we will labour to afflict our soules for our sinnes and sorrow for it we shall quickly be rid of it Vse 1 Sith it is so that they that haue truely repented will not onely haue good purposes and motions but also good endeauours and good actions It serues first for reproofe of such persons as would haue Gods children to thinke that they haue repented because they purpose to leaue their sinnes they will say they haue a purpose to forsake their couetousnesse to leaue their swearing Sabboth breaking their drunkennesse and such like sinnes and will proceede no further but aske them wherefore you would haue vs conceaue so well of you that you haue repented because we purpose well It is true good motions are to bee respected but if they doe not bring forth good actions they are no better then quaulmes and passions that may be in verie wicked men and hypocrites for if there be good desires in the heart there will follow certainely good endeauours and actions in the whole man Saul in a passion would confesse to Dauid O my sonne Dauid thou art more righteous then I and why did he presently fall to persecute Dauid againe was it not because the spirit of God neuer conuinced his conscience of the sinne and he neuer came to godly sorrow for the same and therefore these were but passions which died before they brought forth good actions Iudas also could come to this I haue sinned in betraying innocent blood so farre he went well but hee could not come to repentance to craue pardon for had he repented hee might haue beene pardoned and if he could haue beleeued he should haue beene saued but doing neither he was damned Such passions and quaulmes had they which in all the hast would goe and build vpon Christ they did not consider beforehand what charges it would amount vnto and whether they were able to vndertake so great a building Luk. 14.28.29 and therefore hauing begunne they could not proceede but left off and were not able to finish it So manie haue sudden flashings and passions come into their mindes to doe good things but not considering the danger nor charges that one must be at if they purpose to build vpon Christ they let their sute fall and their purposes are quickly extinct and quenched before they come foorth to action But these passions the Prophet Hosea compares to the morning dewe Hos 6.9 O Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee O Iudah how shall I intreate thee for your goodnesse is like the morning cloude and as the Morning dewe it goeth away that is as soone as the sunne ariseth and shewes forth his beames of light it lickes vp the dewe vpon the grasse so soone passeth your goodnesse and it is of no continuance Of such a nature are all these passions and sudden quaulmes that many may haue and yet be verie sinnefull and wicked manie haue these flashings when they come to the Sacrament and will haue these purposes to leaue their couetousnesse their swearing Sabboth breaking and all their knowne and notorious sinnes and they will also purpose to pray more frequent the exercises of religion more and they will amend many disorders which are amisse if it might be all remedied with thoughts and purposes but after the Sacrament they are as prophane and sinnefull as euer they were before and are neuer a whit the better in practise and conuersation Oh before they goe to the Sacrament they will purpose to make satisfaction to such whom they haue wronged and to liue as friends with them which in times past they haue much grieued but let the Sacrament be past there is no more hearing of satisfaction nor acknowledgement of iniuries and wrongs offered yet we shall haue these vnconstant men perswade themselues they haue repented would haue others so to thinke and reckon of them but such must know that they haue not yet repented till these motions and purposes conceiued bring forth good actions in life to be practised Secondly it serues for instruction that seeing true repentance stands in resoluing and doing therefore if euer we will haue anie sound comfort to our soules and consciences whensoeuer the spirit of God hath put into our hearts good motions and good affections let vs follow them hard to bring them to perfection and then wee shall be blessed in the worke as the Apostle Iames speaketh let vs labour to doe that which Barnabas exhorts the faithfull brethren at Antiochia That with purpose of heart they should continue in the Lord. So let vs with all purpose of heart resolue to leaue our sinnes and to practise holy and good dueties let vs be like vnto this prodigall childe which did purpose and practise and so we shall haue a good testimonie to our hearts that wee haue repented Oh but I can no sooner haue a good motion come into my heart but Satan is readie to steale it out and mine owne corruption to extinguish it before I can bring it forth to action but labour to put in practize these rules which by Gods grace may helpe thee to cherish good motions further them that they come out to practise