Returning unto God the great concernment of a covenant people. Or A sermon preached…

These Words, are a gracious Invitation from Heaven, unto a sinful backsliding People: in which Invitation, there are four Particulars contained. 1. The Subjects concerned, Israel. i. e. the Lords Covenant People. The very name of Israel, did put them in mind of the Covenant that was between the Lord and them. They were descended from Israel an holy man, that was eminently interested in Gods Covenant, and did themselves profess that they were the Lords People. 2. Here is the matter of the Invitation, in that word Return; implying, that they had not been duly mindful of that Covenant and engagement unto God, which was upon them, and that therefore it did concern them to Repent, and in that way to Renew their Covenant. 3. Here is the Object unto which they should return, The Lord. In the Hebrew it is [gnad Jehovah, usque ad Dominum] ^(a)even as far as unto the Lord: intimating, that they had departed far from him, and that a continued and through Conversion was necessary. It was requisite, that they should not only begin to Return, but never leave Turning, until they were come quite over unto the Lord, so as to become wholly subject unto him in every thing. Even unto the Lord, who is here described from his Relation unto them as their God, Thy God. Which also doth respect the Covenant between God and them, whereby God became theirs, and they His. Both expressions do imply strong Motives ⟨p. 2⟩unto Repentance. q. d. The Lord Jehovah, is an universal good, and the fountain of all mercies and good things, without whom there is no life, no happiness to be had or to be hoped for. Therefore Return unto him. And inasmuch as He is Thy God, He is gracious and willing to accept of thee, in case thou shalt unfeignedly Return unto Him. Therefore Return. 4. This duty is urged from the necessity of it, For thou hast fallen by thine iniquity ^(b)q d. Thou art Fallen into a woeful pit of sin and misery, into a gulf of destruction, and art not able to save thy self, so that there is no way left but this one, of Returning to thy God. Wherefore the Doctrine from the words, is,

THese Words, are a gracious Invitation from Heaven, unto a sinfull backsliding People: in which Invitation, there are four Particulars contained. 1. The Subjects concerned, Israel. i. e. the Lords Covenant People. The very name of Israel, did put them in mind of the Covenant that was between the Lord and them. They were descended from Israel an holy man, that was ominently interested in Gods Covenant, and did themselves profess that they were the Lords People. 2. Here is the matter of the Invitation, in that word Return; implying, that they had not been duly mindfull of that Covenant and ingagement unto God, which was upon them, and that therefore it did concern them to Repent, and in that way to Renew their Covenant. 3. Here is the Object unto which they should return, The Lord. In the Hebrew it is [gnad Jehovah, usque ad Dominum]