wisedom of the wise is to chuse and direct his way Pro. 14.8 Hee taketh it not on mens words or walketh on aduentures wisedome will to heauen alone if it cannot get company The wisedome of the wise wil looke better to the soule than to damme it for company No man but loueth his body better but if he see neuer so many leap into the sea or cast themselues into the fire or off a rocke hee will be loath to kill himselfe for company and wilt thou foolish man break the necke of thy soule for company 5 Thou must hinder and stop the sins of the multitude rather than imitate them So Lot perswaded the multitude of Sodomites striue resisting sin euen unto bloud keepe the praise of grace euen in oppositions Tully coÌ„mended one for being continent in Asia So hold on the light in the midst of a froward generation And what thou canst not hinder thou must mourne for the sins of the multitude as Lot whose righteous soule was grieued daily to see and hear the unchast conuersation of Sodomits And Ieremy said My soule shall weep for you in secret And Dauid I saw the Transgressours and was sore grieued and mine eies gushed with riuers of teares This is true zeale against a mans own sins which kindleth a fire against other mens sins and the more vniuersall they be the more will zeale be kindled CAP. 15. Le ts from Satan lulling vs in securitie 3. FRom the World we come to the encombrances and rubbes cast in the way of our repentance by Satan the god of this world And he hath reason to bestirre himselfe especially against our repentance because he knoweth that only this grace fetcheth vs out of his power 2. Tim. 2.25 To this purpose he suggesteth three â—orts of Temptations 1 To lull vs asleepe in the securitie of our present naturall estate 2 If our naturall estate content vs not hee vrgeth to despaire 3 If he cannot do that he wil enforce the other extreame of presumption of Gods mercy though we slacke or slip our repentance 1 To hold vs in our present securitie hee will perswade vs of the loue of God towards vs in our estate of nature For hath he not made vs men not beasts or serpents hath he not preserued vs and prospered vs in our estate and lifted vs vp in earthly mercies yea are wee not members of the Church enioy the Word and Sacraments and seeing God hath beene so free in his loue and care what need we trouble our selues with such penslue precisenesse and spend our time in feares and cares which requireth rather comfort and cheerfulnesse in our condition Against this Temptation consider 1 How dangerous and deceiueable a thing it is for a man to blesse himself in cursed estate As the wicked man who couenanteth with death and maketh an agreement with hell whose wilfull ignorance hideth all the danger near him who as the silly Bird feedeth securely on the bayte while it is within the compasse of the net Oh what a delusion is it for a naturall man to assure himselfe of Gods loue Can iustice loue wickednesse Can the Lord doe any other than hate a rebell against him Is a childe of wrath the obiect of our fathers loue Can a vessell of wrath looke to bee filled with any thing but wrath 2 Looke what deceit and fallacie lyeth in all his arguments of loue 1 God created him a man not a beast Why did not GOD create the Angels that sinned too and yet are not they shut vp in chaynes of blacke darkenesse for euer Little comfort that God loueth thee as a creature vnlesse as a Father in Iesus Christ better it were thou haddest beene a beast 2 God hath outwardly blessed and prospered him in the world and therefore loueth him Answ. No man knoweth loue or hatred by any thing afore him Ecclesâ— 9.1 Temporall blessings are common to good and bad and the worst men enioy common mercies more than other Iob 21.13 He speaketh of wicked men flourishing in all wealth and prosperity who say to the Almighty Depart from vs who is the almighty And it is said of Antiochus Epiphanes that mad and furious horne against the Church who cast downe some of the hoast of heauen and the starres and extolled himselfe against the Prince of the hoast and tooke away the daily sacrifice and cast downe the place of the Sanctuary the text addes Thus he shall doe and prosper Dan. 8.13 Who was more outwardly prosperous Caine or Abel Esau or Iacob who durst not looke his Lord Esau in the face nor come neare him till he had bowed seauen times 3 They are seazed with a kind of spirituall prosperity they liue in the bosome of the Church and enioy Word and Sacraments therefore are loued of God Answ. But many are in the Church that are not of the Church yea the wickedest of men enioy the outward ordinances of Word and Sacraments as well as other as Esau Saul Iudas Simon Magus and are so much the mote hated as their sinne was against the glorious meanes what loue can a malefactor gather when the sentence of death is read against him as in the Word What loue when the Lords Table is made snares to him