our hearts accuse us of must be confessed as ever we hope for mercy It reproves them who do in their confessions mince and extenuate their sins A gracious soul labours to make the worst of his sins hypocrites make the best of them they do not deny they are sinners but yet do what they can to lessen their sins they indeed offend sometimes but it is their nature and it is long of such occasions These are rather excuses than confessions 1 Sam. 15. 24. I have sinned I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord because I feared the people Saul layes his sin upon the people They would have him spare the Sheep and Oxen. 'T was an Apology not a self-indictment This runs in a blood Adam acknowledgeth he did taste the forbidden fruit but instead of aggravating his sin he translates it from himself to God Gen. 3. 12. The woman whom thou gavest me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat If I had not had this woman to be a tempter I had not transgressed inscripsere deos sceleri That is a bad sin indeed that hath no excuse as it must needs be a very course Wooll which will take no dye How apt are we to pare and curtail sin and look upon it through the small end of the perspective that it appears but as a little cloud like the bigness of a mans hand 1 King 18. 44. It reproves them who are so far from confessing sin that they boldly plead for it Instead of having tears to lament it they use Arguments to defend it If their sin be passion they will justifie it Ionah 9. 4. I do well to be angry If it be covetousness they will vindicate it When men commit sin they are the Devils Servants when they plead for it they are the Devils Attorneys and he will give them a fee. 2. Let us shew our selves penitents by sincere confession of sin The Thief on the Cross made a confession of his sin Luk. 23. 41. We indeed suffer justly And Christ saith to him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Which possibly might occasion that speech of Austin that confession of sin shuts the mouth of Hell and opens the gate of Paradise That we may make a free and ingenuous confession of sin let us consider Holy confession gives glory to God Iosh. 7. 19. My Son give I pray thee glory to God the God of Israel and make confession unto him An humble confession exalts God What a glory is it to him that out of our own mouths he doth not condemn us While we confess sin Gods patience is magnified in sparing and his free-grace in saving such sinners Confession is a means to humble the soul He that subscribes himself an Hell-deserving sinner will have little heart to be proud with the Violet he will hang down his head in humility A true penitent confesseth he mingles sin with all he doth therefore hath nothing to boast of Uzziah though a King yet having a Leprosie in his forehead he had enough to abase him 2 Chron. 26. 19. So a child of a God though he doth any good yet acknowledgeth much evil to be in that good this layes all his feathers of pride in the dust Confession gives vent to a troubled heart When guilt lyes boiling in the conscience confession gives ease It is like the lancing of an Imposthume which gives ease to the Patient Confession purgeth out sin Austin calls it the Expeller of vice Sin is a bad blood confession is like the opening of a vein to let it out Confession is like the dung-gate by which all the filth of the City was carryed forth Nehem. 3. 13. Confession is like pumping at the leak it lets out that sin which would else drown Confession is the spunge that wipes off the spots of the soul. Confession of sin endears Christ to the soul. If I say I am a sinner how precious will Christs blood be to me When Paul had confessed a body of sin he presently breaks forth into a gratulatory triumph for Christ Rom. 7. 25. Thanks be to God through Iesus Christ If a debtor confess a Iudgement yet the creditor will not exact the debt but appoint his own Son to pay it will not the debtor be very thankful So when we confess the deâ—… and that though we should for ever 〈◊〉 in Hell we cannot pay it that God should appoint his own Son to lay down his blood for the payment of our debt how is free-grace magnified and Jesus Christ eternally loved and admired Confession of sin makes way for pardon No sooner did the Prodigal come with a confession in his mouth I have sinned against Heaven but his Fathers heart did melt towards him and he kissed him Luk. 15. 20. When David said I have sinned the Prophet brings him a box with a pardon The Lord hath put away thy sin 2 Sam. 12. 13. He who doth sincerely confess sin hath Gods bond for a pardon 1 Ioh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Why doth not the Apostle say if we confess he is merciful to forgive our sins no but he is just because he hath bound himself by promise to forgive such He who confesseth sin and comes with a penitent heart by faith in Christ Gods truth and justice is ingaged for the pardoning of that man How reasonable and easie is this command that we should confess sin 1. It is a reasonable command For if one hath wronged another what more rational than to confess he hath wronged him We having wronged God by sin how equal and consonant to reason is it that we should confess the offence 2. It is an easie command What a vast difference is there between the first Covenant and the second In the first Covenant it was If thou committest sin thou diest In the second Govenant it is If thou confessest sin thou shalt have mercy In the first Covenant no surety was allowed under the Covenant of Grace if we do but confess the debt Christ will be our Surety What way could be thought of more ready and facile for the salvation of man than an humble confession Ier. 3. 13. Only acknowledge thy iniquity I do not ask for sacrifices of Ramms to expiate thy guilt I do not bid thee part with the fruit of thy body for the sin of thy soul Only acknowledge thy iniquity Do but draw up an Indictment against thy self and plead guilty and thou shalt be sure of mercy Methinks all this should render this duty amiable Throw out the poison of sin by confession and this day is salvation come to thy house Let this suffice to have spoken of our confession of sin to God Only there remains one case of conscience Whether we are bound to confess our sins to men The Papists insist much upon
CHAP. IX Containing powerful Motives to Repentance THAT the exhortation to Repentance may be more quickned I shall lay down some powerful Motives to excite Repentance 1. Sorrow and melting of heart fits us for every holy duty A piece of Lead while it is in the lump can be put to no use but melt it and then you may cast it into any mould and it is made useful So an heart that is hardened into a lump of sin is good for nothing but when it is dissolved by Repentance now it is useful A melting heart is fit to pray When Pauls heart was humbled and melted then Behold he prayes Act. 9. 11. It is fit to hear the word Now the word works kindly When Iosiahs heart was tender he humbled himself and rent his cloths at the hearing the words of the Law 2 Chron. 34. 19. His heart like melting wax was ready to take any seal of the word A melting heart is fit to obey When the heart is like metal in the Furnace it is facil and malleable to any thing Lord what wilt thou have me do A repenting soul subscribes to Gods will and answers to his call as the eccho to the voice 2. Repentance is highly acceptable Then our hearts are a garden of Eden delightful to God when a spiritual River runs to water this garden I have read that Doves delight to be about the waters and surely Gods Spirit who descended in the likeness of a Dove takes great delight in the waters of Repentance The Lord esteems no heart sound but the broken heart Psal. 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit Mary stood at Iesus feet weeping Luke 7. 38. She brought two things to Christ saith Austin unguentum lachrymas tears and oyntment her tears were better than her oyntment Tears are powerful Orators for mercy they are silent yet they have a voice Psal. 6. 8. Hear the voice of my â—…eeping 3. Repentance commends all our services to God That is Gods savoury meat which is seasoned with the bitter hearbs of godly sorrow Hearing of the word â—…s then good when we are pricked at the heart Act. 2. 37. Prayer is delightful to God when it ascends from the Altar of a broken heart The Publican smote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner this prayer pierced Heaven He went away justified rather than the other Luke 18. 