vaine for God doth not regenerate us by sudden enthusiasmes but by ordinary meanes and these exhortations are the meanes without which ordinarily no man is or can bee converted Wee are begotten by the word of trueth Iam. 1.18 Through the Gospell 1. Cor. 4.15 Of the incorruptible seede of the word 1. Pet. 1.23 Now no man will say that it is in vaine to use ordinarie meanes as to take meate for to nourish our bodies Physicke to recover our health to cast seede in the ground for to bring foorth fruite though the event bee not in our power but in Gods hands So neyther can these exhortations to repentance be in vaine though it bee not in our power to returne unto the Lord. Thirdly these exhortations serve to humble us with a sight of our owne inabilitie and also to direct us what things wee are to aske of God by prayer according to that of S. Augustine Deus jubet aliqua De gratia 〈◊〉 arbit cap. 16. quae non possumus ut noverimus quid ab illo petere debeamus God commaunds us some things which are not in our power that wee might know what things wee have to aske of him by prayer For when I heare that I am commaunded to returne unto the Lord and yet looking upon mine owne strength I finde no such power in my selfe this must make mee goe out of my selfe and flie unto the throne of Grace crying with the Spouse of CHRIST Draw mee and I will runne after thee Cant. 1.3 and with Ephraim Convert mee and I shal be converted Ierem. 2â—,18 Psalm 51 13. and with David create in me a cleane heart and with the Disciples Lord increase our faith S. August and with that holy Father Domine da quod jubes jube quod vis Give mee a power to doe that which thou commaunds and then commaund mee to doe what thou wilt Finally this precept is given unto us because there is something in our power to doe we can use the meanes as goe to Church and heare the word Besides after that God in the first moment of our uprising hath revived the heart and given life to the dead will then acti agimus Wee are no longer passive but coworkers with God Ierem. 31.19 After I was converted I repented saith Ephraim Hence as our conversion is ascribed to God as the first and sole Author so it is ascribed to our selves as instruments of God apprehending his grace and working forward with it God is said to give faith and wee are said to beleeve God is said to give repentance and wee are said to repent God is said to turne us and wee are said to turne unto the Lord. From the exhortation I come to the arguments Indeede there is not a word in all the exhortation but it contaynes in it an argument to invite them to repentance First O Israel Thou that art Gods owne people What shame is it for thee to turne thy backe upon God Secondly Returne thou hast gone astray therefore come backe againe into the right way Thirdly unto the Lord hee is IEHOVAH the fountaine of all goodnesse that hath right unto thee by creation by redemption by covenant by many other obligations therefore returne unto him Fourthly he is thy God and therefore if thou wilt returne unto him hee will receive thee Fiftly Thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie therefore continue no longer in that course which hath procured thy fall least thou perish but returne unto the Lord that he may rayse thee up But the two last are the chiefe motives one whereof is taken from Gods mercie hee is thy God another from their owne miscrie Thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie First hee is thy God thine by creation thine by redemption thine by adoption thine by contract and covenant for this is the covenant which hee made with Abraham thy father I will bee a God unto thee Genes 7.7 and to thy seede after thee Therefore thou may assure thy selfe thy sinne is pardonable if thou wilt returne unto him hee will imbrace thee in the armes of his mercie Hence obserue that the exhortations to repentance in Scripture are founded commonly upon the mercie of God as Isai Chap. 55.7 Let the wicked for sake his way and the unrighteous his owne imaginations and returne unto the Lord and he will have mercie upon him and to our God for hee will abundantly pardon In the Latin it is Multus ad ignoscendum Whereupon saith Bernard In hoc multo nihil deest ubi est omnipotens misericordia misericors omnipotentia Hee can pardon for his mercie is omnipotent and hee will pardon for his omnipotencie is mercifull Hos 6.1 Come say the repenting Israelits let us returne unto the Lord for hee hath torne and hee will heale us hee hath smitten and hee will bind us up Ioel 2.13 Turne unto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindenesse and repenteth him of the evill And Ierem. 