THe worthy Prophet doth in this present Chapter , Vers. 2. not onely invite the people to repentance , and to revert from their wicked waies , Vers. 3. but doth also shew unto them the manner how they should performe it : Take unto you words , and return unto Iehova , & say unto him , Take away all iniquitie , & receive us graciously , and we will render unto thee the Calues of our lips , &c.

And to animate and strengthen them herein , hee doth plainly shew them , that this their humiliation and reversion shall not bee in vaine ; but God will answer them in a most compassionate and comfortable manner , I will heale their Rebellions , I will love them freely , &c.

The limit of my now intended discourse lies within the compasse of these words , I will heale their Rebellions . In which I consider the subject and the predicate ; the matter subject in these wordes , I will heale ; the predicate in these wordes , their Rebellions . And first for the matter subiect : In which I consider two things , the Person , and the Action : The Person emphatically set forth unto us in the pronoune Ego , I. The Action in the word Heale , I will heale . And first for the Person , I : In which we may briefly consider two things , first , that it is God that doth * * Esay 43.25 . heale Sinne ; secondly , that he is ready to perform that Cure . First , that it is God that doth heale Sinne , I will heale their Rebellions : and that two manner of waies , first by not imputing Sinne ; secondly by quenching the flame thereof , burning and arising within us , by the force of his Holy Spirit . First by not imputing Sinne , therefore saith the Lord to his people , I have put away thy Transgressions like a Cloud , Esay 42.22 . Heb. 10.17 . Rom. 8.1 and thy Sinnes as a Mist , that is , in respect of imputation : So that to these there is no condemnation ; wherefore , saith David , Blessed is the man , to whom the Lord imputeth not Sinne. Psal. 32. Againe , he healeth our sinne by quenching the inherent flame thereof by the force of his Holy Spirit : for it is the operation of Gods Spirit to beat downe sinne , Rom. 6.6 . to mortifie corruption , and to renew in us the Image of God . Thus wee see , Ephes. 4.24 . that it is God that healeth sinne , as the efficient and principall Agent : Therfore to him let us seeke , of him let us desire the pardon and remission of our sinnes , of him let us intreat for the force of his Holy Spirit , to quench the flame of our inborne Corruption , bidding a farewell to all Romish superstitions , indulgences , satisfactions and invocations of Saints , for our God is a iealous God , and will not give his Glory to another .

Againe , as it is proper unto God alone to heale Sinne , so hee is most ready to performe that Cure , which is , the second point to bee considered . No sooner did Ephraim submit himselfe , and intreat the pardon of iniquitie , but presently the Lord replies , I will heale their Rebellions ; plainly witnessing that he is not wanting to us , if wee be not wanting to our selves : but if wee acknowledge our miserie , and moure for our transgression , he is most ready to cure us : Oh how frequent are examples in this kinde ! When David from his mourning soule did cry out , 2. Sam. 12.15 . peccavi , I haue sinned , presently God had his Messenger ready to speake comfort to his soule , Thy Sinne is put away . When that Luxurious sonne , that had prodigally spent his portion , Luke 15. did but once cry out , Father , I have sinned against Heaven and against thee , and am no more worthy to bee called thy Sonne , presently his loving Father did runne to meet him , hee did embrace him in his armes , hee did kisse him with the kisses of his mouth , and gave him royall entertainement . Alas , Luk. 7.38 . when deepe wandring Mary had the feeling of her Misery , that shee came and stood at the feet of CHRIST , wept and mourned for her transgression , oh how soone were the gates of Mercy opened unto her ; how soone did shee heare a comfortable absolution ? Oh that then wee would bee cautions , that wee be not wanting to our selves by the hardnesse of our hearts , refusing this blessed Cure : Cant. 5.2 . we haue Christ Iesus crying unto us with sweet and familiar termes , Open unto mee , my sister , my love , my dove , my undefiled . Rev. 3.20 . Hee tells us , that hee stands and knockes at the doore : If any man open unto him , hee will come unto him , and will supp with him . Oh that then wee would endeavour to open our hearts to entertaine this heavenly Physitian , that hee might heale and cure the deepe corruptions of them , lest whilst wee keepe fast the doore of our hearts , at length the doore of mercie bee shut against us , and wee perish in the loathsome desease of our sinne and wickednesse : And so much briefly for the person , emphatically set forth in the pronoune Ego , I ; I will heale their Rebellions .

Come we now unto the Action , exprest in the word heale ; by which Metaphoricall speech is plainly intimated , that sinne is a desease : for as there are corporeall Maladies that doe affect the body , so there are spirituall Maladies that doe affect the soule .

