THE PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL CONTAINING The Riotous PRODIGAL or the Sinners Aversion from God Returning PRODIGAL or the Penitents Conversion to God PRODIGALS Acceptation or Favourable Entertainment with God Delivered in divers Sermons on LUKE 15. from Vers. 11. to Vers. 24. By that Faithfull Servant of Jesus Christ OBADIAH SEDGWICK B. D. Perfected by himself and Perused by those whom He intrusted with the publishing of his Works London Printed by D. Maxwel for SA GELLIBRAND at the Ball in St. Pauls Church-yard 1660. CHRISTIAN READER GOds good Providence doth hand unto thee in this ensuing Treatise The whole Parable of the Prodigal Son both interpreted and improved Doctrinally and Practically for the Spiritual Advantage from the Pen of a Workman who needed not to be ashamed Herein the Sinners Aversion from God Conversion to God and his Acceptation with God are profitably unfolded applied Helps in these several Subjects are well worth every Christians welcome and time seriously spent in perusing such Discourses will not be labor in vain Adam by forsaking God lost his primitive Glory which cannot possibly be repaired in his Posterity but by returning to his Majesty-Man cometh into the World with his Back towards Heaven and with strong Antipathies against God yea his constant course of life is a departing from the Lord till his Highness by Omnipotent Grace doth change both his Heart and Way And when the secure Sinner is well awakened to consider his wofull Apostacy attended with the sad Consequents thereof together with the impossibility of all Creature soccours to relieve him then and not till then doth he seriously think of facing about towards God whom he hath deserted with inexcusable neglect and dishonor Now the self condemning Convict in this dolefull condition upon frequent self-reflexions aggravating his woful Apostacy doth find it very difficult to hold up hope of gaining re-admission into the favor of slighted forsaken Deity This poor Spira did experience as his tears his torments together with his desponding despairing language doth demonstrate But in this pitifull plight the sinking soul may receive strong supports by considering with application what loving Entertainment the guilty worthless Prodigal received from his offended forsaken Father These particulars which we do only hint at are here largely handled for thy profit the effecting whereof is desired and prayed for by Thy loving Friends and faithfull Servants in Christ HUMPH CHAMBERS EDM. CALAMY SIM ASHE ADONIRAM BYFIELD Novemb. 8. 1659. A Table of the Contents THe Scope of the Parable pag. 2. The Parts of the Parable p. 4. Sin is a departing from God p. 8. A Sinner doth voluntarily of his own accord depart from God p. 9. The pleasures of sinning will quickly end and the end of them is extreme misery p. 9. The pleasures of sin are but short proved p. 10. Sin will end in many miseries p. 12. Though sin brings men into straits yet straits do not alwayes bring men from sin p. 22. An afflicted condition no infallible testimony of a safe condition p. 24. The further men go on in sin the worse work they shall find it to prove p. 31. And the Reasons thereof p. 34. And why we do not alwayes see it so p. 37. A sinner will try all wayes and go through the utmost extremities ere he will return from his sins p. 45. How it may appear to be true p. 49. Why it should be thus p. 51. Take head of shuffling with God p. 55. Means to prevent â—his shuffling p. 59. Nothing shall avail this shuffling sinner till he return but God will disappoint all his projects p. 61. made to appear to be a Truth p. 63. Why nothing shall avail the shuffling sinner till he repent p. 64. A serious consideration and right comparison of the miserable estate of a sinfull condition and happly estate of a converted converted condition are steps to true and speedy repentance p. 69. How these two are prime steps to repentance p. 71. Objections That we are ignorant not at leisure it will make us despair answered p. 77. How I may know whether my consideration be right p. 78. Whether consideration of sin may be right when there are some sins that a man thinks not of p. 83. Whether a single consideration of sin be sufficient to repentance p. 84. Rules for right consideration p. 86. Rules for comparison p. 87. Sound Resolution is required to sound Reformation p. 89. The properties of this Resolution p. 90. Why it is requisite p. 92. The benefits and comforts of a firm Resolution p. 95. The Means to raise it p. 97. and maintain it p. 101. True Repentance for sin will bring forth true Confession of sin p. 106. The Reasons of it p. 111. Penitent persons are humble and lowly persons p. 118. Humbleness described p. 120. Why true Penitents