A WARNING For Israel, IN A SERMON PREACHED AT CHRIST-CHURCH, IN Dublin, the 30. of October, 1625.  
By Henry Leslie, one of his Majesty's Chaplains in Ordinary.  PROVERB. 22.3. 
A prudent man forseeth the evil & hideth himself, but the foolish go on still and are punished.  LUKE. 19.42. 
O if thou hadst even known, at the least in this thy day, those things which belong unto thy peace!  
Imprinted at Dublin by the Society of STATIONERS, Anno 1625.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, HENRY, LORD VISCOUNT FALKLAND Lord Deputy general of the Kingdom of IRELAND.  
RIGHT HONOURABLE;  
INeyther as valuing your greatness or ability, present this before your Honour; but your goodness and virtue: not that I think the subject unfit your consideration, but because I am jealous of the compiler. Yet my presumption is not great; for what I now do, 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 busy both their senses with Divinity, 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 encouragement: and we have not lost, but changed our late learned King, that mixed his meals with divine thoughts, and taught his Nobles the like wisdom: 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 crown you a subject. Neither do I provoke you by the father, as if there were nothing imitable in the son; for who doth not see freshly budding in his sacred person, what his Father presented to us in full ear? And your glory will be no less in imitating his graces, then in presenting his person.  
This (whatsoever it is) I place at your Lordship's feet, if it please you, as well published as presented, I have my desire: but if it fail herein, I shall not want to rejoice that it once gave content. God add to your days, honours and graces, and make you a true professor of his distressed Church in this kingdom; as also that your Lordship may long remain with us a firm column for the upholding the peace and tranquillity of this State. For which, (with the rest of your true Honourers) I shall ever pray.  
Your Honours in all duty and service HENRY LESLY.   

A WARNING FOR JSRAEL.  HOSHA 14. VERS. 2. 
O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.  
IT is the ordinary method of the Prophets, first to threaten, and then to comfort; first to denounce God's judgements, and after to promise mercy and forgiveness: And accordingly the Prophet Hosea in this 14. Chapter (which is a breviary, and compend of the whole prophecy) gins with a threatening in the former verse, Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword, their Infants shall be dashed into pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up. And after in the fift verse, there followeth a promise: I will heal their rebellion, I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from him. What can be the cause of such a sudden change? judgement is presently turned into mercy: and the reason is, because the threatenings, and the promises of God in Scripture are conditional. The threatening in the former verse is conditional; Samariashall be desolate (namely) unless she repent. The promise likewise vers. 5. is conditional; I will heal their rebellion (namely) if so be they do repent: and therefore between the threatening and the promise, there is interlaced an exhortation to repentance, O Israel, return unto the Lord thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.  
Where consider with me, first the exhortation itself, [O Israel return unto the Lord] & then the arguments to enforce this exhortation, which are two; one taken from God's mercy. [He is thy God] another taken from their own misery [for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.] Again in the exhortation, consider first, the people exhorted, [O Israel] & then the duty required; [Return unto the Lord.] O Israel return unto the Lord they God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.  
The people exhorted, is Israel, whereby we may understand, either the ten Tribes who made defection from the house of David, following after jeroboam, against whom the judgement is denounced in the former verse: under the name of Samaria, because Samaria was the Metropolitan City of that kingdom: or else by Israel we may understand that Israel which was in the land of judah▪ for these two Tribes of judah and Benjamin are often called Israel by a Synecdoche. If by Israel we understand the ten Tribes, against whom the judgement was threatened, than it ministers unto us these two instructions. First, that God's threatenings in Scripture are conditional, for in the former verse, desolation is threatened against Israel, and yet here he exhorts Israel to repentance, that so she might prevent that desolation. Now unless in the threatening Samaria shall be desolate, there were understood this condition, except she repent; the subsequent exhortation were in vain: and indeed it is a certain rule set down by God himself, When I have spoken against a nation to destroy them, and to reote them out: If they repent of their sins, I will repent of the evil I thought to bring upon them: & again, If the wicked will return from all his sins, he shall surely live & shall not die. Hence it is that God many times seems to repeal his sentence, according to that of Gregory. Nevit Deus aliquando mutare sententiam, sed numquam novit mutare consilium, he changes his sentence, not his purpose: It was God's sentence against Nineveh, Yet forty days, 
jonah, 3 4.  & Nineveh shall be destroyed. It was God's sentence to Hezekiah, Put thine house in order, for thou shalt die, and not live: 
Isai. 38 1.  and yet neither of these came to pass at that time. Doth this argue any inconstancy in God, or want of power that he could not perform what he had spoken? No, 
Numb. 23 19  God forbidden; God is not as man that he should lie, neither as the son of man that he should repent: Hath he said, and shall he not do it? Hath he spoken, and shall he not accomplish it? I am the Lord and change not; Mal. 3.6. My counsel shall stand, and my will shallbe done, Isa. 46.10. But the reason is, because all the threatenings of God are conditional, 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 seem an absolute sentence; yet was it only conditional, for God saith unto him again vers. 7. Deliver the man his wife, if not, thou shalt die. Thus the condition sometimes is expressed, and always is to be understood, according to that general rule, jerem. 18.7.8. So forty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed, the condition is to be understood, except they repent. Hezekiah shall die: The condition is understood, unless he sue unto God by prayer for a prorogation of his life. Now the condition being performed, the sentence was void. So here, Samaria shall be desolate, a condition must be understood, unless she repent; otherwise, to what purpose were this exhortation, O Israel, return.  
Secondly, hence we learn that God gives warning before he punish. Samaria must become desolate, but first the Lord must send unto them, and forewarn 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 righteousness; to Sodom by Lot; to the jews by the Prophets that lived before the captivity: 
jerem 35.15.  He sent unto them all his servants the Prophets rising up early, and saying, return now every man from his evil way, & amend your works. Finally, he gave warning to jerusalem before her destruction by his own Son, protesting of his desire to reclaim them. jerusalem, jerusalem; How often would I have gathered thy children, as the Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not? Behold your habitation shallbe left desolate. So he gives us watning at this time of an evil to come upon us. 
Isa 221 12.  Even, In this day doth the Lord God of hests, call to weeping, and mourning, to baldness, and girding with sackcloth. There is a threefold call to give us warning; one occasional, our sins; another real, God's judgements already begun; a third vocal, the admonitions of Gods faithful servants. God's wrath in Scripture is compared to fire: and as a fire is known, either by the smoke (as a sign always accompanying fire) or by the flames breaking forth, or by the relation of others: So may God's wrath now be known by such three things. First, by the great sins of the land as a sign, or rather cause of God's wrath, and a most certain forerunner, and fore warner of a future destruction. For it is a general rule sufficiently proved both by Scripture and experience, that wheresoever sin doth reign, there God's wrath is imminent; but sin reigneth in this land (I dare say, in no place more) without controlment. We have exceeded, not only Israel, but also Sodom & Gomorrah, in all their abominations. Now, 
jerem. 5 9  Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord? Or shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Yea sure, he must visit; If oppression and sactiledge; If Idolatry and want of the knowledge of God; If incest and innocent blood; If bribery and extortion; If neglect of the widow and fatherless; If oaths and perjury; If drunkenness and gluttony; If pride, avarice and ambition; If fraud and robbery; If profanation of the Sabbath, and contempt of God's word, worship and servants: Finally, If all these, committed commonly in every place, openly in the sight of the Sun, and safely without punishment, can draw down the judgements of God upon a nation, then how shall it be possible for us to escape? Thus our sins give us warning of God's judgements. Secondly, the flames of this fire do already break out, and these beginnings of God's judgements give us warning of a greater destruction, for when God takes a people in hand for to school them, he will either mend them, or end them: and therefore he gins with mild chastisements (but if these do not prevail) he proceeds to sharper corrections. In the 5. Chap. of Hosea vers. 12. he threatneth a gentle correction: I will be unto Ephraim as a Moth, 
Hos. 5.12.  & unto the house of judah as a rettennesse. But this did no good, they were not affected with the slow gnawing of a small moth: therefore he threatneth a heavier judgement. vers. 14. 
