that I had beene of all the shepheards in the field the basest and had had the charge but onely of my selfe for then would not the Lord require at my hands the souls of those my subiects whose saluation I haue neglected O my riches my honours my delights yee cannot free me from death from stench from worms from rottennes yee cannot plucke me out of the hands of the liuing God O death dost thou oppresse mee vnawares How bitter vnto me is the remembrance of thee how fearefull is thy presence Whereas if liuing and in health I had foreseene thee and by liuing well had learnt to die well I had not now feared thee Blessed art thou Arsenus who alwaies haddest this houre before thine eies Three things there are which I now greatly feare First when my soule shall depart out of the prison of this my bodie into a place which it knoweth not Secondly when it is to appeare before the Iudge and to bee presented before his tribunall seat Thirdly when it is to heare that irreuocable sentence either with it or against it But thou my Lord and Sauior Christ Iesus whose propertie it is alwaies to haue mercy and to forgiue who hast said That at what time soeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinne thou wilt put out all his wickednesse out of thy remembrance though I haue contemned those times of repentance that thou hast affoorded me of all other men haue most offended thee am altogether vnwoorthy to be called thy sonne yet mindefull of thy mercies which haue beene from the beginning giue mee thy assistance to escape this death some small time to my wished repentance Adde some few yeeres to my life some moneths or at least some daies Giue mee leaue a little that I may lament my sinnes and call to minde my forepassed yeeres in the bitternesse of mine owne soule because if I die in this state I am now in my end must needs be eternall damnation But if out of thy meere mercy goodnesse thou shalt pardon mee I will be bold with thy gracious assistance to promiseamendement of life onely in this state let not my soule die lest it bee buried in the bottomlesse pit of hell Now heare how the malignant spirits laugh at thy miseries and with one voice say vnto thee Behold the man that took not God for his strength Psa 52.7 but trusted to the multitude of his riches put his strength in his malice Let vs sing to this miserable caitife a dirge of death because hee is the sonne of death and his mear is vnquenchable fire he is an enemie of the light and a friend of darknesse He hath laboured for vs hath alwaies bound himselfe vnto vs hath gotten vs many followers let vs therefore pay him the due hire of al his labors But what other reward haue we to bestow vpon him but that eternal vnquenchable fire which is prepared for vs and our consorts He is ours because hee was apprehended in our seruice full of sinne and iniquitie Why doe wee staie Why stand wee heere idle Come let vs binde him hand and foot cast him into vtter darknesse where shall bee weping gnashing of teeth Come let vs preferre him to plagues and punishment enough and neuer bee there peace with him For what other end doe we staie but to see his wretched soule seperated from his body that passing out we may receiue it and together draw it to the bottomlesse pit of hell there to remain in vnspeakable torment for euer and euer Now heare how in thy discomforts they comfort thee O wretched poore and miserable man since those pleasures which thou hast folowed in thy whole life haue forsaken thee not thou them since vnwillingly for feare of punishment thou turnest vnto God fearest any longer to serue the world which thou wouldest not doe if yet thou haddest any hope to liue any longer Euery man hath his time appointed to die and this is thy time for thou shalt die and not liue Looke a little vpon the multitude of those sinnes which as yet thou hast neuer confessed vnto God which as yet haue neuer touched thy hart with the least contrition that may bee how dying canst thou for shame confesse them when liuing and in health thou wouldest neuer Looke vpon the small number of thy good works in respect of thy wicked and how mean a proportion thy good deeds carry to the infinite ioies of the elect Looke vpon the seuere iustice of a iust Iudge which requireth a strait account euen of an idle word In the whole race of thy life thou hast persecuted God and now thinkest thou that a momentarie repentance can winne him to mercie No no neuer doubt but that thou art surely ours for in our seruice thou wert apprehended day and night thou hast serued vs yeelded to our suggestions thou hast performed the works of darknesse gotten vs manie soules greatly enlarged our kingdome Come therefore come into that furnace of fire into a land of burning pitch and sulphure where we may giue thee the due reward for all thy labors make thy condition like ours for like lords like seruants O wretched creature that thou art why diddest thou yeeld to our perswasions See he ere the reward that thou hast for it and see the coÌ„pany that thou hast made châ—â—ce of with whom thou must for euer burne in hell fire O thou proudest amongst men Why art thou not now proud Why takest thou not from other men that is not thine owne Why reuengest thou not thy wrongs Why dost thou not giue thy selfe to gluttony drunkennesse Why art thou not sorrie for another mans felicitie Where is thy immoderate appetite to libidinous pleasures Where thy inordinate loue of riches Where are thy precious garments and ornaments where thy daintie fare thy plaies sportings Thy immoderate ioy how it is vanished whether is it departed from thee Luk 16. Remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy pleasure thou hast plaied enough thou hast eat and drunke enough there is no rest for thee after death no pleasure Thou art ours let God take thee out of our handes if hee can Come therefore come with vs into the land of miserie and darknesse where is no order but euerlasting horror where thou must remaine for euer and euer Now heare into what despaire of saluation thou fallest by these diuellish insultations saying Truce till to morrow ô truce till to morrow Now at the last I see that I can liue no longer that the last day of my life is come which cannot be past I would stay but I am compelled to goe The way of saluation is shut vp from mee mercie is denied me and all hope is taken away from me Now there is no time of repentance or changing my life for the diuels haue coÌ„passed me about frighting me with strange horrible apparations who as dogges watch a Hare when she is put foorth
of reuenge from him that contemneth that at one time or other he may offer his grace of remission to him that repenteth The Lord deferreth his comming if hee would hee had beene already come but yet he putteth off his comming lest hee should finde that in thee that hee must punish If hee would thy damnation whilest thou wert in thy sinnes he could haue cast thy soule into hell it is the mercie of the Lord that thou art not consumed For whereas thou fearest not God and yet liuest thou ceasest not to sinne and yet prosperest what is it else but that the mercifull God is willing by long expectation to correct thee whom by seeing thy sinne hee will not instantly destroy whose goodnesse that it may ouercome thy malice and patience mollifie the obstinacie of thy heart like a good mother by flatterie hee allureth thee vnto him whom he can not recall by threatnings in that hee draweth not from thee his blessings he suffereth the sun to shine vpon thee as well as vpon others and prouideth all things necessarie for thee as wel as for others O the vnspeakable mercy of God! we sin and he spareth we offend and he pardoneth we haue offended him in manie things hee withdraweth his blessings from vs in nothing whereby hee sheweth how good a God he is toward the iust who is so mercifull towards sinners In the Gospell euen with teares hee followeth Ierusalem which by her pertinacy in sinning had procured her owne damnation How often sayth hee would I haue gathered thy children together as the hen gathereth her chickens vnder her wings and thou wouldest not Our mercifull Father weepeth that he might not saue those that were desperately wicked and doest thou doubt hee will not be mercifull to thee turning vnto him There are two arguments in him of his naturall goodnes and clemencie his longanimitie in expecting and his facilitie in pardoning because hee both patiently expecteth sinners and louingly receiueth penitent sinners he both by his patience tolerateth the sinnes of men and by their repentance releaseth them that they may returne though late and be ashamed that they should be expected Whensoeuer they are conuerted hee forgetteth sinnes past and he promiseth future amendment Oh the great patience of God! hee spareth contempts pardoneth denials he seeth thee to sinne and yet hee suffereth thee first he forbiddeth thee to sinne and when thou hast sinned he attendeth thy repentance to pardon thee If thy seruant should speake proudly vnto thee and turne his backe towards thee thou wouldest no doubt seuerely correct his contempt but thou turnest thy backe to God and he turneth towards thee thou fliest from him and he followeth after thee hee seeth that his pitie and compassion is despised and yet he yet expecteth thee to pitie thee with al exhortatiō bountie inward inspiration Thou wilt not doe the will of God for thine owne good thine owne commodity how then should hee heare thee in the day of thy tribulation praying vnto him when thou refusest to heare him intreating thee for thine own good For how often hath God said vnto thee Turne vnto mee and yet thou hast not turned If he would not haue mercy on thee thou wouldest intreat mercy at his hands now hee would haue mercy and thou wilt not he inuiteth thee to repentance and thou neglectest it If thou feare not the iustice of God reuenging at the least blush at his goodnesse calling thee vnto him and thou that being stricken couldest haue suffered the punishment due vnto thy sinnes blush at the least being expected lest whom thou now seest calme and peaceable thou bee not able to behold angry and implacable For whilest he seeth those remedies which hee hath ordained for thy saluation turned to the encrease of thy sinne that loue which he hath conferred vpon thee hee turneth to thy greater condemnation that by so much the more he may punish by how much the more he hath expected Wherefore deare brother whilest our mercifull God forbeareth thee whilest hee staieth his hand from reuenge begge his mercie whose law thou hast contemned It is lawfull for him to aske pardon to whom it was not lawfull to offend Aske remission of thy sinnes by praier seeke it with watching and fasting doe what thou canst that thou maiest increase in well doing and by perseuerance thou shalt receiue what thou askest that importunitie is pleasing to a mercifull God which is odious vnto men Let the remission of sinnes bee intreated with instant praier that that God whom thy sinnes hath made angry thy dutifull seruice may pacifie and he that for thy sinnes was offended with thee by repentance may become louing and mercifull vnto thee CHAP. V. That a sinner being changed God changeth his sentence BVT thou wilt say God is not as man is that hee should lie Nu. 23.19 nor as the sonne of man that hee should bee changed And in the 18. of Ezechiel hee saith The soule that sinneth shall die This sentence of God is immutable because God can not bee changed Res It is true my deare brother that that soule that sinneth shall die because by sinne hee deserueth eternall damnation but repentance healeth this death of the soule Repentance restoreth what sinne detracteth by this the life of grace is repaired wherin the soule departing flieth vnto the life of glory neither doe forepassed sinnes more hurt him than forepassed diseases and wounds a sound man Though this soule haue sinned yet it shall not die because by repentance that sin is blotted out by which it was obliged to eternal death The cause ceasing the effect likewise ceaseth and God knoweth how to change his sentence if thou know how to change thy life If thou beleene not me beleeue God The wickednesse of the wicked shall not cause him to fall therein Eze. 33.12 in the day that he returneth from his wickednes And in another place Hier. 18.8 If this nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent mee of all the plagues that I thought to bring vpen them God who is immutable and impassible can bee affected with no change no passion and yet hee is said to change and to repent not according to the verity of the thing but according to the maner and similitude of man For as a man is saide to change and to repent when hee changeth his counsell and will not doe that euill which he had purposed to doe So God is said to change to repent when he bringeth not vpon a man that euil which he threatned Wherein hee changeth not his counsell for those things which hee appointed from beginning doe immutablie come to passe but that thing which of it selfe is mutable he altereth as it pleaseth him as the goodnesse or wickednesse of men require which argueth no change in God but in the will of man Hezekiah was sicke vnto death 2. King 20.1 and the prophet Isaiah came vnto him
penny And therfore saith S. Paul Rom. 5.10 If when wee were enemies wee were reconciled to GOD by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled wee shall be saued by his life It is a greater thing to die for sin than to take away sinne To the reparation of the celestiall mansions not to eternall damnation hath the Lord created and redeemed thee For if hee had desired thy damnation when thou sinnedst hee had cast thee into hell Heereby thou maiest gather that he delighteth more in thy reparation than thy damnation that there is greater ioy with him and his Angels for one sinner that conuerteth Luk. 15.7 than for ninetie and nine iust men that need no amendment of life Which the Lord himselfe hath prooued by a threefold example of the lost sheepe which being found the shepheard with ioy laid vpon his shoulders and brought him to his fold of the lost groat which being found she calleth her friends and neighbours saying Reioice with mee for I haue found the piece which was lost and of the prodigall childe for whom being returned to his father the fat calfe was killed which was not done for that sonne which continued with his father By how much the more we are sorry for a thing lost by so much the more do wee reioice when it is found and therefore there is more ioy in heauen for a sinner that repenteth than for a iust man that needeth no amendment For a repentance inflamed with loue after sinne is more acceptable vnto God than an innocency dull carelesse with securitie by grace As a captaine in the warres loues more that souldier that after his flight returneth and valiantly encountreth his enemie than him that did neuer flie and neuer performed anie valorous exploit A husbandman loueth more that ground that after the thorns and brambles be digged vp yeeldes a plentifull increase than that ground which neuer had thornes and neuer gaue any increase If therfore thy teares vpon earth bee so great a ioy to God and his Angels how great a ioy shall thy pleasures in heauen be to them This is the meat they feed vpon the fruites they are delighted with if by a true contrition of heart thou mortifie thy sinnes and by a true and vnfained repentance turne vnto God Wherfore deare brother though thou thinke thy selfe condemned by Gods iustice appeale vnto his mercy for it sometimes commeth to passe that whom iustice accuseth mercy absolueth and that punishment which the Lord may iustly inflict