IN the former part of this Book, we have a Narration of many great mercies of God to his people af­ter their long and sore capti­vity.

1. The Edict of Cyrus for re­turn of the people, building the Temple, restore­ing of the holy Vessels, Chap. 1.

2. The pursuance of that Edict in the return of 49000 and upward, Chap. 2.

3. The beginning of the restitution of Gods worship, setting up the Altar, offering Sacrifices, [Page 2] laying the Foundations of the House, with Trum­pets and joy, Chap. 3.

4. The special assistance and encouragement they received in the work by the Prophets, not­withstanding the opposition of the adversaries, Chap. 5.1, 6, 14.

5. The gracious Decree of Darius for promoting the building, after it had been obstructed, his Princely munificence thereunto, the command gi­ven to the Enemies to be serviceable to the work, the finishing and dedication of the House, and keeping of the Passeover, Chap. 6.

6. The gracious commission of Artaxerxes to Ezra for further promoting the worship of God at Ieru­salem, his indulgence to Priests and Levites, order­ing of Magistrates and Judges, Chap. 7.

7. The expedition of Ezra, and divers others with this Commission; The delivery of the Silver, Gold, and Vessels which the King, his Counsel­lors, Lords, and all Israel, had offered to the house of the Lord into the hands of twelve select men of the Priests: the gracious preservation of Ezra and his company in their journey from the hands of those that lay in wait for them, after they had so­lemnly sought God by prayer and fasting, their safe arrival, delivery of the offering to the House of the Lord, success of the Commission, Cap. 8.

Thus far things went comfortably on, and with good success, notwithstanding the opposition and obstruction given to the work for a time by the Ene­mies thereof, of which we read, Chap. 4.

But in this ninth Chapter we meet with a farre [Page 3] more dangerous obstruction then any had before been: an horrible sinne committed by Priests, Le­vites, people, wherein the hands of the Princes and Rulers had been cheif, in mingling the holy seed in marriage with the people of those Lands: con­trary to an express command, Deut. 7.1.3. Thou shalt not make marriages with them, Vid. Serarium in Ios. 6. quaest. 50. Pined. de Rebus Solom. lib. 7. cap. 4. & 6 &c. whereby the worship of God now newly restored, was in dan­ger to be speedily subverted again, Deut. 7.4. Exo. 34.15, 16. as we finde by the example of Solo­mon, 1 Reg. 11.4, 8. Hereupon Ezra is affected with zeal, sorrow, and astonishment, ver. 3, 4, 5. and unto him were assembled every one that trembled at the word of the God of Israel, to humble themselves before God: and to consult what is so desperate a case was necessary to be done for diverting that wrath which they had provoked, ver. 3, 4. Ezra prepareth and composeth himself in a solemn man­ner to pray, rends his garments, falls on his knees, spreads forth his hands, stirs up his faith, takes the fittest season, the time of the Sacrifice, when God might be minded by the blood of Attone­ment to recieve his prayer with favour. ver. 5.

In the Prayer we have these particulars.

1. His abasement of himself, his shame, and consternation of spirit, a temper essential to true humiliation: I will remember my Covenant saith the Lord, and thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, Ezek. 16.60, 61. and again, Ier. 3.5.31.19. Dan. 9.7, 8. Luke 18.13. you shall loath your sel [...]es in your own sight, for all your evils that ye have committed, Ezek. 20.43.

2. A general confession of their sinnes, and the [Page 4] sinnes of their Fathers, as Nehem. 9.34. Dan. 9.8. the greatness, the growth, the continuance of them, Our iniquities are increased over our heads, as Psal. 38.4. [...]. [...]. Homer. Iliad. 4. A Metaphor from the swelling of wa­ters, Psal. 124.4, 5. our Trespasses are grown up to Heaven, a further and stronger expression of the atrocity of them, as 2 Chron. 28.9.

3. An acknowledgement of the justice of God in the punishment of their iniquities, on Kings, Priests, and people, in captivity, poverty, and con­tempt, ver. 7. as Psal. 44.9-14. 79.1-4.

4. A thankful acknowledgement of restored mercies out of free and rich grace, unto a small rem­nant of distressed Bondmen whom God had not forsaken in their Bondage, but extended mercy unto, who were, 1. escaped out of their captivity. 2. Set­led in their own land, as a naile in a sure place, as Isa. 22.23. 3. Comforted after their darkness and sorrow, by lightning their eyes, who had been long in Babylon as in a Dungeon, Zach. 9.11. by reviving and giving them a resurrection, who had lien in Captivity as dry bones in a grave, Ezek. 37.12. 4. Aided and assisted by the special favour of the King of Persia, to set up the House of God, and re­pair the desolations thereof, ver. 9. 5. Compassed a­bout with his protection, as with a wall, from the violence of Enemies, ver. 8, 9. as Isa. 26.1. Zach. 2.5. by all which considerations, the greatness of their sinnes was exceedingly aggravated.

5. A particular confession of the present sin un­der the guilt whereof they did now lye.

Wherein are considerable. 1. A patheticall [Page 5] acknowledgement that they are wholly without excuse put to silence, for guilt stops the mouth, Mat. 22.12. Rom. 3.19. ver. 10.

2. A full aggravation of it by severall conside­rations. 1. It was against a severe Law provided in that very case, Deut. 7.3, 4. 2. Against the Equi­ty of that Law, the people were unclean, abominable. 3. Against the Promise annexed to the Law, to eat the good of the Land. 4. Against the Chastening hand of God which had been upon them. 5. Against the Measure of those Chastisements, they were punished lesse then their iniquities deserved. 6. A­gainst the great and notable Deliverance which God had wrought for them beyond their thoughts or hopes, ver. 11, 12, 13.

6. An implicite owning of the wrath of God, which might in this case justly consume and make an end of them, and leave them no remnant, ver. 14.

7. An acknowledgement of Gods gracious fi­delity in not consuming them, but patiently bear­ing with them, and letting them remain escaped, ver. 15.

Lastly, the conclusion of the Prayer, the same with the introduction into it, shame and confession of guilt▪ ver. 15.

O Lord God of Israel] who art in Covenant with them, and ownest them for thy people, Deut. 26.18. and art afflicted in their afflictions, in whose suffer­ings thy great name is concerned, in whose pros­perity thy sole grace is magnified. Thou art righ­teous] Just in thy Iudgements in all that is come up­on [Page 6] us, Nehem, 9.33. faithfull in thy Covenant in all that thou hast said unto us. And hereof thou hast given us assurance, for we remain yet escaped,] Ac­cording to thy promise, that after seventy years should be accomplished in Babylon, thou wouldst visit thy people, and perform thy good word to­wards them, in causing them to return to their own Land again, Ier. 29.10. 2 Chron. 36.21. we have deserved by our Provocations, to be cut off from being a People, but for thy Promise sake we yet remain, for thou hast said, that the Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Law-giver from between his feet, untill Shilo come, Gen. 49.10. that Imma­nuel was to come of the house of David, before the Jews should cease to be a Nation, or should have their politie utterly dissolved, Isa. 7.14. Isa. 8.9, 10. Isai. 10.24-27. We have deserved to have been kept Captives in Babylon still, but for thy Promise sake we remain yet escaped, because thou hast said, that thou wouldest cause us to come up out of our graves, and bring us into the Land of Israel, Ezek. 37.12, 13, 14. It is by the blood of the Cove­nant alone that thou hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, Zach. 9.11.