Hos 5.14.  I will be unto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a young Lion to the house of judah. And Levit. 26. he threatneth several plagues against the transgressors of his law: first sickness, 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 ye will not yet for all this obey me, but walk stubbornly against me, I will bring seven times more plagues upon you. So now the Lord hath begun these years past to visit us with famine, with death and mortality; these are but the beginnings of evil: and unless we repent, he hath heavier judgements in store for us, he will even take his three stringed whip in his hand, which will pierce our skin, were it never so thick. This is the second warning Thirdly, there is yet a third, by the voice of the Prophets, calling unto you, that unless ye repent, ye shall die in your sins. We have not now Prophets immediately inspired by the holy Spirit to foretell things to come, these were for the infancy 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 God's judgements, by infallible consequence out of God's word, and by application of these threatenings which they find in the Law against impenitent sinners after this manner: Who so persevere in sins, & harden their hearts against all admonitions, shallbe overtaken with God's judgements: but this people persevere in their sins, etc. Thus ought we to bind your sins upon your consciences, and if we do not, your blood will be required at our hands. Ye know what charge God gave unto Ezechiel, Son of man I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: 
Ezech. 3 17.  therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning 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 iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. But if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, he shall die in his iniquity, but thou hast delivered thy soul. The same charge lieth upon these whom God now hath made watchmen unto the house of Israel: for Chap. 33.2. the same duty is required from ordinary 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 seethe the sword come upon the land, he blow the Trumpet and warn the people, than he that will not be warned his blood shall be upon his own head, etc. But as in the days of jeremy there were lying Prophets, that prophesied peace, when destruction was at hand; saying, 
Jerem. 23.11.  that God would break the yoke of Nabuchadnezzar, within the space of two years, 
jerem 8.11  and so heal the hurt of the people with sweet words: So there are at this time that love to preach Placentia, and make Sermons, as the Poet did his fables, Populo ut placerent: Sowing pillows under the elbows of the wicked. The occasion is, because they seek great things for themselves, therefore do they study to please men: for they see that Zedekiah will be believed, 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 governor in the house of the Lord, when the Prophet jeremiah by his authority shall be put in the stocks. 
2 Tim. 4 3.  For these are the times foretold by the Apostle, wherein the itching ears of men cannot abide wholesome doctrine, but They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, 
Amos 5.10.  and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly: as Achab hated Micajah, because he prophesied evil, that is, he faithfully warned him of that judgement which afterward came upon him. We are come to such an height of iniquity, as Israel was when she could not endure the the rebukes of either 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, prophesy not unto us right things, but speak flattering things unto us. And Micah. 2.11. If a man will say, I will prophesy unto thee of Wine & of strong drink (that is, if he will tell them pleasant tales) he shall even be the Prophet of this people. But it behooveth us whom the Lord hath made watchmen over his jerusalem, if we will deliver our own souls, and be free from the blood of all men, to blow the Trumpet, and give warning to the wicked. Let us remember that caveat which the Lord gave unto Baruch. 
jerem. 45.4.  Behold that which I have built, will I destroy, and that which I have planted, will I pluck up, even this whole land, and seckest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not. 
Ilb 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 suddenly. 
1 King 22.14.  Let us resolve with Micajah, As the Lord liveth, whatsoever the Lord saith unto me, that will I speak. Although Zedekiah doesmite me on the cheek and Amaziah inform against me to jeroboam, and others dissuade me from prophesying at Bethel, because it is the King's Court: yet for Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, but I will lift up my voice like a Trumpet, and show the people their sins, and forewarn them of God's judgements, crying, Samaria shall be desolate, and therefore O Israel return unto the Lord.  
Again, if by Israel, we understand them of the land of judah, than ye 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 look about us, to see whether or not we be in the like danger. If our neighbour's house be on fire, it is time to look to our own: If Samaria become desolate, then let that Israel which is in the land of judah take heed, lest, as they have been partaker with her, in her sins, so they do also receive of her plagues. Now I can tell you that Samaria is become desolate: The wrath of God in a great measure hath seized upon our neighbour Nations, that they may take up the same lamentation that jeremy did, The sword devoureth abroad, 
Lament. 1.20.  and death is at home. Even that famous City of London is now become a fearful spectacle of God's judgements: God hath met with her in the Month of her affliction. Men women and Children, fall down in the streeres, smitten, not with the sword of the Assyrians, that were sent against Samaria, but by the sword of the destroying Angel, that slew the Assyrians: in a word, there is nothing but desolation in her streets, Rachel mourning for her children, & cannot be comforted. O Lord. What have they deserved which we have not? Were they more vile and abominable than we? No, 
Luke. 13.4.  Think not that those eighteen upon whom the Tower of Siloam fell, and slew them, were greater sinners than others: I tell you, nay; but except ye amend your lives, ye shall all likewise perish. What (I pray you) are the sins for which it hath pleased God to enter into judgement with our neighbour Nation? Is it the pride and prodigality of England? Is it their drunkenness, and gluttony? Is it their luxury and uncleanness? Is it their oaths and oppression? Or finally, Is it their contempt of God's word and formal hypocrisy? Look upon yourselves with unpartial eyes, and ye will find, that we have justified our sister Samaria in all her abominations, that the Lord may justly take up against us the same complaint he doth against judah, jerem. 3.8. 
jerem. 3.8.  When backesliding Israel committed adultery, and I had put her away, and given her a Bill of divorce, yet her treacherous sister judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. What will follow hereupon, but as is Isai. 10.12. Shall I not, 
Isal. 10. 1●.  as I have done unto Samaria and her Idols, so do to jerusalem and her Idols? But let the Kingdom of England rather be judah, and this (where we live) Samaria: and so the application will suit better. For ye know, judah was the first and the mother kingdom, so is England to us: Samaria was fare more corrupt in Religion than judah, having only a show of truth, 
joseph. antiq. l. b. lib. 11. cap. 8.  in Circumcision, Temple, Priest, Books of Moses: so is this Kingdom where we live. The Samaritans were a mixed people of jews and Gentiles; so are we here. 
2 King. 17.33.  The Samaritans had a mixed worship; for in Samaria both the God of Israel, and the Gods of the Nations were worshipped: 
joseph. antiq. lib. 9 cap. ult.  and would to God it were not so here. Is there not in every Town, Village, and Corner of the Kingdom, a mount Gerizim, whereupon they brag their Fathers to have worshipped? 
john, 1, 20  Is there not a succession of Priests sacrificing upon every mountain, and under every green Tree? and (lest thus succession should fail for want of issue, because they have no wives of their own.) Is there not a continual supply every day from Rome? And finally, Are there not many Relics of Saints, and holy Wells, of more worth (if ye will believe them) than jacobs' Well in Samaria? 
john 4, 12. joseph, antiq, lib, 11, cap, ●,  Besides, Samaria was a receptacle for all fugitive persons who were not suffered to live at jerusalem, for strange wives, or for other crimes, for which cause their Temple was called Templum transgressorum: And what better is this of ours? Do not all sort of malectors fly hither as unto a City of refuge, who dare not live at home, some for strange wives, some for blood, some for thest, and the best for debt; 
joseph, antiq. lib ●, cap, seven,  making this land a very den of thiefs? Lastly, josephus reports that the Samaritans, whensoever the jews were in prosperity, would be accounted jews; but when the jews were oppressed by their enemies, than they did disclaim all affinity with jews, as having their progeny from Assiria, and joined with their enemies: and, Is it not to be feared that we have such feigned friends among us, that now profess themselves subjects to our King's Majesty, none better, nor more desirous of the peace of the Kingdom; who yet if the Assyrians 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 Kingdom be called Samaria. Well then, Hath God begun to visit judah? What shall become of Samaria? 
1, Pet, 4, ●●  and if judgement begin at Gods own house What shall the end be of them which obey not the Gospel? If this be done to the green Tree, What shall become of the dry wood? If God spare not the natural branches, How will he spare us who are but wild Olives? Remember what God faith to the jews who sojourned in the land of Egypt, when Nabuchadnezzar had subdued judah, because they were not affected with the evil that was to come upon their mother nation, jerem. Chap. 44. 
