into light and yet never thus walkt in darknes p. 4 To take notice of such a condition there is which is usefull p. 5 1. To prepare them against it if it should afterwards befall them ibid. 2. To be kept more in dependance upon God p. 6. 3. To learne not to censure others p. 7 4. To feare God the more ibid. 5. To bee thankfull that God hath spared them ibid. Vse 3. To those that have beene in darknesse and are now recovered out of it p. 8 1. To bethankfull to God and Christ ibid. 2. To pitty others in that condition p. 9 3. To declare what God hath done for them ib. And to give warning unto others ibid. 4. To take heed of such sins as may bring them into such a condition againe p. 10 Vse 4. To such as feare God and walke in darknes ibid. Two sorts of such some more lightly troubled some more deeply p. 13 Ten directions for those who are more deepely troubled and meanes to be used how to recover light and comfort p. 15 1. Direction To take heed of rash impatient and unbeleeving speeches and wishes ibid. 2. Direct To make a diligent search and examination p. 19 Two things to be searched into ibid. 1. What is the true cause which provokes God to leave them to this distresse ibid. 2. What is the maine reasoning in the heart that causeth this questioning of the estate p. 21 3. Direct To consider as indifferently what may make for them as against them p. 25 4. Direct To call to remembrance former evidences and passages betwixt God and us p. 28 5. Direct To renew a mans faith and repentance p. 33 6. Direct To be resolute and peremptory in beleeving and turning to God what ever may be the issue p. 36 7. Direct Let him trust in the name of the Lord p. 39 That the name of the Lord in all sufficient prop and stay for a mans faith to rest upon when he sees nothing in himselfe ibid. By the name of the Lord 2. things are meant 1. Those attributes of grace and mercy 2. Christs righteousnesse p. 40 Instances of those that have trusted in his Name 〈◊〉 p. 41 Reasons 3. p. 44 How the Name of the Lord answers all objections ibid. 8. Direct To waite upon God in the use of all meanes p. 52 9. Direct To seek to God by prayer most earnestly together with Pleas and arguments to be used to God in prayer for recovery out of this condition p. 55 10. Direct Not to rest in ease but alone in healing p. 68 Other observations out of the 10. verse Doct. 2. That though it may befall one that feares God to walk in darknesse yet but to a few p. 75 Reasons three p. 76 77 Vses three p. 78 Doct. 3. That those few that walke in darknesse Christ hath an especiall eye unto and care of p. 79 Vses two p. 81 A childe of darknesse walking in light p. 86 Doct. 4. That when the children of God are under terrours the most eminent grace that doth appeare in them is fearefulnesse to offend God and willingnesse to obey him p. 81 Explication of it ibid. Reason p. 82 Vses two ibid. By fire and the light of it two things meant p. 84 1. Their owne righteousnesse ibid. By sparkes what is meant p. 87 What by walking in the light of their fire ibid. Vse 1. Examine what fire we offer to God ibid. Vse 2. Take heed of walking in the light of such fire p. 90 2. Outward comforts p. 91 Why fire is put for comfort p. 92 Why outward comfort compared to fire of their owne kindling to earthly fire ibid. The comparison holds in 6. things p. 93 FINIS A CHILDE OF LIGHT WALKING in DARKNESS ISAI 50. 10 11. 10. Who is among you that feareth the Lord that obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darknesse and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God 11. Behold all yee that kindle a fire that compasse your selves about with sparkes walke in the light of your fire and in the sparkes which yee have kindled this yee shall have of my hand yee shall lie downe in sorow The words paraphrased WEE have in these words The Sumâ—â— A true beleever in his worst and naturall men in their best condition set forth together unto our view And withall the power of true faith as it alone upholdeth him in the saddest houre of darknesse that can befall him opposed unto and compared with the falsenesse of their presumptuous confidence in their greatest security Together with the differing supports of either The one in the tenth verse the other in the eleventh First Of the tenth verse take a true beleever who hath had the least beame 2 Cor. 4. 6. of the light of the glory of God which shines in the face of Christ let in upon his soule and his heart so taken with that sight as it became eternally divorced from all things here below and resolved to adventure all his future hopes of comfort and happinesse in the enjoyment of that Light of Gods countenance alone Which that he may enjoy he feareth to offend the Lord more then Hell and endeavoureth as truely to obey the voice of his Servants as ever he desires to attaine unto that happinesse Thinke with your selves what is the worst thing next to the eternall losse of God really and indeed that can be supposed to befall this man What worse then to have that cranny through which he first espied that beame to bee as it were cleane shut up the Light of Gods countenance withdrawne yea all Light and appearance to him of his owne graces withheld and overclouded The face of heaven so overcast with Darknesse that neither Sun-light nor Star-light appeareth to him so as he hath no light yea further findes his soule beset and besieged round with all the powers of Hell and darknesse and the terrours of the Almighty shot into his soule And he thus quite left walking in this darknesse is filled with strong feares and jealousies that God is not His God nay questioning whether he ever will be Psal 77. 