speaketh they are willingly ignorant yea wilfully ignorant as those that will not bee ruled and guided by their teachers affraid to be resolued As the beggars that will not haue their soares cured because they are a couer for their ease and idleness and now and then get many a penny by them and are affraid of none so much as the Surgeon Thus hee sends among Salomons simples that are friends of sinne but enemies to their own soules 3. Here is a man branded with an high wickednesse by the spirit of God Psal. 36.1 2. Wickednesse saith to the wicked man there is no feare of God before his eyes for he blesseth and flattereth himselfe in his sinne euen while his owne heart findeth his wickednesse There is no grace Loue would not displease a friend in the least discourtesie So the loue of God A chast wife will rule her selfe not to show the least looke or behauiour to offend her husband Holinesse would abhorre all sinne repentance would feare all euen the least CAP. 22. Le ts of presumption in that Christ dyed for all men THe second Obiection to bring men to presumption vrged by Sathan is this But Christ dyed for all men and if thy sins be forgiuen in him what needeth all this ado as if thou wouldest satisfie againe for that which Christ hath once satisfied If Christ haue redeemed all then thou art safe if he haue redeemed but some bee as carefull as thou canst thou canst neuer bee assured that thou art of that number and therefore howsoeuer thou mayest enioy thy sin Ans Christs precious bloud the price of redemption was for the vertue and value of it for the sins of the whole world and euery person but neither in the purpose of God nor in the will and intention of our blessed Sauiour nor in the spirituall application of it by liuely faith is it effectuall to all and euery one neither are all vniuersally redeemed by it 1. The Scripture meaneth by all not euery particular but many Matth. 26. This is the bloud shed for many for remission of sins Matth. 20 28. The sonne of man came to giue his life a ransome for many Isay 52.11 My righteous seruant shall iustifie many Luke 2.34 Hee is for the rising and fall of many in Israel 2. All is taken for all kindes not persons And this ground answereth a number of places alledged to the contrary Titus 2.11 The grace of God appeared bringing saluation to all men that is all kindes rankes and conditions of men euen seruants as well as masters vnto whom and for whose comfort he directed his spirit Heb. 2.9 Christ tasted death for all men that is for all kinds of men not all particulars Rom. 11.32 that he might haue mercie on all that is as God shut vp all vnder vnbeliefe aswel Iewes as Gentiles so hee will haue mercie on all aswell Iewes as Gentiles that neither Iew nor Gentile should bee saued but by mercy The word all cannot be taken collectiue but distributiue Vt quosdam ax illis omnibus saluaret Dionysius Carthus So 1. Tim. 2.6 2. There is an all or vniuersalitie of the elect Esay 53.6 The Lord hath layd on him the iniquitie of vs all that is beleeuers in the Mesiah the Prophet including himselfe in their number And as there is a world of reprobates for whom Christ prayeth not Iohn 17.9 so there is Mundu◠è mundo electus saith Augustine for whom Christ is the propitiation 1 Iohn 2.2 He is the propitiation for our sins Ob. Yea and of the whole word Ans. 1. Of the whole world of beleeuers 2. of the whole world in generall in respect of sufficiencie price and vertue of his death but not in respect of efficacie which is hindered by the infidelitie of the wicked Thus the vniuersall particle includeth not vnbeleeuers impenitent contemners and enemies of Christ. For howsoeuer 1. Christ dyed for all in respect of the sufficiencie of the price the vertue of his death being infinite in himselfe and sufficient for all that by faith can apprehend it and the preaching and publishing of it appertaineth to all yet in respect of the fruit and application it belongeth onely to the faithfull because this remedy is propounded vnto all vpon condition of faith which condition onely the beleeuer performes Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that whoseuer beleeueth in him c. Whosoeuer fayle in this condition neuer tast any benefit by the death of Christ and what were I better if I had a plaister neuer so sufficient for my wound if I apply it not to the â—ure as no vnbeleeuer doth 2 The Scripture speaketh of some whom Christ neuer knew Math. 7. therefore there are some whom he dyed not for for he will know them whom hee will dye for there are some whom he will not pray for will he dye for those whom he will not pray for 3 The Scripture plainely distinguisheth the persons for whom Christ dyed from such as neuer shall haue benefit by his death 1 He gaue his life for the Church Ephes. 5.25 that is that part of the world that is washed and sanctified through the word he dyed for those that part from their sinnes not those that will hold on a course in them he dyed for his people his name is IESVS for hee shall saue his people from their sins implying there is a people that are not his for whom he dyeth not a people that are strangers and aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel I must therefore be one of those I must dwell in Sion the true Church of those that dwell there is said their sinnes shall be forgiuen 2 He dyed onely for his sheepe Ioh. 10.15 not for the goates who be they those that heare his voâ—ce that follow him in obedience that heare not the voyce of a stranger nor the voice of the tempting seducer to draw him aside from following the true shepheard 3 Hee dyed onely for his friends Ioh. 15.13 not for the wicked for enemies that say we will not haue this man to raigne ouer vs. Obiect He dyed also for his enemies Rom. 5.10 Answ. Those for whom Christ dyed were enemies in their nature corrupt constitution but now are friends by grace recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ Obiect But Christ dyed for Reprobates for they were sanctified by the bloud of Christ Heb. 10.29 Answ. Sanctification by the bloud of Christ is either externall or internall the former is onely in outward profession of Faith and participation of Word and Sacraments and so these Apostates were sanctified â—d est seuered from the Iewes and Pagans in profession But they were neuer inwardly sanctified nor the bloud of Christ neuer purified their hearts 2 The Apostle speaketh of these Apostates as they were in the iudgement of charity reputed of men who holdeth all them sanctified that consent to the doctrine of faith but not that they were so in the iudgement of certainty before God for they were neuer of the
custody of their Watch and therefore though sometimes he may nod sleepe yet his heart waketh Cant. 5.3 2 He strengtheneth himselfe with a diligent care to prosper in grace and grow daily to perfection Phil. 3.12 Hee hath not yet attained but striueth To which end 1 He listeneth heedfully to the silent and secret motions of the spirit to cherish and foster them 2 Hee waiteth vpon the meanes and ministery as Mary sitteth downe at the feet of Christ with humility and constancy as that gesture implyeth and seeketh and apprehendeth all occasions of good 3 He obserueth and carefully vndertaketh good duties to which he is directed and indeauoureth to performe them in an holy manner with cheerefulnesse and wisedome and to a good end sincerely ayming at Gods glory and the saluation of himselfe and others And as hee must needs thriue who in a gainefull trade is diligent to apprehend all good opportunities so in this gainfull trade of godlinesse it is the diligent hand that maketh rich and in euery labour is abundance whereas the idle person quickly wasteth his stock and commeth to nothing 3 He strengtheneth himselfe with spirituall armour and weapons of Gods making against temptations assaults persecutions stormes and all kinde of resistances he knoweth the enemies are many their malice restlesse and inappeasable and therfore he hath need to stand as the Iewes in building the wall of Ierusalem with the trowell in the one hand and the sword of the spirit in the other And 2 Hauing had experience of the safety and strength in this armour of proofe he is carefull to put it on and keepe it on being well assured that he cannot be hurt but onely in the want or carelesse vse of it 4 He prepareth himselfe by daily exercise of Repentance for Christs appearing Acts 17.31 God admonisheth euery man to repent because he hath appointed a day And this exercise is in these things 1 Hee looketh for his head and in the meane time comforteth himself as a member which must be of the same nature and qualities if the head be a liuing spirituall holy gratious head so must the member Our head admitteth no rotten gangrenous and incurable member 2 He feareth God because of the great day of his wrath which commeth Reuel 14.7 Being stricken with a reuerend feare he shunneth euery sinne yea euery idle word whereof he must giue account 3 He cleareth himselfe from sin daily because as the day of death leaueth him so that day of iudgement findeth him he prepareth himselfe by doing that daily which he would be found doing on his dying day his care is not onely to bee found blamelesse but wel-doing Blessed is that seruant whom his Master â—indeth so doing 4 He getteth and keepeth a good conscience before God and all men thus he prepareth an Arke for himselfe to sit safe in Well he knoweth that the sentence of the great Iudge at that day shall concurre with the sentence of this little inward Iudge 5 Because the sentence of that day shall be passed according to the soundnesse of faith and fruits his daily care is to get oyle into his lampe and light of shining and sauing graces and holy duties which onely admit him into the Bridegroome chamber Thus he prepareth his reckoning daily and fitteth his account that he may giue it vp with ioy 6 He longeth and sigheth and waiteth to put off all corruption of sinne and misery and put on fulnesse of grace ioy and glory Rom. 8.23 we sigh in our selues 2. Cor 5.4 We sigh and are burdened to be cloathed vpon and loue to remoue out of the body and to dwell with the Lord chap. 8.2 The Spirit saith come and the Bride saith come Reuel 22.17 These are the true characters of sound Repentance which euery Beleeuer shall finde in himselfe in some comfortable measure CAP. 38. Motiues to Repentance first from the necessity of it THe fifth and last generall is the motiues to excite vs to this so necessary a duty of Repentance The first of these motiues shal be out of the Text which inforceth the necessitie of RepentaÌ„ce Except yee Repent yee shall perish This will appeare if we looke on sinne vnrepented 1 In the nature of euery one being first a worke of the flesh which to doe is to dye The wages of sin is death Rom. 6.23 If ye liue after the flesh ye shall dye Rom. 8.13 And the end of these things is death Rom. 6.21 And when we were in the flesh the motions of sin which were by the law had force in our meÌ„bers to bring forth fruit vnto death Rom. 7.5 2 Euery sinne separateth from God the fountaine of life and so slayeth vs holdeth all good things from vs Isay. 59.2 3 Euery sinne vnrepented fighteth against the soule 1. Pet. 2.11 Lusts warre against the soule and wound it with many deadly gashes Paul telleth Timothy that they drowne the soule in perdition 1. Tim. 6.9 4 Euery sinne putteth vs vnder the power of the diuell and so in state of perdition 1. Ioh. 3.8 He that committeth sinne is of the diuell and maketh vs resemble the diuell and the impenitent person is said to be in the snare of the diuell taken at his will 2. Tim. 2.10 5 Euery sinne vnrepented shutteth heauen Gal. 3. â—2 They that doe shoh things shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen and God hath sworne that neuer an impenitent sinner shall enter into his rest 2 Looke on sinne in the inseparable companions and effects of it 1 The wrath of God as a fire kindled burning to the bottome of hell Psal. 7.12 God is angry with the wicked euery day and raineth downe on the head of the sinner stormes and haile and shooteth all the arrowes of reuenge out of his quiuer How did he lay about him and cast out his curses as thicke as haâ—le vpon the first sinne committed against the serpent the woman the man the earth and all about him 2 This wrath hath linked as with an iron chaine sinne and punishment together which goe inseparably as the cause and the effect as the body and the shadow as the worke and the wages as the parent and the childe one begetting another heauy and smart is the rod that is prepared for the fooles backe and thou canst not goe on in sin but vnto punishment 3d. Effect Gods iustice requireth that as a man soweth so he must reape Gal. 6.7 Sinne is the seed of wrath and the haruest of the sinner is proportioned to his seed time Iob 4.8 I haue seene that they that plow iniquity sow wickednesse reape the same If thou sowest iniquity thou must reape affliction Pro. 22.8 He that soweth to the flesh must reape corruption Look not to reape wheate if thou sowest tares euery seed bringeth vp his owne kinde sow the winde and reape the whirlewinde Hos. 8.7 4 There is no way in the world to auoid this wrath and iustice but Repentance for first to
death and goe on in sinne and though the sword passe through the land to cry Peace Peace 3. Great is the difference betweene the sins of godly and wicked One sinneth of weaknesse the other of wickednesse one is drawne to sin violently the other runneth willingly the one sinneth against his purpose the other purposeth sin the one slippeth into sin the other lyeth downe and walloweth in it the one slumbers the other is in a dead sleep 4. We must hasten out of presumptuous sins because the sin against the holy Ghost is of this kind of sins though not euery sin of presumption and against knowledge and conscience but such a presumption as renounceth the whole Gospell and that of set purpose and malice against the maiesty of God and of Christ Heb. 10.29 If all sins then sins of aggrauating or scandalous circumstances as 1. Old and customable sins which are growne strong and habituall and neede a long and earnest Repentance to cut and breake them off and here especially our oldest and strongest sin of all the mother and nurse of all the rest our originall corruption had need bee bewailed being as a great wheele in a clocke that setteth all wheeles a mouing while it seemeth to moue slowest Yet not one of a hundreth taketh this of all other in hand as not seeing the danger of it But neuer did any truely repent that begun not here and first conquered this master esteeming it the most foulâ— and hatefull of all as Dauid Psal 51. and Paul cryeth out of it as most secret deceitfull powerfull euill Rom. 7. 2. Sweete pleasing and profitable sins the more pleasure thou hast taken in sin the more shall thy sorrow bee sooner or later and shalt know one day but the sooner the better that thy sweetest sin is a poison or rats-bane sweet in going down but forget the danger and please thy palate a while it shall work in thy bowels and bring death sure enough If sin bee not as a dagger at the heart before it shall after the commission The profit of sinne is like Achans wedge it cost his life Vnhappy is that profit of the world gotten by the losse of the soule 3. Sins of the godly after conuersion are greater than common mens 1. They are committed against more grace more means more knowledge 2. It is more noted being in a greater light Dauid caused the enemies to blaspheme and the godly bee ashamed because of sin 3. There is great profession of loue to God and this cannot but worke great sorrow for offending him Luke 7. The woman that had much forgiuen her loued much and so in Peter he sorrowed bitterly as his loue was great 4. The Lord taketh sinne more hainously at their hands than any others as a father abuse and dishonour from his son Christ complaineth it was thou my friend and familiar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Sins against meanâ— against warning admonition vowes promises correction much prouoke the Lord to wrath So Christ aggrauateth Iudas his sin he hath the greater sin Iohn 19. he not only knew my doctrine saw my miracles but was warned Peter after warning on Christs part and protestations on his owne so fowly denying Oh how the sin pricketh him and giueth him no rest till hee had met the Lord by Repentance Most sins of men in these daies of light are not for want of knowledge but against knowledge admonition and conscience the sins of men are taught among whom the Gospell is still preached and men follow with daily instructions All of them are against the vow and promise of Baptisme many of them against speciall motions of spirit against speciall promises and vowes to God either in time of affliction or terrour of conscience or bodily sicknesse or comming to saluation when men haue resolued and promised a change of life All these are fearefull sins and haue a loud voice to call either thee to repent or God to reuenge 5 Sinnes of open profanenesse As 1 Against holy times swearing whoring drinking gaming on the Sabbaoth day a time holy wherein ordinary lawfull actions are prohibited as Iourneyes Markets bying selling and euery piece of ordinary calling 2 Against holy places profane thoughtâ— speeches actions in the Church and house of God The holier the place the fouler the sinne 3 Against holy exercises disgracing reproching scorning the exercises of Religion Preaching Hearing Prayer Singing in the family and other godly duties 4 Against godly persons and such as excell in vertue reuiling godly men vnder titles of Puritans Hypocrites factious and troublers of the state Little know men the height of profanenesse they are growne to in these sins nor what nor whom they blaspheme nor what a fierce plague of GOD hangeth ouer them which nothing but timely Repentance can turne away Let such therefore try their Repentance if the wickednesse and profanenesse of their hearts may be forgiuen them CAP. 8. Concerning the manner of entrance into Repentance THe third rule for the direction of our Repentance concerneth the manner of it and this both of 1 Entrance 2 Proceeding 1. For the right entrance into this duty wee must know that there can be no true Repentance without due preparation Amos 4.12 Prepare to meet thy God O Israel And in all diuine duties the rule is Eccles. 