making and procuring a pardon for his sinnes so that after repentance a man is alwayes the better and readier to repent and comfort himselfe It was the zealous and holy care of that good man Iob chap. 1. 5. to say I will goe see my sonnes for it may bee that my sonnes haue sinned and cursed God in their hearts So should euery Christian say in this matter It may bee that I haue failed in my Repentance and therefore I will to it againe to make sure worke Thirdly because though a mans sinnes bee pardoned vpon his Repentance yet he is still bound to repent them Because repentance is required not onely to take away the guilt of sinne but also to take away the corruption of it Wee see when Christ was dead and buried the Iewes rolled a great stone vpon the mouth of his graue and why to make him fast that hee should not rise now we must doe with our sinnes as the Iewes did by Christ not onely bury them our selues and make a graue for them but also wee must rowle a great stone vpon them and seale them vp by repentance euery day casting more mold and earth vpon them that they neuer may rise against vs For often repenting of sinne abates the strength of the corruption of sinne in the roote As a man that hath his house on fire hee will not onely quench the fire for the present but poure water also in the cinders and ashes for feare of some liuing sparkes or dissipating heate which may lye hidden therein so must wee doe by our sinnes when the diuell hath set our lusts on fire it must bee our wisedome not onely to quench the motions for the present but also as it were to poure water on them to quench the ashes of sinne Obiect 2 The second Obiection is That if a man bee bound continually to renew his Repentance and Repentance bee inioyned with griefe and sorrow then it must needs follow that a Christian man must neuer bee merrie because still the sense of his owne sinne will take him downe and make him sad and deiected Answ. I answer That as a man is bound to renew his Repentance so is he bound to renew his Faith too Yea the more hee renewes his Repentance the more hee is bound to renew his Faith and ioy thus as a mans sinnes giue him cause to mourne so the Lords mercy in Christ Iesus will giue him grace to reioyce So that the renewing of Repentance though it bring a man to griefe yet it will not leaue him in sorrow but set him in a most full possession of everlasting comfort as Dauid confesses Psal. 126 5. They who sowe in teares shall reape in ioy So that there are some teares which will bring ioy there is a kinde of mourning which ends in reioycing It is obserued in nature that there is some paine which brings a man ease and a man can neuer haue ease but by the meanes of this paine As the paine of physicke which doth not worke at first without some trouble yet brings health at last The paine also that a man feeles in dressing of a soare for there are none but I am sure will confesse it puts a man to paine brings a man at last to more ease and refreshing so that wee may well say the paine is the cause of the Cure Euen so the renewing of Repentance causeth a paine no man can deny that because it is accompanied with griefe and sadnesse sorrow and teares but it is Dolor Tristitia sanitatis a healing and a healthfull paine such a paine as will leaue many ioyes and much pèace behinde it Therefore let men neuer bee affraid to renew their Repentance for their sinnes though they repented before Let them vpon euery good occasion repent of them still because though this course of Repentance bring a man sorrow yet it will neuer leaue him long in heauinesse but bring into a sweet and comfortable peace with God and his owne conscience when though weeping and heauinesse may bee in the euening yet ioy and cheerefulnesse commeth in the morning such mourning and confessing ransaking of the heart ends in blessednesse euer the more spirituall mourning the more cheerefull holy reioycing they come from one roote and fountaine the other shew it selfe first yet all is swallowed vp into reioycing at last Now follows the III. Case of Repentance Whether a man bee bound and must repent of his sins and confesse them vnto men That is when a man hath repented him of his sinnes vnto God whether hee must also repent of his sinnes vnto men such as himselfe is and not onely to confesse all vnto God alone Which case as the law speakes hath a clouen hoofe that is it parts and diuides it selfe into two Questions 1. Whether a man bee bound to confesse his sinnes to men 2. Whether a man bee bound to make satisfaction and Restitution For the first here be two extreamities to bee shun'd whether a man bee bound to confesse his sinnes vnto men First the Papists they thinke that a man is bound to confesse all his sinnes vnto man that it is not enough to confesse them vnto God vnlesse they also confesse them vnto Priests in this they are in one extreame And in the contrary are they that thinke that a man must confesse all his sinnes vnto God onely Now both these extreames are erronious both the Papists who thinke wee are bound to confesse our sinnes vnto men and some other carnall professors who thinke that wee must confesse our sinnes vnto God onely for the truth lyes in the middle way betwixt both For a man is not bound to confesse all his sinnes vnto any man and yet some sinnes there are which must be confessed to men as well as some other that it is enough if wee confesse vnto God onely Now for the cleering of this point we must remember that in the high Court of conscience sins be of two sorts 1. Sinnes against God 2. Sinnes against men As that of 1 Sam. 2. 25. shewes If one man sinne against another the Iudge shall iudge him but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall intreate for him The sinnes against God are either 1. Knowne sinnes 2. Unknowne sinnes As Psal. 19. 12. Who can vnderstand his errors cleanse thou mee from my secret sinnes Now to apply this vnto the point if they bee secret sinnes against God then it is enough to confesse them vnto God onely for God onely is offended and so it is sufficient to confesse them vnto God For it is a rule of Iustice Poena non excedet culpam the punishment shall not exceed the fault or goe no further then the trespasse So then if our sinnes bee against God onely it is enough to confesse them vnto God and though the Papists say No hope of pardon vnlesse wee confesse our secret sinnes vnto Priests yet the Scriptures of God are cleere against
vnto his Master but when did it appeare so as hee was conuinced of it when the debt booke was searcht into and particulars ript open then and neuer till then was hee found to be so greatly indebted So it is with vs we thinke all well enough till God come to reckon with vs in particular and set our sinnes in order before vs as he speakes Psal. 50 and then this monstrous sight driues vs to a due consideration of our wofull and wretched state Reason 2 A second reason is A blinde and foolish presumptuous perswasion that God will shew vs mercy though we doe not seeke it and though we take little or no paines for it The greatest part of the world as you see liue in their sinnes without repentance neuer come vpon their knees to the throne of grace to aske pardon for them what is the Reason because as they say God is mercifull a good man and they may doe well enough all is not so strict as these preachers would make vs beleeue but the truth is If God be mercifull it is to such as seeke it and repent for their sinnes as Lam. 3. 25. The Lord is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him Thus if we seeke for and prize mercy wee may haue it but if we seeke it not and find no want of it nor pray earnestly for it it is a sure signe we are yet in a miserable naturall estate that though 〈◊〉 be an Ocean of Mercy in the Lord no one drop shall runne vnto vs but one day such shall cry like Diues for a drop of such water and shall not haue it nay if we be cruell to deny mercy vnto others when wee haue receiued mercy our selues we shall be sure to be punished for it also The next thing in this Petition is the Extension of it we pray to God to forgiue all our sinnes not of any speciall troubling waighty filthy one but of a release of all whatsoeuer A number of the world according to the false manner of their accounts are onely troublâ—… for some one sinne that doth distresse and lie heâ—â—ily vpon them hauing no remembrance of those sinnes â—â—ich neuer stared them in the face This was Judas case hee was pitiously perplexed for betraying of Christ but neuer thought of his couetousnesse and corrupted heart the fountaine whence this cursed sinne was hatcht and had roote So doe most of vs striue perhaps and pray against some one sinne that troubles vs but we seldome enlarge our hearts to discend down in particulars that our secret faults wantonnesse lusts couetousnesse and the like may be forgiuen as the holy Prophet by his example teacheth vs Who can vnderstand his faults clense me from my secret sinnes The third thing is The time of the Request we see it must be our daily suite vnto God as euery day we pray for daily Bread so must we pray to God for the pardon of our sinnes This is a speciall point that euery day we make attonement and reconciliation with God for our sinnes because euery day we renue our sins and offend God therfore we had need euery day to renue our sutes and prayers vnto God When Adam was fallen the Text saith God came to him in the coole of the day The Lord would not let him sleepe in his sinnes but came and awoke him putting him in remembrance of his sinne So in the Law If a man were vncleane yet when the Euening came he must wash his cloathes and so be reconciled accordingly Euen so though we be vncleane by reason of our sinnes yet if we wash our selues by the true teares of Repentance we shall be reconciled to God and admitted into the Campe againe This then may teach vs that howsoeuer we haue our daily slippes and fals yet if we doe euery day labour to make our peace with God for the sinnes of the day that we doe not let them runne weekely and monthly and yearely we may be sure to find mercy at the hands of God Now there be diuers Reasons to moue vs to this duty and make vs renue our prayers daily without omission First Because we are very prone to forget our sinnes nothing sooner Therefore it is good to remember them the sooner the better A Steward who hath large reckonings and but a short memory he must haue the oftner recknings yea euery dayes account cast vp so because we be forgetfull and a number of sinnes doe easily slip vs we must desire euery day to make euen with the Lord. The Apostle counsels vs Ephes. 4. 26. Let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath If then the Sun must not goe downe vpon our wrath to admonish vs not to be mercilesse much more ought we to take heed of that the Lords wrath go not down vpon our sins for want of our repentance Secondly Because the fresher sense of sinnes is at the first for by referring repentance it takes away the sense of sinne as the memory thereof Wounds we know bleed most when they be fresh then they doe most feelingly affect vs let one haue a bruise or straine commonly the greatest sense and paine is at the first but afterwards time will allay and mitigate and so slacke the sharpnesse of sense as we shall nothing so much feele the griefe of them So it is with our sinnes our greatest and quickest sense of them is at the first so the sooner we seeke for reconciliation the more easie will it be for vs to obtaine mercy and we will so much the more eagerly desire it Thirdly Because if euery day we get our sinnes discharged we shall haue the lesse to doe when we come to die Therfore it is good not to suffer them to run on but take theÌ„ in pieces betimes when they are committed and repent of them As a man that would carry home a great tree if he diuide it and breake it in a number of small pieces he may then with ease at seuerall times carry it away So if we doe with the great bulke and body of our sins diuide them euery day apart make our prayers for the daily remission of them then shall we haue the lesse to doe when we come to die Wherfore as sins increase so let vs euery day seeke reconciliation that we bring no after recknings to God for enough are those euery day by themselues Fourthly Because the sooner we repent of them the sooner we shall be quiet and haue peace and rest for so long as the conscience is awake and not seared by sinnes vnrepented of there will be vexation in the heart vntill sins be confessed and pardoned as in Dauids case He roared and had no rest vntill hee had made his peace with God As when an Arme or a Bone is out of ioynt the sooner it is set the more ease one shall haue So it is with
