it and of the frequent decayes and abatements of the grace of God in us 12. By prayer and faith get a heart fixed upon God 13. Great comfort that our conversion and obedience dependeth on the power of God This no ground of supine neglect of duties for grace so worketh in us as that it disposeth us unto working the means being decreed as well as the end 14. Other mens wills are in Gods keeping He the author and orderer of our troubles 15. Repentance breaks off sin and makes haste out of it 16. God heareth onely penitents Our persons accepted before our prayers A wicked man may pray a prayer of nature not of faith Two wills in prayer Ours and Gods when a wicked man prayes for mercy he prayes against Gods will when for grace against his own 17. When we pray for outward things our aimes must be spirituall The way to have all our other ends is to make God our chiefe end 18. Prayer the Key of obedience The principles of service are the fruits of prayer 19. Words Ammunition against Armes that way as prayer goes God goes 20. Sound conversion engageth Gods protection and yeeldeth comfort in all conditions of life Sermon VII Sect. 1. THe seal of the Prophets Doctrine Interrogation denying wishing demonstrating awakening 2. In spirituall things mentall knowledge seconded with practicall wisdome 3. The wayes of the Lord his providence his precepts 4. Few men wise to salvation 5. The weaker part more then the wiser The word a sweet savour to 〈…〉 singularity sinfull pious singularity necessary 6. 〈…〉 pondreth all Gods wayes Wisdome particular geneâ—all 7. Wicked mâ—n shape their own end and apply sinfull means by a sinfull wisdome unto it God only the last end of righteous men 8. All wisdome is for obtaining of good avoiding of evill The excellency of every thing in Beauty Vse 9. Wisdome of Angels conversant about the Word Scripture the best Counsellor The plenitude thereof The pernicious influence of corrupt doctrines upon the present state of the Church 10. Twofold knowledge of judgements and blessings 11. The rectitude of Gods wayes in their equity and reason ablenesse their perfect harmony their directnesse to their end their conformity to the will of God their plainnesse and perspicuity 12. We are apt to pick quarrels at the Word 13. Wicked men set up their wills against Gods and invent distinctions to reconcile Gods will to theirs 14. Ministers may not stamp Gods mark on doctrines of humane invention nor superinduce any thing upon the Scripture People have a judgement of discretion to try the spirit 15. Obedience the end of the Ministry Ordinances not obeyed ripen and increase sin and hasten judgements 16. None but righteous men will obey the Word Every wicked man doth in some thing or other gainsay the truth 17. The right wayes of the Lord are unto wicked men matter of scandall 18. They stumble at the profoundnesse of the Word as being above reason 19. At the the strictnesse of it as being against their peruliar lust 20. At To the seraching power and simplicity of the Gospell 21. At impossibility of fulfilling the law which is but accidentall To ergenerate men the Law is Evangelically possible Wicked men hardened willingly as well as judicially 22. At the grace of the word by presumption at the threatnings and judgements of it by stubbornnesse 23. Wicked men stumble at the word not only unto scandall but unto ruine The First SERMON UPON HOSEA Chap. 14. Vers. 1 2. HOSEA 14.1 2. O Israel return unto the Lord thy God 〈…〉 hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words and turn to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquity and receive us graciously or give good so will we render the 〈◊〉 of our lips THe blessing of Ephraim was according to his name Fruitfulness The fruitfulness of the Earth a bough by a well and the fruitfulness of the womb and of the brests Gen. 49.22.25 Deut. 2â— 1â— 17. Contrary unto which two blessings 〈…〉 in our Prophet two Iudgments threatned against him for his sins chap. 13 15 16. Though he be fruitful amongst his brethren an East wind shall come the wind of the Lord shall come up from the Wilderness and his spring shall become dry and his fountain shall be dryed up he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels Samaria shall become desolate for she hath rebelled against her God they shal fall by the Sword their Infants shal be dashed in pieces and their women with child shall be ript up And throughout the whole Prophecy if you read and observe it you will find the Judgments of God against Ephraim to be expressed by weeds emptiness barrenness dryness of roots of fruits of branches of springs and by a curse upon their Children as on the other side the blessing here in this Chapter renewed