Verse, 3,  Ye have seen all the evil that I have brought upon jerusalem, and upon all the Cities of judah, how they are desolate because of their wickedness— yet they (namely that remain in the land of Egypt) are not humbled unto this day, 
10  neither have they feared— therefore thus saith the Lord of hests, 
11  I will set my face against you— and I will visit them that devil in the land of Egypt, as I have visited jerusalem, 
13  by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. Now our case is just as theirs was. We sojourn here in a land of darkness, like Egypt, and we have seen what evil the Lord hath brought upon our mother nation, because of their sins, yet are not we humbled unto this day, neither have we feared: What remaineth then? But that God visit us, as he hath done them? Therefore learn from the correction of your neighbours to return unto the Lord in time, and make your peace with God. The punishments of the jews, are our ensamples (saith the Apostle) to the intent that We should not lust after evil things, 
1, Cor, 10, 6  as they also lusted. The judgements of God upon our neighbours, should be unto us as those arrows whereby jonathan forewarned David of the King's displeasure: he shot not at him, but over and beyond him; yet David understood thereby that the King was angry, and made haste to be gone; so may we perceive by these darts that come from heaven, and fall not upon us but near unto us, that God's wrath is kindled against us; and therefore we shall do well, to get up as David did, and make haste to fly from the face of an angry God, hiding ourselves in the holes of that rock CHRIST JESUS, who is a propitiation for our sins, 
Proverb. 22,3  Solomon saith, A prudent man seethe the plague and hideth himself. He seethe it in the Oracles of the Prophets, in the sins of the people, especially when it is begun upon others, and he hideth himself, that is, he prevents it by repentance, he makes his peace with God, he hides himself under the mantle of Christ's righteousness; he gets the dore-postes of his heart to be sprinkled with the blood of that immaculate Lamb, that so he may be safe from the hand of a destroying Angel in the day of the fierceness of God's wrath. God grant unto us all this wisdom to foresee the plague, and hide ourselves; for behold I give you warning, Samaria is become desolate, therefore let Israel return.  
From the people exhorted, I come to the duty required, which is, to return unto the Lord. This phrase Return, is a Metaphor drawn from travellers, who having lost their way, must come back again and return into the right way. Beloved, we all are (or should be) travellers to heaven, where out home is; but we have strayed out of the way, and gone a quite contrary course: we are prodigal children that have departed from our father's house, and gone into a fare country: we are lost sheep that have strayed from the fold. 
Isal. 53.6.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his one way. We have strayed out of God's pastures, into Satan's enclosures; therefore we must turn back again, and set our faces towards God, upon whom we have turned out backs. The word is not simply to turn from one thing to another, but to return, namely, to that which we 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 again. This is true of all men. We were once with God, for being created after his image, we had fellowship with God, and God with us. But we did fall away from God, and became his enemies; for sin turns and averts a man's soul from God, according to that of the Prophet, Your iniquities have separated between you, and your God: 
Isai. 5●. 2.  and your sins have hid his face from you: And now unless we would perish, it behooveth us to return again to him. But in a special manner this agreeth to the people of Israel. They were God's people, not only by creation, but by particular adoption. The Lord did choose them above all the people of the earth, to set his love upon them; they were a holy people, a royal Nation, a chosen generation, to the Lord their God: he dealt not so with every Nation, as with them; for he gave his Laws unto jacob, and his testimonies to Israel. To them were committed the Oracles of God; to them did appertain the adoption, and the glory, 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 kick up their heels against the Lord their Master and Maker; they went away from him a whoring after their own inventions: They committed Idolatry upon every mountain, and under every green Tree. 
jerem. 3.6. jerem. 2.13.  In a word, they forsook the Lord the fountain of living waters, and digged unto themselves Cisterns that could hold no water. And now here God by his judgements doth call them to return again unto him. O Israel, return.  
Hear (before I proceed any further) observe with me, That humiliation goeth always before grace, the sense and apprehension of our own wand'ring from God, is the only way and means to bring us to God. Notitia peccati, initium salutis. The right understanding and true acknowledgement of our own misery, is the first step to salvation: for if Israel must return to the Lord, than she must be possessed with an opinion of her own wand'ring from the Lord, she must see that she hath gone astray, and that there is no true comfort to be found in those paths of sin, in which she walked. For, How can a man frame himself to enter into a right course, till he be fully resolved and persuaded within himself, that he hath been mistaken in his former course of life? So the prodigal son (a true pattern of a penitent sinner) never seeks to his father, till that he came to himself, 
Luke. ●●.  than he saw his error, and resolved to return to his father. The Prophet Chap. 5.15. bringeth in God, coupling these two together, Till they acknowledge their offence; and seek my face: because we must first acknowledge our offence, before we can seek God's face, the full stomach of a Pharisee will never thirst to drink of the cup of salvation: 
Luke 1.53.  only the hungry and the thirsty; therefore God filleth the hungry with good things, and sendeth away the full empty: You see who they are that CHRIST calleth to be eased of their sins; even the weary and laden, 
Math. 11 28.  Come unto me ye that are weary and laden: that is, ye, who find your consciences to be laden with the burden of the Law, and the burden of sin and are so weary of these burdens, that they are grievous to you to bear. Such also be they whom he calleth sinners, and sick. Matth. 9.12.13. The whole need not a Physician, but the sick, I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. What? Is there any whole? Is there any righteous? No, indeed, all are sinners, all are sick: but he calleth only those sinners and sick, who feel and acknowledge themselves to be such: as for the rest whose eyes are not opened to see the miserable estate wherein they stand by nature, he terms them righteous, and whole. Such are they whom he calleth lost, Matth. 15.24. 
Luke 19.10.  I am sent but unto the lost sheep, that is, unto such as are lost in their own opinion: It is only those whom he seeketh and saveth, as is well set forth in the Parables, of the lost Sheep, lost Groat, and lost Child, 
Luke, 15, Matth. 5 3.  Such also are they who are called poor: Blessed are the poor in spirit, namely these who find themselves to abound with many inward wants: finally they are called fatherless. In the fourth verse of this Chap. With thee the fatherless findeth mercy, as if he should say, when as a man is brought to the straits of a poor desolate shiftless Orphan, then is he a subject fit for mercy. So, that if we would return unto the Lord, first we must see our straying from the Lord: If we would seek God's face, first we must acknowledge knowledge our offence: If we would have God to fill us with good things, first we must be hungry, even emptied of our evil liquor: If we would have CHRIST to refresh us with rivers of water, and flagons of wine; then we must be thirsty, that is, pained through the sense of our want of spiritual drink: If we would have CHRIST to ease us of our burdens, first we must be weary of them, that is, we must feel our burdens to lie heavy upon us, and be grieved with the sense of them: If we would have the Saviour to save us, we must be sinners, that is, humbled with the sight and sense of our sins. If we would have that great Physician to cure us, we must first be sick, that is, sensible of our disease, for he will not cure any of us, till first he have lanced our wounds unto the very bottom: If we would have the good Shepherd to find us, we must be lost in our selves, even out of all hope of salvation in respect of any thing that is in us. Finally, If we would have the God of mercy to show mercy unto us, than first we must be fatherless, that is, hopeless and helpless in ourselves. For he is the God that resisteth the proud, 
Jam. s. 5.  but giveth grace to the humble. Hereby then may a man judge of himself, whether or no, he be in the way of salvation. Didst thou never see thy woeful misery, and the wretched estate wherein thou art by reason of sin, how thou hast turned thy back upon God, and art out of his favour? Then hast thou just cause to suspect thyself, that thou hast not yet entered at the strait gate, to walk towards the Lord; for as there can be no birth without the pains of the travail going before: so neither any true conversion, without some terrors of the Law, and straits of conscience. The Infant that hath been laid only nine Months, in the womb of the mother, is not delivered without pain, suppose she conceived it with pleasure: and Thinkest thou to part with sin, which in thee was conceived with thee, and which since, so often thou hast nourished with pleasure, and not to prove the dolours of the second birth? No, not assuredly; there is the humbled soul, the wounded conscience, the contrite spirit, the broken heart, the mourning weed, the melting eye, the pale countenance, the voice of lamentation; these are the dolours of the second birth, which we meet with so soon as we begin to return to the Lord. On the other part, Hast thou found in thyself these inward wrestle and humiliations? Hast thou groaned under the burden of thy sin, and under the burden of God's wrath? Hast thou felt the terrors of God fight against thee, and the envenomed arrows of the Almighty sticking fast in thy ribs? Then may thou conceive good hope that thou art in the way of salvation. If thou be possessed with an opinion of thine own wand'ring from the Lord; If thou be convicted that thou hast strayed from him: Then it is like thou wilt seek to return. Therefore doth God oftentimes call upon men to consider their ways, to call their lives to account, that so they may see how fare their soul is averted from God. Know thy sins, O jerusalem, jere. 3.13. The like speech is used by the Prophet Zephanie, Fan yourselves oh my people. Yea, 
Zeph 2●.  the Prophet jeremy doth oftentimes put us in mind of this duty, Oh let us search and try our ways, 
Lam. 3 20.  and turn unto the Lord. First we must search our ways, to find out our own wanderings, and then return unto the Lord.  
