An Exposition of Hosea 11-13, Exposition · Chapter 11 · Verse 3
VER. 3.
I taught Ephraim alſo to go, taking them by their Arms: But they knew not that I healed them.
HEre we have the third degree of Gods goodneſs towards Ephraim, the fruit of his love, he call'd them out of Egypt, and he call'd upon them by his Prophets, and he taught them to go.
God here compares himſelf to a Nurſe, or to a tender Expoſ.Mother, or loving Father, that carries along the child, and guides the hand of it, and the feet of it; and as they are leading the children if there be any rugged foul way, the Nurſe or the Parent takes them up in their Arms, ſuch was my dealings towards Ephraim ſaid God. In Pſal 77. 20. God there is ſaid to lead them by the hand of Moſes and Aaron, like a flock of Sheep. But here he is ſaid to Pſal. 77. 20.lead them like a Nurſe, or a Parent, and this expreſſion ſeems to have reference unto that we have in Deut. 1. 31. In the Wilderneſs the Lord thy God did bear thee as a man doth The T…xt referred to Deut. 1. 31.bear his ſon in all the way that ye went; Look as a man leads his ſon by his hand, and when he comes to hard way doth bear him up and take him in his arms, ſo did the Lord thy God deal towards thee as a man to his ſon: for ſo he call'd Ephraim in the former verſe, his Son, he loved him when he was a child; ſo he is compared to to a child, and God to the parent that teaches him how to go, God taught them how to go in their way out of Egypt all along in the Wilderneſs until they came to Canaan
When they came firſt out of Egypt they knew not which way to go no more than a child, and if God had left them when they were brought out of Egypt, certainly they had periſhed in their way, the way was very full of difficulty in which they were to go and God did ſeem to leade them about, but the Scripture ſaith, He led them Pſal. 107. 7. obſerved.in the right way, in Pſal. 107. 7. though they were fourty years in the Wilderneſs, whereas they might have gone through within a few daies, yet ſtill they were led in the right way, God taught them to go.
From whence there are theſe Notes of Obſervation.
Firſt, When God calls his people out of afflictions, yet they Obſ. 1.know no more how to go, to guide themſelves in their way than a little child doth. We think if we be delivered from ſuch and ſuch an evil we are well, but when God doth grant deliverance if he ſhould leave us there, we ſhould quickly ſpoil our ſelves, we ſhould quickly turn the mercies that we have into miſery if we be left but a while; It is the pride of mens hearts that makes them venturous of them ſelves, hence they get many a knock and bruiſe; Oh! many ſtumble in their way and ſplit themſelves and periſh becauſe they will be going themſelves and not depend upon Gods hand.
We find by experience now God hath brought us out Uſe for England.of Egypt here, in great meaſure we are called out of Egypt, and we hope that God intends a Canaan to us, yet what children are we? we do not know how to ſtep a ſtep in our way, Oh! how often have we been at a ſtand in our way ſince God hath been pleaſed to call us out of Egypt? we have been at a maze; not knowing which way to take, this way or that way, Oh! how often have we fallen in our way, and gone aſtray? If ever people had need to have God to teach them how to go, then Our path untroden.have we at this day; our path is an untroden path, and there are many ſtumbling blocks in our way, we often ſtumble and fall in them; Poor children have not more need to have the hand of the Parent or Nurſe, when they go upon the Ice, in ſlippery waies, then we have need of the hand of God upon us to leade us in our way and to guide us. That's the firſt Note.
Secondly, The way that God leads people in many times Obſ. 2.may be a way of much difficulty; he ſaid, he taught Ephraim to go, and led him in the way. If we enquire what that way is? it was the way through the wilderneſs, yea, before they came into the wilderneſs, before they came at the Sea, in Exod. 14. 9. The Egyptians purſued after them, Exod. 14. 9.(all the Horſes and Chariots of Pharaoh, and his Horſemen, and his Army) and overtook them, encamping by the Sea, befides Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon. Pharaoh and all his hoſt purſued them, they were in a very ſtraight way, The Sea was before them, Pharaoh and all his Army was behind them, and they were encamping by the Sea, before Pi-hahiroth, at the mouth of thoſe Mountains, that the Mountains did compaſs them round about, and they were before Baal-zephon, that is, the god of watching, the Baal-zephon what?Egyptians God that they made accompt was the God that did watch thoſe that went out of their Country without any leave, they came before that God that was the God for their watching thoſe that went out of their their Country, and to keep them from going out, and between the Mountains, and the Sea before them, and a great Army behind them, and yet God taught them to go; what a way doth God teach them to go in? And then when they go further they muſt go through the Sea, or no other way, God taught them to go through the Sea, and when they have gone through the Sea, Is all the evil over? No, they muſt come into the waſt howling wilderneſs, and there be led along for fourty years together, and yet God doth reckon up his guidance of them here in this way as a fruit of his love.
