for then was it better with me then now I will repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand c. Lo this is the right way of reasoning sc from mercy to duty from deliverance to obedience 2 Cor. 5.14 Tit. 2.14 Ro. 2.4 Ro. 12.1 Ezra 9.14 The love of Christ constraineth us saith Paul the grace of the Gospell teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and to live godly c. the kindnesse of God leadeth to repentance if besought by the mercies of God to present our bodies for a sacrifice to God how can we do otherwise If God bring vineyards out of wildernesses comforts out of crosses meate out of eaters honey out of the rock Deut. 32.13 and oyle out of the flinty rock that is mercies out of difficulties they must needs be very hard-hearted that are not melted and mollified thereby And the vally of Achor sor a doore of hope The vally was neer unto Jericho that city of Palmtrees and was fertile fat and full of vines Isai 65.10 thought to be the same with Engeddi which is often mentioned in the Canticles This vally was a kinde of dore or inlet into the promised land and here they began first to eate of the fruits of the land which they had so much longed for Josh 5.10 and now hoped for the enjoyment of the whole whereof that vally was a pledg and earnest Hereby then is covertly promised to Gods people deliverance by Christ together with the first-fruits and earnest of the spirit whereby they shall be brought to an assured hope of the harvest of happinesse of the whole bargain of Christs benefits Spes in humanis incerti nomen boni spes in divinis nomenest certissemi Heb. 11.1 this is hope unfaileable as proceeding from faith unfained which can believe God upon his bare word and that against sense in things invisible and against reason in things incredible It can take a man out of the vally of Achor that is of trouble see Josh 7.6 and set him on the everlasting mountains where as from Pisgah he may have a full prospect of heaven the hope where of maketh absent joyes present wants plentitudes and beguiles calamity as good company doth the way yea lookes upon it as an in let to mercy a promise whereof to apostatizing Israel some make this fat vally of Achor to be dotis nomine as a dowry in allusion to the manner of the Jewes in their marriages to give some piece of ground to the spouse as a pledge and she shall sing there As rejoycing in hope Rom. 12.12 Et res plena gaudio spes Psal 65.13 as Bernard hath it They shall shout for joy they shall also sing Some think the Prophet here alludeth to that custome of the Jewes to sing in the time of their vintage See Judg. 9.27 Esay 16.10 Others will have it to be an allusion to their marriage-songs that being the time of the rejoycing of a mans heart Cant. 3.11 Viz. at the recovery of his lostrib The Septuagint render 〈◊〉 shall be humbled and indeed the word signifieth both to be humbled and 〈◊〉 Some are humbled but not humble low but not lowly these must look for more load But they that mourn in a godly manner are sure to be comforted God will turn all their sighing into singing they shall sing aloud upon their beds which they have soaked in teares Gosr in rit Epist l. 1. Conf. l. 6. c. 12. and made to swim againe as David Psa 6. A reconciled condition is a singing condition Bernard was so over-joyed at his conversion that he was almost beside himself Cyprian telleth his friend Donatus that his comforts then were inexpressible Austin saith the like of himself The Saints cannot but sing at this dore of hope though they be not yet got in at it See Psal 138.5 they shall sing in the wayes of the Lord Psal 119.54 though they be yet but viatores Gods statutes are their songs even in the house of their pilgrimage as hoping to sing shortly in the height of Zion to flow to the bountifulnesse of the Lord Jer. 31.22 As in the dayes â—f her youth and in the day when she came up c. Out of a low countrey but a lower condition being shiftlesse and succorlesse Then did God put Timbrels into their hands and ditties into their mouths See Exod. 15. And so it is here said he will do againe in the time of the gospell Let our Nonsingers here take notice that singing and that joyntly with others is a Gospell-ordinance and for further proof let them read Mr. Cottons excellent treatise upon this subject Verse 16. And it shall be in that day A sweet promise of a thorow reformation much like that Zach. 13.2 God will turne to his people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord to serve him with one shoulder Zeph. 3.9 For which end he formes their speech for them tutours them here how to terme him Ishi they must call him but not Baali my husband So Tyrannus fur sophista but not my Lord Not that there was any hurt in the word my Baal or Lord but because it had been abused and given to Idols God would have none of it or because it was grown among the better sort a name of contempt like as for the same reason the word Burden is rejected Jer. 23.36 Or lastly lest the people whilest they spoke of one thing should think of another and naming Baal should be put in minde of an Idol This is Hieromes reason Some distinguish thus betwixt the 2 words Lyra. Oecelamp that Ish is a name of love Baal of feare Others observe that Ish signifieth an excellent man and is therefore made choyce of as