property it euer seekes it owne preseruation It will euer seeke it owne preseruation The new borne babe by crying begs helpe presently so soone as it is borne And the young ones of bruites run to the teat of their dames Thus it is with such as liue this life of grace they hunger and thirst for the food of their soules 1. Pet. 2.2 and as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby as S. Peter teacheth vs. Their desire is to be feeding that they may be growing and they are much grieued when this food is wanting because the growth of grace must needs be hindered Examine thy selfe is it thus with thee doest thou desire after the food of thy soule and follow hard the market to prouide for the preseruation of the same If it be so it is well it is a great signe of grace but if it be otherwise that thou hast no care hereof despising or neglecting the ordinances of God which he hath ordained for the good of thy soule it is a sure signe thou wantest this life we speake of A third propertie is constantly to seeke it Thirdly as it seeketh it so it constantly seekes it Life doth not onely seeke it owne preseruation but it seeks it daily constantly continually so long as it hath any being The yong infant doth almost nothing else but suck and sleepe then cry for the breast againe and so any other creature doth daily seeke for foode The young lyons roare after their prey Psal 104.21 Ver. 27. and all other creatures waite vpon the Lord that he may giue them their meat in due season Thus is it with them that liue this life of grace there is a daily seeking after foode for the preseruing of it a daily vsing of the meanes as prayer reading meditation and the like Thus it is said of the blessed man In Gods law he doth exercise himselfe both day and night Psal 1.2 Many examples might be brought for proofe of this Iob rose vp early to offer sacrifice Job 1.5 this did Iob continually It was Daniels practise to pray three times a day Dan. 6.10 Psal 55.17 Psal 119.164 And Dauids Euening morning and at noone-tide will I pray vnto thee yea we may heare him speaking of seauen times a day praising of the Lord. And indeed there are but few duties of Religion for which we haue not the example of some Saint for the daily performance thereof Let this be well considered of such as heare and read and pray by fitts and starts now and then as it were vpon raynie dayes Alas thousands there are in the world who read not pray not from Sabboth to Sabboth nay nor then neither Haue these any life of grace in them Sure I am naturall life must be daily fed and shall be too and is there not as much neede for the spirituall Be it therefore knowne vnto thee and certified to thy soule that thou deceiuest thy selfe in thinking thou liuest the life of a Christian when there is no care had to a daily performance of the exercises belonging to a Christian Fourthly it is sensible of whatsoeuer is an enemie vnto it A fourth propertie of life is this it is sensible of whatsoeuer is an enemie vnto it doth resist it The more life the greater sense and the greater sense the more resistance Thus is it with such as liue this life of grace corruptions are felt and fought against the spirit lusts against the flesh Galat. 5.17 and the flesh against the spirit and these are contrary the one to the other Thus was it with Paul he felt his corruptions which caused him to sigh and groane vnder the weight of them I haue saith he a law in my members warring against the law of my minde Rom. 7.23 and bringing mee into captiuitie to the law of sinne now this sense of sinne caused him to breake forth into this complaint O wretched man that I am vers 24. who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Thus was he sensible of the opposition which was made by sinne against that life and power of grace which was in him and as he felt it so did he warre and combat against it he did resist those rebellious lusts and set himselfe against them with all his force Examine then thy selfe by this Doest thou feele thy corruptions and striue against them Art thou sensible of the working of sinne in thy selfe and how it opposeth the life of grace that is in thee Doest thou feele vnbeleefe opposing thy faith Dulnesse and deadnesse thy delight in Gods seruice And doest thou struggle and striue against each of these as the powers of life naturall doth against a disease Why then this is an euident signe of spirituall life a sure testimonie of the Spirit of Grace But is it otherwise with thee hast thou no sense nor feeling of the power of sinne makest thou no complaints against thy sinfull corruptions Is there no resisting nor opposing of thy rebellious lusts Why then assure thy selfe there is no life of grace in thee the strong man hath gone away with all thou art still in thy naturall blindnes and deadnes By these signes may you certainely know if you will deale truely in examining your selues whether you as yet liue the life of Grace Deale faithfully then with thy selfe in this businesse which doth so neerely concerne thee For if thou liuest not the life of Grace here neuer hope to liue the life of glory hereafter As desirous therefore as thou art to know the one so be as diligent to finde out the other A second Vse is for our Instruction Seeke to liue this Vse 2 life of Grace which onely deserues to be esteemed a life A man may eat and drinke and walke and sleepe and speake and haue the vse of all his sences and yet not worthy to be said to liue because he wants Gods Holy Spirit to quicken his soule Aboue all things in the world then seeke after this because without it thy breath sence soule are nothing worth and not onely so but are accursed to thee Quest But what may I do or what meanes must I vse that I may liue this life of Grace Answ Meanes to liue the life of Grace I answer As to liue a naturall life there must be a generation according to the flesh so if thou wouldest attaine to liue this life of the Spirit thou must of necessitie be brought to a second birth Not to be turned into our mothers womb againe as Nicodemus thought but as Christ saith Ioh. 3.1 we must be borne of the will of his Father 1. Pet. 1.23 And as Peter saith of a seede not mortall but immortall the word of God Faith that commeth by hearing Rom. 10. hearing by the word Regeneration is a fruit of Faith Faith an effect of the word the word is preached
we would take such a one at his word and lay hold of the opportunitie when we finde him in a good vaine least within a short space he alter his minde Our hearts are farre more variable and vnconstant then any man is or can be let vs then learne this wisedome presently to lay holde of euery good motion and put it in practise doe not stand debating the matter when God putteth any good thought into thy heart or raiseth vp any good purpose or desire within thee but presently proceed to execution make no long tarrying before thou doest put them in action there are many who haue beene much affected in hearing of the Word and haue resolued to leaue such a sinne or do such a dutie and put in practise what he hath heard but by reason of their deferring vntill the next day or such a time those motions die and purposes vanish and come to nothing and therefore let this be amended of all you that would be constant and let this rule with the rest be carefully obserued of al you who desire to be as good in action as you are in purpose and affection and so by Gods grace and helpe without which all is vnprofitable you shall see much benefit and profit come hereby Thus much for the coherence and dependance which this verse hath with the former he puts in practise what there he did but purpose Now to come nigher to the words of this verse wherein we see what this Prodigall did he ariseth and goeth to his Father he leaueth his sinne and turneth to his God Secondly the circumstance of time when hee did this which is implied in this particle And or So that is presently vpon his resolution he did not debate any longer vpon the matter but forthwith rose vp and went his way He arose and came to his father Text. His arising is nothing else but his leauing of sinne as formerly we haue heard and his comming to his Father is his turning to the Lord. Terminus à quo terminus ad quem So then here we haue the parts of true repentance layd downe which are in number two first Auersion from sinne secondly Conuersion to God First we might obserue this generall Doctrine Doctr. True Repentance consists of two parts Psal 34.14 and 37.27 Esay 1.16 Ephe. 4.22.24 Act. 26.18 Vse That true repentance consists of two parts viz. Leauing of sinne and turning to God According to that of Dauid Eschew euill and doe good And that of Esay Cease to doe euill and learne to doe well And that of the Apostle Put off the old man which is corrupt c. And put ye on the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse And I might from hence take occasion soundly to lesson such as thinke true Repentance to consist onely in a forsaking of some euill and abstaining from some grosse sinnes how often do we heare this Apollogie made when other reasons are wanting to proue the soundnes of repentance I am neither whore nor theife nor murtherer Well and what then this may be true yet thou mayst be a Reprobate He that goeth no further goeth but halfe way to heauen at the most and hee that rests in the mid-way is like neuer to come thither what shall I say to thee to speake as fauourably as I can thou art but halfe loyall and is such a one a good subiect thou art but halfe a sonne and therefore a bastard thou art but halfe hot Reuel 3. and therefore luke-warme What then canst thou looke for but to be spewed out of GODS mouth as loathsome and vnsauoury vnto his stomach Thinke of this oh you ciuill honest men who blesse your selues in your ciuill carriage you doe no man wrong you oppresse none you haue tooke no mans oxe nor asse This may be yet know this can be no good argument to proue thou hast repented many goe thus farre who are of olde ordeined to this condemnation thinke of the Parable of the talents Mat. 25.25 there thou shalt finde that the seruant which gaue God his owne did not escape hell cast you that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darkenesse there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Behold here though thou giuest God his owne yet that will not saue thy soule couldest thou say thus vnto the Lord behold Lord here is my talent I haue not spent it Note this you ciuill honest men note it here is my time thou didst lend me while I was vpon the earth be it 40. or 50. yeares or more or lesse here it is in all this time I haue not swore one oath nor spoke a word that might tend to thy dishonor not an idle word hath passed from betweene my lips here is also my substance not one penny wastfully spent on my owne lusts or pleasures take Lord thy owne there it is couldest thou say thus which alas thou canst not yet if thou couldst thus speake and truly so speake yet I tell thee thou wouldst come short of blessednesse because thou hast beene vnprofitable what dost thou more then the bruit beasts they dishonour not God with their tongues but in their kind they glorifie him are not they then nigher happinesse then thy selfe Consider well what I say 2. Tim. 2.7 and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things But I intend to stand on this Generall I come to the Specials He arose The poynt we may obserue hence is this Text. Doctr. Where there is true repentance sinne is left Where there is true Repentance there is a rising from sin there is a leauing and a forsaking of all former euill waies and courses This poynt might be confirmed by many examples As of Paul Peter Zacheus with others who left their former courses and committed them no more But amongst all other examples that is most excellent to proue this in the 19 of the Acts who to shew the truth of their repentance brought their curious bookes and burnt them openly Hence is it also that the seruants of God haue euer called vpon the people that they would testifie the truth of their Repentance by their forsaking of euill thus Samuell enioyned the Israelites 1. Sam. 7.3 to put away their strange gods from amongst them And Peter laid this taske vpon his hearers that they would amend their liues Act. 2.37.38 Ion. 3.8 So the King of Niniueh giues this in charge that euery man should turne from his euill way and from the wickednesse that is in his hands he full well knew that there was no auerting or turning away the iudgment threatned by the Prophet but by repentance and that there was no true repentance if sinne were not forsaken Reason 1 The reason of this is because euery true penitent is partaker of Christs death and the power of it which causeth him to die vnto sinne as the Apostle notably sheweth Rom. 6.6 in the sixt to the Romanes
