put for the whole we are to vnderstand all sinne from the greatest to the least from grosse crying reigning sinne euen to our very infirmities The like figure is to be obserued in the words of the third commandement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse c. Where it is not meant that we should onely make conscience of taking Gods name in vaine by light vse in common talke and in the meane time make no conscience of periury before a magistrate but the true meaning and scope of the cōmandement is to teach vs to make conscience of all profanation of Gods name euen from the very sinnes of periury and blasphemy to the least oath Euen so in my text by transgressions we are to vnderstand all sinnes both great and small For we must not fauour or abet our selues in our very infirmities And make you a new heart and a new spirit By heart and spirit here is meant the whole inner man For by the heart is meant the memory the will the affections and the conscience and by the spirit is meant the spirit of the mind or the vnderstanding So that that which God requireth here to be renewed is the whole inner man according to that holy Prouerb My son giue me thine heart But here a questiō may be demāded Will God therefore be content with the bare renewing of the inner man or is he indifferent whether the outward man be renewed or no Not so For we are bought with a price therefore we must glorifie God both in our bodies and in our spirits for they are Gods But the Lord nameth the inner man because the true renouation begins there namely at the heart and in the mind Secondly because God knew full well that if once the inner man were throughly renewed the outward man would quickly be reformed According to that speech of our blessed Sauiour to the Pharisee Thou blind Pharisee cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter that the outside of them may be cleane also Why will ye die There is a threefold death mentioned in the holy Scriptures First naturall and that is nothing else but a separation for a time of the soule from the body Secondly spirituall and that is a separation of the soule from the life of God Thirdly eternall and that is a finall separation both of body and soule from the comfortable presence of God Of the first kind of death is spoken in Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed vnto men to die once Of the second is spoken in Luke 15. 32. This thy brother was dead is aliue again Of the third is made mentiō in Reu. 21. 8. The fearfull and vnbeleeuing abhominable murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death My text is meant of the third kind of death why will ye die that is why will ye incurre the danger of the second death which is eternall damnation both of soule and bodie to be tormented with the Diuell and his Angels for euer O house of Israel By the house of Israel in this place is meant the Church of God both among the Iewes and among the Gentiles For the name Israel is giuen to both peoples in Gal. 6. 16. And I am sure the matter of the exhortation concernes vs Gentiles as much as euer it did the Iewes For I appeale to euery mans conscience haue not we as great need to be exhorted to cast away all our transgressions as euer had the Iewes Haue not we as much need to be stirred vp to become new creatures as euer had the Iewes Iudge we in our selues Furthermore this name Israel is taken from the Patriarch Iacob who was named Israel by the Angell which wrastled with him because as a Prince he had preuailed with God And it is a very fit name for all Gods people because they are a generation that can wrastle with God in prayer and also preuaile Thus much of the literall meaning of the words Cast away all your transgressions Before I come to the points of doctrine which I principally aime at two questions are first to be answered First whether repentance be in a mans owne power or no because the Church is here exhorted as by her owne action to cast away her transgressions and to make her selfe a new heart and a new spirit And the second question is whether a man haue free will or no because it is said here Why will ye die ô house of Israel As seeming to imply that it was in the free choise of Israel her selfe whether she would be saued or damned Concerning the first question I answer that true repentance or that repentance which is neuer to be repented of it is not in mans power but it is the especiall gift of God according to that in 2. Tim. 2. 25. In meeknesse instructing them that oppose thēselues prouing if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth And furthermore euery vnregenerate person man or woman is a very blacke More yea a Leopard and therefore as the blacke More cannot change his skin nor the Leopard his spots no more can any vnregenerate person do good which is accustomed to do euill We do not denie but natural men and women may attaine some degree of sorrow as Iudas did some degree of outward humiliation as Ahab did and some degree of confession as Pharao did and some degree of the restraining spirit as Abimelech did and some degree of satisfaction vnto men for iniuries done as the same Iudas did But to the sauing sight of sinne or to the contrite spirit which God wil not despise or sound inward mortification vnto sin which is by the Spirit or to true conscience of sin and louing endeuour after righteousnesse hereunto a meere naturall person can neuer attaine by his owne naturall strength For it is spiritually and not naturally attained it is the worke of God and not of man And therefore Ephraim is heard bemoning himselfe to God in these termes Turne thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Wherein he doth secretly acknowledge that he had not repentance in his owne power but that it was the gift of God But here remaineth still another difficultie For it may be obiected further If repentance be not in a mans owne power then why doth God exhort vs here to cast off all our iniquities and to make our selues new hearts and new spirits God doth not this because he presupposeth an ability in vs to perform that which he requireth but because he himself is ready to do that for vs which he requires at our hands For the word of God is not as the word of man to wit a bare sound or voice
