that the saying of the Apostle is especially and most remarkably verified in the charity of Parents that it beareth all things hopeth all things believeth all things for they readily believe well of their Children because they so passionately desire it should be so notwithstanding the Son could not think his Father so soft and easy as to be imposed upon with words and ceremonies and himself was not now so ill natured as to go about to abuse so much goodness if it it had been in his power Wherefore the Text saith vers 20. So he arose and came to his Father i. e. he did not only change his note his address his countenance but he changed his course he returned to his Father and to the duty of a Son AND we have under this type in the former part of it seen described the preface and introduction to repentance towards God namely the sinner bewailing his sin taking shame to himself under agonies of mind pricked to the heart humbly imploring the divine favour and crying earnestly for mercy But this is not all that repentance means the principal part of it is yet behind viz. Actual Reformation This is that which every awakened Conscience in its agonies promises and resolves upon this God expects and every sincere Convert really performs For without this all the rest is but empty pomp and pageantry and meer hypocrisy as we shall shew anon But when this is added to the former such a person from thenceforth is a new man and in a new estate he hath compleatly made his return to God as the Son in the Text is said to have actually returned to his Father I have noted heretofore that all irreligion and profaneness is wont in the language of the Scripture to be expressed by the phrase of departing from God or going out from him or forsaking him and so the whole practice of Religion is contrariwise set forth by drawing nigh to or coming to God particularly Hebr. 11. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that cometh to God q. d. he that becomes a Proselyte to Religion for from thence doth that word Proselyte take its original Wherefore now we will first observe what is implyed by this phrase of the Son 's returning or coming to his Father and in proportion thereto describe this most important business of the Penitent's returning to God which is his Actual Conversion or Reformation and in the former these three things seem plainly to be comprehended 1. That the Son now returns home to his Father's family and presence 2. That he returns to the duty of a Son by obedience and compliance with his Father's commands 3. That he submits to his Father's government and provision Therefore in the latter namely conversion to God these three things must semblably be implied 1. That the Penitent puts himself under the eye of God and lives in a constant practice of piety and devotion 2. That he frames himself to universal obedience to all God's commands 3. That he gives himself up to the divine disposal and intirely submits to his providence and government 1. CONCERNING the first of these there is nothing more evident or remarkable to all experience and observation then the great fervor of devotion in all true Converts from an evil life insomuch that there is not that man to be found under such a character but presently with great solemnity and seriousness he sets up the worship of God to which purpose we find in the history of the Acts of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Worshippers or Devout persons to be the common name by which Converts to Religion are expressed and these Acts 13. 48. are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Candidates of eternal life or put into order and disposed for salvation Compare vers 43. with 48. More particularly it is observable of St. Paul that when from a superstitious Pharisee and bitter enemy of Christianity he was reclaimed and made a Christian the assurance that God gives to Ananias of the truth of his conversion is Acts 9. 11. Behold he prays And so of Manasses 2 Chron. 33. 18. amongst the instances of his real reformation the Scripture takes especial notice of the prayer that he prayed AND this is so universal a truth that I think from hence it cometh to pass that those who have a mind hypocritically to put on the guise and appearance of Religion are wont to be notably carefull in this point for so the Pharisees cloaked all their villanies with this garb of piety Now hypocrisy would miss altogether of its design if it did not resemble the truth of things and usually their over solicitude and overdoing herein betrays them to act a part only in Religion BUT it is not only the duty of prayer which the true Penitent expresses his conversion by though this be by some too phantastically called Duty as if all piety consisted in that only for as the literal Prodigal returns to his Father's house and family so the mystical returns to God's house which is his Church and associates himself with God's servants in all the offices of Religion viz. in hearing the word reading meditation Sacraments c. Now he thinks a day spent in God's Courts better then a thousand and had rather be a door-keeper in the house of the Lord then to dwell in the tents of the wicked This one thing he desires of the Lord and is most passionate in that he may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple And he so highly values the priviledge of God's Church that no private opinion no trifling scrupulosity nor petty disgust shall ever alienate him from it Here he finds himself fortified and incouraged by the great examples of holy men his prayers strengthened by the concurrence of all good people here he is under the publick dispensations of the means of grace and knowledge the very plainness and simplicity of which he now with the great Convert St. Austin values and admires more then all the Greek or Roman eloquence of Speech or subtilty of Philosophy to which every thing else seemed flat and insipid before Above all the holy Sacrament puts him into an ecstasy in this he thinks himself in God's presence in an extraordinary manner and admitted a guest at his Table the Crums of which he thinks himself unworthy of here he refreshes his hungry Soul with the Bread of Life and his wounded Conscience by the Bloud of his crucified Saviour and in both he thinks he sees his provoked but compassionate Father stand with open arms to receive him This he approaches with great reverence with shame and sorrow for his sins past together with faith and hope in God's mercy and will therefore never be negligent of it IN these and all other duties of Religion both publick and private the Convert expresses such an excellent spirit and extraordinary