So long as we are in Gods way, though the way be difficult, yet we have cauſe to bleſs God that we are in Uſe.his way, and let not us be troubled at the difficulty of our way when we ſee God before us, and leading us in our way.
Thirdly, Though we meet with difficulties in our way, yet God loves to teach his people how to go in their way; and the Obſ. 3.more difficult their way is, the more care hath God of them to teach them how to go. We do not find ſuch an expreſſion of Gods care of them to teach them in any other way but this of theirs, when they went firſt out of Egypt; becauſe that way was the moſt difficult, therfore God takes upon him in a ſpecial manner to teach them in that way.
Be not diſcouraged at your difficulties, but when you Uſe.are in your way, and your conſcience tels you that it is not a way that you have choſen to your ſelves, look up to God for guidance, cry to him; as you find in Pſal. 107. 6. They cryed to the Lord in their trouble; (and then verſ. 7.) Pſa. 107. 6. 7.he led them forth in a right way. Mark how theſe two are joyned together: They cryed to the Lord in their trouble, and he led them forth in a right way. When you are in ſtraights, cry to God in your trouble, the Lord will lead you forth in a right way. When we have been in the greateſt ſtraits England.and have had the hardeſt way to go, how hath God taken us up in his arms! Through Gods mercy, though we be very weak; yet we are gone on a great way even from Egypt, from our ſpiritual Egypt and bondage. It is unthankfulneſs in people, to ſay, We are in as bad a condition as ever we were. VVhat God may bring us to through the unthankfulneſs of men we know not, but certainly through Gods mercy we have been led along a great way in our journey, God hath taught us to go; it hath not been the wiſdom nor providence of men that hath carried us on in our way ſo far as we have been, no, we have found apparantly we are not much beholden to the wiſdom of men for that way that we have been carried on in, but 'tis God that hath come in in our ſtraits, we ſee by what hath fallen out, how we ſhould have periſhed in our way, we ſhould have returned into Egypt; how often have we been ready to think, Would things were with us as heretofore they have been: Oh! this hath been the peeviſhneſs of our ſpirits, to be thinking of turning into Egypt: as it was with this people, though God was with them in their way, yet often they thought of returning back again. We have been ready to be thinking of by-waies for our ſelves, and every one to be ſhifting his own way, and what croſs paths have we walked in, firſt one way, and then another way, undoing what we have done? Firſt engaging men, and then diſcouraging The changableneſs of thoſe that have been our guides.the ſame men that we have encoraged; though they have continued the ſame, yet our ſpirits have not continued the ſame towards them. VVe may apply that that you have in Jer. 31. 22. which is ſpoken in reference to their way, coming out of their captivity; How long Jer. 31. 22. enligntned and applied.wilt thou go about, O thou backsliding daughter? It may be well applied to England at this day; Oh! how long wil we go about? that is, ſhifting this way and that, and not daring to truſt God in his way; we are afraid that if we ſhould go on in the right path that God guids us in, that we ſhould miſcarry, and therefore we go about, and that's the reaſon it is ſo long before we have our deliverance, becauſe we go about, and do not follow Gods guidance in our way. There's an excellent promiſe that God makes to his people in Jer. 31. 9. in reference to the Jer. 31. 9. illuſtrated.guiding of them in their way from their Captivity; They ſhal come with weeping, and with ſupplications wil I lead them: I will cauſe them to walk by the rivers of waters, in a ſtraight way wherein they ſhall not ſtumble: for I am a father to Iſrael, aud Ephraim is my firſt born. This is a Scripture very ſutable to that Scripture we are now opening. It's a fruit of fatherly love to guide us in a ſtraight way, and keep us from ſtumbling. But mark how this ſhall be done: They ſhall come with weeping, and with ſupplications will I lead them. There muſt be weeping and ſupplication to It's a fruit of fatherly love to guide us in our way.cry to God for guidance in our way: As a poor child if it be left a little by the Mother or Nurſe, it ſtands crying to be guided in its way; and this ſhould be our care in all our ſtraights, not to fly upon this Inſtrument, or the other, but to cry to God to guide