Seven godly and learned sermons preachedSeuen godly and learned sermons preached

Thou hast, O Lord, sent unto us thy measure, thou hast given us thy squire, whereby to measure and rule our lives: thou hast sent, I say, unto us thy Gospel, thy holy word, the light of thy dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, whereby we may guide our selves, & direct our ways upon the earth. And when we shall thus live, when we shall once begin so to direct our doings, as Gods Gospel teacheth, & his holy word commandeth us; then shall the earth bring forth her increase, then shall she yield us her fruit in due season. For like as God. ⟨image 33⟩when we turn from him, following our own lusts and desires, plagueth and punisheth us: so when we repent and return unto him, he is good, he is loving, he is merciful unto us. Turn unto me, ¹saith God, by his prophet Jeremiah, and I will turn unto you. ²When soever a sinner repenteth him of his sins, I will forget his iniquities, saith the Lord. It is the Lord that giveth us fruit, it is the Lord that maketh the ground fertile; it is not the ground of it self that bringeth forth fruit, it is not the corn that feedeth us, it is the blessing of God, the blessing I say of God alone. And therefore saith the prophet David, ³If thou O Lord, wilt open thy hand, then all things shall be filled with thy blessing. It is the Lord that maketh the Sun to shine,⁴ the Moon to give light, the rain to fall on the earth. I am the Lord that doth all this, saith God. David also in his Psalm saith,⁵ Sciant quòd manus tua fecit haec, Let them know, O Lord, saith he, that thy hand alone hath done these wonders. It is God, I say, ⟨image 33⟩that causeth the earth to be fruitful, and bring forth increase, it is God that causeth the heavens to hear the earth, the earth to cry unto the Heavens. Your harts shall be full of my blessing, saith the Lord. If we shall forsake our sins, if we will leave our wickedness, and turn unto God, our harts shall be full of his blessing, and then shall the earth bring forth her increase: the earth this dead thing, this unsensible thing, this mass of clay, at Gods commandment, at his will and pleasure, it shall bring forth corn, it shall bring forth grass, and all other kind of fruits, to serve them, that never think upon him that bestowed them. O that we were kind, that we were not unmindful, that we would remember God: