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
of Dauid and the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and prayers and they shall looke vpon mee Zach. 12.12 whom they haue pierced and they shall lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne whom c. This will make one turne to Christ when they see their sins so odious as to bee the speciall instruments to wound and kill the Lord of life and also when they doe consider that Christ gaue himselfe for them this infinite loue and mercie will mooue them to true repentance and godly sorrow It is not misery as can conuert one to God and turne one from ones sinne for then the diuels might haue bin conuerted before this time for they are in anguish and perpetuall misery and Iudas might haue repented for hee was sensible of horrour enough in his conscience but that rather did driue him from God because he could not apprehend the mercie and kindnesse of God The reasons to proue this doctrine are First because till such time one haue this perswasion one shall neuer come to Reason 1 true confession which is one part of sound repentance and one will neuer confesse ones sinnes without hope of mercie Secondly because it is vnpossible that one should pray aright without one haue this perswasion of mercie and therefore Christ sets downe this as the foundation of all true prayer Our father which art in Heauen For wee can neuer haue any comfort that our sinnes are pardoned till wee can boldly goe to him in assurance of mercie And though wee haue failed of our duties towards him yet hee will not faile of mercie to vs because hee is our Father Sith this is so that the perswasion of mercie is a speciall meanes to stirre vs vp to true and sound repentance it serues for a double reproofe of two sorts of people Vse 1 First of those impious beasts and monsters of the world that if one reproue them for their blasphemy swearing Sabboth-breaking drunkennesse filthines and such like sinnes they presently haue an answere for to cloake it and extenuate it oh but the Lord is mercifull but to whom to such as continue in this impiety no but doest thou abuse the mercie and long suffering of God that should leade thee to repentance and so thereby doest harden thy heart in impenitency and doest heape vp as a treasure vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath that thus on earth adde drunkēnes to theft these abuse the name of God and it is more fearefull to abuse the Gospell then the lawe It were a sinne to breake the positiue lawe of a Prince but more if hee stampe vnder his feete the priuy seale of the Prince wherein his pardon is written thus disgracing mocking it and yet hope for mercie of him Wee would count it the part of a mad-man Such are the dealings of all such presumptuous wretches they breake the positiue lawes of the King of Heauen and earth and continue in the breach of the first and second table of the commaundements and not only so but abuse the priuie signet of God and hope for mercie notwithstanding their vngodlines but such must know that the Lord will not bee mercifull to such but contrariwise the wrath and seuerity of God For if a Father should vse all the duties of kindnes to his child and yet hee would bee very rebellious to his Father still and all because his Father is louing and kinde vnto him such a childe would be quickly censured to bee a very vngracious and wicked child how much more are such impious and in a high degree vngodly which dayly displease God blaspheme his name prophane his Sabbaths c. and all because God is mercifull and gracious But these make a contrary vse of the loue of God then the Prophet Zachary exhorts the faithfull vnto in the place before alleadged that they should looke vpon him whom they had pierced and lament but the wicked wretches looke vpon him and gnash their teeth at him and blaspheme his name and so are made impenitent Secondly it serues for reproofe of such whom God hath afflicted with many crosses and they see in themselues many sinnes and much corruption and then vpon this they sit themselues downe whyning and crying and neuer set forward one foote to goe to God for mercie and pardon of their sinnes and a remouing of the Crosse Thus they thinke there is lesse mercie in God then is in mā for if a godly parent though his childe haue played the vnthrift and rebellious childe yet if hee would come home with sorrow and humilitie and acknowledge his faults he will presently receiue him and shew him mercie and yet we cannot perswade our selues of the like successe with God Thus wee make Gods of our selues and make the mercifull God more cruell then man which is most fearefull once to thinke Can wee forgiue the faults and wrongs committed one to an other that haue but a drop of mercie in cōparison of that Ocean Sea of mercie and pitty in God and shall wee not bee fully assured wee shall haue pardon and forgiuenes of sinnes if wee come to him by repentance Let vs not dishonour God so highly to make God lesse mercifull then mortall man for man hath made no promise to remit the wrongs and iniuries offered to him but God hath bound himselfe by couenant yea by oath to pardon the sinnes and offences committed against him Againe man cannot forgiue all wrongs perfectly but hee would haue some stirrings and motions in his minde against the party but if wee had all the sinnes of Cain Saul and Iudas yet if wee could come to God with faith in his mercie and godly sorrow and repentance for our sinnes hee would receiue vs to mercie and giue vs a generall pardon of all our sinnes and seale it with the blood of the euerlasting couenant Wherefore let vs no longer looke vpon the greatnes of our sinnes but vpon the mercie of God which exceeds our sinnes nor on the greatnesse of our crosses but vpon the infinitenesse of gods compassion and kindnesse and let vs resort to him in hope of mercie The second vse serues for instruction vnto euery one that whatsoeuer our crosses bee or how many soeuer our sins bee or how great soeuer our offences be yet let vs haue a resolution to goe to God and wee shall finde mercie for wee are in this case fit subiects for his mercy to worke vpon for mercy pleaseth him he is greatly pleased to shew mercy to such Let vs conclude before hand that if we resolue to bee true vpright christians thē we may boldly call God Father if wee can perswade our selues wee are his children wee may beleeue wee shall finde mercie at his hands Wherefore let vs confesse our sins and leaue our sins and wee shall finde mercie For if a Iudge of an Assize should say to a felon or some malefactor in the Gaole If you will confesse your theft