And that ye may understand what is the duty here required (because this word Return doth express a change, not of place, but of qualities) I will show unto you. First from whence, Secondly to whom, Thirdly how we must turn. As for the first we must return from our sins: This is expressed Isai 55.7. Let the wicked forsake his way in and the unrighteous his own imaginations, and return unto the Lord. Let the wicked forsake his ways, there is Terminus à quo. This turning from sin is called Mortification, and it contains five things. First, a sense and sorrow for sin. Secondly, a hatred and detestation of sin. Thirdly, a purpose in mind to leave sin. Fourthly, an inclination in will to do the same. Fiftly, an endeavour in life and conversation to forsake sin altogether. This must he do, that will return unto the Lord: First he must be cast down with a deep sight and sense of his sin, 
Psalm. 38.18.  saying with David, I agnize my sin, 
Psal. 119.128.  and am sorry for mine iniquity. He must hate and abhor sin, as the greatest evil in the world, saying with the same Prophet, Do I not hate every evil way. He must resolve with himself never to commit any sin. This must be also the desire of his heart, and the endeavour of his whole life. Otherwise, he cannot return unto the Lord, for God will not take a wicked man by the hand, nor have fellowship with the throne of iniquity.  
Again. To whom must we turn? To the Lord, according to that jerem. 4.1. O Israel, if thou return, return unto me, saith the Lord; not to any other, not to my Angels, not to my Saints, not to my Martyrs, not to my Mother; but to my own self. In the 7. Chap vers. 16. this people is accused that They did return, but not to the most high. They had some beginning of repentance, but it failed by the way, and brought them not so fare as home to the lord They were like a deceitful bow, for, after all their aims and offers of turning to the Lord; they started back, and returned not to the Lord, but to their Idols, they returned to their sins as a Dog to his vomit. It is not enough then to cease from sin, but withal we must turn unto the Lord; that is, we must turn our hearts upward to heaven, setting our affections on things that are above; we must fix our eye upon God, and make towards him with the foot, walking in the way of his Commandments, that all men may see that we are not of this world, but that our conversation is in heaven. This turning to the Lord, is called a rising to newness of life, and it hath three parts. First, a resolution in the mind. Secondly, a lust in the will. Thirdly, an endeavour in life and conversation to obey God. 
Iosh 24.15. Psal. 119.106.  Every man ought to resolve as joshua; I and mine house will serve the Lord. And as David, I have sworn, and I will perform it, 
Aeh, 13 1●. Act, 11. 2●.  that I will keep thy righteous judgements. This must be his desire also, as it was Paul's, he desired to live honestly. Hereunto Barnabas exhorted the Antiochians that with their heart they would cleave unto the Lord. And finally hereunto must we endeavour ourselves throughout the whole course of our life. So did the blessed Apostle Act. 24.16. 
Psal. 119.6.  Herein I endeavour myself to have always a clear conscience towards God and towards Men. And David, I have a respect to all thy commandments. Whosoever hath these, is turned from sin unto the Lord.  
The manner how we must return, 
joel 2.12.  is expressed by the Prophet joel. Turn unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Whence ye may observe four properties of our conversion. First, we must turn with the heart, therefore our conversion must be voluntary: there is a reformation which is not voluntary, but rather against the will when a man turns not from sin, but sin turns from him: because either he cannot practise it for want of strength, or dare not for fear of punishment. Such a man may seem to turn from sin, but it is not with his heart. We must turn with the heart, even so willingly, that it be our chief delight to use all means for to set forward this work: for nothing is done well, but that which is done with the will. Secondly, we must turn, not only 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 divided heart, Hos. 10.2. A heart and a heart, Psal. 12. a are used to signify hypocrisy: So this phrase, With all the heart, doth signify sincerity. Then we must turn unto the Lord with all our heart, that is to say, sincerely, and not for show only: we must draw near unto God, not only with the lips, 
Psalm. 51.6.  but with the heart also: for He loveth truth in the inward affections. In this sense it is said of David, that he followed God with all his heart, 1. King. 14.8. And of josiah, that He turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soul, 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 jerem. 3.10. The Lord accuseth his people for want of this sincerity, Her rebellious sister judah, hath not returned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly. Thirdly, we must turn with all our heart, therefore our conversion must be a thorough change of the whole man, of the whole life; though it be imperfect in degrees, yet it must be perfect in regard of parts. We must not halt between God and Baal: We cannot serve both God and Mammon: God will not be content with a part of the heart; he will either have all, or none. It is said of jehu, that he did not walk in the Law of the Lord, with his whole heart, for why? Albeit he obeyed God in some things, cutting off the house of Achab, Yet he departed not from the sin of jeroboam, 2. King. 10.31. And so there be many that give but the half turn, like to Agrippa who was (not altogether, but) almost persuaded to become a Christian. Some turning their words, not their deeds, as our verbal professors. And others again turning from many sins, and yet (with Herod) remain unturned from one special beloved sin. These be but false turnings: our conversion must be a thorough change, we must turn with all our hearts. Finally, we must turn not only with all our hearts, but also with fasting, weeping, and mourning: therefore our conversion must not be inward only; but it must be expressed outwardly in these things, wherein consists the practice of humiliation, namely, fasting, etc. And that especially in the time of any great affliction, such as this was when the Prophet joel had foretold the people of the coming of the Chaldeans. Esther when she heard of the intended destruction of the jews, appointed a fast. 
Esth. 4 10. Nehem. 1.4. 2. Chr●n. 20 3, 2. Sam. 1.12. judge 20, 26. jon. 3.  So did Nehemiah when he heard of the desolation of jerusalem, and jehosaphat when the Moabites came up against him: and David when Saul and jonathan were slain: and the Israelites when they were overthrown by the Benjamites: and the Ninivites when destruction was threatened against them. And have we not just cause to do the like at this time? If we consider our grievous sins, and the judgements of God which hang over our heads, together with the troublesome estate of God's Church in other places. Even this last may minister unto us sufficient matter of grief, though our own private estate were never so peaceable. Godly Nehemiah being placed in the honourable service of Artashashte, was not so much comforted at his own good estate, as grieved at the desolation of jerusalem: 
Nekem 1.4. 1 King 19.4. 1. Sam. 4 19  Decay of Religion and increase of Idolatry, made Elijah weary of his life: The Ark of God captivated, and the glory departed from Israel, drove all comfort out of the heart of Phineas wife. These (and many more examples) teach us, That the affliction of joseph should be the matter of our grief. Cast now but an eye upon the rueful face of Christendom; and ye will find that it is time to Hang up our Harps upon the Willows, 
Psal. 137 2. I●●● 2 15.  and (as the Prophet calls us) to blow the Trumpet in Zion, and to sanctify a fast: turning unto the Lord, with all our hearts, and with fasting, weeping, and mourning.  