in thy life and conuersation First if wee would haue our good desires to come to good deedes wee must labour to come to sound and thorough sorrow of heart for sinnes past and let vs pluck the roots of sinne vp by the weeding hooke of godly sorrow and then wee shall bring forth good actions and therefore the Apostle Iames in the place before alleadged exhorts his hearers to purge their hearts by godly sorrow for it will breake the cords of sinne and kill it by degrees And to the intent that wee may sorrow for sinne let vs bee frequent in meditating of what sinne would haue done to vs namely haue killed vs for the wages of sinne is death and exposed vs to the euerlasting wrath of God Also consider that our sins killed Iesus Christ the Lord of life they were the murtherers and betrayers of this iust one And whatsoeuer woe or miserie hath or can befall vs in this present life is the effect of these our sinnes Thus seriously pondering of these things it will procure godly sorrow for sinne which godly sorrow will produce good actions from good motions Secondly wee must bring good reasons and arguments against our corruptions and Satans temptations for if wee fall out with the diuell and wee haue not better arguments to stand for good duties then hee hath against them wee shall not bee able to hould out For if Saul could haue had good arguments and reasons when he pursued and fought against Dauid if hee could haue considered suerly in fighting against Dauid I fight against my best friend and my faithfullest subiect yea in so doing I shall fight against God and mine owne saluation c. then hee would neuer haue followed him with such a deadly malice Iob that faithfull seruant of God hee had
good reasons to keepe him from sinne as appeareth I haue made a couenant with mine eies Iob 31.1 2 3. why should I thinke on a maide and what portion should I haue of God from aboue and what inheritance from the almighty from on high is there not destruction to the wicked and strange punishmēt to the workers of iniquity Why doth Iob bee so diligent in watching ouer his senses lest hee should offend His reason is if hee should not haue regard to them hee knew that the Lord would not regard him and if hee should haue let loose his eies to behold wantonnes hee knew hee should quickly loose the fauour of God and letting his eies take their liberty hee should suddenly haue tasted some miserie for hee knew there were strange punishments for the workers of iniquity Oh but who takes notice of ones thoughts and lookes I may let my eies to take their liberty and no man can perceiue it nay but Iob makes answere Doth not God behold my waies and tell all my steppes And although man cannot take notice of my lustfull heart and eies yet the allseeing God doth behold it and considers my steppes Which made him not so much as wrong his poorest seruant hee kept for saith he If I did contemne the iudgment of my seruant and of my maide when they did contend with me 13.19 ver what then shall I doe when God standeth vp and when hee shall visite me what shal I answer And the reason why Iob durst not bee froward with his seruants because saith hee Hee that made mee in the wombe hath hee not made him As if hee should haue said it may bee my seruant may bee as dearely beloued of God as I my selfe and hee may bee an heire of Heauen as well as I at least wise I know wee are both his workemanship and therefore I dare not vexe and iniure him The whole chapter doth run vpon such arguments and reasons The third thing to make one constant is when the Lord hath put into our mindes good motions that wee delay not but presently and quickly put them in practise and bring it forth into action as the prodigall childe here did for immediately as soone as this came into his minde I will rise and goe to my Father hee delaied not but rose and came to his father So the prophet Dauid did finding himselfe out of the way Psal 119.60 hee saith I made hast and delaied not to keepe thy commandements Whiles the wound is greene it is best to goe to the Surgeon and wee haue an old prouerbe It is good striking whiles the iron is hot so when God puts into our hearts good affections let vs quickly put them in practise whiles hee warmes vs with the word Sacraments let vs not delay but speedily put it in action and whiles hee speakes by afflictions let vs resolue vppon a holy conuersation Now many when they come to the word and hearing of such duties which they ought to practise as for prayer to be performed of euery one at the lest both morning and euening the heart is presently affected with it and resolue to practise it but so soone as they are gone out of the Church they defer the putting the duty in practise by and by and so those motions die before they come forth into action and all because they doe not speedily goe about the worke for as fier without supplie of fuell will quickly bee extinguished euen so the delaying of putting these good resolutions and desires in practise