7. yea apprehending by the wrath he feeles God to bee became his enemie All this is set forth to us here as the very estate of one who feareth the Lord and obeyes him and is comprehended in these words That walketh in Darknesse and hath no Light You see him at his worst In which forlorne condition what is there to bee found to releeve and support this man But onely one thing which is here held forth to him The name of the Lord for him to trust and stay himselfe upon Both that Name of God Exod. 34. 6. The Lord God gracious and mercifull c. and that Name of Christ which is called Ierem. 23. 6. Iehovah our righteousnesse Both or either of which Hee by the naked hand of faith laying hold upon may now make
in the other made to any grace in it selfe which it may rest upon yet the soule then looking upon God and considering what a God he is and what he sayes of himselfe of his mercy and kindnesse and free grace towards sinfull men The consideration of what meerely it knowes to be in God as he is revealed in the covenant of grace may support him This it is to stay upon his name Now to explaine this further to you By the name of God two things are meant First those glorious attributes especially of grace and mercy whereby God hath expressed himselfe and made himselfe knowne to us Secondly Jesus Christ as hee is made and set forth to be righteousnesse to the sons of men For the first in the 24. of Exod. ver 4 5 6 7. The Lord proclaimed his name The Lord God mercifull gracious long-suffering aboundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne and will by no meanes cleare the impenitent For the second I referre to that place Ier. 23. 6. speaking of Christ This is the name wherewith hee shall be called or made knowne to us THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESSE that is that Jesus Christ who is God hath righteousnesse in him for us which may be made ours So that when a poore soule in distresse is not able to say I see such or such signes or any evidence in my selfe whereby I can say God is my God or that Christ is mine yet because I see free grace enough in God and righteousnesse in Christ which I being a sinfull man and not a devill may therefore bee capable of and may come to have an interest in them though I know nothing in my selfe whereby I can challenge any present interest and because grace and mercy is his Name and Our Righteousnesse his Sonnes Name therefore I doe cast my selfe upon both for pardon and favour and thereupon my soule leanes staies and abides and from these it will not bee driven So that these two apprehensions meeting in the heart in truth help to make up this resting upon his Name here spoken of namely First that there is such free grace good will and mercy c. in God and that Jesus Christ is appointed and made to be our Righteousnes And secondly that I am capable of and may come to have an interest in both these and that though there be nothing in me which may challenge an interest in them yet there is nothing that excludes mee whereupon I cast my selfe upon God for both and there rest yea though I cannot yet say that ever I shall obtaine them And this where it is in truth and accompanied with that firme resolution of turning to God in all things aforementioned is as good faith as any of you have in your hearts And so I come to the proofe of this namely That when the name of God and Christ are thus simply and alone apprehended they may bee sufficient ground for faith to rest upon then which nothing can be more comfortable to a poore distressed beleever Num. 14. When Gods wrath waxed hot against his people as sometimes in like maner it doth against a poore soule that God began to say how long shall they provoke me ver 11. and speakes of destroying them and of making Moses a great Nation what hath Moses his faith recourse unto but to that proclamation of his Name you heard of before and urgeth that ver 17 18. Let the power of my Lord bee great according as thou hast spoken The Lord is long suffering and of great mercy forgiving iniquitie transgression and sin and he desires him to shew his power in pardoning because as much power is seen in overcomming his wrath as in making a world Let thy power be great it was his name you see that was alledged by Moses and prevailed with God for mercy So also for his Sonnes sake The Lord our Righteousnesse Elihu sayes Job 33. when a mans soule is in deepest distresse as in the 19 20 21 22. ver he describes it yet sayes he ver 23. If there be a messenger to shew a man his uprightnesse that is that righteousnesse that is laid up for men in the Lord Iesus then God is gracious to him and sayes deliver him and he resting thereupon his flesh returnes to him againe it is a meanes to stay him and restore him I mention these places of the olde Testament rather then of the new out of which you see Gods name and his Sonnes name are al-sufficient to uphold and support a soule So the pen-man of that Psalme whether David or whoever Psal 130. when hee was in his depths as ver 