Israel and thus bless the house of Aaron yea thus bless us all both small and great Let this blessing O Lord be upon high and low rich and poor mighty and mean upon Prince and people upon Court and City and Countrey upon our Metropolis our chief and mother-Mother-city yea and upon all her Daughters our other Cities and upon the whole Nation yea the three Nations and then shall we be blessed indeed yea Psal 115. 15. the blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth Thus though we cannot turn our selves we may yet pray unto God to turn us and intreat his favour the want whereof as aggravating their sin the Prophet Daniel confesses and bewails All this evill is come upon us yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God that Dan. 9. 1◠we might turn from our iniquities c. They could not turn of themselves but they might have prayed to God for grace to turn CHAP. XI The second Branch of Exhortation to adde to our Prayers our Endeavours ANd let us not onely pray but earnestly endeavour after this not onely beseech it but strenuously pursue it and follow after it let us joyn to our prayers our pains and to our desires our labour care and industry setting about it and setting our selves seriously to it and laying out our selves to the utmost for the attaining of it that we may be converted and turn'd again from our sins to God and that he may cause his face to shine on us In all labour says Solomon Prov. 14. 23. there is profit but the talk of the lips tendeth onely to penury that is nothing comes of that As the door turneth upon his hinges so doth 26. 14. the slothful upon his bed that is because of his sloath he is still where he was and hangs where he did comes not off and this is his undoing The desire of the sloathful killeth him for his Prov. 21. 25. hands refuse to labour Many wish well to themselves Immoritur optando nihil operatur non utitur mediis quibus potiri optatis queat c. Remus in locum and they say they do desire grace but refuse to labour and this kills them for grace is not had with wishing If ever we would be savingly converted we must not onely wish and desire it but labour and strive after it we must up and be doing use diligence The want of this the Lord complains of concerning that people as the cause of their ruine They will not frame Hos 5. 4. their doings to turn unto their God c. not so much as set about it nor set themselves to it nor see what they can doe They will not so much as endeavour and bend their course that way Non adjicient studia sua ut convertantur ad Deum suum Video me operam ludere quia mihi negotium est potiùs cum brutis animalibus vel cum saxis quà m cum hominibus c. Calvin in locum nor shew their good will nor make use of these means which tend towards it not do what they can do and might and therefore I do by my Prophets but spend my labour in vain and I have to do as it were but with beasts and stones rather than men Indeed I am their God by profession and I have shewn my self so by the care I have had of them and the many good offices I have done for them and yet though I am their God and the fountain and well-spring of all their good and their happiness is to turn to me yet they will not so much as once frame their doings to turn unto me And this is an heavy aggravation of peoples impenitency and leaves them altogether inexcusable when they will not endeavour nor so much as make use of the means as in reference to so great a concern not do what they might do we are not able indeed to turn our selves no conversion is too great a work and lies beyond our line and we should get a due sense thereof so as to drive us to God for help but yet we may endeavour it and attempt something as in reference to it something we may do but what you will say may we do and what would you have us for to do I shall shew you in several particulars 1. Attend constantly on the ministery of the Word wait still upon God in his ways and in the use of those means he hath instituted appointed and set apart to be instrumental as to that great work of turning you again to himself and of bringing you into favour and recovering again his face Do as those impotent folk they could not indeed heal themselves yea but they could and did lie at the Pool waiting for the moving John 5. 3. of the waters that they might be healed Get there still where Christ walks and where he works as Zacheus he got up into a tree in the Luke 19. 4. way where Christ was to pass and who knows but Christ may look upon thee as he did upon him and it may be a time of love and he may say to thee though in thy bloud live and bring saving conversion salvation home to thy soul It is good being in God's ways how many hath he savingly and graciously met there and his power hath been present to heal them to convert and save them The very work and business that he sends his Ministers about it is as he told Paul when he had converted him from a Persecutor to be a Preacher and as you have heard to open sinners eyes and to turn them from darkness to Acts 26. 18. light and from the power of Satan unto God c. And how many thousands of souls are there who have experienc'd this and for whom it hath been effected by their means and why may it not be effected for thee also The word is called a word of grace a converting word and wait on it for God to make it so to thy soul Of his own will says the Apostle begat he us by the James 1. 18. word of truth and why by the same word may he not beget thee if thou attend upon it God sends his Ministers to help people in this great work And a Vision appeared to Paul in the night Acts 16. 9. there stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him saying come over into Macedonia and help us Now be sure then to be there where he vouchsafeth such help which is the best help and better a thousand times than the having such come that might help you in other matters as in your estates and in matters of the world though it was to compass never so much of it And how sad must their condition then needs be and how inexcusable will they be found at that great day who refuse this help who carelesly neglect or despise the Ministery appointed for so blessed an end how deservedly and
