is a fearefull receipt worse then pils of hierapicra or any extreame purgation it is Take him bind him hand and foote and cast him into hell fire where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for euer Yet let vs see the cure that the Lord prescribes in this place and first How God meets 〈…〉 if any make the question whether curatio debetur Symptomati I answer No for it is a rule that the physicke must be applyed to the cause not to the effect yet with the Lord iudgement is as sure in the effect as the cause for hee cannot be deceiued he brings vs to the knowlege of the disease by the Symptomes but he himselfe first sees the cause and therefore he discouers the hypocrite from the very fountaine thou thoughtest and also tells vs the action of his thought to make God like himselfe Yet if God should aske his patient whether hee felt this thought in himselfe or no I am perswaded he would most impudently denie it yet if he had any eye but to looke on his practise hee should soone conceiue his thought to be no better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wicked men 〈◊〉 so senceles 〈◊〉 nothing wil make theÌ„ feele 〈…〉 But the disease is desperate therfore what remedies will the Lord vse the Apothecaries shoppe can afoard him none therefore questionlesse that course is to be taken that men vse to take with gangrens to cauterize and burne them to the quicke euen so the Lord must deale with all hypocrites for they haue suffered the disease to runne so long that nothing can helpe it but a hote yron And for this purpose the Lord hath two First hee will reprooue him this yron shall try and search him to the quicke but alas if God will handle this yron euen to sift out one that is rotten at the heart when shall the yron cease burning all must be burnt away and if that were so then happie were the hypocrite for then should he be without all sense and feeling but alas better had he been if he had neuer been born then that the Lord should take a second yron into his hand and that is after the searching of the sore should burne them in the very consciences by setting their sinnes in order before the eye of the soule Conscience most apprehensiue which is most quicke in sense and feeling But let vs descend from the title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consider who this Thou is that the Lord will thus handle Hee is plainely described from the 16. verse to my text First and principally hee is such an one as wil become a publike teacher of his law and couenant but because this description may well agree to any professour vnreformed I will vnderstand it of all vnreformed professours that will needs make a shew of godlinesse but hate to bee reformed by denying the power thereof in their life and conuersation and therefore my text wil taxe many an one Yet before I come to the speciall explication of the words I cannot but a little shew myaffection to our distressed congregations that are full of these ministers that will haue to doe with Gods ordinances and talke of his couenants and yet hate all reformation often haue our ignorant scandalous and negligent ministers been warned to beware of their callings and know what they meddle withall God is not mocked neither euer will he suffer the malice of the deuill to rage in these persons against his little ones for alas what haue they done I knowe not what arrowe might more deepely perice them then this fearefull sentence of the Lord which neuer ceaseth cutting and wounding vntill it come at the verie conscience The best shast that Gods archers may vse for the battels of the Lord is alwaies to bee drawne out of Gods armorie framed by the hands and skill of himselfe and his owne workemen fit to make the manof God absolute and perfect 2. Timoth 3.17 vnto all good workes and blessed is the man that hath his quiuer full of them I know no arrowe that is able to dart and enter through euen vnto the diuiding asunder of the soule and spirit Hebr. 4.12 of the ioynts and marrowe and lay open the verie thoughts and the intents of the heart as the arrowes of Gods quiuer and therefore the word of God deals most roundly with hppocrites in this place sparing neither sinne nor person these things and thou euen thou that takest vpon thee to declare my ordinances and will haue my couenant in thy mouth I tell thee this shall neuer cloake thy sinne seeing thou hatest to bee reformed It is a case lamentable These things first caxe all vn 〈◊〉 miâ—isters deseruing the bowels of all Christian pitie and compassion and able to cause the teares of sorrowe to gush out and streame down the face of a man who is not frozen too hard in securitie and vncharitable carelesnesse when he shal but lift vp his eyes and see the wasts and desolations of so many distressed soules pined and consumed to the bone for lacke of Gods sustenance the bread of life the word of God the onely preseruatiue of the soule The cause of all this is because the very trash and rif-raf of our nation haue laide their sacrilegious hands on the Lords arke vnreuerently entred with shooes and all into his temple taken his vndefiled testimonies into their defiled mouth disgraced defaced and defamed the glorie and maiestie of diuine rites and mysteries Alas is the Church of God so destitute of labourers must Christ needes for their sakes call againe from the net the receit of custome and other trades such men as after a nights sleepe or an houres traunce are made able to turne the book of God declare his ordinances and mannage the