a man hath broken the Law and therefore cannot be a direct and absolute precept of the Law I say a direct or absolute precept of the Law in its prime intention Repentance is not But a consequent hypothetical indirect precept it is of a second intention That is upon supposition a man hath once transgressed the Law he is implicitly bound by the same Law to repent as Repentance signifies a cessation from sin and a return to the duty of obedience Otherwise a man might be discharged from the obligation of the Law by breaking it Rom. 4. 1 Joh. 3. And then he that had sinned once could sin no more because where there is no Law there is no transgression But that Law that binds a man to perpetual obedience doth not only bind a man from sinning once but supposing that he hath done so it must needs oblige him to cease from continuing in his sin But properly and directly Repentance is a precept of the Gospel directed to the transgressors of the Law as a remedy for the breach of it and a condition of pardon not allowed by the Original Law And therefore it is not a precept only but a priviledg peculiar to the Gospel being a gracious dispensation and mitigation of the rigour of the Law Act. 11.18 God hath granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life That a sinner upon his repentance through Faith in a Mediator that hath expiated his sins should obtain remission of his sin and be discharged from the penalty of the Law is a new grant grace and priviledg of the second Covenant The difference therefore between the first and second Covenant lies not in the common sense of those general terms Do this and live as if the second Covenant required nothing at all to be done which is contrary to our Text and all those which have been alledged for the explication thereof but partly in the special signification of the Word this and partly in a gracious promise of Grace sufficient to enable a man to perform what ever is to be understood by that word this which cannot be so interpreted as to signifie the same thing in reference to both Covenants Because though something be required to be done as a Condition of the new Covenant as well as of the old yet not the same For something was required in the old which is not in the new and something is required in the new which was not in the old and something is required in both For instance The old Covenant indispensably required perfect innocence in an entire fulfilling the whole Law written in the heart of man or declared or to be declared by divine Revelations leaving no place for any such thing as Repentance to be admitted for a Remedy of Sin But this perfect Innocence is so far from being required in the new Covenant as the very Supposition of it prevents and destroyes the end and design of the New which imports a plain contradiction to such sinless innocence In as much as the new Covenant is nothing else but a Remedy provided by the grace of God for the want of such innocence Were it possible to perform the condition of the old Covenant the new could have no place because that supposeth a man a transgressor of the old And if now it were possible for any man to obey the whole Law without any new transgression yet he that is already a sinner Rom. 5.18 19. as all men are by the first transgression could not be saved by that Covenant because his being so renders him incapable of pleading performance of the Condition thereof This therefore is a main difference between the two Covenants The first exacts perfect Obedience and Innocence the second admits Repentance A second difference of these Covenants is in the first and principal Article of the new Covenant which is consigned upon the Condition of Faith in Jesus Christ as a Saviour to save us from our Sins Which also imports a plain Repugnance to the Condition of the first in as much as it implies a violation of it Faith in a Saviour to save us from our Sins could be no precept of the old Covenant because that doth neither declare nor admit any such Saviour These are two main things whereby the two Covenants are distinguished in their Conditions and it is not requisite in this place to name any more But with these Differences there is also something common to both and that is the general Obligation of Obedience to the Commandments according to the express words of our Saviour before alledged If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments And this I take to be a duty of such necessity as could not be discharged or dispensed with by any positive Will or Covenant of God upon any Consideration whatsoever No not upon that of a most perfect satisfaction for the breach of the Law with an intire fulfilling of it by a Surety for and in the stead of the Transgressors I say that neither upon this nor any other Consideration the Duty of Obedience to the Moral Law of God could be discharged or dispensed with For these Reasons 1. Because such a discharge or dispensation is contrary to the Soveraignty of God which importeth an Authority to command all Creatures that are capable of receiving and obeying any commands This Authority being essential to the Divine Nature He cannot devest himself of by any positive Will no more than he can destroy his own Essence But to discharge a Creature capable of the duty of Obedience from all obligation thereunto were to put off that Authority because Where there is no obligation to obedience there can be no authority to command If therefore God should discharge a Creature of his duty of Obeying his Commands he should thereby quit his Soveraignty over that Creature which is altogether impossible 2. Because such a liberty granted to any part of mankind is contrary to the Justice and Holiness of God in as much as it implies a licence and toleration of the utmost wickedness that could be committed by them that had obtain'd this liberty For where there is no restraint put upon the wills of men by any binding law there must needs be the utmost of license 3. Because this Liberty is contrary to the nature of Man as he is a Reasonable Creature Because as he is reasonable he is capable of receiving Commands and Laws from his Creator and as he is a Creature he is naturally bound to be subject to them The relation of a Creature naturally importing such a debt of subjection to the Creator as can never be discharged 4. And lastly Because there are some Divine Laws which are in themselves indispensable to a reasonable Creature Such is that which is commonly called the Moral Law in the strictest sense signifying not all Precepts that concern the manners of men but the same thing with the Law of Nature and right Reason Which as it teacheth a distinction