hee doeth mercifully pardon For those whom God freely created and redeemed he wil not willingly oppresse and therefore if thou repent thee of thy sinne hee repenteth him of his sentence The vnchangeable God will change his sentence if thou change thy life So shalt thou conquer the inuincible binde the omnipotent and a fearefull Iudge thou shalt change into a mercifull father CHAP. VI. That euen at the point of death repentance may be profitable to saluation BVT perhaps thou wilt say I come too late I haue spent my whole life in sinne I am now at the brinke of death and therefore it is too late at my last houre to turne vnto God Res Thou art a yoong man my deare brother in the strength of thy yeeres thou maiest yet liue many a yeere and haue time enough to repent But yet because there is no man be hee neuer so yoong that can assâ—redly promise to himselfe to liue till night and a sudden death may euerie houre of the day ouertake thee wherein despairing thou maiest obiect this vnto me therefore I haue thought good to satisfie this obiection though thou haddest neuer obiected it Whilest thou liuest whilest thou yet breathest yea when thou liest in thy bed at the point of death thou maiest repent yea and then especially there is yet hope of mercy time of forgiuenes place of repentance God witnesseth of himselfe Eze. 33. that at what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes hee will blot out all his wickednesse out of his remembrance He that hath said he will put out all his wickednesse out of his remembrance hath excepted no kinde of sinne Though thou want time to confesse thy sinnes vnto God yet in a moment euen in the twinckling of an cie he can haue time to pardon all thy sinnes Thy will is accounted for thy worke and the gronings of thy heart for thy words If therefore at the houre of death thou cease to bee wicked by repentance thou needest not despaire of pardon because thou art neere thine end For God whoconsidereth the end of all men iudgeth euery man according to his end not his former life neither doeth he respect so much what wee haue beene heeretofore as what we are at the end of our life It is no matter how long but how well a man liueth neither doth the quantitie of the crime nor the enormitie of a mans life nor the breuity of the time nor the extremity of the houre exclude a man from pardon if repentance in the end be true and perfect The great and manifold mercy of God is neither limited by time nor equalled by our great and manifolde offences He that truly repenteth and is loosed from that band of sinne wherewith hee was tied and liueth well after his repentance whensoeuer he dieth he may secure himselfe hee goeth to God he shall not be depriued the kingdome of God hee shall not be separated from the people of God Matt. 20. For as they that went into the Vineyard to labour at the eleuenth houre of the day receiued a penny for their hire as well as they that began their labour the first houre and did beare the burthen and heat of the day so not onely to those that from their childehood doe beare the yoke of the Lord is the reward promised but to the last too who in the end of their life turne vnto God is the earnest pennie of eternall life giuen The innumerable sinnes of the Nineuites a short repentance wiped away and the Publican went presently out of the Temple iustified Marie Magdalen was so great a sinner that the Pharisey disdained to see her and yet in a short time she was iustified and clensed from all her sins The theefe hung vpon the Crosse and being instantly to die despaired not of saluation he confessed the Lord vpon the Crosse and euen with the words of his confession he ended his life and yet the Lord possessed him of Paradise before Peter and lest any man should thinke repentance too late hee turned the punishment of murther into a martyrdome It is true that his repentance was late but yet his pardon came not too late he made speed in turning vnto God and God was as speedie in pardoning These shew thee the fruit of repentance the fountaine of mercy the celeritie thereof for they began late to repent and to do good and yet by doing it truly of the last they are
is that thou hast loued Wherefore my deare brother prefer the grace of God before the remporal blessings of this life lose these to get that Restore to thy neighbour what is thy neighbours to God what is Gods So possesse the things of this world that thou bee not possessed by them so passe by thy tēporall blessings that thou lose not the eternall vse thy temporall goods desire eternall those thou must lose whether thou wilt or no these thou shall neuer lose except thou wilt Let the world bee thy peregrination heauen thy rest * ⎠* CHAP. IIII. Almes vnlawfully gotten pleaseth not God BVt perhaps thou wilt say I confesse that I vniustly deteine other mens goods but yet I giue much almes do much good with them I comfort those that are in prison I cloath the naked I receiue strangers Res Thou doest benefit thy selfe nothing at all my deare brother if thou comfort one by wronging another Thou thinkest thou giuest thou giuest nothing that is thine owne take not away and thou hast giuen Doest thou thinke to iustifie thy theft thy extortion if out of the goods of the poore thou giue a small almes One is fedde where many hunger and with the spoiles of many few are clothed Hee to whom thou giuest reioyceth hee from whom thou takest mourneth hee prayeth for thee the other crieth for vengeance vnto the Lord against thee which of these two will the Lord heare Feare thou that he will heare him that curseth as the Lord himselfe witnesseth There was a Iudge saith he in a certaine citie which feared not God neither reuerenced man and there was a widow in that citie which came vnto him saying Luke 18. Do me iustice against mine aduersarie And hee would not doe it for a time but afterward hee sayd with himselfe Though I feare not God nor reuerence man yet because this widow troubleth me I will do her right lest at the last shee come and make me wearie And the Lord sayd Heare what the vnrighteous Iudge sayeth Now shall God auenge his Elect which cried day and night vnto him yea though hee suffer long for them I tell you he will auenge them quickly Thou seest heereby that God approoueth not such almes neither doth it please him that one should be releeued out of the losse of another or that that should bee violentlie taken from one which is mercifully giuen to another That almes is not acceptable vnto God which is gotten by vnlawfull and vniust meanes but that only which is giuen by a iust possessour out of goods iustlie gotten And this is the reason that sacrifices gotten by robbery the Lord refuseth saying Esay 61.8 I the Lord loue iudgement and hate robbery for burnt offering Which Salomon doth likewise insinuate saying Eccl. 34.21 Whoso bringeth an offering of the goods of the poore doth as one that sacrificeth the sonne before the fathers eies With how great hatred God beholdeth such a sacrifice appeareth in that it is compared to the sorrow of a father for the death of his childe for what thing can bee more intolerable than a slaine sonne before the eies of his father But thou that gettest by violence what out of pitie thou giuest vnto God thinkest with thy selfe how much thou giuest but not how much thou hast taken away thou numbrest thy gift but thou thinkest not of thy sinne Thou giuest thine nay another mans vnto God thou giuest thy selfe to the diuell Thou thinkest that God puts his iustice to sale if whilest thou giuest vnto God for thy oppression thou thinkest thou mayest therefore oppresse scotfree yea thou makest God a companion in thy sinne in that thou thinkest he consenteth to thy sinne by accepting an almes of goods gotten by sinne It is one thing to doe the workes of mercy for sinne another to sinne to doe mercie if that may bee called mercy which by an interposed sinne of robberie or oppression confoundeth whatsoeuer good there is in mercy But suppose thy goods are lawfullie gotten and thou hast neuer wronged and mā yet canst thou thinke that it is lawfull for thee to keepe those goods vnprofitablie that may doe good to manie wherof thou art made by thy heauenlie master not a lord but a steward When thou ministrest necessarie things to those that want thou giuest not thine but thou restorest to them their own thou doest rather pay a debt of iustice than execute a worke of mercy and in doing otherwise thou doest euery day almost kill as many as die for want of comfort when thou canst giue it them But thou when thou giuest a small matter to thy God in his poore members that giueth all thou hast vnto thee hauing oppressed thy neighbour canst thou thinke him abundantly satisfied if thou giue that vnto him thou hast wrongfully taken from another Thou must not helpe one with the hurt of another Though thou giue much to the poore yet thou art not quit of thy theft vntill thou haue giuen to him from whom thou hast taken Thou oughtest not to detaine vnto thy selfe that thing thou hast found if thou bee any way assured that the right master thereof hath not forsaken it but seeketh after it And therefore saith S. Austin That which thou hast found and restored not thou hast robbed hee that denies it being demanded if hee could hee would take it God searcheth the heart not the hand Wherefore deare brother thinke not thy selfe heereafter iustified in this if of thy goods wrongfully gotten thou giue vnto the poore if thou violently take from one and mercifullie giue vnto an other for almes out of thy goods well gotten cannot iustifie as being but the fruits of that faith that must iustifie The Third Part of the exhortation to repentance CHAP. I. That God doth not forgiue vs our trespasses except wee forgiue those that trespasse against vs. THirdly thou wilt perhaps say thou art content to repent Matth. 7 but thou canst not forgiue him that hath offended thee yea thou art resolued to reuenge thy wrongs Res First thou must vnderstand my deare brother that according to that measure that thou measurest to others it shal be measured to thee againe this is a certain rule set down by God himselfe that as thou wilt haue thy sinnes forgiuen thee so must thou forgiue the trespasse committed against thee Thou art in debt and others indebted vnto thee Thou art a debtour to God for manie and greeuous offences thy brother is indebted vnto thee for small and sleight iniuries Behold then how louing and easie a condition God offereth that is that thou shouldest forgiue what is owing thee and what thou owest shall bee forgiuen vnto thee Otherwise thy sinnes can no way bee forgiuen thee if thou shew thy selfe inexorable to forgiue thy neighbour in vaine thou hopest of pardon for thy sins except thou first pardon his For though the God of peace and consolation can without this forgiue all thy sinnes
iust and hateth sin and will not suffer it to goe vnpunished but yet he is likewise mercifull and pardoneth sinne to him that repenteth hee keepeth iustice in mercy and mercy in iustice and therefore it cannot bee but that a iust God will iustly haue mercy vpon thee And therfore can it seeme vnto thee but iust requisite that thou confesse thy selfe a miserable creature that thou maist obtaine mercy Wilt thou that thy sinnes be forgiuen thee and yet wilt thou not seem a sinner What can it profit thee to haue a close a hidden conscience since thou hast God a witnesse of all thy wickednesse Whatsoeuer thou doest God is a spectatour and a perpetuall obseruer of all euen the least thoughts of thy heart And as when wee know that our enemy lies in wait for vs by so much the more we fear him by how much the lesse we see him when we cannot find his snares where they are we fear them where they are not So the creatour of Heauen and Earth who being whollie euerie where seeth thee and cannot be seen of thee is so much the more to be feared by how much the more being inuisible when and how and what he seeth of thy actions thou knowest not Sin there where thou knowest him not to be and if there be no such place but that hee is euer present with thee and seeth all thy secrets how much reason hast thou to watch thy hands and thy tongue and thy hart too that doest all things in the presence of an alseeing God Which if thou wouldest duly consider of thou wouldest bee ashamed of many shamefull actions thou committest in the sight of so great and so omnipotent a God The Fifth Part of the exhortation to repentance CHAP. I. That God is not subiect to passion and neuer forsakes a sinner before a sinner forsakes him FIftly thou wilt say that thou couldest bee content to repent but that God who hath mercy on whom he wil Rom. 9.18 whom he wil he hardneth for thy manifold and grieuous offences hath withdrawen his grace from thee hath forsaken thee and hardned thee in thy sins And therfore since it is not in him that willeth Ibidem nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy to shake off the yoke of sinne from thy shoulders thou despairest of power to decline from euill and to do good because thou hast made God without whom thou canst not so much as thinke a good thought thine enemie Ibidem Res O man who art thou that pleadest against God Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it why hast thou made mee thus Forasmuch 〈…〉 is made of the earth 〈…〉 worthy to enter into the bottemelesse depth of the iudgements of God neither are the senses of thy flesh sufficient to penetrate into the secrets of so high a maiestie Better is faithfull ignorance though ignorance of good things cannot be good than rash knowledge God hath created thee not to prie into him but to honour him to the end thou shouldest bee an obedient seruant to his precepts not a Iudge of his actions It should suffice a Christian who liueth by faith and as yet seeth not what is perfect but onely hopes to see it to beleeue that with God there can bee no iniustice though the cause of his iustice may bee vnknowen otherwise he that searcheth into the maiesty of God shall bee oppressed by his glory But yet thou iudgest of God in whom there is no gall nor bitternesse who is immutable impassible as thou iudgest of men It seemeth iust vnto man to reuenge his wrong to God to remit and forgiue an offence to him that is penitent It is the maner of a master when he is offended by his seruant to forbidde him his sight to turne his face from him to denie him forgiuenesse but yet betwixt God and thee it is otherwise for thogh thou by the pride of thy heart be turned from God and God in iustice turned from thee yet when with an humble contrite heart thou turnest to him hee disdaineth not with mercie and compassion to turne vnto thee And yet notwithstanding he that from all eternities hath beene alwaies immutable is no way subiect to change or alteration the simplicitie of his nature no perturbation can wound no passion can affect But forasmuch as wee can not speake of God but after the maner of men therefore wee call the temporall punishment of God his anger the sentence of eternall damnation his furie the free bountie of his goodnesse his mercie and so of the rest because these are the works of a man angrie furious mercifull and diuersly affected but yet so that alwayes we censure him a good God we seeke him in the simplicitie of our hearts and we assure our selues there is nothing in him that is not God himselfe For he executeth a heauy iudgment without passion and punisheth the vnrighteous being milde and mercifull Neither in these or any his other works whatsoeuer is there in him any alteration or shadow of changing And as heere by the heat of the sunne manie things are brought to passe without any change in it self or in the heat thereof but onely in those things vpon which it worketh so the God of the whole world according to his eternall will doth euery day create many things and giues them existence without any motion or change of himselfe But yet as a mariner when the ship lancheth from the shore thinks the shore parts from him whereas that remaines firme and immoueable he departeth from it And as if a man shut his eyes refusing to beholde the sunne there is no alteration in the sun but in his eyes so God whilest he doth any thing that seemeth new vnto vs though it were in his will before all beginnings and either sheweth mercie or powreth his vengeance vpon a man whilest man by sinne is turned from God there is no change in God but only in man carying himselfe after a diuers maner But thou departest from God not by any locall distance because as the soule of a man is all in all the body and all in euery part thereof and yet because it hath the greatest operation in the hart is sayd especially to reside there so God though especially he be said to be in heauen because there hee communicateth his glorie to his saints yet he is wholly euery where substantially and filleth the globe of the whole world though to our carnall eyes the simplicitie of his nature bee inuisible This his presence in all places is knowen euery where whilest in all things that are created there appeareth his cooperation sustentation and gubernation without which they would presently vanish and fall to nothing as the presence of our owne soules can no otherwise bee descried than by the vitall operations thereof in it own body Thou departest therfore from God not by any locall separation because thou