1 2. plunged over head and eares in sorrow and discomfiture what hath his faith recourse unto 〈◊〉 4. to Gods name to nothing that was in himselfe but simply to what his faith apprehended to be in God Mercy it with thee hee sayes no more in him and with him it is to be had and he confirmes his faith in that by this argument because else none would feare him and If thou wert extreame to marke what were amisse no man could stand or would be saved therefore surely sayes he mercy is with thee and therefore let Israel hope in the Lord ver 7. And why what because Israel sees he hath grace in himself no but because mercy is with him plenteous redēption v. ult which word redēption hath relation to his Sons name There is enough in him else he will have none and Israel is mentioned in his will as capable of it therefore sayes he I will waite and hope in the Lord. ver 5. and though hee could not say that God had forgiven him yet forgivenesse was with him and there hee pitcheth and resteth his soule as a beggar at a great mans doore when there is none else in the country able or willing to relieve him there he lyes though hee knowes not whether he shall have any thing or no. In my fathers house there is bread enough sayes the Prodigall there it is to be had and no where else and there is enough and crummes will serve me sayes the woman of Canaan thou art the Mediator thought she and it is thy businesse to save and though I am a dogge yet I am capable of having crummes Woman sayes Christ great is thy faith not such faith among all my disciples These trusted in his name and nothing in themselves So Psal 62. David sayes at the 5. ver He trusted in God for salvation and mercy and exhorts throughout the whole Trust in God fully and at all times in no creature ver 8. 9. And what was it he rested upon simply two attributes of his viz. Mercy and Power God hath spoken once that is irrevocably as Psal 89. 35. Once have I sworne c. and twice I have heard this that is often met with it in the word and thought of it sayes he that with God is power v.
and eares her owne words And now that her heart began to listen to what might comfort her presently she began to have hope This sullen peevish desperate obstinacy is a thing you ought to take heed of for hereby you take Satans part and that against those you ought to love so deerely even your owne soules But as they said Let Baal plead for himselfe So let Satan plead his owne cause doe not you Hereby also you forsake your owne mercies as it is said Ionah 2. 8. you give up your owne right and are so farre befooled as to plead against your owne title your owne interest in the best things you can have interest in Gods mercies made yours by an everlasting covenant you give up your portion bequeathed you in your fathers will which you ought to maintaine and you trust to lying vanities the sooth-sayings and fortune-tellings as I may call them of Satan and of your owne hearts Hereby also yee become judges of evill thoughts Iames 2. For hee is an ill hearer of a cause who will heare but one party speake Direction 4. THe fourth direction is to make diligent search into and to call to remembrance what formerly hath beene between God and you The remembrance of former things doth often uphold when present sense failes This David practised in the like case Psal 77. ver 5 6. when his soule had refused comfort as I told you v. 2. yet in the end he began not onely to bee willing to listen to what might make for him but set himselfe aworke to recall to minde to consider the dayes of old to make diligent search namely into the records and register of Gods dealings ver 11. to see if there were never a record extant which might help him now the devill pleaded against his title even as if your houses and lands were called into question you would search over old writings deeds so do you in this I considered sayes he the songs in the night that is that joyfull communion he had enjoyed with God when God and he sang songs together and I communed with mine owne heart and made diligent search I tossed and tumbled over my heart to see if no grace formerly had beene there and if no grace at present were there he searched into what might comfort him as well as into the causes might provoke God thus to deale with him for I take it both may be meant And so Iob did when he was thus stricken and forsaken of God he viewes over every part of his life he seekes what dry land he could finde to get footing upon in the midst of seas of temptations recounts what an holy life he had lived with what feare and strictnesse he had served God Chap. 29. and Chap. 30. and Chap. 31. throughout and tells them plainely Chap. 27. ver 5 6. That let them pleade and argue what they could against him and goe about to prove him an hypocrite till I die sayes he I will not remove mine integrity from mee nor let goe my righteousnesse I will never give up mine interest in Gods mercies nor the evidences I have to shew for them and sayes he Chap. 19. 