g Bethink your ſelves what Words will beſt {ct out your Sins, God s Patience towards you, and your preſent Sorrow and Repentance for Sin 3 prepare your ſelves to make Confeſſions, Petitions, Vows and Praiſes to God. h With Words join Decds, let your Hearts be in your Words, turn, do not as the incorrigible Hypocrite. 2 SEe Ver. I. let. c. k Prav, prefent your Petitions to him who heareth Pra; er z here is no mention of Sheep or Oxen, or any legal Sacrifices : true Repentance is required, which is much better, Faith and Hope through the great Sacrifice, in virtue of which theſe Converts expett the Grace they need and ſeek. { This Petition for Pardon of vin in- cludes Confeihon of it, Sorrow for it, Hope that God will of mere Grace forgive it, and take away the Guilt, prevent the Puniſhment, and aboliſh the Power of Sin, not of ſome, but of all ; fincere Converts ſeek full Juſtification, and full Sanctification. m2 Into thy Proteftion, Guidance and Benedittion. # And this of thy mere Grace and Good neſs, having; taken away Sin, take allo graciouſly our Perſons as re- conciled, and well-pleating to thee. o This will qualify and encou- rage us to give the Sacrifices which are to Gol much more pleaſing than an Ox that hath Horns and Hoofs ; 7/al. 69. 31. with theſe Calves of our Lips we will give onr Hearts allo, for thoſe Praiſes of the Lips are Fruits of what Praiſe the Heart of the Convert firft gives; and thele here are Signs of their Heart given to God, that ſo they may be Spiritual 'Sacrifices, ſuch as Pſal. 55. 13. or Heb. 13. 15.
3 Aſher ſhall not fave us p, * we will not ride upon horſes q, neither will we ſay any more to the work of our hands, Te are our Gods r : for in thee s the fatherleſs t findeth mercy x.
p It had been one great Sin of 7/razI that they cid truſt to an Arm of Fleſh 3 Afrer is particularly rame:!, for thar tie was the laft with whom they made a Co\ienant fairly, or above-board ; but any other foreign Aids and Friendſhips may be here underſtood, God promil- ed his peculiar Protettion, and wouid have continued it it they had not caſt him off, and truſted to Man. q Another Fault of theirs was, they multiplied Horſes, and truſted to their Strength, which God for- bal ; this includes their home Strength anda Provition of all ſorts. r They had muft brutiſhly chought their Idols: would be Gods to help them : this the particular Conteſhon of their great comprehentive Sins, which brought on many others with them ; Now they renounce as well as confeſs them, and ſuch renouncing is neceſſary, and ground- ed on Hope of finding Metcy, as appears by s the Reaton they give of their renouncing thete Sins and vain Confidences in God, to whom they return, in him only there is Help to be had. rt All that are de- ſtitute of Strength in themlelves, and deſtirute of Help from others ; all that being ſenſible of their own helpleſs Condition look for it from God who hath lower, Mercy and Wildom to help and relieve. u Ob- taineth as often as he dovs rightly lue for. x Both Fountain and Streams of Goo:Incſ too, free Grace, and rich Bounty.
4 I will heal y their backſlidings z, I will love | them freely a: for mine anger is turned away from him b.
» It is a uſual Metaphor in Scripture, Sin is our Diſeaſe, God is the Phytician who healeth us, Pſul. 103. 3. and Fer, 3. 22. and he doth it through Chriſt, in whom this Promile is made to returning Backſlid- ers. 1 his Promiſe God maketh by his Prophet to encourage them to hearken to his Advice of repenting. 2 Averhons, voluntary and wil- tul turning away trom God, wcll expre[s'a here, and called Rebellions by ſome other Interpreters: theſe voluntary, continued, and obftinate Avertions or Packſlidings are Inftances of greateſt Sins and Sinners ; vet God promileth to heal theſe old purrifying Sores, that we might be ailur'd rhat he will heal all other I-ffer Wounds: He will tully heal by pardoning and purifying. + Lhough before he hated, could take no Pleaiure in them, now he will ſhew that his Mind and Heart are rowarus them to accept them, and do th?em Good, a Without their Deſert, and without Younds of Time or Meaſure, or Kind, All kinds of Mercies, Fruit of his Love, infinicc Mercy in Grace an Glory, e- ternal Mcicies his Love will afford to them. This is liberal Love in- deed, this promiſed here. 6 I am reconciled to them, my Diſpleature IS turned away,
5 I © will be as the dew d unto lirael c : he ſhall || £row as the lilly Ff, fend + caſt forth bis roots as Le- banon g.
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e The Lord, who have pardoned, am appea(el. * Reireſh and wa- ter, that they may grow, and that they may be fruitful, and flouriſh, as the Dew in thoſe Countries, where *twas more abundant than wit! us, and for ſome Months together ſupplied the want of Rain ; Gog will refreſh and comfort, and make fruitful in good Works, through his Grace, ſuch as return to him, e Thoſe that do unfeign2dly, noe hypocritically confeſs, pray and repent. f Which grows apace, i; fra. grant, beautiful, and delights in Valleys, often grows among Thorn ; lo the Jjrael of God among Troubles in low State, yet comely and fr;- grant to the Lord, and grows up in him ſpeedily. g Put tor the Trees of Lebanon : as thole Trees ſpread forth their Roots, grow up to Strength, are moſt beautiful, odoriferous and durable, Cedars in Lebg- 20n are theſe Trees, ſo ſhall the true 1ſrael, converted Backſliders he —_ of God ; ſo flouriſhing and happy ſhall the Church be under Chriſt,
6 His branches þ ſhall - ſpread z, and * his beauty ſhal]} hy
us Cir ant,
be as the olive-tree k, and his ſmell as Lebanon J.
h His tendereft Branches, which are new ſprung out, ſhall gather Strength, not be broken off, but by theſe shall they multiply in Num. ns ber of Boughs. 7 Grow great and beautiful, and excellent for Shade,
t Which retains his Verdure all the Winter, and is rich in Fruit ; 6 the true J/rael of God $hall flourish not in fruitleſs Beauty and Stateli. neſs, but in defirable and lovely Fruit, even in Winters of Afflition and Troubles. 1 The Mountain famous for Cedars, where alſo were the Trees that afford the Frankincenſe, which ſweat out that excel. lent Aromatick, and where many more ſweeteſt Flowers grow, and perfume the Air ; ſuch hall the ſpiritual Fragrance of the Church he to God and Man. :
7 They that dwell under his ſhadow #2 ſhall re-
urn #, they ſhall revive as the corn o, and || grow #0