a man hath broken the Law and therefore cannot be a direct and absolute precept of the Law I say a direct or absolute precept of the Law in its prime intention Repentance is not But a consequent hypothetical indirect precept it is of a second intention That is upon supposition a man hath once transgressed the Law he is implicitly bound by the same Law to repent as Repentance signifies a cessation from sin and a return to the duty of obedience Otherwise a man might be discharged from the obligation of the Law by breaking it Rom. 4. 1 Joh. 3. And then he that had sinned once could sin no more because where there is no Law there is no transgression But that Law that binds a man to perpetual obedience doth not only bind a man from sinning once but supposing that he hath done so it must needs oblige him to cease from continuing in his sin But properly and directly Repentance is a precept of the Gospel directed to the transgressors of the Law as a remedy for the breach of it and a condition of pardon not allowed by the Original Law And therefore it is not a precept only but a priviledg peculiar to the Gospel being a gracious dispensation and mitigation of the rigour of the Law Act. 11.18 God hath granted to the Gentiles repentance unto life That a sinner upon his repentance through Faith in a Mediator that hath expiated his sins should obtain remission of his sin and be discharged from the penalty of the Law is a new grant grace and priviledg of the second Covenant The difference therefore between the first and second Covenant lies not in the common sense of those general terms Do this and live as if the second Covenant required nothing at all to be done which is contrary to our Text and all those which have been alledged for the explication thereof but partly in the special signification of the Word this and partly in a gracious promise of Grace sufficient to enable a man to perform what ever is to be understood by that word this which cannot be so interpreted as to signifie the same thing in reference to both Covenants Because though something be required to be done as a Condition of the new Covenant as well as of the old yet not the same For something was required in the old which is not in the new and something is required in the new which was not in the old and something is required in both For instance The old Covenant indispensably required perfect innocence in an entire fulfilling the whole Law written in the heart of man or declared or to be declared by divine Revelations leaving no place for any such thing as Repentance to be admitted for a Remedy of Sin But this perfect Innocence is so far from being required in the new Covenant as the very Supposition of it prevents and destroyes the end and design of the New which imports a plain contradiction to such sinless innocence In as much as the new Covenant is nothing else but a Remedy provided by the grace of God for the want of such innocence Were it possible to perform the condition of the old Covenant the new could have no place because that supposeth a man a transgressor of the old And if now it were possible for any man to obey the whole Law without any new transgression yet he that is already a sinner Rom. 5.18 19. as all men are by the first transgression could not be saved by that Covenant because his being so renders him incapable of pleading performance of the Condition thereof This therefore is a main difference between the two Covenants The first exacts perfect Obedience and Innocence the second admits Repentance A second difference of these Covenants is in the first and principal Article of the new Covenant which is consigned upon the Condition of Faith in Jesus Christ as a Saviour to save us from our Sins Which also imports a plain Repugnance to the Condition of the first in as much as it implies a violation of it Faith in a Saviour to save us from our Sins could be no precept of the old Covenant because that doth neither declare nor admit any such Saviour These are two main things whereby the two Covenants are distinguished in their Conditions and it is not requisite in this place to name any more But with these Differences there is also something common to both and that is the general Obligation of Obedience to the Commandments according to the express words of our Saviour before alledged If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments And this I take to be a duty of such necessity as could not be discharged or dispensed with by any positive Will or Covenant of God upon any Consideration whatsoever No not upon that of a most perfect satisfaction for the breach of the Law with an intire fulfilling of it by a Surety for and in the stead of the Transgressors I say that neither upon this nor any other Consideration the Duty of Obedience to the Moral Law of God could be discharged or dispensed with For these Reasons 1. Because such a discharge or dispensation is contrary to the Soveraignty of God which importeth an Authority to command all Creatures that are capable of receiving and obeying any commands This Authority being essential to the Divine Nature He cannot devest himself of by any positive Will no more than he can destroy his own Essence But to discharge a Creature capable of the duty of Obedience from all obligation thereunto were to put off that Authority because Where there is no obligation to obedience there can be no authority to command If therefore God should discharge a Creature of his duty of Obeying his Commands he should thereby quit his Soveraignty over that Creature which is altogether impossible 2. Because such a liberty granted to any part of mankind is contrary to the Justice and Holiness of God in as much as it implies a licence and toleration of the utmost wickedness that could be committed by them that had obtain'd this liberty For where there is no restraint put upon the wills of men by any binding law there must needs be the utmost of license 3. Because this Liberty is contrary to the nature of Man as he is a Reasonable Creature Because as he is reasonable he is capable of receiving Commands and Laws from his Creator and as he is a Creature he is naturally bound to be subject to them The relation of a Creature naturally importing such a debt of subjection to the Creator as can never be discharged 4. And lastly Because there are some Divine Laws which are in themselves indispensable to a reasonable Creature Such is that which is commonly called the Moral Law in the strictest sense signifying not all Precepts that concern the manners of men but the same thing with the Law of Nature and right Reason Which as it teacheth a distinction