But here ye may ask me the question, Whether or not it be in our power to return unto the Lord, since we are exhorted thereunto? Answer, No, without a special grace given us from above. The Scripture every where hath disabled us, pronouncing a man by nature to be the Child of wrath, Ephes. 2.3. A transoressor from the womb, Isai. 48.8. Dead in sins and trespasses, Ephes. 2.1. Coloss. 2.13. We are not only sick with sin, or wounded by sin, or half dead, but stark dead, bereft of all spiritual life, sense, and motion. And therefore in ourselves we are of no strength, Rom. 5.6. For our mind is dark, Ephes. 5.8. Not perceiving the things of the spirit, 1. Cor. 2, 14. Our will perverse, Gen. 6.5. jerem. 17.9. The affections rebellious, Tit. 3.3. Rom. 3.12. And we are so confirmed in this natural corruption, that we can no more do good, than an Ethiopian can change his skin, or a Leopard his spots, jerem 13.23. or, Then an evil Tree can bring forth good fruit, Matth. 7.18. So that faith is God's gift, Ephes 2.8. Phil. 1.29. So is repentance, 2. Tim. 2.25. So is the knowledge of heavenly mysteries, Matth. 13.11. In a word, every thing that is good in us, is from God's special grace, For we are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves: but our sufficiency is of God, 2. Corinth 3.5. It is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, Phil. 2.13. For who maketh thee to differ from another? And what hast thou, that thou didst not receive? 1. Cor. 4.7. As if he should say, thou differs much from others, who are not as yet converted; but it is not thyself that hath made this separation, by the right use of thy own free will, embracing that grace, which was equally offered unto them: but it is God that wrought more powerfully in thee, then in them: For God doth not only beseech us, by the Ministry of reconciliation; but also He pours upon us the spirit of grace, Zach. 12.10. He sheds on us abundantly the holy spirit, Tit. 3.6. He works powerfully in us, Ephes3. vers. 20. So 2. Thes. 1.11. He is said to work faith with power, and Ephes. 1.19. It is called the exceeding greatness of his power, and the working of his mighty power; and Colos. 2.12. This power in the conversion of a sinner, is equalled to that whereby God raised up CHRIST from the dead. Our Saviour himself (to express this powerful working) calls our conversion a drawing, No man can come to me, except the father draw him, john 6.44. He doth indeed draw us; for of ourselves we are enemies to our own salvation, and do nothing else, but resist the holy Ghost in the Ministry of the Word: yet he who is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think, overcommeth this resistance in the will of man, and of unwilling, makes us willing: 
1. Cor. 15.10.  This is his Grace which never is in vain; for all that the father giveth me, shall come to me, saith CHRIST, john 6.37. It is also called a boring of the care, Psal. 40.6. An opening of the heart, Act. 16.14. The Circumcision of the heart, Deut. 30.6. And further to signify not only Gods powerful working in our conversion; but also our own inability to bring any help to this work, it is called a new creation, 
Psalm. 51.10. 2 Cor. 5.17. Ephes3. 10. john 3.3 jam. 1 18 Ephes 2.1 John, ●. 2●  a regeneration, a vivification and resurrection from the dead. A man cannot create himself, nor beget himself, no6r quicken himself when bee is dead, Nay, he cannot so much as bring any help to these works, but is merely patiented: So is he in his conversion to God. Finally the work of our conversion is called a renovation of the heart, Ezech. 36.26. I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you, I will take away the stony heart, and give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my Statutes. This is a promulgation of the Covenant of Grace; where ye may perceive the difference between this new Covenant, and the old. In the covenant of works God required obedience to his law, and we were unable to perform it. In the covenant of Grace, God requires faith and repentance, and we are as unable to perform that Wherein then is the difference? Even in this, that the first covenant had no such power annexed to it, to work in us, that which it required from us; but in the new covenant, that condition which God requireth from us, he worketh in us. He calls us to return, and he turns us. But then (will a Papist say) To what purpose are these exhortations? Doth God command us that which is impossible? And are his admonitions in vain? I answer. First, God commands us many things which are impossible, 
Rom. 8.3.  not absolutely, but as the Apostle speaketh, In as much as the Law is weak, because of the flesh: For once God gave us a power to do whatsoever he commanded, and we by our fall have lost this power; yet hath not God lost his right to demand that debt of obedience, which his creature oweth unto him: So that the Commandments of God in this state of corruption are the measure of our debt, not of our strength; they show us what we should do, not what we can do. Secondly, neither are these exhortations in vain; for God doth not regenerate us by sudden enthusiasms; but by ordinary means: and these exhortations are the means, without which ordinarily no man is, or can be converted: We are begotten by the word of truth. jam. 1.18. Through the Gospel, 1. Cor. 4.15. Of the incorruptible seed of the word, 1. Pet. 1.23. Now no man will say that it is in vain to use ordinary means, as to take meat for to nourish our bodies, Physic to recover our health, to cast seed in the ground, for to bring forth fruit, though the event be not in our power, but in God's hands: So neither can these exhortations to repentance be in vain, though it be not in our power to return unto the Lord. Thirdly, these exhortations serve to humble us with a sight of our own inability, and also to direct us what things we are to ask 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 commands us some things which are not in our power, that we might know what things we have to ask of him by prayer. For when I hear that I am commanded to return unto the Lord, and yet looking upon mine own strength, I find no such power in myself; this must make me go out of myself, and fly unto the throne of Grace, crying (with the Spouse of CHRIST) Draw me, and I will run after thee, Cant. 1.3. and (with Ephraim) Convert me, and I shallbe converted, 
jerem. 2●,18 Psalm. 51, 13.  and with David) create in me a clean heart, and with the Disciples, Lord increase our faith; 
S. August.  and with that holy Father, Domine, da, quod jubes, & jube quod vis, Give me a power to do that which thou commands, and then command me to do what thou wilt. Finally, this precept is given unto us, because there is something in our power to do, we can use the means, as go to Church, and hear 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, We are no longer passive, but coworkers with God, 
jerem. 31.19.  After I was converted, I repent (saith Ephraim) Hence as our conversion is ascribed to God, as the first and sole Author, so it is ascribed to ourselves as instruments of God apprehending his grace, and working forward with it. God is said to give faith, and we are said to believe: God is said to give repentance, and we are said to repent: God is said to turn us, and we are said to turn unto the Lord.  
From the exhortation, I come to the arguments: Indeed there is not a word in all the exhortation but it contains in it an argument to invite them to repentance. First, O Israel, Thou that art Gods own people, What shame is it for thee to turn thy back upon God? Secondly, Return, thou hast gone astray, therefore come back again into the right way. Thirdly, unto the Lord, he is JEHOVAH, the fountain of all goodness, that hath right unto thee by creation, by redemption, by covenant, by many other obligations: therefore return unto him. Fourthly, he is thy God, and therefore if thou wilt return unto him, he will receive thee. Fiftly, Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity, therefore continue no longer in that course which hath procured thy fall, lest thou perish; but return unto the Lord, that he may raise thee up. But the two last are the chief motives, one whereof is taken from God's mercy, he is thy God: another from their own misery; Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.  
First, he is thy God, thine by creation, thine by redemption, thine by adoption, thine by contract and covenant; for this is the covenant which he made with Abraham thy father: I will be a God unto thee, 
Genes. 7.7.  and to thy seed after thee. Therefore thou may assure thyself, thy sin is pardonable, if thou wilt return unto him, he will embrace thee in the arms of his mercy. Hence observe that the exhortations to repentance in Scripture, are founded commonly upon the mercy of God, as Isai. Chap. 55.7. Let the wicked for sake his way, and the unrighteous his own imaginations, and return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he 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: He can pardon, for his mercy is omnipotent; and he will pardon, for his omnipotency is merciful. Hos. 6.1. Come (say the repenting Israelits) let us return unto the Lord; for he hath torn, and he will heal us, he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. joel 2.13. Turn unto the Lord your God for he is gracious, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. And jerem. 3. There be many the like exhortations, all upon this ground, vers. 12. Thou disobedient Israel return, and I will not let my wrath fall upon you for I am merciful, and will not always keep mine anger. Again, vers. 14. O ye disobedient Children, turn again, for I am your Lord. And after vers. 22. O ye disobedient children return, and I will heal your rebellions. This is the argument used by the preacher of repentance, 
Match. 35  Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, in which CHRIST is ready to dispense mercy, and forgiveness to the repenting sinner. So here, O Israel return unto the Lord, for he is thy God, not, he is a great, or a just, or a wise, or a powerful God; but he is thy God; grounding his exhortation upon God's mercy. The reason is, because a sinner apprehending nothing but rigour and severity in God, will never come in and submit himself. 
