will hold him faster and take fuller possession of him than ever O take heed of this A true turning from sin is a divorcing it so as never to come near it any more and whoever is thus turned from sin is a blessed person Act. 3. 26. God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning every one of you from his iniquities Is turning from sin a necessary Ingredient in Repentance then there is but little Repentance to be found People are not turned from their sins they are still the same they were Proud they were and so they are still Like the beasts in Noahs Ark they went into the Ark unclean and came out unclean Men come to Ordinances impure and go away impure Though men have seen so many changes without yet there is no change wrought within Isa. 9. 13. The people turneth not to him that smiteth How can they say they repent who do not turn Are they washed in Iordan who have still their Leprosie upon their forehead May not God say to the unreformed as once to Ephraim Hos. 4. 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone So here is a man joyned to his drunkenness and uncleanness let him alone let him go on in sin but if there be either justice in Heaven or vengeance in Hell he shall not go unpunished Use 2. It reproves them 1. Who are but half-turned and who are these Such as turn in their judgement but not in their practice they cannot but acknowledge that sin like Saturn hath a bad aspect and influence and will weep for sin yet are so bewitched with it that they have no power to leave it their corruptions are stronger than their convictions These are half-turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 almost Christians Act. 26. 28. They are like Ephraim who was a Cake baked on one side and dough on the other Hos. 7. 8. They are but half-turned who turn only from gross sin but have no intrinsick work of grace They do not prize Christ or love holiness 'T is with civil persons as with Ionah he got a gourd to defend him from the heat of the Sun and he thought now he was safe but a worm presently ariseth and devours the gourd So men when they are turned from gross sin think their civility will be a gourd to defend them from the wrath of God but at death there ariseth the worm of conscience and smites this gourd and then their hearts fail and they begin to despair They are but half-turned who turn from many sins but are unturned from some special sin There is an harlot in the bosom they will not let go As if a man should be cured of several diseases but hath a canker in his breast and that kills him It reproves such whose turning is as good as no turning who have one Devil goes out of them and another enterâ—… they turn from swearing to slandering from profuseness to covetousness Like a sick man that turns from a tertian Ague to a quartan Such turning will turn men to Hell Let us in this shew our selves penitents in turning from sin to God There are some persons I have little hope to prevail with Let the trumpet of the word sound never so shrill let threatnings be thundered out against them let some flashes of Hell fire be thrown in their faces yet they will have the other game at sin These persons seem to be like the Swine in the Gospel carried down by the Devil violently into the Sea they will rather damn than turn Ier. 8. 5. They hold fast deceit they refuse to return But if there be any candour or sobriety in us if conscience be not cast into a dead sleep let us listen to the voice of the charmer and turn to God our supream good How often doth God call upon us to turn to him He swears Ezek. 33. 11. As I live I desire not the death of the sinner turn ye turn ye c. God had rather have our repenting tears than our blood Turning to God makes for our profit Our Repentance is no benefit to God but to us If a man drinks of a fountain he benefits himself not the fountain if he beholds the light of the Sun he himself is refreshed by it not the Sun If we turn from our sins to God God is not advantaged by it it is only we our selves reap the benefit therefore self-love should prevail with us Prov. 9. 12. If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self If we turn to God he will turn to us he will turn his anger from us and his face to us It was Davids prayer Psal. 86. 16. O turn unto me and have mercy upon me Our turning will make God turn Zach. 1. 3. Turn ye unto me saith the Lord and I will turn unto you He who was an enemy will turn to be our friend If God turn to us the Angels are turned to us we shall have their tutelage and guardianship Psal. 91. 11. If God turn to us all things shall turn to our good mercies and afflictions we shall taste honey at the end of the Rod. Thus we have seen the several Ingredients of Repentance CHAP. V. Shewing the reasons enforcing Repentance I Proceed next to the reasons which do enforce Repentance 1. From Gods soveraign command Act. 17. 30. He commandeth men every where to repent Repentance is not arbitrary 't is not left to our choice whether we will repent or no but it is an indispensible command God hath enacted a Law in the High Court of Heaven that no sinner shall be saved but the repenting sinner and he will not break his own Law Though all the Angels should stand before God and beg the life of an irrepenting person God would not grant it Exod. 34. 6. The Lord God merciful and gracious keeping mercy for thousands and that will by no means clear the guilty Though God is more full of mercy than the Sun is of light yet he will not forgive a sinner while he goes on in his guilt He will by no means clear the guilty 2. The pure nature of God denies communion with an impenitent creature Till the sinner repent God and he cannot be friends Isa. 1. 16. Wash ye make ye clean Go steep your selves in the brinish waters of Repentance Ver. 18. Come now and let us reason together Now saith God I will parley with you but else come not near me What communion hath light with darkness How can the righteous God indulge him that goes on still in his trespasses Exod. 23. 7. I will not justifie the wicked If God should be at peace with a sinner before he repent he should seem to like and approve all that he hath done he should go against his own holiness 'T is inconsistent with the sanctity of Gods nature to