at the beginning of the Chapter Knowing this sayth he that our olde man is crucified with him that the bodie of sinne might be destroyed that hence-forth we should not serue sinne thus Christs death being applyed by faith will worke in vs the death of sin and cause vs to forsake our former euill wayes Reason 2 And secondly the spirit of God dwelleth in that mans heart Rom. 8.4.2 and is become his guide and this spirit freeth vs from the law of sinne and death This expells sinne and will not suffer such filthinesse to remaine in the roome where it doth lodge These may be the reasons of the poynt The vses follow Vse 1 First hereby try thy Repentance whether it be good or no Hath it wrought a change and alteration in thy affections 2. Cor. 5. words and actions are all olde things done away and new come in the place thereof is there a forsaking of sinne a reformation of life if it be thus then it is well for thus it is and must be with euery true penitent True it is in the time of our impenitencie like wild and mad horses we gallop in the way of sinne yet in the day of our repentance the spirit of God as with a bit or bridle giueth vs a ierke and turneth vs back setteth vs as fast a going the other way Insomuch that our companions stand wondering at the matter admiring that we so suddenly breake of company 1. Pet. 4.4 and runne not with them to the same excesse of riot So great is the change that not onely ourselues but others also see it and admire it Now then thou that talkest of Repentance is this change in thee assure thy selfe if thou hast repented it is and all the world may see it canst thou with good conscience say of thy selfe 1. Cor. 6.10 as Paul did of the Corinthians I was once a theife a drunkard an adulterer a reuiler an extortioner a couetous person and the like But now I am washed Verse 11. now I am sanctified yea and iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of my God Canst thou thus say of thy selfe and that in truth Why then to thy comfort be it spoken this is a notable euidence of the truth of thy repentance but if it be otherwise thou maist deceiue thy selfe but be it known vnto thee thou art as far from it for any thing that I can see as they are that rob by the high way side and it may be farther Secondly this may serue for terrour to such as finde Vse 2 no change in themselues but are the same still that euer they were As proud as euer as prophane as euer as worldly as euer as irreligious as euer if not worse then euer yet these men blesse themselues with a false perswasion of repentance when indeed they haue not trodden ouer the threshold of repentance and though they haue liued thirtie fortie or it may be threescore yeares yet poore soules they haue not all this time trod one step nor to be the first stride towards Gods kingdome Sinne is not yet left nor forsaken But oh thou dreamer awake if euer thou wilt awake Awake gull not thy owne soule thy torment shall not bee the lesse in hell because thou fallest in before thou beest aware Delude then thy selfe no longer but looke well about thee Thou canst not endure others should cozen thee why cozenest thou thy selfe Happily thou hast had some spirituall qualmes or vpon hearing of the Word hast shed some teares but what then if no reformation followes these are not signes of true repentance Mala praeterita plangere est plangendaiterum non committere Amb. Vera paenitentia est quando sic paniteâ— hominem peccasse vt crimen non repetat Born This is true repentance saith a Father so to bewaile sinnes past as that wee commit them no more which wee haue bewailed It is to no purpose then for thee to bewaile thy former courses vnlesse there follow hereupon a due amendment let not then this deceiue thee for thou dost but mocke and not indeed repent when thou still dost that whereof thou hast repented This is true repentance so to repent that thou hast sinned as that thou doest so no more Till therefore thou doest cease from sinne Inanis paenitentia quam sequent culpa coinquinat Aug. Soliloq and reforme thy wayes vntill thou doest finde this change in thy selfe so that thou canst truly say I was thus and thus but now the case is altered thou canst haue no comfort in thy repentance for assure thy selfe that Repentance and continuance in thy old wicked courses can neuer stand together Vse 3 In the third place this may serue for the comfort of all such as doe finde this change in them who can say as that blind man Iohn 9. who had his light restored One thing I know that whereas I was blind now I see whereas I was filthy and vncleane I am now washed and clensed oh happie is the condition of such a one thrice blessed is thy estate onely let me admonish thee that thou manifest this change vnto the world that others may also say Amb. lib. 2. de paenitent cap. 10. How is this man changed from what he was Ambrose makes report of a young man who hauing a long time liued in lust and vncleannesse at length trauelled and in his trauell was conuerted afterwards returning home meets with one of his olde acquaintance with whom he had beene often nought but passed away and would not salute her at which the Strumpet wondering speakes to him after this manner What haue you forgotten me It is I Sed ego non sum ego His reply vnto her againe was this yea I know it but I am not I. Thus it becomes thee to manifest this chaunge thou findest to be in thee that as others haue beene witnesses of thy sinne so they may be also witnesses of thy Repentance And thus much shall serue for this first part of his repentance viz. his Auersion from his sinne Text. Doctr. In true repentance there is not onely a rising from sinne but also there is a turning to God Ier. 4.1 now we come to the second which is his Conuersion to God And came to his Father From hence we learne In true Repentance there is not onely a rising from sinne but also a turning to the Lord and a setting of our hearts towards him and his kingdome This therefore is enioyned vs as well as the former in many places of Scrpture If thou wilt returne oh Israell saith the Lord returne vnto me and againe Oh Israell returne vnto the Lord thy God take with you wordes and turne to the Lord. And againe Hos 14.1.2 Ioel. 2.13 Act. 26.20 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord. This was Paul willed to exhort the Gentiles to that they should repent and turne to God
and doe works meete for repentance Many more places might be brought to confirme this but what need I By the mouth of two or three witnesses shall euery word be established The reason is this As by faith we are ingrafted into Reason 1 Christ Iesus and so made partakers of his death and the power of it which causeth vs to die vnto sinne so also by the same faith we are made partakers of his resurrection which causeth vs to walke in newnesse of life Rom. 6.4.11 and liue vnto the Lord. Secondly the same spirit that doth cause Reason 2 vs to leaue sinne doth bring vs to the Lord enabling vs to cry Abba-Father as the Apostle speaketh Vse To reproue many who will indeed confesse Rom. 8.15 there Vse 1 must be a turning and will also practise a change but it shall be from bad to worse from one sinne to another As for example how many doe turne from prodigalitie to couetousnesse from swearing to cousening Stuliidum vitant vitia in contraria currunt Rom. 2.22 from atheisme to popery from prophanenesse to hypocrisie now alas what is this but to turne out the Deuill at the porch and let him in at the posterne As for turning from all sinne to God that is no ordinary thing to bee found in these dayes And therefore assuredly repentance is not so common as the world takes it to be And if these are to be reproued then much more are Vse 2 such to be condemned who turne from God to sinne from a Protestant to a Papist from a professor to an Atheist How farre are these from true repentance What hope can they haue who come short of those that come short of heauen Take good notice of this you that haue beene forward and zealous but now are become Apostates and backesliders and hearken to the counsell giuen to the Church of Ephesus Reuel 2.5 Remember whence thou art fallen and repent and doe thy first workes or else I will come against thee quickly except thou repent In the last place let this admonish vs to looke that our turning be a true turning And as by sinne we haue departed with this Prodigall from our Fathers house so let vs also arise with him and set forwards towards heauen fixe thy eye vpon the Lord make towards him with thy foote Let the maine current of thy affection be on things aboue Colos 3.2 and thy hart be vpon thy God And thus turning from the one vnto the other thou mayst haue comfortable assurance that thy repentance is true and sound Now I come to the circumstance of time when he repented implyed in this word Text. Doctr. Repentance is not to be deferred but presently to be set vpon So or And. After this Prodigall had resolued to goe and humble himselfe vnto his Father he did not debate any longer about the matter but forthwith rose vp and went his away Repentance is not to be deferred but presently to be set vpon so soone as God shall put the motion into our hearts There may not be deferring nor procrastinating but a speedie practise and execution To day sayth the Prophet Dauid if you will heare his voyce Psal 95.7.8 Esay 55.6 Gal. 6.10 Heb. 3.7.13 Iocl 2.12 harden not your hearts Seeke the Lord while he may be found call vpon him while he is neare sayth the Prophet Esay While we haue opportunitie let vs doe good saith the Apostle And againe Exhort one another daily while it is called to day many prooffes might be brought and as many reasons Reason 1 First God is to be serued before all God euer required in his seruice the first fruits God is to be first serued Deut. 15.21 Pro. 3.9 Exod. 13.1 Mal. 1.8 and the first borne The firstlings are his darlings the fattest Lambes are fittest for his sacrifice Now hath the Lord respect to beastes Nay surely but hereby hee sheweth vs our dutie the maine he aymes at in all those types was to teach vs to giue him the first and best Reason 2 Secondly we ought not to deferre in respect of the shortnesse Because mans life is short and vncertaine and vncertaintie of life Our liues they are compared to a pilgrimage to the flower of grasse to wind to smoake to a vapour to a dreame and the like all which sheweth the shortnesse of our time and therefore our whole life is little enough to spend in Gods seruice But farther as it is short so also it is vncertaine Nihil câ—rtius morte hora mortis nihil incertius Wee haue no assurance to liue one houre wee are here but Tennants at will and know not how soone our great Land-lord will turne vs out of this earthly tabernacle We may be cropt off like an eare of corne Iob 24.24 for what is this life but as a nest of straw and clay soone shaken a peeces Many haue seene a faire bright morning who neuer beheld the euening as the Sodomites Gen. 19.24 And vpon many the Sunne hath set in the euening to whom it neuer appeared rising in the morning So was it with the rich Glutton in the Gospell Seeing this is so Luke 12.20 wee haue great cause speedily to repent Thirdly the longer we liue in sinne the harder will Reason 3 our repentance be for first Qui non est hodiè cras minus aptus erit Sicut non potest aliquis dediscâ—rematernam linguam sic vix longam peccati consuetudinem Basil Ier. 13.23 our sinnes will grow more strong And secondly wee our selues shall grow more weake By continuall sinning we get a custome and habit of sinning and it is not easily left a man may as soon forget his mother-tongue as leaue it Can a Black-more change his skinne or a Leopard his spots then may you also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill saith the Prophet Where he seemeth to make it a thing impossible for one that hath continued long in sinne to leaue and forsake it And indeede with man it is impossible though with God it is not for with him are all things possible Art thou not able to plucke vp a plant when it is new set how then wilt thou be able to doe it when it is often yeers growth And as repentance will be the harder in respect of sinnes strength so it will bee the harder also in respect of thine owne weaknesse for the longer thou liuest in sinne the weaker wilt thou grow in all the powers and faculties both of soule and body Experience sheweth that the longer a sicknesse doth continue the more is the body weakned and made vnfit for labour so the longer sinne which is the soules sicknesse remaines vnrepented the more weake and vnable will we be to shake it off Our vnderstandings will bee more darkned our wills more peruerted our affections more corrupted our hearts more hardned our consciences more feared and all the powers and faculties both of body
