agree with our owne liking and fancies I shall strive to give satisfaction in this point both negatively and affirmatively 1. Let us generally know that the meanes of pacifying Gods wrath Difference of meanes are no meanes of our owne prescribing or which mans wisedom directs unto There are meanes I know which may ought be used in case of Pestilence as of other publick evils but ought not to be rested in there are againe Meanes which are meerly of mans devising and therefore such as may neither be rested in nor so much as used especially so as man prescribes them being in that regard lesse or more sinfull and unlawfull Lastly there are meanes of pacifying Gods wrath and of avoyding his judgements or at least of escaping the evill sting or hurt of them which may and ought bee used yea being rightly used may be rested in so far as a blessing by vertue of Gods promise may be expected froÌ„ God one way or other 1. Some meanes may be used but not rested in 1. The common rule of the world as also of Physicians in case of Pestilence is to flee or to withdraw a mans selfe quickly from places infected Pestis tempore fuge citò procul â—ardè revertaris Marsil Ficin Epidem antidot cap. 1. yea to remove farre off and not to returne hastily but at leisure This I deny not to be lawfull yea necessary where and so far as mens callings especially publicke will permit them How farre publicke persons especially Ministers who take themselues charged with cure of soules whether from God alone or from man also may withdraw themselues in case of grievous and raging Pestilence Flight oâ— removall from plaâ—â— infected I rather leave to casuists and their owne consciences to determin Conscience I suppose will not so farre and so soone dispence with some in this case as man will Yet how farre God and conscience will dispence with humane fears where hee either denies such a measure of faith or would overcome al feares and yet not presume or where hee both opens a way â—â—w far a â—â—ister â—â—ing â—eerly a Lecturer may flee and some other way cals a man out and restraines him for a season from the ordinary and appointed place of Gods worship and exercise of his function or how farr such an one having otherwise no pastorall charge may both with faith and a good conscience during apparant hazard to his person withdraw himself and so reserve himselfe to better times meerely out of respect to their good who for the present seeme a while neglected I leave this also to others judgement least in mine owne case I may seeme too partiall who hitherto have been as much if not more guided by the judgement yea importunitie also of many godly and unpartial Christians and so I take by direction from God then by mine owne either judgement or will at the first Onely Davids case is made by many heere considerable of all Christians whether Teachers or others who in time of pestilence was directed by God to purchase Ornans threshing floore 1 Chron. 21 14-18 19 26-28 29 30. and there to build an Altar and there to sacrifice for the present and that acceptably whilst that hedg or breach is not made up it s in vaine to think by bodily flight to escape or flee from Gods wrath when it is once gone out We must either humble our selves for our Sins Which is to leave their Sins behind them or never account our selves safe by fleeing Pestilence is sent for our sins to separate betweene us and them therefore if yee will flee either leave your Sin behind you as a Sacrifice to that destroying Nemesis or to Gods vengeance or looke not to escape Redeeme the life both of body soule by parting with your Sins even such as are dearest most delightsome most gainefull or otherwise advantageous to you in worldly respects And imitate herein the wisdom of the Beaver which hunted for his stones which formerly have beene accounted of more price than his skinne or wooll now and finding himselfe hotly pursued bites off the same and leaves them to the Huntsman as a ransome of his life Now it is not our life which this Nimrod and pursuer the Pestilence comes for it is only our right eye of offence or our right hand or foot that is som sin or lust yet unmortified which is as deare to us as our right eye or as gainefull as our right hand or as usefull otherwise in our sinfull aymes as our right foot Let us but mortifie these and utterly in purpose of heart resolution of will and in a true hatred abandon them then may wee with more comfort and confidence flee from the contagion of pestilence and more securely cast our selves into the armes of Gods providence but not till then It will little avayle us to be spared and respited a while seeing God when we thinke all perils past Otherwise there is no fleeing froÌ„ Gods wrath can either call us to an after reckoning in the same kinde or in some other