our selves to sin more boldly upon a new score with the Whore in Prov. 7. 14 15 thought to have cleared all old scores with God by an overly Confession that so we might more securely run into new arrerages and is not this a great mockery to think to pay God with such counterfeiâ— Coin What have we to do then but to confess and bewail this sin be oreâ— God and labour to amend it For Motive Consider 1. God will make you to know who sent these Messengers that it was not of their own heads nor on their own errands that his Ministers came to you but that it was from him Ezek. 25. and that you have not scoffed and neglected them but God himself you shall see this 2. Gods patience hath a bounded time Hab. 2. 3. God may delay long he will not do so alwayes know it he is just as well as mercifull God will take a season finde out a fit opportunity to be known in his Judgements upon those who despise his patience and reject his counsels and fore-warnings he will not strive alwayes with man who is flesh Gen. 6. 3. 3. Such a spirit will provoke God to make haste Ezek. 12. 23. if God send yea rise up early and send and so far condescend to a rebellious people as to send Messenger after Messenger and Message upon Message and these mocked and despised that news quickly comes there is no remedy 2 Chron. 36. 16. this ripens men apace for destruction 4. Such a spirit is an immediate fore-runner of swift Calamity 1 Thess 5. 1 No surer and more infallible token of great Calamities to be hastning upon a people then this when God tells them of trouble and calamity they cry Peace Peace and lay themselves down in despight of all Counsels and Warnings upon the bed of Security and take their ease in sin without remorse Let us then be deeply affected with this evil as knowing that there is nothing whereby we have more grievously provoked God and vexed his Spirit then by this lye low before him in the sense of it it may be he will pardon and forgive it Doct. 3. It is no sure sign of a sincere heart in times wherein Gods Judgements are felt â—◠〈◊〉 to b◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about them You see Edom here makes a great do of Enquiry there is an hypocritical and false and there is a sincere and true Enquiry made about divine Dâ—spensations and the one apparently and to the view of the world may be as earnestly pressed as the other Reas 1. Because there are other things which may excite such an Enquiry besides the fear of God viz. 1. A natural fear which may be stirred up at the first hearing of Threatnings and discovery of tokens presaging Calamity the sight of dismall Clouds and the noise of some terrible Thunder-cracks do at the first carry a kinde of consternation along with them and this makes men till by degrees they outgrow their affrightment to be very sedulous to know what these things mean 2. A naturally busie talkative spirit that loves to be busie talking and discoursing many affect to be in discourse and hence they enquire that they may have something to spend time in discourse 3. A desire to be thought wise discerning and prudent hence men will enquire for light we love to have the esteem for prudence and discretion to be accounted men of discerning spirits that observe and know the times and hence take some pains in searching 4. An irohicall and floâ—ting spirit such this seems to be in the Text not that we have any true desire to know any thing but in disdain of Gods Ministers we enquire of them as for knowledge but in the mean-while look upon them to have no more knowledge of the minde and counsel of God then our selves with this spirit those proud men seem to have come to enquire of the Prophet Jer. 43. Reas 2. Because there are other ends of such Enquiry besides such as accompany sincerity viz. 1. A bare desire of external knowledge and discourse there is seated in man a great natural desire of the knowledge of the Nature of things and that especially of future Contingencies hence men take a great deal of pains and busie themselves much in seeking to know such things when it is to no other end but to know 2. An intent to cavill at Gods dispensations Isa 58. 2. Some enquire to no other end but that they may pick a quarrel with Divine Providence and charge the wayes of God with injustice as if they were wiser then God as if he did not Rule the World by an equall Law Vse 1. For Tryall there is much talk now a-dayes amongst us about the Judgements of God and those awfull Providences that are rolling over our heads there is a great Enquiry made but let us not think or conclude our selves ever the better because we are among the number of those who are possibly the most forward upon this account but examine our selves whether we do it in sincerity or in hypocrifie Signs of hypocriticall Enquiry 1. When we enquire more after the Events of Calamity then the Causes procuring of it thus those Idumeans What of the night i. e. What is like to come upon us So there is much enquiry what the issue of these rolling Providences is like to be what things are like to come to but there are few say What have I done wherein is the Lords anger incensed c this shews we are more afraid of sorrow then sin when we look so much at the Rod and not at the hand which wieldeth it This argues a spirit of hypocrisie for we neglect our work which is to search and try our hearts and meddle with Gods work whose Soveraignty it is to rule and order the affairs of the whole World at his own pleasure 2. When we enquire more