life is then hee seeth hell the gaping gulfe vnder it and how little a steppe there is betweene him and damnation then he woonders at his desperate boldnesse which so securely plodded on to destruction and blesseth God for keeping him from falling into hell then hee leaueth his former wayes and turnes his heart vnto the Lord who hath thus preserued him and will not by any meanes goe the way hee went before And thus vntill mens eyes are opened there will bee no amendment before their conuiction there is no hope of conuersion In the second place In that our Sauiour hath tripled this parable in euery one of them labouring to bring them to a sight of their sinne this doth teach vs this lesson Doctr. It is a hard matter to bring a sinner to a true sight of sinne It is no easie matter to bring a sinner to a true sight acknowledgement of his sin yea it is a very hard and difficill thing Hence it is that our Sauiour doth triple this parable and propoundeth their sinne in the person of another that seeing their sinne in the person of another they might be brought without partiality to condemne it in themselues So this prooued in the first sinner vpon earth Gen. 3. Gen. 3. Gen. 4. how much adoe had God to bring Adam to a sight of his sinne so also with Caine how many questions did God propound yet all would not doe hee could not bring him to it But amongst many other examples remarkeable is that of the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. Iohn 4.11.12 what a stirre had Christ with her before he could doe any good vpon her how vnhappily doth shee reason against Christs arguments how scornefully doth she reiect the water he offers her how doth she scoffe and frumpe and breake iests vpon him before shee is conuicted and throughly touched for her sinne 1. Reason Because sinne hath so insinuated it selfe Reason 1 that it hath gotten mans heart he loueth it and doteth on it and will not heare any thing spoke against it There is a league made betwixt him and sinne as was betwixt Ruth and Naomi Ruth 1.17 Math. â— 29 Colos 3 5. nothing except death shall part them sinne is as deare vnto him as are the members of his body as his right eye or his right hand Hence it is that his speech is harsh barbarisme it speakes against the Diuels Diana this Idoll of vice with so many worshippers Act. 19. â—8 Hence did the Iewes hate Christ because hee testified their deeds were euill Now then considering this that the minde of man is forestalled with a loâ—e and liking of it no wonder if he be hardly brought to leaue it 2. Reason The Deuill is a great enemie to mans saluation Reason 2 and therefore doth most violently assault the beginnings thereof he labours to lull him asleepe in the cradle of securitie if any doe beginne to shake vs and awake vs hee beginneth to bustle and rocke the more eagerly Gods children can testifie this who haue euer found temptations most frequent and vehement in their first retyring from the world and turning to the Lord. Vse 1 Vse This sheweth the follie of such as thinke to repent when they list but do thou know that the first step is hard to tread and especially when a man hath gotten a habit in sinning Consuâ—tudo peccanda tollit sensum peccati Serò medicina paratur CuÌ„ mala perlongas invalucre mâ—ras for custome of sinne taketh away sense of sinne thoe at first the conscience is as it were raw and bleeding yet after it becommeth feared 1. Tim. 4.2 Custome will inveterate the vlcer and as now thou sinnest and carest not so hereafter thou wilt sinne and know not Vse 2 2. Vse Exhortation to all such as haue their eyes opened to see their sinnes and Consciences touched to grieue for their sinnes to be truly thankfull for this great blessing which setteth them in a good forwardnes towards Gods kingdome blesse God therefore for it for far better is it for thee to haue a working then to haue a sleepie Conscience What though thy corruptions are now troublesome it is no otherwise with thee then with the poole of Bethesda thou maist shortly looke for helpe and deliuerance Vse 3 3. Vse Instruction to euery one in our places and callings whether Ministers or gouernors of families parents and the like not to be negligent in vsing all good meanes for the conuiction and conuersion of sinners giue not ouer at the first but vse meanes againe and againe our Sauiour propounds three parables one after another one may preuaile if not the first yet the second if not the second yet the third one may doe good Thus much in generall Now we come to the Introduction therein first for the propounder which was Christ Doctr. It is lawfull for Gods ministers to vse parables and similitudes for the further illustrating and pressing of their doctrines He said Now in that Christ himselfe doth teach them hereby parables we learne That it is lawfull for Gods Ministers not only nakedly and barely to deliuer the truth but with the helps of invention and Art to vse similitudes comparisons prouerbes parables for the further illustrating and vrging of the same We see that Christ himselfe who taught with authoritie who was a Prophet mighty in word and deed Luk. 24 19. before God and all the people whose speech prouoked reuerence and amozednes in his hearers it was so gracious and so powerfull Math. 13.1.24.31 33.41.45 Mark 4 33 34. spent not the least part of his doctrine in parables and similitudes he knew what easie apprehension worldly things would finde in vs what hard impression heauenly things would make on vs therefore so often by plaine comparisons did he teach secret doctrines and by histories mysteries The Vse may be first for instruction vnto vs who are Vse 1 Ministers of the Gospell and teachers of the people to apply our selues to the capacitie of the meanest and and thinke it no disgrace to borrow comparisons from the plow or plow share so that the simplest may be instructed let vs become all vnto all 1. Cor. 9.22 as S. Paul professeth of himselfe that we may winne some Caueats in vsing Parables Allegories Similies c. 1. Caueat let vs frame our selues to all mens knowledge and natures as Christ himselfe did by Allegories stories parables and the like yet in vsing this method these caueats are giuen First they may not be far fetcht but fitting for the matter in hand seruing more for edification and profiting of the hearer then for ostentation or setting forth the vanitie of mans wit Secondly that they be borrowed and drawne from such things as be well knowne easie to be conceiued 1. Cor. 9.24 and apt For the end of all speech is to conuey the sense to the vnderstanding of those to whom we speake they may not
withdrawed his hart from the Lord and set it vpon vanitie Non interuallo locorum deuâ— relinquiter sed pranitate morum Amb. in psa 119. he departed far from him in regard of the opposit and differing disposition God his volo being his nolo and his nolo being Gods volo Secondly he went far in regard of the great and many sinnes he did commit for multiplication of sins is like multiplication of steps which at length carry a man farre away from the place where he was Both these wayes may this prodigall be sayd to take his iourney into this faire country Thus hauing seene the meaning of the words let vs now come to the instructions the first shall be this It is the nature of sinners to fly from Gods presence Doctr. Sinners cannot endure Gods presence Iob 21.14 Gen 3.8 and get farre away out of his sight This is there desire and indeuoure See this prooued in the 21. of Iob. 14. so Ionah 1.3 also confirmed by examples Adam who hid himselfe in the bushes These fled from God in their affections and by their sinnes manifested it by a foolish desire to conuey their bodily presence out of his sight Reasons First the remembrance of his presence doth Reason 1 crosse them in there sinns and that they would not be Therefore they purposing to sinne get out of his sight as they foolishly imagine that so they may haue the more libertie Secondly there is as great contrariety betwixt God Reason 2 sinners as there is betweene light and darknesse how then is it possible for them to agree therefore doth the sinner fly from his face and by no meanes can abide his presence Thirdly sinne maketh a man Gods debter for the law Reason 3 tyes him to obedience if he faile in it it binds him ouer to the curse and the more a man sinneth the further he runneth into arerages with God Now experience teacheth debtors care not for the sight of their creditors especially if the bonds be forfet and debt due but so is it with euery sinner and therefore no maruell if they fly from him Let vs therefore examine our selues whether we be Vse 1 still in our sinnes for hereby may we know it dost thou loue Gods presence and delight in it dost thou set the Lord alwaies before thee walking as in his sight with that kingly Prophet dost thou loue his house and the place where his honour dwelleth Psal 16.8 Psa 26.8 Caâ—t 3.1 dost thou bewaile his absence as the bitterest crosse and neuer restest seeking with the spouse vntill thou hast found him and canst thou long and looke for his appearing in glory 2 Cor. 5.8 destring to be absent from the body that thou maist be present with the Lord are these things in thee in truth dost thou find thy heart and soule thus affected is it thus with thee art thou sure of it why then without question thy sinns are pardoned debts discharged and thou at peace with God But if it be otherwise and if the contrary be in thee if thou puttest God out of thy remembrance and canst not endure to haue him in all thy thoughts Psal 10.4 if thou respectest not his house but esteemest it as a iayle being neuer well while thou art vnder his roofe and neuer better then when he is lost and if thou desirest that he might neuer appeare or thou neuer by death or iudgement might be brought vnto him Let me then tell thee to thy face thou art still in thy sinnes thou art infinitely indebted to the eternall God thou mayst euery day expect a capias corpus to be fetcht from hence and throwne into the iayle Math 5. from whence thou shalt not depart till the vttermost Vse 2 farthing be paied which will neuer be In the next place let this serue to admonish such as would be able to endure Gods powerfull presence especially at that great and terrible day to breake of their sinnes by vnfeined repentance and labor to haue their debts discharged by Christ for otherwise thou shalt call to the mountaines and hilles Reuel 6 to hide thee from his presence that sitteth on the throne Doct. 2. The following of sinne is a forsaking of the Lord. In the Second place wee may obserue this doctrine The following of sinne is a forsaking of God and the further in sinne the