14. No prayer toucheth Gods ear but what comes from an heart touched with the sense of sin 4. Without Repentance nothing will avail us Some bless themselves that they have a stock of knowledge but what is knowledge good for without Repentance It is better to mortifie one â—…in than to understand all mysteries Impure speculatists do but resemble Satan â—…ransformed into an Angel of light Learning and a bad heart is like a fair face with a cancer in the breast Knowledge without Repentance will be but a torch â—…o light men to Hell 5. Repenting tears are delitious they may be compared to myrrhe which though it be bitter in taste it hath a sweet smell and refresheth the spirits So Repentance though it be bitter in it self yet it is sweet in the effects it brings inward peace The soul is never more enlarged and inwardly delighted than when it can kindly melt Alexander upon the safe return of his Admiral Nearchus from a long voyage wept for joy How oft do the Saints fall a weeping for joy The Hebrew word to repent signifies to take comfort * None so joyful as the penitent Tears as the Philosopher notes have four qualities they are moist salt hot bitter 'T is true of repenting tears they are hot to warm a frozen conscience moist to soften an hard heart salt to season a soul putrifying in sin bitter to wean us from the love of the world And I will add a fifth they are sweet in that they make the heart inwardly rejoyce Ioh. 16. 22. Your sorrow shall be turned into joy Let a man saith Austin grieve for his sin and rejoyce for his grief Tears are the besâ—… sweet-meats David who was the greaâ—… weeper in Israel was the sweet singer oâ—… Israel The sorrows of the penitent are like the sorrows of a travelling woman Ioh. 16. 21. A woman in travel hath sorrow but as soon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world So the sorrows of humbled sinners bring forth grace and what joy is there when this manchild is born 6. Great sins repented of shall find mercy Mary Magdalen a great sinner when she washed Christs feet with her tears obtained pardon Some of the Jews who had an hand in crucifying Christ upon their Repentance the very blood they shed was a soveraign balm to heal them Isa. 1. 18. Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Scarlet in the Greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is twice dipt and the art of man cannot wash out the dye again But though our sins are of a scarlet colour Gods mercy can wash them away This may comfort such whom the hainousness of sin discourageth as if there were no hope for them yes upon their serious turning to God their sins shall be expunged and done away Oh but my sins are out of measure sinful do not make them greater by not repenting Repentance unravels sin and makes it as if it had never been O but I have relapsed into sin after pardon and sure there is no mercy for me I know the Novatians held that after a relapse there was no renewing by Repentance But doubtless that was an errour The children of God have relapsed into the same sin Abraham did twice equivocate Lot committed incest twice Asa a good King yet sinned twice by creature-confidence Peter twice by carnal fear Matth. 26. 70. Gal. 2. 12. But for the comfort of such as have relapsed into sin more than once if they solemnly repent a white flag of mercy shall be held forth to them Christ commands us to forgive our trespassing brother seventy times seven in one day in case he repent Mat. 18. 22. If the Lord bids us do it will not he much more be ready to forgive upon our Repentance What is our forgiving mercy to his this I speak not to encourage any impenitent sinner but to comfort a despondent sinner that thinks t is in vain for him to repent and that he is excluded from mercy 7. Repentance is the in-let to spiritual â—…lessings it helps to enrich us with â—…ace it causeth the desart to blossom as â—…he Rose it makes the soul as the Egypâ—…an fields after the overflowing of Nilus â—…ourishing and fruitful Never do the â—…owers of grace grow more than after a â—…ower of repentant tears Repentance â—…auseth knowledge 2 Cor. 3. 16. When â—…eir heart shall be turned to the
repented brought their Books and by way of revenge burned them Act. 19. 19. These are the blessed fruits and products of Repentance and if we can find these in our souls we have arrived at that Repentance which is never to be repented of CHAP. XI A necessary Caution inserted SUch as have solemnly repented of their sins let me speak to them 1. By way of Caution Though Repentance be so necessary and excellent as you have heard yet take heed that you do not ascribe too much to Repentance The Papists are guilty of a double errour 1. They make Repentance a Sacrament Christ never made it so and who may institute Sacraments but he who can give vertue to them Repentance can be no Sacrament because it wants an outward sign A Sacrament cannot properly be without a sign 2. The Papists make Repentance meritorious they say it doth ex congruo merit pardon this is a gross errour Indeed Repentance fits us for mercy As the Plough when it breaks up the ground fits it for the seed So when the heart is broken up by Repentance it is fitted for remission but it doth not merit it God will not save us without Repentance nor yet for it Repentance is a qualification not a cause I grant repenting tears are precious they are as Gregory saith the fat of the sacrifice And as Basil saith the medicine of the soul. And as Bernard the wine of Angels but yet tears are not satisfactory for sin We drop sin with our tears therefore they cannot satisfie Austin saith well I have read of Peters tears but no man ever read of Peters satisfaction Christs blood only can merit pardon We please God by Repentance but we do not satisfie him by it To trust to our Repentance is to make it a Saviour Though Repentance helps to purge out the filth of sin yet it is Christs blood washeth away the guilt of sin therefore do not idolize Repentance Do not rest upon this that your heart hath been wounded for sin but rather that your Saviour hath been wounded for sin When you have wept say as he Lord Iesus wash my tears in thy blood CHAP. XII Comfort to the Repenting Sinner 2. LET me in the next place speak by way of comfort Christian hath God given thee a repenting heart know these three things for thy everlasting comfort 1. Thy sins are pardoned Pardon of sin circumscribes blessedness within it Psal. 32. 1. Whom God pardons he crowns Psal. 1â—…3 4. Who forgiveth thy iniquities who crowneth thee with loving kindness A repenting condition is a pardoned condition Christ said to that weeping woman Thy sins which are many are forgiven Luk. 7. 47. Pardons are sealed upon soft hearts O thou whose head hath been a fountain to weep for sin Christs side will be a fountain to wash away sin Zach. 13. 1. Hast thou repented God looks upon thee as if thou hadst not offended he becomes a friend a father he will now bring forth the best Robe and put it on thee God is pacified towards thee and will with the Father of the Prodigal fall upon thy neck and kiss thee Sin in Scripture is compared to a cloud Isa. 44. 22. No sooner is this cloud scattered by Repentance but pardoning love shines forth Paul after his Repentance obtained mercy 1 Tim. 1. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I was all bestrowed with mercy When a spring of Repentance is open in the heart a spring of mercy is open in Heaven 2. God will pass an Act of Oblivion he so forgives sin as he forgets Ier. 31. 34. I will remember their sin no more Hast thou been penitentially humbled the Lord will never upbraid thee with thy former sins After Peter wept we never read that Christ upbraidâ—…d him with his denial of him God hath cast thy sins into the depth of the Sea Micah 7. 19. How not as Cork but as Lead The Lord will never in a judicial way account for them God when he pardons doth as a Creditor that blots the debt out of his Book Isa. 43. 25. * Some move the question whether the sins of the godly shall be mentioned at the last day The Lord saith he will not remember them and he is blotting them out So that if their sins be mentioned it shall not be to their prejudice for the debt-book is crossed 3. Conscience will now speak peace O the musick of conscience Conscience is turned into a paradise and there a Christian doth sweetly solace himself and pluck the flowers of joy 2 Cor. 1. 12. The repenting sinner can go to God with boldness in prayer and look upon him not as a Judge but a Father He is born of God and is heir to a Kingdom Luk. 6. 