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
A WARNING For Israel IN A SERMON PREACHED AT CHRIST-CHVRCH IN Dublin the 30. of October 1625. By Henry Leslie one of his Majesties Chaplaines in Ordinary PROVERB 22.3 A prudent man foreseeth the evill hideth himselfe but the foolish goe on still and are punished LUKE 19.42 O if thou haddest even knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong unto thy peace Imprinted at Dublin by the Societie of STATIONERS Anno 1625. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE HENRY LORD VISCOVNT FALKLAND Lord Deputie generall of the Kingdome of IRELAND RIGHT HONOVRABLE INeyther as valewing your greatnesse or abilitie present this before your Honour but your goodnesse and vertue not that I thinke the subject unfit your consideration but because I am iealous of the compiler Yet my presumption is not great for what I now doe is obedience yea but seconding in action what your Honour thought worthy to be effected Discourses of this nature have not many Patrons and to see great men busie both their senses with Divinitie is mirum in terris Yet the Church hath had a Sergius Paulus a prudent Deputy and a Publius also from whom our Apostle might receive incouragement and we have not lost but changed our late learned King that mixed his meales with divine thoughts and taught his Nobles the like wisedome and herein I know not whether we can judge him more happy in his Princely power or Priestly prudence That path that honoured him a King may crowne you a subject Neyther doe I provoke you by the father as if there were nothing imitable in the sonne for who doth not see freshly budding in his sacred person what his Father presented to us in full eare And your glory will be no lesse in imitating his graces then in presenting his person This whatsoever it is I place at your Lordships feet if it please you as well published as presented I have my desire but if it fayle herein I shall not want to rejoyce that it once gave content God adde to your dayes honours and graces and make you a true professor of his distressed Church in this kingdome as also that your Lordship may long remaine with us a firme columne for the upholding the peace and tranquilitie of this State For which with the rest of your true Honorers I shall ever pray Your Honours in all duty and service HENRY LESLY A VVARNING FOR JSRAEL HOSHA 14. VERS 2. O Israel returne unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie IT is the ordinary method of the Prophets first to threaten and then to comfort first to denounce Gods judgements and after to promise mercie and forgivenesse And accordingly the Prophet Hosea in this 14. Chapter which is a breviary and compend of the whole prophecie begins with a threatning in the former verse Samaria shall become desolate for shee hath rebelled against her God they shall fall by the sword their Infants shall bee dashed into peeces and their women with childe shall bee ript up And after in the fift verse there followeth a promise I will heale their rebellion I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from him What can bee the cause of such a suddaine change Iudgement is presently turned into mercie and the reason is because the threatnings and the promises of God in Scripture are conditionall The threatning in the former verse is conditionall Samariashall bee desolate namely unlesse she repent The promise likewise vers 5. is conditionall I will heale their rebellion namely if so be they doe repent and therefore between the threatning and the promise there is interlaced an exhortation to repentance O Israel returne unto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity Where consider with me first the exhortation it selfe O Israel returne unto the Lord then the arguments to inforce this exhortation which are two one taken from Gods mercy Hee is thy God another taken from their owne misery for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie Againe in the exhortation consider first the people exhorted O Israel then the dutie required Returne unto the Lord. O Israel returne unto the Lord they God for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie The people exhorted is Israel whereby wee may understand eyther the ten Tribes who made defection from the house of David following after Ieroboam against whom the judgement is denounced in the former verse under the name of Samaria because Samaria was the Metropolitan Citie of that kingdome or else by Israel wee may understand that Israel which was in the land of Iudah for these two Tribes of Iudah and Benjamin are often called Israel by a Synecdoche If by Israel we understand the tenne Tribes against whom the judgement was threatned then it ministers unto us these two instructions First that Gods threatnings in Scripture are conditionall for in the former verse desolation is threatned against Israel and yet heere he exhorts Israel to repentance that so shee might prevent that desolation Now unlesse in the threatning Samaria shal be desolate there were understood this condition except she repent the subsequent exhortation were in vaine and indeede it is a certaine rule set downe by God himselfe When I have spoken against a nation to destroy them and to reote them out If they repent of their sinnes I will repent of the evill I thought to bring upon them againe If the wicked will returne from all his sins he shall surely live shall not die Hence it is that God many times seemes to repeale his sentence according to that of Gregory Nevit Deus