I doubt whether I should do it or not hath to me an appearance of a greater sin in the doing it than it can be in the omission that Reason is very sufficient to restrain me from the action and oblige me to the forbearance till I can be otherwise informed to the better satisfaction of my Conscience For 2 Thess 5.22 when we are commanded to abstain from all appearance of evil it is most reasonable to conclude that the appearance of the greatest Evil doth most strongly oblige my abstinence As for Example Suppose the action whereof I am in doubt hath an appearance of Idolatry as in the Corinthians case the eating things sacrificed to Idols had and as the worshipping a piece of bread or the invocation of Saints departed may justly have In such cases I say it is most reasonable to abstain from the action because it is most safe so to do because by the doing of this action I do at least suspect I may be guiltie of Idolatry which is a far greater sin than a bare omission of an Act of obedience to any humane authority can be The same resolution upon parity of reason is to be made where the omission upon due consideration may appear to be a greater sin than the performance of the action which seems to be the case of refusing obedience to authoritie causing disorder and having at least an appearance of Schism in matters of meer ceremony or circumstance in the publick worship of God upon a bare suspition of their want of allowance from God or being some way forbidden I say That the disobedience in this case if the action should prove not to be forbidden by God is a greater sin than the action would be in obedience to authority though it should prove to be forbidden whilst we have so much reason to doubt whether it be or no For it cannot with reason be conceived that the Transgression of a Divine Precept in a matter of circumstance so obscurely revealed as hath not been discover'd by the Catholick Church for many Ages nor yet is by the Rulers and most learned and pious Doctors and Pastors of the present Church can be so great a sin as is the transgression of so plain a Precept as that of obedience to authoriâ—ie especially when that disobedience produceth the effects of Disorder Schism Scandal with separation from the publick Worship of God and privation of the means of his Grace These things considered I say it is not reason able to think but that the sin of disobedience in case the thing should prove to be not forbidden as by this doubt is supposed possible is far greater than the doing of the act though it should prove to be forbidden And therefore in this case the action is to be done notwithstanding the doubt by way of caution against a greater sin It being a greater sin to disobey doubtingly than to obey doubtingly in such a matter But if for ought appears to me there is no such difference but that it may be as great a sin to omit thâ— action as to do it considering my doubt as well whether it be not commanded as whether it be not forbidden I am then to consider what other reasons may incline me either to the action or to the omission in respect of advantage or disadvantage to my self or other on either side As for Example Suppose on the on-side if I forbear the action I do not onely sin againâ— God upon one or both of the foremention'd accounts that is as doing that which is forbidden in it self 〈◊〉 forbidden to me because I doubt the lawfulness of it but I also deprive my self of many advantages which might have by the doing it and incur considerable damage in my Libertie Estate Reputation with otheâ— incommodations to my friends On the other side if do the action I do onely sin against God by acting doubtfully or it may be by transgressing some unknown command abstracted from that doubt which inconveniences are equally supposed in the forbearance But I avoid the forementioned disadvantages without incurring any other of equal concern In this case I say it will be perfectly unreasonable to chuse the more hazzardable resolution with rejection of the less And therefore the resolution will be as clear what is reasonable to be done in this case as is in any of the former with this onely difference That the practice under this duplicitie of doubt cannot be without a necessitie of sin What then can I or should I do more in this case than this commit my self to the Mercie of God with a cautionary profession of my desire to obey him And that if I could any way possibly avoid the hazzard of transgressing his Will I would do it notwithstanding any motives whatever respecting my self or mine own interest But because I cannot so do at this time for want of present means to understand his Will I act according to the general Rule and law of my Nature that is my reason as far as it will afford me any direction begging his pardon of my present ignorance and the inevitable effect thereof Against this resolution if it be objected as was before intimated that there can be no such necessitie of sinning against God Whilst every man is bound to depose his doubt and imbrace his Dutie I answer first That this destroyes the supposition of the Cose and therefore is no just Objection to the answer which is given upon the admission of it 2. That it is not true that there can be no such necessitie of sinning or that every man is bound immediately to depose his doubt though it be not in his power so to do For though God doth not put a man upon any such necessitie of sinning against himself yet a man may by his own fault and by his culpable ignorance bring himself into this streight But here it must needs be observed that the intire resolution is grounded upon that Principle That whatsoever is done doubtingly is a sin Which Principle I take up in this Discourse onely upon the account of its common reception grounded upon the words of the Apostle He that doubteth is damned if he eat And therefore the resolution that supposeth this Principle can be serviceable to such onely as receive it But whether this Maxime be universally true or can be inferr'd from the Apostles Words by the necessary sence of them and whether it ought to be extended to such actions as fall under the command of Authority and not rather to be restrained to such actions as the Apostle speaks of in that Chapter viz. such as are indifferent in themselves and wherein a man is sui juris not supposed to be under command of authority either way is a just Problem For the Apostle in the Discourse of that Chapter wherein he delivers that conclusion He that doubteth is damned if he eat c. speaketh onely of such actions wherein a man is sui juris at
Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God More particularly first by all such Actions as are evil in themselves or secondly by such as being good or indifferent in themselves are evilly performed in respect of the manner circumstances or ends of them or thirdly by such as have an appearance of evill 1. By such actions as are clearly evil in themselves in respect of the matter of them by all such actions God is dishonoured aswell such as are committed against our neighbour as such as are committed immediately against God himself whether the eidence of that evil proceeds from any written Word of God or only from the common Law of reason and humane understanding For that same Effect of the Law wittten in the heart Rom. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Saint Paul attributes to the Heathen being equally common to Christians doth equally bind them and cannot be superseded or made void by the knowledg of the Written Law which serves to perfect it So that whiles the defect of that Law in the heart is only supplied by the Word the Effect of it still remaines And if a Heathen shall be judged for things done by him only against the Law of reason his own conscience accusing him as the Apostle saith though he knows of no written Law of God against it then doubtless so shall a Christian be for all such Actions as he shall do against the same Law of his Reason and Conscience notwithstanding he either knows not or cannot remember any written word against it For this Ignorance as to such particular Actions is the same in both For although the Law of God which is written in the Scriptures be said to be perfect and thereupon is supposed to declare in the Latitude of it's Sense and the just Consequences thereof the whole Will of God that is his preceptive Will in whatsoever he requires or forbids men to do yet because this perfection of Sense with the Consequences is not perfectly understood by any man much less by all therefore may there be many things therein required and forbidden which will not from thence be particularly understood much less remembred at all times If therefore the Conscience of a man from clear light of Reason shall condemn any Action which he is any way tempted to do although he doth not remember any particular Text of Scripture whereby it is forbidden he is nevertheless bound to abstain from it by that Law written in the Heart and cited by the Conscience But to return to the matter in hand which is the Consideration of God's Dishonour in that which is done It is manifest that God is dishonoured only by such Actions as are contrary to his Will because no Act which is either agreeable to his Will by way of Command or Approbation or allowed by his Will by way of Permission can be dishonourable to him unless he can be supposed to command approve or allow of his own Dishonour From hence it follows that God is not dishonoured by any such Acts as are purely indifferent in their individual existence because that Dishonour imports a Contradiction to such an indifferency and so destroyes it For it cannot be indifferent to dishonour God But whether there be any such individual Acts as are absolutely indifferent is a disputable point which I may not here stand to examine But in general every Act of Transgression of the known Will of God is a manifest derogation to his Glory especially that of his Soveraign Authority And especially every presumptuous i. e. wilful Transgression for that imports a plain Contempt of God and his Authority Therefore by this Rule Christians are especially to be careful to abstain from all presumptuous Transgressions of God's Will which way soever made known unto them whether by the written Word or by the light of Reason as before was said Now those Actions are most apparently contrary to the Will of God which are evil in respect of the matter of them 2. But it is no less manifest that some Actions both which are indifferent and which are good in respect of the Matter of them may be evil in respect of the Manner Circumstances and Ends of their Doing as was said before and is too evident to need any proof only this may be added that as there are some kinds of Actions which cannot be made good or indifferent by any Circumstance whatsoever as to hate God to blaspheme or curse him to take his Name in vain by false Swearing c. which Actions certainly are evil not by any Arbitrary Law or Will of God but by their very Nature and this Evil such as no possible determination of God's Will can or could have acquitted them from So are there some Acts of the Soul especially which are so intrinsecally Good as that they cannot become Evil by any Circumstance or End that is consistent with their Being as to love God above all to reverence him to defire his Glory above all things c Yet I deny not but that even in such Actions as they are now performed by men in the flesh there is some Imperfection and that is an Evil but not such as denominates the Act to be so except we will say that it is impossible for the holiest man that can be to do any such good Act as is not a Sin And then it were indeed a vain Question to dispute Whether any single Act can be indifferent For if all such Acts as have any or the most goodness in them be Sins it were a great absurdity to imagine that those which being supposed indifferent have no Goodness in them should have no Evil for then it would be apparent that one Evidence at least of their not being Evil should be because they are not Good because by this Conclusion if they were Good they would be Evil. 3. God is dishonoured by such Actions as have an appearance of Evil and therefore by this Rule also Christians are to abstain from all appearance of Evil. This being the ground of that Precept of S. Paul 1 Thess 5.22 as it is rendred in our own and most other Translations For there is another possible Translation of the words which seems to be favor'd by the Syriack Translator and is accepted by some Interpreters viz. from all kind or sort of Evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab omni specie mali But besides that this is a notable abatement of the sense of the Precept I doubt much whether the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Example else where in the New Testament or the Septuagint may be taken in such a Philosophical sense Certainly Christians ought to abstain not only from such things as are really Evil but also from all things that may give a Suspition or carry an appearance of Evil As for Instance we ought not only to abstain from Pride and Vain-glory from Covetousness Deceit Intemperance and all manner of Unchastness