after Natural then Spiritual Causes we are very inquisitive to know what may be the Natural Cause of these Blastings which have for many years diminished and corrupted the best of our Grain and hence many projective endeavours in vain attempted to prevent it by a seeking to remove that Cause which we are to this day baffled in and as far off to seek as ever but the Causes Spiritual which are more manifest and easie to be discovered are slightly sought after and so but little endeavour to remove them hence no wonder that the Effect remains we enquire in hypocrisie 3. When we enquire but 't is without any desire or willingness to see the true Reason or Causes or bâ— convinced of them we enquire with a kinde of fore-stalled and prejudicate spirit we have taken up already what our determination is and must be hence this it is and no other thing hence we arm our selves with a resolution to outstand all Conviction and so lay a block in the way to prevent any efficacious meeting God iâ— such a way as might remove his hand off from
God come once to abhorr a people for their sins and fall upon them in his Judgments he meets them not as a man but gives them a Divine stroak if he be angry his very countenance is terrible and amazing Psal 18. 8 c. Hab. 3. what is he then when he poures out his displeasure Labour wee then from the example of Shiloh to fear and dread provoaking the great God to wrath against us what ever causes moving to this occasion are in Gods goodness removed away from us yet the remembrance of our sins is matter sufficient to humble us before God this day Better it is for us to bow our selves before him lest he break us in pieces and therefore let it be our great endeavour to meet God in the way by Repentance before he come home to us in wrath and fall upon us in his sore displeasure let that be the great practical lesson that we learn at Shiloh For motive 1. Consider God will not bear with sin let him find it where he will He is no respecter of persons circumcised or uncircumcised if uncircumcised in heart Jer 9. 25 26. if he find it in Church or Common-wealth in Rulers or Subjects where he finds it he will punish it 2. God is yet willing to be met with Repentance we have many signs and tokens of Gods desire rather that we should live then dye hence hath he drawn out his long suffering to so long a thread as he hath done by following with counsels and piece-mealing out his judgments 3 There is all Reason we should acknowledge and repent we are not able to give a good Reason only we have sinned against him that was unreasonable Ier. 2 5. and if so then needs must it be Rational that we should see the evil and take the shame to our selves of such unreasonable doings 4. If God once take us in hand he will be known and make us to know too how sad and miserable a thing it is for us to â—â—force him to cut us off do we provoke him to jealousie do we not rather provoke our own fouls to ruine Oh remember remember if we have made him our adversary by sin he is yet in the way though he may be coming in judgment yet he waits to be gracious he hath waited long turn not his patience into fury why should we be made like unto Shiloh God is mercifull true but he is just too and he can make his wrath known ask Shiloh else and they can tell you a sad story of it Look on Shiloh Look on Ierusalem look on the multitude of desolate Churches and take warning by these to fall down before God to receive his reproofs if you be wise be wise for your selves turn to him for why should ye dye ISAIAH 26. 9. When thy Judgements are in the Earth the Inhabitants of the World will learn Righteousness THis Chapter is a Song Celebrating the Prayses of God in his Judgments on his Enemies and favours to his People and is full of Spirituall matter The Song is appointed to be Sung by the Faithfull at their deliverance from the Babilonish Captivity In this 9th verse The Church Declares 1. Her own Frame under the Judgements of God namely an Earnest and early Desire after him In the night Signifies in the darke and gloomy times of affliction when they were under the Tyranny and Captivity of the Enemy shut up as it were in darkness 2. What should be the Frame of all thatâ— see or hear of Gods terrible doings in the world it should teach them Righteousness of which latter we may at this season make some improvement and a little to open the Words When thy Judgments c. Judgments are Acts of Divine Iustice Vindicative all Gods dispensations to the creature are called either acts of Mercy or justice Not as if there were a contradiction in these two God is Just where he is Mercifull i. e. his being mercifull doth not infringe or wrong his justice at all and where God is Just he is Mercifull also in this world because his justice is here dispensed with moderation though the time be comeing when he will execute justice without mercy But wherein any act of Divine Providence one of these Attributes is more visible to the creature then the other thence it receives its Denomination Judgments are Judicial acts of Gods Senerity in the World wherein he declares himselfe to be set against sin or sinners Some translate it Chastizements Judgment sometimes intend proper acts of Revenging justice when God comes forth to right himselfe upon his enemies in their wonderfull destruction Sometimes severe afflictions though intended for the amendment of those who suffer them the word signifies properly a doing right Righteousness The word signifies Truth and Equity