unto Ephraim repenting are all expressed by Metaphors of fruitfulness ver 5 6 7 〈…〉 two woful Iudgments against the fruitfulness of their springs and the fruitfulness of their wombs by the desolations of a bloody sword our Prophet taketh occasion once more for all to awaken and drive them to a timely repentance that so they may recover the blessing of their name Ephraim may be Ephraim again a plentiful a fruitful a flourishing people That when Gods Iudgments are in the earth they would then at least set themselves to learn righteousness that they may wash their feet in the blood of the wicked Of all Nations under Heaven this Land of ours hath had the blessing of Ephraim upon it fruitfulness of the Earth abundaâ—â—e of plenty fruitfulness of the womb abundance of people But our misery is that the abundance of our sins hath mightily outvied the abundance both of our plenty and of our people sins too too paralel to those of Ephraim if you will but read this Prophet and compare the behaviours of this Nation with him And this parity of sins hath no doubt called upon God for a parity of judgments It is but a very little while since the Lord seemed to call for a North-wind as he doth here for an East-wind two Armies there met ready to look one another in the Face but his heart turned his repentings were kindled he would not give up Ephraim then He seems once more to be drawing of a Sword and having in vain hewed us by his Prophets as he complains chap. 6.5 to try whether hewing us by his Iudgments will work upon us So that now thouâ—â— I must read my Text O Israel yet I must apply it O England Return unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Take with you words c. The whole Context containeth two general parts An Invitation unto Repentance Vers. 1. And an Institution how to perform it in the two verses following Before we come to the particulars of the Invitation let us first briefly observe That in the midst of Iudgments
were much greater The not using of mercies is the being unthankfull for them And it is an heavie account which men must give for abused mercies Deut. 32.6 Amos 2.9.13 Luke 13 7. Heb. 6.7 Sins against mercy and under mercy are the first ripe fruâ—â— when the Sun shines hottest the fruits ripen fastest Amos 8.1.2 Ier. 1.11.12 God doth not beare so long with the provocations of a Church as of those that are not a people the sins of the Amorites were longer in ripening then the sins of Israel When judgement is abroad it will begin at the House of God II. We should be so much the more earnestly pressed unto this by how much it is the greater evidence of our conversion unto God and by how much more apt we are to call for mercies when we want them then with the Leper to returne praises when we do enjoy them Ten cried to be healed but there was but one that returned glory to God Vessels will sound when they are empty fill them and they are presently dumb When we want merâ—cies then with Pharaoh wee cry out for pardon for peace for supplies for deliverances but when prayers are answered and our turne served how few remember the method which God prescribes Call on me in the day of trouble I will hear thee and thâ—n shalt glorifie me Psal. 50.15 yea how many like Swine trample on the meat that feeds them and tread under foot the mercies that preserve them How many are so greedily intent upon the things they desire that they cannot see nor value the things they enjoy Omniâ— festinatio caeca est It is noted even of good King Hezekiah that he did not render according to the benefits which he had received 2 Chron. 32.25 Therefore we should be exhorted in our prayers for pardon and grace to do as the Church here doth to promise the Sacrifices of Thankfulnesse and obediene not as a price to purchase mercy for our good extends not unto God Psal. 16.2 but as a tye and obligation upon our selves to acknowledge and return the praise of mercy to him that gives it And this the Apostle exhorteth us unto that our requests should be made known unto God not onely with prayer and supplication but with Thankesgiving Phil. 4.6 1 Thess. 5. 