of Good and Evil contained in the nature of some actions antecedent to any positive or express Law of God or man so doth it indispensably oblige to the practical observation thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is that effect of the Law written in the Heart Rom. 2.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cannot be blotted out by any abrogation without blotting out the reason that is the nature of man That which is in it self Evil cannot without contradiction become indifferent or lawful But that which is not restrained or forbidden by any binding Law must needs be lawful Therefore the opinion of Libertines and Antinomians affirming Christians under the Gospel to be discharged from the duty of Obedience to any Law or Command of God as such is not only false and heretical but also impossible to be true in as much as it imports a repugnancy to the nature both of God and man and all distinction of Good and Evil and withall it evacuates all pardon of sin by concluding an impossibility of committing it For where no Law is there can be no Transgression I conclude therefore that the duty of Obedience to the Moral Law is common to both Covenants And that when Saint Paul saith We are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6.15 his meaning cannot be that we are not under any Obligation of the Law but that we are not under the rigorous Exaction of the Law requiring perfect obedience without affording either pardon for any Offences against it or any sufficient aid of Grace to perform it Christians by the Covenant of Grace which now they are under are delivered from that desperate state which the Law leaves them in that are under it being relieved by a double Grace first of pardon of Sin upon Repentance and secondly of ability through the assistance of God's Spirit to yield such obedience to the Law as will be accepted And so to the Objection of the burthen of that Obedience which by the premisses hath been asserted necessary to Salvation I answer That God's accepting by the new Covenant Repentance joyned with Faith in Christ instead of perfect Obedience required in the old is a sufficienu abatement of the intolerableness of the old yoke and as ample a dispensation as could be afforded to Sinners to qualifie them for salvation which will further appear upon these Considerations 1. That Repentance supposing men to be sinners admitted by the Covenant of Grace for the Condition of Salvation affords a remedy for Sin and a capacity of Life to them that by the old Covenant are absolutely excluded from all hopes thereof 2. That Reformation of life and future obedience which Repentance signifies is not the same which the Law exacts that is not absolute and perfect without any manner of defect Not the not-sinning at all but the not wilfully and presumptuously sinning and abiding therein impenitently after the receiving * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the knowledge or acknowledgment of the truth Heb. 10.26 A sincere desire and faithful indeavour of obedience is accepted for Repentance which may consist with some such things as the Law condemns as sins of ignorance not affected sins of Infirmity and surreption Imperfection in the performance of duty sincerely indeavoured with many frailties which a Christian labours under and against but cannot perfectly overcome Such things as these although as transgressions of the pure and perfect Law of God they have the nature of sin yet by the tenor of the new Covenant and through the mercy of God in Christ the Mediator thereof they shall not be imputed to the penitent sinner that by a true Faith layes hold upon that Mediator So that there be some sins which do not make void the effect and benefit of Repentance but are consistent with the truth of it and a regenerate state But because it is difficult to determine precisely and exclusively what they are it concerns every true penitent to take as much heed as he can of all sin and not to presume of any indulgence for the least that can be avoided by him And whiles it is said that some kinds of sin are consistent with such a Repentance as is available to salvation it is implyed that others are not so and such are all gross wilful and presumptuous sins But 3. Neither do such sins as these after a man hath once truly repented exclude a sinner from the benefit of the Gospel But are still capable of the same remedie which is allowed for all sorts of sin which a man is found guilty of before his first Conversion Although such sins do evacuate the benefit of his former repentance so far as to render him uncapable of expecting or claiming the Remission of them thereby suspending his pardon for the present till he hath renewed his repentance or repaired the breach of it Herein consists the abundance of Gospel-grace and the benefit of repentance that it is never out-dated not being restrained to one general pardon as the Novatians heretically taught nor limited