further from God The Scripture is plentifull in proofes as Deut. 32.15 Iud. 2.11.12 1. King 11.33 Isa 1.4 Ier. 2.5 5.7 Obiect Psal 1 39.2.3.4 5. c. Answere But doth not the Prophet affirme that it is impossible to fly from the presence of God Psal 139. wonderfull are the testimonies the prophet there bringeth to amplifie Gods illimited presence how then can this be true In a word for answere know that out of Gods reach no man can fly but out of his fauour he may and from his awe by his rebellious will Thus doe sinners fly from God and forsake him as I formerly shewed euen now in the opening of these words And therefore it is now needlesse to stay your eares with a commemoration of what I so lately said now for the vses First this setteth forth the miserable estate of all impenitents Vse 1 there whole life is nothing else but a wandring from the eternall God in whose presence there is fullnes of ioy and at whose right hand there is pleasures for euermore like lost sheepe they stray out of Gods pastures into Satans inclosures destruction and calamity must needes be in their waies Rom 3. horror and shame will ceaze on them in the end For loe they that are farr from thee shall perish they shal be destroied that goe a whoring from thee He that leaues the light must needes walke in darknesse Psal 73.27 and he that forsakes the God of life whether is he posting but to eternall death when Cain went away from God there was no more account made of him then of a vagrant Gen. 4.14 and vagabond is their estate any better who by commiting of sinne depart from the Lord what are they but Cains Outlawes Rebels Runnagates trauelling as it were without a passe whose fairest end will be to be sent to the house of correction but greatly to be feared of most to the place of execution Vse 2. Admonition to such as are yet in their sinnes Vse 2 and keepe a constant course in commiting of them speedily to turne backe vnto the Lord and looke vpon him Isay 45.22 as Esay exhorteth as you haue gone from him by sinning turne to him againe by daily repenting that it may be spoken of thee as Paul speaketh of the Ephesians You who were once farre off are now made neere Ephes 2. Psal 119.28 Conclude with Dauid Psal 119.28 It is good for me to draw neere vnto the Lord. Oh consider aduisedly consider the estate thou now liuest in make a stop and call to mind whether
from thence there is no redemption Verse 26. thou parent thou canst not there help thy child nor the child thee nor thou husband redeeme thy wife nor thou wife thy husband there is no sucker nor helpe to be had by any Let these and such like considerations be euer in thy minde and pondered on then wilt thou haue sounder resolutions in thy heart and better performances in thy life Now to come to the particulars and first we are to consider what he resolues to doe A three-fold resurrection of a Christian I will saith he arise and goe c. There is a threefold Resurrection of a Christian The first is Sacramentall and thus we rise againe in Baptisme the second is Corporall and so we shall rise againe in the day of the Lord Iesus in our bodies from the graue the third is Spirituall which is his Resurrection in this life in soule from the death of sinne thus did this Prodigall arise and thus doth euery true penitent arise while he here liueth on the earth The point may be this Doctr. Repentance from sinne is the first Resurrection Ephe. 5.14 Reuel 20.6 That repentance from sin is as a Resurrection from death this is plaine by the Apostles words awake thou that sleepest stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light And the holy Ghost doth thus call it in the twentieth of the Reuelation verse 6. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power Vse 1 Is this so then Repentance is no such easie a matter as the world takes it to be the worke of repentance is no lesse miraculous then the raising of the dead it is a work that cannot be wrought by the power of nature but such a worke as must be wrought by the mightie power of God Much might be spoken of this subiect but I shall haue fitter occasion to prosecute the point when I come to speake of the reason of the Fathers kinde entertaining of his sonne Verse 24. to which place I referre the farther handling of it a word therefore for a second vse and so to proceede Vse 2 And that shall be to stirre vs all vp thus to arise for if the soule while it is in the bodie arise not out of the graue of sin sure it is the bodie shall neuer rise out of the earth but to shame and confusion vse all good meanes therefore that thou maiest haue thy part in this that so the second death may haue no power on thee for otherwise it is impossible to escape the power of it by no meanes canst thou escape the paines of hell torments if thou dost not here awake stand vp from the dead and with Lazarus come forth the meanes that are to be vsed for this end I refer with the farther handling of this point to the place before named And goe It was a good and holy motion Text. which he had of arising this he doth not quench but cherisheth and nourisheth it he addes more fewell to this fire begun though but a sparke to the good motion of arising hee addes the second of going I will arise and goe First then learne The good motions of Gods blessed spirit at any time Doctr. Good motions are not to be quenched but cherished in any measure though neuer so weake begun are not to be choaked but to be cherished When the Lord shall put any good motion into our hearts we are to nourish cherish the same to one good motion we must adde a second and to that a third and to them a many and so fall to blowing giue not ouer vntill at length they breake forth into a comfortable flame of godly practise 1. Thes 5.19 Quench not the Spirit saith the Apostle that is quell not choake not the gifts and motions of the holy Ghost He vseth a metaphor borrowed from fire whose heate and light when it is put out is said to be quenched 2. Tim. 1.6 Thus also he exhorts Timothie to stirre vp the graces of God which be in him And writing to the Ephesians hee sayth thus Grieue not the holy spirit of God Ephe. 4.30 He permits them not so much as to giue it any occasion of withdrawing the vigour of his operation in them He brings a forcible reason Whereby you are sealed Reason 1 vnto the day of redemption This is the onely euidence we haue of freedome from condemnation this is Gods marke and character set on vs and seizing vs for his owne This is like the bloud that was stricken vpon the doore-posts which shall make the Lord to passe ouer vs Exod. 12.22 and not to suffer the destroyer to come neare vs when he goeth to smite the Egyptians By this we are assured that the day of Iudgement shall be to vs no day of wrath but a day of redemption So then thus wee may take the Apostles meaning As you desire to retaine assurance of your deliuerance from the wrath to come and that the Lord should take notice of you for his in the day of that dreadfull separation so see that by all meanes you cherish in you the gifts and operations of Gods holy spirit grieue it not by strangling choaking of those holy motions suggested by him but giue all endeuour that all his holy motions and operations be cherished and preserued in their fullest feruour without any the least abatement Thus we haue seene the poynt prooued Now it remaines to apply it And first this serueth to condemne such as nippe the bud so soone as euer it peeps forth and quench euery sparke that at any time appeareth yea wilfully set themselues to repell all good motions hasting to their cursed company to chase away those which they call prophanely qualmes of deuotion sweete inspirements of Gods holy spirit Oh the cursed vnthankefulnesse of these men What vnkind ingratefull discourteous dealing is here with the spirit of grace Thus shutting him out so soone as euer he begins to enter Wouldest thou deale so vnkindly with thy friend who commeth to thy doore Why dealest thou then so vncourteously with Christ Iesus Reuel 3.20 and his holy spirit who stands at the dore and daily knocks but can get no entertainement Beware Act. 7.51 beware of this resisting of the holy Ghost the sin is fearefull and discomfortable for hereby thy heart may grow more obdurate and thy life more brutish and abominable Vse 2 And therefore in the next place let it serue for admonition to thee and me and to vs all that we beware how we suffer that blessed heat to slake which by Gods grace beginnes to be enkindled in our hearts suffer not that coale that holy motion which the Lord hath cast into thy bosome to die within thee but blowe it vp lay on more fuell adde daily more and more matter to it and tremble to lose the least measure of
labour to come to perfection We may not euermore stand at one stay nor alwaies be as children who needs leading by the hand but we must grow more and more in knowledge and in iudgement And thus much may be spoken of this poynt we are now to speake of the words themselues Text. which he deuised to speake Father I haue sinned c. In these words of his acknowledgement wee may see what it was especially that touched him to the quicke namely this that he had abused and wronged the loue and kindnesse of so good a Father This was that which made him so much to insist vpon the name of Father I will goe to my Father I will say Father The misery that he was in as his want of bread and other necessaries no doubt was grieuous yet all this troubled him not so much as this that he had carryed himselfe so vndutifully towards so gratious a parent Let this then be noted Doctr. To the godly sinne is the greatest sorrow Ps 51.4 That nothing is so grieuous to a true penitent as this that by committing of sinne he hath offended God This was that which most troubled Dauid and went nighest to his soule that he had sinned against the Lord and offended his Maiestie by his committing of euill Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight It is not hi meaning to lessen his offence the words may not so be taken but his speech sheweth what went nighest to hiâ— heart and lay heauiest on his soule His trespasse agâ—inst Vriah in taking away his life was grieuous to him His trespasse against Bathsheba in drawing her to vnchastitie did also trouble him but that by both of these he had offended God this did most of all perplex him Against thee against thee haue I sinned Nothing touched him so neere as this no not shame of the world nor feare of hell Thus is it also said of the house of Dauid that the spirit beeing powred vpon them they shall mourne for him Zach. 12.10 That is when the godly shall come to see what euils and miseries their sinnes brought vpon Christ and how odious their offences haue beene towards him this should pierce their hearts and nothing more Thus was it also with the people of God who are said in the day of their fast to draw water 1. Sam. 7.6 namely out of their hearts and to powre it out before the Lord. By all which is meant they wept bitterly and aboundantly for that they had offended the Lord by their many sinnes Ioseph being tempted to folly by his laciuious Mistresse said How shall I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God The wrong that he should haue done his Master was nothing in his eye to the offence against the Lord. The reason of this the Apostle Saint Paul giueth Reason Rom. 8.15 They haue not receyued the spirit of bondage againe to feare but they haue receyued the spirit of adoption Which Spirit doth make them loue the Lord and feare to offend and exceedingly grieue when he is offended As it is with a true louer towards his beloued Now for the vses and first wee may see here a difference Vse 1 betweene the sorrow of the Godly and of the wicked both greiue both mourne Ahab as well as Dauid Differences betwixt the sorrow of the godly and wicked 2. Cor. 7.1 Iudas as well as Peter Yet the sorrow of the one is godly and bringeth life the sorrow of the other worldly and bringeth death For heare is the difference The sorrow of him that is truly penitent Malum peccati is most conuersant about the euill of his sinne