Wherefore to insist upon this Metaphor , and the more cleerly to shew , that sinne is a desease , even a furious and a grievous desease , that doth in a speciall manner oppresse , contaminate and infect the soule ; we may fitly compare it to a Fever , to a Leprosie , to a Phrensie , to a Lethargie . And first unto a Fever , and that in a fivefold respect ; first in regard of debilitation : for as a Fever doth wonderfully debilitate and weaken the body , making it unfit to performe any validious exercise , so dealeth sinne with the soule , it so weakens it that it becoms unable to performe any holy duty , Prov. 15.18 . any fit action pleasing in the sight of God : for what saith Salomon ? The sacrifice of the wicked is abhominable unto God , Heb. 11.6 . all he doth is odious in his sight : for , as the author to the Hebrewes speakes , without faith it is impossible to please God . But where sinne hath plenall domination , there sauing faith hath no impression : therefore it followes , that all that these doe , is utterly dispeasing unto God . Thus first sinne is fitly compared unto a Fever in respect of debilitation , it so weakens the soule , that it makes it unable to doe any thing that is savorie in the sight of God .

Secondly , sinne is fitly compared unto a Fever propter gustum , in respect of tast : for as to him that is affected with a vehement Fever the most sweetest things become bitter and distastfull , so is it where the soule is laden with impiety , Psal. 19.10 . there the most wholsome and pleasant things ( that which David proclaimes was sweeter to him than hony and the hony combe ) becomes most sharp and unsavory . What could bee more sweet than Christs most heavenly speech delivered in the sixt of Iohn ? Ioh. 6.53 , 54. Except yee eate my flesh and drinke my bloud , yee have no life in you . Whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud , hath eternall life , &c. Oh what could bee more sweet than this heavenly voice ? but what could bee more harsh , Ioh. 6.60 . or more distastfull to the soule-sick carnall Capernaites ? therfore they cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 : oh this is a hard speech , who is able to heare it ? Againe what could be more sweet than our Saviours blessed speech to that penitent sinfull woman , Luke 5. pronouncing to her a most comfortable absolution , Thy sinnes be forgiven thee ? yet what could bee more displeasing to the arrogant Pharisees ? Luke 7.49 . therefore they murmured among themselves , Who is this , that even forgiveth sinnes ? Thus secondly sinne may fitly bee compared to a Fever propter gustum , in respect of tast : for it makes the sweetest and most savorie nutritives , to seem as if they were most sharp and violent distructives .

Thirdly , sinne is fitly compared to a Fever , in respect of digestion : for as the fierce inflaming Maladie doth so oppresse the stomack , that it disables it to admit digestion to the most wholsome food , but oft makes it become so loathsome to it , that it doth evomere , send it forth againe ; so dealeth sinne with the soule , it disables it to admit digestion to the most heavenly things , but makes them so loathsome to it , that it suffers it not to possesse so much as any quiet impression : Hence it was , that though Noah spake to the old world to returne from their impieties , Gen. 6.3 . or else the Lord would destroy them by a generall deluge from off the face of the earth : though he did build the Arke in their sight , to shew the certainty of this iudgement , unlesse they would revert , and continued this admonition by the space of a hundred and twenty yeeres ; yet behold their miserable state , they admit it no digestion , but did as it were evomere , send it forth againe : for their soules were full of sinne , the imaginations of their heart even altogether wicked . Gen. 19.14 . Though Lott proclaimed the voice of God to the wicked Sodomites , that they should depart from that pernitious citie , for God would destroy it : alas , they held it ridiculous , they admit it no digestion , for their soules were full of sinne . Exod. 5.1 . Though Moses delivered the expresse word of God to Pharaoh , that he should let his people goe , and free them from their grievous captivity : alas , his stomack would not beare it , hee would give it no passage , but t was loathsome unto him . therefore hee replied , Ver. 2. Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce ? what , is there any that can command me ? any , to whom my Scepter should stoup ? for his soule was full gorged with horrid sinnes . So though the Lord by his Prophet Ieremy , Ier. 18.11 . did plainly witnesse against the wicked ones of those times , that he had prepared a plague for them , that hee had purposed a thing against them , and therefore invited them to returne from their sinister waies , to prevent that fearfull stroke of his iustice : alas , they would none of it , they admit it no digestion , but returne it up again , Ier. 18 . 1● . desperately answering , Wee will walke after our owne imaginations , wee will doe every man after the stubbornnesse of his wicked heart , for their soules were full of sinne . So our blessed Saviour gave that yongue Man in Mathewes Gospell a speciall Cordiall , to revive his dying spirits , Mat. 19.21 . to cure that great disease , the Philarguria of his soule , but oh the misery of that fearfull sinne , it suffers it not to worke upon him , it sends it up againe : alas , he went away sorrowing . Mat. 19.22 . Faine hee would have retayned Christs blessed potion , but the strength of his disease would not admit it ; therefore he bids a farewell to Christ Iesus . Thus thirdly sinne is fitly compared to a fever . It takes away the stomack of the soule , and makes it unable to digest the most wholsome things .

