causeth repentance Zach. 12.10 That the sence and knowledge of Gods mercy and goodnesse is that which causeth vs to turne vnto him This is notably confirmed in the 12. of Zachary ver 12. The house of Dauid and inhabitants of Ierusalem are brought to Repentance and godly sorrow vpon a consideration of Gods infinite loue towards them in Christ Iesus Psal 130.4 So sayth the Prophet Dauid Psal 130.4 There is mercy with thee that thou mayst be feared So saith S. Iohn 1 Iohn 4 19. Heb. 11.6 We loue him because he loued vs first and what doth the Author to the Hebrews else meane in saying He that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him Reason 1 The reasons may be these our hearts are of a sturdie and flintie nature and neuer will kindly relent till loue worke on them True it is the heart may be pricked by the Preaching of the Law and humbled with sence of a mans owne misery but it neuer commeth to breake forth into hartie confession and true griefe for sinne as it is sinne and a breach of Gods law vntill the sence of Gods mercie is in some measure tasted of Could misery alone turne one to God then might the Deuils haue beene long agoe conuerted and Iudas also might haue repented for he felt anguish enough and horror of conscience but that did rather driue him from God because he could not apprehend the kindnes and mercy of God towardes him The workes of Gods fauour and mercie toward vs Reason 2 imprint a stamp and image of the like in vs therefore his choosing of vs imprints this in our hearts to choose him for our chiefe treasure his loue of vs causeth vs to loue him his turning to vs to turne to him Is this so that the perswasion of mercie should cause Vse 1 vs to turne this then reprooueth such as turne Gods grace into wantonnesse and make this mercy of God a bawde for sin Nothing is more called for and nothing more abused Rom. 2.4 Knowest thou not saith the Apostle that the mercie of God should lead thee to Repentance But thou despisest the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering and after thy hardnesse and impenitent heart treasurest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath how often heare wee this apollogie returned when all other defences fayle oh God is mercifull it is true but to whom it is to such as turne from their sin not to such as continue in sinne Esay 27.11 as for such Esay reads their doome He that made them will not haue mercie on them and he that formed them will shew them no fauour And Moses fearefully in the 29. Deut. 29.19 of Deut. He that heareth the words of this curse and blesseth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke in the imaginations of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against him 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 A fearefull thunder-bolt throwne on the head of all such impious beasts as make Gods mercie a cloake for sinne take notice of it thou filthie prophane liuer who being reproued for thy drunkennesse and such like vncleannesse hast this for thy defence and holdst vp this for a buckler no no he hath no mercie for thee so long as thou walkest on in thy impenitency but wrath and seueritie which he will one day manifest Vse 2 Secondly let this exhort you to take true notice of his mercy thou that wouldst repent get a tast of his loue were his mercies seriously thought vpon whom would they not moue whom would not these coards of his loue draw call them to thy mind muster them together they are indeede innumerable but for your better meditation consider of these foure rankes first of his preuenting mercies consider from how many sinnes he hath kept and preserued thee many sinnes indeed thou hast commited but farre more wouldst thou haue had committed had not his mercy preuented thee what hath kept the from murder was it not his mercy what from robbery was it not this mercy and what from whoring but this his mercy the seedes of all these are in thy heart yea and of worse the seedes of the sinne against the holy Ghost not excepted which thou mightest nay wouldest haue committed had not God with held thee had not God bine thus mercifull vnto thee thou wouldst haue proued the vilest Iulian Nero Iudas that euer the earth bare this then is Gods mercy Gods great mercy towards thee oh let it leade thee to repentance If mercies of this kind cannot moue then in the Second place call to mind his sparing mercies for albeit thou hast not committed such grosse sinns as some others haue yet thou hast done enough yea a thousand times more then enough to cause God and that iustly to haue destroyed thee long before this houre * Lamen 3. and to haue throwne thee into hell and giuen thee thy portion amongst the reprobate Consider Gods iustice on Zimry and Cosby you Adulterers on Iezabell you proud ones on Senacherib you blasphemers