every way better then Baal or Lord. Augustus forbad men to call him Lord and desired rather that more amiable name of Father of his countrey It is wisdome when we call upon God to make choyce of fit titles not onely such as he in his word hath warranted but also such as may be suitable to our requests and helpfull to our faith in prayer such as wherein we may see the thing prayed for comming towards us as it were This will notably excite devotion Instances of it see Psal 80.1 Act. 1.24 and 4.24.25 c. Note there and in the next verse that there is no small danger in words and names What a deale of mischief hath the word Huguenot done in France and Puritan here Anno 1572. Cardinall Allen at Rhemes instructed his emissary-seducers sent over hither to divide the people under the names of Protestant and puritan provoking them thereby to reall and mutuall both hate and contempt His Rhemists in their anotations on 1 Tim. 20. warn their readers of using the words of Hereticks so they call us though they have no great hurt in them and hold to their old termes of masse pennance Priest c. they call us
to come out of the filth of his sins or to be washed from his wickednesse Rather then be regenerated without which there is no heaven to be had Ioh. 3.5 or freedom from deadly dangers upon earth he will venture to stay a while at least as the Text here hath it in the mouth of the matrix though it cost him a choaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such Ephraims we have not a few that proceed no further then to conviction debarring themselves of the benefit of a thorow conversion These go as far as Kadesh-barnea they are nigh to Gods kingdom they are almost perswaded to be true Christians they are come as far as the place of the breaking forth of children but there they stick and are stifled they are never brought forth from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive remission of sinnes and inheritance among the saints and sonnes of God Acts 26.18 Oh make much of the least beginnings of grace saith a Reverend man even those called repressing since they prepare the heart for conversion There is a faith in the true convert of no better perfection then that in the Temporary though he stay not there as the other being an unwise sot doth c. And although we bring forth good things saith Another as Sarah's dead womb brought forth a child it was not a child of natures but of the meer promise yet it cannot be denied that a naturall man though he be Theologically dead yet he is Ethically alive being to be wrought upon by arguments and that grace doth for the most part prepare naturals before it bring in supernaturals and if we hide our talent we are not allowed to expect the spirit of Regeneration As if we die in the wildernesse of preparatory antecedaneous works we never get to Canaan Verse 14. I will ransom them from the power of the grave c. Some read it thus Calvin Tigurin Isid Clar. Danaeus Drusius I would have ransomed them c. I would have redeemed them c. had they been wise or oughts as we say had not their incurable hardnesse and obstinacy hindered had they put forth into my hands as unto a midwife c. But alas it is no such matter therefore that that will die let it die repentance shall be hid from mine eyes I am unchangeably resolved to ruine them Or repentance should have been hid from mine eyes my goodnesse toward them should never have altered c. But let us rather look upon the words as a most sweet and comfortable promise of a mighty redemption and glorious resurrection to the Remnant according to the election of grace whom God would not have to want comfort I will ransom them Here therefore he telleth his Heirs of the promises that he will bring them back out of captivity wherein they â—ay for dead as it were and that this their deliverance should be an evident argument and sure pledge of their resurrection to life eternall To which purpose the Apostle doth aptly and properly alledge it 1 Cor. 15. and thereupon rings in Deaths ears out of this Text and Esay 25.8 the shrillest and sharpest Note the boldest and bravest challenge that ever was heard from the mouth of a mortall Death where is thy sting Hell where 's thy victory c Oh thanks be to God who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and thereby hath made us more then conquerours that is Triumphers 2 Cor. 2.14 But to return to the Text. Be it saith the Prophet that the Common-wealth of Israel both mother and child must perish for want of wisdom as was threatned in the foregoing verse yet let not the penitent among them despair for I the Lord Christ will ransom them by laying down a valuable price so the word signifieth from the power Ephdem Heb. hand of the grave or of hell that though hell had laid hands on them yea closed her mouth upon them as once the Whale had upon Jonas yet I would open the doors of that Leviathan and fetch them thence with a strong hand I will redeem them from death by becoming their near kinsman according to the flesh whereby I shall have the next right of redemption But how shall all this be done After a wonderfull manner O death I will be thy plagues Not one but many plagues even so many as shall certainly do thee to death The Vulgar rendreth it Ero mors tua O mors morsus tuus O inferne The Apostle for plagues