Doct. 1. HVmiliation for sinne must goe before the sanctified knowledge of God Fol. 109 Doct. 2. The true knowledge of God in Christ is giuen onely to the Elect after their conuersion Fol. 114 Doct. 3. It is God himselfe that is the obiect of a sanctified knowledge Fol. 122 Doct. 4. Ignorance of God and his Word in matters of Religion is dangerous Fol. 128 Doct. 5. Labour and paines required in all that will get sauing knowledge Fol. 739 Doct. 6. Perseuerance and constancy is required in seeking for sauing knowledge Fol. 141 Doct. 7. A godly man seekes after knowledge willingly and chearefully Fol. 144 Doct. 8. Gods children labour for an encrease of knowledge dayly in them Fol. 146 Doct. 9. Howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time hee forsaketh them not for euer Fol. 150 VER 4. Doct. 1. GOd doth not proceed in iudgement before hee hath offered all meanes of mercy Fol. 160 Doct. 2. Wicked men continue still in sinne notwithstanding all meanes to the contrary Fol. 167 Doct. 3. The Lord takes it hardly that the meanes of our good should bee contemned Fol. 170 Doct. 4. No outward priuiledge will free a man from punishment when reformation of heart and life is wanting Fol. 174 Doct. 5. Though God doth offer the meanes of saluation vnto all yet few receiue them Fol. 180 Doct. 6. It is the property of hypocrites to minde more the outward part of Gods worshippe then the inward Fol. 184 Doct. 7. The wicked haue sometimes good motions in them but not lasting Fol. 187 Doct. 8. Sincerity of heart and perseuerance in godlinesse a true note of the child of God Fol. 194 VER 5. Doct. 1. TO contemne the meanes of saluation is a grieuous sinne and neuer goes vnpunished Fol. 199 Doct. 2. The Lord is the author of all punishments for sinne Fol. 204 Doct. 3. Hard heart the greatest iudgement that can bee layd vpon man Fol. 208 Doct. 4. The Word of God is able to pearce the hardest heart Fol. 215 Doct. 5. The Word of God in the mouthes of his Ministers shall be accomplished Fol. 219 Doct. 6. God neuer strikes with his iudgements before he giue warning Fol. 227 VER 6. Doct. 1. GOd esteemes not of our outward seruice when it it is not performed in faith and obedience Fol. 233 Doct. 2. Lawfull things must bee done lawfully Fol. 238 Doct. 3. Property of an hypocrite to content himselfe with the outward parts of Gods worshippe Fol. 247 Doct. 4. Wicked men make Religion a cloake for sinne Fol. 253 Doct. 5. God doth preferre the duties of loue and mercy to men before his owne worship Fol. 256 VER 7. Doct. 1. THe breaking of our couenant with God the cause of all iudgements Fol. 258 Doct. 2. Man by nature vnconstant in any holy dutie Fol. 271 Doct. 3. That which is most excellent in the sight of an hypocrite is most abhominable in the sight of God Fol. 272 VER 8. Doct. 1. THose that haue the greatest meanes of knowledge should abound most in holy duties Fol. 278 Doct. 2. Those places that haue had most meanes shall be most seuerely punished for the neglect thereof Fol. 280 Doct. 3. For no worldly respect must men be drawn to peruert iustice Fol. 285 VER 9 Doct. 1. MInisters that teach not at all or else teach erronious doctrine no better then theeues and murderers Fol. 289 Doct. 2. Nature of the wicked to deuise all the mischiefe they can against the godly Fol. 292 Doct. 3. Councels may erre and Magistrates and Ministers in matters of Faith and Manners Fol. 294 VER 10. Doct. 1. AS the Minister is so is the people Fol. 299 Doct. 2 Ignorance will excuse none if they liue in sinne Fol. 304 Doct. 3. It is a heauie iudgement of God vpon a people when the chiefe gouernors bee Idolaters Fol. 308 VER 11. Doct. 1. MEn by nature are apt to sucke in Popery and superstition Fol. 312 Doct. 2. Sinne is very fruitfull Fol. 316 The End of the Table The Contents COme let vs returne to the Lord for hee hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will bind vs vp 2 After two dayes he will reuiue vs and the third day he will rayfe vs vp and we shall liue in his sight 3 Then shall wee haue knowledge and endeauour our selues to know the Lord his going forth is prepared as the morning and he shall come vnto vs as the raine and as the latter raine vnto the earth 4 O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iuda how shall I intreat thee for your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the Morning Dew it goeth away 5 Therefore haue I cut down by the Prophets I haue slain them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth forth 6 For I desire mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings 7 But they like men haue transgressed the Couenant there haue they trespassed against mee 8 Gilead is a City of them that worke iniquitie and is polluted with bloud 9 And as theeues wayte for a man so the company of Priests murder in the way by consent for they worke mischiefe 10 I haue seene villany in the house of Israel there is the whoredome of Ephraim Israel is defiled 11 Yea Iudah hath set a plant for thee whiles I would returne the Captiuity of my people AN EXPOSITION vpon the sixt Chapter of the Prophesie of HOSEA HOSEA 6. VER 1. 1. Come let vs returne to the Lord for hee hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will binde vs vp THe Lord our God Exod. 34.6 Ier. 31.20 as he is gracious and mercifull flow to anger and aboundant in goodnesse and truth and therefore not easily drawne to punish and to take vengeance vpon hard hearted and impenitent sinners So when hee punisheth and afflicteth any man or woman as a most gracious God and louing Father he aimes at their good and seekes the saluation of their soules that being tamed and truely humbled for their sinnes they might turne vnto him by true and vnfained repentance that so he might haue mercy vpon them in pardoning their sinnes and sauing their soules And as this is manifest in the whole booke of God so it is very apparent out of this place when as the Lord had threatned the people of the Iewes with present destruction by and by he beginnes to exhort them to true repentance shewing this to be the onely way both to auoid the anger of God and to saue their owne soules This 6. Chapter contains two generall and principall parts Parts of the Chapter In the first is set downe the godly practises of true repentance and the fruits thereof in the person of the beleeuing Iewes from the first verse to the end of the third the which we must carefully imbrace and follow In the second is set down the
counterfeit repentance of Hypocrites from the fourth verse to the end of the Chapter which was neither sound nor sincere nor yet durable and lasting whereof wee must take heed and labour to auoyde all hypocrisie in the seruice of God who as hee is a spirite so he loues truth in the inward affections And will bee serued in spirit and truth Psal 51.6 The three first verses containe a most holy and christian perswasion of the beleeuing Iewes Text diuided to turne vnto the Lord from all their sinnes especially from that vile and horrible sinne of Idolatry And in the same we are to consider three things First the motion and godly perswasion which the children of God make one to another Come let vs returne c. Secondly the reasons and arguments which they vse to enforce their godly exhortation to perswade each other to turne vnto the Lord and they bee two especially The first drawn from the iustice of God in these two words Hee hath spoyled hee hath wounded The other drawne from the mercy of God in these words Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp And because this argument taken from the mercy of God is a reason of all reasons and such an argument as Paul makes choyse of aboue all others saying I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that yee giue vp your bodies Rom. 12.5 c. As if he should say If the manifold mercies of God both for soule and body if the bloudshed of Iesus Christ will not moue a man to turne vnto God he is in a wofull case I say because this argument is of speciall force to moue hard-hearted sinners to turne vnto God The people of God in this place vrge it further and amplifie this argument by two other circumstances First The shortnes of the time After two dayes hee will reuiue vs and the third day hee will rayse vs vp If wee draw neere vnto him by true and vnfained repentance The other circumstance is taken from the greatnesse of Gods mercy Hee will reuiue vs Hee will rayse vs vp answerable to the two former words He hath spoyled vs he hath wounded vs So here the mercy of God exceedes his iustice for it is not sayde that hee had kilde vs or cast vs away but onely spoyled vs and wounded vs with a blow or stripe or twaine But his mercy is aboue all his workes for though he had vtterly killed vs yet he will reuiue vs Nay hee will rayse vs vp though wee had layne not foure dayes but foure hundred dayes in the graue of sinne yet his mercifull right hand can and will rayse vs vp againe The third speciall thing in these verses is the fruits of repentance and of true conuersion If we doe truly repent and draw neere vnto God by Conuersion The first fruit of our Repentance is this That as wee draw neere vnto God by true and vnfained Repentance so he will draw neere vnto vs and Wee shall liue in his sight that is in his fauour and in the light of his countenance Nay wee that are truely conuerted shall liue and behaue our selues as euer in Gods presence and before his blessed face The second fruit of our true Conuersion and sincere Repentance is Ioh. 17.3 That wee shall haue knowledge The Lord will in mercy poure into our hearts the true sauing knowledge of himselfe euen the knowledge of the whole Trinity Father Sonne and holy Ghost Nay wee shall not onely haue this heauenly knowledge poured into our hearts by the Spirite of Iesus Christ but as a man in a dropsie the more hee drinkes the more he thirsts and desires drinke so Wee shall indeuour our selues to know the Lord That is wee shall hunger and thirst after this heauenly knowledge as the food of our soules and neuer to be glutted with it but labour to abound more and more in it The third fruit of our Conuersion is in the third verse That as wee doe by true and vnfained repentance draw neare vnto our God So will he be most ready to helpe and to comfort vs. The Lords comming foorth is prepared as the morning True it is that the sense and feeling of Gods mercy is oftentimes extinguished in the hearts of his children as the comfortable light and beames of the Sunne vnder a thicke cloud or when it is gone vnder the earth So as oftentimes wee thinke that God forgets vs and hides himselfe from vs But his comming to helpe vs is Prepared and therefore most certaine and he shall come as the Morning most comfortably vnto vs. Euen as the bright beames and cleare countenance and face of the Sunne after a windy tempestuous stormy and boysterous night is very comfortable So the bright beames of Gods mercies breaking foorth and shining vpon our hearts after a darke and cloudy night of affliction it is most comfortable to glad and reioyce the distressed Soule of a poore sinner Nay in the second similitude hee shewes that the comming of the Lord shall bee not onely ioyfull and very comfortable but most effectuall to a wounded Soule that lyes languishing vnder the heate of Gods wrath that as helpe long looked for and in time of greatest danger is of al other most welcome so when the Lord shall come with helpe and deliuerance after great danger and long expected this is most set by and most esteemed And therefore the Prophet sayeth The Lord will come as the raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth Now as moderate raine is welcome at all times so especially in the heate of summer after a great and a long drought when the earth is scorched with the heate of the Sunne and begins to capper and gape for want of moisture so then a gracious raine a sweet shower is most welcome then it doth most good not onely to cherish the thirstie and scorched earth but also to ripen the fruites of the field and to bring them to perfection Euen so when a poore Soule doth pant and breath vnder the burthen of his sinnes and is scorched with the burning heate of affliction then if the Lord in mercie send a gracious storme and comfortable raine into our thirsty soules and send a heauenly shower of his blessed mercy Nay if he distill but one little droppe of his mercy in the burning heate of affliction this is most welcome this is most comfortable to asswage and to comfort the heate of a sinner scorched and tormented for feare of the burning anger and wrath of God against sinne Thus much briefly for the vnfoulding of the words and the meaning of them in generall IN the former Chapter the Lord told them Coher that hee would bring great and grieuous Iudgements vpon them vntill such time as they would turne and seeke him confessing their sinnes and amending their euill liues And in the last verse of the former Chapter the Lord saith In their afflictions they will seeke me diligently Shewing
set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within mee my repentings are rolled together So that the words shew vnto vs how that the Lord is as it were troubled and perplexed in himselfe that he could not tell what course to take when the sinnes of the people stirred vp his displeasure on the one side the hainousnes of the peoples sinnes prouoked him to punish them and to make them as Sodom and Gomor but on the other side his fatherly loue and tender compassion moued him to hold his hand Iudg. 10.16 and to stay his iudgements And in another place it is sayd That his soule was grieued for the miserie of Israel Euen as a tender hearted Father doth many times correct his child when the teares stand in his owne eyes Psal 89.33 So that we see that true of the Prophet That the mercy of God is ouer all his workes and that in iudgement he remembreth mercy yea hee hath promised that though hee whip and scourge his children yet his mercy hee will neuer take from them And howsoeuer for the present time no affliction is ioyous but grieuous yet if we haue grace to submit our selues vnto it It bringeth with it the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Thus haue wee seene with what affection the Lord doth chasten vs as also that all iudgements whatsoeuer layde vpon vs should moue vs to repentance And the reason is Reason because by repentance and amendment of life all perils and dangers are preuented and wholly remoued away from vs according to that of the Prophet But if a Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse Ier. 18.8 I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them This appeares by the example of Nineueh whom we named before and the like and therefore let all such as lye vnder any chastisement alwayes search out their wayes and descend into their owne consciences to see how they haue moued God to wrath prouoked him against them This is the onely practise that the Prophet doth prescribe vs to take vnder any iudgement or calamity whatsoeuer Lam. 3.39 Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. This is the right way to stop the breach of Gods wrath and to call in his iudgements when they are gone out against vs. This Doctrine may serue to direct vs Vse what wee ought to doe and how wee ought to carry our selues in all manner of iudgements and calamities whatsoeuer namely not to bee gazers to looke vpon Gods iudgements but to take them to heart and say surely the Lord is iust in his visitation for the Lord hath vsed al means to do vs good by his mercies and by his iudgements famine sword sicknes and the like but where is the man that makes the true vse of Gods chastisements that is humbled by them that doth meet the Lord by vnfained sorrow for sinne Alas this is little thought of by many as appeareth by their seuerall windings and turnings that are in their hearts to escape the iudgements of God but yet neuer resolue of this which is the onely way of all To turne vnto the Lord. Oh let vs therefore be admonished hereby to search our wayes to suruay our owne hearts and to proue by the touchstone of the Word our owne thoughts words and works that we haue conceiued spoken