5â—6 Be not hasty with thy feet nor rash in thy mouth but consider how thou must doe a good thing wel In this preparation remember 1 Thy selfe and thy owne estate For a man must returne into himselfe before he can returne to God The prodigall Sonne as he departed from his father so he departed from himselfe and therefore before hee returned to his Father he is said to be in se reuersus he returned into himselfe Esa. 46.8 Returne into your mindes O transgressors implying that sinners are as madde men out of their right mindes must come into themselues againe before they be well Now in considering thy selfe first remember from what an happy estate thou art fallen Reuel 2.5 Remember whence thou art fallen and repent So the Prodigall remembred from what an happy condition in his fathers house he was fallen 2 Remember thy waies and workes see and say how foolishly thou hast done so Dauid I considered my wayes and turned my feete Psal. 119.59 proclaime thine owne folly as Dauid I haue done very foolishly Ex lege agnitio paccati weigh thy sins in the Ballance not of crooked iudgement reason or affections but of the law of GOD which maketh them exceed all the mountaines of the world in weight for now must they needs presse thee downe to hell powring on thy head all the curses written in that Booke See them in the glasse of the Gospell committed against the bloud of the couenant thou hauing done what thou canst to make that of none effect See in them thy vile and abiect condition that durst commit such sins against God to abhorre thy selfe with Iob in dust and
Gods iustice 2 God is iust and therefore when he hath made mee of vniust iust and righteous in Christ hee will for euer repute me so Nay euen his iustice cannot but bestow mercy and grace on mee a beleeuer because in Christ I haue fully satisfied his iustice and in Christ deserued his loue 3 God is iust and this is a strong motiue to repent and beleeue in Christ for his iustice will not suffer him to punish one sinne twice nor to demand a debt once paid the second time Nay his iustice assureth mee of mercy 1. Iohn 1.9 If wee acknowledge our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue our sins his iustice assureth repentance of mercy 3 Because I am a grieuous sinner I am no childe of God and so all my Repentance is in vaine Ans. 1. Why are not all grieuous sinners before they repent what was Adam Dauid Peter Paul or what be grieuous sins if poligamie adulterie murder lying denying and forswearing Christ blasphemy persecution breathing slaughter and threatning against the Church bee not Doe not all euen the regenerate pray daily Forgiue vs our trespasses 2 Am I a grieuous sinner I must therefore so much more carefully and earnestly repent I want not encouragement I see that woman who was called a great sinner a notorious adultresse Luke 7. 37. seeeking mercy from Christ receiue that comfortable answer Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee 48. Thy faith hath saued thee Go in peace 50. I see that poor Canaanite whom Christ calleth a dogge yet earnestly seeking mercy gathered some crummes that fel from the Table Gods mercy shall bee more manifested in restoring great sinners his power more magnified in raising dead and rotten sinners my loue more footed as that woman Luke 7.47 Many sins were forgiuen her for she loued much 4 Because I sin daily against God I am none of his in vain seeke for fauour Ans. 1. Our Sauiour teacheth vs to say Our father and yet to pray daily Forgiue vs our trespasses Therefore hee that sins daily may call God father 2 Paul was a child of God being regenerate yet had a body of death and a law of sinne about him daily Rom. 7.24 3 I sinne daily but I repent daily The wicked reioyce in it I sinne and yet resist sinne and striue against it daily I do hatefull things but I hate that I doe I breake the law but yet I loue the law as holy iust good flesh is in me but I am not in the flesh Now tell mee Sathan canst thou gather such sigs of thistles or grapes of thornes who euer heard a childe of hell repent Ob. No did not Esau Iudas Ans. To repent is not onely to know and confesse what is bad and naught as they and as the Gentiles Rom. 2.19 but a change of the heart seene in an earnest affection and strife to loathe the bad and embrace the good And this had not did not they Howsoeuer therefore I confesse my naturall disease discouereth it selfe in daily issues and symptomes yet this sicknesse is not vnto death but that God may bee glorified in raising mee vp by his mighty power I am not 〈◊〉 so low not so long in the graue of sin but his mighty word can and will call mee forth to life CAP. 18. Le ts from Sathan by Temptations to despaire of our Repentance from Impossibilitie Difficultie 3. IF Sathan cannot preuaile to make vs despaire neither of Gods mercie nor our owne estates then he assayeth to bring vs to despaire of our repentance And this in three respects 1. of impossibilitie 2. vnprofitablenesse 3. of relapses or relinquishing Repentance 1. What an impossible thing dost thou attempt dost thou euer thinke to master thy sinnes which are so inbred so neare so necessary so profitable as eyes hands yea as ayre fire or water wilt thou striue against the streame where it is so impossible to ouercome and forsake them How often hast thou purposed promised vowed and resolued to enter the way of Repentance but couldst neuer attaine to goe through against any one sin 2. Thou shalt finde another manner of taske in Repentance than thou dreamest off it calleth for more paines sorrow mortification difficultie prickings of heart than euer thou lookest for or art able to indure and therefore neuer goe about it vnlesse thou hadst more hope to attaine it Answ. Thus the diuell like churlish Laban neuer persecuted Iacob so much as when hee was departing from him and our owne sloathfull corruption saith A Lyon is in the way Prou. 20. and the sluggard saith It is too cold he dareth not goe forth to plow Pro. 29. But to the first concerning the multitude masterfulnesse and necessarinesse of thy sinnes answer thus 1 I discerne indeed an huge army of sinnes and sweet lusts to encounter and these sonnes of Zeruiah are too strong for mee and it is impossible for mee to ouercome them if I looke at my selfe or my owne strength but as Dauid against Goliah I come against these Gyants in the name and strength of the Lord by whom I shall behead them It is he that teacheth my hands to warre and my fingers to fight It is his battaile and hee will giue the victory and close my enemies in my hand 2 I discerne many enemies against me I caÌ„not stand before them but the Lord hath opened mine eyes with Elishâ—'s seruant 2. King 6. that I see more now with me ready to fight on my side than they that are against me thou wouldest deceiue me in carrying both mine eyes in things against me but I behold the Lord neare mee with grace sufficient I see what spirituall helpe and succour he is ready to supply me with while I constantly cleaue to his helpe 3 Though I be to deale with many and mighty sins yet they are already conquered enemies spoyled of their power by the victory of Iesus Christ my Lord so as I haue nothing to doe but follow the chase and spoyle of vanquished forces 4 Though they were neuer so deare and beloued sinnes yet must I heare the voice of God saying as to Abraham Take thy sonne Isaac whom thou louest and offer to mee in sacrifice though indeed what euer they pretend such is their loue as if I kill not them they will kill me and therefore though I haue sometimes vowed resolued and purposed Repentance in vaine now by the grace of God I will make a new onset to better purpose A Souldier though hee haue once turned his backe will fight againe and wounded the second time will seeke cure againe A Merchant brought behind hand will trade againe more cautelously a Mariner that hath suffered shipwracke will to sea againe and trafficke againe and I will neuer be such a slaue as though I be preuented againe and againe yet I will seeke my liberty still 2 But whereas thou obiectest the difficulty sorrow paine and vnconquerable labour of Repentance I answer 1 Were the worke of
vnto these the elect are as certainly predestinated as to the ends themselues Ephes. 1 4 Hee hath chosen vs in him that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue 2. Gods wisedome teacheth euery Christian to imitate God in tying his meanes and ends together because as they cannot attaine those ends without the meanes so they cannot digresse from the meanes but misse of their ends Gods decree stablisheth the meanes not remoue them God had giuen Paul the life of all in the ship Acts 27.31 but when the shipmen would haue forsaken the ship Paul saith Except these men abide in the ship ye cannot be saued because God will saue them by meanes 3. See the fallacie of this generall delusion à bene coniunctis ad male diuisa And indeed Sathan wofully ouerreacheth vs who in outward things would haue men wholly to distrust God and relye wholly on the meanes but in these spirituall things maketh vs lay all on Gods purpose and decree and vtterly despise the meanes What a false conclusion is it If I be elected doe what I will I shall bee saued For as it is impossible that the elect should not be saued so impossible is it he should doe what hee list and as impossible to bee saued without Repentance And though it bee true that Election and Saluation bee coupled together inseparably yet the meanes run between them and Gods order as stable as his decree So as hee that is chosen to saluation is chosen to faith holinesse loue perseuerance that by these steps he may walke in the way of saluation Quae Deus coniunxit nemo separet 4. Obserue the absurditie of this allegation against Repentance and in all temporall things wee can scorne the conclusion If God haue appointed thee to saluation why commest thou to Church what needest thou heare what neede of the Sacraments why prayest thou all this cannot alter his decree why turnest not thou then Atheist See here the battry of all godlinesse pietie and all worship So in temporall things why dost thou not refuse meate in thy health and medicine in thy sicknesse and say If GOD haue decreed my life I shal liue and neuer eate nor vse meanes So cast off thy calling and trade and say If God haue appointed me to be rich I shall bee rich though I do nothing and if not all my trading will not auaile me 5. Another delusion hideth it selfe in this allegation wherby the deceitful heart would lay the cause of his impenitencie vpon Gods decree whereas thy impenitencie is not an effect of Gods decree but a consequent The cause being in thy selfe a darknesse and wilfull blindnesse in thy minde an obstinate contumacie of thine owne will resisting grace offred yea a depraued delight and desire in thy affection who willingly deliuerest thy selfe to bee bound in the chaines of vnrighteousnesse So as thy destruction is of thy self and no sinner is condemned till himselfe haue worthily deserued it 6. The guilefull heart willingly deceiueth it selfe with Ifs and And 's If I be elected and if I be reiected that in things secret which belong to God letting passe things that are reuealed where as euery Christian ought to know himself elected and to beleeue it Gods order reuealed to bring vs to glory Christ would haue vs reioyce that our names are written in the Booke of life And this is not by any extraordinary ladder to climbe to heauen but by an ordinary way here in earth For if we can finde sound faith or holinesse in our selues or others we may conclude certainly our owne or others election How did the Apostle know and pronounce the Thessalonians to bee the elect of God 1. Thes. 1.4 but by their holines faith loue and patient hope verse 3. whence he concludeth their election So may we know our selues and ought to know our selues elected by being called out of the world If my father haue giuen me an estate and assurance in Land or Goods now I know it was his purpose within himselfe before to giue it me If I see a manchilde borne I now know that a manchilde was conceiued in the wombe the number of moneths before If by faith and holinesse I can discerne my selfe or others born into the Church of God I am now as sure that this party was before all worlds conceaued in the wombe of GODS eternall election So as cleane contrary to this obiection nothing can more vrge and fasten the practice of Repentance on the soule than the consideration of the decree of Gods election Thus I haue insisted longer on this Obiection because of the generalitie of it and the subtiltie couched in it and I finde it no where so throughly sifted CAP. 26. Obiections against Repentance of some that seeme not to repent yet liue and dye honestly and others that doe dye as fearefully 2. NOw to the instances of men 1. Some repent not and yet liue and dy honestly and peaceably Ans. 1. All things fall alike to all for outward thing Eccles. 9.2 As is the good so is the sinner in death And the iudgement of a man is not to bee fetched from his outward death but from his life and faith and fruits 2. A wicked man may bee quiet and peaceable in death because 1. Their blinde presumption of a good estate in death as in their life assuring themselues of heauen 〈…〉 though they neuer 〈…〉 2 Satans 〈…〉 knowing then to be his 〈…〉 not onely to hold 〈◊〉 in thâ— snare but their companion that outliue them left they seeâ—â—g the terror and perplexities of their death should be mooued to change their liues 3 Gods iustice on them who leaueth them to dye as they liued not allotting them vnderstanding sense memory to remember themselues who haue all their liues forgotten sinne But this iustice of God on them should make vs rather hasten our Repentance betimes while our season lasteth and our vnderstanding health and senses than longer to defer it 1 Others made shew of Repentance and strict walking but very vniust deceitfull in a word the worst of men in their dealing Answ. This is for the most part an vngrounded clamor against holinesse and is a parcell of that poysoned sloud cast out of the Dragon Reu. 12. 2 But sometimes hath grounds in the neglected liues of Professors Oh remember the woe pronounced on them by whom offences come Why takest thou the Law into thy mouth and hatest to bee reformed how darest thou call on the name of the Lord and not depart from iniquity 3 But how vnhappy art thou that stumblest on this rocke to cast thy selfe headlong from thine owne saluation thou shouldest bring thy selfe to the Rule and see thy worke bee straight and not scandalize thy selfe by croâ—ked and faulty examples 4 In temporall things thou wouldest not wrong thy selfe on these silly grounds Who euer refused to goe in a right way because some in that way haue fallen and miscarried But the right