20. He is incircled with Promises he no sooner shakes the tree of the Promise but some fruit falls To conclude the true penitentiary may look on death with comfort his life hath been a life of tears and now at death all tears shall be wiped away Death shall not be a destruction but a Gaol-delivery Thus you see what great comfort remains for repenting sinners Luther said before his conversion he could not endure that bitter word Repentance but afterwards he found much sweetness in it CHAP. XIII The resolving of a Question SOme may propound a question Whether must our Repentance and sorrow be alwaies alike A. Though Repentance must be alwaies kept alive in the soul yet there are two special times wherein we must renew our Repentance in an extraordinary manner 1. Before the receiving of the Lords Supper This spiritual Passeover is to be eaten with bitter herbs Now our eyes should be fresh broached with tears and the stream of sorrow overflow A repenting frame is a sacramental frame A broken heart and a broken Christ do well agree The more bitterness we taste in sin the more sweetness we shall taste in Christ. When Iacob wept he found God And he called the name of the place Peniel for I have seen God face to face Gen. 32 30. The way to find Christ comfortably in the Sacrament is to go weeping thither Christ will say to an humble penitent as to Thomas Reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and let those bleeding wounds of mine heal thee Another time of extraordinary Repentance is at the hour of death This should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a weeping season Now is our last work to be done for Heaven and our best wine of tears should be kept against such a time We should repent now that we have sinned so much and wept so little that Gods bag hath been so full and his bottle so empty We should repent now that we repented no sooner that the garrisons of our hearts held out so long against God ere they were levelled by Repentance We should repent now that we have loved Christ no
voluptas The oyl of joy is poured chiefly into a broken heart Isa. 61. 3. The oyl of joy for mourning In the fields near Palermo grow great plenty of Reeds in which there is a sweet juice of which sugar is made So in a penitent heart which is the bruised Reed grow the sugred joys of Gods Spirit God turns the water of tears into the juyce of the grape which exhilerates and makes glad the heart Who should rejoyce if not the repenting soul he is heir to all the Promises and is not that matter of joy God dwells in a contrite heart and must there not needs be joy there Isa. 55. 17. I dwell with a contrite spirit to revive the heart of the contrite ones Repentance doth not take away a Christians musick but raiseeth it a note higher and makes it sweeter 7. Another obstacle of Repentance is despondency of mind Oh saith a sinner it is a vain thing for me to set upon Repentance my sins are of that magnitude that there is no hope for me Ier. 18. 11 12. Return ye now every one from his evil way and they said there is no hope Our sins are mountains and how shall these ever be cast into the Sea Where unbelief represents sin in its bloody colours and God in his Judges Robes the soul will sooner fly from him than to him This is dangerous Other sins need mercy but despair rejects mercy it throws the cordial of Christs blood on the ground Iudas was not damned only for his treason and murder but it was his distrust of Gods mercy destroyed him Why should we entertain such hard thoughts of God he hath bowels of love to repenting sinners Ioel 2. 13. Mercy rejoyceth over justice Gods anger is not so hot but mercy can cool it nor so sharp but mercy can sweeten it God counts his mercy his glory Exod. 33. 18 19. We have some drops of mercy our selves but God is the Father of mercies who begets all the mercies that are in us He is the God of bowels No sooner do we mourn but Gods heart melts no sooner do our tears fall but Gods repentings kindle Hos. 11. 8. Say not then there is no hope Disband the army of thy sins and God will sound a retreat to his judgements Remember great sins have been swallowed up in the Sea of Gods infinite compassions Manasseh made the streets run with blood yet when his â—…ead was a fountain of tears God grew propitious 8. Hope of impunity Men flatter themselves in fin and think God having spared them all this while he never intends to punish because the Assizes are put off therefore surely there will be no Assizes Psal. 10. 11. He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it The Lord indeed is long-suffering towards sinners and would by his patience bribe them to Repentance but here is their wretchedness because he forbears to punish they forbear to repent Know that the lease of Patience will soon be run out There is a time when God saith My Spirit shall no longer strive A creditor may forbear his debtor but forbearance doth not excuse the payment God takes notice how long the glass of his patience hath been running Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent but she repented not Iezabel added to her incontinency impenitency and what follows vers 22. Behold I will cast her into a bed Not a bed of pleasure but a bed of languishing where she shall consume away in her iniquity The longer Gods Arrow is drawing the deeper it wounds Sins against patience will make a mans Hell so much the hotter The next Impediment of Repentance is fear of reproach If I repent I shall expose my self to mens scorns The Heathen man could say when thou appliest thy self to the study of wisdom prepare for sarcasms and reproaches But consider well who they are that reproach thee they are such as are ignorant of God and spiritually phrantick and art thou troubled to have them reproach thee who are not well in their wits who minds a mad mans laughing at him What do the wicked reproach thee for is it because thou repentest thou art doing thy duty bind their reproaches as a Crown about thy head 'T is better that men should reproach thee for repenting than that God should damn thee for not repenting 3. If thou canst not bear a reproach for Religion never call thy self Christian Christianus quasi crucianus Suffering is a Saints livery and alas what are reproaches they are but the chips of the Cross which are rather to be despised than laid to heart 10. The last Impediment of Repentance is immoderate love of the world No wonder Ezekiels hearers were hardned into rebellion when their heart went after covetousness Ezok. 33. 31. The world doth so engross mens time and bewitch their affections that they cannot repent they had rather put gold in their bag than tears in Gods bottle I have read of the Turks that they mind neither Churches nor Altars but are diligent in looking after their tillage So many scarce ever mind Repentance they are more for the Plough and breaking of the clods than breaking up the fallow ground of their hearts The Thorns choke the word We read of them who were invited to Christs Supper who put him off with worldly excuses Luk. 14. 18. One said I have bought a piece of ground and must needs go see it I pray thee have me excused and another I have bought five yoke of Oxen c. The farm and the shop so take up peoples time that they have no leisure for their souls Their golden weights hinder their silver tears There is an Herb in the Country of Sardinia like Baulm which if they eat much of will make them die laughing Such an herb or rather weed is the world if men eat too immoderately of it instead of dying repenting they will die laughing These are the obstructions of Repentance which must be removed that the current may be clearer CHAP. XV. Prescribing some Means for Repentance I Shall in the last place prescribe some Rules or Means conducible to Repentance 1. The first is serious consideration Psal. 119. 59. I thought on my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies The Prodigal when he came to himself and did seriously consider his riotous luxuriances then he repented Peter when he thought of Christs words wept There are four things which if they were well considered of would be a means to make us break off a course of sinning 1. Consider seriously what sin is and sure there is enough evil in it to make us repent There are in sin these twenty Evils 1. Every sin is a recession from God Ier. 2. 5. God is the supream good and our blessedness lyes in union with him but sin like a strong byass draws