Fourthly , sin is fitly compared to a Fever propter inflammationem , in respect of fierce and violent inflamation : for as that virulent Maladie burnes , and with its unnaturall heat torments all the vitall and spirituall powers , so deales sinne with the soule , for even oft in this life , it fearfully inflames it , burnes it , and fills it full of wrathfull horror : For although wicked and prophane persons doe many times passe by the remembrance of their sinnes , either by lascivious discourses , vaine societies , dissolute sports or the deep habit of sinne , for , as Bernard speakes , Bern Ser. 8. in Cant. Isid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . an evill habit doth harden , and , as Isidore speakes , makes us become even without sense and feeling ; But what ? oh , yet sinne lieth at the doore , it waits opportunity to plunge the soule with fearfull misery , Gen. 4.7 . pursuing the conscience as a swift hunting Nimrod , Gen. 10.9 . as a speedy footed Nimshi . There was a time when Cains conscience had no feeling of that great sinne of murder , which hee had committed , nay though God spake to him , and asked him , Where is thy brother ? Gen. 4.9 . which a man would thinke should have made Cain , to have lookt downe upon his guilty conscience , and to have stood amazed , shakt and trembled at this voyce : but alas , it stird him not at all , hee was stout , and stood as it were at defiance with God , as if he had done him the greatest wrong that could be , so much as to insinuate such a matter with him : Therefore he insolently replied , I cannot tell , am I my brothers keeper . As if hee should say , I hope you will not lay his death to my charge , will you offer mee that indignity ? So that here Cain was without all touch of conscience , his great crying sinne of murder troubled him not at all : but what ? was this alwaies Cains state ? oh no , at length you may behold the fearfull fury of this sinne , so flame up in his soule and conscience , that the extreame burning heate thereof , did make him cry out , My sinne is greater than can bee forgiven . Gen. 4.13 . Strange alteration , of late he saw no sinne , it troubled him not at all ; and now hee sees so huge a burning flame , that hee thinkes all the ocean of Gods mercy is not able to quench it : therefore he cries out , My sinne is greater than can bee forgiven . Againe , there was a time when treacherous Iudas had no tast nor feeling of his wickednesse , he plotted and practised against his most innocent Master , he combined and conspired with the Scribes and Pharisees , Christs most cruell enemies , he concluded with them , Mat. 26.14 . to betray him into their hands , and that for a meane and a base reward : and what ? Vers. 15. was hee toucht for this sinne ? oh no , hee came into his masters presence with the rest of the Apostles , and heard him openly divulge , One of you shall betray me : Ioh. 13.21 . yet it stird him not at all , it wrought nothing upon his fast clasped conscience , but he was bold , and questioned his Master , Mat. 26.25 . as if he had been as cleere a man as could be . Is it I , Master ? As if he should say , I hope , Master , of all the rest , you will not thinke that I would doe such a deed : what I betray you ? I , your servant , an Apostle , whom you have preferred to bee Treasurer , and Keeper of your store : what , I , betray you ? my Master , my most loving Master , an innocent Lambe , a blessed Saviour ? oh pray thinke not that I would do such a deed . Nay though Christ answer him and tell him plainely , Thou hast said , oh Iudas , thou art the Man , how smoothly and cunningly soever thou carrie it ; yet it moved him not at all , all this while his conscience was asleepe , and so on it goes , Iudas takes his money , Christ is betrayed , he is condemned , he must dye . And what , still asleepe , Iudas ? oh no , now the case begins to be altered ; now his sinne begins to rouse him up ; now it makes such a fire in his soule , that he hath no rest , but runs up and downe like a Mad man ; now the treacherous hier , which was before more deare to him than his Masters life , oh now he cannot indure it , but up he takes it , Mat. 27.3 , 4. and downe to the Priests and Elders hee goes , throwes it them againe , and cries out unto them , I have sinned in betraying the innocent blood . And thus hee runs to and fro in the fury of his inflamed sinne , without all ease , without all rest , as if hee were in hell already , untill at length he becomes his owne executioner , the worst handes living executing the worst man living . But what should I speake of these thus deeply wicked ? If Gods owne children shall dare to bee so bould to suffer sinne to rest upon their soules ; oh , in these it will breake forth into a fierie flame that will grievously scortch , Holc●t in I●br . Sap. Peccatum inquietat hominem , nec permittit habere pacem . burne & torment their consciences : for sinne , it disquiets a man , generally all sorts of men , and suffers them not to possesse any true peace of conscience . When Adam had once committed sinne against God , oh how hee was vext , how his soule burnt with feare and trembling ; Gen. 3.9 . so that hee ran away from God , hee hid himselfe from his presence , that God was faine to call after him , Where art thou Adam ? When Ionah , Gods owne Prophet , had disobeyed the voyce of the Lord , oh how hee was stung in conscience , he had no rest , he fled from place to place , he shipt himselfe to sea , he bestowed himselfe in the lowest houldes , Ion. 1 . 1● . to hide himselfe from God , and to passe by the furie of his burning sinne , he betooke himselfe to sleepe , but all in vaine , hee is rows'd up againe ; for without the winde and the waves pursue him , the Lott discovers him ; within his conscience huntes him with a fiery flame , which makes him cry out , Take me , and cast me into the sea , so shall the sea be calme to you ; for I know ( oh the force of a guilty conscience ) that for my sake this great tempest is come upon you . This was Davids state , Psal. 38.3 , 4. which made him complaine , There is no rest in my bones , because of my sinne , my iniquities are gone over my head , they overwhelme mee , and are as a sore burthen too heavy for mee to beare , oh inflamed conscience . This was Hezekiahs state , which made him conclude , That it broke his bones like a Lion , Esa. 38.13 , 14. and enforced him to cry like a Crane , to chatter like a Swallow , and mourne like a Dove ; nay ( which farre exceeds all comparison ) when that blessed Saviour , that immaculate Lambe Christ Iesus , which had no sinne inhesive , sinne onely imputative , ours , none of his owne , when hee in this kinde did beare our sinnes , it made him grovell upon the earth , Luke 22.44 . it made him distil down drops of bloud , Mat. 27.46 . & at length mournfully to cry out , My God , my God , why hast thou forsaken me ?

