgements at any shore of worldly or carnall policies but the way is to keep with him still if he be with us in the Ship the winds and the Sea will at last be rebuked This then should serve to humble us for our carnall prayers in times of judgement such as the hungry Raven or the dry and gaping earth makes when we assemble our selves for Corne and Wine for peace and safety and be in the meane time carelesse whether God receive us graciously or no. God much complains of it when he slew Israel the raâ—k made him rore the rod made him flatter but all was to be rid of affliction It was the prayer of nature for ease not of the Spirit for grace for their heart was not right Psal. 78.34 37. The like he complains of after the Captivity they fasted and prayed in the fifth moneth wherein the City and Temple had bin burned and in the seventh moneth wherein Gedeliah had bin slain and the remnant carried captive but they did it not out of sinceritie toward God but out of policie for themselves and this he proves by their behaviour after their return If you had indeed sought me you would have remembred the words of the Prophets when Ierusalem was inhabited before and being returned would now have put them to practise But Jerusalem inhabited after the Captivitie is just like Jerusalem inhabited before the captivitie so that from hence it appears that all their weeping and separating was not for pious but politique reasons Zach. 7.5 6. And there is nothing under heaven more hatefull or more reproachfull unto God than to make Religion serve turns to have piety lacquey and dance attendance and be a drudge and groom to
healed all the diseases of his soul and redeemed his life from destruction or from hel as the Chaldee rendreth it and crowned him with loving kindnesse and tender mercies turning away his anger and revealing those mercies which are from everlasting in election unto everlasting in salvation removing his sins from him as far as the East is from the West then a man will call upon his soule over and over againe and summon every faculty within him invite every creature without him to blesse the Lord and to ingeminate praises unto his holy name Psal. 103.1.4.20.22 And as David there begins the Psalme with Blesse the Lord O my soul and ends it with blesse the Lord O my soul so the Apostle making mention of the like mercy of God unto him and of the exceeding abundant grace of Christ in setting forth him who was a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious as a patterne unto all that should beleeve on him unto eternall life begins this meditation with praises I thank Christ Iesus our Lord and ends it with praises unto the King eternall immortall invisible the onely wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1.12.17 It is impossible that soule should be truly thankfull unto God which hath no apprehensions of him but as an enemie ready to call in or at the least to curse all those outward benefits which in that little interim and respite of time between the curse pronounced in the Law and executed in death he vouchsafeth to bestow And impenitent sinners can have no true notion of God but such And therefore all the verball thanks which such men seem to render unto God for blessings are but like the musick at a Funerall or the Trumpet before a Judge which gives no comfortable sound to the mourning wife or to the guilty prisoner III. Vt medium Impetrandi As an Argument and motive to prevail with God in prayer For the Church here Praies for pardon for grace for healing not onely with an eye to its own benefit but unto Gods honour Lord when thou hast heard and answered us then we shall glorifie thee Psa. 50.15 I shall praise thee saith David for then hast heard me and art become my salvation Psal. 118.21 It is true if God condemne us he will therein shew forth his owne glory 2 Thes. 1.9 as he did upon Pharaoh Rom 9.17 In which sence the strong and terrible ones are said to glorifie him Isay. 25.3 Because his power in their destruction is made the more conspicuous But we should not therein concurre unto the glorifying of him The grave cannot praise him they that goe downe into the pit cannot celebrate his name Ps. 30.9 88 10 11. The living the living they shall praise thee Isa. 38.19 This is a frequent argument with David whereby to prevail for mercy because else God would lose the praise which by this meanes he should render to his name Psal. 6.4.5.118.17 c. God indeede is All-sufficient to himself and no goodnes of ours can extend unto him Iob 22.2 35 7. Yet as Parents delight to use the labour of their children in things which are no way beneficiall unto themselves so God is pleased to use us as instruments for setting forth his glory though his glory stand in no neede of us though we cannot adde one Cubit thereunto He hath made all men in usuâ— profundarum cogitationum suarum unto the uses of his unsearchable Councells He hath made