away the heart from God The sinner takes his leave of God he bids farewel to Christ and mercy Every step forward in sin is a step backward from God Isa. 1. 4. They have forsaken the Lord they are gone away backward The further one goes from the Sun the nearer he approacheth to darkness the further the soul goes from God the nearer it approach to misery 2. Sin is a walking contrary to God Levit. 26. 27. The same word in the Hebrew * signifies both to commit sin and to rebel Sin is Gods opposite If God be of one mind sin will be of another If God saith sanctifie the Sabbath sin saith prophane it Sin strikes at Gods very being If sin could help it God should be no longer God Isa. 30. 11. Cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us What an horrible thing is this for a piece of proud dust to rise up in defiance against its maker 3. Sin is an injury to God For 1. It violates his Laws here is crimen laesae majestatis What greater injury can be offered to a Prince than to trample upon his royal edicts A sinner offers contempt to the Statute-Laws of Heaven Nehem. 9. 26. They have cast thy Law behind their back as if they scorned to look upon it 2. Sin robs God of his due You injure a man when you do not give him his due The soul belongs to God he laies a double claim to it it is his by creation and purchase now sin steals the soul from God and gives the Devil that which of right belongs to God 4. Sin is profound ignorance The School-men say All sin is founded in ignorance did men know God in his purity and justice they durst not go on in a course of sinning Ier. 9. 3. They proceed from evil to evil and know not me saith the Lord. Therefore ignorance and lust are joyned together 1 Pet. 1. 14. Ignorance is the womb of lust Vapours arise most in the night The black vapours of sin arise most in a dark ignorant soul. Satan casts a mist before a sinner that he sees not the flaming sword of Gods wrath The Eagle first rolls himself in the sand and then flies at the Stagg and by fluttering his wings so bedusts the Staggs eyes that he cannot see and then he strikes him with his tallons So Satan that Eagle or Prince of the Air first blinds men with ignorance and then wounds them with his darts of temptation Is sin ignorance there 's great cause to repent of ignorance 5. Sin is a piece of desperateness In every transgression a man runs an apparent hazard of his soul he treads upon the brink of the bottomless pit Foolish sinner thou never committest a sin but thou dost that which may undo thy soul for ever He who drinks poison it is a wonder if it doth not cost him his life One taste of the forbidden tree lost Adam Paradise One sin of the Angels lost them Heaven One sin of Saul lost him his Kingdom The next sin thou committest God may clap thee up prisoner among the damned Thou that gallopest on in sin it is a question whether God will spare thy life a day longer or give thee an heart to repent so that thou art desperate even to phrensy 6. Sin is a befilthying thing it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthiness Iam. 1. 21. The Greek word signifies the putrid matter of ulcers Sin is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an abomination Deut. 7. 25. Nay in the plural abominations* Deut. 20. 18. This filthiness in sin is inward a spot in the face may easily be wiped off but to have the liver and lungs tainted is far worse Such a pollution is sin it hath gotten into the mind and conscience Tit. 1. 15. 'T is compared to a menstruous cloth Isa. 30. 22. The most unclean thing under the Law A sinners heart is like a field spread with dung Some think sin an ornament it is rather an excrement So doth sin befilthy a person that God cannot abide the sight of him Zach. 11. 8. My soul loathed them 7. In sin is odious ingratitude God hath â—…ed thee O sinner with Angels food he hath crowned thee with variety of mercies yet dost thou go on in sin As David said of Nabal in vain have I kept this mans sheep 1 Sam. 25. 21 So in vain hath God done so much for the sinner All Gods mercies may upbraid yea accuse the ungrateful person May God say I gave thee wit health riches and thou hast imployed all these against me Hos. 2. 8. I gave them corn and wine and oyl and multiplied their silver and gold which they prepared for Baal I sent in provisions and they served their Idols with them The Snake in the fable which was frozen stung him that brought it to the fire and gave it warmth So a sinner goes about to sting God with his own mercies Is this thy kindness to thy friend Did God give thee life to sin Did he give thee wages to serve the Devil 8. Sin is a debasing thing it degrades a person of his honour Nahum 1. 14. I will make thy grave for thou art vile This was spoken of a King he was not vile by birth but by sin Sin blots our name taints our blood nothing doth so change a mans glory into shame as sin doth 'T is said of Naaman He was a great man and honourable but he was a leper 2 Kin. 5. 1. Let a man be never so great with worldly Pomp yet if he be wicked he is a leper in Gods eye To boast of sin is to boast of that which is our infamy as if a Prisoner should boast of his fetters or be proud of his halter 9. Sin is a damage In every sin there is infinite loss Never did any thrive by grazing on this Common What doth one lose he loseth God he loseth his peace he loseth his soul. The soul is a divine spark lighted from Heaven it is the glory of the Creation and what can countervail this loss Matth. 16. 26. If the soul be gone the treasure is gone so that in sin there is infinite loss Sin is such a trade that whosoever follows it is sure to break 10. Sin is a burthen Psal. 38. 4. My iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me The sinner goes with his weights and fetters on him The burden of sin is ever worst when it is least felt Sin is a burden where-ever it comes Sin burdens God Amos 2. 3. I am pressed with your sins as a Cart is pressed under the sheaves Sin burdens the soul what a weight did Spira feel how was Iudas his conscience burdened insomuch that he hanged himself to quiet his conscience They that know what sin is will repent that they carry such
auricular confession That one must confess his sins in the ear of the Priest or he cannot be absolved They urge that Iam. 5. 16. Confess your sins one to another But this Scripture makes little for their purpose It may as well be meant that the Priest should confess to the people as the people to the Priest Auricular confession is one of the Popes Golden Doctrines Like the Fish in the Gospel it hath money in its mouth Matth. 17. 27. When thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money But though I am not for confession to men in a Popish sense yet I think in three cases there ought to be confession to men 1. In case a person hath fallen into a scandalous sin and by it hath been an occasion of offence to some and of falling to others he ought to make a solemn and open acknowledgement of his sin that his repentance may be as visible as his scandal 2 Cor. 2. 6 7. 2. In case a man hath confessed his sin to God yet still his conscience is burdened and he can have no ease in his mind it is very requisite that he should confess his sins to some prudent pious friend that may advise him and speak a word in due season Iam. 5. 17. It is a sinful modesty in Christians that they are no more free with their Ministers and other spiritual friends in disburdening themselves and opening the sores and troubles of their souls to them If there be a thorn sticking in the conscience it is good to make use of those who may help to pluck it out 3. In case any man hath slandered another and by clipping his good name hath made it weigh lighter he is bound to make confession The Scorpion carries his poison in his tail the slanderer in his tongue his words pierce deep like the quills of the Porcupine That person who hath murdered another in his good name or by bearing false witness hath damaged him in his estate ought to confess his sin and ask forgiveness Matth. 5. 24. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remembrest that thy Brother hath ought against thee go thy way first be reconciled to thy Brother and then come and offer thy gift How can this reconciliation be but by confessing the injury Till this be done God will accept of none of thy services Do not think the holiness of the Altar will priviledge thee thy praying and hearing is in vain till thou hast by confessing thy fault to thy Brother appeased his anger SECT IV. 4. THE fourth Ingredient into Repentance is shame Ezek. 43. 10. That they may be ashamed of their iniquities Blushing is the colour of vertue When the heart hath been made black with sin grace makes the face red with blushing Ezra 9. 6. I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face The repenting Prodigal was so ashamed of his excess that he thought himself not worthy to be called a Son any more Luk. 15. 