it is oftentimes in Scripture restrained to second Table dutyes and then it is distinguished from Holyness which referrs to first Table dutyes but here as in many other places it is used more largely to signifie a reformation of Life and universal Anastasy or Reclaiming from their former sinfull courses Will learne This is spoken as if such an effect should come to pass in all that should see and hear of Gods judgements for the Scripture speaks of some that when Gods hand was upon them they sinned yet more thus Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 22. but it is spoken either 1. By way of Presâ—mption as if they should say surely they will learn righteousness or 2. Expressing what ought to be as if it would be such a thing should be and if men were in a right frame it would be the meaning is that there is matter enough in Gods judgements to awaken the world to righteousness Hence Doct. The Judgements of God in the World carry along with them an universal awakening call to Righteousness When God comes forth riding in his fiery Chariot and dispenseth terrible things among the children of men it sends forth a loud cry to the world to reform and amend their ways By way of Explication Consider a few things First All judgements are of God it 's said thy judgements they come from him here observe 1. Some judgements are more immediate they come by an unseen hand and in an unknowâ— way we see the effects but are not able to track them in their causes of such as these even an Egyptian Magician must say lo the finger of God 2. Other judgements come mediately by the mediation or efficiency of Instruments second causes are the next occasion of them and these are either 1. Devils who have a great stroake in many effects of providence they come by Divine permission God giving them a license so far as he sees meet for his own ends and sometimes they come with a Commission from God on his errands who shall for us perswade Ahab to go to Ramoth Gilead and fall I saith the Devills go saith God and prosper 1 Kings 22. 20. c. 2. Men who are many times
lively example before them in every way suiting and answering the present state of Ierusalem he therefore sets it forth 1. By the title it once bare the place c. 2. By the evils which were brought upon it where 1. The author God himself what I did 2. The procuring cause the wickedness of my people Israel Hence Doct 8. The example of Gods judgements upon his own people for their sin and wicked Apostacy are very useful and solemn considerations for all professors of Religion the Lord sends Ierusalem to Shiloh and for what end only to see what he did and for what to view his judgements in their causes and effects to see i. e. not only to look on but to consider them seriously and to make use of them to themselves and learn something from it for their own conviction by comparing cases together The ground of the truth we may understand if we consider a few propositions viz. 1. God hath one rule of dealing with all his externally covenanted people in the world and that because the covenant with them all runs upon the same terms and conditions for it is a conditional Covenant in the which there is a promise and a threatning a promise annexed to obedience but a threatning denounced against disobedience Isa 1. 19 20. It is true God reserves a soveraignty to himself as to the circumstances of his dealings with his people in one place or in another without either infringing his Covenant or rendring to the creature a Reason of that variety hence possibly patience and mercy may longer wait upon some then others some God may come severely out against for breach of Covenant and to others he may condescend to allow a greater space to repent in as he pleaseth and he does not the least wrong or injury in so doing because he is both supream and hath ends in all his judgements beyond the capacity of the creatures finding out but as to the essence of the Covenant he thus far stands positively and absolutely engaged to reward obedience and to punish disobedience which flows from his everlasting righteousness 2. Examples of Gods judgements upon his own people for their sins are evident confirmations and testimonies that he is a God who proceeds impartially according to his own Rule as when Laws are executed according to the tenor of them upon malefactors in the Kingdome we now know that such Laws were not meer scare-crows made only to fright but not to hurt but that there was reality in the Law-makers and that they were really set against such evils to subvert and 〈◊〉 them out and may teach others to expect what to meet with in the like cases so when God punisheth sin in his people according to his threatning in his word we now see that those threatnings are realities that his orders and constitutions are not bug-bears but realities that sin shall not go unpunished Hence God declares in his word that he will be known to be God in his judgements Exek 28. 22 if men will not believe the word that God will do as he hath said but presume upon his mercy and patience when he takes his rod into his hand now he is mad that believs not 3. Hence Examples have matter of precept in them Gods judgements are documents there are doctrinal conclusions to be drawn for our instruction out of them hence we shall find God in Scripture calling upon his people to look upon Examples thus Luk. 17. 32. 2 Pet. 2. 