all things for himselfe yea even the wicked for the day of evill Prov. 16.4 Yet he is pleased to esteeme some men meete for uses which others are not 2 Tim. 2.21 and to set apart some for himselfe and for those uses Psal. 4.3 Isay. 43.21 God by his wisedome ordereth and draweth the blind and brute motions of the worst creatures unto his own honour as the huntsman doth the rage of the dog to his pleasure or the Marriner the blowing of the winde unto his voyage or the Artist the heate of the fire unto his worke or the Phisician the bloudthirstinesse of the Leech unto a cure But godly men are fitted to bring actually glory unto him to glorify him doingly 1 Cor. 10 3â— 31. Ephe. 1.11 12. And this is that which God chiefly takes pleasure in Our Saviour bids his disciples cast their net into the Sea and when they had drawn their net he bids them bring of the fish which they had then caught and yet we finde that there was a fire of coales and fish laid thereon and bread provided on the land before Iohn 21.6 9 10. Thereby teaching us that he did not use their industrie for any neede that he had of it but because he would honour them so far as to let them honour him with their obedience And therefore even then when God tells his people that he needed not their services yet he calls upon them for thanksgiving Psal. 50.9 14. This then is a strong argument to be used in praier for pardon for grace for any spirituall mercie Lord if I perish I shall not praise thee I shall not be meete for my Masters uses Thy glory will onely be forced out of me with blowes like fire out of a flint or water out of a rock But thou delightest to see thy poore Servants operate towards thy glory to see them not forced by power but by love to shew forth thy praises And this we shall never doe till sinne be pardoned God can bring light out of light as the light of the Starres out of the light of the Sun and he can bring light out of darkenes as he did at first but in the one case there is a meetnes for such an use in the other not Now we are not meete Subjects for God to reap honor from till sinne be pardoned till grace be conferred Then we shall give him the praise of his mercy in pittying such grievous sinners and the praise of his power and wisedome in healing such mortall diseases and the praise of his glorious and free grace in sending Salvation to those that did not inquire after it and the praise of his patience in forbearing us so long and waiting that he might be gracious and the praise of his wonderfull providence in causing all things to worke together for our good and the praise of his justice by taking part with him against our own sinnes and joyning with his grace to revenge the bloud of Christ upon them A potsheard is good enough to hold fire but nothing but a sound and pure vessell is meete to put wine or any rich depositumn into IV. Vt principium operandi As a principle of Emendation of life and of new Obedience Lord take away iniquity and receive us into favour then will we be thankfull unto thee and that shall produce amendment of life Ashur shall not save us neither will we ride upon horses c. A thankefull apprehension of the
when the night comes open again when the Sun returnes and shines upon them If God withdraw his favor and send a night of affliction they shut up themselves and their thoughts in silence but if he shine again and shed abroad the light and sense of his love upon them then their heart mouth is wide open towards heaven in lifting up praises unto him Hannah prayed silently so long as she was in bitternes of soul and of a sorrowfull spirit 1 Sam. 1 1â— 15. but as soon as God answered her prayers and filled her heart with joy in him presently her mouth was enlarged into a Song of thanksgiving Chap. 2.1 There is no phrase more usual in the Psalmes then to sing forth praises unto God it is not used without a speciall Emphasis For it is one thing to praise and another to Sing praises Psal. 146.2 This is to publish to declare to speak of abundantly to utter the memory of Gods great goodnesse that one generation may derive praises unto another as the Expressions are Psa. 145.4.7 And therefore we finde in the most solemn thanksgivings that the people of God were wont in great companies and with musicall instruments to sound forth the praises of God and to cause their joy to be heard afar off Neh. 12.27 31 43. Isai. 12.4 5 6. Ier. 31.7 This then is the force of the expression Lord when thou hast taken away iniquity and extended thy grace and favour to us we will not onely have thankfull hearts every man to praise thee by himselfe but we will have thankfull lips to shew forth thy praise we will stir up and encourage one another we will tell our children that the generations to come may know the mercy of our God This is a great part of the Communion of Saints to joyne together in Gods prayses There is a Communion of Sinners wherein they combine together