of in that forenam'd Rom. 2. 3. The great Goodness of God in Christ giving the Notion of Repentance into the Heart of Man seeing the Original of whatever is worthy or Excellent in Man is but a Transcript or Copy taken from the supâ—eme Excellency and Goodness hath thereby dlspos'd the Hearâ— of Man to a Readiness to forgive one man to forgive another and thereby to be engaged to an Acknowledgment of Offences one againâ—t anoâ—her to desire Pardon and to offend no more Wherein much of the Peace and Happiness of Humane Nature in this present state is supported and preserv'd And herein and by these very mutual Repentances toward and Forgivenesses one of another is there a greater Illustration of the Grace and Goodness of God in Pardon and Forgiveness upon Repentance and thereby an Invitation Encouragement and leading to Repentance towards God For in that the Gospel-Command to forgive them who having trespassed against us tho seven times a day turn again and say I repent and that if we forgive not men their trespasses neither will our Heavenly Father forgive us Our Lord both appeals to the Sense of Mankind and excites and encourages unto Repentance towards God in hope of Forgiveness as well as to mutual Repentances and Forgiveness for the Peace and Good of Mankind to which our Lord had great Regard in all he said and did 4. The Natural Light God hath given concerning Repentance and the Sense in Man's Soul concerning the Goodness and Reasonableness of that Grace and Duty upon which the Redeemer hath pointed the Law written in the Heart is as a Ground and Rude Draught that the Knowledge of Repentance by the Word of God and Divine Revelation accomplishes and fills up and that the Spirit of God plants his Supreme Operations upon even as Sanctification is engrafted into that Sense of Good and Evil that is found in the Soul of Man and those Irritations and Provokings of Natural Conscience to do the Good and fly from the Evil. For thus Jesus Christ hath as our Creator and Redeemer our Preserver and Mediator in one taken Care to secure a Remnant and Remainder of whatever was excellent in his first Creation that it may be taken hold of and be applied to in Redemption And thus I have â—â—deavoured to discourse the Ground-work and Foundation of this Grace Duty and Doctrine of Repentance That it is all setled in the Grace and Mercy of God in the Redeemer without which it had been an utter Impossibility and there had been no more nor any other Repentance than what is in Hell I come therefore to the Second Head Head 2. Here is plainly laid down to us the great Elaboratory or Instrument God hath prepared in infinite Wisdom and Grace and in-laid the Soul with in order to Repentance Godly Sorrow or Sorrow after and according to God worketh down or brings into Effect this Repentance This God hath prepar'd as a Natural Affection of it self and in its own General and Original Form fit to such a purpose and then God sanctifies it to rhis Great Purpose Acts 4.12 to work this Repentance to Salvation not to be repented of It is an immediate Instrument in the Hand of God to operate under his Spirit to so great an Effect Of this I shall discourse in Three Generals General 1. I begin therefore with a Description of Sorrow first as it is a Natural Affection or Passion of the Humane Nature and then as it is sanctified by God or as it becomes a Sorrow after God and is fitted to so great an End and Purpose and as it is so it is counterdistinguish'd to worldly Sorrow that worketh Death General 2. I will consider the excellent Use and Service of godly Sorrow to so great an End and Putpose as the working Repentance to Salvation General 3. I will open the Wisdom of God and the Reasonableness of his making use of Sorrow and fitting it as after himself or according to himself to so great an End and Purpose and that according to the very Reason and Nature of Things it could not be otherwise but that godly sorrow must be so made use of above and before any other Affection and that it becomes him by whom and for whom are all things so to make use of it General 1. For the Description of this Affection of godly Sorrow First as it is a Natural Affection or Passion of the Humane Nature and then as it is sanctified by God or becomes Sorrow ofter God and is counter-distinguish'd to the sorrow of the World that worketh Death Sorrow then as it is an Affection or Passion of the Humane Nature must be considered Two ways and each of them must be applied to the Sorrow that works Repentance or to Sorrow according to God and so a different and opposite Sorrow to the sorrow of this World 1. Sorrow that is a Humane Passion or