aliquādo mutare sētētiā sed nūquā nouit mutare cōsiliū he changes his sentence not his purpose It was Gods sentence against Nineveh Yet fortie dayes Ionah 3 4. Nineveh shall be destroyed It was Gods sentence to Hezekiah Put thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live Isai 38 1. and yet neyther of these came to passe at that time Doth this argue any inconstancie in God or want of power that hee could not performe what hee had spoken No Numb 23 19. God forbid God is not as man that he should lye neyther as the sonne of man that he should repent Hath he said and shall he not doe it Hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it I am the Lord and change not Mal. 3.6 My counsell shall stand and my will shal be done Isa 46.10 But the reason is because all the threatnings of God are conditionall although the condition be not expressed God said to Abimelech Thou shalt die because of the woman which thou hast taken Gen. 20.3 This would seeme an absolute sentence yet was it onely conditionall for God saith unto him againe vers 7. Deliver the man his wife if not thou shalt die Thus the condition sometimes is expressed and alwaies is to be understood according to that generall rule Ierem. 18.7.8 So fortie dayes and Nineveh shall be
destroyed the condition is to be understood except they repent Hezekiah shall die The condition is understood unlesse hee sue unto God by prayer for a prorogation of his life Now the condition being performed the sentence was voyde So heere Samaria shall be desolate a condition must be understood unlesse shee repent otherwise to what purpose were this exhortation O Israel returne Secondly hence we learne that God gives warning before he punish Samaria must become desolate but first the Lord must send vnto them and forewarne them by the mouth of a Prophet of that desolation exhorting them to prevent it by repentance that so they might be without all excuse He gave warning to the old world by his servant Noah a preacher of righteousnesse to Sodome by Lot to the Iewes by the Prophets that lived before the captivitie Ierem 35.15 Hee sent unto them all his servants the Prophets rising up earely and saying returne now every man from his evill way amend your works Finally hee gave warning to Ierusalem before her destruction by his owne Sonne protesting of his desire to reclayme them Ierusalem Ierusalem How often would I have gathered thy children as the Henne gathereth her chickins under her wings and yee would not Behold your habitation shal be left desolate So he gives us watning at this time of an evill to come upon us Isa 221 12. Even In this day dath the Lord God of heastes call to weeping and mourning to baldenesse and girding with sackcloth There is a threefold call to give us warning one occasionall our sinnes another reall Gods judgements already begun a third vocall the admonitions of Gods faithfull servants Gods wrath in Scripture is compared to fire and as a fire is knowne eyther by the smoake as a signe alwayes accompanying fire or by the flames breaking forth or by the relation of others So may Gods wrath now be knowne by such three things First by the great sinnes of the land as a signe or rather cause of Gods wrath and a most certaine fore-runner and fore warner of a future destruction For it is a generall rule sufficiently proved both by Scripture and experience that wheresoever sin doth raigne there Gods wrath is imminent but sinne raigneth in this land I dare say in no place more without controlment Wee have exceeded not onely Israel but also Sodome Gomorrah in all their abominations Now Ierem. 5 9. Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Or shall not my soule be avenged on such a nation as this Yea sure hee must visit If oppression and sactiledge If Idolatrie and want of the knowledge of God If incest and innocent bloud If briberie and extortion If neglect of the widdow and fatherlesse If oathes and perjurie If drunkenesse and gluttony If pride avarice and ambition If fraud and robbery If prophanation of the Sabboth and contempt of Gods word worship and servants Finally If all these committed commonly in everie place openly in the sight of the Sunne and safely without punishment can draw downe the judgements of God upon a nation then how shall it be possible for us to escape Thus our sinnes give us warning of Gods judgements Secondly the flames of this fire doe already breake out and these beginnings of Gods judgements give us warning of a greater destruction for when God takes a people in hand for to schoole them he will eyther mend them or end them and therefore he begins with milde chastisments but if these doe not prevaile he proceedes to sharper corrections In the 5. Chap. of Hosea vers 12. he threatneth a gentle correction I will be unto Ephraim as a Moath Hos 5.12 unto the house of Iudah as a rettennesse But this did no good they were not affected with the slow gnawing of a small moath therefore hee threatneth a heavier judgement vers 14. Hos 5.14 I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the house of Iudah And Levit. 