of polluted lippes and I dwell in the midst of people of polluted lippes Where God appeares vnto the Prophet and his maiesty being so perfect that it reflects vpon him whereby hee perceiues the more his owne vilenesse and pollution yea euen in his best parte as his lippes which had deliuered the message of God very faithfully So in truth when wee come to see the multitude of our sinnes and the hainousenes thereof wee shall bee made quickly low enough and bee forced to cry out with the prodigall childe I am not worthy to bee called thy sonne Sith it is so that true repentance makes vs see our owne vnworthines Vse 1 It serues first for reproofe of such persons which stand vpon theire owne worthines and goodnes they will say they hope they are in as good a case as the best of them all that mourne and confesse and keepe such a doe about repentance they stand vpon it that they deserue to be reckoned both with God and man as well as the best of them that go to sermons and they liue as wel as the best of them all and such speeches they are full of But these speeches argue that they haue not repented but are as yet vnder the power of sinne and in the ready way to damnation for all these are but pharisaicall conceipts for hee cryed out hee was not like other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this publican c. but I doe this and this and thus boasting himselfe of his owne goodnes he shewed himselfe a most cursed person but the poore publican stood not vpon his owne worthines but runnes vnto God for mercy and hee is so ashamed that he could not look vp his eies to Heauen but smote his breast saying O Lord bee mercifull vnto mee a sinner I tell you this man departed to his house iustified rather then the other Thus wee see the estate of these boasters that stand vpon theire owne goodnesse and worthinesse whereas a poore sinner that feeles his sinne doth wonder at the goodnesse of God that should saue such a vile wretch as himselfe so far is hee from boasting in himselfe that he glorieth in God alone Secondly it serues for consolation vnto such which in truth can finde their sins out and thereby can perceiue their owne vnworthines they consider what they were before their calling and what they are since they see what originall sin hath brought vpon them blindnes darknes deadnes hardnes of heart in briefe a little diuell incarnate which makes the pore sinners to cry out that they are not worthy of the least of Gods mercies they cry out shame and confusion belongs to them and with the Church it is the Lords mercy wee are not confounded c. These may comfort themselues for it is a good argument that they haue repented and that they haue put on a great part of their wedding garment for this is a great part of a christians worthines to see his owne vnworthines and it is certaine if wee can bee base in our owne eies wee shall bee precious in Gods eies and those which see how vile sinne hath made them shall bee made excellent in the righteousnes of Christ These guests are the welcome guests vnto the Sacrament of the Lords supper for these are inuited Come vnto mee all that are heauy laden and I will ease you And so much in breife for the handling of this doctrine Then the father said vnto his seruants bring forth the best c. Now the father is so glad of the returne of his wandering childe that hee presently receiues him to fauour and hauing his fauours hee hath all his wants supplied From hence wee learne this doctrine Doct. 7 That when wee haue the fauour of God wee shall haue euery thing wee stand in neede of Nothing shall be wanting when wee haue Gods fauour Loue is bountifull and liberall cheifly in God This Dauid knew to bee the fountaine of all good when hee heard them cry out Who will shew vs any good but hee cries Psal 4 6.7 Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. Thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart then they haue had when their wheate and wine did abound Hee had more good by Gods fauour and countenance then the worldlings could haue in their greatest plenty of outward things This made the Church in captiuity bee so earnest in this petition that she repeats it thrice noting thereby the excellency of it Restore vs againe O God of hoasts Psal 80 and cause thy face to shine vpon vs and wee shall bee saued So that if God would looke vpō them with a gracious countenāce they should quickly haue a riddance of their miseries And this the Lord himselfe prescribes as a notable meanes to bring prosperity to soule body state c. 2. Chron 7.14 If my people vpon whom my name is called vpon doe humble themselues pray and seeke my face and turne from their wicked waies then will I heare in Heauen and bee mercifull to their sinne and will heale their land When they performe these duties as among the rest to get and obtaine my fauour then will I shew these mercies I will heare as a mercifull and heauenly Father to deliuer them from their troubles and bring them such comforts as they stand in neede of Vse 1 Sith it is so that Gods fauour will make supply of all such things as wee neede it serues to teach vs if wee would bee furnished throughly with all good things for our soules and bodies for this life and a better then let vs labour to get peace with God and to seeke his fauour before all things for it giues true interest to all things and it will bring all needefull things If a man haue the fauour but of an earthly Prince what outward thing can hee want If pore hee can make him rich if base yet hee will make him honorable if in debt hee will discharge it If this bee in a mortall man to him that hee doth fauour what may wee expect from the fauour of the King of Kings In his fauour there must needs bee life and prosperity If the fauor but of an heathenish King could promote Mordecai to such an outward honour and dignity from so base and deiected estate that hee must haue a royall robe and apparrell to bee cloathed withall a gallant steede and horse to bee mounted vpon and a crowne of gold vpon his head and no base personage to bring all these presents to Mordecai but by the hand of one of the Kings most noble Princes what shall wee haue wee may conclude that God doth fauour when Mordecai shall haue so much when an earthly King doth meane to honour It is certaine the King of Heauen will bee far more liberall and bountifull to his fauourites then an earthly Prince can possible bee for hee will put vpon them the royall robe of Christs righteousnes which is