and done that hath moued the Lord to proceed so in iustice against vs and when wee haue found out our falles and infirmities we are in a serious manner to mourne for them and to turne vnto the Lord with all or hearts This duty is vrged by the Prophet Ieremy Lam. 3.39.40.41.42 Heb. 12.5.6.10.9 Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinnes Oh let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. Let vs lift vp our hearts with our hands vnto the God of heauen saying we haue sinned and haue rebelled therefore thou hast most spared for surely this is the onely marke that God shooteth at and this is the end of all his chasticements namely this to bring vs home to himselfe and not to destroy vs for euer He hath spoyled he hath wounded Doct. 3 Marke here how the people of God doe acknowledge that it was the correcting hand of God which had thus afflicted them All chasticements and afflictions come from God and brought all this wofull misery vpon them they do not say it was the Assirians that had spoyled and wounded them but they looke higher and attribute all to the Lord and say The Lord hath spoyled and hee hath wounded vs. From whence wee obserue a third point of Doctrine namely that all chasticements and afflictions iudgements and corrections come from the Lord alone hee sends them imposeth them and layes them on his people he moderates them at his pleasure for so sayth the Prophet Is there any euill in the City which the Lord hath not sent That is any iudgement or punishment sicknes Amos. 3.6 pouerty crosses afflictions or calamities but they come from the Lord he sends them and layes them on his people his Quiuer is full of these arrowes Exod. 9.32 Psal 148.8 Ier. 25.9.11 he hath the sword to strike vs he hath the pestilence to consume vs he hath famine to pine vs yea he hath all creatures at commaund to humble man and being sent of God they shall preuaile As the Flies Frogs Lyce did preuayle against Pharaoh his people yea Fire and Hayle Snow and Vapors Deu. 4.27 Stormes and winds doe execute his wurd If it hayle in Egypt God sendeth that haile on Pharaoh If an east wind bring in Grashoppers Hos 2.6 a west wind driue them out Moses tels vs that both come from the Lord what iudgements chastisements or afflictions soeuer light vpon man they come not by chance or any blind fortune but they come to passe through the soueraigne power of the Almighty Creator I will send sayth the Lord and take to me all the Families of the North and I wil bring them against this land And againe I beginne to plague that City where my name is called vpon And againe when the Lord would bring his Church from Idolatry hee sayeth Behold 2. Reg. 19.6 I will stoppe thy wayes with thornes and wake an hedge that shee shall not find her pathes So Esay comforteth the messengers of Hezechiah against the blasphemy of Senacherib So shall you say to your Master Iob. 1.12 2.6 Mat. 8.31 Thus sayth the Lord Bee not afraid of the words which thou hast heard Behold I will send a blast vpon him c. And wee see in the History of Iob that the Deuill could not slay the seruants of Iob with the sword burne vp his sheepe with fire spoyle him of his Cammels by robbers destroy his children with winds nor touch his person with byles
wounded doth make no account at all of the same nor neuer seekes vnto God for mercy Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp NOw followes the second reason drawne from the mercy of God For though hee hath spoyled vs and wounded vs yet he will heale vs and bind vs vp againe And these be the most gracious words of God himselfe Behold I am hee and there is no God but I Deu. 32.34 1. Sam. 26. I kill and make aliue I wound and make whole againe And therefore this reason drawne from the mercy of God seeing hee offers himselfe to heale vs and to bind vp the wounds of our soules Oh it ought to moue vs greatly to turne vnto him So then the point of Doctrine that offers itselfe to Doct. 1 be considered of vs is this The mercy of God must lead men to repentance that as the iudgements of God must alluremen to repentance and to returne vnto God so must his mercies I remember the speech in the Prophet where the Lord is pleased to make vs the better to conceiue of his mercy to take to himselfe the affections of a man Ier. 31.20 Hos 11.8 His bowels were troubled for Ephraim And againe How shall I giue thee vp Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within mee my repentings are rowled together It is all one as if the Lord should haue said Oh it goes neare me O Ephraim Exod. 34.6.7 O Israel that I should euen be forced by thy rebellion and horrible impieties to deale so straightly with thee And the Lord tels Moses Psal 86.15 that he is a Mercifull and a gracious God slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reseruing mercy for thousands and forgiuing iniquity and transgression and sinne Hee is called againe of the Psalmist A pittifull God And the like is intended in the language of the new Testament That when hee saw the multitude dspersed as sheepe hauing no shepheard his bowels earned within him Mat. 9.36 These examples and the like whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to confirm the euerlasting truth of this doctrine that God is a God of mercy that his mercies ought to allure men to repentance for though the thundering out of the threatnings and iudgements of the Law be a meanes to awake a secure heart yet nothing will so much affect a mans mind euen melt a mans soule to make a man returne vnto God as the due knowledge and consideration of the vnspeakable riches of Gods mercy and therefore it is no maruell though the Prophet here doe vse this as one forcible reason to stir vp men to make their returne vnto God by vnfained repentance for that he will bee ready to Heale our sores and Bind vp the bleeding wounds of our soules which we haue made by sinne if we will repent and returne vnto him And indeed this is one of the maine differences betwixt the godly and the wicked The iustice of God doth sometimes so farre preuaile with the wicked as that they feare and tremble but it is not for the losse of Gods fauour but for feare of torment But on the contrary the goodnesse and mercy of God doth euen cause the seruants of God to quake and to tremble lest by any means they should depriue themselues of the comfortable enioying of his loue according to that of the Prophet Dauid Psal 130.4 There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou mayest be feared Oh blessed feare when the mercy of God doth beget it in a mans Soule So then we see that the mercy of God is infinite his compassion is higher then the heauens it is the greatest dishonour done vnto God that can be to doubt of his fauour and to call his louing kindnesse into question Let vs build vp his promises as a sure foundation that shall neuer be remoued Heauen and Earth shall passe away but his word shall not passe away We haue the Word and the Oath of God as two vnchangeable Witnesses so that it is impossible he should lye or be deceyued Againe we haue the Sacraments of God as two Authenticke Seales to ratifie his promises and to make them most sure vnto vs. Mat. 5.18 Heb. 6.18 Rom. 8.16 And we haue withall the earnest penny as a pawne left vnto vs and all to assure vs of his fauour and loue and therefore this reason of the Church and people of God drawne from the mercy of God seeing that he is so ready to pardon sinne and to entertain poore penitent sinners that sue to him for mercy it ought to be most forceable vnto vs to moue vs to Returne vnto him Now let vs come to the vses First seeing that the Lord as hee doth wound vs chastice man for sinne so it is he alone that is the spirituall Vse 1 Physitian of our soules Hence then we are directed to whom to seeke for remedy euen vnto God alone who as he wounds so he heales as he breaketh asunder so hee bindeth vp If a man haue some dangerous disease in his body or other deadly wound if hee know any man to be of skill and a faithfull Chirurgion he will seeke to him and let him out and laâ—nce him Well this is our case we bee spiritually sicke euen vnto eternall death in regard of ourselues our soules be grieuously and dangerously wounded what shall we now doe but runne to Iesus Christ the blessed Physitian of our soules who is most able and willing to cure vs and heale vs And as the poore Begget vnlaps his legges and shewes his grieuous sores to those that passe by and all to moue compassion So let vs not be ashamed to lay open our soules to Iesus Ghrist let vs confesse our grieuous and manifold sinnes Let vs not be ashamed to let him see our spirituall wounds but let vs make our moane to him and craue his help and begge as for life death for the pardon of them and if wee can get but one drop of his precious bloud it will bee a plaister to heale our wounds and cure the deadly diseases of our soules When the children of Israel had grieuously sinned Num. 21. the Lord sent fierie Serpents amongst them now many of them by the stinging and biting of them were so inflamed that they died and could not be cured But when they repented and cryed to God in their misery behold he commaunds that Moses should make a brazen Serpent set it vpon hie that so many as were stung with those fiery Serpents might cast their eyes immediately vpon that brazen Serpent and so might bee cured Euen so all of vs are stung by the fiery Serpents of our sinnes and we newly wallowing in the bloud of our soules Yet see Oh see the mercy of God who hath giuen vnto vs his owne sonne who is the brazen
as a Leprosie as red as Scarlet and as filthy as dung yet if God giue repentance and wee can beleeue here wee haue the promise of Gods mercy yea assurance of forgiuenes Let vs returne vnto the Lord and hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp Oh then let none bee discouraged from seeking vnto him for mercy but let them seeke it rightly and that by Repentance and they shall obtaine assuredly VERSE 2. After two dayes hee will reviue vs and the third day he will rayse vs vp and wee shall liue in his sight IN these three verses we first obserued these three speciall points First a most godly and christian exhortation of the beleeuing Iewes wherein they perswade each other mutually to Returne vnto the Lord. Secondly the reasons that they vse the better to moue and induce one another to performe this duty of Repentance the first drawn from the iustice of God in these words He hath wounded vs Hee hath spoyled vs The second drawn from his mercy Hee will beale vs hee will bind vs vp And because this reason drawne from the mercy of God is a reason of all reasons yea a most speciall reason to moue any one to turne to God that hath any sparke of grace therfore the the holy Ghost doth amplifie this reason by two other circumstances the first drawn from the shortnesse of the time wherein the Lord afflicts his people it is but for a day or twaine or at the most for three dayes a short time the Lord will not alwayes be angry with his children but howsoeuer he shall chastice them for a time it will bee but for a time Heauinesse may indure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning The second taken from the greatnesse of his deliuerance that though he hath spoyled vs yet hee will Reuiue vs and though hee had grieuously wounded vs yet he will bind vp all the bleeding wounds of our soules if we will patiently abide his leasure The third speciall point is the fruit of true repentance which are three The first is that if wee haue once beene spoyled of our owne righteousnesse and wounded truely for our sinnes and beene healed and wrapped vp by the mercifull hand of God We shall then liue as in his presence in all holines and righteousnes Secondly he will power into our hearts that knowledge which will bring vs vnto eternall life to know his will how hee is affected towards vs and this knowledge shal direct vs to walke wisely before his face so that we shal desire to grow in this knowledge and study dayly to attaine to a greater measure of it We shall endeuour our selues to know the Lord. And the third and last fruit of Repentance is that if we will draw neare to God by true repentance hee will draw neare to vs to comfort vs set out by two similitudes the first of them is in these words The Lords comming is prepared as the morning for indeed many times it comes to passe in the Ver. 3 hearts of Gods children that the sense and feeling of Gods loue and fauour is oftentimes extinguished as the comfortable heate and light of the Sunne is taken away by reason of some thicke cloud that doth passe betwixt the Sunne and the earth so many times we thinke that God forgets vs hides himselfe from vs but his comming to helpe vs is prepared and therefore most certaine And he shall come as the morning and therefore most comfortable for as the bright beams and cleare countenance of the Sunne after a windy boisterous night is very comfortable Euen so when after a cloudy night of affliction wherein wee haue beene wounded and broken in our soules for our sinnes the bright beams of Gods mercy breaking then forth shall bee most comfortable to glad and reioyce the soule of a poore sinner This then is the first fruit that shall follow our true conuersion vnto God The Lords going foorth to comfort vs and to deliuer vs is prepared the Lord hath purposed it and determined it of folde that those that repent and Returne vnto him shal find comfort and refreshing The second similitude which sheweth the second fruit of repentance sheweth that the Lords comming shal not onely bee comfortable but also most effectuall and most welcome vnto the soule of this same poore sinner that as helpe and deliuerance in time of greatrst danger is most welcome So when the Lord shall come with great and effectuall comfort and bring helpe and deliuerance in time of greatest affliction danger Oh then it will be most set by and esteemed and to assure the poore child of God of this comfort in time of need the Prophet saith that the Lord will come as the Raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth Now as moderate raine is welcome as at all times so especially in the heate of summer after a great and a long drought when the earth is scorched with the heat of the Sunne and beginnes to capper and gape for want of moisture then a gracious and sweet shower is most welcome Euen so when a poore soule doth pant and breath vnder the burthen of his sinnes and is schorched with the burning heat of affliction then if the Lord in mercy send a gracious raine an heauenly shower of his blessed mercy in this heat of affliction this would bee most welcome this would bee most comfortable and this doth the Lord promise and assure his Church and children if they will Returne vnto him Of the exhortation wee haue spoke of before as also of their reasons the first drawne from his iustice Hee hath wounded vs hee hath spoyled vs. And the second drawne from his mercy Hee will heale vs hee will bind vs vp Now because this reason or argument drawn from the meccy of God is the chiefest of all other as Paul teacheth when he sayth Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God therefore the holy Ghost here amplifies this reason first by the shortnesse of time wherein the Lord afflicts his people it is but for a day or two a very short moment After two dayes or at the most in the third day hee will come vnto vs if we humble our selues vnder his mighty hand After two dayes It is all one as if they should haue said True it is the Lord hath grieuously spoyled vs for our sinnes and wounded vs for our iniquities so as his hand seemes grievous vnto vs yea let vs breake off our sinnes by repentance and let vs Returne againe vnto him from whom we haue departed by our sinnes and the Lord will soon remoue his iudgements from vs. In this verse note three things first the person from whom all helpe comfort and deliuerance doth come He. Verse diuided Secondly the circumstance of time in the which the Lord will deliuer vs After two dayes or at the most the third day Thirdly the deliuerance it selfe with the seuerall fruits of