27 28. Though my reines be at present consumed yet the root of the matter is in me that is though God deales thus hardly with me as you see yea though the exercise of grace is much obscured the Sun-shine of Gods favour withdrawne his face hidden from me and the joyfull fruits of righteousnesse and comfortable fresh greene speeches and leaves you have knowne to grow upon this now withered stocke fallen off yet there is the root of the matter still 〈…〉 a root of faith that decayes not a constant frame of grace that still remaines which hareth sinne loveth God and you shall all never beare me from it And canst thou call nothing to remembrance betwixt God and thee which argues infallibly his love what nothing Looke againe Did God never speake peace to thy heart and shed his love abroad in it Hast thou at no time found in thine heart pure straines of true love and good will to him some pure drops of godly sorow for offending him and found some dispositions of pure selfe-deniall wherein thou didst simply ayme at his glory more then thine owne good Hast thou never an olde tryed evidence which hath beene acknowledged and confirmed againe and againe in open court what not one And if thou 〈◊〉 now call to minde but one if in truth it may support thee For if one promise doth belong to thee then all doe for every one conveyes whole Christ in whom all the promises are made and who is the matter of them as in the Sacraments the bread conveyes whole Christ and the wine also whole Christ so in the word every promise conveyes whole Christ And if thou canst say as the Church of Ephesus Rev. ◠6. This thing I have that I hate sinne and every sinne as God hates it and because he hates it as Christ owned them for this one grace and though they had many sinnes and many failings yet sayes he this thou hast c. If Christ will acknowledge thee to be his for one eare-mark or if he sees but one spot of his child upon thee Deut. 32. 5. thou maist well pleade it even any one to him Yea though it be but in a lesser degree if in truth and sincerity For God brings not a paire of scales to weigh your graces and if they be too light refuseth them but he brings a touchstone to try them and if they be true gold though never so little of it it will passe currant with him though it be but smoak not flame Mat. 12. 20. though it be but as a week in the socket as it is there in the originall likelier to dye go out then to continue which we use to throw away yet he will not quench it but accept it Yea and though at present thou findest in thy sense no grace stirring in thee nothing but hardnesse deadnesse c. yet if thou canst remember yea but this once I had as a woman with childe though after her first quickning she doth not alwayes finde the childe to stir yet because she did feele it stir she still conceives hopes and thinkes shee is with childe So thinke thou of the new creature formed within thee These things you are to recall and consider in time of distresse to remember former graces and spirituall dispositions in you and Gods gracious dealings with you God remembers them to have mercy on you and why should not you remember them to comfort you Therefore Heb. 6. 9 10. We hope sayes he better things of you for God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love namely to reward you and therefore hee calls upon them in like maner Heb. 10. ver 31. To call to remembrance the former dayes to comfort them how they held out when their hearts were tryed to the
to look for help from him with submission though hee stayes long ere he comes Waiting is an act of faith resting on God and an act of hope expecting help from him an act of patience the minde quietly contenting it selfe till God doth come and of submission if he should not come Therefore sayes the Church being in this very case It is good sayes she to hope Lament 3. 26. and quietly to waite for the salvation of the Lord. It is good indeed to doe so for God will afflict the lesse case you the sooner comfort you the more when he doth come and in the meane while it makes you to possesse your soules and to bee your selves and upholds them and to doe otherwise to be impatient and to give over looking for the Lord as Abaz did is the greatest folly that can be for as Iob sayes Chap. 12. ver 14. If hee shut up there is no opening all the world cannot let you out he keepes the keyes of the dungeon and you must stay his leisure and he stayes but for a fit time to let you out Esay 30. 18. Hee will waite to be gratiâ—â—â— to you for he is a God of judgement a wise and judicious God and knowes the fittest times and seasons and that he stayes so long is not out of want of mercy for he waits and longs to be gracious but he doth it out of Iudgement and his wisdome sees not a fit time he is grieved as well as you that you are not yet fit for mercy that his mercy would not yet be exalted if he should shew it till you further see your misery and therefore sayes he Blessed are all they that waite for him And as he now waiteth but to be the more gracious to thee so he did heretofore a long while waite for thee that thou shouldest begin to turne to him and said When will it once be Ier. 13. ult Thou madest him stay thy leisure in turning from thy sinne why may he not make thee stay his for the pardon of it And indeed the escaping hell in the end is so great a mercy that it is worth the waiting for all thy daies though thou endure an hell here and gettest not a good looke till the very last gaspe and moment of living therefore put thy mouth in the dust Lament 3 29. and waite quietly if there may be hope at last And waiting thus goe on to use all the meanes of grace more diligently more