17.18 1 Tim. 2.1 which we finde to have been his own practice Eph. 3 14.20.21 We should keep a Catalogue of Gods mercies to quicken us unto dutie as well as a Catalogue of our own sins to make us cry for mercy And unto this duty of Thanksgiving we may be excited I. By the consideration of Gods greatnesse Great is the Lord and therefore greatly to be praised Psal. 145.3 The praises of God should be according to his Name Ps. 48.10 Ps. 96.8 All things were made for no other end but to return glory to him that made them Because al things are of him therfore all must be to him Ro. 11.36 And this the very Figure of the world teacheth us For a Circular line ends where it began and returns back into its originall point by that means strengthning and preserving it self For things are usually strongest when nearest their originall and the more remote from that the weaker they grow As a tree is strongest at the root and a branch or bough next the trunk or stock and the further out it grows from thence the smaller and weâ—ker it grows too and the further it is from the originall of its being the nearer it is unto not Being So all creatures are hereby taught both for preservation of that being they have for supply of what perfections they want and in both for the setting forth of the greatnesse of their Maker out of whose infinite Being all finite beings are sustained perfected to run back unto God for whose sake they are and have been created Rivers come from the Sea and therefore run back into the Sea again The trees receive sap from the earth and within a while pay it back in those leaves that fall down to the earth again Now as God hath made all creatures thus to shew forth the glory of his greatnes so he will have them do it by these Principles and in that maner of working which he hath planted in them Inanimate and meere naturall creaâ—ures are bid to praise the Lord Psal. 148.8.9 but this â—hey do blindly and ignorantly like the arrow which flies toward the marke but understandeth not its own motion being directed thither by an understanding without and above it self And thus when every thing by the naturall weight and inclination of its own form moveth to the place where it may be preserved or draweth to it those further degrees of perfection whereby it may be improved and have more of being communicated to it it may truly be said to praise the Lord in that it obeyeth the Law which he planted in it and is by his wise providence carried back towards him to derive its conservation perfection from the same fountain from whence it s Being did proceed But now reasonable creatures being by God enriched with Internall knowledge and that knowledge in his Church exceedingly raised by his manifestation of himself as their utteâ—most blessednesse in the Word unto them He therefore requires that we should worke actively and with intention of the End for which he made us guiding all our aimes and inclinations towards his glory by that internall knowledge of his Excellency which he hath implanted in us and revealed to us And indeed all other creatures are in this sense said to glorifie God because the infinite power wisdom goodnesse and perfection of God which are in their beings and workings so notably relucent do become the object of reasonable creatures to contemplate upon and by that means draw forth admiration and adoration of him II. By the consideration of Gods goodnesse He deserves it at our hands He gives more to us then we are able to render unto him The Sun shines on the Moon with his own glorious light the Moon retâ—rns but a 〈◊〉 spotted light upon the world We can return nothing unto God but that which is his own 1 Chro. 29.16 and it goes not with that purity from us as it came unto us We cannot send forth a thought round about us but it wâ—ll returne with a report of mercy and that mercy calls for a returne of praise But above all the goodnesse of God mentioned in the text Taking away iniquity and receiving graciously this calls for the Calvâ—s of the lips to be offered as in the new Moons with Trumpets and solemnity Num 10.10 The beams of the Sun the more directly they fall on the body of the Moone doe fill it with the more abundant light so the more copious and notable Gods mercies are unto us the more enlarged should our praises be unto him Therefore true Penitents that have more tasted of mercy are more obliged unto thanksgiving Psal.
conversion unto him our greatest businesse And I doe verily believe that England must never thinke of outliving or breaking thorow this anger of God this criticall judgement that is upon it so as to returne to that cold and formall complexion that Laodicean temper that she was in before till she have so publickly and generally repented of all those civill disorders which removed the bounds and brought dissipation upon publick justice and of all those Ecclesiasticall disorders whch let in corruptions in doctrine superstions in worship abuses in Government discountenancing of the power of godlinesse in the most zealous Professors of it as that our Reformation may be as conspicuous as our disorders have beene and it may appeare to all the world that God hath washed away the filth and purged the blood of England from the midst thereof by the Spirit of Iudgement and by the Spirit of burning Secondly That Gods love is the