onely asleep but dead and yet quickened and not onely dark but darkness it self in the abstract and yet made light in the Lord. If sinners indeed had never heard of any great sinners that God had turned again from their sins to himself or that it was not better with them then than before when they served their lusts they might have the more plea but there are many presidents in sacred Writ and if with mourning and humiliation thou turnest with them thou shalt be happy with them We find in the 15. of Luke that the Prodigal there went a great way off from his father he took his journey not into some neer adjacent parts but into a far countrey and there he spends all makes himself a meer bankrupt so that he falls to feed Swine and feeds on the husks that the Swine did eat and yet could not have his belly full of them neither and yet this Prodigal he is brought to himself and brought home again to his father and there he is kist and embrac'd and has the best his fathers house can afford How exceeding far had Manasseh turn'd away from God yea how exceedingly had he turn'd against him we scarce read of any that ever did worse read 2 Chron. 33. from the 1. v. to the 10. 2 Kings 21. from the 1. v. to the 17. It is said he used inchantments and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards and wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord to provoke him to anger he made his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom c. and yet Manasseh is made a Convert and turn'd again to the Lord the Lord he turns to Manasseh and turns Manasseh again to himself So what a persecutor was Paul he breathed out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord c. Acts 9. 1 2. yea as himself says he was exceedingly mad against them Acts 26. 11. and yet this persecutor is turned to be a Preacher and to prosecute what he formerly sought to destroy Mary Magdalene had seven Devils lodging Numerus certus pro incerto in her that is many and yet Jesus Christ casts them all out and makes that heart where so many Devils had lodged fit for himself to lodg in who had the seven Spirits of God and she who had been so vile and miserable he appears Mark 16. 9. first to and makes the first witness of his resurrection And such were some of you what 1 Cor. 6. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haeceratis quilibet such kind of things he does not say such men or women but such kind of things as if the Apostle knew not how to stile them nor what to call them and therefore he puts it in the Neuter Gender such kind of things O they were sad and strange kind of things indeed and yet of such kind of things God makes something of yea makes blessed things of but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God It matters not much whither or from whence we are fallen if the Lord undertake but to raise us nor whither we are wandered or Junius before his conversion is said to be an Atheist but afterward became very pious stiled the Glory of Leyden where we are wilder'd if he undertake but to reduce us nor how far we are turned aside or turned away if he undertake but to turn us again no matter what is the sickness if he be but the Physician and undertakes the cure he can do good of any one be it who it will that is very encouraging to poor sinners which he said to Paul 2 Cor. 12. 7. My grace is sufficient for thee it is sufficient for the greatest of sinners his accepting grace is sufficient and his sanctifying renewing grace is sufficient one is sufficient against all our unworthiness and the other is sufficient against all our uncapableness and unfitness one is sufficient to put God upon doing what is to be done and the other is sufficient for to do it one as to motive the other as to efficacy he can make dry bones live and is Ezek. 37. 5 6 7. Matth. 3. 9. able of stones to raise children to Abraham he can change condition and disposition pardon and purge justifie and sanctifie yea do every thing and perform all things And therefore let all even such as have turn'd farthest aside from God be encouraged to go unto God and to call upon him and cry unto him to perform all things for them for all things are of him and to Psal 57. 2. perform this for them to turn them again and cause his face to shine Say Lord thou commandest us to turn O do thou make us to turn it is thy precept that we should turn Lord according to thy promise give us grace for to turn Turn us and we shall be turned convert us and we shall be converted we have turned aside after the world and vanity and sin yea after Satan but O turn us again to thy self we have turned aside to our own ways and after our own lusts but O turn us again to thee and thy ways thou sayest Return ye back-sliding children and I Jerem. 3. 22. will heal your back slidings and Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God that thou mayest cause us and inable us to return for the way of man is not in himself it is not in man Jer. 10. 23. that walketh to direct his steps turn us therefore and we shall be turned and thou who givest us space to repent give us grace to repent and to turn to thee and that with a true hearty real and universal turn Lord every thing within us is turned from thee and is averse to thee yea is turned against thee and therefore do thou by thy grace cause all to turn again to thee mind will heart affections all within us and all without us that so we may not be half but whole Converts and our conversion may not be partial but total and universal of the whole man and from all evill and to all that is good Salvation is said to belong unto the Lord and his blessing Psal 3. 8. to be upon his people and let us beg that the Lord would thus save us and not onely us our selves but others also ours his people and that this blessing may be upon us all the blessing of turning us all again to himself and of causing his face to shine the blessing of saving conversion and of Divine favour and affection that the Lord would thus save and bless the Nation this Kingdom Church State Cities Towns Families houses hearts even with the great Gospel-blessing of Jesus Christ raised from the Acts 3. 26. dead in turning us all from our sins and iniquities to himself Lord thus bless the house of
