your golden hours more with froth than spirits 6. Repent of your forgetfulness of sacred vows A vow is a binding ones soul to God Numb 30. 1. Christians have not you since you have been bound to God forfeited your Indentures Have not you served for common uses after you have been the Lords by solemn dedication Thus by breach of vows you have made a breach in your peace Surely this calls for a fresh lavor of tears 7. Repent of your unanswerableness to blessings received You have lived all your life upon free quarter you have spent upon free-free-graces stock you have been bemiracled with mercy but where are your returns of love to God The Athenians would have ungrateful persons to be sued at Law Christians may not God sue you at Law for your unthankfulness Hos. 2. 9. I will recover my Wooll and my Flax. I will recover them by Law 8. Repent of your worldliness By your profession you seem to resemble the Birds of Paradise that soar aloft and live upon the dew of Heaven yet as Serpents you lick the dust Baruc a good man was taxed with this Ier. 45. 5. Seekest thou great things for thy self 9. Repent of your divisions these are a blot in your Coat-armour and make others stand aloof off from Religion Indeed to separate from the wicked resembles Christ who was separate from sinners Heb. 7. 26. But for the godly to divide among themselves and look askew one upon another had we as many eyes as there are stars they were few enough to weep for this Divisions ecclipse the Churches beauty and weaken her strength Gods Spirit brought in cloven tongues among the Saints Act. 2. 3. But the Devil hath brought in cloven hearts Surely this deserves a shower of tears Quis talia fando Temperet à lachrymis 10. Repent for the iniquity of your holy things How often have the services of Gods worship been frozen with formality and sowred with pride There have been more of the Peacocks plumes than the groans of the Dove 'T is sad that ever duties of Religion should be made a stage for vain glory to act upon O Christians there is such a thick rhyne upon your duties that 't is to be feared there is but little meat left in them for God to feed upon Behold here repenting work cut out for the best and that which may make the tyde of grief swell higher is to think that the sins of Gods people do more provoke God than others Deut. 32. 19. The sins of the wicked pierce Christs side the sins of the godly go to his heart Peters sin being against so much love was more unkind which made his cheeks to be furrowed with tears Mark 14. 72. When he thought thereon he wept 3. Repentance is necessary for all sins Let us be deeply humbled and mourn before the Lord for original sin We have lost that pure quintessential frame of soul as once we had our nature is vitiated with corruption Original sin hath diffused it self as a poison into the whole man Like the Hierusalem-Hartichoke which wherever it is planted presently over-runs the ground There are not worse natures in Hell than we have The hearts of the best are like Peters sheet where were a number of unclean creeping things Act. 10. 12. This primitive corruption is bitterly to be bewailed because we are never free from it It is like a spring under ground which though it be not seen yet it still runs We may as well stop the beating of the pulse as stop the motions to sin This inbred pravity retards and hinders us in that which is spiritual Rom. 7. 19. The good that I would I do not Original sin may be compared to that fish Pliny speaks of a Sea-Lamprey which cleaves to the keel of the ship and hinders it when it is under sail Sin hangs weights upon us that we move but slow to Heaven O this adherency of sin Paul shook the Viper which was on his hand into the fire Act. 28. 5. But we cannot shake off original corruption in this life Sin doth not come as a lodger for a night but an indweller Rom. 7. 17. Sin that dwelleth in me 'T is with us as with one who hath an Hectick feaver upon him though he changeth the air yet still he carries his disease with him Original sin is inexhaustible This Ocean cannot be emptyed though the stock of sin spends yet it is not at all diminished the more we sin the fuller we are of sin Original corruption is like the Widows Oyl which encreased by pouring out and that which may be another wedge to break our hearts is that original sin doth mix with the very habits of grace Hence it is our actings towards Heaven are so dull and languid Why doth faith act no stronger but because it is clogg'd with sense Why doth love to God burn no purer but because it is hindred with lust Original sin incorporates with our graces As bad lungs cause an Asthma or shortness of breath so original sin having infected the heart our graces breathe now very faintly Thus we see what in original sin may draw forth our tears In particular let us lament the corruption Of 1. Our Will 2. Our Affections 1. Let us mourn for the corruption of our Will The will not following the dictamen of right reason is byassed to evil The will distasts God not as he is good but as he is holy It contumaciously affronts him Ier. 44. 