3. There bee many the like exhortations all upon this ground vers 12. Thou disobedient Israel returne and I will not let my wrath fall upon you for I am mercifull and will not alway keepe mine anger Againe vers 14. O yee disobedient Children turne againe for I am your Lord. And after vers 22. O yee disobedient children returne and I will heale your rebellions This is the argument used by the preacher of repentance Matâ—h 35 Repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand in which CHRIST is readie to dispense mercie and forgivenesse to the repenting sinner So here O Israel returne unto the Lord for he is thy God not hee is a great or a just or a wise or a powerfull God but hee is thy God grounding his exhortation upon Gods mercie The reason is because a sinner apprehending nothing but rigour and severitie in God will never come in and submit himselfe Psalm 130.4 No There is mercie with thee O Lord that thou mayst bee feared It is not the consideration of Gods greatnesse nor of his power nor of his justice nor of his wisedome that can make the heart of a sinner relent toward him but it is the consideration of his mercie when looking upon the mercy of God and merits of CHRIST I get some hope and inckling of pardon then will I come in creeping and crouching before God as the Syrians to Achab with ropes about their neckes because they had heard that the Kings of Israel were mercifull The thundering out of the threatnings and judgements of the Law will awake a secure heart but nothing will affect a mans minde and even melt his soule to make him returne unto the Lord but the due knowledge and consideration of the unspeakeable riches of Gods mercie The remembrance of his fathers house made the heart of the prodigall to relent So will the consideration of Gods mercies worke upon our heart if once our hearts
with sweete wordes So there are at this time that love to preach Placentia and make Sermons as the Poet did his fables Populo ut placerent Sowing pillowes under the elbowes of the wicked The occasion is because they seeke great things for themselves therefore doe they studie to please men for they see that Zedekiah will be beleeved when Micajah will be sent to prison 1. King 22. and fed with the bread of affliction 1 rem 20.1.2 and Pashur will be a governour in the house of the Lord when the Prophet Ieremiah by his authoritie shall be put in the stockes 2 Tim. 4 3. For these are the times foretold by the Apostle wherein the itching eares of men cannot abide wholsome doctrine but They hate him that rebuketh in the gate Amos 5.10 and they abhorre him that speaketh uprightly as Achab hated Micajah because he prophecied evill that is he faithfully warned him of that judgement which afterward came upon him Wee are come to such an height of iniquitie as Israel was when shee could not indure the the rebukes of eyther Priest or Prophet Hoj. 4.4 Let none rebuke nor reprove another saith the Lord for this people are as they that rebuke the Priest And by the Prophet Isaiah They say unto the Seers see not Isai 39.10 and to the Prophets prophecie not unto us right things but speake flattering things unto us And Micah 2.11 If a man will say I will prophecie unto thee of Wine of strong drinke that is if hee will tell them pleasant tales hee shall even be the Prophet of this people But it behooveth us whom the Lord hath made watchmen over his Ierusalem if we will deliver our owne soules and be free from the bloud of all men to blow the Trumpet and give warning to the wicked Let us remember that caveat which the Lord gave unto Baruch Ierem. 45.4 Behold that which I have built will I destroy and that which I have planted will I plucke up even this whole land and seckest thou great things for thyselfe Seeke them not Iâ—b 32 22. And solet us say with Elihu I know not to give flattering titles unto man for in so doing my maker should take me away suddainely 1 King 22.14 Let us resolve with Micajah As the Lord liveth whatsoever the Lord saith unto me that will I speake Although Zedekiah doesmite mee on the cheeke and Amaziah informe against mee to Ieroboam and others diswade mee from prophecying at Bethel because it is the Kings Court yet for Sions sake I will not hold my peace but I will lift up my voyce like a Trumpet and shew the people their sinnes and forewarne them of Gods judgements crying Samaria shall be desolate and therefore O Israel returne unto the Lord. Againe if by Israel wee understand them of the land of Iudah then yee shall observe from hence That the corrections of other men should be our instructions the judgements of God upon others should waken us up and make us looke about us to see whether or not we be in the like danger If our neighbours house be on fire it is time to looke to our owne If Samaria become desolate then let that Israel which is in the land of Iudah take heede least as they have beene partaker with her in her sinnes so they doe also receive of her plagues Now I can tell you that Samaria is become desolate The wrath of God in a great measure hath seased upon our neighbor Nations that they may take up the same lamentation