An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eleventh, twelfth, & thirteenth chapters of…

God is not so much displeased at our sins, as at our not returning. He doth not say, that the Assyrian should rule over ¹them because they had sinned, but because they refused to return. It is too much that thou hast sinned, but as soon as ever thou hast sinned it concerns thee to think of returning, God expects presently as soon as ever the sin is taken notice of, that thou shouldest begin to return, it is dangerous to continue in sin in the least; this aggravates thy sin dreadfully, and endangers thy sealing up to wrath everlasting.

1. 1Obs. 2.

And then Thirdly, He refuses to return, after all means used, after all mercies tendered, after all callings after thee, yet to ¹stand out, this is yet worse. Not to return is evil, but to refuse to return notwithstanding means used, mercies tendered, Oh this is fearful indeed!

1. 1Obs. 3.

Oh! lay this to heart thou convicted sinner, what offers ¹of mercy hath God made to thee? what calling unto mercy hast thou heard, outward calls, inward calls of the the Spirit of God. Oh! how hath God called after thee, Return, return thou Shulamite; Return, return, return thou wretched wilful sinner, Oh come in and return, what means of all sorts hast thou had to cause thy ⟨p. 109⟩