true ground of removing Judgements in mercie from a people Let all Humane counsells be never so deep and armies never so active and cares never so vigilant and Instruments never so unanimous if Gods love come not in nothing of all these can doe a Nation any good at all Those that are most interested in Gods love shall certainly be most secured against his Judgements Hither our eyes our prayers our thoughts must be directed Lord love us delight in us choose us for thy selfe and then though Counsells and treasures and armies and men and horses and all second causes faile us though Sathan rage and hell threaten and the foundations of the earth be shaken though neither the Vine nor the Olive nor the figg-tree nor the field nor the pastures nor the heards nor the stay yeeld any supplies yet we will rejoyce in the Lord and glory in the God of our Salvation sinne shall be healed anger shall be removed nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. THE FIFTH SERMON HOSEA Chap. 14. ver 5.6 7. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his reâ—ts as Lebanon 6. His branches shall spread and his beautie shall be as the Olive Tree and his smell as Lebanon 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall returne They shall revive as the Corne and grow as the Vine the sent thereof shall bee as the wine of Lebanon c. IN these verses is contained â—ods answer unto the second part of Israels petition wherein they desired him to doe them good or to receive them graciously And here God promiseth them severall singular blessings set forth by severall metaphorâ— and similitudes all answering to the name of Ephraim and the ancient promises made unto him Deu. 33.13 17. c. opposite to the many contrary courses threatned in the former parts of the Prophecy under metaphors of a contary importance Here is the dew of grace contrary to the morning cloud the earthly dew that passeth away Cap. 13.3 Lillies Olives Vines Spices contrary to the Judgments of Nettles Thornes Thistles chap. 9 16.10.8 Spreading roots contrary unto dry roots chap. 9.16 A fruitfull vine bringing forth excellent wine contrary to an empty Vine bringing fruit only to it selfe that is so sowre and usavory as is not worth the gathering chap. 10.1 Corne growing instead of corne taken quite away chap. 2.9 instead of no staulk no bud no meale chap. 8.7 Fruit promised in stead of no fruit threatned chap. 9.16 Wine promised in opposition to the failing of wine Chap. 9.2.2.9 Sweet wine opposite to sowre drinke Chap. 4.18 Safe dwelling in stead of no dwelling Chap. 9.3 Branches growing and spreading instead of branches consumed Chap. 11.6 Green trees instead of Dry springs Chap. 13.15 And all these fruits the fruits as of Lebanon which was of all other parts of that Country the most fertill Mountaine full of various kindes of the most excellent Trees Cedars Cypresse Olive and divers others affording rich gummes and balsomes full also of all kinds of the most medicinall and aromatick herbs sending forth a most fragrant odour whereby all harmfull and venemous Creatures were driven from harboring there And in the Vallies of that Mountaine were most rich grounds for Pasture Corne and Vineyards as the Learned in their descriptions of the holy Land have observed The Originall of all these blessings is the heavenly dew of Gods grace and favour alluding to that abundance of dew which fell on that Mouniaine descending upon the Church as upon a garden bringing forth Lillies as upon a Forrest strengthning the Cedars as upon a Vineyard spreading abroad the branches as upon an Olive yard making the trees thereof green and fruitfull and as on a rich field receiving the Corne. Here is spirituall beautie the beautie of the Lillie exceeding that of Solomon in all his glory spirituall stabilitie the rootes of the Cedars and other goodly trees in that mountaine spirituall odors and spices of Lebanon spirituall fruitfulnesse and that of all sorts and kinds for the comfort of life The fruit of the field bread to strengthen the fruit of the Olive trees oyle to refresh the fruit of the Vineyard wine to make glad the heart of man Psal. 104.15 Wee esteeme him a very rich man and most excellently accommodated who hath gardens for pleasure and fields for corne and pasture and woods for fuell for structure for defence for beautie and delight and Vineyards for wine and oyle and all other conveniencies both for the necessities and delights of a plentifull life Thus is the church here set forth unto us as such a wealthy man furnished with the unsearchable riches of Christ with all kinde of blessings both for sanctity and safety as the Apostle praiseth God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly places in Christ viz. Election to eternall life adoption to the condition of sonnes and to a glorious inheritance redemption from misery unto blessednesse remission of sinnes knowledge of his will holinesse and unblameablenesse of life and the seale of the Holy Spirit of Promise as we find them particularly enumerated Ephe. 1.3 13. The words thus opened doe first afford us one generall Observation in that God singleth out so many excellent good things by name in relation to that generall petition Doe us good That God many times answereth prayer abundantly beyond the petitions of his people They prayed at large only for good leaving it as it becommeth us who know not alwayes what is good for our selves to his holy will and wisedome in what manner and measure to doe good unto them And he answers them in particular with all kinde of good things As in the former petition they prayed in generall for the forgivenesse of sinne and God in particular promiseth the healing of their Rebellions which was the greatest of their sinnes God many times answers the
the aide of God for it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. â— 11.12.13 when we Covenant to turn unto God we must withall pray unto him to turne us Lam. 5.21 Ier. 31. God commands us to turn our selves and to make us a new heart and a new spirit that we may live Ezek. 18.30.31 32. but withall he telleth us that it is hee who gives us one heart and one way and a new spirit that we may walk in his Statutes Ezek. 11.19.20 Ier. â—2 39 He giveth us posse velle agere proficere the power to make us able the heart to make us willing the Act to walk the proficiency to improve the perseverance to finish and perfect holinesse David cannot run in the way of Gods Commandements till he enlarge his heart Psal. 119.32 nothing can finde the way to heaven but that which comes first from heaven Ioh. 2.13 wee cannot give unto God any thing but of his own Who am I saith David and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort for all things come of thee and of thine own have we given thee 1 Chron. 29.14 For the further understanding of this point and of the sweet concord and concurrence betweene the will of man converted and the effectuall grace of God converting wee shall set down these few propositions 1. That there is in man by nature a power or faculty which wee call Free will whereunto belongeth such an indifferency and indeterminacy in the manner of working that whether a man will a thing or â—ill it choose it or turne from it hee doth in neither move contrary to his owne naturall principles of working A stone moving downward doth move naturally upward contrary to its nature and so violently But which way so ever the will moves it moves according to the condition of its created being wherein it was so made as when it chose one part of a contradiction it retained an inward and fundamentall habitude unto the other like those gates which are so made as that they open both wayes So that as the tongue which was wont to sweare or blaspheme when it is converted doth by the force of the same faculty of speaking being newly sanctified utter holy and gracious speeches so the will which being corrupted did chuse evill and only evill being sanctified doth use the same manner of operation in chusing that which is good the created nature of it remaining still one and the same but being now guided and sanctified by different principles This wee speak onely with respect to the naturall manner of its working for if we speake of liberty in a morall or theologicall sense so it is certaine that the more the will of man doth observe the right order of its proper objects and last end the more free and noble it is the very highest perfection of free will standing in an immutable adherency unto God as the ultimate end of the creature and all ability of receding or falling from him being the deficiency and not the perfection of Free-will And therefore the more the will of man doth cast off and reject God the more base servile and captive it growes In which sense we affirme against the Papists that by nature man since the fall of Adam hath no Free-will or naturall power to beleeve and convert unto God or to prepare himselfe thereunto 2. In man fallen and being thereby universally in all his faculties levened with vitious and malignant principles there is a native privitie and corrupt force which putteth forth it selfe in resisting all those powerfull workings of the word and spirit of grace that oppose themselves against the body of sinne and move the will unto holy resolutions for the wisedome of the flesh cannot bee subject unto the Law of God Rom. 8.7 The flesh will lust against the spirit as being contrary thereunto Gal. 5.17 an uncircumcisied heart will alwayes resist the holy spirit Act. 7.51 there is such a naturall antipathy between the purity of the word and the impurity of the will of man that he naturally refuseth to heare and snuffeth at it and pulleth away the shoulder and hardneth the heart and stoppeth the eare and shutteth the eyes and setteth up strong holds and high reasonings against the wayes of God and is never so well as when he can get off all sight and thoughts of God and be as it were without God in the world Ier. 5.3.6.10.17.23.19.15 Mal. 1.13 2 Chron. 