The words are the close of a Penitential Prayer, wherein there is observable, 1. A Comfortable address to God as the God of Israel. 2. A Peni­tent acknowledgement of his righteousnesse in the evils which they suffered. 3. A grateful acknow­ledgement of his fidelity in the Mercies which they enjoyed. 4. A demonstration of this great Mer­cy. 1. We remain, we are not consumed. 2. We [Page 7] remain an escape, we are not detained in captiuity. 3. As it is this day, not only escaped, but favoured, encouraged, assisted, to build Gods House, to re­store his Worship, though to this day we have had so great provocations.

O Lord God of Israel, Thou art righteous, we have sin­ned as a perfidious people against a God in covenant, thou hast afflicted us in measure, as a God in covenant.

Afflictions are sweetned, Mercies are magnified sinnes are aggravated, sinners are humbled and melted by no consideration more, then by the grace of the Covenant, that we have to doe with a God who is pleased to be called ours; when he smites us, this is our Comfort, the rod is in the hand of a Father, he may visit with stripes, but he will not break his Covenant, Psal. 89.32-34. when he load­eth us with mercies, this is our joy, that they are all appendices to Christ, and rayes, and Emanati­ons of the Covenant, Rom. 8.32. Ier. 32.41. If he hear us, if he answer us, if he be gracious unto us, we shall weep no more, though he give us bread of adver­sity, and water of affliction, Isai. 30.18-20. when we review our sinnes, and set our selves seriously to turn to God, this makes us loath our selves, this fills our faces with shame, and our hearts with sor­row, that we have done it against a God in Cove­nant, who is pacified towards us, Ezek. 16.62, 63. It is great presumption for aliens and strangers to despise Gods authority, or abuse his bounty, but for an adopted people, whom he hath selected in a pe­culiar manner to be his own, and set apart for him­self, for whom he reserveth the choisest of his mer­cies, [Page 8] to whom he revealeth the secrets of his love, for these to sinne, not only against Precepts and Bene­fits, but against the Bowels of a Father, the blood of a Saviour, the grace of a Comforter, the Covenant of life, the Charter of Salvation, this is that which should greatly abase us in our own eyes, that we should thus requite a Father, Deut. 32.6. The Lord calls Heaven and Earth to be amazed at it, Hear O Heaven, and give ear O Earth, for the Lord hath spoken, for I have nourished and brought up chil­dren, adopted them into my family, brought them into my Land, advanced them unto my favour, vouchsafed my presence with them, set up my Name and glory among them, and yet they have rebelled against me, Isa. 1.2. Be astonished O ye hea­vens, and be ye horribly afraid, be very desolate, for my people who have heard my voice out of Heaven, whom I have taken from the midst of another Nation, by temptations, by signs, by won­ders, by war, by a mighty hand, by a stretched-out arm, and by great terrors, who have been the Fountain of all their blessings, and the glory in the midst of them, have changed their glory for va­nity, and their Fountain for broken cisterns, Ier. 2.11, 12, 13. This is matter of great pressure unto him, Amos 2.9, 13. and should much more be so unto us.

Many aggravations there are in the sins of Gods people, which may greatly tend to their humbling, and abasement. They are committed,

1. Against more glorious light, and more spi­ritual convictions, after they have known God, and are [Page 9] known of God, Gal. 4.9. after he hath taught them his ways, & shewed his covenant, & imparted unto them the secrets of his salvation, Ps. 25.9, 14. after he had opened their ears, and sealed their instruction to with­draw them from sinful purposes, Iob 33.16, 17. after he had caused them to hear a word behind them, say­ing, this is the way, Isai. 30.21. and had shewed them the salvation of God, Psal. 50.23. and had been as it were transfigured in their presence. The more the beauties of holiness are discovered to the soul, the greater is the unkindness and disingenuity of that soul, in giving entertainment to any sinful lust again.

2. Against speciall and more tender love, which love of Christ passeth knowledge, and therefore should constrain us to love him, that loved us, & died for us, 2 Cor. 5.14. David had been highly honoured by God, Solomon was the beloved of God, and this made their sins both more strange, and more atrocious, 2 Sam. 12.7, 8, 9. Nehem. 13.26. you only have I known of all the Families of the Earth, therefore I will punish you for your iniquities, Amos 3.2. Ier. 2.21, 22.

3. Against the breathings of the Spirit of Grace, whose motions being quenched, whose operations being resisted, whose sweet and gracious pulsati­ons at the door of the soul being neglected, he is exceedingly grieved in the hearts of his people, and provoked to withdraw himself and his Com­forts from them, Ephe. 4.30. Cant. 5, 6. and they put to cry hard for recovery of him again, whom they had by their unkind usage grieved away, and caused to hide his presence from them, Psa, 51.10, 11, 12.

[Page 10]4. Against the peace of God which should keep our hearts and mindes in Christ, from yeilding to temptations, Phil. 4.7. when the Lord speaks peace to the souls of his people, and lifts up the light of his Countenance upon them, and sheds abroad the love of his Son into them, this should fortifie and garrison the heart against the assaults of sinne, the joy of the Lord should be the strength of his peo­ple, Nehem 8.10. and the more comfort they have in being acquainted with him, the more fearfull they should be of being estranged from him, the greater the sweetnesse of the peace of God, the great­er the bitternesse of those sinnes whereby we for­feit it, and hide it from our selves.

5. Against that spirituall wisdom and understand­ing, which the Lord hath given us for this end, that we might walk worthy of him unto all pleasing, Col. 1.9, 10. True wisdom is the knowledge of the most honourable and most excellent things where­by we discern things which differ, [...]. Arist. suggesteth the supreme and most necessary ends, and the most proper and pertinent means conducing thereunto. Setteth a man to consider how he may live to the great uses for which he was made, is a wisdom unto salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15. makes him look to the way of life how he may depart from Hell, Prov. 15.24. 14, 8, 15. teacheth him to walk circumspectly, and warily amidst the many snares and temptations which are ready to seduce and mislead him, Eph. 5.15. makes him have his eyes in his head, Eccle. 2.14. that he may understand every good path, Prov. 2.9. makes him study the will of God to the end that [Page 11] he may keep it, Prov. 28.7. puts the heart and the right hand together, Eccle. 10.2. gives a spiritual evidence and taste of the beauties and sweetness of holiness: shews it self in a good conversation, and in doing the Commandements, Iam. 3.13. Psal. 111.10. It is more improper for a holy man to yeeld up himself unto any way or work of wickedness, then for a Counsellor of State, or a great Philoso­pher to play with Straws or Cherry-stones, to give up himself to Boyish and Ludicrous vanities: and therefore holy men confess their sinnes in Scripture by the name of folly, 2 Sam. 24.10. Psalm 73.22.