to dishonour God and encourage one another in evil Psal. 64.5 Psal. 83.5.8 Prov. 1.10 11. Eve was no sooner caught her self but she became a kinde of Serpent to deceive and to catch her husband A Tempter hath no sooner made a Sinner but that Sinner will become a Tempter As therefore Gods Enemies hold communion to dishonour him so great reason there is that his servants should hold Communion to praise him and to animate and hearten one another unto duty as men that draw at an anchor and Souldiers that set upon a service use to do with mutual incouragements Isai. 2.3 Zach. 8.21 Mal. 3.16 The Holy Oyle for the Sanctuary was made of many spices compounded by the art of the Perfumer Exod. 30.23 24.25 to note unto us that those duties are sweetest which are made up in a Communion of Saints each one contributing his influence and furtherance unto them As in windes and rivers where many meet in one they are strongest and in Chaines and Jewels where many links and stones are joyned in one they are richest All good is diffusive like Leven in a lump like sap in a root it wil finde the way from the heart to every faculty of soul and body and from thence to the ears and hearts of others Every living creature was made with the seed of life in it to preserve it self by multiplying Gen. 1.1.11.12 And of all seeds that of the Spirit and the Word 1 Ioh. 3.9 1 Pet. 1.23 is most vigorous and in nothing so much as in glorifying God when the joy of the Lord which is our strength doth put it self forth to derive the praises of his Name and to call in others to the celebration of them From all which we learn 1. By what means amongst many others to try the truth of our conversion namely by the life and workings of true Thankfulnesse unto God for pardon of sin and accepting into favour Certainly when a man is converted himself his heart will be enlarged and his mouth will be filled with the praises of the Lord he will acquaint others what a good God he is turned unto If he have found Christ himself as Andrew and Philip and the woman of Samaria did he will presently report it to others and invite them to come and see Ioh. 1.41.46 Ioh. 4.29 If Zacheus be converted he receiveth Christ joyfully Luk. 19.6 If Matthew be converted he entertains him with a feast Luk. 5.29 If Cornelus be instructed in the knowledge of him he will call his kinsfolke and friends to partake of such a banquet Acts 10.24 If David be converted himself he wil endeavour that other sinners may be converted too Psa. 51.13 and will shew them what the Lord hath done for his soul. The turning of a sinner from evill to good is like the turning of a Bell from one side to another you cannot turn it but it will make a sound and report its own motion He that hath not a mouth open to report the glory of Gods mercy to his soul and to strengthen and edifie his brethren may justly question the truth of his own conversion In Aarons garments which were types of holinesse there were to be golden Bells and Pomegranates which if we may make any allegoricall application of it intimateth unto us That as a Holy life is fruitfull and active in the duties of spirituall obedience so it is loud and vocall in sounding forth the praises of God and thereby endeavouring to edifie the Church Gedeons Lamps and Pitchers were accompanied with Trumpets when God is pleased to put any light of grace into these earthen vessels of ouâ—s we should have mouthes full of thankfulnesse to return unto him the glory of his goodnesse And as that repentance is unsound which is not accompanied with thankfulnesse so that thankfulnesse is but empty and hypocriticall which doth not spring-out of sound repentance we use to say that the words of Fools are in labris nata borne in their lips but the words of wise men are E sulcâ—pectoris drawn up out of an inward judgement The Calves of the lips are no better then the Calves of the Stall in Gods account if they have not an heart in them Without this the promise here mad to God would be no other then that with which nurses deceive their little children when they promise them a gay golden new nothing Praise in the mouth without repentance in the heart is like a Sea-weed that grows without a root Like the powring of Balme and Spices upon a dead body which can never thorowly secure it from putrefaction Like a perfume about one sick of the plague whose sweet smell carries infection along with it It is not the mentioning of mercies but the improving of them unto piety which expresseth our thankfullnesse unto God Gods sets every blessing upon our score and expects an answer and returne suteable He compares Corazin and Bethsaida with Tyreâ—nd â—nd Sidon and if their lives be as bad as these their punishment shall be much heavier because the mercies they enjoyed
