OF SINNES Of VVeaknesse VVilfulnesse And appendant to it A Paraphrasticall explication of two difficult Texts Heb. 6. and Heb. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thucid. l. 3. By HENRY HAMMOND D. D. LONDON Printed in the yeere 1646. OF SINNES OF Weakenesse Wilfulnesse THe second Covenant being that by which we are now all either justified or condemned and the condition of that in respect of the facienda being sincere not exact obedience not the not sinning at all but the not sinning wilfully after our receiving the knowledge of the truth Heb. 10. 26. which though it seeme to damne all irreversibly that sin wilfully after conversion yet sure is to be understood according to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gospell unlesse he doe repent and returne sincerely unto God againe for whosoever doth so there is certaine mercy by other places made over to him in Christ and what is the full importance of that place will anon be explicated It will be an enquiry though of some difficulty yet of as great use and necessity as any one other in all Divinity to search what sinnes there are for which mercy is to be had under the Gospell and for what not For that some men are damned and not all finally saved there is no doubt and yet as little there ought to be that this is for sinne that one man is guilty of and tother not from whence it followes that seeing no man is guiltlesse of sinne some degrees or sorts there must be of that guilt in one which are not in another and according to those different degrees though every of them be of it selfe or without Christ or by the tenour of the first Covenant damning yet under the Gospell or second Covenant the adjudging of men to heaven or hell is proportioned From all which this results that some kinds or sorts or degrees of sinning or more plainely some states of sinners are under the Gospell damning some are not some reconcileable with a good estate some not some for which there is sure mercy in Christ some for which there is as certainely no mercy for though the mercy of God be infinite and so unfathomable by our finite wits yet when he hath in the Gospell defin'd how farre his mercy shall extend and beyond what termes it shall not 't will be no insolence to affirme that God will not have mercy on any who are not qualified according to that second Covenant of his who are not such persons to whom onely he hath promised mercy at least if they be such as of whom he hath affirmed they shall not have mercy Thus farre to justify the fitnesse and use and necessitie of this search Now for progresse in it It will be eafie to define in the generall 1. That all sinnes in the world be they never so great of what sort or kind soever if they be retracted with true repentance shall certainly be forgiven for that any act of sin should be irremissible they that affirme doe it on this ground that they that commit that act shall never truly repent implying that if they did repent it would be remissible and in this the onely difficulty will bee 1 What true repentance is And 2. Whether that be necessary to the obtaining pardon for every sinne To the first I answer that true repentance is a change a through change of mind called in the Scripture and the ordinary style of Divines the new creature being regenerate conversion spirituall resurrection forsaking of sinne mortification habituall sanctification sincere faithful resolution of new life reformatiō amendment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it superaddes to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what ever doth not amount to thus much is not true saving repentance to which the promises or mercies of Christ doe appertaine And so consequently many specious pretenders to that Title are excluded Such are bare sorrow for sinne such the votum poenitentiae the wishing they were penitent such a bare warring of the law of the mind against the law of the members whil'st we are carried captive to the law of sinne and many the like To the second I must answer by distinguishing the equivocalnesse of the question For the meaning of it may be 1. Whether amendment or forsaking or overcoming every particular sinne be necessary to the obtaining of pardon for that sinne whether it be of infirmity or otherwise and if that be meant I answer No. For that some sinnes are of that nature that as long as we have this mortall infirme flesh about us we can never hope to be rid of them to get victory over them such as for which the sacrifices were appointed to be offered under the law and for which Christs sacrifice once offered is a perfect expiation and these by the tenour of the second Covenant or through the mercy of God in Christ shall never bee imputed to the penitent sinner I meane to him who hath amended all others and humbled himselfe before God and besought his mercy in Christ and by faith laid hold of it for these which though he labour against them sincerely he cannot throughly amend or overcome But if the meaning be secondly Whether the actuall amending of all his knowne sinnes which consequently may by the Christian be amended be required necessarily to make a man capable of the pardon even of his sinnes which cannot be amended I answer that it is very probable to be so Because Christs sufferings seeme not be advantageous at all not so much as to the washing away of humane frailties to any but those who are in Christ i. e. to new creatures who alone are so however that will not bee a material scruple though it should be left disputable as long as this other proposition be taken for infallible which is so that except we repent we shall all perish i. e. that he that hath not forsaken all wilfull sinnes shall whether for his wilfull sinnes onely or his wilfull and frailties both together it matters not be certainly condemned By the answering of these two questions so much hath been gained as that we may make another generall resolution and define secondly that some sinnes are reconcileable with a true penitent convert regenerate estate others are not And consequently some not destructive under the second Covenant though others are What these are in generall will also in the third place be easily defined Sinnes of infirmity are reconcileable wilfull sinnes are not Vnder infirmities I containe all sorts that are usually reduced to that head and which have beene briefly mentioned in another discourse Whether those that proceed from any not culpable defect of my understanding as sinnes of ignorance or from some present prevailing temptation which though I use all meanes in my power against it I cannot overcome or from some advantage taken by Satan c. in the assaulting me either on the suddaine when I have not time to use those
1 Joh. 3. 6. and 5. 18. Rom. 2. 12. Heb. 3. 17. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 added thereto notes it to be a voluntary wilfull trade of sinne which is supposed by having received knowledge of the truth whereas 't is possible to continue ignorantly and so by infirmity in such habit and then that will not be capable of such aggravations as there doe follow nor withall pertinent to this case by this meanes fall into a condition for which the Gospell hath not provided any ordinary remedy Which is the meaning of there remaines not now a sacrifice for sinnes And that sense ariseth thus For them that had sinned ignorantly under the law there was place for sacrifice the Priest was to offer a sinne-offering for them called ordinarily in the 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they were not to be farther punished or proceeded against in foro but he that did wilfully or despightfully breake the law was upon sufficient proofe of it by witnesses put to death in capitall or otherwise punished in other crimes without mercy or pity to him which is the sum of the 28 verse so in like manner proportionably to those types he that hath sinned through ignorance or ignorantly lived and gone on in sinne and such the sinnes of the unregenerate life are counted to be done ignorantly in unbeliefe as Saint Paul saith of himselfe and the same will hold of the sinnes of those that are Christians in profession baptized c. and yet have not amended their lives or forsaken their sinnes for they are still in an unregenerate state not capable of that description c. 6. 4 5. there is mercy to be had for him as Saint Paul saith of himselfe 1 Tim. 1. 13. Christ hath dyed offered himselfe a sacrifice for sinne and so delivered men from the danger of such sinnes upon condition that they doe repent of them and amend nay by this sacrifice of his he hath purchased grace for such sufficient to bring them out of that darkenesse to light from that state of unregeneration to repentance so that for that man considered in that state though he be a sinner yet as Saint John saith 1 Epist 2. 1. Christ is an advocate and a propitiation and here there remaineth a sacrifice a meanes of pardon and a meanes of converting Christ giving himselfe both that he might redeem and purifie Tit. 2. 14. justify and sanctify Yea farther when this man being regenerate falls into any single act of sin if it be through ignorance or weakenesse as still there remaine some relicks of them in the regenerate the state in this nonage of ours being but an imperfect state then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet of still this sacrifice remaines and pardon is had by it to the regenerate disciple upon acknowledgement and petition nay if it be not capable of the excuse of ignorance or weaknesse yet if it be not continued in but retracted presently by repentance this sarrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still remaines in force for him as in the Law when the leprosie doth not spread Lev. 13. 23. or is healed in the leper 14. 3. then though the Priest shut him up againe seven daies c. answerable to excommunication or delivering up to Satan yet still v. 4. the Priest shall offer sacrifice for his cleansing and so here though the sinne be leprosie an uncleane spot in the soule yet being not spreading but presently retracted by repentance it may bring some inconveniencies upon him such as have been mentioned elsewhere in the case of delivering up to Satan but yet it may passe for a spot of sonnes at least such as shall now not hinder from being a sonne and this sacrifice here or 1 Joh. 1. 7. the bloud of Christ parallell to it cleanseth from such sinnes as these continues pardon and grace as yet to such obtaines of God that he with-draw neither But if any man after the embracing of Christ receiving the truth and grace i. e. being thus regenerate shall returne to his old pollutions again or some new in exchange for them the filthinesse of the spirit in stead of that of the flesh to a course and trade of sinne having not now the excuses or alleviations of which before he was capable shewing himselfe to contemne both the mercy and grace of God to despise that pardon and to make no use of but contrariwise to resist that grace there is no direction for any offering for such this very sacrifice of Christ belongs not to him so farre as by Covenant to obtaine continuance of pardon for him or continuance of grace God may justly with-draw both and Christ's bloud say nothing to the contrary nay God hath told us that in this case he will with-draw both in the places forementioned and the same may be collected from this place from the aggravations here set upon the sinne that it is the treading upon the Sonne of God profaning the bloud of the Covenant i. e. making the bloud of Christ uneffectuall to his pardon and contumeliously using the spirit of grace and so grieving and quenching that spirit And so v. 27. all that remaines behind in justice or by tenour of the second Covenant expectable from God is that he should proceed to judge such a sinner and his zeale or wrath burne like fire to consume all such gainesayers or adversaries that walke thus contrary to all his methods of mercy of grace and from hence all that can toward comfort of such be concluded is that 't is not here said that God cannot or never will give grace againe to such or use meanes for the recalling them because of God this is not here affirmed From which negative argument though the possibility of such recovery may be concluded yet there are little grounds to conclude it probable or reasonable for any man that should by that be encouraged to spirituall security to depend or hope in it for if the weight of one passage be observed how much worse punishment shall he be thought worthy of or adjudged to i. e. worse then that under Moses law when the offender 28. was put to death without mercy we shall rather have reason to feare God will punish such with excision or cutting off without giving any new stocke of grace to recall them againe For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this booke doth not so often import being thought worthy which might consist with contrary mercy as meeting with that reward actuall receiving of it So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 3. 3. is to have honour bestowed upon him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 5. 17. and not onely to be thought worthy of it In proportion to which if the words should be interpreted and taken without exception or dispensation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he shall be punished in a worse manner there will be little place of comfort for such to depend on and from thence to