So that sinne is fitly compared unto a Fever propter inflammationem , in respect of the burning heate it brings upon soule and conscience , perplexing the very Saints of God ; yea ( as wee see ) often deeply plunging the most cauterized conscience . Wicked men may for a while brave out their sinnes , and pass them by with a senselesse heart , despising & casting off the testimony of their conscience , Without remorse of conscience . Senec. ●p. 43 , Oh te miserum , si contemnis hunc testem . as did those Gentiles which the Apostle tells us were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , past feeling , by which , as Seneca speakes , they became the more miserable and inthralled ; yet this will hardly bee alwaies their estate , sometimes the horror of conscience will broile up in their soules , as an unquenchable fire , for , as Iuvenall speakes , Iuvenal . de scelerat . Nocte dieque suum gestant in pectore testem . they doe day and night carry their witnesse in their breasts , which will sometime or other pierce them , and make them to heare his voyce : therefore faith the Prophet Esay , Esa. 57.20 . The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest , whose waters cast up mire and dirt ; the filth of their sinnes and abominations , to the most grievous terror of their soules , Esa. 57.20 . For , as Isidore speakes , nulla gravior poenae quàm mala conscientia , no greater punishment than an evill conscience . Prov. 13.21 . For there is no peace , saith my God , unto the wicked . Hence it is that Salomon tells us , That afflictions doe follow sinners , even wrath , anguish and horrour of soule : they may seeke many meanes to passe them by , but their wickednesse will lie in waite for them , to scorch and burne them with unappeasable miserie .

Lastly , sin is fitly compared unto a Fever propter privationem , in respect of privation : for as that fierce maladie doth often times deprive of all vitall power , The axiom ( à privatione ad habitum impossibilis est regressus ) may well be said to be true in respect of this spiritual death . and brings downe the body to the dust of the earth , so is it with sinne , it doth oft times so seaze upon the soule , that at length it deprives it of all spirituall life , and throwes it downe to eternall miserie never to bee recovered . So that in this respect well may wee say that true is the axiom , that from the privation to the habit , the returne is impossible : for whom sinne hath once totally slaine and throwne downe to the grave of miserable impenitencie , there is no returne againe . This was the estate of the aspiring Angells , sinne slew them , and deprived them of all spirituall life , and threw them downe to eternall miserie , never to be regained againe : So deales sinne with all prophane persons , who continue it and nourish it in their soules , at length it utterly kills them , takes from them all hope of life , all hope of felicity , all grace in this world , all glory in the world to come , and makes them owners of eternall thraldome .