on Achan you worldlings on Ananias and Saphira you lyers And then tell me if Gods mercy be not great towards thee thou liuest in the like sins thou knowest it yea and happily thy conscience condems thee for it these were stricken suddenly in the very act of their sins thou hast commited them ouer and ouer againe yet art spared Oh the mercy of God towards thee consider of his goodnesse There are many thousands in hell for those sinnes thou liuest in and yet haue not committed them so often as thou hast done and others that haue not committed so great grosse sinnes as thou behold then Gods seuerity towards them but his mercy towards thee Let this leade thee to Repentance If mercies of this kind preuaile not then in the third place consider his Renewing mercies whereby he doth renew his fauours to thee daily and lodeth thee with his blessings though thou ladest him with thy sinnes doth he not daily renew his fauours with the light giuing thee life health food rayment and many other blessings which others more dutiful then thy selfe do want There is neuer an howre in the day nor night but thou forfetest all health wealth peace liberty yea heauen and thy saluation Yet for all that is God thus gratious and openeth his hands liberally to bestow good things vpon thee shall he be thus gratious in renewing his mercies and wilt thou be so gracelesse as not renew thy obedience be not so wretchlesse let these cause thee to repent If yet these wil not do then in the last place consider his pardoning mercies he is ready to pardon all thy sins willing
to passe by all thy offences vpon thy repentance be they neuer so many Esay 1.18 Were they as red as scarlet yet they shal be made as white as snow how euer thou haue liued thy sinnes be many and great and they all double dipped and died wilt thou repent the strength of his mercy shall vndoe them shall change them and make them as if they had neuer bine done thy sinnes shall be forgiuen in Christ and neuer imputed nor laid to thy charge if yet these will not preuaile then put all together consider his Preuenting his Sparing his renewing his pardoning mercies if there be any hope of thee they wil moue thee to looke home and with this Prodigall to returne to thy fathers house Oh how inexcusable art thou whom these mercies cannot allure art thou not worthy of double condemnation the sinnes committed against the law may be cured by the grace of the Gospell but when this grace is despised and men who may receiue mercy for repenting will not repent wherewith shall this impiety be healed doth there remaine any more sacrifice for sinne shall any new Sauiour be sent to saue such men Surely no there remaines nothing for such but a fearefull looking for Heb. 10.27 and expectation of iudgement and fiery indignation which shall deuoure them Vse 3 In the last place here we see that sence of misery without sence of mercy will not bring vs to repentance no nor yet sence of mercie without sence of miserie the sence of mercy without a feeling of our misery maketh vs to presume and the sence of misery without hope of mercie driueth vs to despaire so that misery and mercy must be both seene els it is impossible to be brought to repentance So looke on thy misery as withall thou hast an eye on Gods mercie and so haue an eye on his mercie as that first thou hast an eye on thy owne miserie these are the two eyes of euery penitent of neyther of them must he be blind that would find the way to Gods kingdome I cannot yet dismisse this verse before I speake something of a point or two which I cannot well baulke they lying in the way and offering themselues to our consideration First in that these are termed hyred seruants which were in his fathers house let vs note All in Gods house are not dutifull sonnes Doctr. In Gods house are hyrelings Math. 6.2 for some are hyrelings Such were the Scribes and Pharises here they serued God onely for reward and did other duties mercinarily as doth appeare by the words of our Sauiour Christ Matt. 6. and so in the Parable of the Grounds Math. 13.20 one of those kinds receiue the Word with ioy but it is onely for by-respects and temporary causes and therefore fall away in time of persecution Ioh. 6. Such also were manie of Christs followers who sought onely after the bread that perisheth as appeares by Christs words Iohn 6. And therefore seeing this is so Vse it standeth euery one in hand truely and throughly to examine himselfe whether he be a sonne or hyreling thou maiest know it by the end thou aimest at in the seruice of God Aymest thou at his glorie principally or thy owne good Is his glory the White thou leuelest at Or art thou corrupted with some other consideration If Gods glorie bee the marke then art thou a sonne but if thou professest the Gospell for other ends and by-respect thou art a