way to heauen is Repentance Would a man refuse wholesome physicke because some dye that take physicke The proper physicke of a diseased soule is Repentance Would we thinke that man in his wits that would disclayme and wilfully refuse good and wholesome meate because some surfeit and cast vp all againe Where shall we finde a Trader or dealer in the world that will refuse to meddle with all money and gold because there is some clipt and counterfeit or will therefore cast off all trading because some of the same trade breake and deceiue and much lesse the most gainefull trade of godlinesse 3 Some others that haue very busily followed the worke of Repentance haue found as little peace and comfort in their death as any Some of them haue dyed despairing some blaspheming perhaps some on their owne hand Answ. The way of dying well is the way of Repentance and in this way none can dye ill But precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of all such whatsoeuer it seeme Psal. 116. 2 Gods children may want sense of comfort but this argueth not but he might haue formerly the presence of sound comfort and the true ground of it present still A tree in winter liueth but seemeth dead present paine and sicknesse of body argue not it had neuer health 3 Gods child may want sense of faith and in death seeme to be in the gulfe of despaire and yet passe to heauen by the gates of hell as Christ did 4 Gods childe may haue rauings blasphemies fierce actions against themselues and others which are the effects of diseases melancholy frenzy burning agues pestilence from which they are not freed but howsoeuer diseases may depriue the childe of GOD of health sense comfort and life it selfe it cannot depriue him of saluation Rom. 8. I am perswaded that neither life nor death c. 5 Christian wisedome iudgeth not of a man by the strangenesse of his death but by the goodnesse of his life and no kind of death is euill to him that is in Christ for he is freed from the curse of the law CAP. 27. Obiections from the conceit of the easinesse of Repentance Obiect OThers conceiue Repentance so easie a thing and soone done as needeth no such care or time A Lord haue mercy at death and what need a man martyr himselfe all his life Answ. 1. These men that so sleight the remedy neuer saw the danger of the disease Is the disease but a little languishing of nature as the Papists would make vs beleeue or rising out of a few sleight veniall sinnes cured by a a Creed or Aue or a knocke on the breast They deale with their Proselites as the mother with an infant if it hurt the finger the mother bloweth it and these babies beleeue presently the blowing hath soundly healed it But he that measureth either the disease by the remedy or the remedy by the disease shall find it mortall enough being the foulest and most contagious and incurable disease that appertaineth to man compared in the law to the leprosie which was not cured so easily but required an infinite toyle to goe through the cure according to the law often proued inuincible and incurable Naaman cured by miracle must yet wash seuen times to know the difficultie of the cure 2 The whole power of nature cannot doe it and yet a naturall man thinketh it easie Is it easie for an Ethiopian to be washed white or a Leopard to part with his spots So easie is it for him to doe good that is accustomed to euill Ier. 13.23 Is it easie for an old man to become young againe and so easie is it in nature for an old sinner to be renued by Repentance Is it easie for a dead man to be raised to life it cost Christ himselfe teares and groanes to raise Lazarus not because it was hard to him but to shew the impossibility in Lazarus and is it easie for a dead man to raise himselfe and so easie is it for a man dead in sins trespasses to raise himselfe to Repentance Ephes. 2.1 3 Is it so easie which the whole power of grace cannot conquer while we are here below All the grace in the world cannot cleane fetch out the soyle of sinne while wee are here Is it easie to wash out a scarlet or crimson to become white which was dyed both in wooll and cloath nay the cloath will be torne to pieces first and so easie is it euen to get out by Repentance the deepe dye of our scarlet sinnes of our nature and practice 4 Didst thou euer try how easie it was to turne away from some outward act of sinne to which thou wast addicted and yet a hypocrite by some restraining grace can doe it he can for some reasons forbeare some acts of adultery swearing But this is another thing it is the killing and mortifying of inward affections lusts as deare as members Col. 3.5 Mortifie your earthly members this is not the cutting off a washbow of sinne but the stocking vp the roots which is another manner of taske A naturall man would offer any thing to God but his beloued sin he would rather come before the Lord with riuers of oyle and offer the fruits of his body than any one lust and therefore it is not so easie as many conceit 5 Is it so easie what maketh wicked men take on so at godly Preachers when they cal them to Repentance dealing with them as some distempered patient who feeling the smart of a drawing plaister and corasiue driueth away the Surgeon with rayling speeches and casting bedstaues at him when he commeth to touch and to cure his wound Canst thou not abide a drawing playster to driue away corrupt bloud and humours much lesse wilt thou finde ease in cutting off ioynts and members and putting out eyes which Repentance must doe Thinke on these things and then tell mee what an easie thing Repentance is CAP. 28. Obiections from the vnseasonablenesse of Repentance that it is yet too soone or else it is now too late 4 OThers obiect against themselues the vnseasonablenesse of their Repentāce And this hath two branches some conceiue it is yet too soone others that it is too late 1 It is yet too soone I may inioy my sweet sinne a while for sinne is like his father is loath to bee tormented before his time Answ. 1. No man will reason so senselesly for his body I haue a wound or gash but it is not yet time to looke to it I will let it rot and gangrene and then I will looke to it but then it is too late and incurable Or I haue a thorne in my foot it is not yet time to pull it out We know all delayes in bodily diseases dangerous much more in the soule neither will a man be so void of common reason for his goods My house is on fire but it is not yet time to quench it why should this be admitted for
because hee hath appointed a day wherein to iudge the world When heathenish Felix heard of the iudgement to come he trembled happy were it for Christians who repeat it as an Article of faith that they did so Wee will end this point with that exhortation 2. Pet. 3.14 Considering these terrours of the Lord what manner of men ought wee to be c. 4 Consider in God our relation which will be a meanes to further our Repentance 1 Looke vpon him as our Lord and our selues as seruants as a Lord he hath hyred vs into his seruice and hath freed vs from the seruice of all other creatures that we should onely serue himselfe But alas who can serue him according to his holinesse and greatnesse and when we haue done all that we can how vnprofitable seruants are we We haue wasted our Masters goods and cannot shew our talents againe and therfore we haue need to humble our selues in Repentance and pray with Dauid Psal. 119.124 Deale with thy seruant according to thy mercy and enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O Lord. A sorry seruant is he that can neither doe what is agreeable to his Masters wiâ—l nor yet be grieued for fayling in the euill he doth or leauing vndone the good he should doe 2 Looke vpon him as our shepheard ourselues as sheep but wandred from the fold Oh the misery of a lost sheepe It is without the flocke and fold without a certaine pasture and food without a keeper or shepheard without God and Christ without protection and safety subiect to all annoyances and becommeth a prey to all rauening beasts neuer able of it selfe to returne And this is the state of euery man and no man can reckon vp the errours and wandrings of his life All this should helpe vs to returne to the shepheard of our soules 1. Pet. 2.10 to seek to him betimes and pray him to seeke vs as Dauid Psal. 119.10 3 Looke vpon him as our father and our selues as his sons and children A Father that hath giuen his deare Sonne to death for vs the dearest thing and price that was in heauen or earth A Father that hath reserued for vs an inheritance immortall and vndefiled among the Saints in light Is not this a strong inducement to loath and leaue sinne will not the loue of a father make thee hate sin the more can any stripes worke so powerfully vpon an ingenuous nature as to see his louing father offended A poore mans sonne who cannot be much hurt or helped by his father will be grieued that hee hath iustly offended his father Awaken thy selfe to Repentance and say to thy soule as Moses to Israel Deut. 32.2 Doe you so reward the Lord O foolish people Is not hee thy father that bought thee that made thee and proportioned thee What else gaue hope to the Prodigall to returne but the sight of loue lurking in his father and therefore resolued I will returne to my father CAP. 31. Meanes of Repentance in respect of Iesus Christ. 3 A Third sort of meanes to helpe forward our Repentance is to looke vpon Iesus Christ. Zach. 12.10 They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced and mourne The effect of beholding Christ whom by their sinnes they haue crucified is great sorrow for sinne and indeed among them all there is no meanes so auaileable to the working of the heart to due and deepe sorrow for sinne as the serious consideration of Christs death and passion If we consider the person who suffered the eternall Sonne of God the beloued Sonne in the bosome of the Father the most innocent lambe of God The things hee suffered that this person was so abased and plagued with the curse of the Law the wrath of his father shame sorrowes of first and second death such hard and heauie things as would haue crushed all men and angels And for whom hee suffred all this euen for our sins in speciall while we were yet vngodly sinners enemies the iust suffred for the vniust hee was cursed that we might be blessed wounded that wee might bee healed hee endured torments of hell that we might partake of heauenly ioyes Oh then shall this chiefe of ten thousand the worthiest of men and Angels bee murthered not by the treachery of others but by thy hands thy sins for which else thou hadst beene euerlastingly damned and doth not this wound thy heart shall the earth tremble at this and shall not our hearts feare shal the Sun be darkned and the Heauens couered with mourning and shall not wee mourne and be ashamed to show our heads shal the stones rend asunder earth tremble and all senslesse creatures suffer at the suffring of the Lord of glorie at the death of the Lord of life and shal not our stony hearts bee rent with sorrow who were the occasion of so execrable a passion to so honourable a person Surely if there be a drop of spiritual life grace in vs we must needs loathe those sins of ours that brought such woful miserie on the Son of God And it will make our hearts bleed as a man would do at the sight of a knife or instrument whereby vnawares he had slaine his childe wife or dearest friend in the world Thus the Gospell sheweth the hainousnesse of sinne aboue all the curses of the Law Wouldst thou see the execration of sinne see it not in the dreadful curse of the Law but in the blood of the Gospell The most ougly visage of sin is not in the death of the world of sinners but in the death of the Son of God no sinner the most dreadful spectacle of Gods wrath that euer was And although the menaces of the Law prepare the sinner to Repentance yet it is the sight of sinne in the Gospel both in the transcendence of the remedie and infinitenesse of Christs suffrings that sheweth the true face of sin and indeed worketh Repentance The Faith of the Gospel is that internall meanes that turneth a man round about and causeth him to sâ—t his face vpon God and Iesus Christ and leaue his sins Acts 15.9 This putteth a difference between vs and others who are yet in their sins CAP. 32. Meanes of Repentance in regard of ones selfe 3. IN thy selfe for the helping forward of Repentance keep a continuall audit and take account of thy selfe and estate A speciall way and meanes to bring the Prodigall back to Repentance was that he returned and came into himselfe And Dauid Psal. 119.59 I considered my waies and turned my feet To which purpose for further direction consider in thy selfe foure things 1. Take notice of thy heart and disposition of it in the desires and affections of it both in what they haue beene and what they ought to be 1. Consider how thou hast loued thy sins what a deale of poison and hatred thou hast had of grace how thou hast beene wedded to the lusts of the flesh how hand-fasted to the world how
and yet this is by Faith 2. He will indite and accuse himselfe hee will cast the first stone at himselfe hee will as a Iudge on the bench sift out and narrowly examine his sins in the most odious circumstances of them This is the searching and fanning of our selues and finding out what wee haue done Zeph. 2.1 Search your selues Search oh Nation not worthy to be beloued But who must do it Verse 3. Seek the Lord in this manner all the meeke of the earth which haue wrought his iudgement Euen such as haue repented must thus search and fan themselues the Church Lam. 3.40 Let vs try our waies that is lay our liues to GODS law sift the secret corners of our hearts as the Marriners in the tempest would find out by lot for whose sake the storme was The Church conuerted hath not done with the Law but maketh vse of it for further conuiction and humiliation Now where is the man that doth thus narrowly and vnpartially sift himselfe as the Kings Attourney sifteth out and aggrauateth euery circumstance of the crime and fact of the Traytor at the Bar to make it as odious and hatefull as may bee Wee may complaine as Ieremie No man smiteth vpon his thigh no man saith What haue I done Many a man like a desperate Bankrupt is affraid to looke on his reckonings and goeth on till he be clapt vp in prison 3. Hee will confesse against himselfe and plead guilty This is the Couenant He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall finde mercy Pro. 28.13 The hardned heart Ier. 2.35 saith Because I am guiltlesse surely his wrath shall turne from me but the answer is Behold I will enter into iudgement with thee because thou sayest I haue not sinned This is a speciall end why God maketh his own sicke in smiting them yea maketh their flesh to faile and their bones to clatter in the skin and draw them neare to the graue and their life to the Buryers and then looketh on a man and if he say I haue sinned and peruerted right and it did not profit mee then will he deliuer his soule from the pit and his life shall see the light Iob 32.27 Nay not only a Rebell yet vnconuerted shal be brought to this but Dauid himselfe by his broken bones and drying vp his moisture shall roare all day long vnder the heauy hand of God so long as hee will keepe close his sin He must resolue â—o confesse and the Lord will râ—mit the iniquitie of his sin 2. Sam. 12.13 Now this confession is of speciall sins it summeth not vp all in a word nor is in the mouth only but in the heart nor without faith apprehending mercy nor without affection but proceedeth out of hatred of sin not without purpose of change and reformation 4. He will read the sentence of death and condemnation against himselfe and abhor himselfe in dust and ashes as Iob 42. He is now a dead man in Law condemned by the sentence of the Law as a dead man the world hath cast him off hee is no longer of the world 5. Hee pleadeth now for pardon and seeketh for mercy as a condemned person would sue for life euen as Benhadads seruants came with ropes about their necks and most submissiuely sued for their liues 2. He reneweth himselfe daily and is changed into another man 1. His person is changed of a childe of hell and darknes he is become a son of God a son of the light of a sty and habitation of foule lusts and spirits he is become the habitation of the liuing God 2. Cor. 6.16 2. His powers and parts are changed For 1. Hee is renewed in the spirit of his minde that now in the inner man he serueth the Law of God holdeth strife against the Law of the members Time was when hee regarded wickednesse in his heart his wil was set vpon euil works but now he knoweth if hee should do so God would not hear him Psal. 66.18 In all the faculties of his soule there is an embracing of righteousnesse 2. His outward members are now weapons of righteousnesse ready seruants for grace As his heart and will are bended towards God so his tongue and hand are quicke instruments to expresse the grace that is within 3. His motions and actions are happily changed He reuerseth all that hitherto hee hath done he condemneth for nought all that is done before grace he pulleth downe all old ruines and setteth vp a new frame vpon a new foundation and leaueth not a stone vpon a stone that was before And indeed there can be no lesse in true Repentance than a departure from euill and an accesse vnto good Saul conuerted will build vp as fast as euer hee plucked downe and preach as zealously as euer he persecuted 4. A great and remarkeable change is in his whole estate and condition The change of all other in nature most sensible is the change from life to death the same is here from the life of sin to the death of sin And is not this sensible 2. What an happy and miraculous change is that from death to life as in the raysing of Lazarus and of our bodies at the last Such is this happy change of the first Resurrection My sonne was dead saith the Father of the Prodigall but is aliue Ephes. 2. Yee that were dead in sins hath he quickned Blessed and happy are they that haue part in the first Resurrection Reuel 20.5 that is of soules not of bodies vnto grace not vnto glorie 3. What a remarkeable and blessed change is that after the resurrection to ascend into heauen and fit with Iesus Christ But such a change is here for the Beleeuer is not onely risen with Christ but ascended already and sitteth now in heauenly places with him We goe vp now after the Lord in cogitation and conuersation and by faith and hope actually sit in our head in heauenly places for looke what is the happy state of the head is also the condition of the members and faith maketh things absent to be present Oh then neuer be at rest till thou findest this happy change in thee which is as euident as the shine of the sunne to all eyes being awakened so full of miracles making the blind to see the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare yea the dead to rise to ascend and sit with Christ. 3 He strengtheneth himselfe against the assaults of sinnes and lusts for time to come 1. Ioh. 5.18 He that is born of God keepeth himselfe 1. Ioh. 3.3 He that hath this hope c. 1 With watchfulnesse against sinne and here first he casteth a most vigilant eye vpon those sins to which he hath beene most inclinable and which haue bred him most smart And 2 Knowing that nemo diu tutus periculo proximus he watcheth against occasions meanes and first motions to sin to auoid them Sure he is that an assaulted City cannot long hold out but by most carefull