6. Against the hope of salvation, which teacheth us to purifie our selves as Christ is pure, 1. Ioh. 3.3. our salvation will be to be like unto Christ, that grace which makes us suspire after a likeness unto him in glory, will kindle in our hearts a desire to be like unto him in grace, for grace is glory Inchoate, as glory is grace Consummate, so much as we neg­lect duty, so much we shake the hope of glory, Lord, saith the Psalmist, I have hoped for thy salvation, I have done thy commandements; Psal, 119.166. though obedience be not a foundation upon which to build our hope (for our hope must be in Gods word, not in our own works, Psal. 119.42.49.74.) Yet it is a fruit, and consequently an Evidence and argu­ment a posteriori to demonstrate it.

The salvation we hope for is to see God, and hereunto is required purity of heart, Matth. 5.8. as the object seen doth make its own image in the eye which seeth it; so when the soul sees God in [Page 12] glory, Q [...]i sibi male vivendi licen­tiam iud [...]gent, totidem sunt Christi [...]nismi probra et ma [...]u­lae. Calv. Opusc. de Scandalis. Magna insanis est Evangeli [...] non credere, cujus veritatem sanguis Martyrū Clamat, prodi­gia probant, ratio c [...]firm [...]t, m [...]ndus testa­tur, Elementa loquuntur, dae­mones confiten­tur. Sed long [...] major Ins [...]nia, Si de Evangelii veritate non dubitas, vivere tamen quosi de ejus falsitate non dubitates, Io. Picus mi­ra [...]dula Epist. it is perfectly fashioned unto his likenesse, and therefore without holinesse no man can see God, Heb. 12.14. So much as we blemish our holiness, we do obscure and fully our hope.

7. Against the honour of Religion which is there­by exceedingly wounded and reproached, 2 Sam. 12.14. the Apostle frequently exhorteth us to walk worthy of our high calling, so as becometh the Gospel, that we may adorn the doctrine of our Lord Jesus, and put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, that they may be ashamed who fasly accuse our good conversation, ut nemo de nobis male loqui sine mendacio possit: to be tender of the name of God and his Doctrine, that these may not be blasphemed, see Ephes. 4.1. Phil. 1.27. 1 Thes. 2.12. Tit. 2.10. 1 Tim. 6.1. 2 Cor. 6.3. 1. Pet. 2.15.3.16. for though it be most illogicall and absurd to charge an holy Doctrine with the blame of those sins, which the professors thereof, contrary to the rules of their own profession, and in obedience only to their own lusts; do commit; Yet so much ignorance and ma­lice there is in wicked men, as to blaspheme God for the sinnes of his people, and to reproach the rectitude of the rule for the obliquity of their lives, who swarve and vary from it. And by how much the greater ingratitude it is to be honoured by God as his servants are, and yet to dishonour him, by so much the more hainous are those sinnes, where­by we neither sanctifie God in our own hearts, and open the mouths of others to poure contempt upon him.

8. Against the souls of our brethren, which are [Page 13] thereby greatly scandalized, for as there is joy in Heaven, and consequently among the Saints on Earth (whose affections and conversations are heavenly) for the conversion of a sinner, and great mutual comfort in the communion of Saints, inso­much that the joy of one is the joy of all the rest, 1 Cor. 15.31. 2 Cor. 2.3. So when a converted person relapseth into any sinne, it must needs sadden and offend the souls of all who rejoyced in his standing, and possibly become a stumbling block, and an oc­casion of falling unto them, as the Apostle shew­eth, Rom. 15-21. 1 Cor. 8.10-13.

9. Against the souls of the wicked, who are there­by hardened and encouraged. Ezek. 16.54. when wicked men, who possibly had some conflict and regret in their Consciences against those sinnes which their hearts hanker after, observe holy men overtaken with them, and indulge unto them, like Benhadads servants, they hastily catch at such an advantage, and are emboldened by their example unto sin, whose holy lives they neither love nor imitate. Therefore of all people, they who are called by Gods name, and have him for their God, should in special manner humble themselves before him for their sinnes, as sins whereby he is in special manner grieved and dishonoured, should above all others take heed of playing the wantons with divine grace; for though God be a tender and a loving Father: yet he may be an angry Fa­ther, and who knoweth the power of his anger? Psal. 90.11. though thou be a Son, and an Heir of sal­vation, yet thou mayest be Filius sub ira, a son un­der [Page 14] displeasure, and when thou art so, thou wilt finde by sad ex perience, that one frown of his Brow, one stroke of his Rod, hath infinitely more bitter­ness in it, then there is sweetness in the pleasures of a thousand sinnes. And since Gods own people do by their sins contribute unto publick Judgments, they should be the more carefull to stand in the breach, and to improve their interests in him for the procuring of renewed mercies, to minde him of his gracious Covenant, and of his Fatherly re­lation unto them, as the Church doth, Psal. 74.20. forget not the Congregation of the poor, have respect unto thy Covenant, Thou, O Lord, art our Father, we are thine, Isai. 63.16-19. Be not wroth very sore, neither remember iniquity for ever, be­hold, see we beseech thee, we are all thy people, Isa. 64.9.

Thou art righteous] 1. In thy Iudgements and chastisements which thou hast inflicted upon us, we cannot blame thy severity, thou didst warne us before thou didst punish us, thy Trumpet did sound before thy Rod did smite us.

1. Thou art a Righteous Iudge, when thou con­demnest wicked men, their mouth shall be stopped, thou wilt overcome when thou judgest, Psal. 51.4. Rom. 3.19. thou dost not wrong them, for they shall receive according to their works.

2. Thou art a Righteous Father, when thou cha­stisest holy men, thou dost not wrong them, thou measurest and proportionest thy stripes not unto their sinnes, but unto their strength, dealest with them tenderly, and suitably to their cases and con­ditions: [Page 15] To purge them, not to consume them: thou hast a Rod for the Cummin, and a Staffe for the Fitches, and a wheele for the Bread Corn, Isa. 28.27, 28. thy Rod is Virga Hominum, a Rod fitted to the condition of weak men, 2 Sam. 7.14. and the Temptations wherewith thou sufferest thy Chil­dren to be tempted, is [...], pro­portioned to the infirmities of man, 1 Cor. 10.13. thou knowest our frame, thou remembrest that we are dust, Psal. 103.14. that our strength is not the strength of stones, nor our flesh of brasse, that we dwell in houses of Clay which are crushed before the Moth, Iob 4.19.6.12. and accordingly thou dost in very faithfulness afflict, to refine, not to consume us.

3. Yea when thy judgements are secret, yet they are righteous, when wicked men prosper, and good men suffer, when wicked men are the Fanne, and good men the Corn, when the Weeds flourish, and the Corn is overtopped, when the wicked de­voureth the man that is more righteous than he, when the affairs of the world seem to be out of course, and every man out of his place; All this while the Lord makes way for the revelation of his righteous judgements: his work will be beautifull in its time: all things will work together for good, as Materials in a Building, Ingredients in a Cordial, Colours in a Table, Rom. 8.28. The prosperity of the wicked will work to his ruine, Prov. 1.3. the affliction of the righteous will work to his glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. Thus righteous in thy judgements, neither thine Enemies, nor thy Children shall [Page 16] ever haue cause justly to complaine against thee.