Looke we into the same Chapter and wee shall see this verified The whole Congregation of the children of Israel had made themselves some way guilty in the rebellion of Korah insomuch as God was ready to have consumed then in a moment Numb 16.21 22 had not Moses and Aaron interceded and prevailed for many of them Well the Congregation according to Gods appointment get them up from about the Tabernacle of Korah 24 26 Dathan and Abiram 27 on every side after which the earth opened her mouth and swallowed these up who perished from among the Congregation 32 33 34 Now all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them for they said lest the earth swallow us up also Thus they flee further off and seeme more safe then before Yea but they repented not of their sinne by which they had deserved like destruction they left not their rebellion behind them when they fled and therefore though thus farr they were safe yet obserue what presently followes And there came out a fire from the Lord 35 and consumed the two hundred and fiftie men who were Princes of the assembly men of renowne that offered incense verse 2. Loe these gained but little but even a little time by their fleeing from the former judgment And what did many of the rest of them who also fled from the opening of the earth and escaped this fire first it is said verse 41. On the morrow all the Congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron Loe they carry their old sinne of murmuring with them and this brought new wrath upon many of them al deserving it even the Plague in my text 45 in which there died foureteene thousand and seven hundred 49. after which the rest returning to their murmurings and other sinnes were all destroyed in the wildernesse
of the Church â—nd Common-wealth we â—nly mind our own good â—nd safety no hee will â—ave us also according to â—ur severall places calâ—â—ngs gifts to become Inâ—â—rcessors to him for others â—lso and to helpe to turne â—way wrath from others â—nd our selves This God â—â—oked for though in â—â—aine of his people and â—his he lookes for from us now Ezek. 22.30 And I sought for 〈◊〉 man among them saith the Lord that should make 〈◊〉 the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none therefore haue I poured out mine indignation upon them 31. I haâ— consumed them with tâ—â— fire of my wrath 2. According to Method From these places 〈◊〉 Scripture wee see whâ—â— kind of duties the Loâ—â— expects from us when â—vill is upon or yet but â—â—wards us and what he 〈◊〉 this time of Pestilenâ— expects more especiall from us of this place yâ—â— and nation generally eveâ— from such as being otherwise of the same body of our Church and nation are yet free from the infection of this noysome disease Which duties I may The meanes appointed of God to be uâ—ed in case of Pestilence c. are by God himselfe brought to foure duties for method and memories sake reduce unto those foure which God expects from us in case of Pestilence as necessary conditions without which severally and joyntly in some good manner performed we can expect no hearing of our prayers nor healing either of our soules in and by the pardon of our sinnes or of our land and place in mercy at least by taking away this plague The words runne thus which God utters by way of answere to King Solomons godly wise prayer at the dedication of the Temple which was a type of Christ in our nature in whom onely for whom all prayers are savingly heard 2. Chron. 7.13.14 If I send Pestilence among my people if my people which are called by my name shal humble themselves and pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked wayes then will I heare from Heaven and will forgive their sinne and will heale their land The duties here are foure 1. Selfe-humbling 2. Prayer 3. Seeking of Gods face and favour in and by prayer more then any thing else seeing many pray against the outward evill of plague who not caring much for Gods displeasure otherwise never seeke his face 4. Turning from sin Vnto these foure all or most of the forenamed duties are reducible which foure also may bee reduced to these two heads Turning first to God secondly from sinne In one word there is required Turning or Conversion which according to the two termes or points 1. to what or whom and 2. from what or whom is a conversion or turning first to God and his wayes secondly from our owne sinfull wayes The first three Duties belong to our turning unto God 1. Selfe-humbling 1. Selfe-humbling Now to selfe-humbling there are three things required if they may not be called parts thereof Vnto which belong 1. Conviction First Conviction upon a due Consideration 1. Of Gods Iudgements upon us in the 1. Author 2. End 3. Nature 4. Cause which is our sin and so 2. Consideration of our sinne or sinnes as Causes of