to any number of Repetitions There is no sin at any time unpardonable under the Condition of Repentance For that against the Holy Ghost is supposed to be so upon this account only that it excludes that Grace by which a man should be inabled to repent These three things relating to the doctrine of Repentance duly considered I conceive to be sufficient to answer the Objection before suggested Especially if that be added which I take to be agreeable to the doctrine of the Gospel viz That whosoever imbraceth this second Covenant shall be sufficiently inabled by the grace thereof that is by the Spirit of Christ that helps him though not to keep the whole Law exactly and perfectly without sin yet to do all things which by that Covenant are required of him to work out his own salvation This sufficiency of Grace I take to be supposed in the Exhortation of my Text and confirmed by the Reason that follows after it For it is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure Of which afterward Thus far we have proceeded towards the resolution of that great Question What is to be done by him that desires to work out his own salvation from the distinct Answer of our blessed Saviour and two of his Apostles to the same Question Believe in the Lord Jesus saith Saint Paul Repent saith St. Peter Keep the Commandments saith our Saviour These three Answers comprehending whatever is required of a Christian in order to his salvation might suffice for a complete Answer to that Question But considering the infinite weight and moment of the Question some further Enlargement of the Answer from 3. or 4. selected Texts is not to be counted superfluous And the first of these additional Texts shall be that of the Apostle St. Peter urging the same Exhortation with that in our Text in other words 2 Pet. 1.5 And besides this giving all diligence add
Imprimatur Tho. Tomkyns R. R mo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Gilberto divinâ Providentiâ Archi-Episcopo Cantuariensi à sac Dom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Highest END And Chiefest VVORK Of A Christian Set forth in two plain DISCOURSES Concerning The Glory of GOD and our own Salvation By J.W. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pirke Aboth Lib. 2. §. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arriani Epictet l. 2. cap. 19. LONDON Printed by E.T. for R. Royston Book-seller to the King 's most Excellent Majesty 1668. A PREFACE To the READER THose two words defective in the Title Page by which the name of the Author was desired to be expressed are so insignificant as he could not believe they would contribute any thing to his onely designs which he can with some comfort profess to have been no other than those which are expresly set forth in the Titles of these Discourses viz. The Glory of God and the Salvation of Men And Books such as deserve the name of Books * Lord Verulam his advancement of Learning l. 1. p. 16. as he said that hath so judiciously observed the defects of them ought to have no Patrons but Truth and Reason But because most Discourses now published are thought by the many that are able to judge and the many more that are willing to censure really to need their accustomed Apologies let this be accepted for the Author of these viz. that he was indispensably ingaged to the publication of them by a sacred obligation how advisedly entred into is now too late to inquire upon an extraordinary occasion which no other man can be concern'd to understand This onely is to be added to complete the Apologie for the Language and Method that the fashion of that plain Vest wherein they are clothed was not to be alterd or changed Lev. 27.10 nor did it seem needful for them to whom it was designed They onely are beholding to the Preacher that studies to seek out acceptable words for them whose judgements are qualified with a capacity of being so gratified Eccles 12.10 But neither the Persons to whom these Meditations were first presented were of that form nor are they yet intended for any such as can tell where to satisfie their curiosity in the many perhaps too many Discourses that are purposely laboured for such an end The Knops and the Flowers with which the Golden Candlestick that was appointed for the service of the Temple was so curiously adorned could be no advantage to the Lights which they sustained and yet were precisely ordained to the glory of the Lord whose dwelling was in that house And they that now are able to offer any such Lamps in Gods house and do it with the same design may hope to be accepted but if they have any other of their own especially if it be their own glory more than Gods that they secretly aym at they will fall in with the persons of whom our Saviour speaks Mat. 6.5 when he saith Verily they have their reward As in holy Scripture all things necessary to the common Dutiâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost of glorifying Gods and working out our own salvavation are sufficiently clear and manifest at least in some parts or other so ought they to be set forth in the Sermons and Writings of them whose office it is to guide men to these ends When the Veil of Moses his face is taken away by Christ God forbid it should be put on again by any of his Ministers which yet seems to be unhappily done in this last age by the overcurious subtile and scholastick Discourses and Disputes about the great Doctrine of Justification by Faith in Christ Jesus which can have no better effect upon the generality of Christians than to obscure the matters which they pretend to clear It was very much in this Authors desire to scatter or remove those Clouds which be thought was best to be done by abstracting wholly from the consideration of them and by confining his Answer to the grand Question What is