and his sinne casteth poyson into the Lords cup When his Baptisme is but a broken vow and all his profession a vizzard of hypocrisie 4 Wouldest thou finde true euidences of Gods loue which come from God not as God but as from a father bestowed on sonnes but not on bond children find it in other gifts 1 Hath he giuen thee Christ God so loued the world Ioh. 3.16 hath he giuen thee a sonne-ship Ioh. 1.3 1. Behold what great loue the Father hath giuen vs to be called the Sonnes of God Hath he giuen thee faith oh there is a precious gift of loue hast thou loue God loueth not thee vnlesse thou loue him what obedience hast thou Keeping his commandements is a signe of his loue Ioh. 14.23.24 The Scripture which knoweth the best assurances of Gods loue pulleth our eyes from gazing on earthly dignities prerogatives which wee are euer poring vpon as with Hawkes eyes and would haue vs behold Gods loue in other things than these namely in the inward notes and markes of Gods children See thou what faith what hope what repentance what holinesse what fruits of faith and holinesse thou hast attained this argueth our iustification and so assureth vs of our election and consequently of his eternall and vnchangeable loue this is the inheritance which is giuen to sonnes of promise while the bond children are sent away with mouâ—ables 2 To hold vs in the security of our naturall estate he perswadeth vs wee cannot bee Saints here and why should we not doe as others rather than tyre our selues in vaine by pursuing impossibilities To answer this temptation consider none are Saints in heauen but saints in earth 1 True it is in their sense none can be saints
these haue a loud voice to summon vs to daily Repentance for man suffereth for his sin and remoue the cause the effect will cease 4 We stand in need of daily blessings and new fauours and these call on vs to renue our Repentance daily for else our sins will hinder good things from vs either we must remoue them or they will remoue Gods mercies from vs and instead of blessings cast vs into perils and dangers euery moment For time Repentance is also the last duty of a Christan which hee must principally intend For. 1 All naturall motion is swifter to the Center and so supernaturall euery sound grace is most stirring at last and this especially because Sathan is most stirring in temptation and so in his last act is most troublesome and therefore Repentance must bee most busie in thrusting downe the last powers raised against it 2 In sicknesse sorrow and approach of death is great cause of sight sense and godly sorrow for sinne the mother of them Now is a time of humiliation mortification so that now the worst can dissemble a Repentance and therefore now true Repentance cannot but aboue all times shew it selfe 3 The lesse time that grace seeth it hath to worke in the more stirring and working it will be onely grieued that it hath not more and cannot more glorifie God and as friends parting when they take their last farewell they desire to take their fill one of another so the Saintâ— being to bid farewell to godly sorrow are willing to take their fill of it 4 What is it else thou wouldest haue thy Master finde thee doing at his comming but so doing and what else hath the promise of blessednesse what seruant else but hee whom the Master findeth so doing Now the way to doe it well at last is to exercise it well before hand else it will hardly and â—unglingly come off but what a man doth customably and habitually is done easily cunningly and comfortably Nothing but the dispatch of this businesse maketh life sweet and desirable Nothing else affordeth peace with God part in Christ quietnesse of conscience but the comsort of sound Repentance without any of which life is no better than death Nothing but this can allay the feares and bitternesse of death How can the euill seruant but feare to be called to accounts that hath neuer made them ready How can the condemned Pellon but feare the assizes who neuer looked after pardon But why should the soule feare to goe forth to God when it knoweth it is reconciled to him what need he feare sudden death who is euer prepared When a malefactor hath sued out his pardon let the assizes come when they will the sooner the better Neuer will that soule feare to goe to Christ that is in Christ nay it will desire it because it is best of all CAP. 11. Letâ—s of Repentance in respect of sinne THe second thing propounded to further the practise of Repentance is to remoue the lets and impediments which hinder men from the practise of it For The more excellent any duty or grace is the more difficulty there is in attaining it and Repentance being of all graces the first and leader wee must not thinke it easie to come by God seeing it in our nature lightly to set by things we easily come by hath set a price vpon his best blessings that wee might prize them and is not so prodigall of