pard on a sinner while he is in the act of rebellion 3. Sinners continuing in impenitency are out of Christs commission See his commission Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted Christ is a Prince and Saviour but not to save men in an absolute way whether they repent or no. If ever Christ bring men to Heaven it shall be thorow Hell gates Act. 5. 31. Him hath God exalted to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance As a King pardons Rebels not if they persist in open defiance but if they relent and yield themselves to the mercy of their Prince 4. There is a great deal of equity in it that we should repent We have by sin wronged God we have ecclipsed his honour we have infringed his Law and good reason we should make him some reparation By Repentance we humble and judge our selves for sin we set to our seal that God is righteous if he should destroy us and thus we give glory to God and do what in us lyes to repair his honour 5. If God should save men without Repentance making no discrimination then by this Rule he must save all not only men but Devils as Origen once held and so consequently the decrees of Election and Reprobation must fall to the ground which how diametrically opposite it is to sacred writ let all judge CHAP. VI. Shewing that it will be harder for some to repent than others THere are two sorts of persons who will find it harder to repent than others 1. Such as have sate a great while under the droppings of Gods Ordinances but grow no better The earth which drinketh in the Rain yet beareth thorns and briars is nigh unto cursing Heb. 6. 8. The metal which hath lain long in the fire but is not melted and refined there is little hope of it When God hath sent his Ministers one after another exhorting and perswading men to leave their sins but they settle upon the lees of formality and can sit and sleep under a Sermon it will be hard for these ever to be brought to Repentance they may fear lest Christ should say to them as once to the Fig-tree Never fruit grow on thee more 2. They will find it harder to repent who have sinned frequently against the convictions of the Word the checks of conscience and the motions of the Spirit Conscience hath stood as the Angel with a flaming sword in its hand it hath said Do not this great evil but sinners regard not the voice of conscience but march on resolvedly under the Devils colours these will not find it easie to repent Iob 24. 13. They are of those that rebel against the Light It is one thing to sin for want of light and another thing to sin against light Here the unpardonable sin takes its rise first men sin against the light of conscience and so proceed gradually to the despighting the Spirit of grace CHAP. VII Containing a reprehension to the Impenitent FIRST then it serves sharply to reprove all unrepenting sinners whose hearts seem to be hewn out of a Rock and are like the stony ground in the Parnble which wanted moisture This disease I fear is epidemical Ier. 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickedness Mens hearts are marbled into hardness Zach. 7. 12. They made their heart as an Adamant They are not at all dissolved into a penitential frame It hath been a received opinion that Witches never weep Sure I am such as have no grief for sin are spiritually bewitched by Satan We read that when Christ came to Ierusalem he upbraided them because they repented not Matth. 11. 20. And may he not upbraid many now for their impenitency Though Gods heart be broken with their sins yet their hearts are not broken They say as Israel Ier. 2. 25. I have loved strangers and after them will I go The justice of God like the Angel stands with a drawn sword in his hand ready to strike but sinners have not so good eyes as Balaams Ass to see the sword God smites on mens backs but they smite not with Ephraim upon their thigh It was a sad complaint the Prophet took up Ier. 5. 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved That sure is reprobate silver which contracts hardness in the furnace 2 Chron. 28. 22. In the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord this is that King Ahaz An hard heart is a receptacle for Satan As God hath two places he dwells in Heaven and an humble heart so the Devil hath two places he dwells in Hell and an hard heart 'T is not falling into the water drowns but lying in it 'T is not falling into sin damns but lying in it without Repentance Hardness of heart brings at last to searedness of conscience 1 Tim. 4. 2. Having their conscience seared with an hot Iron Men have silenced their consciences and God hath seared them And now he lets them sin and doth not punish Isa. 1. 