Psalm. 130.4  No, There is mercy with thee O Lord that thou mayst be feared. It is not the consideration of God's greatness, nor of his power, nor of his justice, nor of his wisdom, that can make the heart of a sinner relent toward him; but it is the consideration of his mercy: when looking upon the mercy of God, and merits of CHRIST, I get some hope and inkling of pardon, then will I come in, creeping and crouching before God; as the Syrians to Achab, with ropes about their necks, because they had heard that the Kings of Israel were merciful. The thundering out of the threatenings and judgements of the Law, will awake a secure heart; but nothing will affect a man's mind, and even melt his soul to make him return unto the Lord, but the due knowledge and consideration of the unspeakable riches of God's mercy: The remembrance of his father's house, made the heart of the prodigal to relent; So will the consideration of God's mercies work upon our heart, if once our hearts be inflamed with the sense of God's 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 we lament after the Lord, 
1, Sam, 7, 2  and grieve that ever we have so grieved so good and gracious a God. Therefore you see the wicked, that get a sight of their sins, because they have not a sight of God's mercy, they run away from God, as Adam, they are swallowed up of despair as Cain, and never seek after that mercy which they know not: But the Godly with the sight of their sins, having a sense of God's mercy, and a sight of God's face reconciled to them in JESUS CHRIST, How do they seek after that mercy with a longing desire? Out of the deeps with David, and out of the belly of Hell with jonas, they call upon God. Even when wounded by God, they go to him to be healed, as the repenting Israelites, 
Hos, 6, ●,  Come let us return unto the Lord, for he hath wounded, and he will heal us: and these converts that sought for ease of him that pricked them, Men and brethren what shall we do? 
Act, 2 37.  So that there is nothing in God so forceable to drive a man to repentace, as the consideration of God's mercy. As Tully said when he pleaded before Caesar for the life and liberty of Ligarius: O Caesar, none of thy virtues is more gracious, or more admirable, than thy mercy: Men come near to God in nothing so much as in saving the afflicted: Thy fortune hath nothing greater than that thou hast power, thy nature nothing better than that thou hast will to show mercy, and to save others. So may I say among all the properties of the divine nature, there is none more admirable or more gracious than his mercy. It is not his power, it is not his wisdom, it is not his justice wherein we rejoice; but it is his mercy: If there were not mercy in God, I should despair, there is so much misery in me, 
Rom, 12, 1▪  therefore I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God: I will not adjure you by the threatenings, but I beseech you by the mercies of God, Knowing that the goodness of God leadeth you to repentance; 
Rom, 2, 4,  he is thy God, and therefore O Israel return unto him.  
The other argument is taken from their sense of misery, Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Our falls in Scripture, 
jam, 3, 2,  do sometimes signify our sins, In many things we fall all (saith the Apostle james) and sometimes our afflictions, as in that place of Solomon, The just man falleth seven times a day: 
Prunb, 24, 16,  so here it signifieth affliction, Thou hast fallen, namely into danger and destruction; thou art afflicted, therefore return. Where we may observe, That our falls are many times an occasion of our rise, and afflictions are of excellent use to turn us to God: for this is the motive which the Prophet useth. Thou art fallen, therefore return. And hardly could he use a better; for affliction is a most effectual means to make our hearts relent and resolve into the tears of unsayned repentance, 
job, 33.16,  according to that of Elihu, God openeth the ears of men by their corrections, which he had sealed, that he might cause man to turn away from his purpose. So the Lord taught Miriam by leprosy to forgo her murmuring. He awakened jonas out of his security, by casting him into the Sea. He cured Zachary of infidelity, by striking him with dumbness. He diverted Saul from his evil course by blindness. Thus Manasses (who forgot God in his prosperity) did seek unto him in adversity; the Heathen Mariners did pray unto God in a storm; and the Ninevits did humble themselves by fasting and prayer when destruction was threatened against them; 
Gen, 42, 21,  when the brethren of joseph were distressed in Egypt, they did remember the injury they had done to their brother; when the prodigal son was pinched with want, 
Luk 15, 18,  than did he resolve to return to his father: but especially this may be seen in the jewish Church. For, though in their prosperity (as the Lord himself observeth) They turned their back yet in their trouble; 
jerem, 2, 27,  they said; Arise and help us. 
Isai, 26, 16,  This is observed also by the Prophet Isaiah, 
Psalm 78, 34.  Lord in trouble have they visited thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastisement was upon them. And David to the same purpose. When he slew them, they sought him: Yea (speaking of the manifold kinds of misery wherewith the faithful are exercised) he maketh this the foot of his song, Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, 
Psalms, 81, 7, Psalm, 107, 6,  and he delivered them. Apollonius writes of certain people that could see nothing in the day, but all in the night: In like manner we are so blinded with the bright sunshine of prosperity, that we cannot see those things which concern our peace; but when the winter night of misery comes, then schola Crucis, schola lucis. We are all branches of the Vine, and therefore we must be pruned and cut with the knife of affliction that we may bring forth fruit: and this is the last means which God ordinarily useth to convert obstinate sinners: when nothing can prevail with us, then doth he visit our iniquities with the rod, and our sins with scourges; and he is so confident that this will drive us to repentance, that in the fift Chapter of this prophecy, vers. 15. (having threatened to withdraw all the testimonies of his love, and favour from his people, I will go, and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face) He adds, In their affliction they will seek me carely: which was accordingly verified in the event; for in the next words they call one another after this manner, Come let us return unto the Lord, for he hath wounded us, etc. And surely this is a strange thing, that affliction should make men turn to him that smiteth them; it would seem that such dealing should rather terrific them, and make them run away from God. Adam when he saw God to be angry, fled from his presence, and this is natural to every creature to love itself, and to fly from that which is hurtful unto it: strike a dog, and he will flic from you. 
judge, 14, 14,  Therefore that ye may conceive this riddle, how sweere comes out of sour: ye shall understand, that afflictions being considered in their own nature, are the fruits of sin, the evils of punishment, the testimonies of God's wrath, the curses of the Law, and the first flashes of hell's fire: Therefore when afflictions follow their kind, they bring forth nothing but evil fruit, such as impatiency, malice against the instruments, murmuring against God, the use of unlawful means, 
2 Chron 2●, 22,  and finally despair, as in Pharaoh, Saul, jerobeam, Achaz, of whom it is said, that in the time of his tribulation he did yet trespass more against the Lord. But whensoever afflictions do drive a man to repentance, it is not properly of themselves that they produce so good an effect, but by accident, as they are so disposed by the infinite wisdom, power, and goodness of God, to whom only it is proper to work by contraries: he brings light out of darkness, good out of evil; by sin he condemned sin; by death he destroyed death; by the foolishness of preaching, he makes us wise: he casts us down that he may raise us up; he works joy out of fear, heaven out of hell: and by the Cross which naturally doth banish a man from God, he makes us return to him; he causeth this birth and fruit of sin to kill the mother that brought it forth, this temporary punishment to become a fatherly chastisement, whereby we are preserved from the everlasting punishment of hell's fire; these testimonies of his wrath, to become signs of his love, and seals of his adoption; and these curses of the Law, and flashes of hell, to become Evangelicall blessings, and an ordinary way whereby we may travel toward his heavenly kingdom. And therefore afflictions are fitly compared to the fire, which purifieth the gold, and consumeth the straw, and to the wind, which purgeth the Wheat, and bloweth away the Chaff: and finally to the red Sea, which was to the Israelites a way, to the Egyptians a grave. Now since afflictions produce so diverse effects: we must labour to have our afflictions so sanctified, as that we may be bettered by them. To this effect, First when we are under any Cross, we must labour after tender hearts, that we may be affected with grief and pain: for there is not a greater enemy to our profiting by afflictions, than that senseless indolency, 
jerem. 5, ●.  whereby men are not affected with God's judgements, like those Israelites, of whom the Prophet saith, Thou hast stricken them, but they have not sorrowed: For, when afflictions being added to our sins, as a double weight cannot bruise our hearts, and press out of them sighs and groans; it is not likely that sin alone will work in them sorrow and remorse, but on the other part, if we be sensible of our afflictions, than this worldly sorrow will make way for godly sorrow, as a Needle doth for the threade. Secondly, let us remember that all the afflictions which do befall us come from God: This is another  that hindereth many from profiting by afflictions, even their blindness, whereby they ascribe all their calamities wholly to secondary causes, and inferior means, 
Amos, 3, 6,  and never look up to the hand of God striking them, which is the chief cause; for there is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done. Thirdly, let us look back into our former courses, and see what we have done against God; for he would not strike us without a cause: by this examination we will come to a sight and sense of our sins: we will find that we have gone astray from God, and have fallen because of our iniquity. Finally, with the sense of our sins, let us strive to get a sight of God's mercy revealed in the Gospel, remembering that he is our God: so will we desire to return to him.  