us in our way. We may apply this to Gods guidance of the ſoul from ſpiritual Egypt; when God brings the ſoul out of the ſpiritual Applied to the guidence of the ſoul.bondage he guides it in the way to heavenly Canaan: you whom the Lord are bringing out of your Spiritual Bondage, look up to God to teach you how to go: why? For your way is a hard way, it is a ſtraight way, it is a narrow way that you are going now, it hath many ſtumbling blocks in it, it hath many by-paths near it, that are very like to it; Your way is a very ſlippery way, Why the ſoul needs guidingand you had need be taught how to go; you may ſlip and fall and break your ſelves quickly if you be not taught how to go; you that are yong beginners in the way of Religion be not too confident in your own underſtanding, and your own ſtrength: many poor children Yong beginners not to be too confident.for want of the care of their Nurſes have gotten ſuch fals when they were children that have lam'd them and made them go crooked all their daies; and ſo it hath An apt ſimile.been with yong Profeſſors of Religion, many yong ones in the profeſſion of Religion, becauſe they have been too bold and confident in their own underſtanding, the Lord hath left them to ſuch fals that they prove but crooked all the daies of their profeſſion, but though they do go on in a way of profeſſion of Religion, they are but maim'd Profeſſors, crooked Profeſſors, becauſe of the falls that they have gotten when they were yong ones: And truly we have very great cauſe to fear that A propheſie touching the proof of much of the profeſſion of theſe times.who lives but a few years, to ſee thoſe that are yong Profeſſors of Religion now live to be ſomething old, I ſay, we have cauſe to fear that thoſe that live to ſee it, will ſee a great many maim'd and crooked Profeſſors of Religion, for there are a many yong ones in theſe ſlippery times gets fals that venture ſo much upon the Ice, upon doubtful things that they underſtand not, which get ſuch falls and bruiſes that are like to ſtick upon them as long as they live. Some of you it may be may remember when you were children you would uſe to venture upon the Ice, and be ſliding, and you got ſuch bruiſes then that now you feel them; Oh! let yong ones take heed of venturing upon doubtful things, let them look up to God to make their way plain before them, and not lean to their own underſtandings leſt they have falls (I ſay) by which they get bruiſes that they may feel another day.
And further: Seeing God makes it to be a fruit of his love Obſ. 4.to teach them how to go, when you ſee others ſlip and ſtumble in in the way of profeſſion of Religion and ſpoil themſelves, Oh bleſs God then for his mercy towards you, that he helps and teaches you in your way: As when a man is riding upon the road in winter time, it may be he ſees ſome before him whoſe Simile.horſes get into holes and ſtumble, and it may be the man breaks his leg or ſhoulder before him, if it proves not to be deadly to him; now if you ſhould ſee a man falling and breaking his leg or arms, falling down with his horſe in ſuch dangerous waies as there is in many places, would you not have cauſe to bleſs God that you are delivered from that, that God hath preſerved your limbs? Thus when you ſee Profeſſors falling in the way of profeſſion of Religion, Oh! bleſs God that he teaches you in your way, that he guides you. To women that are weak in waies that are ſlipery you will take hold of their hands to guide them; and ſo God doth to you, know the whol courſe of your way from ſpiritual Egypt to ſpiritual Canaan, it is Ice and rugged al the way, that God is fain to take you by the hand, and Oh! the goodneſs of God to condeſcend thus to his poor Creatures, to compare himſelf to a Nurſe, Oh! how often would we run into harms way (as we uſe to ſay) if God did not lead us?
And further, Take heed you who are weak and have need of teaching, that you be not wayward and wanton; that you be Obſ. 5.not fooliſh and unruly; and that you do not wilfully run into rugged and ſlippery waies: God indeed is as a Nurſe to teach you how to go, yea, but be not you as wayward and froward children that ſometimes tire their Nurſes; it's more difficult to teach ſome children than others how to go, they are ſo froward and wilful that they will go their own way, if the eye of their Nurſe be but from them never ſo little they will go their own way; Oh! take heed you be not among thoſe froward wilful children that will be going their own way.
Again further, I taught Ephraim to go.