are humble persons p. 124. The means to become humble p. 128. Personal Unworthiness is not prejudicial to spiritual Supplication p. 129. Reasons for it p. 131. How we may know that we are truly sensible of our Unworthiness p. 136. Penitent intentions and resolutions should be accompanied with present executions and performances p. 140. Reasons for it p. 142. The Motives and Means for a present execution p. 148. and The Helps p. 154. The very initials of true Repentance are seen by God p. 157. proved p. 159. Evidences of true Repentance though initial p. 163. God is very ready to shew all kinds of mercy to the truly Penitent p. 165. Reasons of it p. 169. By no means despair of mercy p. 174. Objections answered p. 175. Reasons why God makes not known his mercy presently p. 179. How one shall be supported in the interim p. 183. God is pleased not onely to be reconciled but manifests himself so to be unto the penitent p. 184. Reasons of it p. 186. Motive to seek after the seals and tokens of Gods favour p. 188. Means to attain them p. 191. The kindest expressions of mercy do not hinder an humble confession of sin p. 195. Reasons of it p. 196. Motives to it p. 198. God takes no notice of our sins upon our true Repentance but expresseth himself wholly love and kindness p. 199. Reasons of it p. 202. What is meant by the Robe and the best Robe p. 206. How we may know whether we have put it on p. 211. God gives to the penitent person a precious Faith by which he is espoused or married to Christ p. 213. What t is to be married unto Christ p. 213. How Faith marries us unto Christ p. 216. Whether we have this Faith p. 219. What is meant by Shoes on his Feet p. 222. God doth enable the penitent person with Grace and strength for a better and singular course of life and obedience p. 223. Reasons of it p. 227. Every sinfull unconverted man is a lost man p. 234. How a man may know that he is lost p. 237. A lost sinner may be found p. 238. How God finds
whom I have offered the saving blood of my son and all my pardoning mercies if that he would but have left his sinful wayes Thy own conscience will condemn thee for ever that ever thou shouldst exalt the lust of thy sin before the mercy of God yea the very Devils will cry shame of thee they may say If we had had such mercy offered we could not have been worse then have refused it thou hadst mercy offered to pardon thee and yet thou wouldest go on in thy sins Know O man thouart inexcusable before God thou canst make no apology at all Two things let them be for every ingraven in your brests One is that if mercy will not bring in your souls to repentance nothing will do it I affirm it that if you were in hell it self the toâ—ments of it woâ—ld not incline you to repent if the mercies of God now upon earth will not prevail with you Another if mercy do not lead you to repentance there remains nothing but a fearfull expectation of the fiery indignation of God thou art as sure to be damâ—ed as thou now livest if thou doest not repent thee of thy sins A second Use shall be of Caution Since the Lord is so ready to Vse 2 Cauâ—â—â— Kâ—â—p not 〈◊〉 from Repentance by despairing oâ— Mercy shew all mercy to the penitent therefore take heed that you keep not off from repentance by despairing of mercy There are three sorts of sinners Some whose hearts are hardâ—ed as the Adamant through an habitual itera ion by sin and 〈◊〉 inflâ—med affection unto sin who like that unjust Judg fearing neither God nor man so they are sensâ—ble neither of the vileness of sion nor of the goodness of mercy Some whose hearts are mollifyed graciously altered have seen the evil of their wayes and forsaken them and are turned unto the Lord seeking him with mourning and with supplication to whom the Scepter of Mercy hath been graciously stretched forth and they have effectually touched that Scepter with believing hearts and are returned with much peace and joy unspeakable Others there are twixt both these they are not so low as the first for their consciences are awaked and troubled nor yet so high as the last for they cannot believe any mercy will reach unto them their souls cannot discern any intention of mercy towards them and all the promises of mercy seem to them as restrictive nay as exclusive proclamations denying unto them though grantting unto others the priviledg of their Books and the Pâ—alm of mercy and so are apt to despair mercy seems to them a far off and slow and long a coming Therefore now to such persons who are awakned in their consciences to see the vileness of their sinful ways and their lost condition my advice is by no means to despair of mercy Reasons against despair Despair is a very heinous Sin Reasons why I thus advise are these 1. Despair is a very heinous sin