not that hee will to heauen with the formost but no repentance no heauen no other gate of heauen nor passage but by Repentance Men are well pleased so long as wee speake of heauen happinesse saluation eternall life but when we speake of repentance it is an hard saying an vnpleasing doctrine a duety which will not down If they could get to heauen by any thing else than by leauing their sins were it thousands of Rams or ten thousand Riuers of oyle if by giuing their first borne or fruits of body for the sin of their soules these they would exchange but to mortifie lusts that the hypocrite cannot yeeld But 1. Thou must come to heauen by no meanes but GODS owne 2. There is but one way and that a narrow and straight way of Repentance and to dreame of heauen without Repentance is to dreame to passe ouer a deep and broad Riuer without bridge or barge Thou mayst poast and wander vp and down and tyre thy selfe in coasting euery way to auoyde the stoninesse roughnesse and straightnesse of the way but if thou meanest to come to thy iournies end thou must passe this narrow lane and there is no way in the world to shift it CAP. 40. Motiues to Repentance in respect of Christ. THe third Motiue in respect of Christ in whom we see 1. Surpassing loue aboue the loue of women hee loued vs better than himselfe than his life when we were no better than rebels and enemies Shall I loue my sinne better than him who loued my soule better than his own life Oh let this coard of loue draw vs to Repentance He came to call sinners to Repentance 2. Looke vpon his bitter passion and therein see the merit and desert of the least sin for which God must shed his blood and pay the greatest price that heauen or earth contained Consider the end of his suffering Hee dyed that sin might dye in me and shall I put life in it againe and frustrate the death of Christ The fountaine was opened in his side and streames of blood issued out that my soule should be cleansed from the filthinesse of sin and shall I wallow in the puddle still Consider that Christ was crucified for none in whom sin is not crucified None haue part in his death but such as are dead to sin none haue the benefit of his death but such as feele the vertue of it in themselues Isay 59.20 Hee is a Redeemer of none but such as turne from transgression in Iacob Consider in whomsoeuer there is sound application of Christs death there is a similitude of his death As he dyed for sin so here is a dying vnto sin Rom. 6.5 Wee are grafted with him to the similitude of his death As Christs body was nayled to the Crosse so must wee nayle our sins to his Crosse. As his body and strength was infeebled and weakned vpon the Crosse till he dyed so must our body of sin bee daily weakned and subdued till it be wholly dead in vs. As Christ spared no part of himselfe but gaue himselfe wholly in all parts and members to death for vs so must we not spare any sin or lust but put them all to paine mortifying one as well as another And as Christ after death was raysed to life and dyed no more so wee hauing dyed to sinne by mortification must rise againe by daily renewing our Repentance neuer to returne vnder the power of sin and death any more This is the similitude of CHRIST'S death 3. Looke vpon Christ as our head and there is no member of that head but the true penitent he admits no rotten or stinking member 2. Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Truth of Christianitie is discerned by truth of Repentance Without faith vnfained is no vnion with Christ and all that faith is fained and false which worketh not in Repentance This grace discerneth vs from hypocrites and wicked men CAP. 41. Motiues to Repentance from ones selfe THe fourth Motiue to Repentance may be drawne from thy selfe And here looke on thy person and thy selfe both whole and parts will call on thy selfe to hasten thy Repentance 1. Thy soule Was it redeemed with gold siluer or any corruptible thing or rather with the precious bloud of Iesus Christ and wilt thou basely sell it again for gold or siluer or corruptible things or any sinfull pleasure will the winning of the whole world recompence the losse of thy soule 2. Thy bodie is or should be a Temple of the holy Ghost else art thou none of Christs and wilt thou prophane thy body with filthy sins and lusts to vexe the spirit and make him weary of his lodging Is it nothing to prophane a Temple to turne it into a Tap-house by drunkennesse into a stewes by vncleanenesse Is it nothing to make thy fathers house a den of theeues by vniustice falshood 3 Thy selfe was a slaue and vassall of Satan and sinne and set free by Iesus Christ wilt thou runne into bondage againe Art thou now a Christian then thou art in vnion with Christ the Spouse of Christ and wilt thou behaue thy selfe as a strumpet and be led away with euery alluring harlot to the dishonour and high displeasure of so louing a husband 2 Cast thine eyes vpon thy sinnes and see it high time by Repentance to renounce them As 1 How hatefull euery sinne is to God as for which he abhorreth his most excellent creatures Angels and men nay so perfectly hated by God as hee could not chuse but punish it in his deare Sonne while he sustained our persons and bare our sins 2 What an extreame folly sinne is who but a foole hauing light sight and reason would walke vpon rockes and quick-sands and bolt on into pits and ponds being warned of the danger for all these cannot threaten such danger to the body as sinne doth to the soule Who but a foole being warned that theeues and murtherers lye in such a way and such and such they haue robbed slaine and that they lye in waite for himselfe and if he goe on hee cannot auoid present death yet will be bold and foole-hardy to goe on after such warning But thy sinnes are so many theeues and robbers that lye in wait to destroy thee and if thou goest on in that way thou canst not auoid euerlasting perdition Who but a mad man would stirre vp the wrath of the King against him and run daily into the lurch of the Law as the sinner doth who maketh God his enemy stirreth vp a Lyon against himselfe maketh the Law of God but a cobweb as if no execution waited the transgressor What a folly is it to offend and not seeke to satisfie nay a frenzie farre beyond that for a traytor going to execution and hauing a pardon brought him for accepting scorneth the pardon breaketh the seales tramples the writing reuiles the Prince the messenger and iustifieth his treasonable practices still The
it flow not from Faith as the streame from the fountaine which in order of nature must be before 5. Before any thing can please God in a man the man himselfe the person must please him first Gen. 4. God accepted Abel and his sacrifice The new motion pleaseth God because it is from a new creature but first the person must be in Christ and then a new creature 2. Cor. 5.17 And first hee must be a beleeuer before he be in Christ God respecteth not opus externum but spiritum internum He looketh on no worke further than it is the worke of his spirit but the spirit is no where but in the sons of God Gal. 4.6 and no sons but by Faith in Christ Gal. 3.26 If therefore Repentance must be a worke and fruit of the spirit of God and that spirit bee in none but sons and none of them sons but by Faith in Christ therefore must Faith goe before Repentance yea before the Sonship it selfe 1. Both of them are wrought at one moment of time and in time are neither first nor last but in order of nature Faith as the cause is first and then Repentance 2. Faith is before compleat Repentance for some beginnings or preparations to Repentance goe in time before Faith namely legall fit◠and terrours of heart for sinne and these are sometimes called by the name of Repentance as a part by the name of the whole Math. 21.32 Yee were not moued with Repentance that ye might beleeue The ignorance of the meaning of the word Repentance in this place hath occasioned this idle scruple But the distinction of Legall and Euangelicall Repentance will fully satisfie it Legall which is a sorrow and terrour excited by the law and onely initiall and preparatory is before faith But Euangelicall which is sauing and compleat must haue faith before it for the former reasons Obiect But that which most troubleth is the setting of Repentance before faith as Mark. 1.15 Repent beleeue the Gospel Act. 20.21 Testifying to Iewes and Greekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answ. But they forget that the cause is set sometimes after the effect as 1. Tim. 1.5 Faith is set after a pure heart and yet it is Faith that purifieth the heart But it is as if he should haue said If you would get a pure heart get Faith so in these places Repent and that ye may doe so ye must first beleeue and so this transposition plainely ouerthroweth the conceit they build vpon it 3 The forme of Repentance is in turning or returning for by the sinne of our nature and practise wee haue turned our selues away from God cannot see his face and fauour towards vs. Now Repentance turneth vs backe againe the way that wee are gone from him And in this returne 1 The whole man must turn for the whole man is turned away and naturally and wholly euill Gen. 6. The imaginations of his heart are euill continually yea whole euill is in euery man euen the whole roote of sin and further than the restraint of speciall or common grace would produce all bitter and poysonfull fruits 2 He still turneth Repentance is a continued act of turning a Repentance neuer to bee repented of a turning neuer to turne againe to folly For 1 He hath euer something with him to turne from a flesh still resisting the spirit many temptations of Sathan many wicked fashions of the world 2 He can neuer get neere enough to God in this life nor euer turne so neare him as once he was and therefore hee must proceed on till he doe attaine Cap. 4. The tearmes of Repentance 1 Whence 2 Whither 4 THE tearmes from whence and whither a man must turne are first from all sinne secondly vnto God 1 The Scripture noteth Repentance to be a turning from wickednesse Act. 8.22 Repent if so be the wickednesse of thy heart may be forgiuen and from dead workes Heb. 6.2 It is called a ceasing to doe euill Isa. 1. The obiect of Repentance is all sinne not one or many but all sins The reasons are these 1 God calleth for repentance of all sinnes Colos. 3.8 Put away all these things 2 He hath shewed his readinesse to forgiue all sins except that against the holy Ghost but vpon this condition 3 We desire God to forgiue all iniquity and not leaue one vnforgiuen and therefore wee must leaue none vnforsaken 4 One sinne separateth from God as well as many one poyson killeth as well as many one hole sinketh the ship 5 Christ suffered for all sins as well as one he is the lambe of God that taketh away all the sinnes of the world if hee pay not the vttermost farthing wee neuer get out of prison 6 Mortification killeth all sinne and the vertue of Christs death in vs setteth vs against all sinne as well as any sinne and sanctification reduceth euery faculty to the first image one as well as another in which the whole man must be blamelesse for whatsoeuer is old must bee renewed 7 A day commeth when euery sinne shall be set in the open light if any one be vnrepented of that shall bee found with vs and laid vpon vs eternally Whence it must follow that euery true penitent 1 Setteth himselfe against great sinnes sinnes as red as scarlet of a deepe dye which euery one thinketh to repent of 2 Small sinnes defects and omissions common frailties secret euils Dauids cutting Sauls garment Iohn Hus his playing at Chesse for losse of his time and prouocation vnto anger 3 Sweet and friendly sins This streame of repentance is as the floud that drowned Noahs neere friends and seruants so it drowneth our nearest and most friendly sinnes And hereby thou hast a good note of sincerity Psal. 119.3 the vpright in the way doe no iniquity sincerity hateth all waies of falshood An hypocrite will strayne at comming into the common hall vpon the Preparation day but not at shedding the bloud of Christ. 2 Euer true Repentance carrieth a tender conscience which is as a tender eye that will water and finde the trouble of the least moate as a strait shooe cannot indure the least stone within it but will make him shrinke The second tearme to God for this we haue sundry 1 Commandements Ioel 2.12 Turne to the Lord Ier. 3.12 turn to me O disobedient Children Ier. 4.1 if thou returne then returne to me saith the Lord. 2 Examples Dauid Against thee against thee c. Ps. 51. The Prodigall will returne to his Father 3 Reasons first because wee haue sinned against him and turned not onely from him but against him Hos. 6.1 Sinne is a turning away from the chiefe good Repentance is a returning to the chiefe good 2 He will onely pardon sinne on this condition sinne is a running from God and into the hatred of God only Repentance is a returning into fauour and friendship with him 3 He is our first husband therefore let vs returne vnto him our first