21. Repentance causeth an holy bashfulness If Christs blood were not at the heart there would not so much blood come in the face There are nine Considerations about sin may cause shame 1. Every sin makes us guilty and guilt usually breeds shame Adam never blushed in the time of Innocency while he kept the whiteness of the Lilly he had not the blushing of the Rose but when he had defloured his soul by sin then he was ashamed Sin hath tainted our blood we are guilty of High-treason against the Crown of Heaven This may cause an holy modesty and blushing 2 In every sin there is much unthankfulness and that is matter of shame He who is upbraided with ingratitude will blush we have sinned against God when he hath given us no cause Ier. 2. 5. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me Wherein hath God wearied us unless his mercies have wearied us O the silver drops that have fallen on us we have had the finest of the Wheat we have been fed with Angels food The golden Oyl of Divine Blessing hath run down on us from the head of our heavenly Aaron And to abuse the kindness of so good a God how may this make us ashamed Cesar took it unkindly at the hands of Brutus on whom he had bestowed so many favours when he came to stab him What thou my Son Brutus O ungrateful to be worse for mercy Aelian reports of the Vulture that it draws sickness from perfumes So to contract the disease of pride and luxury from the perfume of Gods mercy how unworthy is it What to requite evil for good to kick against our feeder Deut. 32. 15. To make an Arrow of Gods mercies and shoot at him to wound him with his own blessing O horrid ingratitude Will not this dye our faces of a deep Scarlet Unthankfulness is a sin so great that God himself stands amazed at it Isa. 1. 2. Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me And surely that sin which makes God wonder may make us blush 3. Sin hath made us naked and that may breed shame Sin hath stripped us of our white Linnen of Holiness it hath made us naked and deformed in Gods eye which may cause blushing When Hanun had abused Davids servants and cut off their garments so that their nakedness did appear the text saith The men were greatly ashamed 2 Sam. 10. 5. 4. Our sins have put Christ to shame and shall not we be ashamed The Jews arrayed him in Purple they put a Reed in his hand spat in his face and in his greatest Agonies reviled him Here was the shame of the Cross and that which aggravated the shame was to consider the eminency of his person as he was the Son of God and the innocency of his life as he was the Lamb of God Did our sins put Christ to shame and shall they not put us to shame Did he wear the Purple and shall not our cheeks wear Crimson Who can behold the Sun as it were blushing at Christs passion and hiding it self in an ecclipse and his face not blush 5. Many sins which we commit are by the special instigation of the Devil and will not this cause shame The Devil put it into Iudas his heart to betray Christ Ioh. 13. 2. He filled Ananias heart to lye Act. 5. 3. He often stirs up our passions Iam. 3. 6. Now as it is a shame to bring forth a child illegitimate so to bring forth such sins as may call the Devil Father 'T is said the Virgin Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost Luk. 2. 35. But we often conceive by the power of Satan When the heart conceives pride lust malice it is very often by the power of the Devil May not this make us ashamed to think that
will hold him faster and take fuller possession of him than ever O take heed of this A true turning from sin is a divorcing it so as never to come near it any more and whoever is thus turned from sin is a blessed person Act. 3. 26. God having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning every one of you from his iniquities Is turning from sin a necessary Ingredient in Repentance then there is but little Repentance to be found People are not turned from their sins they are still the same they were Proud they were and so they are still Like the beasts in Noahs Ark they went into the Ark unclean and came out unclean Men come to Ordinances impure and go away impure Though men have seen so many changes without yet there is no change wrought within Isa. 9. 13. The people turneth not to him that smiteth How can they say they repent who do not turn Are they washed in Iordan who have still their Leprosie upon their forehead May not God say to the unreformed as once to Ephraim Hos. 4. 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone So here is a man joyned to his drunkenness and uncleanness let him alone let him go on in sin but if there be either justice in Heaven or vengeance in Hell he shall not go unpunished Use 2. It reproves them 1. Who are but half-turned and who are these Such as turn in their judgement but not in their practice they cannot but acknowledge that sin like Saturn hath a bad aspect and influence and will weep for sin yet are so bewitched with it that they have no power to leave it their corruptions are stronger than their convictions These are half-turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 almost Christians Act. 26. 28. They are like Ephraim who was a Cake baked on one side and dough on the other Hos. 7. 8. They are but half-turned who turn only from gross sin but have no intrinsick work of grace They do not prize Christ or love holiness 'T is with civil persons as with Ionah he got a gourd to defend him from the heat of the Sun and he thought now he was safe but a worm presently ariseth and devours the gourd So men when they are turned from gross sin think their civility will be a gourd to defend them from the wrath of God but at death there ariseth the worm of conscience and smites this gourd and then their hearts fail and they begin to despair They are but half-turned who turn from many sins but are unturned from some special sin There is an harlot in the bosom they will not let go As if a man should be cured of several diseases but hath a canker in his breast and that kills him It reproves such whose turning is as good as no turning who have one Devil goes out of them and another enterâ—… they turn from swearing to slandering from profuseness to covetousness Like a sick man that turns from a tertian Ague to a quartan Such turning will turn men to Hell Let us in this shew our selves penitents in turning from sin to God There are some persons I have little hope to prevail with Let the trumpet of the word sound never so shrill let threatnings be thundered out against them let some flashes of Hell fire be thrown in their faces yet they will have the other game at sin These persons seem to be like the Swine in the Gospel carried down by the Devil violently into the Sea they will rather damn than turn Ier. 8. 5. They hold fast deceit they refuse to return But if there be any candour or sobriety in us if conscience be not cast into a dead sleep let us listen to the voice of the charmer and turn to God our supream good How often doth God call upon us to turn to him He swears Ezek. 33. 11. As I live I desire not the death of the sinner turn ye turn ye c. God had rather have our repenting tears than our blood Turning to God makes for our profit Our Repentance is no benefit to God but to us If a man drinks of a fountain he benefits himself not the fountain if he beholds the light of the Sun he himself is refreshed by it not the Sun If we turn from our sins to God God is not advantaged by it it is only we our selves reap the benefit therefore self-love should prevail with us Prov. 9. 12. If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self If we turn to God he will turn to us he will turn his anger from us and his face to us It was Davids prayer Psal. 86. 16. O turn unto me and have mercy upon me Our turning will make God turn Zach. 1. 3. Turn ye unto me saith the Lord and I will turn unto you He who was an enemy will turn to be our friend If God turn to us the Angels are turned to us we shall have their tutelage and guardianship Psal. 91. 11. If God turn to us all things shall turn to our good mercies and afflictions we shall taste honey at the end of the Rod. Thus we have seen the several Ingredients of Repentance CHAP. V. Shewing the reasons enforcing Repentance I Proceed next to the reasons which do enforce Repentance 1. From Gods soveraign command Act. 17. 30. He commandeth men every where to repent Repentance is not arbitrary 't is not left to our choice whether we will repent or no but it is an indispensible command God hath enacted a Law in the High Court of Heaven that no sinner shall be saved but the repenting sinner and he will not break his own Law Though all the Angels should stand before God and beg the life of an irrepenting person God would not grant it Exod. 34. 6. The Lord God merciful and gracious keeping mercy for thousands and that will by no means clear the guilty Though God is more full of mercy than the Sun is of light yet he will not forgive a sinner while he goes on in his guilt He will by no means clear the guilty 2. The pure nature of God denies communion with an impenitent creature Till the sinner repent God and he cannot be friends Isa. 1. 16. Wash ye make ye clean Go steep your selves in the brinish waters of Repentance Ver. 18. Come now and let us reason together Now saith God I will parley with you but else come not near me What communion hath light with darkness How can the righteous God indulge him that goes on still in his trespasses Exod. 23. 7. I will not justifie the wicked If God should be at peace with a sinner before he repent he should seem to like and approve all that he hath done he should go against his own holiness 'T is inconsistent with the sanctity of Gods nature to