and plotting For the wicked deuiseth mischiefe vpon his bed he setteth himself vpon a way that is not good c. Psal 36. 4. Secondly a sinne of infirmitie is done vnwillingly with much striuing against the flesh yea with the very hatred of the sinne committed as we see in the example of blessed Paul Rom. 7. 15. That which I do I allow not for what I would that I do not but what I hate that do I. Whereas on the contrary a sinne of presumption is committed willingly with the whole heart with great delight yea euen with greedinesse Ephes 4. 19. Who being past feeling haue giuen themselues ouer vnto lasciuiousnesse to worke all vncleanenesse with greedinesse Thirdly a sinne of infirmitie is commonly committed in things of a lower nature For few of the children of God after conuersion as I suppose do fall so grosly as did Dauid and Peter The child of God after regeneration may be assailed with euill thoughts and may be subject to like passions as others are yea idle words may sometimes slip from them at vnawares and some failings there may be in their actions and dealings and they may also come short in the well performing of holy duties and the like But a sinne of presumption is vsually committed with an high hand in grosse matters Rom. 3. 13. Their throate is an open sepulcher with their tongues they haue vsed deceit the poyson of aspes is vnder their lips whose mouth is full of cursing and bitternesse their feete are swift to shed bloud c. Fourthly a sinne of infirmitie is commonly of ignorance as was the sinne of Peter when rashly he desired that three Tabernacles might be made one for Christ one for Moses and one for Elias not knowing what he said whereas a sinne of presumption is alwayes against the light of knowledge For the wicked knowing the iudgement of God that they which do such things are worthy of death not onely do the same but haue pleasure in them that do them Rom. 1. 32. Fiftly a sinne of infirmitie when it is knowne it is presently repented of and is more carefully shunned and bewar'd of for the time to come as we see in the example of holy Iob in his fortieth chapter and fourth and fifth verses who perceiuing that he had bene too bold with God presently vpon the sight of his sinne breaketh out into these termes of repentance Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee I will lay my hand vpon my mouth once haue I spoken but I will not answer againe yea twise but I will proceed no further Whereas on the contrary a sinne of presumption is commonly made a trade of and continued in yea many times defended and boasted of The children of Israel made a trade of prouoking God vnto anger in the wildernesse and continued therein fortie yeares Psal 95. 10. The wicked idolaters offer to defend their offering of cakes to the Queene of heauen Ier. 44. 17. And the vngodly boasteth of his hearts desire Psal 10. 3. Now therefore considering what great difference there is betwixt sins of infirmitie and sinnes of presumption let no man deceiue himselfe in being encouraged to liue in his grosse sinnes of presumption because the true children of God sore against their wils are subiect to many slips and imperfections I am conuinced in my conscience may some say that I ought to liue better then I do and that I ought to breake off my best-beloued sinnes but may I not do this hereafter what necessitie is there of present amendment To this I answer It is not for thee my poore brother to put off thy repentance from day to day and that for diuerse weightie reasons First because God himselfe calleth vpon thee for present repentance To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts as in the prouocation and in the day of temptation in the wildernesse Secondly because through procrastination thine heart may be made hard and impenitent as is implied in Heb. 3. 13. Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Thirdly because thy life is fraile and vncertaine thou knowest not what a day may bring forth thou mayest be aliue and in health to day and dead and buried by to morrow therefore it behoueth thee to repent whilest thou hast yet time Fourthly there be no doubt multitudes at this instant in hell fire for deferring their repentance notwithstanding that they purposed as thou doest to repent hereafter And therefore lest thou be like such foolish virgins and lest thou also come to that place of torment thou must not onely repent and cast away all thy transgressions whereby thou hast transgressed but this thou must do to day without any minutes procrastination I am content will some haply say to part with whatsoeuer I am conuinced of to be a sinne but how shall I be conuinced of sinne or by what meanes may I come to find out my beloued sinne I answer if thou knowest not my Christian brother thy beloued sinne which euery man doth more easily know then forsake take these few directions for the finding out of thy sinne First pray vnto God but pray feruently and in the name of Christ that he would vouchsafe to discouer vnto thee thy sins For it is the Spirit of God which conuinceth the world of sinne and he is that eye-salue which must cause thee to see Secondly thou must be very conuersant in Gods word but especially in the reading of the Law of God for by the Law cometh the knowledge of sin And the Law is that true cristall glasse wherein thou mayest discerne and see thy vgly deformities Thirdly thou must carefully obserue the checkes of thy conscience For if thou hast not feared thy conscience with an hote iron it will at one time or other checke thee for thy beloued sinne and thine owne heart will smite thee as Dauids heart smote him when he had cut off the lap of Sauls garment Fourthly thou must be content to suffer the word of exhortation from thy Minister from thy friend yea from thy very enemy if thou desirest to come to the sight of thy sin Many times others see more in vs then we can see in our selues How came Dauid to the sight of his sin but by Nathan the Prophet his ministery Now hauing proued vnto you at large the truth of the doctrine namely that a true conuert must turne not from some but from all his sins the vse of the point is first to condemne the practise of grosse hypocrites vnto whom sin is sweet and they hide it vnder their tongues which with Saul spare their fat sinnes of pleasure and profit and learne of Naaman to say Lord be merciful vnto vs in these sins when in the meane time they neuer meane to forsake them But I leaue such to their iust condemnation