reward the practice of it and because he hath promised so to do it can be no part of our duty to set aside all respect to the benefit of our duty because so to doe would be to frustrate one end of his promises and to sleight his bounty which would be a plain opposition to his Glory which we pretend to seek They are therefore no such friends to God's glory as they pretend that say Men ought not to respect their own benefit in any service that they do to God Besides the present comfort of a mans own Conscience bearing witness of his integrity and uprightness of heart to God-ward whereof this constant seeking of his glory is the most infallible evidence 1 Sam. 2.30 the Lord hath promised that he will honour them that honour him and hath provided a Crown of glory for them that glorifie him And certainly the degrees of glory hereafter will be answerable to the degrees of zeal and Industry that men had here to glorifie God the more a man seeks God's glory the greater shall be his own glory whereas he that acts not for God cannot in reason expect any reward from him for any thing that he doth how good or how much soever it be The want of this end or preferring any other before it frustrates a man of the heavenly reward I say the heavenly because some temporal reward may be received for well doing by him that hath no such sincere respect to Gods glory He that hath other ends which he respects either only orchiefly shall have other proportionable rewards 2 King 10.30 as Jehu had But if thou dost all for the glory of God especially though not only all thy doings and all Gods dealings and mens doings or dealings by thee shall be turned to thy good Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God Before I conclude my discourse upon this point which I have already declared to be the most fundamental Canon of Christian Religion I shall add to what hath been hitherto spoken concerning it 1. Some special Notes or Characters whereby it may be discerned whether a man walks according to this rule or no. 2. Some particular Directions useful to be observed in order to the general practice thereof First I shall propound some proper signes whereby a man may be able to judg whether he hath any such religious affection to the glory of God as this duty requireth 1. He that hath an intire loyall heart to God and his glory will value Gods interest above hiâ— own in every thing that he hath or doth This is a generall note of integrity to God-ward If the heart be truly faithfull there will be no interest of his own so precious to him as the interest of God Men in the flesh have many interests ends and projects which they seek in order to the contentment of their various appetites as bodily life ease safety liberty wealth health honour and pleasure Now it is the part and property of a godly man to consider that as God hath a general interest in every thing that is or is done in the world so he hath a more special interest in him and all that belongs to him in respect of the propriety which he hath in him and his special and peculiar ingagement to him above other men The interest that God hath in the world and all things that belong to it is universal and transcendent infinitely above any interest that a creature can have in any thing whereto he may pretend the most absolute propriety The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof Ezek. 16.17 c. Thou hast taken thy fair Jewels of my Gold and of my Silver which I had given thee and madest to thy self images of men and did'st commit whoredom with them And took ' thy broydered garments and coverd'st them and thou hast set mine oyle and mine incense before them my meat also which I gave thee fine flower and oyle and hony wherewith I fed thee thou hast even set it before them for a sweet savour Moreover thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters whom thou hast born unto me and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured No mans money meat garments children are so much his own as they are God's God's gifts they are all and t is he that gives us an interest in them but doth not destroy or evacuate his own For God's deed of gift to the creature doth not alienate the propriety as man's doth he doth never give away any thing from himself and therefore may still command what ever he hath given and take it away again with as much justice as he gave it with mercy What ever we have we hold by title of frank Almoign as the Lawyers speak and as usu-fructuaries rather than proprietors But besides this common interest of God's as the true and soveraign proprietor of all things he hath a special interest in his own people and in all that is theirs as his peculiar servants And this is not only to be acknowledg'd by them but preferred before any interest of their own and so will be by every faithful servant And therefore he will be content at any time to resign and depart from neglect and disregard his own interest to promote salve or secure the interest of God's glory Agodly man looks upon all that he owns as God's more than his and therefore will be ready to use it or leave it lay it down or lay it out according to the will of God and as may make most for his glory Agreeable to this first general Note of observing this rule is the practice of Self-denial and Mortification of carnal lusts Look how much of self-denial is found in any man so it be sincere and not partial denying himself in one thing to serve himself in an other so much of Religion towards God For the greatest Let that men have from seeking God's glory is self-love Carnal self-love I mean or inordinate love of the carnal Self For there is an innocent kind of self-love founded in the law of nature and supposed in all the promises of reward to the obedience of God's Commandments as they are propounded for motives thereunto Whiles God doth invite or incourage us to seek and serve him with promises of advantage to our selves by so doing he must needs allow us some measures of love for our selves else such arguments would be no just motives to obedience but temptations to sin if all self-seeking were so Such motives could have no effect at all upon our wills if we did not love our selves nor any good effect if we might not Indeed this natural self love is so far from being a sin or breach of any Commandment that it is the rule and measure of the great Commandment of Charity expressed in those two general and equivalent precepts Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self And What soever you would