of sinne or sinnes in the members because for the acting of them over and above the consent of the will some space is necessarily required wherein the spirit or upper soule if it be about us will be able and ready to interpose if it may be hearkned to which me thinkes is intimated by the Turkes in a custome of theirs who when they meane to give themselves liberty to be drunke use to make a great noise which they say is a warning to their soule to retire into some extreame part of the body that it may not be spectator or Censor of this their beastiality And if it be thus driven away gagg'd or not hearkened to then that is a sinne against strength a wilfull sinne Which perhaps was Saint James his observation when he said Sinne being perfected bringeth forth death For the conception of lust precedent signifies certainly the consent or conjunction of the will with the carnall appetite when in the wooing or canvasse for that consent of the upper soule on one side and of the lower soule or carnall part on tother the will which is thus courted by both yeelds to the second and so they joyne in mutuall embraces from whence saith the Apostle sinne is brought forth that very consent of the will to the sensuall faculty being formally sinne without or before the acting of it but this perhaps a sinne of iufirmity as the case may be for universim or alwaies it is not but very often wilfull and damning though it never come to act whereas if this sinne of infirmity while it was onely in the conception i. e. consent of the will come to birth i. e. actuall commission or perfection and fitnesse for birth which requires some space and time it may justly be said a sinne against strength so in the very Covenant of grace a fatall mortiferous sin And therefore though before we said that the same sinne in specie might be but an infirmity in one and yet a wilfull sinne in another yet this affirmation will need this caution to interpret it that the meaning of it be onely this that a sinne that is onely an infirmity in one may by some meanes of aggravation become wilfull in another but not è contra that that which upon some grounds or supposition of strength common to all men may be in universum defined a wilfull sinne can by any meanes be extenuated into an infirmity That which I now say I meane of any grosse outward act or habit of sinne because in these I conceive there is some mora or stay wherein the spirit may be advised with and then that being supposed in good health or regenerate state will not faile to suggest sufficient arguments against that sinne and so be a meanes to retract that sudden stolen consent before it come to act at least to habit Or if it be not it selfe without auxiliaries able to combat with the temptation yet it will out of the word of God be able to direct us to some aid which being called in will either improve us to a competent strength or help to disarme and weaken the temptation which we shall find by trying and making use of those meanes be they our prayers either for grace in time of need or as I said prayer as a meanes of divertisement or be they fasting vigilance c. or be it but a tempting to do our best for this is very ordinary to observe in our selves that when we put our selves to it and do our best we prove able to doe farre more then ever we dreamt we had been able And this is very remarkable whether you consider it as a truth in morality wherein it hath been observed that necessity or extreame danger enables men to doe miracles which when they are past they are amazed to see them done by them as Hierocles excellently shewes on that golden Pythagorean 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as a truth of Scripture wherein there be many promises that God will aid when we fight cooperate when we work assist when we endeavour and not be wanting to them which are not first culpably wanting to themselves Having said thus much of wilfull sinnes for the disabusing of those who are over apt to flatter themselves that their sinnes are infirmities and no more and therefore sure of their pardon in Christ though continued in or not retracted by particular repentance I shall not thinke this discourse chargeable or accusable of any dangerous or hurtfull seuerity by being apt to drive men to despaire 1. Because it is knowne in Scripture and acknowledged by all and now confest by this paper that there is a tabula post naufragium a planke after shipwracke repentance as it implyes forsaking and change of mind and the working of that in every such sinner is the thing that all this while I intend and there is no way possible for the working it but this by representing the danger if it be not wrought which he that takes all his sinnes for infirmities will never be convinc'd of while he so thinks And 2. because the despaire that is dangerous is that which is contrary to the purifying hope to that hope that sets upon amendment by assuring that there is mercy to be had on such termes And as any other hope is but groundlesse confidence so any other despaire but that which makes us give over amending is in some respects a very usefull at least not very noxious despaire usefull if it set us on mending when without it we would not as in case of despaire or distrust onely of our present condition in respect of our present sins but not of the future because there is yet place for repentance or not noxious I meane not so farre as to damne or do any thing but deprive us of some comfortable assurance here the want of which if we want nothing else will never prejudice any mans salvation whatever they thinke that take this assurance to be Faith as in case of dying without all hope of Heaven when that no hope proceeds onely from an amazing sight of former sinnes which though we have sincerely forsaken yet none but God infallibly sees that we have and our selves out of an humble lowly conceit of all our owne actions our repentance particularly undervalued by us thinke and resolve we have not For sure if God see we have changed sincerely and so there be assurance respectu objecti in respect of the object t is an errour in us to thinke we have not from whence proceeds the non-assurance of the Subject and this errour if it be onely in the understanding and produce no evill life will sure damne none that should not otherwise be damned For whereas it may be objected that he may seeme to want that affiance in Christ for salvation which is a saving necessary grace I answer that that affiance that is so is the rolling my selfe on Christ for salvation and if I perish
For although in this case the least sinne be not in strictnesse to be admitted though it be for the saving of my life and though the deliberate resolution that in such a case I will venture on such a sinne because it is but a sinne of Weaknesse and so excusable do make it in that case to be wilfull and unexcusable yet abstracting it from this and considering it not before-hand but onely at the time of suddaine surprizall it may be said that the temptation of the feare being so great above the proportion and size that the sinne is at that time represented in this may passe for a sinne of infirmity To come now to specificall or particular sinnes and define universim that they are sinnes of infirmity as of some I did that they were wilfull I shall not adventure because as I said some circumstances might improve some acts under those species into wilful sinnes in some men at some time All that I shall say is that 1. Evill thoughts being suddenly or assoone as they are deprehended rejected with indignation 2. Wandring thoughts in time of prayer following us onely out of custome of thinking on some honest or lawfull things which yet I desire and in some ejaculation pray for strength to cast away from me when I set about that worke and never distinctly consented to but crouding in upon a confused imperfect consent or non-rejection 3. Wicked motions unconsented to or if on the suddaine consented to yet presently retracted againe and not onely strangled or frustrated for want of opportunity of acting them are most capable of that title of infirmities For any more particular knowledge of them every man will best be able to advise himself when he hath tryed his actions by this touchstone that Those onely are sinnes of infirmity when our sincere endeavour and industry and the use of grace given us and prayer for more grace and other meanes prescribed us are not able to free us from some acts of those sinnes or when all our failings in endeavour c. are but consequents of humane frailty not of wilfull sinne Of these that which I shall say for close will I conceive be matter of as much comfort as the former part was of discomfort to any To wit that through the mercy of Christ under the Second Covenant Infirmities unconquered unforsaken sticking to us till our very deaths may be and shall be most certainly pardoned to them that have nothing else to be charged on them i. e. by whom all wilfull sinnes be sincerely forsaken and for infirmities 1. their soules humbled in confession and contrition 2. pardon humbly begg'd in Christ's name and 3. sincere endeavour used against them they shall I say be pardoned if not so farre as not to be punished in this life yet so farre as not to separate from the love of God here or vision of God hereafter though they be here never wholy overcome or put off This I would make the interpretation of that distinction of a generall and particular repentance so ordinary among Divines that the particular repentance should not onely descend to particular wilfull sinnes especially those that are committed after the receiving knowledge of the truth but also extend to the actuall forsaking of them but the generall repentance belong onely to sinnes of infirmity and that 1 without descending to all particulars of that kind 2 without extending our sorrow c. for them to actuall forsaking For the sacrifices of the law being appointed to be offer'd for these sinnes but not for wilfull argue that Christ typified by those sacrifices when we were weake dyed for us and by his death hath obtained pardon for all that walke not after the flesh but after the spirit for all their sinnes of weakenesse on termes onely of humiliation particular or where that cannot be generall confession prayer for pardon and affiance in Christ for that pardon without any actuall overcomming or casting off or getting rid of them which in wilfull sinnes must be superadded to the former so that he that at the time or minute of his death should be guilty of one of them it would not hinder his salvation any more then the same would be inconsistent with a regenerate justified estate in time of life So that the conclusion may be safe and cleare A true Christian may safely live and dye with sins of infirmity about him but live or continue in any wilfull sinne much lesse dye he cannot or if he doe he ceaseth to be such He that is borne of God sinneth not and he that doth sinne is the servant of sinne Some spots there are which are not the spots of sonnes Deut. 32. 5. and they that are guilty of them may be resolved either never to have right unto or if they had to have forfeited all their priviledges of Saintship here such are justification c. and hopes and benefits of it hereafter A PARAPHRASTICALL EXPLICATION OF Heb. 6. FOR this cause or because it is an evidence of children and babes to be alwaies fed with milke still taught nothing but the elements of the beginning of the Oracles of God ◠5. 12. and to know nothing of that higher doctrine of righteousnesse i. e. of our justification and sanctification v. 13. which depends extreamely on the doctrine of Christ's Melchizedekian Priesthood v. 10. to which being consecrated v. 9. he became the author of eternall salvation to all those that obey him which words are the compendium of the Doctrine of our Justification annd sanctification Let us proceede to this higher and more perfect doctrine or such as is proportionable to an upper forme of Christians leaving or passing over these doctrines that Christ began with such was that of repentance and faith Mark 1. 15. the first words of his preaching and not beginning at the very elements of Christianity againe those fundamentall docttrines that the rawest Christians are taught as by name those First of repentance and turning from our unregenerate workes Secondly of Faith or beleefe on God Thirdly of baptizing as that containes both the baptisme of Repentance and of Faith precedent both John's baptisme the baptisme of repentance and Christ's baptisme administred by the Apostles the baptisme of Faith in the Father Son and Holy Ghost Fourthly of laying on of hands whether that which is answerable to our Confirmation oft mentioned of those that had beene baptized or that in Absolution or a third that on the diseased the ceremony of curing them of which there is so frequent mention in the Gospells Matth. 9. 18. and 19. 13. Mark 5. 23. and 6. 5. and 7. 32. and 8. 23 25. and 16. 18. Luk 4. 40. and 13. 13. and many times in the Acts in the description of miraculous cures Fiftly of the resurrection of the dead Sixthly of eternall judgement or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adjudging of men to eternall life and eternall death And by the help