but with a condition If I my selfe can beleeue and repent I shall bee saued Now when a man hath this worke of Faith in himselfe this makes him labour to repent his sinnes to beleeue in Christ and when hee hath repented and beleeued then followes the great act of Faith whereby a man beleeues that his sinnes are pardoned and his soule shall bee saued and so some acts of Faith gee before Repentance and some follow after Then that Repentance shewes it selfe before Faith in the life of a Christian is most euident and plaine For first a man must needes bee humbled for his sinnes hee must groane vnder the burden of them and crie to heauen against them before hee can lay hold by Faith that they nee pardoned and â—…itted So wee see Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 13. hee was humbled for his sinne before hee could perceiue and perswade himselfe that his sinne was pardoned or receiue comfort I have sinned against the Lord and then follows The Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Many are the examples in the booke of God where wee may see how the most part of the people of God were well and truly humbled by Repentance before Faith raised them But here some may say Obiect How comes it to passe then that some haue beene comforted by Faith who were but slenderly if at all humbled by Repentance as wee see in Lydia Act. 16. 14. whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended the things that were spoken And in the Eunuch Act. 8. 39. of whom it it is said presently vpon his hearing of the word from the mouth of Philip And hee went on his way reioycing Answer I answer this difference ariseth of this First in some there is apprehension of the ouglinesse of sinne so much as nothing can fixe their conceits and imaginations another way in which case though comfort come it cannot so soone make impression Secondly some doe so exceedingly apprehend the Punishment due to sinne that though Promises come pardon be proclaimed yet they remaine heauy and lumpish still not being able to raise vp themselues and set their Faith aworke to beleeue so good newes though they haue repented of their sinnes Where againe in the other First there is a strong apprehension of the greater which is the mercie of God beyond all and a lesser sight of their owne sinne which makes their act of Faith so much the more easie And secondly there is in them a large apprehension of Gods offering of redemption in Christ and saluation in his blood which with good affection they receiue and so are comforted So that the case is according as it falleth out diuersly in the Conuersion of a sinner In whom there are two apprehensions first apprehension of the greatnesse and guiltinesse of his sinnes Secondly an apprehension of the mercy of God offering of Redemption and Reconciliation in the death of Christ. Now because it falls out in the conuersion of a sinner that somtimes hee apprehends more strongly the one and sometimes the other that so accordingly is his ioy or sorrow great or small And therefore if a man in his first conuersion haue a more strong apprehension of his owne sinnes and all his thoughts is carried vpon the beholding of his miseries and wofull estate this makes him to lament and mourne bitterly many a day together but if at his first conuersion with a sight of sinne a man behold such an infinite sea and depth of Gods mercies as is farre beyond all his sinnes and the infinite merit of the death and sufferings of the Sonne of God Euen as Flakes of fire falling into the Ocean sea are quenched with the abundance of water so all his sinnes falling into the maine sea and Ocean of Gods mercie in Christ are all couered and put out so as his heart is filled with ioy and gladnesse as it fell out with Lydia and the Eunueh Act. 8. and others LECT III. III. THE NATVRE OF Repentance ISAIAH 1. 16. Wash yee make you cleane put away the Euill of your doings from before mine eyes Cease to doe euill Learne to doe well c. I Haue read in the stories of this time that they which trauell into Virginia and Guiana or among those sauage and desolate countries carry a Tinderboxe with them and when night comes they make a fire or light vp a candle to see where to sleepe and rest the more safely Euen so God hath left vs his holy Word to bee as a tinderboxe vnto vs to strike fire and light vp a candle to direct vs through the darke wildernesse of this world so as they who will see the mercies of God must take the booke of God into their hands and as by striking of fire the traueller is the safer and hath the meanes of light to direct how and when to rest so must wee raise a light out of Gods word to conuey vs home to heauen Therefore of all other things let vs take heed that wee doe not despise this kindnesse and goodnesse of the Lord whose bountie leades vs vnto Repentance of which I spake the last day First wee haue heard the Necessitie of it Secondly the Order of it with other graces and now in the third place wee are to treate of The Nature of Repentance and of this the rather because there is a kinde of Faith and Repentance which deceiues vs in their Nature for there are a number of men and women that haue a shew of Repentance and thinke themselues in a good estate and well enough when indeed they are not and haue but a meere shadow of Grace so that wee may not bee deceiued in a matter of such moment and weight I haue thought it good to make it knowne vnto you what is the true Nature of Repentance But before I shew you the true nature thereof I will first refuce the false account which the world hath of Repentance some take repentance to bee but some sorrow for sinne so that when the hand of God is vpon him or that hee lies sicke lame or any way perplexed if he then can vent some few sighes and say Lord haue mercy vpon mee a sinner I am sorry that I haue offended he supposeth it is Repentance but this Ahab did and more this Iudas did with publike confession yet neuer repented so that if outward sorrow for sinne or a sad looke or a sigh or such like were true Repentance what Reprobate is there almost in the world but doth this and many a day Yea such as liue in grosse and knowne sinnes can crie to God for mercie and confesse their offences and thinke they haue obtained a grace from God in so doing seeming sorry for their sinnes though yet they liue in knowne sinnes as I said against their owne conscience and continue presumptuously in their wickednesse Yea how many thousands are there who neuer obtained any grace or mercy at all to bee
cause of Repentance 1 The first furthering cause is the Mercies of God and the remembrance of them for when God puts vs in minde what hee hath done for vs or wee our selues consider what wee haue lost or hazarded by reason of our sinnes who cannot but relent and acknowledge the same considering of Gods goodnesse as it is Rom. 2. What dost thou not know O man that the bountifulnesse of God and his goodnesse leadeth thee to Repentance for looke how many mercies God doth bestow vpon vs so many strong motiues they are vnto Repentance So Ierem 2. God shewing his former kindnesses vnto them expostulateth the matter to bring them vnto Repentance and Confession Ezek. 20. 43. the Lord shewes for the other And there shall you remember your wayes and all your doings wherein you haue beene defiled and yet shall Ioathe your selues in your owne fight c. and Iob. 35. 10. hee complaineth that none remembred the mercies of God and therefore they were not heard in their prayers because they wanted faith to repent To vrge the point yet more that the mercies of God moue much to Repentance see Luke 5. when Peter saw the great draught of fishes Lord saith hee depart from me a sinfull man Thus Gods mercies did bring Peter to the acknowledgement of his sinnes Euen so the mercies of God should bring vs to make this vse of it to bring vs to the consideration of our sinnes and to repent for them and to loue the Lord for his goodnesse and for his mercy and fauour bestowed vpon vs. If a wicked wife should slip away from her husband and commit many faults against him If hee not withstanding send her loue tokens from time to time this kindnesse of her husband must needs bee a mighty meanes to drawe her backe againe in loue and obedience vnto him Euen such is the kindenesse and goodnesse of God towards vs that though wee slip and slide from him by our sinnes yet hee sends to vs loue tokens his mercies and his blessings euery day from time to time to bring vs home by Repentance Helping cause of Repentance 2 The second Helping or furthering Cause is The Iudgements of God this is a principall cause in furthering of our Repentance as wee may see Genesis 42. 12. of Iosephs brethren when they were in trouble then they confessed their sinnes being accused Nay but to see the Nakednesse of the land you are come So the Prodigall sonne when hee was in miserie then hee came home to his Father So Isa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they poured out a Prayer when thy Chastisement was vpon them so the Lord doth mightily conuince them of sinne and neglecting his Iudgements I hearkned and heard but they spake not arâ—ght no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what haue I done euery man turned to his course as the horse rusheth to the battell and Zephan 3. 5. hee sayes The iust Lord is in the midst thereof hee will not doe iniquitie euery morning doth hee bring his Iudgements to light but the vniust knoweth no shame So Amos 4. the Lord there complaines of this that hee sent his Iudgements from time to time hee sent mildewes and blastings and many other iudgements and yet he complaines Yee returned not vnto mee If a sheepe goe astray from his sheepheard out of the flocke hee will set his dogge at him as if hee would kill him or worrie him and yet hee hath no purpose to hurt him but to driue him home to the fould againe for when the sheepe is come home hee rates and calls off his dogge So the Lord doth by vs if wee goe astray and turne from his sheepe-fold then hee sets his dogge at vs as if hee would kill vs the dogge of pouertie or the dogge of lamenesse or of blindenesse or of sicknesse or some crosse or some other iudgements and yet hee hath no purpose to hurt vs it is but onely to bring vs home vnto him for if wee bee once brought home hee calls off his dogge againe and rates him which is Gods end in all afflictions which hee from time to time sendeth The third helping or furthering Cause is our owne Considerations as Psal. 119. Dauid saith I considered my wayes and turned my feete to thy testimonie So vntill wee come to consider our owne wayes wee can neuer turne vnto God Now this consideration must bee in foure things First of the strict account wee must giue vnto God at the day of Iudgement for all those sinnes wee doe not repent of in this world If wee repent then the Lord will forgiue vs but if wee doe not repent bee assured wee must answer for our sinnes wheras vpon repentance Christ will answer for vs and wee may confidently put away the reaccount lying vpon Christ vnto which the Apostle alludes 2. Cor. 1. 5. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs so our Consolation also aboundeth through Christ. Secondly of the fearefull estate wherein wee liue vntill wee haue repented not being the friends of God but heires of hell not hauing interest in any promise but liable to the Curse of the Law vpon which ensues death and torments Which is the third thing those vnspeakable tortures the soule for euer shall endure with the deuill and his angels for euermore Fourthly the consideration of foure other things First The Necessitie of Repentance that is is such a necessarie grace that wee cannot bee saued without it for there is but two wayes either to Repent or else to perish For if a man weresicke and a Physitian should come to him and temper for him such a Potion which if hee did not take hee could not choose but dye one would thinke a man could not choose but take it though it were against his stomacke Euen so wee are all sicke of the disease of sinne and the Lord hath tempered a Potion for vs to drinke and hee telleth vs if wee doe not take it we shall not escape condemnation Now this Potion which the Lord hath tempered for vs is Repentance therefore wee must bee contented to take it though it bee against our stomacke The Second consideration is The vtilitie and profite wee haue by it for if wee repent God will forgiue vs but if wee repent not God will make vs answer for it at the great day of Iudgement here is our choice Repent and bee forgiuen Repent not and perish so the Lord promiseth Forgiuenesse vpon Repentance Isa. 1. 18. Though your sinnes werâ—red as scarlet hee will make them white as snow if you repent and obey that is in Gods account it shall bee so The Third Consideration is The readinesse of God to receiue vs then hee will turne his frowning anger into louing fauour his cursings into blessings his iudgements into mercies so soone as the Prodigall sonne came home to his Father wee see