Thou art righteous] 2. In thy Covenant and pro­mises: If thou shouldest have dealt with us ac­cording to our provocations, we had been con­sumed, Lam. 3.22. Ier. 10.24. but thou hast remembred thy gracious promise to our fathers, and therefore we are preserved: Though our sins have forfeited mercy, yet thy truth and faithful­ness hath fulfilled it: we owe not our remaining, that we are a people, we owe not our escaping that we are a free people, unto any goodness of our own, but unto the grace of the Covenant alone.

Gods truth and fidelity to his people that are in Covenant with him, is the true ground of all their safety, he doth not change, therefore we do not pe­rish, who otherwise from the dayes of our Fathers are gone astray, Ab eterno per praedestinatio­nem, in aeter­num per glori­ficationem. Bernard Serm. 2. in Ascention [...]. Mal. 3.6, 7. his mercies are from everlasting to everlasting, Psal. 103.17. from ever­lasting in predestination, to everlasting in Glorifi­cation; he gave grace, and promised eternal life be­fore the world began, 2 Tim. 1.9. Tit. 1.2. before they were extant, or had any being, (further then in the purpose of God, Ante mundi constitutionem vidit nos, fecit nos Emendavit nos, misit ad nos, Redemit nos. Hoc ejus consi­lium manet in aeternum. Aug. Ser. 2. in Psal. 32.) on whom the grace was bestowed, to whom the life was promised. And what he did from eternity purpose, he will not in time revoke, for his gifts are without repentance, Rom. 11.29. he doth by his faith and fear preserve his people through his power, unto that mercy which he hath from eternity given them, Ier. 32.40. 1 Pet. 1.5. of themselves they fall dangerously and frequently from their own stedfastness, and [Page 17] then the Lord doth chastise their wantonness with the Rod of a Father, but doth not utterly take away his loving kindness, Psal. 89.28-35.

1. The Covenant and grace thereof is free and absolute, not conditional and suspended upon the unstable will of man: It is not of him that willeth, or runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy, and sheweth it on whom he will, Rom. 9.15-18. Between God the Father indeed, and Christ as a second Adam, the Transaction of the Covenant was wholly condi­tional, he was to take from his Father a Commis­sion in our nature, to lay down his life, and to take it up again, to fulfill all righteousness, to be made sinne for us, to have our iniquities and the Chastisement of our peace laid upon him, before he could see of the travel of his soul, Yea he undertook not only for his own work, but for ours, By the preciousness of his blood he purchased, and out of the plenitude of his Spirit he supplyeth unto us what ever grace is re­quisite unto our salvation. But I say as to us, the grace of the Covenant is thus farre free and ab­solute, that no duties are required of us, which are not as branches of the same Covenant bestow­ed upon us: he hath promised to give a new heart, and to put a new Spirit within us, to take away the stony heart out of our flesh, and to give us an heart of flesh, and to put his Spirit within us, and to cause us to walk in his Statutes, to save us from all our uncleanness, to cleanse us from all our iniquities, Ezek. 36.25, 26, 27, 29, 33. and though he there tell us, that he will be enquired of by the house of Israel to doe these things for them, ver. 37. yet we [Page 18] know it is he onely who poureth out the Spirit of Grace and Supplication, whereby we make this in­quiry of him, Zach. 12.10. Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.26. True indeed it is, that when we believe, it is we only that believe, and when we work, it is we that work, but our working is not the cause of his grace, but his grace the cause of our working: Cer­tum est nos velle & facere cum volumus cum facimus sed ille facit ut velimus ut faciamus: Aug. de Grat. & Lib. Arbit. cap. 16. And therefore the A­postle saith I laboured more abundantly they they all, to note, that the labour was his, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me, to note, that the principle was God, Dys. Anchor, ipse Remunera­tor operis, ipse Remuneratio tota. Bernard in Psal. 91. Ser. 9. 1 Cor. 15.10. Thou hast wrought all our works in us saith the Prophet, Isai. 26.12. The works are ours, the strength is thine: ours the heart and the hand that act, thine the Spirit and grace whereby we act: he doth not with-hold his love till our wills prevent him, Ille facit ut nos faciamus qu [...] praecepit, nos non facimus ut il [...]e faciat quae promisit Aug. Ep. 143. and move him to extend it, but he doth out of his own free love frame our hearts unto the love of him, and work the will in us, which he requireth of us, Phil. 2, 12, 13. we repent because he turns us: he doth not turn to us, because we first turn to him: his love prevents ours and doth not stay for it, 1 Iohn 4.19. Ezek. 36.32. Isai. 48.9, 11. Inspirat charitatem ut quae discendo novimus diligendo faciamus. Vid. Bradward. de causa Dei lib. 1. cap. 23.24 25.

2. The Covenant and the grace thereof is immu­table, and therefore changeth not with the unstable will of man: God is not a man that he should lie, nei­ther the Son of man that he should repent, hath he said, and shall he not doe it? hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Numb. 23.19. his Covenant of grace [Page 19] is confirmed by an oath, to shew the immutability of it. This is as the waters of Noah unto me, Iuratione Dei firmata promis­sio. Aug. de Civ. dei. lib. 16. cap. 32. saith the Lord, for I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth: so have I sworn that I will not be wroth with thee nor rebuke thee. For the Moun­tains shall depart, and the hills be removed: but my kindness shall not depart from thee: Neither shall the Covenant of my peace by removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee, Isai. 54.9, 10. A Covenant thus founded upon meer mercy, and sealed by an Oath, is more unmoveable then hills, or Mountains, the strong foundations of the Earth shall be sooner shaken then the Oath of God miscar­ry: The oath of God is the strongest demonstrati­on of the immutability of his Counsel that can pos­sibly be used, Heb. 6.17. for where he swears he doth not repent, Psal. 110.4. Every work of mercy which he begins, he carries on to a consummation, Phil. 1.6. the foundation of God remaineth sure, cannot be infringed, shaken or undermined by the levity or inconstancy of the will of man, 2 Tim. 2.19. what ever are the fluctuations of the heart of man, the Counsel of the Lord shall stand, Prov. 19.21. Psal. 33.10, 11.

3. The Covenant and grace thereof is most pow­erfull and efficacious: Therefore his Mercies are sure, his promises yea and Amen, because his word is setled in Heaven, seconded with his power, which will finde means to effect what ever he hath spo­ken, God hath spoken once saith the Psalmist, twice have I heard this, It is a word constant and stable, a word doubled to note the certainty of it (as Ioseph [Page 20] said unto Pharaoh, Gen. 41.32.) That power and mercy belong to God, Psal. 62.11, 12. every pro­mise which mercy makes, power performs, if mercy promise an heart of flesh, and to put his fear into us, God hath power enough to make it good, hee may as soon be an impotent, as an unfaithfull God. Abraham considered not the impotency of his own body, but the power of God to make good his pro­mise, and therefore staggered not through unbelief, Rom. 4.19, 20, 21. and so the Apostle argues touch­ing the conversion of the Jews, Rom. 11.23. If they abide not still in unbelief, they shall be graffed in, for God is able to graffe them in, Rom. 11.23.

