visitation Our Sauiour Christe wepte ouer Ierusalem because they knew not the time of their visitation Hée reproueth the Iewes because they coulde discerne the face of the Skye but could not discerne the signes of the times And surely in the ende it will turne to our destruction if wée will not knowe this to bee the daie of mercie the time of Grace wherein God stretcheth foorth his hande vnto vs and wisedome crieth out in the stréetes Therefore nowe whilest wée haue the light let vs walke as children of the light the nighte commeth when no manne can woorke It shall be too late to call for mercie after this life when the gates of mercy are shut vp and Repentaunce will bée too late Oh deare christians let vs remember the fiue foolishe Virgins whiche because they forslowed the time had heauen gates barred vp against them Let vs also remēber the fearefull dolefull example of the riche Glutton which beeing in Hell torments yelled and yelped for the least ease and help that might be and could not haue it An hundred thousande times therefore better it is for vs to leaue our sinnes now to mourne for them now and now to Repente then hereafter alas when it shall be too late Better nowe a great deale to take some paine to strayne our selues to leaue our sinnes and to make our hearte smarte for them then to bee condemned for euer and to cry in the bottome of Hell we haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and Destruction and wee haue gone through daungerous waies But we haue not knowen the way of the Lorde What hath pride profited vs Or what profite hath the Pompe of riches brought vs All these thinges are possed awaie like a shadowe and as a Paste that passeth by We haue set our selues against the children of God we had them in derision and in a parable of reproch Wée fooles thought their life madnesse and their ende without honour but loe they are counted emongst the children of God and their portion is emonge the Sainctes Therefore let vs knowe the tyme of our calling and let vs not be worse thē the foules of the ayre the Storke knoweth her appointed tyme the Turtle the Crane and the Swallowe obserue the time of their comming The Husbandman taketh his times The Mariner watcheth his tide Therefore let vs also take the time turne vnto the Lorde whilest it is saide to day which grace God graunt vs. Nowe let vs returne vnto the fourth pointe concerning the causes which may moue vs vnto Repentance Herein I haue obserued nine especiall thinges First the great mercie of God leadeth vs vnto Repentaunce As Rom. 2. The bountifulnesse of God leadeth vs vnto Repentance sayth the Apostle God doth continually followe vs with his mercies and benefites both concerning our soules bodies wée haue no good thinge which wee haue not receyued at his hands we hold all that we haue of him and to him wee are beholding for all Great is his mercie towarde our bodies but much greater towardes our soules and euerie mercie and benefit eyther towarde soule or body calleth vs to repenaunce Hée giueth vs meate drinke and clothing these call vs to repentaunce Hée kéepeth vs at his owne costes and charges here below this calleth vs to Repentance the Sunne the Moone and the Starres calleth vs to Repentance The birdes of the ayre the fishes of the Sea the fruites of the yearth crie out vpon vs both loude and shrill Repent repent All creatures mooue vs to Repentaunce Our creation calleth our redemption crieth our sanctification knocketh and our Election mooueth to Repentaunce What could God do more for his vineyard y ◠he hath not done Therefore let vs repent Secondly the iudgements of God moue vs vnto repentance for al y e thunderbolts plagues and punishments which God hath throwen downe vppon obstinate sinners from the beginning of y e world are so manie warning péeces vnto vs to awake vs out of the dead sléepe of sinne to prick vs to Repentaunce As in the 1. Cor. 10. When the Apostle hath cited diuers greate iudgementes of God against the olde Israelites for diuers sinnes he concludeth now all these things came vnto them for examples and were writtē to admonishe vs vppon whome the endes of the worlde are come So that all the Iudgementes wee reade of in the Scriptures are so many admonitions and as it were carteropes to drawe vs to Repentaunce All the iudgementes we haue read of heard of do sée and heare of euery day knocke with mayn strokes beate downe right vpon our consciences to repentance The vgly monsters straunge byrthes fiery constellations vnknowen Cometes sodaine deathes marueilous droughtes vnwonted snowes horrible inundations forraine wonders straunge apparitions threatning of heauen aboue w e streaming and shooting fire trembling of the earth vnder our féete and our houses ouer our heades as of late dayes What are al these but as it were great Cranes with beams and Cable Ropes to drawe vs vp to the Lord by Repentance Thirdly the word of God haleth vs to repentance For as God in olde time sent his Prophets both early and late to call the rebellious Iewes to Repentaunce so he sendeth abroad his preachers and messengers in those daies to sounde vp the trumpe of his word to ring the swéet bel of Aaron emongst thē to awake thē to repentance but alas how lightly are they regarded Who heareth their voice But surely this is the last remedie y t God hath apointed if this wil not moue vs to repentance if this wil not cure vs then are we altogether vncurable Fourthly the infinite number of sinnes we haue committed ought to be so manie spurres in our sides to pricke vs to repentaunce It is sufficient saith Saint Peter that we haue spēt the time past of our life after the lustes of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lustres drunkennes gluttonie drinkinges and abominable Idolatries Therfore it is time now to repent Oh that men would looke backe to themselues and consider themselues as they were fortie thirtie twentie or ten yeares ago Oh that they would call to mind theyr open secret sins me thinketh it should make their heart bléed within their belly to thinke vpon them Oh y t they would consider how much time they haue mispent how many good things they haue neglected and altogether omitted Fiftly the shortnesse of our life calleth earnestly vpon vs to repent The time of our life is sixtie yeares ten if they bee of strength eightie yeeres yet the strength is but labour and sorrowe so it is cut off quickly and we flie away saith the Prophet Dauid we haue spent our yeres as a thought Therefore he addeth Teach vs to number our dayes that wee may apply our heartes vnto wisdome Our life for the shortnesse and inconstancie of it in the scripture is compared to grasse to a vapour to smoke and to a Weauers