patience to be content to live any longer O blessed Repentance that hast such a light side with thy dark and hast so much sugar at the bottom of thy bitter cup. 15. The next Motive to Repentance is to consider the evil of impenitency An hard heart is the worst heart it is called an heart of stone Ezek. 36. 26. If it were Iron it might be mollified in the furnace but a Stone put in the fire will not melt it will sooner fly in your face Impenitency is a sin grieves Christ Mark 3. 5. Being grieved for the hardness of their hearts It is not so much the disease offends the Physician as the contempt of his Physick Not the sins we have committed do so much provoke and grieve Christ as that we refuse the Physick of Repentance which he prescribes This aggravated Iezabels sin Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent yet she repented not An hard heart receives no impression it is untuned for every duty It was a sad speech Stephen Gardner uttered on his death-bed I have denied my Master with Peter but I cannot repent with Peter O the plague of an obdurate heart Pharaohs heart turned into stone was worse than his waters turned into blood David had his choice of three judgements plague sword and famine but sure he would have chosen them all rather than an hard heart An impenitent sinner is neither allured by entreaties nor affrighted by menaces Such as will not weep with Peter shall weep with Iudas An hard heart is the Anviâ—… on which the hammer of Gods justice will be striking to all eternity 16. The last Motive to Repentance is the day of judgement is coming This is the Apostles own Argument Act. 17. 31. God commands men every where to repent because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world There is that in the day of judgement which may make a stony heart bleed Will a man go on thieving when the Assizes are nigh Will the sinner go on sinning when the day of judgement is so nigh Thou canst no more conceal thy sin than thou canst defend it and what wilt thou do when all thy sins shall be written in Gods Book and engraven on thy forehead O direful day when Jesus Christ clothed in his Judges Robe shall say to the sinner stand forth answer to the Indictment brought against thee What canst thou say for all thy oaths adulteries and thy desperate impenitency O how amazed and stricken with consternation will the sinner be and after his conviction he must hear the sad sentence Depart from me Then he who would not repent of his sins shall repent of his â—…olly If then there be such a time a coming wherein God will judge men for their impieties what a spur should this be to Repentance The penitent soul shall at the last day lift up his head with comfort and have a discharge to shew under the Judges own hand CHAP. IX Exhorting to speedy Repentance THE second branch of the Exhortation is to press persons to speedy Repentance Act. 17. 30. Now God commands men every where to repent The Lord would not have any of the late Autumn fruits offered to him God loves early penitents that consecrate the spring and flower of their age to him Early tears like Pearls bâ—…ed of the morning dew are more orient and beautiful Oh do not reserve the dregs of your age for God lest he reserve the dregs of his cup for you Be as speedy in your Repentance as you would have God speedy in his mercies 1 Sam. 21. 8. The Kings business required haste So Repentance requires haste 'T is natural to us to procrastinate and put off Repentance We say as Hag. 1. 2. The time is not yet come No man almost is so bad but purposeth he will amend but he adjourns and prorogues so long till at last all his purposes prove abortive Many are now in Hell that purposed to repent Satan doth what he can to keep men from Repentance when he sees they begin to take up serious thoughts of reformation he bids them stay a while longer If this traitor sin must die saith Satan let it not die yet So the Devil gets a reprieve for sin it shall not die this Sessions at last men put off so long that death seizeth on them and their work is not done Let me therefore lay down some cogent Arguments to perswade to speedy Repentance 1. Now is the season of Repentance and every thing is best done in its season 2 Cor. 6. 2. Now is the accepted time Now God hath a mind to shew mercy to the penitent he is on the giving hand Kings set apart daies for healing Now is the healing day for our souls now God hangs forth the white flag and is willing to parley with sinners A Prince at his coronation as an Act of Royalty gives money proclaims pardons fills the conduits with wine Now God proclaims pardons to penitent sinners now the conduit of the Gospel runs wine now is the accepted time therefore now come in and make your peace with God now break off your iniquities by Repentance 't is wisdom to take the season The Husbandman takes the season for sowing his seed now is the seed-time for our souls 2. The sooner you repent the fewer sins you will have to answer for Were you at the death-bed of an old sinner when conscience begins to be awakened and should hear him crying out here are all my old sins come about me haunting my death-bed as so many evil spirits and I have no discharge here is Satan who was once my tempter is now become my accuser and I have no Advocate I am now going to be dragg'd before Gods judgement-seat where I must receive my final doom Oh how dismal is the case of this man he is in Hell before his time but you who repent betimes of your sinful courses this is your priviledge you will have the less to answer for nay let me tell you you will have nothing to answer for Christ will answer for you your Judge will be your Advocate 1 Ioh. 2. 1. Father will Christ say here is one that hath been a great sinner yet a broken-hearted sinner if he owes any thing to thy justice set it on my score 3. The sooner we repent the more glory we may bring to God 'T is the end of our living to be useful in our generation better lose our lives than the end of our living Late converts who have for many years taken pay on the Devils side are not in a capacity of doing so much work in the Vineyard The thief on the Cross could not do that service for God as St. Paul did But when we do betimes turn from sin then we give God the first-fruits of our lives we spend and are spent for Christ. The more work we do for God the more willing we
more that we have fetched no more vertue from him and brought no more glory to him It should be our grief on our death-bed that our lives have had so many blanks and blots in them that our duties have been so fly-blown with sin that our obedience hath been so imperfect and we have gone so lame in the waies of God When the soul is going out of the body it should swim to Heaven in a Sea of tears CHAP. XIV The removing the Impediments of Repentance BEfore I lay down the Expedients and Means conducing to Repentance I shall first remove the Impediments In this great City when you want water you search the cause whether the Pipes are broken or stopped that the current of water is hindered So when no water of Repentance comes though we have the Conduit-pipes of Ordinances see what the cause is where is the stop that these penitential waters do not run There are ten Impediments of Repentance 1. Men do not apprehend that they need Repentance they thank God all is well with them and they know nothing they should repent of Rev. 3. 17. Thou sayest I am rich and have need of nothing He who apprehends not any distemper in his body will not take the Physick prescribed This is the mischief sin hath done it hath not only made us sick but senseless When the Lord bade the people return to him they answered stubbornly Wherein should we return Mal. 3. 