4. The Covenant and grace thereof is invincible by any adverse assaults, nothing can alter or over-rule the will of God, or cause him to recede from his own purposes of shewing mercy. If any thing could, sinne could: But he hath assured us that that shall not. If his children forsake my Law, and walk not in my Iudgements, if they break my Statutes, and keep not my Commandements, then will I visit their transgressions with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes; Nevertheless my loving kindnesse will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulnesse to fail, my Cove­nant will I not break, &c. Psal. 89.30.—34. though he punish, it shall be in measure; not unto rejecti­on but unto emendation, Isai. 27.8, 9. As to the guilt of sinne, and damnation due unto it, he will par­don it, I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sinne no more, Ier. 31.34. As to the dominion thereof, he will subdue it, and purge it away, Mì­cah 7.19, 20. Psal. 65.3. As to the particular pre­valency [Page 21] of any lust, he will awaken us to repent. Make us by some word, or affliction, or mercy, or example, or providence, to search and consider our wayes and return from all our evill doings, so he did David by the Ministery of Nathan, 2 Sam. 12.13. so Peter by the look of Christ, Luke 22.61. so Io­sephs brethren by his speaking roughly unto them, Adeo Iustis omnis Coope­rantur in Bo­num ut etiam si qui corum de­viant & exor­bitant▪ etiam hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum, quia Humiliores re­deunt atque doctiores. Aug. de Corrept. & Grat. cap. 6. vid. de nat. & Grat. 28. An vero ei pec­cata ipsa non Cooperantur in Bonum qui ex eis humilior, ferventior, so­licitior, timora­tior & Cauti­or invenitur? Bern. Scr. 1. de diversi [...]. Gen. 42.21. As to the Remainders of it, he will daily mortifie and destroy them, Ro. 6.6. sinne then shall not break out so far as to annull and to evacu­ate the Covenant: For who then should be saved? seeing in many things we offend all, and by the grace of the Covenant alone are preserved from offending more. Nay the Lord is so gracious to his people, that their very sins, which of themselves do only defile and endanger them, are by Gods goodness ordered unto their benefit. The Lord could keep his servants from falling, Iude ver. 24. and preserve them blameless. 1 Thes. 5.23. but he is pleased sometimes to leave them, that they may know themselves, and their own weakness, as he did Hezekiah, 2 Chron. 32.31. that they may bemoan their own misery, and loath themselves in their own eyes, Ier. 31.18, 19. Ezek. 20.43. that they may be driven to live upon free grace and pardoning mercy, Psal. 51.1. that they may set the higher price upon the Lord Iesus, who is a Sanctuary for the chief of sinners to fly unto, Isai. 8.14. 1. Tim. 1.15. that they may be the more watchfull over their loose and deceitfull hearts, having once, yea twice been betrayed by them, Iob 40.5.34.32. that they may pray more earnestly for the subduing and mortifying of [Page 22] prevalent corruptions, Psal. 51.7-10. Rom. 7.23. these and other the like ways, the Lord hath to or­der the very sins of his people unto their good. And if sinne shall not prevaile against the covenant, we are sure nothing else shall: he that pardoneth sin rebuketh Satan, conquereth the world, his love is above the reach of any thing to separate us from it. Rom. 8.33-39. none shall be able to take us out of Christs or his Fathers hands, Ioh. 10.28-30.

5. The Covenant and grace thereof is founded in the blood of Christ and ratified by it: as he hath by his blood purchased his people, Tit. 2.14. so hath he by the same procured for them all good things specified in the Covenant, Rom. 8.32. the blood of Christ can as well be vacated, as any branch of the the Covenant be unfulfilled to believers, for whom they were all bought with so precious a price.

6. His purchase is seconded by his Intercession, Intercession is the petition of his blood, and there­fore shall undoubtedly be granted, his Father heareth him alwayes, Iohn 11.41, 42. and he prayeth to his Father that his people may be so kept, Vid. Camero. de Eccles. pag. 120.-126, in 4 to. as that they may be with him, and behold his glory, Ioh. 17.11.15.24. therefore accordingly they shall be kept.

7. Christs Intercession is seconded with his Fa­thers love to his people, I say not that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father himself loveth you, saith Christ, Iohn 16.26, 27. and therefore must needs be exceeding acceptable, because Gods own [Page 23] heart is towards them, and his love upon them, as the woman of Tek [...]a her petition for Absolom was easily granted by David, because his heart was to­wards him before, 2 Sam. 13.39. and 14.1, 2.

Lastly, the Lord hath promised his holy Spirit of Fear, Love, Grace, Adoption unto his people, by the help of which they are preserved from the dangers whereunto of themselves they are expo­sed, Ezek. 36.27. Isai. 59.21. upon these and such like grounds it appeareth; That because God is righteous and faithfull in his Covenant, therefore we remain escaped.

And if it be here objected that the Promises are usually set forth as conditionall, The Lord is with you while ye be with him, and if ye seek him he will be found of you, but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you, 2 Chron. 15.2. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the Land, Isai. 1.19. He that believeth shall be saved, Mark 16.16. Ioh. 3.16. except ye re­pent ye shall perish, Luke 13.3.

We answer, 1. Promises are in some places made absolutely, which in others are conditionally expressed; as Heb. 13. I will not leave thee nor for­sake thee, Ier. 32.39. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, I will give them an heart to know me, they shall be my people, I will be their God, they shall return unto me with their whole heart, Ier. 24.7. If ye will obey my voice and keep my Covenant, is a Condition in one place, Exod. 19.5. a free promise in another, ye shall keep my judge­ments and doe them, Ezek. 36.27. The mercy of the Lord is towards them that fear him, Psal. 103.11. There [Page 24] the fear of God is a condition. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me, Ier. 32.39. there it is a free promise.

2. The Lord doth not only give us good things under a condition, but doth give the condition it self to his people, compare Isai. 1.19. with Phil. 2.12. Acts 10.43. with Phil. 1.29. Ephes. 2.8.

3. Precepts and Conditions are used as the ve­hicula of the grace promised. Of our selves we can do nothing of those duties unto which Promises are annexed, for all our sufficiency is of God, who worketh all our works for us, 2 Cor. 3.5. But the Precepts of the Word are the usual Instruments, by which he worketh those things in us, which he requireth of us, Rom. 10.17.

4 Conditionall Propositions do not imply that our performances work upon God to do what he had said, as if the performance of duty were only ours, and then the performance of promise alone his: But they intimate the order and connexion which the Lord hath set amongst his own gifts, some whereof he hath appointed to be antecedent dispositions and preparations towards others conse­quent upon them: He that believeth shall be saved, this is a conditional promise, Faith the condition, Salvation the Promise; But we may not so under­stand it as if Faith were only ours, and Salvation alone his. But Faith is one Gift of God, Antecedent to Salvation which is another Gift of God.