26. hee threatneth severall plagues against the transgressors of his law first sickenesse vers 16. then famine vers 19.20 after that destruction of their Cattle vers 22. and after that the sword vers 25. and lastly the pestilence ibid And after each judgement he addeth And if yee will not yet for all this obey mee but walke stubburnely against mee I will bring seven times more plagues upon you So now the Lord hath begun these yeares past to visit us with famine with death and mortalitie these are but the beginnings of evill and unlesse we repent he hath heavier judgements in store for us he will even take his three stringed whippe in his hand which will pierce our skinne were it never so thicke This is the second warning Thirdly there is yet a third by the voyce of the Prophets calling unto you that unlesse yee repent yee shall die in your sinnes We have not now Prophets immediately inspired by the holy Spirit to foretell things to come these were for the infancie of the Church now the Church being built God will have it governed by ordinary Pastors but we have Prophets for expounding of the Law that can foretell you of Gods judgements by infallible consequence out of Gods word and by application of these threatnings which they finde in the Law against impenitent sinners after this manner Who so persevere in sinnes harden their hearts against all admonitions shal be overtaken with Gods judgements but this people persevere in their sinnes c. Thus ought wee to binde your sinnes upon your consciences and if we doe not your bloud will be required at our hands Yee know what charge God gave vnto Ezechiel Sonne of man I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel Ezech. 3 17. therefore heare the word at my mouth and give them vvarning from me When I shall say unto the wicked thou shalt surely die and thou givest not him warning the same wicked man shall die in his iniquitie but his bloud will I require at thine hand But if thou warne the wicked and he turne not from his wickednesse he shall die in his iniquitie but thou hast delivered thy soule The same charge lyeth upon these whom God now hath made watchmen unto the house of Israel for Chap. 33.2 the same dutie is required from ordinarie Ministers who receive their calling from men Ezech. 33 23. If the people of the land take a man from among them and set him for their watchman if when he seeth the sword come upon the land he blow the Trumpet and vvarne the people then hee that will not be warned his bloud shall be upon his owne head c. But as in the dayes of Ieremie there were lying Prophets that prophecied peace when destruction was at hand saying Jerem. 23.11 that God would breake the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar within the space of two yeares Ierem 8.11 and so heale the burt of the people
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
first wee must returne from our sinnes This is expressed Isai 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way in and the unrighteous his owne imaginations and returne unto the Lord. Let the wicked forsake his wayes there is Terminus à quo This turning from sinne is called Mortification and it contaynes five things First a sense and sorrow for sinne Secondly a hatred and detestation of sinne Thirdly a purpose in minde to leave sinne Fourthly an inclination in will to doe the same Fiftly an indeavour in life and conversation to forsake sinne altogether This must hee doe that will returne unto the Lord First hee must bee cast downe with a deepe sight and sense of his sinne Psalm 38.18 saying with David I agnize my sinne Psal 119.128 and am sorry for mine iniquite He must hate and abhorre sinne as the greatest evill in the world saying with the same Prophet Doe I not hate everie evill vvay He must resolve with himselfe never to commit any sinne This must bee also the desire of his heart and the indeavour of his whole life Otherwise hee cannot returne unto the Lord for God will not take a wicked man by the hand nor have fellowship with the throne of iniquitie Againe To whom must wee turne To the Lord according to that Ierem. 4.1 O Israel if thou returne returne unto me saith the Lord not to any other not to my Angels not to my Saints not to my Martyres not to my Mother but to my owne selfe In the 7. Chap vers 16. this people is accused that They did returne but not to the most high They had some beginning of repentance but it fayled by the way and brought them not so farre as home to the Lord. They were like a deceitfull bow for after all their aymes and offers of turning to the Lord they started back and returned not to the Lord but to their Idols they returned to their sinnes as a Dogge to his vomite It is not enough then to cease from sinne but withall wee must turne unto the Lord that is wee must turne our hearts upward to heaven setting our affections on things that are above wee must fixe our eye upon God and make towards him with the foote walking in the way of his Commandements that all men may see that wee are not of this world but that our conversation is in heaven This turning to the Lord is called a rising to newnesse of life and it hath three parts First a resolution in the minde Secondly a lust in the will Thirdly an indeavour in life and conversation to obey God Iosh 24.15 Psal 119.106 Every man ought to resolve as Ioshua I and myne house will serve the Lord. And as David I have sworne and I will performe it Aeh 13 1â— Act 11 2â— that I will keepe thy righteous judgements This must bee his desire also as it was Pauls hee desired to live honestly Hereunto Barnabas exhorted the Antiochians that with their heart they would cleave unto the Lord. And finally hereunto must wee indeavour our selves throughout the whole course of our life So did the blessed Apostle Act. 24.16 Psal 119.6 Herein I indeavour my selfe to have alway a cleare conscience towards God and towards Men. And David I have a respect to all thy commandements Whosoever hath these is turned from sinne unto the