17. We will do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our mouth to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven The greatest wound is fallen upon our will 2. Let us grieve for the corruption of our Affections which consists in two things Their 1. Diversion 2. Propension Let us grieve for the diversion of our affections they are taken off from their proper object The affections like arrows shoot beside the mark At first our Affections were wings to fly to God now they are weights to pull us from him Let us grieve for the propension of our Affections our love is set on sin our joy on the creature our Affections like the Lapwing feed on dung How justly may the distemper of our Affections bear a part in the scene of our grief We of our selves are falling into Hell and our Affections would thrust us thither 2. Let us lay to heart actual sins Of these I may say Who can understand his errours Psal. 19. 12. They are like Atoms in the Sun like sparks of a Furnace We have sinned in our eyes they have been casements to let in vanity We have sinned in our tongues they have been fired with passion what action proceeds from us wherein we do not betray some sin To reckon up these were to go to number the drops in the Ocean Let actual â—…ins be solemnly repented of before the Lord.
CHAP. IX Containing powerful Motives to Repentance THAT the exhortation to Repentance may be more quickned I shall lay down some powerful Motives to excite Repentance 1. Sorrow and melting of heart fits us for every holy duty A piece of Lead while it is in the lump can be put to no use but melt it and then you may cast it into any mould and it is made useful So an heart that is hardened into a lump of sin is good for nothing but when it is dissolved by Repentance now it is useful A melting heart is fit to pray When Pauls heart was humbled and melted then Behold he prayes Act. 9. 11. It is fit to hear the word Now the word works kindly When Iosiahs heart was tender he humbled himself and rent his cloths at the hearing the words of the Law 2 Chron. 34. 19. His heart like melting wax was ready to take any seal of the word A melting heart is fit to obey When the heart is like metal in the Furnace it is facil and malleable to any thing Lord what wilt thou have me do A repenting soul subscribes to Gods will and answers to his call as the eccho to the voice 2. Repentance is highly acceptable Then our hearts are a garden of Eden delightful to God when a spiritual River runs to water this garden I have read that Doves delight to be about the waters and surely Gods Spirit who descended in the likeness of a Dove takes great delight in the waters of Repentance The Lord esteems no heart sound but the broken heart Psal. 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit Mary stood at Iesus feet weeping Luke 7. 38. She brought two things to Christ saith Austin unguentum lachrymas tears and oyntment her tears were better than her oyntment Tears are powerful Orators for mercy they are silent yet they have a voice Psal. 6. 8. Hear the voice of my â—…eeping 3. Repentance commends all our services to God That is Gods savoury meat which is seasoned with the bitter hearbs of godly sorrow Hearing of the word â—…s then good when we are pricked at the heart Act. 2. 37. Prayer is delightful to God when it ascends from the Altar of a broken heart The Publican smote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner this prayer pierced Heaven He went away justified rather than the other Luke 18. 14. No prayer toucheth Gods ear but what comes from an heart touched with the sense of sin 4. Without Repentance nothing will avail us Some bless themselves that they have a stock of knowledge but what is knowledge good for without Repentance It is better to mortifie one â—…in than to understand all mysteries Impure speculatists do but resemble Satan â—…ransformed into an Angel of light Learning and a bad heart is like a fair face with a cancer in the breast Knowledge without Repentance will be but a torch â—…o light men to Hell 5. Repenting tears are delitious they may be compared to myrrhe which though it be bitter in taste it hath a sweet smell and refresheth the spirits So Repentance though it be bitter in it self yet it is sweet in the effects it brings inward peace The soul is never more enlarged and inwardly delighted than when it can kindly melt Alexander upon the safe return of his Admiral Nearchus from a long voyage wept for joy How oft do the Saints fall a weeping for joy The Hebrew word to repent signifies to take comfort * None so joyful as the penitent Tears as the Philosopher notes have four qualities they are moist salt hot bitter 'T is true of repenting tears they are hot to warm a frozen conscience moist to soften an hard heart salt to season a soul putrifying in sin bitter to wean us from the love of the world And I will add a fifth they are sweet in that they make the heart inwardly rejoyce Ioh. 16. 22. Your sorrow shall be turned into joy Let a man saith Austin grieve for his sin and rejoyce for his grief Tears are the besâ—… sweet-meats David who was the greaâ—… weeper in Israel was the sweet singer oâ—… Israel The sorrows of the penitent are like the sorrows of a travelling woman Ioh. 16. 