36.16 3. According to the degrees and remainders of this naturall corruption so farre forth as it is unmortified and unsubdued by the power of grace this originall force doth proportionably put forth it selfe in withstanding and warring against the Spirit of God even in the regenerate themselves A notable example whereof wee have in Asa of whom it is said that he was wroth with Hanani the Seer and put him in a Prison-house and was in a rage with him when hee reproved him for his carnall confidence 2 Chron. 16.10 and the Apostle doth in many words both state and bewaile the warring of the Law of his members against the law of his minde so that when hee did with the one serve the law of God hee did with the other serve the law of sinne and was unable to doe the thing which hee would and the evill which he would not he did doe by the strength of sinne that dwelled in him â— Rom. 7.14 15. 4. We are to distingish of the will of God which is set forth in Scripture two manner of wayes There is voluntas signi or that will of God whereby he requires us to work and which he hath appointed to bee observed by us His will signified in precepts and prohibitions This is the will of God saith the Apostle even your sanctification 1 Thess. 4.3 So we are said to prove to try to doe Gods will or that which is pleasing in his sight Matth. 7.21 Rom. 12.2 Ioh. 8.29 and there is voluntas beneplaâ—iti the will of his purpose and counsell according unto which hee himselfe in his owne secret and unsearchable good pleasure is pleased to work for hee worketh all things after the counsell of his owne will Eph. 1.11 whatsoever the Lord pleaseth that he doth in heaven and earth Psal. 135.6 And no second causes can doe any thing else though they never so proudly break the order of Gods revealed will but what his hand and Counsell had before determined Acts 4.28 The will of Gods precept and command is every day violated resisted and broken through by wicked men unto their owne destruction How often would I and yee would not Matth. 23.37 Ierem. 13.11 But the will of Gods Counsell and purpose cannot bee resisted or withstood by all the powers of the world the Counsell of the Lord must stand and those very agents that worke purposely to disappoint and subvert it doe by those very workings
for it selfe into the whole man minde thoughts affections words actions fitting them all unto the holy seed that is put into them as the earth being softned and mingled with the dew is the more easily drawn up into those varieties of herbs and fruites that are fed by it Sixthly It is of a vegerating and quickning nature it causeth things to grow and revive againe therefore the Prophet cals it the dew of herbs Esay 26.19 which are thereby refreshed and recover life and beauty even so the word and spirit of grace distilling upon the soule as small raine upon tender herbs and as showres on the grasse cause it to live the life of God and to bring forth the fruits of holinesse and obedience Esay 55.10 11. Those parts of the world which are under either perpetuall frosts or perpetuall scortchings are barren and fruitlesse the earth being closed up and the sap thereof dried away by such distempers Such is the condition of a soule under wrath that hath no apprehensions of God but in frost or fire for who can stand before his cold Psal. 147.17 Who can dwell with everlasting burnings Esay 33.14 Feare contracteth and bindeth up the powers of the soule it is the greatest indisposer of all other unto regular action But when the soule can apprehend God as love finde healing in his wings and reviving in his ordnances this love is of an opening and expansive quality calling forth the heart unto duty love within as it were hastening to meet and close with love without the love of obedience in us with the love of favour and grace in God I shut and barre my doore against an Enemy whom I feare and look upon as armed to hurt me but I open wide my doores my bosome unto a friend whom I love and look upon as furnished with counsell and comfort benefits to revive me There is a kind of mutuall love between dew and the earth dew loves the earth with a love