constantly though thou findest a long while no good by them omit no ordinance God hath appointed for thy comfort and recovery As in a long sicknesse you still use meanes though many have failed as the woman who had the bloody issue spent all upon Physitians in the use of meanes for her recovery That trouble of minde doth onely hurt you that drives you from the meanes that trouble of minde that drives you to the meanes can never hurt you Therefore the devill endeavours nothing more then to keep such soules from the word from good company from the Sacraments from prayer by objecting their unprofitablenes unto them that all is in vaine and that you doe but increase your condemnation But first if thou learnest no other lesson in the use of the meanes but that thou art of thy self most unprofitable and that unlesse God teacheth thee to profit no good is done and so learnest to depend upon God in the ordinance This is a great degree of profiting But secondly as when men are sick and eate and cast up againe you use to say yet take something downe for some strength is gotten something remaines in the stomack which keepes life and soule together So I say here though thou shouldest forget in a maner all thou hearest seemest to reape no benefit by it yet heare for some secret strength is gotten by it And for encreasing thy condemnation know that utterly to neglect and despise the meanes is greater condemnation and know that if thou shouldst use them in a way of dependance obedience to God it would lessen thy condemnation Therefore reade pray meditate heare conferre receive the Sacraments forbeare not these your appointed meales Indeed when the body is sick ye use to forbeare your appointed foode but when the soule is sick there is more need of them then ever All these are both meate and medicine foode physick cordials and all Use reading the word The Scriptures were written for our consolation therefore reade them much attend on preaching for God creates the fruits of the lippes peace Isa 57. So receive the Sacrament often those dayes are sealing dayes goe thou and confesse thy sinnes write over thy pardon put in all thou knowest by thy selfe bring it to Christ to set his seale to it Onely take this caution that thou trust not to the use of the meanes but unto God in the meanes To think oh I shall have comfort by such a man or at such a time in such an ordinance this often dasheth all So beleeve in God as if you used no means and yet as diligently use the meanes even as if your confidence were to be in them Direction 9. To Pray Pleas to be used to God in Prayer for recovery out of this condition ANd ninthly above all things Pray and get others also to pray for thee for God often restores comfort unto such at the request of Mourners for them Isa 57. 18. But yet especially be earnest and fervent in pouring forth thy complaint thy selfe for though the speaking of friends may somewhat further thy suite yet as between two wooers so it must be wrought out betweene God and thee alone in private and his good will must bee obtained by wooing him in secret This counsell the Apostle gives you James 5. 13. Is any man afflicted let him pray And because of all afflictions else this of darknesse in a mans spirit needeth praier the most therefore David pens a Psalme on purpose not for his owne private use onely but for the benefit and use of all other in the like distresse as by the title of it doth appeare Psal 102. A prayer for the afflicted when he it 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 out his complaint before the Lord. And this sayes David is my constant practice when my soule 〈◊〉 I poure out my prayer unto thee Psal 61. 3. And it was Christs also for in his agony he prayed yet more earnestly Luke 22. 44. When at any time therefore thy sinnes and Gods wrath meeting in thy conscience make thee deadly sicke as Isay speakes then poure forth thy soul lay open and confesse thy sin and as it will ease thee as vomiting useth to do so also it will move God to pitty and to give thee cordials comforts to restore thee againe Thus David Psal 38. ver 18. being in great distresse ver 2 3 4 5. I will declare mine iniquity and be sorry for my sinne and hee makes it an argument to God to pardon him
not remember what hath been betweene mee and thee in prayer in such a chamber at such a time Hast thou never a piece of a broken ring betweene him and thee no love passage no love-token that could not passe betweene him any whom he had not betrothed himself unto in kindnesse Hosea 2. 19. produce it at such a time as this And if thou shouldest discerne no grace in thee thy self yet desire him to look into thy heart be bold to enquire of him if he can see nothing there which himselfe wrote never to be blotted out if there be not some spark of love to him and his feare which himselfe put there and aske him if hee knowes his owne hand And for thy comfort know that when thou canst not reade it thy graces being much blurred yet hee can reade his owne hand at any time and will not deny it Thou maist be yet bolder Yea desire him to look into his own heart and therein to view the Idea he had of thee those secret ancient thoughts he bore towards thee frō all eternity And if at first he seems yet silent at it then desire him to look upon thee again ask him if he doth not know thee and if