Affection must either begin in the Body and so passeth from the Soul and ascends up to the Spirit of a Man or it begins in the higher Region the Spirit and descends by the Soul into the Body and makes Impressions suitable to its own Nature there and the Body is govern'd according to this Affection and to its Place Estimation Power with and Interest in the Spirit Now indeed all Affection and even Passion to speak most strictly and properly is in the Spirit For it is all one to matter how it be used or into what Form it is made to pass or out of what or in disjunction from what Form it is forc'd to move So that All we feel by way of suffering or Enjoyment is by the Spirit 's having a Pleasing or an Afflicting Sense of Things But this I wave as not so necessary to the Practical Discourse of Repentance I intend It is plain and certain the sense of some things begins in the Spirit viz. those things which are proper to the Narure of a Spirit and which are so proper to a Spirit whether it dwelt in a Body or not But yet when the Spirit is affected with them because it inhabits a Body the Affection of the Spirit even whether the Spirit will or not works upon the Matter and Frâ—me of that Body and thereby the Truth and Reality of the Spirit 's being affected is discovered to it self and it may also be thereby discovered to others On the other side there are Passions or Affections that the Spirit is affected with as finding it self mov'd and concern'd as that Frame of Body wherein it dwells is either more or less fited for its Enjoyment of it self in that Body or put quite out of Order or is in pain and afflicted so as to afflict the Spirit And both and each of these is in some Degree serviceable to godly sorrow though the first is the Chief and Principal in godly sorrow 1. The Spirit of Man affected with the consideration of sin as it hath all the Reasons of sorrow in it as
is as it were taking the stone out of the Flesh and giving a Heart of Flesh It is that Spirit of Grace of Ingenuous sense of our Ingratitude and unworthy carriage towards God mentioned before out of Zech. 12. and Ezek. 36. Hereupon the Apostle James presses to a great Mourning after God or exercise of Godly sorrow James 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you cleanse your hands you sinners purify your hearts you double minded How should this great Self-Purification be Effected By being Afflicted by mourning and weeping by having the Laughter turned to Mourning and the Joy to Heaviness This Godly Sorrow like washing and rubbing the Hands with Water and the close Application of it softens and loosens the Filth that cleaves so close adheres and sticks so fast to the Hands And it arises from that Love and Compassion that is seated towards our selves in our own Natures which when it is by the Hand of Grace pointed aright It is made a mighty Instrument a mighty Efficacy for Conversion and Repentance because when our great Disgust our Sorrow and Self-Affliction is pitch'd upon sin we cast it off as that which is the reason of our sorrow and that stands in our Eye as hateful loathsome filth and impurity that we can by no means endure and therefore we say to it get ye hence Oh! you Foul and abominable Lusts what have I any more to do with you But more particularly two ways this Godly sorrow works to Conversion Repentance Self-Purification 1. By being so prevailing upon the Soul as to drink up all the impure and unholy Affections in our Hearts God giving it therefore by that his Spirit of Grace and ingenuous sense an ascendency a superiority over all other Affections in the Heart at this time he is working Repentance it drinks up all the pleasurable sensual Affections in a Man when a man is in bitterness as one is in bitterness for his first Born and for an only Begotten Child He hath no more Appetite nor Emotion of his Spirits to Lust and Sensuality and sinful Pleasures than such a one hath to do the usual Entertainments and Pleasures of Life when God therefore calls for this sorrow he looks upon it as a great Offence when there is slaying of Oxen and drinking of Wine Esay 22.13 Amos 6.3 c. lying upon beds of Ivory Chaunting to the sound of Viols Inventing Instruments of Musick like David when there is putting on Apparel and the Furniture of Pride For then he commands us as he did the Children of Israel after the sin of the Golden Calf to put off their Ornaments Exod. 33.5 that he might know what to do to them whether theâ— should as true Penitents be spar'd or destroyed in their Impenitency And indeed when any are under the power of this Godly Sorrow in such a posture to Repentance all such Ornaments are