mercinarie and a hyreling But Moses is said to haue an eye to the recompence of reward yea Christ himselfe the Sonne of God Ob. Heb. 11.26 Heb. 12.2 in whom was no sinne for the ioy that was set before him endured the Crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the Throne of God I answer in performing of good duties Sol. How we may haue respect to the recompence of reward in doing good workes Annet Fest Math. 3.10 an eye may be had to the recompence of reward and the consideration of it may be vsed as a helpe to our dulnesse But let vs know that we are not principally to respect it for were there no reward neither heauen for the good nor hell for the bad yet a child of God is bound yea and would obey the Lord for conscience sake Take notice then here by the way of a shamefull vntruth wherewith the Rhemists doe charge vs namely that we condemne all doing of good in hope of heauen or leauing of euill for feare of hell and that such kind of preaching we vtterly dislike How true this is our Congregations can testifie we exhort men to doe good in respect of the reward and we vse as motiues both heauens ioy and hels horror howsoeuer indeed wee exhort not men to doe good onely and principally for the rewards sake but rather in duetie and thankfulnesse to God that he may thereby be glorified Now further see these hyred seruants haue bread enough yea and more then enough for they haue to spare Doctr. God prouideth a large dyet for his Houshold Pro. 9.1.2 Hence wee gather God prouideth a large and liberall diet for those of his houshold The verie hyrelings haue such plentie that there is to spare and then surely his sonnes shall not be pinched For the confirming of this poynt see Prouerbes 9.1 2. Wisdome hath built her house Shee hath hewne out her seuen Pillars She hath killed her Beasts Shee hath mingled her Wine Shee hath also furnished her Table In which words the bountie and magnificence of the Lord towards his Church Psal 36.8 is reprepresented by the plentifull prouision of a liberall Feast-maker so also in the 36. Psal ver 8. They shall be all aboundantly satisfied with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the riuer of thy pleasures And in the 25. Esay 25.6 of Esay most excellently In this mountaine shall the Lord of Hoasts make vnto all people a feast of fat things a feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of Wines on the Lees well refined The meaning is that God will prouide for his Church and people both Iewes and Gentiles a sumptuous and royall feast for the refreshing of their soules which bountifull prouision our Sauiour Christ also setteth forth in the Gospell by a parable comparing the kingdome of Heauen that is the Doctrine of the Gospel to a marriage Feast Math. 2â— 4 which a King prepared for his Sonne Now marke first it is compared to a Feast therefore costly secondly made by a King therefore not common but plenty thirdly to a Wedding feast therefore not sparing but liberall and large fourthly to a feast made at the mariage of his owne Sonne and therefore so much the more sumptuous and magnificent So then we see this truth strongly confirmed by these Scriptures which haue beene brought Now heare the Reasons First God is of
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
Christians who are much discouraged with their weake proceedings in grace they feele not their hearts soe broken as they desire they desire with all their harts to turne vnto the Lord to leaue sinne but still they fall that fowly The good they would doe they doe not Rom. 7.19 the euill they would not doe that doe they daily Well is it thus yet be not thou discouraged for though thy repentance be but in a beginning yet if it be true God will meete it with mercy Thou saiest thou desirest is thy desire true and vnfeined doest thou desire to walke so as that God may be glorified doest thou expresse thy desire by vsing of all good meanes â— Cor. 8.12 and is not thy desire idle and art thou content to doe any labour take any paines for the obteining of grace doest thou thirst after it as the Hart doth after the riuers of water if it be thus assure thy selfe thy desire is highly pleasing vnto God and most acceptable vnto him the Lord he will not reiect it nor thee in regard of it He will not breake the bruised reed Mat. 12.20 nor quench the smoaking flaxe till he bring forth iudgement vnto victory He doth not conteme the least measure of his owne grace he hath bestowed on thee Be it neuer so small a quantity if true it is his owne gift Rom. 11.29 his gifts are without repentance he cannot despise that which himselfe hath giuen neither take that away for euer which he hath once bestowed Walke therefore boldly on be not discouraged thy creeping is acceptable to God go on with comfort And ran Behold the readinesse of this