Father preuented him with his loue he went out to meet him and when he met him such was his ioy that hee fell on his necke and kissed him This Father of the Prodigall is indeed God our Father and his loue and kindnes remembred in that Parable is recorded for all posterities to the end of the World to assure them of Gods mercifull dealing towards those that doe truely repent and turn vnto him that hee will receiue them againe into fauour which is heere meant by The sight of God or his presence And the Prophet Dauid sayth Ps 16.11 In his presence is life and fulnesse of ioy and happinesse for euermore And thus wee see that howsoeuer by our sinnes we make a separation betwixt God and vs and cause him to plague and punish vs heere yet His mercy is ouer all his works And vpon our repentance hee will receiue vs againe into fauour Reason And the reason of this the mercifull dealing of God is especially for the comfort and reioycing of Gods poore people that none to the end of the world should despaire of obtaining mercy for the mercy of God in Christ is aboue all his works hee extendeth it to thousands it is infinite without measure And the Lord is not content onely to promise mercy and fauour vnto penitent sinners but also confirmes vs in the assurance of it by the examples of his manifold mercies shewed to others before vs When we looke vpon them let our weakenesse bee strengthned and let vs not thinke that the Lord will shut that dore of mercy vpon vs ere wee repent who hath opened the same to so many before vs Hee hath beene found of them that sought him not sayth the Prophet Hos 11.4 and will he hide himselfe from vs if forsaking our sinnes wee seeke him in Spirit and truth His mercies shewed to others must be vnto vs Cords of Loue to draw vs amongst the rest vnto him The Doctrine being thus cleared Let vs now come to the vses of it First seeing there is mercy in store for the Penitent and howsoeuer by sinne we deserued vtterly to bee cast out of Gods fauour yet if wee can repent and Returne vnto him he will receiue vs againe into fauour And we shall liue in his sight It requireth of vs speedily to repent and to Turne vnto him and not to deferre our repentance from day to day lest it come to passe that our hearts be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin As no sinne is so great but vpon repentance it is pardonable so no sinne is so small but without repentance it is able to plucke vs downe to the bottome of Hell Let vs then take heed that wee abuse not his goodnesse nor to take occasion of liberty Rom. 4.2 to turne his grace into wantonnesse for wee doe not know how soone the threed of our fraile life will bee cut off when there shall bee no place for Repentance though with Esau wee seeke the same with Teares Heb. 12. Luk. 12.20 1. Thes 5.3 Luk. 17.27 There was but a little time betweene Soule eate drinke c. and Thou foole this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee And againe the Apostle sayth When men shall say peace peace then shall come vpon them sodaine destruction The olde World neuer thought themselues more secure then when the floud came vpon them G 9.23 The morning was faire when Lot went out of Sodom and yet before night were the Sodomites destroyed Act. 12.23 Well was it with Herod when hee beganne his Oration but before it was ended the Angell of the Lord smote him that hee was eaten vp of wormes Oh let vs lay these examples to heart And whereas wee haue by our sinnes turned away the louing kindnesse of God and caused him to turne away his fauourable countenance from vs and haue drawne downe his heauy iudgements vpon vs Now that the Lord hath denied vs the deawes of heauen Zach. 1.3 so as wee are cast out of his sight Oh let vs labour to be reconciled to him againe let vs pray much and often that hee would lift vp the Light of his countenance vpon vs as in times past Let vs Turne from our sinnes and the Lord will Turne vnto vs. And this duty wee would the sooner practise if we could but consider the wofull and miserable estate in which wee stand vntill such time as wee bee reconciled to God If a man were conuicted of high Treason against his Prince for the same were condemned to some cruell and shameful death and that euery moment of an houre hee expected the execution of it who could expresse the griefe of heart of this man What comfort could he take in wife or children in lands or goods in meat or musicke surely nothing in the whole World could cheare his dead heart saue onely the pardon of the Prince such a Traytor is euery impenitent sinner conuicted of hie Treason against the King of Heauen and earth and he is within an ynch of death hell there wants nothing but the execution of Gods iudgements which is sure and certain to come without repentance Good Lord who would not now labour for his peace with God Before the decree come forth Yet we are in the way we may now make our peace with our Aduersary but if wee bee once arrested by Gods Serieant Death and wee bee cast into prison there is no departure to be hoped for till wee haue payde the vtmost farthing Secondly seeing it is so blessed a thing to enioy Vse 2 the fauour and comfortable presence of God To liue in his sight How should this moue vs to Turne to God to auoyde all sinne and euery euill way and to take heed that wee doe nothing that may auert turn away his louing countenance from vs If it be a matter of great honour to liue in the presence of an earthly Prince and to be in his fauour how much more to be in the fauour of the Lord to Liue for euer in his sight 1. Reg. 10.8 and to enioy his loue fauour If the Queene of the South did truely pronounce Salomons seruants happy that stood in his sight and heard his wisdome Oh how much more are they happy men and women that liue in Gods presence and be in high sauour with the Almighty Oh that wee could labour for this priuiledge Well let vs pray much and often that the Lord would lift vp the light of his countenance vpon vs and cause his face to shine vpon vs that wee might draw neare vnto his presence by true repentance and holy obedience Thirdly wee may hence conclude the blessed estate Vse 3 of all that liue in Gods fauour Hee is counted happy in the world that hath the fauour of a Prince indeed they bring with them many Priviledges and preferments but alas they are but temporall neither last they for euer for they are most vnstable and vncertaine
ioyous Heb. 12.11 but grieuous yet there is a time when it shall bring the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them that are exercised therby Deu. 8.16 In regard hereof Moses the man of God sayth That the Lord humbled his chosen people and proued them that hee might doe them good at their latter end And in my poore iudgement a man may gather farre more vndoubted assurance of Gods euerlasting fauour towards his soule by these inward afflictions then by any outward prosperity in the world whatsoeuer the Lord grant vnto his poore afflicted seruants that their troubled soules which with sorrow for sinne are cast downe so low that they may reape this gracious blessing It followeth And hee shall come vnto vs as the raine euen as the latter raine vnto the earth IN these words the Prophet doth yet more fully expresse the mercy of God towards poore distressed soules by the later rain that fals vpon the earth that euen as raine is most welcome to the scorched parched earth in the time of summer after a long drought to coole the heat and to quench the thirst thereof as our owne experience this last summer hath taught vs as also to ripe the fruits of the earth and to bring them to perfection Euen so when poore soules be wounded and spoyled of all sense and feeling of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ and lye bleeding in their miseries scorched tormented with the heat of Gods anger for sin euen when men seem to be past hope then if the Lord send a gracious raine and a blessed shower to quench the heat of their poore afflicted soules for sin it shal be most welcome for then is mercy most welcom when men haue felt the bitter smart of sinne But of this more largely the doctrine before Now The ends wherefore the Lord doth defer his helpe if any aske wherefore the Lord lets his owne people lye oftentimes so long soking in misery before hee helpe them and then helps them when as there is least hope of helpe I answere he doth this First for the tryall of their faith whether they will depend and hang vpon him also for the exercise of their faith and patience Secondly to make them see and know that they bee nothing in themselues but that the strength they haue is in Christ Thirdly to stir them vp to seeke and pray vnto him more earnestly for helpe and succour And lastly to make them highly to esteeme of his mercy for such things as bee easily come by are lightly esteemed but things which be long in getting cost much trouble and paines and likewise such things as come in time of great trouble and need they must bee most set by and therefore the Lord defers his mercy often to the last gaspe that so it might bee the more esteemed This may teach vs to continue our patience and to wayte still his leysure though hee deferre long and seeme to forget vs yet Wee must liue by faith We must hope for life in the midst of death and say with Iob Though thou kill mee yet I will trust in thee So though the Lord defer his helpe and comfort many yeares yet wee must neuer let goe our hold but still hang vpon his mercy with the hands of faith And thus much for the first generall part of this Chapter the godly practise of true repentance and the seuerall fruit and effects thereof The second followeth VERSE 4. O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee for your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the Morning Dew it goeth away The second generall part of this chapter IN the Chapter going before the Lord hath threatned many great grieuous iudgements against Ephraim and Iudah as verse 14. I will be vnto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a Lyons whelpe to the house of Iudah I euen I will spoyle and goe away I will take away and none shall rescue it And in the three first verses of this Chapter wee haue seene what fruite it had in the beleeuing Iewes namely that they were truely humbled for their sins feared Gods anger and Returned vnto him by true and vnfained repentance Come say they Let vs return vnto the Lord c. In the second part of this Chapter is set down what fruits and effects Gods denuntiations and terrible iudgements threatned against sinne had in the vnbeleeuing Iewes namely a most vile and stubborn rebellion against all the meanes that the Lord vsed to conuert them ver 4. Secondly the punishment of their rebellion ver 5. So that the summe of these two verses is nothing else but a pittifull complaint of the Lord for the stubbornnesse and rebellion of the Iewes that could not by any meanes the Lord vsed be reclaimed The summe of these two verses O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreat thee for your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the morning dew it goeth away Secondly the iust punishment of almighty God vpon them for the same ver 5. Therefore haue I cut down by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements are as the light that goeth forth In the first of these we are to note 3. things 1. The complaint What shall I doe vnto thee how shall I intreat thee 2. The persons of whom the Lord complaineth thus Ephraim Iudah 3. The cause of the complaint or the thing wherof the Lord complaineth Your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the morning dew it goeth away In the second wee are to note 4 things 1. Who was the author of their punishment and did inflict it I haue cut c. 2. The greatnes of it I haue cut down and flaine them 3. The meanes or instrument God vsed in punishing them By my Prophets the words of my mouth 4. The equity of this iudgement and punishment inflicted vpon them For thy iudgements were as the light So cleare and so manifest that no man could complaine or excuse themselues by ignorance they were in the view of all men Of these in order and first to beginne with the complaint What shall I doe vnto thee how should I intreat thee THese words containe in them the complaint the Lord takes vp against these rebellious Iewes it is as much as if he should haue said I haue for my part vsed all the meanes that possible I could to humble you and to bring you to repentance but now alas I know not what to do vnto thee more or what course to take to doe thee good yet I can bring thee to no good passe but all is in vain that euer I haue done vnto thee and therefore in great griefe pittying thy wretched and forlorne estate I can but mourn for thy misery Doct. 1 Hence we see in the dealing of God with this people the wonderfull mercy of God towards
Gods Word Hard heart the greatest iudgement that can bee layde vpon man nor profite by the meanes of saluation Oh it is the heauiest iudgement that God can lay vpon man in this life and it is a sure and certain fore-runner of eternall condemnation in the end for when the Word of God doth light vpon a hard heart oh it wounds it and kils it and giues many a mortall and deadly wound though the wretched soule of the sinner see it not or feele it not The Scriptures affoord vs diuers examples and all to confirme the truth of this point vnto vs. Gen. 4.5.6 This is clearely to be seene in the example of Cain how did the Lord deale with Cain both before hee had murdered his brother and afterward and all to haue kept him if it had been possible from that most horrible sinne of his Before how did God deale with him Cain why is the countenance of thy face changed If thou doest well shalt thou not be rewarded If thou doest euill sin lyeth at thy dore Had not this beene inough if Cain had had but the least sparke of grace to haue kept him and stayed him from committing that horrible sinne but when this preuailed not but Cain would needs shed the innocent bloud of righteous Abel How did the Lord deale with Cain afterwards Cain where is thy brother Abel but what now did Cains heart relent did hee confesse his sinne with Dauid and say I haue sinned Did hee resolue into teares of repentance with Peter No no but rather despised God to his face saying Am I my Brothers Keeper Oh fearefull and horrible speech What was his conscience so seared that neyther the shame of the world the innocent bloud of his slaine brother nor the glorious presence of the Lord could any whit astonish him Behold here an example indeed of a heart that is hardned and let the remembrance of the same euer possesse our soules to make vs watchfull ouer our owne hearts how we euer contemn the means of grace when the same is offered vnto vs. This is to be clearely seen in Pharaoh vnto whom the Lord sent seuerall plagues and iudgements vpon him his people one vpon the necke of another Exod. 9. ten in number yet all would not humble Pharaoh Exod. 7.23 but answered stoutly saying I know not the Lord neyther will I let the people of Israel goe This is taught by Iob Iob. 18.5 Zeph. 1.17 when hee sayth The light of the vngodly shall bee darkned and the wicked shall become blind because they haue sinned against the Lord. And againe Their hearts being fat their eyes heauy and their eares shut they shall heare indeed but shall not vnderstand they shall see and not perceyue And the Prophet Ieremie doth mow liuely set out vnto vs the wofull estate and condition of such a soule that is thus forsaken of the Lord and giuen ouer to sinne saying Ier. 7.16 11.14 Because you haue done these things and I spake vnto you you would not heare therefore thou shalt not pray for this people nor lift vp cry nor entreat mee for I will not heare Though Noah and Iob should intreat mee though Moses Samuel should pray vnto mee yet will I not heare neyther bee intreated This is a lamentable estate this is a fearfull iudgement for a man to bee thus left vnto himselfe giuen vp to Sathan and forsaken of God for euer Oh wofull is the estate of such a one let that exhortation of the Apostle bee precious with vs Heb. 3.12.13 Take heed brethren lest at any time there bee in any of you an euil heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God