with his grace It is a hard thing and onely possibly to the power of God to soften the heart of a man for that which neither by the patience and long sufferance of God is woon to repentance nor is toucht with compunction that which is not broken with feare nor sofrned with loue but is hardned as well with scourges as with benefits lastly that which feareth neither God nor man who can rent in sunder but he that in his passion rent the vaile of the Temple Matt. 27 51. and cloue the stones Who can take away a stonie heart and giue a fleshy heart but hee from whom commeth euerie good and perfect gift euen the Father of light A great sinner hath need of great mercie that where sinue did abound grace may superabound The Lord is faithfull Wisd 1.13 hee hath not made death neither hath hee pleasure in the destruction of the liuing hee will not the death of a sinner but that he conuert and liue For he whose desire it is that sinners doe repent and therby returne vnto God wil not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue our strength but with the temptation will giue vs power to resist and by how much the more fraile we are and in greater necessitie so much the more ready is he to helpe vs if the fault bee not our owne as in the siege of a citie the greatest aide is sent to defend that place that is weakest and where the enemie is strongest The Lord is faithfull and hee that saieth Come vnto mee all yee that labour and are heauie laden and I will refresh you cannot denie himselfe For as a Physician suffereth many wrongs and railing speeches of his lunatike patient and yet is not angry with him but doeth neuerthelesse whatsoeuer the nature of the disease doeth require to the curing thereof wherewith though the sicke man bee afflicted yet on the part of the Physician his affliction is no reuenge of the wrongs receiued from his patient but the cure of his infirmitie in as much as if the sicke man being to recouer health the Physician receiueth ioy and comfort therat with greater alacritie proceedeth in his cure and forgetteth his former iniuries euen so our Lord God whose propertie it is to haue mercy and to forgiue who iudgeth with loue and with great respect disposeth of vs when we are in our greatest madnesse of sinne is neuer moued against vs with any affection of reuenge for those sins we hane committed And forasmuch as he is impassible he punisheth not our sinnes in this life with passible anger but with vnspeakable clemencie with the affection of a Physician not a torturer and that hee doeth not for himselfe as reuenging his wrongs for the nature of God is not capable of any such thing but for our correction and benefit As a louing mother is angry with her sonne that hath offended her reprehendeth him chidech beateth him whom neuerthelesse if she shall see to runne into any danger of his estate or life she presently helpeth him putteth foorth her hand nay endangereth her owne life to saue his and that childe whoÌ„ being angry she did beat as if she had not loued him now she holdeth him vp and saueth him as if she had not been angry when shee beat him Euen so God chastiseth vs for our finnes to protect vs sinners and for the most part out of his mercy he sendeth a temporal punishment lest out of his iustice he should inflict an eternall reuenge And if any man shall persist in his hardnesse and with Pharo grow more whose 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 hath long expected not connerted he adiudgeth to â—ernall damnation As a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his garden or 〈◊〉 planteth a tree not that 〈◊〉 should bee cut downe 〈◊〉 cast into the fire and 〈◊〉 when after a long expestâ—â— on he seeth it to bring 〈◊〉 no fruit he cutteth it down and burnes it So our 〈◊〉 full God cutteth off no 〈◊〉 from the land of the 〈◊〉 that yeeldeth any fruit 〈◊〉 testimonie of a true faith 〈◊〉 in that hee willeth the 〈◊〉 of a sinner it is by 〈…〉 sinne committed not of 〈◊〉 selfe but by his conseqâ—â—â— will as Diuines call it 〈◊〉 by he willeth for some 〈◊〉 alreadie done or before all beginnings foreseene and according to this will he would that all reprobates should bedamned whoÌ„ afterwards by his anteced ent will he would saue by al meanes ministing them occasion to attaine saluation As it is the will of a Law-giuer that all his Citizens should bee good and peaceable farre from committing those offences which vpon paine of death he hath forbidden and yet if his ownsonne bee he neuer so deare vnto him transgresse the law hee must die the death though it bee much against the will of his 〈…〉 by his owne 〈…〉 serued death 〈…〉 ture which in our 〈◊〉 rents was whole and entire by their sinne is wholly corrupted and hath altogether lost both righteousnesse and immortality wherby it could beget no other but corrupt vnrighteous and mortal children who as in Adam sining they haue sinned so in the same Adam dying they are dead And therfore whosoeuer hee bee that hath escaped death let him giue thanks vnto God in that hee hath escaped death that was due vnto him and found life not due vnto him To him that is deliuered mercie is shewen without desert to the end hee may giue thanks vnto God vpon him that his damned iustice is executed with desert to the end hee should reprehend nothing in God that neither he should glory in his owne worth nor this complaine of his owne vnwoorthinesse For how should God iustly be accused in his iudgements when hee iustly condemneth a guiltie offender When a debt is truly demanded how can the creditour be iustly condemned So that neither in requiring nor remitting what is due is God with whom there can be no iniustice vniust There is mercy acceptable where reuenge is iust that thereby it may more plainly appeare to him that is freed from iust punishment freely iustified how great a benefit is conferred vpon him in that another not more guiltie than himselfe without any iniustice in him that punisheth is iustly chastized Ro. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome knowledge of Godâ— how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out For who hath knowen the waies of the Lord or who hath beene his counsellour From that which hath been spoken thou maiest gather deere brother how thou runnest from one sinne into another and by long custom art hardned in them thou working it in thy selfe and God withdrawing hiâ— speciall grace from thee God is patient and of lonâ— sufferance hee tollerateâ— thee for beareth and expecteth thee to repentance being alwaies readie to take from thee thy stonie heart and to giue vnto thee a fleshie hart and to mollifie thy benummed insensible hardnesse with the deaw of his grace And though he
that thou werâ— but to increase thy happinesse aboue that it was Onely be thou of a good courage and constant in the hope of thy saluation he hath satisfied for all thy sinnes he hath taken away the sinnes of the whole world how much more the sinnes of one man When thou wert not he made thee being conceiued in sinne in thy baptism he clensed thee how much more after this being againe polluted can he purifie thee Hee tooke the slime of the earth and made man tell mee if thou canst how of earth made he flesh how the sinewes how the bones how the skin how the veines the eies how framed he euery member Was it not earth he tooke vp was it not one onely substance only the art and virtue of the artificer was added thereunto and so he made this excellent creature As thou canst not tell how thou wert created so thou canst not tel how thou shalt be cured for as fire when it is put to briers and brambles suddenly consumeth so fraile a matter so the goodnesse of our Lord God with the deaw of his mercy suddenly quencheth the fire of our sinnes and for euer consumeth them For his will is that none doe perish but that all doe conuert and liue Thou knowest not how good and gracious the Lord is how great his mercies are Thou imaginest him to be seuere and cruell that is milde and gentle him hard and implacable that is mercifull fierce and terrible that is amiable and thine owne iniquitie lies to it selfe For the will of God is thy sanctification hee healeth the broken harted refresheth those that labour and come vnto him and in the beginning of our conuersion annointeth our wounds with the oile of his mercy lest the greatnesse of the disease or difficultie of the cure should seeme to bee more dangerous than it is And therefore saith the Prophet Isaiah Esai 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne to the Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for hee is verie ready to forgiue Behold heere it is sufficient to please God if thou doe but rest from doing wickedly and learne to doe good Onely confesse thou hast sinned and the beginning of thy conuersion is alreadie done onely purpose a new life thou hast made one step to heauen Heerein is all the difficultie to begin to enter into the way of repentance which thou hast no sooner begun but he that gaue thee the grace to begin taketh thee by the hand and leadeth thee to the end Yea he that began thy good work in thee by preuenting by prosecuting will end it Hee that gaue thee the will will likewise giue thee the power to perfect it If thou put thy trust in him he will after thy strength thy youth shall be renued like the eagle thou shalt take vnto thee the wings of the eagle thou shalt runne but not labour thou shalt walk but not be weary because the Lord shal be with thee who shall comfort thee in all thy tribulations There is no man to whom this corruptible bodie and earthly tabernacle is not buâ— thensome but yet thou must endeuour to ouercome the concupiscence of the flesh by the vigor of the spirit and thou that alwayes feelest thy selfe to be resisted by thine owne concupiscence alwayes expect an assured assistance from God As the earth expecteth from heauen raine and light so shouldest thou expect from God grace and mercy Wherfore deare brother since thou wantest not an able and willing Physitian to cure thee and to clense thee from all pollution of sinne neither neglect nor defer it Thy repentance he will not despise if it be heartie and though thou haue sinned in the highest degree yet if thou returne he will gladly receiue and embrace thee and cure the sicknesse of thy soule Onely despaire not thou but that thou mayst returne to the state of thy first innocency if thou do but begin to affect a new life CHAP. IIII. That God is faithfull who suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue our power BVT perhaps thou wilt say When I begin to returne vnto God and set forward my selfe in the way to heauen and forsake my ancient custome of sinning I am presently assaulted with new desires of the flesh and whatsoeuer before hath been pleasing vnto me in this world is made a snare and a temptation vnto me and those things that were accustomed to loue mee being a sinner being a conuertite withstand my endeuors to liue well My ancient pleasures returne vnto my minde and whilest I resist them afflict mee with strange combats That sinne which in the sight of God is blotted out by repentance I call to minde againe sinne conquered brings mee delight And so by little and little being ouercome by new temptations I yeeld and returne to my old vomit again and so my last errour is worse than the first Res It is a token my deare brother that God with great loue and clemencie watcheth ouer thee in that he presenteth before thy eies thy bewailed sinnes which the mercifull GOD would not fet before thee to â—ewaile if his purpose were â—o call thee to a strict account for them and to punish thee for it seemeth that hee is willing to hide them from his iudgement because in his mercy preuenting thee hee maketh thee thine owne Iudge that being iudged by thy selfe thou maiest not be iudged by him The best way to satisfie the anger of God is an often detestation of sinne he that truly repenteth is alwayes in sorrow and labor he sorroweth for sinnes past laboreth to auoid sinnes to come When the Lord looseth thee from the band of thy sinnes he bindeth thee with a band of euerlasting detestation of them that whensoeuer thou remembrest them thou shouldest be sorry thou hast committed them Reioice therefore when thy conscience is touched with those sinnes that by repentance are wiped away if thou approoue them not nay reproouest them if it please thee not that thou hast committed them naie displease thee And yet I denie not that hee that is lately turned vnto God by repentance by the remembrance of his sinnes past may againe be tempted because as wood nourisheth fire so desires feed our cogitations and hee that entreth into the way of repentance is more strongly tempted by the enemie For our aduersary the diuell neglecteth the tempting of him of whose heart he hath alreadie taken quiet possession For if thou resist temptation thy labour is great but if thou yeeld though it seeme to bee nothing yet it is farre greater because whilest thou sleepest securely vnder the intollerable yoke of a cruell tyrant Eze. 13.10 thou saiest Peace peace and there is no peace There is no peace I say with God with the diuell no not with thy selfe For after that thou ceasest to resist temptations thinking therby to finde peace in this world yeeldest and