them as to cast them vpon sleepers and sloathfull persons that thinke them worth no paines nor labour And Sathan hangeth such weight on our corruption and by his policy and power so cloggeth and blocketh vp the way to this grace as very few are able and willing to incounter with so many Glants and Hydraes to vndertake so many Herculean labours and difficulties as hee must goe through that meaneth to goe through stitch with sound Repentance Though therefore men vnacquainted with repentance think it the easiest thing in the world an houres worke or dispatched with three words Lord haue mercy yet neuer any true Penitent found it so easie but the hardest taske in all the world and he that commeth in earnest to it must cast his costs and consider whether he bee able to drinke of this cup or no. We shall finde it no small labour to reckon discouer these hinderances and much lesse is he to finde it so that is to grapple with them conquer them These lets being so many may be prosecuted vnder four heads being cast in our waies either by sin or the world or satan or our selues 1 In respect of sin we haue sundry lets 1. loue of sinne 2. seeming profit 3. appearance of pleasure 4. a kinde of credit in sin 1. The loue of sin riseth from the nearnesse long acquaintance and familiarity with vs it being bred and born with vs at boord and bed with vs as neare and deare as our eies and hands vnto vs. And this disordered loue of sinne maketh vs hate and loath all meanes which might worke vs to dislike and forsake it So our Sauiour telleth vs Iohn 3.19 Men loue darkenesse because their deeds are euill This loue of darknesse of sinne maketh men loath the grace of Repentance Now to remoue this lett consider 1. To loue sin is to hate the Lord. Psal. 97.10 All yee that loue the Lord hate all that is euil therefore loue of euill will not stand with loue of God Euery grace is actiue against the contrary 2 To loue sin is to loue death Gen. 2.17 In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye And to hate his own soule Pro. 8.35 He that sinneth against mee hateth his owne soule And all that hate me loue death Pro. 11.19 3 A child of God cannot but hate his owne sin he hateth the euill he doth and is far from allowing himselfe in it Rom. 7. Yea abhorreth himselfe in dust and ashes for his sinne Iob. 42.6 4 Yea we shall find all the affections of the godly set against sin 1 His sorrow is chiefly for his sin Wee read not that Peter euer wept so bitterly for any suffering as he did for his sin nothing is so contrary to godly sorrow as sinfull ioy 2 His feare watcheth against sinne and flyeth sinne as a serpent yea the occasion and appearance of it 3 His shame is most for his sin The Publican is ashamed to looke towards heauen and the Prodigall ashamed to look to his fathers house 5. Grace wheresoeuer it is resolueth against all sin voweth against all he will work no iniquitie Psal. 119.2 he will with full purpose of heart cleaue vnto the Lord he renueth a daily purpose of not sinning of banishing sin and conquering it 2 In sin is a seeming profit which the sinner is loath to let go The Vsurer will not part from his gainful and vnlawfull trade the Buyer and Seller will not lay aside their oathes and lyes their sleights and deceits by false wares weights lights
What will be the end of that glory that fighteth against the glory of God 2. Sam. 2.30 2 Sinne vnrepented of maketh a man the basest slaue and drudge of all men it maketh him a slaue to the diuell a drudge in the basest seruices of flesh and lusts with more reason might the basest slaue in the Turkish Galleyes glory of his freedome and honour Wilt thou be great in sinne thou shalt be great in plagues great in sorrow in torment 3 Sinne can draw no credit but from persons of no worth or reckoning What credit for a Rebell or Traytor to get applause among his complices and be well thought of among such condemned Rebels as himselfe while they are all going to an infamous and cruell death hated of the King and despised of all good subiects and the whole state in which they liued 4 As godlinesse is the truest gaine so it is the truest greatnes and honour for is it not the truest greatnesse to be great in Gods fauour and loue To bee godly is to be great great in the Court of heauen great in bloud and alliance 〈◊〉 in present estate greater in exâ—spectation great in place and priuiledges If therefore thou seekest great things for thy selfe seeke grace seeke precious faith holinesse hope especially seeke true humility for hee that will be greatest must be least least in himselfe and he that is so will be least in sin And suppose piety and grace carry reproach and contempt in the world yet faith seeth it recompenced with euerlasting honour and glory in the life to come CAP. 12. Le ts of Repentance from the world THe second sort of Lets of Repentance are from the world which is a perillous sea wherein some