of God this we purpose to doe i. e. to proceed to those sublimer doctrines of Christ's Melchisedekian Priesthood fore-mentioned c. 5. and resumed v. 20. of this Chapter Onely for those that are such non-proficients in Christianity that after so long profession of that doctrine need still to be taught the principles againe even that of repentance from dead workes being themselves turned backe or in danger so to turn to their former Vn-christian unregenerate courses let them know this important truth for which I cannot but goe out of my way a little and tell them in a parenthesis That it is impossible that those who have bin once regenerated for this is the result of that which is expressed by many phrases that have once been baptized or enlightened the word signifies both because adulti were not baptized till they had beene catechised and sufficiently instructed in the faith 2. That have had a gust or tast of the celestiall gift whether of Christ that Tit. 2. is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salvificall saving grace or whether the grace of Christ 3. That have beene partakers of the Holy Ghost of those gifts and graces which that worketh in the heart by the preaching of the word or invisible overshadowing 4. That have had a gust of the good word or Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being all one of Christ and of the powers whether of the Kingdome of grace the state of Christianity for that is cal'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the age to come by the LXXII Is 9. 6. where it is set as the title of Christ that he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the father of the age to come as opposite to that Judaicall State or whether of the Kingdome of heaven and fall from that state of regeneration and those priviledges of Gods Spirit that attend it for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of equall latitude with all the former particulars and is the falling from or forfeiting of them all should renew or recover in an intransitive sense or in an active reciprocall renew or recover themselves to repentance or once more being applyed to Saint Paul's discourse of repentance that Saint Paul's preaching taken by it selfe without superordinary measure of grace should renew such in a plaine active sense being by such sinnes of theirs guilty of a kind of recrucifying of Christ and putting him to a shamefull death for Christ who was once crucifyed and slaine is as it were revived in the regenerate Christian 's heart lives and rules and reignes in him by faith and when that man falls to his old unregenerate course againe he crucifyes Christ anew and puts him to a contumelious death The cleare understanding of these 3 verses 4 5 6. depends upon these 6 Gospell-truths put together First that without God's Spirit or special grace no man can convert repent renew himselfe much lesse recover after a defection Secondly that by this grace and strength of God man may convert and repent and being a regenerate convert do all things through Christ that strengthens him worke out his owne salvation and when he falls if God do not with-draw that grace according to the words of our article he may by the grace of God rise againe Thirdly that if in case of fall God doth so with-draw his grace then the man cannot so renew himselfe or recover to repentance nor can the ordinary power of the ministery worke upon him Fourthly that God hath in the Gospell threatned upon our not making use of this grace to with-draw it or take it away from us as appeares by the parable of the talents where 't is said To him that hath shall be given and from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath i. e. To him that makes use of the grace given him to the end for which 't was given the resisting of sinnes denying of lusts and living soberly and justly and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 12. to him shall more grace be given but from him that makes not this use of it is an unprofitable steward of grace hath grace but doth not thus resist sinnes by the helpe of it from him shall be taken away even that which he hath Fiftly that God doth not upon every sinne committed by a regenerate 〈◊〉 no not upon every sinne committed against knowledge against grace if it be but some single act presently with-draw his grace for this sinne may be presently retracted by repentance not indulged or staid in and then to such humble sinners God gives grace doth not take it away from them The case that such acts of sinne bring regenerate men to hath from the Scripture beene explained in another discourse which I desire may be there considered and not repeated here And though it be a sad one even God's delivering up to Satan yet doth not that inferre the with-drawing of his Grace or forsaking but rather the giving or continuing sufficient grace 2 Cor. 12. 9. passage out and power of bearing it 1 Cor. 10. 13. But then sixthly that upon the regenerate man's walking after the flesh relapsing into the sinnes of his former unregenerate life like a dogge to the vomit c. or into a new set of other sinnes spirituall pride faction able to denominate a man carnall 1 Cor. 3. 3. and the like filthinesse of the spirit then doth God with-draw his spirit from that man and therefore such sinnes as these are called peccata vastantia conscientiam tristantia spiritum grieving and quenching of the spirit of God which though it strives with sinners yet shall it not alwaies strive Gen. 6. 3. when unrighteousnesse commeth in i. c. any old or new vicious habit then the holy spirit of discipline will not abide Wisd 1. 5. And therefore t is said 2 Pet. ◠21. That they that after they have knowne turne from the holy Commandement or the way of righteousnesse and are againe entangled in the pollutions of the world which they had once escaped v. 20. fall into a worse estate then they were in before their regeneration which must needs be by the totall with-drawing of grace from them To which purpose is that of Saint James out of Solomon that God resisteth the proud where resisting is opposed to giving of grace and so notes taking it away and the proud opposed to the humble are the proud impenitent obdurate sinners or they that go on in any impenitent course against knowledg or conscience All which being premised 't is cleare that they that are thus fallen from a regenerate state to their old unregenerate course of sinne c. and so by Gods just punishment deprived of his grace without which they were able to doe nothing are not now possibly able to recover or renew themselves to repentance As they that are only slipt or fallen but not layne downe in their mire of sinne might by the grace which they yet
decay of spirits and a consequent numnesse and dulnesse 3. the hurry of worldly businesse then to be composed and set in order all which being put together will add extreamly to the improbability of any mans being wrought on or melted at that time and rather define that it is undoubtedly the unfittest and unlikeliest season to begin or perfect a worke so great so weighty that before he could find no leasure even when time lay on his hands to set about it and yet farther many diseases there are a Consumption by name wherein the more desperately we are sicke and the nearer our end the lesse are we apt to beleeve we are so and other sharper diseases when they come to an height deprive us of our wits and hopes together and by their indications to others that they are mortall disable us utterly from preparing for that mortality For the third there is little hope of that the condition which is now required under the Gospell being as indispensably required of all that come to yeares and powers and meanes of knowledge as ever the condition of the first Covenant was under that And that condition is Repent and beleeve the Gospell Except you repent you shall all likewise perish now I hope 't will be no newes to say that repentance is more then sorrow if it be then observe 2 Cor. 7. 10. and it will be convincing Besides the example of Judas that had this sorrow before he hanged himselfe and the example of Esau's birth-right lost and the insufficiency of sorrow at last to get Isaac to repent or reverse the blessing which God had decreed from him to Jacob will argue that bare sorrow will not serve the turne to regaine the spirituall inheritance Besides this sorrow the most that that state is capable of is a resolution of amendment as for actuall amendment or the evidencing of that resolution by actions this state is supposed uncapable of that Now concerning a death-bed resolution of amendment these 8 things may be observed 1. That it is at that time most improper and out of season very unreasonable that the end of the life should be the first minute of living well It is an old rule in Hesiod that 't is too late to sow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for then the corne should be growing up the death-bed is a speciall season for the exercise and evidence of many Christian vertues and consequently very improper for a seedes-time or plantation 2. That it is a ridiculous thing for a man to resolve to live well upon no other consideration but because the time is come when he thinkes he shall dye The very foundation of the resolution being contrary to the performance of it the condition of all his good life a presumption that he shall not live And not only ridiculous but null 't will be but an act of reason justice to himself to change the resolution when the motives are changed and a contrary imprudence and unkindnesse to adhere to the conclusion when the praemises are confuted and to doe that which he resolved when that upon which the resolution was made selfe-love and carnall advantages and interests shall as much oblige him to make contrary resolutions the invitations of the flesh being as perswasive in health as the terrours of hell affrighting in sicknesse the present pleasure now as strong an argument as was then the approaching paine especially when the pleasure hath the advantage of being represented alone without the rivall which was the only meanes by which the other came ever to prevaile From such grounds of discourse as this what can be expected of this sick resolver but that he resume his sinnes with his health leave his new vowes in that bed where first he tooke them up discharge his feares and his good motions his Physitian and Confessor together 3. That a desire of dying well of having heaven in another world may then easily be mistaken for that resolution 4. That as a wearinesse of paines may be taken for a wearinesse of this world so that wearinesse may be taken for mortification and that mortification for resolution of amendment 5. That the no strength then to sinne may easily passe for this resolved amendment or however resolution to amend at a time when I have no strength to sinne may last no longer then that impotence lasteth 6. That although this resolution if it be sincere and such as God sees would bring forth fruits of repentance of time were given shall certainely be accepted by God according to that of Wisd 4. 7. although the righteous be prevented with death yet shall he be at rest yet this resolution while it is no more ' then so first may be mistaken and thought sincere when it is not there was little difference to any mans sight betwixt the seed that sprung up without root and that which was sowed in good ground till the shining of the Sunne made the discrimination and that errour not only others but our selves may be subject to we commit many things in time of temptation which in absence of the temptation we resolved against and really beleeved that resolution had beene sincere so we omit in like manner and the reason is because we resolved it only absolutely but foresaw not the price to be laied down for it either did not discerne or else did not resolve on the paines or difficulties that it would cost us to performe it He that is sicke and is assured that such a potion will cure him resolves firmely he will take it is perhaps at that time perswaded that this resolution is sincere yet when the potion comes and proves extreme offensive to the tast he will rather dye then swallow it This argues the resolution either not largely enough extended or not deepely enough radicated he had only digested the potion as physick but not as loathsome as prescribed for his good but foresaw not then or after is not courageous enough to overcome the bitternesse of it And though I shall not affirme or conceive that every resolution is unsincere which ever actually failes or possibly might faile in time of temptation because those failings may be but infirmities and those are reconcileable with sincerity or but single acts of sin and those if presently retracted againe by repentance and not continued or persevered in impenitently are reconcileable also yet still sure there is such a thing as unsincere resolution and of the many kindes of that I shall name a few 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The resolution that doth not or would not on supposition of tryall hold out against the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ordinary humane temptations such as are proportioned to the strength which we have or which if we use the meanes prescribed we shall be sure to receive 2. The resolution that is not deepely rooted in an honest heart as that is exprest first by the good then by the moyst
meanes which I might otherwise use which we call suddaine surreption or from the frequency or repetition or almost continuednesse of the temptation which when I have repell'd it never so often returnes againe so that if ever my watch be intermitted which considering our humane frailty it is though not logically yet morally impossible but it should some time or other I shall infallibly fall which we use to call sinnes of dayly incursion or from the levity and undiscerniblenesse of the matter or from any other principle which by that measure of grace that God affords me or if I be not culpably wanting to my selfe in neglecting the use of the means prescribed he is ready to afford me I am not able to resist Supposing al this while that 't is not upon some former wilfull sinne of mine that God by way of punishment withdrawes this grace necessary to the resisting of it for if it be so then though it may truly be said I cannot now resist that sinne for want of that grace so withdrawne by God yet will not this passe for a sinne of infirmity On the other side under the name of wilfull sinnes I meane not all willingly committed or voluntary sinnes for all sin as far as it is sinne is voluntary and therefore sinnes of infirmity are voluntary but all that are not excusable by any of those former titles of infirmity or all that are not included under some of those heads Thus farre in the way of generall defining there is no great difficulty That begins to shew it selfe when we come to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or particular to mention what sinnes in specie or individuo what sorts of sin or acts of those sorts are sinnes of infirmity what not And this is indeed an insuperable difficulty 1. Because one man hath more knowledge more quicknesse of understanding and also more grace then another and so that sinne in specic or individuo that sort or particular act of sinne which he hath power to resist and overcome that other man that hath lesse power hath not power to overcome and if so t will be an infirmity in him though in tother t is not 2. Because any specificall sinne comes backed with more temptations and so makes a more forcible impression upon the will at one time then another consequently though it were not above his strength at one time yet at another time it may Yea and thirdly because the same man is at one time more able to resist and overcome then he himselfe at some other time as of a man in state of desertion it is cleare as also when either by drunkennesse or any other culpable extravagancy through rage or lust not resisted in the first motion the man is utterly debauched from his naturall and spirituall strength and no way