that Ieremie did The sword devoureth abroad Lament 1.20 and death is at home Even that famous Citie of London is now become a fearefull spectacle of Gods judgements God hath met with her in the Moneth of her affliction Men women and Children fall downe in the streeres smitten not with the sword of the Assirians that were sent against Samaria but by the sword of the destroying Angell that slew the Assirians in a word there is nothing but desolation in her streetes Rachel mourning for her children cannot be comforted O Lord. What have they deserved which wee have not Were they more vile and abominable then wee No Luke 13.4 Thinke not that those eighteene upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell and slew them were greater sinners then others I tell you nay but except yee amend your liues yee shall all likewise perish What I pray you are the sinnes for which it hath pleased God to enter into judgement with our neighbour Nation Is it the pride and prodigalitie of England Is it their drunkennesse and gluttonie Is it their luxurie and uncleannesse Is it their oathes and oppression Or finally Is it their contempt of Gods word and formall hypocrisie Looke upon your selves with unpartiall eyes and yee will finde that wee have justified our sister Samaria in all her abominations that the Lord may justly take up against us the same complaint he doth against Iudah Ierem. 3.8 Ierem. 3.8 When backesliding Israel committed adulterie and I had put her away and given her a Bill of divorce yet her treacherous sister Iudah feared not but went and played the harlot also What will follow hereupon but as is Isai 10.12 Shall I not Isal 10 1â— as I have done unto Samaria and her Idoles so doe to Ierusalem and her Idols But let the Kingdome of England rather be Iudah and this where wee live Samaria and so the application will suite better For yee know Iudah was the first and the mother kingdome so is England to us Samaria was farre more corrupt in Religion then Iudah having onely a shew of truth Ioseph antiq l. b. lib. 11. cap. 8. in Circumcision Temple Priest Books of Moses so is this Kingdome where we live The Samaritanes were a mixt people of Iewes and Gentiles so are wee heere 2 King 17.33 The Samaritanes had a mixt worship for in Samaria both the God of Israel and the Gods of the Nations were worshipped Ioseph antiq lib. 9. cap. ult and would to God it were not so heere Is there not in everie Towne Village and Corner of the Kingdome a mount Gerizim whereupon they bragge their Fathers to have worshipped Iohn 1 20 Is there not a succession of Priests sacrificing upon everie mountaine and under everie greene Tree and least thus succession should fayle for want of issue because they have no wives of their owne Is there not a continuall supply every day from Rome And finally Are there not many Relickes of Saints and holy Wels of more worth if yee will beleeve them then Iacobs Well in Samaria Iohn 4 12. Ioseph antiq lib 11 cap â— Besides Samaria was a receptacle for all fugitive persons who were not suffered to live at Ierusalem for strange wives or for other crimes for which cause their Temple was called Templum transgressorum And what better is this of ours Doe not all sort
of malectors flie hither as unto a Citie of refuge who dare not live at home some for strange wives some for bloud some for thest and the best for debt Ioseph antiq lib â— cap vii making this land a verie denne of theeves Lastly Iosephus reports that the Samaritanes whensoever the Iewes were in prosperitie would be accounted Iewes but when the Iewes were oppressed by their enemies then they did disclaime all affinitie with Iewes as having their progenie from Assiria and joyned with their enemies and Is it not to be feared that we have such fayned friends among us that now professe themselves subjects to our Kings Majestie none better nor more desirous of the peace of the Kingdome who yet if the Assirians should come against us would prove our most dangerous enemies If the Pope have their hearts the Spaniard will have their service In all these respects may this Kingdome be called Samaria Well then Hath God begun to visit Iudah What shall become of Samaria 1 Pet 4 â—â— and if judgement begin at Gods owne house What shall the end bee of them which obey not the Gospell If this bee done to the greene Tree What shall become of the drie wood If God spare not the naturall branches How will he spare us who are but wilde Olives Remember what God faith to the Iewes who sojourned in the land of Egypt when Nebuchadnezzar had subdued Iudah because they were not affected with the evill that was to come upon their mother nation Ierem. Chap. 44. Vers 3 Yee have seene all the evill that I have brought upon Ierusalem and upon all the Cities of Iudah how they are desolate because of their wickednesse yet they namely that remaine in the land of Egipt are not