reduceth vnto pardon It belongeth to the iustice of a seuere and rigorous Iudge that there be no end of reuenge giuen vnto them who so long as they were in health would neuer make an end of sinning that there they should neuer want pâ—nishment that heere would neuer want sin who make an end of sinning because they must make an end of liuing whereas if they could they would haue liued without end for they make manifest that they would neuer haue been freed from sinne because they neuer gaue it ouer so long as they liued Againe it is fit and requisit that according to the delight of sinne the bitternesse of their torment should be measured vnto them not onely which the wicked haue had but which they would haue for God doth not only consider the outward actions but hee likewise examineth the inward willes Since therefore out of the corruption of their owne willes they haue giuen no measure to the delight of sinne nor euer could finde so great delight in sinne but that they would haue greater therefore God who considereth the heart not the outward action inflicteth punishment not according to the delight receiued but sought after that the time of their torment for sinne might be infinite who were infinitly delighted therein Againe forasmuch as there is a proportion of greatnesse betweene the offence and the partie offended therefore sinne whereby God infinite in goodnesse and maiestie is offended must necessarily be iudged infinite and deserueth an infinite punishment infinite in continuance not in paine or torment for the finite capacitie of a creature is not capable of what is infinit whom likewise the Lord who deteineth not his mercies when he is angry punisheth not according to their desert for he is mercifull and taketh no delight in their affliction but yet because hee is iust hee is neuer pacified from reuenge For as they that forsake life runne into death so they that feare not to offend and to forsake him that is good in the highest degree deserue in the highest degree to be punished and they are made worthy of eternall euill who destroy in themselues that good that might haue been eternall As wee see that a temporall or transitory punishment brings a death which is perpetuall a temporall treason a yoke of perpetuall seruitude a disease is taken in a short time which a man perhaps shall neuer shake off so the sinnes of the damned haue an end but yet their punishment for sinne is deseruedly endlesse who are sorrie they haue sinned yet cannot but sinne And though God be mercifull and willing to pardon all sinnes whatsoeuer yet when hee punisheth the reprobate for their sinnes hee leaueth not so much as an idle word nay thought vnpunished and they that are debtors for great sinnes being condemned must pay the vttermost farthing And as hee that hath his arme bound can doe nothing with it so out of the bitternesse of the paine not the loue of God they haue a willing will to rise from their sinnes but yet being forsaken of GOD. Which will of theirs though it haue lost the effect of power bee not able yet it hath alwaies the affection to sinne and though they cannot sinne yet they lose not their will to sinne For it is true that death separateth the soule from the flesh but yet it changeth not the purpose of the soule For as with the elect the good will of a man is turned into glory so with the reprobate their ill will is turned into punishment and that shall bee a torment in â—hell that was a sinne in the world As they that haue offended their king are banished their countrie so the damned for their offence committed against God are banished Paradise to whom though all the aforesaid torments are intollerable yet if a thousand helles were added therunto they are nothing to that Paradise that glorie they haue loft For to the damned it is a farre more grieuous thing to bee excluded from glory and to be depriued the grace of God and to endure the hatred of a mercifull Creatour and to haue an omnipotent God their aduersary and enemie which is so vnspeakable a torment vnto them that if no paine at all did outwardly afflict them this onely were sufficient For they see that for a momentarie delight in sinne they endure vnspeakable punishment and for the loue of their temporal goods they haue lost eternall who neuerthelesse by a short repentance might both haue attained these and by not sinning haue auoided the other And if the worme of one sin neuer dying doe so afflict in this life where all hope is not taken away how much more doth the worme of so manie sinnes in that eternall desolation afflict and torment whilest the wicked doe daily behold as in a glasse all the euill they haue committed all the good they haue omitted For as a merchant when the Faire is ended is not only sorrie for that gaine which â—he hath lost but for that also which he might haue gotten but yet neglected it so the damned are not onely sorâ—ie for their sinnes committed but for their good works omitted for all which they then repent though it be an vnprofitable and vnfruitfull repentance because now they finde no mercy that lost the fit time to attaine it But after a hundred thousand thousands of yeres their torments shall still be iterated as if they had neuer suffered any thing and so without end they shall remaine in that place of horror for eueâ— and euer Who can The conclusion relating these things refraine from tearesâ— who can heare them with drie cheekes These are horrible things to thinke vpon terrible to relate and grieuous to behold how hornrible then terrible and greeuous are they to endure For if they bee terrible to heare what will they be to seek 〈◊〉 If the very feare of this punishment doe heere so much afflict thee what will the intollerable suffering of them doe there It is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of the liuing God into a liuing death and a dying life But thou my deare brother thinkest not of these euils but like a man secure thou hastnest vnto them and thou wilt proue them before thou wilt thinke of them But yet to preuent this lest thy beautifull members should be fuell for that vnquenchable fire descend in thought whilest thou art huing into hell lest thou descend thither bodie soule when thou art dead studie therefore both to feare this and fearing it to auoid it For what good will the foreknowledge of these things doe thee if thou auoid them not Now therefore whilest it is possible in a short time if thou turne vnto the Lord to escape all these afflictions and torments and to enioy besides that eternall happinesse which is prepared for his saints why deferrest thou why staiest thou and takest not hold of the mercies of God before thou goe and returne not to a darke land couered
with the shadow of death a land of miserie mourning and lamentation where is darknesse and death and no order but euerlasting horror from which Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour saue and defend vs Amen By this and much more that may bee spoken The conclusion of the fifth part thou plainly seest deare brother how much it stands thee vpon whilest thou hast time to turne vnto God Wherefore thou that wouldest not staie whilest thou wert well returne whilest thou haft time and thou that wouldest not stand when thou wert vpon thy legges now thou art fallen rise againe What sinnes soeuer thou hast committed in thy youth bewaile with teares wash away the spots of thy forepassed life what thy workes haue polluted let thy lamentations purifie As a new borne babe 1. Pet. 2. desire the sincere milk of the word returne as a little childe into the lappe of thy mother the eternall wisedome of God and sucke the teats of his diuine mercy that so thou maiest grow vnto saluation taste how sweet the Lord is Be sorrie for what is past endeuour to auoide what is to come which that thou maiest doe in all thine actions remember thy last end and thou shalt neuer sinne Labor by so much the more to recouer that thou hast lost by how much the more thou haft endamaged thy selfe by sin Thou that knowest thy selfe to haue committed things vnlawfull endeuour likewise to abstain from some things that are lawfull thou that hast committed things forbidden forbid thy selfe things granted and reprehend thy selfe in small matters who hast offended in great Thou must euerie day by little and little banish vice First determine one daie to abstaine from gluttonie and luxurie which by the assistance of God shall succeed well which day being happily ended resolue with thy selfe to continue two daies together and it shall succeed more easily then a whole weeke then a moneth at the last the grace of God preuenting thee and following thee it shall bee no difficult matter for thee to spend whole yeeres in abstinence and continencie And if euery yeere in this maner thou quit thy selfe but of one sinne in a short time thou wilt grow to be a perfect man in Christ Iesu For by this means thou shalt euery day root out thy sinnes and grow in goodnesse For not to profit in the discipline of maners is to wax worse and worse not to goe forward is to goe backeward When the minde of a man endeuoreth the bettering of it selfe the ship saileth as it were against the streame which if it once cease to ascend without labour it is caried downward for in ascending is paine in descending idlenesse Euen so except by ascending from vertue to vertue thou goe about to attaine the toppe of righteousnes tumbling from one sinne into another thou fallest into a headlong downfall Take heed therefore lest after repentance thou please thy selfe too much and being secure thou liue more loosely but rather bee the more warie and settle thy saluation in the hauen of tranquillitie and though the grace of God giue thee daily victorie yet it taketh not from thee matter of combat but lest thou shouldest wax proud as if the battell were at an end the mercie of God protecting thee alwaies remaineth to assist thee that how often soeuer thou ouercome thou shouldest neuer cease to fight alwaies thinking that there is somewhat behinde that thou shouldest ouercome vntill that which is perfect happen vnto thee and thou bee quit of that which is imperfect in that perfect glory of happines Amen The Sixth Part of the exhortation to repentance Against despaire of remission of sinnes CHAP. I. That we are all sinners and haue need of the mercy of God SIXTLY and lastly thou wilt saie perhaps that thine iniquitie is greater than that it may be forgiuen and therefore being sure of thy damnation thou takest no care to repent Res I cannot but congratulate thy happinesse my deare brother and giue thanks vnto God that thou art not as many other men are who daily sin yet know not that they sinne who alwaies doe wickedly and are neuer toucht with that they haue done who as it were blindfolde runne the race of their life and neuer know what state they are in till they feele the punishment For what thing can be more vnhappie than for a man not to know his owne vnhappines among all the dangers of this life to feele no griefe no infirmitie to be ignorant of his owne disease Euen so there is nothing more dangerous than not to know when we sinne There is now in thee the beginning of saluation in that thou acknowledgest thine owne sinnes Thou hast made no small iourney to eternall felicitie in that thou knowest thine infelicitie Now thou appliest thy self to inward purity in that thou deniest not thine inward pollution and impuritie For by so much the more precious is a man in the eies of God by how much the more contemptible he is in his own eies Not to thinke thy selfe a sinner is to make thy selfe the greater offender and thou wert much to be bewailed if thou diddest not bewaile thy selfe The God of mercy and compassion preuenting thee by pittying thee setteth before the eies of thy minde thine owne sinnes and foretelleth thee what danger there hangeth ouer thy head for them in time to come by all meanes that may bee ministring occasion of thy conuersion that at the least by the fear of punishment thou maiest turne vnto him since thou wilt not do it for the loue of himselfe and so by little and little thou maiest turne thy seruile feare into filiall loue If GOD would strictly punish thy sinnes he would not present them to thy selfe to bewaile them For to that end doeth he offer them to thine owne view that thou maiest be sorie for them and by true repentance blot them quite out of sight This is the mercie of God preuenting sinners to the end they may arise from their sinnes There is no man so circumspect but that he sometimes falleth into sinne and therefore God knowing our weaknesse hath prouided a medicine against this necessitie which the infirmitie of the flesh is subiect vnto It is a humane thing to sinne but a diuellish thing to persist in sinne So long as we beare about vs this fraile bodie of ours we can not bee without sinne no man can saie My heart is cleane I am pure from sinne 1. Ioh. 2. But if wee shall say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the trueth is not in vs because we all haue offended in manie things He cannot be in the world without sinne that came into the world with sinne he that is conceiued in iniquitie cannot liue without iniquitie for in this flesh of sinne no man can challenge a freedome from sinne No man liues without it no not the infant that is but a day old Iob 15.15 the heauens are not pure in
sinnes but onely thy lesser heare what he sayth in the three and thirtieth of Ezekiel At what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart I will put out all his wickednes out of my remembrance Hee excepteth no maner of sinnes neither litle nor great for hee that died for all can pardon all only be thou sorrowfull and turne vnto God and he is ready to forget and to forgiue If thy sinnes are many and great the mercies of the Lord are more in number and greater than they God will bee mercifull vnto thee and according to the multitude and magnitude of his mercies will hee pardon the multitude and magnitude of thy sinnes Whereas thou obiectest vnto me that in the twelfth by S. Matthew Whosoeuer shall sinne against the Holie Ghost it shall not be forgiuen him c. I answer that it is true That the sinne against the Holy Ghost that is that committed out of malice against the goodnes and mercie of God which is properlie attributed to the Holie Ghost is therefore said to be irremissible because it directly oppugneth the goodnesse and mercy of God which is the beginning of the remission of sinnes and so that is excluded whereby sinne should be forgiuen as that disease is said to be incurable which directly taketh away the remedies of the cure This sinne is said to be irremissible not because it can not be forgiuen to him that repenteth but because hee that so sinneth doth either despaire or presume of the mercy of God and so addeth sinne vnto sinne and neuer repenteth and so being obstinate in his wickednesse as seldome or neuer he comes to repentance so seldome or neuer he obteineth remission of his sinnes But yet we are not to despaire of any sinner whatsoeuer so long as he liueth and the long sufferance of God expecteth him to repentance He is a Pagan or a lew to day may he not be a Christian to morrow He is an heretike to day may hee not be a true Professour to morrow He is a Schismatike to day may he not embrace the peace of the Church to morrow We are not therefore to despaire of any man so long as hee remaineth in this life because sometimes that repentance which by the diffidence of our age is deferred by more mature counsel is perfected Whilest we are in this life there is no sinne no iniquitie which may not bee healed by the medicine of repentance if it be pure and sincere What offence can be greater in a man that is sicke than to kâ—â— his Physitian and if this may be forgiuen what may not be pardoned Christ Iesus being fastened to the Crosse prayed for his crucifiers saying Luk. 23. Father forgiue them they know not what they do If there were hope of saluation in those that killed their Sauior who should despaire of saluatioÌ„ The Lord inuited Iudas that betraied him to repentance to beg mercy at his hands when hee forewarned him of his treason when hee washed his feete when hee called him friend when he tooke a kisse at 〈◊〉 hands If then our Sauior diâ— not onely forgiue his crucifers but prayd vnto his father for them if he inuited Iudas to repentance how much more will hee pardon thee if thou do repent thou