noble and ignoble for are we not all turn'd away from God and is it not every ones concern to live and be happy and be sav'd or is it onely poor and mean ones concern and besides with God there is no respect of persons but Rom. 2. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 17. he being the absolute and soveraign Lord over all all are alike bound to own his authority and obey his commands of which this is one of the chief but now commandeth all men every where to repent and such by reason of God's bounty Act. 17. 30. have greater obligation to this duty than others so as to be exemplary else the greater is their sin and the greater will be their punishment and Majora beneficia majora flagitia majora supplicia death will shortly level all so that though now there be difference of men as to these things here as there is as one well expresses it of Counters while the Merchants account lasteth some standing for pence some pounds some hundreds some thousands and so of Players while on the Stage some going for rich some for poor some for Princes some for Peasants c. and so of Trees while growing in the Forrest some being Oaks some Elms some Brambles c. yet when the account is over the play ended the trees cut down especially burnt to ashes there will be no difference at all no more will there be after death and when all shall appear before God c. And therefore how should all attend this and apply themselves to it to their utmost Christ says be zealous and repent and surely Rev. 3. 19. had we any zeal for our own and the Nation 's good we would repent and O that England unfeignedly repenting and turning to God might at length become an example and monument of God's goodness to all such as shall do so both to the Nations abroad to the generations yet to come at home that so all in England might see how gracious the Lord is to such and we might have cause to make our boast of him Lo this is our God we have return'd to him and he hath sav'd us and we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation and let others come and do as we have done and they shall prove God to be the same in his goodness as we have that whereas it Jer. 7. 12. was said before Go to London as sometimes to Shiloh and see what I did for the wickedness thereof what a sweeping plague and after that a dreadful fire I sent among them so it may be said now God and see upon their turning again unto me what my goodness hath been to them and what blessings I have multiplied upon them and how graciously I have turn'd to them And truly but in such a way to expect God's goodness it is but to tempt him yea to provoke him and how dreadfully does the Lord express himself against such when a sinner shall bless himself Deut. 29. 18 19 20 c. in his heart and say he shall have peace though he walk in the imagination of his heart to adde drunkenness to thirst the Lord will not spare such a one but his anger shall smoak against him and all the curses in God's book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven c. And if we in stead of turning to God shall by going on in our sins still provoke him what can we expect but that his soul should loath us and that he should even utterly forsake us and cast us out of his presence which Jer. 23 33. c. he threatens as the sorest burden and though we build statelier and fairer houses that he should say of us as sometimes of Edom They shall build but I will throw down c. and they Mal. 1. 4. shall labour but for the fire as some render that Hab. 2. 13. Behold is it not of the Lord of hosts that the people shall labour in the very fire or for the fire so that what they build shall be consumed Pro igne Iun. Pisc c. by the fire and hath it not been so as concerning some houses already and was it not of the Lord of hosts by his determinate counsel and as an act of his righteous judgment that when so famous a City was on fire they who laboured to quench it laboured in that sense but as it were in the fire that is to no purpose and wearied themselves for very vanity And if we shall still persist in our sins how justly may we fear that all that is reedified may be but for the fire again or that some heavier judgment may yet befall us which may reach not onely to our houses and estates but our very limbs and lives But if we shall indeed turn again to God and he be pleased but to cause his face to shine what a famous renowned City may we not yet then expect to see even a City sought out or sought to or after that is exceeding desirable and Isa 62. 12. not forsaken and not only a safe but a quiet habitation a tabernacle that shall not be taken down c. when it shall become a City of truth and righteousness a faithful City and righteousness lodge in the midst thereof and holiness written upon it to the Lord then shall that song be sung indeed we have a strong City Salvation 26. 1. will God appoint for walls and bulwarks c yea then will he own it as his rest and his rest shall be glorious and upon all the glory shall be a 11. 10. Psal 46. 4. defence and there is a river the streams whereof shall then make it glad even the special gracious protecting presence of the most High and whereas it was said before this is the City to be visited that is with woes and plagues now it shall be said this is the City to be blessed to be honoured to be visited but with loving 85. 9. c. kindness and tender mercies and then shall glory dwell in our land and the Lord shall give that which is good and mercy and truth shall meet together and righteousness and peace kiss each other yea mercy shall surely then as the Psalmist expresses it be built up forever that is 89. 2. remain and abide upon us and ours forever one pile of mercy as it were upon another till the building be compleated till it reach to heaven to that building of God that house not made with hands eternal in the heavens Thus the work of mercy being begun shall be carried on as when the foundation of some famous structure is laid by some able skilful artificer to which it seems an illusion so will God not leave this blessed pile half finnished but perfect and compleat the same Thus we have built up houses but then God himself will build up mercy and that shall uphold us and our