5. Why should I smite you any more As a Father gives over correcting a child whom he intends to dis-inherit CHAP. VIII Containing a serious Exhortation to Repentance LET me in the next place perswade all to this great duty of Repentance Sorrow is good for nothing but sin If you shed tears for outward losses it will not advantage you Water for the Garden if poured in the sink doth no good Powder for the eye if applied to the arm is of no benefit Sorrow is medicinable for the soul but if you apply it to wordly things it doth no good O that our tears may run in the right chanel and our hearts even burst with sorrow for sin That I may the more successfully press this Exhortation I shall shew you that Repentance 1. Is necessary 2. It is necessary for all persons 3. For all sins 1. Repentance is necessary Luke 13. 5. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish There 's no rowing to Paradise but upon the stream of repenting tears Repentance is required as a qualification It is not so much to endear us to Christ as to endear Christ to us Till sin be bitter Christ will not be sweet 2. Repentance is necessary for all persons God commandeth all men Act. 17.30 1. It is necessary for great ones Ier. 13. 18. Say to the King and the Queen humble your selves The King of Niniveh and his Nobles changed their robes for sackcloth Ionah 3. 6. Great mens sins do more hurt than others the sins of leaders are leading sins therefore they of all others had need to repent If such as hold the Scepter repent not God hath appointed a day to judge them and a fire to burn them Isa. 30. 33. 2. Repentance is necessary for the flagitious sinners in the Nation England had
a man that is bleeding of his wounds 2. This sorrow is to drive out sin Sin breeds sorrow and sorrow kills sin Holy sorrow is the Ruberb to purge out the ill humours of the soul. It is said that the tears of Vine-branches are good to cure the Leprosie Sure it is tears that drop from the penitent are good to cure the leprosie of sin Salt water of tears kills the worm of conscience 3. This sorrow is to make way for solid comfort Psal. 126. 5. They that sow in tears shall reap in joy The penitent hath a wet seed-time but a delicious harvest Repentance breaks the imposthume of sin and then the soul is at ease Hannah after weeping went away and was no more sad 1 Sam. 1. 18. Gods troubling the soul for sin is like the Angels troubling the Pool Ioh. 5. 4. which made way for healing But it is not all sorrow evidenceth true Repentance There is as much difference between true and false sorrow as between water in the spring which is sweet and water in the Sea which is briny The Apostle speaks of sorrowing after a godly manner 2 Cor. 7. 9. But what is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this godly sorrowing Answer There are six Qualifications of it 1. True godly sorrow is intrinsecal and that two waies 1. It is a sorrow of the heart Hypocrites sorrow lies in their faces Matth. 6. 16. They dis-figure their faces They make a sowre face but their sorrow goes no further Like the dew that wets the leaf but doth not soak to the root Ahabs Repentance was in outward shew His garments were rent but not his spirit 1 King 21. 27. Godly sorrow goes deep like a Vein which bleeds inwardly The heart bleeds for sin Act. 2. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were pricked at their hearts As the heart bears a chief part in sinning so it must in sorrowing 2. It is a sorrow for heart-sins The first ebullitions and risings of sin Paul grieved for the Law in his members Rom. 7. 23. The true mourner weeps for the stirrings of pride and concupiscence he grieves for the root of bitterness though it never blossoms into act A wicked man may be troubled for scandalous sins a real convert laments heart-sins 2. Godly sorrow is ingenuous it is more for the offence than the punishment Gods Law is infringed his love abused this melts the soul in tears A man may be sorry yet not repent As a thief is sorry when he is taken not because he stole but because he comes under the penalty Hypocrites grieve only for the bitter consequence of sin I have read of a fountain that never sends forth streams but the evening before a famine So their eyes never pour out tears but when Gods Judgements are approaching Pharaoh was more troubled for the froggs and River of blood than for his sin But godly sorrow is chiefly for the trespass against God so that if there were no conscience to smite no Devil to accuse no Hell to punish yet the soul would be grieved because of the prejudice done to God Psal. 51. 4. My sin is ever before me David doth not say the sword threatned is ever before me but my sin Oh that I should offend so good a God that I should grieve my Comforter this breaks my heart Godly sorrow shews it self to be ingenuous because when a Christian knows he is out of the Gun-shot of hell and shall never be damned yet still he grieves for sinning against that free-grace which hath pardoned him 3. Godly sorrow is fiducial it is intermixed with faith Mar. 9. 24. The Father of the child cryed out and said with tears Lord I believe Here was sorrow for sin checkered with faith as we have seen a bright Rainbow appear in a watry cloud Spiritual sorrow will sink the heart if the pully of faith doth not raise it As our sin is ever before us so Gods Promise must be ever before us As we must feel our sting so we must look up to Christ our brazen Serpent Some have had their faces so swell'd with worldly grief that they could hardly look out of their eyes That weeping is not good which blinds the eye of faith If there be not some dawnings of faith in the soul it is not humiliation but despair 4. Godly sorrow is a great sorrow Zach. 12. 