that art an adorer of his Maiestie not his murtherer a lamenter of his death not a derider of his passion a contempler of his mercies not a contemner of his infirmities Wherfore my deare brother let neither the qualitie nor the quantity of thy sinnes discourage thee from the assurance of thy hope yea though thou wert guiltie of all the sinnes which haue beene committed since the beginning of the world yet â—hou oughtst not to despaire because the goodnes of God farre exceedeth the malice of man If thou couldest sinne as much as God is good thou mayest despaire but since that can not be thoâ— that despairest of thy selfe being wicked trust in God who is better than thy selfe Hast thou sinned repent thee of thy sinnes Hast thou sinned a thousand times repent a thousand times Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand GOD would neuer haue exhorted thee to repentance if his purpose were not to pardon thee if thou doe repent Betweene repentance and the kingdome of heauen there is no distance of time but repent thou of thy sinnes and instantly the gate of mercie is set wide open vnto thee Thy sinnes make a separation betweene thee and GOD which obstacles if by repentance thou take away thou shalt sticke vnto God and be one spirit with him Yeeld fruits woorthy repentance contraries redeeme with contraries and thou which before diddest that which was contrary to God doe now that which is opposite to the diuell CHAP. III. Examples of such as haue grienously sinned afterwards haue beene saued by repentance BVt thou wilt obiect that in the 7. by S. Matthew Mat. 7 1â— Strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and few there be that finde it And that in the 4. of the first by S. Peter If the righteous scarsely be saued where shall the vngodly and the sinner appeare Res It is true my deare brother that few find the way of life but what is the reason Doubtlesse because few there are that seeke it But euery one that seeketh findeth that asketh receiueth and to euery one that knocketh it shall be opened Who is he therefore that findeth it not who receiueth not or to whom is it not opened Certes only to him that seeketh not that asketh not that knocketh not The reason why the righteous shall hardly be saued is this because there is no man found worthy saluation by his own righteousnesse for God will not saue vs by the works of righteousnesse which wee haue done but according to his free mercie in Christ Iesus It is the worke of God not our endeuour that we are saued for that little of goodnesse that is in vs nay which God worketh in vs is nothing if it be compared to that eternall blessednesse in the life to come Heauen belongs to the righteous only by the rigor of Gods instice but to the end that all may be saued it belongeth vnto sinners also by the bountie of Gods grace Christ hath deserued Paradise for vs all and hath restored vnto vs by his death his fathers inheritance Luk. 14. Hee calleth vs to that heauenly banquet hee will haue his house filled with ghests yea hee compelleth the weake and the blinde and the lame to come in that it may appeare that no man is shut out from those celestâ—all and eternall ioyes the number of the saints of God being out of the number of sinners euer supplied But forasmuch as examples moue more than words there is hope that thou that hearkenest not vnto my words wilt be stirred vp by the examples of other men that when thou shalt see many that were sometimes entred
good God is since it can be well with none that depart from him Let vs returne at the last vnto our selues and descending as it were from heauen let vs looke a litle vpon what is our owne Doe wee thinke wee shall go into the house of the Lord What are we that we should goe thither Mortall and abiect creatures earth and ashes But yet he that hath promised is our father and is omnipotent Can not he make an angell of a man who made a man of the earth By life we are men by hope angels to whom in our countrey we shall be like and equall A merchant when he buyes a thing and takes assurance for it though as yet he haue not his wares yet he secures himselfe he shall haue them God the Father hath promised vnto vs his glorie and for an earnest pennie in the meane time he hath giuen vs his only Sonne in the Sacrament of his bodie and blood and hath inspired into our hearts his holy Spirit There with an open face we shall see him with greater ioy and more securely whom heere we see mystically yet fruitfully in his Sacrament Despaire not therefore to come to this place and expect the promise of thine inheritance Hope is necessarie for a wandring pilgrime it is that that comforts him in the way for a traueller that laboreth in his iourney is therfore content with patience to beare his labour because at last he hopes to come to the end thereof take away his hope of the end and his strength failes him hee is presently wearie with going A Physitian drawes forth his instrument to lance a wound and he sayth to his Patient Be patient and beare a little in the paine he requires patience but after the paine he promiseth health but the sicke bodie except he proposed vnto him hope of recouery he would faint in that paine which he endureth In the warres the hope of honor mitigateth the griefe of the wounds so to those that beare the yoke of Christ the hope of glory is a great comfort raiseth the minde vnto God and that euill which they outwardly beare inwardly they feele not Hope brings no small pleasure when that which was hoped is once attained Temporall things not had afflict when they are had seem base and contemptible Thou louest thy wife not yet maried whom perhaps thou hatest when thou hast her What is the reason thereof Because she appeareth not such being maried as thou didst conceit her to be before thou hadst maried her But God who is beloued being absent growes not more base being present the fruition findes more in him than the cogitation could forme or imagine of him We shall loue God more when we shall see him if we can loue him before we see him he is more feruently beloued being gotten than desired Except he be first loued he can not afterwards be possessed and yet he is not therefore possessed because he is beloued because it is necessarie and our dutie that aboue all things he be beloued Vanitie of vanities and all is vanitie how great a miserie is it to lose the Creatour for the creature to follow the shipwrack of this world and not rather flie to the Sanctuarie of God and to taste how sweet the Lord is and how great the multitude of his mercies If thou wouldest consider what and how great things are promised thee in heauen all things thou enioiest vpon earth would seeme base and contemptible What then is the reason dear brother that thou runnest not vnto heauen where thou shalt see God without end possesse him without losse loue him without loathing Many of thy parents brethren sisters and friends expect thee there millions of saints desire thy company now seâ—â—â—ed of their owne happines carefull of thine Of whose company lest thou shouldest be deceiued thou must vse thy best indeuor it is no difficult matter if thou wilt not burthensome if thou attend it Only repent and the kingdome of heauen is at hand To which he bring vs that liues and reigneth without end Amen By that which hath beene spoken The Conclusion of the sixth part thou plainly seest my dear brother how good and mercifull God is how ready to pardon sinnes The riches of whose goodnes the 〈…〉 considering calleth him not only a merciful God but mercy it selfe Thou God hast taken me vp thou art a mercifull God nay mercy it selfe Consider the bosome of his diuine goodnesse how open the lap of his mercy is and despaire not cast not downe thy selfe faint not with mourning the gate of mercy and the treasury of his goodnes is set wide open vnto thee and wilt thou fall into the bottomlesse pit of despaire God inuiteth thee to repentance he offereth forgiuenesse he putteth foorth the right hand of his helpe and doest thou turne thy face from him Heauen is set wide open vnto thee and wilt thou descend into the pit of hell The diuell knowing how excellent a thing repentance is hath tempted thee to this despaire hath taken from thee thy hope which is the foundation and anchor of thy saluation and the conductor of our iourney vnto God If therefore thou desire to escape the snares of the diuell and by hope to take holde of the mercies of God only depart from euill and do good for the first step to saluation is to decline from euill the second to hope for pardon Which hope of Gods mercie is not sufficient to saue thee without the feare of his iustice for in vaine shalt thou hope in his mercie except thou likewise feare his iustice For God who is mercifull is likewise iust and therefore considering how mercifull he is despaire not considering how iust neglect not thy sinnes There is no securer way than vnder hope to feare and to ioyne those two together lest perhaps an vnwarie minde may deiect it self by despair or fall by presumption It is to be feared lest thou fall into another bottomlesse pit and thou die by presuming of the mercy of God that couldest not die by despairing of it and thou haue in thy heart cogitations diuers from the former but not lesse dangerous and so thou beginnest in thy heart to say At what houre soeuer I shall repent God will put out all my wickednesse out of his remembrance and therefore why should I rather conuert to day than to morrow But my deare brother what if thine end bee before to morrow For hee that promiseth vnto thee so much mercy if thou repent promiseth not to morrow if thou persist in thy sinnes It is to bee feared lest whilest conuersion is put off to the end an vnexpected death may rather preuent then repentance helpe Lest therefore by hoping thou shouldest encrease thy sinne the day of thy death is vncertaine and lest by despaire thou shouldest encrease it there is offered vnto thee the hauen of repentance Which notwithstanding that in the 〈◊〉 of thy daies it bee good yet that
AN EXHORTATORY Instruction to a speedy resolution of repentance and contempt of the vanities of this transitory life BY SAMSON LENNARD LONDON Printed by M. B. for Edw. Blount and W. Barret 1609. TO THE RIGHT honorable my very good Lady the Lady Dacre of the South I Am not ignorant right honorable virtuous Ladie how poore a help the light of a candle giues vnto the cleere light of the Sun nor how meane a meanes these my labours are to eternize the memory of those your honourable virtues which like the Sun in his sphere disperse their gracious raies to as many as know you or heare of your name You are like the Sun adorned with your owne light as with a garment like the rose in the garden an ornament to your selfe Your honorable progenitors honor you your honorable virtues your progenitors And therfore far be it from you to thinke that my meaning is hereby to giue light to the Sun honor to your honors but as Dauid out of a consideration of the manifolde blessings he had receiued at Gods hands cried out What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits bestowed vpon me and presently answered I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord so I entring into a consideration with my self what I might returne for those great and manifolde bounties receiued from the hands of your worthie and honorable husband when I had considered what I might consider being guiltie of mine owne inabilities to returne one for a thousand I was inforced to say with Dauid I will take and not giue I will requite by asking more My humble petition therefore to your Ladiship is that you would be pleased to honor this little booke with your honorable protection which though it be offered to the publike view of the world yet it was written for you as not vnbefitting your yeers your zeale your vnderstanding your religion your honour This if you do you shall adde vnto the heape of your manifolde virtues and if with an honourable minde you shall take this from his hands whose custome it hath euer been rather to receiue than giue you shall double your bounties be liberall in receiuing and giuing too And thus wishing to your Ladiship a long life in this world and an eternall in the world to come I rest Your Ladiships in all dutie to be commanded Samson Lennard THE CONTENTS The first part CHAP. I. THat the life of man is vnstable and therefore repentance not to be deferred pag. 1 CHAP. II. How dangerous a thing it is to deferre our conuersion to the houre of death 17 CHAP. III. That our last day is hidden from vs to the end that all the daies of our life should be as our last 30 CHAP. IIII. The great inequalitie betwixt our present pleasures and the paines of hell 50 CHAP. V. That it is better to repent when we are yoong than to put it off vntill we be old 63 CHAP. VI. â—hat no man can repent and yet follow his pleasures 72 The second part CHAP. I. THat restitution is an excellent testimonie of remission of sinnes 91 CHAP. II. That man must not feare his confusion with men that will finde grace and fauour with God 106 CHAP. III. That the grace of God is to be preferred before all temporall riches 123 CHAP. IIII. Almes vnlawfully gotten please not God 140 The third part CHAP. I. THat God doeth not forgiue vs our trespasses except we forgiue those that trespasse against vs. 149 CHAP. II. That no worke that a man doeth be it neuer so good can be acceptable vnto God so long as he is not in charitie with his neighbour 161 CHAP. III. That it is not lawfull to strike him that striketh 169 CHAP. IIII. That by the example of Christ it is no hard matter for a man to pardon his neighbour as often as he offendeth 186 The fourth part CHAP. I. THat God forgiueth sinnes when with a true and contrite heart we consesse them vnto God 206 CHAP. II. That nothing is hidden from God and that at the day of iudgement the secrets of all hearts shall be reuealed 217 The fifth part CHAP. I. THat God is not subiect to passion and neuer forsakes a sinner before a sinner forsakes him 235 CHAP. II. A sinner how he falleth from one sinne into another and so is hardned in his sinnes 256 CHAP. III. That there is no man so great a sinner but by the power of the Creatour he may be conuerted 277 CHAP. IIII. That God is faithfull who suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue our power 292 CHAP. V. That the feare of backesliding should not hinder the rising of him that is fallen 311 CHAP. VI. â—ow miserable the despaire of a sinner is at the point of death 330 CHAP. VII â—f the paines of hell 364 The sixth part CHAP. I. THat we are sinners and haue need of the mercy of God 398 CHAP. II. That there is no sinne so great but by true repentance it may bee pardoned 410 CHAP. III. Examples of such as haue grieuously sinned and afterwards haue beene saued by repentance 421 CHAP. IIII. That God denieth not mercy to him that conuerteth since be inuiteth him that is auerted from him to conuersion 438 CHAP. V. That a sinner being changed God changeth his sentence 453 CHAP. VI. That euen at the point of death repentance may bee profitable to saluation 472 CHAP. VII Of the ioyes of Heauen 484 THE FIRST PART of the exhortatory instruction to repentance and first of the speed to be vsed therein CHAP. I. That the life of man is vnstable and therefore repentance not to be deferred FIRST thou wilt perhaps alledge against thy selfe deare brother â—hat thou canst not vpon the â—udden free thy selfe from â—hy accustomed pleasures What a sinner obiecteth against himselfe and that when thou art old thou wilt be more willing to withstand the temptations and allurements of pleasure and repent thee of thy sinnes Res What man is there that liueth and shal not see death The necessitie of Death Heb. 9. It is appointed vnto men that they should once die from which generall sentence that no man should wax proud no man is exempted Which if it bee true I would but know of thee how long thou thinkest the pleasures of this transitory life may continue with thee For my part I can not imagine that the vttermost thou canst hope can be aboue fifty yeeres The vncertaintie of the day of death in which time see how many dangers hang ouer thy head First there is no man be hee neuer so yoong that can assuredly promise vnto himselfe to liue vntill night Death vshereth an olde man goeth before him comes behinde a yoong man takes him vnawares and to them both nothing is more certaine than death nothing more vncertain than the houre place meanes and maner of death Varro in his prouerbs Neither is it maruell if thou