nothing All such pleasures are quite out of Tast The Soul hath no relish of them 2 Godly sorrow thus made an Instrument in the Hâ—nd of Grace for working Repentance hath by that its ascendency and superiority an engagement upon all the other Affections with it self to the working Repentance also this the Apostle shews in the very next words to these we are Discoursing upon 2 Cor. 7.11 For this very self same thing that ye sorrowed after a Godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you how great is the care and sollicitude it works in all that so sorrow to get out of their Sins and to return home to God What Apology for Holyness for God and against Sin what Judgment against sin What Fear and Awe of God striking to the very Heart of sin what vehement desire after God after true Grace and perfect Reformation and this boyling up to Zeal or the heigth of Desire that Powerful Religious Affection under the Operation of which a Man cannot bear Evil no not for a moment And lastly there is an holy Revenge upon sin Sathan lust even a man's sinful self by which the Irreconcilable Hatred to every sin is Discovered and a Monument of that Hatred set up in the Soul Thus works godly sorrow to Repentance but the forrow of the World having nothing to do with God with sense of his Displeasure for sin with sin as so great a reason of sorrow and trouble the Spirit remains in all its former Frame of union to the world and to sin and so with the whole state of sin and of the World and of sorrow it sinks down to the center to the place of sorrow for ever For when sorrow that is the Instrument of God in working Repentance does not prevail to that God's end it more certainly sinks down to its Center and that with great Violence as we see in those fore-nam'd Examples of Cain Esau Saul Akitophel Judas who not sorrowing to Repentance went down with greater violence to the Chambers of Death and Sorrow even everlasting sorrow 5. The efficacy of godly sorrow to Repnntance is that it makes the Soul very humble before God the natural effect of sorrow is to meeken and bow the Spirit heaviness in the Heart of Man makes it stoop Prov. 12.25 the guise and mein or Posture of sorrow is to bow down the head like a Bull-rush The Hipocritical mourner does so to imitate true sorrow Esay 58.5 Now this indeed except it turn to God and have Relation to him is the meanness and pusilanimity of a Man but it is the true greatness of Mind to lye down before God and Tremble in his Presence as the melted Metal trembles and quivers before the Founder This dissolving melting Efficacy of godly sorrow is that which turning to God makes the Heart submit it self as the Apostle James speaks in the same Context c. 4.10 Vnder the mighty hand of God Acts c. 9.6 c. 16.30 that he may lift it up it says to God Lord what wilt thou have me to do It says what shall I do to be sav'd What shall I do what shall I do in obedience to God It treads softly before God as if it said to him Lord which way wilt thou have me to go Which Ahab doing tho not with a perfect Heart receiv'd some degree of Favour by 1 Kings 21.27 29. Now this Humility how acceptable is it to God! How yeilding to his Command God gives grace to it Esay 66.2 c. 57.15 God looks off from Heaven and Earth to look to that man that is of a contrite Spirit and trembles at his word He that is the high and lofty one that dwells in the high and holy Place and Inhabits Eternity will Dwell also with the humble spirit to revive the Spirit of the Humble Job 33.17 This sorrow hides Pride from man as the expression is in Job and so fits it to all holy returns to God by Repentance It withdraws man from his purpose It changes the purpose of Man Acts 11.13 that which was
For I know it does not really and substantially differ from other grand Evangelical Notions of a through change of Heart and Life as Regeneration the new Creation a new Heart a new Spirit the Laws of God put into our Hearts Jerem. 31. Ezek. 36 and writ in our minds that we may never depart from him the Heart of Stone taken out of our Flesh and having Hearts of Flesh a being caus'd to walk in his statutes and judgments and to do them His fear put into our hearts and his spirit within us Psal 19.12.19 It is Mortification and Sanctification It is Conversion and turning to the Lord a being cleans'd from secret sins and kept back from presumptuous sins a cleansing our way by taking heed thereto according to the word of God the ordering our steps in his word Psal 119.133 that no Iniquity may have dominion over us Nay It differs not from Faith in the Blood of Christ by any Essential Difference from seeking Pardon and Reconciliation