doe quickly goe out and it leaues such a deadnes and hardnes of heart and makes one more duller to euery good dutie wherefore whiles the heart is warme with any good motion let vs spedily put it in practise Fourthly to the end wee may haue all our purposes and desires come to actions and true endeauours wee must take heed of bad company for they will quickly quench the good motions of the spirit that they may neuer come forth to actions for if this prodigall childe should vpon this determination haue gone and told his companions of this his resolutiō they would haue quickly disswaded him from his purpose but hee neuer goes to them to take their aduise but of himselfe resolues and doeth And this the Apostle Peter exhorts the new conuerts vnto saying Act. 2.40 Saue your selues from this froward generation then they should bee sure to hold out and not bee peruerted nor our mindes altered changed And so much for the first doctrine So hee arose and came to his father and said to him Father c. In this confession which the prodigall childe doth make hee begins with that which brought him home euen the true consideration that he had a Father and the perswasion of mercie if hee did returne was it as brought him home and so to repentance From hence ariseth plainely this doctrine That the perswasion of mercie is a speciall Doct. 2 meanes to worke true repentance and sound reformation in vs no better a motiue to driue vs to true repentance then the perswasion of mercie from God for if this prodigal childe should haue had this conceit to haue come into his braine I will goe home but my father will hit mee in the teeth of my sinne and former behauiour towards him or that it may bee hee will whippe mee out of his doores or commit mee to the house of correction and such like hee would neuer haue returned home but rather haue ended his life amongst the swine then to haue gone to such a cruell Father but the perswasion of mercie driues him home For proofe of this doctrine the holy Ghost by the author to the Hebrues saith For hee that cometh to God must beleeue that God is and that hee is a rewarder of them that seeke him hee that will come to God and seeke him indeede must bee perswaded to finde him in mercy and that he will bestow his loue and fauour vpon him for it is the perswasion of good successe that makes one goe to God and therefore the Prophet saith Psal 130.4 That mercie is with thee that thou mightest bee feared as if hee should haue said I should neuer haue reuerenced thy name but that there is hope of mercie and grace from thee Therefore the diuels hauing no hope of mercie they doe not nor cannot feare the Lord. Wherefore let vs set downe this as a maine conclusion that if wee cannot haue mercie from heauen wee shall haue mercie from no place The Apostle Paul doth vrge the mercie of God Rom. 12.1 to the Romans as a forcible argument to serue God I beseech you bretheren by the mercies of God that you giue vp your bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruice of God where the mercies of God are a speciall motiue to stirre them vp to serue God Also the prophet Zacharie saith I will power vpon the howse
our heauenly Father And let vs bee so farre from reuenging wrongs offered vs that wee pray for them that hate vs and blesse them that curse vs ouercoming euill with goodnesse as wee are commaunded And so much for this first doctrine And the sonne said vnto him Father I haue sinned against Heauen Here is the confession of this prodigall childe to his worthy father as if hee should haue said truth it is I haue sinned against the God of Heauen in sinning against you my naturall parent and whereas before I thought my selfe to good to bee your childe or to remaine within your house yet now I change my opinion and thinke not my selfe worthy to bee sonne to so good a father and that the worst place in your familie is to good for mee so vntoward a sonne And so much is to bee vnderstood in the 21 verse But in that hee confessed hee sinned against God by disobeying of his father wee learne this doctrine Doct. 4 That those which wrong men doe sinne against God In iniuring men on earth wee sinne against the Lord in heauen This is proued by the wise man where hee saith Hee that mocketh the poore reprocheth him that made him Pro. 17.15 hee that derides the creature doth mocke the creatour and he that contemnes the worke doth by consequence speake against the workeman Also the Apostle proues the same when he saith Cor. 1.8.12 Now when yee sin against the bretheren wound their weeke consciences ye sinne against Christ Where the holy Apostle sheweth that those offences that are committed against the weake bretheren doe redound to bee committed against Christ when they offend the members they sinne against the head And therefore Christ saith Math. 18.6 Whosoeuer shall offend one of those littleones that beleue in mee it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and that hee were drowned in the depth of