7. So when God bids men repent they say wherefore should they repent they know nothing they have done amiss Surely no disease worse than that which is Apoplectical 2. People conceit it an easie thing to repent It is but saying a few prayers a sigh or a Lord have mercy and the work is done This conceit of the easiness of Repentance is a great hinderance to it That which makes a person bold and adventrous in sin must needs obstruct Repentance but this opinion doth make a person bold in sin The Angler can let out his line as far as he will and then pull it in again So when a man thinks he can lash out in sin as far as he will and then pull in by Repentance when he list this must needs imbolden him in wickedness But to take away this false conceit of the easiness of Repentance consider 1. A wicked man hath a mountain of guilt upon him and is it easie to rise up under such a weight Is salvation per saltum Can a man jump out of sin into Heaven Can he leap out of the Devils arms into Abrahams bosom 2. If all the power in a sinner be employed against Repentance then it is not easie All the faculties of a natural man joyn issue with sin Ier. 2. 25. I have loved strangers and after them will I go A sinner will rather lose Christ and Heaven than his lusts death which parts man and wife will not part a wicked man and his sins and is it so easie to repent The Angel rolled away the stone from the Sepulchre but no Angel only God himself can roll away the stone from the the heart 3. Presuming thoughts of Gods mercy Many suck poison from this sweet flower Christ who came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1. 15. is accidentally the occasion of many a mans perishing Though to the Elect he is the bread of life yet to the wicked he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stone of stumbling 1 Pet. 2. 7. * To some his blood is sweet wine to others the water of Marah Some are softned by this Sun of Righteousness others are hardned Oh saith one Christ hath died he hath done all for me therefore I may sit still and do nothing Thus they suck death from the Tree of Life and perish by a Saviour So I may say of Gods mercy it is accidentally the cause of many a ones ruine Because of mercy men presume and think they may go on in sin But should a Kings clemency make his subjects rebel The Psalmist saith there is mercy with God that he may be feared Psal. 130. 4. but not that we may sin Can men expect mercy by provoking justice God will hardly shew them mercy who sin because mercy abounds 4. A supine sluggish temper Repentance is looked upon as a tedious thing and such as requires much industry and men are settled upon their lees and care not to stir They had rather go sleeping to Hell than weeping to Heaven Prov. 19. 24. A slothful man hideth his hands in his bosom he will not be at the labour of smiting on his breast Many will rather lose Heaven than ply the oar and row thither upon the waters of Repentance We cannot have the world citra pulverem without labour and diligence and would we have that which is more excellent Sloth is the canker of the soul Prov. 19. 15. Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep It was a witty fiction of the Poets when Mercury had cast Argus into a sleep and with an inchanted Rod closed his eyes then he killed him When Satan hath by his witcheries lull'd men asleep in sloth then he destroyes them Some report while the Crockadil sleeps with his mouth open the Indian Rat gets into his belly and eats up his entrails So while men sleep in security they are devoured 5. Another obstruction of Repentance is the tickling pleasure of sin â—… Thes. 2. 12. Who take pleasure in unrighteousness Sin is a sugred draught but mixed with poison The sinner thinks there is danger in sin but there is delight and the danger doth not so terrifie him as the delight bewitcheth him Plato calls love of sin a great Devil Delighting in sin hardens the heart In true Repentance there must be a grieving for sin but how can one grieve for that which he loves He who delights in sin can hardly pray against it his heart is so inveagled with sin that he is afraid of leaving it too soon Sampson doted on Dalilahs beauty and her lap proved his grave When a man rolls iniquity as a Sugared lump under his tongue it infatuates him and is his death at last Delight in sin is a silken halter 2 Sam. 2. 26. Will it not be bitterness in the latter end 6. An opinion that Repentance will take away our joy but that is a mistake it doth not crucifie but clarifie our joy and take it off from the fulsom lees of sin What is all earthly joy it is but Hilaris insania a pleasant phrensy Falsa inter gaudia noctem 〈◊〉 Worldly mirth is but like a feigned laugh it hath sorrow following at the heels As the Magitians Rod it is instantly turned into a Serpent But divine Repentance like Sampsons Lion hath an hony-comb in it Gods Kingdom consists as well in joy as in righteousness Rom. 4. 17. None are so truly chearful as penitent ones Est quaedam flere
drink the poison of sin in a merriment but it costs them their souls Rom. 6. 23. The wages of sin is death What Solomon saith of wine the same I may say of sin at first it shews its colour in the cup at the last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder Prov. 23. 31. Christ tells us of the worm and the fire Mark 9. 48. Sin is like oyl and Gods wrath is like fire So long as the damned continue sinning so long the fire will continue scorching and who can dwell with everlasting burnings Isa. 33. 14. But men question the truth of this and are like that impious Devonax who being threatned with Hell for his villanies made a mock at it and said I will believe there is an Hell when I come there and not before We cannot make Hell enter into men till they enter into Hell Thus we have seen the deadly evil in sin which seriously thought on may make us repent and turn to God If for all this men will persist in sin and are resolved upon a voyage to Hell who can help it They have been told what a soul-damning Rock sin is but if they will voluntarily run upon it and split themselves their blood be upon their own head 2. The second consideration to work Repentance is consider the mercies of God A stone is soonest broken upon a soft pillow and an heart of stone is soonest broken upon the soft pillow of Gods mercies Rom. 2. 4. The goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance The clemency of a Prince doth soonest cause relenting in a malefactor While God hath been storming others by his judgements he hath been wooing us by his mercies What privative mercies have we had what mischiefs have been prevented what fears blown over When our foot hath been slipping Gods mercy hath held us up Mercy hath been alwaies a screen between us and danger When enemies like Lions have risen up against us to devour us free-grace hath snatched us out of the mouth of these Lions In the deepest waves the arm of mercy hath been under and kept our head above water and will not this privative mercy lead us to Repentance What positive mercies have we had 1. Supplying mercy God hath been a bountiful benefactor Gen. 48. 15. The God which fed me all my life long to this day What man will spread a table for his enemy we have been enemies yet God hath fed us he hath given us the horn of Oyl he hath made the hony-comb of mercy drop upon us God hath been as kind to us as if we had been his best servants and will not this supplying mercy lead us to Repentance 2. Delivering mercy When we have been at the gates of the grave God hath miraculously spun out our lives he hath turned the shadow of death into the morning and hath put a song of deliverance into our mouth and will not delivering mercy lead us to Repentance The Lord hath laboured to break our hearts with his mercies We read Iudg. 2. When the Angel which was a Prophet had preached a Sermon of mercy the people lifted up their voices and wept vers 4. If any thing will move tears it should be the mercy of God He is an obstinate sinner indeed whom these great Cable-Ropes of Gods mercy will not draw to Repentance 3. Consider Gods afflictive providences and see if our limbeck will not drop when the fire is put under God hath sent us of late years to the school of the cross he hath twisted his judgements together he hath made good upon us those two threatnings Hos. 5. 12. I will be to Ephraim as a moth Hath not God been so to England in decay of trading And ver 14. I will be to Ephraim as a Lion Hath he not been to England in the devouring Plague Well all this while God waited for our Repentance but we went on in sin Ier. 8. 6. I hearkned and heard but no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done And of late God hath been whipping us with a fiery Rod in those tremendous flames in this City which did hierogly phically resemble the great Conflagration at the last day when the Elements shall melt with fervent heat When Ioabs corn was on fire then he went running to Absalom 2 Sam. 14. 