by Faith in that great Attonement and Sacrifice nor from the Love of Christ constraining all those who Live that is have their Lives given to them through his Death to Live to him who dyed for them All these are as I have said Essentially and substantially the same But yet there is a very Distinct and even Critical consideration of Repentance that I shall apply to in the present Treaty under these three heads Particular 1st Repentance carries always a Notion of severe and rigorous Acts in relation to our selves upon account of our Sins and high Offences against God Particular 2. Repentance imports very close and particular Negotiations and Transactions with God in Relation to Forgiveness and such as express our particular shame and sorrow that we have offended him and earnest desires that he would shew to us that he is at Peace with us and hath Pardon'd all that is past in Christ Particular 3. Repentance is a hearty an universal Change of our inward Thoughts Counsel Purpose and Design and of our outward Conversation out of a true and real Hatred and dislike of what we have been done and chosen and a Love Choice and Delight in what we have not been and have not done nor delighted in Particular 1. Repentance consists of many great and severe Acts in Relation to our selves upon Account of our sins and High Offences against God under which I will in every one of them shew the great excellency and usefulness of this duty and the acceptableness of it to God 1. The seriousest closest and most deep examination of our Hearts and Thoughts and Lives so as to know them and to sit in Judgment upon them is found in true Repentance This is a wonderful Power and grace that God gives when he gives Repentance that a Man shall be made to sit upon himself and to call himself to an Account to search himself as it were with Candles and to say what have I done To search and to try his ways and to turn to the Lord to think of his ways and to turn his Feet to God's Testimonies to declare his ways in God's hearing and because his own search cannot be close and exact to cry out to God to search Psalm 139.23 24. and to try him and to lead him into the way everlasting And this is performed by laying a mans Actions to the Line and Rule of the Law of God and entring into the pâ—rticulars of every Command of every Age and as much as may be every great and râ—markable Action Now this is evidently a very supernatural â—fficacy for we see how afraid we are all of it a Man in this way of Inquisition and Visitation of himself is in a manner as afraid of himself as he is of God and hides himself from himself even as from the Eyes of God it is true when men are in the cariere of sin they are bold enough with themselves they devise mischief upon their Bed the secret Thought and Heart of every one of us is very deep in sin and we know it and are willing enough to know we know it when all is of a Peice to go on in sin But when a Man finds himself coming as a Judg upon himself he is presently aware of himself and desirous to hide himself from himself and to start away from himself when any therefore come to say to themselves I will find out all the secret ways of my own sinful Heart of my Pride of my Lust of my Hipocrisy of my Deceit of my Formality and vain shews in Religion and the worship of God that I may Reform all and cast out all that is evil I will be known to my self even the worst of my self I will make known to my self to hate and to loath it we may certainly say It is very hopeful God is giving Repentance to Life For I would not walk in Disguise under a Vizor and a Mask to my self we hear therefore so often this Voice of Scripture Examin your selves prove your own selves 2 Cor. know ye not your own selves except we are in a state that as to its present is reprobated by God So let a man Examin himself let him prove his own work Gal 6. There are certainly many Truths of God and parts of Religion and of the Action and Duty of it that aâ—e more smooth and agreeable to Men of Reason and Ingenious Temper that do not though seemingly complyed with search the carnal unregenerate Heart to the bottom These therefore will not give such Evidence of the Truth of Grace and of the mighty Operation of the Divine Spirit But this Duty of Self-examination it can serve no Carnal Interest so far as a man is led in it he is led by the mighty Hand and Power of God For in this Point he is else ready to be Merciful to himself to spare himself Wâ—â—n God causes a man to search himself that what is lowest and at the bottom in him may rise up when he makes a Man pursue himself and all his sins till he can find none that he hath