Use 1.Now then since the Lord is righteous in all the wayes of his Judgements and secret providences, [Page 25] we must for ever lay our Hand on our Mouth, and put our Mouthes in the Dust, and beware of Murmuring and Repining against him, as if his wayes were not equall towards us: Behold he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, what dost thou? Iob 9.12. we may in our Pray­ers plead with God about his Judgements as Holy men have, Jer. 12.1. Habak. 1.2-4-13. But we may not quarrell at them nor murmure against them.

2. When the Lord doth strangely vary his Providences towards a people, and worketh un­usuall changes and alterations among them: stir­reth up some helpes, and then layeth them by, calleth forth others and quickly revokerh them, fitteth men for great actions, and in the midst of those actions cutteth them off; Our work here is not to censure either the Agent, or the Instruments, to charge the dealings of God either as unrighteous or as unreasonable; but to reflect upon our selves, and learn our unstedfastnesse in Gods Covenant, by his diversifying of Providences towards us: 1. Some­times we over dote upon Instruments, and deifie them, as if God had no way to help us but one. And then God breaks that Staffe when we lean too hard upon it, to force us to leane upon his Name again. 2. Sometimes we undervalue them, and will not understand that God is doing us good by them, (as it is said of Moses, Acts 7.25.) and then God suspendeth his work which he was a­bout to doe. 3. Sometimes the hearts of the peo­ple are unprepared for mercies, and then God [Page 26] doth not honour his Instruments with setling them. Iehoshapbat was a good King, yet he did not work a perfect Reformation, the high places were not taken away, and this the reason, the people had not as yet prepared their hearts unto the God of their Fathers, 2 Chron. 20, 32, 33. 4. Sometimes the guilt of old sinnes do remain uncleansed away, as it is said of the iniquity of Baal-Peor, Iosh, 22.17. and in this case Instruments are too weak to divert wrath, 2 Reg. 23.25, 26. Never such a Reformation as Iosiah made about the eighteenth year of his reign, and yet because the people returned but fainedly, Ier. 3.10. within a few years after they were car­ried into Captivity. Our Saviour was very near his Sufferings when they cryed Hosanna before him. The Sun often shews biggest, and shines brightest, when it is ready to set; The Candle blazeth most when it is in the Socket; Many times dying men, and it may be so with dying Churches, have a lightning before death.

I speak not this to bode ill unto the Land of my nativity. If any say it shal not be so, but we shall still have Peace, and Truth, and Holiness flourish, I will chearfully say as the Prophet did, Ier. 28.6. Amen: the Lord do so for this Land: But withall, happy is the man that feareth always, Prov. 28.14. The sins of the people may weaken the hands of the best Instruments, and make them unable to help us. It is noted as a cause of wickedness that men have no changes, Psal. 55.19. Ier. 48.11. But to be tossed and emptied, and exercised with frequent alterations, and our sent to abide in us still, wan­ton [Page 27] under Mercies, sullen under Judgements, after all our Phisick to relapse, after all that is come up­on us, again to break the Commandements, this is a sad Symptome, a great aggravation of our sin, and justification of Gods Righteousness in all his deal­ings with us.

Again, since the Lord is the God of his peo­ple, and righteous to them in a way of mercy and fidelity, We learn to acknowledge it a great Mer­cy, and to glorifie God for it, that we Remaine yet escaped: that we may set up an Eben-Ezer, and say thus far hath the Lord holpen us.

Many Considerations may set on the sense of this Mercy upon our hearts. 1. The many sinnes which remain amongst us, even in the Israel of God: sad divisions, sharp animosities, perverse Opinions, vanity, luxury; severe censurings, loose walking, worldly mindedness, &c. 2. The ma­ny shakings, and universal sufferings, whereby the Lord hath made it appear that his quarrel was against all orders of men, that the disease was all over, Isai. 1.6. Ier. 5.1-5. so that none can blame others, but every one acknowledge the plague of his own heart, and say as David did, I confess my sinne, and the sin of my people, Dan. 9.20. Now various shakings and concussions in a Nation use to be sore presages of greater Judgements, as we may see in Gods dealing with the ten Tribes before their dis­solution. What shakings have been amongst us, we need not recount, by changes at home, by differen­ces abroad, shakings on the Land, and shakings on the Sea, shakings at hand, and shaking afar off, [Page 28] shakings by War, and shakings by sicknesses, shakings in our mindes by divided Opinions, shak­ings in our hearts by divided affections, shaking in our estates by divided interests. And whether these shakings have a tendency to dissolution we know not, (we are not ignorant of the rage which hath been upon many of our Protestant Brethren in other parts of Christendom) But surely this consi­deration may lead us both to glorifie God that we Remain yet escaped, and to humble our selves under the feare of his further wrath.

3. The powerful Preaching which hath been in the Land which where it doth not kindly work, where it is not honourably entertained, doth ex­ceedingly ripen Judgements, and make white for the sickle. It is compared to the shining of the Sun, 2 Cor. 4.6. 2 Pet. 1.19. and to showers of rain, Deut. 32. which are intended for the bringing forth of Salvation, and springing up of Righte­ousness, Isai. 45.8. But if they fall upon sins, doe hasten their maturity, and make them nigh unto cursing, Heb. 6.7, 8. the sins of the Church are Sum­mer Fruits, they ripen faster then the sinnes of the World, the sins of the Amorites were four hundred years a ripening, Gen. 15.16. the sins of Israel in the Wilderness fourty years, Psal. 95.10. Gods pa­tience towards the ten Tribes after their revolt was but two hundred and sixty years; from the sins of Manasseh to the Captivity brought upon Ju­dah for those sins, little more then one hundred years▪ As at Jerico the sounding of the Trumpet seven times did lead in the falling of the wall, so [Page 29] the long sounding of the Word in the ears of dis­obedient people, is a shrewd presage of ensuing ruine.

These considerations laid together, as should they justly awaken us to Humiliation, so are they Eviden­ces of Gods goodness towards us, in that such a people Remain yet escaped. Escaped from the bon­dage of Popery, from the flames of persecution, from the Spanish Armado, from the vault of Pow­der, from rigour in the Church, from troubles in the State, from the terrour of a bloudy War, from renewed attempts of trouble and danger, es­caped from a Vote, extinguishing and abolishing the whole maintenance of the Ministery, the conse­quences whereof could not but have been unutte­rably miserable. Any one of these evils God might have sharpned into a destruction. And yet after all this, Righteous art thou, O Lord, for we re­main yet escaped.

2. It reproueth our unbelief, in consulting with flesh and blood, betaking our selves to carnall shifts in time of danger, having a faithfull Covenant, and a righteous God to lay hold upon, whose alone fide­lity is the ground of his peoples safety, who knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, 2 Pet. 2.9. this was the sin of Ahaz in sending to the Assyrian to help him, when God offered him a sign to con­firm his trust in him, Isai. 7.11, 12. 2 Chron. 28.19. The Christians in the Church of Corinth, being afraid to displease their Heathen friends, and en­danger themselves, would sit with them at the Idols Table, and eat at their Tables meat offered [Page 30] to Idols: The Apostle diswadeth them from using this Carnal shift to decline danger, bids them flee from Idolatry, lest that which they in carnal wis­dom might judge the means of their standing, should prove the occasion of their fall, and direct­eth them to trust for safety in a faithfull God, who would not suffer them to be tempted above that they were able, but would with the temptation make a way to escape, that they might be able to bear it, 1 Cor. 10.13, 14.