11. In that day there shall be a great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon Two Suns did set that day when Iosiah died and there was a great Funeral mourning To such an height must sorrow for sin be boiled up Pectore ab imo suspiria Quest. Whether have all the same degrees of sorrow Answ. No sorrow doth recipere magis minus In the new birth all have pangs but some have sharper pangs than others 1. Some are naturally of a more rugged morose disposition of higher spirits and are not easily brought to stoop these must have greater humiliation As a knotty piece of timber must have greater wedges driven into it 2. Some have been more hainous offenders and suitable to their sin must their sorrow be Some Patients have their sores let out with a needle others with a launce Flagitious sinners must be more bruised with the hammer of the Law 3. Some are designed and cut out for higher service to be eminently instrumental for God and these must have a mightier work of humiliation pass upon them Such as God intends to be Pillars in his Church must be more hewn Paul the Prince of the Apostles who was to be Gods Ensign-bearer to carry his Name before the Gentiles and Kings was to have his heart more deeply launced by Repentance 2. But how great must sorrow for sin be in all It must be as great as for any worldly loss Turgescunt lumina fletu Zach. 12. 10. They shall look on me whom they have peirced and mourn as for an only Son 2. Sorrow for sin must surpass worldly sorrow We must grieve more for offending God than for the loss of dear relations Isa. 22. 12. In that day did the Lord call to weeping and baldness and girding with sackcloth This was for sin But in case of the burial of the dead we find God prohibiting tears and baldness To intimate that sorrow for sin must exceed sorrow at the grave and good reason for in the burial of the dead it is only a friend departs but in sin God departs 3. Sorrow for sin should be so great as to swallow up all other sorrow As when the pain of the Stone and Gout meet the pain of the Stone swallows up the pain of the Gout 4. We are to find as much bitterness in weeping for sin as ever we found sweetness in committing it Sure David found more bitterness in Repentance than ever he found comfort in Bathsheba 5. Our sorrow for sin must be such
sword could say I have sinned Numb 22. 34. But true confession drops from the lips as myrrhe from the tree or honey from the comb freely Luk. 15. 18. I have sinned against Heaven and before thee He charged himself with sin before his Father charged him with it 2. Confession must be with compunction the heart must deeply resent it A natural mans confessions run thorow him as water thorow a pipe they do not at all affect him but true confession leaves heart-wounding impressions on a man Davids soul was burdened in the confession of his sins Psal. 38. 4. As an heavy burden they are too heavy for me It is one thing to confess sin and another thing to feel sin 3. Confession must be sincere our hearts must go along with our confessions The hypocrite confesseth sin but loves it like a thief that confesseth stoln goods yet loves stealing How many confess pride and covetousness with their lips but â—…oul them as honey under their tongue Austin saith before his conversion he confessed sin and begg'd power against it but his heart whispered within him not yet Lord he was afraid to leave his sin too soon A good Christian is more honest his heart keeps pace with his tongue he is convinced of the sins he confesseth and abhors the sins he is convinced of 4. In true confession a man doth particularize sin A wicked man acknowledgeth he is a sinner in general he confesseth sin by whole-sale his confession of sin is much like Nebuchadnezzars dream Dan. 2. 3. I have dream'd a dream but he could not tell what it was vers 5. The thing is gone from me So saith a wicked man Lord I have sinned but he doth not know what the sin is at least not remember whereas a true convert acknowledgeth his particular sins As it is with a wounded man he comes to the Chyrurgion and shews him all his wounds here I was cut in the head there I was shot in the arm So a mournful sinner confesseth the several distempers of his soul. Israel drew up a particular charge against themselves Iudg. 10. 10. Wee have served Baalim The Prophet Daniel recites the very sin which drew a curse along with it Dan. 9 6. Neither have we hearkned unto thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy Name By a diligent inspection into our hearts we may find some particular sin indulged point that sin with a tear 5. A true penitent confesseth sin in the fountain he acknowledgeth the pollution of his nature The sin of our nature is not only a privation of good but an infusion of evil It is like Canker to Iron or a Stain to Scarlet David acknowledgeth his birth-sin Psa. 51.5 I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me etiam embrioni haeserit peccatum We are ready to charge many of our sins upon Satans temptations but this sin of our nature is wholly from our selves we cannot shift it off to Satan we have a root within that bears gall and wormwood Deut. 29. 18. Our nature is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an abysse and seminary of all evil from hence come those scandals that infest the world 'T is this pravity of nature which poisons our holy things 't is this which wings Gods judgements and makes our mercies stick in the birth O confess sin in the fountain 6. Sin is to be confessed with all its circumstances and aggravations those sins doubtless are dyed in grain which are committed under the Gospel horison Confess sins against knowledge against grace against vows against experiences against judgements Psal. 78. 