first the assurance of the elect is wrought by the Spirit of adoption but the perswasion of the wicked is not so but is wrought rather by Satan which lulleth them asleepe Secondly the assurance of the elect hath a sure foundation to wit the promises of the Gospell the mercy of God and Christ but the perswasion of the wicked is grounded vpon the sandy foundation of his owne merits Thirdly the assurance of the elect breedeth an especiall care to please God but the perswasion of the wicked breedeth carnall securitie and boldnesse to sinne The fourth generall point propounded concerning this great mystery of regeneration is touching the concomitants of this grace And the concomitants or things accōpanying this grace of regeneration are these First an vniuersall change For there is none truly regenerated but they are truly changed yea vniuersally changed All things are become new with them yea they are changed from glorie to glorie as by the Spirit of the Lord. Where we are to note that the very reprobate may also be changed as we reade of Saul that God gaue him another heart But the change in the reprobate is far different from the change wrought in the elect For the change in the reprobate is but in common gifts of the Spirit as we see in Saul he was changed onely to prophesie or to rule whereas the elect are changed by speciall and sauing gifts as to be regenerate sauingly to beleeue to repent with repentance neuer to be repented of c. Secondly the reprobates are changed but onely in part they are like Ephraim or as a cake baked on the one side but the elect are vniuersally changed both inwardly and outwardly in iudgement wil affections conscience conuersation outward behauiour and the like Secondly the second concomitant of regeneration is the combat betweene the flesh and the spirit For there is none truly regenerate but they haue a combat within them Thus it was with Paul who found in himselfe after regeneration a law rebelling against the law of his mind Rō 7. 18. Where we must also note that the very reprobate may haue a kind of reluctation by vertue of the light of their natural consciences as we see in the example of Pilate he was loth to condemne Christ he had a kind of striuing within him yea he sought to release him But the difference is the reprobate haue a striuing against sin either in respect of the shame of sin or in respect of the feare of hell fire or for such like carnall ends so that their striuing is not the combat of the flesh and the spirit but the combat of the flesh and the flesh whereas the elect haue a striuing against sinne for conscience sake and in loue to God Thirdly the third concomitant of regeneration is fruitfulnesse There be none truly regenerate but they are made fruitful We might instance for the proofe of this point in the example of Zaccheus and many other Where obserue that the wicked and vnregenerate may do many seeming good works as we see in the example of the Barbarians who laded Paul with things necessary Acts 28. 10. But the difference is the reprobate and wicked do many seeming good works either mercenarily to receiue the like againe or vaingloriously for the praise of men or superstitiously with opinion of merit Whereas the elect do good works vnto such as are not able to requite them and that in true sinceritie and humilitie not seeking their owne praise but Gods glory confessing when they haue done all that they can that they are vnprofitable seruants Fourthly the fourth concomitant of regeneration is the matter of persecution For there is none regenerate to liue godly in Christ Iesus but they must suffer persecution in one kind or in another as Paul speakes in 2. Tim. 3. 9. Where we are also to note that the very wicked may suffer for their profession yea and suffer many things for the truths sake also as Paul implieth in 1. Cor. 13. 3. that they that are without loue may giue their bodies to be burned and as we see in the examples of Papists Arrians and other wretched heretikes which sometimes are ready to lay downe their liues for their profession sake But the difference is in the cause of suffering for it is not the suffering but the cause of suffering that makes the Martyr The wicked and vnregenerate suffer commonly for error and not for the truth or if at any time for the truth then it is not for loue of the truth it selfe but for some other by-respect whereas the elect child of God suffers for the truth it selfe and that in loue to the same and with zeale of Gods glory The fifth and last generall point propounded concerning the mystery of regeneration is concerning the constancy of the same For we are to know that a man or woman being once regenerate they are for euer regenerate and being once made the children of God by adoption they are for euer the children of God For the proofe of this point I commend vnto you these places of Scripture following 1. Ioh. 3. 9. His seed remaineth in him 1. Pet. 1. 23. Being borne againe not of mortall seed Rom. 11. 29. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance Ioh. 14. 16. The Comforter shall remaine with you for euer Rom. 11. 1. Hath God cast away his people God forbid Psal 37. 28. The Lord forsaketh not his Saints By all which places and many other it is manifest that they which are once effectually called and truly regenerate and haue receiued the Spirit of adoption they are for euer the children of God And the reason is first because God is constant both in his decree for the foundation of God remaineth sure hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his and in his loue for whom he loueth he loueth to the end Ioh. 13. 1. Secondly because God hath promised that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against his Church Math. 16. 18. and Gods promises are Yea and Amen as we know Thirdly because God is able to preserue his children to the end He is stronger then all and none is able to plucke the weakest babe in Christ out of the hands of the blessed Father And if any Papist or Arminian shall obiect the examples of Iudas or Demas or the stony ground or of many Professors that turn carnal c. To this I answer that those that finally and totally fall away from the truth They were neuer of vs for if they had bene of vs they would haue continued with vs 1. Ioh. 2. 19. These might possibly receiue certaine common gifts of the Spirit as to be enlightened c. but they neuer were truly regenerate We do not deny but the true child of God may be much weakened concerning the degree of true sauing grace which formerly he hath felt which cometh to