not us say, things are now in such a confusion that we know not how to find out the mind of God, we consult with Ministers and they know not what to say, they have cast out such a government, and they know not what to bring in, and therefore it were better we were as before. If this should be our tea∣soning, it is a signe we are like Saul nigh to destruction. Let us be content to wayte, they shall be many dayes without a King, &c. and then they shal re∣turn; this shall be the fruite of being without a King, and Prince▪ & Ephod, and Sacrifice, not vexing and raging, but returning to God and repenting. It things be worse, & we be brought into greater straits then ever we thought of, let us not murmur, but let us repent. Every one is complaining, but who is repenting? If there were as much repenting as there is murmuring, then we should soone know the minde of God.Then they shall returne.Here is the use of sanctified affliction, it is to cause returning to God. Jerome expresses the life of an impenitent sinner by a line stretched out,Obser. he goes saith he from the center in a right line, and so goes in infinitum from it, but a penitent sinner is like a line bent, and turning back to the center, though by sin he goes from it, yet by repentance he turnes to it again, they are gone from me a great way saith God, but I will give them a turne, they shal bend back again and return to me. They shall returne.Repentance is set out by this vvord,Obser. to note the folly of sinne. In sin thou goest out of the way, and the truth is though you thinke you choose a good way for your self, yet you must either come back again or perish. It is just like a man travelling in a rode, and he sees a dirty lane before him, which he is told is the way, he must goe there, but on the other side of the hedg he seeth a green and pleasant vvay, and he gets over into that way, and so perhaps rides on a mile or two, at length he is compast about with ditches and rivers so that he must either return back or else lie there & starve, he returnes back, with shame, and if any one that before told him of the other way see him, he tells him now of his folly, I told you that the other was the way, and that if you went over the hedge you must come back again: So it is with sinners, there are wayes of God that go directly to heaven, but because those wayes are rugged, and they meet with trouble and persecution in them, & they see by-ways that leade to hell that are more plaine & smooth, they get over, they will transgresse, (for that is the word for sinne) they are got over, now they are merry & sriske up and down for a while in this fine way; but friend you must come backe again, and if ever you mean to be saved, you must goe in the way that you have refused.Obser. Further, they shal return and seeke the Lord their God. Here is an encouragement for old sinners. The Jews have been above 1600. years in this wofull condition, for saking God, but in their latter dayes they shall returne and seeke the Lord, and God shall be mercifull to them. Hast thou been forty, fifty, sixty years going from God? there is hope for thy soul, Oh returne, return you old sinners,But further,Obser. shall return to Jehovah, and seeke him, Jer. 4. 1.0