THE Sole and Soveraign Way OF ENGLAND'S being saved Humbly proposed By R. P. Minister of the Gospel O Jerusalem wash thine heart from wickedness that thou may'st be saved how long shall thy vain thoughts lodg within thee Jer. 4. 14. In his favour is life Psal 30. 5. Poenitentia amara est quidem ad tolerandum saluberrima autem ad convalescendum Bern in Serm. de verbis Sapient Ut malorum omnium haec causa est quod Deus offensus faciem abscondit ita plena salus ab unico favore ejusdem est expectanda Moller LONDON Printed by W. G. and are to be sold by J. Hancock at the three Bibles in Popes-head Alley N. Ponder at the Peacock in Chancery-lane and W. Adderton at the three Falcons in Duck-lane 1671. TO The Right Worshipful Sir THOMAS ALSTON Baronet Much Honoured SIR THE Treatise here ensuing being calculated not onely for the weal of greater Communities as Nations Cities Towns but also of lesser Societies as Families yea and particular persons In tenders of my service to your Self and your so worthily Honoured Lady I make bold here what it is to present it and the rather because it pleases the Lord by a distemper which so often renews its onsets upon you to give you so frequent memento's of that Turn which Moses declares to be the inevitable fate of all indefinitely Thou turnest man to destruction and sayest Psal 90. 3. return ye children of men Thus we run here a short round and soon come to our races end fetch but a turn as it Comparat oursum vitae nostrae gyro c. Calv. in loc were and then return back again Now may the Lord be pleas'd so to sanctifie those frequent memento's of your bodies turn to destruction as to advance more and more thereby that happy turn of conversion here treated of and so thereby bring you more and more under the shines of his face and comfortable displayes and refreshing beams of his favour I have often thought and sometimes upon occasion declar'd that however things appear to common sense yet certainly that is best for us here that state that condition those dispensations be they what they will though never so afflicting that are most effectual and have the fairest and most essential influence as to the advancing of our spiritual good here and our eternal happiness hereafter that is best for us in our way and where we take up onely for a while that doth advantage us most at our journeys end and where we must stay and abide by it for ever that not which pleases us best for a moment but profits us most for ever for things are here and are so to be counted of here as they relate to eternity and as to what is spiritual and everlasting which being the main and chief and that which is of greatest concern is in every thing to be the rule of the rest And because afflictions many times are most conducing here hence the Lord is pleas'd often to afflict those most here which he intends most good to hereafter And truly let our present condition be what it will here if the Lord does but please to mould it for our eternal weal hereafter it is an act of infinite mercy Lord lance here sear Domine hîc ure hîc seca modâ— in aeternum parcas here cry'd Austin so thou spare but hereafter so truly it matters not much what God does with us here so he spare but hereafter And by what he does with us or to us here does but the more fit us and the better mould us for Feliciter infelices infeliciter felices himself and glory hereafter How many are happy in being seemingly miserable while others are miserable in being seemingly happy because their seeming happiness hinders their real for having Psal 55. 19. no changes therefore they fear not God so that to live still in prosperity as is said of Nabal and not to experience those 1 Sam. 25. 6. changes as others do nor be in those troubles as others are as is said of the foolish Psal 75. 5. and the wicked is no such desireable state as many deem but dangerous It is said of our Edward the fourth Never lived Prince whom adversity more hardened Difficile est in honore esse sine tumore in praelatione sine elatione in dignitate sine vanitate Bern. to action nor prosperity softened to voluptuousness Edward the sixth was wont to say No danger to the godly unless by wealth prosperity And we see David himself though a man after God's own Psal 30. 5. heart yet in his prosperity he grew secure It is said of Moab He hath been Jer. 48. 11. at ease from his youth and he hath settled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into captivity that is he hath not been hurried up and down from place to place Non immutavit habitationem non suit â—edibus suis pulsus c. nullam adversitatem expertus est Theodoret. iâ—s locum as Israel was c. and what follows therefore his tast remained in him and his sent is not changed his pride impiety and impurity still continued for it is said he magnified himself against the Lord and we have heard of the pride of â— 26. 29. Moab c. Even as Wines not being drawn off their lees and put into other vessels are not meliorated but retain their first tast and sent So we read of others who being settled on their lees Zeph. 1. 12. and not being emptied from vessel to vessel they say in their hearts The Lord will not do good neither will he do evill that is they grew stark Atheists boldly scorn God and men deny God's providence and make as if he was a very Idol and regarded not nor took notice of the affairs of men and others because God kept silence and did not punish them Ps 50. 21. they thought God such a one as themselves Now certainly it was better our lives were made up of nothing but changes than to come to such a pass and not to have our souls blest and enrich'd with so great a good as the fear of God which is said to be the treasure of Kings and Is 33. 6. which the Lord hath declar'd to man from heaven to be his wisdom and which Job 28. 28. issuing forth into obedience to God's commandements Solomon the wisest King that ever was and one inspir'd by God hath concluded and left upon record Eccles 12. 13. to be the whole and all of man Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia hoc omnis homo vel hoc omne homo est Fear God and keep his commandements for this is the whole duty of man It is in the Hebrew onely this all man that is as it may be rendered this is all