and is more for Gods cause then for his owne more that God is offended then for any manner of respect vnto himselfe Were there no shame no danger no punishment neither here nor hereafter in this life or in the next yet this would wound their soules and grieue them at the heart that by sinne God was offended Thus is the godly sorrow This is that which causeth repentance neuer to be repented of Now the sorrow of him whose repentance is vnsound is of another nature and is principally occupied about the euill of punishment Being more for there owne sakes then for Gods Malum paenae There sinne hath no place in their sorrow nor God offended It is shame and punishment that causeth them to grieue Cain grieues but why his punishment is greater then hee can beare Gen. 4.13.14 Exod 9.27 1 Sam. 15 24 25 1 King 21.21 27. Gen. 27 38. Heb. 12.17 Pharaoh howles and takes on but it is the thunder and haile that causeth it his sorrow is gone ouer with the storme Saule mournes but it is because God had cast him away from being King Ahab puts on sack-cloth but it was the euill that was to come vpon his house with the taking away of his posterity that caused it Esau wepes but he more respects his owne losse then Gods dishonour the blessing is lost Thus selfe-loue is the moouer of it were there no shame iudgement hell there should be no sorrowing for sinne This is the sorrow of the wicked which bringeth repentance to be repented of and is a sorrow to be euer sorrowed for We see then how each of these differ in the obiect that either of them is exercised about Vse 2 Secondly this may teach vs to try our selues and our repentance For is it so that nothing is more grieuous to a true penitent then this that by sinne he hath offended God Examine then thy heart deale truly with thy selfe what is it that most troubles thee I do not doubt but thou hast had some manner of remorse At some time or other thy heart hath bine smitten for thy sinnes thou hast committed But deale now truly with thy selfe and ransacke thy owne conscience what was it that did most perplexe thee what was it that lay heauiest on thy soule what did most trouble thee was it thought of shame and feare of hell was it caused by some such by respects rest not then in it for a reprobate may thus sometimes greiue and therefore I say rest not in it I do not simply discommend this sorrow For I confesse it is a good preparation to repentance and as the needle which makes way for the thread so doth wordly sorrow for godly sorrow the spirit of bondage for the spirit of à â—option But I wish thee to goe further for this sorrow as yet is but worldly and bringeth death being rested in But is it otherwise with thee is this the maine cause of thy greife that God is offended and if there were no hell nor punishment neither heare nor here after yet dost thou finde in thy selfe an inclineablenesse to mourne for thy sinnes thou hast committed art thou grieued that by thee God hath bine dishonored canst thou greeâ—â— for sinne as it is an offence against God
parauit etiam aeterna supplicia Cyp. Ezek. 33.11 so is he also iust and true and as hee hath prepared heauen for some so hath hee also prepared hell for others Now the question is who shall taste of his mercie and who of his iustice for whom hee hath prepared Heauen and for whom hee hath prepared hell Surely God himselfe doth shew vs in his word As in that place which is so much abused by wicked ones for the nourishing of themselues in carnall securitie of Ezekiel I will not the death of a sinner but that he turne from his way and liue Heere wee see the Lord speaketh not of all sinners but of such as turne from their euill waies and repent As for such as do not but continue still in sinne taking occasion by Gods mercie to continue in their vn repenting Rom. 2.4 Deut. 29.20 despising the riches of his bountifulnesse his patience and long-suffering The Lord will not spare him but the anger of the Lord his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this booke shall lye vpon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder heauen Exod. 20.5 Exod. 34.7 MultuÌ„ deiectat omnes peccateres quia misericors miserator dominus c. Sed si amas tam multa initia time ibi vltimuÌ„ quod ait verax Aug. Quanto diutius deus expectat vt â—mendetis tantò grauius iudicabit si neglexeritis Aâ—g de Van. saec So then wee see no carnall secure one hath cause to blesse himselfe for so long as he continueth in his sinnes without repentance mercy belongeth not to him but iudgment Thou therefore that blessest thy selfe with a false perswasion of mercy walking still on in a course of sinne deceiue thy selfe no longer for God is iust as well as mercifull And will visite the iniquities of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of all such as hate him and he will by no meanes cleare the guiltie It is very pleasing saith one to all sinners to heare of those louely attributes The Lord is mercifull and gratious slow to anger aboundant in goodnesse keepeing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne c. But if thou loue so many good beginnings feare that which next foloweth for God is also iust and true and further know that the longer God in mercy hath expected thy amendment so much the more grieuously will he punish thee for neglecting of it Reason 3 And lastly let me tell thee Qui promisit paenitenti veniam non promisit peccanti peui eÌ„â—am though God hath promised that at what time soeuer A sinner doth repent him of his sinnes c. He will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance Yet he hath not promised to giue repentance to such as haue despised it And if he giue it not thou wilt neuer haue it For as all good gifts come from aboue from the Father of lights So must this also Thus then thou seest how little reason thou hast to harden thy heart in thy sinnes because God is mercifull But in the third place The third let of repentance remooued which is the example of the theife conuerted at the last Luk. 23.43 Vnus miserecordiam inuenit hora vltima ne quis desperâ—t et vnicus ne quis presumat Aug. thou alledgest the example of the theife vpon the Crosse who had spent all his life in sinne yet repented at the last gasp It is most true that the Scripture maketh mention of such a one and but of one of one sayth a father that none might despaire of but one that none might presume This then is a medecine against desparation and no cloake for sinne Looke vpon his fellow theife who was crucified with him what place found he for repentance And for this one haue we not many thousands that haue perished know thou then that this is but one particular and an extraordinary act of Gods mercy and therefore thereof thou mayst make no generall rule Is it not madnesse to looke euery day for the Sunne in the firmament to stand still or go backe because it hath done so once Ios 10.13 or to thinke to heare euery asse speake because Balaams once did 2 King 20.11 Num. 22.28 It is as great a madnesse for thee to hearten thy selfe in sinne by this one example and farther that thou mayst come to a sight of thy folly let me shew thee what difference there is betwixt him and thee Great difference between the theife and such presumptuous sinners for first in all likelyhood this was his first call which presently he hearkeneth vnto willingly entertained the good motions of the spirit But thou hast bin often called inuited allured yet all will not doe The spirit of God hath many times stood knocking at the dore of thy heart but thou hast not opened but vnkindly and churlishly sent it away without answere Secondly he neuer resolued as thou hast done to persist in sinne and reserue his old daies for God but he without question continues in his sinfull courses through ignorance and not through wilfullnesse But it is otherwise with thee thy conscience doth witnesse it Thirdly see what fruits of repentance he bringeth forth Luk. 23.40 Vers 41. For First he confesseth his sinnes and reproueth his fellow theife for his wickednesse Then he earnestly prayeth to Christ for pardon and forgiuenesse Vers 4â— He further confesseth Christ to be his Sauiour and redeemer euen then when all his disciples for feare forsoke him These and many other fruites appeared in this conuert which did manifest his repentance to be vnfeined and sound Seeing then there is such differences in your purposes and courses I cannot thinke there will be the like in your repentance and saluation Let not then any of these things hinder you from a present conuersion but see your former folly and bewaile it and suffer not thy selfe to be held in the snares of the diuell any longer Weigh well these reasons ponder on them they will conuince thee or conuert thee Vse 2 Secondly Let this admonish euery one of vs to deferr no time but speedily to repent Abraham rose vp betimes to sacrificie his sonne Gen. 32.3 so doe thou make hast to sacrifice thy sinne Zacheus came downe hastily when he was called why then doe we deferre comming to our Sauiour Harken not to that same crow-crying cras cras to morrow to morrow the voyce is dismall In worldly businesse deliberation is very necessary and it is held a point of wisdome to deliberate long before a man determine any thing but in this matter it is dangerous It is not safe for the hunted beast to stand still when the hounds pursue him Psal 140.11 nor for thee to stand musing when Gods iudgements follow thee at the heeles Escape for thy life said the Angell to Lot
do feele the burden yet are loath to vtter them and ashamed to confesse them But here is shame misplaced Where it should not be there it is and where it ought to be there it 's wanting God gaue shame for sinne boldnesse for confession But here is that saying true The Diuells in 't For the matter is so inuerted that when sinne is committed shame is absent but when sinne should be confessed then shame is present It 's strange me thinkes that men should be bold and audatious in committing euill in the view of the whole world and yet will haue none to know them to be penitent for their faults This is a bashfull diuell cast it forth And if shame will moue you then be mooued with the greatest shame for whether is it a greater shame to confesse sinn before the Angells and the whole world God sitting in his iudgement seate to condemn it or before man God sitting in his mercy seate to pardon it For confessed it must be either here or here after In the meanetime know thou hidest mercy from thy selfe but not thy sinnes from God who knoweth them and except thou dost confesse will one day Set them in order before thy eyes Psal 50.21 to the horror of thy soule A Third sort are such as doe excuse them The third sort are excusers They will not altogether conceale and hide but they will shift it off and lay the fault on others This corruption is within a day as old as Adam who posted of the matter from himselfe vnto his wife Gen. 3.12 The woman that thou gauest me shee gaue me of the tree And so the woman after his example laies the blame vpon the serpent The Serpent beguiled me and I did eat This milke wee haue sucked from our great Graund-mothers breast and are growne as skilfull in it as they themselues were we can excuse and poast off sinne and lay the blame on others wee are growne expert at it Sometimes the Starres shall be in fault I haue done badly but it was my destinie surely I was borne in an ill houre Otherwiles the Times shall beare the blame this is not well I must indeed confesse but the times are bad wherein we liue we can doe no other God helpe vs Oâ—â— vpon this wicked world They are well that are with God and thus we daube vp the matter When the Apostle vseth this as an argument to make vs more watchfull Ephes 5.16 In redeming the time because the dayes are euill Sometimes we blame ill companie and lay the fault on them But for such a company I had not done thus or thus This is Tyburne language common in the mouths of theiues Oh that I had neuer seene his eyes I would I had neuer known him thus we shift the matter from our selues And many there are that doe not sticke to lay the