to be done to work out a mans own Salvation to the express resolutions of holy Scripture illustrated and confirmed with the plainest reason without respect to the Authoritie of Humane Testimonies A few things onely he hath thought fit to add by way of Preface to each Discourse which he strives to deliver with as much plainness as the matter will bear And first to the first That which inclined him to the publication of this familiar discourse at first delivered in a small and popular Auditory was that he could not finde himself prevented by any other upon the same Subject in our own Language And it was matter of wonder to him how it should come to pass that that which is acknowledg'd the Supreme End and Scope of all Religion should not fall under the Meditations of so many Learned and Zealous Writers as this Age hath produced Or how the distinct and just tractation of that great Duty could come to be so much omitted that scarce any thing to this purpose hath come to his knowledge besides the brief strictures that are found in the School-men whilst the other Point respecting indeed the chief Good and ultimate End of Mankind in refeverence to himself hath been the Subject of numberless Discourses as well of Christian as Heathen Philsophers But instead of what he hath sought and desiderated towards the declaring directing and pressing that chief of Duties to the most high God consisting in the seeking of his Glory he hath in some late Authors of good Learning met with odd reflections of disparagement of this End as unworthy the excellency and perfection of the Divine Nature and too much resembling the vanity of the Humane Which misprision of Error crossing the many significations of holy Scripture and the general sense and expressions of all religious minds may possibly be removed by the consideration of a double glory belonging to the Divine Majesty The first is Intrinsecal and Essential and therefore infinite and immutable incapable of receiving Addition or Diminution The second is Extrinsecal and Accidental resulting from his own Acts and the Acts of his Creatures and this is capable of being multiplied and augmented as the light of the Sun which is its glory though we suppose it fix'd and immutable in it self yet may and doth receive innumerable varieties of reflection from other Bodies which are beneath or about it Which reflections being agreeable to its glorious Nature would be gratefully apprehended by it if it had any sense So though God can receive no additions or variations of his Essentiall Glory and Happiness yet can be assume created Glories and may clothe himself with Glory and Majesty and designe to glorifie himself extrinsecally as well by the Acts of his Creature as by his own multiplyed and varied according to the pleasure of his Will and so may be both glorified and pleased in such a way as is something resembled
I doubt whether I should do it or not hath to me an appearance of a greater sin in the doing it than it can be in the omission that Reason is very sufficient to restrain me from the action and oblige me to the forbearance till I can be otherwise informed to the better satisfaction of my Conscience For 2 Thess 5.22 when we are commanded to abstain from all appearance of evil it is most reasonable to conclude that the appearance of the greatest Evil doth most strongly oblige my abstinence As for Example Suppose the action whereof I am in doubt hath an appearance of Idolatry as in the Corinthians case the eating things sacrificed to Idols had and as the worshipping a piece of bread or the invocation of Saints departed may justly have In such cases I say it is most reasonable to abstain from the action because it is most safe so to do because by the doing of this action I do at least suspect I may be guiltie of Idolatry which is a far greater sin than a bare omission of an Act of obedience to any humane authority can be The same resolution upon parity of reason is to be made where the omission upon due consideration may appear to be a greater sin than the performance of the action which seems to be the case of refusing obedience to authoritie causing disorder and having at least an appearance of Schism in matters of meer ceremony or circumstance in the publick worship of God upon a bare suspition of their want of allowance from God or being some way forbidden I say That the disobedience in this case if the action should prove not to be forbidden by God is a greater sin than the action would be in obedience to authority though it should prove to be forbidden whilst we have so much reason to doubt whether it be or no For it cannot with reason be conceived that the Transgression of a Divine Precept in a matter of circumstance so obscurely revealed as hath not been discover'd by the Catholick Church for many Ages nor yet is by the Rulers and most learned and pious Doctors and Pastors of the present Church can be so great a sin as is the transgression of so plain a Precept as that of obedience to authoriâ—ie especially when that disobedience produceth the effects of Disorder Schism Scandal with separation from the publick Worship of God and privation of the means of his Grace These things considered I say it is not reason able to think but that the sin of disobedience in case the thing should prove to be not forbidden as by this doubt is supposed possible is far greater than the doing of the act though it should prove to be forbidden And therefore in this case the action is to be done notwithstanding the doubt by way of caution against a greater sin It being a greater sin to disobey doubtingly than to obey doubtingly in such a matter But if for ought appears to me there is no such difference but that it may be as great a sin to omit thâ— action as to do it considering my doubt as well whether