Christians escape drowning but none danger some escape shipwracke but none hazzard And the greater and more dangerous is this enemy because shee betrayeth vs as Iudas with a kisse not comming in hostile manner being alwaies an enemy but sometimes as a friend sometimes hyring vs to sin with great wages as Balaam was carried with wages of vnrighteousnesse to curse the people of God sometimes inticeth vs to sin holding before our eye an apple faire to the eye as Eue or a wedge of gold as Achan 2 Our selues without great watch yea with it are easily carried away because of the league that is betweene the world and our corrupt nature all our affections and thoughts courses naturally tending world-ward further than they are weighed vp with much strength of grace 3 Yea we see men of much grace cast backe by the world and the very Disciples themselues shall stand sometimes striuing for superiority and to bee somewhat in the world when they should haue minded other businesse And why doth the world cast such a number of lets to hinder Repentance and reach at those that are at the side of Christ but because in euery one that repenteth shee loseth a limbe or member Now the Lord seeing our danger by this masked enemy hath charged vs that whatsoeuer loue the world maketh to vs we must not bestow our loue vpon it for then the loue of the Father cannot bee in vs 1. Ioh. 2.11 but arme our selues against it as an arch-enemy to vs in the way of grace and stand out against it vnto victory and that in the strength of our head who hath bidden vs be of good comfort because he hath ouercome the world both for himselfe and all vs his members There be foure great impediments cast in our way by the world to hinder Repentance and the exercise of godlinesse First feare of contempt and reproach from the world secondly a forsaking of friends thirdly fewnesse of sound godly men fourthly multitude of contrary examples 1 The great rubbe of all from the world is that generall contempt powred vpon Professors and practises of piety which is a generall Let insomuch as our Sauiour pronounced that man blessed that is not offended in him and once asked his Disciples if they would also goe away with others 2 This was a strong Let and stumbling blocke which layed in the way hindered many Rulers from following Christ and from professing that whereof their conscience was conuinced Ioh. 12.43 Because they feared contempt from their consorts and loued the praise of men more than the praise of GOD. What else hindered and deferred the Repentance of Nichodemus and cast his comming to Christ into the night 3 It striketh at that which nature is very tender ouer for who would willingly cast himselfe into so contemptible a condition as that of men forward in Religion who would be pointed at for singularity who would not shun the nick-names cast vpon godlinesse or who but would be loath to be thought of the Preciser sort who would be at such a passe to haue his Religion iudged hypocrisie his christian prudence censured as crafty policy his godly simplicity esteemed sillinesse folly his zeale madnesse his frugality couetousness his bounty wastfulnesse his resolute obedience to Gods law no better than rebellion to the Princes his contempt of the world a silly carelesnesse his godly sorrow melancholy how hard is it to be so misconstrued in euery thing Now for remouing of this Let 1 Looke to Christ and thou shalt finde Christ and his Crosse inseparable 2 It were strange if the world that hateth Christ himselfe should not hate his Disciples Ioh. 15.18 If the world hated you it hated me before you 3 Cannot the wisedome innocencie holinesse of Christ fence him from the scornes and mockes of the world and can thine fence thee Did they deale thus with the greene tree and will they not with the dry Durst they call the master Beâ—lzebub and will the seruant looke to be better than his master 4 How base and vile was hee content to be for thee 2 Looke to the world and consider that it were strange if the world should not hate those that are called out of the world Is it a strange thing that they speake euill of them that will not into the same excesse of ryot with them 3 Looke at thy selfe and consider Whether if thy person and waies please God the world will not be displeased with both 2 What fence hast thou aboue other of the Lords holy ones were not the Prophets reputed Rebels to States and Princes was not the happy tidings of saluation in the Apostles mouthes counted seditious doctrine and nouelties was not Iohn Baptists abstinence and sober manner of liuing esteemed melancholike yea diuelish austerity was not Maries loue and bounty to Christ counted wastfulnesse nay our Lords gentlenesse and meekenesse with sinners was it not called boone companionship and himselfe for it a glutton a companion of sinners 3 Looke at thine owne secret worth that art an humble Christian and comfort thy selfe in it for the time A Prince in a strange Country vnknowne is content with homely vsage for he knoweth his owne worth so doe not they And a secret rich man