able to resist those temptations which at another time he would scorne to be captivated with But these two causes will not be very pertinent to the businesse in hand because as is supposed in them that which brought this weakenesse upon the man was some culpable nay wilfull act or yeelding of his committed then against strength though now that strength be not sufficient against the consequent assault and so no way apt to excuse the sinne that it primarily betrayed him to But if the case be set of some innocent accident which causes this alteration then it will be pertinent to the thing which I now affirme to wit the evidencing the difficulty of such particular defining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as we know a man in time of sadnesse will be able to reject some jolly proposalls which yet in time of mirth supposing that moderate and harmelesse and as perfectly sinlesse in it selfe as that contrary sadnesse he will not perhaps be able nay as Hippocrates affirmes in his tract 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one aire or place may strongly incline a man to one whether virtue or sinne which another doth not where the inclinations are stronger or weaker there we know the strength being in degree supposed the same must prove unproportionable to the one though not the other able and sufficient to resist the weaker though unsufficient to subdue the stronger inclination To come yet more clearely to that which is of every dayes experience Suppose a man a little drowzy at one houre which drowzinesse at that time particularly is not a sinne but a naturall desire of sleep which is natures due debt and suppose him throughly awaked and out of that fit of drowzinesse at another time and then suppose that the same proposall be made to him at both those times it may very probably be received at one time and rejected at another nay if the proposall be an undertaking destructive of his present desire of sleep it may easily be affirmed that in that drowzy fit he hath no strength to resist it though at another time he hath The reason is because sleepe being a ligation of the faculties drowzinesse likewise is so in some degree and the want of that degree may disable the understanding or upper soule from representing strongly enough at that time that which at another time it shall be able to represent so strongly that the contrary proposalls of the sense shall not dare to appeare before it From whence I conceive it followes that if the proposall supposed in this cause be a sinfull proposall that sinne committed by that drowzy man will be a sinne of infirmity which if it were committed by the same man broad awake would be a sinne against strength and so a wilfull sinne From whence yet the man so deceived once or twice ought to receive admonition that hereafter if any weighty matter wherein his duty be concerned be represented to him in the like posture he will before he consents or refuses discutere somnum shake off sleepe that he may not be so unfit a judge or if he find his owne weakenesse such that he cannot he will appoint some body else to awake him throughly that he be not thus constantly impotent For if he doe not use these meanes to recover his strength when he is aware of them it may cease to be an infirmity From all which as we have evidenced the difficulty of the problem applyed to particular individuall sinnes or persons so we conceive our discourse to have given some hints which will be usefull toward this discovery Especially this that any sinne committed by him that hath at that time strength or grace to resist it or whose wilfull fault it hath beene that he hath not that sufficient strength as if either some former wasting sinne of his whether act or habit have grieved the holy Spirit of God and provoked God to withdraw it from him which he would not otherwise have done or if by the use of some meanes beforehand he might have prevented the strength of that impression or better fortified himselfe or by use of some other meanes as
of prayer c. at the present he might yet get strength or remove the tempter and he make use of none of these meanes through sensuality or sluggishnesse is a wilfull sinne not a sinne of infirmity to that man at that time And so though we have no other particular way of defining yet this we have that will stand any man in as good steed for the examining himselfe and his owne guilts or any confessor that hath received of his confitent an exact account not only of the action but the circumstances of the action his qualifications at that time and the particular vigor of the assault as particular definitions concerning this or that sinne universim would As for example if I would know whether any act of mine owne or being a confessor of my poenitent be a wilfull sinne or no I must first inquire whether in that point of time when being tempted I committed it my understanding or upper soul and the spirit of God in me did move me more or as strongly not to doe it as the flesh did to the commission allowing farther somewhat of grace to incline the will or of the understanding to move it as much in proportion as the will since the fall is naturally inclined to the carnall appetite as you know when one Scale is heavier of it selfe then the other or by some default in the beame one is more apt to turne then the other you must if you would even the ballances and make an aequilibrium put more weight in the Scale that is apt to fly up Or if this be an obscure operation why then I must desire thee to examine whether at that time thy Spirit or Conscience told thee this was not to be done and that on paine not only of Gods displeasure but also of thy eternall damnation which must certainly be farre greater motives of determent even to flesh and bloud then any pleasure the flesh can represent can be allective to the contrary and if thou findest it did and yet for all this thy will consented to the flesh in its proposall then this is a sinne against strength a wilfull sinne and not of infirmity But if thy conscience or spirit or upper soule at that time did not this then 't is to be resolved on that it failed to doe the duty of a watchman and if it did so then my second inquiry will be From whence that failing of thy spirit arose for if it be awake and disposed as it should be and as even yet by grace it is prepared to be if we make use of that grace it will speake and admonish us and that not in words which are subject to misunderstanding but in sense which therefore we cannot conceive Whether first from Gods just desertion the punishment of some former sin or secondly from some present actuall sinne of mine upon me at that time as drunkennesse crapula c. or thirdly from some habit which I have by former acts of the sinne which I am now tempted to contracted to the blinding of my understanding or grieving of the spirit or glibbing that sinne that it shall be able to passe downe insensibly and escape the search of my understanding In all these cases the originall of that failing being sinfull the failing it selfe will not yeeld any excuse or compleat apology but the sinne will still remaine a wilfull sinne If none of all these be found chargeable upon thee as the originall of that failing and negttive productive of that sinne then I can as yet thinke of but one inquiry more whether thirdly thy understanding and the grace of God in it being thus layed asleepe as it were by some naturall sinlesse or at least invicible and so excusable frailty or else as in a drowzy fit not perfectly awake there be not some meanes prescribed and presented to thee by God which if thou hadst used thou mightest have wakened thy understanding or fortified thy will or weakened the temptation and if so and thou hast through negligence or confidence spirituall security or pride omitted to make use of them then will this still amount to a wilfull sinne or a sinne against strength as when the Lunatique Son was brought to the Disciples of Christ and the Text faith Mat. 17. 21. they could not cast the evill spirit out and Christ gives the reason why they could not because saith he this kinde goeth not out but by prayer and fasting Christ yet chargeth them with infidelity almost unsufferable O faithlesse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you because there being such meanes to enable them to doe the worke they neglected those meanes so only by that neglect became unable The style of faithlesse in that place gives us yet a more perfect notion of a wilfull sinne then hitherto we have arrived to that it is not only that which is against naturall conscience or spirituall infusions but also that which is particularly against faith i. e. comes to be committed by neglecting the use of some meanes which the word of Christ or the Scripture offers and prescribes to us especially if by our former faylings we have discerned the want we have of such helpes or auxiliaries For in this respect of directing to such meanes of victory Faith is said to be the overcoming the world 1 John 5. 4. as well as in presenting us with the promises and terrors of the Gospell Farther yet in the fourth place if at the time of commission of the sinne thou caust truely say 't was not in thy power to resist it because of the strength of the temptation so hurrying thee as not to give thee leasure to judge or deliberate which may seeme to intitle that action to the title of infirmity thou must then enquire whether thy yeelding voluntarily from contēplation of the pleasure c. to some entrances and beginnings of that sinne whether marose thoughts or somewhat father be not that that hath made the temptation so strong or thee so weake which thou wilt discerne by this enquiry whether before those morose thoughts c. were entertained thou wert not able to make resistance to the actuall sinne and then if so thou wert able nay actually didst and only the intervenience of those preparatory yeeldings did betray thee to this impotence and it was in thy power by naturall or supernaturall strength already had or prayer either as it hath a promise of more strength or as it is an excellent meanes of diversion to have resisted those beginnings when thou didst yeeld then still is this a wilfull sinne or sinne against strength As for other sinnes more clearely and immediately against naturall conscience against Faith or directions of the Scripture for the overcoming the world against supernaturall strength or grace as contumacious stubborne presumptuous sinnes there will be little scruple to any man or cause to keepe him from pronouncing of and charging
on them the crime of wilfulnesse and concluding without reall change the certaine damningnesse of them even under Christ I say particularly presumptuous sinnes when presuming that Gods mercy in Christ is either unlimited and may belong to any the most unreformed or that it is decreed absolutely to some persons without any respect to qualifications or demeanures to Saul the persecutor as well as Paul the Apostle the sinner runnes comfortably and alacriously on without any regret of conscience the doing so is certainely no sinne of infirmity because though some errour may be pretended for his so doing and that errour seeme apt to lend him excuse Yet first errours that are not simple errours but bring vitious life after them are not excusable because not invincible errours the rule of the agenda or duties of life being so cleare in the Scripture and in the heart that no man can be invincibly ignorant of that Rom. 10. 8 9. and Deut. 30. 14. The word that is now commanded is not hid or impossible or like fetching Christ from heaven or the grave a thing quite out of our power but it is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst doe it And secondly it will be apparent that even those errours on which that presumption is built being simply considered are demonstrable to be errours suppositâ fide or to one that acknowledges the Scripture because there be so many places in the Scripture point-blanke against them particularly those of the conditionall promises every where scattered Neither circumcision c. but the new creature but faith consummate by love but keeping the Commandements of God Without holinesse no man shall see the Lord He that confesses and forsakes shall have mercy He that hath this hope purifies c. And having therefore these promises let us cleanse c. From what hath beene said it will be more then probable that all acts of fornication adultery c. which I shall suppose never to be actually committed without some space of deliberation or if they be then I meane those other wherein that deliberation inteposes are wilfull sinnes and so also all acts of drunkennesse unlesse when through ignorance of the strength of the liquor or the weakenesse of the braine the man suddainly fall into it by desiring to quench his thirst or doe somewhat which is lawfull wherein yet if after one or more trials he miscarry the second or a third time it will still be a wilfull sinne So also lying or speaking that which we know to be false to the defrauding and wronging of another or for any vainglorious designe So againe any sinne of oppression injustice c. or generally all those where there is any time of advice and deliberation For where ever that liberty is there is supposed an ability and readinesse in the upper soule of a Christian to present arguments for obedience to God stronger then any the devill or the world or flesh can offer for the contrary As for killing a man though the Law of the Land is wont to distinguish of wilfull and not wilfull murther yet to any man in his wits the stabbing his neighbour or using any other such meanes as may probably take away his life would seeme so strange that I cannot conceive but his spirit should be able to deterre him from it in that space which is required that any such weapon may be prepared For if it be said his rage doth gag or silence his spirit I shall answer that the raising of his rage to that pitch was not in a minute but grew upon him by degrees and then there was time and meanes to prevent that growth which he that did not make use of will hardly be able thereby to excuse or extenuate the subsequent sinne For swearing also I know not how in ordinary discourse or in any case extra causas juramenti