humbled unto this day 10 neyther have they feared therefore thus saith the Lord of heastes 11 I will set my face against you and I will visit them that dvvell in the land of Egipt as I have visited Ierusalem 13 by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence Now our case is just as theirs was Wee sojourne here in a land of darkenesse like Egipt and wee have seene what evill the Lord hath brought upon our mother nation because of their sinnes yet are not wee humbled unto this day neyther have wee feared What remayneth then But that God visit us as hee hath done them Therefore learne from the correction of your neighbours to returne unto the Lord in time and make your peace with God The punishments of the Iewes are our ensamples saith the Apostle to the intent that Wee should not lust after evill things 1 Cor 10 6 as they also lusted The judgements of God upon our neighbours should be unto us as those arrowes whereby Ionathan forewarned David of the Kings displeasure he shot not at him but over and beyond him yet David understood thereby that the King was angrie and made hast to be gone so may wee perceive by these darts that come from heaven and fall not upon us but neere unto us that Gods wrath is kindled against us and therefore wee shall doe well to get up as David did and make hast to flie from the face of an angrie God hiding our selves in the holes of that rocke CHRIST IESVS who is a propitiation for our sinnes Proverb 22,3 Salomon saith A prudent man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe He seeth it in the Oracles of the Prophets in the sinnes of the people especially when it is begun upon others and he hideth himselfe that is he prevents it by repentance hee makes his peace with God he hides himselfe under the mantle of Christs righteousnesse hee gets the dore-postes of his heart to be sprinkled with the bloud of that immaculate Lambe that so hee may bee safe from the hand of a destroying Angell in the day of the fiercenesse of Gods wrath God graunt unto us all this wisedome to foresee the plague and hide our selves for behold I give you warning Samaria is become desolate therefore let Israel returne From the people exhorted I come to the dutie required which is to returne unto the Lord. This phrase Returne is a Metaphor drawen from travellers who having lost their way must come backe againe and returne into the right way Beloved wee all are or should be travellers to heaven where out home is but we have strayed out of the way and gone a quite contrarie course wee are prodigall children that have departed from our fathers house and gone into a farre countrie wee are lost sheepe that have straied from the fold Isal 53.6 All we like sheepe have gone astray vvee have turned every one to his one way Wee have strayed out of Gods pastures into Sathans inclosures therefore wee must turne backe againe and set our faces towards God upon whom wee have turned out backes The word is not simply to turne from one thing to another but to returne namely to that which wee was before implying three things First that once they were with the Lord. Secondly that they had gone away from him Thirdly that they must come home to him againe This is true of all men Wee were once with God for being created after his image wee had fellowship with God and God with us But wee did fall away from God and became his enemies for sinne turnes and averts a mans soule from God according to that of the Prophet Your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God Isai 5â— 2 and your sinnes have hid his face from you And now unlesse wee would perish it behooveth us to returne againe to him But in a speciall manner this agreeth to the people of Israel They were Gods people not onely by creation but by particular adoption The Lord did chuse them above all the people of the earth to set his love upon them they were a holy people a royall Nation a chosen generation to the Lord their God hee dealt not so with everie Nation as with them for he gave his Lawes unto Iacob and his testimonies to Israel To them were committed the Oracles of God to them did appertaine the adoption and the glorie and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises of them were the Fathers and of them concerning the flesh CHRIST came Yet such was their ungratitude that they did kicke up their heeles against the Lord their Master and Maker they went away from him a whoring after their owne inventions They committed Idolatrie upon everie mountaine and under everie greene Tree Ierem. 3.6 Ierem. 2.13 In a word they forsooke the Lord the fountaine of living waters and digged unto themselves Cisterns that could hold no water And now here God by his judgements doth call them to returne againe unto him O Israel returne Heere before I proceede any further observe with mee That humiliation goeth alwayes before grace the sense and apprehension of our owne