is well pleased with his wealth and willingly concealeth it from others So the godly and humble soule may be well contented that hee is rich in God and rich in Grace and in an honourable and happy estate though all men take no notice of it Though the world iudge according to the outward appearance because it knoweth not the Father nor yet the loue of God Neither is this the time when they must appeare what they are yet mis-iudge not thine owne happinesse for the present though it appeare not for did the honour of the Saints appeare all the sheaues would bow to theirs and all the Nobility and glory of the earth were but vanishing shadowes and as Ionas his withering Gourd before them Yea I suppose the glory of the least Beleeuer when it shall appeare shall darken the glory of the Sunne 4 What an happy seruice is it if thy dishonour can bring any honour to God and his truth As Luther of Moses body so I say of thy name Let it dye and bee buried stinke and rot and let no man know where it lyeth so as the name of Christ may be magnified by thy life or death Be content then if the sonnes of men turne thy glory into shame if it be vile to be humble before and for the Lord bee yet more vile 5 Consider whether the work of grace get strength in thee whereby thou art crucified to the world the world to thee whether canst thou cōtemn the contempt of the world despise the glory of it esteeming it in comparison of Christ dung and drosse A man that is dead or crucified is in such an estate as he careth not for all the pompe and glory of the world neyther doth he feare that the world can iudge him lower than hee is so a man crucified with Christ is dead to the world the world cannot cast him lower than hee hath cast himselfe 4 Consider that the scorne and reproach for Christ which is causelesse is indeed the present crowne of glory set vpon the head of a Christian. And though the world knoweth not Christ if hee come not with a crowne of gold yet faith spieth more honour in the crowne of thornes both on his owne and on the heads of his members and reioiceth more in the crosse of Christ than in all the world besides Christ crucified is a Christians only glory Gal. 6.19 5 Seeing there is no man but must be contemned let vs chuse rather the contempt for well-doing than the contempt for sinne A man must eyther be cōtemned here of the world or hereafter of God Now whether is more eligible to be reiected of euill men or of the Son of God Surely nothing can cast such dung in the face of a man as his sinne vnrepented vnpardoned This maketh him contemptible to God to good Angels good men euen here and there abideth an eternal contempt for sin and sinners hereafter as it is Dan. 12. Whereas if godlinesse draw on the hatred of wicked men this is abundantly recompenced with the loue of God and of the Saints which is not temporary as is their hatred but euerlasting and endlesse And what need a wise man to care for the hatred of abiect scullions base gally-slaues if he can retaine the fauour of the Prince the Nobles and best men in the land A second great let of Repentance from the world is that of him Luke 9.61 who would faine follow Christ but hee must first bidde them farewell that are at his house and this is so long a doing that we heare no more of him So euery naturall man hath many friends in the world many welwillers and sundry to whom he is ingaged and much beholding and he is loth to part companies and bid them farewell Now if hee begin to repent hee must bid a number of these friēds adieu farewel much of that which formerly he called good fellowship and merry company these will not go in his way and he must not goe in theirs Ans. To this let first If the businesse of Repentance breake off that fellowship which wicked men make works of darkenesse and pleasures of sinne such as is drunkennesse swearing revelling stage-playes masking may-games carding dicing frothy or foule communication and the like what can be a higher praise of godlinesse than to cut off such vngodly fellowship of which sinne is the only knot and band But as for Christian fellowship in lawfull and ioyfull meetings in the feare of God as the ancient Christians beleeued conuersed eate and dranke and reioyced together Acts 2. Godlinesse and pietie establisheth such so it rectifieth and sweetneth society and maketh it truly fruitfull and profitable It only forbiddeth that merriment which is not in the Lord the mirth which Salomon calleth madnesse when men are neuer so merry as when God is farthest off as mad men sing when their bands increase 2 To walke in the way of repentance is not to lose friends for let a mans wayes please the Lord hee maketh his very enemies become his friends Pro. 16.7 This is the way to get and keepe