legitimas where it is supposed perfectly lawfull it can be made a sinne of infirmity for in communication Christ's words are so plaine But I say unto you Sweare not at all and particularly Let your communication be yea yea c. for whatsoever is more is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the evill one that it would amaze any man to see that it should become an ornament or tolerable part of a Christians dialect And if it be in rage then I dare say that either that man hath formerly in some measure enured his tongue to swearing or not so strictly made conscience of an oath as Christ's precept obligeth him for he that never swore will not in impatience probably fall out into those formes of speech that he never used but alwaies vowed and resolved against but into some other which he hath been more used to or which he could heare in others with lesse horrour and detestation or which were a more naturall remedy for that passion And if you marke it that which rage doth is onely to blind the understanding and so to steale out any proper effects of rage as presuming of their impunity or not considering the contrary danger but not to hurry us to the commission of any or every other sinne indifferently and at a venture And why a rage should cast one upon using Gods name in oathes which before he had never phansied for any use but in his prayers any more then on many other unheard of sinnes I am so farre from conceiving any reason that I must conclude it impossible unlesse it proceed from the being used in some measure to that sinne or having a more favourable easy opinion of it And yet after all this that rage it selfe being so Vn-Christian a thing which we are so obliged to prevent and if in time it be not prevented will not alwaies passe for an infirmity in a Christian will be unable to patronize or excuse any such one oath which that puts into our mouthes but on the other side the observing that my rage hath made me sweare must in any reason give me so strict a watch over my selfe in time of provocation as never to let loose into a rage which proves so inconvenient and so complicated a sinne unto me as he that finds himselfe quarrelsome in his drinke hath the greatest obligation to temperance of any As for any other meanes that bring on swearing custome pride ostentation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filling up the discourse none of these will excuse it from a wilfull sinne especially considering the naturall intrinsecall untemptingnesse of that sinne that were it not for some accidentall or extrinsecall advantage evill example which if it had been a good one we could easily enough have rejected and not imitated or custome locall or personall or that other of the company we are used to scarce any man that heares swearing forbidden by Christ will discerne himselfe to have any carnall invitation to sweare no not in time of rage The same I thinke may be defined of all the grosse outward acts
will upon any carnall motives venture upon the terrours of the Lord therefore that man is mad that will adventure on that sinne and then to prove and make good against the contrary fallacious suggestions of the flesh c. every part of that Syllogisme and moreover to bring it home particularly to thee at that time will require some space and that by the suddainnesse and no warning of the temptation being not afforded the spirit in this case is not able to doe its duty and so the sinne will be committed for want of strength For the want of strength that especially denominates the sinne of infirmity is not any want of bodily strength for whatever is committed for want onely of that is a kind of rape no voluntary action nor consequently any sinne so much as of infirmity an act or defect of the body not of the will and so not chargeable upon the man which is primarily his soule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy soule is thou but of spirituall or inward strength i. e. of grace and of motives and suasories to obedience more effectuall or operative or powerfull then any the world or flesh or devill hath to the contrary And seeing these arguments are perpetually to be had from every regenerate Christian 's spirit and the only want is the non-representing or non-producing of them in time of neede if the case stands so that by reason of the suddaine surprizall or which is somewhat different clancular surreption when from some indifferent acts a sinne steales on us as by drinking one glasse of wine I am prepared to a readinesse to drinke a second and perhaps by that sending up some cloud to the understanding or warming and so emboldning me I may be much induced to a third and so every step make me more unable not to proceed they cannot be thus produced this sinne thus consented to must needs be a sinne of infirmity in him that meerly through ignorance of the power of wine is so betrayed though to him that had one such warning and yet thus fals againe as before I said I cannot be so favourable Or thirdly when the vigilance and importunate diligence and indefatigable siege of the temptation is such as that if the man doe not watch with as continued a diligence the will will be taken unfortified and so by that disadvantage won to consent as in case of daily incursion of any one temptation or of all sinnes some at one time some at another every minute almost some then the sinne that is committed meerly thus may passe for a sinne of Infirmity because though every assault particularly considered be such as that the spirit might have beene vigilant enough to prevent it yet to be so perpetually upon the guard is morally impossible and so sometime to nod and slip or fall may passe uncensured for an infirmity And therefore when to that which is said truly of the second Covenant that the condition of it is feisable because there is now under the Gospell no more required sub periculo animae but to doe what we are enabled to doe and no man can be unable to doe that 't is wont to be objected that no man ever did all that he is able to doe and therefore though it be Logically possible to doe so and so to performe the condition of the second though not of the first Covenant yet 't is moraly impossible i. e. 't is not to be imagined that ever any man will do it then that will be all one in effect with the condition of the first Covenant which is acknowledged utterly impossible To this we answer that therefore the Gospell hath made provision even for these morall impossibilities and not required the regenerate Christian sub periculo animae to performe alway what ever he is able to performe but indulged so much to humane frailty that what ever is morally consequent to that shall be matter of excuse to us and so particularly to fall sometimes through daily incursion of temptation onely because I doe not which it cannot be expected I should watch alwaies will be matter of excuse also Besides these 3 heads of sinnes of infirmity some others there are which will not so clearely be put under one or severall heads such as are those that the levity of the matter and that inadvertence betrayes us to supposing that that be not grosse or affected or caused by some wilfull sinne for some degree of this there will be in the most knowing and most vigilant man and some sinnes will drop from us by this meanes which wholly to avoid may be truely said to be above Humane Power One head of these sinnes of infirmity there is yet behind containing many branches under it of which 't would be too long to treat particularly and yet without a particular descending to particulars hard to define whether they be infirmities or no. Namely sinnes which passion betrayes us to meaning thereby such passions which 't is not in the Christian's power so to quell but that they will be apt thus to betray him These sinnes are either 1. the inordinacy of these passions themselves which I thinke neither nature nor grace can so wholly conquer in this life but that in some kind or other there will at some time appeare some inordinacy some act of either immoderate anger or feare or love or joy or sorrow at some time or other and of these we may define in generall that he that first studies himselfe so carefully as to discerne which of these he is most inclinable to by his temper and then labours sincerely against all but with most industry against that to which he is most inclinable of which sincerity he will be able to passe some judgement by the daily impairing of the violence of those passions for sure if he labour sincerely especially by the use of proper meanes he will be able to advance somewhat toward victory though not absolutely arrive to it shall have the excuse of infirmities for his some few acts of immoderate passion Or 2. These sinnes are some other specificall acts of sinne which these passions betray men to which though much different in guilt as well as nature from the mother sinnes and many times very far from infirmities for sure he that for feare would sacrifice to Idols through anger kill c. will hardly be thus excused yet is it very possible that such sinnes that some passions may betray us to may deserve that title of infirmities As when any naturall trembling or other passion incident to the flesh being without any improvement into an inordinate passion an incitation of mind makes me not discerne or not weigh the sinfulnesse of some small light sinne which offers it selfe to rid me from my feare c. as if the venturing of some lesser sinne should promise me rescue from death which being otherwise represented to me as unavoidable were withall very formidable to me
have and by the preaching of the word be able to doe That this is the meaning of the place may yet farther appeare by the similitude following v. 7 8. brought on purpose to explaine it For the ground that hath the benefit of the raine to moisten its naturall drinesse and so to make it able to beare fruit and that hath suck't in that raine and been actually moistned by it which is the lively expression of the premised regenerate man if it doe bring forth fruit to the husbandman performe that which it is enabled and is expected from it to performe which is an expression of him that makes good use of grace lives like a regenerate man this he that hath in the parable of the talent it shall receive blessing from God the more grace in the parable But that same moistned and manured ground the same regenerate man which bringeth forth nothing but thornes and briars the servant that proves evill and faithlesse that makes not use of grace to its due end of resisting lusts and overcomming the world but falls into his unregenerate sins lives as if no culture had beene bestowed upon him is rejected deprived of that reward which tother had for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an agonisticall word signifies generally in this booke as 1 Cor. 9. 27. one that misses the prize the reward the blessing of more grace And contrarywise is nigh to cursing that punishment of withdrawing of grace due to it and the end of it is to be burnt or to burning which whether it be set to note eternall perdition or else an extraordinary kinde of husbandry which we call Devonshireing cutting off the turfe and burning it upon the ground to make that beare which ordinary culture would doe no good on I shall not define Onely from that latter interpretation which I suppose will be rejected I shall take the hint to say that which though the interpretation be not admitted will yet be without contradiction true that how impossible so ever it be for such an one to recover himselfe or for the ordinary meanes to worke upon him yet 't is still possible that God may by some extraordinary meanes of spirituall husbandry recover and reduce that man All that is here affirmed is onely this that there is no promise that he will and the thing is onely in the hands the free hands of God not so much as constrained by a promise and so no ground either of depending upon it for my selfe that God will doe it for me or prejudging others that for them he will not doe it I can foresee but one objection now producible against the probability of this interpretation and it is this that this impossibility of doing any good by our owne naturall strength without Grace is so universall a truth that it cannot be here appropriated to this one case of apostasie or recidivation of the regenerate For the regenerate remaining so can doe no good thing without it and those that are not yet regenerate are as unable to convert themselves as these are to recover or renew To which though I might answer that the instancing in this particular is most and only proper to the Apostles present purpose who speakes to converts who were either thus fallen or in danger thus to fall and therefore though the Aphorisme might be extended to those others yet we have no reason to expect that the Apostle should so farre recede from his businesse in hand as to doe it and so the objection will be of no force yet will the answer be more cleare and satisfactory if I adde that indeed that which is here said is proper onely to this kind of sinners the relapst regenerate For of the regenerate not so falne it is most certaine and agreeable to Scripture-doctrine to affirme that by the spirit of Christ he can do all things that he hath sufficient grace and by that sufficient strength to doe what God in the Gospell requires of him and therefore 't is affirmed of him i. e. his person thus enabled that he is thus able and consequently he is every where exhorted to doe accordingly to worke out his salvation to stand to quit himselfe like a man to purifie himselfe and a hundred the like which every one suppose him to have grace by which to doe it And for the unregenerate though indeed he having no grace can as yet doe nothing yet some promises there are in the new Covenant of giving of grace to him mention of giving Christ for every man that Christ being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the salvificall grace that appeares to all teaching them c. and in Christ striking a Covenant with those to whom he is given and part of the effect of that Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to give strength to serve him and againe mention of the talents dispens'd among the servants to all some and upon the good use of the least more bestowed From whence sure it may be concluded that 't is by some default of our owne whosoever have not sufficient grace given us especially the promise being so punctuall that God will give the Holy Spirit to them that aske him of God by importunate unwearied prayer Whereas in case of the fore-mentioned relapse there is no such promise of Grace to give us such a claime to it nor consequently the same degree of possibility to renew that the other hath to convert God's promise of giving grace to them which doe not resist it adding much to that possibility and his no promise to the other being sufficient proofe of the impossibility of the other according to the importance of Aquinas his note out of Aristotle l. 3. Eth. that those things are said to be possible to us which we can doe by the helpe of our friends which we can doe by a derived power though of our selves originally we cannot and God being a friend I meane no enemy but lover and helper beyond all friends to unregenerate men so farre as to give Christ to dye for them and his holy Spirit to descend to them being such enemies to love them and give them the effects of love whereas to them that have rebelled and vexed his Spirit he is not such a friend but an enemy to fight against them Is 63. 10. And so no such secundary derived way of possibility competible to them because no such assurance of any friend to aid them in it there being none other imaginable but God and he being to such an one an enemy rather Parallel to this place thus interpreted is that in the same Ep. c. 10. For those that after the accepting of the knowledge of the truth after the embracing the Gospell or Christianity being regenerate and born a new of water and the Holy Ghost doe fall willingly into their old or other new courses of sinne for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not the single act but the habit of sinne