31. The wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them for all this they sinned yet still These are killing aggravations which do accent and inhance our sins 7. In confession we must so charge our selves as to clear God should the Lord be severe in his providences and unsheath his bloody sword yet we must acquit him and acknowledge he hath done us no wrong Nehemiah in his confessing of sin vindicates Gods righteousness Nehem. 9. 33. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us Mauritius the Emperour when he saw his wife slain before his eyes by Phocas cryed out Righteous art thou O Lord in all thy wayes 8. We must confess our sins with a resolution not to act them over again Some run from the confessing of sin to the committing of sin Like the Persians who have one day in the year wherein they use to kill Serpents and after that day suffer them to swarm again So many seem to kill their sins in their confessions and afterwards let them grow as fast as ever Isa. 1. 16. Cease to do evil 'T is vain to confess we have done those things which we ought not to have done and continue still in doing so Pharaoh confessed he had sinned Exod. 9. 27. But when the thunder ceased he fell to his sin again vers 33. He sinned yet more and hardned his heart Origen calls confession the vomit of the soul whereby the conscience is eased of that burden did lye upon it Now when we have vomited up sin by confession we must not return to this vomit What King will pardon that man who after he hath confessed his treason practiseth new treason Thus we see how confession must be qualified Is confession a necessary Ingredient in Repentance then here is a Bill of Indictment against four sorts of persons 1. It reproves those that hide their sins as Rachel hid her Fathers Images under her Gen. 31. 34. Many had rather have their sins covered than cured They do with their sins as with their pictures draw a curtain over them or as some do with their Bastards smother them But though men will have no tongue to confess God hath an eye to see he will unmask their treason Psal. 50. 21. I will reprove thee and set them in order before thee Those iniquities which men hide in their heart shall be written one day on their forehead as with the point of a Diamond They who would not confess sin as David that they might be pardoned shall confess sin as Achan that they may be stoned 'T is dangerous to keep the Devils counsel Prov. 28. 13. He that covers his sin shall not prosper 2. It reproves them who do indeed confess sin but it is by halves they do not confess all they confess the pence but not the pounds they confess vain thoughts or badness of memory but not the sins they are most guilty of as rash anger extortion uncleanness Like him in Plutarch who complained his stomach was not very good when his lungs were bad and his liver rotten But if we do not confess all how do we think God will pardon all 'T is true we cannot know the exact catalogue of our sins but the sins which come within our view and cognizance and which
7. 13. 5. It is a breaking the heart of God Ezek. 6. 9. I am broken with your whorish heart as a loving husband is with the unchast carriage of his wife 6. Sin when acted to the height is a crucifying Christ afresh and putting him to open shame Heb. 6. 6. That is impudent sinners pierce Christ in his Saints and were he now upon earth they would crucifie him again in his person Behold the odious nature of sin 3. Look upon sin in its comparison and it appears ghastly Compare sin either with affliction or Hell and it is worse than both 1. Compare sin with Affliction sickness poverty death and it is worse than these There 's more malignity in a drop of sin than in a Sea of affliction For Sin is the cause of affliction and the cause is more than the effect The sword of Gods justice lies quiet in the scabbard â—…ill sin draws it out Affliction is good for us Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I was afflicted Affliction causeth Repentance 2 Chron. 33. 12. The Viper being stricken casts up its poison So Gods Rod striking us we spit away the poison of sin Affliction betters our grace Gold is purest and Juniper sweetest in the fire Affliction prevents damnation 1 Cor. 11. 32. Therefore Maurice the Emperour prayed to God to punish him in this life that he might not be punished hereafter So that affliction is many waies for our good but sin hath no good in it Manasseh's affliction brought him to humiliation but Iudas his sin brought him to desperation Affliction doth only reach the body but sin goes further it poisons the fancy disorders the affections Affliction is but corrective sin is destructive Affliction can but take away the life sin takes away the soul Luk. 12. 20. A man that is afflicted may have his conscience quiet When the Ark was tossed on the waves Noah could sing in the Ark. When the body is afflicted and tossed a Christian can make melody in his heart to the Lord Ephes. 5. 19. But when a man commits sin conscience is terrified witness Spira who upon his abjuring the Faith said he thought the damned spirits did not feel those torments which he inwardly endured In affliction one may have the love of God Rev. 3. 