not had his Eâ—e and his Search upon surely there is nothing that more assures a sincere work of God upon a mans Heart nor nothing more than the want of this Discovers Insincerity 2. In true Repentance there is an Authoritative and down right Self-Judgding a Condemnation of what is Evil and contrary to the Word of God and the Laws of Holiness and Rules of the Gospel of Christ In Repentance a man must plainly say with and in the Authority of God upon himself 2 Sam. 12.1 c. Thou art the Man Thou art such a sinner such an unclean sensual voluptuous Person Thou art such a Covetous Worldly Griping Extorting Person Thou art such a deceitful unjust Cheat or Lyar Thou art such a Hipocrite that art more afraid of the Eye of the judgment of the censure of Man than of God Thou art he that choosest
stand for ever obliged and deeplyest indebted to true Grace that not only their after thoughts and Judgment in Repentance are accepted but that they are Retriev'd by the Eâ—â—cacious Operations of it to Newness of Life General 2d I have thus far open'd the Nature of Repâ—nâ—ance by considering the strict and precise Notion of it and shewing how excellent admirable and even noble a Grace this Evangelical Grace is even in that strict and precise Notion I will now go on to consider it in the excellent motives and Incentives to it that will further shew the excellency of its Nature and then the signes of its Truth that it is Repentance of the true Alloy the truly excellent Nature under that great sign It is Repentance to Salvation and that is never to be Repented of which is the Second General under this Third Head in the Doctrin of Repentance Particular 1. I begin with Motives to this true Repentance wherein I Record these following of which I will but briefly speak having already comprehended much of them And as they are motives so they are to be look'd upon as the highest means and instructions fitted by God for Repentance and the Soul accordingly is to apply and stretch forth it self in the use of them 1. The principal not Motive but Mover is the Supreme Grace and Operation of the Divine Spirit who siâ—s as a Refiners Fire and Fâ—llers Soap within the Temple of the Soul Malac. 4.2 Zech. 12.10 Esay 4.4 is a Spirit of Grace and of Supplication a Spirit of Judgment and Burning washing away the Filthiness of the Flesh and of the Spirit The divine Spirit is the great Superintendent of the Grace and Work of Repâ—nâ—ance by his inward Motives and Overshaddowings of the Soul For seeing Repentance is the Gift and Grant of God Acts 11.18 2 Tim. 2.25 Luke 11.20 the Divine Spirit that is the Power and Finger of God must needs be the Supreme Operator What the Love of God is the Fountain of in the Divine Operation that the Spiâ—it of God by whom the last Operation and â—ffect is in every thing perfected is the immediate Hand and Finger that bâ—ings it to pâ—ss and so what Jesus Christ is a Prince to Giâ—e that which is his the Riches the Pâ—â—chase of his Redemption his Spirit is sent John 16.15 he sends him in the Fathers Name to take of it and to give it to â—is Râ—dâ—emed Repentance therefore being the â—urchase of the Reâ—emption of Christ he gives it as â—he Fruit of that Redemption and whence else should Repentance arise For except by vertue of the Redemption of Christ it were Created and Lorn with us It is noâ— in aâ—y Created Power to raise or to bring it forth That belongs to the all Creaâ—ing Power That Christ hath shored up the Moral Faculties so far as to preserve the possibilities of Repentance is Evident and to his Glory be it declared That by him the same motions and endeavours that Natural Conscience hath to Holyness and Righteousness before sin the same it hath to Repentance after sin and so even as in sinning so in not Repenting the Impenitent Sinner is most righteosly Condemned But even as a Man cannot exert nor put forth his Faculties to Holiness and Righteousness before sin without a Regâ—neration and new Creation even so can he not after sin either as it is habituâ—l in his Nature or as he is fallen by innumerable Actual Sins return by Repentance except by the speciâ—l Assistances of Divine Grace and Almighty Power For surely as nothing lies for ever in a state of nothing except an almighty moover gives Being from himself so Impenitency lies for ever in a state of Impenitency except an infinite Spirit of Grace give Repentance to â—ife which shews that mankind stands in no other state for Repentance than it does to Holiness and Righteousness There is that preserv'd in him that shews the goodness of both and moves him to both but how to Perform in either he finds not but as he is