sinnes from the bottome of his heart The mercy of God towards sinners hee will put all his wickednesse out of his remembrance Res This deare Brother I confesse to be true yea that he is more gentle and mercifull than can bee imagined or beleeued and that hee pardoneth whomsoeuer in time returnes vnto him but yet he that hath made this promise to him that repenteth hath not promised to morrow to him that puts off his repentance till to morrow and persists in his sinnes Did he not expresse his mercy and louing kindnesse sufficiently vnto thee in that with such patience so long a time hee hath tolerated so many iniuries done vnto him by thee and giuen thee time to repent Doubtlesse great is the mercy of God towards thee in this his long stay and attendance for thy repentance For hee staid not at all for the Angels when they should repent but in a moment in the twinkling of an eie hee cast them downe into Hell he staid not for Adam when hee sinned but instantly hee thrust him out of Paradise But thee hee hath tolerated and attended many yeeres God is slow to reuenge he hath dissembled forborne deferred to punish thee being alwaies ready to forgiue Esay 14. but yet this thou must know that as he is gentle in forbearing so he is iust in punishing and whom hee attendeth to conuert not conuerted with a heauy iudgement hee condemneth For God doth so much the more sharply and seuerely punish by how much longer he forbeareth a sinner and his sentence is so much the more heauy by how much greater his patience hath been in forbearing and for the most part by the iust iudgement of God it falleth out that he dying forgets himselfe who liuing forgot God how miserable then is the state of that man who presenting himselfe before so seuere a Iudge hath not so much time as to bewaile those sinnes hee hath committed It is therefore deare Brother a dangerous thing to make thy houre of death thy houre of repentance and to thinke that thou maist not die in thy sinne though thou cease not from thy sinne but still continuest in that estate wherein if death should suddenly assaile thee as many times it falleth out thy soule were vtterly lost and for that moment of time wherin thou art to liue thou leauest thy soule to the danger of eternall damnation which should be dearer vnto thee than the whole World CHAP. II. How dangerous a thing it is to deferre our conuersion to the houre of death BVt be it deare Brother that thou bee mindefull both of God and of thy selfe at the houre of thy death A hard thing truly to conuert at the boure of death and that God doe then giue thee sometime of repentance yet it is to bee feared that thou canst hardly in so short a time so momentary a contrition sufficiently bewaile all the sinnes of thy long life It will hardly bee brought to passe that thou that in the whole course of thy life hast beene accustomed to sinne shouldest vpon the sudden at an instant be made perfect that thou shouldest so speedily quit thy selfe of the snares of the Diuel wherwith in thy whole life forespent thou hast intangled thy selfe that thou shouldest then at the last fall from the Diuell and begin to fight vnder Christ his banner when the war is at an end Doest thou thinke that that tree that neuer was green neuer did flourish or yeeld any fruit can then begin to grow yeeld any when hee is cut downe and cast into the fire Neither can that man that in his whole life time neuer did any good then yeeld fruits worthy repentance when the axe is laid to the root to cut him off from the land of the liuing and to cast him into that fire that shall neuer bee quenched But how dangerous a thing it is and how neere to vtter destruction to put off our repentance to the houre of death S. Augustine telleth vs. August de poenitentia distinct 7. If any man in the extremity of his sicknesse shall repent him of his sins and be reconciled vnto God and so depart out of this life I confesse vnto you we cannot deny that he requireth but yet wee cannot presume that hee departeth the childe of God whether he depart secure out of this life I know not repentance wee may impose security wee cannot giue Shall I say he is damned No and yet I will not say hee is saued Wilt thou therefore bee freed from this doubt auoid this vncertainty Repent whilest thou art in health which if thou doe I dare boldly affirme thou maist be secure because thou repentest at that time when thou couldest haue sinned But if thou wilt repent when thou canst not sin thy sinnes haue forsaken thee not thou them Thus far S. Augustine Deferre not therefore thy repentance vntill thou cannot sin Seneca Plerique metu peccare cessant non innocentia profecto tales timidi non innocentes dicendi sunt for though it bee the will of God to pardon thy sinnes yet hee requireth a willingnesse in thy selfe not a necessity loue and charity not only feare They that at their end compeld by necessity turne vnto God seeme not to repent for loue of God but for feare of hell Then they 〈◊〉 vnto God when in the â—orld which all their life â—me they haue serued they â—n no longer continue â—heras if they might longer â—â—ide therein they would â—ot yet forsake those delights which they are neuer content â—o leaue till they can keepe â—hem no longer They leaue â—ot their sinnes but their sins â—caue them who are not led by their owne wils but necessity In the whole volume of the booke of God there is only one Luke 11. and that was the good theefe that truly repented at the houre of his death Ille vt nullus desperet solus vt nullus praesâ—emat He is left vnto vs for an example that no man should despaire he only that no man should presume Who thogh hee were by this last confession of his acknowledgement of Christ vpon the Crosse after a sort baptized and in that innocent state so departed yet such as are already baptized haue no warrant from thence to sin and to persist in their sinnes For they that would neuer bee conuerted when they might being conuerted when they could not sinne doe not so easilie attaine that they would For a sicke man hath many lets and hinderances that withdraw him from repentance Impediments to repentance First the presence of his carnal friends whom perhaps hee hath loued vnlawfully and beyond measure â—he remembrance of his pasâ—â—d pleasures and temporall â—essings which hee leaueth â—t without much griefe of â—eart an vnspeakable sorrow 〈◊〉 the separation of the soule â—om the burthen of the boâ—y insomuch that a man â—an hardly think of any thing â—lse but that griefe wherewith hee is tormented in his
to turne vnto the Lord yea deferre it not vntill to morrow for the day of the Lord commeth as a theefe in the night and an houre that thou knowest not 1. Thes 5. If thou turne not vnto God Psalme 7. God wil draw foorth the sword of his vengeance hee will bend his bow and make ready his arrowes from whose anger to come that thou maiest flie do workes worthy repentance and that whilest the God of patience and long sufferance detaineth his anger whilest he deserreth to strike whilest he considereth thee a sinner and yet expecteth thy conuersion whilest hee beareth with thy iniquities in hope at the last to withdraw thee from them But thou the longer hee beareth with thy sinnes the longer thou continuest in thy sinnes whereby it commeth to passe that that long sufferance of God that should draw thee to repontance and out of the lawes of death and hell â—andeth thee the faster in the bands of death and because thou hast turned thy times of repentance vnto sin the seuere Iudge will turne those arguments of his loue and mercy into a punishment for by so much the more seuerely will hee come vnto iudgement by how much the more before it hee shewed himselfe patient and mercifull That which hee now winketh at with mildenesse and loue when he commeth to iudge hee will exact with straitnesse and seueritie Take heed therefore lest thou contemne those times that God hath giuen thee to repent and thou neglect the care of thy saluation lest thou turne the clemencie of the Iudge and those proroged times of mercy and repentance into arguments of thy greater damnation lest that long life which thou hast receiâ—ed from thy meâ—ciâ—◠〈…〉 God doe 〈…〉 greaâ—er increase or thy condemnation Behold now is the time of reconciliation and repentance not of pleasure and carnall delight heereafter shall bee the time of reward of retribution Behold now is the acceptable time the day of saluation and mercy heereafter shall be the time of rigor and vengeance Shall then these dales of saluation passe away as if thou thoughtest not of them There is nothing more precious than time and yet to thee nothing more contemptible It is the manner of such as get their liuing by their labour in the end of their labours when they looke for their hire to be most diligent and painful So thou forasmuch as thoâ— knowest not how soone thy labours shall haue an end whatsoeuer thy hand can do doe it instantly Luke 12. Be alwaies prouided for thou knowest not what houre the Sonne of man will come that when hee commeth atcording to thy workes hee may iudge thee Thou hast no long race to runne for whether thou wake or sleepe or whatsoeuer thou doest euerie houre and moment of thy life is a steppe vnto death which perhaps thou art neerer vnto than thou art aware of For when thou goest to sleepe thou art not sure thou sâ—alt awake again and when thou awakest thou art not â—ure thou shalt goe to 〈◊〉 rest vntill thou haue taâ—â—â—â—p thy last rest Where 〈…〉 thou bee wise in the whole course of thy lise learne to die and bee prepared thereunto euerie houre of thy life as if euerie houre were the houre of thy death Thinke euery moment thou must die because thou art sure though now thou liue thou must die Which if it bee so take no â—reat care by what accident then shalt die but dying whiâ—her thou must goe for nothing maketh death good or ill but that which followeth death Death is deadly to the wicked but precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 115. which death God of his infinite mercie giue vs euen for his Sonne Christ Iesus sake Amen The Second Part of the exhortation to repentance CHAP. I. That restitution is an excellent testimony of remission of sinnes SEcondly perhaps thou wilt say thou couldest be content to repent but thou canst not finde in thy heart to restore that which either by fraud or violence thou hast taken from another for now thou art rich and needest the helpe of no man Res Thou knowest not my deare Brother that thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked Consider with thy selfe that if God at the day of iudgement shall with such anger say vnto those that haue not giuen their goods vnto the poore Depart ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuel and his Angels For I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meat Matth. 25. I thirsted and ye gaue me no drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me not I was naked and yee clothed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not how shall his anger increase when he shall say I was hungrie I was thirstie and yee took from me that sustinance that I had I was naked and you robbed me of that little that remained vnto me We read not of that rich man in the Gospell that hee got his goods vniustly but only that hee vsed that which hee had intemperatly and vnfruitfullie and yet he was tormented in hell fire and desired a drop of cold water but could not obtaine it How then shalt thou bee saued that hast vniustly scraped thy riches together Canst thou possibly thinke that thou shalt not bee more damned than hee Gather heereby how great a damnation hangeth ouer thy head that doest wrongfully detaine another mans goods if they vndergoe so heauy a iudgement that indiscreetly do vse their owne Consider how heauilie goods wrongfullie gotten doe presse thee downe if such as are lawfully come by not well bestowed bring so vnspeakable a torment What doest thou deserue for wronging another if charity not well vsed deserue such punishment And if he bee subiect to damnation that detaineth his owne what is hee that taketh away another mans If hee shall haue iudgement without mercy that doth no workes of mercy what iudgement may he looke for that is cruell and bloodie that taketh from the poore whereas hee should giue and decketh himselfe with the spoiles of other men that liues in plenty by the famine of the poor and pampers his bellie with that that should feed them The poore being oppressed crie for vengeance vnto the Lord and God who is a iealous and a mightie God will be their reuenger The Lord will come yea hee will come and not stay and in a time of vengeance hee will destroy him If thy body be diseased or thy friend fallen sicke thou art content to recouer it if need bee euen with the losse of all thy goods that thou hast now thy owne soule is falling into eternall damnation and for the saluation therof doest thou refuse to make restitution of a trifle which thou detainest from another man Thou sellest thy selfe at a base price if for another mans goods thou losest thy owne soule It is a folly to make thy siluer gold more precious than