father to receiue this his penitent childe Text. the one is not so willing to returne as the other is ioyfull to receiue the father seeing of him comming doth not stay vntill he commeth but ariseth to meete him yea when he was a great way of so farre as he could see him he goeth to meet him stayeth not for his comming nigher Hence learne Doctr. God is ready to shew mercy Isa 55.7 Exod. 34.6.7 God is very ready to shew mercy to euery true penitent So saith the Prophet Esay He is very ready to forgiue Those titles giuen him for his name testifie as much The Lord the Lord Strong Mercifull and Gratious c. Those speeches which he so often vseth doe serue to confirme this truth Why will ye die oh you house of Israell Ezech. 18.31.32 Chap. 33.11 I desire not the death of him that dieth Cause therefore one another to returne and liue yea And in another place As I liue saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner turne you turne you from your euill waies for why will you die oh house of of Israel The reasons are these First because man is the workmanship Reason 1 of Gods owne hands and therefore hee is the more readie and willing to saue him As an artificer is loath to spoyle what he hath made though it doe displease him yet he tryeth all meanes to make it serue his turne before he casteth it away Reason 2 Secondly It is Gods nature to shew mercie now we know that naturall actions are not troublesome to doe but pleasant and delightfull how readie is the Beast to nourish her young how willing is man to receiue his food take his rest c. Because it is his nature to be exercised in these actions thus is the Lord as readie and taketh as much delight in shewing mercy to the penitent because he sheweth exerciseth his owne nature therefore sayth Micah Micah 7.10.18 Psal 147.11 mercie pleaseth him And Dauid sweetly The Lord is delighted in them that feare him and attend vpon his mercy euen as though he reioyced much in hauing an occasion offered of exercising his mercy towards those that desire it Reason 3 A third reason may be this because none might despaire of his mercie he is readie to shew mercie that by the example of such as haue found mercie others also might resort and repaire vnto him for mercie in time of need 1. Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained mercie sayth the Apostle that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a patterne Psal 32.6 vnto them which should hereafter beleeue on him to life euerlasting And thus saith Dauid For this shall euery one that is godly pray vnto thee in a time when thou mayst be found And lastly God is readie to receiue all true penitents to mercie because Christ Iesus hath discharged their debt Esay 53.5 and satisfied his iustice for their sinnes For he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed Vse Is this so that God is readie to forgiue euery true penitent then let none lay the fault vpon God if they perish in their sinnes for God is readie and desirous to forgiue and doth often call vpon vs to turne from our euill wayes that so we might not perish Obiect But if the Lord would not the destruction of the wicked it could not be This is well answered by one of the Fathers Answ God wileth and willeth not the destruction of a sinner in a diuers sence he willeth not their destruction as concerning the desert for in that respect he sayth Thy destruction is of thy selfe oh Israell Hos 13.9 But as it is the punishment of sinne and manifestation of the glory of his Iustice so he willeth it Accuse not then God at any time if any destruction happen vnto you but lay the whole blame thereof where it should be laid viz. vpon your selues whose hearts are hard and will not repent Secondly Seeing this is so that God is readie to shew Vse 2 mercie to euery one that seekes it let this be as a spurre and goad in our sides to make vs turne vnto him and seeke for mercy at his hands he will not be wanting to thee if thou beest not wanting to thy selfe If there bee not wanting one to aske there will not be wanting one to heare let there be a repentant offender and there will be a gracious forgiuer 2. Sam. 12.13 say but with Dauid in the truth of of thy heart I haue sinned and thou shalt soone heare the Lord make answere The Lord hath done away thy sinne Oh but my sinnes are many and great Obiect and indeed so hideous and horrible as that I neither haue nor can haue any hope of obtaining mercie Are thy sinnes many Answ then thou hast not need to increase them and make them more but to lessen them by Repentance For thee to say they are more then can be forgiuen is a greater sinne against God then the committing of those sinnes that lie so heauie vpon thy conscience For first thou doest derogate from the power of God