wandring from God is the onely way and meanes to bring us to God Notitia peccati initium salutis The right understanding and true acknowledgement of our owne miserie is the first steppe to salvation for if Israel must returne to the Lord then she must be possessed with an opinion of her owne wandring from the Lord shee must see that shee hath gone astray and that there is no true comfort to be found in those pathes of sinne in which shee walked For How can a man frame himselfe to enter into a right course till hee bee fully resolved and perswaded within himselfe that hee hath beene mistaken in his former course of life So the prodigall sonne a true patterne of a penitent sinner never seekes to his father till that hee came to himselfe Luke â—â— then hee saw his error and resolved to returne to his father The Prophet Chap. 5.15 bringeth in God coupling these two together Till they acknowledge their offence and seeke my face because wee must first acknowledge our offence before wee can seeke Gods face the full stomacke of a Pharisee will never thirst to drinke of the cup of salvation Luke 1.53 onely the hungrie and the thirstie therefore God filleth the hungrie with good things and sendeth away the full emptie You see who they are that CHRIST calleth to bee eased of their sinnes even the wearie and laden Math. 11 28. Come unto mee yee that are wearie and laden that is yee who finde your consciences to be laden with the burden of the Law and the burden of sinne and are so weary of these burdens that they are grievous to you to beare Such also bee they whom hee calleth sinners and sicke Matth. 9.12.13 The whole neede not a Physitian but the sicke I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance What Is there any whole Is there any righteous No indeed all are sinners all are sicke but hee calleth onely those sinners and sicke who feele and acknowledge themselves to be such as for the rest whose eyes are not opened to see the miserable estate wherein they stand by nature he termes them righteous and whole Such are they whom he calleth lost Matth. 15.24 Luke 19.10 I am sent but unto the lost sheepe that is unto such as are lost in their owne opinion It is onely those whom hee seeketh and saveth as is well set forth in the Parables of the lost Sheepe lost Groate and lost Childe Luke 15 Matth. 5 3. Such also are they who are called poore Blessed are the poore in spirit namely these who finde themselves to abound with many inward wants finally they are called fatherlesse In the fourth verse of this Chap. With thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie as if hee should say when as a man is brought to the straights of a poore desolate shiftlesse Orphan then is he a subject fit for mercie So that if wee would returne unto the Lord first wee must see our straying from the Lord If wee would seeke Gods face first wee must acknowledge knowledge our offence If wee would have God to fill us with good things first wee must bee hungrie even emptied of our evill liquor If wee would have CHRIST to refresh us with rivers of water and flagons of wine then wee must be thirstie that is pained through the sense of our want of spirituall drinke If wee would have CHRIST to ease us of our burdens first wee must bee wearie of them that is wee must feele our burdens to lye heavie upon us and be grieved with the sense of them If wee would have the Saviour to save us wee must bee sinners that is humbled with the sight and sense of our sinnes If wee would have that great Physitian to cure us wee must first be sicke that is sensible of our disease for he will not cure any of us till first hee have launced our wounds unto the very bottome If wee would have the good Sheepheard to finde us wee must bee lost in our selves even out of all hope of salvation in respect of anie thing that is in us Finally If wee would have the God of mercie to shew mercie unto us then first wee must be fatherlesse that is hopelesse and helpelesse in our selves For hee is the God that resisteth the proud Jam. s. 5. but giveth grace to the humble Hereby then may a man judge of himselfe whether or no hee bee in the way of salvation Didst thou never see thy wofull miserie and the wretched estate wherein thou art by reason of sinne how thou hast turned thy backe upon God and art out of his favour Then hast thou just cause to suspect thy selfe that thou hast not yet entred at the straight gate to walke towards the Lord for as there can be no birth without the paines of the travaile going before so neyther any true coÌ„version without some terrours of the Law and straits of conscience The Infant that hath beene layd onely nine Moneths in the wombe of the mother is not delivered without paine suppose shee conceived it with pleasure and Thinkest thou to part with sinne which in thee was conceived with thee and which since so often thou