he hath not knowne and taken thee for his from everlasting and engraven thee in the palmes of his hands and table of his heart with such deep and lasting letters of loving kindnesse as are not as yet yea which will not for ever bee blotted out Tell him thou darest referre thy selfe wholly to what past between him and his Sonne concerning thee and let his owne heart cast it Appeale to Christ as thy surety and a witnesse thereof for thee who was privy to all his counsell whether thou art not one of those he gave unto him with a charge to redeem and save And desire him to look into Christs heart also if thy name bee not written there with his own hand and if that Christ did not beare thy name written up in his heart as the high Priest did the names of all the Tribes when he hung upon the Crosse and when he ascended into the Holy of holies Thus Habakkuk putting up a prayer in the name of the Church hath taught us to plead Hab. 1. 12. Oh Lord Art not thou from everlasting my God and mine holy One It was a bold question yet God dislikes it not but approves it and presently assents to it in a gracious answer to their hearts ere they went any further for their next words and those abruptly spoken by reason of a suddain answer are an assurance of this Wee shall not die God being put thus to it and his own thoughts being spoken could not deny it he acknowledgeth it was true And thus whilest thou maist bee a speaking blindfold as it were casting anchor in the dark yet speaking his very heart he haply may owne thee and fall upon thy neck and kisse thee And if yet after continuall praying thus thou findest still no comfort no answer from him but hee seemes rather even to shut thy very prayers out as Psal 22. 2 3. then expostulate as David doth Psal 70. 4. Why shuttest thou out our prayers and wilt not heare us pray for alas thought he we have nothing else to helpe us in the time of need but prayer And if prayer will doe no good I am undone say And if through all these discouragements thy condition prove worse and worse so as thou canst not pray but art struck dumb when thou commest into his presence as David Psal 77. 4. I am so troubled I cannot speake then fall a making signes when thou canst not speake groane sigh sob Chatter as Hezekiah did bemoane thy selfe for thine owne unworthinesse and desire Christ to speak thy requests for thee and God to heare him for thee 1 Iohn 2. 3. Christ he is an advocate with the Father and pleads no bad case nor was ever cast in any suit he pleaded And if still haply after many yeares he ownes thee not but is growes darker and darker suppose even till thy death approacheth or to such extremities that he seems to thee to cast thee off for ever so as thy distresse boils up to such thoughts as these That there is no other remedy but thou he must part then in the middest and depths of such sad feares and apprehensions downe upon thy knees once more and notwithstanding fall thou a blessing him for all those glorious excellencies of holinesse kindnesse grace wisdome c. which are in him the beauty of which first tooke thy heart and made thee enamoured with him though thou shouldest bee never like to bee the better for them Blesse him for all the mercy hee shews to others by which they have occasion to magnifie him though thou shouldest be found unworthy Blesse him and those who shall for ever live with him who doe stand about him and see his face and enjoy him ever What sinnes thou thinkest thou shalt be condemned for by him condemne thy selfe for first and still ask forgivenesse of them what service thou hast any way done him which he had any glory by get thy heart to say thou repentest not of it but art glad of all done for him and wishest it had been better What mercies thou hast tasted of from him confesse thy selfe unworthy of and thanke him though thou shouldest never partake of any more such dispositions as these in such extremities doe often appeare in the hearts of Gods children and desire him that hee would but preserve good thoughts of him in thee that thou maist not blaspheme him And when thou art agoing asinking into hell in thy owne apprehensions see if hee calls thee not back againe See what himselfe saith Ier. 31. 18 19 20. Ephraim is my sonne his deare sonne my pleasant sonne as hee sayes there and yet hee beganne to speake against him as bitter sharpe words as ever hee hath done against thee and tooke him up severely and lookt sternly on him as if he had meant never to have had mercy on him upon which Ephraim falls a crying being thus snibd and a bemoaning himselfe as I have taught thee to doe and being yoked as thou art to tame him he acknowledgeth it was justly done having beene a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke and Ephraim began to be ashamed confounded not able to looke up for sinning against him and seekes after repentance and that from him without whose help hee was not able to turne to him Turne thou me and I shall be turned and to challenge him and his eternall love Thou art the Lord my God Well sayes God though it bee long since I spake against him and I have suffered him long to lie thus plunged in misery yet I remember him still his teares his sighes will never out of my minde and though he thinks that I had forgotten him yet I remember him and my bowels are troubled for him as much