But the Prophet would not only make them sensible of their fall, but also of their sin; therefore he illustrates this argument from the cause, Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity, or because of thine iniquity. Here observe, That iniquity procures a fall, so that if we have fallen, than we have committed iniquity; & if we commit iniquity, we shall assuredly fall. I say, If we have fallen, we may accuse our iniquities which is the deserving cause of all our afflictions The Apostle tells us, 
Rom, 5, 12,  that by sin death entered into the world, and if it had not been for sin, death (whereby we are to understand every thing that is penal and huttfull to the creature) could never have found an entry. 
Rom, 3, 39  So the Church in the Lamentations, Wherefore is the living man sorrowful? 
Psalms, 107, 17,  Man suffereth for his sin: And the Psalmist, Fools by reason of their transgressions, and because of their iniquities are afflicted. 
Proverb, 13, 21,  Solomon maketh affliction to be (as it were) the shadow of sin which doth always attend it, Affliction followeth sinners, 
Proverb, 22, 8,  and as our falls convince us to have committed iniquity; so our iniquities forewarn us of a fall: For he that soweth iniquity shall reap affliction. This doctrine is sufficiently proved by Scripture, reason and experience. God threatened Adam, that at what time he did eat of the forbidden Tree, he should die. Every sin unto man is the forbidden Tree, if we meddle with it, we shall find no better fruit upon it then Adam found: the bitter fruit of death, grows upon the pleasant Tree of sin: It is the sentence of the law, 
Rom, 6, 23,  Cursed is every man that abideth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law. 
jam, 1, 18.  This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul, saying, The reward of sin is death. And james, Sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. He saith not, that every sin bringeth forth death, but only sin when it is finished, or perfected, that is come to an height: for God in his mercy forgiveth sins not finished, or at least he tolerateth them, till they come to perfection, that the sinner may be without all excuse: but in his justice, he judgeth and condemneth sins consummate by hardness of heart, and impenitency, as he showeth himself, Amos 1.3. For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof, etc. As if he had said, if Damascus had sinned only once in persecuting of my Church, I would turn away my judgements: but they have sinned often, To three be sensible of our afflictions, than this worldly sorrow will make way for godly sorrow, as a Needle doth for the threade. Secondly, let us remember that all the afflictions which do befall us come from God. This is another  that hindereth many from profiting by afflictions, even their blindness, whereby they ascribe all their calamities wholly to secondary causes, and inferior means, 
Amos. 3, 6,  and never look up to the hand of God striking them, which is the chief cause; for there is no evil in the City which the Lord hath not done. Thirdly, let us look back into our former courses, and see what we have done against God; for he would not strike us without a cause: by this examination we will come to a sight and sense of our sins: we will find that we have gone astray from God, and have fallen because of our iniquity. Finally, with the sense of our sins, let us strive to get a fight of God's mercy revealed in the Gospel, remembering that he is our God: so will we desire to return to him.  
But the Prophet would not only make them sensible of their fall, but also of their sin; therefore he illustrates this argument from the cause, Thou hast fallen by thine iniquity, or because of thine iniquity. Here observe, That iniquity procures a fall, so that if we have fallen, than we have committed iniquity; & if we commit iniquity, we shall assuredly fall. I say, If we have fallen, we may accuse our iniquities which is the deserving cause of all our afflictionss▪ The Apostle tells us, 
Rom, 5, 12,  that by sin death entered into the world, and if it had not been for sin, death (whereby we are to understand every thing that is penal and huttfull to the creature) could never have found an entry. 
Lam, 1, 39  So the Church in the Lamentations, Wherefore is the living man sorrowful? 
Psalms, 107, 17,  Man suffereth for his sin: And the Psalmist, Fools by reason of their transgressions, and because of their iniquities are afflicted. 
Proverb, 13, 21,  Solomon maketh affliction to be (as it were) the shadow of sin which doth always attend it, Affliction followeth sinners, 
Proverb, 22, 8,  and as our falls convince us to have committed iniquity; so our iniquities forewarn us of a fall: For he that soweth iniquity shall reap affliction. This doctrine is sufficiently proved by Scripture, reason and experience. God threatened Adam, that at what time he did eat of the forbidden Tree, he should die. Every sin unto man is the forbidden Tree, if we meddle with it, we shall find no better fruit upon it then Adam found: the bitter fruit of death, grows upon the pleasant Tree of sin: It is the sentence of the law, 
Rom, 6, 23.  Cursed is every man that abideth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law. 
jam, 1, 1●.  This is confirmed by the Apostle Paul, saying, The reward of sin is death. And james, Sin when it is finished, bringeth forth death. He saith not, that every sin bringeth forth death, but only sin when it is finished, or perfected, that is come to an height: for God in his mercy forgiveth sins not finished, or at least he tolerateth them, till they come to perfection, that the sinner may be without all excuse: but in his justice, he judgeth and condemneth sins consummate by hardness of heart, and impenitency, as he showeth himself, Amos 1.3. For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof, etc. As if he had said, if Damascus had sinned only once in persecuting of my Church, I would turn away my judgements: but they have sinned often, To three transgressions, they have added four, they have threshed Gilead, with threshing instruments of Iron, and for so many transgressions I will not turn away their punishment. Again of sin finished it is not said, that it deserveth death, which is common to all sin; but that it bringeth forth death, where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to be delivered of that which hath been conceived. So that sin when once it cometh to perfection, is with child of death, and must needs be delivered. When God's patience is abused, it will become futie, when the cup of God's wrath is full, it must of necessity run over; when the measure of our iniquities is fulfilled, then must God pour forth the vials of his wrath: 
Psalms, 5, 5  And great reason there is why it must be so, if we consider the justice of God, the nature of sin, and the truth of Gods threatening. The justice of God is such, that he hateth sin; 
2, Thes, 2, 6  and therefore will he punish it. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, (saith David) for thou hatest all them that work iniquity, reasoning from the nature of God; 
Rom, 2, 32  God hateth iniquity, therefore he will punish it. And the Apostle, It is a just thing with God, 
Genes, 18, 20  to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. This is the justice of God (which even the Gentiles knew) that they who commit such things are worthy of death. Again the nature of sin is to cry, The cry of Sodom is great: It crieth, citing us before the Tribunal of God, as guilty of lease Majesty; it cryeth unto the heavens for vengeance; provoking God to revenge, and not suffering him to rest in heaven till he hath inflicted punishment. Finally Gods truth is such that none of his threatenings can fall to the ground; but he hath threatened a fall to iniquity, and according to his threatening, hath he executed his wrath upon impenitent sinners▪ When the earth was filled with violence, 
Genes, 6, 13  than God sent the flood upon the old world. When the cry of Sodom waxed great before God, then sent he Angels to destroy it. 
Genes 19 15. Gen. 15.16 1. King 21 20.  When the iniquity of the Amorites was full, then were they cast forth. When Achab sold himself to work evil in the sight of the Lord, than did the Lord bring evil upon him: When jerusalem filled up the measure of their fathers, 
Math, 23, 32,  than they could not escape the damnation of hell. When the sins of Babel are come to that height, 
Revel. 18, 5.  that they reach unto the heaven, then will the Lord remember her iniquities. Go and inquire, what is become of those famous Churches planted by the Apostles, of Corinth, Ephesus, Galatia, etc. Are they not fallen by their iniquity? What is become of Gods own people, the jews? They are fallen, and that by their iniquity (as the Lord himself declareth) Isaiah, 50.1. 