the Sea Thus wee see that if any offend the least christian he doth offend Christ and shall bee seuerely punished and this Christ will doe when hee will passe sentence of condemnation against the reprobates I was a hungred and yee gaue mee no meate I was thirsty and yee gaue mee no drinke I was a stranger and yee tooke me not in to you and so forth Where for the omitting of good duties to bee performed to the members of Christ Christ takes the omission of dutie as done to himselfe and so a sin done against God The reasons to proue this doctrine are Reason 1 First because whensoeuer wee wrong men we breake the commaundement of God and so wee must needes sinne against God Now hee commaundes a law of equity that that I would that men should vnto mee doe I the same vnto them and hee bids vs doe good vnto all c. Now when wee breake any of the diuine lawes of God wee trespasse against God and this made Dauid to cry out Psal 51. I haue sinned against thee against thee onely But one might haue said Dauid you haue wronged Vriah in taking his wife away It is true but I haue broken Gods law and so sinned against God by killing Vriah Secondly in wronging men wee sinne against God because euery man and woman carries the image of God and so wronging the person of man hee wrongs the image of God And this Iob did consider well of which did terrifie him from wronging his seruants as appeares by his words what then shall I doe when God standeth vp and when hee shall visit mee what shall I answere hee that hath made mee in the wombe hath hee not made him hath not hee alone fashioned vs in the wombe Sith that God is offended when man Vse 1 is wronged it serues first for instruction that wee should take heede how wee doe wrong any man or woman and not to say I care not for him or her for hee is but a base person a man of no accompt c. Nay but take heede how you iniure and wrong him bee hee neuer so base in your eies hee may bee an heire of Heauen and a true child of God and at least hee carries the image of God in some measure vppon him and so you cannot safely wrong him but you sinne against the God of Heauen and besides you are forbidden to wrong any bee they neuer so base and vile But such persons as wrong these base ones as they terme them dare not wrong a greater person because if they should they might haue the law inflicted vppon them and so thereby bee brought into danger as to bee cast into prison c. But to hurt and trouble a poore christian that they feare not to doe but such must know there is as great danger to wrong the poorest christian as in iniuring the greatest personage in the world for the wrong done to the member redounds to the head and the hurt offered to the porest christian is a sinne against Christ him selfe and as the Prophet Zacharie saith Zach. 2.8 Hee that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye There is none would endure one to stirre or row a thorne or any such like thing in ones eie but one should feele it for there is no place so tender about one as the apple of the eye how much more sensible is God of the iniuries and wrongs offered vnto his children and cannot endure them that thus touch him in so tender a place as to wrong his beloued ones such shall bee sure to smart for it And if the Lord would not haue Balaam to wrong his Asse much lesse will hee suffer wicked men to wrong his children but many care not what iniury they doe to others so they can act it cunningly and worke it subtilely that they may not bee seene or so that the lawes of the Realme will not take hold of them As the wife many times towards the husband shee cares not what hard speeches shee giues him because there is no humane lawes against her for it but such wiues must know that seeing God is offended when their husbands are thus wronged by them they shall not goe vnpunished vnles they repent for Gods law and precept is violated that commaunds wines to bee obedient to their husbands in the Lord. So many times the husband hee wrongs his wife in word countenance and somtime in their disordered passions in blowes when in truth there is no cause offered him but this argues there is but a little feare of God in him that thus will wrong his owne flesh such men little consider when they reuile their wiues they reuile God himselfe and when they thus wrong them they sinne against him for they breake his commaundement that chargeth euery husband to loue their wiues as Christ loued his church and to to dwel with them as men of knowledge c. But vnles such husbands come to true repentance for the iniurie thus offered to their wiues God will surely plague and