31. God hath set our houses on fire that we may run to him by Repentance Micah 6. 9. The Lords voice cries unto the City Hear ye the Rod and who hath appointed it This is the language of the Rod that we should humble our selves under Gods mighty hand and break off our iniquities by righteousness Dan. 4. 27. Manassehs affliction ushered in Repentance 2 Chron. 33. 12. This God useth as the proper medicine for security Hos. 2. 5. Her Mother hath played the Harlot that is by idolatry What course now will God take with her vers 6. Therefore I will hedge up thy way with thorns This is Gods method to set a thorn-hedge of affliction in the way Thus to a proud man contempt is a thorn to a lustful man sickness is a thorn both to stop him in his sin and to prick him for ward in Repentance The Lord teacheth his people as Gideon did the men of Succoth Iudg. 8. 16. He took the Elders of the City and thorns of the wilderness and briars and with them he taught the men of Succoth Here was tearing Rhetorick So God hath of late been teaching us humiliation by thorny providences he hath torn our golden fleece from us he hath brought our houses low that he might bring our hearts low When shall we dissolve into tears if not now Gods judgements are so proper a means to work Repentance that the Lord wonders at it and makes it his complaint that his severity did not break men off from their sins Amos 4. 7. I have with-holden the Rain from you vers 9. I have smitten you with blasting and mildew vers 10. I have sent among you the Pestilence but still this is the burden of the complaint Yet ye have not returned to me The Lord proceeds gradually in his judgements First he sends a lesser cross and if that will not do then a greater He sends upon one first a gentle fit of an Ague and afterwards a burning Feaver He sends upon another first a loss at Sea then the loss of a child then an husband Thus by degrees he would try to bring men to Repentance Sometimes God makes his judgements go in circuit from family to family The cup of affliction hath gone round in the Nation all have tasted it and if we repent not now we stand in a contempt of God and do interpretatively bid God do his worst and such a climax of wickedness will hardly be pardoned Isa. 22. 12 13. In that day did the Lord of Hosts call to weeping and mourning and behold joy and
gladness It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of Hosts surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you dye That is this sin shall not be expiated by sacrifice If the Romans did severely punish a young man who was seen sporting in a window with a Crown of Roses on his headin time of publick Calamity of how much sorer punishment shall they be thought worthy who strengthen themselves in wickedness and laugh in the very face of Gods judgements The Heathen Mariners in a storm repented Ionah 1. 14. Not to repent now and throw our sins over-board is to to be worse than Heathens 4. Let us consider how much we shall have to answer for at last if we repent not How many prayers counsels admonitions will be put upon the score Every Sermon will come in as an Indictment As for such as have truly repented Christ will answer for them his blood will wash away their sins the mantle of free-grace will cover them Ier. 50. 20. In those daies saith the Lord the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for and there shall be none and the sins of Iudah and they shall not be found Those who have judged themselves in the lower Court of Conscience shall be acquitted in the High Court of Heaven but if we repent not our sins must be accounted all for at the last day and we must answer for them in our own persons and have no counsel allowed to plead for us Now O impenitent sinner think with thy self how thou wilt be able to look thy Judge in the face thou hast a damned cause to plead and wilt be sure to be cast at the bar Iob 31. 14. What then shall I do when God riseth up and when he visits what shall I answer him Either therefore now repent or else provide your answers and see what defence you can make for your selves when you come before Gods Tribunal but when God riseth up how will you answer him 2. The second help to Repentance is a prudent comparison Compare the penitent and impenitent condition together and see the difference Spread them before your eyes and by the light of the word see the impenitent condition most deplorable and the penitent most comfortable How sad was it with the Prodigal before he returned to his Father he had spent all he had sinned himself into beggary and he had nothing left but a few husks he was fellow-commoner with the Swine but when he came home to his Father then nothing was thought too good for him Then the Robe was brought forth to cover him and the Ring to adorn him and the fatted Calf to feast him If the sinner continues in his impenitency then farewel Christ and mercy but if he repent then presently he hath an Heaven within him then Christ is his then all is peace He may sing a requiem to his soul and say Soul take thy ease thou hast much goods laid up Upon our turning to God we have more restored to us in Christ than ever we lost in Adam God saith to the repenting soul I will clothe thee with the Robe of Righteousness I will enrich thee with the jewels and graces of my â—…pirit I will bestow my love upon thee will give thee a Kingdom Son all I â—…ave is thine O my friends do but â—…ompare your estate before Repentance â—…nd after Repentance together Before â—…our repenting there are nothing but â—…louds to be seen and storms clouds in Gods face and storms in conscience but â—…fter repenting how is the weather alâ—…ered what sun-shine above what seâ—…ene calmness within a Christians soul â—…eing like the Hill Olympus all light and â—…lear and no winds blowing 3. A third means conducible to Reâ—…entance is a settled determination to â—…eave sin not a faint velleity but a resolved vow Psal. 119. 106. I have sworn â—…hat I will keep thy righteous judgements All the delights and artifices of sin shall not make me forsworn There must be no haesitation no consulting with flesh and blood had I best leave my sin or no But as Ephraim Hos. 14. 8. What have I to do any more with Idols I will be â—…gulled no more by my sins no longer fool'd by Satan this day I will put a bill of divorce into the hands of my lusts Till we come to this peremptory resolution sin will get ground of us and we shall never be able to shake off this Viper No wonder if he be conquered by sin who is not resolved to be an enemy to it But this resolution must be built upon the strength of Christ more than our own it must be an humble resolution As David when he went against Goliah he put off his presumptuous confidence as well as his armour â—… Sam. 17. 45. I come to thee in the name of the Lord. So we must go out against our Goliah lusts in the strength of Christ. 'T is usual for a person to joyn another in the bond with him So being conscious of our own inability to leave sin let us get Christ to be bound with us and engage his strength for the mortifying of corruption 4. The fourth means is earnest supplication The Heathens laid one of their hands on the Plough the other they lifted up to Ceres the goddess of Corn. So when we have used the means let us look up to God for a blessing pray to him for a repenting heart Thou Lord who bidst me repent give me grace to repent Pray that our hearts may be holy limbecks dropping tears beg of Christ to give to us such a look of love as he did to Peter which made him go out and weep bitterly Implore the help of Gods Spirit 't is the Spirits smiting on the Rocks of our hearts that makes the waters gush out Psal. 147. 18. He causeth his wind to blow and the waters flow When the wind of Gods Spirit blows then the water of tears will flow Good reason we should go to God for Repentance 1. Because it is his gift Act. 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto life The Arminians hold that it is in our power to repent We can harden our hearts but we cannot soften them This Crown of Free-will is fallen from our head nay there is in us not only impotency but obstinacy Act. 7. 51. Therefore beg of God a repentant spirit he can make the stony heart bleed his word is verbum creativum with his command he gives power 2. We must have recourse to God for this blessing because he hath promised to bestow it Ezek. 36. 26. I will give you an heart of flesh I will soften your Adamant hearts in my Sons blood shew God his hand and seal and there is another gracious promise Ier. 24. 7. They shall return unto me with their whole heart Turn this promise into a prayer Lord give me grace to return unto thee with my