fall into such dangerous snares and yet because after all this 't is possible that though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the good sense signifie actuall giving yet it may not in the ill actuall punishing because to thinke worthy and to reward still goe together in God in retribution of good but not so in evill his pardoning mercy oft interceding and againe because those words may well passe not for any law set to God but onely as a meanes to keep us from so falling when we stand by setting such a direfull character upon it shewing us how promiselesse and dangerous such our state is it will therefore be no temptation to anywho is in this sad estate to be hopelesse or give over labouring to get out again but rather a Summons or Proclamation of terrour straight to awaken him out of that estate to humiliation and prayers to God lest it be too late And in this the example of David will be encouragement to him who after a years sleepe or lethargy in those sins of adultery and murther c. which were such falls of a regenerate man and by God's ordinary meanes never retracted all that while was yet by God's grace and mission of a Prophet extraordinary recalled and reduced again though it cost him afterwards many flouds of teares penitentiall expressions to wash out those spots which he had thus contracted though even still he lies under the reproach of that sinne when he doth not of any other because that only was indulged in so long 1 King 15. 5. And the same may be said of Solomon also who after such heavie falls which beyond all the children of God are sadly recorded of him in Scripture was by God brought back to repentance God's mercy being beyond all promise I shall adde beyond all other example to him in this behalfe And therefore the close must be that if we have followed them in their sinnes we must be sure to imitate them also not only in the repentance and sincerity of that but in all the degrees and demonstrations of their repentance if we hope for the mercy which they met with To which I shall adde no more save onely this that the product of that which from these places hath beene concluded seemes to be very agreeable with that famous case set by Saint Augustine l. de persever of two men supposed to be converted together to live the life of converts in the same manner to fall together and so to continue some time and then one of them before death to recover and rise againe and the other to dye in his state of relapse where he makes this an argument and example of God's making a discrimination betwixt men supposing this last act of recovery in the one to be an act of spirituall extraordinary grace to him which was not given nor by any obligation due unto the other which is the most that from these two places thus paraphrased hath beene collected He that thinketh he standeth let him take heed lest he fall 1 Cor. 10. 12. If any man be overtaken in a fault you that are spirituall restore such a man considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Gal. 6. 1. Then saith the Devill I will returne to my house from whence I came out and comming he findeth it empty swept and garnished then goeth he and taketh with him seven other spirits worse then himselfe and they goe in and dwell there and the end of that man is worse then the beginning So shall it be to this evill generation Mat. 12. 42. Behold thou art made cleane goe sinne no more lest a worse thing happen unto thee Joh. 5. 14. OF A LATE OR A DEATH-BED REPENTANCE Brutus in Epist ad Pergamen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By HENRY HAMMOND D. D. LONDON Printed in the yeere 1646. OF A LATE OR A Death-bed Repentance CONCERNING a late or Death-bed repentance which I conceive much fitter for a sad secret consideration in the presence onely of God and the Scripture ones own soul then for a dispute or debate wherein either each party may be unwilling to yeeld or willing to retaine their owne prepossessions or else that person that hath long depended on the benefit of a late repentance may thinke it great rashnesse to resigne up that hold upon slight grounds and such will any seeme to be at a suddaine transient representation It must first be acknowledged that one of those two things is ordinarily understood by it either the perfecting our accounts with God at that time reinforcing all our former good resolutions and shutting up that busines of our soules which in time of health had beene sincerely begun but not perfected or else the Beginning of that worke of Repentance at that time For the first of these it is acknowledged that the Close of our lives whether it be old age or sicke bed is very proper and usefull to that purpose For the person that hath before that sincerely converted to God with unfained sorrow and confession of all former sinnes and firme resolution of amendment which is the least that true repentance can consist of may then when he sees himselfe drawing toward a period of a life mixt with infirmities and sinnes lay his full load on his owne shoulders and so with true sorrow and compunction come heavy laden to his Saviour lay downe that burthen before God by particular confession and beseech his pardon through the sufferings and satisfaction of Christ for every of these which pardon the true sincere penitent hath on those termes promise to receive from Heaven Nay he that had before made many good resolutions and yet through custome of the place through strength of naturall constitution and such like temptations hath hitherto not beene so faithfull to his resolutions as he ought may now at last upon God's visitation and by helpe of this discipline of Heaven radicate and settle such resolutions so deepe that they would be constant and persevering if he should againe recover and so this discipline may in that case be thought to have beene designed by God to this wholsome end and the working of such an effect will no doubt be acceptable in his sight But for the second the beginning I say the beginning the worke of repentance at that time I desire these particulars may seriously be laid to heart 1. In a generall view of it whether it be not reprochfull and contumelious thus to offer God the refuse and vilest of our age and parts like that offering to Ceres Phygaliensis in Pausanias none of the hony of their bees but only the wax or juicelesse part of their labour and of their wooll those fleeces which were not fit for use but full of the daglockes the coursest and foulest part of it That kinde of wooll if a late Critickes bold conjecture might be heeded was it in which the spunge of vinegar was put when 't was given Christ on the
Crosse The Criticisme I shall confesse very insolent but the observation on that supposition true and obvious enough that it was the greatest contumely that could have beene offered unto Christ 2. Whether a person that now in time of youth or health depends in any measure upon that repentance of old age or disease that deferres the forsaking of wilfull sinnes or labouring to overcome passions or vanities for the present in contemplation of the possibility of doing all this at the last and of the conceived benefits or usefulnesse of such repentance do not for the present grieve and resist and refuse the holy spirit of God which at that time importunes to be heard and obeyed 3. Whether he do not promise himselfe that though Gods spirit be thus grieved and resisted yet he will never be wearied out but will be as bountifull and constant in giving of grace after such resistance as before 4. Whether to hope this be not contrary as to that of the Prophet Is 63. 10. They rebelled and vexed his holy spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them so also to the method of God in dispensing his Grace described in the Gospell especially in the parable of the Talents which goes upon this rule that he that makes use of and improves that measure of Grace which God affords shall have more but he that doth not that which he hath shall be taken away from him As Gen. 5. 3. where we read my spirit shall not alwaies strive with flesh the Greeke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not abide or dwell with him the Hebrew is thought to have a peculiar notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sheath my spirit or the spirit which I have given to man shall not be thus unprofitably laid up and sheathed in him the talent that lies so long idle shall at length be taken away and the floud be sent to awake or drowne such unprofitable-spirited-men It is the phansy of a very learned man that these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 3. 19. the spirits in prison say we of whom God so complaines that they were sheathed lay idly and unprofitable in mankind in Noah's dayes who went and preacht to them Which if it be rightly conjectured by him will conclude them and all such others in the number of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 20. disobedient whose repentance and amendment Gods patience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once expected but at length gave over expecting the very same provoking condition exprest by the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Heb. 3. 18. is put under that direfull oath of God that they should not enter into his rest Thus the preaching of the Gospel the means of working grace being allowed in an eminent manner to God's people the Jewes and after the death of Christ yet farther continued to them for some time upon their resisting of those meanes is taken away from them Mat. 21. 43. To which purpose that terrible passage so oft repeated and so little understood Matth. 13. 13. Mar. 4. 12. Luk. 8. 10. Joh. 12. 40. Act. 28. 26. Rom. 11. 8. all taken out of Isa 6. 9. is very observable being in the place of the Acts peculiarly applied to this matter the removing of the meanes of grace from the Jewes to the Gentiles v. 28. of all which severall repetitions of the same words this is the plaine constant sense that because they had first resisted that powerfull meanes of grace so long vouchsafed unto them therefore they were by God's just punishment deprived of those meanes that spoken to them obscurely in parables which was to others plainely as the places in the Gospell specify and so delivered up to hardnesse of heart For this reason or cause so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denotes because their heart was in the preter tense was before not is in the present waxen grosse and their eares were dull of hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the aorist they had for some indefinite time been so slow and dull in hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their eyes had they closed lest they should at any time see or heare or understand or convert and so God should heale them That this is the meaning of that hard place a proclaiming of consequent desertion from God upon their precedent obdurating their hearts against God's meanes and not any absolute antecedent unprovoked act of God's hardning of them the manner of setting downe the place both in Saint Matthew and in the Acts and the rendring it as a reason of Christ's speaking to them in parables in three other places will inforce as might be more largely here manifested if it were seasonable And indeed to returne from this short digression the promises of the Gospell goe generally on this ground assurance of grace to the humble that is to those that being sensible of their danger through sin doe obey God's call and resigne themselves up as Subjects to Christ but withall that threat adjoined of resisting the proud or disobedient Ja. 4. 6. And though it may be said that God doth not alwayes with-draw his Grace and his cals the meanes of grace upon every such resistance of ours and therefore I may still hope that he will continue them to me to the houre of my death and then I may make use of them yet the answer will be pregnant enough 1. That although God upon every act of our resistance doth not wholly withdraw all grace yet we have reason to think that the oftner we refuse and resist the more apt God is to forsake and desert us and perhaps the weaker are his after-cals As the Angel of God which he promised to send as a guardian before Israel Exod. 23. 20. indued with the power of God v. 21. was say the learned Jewes upon their worshipping the calfe taken away from them and an inferiour weaker Angel given in his stead with no more then meere Angelical power and this they ground on Exod. 33. 3. where God that v. 2. saith he had promised to send his Angel before them now tells them he will not goe up in the midst of them for they are a stiffe-necked people And then sure this will be able to inforce that warning of God's concerning that Angel Exod. 23. 21. Beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not as being sure that any such provocation will bring some revenge or punishment after it A gleame of which truth it was that the Heathens conceived that their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gods or Angels of Cities or Nations did upon the provocations and sinnes of the inhabiters solemnly forsake their Altars and Temples resigne up their care and tuition of them 2 dly That every act of our present resistance adds to our future obduration as the beating of an hammer on an anvill such is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Theod. the