keyes of heauen 〈◊〉 13 5. but my friend be not deceiued awake out of sleepe and dreame no more confesse I am no Prophet I am no husbandman for man taught mee to bee an heardman from my youth vp If any man aske thee what are these wounds in thine hands answer willingly thus was I wounded in the house of my friends do it quickely least the Lord wound thee in thy conscience when he shall tell thee these things hast thou done and these things will I set before thine eies If God hath said Arise ô sword vpon my shepheard and him that is my fellowe what then will he doe vnto thee smite thee deadly that his sheepe be no more scattered and that he may turne his hand from his little ones for alas what haue they done O therfore get with speed from the Lords house if thou be a cleauer to thy wedge and axe if a husbandman to the plough and share horse and harrow But in vaine doe I complaine for hard hearted men haue so flinted their foreheads seared and sealed vp their minds and consciences in all impietie as they haue made a league and bound
themselues to forget Christ and his flocke who are as great and deere vnto him as the price they cost him they cannot stagger but runne like hungrie dogges with an eie only to the fleshpots and sell both themselues and their people for a morsel of bread and a messe of pottage to the deuill and haue sworne like sonnes of the earth to possesse the earth for euer and leaue heauen and the heyres thereof to God himselfe Alas poore soules faine would they haue somewhat to keepe life and soule within them and therefore as famished and starued creatures which haue for a space been pownded vp and pinfolded in a ground of barrennesse debarred from all succour and releife will suffer any thing to go downe the throat be it as bitter as gall as deadly as poison they swallow bitternesse as sugar and licke vp death as sweet hony These things God knowes are too common among vs and for these how many threats and warnings from heauen from earth from God from men from foes abroad and friends at home Ierem 9. â— Shal not I visit for these things saith the Lord or shall not my soule bee auenged on such a nation as this I will assuredly prooue my selfe to be Lord of hosts muster vp the clouds call foorth the winds cause the fire to deuoure before me Psal 50 3. and a mighty tempest to be round about me all powers in heauen and earth shall be shaken and I will take the foure corners of the world and shake out this off-scouring I will raise vp the standerd blowe the trumpet bring destruction vpon destruction death vpon death plague vpon famine sword vpon both Another sort there be that declare my ordinances against which I haue many things such are like the Ostrich Iob. 39. which haue wings feathers not like the doues to flie vnto Gods arke to bring the faithfull newes of the abating of the waters of Gods wrath they haue no oliue leaues in their mouth no Gospel of peace vnto the heires of righteousnes receiued into the arke of Gods couenant but when the time is that is when they haue gotten themselues the wings of honour they mount on high mocke the horse and his rider they leaue their egges in the earth small thanks vnto them if they be made hote in the dust it is not their owne heate but the heat of an other sunne which perhaps the Lord makes to shine vnto them but in the meane time they forget that the foole might scatter them or the wild beasts might breake them Alas howe many in their pride tread the godly vnderfeete what store of wild beasts breake into the Lords vinyard therefore it cannot be but that they shew themselus cruell vnto their young ones as they were not theirs and are without feare as if they trauailed in vaine But let me tell them for all their learning and wisdome yet while they forsake Gods heritage they are depriued of all wisedome neither hath God giuen them any part of his vnderstanding Oh therefore for the loue of God and comfort of your owne soules recal your selues before this sentence come out against you God hath a long time holden his tongue it cannot be for euer for it is most certaine that he will reprooue for these things and set them in order re-enter therefore and recouer your forsaken charges languishing and worne away for want of pasture stretching on the ground for faintnes fetching their groanes deep and their pants thicke as readie to giue ouer and yeld vp the ghost if they die it must needs be laid to your charge Ier 5.3 and for these things God will haue you arraigned hereafter O Lord are not thine eyes vpon the truth yes assuredly and therefore the harmelesse sheep that droppe away by famine of the word hath raised a lowder crie and clamour in thine cares then any man is able to make by his iust complaint in the eares of men yet O God if any place for mercie and why should we doubt of mercie with thee who art the God of mercy looke not vpon this drosse and filth but sweep them out and open the rocke of stone againe let againe sweet Iesus the waters euen the liuing waters of the word flow out and let the sauing riuers of thy Gospel runne in all the drie places of our land We see the fruitfull weedes and thornes of prophannesse and iniquirie oh giue thine husbandmen hearts to roote them out we see the wofull ruines of vertue piety oh let the builders be readie to repaire them that so to thee who art the great Shepheard and Bishop of our soules we may render an account at the dreadfull day of thine Oecumenicall visitation In the meane time thou oh God which instructest the husbandman to