blame on God It was Gods will that I should doe thus or thus But let all these know that so long as they thus seeke to excuse their sinnes and lay the fault on others they are farre from that ingenuous confession which must be made before remission and forgiuenesse can bee obtained A fourth sort are deniers of sinne 2 Kin. 5.25 Acts 5.3 A fourth sort are such as doe denie their sinnes and will not at all acknowledge them if they be told of them yet they will out-face it Such a one was Gehezi Thy seruant went no whether And of the same brood were Ananias and Saphyra who made no bones of lying to the holy Ghost many such we haue amongst vs who haue great skill in this art of deniall reproue them and they will out-face it take them in the manner yet they will denie it or if they be brought to confesse any thing it shall be this That the first time of their taking was the first time of their sinning A fift sort are defenders of sinne A fift sort to be reprooued are those that with a brazen face and whorish forehead will defend their sins Drunkennesse that is good fellowship and they le maintaine it Pride is but handsomenesse and how would you haue them goe Fornication a tricke of youth and the best are enclined to it And as for Swearing they hope they may sweare so they sweare truly Thus is worldlinesse vsury oppression maintained and defended These are farre from confessing sinne Culpa cum defenditur geminatur when they thus defend it and so double it and as they are farre from confession so are they also farre from remission These doe but feed themselues with wind while they hope for heauen And a last sort are such as bragge and boast of their lewd courses yet will not sticke to say they looke for heauen as well as any These can make themselues merry with their drunkennesse and whoredomes thefts and murthers They will confesse they did such and such a vilany at such a time and in such a place But this confession is rather a profession and committing them afresh and shall these finde mercy Certainly a man need no great skill to read these mens doomes for except the Lord giue them a great measure of repentance the very blacknesse of darknesse is reserued for them Thus then we see the error of all these who make themselues sure of remission though they neuer bring their sinnes into a confession but eyther conceale or excuse or hide or defend or boast of their euill actions Let these in time looke well about them For though they make themselues neuer so sure of heauen yet let me tell them that this certaintie is but a sencelesse presumption which wil at length destroy their soules if they bring not themselues to this confession which God requires And now for a second vse Is this so that there is no remission where there is no Vse 2 confession Then let this admonish euery one that desires to haue their sinnes remitted to see that they bee truly and vnfainedly confessed Conceale them not hide them not excuse them not defend them not and aboue all take heed of glorying in them Seeke not with Achan to hide that cursed thing it wil proue thy ouerthrow Be not Secretary to the Deuill it is no good office conceale not that which God commaundes thee to make knowne Sinnes that are smothered will in the end fester vnto death Remember remission is promised but vpon condition of confession suffer then no sinne to goe vnconfessed which thou wouldst not haue to goe vnpardoned The onely way to haue thy sinnes couered is to vncouer them Dum agnoscit reus ignoscit Deus the onely way to haue them hid is to reueale them For when man vncouers God doth couer when man condemnes God will iustifie when man accuseth God will pardon But God will neuer cancell what man doth conceale Is thy offence publike let thy confession be so Be not ashamed of a needfull confession when God may be glorified by
thereunto His sonne was dead but is now aliue hee was lost but is now found And therefore it well agreeth with his fatherly nature to be glad thereof This reason doth expresse the two-fold estate of a Christian in this life First it sheweth what they are by nature while they liue in the estate of vnregeneracie they are dead and lost Secondly whâ—â— they are by grace in the estate of regeneracie they are aliue they are found Text. There is a two-fold death one corporall the other spirituall which is two-fold the one in sinne the other for sinne Was dead Was aliue There is a two-fold death and a two-fold life A two-fold death the one is corporall the other spirituall Corporall as when the life is departed out of the bodie and it layed downe in the graue Spirituall which concernes the soule and it is two-fold also First a death in the present corruption of sinne whereby in this life we deserue damnation thus was this Prodigal and with him all others dead Christ onely excepted Secondly there is a death in the perpetuall condemnation for sinne which is first inflicted vpon the soule at the seperation from the bodie and at the last day shall be layd both vpon the body and soule in a fearefull and full manner There is also a two-fold life one naturall the other spirituall Now answerable to this death is life There is a life Naturall and a life Spirituall a life of the bodie and a life of the soule The naturall life is that which wee receiue from Adam by generation this wee all haue Spirituall life is that which wee haue by the meanes of the second Adam this is proper onely to the Elect and it is also two-fold the first is the life of grace which God vouchsafeth vs in this pilgrimage of ours The other is the life of glorie which shall be giuen vs in the life to come It is the life of grace that is here meant which this Prodigal and all other of God elect doe liue after their conuersion Now to come to the Instructions which doe hence arise and first in that he is said to be dead before his conuersion we learne Doctr. Euery wicked man is a dead man Matth. 8.22 that euerie wicked and vnregenerated man is a dead man He is starke dead being vtterly destitute of the life of grace This may be proued by our Sauiours speech to one of his Disciples Let the dead burie the dead that is those who are dead in sinne though otherwise aliue burie those who are dead in bodie So also in another place The houre is comming and now is Ioh. 5.25 when the dead shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that heare shall liue By this voyce is meant the Preaching of the Gospell which the dead shall heare that is those that are dead in their sinnes and trespasses being without all spiritual life as yet The Apostle Paul doth notably confirme this in the second to the Ephesians the words be these You hath he quickened Ephes 2.14 Verse 5. who were dead in trespasses and sins And againe in the same Chapter verse 5. Euen when wee were dead in sinnes 1. Tim. 5.6 hath quickened vs together with Christ Thus doth he also say of the Widow that liueth in pleasure that Shee is dead though Shee liueth These places doe sufficiently confirme this truth More might be brought if need were The reason is plaine Reason because they want the spirit of grace which doth onely quicken Adam was not made a liuing man vntill God breathed the breath of life into him that made him stirre and walke Before that hee was onely as a picture of clay lying vpon the ground hauing eyes that saw not eares that heard not a mouth that could not speake and feet that could not goe So vntill the spirit of grace be giuen which onely giues life to the actions of men they are but as carkases like vnto Christians but indeed are not Now let vs come to the application And first it might serue for the confutation of the Papist who doth teach that man hath power to prepare himselfe to receiue grace and hath abilitie to dispose himselfe to the worke of his regeneration But doth not the Scripture tell vs that by nature wee are dead not in a swond or sicke but dead starke dead as I haue formerly shewed And what can such a one doe to his owne quickening no no this cannot bee for of our selues wee cannot moue to life vntill God doe quicken vs by his Word and Spirit Vse 2 Secondly let all wicked vnregenerate men take notice of their estate and be warned of their misery for they are but dead corpses Wicked men resemble a corse in 4. things First they are cold lying rotting in the graues of iniquitie Being Cold Senclesse Heauie and stinking fitly resembling a corse in these foure things Cold they are for the powerfull heat of Gods holy Spirit is quenched in them so that their preaching is cold there praying is cold there hearing is cold and all other good exercises they take in hand And so is it with there seeming graces there Faith Zeale Loue c. All are key cold noe warmth can be felt in them As they are cold so they are Senclesse Secondly they are sencelesse Psal 58.4 they can nether Heare See Smell Tast nor Touch. There Hearing is gon cleane gon They are like the deafe adder that cannot nay which is worst of all that will not heare the voice of the charmer Isay 6.10 Zach. 7.11 charme he neuer so wisely there eares are heauie yea vncircumcised open to any that will speake Reuel 3.17 but refusing to heare the Lord calling As they are deafe so also Blind The God of this world hath couered there eies with a vaile so that though they haue eies they see not saluation offered Ezek. 12.2 nor the light of the Gospell shining vpon them neither can they perceiue those things which are of God Dumb they are also 1 Cor. 2.14 Ier. hauing mouthes and speake not to Gods glory or praise They bend there tounges like there bowes for euill but they haue no courage for the truth They are toung tyed when Gods name should be blessed and when good talke is administred but freedome of speech they haue to blaspheme his sacred and glorious name There smelling is cleane gon they feele not the sauour of Christs oyntments for the which the virgins runne after him Cant. 1.2 Psal 45.8 2 Cor. 2.16 neither of his garments which smel of Myrrhe Cassia the word it selfe the Gospell of grace vnto them is a sauour of death they smell no other thing in it Rom. 8.5 Miserable men who being after the flesh sauour only the things of the flesh There Tast is cleane gon they know not the sweetnesse of Gods mercy nor the sauing grace of Christ in the Gospell
by the Minister The Spirit of God begets none anew wthout faith Faith is not ordinarily begotten but by the word So then if thou desirest to liue this life be frequent in hearing of the word preached for the dead shall heare this voice Iob. 5.25 and they that heare shall liue The Prophet Ezekiel in a vision is caried into the midst of a field Ezech. 