21. A woman in travel hath sorrow but as soon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world So the sorrows of humbled sinners bring forth grace and what joy is there when this manchild is born 6. Great sins repented of shall find mercy Mary Magdalen a great sinner when she washed Christs feet with her tears obtained pardon Some of the Jews who had an hand in crucifying Christ upon their Repentance the very blood they shed was a soveraign balm to heal them Isa. 1. 18. Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Scarlet in the Greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is twice dipt and the art of man cannot wash out the dye again But though our sins are of a scarlet colour Gods mercy can wash them away This may comfort such whom the hainousness of sin discourageth as if there were no hope for them yes upon their serious turning to God their sins shall be expunged and done away Oh but my sins are out of measure sinful do not make them greater by not repenting Repentance unravels sin and makes it as if it had never been O but I have relapsed into sin after pardon and sure there is no mercy for me I know the Novatians held that after a relapse there was no renewing by Repentance But doubtless that was an errour The children of God have relapsed into the same sin Abraham did twice equivocate Lot committed incest twice Asa a good King yet sinned twice by creature-confidence Peter twice by carnal fear Matth. 26. 70. Gal. 2. 12. But for the comfort of such as have relapsed into sin more than once if they solemnly repent a white flag of mercy shall be held forth to them Christ commands us to forgive our trespassing brother seventy times seven in one day in case he repent Mat. 18. 22. If the Lord bids us do it will not he much more be ready to forgive upon our Repentance What is our forgiving mercy to his this I speak not to encourage any impenitent sinner but to comfort a despondent sinner that thinks t is in vain for him to repent and that he is excluded from mercy 7. Repentance is the in-let to spiritual â—…lessings it helps to enrich us with â—…ace it causeth the desart to blossom as â—…he Rose it makes the soul as the Egypâ—…an fields after the overflowing of Nilus â—…ourishing and fruitful Never do the â—…owers of grace grow more than after a â—…ower of repentant tears Repentance â—…auseth knowledge 2 Cor. 3. 16. When â—…eir heart shall be turned to the
voluptas The oyl of joy is poured chiefly into a broken heart Isa. 61. 3. The oyl of joy for mourning In the fields near Palermo grow great plenty of Reeds in which there is a sweet juice of which sugar is made So in a penitent heart which is the bruised Reed grow the sugred joys of Gods Spirit God turns the water of tears into the juyce of the grape which exhilerates and makes glad the heart Who should rejoyce if not the repenting soul he is heir to all the Promises and is not that matter of joy God dwells in a contrite heart and must there not needs be joy there Isa. 55. 17. I dwell with a contrite spirit to revive the heart of the contrite ones Repentance doth not take away a Christians musick but raiseeth it a note higher and makes it sweeter 7. Another obstacle of Repentance is despondency of mind Oh saith a sinner it is a vain thing for me to set upon Repentance my sins are of that magnitude that there is no hope for me Ier. 18. 11 12. Return ye now every one from his evil way and they said there is no hope Our sins are mountains and how shall these ever be cast into the Sea Where unbelief represents sin in its bloody colours and God in his Judges Robes the soul will sooner fly from him than to him This is dangerous Other sins need mercy but despair rejects mercy it throws the cordial of Christs blood on the ground Iudas was not damned only for his treason and murder but it was his distrust of Gods mercy destroyed him Why should we entertain such hard thoughts of God he hath bowels of love to repenting sinners Ioel 2. 13. Mercy rejoyceth over justice Gods anger is not so hot but mercy can cool it nor so sharp but mercy can sweeten it God counts his mercy his glory Exod. 33. 18 19. We have some drops of mercy our selves but God is the Father of mercies who begets all the mercies that are in us He is the God of bowels No sooner do we mourn but Gods heart melts no sooner do our tears fall but Gods repentings kindle Hos. 11. 8. Say not then there is no hope Disband the army of thy sins and God will sound a retreat to his judgements Remember great sins have been swallowed up in the Sea of Gods infinite compassions Manasseh made the streets run with blood yet when his â—…ead was a fountain of tears God grew propitious 8. Hope of impunity Men flatter themselves in fin and think God having spared them all this while he never intends to punish because the Assizes are put off therefore surely there will be no Assizes Psal. 10. 