And of the Gentiles it is sayd Ephes 4.17 that they liued in the Vanity of their minds hauing their cogitations darkned strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the hardnesse of their hearts So that you see that a hard heart it is the most fearefullest iudgement of God that can befall a man in this life for it is capable of no good eyther by the Word preached promises or threatnings mercies or iudgments The Word of God it is mighty in operation Ier. 23. â—9 it Diuideth the soule and spirit asunder This Word of God is called the Hammer of the Lord for by it the Lord doth breake in sunder the hard stony and flinty hearts of man This Hammer of the Lord is not able to breake the heart of a wicked man but as the bright beams of the Sunne doe harden clay and soften waxe so this most heauenly and eternall Word of God shall neuer returne in vaine but by reason of the different disposition in the Subiect it illuminateth it melteth the righteous it obdurates it hardens the wicked Now where the Word doth not preuaile with vs to humble vs there can bee no true repentance as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2.5 when he sayth But thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Now where there is no repentance there can bee no saluation Luk. 13.5 for so sayth our Sauiour Except yee repent yee shall all perish This is a lamentable estate indeed this is a iudgement with a witnesse for a man to bee left thus vnto himselfe to be giuen vp to Sathan and to be forsaken of God for euer Oh this this is the estate and condition of euery hard hearted sinner Oh happy then is that man or woman that sinneth least next he that returneth home by repentance soonest but most wofull is the estate of him that with Ieroboam hath solde himselfe to commit sinne for this man Rom. 1.28 1. Tim 4.2 Zach. 1.12 though hee would weepe with Esau and shed euen a fountaine of teates yet all will not helpe woe alas there is no recouery This may serue in the first place to reproue those Vse 1 that iustifie the wicked as in Malachy his time The wicked prosper and they that worke iniquity are set vp Mal. 3.13.14 They seeme to bee the onely men of the World they enioy their pleasures they seeme not to be troubled for any thing and who but they Alas alas what of all this If the heart bee frozen in the dregges of sinne they are of all men most miserable and of all men most to bee pittied For thou after thy hardnes and heart that cannot repent Rom. 2.4.5 heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Their damnation sleepeth not all this while but still they runne in score in Gods booke and when their iniquity is once full the Lord will then come with his iudgements and they shall pay full deare for their sweet pleasures euen the losse of their owne soules for euer and euer No greater iudgement can God inflict vpon the sonnes of men in this life then such a stony heart of all Gods iudgements
abound with all maner of sinne and impiety And if it went so hard with those that were Virgins Mat. 25. and went with their lampes to meete the Bridegroome wanting the oyle of grace in their hearts then what will at last be the doome of all those that are not Virgins but Adulterers and Adulteresses euen those that haue committed spirituall fornication Iam. 4.4 with sinne and Sathan which yet neuer went out to meete the Bridegroome of their soules Certainely these mens iudgements doth not sleepe and when it ouertakes them woe vnto them Oh then seeing that hypocrites seeme to draw in the same yoake with the children of God in respect of the outward Ceremonies of Gods worship but want sincerity of heart life Let vs looke to our selues that those things may bee repayred in vs that is wanting in them that so the Lord may accept of vs and our sacrifices Againe in that the Lord sayth here I desire mercy Doct. 2 and not sacrifice condemning the outward sacrifices of his worship when they proceeded not of faith towards God and loue towards man Wee learne hence that lawfull things must bee done lawfully Lawfull things must bee done lawfully for the Lord looks not so much vpon the outward face of his worship as hee doth vpon the intent of the worshipper This appeares clearely in this people they seemed to bee humbled for sinne aswell as those beleeuing Iewes spoken of in the three first verses of this chapter they came into the Temple they made great shewes of humiliation for sinne yea they were very forward to bring in their Peace offerings vnto God thinking indeed that they had now done inough to satisfie Gods anger and to appease his wrath but because it was but as the Morning Dew neyther durable nor lasting nor sound and sincere the Lord doth reiect both it and them Gen. 4.5 This is further cleared by the example of Cain who offered sacrifice aswell as Abel but because hee performed not the same in a holy manner in faith repentance and true obedience the Lord esteemed not of it but the same sacrifice of Cain added vnto the number of Cains sins This may bee seene in that inditement which Christ brings against the old world Mat. 24.38 They did eate and drinke marry and gaue in marriage All which were lawfull in themselues yet because they were not done in faith and repentance they added vnto the measure of their sinnes for they minded onely their pleasures their heartes were onely set vppon carnall delightes they eate and dranke without feare without prayer and thanksgiuing Iude. 12. 1. Tim. 4.4.5 as if they were not beholden to the Lord for the same besides they abused the good creatures of the Lord to surfetting drunkennesse these and the like corruptions in vs do turne eating drinking into sinne And the like may bee sayd concerning Marriage Heb. 13. it is in it selfe a holy ordinance of God vnto those that are holy and vse the same holily but for the sons of God to ioyne themselues to the daughters of men for beauties sake riches honour Gen. 6.2 or any such carnal respects Luk 17.28 when the same is not found in the way of vertue this becomes an horrible sinne vnto vs. And the like is alleadged by our Sauiour against the Sodomites They bought they sold they builded things lawfull in themselues but when they bought and sold with couetous desires and oppressing their brethren and builded not for necessity sake but to shew their pride and vanity These made the same become sins vnto them These and the like examples whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to confirm the euerlasting truth of this point of Doctrine vnto vs that lawfull things must be done by vs lawfully otherwise the same become sinnes vnto vs. Now let vs come to the vses This serues for the exceeding terror of all wicked Vse 1 and vngodly sinners If these people in this place sinned so highly euen in offering of sacrifices which were duties required at their hands when they proceeded not in faith and repentance not done in an holy maner then how shall they bee able to stand hefore God in the day of his searching account that haue heaped sinne vpon sinne and one iniquity vpon another that haue not onely done good things in an euill manner but euill things in a worse manner Againe how many bee there that content themselues with an outward ciuill life that come to Church heare the Word and receyue the Sacrament thinking that all this while they haue done God good seruice neuer looking into the manner of doing them nor neuer disquiet themselues for their hidden corruptions alas what of all this when faith and loue is wanting Faith towards God and loue and mercy towardes our brethren when these thinges are wanting in vs Vse 2 This serues in the second place to teach vs aboue all things to take heed vnto the manner of our actions that wee content not ourselues with the outward matter of Gods worship and seruice but especially to looke into our heartes that wee come vnto them in true faith sound repentance and holy obedience for this is that that will cause the Lord to approue of all wee doe in his seruice as the Mite of the poore Widdow was accounted a maruellous great gift with our Sauiour and why not in it selfe for what is a brazen token in Gods account but because the same proceeded in faith the Lord doth therefore account most highly of the same the like may bee sayde of a cuppe of cold water that shall bee giuen to a Disciple of Christ which Christ doth promise shall not goe vnrewarded The manner not the matter of Gods seruice is that which hee especiallie lookes after I will haue mercy and not sacrifice THe Lord doth not heere complaine of them for Doct. 3 that they offered no sacrifice vnto him no for herein they were as forward as any Property of an hypocrite to content himselfe with the outward parts of Gods worship but for want of faith towardes him and loue towardes their brethren Hence wee may see a liuely picture of an hypocrite and a counterfeit Christian namely such a one that contents himselfe with the outward parts of Gods worship as this people did who thought themselues religious inough forward inough so lōg as they offred their sacrifices brought their beasts to the altar praied in the temple kept their holy daies times of prayers as our Papists doe at this day and performed the outward ceremonies of the Law but as for the knowledge of God as for faith repentance obedience reformation of their liues and iust and vpright dealing with men they made no bones of it Esay 1.12.13 had no regard of those things and yet thought all was well When yee come to appeare before mee sayth the Lord Who hath required this at your hands Bring no more oblations in
Lord thus loue mercy and brotherly kindnes Vse 1 betwixt neighbour and neighbour that hee prefers it before all our outward shewes of religion nay al that we do is but abhomination without it Oh how should this affect vs all how should it inflame vs to loue one another to pardon one another to shew mercy one to another Would you doe that which pleaseth God which hee desires so much it is this that thou shew mercy to thy brother Mat. 5. to pardon him to forgiue him to shew thy loue to him Bee yee mercifull as your heauenly Father is mercifull Some there are who in the outward exercises of religion are very diligent in repairing to the Congregation in hearing Gods Word and conforme themselues indifferently vpon the Sabbath day to other Christian dueties but looke on them concerning their duties to men there you shall finde them exceeding guilty proud disdainefull malitious cruell Oppressors all for themselues without any respect to others Oh let vs looke vnto it that wee separate not those thinges which God hath ioyned together holinesse towards God and righteousnesse towards men Art thou a louer of Godâ— Word delightest in the publike duties of Gods worshippe and seruice thou doest well it shall bee thy comfort in life thy comfort in death and thy ioy and reioycing after death Well then looke vnto this that thou make conscience of equitie towards men Doe to others as thou wouldest haue another doe vnto thee else all thy deuotion is but hypocrisie for God hath ioyned these two together Seeing the Lord compares yea prefers Mercy Vse 2 before Sacrifice that is loues and delights in mercifull dealing and honest and faithfull dealing more then in all outward sacrifices yea hee so esteemes of it that they which want mercie towardes their neighbours they cannot please God How doth this condemne those which are so hard-hearted and so straight laced that they can shew no dramme of mercy to their brethren but boyle in malice and are so inflamed with anger and reuenge that they cannot shew any mercy not speake a kind Word nor thinke one good thought of their Neighbour Marke what the Lord sayth I will haue Mercy and not Sacrifice I had rather haue thee shew mercifull and kind dealing then to haue sacrifice and outward Ceremonies nay thou mayest offer thy Sacrifices with Cain but if thou haue a bloudy Gen 4.5 a cruell and malitious heart the Lord cares no more for thee or for thy sacrifice then if thou shouldest kill a man How canst thou heare the Word and receyue the Sacrament How canst thou pray Forgiue mee as I forgiue my Brother Doest thou not craue a iudgement yea a plague from God vpon thy owne soule that as thou wilt not pardon thy brother so God should neuer pardon thee Oh then remember what Christ sayth If yee loue them which loue you Mat. 5.46 what reward shall yee haue doe not the Publicans euen the same Let vs goe beyond the Publicans inlouing euen our enemies and shewing mercy vnto them for this is that which God is well pleased withall VERSE 7. But they like men haue transgressed the Couenant there haue they trespassed against mee IN this Verse and the rest that follow to the end of the Chapter The summe of the rest of the Chapt. the Lord beginnes to lay them out in their colours and to paint out their rebellions And first in this seuenth verse hee sheweth in generall that they had broken that league and holy Couenant which hee had made betwixt him and them That holy Couenant which had beene so solemnly agreede vpon Gen. 17.7 Exod. 19.5.6 wherein the Lord had promised hee would be their God and they had promised to bee his people this Couenant they had wilfully broken cast it behind their backe and shaken off the yoake of their obedience In the eight verse the Lord comes vnto them more particularly and names Gilead which was one of the Cities of refuge Iosu 20.8.9 This City has inhabited of the Leuites and the Priests and therefore should haue been a mother City a Nurse to Religion and Piety And these Priests and Leuites should haue shined as stars by holy life and pure Doctrine but the Lord complains that euen Gilead was a City full of all impietie full of bloud and cruelty and if it fared thus with Gilead what could bee hoped for of other places but that they did match her or were farre worse then shee In the ninth verse the Prophet doth not onely complaine of the common people but shewes the miserable impiety of the Priests whom hee compares to Murderers and Robbers because they were full of cruelty and oppression couetous and giuen to all manner of vile dealing The Prophet spares none but especially they might bee compared to Robbers and Murderers because they did murder the poore soules of Men and Women And in the two last Verses hee sharpely reproues the Idolatry of the people which was established hy Ieroboam and his Counsellers so as wee see the Prophet hee spares no estate hee beganne with the common people then comes to the Priests and now hee layes open the vile dealing of the King and his Nobles who neglected the true worshippe of God and set vp Idolatry and worshipped Baal In this seuenth Verse wee haue three things to be considered of vs The Text diuided First their sinne They haue transgressed the Couenant a great sinne to breake Couenant with God Secondly the manner of it namely Like men that is when I meant in good earnest to make my couenant with you and promised that I would bee your God and gaue you my lawes you most vnfaithfully and rebelliously haue cast oft the yoake of obedience haue broken my couenant and reiected my laws would not stand to your promise as I thought yee would Thirdly wherein they sinned namely in that they did most glory and most of all rely vpon There haue they transgressed against me that is euen in your very sacrifices to the which you sticke and thinke that I am beholden vnto you for them your sacrifices of Lambes and Beasts are the things I desire being done in an holy manner but you boast your selues of these outward Ceremonies as though you were as good worshippers of God as could bee Euen in this I condemne you because whereas I gaue them vnto you to helpe your blindnesse and rudenesse and to leade you to Christ the true sacrifice you casting aside repentance and duties of faith and amendment of life thought that these outward things the bloud of buls and sheepe might satisfie my anger and purge you from your sinnes without the bloud of Christ the son of God And therefore you haue grieuously broken my Couenant broken my lawes and vtterly abused my ordinances Thus much of the Sense now of the Doctrines But they like men haue broken my Couenant q. d. I gaue them my Couenant promised them