such a wasting pestilence and such devouring flames and many other judgments and yet such of us as have been spar'd and were pull'd as fire-brands out of the burning how few of us have repented and are turned to the Lord. May not the Lord justly take up the same complaint against England as he did against Israel I have sent among you the pestilence after Amos 4. 10 11. the manner of Egypt your young men have I slain with the sword and have taken away your horses c. yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord. I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and ye were as a fire-brand pluckt out of the burning yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord. Strangers Hos 7. 9 10. have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray hairs are here and there upon him yet he knoweth it not And the pride of Israel doth testifie to his face and they do not return to the Lord their God nor seek him for all this and Is 1. 5. why should ye be stricken any more ye will revolt more and more c. The bellows are burnt the Jer. 6. 29. lead is consumed of the fire the founder melteth in vain c. I gave them space to repent but they Revel 2. 21. 9. 20. did not repent And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands c. How have we despised the riches of God's goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the Rom. 2. 4. goodness of God leadeth us to repentance that is not onely affords us time and space to repent but gives us reason to repent but after the hardness and impenitency of our hearts we have gone on to treasure up unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God The Lord hath been hearkning and hearing and may he not justly complain of us as of the Jews of old but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness Jerem. 8. 6. saying what have I done every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel When the hand of the Lord hath been lifted up we have refused to see it and though his judgments are in the earth yet learn we not righteousness We have not said what have we done but have not some in the pride and stoutness of their hearts been ready to say what they would do even as those in Isaiah The bricks are fallen Isa 9. 9 10 down say they but we will build with hewen stones the Sycamores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars i. e. as if they had said our houses indeed are down but what then we value it not we will build fairer and better and will have our streets now broader Thus this is all that they made then that many make now of what the Lord hath done not to be be brought thereby to consider what they have done thus to undo so famous a City but to resolve what they will do as to rearing and bertering their houses but not as to reforming their hearts and lives and therefore the Lord threatens he will set up their enemies and joyn Isa 9. 11 12. them against them both before and behind to devour them with open mouth and yet his anger is not turned away but his hand stretched out still If indeed not to turn again to God but rather more and more away from God and to turn still unto sin and every one to his course as the horse rushes into the battel yea to wax worse and worse and to have our tongues and doings more and more against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory If Atheism profaneness licentiousness superstition idolatry strange doctrines errours heresres schisms apostacies hypocrisies infidelity pride headiness high mindedness hardness of heart carnal security presumption incorrigibleness under judgments unthankfulness for mercies unfruitfulness under means hatred of God and the power of godliness contempt of his word and ways slighting and despising his ordinances resisting and grieving and doing despite unto his Spirit treading under foot his Son crucifying of him as it were afresh and putting him to open shame if shamelesness in sin declaring it as Sodom and hiding it not if swearing cursing blaspheming prophaning God's Name and Sabbaths if murder bloud touching bloud adulteries fornications wantonness lasciviousness and all manner of filthiness and uncleanness if drunkenness gluttony luxury peoples making their belly their God and being lovers of pleasures more than of him glorying in their shame if cruelty unmercifulness maliciousness despightfulness bitterness unrigteousness oppression fraudulent and unjust dealing lying slandering censuring reviling variance strife debate differences divisions emulations selfishness covetousness earthly-mindedness c. In a word if an inundation of all manner of wickedness and debauchery imaginable and the Nation becoming a very sink of vice or at best to have but onely a form of Godliness but to deny the power thereof and if for God in stead of causing his face to shine upon us to hide it from us and to turn his back upon us and to manifest his sore displeasure against us as he hath done alate in regard of those heavy judgments he hath sent among us dealing with us as he threatned to deal with Jerusalem And I will set my face against Exek 15. 7. them they shall go out from one fire and another fire shall devour them And has not God dealt so with us We were scarce got out of one fire which devoured our bodies which from above the Lord sent into our bones into our strongest parts that is sore plagues and pains which like a fire did pierce deep into and consume the most solid and strongest parts of the body as Jerusalem complains Lam. 1. 13. From above hath he sent fire into my bones and it prevaileth against them and against how many thousands of families and persons did that fierce and furious fire of the pestilence prevaile And scarce as I said were we got out of that fire but another fire brake forth which devoured our houses and estates and are there not still many sad symptoms of his displeasure upon us and for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still And if these now were the way for a people to be saved we were a Nation in as likely a way and posture to be saved as ever Nation was under heaven but if for a people to turn again unto God from their sins and for God to cause his face to shine be the way for a people to be saved and the onely way as indeed it is then the Lord have mercy upon us for we are a Nation in as unlikely a way and posture to be saved as ever Nation was and if we go on