It is one of the highest impeachments of Gods greatest glory and delight there is nothing wherein God doth more magnifie himself in the eyes of the world or more glory in then to sit upon his mercy-seat Now despair is not every diminution and eclipse of mercy but it is in its kind a very extinction of all the love and kindness and mercifulness in God it gives 1. The lye to the promises 2. Reproach to Gods nature and particularly to the attribute of mercy that it is not 1. Kind enough 2. Willing enough 3. Full enough 4. Free enough 2. It is a sore enemy to Repentance of no hope of mercy then no care to repent I can but be damned 2. And The most uncomfortable sin then it is the most uncomfortable sin Other sins afford some though ungrounded and poor contentment either in profit or pleasure But despair being the grave of mercy it is also the very night and funeral of all comfort and as S. Austin spake of an evil conscience that is true of despair It is its own torment for taking the soul off from all remedy it must necessarily afflict it with the most exquisite sense of fear and horrour 3. Satan is very apt to fall in with an awakened conscience and there to aggravate Satan is very apt to draw us to despair sin above all measure thereby to incline it to despair of mercy if he cannot make us dye in a senseless Caâ—m his next aim is to make us perish in an unquiet and despairing storm either to undervalue our sins and so to slay us with security or else to undervalue mercy and so sink us with distrust 4. Yea and no A newly awakned conscience is apt to it conscience is more propense to suspect divine â—avour and to credit false suggestions then a newly awakened conscience Indeed while our hearts are totally seared and past feeling much sin being not at all felt here is an easie ground to delude our selves that mercy will quickly bend unto us who do take our selves to be good enough and not much to need it but when many sins shall be laid to our charge and great ones too with that wrath which a just and holy God hath threatned and we feel the burnings of the wrath begun with us I assure you it will be most difficult to withhold that Soul from despairing of mercy which at once sees much guilt and feels much wrath 5. There is infinite There is infinite mercy in God mercy is God It is his nature and he can forgive iniquity transgression and sin Est in misericordia divina divina Omnipotentia Therefore this I say unto you any of you whose consciences God has awakned to the sight and sense of your sins whether by the Ministry of his Word or of his rod as you desire not utterly to cast dishonour extreemest dishonour to God and to draw the saddest and yet most fruitless anguish on your own spirits and yet again as you tender the welfare of your Souls your everlasting safety by repentance and faith do not despair of finding mercy with God but come in unto him by solid repentance and you shall find him even unto you a God ready to forgive iniquity transgression and sin Ob. Yea but though the Lord be merciful yet is he just he I but God will not clear the guilty will by no means clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. I have refused mercy I cannot pray I cannot be heard or answered How then can I I who have sinned so much now expect any mercy Sol. To this I answer briefly There are two kinds of sinners whom God will not clear One is Who do not see their sins yet love them Another Who do not see their sins and yet go on in them Answered Psal 11. 5. The wicked and him that loveth violence his soul doth hate And Psal 68. 21. He will wound the head of such as still go on in their wickedness If you be such
not to lose the cause of all our discomforts It was a miracle that the three children were in a fiery furnace yet not one hair of their heads was singed It was a miracle that Moses bush was burning and not consumed Oh it is a sad wonder that so many afflictions are upon men and not one sin troubled not one sin consumed mortifyed 2. Many persons though much afflicted and long afflicted yet are not converted God complained of old they return not to him Many persons though much and long afflicted are not converted Eâ—ghâ— so â—s of personâ— Stupid sinners Dâ—pâ—rate sinners that smites them and in another place yet have ye not returned to me saith the Lord. There are eight sorts of men whose afflictions have not been effectual to their Conversion 1. Stupid Sinners who know not from whom afflictions are sent nor for what end Wherefore hath all this evil befallen us said they 2. Desperate Sinners who forsake God in their afflictions They cry not when he bindeth them Job 30. 13. This evil is of the Lord why should I wait upon the Lord any longer said he in 2 Kin. 6. 33. 