Couenant with our God when wee were baptized the Lord then receiued vs into the bosome of his Church vpon this condition that wee would become his people and walke in his wayes hee gaue vs his couenant a gracious couenant full of many gracious and heauenly promises of pardon of sinne of life eternall This Couenant hee sealed and confirmed by the heart bloud of his owne Sonne that he would bee our gracious God and louing Father that hee would pardon all our sinnes receiue vs to fauour and bestow eternall life and saluation vpon vs. Wee on the other side haue couenanted with our God that wee would bee his people and become his obedient seruants that wee would renounce the Deuill and all his works the stinking pleasures of the flesh and that wee would not suffer our selues to bee ruled by them but would manfully fight vnder the banner of our Lord Iesus Christ against the Deuill the world and the flesh Now if wee examine ourselues how wee haue kept this Couenant wee shall find that the Lord may iustly say vnto vs as hee did here vnto this people Yee haue broken my Couenant yea we haue denied our obedience to Christ Iesus and his Word and wee haue serued sinne and Sathan and the world Gods deadly enemies and we haue liued in pleasures in vanity in couetousnesse and in many other sinnes against our promise to God Oh then in the feare of God let vs take knowledge of this that wee are vile and miserable couenant breakers wee haue fayled in our promise to God and haue not walked in his wayes as wee haue made a solemne Couenant with him And now let it make vs ashamed that wee should deale thus vilely and decitfully with our most gracious God If it bee a matter of shame to breake couenant with an honest man and wee bee grieued for the same how much more should this grieue vs and make vs ashamed that wee haue dealt thus faithlesly with our gracious God And thirdlie as wee must bee grieued that wee Vse 3 haue thus fayled and broken our Couenant with God heretofore so now wee must bee more carefull to keepe our Couenant with him in time to come manfully to fight vnder his banner against sinne Sathan and the world his vtter enemies and yeeld him obedience in heart and life to deny all obedience to the Deuill and our owne lusts and say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 119 10â— I haue sworne and am stedfastly purposed to keepe thy righteous iudgements Oh let vs take a solemn oath of our selues and purpose both in heart life to keepe his righteous iudgements neuer to sinne against our God as wee haue done but in all things to do his will and to walke in his wayes And there is good reason to perswade vs hereunto for if wee shall keepe our Couenant made to God in our Baptisme then the Lord will take vs for his people and will bee our gracious God and louing Father then hee will performe all those gratious promises of pardon of sinne Deu. 28. and life eternall and euery other gracious promise that hee hath layde down in his Word for our good and the further increase of our happinesse it shall then goe well with vs in life in death and after death But if wee refuse to heare his voyce and will not regard our vow and couenant made to him in Baptisme then hee will withdraw his mercy and gratious protection from vs he is no longer tyed vnto vs to doe vs good then wee shall keepe his Couenant and then what shall become of vs if the Lord once forsake vs if hee leaue vs alas wee shal then lye open to all misery both of soule and body if God bee angry with vs who can do vs good Fourthly and lastly this may serue to reprooue Vse 4 those men that vpon some particular occasions as in time of warre sicknesse necessity trouble or any other danger haue beene ready to enter into couenant with God so that God would free them and deliuer them they will become new men if they haue fallen into whoredome or fornication they vow they will bridle their lusts and they will neuer delight in the Harlots company any more If they haue fallen into drunkennesse they will vow and enter couenant with God Luk. 14.8 that they will abstaine from the hatefull house of that sinne and all other prouocations to the same The Oppressor is ready to promise more mercy to the poore and so of all other sinnes Dan. 4.24 the sinner is ready to enter Couenant with God when his conscience is vpon the racke that hee will leaue his sinne and that for the time to come they will walke with God in better obedience so that God would but deliuer them set them on foot againe When a man hath most vainly and sinfully spent his time in drunkennesse riotousnesse idlenesse wantonnesse enuy hatred contempt of Gods Word c. If God strike such men with sicknesse as I haue known many that they haue feared death for vnto such is the remembrance of death a terror Oh how then doe they tremble and quake Note then send for Moses and Aaron in haste send for the Minister who before this time of all men they esteemed the most vile and then good people pray for me Oh I haue beene a great and grieuous sinner I haue offended God many wayes I haue been a most beastly drunkard a most vncleane liuer I haue dishonoured God many wayes by my vsury oppressing of the poore vniust and vnconscionable dealing with men by fraud and deceit I haue made no conscience at all how I haue spent the Sabbath but haue been at bowles and Tables or drinking in vaine company when I should haue beene present in the Congregation of Gods people Oh if God vvill but now forgiue mee this sinne onely I will neuer offend in the like againe I will become a new man for no mans pleasure will I be brought to dishonour God any more by these sinnes These and the like are the clamours and the crying out of many men when God doth touch them by sicknesse or some other calamity and then are they very forward to enter into Couenant with God euer to bee thankfull and obedient vnto him and then to begin their repentance and amendment of life But O alas is not this the best day that God hath of them and the best seruice that euer they performe vnto him It is it is for when God doth free them and set them at liberty 2. Pet. 2.1.2 they Turue with the Dogge to the vomite and with the Sowe to the mire Well God will neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but being found to bee Couenant breakers with their God all those iudgements which Almighty God hath threatned against such sinners shall most surely come vpon them Deu. 28. and ouertake them Like Men. HEre is layde downe the manner
plenty and aboundance how may wee remoue the anger of God and his iudgements eyther already vpon or else eminent ouer our heads Surely remoue the cause of Gods iudgements namely sinne else the hand of God cannot bee remoued And therefore let vs all practise this counsell and wisely consider what the Lord hath against vs and wherefore hee is angry with vs that so wee may bee reconciled vnto him and brought into his fauour againe This Doctrine Vse may serue to condemne that preposterous course that many men doe take eyther for themselues when they lye vnder the Crosse or with others For themselues If the hand of God lye vpon them with long and tedious sicknesse how many are there that leaue the Lord and resort to Witches and Wizards that looke againe more to the meanes then they doe to the Lord without whose blessing they can doe vs no good So in time of Famine Pestilence Warre and the like how many are the windings and turnings in the heart of man to preuent the iudgements of God they will leaue no attempt vnattempted for their deliuerance But to trie their owne hearts to find out their sinnes which are so many rebellious Ionasses in the shippe of their own soules that haue moued the Lord to send those stormes of afflictions Oh this they neuer thinke vpon And as they themselues fayle in the maine point of all that is to try their owne hearts to looke into their wayes and to turne vnto the Lord by vnfained sorow So deale they with others for what is the counsell else they giue vnto others in time of sicknesse but this Be of good cheare Eate warme meats Vse good physicke c. Oh! this is not the counsell we should giue but to say with the godly heere Come returne to the Lord Repent of thy sinnes beg the pardon of them at Gods hands This is the counsell wee must giue to the afflicted and not to seeke helpe from men before wee haue sought forgiuenesse of sinnes of God Come let vs returne vnto the Lord. Heere we may see the fruit of true conuersion they seeke not euery man his owne good but the good of their brethren and therefore vse godly motions and christian perswasiōs one to another to returne vnto God Doct. 3 From whose godly practise and religious example wee gather a further poynt of Doctrine It is the duty of euery christian to labor to draw others to god that it is not inough for a man to goe to heauen himselfe but it is the duty of euery Christian to labour to draw others with them as these holy Seruants of God say heere Come let vs returne these bee their godly perswasions one to another they labour to goe hand in hand in their repentance as we say to men women Come will yee goe to the Market fayre c. So in Religion we must call one vpon another to draw men to God and as one wicked man seeketh to make another like himselfe so hee that is truely conuerted will not rest in that inward comfort of his owne conuersion but will labour by all meanes to conuert others vnto GOD and labour to make them partakers of the same comfort which they themselues haue receiued from God This thing is very apparant in the conuersion of the godly when Andrew was brought to Christ hee found his brother Simon Io. 1.41.43.45 and said vnto him We haue found that Messias that is Christ So when Christ called Phillip and said vnto him Follow me Io. 4 28. Phillip found Nathaniel and sayd vnto him Wee haue found him of whom Moses did write in the Law and in the Prophets Iesus the sonne of Ioseph that was of Nazareth The like appeares in the woman of Samaria when Christ had reueiled himselfe vnto her and offered her to drinke of the water of life after which she should neuer thirst agane shee ran into the Citty and said Come see a man which hath told mee all things that euer I did is not hee that Christ being moued her selfe she labours to moue others And this doth the Prophet Dauid promise vnto the Lord that if hee would restore him once more vnto the ioy of his saluation that then he would become a Preacher Ps 51.12.13 Ps 66.16 Ps 116. Gal. 3 2. Cor. 1.4 Esay 38.19 Luk. 22.23 and Proclaimer of the same mercy vnto others And surely this is a speciall fruit of faith and true repentance to labour by all meanes possible to conuay grace vnto others and to shew them what God hath done for our soules and to draw out the blessings which God hath bestowed vpon our selues to the good and benefit of others The Prophet Dauid doth labour herein Come sayth he and I will shew you what God hath done for my soule And the Elect are called vessels of mercy because they being themselues filled with the mercies of God should draw out the same as good liquor for the vse and comfort of others Saint Paul sayth God had mercy on him that he might shew mercy vnto others The child of God is not like vnto Nabol All for himselfe but he is taught of God to loue his brother And thus wee see how wee ought to behaue our selues in respect of Gods gifts we must not hide them in the ground or in a napkin but wee must imploy the same to the good of others This may serue to reproue that common conceite Vse 1 in mens minds that so long as they doe well themselues they need not care how other◠doe whether they sinke or swimme whether they goe forward or backeward grow vpward or downeward to God or the Diuell but it is impossible for any Christian man or woman who hath truely tasted of the worke of grace in his owne heart but hee must communicate the same to the good of others Indeed most men little regarde this they cannot be perswaded that they bee bound to saue the soules of their brethren and therefore they say euery man for himselfe and God for vs all but the truth is that when euery man seeks himselfe the Deuill gets all To saue soules to draw men to Christ Oh wee thinke this is the Ministers duety it belongs to him alone it belongs not to vs. True it is that it belongs especiall to the Minister to labour to saue mens soules and therefore they are especially bound to labour by continuall teaching and preaching of the word of God as also by their godlie life to draw men to God to exhort them to call vpon them to turne vnto the Lord and if they bee negligent and carelesse the flocke of Christ must needs go to ruine yet many there are that feed themselues to the full but regard not to feed the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them Ouerseers These are they that liue of the Altar but care not to minister at the Altar They will bee sure to reape carnall things but they haue no
danger alas how should they repent how should they turne to God for if thou couldest see the misery of thy soule and thy wofull estate by reason of sinne if thou couldest see the number and greatnesse of thy sinnes Oh thou wouldest euen tremble for feare Oh let this serue to help vs forward in this most needfull point the right iudging of our owne estate let vs not bee wilfully carelesse herein Wee all haue a hope that it is well with vs. Oh let vs looke to it that this hope of ours make vs not ashamed Rom. 5.5 there is no hurt got by the triall of our selues onely security is dangerous many thousands are now in hell that in their life time thought nothing lesse till they came there Oh then in the feare of God let vs looke to it Wee are all trauellers in one of these two wayes we shall most certainely arriue at one of these two places who would not now bee glad to know in which of these two he is that if hee bee in the euill way he may spedily come out of it if he be in the right way that he may continue his race with cheerefulnesse Well this is the truth of this doubt and I deliuer it vnto you as the truth of God that all which are partakers of life eternall they are the heyres of grace and saluation this is their first steppe vnto it the true sight vnderstanding of their owne wandring that they perceyue themselues that they liue that course of life the issue whereof must needs bee eternall death and that they now stand and wonder at their owne folly extreame madnesse and withall Gods infinite goodnesse and patience and would not bee in that case againe for all the world Well then marke this doctrine doe not lightly passe it ouer but esteeme it as the blessed truth of God that the sight of our owne wandring is the first steppe to eternall light and saluation Well then let me aske thee this question or rather demaund it of thy owne soule Didst thou euer see thy wofull misery the wretched estate wherin thou art by reason of sinne what a miserable sinner thou art out of the fauour of God yea indeed in the state of damnation didst thou euer finde thy selfe to stand in need of Gods mercy and in extreame want of Christs bloud to saue thy soule so as thou hast euen with sighes and teares intreated for the same at Gods hand as for life and death If thou hast not found and felt these things in thee in some measure thy case then is dangerous and fearefull thou didst neuer as yet truely repent the mercy of God belongs not vnto thee Vse 2 We are then to count it a singular fauour of God when he doth open a mans eyes to see his misery and to find himselfe like a lost sheepe to haue gone astray this is the beginning of all grace and true conuersion vnto God to finde our selues empty of grace And therefore this should teach vs to pray vnto God that hee would in mercy open our eyes that wee might see our sinnes and feele our misery and that wee may feele our selues to stand in extreame need of Gods mercy and of euery droppe of Christs bloud to saue our soules and the contrary is a fearefull plague and iudgement of God for men to lye and snort in sinne without remorse of conscience without the sence and feeling of sinne or want of mercy This Dauid and the rest of Gods seruants knew by