it be not commanded as whether it be not forbidden I am then to consider what other reasons may incline me either to the action or to the omission in respect of advantage or disadvantage to my self or other on either side As for Example Suppose on the on-side if I forbear the action I do not onely sin againâ— God upon one or both of the foremention'd accounts that is as doing that which is forbidden in it self 〈◊〉 forbidden to me because I doubt the lawfulness of it but I also deprive my self of many advantages which might have by the doing it and incur considerable damage in my Libertie Estate Reputation with otheâ— incommodations to my friends On the other side if do the action I do onely sin against God by acting doubtfully or it may be by transgressing some unknown command abstracted from that doubt which inconveniences are equally supposed in the forbearance But I avoid the forementioned disadvantages without incurring any other of equal concern In this case I say it will be perfectly unreasonable to chuse the more hazzardable resolution with rejection of the less And therefore the resolution will be as clear what is reasonable to be done in this case as is in any of the former with this onely difference That the practice under this duplicitie of doubt cannot be without a necessitie of sin What then can I or should I do more in this case than this commit my self to the Mercie of God with a cautionary profession of my desire to obey him And that if I could any way possibly avoid the hazzard of transgressing his Will I would do it notwithstanding any motives whatever respecting my self or mine own interest But because I cannot so do at this time for want of present means to understand his Will I act according to the general Rule and law of my Nature that is my reason as far as it will afford me any direction begging his pardon of my present ignorance and the inevitable effect thereof Against this resolution if it be objected as was before intimated that there can be no such necessitie of sinning against God Whilst every man is bound to depose his doubt and imbrace his Dutie I answer first That this destroyes the supposition of the Cose and therefore is no just Objection to the answer which is given upon the admission of it 2. That it is not true that there can be no such necessitie of sinning or that every man is bound immediately to depose his doubt though it be not in his power so to do For though God doth not put a man upon any such necessitie of sinning against himself yet a man may by his own fault and by his culpable ignorance bring himself into this streight But here it must needs be observed that the intire resolution is grounded upon that Principle That whatsoever is done doubtingly is a sin Which Principle I take up in this Discourse onely upon the account of its common reception grounded upon the words of the Apostle He that doubteth is damned if he eat And therefore the resolution that supposeth this Principle can be serviceable to such onely as receive it But whether this Maxime be universally true or can be inferr'd from the Apostles Words by the necessary sence of them and whether it ought to be extended to such actions as fall under the command of Authority and not rather to be restrained to such actions as the Apostle speaks of in that Chapter viz. such as are indifferent in themselves and wherein a man is sui juris not supposed to be under command of authority either way is a just Problem For the Apostle in the Discourse of that Chapter wherein he delivers that conclusion He that doubteth is damned if he eat c. speaketh onely of such actions wherein a man is sui juris at
the prime object and end of his Will the holy Angels in Heaven do all things according to the Will of God and to his glory their only design is to promote his glory and we are to pray and therefore to desire intend and indeavour as far as lies in us that God may be glorified here on earth by our selves and others as He is in Heaven The same thing is taught us in the Doxology in the close of that prayer For thine is the kingdome the power and the Glory that is All glory is due to thee Which may mind us of another Text of the Psalmist which together with a Precept for this duty gives us the general reason declaring the equity of it Psal 29.1 Give unto the Lord the glory that is due unto his name Therefore is Gods glory to be sought in all our doings because this glory is due unto his Name All glory is due to God and that because all things are from him and by him as Creator Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy ô Lord to receive glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure they are and were created Most just and reasonable it is the author of any thing should have the honour of his own work This reason is expresly given by the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.20 Glorifie God with your bodies and with your souls for they are Gods God made all things for himself that is for his own glory and that which was His end ought to be made ours too else we shall disappoint him as far as lies in us To strengthen this Argument we are to consider That not only our Being is from God which were enough to intitle him to the honour of all our doings but also all our Actions are dependent upon him we do not only live and have our Being from him but in him we move too we act all things by a constant supply of power from him our meat and drink and every thing else that we use are his gifts so is also our stomach appetite and power of eating and drinking therefore it is most unjust to use them to his Dishonour and most equitable to use them to his Glory We have all from him jure beneficiario and as Feudatories with reservation of service and honour to the donor in the use of them All rivers