I shall bee conuerted Lament 5.21 Turne vs O Lord vnto thee and we shall be turned 3. Such are the strong resistances and enemies of grace within vs and without vs that it must bee onely the Spirit of power and fortitude that must conquer them The strong man hath taken the hold the deuill worketh effectually in blinding the eyes and taking captiue the wills of wicked men to rule them at his pleasure 2. Tim. 2.26 and onely a stronger man can cast him out Such is the strength of lusts and the numberlesse excuses of sin and sinners as only the Spirit can conuince of sin Such is the frowardnesse and peruersenesse of spirit in euill men yea the deadnesse and senselesnesse of heart obfirmed by wicked habits and customes of himselfe and the world without that all the power of the means shall be frustrate and bee ineffectuall to turne the sinner if the Spirit of God quicken them not with life and power to this purpose Whence it will follow 1. That wee cannot repent when wee will as the Atheist thinketh Repentance is no flower that groweth in our own garden If the Lord by his Spirit draw vs not we neuer run after him Object But why haue we so many commandements to repent if it bee not in our power they seem to be very idle Answ. 1. Deus jubet quae non possumus vt nouerimus quid ab eo petere debeamus saith Augustine 2. Exhortations are instruments in which the Spirit putteth forth his power and commeth into our hearts 2. We must beware of resisting the Spirit in this worke or in the meanes whereby hee worketh repentance in vs. Quest. Tell vs how the Spirit bringeth vs to Repentance Answ. 1. Docendo Hee must teach outwardly The teaching of the Spirit is necessary to lead vs into the knowledge of our selues and of God The former he doth by the Law letting vs see our misery 1. by sinne 2. the punishment of sin The latter by the Gospell shewing vs what God is in his Son and vnto vs ready to receiue vs to grace and mercie Euery one must therefore heare the voice of the Spirit in the Ministery seeing the Spirit not without the Word but by the Word as an ordinary instrument worketh Repentance Heare the Word Perswading and inuiting to Repentance Promising grace and mercy to the pâ—nitent Threatning the impenitent Isay 55.7 By this meanes the Iewes were pricked and conuerted Acts 2.37 By the Lydia's heart was opened Acts 16. and such as refuse and resist the Word are neuer drawne to Repentance Pro. 1. Because ye would not heare my voice I will not heare you 2. Ducendo by inward mouing and perswading The Spirit must bee Doctor and Ducton This inward motion is 1. In changing the minde to see both sin and the reward of sin what and how great both of them are 2. In framing the will and making it of euill good and bowing it from it selfe to the willing of grace 3. In kindling the affections with a desire of good and hatred of euill Now therefore if thou wouldest truly repent thou must also giue thy selfe to bee led by the Spirit cherish his motions affect his graces for he must not only shew vs repentance but lead vs into it 3. If the Spirit be the efficient and author of repentance then neuer despaire of great sinners He can presently make of Saul a persecutor Paul a Preacher hee can easily raise a dead man from the graue of sin let him be neuer so rotten Here is a worke of power and a powerfull worker Neither be out of heart in the sense of strongest corruption and resistance against grace When thou seest armies of lusts rise vp in thee and whole hosts of rebels vp in armes against the worke of grace hold on the combate and this Spirit of power shall chase them before thee Goe forth in his strength and feare not assured victory greater is the spirit in thee than in the world CAP. 3. Of the subiect of Repentance 2. THe subiect of Repentance is the beleeuer the generall subiect of Repentance is a sinner for Christ came to call sinners But because euery sinner repenteth not I say only the beleeuer turneth Where I plainly conclude that question wherein is more scruple than staid wisedome That Faith goeth before Repentance not Repentance before Faith Here are 1. Reasons 2. Cautions 1. The fountaine must bee before the streame the roote before the fruit the cause before the effect but Faith leaning vpon Gods mercy manifested in the promise is the instrumentall cause of Repentance Hos. 6.1 Come let vs turne vnto the Lord for he hath smitten and he will heale The hope of Gods healing that is of forgiuenesse of sins is the ground of Repentance Psal. 130.4 Mercy is with thee that thou maist bee feared Which showeth that no man can lay hold vpon God to feare and reuerence him but hee that is perswaded of his fauour Two cannot walke together vnlesse they be friends and man neuer meeteth God in Repentance while he conceiueth God an enemy but runneth away from him as a strict Iudge Slauish feare bringeth not a man to God but loue which is a fruit of Faith for Faith worketh by loue therefore Faith is before Repentance 2. True Repentance is a sauing grace and euery sauing grace is from Christ. Iohn 15.4 No branch can beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the Vine Euery penitent must therefore receiue Christ before the gift of Repentance and no receiuing of Christ but by the hand of Faith Iohn 11.12 therfore Faith must necessarily goe before Repentance 3. Repentance worketh directly vpon the heart to soften it to cleanse and purifie it Now in Repentance it is onely the bloud of Christ that can soften the hard heart as onely Goates bloud softeneth the hard Adamant It is onely the bloud of Christ that can purge the heart and conscience from defilements Heb. 9 14. Now would I know how wee can haue his bloud before himselfe or himselfe before Faith Nay therfore the Scripture applyeth the work of purging the heart to Faith Acts 15.9 because it is the instrument to lay hold on the bloud of Christ for our purging therefore Faith must be before Repentance 4. Repentance is the most acceptable of all good workes A contrite heart is aboue all Sacrifices therefore Faith must bee before it for 1. Whatsoeuer is before Faith is the issue only of corrupt nature and corrupt conscience and cannot please God 2. Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb 11.6 for nothing is acceptable but in and for Christ and nothing in and for Christ but by Faith in Christ apprehending him Object This sheweth that Faith must goe with Repentance but not that Repentance is therefore before it Answ. The Apostle expresseth the same thing in another phrase which putteth Faith before it Rom. 14.10 Whatsoeuer is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex fide is sin If
grace I see murtherers of the Sonne of God who shed his bloud drinke his bloud by faith and vpon their Faith and Repentance were conuerted and saued Acts 2. Can there be greater sin than to blaspheme and persecute the Church of God yet Paul obtained mercy for this that hee might be an example to others to come that should beleeue vnto euerlasting life 1. Tim. 1.16 Could there be a greater sinne than Peters after so many warnings and vowes to deny and forsweare his Master and curse himselfe and this againe and againe and yet our Lord mercifully looked backe vpon him and gaue him both Repentance and mercy 4 I haue learned not to cast both mine eyes vpon my sinne but reserue one to behold the remedy Doe I see as Dauid Psal. 51. a multitude of sinnes yet with the other I behold a multude of mercies I see sinne abounding in mee but grace abounding more I see a sea of rebellions ready to drowne me but withall a bottomlesse sea of compassions to drowne all them Micah 7.19 I behold mourning a number of wounds and soares on my soule but withall a balme to cure all my wounds I haue a million of debts and not a farthing to pay but I haue a good surbey a good Samaritane vndertaking to pay all a mercifull Creditor saying to me Haue not forgiuen thee all I haue deserued a million of deaths by my bloudy sinnes but I see an infinite vertue and merit in the bloud of Christ that cleanseth all sinnes this was shed not onely for small sinnes and is neuer dry I heare many menaces and threats for many sins but I reade of as many promises of mercy and all they indefinite excluding none whose impenitency and infidelity excludeth not themselues I see the nature and measure of my sins vtterly separating me from God but I see that the Lord measureth not the sinnes of his according to their nature and measure but according to the affection of the sinner and therefore the foulest sinnes being heartily bewailed carefully resisted by godly sorrow cast out that sinner shall get his suite of pardon at the throne of grace I see euery sin deseruing damnation but I see also that no sin shall condemne but the lying and continuing in it and therefore I must repent I see the miserie and loathsomenesse of my disease but because I see the Physitian is not so much offended with the loathsomnesse of the disease as the contempt of his physicke in the Patient I will not reiect the physicke because I expect cure CAP. 17. Le ts from Sathan by temptations to despaire of our selues and of our owne estate 2. IF Sathan cannot preuaile to make vs despaire in regard of Gods mercy he will assay to bring vs to despair of our selues and our owne estates that although the Lord haue mercy in the full sea and ocean of it yet thou art vnworthy of the least drop of it Mercy is for vessels of mercie but thou art a vessel of wrath a grieuous sinner and euery day addeth to thy sinne and Gods iustice treasureth wrath as fast against the soule It is in vaine for thee to repent God will be found of his owne children not of such as thou art Ans. He that would deceiue will hide himselfe in generalls So Sathan here layeth load vpon the fearfull soule to hold it from Repentance But resolue this Temptation into the particular branches and see the strength and consequence of it Here are wrapped vp foure seuerall reasons to driue the sinner from repentance 1. because he is vnworthy of mercy 2. because hee hath incurred the iustice of God 3. hee is a grieuous sinner and is no child of God 4. hee daily addeth to his sin and prouocation which Gods childe doth not 1. I am vnworthy of mercie or loue and therefore must not seeke it Ans. 1. God neuer loued any man for his own worthinesse or any thing in any man causing his loue and all the worthiness in the most and best worthy is but an effect of Gods loue but no cause at all For what worthinesse was in vs before wee were that moued him to elect vs to saluation what worthinesse in vs being yet sinners and enemies that he should with so deare a price redeeme vs nay Rom. 5.8 herein God set out his loue in that while we were enemies hee reconciled vs by the death of his Sonne Say as the Centurion Luke 7.6 2 The best and dearest vnto God durst neuer appeare in their owne worthinesse Paul himselfe regenerate would not be found hauing his owne righteousnesse but that which was by faith in Christ Phil. 3. Iacob must come to his father for a blessing in the garment of his elder brother Wee must cast off our owne ragges before we can put on the wedding garment Neuer any of the Saints were capable of mercie but by an holy despaire of themselues and of their owne worthinesse and therefore did seeke and finde a worthinesse elsewhere because they could finde none in themselues Let whosoeuer will with Papists ascribe any thing to their owne merits they detract so much from Christ and his free grace they cast themselues off from Christ and are fallen from grace 3 The tenure of our saluation is not by a Couenant of Workes but by a Couenant of Grace which is a most full a most free and euery way grace founded not in our worthinesse but in the grace and good pleasure of God And this is sutable to God whose honour is to bee first in goodnesse Hee loued vs first 1 Iohn 4.19 4 By this reason no flesh should be saued all being alike dead in sin not sicke only all the children of wrath by nature and I am as worthy as any child of wrath can be and if any as vnworthy as my selfe come to saluation why not I by the same way of repenting and bewayling my owne vnworthinesse and slying out of my self to Christ who alone is worthy 5 Why should I despaire now seeing God hath made me worthy in Christ and hath loued me while I was an enemie and hath out of his loue called me in some measure purged me from corruption and not onely quickned me with his spirit but endued mee with some measure of grace but that he will continue his loue and worke in me to the end Iohn 13.1 2 Because God is a iust and a seuere reuenger of sin therefore I must not repent and seeke mercie Ans. But the conclusion and argument of Scripture is cleane contrary Is God iust and a righteous iudge we must therfore iudge our selues if wee would not bee iudged of the Lord 1. Cor. 11. Hath hee appointed a day to iudge the world by the man Christ therfore let all men bee admonished euery where to repent Acts 17.31 Will God bring euery secret into iudgement therefore let vs feare God and keepe his commandements There is no straighter tye to Repentance and Obedience than consideration of
Church while they were in it 1. Ioh 2.19 They went out from vs because they were not of vs. Am I then a friend of Christ that I may be sure Christ dyed for me 1 If I be a friend I am a beleeuer Abraham beleeued God and was called the friend of God Iames 2.23 He dyed for no vnbeleeuer I must be a beleeuer or he dyed not for me Rom. 3.25 God set forth his Sonne to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud 2 Am I a friend◠〈◊〉 must doe whatsoeuer Christ commandeth me Ioh. â—1 14 Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoeuer I command you A seeming friend as Herod may doe many things but a sound friend will doe all things euen difficult and costly commandements If he bid me repent and returne I must obey 3 A friend must bee glad of anâ— opportunity 〈◊〉 shew his friendship and loue so must I. Prou. 3.28 Say not to thy friend I will answer thee to morrow if now it be in thy power If Christ thy friend call thee to Repentance this day deferre him not till to morrow for then it may be out of thy power to shew thy friendship 4 He dyed onely for those that manifest the fruit of his death 1. in the daily conquest and abolition of sinne hee dyed for my sinne that 〈◊〉 might dye vnto sinne and sinne dye in mee Rom. 6.2 How can they that are dead to sinne yet liue in it If sinne neuer dye in thee Christ neuer dyed for thee thou art still vnder the curse of sinne that art vnder the power of it if thou beest not redeemed from vaine conuersation thou art not from condemnation of sinne 2 I must daily finde the work of Sathan destroyed in me for by death he destroyed him that had the power of death which is the diuell Heb. â— 14 If Sathan rule thee still at his will and hold thee vnder the dominion of sinne thou hast no benefit by Christs deaths 3 If Christ be dead for mee I must manifest the obedience of faith another fruit of his death Heb. 5.9 He is the Author of saluation to all that obey him not to any that continue in sinne 4 I must henceforth liue to him that dyed for me 2. Cor. 5.15 and he dyed for those who whether they sleepe or wake liue or dye liue in him and for him 1. Thes 5.10 that is are partakers of his life and liue to his glory CAP. 23. Presumption of Gods mercy hindering Repentance Obiect 3 BVt is not God mercifull who will not the death of a sinner and therefore what needest thou so continually afflict and macerate thy selfe by Repentance Answ. Yes Gods mercy is a boundlesse Ocean which can neuer be drawne dry and he is mercifull to all euen the worst and vessels of wrath But first distinguish of Gods mercy it is either generall whereby he saueth man and beast and maintaineth the creature in a temporall being thus he feedeth the Sparrowes and cloatheth the Lillies thus he is the Sauiour of all men especially of them which beleeue 1. Tim 4.10 For that place is meant of his generall prouidence Or secondly there is a speciall sauing mercy which tendeth to eternal life whereby he tendereth men as a father Now herein hee is mercifull to the worst in offering this mercy by Christ and proclaiming it in the Preaching of the Gospell But they are content with the other without this This speciall mercy is not cast as a musse vnto all 2 Let not Sathan delude thee by offering an vnlimited mercy where God hath bounded it For that mercy which in God knoweth no bounds in respect of persons is bounded and limited according to the couenant of grace and mercy as appeareth in two conclusions 1 There be sundry sorts of impenitent sinners to whom the Lord couenanteth no mercy but wrath As 1 Ignorant persons who care not for the knowledge of God Isa 27.11 This people hath no vnderstanding and therefore he that made them will not be mercifull vnto them and 2. Thes. 1 8. Rendring vengeance in flaming fire to all that know not God 2 Hard hearted persons that will not repent Rom. 9.18 Hee will haue mercy on whom hee will and whom he will he hardeneth implying that hardened persons are shut from mercy Rom. 2. Thou that by the hardnesse of thy heart treasurest wrath 3 Wilfull and stubborne persons against the Ministery and counsels of the word Ier. 16.5 Mourne not for this people for I haue taken my peace from it euen my mercy and my compassion why verse 1â— For euery one walketh in the stubbornenesse of his heart and will not heare mee and therefore I will shew you no grade 4 Presumptuous sinners who say I shall haue peace though I walke on in sinne God will not be mercifull to that man Deut. 29.30 but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses in the booke of God shall ouertake him Onely vessels of mercy are filled with mercy for saluation or sauing mercy is not so prodigally bestowed being childrens bread but on such aâ— are qualified and pointed out in the Scripture by sundry markes 1 All that must share in this mercy must be true members of the Church Isay. 63.7 I will remember the great mercies of the Lord and goodnesse towards the house of Israel which he hath giuen them of his tender loue Am I a true Israelite a sonne of Abraham according to the faith Doe I lay about mee for the blessing as Israel did Doe I wrastle it out with God by prayer and doe I preuaile for mercy and grace Am I circumcised in the heart and daily part from sinnes and lusts 2 All that must share in mercy must be repentant sinners God would haue all saued but so as they must first come to the knowledge of the truth 1. Tim. 2.4 But this they cannot doe without Repentance 2. Tim. 2.25 If at any time God will giue Repentance that they may come to acknowledgement of the truth Ezek. 33.11 God will not the death of a sinner but rather that he repent and liue 3 Mercy is intailed onely to such as loue God and keepe his commandements second Command Exod. 20.6 He sheweth mercy to thousands of them that loue him and keepe his Commandements for God is in couenant with no other and vessels of wrath cannot looke to be filled with mercy yet this sheweth not the cause of Gods mercy for there is none in vs and it is a free grace but onely sheweth the persons that may claime it Doe I loue God All externall obedience without inward loue is hypocrisie Loue is the fountaine of obedience And doe I keepe the Commandements I cannot fulfill them but doe I keepe them in my vnderstanding meditation affection in true purpose and indeauour in my whole conuersation then mercy is mine 4 Mercy belongeth to such onely as feare to offend God and liue in