p. 196. Mercy wherein Gods mercy appeareth T. 1. p. 5. the vses it p. 6. the mercy of God is an helping cause to repentance T. 3. p. 43. Merit against Popish merits T. 3 p. 189. Ministers their duty T. 1. p. 65. Mirth how to be moderate in it T. 1. p. 33. whether a continuall penitent can euer be merry T. 3. p. 109. Moderation of moderation in mirth T. 1. p. 33. more of it T. 2. p. 84. Mourning vide Sorrow N. NAme we must loue our brethren in their names T. 1. p. 41. six duties required hereunto ibid. of the Name of God T. 1. p. 110. Night what we are to doe when night comes in T. 1. p. 75. O. OBedience of obedience to the will of God T. 1. p. 29. how wee may bring our hearts it ibid. Occasion that if we would auoyd sin we must auoyd the occasion T. 2. p. 124. Office how they that are in Office should carry themselues T. 1 p 63 64. Order of well-ordering our liues T. 1. p. 29. Outward what a change repentance makes in the outward man T. 3. p. 34. P. PArdon that vpon pardon of former sinnes the diuell is ready to fasten new vpon vs T. 2. p. 120. Parents their duty towards their children T. 1. p. 56 57 how to be honoured of their children T. 1. p. 58. Pastors vi Ministers T. 1. p 65. Patience how to fit our selues to be patient in trouble T. 1. p 44. we must shew forth patience in the houre of death 1. 2. p. 165. their helpes to this patience T. 2. p 166. Perfection of the perfection of good works T. 3. p. 186. of the perfection of repentance in a Christian T. 3. p. 187 188. Power Wherein Gods power appeareth T. 1. p. 2 Prayer it is commended as a speciall part of godlinesse T. 1. p 44 45. the fittest time for it T. 1. p. 45. What prayer is T. 1 p. 106. T. 2. p. 2 how many things in it T 1. p. 107. T 2. p. 2. of the Lords Prayer and its parts ibid. how to prepare our selues to prayer ibid c. of the prayers of the common sort T. 1. p. 109. Why we must pray T 2. p 6. 8. directions therein T. 2 p 10. 11. Whether a man may vse a set forme of prayer T. 2. p. 11. Why we must pray to God onely T. 2. p. 15. With what affection we must pray T. 2. p. 17. two grounds of faith in prayer T. 2 p. 19 20 21. We must pray with feare and reuerence T. 2. p. 25. the things that we must labor for in prayer T. 2. p. 26 27. reasons to enforce our Petitions T. 2. p. 134 135 136. the vses of it T. 2. p. 131. Preface Why Christ vseth a Preface before his praier T. 2. p. 13 Punishment how to keepe a moderation therein T. 1. p. 60. R. REcreations how to bee vsed T. 1. p. 32. Regeneration three vses of the Law in a regenerate man T. 3. p. 7 8. Relapse vide falling away The case of relapse T. 3. p. 89. cautions of falling away T. 3. p. 92 cōforts after relapse T. 3. p. 95. Repentance the necessity of it T. 3. p. 18 19. the vses of its necessity T. 3. p. 20. its order T. 3. p. 22. the difference of the workes of faith and true repentance T. 3. p. 23. the nature of true repentance T. 3. p. 27. the world deceiued therin T. 3. p. 28. repentance defined Treat 3. p. 29. What a change repentance worketh in the whole man t. 3. p. 31 32 c. the causes t. 3. p. 37 38 40. of the helping causes t. 3. p. 42. 43. the time of repentance t. 3 49 50. of deferring repetance t. 3. p. 52. fiue main reasons why repentance is not to be deferred t. 3. p. 53 54. c. In the particular time of repētance there are six things to be considered t. 3. p. 60. the practice of repentance t. 3. p. 67. there are foure things in repentance t. 3. p. 68. the impediments of it t. 3. p. 79 80 82 85. how to remoue these impediments t. 3. p. 87. the cases of it t. 3. p. 89. of the iteration of it t. 3. p. 103. that we both may and must repent often for one and the same sin t. 3. p. 104. three causes why we must renew our repentance t. 3. p. 106 c. whether a penetent sinner can euer bee merry t. 3. p. 109. teares not alwayes true tokens of repentance t. 3. p 120. vide plura teares in repentance there is comfort at our death t. 3. p. 137. that a man may truely repent and yet shew little signe of it at his death t. 3. p. 138. three causes of it t. 3. p. 140. of the contraries of repentance t. 3 p. 175 176. vnsound repentance What t. 3. p. 176. two sorts of vnsound repentance t. 3. p. 176 177. of hypocriticall and desperate repentance t. 3 p. 179. of late and forced repentance t. 3. p. 179 180. of the increase of repentance t. 3. p. 183. that no repentance is perfect in this life t. 3. p. 184 185. c. that repentance hath two parts t. 3. p. 188. a sweet comfort to him that increaseth his repentance t. 3. p. 190. three wayes wherein a Christian must grow in the grace of repentance as well as many other graces t. 3. p 192 193 Reproofe what things are required in reproouing t. 1. p. 37. Restitution Whether a man repenting is bound to restitution t. 3. p. 115 116. Resurrection of Christs resurrection with the circumstances thereof t. 1. p 90. What we are to beleeue concerning it t. 1 p 104 105. Reuolt vide relapse S. Sabboth the sanctification of it is the very sinew and life of all other Christian duties t. 1. p. 47 how sanctified ibid. the publike exercises of it what t. 1. p. 49. the priuate t. 1. p. 50 how long the Sabboth doth last p. 52. when it begins t. 1. p. 53. of spending the Sabboth t. 1. p. 72 73. Sacraments vide Supper of the Lord. The name of a Sacrament T. 1. p. 129. and definition with the vse ibid. number of them T. 1. p. 130. hee that comes to the Sacrament must haue two hands T. 1. p. 134 who they are that take no good by the receiuing of the Sacrament ibid. the difference betweene ours and the Popish Sacrament T. 1. p. 135. when Christ ordained the Sacrament T. 1. p. 137. whether all may come to the Sacrament T. 1. p. 141. of tryall before we come to the Lords Supper ibid. of our behauiour in receiuing of the Sacrament T 1. p. 142. what we are to do after receiuing it T. 1. p. 144. the reason of so seldome receiuing it T. 1. p. 146. Saluation how a man may be saued T. 1. p. 10. vide Life eternall T. 1 p. 106. Sanctification what T. 1. p. 21. how so sanctified ibid. c. its fruits T. 1 p. 22. that to
greatest enemies No man will doe so much for his friend as God doth for his foes Wee came into the world with neuer a penny in our Purse with neuer a sheare in our Barnes with neuer a sheepe in our folds with neuer a Coate on our backe and yet the Lord hath filled our liues with great abundance Thirdly in sparing of our 〈◊〉 and that diuersly First in hiding many of our sinnes from the eyes of the world For if the world knew as much by vs as God knowes the best man that liues would blush to shew his face Secondly in giuing vs a time to repent for if God should damne euery sinner so soone as hee sinnes against him wofull were our case for none would be saued it is Gods mercy that wee liue and breathe vpon the Earth being guiltie of so many rebellious mutinies and treasons against our heauenly King as Ieremtah saith Lament 3. 22. Thirdly in vsing all meanes to draw vs to repentance like one that would gladly vndoe a doore he tries key after key till he hath tryed euery key in his bunch So God hath tryed by Mercy and tryed by Iudgement he hath tryed by pouertie and tryed by plenty because he would gladly by some meanes bring vs to him Esay 5. 4. As when a great fish is caught vpon the hooke the fish pulls and the man pulls and the fish pulls againe So God and the sinfull soule lie wresting together the soule drawes to Hell and God pulls to Heauen so fâ—ine God would haue vs who care too little to be saued of him Q. What vse may wee make of this Propertie A. First that men haue good cause to loue God seeing hee doth more for them then the deerest friend in the world will do If we should iniure your friend but halfe so much as we iniure God he would sooue cast vs off Psal. 27. 10. Secondly they doe the Lord of Heauen great wrong who pray to the Virgin Mary or to any of the Saints as if they were more fauourably inclined to Mercie then the Lord Psal. 50. 15. Q. What is the last Propertie of God A. Hee is Infinite Wherein appeareth the infinitenesse of God A. In two things First in respect of Time Secondly in respect of Place In respect of Time because hee is euerlasting without beginning and without end beyond all time Esay 51. 5. In respect of place because he filleth all places with his presence Psalme 139. 7. 8. Qu What vse doe wee make of this Propertie A. First to walke with feare and reuerence all our daies because God is an eye-witnesse of all we doe or say and therefore wee ought to walke with as great shamefacednesse and bashfulnesse before him as before the greatest Prince or power in the world Prou. 15. 11. Secondly not to be dismayed in any trouble because God is euer at hand to take our part As a childe will not care for the seruants so long as hee is in his fathers presence Psal. 23. 4. Thirdly that the diuine Nature ought rather with reuerence to be adored then curiously to be searched for seeing God is infinite in all his nature so mightie that none can conceiue how mightie he is so wise that all the wits in the world cannot tell how wise he is Wee are no moreable to comprehend his excellent Nature then wee are to graspe the Mountaines in our armes or to span the broadest of the Sea with our fingers 1. Tim. 6. 16. Qu. How many persons be there in the Godhead A. Three the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Qu. Is it needfull for vs to know the distinction of the Persons A. Very needfull for the Turkes and the Iewes confesse one God but because they denie the distinction of the Persons they neither acknowledge the Sonne of God their Redeemer nor the holy Ghost their Sanctifier Secondly the Maiestie of God is vnsearchable and cannot be apprehended but as it commeth forth and reueales it selfe in the Person of the Sonne and therefore they that know not the Sonne of God they in very deed know not God Iohn 1. 18. 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Qu. What is the Father A. The Father is that Person in the Godhead who begetteth the Sonne Psal. 2. 7. Qu. What is the Sonne A. The Sonne is that person who is begotten of the Father Iohn 1. 14. Qu. What is the Holy Ghost A. The Holy Ghost is that Person who proceedeth from them both from the Father and the Sonne Iohn 15. 26. Gal. 4. 6. Qu. Was not the Father before the Sonne A. The Sonne is euerlasting as well as the Father for the Sonne is the Wisdome of the Father and therefore as wee cannot say there was any time when God was without wisedome So wee cannot say there was any time when God was without a Sonne Pro. 8. 23. Qu. Are there not three Gods as there are three Persons A. No for all the three Persons are but one and the selfe-same God so that as the Root and the Body and branches of a tree are all but one tree So the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are all but one God and therefore they that conceiue the three Persons to be so distinct as threemen are they entertaine a false conceite of the liuing God Cor. 8. 4. Qu. What vse may wee make of this A. That whosoeuer worshippeth one of the diuine Persons worshippeth them all because they are all but one and the selfe-same God And therefore men may not thinke when they pray to one of the diuine Persons the other is passed by but hee that honoureth one honoureth all and hee that prayeth to one prayeth to all Iohn 5. 23. Qu. How must wee serue God A. According to his Word not after our fancies but as God himselfe will be serued Deut. 12. 32. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That all will-worship brought in by men without warrant of the Word of God is to be condemned Mark 17. 17. Qu. What is the word of God A. That which is contained in the holy Scriptures in the Bookes of the old and new Testament there God speakes vnto vs and breakes his minde familiarly how and in what sort hee will be serued of vs 2. Tim. 3. 16. Qu. What vse may wee make of this A. To remember that as oft as the Bible appeareth the blessed mouth of God is open to instruct vs and that they which regard not the Scriptures regard not the voyce of God and they that suffer the Bible to lye clasped and shut in their houses doe as it were seale vp the mouth of God that hee may not speake vnto them Qu. How know wee that the Scriptures are the word of God A. By the power of them for God alone is able to conuert the soule of a sinner and to beget faith and therefore seeing the preaching of the Scriptures hath begotten faith in vs. and conuerted vs vnto God wee must needes confesse euen from
sorry for their sinnes O how farre short are these men from Repentance to thinke that a little sorrow for sinne is it Againe many thinke that the leaning of some notorious grosse sinne is Repentance though the whole life bee still full of corruption and impietie No no they are deceiued for a man may leaue his grosse sinnes and yet neuer repent yea leaue them for a while and yet returne to them againe As you see how Dauid left his Adultery at the first before God gaue him grace to repent and desist a while from many sinnes after this And yet was ouertaken againe foully in many things contriuing against Uriah So then you see that a man may bee sorry for his sinne without repentance Againe some thinke that euery godly motion is Repentance so that if a man haue but a thought of God and desire of Grace by and by it is Repentance But this Herod had and did many things after Iohn Baptists preaching gladly This Agrippa had when hee told Paul Thou almost perswadest mee to bee a Christian. Thus many attaine vnto good motions and haue a minde as it were to true Repentance and yet come farre short of it these be the counterfeits of Repentance Thus hauing heard Repentance what it is not let vs see Affirmatiuely what it is It is an absolute change of the whole man in purpose of heart and turning him to God and godlinesse from his former courses and wicked life So that it hath foure things in it First it is a change of a man Secondly it is a change of the whole man Thirdly it is such a change as turneth him in purpose of heart from all sinnes Fourthly such a change as turneth a man from all sinnes vnto God First It is a change as wee may see Rom. 12. 2. And bee not conformed to this world but bee you transformed by the renewing of your minde And therefore where there is no change from the former naturall estate there can be no Repentance As bring fire into a roome and it will make a change in the roome it will make it light and warme and sweet c. Euen so if a man truly repent it will make a change in his heart in his life in his cariage speeches and conuersation It will make a proud man humbled a Couetous man to bee liberall a Drunkard to bee sober and temperate and an Adulterer to bee chaste stubbornnesse it will change into gentlenesse and affabilitie to bee briefe of impenitent it will make one penitent As St. Paul sayes of himselfe to Timothie I was a Blasphemer and a Persecuter but Lord thou shewest mercie it is otherwise with mee now So 1. Pet. hee sayes Wee were as sheepe gone astray but now wee are turned vnto the sheepheard and Bishop of our soules Therefore though men speake well yet is this no true Repentance vnlesse they be changed renewed in their mindes and in their liues Wee see Ierem. 