hath sting for the plague hath a deadly sting and so hath sinne much more the guilt thereof is by Solomon said to bite like a serpent and sting like a cockatrice Prov. 23.32 Now Christ by dying put sinne to death Rom. 1.25 Ephes 1.7 Heb. 2.14 We read of a certain Cappadocean Sphinx Phil. pag. 750. whom when a Viper had bitten and suckt his blood the Viper her self died by the venemous blood that she had suckt But Christ being life essential prevailed over death and swallowed it up in victory as Moses his serpent swallowed up the sorcerers serpents or as Fire swalloweth up the fuell that is cast upon it yea by death he destroyed him that had the power of death the devil whose practise it was to kill men with death Rev. 2.23 this is the second death O grave or O hell I will be thy destruction thy deadly stinging disease joyned with the pestilence Psal 91.6 Death to a beleever is neither totall nor perpetuall Rom. 8.10 11. Christ hath made it to him of a curse a blessing of an enemy a friend of a punishment an emolument of the gate of hell the portall of heaven a postern to let out temporall but a street-door to let in eternall life And to assure all this Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes i. e. there shall be no such thing as repentance in me for all things that are at all are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do Heb. 4.13 The meaning is I will never change my minde for this matter my covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Psal 89.34 Confer Psal 110.4 Rom. 11.29 Some render it but not so well Consolation is hid from mine eyes and so make them to be the words of the Church q. d. I see not this promise with mine eyes but I receive it and accept of it by my faith Verse 15. Though he be fruitfull among his brethren In allusion to his name Ephraim which signifieth fruitfull and flourishing Gen. 41.52 Confer Gen. 48.16 19 20 c. 49.22 See the like allusions Am. 5.5 Mic. 1.10 An East-winde shall come which is violent and hurtfull to the fruits of the earth the winde of the Lord a mighty strong winde meaning that most mercilesse and impetuous enemy the Assyrian sent by the Lord to avenge the quarrell of his
labour of love which ye have shew'd toward his name in that ye have ministred to the saints and do also minister o Heb. 6.10 For the better understanding of which argument it must be premised that there is a double Justice of God one of Equity which is the giving of every man his own as ye all know and another of fidelity according to that of St. Iohn If we confesse our sinns he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins p 1 Ioh 1.9 Posset alioqui justus esse Deus c. sed quia se verbo suo nobis constrinxit justus censeri non vult nisi ignoscat Calvin in locum And in this sence as it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you which is the justice of Equity so to you that are troubled rest with us when the Lord Iesus shall come to be glorified in his saints and to be admired in all them that beleeve q 2 Thes 16 7 which is the justice of sidelity for faithfull is he that hath promised who also will do it Take it thus God having made himself our voluntary debter not by receiving any thing from us for who hath given unto him first and he shall be recompensed r Rom. 11 35 not one but by promising all good things unto us what ever unworthinesse be found in us Yet he abides faithfull he cannot deny himself Å¿ 2 Tim. 2.13 nor forget to crown his own graces in us with that life eternall which God that cannot lie promised before the world began t Tit. 1.2 He hath of his own accord smitten a covenant with us of mercy and given us his band for ou security nay his oath nay his seal both the privy seal of his spirit u Eph. 1.13 and the broad seal of the sacraments x Rom 4.11 That by so many immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lye we might have strong consolation which have our refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before us y Heb. 6.18 Reas 3. Thirdly God is gratious and hountiful as well as righteous and faithfull He is rich in mercy to all that call upon him z Rom. 10.12 or do him any other businesse Doth Icb serve God for nought a Iob 1.9 No nor any man living he is a large paymaster Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought neither do ye kindle a fire upon mine altar for nought b Mal. 1 10 David indeed would serve him on free-cost c 2 Sa. 24.24 but di the Lord dye in his debt nay did he not pay him his charges are the Sun went down the same day with usury At another time David had but a purpose to build God an house and God promised thereupon to build him an house for ever d 2 Sa 7.2 16 Again he had but a purpose of confessing his sinns and before he could do it the Lord forgave him the iniquity of his sin e Psal 32.5 The Apostle tells us that a poor servant if in serving his master according to the flesh he do withall serve the Lord Christ doing it heartily as to the Lord and not as to men let him know saith he that of the Lord he shall receive the reward of inheritance f Coloss 4.24 He meets it may be with a hard master that both belly-beats him and back-beats him too gives him very hard work and litle or no wages but Christ will do all Not wages only shall he receive as a servant but inheritance as a son