the evill which is incumbenâ— upon us which is a very large usefull and fundamentall point to consider of 2. Confession of sinne found out 3. Contrition 2. Confession or true inward and hearty Sorrow expressed outwardly by all fit and lively signes of it as by fasting weeping Outwardly expressed by al signes of Humiliation prostration of the body vile apparell and the like which may testifie truely without dissimulation the inward condition and state of the soule which not excluding the former two may more properly come under the name of Selfe-humbling 2. Prayer 2. The second dutie is Prayer and Invocation of Gods name 3. Reconciliation with God 3. The third is Seeking of the face of God and Reconciliation with him 4. Turning from our wicked wayes which implyes 1. Reformation of life 4. The fourth dutie is a Turning from our wicked wayes which implyes 1. Reformation of our lives and of things amisse and out of order by bringing all right againe both in matter of Doctrine and of life according to the only rule of Gods word 2. Renuing of covenant 2. Renuing of our Covenant with God by solemne promise vow 3. Keeping of covenant vvhy not Oath at least serious purpose and protestation 3. Ratifying and confirming of the same by a speedy and also constant performance of Covenant without returning to our former evill wayes and provocations againe With all these we must all of us as God may require it at our hands according to our several places and abilities or as wee are in favour with his heavenly Majestie labour to become Intercessours To which add 5. Intercession for others or a standing in the gap which must be done 1. By Magistrates and to stand in the gap for the land or place where wee live to turne away wrath from it vvhich must bee done 1. By Magistrates chiefe and subordinate who must both inquire into offences and punish the same Good Magistrates have a chiefe stroke in keeping off or in removing of wrath from a people God never publikely judgeth by Pestilence or otherwise but Magistrates first neglect their dutie in judging If they did unpartially execute Gods judgements God would not so immediatly with his owne hand judge us or give us into the hand of mercilesse men to bee judged vvith their judgements 2. By Ministers 2. By the Ministers of the word who must stand in the gap by a right discovery of sin and danger and many other waies and not bee like the Prophets of Israel which were like the Foxes in the deserts ye have not saith the Lord Ezek. 13 4â—.5 gone up into the gapps neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battell in the day of the Lord yet thus much the Lord requires of his Ministers 3. By All 3. By all How which wee must all strive to doe making up the hedge for our selves and others 1. By rightteousnesse 1. By becomming righteous our selves Iob 22.30 Gen. 18.32 and by seeking righteousnes Zeph. 2.3 2. Mourning 2. By mourning for and bewayling the sinnes and dangers of the time and place where wee live Ezek. 9.4 3. Prayer 3. By earnest prayer and intercession so Abraham prevaled for Lot Gen. 18. Lot for Zoar Moses for the Israelites often Iob for his friends and David and his Elders for Ierusalem the destruction of which after the death of seventy thousand else where was by his repentance and intercession prevented 1. Chron 21.14.15 c. These particulars are large and must bee handled God assisting on their severall and more proper grounds of Scripture I will not farther burthen this short text with them contenting my selfe onely here to point unto them seeing the text it selfe implyeth the use of such meanes as God hath appointed for the pacifying and averting of his wrath Now the Lord give us hearts wisedome and grace to make use of these meanes in time both for his glory and our own safety bodily and spiriâ—uall Amen FINIS The number of those that died at New-castle within the liberties from the 7. of May till December 31. of the Plague as followeth 1636. MAy 7. to 14. 59. May 14. to 21. 55. May 21. to 28. 99. May 28. to Iune 4. 122 Iune 4. to 11. 99. Iune 11. to 18. 162. Iune 18. to 25. 133. Iune 25. to 2. of Iuly 172. Iuly 2. to 9. 184. Iuly 9. to 16. 212. Iuly 16. to 23. 270. Iuly 23. to 30. 366. Aug. 30. to 7. 337. Aug. 7. to 14. 422. Aug. 14. to 21. 346. Aug. 21. to 28. 246. Septemb. 4. 520. Septemb. 4. to 11. 325. Septemb. 11. to the last of December 908. The totall is 5027. Buried in Garth-side in New-castle this present yeare 1636. as followeth May 30 to Iune 6 10 Iune 6 to 13 24 Iune 13 to 20. 19 Iune 20 to 27 34 Iune 27 to Iuly 4 40 Iuly 4 to 11 75 Iuly 11 to 18 66 Iuly 18 to 25 60 Iuly 25 to August 1 60 Aug. 1 to 8 29 Aug. 8 to 15 17 Aug. 15 to 22 18 Aug. 22 to 29 13 Aug. 29 to Septem 5 14 Septemb. 5 to 12 11 Septemb. 12 to 19 7 Septemb. 19 to 26 4 Septemb. 26 to Octob. 3 6 October 3 to 10 2 October 10 to 17 â— October 17 â— The totall is 515.