Lord. The manner how wee must returne Ioel 2.12 is expressed by the Prophet Ioel. Turne unto me with all your heart and with fasting weeping and mourning Whence yee may observe foure properties of our conversion First wee must turne with the heart therefore our conversion must be voluntarie there is a reformation which is not voluntarie but rather against the will when a man turnes not from sinne but sinne turnes from him because eyther hee cannot practise it for want of strength or dare not for feare of punishment Such a man may seeme to turne from sinne but it is not with his heart Wee must turne with the heart even so willingly that it be our chiefe delight to use all meanes for to set forward this worke for nothing is done well but that which is done with the will Secondly wee must turne not onely with our heart but with all our heart therefore our conversion must be sincere for as in Scripture the Phrases of a double heart 1 Chron. 12.33 a devided heart Hos 10.2 A heart and a heart Psal 12. a are used to signifie hypocrisie So this phrase With all the heart doth signifie sinceritie Then wee must turne unto the Lord with all our heart that is to say sincerly and not for shew onely wee must draw neere unto God not onely with the lips Psalm 51.6 but with the heart also for Hee loveth trueth in the inward affections In this sense it is said of David that hee followed God with all his heart 1. King 14.8 And of Iosiah that Hee turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soule and with all his might 2. King 23.25 And of the people in the time of King Asa that the oath which they made before the Lord was With all their heart 2. Chron. 15.15 But Ierem. 3.10 The Lord accuseth his people for want of this sinceritie Her rebellious sister Iudah hath not returned unto me with her whole heart but faynedly Thirdly wee must turne with all our heart therefore our conversion must be a thorow change of the whole man of the whole life though it be imperfect in degrees yet it must be perfect in regard of parts Wee must not halt betweene God and Baal Wee cannot serve both God and Mammon God will not be content with a part of the heart he will eyther have all or none It is said of Iehu that he did not walke in the Law of the Lord with his whole heart for why Albeit hee obeyed God in some things cutting off the house of Achab Yet hee departed not from the sinne of Ieroboam 2. King 10.31 And so there be many that give but the halfe turne like to Agrippa who was not altogether but almost perswaded to become a Christian. Some turning their wordes not their deeds as our verball professors And others againe turning from many sinnes and yet with Herod remaine unturned from one speciall beloved sinne These be but false turnings our conversion must bee a thorow change wee must turne with all our hearts Finally wee must turne not onely with all our hearts but also with fasting weeping and mourning therefore our conversion must not be inward onely but it must bee expressed outwardly in these things wherein consists the practise of humiliation namely fasting c. And that especially in the time of any great affliction such as this was when the Prophet Ioel had foretold the people of the comming of the Chaldeans Esther when shee heard of the intended destruction of the Iewes appointed a fast Esth. 4 10. Nehem. 1.4 2. Chrâ—n 20 3 2. Sam.
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
be inflamed with the sense of Gods love towards us Oh then the working of our bowels the stirring of our affections the melting and relenting of our repenting hearts then will wee lament after the Lord 1 Sam 7 2 and grieve that ever wee have so grieved so good and gracious a God Therefore you see the wicked that get a sight of their sinnes because they have not a sight of Gods mercie they runne away from God as Adam they are swallowed up of dispaire as Cain and never seeke after that mercie which they know not But the Godly with the sight of their sinnes having a sense of Gods mercie and a sight of Gods face reconciled to them in IESVS CHRIST How doe they seeke after that mercie with a longing desire Out of the deepes with David and out of the belly of Hell with Ionas they call upon God Even when wounded by God they goe to him to bee healed as the repenting Israelites Hos 6 â— Come let us returne unto the Lord for hee hath wounded and hee will heale us and these converts that sought for ease of him that pricked them Men and brethren what shall wee doe Act 2 37. So that there is nothing in God so forceable to drive a man to repentace as the consideration of Gods mercie As Tully said when hee pleaded before Caesar for the life and libertie of Ligarius O Caesar none of thy vertues is more gracious or more admirable then thy mercie Men come neare to God in nothing so much as in saving the afflicted Thy fortune hath nothing greater then that thou hast power thy nature nothing better then that thou hast will to shew mercie and to save others So may I say among all the properties of the divine nature there is none more admirable or more gracious then his mercie It is not his power it is not his wisedome it is not his justice wherein wee rejoyce but it is his mercie If there were not mercie in God I should dispaire there is so much miserie in mee Rom 12 1 therefore I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God I will not adjure you by the threatnings but I beseech you by the mercies of God Knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth you to repentance Rom 2 4 hee is thy God and