that men should do unto you do you unto them likewise And though this Self-love be no where commanded in express terms because it needed not yet the immediate effects and instances of it are As when we are commanded to lay up for our selves treasures in Heaven to seek those things which are above to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling to use all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure c. But to return from this Digression Though it be manifest by the premised discourse and without it by the direct light and law of nature That there is a kind of self-love which is more than innocent and consequently which can be no impediment to that love of God which is to be exercised in the seeking of his glory but may be subordinate and subservient thereunto Yet that which is commonly understood by the name of self-love is indeed the greatest Enemie to the love of God And the seeking our Selves inordinately is in truth the only thing that diverts us from the seeking of God and his Glory For though a man may be turn'd aside from his duty of obedience to God by an irregular love or fear of men And though the pleasing of men be an ordinary temptation to that which is displeasing to God yet both that love and fear of men is reducible to self-love as its principle and end And this vitious Self-love though it be not the only thing which is understood by the name of Original sin yet may it fitly enough be so called in as much as upon strict examination it may be found to b◠the root and original of all actual sin both of omission and commission So that in what degree 〈◊〉 man is able to overcome this Lett in such degre◠he is free and prepared to seek and serve the glor◠of God And he that is throughly willing and able to deny himself shall find nothing to lett him from serving of God And yet so true it is that whiles God wills us 〈◊〉 have such an universal respect to his glory as 〈◊〉 expressed in this Rule he doth not inhibit us the love of our selvs that upon a right understanding 〈◊〉 the matter it will be evident to a true believer That he loves himself best that loves God better And this is most manifest upon the account of that finall happiness which is promised in the life to come to them that love God And because this is the chief and highest interest of a believer it is certain that the best way to secure and promote a man◠own interest is to secure the Interest of Gods glory with the utmost of fide lity and holy zeal Secondly He that hath such a true respect to Gods glory as this Text requires will be grieved at and for the dishonour of God whether it be done by himself or by others 1. As oft as his conscience shall charge him with the doing of any thing contrary to the glory of God he will be heartily grieved for it And this is that which the Apostle calls Godly sorrow or sorrow according to God namely that only whereby a man is sorry for the displeasing or dishonouring of God Godly Sorrow is the Scripture-name for that which the Schools call Contrition and is the proper effect and therefore an infallible signe of love to God A carnal man and he that is worse a reprobate and a devil may be grieved for sin as it is the cause of Mischief or misery to himself but not at all as it is dishonourable and offensive to God The carnall man's sorrow which he pretends for his sin is not so much nay not at all indeed for the sin as such but for the events and consequences thereof which he either feels or fears And yet this is the only sorrow which the School Doctors understand by the term of Attrition which some of them maintain to be sufficient to Salvation if it be joyned with Absolution or but the Vote of it By which Doctrine all necessity of love to God or respect to his glory is perfectly excluded 2. But whosoever hath a true respect to the glory of God will not only be grieved for his own sinnes but also for the sins of others upon the same account because thereby God is dishonoured Psal 119. 136. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law and v. 158. I beheld the transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy word Other mens sins were his sorrows He was more grieved for other mens sins than they were for their own Lot in Sodom was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2.7 8. A faithfull servant or well disposed Son cannot indure to see and hear his Master or Father dishonoured Nor will any true friend be unconcern'd in the reproach of his friend He therefore that hath the patience to stand by and hear or see the Name of God blasphemed or his holy Will violated without any sentiments of displeasure can neither be the servant child nor friend of God And he that hath any intire affection to the glory of God will desire and indeavour as much as in him lies to prevent the impeachment thereof by others as well as by himself and that not only by removing of scandal as in the case of the Corinthians which Saint Paul here speaks of but by all the offices of spiritual charity viz. by admonishing reproving exhorting counselling c. and by performing all the duties of his place towards such as relate unto him He that truly loves God will desire as many rivals and make as many friends for God as he is able 3. He that is truly desirous of and solicitous for the promoting and maintaining God's glory will rejoyce in it more than in any thing else If God be glorified in any thing that is his he will rejoyce in it more than at the improvement thereof to any advantage of his own He will not be contented only but glad God is glorified though no other end of his be served nor benefit ariseth to himself yea though it be with the crossing of his own interest though he suffers much by a good action yet his heart is comforted and abundantly satisfied in the Glory of God And not only when God is glorified by his own doings or sufferings will a godly man rejoice but likewise to see the same event procured by others whosoever they be He that is truly good would have other men better than himself And he is no Saint indeed that envies an other should deservedly obtain that name Phil. 1.18 Moses out of his zeal for Gods glory Num. 11.29 wished that all the Lords people were Prophets Hezekiah rejoyced to see the liberality and forwardness of the people for the service of God 2 Chron. 29.36 and 31.8 David was glad when they said unto him Come let us go into the house of the Lord Psal 122.1 4.