37. full of dead bones and willed to prophesie ouer them and say vers 4. O yee dry bones heare the word of the Lord So he prophesied as he was commanded vers 7. And as he prophesied there was a noyse and behold a shaking and the bones came togither bone to his bone vers 8. Then the sinewes and flesh grew vpon them and vpon the flesh a skin couered them then he prophesied vnto the winde to breath vpon the dead vers 9. that they might liue vers 10. and the breath came into them and they liued and stood vp vpon their feete and they were an exceeding great armie Hereby is signified especially the estate of the Iewes after their captiuitie yet I doubt not but in them the estate of the whole Church in whose heart the Lord worketh his graces of Regeneration by litle and litle is also liuely described God sends his seruants the Ministers into the world as it were into a field of dead bones and wills vs to prophesie and say Oh you dry bones heare the word of the Lord But what can these dry bones liue Surely oh Lord thou knowest And therefore wee prophesie as we be commanded and behold what followes there is a first a shaking a quaking and trembling of the heart as we see in Peters Conuerts Acts 2.37 16.29 and in the laylor then the bones come togither bone to his bone we as it were gather our senses togither and begin to consider in what state we stand as the Prodigall here did and then loe the sinewes and the flesh come vpon vs and the skin couereth vs aboue we now begin to be strengthned by holy purposes and resolutions resoluing and desiring to liue vnto the Lord though as yet we cannot finde in our selues any breath of grace but then the Lord causeth breath to enter into vs hee powreth vpon vs further gifts of his Spirit for our further quickning and then we see we liue and get vp vpon our feete leaping and reioycing and praising Gods name for his wonderfull mercy See then that you attend vpon this meanes be frequent in hearing of the word for this is the trumpet that must awake thee if euer thou beest awaked Cast not off all care of thy saluation as too many doe who hearing that Regeneration and saluation are the gifts of God and that it is not in their owne power to conuert themselues grow hereupon secure and neglect all meanes Wherfore should we trouble our selues say they about it for all is a God will haue it if he will giue it vs we shall be saued and if not we shall neuer obteyne saluation do what we can Well and what of this Wilt thou therefore neglect the meanes God inioyneth thee to vse for the obteyning of it God giueth it but he giueth it by meanes which he hath ordeyned which if thou neglectest thou art the more inexcusable and thy damnation will be iust But what will you tye God to meanes Quest Are not all things possible to him Is not he able to conuert and saue without preaching or hearing as well as with it I answer The Question is needles and foolish Answ none denies but God can yet I tell thee he will not when he giues ordinarie meanes Exod. 16. Isay 37.30 God can giue bread from heauen God can cause the earth to yeeld corne without sowing 1. King 17.6 God can cause a Rauen to feede Eliah God can saue without foode these and many other things God can doe but wilt thou from hence conclude against the meanes that God hath now ordeyned Wilt thou refuse to eat because God can saue thee without meat Or wilt thou refuse to plow thy ground or sow thy seede because God can giue thee a crop without it Or wilt thou refuse to take thy meales at home and goe into the fields looking that euery Rauen that flyeth ouer thy head should bring thee thy dinner Or wilt thou voluntarily cast thy selfe into the fire because God can defend thee from the heat of it as he did the three children in the hot fiery furnace Dan. 3 25. Do these things seem to be ridiculous vnto thee and is it not as ridiculous for thee to refuse to heare and yet thinke to bee saued Know then oh man Manna is for the wildernesse an Israelite may not looke for it in the land of Canaan where he may sow and reape so while thou liuest in the Church where thou mayest partake of the ordinarie meanes vse them else neuer hope of obteyning eternall life And further know that so much as thou neglectest hearing so much thou neglectest thy owne saluation set then this downe for a truth and be perswaded of it that by this meanes thou must be begotten if euer thou beest borne anew If by the hearing of this word thou beest not raised thou wilt for euer rot and perish in thy sinnes Obiect Oh! but I haue small hope in attending on the means I haue liued a long time in sinne my sinnes are great and many I am not onely dead but rotten and therefore I feare I shall neuer be raised nor reuiued Sol. Luk. 8 55. Lu â— 7.11 Iohn 11.44 Wee read of three that Christ raysed from death Iairus daughter newly dead the Widowes sonne dead and wound vp and lying vpon the hearse and Lazarus who was dead buried and stinking in the graue August Ser. 44. de verb. Dom. These three sorts of coarses aptly resemble saith a Father three sorts of sinners Iairus daughter lying dead in her fathers house resembleth those that sinne by inward consent The widowes sonne being carried out of the gate of the citie those that sinne by outward act Lazarus hauing been dead and buried foure daies those that sinne by continuall habit The young mayden lay in a bed The young man in a coffin Lazarus in a Graue The first was dead but an houre the second but a day the third foure dayes All which teacheth vs thus much that there is no degree of death so desperate that is past helpe no sinne so great but may be forgiuen the sinne of the Holy Ghost onely excepted though with Lazarus thou hast layen foure daies Moles imposita sepulchre ipsa est vis dura consuetudinis August and art bound hand and foot with bands as he was though thou hast a stone laid vpon thee as he had though thou hast made thy heart as hard as the nether mil-stone by a custome and trade of sinne so that in the iudgement of man
is taken in a snare without a bait the spitefull wretch is brought to the Deuils hooke without any pleasant bit The voluptuous man hath a little pleasure the couetous man a little profit but the enuious neither of both Secondly consider it is obnoxious and hurtfull Secondly it is not onely vnprofitable but very obnoxious hurtfull First to others It hurteth others and our selues Others are hereby wronged for this vice is not onely against charitie which reioyceth in the good of others as in our owne but it also tends to crueltie and causeth vs to seeke the bloud of others what caused Cain to murther Abel but this sinne of enuie What caused Saul to seeke after Dauids death but enuie And what caused the Pharisies to crucifie the Lord of life but this diuellish sinne of enuie Rom. 1.29 Gal. 5.21 No wonder then we so often in Scripture finde enuie and murther combind together and ioyned as if they were twinnes growing in one bodie and could not be separated Enuie is a Bloud-hound and it seldome hunts but hunts to death sometimes indeed it is cald off but the will is euer good As it hurteth others so especially our selues Secondly to our selues and that especially In qua multa sum mala vnum tantum vtile quae authori incommoda Basil Carpitque carpitur vna suppliciumque suum est vt Aâ—tna scipsuÌ„ sic se non alios inuidus igne câ—quit Metâ—m Gen. 4.14 for this profitable quality this vice aboue all other is furnished with that the owner thereof hath greatest dammage And therefore one saith It is the iustest of all vices because it bringeth with it it s owne vengeance God hath in iustice appoynted this to be a plague vnto it selfe A sound heart is the life of the flesh but enuy is the rottennesse of the bones saith Salomon That is it is hurtfull to the body and painefull to the minde and will quickly consume a man and bring him to his end as the diseases which lie in the bones and eate vp the marrow Whosoeuer findeth mee shall stay mee saith Caine So may the enuious man say of himselfe for either hee seeth in a man that which is good and then he repineth or else that which is euill so reioyceth and both these waies he slayeth his owne soule Meanes for the preuenting of it See then what cause euery one of vs hath to vse all sanctified and holy meanes for the preuenting and purging of this vice away it it haue seized on vs. And amongst others these First purge away pride First purge away all pride and selfe-loue from whence this vice fumeth This remedy the Apostle S. Paul prescribeth to the Galatians Gal. 5.26 and in them to vs. Let vs not be desirous of vaine-glory prouoking one another enuying one another Sildome doe you see an humble man enuious And therefore labour for this grace store your hearts with humility and Christian charity for these will make you thankefull for your owne portions and glad to see your brethren blessed in theirs Secondly be well perswaded of and contented with Gods holy administration in the distribution of his gifts Matth. 20.13 Secondly labour to bee well perswaded of and contented with Gods holy administration in the distribubution of his gifts whether temporall or eternall concerning this life or a better Remember God cannot be charged with folly nor challenged of vnrighteousnes he is an absolute disposer of his gifts in what kinde soeuer and may doe with his owne what hee thinkes good He is a sawcy beggar that quarrels at his almes because another fares better what euer our gifts are from God they are meere almes Rom. 11.35 For who hath giuen him first Let not then thine eye bee euill because his is good what euer God giueth to others know that thou hast more then thou doest deserue and they haue nothing but what God will Away then with this vice of Enuy. Thirdly remember others gifts are for our good 1 Cor. 12. Thirdly remember that the graces and good things which other Christians haue are for our good and benefit As the good of one member of the body serueth for the vse of another in repining therfore against other mens gifts Fourthly look vpon the troubles as well as vpon the blessings of your brethren we repine for that which is ours and maligne our owne wel fare Fourthly doe not onely eye the blessings which our brethren doe enioy but withall cast your eyes vpon the troubles sorrowes miseries and calamities which they sustaine Did we thus we should be so farre from enuying of them that many times wee should haue cause to pitty them and pray for them Fiftly get a true loue of grace into thy heart Fiftly get into thy heart a true loue of grace which if once thou gettest though thou haue a holy emulation not enuying their fulnesse but thine owne want which indeed thou oughtst to haue thou wilt not bee much troubled with a carnall emulation enuying those gifts which God hath giuen them but thou wilt much respect them where euer thou seest them Lastly be earnest with the Lord by prayer Lastly vse earnest prayer to God earnestly intreat him to giue thee strength for mortifying of this same sinne Pray once and then againe yea twenty times and if that will not serue the turne adde fasting to it Vse these meanes and I dare promise thee the victory in the end for they are approoued remedies and very forcible for the curbing in and subduing of this same sinne And the last vse of this may be for admonition to all Vse 3 such as haue any preferments in Gods fauours aboue other to looke for Enuie thou canst not possibly escape the biting of it hast thou grace then thou hast matter enough within thee to cause the wicked to grate and gnash their teeth at thee The eye of the enuious is sharp lighted like the Eagles and can soone see what is worthy of commendations and for that they will most maligne thee and seeke especially to defame thee If thou hast any goodnesse in thee they will quickly descry it and be discontented with thee and repine against thee for it A Question was sometimes put forth as I haue heard vnto a companie of Physitians Enuy the best medicine for the quickning of the sight what was the best helpe to the perspicuitie of the eyes and for quickning of the sight Some made answer Fennell others Salendine c. But one amongst the rest said Enuie was best of all For Enuie is very busie and will spie quickly and like a prospectiue glasse with the most rather than with the least Fertilior seges est aâ—ienis semper in agru Viâ—inumque pecuâ— grandius vber habet Ouid. No auoyding enuie if a man do well Looke then to be descryed and to be enuied thou canst not shun it without thou shouldst follow the counsell that