Gospell maketh thee capable of mercy and pardon 2 Why is Repentance Preached to naturall men but that of old men they should be come new of Wolues they should become Sheepe of Christs fold of Ethiopians and strangers they shoud become of the houshold and family of God Such were they to whom Peter Preached Act. 2. when so many thousands were conuerted and in all ages we haue commission to instruct the contrary minded with meekenesse waiting when God will giue them Repentance 2. Tim. 2.15 3 Ciuill men haue most need be called to Repentance because they thinke of all other they least need repentance and seem to themselues not to be so farre from the Kingdome of God as indeed they be For hauing no sense of their misery they rest in pure naturals ciuill honesty externall vertues as in a good estate And indeed this conceit of their goodnesse leaueth them in a damnable condition that what our Lord saith of a rich man I may say of a ciuill man it is hard for him to come to heauen and often extreame flagitious sinners are sooner coÌ„uerted Publicans and Harlots that cannot haue that conceit of themselues goe often into heauen before them Let all such well consider what is all ciuill vpright honest carriage before God without Faith and Repentance Surely nothing but a shining sinne and beautifull abhomination And therefore the Apostle Paul though before his conuerâ—sion hee was beyond all ciuill men in respect of gifts vertues and righteousnesse of the Law yet he must vndoe all this and cast out all as dung in comparison of grace and begin all againe What better was the Pharisee for thanking God he was not as other vniust extortioner nor as the despised Publican when hee could not thanke God that hee was a Penitent or beleeuer What better art thou to say I thanke God I come to Church heare the Word receiue the Sacraments pay men their due giue almes to the poore when with a forme of Ciuility or Religion thou onely couerest thy corruption from thine owne eyes as a man in the darke but art an enemy to the power of godlinesse to the powerfull Preaching of the Word to godly Preachers a resister of Faith Repentance Mortification and holinesse in thy selfe and others without which thou shalt neuer see God Thanke God as much as thou wilt thou shalt neuer get thanke from God for all this 2 If all men then godly and regenerate men who haue already repented they must hold on their repentance For 1 Euen the best men after grace receiued haue sinne dwelling in them Rom. 7.14 The law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne Paul was then long conuerted euen then did that he hated and hated what he did verse 15. And no man in earth so iust that sinneth not Eccl. 7.22 witnesse Noah Lot Abraham Dauid Petâ—r the Virgin Mary 〈…〉 they are out-straying Psal. 119.10 2 God will haue the best men trayned in Repentance by the daily sight of their sinnes in many burdens temptations corruptions sicknesses casualties and death it selfe for euen they by many afflictions must enter into heauen All fruits of sinne must be goades to Repentance 3 The best must daily repent because euen the best duties performed by the strength of grace are in themselues sinfull and defectiue the righteousnesse of the Christian is as a filthy clout How much cause haue they daily to bewaile their sinnes that must repent for their best duties 4 Our Lord hath taught his Disciples and the most regenerate to pray daily for forgiuenes of sinne which is an act of Repentance Neuer can a man bee free from Repentance till he be free from sinne whic◠〈◊〉 use the best can neuer 〈…〉 he must neuer lay 〈…〉 Repentance When thou hast attained a perfect image of God then farewell Repentance but that image which was lost in a moment cannot be repayred throughout the whole life for the repayring of which they must still retaine and renue Repentance 3 If all men then young men must repent Eccles. 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth For 1 How is it for vs to take the corruption of nature in hand betimes for sinne fasteneth by continuance a sore the longer vncured the more incurable it is so in this corruption which is morbus naturae and habits grow into another nature which will not be repelled easily 2 The Grace of Repentance is a gift of God not in our owne power and must be taken while it is offered If God offer it now to thee a young man or maid refuse not this gracious offer but euen this day heare his voice and as young Samuel say Speake Lord thy seruant heareth 3 What a commendation and aduantage is it for youth to bee early graced and truely conuerted euen in the morning of their life Many sinnes are preuented in such a one whereby also much sorrow and accusation is cut off which doth often perplexe good men as Dauid prayeth often against the sinnes of his youth Besides such a one hath many opportunities of well doing and aboundeth in good duties to their abundant comfort both here and in their reckoning 4 Young persons may dye they haue no lease of their liues youth is as fickle as age time and tide stayeth not perhaps the Gospell will not stay with thee perhaps thou art not to stay in the world Know thy day and time of visitation 4 If all men then old men must hasten their Repentance while yet their glasse runneth 1 If young men must not deferre their Repentance because they may dye old men must much more because they must dye 2 Thou art an old man whose time in the likely course of nature cannot be long hast thou deferred thy repentance till the 11. or 12. houre and yet is it too soone to repent Was not Iesabel in state fearefull enough before God by her fornication and filthinesse but that God gaue her space to repent and the repented not This is the very height of sinne and heapeth vp a terrible damnation Is it not damnation enough to be a sinner before God but an old sinner an old drunkard swearer fornicator lyer cousner an old foxe and an old barking dogge against all goodnesse 3 Consider how the lees and dregs of profanenesse be most sowre and stinking in old men what a filthy sent leaueth an old sinner when he is gone he was an old gracelesse man enemy of God to death only his sinne was strong and youthfull in him to the last 5 If all then women must repent too if they will not perish 1 Gods Schoole is as well open for women as for men and the Scriptures and the Ministery belong as well to women as to men and these are commanded to learne the doctrine of Faith and Repentance as men and to professe the feare of God 1 Tim. 2.15 2 Women were made to the image of GOD as well as men Gen. 1.27 and were first
in transgression and need Repentance as well as men 3 Women are heyres of the same grace of life and promises and are to be saued by the same way and meanes as men They shall be saued if they continue in Faith Loue Holinesse and Modesty 1. Tim. 1.10 In Christ neither male nor female c. 4 The examples of many gracious women are propounded in Scripture for imitation of all women The vertuous woman hath the law of grace set in her lips Many godly women followed Christ to heare his Sermons The poore woman that washed Christ his feete with teares and wiped them with her hayres a notable eye-marke to all women of Repentance Mary was commended by Christ for chusing the better party and the blessed Virgin Mary for laying the word in her heart 5 The Lord loueth Godlines Religion Repentance being his owne grace as well in women as in men and the times of sickenesse and death come on women as on men and then nothing but true grace can bestead them CAP. 7. Rules concerning sinnes to be repented of 2 THe second rule for directing our Repentance concerneth sinnes to bee repented of The generall rule is vnquestionable That all sins must bee repented of because 1. Because the Law of God condemneth all sins and the Gospell pardoneth all and Faith and Repentance onely obtaine that pardon We haue not learned that any sin is veniall in it selfe but none not veniall by Repentance 2. One sinne vnrepented of condemneth the sinner as certainly as a thousand as one stab at the heart killeth him as dead as a thousand 3. Although the least sinne committed be damnable that is deserueth damnation yet not the commission of the greatest sins bringeth damnation but the continuance in them The onely damning sin is Impenitencie in respect of the act though not in respect of the desert 4. The Scripture Eccles. 11.9 would haue vs know this That God will bring euery thing into Iudgement and Chapt. 12. Vers. 14. God will bring euery worke vnto Iudgement with euery secret thing done in the flesh whether it bee good or euill therefore euery sin must bee repented of For looke what sin thou iudgest not in thy self thou leauest to God to iudge If anie sin lye shut vp in the booke of thy conscience vnblotted by Repentance the day commeth in which that booke shall bee opened and it shall bee found Hence the Apostle Acts 17.31 inciteth the Athenians to repent because God had appointed a day to iudge the world From this generall followeth these conclusions 1. We must then repent of sins both knowne and vnknowne For knowne sins euery one will assent if they be priuate they must be priuately repented of if open they call for declaration of Repentance openly Knowne sins are not pardoned but vpon speciall Repentance But besides these are a number of secret vnknowne and hidden sins euen in the regenerate themselues Psa. 19. For who knoweth how oft he offendeth Let the best search his heart with lights and do it most diligently and vnpartially yet it is vngageable He can neuer get to the bottome to finde out all his sins Numbers are committed which hee knoweth not to bee sins Numbers are committed which in processe of time are forgotten A number of sins lye close to our best dueties and we discerne them not Now if they be sins they must be repented of Quest. How can vnknowne sins be repented of Answ. As knowne sins must be repented with particular Repentance so vnknowne by a generall Repentance which God in mercy accepteth for these or else no flesh could be saued The Patriarchs most of them liued in Poligamie which was euer a sin nor could they be saued without repentance of this sin and yet wee reade not that anie of them specially repented of it because of the corruption of the times they knew it not to be sin onely God in mercy accepted a generall Repentance for the same Yet they repented specially of knowne sins as Dauid of his murder and adulterie yet we read not that he specially repented of this By this wee see that had wee not knowne sins we haue an infinite number of vnknown euils whereof wee stand guiltie and whereof we must repent daily and pray with Dauid Lord forgiue giue mee my secret and vnknowne sins If all sins then wee must repent not only of great but the smallest sins for 1. No sin is so little as not to neede repentance for the least sin is an infinite offence against an infinite God an infinite Law meriting an infinite damnation 2. The smallest of sins negligences omissions ouer-sights hastinesse of speech passion must be repented of and resisted else they grow more common and more strong or at least as little theeues they open the doores and windowes to greater and stronger Hee can neuer ouercome the greater that doth not smaller 3. Here is more assurance and triall of sound grace than in that repentance of great sinnes for 1. True grace lesseneth no sin but aggrauateth it 2. Generall common and restraining grace may shunne and grieue for great and open sins as the Heathens themselues But it must bee sound grace that groweth to the hatred of smallest and most secret euils 3. Sound grace desires to cleare the booke of God and wipe out the score as well pence and farthings as pounds and talents 4. The nature of sin standeth not in the materiall part which often is in a little thing but in the forme or anomy which is the transgression of the Law and this may bee in an apple as well as a talent of gold Yea the most poysonfull sin of all was in an apple a small thing to show the sinne in smallest things not to be small If all sins must be repented of then sins of knowledge and presumption which are of two sorts 1. When wee attempt any thing aboue our owne strength not sensible of our owne weaknesse which is for the most part punished with fearefull fals as Peter Neuer any Disciple fell so dangerously as he for neuer any of them was so presumptuous as he 2. When wee dare attempt aâ—ie thing against the truth and iustice of God knowing his will but runne against it Sometimes 1. Dreaming that God is made all of mercy not so iust as the Law saith 2. Because hee holdeth his peace wee thinke him like our selues and conceiue he will neuer punish 3. Sometimes supposing wee can repent when we will 4. That howeuer hee deale with others yet hee will not grow into such displeasure with vs Hence wee grow secure in sinne These sins must bee repented of because they mightily preuaile Psal. 1 9. 1. Sins against conscience waste the conscience make great gashes destroy graces grieue the spirit setteth a mans owne best friend against him that is his owne conscience which becommeth a seruant a iudge a witnesse executioner 2. A marke of a wicked man is to make league with hell and
true Repentance there is a clearing of ones selfe 1. Cor. 7.11 in our rotten frame and building it will not leaue a stone vpon a stone 2. To finde mercy there must bee confessing and forsaking Pro 28. 3. The profession of euerie true penitent must bee that of Paul I was a blasphemer I was an oppressour but now God hath shewed mercy I am no such man now Now all this will not be done but by earnest endeauour slighting and slubbring of this businesse leaueth men in the suddes they were in before as Some dally with their sins and semble a repentance as men that ioyne doe a fight Perhaps they will this time of yeare come to confession and seeme very penitent and hauing confessed thinke themselues eased but it is as a drunkard by vomiting that hee may drinke more so these to go fresh to drinke in sin againe Some will sweare and curse and say God forgiue mee you make mee sweare and sweare as fast by and by again But these roots of sin remaine Some pressed by Gods hand force a Repentance and make many confessions and promises but after returne are as fresh to sin as a dogge to vomit or the horse to the smell of his dung Here is no parting with sinne Well may hee say I was a swearer drunkard a tippler an hater of God and so am I still for all my dissembling Repentance I was neuer other nor like to be 4. In this wise proceeding rest not in the rooting out of sin till thou seest the rooting and growth of the contrary grace for in all true Repentance is a change in the iudgement from errour to truth in the will from euill to good in the whole man from darknesse to light Thou canst show no Repentance if thou canst not show this change True Repentance maketh a man cleane contrary vnto himselfe and changeth him into a cleane other man His whole nature is changed from a corrupt and carnall into a spirituall nature In nature an Aethiopian cannot change his colour but grace changeth nature of a bramble he becometh a vine of a thorne a fig tree of a wilde a naturall oliue of a lyon a lambe of a dogge vnder boord a son sitting at table of a Saul a Paul He is changed in all his parts and members they were as swords and speares weapons of vnrighteousnesse and fiercenesse against God and good men now are turned into sythes and mattocks weapons of grace and instruments of common good in time of peace His whole course is changed of a louer of sin hee is be come a loather of sin and louer of grace of a receiuer and deceiuer it maketh Zacheus a restorer and charitable destributer Of one thirsting after the bloud of Saints it maketh Saul thirst now after their saluation Of a waster of the Lords talent it maketh him increase it Let not thy soule deceiue thee in thy Repentance except it haue brought thee thus farre to expresse the contrary grace Solomon could not satisfie himselfe with his Repentance of those fowle sins of lust till hee had written his booke of Repentance nor Augustine till hee had written his book of Retractations nor Cranmer till he had burned his vnworthy right hand Trust not thy Repentance for wantonnesse and vncleannesse vnlesse as the woman Luke 7. who had abused her eyes her haire and lippes to folly shee gaue her lippes to kisse his feete her eyes to wash them and her haire to dry them Thou must expresse Humility Modesty and Repentance in members most abused Dauid polluting his bed washeth it with teares Trust not thy Repentance for couetousnesse vsury briberie without restitution as Zacheus without expression of charitie mercifulnesse to the poore and without free and liberall dispensing to pious and godly vses Hath thine house been a profane house a gaming house an house of swearing riot and disorder thou hast not repented though these things bee left if thou hast not reformed it vnto a house of prayer Hast thou bin an enemie or no friend to Gods seruants and seruice thou hast not repented in putting off thy malice vnlesse thou hast put on louing affections and expressest loue aboue the former hatred Hast thou sinned in disgracing and reuiling the seruants of God and professors of the Gospell casting on them the comâ—mon termes of hypocrites puritans thou hast neuer repented if thou dost not iustifie and defend them and right them in their names and godly practices and so in all others sins True Repentance will not only vndoe what is ill done but will set vp with both hands what it hath plucked downe it will now see God haue his glorie and men their right I conclude with 1. Iohn 3.7 Let none deceiue you let none deceiue himselfe hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous as he is righteous CAP. 10. Concerning the time of Repentance both of 1. Possibilitie 2. Necessitie THe fourth rule of direction concerning the time of repentance for the time is either of 1. Possibilitie 2. Necessitie The time of Possibilitie is the whole time of this life and onely the time of this life Except ye repent while ye liue here ye shall perish eternally God giueth euery man a space to repent in as â—â—zabel Reu. 2.21 that is the space of this life and any time of this life the Lord may giue repentance 2. Tim. 2.25 waiting at any time Mat. 5.25 Agree in the way 2. After this life can bee no Repentance for these reasons 1. Because there is no faith that ceaseth The tree cut down no fruit can grow any more Repentance is a fruit of Faith 2 Because the acts parts of repentance are only for this life These are 1. Mortification godly sorrow Christian combatâ— 2. Renouation growth in grace strife to perfection All these are by death abolished no more teares fight no more imperfection no more molestation of sin but victory and perfection attained 3. After death is nothing but iudgement Heb 9.27 there is a resting from labour of repentance no more working no more washing no Purgatory no more oyle may be gotten after the doore is shut no more place for Repentance is to be found being at the waies end Repentance is the way of life This consideration calleth vs to the speedy vndertaking of Repentance euen while this fraile and vncertaine life lasteth for who hath a lease of his life but for so few yeares as Hezekiah Thou mayest dream of many yeares as the glutton did when that night his soule was taken and hee called a foole and so prooued Nature teacheth to take the time allotted for all other things the husbaÌ„dmaÌ„ to sow while seed-time lasteth to make Hay while the sunne shineth the Merchant to buy and trade while the Faire lasteth the Sea man to take time and wind which stayeth for no man the Smith to strike while the iron is hot the Souldier to fight while the battell continueth yea the very Storke and Crane and Swallow to