Assisted by Infiâ—ite Grace and by an Infinite Spirit And this shews Supremacy of Grace distinguishing between those to whom it gives Repentance unto Life and to whom it does not give even â—s it destinguishâ—s between those to whom it gives Regeneration Renovation new Creation to Holiness and Righteousness and to whom it does not give For except these even Repentance new Creaâ—n Regâ—nâ—raâ—ion were so by Christ communicated to our very Natures that every man had them by the very Grace of conâ—iâ—â—ing Creâ—tion except he Lost it for himself as Adam did Original Righteousness for himself and his Posterlty which no man will dare to assert it is so evident to the contrary else what is not never will be and what is at Rest will never move except an Almighty Mover give it Motion For though it is true the Engrafted Notions of Righteousness and Holiness first and then of Repentance in case of sin or Fall have a Residence in the very Spirit of Man or Human Nature except utterly quench'd by a Malice even Diabolical as in the sin against the Divine Spirit yet they cannot rise beyond themselves to true Repentance without a new Donation from God and Christ by the Holy Spirit and only shew the exceeding first Corruption and Degeneracy of Human Nature and aggravate Condemnation in that they reach not that end they should reach to nor indeed to their own utmost possibility but men are condemn'd and depriv'd of further Grace by not improving the Talent given to them so far as they indeed might But from all this it arises that the Supreme Mover in true Repentance is the Holy Spirit of Grace and if there be any appearance of Repentance that is not a Repentance given from the Divine Spirit it is not the Repentance to Salvation not to be Repented of but a semblance and Counterfeit only of it Now in this point I have been the larger be cause I had not before spoken to it I shall but just name thâ—se following because I have before comprehended them in former Particulars 2. The sense of our own lost condition without Repentance is generally the first motive to Repentance in which regard our Lord pronounces once and again except ye Repent you shall all Perish â—uke 13.3.5 Repent and turn your selves so iniquity shall not be your ruin Cast away your Transgressions make you a new Heart and a new Spirit for why will you Die Implying this as the great motive to Repentance that without it we must needs Die Ezek. 18.30 Acts 17.31 God commands all Men every where to Repent because he hath appointed a day wherein he will Judg the World The consideration of a Judgment to wit of Condemnation upon an Impenitent Person as one great motive to Repentance God is pleas'd therefore generally to usher in Repentance by a shaking an Earthquake in the Soul shewing it the Horrors of Wrath and eternal Punishment which is call'd
in a clear light and full leisure 3. For the severity of God in denying his Grace though I acknowledge his Indignation condemns many who have dallied with him and their own Souls to be suck'd in again by the whir-pool of their Lusts when they would have risen out of them yet this Indignation is never so certainly at the height as when Men have provoked it as long as they could It is most miserable therefore to make our last motions within the command of such a horrible Pit lest they prove only the struggles of sinking Men yet this we must do if we are not before got out of it There is much greater hope how bad soever their Condition may be to them who are yet in the hand of patience lifting and leading them to Repentance Rom. 2.4 2 Pet. 3.9 and do not despise it but account it Salvation Objection 6. This Doctrin does not savor enough of the Grace of the Gospel that would have all Men come to Repentance Answ To discourse the Severities of the Gospel to the ends of the Gospel is most Evangelical Discourse For as the Gospel doth with all clearness declare its own Rigors that Men might not mistake it for a loose and careless Doctrin and so miss the Salvation of it so have I discovered the great hazard of a Dying Repentance that Living Men might be perswaded not to cast themselves upon it and Dying Men excited to an Action suitable to the extremity of their Case And this is indeed preaching the Gospel and to be moved upon it with fear to prepare an Ark to the saving our Souls before the flood come Heb. 11.7 is as true an effect of Faith as to be constrained by love to live to him 2 Cor. 5.14 that hath died for us I say as true and gives us a Title to the Inheritance of the Righteousness which is by Faith together with the other For the Prudence of Faith makes us apprehensive of the Reasons of Danger