in opinion and life Math. 22 29. Wee must therefore labour by diligent hearing and reading of the Scripture to come to know the Word The Word reuealeth Gods will concerning our Repentance who now admonisheth euery one to come to Repentance Acts 17. It sheweth Repentance to be aboue our owne power and reach and it is God that must giue Repentance It directeth vs to the meanes to attaine this gift namely prayer we must goe to God to heale our nature to change our disposition to perfect his owne work Ier. 31.18 Conuert mee O Lord and I shall be conuerted 2 The seuerall parts of the Word in their seuerall offices excellently conduce to this worke first the law is an hammer to beat an hard heart to pieces the very reading of it priuately made Iosiah's heart to melt 2. King 22.10 and much more when it is publikely preached and applied by Gods Ministers This was the Ministry that pricked their hearts to conuersion Acts 2. this is that whereby the heart is awakened as Peters was by the Cocke crowing The reading of the law and threats of it wrought a generall reformation and separation of Israel from all that were mixed among them Neh. 13.5 2 The Gospell propoundeth Christ a good shepheard laying downe his life for his sheepe intreateth the sinner in the name of Iesus Christ to returne and repent and liue with many promises of mercy and grace vpon their returne that if any cords of loue can draw vs wee want them not To the furtherance of our Repentance therefore we must doe two things concerning the Word 1 Mingle the whole Word with faith else it will be vnprofitable beleeue it credit it without cauils or questions to auoid it subscribe to the holinesse and goodnesse of it as a good heart doth though it speake vnpleasing things to it Ahâ—b will now say the word of God is not good Michaiah neuer prophesieth good But Hezekiah will say the word of God is good in the most sharpe threatnings of it as a good natured child wil bow at an angry word of his father 2 Keepe the Word fast to vs that it may keep vs. Dauid hid the Word in his heart that he might not sinne This is the sword of the spirit of daily vse in this warfare against sinne and wee must buckle it vnto vs. 2 Consider Gods eye is euer vpon thee and all things are naked vnto him with whom wee deale Heb. 4.13 Would a fellon cut a purse if hee thought the Iudge saw him Moses knowing that an Egyptian saw him slay an Egyptian feared and fled Exod. 2.14 Should not we feare and flee those sinnes which wee know God knoweth and hath to lay to our charge A theefe neuer so stout if taken in the manner will runne away afraid But we are bold offendors who though we cannot sinne but bee taken in the manner yet will stand it out What a folly is it not to shame at our sins which Gods eye is vpon while wee should shame to commit them if a childe of fiue yeeres old stood by Were not that an vngracious childe that durst commit folly and fornication not onely in her fathers house but before his face so is our sinne 3 Consider Gods hand first of mercy secondly of iustice and both are powerfull meanes to leade into Repentance 1 Obserue his hand of mercy 1 In spirituall motions 2 In temporal excitements 1 When the Spirit rappeth by any of his motions open vnto him Quench not this Spirit grieue him not send him not away in displeasure Now is an heauenly helpe offered of thy good worke now with GOD cherish any good motion let not the world or corruption or delay dead it but thankefully apprehend the opportunity if that be slipped thou art not sure of another 2 For temporall excitements looke vpon first Gods patience how long he hath suffered thee giuing thee space of Repentance waiting for thy returne this should hasten Repentance Rom. 2.5 Set God before thee as a louing father dealing with an vngracious childe often admonishing sometimes correcting often conniuing neuer dealing extreamely loth to loose him and cast him off 2 Consider Gods bountifulnesse vnto thee he neuer ceaseth to supply thy wants but hath bountifully prouided and heaped vp fatherly kindnesse on thy head and all to draw thee were it possible The Apostle ioyneth both these motiues together Rom. 2.5 Despisest thou the bountifulnesse of God his patience and long suffering not knowing that they should leade thee to Repentance The bounty of Iosephs Master kept Ioseph from sinning against him and the Prodigall returning mourned that he had runne from a kinde father Is there not mercy with the Lord that hee may be feared Obiect God forbeareth mee saith the sinner and therefore I may and will sinne Answ. Gods forbearance argueth his goodnesse not mans innocency it is the exercise of his mercy not the abolishing of his iustice and it is made the note of a wicked man Not to Repent when mercy is shewed to him Isay. 26. 2 Consider his hand of iustice marke and lay vp the stroakes of Gods hand sensible and insensible in soule body on thy selfe and on others Amend by them and feare him the more 1 Make vse of corrections on thy selfe heare the rod. The not regarding of warnings causeth God to giue ouer such a party as the Physitian doth a desperate Patient Isay. 1.5 Why should I smite you any more seeing yee fall backe more and more 2 Sleight not the corrections inflicted on others whether nearer or more remote When God commeth neare thee in thy friend family say God warneth thee to Repent the sinne of Belshazer Dan. 5.22 was when hee knew all those things that came on his father Nabuchadnezar yet he humbled not his heart A fearefull thing it is not to profit by example Hee that will not take example shall make an example 3 Consider the iudgements recorded in Scripture past present and to come 1 Those that are past in former ages the Angels that sinned the old world these on whom the Tower of Siloam fell and all the Writs of execution recorded in the Scripture and say of them as 1. Cor. 10.11 All these are examples to vs all our Monitors all of them so many Sumners so many Sermons to perswade vs to Repentance 2 Consider the examples of Gods iustice in our owne age so many and remarkeable as neuer more vpon Blasphemers Drunkards Adulterers and enemies of grace A man might make as large a volume as that in the fifth of Zachary written within and without with examples of such as into whose houses and hearts the curse is come Let the fight of the Angell with a drawn sword which made Balaams Asse to feare make vs feare and tremble 3 Consider the dreadfull iudgement to come the day of which shall be as an Ouen and all impenitent persons as stubble before this terrible burning Acts 17.30 He admonisheth all men to Repent
ashes 3 Consider thy forlorne and cursed condition till thou dost repent thou art without GOD he that sinneth hath neither seene God nor knoweth him Iohn 3.6 Thou lyest in a state wherein thou art not capable of Gods mercy for God will not be mencifull to that man Deut. 29.120 Nay he cannot vnlesse he can be vniust in bestowing grace vpon the contemners of grace Say not God is mercifull for his bounty would lead thee to Repentance but the heart that cannot repent treasureth vp wrath against the day Rom. 2. Yea thou lyest in a state in which the Angell of the Lords wrath is ready to meet thee as Balaam with death at euery corner Reuel 16.2 The Angell that powred out the Vâ—oâ—s of Gods wrath on the earth the reason is giuen because they repented not of their works and except ye repent ye must perish euerlastingly 2 In this Preparation remember with whom thou hast to deale Repentance is a drawing neere vnto God Iam. 4. Men draw neere vnto GOD many waies by outward profession by inward faith apprehension by prayer and inuocation but especially by Repentance and Conuersion therefore saith Iames Draw neere to God cleanse your hands ye sinners and wash your hearts ye wauering minded for sin estrangeth separateth withdraweth from God but Repentance is a returning to him and striking a new league In this approach to God it will notably set forward Repentance If 1 Thou set him before thee a God cloathed with Maiesty and honour with iustice and wrath against sin this striketh the soule with an awfull feare and dread of God to make it stoope before him See we how the idolatrous person will cast himselfe on his face before his idoll he will goe barefoot creepe along as a worme from one end of the Church to another to get a kisse of it and shall we approach the true God with so little reuerence when they shew so much to Idols It is the feare of God that diminisheth the power of sinne 2 If thou set him before thee in the riches of his mercy in prouiding so excellent a remedy against sinne as is the precious bloud of his deare Sonne when nothing in the world else would serue 1. Pet. 1.10 3 And now to set thy face towards God as Daniel did DaÌ„ 9.2 1 Implying a drawing of the minde from all other distractions occasions as now hauing onely to doe with God who in this duty requireth the whole heart and the powring out of the soule before him 2 To testifie that we are turned quite out of our selues in whom is no helpe and depend onely vpon him for all supplies and mercy 3 In this preparation consider the necessity benefit and vse of Repentance 1 That nothing else can free vs from the snare of the death in which we are captiues 2. Tim. 2.9 2 Nothing else reconcileth vs vnto God and restoreth vs to his fauour 3 Nothing else correcteth the corruption of nature and returneth into innocency 4 Nothing else reneweth our life and course and maketh vs capable of holinesse or happinesse All this preparation is requisite not onely because of Gods command but rash and temerarious vndertaking of religious duties is a taking of Gods name in vaine and fruitlesse 2 If Daniel be not fit till hee be prepared much lesse we who haue so many distractions so much earth so dull spirits 3 There is no comfort in doing the duty but in the well and acceptable doing of it and neuer is it well performed but when we are well prepared CAP. 9. Concerning the wise proceeding in Repentance 2 THe wise proceeding in Repentance standeth in these things 1 To begin the worke within with cleansing the heart Ezek. 18.31 Cast away your transgressions and make you a new heart a new spirit For 1 The heart is the fountaine of actions as that is so are they Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh the hand acteth If the heart bee a fusty vessell the Lord will powre none of his gracious liquor into it As that is so is the whole man If the roote be naught so are the branches so are the fruits 2 This is the most compendious way Wash the inside first saith Christ all shall be cleane A vaine and lost labour it is to offer to stoppe the current of a streame if you goe not to the fountaine a vaine thing in a Gardener to cut off the toppes of weedes and leaue the root which fasteneth it selfe so much the deeper And therefore the Prophet Dauid praying for the grace of Repentance Psal. 51. Wash me purge me hee telleth the Lord where he would haue him begin Create in me a new heart and renew a right spirit 2 Comming outwardly begin with those master sins that are most rooted and haue most foyled vs for as in an army if the Generals and Captaines bee cut off the common souldiers are easily routed so if our chiefest sins which haue been Commanders and borne most sway and rule in vs be mortified and killed the lesser sins will bee more easily subdued and chased 1. Sam. 17.51 When the Philistimâ— saw their Champion Goliah was dead they fled Blast and plucke vp the roote the branches and succours withers of themselues Cut off the right hand right eye Herod had bin in a faire way of Repentance if he could haue begun with Herodias 2. It is obseruable in the Scripture of most true penitents that they begun with the strongest sins Dauid beginneth with his Bathsabeh and testifieth a notable Repentance Psal. 51. Saul once mastering his fury and rage in persecuting hee shall quickly become a zealous Preacher If we could see some men lay aside their malice and hatred of good men which is a strong snare of the deuill wee would hope to see them forward and louing and ioyne themselues with such as walke in the waies of God Zacheus once mastering his pilling and polling and couetous catching after the world becometh a notable example of a true penitent So could we see a worldling an vsurer an oppressour once giue vp his couetousnesse wee should expect any good thing from them Wee should hope to see them diligent in Gods house which now in the weeke day they thinke a losse of time Wee should see them restoring as fast as they fetched in we should see them as liberall to Gods worship and good vses as they haue beene basely griple Wee should see them as mercifull and charitable as they haue beene cruell and vnmercifull We should see with Couetousnesse the roote of all euill all the boughes and branches fall Till this bee done neuer say thou hast repented of any sin for he neuer repented of any sin whose master-sin is alone is spared and vnrepented 3. In wise proceeding when thou hast begun with any sin go through stitch with it not only to the shaking of the root but to the vnrooting and casting it out of the ground for 1. In all
these haue a loud voice to summon vs to daily Repentance for man suffereth for his sin and remoue the cause the effect will cease 4 We stand in need of daily blessings and new fauours and these call on vs to renue our Repentance daily for else our sins will hinder good things from vs either we must remoue them or they will remoue Gods mercies from vs and instead of blessings cast vs into perils and dangers euery moment For time Repentance is also the last duty of a Christan which hee must principally intend For. 1 All naturall motion is swifter to the Center and so supernaturall euery sound grace is most stirring at last and this especially because Sathan is most stirring in temptation and so in his last act is most troublesome and therefore Repentance must bee most busie in thrusting downe the last powers raised against it 2 In sicknesse sorrow and approach of death is great cause of sight sense and godly sorrow for sinne the mother of them Now is a time of humiliation mortification so that now the worst can dissemble a Repentance and therefore now true Repentance cannot but aboue all times shew it selfe 3 The lesse time that grace seeth it hath to worke in the more stirring and working it will be onely grieued that it hath not more and cannot more glorifie God and as friends parting when they take their last farewell they desire to take their fill one of another so the Saintâ— being to bid farewell to godly sorrow are willing to take their fill of it 4 What is it else thou wouldest haue thy Master finde thee doing at his comming but so doing and what else hath the promise of blessednesse what seruant else but hee whom the Master findeth so doing Now the way to doe it well at last is to exercise it well before hand else it will hardly and â—unglingly come off but what a man doth customably and habitually is done easily cunningly and comfortably Nothing but the dispatch of this businesse maketh life sweet and desirable Nothing else affordeth peace with God part in Christ quietnesse of conscience but the comsort of sound Repentance without any of which life is no better than death Nothing but this can allay the feares and bitternesse of death How can the euill seruant but feare to be called to accounts that hath neuer made them ready How can the condemned Pellon but feare the assizes who neuer looked after pardon But why should the soule feare to goe forth to God when it knoweth it is reconciled to him what need he feare sudden death who is euer prepared When a malefactor hath sued out his pardon let the assizes come when they will the sooner the better Neuer will that soule feare to goe to Christ that is in Christ nay it will desire it because it is best of all CAP. 11. Letâ—s of Repentance in respect of sinne THe second thing propounded to further the practise of Repentance is to remoue the lets and impediments which hinder men from the practise of it For The more excellent any duty or grace is the more difficulty there is in attaining it and Repentance being of all graces the first and leader wee must not thinke it easie to come by God seeing it in our nature lightly to set by things we easily come by hath set a price vpon his best blessings that wee might prize them and is not so prodigall of them as to cast them vpon sleepers and sloathfull persons that thinke them worth no paines nor labour And Sathan hangeth such weight on our corruption and by his policy and power so cloggeth and blocketh vp the way to this grace as very few are able and willing to incounter with so many Glants and Hydraes to vndertake so many Herculean labours and difficulties as hee must goe through that meaneth to goe through stitch with sound Repentance Though therefore men vnacquainted with repentance think it the easiest thing in the world an houres worke or dispatched with three words Lord haue mercy yet neuer any true Penitent found it so easie but the hardest taske in all the world and he that commeth in earnest to it must cast his costs and consider whether he bee able to drinke of this cup or no. We shall finde it no small labour to reckon discouer these hinderances and much lesse is he to finde it so that is to grapple with them conquer them These lets being so many may be prosecuted vnder four heads being cast in our waies either by sin or the world or satan or our selues 1 In respect of sin we haue sundry lets 1. loue of sinne 2. seeming profit 3. appearance of pleasure 4. a kinde of credit in sin 1. The loue of sin riseth from the nearnesse long acquaintance and familiarity with vs it being bred and born with vs at boord and bed with vs as neare and deare as our eies and hands vnto vs. And this disordered loue of sinne maketh vs hate and loath all meanes which might worke vs to dislike and forsake it So our Sauiour telleth vs Iohn 3.19 Men loue darkenesse because their deeds are euill This loue of darknesse of sinne maketh men loath the grace of Repentance Now to remoue this lett consider 1. To loue sin is to hate the Lord. Psal. 97.10 All yee that loue the Lord hate all that is euil therefore loue of euill will not stand with loue of God Euery grace is actiue against the contrary 2 To loue sin is to loue death Gen. 2.17 In the day thou sinnest thou shalt dye And to hate his own soule Pro. 8.35 He that sinneth against mee hateth his owne soule And all that hate me loue death Pro. 11.19 3 A child of God cannot but hate his owne sin he hateth the euill he doth and is far from allowing himselfe in it Rom. 7. Yea abhorreth himselfe in dust and ashes for his sinne Iob. 42.6 4 Yea we shall find all the affections of the godly set against sin 1 His sorrow is chiefly for his sin Wee read not that Peter euer wept so bitterly for any suffering as he did for his sin nothing is so contrary to godly sorrow as sinfull ioy 2 His feare watcheth against sinne and flyeth sinne as a serpent yea the occasion and appearance of it 3 His shame is most for his sin The Publican is ashamed to looke towards heauen and the Prodigall ashamed to look to his fathers house 5. Grace wheresoeuer it is resolueth against all sin voweth against all he will work no iniquitie Psal. 119.2 he will with full purpose of heart cleaue vnto the Lord he renueth a daily purpose of not sinning of banishing sin and conquering it 2 In sin is a seeming profit which the sinner is loath to let go The Vsurer will not part from his gainful and vnlawfull trade the Buyer and Seller will not lay aside their oathes and lyes their sleights and deceits by false wares weights lights