something on man's part though very little and that they call Attrition by which they mean some slight sorrow for sin which they say together with the sacrament of penance or confession will reconcile a man to God without so much as contrition or true and hearty sorrow for the evil of sin this is the express doctrine of the Church of Rome and is very like the common doctrine of the Jews that confession and sacrifice were sufficient for repentance and reconciliation as if sin had no great evil in it self or no great contrariety to the divine nature only for form or order sake he thought fit that some shame or mulct should be put upon it and so a few tears or something of no great moment shall quit all the old score and purchase a new licence to sin again 3. ANOTHER opinion goes further yet requiring not only external expressions and the forms and solemnities of repentance but real and hearty sorrow for sin that a man's Conscience be really troubled and in great anguish for his sin and when this is done all is well from such trouble of Conscience they date their conversion and this they are always reflecting upon as a security not only against the sins committed before it but that from that time God sees no more sin in them as if like as it was at the Pool of Bethesda when the Angel had moved the waters all that stept in were healed These men ordinarily please themselves with melancholy complaints of themselves cry out of a naughty heart a hard heart c. and think this will doe their business as if so soon as the Patient is grown sensible of his case he were cured and to feel the smart were all one as to have the sore healed LASTLY a fourth sort go further yet and require not only contrition but resolution of obedience but content themselves and incourage men to a great degree of confidence though this resolution be never put in execution Thus a great many Saints are canonized from the Gallows and the Clinick or death-bed repentance is greatly countenanced Men commence Saints per saltum as they say as the Romans made Gentlemen Momento turbinis exit Marcus Dama in the turning of an hand a lewd and flagitious person starts up a great Saint The ground of this opinion is they suppose that which is undoubtedly true that God knows men's hearts but then they infer that which is very dangerous that therefore so that be turned right it is no matter with him whether there proceed any fruits worthy of repentance and amendment of life TO all these I might further adde those that reckon the change of opinion being of an admired Sect coming over with great zeal to a new party a demure garb an austere temper or at most some partial reformation to be sufficient signs of regeneration which fancy agrees too well to the humour of a great part of men of this age but I shall not need to proceed further in reckoning up these mistakes nor do I think it necessary to apply a particular confutation to doctrines so very absurd at the first view but I will now as I promised demonstrate the necessity of the doctrine I have asserted which will be an effectual detection of the fallacy of all these other now recired And this I will do by these four arguments § II. FIRST if God in the Holy Scripture doth require of those that have lived wickedly as the condition of their absolution and reconciliation to himself that they be not only sorry for their sins and resolve upon a new course but expresly calls for actual performance of such resolutions and real reformation then those must be strangely bold and presumptuous men that will conceive hopes of pardon upon any other terms But that this which we assert and nothing less is the declared condition of mercy these following passages amongst innumerable others do abundantly evince The first I take notice of is that of the Prophet Isaiah Chap. I. Vers 11 13 c. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrices unto me saith the Lord I am full of the burnt-offerings of Rams and the fat of fed Beasts and I delight not in the bloud of Bullocks or of Lambs or of He-Goats Bring no more vain oblations incense is abomination to me the new Moons and Sabbaths the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with it is iniquity even the solemn meeting And when you spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you yea when ye make many prayers I will not hear your hands are full of bloud Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil Learn to doe well seek judgment relieve the oppressed judge the Fatherless plead for the Widow Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as searlet they shall be as white as snow c. Of like import is that of the Prophet Ezekiel Chap. 18. Vers 21 22 28. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live he shall not die All the transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him Because he considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall surely live he shall not die So also Micah 6. 6 7 8. Wherewithall shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before the High God shall I come before him with the burnt-offerings with Calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or with ten thousand rivers of Oil shall I give my first-born for my transgression the fruit of my Body for the sin of my Soul He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God IN all which places God puts a slight upon all the most solemn expressions of penitence when they are dis-joined from actual amendment of life And touching Sacrifice it is very remarkable that though that was a rite of God's own allowance for the expiation of sin and had also conjoined with it the guilty persons confession of his fault and that particularly as Maimonides assures us and considering the usual cost of the oblation was a mulct upon the sinner and some kind of reparation to God yet this is declared of no efficacy without reformation THUS it was in the Old Testament and in the New the case is plainer if it be possible for thus John the Baptist preaches that they should not think it sufficient to submit to the baptism of repentance But bring forth fruits worthy of repentance Matt. 3. 8. And such is the discourse of our Saviour himself Matth. 7. 21. Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter
Convert is also the most charitable and favourable Judge of others and the furthest from censoriousness There is nothing more unbecoming that modesty which should be in all men then to be Critical and curious in espying the failings of others and nothing can be more arrogantly done towards God then to take the judgment out of his hand and place our selves in the Tribunal nay there is nothing more infests the peace of the world then this pragmatical humour of censoriousness but saith the Convert Let those that are without sin cast the first stone at others for my part I have enough to do at home and see more evil in my self then in all the world besides I have learnt of the Apostle to Speak evil of no man considering that I my self was sometime foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures Tit. 3. 3. Thus he composes himself to be an example to the world of that temper then which nothing is more conducent to better the estate of mankind he will not rake in men's wounds nor rip up their old sores but forgives as he hopes to be forgiven he will not give ear to malicious whispers which like the arrow of the pestilence flies in the dark and kills without noise he will entertain no uncharitable surmises but hopes the best nor aggravate men's follies but makes the most benign and candid interpretation that that the case can bear and thus not judging others he shall not be condemned of the Lord. Nay further the Convert is so far from all the aforesaid instances of uncharitableness that he is the most compassionate man in the world both towards those that are yet in a state of sin and those also who have stumbled and faln in their race of vertue and the most ready and officious to bring the former to an apprehension of his danger and to restore the latter in the spirit of meekness he knows the wretchedness of a sinfull condition he hath felt the pangs of a guilty Conscience his heart trembles at the thoughts of Hell and therefore his Soul is troubled for those that are insensible of their own case his Bowels yern his Eyes weep in secret and his Heart bleeds for them he counsels persuades forewarns them prays for them and as the Prophet towards the Widows Son he as it were stretches himself upon their dead Souls and by the application of a lively example indeavours to bring spiritual warmth and life into them And now it cannot be imagined that such affection to Souls should be unrewarded by the great lover of Souls our Lord Jesus BESIDES it is not to be doubted but the Convert who hath this compassion to the Souls of others will be infinitely cautious of indangering his own he knows the Devil continually goes about as a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour he understands how many artifices and strategems he hath to deceive Souls and is sensible how full the world is of charms and allurements he is well aware of the pit which he hath but lately escaped and therefore is always watchful and sollicitous of himself careful to resist beginnings and cautious of all appearance of evil and in all these things his care and circumspection surpasses that of those happy men who never foully miscarried No saith he let those be secure that never knew what danger was but in contemplation only 't is not for me to live at ease it was too much to hazard a Soul once God forbid I should do it again O my heart akes at the very danger it hath escaped methinks I am not yet safe till I am in Heaven stand upon thy guard O my Soul keep God in thy eye trust not thy self a moment but in his and thy own keeping LASTLY to add no more such a person hath constantly in his bosom a burning zeal of God's glory which the consideration of God's wonderfull mercy to him hath kindled in him He therefore loves much because much was forgiven him others that have not incurred such dangers nor been sensible of such deliverances cannot have such raised affections as he hath They do not hunger and thirst after righteousness as he doth find not that savour and relish in the means of grace that he feels perceives not those obligations upon themselves to redeem their time and repair their former omissions by a double diligence in God's service IN consideration of all these things together to which severall others might have been added of like nature the Jews have a saying in their Talmud That the most just and perfect men cannot be able to stand in judgment with the Penitents and a Rabbine of theirs Commenting upon that saying adds further That no Creature no not the very Angels themselves that never sinned are able to compare with them But most assuredly without Hyperbole they are by all the qualifications forementioned prepared for vessels of honour fit objects of the divine favour and shall be received with the joy and triumph of Angels and all the celestial Host into those glorious mansions whither Christ Jesus the friend of Penitent Sinners and the Authour of eternall salvation is gone before To whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be glory and adoration world without end Amen THE END ERRATA PAge 16. In the Contents of § 2. for his reade our Saviour's P. 27. l. 2. after the word maker add to which the Almighty replies P. 40. l. 2. for duely r. daily ibid. l. 22. r. follows P. 50. l. 12. after rule adde as if P. 56. l. 22. for not r. or ibid. after evil adde but not having such imperative power as to enforce the execution of its own dictates P. 93. l. 10. instead of worshipfull r. worship P. 135. l. 34. dele it P. 136. in Marg. for quum r. quam P. 184. l. 13. dele or ibid. l. 19. dele when P. 245. l. 19. for he r. the. P. 257. l. 1. for he r. see A Catalogue of some Books Re-printed and of other New Books Printed since the Fire and sold by R. Royston viz. Books written by H. Hammond D. D. A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New Testament in Folio Fourth Edition The Works of the said Reverend and Learned Authour containing a Collection of Discourses chiefly Practical with many Additions and Corrections from the Author 's own hand together with the Life of the Authour enlarged by the Reverend Dr. Fell Dean of Christ Church in Oxford I large Fol. Books written by Jer. Taylor D. D. and late Lord Bishop of Down and Connor Ductor Dubitantium or The Rule of Conscience in Five Books in Fol. The Great Exemplar or the Life and Death of the Holy Jesus in Fol. with Figures suitable to every story ingrav'd in Copper Whereunto is added the Lives and Martyrdoms of the Apostles By Will. Cave D. D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or A Collection of Polemical Discourses addressed against the enemies of the Church of England both