Contell'/IIJtions. Lr.B.XX. BabyIonwas ibotterSchoole ro rhec,then Jerufalem: what fooles are we to frownc A upon our afllic!lions? Thcfe, how crabbed foever, are our bdt friends. They are not, indeed, for our pleafure, they are for our profit:rheir iflue makes them worthy ofawelcome. What doe wee care how bitter that potion bee which brings health! How far aman may goe,andyet turn!Could therebe fouler fins then thefc~ Loe, here was Idolatry in the height,violation ofGods houfe,forceries ofall kinds,bloody cruelty to his own fleth, to the Saints of God; and allthefe againft the ftream ofa religious inftitution,of the zealous counfelsofGodsProphets, ofthe checks of his own heart. Who can complain that the way ofheaven is blocked up againft him', when he fees fuch a finner<nter! Sly the worft againft thy fdfe, 0 thou clamorousfoule; B Here is one that murthered men,defied God,worthipt devils ;andyet finds the way ro repentance;ifthou beworfe then he,deny (ifthou canfi) charta thy fdfe, which God bath not denied to thee,capacicy ofgrace: In the meane time,know that it is nor thy fin,but thineimpenitence char barres heaven againft thee. Prefume not yet , 0 man', whofoever thou art,ofthe liberty ofthy converfion; as ifthoucouldeft run on lawlefly in acourfe of!inning, rill thou come to the brim •ofhd1and then couldft fuddenly flop,and return at leilure: the mercy ofGod never fer period to a wilfull finner ; neither yet did his own corrupt defires ; fo as when heisgonerhefurtheft,he could yetfiayhimfelfe from another ftep: No man rhat truly repents is refufed: but many aone finnes fo long, that he cannor repent. Hiscutlomeofwickedndfehathobdor<dhisheart, and made it flint to all good c impreffions. There were Iero~oams, and Ahijams, aoo Ah•hs,and loafoes, and Abazts, in thefe facred Thrones, there was but one uua~affeb. God h0th not left in any mans hand rhe raincs ofhis own heart,to pace,and turne, and ftop as he lifts ; This priviledge is refervcd to himchat made it ; It iJ nllofhim tb•t.,ils, ~" ofbim th•t rons,hNtofGod thil f11tOJts mtrCJ :and that mercy neglcc!lcd,juttly binds over to judgment. I wonder not at M•nAJ[eh,either finning,or repenting;I wonder at thy goodnelfe 0 Lord,who after thy juft permiffio ofhis fin,callefi him thus gracioully to repent; and fo receiveft him repenting: So as M41111Jth was not amore loathfome and monftrous fpec!lacle ofwickednelfe, then he is now a pleating and ufcfull pmerne of converfion ; Who can no1v defpairc of thy mercy, 0 God , that fees the tears ofa D 011•••f?eh accepted ! when we have debauchedour worft, our evill cannot match with thy goodnelf<; rather it is the praife ofthy infinite ftore, that where finne abounds,grace abounds much more; 0 keep us from a prefumption ofgrace,rhar we may repenr;and raife us from adiftruft ofgrace, when we have repented. Nofooner is UU•n•ffih penitent, then he is fre<1 his prayers have ar once loofed him from his fins,and from hischaines1and ofa captive have made him aKing; and from the dungeon ofBabylon have retlored him to the Palace of}erufalem: How eafie is it for the fame hand that wounds,to cure: What cannot fervent prayers doe, either for our refcuing from evill,or for our invdling with ~ood! Then Manaffih kmwthattbe Lordhe w...-God.Then!aod not before!Could hisyongcr yeares elcaperhe knowledge ofGods miraculous deliverance ofJerufalem from E the Affyrians! Could he but know the flaughrer that Gods Angell made in one night ofan hundred fourefcore and live rhoufand~ Could he but have heard the JU!l revengeupon Senachtrih? Could he be ignorancofhis farhers fupernarurall re_cove· ry! Could he but fee that everlafting monument ofrhe noted degrees m the Dtall of Ah•ZJ'Could he avoid the fenfe ofthofe lifteene yeare~, which ~vere fupe~-added to his fathers age!What oneofthefe proofesdothnor evmce a Deuy~ Yer,ull hiS own fmarundcurc, UUanaffib knew not tharrhe Lord was God• . Fo~liOt !inners ply deare forrheir ~now ledge; neitherwill _indare to be ta"&hl good-chrape: fo we have foen retly horfes rhat will not move t11l they bleed With the fpur: So w< have feen dull and carelelfe children, that will learne nothing but what isput into themwith the rod. The
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