and accusest him of impotencie and weaknesse doth not he cut short the Princes power and mercy that shall say he can pardon lesser offences but not treason and rebellion And doth not he in like sort shrinke vp the sinewes of Gods mercy that sayth he can pardon onely smaller sinnes but not such as are of a larger size Againe what doest thou but giue his Maiestie the lye For he saith he will extend his mercy vnto all that come vnto him Ezeck 36.25 and promiseth to clense vs from all our filthinesse But thou replyest No he will not extend it vnto me neither will he cleanse me from all my sinnes Now is not this to contradict the Lord in not giuing credit to his word and promises Wherefore though you haue sinned greatly yet despaire not of Gods mercy grace nothing can be too hard from him that is omnipotent whose mercy is aboue all his workes and therefore farre aboue our sinfull workes be they neuer so many Remember his promises are made indefinitely to all that repent and turne no matter what they haue beene though Publicans or Harlots Sodomites or Gomorreans exclude not thy selfe for God doth not exclude thee Should a Prince send forth his pardon to a company of traytors and except none and if one amongst the rest should thus say this concernes not me because I haue beene so great an offender therefore I will still stand in doubt of my Princes fauour suspect his word would not euery one accuse this man of folly and vnthankefulnesse Thus doest thou who dost still stand in doubt of pardon for thy sin though the Lord hath sent forth a generall pardon for thee and all others that doe truely repent Doe not thus dishonour God and wrong thy owne soule thou canst not want mercy if thou doest truely seeke it Call to mind the dayes of old search and see if euer thou canst finde an example of any one from the beginning of the world to this present houre were their sinnes neuer so hainous or innumerable who haue not found mercy vpon their Repentance and turning Rahab an Harlot Abraham by all likelihood an Idolater Paul a Persecutor Mathew an Extertioner Zacheus a Vsurer euen these professed sinners vpon their Repentance obtained mercy And doe we not read how many of those Iewes who beate and buffetted the sonne of God who mocked him reuiled him and preferred a wicked murtherer before him and lastly in most ignominious sort crucified and killed him were conuerted to the number of three thousand of them at one Sermon Acts 2.41 and had their sinnes pardoned and remitted Who can despaire to obtaine pardon of his sinnes when they doe but remember that they who bathed their hands in the bloud of the Sonne of God should haue their soules bathed with it and that they should haue their sinnes washed away with that blood which they shed Take notice of one example more and it is that of Manasse 1. King 21. Verse 3 4.5.6 whom the Scripture makes known to haue been a horrible Idolater sacrificing his owne children vnto his Idols a notable Witch a wicked Sorcerer Verse 16. a bloudy Murtherer of Gods Saints and Prophets insomuch that he filled Ierusalem from one end to the other 2 Cro. 33.12 with innocent bloud yet this trascendent-sinning King found fauour and mercy at Gods hands Now is not this and the other examples written for our learning to assure vs of the like fauour if wee bring the like repentance feare not then though thy sinnes be many yet Gods mercies are aboue thy sinne It is impossible for thee to commit more Math. 12.32 Mark 3.28.29 1. Ioh. 5.16 then hee can remit and forgiue I confesse indeede there is an vnpardonable sinne that shall neuer bee forgiuen neither in this life nor in that which is to come but the reason is not because God cannot forgiue it but because such as haue committed it cannot relent nor repent of it they are gone so farre that they can neuer returne backe Heb. 6.4 5.6 Obiect as the Author to the Hebrewes sheweth This sinne I feare I haue committed therefore I am out of hope Indeed God is readie to shew mercie but there is none for mee Dost thou feare it Answ Such as feare they haue sinned against the holy Ghost haue not Heb. 10.29 then I dare pronounce peace to thy soule thou hast not committed it neyther canst thou commit it so long as thou thus fearest for such as doe commit this sinne doe it to despite the Spirit of grace and count the bloud of the couenant as an vnholy thing They are not afraid of it but rather boast of it glorie in it and liue and dye in it And therefore be not thou discouraged from seeking to the Lord God hath mercie in store for thee yea euen for thee if thou becommest penitent be thou what thou wilt be But if thou resoluest to lye still snorting in sinne then let mee tell thee that as there is no sinne be it neuer so great but vpon thy repentance shall be forgiuen so there is no sinne be it neuer so small that thou hast committed but without repentance will be thy