to destroy whence Origeâ— notes that the wicked aâ—â— as earthen vessels of dishonour to bee broken Anâ— doubtlesse the Lord by his judgements breakes iâ— upon his people like thâ— sea and makes a breaâ—â— among them as now by Pestilence by which heâ— scatters us one from another c. But especially here Pestilence And of this Plague by Pestilence wee understand the word here This same word is used also by Moses when hee speakes of the last Plague of Aegypt Exod. 12.23.27 the death of the first borne wherewith God is said by his Angell to smite them And that Angell is called a Destroyer For as God by an Angell delivered his people out of Aegypt Numb 20.16 so by an Angell hee destroyed their enemies Hebr. 11.28 So that it is very likely that those first borne were destroyed by Pestilence to which I I conceive the Lord in Amos hath reference when hee saith I have sent among you the Pestilence after the manner of Aegypt Amos 4.10 Even so in the Pestilence which was in King Davids time hee is called the Angell that destroyed the people 2. Sam. 24.16 Moreover these Murmurers were threatned to bee smitten with the Pestilence Numb 14.12 I will smite them saith the Lord with the Pestilence now when after this threatning were they so smitten unlesse at this time It is not much materiall to our maine scope whether this Plague here were the Pestilence or no yet so we now take it Doctr. and doe observe that the Pestilence is Wrath Pestilence is an effect and signe of wrath in God or a signe and effect of Wrath and of Gods displeasure Here wee see the one is explanied and expressed by the other and this is the Observation hence to be made yet it is not so much a signe of Gods wrathfull displeasure to each and every particular person smitten by it seeing a child of God may both be smitten and die of it as to the Communaltie to the Kingdome Citie To whom Towne or place where it is in which a breach is made as in Davids case Yet here in my text they were all guilty and for the most part the Pestilence as well as the Sword comming to avenge the quarrell of Gods covenant â—ev 26.25 and to punish the disobedient and obstinate its maine busines is with those against whom God hath the greatest quarrell It is no ordinary death The Plague then is and must be taken to be a fearfull signe of Gods displeasure and wrath as it was said of the Aegyptians Hâ—â— that is God cast upoÌ„ them the fiercenesse of his anger Psal 78.49 â—0 51 wrath and indignation and trouble by sending evill angels among them Hee gave their life over to the Pestilence and smote all the first-borne in Aegypt c. So Numb 25.3 4 -8. This is not an ordinarie death or death barelie VVhy or a debt we owe to God and Nature as an effect of originall Sin or of Sin generallie but this as the like deaths by Sword and Famine is an effect of some great speciall spreading and raigning Sins In it is wrath and the face of an angrie God may ought be seen in it For 1. 1. Gods hand is specially in it Gods hand is more seen or to be seen in it God is said To fall upon or to meet men with Pestilence â—xod 5.3 â—am 24. And it s A falling into the hands of the Lord. In the place Exodus 5.3 as elsewhere I know the Greeke and Chaldee translate the word there used Deber Death yet that death is Pestilence for so the Holy Ghost puts it for Pestilence in Revel 6.8 from Ezek. 14.21 So the Murraine or Pestilence on the cattel is said to be from the hand of the Lord. Exod. 9.3 2. It s full of wofull evill Psal â—1 3 2. Commonlie it is a grievous death as that a grievous Murraine Exod. 9.3 And the Psalmist cals it noysome or rather wofull Pestilence or Pest of wofull miseries or evils Now what these evils are who knows not Through the noysomnesse and contagion of it it makes a man a straÌ„ger to his own house to his dearest friends yea as it were an enemie to them and an instrument of death to wife children friends and it deprives a man of comforters in his greatest agonie and need and at length of life and of an Honorable buriall It s an enemie of trading and civill commerce it s commonlie accompanied with Famine and followed where it workes not reformation with 〈◊〉 stung by Gods wise providence with this deadlie disease so the whole point it selfe affords unto us a double instruction Vse 1 Not to bee secure in time of pestilence 1. Not to dallie with God at such times especiallie as these God is in good earnest with us truly displeased with us with our waies and would have us know so much whilest hee manifests his wrath from heaven against us by Plague and Pestilence which is one of his foure sore Iudgements Ezek. 14.21 whereby hee powres out his furie upon us in blood to cut off man and beast as wee have great cause to feare Verse 