soule that reverberates every stroke or call makes the anvill the smoother and in effect the harder I meane lesse capable of impression and then in the ordinary dispensation of the spirit though God should continue the same degree of grace after our frequent resistances which he gave before yet we should then be lesse likely to receive it then we were before when yet it appeares we did not receive it Whether by one or both of these meanes it comes to passe I know not but sure every such sinne that is thus added to the tale makes the reduction of any sinner more difficult and improbable then before it was and I shall appeale to the conscience of every such man that hath for any time flattered himselfe with the hopes of what a Death-bed repentance may do for him whether he do not find that ever since he entertained those hopes he hath grown more wretchlesse prophane Atheisticall and so much farther from the end he hopes for or depends on and every day in an estate more deplorable and desperate then other 3 dly That we have no reason of beleeving or hoping farther then we have grounds from the word of God the foundation of all beliefe and hope and that either from some promise or example there And therefore the next thing I desire should be considered is 1 How farre those promises and examples may be extended and from thence that it be resolved unreasonable and unsafe to extend our hopes or perswasions of our selves any farther then those will make it prudent for us to extend them For the promises that which is most familiar with us and on which 't is most likely most men take up this hope is that wherewith our Common prayer-booke begins At what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes c. of which that we mistake it not these two things are observable 1. That that place containes no promise of Gods giving the grace of repentance at all times which is the only thing which all this time we consider but onely that at all times God is ready to forgive on supposition that we doe repent 3 That that place cannot so fitly or probably be applyed to a death-bed repentance because if we look into the margent of our bookes we shall see the place cited from Ezech. 18. 21 22. and therefore is in justice no farther to be extended as an infallible promise of Scripture then that in Ezech. will beare and that upon examination will yeeld no more then this that at what time soever a wicked man shall convert to God turning from all his sinnes that he hath committed and on the contrary live and performe the actions of a new life keep all Gods Statutes that is performe though not perfect yet sincere universall impartiall obedience and doe that which is lawfull and right he shall surely live he shall not dye his transgressions shall be forgiven and in his righteousnesse his renewed sincere obedience he shall live Which doing and keeping and righteousnesse how it can be applyed to him which begins his worke not till he sees that he is just ready to dye will hardly be imaginable But having said thus much of this one Place I remember the saying of an ancient uncontradicted by any that I have heard of that though God promise pardon to all penitents at all times yet he hath no where promised repentance to those all at all times and that is all we now speake of therefore shall now suppose there are no such places and therefore seeke no farther for them and though without such promise 't is possible God may still give that grace of repentance yet that he should do so 1. It is extraordinary and therefore he that despises his present offers hath little reason to hope that those extraordinaries shall be reserv'd for him and if still he will hope Job hath told him The hypocrites hope shall perish and I shall be bold to adde that there is no greater degree of Hypocrisie then this want of sincerity which appeares now in him by his not accepting of grace for the present by refusing or deferring to do that which he is enabled and sollicited to do In stead of seeking after more such promises I shall adde one terrible threatning Psal 95. which is repeated by Saint Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews and by our Church thought fit to begin our dayly morning service Where after these words To day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts which signifies the time present or at farthest the time of Gods calling to them in his word to heare his voice 't is straight added to all others I have sworne and Gods oaths are irreversible in my wrath that they shall not enter into my rest To which these two other places may fitly be subjoyned Prov. 1. 26. where as the punishment of those that have refused God's calls 't is added in God's name I will laugh at their Calamity and mocke when their feare cometh A terrible place to him that hath neglected Gods seasons and opportunities and at last comes to be surpriz'd with Death and the feares that accompany it and then begins to fly to God for succour and grace and pardon God in stead of compassionating scoffes laughs mocks at him The least that this can import wil be that that time is a very improbable time for that most necessary work to be wrought by Christ in us The other place is that admonitiō of the author to the Hebrewes 12. 16 17. that no man be prophane as Esau was in selling his birth-right for a morsell of meate i. e. at least by way of accommodation that pretious priviledge and birth-right of grace here and consequent to the Christian use of that his eternall inheritance in Heaven for some transitorie pleasure of this earth lest it befall him eternally what befell Esau here in respect of his father's blessing he found no place of repentance could not get his father Isaac to repent or reverse the donation from Jacob to him though he cryed bitterly for it Hast thou but one blessing O my father blesse me even me also O my father and so as it follows there sought it carefully with teares The full importance of the place is that they that are guilty of Esau's despight and contempt which is there called prophanenesse may have reason to apprehend that they may fall into the same hazard for their spiritual estate that Esau did for his temporall be irreversibly lost and finde no place for repentance in God though they seeke it with sorrow and griefe and bitter compunction carefully with teares To which purpose Christ's dealing with the people of the Jewes is matter of example and admonition to every of us Luk. 19. 42. when weeping over Hierusalem he said If thou hadst knowne or O that thou even thou didst know at least in this thy day the things which
to analogy of faith to hope that God will by an extraordinary way bring them to a sight of their errours in time of life or accept their repentance for all sinnes knowne and unknowne so there were in them a preparation of mind to have deposited their errours upon sufficient light and to have reformed the sinnes consequent to those errours yet that a bare sorrow shall be accepted for wilfull sinnes when it is on purpose deferred so long till it cannot bring forth fruits worthy of repentance and so in effect can prove nothing but sorrow no amendment being added to it actually and whether the resolution of amendment be sincere it is both to the party himselfe and to others by ordinary meanes utterly un-evident because he is supposed to dye before any sufficient triall of it I conceive will not be thought concluded convincingly from that example 3. Whether the enlarging of Sauls life and aboundant labouring and suffering of his after conversion be not an intimation very observable that great sinners when they are converted must doe much more in Christianity I meane exercise more acts of sorrow and repentance whether by way of restitution to those that are wronged or of satisfaction to those that were scandalized or to expresse the sincerity of the change by way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 7. 11. of revenge on himselfe then would be necessary to the salvation of another and if ' were so of Saint Paul whose former sinnes were committed ignorantly then how much more of wilfull continuers in sinne as he that thus deferres his repentance is supposed to be The promises and examples from Scripture being considered and found unconcluding the fifth thing to be considered is whether he that thus depends on a death-bed repentance doe it not because that time will be more probable for him to repent in then any other and that though he repent not before that time yet then it will be probable which if he doe then must he think it either 1. in his owne power to repent without grace and that is Pelagianisme or 2. that God's terrours and the imminency of approaching dangers have that or a greater force in them then Ordinary Grace which is quite contrary to the doctrine of Father Abraham Luk. 16. 31. If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead indeed to all Divinity which asserts the principall or sole cause of true saving repentance to be no outward impellent for such were an extorted not voluntary nor consequently true repentance but the gift of sanctifying grace meeting with an humble malleable heart supposing that humility to be first wrought by God's preventing Grace in that sense that 't is said God gives grace to the humble Or 3. that there is some assurance or probability that that speciall grace shall not then be wanting For which yet we have shewed there is no Assurance and for the probabilities which may induce perswasion though not assurance let us now consider 1. Is it probable that in this case God shoul'd give more grace then ever he gave before Or 2. That the same or a lesse measure of grace then should worke that which before it wrought not Or 3. That that performance which would not have been accepted before should then be accepted For the first the rule of Scripture is From him that hath not that is hath not made use of grace given God will with-draw that which he had given and Rev. 22. 11. He that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still and this not onely God permitting but God deserting and sometimes God delivering up and possibly obdurating also For the second 't is certaine that the longer a habit of impenitence in any sinne hath continued the more obdurate the person is especially if it have been sinne against light as our case supposes and though it be not simply impossible to God to melt such yet extreamely improbable it is that they shall be melted without a farre greater degree then that by which before they were not melted And though sicknesse it selfe may be a meanes of some force to worke good and being added to that grace which without it prevailed not may now possibly prevaile yet is this a great uncertainty For 1. Some men are worst under the rod. Exod. 6. 9. They hearkned not for anguish of spirit and for cruell bondage their anguish kept them from hearkning This Hippocrates observes de aqua aere locis and from thence hath a pretty heathenish argument that a disease among the Scythians which he speakes of was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God's sending because it fell not on poore men on whom he conceived the Gods would inflict all their evill things because of their murmuring and blaspheming 2. They that are affected by the rod doe not all repent sincerely Hos 7. 14. They have not cryed unto me with their hearts when they howled on their beds thus Ahab's humiliation which the judgement produced was we know no thorough reformation onely a putting on sackcloth and going softly not much of an higher pitch then what hath been related of an horse that by the help of a hot floore and some traces was taught to dance to a tune and to that perhaps belongs that of the Psalmist God's enemies shall be found lyers unto him submit themselves as our other translation reades but submit feignedly their love of God is but little improved though there be an outward forme of submission extorted it seemes even from haters and so to this may belong that censure of Saint Chrysostome l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he brings as an argument why men should be onely perswaded not forced to reformation of any fault or errour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because God rewards not those that upon necessity abstaine from evill but only those that voluntarily do it And it is observable in the ancient canons that they that deferred their baptisme til they thought they should die the Clinici or bed-baptists had an ill character set upon them and if they recovered though they were acknowledged Christians yet were excluded from any farther dignity in the Church could never be admitted to orders a marke of the Churches judgement of such men Nay 3. that which is then done by any man there is no certaine judgment to be made whether it be his will and intention or no whether it come from the man or the disease 'T is a rule in Justinian that surdus mutus testamenta non facit there is small heed due to a testament made by one that is brought so low and sure repentance is a very easie taske if he that is disabled for all things else is strong enough for that 4. The great diversions which the sick bed presents would be considered 1. disquieting if not enraging or stupifying paines 2.