4 5 6 c. If God have thus dealt with such a people we may thence conclude he will deal so with those that are so qualified iâ— we enjoy the same priviledges that Israel did and make no better use of them then they made of theirs we may expect to be visited as well as they were and not only may we argue a pâ—â—i but also ab impaâ—i from the lesser to the greater if Israel so priviledged were not spared how much less shall we be spared who exceed them in priviledges if sinners under the Law found no favour how much sorer punishment may sinners under the Gospel expect God writes his severe truths with the blood of his disobedient Subjects and makes their ruinons heaps to proclaim knowledg and counsel to the rest of the world Sodom's ashes Shiloh's fire Ierusalem's desolation are uses of instruction to the Inhabitants of the Earth 4. Examples are of wondrous benefit to give efficacy to Doctrines and move upon the affections and bring them to consideration they are useful to perswade and to move the soul to make out after God Psal 7â— 6 7 8. 1. Because there is a natural sympathy between the children of men there is a kind of a fellow feeling of sufferings when we read only of Doctrines these may reach the understanding but when we read or hear of Examples humane affection doth as it were represent to us the caâ—e as our own whereupon the judgements of God do in the very hearing dwell upon the thoughts and take upon the heart when I read the story of Sodom's overthrow me thinks I see the Sun rising in glorious brightness the Sodomites sporting and pleasing themselves in their opulence and security when on a sudden me thinks I see the heavens covered with those sable clouds and hear the great Cannon of heaven thundring down tempests upon them and the streams of fire with horror and dread till I behold a proud City on a sudden become a desolate heap when I read Ierusaleâ—s history me thinks I see the battering Engines placed against the walls the proud enemy climbing up the battlements the feeble and faint-hearted Citizens flying into corners overtaking by the insulting foe who without mercy or pity sheaths his sword in their bowels me-thinks I see the fire-balls flying too and fro and the glorious buildings the work of many years yeelding to that prevailing and mercyless enemy I hear the cries of ravished virgins and bereaved Orphans yea I look on till I see all Gods threatnings fulfilled and the glory of the Nations stript of all ornament and become a widow c. Because examples come in by the senses and these have a great stroake to move the affections and they perswade the heart of man Lam. 3. 51. 3. Because Examples have an awakening voice in them when judgment comes into the world it carries awe with it it sensibly moves the soul to have consideration such as these are natural influences upon the heart of such as have any remainder of an acting conscience in them viz. 1. Why may not the same judgments befall us what grounds have we to promise our selves security and immunity from the same plagues miseries which are upon others 2. Hereupon they put the câ—eature in mind of its ways and doings what they have been now conscience if it be not altogether seared and benummed reads the creature a more close and severe Lecture then usuall now those sins that he had before lived
covenant with God be found rebellious he will spare them no more then any other people nay he will begin with them Am. 3. 2. judgement shall begin at his house Shilohs ruines are a memorial of this and declare how vain it is to take sanctuary in the Tabernacle and shreud our selves from judgment under pretence of Gods covenant Ierusalem smarted dearly for this sin if Ioab be a man of death it avails him not to take hold of the horns of the Altar Learn we therefore from hence to beware to our selves how we make bold to sin and think the Covenant shall save us if God find us rebellious bold sinners though we should hide our selves in the Temple and take refuge under the pretended shadow of Gods promises of favour and love to us God will yet find us out and will not spare us whatever they plead for themselves Mat. 7. 21 22. yet Christs answer still is I know you not I tell thee when God shall come forth to execute his judgements upon sinners thy church membership thy priviledges shall not save thee God will no more regard thee for all this then if thou wert an Indian except it be to punish thee the more because thy sins have therein been greater and more hainous if such pleas could have prevailed who could have pleaded more then Shiloh and Ierusalem 3. General Apostacy makes way for general calamity learn this in Shiloh the Priests violated Gods Ordinances and the people they provoked him with their Idols and then see the effects 1 Sam. 4. 10 11. Israel is smitten 30000 slain the Ark lost the Priests slain read this also in Ierusalem 2 Chron. 36. 