29. and which he would have us take not for an ordinarie death but for a true signe of his Wrath which hee would have us see in it and accordinglie feare and tremble and so worke out our Salvation breaking off our Sins by Repentance and amendment of life not making light thereof when his hand is so heavie upon us for the same When Pestilence finds us in our Sin it is a fearfull signe of heavie wrath from God but if it leave us in our Sin then is it yet a more fearfull signe of Gods hot displeasure for so it leaves us either to the Sword of mercilesse and everlasting destruction of soule body as the just and full desert and reward of our sinnes Alas what is the plague or any bodily evill to this that we should be so much troubled with it and use such meanes and care to prevent or fly from it and yet the mean while be no whit at all or very little touched with a sense or feare of the other And to seek Gods favour more then health or life wheras a man may escape the danger of the Pestilence and be free from it and other bodily evills and yet be and remaine under Gods heavie and sore displeasure and so be liable to all plagues and punishments which his sinns deserve to be inflicted on him in this life and in hell for ever as on the contrary one may bee smitten in body by plague and pestilence as wee conceive King Hezekiah was or by some sore Isay 34 1-21 Psal 6.1 1 3. 9. 38 1 2 deadly or dangerous disease and sicknes as David was and yet be in happie and blessed estate and condition as being in love and favour with God though it
may bee not alwayes in that fresh sense and feeling of it which he desires This made holy David in his sickness pray in this manner and after this method O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten mee in thy hot displeasure Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed Where though in the second place he prayeth for healing yet firstly chiefly he praies both against Gods hot displeasure for his mercy and favour He by occasion of his sicknesse apprehends Gods displeasure heavie wrath as the just desert of his sinne if God should deale with him in rigour and accordingly is more affected in soule thorow a sense of Gods wrath then in body through the feeling of his disease or affliction and therefore he praies not so much against the sicknes or evill which troubled him in body which he tooke onely as a fatherly chastisement and which hee could well indure according to that of Christ As many as I love Revel 3.19 I rebuke and chasten as against Gods wrath caused by his sinne which he well knew to be intolerable it being such as when it lay upon Christ the eternall Son of God in our nature who as our suretie and in our stead tooke it upon him made him cry out My God why hast thou forsaken mee Many of us never looke so farre as to the inward affection of anger in God though it bee not properly in him if they had but the outward evill removed as now this of Plague they little regard Gods wrath and displeasure froÌ„ whence it comes or how contrary God is unto them though they should utterly in soule and eternally be consumed by it for they would returne presently to yea doe still continue in those sinnes which bring them under his curse and wrathful displeasure making light account thereof with Pharao sometimes desiring a removal of the evil which was upon him and his people but never of the displeasure of God or of the hardnesse of his heart and sin provoking God unto which he presently returned Such may haue the plague kept or removed from theÌ„ now and yet remaine under and perish in Gods wrath and hot Displeasure temoprally and eternally as did Pharao Here wee may try our selvs Triall of our selves hence whether at this time the Pestilence outward evill which is amongst us or Gods displeasure trouble us most To make light of Sin to continue in it now without due search and examination of our waies or otherwise to justifie our selves in apparant evils and not to reforme them to the uttermost of our power is to make light of Gods wrath and not to feare it but to procure new wrath or at least the conâ—inuance of the old But how many such now have wee Oh say they the Plague and the evils accompanying it are intolerable and oh that this fire were once queÌ„ched But in the mean time the Sins which have provoked God to displeasure are loved pleaded for at least not forsaken or put away so much as in purpose of heart Do such men feare Gods displeasure doth his wrath trouble them or doe they see groane under his wrath whilest they complaine of the outward evils and pray for healing no alas this Plague is not seene as an effect token of Gods wrath but onely as crosse and contrarie to us in our health life friends goods to our sinful associations companying one with another whereas wee should look