Gods Miniſters and all of us ſhould labor to follow God in Obſ. 6.this way of his, that is, To have a tender care of others; we ſhould be like our Father: God takes a delight in teaching weak opes how to go, and in guiding of them in their way. Truly we that profeſs our ſelves to be Gods children, we ſhould imitate our Father, and eſpecially Gods Miniſters, they ſhould take a delight to help weak ones on in their way, and to carry weak ones in their very arms; that which God is ſaid here to do, Moſes in another Scripture is ſaid to do, as in Numb. 11. 12. Have Num. 11. 12.I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou ſhouldeſt ſay unto me, carry them in thy boſom, (as a Nurſing Father beareth a ſucking child) unto the Land which thou ſweareſt unto their Fathers? It ſeems Moſes, though he thought it to be very hard to bear ſo many people in his arms (as it were) yet God gave that Commiſſion to him, and he did it according as he was able, he did carry the people as a Nurſe, or a Father or Mother carrieth the ſucking child in their boſom.
Yea, And though Gods Miniſters meet with thoſe that are Obſ. 7.very froward, yet they muſt not be diſcouraged; we are as froward in reference unto God, as any can be in reference unto us, and therefore you muſt conſider you that are Miniſters, when you meet with yong Profeſſors, and others that are beginning in the waies of godlineſs, and you find them untoward and peeviſh many times, do not caſt them off becauſe of that; if God ſhould have caſt off you becauſe of that, what would have become of you? No, inſtruct them with meekneſs, even inſtruct them with meekneſs that oppoſe themſelves; though they kick and ſpurn, yet inſtruct them with meekneſs though they oppoſe themſelves, and in 1 Theſſ. 2. 7. we have a notable 1 Theſ. 2. 7. Miniſters pattern.pattern of a Miniſter there how he ſhould carry himſelf in this reſpect; But we were gentle among you, even as a Nurſe cheriſhes her children. Thus Miniſters ſhould be of gentle ſpirits, and know that God doth put them in place to teach children how to go in their way; and therefore we find it in Tit. 1. 7. that they muſt not be ſoon Tit. 1 7.angry, Miniſters muſt not be of angry diſpoſitions; you would be loth to put your children to froward Nurſes, An apt ſim…le.their very milk would ſome way favour of them, and your children may get a great deal of hurt by Nurſes that are pettiſh and froward; it is a ſpecial qualification and A Nurſes qualification.neceſſarily required in a Nurſe, that ſhe be of a gentle and patient diſpoſition: Now Gods Miniſters are compared to Nurſes, and do not think the compariſon too mean, for God himſelf is compared to a Nurſe, when he ſaith he taught Ephraim how to go.
And then laſtly, Seeing the tender care of God, like a Parent or a Nurſe towards the Child, is made an engagement to their duty, and an aggravation of their ſin, becauſe they were not what they ought to be. As if the Prophet ſhould have ſaid, Oh! therefore you ſhould have ſerved and loved the Lord that was ſo gracious to you as to teach you, but you have not done ſo, and therefore your ſin is greater. From whence the Note is,
That the love and tender care of Parents and Nurſes in bringing Obſ. 8.up children, and enduring much trouble with them, is a great judgment to children when they grow up to requite with duty and due reſpect their Parents and Nurſes; and if they do not it's a great aggravation of their evil. You that are grown up from children, remember the care, remember the ſorrow, remember the trouble of your bringing up, and be aſhamed of your undutifulneſs; How is it that Be aſhamed undutiful children.you have all your limbs, but from the care of your Parents and Nurſes? you are to bleſs God for your Parents care, and the care of thoſe to whom you were committed when you were children, and know that you owe due reſpect unto them for it. He is an Apoſtate to the great Law of Nature who Violates Charities due unto Parents and Nurſes. I remember I have read of the Piſidians, a certain Heathen people, that when they were a Feaſting at any time, the firſt fruit of all their Feaſt they The Piſidians.would offer to their Parents, as thinking it unſeemly for them to rejoyce in the uſe of the Creature without ſhewing due honor to their Parents from whom they had their being and education; Heathens have ever condemned undutifulneſs in children to be unnatural and liable to puniſhment, and they have puniſhed undutifulneſs; and the Law of God (we know) doth puniſh a ſtuborn child with death. But they knew not that I healed them.
Many times children, though there be a great care to Expoſ.teach them how to go, yet they will venture themſelves, and by their venturouſneſs and wantoneſs they get many a knock and bruiſe. So it was with this people, indeed my care was towards them, but they would go their own way, and they often bruiſed themſelves. Well, did God therefore reject them and ſay, It is through your own fault that you have gotten theſe bruiſes and maims. No, I healed them ſaith God. Though he were never ſo froward, and he got by that many bruiſes, yet my pity was ſo great that I healed thoſe very bruiſes and maims that he got by his wilfulneſs.