3. 25. There the people spake well for they said Thou art my God and the guide of my youth and yet the Lord complaines of them Wee lye downe in our shame and our confusion couereth vs for wee haue sinned wee and our fathers from our youth euen to this day So that Repentance is a change Secondly Repentance is not onely a change but also It is a change of the whole man not in one part but in all and euery part of the iudgement will and affections of the inward and of the outward man wholly diffused As when one puts wine into a glasse where water is it runnes into euery part thereof and transformeth it selfe through all the water So is it with the grace of Repentance it doth not rest in one part but it transferres it selfe into euery part of a man it changeth the iudgement it changeth the will it changeth the affections it changeth euery facultie both outward and inward in all the parts and powers of soule and body Wherefore if a man be changed in one part and not in another it is not Repentance Obiection I but If a man must bee changed in euery part then there is a perfection in our Repentance it may bee perfect Answer To this I answer There is a double or twofold perfection First Of all the parts to haue them changed Secondly There is a perfection in euery part as we see in a childe there is all the parts of a man in it as hands armes legges and so forth but there is not perfection in those parts it is not come to the full strength and growth onely this is attained by degrees through the nourishment it takes So it is in the worke of Repentance this makes a change in euery part so that euery part is perfect in the part though euery part be not come to perfection Augustine makes it plaine saith hee when a man hath had sicknesse and is recouered againe there is health in all the parts although hee be not so perfectly recouered as to walke abroad and haue not abilitie to doe this or that thing and thus where there is true Repentance there is a change in euery part First There is a change of the Minde and Iudgement that whereas it did like well of sinne and approoue of it and to say in defence thereof with Ionas I did well to bee angry I did well to sweare I did well to lye I did well to prophane the Sabboth I did well to backbite my Neighbour to deceiue and cozen and such like When Repentance comes it changeth all so that whereas before one did like well of sinne now one doth quite dislike and distaste it and is ready to fling the first stone at it See this in Dauid 2. Sam. 24. 14. hee thought hee had done well in cauling to number the people No body could haue perswaded him to the contrary But when Repentance came it made a change in his Judgement and made him confesse that Hee had done very foolishly So Paul was of this minde hee thought hee had done well in persecuting the Saints and shutting them vp in Prison in wasting and making a hauocke of the Church doing of many things contrary to the Saints But Repentance wrought a change in his iudgement Oh saith hee I did this ignorantly I did not know it was a sinne to doe so Therefore where there is not a dislike of sin but a delight in it there is no true repentance because Repentance so changes the iudgement as it makes them say with the Lepers 2. King Wee doe not well to stay here so long let vs goe and remooue c. So Repentance will make men say wee did not well to be angry sweare c. So likewise True Repentance makes a change in the Will both in regard of sinnes past as likewise in respect of sinnes to come First for sinnes past the will is so set against them that if they were
but wee must bee turned from all sinne as Dauid saith Psal. 119. I haue refrained my feet from euery euill way That I may keepe thy word so that if wee turne from one sinne or from many sinnes and not from all and euery sinne it is not true repentance Ahab and Iudas turned from one sinne but not from all hee repented of betraying his Master but not of his other sinnes of couetousnesse c. therefore he fell into despaire Obiect O but there is no man who liueth and sinneth not in some sinne or other for St. Iames sayes In many things wee sinne all Vnto which it is added 1. Iohn If wee say that wee haue no sinne in vs wee doe but deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. How then can wee turne from euery sinne Answer I answer We must turne away from all sinne though all sinne doâ— not turne away from vs but is ready to catch hold of and follow vs so must wee deale with all sinne as Samuel did with Saul Samuel resolued to depart and went away from Saul But Saul catcht hold of him and would not let him goe So must wee depart from all sinne in resolution and indeauour part company turne backe look downe and frowne vpon all though it bee true that sin will pull vs backe catch and lay hold vpon vs stay vs against our will this much is all wee can doe whilst wee dwell in these houses of clay The fourth thing in the Nature of repentance is That wee must not onely turne vnto God as the Prophet Ieremie hath it Obiection O Israel If thou returne returne vnto me saith the Lord. I but how should wee turne vnto God Answer I answer wee must not onely turne vnto God as our Sauiour and our Redeemer for so wee turne by faith but wee must turne to him as the guider and gouernour of our liues Because many are well contented to haue God their Sauiour and Redeemer who reiect him for the guide and gouernour of their liues LECT IIII. IIII. THE CAVSES OF Repentance ACT. 11. 18. When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying then hath God also vnto the Gentiles granted Repentance vnto life WEE shewed vnto you the last day the true Nature of Repentance lest any one should bee deceiued in a matter of so great moment and thinke that hee hath this Grace when indeed hee hath but a shew and shadow therof wherin wee considered foure things First that Repentance was a change in a man Secondly that it was a change of the whole manâ—…â—hirdly that it was such a change as made a man leaue and turne from all sinne Fourthly that it is such a change as turns a man from all sinne vnto God As Act. 26. 20 it is said That they should Repent and turne to God and doâ— actes meete for Repentance So that repentance is a turning vnto God By sinne a man is auerted and turned away from him by Repentance a man turnes vnto God againe as one willing to be gouerned and guided by him in all his courses for vnlesse this bee it can bee no true Repentance The nature whereof is as wee haue heard at large It remaines in the next place that wee come to treate of The causes of Repentance which are of three sorts Cause of Repentance 1 For the first The principall efficient cause is God for it is God onely who can make vs repent no man can worke it wee cannot compasse it our selues but God must worke it by the graces of his holy Spirit as Paul hath it 2. Tim. 2. 25. saith hee Proouing if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth Whereby hee prooues that God onely is the giuer of Repentance and no good duty can bee performed vnlesse God stirre a man vp vnto the same So acknowledgeth the Church of the Greekes Act. 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance vnto life And Deut. 4. 29. it is there said in Moses exhortation Yet the Lord hath not giuen you an heart to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this day So that God is the principall cause of Repentance A number thinke that Repentance is a worke in a mans owne power that it is like the Apothecaries Physick which a man may set in his window and take it as his stomacke serues him So they thinke that Repentance may rest vpon a mans owne will yea many presume to say that if they may haue but one houre to repent in before the day of death it is as good as though they had had a whole yeare to thinke vpon it But you see that Repentance is not in our power it is a gift a worke of God so that wee cannot repent when wee will but when God will therefore it must bee our care to take repentance when God proffers it and wills it Looke in the story of Esau. Heb. 12. 17. hee once refused it and sought it afterwards with teares but could not obtaine his father to reuerse the blessing much lesse could hee sue to God for mercy So then take heed of despising Gods mercy for if a man will not take repentance when God offers it hee may seeke it yea seeke it with teares and yet because he despised and neglected it when it was offered vnto him hee may goe without it Therefore take notice that the spirit is willing to worke life in thee and breed good motions therefore doe thou take heed to cherish these good motions of repentance holy thoughts and resolutions lost when thou wouldest haue it thou be refused The Papists who hold the doctrine of Free-will say that if God make a motion of Repentance it is in a mans owne power to repent or not to repent as if a man should shew a horse a bottle of Hay that it is without doubt that by and by hee will runne after it so say they let God make but the motion by and by man by the power of his owne Free-will will runne to imbrace it but the truth is such is the estate of a sinner that hee is in a worse estate then a beast For to come to their owne comparison of a Horse and Hay First hee must haue eyes to see the Hay for if hee see it not he cannot be hastie to runne after it for Coeco nulla cupide Secondly he must haue an appetite and stomacke to care the Hay which if hee haue not hee will not bee hastie to runne after it or haue a desire to eate it Thirdly besides his eyes and stomacke hee must haue strength and iollitie or else hee will neuer rise and runne after it for although there bee eyes to see and a desire to bee satisfied yet if there be no strength to rise and catch it hee is neuer the better Now say that all these three bee in a horse yet none of
how willing and how ready hee was to receiue him So it is with euery sinner so soone as hee returneth home to God the Lord is presently readie to receiue him and to forgiue all that is past The Fourth is That one day wee shall dye and know not how soone when if wee die without Repentance wee must be damned for euer Therefore this should make vs repent and turne vnto God I remember the meditation of a learned man saith hee The estate of a sinner is like a man trauelling or going a iourney and as hee went hee fell into a pit full of snakes toades and serpâ—nts in the mouth of which pit there was a tree a bough whereof as hee fell hee catcht hold of and did hang thereby at the roote whereof there was a leane and hunger-bitten beast that euery day did gnaw to pull it downe which beast is death which seeing one day it will gnaw the roote in peeces it shewes what need wee had of Repentance LECT V. V. THE TIME OF Repentance HEB. 4. 7. To day if you will heare his voice hardon not your hearts WEE spake the last day of the Causes of Repentance First of the Efficient Cause which is God Secondly of the Instrumentall cause which is the preaching of the Word or the Gospel Thirdly of the Furthering or helping causes which I said was The mercies of God the Iudgements of God our owne considerations Now the next thing wee are to speake of is The Time of Repentance for it is in vaine to know what wee haue to doe if wee deferre to doe it in due time or take exception to the time as you see the Iewes did when they were called vpon to build the Temple after their returne from the captiuitie Hag. 1. 2. This people say the time is not come the time that the Lords house should bee built So for vs to say the time is not yet come wherein wee should repent but if God tooke it ill that they should put off the building of a materiall house what will hee say vnto such as deny the building vp of their soules to life euerlasting But such is the depraued nature of man that when wee should seeke God and reforme our selues wee take exception to the time yea when wee are pressed vnto this dutie by a godly Minister wee are readie to cry out with the deuills against Christ Math. 8. 29. Art thou come hither to torment vs before our time The reason of this delay is because if wee haue serious and sad thoughts of repentance wee thinke and conceiue that we haue true repentance indeed But wee must not so deceiue our selues to say I haue thought so I had a purpose to repent and doe the duty c. But to come to The time of Repentance it may be considered 1. Generally 2. Particularly The Generall time of Repentance is the Time of this life for there is no repenting when a man is dead Therfore here are two rules in the Generall First that this whole life is the time of Repentance Secondly that after death it is a worke cannot be done Therefore let no man presume of further mercy then he is able to call for which is in the time of this life All the Scripture is cleere for this as Iohn 9. 4. I must worke the worke of him that sent mee while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke So Gal. 6. 