15 16 c. hence therefore what greater request can we leave with God this day than this that he would prevent our general decay in grace and to that end that he would restore the fallen prevent the backsliding and settle hiâ— own that mercy may be settled among us pray for rulers in Church and Common-wealth that they may do right and give good examples and for all the body of people that sin do not grow and encrease among them if once we see a spirit of prevailing corruption spreading it self among us we may read leading symptomes of destruction misery therefore may be roused up to ply the throne of grace that such sad causes may be removed and so our eyes may not see the natural direfull effects that flow from them 4. Lenetie in Rulers brings ruine upon a people whether in Common wealth or in Churches Rulers may be good men in themselves so was Eli but if they give way to sinfull forbearance in the executing of Justice according to the will of God they are not occasions onely but leading causes to the undoing of a people because such a spirit animates wicked spirits and makes them bold to do perversely upon presumption of a pardon or to be past by with some gentle reproof God chargeth Shiloh's destruction upon Eli who was Judg in Israel and when his Sons the Priests did wickedly he connives so far as only to rebuke them who being gotten beyond remorse or sense of reproof abused their Fathers patience to add to their Rebellion therefore must Shiloh be laid wast Hence therefore let this teach us to pray unto God to put a Spirit into our Rulers Zealous against Sin especially in these times of prevailing iniquity and let us in our place incourage them in so doing by rejoycing in acts of Justice and severity against such evils as grow and thrive among us Pray that they may not respect persons nor encourage some in sin by sparing others especially remembring that as long as such a spirit is in Rulers what ever sins there be in a people there are still some to stand in the Gap 5. The greatest Mercys abused by sin give God the highest provocation God recounts what he had done for them and what they had done against him Israel sinned greivously after such and such favours and when God heard this when this was the report brought him of the improvement that they had made of all his mercyes this brings them into abhorrence and good reason there is for it for every mercy is an obligation laid upon the creature to obedience hence the greater the mercy is the stronger tye lyes upon the creature to sin therefore against mercy grace and speciall mercyes is to break Gods strong cord of Love then which what greater provocation can there be Consider David Hanuâ— 2 Sam. 10. Ingratitude in return for friendship is the most hard to bear of any thing Aske we then our own hearts what use we have made of all those great mercies which our God hath bestowed upon us great favours we have had equal with those he had shewed to his people at Shiloh yea if all things be considered we may well say Superiour unto them in as much as the dayes of the Gospel afford far greater light then the dayes of the Law did and have we remembred what God hath done for us so as to make our returns unto him hath he had his tribute of thankefull Obedience have we lived up to our enjoyments have we been singular in holiness as we have been singular in the means of holiness or have we not rather grown vain and loose and prophane despising of the meanes and hardening our hearts against the Counsels of God if it be so with us Go to Shiloh and tremble 6 A People forsaken of God are in the road way to all misery we read God forsakes his Tent which was in Shiloh and what follows but ruine and waste and an universal deluge of destruction all woes follow when he is gone Hos 9. 12. and reason there is for it for his favour is the life of a people his protection is their only defence well may it therefore be said of a people deserted by God their rock hath sold them into the hands of misery fear we therefore to provoak God to leave us Consider 1. All our blessings are in his hand he holds us at his dispose if any people in the World then to be sure we are at Gods provision who have no store but what his yearly blessing brings in unto us 2. Sin will provoke him to leave us for he is a God of purer eyes then to behold iniquity i. e. with love liking or approbation his holiness engageth him to manifest signal discoveries of the contrariety which he hath against sin 3. If when he repoves our sins we harden our selves in them it is a sure signe that he is forsakeing of us Jer. 7. 28. Have we therefore given to God any provocation to unsettle himselfe an think of a removall away from us Oh let our repentance fetch him back and settle him Lastly It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the Living God The Charracters of Gods wrath impressions of his Judgements remaining upon Shiloh teach us this Lesson If
to be amiss and yet still the cry is What 's the reason God is pleased to hide the reason and why why men cannot see wood for trees if we wait for immediate Revelations we may wait long enough there is no expecting of one to come from the dead to tell us Indeed we can hardly look any where but we may see causes apparent 1. Let every private person look at home take an account with his own heart and he shall see enough to mend there Out of doubt if we deal here ingenuously we shall finde that which may teach us to justifie God and declare him righteous in what concerns us 2. Look into Families and fee what disorders there are Children rising up against Parents and carrying themselves disobediently which hath a dreadful Curse denounced against it Parents neglecting the due care of their Children to nurture and bring them up in the admonition of the Lord cockering and making them their equals not keeping their due distances and too many families without the Worship of God in them being more like Pagan then Christian houses 3. Look into Towns and there you shall see disorders young 〈◊〉 despising the aged and carrying themselves contemptuously 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them vanity and 〈◊〉 abounding a