therefore O Israel returne unto him The other argument is taken from their sense of miserie Thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie Our fals in Scripture Iam 3 2 doe sometimes signifie our sinnes In many things wee fall all saith the Apostle Iames and sometimes our afflictions as in that place of Salomon The just man falleth seven times a day Prunb 24 16 so heere it signifieth affliction Thou hast fallen namely into danger and destruction thou art afflicted therefore returne Where wee may observe That our fals are many times an occasion of our risings and afflictions are of excellent use to turne us to God for this is the motive which the Prophet useth Thou art fallen therefore returne And hardly could hee use a better for affliction is a most effectuall meanes to make our hearts relent and resolve into the teares of unsayned repentance Iob 33.16 according to that of Elihu God openeth the eares of men by their corrections which hee had sealed that hee might cause man to turne away from his purpose So the Lord taught Miriam by leprosie to forgoe her murmuring Hee awakened Ionas out of his securitie by casting him into the Sea Hee cured Zachary of infidelitie by striking him with dumbenesse Hee diverted Saul from his evill course by blindnesse Thus Manasses who forgat God in his prosperitie did seeke unto him in adversitie the Heathen Marriners did pray unto God in a storme and the Ninevits did humble themselves by fasting and prayer when destruction was threatened against them Gen 42 21 when the brethren of Ioseph were distressed in Egipt they did remember the injurie they had done to their brother when the prodigall sonne was pinched with want Luk 15 18 then did hee resolve to returne to his father but especially this may bee seene in the Iewish Church For though in their prosperitie as the Lord himselfe observeth They turned their backe yet in their trouble Ierem 2 27 they said Arise and helpe us Isai 26 16 This is observed also by the Prophet Isaiah Psalm 78 34. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastisment was upon them And David to the same purpose When hee slew them they sought him Yea speaking of the manifold kindes of miserie wherewith the faithfull are exercised hee maketh this the foote of his song Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble Psalm 81 7 Psalm 107 6 and hee delivered them Apollonius writes of certaine people that could see nothing in the day but all in the night In like manner wee are so blinded with the bright sunne-shine of prosperitie that wee cannot see those things which concerne our peace but when the winter night of miserie comes then schola Crucis schola lucis Wee are all branches of the Vine and therefore wee must bee pruned and cut with the knife of affliction that wee may bring forth fruite and this is the last meanes which God ordinarily useth to convert obstinate sinners when nothing can prevaile with us then doth hee visite our iniquities with the rod and our sinnes with scourges and hee is so confident that this will drive vs to repentance that in the fift Chapter of this prophesie vers 15. having threatened to withdraw all the testimonies of his love and favour from his people I will goe and returne to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seeke my face Hee addes In their affliction they will seeke me carely which was accordingly verified in the event for in the next words they call one another after this manner Come let us returne unto the Lord for he hath vvounded us c. And surely this is a strange thing that affliction should make men turne to him that smiteth them it would seeme that such dealing should rather terrific them and make them runne away from God Adam when hee saw God to bee angrie fled from his presence and this is naturall to everie creature to love it selfe and to flie from that which is hurtfull unto it strike a dogge and hee will flic from you Iudg 14 14 Therefore that yee may conceive this riddle how sweere comes out of sower yee shall understand that afflictions being considered in their owne nature are the fruites of sinne the evils of punishment the testimonies of Gods wrath the curses of the Law and the first flashes of hels fire Therefore when afflictions follow their kinde they bring forth nothing but evill fruite such as impatiencie malice against the instruments murmuring against God the use of unlawfull meanes 2 Chron 2â— 22 and finally dispaire as in Pharao
remembring that hee is our God so will we desire to returne to him But the Prophet would not onely make them sensible of their fall but also of their sinne therefore he illustrates this argument from the cause Thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie or because of thine iniquity Here observe That iniquitie procures a fall so that if wee have fallen then we have committed iniquitie if we commit iniquitie wee shall assuredly fall I say If wee have fallen we may accuse our iniquities which is the deserving cause of all our afflictionss The Apostle tels us Rom 5 12 that by sinne death entred into the world and if it had not beene for sinne death whereby wee are to understand every thing that is penall and huttfull to the creature could never have found an entrie Lam 1 39 So the Church in the Lamentations Wherefore is the living man sorrowfull Psalm 107 17 Man suffereth for his sinne And the Psalmist Fooles by reason of their transgressions and because of their iniquities are afflicted Prouerb 13 21 Salomon maketh affliction to bee as it were the shadow of sinne