20. As wee haue therefore opportunitie let vs doe good vnto all and Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoeuer thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might for there is no worke or deuice nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest and this wee see that as the time of doing good is in this life so is the time of Repentance and as wee can doe nothing being dead no more can wee repent being dead For this purpose Ieremie reasoneth with the people Giue glorie to the Lord your God before hee cause darkenesse and before your feet stumble vpon the darke mountaines And Dauid saith Psal. 39. vlt. O spare mee that I may recouer strength before I goe hence and bee no more So then if wee haue any thing to doe doe it with all thy might if thou haue to repent repent earnestly if thou haue to pray pray feruently if thou haue to heare heare diligently if thou haue to giue giue cheerefully for when thou art in the graue all opportunitie is gone all time is taken away I remember a pretty meditation of a learned man saith he As long as a murtherer is in the way to the Iudgement seate hee may make friends to compasse the matter but if the Iudge haue giuen sentence and hee bee condemned then hee may looke for the hangman for the sword and for the halter and for the darke dungeon Euen so as long as wee are in the way to the Iudgement that is as long as wee are in this life wee may labour to compasse the matter wee may make friends with God but if once wee be dead and the sentence haue passed wee may looke for the diuell and hell to seaze vpon vs and therefore saith hee my good brethren let not the time of your life passe without Repentance for death will come and the iudgement will come therefore grieue and sorrow mourne and lament whilst you haue time and liue here It is true indeed that all the wicked in Hell shall repent euery veine in their hearts when they shall see what styes and stables they haue made of their bodies by their sinnes of Idolatrie Adulterie Drunkennesse Swearing and prophanenesse they shall mourne and lament and waile for it but they shall haue no benefite or profite thereby for this bond of Repentance shall be Afflictiue and Poenall it shall bee to their further increase of torment therefore if wee would haue comfort by Repentance wee must repent betimes in this life for it is better to sorrow and mourne here where wee may haue comfort then hereafter when we can haue none In worldly businesse either planting building or purchasing we make haste whilst wee liue to see all things done betimes and settled during our liues nay wee thinke it will not bee so well done as when wee our selues ouersee it And shall wee not much more regard the preparing and fitting of our selues for Heauen which cannot bee done vnlesse wee faithfully repent in the time of this life so as it was commanded to Hezekiah to settle his house in order for hee should die so are wee pressed to the duty of Repentance before wee die that in our life our soules may bee prepared for Heauen Is it not then high time for all wicked men to prepare themselues to Repentance in this life considering all hope is debarred them after death Now there be diuers Reasons why this is so that Repentance must not be put off First Because the delaying and putting off
of God yet when the winde blowes when God offers gratious and good meanes when we haue so faire an opportunitie we should lay hold vpon the good things that be for our saluation So that this must needs be a fearefull abuse of Gods kindnesse and goodnesse that when it is a speciall time of Repentance through our corruptions wee make it a speciall time of wantonnesse and vncleannesse and wee are so farre from being the better for all our speciall meanes that wee become worse and worse and so bring iudgement vpon vs. Our Sauiour Christ Math. 11. doth vpbraid those Cities wherein hee had done most of his great workes because for all this they had not repented them of their sins where he tells them That it shall be easier for Sodome and for Gomorrah in the day of Iudgement then for them So if wee doe not profite by the preaching of the Word and the good meanes which are amongst vs at this day the estate of Sodome and Gommorrah at that great day shall be easier and better then ours So let vs take heed it be not so with vs for what a fearefull signe of damnation is this when wee thus set open the gates of hell by being no more carefull to come to Faith and Repentance and other sauing graces in the midst of such abundance of meanes Fourthly it is a speciall Time of Repentance when wee goe about any great worke For many times in our honest labours there are many crosses and troubles which doe befall vs because we haue not repented Therefore it must bee our wisedome when wee goe about any great worke which wee would haue to prosper then to repent lest we incounter with great crosses So Ezra 8. 21. hee practised So Esther 4. 16. So Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 12. The omission of this dutie you see was dangerous Iosh. 7. 11. 12. they could not stand before their enemies saith God vnto Ioshua Vp Israel hath sinned and they haue transgressed my Couenant therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies Euen so it is with vs wee cannot stand before our enemies God doth not blesse our labours indeauours nor any thing wee take in hand because wee doe not prepare our selues vnto Repentance therefore as I said when we haue a great work in hand it is a speciall time of Repentance and herein wee must imitate the seruants of God in their examples when Ezra had a great iourney to goe first he fasted and prayed so many other of the Saints forenamed this was their practise and so must it bee ours chiefly when wee come to heare the Word or receiue the Sacran â—nts then we must be sure to haue repenced soundly for our 〈◊〉 nes or else as wee cannot expect mercie so wee depart away without comfort As a man that would draw a riuer into his ground he must first prepare the channell cut downe the bankes and stop the passages so must men doe with their sinnes that would haue the riuer of Gods mercie to runne through their hearts The Fifth speciall time of Repentance is Eeuery morning when wee arise and euery night when wee goe to bed For as wee sin daily so must wee daily renew our repentance let vs then repent euery morning before wee rise The steward who hath but a short memorie will be often casting vp his accounts and reckoning with his Master he will neuer let them tarry too long without cleering and making euen so because that our memorie is short and that wee soone forget our sinnes we should desire to haue often reckoning with the Lord euery day to make euen with him Iâ— we would thus often doe wee should haue but a few sins to repent vs of when wee come to die Wee see by experience if a man haue a little Brooke that runnes through his ground as long as he keeps the channell cleane that the waters may still auoide it will neuer annoy him but if he suffer the gutters to be stopped with mudde and durt and weeds to stop the course and carrying of the water by and by it will ouerflow his ground And euen so though a man haue some sinnes which annoy and trouble him yet 〈◊〉 he will be daily cleansing the channell of his heart and make the channell open by Repentance there will be the lesse danger to his soule as wee see it was said of Dauids practise Psal. 6. Hee talkes of a vexed soule wearisomenesse with groaning making his bed to swimme with teares consuming of his eyes and the like so must our Repentance come with sighes groanes weeping and wringing of the heart if it were possible that so wee be the better assured that it is vnfained and rightly bred and that it is such vnto which God will haue respect Sixtly the last speciall time of Repentance is at the houre of Death for then indeed is the Time to renew our Faith Repentance and all other Graces or neuer Euen as a man that hath beene at great charges for the building of a ship to carrie himselfe safely a very long iourney when hee is ready to put foorth into the sea then hee especially lookes that all his Masts Sayles Anchors and Tacklings be ready fit and prepared so howsoeuer a man deale with his Faith Repentance and other graces all his life time yet now when at the houre of death hee comes to lance forth into so rough a Sea for his last iourney he must then looke all ouer againe and see that nothing be wanting but that his faith prayers penetencie loue and such like be in a readinesse for to conduct him in peace and safetie vnto the end of his last iourney But commonly men doe by Repentance as great men doe by Banquets when a great Feast comes they sit and gaze and admire but their stomacks are gone many in this case haue no stomacks to eate So many men looke at these excellent things of God admire them but will not eate will not repent leaue their sinnes c. But let vs in the Name of God who know better things and haue not thus learned Christ goe on resolue labour and practise Repentance ere it bee too late which now is our next Point to be handled the next time LECT VI. VI. THE PRACTISE OF Repentance IOEL 2. 12. Therefore also now saith the Lord Turne yee euen to mee with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And rent your heart and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for hee is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindenesse and repents him of the euill WEE spake the last day of the Time of Repentance when we shewed that for euery new sinne there must bee a new act of Repentance and so as wee sinne daily wee must daily repent For as I then shewed if a man haue a little Brook which runs through his ground as long
as hee keepes the channell cleane pulls vp the weeds and durt and sand from stopping it vp hee is sure it will not annoy him nor ouerflowe his bankes So as long as a man doth daily renew his repentance and pull vp the weedes of his sinnes from his heart hee shall be sure that the riuer of Gods mercy will runne smoothly and currently into his soule thus then you see Repentance is a daily duty and onely in the time of this life to be performed as wee commit daily sinnes so had wee need of daily Repentance Now the next point we are to speake of is of The Practise of Repentance or manner how wee must Repent for it may bee some men will bee readie to except and say seeing Repentance is such a necessarie duty as no man liuing can be saued without it and seeing the time of this life is nothing else but a time left of God to Repent and so I am willing to performe this great worke but alas I know not how nor in what manner I should repent so that as the Disciples said vnto Christ Luk. 11. 1. Lord teach vs to pray so may wee say Lord teach vs to repent wee be willing to repent but know not how nor in what manner Wherefore wee are to know that in the practise of Repentance there must be foure seuerall things that is in the presenting of our selues before the Throne of Gods Maiestie and attempting or performing this our duty of Repentance for the acquisition of our saluation there must be 1. Examination 2. Humiliation 3. Deprecation 4. Resolution Which be the foure things required in the Practise of Repentance First there must be Examination for euery one that will repent must first examine himselfe in the matter of Repentance how to finde out his owne sinnes and offences for how can a man repent him of his sinnes if he doe not know them I so he that â—…d repent must first labour to come to the knowledge of his sinnes and he cannot know his sins but by examining his heart and his owne wayes that he may finde out his owne strayings and wandrings from the Lord by the righteous rule of the Law of God the word of God must be the candle to light the minde and to direct and shew what is good and what is bad what is sin and what is not sin what is pleasing vnto God and what is displeasing vnto him As may be seene Lament 3. 40. saith the Church there Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord. Meaning that vnlesse we will seeke and search into our owne hearts to finde out the things that are amisse and so seeke and search as a man looking diligently for a thing lost who lighteth a candle and searcheth euery corner till he hath found the thing we shall neuer be able to finde out all our sinnes So the Prophet sayes Psal. 119. 59. I considered my wayes and turned my feet vnto thy testimonies Seeing then it was the consideration of his owne wayes which made him turne into the wayes of God let vs practise the same The like wee haue in the storie of the Prodigall sonne Luk. 13. 19. And when he came to himselfe he said I will returne to my father c. When he had examined his owne state and condition then it came into his minde to returne vnto his Father so then the Point is That in the Practise of Repentance there must bee examination of our owne wayes which is a thing contrary to the course of the world who are prone to looke into other mens wayes and neglect their owne The beasts Reuel 4. 8. were full of eyes within but the most men haue eyes without to looke into other mens secrets but not into their owne faults at home such men may be likened vnto husbands who because they haue vnquiet wiues at home loue as much as may be to be abroad because they can no sooner put their heads within the doores but by and by their wiues are vpon them euen so it is with him that hath a bad conscience as with him that hath a bad wife no sooner hee can come home into himselfe but by and by his conscience is vpon him ready to raile at him and rebuke him for his sinnes so that he longs as much as may be to be abroad and to deale with other mens sinnes rather then his owne But Paul tells vs 1. Cor. 11. 