these haue a loud voice to summon vs to daily Repentance for man suffereth for his sin and remoue the cause the effect will cease 4 We stand in need of daily blessings and new fauours and these call on vs to renue our Repentance daily for else our sins will hinder good things from vs either we must remoue them or they will remoue Gods mercies from vs and instead of blessings cast vs into perils and dangers euery moment For time Repentance is also the last duty of a Christan which hee must principally intend For. 1 All naturall motion is swifter to the Center and so supernaturall euery sound grace is most stirring at last and this especially because Sathan is most stirring in temptation and so in his last act is most troublesome and therefore Repentance must bee most busie in thrusting downe the last powers raised against it 2 In sicknesse sorrow and approach of death is great cause of sight sense and godly sorrow for sinne the mother of them Now is a time of humiliation mortification so that now the worst can dissemble a Repentance and therefore now true Repentance cannot but aboue all times shew it selfe 3 The lesse time that grace seeth it hath to worke in the more stirring and working it will be onely grieued that it hath not more and cannot more glorifie God and as friends parting when they take their last farewell they desire to take their fill one of another so the Saintâ— being to bid farewell to godly sorrow are willing to take their fill of it 4 What is it else thou wouldest haue thy Master finde thee doing at his comming but so doing and what else hath the promise of blessednesse what seruant else but hee whom the Master findeth so doing Now the way to doe it well at last is to exercise it well before hand else it will hardly and â—unglingly come off but what a man doth customably and habitually is done easily cunningly and comfortably Nothing but the dispatch of this businesse maketh life sweet and desirable Nothing else affordeth peace with God part in Christ quietnesse of conscience but the comsort of sound Repentance without any of which life is no better than death Nothing but this can allay the feares and bitternesse of death How can the euill seruant but feare to be called to accounts that hath neuer made them ready How can the condemned Pellon but feare the assizes who neuer looked after pardon But why should the soule feare to goe forth to God when it knoweth it is reconciled to him what need he feare sudden death who is euer prepared When a malefactor hath sued out his pardon let the assizes come when they will the sooner the better Neuer will that soule feare to goe to Christ that is in Christ nay it will desire it because it is best of all CAP. 11. Letâ—s of Repentance in respect of sinne THe second thing propounded to further the practise of Repentance is to remoue the lets and impediments which hinder men from the practise of it For The more excellent any duty or grace is the more difficulty there is in attaining it and Repentance being of all graces the first and leader wee must not thinke it easie to come by God seeing it in our nature lightly to set by things we easily come by hath set a price vpon his best blessings that wee might prize them and is not so prodigall of them as to cast them vpon sleepers and sloathfull persons that thinke them worth no paines nor labour And Sathan hangeth such weight on our corruption and by his policy and power so cloggeth and blocketh vp the way to this grace as very few are able and willing to incounter with so many Glants and Hydraes to vndertake so many Herculean labours and difficulties as hee must goe through that meaneth to goe through stitch with sound Repentance Though therefore men vnacquainted with repentance think it the easiest thing in the world an houres worke or dispatched with three words Lord haue mercy yet neuer any true Penitent found it so easie but the hardest taske in all the world and he that commeth in earnest to it must cast his costs and consider whether he bee able to drinke of this cup or no. We shall finde it no small labour to reckon discouer these hinderances and much lesse is he to finde it so that is to grapple with them conquer them These lets being so many may be prosecuted vnder four heads being cast in our waies either by sin or the world or satan or our selues 1 In respect of sin we haue sundry lets 1. loue of sinne 2. seeming profit 3. appearance of pleasure 4. a kinde of credit in sin 1. The loue of sin riseth from the nearnesse long acquaintance and familiarity with vs it being bred and born with vs at boord and bed with vs as neare and deare as our eies and hands vnto vs. And this disordered loue of sinne maketh vs hate and loath all meanes which might worke vs to dislike and forsake it So our Sauiour telleth vs Iohn 3.19 Men loue darkenesse because their deeds are euill This loue of darknesse of sinne maketh men loath the grace of Repentance Now to remoue this lett consider 1. To loue sin is to hate the Lord. Psal. 97.10 All yee that loue the Lord hate all that is euil therefore loue of euill will not stand with loue of God Euery grace is actiue against the contrary 2 To loue sin is to loue death Gen. 2.17 In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye And to hate his own soule Pro. 8.35 He that sinneth against mee hateth his owne soule And all that hate me loue death Pro. 11.19 3 A child of God cannot but hate his owne sin he hateth the euill he doth and is far from allowing himselfe in it Rom. 7. Yea abhorreth himselfe in dust and ashes for his sinne Iob. 42.6 4 Yea we shall find all the affections of the godly set against sin 1 His sorrow is chiefly for his sin Wee read not that Peter euer wept so bitterly for any suffering as he did for his sin nothing is so contrary to godly sorrow as sinfull ioy 2 His feare watcheth against sinne and flyeth sinne as a serpent yea the occasion and appearance of it 3 His shame is most for his sin The Publican is ashamed to looke towards heauen and the Prodigall ashamed to look to his fathers house 5. Grace wheresoeuer it is resolueth against all sin voweth against all he will work no iniquitie Psal. 119.2 he will with full purpose of heart cleaue vnto the Lord he renueth a daily purpose of not sinning of banishing sin and conquering it 2 In sin is a seeming profit which the sinner is loath to let go The Vsurer will not part from his gainful and vnlawfull trade the Buyer and Seller will not lay aside their oathes and lyes their sleights and deceits by false wares weights lights
wisedom of the wise is to chuse and direct his way Pro. 14.8 Hee taketh it not on mens words or walketh on aduentures wisedome will to heauen alone if it cannot get company The wisedome of the wise wil looke better to the soule than to damme it for company No man but loueth his body better but if he see neuer so many leap into the sea or cast themselues into the fire or off a rocke hee will be loath to kill himselfe for company and wilt thou foolish man break the necke of thy soule for company 5 Thou must hinder and stop the sins of the multitude rather than imitate them So Lot perswaded the multitude of Sodomites striue resisting sin euen unto bloud keepe the praise of grace euen in oppositions Tully coÌ„mended one for being continent in Asia So hold on the light in the midst of a froward generation And what thou canst not hinder thou must mourne for the sins of the multitude as Lot whose righteous soule was grieued daily to see and hear the unchast conuersation of Sodomits And Ieremy said My soule shall weep for you in secret And Dauid I saw the Transgressours and was sore grieued and mine eies gushed with riuers of teares This is true zeale against a mans own sins which kindleth a fire against other mens sins and the more vniuersall they be the more will zeale be kindled CAP. 15. Le ts from Satan lulling vs in securitie 3. FRom the World we come to the encombrances and rubbes cast in the way of our repentance by Satan the god of this world And he hath reason to bestirre himselfe especially against our repentance because he knoweth that only this grace fetcheth vs out of his power 2. Tim. 2.25 To this purpose he suggesteth three â—orts of Temptations 1 To lull vs asleepe in the securitie of our present naturall estate 2 If our naturall estate content vs not hee vrgeth to despaire 3 If he cannot do that he wil enforce the other extreame of presumption of Gods mercy though we slacke or slip our repentance 1 To hold vs in our present securitie hee will perswade vs of the loue of God towards vs in our estate of nature For hath he not made vs men not beasts or serpents hath he not preserued vs and prospered vs in our estate and lifted vs vp in earthly mercies yea are wee not members of the Church enioy the Word and Sacraments and seeing God hath beene so free in his loue and care what need we trouble our selues with such penslue precisenesse and spend our time in feares and cares which requireth rather comfort and cheerfulnesse in our condition Against this Temptation consider 1 How dangerous and deceiueable a thing it is for a man to blesse himself in cursed estate As the wicked man who couenanteth with death and maketh an agreement with hell whose wilfull ignorance hideth all the danger near him who as the silly Bird feedeth securely on the bayte while it is within the compasse of the net Oh what a delusion is it for a naturall man to assure himselfe of Gods loue Can iustice loue wickednesse Can the Lord doe any other than hate a rebell against him Is a childe of wrath the obiect of our fathers loue Can a vessell of wrath looke to bee filled with any thing but wrath 2 Looke what deceit and fallacie lyeth in all his arguments of loue 1 God created him a man not a beast Why did not GOD create the Angels that sinned too and yet are not they shut vp in chaynes of blacke darkenesse for euer Little comfort that God loueth thee as a creature vnlesse as a Father in Iesus Christ better it were thou haddest beene a beast 2 God hath outwardly blessed and prospered him in the world and therefore loueth him Answ. No man knoweth loue or hatred by any thing afore him Ecclesâ— 9.1 Temporall blessings are common to good and bad and the worst men enioy common mercies more than other Iob 21.13 He speaketh of wicked men flourishing in all wealth and prosperity who say to the Almighty Depart from vs who is the almighty And it is said of Antiochus Epiphanes that mad and furious horne against the Church who cast downe some of the hoast of heauen and the starres and extolled himselfe against the Prince of the hoast and tooke away the daily sacrifice and cast downe the place of the Sanctuary the text addes Thus he shall doe and prosper Dan. 8.13 Who was more outwardly prosperous Caine or Abel Esau or Iacob who durst not looke his Lord Esau in the face nor come neare him till he had bowed seauen times 3 They are seazed with a kind of spirituall prosperity they liue in the bosome of the Church and enioy Word and Sacraments therefore are loued of God Answ. But many are in the Church that are not of the Church yea the wickedest of men enioy the outward ordinances of Word and Sacraments as well as other as Esau Saul Iudas Simon Magus and are so much the mote hated as their sinne was against the glorious meanes what loue can a malefactor gather when the sentence of death is read against him as in the Word What loue when the Lords Table is made snares to him and his sinne casteth poyson into the Lords cup When his Baptisme is but a broken vow and all his profession a vizzard of hypocrisie 4 Wouldest thou finde true euidences of Gods loue which come from God not as God but as from a father bestowed on sonnes but not on bond children find it in other gifts 1 Hath he giuen thee Christ God so loued the world Ioh. 3.16 hath he giuen thee a sonne-ship Ioh. 1.3 1. Behold what great loue the Father hath giuen vs to be called the Sonnes of God Hath he giuen thee faith oh there is a precious gift of loue hast thou loue God loueth not thee vnlesse thou loue him what obedience hast thou Keeping his commandements is a signe of his loue Ioh. 14.23.24 The Scripture which knoweth the best assurances of Gods loue pulleth our eyes from gazing on earthly dignities prerogatives which wee are euer poring vpon as with Hawkes eyes and would haue vs behold Gods loue in other things than these namely in the inward notes and markes of Gods children See thou what faith what hope what repentance what holinesse what fruits of faith and holinesse thou hast attained this argueth our iustification and so assureth vs of our election and consequently of his eternall and vnchangeable loue this is the inheritance which is giuen to sonnes of promise while the bond children are sent away with mouâ—ables 2 To hold vs in the security of our naturall estate he perswadeth vs wee cannot bee Saints here and why should we not doe as others rather than tyre our selues in vaine by pursuing impossibilities To answer this temptation consider none are Saints in heauen but saints in earth 1 True it is in their sense none can be saints