3. Bold sinners who grow worse and worse under their affliction as Bold sinners the Anvile by blows is more hardened like Ahaz in his distresses who sinned yet more 2 Chr. 28. 22. 4. Proud Sinners who repine and murmur and complain against God fretting against him and Proud sinners perhaps cursing of God as they in Iâ— 8. 21. 5. Careless Sinners who Careless sinners regard not the operations of Gods hands and lay nothing to heart The unjust knows no shame Zep. 3. 5. 6. Politick Sinners who think Politick sinners Despairing sinners to make up their losses by any temporizing compliances 7. Despairing Sinners who sink under the burden of worldly losses and crosses a worldly sorrow doth seize on them even unto death and crush them as Rachel c. 8. Hypocritical Sinners who seem to turn unto God in Prayer and Fasting but it is like Judah friendly Hypocritical sinners not with their whole hearts at the best they doe but stop in sinning but they do not forsake their sins their righteousness is but as the morning dew Hos 6. I will but say three things to all these men 1. It is a sure sign that the afflictions are whips of wrath and not rods of love they come not from a Father but from a Judg. 2. It is a sure sign that greater afflictions are to follow I will chastise you seven times more Lev. 26. 21. or else which is worse eternal destructioâ— Reprobate Silver shall they be called Because I would have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged till I cause my fury to rest upon thee 3. It is a sign that men are very wicked drowned in the love of sin or the World or that a spirit of Atheism prevails and reigns in them I now proceed to another Proposition which is implyed in these words That there is an Almighty Power required to convert or change a Doct. 5. There is an almighty power required to convert a sinner sinner no less then is requisite to quicken a dead man This my Son was dead and is alive again To awaken a man out of sleep needs no great power a word a call a cry a little stiring may do it but to quicken a dead man here calls and cries and stirrings will not do it all the power of Men and Angels will not do it In Acts 2. 41. you read of three thousand converted at one Sermon And in Acts 4. 4. of five thousand converted at another Sermon so many so quickly converted certainly the Power that wrought this must be Almighty Jesus Christ himself must come and he must cry and he must cry with a loud voice Lazarus come forth Joh. 11. 43. The Apostle speaks of the exceeding greatness of Gods Power towards them that believe and of the working of his mighty Power Ephes 1. 19. Even such a Power as God wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead v. 20. There is a twofold opinion about the power which is put forth The power put forth in conversion Not moral only in a sinners Conversion 1. Some hold it to be Moral only because this is most congruous to the will of man which is a moral subject God they imagine doth offer and propound such Objects with such Arguments which do wooe and allure and prevail with the will of a sinner Sol. It is true that the outward means work only after a moral way The word which is the ministry for Conversion it doth offer to the sinner Arguments of life and death It reveales and commands and promiseth and threatneth But a moral suasion as they call it is not sufficient to convert And there are four Reasons which to me seem very strong and unanswerable against it 1. The Proved very Phrases by which a sinners Conversion is expressed in Scripture do surmount a moral suasion There is no less power to convert a sinner then there was 1. To create man at the first 2. There shall be to raise the dead at the last when a sinner is converted he is said to be created again to be born again to be regenerated his heart is said to be opened and circumcised his strong heart is taken away an heart of flesh is given unto him surely all this is more then a moral power 2. This moral suasion must necessarily presuppose some power and abilities in him with whom it deals as if you counsel a man you suppose something in him to incline him to hearken if you do not suppose such a power then it must be supposed that your counsel is in vain as if you should counsel an Ethiopian to change his skin or a blind man to see this were in vain for there is no power in them to do these 3. The conversion of a sinner in respect of God should be then contingent It might be and it might not be Though God intends to convert a man yet he may fail and miss of the event for as much as a moral work is resistable and may easily be put by How often would I have gathered your children and you would not yee alwayes resist the Holy-Ghost 4. Yea the Conversion of a sinner should in the event depend more upon the will of man then on the will of God The grace offered is common and it is made peculiar and differential by mans will the right use of grace is not of grace but of free will so that discrimen siliorum Dei seculi is a natura not ex gratia The moral suasion is presented unto two sinners the suasion is alike why doth it bring this man and not the other man to Conversion There can be no reason given but this that the one would hearken to it the other would not so that the effect of Conversion