Gods iustice 2 God is iust and therefore when he hath made mee of vniust iust and righteous in Christ hee will for euer repute me so Nay euen his iustice cannot but bestow mercy and grace on mee a beleeuer because in Christ I haue fully satisfied his iustice and in Christ deserued his loue 3 God is iust and this is a strong motiue to repent and beleeue in Christ for his iustice will not suffer him to punish one sinne twice nor to demand a debt once paid the second time Nay his iustice assureth mee of mercy 1. Iohn 1.9 If wee acknowledge our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue our sins his iustice assureth repentance of mercy 3 Because I am a grieuous sinner I am no childe of God and so all my Repentance is in vaine Ans. 1. Why are not all grieuous sinners before they repent what was Adam Dauid Peter Paul or what be grieuous sins if poligamie adulterie murder lying denying and forswearing Christ blasphemy persecution breathing slaughter and threatning against the Church bee not Doe not all euen the regenerate pray daily Forgiue vs our trespasses 2 Am I a grieuous sinner I must therefore so much more carefully and earnestly repent I want not encouragement I see that woman who was called a great sinner a notorious adultresse Luke 7. 37. seeeking mercy from Christ receiue that comfortable answer Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee 48. Thy faith hath saued thee Go in peace 50. I see that poor Canaanite whom Christ calleth a dogge yet earnestly seeking mercy gathered some crummes that fel from the Table Gods mercy shall bee more manifested in restoring great sinners his power more magnified in raising dead and rotten sinners my loue more footed as that woman Luke 7.47 Many sins were forgiuen her for she loued much 4 Because I sin daily against God I am none of his in vain seeke for fauour Ans. 1. Our Sauiour teacheth vs to say Our father and yet to pray daily Forgiue vs our trespasses Therefore hee that sins daily may call God father 2 Paul was a child of God being regenerate yet had a body of death and a law of sinne about him daily Rom. 7.24 3 I sinne daily but I repent daily The wicked reioyce in it I sinne and yet resist sinne and striue against it daily I do hatefull things but I hate that I doe I breake the law but yet I loue the law as holy iust good flesh is in me but I am not in the flesh Now tell mee Sathan canst thou gather such sigs of thistles or grapes of thornes who euer heard a childe of hell repent Ob. No did not Esau Iudas Ans. To repent is not onely to know and confesse what is bad and naught as they and as the Gentiles Rom. 2.19 but a change of the heart seene in an earnest affection and strife to loathe the bad and embrace the good And this had not did not they Howsoeuer therefore I confesse my naturall disease discouereth it selfe in daily issues and symptomes yet this sicknesse is not vnto death but that God may bee glorified in raising mee vp by his mighty power I am not 〈◊〉 so low not so long in the graue of sin but his mighty word can and will call mee forth to life CAP. 18. Le ts from Sathan by Temptations to despaire of our Repentance from Impossibilitie Difficultie 3. IF Sathan cannot preuaile to make vs despaire neither of Gods mercie nor our owne estates then he assayeth to bring vs to despaire of our repentance And this in three respects 1. of impossibilitie 2. vnprofitablenesse 3. of relapses or relinquishing Repentance 1. What an impossible thing dost thou attempt dost thou euer thinke to master thy sinnes which are so inbred so neare so necessary so profitable as eyes hands yea as ayre fire or water wilt thou striue against the streame where it is so impossible to ouercome and forsake them How often hast thou purposed promised vowed and resolued to enter the way of Repentance but couldst neuer attaine to goe through against any one sin 2. Thou shalt finde another manner of taske in Repentance than thou dreamest off it calleth for more paines sorrow mortification difficultie prickings of heart than euer thou lookest for or art able to indure and therefore neuer goe about it vnlesse thou hadst more hope to attaine it Answ. Thus the diuell like churlish Laban neuer persecuted Iacob so much as when hee was departing from him and our owne sloathfull corruption saith A Lyon is in the way Prou. 20. and the sluggard saith It is too cold he dareth not goe forth to plow Pro. 29. But to the first concerning the multitude masterfulnesse and necessarinesse of thy sinnes answer thus 1 I discerne indeed an huge army of sinnes and sweet lusts to encounter and these sonnes of Zeruiah are too strong for mee and it is impossible for mee to ouercome them if I looke at my selfe or my owne strength but as Dauid against Goliah I come against these Gyants in the name and strength of the Lord by whom I shall behead them It is he that teacheth my hands to warre and my fingers to fight It is his battaile and hee will giue the victory and close my enemies in my hand 2 I discerne many enemies against me I caÌ„not stand before them but the Lord hath opened mine eyes with Elishâ—'s seruant 2. King 6. that I see more now with me ready to fight on my side than they that are against me thou wouldest deceiue me in carrying both mine eyes in things against me but I behold the Lord neare mee with grace sufficient I see what spirituall helpe and succour he is ready to supply me with while I constantly cleaue to his helpe 3 Though I be to deale with many and mighty sins yet they are already conquered enemies spoyled of their power by the victory of Iesus Christ my Lord so as I haue nothing to doe but follow the chase and spoyle of vanquished forces 4 Though they were neuer so deare and beloued sinnes yet must I heare the voice of God saying as to Abraham Take thy sonne Isaac whom thou louest and offer to mee in sacrifice though indeed what euer they pretend such is their loue as if I kill not them they will kill me and therefore though I haue sometimes vowed resolued and purposed Repentance in vaine now by the grace of God I will make a new onset to better purpose A Souldier though hee haue once turned his backe will fight againe and wounded the second time will seeke cure againe A Merchant brought behind hand will trade againe more cautelously a Mariner that hath suffered shipwracke will to sea againe and trafficke againe and I will neuer be such a slaue as though I be preuented againe and againe yet I will seeke my liberty still 2 But whereas thou obiectest the difficulty sorrow paine and vnconquerable labour of Repentance I answer 1 Were the worke of
vnto which he findeth himselfe bound in many strong obligations as when he considereth how many sins are forgiuen him he cannot chuse but loue much and that his reconciliation is made by the death of Iesus Christ the Sonne of Gods loue through whom as a Conduit pipe all grace floweth into him here is the strongest attractiue and load-stone of loue that euer was If great benefits and gifts bee great binders what is the greatest gift of all the giuing of his Sonne to be a surety and satisfaction for sinne 2 When he considereth that the Lord should chuse him so vile a creature to such grace of life not onely remouing infinite euils but in conferring so many mercies as are beyond all his thoughts not onely redeeming him by his Sonne but gouerning him by his spirit teaching him by his word and lading him with blessings daily and this he should doe to him passing by so many millions of men yet in their sins euery one as good in their nature as he That hee should make his habitation in Goshen light when all Egypt sitteth in darkenesse That his fleece alone as Gideons should bee watered with the dew of blessing and so many earthly men round about him dry and destitute of grace Oh what a vehement loue will all this raise in the heart of a conuerted man 3 When he considereth how the Lord hath heard his prayer in his tribulation and answered him both in giuing and forgiuing and turned his sorrowfull seed time into a full haruest of ioy deliuered his eyes from teares his soule from death his feet from falling filled his soule with consolations of God peace of heart and ioy of the holy Ghost vnspeakable and glorious oh how will this as bellowes blow vp a bright flame of holy and feruent loue vnto God for his goodnesse Psal. 116.1 This heart will not suffer such blessings to raine as vpon the sands which are vnfruitfull but will be deuising how to returne loue for loue and in this returne nothing shall be thought too good for God As he hath receiued Gods best blessings so he will returne of the best as hee hath receiued liberally from God he will returne liberally vnto God 2. Sam. 24. Dauid will not offer to the Lord of that which cost him nothing Israel deliuered from sea will offer their eare rings Iewels to the Tabernacle Exod 30. The worldling as a beast drinketh of the brooke thinketh not of the spring but the conuert drinking of these sweet waters of consolations riseth vp to the wel-spring and head of them with loue and praises The second holy affection toward God is a child-like feare and awe of God I say childe-like because it is twisted with loue and issueth from it Hee seeth 1 How contrary he hath beene to the pure and holy nature of God how contrary to his image and grace how contrary in his will to the righteous will and pleasure of God Fire and water light and darkenesse were not more contrary nay he findeth still a restance in himselfe a rebellion a law of members relucting against the law of his minde and hath great reason to feare his own impotency and inclination to be led aside by the slyenesse and deceitfulnesse of sinne 2 He seeth more need of Gods fauour than life it selfe and how hardly but happily he hath attained it and now no maruell if his chief care be to retaine it He feareth now to forfeit or cloud the beames of this happy sunne Psal. 89. He resolueth against whatsoeuer may offend God might he gaine a world by it Ioseph might haue gained fauour pleasure wealth by yeelding to his Mistresse But can I saith he doe this and sin against God The third affection towards God is desire and breathing out continuall and strong cryes for grace against corruption for the Lord giueth not onely grace asked but grace to aske A man truely conuerted retaineth still godly sorrow and continuall prickings of heart as holy Paul was euer complaining of himselfe after his calling for former sins and present corruptions and hereby discerneth that the greatest happinesse standeth in pardon of sinne and that in this world it can neuer get farre enough into this happinesse it can neuer get sense and assurance enough of the pardon of sinne and therefore cryeth importunately after the sense of the ioy of his saluation Psal. 51. 2 He seeth the deepe dye of his sins and how hardly he parteth with his spots and so groweth instant almost endlesse in his petitions and repetitions that God would stil wash him cleanse him purge him with Isope and make him whiter than snow he knoweth none in heauen or earth is able to purge him but God alone This fountain is neither Arbanah nor Pharphar riuers of Damascus nor Iordan nor out of any other Cisterne than the fountaine of liuing water for as Creation belongeth onely to God so doth redemption iustification and remission of sins and sanctification by the bloud of Christ and spirit of God 3 He seeth the strong sinewes of sinne yet in himselfe what an heart of Oake it hath within him how little he profiteth by his striâ—e against it how sinne repented returneth and recoyleth vpon him as the vncleane spirit cast out returneth againe And hence is he earnest in daily prayer for daily strength for that spirit of grace and strength to take his part that he may find the power of sinne shaken and weakened in him and hee carry victory against them thus in sense of smart steynes strength of sinne neuer did a starued beggar more importunately desire reliefe nor a condemned man a pardon than hee doth further sense of mercy grace strength and is restlesse till he haue gotten them in good measure CAP. 36. Signes of Repentance in respect of others 3 THe signes of true Repentance in respect of others 1 A man truely humbled will esteeme of others better than of himselfe Phil. 2.3 For 1. his minde is cleared to see his owne euils greater than all mens else so Paul esteemeth himselfe the chiefe of all sinners 2 His heart is smitten and humbled and so deiected in himselfe as that he thinketh himselfe too meane for any ranke or place with GOD or good men The returned Prodigall comming to himselfe confessed hee is not worthy to be set amongst the meanest seruants in his fathers house whereas a proud man that neuer saw himselfe is so farre from casting down himselfe that hee thinketh euery place too meane for him that euery mans sheafe must bow to his he thanketh God as the Pharisee he is not as others nor so bad as the Publican Obiect But sound grace is not blinde it is able to spye a difference betweene himselfe and a gracelesse man It knoweth that a small measure of grace is of much worth before GOD whereas a gracelesse man is little worth Answ. As by light wee see light so by grace the light of grace which sheweth vs that grace
remoue the crosse wee must remoue sinne remoue the cause the effect will cease a folly it is to thinke that fire will dye of it selfe while it lurketh in matter combustible no more can the fire of Gods wrath kindled in such seuerity secondly no Repentance no remission no forsaking of sinne no forgiuenesse of sin God can powre none of his mercy into thee till thou by conuersion become a vessell of mercy and therfore let me perswade â—s Ezek. 18.30 Returne and cause others to returne from all iniquities if you would not haue iniquity to be your destruction No waters but of Repentance can quench the fire of wrath kindled no other fountaine is opened to Ierusalem for sinne Zach. 12.1 CAP. 39. Motiues to Repentance in regard of God THe second Motiue If we looke towards GOD wee want no incitements to Repentance as 1 Without Repentance wee haue nothing to doe with God no fellowship no society two cannot walke together vnlesse they be friends without Repentance we are without God as rebels gone out in rebellion against their Prince and country 1. Ioh. 3.6 Whosoeuer sinneth hath not seene God nor knoweth him Ephes. 2.12 Of all naturall men it is said that they are aliens and strangers without Christ without hope without God in the world Onely by Repentance we are gathered into God againe An impenitent person is in no other request with GOD than an Heathen or Atheist 2 In God wee may behold a strict iustice and vnauoidable Let a world of sinners combine against God it shall bee washed away with waters of wrath that would not wash themselues in the teares and waters of Repentance Let a world of Angels sinne against God those mighty and glorious creatures cannot make their party good against this iustice but shall bee cast into perpetuall chaines of blacke darkenesse Let Ionah a godly man sinne against God and runne another way neither shall the ship nor the Mariners skill nor toyle saue him from the tempest Oh then shall I goe on in sin to dare this iustice shall I by an heart hardened not knowing Repentance heape vp wrath against the day of wrath Did not I obserue the Angell powring out vials of wrath on them that repented not of their workes Reuel 16.11 Hath not this iustice appointed a day wherein he will iudge the world by Iesus Christ and should not this admonish me to hasten my Repentance Acts 17.30 3 In God we behold an ocean of mercies which mercies of God should leade vs to Repentance Rom. 2 4. and shall we let them lye by vs as things we make no vse of whereas euery mercy should be a Sermon of Repentance But let vs see how this mercy inuiteth vs. 1 He hath proclaimed himselfe mercifull gracious one that repenteth him of our euill that we should repent of our owne ready to forgiue nay comming out to meet vs vpon our returne as the Father of the Prodigall one that wooâ—th and seeketh and calleth vs Turne yee turne ye why will yee dye 2. His mercie hath made many mercifull promises but only to the repenting sinner are they made and made good And indeed God neither can nor wil be mercifull to any but penitent sinners While thy rebellions increase how can I be mercifull vnto thee how can I spare thee for these things Ier. 5.7 And for his will Deut. 29.20 God will not bee mercifull to such a man Wouldst thou feed sauourly vpon the promises of this life or a better thou must season them all with the sharpe sauce of Repentance and godly sorrow to which they are all inteyled Only on condition thou turn to the Almighty thou shalt bee built vp and lay vp gold as dust Iob 22.23 If thou cease to doe euill and learne to do well thou shalt haue thy sins washed and eate the good things of the land Esay 1. 3. This mercy repelleth no penitent sinner but receiueth the greatest sinners vpon return Esay 1.18 Wash you cleanse you then if your sins were red as scarlet they shall be white as snow No sins can foyle this mercie The poor penitent Theefe was not despised nor the poor Woman called a great sinner when she powred teares vpon Christ hee condemned not the poore Woman deprehended in the act of adulterie standing penitently before him nor reiected the Disciple that denied and reiected him nor the Persecutor of the Disciples the Oppresâ—or of the Church but receiuâ—d him to mercie 1. Tim. 1.13 〈◊〉 will hee shut the doore to thee repenting that opened it to these 4. Sinnes against mercy cast the sinner into seueritie of iustice sins against the remedie bring miseries remedilesse Oh that we were wise to say Shall I sin against such mercy hath the Lord done me all this good in my soule body in my selfe and mine in outward mercies and inward for this life and a better that I should repay him euill for good loade him with daily sins for lading me with blessings daily Why haue not we the vnderstanding of men in vs to conceiue that our mercy to our sins preuenteth Gods mercy to our soules shall a seruant the kinder the Master is be so much the more carelesse to prouoke him Did Ioseph reason so Would we brooke it at our seruants hand Will God at ours A graciouâ— heart will conclude as Psal. 130.4 Mercy is with thee that thou mayest bee feared Let me by these mercies of God beseech you to giue vp your selues vnto him 4. Looke vpon God in all his ordinances wherein are offers of greatest mercie and sanctified as blessed meanes of attaining the whole grace reuealed by the Gospell without Repentance they are not onely vnprofitable but most hurtfull yea and damnable The Word which I speak saith Christ shall iudge you at the last day speaking to the impenitent Iewes The sweet tydings of the Gospell are a sauour of death to this man The word will take hold on the impenitent person one time or other Zach. 1.4 The Sacraments doe him no good but mischiefe that by impenitencie casteth poyson into the Lords cup. 1. Cor. 11.26 He eateth and drinketh his owne damnation euen the Lords table is a snare to a wicked man The guest that came into the Supper without the wedding garment heard the dolefull sentence Take him binde him hand and foot c. His prayers are abominable so long as he turneth his eare from hearing the Law Prov. 18. Psal 66. If I regard wickedness in my heart God will not heare my prayer Isay 1.15 When you stretch your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and though you make many prayers I will not heare for your hands are full of blood Neuer say Lord Lord if thou doe not his Commandement His whole profession is hatefull Psal. 50. What hast thou to do to take my word in thy mouth hatest to be reformed 5. Looke vpon God in the throne of his glory who would not enioy the glory of God in heauen who professeth