damnation Bee wise therefore and make a good choyce for this day I haue set before thee life and death at thy choyce be it Vse 3 The last vse may serue for Imitation Let vs be like to our heauenly Father and be as readie to forgiue others who haue offended vs as God is to forgiue vs who haue and doe daily offend him It may be some haue offered thee wrong yea great wrong yet must thou forgiue and that redily Why is there then so much suing and intreating and begging for reconciliation before pardon be obtayned Remember God is more gracious vnto thee and oughtest not thou to be so vnto thy brother Doctr. God is more readie to shew mercie then we are to receiue it Esay 65.24 Further in that we here find the sonne comming to confesse and the father running to forgiue Hence learne we God is more readie to shew mercie then penitent sinners are to sue for mercie the one comes softly the other swiftly An excellent place to proue this is that of the Prophet Esay Before they call I will answer and whiles they speake I will heare God will not stay vntill they doe call Vers 1. but before they call hee will grant them their desire And so in the first verse of that Chapter I was found of them that sought me not Vse 1 Vse Take notice then of Gods wonderfull loue who albeit he be the partie that is offended yet is more readie to forgiue then we to seeke or to begge pardon My thoughts are not your thoughts Esay 55.8 neither are my waies your waies saith the Lord. It is most true indeed for of how stiffe stubborne implacable a disposition are wee of Haue we once conceiued a displeasure against any how
dangers and cause thee to stand fast in the euill day and sad times of temptation and persecution For God shall giue his beloued rest they shall be deliuered for he will helpe with his right hand VERS 22. But the Father said to his seruants Text. Verse 22.23 Bring forth the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet 23. And bring hither the fatted calfe and kill it and let vs eat and be merry WE haue heard before of the Fathers readinesse to receiue him now here we see the entertainment he gaue him being come into his presence He calls for a robe yea the best robe and so cloths him for a ring to adorne and beautifie him for shoes for his feere that stones might not annoy nor hurt them for the fat calfe to feede and refresh him and whatsoeuer is wanting he bestowes vpon him Now had the Father fit time and his sonnes sinnes deserued it that he should rip vp vnto him his former faults and call to remembrance the offences of his youth and welcome him home after this manner Ah siâ—ra are you now come is all spent amongst your whores and harlots returne vnto them let them prouide for you you come no more within my dores But behold the loue of this his Father he vseth no such thundering speeches he threatneth not to cast him of Nor yet doth he cast him in the teeth with his former courses he remembreth not any old recknings the offences of his youth are not spoken of But he seeing this his riotous vnthrifty sonne returne home with an humble heart presently offers himselfe to his childe and before he had made an end of his confession or could begg a supply of things needfull his father intercepts him by his hastie calling to his seruants Bring hither the best to be the shoes the ring let the fat calfe be killed make a feast send for musicke Now all is forgotten Doctr. God will neuer vpbraid any with their former courses that repent Ier. 31.34 So then we see The Lord will neuer vpbraid such as turne vnto him with their former courses but vpon their true repentance will forgiue them and forget them This the Lord doth faithfully promise in the 31. of Ieremie 34 vers in these words They shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest saith the Lord for I will forgiue their iniquitie Heb. 8.12 and remember their sinnes no more which very words the author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes doth cite and so further confirme the point See it further proued in the 7. Micah 7.18 of Micah vers 10. where the Church speaketh thus Who is a God like vnto thee that pardoneth iniquitie and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage who reteineth not his anger for euer because he delighteth in mercy He will turne againe vers 19. he will haue compassion vpon vs he will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the depth of the Sea so in the 103. Psalme this is further cleared from the 8. to the 13. Psal 103.8 to 13. verse the words are these The Lord is mercifull and gratious flow to anger and plenteous in mercy and in the 12. verse hee saith thus As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our transgressions from vs. But some may obiect Obâ—ect that the Scripture maketh mention of the vncleane life of sinners