Phile. I• this history many notable things are to be learned. First, if a•• such as God intendeth to save, […] ⟨p. 81⟩offend, and break his holy commandments, the Lord will not suffer them to escape unpunished, but he visiteth them with his loving rod of fatherly correction, that by this means he may call them to repentance & save them. Secondly, we learn, that when the Lord correcteth us, & casteth us into trouble, than as we see in Manasseh, we make haste unto the Lord, seek him, pray unto him, hum ble our selves before his divine majesty, & become new men, as the psalmograph saith: When he slue them,1 they sought him, and turned them early, & enquired after God. And they remembered, that God was their strength, and that the •hie God was their redeemer. God him self also saith by the Prophet: In their adversity they shall early seek me,2 & say: come, let us turn again unto the Lord, for he hath ⟨p. 82⟩smitten us, and he shall heal us: he hath wounded us, and he shall bind us up again. Thirdly it setteth forth unto us the great and exceeding mercies of God toward penitent sinners, whom so soon as they convert & turn, he receiveth into his favour, forgiveth them, taketh away his plagues, and restoreth them to their former, or else much better state according to this saying of the Prophet.3 If the ungodly will forsake his ways, & the unrighteous his imaginations & turn again unto the lord, the Lord will surely have pity on him, for he is very ready to forgive. Fourthly, we learn of this history: what the duty of such is, whom God to fore hath plagued, and now restored to their former state. Verily, to become new men, to walk for ever after in the fear of God, to mortify their carnal affects, ⟨p. 83⟩to flee from sin, as from a venomous Serpent, to garnish their conversation with godly and christen manners,4 and to serve the Lord God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their life. So saith the Psalmograph:5 It is greatly for my profit, that thou, O Lord hast corrected me, that I may learn thine ordinances. Here to pertaineth the saying of the Prophet.6 Vexation giveth understanding (O Lord) thou hast corrected me, and thy chastening have I received, as an untamed calf, saith the prophet Jeremiah.7 Turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art my Lord God: yea, as as soon as thou turnest me. I shall reform my self, & when I understand, I shall smite upon my thigh.
Phile. I• this history many notable thin•ges are to be learned. First, if a•• such as God entendeth to saue, 〈…〉 ⟨p. 81⟩offend, and breake his holy commaundementes, the Lord wil not suffer them to escape vnpunished, but he visiteth them with his louing rod of fatherly correction, that by this meanes he may call them to repentaunce & saue them. Secondly, we learne, that whan the Lorde correcteth vs, & casteth vs into trouble, than as we see in Manasses, we make haste vnto ye Lord, seke him, pray vnto him, hū ble our selues before his deuine maiestie, & become new men, as ye psalmograph saith: When he slue thē,1 they sought him, and turned them early, & enquired after God. And they remembred, that God was their strengthe, and that the •hie God was their redemer. God him self also saith by the Prophet: In their aduersitie they shall ear•y seke me,2 & say: come, let vs turn again vnto the Lorde, for he hath ⟨p. 82⟩smitten vs, and he shall heale vs: he hath wounded vs, and he shall bind vs vp againe. Thirdly it setteth forth vnto vs the great and exceding mercies of God toward penitent sinners, whome so sone as they cōuert & turn, he receiueth into his fauor, forgeueth them, taketh away his plagues, and restoreth them to their former, or els muche better state accordinge to this saying of the Prophet.3 If the vngodly will forsake his waies, & thunrighteous his imaginations & turn again vnto ye lord, the Lord will surely haue pity on him, for he is very ready to forgeue. Forthly, we learne of this history: what the duty of such is, whom God to fore hath plagued, and now restored to their former state. Uerely, to become newe men, to walke for euer after in the feare of God, to mortify their carnall affectes, ⟨p. 83⟩to fle from sinne, as from a venomous Serpent, to garnishe their conuersation with godly and christen manners,4
- 1Psal. lxxviii.
- 2Ose. vii.
- 3Isaiah. lv.Esay. lv.
- 4Luke. i.
- 5Psal. cxix.
- 6Esa. xxviii.
- 7Jer. xxxi.Ier. xxxi.