sinner committeth high treason against the crowne and dignity of the God of heauen and is daily drawing neerer his execution a pardon is offered freely in the Gospell grace and mercy are offered but hee by impenitency thrusteth away the word of life scorneth the messengers iustifieth and defendeth his sinne here is a spirituall madnesse and frenzy What a folly is it whereas a man will doe nothing to make his finger ake he would not be hyred to hold his finger in the flame of a candle a moment for any money or gold hee will scarce tast a bitter potion for recouery of health yet this man maketh no bones of that which will bring endlesse torment in hell fire he sticketh not to drink vp a cup of poyson the nature of which is the further it goeth the more incurable it is hee nourisheth a serpent in his bosome which hath teeth and sting and poyson enough hee carryeth euery day a fagot to burne himselfe Oh now will not all this bring the sinner backe with Dauid to say Oh I haue done very foolishly The stung Israelites looked to the brasen serpent and liued they needed not be bidden but wee haue need to bee vrged to loâ—ke vpon Christ lifted vp vpon the pole of the Crosse and yet will not doe so little for our selues and cure What a folly is it for a man to fall and not offer to rise no man in his sense would lye still Oh then remember whence thou art fallen and doe thy first workes and repent 3 All sinne remaineth in full power and condemning force vpon the soule without Repentance Ioh. 9.41 Now you say you see your sinne remaineth in the guilt in the staine in the domination and reigne in the damnation of it Thou wast a swearer an adulterer a hater of God and an enemy to grace a persecutor of Christ and thou art so still if thou hast not repented Sinne hangeth like a burre on the impenitent person it parteth not in life nor in death but lyeth downe in the dust with him and riseth with him it goeth to iudgement with him and is sent to hell with him the wrath of God abideth on him because his sinne abideth with him 4 Of all sinnes impenitency is the greatest and nearest to iudgement Reuel 2.20 Iezabel had time to repent giuen her but repented not and therefore was cast into a bed of sorrow This was noted in Saul 1. Chron. 10 13. Saul dyed for his transgression but what was his transgression First hee disobeyed the commandement secondly hee sought to a Witch thirdly hee sought not to the Lord and therfore the Lord slue him True it is that euery sinne is damnable but no sinne actually condemneth but impenitency and therefore the greatest of sinnes is not to repent of sinne Let it not be said of thee as of Herod yet he added this aboue all that thou being so great a sinner hast not yet repented 3 Looke vpon thy selfe in respect of thy good duties 1 None can be good in thee till thou hast repented first the tree must be good and then the fruit first Abels person was accepted and then his sacrifice but to Caine and his sacrifice he had no respect 2 Nay in the best euen the best duties must bee begun and finâ—shed with Repentance without which the best seruice is vnprofitable and sinfully defectiue Nehemiah in building vp the wall in commanding the Sabbath to bee kept desireth to be remembred in goodnesse and pardoned Neh. 13.12 Repent and pray repent and be baptized repent and receiue the Sacraments else sinne will hinder 4 Looke on thy selfe in thy estate and condition both in respect of sinne and of change and Repentance 1 Looke vpon thy estate of corruption for time Past Present To come 1 What hath thy whole life past been before grace Col 1.21 Paul wisheth them to consider that in times past they were strangers and enemies hauing their mindes set on euill works and 1. Pet. 4.3 It is sufficient that we haue spent our time past in the lusts of the Gentiles in wantonnesse lusts gluttony drunkennesse So dost thou see thy sinnes for number and weight as the sands already and for the manner of committing them against such light and meanes so out of measure sinful and dost thou not say It is sufficient 2 What is thy whole present course without grace 1 To goe on in sin is wilfully to perish and murther our owne soules the case being worse with vs than that mans that fell among theeues we lye not halfe but wholly dead God sendeth his Sonne the good Samaritane to binde vp our wounds to temper a remedy of his owne heart bloud when no herbe or simple was left in heauen or earth for our cure Now we in stead of thankefull acceptance and application of this remedy by going on in sinne we tread vnder foote this pretious bloud nay we make our wounds larger and bigger euery day than other 2 Euery man is euery day nearer his end his death and iudgement we are going before Gods tribunall and to the barre of his iudgement and shall we be so mad as euen in the way to multiply our misdemeanours A malefactor going to the barre or to execution if he should cut a purse by the way would not euery one thinke hanging too good for him This is the case of euery impenitent person liuing in the practise of sinne euen in the way to his execution 3 What will bee thy case in time to come going on in sin 1 In the approach of death Sathan will asâ—ayle with all his strength that in the last combat he may breake the necke of thy soule and hee hauing the strength of a mans owne sinnes vnsubdued and vnmastered he easily attaineth his purpose then setteth hee euery small sinne before the eye in the magnitude of a huge mountaine and the curse due vnto it to the breaking of the heart of a sinner Now is the guilty conscience in a wofull case stricken through with terror and torment Now hee seeth that whereas hee thought to haue got out of sin at the furthest at his death how weake and sicke his Repentance is how strong vnconquerable and gyant-like his sinne is and all concludeth with sathan against him he seeth where the strong man hath long dwelt he is not easily cast out but as he hath liued so he is likely to dye for as the tree leaneth so commonly it falleth and as it falleth so it lyeth 2 If all this will not moue thee consider what followeth after death the time hasteneth wherein thou shalt bee naked before the Lord the Iudge of all in the sight of Angels Men and Diuels Before thee a terrible Iudge to condemne thee and with him the Saints shall iudge the world and giue witnesse against thy sin On the one hand Sathan who tempteth thee shall now accuse thee On the other the Angels ministring spirits shall be ready as a fagot to binde thee and cast thee into hell within thee an accusing conscience as a thousand witnesses against thee shall bring to minde all sinnes and circumstances long since forgotten Beneath thee hell ready to deuoure thee none shall be admitted to speake for thee and thy selfe shalt bee speechlesse and canst not speake for thy selfe so as sentence must needes passe against thee and thou deliuered to the Deuill whose will thou didst diligently execute here that hee may now haue his will and delight in thy endlesse torment Oh therefore vse meanes to preuent this ruful condition come out of thy sin betime hye thee apace out of Sodome lay aside thine owne folly now take Gods warning heare the raps of Christ now knocking at the doore of thy heart by the hammer of his Word Spirit Mercies Iudgements Now follow the Motion let not Sathan or sin beguile thee any longer to hold thee off from Repentance 2. See thy happy change and blessed estate by this grace of Repentance 1. Of all gifts a broken heart is the rarest and happiest the humble heart in stead of lodging foule sins and lusts becommeth a lodge for the highest God who pleaseth to dwel with a broken and contrite heart What an happy change of a stony heart into flesh 2. The very first act of Repentance bringeth pardon of sin Psal. 32. I said I will confesse thou forgauest 2. Sam. 12.13 Dauid no sooner said I haue sinned but Nathan said The Lord hath put away thy sin And the continuance of it bringeth and continueth a sweet sense and assurance of remission in the heart It is not with God as in mens Courts Confesse and iudgement runneth against but in Gods Confesse and the Law is satisfied In mens Courts Confession and Condemnation goe together in Gods Confession and Iustification Iudge thy selfe and preuent the iudgment of God 3. What an happy and welcome change were it of age into youth Nature cannot worke it grace can The old man is put off the new man put on Of old men wee become young and smug againe renewing our strength as the Eagle Psal. 103. And this change by grace forerunneth that great change by glorie and is the beginning of it When these base earthly bodies shall become spirituall bodies and this very peece of clay shall shine as the Sun when corruption shall put on incorruption and these ignorant sinfull soules shall put on a perfect image of Godâ— and the whole man become like the Angels themselues Whom these considerations cannot moue I suppose nothing can Thus I haue somewhat largely intreated out of this Text of the Practice of Repentance in the Rules Le ts Helpes Markes and Motiues I will conclude the Treatise with that of our Sauiour If ye heare these things blessed are yee if yee doe them and end as I began with the words of the Text If yee repent not yee shall all perish There is no greater miserie than to bee without miserie no greater sorrow than to bee without the sorrow of sound Repentance FINIS Note 1. Note 2. Reason Vse 1. Note 3. Vse Reason Secondly the Cautions Reason Deut. 5 Reas. 1. Conclus Conclus 3 Conclus 4 Reas. â— Reason 1 Rule 3. The fourth Let. Let 4. Conclus 1. Conclus 2. Reason Reason Vse
THE PRACTISE OF REPENTANCE Laid downe in sundry directions together with the Helpes Le ts Signes and Motiues In an easie Method according to the Table prefixed As it was preached in Aldermanbury by THOMAS TAYLOR LONDON Printed for I. Bartlet at the gilt Cup in Cheapeside 1628. A Table of the chiefe things contained in the seuerall Chapters of the TREATISE Cap. 1. THe ground and occasion of the Treatise p. 1 The occasion and meaning of the words p. 5 We may not iudge of mens persons by their outward condition p. 9 In all our conferences we must take occasion to edifie one another p. 13 Euery man must make vse to himselfe of Gods iudgements on others p. 14 The onely way to preuent perdition is Repentance p. 15 Cap. 2. What Repentance is p. 17 The onely efficient cause of it is the Spirit of God it is beyond the power of nature p. 18 Why we haue commands from God to repent though it â—ee not iâ— our power p. 21 How the Spirit workes repentance p. 22 Cap. 3. The subiect of Repentance is the beleeuer p. 25 Faith goeth before Repentance not Repentance before faith p. 26 Câ—â—tioâ—s to be taken with this truth p. 30 Thâ—se places answered where Repentance is set before faith in Scripture p. 31 What the act or formâ— of Repentance is p. 32 Cap. 4. The â—earmes from whence and whither a man must turne first from all sin secondly to God with forcible reasons of both p. 34 It is not enough to cease to doe euill vnlesse we learne to doe well p. 38 True Repentance hath God still in its eye p. 39 Cap. 5. What Repentance is not p. 41 It is not Ciuility which a great part of the world mistakes for it p. 41 It is not euery sorrow for sin though deepe p. 42 Signes of that sorrow that is a part of true Repentance It is not euery leauing of sin that is Repentance vnlesse there bee a change and reformation p. 45 Outward abstinence from sinne no reformation p. 46 Cutting off of some sinnes without a rooting of them vp is no Repentance p. 47 Conquering of sin not alwaies reformation p. 48 Euery reformation is not Repentance vnlesse the whole man bee changed p. 48 Euery change of the whole man is not Repentance vnlesse it be from all sinne p. 50 Turning from all sinne is not Repentance vnlesse there be a turning to God p. 51. Cap. 6. Rules concerning the persons that must Repent p. 52 Euery man must repent for sundry reasons p. 53 Naturall and vnregenerate men though neuer so ciuill p. 56 Godly and regenerate men euen the best p. 59 Young men for sundry reasons p. 61 Old men for diuers reasons p. 63 Women must repent as well as men p. 64 Cap. 7. Rules concerning sins to be repented of p. 66. All sins must be repented of p. 67 Sins both known and vnknown p. 69 How vnknowne sins may be repented of p. 69 The smallest sins must be repented of for sundry reasons p. 71 Sins of knowledge and presumption must be repented of p. 73 Sins also of aggrauating and scandalous circumstance as p. 75 Customable sins p. 75 Sweet and pleasing sins p. 76 Sins after conuersion especially p. 77 Sins against meanes p. 78 Sins of open profanenesse against holy times places exercises persons p. 79 Cap. 8. Rules concerning the manner of entrance into the duty of repentance p. 81 It must be entred vpon with preparation ibid. Meanes to helpe forward the preparation required viz. p. 82. c. 1 A serious consideration of the blissefull estate lost by sin p. 82 2 Of the miserable estate wee are now in and shall continue in till we repent p. 83. c. 3 Serious thoughts of the God with whom we haue to deale in this businesse chiefly of his Maiesty Iustice anger at sin and of his rich mercy in Christ. p. 25.86 3 A consideration of the necessity and benefit of Repentance p. 87 Cap. 9. Rules concerning the wise proceeding in the duty of Repentance p. 88 1 The worke of Repentance must be begun within with the cleansing of the heart p. 89 2 Outwardly begin with some master sin to root out that p. 90 3 Cease not till it be quite rooted vp and cast out p. 93 4 Rest not in the rooting out of sin till there is rooting and growth in the contrary grace p. 95 Trust not Repentance as sound till then p. 97 Cap. 10. Rules concerning the time of Repentance p. 99 The time wherein alone it is possible a man can repent is the whole time of his life and onely that time p. 99. c. The time of necessity wherein men ought to Repent is all the time of their life p. 102 1 A Christians life should be begun with repentance for sundry weighty reasons p. 102 2 Continued in the exercise of repentance p. 109 3 Ended with repentance p. 111 Cap. 12. Of the Lets of repentance from the world p. 130 1 Feare of contempt and reproch from the world p 133 A preseruatiue against it p. 135 2 Feare of the losse of friends if wee repent p 141 This rub remoued p. 142 Cap. 13. 3 Of another Let from the world viz. the paucity small number of Penitents in the world p. 146 The antidote against it p. 147 Cap. 15. Of the Lets of repentance from Sathan p. 166 1 He labours to perswade vs of the goodnesse of our present naturall estate by sundry arguments p. 167. c. Answers to such Arguments p. 168. c. Cap. 16. 2 Of a second rub Satan casts in our way to hinder repentance viz. If he cannot bring men to please themselues with their naturall estates he labours to worke men to so great a dislike of their conditions as to drowne them in the gulâ—e of despaire p. 176 1 Sathan labours to worke men to a despaire of Gods mercy by diuers arguments p. 177. Helpes against them p. 177. c. Cap. 17. 2 Sathan labours to hinder repentance by bringing men to a despaire of themselues and their owne conditions by diuers reasons p. 185 Answers to such temptations p. 186. c. Cap. 18. 3 Sathan labours to bring men to despaire of their repentance 1 He would perswade men it is impossible by diuers arguments p. 195 His argumeÌ„ts answered p. 196. c. Cap. 19. 2. The Deuill labours·to keepe men off from repentance by perswadiâ—g them t is vnprofitable p. 207 Such temptations answered ibid. Cap. 20. 3. The Deuill labours to hinder mens repentance by obiecting their relapses and fallings after repentance p. 211 Comfortable answers to such temptations ibid. Cap 21. 3. Of the third rub the Deuil layes in mens way to hinder their repentance viz. Presumption When he cannot driue them to despair neither of Gods mercy nor their own estate nor their repentance hee assaies to make them presume of mercy without Repentance p. 215 1. Hee perswades a sinner his sinnes are not great
p. 216 Answer to this Temptation ibid. c. Cap. 22. 2. The Diuell labours to perswade men Christ dyed for all p. 220 That obiection answered ibid. c. Cap. 23. 3. The Deuill perswades men that God is mercifull and therefore they neede not so trouble themselues with repentance p. 230 Answer to this temptation p. 231 c. Cap. 24. Of the lets of Repentance from our selues which we cast in our owne way p. 239 1. A conceit wee haue that repentance is harsh and vnpleasing to nature ibid. Helps against this let 240 Cap. 25 2. Of the second let wee hinder our repentance withall viz. the certaintie of Gods decree of election and reprobation p. 243.244 If we are elected say men wee shall be saued without this repentance if reprobated all our repentance will not saue vs. This dangerous subtiltie met withall p. 245. c. Cap. 26. 3. Of the third rub men câ—st in thâ—ir own way to hâ—ld themselues from Repentance viz. the comfortable liues and deaths of many impenitents and the vncomfortable liues and ends of godly persons and such as haue beene most penitent p. 252 Answer tâ— this obiection p. 253 Cap. 27. 4. Of the fourth let to repentance from our selues Men conceiue Repentance very easie p 258 This conceit met withall ibid. c. Cap. 28. 5. Of the last lâ—t we hinder our repentance withall Men obiect the vnseasonablenesse of Repentance p. 263 Some thinke it too soone to repent ibid. These haue their answer ibid. c. Some think it too late to repent p. 269 These comforted and encouraged p. 270. Cap. 29. Of the meanes of Repentance in respect of sin Serious humiliation necessary to Repentance proud persons vncapable of it p. 273 Meanes to attaine Repentance 1. To get a cleare sight of sin and our miserie by it p. 274 2. True sorrow for it p. 275 3. A holy despaire in our selues of deliuerance by any meanes of our owne p. 276 A direction to get acquaintance with the morall Law very vsefull to worke our hearts to a sight of sin c. 277. c. Cap. 30. Of the meanes of Repentance in respect of God 1. His word a notable meanes to worke Repentance p. 281 The Law see how p. 283 The Gospell see how ibid. c. What men must doe that the Word may further their repentance p. 284. 2. Thoughts of Gods eye alwaies vpon vs in all our waies p. 285 3. A consideration of Gods hand both of mercie and iustice a forcible meanes to worke repentance Of mercie p. 286 Of iustice both on our selues and others p. 288. c. 4. A serious consideration of our relation to God a means to work Repentance p. 291 Cap. 31. Of the meanes of Repentance in respect of Christ viz. 1. Serious thoughts of the greatnes of his person and nearnesse to his Father p. 295 2. Of the heauy things hee suffered for sin p. 296 3. Of the basenesse of the persons for whom he suffred such things ibid. c. Cap. 32. Of the meanes of repentance in regard of our selues 1 T is a profitable means to further our repentance to consider our desires and affections both what they are and what they ought to be p. 300 2. To recount our liues and actions what they are and ought to be p. 301 3. To consider seriously the checks of our consciences p. 302 4. To remember our latter end p. 304 Cap. 33. Of the meanes of repentance in respect of others How we may further our repentance by good men p. 305 How repentance may be furthered by bad men and enemies to grace p. 306 Cap. 34. Of the markes of repentance in respect of sin 1 A true penitent remembers his sin though remitted with shame and sorrow p. 309 2 He will aggrauate his sin when he beholds it p. 311 3 He hates all sin euery where p. 314 4 He resists and holds fight against all sin 316 5 He relinquisheth his sin in true endeauours and neuer turneth to it any more 318 6 In his strife and resistance of sin he differenceth himselfe from the hypocrites in that he sets himselfe against sin vniuersally and sincerely p. 320. c. Cap. 35. Of the markes of repentance in respect of God 1 True repentance shewes it selfe by a sincere loue of God p. 327 2. By a childish feare awe of God p. 331. 3. By strong cries for grace against corruption p. 332 Cap. 36. Of markes of repentance in respect of others 1 A man truly humbled by repentance will esteeme of others better than himselfe p. 335 How a man ought to esteeme another better than himselfe though hee see in him grosse faults p. 337. c. 2. He is soft and gentle vnto others p. 339 3. The faults he espieth in others he will condemne in himselfe if not in the act and habit yet in the seede and inclination p. 340. 4. Hee will doe his best to draw others out of sin p. 341 Cap. 37. Of the signes of Repentance in respect of ones selfe 1. A true penitent iudgeth himself proceeds against himselfe iudicially and impartially p 344 The fruit and vse of iudging p. 345 The manner of a penitents iudging and proceeding against himselfe p. 345. c. 2 He reneweth himselfe daily p. 350 Wherein a true penitent reneweth and changeth himselfe p. 350. c. 3 He strengthens himselfe against lusts and the assaults of sin for time to come p. 354 How he armes himself see ibid. c. 4 Hee prepareth himselfe by daily exercise of repentance for Christs appearing p. 357. c. Cap. 38. Of the motiues to repentance from the necessity of it It is most necessary a man should repent p. 360 1 If we looke at the nature of sin ibid. c. 2 At the inseparable companions and effects of it p. 362. c. Cap. 39. Of motiues to repentance in regard of God 1 Our owne vnfitnesse to haue any fellowship with God without repentance p. 365 2 That strict iustice that is in God p. 366 3 His rich mercy p. 367 4 The vnprofitablenesse of all Gods ordinances without repentance p. 371 5 An impossibility of enioying God in glory without it p. 373 Cap. 40. Of motiues to repentance in respect of Christ. 1 His surpassing loue p. 375 2 His bitter passion with the end of it ibid. c. 3 Consider our relation to him p. 378 Cap. 41. Of motiues to repentance from ones selfe 1 Both the whole and parts of man call for repentance p. 379 2 His sins shew t is high time to practise repentance p. 380 FINIS A TREATISE Wherin is handled the PRACTICE of REPENTANCE LVK. 13.3 Except yee Repent c. CAP. 1. The ground of the Treatise FIrst the occasion of chusing this Text and argument Vpon occasion of Peters repentance which I haue opened vnto you I entred into a more serious consideration of the duty and conceiued 1 That Precepts and Examples must goe together
poore but according to the presence or absence of grace and spirituall riches He iudgeth not by accidents but substances Vse Mis-iudge not thy selfe or others as loued of GOD because rich and outwardly prosperous commonly the lighter scale is higher and a rich man if wicked an enemy to goodnes ought to haue no more fauour and respect among men than hee hath with GOD and that is little enough though as high as Nero Pharaoh alwaies holding offices of relation in diuine and ciuill societies but else greatnes seuered from goodnesse is in great detestation with God as his sinne is greater 2 Nor iudge thy selfe hated for pouerty sicknesse temptations GOD neither chuseth nor refuseth for this 3 Nor haue the faith of God in respect of persons to embrace rich Professours and despise the poore God doth not so Grace in the poorest man is as acceptable to him as in the richest 3 The direction to preuent iudgement from themselues Except yee repent ye shall likewise perish that is as miserably and cruelly The word Perhaps pointeth not out the same kinde of death but a destruction not lesse seuere and a perdition as miserable of body and soule And some there be who conceit the very manner of perdition to bee not much vnlike and that the Lord had respect vnto the generall perdition of the Iewes by the Romans forty yeares after For as Pilat mingled the bloud of the Galilaeans with their sacrifices so did the Romans mingle the bloud of the Iewes with their sacrifices at the feast of the Passeouer for then they destroyed them as the eighteen men were slaine with the fall of the tower of Siloah when they were building it as was likely so the Iewes if they repented not were to bee oppressed and suddenly slaine in the ruines of the City and Temple as after it came to passe Note 1. In all our conferences and telling newes and relations one to another let vs learne to take occasion to edifie one another and excite to faith and repentance after the example of Christ who on this occasion exhorteth them to repent So the Apostle would haue all our speech sauorie and tend to edification especially seeing the iudgements of God breaking out in the Church and in the World let vs not speak of them as Newes to fill vp discourse but to help forward our Repentance and Amendment Note 2. Euery man must make vse to himselfe of Gods iudgements on others These men began to condemne them on whom the iudgement fell and our Lord leadeth them home to iudge and condemne themselues 1. Gods end of his iudgement on others is not their condemnation by vs but our emendation by them 2. Why else doth the Lord strike others and spare vs but that we might be wiser by other mens harmest hat whilst he expecteth our amendment his bountifulnesse and patience should lead vs to repentance 3. It is iust with God that those that will not take example should make examples that if they will not bee bettered by other mens harmes others may be bettered by theirs Vse In all spectacles of Gods iustice euery man enter into himselfe and search his owne heart and he shall find that euill of sin which might iustly bring that or a greater euill of punishment vpon himselfe as our Sauiour here implieth Thus for a man to begin with his own sins and lay them in the right scale will keepe him from insulting ouer them who haue perished and cause him to deiect himselfe in true repentance lest hee likewise perish We can see the originall of affliction in others and exaggerate the sin but in our owne we doe not Note 3. The only way to preuent deserued perdition is Repentance sinne bringeth iudgement and only Repentance preuenteth it Ier. 3.12 Returne O thou disobedient Israel and I will not let my wrath fall for I am mercifull Nineueh was threatned the time of destruction set yet Repentance preuented it Vse To prouoke vs to repent that we may partake of the riches of Gods mercy in the Gospell to quit vs from the condemnation of the Law Heare the sweete voice and warning of the Lord to his people Turne ye turne ye Oh why will you dye Except ye turne ye must dye 2. Perswade thy heart of the necessity of repentance thy sin hath kindled the fire of Gods wrath he must be iust and only repentance is as water to quench this fire 3. Take timely pitie on thy selfe why wilt thou treasure wrath still Rom. 2. If thou carest little for thy selfe pity the Church and Kingdome Reuel 2. the Church is threatned Repent or I will come against thee Beware it be neuer said of thee as of Thiatyra I gaue her space to repent and shee repented not lest it follow And I cast her into a bed of sorrow CAP. 2. What Repentance is IN Repentance coÌ„sider 1. The Treatise and doctrine 2. The Practice and application The treatise being set downe to our hand by sundry worthie Writers of our owne Age and Country I will not further prosecute it than by deliuering and opening a short description of Repentance that we may know what we are exhorted and incited vnto Repentance is a grace of God wheroby a Beleeuer turneth from all sin vnto God Where is 1. The efficient 2. the subiect 3. the act or forme of it 4. the termes whence and whither it turneth from all sinne to God 1. The efficient A grace of God both for beginning progresse and consummation for 1. It is not in nature neither intire for Adam in innocencie knew it not besides the voice of the Gospell the mâ—ans of Repentance was not known to man in intire nature but the first motion of it is supernaturall And much lesse is it in corrupt nature without the reuelation of grace for 1. Neither haue we it in our selues being dead in sins and sold vnder sinne as naturally drinking in sin as the fish doth water 2. Neither can get it by any labour or industry of our owne who cannot so much as thinke one good thought 2. Cor. 5. much lesse reach so high a work as Repentance How can earth reach heauen How can a man melt a stone or Adamant such as his heart is How can he change a flint into flesh How can a wandring sheepe returne backe to the fold of it selfe such as we are Psal. 119.10 But it is a grace of the Spirit of God not a legall grace for the Law knoweth neither repentance for sin nor remission of sin But an Euangelicall grace wrought not by the Law but by the Gospell That it is a supernaturall grace of the Spirit is proued Zach. 12.10 it is a pouring out of the spirit of grace and supplication Acts 11.28 then hath God giuen the Gentiles repentance unto life 2. Tim. 2.25 waiting if at any time God will giue repentance 2. The Church goeth to God for it Ierem. 31.18 Conuert thou mee O Lord and
Gospell maketh thee capable of mercy and pardon 2 Why is Repentance Preached to naturall men but that of old men they should be come new of Wolues they should become Sheepe of Christs fold of Ethiopians and strangers they shoud become of the houshold and family of God Such were they to whom Peter Preached Act. 2. when so many thousands were conuerted and in all ages we haue commission to instruct the contrary minded with meekenesse waiting when God will giue them Repentance 2. Tim. 2.15 3 Ciuill men haue most need be called to Repentance because they thinke of all other they least need repentance and seem to themselues not to be so farre from the Kingdome of God as indeed they be For hauing no sense of their misery they rest in pure naturals ciuill honesty externall vertues as in a good estate And indeed this conceit of their goodnesse leaueth them in a damnable condition that what our Lord saith of a rich man I may say of a ciuill man it is hard for him to come to heauen and often extreame flagitious sinners are sooner coÌ„uerted Publicans and Harlots that cannot haue that conceit of themselues goe often into heauen before them Let all such well consider what is all ciuill vpright honest carriage before God without Faith and Repentance Surely nothing but a shining sinne and beautifull abhomination And therefore the Apostle Paul though before his conuerâ—sion hee was beyond all ciuill men in respect of gifts vertues and righteousnesse of the Law yet he must vndoe all this and cast out all as dung in comparison of grace and begin all againe What better was the Pharisee for thanking God he was not as other vniust extortioner nor as the despised Publican when hee could not thanke God that hee was a Penitent or beleeuer What better art thou to say I thanke God I come to Church heare the Word receiue the Sacraments pay men their due giue almes to the poore when with a forme of Ciuility or Religion thou onely couerest thy corruption from thine owne eyes as a man in the darke but art an enemy to the power of godlinesse to the powerfull Preaching of the Word to godly Preachers a resister of Faith Repentance Mortification and holinesse in thy selfe and others without which thou shalt neuer see God Thanke God as much as thou wilt thou shalt neuer get thanke from God for all this 2 If all men then godly and regenerate men who haue already repented they must hold on their repentance For 1 Euen the best men after grace receiued haue sinne dwelling in them Rom. 7.14 The law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne Paul was then long conuerted euen then did that he hated and hated what he did verse 15. And no man in earth so iust that sinneth not Eccl. 7.22 witnesse Noah Lot Abraham Dauid Petâ—r the Virgin Mary 〈…〉 they are out-straying Psal. 119.10 2 God will haue the best men trayned in Repentance by the daily sight of their sinnes in many burdens temptations corruptions sicknesses casualties and death it selfe for euen they by many afflictions must enter into heauen All fruits of sinne must be goades to Repentance 3 The best must daily repent because euen the best duties performed by the strength of grace are in themselues sinfull and defectiue the righteousnesse of the Christian is as a filthy clout How much cause haue they daily to bewaile their sinnes that must repent for their best duties 4 Our Lord hath taught his Disciples and the most regenerate to pray daily for forgiuenes of sinne which is an act of Repentance Neuer can a man bee free from Repentance till he be free from sinne whic◠〈◊〉 use the best can neuer 〈…〉 he must neuer lay 〈…〉 Repentance When thou hast attained a perfect image of God then farewell Repentance but that image which was lost in a moment cannot be repayred throughout the whole life for the repayring of which they must still retaine and renue Repentance 3 If all men then young men must repent Eccles. 12.1 Remember thy Creator in the daies of thy youth For 1 How is it for vs to take the corruption of nature in hand betimes for sinne fasteneth by continuance a sore the longer vncured the more incurable it is so in this corruption which is morbus naturae and habits grow into another nature which will not be repelled easily 2 The Grace of Repentance is a gift of God not in our owne power and must be taken while it is offered If God offer it now to thee a young man or maid refuse not this gracious offer but euen this day heare his voice and as young Samuel say Speake Lord thy seruant heareth 3 What a commendation and aduantage is it for youth to bee early graced and truely conuerted euen in the morning of their life Many sinnes are preuented in such a one whereby also much sorrow and accusation is cut off which doth often perplexe good men as Dauid prayeth often against the sinnes of his youth Besides such a one hath many opportunities of well doing and aboundeth in good duties to their abundant comfort both here and in their reckoning 4 Young persons may dye they haue no lease of their liues youth is as fickle as age time and tide stayeth not perhaps the Gospell will not stay with thee perhaps thou art not to stay in the world Know thy day and time of visitation 4 If all men then old men must hasten their Repentance while yet their glasse runneth 1 If young men must not deferre their Repentance because they may dye old men must much more because they must dye 2 Thou art an old man whose time in the likely course of nature cannot be long hast thou deferred thy repentance till the 11. or 12. houre and yet is it too soone to repent Was not Iesabel in state fearefull enough before God by her fornication and filthinesse but that God gaue her space to repent and the repented not This is the very height of sinne and heapeth vp a terrible damnation Is it not damnation enough to be a sinner before God but an old sinner an old drunkard swearer fornicator lyer cousner an old foxe and an old barking dogge against all goodnesse 3 Consider how the lees and dregs of profanenesse be most sowre and stinking in old men what a filthy sent leaueth an old sinner when he is gone he was an old gracelesse man enemy of God to death only his sinne was strong and youthfull in him to the last 5 If all then women must repent too if they will not perish 1 Gods Schoole is as well open for women as for men and the Scriptures and the Ministery belong as well to women as to men and these are commanded to learne the doctrine of Faith and Repentance as men and to professe the feare of God 1 Tim. 2.15 2 Women were made to the image of GOD as well as men Gen. 1.27 and were first