acquainted with our own sicknesse to see our face in the glasse of the law to consider how odious it renders us to God how desperately miserable in our selves The deeper the sense of misery the higher the estimation of mercy When the Apostle looked on himselfe as the cheif of sinners then he accounted it a saying worthy of all Acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the world to save sinners 1. Tim. 1.15 Till we be sicke and weary we shall not looke after a Physician to heale and ease us Matth. 9.12.11 28. till we be pricked in our hearts we shall not be hasty to enquire after the means of Salvation Acts 2.37 Though the proclamation of pardon be made to All that will Revel 22.17 Yet none are willing till they be brought to extreamities as men cast not their goods into the sea till they see they must perish themselves if they doe not Some men must be bound before they can be cured All that God doth to us in conversion he doth most freely but a gift is not a gift till it be received Rom. 5.17 Iohn 1.12 and we naturally refuse and reject Christ when he is offered Isay. 53.3 Iohn 1.11 because he is not offered but upon these termes that we deny our selves and take up a Crosse and follow him Therefore we must be wrought upon by some terrour or other 2 Cor. 5.11 When we finde the wrath of God abiding upon us and our souls shut under it as in a prison Iohn 3.36 Gal. 3.22 and the fire of it working and boyling like poison in our consciences then we shal value mercie and cry for it as the Prophet doth Heale me O Lord and I shall be healed Save me and I shall be saved for thou art my prayse Jer. 17.14 Things necessary are never valued to their uttermost but in extremities When there is a great famine in Samaria an Asses head which at another time is thrown out for carrion wil be more worth then in a plentifull season the whole body of an Oxe Nay hunger shal in such a case overvote nature and devour the very tender love of a mother the life of a childe shall not be so deare to the heart as his flesh to the belly of a pined parent 2 King 6 25 28. As soone as a man findes a shipwrack a famine a hell in his soul till Christ save feed deliver it immediately Christ will be the desire of that soule and nothing in Heaven or earth valued in comparison of him Then that which was esteemed the foolishnesse of preaching before shall be counted the power of God and the wisdom of God then every one of Christs ordinances which are the waters of the Temple for the healing of the Sea that is of many people Ezek. 47.8 and the Leaves of the Tree of Life which are for the healing of the Nations Revel 22.2 and the streames of that Fountaine which is opened in Israel for sin and for uncleannesse Zach. 13.1 and the wings of the Sun of righteousnesse whereby he conveyeth healing to his Church Mal. 3 2. shall be esteemed as indeed they are the Riches the Glory the Treasure the feast the physick the salvation of such a soule Rom. 11.12 Ephes. 3.8 2 Cor. 3.8.11 2 Cor. 4.6.7 Isai. 25.6 Revel 19.9 Luke 4.18 Hebr. 2.3 Iames 1.21 Iohn 12.50 Acts 28.28 And a man will waite on them with as much diligence and attention as ever the impotent people did at the poole of Bethesda when the Angel stirred the water and endure the healing severity of them not onely with patience but with love and thankfulnesse suffer reason to be captivated Wil to be crossed high imaginations to be cast down every thought to be subdued conscience to be searched heart to be purged lust to be cut off and mortified in all things will such a sick soul be contented to be dieted restrained and ordered by the Counsell of this heavenly Physician It is here next to be noted that God promiseth to heale their Back-slidings The word imports a departing from God or a turning away againe It is quite contrary in the formall nature of it unto faith and Repentance and implies that which the Apostle calls a Repenting of Repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 By faith we come to Christ John 6.37 and cleave to him and lay hold upon him Heb. 6.18 Isay. 5â— 2.6 but by this we depart and draw back from him and let him goe Heb. 10.38.39 By the one we prize Christ as infinitely precious and his ways as holy and good Phil. 3.8 2 Pet. 1 4. by the other we vilifie and set them at nought stumble at them as wayes that doe not profit Matth. 