violence come vpon him And after the same maner did he deale with Cain Gen. 4.9.10 Where is Abel thy brother What hast thou done The voyce of thy brothers bloud cryeth vnto me from the ground Such likewise was his dealing with the rebellious Israelites continually from time to time as is manifest in Scripture and cannot be vnknowne to such as are exercised though but meanely in the reading of Scripture The reasons of Gods so dealing may be these First Reason 1 that the sinner might be brought to a sight of his sinne the better and so either conuinced or conuerted For this milde and gentle kind of dealing doth much sooner cause the offender to see his fault then a hasty and passionate proceeding doth or can And a second reason may be this Wicked ones if Reason 2 they belong not vnto God must be let goe on to the height of impietie and extremitie of prophanenesse and therefore they are suffered to goe on without checke or controll hauing no bands almost either in life or death that they might fill vp the measure of their sinnes to the very brim and afterwards be filled with wrath they being vessels of wrath as the Apostle speaketh Now for the vses And first seeing this is so that God Vse 1 himselfe when he hath to deale with sinners doth deale so mildly and in so peaceable a manner this then serueth for the iust reproofe of such as hauing to deale either with friend or foe grow hot boysterous if they be a little mooued or prouoked Of so fiery and furious a disposition are they as if you mooue them but a little by a word or the least neglect that may be they will be readie to reuenge it with a blow or with a stab too many such hastie and turbulent spirits are amongst vs the Lord amend vs. But let such take notice of Gods peaceable dealing and proceeding euen with the vessels of his wrath who commeth not vpon them with such fury and rage but reasons with them in milde and quiet termes How farre are these from imitating God as good children ought to doe Obiect But I am crossed and prouoked so that I cannot forbeare let me alone prouoke me not and I am meeke enough Answ A worthy commendation The bruit beast will scarce stirre vnprouoked and the Deuill himselfe according to the Prouerbe is good so long as he is pleased And art thou good no longer Why then let this be thy commendations thou art as meeke as a Beare or as a Lyon or as a Tyger and of as milde a disposition as the Deuill is for these are quiet if they be not crossed and so by thy owne confession art thou but not else for if thou beest stirred then thou must needs speake there is no remedie Coloss 3. Is this that Christian meeknesse which thou art commaunded to put on and called vpon to learne of Christ Mat. 11.28 He dealt not roughly with his enemies no not with Iudas when he came to apprehend him and betray him into the hands of sinners Mat. 26.50 but called him friend Christ Iesus neuer taught thee to be so hot and hastie in dealing with thy enemie much lesse in dealing with thy friend and brother know then thy meekenesse is no Christian meekenesse but a brutish meekenesse such a meeknesse as is to be found in the Beare and Tyger as formerly I haue sayd Vse 2 Secondly is God thus meeke and milde euen when he hath to deale with sinners This then commendeth vnto vs the grace of meekenesse towards our brethren much more 1. Pet. 3.4 A vertue which is acceptable to the Lord and much respected of him A vertue oft commended to all estates and degrees and commanded both by precept Meekenesse must be shewed by all and by practise As to the Magistrate the Minister the Master the Wife the Seruant and the like The Magistrate must shew it euen when iustice is to be executed and punishment inflicted on malefactors as Iosua did who when Achan was apprehended and his sinne discouered whereby he had offended God and troubled Israel dealt after this milde and gentle manner My sonne Iosu 7.19 I beseech thee giue glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him and shew me now what thou hast done hide not from mee Thus in a milde and peaceable manner must they bee dealt withall Mercy and loue is to be shewed to offenders even in punishing of offenders The Minister also must remember it Paul enioynes Timothy to vse it towards opposites 2 Tim. 2.25 In meeknesse instructing those that oppose themselues if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth That hasty hot-spurre humor of many Ministers because they see not present successe of their labours and endeauours sorts not with that Christian meekenesse that Gods word requires Masters also are enioined the same taske by the Apostle Paul Ephes 6.9 when as he saith Ye Masters doe the same things vnto them viz. your seruants forbearing threatning The like charge is giuen vnto Wiues by the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 3.4 that they put on the ornament of a meeke and quiet spirit which in the sight of God is of great price How doth that tetchy peeuishnesse which is too too apparant in many wiues agree with this iniunction and if not that then much lesse those bitter words and reproachfull termes which many vse 1 Pet. 2.20 Seruants likewise are charged with it For what glory is it if when you be buffeted for your faults ye shall take it patiently but if when you doe well and suffer for it you take it patiently this is acceptable with God as the Apostle speaketh Motiues to meeknesse and mildnesse 1. It is the pathway to blessednesse Math. 5.5 Thus all degrees and conditions whatsoeuer must put it on We want no motiues to induce vs hereunto For first this is the path-way to blessednesse Blessed are the meeke saith our Sauiour for they shall inherite the earth Would wee then be happy and enioy all good blessings needfull for vs then let vs get the spirit of meekenesse and mildnesse into our hearts 2. It doth cause vs to heare the word profitably Iames 1.2 and expresse the power of it in our liues Secondly It will much auaile vs in the profit and power of the word and therefore the Apostle S. Iames willeth vs to heare and receiue the Word with meekenesse which is able to saue our soules without this wee cannot heare the Word with comfort it will become vtterly vnprofitable vnto vs. 3. Such are vnder Gods protection in a special manner Zeph. 2 3. Thirdly The meeke are in a speciall manner vnder Gods protection Seeke ye the Lord all ye meeke of the earth which haue wrought his iudgement seeke righteousnes seeke meekenesse it may be you shall be hid in the day of the Lords anger These shall be hid
to make vs more thankefull 52 Gods good blessings are abused by the wicked for sinnes seruice 130 Blessings better known by their want then by their enioyment 165 God bestoweth vpon vs his Blessings by ordinary meanes 254 Boasters of sinne doe afresh commit their sinnes 201 All Beasting in our selues taken away in the worke of conuersion 223 There is a holy Boasting which a childe of God may vse 338 A man may not so boast of his gifts as that he aymes at his owne glory ibid. The reason why no more complaine of the Burden of sinne 287. C The Church visible is a mixt company p. 18 Difference betwixt true sanctitie and Ciuilitie 21 Diuers kinds of Confession 195 Confession is necessary before remission 195 God cannot in Iustice forgiue sinne except it be confessed 198 No sinne must goe vnconfessed that wee would not haue to go vnpardoned 202 The benefits of true confession many 202 Confession must be in particular and not by whole sale 204 The properties of true confession p. 205 That sinne which is truly confessed shall neuer be imputed 20â— Confession of sinne must be made onely to the Lord. 207 Auricular confession condemned and the reasons for it answered 208 Sinne must be confessed to God though he alreadie knoweth it 210 As sinne was enlarged in the committing so must it also be in the confessing 214 Serious consideration bringeth forth sound determination 127 Our wayes must be often considered 128 Choyce matter for Consideration 129 Wicked men fitly resemble a Câ—arse in foure respects 284 Such as haue waking Consciences are to blesse God 12 No earthly thing can content the soule 91 Seeke not for content in the things that are here below 93 The godly are content with the hardest measure 160. 319 Concealars of sinne reprooued 199 Concealars of sinne are the Deuils Secretaries 201 We may not despaire of the conuersion of any 50 Our conuersion is from Gods free grace pag. 222. 302 All the prayse of it is to be giuen vnto God 226 The true Conuersion of any doth bring ioy to the godly 279 The whole Trinitie reioyceth at the Conuersion of a sinner 281 We ought not to enuie at the Conuersion of any 280 Conuiction is the readie way to Conuersion p. 8. Men liue in sinne because they are not conuicted of sinne 9 We must â—se all good meanes for the conuiction of sinners 12 It is dangerous to keepe company with the wicked 100. 288. The onely way to haue sinne couered is to vncouer them 202 God will neuer vpbraid the penitent with their former courses 250 Custome in sinne is not easily left 179 Directions for the right vsing of the Creatures 268 We may not complaine against Gods proceedings 321 D There is a two-fold Death A death corporall and spirituall pag. 282 Euery wicked man is a Dead man 283 The three sorts of coarses which Christ raised from the Dead resemble three sorts of sinners 297 Such as defend their sinnes double their sinnes 201 As sinne so grace groweth by degrees 132 It is dangerous to delay our turning to the Lord. 189 Deliberation is good in worldly businesse but not in the matter of Repentance 88 God giueth to his children as for necessity so for deâ—â—ght 264 Desertions of two sorts 43 What kind of Desertion may befall Gods childe 43 What kinde of Desertion befalleth Reprobates 44 Of all iudgements in this life Desertion is the forest 47 Speciall sins which cause Desertion 48 A man ought to speake in his owne Defence if the flander that is laid vpon him redound to the discred t of the Gospell pag. â—39 Sound consideration bringeth sound Determination 127 Foure Differences betwixt ciuilitie true sanctifie 2â— Two Differences betwixt holinesse and restraining grace 22 Denies of sinne depriue themselues of mercie â—00 Doctrine which Papists teach is but a frothy doctrine and cannot nourish 95 Doctrine of Doubting a rack to the Conscience 240 The reason why many wicked men Dye so quietly 287 E No Earthly thing can satisfie the soule pag 91 Rules to be obserued in our Eating 265 In our Eating we must haue a care to redeeme the time 269 Where there is true repentance there is not onely a purpose in the heart but an holy Endeauor in the life 166 The true Penitent apprehendeth sinne as a deadly Enemie 212 Enuie repineth at euery blessing that any other hath 3â—2 Hell is the fittest place for the Enuious ibid. Enuie is to be auoyded 312. It is the vnprofitablest of all vices 313 Enuiâ— hurteth others but especially it selfe 312 Meanes to auoide Enuie 314 Enuie the best medicine for the quickning of the fight 315 No flying Enuie if a man doe well 31â— Excusers of sin far from Repentance 199 Many haue an excellent facultie in enlarging other mens sins but they can Extenuate their owne 213 Examination of our hearts the first step to Repentance 101 Without Examination we know not whether our courses tend ibid. No day should passe ouer without Examination 103 It is the propertie of the wicked to Expostulate the case with God 317 God is an Eye-witnesse of euery sin 1â—0 The remembrance of Gods All-seeing Eye should incourage vs to well-doing 153 To forget Gods Eye when we go about sinne doth increase the sin and aggrauate the same 154 Gods Eye ought duely and daily to be thought vpon 155 F Painting the Face abominable 275 We may not be too much discouraged when we see some Fâ—ll away 26 The land of sin is a laâ—d of Famine 75 Fasting needfull at some times 266 A man may eat some thing in time of a Fast if neede require ibid. All are not dutifull sonnes which call God Father 33 Impenitent sinners are out of Gods Fauour 228 Such as mourne for sin may assure themselues of Gods Fauour ibid. Temporall blessings no sure signe of Gods Fauour 42. 107. Where Gods Fauour is not wanting nothing shall be wanting 258 Great difference betwixt Gods Fauour Mans. 262 Gods Fauour to be preferred before all things ibid. How wicked men do Flie from God 60 Sinners are Fooles 27 They are not naturall but artificiall Fooles 32 Six properties of Fooles naturall to euery wicked man 29 The best worke of a wicked man is but a Fooles sacrifice 3â— God will Forgiue all such as do repent be their sins neuer so many 2â—3 We ought as readily to Forgiue others as God doth Forgiue vs. 236 God â—s more ready to F rgiue then man to beg pardon ibid. God â—ound vs we found not him 302 Where there is true repentance there is a Forsaking of sinne 175 G Ill vse or no vse of Gods Gifts bestowed causeth God to hide away his face for a time pag. 48 Common Gifts are of a wasting nature 73 God is larger in his Gifts then man is in his requests 256 God makes himselfe knowne to man as man that man may know him in some measure 15 We may not ascribe to God any visible shape