the five Articles of that Faith which a late Author hath endeavoured to prove to be as Catholick as Reason it self And therefore was never left out in any Religion that hath obtain'd in the World Nor was ever denied by any Philosophers that acknowledg'd the immortality of the Soul and any Life after this No Religion can be made out to be rational in the Theorie much less perswaded into Practice without the establishment of this Principle which being established doth certainly inferre a necessity of keeping Godâ—s Commandments in order to the hopes of eternal Life which was the thing to be demonstrated But against this Doctrine many things may be objected as 1. That it seems to evacuate the distinction of the old and new Covenants by confounding the condition of them which by this Hypothesis seems to be the same viz. Do this and Live 2. That it layes a burthen upon Christians as heavie as that which the Jews were never able to bear and gives occasion for the Disciples Question Who then can be saved 3. That it seems to contradict Saint Paul's Doctrine of Justification by Faith Rom. 4.44 without Works 4. And to favour the Popish Doctrine of Merit These Objections will be most conveniently answered after we have considered the third Text from whence we designed to complete the Answer to that great Question What we should do to be saved A Question put to Saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles by the Jews Acts 2.38.39 Now when they heard this they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and Bretheren what shall we do Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized c. The necessity of Baptism to Salvation grounded upon the words of our Saviour John 3.5 6. is not here to be discussed because it can have no place â—n that Work to which the Apostle exhorts Chriâ—ians already baptized But that other Injunction which is joyned with it being a special part of the end and signification of Baptism viz. to Repent is a main part of that Work or Business by which a man is to work out his own salvation As appears by many other Texts of Scripture wherein the necessity of Repentance to Salvation is expresly taught It was the first Evangelical Precept the very first word whereby the Gospel began to be preached both by the fore-runner John the Baptist and by our Saviour himself Matth. 3.2 and 4.17 So John began his preaching in the Wilderness saying Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand In like manner Jesus began to preach and to say Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Intimating that whosoever desired any part in that Kingdom must qualifie himself for it by Repentance It was the end of our Saviour's coming into the World as himself faith Matth. 9.13 I am come to call Sinners to Repentance And when he left the World to the teaching of his Apostles his Appointment was that Repentance and Remission of Sin should be preached in his name among all Nations Luk. 24.47 For Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Remission of Sin Acts 5.31 Not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3.9 In these and many other Texts the intire condition of Salvation is expressed by this term of Repentance which is therefore called Reptenance unto Life and Repentance to salvation Acts 11.18 2 Cor. 7.10 The equity and necessity of this condition unto the Remission of Sin is not as I conceive grounded upon any arbitrary or positive Will oâ— God supernaturally revealed but hath its foundation in the Law of Nature and Reason Foâ— natural Reason if it be not grosly corrupted by Self-love or perverted and abused by Superstitions instructions will certainly teach a man this Lessons That to qualifie him for and render him capable of a Pardon Luk. 17.3 for any wilful offence if it be but against a man it is necessary he should Repent the doing of it Because the want of this Repentance supposeth the justification of the Offence or at least a wilful continuance in it which makes the pardon without it to imply an allowance or toleration of the Offence and makes the offended party to be reconciled as well to the iniquity of the Offender as to his Person Which being perfectly unreasonable shews the indispensableness of this qualification for the salvation of a Sinner which supposeth the remission of his Sin Hereupon it is to be believed that Heathens by the light of natural Reason as oft as they would attend unto it could not but understand the necessity of Repentance for the averting God's anger and the hope of pardon for such gross Crimes as their Consciences were terrified with And though they might conclude more than probably from the Goodness of God essentially included in the notion of his Being and sufficiently declared by his Works that he was reconcilable to sinners upon some terms or other yet to believe him willing to pardon foul iniquities without exacting the Repentance of the Offenders was such an absurdity as could not be entertained without notorious corruption of their Reason But by the History we have of their Religion it appears they were so much abused with prescription of other wayes and means of expiating their sins to wit by Sacrifices ritual Purgations and Lustrations suggested by their covetous Priests that there is indeed little mention of this Doctrine of Repentance amongst them The very word being rarely to be found in their books And no marvel they should be disposed to listen after other ways of purging their sins which were recontilable with retaining the practice seeing the whole mass of corrupt Nature is found to be as averse to the remedy of Repentance as it is prone to the Sin that needs it It was the delusion and the hypocrisie of the Jewes to trust to other Remedies of Sin with neglect of this as we find by the frequent complaints of the Prophets Nor are Christians any better affected to this wholsome Cure for Sin but every whit as much inclined to elude the necessity of it or at least to cheat their own Souls in the hypocritical pretence of it But the more Evidence there is for the necessity of Repentance unto Salvation the more necessary it is to have a right Notion of the Nature of it Because the mistake in this point is no less dangerous than in that of Faith Nor are men less apt to be deceived in the one than in the other And if there be indeed an indispensable necessity of Repentance as well as Faith unto Salvation the carnal mind is not so sollicitous to find out the truest as the easiest notion of them both that is such a one sa is practicable with the least restraint to his lusts or most consisteâ— with his licentious liberty Such a notion