the Peny as well as the Shilling bears the Superscription 4. That the least degree of true Grace denominates the condition to be converted I would believe is Faith I would love thee is Love I desire to do thy will is Obedience Not Strength but Truth denominates 5. True Grace and many Conflicts go together Let the motions of sin be never so vile but I hate them never so many but I resist them here Grace is the Lord which rules me though sin be the Enemy which molests me Why am I thus Alas there are contraries in thee Light and Darkness Flesh and Spirit 6. True Grace and some Failings may lodge together I may at the same time be a Captive to Sin and yet a Servant to Grace sin may sometimes be too strong even for him who hates sin 7. All services to God are interpreted and accepted by God according to the will of a converted person Although thou canst not pray so freely so fully so uniformly yet if God see a will in thee desirous so to do it shall pass for currant groans and sighs and chatterings and desires and tears c. 8. Thou never doest any Duty but Jesus Christ gives acceptance unto it by his Intercession his sweet Incense takes off the ill savour The greatest work done by thee if it comes in thy own name is rejected the weakest if presented in his Name a sigh or groan is graciously accepted as the Sacrifices by the Priest 9. God never expects thou shouldest buy out thy own pardon or bring from thy self any satisfaction for any of thy sins he hath designed that work onely to Jesus Christ in whom he hath accepted thee and for whose sake alone he doth and will discharge thee You trade in Heaven upon gracious terms when you come for any grace and help thy Reasons and Motives are in God who gives and freely gives 10. As soon as ever converting Grace prevails upon thy heart Salvation is come to thy soul Thou art now a Believet and if a Believer a Son and if a Son an Heir of all the comfortable Promises now and a Co-heir with Christ hereafter 11. The Lord will bless thy buds and increase thy stock of Grace He will water as well as plant it 12. That little Grace shall never fail thee never leave thee till it brings thee to Heaven The greatest Grace is imperfect and the least Grace is invincible the greatest Grace is weak and the weakest Grace is immortal Now if Christians did believe all these Truths and would consider of them would not their condition be more joyfull Here 's a Weakness I but it is Grace that Grace is little I but it comes from Graciousness and makes me gracious O how many conflicts I but 't is 'twixt Grace and Sin yea and many sinnings I but not love of sin no voluntary service But how poor in Duties I but God regards the Will But what will become of me for my former sins Why Christ hath satisfied and God hath pardoned But if I had strength of Grace I might take comfort Why the weakest Convert is a Believer and the weakest Believer hath Christ Ergò Secondly to Persons long since converted What should they To persons long since converted Often examine and review your Speritual condition Be upright do to walk with joyful hearts I answer 1. Often examine and review your Spiritual condition this will keep you and God friends often look upon the evidences of Gods favour to your Souls and maintaine and cleare them if blotted Such experiences are bathes of Comfort Remember the days of old 2. Be upright maintain the Oyl and you maintain the light The work of Righteousness shall be peace and the effect of Righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Isai 32. 17 A stable Spirit will further a stable Joy one â—â—y step puts the bone out of joynt That man loseth his Spiritual pleasure who steps out for sinful pleasure remember Davids swarving and Peters and Jacobs 3. Live by faith We never meet wiâ—h more troubles Live by faith then when we shift for our selves That man who can trust God most him doth God trust with most Grace and peace see Habak 3. 17 18. 