wofull experience that if they had dyed without repentance they had perished Of all diseases they are most dangerous that are least felt as a Lethargie or dead palsie or the like so it is a most fearefull estate for any man to lie in sinne without the feeling of it for â—â—at is a signe that the heart is hardned in sinne A mâ—â— that thinks hee is well ynough will scorne the Physitian so those poore blind sinners that thinke they are well ynough and feele no want of Gods mercy of all men they are most to bee pittied they bee in a most dangerous estate and condition And therefore we see that it is a great blessing of God to be told of our sinnes and to bee reproued for them that so seeing them and the danger into which they haue plunged our poore soules wee might seeke to God for mercy Come let vs returne vnto the Lord. Hitherto we haue spoken of their exhortation and godly counsell one to another Come let vs c Before we leaue the words to come to the reasons of their exhortation There is one thing more which I may not omit and that is the time of their repentance when they should make this their returne vnto God and that is presently without any delay for the word here vsed doth signifie a Tense or Time that is present Doct. 6 From whence wee gather another point of Doctrine namely Men must deferre no time but repent out of hand that we must not stand to debate in the motions of the Spirit but presently to proceed to execution Indeed in worldly businesse of good deliberation comes no harme but it is a point of wisedome to deliberate before a man determine of any thing But in spirituall matters it is dangerous and therefore sayth the Prophet Esay 55.6.7 Seeke the Lord while hee may bee found Call yee vpon him while hee is neere let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and hee will haue mercy vpon vs and to our God for hee is very ready to forgiue Psal 119.60 I made haste sayth the Prophet Dauid and I delayed not to keepe thy commandements And it was a thing commendable in Peter and Andrew Mat. 4.20 Luk. 19.6 Gal. 6.10 that when Christ called them they left their Nets straightway and followed him 〈◊〉 And when Christ called Zacheus hee came downe hastily from the Figge-tree and receyued Christ ioyfully While yee haue time sayth the Apostle let vs doe good vnto all men Heb. 3.7 Eccl. 5 7. Act. 8.36 10.33 but specially vnto them that are of the houshold of faith And againe To day if yee will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Now as this Christian duety is to bee obserued in the performance of any holy duety so especially in the worke of repentance we must neuer debate the matter with flesh and bloud for then wee shall neuer proceed to execution but whensoeuer God shall worke in any of vs a godly purpose to forsake our sins of all things in the world wee must now take heed of delayes for such is the policy of Sathan and such is the deceitfulnesse of our owne hearts that they will cause vs to neglect it And this ought so much the more to hasten our returne vnto the Lord because many are dead and gone which in their life time purposed to returne vnto God and to breake
There can be no greater despite done vnto a man then when his own children rise vp against him Euen so what greater dishonour can be offered vnto the most high God then when his sonnes by adoption and grace shall rebell against him from whom he expecteth the greatest honour And therefore if they sinne against God God doth euer take it hainously at their hands and will assuredly punish them for the same And if this be the course of Gods iustice against the Elect how safely may wee thus conclude that the wicked and vngodly shall not escape howsoeuer the Lord beare for a time with the vessels of wrath according to that of the Prophet Ieremy Thus sayth the Lord of Hoasts Ier. 25.29 Yee shall certainely drinke for loe I beginne to plague the City where my name is called vpon and shall you goe free Oh how may this terrifie all vngodly wretches to consider that howsoeuer God spareth them for a time and let them run on in their vngodly courses yet their damnation sleepeth not all this while their transgressions are recorded in the booke of God and are layde vp in store for them against the day of reckoning This is that which Salomon calleth to their remembrance when he sayth Behold the righteous shall bee recompensed in the earth Pro. 11.31 how much more the wicked and the sinner And to the same purpose sayth the Apostle Peter 2. Pet. 4.17 The time is come that iudgement must beginne at the house of God And if it beginne at vs what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospell of God If the righteous bee soarsly saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare Vse 2 Secondly seeing the Lord doth chastise his owne children when they sinne against him as we see in this present example Hence we may note that afflictions be not alwayes tokens of Gods anger neyther may wee measure the fauour or loue of God towards our selues or others by outward blessings or outward crosses by prosperity or aduersity for as Salomon sayth All things happen alike to all Eccles 9.2 and the same condition is to the iust and the wicked We may not then condemn those on whome wee see the Lord to lay great and grieuous afflictions as many naturall men vse to do Nay on the contrary seeing the Lord corrects euery one that he loues wee may rather iudge afflictions tokens of his loue as if wee see a man beat or correct a child and let another goe we will iudge him his sonne whom he corrects Oh then art thou spoyled and wounded in thy soule bee not any whit discouraged if thou be one of Christs Lambes thou must be content then to bee spoyled of thy Fleece and to haue the bloudy knife at thy throat all the day long but if thou be a Sheepe to be solde then thou shouldest bee pastured and fatted in the best grasse Mat. 3. The children of God be the Lords Wheat Now then they must bee content to be cut with the Sickle to bee carried into the Barne they must vndergoe the blowes of the Flaile they must be fanned and grownde to powder with the Milstone of afflictions and baked in the Ouen and Furnace of a wounded conscience before they can be bread for Gods Table Oh that we could see how our poore and miserable soules bee spoyled and wounded by sinne and Sathan Oh we haue many a deadly wound in our soules by Sinne and this is the reason why so few seeke vnto Iesus Christ the good Physitian of our soules and why so few runne to God for the pardon of their things namely because they see not themselues spoyled they neuer feele the bleeding wounds of their poore soules and consciences Oh that the Lord would open our blind eyes to see our misery how wee bee vtterly spoyled and touch our hard hearts to feele the bleeding wounds bloudy issues of our soules surely it is the beginning of all grace to feele themselues wounded at heart for their sinnes Alas the blind and carnall men of the world if they see one spoyled or wounded at the heart for sinne they by and by condemne him for a wicked man as the Heathen men did Paul Act. 26. Psal 6. 130.77 Iob. 13. Esay 38. Act. 2.37 But who euer were more spoyled then the dearest Saints and Seruants of God haue beene Looke vpon Dauid who euer was wounded both in Body and Soule as Iob was who thought that God had become his enemy he sayth that the Lord shot his arrowes at him as if hee had beene his marke to shoot at and that the very venome of his arrowes pearsed his soule and drunke vp his spirit Looke vpon good King Ezechias he sayth that the Lord broke his bones like a Lyon and wounded him sore Who euer was so spoyled and wounded as the Son of God himselfe and therfore we may not take them as tokens of Gods anger no no Iudgement begins at Gods house and if God doe not try men by crosses and afflictions let them suspect themselues that they be rather Bastards and not Sonnes for the Lord doth chastice them he loueth and if he suffer men to runne on in their owne wayes without breaking and taming them as young Coltâ— and vntaimed Heyfers it is a signe rather that God cares not for them Well then let vs confesse the hand of God in all our troubles and withall confesse our sinnes as the procuring cause of all Gods iudgements and turne seeke to him for mercy and forgiuenesse and take his fatherly corrections as tokens of his loue that he would thereby humble our hearts purge our soules draw vs to loue him and to seeke to him for mercy Vse 3 Here we are taught which is the right way to bring men to God namely to spoyle them of all hope in themselues to bring them to a flat nothing in regard of themselues that they may say I am the greatest and the chiefest sinner Oh miserable man who shall deliuer mee from this body of sinne Men must be thus wounded else they cannot be healed and as for them which neuer felt themselues spoyled and wounded at the heart for their sinnes they are not yet truly called they be not yet truly conuerted therefore let it be spoken to euery soule heere present if you neuer felt your soules wounded neuer felt your hearts pricked and your consciences touched grieued and afflicted for your sinnes Alas you are not yet turned to God you neuer had as yet true grace wrought in your hearts But those which feele the smart of sinne and feele their hearts wounded for sinne they will esteeme more of one droppe of Gods mercy for the pardon of the same and of one drop of the bloud of Iesus Christ for the saluation of their soules then of ten thousand worlds if they were offered vnto them whereas the secure and hard hearted Sinner which finds not himselfe to be spoyled and
Serpent to cure our soules for no other creature in heauen or earth could heale vs or helpe vs but hee must be our Physitian to make a plaister to heale our wounds the pains that he tooke to temper this plaister it made him sweat both water and bloud and in the end when nothing else could doe it Luke 23. hee was content to temper a plaister of his owne heart bloud such a blessed Sauiour such a louing Physitian haue we Oh then let vs runne to Iesus Christ let vs make our moane vnto him let vs not feare to lay open our wounded soules and distressed consciences vnto him who is so louing and mercifull a Physitian to poore distressed soules Art thou an hard hearted and an impenitent sinner thou art sicke at the very heart thou art wounned by sinne and Sathan vnto eternall death though thou see it not yet thy poore soule is ready to bleede vnto eternall death See Oh see heere Iesus Christ thy Sauior he offers himself to become the Physitian hee hath tempered a plaister that is able to heale thy sicke soule if thou wilt come vnto him Alas wilt thou then runne on in sinne and suffer thy poore soule to rot and fester with sinne and contemne the mercy of God and the kindnesse of Iesus Christ who offers to heale thee and to helpe thy wounded soule The poore man which fell among theeues who spoyled him and wounded him and left him for halfe dead Luk. 10. alas what had becom of him if the good Samaritan had not come by and pittied him Sinne and Sathan hath spoyled vs and wounded vs body and soule Now alas what shall become of vs if that Iesus Christ the good Samaritan and blessed Physitian of our soules doe not pitty vs bind vp our wounds and powre in the oyle of grace into our hearts to cure our sicke and wounded soules but hee is so pittifull and tender hearted a Chirurgion that he will pull off the rotten ragges of our sinnes and lap them vp in the most precious white robe of his owne righteousnes and poure into them the oyle of grace euen his owne deare and precious heart bloud to our euerlasting comfort and saluation Secondly wee obserue hence a further vse that if Vse 2 any do perish through their sinnes and transgressions he must not impute the fault therof vnto God but vnto himself for God doth cal men from their euill waies that so they might not perish but bee saued the Prophet Dauid doth speake excellently of this saying The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse Hee hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities Psal 103. for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee remoued our sinnes from vs As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him But some may obiect say that it is true the mercy of God is exceeding great indeed but the sinnes that I haue committed against God haue not beene so much sinnes of weakenesse or sinnes of infirmity as they haue beene presumptuous horrible sinnes yea multitudes of them besides all this I haue continued a long time in them tenne twenty thirty or more yeares together and therefore I may well doubt whether the Lord hath any mercy for me Esay 1.18 Marke therefore what the Lord himselfe sayth vnto such Come let vs reason together sayth the Lord though your sinnes were as Crimson they shal be made as white as Snow and though they be as Scarlet they shall be as wooll So that no man can say without iniury against his owne soule and giuing the lye vnto the glorious maiesty of God My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen True it is that the Scripture makes mention of an vnpardonable sinne that shall neuer bee forgiuen eyther in this world Mat. 12.31 or in the world to come The blasphemy against the spirit but that is not in respect of the sinne it selfe that it should exceed the mercies of God or for that God is not able to forgiue it but because they cannot relent and repent that commit it they are so farre gone that they can neuer Returne backe again for as no sinne is so small but is able to plunge vs down to the bottome of hell if wee liue in it without repentance so no sinne is so great and grieuous but vpon repentance there is pardon and mercy to bee found with God yet men must take heed that they abuse not Gods goodnesse and mercy as an occasion of liberty to turne his grace into wantonnesse saying as the manner of some is Oh God is mercifull hee is gracious to great and grieuous sinners and so conclude thereupon that they may liue as they list and so deferre their repentance and Returne vnto God till the last gaspe but the holy Apostle will teach vs an other vse of Gods mercy then so when he sayth Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience Rom. 2.4 and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God should lead thee to repentance So that do wee heare of the patience of God the mercy of God and the long suffering of God Oh what may it teach vs all but this lesson especially to make haste and to deferre no time to returne vnto him for what is God so mercifull and so patient that hee hath spared thee so long and giuen thee so large a time of repentance Oh then how iust and how great shall thy condemnation bee if thou reiect it and make no other vse of it then to boulster thee in thy sinnes but of this before Last of all hete is matter of consolation to all the children of God that are deiected and cast downe with the sense and feeling of their sinnes their soules being heauy and their consciences oppressed with their sin they goe drouping and hang down their heads well let them cheare vp their soules such they are that Christ calleth Math. 11.28 Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden and I will ease you for my yoke is easie and my burthen is light When our terrors and temptations grow thus strong vpon vs and that Sathan shall seeke to perswade vs that our sinnes are more then God can forgiue and the punishment that is due vnto vs for them is greater then can be pardoned What shall wee doe at this time but labour herein to discouer the Arch-enemy of our soules Sathan who thus as a lying spirit seekes to draw vs from this doctrine of Gods mercy to plunge our soules into the gulfe of desperation but if our sinnes bee neuer so great haue wee committed them without number haue we committed them neuer so long bee they as Crimson double dyed sinnes as infectious