ought the disciple to loue them whilest he liueth But thou a base contemptible worme a polluted peece of dung when thou seest the King of glory forgiuing his contumelies pardoning the agonies and torments of his Crosse art yet being prouoked with the least wrong that may be stirred vp to furie and desire of reuenge and offerest greater wrongs than thou hast receiued Thou doest what hurt thou canst and thou threatnest more than thou canst and when thou canst not or darest not openly to reuenge thy wrongs thou inwardly frettest and boilest with malice and in vain thou afflictest thy selfe and not thy enemie For as the good will of a man when there wants ability of performance hath a reward so thy ill will seeking after reuenge scapes not vnpunished because God considereth not so much what thou hast done as what thou wouldst haue done if thou hadst been able Wherfore deare brother incline the obstinacy of thy impatient minde to mercy and following the steps of our lord and master let it not seeme hard vnto thee to forgiue thy enemy as often as thy enemy shall offend thee that euery day those sinnes may bee remitted that thou doest euery day commit that whilest thou pardonest thy neighbor light and small wrongs God may pardon thee great and greeuous For if thou truly repent thou must prepare thy self to endure wrongs and neuer be mooued when thou hearest thy sinnes obiected against thee By this which hath beene spoken thou plainly seest in how damnable a state thou liuest so long as thou harborest malice and rancor in thy heart against thy neighbour To the end therefore thou maiest become a new man The conclusion if thou haue any thing against thy neighbour forgiue it and God will forgiue thee which if thou doe not thinke it is vaine for thee to beg forgiuenesse at Gods hands for such as thou art towards thy fellow seruant thou shalt finde him Thou hast power nay there is a necessity imposed vpon thee to forgiue any man that shall wrong thy selfe for any cause whatsoeuer but if he shall sinne against God or his neighbour it is not in thy power to remit but thou art to vse thy best indeuour to haue him punished by law not out of ill will but out of that will wherewith a father correcteth his childe whom hee cannot hate But thou contrarily in the wrongs of God and thy neighbour art calme and quiet but in thy owne thou art furious and violent wherein thou expressest thy little loue towards God and thy neighbor Neither is it any wonder at all if thou louest not God whom thou canst not see when thou canst not loue thy neighbour whom thou seest knowest whom if thou haue first offended bee first reconciled vnto him if he be thy enemy be friendly to him that thou maiest so win him to bee thy friend and though hee haue first offended thee yet bee thou first reconciled vnto him and so thou shalt winne vnto thy selfe a twofold blessing one because thou hast patiently endured wrong another because thou art the first that inuitest thine enemy to vnity and concord Consider with thy selfe what S. Paul for our instruction saith 2 Cor. 5.20 Now then are we Embassadours for Christ as thogh God did beseech you through vs wee pray you in Christs stead that yee bee reconciled to God So that we see that by sin we haue made an enmitie betwixt God and vs and yet God preuenteth vs and first sendeth his messengers of peace vnto vs that we that haue sinned may bee at peace with God Blush therfore if thou be backward since thy Sauior Christ Iesus is so forward who is blessed for euer and euer The Fourth Part of the exhortation to repentance CHAP. I. That God forgiueth sins when with a true and contrite heart wee confesse them vnto God FOurthly it may be thou wilt saie thou couldest bee content to repēt but that it is necessarie to repentance that thou confesse thy sinnes vnto God that thou art ashamed to do Resp First my deare brother let me propose this example vnto thee A theefe stealeth before the king and is taken in his theft and yet though his theft be manifest hee will not confesse it whereupon hee is condemned to die and being bound hand and foot conueied to his execution His king being moued to compassion saith vnto him my friend thou knowest that I tooke thee with the theft in thy hands but thou fearing least by mee thou shouldest bee thought a theefe obstinately deniest thy offence whereof I am an eie witnesse and for this cause as thou seest art thou condemned Neuerthelesse to the end that my good nesse may ouercome thy wickednesse I wil haue mercy vpon thee and deliuer thee from this shamefull death If thou wilt acknowledge thy offence and say I haue sinned O Lord and done wickedly in thy sight What thinkest thou it is fit this theefe should do vpon so kinde and so mercifull an offer Should hee not confesse his offence and say I haue sinned But if he be so obstinate that hee will rather die than acknowledge his offence hath not this king reason to execute his iudgement vpon him is not the theefe for his obstinacie woorthie to be hanged Thou art this wicked wretch who in the presence of God to whose eies all things are naked and open Heb. 4.13 Psal 118. and in whose sight are all thy wares hast greenously offended and art apprehended in the works of thy hands And because the reward of sinne is death Rom. 6. and the soule which hath sinned shall die therefore the sentence of eternall death is pronounced against thee And whilest thou refusest to foresee those imminent dangers that interrupt thy present ioies thou runnest blindfold to the pit of hell being fast bound in thine iniquities with no other irons than thy iron will The diuel hath captiuated thy will whereby hee hath made an iron chaine wherewith hee draweth thee fast bound to the pit of hel But behold the goodnesse of God hath couered thy wickednes his piety thy impietie hee hath seene thee sinning and yet forbeareth he tollerateth thee resisting him and still calleth thee vnto him by his Prophet Esai 43.25 I euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes Put mee in remembrance let vs bee iudged together count thou that thou maiest be iustified O vpon how easie a condition doth the Lord promise to forget thy sinnes Onely call thou to remembrance and count them and thou shalt bee iustified Onely forget not thy sinnes and hee forgiues vncouer and he couereth thy shame with righteousnesse open and hee shuteth Preuent the wrath of an angrie Iudge by accusing thy selfe yea be angry with thy selfe and let not thy owne mouth spare thee for then thou beginnest to bee iustified when thou beginnest to be thy owne accuser Open the eies of thy faith and
angrie with a sinner Againe sometimes the Lord punisheth some things to the end that a sinner yet liuing might learne to flie from future vengeance somethings hee leaueth vnreuenged to the end he may know there remaineth yet a farther iudgement for him Sometimes hee beginneth that punishment heere in this life which hee endeth after this life with eternall damnation For if God should neere reuenge himselfe of all his wrongs to what end should wee looke for the last iudgement By that which hath beene spoken thou maiest gather deare brother that God hateth thee not but before hee forsaketh thee thou hast forsaken him neither is the fault in him that by repentance thou turnest not vnto him but in the obstinacie of thine owne will who refusest to heare his voice or obey his diuine inspirations The Sun shineth vpon the window only doe thou open it and it will enter in Accuse not therefore God but thy selfe for in God who is iust in all his wayes and holy in all his works there is nothing to be reprehended or condemned For as if by reason of the weaknesse of thy body thou art not able to goe another should lend thee his hand to lift thee vp and to hold thee whilest thou walkest thou refusest his helpe and haddest rather lie vpon the ground than be holpon by him the fault is not his but thine if thou rise not euen so the Lord of his owne accord offereth himselfe vnto thee and is alwayes readie to helpe thee beare the burthen of thy sinnes and to direct thy steps into the right way doe thou only apply thy will vnto his will and be willing to receiue that grace and fauour which he offereth vnto thee CHAP. II. A sinner how he falleth from one sinne into another and so is hardned in his sinnes AFter that the God of patience long sufferance hath a long time expected the conuerfion of thee a sinner hee giueth to thee not conuerting but contemning his patience greater stumbling blockes to fall for whilest thou art earelesse to redeeme thy lesser sinnes by little and little thou fallest lower and lower and being insensibly seduced by vse custome thou growest bolde to commit greater sinnes When the tongue hath once liberty to vtter idle speeches it shortly after growes bolde to vtter any wickednesse and whilest thou art giuen to gluttonie thou fallest into drunkennesse yea madnesse it selfe for as for the most part it falleth out that one disease ingendereth another and that hee that is ouerladen with a great burthen doth easily fall so the burthen of sinne which by repentance is not speedily shaken off with the burthen thereof presseth a man to other sinnes and one sinne is the cause of another and the latter a punishment to the first as a righteous man ascendeth from one virtue to another and from one good worke taketh occasion to do another One sinne may be the cause of another three maner of wayes sometimes by reason of the finall cause as murther is committed for couetousnesse sometimes by reason of the materiall cause as when by superfluity of diet gluttony ingendreth luxurie vaine glorie whilest it seeketh the glory of a vaine name lest another should attaine vnto it ingendreth enuie sometimes by reason of an inueterat custom as when the custome of one sinne induceth a man to another By these three meanes a sinner falling from sinne to sinne at the last runneth himselfe into the bottomlesse pit of all sin and God in his iust iudgement hardeneth his heart in such a maner that he that by repentance would not clense his sinne heapeth vp sinne vpon sinne and wallowing in his owne filth groweth more filthy Sinne that by repentance is not taken away is both a sinne and the cause of another sin because thereby the mind of a sinner is farther ingaged but that sinne that ariseth out of another sinne is both a sinne and the punishment of a former sin and sometimes the cause of a following sinne too So that in this life sinnes are reuenged by sinnes and the punishment of sinnes are not torments but increase of sinnes the facilitie likewise of committing sinne is made the punishment of precedent sinnes of all which the last punishment is the fire of hell Neuerthelesse a sinner being hardned in his sinnes by reason of his insensible hardnes knowes not himselfe to bee punished heereby vntill against his will hee feele by a manifest punishment how great that sinne is which hee willingly committed Psal 69.27 And therefore saith the Psalmist Lay iniquity vpon their iniquity and let them not come into thy righteousnesse And the Prophet Hosea Hosea 4.2 By swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood Blood toucheth blood when sinne is added vnto sinne the soule by multiplying of sinnes is wounded before the eyes of God and made a burthen vnto it selfe How strait are thy iudgements O Lord How great a punishment of sinne is the multiplying of sins Farre greater doubtles than any temporall punishment nay than hell it selfe The will which first turneth from God is the first beginning of sinne by sinne the grace of God is neglected by which neglect man is continued in sinne by continuance he is confirmed and by confirmation hardened therein And so being fallen into the depth of sinne hee doth not only grow carelesse in the desire of Gods assistance to rise againe but hee likewise resisteth his diuine inspirations that hee may continue in his sinnes God on the other side resisting him freeth him not from his sin but withdraweth frō him many his gifts of grace suffereth him to fall into greater sins and somtimes inflicteth vpon him temporall punishments and at the last eternal Whereby we may not gather that God who loueth righteousnesse and hateth iniquitie compelleth a sinner to sinne but onely permitteth him to continue in his sinnes For from whom hee withdraweth certaine of his graces for sinnes past to him not willing to repent he yeeldeth not the grace of iustification the effect of which grace being the mollifying of the heart that being withdrawne there must necessarily follow hardnesse of heart as the Lord speaketh of Pharo Exod. 4. I will harden his heart The Lord hardneth not the heart of a sinner but as hee that taketh awaie the prop of an house is said to plucke it downe so God is said to harden a sinner because hee freeth him not from it God hardeneth not by imparting malice or that any thing can come from him whereby a man is made the woorse but onely by not imparting mercy and that nothing comes from him whereby a man is made the better Hee hath mercie on whom hee will haue mercie and though he harden yet he is still iust whilest he permitteth the reprobate heart of a sinner voide of pietie ignorant of compunction free from the dew of all spirituall graces to perseuere in hardnesse and not to be mollified
into the broad and spacious way that would haue led them to destruction afterwards to haue found the strait way that leadeth vnto life thou shouldest not despaire to finde the same as they did and when thou seest many vnrighteous men by the grace of God iustified and saued thou likewise shouldest not cast away the hope of thy saluation Aaron Exod. 28. Numb 15. Marie Aaron after his repentance for the molten Calfe was chosen by God to be high Priest Marie his sister after she was stricken with a leprosie because she murmured against Moses by repentance was cured and receiued her ancient gift of Prophesying Dauid Dauid who was a king and a prophet a man that God had found out according to his own heart and out of whose loynes the Messias was promised to come into how foule and grieuous sinnes did he fall Hee receiued by the mouth of the Prophet Nathan strange comminations of a grieuous reuenge and yet all that anger of GOD with two words hee turned into mercy I haue sinned saith hee against the Lord and presently the Prophet did not onely answer him The Lord hath remoued thy sinnes from thee but that spirit of prophecie which by sinne he had lost he recouered againe and for Dauid his seruants sake God turned away much euil from the children of Israel Achab. Achabs hart was hardned he many times contemned the Lord chiding him he added sinne vnto sinne 1. Kin. 21. and Naboth being slaine hee possessed his vineyard yet at the last being terrified by the threatnings of God and guilty of his owne sinne hee repented in sackecloth and ashes and so prouoked the Lord God vnto mercy And the word of the Lord came to Eliah saying Seest thou how Achab is humbled before mee because he submitteth himselfe before mee Manasseh I will not bring that euill in his daies Manasseh exceeded all that were before him in the impiety of his sinnes 2. Chro. 33. ouer threw the obseruation of the Law and the worship of God and yet after those bloody finnes hee was reduced to his kingdom and numbred amongst the sonnes of God Nabuchadnezzar Dan. 4. Nabuchadnezzar of all men the proudest acknowledging no Lord did arrogate to himselfe diuine honour and yet God being willing to reclaime him after he had beene seuen yeeres a madde man and liued like a beast hee brought him to himselfe againe and restored him to his kingdome who being thus restored and hauing thus made triall of the mercy of God hee praised and glorified his holy name But to omit innumerable examples in the old Testament The prodigal child Luke 15. The prodigall childe who had consumed his substance with harlots being returned to his father by repentance receiued not onely a kisse from him but had the fat calfe killed and receiued his former grace and fauour Zacheus Luke 19. Zacheus a Publican yea the chiefe amongst them made restâ—tution foure fold of all he had taken from other men and receiued Christ into his house Mathew Mathew of a Publican became an Apostle and an Euangelist Marie Magdalen Mary Magdelen consumed the vnlawful loue of the flesh that was in her with the firie zeale of the loue of God and so much fauour she found with God that she was a messenger to the Apostles themselues of the resurrection of our Sauiour Peter Peter an Apostle and pillar of the Church 〈◊〉 Christ but he went forth and wept bitterly and so was receiued vnto mercy Paul Paul of a persecutor of the Church of God became a Doctor and an Apostle of the Gentiles Dismas the theefe Luke 23. But that which giueth vs greatest hope of remission is the theefe vpon the crosse who euen by his own iudgement had deserued death whose offence was certaine and therefore had deserued both temporall and eternall damnation who now was condemned to a temporall death and was neere an eternall and yet at the verie instant of death acknowledging Christ he only said Lord remember mee when thou commest into thy kingdome and presently it was answered This day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise To a theefe hee promised a kingdome to one crucified heauen and to one condemned paradise