hast nourished with pleasure and not to prove the dolours of the second birth No not assuredly there is the humbled soule the wounded conscience the contrite spirit the broken heart the mourning weede the melting eye the pale countenance the voyce of lamentation these are the dolours of the second birth which wee meete with so soone as wee begin to returne to the Lord. On the other part Hast thou found in thy selfe these inward wrestlings and humiliations Hast thou groaned under the burden of thy sinne and under the burden of Gods wrath Hast thou felt the terrours of God fighting against thee and the invenomed arrowes of the Almightie sticking fast in thy ribbes Then may thou conceive good hope that thou art in the way of salvation If thou bee possessed with an opinion of thine owne wandring from the Lord If thou be convicted that thou hast strayed from him Then it is like thou wilt seeke to returne Therefore doth God oftentimes call upon men to consider their wayes to call their lives to account that so they may see how farre their soule is averted from God Know thy sinnes O Ierusalem Iere. 3.13 The like speech is used by the Prophet Zephanie Fan your selves oh my people Yea Zeph 2â— the Prophet Ieremie doth oftentimes put us in minde of this dutie Oh let us search and trie our wayes Lam. 3 20. and turne unto the Lord. First wee must search our wayes to finde out our owne wandrings and then returne unto the Lord. And that yee may understand what is the dutie here required because this word Returne doth expresse a change not of place but of qualities I will shew unto you First from whence Secondly to whom Thirdly how wee must turne As for the
conspire to commit filthinesse then shall the whole Citie be overthrowne Sinne was come to this height in Israel Isaiah 1 5 for saith Isaiah The whole head is sicke the whole heart heavie From the sole of the foote unto the head there is nothing whole therein but wounds and swelling and sores full of corruption A conspiracie saith the Lord himselfe is found among the men of Iudah and among the inhabitants of Ierusalem Ierem. 11.9 For why The children of Israel and the children of Iudah did evill even they their Kings their Princes their Priests and their Prophets the men of Iudah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem Ierem. 32.32 In so much that the Lord saith to the Prophet Runne to and fro by the streetes of Ierusalem and behold now and know and enquire in the open places thereof if yee can finde a man or if there bee any that executeth judgement and seeketh the truth and I will spare it Ierem. 5.1 This generall revolt from God is expressed by this Prophet in the fourth Chapter The Lord hath a controversie with the land because there is no trueth nor mercie nor knowledge of God in the land c. This was a generall and so a nationall sinne therefore is the punishment generall upon the Nation likewise vers 3. The land shall mourne and everie one that dwelleth therein shall bee cut off Secondly The sinnes of a Nation are come to an height when they are not punished by the Magistrate but all goe on in their courses without controlment Numb 25 â— When Phinehas smote the adulterous persons hee turned Gods anger away from the children of Israel and caused the plague to cease but where there is not a Phinehas to draw the sword for the punishment of vice there the guilt of these sinnes lye upon the land and draw downe the judgements of God upon a Nation In this case was Israel before her captivitie for this is expressed as a cause of their destruction They execute no judgement Ierem. 5.28 Isaiah 1.23 But as Isaiah speaketh Their Princes were rebellious and companions of theeves everie one loved gifts Chapt. 3. v. 4.11 Chapt. 5. vers 25. and followed after rewards Children were their Princes and women had rule over them they did justifie the wicked for reward A third degree of perfection in sinne is perseverance When men continue in sinne without repentance hardening their hearts against all admonitions Israel was come to this height also For the Lord sent unto them all his servants the Prophets rising up earely and saying Ierem. 35.15 returne now every man from his evill way and amend your workes but they would not incline their eare nor obey and thereupon came their fall for it followeth in the Text. vers 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hostes behold I will bring upon Iudah and upon all the inhabitants of Ierusalem all the evill that I have pronounced against them because I have spoken unto them but they would not heare Now let us examine our selves and see whether wee bee come to such an height of iniquitie and I doubt we shall finde First that sinne raigneth universally like an Epidemicall disease that possesseth the whole bodie of the land There is in great men facriledge and oppression in officers briberie extortion and wresting of justice