God hath appointed to lead to it This is that Rainbow which if God sees shining in our hearts he will never drown our souls Thus you see what a profitable and gainful thing repentance is and I have the longer stood upon this because we are all for gain and profit Who will shew us any good and shall we not then be for that which tends to so much Psal 4. 6. and so great gain and good yea to all good even the greatest Art thou enquiring after good O he hath shewed thee here O man what is good Micah 7. 8. indeed even that which the Lord requires of Job 22. 21. thee viz. for to repent and turn to him for thereby good shall certainly come unto thee David prays that God would shew him a token for Psal 86. 17. good and here 's a token for Good indeed when God turns thee again to himself for all good for spiritual and temporal and eternal for good every where here and hereafter on earth and in heaven below and above in our way and at our journeys end in our exile and in our own countrey while we are abroad and when we come home to our fathers house for godliness which is the very essence of repentance is profitable unto all things having promise of the life 1 Tim. 4. 8 that now is and of that which is to come What man is he that desireth life and loveth many Psal 34. 12 13 14. days that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile Depart from evil and do good c. And O that God would vouchsafe this token for good to England to this Nation and to the whole of the Nation to Court and City and Countrey to every town and fellowship and family yea to every house and heart how would the Lord then give that which is good and glory should Ps 85. 9 12. dwell in our Land and we should be exalted and brought into an happy state indeed but never let any expect good or talk of gain or profit that still persist and go on in their sins for such find no good he that hath a froward heart findeth Pro. 17. 20. no good or a perverse heart and that goes on Perversus animo non consequetur bonum still to pervert his ways he finds no good he shall be sure to find and feel evil enough be filled Pro. 12. 21. with mischief but finds no good he may goods but no good no true good nor gain but such are all upon the losing hand yea are all the greatest losers imaginable for such lose all true joy peace and comfort here and Heaven and happiness and God himself for ever hereafter yea their own souls and what is a man profited should he gain a whole world if he lose his own soul Certainly then the sinners way and course that yet persists and goes on in his sins is the most unprofitable way and course under Heaven The way of transgressours is hard or Pro. 13. 15. sharp harsh grievous it may seem easie at present Via praevaricatorum aspera duriter ◠Deo excipiuntur c. Cart. but it will be sure to be found hard at last in the event not onely not profitable but pernicious such shall be us'd hardly 4. The absolute and indispensable necessity thereof Our turning again to God is not a thing arbitrary or indifferent but indispensably necessary Is to be blest by Christ necessary is pardon is the favour of God the shines of his face the light of his countenance necessary is to be happy in a word is heaven is salvation is eternal life and inheritance among them that are sanctified necessary is not to perish everlastingly necessary and if these be not what is certainly and undoubtedly they are most necessary and if so then is it to repent and turn to God indispensably necessary for without the one there is no attaining the other There is a double necessity 1. a necessity in regard of God's 1. Necessitas praecepti command the great God injoyns it and calls for it and that frequently and earnestly it may seem needless to mention places there are so many every where obvious and therefore there is onely one which I shall press and urge at present and that is Acts 17. 30 31. And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the Dei praecipientis majestas world in righteousness c. Here 's that which shews it indispensably necessary God's command Bonum est poenitere an non quid revolvis Deus praecipit c. Tertull. and the majesty and greatness of that God who commands it Is it good says an Ancient to repent or not why doubtest thou God commands it it is his will c. Such was the state of those former times that God is said to wink at them which may have a double interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pati sinere and both are well worthy our weighing and considering 1. as denoting God's indulgence he did not deal so severely with them sinning but did patiently bear with them as though he had known nothing or was not angry c. because they had not those means and helps to keep them from sin as others now in these knowing times there being then much blindness darkness and ignorance yet not as if there were any such times as God wholly winked at in point of justice so as not to call them to account but comparatively he not so severely dealing with them as with knowing times but never so as to let them wholly go unpunished or not at all to call them to an account for that was inconsistent with his providence and justice for though ignorance and darkness may indeed abate and lessen the measure and degree of sin yet not totally excuse it And what then are the sins of these knowing times and days of so much clear light as we live in how shall God wink at our sins or how is it that he hath winked at them so long O the infiniteness of his patience that he should bear with us so long and not utterly consume us who sin against more light and love than ever Nation did O when shall the riches of such goodness forbearance and long suffering lead us to repentance But there is another sense and interpretation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 negligere LXX usurpant pro indignari c. of these words which some rather imbrace as more fully laying open the meaning of the holy Ghost and as most consonant to what follows And the times of this ignorance God winked at that is he regarded not he had little respect to them of those times but let them go on in their sins as it were without check or controle that is he sent