31. That wee must iudge our selues if wee would haue God not to iudge vs. Therefore euery Christian man should set vp a Tribunall and Iudgement seate in his owneheart and make a solemne arraignement of himselfe that is to say that he so set himselfe before God that he first vndertake the triall of his owne wayes and consider wherein he hath offended and what sinnes he hath committed against him then he must bring the bills of indictment against himselfe make a presentment of his owne faults where hee hath sinned when offended and how displeased so good a God And thus euery man must iudge himselfe that God doe not iudge him for a iudgement must come St. Austen sayes well That so often as a man remembers his sinnes God forgets them If thou examine thy selfe God will vrge no further if thou iudge and condemne thy selfe God will not iudge thee if thou punish thy selfe God will spare thee So then this is the first Point wee must examine our selues how wee haue offended Now in this examination there are two things required 1. There must be a right Rule to examine by 2. There bee certaine Heads vpon which wee must examine First for the Rule There are certaine false Rules which we must remember neuer to take hold of First That a man doe not examine himselfe by himselfe for a man may be in a better case then formerly and yet in no good estate he may haue left grosse sinnes particular sinnes and yet be deceiued infinitly short of true goodnesse So that a man is but a falfe rule vnto himselfe when he wil thinke all to be well because he findes some better times then he was wont To this effect St. Paul sayes 2. Cor. 10. 12. Wherefore let him who thinketh he standeth take heed lest hee fall And againe 2. Cor. 11. 12. hee condemnes this rule saying Wee are not of that number who compare themselues with themselues The second false Rule is when a man will examine himselfe by others because hee sees others subiect to more grosse sinnes or liue openly more licentiously then himselfe As the Pharisee Luk. 18. 11. deceiued himselfe Lord I thanke thee that I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publicane you see he was better then a number of others no extortioner adulterer oppressor vniust dealer and yet hee could not be iustified of the Lord all this could not excuse him so you see
renewed by repentance but it will the more hardly be done and it will cost much terrour labour and sorrow Wee may then see that in this case recouery is possible and that vpon three grounds The first is taken From the generality of the Promise which in generall is made to pardon of all sinnes except the sinne against the Holy Ghost as Math. 12. Uerily verily I say vnto you that all sinne and blasphemie shall be forgiuen a man except the blasphemie against the Holy Ghost But a man may fall into Relapses through weaknesse which is not the sinne against the Holy Ghost and therefore may be forgiuen The second ground is taken A comparatis From the condition of the Promise Luk. 17. 4. Where Christ hath giuen vs a commandement that wee should forgiue our brother seuentie times seuen times a day so often as hee repenteth and is sorrowfull and Math. 6. Christ threatneth If you doe not forgiue your brother his trespasses no more will your beauenly Father forgiue you your trespasses So then if a man must forgiue his trespasses that his brother trespasseth against him so often all which is not a drop of mercie compared with Gods mercie how much more wil God forgiue them that sinne against him againe and againe if they doe repent seeing hee is the Ocean of mercie and goodnesse The third ground is ab Exemplis from sanctified examples of holy Scripture for wee see in the booke of Iudges when there were any bad Iudges in Israel the people fell away from God vnto Idolatrie and when there came good Iudges the Prophets came and exhorted the people to returne againe vnto God and repent and so they did recouer againe So in the Booke of Kings wee see that when bad Kings came they fell away from God and yet when good Kings came againe the Prophets preached and exhorted them and they repented and were receiued into fauour againe Here therefore we haue to acknowledge the kindnesse and mercy of God It is his mercie to forgiue vs if wee doe sinne but once in our lifetime against him But great and exceeding great is his mercie that when wee haue sinned and sinned so exceeding oft against him that euen then vpon repentance hee will receiue vs. Wee reade the Lord declares this much Ier. 3. If a man put away his wife and she become another mans If shee returne againe to her husband shall not this land bee polluted but thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord. Thus there may bee forgiuenesse euen after many relapses It is the charitie of the Popish Church if a man relapse into Heresie though he doe repent hee cannot bee forgiuen The Pope and his Cardinals will not may not forgiue him but the kindnesse and tendernesse of God is such that though a man doe fall into the same sinne hee hath repented of hee may bee forgiuen and shall vpon Repentance bee forgiuen Oh then shall not the despisers of Gods kindenesse bee iudged of him Answ. 2 But yet I say Though Repentance be possible yet it will bee very hard and difficult and that in two respects First in respect of God 1. God will not bee so easily intreated to forgiue I do not say that he will not forgiue but that hee more hardly remits these sinnes then others 2. In respect of our selues we shall not finde our selues so readie nor our hearts so apt to repent in this Relapse as otherwise wee might haue done This then I say that if wee prouoke the Lord too often with some sinnes wee shall not finde him so readie to forgiue as at other times nor so easie to bee intreated So saith our Sauiour Christ Iohn 5. 14. Behold thou art made whole sinne no more left a worse thing come vnto thee And so if we doe sinne Deterius accidet a worse thing may befall vs. Looke into the tenth of Iudges and there you shall finde how the children of Israel had fallen into Apostasie concerning their Idolatrie which they repented of and so prayed vnto the Lord but the Lord would not heare their prayers but turned them off with scorne deriding them the words are these Yet yee haue for saken mee and serued other gods therefore I will deliuer you no more goe and crie vnto the gods whom yee haue chosen let them deliuer you in the time of your Tribulation So then if wee make no conscience to fall into a sinne often which wee haue repented of let vs not maruell if God doe not heare vs at the first for if wee stand vpon tearmes with God for the hearing and helping of vs by and by take heed hee say not vnto vs goe away I will not helpe you goe vnto your sinnes and the worldly pleasures profites honours that you haue serued let them helpe you It is true indeed that all the Scriptures declare God to be a mercifull God to bee full of compassion and very ready to forgiue but when wee shall therefore imbolden our selues to sinne and desperately come to aske Almighty God how often wee may sinne if it bee but once or twice it is too much but say it bee once or twice and the Lord forbeares vs with patience then let vs beware wee doe not prouoke the Lord by falling backe vnto the same sinnes after wee haue repented for when it comes to Quoties peccavtmus how often haue wee offended in the same sinne the Lord no question will bee much displeased hardly drawne to forgiue and not easily appeased towards such offenders for hee complaines of such Psal. 78. 40. How often did they prouoke him in the wildernesse and grieue him in the Desert And Psal. 95. 8. To day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the Prouocation of the wildernesse when your fathers tempted mee And Iob 40. 5. hee sayes Once haue I spoken but I will speak no more yea twice but I will proceed no further Math. 25. How often saith God would I haue gathered thee together as a henne gathereth her chickens but yee would not Fortie yeares long saith hee of his owne people was I vexed with you in the wildernesse If it had beene but for some few yeares hee could haue borne the matter but it was fortie yeares together God is indeed very readie and mercifull to forgiue but when it is so often committed this makes Gods eares bee heauie and stopt to our cries yea and our selues to bee so much the more vnfit for the businesse I speake not this to cut off any man from the hope of pardon God forbid that wee should take away mercy from the Lord but to shew that men which fall into the Relapse of the same sinnes are in greater danger then before and it makes God the lesse readie to forgiue them and to bee intreated of them Secondly In regard of our selues it workes a difficultie in vs wee being
it long after So though wee haue repented of a sinne wee must not thinke to buy our peace at so easie a rate but humble our soules with sorrow and teares renewing our repentance againe and againe neuer leauing till we haue pacified the wrath of God for how often doth this holy man plye this sute So Psal 25 hee prayes God not to remember the sinnes of his youth So you see Dauid did repent him of those sinnes hee had repented of before Chrysostome sayes well that Dauid still repented of sins done long before as though they had beene done but yesterday Saint Paul did not onely repent of his sinne of persecuting the Church of God at his first conuersion Act. 9. 9. but as oft as hee remembred it as oft doth he speake of it with griefe and sorrow 1. Tim. 1. 13. I was before a blasphemer a persecutor iniurious c. So 1. Cor. 15. 9. I am not worthie sayes hee to bee called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God So that St. Paul you see doth often remember his sinnes past and confesses them This much wee may well obserue when God cast Adam out of Paradise hee sent him eregione horti and set and placed him ouer against the garden in the very sight and view of the place which hee had lost through his sinne and offending God and why was this that so often as hee lookt into the garden hee might remember his sinne and lament for it Now that which Adam did in the beholding of the Garden is that which wee must doe in the beholding of Heauen hee saw from whence he was cast throwne out of Paradise by reason of his sinne and wee see what wee are sure to lose euen heauen it selfe by reason of our sinne if wee doe not repent and humble our soules and that timely and daily Thus you see it is cleere that a Christian is bound to repent one and the same sinne diuers times and as oft as he lookes vp to heauen to sigh and groane for the losse of it and not to bee satisfied though he haue repented to day and so is assured of pardon but in the Name of God to goe to it againe to morrow and to morrow and neuer giue ouer Obiect Against this doctrine two things may bee obiected First If a mans sinnes vpon his Repentance be pardoned then what need is there vpon this to repent any more this appeares to bee labour lost Answ. 1 I answer that though a mans sinnes bee pardoned vpon Repentance yet there are three causes why a mans repentance must bee renewed First because Eadem manet obligatio the same Bond remaineth still for though God out of his owne goodnesse and mercie forgiue our sinnes yet neuerthelesse haue wee the same Cause to condemne our selues to dislike and bee sorry for it because the same bond or tye remaines still though God haue gratiously pardoned it yet it is our duty to repent still Nay to speake as the truth is Crescit obligatio our bond is the greater for the more mercy and goodnesse God shewes vs in the pardoning of our sinnes wee haue alwayes the more cause to be abased and ashamed that wee haue sinned against him This as wee see made an exaggeration in Dauids griefe In to solum peccaui I haue sinned against thee alone what had Dauid sinned against none but God no question against Uriah Barsheba and the people but that went to the heart of him most of all and did more deeply touch him that he had giuen God cause to bee angry with him who was so readie to forgiue him that had shewed him so great kindenesse and mercy in the pardoning and forgiuing of all his sinnes So Gods mercie to vs in pardoning our sinnes should not bee a meanes to abate our repentance but rather to augment and increase it because there remaines in vs still the same seeds of ouglinesse vilenesse deformitie and corruption as formerly the pardon whereof being great should continually augment and reiterate our Repentance with holy Dauid Psal. 103. Praise the Lord O my soule praise the Lord and forget not all his benefites who forgiues thee all thy sinnes c. Thus Gods mercie in forgiuenesse of sinnes should not abate but increase our repentance as wee see in the storie of the Prodigall sonne Luke 15. 20. hee had a purpose to confesse his sinne when hee returned to his Father his Father could not containe himselfe for ioy but runne out to meet and imbrace him yet this makes him not slacke in his former determination to humble himselfe but rather spurres him to fall downe and humble himselfe vnto his Father confessing his faults So Gods readinesse to forgiue vs should bee so farre from abating our repentance that it should rather prouoke vs vnto the same so much the more to increase it If a woman should commit wickednesse and folly against her husband who puts her away for it and afterwards should be bent not onely to receiue her and forgiue her freely this lewd offence but also welcome her and bestow vpon her rich ornaments and iewels this kindnesse of her husbands if any naturall affection be in her would make her the more to lament and grieue for hauing offended so kinde and mercifull a husband and remember it to her dying day so it is with Gods readinesse in pardoning our sinnes it cannot choose but make vs the more ready vpon all occasions from time to time to repent and bee sorry that wee had offended so good and gratious a God Secondly though a mans sinnes bee pardoned vpon his repentance Yet the more a man repents the more hee shall haue the sense and feeling of the pardon of them for a man may haue his sinne pardoned before God and yet haue no sense and feeling in his owne conscience of the pardon of it for there is still retained a feare of guilt as wee see in Dauid 1. Sam. 12. his sinne was pardoned before God and yet there remained as commonly in such cases such an impression of guilt as hee had no comfort for all this or as if there had beene no such matter And so though God forgiue our sinnes vpon our first repentance yet the more wee repent the more sensible wee shall bee of the forgiuenesse and pardon of them In other cases wee can say Abundantia cautela non nocebit too much caution hurts not as when a man comes to locke a chest or a doore wherein lyes his gold and treasure he will turne the key againe and againe sir sayes his friend the doore was fast before yea but sayes the other in cases of this nature it is good to bee sure to make fast worke as then couetous men say thus by their money and iewells so let vs say of our saluation in businesses of this nature it is good to bee sure a man cannot bee too cautelous in