sound friends and friendship It is hee alone that can contemper iron and clay to a mixture he can make the wolfe and the lambe the Beare the Calfe the Lyon and the Oxe feed peaceably together Esa 11. For as hee that is confederate with a King is at peace with all his subiects so he that confederateth and entreth league with God shall so farre forth finde men friēdly as may stand 1. with Gods wisedome 2. with exception of the crosse 3. with promotion of his owne saluation And what wise man would chuse to liue out of Gods fauour for mans yea for wicked mens As Elkanah said to Hannah Am I not better than ten sonnes so may the Lord Am not I better than ten thousand friends 3 To walke humbly before God is not to lose friends but to exchange those that are couert enemies vnder the habite of friends for true friends indeed and to breake from such friends is to get God thy friend and father Christ thy friend and brother the Angels thy friends and guardians the godly thy friends and fellow members thine own conscience thy friend yea as a thousand friends and witnesses for thee And these are friends worth hauing As for other friends who draw thee aside from obedience to God say to them as Christ to Peter disswading him from suffering Get thee behinde me Sathan and as Dauid Away yee wicked for I will keepe the commandements of my God Psal. 119.115 4 Grace teacheth a godly man to haue the same friends and enemies that God hath because of the couenant and league now stricken betweene them Psal. 139.31 But 1 See the hatred be carried against vices not persons lest we sinne against the precept of louing our neighbour 2 See to the puritie of our affections that they bee not priuate but set vpon Gods glorie nor as they
Church while they were in it 1. Ioh 2.19 They went out from vs because they were not of vs. Am I then a friend of Christ that I may be sure Christ dyed for me 1 If I be a friend I am a beleeuer Abraham beleeued God and was called the friend of God Iames 2.23 He dyed for no vnbeleeuer I must be a beleeuer or he dyed not for me Rom. 3.25 God set forth his Sonne to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud 2 Am I a friend◠〈◊〉 must doe whatsoeuer Christ commandeth me Ioh. â—1 14 Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I command you A seeming friend as Herod may doe many things but a sound friend will doe all things euen difficult and costly commandements If he bid me repent and returne I must obey 3 A friend must bee glad of anâ— opportunity 〈◊〉 shew his friendship and loue so must I. Prou. 3.28 Say not to thy friend I will answer thee to morrow if now it be in thy power If Christ thy friend call thee to Repentance this day deferre him not till to morrow for then it may be out of thy power to shew thy friendship 4 He dyed onely for those that manifest the fruit of his death 1. in the daily conquest and abolition of sinne hee dyed for my sinne that 〈◊〉 might dye vnto sinne and sinne dye in mee Rom. 6.2 How can they that are dead to sinne yet liue in it If sinne neuer dye in thee Christ neuer dyed for thee thou art still vnder the curse of sinne that art vnder the power of it if thou beest not redeemed from vaine conuersation thou art not from condemnation of sinne 2 I must daily finde the work of Sathan destroyed in me for by death he destroyed him that had the power of death which is the diuell Heb. â— 14 If Sathan rule thee still at his will and hold thee vnder the dominion of sinne thou hast no benefit by Christs deaths 3 If Christ be dead for mee I must manifest the obedience of faith another fruit of his death Heb. 5.9 He is the Author of saluation to all that obey him not to any that continue in sinne 4 I must henceforth liue to him that dyed for me 2. Cor. 5.15 and he dyed for those who whether they sleepe or wake liue or dye liue in him and for him 1. Thes 5.10 that is are partakers of his life and liue to his glory CAP. 23. Presumption of Gods mercy hindering Repentance Obiect 3 BVt is not God mercifull who will not the death of a sinner and therefore what needest thou so continually afflict and macerate thy selfe by Repentance Answ. Yes Gods mercy is a boundlesse Ocean which can neuer be drawne dry and he is mercifull to all euen the worst and vessels of wrath But first distinguish of Gods mercy it is either generall whereby he saueth man and beast and maintaineth the creature in a temporall being thus he feedeth the Sparrowes and cloatheth the Lillies thus he is the Sauiour of all men especially of them which beleeue 1. Tim 4.10 For that place is meant of his generall prouidence Or secondly there is a speciall sauing mercy which tendeth to eternal life whereby he tendereth men as a father Now herein hee is mercifull to the worst in offering this mercy by Christ and proclaiming it in the Preaching of the Gospell But they are content with the other without this This speciall mercy is not cast as a