Nay the poor begger that gives but a cup of cold water with desire of doing more if he had wherewithall Verily I say unto you saith our Saviour he shall not lose his reward g Mat. 10 42 Saul when he went to enquire about the Asses had but five-pence in his purse to give the Seer h 1 Sam. 9.8 the Seer after much good cheer gives him the kingdome Such is Gods deaing with us he liberally rewards the small offerings of his weak servants when he perceives them proceed from great love How often doth he send away his poor Oratours as Boaz did Ruth wit their bosome full ofblessings i Ruth 3.15 as David did Mephibosheth with a royal revenew k 2 Sam. 9.7 as Solomon did the Queen of Sheba with what soever heart can wish l 1 King 10.13 or as Caleb did his daughter Achsah m Iudg. 1.15 with upper and nether springs a confluece of spirituall comforts temporall contentments and all of the riches of his grace doth he thus give us all things richly to enjoy n 1 Tim. 6.17 Reas 4. Fourthly God is wondrous tender an chary of his own glory seeking the setting forth thereof mainly and indeed onely in all his works Now the glory of God is no way more advanced and enlarged then by keeping open house as it were giving all best entertainment and incouragement to those that frequent him not forgetting the labour of love that is shewed to his Name For this is it that will draw in much ompany about him and make men very obsequious and observant when they seâ— for certain that there is a reward for the righteous o Psal 58.11 yea stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord as knowing that their labour is not in vain in the Lord p 1 Cor. 15. ult Praise waiteth for thee O God in Sion and unto thee shall the vow be performed q Psa 65.1 2 3 Sint mecoenates non deerunt Flacce Marones Virgiliumque tibi vel tua rura dabunt Mart. But how comes it about that men are so officious and forwardly as to stand waiting at the posts of the gates of Wisdom with free offer of their best devotions and services It followes there O thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come As who should say It is for no marvell though men come thick about thee and thou have followers good store for a little eutreaty serves turne for the obtaining of great suits of all sorts and mercies without measure And it is seldom seen that a good house-keeper wants company ' is pitty he should Fifthly God rewards even wicked men that do his will Reaf 5. though against their own will and beside their own intentions as he did Nebuchadnezzar his involuntary and unwitting servant to whom he gave Egypt in way of wages or military pay for the long labour and hard pains he had taken in the siege of Tyrus r Ezek 29.18 Howbeit he thought not so but imagined to destroy and cut off not a few nations Å¿ Esay 10.7 Likewise those that serve him out of servile respcts and sinfull self-love he rewards out of the abundance of his bounty as Ahab to whom he requited a temporary repentance with a temporall deliverance Nay those
doest fret Why doest faint Hope in God for I shall yet praise him c. Should I conclude that it will never be better with me either I should deny that I am Gods child and one of his Jewels which were to bely my self and deny the work of Gods grace in my soul or basely and blasphemously to joyne with those ranke Atheists above-mentioned that charge him with heedlesnes and improvidence as one that laid his Jewels at his heels and cared not what became of them Which were to set my mouth against heaven and like a breathing-devill to bely the Almighty whose secret is upon my tabernacle Iob 29.4 that is his secret and singular providence who ordereth my down-sitting and mine uprising Psal 139.2 who cutteth out my whole condition and not only keepeth my bones not one of them is broke but numbreth all my haires not one of them is missing Things are therefore numbred that none of them may be diminished Lo the hairs of our heads are numbred as the three childrens were in the Babylonish furnace not one of them can fall to the ground without your heavenly father And if not a hair much less the head it self Mat. 10.29 Zion may say The Lord hath forsaken me and my Lordâ—hath forgotten me But that was but her mistake and misprision of the matter Esay 49.14 Psal 94.14 For the Lord will not utterly cast off his people nor forsake his inheritance for ever For a small moment he may forsake them to their thinking but with great mercy will he gather them In a little wrath he may hide his face from them for a moment Esay 54.7 8 Esay 57.16 but with everlasting kindnesse will he have mercy on them He will not contend for ever nor be alwayes wroth for the spirit should faile before him When the childe swouns in the whipping God le ts fall the rod and falls a kissing it to fetch life into it again In some diseases blood must be let usque ad deliquium till the patient faint again Yet it is a rule in Physick still to maintain nature so doth God uphold the spirits of his children by cordials of consolation in their deepest affliction This we should never doubt of but constantly shame and shent our selves in Gods presence for our forwardnesse and faintheartednesse SECT XI Exhortation to diligence in duty THe last use we shall put this point to for present Use 3 is an Exhortation to a double duty 1. Diligence in doing Gods will 2. Patience in suffering it For the first It 's encouragement enough to shew all good Conscience and fidelity in our generall and particular callings to consider that sooner or later God will not sail to requite our labour of love even to a cup of cold water or a bit of bread cast upon the waters and so cast away as a man would think but after many dayes thou shalt finde it Give a portion to seven and also to eight Eccles. 