4. Hold up close communion with God Hold up close communion with God and his people he who rrades most at heaven gets the greatest stock of Grace and comfort even the neglect of one prayer may lose a man much comfort be satisfied with God alone and let not out your minds to earthly things And that one sermon which thou didst overslip brought in exceeding Joy to thy fellow Christian 5. Walk in the fear of God all the day long Walk in the fear of God all the day long Self-confidence makes the person to lye down in tears but he who feares to sin fortifies his Graces and comforts expose not your selves to Temptations 6. Renew a solemn and speedy Peace Renew peace upon every fall upon every fall Light may quickly be restored to a candle newly blown out and the bone displaced may presently be set again Let not a disease settle 7. Engage not thy mind to vain and new Engage not to new opinions Opinions Mind the maine things of Life and Salvation and not profitable strifes He who hath not more Grace to get hath assuredly much comfort to lose an Unsetled Judgment will quickly raise an uncomfortable heart 8. Preserve an humble and contented Spirit Pride is the father of discontentment Preserve an humble and contentâ—d Spirit and Discontentment is a prison to our Graces and a Sea to our comforts Thy Graces will not be pleasant to thee if thy outward condition please thee not 9. Be active and thriving That Be active and thriving man who doth most for God doth also most for his own comfort Barrenness is no good sign of Life and therefore no good way for comfort the travelling Bee is laden with hony Thriving Grace is a clear evidence of truth and adds to our excellency and our joy FINIS
In the expression of it and this is when so much Grace appears as to enter into a new path and do new works 3. In the progression of it And this is when a greater Victory is obtained over our sins and appears in our course of new obedience Now the Initials of true Repentance I conjecture to consists partly in the Conversion of the heart when the mind and will and affections are healed and turned and partly in the reformation of the life when the person out of an hatred of sin and love of God sets upon another course of obedience and service It is just like a Ship that is going out or like a Shop that is newly set up things are very raw there is much dross with the little Silver a little health and much lameness a great journey and but a few steps the work is rather in desire and much in complaints and though perhaps little be done yet all is heartily endeavoured to be done this I call the Initials of Repentance There are six things shew that Repentance is begun in truth Six things shew Repentance is begun in truth Condemnation 1. One is Condemnation When the judgement looks upon all sin after another manner then formerly sentencing it as the most vile and accursed of all evils and no sin knowingly finds favour 2. Another is Aversation When the will flies Aversation and shuns it as that which is most contrary to all goodness and happiness 3. A third is Weariness When the Soul is as Weariness weary of Sin as any Porter can be of his Burthen or as a sick-man is of his Bed Psal 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise 4. A fourth is Lamentation That the Soul cannot yet be rid of Lamentation the unruly motions and insolencies of sin It is grieved that Life and Death Hell and Heaven Grace and Sin should thus be together 5. A fifth is Resistance or conflict The Soul doth Resistance use the best means it can to separate more from sin and all sinfull wayes and to walk only in all holy pathes in the pathes of righteousness And the sixth is an active Inctination to obey God in all things a thirsting and striving an aiming a writing after the Copy An active Inclination And there are four things which do shew that Repentance is Four things shew that Repentance is but begun Impotency but begun it is only initial 1. One is Impotency or weakness of operation When the penitential parts do move and stir yet like a child who begins to go very feebly There is as much appears in the course as declares another spring or principle and rule by which the Soul strives to walk but the performance is very tender and feeble like a young Tree that hath but tender branches and small fruit The person doth mourn and confess and pray and live and obey but with weakness 2. A second is efficacy of Temptation When Temptations do easily Efficacy of Temptation beset and discourage the Soul as when the Tree is but a young plant the Winds to toss it and make it reel so when Temptations do as it were drive the Soul and are apt to raise quick fears and discouragements Oh! I shall be overcome again I shall hardly hold on I cannot well see how I shall be able to perform and preserve in these wayes which I have chosen A third is the Validity of present Corruption which though it be truly hated and bewailed yet it is very apt upon occasions to assault and Validity of present Corruption prevail when every little stone is apt to make one stumble it argues