would pray as hard for purity of heart as purity of ordinances without which it matters not much what judgment or perswasion or society a man is of for however he may be a zealot in bearing witness to what he likes best yet he may be bad enough in the witness of his own conscience It is a grand design of the Devil when men will needs look after religion to make them believe that to be of such a Church or party is to be religious and to trust to that in stead of godliness and how many do so but this being but an house built on the sand when the rain descends and the floods Matth. 7. 27 come and the winds blow and beat upon it it will fall and great will be the fall thereof Among even the Virgins themselves i. e. those who bore the name of Christians and had Lamps made fair professions are found foolish ones such as though they had lamps had no oyl no true grace and therefore are not owned by Christ but shut out of heaven 9. Not having religious parents or relations nor having been brought up in godly families This is indeed a mercy and may prove helpful but speaks not you good unless you experience a saving work of grace upon your own souls Isaac's goodness did not make Esau so nor Elie's Hophni and Phinehas c. It is said of Christ's brethren for Joh. 7. 5. neither did his brethren believe in him their being so neer allyed to Christ did not make them believers and yet if any kin or alliance would have done it Christ's might Two says Christ shall be in one bed the one shall be taken and the Luk. 17. 34. c. other left Think not then to say within your Math. 3. 9. selves we have Abraham to our father for except you have the faith of Abraham it will nothing avail you It is said of one John of Valois that he was Son Brother Unkle Father of a King and yet himself never King There may be found some good even in the worst families and some bad in the best as is sadly experienc'd We read of Saints in Caesar's houshold and of sons of Belial in Elie's 10. Not what the Apostle declares Hebr. 6. 4 5. as having been Perceperant aliquam cognitionem veritatis Evangelicae viz. de Christo glorioso illo adventu futuro Tossan once enlightned i. e. with common illumination having tested of the heavenly gift some tasts but they were but tasts not let down as it were c. being made partakers of the holy Ghost i. e. in regard of more common gifts which were much imparted in the primitive Church having tasted the good word of God i. e. felt some sweetness Magnum est discrimen inter electos vete credentes inter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui obiter quaedam dona Spiritûs gustârunt quoad notitiam professionem non autem vere efficaciter regeneratisunt c. Tossan in the promises of the Gospel so as to hear it with joy and the powers of the world to come some glimpse of heaven or some flash of hell upon the conscience or some tasts of the joys of heaven as Balaam Numb 23. 10. Now these seem great things indeed but they must be better than these that speak us Christians indeed and accompany salvation as the Apostle expresses it even saving conversion true faith and unfeigned love c. v. 9. But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that accompany salvation though we thus speak For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewed towards his name c. And therefore never let any rest or take up in these or the like for it must be more than all these that must speak you true Christians even sound conversion which therefore never rest ' till you do attain to 5. This is that which all call and cry to us for God in his Word he every where calls for it and Jesus Christ he came from heaven to call Matth. 9. 13. to it and still by his Ministers calls for it this Church and Kingdom call for City Countrey towns families bodies souls estates liberties lives relations little ones all as to the weal of them and this the Gospel and all that is neer or dear to us call for yea and all God's dealings and dispensations mercies judgments smiles frowns words blows the sinfulness of the the times and the sickliness of the times the sword which did eat the flesh and drink the blood of so many thousands and the pestilence which walked in darkness and destroyed at noon day doing execution continually causing thousands to fall at our side and ten thousands at our right hand laying wast whole families and making burying work 'till scarce room to bury in sweeping away in one year in and about the city so many thousands and this that dreadful fire calls for which in a few days reduc'd so famous a city into ashes O how often hath the Lord smitten us and that with sore smitings such as have not been in our days nor in our fathers Joel 1. 2. days before us such droughts such winds and storms such a pestilence such a fire such grievous gripes whereby multitudes were so suddenly swept away above four thousand three hundred in one year and many the year after Yea the Lord hath smitten us with sorer smitings spiritual smitten us in our Shepherds solemn assemblies in our delectable things with famine in many places not of bread but of hearing Amos 8. 11 12. the word of the Lord c. And what do all these stroaks mean or what is their language and what do they call and cry for surely for this that we repent and turn to God this Micah 6. 9. is their voice to the city and to the countrey to all sorts high and low rich and poor great and mean to all from him that sitteth upon the throne to him that goes by the hig-way side And shall we not hearken to so many lowd calls and cryes how then should God hearken to us 6. This is that which when God's judgments are in the earth he looks for and counts upon Is 26. 9. viz. that then the inhabitants of the world will Per castigationes divinas adpoenitentiam adducuntur Pise learn righteousness i. e. learn to amend their lives This they then should and ought for to do and if ever God counts upon it they will do it then his judgments being means thereof They in their trouble did turn unto the Lord c. 2 Chr. 15. 4. Hos 5. 15. Ps 119. 67. 2 Sam. 24. 29. and in their affliction they will seek me early Absalom sent for Joah once and again to come unto him but he would not come but when he set his corn on fire then he ran c. and shall not we to God when