them If this were practised wee should not so much fall out into distempers passions froward speeches and vniust actions against one another Secondly if when wee haue wronged men we would acknowledge the wrong to the party offended it would bee the best way to pacifie their hearts and to make them thinke well of vs and to affect vs notwithstanding the wrong done vnto them and if wee would greiue our selues because we haue greeued them and offended them it would bee a speciall meanes to make the party wronged to send vp many a hearty praier vnto God for the offendour that hee would vouchsafe to forgiue him as well as him selfe And this benefit will confession of wrongs doe to the party it will make our foe to become our faithfull and louing friend Thirdly if wee did vse to confesse the wrong as soone as wee haue done a wrong it would make vs beware and take heede of committing of wrongs againe For if the wife hauing wronged her husband would seriously consider what I haue wronged my husband and if I purpose to haue forgiuenes I must not only confesse the iniury to God but also to my husband This would make the wife ashamed and so by that meanes breake the necke of sinne and it worke humility in ones soule so that one should haue little lust to fall out and to wrong one againe Now fith it is not enough to confesse and acknowledge the wrongs done to men vnto God but wee must confesse it to the parties offended It serues first for reproofe of such persons that come to this point that if they haue wronged any one they will confesse it to God and so thinke they haue done enough but they must as well performe it to man as well as to God for the plaister ought to goe as far as the sore Oh but what neede there bee any confession to men when wee haue confessed it to God for none can forgiue sinnes but God but you must not only repent to God in Heauen but also aske forgiuenesse of men on earth or else the Lord will not forgiue it for hipocrites may doe the one as Iudas Saul c. But those which are truly vpright will performe them both but such as neglect this duty to man as well as performe it to God argues they are in loue with their sinne and loth to haue their nature healed and their sinnes pardoned Secondly it serues for instruction that therefore wee should take heede that we doe not wrong any one for this will follow confession and acknowledgment of the fault not only to God but the party offended for vntill wee confesse the wrong to the party and get reconciliation with him wee must not looke God in the face nor cannot haue entertainement to any of Gods ordinances as the word Sacrament prayer for the Sacrament is a loue feast for the sheepe of Christ and not for wrauling doggs Now if the husband haue giuen any angry and churlish speeches to his wife whereby shee hath taken them to heart and troubled her minde let him confesse the fault to her before hee approch nere vnto God in any of his seruices So if the wife haue wronged the husband the childe the parent the seruant the master or any one one another let them humble themselues who soeuer is guilty and acknowledge the fault to the party offended and so get reconciliation or else wee cannot lift vp pure hands without wrath as the Apostle speakes Ob. Oh but hee whom I haue wronged is not in the country how should I get reconciliation with him shall I not come to the Sacrament and other seruices till I haue confessed my fault to him that I know not where hee is Sol. Yes thou maist come to the word Sacrament prayer and the rest if thou canst finde in thy selfe a willing heart to aske forgiuenes if hee were in the Country as also if thou doest resolue within thine owne soule that if euer the party offended returnes againe into the Countrey thou wilt performe this duty Yf this bee in thee thou mayest frequent Gods ordinances Ob. But what if the party offended will bee so stubborne that he refuse to be reconciled and will not pardon mee though I acknowledge the fault and offer satisfaction for the hurt wrong committed But doe thou the worke of the Lord Sol. and let it not bee thy default and then thou shalt finde mercy of God for hee will not deale with vs according to the successe with the party but according to the vprightnes of our heart and in performing our duties let vs doe the worke and then the Lord will reward vs. And so much for this point I am not worthy to bee called thy sonne c. Here is the last duty of this repentant sinner his humility hee is well perswaded of his father but ill perswaded of himselfe This doctrine wee learne from hence That true repentance makes one see his own vnworthines the better repentance Doct. 6 the more humility they will esteeme of God to bee great but themselues to bee base as wee see this prodigall childe before there was no place in the family good enough and now there is no place in the house that is bad enough hee is not worthy in his owne eies to bee sonne to such a godly father This wee may see prooued out of the examples of all holy men when they came to repentance as Iacob I am lesse then the lest of thy mercies Nehemiah Ezra Daniel they were ashamed and confounded in their faces and that shame and confusion of face belongs to them Iob 39.37 And this wee may see in holy Iob when the Lord had shewed him his power and wisedome hee answeres the Lord Behold I am vile what