run into the Sea All our store is from the Fountain of Gods grace and therefore ought in course of highest Reason to be directed again into the Ocean of his glory seeing we have nothing but from his bounty and can do nothing but by his power it is most unreasonable we should do any thing by his power against his honour 2. But secondly It is not only a point of manifest Equity and Justice to promote and serve his Honour in all our doings because we depend upon him not onely for the original of our Being but also for and in all our actions but it becomes us upon the same account in point of gratitude to honour him A most ingrateful part it is for us that are so much obliged to him for all that we have or have had to do any thing willingly or negligenly to his dishonnor And this obligation of gratitude is increased according to the Degrees of Gods bounty and mercy towards us aâ— men above other Creatures and as Christians above other men and as we have in both respects partaked more of his liberality and grace thaâ— is more natural and temporal blessings thaâ— other Men and more grace or means of grace thaâ— other Christians 3. And as in point of Equity and Gratitude we are obliged to honour and glorifie God for whaâ— we have already received from him so in poinâ— of prudence it concerns us to take heed of dishonouring him and thereby displeasing and provoking him upon whom we still depend intirely and absolutely for all that we do or may need and all that we may desire or hope for Let vulgar Reason judge whether it be not againâ—â— common prudence for a man wilfully to neglecâ— him upon whom he hath such an absolute dependence or whether it be not a point of necessary wisdom to seek to gain and keep his favour by being carefull to please him in that which wâ— know to be his only interest which is hâ—â— glory The Equity and obligation of this duty might fuâ—ther be demostrated from the Excellency of God nature from whence he is called the Lord of Glâ—ry Psal 24.10.29.3 Eph. 1.17 the King of glory the Father glory and the God of glory Hâ—â— we no such dependence upon him as hath been mentioned nor anâ— relation to him yet ought he to be glorified for hâ—â— own excellency glorious Essence and workâ— Amongst men honour is due to them who aâ— nonourable especially in their personal qualifications from them that have no relation to them nor dependence upon them But our duty of giving glory to God ariseth most clearly from our Relations to him and his to us For he hath assumed to himself all titles of Relation which require the greatest honour and respect from their subjected Relatives such are the Titles of King Lord Father Husband c. If we will demean our selves as becometh good Subjects to their King as good Servants to their Lord Children to their Father Wives to their Husbands then are we in all things to be carefull to preserve and seek his honour who by the assumption of those Titles hath as well honoured us as obliged us to honour him It were easie to multiply reasons to shew the abundant Equity and Obligation of this duty but I shall add no more at this time than the consideration of two special duties whith every man ow's to God and whereby in Scripture the whole duty of man is frequently described these are to fear God and to love him with all the heart and all the soul and all the might Neither of which duties so often urged in Scripture can be truly performed without the observation of this rule of giving God the glory of all we do at least in the first sense that is Without being carefull to preserve the glory of God and our respects thereto in all that we do For To Fear God as it is an act of Religion distinguished from that slavish fear which is found in Devils and wicked men is to reverence his Majestie and to have an aweful respect to his honour in all things being ever jealous and fearfull of doing any thing that may dishonour or displease him It is a fear of Reverence and highest Honour which is the duty of men to God Rev. 14.7 as the highest Majesty such as is that fear which is expressed by the Attribute given by men to their Soveraign Princes when they call them Dread Soveraigns The like regard to the glory of God must needs be in all them that love God with that Divine holy and peculiar love which is due to God
declare wherein the true notion and nature thereof doth consist viz. in turning unto God Repent and turn unto God the latter phrase is exegetical declaring the sense of the former To repent is to turn unto God which supposeth an aversion from God as the antecedent condition and posture of every penitent sinner And so much is signified by the name of a sinner Sin being nothing else but an aversion or turning away from God So that Repentance being the same thing with Conversion in Scripture-sense is a relative word having a double tearm of relation à quo ad quem from which and to which The latter is expressed by the Apostle in the forementioned words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repent and turn unto God From whence it is called Repentance towards or unto God Act. 20.21 The former is signified by the same Apostle He. 6.1 Repentance from dead works that is from sinful works called dead works because they are the acts of a man Spiritually dead and destitute of Spiritual and Divine life These two things make up the intire signification of repentance viz. turning from sin as sin that is all known sin unto God that is unto the universal duty of obedience unto his will most fully and plainly expressed by the words of the Prophet Ezek. 18.21 But if the wicked man will turn from all his sin which he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die This I take to be one of the plainest and compleatest descriptions of Repentance which is to be found in Scripture Wherein