3. In fears therefore and dangers we should be incouraged by these two Arguments; 1. The Righteousness of God. 2. Our own present remain­ing escaped, Faith in, and experience of the fidelity of God to help us, to trust in him at all times: not to fear the wrath of man, but to secure the love of God, he sometimes purposely bringeth his ser­vants to difficulties, that they may make tryal of such a friend, who in six and seven troubles is at hand to deliver them. Faith is a venturous grace, it honours God and laies hold on his strength, Rom. 4.20. Isai. 27.5. It is a victorious grace, and rises up above difficulties, 1 Ioh. 5.4. all things are pos­sible to it: Therefore in times of danger let us plead Gods Covenant, and our own experience, Lord wilt thou now destroy us seeing we remain, yet escaped, and are Monuments of thy Mercy? hast thou wrought so great deliverances, and done so many wonders, and snatcht us as brands out of the fire, to destroy us at the last? thou hast deli­vered, and dost deliver, wilt thou not give us leave to trust in thee for deliverance still? Though the [Page 31] Lord had broken us in the place of Dragons, and had cast us off and put us to shame; yet even so we may lean upon his Name, and plead his Covenant, Psal. 44.17, 19. Psal. 74.1-20. Isai. 64.8-12. Hab. 3.17, 18. How much more comfortably may we plead it, when by the alone mercy thereof, we re­main escaped? When we may say as the people of Ioseph did, Iosh. 17.14. we are a great people, and the Lord hath hitherto blessed us? and may set up a Monument as Samuel did, 1 Sam. 7.12. and say, thus far hath the Lord holpen us? This is one chief Ar­gument which Gods servants use in Prayer, to mind him of his Word and Covenant, wherein he had caused them to hope, so Iacob, I am not worthy of the least mercy, but thou saidst, I will doe thee good, Gen. 32.9-12. so Moses, we remain yet escaped out of the Land of Egypt, thou hast brought us out thence, turn from thy fierce wrath; Remember Abraham, Isa­ac, and Israel thy servants, to whom thou sware­est, &c. Exod. 32.11-13. and again, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, pardon the iniquity of thy people, as thou hast for­given them from Egypt untill now; As they re­main yet escaped, so save them still; the same Mer­cy and Power can do it now which did it before, Numb. 14.17, 19. so David, Thou hast spoken of thy servants house, for thy words sake hast thou done these great things: and now O Lord establish thy Word, do as thou hast said, 2 Sam. 7.19, 21, 25, 27, 29. So Solomon, Let thy word be verified which thou spakest unto thy servant David, 1 Reg. 8.26. So Asa, O Lord we rest in thee, thou art our God, 2 Chron. 14.11. so Ie­shaphat, [Page 32] Thou art God—our eyes are upon thee, 2 Chr. 20.6-12. no such plea in Prayer as the free grace, the Word, the Truth, the Fidelity, the Righte­ousness of God.

4. This may comfort us against all the muta­bility of our own wills, Ut totum Deo­detur, Hominis voluntatem bo­nam & pra­parat adjuvan­dam & adjuvat praeparatam. Aug Enchirid. cap, 32. Si Deus mise­reatur etiam volumus ad eau­dem quippe Gratiam perti­net ut velimus Ad Simplicium Qu. 2. & Epist. 106. whereby we are apt to start aside like a deceitfull Bow; In as much as our safe­ty dependeth not upon our own performances, but upon the Covenant of God, who is righteous and faithfull; and will not suffer our weakness to annul his promise, Rom. 9.16.

5. This Caution notwithstanding we must take in, That we beware of playing the wantons with the grace of Gods Covenant, because thereby we remain escaped; for the Lord will not pass by the petulancy and lasciviency of any of his Children, though he doth not totally cast them off, yet he hath sharp rods wherewith he can chastise them. If they fly from his service, he can send a Whale to swallow them, and can bring all his Waves and Billows upon them; if they keep not to his Commis­sion, he can send a Lion to tear them, he can make them feel the weight of his Frown, though they do not of his Fury, and it may be, cause them to walk in darkness, drooping, and disconsolate all their days, complaining of broken Bones, and of a wounded Spirit, with strong cryes, imploring the comforts of that Spirit, which they had so un­kindly greived and resisted.

As it is this day] escaped, escaped this day in which we lie under so sore and heavy a guilt. This is a marvellous heightning of Gods Mercy, [Page 33] That we may remain escaped in this day, a day of so great sin: and also a marvellous aggravation of the sin, that it hath been committed in this day, a day of so great Mercy, wherein we remain yet es­caped. Sinne committed in a day of mercy, is the more exceeding hainous: mercy extended in a day of sin, is the more exceeding glorious. That we should so greatly provoke the Lord, this day, wherein we remain escaped: O how prodigious and presumptu­ous the wickedness? That we should remain es­caped this day, wherein we have so greatly pro­voked the Lord, O how admirable and unsearch­able the goodness?

1. Sinne in a day of great Mercy is exceedingly the more hainous. It is a great aggravation of sinne, when it withstandeth Iudgements, when the Lord changeth the corrections, and men still hold fast their sins, Amos 4.6-12. and turn not unto him that smiteth them, Isai. 9.13. It is a brand upon Ahaz that in the day of his distresse he sinned more, 2 Chron. 28.22. How much more hainous is it to abuse Mercy and Loving kindness? It is the character of a wicked man, that though favour be shewed him, yet he will not learn righteousness, Isai. 26.10. The An­gell spared Balaam, and yet he ran greedily after the wages of iniquity, Numb. 22.35. This is an un­kindness the Lord often upbraideth his people with, Deut. 32.13-15· Ier. 22.21. Hos. 13.5. Amos 2.9-13. This made Solomons sin the greater, that he turned from the God of Israel, who had ap­peared to him twice, 1 King. 11.9. This adds disin­genuity, unthankfulness, unkindness unto disobedi­ence, [Page 34] when men neither fear, nor love the Lord for his goodness: No surfets more dangerous then those which are upon sweet things: no diseases more desperate, then those which reject Cordials; no Fruits ripen faster; then those on which the Sun continually shineth: as the Apostle saith of grace, where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, so we may by an inversion say of sin, where grace aboundeth, there the guilt of sin is the more abun­dant.

2. Mercy extended in a day of sinne, is the more exceeding glorious, when the Lord is pleased to proclaim mercy to a divorced people, Ier. 3.12-15. in the midst of provoked wrath to remember mercy, Hab. 3.2. and when men go on frowardly in their own ways, then to heal them, to restore comfort to them, to create peace, Isai. 57.17-19. to heal a backsliding people, and to love them freely, Hos. 14.14. To look back upon a denying Peter, Luke 22.61. To send a pardon to an adulterous David, 2 Sam. 12.13. To call from Heaven to a persecuting Saul, Acts 9.4. This is that which maketh Mercy the more radi­ant, which magnifieth the freeness, fulness, and superabundance of it, that it rejoyceth against judgment, Iam. 2.13.