hospitable soyle contrary both to the thorny and stony ground the one when the cares of the world are unweeded unmortified the other when the hard heart is unsoftned unhumbled 3. The resolution that doth not forecast the meanes as well as the end the difficulties and temptations as well as the easier and more amiable part of the taske the man in the parable that sets on building without considering the charge without laying or disigning the meanes whereby to goe through with it the Herod that rejoyced in John Baptists light i. e. saith Saint Augustine beheld with joy the lustre of his doctrine heard him gladly and in obedience to him did many things but fell off when he lookt upon himselfe and the pleasant sinnes the brothers wife that in obedience to him he was to part with the resolution that doth not extend to the undertaking the condition the unpleasanter part of the work but onely layes hold on the prize or the duty abstracted from the condition which is the pleasanter the Balaams wish for the righteous mans death without any reall change productive of a righteous life or the young Augustines wish that would be chast but would not yet part with the pleasures of incontinence or the generall humour of the world to like heaven as the place of blisse and piety as the way to Heaven but not to mortifie one lust for the compassing of either 4. The resolution that proves weake and failing not for want of strength but of courage not for want of the gift of grace on Gods part but of our making use of this grace when 't is given or of those meanes to which 't is promised such are that spirituall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of prayer humility ardent importunate humble requests to heaven 5. The resolution that is not universall against all both sinnes and temptations to those sinnes and those not onely such as now he findes inclinations to in time of disease but also all other that in time of health may be most likely to assault and to winne him And in a word the resolution which God that sees unerringly sees to be but temporary or partiall or hypocriticall in any or all these or any other respects And then such a resolution as these whatever it appeare to us who are not such infallible judges of our selves but whose hearts are deceitfull above all things cannot have any rationall or Christian ground of hope meerely by the good hap of being taken away before tryall i. e. in effect before this hypocrisie was discovered to be accepted and rewarded by God or if it have it must not be by the second Covenant under which nothing but sincerity hath that promise Secondly supposing this resolution to be sincere and so sure to be accepted by God yet there is no evidence to us that it is sincere or will be thus accepted but by worthy fruits of repentance by enemies and temptations wrestled with and overcome from whence though it follow not that God will not accept of that resolution because he may see it sincere without those tryals which I conceive is the ground upon which the Schooles affirme that a strong contrition may on the death-bed be accepted without restitution c. i. e. that in him who hath no time and ability for any thing but contrition God may see that sincerity of change which he will accept because he sees it would bring forth fruit if it were allowed time yet we our selves in this case cannot know it and consequently the death-bed repentance if in any particular it prove to be such as shall availe in another world yet cannot afford the dying man any comfort or rationall assurance in this nor consequently his friends any thing but the judgement of charity which hopeth all things for which there is no evidence to the contrary 7. Let it be considered whether any example can be brought in Scripture or story of any that wilfully and advisedly deferr'd present repentance and rely'd and depended on late death-bed repentance to whom it succeeded well I professe my selfe to have heard terrible ones to the contrary but as yet none in favour of such deferrers Methinks the mention of Felix in the Acts 24. 25. hath some efficacy in it He when after some preaching of Christ v. 22. and knowledge of that way he heard Saint Paul reasoning of righteousnesse and continence things in which it appeareth by the text and by story by Tacitus and Josephus that Felix was much failing did as 't is added tremble and answer Go thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee This man upon advise and deliberation through the prevalency of his sinnes which he loved dearely deferres his repentance till a convenienter season And all that I observe is that we never read of any such season that he made use of to this purpose 8. Let it be considered whether when the last hand of God comes on any man I meane that disease that cuts him off speedily if that man have remained impenitent till then it be not a very ominous and inauspicious signe that that man hath fill'd up the measure of his iniquities and now the voice be peculiarly gone out against him as against the tree even now mentioned that had frustrated God's continuall expectation Cut it downe why cumbreth it the ground If on the comming of a disease which like the laying the axe to the root of the tree is oft times an hazning call to repentance this use be suddenly made of it and God's long suffering do interpose in the counter-voice Nay but spare it one year longer and if it beare fruit well but if not then cut it downe and that voice be hearkned to that is if that disease doe not prove the last but upon resolutions of new living the life be enlarged and the resolutions performed then 't is very well But if not if it be without more time of repentance cut downe if God's long-suffering and patience which was on purpose to bring to repentance have been made use of as it was said of God's long-suffering to Pharaoh as a meanes to harden his heart have we not reason to feare that God's comming to strike is an argument of a severe purpose against that man or have we any reason to hope that when his patience is at an end his mercy and gift of effectuall grace is not at an end also that which the Apostle saith Heb. 10. 26 27. 29. 31. is much to this purpose And I know not what will be called falling into the hands of the living God if this be not viz. to continue in sin impenitently til we fal into God's attaching apprehending hands of which the doom is there most sad It is a fearefull thing so to fall Having proceeded thus farre in defining as warily and as safely as I could by the conduct of God's word and Spirit one thing may perhaps be necessary to
be added though not by way of answer to the possible exceptions and objections of disputers because the doing of that I find would lead into some more nice and lesse profitable speculations and contribute little to the direction of practice the onely aime of this paper and therefore what was thus prepared shall not here be inserted yet by way of necessary satisfaction to a practicall question And the question is this In case I be a minister call'd to give comfort to such an one viz. an habituall customary sinner which were thus surprized by the hand of God any mortall disease or wound and were thus cast downe with extreame horrour of mind and from thence professeth himselfe resolved that if God shall spare him he will certainly lead a new life whether I would not give that man comfort in that case but suffer him to be swallowed up with desperation To this I answer 1. by setting before our eyes an example of God himselfe in a case not very distant from this proposed which may be matter of direction to any who shall be called to for comfort in this kind Judg. 10. 6. The children of Israel did evill again in the sight of the Lord and served Baalim and Ashtaroth c. and forsooke the Lord and served not him v. 6. upon this Gods anger was hot against Israel and he brought a double distresse upon them v. 7 8 9. and Israel was sore distressed And then v. 10. the children of Israel cryed unto the Lord saying Wee have sinned against thee both because wee have forsaken God and also worship't Baalim Here is that confession and sense of the provocations which our case supposes and that in time of the sore distresse and so in that parallel also And then God's returne to them is remarkeable 1. An expostulation continued for three verses to aggravate their crime and ingratitude and the close an absolute refusall a denying present pardon to these confitents Wherefore I will deliver you no more And then farther yet a bitter reproach and sarcasme v. 14. Goe and cry unto the Gods which yee have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your Tribulation And then the story proceeds to tell us the good use and effects that this severity wrought upon them And the children of Israel said unto the Lord We have sinned do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee deliver us only we pray thee this day v. 15. And they put away the strange Gods from among them and served the Lord v. 16. their penitence is approved to God by their patience and submission and importunity by present reformation and contrary acts of piety and then it follows his soule was grieved for the misery of Israel i. e. God ceased to afflict them and on the other side prospered them to victory in the next Chapter And then this dealing of Gods being examplary to us as farre as the cases shall appear parallel may passe for a generall or first answer But then 2 ly and more distinctly to the question I answer that in this case the course I would prescribe to others or observe my selfe is this according to this copy premised not presently to make haste to apply comfort to that man meaning by comfort words of pardon or promise or assurance that his sinnes in this state shall certainly be forgiven but to dispense my comfort discreetly and so that I may lay a foundation on which he may more safely build and I more in fallibly ascertaine comfort to him I mean by preparing him to a right capacity of it by encreasing yet farther in his heart and rooting as deepe as I can the mourning which if sincere hath the promise of comfort Mat. 5. the sorrow for sinne the humiliation and indignation at himselfe the vehement desire the zeale the revenge the all manner of effects of Godly sorrow and indeed by doing my utmost in perfecting this so necessary worke in him which if by the helpe of God it be done and those graces deepely rooted through a consideration not onely of the instant danger but detestable uglynesse of sinne the provocation offered to a most gratious Father most mercifull Redeemer and sanctifying Spirit together with al the other humbling matter from the particular sinnes and aggravating circumstances of them it will then be that Godly sorrow which the Apostle speakes of and that will if God afford space bring forth that repentance which consists in a sincere change and reformation called by the same Apostle 2 Cor. 7. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as some manuscripts read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. as I conceive a repentance a change or amendment which will not be retracted againe a lasting or durable reformation and then there is no doubt but to him which is in this estate mercy infallibly belongs And to him I shall then hasten to ascertaine it And yet of this mercy if I through some errour or neglect of mine should not give him nor he himselfe through the greatnesse of his sorrow the floud of teares in his eyes otherwise finde any comfortable assurance yet is he by God's immoveable promise sure certitudine objecti though not subjecti to be partaker and all that he loses by not being assured of it here by me or by his owne spirit is the present comfort and joy of some few minutes which will soone be repaired and made up to him at death by God's wiping off all teares from his eyes the gracious revelation of his Saviour-judge unto him with a Come thou blessed of my Father thou hast cordially mourned and converted and thou shalt be comforted Whereas if I should goe about too hastily and preposterously to grant him any such comfortable assurance that he were already accepted I meane not now that he should be accepted if his change be sincere or his sorrow such as would bring forth that change for that conditionall comfort I have all this while allowed him but positive assurance for the present upon a view of such his sorrow I might then possibly raise him up too soone before the worke were done the plant rooted deepe enough and that were utterly to ruine him by giving him his good things his comfort here to deprive him of it eternally or at the best refresh him a little here before-hand but not at all advantage him toward another life which losse being so unmercifully great and acquisition so unconsiderably small it were great uncharitablenesse to runne that hazard and so still the best way must be by proposall of conditionall but not of absolute comfort to humble him unto the dust if so be there may be hope to set him this only taske of working out his salvation with fear trembling laying hold on God's mercy in Christ his generall but conditionall mercy for all penitent purifying sinners for confessours and forsakers and none else and so labouring for that sorrow that purity that confession contrition