the same general duty is otherwise set forth in great variety of expression As to rent the heart to circumcise the foreskin of the heart to abhor our selves to cease to do evil and learn to do well To crucifie the old man and the flesh to mortifie the deeds of the body to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God to put off the old man and put on the new to cleanse our hands and purifie our hearts to deny all ungodliness and wordly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world c. Wherunto the general termes of Regeneration Sanctification and the new Creature are materially equivalent These and many other expressions there are of the same general duty all of them signifying an essiectuall change of the whole man inward and out ward beginning in the mind or understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which all humane affections and actions are governed from whence both Greek and Latin names are derived which primarily and properly signifie a change of the mind or intellectual part of the soul but are understood practically as before I shewed cencerning Faith and Knolwedg in Scripture-sense Thus is Repentance expressed by the Apostle to be a renewing in the spirit of the mind Eph. 4.2 3. Rom. 12.2 a transformation of a man by the renewing of the mind putting off the old man with his deeds Col. 3.10 and putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledg These expressions with other like do signifie this work of conversion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to begin in Repentance or the understanding the ruling faculty in a man the prime recipient of all grace which therfore is sometimes called light Eph. 5.8 Heb. 6.4 illumination and inlightning as on the contrary sin is termed darkness very frequently Repentance comprehending the whole work of grace is begun in the mind but hath its most proper effect and seat in the Will as sin also hath It is the effectual habitual conversion of the Will that makes out a true Repentance that being the only faculty which is capable of command and most directly and immediatly obliged to obey having also the power of commanding the affections and actions of the whole man And upon this account it is that Sorrow for and Confession of sin do sometimes signifie a true Repentance having the promise of pardon annexed to them because where they are sincere they do infer such a change in the Wil as amounts to Repentance For a true godly sorrow for sin as offensive to God and repugnant to his just and holy Will cannot be separated from a real purpose of forsaking the sin Because it is impossible for a man to be sincerely sorry for that which the Will allows either as already done or to be done hereafter And therefore also such confession of sin as proceeds from a godly sorrow doth necessarily imply a conversion or change of the Will which if it be so radicated and fixed as will prove effectual upon the trial which God only knows is nothing less than a true Repentance begun in the Heart But this may seem more than enough to have been spoken by way of Explication of so ordinary a Point whereunto therefore I shall add no more in this place but this one advertisement to apply it to my Text That seeing Repentance is a work of absolute necessity to Salvation whosoever desires to work out his own salvation must be careful to work out his Repentance which is done only by bringing forth fruits or works worthy of repentance which can be no other than the works of a holy life Seeing the work of Repentance can only be said to be begun by godly sorrow and confession of sin and that only when those things are joyned with a firm and sincere purpose of reformation it is evident that the entire duty can no otherwise be wrought out than by a constant and faithful performance of that godly purpose Having now laid down from Scripture the nature of Repentance I come to the Answer of the Objection before mentioned consisting of two Branches 1. That the urged necessity of obedience to the commandments as part of the condition of the New covenant destroies the distinction of it from the Old making both of them to in these general terms of Do this and live And the consequence of this is 2. That the burthen hereby laid upon Christians is intolerable in as much as the keeping of the Commandments is a yoak too heavy for the shoulders of lapsed nature though strengthened by grace My answer to this Objection shall be grounded upon the Doctrin of Repentance as that is no other than a peculiar precept and priviledg of the New Covenant Repentance as hath been shewn in the compleate sense of the word and extent of the duty requires obedience to the commandments as Faith also doth but not the same obedience which the Law requireth I say therefore that repentance is a precept of the second Covenant and not of the first a precept of the Gospel not of the Law as such For to repent supposeth Sin which by the condition of the first Covenant supposed to be made with man-kind in his innocency is indispensably excluded Repentance cannot become a duty till