19. If a man should throw a bag of money at another and in throwing it should hurt him a little and raise the skin he would not take it unkindly but look upon it as a fruit of love So when the Lord bruiseth us with affliction it is to enrich us with the golden graces and comforts of his Spirit all is in love But when we commit sin God withdraws his love When David had sinned he felt nothing but displeasure from God Psal. 97. 2. Clouds and darkness are round about him David found it so he could see no Rainbow no Sun-beam nothing but clouds and darkness about Gods face That sin is worse than affliction is evident because the greatest judgement God laies upon a man in this life is to let him sin without controll When the Lords displeasure is most severely kindled against a person he doth not say I will bring the Sword and Plague on this man but I will let him sin on Psal. 81. 11. So I gave them up to their own hearts lusts Now if the giving a man up to his sins in the account of God himself is the most dreadful evil then sin is far worse than affliction and if it be so then how should it be hated by us 2. Compare sin with Hell and you shall see that sin is worse Torment hath its emphasis in Hell yet nothing there is of so bad an aspect as sin 1. Hell is of Gods making but sin is none of his making Sin is the Devils creature 2. The torments of Hell are a burden only to the sinner but sin is a burden to God Amos 2. 13. I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed with sheaves 3. In the torments of Hell there is something that is good namely the execution of divine justice There is justice to be found in Hell but sin is a piece of the highest injustice it would rob God of his glory Christ of his purchase the soul of its happiness Judge then if sin be not a most hateful thing that is worse than affliction or Hell 4. Look upon sin in the issue and consequence and it will appear hateful Sin reacheth the body it hath exposed it to variety of miseries We come into the world with a â—…ry and go out with a groan which made the Thracians weep on their childrens birth-day to consider the calamities they were to undergo in the world Sin is the Trojan Horse out of which come a whole Army of troubles I need not name them because almost every one feels them While we suck the hony we are pricked with the briar Sin gives a dash in the wine of our comforts it digs our grave Rom. 5. 12. Sin reacheth the soul By sin we have lost the Image of God wherein did consist both our sanctity and majesty Adam in his pristine glory was like an Herald that hath his Coat of Arms upon him all reverence him because he carries the Kings Coat of Arms but pull this Coat off and no man regards him Sin hath done this disgrace to us it hath plucked off our Coat of Innocency but that is not all this bearded arrow of sin would strike yet deeper it would for ever separate us from the beatifical vision of God in whose presence is fulness of joy If sin then be so hyperbolically sinful it may swell our spleen and stir up our implacable indignation against it As Ammons hatred of Tamar was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her 2 Sam. 13. 15. So we should hate sin infinitely more than ever we loved it SECT VI. 6. THE sixth Ingredient in Repentance is turning from sin Reformation is left last to bring up the rear of Repentance What though one could with Niobe weep himself into a stone if he did not weep out sin True Repentance like aqua fortis eats asunder the Iron chain of sin therefore weeping and turning are put together Ioel 2. 12. After the cloud of sorrow hath dropped in tears the firmament of the soul is clearer Ezek. 14. 6. Repent and turn your selves from your Idols and turn away your faces from all your abominations This turning from sin is called a forsaking of sin Isa. 55. 7. As a man forsakes the company of a thief or forcerer 'T is called a putting sin far away Iob 11. 14. As Paul put away the Viper and shook it into the fire Act. 28. 5. Dying to sin is the life of Repentance That very day a Christian turns from sin he must enjoyn himself a Perpetual Fast. The eye must fast from impure glances the ear must fast
The house that was only swept and garnished Satan entred into Luke 11. 26. This was the emblem of a moral man who is swept by civility and garnished with common gifts but is not washed by true Repentance the unclean spirit enters into such an one If civility were sufficient to salvation Christ needed not to have died The Civilian hath a fair Lamp but it wants the oyl of grace 5. Repentance is needful for Hypocrites I mean such as allow themselves in the sin Hypocrisie is the counterfeiting of sanctity The Hypocrite or stage-player is gotten a step beyond the moralist and doth dress himself in the gâ—…rb of Religion he pretends to a form of godliness but denies the power 2 Tim. 3. 5. The Hypocrite is a Saint in jest he makes a majestick shew like an Ape clothed in Ermyn or Purple The Hypocrite is like an house with a beautiful frontispiece but every room within is dark he is a rotten post fairly gilded under his mask of profession he hides his plague-sores The Hypocrite is against painting of faces but he paints holiness he is seemingly good that he may be really bad In Samuels mantle he plaies the Devil therefore the same word in the original signifies to use Hypocrisie and to be prophane * The Hypocrite seems to have his eyes nailed to Heaven but his heart is full of impure lustings he lives in secret sin against his conscience he can be as his company is and act both the Dove and the Vulture he hears the word but is all ear he is for Temple-devotion where others may look upon him and admire him but he neglects family and closet prayer Indeed if prayer doth not make a man leave sin sin will make him leave prayer The Hypocrite feigns humility but it is that he may rise in the world he is a pretender to faith but he makes use of it rather for a cloak than a shield he carries his Bible under his arm but not in his heart his whole Religion is a demure lye Hos. 11. 