after their conuersion as of Rahab who albeit she turned to the Lord Heb. 11.31 Iam. 2.25 and forsooke her former filthinesse yet she is branded with the name of a harlot First I answer Answ some of our Diuines are of this iudgement that shee was not an harlot in act or openly professed filthinesse for the word which is vsed in Iosua 6.22 signifieth a tauerner or hostesse as well as a harlot for so shee was by profession Now indeed those persons and trades Dr. Halls Contempl by reason of the commonnesse of entertainment were amongst the Iewes infamous for name and note so that we may well thinke that her publike trade through the corruption of those times did cast on her this name of reproch Secondly I answer this is not mentioned to her reproch but spoken to her praise shee is not vpbraided with it but commended in that she had forsaken it We see hereby what shee was before her calling but shee is not reproched with it now after her calling she is now no longer a harlot but a true beleeuer with the people of God so then it tends not to her defaming but to shew the greatnes of Gods compassion and the soundnes of her conuersion Now for the Vse which we may make of this truth Vse 1 First it should serue as an excellent and notable motiue to repentance This should be as a spurr in out sides to make vs speedily turne vnto the Lord. Art thou a drunkard an vncleane person a filthy liuer take notice of Gods mercifull dealing with this prodigall who is set out for a patterne to all them that are desirous to come home see how vpon his repentance he is aduanced how liberall his father is towards him as if from his very cradle he had crept on his hands knees to please him here are no old items no back recknings brought in but all is forgiuen and forgotten as if there were no fault done he is as royally entertained as if he had bin the dutifullest sonne that euer the earth bare Well thus will God deale with thee he will neuer vpbraid thee with thy drunkennes with thy swearing with thy whoring with thy theeuing nor with any other of thy lewd courses These thou shalt neuer heare of if thou become a penitent But if not be thou assured thy sinnes shall be set in order before thee and what now thou doest in secret God will manifest on the house top before Men and Angels Secondly seeing God doth deale thus with true penitents to couer their sinnes and cast them behinde his backe let vs take heede how we vncouer the sinnes of any that hath repented of them and how we vpbraid any with their former courses God hath blotted them out of the skore shall we dare to set them on againe Let vs learne to put a difference betwixt time past and time present the Apostle reckoning vp many horrible sinnes committed by the Corinthians in the time of their vnregeneracie maketh a flat opposition betweene their estate before their calling and that after Such were some of you 1. Cor. 6.11 saith he but now yee are washed but now yee are clensed but now yee are sanctified So that he that hath bin a swearer and repented is now none he that hath bin an adulterer and hath repented is now none and the like for the High-Commission Court hath cleared him Shall we say he that is come to mans estate is
perfecta sit tria debet habere scil vt sit voluntaria nuda et munda Bern. Psal 32.5 and not extorted or inforced Many doe confesse their sins but they are drawne to it as we say by head and eares The anguish of their Soules and horror of their Consciences the violence of some sicknesse or some other iudgment doth force them to it But this is no free-will offering and therefore not regarded Perfit confession must be voluntarie and so was Dauids I will confesse my sinne and so thou forgauest c. Fourthly we must so confesse The Fourth property with purpose to forsake Vera confessio vera penitentia est quaÌ„do sic paeuitâ—t hominem pâ—ccassâ— vt crimeÌ„ non repâ—tat Ber. as that we also purpose to leaue and forsake for otherwise Pharaohs confession would be as good as ours then doth a man truly confesse when he leaueth those sinnes which he hath made confession of We may not then confesse as the Papists doe who presume to sinne because of confession nor as the Atheist doth who confesseth sinne in a brauery purposing to liue in it but with good Shecaniah so confesse as that we make a couenant to leaue and forsake those sins which we make confession of Ezra 10.23 The Fift property It must be with hope of mercy Fiftly it must be in Faith As with the one eye we must behold our sinnes and the heynousnes of them so with the other eye we must looke vpon the mercy of God in Christ So are we to dwell on the meditation of our sinnes as that we forget not the riches of Gods grace Wee may not then confesse as the convicted theefe before the Iudge who expects nothing but hanging but as the sicke man to his