Thus we see sinne is a desease ; and therefore first in a fivefold respect fitly compared unto a Fever .

Secondly , the maladie of sinne is fitly compared to a Leprosie , and that in regard of a threefold Sympathie , Separation , Infection and Curation . Esa. 59.2 . This separation is not the least punishment that shall befall the wicked : for if Absolom did desire rather to die , than not to behold the face of his father David , what great dolour shall it be to the wicked , that they shall be separated from the presence of God , and all the godly for ever ? Chrysost. concludes , that omnes poena non sunt illi poena comparari , all punishments are not to be compared to it . First , it is fitly compared unto a Leprosie , in respect of Separation : for as that loathsome maladie doth occasion a man to bee separated from the company of men , so deales sinne by the soule , it doth cause a separation , and that a most grievous one , betweene the Creature and the Creator , between God and our soules ; and therefore from all Grace and Glory , from all holy men and Angells . This the worthy Prophet declares to bee the force of sinne , Your iniquities ( saith he ) have separated betweene you and your God , and caused him to hide his face from you , that hee will not heare . This , the last sentence to bee pronounced against the wicked doth plainely witnesse , Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire . Goe ; there is the separation of most grievous nature , even from God and all the godly , from all joy and comfort , from all blisse and happinesse unto endlesse miserie . Thus first sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie in respect of separation .

Secondly , it is fitly compared unto a Leprosie , in respect of infection , and that in a twofold kinde : for first , as that grievous maladie is of that nature , that it doth soone spread an infectious steame unto all those that associate themselves with these , Senec. Vitia serpunt in vicinos , & contactunocent . so deales sinne , it doth soone ( as Seneca speakes ) taint and infect the neighbouring parts . Hence it was that our grant-parent Eve associating her selfe with the wicked Serpent , Gen. 3. became soone infected with his contagion , to her great miserie , and the miserie of all her posteritie . Hence it was that godly Ioseph living in the polluted Court of Pharaoh , became soone tainted with the contagion thereof , Gen. 42.15 . to sweare by the life of Pharaoh , and to speake against his own knowledge and conscience . Gen. 42.9 . Hence it was that the Apostle Peter conversing with the wicked company , Mat. ●6 . 58 . Luke 12.55 . the enemies of Christ Iesus , became so farre infected with their foule pollution , as to deny his most loving Master :

Aug. in Ps 99. Inter malos boni gemunt , sic ut grana inter paleas , sicut lilium inter spinas .

Bern. Heu mihi , quia undique mihi pericula , undique mihi bella , undique mihi tela volant , un●ique tentamenta , quocunque me vertor nulla securitas .

Iudg. 2.3 . Secondly , sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie , in regard of infection more proximate and personall : for as that disease doth spread it selfe all over the body , infecting every part thereof with its foule contagion , so deales sinne by the soule , it spreads it selfe all over it , it annoyes and polluts every part thereof , it blindes the understanding that it cannot discerne the excellent things contained in Gods word , it dulls the will , and makes it froward in the waies of God , most backward to all goodnesse , most forward to all evill , it depraves the affection , and makes it alienate from God : for as one speakes , a sinner is dumbe and blinde , Parat Ser. de Temp. Peccator mutus & cecus est . he hath neither will nor tongue that prayseth and magnifieth God , he hath neither understanding , nor heart apprehending , or taking knowlege of his sacred mysteries ; for as the Apostle speakes , 1. Cor. 2.14 . The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God : they are foolishnesse unto him ; hee cannot know them for they are spiritually discerned . Thus wee see , that sinne is fitly compared unto a Leprosie , both in respect of remote and proximate infection .

Lastly , it is fitly compared unto a Leprosie , Principiis obsta sero Medicina paratur . in respect of curation ; for although it bee a worthy rule concerning all maladies , to stay them in the beginning for feare they grow incurable , yet is it most especially urgent concerning this foule contagion : for if this be not soone lookt unto , even in his very enterance , alas , it growes forever incurable : Such a disease is sinne if it bee not carefully lookt unto in the very beginning of it ,

Peccator inveteratus per peccatum induratur .

Hieron . Dum parvus est hostis interfice .