21.42 Acts 4.11 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Iob. 21.14.15 For a man having approved of Gods wayes and entred into covenant with him after this to goe from his word and fling up his bargaine and start aside like a deceitfull bow of all other dispositions of the Soule this is one of the worst to deale with our sinnes as Israel did with their servants Ier. 34.10 11. dismisse them and then take them again It is the sad fruit of an evil and unbeleeving heart Heb. 3.12 a And God threatneth such persons to leade them forth with the workers of iniquity Psal. 125.5 as cattell are led to slaughter or malefactours to execution And yet we here see God promiseth Healing unto such sinners For understanding whereof we are to know that there is a Twofold Apostacy The one out of Impotency of Affection and prevalency of lust drawing the heart to look towards the old pleasures thereof againe and it is a Recidivatton or Relapse into a former sinfull condition out of forgetfulness and falsness of heart for want of the fear of God to ballance the conscience and to fix and unite the heart unto him Which was the frequent sin of Israel to make many promises and Covenants unto God and to break them as fast Iudg. 2.18.19 Psal. 106.7 8 9.12 13. And this falling from our first love growing cold and slack in duty breaking our engagements unto God and returning again to folly though it be like a Relapse after a disease exceeding dangerous yet God is sometimes pleased to forgive and heal it The other kind of Apostacy is proud and malicious when after the Tast of the good word of God and the powers of the world to come men set themselves to hate oppose persecute Godliness to do despight to the spirit of grace to fling off the holy strictness of Christs yoake to swel against the searching power of his word to trample upon the blood of the Covenant and when they know the spiritualness and holiness of Gods wayes the innocency and piety of his servants doe yet notwithstanding set themselves against them for that reason though under other pretences This is not a weak but a wilful and if I may so speak a strong and a stubborn Apostaâ—y A sin which wholly hardneth the heart against
conversion unto him our greatest businesse And I doe verily believe that England must never thinke of outliving or breaking thorow this anger of God this criticall judgement that is upon it so as to returne to that cold and formall complexion that Laodicean temper that she was in before till she have so publickly and generally repented of all those civill disorders which removed the bounds and brought dissipation upon publick justice and of all those Ecclesiasticall disorders whch let in corruptions in doctrine superstions in worship abuses in Government discountenancing of the power of godlinesse in the most zealous Professors of it as that our Reformation may be as conspicuous as our disorders have beene and it may appeare to all the world that God hath washed away the filth and purged the blood of England from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Iudgement and by the Spirit of burning Secondly That Gods love is the true ground of removing Judgements in mercie from a people Let all Humane counsells be never so deep and armies never so active and cares never so vigilant and Instruments never so unanimous if Gods love come not in nothing of all these can doe a Nation any good at all Those that are most interested in Gods love shall certainly be most secured against his Judgements Hither our eyes our prayers our thoughts must be directed Lord love us delight in us choose us for thy selfe and then though Counsells and treasures and armies and men and horses and all second causes faile us though Sathan rage and hell threaten and the foundations of the earth be shaken though neither the Vine nor the Olive nor the figg-tree nor the field nor the pastures nor the heards nor the stay yeeld any supplies yet we will rejoyce in the Lord and glory in the God of our Salvation sinne shall be healed anger shall be removed nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. THE FIFTH SERMON HOSEA Chap. 14. ver 5.6 7. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his reâ—ts as Lebanon 6. His branches shall spread and his beautie shall be as the Olive Tree and his smell as Lebanon 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall returne They shall revive as the Corne and grow as the Vine the sent thereof shall bee as the wine of Lebanon c. IN these verses is contained â—ods answer unto the second part of Israels petition wherein they desired him to doe them good or to receive them graciously And here God promiseth them severall singular blessings set forth by severall metaphorâ— and similitudes all answering to the name of Ephraim and the ancient promises made unto him Deu. 33.13 17. c. opposite to the many contrary courses threatned in the former parts of the Prophecy under metaphors of a contary importance Here is the dew of grace contrary to the morning cloud the earthly dew that passeth away Cap. 13.3 Lillies Olives Vines Spices contrary to the Judgments of Nettles Thornes Thistles chap. 9 16.10.8 Spreading roots contrary unto dry roots chap. 9.16 A fruitfull vine bringing forth excellent wine contrary to an empty Vine bringing fruit only to it selfe that is so sowre and usavory as is not worth the gathering chap. 10.1 Corne growing instead of corne taken quite away chap. 2.9 instead of no staulk no bud no meale chap. 8.7 Fruit promised in stead of no fruit threatned chap. 9.16 Wine promised in opposition to the failing of wine Chap. 9.2.2.9 Sweet wine opposite to