Jerem. 49. 12.  Behold for your iniquities are ye sold, and because of your transgressions is your Mother forsaken. Now if God spared not them: How will he spare us? I may say unto you (as the Lord doth to Idumea) Behold they whose judgement was not to drink of the cup, (that is, they that were mine own people, and had not so much deserved punishment as thou) have assuredly drunken, and art thou he that shall go unpunished, thou shalt not go unpunished, but thou shalt surely drink of it. If once our iniquities are come to the height, than we shall fall as they have fallen. Now sins of a Nation are finished, and come to the height, when they are general, when they are not punished, and when they are persevered in, men continuing in their sins without repentance. First (I say) when they are general; for so long as there be only some wicked men in a kingdom, their sins are personal, and cannot bring the judgements of God upon the whole land; for ten righteous men God would have spared Sodom: 
Genes. 6.12.  but if sin become general, That all flesh hath corrupted his way upon the earth: 
Genes. 19.4,  then will the deluge be universal likewise. If all the men of Sodom, from the young to the old, even all the people from all quarters, conspire to commit filthiness: then shall the whole City be overthrown. Sin was come to this height in Israel; 
Isaiah, 1, 5,  for (saith Isaiah) The whole head is sick, & the whole heart heavy. From the sole of the foot unto the head, there is nothing whole therein, but wounds and swelling, and sores full of corruption. A conspiracy (saith the Lord himself) is found among the men of judah, and among the inhabitants of jerusalem, jerem. 11.9. For why? The children of Israel, and the children of judah did evil, even they, their Kings, their Princes, their Priests, and their Prophets, the men of judah, and the inhabitants of jerusalem, jerem. 32.32. In so much that the Lord saith to the Prophet: Run to and fro by the streets of jerusalem, and behold now, and know, and inquire in the open places thereof, if ye can find a man, or if there be any that executeth judgement, and seeketh the truth, and I will spare it, jerem. 5.1. This general revolt from God, is expressed by this Prophet in the fourth Chapter: The Lord hath a controversy with the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land, etc. This was a general, and so a national sin: therefore is the punishment general upon the Nation likewise. vers. 3. The land shall mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off. Secondly, The sins of a Nation are come to an height, when they are not punished by the Magistrate, but all go on in their courses without controlment. 
Numb. 25 ●  When Phinehas smote the adulterous persons, he turned God's anger away from the children of Israel, and caused the plague to cease: but where there is not a Phinehas to draw the sword for the punishment of vice, there the guilt of these sins lie upon the land, and draw down the judgements of God upon a Nation. In this case was Israel before her captivity; for this is expressed as a cause of their destruction: They execute no judgement, jerem. 5.28. 
Isaiah, 1.23.  But (as Isaiah speaketh) Their Princes were rebellious and companions of thiefs; every one loved gifts, 
Chapt. 3. v. 4.11, Chapt. 5. vers. 25.  and followed after rewards. Children were their Princes, and women had rule over them; they did justify the wicked for reward. A third degree of perfection in sin is perseverance. When men continue in sin without repentance, hardening their hearts against all admonitions. Israel was come to this height also: For the Lord sent unto them all his servants the Prophets, rising up early, and saying, 
jerem. 35.15.  return now every man from his evil way, and amend your works:— but they would not incline their ear, nor obey; and thereupon came their fall: for it followeth in the Text. vers. 17. Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, behold I will bring upon judah, and upon all the inhabitants of jerusalem, all the evil that I have pronounced against them, because I have spoken unto them, but they would not hear. Now let us examine ourselves, and see whether we be come to such an height of iniquity, and I doubt we shall find, First that sin reigneth universally, like an Epidemical disease that possesseth the whole body of the land. There is in great men, facriledge and oppression; in officers, bribery, extortion, and wresting of justice: In the clergy, ignorance, laziness, and covetousness: In tradesmen, fraud and deceit: In every corner Idolatry, robbery, and shedding of blood: and What house is free from adultery, drunkenness, and swearing? Next, do but consider whether these (and many more sins) be committed safely, without punishment. Oppression and sacrilege, have greatness for their patron: injustice, bribery, and extortion, find Lawyers to plead their cause: Idolatry is but a sin of toleration: 
De gubern. Dei lib, 5.  incest and usury are venial in poor men, and venal in the rich: pride, swearing, drunkenness, and gluttony, are commendable because common, as Salvianus complained in his time, In hoc scelus res devoluta, ut nisi quis malus fuerit, salvus esse non possit. In plain English, except a man be thus wicked, he cannot be reputed a good fellow. Finally robbery & parricide, do sometimes find pardon And lastly, Do we not persevere in these sins, and fall away more and more, hardening out hearts against all admonitions? How then can we escape a fall? Yea, have we not fallen already? Consider but the estate of the reformed Churches, how in their infancy, when they were destitute of worldly power, and all Princes and Potentates enemies unto them; yet than they did stand, maugre Antichrist and all his associates; Gods protection was a wall of defence about them, that the fury of their enemies could not come near them; and now when they were grown great in the eyes of the world, and Kings were become their nursing fathers, and Queens their nursing mothers, to protect Religion with the sword: yet How hath the Lord humbled them, and made them to fall before their enemies? 
2. Chron. 1.5.2  The reason hereof we find in that speech of Azariah the Prophet, to King Asa, The Lord is with you, while ye are with him: but if ye for sake him, he will forsake you: At first we was with the Lord, and then he was with us: but when we did forsake the Lord, & fall from our first love, and zeal of our profession; then did he break down the hedges, 
Psalm. 80. 12  and let in the wild Boar out of the wood, and the wild beast out of the forest to destroy this Vine which he had planted, 
Lament. 3.42,  that we may lament with jeremy: We have sinned, and have rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared. Thus hath God made us to fall: but unless we return unto him, there is yet a greater fall to come. The same God that made Nabuchadnezzar a scourge to his people; can send the Spaniards to scourge us. 
Cedreu. hist. pag, 512.  When Phocas had built a mighty wall about his Palace, for his security, in the night he heard a voice: O King though thou build as high as the clouds, yet the City will easily be taken, the sin within will mar all. So let us never make so much preparation for our defence: 
Str●. 57  yet unless we take a course with our sins, they will betray us into the hands of our enemies: For, (saith Ambrose,) Graviores sunt inimici, mores pravi, quam hostes infesti. Our sins, are enemies more to be feared then armed men. If God be with us, Who can be against us? If we stand against God, Who can withstand him?  
Now to shut up all in a word: It is plain that we have gone astray as fare as Israel did; for, what is the vanity after which we have not gone a whoring? and now our iniquities are come to that height, 
jon. 3 8. 9  that they forewarn us of a fall: Therefore let every man turn from his evil way, and from the wickedness in their hand. Who can tell if God will turn & repent and turn away from his fierce wrath, that we perish not? Yea, I can tell, that if we repent, he will turn away his wrath; 
Isaiah, 55, 6.  for he desireth not the death of a sinner, and even now when the Axe is laid to the root of the Tree, 
Hos. 2.7.  he calls us to repentance. Therefore seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near; take up the resolution of repenting Israel, I will go and return to my first husband; for than it was better with me then now: follow the counsel of the Prophet, in the words following my Text. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord, say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously, so will we render the calves of our lips. Ashur shall not save us, we will not ride upon horses, neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, ye are our Gods; for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. He is our God, and therefore if we seek him, he will be found of us; and as he hath wounded us, so he will heal us; he will even give us beauty for ashes, and the oil of gladness for the spirit of heaviness, and make the bones which he hath broken to rejoice. To this God, even our God, etc.  
FINIS.   

ERRATA sic CORRIGE.  
IN the Epistle Dedicatory, l. 8. for yea, read I, l. 13, for our read an, l. 30 for professor, read protector, p. 7. l. 12 for heal, read healed, p. 7. l. 16 for occasion read reason, p. 10 l. 17. for thus, read this, p. 11. l 39 for was to come, read was come.