Physition in hope of being cured There is a confession which is the daughter of desperation Math. 27.5 as we see in Iudas who confessed I haue sinned and hanged himselfe when he had done Beware of that The Sixt property with praier for mercy 2 Sam. 24.10 And lastly with confession Prayer must be added and with the acknowledgment of our sinnes remission must be craued I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done saith Dauid therefore now Lord I beseech thee take away the ttespasse of thy seruant He doth as well begg mercy forgiuenesse as acknowledge his offence But this did did not Cain nor Iudas Though they made confession of there faults Gen. 4. they cryed not for mercy and therefore receiued no comfort nor grace in time of neede Other properties there are necessarily required as that it must be made with Exageration we must aggrauate our sinnes and not extenuate them As also that it bee made with humiliation and only vnto God not to Saint or Angell But these I am in the next place to handle and therefore I passe them by here See then that thy confession be made in this right manner that it may be acceptable and pleasing vnto God Confesse not only in Generall that thou art a sinner but reckon vp thy speciall sinnes say Lord this and this haue I done such a word did I speake such a fault did I commit at such a time in such a place to the prouoking of thy wrath and that most iustly against me And see that thou confessest with the heart as wel as with the tounge that thou maist call God himselfe for a witnesse Thou Lord who art the searcher of the heart and reynes knowest that I confesse it with my soule yea and that freely and willingly without any extorting or enforcing and with a full resolution to forsake it hereafter Pardon therefore oh Lord pardon and forgiue Psal 51.2 And according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out this my offence Thus or after the like manner must thou come before the Lord and make thy confession which if thou dost assure thy selfe for God hath engaged his truth vpon it that thou shalt obteine pardon and forgiuenesse And in the last place seeing this is so That the ready Vse 4 way to obteine pardon for sinne is to confesse it Then this affordeth great comfort to such as are truely grieued and heartily sorry for them who are euer confessing and bewailing their sinnes to the most high God yea such sinnes as none but their owne consciences can checke them for and are much grieued because they can reueale no more Let not such bee too much discouraged for assuredly that sinne that is truely confessed shall neuer be imputed For God is faithfull and iust 1 Iohn 1.9 who hath promised the word is gone out of his mouth which he will neuer recall he can no more denie it then denie himselfe Comfort therefore thy selfe for the more thou confessest the better it is for thee and how euer in the Courts of men confession brings shame and punishment yet in Gods court it brings a couer and reward Father Here we see to whom he makes confession It is not to the seruants nor to his brother but to his Father Hence learne Confession of sinne must be made vnto the Lord. Doctr. Confession of sinne is to be made to God Psal 32.5 Dan. 9.4 Hos 14.2 I acknowledged saith Dauid my sinne vnto the Lord. And so did Daniel I prayed vnto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord we haue sinned c. This is giuen the Israelites in charge That they should take vpon them words and turne vnto the Lord. It is to God then to whom we must turne it is to him that we must confesse The reasons are these First All sinne is committed against God True it is Reason 1 we may hurt and wrong men by our sinnes Because all sin is properly committed against God and bring much damage both to the body and goods of others by the committing of them as Dauid to Vriah but the chiefest dishonour is against God whose law is broken and transgressed And hence it was that Dauid did crye out Psal 51.4 Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight Now if this be so then am I to make confession vnto him him alone hee being the party wronged and against whom the chiefest dishonour is Reason 2 Secondly God onely can forgiue sinnes and none but he God onely can forgiue Iob 34.31 It pertaineth onely vnto God to say I haue pardoned I will not destroy saith Elihu in the Booke of Iob. The Iewes though they were blinde in many things yet this they knew that none could forgiue sinnes but God onely And the Lord himselfe doth testifie as much Marke 2.7 Isa 43.25 I euen I am hee that putteth away thy iniquities for my owne sake Reason 3 Thirdly It is very requisite that he to whom we make confession should know the heart for sinners will dissemble He onely knowes the heart Now this God onely doth and none but hee To him therefore are wee