The grace of God promising was more abundant than the praier of the theefe intreating for he promised more than the theefe asked Hee that came such vnto the crosse by sinne see what hee departed from the crosse by grace From the prison he ascended to the crosse and from the crosse into paradise from the punishment of his offence hee mounted to the reward of his vertue But to what end doe I produce so many examples so many testimonies of the mercy of God There is not a leafe in the booke of God wherein the mercie of the Lord doth not shine yea the whole earth is replenished therwith Thou that hearest how many there haue beene cured of their sinnes what receiuest thou else but an earnest penny of the mercie of God Therefore hath the omnipotent God permitted his elect in some fiâ—â— to fall that as they haue risen againe so they that haue fallen in the like should likewise hope to arise and whom they followed sinning they should likewise follow repenting What other thing in all these canst thou see but the vnspeakable mercie of our Redeemer who hath set those before thine eies as examples of true conuersion whom after their fall by repentance he made to liue But if yet thou heare mee not and beleeuest not that a sinner can bee saued heare God rather than my selfe beleeue him not me he is the trueth it selfe hee cannot be deceiued hee cannot deceiue I will not saith he the death of a sinner but that hee conuert and liue God will not the death of a sinner who would die for his sinnes his will is that his death be fruitfull and by it his redemption plentifull Yea the verie name of Iesus that is our Sauiour what else doth it promise to a sinner than mercie and saluation He came into the world to faue sinners and to free them from that damnation wherewith they were held Mat. 9. The whole need not the Physician but they that are sicke and therefore hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Mat. 15. He was sent vnto the lost sheepe of the house of Israel It is not the will of the sheapheard that one of his sheepe should perish who hauing a hundred sheepe if he lose one of them leaueth ninetie nine in the wildernesse and seeketh him that he hath lost vntill hee haue found him Euen so it is the will of our Father and our Creatour that not one of his children perish and if he perish it is by his owne will not the will of God for the mercy of God is common to all granted to euerie one that asketh and he offereth himselfe to euery one that seeketh him No man wants his
helpe but he that refuseth it and neglecteth the asking of it Reade ouer the whole life of Christ and thou shalt find none that hath euer cried out Iesu thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me but presently he obreined mercy He healed the sicke fed the hungrie eased those that laboured strengthned the weake clensed the leprous gaue sight vnto the blinde raised the dead absolued the penitent Wherefore deare brother say no more heereafter vnto me I am proud couetous wanton polluted with all manner of iniquitie and therefore I cannot bee saued I will not haue thee alledge these or the like excuses thou hast examples of all sorts thou maiest flie vnto what hauen thou wilt If thou haue fainted in thy faith looke vpon Peter If thou haue robbed thy neighbour consider the theefe if thou haue beene vnchaste looke vpon Marie Magdalene and so of the rest who haue fallen into the same sinne that thou hast but yet haue not despaired of pardon as thou doest and therfore comming with faith and confidence in the merits of Christ Iesus to the throne of his diuine mercie haue found more grace and mercy than they had reason in respect of their owne sinnes to looke for Be thou likewise by their example as confident as they were faint not but by repentance turn vnto God If thou aske the same mercy that they did doubtlesse thou shalt obtaine the same mercy that they did Aske and thou shalt receiue seeke and thou shalt finde The Lord knoweth not how to deny it vnto him that with an humble and contrite hart shal beg it at his hands CHAP. IIII. That God denieth not merâ—â—â— him that conuerteth since 〈◊〉 inuiteth him that is auerted from him to conuersion BVt thou wilt say I consider with my selfe what a difference there is betwixt God and mee and that I am deseruedly excluded from his presence and therefore despairing to obtaine mercie and accounting my selfe vnworthy to come vnto him I dare not lift vp mine eies vnto heauen Res God my deare brother whose nature is goodnesse it selfe is altogether milde and mercifull and more prone to pitie and compassion than to reuenge he is rich in mercy and bountifull in grace It is his propertie alwaies to haue mercie and to forgiue and therefore he cannot denie him mercy that with a coÌ„trate hart beggeth it at his hands He despiseth no penitent sinner but him that doubreth whether hee may aske for no man hath hoped in him and hath be ene confounded No man in time hath begged mercy and hath taken the repulse If God did not heare sinners in vaine had that Publican said O Lord be mercifull to me a sinner He that iudgeth will bee intreated not to punish sinners hee that knoweth how much reason he hath to be angrie with vs looks that they that haue as much reason to intreat should by praiers obtaine mercy at his hands He will be pacified by intreatie that knows how insupportable his anger is He is a witnesse to himself that hee desireth to haue mercie on those that call vpon him in that he prouoketh vs therunto Ps 50.15 Call vpon me saith he in the day of trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shak glorifie me And in another place Math. 7.7 Aske and it shall bee giuen vnto you Seeke and yee shall finde Knocke and it shall be opened vnto you If our carnall parents yea which are euill can giue to their children good gifts how much more shall your Father which is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him If thou doubt to come vnto God because of thy sinnes be confident to come because of that goodnesse which as a father hee oweth to his sonne Be bold with him in whose image thou seest thy selfe woonderfull in whose similitude surpassing excellent What fearest thou his Maiestie who maiest gather confidence from thy originall The generous alliance of the soule with God is not idle and the similitude is a witnesse of the â—lliance Euery like doeth willingly admit his like into societie and by nature like will to like The Mediatour betwixt God and man Christ Iesus made man for men sheweâ— himselfe milde and merciful to men And lest there shoulâ— remaine vnto thee any cause of despaire and to the 〈◊〉 hee might shew vnto the man what hope thou maieâ— haue with God God waâ— made man and thy aduocare thy Iudge He will not deny himselfe to him that asketh who of his own accord offered himself to him that asked not he seeking shall find him who gaue the meanâ— to finde to him that soughâ— not and will open to him that knocketh that stands a the doore and incessantly knocketh The conuersion 〈◊〉 a sinner delighteth him and canst thou conuerting despaire of forgiuenesse He desireth more to pardon â—han thou to be pardoned to â—orgiue thy sinnes than thou â—o forsake them and to reâ—ent thee of them He is more willing to sane thee by his â—ercy than thou to perish â—y thy sinnes thou wouldest â—ie by sinning but he wil not â—hy death but still expecteth hee to repentance He standâ—th with much loue and chaâ—itie at the doore of thy hart â—rying Pro. 23. My sonne giue mee â—hy heart and he professeth â—f himselfe Apoc. 3. If any man will â—pen vnto me I will come in vnto him If a poore man hauing â—ighly offended his king hall first be sollicited by his â—ing to peace and reconcilement it is a great argument of his princely benignitie now since with great conâ—â—dence a poore man should come vnto God doest thoâ— feare to bee conuerted vnto him that intreateth thee to turne vnto him and yet not only is not turned from those that turne vnto him but turneth to those that turne from him and exhorteth them to conuersion Eze. 18.31 Why will ye die saith the Lord ô house of Israel returne and come vnto me Iere. 3.1 and ye shall liue And iâ— another place If a man put away his wife and shee goe from him and become another mans shall he returne againe vnto her shall she not be polluted But thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet turne again to me saith the Lord. He bringeth in the similitude of a woman that hath been vntrue to her husband and is put away by him that he may tell vs how mercifull he is that he putteth not vs away Thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet turne againe to me saith the Lord. See here hee calleth vnto him that sinfull soule which before hee pronounced polluted to receiue it into the bosome of his pitie which is alwaies open neither doth he contemn a spotted life What tongue is sufficient to expresse the inward compassion of so mercifull a God What heart is not astonished at the riches of so vnspeakable mercie Hee is despised and yet expecteth seeth himselfe to be contemned yet ceaseth not to call Hee hath a long time stayed the sentence
and said Thus saith the Lord Put thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Then he turned his face to the wall and praied to the Lord and wept sore And afore Isaiah was gone out into the middle of the court the word of the Lord came vnto him saying Turne againe and tell Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy praier and seene thy teares behold I haue healed thee and the third day thou shalt goe vp to the house of the Lord And I will adde vnto thy daies fifteene yeeres The Nineuites heard Ionah the Prophet threatning them Ionah 3. Yet fortie dayes and Nineuy shal be ouerthrowen but the men of Nineuie fainted not in their mindes but though they doubted whether the Lord would be intreated yet they did all flie to repentance as to the gate of saluation beleeued in the Lord proclamed a fast and from the least to the greatest put on sackcloth and sate in ashes saying Who can tell if God will turne and repent and turn away from his fierce wrath that wee perish not And God saw their works that they turned from their cuill wayes and he repented of the euill that he had sayd that he would do vnto them and he did it not Hezekiah by praier and tears obteined of God that hee recalled his sentence past The repentāce of the Nineuites preuailed with God so much that hee reuoked his sentence touching the destruction of that city yet neither were they false Prophets who at what time they had deserued to die for their sinnes foretolde it but the great bountie of the mercy of God deferred their death and ruine at that time which before all worlds he had preordained If therefore these barbarous and heathenish people despaired not and though their sentence were past against them yet fainted not in their hearts why doest thou wretch that thou art despaire why faintest thou Thou robbest GOD of his mercy without which kings are not kings but tyrants That sentence The soule that hath sinned shall die is to be vnderstood of that soule which hath not repented of her sinnes as is sayd of humane iudgements That if any man hath done this or that he shall die the death and yet alwaies it is to be vnderstood except the partie condemned by the kings mercy be pardoned The iustice of God is not as the iustice of man in this by how much the more a guilty man confesseth his fault by so much the more punishment doth hee draw vpon himselfe but in that of God by how much the more a sinner accuseth himselfe by so much the more doth he finde the mercy of God towards him as God repelleth him that defendeth his sinnes so hee receiueth him that confesseth them If thou knewest the power of repentance thou wouldest not despaire of the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes our mercifull God doth gladly forget that wee are nocent and he is alwayes ready to esteeme our repentance as innocencie for if we repent vs of our sinnes wee haue alreadie escaped the rigor of a seuere sentence God imputeth not vnto vs our former life so wee repent vs of it but seeing our works changed he gladly changeth his sentence because hee would the life of a sinner not the death neither doth he take pleasure in the perdition of soules but his will is our sanctification To those that stand if they fall he threatneth punishment that fearing that they may not fall but yet he promiseth mercie to those that fall that trusting thereon they may rise again those he terrifieth lest they presume in their goodnesse these he comforteth lest they should despaire in their wickednesse As a kinde and louing mother threatneth stripes to her beloued sonne whom if acknowledging his fault hee beg mercy at her hands her motherly loue doth easily pardon so likewise our mercifull God patient of great mercy though hee be iustly angry with our sinnes yet asking pardon with much facilitie he is pleased Can a mother forget her childe Isa 49.15 and haue no compassion on the sonne of her wombe though shee should forget yet will not I forget thee sayth the Lord. A louing mother doth greatly desire the health of her sicke sonne but much more doth God desire the saluation of a sicke soule Though no humane goodnesse may be compared to the infinite goodnes of God yet forasmuch as there can be no greater example found of affection in the highest degree than of a mothers towards her sonne therefore the loue of God towards sinners is compared to a motherly affection There is no man so inflamed with the loue of his spouse as GOD with the loue of thy soule Greater loue than this hath no man Ioh. 15.13 when any man bestoweth his life for his friends Christ if thou hadst been alone hee had suffered and died for thee before he would haue suffred thy soule to haue fallen into the iawes of the diuell For for whom died he For the iust Aske Paul Christ saith he died for sinners If there had been no sinne in the world Christ had not shed his blood for what necessitie had there beene that God should shed his blood but to redeeme both thine and the sinnes of the whole world The least droppe of his precious blood did abundantly suffice for the redemption of all mankinde but yet to the end he might expresse his great loue towards vs he powred out his whole blood for vs he spake many things he did many things hee suffered many things to redeeme vs though those whom he created with his only word he could likewise haue repared with his only word He tooke vpon him our death that he might giue vs life he gaue life vnto vs hee receiued death from vs and yet not for his owne desert but for vs. He came into the land of our perigrination to take vpon him what here abounded reproches scourgings blowes spittings in the face contumelies a crowne of thornes the crosse and death these abound in our countrey to these and the like merchandize he came What gaue he heere for that he heere receiued He gaue exhortation doctrine remission of sinnes he broght vnto vs from that countrey many good things and in ours he endured many euill So much his loue preuailed that he would be with vs where we were and where he is we shall be with him Where I am Ioh. 12.26 saith he there shall also my seruant bee What doth God promise vnto thee a man That thou shalt liue with him for euer and doest thou not beleeue it Beleeue beleeue it is more that hee hath done than that he hath promised It is more incredible that a dead man should bee eternall than that a mortall man should liue for euer Thou art to liue with him for euer for whose sake hee is dead that liues for euer Secure thy selfe that thou shalt receiue his life whose death thou hast for an earnest