Though in the reading of this we may paſs it eaſily The text one of the moſt remarkable in Scripture.by, yet it is as notable a Scripture as moſt we have in the Book of God. What's the reaſon our conſciences do ſo miſgive us, and that we are ſo afraid that the Lord will leave us to our ſelves? when our conſciences accuſe us of this, Oh! we may thank our ſelves for it, the Lord ſhewed us another way, but we through our ſinfulneſs, and frowardneſs would go in our own way, Can we think that the Lord ſhould have care of us in our ſores that we got our ſelves by our wilfulneſs? yes, (ſaith God) ſuch was my compaſſion towards Ephraim, that I taught him how to go, and yet they got bruiſes, But I healed them afterwards.
That's the Note from it, God will not caſt off his children Obſ. 9.though they get hurt; yea, though they get hurt by their own ſin, yet the Lord is ſo gracious as to heal thm. You have a notable Scripture for this, in Iſa. 57. 17, 18. For the iniquity of his covetouſneſs was I wrath, and ſmote him: Iſa. 57. 17. 18I hid me and was wrath, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. He went on frowardly when I ſmote him; what then? in the 18. verſe, I have ſeen his waies. One would have thought that ſhould have followed, I have ſeen his waies, and I'le ſmite him, and plague him, and make him to know what it is to deal ſo frowardly and perverſely with me, but, behold the goodneſs of the Lord! Gods waies are not the waies of men, his thoughts are not our thoughts, for he ſaith, I have ſeen his waies, and will heal him, and reſtore comforts to him; I will not ſay, I will never leade him more, becauſe he would not regard my teaching but goes his own waies and gets many bruiſes; No, I have ſeen his waies and will heal him, and lead him notwithſtanding.
Oh! be not diſcouraged when you have gone out of UſeGods way, but be troubled and aſhamed, make uſe of this promiſe, the Lord ſees the frowardneſs of his people, and yet will heal them, and lead them, and reſtore comfort to them.
And my brethren, thus hath the Lord dealt graciouſly with us in our inconſiderate, fooliſh, ſinful courſes, Applicat. to England.how often we in this Land have been brought low by our inconſiderate, fooliſh waies, we have been ſore wounded, we have been in danger to bleed to death by the falls that we have got, we have often given all for gone as it were, mens waies have been ſo perverſe and croſs as there hath been little hope of any good, that ſometimes when we have met together we have even ſaid, al is gone, we are but betraied, and therefore there is little hope of any good; Have not we oftentimes ſaid thus? but the Lord hath come in and healed us, and that Scripture in Iſa. 57. hath been made good unto us, the Lord hath beheld the frowardneſs of our waies, and yet hath healed us, and yet hath led us. You have gone one in ſuch and ſuch waies ſaith God, and you have even undone your ſelves in them, and you were made but fools, and others ſquandered away your eſtates and nothing came of it; well, you knew not what to do, I'le leade you in waies that you do not think of, in ſuch waies as you have the leaſt hopes of good by, I wil lead you on in thoſe waies and reſtore comfort to you. My Brethren, the waies that the Lord hath this laſt Summer reſtored comfort to England by, were they waies that any of you did think of this time twelve month? Certainly it was never in the imaginations and thoughts of men to be brought in ſuch waies as the Lord hath lead us in, and reſtored comforts The New-Model of the Army, 1645.to us by, the Lord did ſee that the way of the old Soldery was not the way to reſtore comforts to England, but the Lord hath led us in other waies: well, let Gods healing of our bruiſes that we get in walking in our own waies make us thankful and careful that we run not wilfully into any ſuch waies any more, that we be not ſtill more ventrous, and more careleſs; if we be, God may ſuffer us to break our bones; for though God be patient and loving, and merciful, yet he hath times to leave men in the perverſneſs of their waies, it may coſt us dear before we are healed if God doth leave us, though God may not take away his love, to caſt us wholly off, I but we may be forced to cry again and again with David, in Pſal, 51. Reſtore to me the joy of thy ſalvation, that the bones which thou haſt broken may rejoyce; David would go out of Pſal. 5…his way, and he got ſuch a fal as he broke his bones; Oh! that the bones which thou haſt broken may rejoyce. When God heals us, he expects that we ſhould take notice of his work, that we ſhould acknowledg him. But mark what follows.