in transgression and need Repentance as well as men 3 Women are heyres of the same grace of life and promises and are to be saued by the same way and meanes as men They shall be saued if they continue in Faith Loue Holinesse and Modesty 1. Tim. 1.10 In Christ neither male nor female c. 4 The examples of many gracious women are propounded in Scripture for imitation of all women The vertuous woman hath the law of grace set in her lips Many godly women followed Christ to heare his Sermons The poore woman that washed Christ his feete with teares and wiped them with her hayres a notable eye-marke to all women of Repentance Mary was commended by Christ for chusing the better party and the blessed Virgin Mary for laying the word in her heart 5 The Lord loueth Godlines Religion Repentance being his owne grace as well in women as in men and the times of sickenesse and death come on women as on men and then nothing but true grace can bestead them CAP. 7. Rules concerning sinnes to be repented of 2 THe second rule for directing our Repentance concerneth sinnes to bee repented of The generall rule is vnquestionable That all sins must bee repented of because 1. Because the Law of God condemneth all sins and the Gospell pardoneth all and Faith and Repentance onely obtaine that pardon We haue not learned that any sin is veniall in it selfe but none not veniall by Repentance 2. One sinne vnrepented of condemneth the sinner as certainly as a thousand as one stab at the heart killeth him as dead as a thousand 3. Although the least sinne committed be damnable that is deserueth damnation yet not the commission of the greatest sins bringeth damnation but the continuance in them The onely damning sin is Impenitencie in respect of the act though not in respect of the desert 4. The Scripture Eccles. 11.9 would haue vs know this That God will bring euery thing into Iudgement and Chapt. 12. Vers. 14. God will bring euery worke vnto Iudgement with euery secret thing done in the flesh whether it bee good or euill therefore euery sin must bee repented of For looke what sin thou iudgest not in thy self thou leauest to God to iudge If anie sin lye shut vp in the booke of thy conscience vnblotted by Repentance the day commeth in which that booke shall bee opened and it shall bee found Hence the Apostle Acts 17.31 inciteth the Athenians to repent because God had appointed a day to iudge the world From this generall followeth these conclusions 1. We must then repent of sins both knowne and vnknowne For knowne sins euery one will assent if they be priuate they must be priuately repented of if open they call for declaration of Repentance openly Knowne sins are not pardoned but vpon speciall Repentance But besides these are a number of secret vnknowne and hidden sins euen in the regenerate themselues Psa. 19. For who knoweth how oft he offendeth Let the best search his heart with lights and do it most diligently and vnpartially yet it is vngageable He can neuer get to the bottome to finde out all his sins Numbers are committed which hee knoweth not to bee sins Numbers are committed which in processe of time are forgotten A number of sins lye close to our best dueties and we discerne them not Now if they be sins they must be repented of Quest. How can vnknowne sins be repented of Answ. As knowne sins must be repented with particular Repentance so vnknowne by a generall Repentance which God in mercy accepteth for these or else no flesh could be saued The Patriarchs most of them liued in Poligamie which was euer a sin nor could they be saued without repentance of this sin and yet wee reade not that anie of them specially repented of it because of the corruption of the times they knew it not to be sin onely God in mercy accepted a generall Repentance for the same Yet they repented specially of knowne sins as Dauid of his murder and adulterie yet we read not that he specially repented of this By this wee see that had wee not knowne sins we haue an infinite number of vnknown euils whereof wee stand guiltie and whereof we must repent daily and pray with Dauid Lord forgiue giue mee my secret and vnknowne sins If all sins then wee must repent not only of great but the smallest sins for 1. No sin is so little as not to neede repentance for the least sin is an infinite offence against an infinite God an infinite Law meriting an infinite damnation 2. The smallest of sins negligences omissions ouer-sights hastinesse of speech passion must be repented of and resisted else they grow more common and more strong or at least as little theeues they open the doores and windowes to greater and stronger Hee can neuer ouercome the greater that doth not smaller 3. Here is more assurance and triall of sound grace than in that repentance of great sinnes for 1. True grace lesseneth no sin but aggrauateth it 2. Generall common and restraining grace may shunne and grieue for great and open sins as the Heathens themselues But it must bee sound grace that groweth to the hatred of smallest and most secret euils 3. Sound grace desires to cleare the booke of God and wipe out the score as well pence and farthings as pounds and talents 4. The nature of sin standeth not in the materiall part which often is in a little thing but in the forme or anomy which is the transgression of the Law and this may bee in an apple as well as a talent of gold Yea the most poysonfull sin of all was in an apple a small thing to show the sinne in smallest things not to be small If all sins must be repented of then sins of knowledge and presumption which are of two sorts 1. When wee attempt any thing aboue our owne strength not sensible of our owne weaknesse which is for the most part punished with fearefull fals as Peter Neuer any Disciple fell so dangerously as he for neuer any of them was so presumptuous as he 2. When wee dare attempt aâ—ie thing against the truth and iustice of God knowing his will but runne against it Sometimes 1. Dreaming that God is made all of mercy not so iust as the Law saith 2. Because hee holdeth his peace wee thinke him like our selues and conceiue he will neuer punish 3. Sometimes supposing wee can repent when we will 4. That howeuer hee deale with others yet hee will not grow into such displeasure with vs Hence wee grow secure in sinne These sins must bee repented of because they mightily preuaile Psal. 1 9. 1. Sins against conscience waste the conscience make great gashes destroy graces grieue the spirit setteth a mans owne best friend against him that is his owne conscience which becommeth a seruant a iudge a witnesse executioner 2. A marke of a wicked man is to make league with hell and
true Repentance there is a clearing of ones selfe 1. Cor. 7.11 in our rotten frame and building it will not leaue a stone vpon a stone 2. To finde mercy there must bee confessing and forsaking Pro 28. 3. The profession of euerie true penitent must bee that of Paul I was a blasphemer I was an oppressour but now God hath shewed mercy I am no such man now Now all this will not be done but by earnest endeauour slighting and slubbring of this businesse leaueth men in the suddes they were in before as Some dally with their sins and semble a repentance as men that ioyne doe a fight Perhaps they will this time of yeare come to confession and seeme very penitent and hauing confessed thinke themselues eased but it is as a drunkard by vomiting that hee may drinke more so these to go fresh to drinke in sin againe Some will sweare and curse and say God forgiue mee you make mee sweare and sweare as fast by and by again But these roots of sin remaine Some pressed by Gods hand force a Repentance and make many confessions and promises but after returne are as fresh to sin as a dogge to vomit or the horse to the smell of his dung Here is no parting with sinne Well may hee say I was a swearer drunkard a tippler an hater of God and so am I still for all my dissembling Repentance I was neuer other nor like to be 4. In this wise proceeding rest not in the rooting out of sin till thou seest the rooting and growth of the contrary grace for in all true Repentance is a change in the iudgement from errour to truth in the will from euill to good in the whole man from darknesse to light Thou canst show no Repentance if thou canst not show this change True Repentance maketh a man cleane contrary vnto himselfe and changeth him into a cleane other man His whole nature is changed from a corrupt and carnall into a spirituall nature In nature an Aethiopian cannot change his colour but grace changeth nature of a bramble he becometh a vine of a thorne a fig tree of a wilde a naturall oliue of a lyon a lambe of a dogge vnder boord a son sitting at table of a Saul a Paul He is changed in all his parts and members they were as swords and speares weapons of vnrighteousnesse and fiercenesse against God and good men now are turned into sythes and mattocks weapons of grace and instruments of common good in time of peace His whole course is changed of a louer of sin hee is be come a loather of sin and louer of grace of a receiuer and deceiuer it maketh Zacheus a restorer and charitable destributer Of one thirsting after the bloud of Saints it maketh Saul thirst now after their saluation Of a waster of the Lords talent it maketh him increase it Let not thy soule deceiue thee in thy Repentance except it haue brought thee thus farre to expresse the contrary grace Solomon could not satisfie himselfe with his Repentance of those fowle sins of lust till hee had written his booke of Repentance nor Augustine till hee had written his book of Retractations nor Cranmer till he had burned his vnworthy right hand Trust not thy Repentance for wantonnesse and vncleannesse vnlesse as the woman Luke 7. who had abused her eyes her haire and lippes to folly shee gaue her lippes to kisse his feete her eyes to wash them and her haire to dry them Thou must expresse Humility Modesty and Repentance in members most abused Dauid polluting his bed washeth it with teares Trust not thy Repentance for couetousnesse vsury briberie without restitution as Zacheus without expression of charitie mercifulnesse to the poore and without free and liberall dispensing to pious and godly vses Hath thine house been a profane house a gaming house an house of swearing riot and disorder thou hast not repented though these things bee left if thou hast not reformed it vnto a house of prayer Hast thou bin an enemie or no friend to Gods seruants and seruice thou hast not repented in putting off thy malice vnlesse thou hast put on louing affections and expressest loue aboue the former hatred Hast thou sinned in disgracing and reuiling the seruants of God and professors of the Gospell casting on them the comâ—mon termes of hypocrites puritans thou hast neuer repented if thou dost not iustifie and defend them and right them in their names and godly practices and so in all others sins True Repentance will not only vndoe what is ill done but will set vp with both hands what it hath plucked downe it will now see God haue his glorie and men their right I conclude with 1. Iohn 3.7 Let none deceiue you let none deceiue himselfe hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous as he is righteous CAP. 10. Concerning the time of Repentance both of 1. Possibilitie 2. Necessitie THe fourth rule of direction concerning the time of repentance for the time is either of 1. Possibilitie 2. Necessitie The time of Possibilitie is the whole time of this life and onely the time of this life Except ye repent while ye liue here ye shall perish eternally God giueth euery man a space to repent in as â—â—zabel Reu. 2.21 that is the space of this life and any time of this life the Lord may giue repentance 2. Tim. 2.25 waiting at any time Mat. 5.25 Agree in the way 2. After this life can bee no Repentance for these reasons 1. Because there is no faith that ceaseth The tree cut down no fruit can grow any more Repentance is a fruit of Faith 2 Because the acts parts of repentance are only for this life These are 1. Mortification godly sorrow Christian combatâ— 2. Renouation growth in grace strife to perfection All these are by death abolished no more teares fight no more imperfection no more molestation of sin but victory and perfection attained 3. After death is nothing but iudgement Heb 9.27 there is a resting from labour of repentance no more working no more washing no Purgatory no more oyle may be gotten after the doore is shut no more place for Repentance is to be found being at the waies end Repentance is the way of life This consideration calleth vs to the speedy vndertaking of Repentance euen while this fraile and vncertaine life lasteth for who hath a lease of his life but for so few yeares as Hezekiah Thou mayest dream of many yeares as the glutton did when that night his soule was taken and hee called a foole and so prooued Nature teacheth to take the time allotted for all other things the husbaÌ„dmaÌ„ to sow while seed-time lasteth to make Hay while the sunne shineth the Merchant to buy and trade while the Faire lasteth the Sea man to take time and wind which stayeth for no man the Smith to strike while the iron is hot the Souldier to fight while the battell continueth yea the very Storke and Crane and Swallow to
be our enemies but Gods 3 Let no relation betweene any man and vs neyther in high nor low place cause vs to betray Gods cause and truth but let it be dearer to vs than our owne peace profit yea our liues themselues CAP. 13. Le ts of Repentance from the paucity of true penitents in the world THe third let of Repentance cast in our way by the world is the fewnesse and paucitie of sound godly men In the world wee see Repentance and sound godlinesse practised but by a few and euerie vnregenerate man hath an vnwillingnesse to row against the streame of time the age and customes of men so that most will doe as the most doe that the fewest may scorne them and the most common reproach cast vpon Religion is They be but a few sorrie fellows that professe it Ans. To remoue this lett 1 Wee must know that the number of faithfull Christians that stick close vnto Christ are but a small number and as small in worldly reputation for foure reasons 1 The true Church of God is a little park or pickle of God empaled from the rest of the world a garden inclosed Cant. 4.12 a paradise of God not the waste of the world a fold not a field It is the floore of Christ in which are a little wheate in an huge heape of chaffe a little gold in a whole mountaine of clay or drosse a gleaning after a haruest a few berries after the vintage so the members of the Church are but few compared with the heape of wicked men Gods company was alwayes a little flocke Luke 12.32 The number of Gods companie are said to be one of a Citie and two of a Tribe Ier. 3.14 As if in a great inundatioÌ„ of water which carrieth away whole townes or countries some one or two houses or persons should scape or as if in a raging and vniuersall fire deuouring a whole Citie one or two houses should bee left standing 2 Consider how few are chosen Matth. 20.17 few are to be saued If Israel were as the sand of the sea yet a remnant only should be saued Rom. 9. â—9 As a Tradesman hauing cut off the whole peece of cloth a small remnant is remaining so the true professors of Christ are a very small remnant of the whole piece and people of the world Reuel 12.10 It is called the remnant of the womans seed that is as a little seed corne is reserued out of a great heape for store which is nothing to the whole croppe so is the small number of true beleeuers reserued by grace to the whole field and crop of the world In the Arke a few euen eight persons were saued 1. Pet. 3. 3 Consider the truth of that of our Sauiour Math 7.14 strait is the gate and narrow the way that leadeth to life and few find it Which must not bee vnderstood simply in themselues for many shall come from East and West and sit downe with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob Math. 8.11 And Iohn saw a multitude which none could number of all Nations Kindreds and Tribes and Tongues standing before the Lambe in white robes Reuel 7.9 But comparatiuely in respect of Vnbeleeuers Infidels Hypocrites and Reprobates they be an handfull to an house full a sparke to a flame a drop to a streame And the reason is twofold 1 The worth of grace and saluation and excellency of eternall life alloweth it not to bee common but is a precious commodity in the hands of a few as Pearles and Iewels are so much more aduanced in price as they be harder to come by 2 Because there bee so few that will indure the persecution sharpenes the selfe denyall the mortification the many losses and crosses which the straight way is strewed with euery man naturally desiring to walke in the easie and broad way where is elbow-roome profit pleasures applause of others and pleasing a mans selfe 2 This should be so farre from offending any as that euery one should striue to be of the little flocke and remnant and walke in the way of good men and though thy company be small it shall be good Nay thou must prayse God that euer hee vouchsafed thee mercy to ioyne thee to this small number of them that feare the Lord Considering 1 That the world yeeldeth his haruest to the God of this world and the earth affoordeth much clay for Pottes but little oare for gold pebbles are many pearles but a few 2 Yea in the particular Churches there are but a few names that defile not their garments Reuel 3.4 All are not Israel that goe for Israel neither all that goe for Virgins are admitted into the Bride-groomes Chamber 3 Consider the day comming wherein thou that shunnest this small number shalt wish thy selfe of it and shalt bee most vnhappy in the fellowship which thou hast chosen when all the drosse chaffe shal be swept together and cast into the fire And on the contrary thou that hast sorted thy selfe with these few shalt praise God for a farre higher mercy to thee than it was in the great deluge to saue one Noah and in the dreadfull burning of Sodome to saue one Lot CAP. 14. Le ts of Repentance from multitude of contrary examples in the world THe fourth Let from the world is the multitude of contrary examples The world hath a great many crooked patternes many perswaders and pul-backes as backe-byasses to Repentance godly life whole bands of bad company and wicked society which are strong impediments and so much the more dangerous As 1 Our nature is sociall as well as the bruits wee readily thrust into company as naturally enemies to solitarinesse wee easily follow one that offereth to leade vs but if many or multitudes or great ones goe before vs then we can run as sheepe and for hast neuer stay to reason the case neither in what way we are nor vpon what errand 2 Our nature is corrupt and attractiue of euill as the Adamant will draw iron to it We are suddenly corrupted by first filthy communication and euill words which corrupt good manners secondly by counsels and perswasions to euill by which they are iustly carried that will not be guided by the voice of wisedome Thirdly by the wicked example especially of great or wise or learned men who thriue well enough and are lifted vp in the world without all this nicenesse and adoe 3 Adde hereunto that euill is diffusiue of it selfe and such acquaintance is betweene it and vs as the plague cannot so easily and soone infect our bodies as sinne doth poyson and suddenly infect our soules Now against this Let consider to breake thorough this Let 1 The straight iniunctions and charges of Scripture Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth as well mighty and potent men as many or multitudes so as wee must not follow others to euill be they neuer so many neuer so mighty by