houses and England shall be set as a pattern of blessing and blessings as is said of David For thou hast made him most blessed for ever the Hebrew is set him blessings i. e. as some beset him with blessings as Psal 5. 12. 32. 10. replenished him c. or as others put him to be blessings that is to impart them or to be a blessing as is said of Abraham and others Gen. 12. 2. Is 19. 24. Ezek. 34. 26. c. or Psal 21. 6. rather as others to be an example of blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pones eum benedictiones Hac loquendi formulâ exprimitur tam uberem bonorum copiam affluere ei ut meritò benevolentiae divinae exemplar esse possit c Calv. and blessings that is so blessed and replenished with blessings as to become worthily an example to others thereof And so shall England become upon its return to God as it is said of Ephraim and Manasseh In thee shall Israel bless saying God make thee as Ephriam c. so as England the Lord bless thee as he hath blessed his people there whereas others have been an example of God's curse as Zedekiah and Ahab The Lord make thee as Zedekiah c. and then from that very time that we do indeed Gen 48. 20. Jer. 29. 22. turn again to God and are reform'd the name of the City and Countrey too shall be the name of that City Ezek. 48. 35. as that wherein our chief good and happiness shall consist Jehovah Shammah the Lord is there CHAP. XVII Motives to seek the face or favour of God COnsider 1. how excellent it is so as David Psal 36. 7. admires it How excellent is thy loving kindness O God c. It cannot be exprest what is there in heaven it self that exceeds it whom have I in heaven but thee And they shall see 73. 25. Rev. 22. 4. his face c. Life is precious the preciousest thing in Nature but the favour of God as has been hinted is more precious it is life even in Ps 63. 3. death it self as that blessed Martyr Mr. Bradford answered when profer'd life if he would recant Life said he with God's displeasure is worse than death and death in his favour is true life 2. How honourable what indeed more honours Since thou wast precious in my sight thou Is 43. 4. hast been honourable From that very time that a soul finds favour with God you may write it down as happy so truly honourable but there is no true honour 'till then it being God alone and his favour and grace that creates that this as I hinted before is the crowning mercy with favour wilt thou crown him It is observed of Ps 5. 12. the Rainbow that of it self it is but a common vapour but that which gilds it and as it were enamels it with so many radiant colours it is the Sun by shining upon it and so all the gildings all the beauty glory and lustre that is upon any it is from the shines of God's face from the beams of his favour and grace and without this man though in honour is yet but vile and like Psal 49. 20. the beasts that perish And the earth shined with his glory It is the grace and favour of Ezek. 43. 2. God which he counts his glory that makes to shine such lumps of earth as we are It is spoken as the great honour of the seven Princes of Persia and Media that were next to the King Hest 1. 14. that they saw his face those Persian Monarchs were seldom seen of any it was a piece of state they took upon themselves and if it was so much honour to see the face of an earthly Monarch what honour is it to behold the face of God! As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness Psal 17. 15. This is that badg of honour that differences the Saints from all others and is not onely the happiness but glory of heaven it self and of those Angels and blessed Heroes that reside there I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God and I say unto you that in heaven Luk. 1. 19. Matth. 18. 10. the Angels do always behold the face of my father which is in heaven This is spoken of as the grearest honour the creature can be advanced to in heaven and what greater honour then can there be on earth 3. How comfortable nothing comforts like it nor any thing truly without it It s better than wine yea turns even water into wine it giveth songs in the night and in the grossest darkness causeth to arise light and this alone in all troubles is the choicest cordial no Bezoar Pearl Alkermes nor other cordial can comfort like it hence the Prophet David a man inspired by God of all cordials makes choice of this Let I pray thee thy merciful kindness Ps 119. 76. be for my comfort c. or let it be for to comfort me where should it be O let it be by Ad consolandum me me let it be with me as my cordial to cheer and revive me Such as are subject to faint use to have their cordials by them now Lord says David let me have this and none indeed to Ostendit nihil esse quod dolorem abstergat donec propitium sibi Deum sentiat Calvin this this was it made Oecolampadius when he was near death putting his hand upon his heart to say hic sat lucis here is abundance of light that is of unspeakable joy and Mr. Bolâ—on I am by the wonderful mercies of God as full of comfort as my heart can hold and another to cry out O the joy the unspeakable joy I find in my soul and another my cup runs over c. this will comfort when other the choicest cordials cannot nor will not and that in the most disconsolate estate but nothing in times of distress can comfort without it because nothing can supply the want of it It is said In the light of the Kings countenance is life and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain and as dew upon the grass and what then is the light of Gods countenance his favour how much more comfortable and refreshing must that needs be Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance O one cast of that is more comforting than the wealth of a whole world When Cyrus had once given a cup of Gold to one and a Kiss in token of special favour to another he to whom the King had given the Cup told him that the Cup he gave him was not so good gold as the Kiss he gave to the other c. 4. How profitable nothing makes more for our profit it being the main and that which is the very root and well-spring of all good but of this I have occasionally spoken something before and shall be the briefer therefore now what will or