shall I answere thee I will lay my hand vpon my mouth c. And in an other place Iob speakes when hee came to repentance for all his passionate and distempered words in his afflictions Iob 42.6 I abhor my selfe and repent in dust and ashes And beholding Gods purity hee saw more euidently his owne impurity and cause enough to humble and abhorre himselfe for his filthines and no longer to stand out with God in his owne innocency And Paul that worthy Apostle and seruant of God when hee came to repentance hee confessed that hee was not worthy to bee called an Apostle because he persecuted the Church of God In all which examples we see these holy men when they came to repentance they were base and vile in their owne eies and saw their owne vnworthines The reason to proue this doctrine is Because repentance opens our eies to see more perfectly Gods glorious purity Reason 1 and ones owne vilenes and impiety which will so reflect vpon vs that it will make one low and base in ones own eies as may bee seene in the Prophet Isai 6.5 when hee cryed out Woe is mee I am vndone because I am a man
wretched creature to come to the feast of God that before was eating with swine hee now comes to feast with God the whole Trinity before to feede vpon swinish meate and now to eate no worse then the body and blood of Christ by faith in the Sacrament and to afford vs these benefits First thereby to bee purged from our sinnes through the blood of Iesus Christ And secondly to receiue strength and increase of graces as faith repentance loue and other sauing graces more And not only spirituall gifts but also temporall for body state name and euery thing that is needefull for vs in euery point according to the couenant which the Lord hath made in Ezechiel 36.25 c. And if wee can come to the Sacrament with true feeling and seeing the want of grace and also being pained with carrying such a loade of sinne wee may bee assured to bee disburdened of the one and our want supplied in the other and so wee shall bee made fit guests for the Lords supper Vse 1 Sith it is so that whoso euer doth come to God with true repentance and resolution to cleaue fast vnto him shall haue as much as hee stands in neede of it serues for encouragement to poore penitent sinners that haue committed many and great sinnes that they should come to God and make their mone vnto him that hee would vouchsafe to pardone all their sinnes and giue them such graces whereby they may be assured of his fauour for certainely if wee come with repentance and resolue to become new men and to sticke close vnto him wee may expect to receiue at his hands euery thing which wee stand in neede of Others must bee intreated before they wil doe any thing but God will giue before wee aske yea hee will meete a penitent sinner halfe way if they will but looke towards him hee will runne towards them with mercy Oh but I neuer looke to liue in credit againe and to haue a merry day my miseries are so many indeede if you purpose to keepe your sinnes you must bee sure to keepe your sorrowes but if you will come to true repentance and seeke vnto God he can and will supplie all your wants and whatsoeuer crosses and losses you haue sustained hee is able to make vp your broken estate heale your name and set you in as great prosperity againe as euer you inioied for he makes poore makes rich and prosperity comes from him and he giues to all and hits none in the teeth God hath in his wardrobe all kindes of apparrell ready made if wee seeke vnto him And there is no soule so thirsty after the graces of God but if wee come in humility to him he will giue thē the sweete graces of his spirit to quench them wherefore let vs put out all carnall doubts and worldly cares and set our selues to performe our duties and wee vndoubtedly be perswaded to finde his mercies For hee that bids vs forgiue our bretheren seauenty times seauen times if they seeke vnto vs much more will God forgiue vs all our sinnes whatsoeuer bee they neuer so many nor neuer so great if wee seeke vnto him by true repentance and acknowledgment of them with griefe and sorrow If hee would seeke Paul when hee was going to Damascus to persecute the members of Christ and shew him mercy how much more will hee shew compassion to such which now haue desisted from persecuting of the Sains and committing of other sinnes and labour to seeke God by true repentance and a full resolution to serue him in truth And to conclude if God would call for Adam when hee ranne from from him to hide himselfe and all to giue him the pardon of his sinne which hee vnhappily had committed how much more will hee giue all things vnto them both temporall and spirituall which with an honest heart seeke vnto him by true repentance and godly sorrow for their sinnes for if hee bee so ready to shew mercie to such which neuer seeeke for it hee will bee more ready to giue mercy to such as in truth performe this doctrine The time being past let vs here make an end for this time FINIS