grace I see murtherers of the Sonne of God who shed his bloud drinke his bloud by faith and vpon their Faith and Repentance were conuerted and saued Acts 2. Can there be greater sin than to blaspheme and persecute the Church of God yet Paul obtained mercy for this that hee might be an example to others to come that should beleeue vnto euerlasting life 1. Tim. 1.16 Could there be a greater sinne than Peters after so many warnings and vowes to deny and forsweare his Master and curse himselfe and this againe and againe and yet our Lord mercifully looked backe vpon him and gaue him both Repentance and mercy 4 I haue learned not to cast both mine eyes vpon my sinne but reserue one to behold the remedy Doe I see as Dauid Psal. 51. a multitude of sinnes yet with the other I behold a multude of mercies I see sinne abounding in mee but grace abounding more I see a sea of rebellions ready to drowne me but withall a bottomlesse sea of compassions to drowne all them Micah 7.19 I behold mourning a number of wounds and soares on my soule but withall a balme to cure all my wounds I haue a million of debts and not a farthing to pay but I haue a good surbey a good Samaritane vndertaking to pay all a mercifull Creditor saying to me Haue not forgiuen thee all I haue deserued a million of deaths by my bloudy sinnes but I see an infinite vertue and merit in the bloud of Christ that cleanseth all sinnes this was shed not onely for small sinnes and is neuer dry I heare many menaces and threats for many sins but I reade of as many promises of mercy and all they indefinite excluding none whose impenitency and infidelity excludeth not themselues I see the nature and measure of my sins vtterly separating me from God but I see that the Lord measureth not the sinnes of his according to their nature and measure but according to the affection of the sinner and therefore the foulest sinnes being heartily bewailed carefully resisted by godly sorrow cast out that sinner shall get his suite of pardon at the throne of grace I see euery sin deseruing damnation but I see also that no sin shall condemne but the lying and continuing in it and therefore I must repent I see the miserie and loathsomenesse of my disease but because I see the Physitian is not so much offended with the loathsomnesse of the disease as the contempt of his physicke in the Patient I will not reiect the physicke because I expect cure CAP. 17. Le ts from Sathan by temptations to despaire of our selues and of our owne estate 2. IF Sathan cannot preuaile to make vs despaire in regard of Gods mercy he will assay to bring vs to despair of our selues and our owne estates that although the Lord haue mercy in the full sea and ocean of it yet thou art vnworthy of the least drop of it Mercy is for vessels of mercie but thou art a vessel of wrath a grieuous sinner and euery day addeth to thy sinne and Gods iustice treasureth wrath as fast against the soule It is in vaine for thee to repent God will be found of his owne children not of such as thou art Ans. He that would deceiue will hide himselfe in generalls So Sathan here layeth load vpon the fearfull soule to hold it from Repentance But resolue this Temptation into the particular branches and see the strength and consequence of it Here are wrapped vp foure seuerall reasons to driue the sinner from repentance 1. because he is vnworthy of mercy 2. because hee hath incurred the iustice of God 3. hee is a grieuous sinner and is no child of God 4. hee daily addeth to his sin and prouocation which Gods childe doth not 1. I am vnworthy of mercie or loue and therefore must not seeke it Ans. 1. God neuer loued any man for his own worthinesse or any thing in any man causing his loue and all the worthiness in the most and best worthy is but an effect of Gods loue but no cause at all For what worthinesse was in vs before wee were that moued him to elect vs to saluation what worthinesse in vs being yet sinners and enemies that he should with so deare a price redeeme vs nay Rom. 5.8 herein God set out his loue in that while we were enemies hee reconciled vs by the death of his Sonne Say as the Centurion Luke 7.6 2 The best and dearest vnto God durst neuer appeare in their owne worthinesse Paul himselfe regenerate would not be found hauing his owne righteousnesse but that which was by faith in Christ Phil. 3. Iacob must come to his father for a blessing in the garment of his elder brother Wee must cast off our owne ragges before we can put on the wedding garment Neuer any of the Saints were capable of mercie but by an holy despaire of themselues and of their owne worthinesse and therefore did seeke and finde a worthinesse elsewhere because they could finde none in themselues Let whosoeuer will with Papists ascribe any thing to their owne merits they detract so much from Christ and his free grace they cast themselues off from Christ and are fallen from grace 3 The tenure of our saluation is not by a Couenant of Workes but by a Couenant of Grace which is a most full a most free and euery way grace founded not in our worthinesse but in the grace and good pleasure of God And this is sutable to God whose honour is to bee first in goodnesse Hee loued vs first 1 Iohn 4.19 4 By this reason no flesh should be saued all being alike dead in sin not sicke only all the children of wrath by nature and I am as worthy as any child of wrath can be and if any as vnworthy as my selfe come to saluation why not I by the same way of repenting and bewayling my owne vnworthinesse and slying out of my self to Christ who alone is worthy 5 Why should I despaire now seeing God hath made me worthy in Christ and hath loued me while I was an enemie and hath out of his loue called me in some measure purged me from corruption and not onely quickned me with his spirit but endued mee with some measure of grace but that he will continue his loue and worke in me to the end Iohn 13.1 2 Because God is a iust and a seuere reuenger of sin therefore I must not repent and seeke mercie Ans. But the conclusion and argument of Scripture is cleane contrary Is God iust and a righteous iudge we must therfore iudge our selues if wee would not bee iudged of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. Hath hee appointed a day to iudge the world by the man Christ therfore let all men bee admonished euery where to repent Acts 17.31 Will God bring euery secret into iudgement therefore let vs feare God and keepe his commandements There is no straighter tye to Repentance and Obedience than consideration of
Repentance so painefull as thou sayest first what paine would a man sustaine to auoid sicknesse of body losse of goods pouerty shame and shall not I be at paines to auoid eternal shame losse of soule and saluation 2 What infinite paines and sorrowes indured Christ for my saluation and what was his ayme in all that but to make rough waies smooth Esa. 42. and shall not I be at some paines for my selfe and what paines haue the Saints beene at in taking of the Kingdome by violence and apprehending life eternall through fire and water and infinite deaths and torments Is it not worth so much to mee as them 3 Is there no paines in going to hell in the diuels commandements in the seruice of sinne is there not more paines in committing than forsaking any sin See it in one sinne of vncleanenesse is there not more paines in contriuing his sinne wasting his body consuming his goods exposing himselfe to the shame of men to the punishment of the Magistrate to the iustice curse of God in body and soule than in forsaking his sinne and so in the rest 4 Is there no sorrow nor burden in the consequents of sinne is it no paines to haue a selfe-secret accusation a biting conscience a gnawing and vndying worme a sound of terror euer in the eares feare and flight when none pursue is there no basenesse in sinne to be a seruant and slaue â—o â—usts is there any slaue to the sinner that is ruled and hurried by the will of the diuell No Galley slaue but would breake from his chaines vijs modis 5 Were the pains of Repentance so difficult as thou sayest and intolerable yet the priuiledges and recompences of that pain are as great what sick man would not displease his tast with a bitter potion to recouer health and retaine his life the sufferings of this present life are not worthy the glory that shall be reuealed the moment any afâ—â—â—â—tions of this life cause a weight of eternall glory Resolue therefore of this paines and doe it betimes for if it be hard and difficult now will it be easier by delaying by despairing when thy sinne is stronger and thy selfe weaker An ague the more fits the more incurable a Beast the elder the more vntameable and sinne is a leauen the elder the sowâ—er and stronger Make not thy selfe more labour by sufferance of sin make an onset with courage as the hearty spyes Caleb Numb 13.31 and Ioshuâ— Numb 14.19 they are but bred for vs. 2 But indeed the worke of Repentance is not so painefull and sorrowfull as thou pretendest for is it not Christs yoke and is not Christs yoke easie and sweet and there be other things that make it sweet and easie being an Euangelicall commandement 1 The presence of grace which conquereth difficulties foyleth temptations 1. Ioh. 5. He that is borne of God ouercommeth the world for hee hath a grace sufficient for him I must not fixe mine eyes onely vpon mine owne resistance but on Gods assistance by whom I shall bee able to leape ouer all walles and impediments Psal. 119. I will run the way of thy commandements when thou hast inlarged my heart 2 The promise and donation of the spirit that we may walke in the way of Gods Commandements Ezek. 11.19 20. And I will put a new spirit in their bowels and take the stony heart away and giue them an heart of flesh that they may walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements c. 1. Cor. 3. Where the spirit of GOD is there is liberty 3 Loue of grace and loue of God maketh euery thing sweet 1. Ioh. 5 and 8. This is the loue of God that we keepe his commandements his commandements are not grieuous Da amaÌ„tem sentit quid dico Aug. Loue of gaine maketh the Merchant refuse no aduentures of sea Loue of God makes Abraham offer his onely Isaac a difficult commandement Iacob loued Rachel and the seuen hard yeers of labour seemed to him a few dayeâ— The mother loueth the child and swalloweth all paines watchings and difficulties vnweariably Gods loue for vs made him vndertake many worse torments and sorrowes loue of Christ made the Martyres passe fire and flames and most exquisite torments with sweetnesse and pleasure as if they had been in beds of roses Loue of God is vnconquerable much water cannot drowne it Now is Sathan fully answered get Gods grace neare thee the presence of the spirit and loue of grace and downe shall all the barres and impediments the most difficult commandements shall be made easie CAP. 19. Le ts from Satans temptations from the vnprofitablenesse of our Repentance 2 TO bring vs to despaire of our Repentance to the impossibility or difficulty he will vrge the vnprofitablenesse of it What can thy Repentance doe being so slight so sinfull so vnworthy thou canst not looke to be perfect and how can God accept that which is so vnworthy and imperfect Besides dost not thou see many wicked men as Saul Esau Iudas gone farre beyond thee in bitter sorrow and shed farre more signes of Repentance than thou and yet all in vaine for they were reiected and damned Answ. This is a dangorous dart and must be wisely repelled 1 I grant my Repentance to be weake and vnworthy but I am taught in Gods Booke 1 That it is neither my Repentance nor worthinesse of it selfe that washeth away my sin or can satisfie Gods iustice for then it were indeed as thou sayest but it is the bloud of Iesus Christ that washeth away all sinne 1. Ioh. 1.7 and that reconciliation with God dependeth not vpon the quantity or merit of my Repentance but vpon the merit and vertue of Iesus Christ whom I a repentant sinner lay hold on for saluation My Repentance were it neuer so perfect can neither satisfie God nor iustifie me before God but onely testifie that I am a beleeuer prepared to receiue Christ and thankefully to accept him with his merits by ceasing to sinne against him 2 I find in the Scripture that as no man is accepted for his perfect Repentance so none is reiected for the imperfection of his Repentance if it be sound and vnfained for then it is a certain fruit of a liuely faith and so of the presence of Christ and of the life of God euen as the least bud or blossome appearing is a certaine demonstration of life in the roote God careth not how great but how true and sound our Repentance is not how much but how good he accepteth not for quantity but for quality yet where grace is found and right in quality it will euer striue to increase and abound still 3 Notwithstanding my Repentance be weake yet being an Euangelicall grace a mite is accepted a grayne hath his due weight a desire to repent a will for the deed a ready minde for performance a sorrow because I cannot sorrow these goe for godly sorrow and my faith getteth Christ
to supply the rest Thus the Christian is to be fortified against the weakenesse of his Repentance 2 Thou sayest many wicked men haue gone farre in desperate sorrowes I care not how far they goe beyond me therein but that is farre from godly sorrow both in the nature of it and in the acceptance of it My sorrow is for God offended for God loued for himselfe my sorrow is from God and goeth to God againe theirs was not a seeking of God but of themselues my teares of sorrow haue a washing and cleansing vertue so not theirs my sorrow is as a soaking raine which hath wet the very rootes of my heart so not theirs And for acceptance they haue no promise to be accepted in their desperate sorrow but I haue a promise that my humiliation ioyned with faith and reformation shall bee accepted in Christ in whom my person is accepted CAP. 20. Le ts from Satans temptation from our relapses 3 BVt seest thou not that for all thy Repentance thou fallest againe into the same sins which hadst thou truely repented thou shouldest neuer haue done what good doth thy washing who forgettest that thou wast washed True repentance is a Repentance neuer to bee repented of as thine is Ans. To turn to sin as a dogge to the vomit and as a swine to the wallowing after washing is a dangerous case but not hopelesse and desperate And howsoeuer it is not ordinary for the child of God to fall diuers times into the same grieuous sins yet notwithstanding some comfort here belongs to troubled consciences But let no presumptuous sinners meddle with it 1. Godly men are the same men after sinne and repentance that they were before beset with the same infirmities and no more priuiledged from error than before 2. Experience sheweth not only subiect to the same infirmities daily but often taken in the same snares as wandring thoughts idle speeches distractions in prayer negligence and too much vnprofitablenesse in hearing rash anger with many daily omissions whereof who can cleare himselfe so long as he carrieth the causes of daily fayling about him as 1. Ignorance Many know not many sins to bee sins as the Patriarches knew not Poligamy to be sinne 2. Weakenesse of grace A childe of God for weakenesse may get many fals to day and rise againe and as many to morrow and rise againe yea and if he hurt himselfe and cannot rise himselfe his father will help him vp 3. Inconsideratenesse and not attending his way watch A man in haste may take diuers fals and many slips so as if often falling into the same sin did exclude from Grace or barred vs of pardon we were all hopelesse 3. Relapse doth not alwaies argue former Repentance to bee vnsound because 1. Repentance is an effectuall instrument to seale vp forgiuenesse of former transgressions but not a fence from all force of sin for time to come 2. soundest Repentance of all doth not wholly abolish and take away sin but abateth weakeneth and lesseneth it 4. The article of remission of sins excepteth not relapses because the promise of remission doth not except them neither is the vertue of Christs merit to bee restrained to sins once committed but to all sinnes truly repented 5. Many examples of Saints in Scripture raised from relapses giue comfort in this Temptation Lot was twice ouercome with wine Marie the Virgin twice checkt of Christ for curiositie Iohn twice worshipped the Angell 6. True it is that relapse into a disease is more dangerous than the first assault yet proper physicke seasonably applied may cure the relapse as well as the first disease Repentance is Christs Physicke and so soueraigne as cannot be foyled by relapses into the same disease Whence wee are commanded to renew our Repentance daily as we renew our sins and the Physitian is as able to cure the same disease as he was before And yet we hold the rule of Isidore Non poenitens est qui adhuc agit quod poenitet id est if hee doe it both actu and proposito but if hee sincerely purpose against all sin and keepe aliue his zeale hatred against that hee doth this preiudiceth not his former Repentance But as he did truly run that now sitteth down so did hee truely repent that sinneth againe against his purpose and sincere intention of his heart CAP. 21. From Sathans Temptation to presumption that our sinnes are not many nor great 3. IF Sathan cannot driue men off Repentance by engines of despaire he assayeth if he can make them presumptuous of mercie without serious Repentance He knoweth the truth of that of Augustine Tam sperando quam desperando pereunt homines and that despaire hath slain his thousands but presumption his ten thousands And euery deceitfull heart is like a deceiuing Prophet that cryeth Peace peace when sword and danger is the nearest For this purpose he vseth three maine arguments 1. Perswadeth the sinner his sins are not many nor great 2. But if they bee Christ hath dyed for the sins of the world 3. God is so mercifull as hee will not condemne them for them 1. It is a wonder that a man looking vpon his sins should presume but that such must be giuen vp to strong delusions to beleeue lyes that will not receiue the truth in the loue of it and lye vnder that heauie stroak of Gods iustice to bee giuen vp to the waies of his owne heart which is to wander in the paths of death But against this Temptation know that there is not a more certaine propertie of a wicked man to know himselfe by than by allowing himselfe in the lessening and mincing of his sinne for it is an issue of the loue of sin that will not bee warned of the deceitfulnesse neither of sin nor of his own heart 1. Here is a man wofully deluded by the Diuell who hath turned the wrong end of the prospectiue to his eye wherin things as huge as mountaines castles seeme as small as mole-hils And is it not iust seeing he will not beleeue God who telleth him that the least sin separateth and is a partition wall betweene God and him maketh him the child of wrath shutteth heauen openeth hell killeth soule and bodie What perswasion could make this man beleeue that a stab at heart would not kil him because a small pricke 2 A man is befooled by himselfe who neither knoweth Gods waies nor desireth to know them but entertaineth wilfull obiections against the meanes of knowledge and couereth himselfe with questions whether his sins be sinnes You haue not yet proued saith hee my vsury to bee sin nor fashions of apparrell to be sin nor drinking healths to excesse and inflammation to be sin nor to doe this and that on the Sabboth in ciuilitie to bee sinne all this while the sinne is kept close and warme and is none of the greatest because they are not resolued But are not these of the number of those of whom Peter