sowre drinke Chap. 4.18 Safe dwelling in stead of no dwelling Chap. 9.3 Branches growing and spreading instead of branches consumed Chap. 11.6 Green trees instead of Dry springs Chap. 13.15 And all these fruits the fruits as of Lebanon which was of all other parts of that Country the most fertill Mountaine full of various kindes of the most excellent Trees Cedars Cypresse Olive and divers others affording rich gummes and balsomes full also of all kinds of the most medicinall and aromatick herbs sending forth a most fragrant odour whereby all harmfull and venemous Creatures were driven from harboring there And in the Vallies of that Mountaine were most rich grounds for Pasture Corne and Vineyards as the Learned in their descriptions of the holy Land have observed The Originall of all these blessings is the heavenly dew of Gods grace and favour alluding to that abundance of dew which fell on that Mouniaine descending upon the Church as upon a garden bringing forth Lillies as upon a Forrest strengthning the Cedars as upon a Vineyard spreading abroad the branches as upon an Olive yard making the trees thereof green and fruitfull and as on a rich field receiving the Corne. Here is spirituall beautie the beautie of the Lillie exceeding that of Solomon in all his glory spirituall stabilitie the rootes of the Cedars and other goodly trees in that mountaine spirituall odors and spices of Lebanon spirituall fruitfulnesse and that of all sorts and kinds for the comfort of life The fruit of the field bread to strengthen the fruit of the Olive trees oyle to refresh the fruit of the Vineyard wine to make glad the heart of man Psal. 104.15 Wee esteeme him a very rich man and most excellently accommodated who hath gardens for pleasure and fields for corne and pasture and woods for fuell for structure for defence for beautie and delight and Vineyards for wine and oyle and all other conveniencies both for the necessities and delights of a plentifull life Thus is the church here set forth unto us as such a wealthy man furnished with the unsearchable riches of Christ with all kinde of blessings both for sanctity and safety as the Apostle praiseth God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ viz. Election to eternall life adoption to the condition of sonnes and to a glorious inheritance redemption from misery unto blessednesse remission of sinnes knowledge of his will holinesse and unblameablenesse of life and the seale of the Holy Spirit of Promise as we find them particularly enumerated Ephe. 1.3 13. The words thus opened doe first afford us one generall Observation in that God singleth out so many excellent good things by name in relation to that generall petition Doe us good That God many times answereth prayer abundantly beyond the petitions of his people They prayed at large only for good leaving it as it becommeth us who know not alwayes what is good for our selves to his holy will and wisedome in what manner and measure to doe good unto them And he answers them in particular with all kinde of good things As in the former petition they prayed in generall for the forgivenesse of sinne and God in particular promiseth the healing of their Rebellions which was the greatest of their sinnes God many times answers the
it and of the frequent decayes and abatements of the grace of God in us 12. By prayer and faith get a heart fixed upon God 13. Great comfort that our conversion and obedience dependeth on the power of God This no ground of supine neglect of duties for grace so worketh in us as that it disposeth us unto working the means being decreed as well as the end 14. Other mens wills are in Gods keeping He the author and orderer of our troubles 15. Repentance breaks off sin and makes haste out of it 16. God heareth onely penitents Our persons accepted before our prayers A wicked man may pray a prayer of nature not of faith Two wills in prayer Ours and Gods when a wicked man prayes for mercy he prayes against Gods will when for grace against his own 17. When we pray for outward things our aimes must be spirituall The way to have all our other ends is to make God our chiefe end 18. Prayer the Key of obedience The principles of service are the fruits of prayer 19. Words Ammunition against Armes that way as prayer goes God goes 20. Sound conversion engageth Gods protection and yeeldeth comfort in all conditions of life Sermon VII Sect. 1. THe seal of the Prophets Doctrine Interrogation denying wishing demonstrating awakening 2. In spirituall things mentall knowledge seconded with practicall wisdome 3. The wayes of the Lord his providence his precepts 4. Few men wise to salvation 5. The weaker part more then the wiser The word a sweet savour to 〈…〉 singularity sinfull pious singularity necessary 6. 