12. But is there such a generation of men to be found the Lord forgive them their holiness Hypocrites are in the gall of bitterness Act. 8. 23. O how had they need humble themselves in the dust they are far gone with the rot and if any thing cure them it must be feeding upon the salt Marshes of Repentance Let me speak my mind freely none will find it more difficult to repent than Hypocrites they have so jugled in Religion that their treacherous hearts know not how to repent Hypocrisie is harder to cure than Phrensie The Hypocrites Imposthume in his heart seldom breaks If it be not too late seek yet to God for mercy Such as are guilty of prevailing Hypocrisie let them fear and tremble their condition is sinful and sad 1. Sinful because they do not embrace Religion out of choice but design they do not love it only paint it 2. Sad and that upon a double account 1. Because this art of deceit cannot hold long He who hangs out a sign but hath not the commodity of grace in his heart must needs break at last 2. Because Gods anger will fall heavier upon Hypocrites they dishonour God more and take away the Gospels good name therefore the Lord reserves the most deadly Arrows in his quiver to shoot at them If Heathens be damned Hypocrites shall be double-damned Hell is called the place of Hypocrites Mat. 14. 5. 1. As if it were chiefly prepared for them and were to be settled upon them in feâ—…simple 6. Repentance is necessary for Gods own people who have a real work of grace and are Israelites indeed they must offer up a daily sacrifice of tears The Antinomians hold that when any come to be Believers they have a Writ of Ease and there remains nothing for them now to do but to rejoyce Yes they have something else to do and that is to repent Repentance is a continued act The issue of godly sorrow must not be quite stopp'd till death Hierom writing in an Epistle to Laeta tells her that her life must be a life of Repentance Repentance is called a crucifying the old man which is not done on a sudden but leisurely it will be doing all our life And is there not a great deal of cause why Gods own people should go into the weeping bath 2 Chron. 28. 10. Are there not with you even with you sins against the Lord Have not you sins of daily incursion Though you are Diamonds have you no flaws Do we not read of the spots of Gods children Search with the Candle of the Word into your hearts and see if you can find no matter of Repentance there 1. Repent of your rash censuring instead of praying for others you are ready to passe a Verdict upon them 'T is true the Saints shall judge the world 1 Cor. 6. 2. But stay your time remember the Apostles caution 1 Cor. 4. 5. Iudge nothing before the time till the Lord come 2. Repent of your vain thoughts These swarm in your minds as the Flies did in King Pharaohs Court What beweildrings are there in the imagination If Satan doth not possess your bodies he doth your fancies Ier. 4. 4. How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee A man may think himself into Hell O ye Saints be humbled for this lightness in your head 3. Repent of your vain fashions 'T is strange that the garments which God hath given to cover shame should discover pride The godly are bid not to be conformed to this world Rom. 12. 2. People of the world are garish and light in their dresses It is in fashion now adaies to go to Hell but whatever others do yet let not Iudah offend Hos. 4. 15. The Apostle hath set down what upper garment Christians must wear 1 Tim. 2. 9. Modest apparel and what under-garment 1 Pet. 5. 5. Be ye clothed with humility 4. Repent of your decaies in grace Rev. 2. 4. Thou hast left thy first love Christians how often is it Low-water in your souls how often doth your cold fit come upon you where are those flames of affection those sweet meltings of spirit as once you had I fear they are melted away O repent for leaving your first love 5. Repent of your non-improvement of Talents Health is a talent estate is a talent wit and parts are talents and these God hath intrusted you with to improve for his glory He hath sent you into the world as a Merchant sends his Factor beyond the Seas to trade for his Masters advantage But you have not done the good you might Can you say Lord thy pound hath gained five pounds Luk. 19. 18. Oh mourn at the burial of your talents Let it grieve you that so much of your age hath not been time lived but time lost that you have fill'd up