more to Gods wrath in the Plague than to the Plague it selfe or in any other respect and in our praiers and by our indeavours pray against wrath and beg and seeke mercie and forgivenes of our Sins more than life it selfe craving still and crying for mercie Mercie mercie good Lord nothing but mercie give and shew mâ— mercie or else I die what will health freedom from pestileÌ„ce what wil wealth or life it selfe availe me 〈◊〉 for want of mercie I periâ—â— eternallie Nay I may have these and perish Psam 92.6 7. yea these may be given me iâ— I still persist in my old sin that I may more certainlie perish Now ô holie God in wrath remember mercie and give us thy servants first aright to apprehend thy wrath now gone out against us whilest the Plague is begun that wee may be fitted and prepared both to beg and to receive mercie that thou maist be glorified by shewing mercie whilest we are ashamed abashed and truly humbled in the apprehension and acknowledgment of thy just wrath gone out against us and manifested thus by Plague and Pestilence Amen CHAP. IV. That Pestilence is from Gods Iustice and Wisedome and not to bâ—â— ascribed to any other author or instrument neither much to be fearedâ— the Godlie to whom 〈◊〉 may be a mercie Pestilence is onely from the Lord as Author Exod. 4.11 Isa 45.7 Amos 3.6 NExt wee have to consider that this wrath and this Pestilence is goâ— out from the Lord. The Lord then both wil be known to be thâ— author and inflicter of thâ— as of all other like evill 1. Threatning It is the Lord who threaneth it as wee may seâ— Exod. 9.16 Numb 14.12 and Levit. 26.25 Deut. 28.21 When yee are gathered together within your Cities I will send the Pestilence among you And saith Moses to the disobedient The Lord shall make the Pestilence cleave unto thee untill hee have consumed thee It is the Lord also who sends it and inflicts it 2. Inflicting it as of Davids people it is said So the Lord sent Pestilence upon Israel 1 Chron. 21.24 and there fell of Israell seventie thousand men And King Hezekiah being so smitten as most thinke saith Hee hath both spoken unto mee when hee said Thou shalt die Isa 38 1-14 and not live and himselfe hath done it So Amos 4.10 I have sent among you the Pestilence c. And Psal 78.50 51. This is one of the foure sore judgements which God specially sends Eze. 14.19 21. It is one of Gods arrowes of which he saith I will spend mine arrowes upon theÌ„ Deut. 32.23 24. Psa 91.5 that arrow which flieth by day That flieth both swiftlie and fetcheth or reacheth those that would flie in their Sins farthest from it The Chaldee calleth it The arrow of the Angell of death Yea Homer Iliad 1. the Poet Homer an Heathen cals it an Evill arrow And Euripides tels us that it is a Plague 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calamitie or destruction sent of God The Prophet Habakkuck trembling at Gods Majestie saith Before him went the pestilence Habak 3.5 and burning coales or burning diseases went forth at his feet Yea little children and prophane cursers wil tel you this plague is from God whilest in the streets and elswhere you may heare them curse and bid the plague of or from God yea the hot plague of God goe with such as they wish ill unto
naturally beare but prosecute if God will on more proper and particular Grounds of Scripture Heare then first how God answers hypocrites According to severall texts of Scripture and such as pretend themselves to be vvilling to be at any cost and to doe any thing to please and appease him when hee is angry Michah 6. â— 7 Wherewith shal I come before the Lord and bow my selfe before the high God Shall I come before him with burnt offerings with calves of a yeare old Will the Lord bee pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousands of rivers of oyle Shall I give my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my bodie for the Sin of my soule Now heare Gods answer Hee hath shewed thee O man what is good Verse 8. and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and to love mercie and to walke humbly with thy God or to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God And then it followes shewing this was to be done especially when God shewed his displeasure against them The Lords voice cryeth unto the Citie Verse 9. and the man of wisdome shall see thy name heare yee the rod and who hath appointed it See againe what God requires of us in such case of his judgments whether threatned or inflicted I will reprove thee saith God c. Psal 50.21.22 Now consider this yet that forget God lest I teare you in pieces Hagg. 1 5.6 c. And elswhere Consider your waies yee have sowne much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough c. thus saith the Lord of hosts againe consider your waies Mich 6.7 Consider againe upon what condition God promiseth mercie and deliverance from captivitie If they shall confesse their iniquitie Levit. 