wisedom of the wise is to chuse and direct his way Pro. 14.8 Hee taketh it not on mens words or walketh on aduentures wisedome will to heauen alone if it cannot get company The wisedome of the wise wil looke better to the soule than to damme it for company No man but loueth his body better but if he see neuer so many leap into the sea or cast themselues into the fire or off a rocke hee will be loath to kill himselfe for company and wilt thou foolish man break the necke of thy soule for company 5 Thou must hinder and stop the sins of the multitude rather than imitate them So Lot perswaded the multitude of Sodomites striue resisting sin euen unto bloud keepe the praise of grace euen in oppositions Tully coÌ„mended one for being continent in Asia So hold on the light in the midst of a froward generation And what thou canst not hinder thou must mourne for the sins of the multitude as Lot whose righteous soule was grieued daily to see and hear the unchast conuersation of Sodomits And Ieremy said My soule shall weep for you in secret And Dauid I saw the Transgressours and was sore grieued and mine eies gushed with riuers of teares This is true zeale against a mans own sins which kindleth a fire against other mens sins and the more vniuersall they be the more will zeale be kindled CAP. 15. Le ts from Satan lulling vs in securitie 3. FRom the World we come to the encombrances and rubbes cast in the way of our repentance by Satan the god of this world And he hath reason to bestirre himselfe especially against our repentance because he knoweth that only this grace fetcheth vs out of his power 2. Tim. 2.25 To this purpose he suggesteth three â—orts of Temptations 1 To lull vs asleepe in the securitie of our present naturall estate 2 If our naturall estate content vs not hee vrgeth to despaire 3 If he cannot do that he wil enforce the other extreame of presumption of Gods mercy though we slacke or slip our repentance 1 To hold vs in our present securitie hee will perswade vs of the loue of God towards vs in our estate of nature For hath he not made vs men not beasts or serpents hath he not preserued vs and prospered vs in our estate and lifted vs vp in earthly mercies yea are wee not members of the Church enioy the Word and Sacraments and seeing God hath beene so free in his loue and care what need we trouble our selues with such penslue precisenesse and spend our time in feares and cares which requireth rather comfort and cheerfulnesse in our condition Against this Temptation consider 1 How dangerous and deceiueable a thing it is for a man to blesse himself in cursed estate As the wicked man who couenanteth with death and maketh an agreement with hell whose wilfull ignorance hideth all the danger near him who as the silly Bird feedeth securely on the bayte while it is within the compasse of the net Oh what a delusion is it for a naturall man to assure himselfe of Gods loue Can iustice loue wickednesse Can the Lord doe any other than hate a rebell against him Is a childe of wrath the obiect of our fathers loue Can a vessell of wrath looke to bee filled with any thing but wrath 2 Looke what deceit and fallacie lyeth in all his arguments of loue 1 God created him a man not a beast Why did not GOD create the Angels that sinned too and yet are not they shut vp in chaynes of blacke darkenesse for euer Little comfort that God loueth thee as a creature vnlesse as a Father in Iesus Christ better it were thou haddest beene a beast 2 God hath outwardly blessed and prospered him in the world and therefore loueth him Answ. No man knoweth loue or hatred by any thing afore him Ecclesâ— 9.1 Temporall blessings are common to good and bad and the worst men enioy common mercies more than other Iob 21.13 He speaketh of wicked men flourishing in all wealth and prosperity who say to the Almighty Depart from vs who is the almighty And it is said of Antiochus Epiphanes that mad and furious horne against the Church who cast downe some of the hoast of heauen and the starres and extolled himselfe against the Prince of the hoast and tooke away the daily sacrifice and cast downe the place of the Sanctuary the text addes Thus he shall doe and prosper Dan. 8.13 Who was more outwardly prosperous Caine or Abel Esau or Iacob who durst not looke his Lord Esau in the face nor come neare him till he had bowed seauen times 3 They are seazed with a kind of spirituall prosperity they liue in the bosome of the Church and enioy Word and Sacraments therefore are loued of God Answ. But many are in the Church that are not of the Church yea the wickedest of men enioy the outward ordinances of Word and Sacraments as well as other as Esau Saul Iudas Simon Magus and are so much the mote hated as their sinne was against the glorious meanes what loue can a malefactor gather when the sentence of death is read against him as in the Word What loue when the Lords Table is made snares to him and his sinne casteth poyson into the Lords cup When his Baptisme is but a broken vow and all his profession a vizzard of hypocrisie 4 Wouldest thou finde true euidences of Gods loue which come from God not as God but as from a father bestowed on sonnes but not on bond children find it in other gifts 1 Hath he giuen thee Christ God so loued the world Ioh. 3.16 hath he giuen thee a sonne-ship Ioh. 1.3 1. Behold what great loue the Father hath giuen vs to be called the Sonnes of God Hath he giuen thee faith oh there is a precious gift of loue hast thou loue God loueth not thee vnlesse thou loue him what obedience hast thou Keeping his commandements is a signe of his loue Ioh. 14.23.24 The Scripture which knoweth the best assurances of Gods loue pulleth our eyes from gazing on earthly dignities prerogatives which wee are euer poring vpon as with Hawkes eyes and would haue vs behold Gods loue in other things than these namely in the inward notes and markes of Gods children See thou what faith what hope what repentance what holinesse what fruits of faith and holinesse thou hast attained this argueth our iustification and so assureth vs of our election and consequently of his eternall and vnchangeable loue this is the inheritance which is giuen to sonnes of promise while the bond children are sent away with mouâ—ables 2 To hold vs in the security of our naturall estate he perswadeth vs wee cannot bee Saints here and why should we not doe as others rather than tyre our selues in vaine by pursuing impossibilities To answer this temptation consider none are Saints in heauen but saints in earth 1 True it is in their sense none can be saints
here that is absolutely perfect but must we be therefore wholly flesh because we cannot be wholly spirit Because we cannot get quite out of the law of flesh must we not serue the law of God in our spirits Because we cannot doe all the good we would must not we doe all the good we can Because we cannot attaine the haruest of holinesse must we not haue the first fruits 2 Sense of imperfection hath sundry other more fruitfull vses than to settle vs in our security For 1 It ought to humble vs and driue vs to Repentance and not pull vs from it 2 To striue against imperfection and not to rest contented in it 3 To awaken vs and driue vs out of our selues to get perfection in Iesus Christ for our sense of weaknesse in our selues must force vs to get our strength in him 3 We are not now vnder the law which requireth perfect and personall righteousnesse and holinesse yet we are vnder the Gospell which requireth Euangelicall perfection which standeth in true and sincere indeauours in mortification and spirituall combate and bindeth vs to the daily subduing of that which wee cannot at once vanquish and though wee cannot but sin daily yet wee must not please our selues in our sins but daily bewaile them as our Sauiour taught vs to pray for daily forgiuenesse of sins 4 Thou canst not expect to attaine any thing of thy selfe but expect strength from Christ Thou hast or mayest haue a good helper I can doe all things by Christ strengthening mee his grace shall be sufficient 2 If thou feelest neuer so small a measure if true the Lord cherisheth that least degree of goodnesse 3 No Saint not Paul himselfe can doe as hee would nor can conquer all corruptions but yet first is not carried away to grosse sin though not so pure as an Angell secondly hee giueth not vp all but striueth hard to the marke and high prize 3 Is not contented with but complaining and combating with it he gets ground CAP. 16. Le ts of Satan by temptations to despaire of Gods mercy 2 IF our naturall estate content vs not Sathan windeth about to bring vs to such a degree of discontent as to drowne vs vtterly in the gulfe of despair And this looketh three waies 1 If we looke to God hee would haue vs despaire of his mercy 2 If to our selues to despaire of our owne estates 3 If to Repentance to despair of that as vtterly Impossible Vnprofitable 1 To bring vs to despaire of mercy he will set before the sinner the greatnesse foulenesse and hainousnesse of his sinnes which as before they were done he made seeme as a mote now he maketh them swell to the magnitude of a mountaine Seest thou not how numberlesse thy sins are and of deepe dye hath not God giuen thee ouer so long to commit such outragious sinneâ— so scandalous against such meanes often against thy knowledge and since thou supposedst thy selfe called and is it not now in vaine to repent of them Seeke Repentance and Grace with teares as Esau thou shalt not finde it God being iustice it selfe To helpe our selues against this great iniurie thus frame our answer 1 If I looke all on Gods iustice or my owne iniustice I were indeed altogether hopelesse or if I looke onely on the law of God the rule of all iustice that knoweth no mercy no Repentance But God in great mercy hath set a meane betweene his iustice and my iniustice and that is the Gospell of his Sonne which Preacheth Repentance and proclaimeth a pardon so as now if the law cast and condemne me by my owne demerits the Gospell offereth me free saluatioÌ„ by the al-sufficient merit of Christ and now as I behold the curse of the law due to my sinnes to humble me so also I lay hold vpon Christ on whom that curse was laid to iustifie me For he was made a curse not for himselfe but for vs that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon us 2 I grant all thy premises My sins are as great as hainous as numberlesse as thou speakest and against great meanes but shall I conclude with thee that either I must not turne to God or that God will not returne to me God forbid Nay first the greater my sinnes are the more need haue I to repent the more deadly my disease is the more need haue I of the Physitian the more my sinnes be in number I haue more need to lessen them by Repentance rather than by impenitency to make them both greater and heauier the longer I haue continued in them the more need haue I to hasten out of them The more dangerous and festered my wound is the more hast I must make to the Surgeon If a bone were broken in my body I would not beleeue him that should tell mee it were too late to get it set againe The greatnesse of my sinne therefore shall neuer hinder but further my Repentance and were I not so great a sinner I should not see so much need of Gods mercy or Christs merits but now being so heauy laden I haue more need to come to Christ to be eased Hee came to call sinners to Repentance and this Physitian is not so weake or vnskilfull but he can cure deadly diseases as well as infirmities he cured him that was 38 yeares diseased Ioâ— 8.2 Or shall think the Lord hath forgotten to bee mercifull and will not returne as thou suggestest For 1 Can hee forget his nature and cease to bee God mercifull gracious aboundant in mercy and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne Exod. 34.6.7 Who is a God like vnto him passing by the transgression of his people and not retaining wrath for euer for mercy pledeth him Micah 7.18 Or can he forget his promise and deny himselfe Isa. 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and returne and he will haue mercy for he is ready to forgiue and Math. 18.21 hath he commanded vs to forgiue our brethren offending seuenty seuen times and will not hee forgiue vs our offences the scope of that parable Is not hee rich in mercy to forgiue ten thousand talents yea the vttermost farthing I will therefore hearing that the King of Israel is a mercifull King submit my selfe as Bâ—nhadad 1 King 20. It may be Ahab will spare thy life assuredly the God of Israel will spare thy humbled soule who cannot forget his own glory whose mercy and grace is more magnified as the sinner is greater that layeth hold vpon it I will resolue as Hester to goe in to the King If I perish I perish My sinnes are so great I dare not adde a greater of despaire Plus peâ—cauit Iudas desperando quam prodendo Christum 3 I neuer read that the greatest sinnes could make true Repentance vaine I finde sinnes red as scarlet and crimson made white as snow Isay. 1.18 I see Harlots Idolaters Persecutors Witches Theeues by Repentance acquitted and accepted to highest
to supply the rest Thus the Christian is to be fortified against the weakenesse of his Repentance 2 Thou sayest many wicked men haue gone farre in desperate sorrowes I care not how far they goe beyond me therein but that is farre from godly sorrow both in the nature of it and in the acceptance of it My sorrow is for God offended for God loued for himselfe my sorrow is from God and goeth to God againe theirs was not a seeking of God but of themselues my teares of sorrow haue a washing and cleansing vertue so not theirs my sorrow is as a soaking raine which hath wet the very rootes of my heart so not theirs And for acceptance they haue no promise to be accepted in their desperate sorrow but I haue a promise that my humiliation ioyned with faith and reformation shall bee accepted in Christ in whom my person is accepted CAP. 20. Le ts from Satans temptation from our relapses 3 BVt seest thou not that for all thy Repentance thou fallest againe into the same sins which hadst thou truely repented thou shouldest neuer haue done what good doth thy washing who forgettest that thou wast washed True repentance is a Repentance neuer to bee repented of as thine is Ans. To turn to sin as a dogge to the vomit and as a swine to the wallowing after washing is a dangerous case but not hopelesse and desperate And howsoeuer it is not ordinary for the child of God to fall diuers times into the same grieuous sins yet notwithstanding some comfort here belongs to troubled consciences But let no presumptuous sinners meddle with it 1. Godly men are the same men after sinne and repentance that they were before beset with the same infirmities and no more priuiledged from error than before 2. Experience sheweth not only subiect to the same infirmities daily but often taken in the same snares as wandring thoughts idle speeches distractions in prayer negligence and too much vnprofitablenesse in hearing rash anger with many daily omissions whereof who can cleare himselfe so long as he carrieth the causes of daily fayling about him as 1. Ignorance Many know not many sins to bee sins as the Patriarches knew not Poligamy to be sinne 2. Weakenesse of grace A childe of God for weakenesse may get many fals to day and rise againe and as many to morrow and rise againe yea and if he hurt himselfe and cannot rise himselfe his father will help him vp 3. Inconsideratenesse and not attending his way watch A man in haste may take diuers fals and many slips so as if often falling into the same sin did exclude from Grace or barred vs of pardon we were all hopelesse 3. Relapse doth not alwaies argue former Repentance to bee vnsound because 1. Repentance is an effectuall instrument to seale vp forgiuenesse of former transgressions but not a fence from all force of sin for time to come 2. soundest Repentance of all doth not wholly abolish and take away sin but abateth weakeneth and lesseneth it 4. The article of remission of sins excepteth not relapses because the promise of remission doth not except them neither is the vertue of Christs merit to bee restrained to sins once committed but to all sinnes truly repented 5. Many examples of Saints in Scripture raised from relapses giue comfort in this Temptation Lot was twice ouercome with wine Marie the Virgin twice checkt of Christ for curiositie Iohn twice worshipped the Angell 6. True it is that relapse into a disease is more dangerous than the first assault yet proper physicke seasonably applied may cure the relapse as well as the first disease Repentance is Christs Physicke and so soueraigne as cannot be foyled by relapses into the same disease Whence wee are commanded to renew our Repentance daily as we renew our sins and the Physitian is as able to cure the same disease as he was before And yet we hold the rule of Isidore Non poenitens est qui adhuc agit quod poenitet id est if hee doe it both actu and proposito but if hee sincerely purpose against all sin and keepe aliue his zeale hatred against that hee doth this preiudiceth not his former Repentance But as he did truly run that now sitteth down so did hee truely repent that sinneth againe against his purpose and sincere intention of his heart CAP. 21. From Sathans Temptation to presumption that our sinnes are not many nor great 3. IF Sathan cannot driue men off Repentance by engines of despaire he assayeth if he can make them presumptuous of mercie without serious Repentance He knoweth the truth of that of Augustine Tam sperando quam desperando pereunt homines and that despaire hath slain his thousands but presumption his ten thousands And euery deceitfull heart is like a deceiuing Prophet that cryeth Peace peace when sword and danger is the nearest For this purpose he vseth three maine arguments 1. Perswadeth the sinner his sins are not many nor great 2. But if they bee Christ hath dyed for the sins of the world 3. God is so mercifull as hee will not condemne them for them 1. It is a wonder that a man looking vpon his sins should presume but that such must be giuen vp to strong delusions to beleeue lyes that will not receiue the truth in the loue of it and lye vnder that heauie stroak of Gods iustice to bee giuen vp to the waies of his owne heart which is to wander in the paths of death But against this Temptation know that there is not a more certaine propertie of a wicked man to know himselfe by than by allowing himselfe in the lessening and mincing of his sinne for it is an issue of the loue of sin that will not bee warned of the deceitfulnesse neither of sin nor of his own heart 1. Here is a man wofully deluded by the Diuell who hath turned the wrong end of the prospectiue to his eye wherin things as huge as mountaines castles seeme as small as mole-hils And is it not iust seeing he will not beleeue God who telleth him that the least sin separateth and is a partition wall betweene God and him maketh him the child of wrath shutteth heauen openeth hell killeth soule and bodie What perswasion could make this man beleeue that a stab at heart would not kil him because a small pricke 2 A man is befooled by himselfe who neither knoweth Gods waies nor desireth to know them but entertaineth wilfull obiections against the meanes of knowledge and couereth himselfe with questions whether his sins be sinnes You haue not yet proued saith hee my vsury to bee sin nor fashions of apparrell to be sin nor drinking healths to excesse and inflammation to be sin nor to doe this and that on the Sabboth in ciuilitie to bee sinne all this while the sinne is kept close and warme and is none of the greatest because they are not resolued But are not these of the number of those of whom Peter