〈…〉 pondreth all Gods wayes Wisdome particular geneâ—all 7. Wicked mâ—n shape their own end and apply sinfull means by a sinfull wisdome unto it God only the last end of righteous men 8. All wisdome is for obtaining of good avoiding of evill The excellency of every thing in Beauty Vse 9. Wisdome of Angels conversant about the Word Scripture the best Counsellor The plenitude thereof The pernicious influence of corrupt doctrines upon the present state of the Church 10. Twofold knowledge of judgements and blessings 11. The rectitude of Gods wayes in their equity and reason ablenesse their perfect harmony their directnesse to their end their conformity to the will of God their plainnesse and perspicuity 12. We are apt to pick quarrels at the Word 13. Wicked men set up their wills against Gods and invent distinctions to reconcile Gods will to theirs 14. Ministers may not stamp Gods mark on doctrines of humane invention nor superinduce any thing upon the Scripture People have a judgement of discretion to try the spirit 15. Obedience the end of the Ministry Ordinances not obeyed ripen and increase sin and hasten judgements 16. None but righteous men will obey the Word Every wicked man doth in some thing or other gainsay the truth 17. The right wayes of the Lord are unto wicked men matter of scandall 18. They stumble at the profoundnesse of the Word as being above reason 19. At the the strictnesse of it as being against their peruliar lust 20. At To the seraching power and simplicity of the Gospell 21. At impossibility of fulfilling the law which is but accidentall To ergenerate men the Law is Evangelically possible Wicked men hardened willingly as well as judicially 22. At the grace of the word by presumption at the threatnings and judgements of it by stubbornnesse 23. Wicked men stumble at the word not only unto scandall but unto ruine The First SERMON UPON HOSEA Chap. 14. Vers. 1 2. HOSEA 14.1 2. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God 〈…〉 hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously or give good so will we render the 〈◊〉 of our lips THe blessing of Ephraim was according to his name Fruitfulness The fruitfulness of the Earth a bough by a well and the fruitfulness of the womb and of the brests Gen. 49.22.25 Deut. 2â— 1â— 17. Contrary unto which two blessings 〈…〉 in our Prophet two Iudgments threatned against him for his sins chap. 13 15 16. Though he be fruitful amongst his brethren an East wind shall come the wind of the Lord shall come up from the Wilderness and his spring shall become dry and his fountain shall be dryed up he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels Samaria shall become desolate for she hath rebelled against her God they shal fall by the Sword their Infants shal be dashed in pieces and their women with child shall be ript up And throughout the whole Prophecy if you read and observe it you will find the Judgments of God against Ephraim to be expressed by weeds emptiness barrenness dryness of roots of fruits of branches of springs and by a curse upon their Children as on the other side the blessing here in this Chapter renewed unto Ephraim repenting are all expressed by Metaphors of fruitfulness ver 5 6 7 〈…〉 two woful Iudgments against the fruitfulness of their springs and the fruitfulness of their wombs by the desolations of a bloody sword our Prophet taketh occasion once more for all to awaken and drive them to a timely repentance that so they may recover the blessing of their name Ephraim may be Ephraim again a plentiful a fruitful a flourishing people That when Gods Iudgments are in the earth they would then at least set themselves to learn righteousness that they may wash their feet in the blood of the wicked Of all Nations under Heaven this Land of ours hath had the blessing of Ephraim upon it fruitfulness of the Earth abundaâ—â—e of plenty fruitfulness of the womb abundance of people But our misery is that the abundance of our sins hath mightily outvied the abundance both of our plenty and of our people sins too too paralel to those of Ephraim if you will but read this Prophet and compare the behaviours of this Nation with him And this parity of sins hath no doubt called upon God for a parity of judgments It is but a very little while since the Lord seemed to call for a North-wind as he doth here for an East-wind two Armies there met ready to look one another in the Face but his heart turned his repentings were kindled he would not give up Ephraim then He seems once more to be drawing of a Sword and having in vain hewed us by his Prophets as he complains chap. 6.5 to try whether hewing us by his Iudgments will work upon us So that now thouâ—â— I must read my Text O Israel yet I must apply it O England Return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words c. The whole Context containeth two general parts An Invitation unto Repentance Vers. 1. And an Institution how to perform it in the two verses following Before we come to the particulars of the Invitation let us first briefly observe That in the midst of Iudgments