26.40.41.42 and the iniquitie of their fathers c. And that also they have walked contrary unto mee and that 〈◊〉 also have walked contrary unto them have brought theÌ„ into the land of their enemies If then their uncircumcised harts be humbled they theÌ„ accept of the punishment of their iniquitie then will I remember my cocovenaÌ„t with Iacob c. and I will remember the land Now upon consideration and confession of sin the Lord looks also we should turne to him by true and heartie Sorrow and Repentance according to that his exhortatioÌ„ by his Prophet Ioel Therefore also now Ioel 2.12.13 saith the Lord turn you even to me with all your hart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning and rent your heart and not your garment and turne unto the Lord your God The want hereof in time of Gods judgments the Lord both complaines of and also further threatens For all this Isa 9.12 13. his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still for the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of Hosts Amos 4.10 11 So elswhere I have sent the Pestilence among you after the manner of Aegypt your young men have I slain with the Sword c. yet have yee not returned unto mee saith the Lord 12. Therefore thus I will doe unto thee O Israel and because I will doe this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel In turning to God hee would have us turne from our vvicked vvaies and seeke his face and favour not returning again to our former evill waies but renuing and also keeping our Covenant of Faith Obedience and a more holy walking with him than formerly taking it ill when it is otherwise Ier. 8.6 I hearkned and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done Every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battell Therefore that hee may shevv us mercie hee will first have us Cast away from us all our transgressions Ezek. 18.31 whereby wee have transgressed and make us a new heart and a new spirit Otherwise he should seeme to favour us in our Sins Therfore when God meant to deliver his people out of the hand of the Philistines he thus speaks to them by Samuel the Prophet If yee doe returne unto the Lord with all your hearts 1 Sam. 7.3 then put away the strange gods verse 4 5 6 and Ashtaroth from among you and prepare your hearts unto the Lord and serve him onely and hee will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines This they did and withall wept abundantly fasted and prayed and confessed their Sins and were accepted So before the Lord would grant deâ—iverance by Gideon hee would have him Destroy Baals altar which his faâ—her had Iudg. 6.25 26. and cut downe the â—rove that was by it and â—uild an altar to the Lord. The reason is God will â—hew mercie favour and â—eliverance to none in â—heir Sins Hee heares not â—inners Yet he also looks that in our afflictions wee doe call upon him Psal 50.15 Call upon mee in the day of trouble I will deliver thee And Iam 5.13 Is any among you afflicted Let him pray Now with our prayers and purposes of reformation wee must renue Covenant with God and bee carefull for ever after to performe it This we are taught by the godly example of Nehemiah and the Iewes who by the mouth of the Levites having made a religious confession as of Gods goodnesse so of their wickednesse and having in theâ—â— owne persons separateâ— themselves from all strangers Nehem. 9.1 2 3 and confessed their Sins they conclude all by â—ntring into solemne coâ—enant with God saying â—n their great distresse in which they were 38. And beâ—ause of all this wee make a sure Covenant and write it â—nd our Princes Levites â—nd Priests seale unto it And the rest of the people who had understanding chap. 10.28 29 30 c. separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the Law of God clave to their Brethren their Nobles and â—ntred into a curse and into â—n oath to walke in Gods Law and to observe and â—oe all the Commandements of the lord Now the points of their Covenant were Not to joyne in marriage with the people of the land not to buy ware or victuall on the Sabbath day and to charge themselves yearely with the third part of a shâ—kell for the service of the house of God and concerning first fruits and otheâ— offerings Thus King Hezekiah when the wrath of thâ— Lord was upon Iudah anâ— Ierusalem and that he haâ— delivered their fathers 〈◊〉 trouble 2 Chron. 29.8 9 10. c. Now saith he it is in mine heart to make covenant with the Loâ—â— God of Israel that his fierâ—â— wrath may turne away from â—s Oh worthy example See also câ— 30.6 7 8. â—ven for the best greaâ—est Christian Kings in â—â—ke case to imitate But what doth God â—ooke that in case of evils 〈◊〉 troubles