Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life

but when he sees men are willing to fore-go their most darling delightful sins, willing to break off all impediments that stand between God and them, the Soul of God is grieved in such a case, and it pities him now that such a soul should be without him; and then it will not be long ere God stirs them up means of deliverance, and he himself will reveal himself unto them. Notable is that speech, Hos. 14.3.8. when they take words to themselves, and promise to leave all their evil ways, whereby they sin against God, they make this request to God, That he would take away their iniquities from them; and least God should answer them, but be you doing something in the mean▪ time; they profess, that for their own parts they will set about the doing of their iniquities away, and they say; Ashur shall not save us, and we will have no more to do with them; wherein he shows you, that God looks not that only his people shall pray him to take away their iniquities, for we may pray so long enough, and not find it done; but when we desire God to do it, and set our hearts and hands to it, and now with heart and hand say, Ashur shall not save us, nor will we say any more to the works of our hands, Ye are our gods; then saith God in vers. 4. I will heal their back-slidings, and will love them freely, &c. God is then abundantly ready to pardon, when men forsake their own ways and thoughts, and throw away the sins that hang about them, God will say of such a people, I will heal them, and love them freely, ⟨p. 21⟩mine anger is turned away from them. And you may presume, when Gods anger is turned away, it is by and through Christ, or else there is no healing; and therefore in vers. 8. Ephraim saith, What have I to do any more with Idols; the heart of a Christian, or of a Nation, shall openly acknowledge, that they will have no more fellowship with these abominations; and then faith God, I have heard him, and observed him. God hears us, and understands what we say, and observes us well, and offers to be a covert to us from the storm, when we begin solemnly to abandon such evils, then he hears us, and answers us according to the desire of our hearts; you have many a soul that cries to God, Take away our iniquity, and many Petitions we put up to God to that purpose; and that sometimes with many bitter moans, but God hears it not;

but when he sees men are willing to fore-go their most darling delightfull sins, willing to breake off all impediments that stand between God and them, the Soule of God is grieved in such a case, and it pitties him now that such a soule should be without him; and then it will not be long ere God stirres them up meanes of deliverance, and he himselfe will reveale himselfe unto them. Notable is that speech,