throweth his children into continuall miseries and afflictions Answere continuall pouerty and sicknesse all their dayes and the paine of a wounded conscience and troubled spirit till their last end yet it is for their good for by this meanes the Lord wil purge their corrupt cankered hearts to humble them throughly and to exercise their faith and patience to mortifie their carnall hearts to make them more earnest with God in praier and by their continuall afflictions to preserue and keepe them and preuent them from manifold sinnes and rebellions And yet notwithstanding God heares his children in their miseries and forsakes them not but in two dayes or at the most in three dayes that is in a very short time sends them comfort though hee take not their afflictions away yet he giues them that which is better for them Our Sauiour Christ prayed vnto his Father most earnestly with cries and teares to be freed from death Heb. 5.7 And was heard in that hee feared How was our Sauiour Christ heard in his Petition praying to be freed from death and yet hee must needes taste of the bitter cuppe of death Ans He was heard on this manner first in that hee was strengthned not onely to beare and suffer the death vpon the Crosse but to ouercome it and to vanquish it his Father sent an Angell to comfort him and afterward he was freed from the sorrowes of death And so it is with the poore members of Christ they be afflicted they liue in sorrow in pouerty in sicknesse in griefe of mind Well the Lord he giues them patience to suffer this affliction so as it is not tedious and grieuous vnto them and by his continuall afflicting of them he humbles them and purges them of their cankered corruption and stirres vp in them the feruency of prayer makes them out of loue with the world and makes them more to hunger after his mercy and to depend on his fatherly goodnes And thus though men thinke God forgets vs in our afflictions yet hee doth remember vs and giues vs that which is better for vs then if hee should altogether remoue his correction Iacob serued seuen yeers for Rahel and it seemed vnto him but a few dayes because hee loued her Gen. 29.20 And surely if we be perswaded of the loue of God that though hee afflict vs seuen times seuen yeares wee shall thinke it but a short time But the child of God oft complains that they be afflicted not onely with continuall pouerty and sicknesse but that they bee tormented with griefe of Soule and feele the heauy burthen of their sinnes and the anger of God against them for the same yet remember what befell thy Lord and Master Iesus Christ when hee went to execution the cruell Iewes made him carry his owne Crosse on his backe so long till hee could carry it no longer hee was so faint then behold the Lord sent a good Symon of Syren to carrie his Crosse for him So art thou crossed with affliction is thy soule wounded with the griefe and smart of sinne and doest thou pant and breath vnder the heauy burthen of the Crosse remember what thy Sauiour sayth vnto thee Come vnto mee all yee that trauell and bee heauy laden Mat. 11.28 and I will refresh you If thou canst runne to Iesus Christ in the middest of thy griefe and misery by true repentance and earnest prayer then he will become a blessed Simon to beare thy Crosse for thee hee will put vnder his owne shoulder hee will take thy sinnes and the anger of God and beare them on his owne backe and if wee can but fling our selues into the blessed Armes of his mercy hee will giue euerlasting rest vnto our soules And lastly whereas many of Gods children complaine Lam. 1.12 as Ieremy See if there were euer any sorrow like my sorrow And as the Prophet Dauid complaines Hath God forgotten to bee gracious and hath hee shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Yet they must know and confesse that God doth in a short time comfort his children and that his afflictions are neyther troublesome nor tedious for though they last for the space of a mans life what is a mans life but a spanne long and a thousand yeares with God are but as a day Againe when they bee past and gone though they lasted many yeares it seemes but a short time And what is twenty yeares affliction in comparison of eternall ioy and happinesse in heauen who had not rather leade their liues in misery here then in eternall torment in Hell fire in the life to come Well seeing the afflictions of Gods children bee Vse 2 but light and moment any and last but for a few daies wee must learne that lesson which Saint Paul teacheth vs namely to reioyce in affliction knowing Rom. 5.3 that affliction bringeth foorth patience patience in suffering bringeth forth experience of Gods loue and fauour and experience hope and hope makes vs rest our selues wholly content to wayte the Lords leasure and were it not for this hope that God wil one day ease vs the hearts of Gods children would burst in sunder and his hope makes vs not ashamed seeing that such is the loue of God that he neuer failes nor forsakes his children Many indeed are our infirmities feares cares sorrowes and troubles heere yet in the middest of them all wee must say with the Prophet Psal 42.5 Why art thou cast downe Oh my Soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Wayte on God for I will yet giue him thanks he is my present helpe and my God Let vs not therfore despayre in the time of trouble Rom. 16.20 The God of peace shall tread Sathan vnder your feet shortly he is faithfull which hath promised Affliction must bee our portion heere wee must then get faith and patience into our soules that so we may hold out vnto the end The third generall obseruation is the deliuerance it selfe with the seuerall fruits and benefites therof in these words Hee will reuiue vs hee will rayse vs vp The deliuerance it selfe and wee shall liue in his sight Eph. 2.1 which words are expounded by the Apostle Paul when hee sayth Yee that were dead in trtspasses and sinnes hath hee quickned Meaning thereby that vntill such time as wee are quickned and that the Lord doth reuiue vs by the grace of Regeneration wee be no better then dead men howsoeuer we walke and talke heare and performe the actions of men yet in respect of any spirituall life or any spirituall actions alas wee are starke dead till the Lord reuiue vs this being so wee learne hence a twofold Doctrine First that by nature we are all starke dead in trespasses and sins And secondly that our Regeneration is as hardly wrought as to raise vp a dead man and to restore him againe to life Doct. 3 For the first of these wee are taught heere what we are by nature
in the Lords Orchard hee prunes vs hee dresseth vs he watereth vs by the conntinuall preaching of the Gospell therefore let vs not bee as dead stocks and barren trees for such are good for nothing but for the fire Wee are carefull to see our children to bee nourished to grow to bee men wee are careful and ioyfull to see our cattell thriue to see our corne grow And shall we haue no care for our owne poore soules shall they bee of lesse esteem with vs then our very beasts shall wee vse no meanes to haue our poore soules fed and nourished that wee grow in the Knowledge of God it is the farewell Peter makes to the Iewes to whom he wrote exhorting them to Grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ We see that men do try themselues whether they grow in wealth they will cast vp their bookes take account to see how they haue gained at the yeares end Oh let this bee our practise I beseech you to try our knowledge whethet wee grow in knowledge whether wee haue more knowledge this yeare then we had the last If wee haue not alas wee are vprofitable Schollers in the Schoole of Christ Now what a shame is this that after long teaching and preaching there should bee no profiting no more knowledge in men and women now then three foure or ten years agoe but that they should remaine as blinde and as ignorant as many yeares agoe Oh it is a dangerous thing for if wee grow not forward then wee go backward If a man should put his child to Nurse and after two or three yeares should find his child nothing grown hee would surely bee grieued Alas if we shall after many yeares preaching grow nothing in knowledge it is a manifest signe that wee are indeed but staruelings and therefore let vs euery one in the feare of God labour to Grow in grace and in the knowledge of Iesus Christ And seeing the food of our soules and the meanes whereby wee must grow is the preaching of the Word Let vs hunger and thirst after it let vs seeke for it for if that be wanting it is impossible we should grow in knowledge or in any grace of God to eternal life And thus much for the third fruit or effect of true Repentance namely a hungring after more knowledge and a dayly growth and proceeding in the same It followeth His going forth is prepared as the Morning IN these words is heere layde downe the fourth fruit and effect of true repentance namely that when as sinners doe truely Turne vnto God and draw neare vnto him by true repentance then will hee draw neare vnto vs to helpe vs and to deliuer vs out of all our misery The meaning of the words His going forth is prepared as the Morning that is as though the people of God should haue said Although the Lord hath let vs lye a long time in misery so as he seemed to haue cleane forgotten vs although hee hath hidden his face from vs for a little time yet now hee is comming to succour vs for by this comming forth of the Lord is signified his helpe and comfort which he is ready to shew to his people in time of great extremity and need As the Morning The meaning is that euen as the bright beames and cleare countenance of the Sunne after a windy tempestuous stormy and boysterous night is very comfortable euen so the bright beams of Gods mercy breaking forth and shining vpon our hearts after a sad and solemne nay a darke and cloudy night of affliction it is most comfortable to glad and reioyce the distressed Soule of a poore Sinner Doct. From whence wee obserue this Doctrine that howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time Howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time hee forsaketh them not for euer yet hee forsaketh them not for euer the Lord putteth vnder his owne hand hee is priuy to the sighes and grones of his seruants and in his due time he wil deliuer them howsoeuer their afflictions may continue vpon them perhaps a long time together and that they haue no breathing time No not to swallow their spittle as Iob complaineth Psal 37.24 Iob. 7.19 yet Hee that keepeth Israel doth neyther slumber nor sleepe and when he hath sufficiently humbled vs He will then arise and haue mercy vpon Sion Esa 54.7.8 This the Lord expresseth by the Prophet Esay For a little time haue I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee In a moment in my anger I hid my face from thee for a little season bâ—t with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee Psa 34.15.18 This is acknowledged by the Prophet Dauid where he sayth The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open vnto their cry The Lord is neare vnto those that are of a contrite heart and will saue such as are afflicted in spirit What larger promise can bee made vnto the afflicted then this that his eares are open to their cry and that hee will saue such as are afflicted in spirite And this is it which our Sauiour himselfe often alledgeth for the comfort of his Disciples Ioh. 14.18 Mat. 18.20 Mat 28.20 Gen. 41.14 Iam. 5.11 Exod. 12.41 Psal 18.1 Dan. 6.23 Micha 7.8.10 I will not leaue you comfortlesse but I will come vnto you loe I am with you to the end of the world This appeareth by the histories of Ioseph of Iob of the Church in Egypt of Dauid of Daniel whom the Lord did humble for a time vnder the heauy burden of fore affliction but it was but for a time for comfort was euen then prepared and when the time of refreshing came it brake out as the rising of the Sunne and tne bright beames of the Morning after a tempestuous night which of all things is then most ioyfull and comfortable And so shall it bee with all the godly let their afflictions be what they may bee inward or outvard of body or of mind or of both the Lord may seeme for a time to haue forgotten his but hee that should come will come and will not tarry and when deliuerance is most welcome and that wee vtterly despaire of any comfort of our selues then will the Lords Mercy deliuerance breake foorth as the Morning And to this purpose are the words of Salomon where hee sayth The hope that is deferred Pro. 13.12 is the fainting of the heart But when the desire commeth it is a tree of life All these Testimonies are so many witnesses of this truth that howsoeuer Gods children goe drouping for a time through the sense and feeling of their sins and cannot any way or by any meanes receiue any comfort or howsoeuer outwardly they may bee afflicted yet God hath determined their deliuerance His comming foorth to comfort and deliuer them is prepared as the morning c. Now this deliuerance which the Lord
hath promised to his children to comfort their wounded consciences Gods deliuerance compared to the morning in three respects and those that are in misery hee compares it to the rising of the Sunne and the bright and comfortable beames of the morning for these three causes First because that though the Lord doe seeme to forget his people for a time and deferre his helpe yet in his good time hee will come with abundance of comfort and cause the bright beams of his fauour and the cleare Sunne-shine of his mercy A Similie to shine into our distressed soules If a man were in a waste wildernesse in a darke and solemne night and see neyther Sunne Moone nor Starre but heare the fearefull and terrible roaring and velling of wilde beasts Oh how glad would this man be after a dangerous tempestuous stormy and solemne night to see the face of the Sunne and the comfortable dawning of the day Euen so what can bee more comfortable to a poore distressed Soule and a wounded conscience after many blacke and stormy nights of affliction when the conscience of a poore sinner is vpon the Racke and when a poore Soule shall see the anger of God against sinne see the torment of Hell and his owne conscience accusing him for sinne What can bee more comfortable or more longed for of such a man then to behold the bright beames of Gods mercy in Iesus Christ to see the comfortable face of God to shine vpon him and to haue a sense and feeling of his mercy Act. 27. When Paul and his company had not seene the Sunne nor Moone for a long season at length they were glad to see the light appeare Euen so when a poore soule hath beene plunged euen to the bottome of the sea of desperation and sees no one glaunce or glimmering of Gods mercy but rather hath a long time wrestled against the waues of desperation then to see but one sparke or glimmering of Gods mercy it is that which makes the hearts of Gods children to leape for ioy Secondly it pleaseth the Lord to compare his helpe to the rising of the Sunne because as nothing can hinder that from rising but it keepeth continually that course which God hath set it Euen so the Lord he hath prepared the helpe of his people and the Deuill nay all the Deuils in Hell cannot hinder him no more then wee can by all our skill and might hinder the rising of the Sunne And surely this is greatly for the comfort of Gods children that when the Lord is once Prepared and comming to helpe them no Creature in heauen or earth can stay or stop him Thirdly as the morning doth not diffuse and spread his light ouer the earth all at once but by degrees by little and little as the Sunne growes higher and higher Euen so the Lord for the most part makes his loue and his mercy known vnto men not all at once but by degrees by little and little as it seemes best to his Maiesty and for the comfort of his children Seeing the Lord is Prepared to helpe vs and that with abundance of comfort and so as no Creature no not the gates of Hell cannot hinder him but he will make his loue knowne vnto vs Wee must all learne to possesse our soules with patience to awayte the Lords leasure for our deliuerance not to prescribe vnto him the manner or the time when wee would be deliuered It is sufficient for vs to know that comfort is prepared Wee are ready in our troubles when we find not present helpe at hand to suppose the Lord to bee farre off and so grow impatient of delay cannot abide