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
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
spirit of bondage and worldly sorrow a repentance to be repented of But if thou hatest sin because God hateth it and resoluest not to doe it for his sake as Ioseph all is well 2. It will follow that the lopping and cutting off of some sins is not Repentance vnlesse the roots bee stocked and grubbed vp for this is not a change but a restraining of washboughs that will come againe Thou abstainest from swearing but doest thou feare an oath Thou actest not sin but doest thou hate it and put it away 3. That conquering of sin is not alwaies reformation turning from sin for one sin may conquer another Sathan may be cast out by Beelzebub Ambition may conquer couetousnesse hypocrisie may ouer-master many sins but this is far from Repentance For by the feare of the Lord a good man departeth from euill I set the Lord euer in my sight that I should not sin against him When grace and Gods feare thus conquereth sin it is a good signe 4. Euery change and reformation is not Repentance vnlesse the whole man be changed The whole man must turn both inward and outward in both all faculties and parts But with this caution that this change in euery part is but in part and imperfect as the Ayre in the dawning is light in euery part but in part and as luke-warme water heat is in euery part with cold Reason 1. The Scripture calleth for a through change and sanctification in the soule body and spirit 1. Thes. 5.25 The whole man must turne from the power of Sathan unto God The whole man must be made of an old a new man Ephes. 4.23 2. Else the remedy will bee short of the disease for the whole man is turned from God by sinne and Repentance must turne backe the whole man Deceiue not your selues in this great and weighty point some finde a change in their minde and haue some illumination and rest in that as Repentance But howeuer it is true that the first thing in Repentance is the change of the mind from darknesse to light yet Repentance is not the turning of the vnderstanding vnto truth vnlesse the will also be turned to God It is no repentance for a Papist to bee neuer so deuout humble charitable penitent if hee turne not his minde to the truth It is no repentance in a Protestant to imbrace the truth in iudgement and profession and liue vnreformed and vnanswerable vnto it for his will must be changed as well as his mind 5. Euery change of the whole man is not Repentance vnlesse it be from whole sin for Repentance turneth from all sin and continueth not any Obiect No Repentance can get away all sin in this life Answ. Not that it bee not but that it rage not The Iebusite will dwell within our borders but see he be subdued and commanded 1. That Repentance is not true which is not generall 2. To look backe vpon any sin is to turne the backe vpon God and to turne from one sin to another is not Repentance Herods reformation was farre from Repentance for howsoeuer hee did many things hee would not part with his Herodias Keep no bosome sin 6. Turning from all sin is not Repentance vnlesse thou turnest to God Ceasing from euill is not Repentance vnlesse thou learne to doe good nor casting off the old man vnlesse thou put on the new Now to turne to God is to get a sincere purpose desire and endeauour to walke according to all Gods commandements Try thy Repentance Hath thy sorrow bin deep and godly Hast thou got beyond ciuilitie Imbracest thou the grace thou didst trample before as a Swine vnder feet Hast thou changed thy soule thy whole man from whole sin to God CAP. 6. Rules concerning persons that must repent NOw in prosecuting the practice of Repentance I will confine my selfe within these bounds 1. Propound the rules and directions to guide vs in the duetie 2. The lots or chiefe impediments which hinder Repentance 3. The meanes and helpes for the happy performance of it 4. The signes and marks of a man truely repenting 5. The motiues or inducements to prouoke vs to Repentance 1. The rules or directions to guide vs in this duety concerne 1. The persons that must repent 2. the sinnes to bee repented of 3. the manner 4. the time The generall rule concerning the persons is That all and euerie man must repent The word in the Text is indefinite Except yee repent that is all of you Acts 17 30. But now admonisheth euery man euery where to repent The doctrine of Repentance is preached to all 1. All haue sinned and turned away from God all are depriued of the glory of God there is none that doth good no not one 1. Ioh. 1.8 If any man say hee hath not sinne he deceiueth himselfe and the truth is not in him Iam. 3.2 In many things we sin all therfore all haue need to repent All men are vnder sin Rom. 3.9 that is all men in respect of naturall corruption and actuall pollution are equally vnder the guilt and punishment of sin the sentence of the Law the curse of God A matter of such danger as a man had better bee vnder the weight of all the mountaines in the world than vnder the weight of sinne vpon his soule therefore euery man must repent 2. Euery man will say hee would haue his sins remitted therefore euery man must repent for Repentance and Remission of sins goe hand in hand Marke 1.9 Iohn preached the baptisme of Repentance for Remission of sins and the state of impenitency is a state of perdition Except ye repent ye shall perish for you are yet in your sins 3. Euery one will say hee would bee saued and come to heauen at last but without Repentance can be no saluation neither is there place in heauen for an impenitent person flesh and bloud shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Without shall be dogs and swine not washed from their filthinesse Consider the commandement Ier. 4.14 Wash thy heart from filthinesse that thou maiest be saued 2. The threatning If Christ wash thee not then thou hast no part in him 3 The appropriated onely to those that haue part in the first resurrection the second death shall haue no power ouer them 4 The folly of a man that aymeth at a high excellent end and neuer thinketh of the way and meanes to attayne that end so it is to thinke of heauen and not of Repentance the way and means to it Hence will follow 1 If all men then naturall and vnregenerate men be they neuer so ciuill must hasten their Repentance For 1 They are as clouds without water trees dead without fruit condemned persons without a pardon the law hath read an after sentence of death vpon them And a madnesse were it for a Fellon to looke to bee quit by that law that condemneth him that stare is nothing but death onely Faith and Repentance of the
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
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