any sinne Psal. 130 Mercy is with thee that thou mayest be feared Psal. 1.03 As a father pittieth his sonne so the Lord him that feares him He that apprehendeth mercy will not bolster himselfe in sinne nor lay presumptuous sinnes vpon Gods backe but the sense of Gods mercy will leade him to Repentance Rom. 2. He knoweth that though mercy reioyceth against iustice yet it destroyeth not Gods iustice All the waies of God are mercy truth these are the two feet of God by which hee walketh in all his waies Let vs humbly fall downe and kisse both these his feet Bernard 5 Mercy belongeth to the mercifull to those that are charitable kind to their brethren Math 5. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall finde mercy but iudgement mercilesse shall be to them that shew no mercy Can we expect and receiue a full streame and not let fall a drop of mercy vpon others Hath the Maâ—â—er for iuen thee 10000. talents and wilt not thou forgiue pence and farthings Math 18.27 In spirituall things will not we beare with the infirmities of the weake are not we subiect to the same infirmities doe not we consider our selues Gal 6.1 Did not Christ become in all things like to vs to be a mercifull high Priest Haue we neuer had any sores which we would haue had others handle gently Doe old men forget they were children what lusts of youth and temptations they haue passed In temporall things we call for mercy on this and that occasion generall and speciall God in his members call for mercy Some men passe by as the Priest and Leuite without all bowels dry as flint without hearts hands bowels no charity no humanitie first looke they for no more secondly may it be their case thirdly is it not a great misery on themselues on their ill-gotten wealth on their iniustice to God his Ministers and others CAP. 29. Le ts of Repentance from our selues as first that it is vnpleasing to nature 3 NOw we come to the lets and hinderances of Repentance cast in our way by our selues for nothing can be a greater or stronger Let to Repentance than the naturall and idle vngrounded conceits of the vnregenerate heart which hath deuised many wandrings turnings to shift off the businesse of Repentance 1 A conceit that it is vnpleasing to nature and indeed sloathfull nature cannot indure the hardnesse of Repentance and no maruell that case slayeth the foole when it woundeth euen the godly themselues Cant. 5.3 The Church will not foule her dainty feet nor get off her bed to let in Christ after many knooks and perswasions Ans. But what a distemper is in that iudgement and how crazie is that vnderstanding of a sicke man that feareth â—he remedie more than the disease yet so foolish are wee in our owne wisedome as to feare the remedy of repentance more than the sinne to be repented We hold that extremitie of way wardnes and near to phrenzie when a patient will rather chuse to dye of his disease than to endure the taste of physicke because it is bitter and vnpleasant Euen so although godly sorrow be bitter and vnpleasant to corrupt nature yet wisedome will conclude many things to bee wholesome which are not so toothsome 2. Compare and weigh in an euen ballance whether the pains of wel-doing be matchable with the paines of sin whether the momentany paines of Repentance here bee comparable to the eternall paines of impenitency hereafter consider whether the crop of sin or haruest of repentance bee better The wages of sinne is death and is not death painefull but the haruest of repentance is eternall life 2. Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow bringeth Repentance to saluation Say now whether is easier to sow in teares and reap in ioy or to sow in carnall iollitie and reape in eternall sorrow whether is easier to sow to the flesh and reape corruption or to sow to the spirit and reape eternall saluation 3. Bee it that Repentance be vnpleasing to nature yet a Christian hath more than nature he hath a spirit of grace changing nature and making the Commaundement easie Whence it is that those that haue entred this way and by the spirit haue mastred the flesh in part finde nothing more sweet than the tartest sorrow of sound Repentance and this Repentance they neuer repent of Be it as Basil. Laboriosa virtutis via yet render thy selfe as captiue to the commandement Bee at some paines in subduing thy heart thou shalt no sooner begin but â—ase and ioy wil come which shall aboundantly recompence all former griefe and labour Obiect Alas then I neuer repented for I feele no inward power or motion whence I can draw comfort from my repentance 〈…〉 Ans. It may bee so for perhaps 1. thou hast performed that duty in a cold and formall manner or 2. for sinister ends not for conscience and 3. by fits and starts vnconstantly And how can a man that goeth backward and forward make riddance of his way But goe about it heartily ioyne the inward seruice of the heart in seeking God with the outward tye thy selfe to a settled course in performance fauour not the fleshâ— nor care to fulfill it in the lusts of it and be assured to finde more ioy and sweet inward motion at least much lesse paine in the exercise of repentance than in the exercise of sin CAP. 25. Obiections against repentance from a mans election 2. BVt why should I thus abridge my selfe with needlesse sorrow and to very little purpose For if I look to God I am either elected or not If I be I shall bee saued without all this ado If I be not all the Repentance in the world wil not auayle Againe looke to men they be either such as repent not but enioy the world and their pleasures and their sins too and yet these liue and dye honestly and peaceably and as well as any other Or they be such as do repent and betake themselues to this strickt course and these many of them in their liues are as deceitfull vniust couetous proud hypocriticall as any men in the world and many of them in their death as vnquiet vncomfortable vnhappy as those that neuer vndertooke such businesse Ans. To meet this dangerous subtiltie 1. To those that conceiue Repentance a vaine thing because of the certainty of Gods decree concerning their saluation or damnation 1. The wise God in all his decrees to his maine ends hath also decreed the meanes seruing and leading to those ends The ends of his election are either next which is the glorification of the elect or the remote and highest his owne glory in the Saints The meanes decreed to these ends are Christ Regeneration by the spirit required in all that must be saued euen the smallest infant and in men of yeares Knowledge of the Word Faith Repentance Obedience And as those ends are stedfastly and vnchangeably so are the meanes as certainely decreed as those ends And
and yet this is by Faith 2. He will indite and accuse himselfe hee will cast the first stone at himselfe hee will as a Iudge on the bench sift out and narrowly examine his sins in the most odious circumstances of them This is the searching and fanning of our selues and finding out what wee haue done Zeph. 2.1 Search your selues Search oh Nation not worthy to be beloued But who must do it Verse 3. Seek the Lord in this manner all the meeke of the earth which haue wrought his iudgement Euen such as haue repented must thus search and fan themselues the Church Lam. 3.40 Let vs try our waies that is lay our liues to GODS law sift the secret corners of our hearts as the Marriners in the tempest would find out by lot for whose sake the storme was The Church conuerted hath not done with the Law but maketh vse of it for further conuiction and humiliation Now where is the man that doth thus narrowly and vnpartially sift himselfe as the Kings Attourney sifteth out and aggrauateth euery circumstance of the crime and fact of the Traytor at the Bar to make it as odious and hatefull as may bee Wee may complaine as Ieremie No man smiteth vpon his thigh no man saith What haue I done Many a man like a desperate Bankrupt is affraid to looke on his reckonings and goeth on till he be clapt vp in prison 3. Hee will confesse against himselfe and plead guilty This is the Couenant He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall finde mercy Pro. 28.13 The hardned heart Ier. 2.35 saith Because I am guiltlesse surely his wrath shall turne from me but the answer is Behold I will enter into iudgement with thee because thou sayest I haue not sinned This is a speciall end why God maketh his own sicke in smiting them yea maketh their flesh to faile and their bones to clatter in the skin and draw them neare to the graue and their life to the Buryers and then looketh on a man and if he say I haue sinned and peruerted right and it did not profit mee then will he deliuer his soule from the pit and his life shall see the light Iob 32.27 Nay not only a Rebell yet vnconuerted shal be brought to this but Dauid himselfe by his broken bones and drying vp his moisture shall roare all day long vnder the heauy hand of God so long as hee will keepe close his sin He must resolue â—o confesse and the Lord will râ—mit the iniquitie of his sin 2. Sam. 12.13 Now this confession is of speciall sins it summeth not vp all in a word nor is in the mouth only but in the heart nor without faith apprehending mercy nor without affection but proceedeth out of hatred of sin not without purpose of change and reformation 4. He will read the sentence of death and condemnation against himselfe and abhor himselfe in dust and ashes as Iob 42. He is now a dead man in Law condemned by the sentence of the Law as a dead man the world hath cast him off hee is no longer of the world 5. Hee pleadeth now for pardon and seeketh for mercy as a condemned person would sue for life euen as Benhadads seruants came with ropes about their necks and most submissiuely sued for their liues 2. He reneweth himselfe daily and is changed into another man 1. His person is changed of a childe of hell and darknes he is become a son of God a son of the light of a sty and habitation of foule lusts and spirits he is become the habitation of the liuing God 2. Cor. 6.16 2. His powers and parts are changed For 1. Hee is renewed in the spirit of his minde that now in the inner man he serueth the Law of God holdeth strife against the Law of the members Time was when hee regarded wickednesse in his heart his wil was set vpon euil works but now he knoweth if hee should do so God would not hear him Psal. 66.18 In all the faculties of his soule there is an embracing of righteousnesse 2. His outward members are now weapons of righteousnesse ready seruants for grace As his heart and will are bended towards God so his tongue and hand are quicke instruments to expresse the grace that is within 3. His motions and actions are happily changed He reuerseth all that hitherto hee hath done he condemneth for nought all that is done before grace he pulleth downe all old ruines and setteth vp a new frame vpon a new foundation and leaueth not a stone vpon a stone that was before And indeed there can be no lesse in true Repentance than a departure from euill and an accesse vnto good Saul conuerted will build vp as fast as euer hee plucked downe and preach as zealously as euer he persecuted 4. A great and remarkeable change is in his whole estate and condition The change of all other in nature most sensible is the change from life to death the same is here from the life of sin to the death of sin And is not this sensible 2. What an happy and miraculous change is that from death to life as in the raysing of Lazarus and of our bodies at the last Such is this happy change of the first Resurrection My sonne was dead saith the Father of the Prodigall but is aliue Ephes. 2. Yee that were dead in sins hath he quickned Blessed and happy are they that haue part in the first Resurrection Reuel 20.5 that is of soules not of bodies vnto grace not vnto glorie 3. What a remarkeable and blessed change is that after the resurrection to ascend into heauen and fit with Iesus Christ But such a change is here for the Beleeuer is not onely risen with Christ but ascended already and sitteth now in heauenly places with him We goe vp now after the Lord in cogitation and conuersation and by faith and hope actually sit in our head in heauenly places for looke what is the happy state of the head is also the condition of the members and faith maketh things absent to be present Oh then neuer be at rest till thou findest this happy change in thee which is as euident as the shine of the sunne to all eyes being awakened so full of miracles making the blind to see the dumbe to speake the deafe to heare yea the dead to rise to ascend and sit with Christ. 3 He strengtheneth himselfe against the assaults of sinnes and lusts for time to come 1. Ioh. 5.18 He that is born of God keepeth himselfe 1. Ioh. 3.3 He that hath this hope c. 1 With watchfulnesse against sinne and here first he casteth a most vigilant eye vpon those sins to which he hath beene most inclinable and which haue bred him most smart And 2 Knowing that nemo diu tutus periculo proximus he watcheth against occasions meanes and first motions to sin to auoid them Sure he is that an assaulted City cannot long hold out but by most carefull
spirit of bondage and worldly sorrow a repentance to be repented of But if thou hatest sin because God hateth it and resoluest not to doe it for his sake as Ioseph all is well 2. It will follow that the lopping and cutting off of some sins is not Repentance vnlesse the roots bee stocked and grubbed vp for this is not a change but a restraining of washboughs that will come againe Thou abstainest from swearing but doest thou feare an oath Thou actest not sin but doest thou hate it and put it away 3. That conquering of sin is not alwaies reformation turning from sin for one sin may conquer another Sathan may be cast out by Beelzebub Ambition may conquer couetousnesse hypocrisie may ouer-master many sins but this is far from Repentance For by the feare of the Lord a good man departeth from euill I set the Lord euer in my sight that I should not sin against him When grace and Gods feare thus conquereth sin it is a good signe 4. Euery change and reformation is not Repentance vnlesse the whole man be changed The whole man must turn both inward and outward in both all faculties and parts But with this caution that this change in euery part is but in part and imperfect as the Ayre in the dawning is light in euery part but in part and as luke-warme water heat is in euery part with cold Reason 1. The Scripture calleth for a through change and sanctification in the soule body and spirit 1. Thes. 5.25 The whole man must turne from the power of Sathan unto God The whole man must be made of an old a new man Ephes. 4.23 2. Else the remedy will bee short of the disease for the whole man is turned from God by sinne and Repentance must turne backe the whole man Deceiue not your selues in this great and weighty point some finde a change in their minde and haue some illumination and rest in that as Repentance But howeuer it is true that the first thing in Repentance is the change of the mind from darknesse to light yet Repentance is not the turning of the vnderstanding vnto truth vnlesse the will also be turned to God It is no repentance for a Papist to bee neuer so deuout humble charitable penitent if hee turne not his minde to the truth It is no repentance in a Protestant to imbrace the truth in iudgement and profession and liue vnreformed and vnanswerable vnto it for his will must be changed as well as his mind 5. Euery change of the whole man is not Repentance vnlesse it be from whole sin for Repentance turneth from all sin and continueth not any Obiect No Repentance can get away all sin in this life Answ. Not that it bee not but that it rage not The Iebusite will dwell within our borders but see he be subdued and commanded 1. That Repentance is not true which is not generall 2. To look backe vpon any sin is to turne the backe vpon God and to turne from one sin to another is not Repentance Herods reformation was farre from Repentance for howsoeuer hee did many things hee would not part with his Herodias Keep no bosome sin 6. Turning from all sin is not Repentance vnlesse thou turnest to God Ceasing from euill is not Repentance vnlesse thou learne to doe good nor casting off the old man vnlesse thou put on the new Now to turne to God is to get a sincere purpose desire and endeauour to walke according to all Gods commandements Try thy Repentance Hath thy sorrow bin deep and godly Hast thou got beyond ciuilitie Imbracest thou the grace thou didst trample before as a Swine vnder feet Hast thou changed thy soule thy whole man from whole sin to God CAP. 6. Rules concerning persons that must repent NOw in prosecuting the practice of Repentance I will confine my selfe within these bounds 1. Propound the rules and directions to guide vs in the duetie 2. The lots or chiefe impediments which hinder Repentance 3. The meanes and helpes for the happy performance of it 4. The signes and marks of a man truely repenting 5. The motiues or inducements to prouoke vs to Repentance 1. The rules or directions to guide vs in this duety concerne 1. The persons that must repent 2. the sinnes to bee repented of 3. the manner 4. the time The generall rule concerning the persons is That all and euerie man must repent The word in the Text is indefinite Except yee repent that is all of you Acts 17 30. But now admonisheth euery man euery where to repent The doctrine of Repentance is preached to all 1. All haue sinned and turned away from God all are depriued of the glory of God there is none that doth good no not one 1. Ioh. 1.8 If any man say hee hath not sinne he deceiueth himselfe and the truth is not in him Iam. 3.2 In many things we sin all therfore all haue need to repent All men are vnder sin Rom. 3.9 that is all men in respect of naturall corruption and actuall pollution are equally vnder the guilt and punishment of sin the sentence of the Law the curse of God A matter of such danger as a man had better bee vnder the weight of all the mountaines in the world than vnder the weight of sinne vpon his soule therefore euery man must repent 2. Euery man will say hee would haue his sins remitted therefore euery man must repent for Repentance and Remission of sins goe hand in hand Marke 1.9 Iohn preached the baptisme of Repentance for Remission of sins and the state of impenitency is a state of perdition Except ye repent ye shall perish for you are yet in your sins 3. Euery one will say hee would bee saued and come to heauen at last but without Repentance can be no saluation neither is there place in heauen for an impenitent person flesh and bloud shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Without shall be dogs and swine not washed from their filthinesse Consider the commandement Ier. 4.14 Wash thy heart from filthinesse that thou maiest be saued 2. The threatning If Christ wash thee not then thou hast no part in him 3 The appropriated onely to those that haue part in the first resurrection the second death shall haue no power ouer them 4 The folly of a man that aymeth at a high excellent end and neuer thinketh of the way and meanes to attayne that end so it is to thinke of heauen and not of Repentance the way and means to it Hence will follow 1 If all men then naturall and vnregenerate men be they neuer so ciuill must hasten their Repentance For 1 They are as clouds without water trees dead without fruit condemned persons without a pardon the law hath read an after sentence of death vpon them And a madnesse were it for a Fellon to looke to bee quit by that law that condemneth him that stare is nothing but death onely Faith and Repentance of the