But they knew not that I healed them. I healed them ſaith God, but they knew not that I healed them.
My Brethren, that's the Note from it, God doth us Obſ. 10….much good that we know not of: I ſay, God doth us much good that we know not of; not only in preventing mercies in a day that we know not of, but in healing mercies, we attribute our healing to this and the other cauſe; but it is God that comes in in the uſe of means, ſomtimes comes in beyond means; though means oftentimes hath been uſed and no good hath been done by them, at laſt God by a ſecret and inviſible bleſſing he comes and heals us; we muſt not envie at the honor that is due to Inſtruments; But certainly by the healing that we have had this laſt Summer, we have cauſe to look beyond all men and means; though God hath uſed means, yet it is God that hath healed us, and they deſire that we ſhould attribute all the Glory to God, our healing hath been ſuch that except we even maliciouſly ſhut our eyes we cannot but know and acknowledg that God hath healed us in great meaſure; Oh! let not us by our pride and ſtoutneſs, our oppreſſion, our fooliſhneſs make it appear that we do not acknowledg that God hath healed us, God God ſtands much upon it to be acknowledged the healer of his people.ſtands much upon that, becauſe it is his Glory to heal his people therefore he ſtands much upon it to be acknowledged to be the healer of his people. For bodily healings we are ready to acknowledg thoſe that do heal us; What thankfulneſs is given to Phyſitians when they have been Inſtruments to heal our bodies; Before healing any body would ſay they would give, Oh! what would they give! al their eſtates that they might be healed of ſuch a diſeaſe; but when they are healed it may be they will neglect the Phyſitians, but 'tis thoſe that are of baſe ſpirits: but others are very ready to acknowledg thankfulneſs that way to the Phyſitians that heals their bodies: how gainful therefore is the practice of Phyſitians that God makes uſe of to heal mens bodies? I remember I have read of Lewes the Eleventh of France, Lewis the 11. of France.that for his Chaplins he allowed them twenty ſhillings a month, but for his Phyſi…ian, one John Cottiere, his allowance was ten thouſand Crowns a month; four Crowns would ſerve his Chaplin and ten thouſand for his Phyſitian, that's a gainful practice, becauſe men are more ſenſible of the healing of their bodies than the healing of their ſouls.
Well, any of you who have been in great ſickneſs and Uſe.diſtreſſes of body, yea, and in diſtreſſes of ſoul too, and are healed, do not you now by the frolickneſs of your ſpirits and the abuſe of your ſtrength in the waies of ſin, manifeſt that you do not know that God hath healed you, both in reſpect of National healing, and in reſpect of Perſonal healing; let every one make uſe of that of David in Pſal. 103. Bleſs the Lord, O my Soul, and all Pſal. 10. 3.that is within me bleſs his holy Name; and again, Bleſs the Lord O my ſoul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgiveth all thine iniquity, who healteh all thy diſeaſes. Oh! that we were able to joyn theſe two together now, Who forgiveth all thine iniquity, and healeth all thy diſeaſes. Healing is a Healing with forgiveneſs a ſweet mercy.mercy indeed, but then 'tis a mercy to purpoſe when it is a fruit of forgiveneſs, when we can make good the former; who forgiveth thine iniquitie, and healeth thy diſeaſes, when we can ſay our healing is a fruit of our forgiveneſs; God hath in great meaſure healed the Land and Nation, Oh that we could ſay that he had forgiven us! our healing without our forgiveneſs will be to little purpoſe, and therefore in the times of our greateſt wounds we ſhould cry for forgiveneſs in the firſt place, and not be ſatisfied with anie healing without forgiveneſs of our ſins. And ſo particularlie, God hath healed ſome of your diſeaſes in body, it may be your families have had Applied to viſited families & perſonsthe Plague, or ſome other diſeaſe, Pox, or Meaſels, why the Lord hath been pleaſed to heal you, you were in a ſad condition then, and the Lord hath healed your families, yea, but can you put both together, bleſs the Lord who hath forgiven the iniquitie of my familie, and healed the diſeaſes of my familie? And ſo for your own particulars, do not ſatisfie your ſelves with this, that you have your healths reſtored you, except you can bleſs the Lord who hath forgiven mine iniquity, and healed my diſeaſes; when thou findeſt the one, that thou art healed, be not ſatisfied except by faith thou canſt ſee the other, that thou art likewiſe forgiven all thine iniquities. And thus much for the third Verſe.