and commanded it but we must looke for such a kind manner as the Lord hath chosen Now there be two sorts of vnsound repentance 1. Hypocriticall Repentance 2. Desperate Repentance Of the first there be foure markes or notes to discouer hypocriticall Repentance i. When it is in shew and not in the heart when a man seemes to repent of his sinne and vndertaketh an outward shew of sorrow sadnesse without any inward compunction of spirit of which the Lord complaines Ierem. 3. 10. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Iudah hath not turned vnto me with her whole heart but feinedly saith the Lord. So Hos. 7. 14. the Lord complaines And they haue not cried vnto mee with their whole heart when they howled vpon their beds they assemble themselues for corne and wine and they rebel against me And Psalm 78. 35. 36. And they remembred that God was their rocke and the high God their Redeemer neuerthelesse they did flatter him with their mouth and they lied vnto him with their tongues They had good speeches with their lips but their hearts were not vpright Secondly When a man is more grieued for the punishment of his sinne than for the sinne it selfe As Cain saide vnto the Lord Genes 4. 13. My punishment is greater then I can beare but he neuer cried out for his sin So Num. 21. 7. The people came to Moses importuning him to pray to God to remooue the fierie Serpents from them but were not so earnest for to remooue their sinnes The Prophets are full of these complaints of the people to remooue the Iudgments of God from them when yet their endeauors to remooue their sinnes were faint or none at all and is it not so with vs Here is sometimes a kinde of shew of sorrow sadnesse and complaining on our crosses and grieuances and so an outward profession of Repentance which without the heart and true reformation of life is but an hypocriticall repentance Thirdly When a man repents him of a sin and by and by fals as wilfully into the same sinne as before as the Lord complaines by the Prophet Psalm 106. 13. They soone forgot his workes and waited not for his counsell So Pharoah repented often Exod. 8. 9. yet when the punishment was off him he was as ill as before Therfore when a man wiltake on to enuie against any sin be it swearing drunkennesse c. and by and by runne into the same sinnes it is an hypocriticall repentance I grant some sinnes hang vpon a man through the corruption of Nature and will hardly bee shaken off So that if we doe not striue against them and labour to weaken their forces they must and will by their vse and custome bring on hardnesse of heart and so no repentance at all wherefore let vs set a watch vpon our hearts for feare of returning to our old sinnes and leaue sinne before it leaue vs. Fourthly When a man will repent of one sinne and yet liue wittingly in a number of other sinnes This was the sinne of Iudas hee seemed to repent the betraying of his master but neuer thought for ought we know of a number of other sinnes he liued in So Ahab made a shew of repentance for the killing of Naboth but neuer repented for killing the Lords Prophets nor of his Idolatrie It is true indeed That he that repents truly of any one sinne repents of all because Eadem formalis ratio makes him hate all which hatred will at last make him get out of al these snares yet there is in many a corruption ortaint of sinne cleauing to some and forsaking others which is another sort of hypocriticall repentance The second Contrarie to true Repentance I told you was desperate repentance when a man seeth his sinns and the horror of them and yet neuer hath any serious thoughts of turning from them but perish thus and so it may be at last in some fury or rage they cry out vpon them as we know Iudas did he confessed hi sinne and saw it but did despaire of Gods mercy in pardoning it this was vnsound repentance For repentance is such a secret foe to sinne that it makes one with all his heart indeuour to turne from it therefore whosoeuer doth not turne from his sinne is not likely to come vnto Repentance So Iulian the Apostate came at last to desperation when he threw vp his blood in the ayre and cryed out O Galilean thou hast at last ouercome Now this Repentance shall bee in all the damned at the day of Iudgement to see and bewaile their sinnes yet perishing vnder the burden of them desiring hills and mountaines to fall vpon them and couer them It is true then that all men shall repent at one time or other sooner or later either in this life or at the day of Iudgement Therefore how much better were it for men to repent here in this life where they may haue peace and ioy in God and their owne consciences then too late with all torments vnsupportable hereafter when they shall haue no benefite by such an afflictue penall repentance Therfore let vs repent betimes since God is so gratious to accept of vs though wee haue beene great and grieuous sinners for this see what Samuel said vnto the people in their contrition 1. Sam. 12. 20. Feare not yee haue done all this wickednesse yet turne not aside from following after the Lord but serue the Lord with all your heart and turne yee not aside for then should yee goe after vaine things which cannot profite nor deliuer for they are vaine for the Lord will not forsake his people for his owne great Names sake c. So Peter in his Sermon Act. 3. 19. exhorts them Repent yee therefore and bee conuerted that your sinnes may be blotted out So Ierem. 3. 1. Thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet turne againe to me saith the Lord. And farther besides these two sorts of vnsound Repentance there be two sorts may be suspected 1. Poenitentia sera Late Repentance 2. Poenitentia Coacta Forced Repentance Now though both these sorts of Repentance may bee true yet may they also be suspected first as for Late Repentance when a man neglects and puts it off all his life vntill the day of death it is greatly to be suspected especially when a man hath had good meanes of conuersion growing in grace and liuing vnder a good ministrie Wee reade in the storie of Esau Heb. 12. 17. because hee neglected the time of obtaining the blessing that afterward when he would haue inherited the blessing hee was reiected for he found no place of Repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares So it may be suspected that if a man neglect repentance all his life-time it will be hardly found at last For Augustine in this case saith well If a man repent when he can sinne no more it may be thought he
offer vp spirituall sacrifice acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. So that doe what wee can all sacrifices and seruices be onely acceptable to God through him Vse 3 Thirdly seeing all our Repentance is vnperfect so long as we liue in this world Therefore no man is to dismay himselfe and bee too much cast downe if hee doe not finde repentance to be perfect in him If hee doe not finde a perfect hatred of sinne loue of God indeuour to please God in that he requireth In this case one must not too much afflict himselfe because he cannot attaine to things impossible in this life considering that it is not perfection but truth of Repentance that God looks for in this life in which case S. Paul comforts the abiect saying 2. Cor. 8. 12. For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that a man hath not The second maine thing is That because euery mans Repentance is imperfect in this life Therefore there must bee an increase thereof in the life of a Christian As wee increase in other graces so increasing in the grace of Repentance Therefore Christians haue no cause to bee dismayed at this when God brings them off againe and againe to renew their Repentance A number of poore Christians cannot tell what to make of this when they haue repented their sinnes and beene comforted with the Promises of the Gospell and gone on a long-while in a cheerefull estate vpon a sudden all their old sinnes are cast vpon them againe to terrifie them worse then before and so by a heauy recourse of sorrow they become much perplexed and amazed But let such thinke that this is nothing else but Repentance As in a little childe when hee begins first to write hee frames his businesse somewhat vnhandsomely when he hath perfected a letter his Master sets him to make the same letter againe vntill he doe it better and better vntill at last it bee excellently well Euen so because there are not those firme and true intensions of our affections in our first Repentance the Lord is faine to goe ouer againe with vs and to set vs anew to repent of our old sinnes thus is the growth and frame of a Christians progresse in grace to goe it ouer againe still vntill it come to perfection I haue heretofore obserued that a tree alwayes growes vntill it come to his full pitch of state yet it growes not alwayes in one sort but sometimes it growes in the boughes sometimes in the branches sometimes in the root Euen so it is with a Christian hee hath his times of growth hee doth not alwayes grow in one and the same sort but sometimes in one Grace and sometimes in another sometimes in knowledge faith loue obedience c. and yet bee in a good estate though he be put still to renew his Repentance from time to time which if I may so speake becomes so much the purer like gold when it is often refined by ardent and often praying againe and again therfore distressed Christians in this case haue no iust cause to be so perplexed and cast downe as many times they are Wherefore seeing it is necessarie still to grow in Repentance and that it can neuer bee too pure nor perfect not too often gone ouer in this life wee must therefore labour and euery day indeuour to be more and more penitent for our sinnes bitterly to lament them and increase in the detestation and hatred of them so making vse both of the mercies and iudgements of God this way as to further vs in the growth of our repentance So we see Peter did by occasion of Christs mercie vnto him in the draught of fishes Luk. 5. 8. Hee fell downe on his knees and said depart from me I am but a sinfull man ô Lord So did the Lords people by occasion of the iudgement in the Thunder and lightning 1. Sam. 12. 19. say vnto Samuel Pray for thy seruants vnto the Lord that wee dye not for wee haue added vnto all our sinnes this euill to take a King thus must we grow in this as in other graces It is therefore a great corruption for any to desire to grow in other graces if this be neglected and to doe some things conscionably and to neglect those other maine duties in Religion For if one had a childe and the childe should grow in one part and not in another one hand and one leg should thriue but not the other but keepe still at a stand how bitterly would he complaine of this and yet so is it in the state of many a Christian one part of the graces of God growes well but the other doth not grow at all many increase in knowledge shew a great deale of zeale of deuotion haue sufficiencie of faith and are cheerefull in their obedience but they grow not a whit in Repentance they are not a whit more humbled for their sinnes more penitent and cast downe before the LORD and therefore can say what cause haue wee to bee deiected and afflicted so for it but let vs of better knowledge learne to bee better affected our care being to bee more and more humbled for our sinnes Wee see in Nature when a man is buried and layed in the ground the more earth and mould you cast vpon him the more hee consumes from day to day being so much the more vnfit to rise vp againe suppose aliue from vnder the weight and burden of the earth which presses him downe Euen so it is with the sinne of a Christian when a man hath buried sinne in himselfe the more hee increaseth his repentance and holy humiliation the more earth and mold hee casts vpon it in this kinde the lesse able will it be to rise and reuiue againe nay our sad and serious Repentance will make it that it shall not rise againe Now there be three wayes wherein a Christian must increase in the Grace of Repentance as well as in other Graces 1. In the Number of his Graces 2. In the Measure of his Graces 3. In the good vse of them First for the Number of Graces see what Peter saith 2. Pet. 1. 5. Adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance Patience and to patience godlinesse c. And so 2. Cor. 8. 7. Therefore as yee abound in euery thing in faith and vtterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your loue to vs see that yee abound in this Grace also Therefore it should grieue a Christian to heare a man speake of any grace which hee hath not in himselfe Fine and daintie women we know who haue a delight in curious gardens if they heare of any goodly Plant or delicate Flower in another bodies garden they neuer rest till they haue got a slip of it into their owne yea here they beg a root and
herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing from God If a man haue found out an excellent plaister which will cure his sore if he pluck it away and doe not let it lye when he is on the mending hand but expose it to the aire Hee may relapse into a worser condition or kill himselfe So when a man hath got some profite by the vse of good meanes if he doe not then keepe to them but grow loose and idle hee may fall into as bad estate as before he knew of any cure or much worse Trees that grow by the sent of water if the water be drawne from them they cannot thriue thriuingly as before so take away the constant vse of good meanes from a Christian and you take away his life hee cannot thriue or grow Meanes to grow in grace 4 Fourthly Wee must so vse all the meanes as we must be carefull and indeauour to bee bettered by them and not onely grow but grow to a taste of perfection by the vse of them as neere as may bee According to the Apostles Exhortation 2. Cor. 6. 1. Wee then as workers together with him beseech you also that you receiue not the grace of God in vaine Therefore wee must doe as wise merchants who when they haue made a venture at Sea cast vp their bookes and looke into their accounts to see what they haue gained So Christians who beare a part in the house of God and traffique against sinne with his graces must cast vp their accounts looke into their bookes see what they haue gotten or gained what graces bee the stronger and what graces the more weakened in their hearts Lastly it may be obiected is there now remaining any thing else to be said in this Treatise of Repentance I answer for my selfe nothing else I haue to deliuer vnto you concerning this Treatise onely to intreate you that as one hauing passed alongst a goodly pleasant long valley where he hath seene on both sides great store of delightfull Woods Townes Castles Riuers c. when he is readie to leaue that plaine turnes about to view the place once more and make impression thereof in his memorie so that you hauing passed along and heard so many excellent points in this doctrine of Repentance would turne about againe once more to view them all ere wee leaue them First you haue heard of the Necessitie of Repentance that wee cannot be saued without it Secondly The order of it with other Graces Repentance being first seene in the life of a Christian. Thirdly The Nature of Repentance in which was foure things First that it is a changing and turning Secondly a turning in all and euery faculty of the soule Thirdly a turning from all sinâ— Fourthly a turning from all sinne vnto God Fourthly The Causes of Repentance were three 1. God the Efficient Cause 2. The preaching of the Law and Gospell the Instrumentall Cause 3. The helping Causes the Mercies of God his Iudgements and our owne considerations Fiftly The Time of Repentance was twofold Generall and Particular in the Generall two Rules 1. That we must repent in this life 2. That we must repent as soon as we can 2. In the speciall time of Repentance were fiue Particulars 1. When we haue fallen into any new sinne 2. When the iudgements of God are threatned against vs 3. When there is an offer of spirituall meanes of grace 4. When we are to vndertake any great worke 2. To renew our repentance euery morning and eueuing Sixtly The parts of Repentance in which foure things was obserued 1. Examination 2. Humiliation 3. Deprecation 4. Resolution for the time to come Seuenthly The Impediments of Repentance were two First in Iudgement Secondly in Affection In Iudgement foure wayes First either to thinke our selues not sicke of sinne or secondly sicke not so sicke as indeed we be Thirdly if sicke yet that we may recouer without repentance or fourthly if Repentance must needs be yet that it needes not to be so full and strict as Preachers tell vs. Secondly Impediments in our affections were first the loue of the world Secondly the loue of pleasures Thirdly the loue of our owne ease Fourthly the loue of our sinnes Fiftly the desire to keepe credit with the world Then we came to The Cases of Repentance fiue in number First the case of Relapse Secondly the Case of Iteration Thirdly the Case of Restitution Fourthly the Case of Teares Fiftly the Case of Comfort in death Ninthly The Contraries to Repentance First Impenitencie Secondly vnsound Repentance Lastly the Increase of Repentance in two things First that Repentance can neuer bee but imperfect in this life Secondly wherein it failes Thus haue I according to that abilitie God gaue indeuoured to cast the seed of God into your hearts now your wisedome â—â—st bâ—… to water it when you are at home in your houses that as my paines hath beene to preach it vnto you so yours may be to remember and make a right vse thereof and so I end beseeching God that the memorie of these things may remaine with you till your dying day That as euery day you sinne so euery day you may so renew your Repentance as Peter speakes Act. 3. 19. That your sinnes may bee blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. FINIS God Godhead Word of God Scriptures Saluation Fall Sinne. Our sinfull state Sorrow for Sinne. Saluation second thing Christ. Faith Fruites of Faith Iustification Adoption Fruites of Adoption Sanctification Fruites of Sanctification Godlinesse Sinne. Darling sinne Killing of sinne Loue of God Feare of God Spirituall vnderstanding Wisedome Obedience Ordering of our life Sobrietie In Dyet In Apparell In Labours In worke In Sorrowes In our Mirth To men Righteousnesse In our Assections Anger In Words In our Deeds Loue to their Persons Soules In drawing them to Christ. â—o incourage â—hem Admonition We must loue them in their goods Vsurie Couetousnesse Godlinesse Second poiâ—â— Godlinesse Trusting in God Thirdly Humbling Affliction Fourthly Prayer Fiftly Thankes-giuing Sabboth Wiues Parents Children Masters Seruants Officers Subiects Pastors People Helpes to a Holy life 1 Diligence 2 Graces nourished 3 To watch our Life 4 Daily Triall 5 Scriptures reading How to reade with profite 6 Marking Particulars 7 Meditation on good things 8. Affliction Sanctified 9 Remembrance of vowes and Couenants 10 Communion of Saints 11 Withstanding Lettes 12 Daily Practise Daily Practise how Daily Armour â—ay spending Lords day Weeke day The Creede Faith God the Father A mighty Creatour of Heauen and Earth And in Iesus Christ. Onely Sonne Our Lord. Conceiued by the Holy Ghost Borne of the Virgin Mary Hee suffered Vnder Pontius Pilate Was Crucified Dead And Buried Third day Hee rose againe from the Dead Hee ascended into Heauen And sits at the right hand of God The Iudgement day I beleeue inthe Holy Ghost The Church Communion of Saints The forgiuenesse of sinnes The
these are in a man nor in a mans will vntill God worke and fulfill them by his mightie power For first a man hath not eyes to see the good things of God Deut. 29. 3. saith hee Yet the Lord hath not giuen you a heare to perceiue and eyes to see and eares to heare vnto this day Secondly man hath neither desire nor appetite till God worke it in him as it is Phil. 2. 13. For it is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed or to will and to doe of his good pleasure Thirdly though wee had eyes to see good things and will to delight in them yet haue wee no strength and power to performe them vntill God will as Iohn 15. 5. For without mee you can doe nothing So then this is the doctrine of Repentance that if God worke not in a man these motions by his power there is no repentance Nay we see God onely workes man vnto repentance by the power of his Spirit and Grace so that hee is the first Cause of Repentance Of which let this be The Vse Vse 1 That because the Efficient cause of Repentance is God onely wee must say as St. Iames saith If any man lacke wisdome let him aske of God that giueth vnto all men liberally c. So let vs say of Repentance if any man lacke repentance let him aske it of God and hee will giue it him It is said of the Rocke Psal. 78. 20. Behold hee smote the Rocke that the waters gushed out and the streames ouerflowed c. Euen so let vs pray God by the power of his Spirit and grace to smite so hard vpon our rockie hearts that by and by may gush out from vs floods of repentant teares Vse 2 Secondly let vs learne to take God at his offer or else at another time wee may goe without it and hauing it let vs stirre vp our selues to be thankfull to God for it Cause of Repentance 2 The Second Cause of Repentance is called The Instrumentall Cause and that is the preaching of the Word as it is Luk. 24. 27. saith hee And that Repentance and remission of sinnes should bee preached in his Name amongst all Nations so that preaching is the Instrumentall cause thereof for though God giue Repentance it being wrought by him in vs yet hee doth it by meanes wee must not thinke that God will open the Cloudes and come downe from heauen and poure Repentance into our hearts or drop it in vs but hee hath ordained that wee shall get it by the preaching of the Word for thereby wee are made partakers of the graces of his holy Spirit Now consider there are two things to effect this The Preaching of the Law and the preaching of the Gospell the first that a man may see his sinne and the fearefull estate hee is in by the same The second that he may finde there is a remedie and that it is not in himselfe The Law prepares a man for Repentance shewes him all his sinnes and his damnable estate before yea it terrifies the conscience euen to the very flinging of him downe to hell and though this be not an infallible signe of grace to be thus terrified and restrained yet it is the occasion of it because it helpes to prepare vs and make vs willing to lay hold of Repentance as God workes in vs. As a man that makes choice of a tree to build with first he cuts it downe with his axe ere hee lay it flat vpon the ground and when he hath done so then hee applyes his line and tooles vnto lopping the boughes and so hewes it and squares it to make it the fitter for his worke Euen so doth the Lord first hee beates a man flat downe with the sentence of the Law and horrour of his sinne and then hee lifts him vp and restores him with the promises of the Gospell And whereas many thinke that it is a strange worke of God to deale thus with a man and that when God doth deale thus that man is in a wofull and lamentable estate the truth is that then the Law from God is a fitting and working a man to bee fit for eternall life and thus though the Law cannot bring a man to Repentance yet it is a meanes of preparation And then after this commeth the Gospell as a powerfull instrument and workes Faith and other Graces in vs by a diuine assistance The vse is Vse Because then the preaching of the Word is thus a powerfull cause of Repentance that wee make much of it and imbrace it esteeming it a pretious Iewell of Gods Treasurie yea and to seeke and hunger for it by all meanes If a man were grieuously sicke vpon his bed and that it were told him that in such a ground such a herbe did grow which applyed would quickly ridde him of all his paine and griefe if hee had any meanes to come by it sure hee would creepe thither vpon his hands and his feet to haue it no paines would bee irkesome vnto him so hee might recouer his health againe euen so when a man is deadly sicke of sinne as wee should all bee and it shall bee told him that in the preaching of the Gospell there is such a herbe of Grace the Flower of Repentance that will cure him of his sinne and restore him to the life of glorie I hope no man is so desperate and carelesse that will neglect the hearing of it Now what shall wee doe in this case but as it were to creepe on our hands and knees that is to vse all meanes to attaine the same and bee partakers of the benefites of the Gospell that wee may bee saued O! shall wee bee more carefull in such a case of our bodyes then of our soules Now besides these two Causes that may bring vs vnto Repentance there bee other three causes which are called Cause adiuvantes Helping or furthering causes because though they doe not worke Repentance in themselues yet they doe exercise a man to the helping and furthering of this worke in him I declare it by a similitude when one would saw a Tree three things are requisite vnto this worke First there must bee a saw which is the Instrument Secondly there must bee one to pull and mooue the saw to apply it to the Tree which is the Efficient cause Thirdly there must bee a certaine oylie and liquide matter to make the Saw runne which is Causa adiuvans the Helping cause which smoothes the Saw and makes it runne with case So it is in this great worke of Repentance the Saw or Instrument to worke is the preaching of the Gospell which doth sawe and worke vpon the conscience as the Instrument of God and God himselfe is the effectuall puller or workeman to worke Repentance in vs. So that Now the Helping Causes are especially three 1. The Mercie of God 2. The Iudgements of God 3. Our owne Considerations Helping