haue discretion Esay 28. and doest teach him to cast in wheate and by measure euerie graine teach thy seruants how to plowe vp the fallow ground of mens hearts and keep them from sowing among thornes Againe Secondly 〈◊〉 taxe all vâ—â—e formed professors as the words are specially directed against such ministers as would declare Gods ordinances and yet hate all reformation so likewise may they be applyed to euerie professor that would make a shew of godlinesse yet wholly denyes the power thereof and therefore the sentence is verie large neither can we come to make any vse of it vntil we haue cleared it by the rules of Gods wisedome which is better then mans The wit of man hath many strange inuentions Gods wisdome our direction first seene by analysis then imitated by genesis and therefore seeing I haue been so large vpon one small verse it may rather be thought to be mine inuention beside the nature of the text then that which Gods wisedome will any waies afford I will not therefore thinke it grieuous to expresse the way of mine inuention All wisedome lookes vnto God as the author analysis genesis and will acknowledge no more in man then obseruation and after that to followe God by way of imitation for the wisedom of God is as the Sunne ours as the beames no beames where the sunn hath not gone before his wisdome as the real and substantiall face ours as the reflexion or image in the glasse no image or reflexion without the presence of the bodie Gods wisedome is as the seale ours as the stampe no stampe but by the seale his wisdome is the fountaine ours the streames no streames where the fountaine is not open and sending foorth his water Let Iacobs well be stoped and he will presently complaine for want of water therefore no worke of the creature is primarie Imitation by obseruation but an imitation of Gods worke The husbandman could neuer haue pianted trees except hee had first obserued Gods plantation in the world Apelles could neuer haue painted any exquisite colours vnlesse he had taken notice of Gods most beautifull colours in nature Let it
surely if all were true they should bee the verie naturall sonnes of God Thirdly this great acquaintance must be perpetuall Aristotle makes three bonds of freindship 1. pleasure 2. riches and both these are soone ended because in laughter the heart is heauy for such pleasures as are but of things transitory and for riches they take their wings and flie away but the third bond which is vertue and honesty is of long continuance and I know no freindship that hypocrits professe with God that sauours of honestie and vertue Indeede the other two are in high account with them for they will seeme to doe any thing for pleasure and profit Saul loued God but it was for a kingdome Ahithophel because he was aduanced counseller Iudâ—s because an Apostle bare the bag yet Saul a little afflicted forsakes God Ahithophel crossed hangs himselfe Iudas for gain betraies Christ Iobs wife seemed to goe farre as long as she could wash her paths with butter but when affliction is vpon her husband curse god die Many hypocrits are like Rebecca Gen. 25.22 who wished to haue children but when they stroue in her womb then she brast forth into words of impacience so God giues a desire to some to be borne againe who when they see their conception to be painfull and the spirit and flesh striue together desire to be in their old estate againe they seeke the kingdome of heauen but not the righteousnes thereof and therefore it will appeare verie easily how like they are vnto God for Saul and Pharaoh had some good motions by fittes and vpon occasion could play fast and loose beeing of a strange complexion and verie aguish hote and cold in a moment Sea faring men who when the seas doe rage and the tempest begins feele themselues sea-sicke and haue a desire to cast but when they are gotten to the land and haue smelt the cleare coast are as merrie and ioyfull as heart can wish the reason is because now being without hope sense and feeling of the sweet ioyes to come doe die thus by their flesh pots of Egypt so they shew in affliction that their flesh pots and their health though in bondage doth more please them then the goodnes and louing countenance of the Lord. Want of bread makes some despise their great wonderfull deliuerance out of Egypt the want of riches is greater trouble theÌ„ the want of grace and the possession of riches greater ioy then the fruition of Gods countenance The reason is plaine because in temporall things our ioy is greater then the cause but in spiritual the cause is greater then our ioy Againe they loue not God for himselfe but for his blessing and therefore all the similitude that wicked men haue of God is more in the loue of the creatures then of God himselfe and when the Lord shall bring his fanne and make cleane his floare you shall see him send away this chaffe but still keepe his corne for the naturall children of God loue their father naturally doe he what he will they will still loue him though thou kill me yet still will I trust in thee saith Iob. Thus shall the Lord trie his owne image and see who will endure the fire which shall be knowne by these foure properties first as fire burnes straw stubole stickes to ashes and makes them as though they had not beene so shall the fire of Gods affliction wast all those things which are of this weake nature Secondly as fire purges that which can abide him and makes it purer and finer so shall the triall of the spirit wast all the drosse in Gods children and