of beneficeâ—ce doing it good and earth loves dew with a love of concupiscence earnestly desiring it and opening unto it Such is the love between Christ and the soule when hee appeares as dew unto it He visites the soule with a love of mercy reviving it and the soule puts forth it selfe towards him in a love of duty earnestly coveting as well to serve as to enjoy him Lastly it is of a refreshing and comforting nature tempering the heat of those hotter Countries and so causing the face of things to flourish with beauty and delight So God promiseth to be unto his people in their troubles as a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest Esay 18.4 The spirituall joy and heavenly comfort which the peace and grace of God ministreth to the consciences of believers Rom. 15.13 5.1 Phil. 4.4 1 Pet. 1.8 is said to make the bones flourrish like an herb Esay 66.14 As on the other side a broken spirit is said to dry up the bones Prov. 17. â—2 Their soule saith the Prophet shall be as a watered garden they shall sorrow no more I will turne their mourning into joy and will comfort them Ier. 31·12 13. By all which we should learne first as to bee sensible of our owne personall and spirituall drinesse barrennesse emptinesse of fruit and peace hard hearts withered consciences guilty spirits under our own particular sinnes So in regard of the whole land to take notice of that tempest of wrath which like an East winde out of the wildernesse dryeth up our springs and spoileth our treasures as the Prophet complaines Hos. 13.15.16 and to be humbled into penitent resolutions as the Church here is If God who was wont to be as dew to our Nation who made it heretofore like a Paradise and a watered garden be now as a Tempest as a consuming fire unto it turning things upside down burning up the Inhabitants of the Earth causing our land to mourn and our joy to wither as the Prophet speaks Ioel 1.12 this is an evident sign that the Earth is defiled under the inhabitants thereof Isa. 24.4 5. Therefore as our sinnes have turned our dew into blood so our repentance must turn our blood into dew againe If ever we look to have a happy peace we must make it with God Men can give peace onely to our bodies our fields our houses our purses nor that neither without his over-ruling power and providence who alone mannageth all the counsels and resolutions of men but hee alone can give peace to our consciences by the assurance of his love which is better then life And if there should be peace in a Nation made up onely by humane prudence and correspondencies without publike repentance and through Reformation in Church in State in Families in Persons in judgement in manners it would be but like those short interims between the Egyptian plagues Exod. 8.15.9.34 A respiting only not a removing of our affliction like the shining of the Sunne on Sodom before the fire and brimstone fell upon it Gen. 19.23 24. Wee all cry and call for Peace and while any thing is left would gladly pay dear very dear to recover it againe But there is no sure and lasting purchase of it but by unfained Repentance and turning unto God this is able to give peace in the midst of warre In the midst of storme and tempest Christ is sufficient security to the tossed ship Matth. 8.24 27. This man is the peace even when the Assyrian is in the Land Mic. 5.5 Whereas impenitency even when we have recovered an outward peace leaves us still in the midst of most potent Enemies God Christ Angels Scripture Creatures Conscience Sinnes Curses all our Enemies The Apostle tels us that Lusts warre against the soule 1 Pet. 8.11 There is a strong emphasis in the word soule which is more worth then all the world nothing to bee taken in exchange for it Matth. 16.26 So long as we have our lusts unconquered we are under the wofullest warre in the world which doth not spoyle us of our blood our money our corne our cattell our houses our children but of the salvation of Immortall soules Time will repaire the ruines of other warres but eternity it self will not deliver that poor soule which is lost and fallen in the Warres of lust Therefore if you would have peace as a mercy get it from God let it be a dew from Heaven upon your conversion unto him A Kings favour is said to be as dew on the grasse Prov. 9.12 and as a cloud of the latter raine Prov. 16.15 And it would with all joyfulnesse be so apprehended if by that meanes the blessing of peace were bestowed upon these distressed Kingdomes How much more comfortable would it be to have it as a gift from God unto a repenting Nation For God can give peace in anger as well as he doth warre A ship at Sea may be distressed by a calme as well as broken by a tempest The cattell which we meane