11. He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it The Lord indeed is long-suffering towards sinners and would by his patience bribe them to Repentance but here is their wretchedness because he forbears to punish they forbear to repent Know that the lease of Patience will soon be run out There is a time when God saith My Spirit shall no longer strive A creditor may forbear his debtor but forbearance doth not excuse the payment God takes notice how long the glass of his patience hath been running Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent but she repented not Iezabel added to her incontinency impenitency and what follows vers 22. Behold I will cast her into a bed Not a bed of pleasure but a bed of languishing where she shall consume away in her iniquity The longer Gods Arrow is drawing the deeper it wounds Sins against patience will make a mans Hell so much the hotter The next Impediment of Repentance is fear of reproach If I repent I shall expose my self to mens scorns The Heathen man could say when thou appliest thy self to the study of wisdom prepare for sarcasms and reproaches But consider well who they are that reproach thee they are such as are ignorant of God and spiritually phrantick and art thou troubled to have them reproach thee who are not well in their wits who minds a mad mans laughing at him What do the wicked reproach thee for is it because thou repentest thou art doing thy duty bind their reproaches as a Crown about thy head 'T is better that men should reproach thee for repenting than that God should damn thee for not repenting 3. If thou canst not bear a reproach for Religion never call thy self Christian Christianus quasi crucianus Suffering is a Saints livery and alas what are reproaches they are but the chips of the Cross which are rather to be despised than laid to heart 10. The last Impediment of Repentance is immoderate love of the world No wonder Ezekiels hearers were hardned into rebellion when their heart went after covetousness Ezok. 33. 31. The world doth so engross mens time and bewitch their affections that they cannot repent they had rather put gold in their bag than tears in Gods bottle I have read of the Turks that they mind neither Churches nor Altars but are diligent in looking after their tillage So many scarce ever mind Repentance they are more for the Plough and breaking of the clods than breaking up the fallow ground of their hearts The Thorns choke the word We read of them who were invited to Christs Supper who put him off with worldly excuses Luk. 14. 18. One said I have bought a piece of ground and must needs go see it I pray thee have me excused and another I have bought five yoke of Oxen c. The farm and the shop so take up peoples time that they have no leisure for their souls Their golden weights hinder their silver tears There is an Herb in the Country of Sardinia like Baulm which if they eat much of will make them die laughing Such an herb or rather weed is the world if men eat too immoderately of it instead of dying repenting they will die laughing These are the obstructions of Repentance which must be removed that the current may be clearer CHAP. XV. Prescribing some Means for Repentance I Shall in the last place prescribe some Rules or Means conducible to Repentance 1. The first is serious consideration Psal. 119. 59. I thought on my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies The Prodigal when he came to himself and did seriously consider his riotous luxuriances then he repented Peter when he thought of Christs words wept There are four things which if they were well considered of would be a means to make us break off a course of sinning 1. Consider seriously what sin is and sure there is enough evil in it to make us repent There are in sin these twenty Evils 1. Every sin is a recession from God Ier. 2. 5. God is the supream good and our blessedness lyes in union with him but sin like a strong byass draws
whole heart 5. Endeavour after clearer discoveries of God Iob 42. 5. Now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Iob having surveyed Gods glory and purity as an humble penitent he did abhor or as it is in the Hebrew he did even reprobate himself* By looking into the transparent glass of Gods holiness we see our own blemishes and so learn to bewail them 6. Lastly Labour for Faith but what is that to Repentance Yes Faith breeds union with Christ and there can be no separation from sin till there be union with Christ. The eye of Faith looks on mercy and that thaws the heart Faith carries us to Christs blood and that blood mollifies Faith perswades of the love of God and that love sets us a weeping Thus I have laid down the means or helps to Repentance What remains now but that we set upon the work and let us be in earnest not as Fencers but Warriers I will conclude all with that of the Psalmist Psal. 126. 6. He that goeth forth and weepeth bearing precious seed shall doubtless come again rejoycing bringing his sheaves with him FINIS * Possidon in vit Aug. * Fletûs imbre exstinxit Petrus fulmen irae divinae Brugensis * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost de Poenit. * Peccatoâ—… omnium â—…otarum cùm sim nec ulli rei nisi poenitentiae natus Terâ—… de 〈◊〉 * Superasâ—…evadere ad auras hoc opus c. Virgil. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pluâ—…arch * Post mortem non dâ—…tur poenitentiae locus Tertul. conâ—… Demeâ—…r * Cum pervenissem ad poeâ—…itentes vidi 〈◊〉 res verba quae Deo vim infeâ—…e possent Quosdam ex eis vidi noctibus totis staâ—…e Pervigiles alios humi â—…uridas facies inclinantes indignos sâ—… qui coelum aspicerent vociferantes nonnullos lugentes fron teâ—…que in Terram collidentes â—… alios pectora jugiter Tundentes animámque suam suspiâ—…i ingeâ—…i amaricantes Clâ—…mach * Fama Pari Passu ambulat cum vita * Lam. 1. 1. * Genesis 37. 7. * Lam. 2. 18. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pestem * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Gentes falsos coluerunt Grotius * Non potest homo seriò poenitere n si se Dei esse noverit Zanchy * Resipiscentia ex fide gignitur Mâ—…sculus * Tabâ—…la post nauâ—…agium Doct. 1. 2. * Omne instrumentum operatur in virtute principâ—…lis agentis * Spiritus Dei est omnipotens artifex formans affectionem spirans Gratiam juvans operationem agens omnia forâ—…iter disponens suaviter Bernard * 2 King 22. 19. * Act. 8. 29. 1. Deceit 2 Deceit * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sesâ—…ore morte Pedissequo inferno 3 Deceit * Nunquid Deus à me poscit piaculum sicut Saturnus Moloch aliique dei gentium quos coluimus victimas humanas eâ—…flagitant * Serpens quotannis exuvias deponit Causin Hierogl 1 Ingredient * Visus peccati * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opponitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sign f. post factum sapere Chemnitius * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est quâ peccator ad se redit ac Pristinam animi sensentiam in melius mutat Muscul. Use. * Inter peccandum câ—…i sumus Muscul 2 Ingredient * Contritio cordis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Martyres effundunt sanguinem poenitentes lachrymas * Quasi tota 〈◊〉 lachâ—…ymas resoluta * Tristitia ex cognitione peccati orta salutaris est admodum genuina poenitentiae comes Brugens * 2 Cor. 7. 10. * Psalm 104. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox scindite duplex significatum gerere non absonum est prius proprium respectu vestimentorum posteâ—…ius metaphoricum respectu cordis quod scindi dicitur quando sensu peccatorum irae Dei est anxium contritum Glassii Philolog Sacra 1. * Non in fundit Deus Oleum misericordiae nisi in vas contritum 2. 3. 1. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propriè valet sic delere quidpiam tollere è medio ut nusquam appareat Isti quoque hypocritae histrionum instar comtum munditiem omnem substrahebant illuvie squalore foedi prodeuntcs quasi nativum vultum è medio tollerent Bezâ—… * Fletus interior Altingst * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Punctim caedo Scap. * Motus primo primi 2. 3. * Flevit Petrus quia culpa ob repsit ei commune quod labitur fidei quod flevit Ambrose * Illi Evangelicè resipiscunt qui peccati aculeo apud se exulcerati fiduduciâ autem misericordiae Dei erecti ad Dominuâ—… confugiunt Zanchy 4. * In crucifixione Christi maximus erat fidelium Planctus qualis fuit in caede Iosiae qui fuit Proavus Typus Christi Hierom. * Act. 9. 15. Quest. 2. Answ. 1. * Propert. * Planctu quasi super unigenitum pro Christi primogenito Lap. * Jer. 22. 10. * Jer. 16. 6. * Debent contritio cordis satisfactio operis coalescere * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae ex calumnia acâ—…uisivi Euthymius * Turkish History * Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum Quest. 1. Answ. Quest. 2. Answ. Quest. 3. Answ. 6. Use. 3 Ingredient Confessio oâ—…is * Neque judicio quod poenitentiae humanae severitas protulit aliquid justitia coelestis apponit Cyprion * Est actus animi elicitus â—…ltingst 1. 2. * Agnitio conscientiae Angustias excitat peccaâ—…orem prosternit ut â—…e misericordiâ indâ—…gnum judicet Baldwin 3. * Non adhuc Domine Aug. Confess 4. 5. * Ut morbus non simpliciter privatio est sanitatis sed positio qualitatis contrariae Chamier de hom corrupt Tom. 3. * Quantumvis legitimus sit Thorus aliquâ tamen ratione cubile est inquinatum 6. 7. 8. * Brissonius Use 1. Reproof 1 Branch * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius 2 Branch 3 Branch * Ovid. * Non solum peccatâ—… non lugent sed procaci fronte patrocinantur 4 Branch Use 2. Exhortation I. 3. 4. * Solvit criminum nexus verecunda confessio Ambros. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 6. * Dum agnoscit homo ignoscit Deus Austin * Tres tantum syllabae peccavi sed in his sylâ—…abis flamma sacrificii coram Deo ascendit in Coelum Aug. Tom. 10. Hoâ—… 41. * En habes confiâ—…entem reum habeam igitur remittentem Deum D. Rivet 7. * Exhomologesis expultrix est vitiorum pavor inferni animarum salus Aug. ad Fratr in Eremo Quest. * Durandus Tho. Aquinas * Non dicit confitemini suo quisque Sacerdoti absolvemini ab illis â—…ed alter alteri Musculus 1. * Scandalum contristationis lapsus 2. * Ad hoc nobis à Deo Paâ—…re instituti sunt Ministri verbi ut quotiescunque conscientia nostra peccatis affligitur consolationéque indiget