11.1 for he that giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he giveth will he pay him again Not down upon the naile it may be Prov. 19.17 but he is a sure and a liberall paymaster he gives double interest Mat. 19.29 nay a hundred fold here as Isaac had a hundred sold increase of the seed he sowed in the land of Canaan and eternall life hereafter When we have laid our grain in the ground we look not to see it the same day in the barne or garner as he saith of the Hyperborean people farr North that they sow shortly after fun-rising and reap before sun-set Heresbach de re rustica Spes alit agricolas spes sulcis credit aratis Semina quae magno foenore reddit ager Tibull for with them the whole half-yeer is but one continuall day but we are content to wait for a crop till the yeer be run about living in hope mean-while and therewith sustaining our selves And shall we not shew like patience in waiting Gods good leisure without being dismayed or dishartened though not presently requited light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright in heart Lo it is but seed-time with the saints while here and that 's commonly a wet time and dropping But they that sow in tears shall reape in joy He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtlesse come again with rejoycing Psal 126.5 6 Ob. Sol. Rev. 22.12 Act. 13.36 Act. 13.25 2 Tim. 4.7 8 Gal. 6.9 1 Cor. 15. ulc bringing his sheaves with him Ey but when Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give unto every man according to his works David served out his time and it entred into his masters joy Iohn Baptist did up his work and is gone to take up his wages St. Paul finished his course and hath received his crown Wherefore let us not be weary of well doing for in due season we shall surely reap if we faint not Yea be ye stedfast and unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. SECT XII Exhortation to patience in misery NExt let this Doctrine of gods day of delivering and doing good to his people patient our hearts and quietly compose our spirits in an humble submission to Gods holy hand and a hopefull expectation of the day of grace walking and waiting in the midst of our houses till he come unto us Psal 101.2 It is but a little while that we have to wait that he futures us yet and comes no sooner it is for the more effectuall triall of our faith and patience and for the better exercise of our hope and prayerfulnesse When that 's once done He will send his Mandamus as Psal 44.4 by some swift Gabriel who brought an answer to Daniels prayers with wearinesse of flight Dan. Esay 64.1 9.21 Yea he himself will break the heavens and come down he will come riding upon the wings of the wind he will come leaping as a hind over the mountains of Bether all lets and impediments to our relief and release In the Courts of Princes there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 8 delayes and discardings But God is quick to help and constant in his care even when he seems to cast off hee hates putting away Jam. 5.7 whatever he makes shew of Be patient therefore brethren unto the coming of the Lord saith St. James and sweeten your present tears yea though God should make you a diet-drink of them with the hope of future comforts Look upon the husband-man saith he who although his barn bee empty and his seed cast into the earth not yet appearing above ground yet hee waiteth for the crop and hath long patience for it untill he receive the former and latter rain Verse 8 And what of all this Be ye also patient therefore and stablish your hearts for the comming of
Iudah are they not Ierusalem God as he seeth no sinne in his children so he seeth nothing else but sinne in others Their morall vertues are with him but splendida peccata glistering sinnes their civil praises nothing set by Jer. 8.8 Sinne in such is said to be the old man as if sinne were alive and the men dead as if they were totally turn'd and transform'd into sinnes image What marvel then though the Lord be farre from the wicked when he heareth the prayer of the righteous Prov. 15.29 They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifice of mine offerings and eat it but the Lord accepts it not Now even amidst their sacrifices will he remember their iniquity and visit their sinnes Hos 8.13 Where it is remarkable that in scorn He calleth their sacrifices flesh ordinary flesh such as they sell in the shambles See the like Jer. 7.21 And in a like sence Hos 9.4 Their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the Lord that is the bread for their naturall sustenance The Prophet speaks there of that meat-offering Levit. 