purifie the rest as a temple for the holy Ghost Thirdly as fire giueth light in the most dimme and darkest place so shall the fire of Gods spirit become a shining lampe burning continually Fourthly as heat putteth life into those things which are capable of life though frozen and starued for cold and as they were without life yet touching them maketh them reuiue become nimble and actiue so the spirit of God heating and inflaming our hearts kindleth our zeale quickneth our deadnes puts life into vs maketh vs nimble and actiue in a care of our dutie loue of all mankind and the glorie of God this alone will prooue whether we beare the image and stampe of God in vs or no when all the rest is no better then that conceit which the Deuill put into the heads of our parents Gen. 3. Ye shall be like God surely it prooued like the god of this world for euen that conceit tooke away the image of God and brought in a worse euen the image of the deuill Observ It is the nature of euery wicked man especially of an hypocrite to haue an high conceit of himselfe and in this high conceit to thinke God like vnto him 1. Reas First blindnes of vnderstanding Rom. 1.21 22 23. Vaine imaginations and follie of heart full of darknes makes professours of wisdome become starke fooles and so turne the glorie of the incorruptible God to the similitude of the image of a corruptible man and of birds and foure footed beasts and of creeping things 2. Reas Is the euill disposition of nature which turneth all things into his owne temper and therefore it can not be but the silence of the Lord should be abused by our thoughts 3. Reas Selfe-pleasing our selues Herod will part with all before he will part with his brothers wife the young man will leaue Christ before he forsake his riches and therefore before the silence of the Lord shall crosse our natures we must either crosse it or els restraine it vnto our selues and giue it that limitation which shall best agree with our pleasures 1. Vse reprehension A confutation of the wicked for the abuse of their reason in that they will become absolute Iudges of Gods wisdome it is enough for the seruant to become as the master Gods truth will haue no controller and therefore must he command or els he will testifie against vs and accuse vs for the breach of his prerogatiue royall Secondly a correction of the godly that any waies subiect themselues to the iudgement of wicked men their fountaine is naught therefore their streames can not be sweete 2. Vse instruction First an admonition of the wicked to be more carefull for their thoughts Indeede we say thoughts are free but yet let them know that there is a word which is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart and therefore what they haue spoken in the theeuish corners of their hearts shall be plainly detected euen vpon the house toppes Secondly a direction to the godly that is a deniall of themselues and of their owne thoughts and wholly yeilding themselues vnto Gods truth 3. Vse Consolation to all them that see the want of Gods image and desire it more then they presume they haue it This will take away our owne conceits and breede in vs the cleare
the iustice of the eternal God which is endlesse and whose seueritie admitteth no mediation and this extends not to one ioynt sinew or vanie but to all neither that of the bodie onely but of the soule whose nature as it is impatible of all other things in greatest peace assurance and tranquilitie so beeing once shaken by the terrours of Gods wrath and blasted with the whirlewind of his displeasure it faileth and with it driueth the whole frame of nature into extreame miserie and vtter confusion The other hath for his cause a dry and cold humour whose subiect especially is the spleen swolne vp with windines and hardnesse vnder the left ribbes the consequents are the hemeroydes not flowing blacknesse and grossenesse of blood fearefull dreames solitarinesse sadnesse And therefore those are to be condemned which make the terrors of conscience nothing but melancholie and thereby labour to benumme the sense of that sting which sinne euer carrieth in the tayle and turne men to their vsuall pleasures and so delude the foole and simple in his waies skilfull to doe euill sottish in the pathes of righteousnesse and vtterly ignorant of her rule and wherein nature giueth some sparke of light more distinctly to discerne yet they turne them out of the way and make them like to stubborn and vnbroken horses shaking off reason despising her mannage and layeth the noble rider in the dust these be Salomons fooles that follow wickednes Like an oxe that goeth to the slaughter and as a foole that goeth to the stockes for correction and as a bird hasteth to the snare not knowing that he is in danger But beside these another sort are iustly taxed euen the Physitians themselues who when their patients come vnto them for physicke and they spie out their disease to be melancholy aske them vnder what minister they liue if they mention some conscionable man that deals truely with mens soules giue the parties counsell not to heare them but get from them as farre as they can Alas are not these distinct diseases and therefore what wretched persons are those that labour to turne a disease that is not vnto death into one that is both the death of bodie and soule For more particular differences consider That whensoeuer the mind according to these ingrauen lawes of nature which no man is voide of be he neuer so barbarous raiseth any molestation directly it