selfish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the most together with a neglect of one another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that love which is due one to another wholly in many 〈◊〉 Town-Societies rent in pieces with disorderly Contention 4. Look into Congregations and there you shall see confusions some contending with their Ministers and others biting and catching at one another some not agreeing about the setting up of the Of diâ—â—ances of God among them and others not contented when they have them but pulling them down again with might and main great emulations jealousies false surmises c. Ministers despised their Office questioned their Authority cast off and trampled upon then persons undervalued and 〈◊〉 their comfortable Supply and Maintenance neglected Ordinances 〈◊〉 frequented with 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 c. 5. Look into the Body Politick or Civil State and there you shall see the Sinews of our Civil Society wondrously loosened the want of Power in the Supreme Representative Body to strengthen them by reason of the necessary evils incident to a declining Popular Government and hence arise many misbehaviours which time forbids to mention 6. Look into the Body Ecclesiastical and there you shall see Churches some ready to exalt themselves above the Civil Magistrate and disowning his Civil Power in matters appertaining to Godliness others ready to renounce Confociation and Communion one with another and many the like and yet we still enquire What 's the reason Why is God displeased Why is all this nothing yes sure why who knows not that these are our distempers Obj. But there is some particular thing which must be known and this is either in Magistrate or Ministers or both when shall you finde in Scripture that God ever brought publick Judgements on his people but the sins of Princes Priests and Prophets were the causes of it and are so declared to have been and therefore we must enquire yet further Ans 1. This Objection is strange and impertinent it is as if a Physician should come to a person all over full of mortal wounds and yet neglects them all and strangely cries out There is one singular wound which I must finde out is not this to suffer the person wilfully to perish by letting him bleed out his life at the known wounds while he goes upon the discovery of one unknown Is not this New-Englands 〈◊〉 such as was once Judahs Isa 1. 5. and shall we yet grope as in 〈◊〉 after some singular thing I therefore fear that this is but a fond and hypocritical excuse to put off the edge of the conviction of present sins and keep up our credit too as if we would willingly know the minde of God But 2. Suppose there be some singular sin yet First It doth not need presently terminate upon the Magistracy and Ministry though wherein they may be wanting in their places the Lord give them to see reform it but it is not my work to scandalize those who cannot hear me speak yet I say the sin is not needfully theirs But 1. It may be universal a spreading and over-running distemper It is true indeed God sometimes speaks to these For your sakes they shall go into captivity but if we be wise and compare Scripture we shall elswhere hear God saying My people would have it so there is a concurtence a delight in it 2. It may be a sin which Magistrates and Ministers would fain reform but we will not be reformed our Form of Government both in Church and Commonwealth is partly Democraticall whose corruption and degeneracy being Anarchy the guilt of the errours of Administration fall upon the people especially if persons in Office and Place do their endeavour to rectifie and amend them but are over-powered nay though they attain an outward Reformation yet there may remain the guilt of that sin unrepented of upon a Land which God will not forget but though he may delay for a while will finde out a time to call to reckoning Josiah was the greatest Reformer in Judah that ever was yet though there were peace in his time Reade 2 Kings 22. 15. 23. 25 26. 3. Consider though I speak not to excuse sin in any where they may be guilty before God yet consider why hath God lately taken away so many of his precious Servants in the Ministry it is not to their damage or wrong they are gone to their rest have left a sinful and sorrowful world to be invested with a Crown of Glory and to be with Christ which is best but we are bereaved the Lights are put out of our Candlesticks they were despised here and they are now received to honour and glory and this may call us to solemn consideration Consider Isa 57. 1 Secondly Be it a singular sin and let it center where it will it seems we are to seek about it I tell you the way to know it is to reform what we do know God reveals himself by degrees to a people according to their improvement God hath told us of these and those things why should he discover any more since we mend not but make so ill use of what he hath discovered Let me tell you and I can assure you of it to be a truth prove it and you shall have experience of it If we repent from our hearts of our known sins God will either remove the stroke off from us or further discover what is provoking to him Return come Verba festinantes The words 1. Contain a general duty this duty is a serious Repentance implied in both words put together Return Esau went out from the Church despised the Priviledges of it his Posterity here is called upon to come back again Come i. e. Come to God to him from whoâ— you went away