that the strength is weak 4. Necessary presence of many helps When a Man cannot go but with two Crutches and a Child must lean upon many props and a penitent upon many sensible encouragements Now that these Initials of Repentance are graciously accepted The Doctrine proved God respects the truth as well as the degrees of Grace of God may be thus manifested 1. The Lord doth respect the truth of Grace as well as the degrees of it every quality as well as the quantity Are not thine eyes upon the truth The Goldsmith hath his eye on the very thin raies of Godl as well as on the great knobs and pieces Grace is excellent and amiable at the lowest though then admirable when at highest 2. The main thing that God looks upon is to the heart My Son give me thy God looks most at the Heart heart All that is done if the heart be not in it it is of little or no estimation with God but if the heart be right this the Lord prizeth exceedingly and so much that for its sake he passeth by many infirmities The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart c. 2 Chro. 30. 19. Now in the Initials of Repentance the heart is set right it is set on God and towards God in truth 3. Even the Initials of Repentance are his own Gifts special gifts of his blessed Spirit it is he that worketh The Initials of Repentance are his Cist in us to will and to do Phil. 2. 13. The spirituall will and the spiritual deed though both be imperfect yet are they the genuine effect of Gods own spirit sparks out of his fire works of his own hands Now as in the Creation God looked upon all that he made and saw that it was good he liked it well So is it in our Renovation all that good which God works in us he doth accept and approve he doth not despise his own image which though it shine more fairly in progressive Repentance yet is it truly stampt in our initial Conversion 4. Tâ—at which comes This Springs â—â—om faith not only from a person having faith but from faith it self that the Lord will graciously accept For as our actions do not please him without faith it is impossible without faith to please God So on the contrary when the actions do come from faith they do please the Lord. Abels Sacrifice presented in Faith did please him when Cains presented without faith was not regarded faith puts a value and acceptance on our actions But even initial Repentance comes from faith the person is by faith united to Jesus Christ from whom he hath received strength and grace to forsake his sins and to become a servant of righteousness 5. The Lord hath said that he will not despise the day of small things nor quench the smoaking flax nor break the God will not deâ—pâ—se â—he Day 〈◊〉 â—mall things bruised reed What Husbandman doth despise the little plant which he hath set Or what father doth despise the little child he hath begoten Why that God who hath appointed all the meanes and ordinances to cherish and prop and comfort and nourish and perfect the initials of Repentance doth not he
graciously accept of it have we not reason to believe that he doth countenance these beginnings who presently makes all provision for the nursing and supplies of it To make some Application of this 1. It convinceth the common obloquies and aspersions cast upon religion and religious courses to Vse 1. Conviction of that aspersion that if we begin to be penitent farewell all Comfort be meer injuries and falsities viz. that if once you begin to be religions and penitential then farwel all comfort as if the grave of sin were the Resurrection of Griefe or of necessity men must be everlastingly pensive if once truly and seriously penitential But this is false no course so good so comfortable as the penitential mercy to invite you mercy to receive you mercy to pardon you and mercy to save you As soon as ever we begin to be good and to be penitent and are entred into the way of new obedience presently the merciful eye and favour of God is upon us mercy looks after us and though we have been foul Transgressours and have now but the very seeds and implantations of repentance mixt with exceeding imperfections yet the Lord will benignly and graciously accept of us and love us And as it doth convince that errour of the sadness of entring Vse 2. And oâ— that errour of the austerity of God towards Penitents into a good course so also another errour of the austerity and harshness of God towards poor Penitents as if nothing would please the Lord but quantity and great measures of Grace Oh if I had so much sorrow for sin if I had so much hatred if I had so much power over my corruptions Why it were well if thou hadst and thou doest not well if thou strivest not beyond all the measure of grace which thou doest attain But then to think that onely great grace is in grace