declare wherein the true notion and nature thereof doth consist viz. in turning unto God Repent and turn unto God the latter phrase is exegetical declaring the sense of the former To repent is to turn unto God which supposeth an aversion from God as the antecedent condition and posture of every penitent sinner And so much is signified by the name of a sinner Sin being nothing else but an aversion or turning away from God So that Repentance being the same thing with Conversion in Scripture-sense is a relative word having a double tearm of relation à quo ad quem from which and to which The latter is expressed by the Apostle in the forementioned words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repent and turn unto God From whence it is called Repentance towards or unto God Act. 20.21 The former is signified by the same Apostle He. 6.1 Repentance from dead works that is from sinful works called dead works because they are the acts of a man Spiritually dead and destitute of Spiritual and Divine life These two things make up the intire signification of repentance viz. turning from sin as sin that is all known sin unto God that is unto the universal duty of obedience unto his will most fully and plainly expressed by the words of the Prophet Ezek. 18.21 But if the wicked man will turn from all his sin which he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die This I take to be one of the plainest and compleatest descriptions of Repentance which is to be found in Scripture Wherein the same general duty is otherwise set forth in great variety of expression As to rent the heart to circumcise the foreskin of the heart to abhor our selves to cease to do evil and learn to do well To crucifie the old man and the flesh to mortifie the deeds of the body to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God to put off the old man and put on the new to cleanse our hands and purifie our hearts to deny all ungodliness and wordly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world c. Wherunto the general termes of Regeneration Sanctification and the new Creature are materially equivalent These and many other expressions there are of the same general duty all of them signifying an essiectuall change of the whole man inward and out ward beginning in the mind or understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which all humane affections and actions are governed from whence both Greek and Latin names are derived which primarily and properly signifie a change of the mind or intellectual part of the soul but are understood practically as before I shewed cencerning Faith and Knolwedg in Scripture-sense Thus is Repentance expressed by the Apostle to be a renewing in the spirit of the mind Eph. 4.2 3. Rom. 12.2 a transformation of a man by the renewing of the mind putting off the old man with his deeds Col. 3.10 and putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledg These expressions with other like do signifie this work of conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to begin in Repentance or the understanding the ruling faculty in a man the prime recipient of all grace which therfore is sometimes called light Eph. 5.8 Heb. 6.4 illumination and inlightning as on the contrary sin is termed darkness very frequently Repentance comprehending the whole work of grace is begun in the mind but hath its most proper effect and seat in the Will as sin also hath It is the effectual habitual conversion of the Will that makes out a true Repentance that being the only faculty which is capable of command and most directly and immediatly obliged to obey having also the power of commanding the affections and actions of the whole man And upon this account it is that Sorrow for and Confession of sin do sometimes signifie a true Repentance having the promise of pardon annexed to them because where they are sincere they do infer such a change in the Wil as amounts to Repentance For a true godly sorrow for sin as offensive to God and repugnant to his just and holy Will cannot be separated from a real purpose of forsaking the sin Because it is impossible for a man to be sincerely sorry for that which the Will allows either as already done or to be done hereafter And therefore also such confession of sin as proceeds from a godly sorrow doth necessarily imply a conversion or change of the Will which if it be so radicated and fixed as will prove effectual upon the trial which God only knows is nothing less than a true Repentance begun in the Heart But this may seem more than enough to have been spoken by way of Explication of so ordinary a Point whereunto therefore I shall add no more in this place but this one advertisement to apply it to my Text That seeing Repentance is a work of absolute necessity to Salvation whosoever desires to work out his own salvation must be careful to work out his Repentance which is done only by bringing forth fruits or works worthy of repentance which can be no other than the works of a holy life Seeing the work of Repentance can only be said to be begun by godly sorrow and confession of sin and that only when those things are joyned with a firm and sincere purpose of reformation it is evident that the entire duty can no otherwise be wrought out than by a constant and faithful performance of that godly purpose Having now laid down from Scripture the nature of Repentance I come to the Answer of the Objection before mentioned consisting of two Branches 1. That the urged necessity of obedience to the commandments as part of the condition of the New covenant destroies the distinction of it from the Old making both of them to in these general terms of Do this and live And the consequence of this is 2. That the burthen hereby laid upon Christians is intolerable in as much as the keeping of the Commandments is a yoak too heavy for the shoulders of lapsed nature though strengthened by grace My answer to this Objection shall be grounded upon the Doctrin of Repentance as that is no other than a peculiar precept and priviledg of the New Covenant Repentance as hath been shewn in the compleate sense of the word and extent of the duty requires obedience to the commandments as Faith also doth but not the same obedience which the Law requireth I say therefore that repentance is a precept of the second Covenant and not of the first a precept of the Gospel not of the Law as such For to repent supposeth Sin which by the condition of the first Covenant supposed to be made with man-kind in his innocency is indispensably excluded Repentance cannot become a duty till