is no fancy but a case of conscience The verie testominie of the heathen doth sufficiently witnes this point whose Poets according to their receiued opinions haue fained Hecates Eumenides and the infernall furies whose force Seneca in his tragedie of Hercules furens hath most liuely expressed These indeed are but fained persons yet the matter vnder this maske is serious true and of wofull experience This was Cains marke the spirit that possessed Saul Iudas the traytour by this wound tooke the reuenge of betraying the innocent vpon himselfe with his owne hands such was the anguish that Esau felt when he found no repentance after he had sold his birthright for a messe of pottage and such is the state of all defiled coÌ„sciences with hainous crimes whose hearts are neuer free from the worme but with deadly bite thereof are driuen to despaire This may the more plainely appeare if we consider how the soule may suffer of the body in life sense and motion The body is a great troubler of the soule not in his being but in his actions hence may he cause madnesse strange imaginations sudden feares dolefull apparitions feeblenesse of bodie and want of heart in the performance of any action but the mind will of man are of such excellency and perfection that they are not directly patible of any thing but of God alone that made them so standeth both mind and will in awe of none but of him neither admit they any other violence then from him into whose hands it is most terrible to fall No calamity comparable to the distresse of conscience All diseases of the bodie may haue some medicine either to cure them or to mitigate asswage their paine for all sores Chirurgie hath a salue freinds helpe pouertie there is no imprisonment but there is hope of libertie suite and fauour recouer a man from banishment authoritie and time weare out reproch But what physick cureth what chirurgerie salueth what riches ransome what countenance beareth out what authoritie asswageth what fauour releeueth these troubles yea if all should band themselues together in league though they would conspire a confederacie yet could they not preuaile If our assistance were an host of armed men if our freinds were princes and gouernours of the world if our possessions were as large as East and West if our meat were manna froÌ„ heauen if euery day like the day of Christs resurrection if our apparel as costly as Aarons Ephod yet al these would little comfort vs. This causeth such distresse vnto those that feele the torment hereof that they would redeeme it gladly if it were possible with the verie losse of their liues which often they assay to doe that this might off their stomach they would be content if it were possible to suffer all other kinds of miserie at the verie selfe same time This giues no warning as the diseases of the body doe for in them we find the head beginne to ake or stomach trouble vs lassitude of body remoovâ—d of sleep want of appetite to our meat but this taketh of a suddain like lightning and giueth no warning Here the purity of the blood and the sincerity and liuelines of the spirits auaile nothing to mitigate the paine it drieth vp the blood wasteth the marow pineth the flesh consumeth the bones makes pleasure painefull shortens life no wisedome can counsell it no counsell can aduise it no aduisment asswage it no asswagement cure it no eloquence perswade it no power ouercome it no scepter affray it no inchanter charme it A man languishing in sicknes as long as he is heart-whole he hath hope of recouery he that is in reproach among men and yet can remember that he is in fauour with God will not much care for the shame of the world he that is banished out of his owne country and yet remembreth that he is a citizen of the kingdom of heauen will not be ouermuch grieued but the wound of conscience is so deadly that he dare not sue vnto him that should be the only physitian of it because he thinks that he is his onely enemie Alas who dare meet with the Lord of hosts who can put to silence the voyce of desperation who will make an agreement with the hells of conscience what compact with the deuill In all other afflictions there is some comfort against sinne but this is alwaies accompanied with the accusation of sin this breeds hurliburlies in men that when it is day he wisheth for night when night for day his meat doth not nourish him his dreames terrifie him
any consolation or what assurance of escape if wee would flee the punishment hath no miserie to compare with it the sense of it passeth the capacity of man for as blessednes with God is aboue all conceit of mans bea rt and report of tongue so the contrarie estate exceedeth all vnderstanding of the mind and vtterance of speach and is such as is aboue measure vnhappy and most miserable inflicted by Gods reuenge who is himselfe a consuming fire whose wrath once kindled burneth to the bottome of hell Againe the minister of reuenge is without all compassion he will not be content with Iobs riches and possessions but he vrgeth skin for skin would haue God permit him to streatch out his hand to touch his bones and flesh neither there would he satisfie himselfe but euen against Gods expresse commandment if it were possible bring his life into the dust neither there would he rest vntill he had brought him to damne both bodie and soule Now if God would but look on as he did while the deuil was beating Iob it would wonderfully refresh the wicked though the Lord meant neuer to helpe them but alas hee wil not vouchsafe them