In the cleargie ignorance lazinesse and covetousnesse In tradesmen fraude and deceite In every corner Idolatrie robberie and shedding of bloud and What house is free from adulterie drunkennesse and swearing Next doe but consider whether these and many moe sinnes bee committed safely without punishment Oppression and sacriledge have greatnesse for their patron injustice briberie and extortion finde Lawyers to pleade their cause Idolatrie is but a sinne of tolleration De gubern Dei lib 5. incest and usurie are veniall in poore men and venall in the rich pride swearing drunkennesse and gluttonie are commendable because common as Salvianus complayned in his time In hoc scelus res devoluta ut nisi quis malus fuerit salvus esse non possit In plaine English except a man be thus wicked hee cannot bee reputed a good fellow Finally robberie parricide doe sometimes finde pardon And lastly Doe wee not persevere in these sinnes and fall away more and more hardening out hearts against all admonitions How then can wee escape a fall Yea have wee not fallen alreadie Consider but the estate of the reformed Churches how in their infancie when they were destitute of worldly power and all Princes and Potentates enemies unto them yet then they did stand maugre Antichrist and all his associats Gods protection was a wall of defence about them that the furie of their enemies could not come neere them and now when they were growne great in the eyes of the world and Kings were become their nursing fathers and Queenes their nursing mothers to protect Religion with the sword yet How hath the Lord humbled them and made them to fall before their enemies 2. Chron. 1.5.2 The reason hereof wee finde in that speech of Azariah the Prophet to King Asa The Lord is with you while yee are with him but if yee for sake him he will forsake you At first wee was with the Lord and then hee was with us but when we did forsake the Lord fall from our first love and zeale of our profession then did he breake downe the hedges Psalm 80. 12 and let in the wilde Bore out of the wood and the wilde beast out of the forrest to destroy this Vine which he had planted Lament 3.42 that wee may lament with Ieremie Wee have sinned and have rebelled therefore thou hast not spared Thus hath God made us to fall but unlesse wee returne unto him there is yet a greater fall to come The same God that made Nebuchadnezzar a scourge to his people can send the Spaniards to scourge us Cedreu hist. pag 512. When Phocas had built a mighty wall about his Pallace for his securitie in the night hee heard a voyce O King though thou build as high as the clouds yet the Citie will easily be taken the sin within will marre all So let us never make so much preparation for our defence Strâ— 57. yet unlesse we take a course with our sinnes they will betray us into the hands of our enemies For saith Ambrose Graviores sunt inimici mores pravi quam hostes infesti Our sinnes are enemies more to be feared then armed men If God be with us Who can bee against us If wee stand against God Who can withstand him Now to shut up all in a word It is plaine that wee have gone astray as farre as Israel did for what is the vanitie after which wee have not gone a whoring and now our iniquities are come to that height Ion. 3 8. 9. that they forewarne us of a fall Therefore let every man turne from his evill way and from the wickednesse in their hand Who can tell if God will turne repent and turne away from his fierce wrath that wee perish not Yea I can tell that if wee repent hee will turne away his wrath Isaiah 55 6. for he desireth not the death of a sinner and even now when the Axe is layd to the roote of the Tree Hos 2.7 hee cals us to repentance Therefore seeke the Lord while hee may bee found call upon him while hee is neere take up the resolution of repenting Israel I will goe and returne to my first husband for then it was better with me then now follow the counsell of the Prophet in the words following my Text. Take with you words and turne to the Lord say unto him Take away all iniquitie and receive us gratiously so will wee render the calves of our lips Ashur shall not save us wee will not ride upon horses neyther will wee say any more to the worke of our hands yee are our Gods for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie Hee is our God and therefore if wee seeke him hee will bee found of us and as hee hath wounded us so hee will heale us hee will even give us beautie for ashes and the oyle of gladnesse for the spirit of heavinesse and make the bones which he hath broken to rejoyce To this God even our God c. FINIS ERRATA sic CORRIGE IN the Epistle Dedicatory l. 8. for yea reade I l. 13 for our reade an l. 30 for professor reade protector p. 7. l. 12 for heale reade healed p. 7. l. 16 for occasion reade reason p. 10 l. 17. for thus reade this p. 11. l 39 for was to come reade was come