which doth alway attend it Affliction followeth sinners Proverb 22 8 and as our fals convince us to have committed iniquitie so our iniquities forewarne us of a fall For he that soweth iniquitie shall reape affliction This doctrine is sufficiently proved by Scripture reason and experience God threatened Adam that at what time hee did eate of the forbidden Tree hee should die Everie sinne unto man is the forbidden Tree if wee meddle with it wee shall finde no better fruite upon it then Adam found the bitter fruite of death growes upon the pleasant Tree of sinne It is the sentence of the law Rom 6 23. Cursed is everie man that abideth not in all things that are written in the booke of the Law Iam 1 1◠This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul saying The reward of sinne is death And Iames Sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Hee saith not that every sinne bringeth foorth death but onely sinne when it is finished or perfected that is come to an height for God in his mercie forgiveth sinnes not finished or at least hee tolerateth them till they come to perfection that the sinner may bee without all excuse but in his justice hee judgeth and condemneth sinnes consummate by hardnesse of heart and impenitencie as hee sheweth himselfe Amos 1.3 For three transgressions of Damascus and for foure I will not turne away the punishment thereof c. As if hee had said if Damascus had sinned onely once in persecuting of my Church I would turne away my judgments but they have sinned often To three transgressions they have added foure they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of Iron and for so many transgressions I will not turne away their punishment Againe of sinne finished it is not said that it deserveth death which is common to all sinne but that it bringeth forth death where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to bee delivered of that which hath beene conceived So that sinne when once it commeth to perfection is with childe of death and must needes bee delivered When Gods patience is abused it will become futie when the cup of Gods wrath is full it must of necessitie runne over when the measure of our iniquities is fulfilled then must God powre forth the vials of his wrath Psalm 5 5 And great reason there is why it must bee so if wee consider the justice of God the nature of sinne and the trueth of Gods threatning The justice of God is such that hee hateth sinne 2 Thes 2 6 and therefore will hee punish it The foolish shall not stand in thy sight saith David for thou hatest all them that worke iniquitie reasoning from the nature of God Rom 2 32 God hateth iniquitie therefore hee will punish it And the Apostle It is a just thing with God Genes 18 20 to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you This is the justice of God which even the Gentils knew that they who commit such things are worthie of death Againe the nature of sinne is to crie The cry of Sodome is great It crieth citing us before the Tribunall of God as guiltie of lease Majestie it cryeth unto the heavens for vengeance provoking God to revenge and not suffering him to rest in heaven till hee hath inflicted punishment Finally Gods truth is such that none of his threatenings can fall to the ground but hee hath threatened a fall to iniquitie and according to his threatening hath hee executed his wrath upon impenitent sinners When the earth was filled with violence Genes 6 13 then God sent the floud upon the olde world When the crie of Sodome waxed great before God then sent hee Angels to destroy it Genes 19 15. Gen. 15.16 1. King 21 20. When the iniquitie of the Amorites was full then were they cast forth When Achab sold himselfe to worke evill in the sight of the Lord then did the Lord bring evill upon him When Ierusalem filled up the measure of their fathers Math 23 32 then they could not escape the damnation of hell When the sinnes of Babell are come to that height Revel 18 5. that they reach unto the heaven then will the Lord remember her iniquities Goe and enquire what is become of those famous Churches planted by the Apostles of Corinth Ephesus Galatia c. Are they not fallen by their iniquitie What is become of Gods owne people the Iewes They are fallen and that by their iniquitie as the Lord himselfe declareth Isaiah 50.1 Jerem. 49. 12. Behold for your iniquities are yee sold and because of your transgressions is your Mother forsaken Now if God spared not them How will hee spare us I may say unto you as the Lord doth to Idumea Behold they whose judgement was not to drinke of the cup that is they that were mine owne people and had not so much deserved punishment as thou have assuredly drunken and art thou hee that shall goe unpunished thou shalt not goe unpunished but thou shalt surely drinke of it If once our iniquities are come to the height then wee shall fall as they have fallen Now sinnes of a Nation are finished and come to the height when they are generall when they are not punished and when they are persevered in men continuing in their sinnes without repentance First I say when they are generall for so long as there bee onely some wicked men in a kingdome their sinnes are personall and cannot bring the judgements of God upon the whole land for tenne righteous men God would have spared Sodome Genes 6.12 but if sinne become generall That all flesh hath corrupted his way upon the earth Genes 19.4 then will the deluge bee universall likewise If all the men of Sodome from the young to the old even all the people from all quarters