Church while they were in it 1. Ioh 2.19 They went out from vs because they were not of vs. Am I then a friend of Christ that I may be sure Christ dyed for me 1 If I be a friend I am a beleeuer Abraham beleeued God and was called the friend of God Iames 2.23 He dyed for no vnbeleeuer I must be a beleeuer or he dyed not for me Rom. 3.25 God set forth his Sonne to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud 2 Am I a friend◠〈◊〉 must doe whatsoeuer Christ commandeth me Ioh. â—1 14 Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I command you A seeming friend as Herod may doe many things but a sound friend will doe all things euen difficult and costly commandements If he bid me repent and returne I must obey 3 A friend must bee glad of anâ— opportunity 〈◊〉 shew his friendship and loue so must I. Prou. 3.28 Say not to thy friend I will answer thee to morrow if now it be in thy power If Christ thy friend call thee to Repentance this day deferre him not till to morrow for then it may be out of thy power to shew thy friendship 4 He dyed onely for those that manifest the fruit of his death 1. in the daily conquest and abolition of sinne hee dyed for my sinne that 〈◊〉 might dye vnto sinne and sinne dye in mee Rom. 6.2 How can they that are dead to sinne yet liue in it If sinne neuer dye in thee Christ neuer dyed for thee thou art still vnder the curse of sinne that art vnder the power of it if thou beest not redeemed from vaine conuersation thou art not from condemnation of sinne 2 I must daily finde the work of Sathan destroyed in me for by death he destroyed him that had the power of death which is the diuell Heb. â— 14 If Sathan rule thee still at his will and hold thee vnder the dominion of sinne thou hast no benefit by Christs deaths 3 If Christ be dead for mee I must manifest the obedience of faith another fruit of his death Heb. 5.9 He is the Author of saluation to all that obey him not to any that continue in sinne 4 I must henceforth liue to him that dyed for me 2. Cor. 5.15 and he dyed for those who whether they sleepe or wake liue or dye liue in him and for him 1. Thes 5.10 that is are partakers of his life and liue to his glory CAP. 23. Presumption of Gods mercy hindering Repentance Obiect 3 BVt is not God mercifull who will not the death of a sinner and therefore what needest thou so continually afflict and macerate thy selfe by Repentance Answ. Yes Gods mercy is a boundlesse Ocean which can neuer be drawne dry and he is mercifull to all euen the worst and vessels of wrath But first distinguish of Gods mercy it is either generall whereby he saueth man and beast and maintaineth the creature in a temporall being thus he feedeth the Sparrowes and cloatheth the Lillies thus he is the Sauiour of all men especially of them which beleeue 1. Tim 4.10 For that place is meant of his generall prouidence Or secondly there is a speciall sauing mercy which tendeth to eternal life whereby he tendereth men as a father Now herein hee is mercifull to the worst in offering this mercy by Christ and proclaiming it in the Preaching of the Gospell But they are content with the other without this This speciall mercy is not cast as a musse vnto all 2 Let not Sathan delude thee by offering an vnlimited mercy where God hath bounded it For that mercy which in God knoweth no bounds in respect of persons is bounded and limited according to the couenant of grace and mercy as appeareth in two conclusions 1 There be sundry sorts of impenitent sinners to whom the Lord couenanteth no mercy but wrath As 1 Ignorant persons who care not for the knowledge of God Isa 27.11 This people hath no vnderstanding and therefore he that made them will not be mercifull vnto them and 2. Thes. 1 8. Rendring vengeance in flaming fire to all that know not God 2 Hard hearted persons that will not repent Rom. 9.18 Hee will haue mercy on whom hee will and whom he will he hardeneth implying that hardened persons are shut from mercy Rom. 2. Thou that by the hardnesse of thy heart treasurest wrath 3 Wilfull and stubborne persons against the Ministery and counsels of the word Ier. 16.5 Mourne not for this people for I haue taken my peace from it euen my mercy and my compassion why verse 1â— For euery one walketh in the stubbornenesse of his heart and will not heare mee and therefore I will shew you no grade 4 Presumptuous sinners who say I shall haue peace though I walke on in sinne God will not be mercifull to that man Deut. 29.30 but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses in the booke of God shall ouertake him Onely vessels of mercy are filled with mercy for saluation or sauing mercy is not so prodigally bestowed being childrens bread but on such aâ— are qualified and pointed out in the Scripture by sundry markes 1 All that must share in this mercy must be true members of the Church Isay. 63.7 I will remember the great mercies of the Lord and goodnesse towards the house of Israel which he hath giuen them of his tender loue Am I a true Israelite a sonne of Abraham according to the faith Doe I lay about mee for the blessing as Israel did Doe I wrastle it out with God by prayer and doe I preuaile for mercy and grace Am I circumcised in the heart and daily part from sinnes and lusts 2 All that must share in mercy must be repentant sinners God would haue all saued but so as they must first come to the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2.4 But this they cannot doe without Repentance 2. Tim. 2.25 If at any time God will giue Repentance that they may come to acknowledgement of the truth Ezek. 33.11 God will not the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and liue 3 Mercy is intailed onely to such as loue God and keepe his commandements second Command Exod. 20.6 He sheweth mercy to thousands of them that loue him and keepe his Commandements for God is in couenant with no other and vessels of wrath cannot looke to be filled with mercy yet this sheweth not the cause of Gods mercy for there is none in vs and it is a free grace but onely sheweth the persons that may claime it Doe I loue God All externall obedience without inward loue is hypocrisie Loue is the fountaine of obedience And doe I keepe the Commandements I cannot fulfill them but doe I keepe them in my vnderstanding meditation affection in true purpose and indeauour in my whole conuersation then mercy is mine 4 Mercy belongeth to such onely as feare to offend God and liue in
sinner committeth high treason against the crowne and dignity of the God of heauen and is daily drawing neerer his execution a pardon is offered freely in the Gospell grace and mercy are offered but hee by impenitency thrusteth away the word of life scorneth the messengers iustifieth and defendeth his sinne here is a spirituall madnesse and frenzy What a folly is it whereas a man will doe nothing to make his finger ake he would not be hyred to hold his finger in the flame of a candle a moment for any money or gold hee will scarce tast a bitter potion for recouery of health yet this man maketh no bones of that which will bring endlesse torment in hell fire he sticketh not to drink vp a cup of poyson the nature of which is the further it goeth the more incurable it is hee nourisheth a serpent in his bosome which hath teeth and sting and poyson enough hee carryeth euery day a fagot to burne himselfe Oh now will not all this bring the sinner backe with Dauid to say Oh I haue done very foolishly The stung Israelites looked to the brasen serpent and liued they needed not be bidden but wee haue need to bee vrged to loâ—ke vpon Christ lifted vp vpon the pole of the Crosse and yet will not doe so little for our selues and cure What a folly is it for a man to fall and not offer to rise no man in his sense would lye still Oh then remember whence thou art fallen and doe thy first workes and repent 3 All sinne remaineth in full power and condemning force vpon the soule without Repentance Ioh. 9.41 Now you say you see your sinne remaineth in the guilt in the staine in the domination and reigne in the damnation of it Thou wast a swearer an adulterer a hater of God and an enemy to grace a persecutor of Christ and thou art so still if thou hast not repented Sinne hangeth like a burre on the impenitent person it parteth not in life nor in death but lyeth downe in the dust with him and riseth with him it goeth to iudgement with him and is sent to hell with him the wrath of God abideth on him because his sinne abideth with him 4 Of all sinnes impenitency is the greatest and nearest to iudgement Reuel 2.20 Iezabel had time to repent giuen her but repented not and therefore was cast into a bed of sorrow This was noted in Saul 1. Chron. 10 13. Saul dyed for his transgression but what was his transgression First hee disobeyed the commandement secondly hee sought to a Witch thirdly hee sought not to the Lord and therfore the Lord slue him True it is that euery sinne is damnable but no sinne actually condemneth but impenitency and therefore the greatest of sinnes is not to repent of sinne Let it not be said of thee as of Herod yet he added this aboue all that thou being so great a sinner hast not yet repented 3 Looke vpon thy selfe in respect of thy good duties 1 None can be good in thee till thou hast repented first the tree must be good and then the fruit first Abels person was accepted and then his sacrifice but to Caine and his sacrifice he had no respect 2 Nay in the best euen the best duties must bee begun and finâ—shed with Repentance without which the best seruice is vnprofitable and sinfully defectiue Nehemiah in building vp the wall in commanding the Sabbath to bee kept desireth to be remembred in goodnesse and pardoned Neh. 13.12 Repent and pray repent and be baptized repent and receiue the Sacraments else sinne will hinder 4 Looke on thy selfe in thy estate and condition both in respect of sinne and of change and Repentance 1 Looke vpon thy estate of corruption for time Past Present To come 1 What hath thy whole life past been before grace Col 1.21 Paul wisheth them to consider that in times past they were strangers and enemies hauing their mindes set on euill works and 1. Pet. 4.3 It is sufficient that we haue spent our time past in the lusts of the Gentiles in wantonnesse lusts gluttony drunkennesse So dost thou see thy sinnes for number and weight as the sands already and for the manner of committing them against such light and meanes so out of measure sinful and dost thou not say It is sufficient 2 What is thy whole present course without grace 1 To goe on in sin is wilfully to perish and murther our owne soules the case being worse with vs than that mans that fell among theeues we lye not halfe but wholly dead God sendeth his Sonne the good Samaritane to binde vp our wounds to temper a remedy of his owne heart bloud when no herbe or simple was left in heauen or earth for our cure Now we in stead of thankefull acceptance and application of this remedy by going on in sinne we tread vnder foote this pretious bloud nay we make our wounds larger and bigger euery day than other 2 Euery man is euery day nearer his end his death and iudgement we are going before Gods tribunall and to the barre of his iudgement and shall we be so mad as euen in the way to multiply our misdemeanours A malefactor going to the barre or to execution if he should cut a purse by the way would not euery one thinke hanging too good for him This is the case of euery impenitent person liuing in the practise of sinne euen in the way to his execution 3 What will bee thy case in time to come going on in sin 1 In the approach of death Sathan will asâ—ayle with all his strength that in the last combat he may breake the necke of thy soule and hee hauing the strength of a mans owne sinnes vnsubdued and vnmastered he easily attaineth his purpose then setteth hee euery small sinne before the eye in the magnitude of a huge mountaine and the curse due vnto it to the breaking of the heart of a sinner Now is the guilty conscience in a wofull case stricken through with terror and torment Now hee seeth that whereas hee thought to haue got out of sin at the furthest at his death how weake and sicke his Repentance is how strong vnconquerable and gyant-like his sinne is and all concludeth with sathan against him he seeth where the strong man hath long dwelt he is not easily cast out but as he hath liued so he is likely to dye for as the tree leaneth so commonly it falleth and as it falleth so it lyeth 2 If all this will not moue thee consider what followeth after death the time hasteneth wherein thou shalt bee naked before the Lord the Iudge of all in the sight of Angels Men and Diuels Before thee a terrible Iudge to condemne thee and with him the Saints shall iudge the world and giue witnesse against thy sin On the one hand Sathan who tempteth thee shall now accuse thee On the other the Angels ministring spirits shall be ready as a fagot to binde thee and cast thee into hell within thee an accusing conscience as a thousand witnesses against thee shall bring to minde all sinnes and circumstances long since forgotten Beneath thee hell ready to deuoure thee none shall be admitted to speake for thee and thy selfe shalt bee speechlesse and canst not speake for thy selfe so as sentence must needes passe against thee and thou deliuered to the Deuill whose will thou didst diligently execute here that hee may now haue his will and delight in thy endlesse torment Oh therefore vse meanes to preuent this ruful condition come out of thy sin betime hye thee apace out of Sodome lay aside thine owne folly now take Gods warning heare the raps of Christ now knocking at the doore of thy heart by the hammer of his Word Spirit Mercies Iudgements Now follow the Motion let not Sathan or sin beguile thee any longer to hold thee off from Repentance 2. See thy happy change and blessed estate by this grace of Repentance 1. Of all gifts a broken heart is the rarest and happiest the humble heart in stead of lodging foule sins and lusts becommeth a lodge for the highest God who pleaseth to dwel with a broken and contrite heart What an happy change of a stony heart into flesh 2. The very first act of Repentance bringeth pardon of sin Psal. 32. I said I will confesse thou forgauest 2. Sam. 12.13 Dauid no sooner said I haue sinned but Nathan said The Lord hath put away thy sin And the continuance of it bringeth and continueth a sweet sense and assurance of remission in the heart It is not with God as in mens Courts Confesse and iudgement runneth against but in Gods Confesse and the Law is satisfied In mens Courts Confession and Condemnation goe together in Gods Confession and Iustification Iudge thy selfe and preuent the iudgment of God 3. What an happy and welcome change were it of age into youth Nature cannot worke it grace can The old man is put off the new man put on Of old men wee become young and smug againe renewing our strength as the Eagle Psal. 103. And this change by grace forerunneth that great change by glorie and is the beginning of it When these base earthly bodies shall become spirituall bodies and this very peece of clay shall shine as the Sun when corruption shall put on incorruption and these ignorant sinfull soules shall put on a perfect image of Godâ— and the whole man become like the Angels themselues Whom these considerations cannot moue I suppose nothing can Thus I haue somewhat largely intreated out of this Text of the Practice of Repentance in the Rules Le ts Helpes Markes and Motiues I will conclude the Treatise with that of our Sauiour If ye heare these things blessed are yee if yee doe them and end as I began with the words of the Text If yee repent not yee shall all perish There is no greater miserie than to bee without miserie no greater sorrow than to bee without the sorrow of sound Repentance FINIS Note 1. Note 2. Reason Vse 1. Note 3. Vse Reason Secondly the Cautions Reason Deut. 5 Reas. 1. Conclus Conclus 3 Conclus 4 Reas. â— Reason 1 Rule 3. The fourth Let. Let 4. Conclus 1. Conclus 2. Reason Reason Vse