musse vnto all 2 Let not Sathan delude thee by offering an vnlimited mercy where God hath bounded it For that mercy which in God knoweth no bounds in respect of persons is bounded and limited according to the couenant of grace and mercy as appeareth in two conclusions 1 There be sundry sorts of impenitent sinners to whom the Lord couenanteth no mercy but wrath As 1 Ignorant persons who care not for the knowledge of God Isa 27.11 This people hath no vnderstanding and therefore he that made them will not be mercifull vnto them and 2. Thes. 1 8. Rendring vengeance in flaming fire to all that know not God 2 Hard hearted persons that will not repent Rom. 9.18 Hee will haue mercy on whom hee will and whom he will he hardeneth implying that hardened persons are shut from mercy Rom. 2. Thou that by the hardnesse of thy heart treasurest wrath 3 Wilfull and stubborne persons against the Ministery and counsels of the word Ier. 16.5 Mourne not for this people for I haue taken my peace from it euen my mercy and my compassion why verse 1â— For euery one walketh in the stubbornenesse of his heart and will not heare mee and therefore I will shew you no grade 4 Presumptuous sinners who say I shall haue peace though I walke on in sinne God will not be mercifull to that man Deut. 29.30 but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses in the booke of God shall ouertake him Onely vessels of mercy are filled with mercy for saluation or sauing mercy is not so prodigally bestowed being childrens bread but on such aâ— are qualified and pointed out in the Scripture by sundry markes 1 All that must share in this mercy must be true members of the Church Isay. 63.7 I will remember the great mercies of the Lord and goodnesse towards the house of Israel which he hath giuen them of his tender loue Am I a true Israelite a sonne of Abraham according to the faith Doe I lay about mee for the blessing as Israel did Doe I wrastle it out with God by prayer and doe I preuaile for mercy and grace Am I circumcised in the heart and daily part from sinnes and lusts 2 All that must share in mercy must be repentant sinners God would haue all saued but so as they must first come to the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2.4 But this they cannot doe without Repentance 2. Tim. 2.25 If at any time God will giue Repentance that they may come to acknowledgement of the truth Ezek. 33.11 God will not the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and liue 3 Mercy is intailed onely to such as loue God and keepe his commandements second Command Exod. 20.6 He sheweth mercy to thousands of them that loue him and keepe his Commandements for God is in couenant with no other and vessels of wrath cannot looke to be filled with mercy yet this sheweth not the cause of Gods mercy for there is none in vs and it is a free grace but onely sheweth the persons that may claime it Doe I loue God All externall obedience without inward loue is hypocrisie Loue is the fountaine of obedience And doe I keepe the Commandements I cannot fulfill them but doe I keepe them in my vnderstanding meditation affection in true purpose and indeauour in my whole conuersation then mercy is mine 4 Mercy belongeth to such onely as feare to offend God and liue in
because hee hath appointed a day wherein to iudge the world When heathenish Felix heard of the iudgement to come he trembled happy were it for Christians who repeat it as an Article of faith that they did so Wee will end this point with that exhortation 2. Pet. 3.14 Considering these terrours of the Lord what manner of men ought wee to be c. 4 Consider in God our relation which will be a meanes to further our Repentance 1 Looke vpon him as our Lord and our selues as seruants as a Lord he hath hyred vs into his seruice and hath freed vs from the seruice of all other creatures that we should onely serue himselfe But alas who can serue him according to his holinesse and greatnesse and when we haue done all that we can how vnprofitable seruants are we We haue wasted our Masters goods and cannot shew our talents againe and therfore we haue need to humble our selues in Repentance and pray with Dauid Psal. 119.124 Deale with thy seruant according to thy mercy and enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O Lord. A sorry seruant is he that can neither doe what is agreeable to his Masters wiâ—l nor yet be grieued for fayling in the euill he doth or leauing vndone the good he should doe 2 Looke vpon him as our shepheard ourselues as sheep but wandred from the fold Oh the misery of a lost sheepe It is without the flocke and fold without a certaine pasture and food without a keeper or shepheard without God and Christ without protection and safety subiect to all annoyances and becommeth a prey to all rauening beasts neuer able of it selfe to returne And this is the state of euery man and no man can reckon vp the errours and