our hearts accuse us of must be confessed as ever we hope for mercy It reproves them who do in their confessions mince and extenuate their sins A gracious soul labours to make the worst of his sins hypocrites make the best of them they do not deny they are sinners but yet do what they can to lessen their sins they indeed offend sometimes but it is their nature and it is long of such occasions These are rather excuses than confessions 1 Sam. 15. 24. I have sinned I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord because I feared the people Saul layes his sin upon the people They would have him spare the Sheep and Oxen. 'T was an Apology not a self-indictment This runs in a blood Adam acknowledgeth he did taste the forbidden fruit but instead of aggravating his sin he translates it from himself to God Gen. 3. 12. The woman whom thou gavest me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat If I had not had this woman to be a tempter I had not transgressed inscripsere deos sceleri That is a bad sin indeed that hath no excuse as it must needs be a very course Wooll which will take no dye How apt are we to pare and curtail sin and look upon it through the small end of the perspective that it appears but as a little cloud like the bigness of a mans hand 1 King 18. 44. It reproves them who are so far from confessing sin that they boldly plead for it Instead of having tears to lament it they use Arguments to defend it If their sin be passion they will justifie it Ionah 9. 4. I do well to be angry If it be covetousness they will vindicate it When men commit sin they are the Devils Servants when they plead for it they are the Devils Attorneys and he will give them a fee. 2. Let us shew our selves penitents by sincere confession of sin The Thief on the Cross made a confession of his sin Luk. 23. 41. We indeed suffer justly And Christ saith to him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Which possibly might occasion that speech of Austin that confession of sin shuts the mouth of Hell and opens the gate of Paradise That we may make a free and ingenuous confession of sin let us consider Holy confession gives glory to God Iosh. 7. 19. My Son give I pray thee glory to God the God of Israel and make confession unto him An humble confession exalts God What a glory is it to him that out of our own mouths he doth not condemn us While we confess sin Gods patience is magnified in sparing and his free-grace in saving such sinners Confession is a means to humble the soul He that subscribes himself an Hell-deserving sinner will have little heart to be proud with the Violet he will hang down his head in humility A true penitent confesseth he mingles sin with all he doth therefore hath nothing to boast of Uzziah though a King yet having a Leprosie in his forehead he had enough to abase him 2 Chron. 26. 19. So a child of a God though he doth any good yet acknowledgeth much evil to be in that good this layes all his feathers of pride in the dust Confession gives vent to a troubled heart When guilt lyes boiling in the conscience confession gives ease It is like the lancing of an Imposthume which gives ease to the Patient Confession purgeth out sin Austin calls it the Expeller of vice Sin is a bad blood confession is like the opening of a vein to let it out Confession is like the dung-gate by which all the filth of the City was carryed forth Nehem. 3. 13. Confession is like pumping at the leak it lets out that sin which would else drown Confession is the spunge that wipes off the spots of the soul. Confession of sin endears Christ to the soul. If I say I am a sinner how precious will Christs blood be to me When Paul had confessed a body of sin he presently breaks forth into a gratulatory triumph for Christ Rom. 7. 25. Thanks be to God through Iesus Christ If a debtor confess a Iudgement yet the creditor will not exact the debt but appoint his own Son to pay it will not the debtor be very thankful So when we confess the deâ—… and that though we should for ever 〈◊〉 in Hell we cannot pay it that God should appoint his own Son to lay down his blood for the payment of our debt how is free-grace magnified and Jesus Christ eternally loved and admired Confession of sin makes way for pardon No sooner did the Prodigal come with a confession in his mouth I have sinned against Heaven but his Fathers heart did melt towards him and he kissed him Luk. 15. 20. When David said I have sinned the Prophet brings him a box with a pardon The Lord hath put away thy sin 2 Sam. 12. 13. He who doth sincerely confess sin hath Gods bond for a pardon 1 Ioh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Why doth not the Apostle say if we confess he is merciful to forgive our sins no but he is just because he hath bound himself by promise to forgive such He who confesseth sin and comes with a penitent heart by faith in Christ Gods truth and justice is ingaged for the pardoning of that man How reasonable and easie is this command that we should confess sin 1. It is a reasonable command For if one hath wronged another what more rational than to confess he hath wronged him We having wronged God by sin how equal and consonant to reason is it that we should confess the offence 2. It is an easie command What a vast difference is there between the first Covenant and the second In the first Covenant it was If thou committest sin thou diest In the second Govenant it is If thou confessest sin thou shalt have mercy In the first Covenant no surety was allowed under the Covenant of Grace if we do but confess the debt Christ will be our Surety What way could be thought of more ready and facile for the salvation of man than an humble confession Ier. 3. 13. Only acknowledge thy iniquity I do not ask for sacrifices of Ramms to expiate thy guilt I do not bid thee part with the fruit of thy body for the sin of thy soul Only acknowledge thy iniquity Do but draw up an Indictment against thy self and plead guilty and thou shalt be sure of mercy Methinks all this should render this duty amiable Throw out the poison of sin by confession and this day is salvation come to thy house Let this suffice to have spoken of our confession of sin to God Only there remains one case of conscience Whether we are bound to confess our sins to men The Papists insist much upon