2.5 appointed for a spirituall use yet called the bread for their life or livelyhood because God esteemed it no other then common-meat Semblably such now-adayes as come in their sinnes to the Lords Supper they receive the bare elements and because no more a curse with them Obed-Edom was blessed for the Ark the Philistines cursed Panem Domini non panem Dominum wheresoever the Ark came amongst them there came destruction The ordinances if they be not proper to men are deadly God saith of those that frequent them as Solomon said of Adonijah 1 Kin. 1.52 if he will shew himself a worthy man there shall not an hair of him fall to the earth but if wickednesse shall be found in him he shall dye SECT VIII Reproof of such as censure hardly of God NExt here 's ground of just and sharp reproof of sundry such Use 2 as being otherwise very honest and good people are yet herein much to be blamed and censured that they censure so ill of God Luk. 19.21.22 worse of themselves and worst of all others For God first they repute and report him an austere man a strict and severe Lord a hard and rigorous task-master such as reaps where he sowed not gathers where he scattered not exacts more then he affords requires more then they are able to perform Now if they were ungodly an irreligious men that thus quarrelled their Lord as once those murmurers in the wildernesse were that esteemed Gods house a prison-house Num. 14.3 of greater bondage and basenesse then Egypt it self it were the lesse to be wondered at and the better to be born withal For such being out of Christ are yet under the rigor and coaction of the law as it requires perfect obedience and that by their own strength which because it is imposible as now Gal. 5.3 Rom. 6 they die without mercy But for a childe of God that is no longer under the law but under grace that hath Christ formed already in his heart of whose fulnesse he hath received grace for grace that hath the spirit of God for his guide Neh. 8.10 Psal 119.24 2 Cor. 12.9 the joy of God for his strength the word of God for his learned counsel and the grace if God to be sufficient for him sufficient I say to supply that which is wanting to forgive that which is committed to impute Christs righteousnesse to uphold him in his weaknesses to raise and restore him in his lapses and in all to spare him as a man spares his own son that serveth him what reason is there that such a man should complain of a hard master or cry out of an unreasonable task indeed if God would accept of no service but that which is perfect bear with no failings though never so involuntary cast out every such thing as were not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary there were no dealing with him no standing before him no encouragement to come a near him in his works and worships If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities saith the Psalmist O Lord who should stand But there is forgivenesse with thee that thou mayest be feared that is served whic else thou wouldest not And upon this ground let Israel hope in the Lord not run away from him and repine against him as Cain did for that were to add iniquity to their sin as Samuel told the terrified people 1 Sam. 12.20 21 for with the Lord there is mercy the most powerful attractive Rom. 12.1 to those that have not put off humanity whence the cords of kindnesse are called the cords of a man Hos 11.6 not to be drawn to God by them is bestial and with him is plenteous redemption a cornu copia of comfort a horn of salvation enough and enough for us all were we never so many of us He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities Psal 130.3 4 7 8. Be not ye therefore murmurers against God as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer sith those thins were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come SECT IX Reproof of such saints as censure hardly of themselves and their performances SEcondly such of Gods servants as are here censurable as censure over-hardly of themselves 2 Cor. 10.10.11 as if no children because not obedient in all things as it were meet These are those over much wicked Eccles 7.17 according to some that will needs condemn themselves to die before their time think too vilely of their own persons and performances denie if not belie the work of Gods grace in their hearts not wisely distinguishing betwixt nullity of grace and imperfection weaknesse and utter want of it to their I know nor how great spiritual hurt and hinderance These consider not that the law admits of a dispensation in the gospel that the tenour of the new covenant requires no set measures of grace and that if there be a willing minde God accepts according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not takes any thing in good worth where there is a desire of doing better and for the rest spares us as a man spares his own son that serves him Away then with that male-contented sowernesse seen in some saints also Gods whinnels you may call them for they are ever crying and puling when they should rather sing at their work and rejoyce in their priviledges this would please their father best as if a man have ever a little cricket among his children that will be merry and make him merry this is the fathers darling Oh blessed are those that dwell in thine house saith David they shall be alwayes praising thee Psal 84.4 And for nothing more surely then for this fatherly and gracious disposition towards thy poor servants that desire to fear thy name Neh. 1. Heb 12.18 are