to wayte the Lords leysure so soon as Gods hand is layde vpon vs wee looke to haue it taken off and so soone as wee feele the heat of affliction we look that God should quench it This made the Prophet Dauid in the heat of his affliction to cry out Psal 10.1 Why standest thou so farre off O Lord and hidest thee in due time euen in affliction And in another place hee sayth Hath God forgotten to bee gracious and hath hee shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure Thus the children of God haue wonderfully beene assaulted and the flesh somtime wrestling against the Spirit preuaileth and for a time getteth the vpper hand But seeing our doctrine hath taught vs as wee haue heard that howsoeuer God doth humble his children for a time yet he forsaketh them not for euer but in the middest of all their afflictions and tryals mercy and deliuerance is prepared for them Let vs learne heere how great so euer our conflicts bee not to despayre of Gods mercy but to Tarry the Lords leysure for it will surely and certainly come euen as the Sun is sure to rise though it bee set for a time or hidden by a thicke cloud yet it will breake out and appeare most comfortably Vse 2 Seeing the Lords comming vnto the godly is prepared and therefore most certaine to come So the same shall come as the Sunne in the morning most comfortable Wee are taught heere that our deliuerance from God shall bee sure to come when wee can most of all prize it and when the same shall bee most welcome vnto vs. A Marchant takes his voyage into a farre Country A Similie and makes his reckoning within so many monethes to returne his louing wife at home about that time appointed with gladsome heart looketh dayly for his returne but by distresse of weather or some other accident she heares not of him or if shee doe the newes is most vncomfortable thus shee hath her heart possessed with sorrow hauing more cause of feare then hope At last when stee thinketh least her dearest husband returneth safe with great store of wealth who is able to expresse her ioy and is not her ioy the greater and her husband so much the more welcome for that he stayed so long Yes doubtlesse So it fareth with our God his delaying of comfort and deliuerance makes vs to prize the same the better when it doth come When wee haue layne a long time vnder the heat of Gods wrath and suffered a sore night of affliction when our sinnes haue mustered themselues before vs and gone ouer our heads as afore burthen too heauie for vs to beare and when wee shall seeme altogether lost in our selues then to be found of the Lord is most sweete and comfortable Oh it is the case of many of Gods deare children that haue vndergone a sore night of affliction and sorrow for sinne A principall comfort for the afflicted soule and haue been ready to say I am cast out of thy fauour yet hath the Lord at last answered their long expectation with a ioyful Morning of Sunne-shine of his mercy and fauour the bones that seemed to be broken haue reioyced Oh then let vs stay our soules vpon this that howsoeuer No chasticement for the present seemeth to be
should abound in sinne This is the reason why the Lord taxeth Gilead here euen because it was one of those sixe Cities of refuge Mat. 23 38. Luk. 19. because it was the Nursery of the Priests and Leuites This wee may see of Ierusalem for there had our Sauiour bestowed his greatest paines continually teaching and preaching amongst them in Ierusalem he wrought there the greatest part of his wonderfull heauenly miracles there hither his Prophets and Apostles were sent to teach and instruct them in the Word of God and to bring them home to Iesus Christ yet for al this our Sauiour was constrayned to weepe for the wofull misery of this City yet for all this Ierusalem must be destroyed defaced and extinguished and made a spectacle of his wrath to all posterities for euermore This is clearely to bee seene by those seuen Churches of Asia Reu. 2.3 that sometimes were so famous in the world in the dayes of Saint Iohn What is become of Ephesus Philippi Constantinople and Rome so glorious Churches sometimes in the world Are they not gone and become the Cage of vncleane birds 2. Thes 2.10 euen of Antichrist himselfe who preuayleth in them that perish because they receyued not the loue of the truth that they might bee saued And therfore God hath sent them strong delusions to beleeue lyes Surely God in all ages of the world hath declared the same vnto vs now peace now persecution peace being abused the Lord hath not fayled to bring his iudgements vpon the sonnes of men But of this before Well seeing this is the righteous dealing of God Vse 1 that those places which hee hath most priuiledged aboue others and bestowed most meanes on aboue others they shall drinke deeper of the cup of his anger if they bee wicked and vngodly liuing in sinne then others that haue not enioyed the like fauours from God Then it must teach vs all in the feare of God to looke about vs that according to the meanes God doth bestow vpon vs wee labour to bee answerable to the same in fruites in knowledge in faith in repentance and obedience zeale patience c. But aboue all things take wee heed that wee doe not degenerate and grow worse then others to abound with iniquity and impiety with lying deceit swearing couetousnesse c. For then let vs know that the Lord will make our punishment answerable to Tyrus Sydon yea to Sodom Gomer yea their iudgements shall be lighter then ours as our Sauiour sayth Mat. 11.20.21 Ezech. 16.46.53 It shall bee easier for Sodom in the day of iudgement then for you And the Lord by the Prophet Ezechiel threatneth thus that because the iniquities of the people of Israel were like vnto the Sodomites Therefore will I bring againe their captiuity and the captiuity of Sodome and her Daughters and the captiuitie of Samaria and her daughters euen the captiuity of thy Captiues in the middest of them And surely if wee shall grow worser then other places and abound in sinne more then other men how can wee but looke to reape a greater measure of punishment thē other There is no sin greater then the contempt of the Gospell nor no mercy greater then the peaceable enioying of the liberty of the same and therefore no punishment or reward of sinne shall be more horrible then the punishment that shall bee infflicted for the neglect or contempt thereof Oh take wee heed then least we contemne the Gospell and so being found guilty of one of the greatest sinnes wee incurre Gods wrath against vs and cause him to bring vpon vs his greatest punishments Secondly seeing the Lord doth threaten heere Vse 2 euen Gilead one of those sixe Cities of refuge and the Citty that was inhabited with the Priests and Leuites Religion is not tyed to one place that euen Gilead should bee cut off and slaine as in the fift verse going before that is that God would bring to passe vpon Gilead all those threatnings which his seruants the Prophets had denounced in his name Hence wee see that Religion and the worship of God is not tyed to any place to any kingdome towne or City no longer then they doe walke in the duties of Religion and of the true seruice and worship of God yea if Ierusalem that holy City the wonder of the world that place which God himselfe had chosen fall from God and beginne to forsake his son Christ and to contemn his sonne Christ Ierusalem then must looke for heauy plagues and grieuous iudgements yea if Gilead that was so priuiledged aboue other Cities and places of the world will not walke holily and beare themselues thankefully in the daies of peace the Lord will not fayle to bring euen vpon Gilead many plagues and grieuous iudgements against sinne Oh then if all things that are written bee written for our learning then let the iudgement of God vpon this City bee a warning to vs all Wee haue by Gods mercy the pure seruice and worship of God his Gospell sincerely preached and taught amongst vs almost these threescore years together Now let vs see whether our case bee not like the state of Gilead they were grieuous sinners so are we amongst them were found many great and grieuous sinnes a Citie that abounded with all manner of iniquitie as swearing lying deceit murder oppression vncleanesse c. and are not wee guilty of the same sinnes yes yes they were neuer more plenty in Gilead then they are in England and therefore wee may well feare that wee that haue beene like to Gilead in sinne shall one day be like to them in their punishment The Lord by his Prophet Amos hath threatned there a great and a grieuous iudgement against the neglect and contempt of his Word and other the gracious meanes that hee doth vouchsafe vnto vs for our good Behold the dayes come sayth the Lord Amos. 8.11 that I will send a Famine into the Land not a famine of bread or thirst of water but of hearing the Word of the Lord. Oh it is greatly to bee feared that wee may one day feele the smart of this iudgement the want of the Word and glorious Gospell of Christ that made so light account of the same in the time of peace then shall wee mourne then shall wee lament then shall wee lye in the dust then wee shall weepe and wayle and wring our hands and wish that wee might heare if it were but one Sermon to comfort our distressed Soules And in very deed if wee consider Gods dealing towards vs wee may see that these blacke stormy dayes are drawing on Doth not the Lord picke out from amongst vs the most renowned men from Church and common wealth the pillars of the Church and stayes of Religion doth not the Lord euen by this meanes giue vs a faire warning that vnlesse we amend and become sincere Christians and bee zealous in his seruice and worshippe and more highly
rauening Wolues and cruell murderers of soules for then it may bee sayd Like Priest like people an ignorant prophane couetous Minister a vile ignorant and prophane people and therfore in the three first Chapters of the Reuelation wee shall find that what fault soeuer the Lord finds there with the Minister the people are guilty of the same If the Minister be reproued they are reproued If the Minister be praised so bee they And on the contrary to haue a carefull Moses or a painefull Paul to bee set ouer vs it is counted a singular testimony of Gods loue a great mercy of God for if the Minister bee painefull and carefull to teach in season and out of season it must needs be that the people will bee wise full of knowledge zeale patience and all heauenly graces Oh then let vs pray vnto the Lord to remoue that iudgement if it bee on vs and intreat the Lord to shew vs that mercy that we may not haue a cruell murdering Priest of Baal but a true Prophet of God that may watch ouer our soules as one that must giue account of them at the last day Io 21. Act. 28.20 Ezech. 34. that may feed the sheepe and Lambes of Christ with the pure and wholesome food of Gods word and not with the stinking trash of mans inuention Doct. 2 Againe seeing those Priests of Baal which were but theeues and murderers in the sight of God set themselues to inuent cursed councell against the Prophets and people of God Nature of the wicked to deuise all the mischiefe they can against the godly to deuise mischiefe against them then to practise it as occasion was offered we may from hence obserue the nature of false Prophets whom Christ cals theeues and murderers They seeke to deuise all the mischiefe they can against the true Prophets of God and to the vttermost of their power practise and effect it That of Amaziah against Amos doth manifest the same Amos. 7 1â— and that conspiracy against Ieremy when no means else could serue Come let vs deuise some euill against Ieremy Ier. 18.18 and smite him with the tongue So they confesse Dan. 6.5 they could find no fault against godly Daniel vnlesse it were the worshipping of his God they sought out many things against him but nothing could they find but euen his piety and religion and when all other meanes fayled that was matter sufficient to worke vpon but their mischiefe fell vpon their owne pate and they spunne a threed to hang themselues withall Alike plotte and practise against the Church wee see in the dayes of Mordecai and Esther when Haman was exalted Hest 3.1.6.13 his seat set aboue all the Princes of the Kingdome hee thought it too little to lay hands on Mordecai and therefore hee layde his plotte to destroy all the Iewes young and old in one day And this is plentifully taught vs in the booke of the Lamentations Lam. 5.4 Our necks are vnder persecutors wee are weary and haue no rest c. These places teach vs that the enemies of Gods Church howsoeuer many times they couer the depth of their hearts are full of all vnrighteousnes wickednesse enuy murders haters of God without naturall affection mercilesse without humility and humanity But of this else where Let all such men as be like to Ieroboams Priests that Vse 1 set their cursed heads a worke against the Lord and against his true and faithfull seruants let them know that this mischiefe the which they now so craftily deuise is not so much against man as it is against God Hee that heareth you heareth mee and hee that despiseth you despiseth mee So that they doe but striue against the streame and shall in the end draw downe the heauie wrath of God vpon them And let it admonish all those which doe deuise euill against Syon against Gods truth and against his holie Seruants and the professors of his name let them know that they doe it to the dishonour of God and he will one day call them to account for it Touch not mine Annointed and doe my Prophets no harme And this their mischieuous imagination against the Lord and his truth shal not prosper Vse 2 Secondly seeing this is the portion of Gods children to find such hard dealing from the wicked wee are here to consider the cause of it it is not for euill but for goodnesse sake Esay 59.5 Whosoeuer refrayneth from euill maketh himselfe a prey This was the estate of the Church euen from righteous Abel whose bloud cried for vengeance Consider then what manner of Religion it is that wee take vpon vs to professe euen that the which hath the Sunne Moone and Starres against it Our Sauiour himselfe telleth vs what will follow the profession of the Gospell I came not to send peace into the earth Mat. 10.34 but the sword For I came to set a man at vaiance with his father c. We must take notice of this aforehand before wee giue vp our names to Christ that this must bee our entertainement in the World and at the hands of wicked men that so these crosses which shall happen vnto vs heere may not any way daunt vs but that wee bee still prepared for them By Consent Doct. 3 Note here that it was not the sinne of one or two or some few of the Priests Councels may erre and Magistrates and Ministers in matters of Faith and manners that had thus sinned against the Lord but it was the sin of the multitude of them they all confederate together and ioyne in one both in condemning the innocent and iustifying of the nocent From whence wee learne that Rulers and Ministers of a particular visible Church may erre in matters of faith and manners and that councels haue been against the Lord and against his Church Which Doctrine is very cleare by diuers places in the booke of God as that of the Prophet Esay Esay 6.10 The Watchmen are all blind they bee a sleepe and delight in sleeping Now in what state could this people be in when their Watchmen were blind those that were the heads and guides of the people Againe 2. Chr. 36.14 All the chiefe of the Priests also and of the people trespassed wonderfully according to all the abhominations of the Heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which hee had sanctified in Ierusalem And this doth the Prophet Ieremy shew when hee sayth Ier. 3.5 I will get mee to the great men and will speake vnto them for they haue known the way of the Lord and the iudgement of their God but these haue altogether broken the yoake burst the bones This is cleared by the Prophet Hosea Hos 7.7 when hee sayth They are all hote as an Ouen and haue deuoured their Iudges all their Kings are fallen Mich. 6.16 there is none amongst them that calleth vpon mee sayth the Lord. This is that which