and so to Fear even as the Gratitude of it ties us with the Obligations of Love This is not that Fear that Love casts out but that it self quickens and is also both quickned and guarded by it nor is it the bondage but the wisdom of Fear Rom. 8.15 Job 28.28 Objection 7. But is the general Judgment of Divines thus Answer All judicious Divines are very tender of binding the Prerogative of Grace or clipping off the Action of Men towards God even at this time See besides the concurring Judgment of the Ancients Bishop Andrews Sermons on Repentance Dr. Hammond and Dr. Taylor in their Treatises of this Point Bolton Dyke c. in Observation whereof I have desired to be cautious herein also But in their cautions against Presumption their Expressions amount to the utmost I have spoken Infer 1. But setting aside the whole danger of a Death-Bed Repentance Let me now lastly thus reason and thus expostulate Why should we desire to Repent so late It is good to be betimes doing that which is most comporting with our truest Happiness Reconciliation with God return to Him his Favour to obey Him these are the truest Freedom and Peace of a Man at all times Great Peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119.165 He lives in the least pain that lives holiest I made haste therefore and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Psal 119.60 I seized upon so great an Enjoyment as soon as I could afraid to be kept off from it too long To fear God and keep his Commandments is the whole duty of Man Eccles 12.13 When a Man considers Life and that he hath but a Moment of it and that therefore he would live that Moment as much as may be he shall find the highest of Life the top of Life to be Godliness which hath all the promises of this life and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4.8 To pursue this World and the Vanities of it is not only with greatest folly and impertinency to lanch our selves in a great Vessel the Greatness of our Affection and with solemn Preparations our strongest Action into the low water the shallow of Life which because it cannot carry so great a bulk increases the Toyl and Vexation as well as enhanses the Vanity and Folly of doing nothing at so great an expense But worse than this it is the loading our selves with guilt under a delusion of Pleasure that gives us secret disquiet and torment while we are laying it on and cannot be laid down as we please but with more sensible and industrious Anguish than we heap'd it upon us I mean the sense of our misdoings and Contrition for them so necessary to work Repentance To conclude Seeing to die is the end of all Men Eccles 7.2 Repentance is to be chosen while we live that we may die with the greatest quiet without those Agonies of Conscience those cold Sweats those sinking Eyes and fainting Spirits for he dies with most ease that most surveys Death and looks into all the Retirements of it before-hand that knows it perfectly and all its strength such an one governs himself in it as in a most important Action with Decency and Freedom He is not hal'd by Death but received by it Into thy hands I commend my spirit Luke 23.46 he lays himself orderly into the shade of Death Whereas so long adherence to the Pleasures of Sin gives Death a Violence It makes Men both unwilling and afraid to die This night thy Soul shall be required Luke 12.20 Life is exacted of a Sensualist and torn from him that is resigned by a Spiritual and Mortified Man Good Men die in an active Sense they know how to die others die passively they are forced to die This great difference prefers to us Dying daily before that forcible Dying at once The wisdom of Dying was accounted by Heathens one of the worthy Businesses and Imployments of Life and that required much study Christianity gives us the true Rules of it and they lie in waiting till our change come Time is short 1 Cor. 7.29 they therefore that use this World should not use it down to the Bran sensually but only take the advantages of it to a higher Life Else being met on the sudden by Death they are like those that fall off from Life with Violence that is Headlong but they that live in the Sense of God and an Eternal Condition alight with care and ease It is therefore not only greatest Safety but truest Frugality and Improvement of Life to Repent betimes and when we come to die the easiest and sweetest way of dying Not indeed a Dying but a Translation into Immortality and Blessedness Inference 2. Seeing the Wise and their works are all in the hand of God and that he giveth Wisdom to the Wise Man's Heart to discern both Time and Judgment and not to be taken as Fishes in an evil Net