with God and not little grace Repentance grown and not Repentance begun that God will not look on drops but rivers not on weakness but strength onely that a poor contrite broken troubled soul which prizeth grace above heaven and hates sin above hell but yet is troubled with the presence of much corruption and is apprehensive of manifold wants in all kinds of grace that the Lord will never look upon such a thin new weak Christian unless with austerity and distance Why do we thus belie the Lord and falsifie the graciousness of the Almighty who doth so love holiness and delight in the conversion of a sinner that as soon as ever the sinner begins truly to repent the Lord hath thoughts of mercy and peace for him he is observed and accepted Ananias is presently sent to Paul messengers of peace are presently dispatched Patents of mercy are sealed for him And thirdly It doth justly abase that unworthy proud and censorious harshness and strangeness which many who would take Vse 3. It discovers the proud harshness of men towards such as come short of themselves or others it ill if they be not in your opinion set up in the highest form of Piety do sinfully or foolishly express either in condemning or in contemning such as fall very short in the penitential work of others or of themselves yea and will shun tender society with them till they see some further perfections and ripenesses Alas what do we by what rule do we walk whose example do we look upon We must be wise it 's true and what wisdome is it to leave tender buds to the frost which we might have covered and enlarged with heat and warmth I beseech you let us pause a while 1. Are all in our Family Men Are there not some Children perhaps new-born Babes Are all in the Flock strong Sheep are there not some Lambs perhaps newly yeaned Are all the Stars in the Heaven of the same magnitude some are greater others are less yet all in the Heavens Do you despise Children reject the Lambs or slight the Moon because of her spots and lesser light than that of the Sun Why we read of the like disparity in the heavenly course St. John tells us of Fathers and of Young-men and of Chidren too yea and of Babes and Christ advised Peter's respects as well unto the Lambs as unto the Sheep 2. Were not we Beginners once our selves Was our Sun at the top our Gold so exquisitely pure did not we then need compassions and helps in times of infancy weakness conflicts temptations What is our present strength but some help to former weakness Time was we could hardly go or stand although now we can walk and run What a childishness is it for the Artist in Grammar to slight the Youth who is now spelling his Letters when this was the first Line of his own Learning the first step whereby he went to his height 3. And did God despise us in our beginnings Did not he gently lead those that were with young and carried the Lambs in his arms as the Prophet speaks How often hath he laid our fainting and weak souls to the brests of consolation comforted us in our fears strengthened our feeble hands answered our doubts 4. Nor doth he now slight them whom he tenderly owns upon the very entrances into a new and holy course sees them afar off and hath compassion Why then do we so slight and neglect them and put them from us who have as good a God as our selves and if we be good the same the same Christ and also the same truth and reality of Repentance And is not Minimum Christi amabile But they are indiscreet Surely they are no true penitents that are very fools No man so wise as he who is wise for his soul But they have many failings And not one of them approved all bewailed But they come short in Duties alas they are very short In expressions which the vilest hypocrite may excel in not in affections which the true penitent onely abounds in Therefore repent of your pride and state Seest thou a penitent higher than thy self honour him and imitate seest thou a penitent lower than thy self honour and cherish him God will meet him with much mercy do thou meet him with much love and pity Ten Evidences of True Repentance though Initial And take these Ten Evidences that a mans Repentance is true though weak and real though but initial 1. He is much Much in Grief though little in Strength He hates sin though he cannot be rid of it Conflicts with sin though he cannot conquer it He will not be its servant though its Captive He cries for help though not delivered He must have God reconciled though he questions it He would obey in all things though he falls short He prizeth more grace though he enjoy little He holds up his purposes He mourns for what he wants Vse 4. For Comfort to such as have the Initials of Repentance in Grief though little in Strength He will grieve for sinning though he