of his own blood Is it reasonable to accept his Promises and refuse his Precepts Or would we have a pardon for all our sins past without the condition of Repentance that is with a licence or dispensation to continue in them still if we please Would we be happy but not holy Would we be Devils in this world and Angels in the next serve the Devill the professed enemy of God and our own Souls whiles we are here on Earth and yet expect to have communion with the most pure and holy God hereafter in Heaven Can we contrive a way How light and darkness righteousness and unrighteousness should have fellowship one with an other Would we have God to be reconciled to us in the free pardon of all our offences and we not reconciled to him but still be allowed to live in a course of rebellion against him Would we injoy his favour and love and not be bound to love him or would we be acknowledged to be true lovers of God without any respect to his commandments Would we injoy the grace of adoption the blessing of sons and the inheritance of the Kingdom with a despensation for the duty of filial obedience If these terms be so unreasonable as no man can have impudence enough to own the desire of them What objection can we have against any of the conditions of Salvation which consist in no harder matters than those which our own Reason is forced to acknowledg so just and indispensable that if we had been called to counsell about them and had had our negative vote in the passing of them or if we had been left to our selves to have set down our own terms for our Justification and Salvation we could never have set them lower than they are set in the Covenant of the Gospel The fourth Motive to the utmost of diligence to be used in this work is to be drawn from the difficultie of performing it If we have a design to work out a business of much difficulty is there not a great necessity we should attend it with proportionable diligence Most true it is in respect of the equity and reasonableness of this work above declared there is indeed nothing in it that is hard considered in it self which is enough to verifie the words of our Saviour My yoak is easie and my burthen is light Matth. 11.30 1 Joh. 5.3 as well as those of his Apostle His commandments are not grievous Christ's yoke is not like that of a cruel or hard Master nor his burthen like that of a tyrannical Lord His commandments are no harder than such as become the most gratious and mercifull Father so farre is he from requiring any thing of us which is either impossible or unreasonable Certainly it imports notorious repugnancy to the name and notion of the Gospel if not blasphemie of the Divine Goodness therein proclaimed to say or imagin that God should abuse mankind with pretences of such infinite grace and mercy promised under such conditions as we are in no capacity to perform as having neither any sufficiency thereunto of our selves nor any ground of expecting it from him who only is able to afford it If it be the Will and command of God as without doubt it is that every one to whom the promise of Salvation is made known by the Gospel should not only believe the general truth of it but also make particular application of it to his own comfort else how is it a Gospel or Glad tidings certainly that very command without any new promise implies a just warrant of confidence in him that gives it to supply us with a sufficiency of ability to perform the conditions of his promise if being willing to undertake them and sensible of our own insufficiency we shall sincerely seek this ability from him But to balk all matter of Dispute it is without controversie that such persons are as the proper objects of this exhortation that is such as have by the grace of God already begun this work have as sure promises of sufficient grace to go through withall as they have of the Reward of it being once finished Phil. 1.6 The promises before mentioned by way of interpretation of the words after my Text are indeed sufficient to secure us from any insuperable difficulty in this work But do not therefore inferr that there is none but rather the contrary Because if there were no difficulty we should need no such security for our assistance to overcome it But of the Difficulties which are to be expected and incountred in the pursuance of this work we are sufficiently advertised as well by Scripture as by our own sensible and continual Experience Strive to enter in at the straitgate Luk. 13.24 saith our Saviour For many I say unto you will seek he doth not say strive to enter in and shall not be able And in another Evangelist Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life Mat. 7.14 and few there there be that find it In which words there are no less than three severall Intimations of the difficultie of entering into life eternal The first is in the word * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strive the second in the Epithets of the Gate and the Way Strait and Narrow the third in the paucity of them that enter and the ill success of many that seek so to do Few there be that find it and many shall seek to enter and shall not be able The word Strive in the Original is borrowed from the Olympick games wherein the parties contending for the victorie were stoutly opposed and therefore ingaged to put forth the utmost of their strength And with the same Allusion the Christian Course is by Saint Paul compared to three several kinds of those Games viz. 1. to Running 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. to Fighting or cuffing with the fist and 3. Wrestling 1 Cor 9.24.26 Know ye◠not that they that run in a Race run all but one obtaineth the Prize So run that ye may obtain I therefore so run 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as uncertainly So fight I not as one that beateth the air 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a Castaway And Ephes 6.12 For we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against Powers c. 1 Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of Faith Christianity is a Warfare and Fight against spirituall adversaries within and without Within against fleshly lusts which warre against the Soul 1 Pet. 2 11 Jam. 4.1 Without against Principalities and Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world against spirituall wickedness or wicked Spirits in high places Ephes 6.12 All this matter of Combate Strife Wrestling is supposed in that repeated promise of the heavenly Reward to him only that overcometh Rev.