of Good and Evil contained in the nature of some actions antecedent to any positive or express Law of God or man so doth it indispensably oblige to the practical observation thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is that effect of the Law written in the Heart Rom. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cannot be blotted out by any abrogation without blotting out the reason that is the nature of man That which is in it self Evil cannot without contradiction become indifferent or lawful But that which is not restrained or forbidden by any binding Law must needs be lawful Therefore the opinion of Libertines and Antinomians affirming Christians under the Gospel to be discharged from the duty of Obedience to any Law or Command of God as such is not only false and heretical but also impossible to be true in as much as it imports a repugnancy to the nature both of God and man and all distinction of Good and Evil and withall it evacuates all pardon of sin by concluding an impossibility of committing it For where no Law is there can be no Transgression I conclude therefore that the duty of Obedience to the Moral Law is common to both Covenants And that when Saint Paul saith We are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.15 his meaning cannot be that we are not under any Obligation of the Law but that we are not under the rigorous Exaction of the Law requiring perfect obedience without affording either pardon for any Offences against it or any sufficient aid of Grace to perform it Christians by the Covenant of Grace which now they are under are delivered from that desperate state which the Law leaves them in that are under it being relieved by a double Grace first of pardon of Sin upon Repentance and secondly of ability through the assistance of God's Spirit to yield such obedience to the Law as will be accepted And so to the Objection of the burthen of that Obedience which by the premisses hath been asserted necessary to Salvation I answer That God's accepting by the new Covenant Repentance joyned with Faith in Christ instead of perfect Obedience required in the old is a sufficienu abatement of the intolerableness of the old yoke and as ample a dispensation as could be afforded to Sinners to qualifie them for salvation which will further appear upon these Considerations 1. That Repentance supposing men to be sinners admitted by the Covenant of Grace for the Condition of Salvation affords a remedy for Sin and a capacity of Life to them that by the old Covenant are absolutely excluded from all hopes thereof 2. That Reformation of life and future obedience which Repentance signifies is not the same which the Law exacts that is not absolute and perfect without any manner of defect Not the not-sinning at all but the not wilfully and presumptuously sinning and abiding therein impenitently after the receiving * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knowledge or acknowledgment of the truth Heb. 10.26 A sincere desire and faithful indeavour of obedience is accepted for Repentance which may consist with some such things as the Law condemns as sins of ignorance not affected sins of Infirmity and surreption Imperfection in the performance of duty sincerely indeavoured with many frailties which a Christian labours under and against but cannot perfectly overcome Such things as these although as transgressions of the pure and perfect Law of God they have the nature of sin yet by the tenor of the new Covenant and through the mercy of God in Christ the Mediator thereof they shall not be imputed to the penitent sinner that by a true Faith layes hold upon that Mediator So that there be some sins which do not make void the effect and benefit of Repentance but are consistent with the truth of it and a regenerate state But because it is difficult to determine precisely and exclusively what they are it concerns every true penitent to take as much heed as he can of all sin and not to presume of any indulgence for the least that can be avoided by him And whiles it is said that some kinds of sin are consistent with such a Repentance as is available to salvation it is implyed that others are not so and such are all gross wilful and presumptuous sins But 3. Neither do such sins as these after a man hath once truly repented exclude a sinner from the benefit of the Gospel But are still capable of the same remedie which is allowed for all sorts of sin which a man is found guilty of before his first Conversion Although such sins do evacuate the benefit of his former repentance so far as to render him uncapable of expecting or claiming the Remission of them thereby suspending his pardon for the present till he hath renewed his repentance or repaired the breach of it Herein consists the abundance of Gospel-grace and the benefit of repentance that it is never out-dated not being restrained to one general pardon as the Novatians heretically taught nor limited to any number of Repetitions There is no sin at any time unpardonable under the Condition of Repentance For that against the Holy Ghost is supposed to be so upon this account only that it excludes that Grace by which a man should be inabled to repent These three things relating to the doctrine of Repentance duly considered I conceive to be sufficient to answer the Objection before suggested Especially if that be added which I take to be agreeable to the doctrine of the Gospel viz That whosoever imbraceth this second Covenant shall be sufficiently inabled by the grace thereof that is by the Spirit of Christ that helps him though not to keep the whole Law exactly and perfectly without sin yet to do all things which by that Covenant are required of him to work out his own salvation This sufficiency of Grace I take to be supposed in the Exhortation of my Text and confirmed by the Reason that follows after it For it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Of which afterward Thus far we have proceeded towards the resolution of that great Question What is to be done by him that desires to work out his own salvation from the distinct Answer of our blessed Saviour and two of his Apostles to the same Question Believe in the Lord Jesus saith Saint Paul Repent saith St. Peter Keep the Commandments saith our Saviour These three Answers comprehending whatever is required of a Christian in order to his salvation might suffice for a complete Answer to that Question But considering the infinite weight and moment of the Question some further Enlargement of the Answer from 3. or 4. selected Texts is not to be counted superfluous And the first of these additional Texts shall be that of the Apostle St. Peter urging the same Exhortation with that in our Text in other words 2 Pet. 1.5 And besides this giving all diligence add