the lest countenance but suffer the deuill to torment and racke them to the vttermost of his power Therefore as he hath mourthered the soules of infinite men he shal be praying on them for euer Oh wofull estate I know not what to say of it our life and length of dayes will forsake vs the deuill worse then all tyrants sauage beastes harpies vultures yea then all the creatures of God shall seaze vpon vs our consciences with a worme that neuer dyeth shall gnaw vpon vs surely for want of words I must leaue it therefore euery one as he loues the good of his owne soule let him bee admonished to thinke of this fearefull sentence I will set thy sinnes in order before thee Reasons First because the conscience is made of God a little iudge and witnes of all our deeds and actions and therefore must be ioyne with the Lord against his owne subiect Reas 2. Because wicked men should be happie if it were not for their consciences therefore must the Lord needs awake them to see their miserie Reas 3. That his law may haue his effect and that the power of him may be made manifest whereby God may be glorified the wicked ashamed for putting out so good a light and fret and gnash with their teeth that they regarded not so good admonitors as the law of God and their own conscience did continually set before their eies Reas 4. That their misery might be perpetuall and dispossesse them of all ioy it is necessary that the Lord should make their sinnes euer to stand before the eyes of their conscience Vse 1. Reprehension confutation of the wicked that they would neuer consider of their sinnes but still did forget God and his law putting them farre from them but now shal they be sure to haue both sinne and punishment God and his law to draw so neere them that they could wish themselues to bee nothing or at least that the verie mountaines and rockes might fal vpon them a burden more easie to beare then the least touch of their conscience seeing their sinne feeling their punishment from the law accusing and God himselfe reuenging the violation of the same Secondly a correction of the godly that they be not too cruell vnto their owne soules conceiuing that the Lord hath done vnto them as he hath done vnto the wicked when indeed it is rather their owne phansie assisted by their corruption that makes them iudge so miserably of themselues as though they were reprobates and with Cain cast out of the presence of God for euer yet let them knowe that is but the tendernesse of the conscience and not that violent haling of them to the stake which is in the wicked whose consciences strike against the law as stones and hammers that would rather haue the lawe broken then themselues to bee broken and hammered by it Vse 2. Instruction first admonition to the wicked that they be not so cruell vnto themselues but consider that euery sinne they commit is the stabbing and wounding of their consciences and he that stabbes often the selfesame place wil be sure to bring out his heart blood and make a most fearefull ende for though the wounds of the conscience bleeding fresh are not so sensible yet beeing festered and full of corruption hauing no oyle of grace powred into them shall bee extraordinarie sores and so miserably felt of the patient that when the Lord shall touch them they shall roare and gnash with their teeth for the extremity of the paine Secondly direction to the godly to bee most tender for the eie of their conscience We vse the eye of the bodie most tenderly and great is our care to safegard it much more ought wee to tender the eye of our soule beeing farre more excellent then the eie of the bodie Vse 3. Consolation first in all distresse to knowe that it is a happie thing to beare the yoke in our youthes to know our diseases betimes and haue our sinnes discouered for then is there hope of cure but if they continue vntill old age then wil they be in greater danger Secondly in all our welfare to labour for the assurance of a good conscience which is our best felicitie Application of the whole sentence in the two last verses Want of consideration makes men forget God and both these are forerunners of Gods vengeance and euerlasting destruction therefore the admonition is to all wicked and godlesse men that betimes they arraigne themselues call a Iurie try their wayes and examine their own hearts how they stand with God for it seemes their estate is verie lamentable First in that they are styled forgetters of God and he that forgets God cannot but forsake God Ier. 2.12 Oh yee heauens be astonied at this be afraid and vtterly confounded for my people haue commited two euills they haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters to digge them pits euen broken pits that can hold no water Oh generation take heede to the word of the Lord consider in your minds ponder in your hearts and obserue in your waies whether the Lord hath bin as a wildernesse vnto you or as a land of darknesse Oh consider what a mischeife you haue procured vnto your selues in that you haue forsaken the Lord your God which hath lead you by the way and hath bin as a familiar friend vnto you nay as a prince to command heauen earth to giue you safe-conduct through all the dangers and perills that might befall you Can a maid forget her ornament or a bride her attire yet you for whom I haue done all this haue forgotten me dayes without number But if you will not consider then assure you selues that your owne wickednesse shall correct you and your turnings backe shall reprooue you know therefore