These considerations tend much to humble a people which remain yet escaped, as we do this day.

The sad conjunctions of our sins with the Lords goodness, when the Lord saith, I will remember my Covenant, and thou shalt remember thy wayes, Then he saith, thou shalt be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pa­cified [Page 35] towards thee, Ezek. 16.60-63. When we com­pare his Mercy with our corrupt doings, then is a time to loath our selves in our own sig [...]t, Ezek. 20.42-44. 36.25-32. Sin punished, doth many times harden a sinner in pride, as we see in Phara­oh. But sin pardoned, and subdued with Mercy, should melt the soul into a godly sorrow, holy re­venge, and self displicency for it: They shall shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes.

O let us learn to bewail our wickedness, in that we have ventured on it in a day of Mercy, as if we had been delivered to commit abominations, Ier. 7.10. as if priviledges were a protection to profane­ness. Certainly if mercies be aggravations of sin, no Nation in the world is less excusable then we. What Nation in the Earth hath God so honoured with a long possession of his Oracles, and glorious light of his Word? In so much that other Nations study the English Tongue to read our Books; What Nation hath ever had such manifold, such mira­culous deliverances? What Nation hath the Lord Crowned with a greater abundance of all good things? What means could be used to work upon a people which the Lord hath not made use of a­mongst us? If teaching would work upon us, we have had his Word; If Chastisements would amend us, we have had his Sword. If bounty would per­swade us, we have been fed, and cloathed, and healed, and crowned, and compassed with mer­cies more then we can recount. If strange and un­paralleld Providences would awaken us, this Na­tion hath never had for many hundred years such a [Page 36] prospects of Gods works, such interwoven mix­tures of Mercies, of Judgements, of Wonders, of Terrors. Great Instruments raised up, and taken away again, Wars raging, and again ceasing, Seas roaring, and again calmed. And certainly the Works of the Lord should be sought out of his people, Psal, 111.2. and improved to their own accompt. Felt Judgements should mak them out of love with sin: Renewed mercies should make them in love with God. That which humbleth should heal them, that which comforts should cure them, that which amazeth, should amend them.

2. This is a strong Argument in Prayer for pe­nitent sinners to use, that God hath mercy in store even in a day of sin for his people: that though we have trespassed against God, yet there is hope in Is­rael concerning this thing, Ezra 10.2. That though sin do ever forfeit mercy, yet it doth not ever re­move it; though it do always provoke wrath, yet it doth not always procure it; how will mercy triumph in a day of repentance, when so great provocations have not hitherto extinguished it? how will fire break forth in dry wood, when it hath prevailed against the green? needs must that Jewel be glori­ous in the Sun, which glisters in the Night. This should exceedingly encourage us unto Repentance. Doth the Lorld invite backsliding Israel, doth he wait to be gracious to a secure people, doth he pitty us in our blood, and are his bowels kindled to­wards us, when we compass him about with lies and deceit? doth he look back with pitty upon a a denying Peter? doth he speak pardon from Hea­ven [Page 37] unto a persecuting Paul? doth he shew mercy on a Manasseh, filling Ierusalem with blood and Idols? doth he appear first unto Mary Magdalen, out of whom he he had cast seven Devils? O who would not be encouraged by such examples, to fly for sanctuary from the wrath to come, unto that mercy which hath snatched these as brands out of the fire? The Lord keeps as open house for us as for them, Isa. 55.1. Rev. 22.17. his mercy as abun­dant for any other penitents as for them, Isa. 55.6, 7, 8. his call and invitation the same to us as to them, Ioh. 7.37, 38. The blood of Christ as effe­ctuall for us as for them, 1 Ioh. 2.2. They were set forth as examples to all that should after believe in him unto eternal life, 1 Tim. 1.16.

Only let us beware of profaning this comfort by persisting in our sins: But follow the example of these penitents here, though their sin had not re­moved Gods mercy, yet Gods mercy did remove their sin. They entred into a Covenant, sware to the Lord, gave their hands that they would put away their strange wives, and separate themselves from the people of the Land, Ezra 10.3, 11, 12, 19. This is a Genuine work of true hope in mercy, when it makes us purifie our selves 1 Ioh. 3.3. no man can hope for glory, who is an enemy to Grace, for glory is grace perfected, and we can hope for nothing which we hate, he that hates Grace, doth not love Glory.

3. We note that in solemn Humiliations there is a great Emphasis in these words, As it is this day, It is a circumstance greatly considerable, The time wherein we have sinned and escaped, Time [Page 38] greatly aggravates sin, Exod. 8.32. Luke 19.42. Time greatly commends Mercy, that God kept touch with his people to a very day, Exod. 12.41, 42. Therefore we should learn wisdome to improve time unto duty, as it is said of the Children of Issachar, that they had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, 1 Chron. 12.32. Who knoweth said Mordecai to Ester, whether thou be come to the Kingdom for such a time as this, Ester 4.14. Let us therefore wisely consider the conditi­on of the times which God hath brought upon us. Times of great and universal sickness and infirmity, after he had not many moneths since upon Prayer, removed such distempers in good part: surely his anger is not turned away, his hand is stretched out still, because we have not unfeignedly turned unto him that smiteth us.

2. Times of wonderfull changes and unsetled­ness, many preparations and attempts to heal the breaches amongst us, and many abortions and mis­carriages in those attempts, Honourable persons raised up by God to serve the Interests of the Nati­ons, and by his Providence laid down again. And when the Lord had by his providence raised up this eminent Instrument, now gone to him, by whose great Wisdom, accurate intelligence, indefati­gable vigilancy, and special care, we might pro­bably have supposed that by degrees things would have wrought unto a composedness, and settlement in the midst of great Actions and great Successes, he likewise is suddenly taken away. It is good to study the meaning of God in these things. 1. That [Page 39] we should bewail our carnall confidence, and learn to look up and to trust more in Him, and less in man. 2. To labour for hearts established by his grace, that we may the more comfortably look for an outward establishment in order and peace, for our settle­ment must begin in our hearts, so long as our hearts are unsteadfast with God, his dealings may be still in fluctuation and uncertainty towards us. 3. To acknowledge notwithstanding these sad changes and concussions, this great Mercy, That we remain yet escaped, that the Lord hath not yet said unto us that he would cast us off, hath not exposed us to those flames and commotions which our sins have deserved, but that yet we sit under our Vines and Fig-trees, and none make us afraid.

Lastly, to cast Anchor on the Rock of Ages, and keep close to the Throne of Gace, to secure his love and care of us, his presence and Throne amongst us, who never dies, in whom there is everlasting strength, to get firm holdfast of those Comforts which have nothing of Mortality, nothing of Lu­bricity in them, which will stay with us while we remain here to sweeten all the passages of our Pilgrimage, and accompany us unto the pre­sence of the Lord, in whose presence is ful­nesse of Joy, and at whose Right Hand there are pleasures for ever more.