wandrings of his life All this should helpe vs to returne to the shepheard of our soules 1. Pet. 2.10 to seek to him betimes and pray him to seeke vs as Dauid Psal. 119.10 3 Looke vpon him as our father and our selues as his sons and children A Father that hath giuen his deare Sonne to death for vs the dearest thing and price that was in heauen or earth A Father that hath reserued for vs an inheritance immortall and vndefiled among the Saints in light Is not this a strong inducement to loath and leaue sinne will not the loue of a father make thee hate sin the more can any stripes worke so powerfully vpon an ingenuous nature as to see his louing father offended A poore mans sonne who cannot be much hurt or helped by his father will be grieued that hee hath iustly offended his father Awaken thy selfe to Repentance and say to thy soule as Moses to Israel Deut. 32.2 Doe you so reward the Lord O foolish people Is not hee thy father that bought thee that made thee and proportioned thee What else gaue hope to the Prodigall to returne but the sight of loue lurking in his father and therefore resolued I will returne to my father CAP. 31. Meanes of Repentance in respect of Iesus Christ. 3 A Third sort of meanes to helpe forward our Repentance is to looke vpon Iesus Christ. Zach. 12.10 They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced and mourne The effect of beholding Christ whom by their sinnes they haue crucified is great sorrow for sinne and indeed among them all there is no meanes so auaileable to the working of the heart to due and deepe sorrow for sinne as the serious consideration of Christs death and passion If we consider the person who suffered the eternall Sonne of God the beloued Sonne in the bosome of the Father the most innocent lambe of God The things hee suffered that this person was so abased and plagued with the curse of the Law the wrath of his father shame sorrowes of first and second death such hard and heauie things as would haue crushed all men and angels And for whom hee suffred all this euen for our sins in speciall while we were yet vngodly sinners enemies the iust suffred for the vniust hee was cursed that we might be blessed wounded that wee might bee healed hee endured torments of hell that we might partake of heauenly ioyes Oh then shall this chiefe of ten thousand the worthiest of men and Angels bee murthered not by the treachery of others but by thy hands thy sins for which else thou hadst beene euerlastingly damned and doth not this wound thy heart shall the earth tremble at this and shall not our hearts feare shal the Sun be darkned and the Heauens couered with mourning and shall not wee mourne and be ashamed to show our heads shal the stones rend asunder earth tremble and all senslesse creatures suffer at the suffring of the Lord of glorie at the death of the Lord of life and shal not our stony hearts bee rent with sorrow who were the occasion of so execrable a passion to so honourable a person Surely if there be a drop of spiritual life grace in vs we must needs loathe those sins of ours that brought such woful miserie on the Son of God And it will make our hearts bleed as a man would do at the sight of a knife or instrument whereby vnawares he had slaine his childe wife or dearest friend in the world Thus the Gospell sheweth the hainousnesse of sinne aboue all the curses of the Law Wouldst thou see the execration of sinne see it not in the dreadful curse of the Law but in the blood of the Gospell The most ougly visage of sin is not in the death of the world of sinners but in the death of the Son of God no sinner the most dreadful spectacle of Gods wrath that euer was And although the menaces of the Law prepare the sinner to Repentance yet it is the sight of sinne in the Gospel both in the transcendence of the remedie and infinitenesse of Christs suffrings that sheweth the true face of sin and indeed worketh Repentance The Faith of the Gospel is that internall meanes that turneth a man round about and causeth him to sâ—t his face vpon God and Iesus Christ and leaue his sins Acts 15.9 This putteth a difference between vs and others who are yet in their sins CAP. 32. Meanes of Repentance in regard of ones selfe 3. IN thy selfe for the helping forward of Repentance keep a continuall audit and take account of thy selfe and estate A speciall way and meanes to bring the Prodigall back to Repentance was that he returned and came into himselfe And Dauid Psal. 119.59 I considered my waies and turned my feet To which purpose for further direction consider in thy selfe foure things 1. Take notice of thy heart and disposition of it in the desires and affections of it both in what they haue beene and what they ought to be 1. Consider how thou hast loued thy sins what a deale of poison and hatred thou hast had of grace how thou hast beene wedded to the lusts of the flesh how hand-fasted to the world how