then it is Cursed was the time I was begot in The houre I was conceiued in and the day that I sucked my mothers paps Cursed I was alwayes cursed I am cursed I shall be for euermore Woe woe howe greate is my tormente whose heart doeth not melte whose eares doe not glowe whose haires doe not staÌ„nd vppon his heade to heare these thinges Therefore déere brethren let vs repent If the mercie of God cannot allure vs let his Iudgements scarre vs. If his Iudgementes cannot scarre vs let his woorde moue vs If his woorde cannot moue vs let our sinnes amaze vs If our sinnes cannot amaze vs let the shortnes of our life dampe vs if the shortnes of our life cannot daâ—â—â—e vs let the smal number of those that shal be saued affray vs if that cannot affray vs let death terrifie vs if death caÌ„not terrifie vs let the daie of Iudgement shake vs if that cannot shake vs yet let Hell tormentes shudder vs rente vs in yeeres For verily verily my brethreÌ„ if none of al those caÌ„ preuaile if we wil not for all this repent but be obstinate then wée shall all periâ—â—e and be damned according to Christs wordes Now let vs procéede to speake of those thinges which let and â—inder vs from Repentaunce whiche indéede although they bée in number infinite yet at this tyme I will laie foorth seuen especiall lettes and hinderances vnto Repentance The first is vnbeliefe that is when men will not beléeue those things thaÌ„t are spoken and proued vnto them out of the word of God This is it y t vomiteth vp all good thinges and poysoneth the very intrals of a man kéepeth all good graces from vs. As appeareth Math. 13. 58. Hee did not manye greate woorkes there for their vnbeleefes sake And the 4. to the Hebrues it is saide Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the worde that they hearde profited not them because it was not mixed with fayth in those that heard it So that here we may sée although we heare neuer so muche yet if wée bringe not faith with vs wée shall neuer profite vnto Repentaunce For vnbeliefe taketh vp our hartes for Sathan and refuseth all the wholesome doctrine of saluation and doth so harden them in the waies of sinne that in the ende they become paste feeling and caÌ„not be touched one whit either with the iudgementes or mercies of God But count the one as blasts of wynd and make the other a couert for their filthinesse You shall note some men who when they haue heard their sinnes straightlie ripped vp by the woord of God and their iust damnatioÌ„ proued by the same without spéedie earnest repentance will breake out into these words of vnbeléef If it be as the saith God helpe vs I hope it is not so I trust I shall doe well inough for all this as longe as I haue a good faith in God and doe in bodie no harme shall I leaue my pleasures and my profites for their sayinges What doe they thinke none shalbe saued but such as read the Scriptures and heare Sermons God forbid but those which doe not goe to heare sermons should bée saued as well as they Why may not one serue God as wel at home in his house hauing good Bookes and good Prayers as by comming to the Church to heare sermons and seruice Alas these men stand too much in their own light and betray what folly and ignorancâ— is in theÌ„ For they do thinke to be saued by any other means theÌ„ God hath appointed Or when God hath auouched anie thinge in his word will they accept against it so make God a liar When God hath once set down a thing and proued it to their faces will they yet reply When God hath told vs that the preaching of the worde is the ordinary meanes of our saluation shal we hope to be saued although we contemn it and neuer or verie seldome heare it Is not this plaine infidelity vnbeliefe that when God saith one thing we will say another when God saith yea we will say no I hope not so Yes surely that is it that stoppeth the way vnto Gods graces and barreth vs out from repentance The seconde let is the presumption of Gods mercie for if men be sharply reprooued for their sinnes and exhorted vnto repentance by by they take couert saying God is mercifull God is mercifull as though God were made all of mercie and that ther were no iustice in him at al and thus the wicked make Gods mercie an occasion to sinne which thinge the Prophete Nahum in the first of his Prophesie doeth sharply reproue The Lord saith he is slow to anger but he is great in power and will not surely cleare the wicked But because I haue spoken afore of this presuming and misapplying of Gods mercie I will héere passe it ouer willing you to note it as one special let vnto repentance The third hinderance is the example of the multitude for that doth harden imbolden men vnto sin As when many birdes flicker and flocke together they fall vpon the net without any feare but one or two alone wilbe afraid Euen so the example of manie and many sinne companions do imbolden men to run through y e snares of SathaÌ„ without any mistrust Therefore it is said in Exod. 23. Thou shalte not followe a multitude to doe euill This is the thinge that hindreth a great number from God for they neuer looke vp vnto God or to his worde but stare vppon the common doinges of most men and examples of the world thinking if they do as the most men doe as their forefathers haue doone before them they are Cocksure and of an eueÌ„ grouÌ„d And herevpon ariseth their diuelish Prouerbe doe as the moste men doe and y e fewest will speake of you but they haue forgotten S. Paules rule Rom 12. Fashion not your selues like vnto this world These fellows that stand vpon the multitude wil reason thus We sée none of y e great ones of the world none of the noble none of the rich none of the wise and prudent receiue this doctrine but onely a fewe shackrags beggerly rascals and therefore it is a token that it is nothing worth and that it is doubtfull and not for vs to 〈◊〉 withal Lote what thoughts may créep in our head â—es and how slily Sathan maie trumpe in our way blindfold vs and lead vs away in y e darke by doting vs with the example of y e multitude Therfore let vs take héede of those pitfalles which Sathan layeth in out way not be carried away with these thoughtes and reasons The wicked beare themselues in hand that they shal win the game that the goale goeth on their side and there is nothing but crowing long before it bee daye and greate triumphing emongst them before any stroke be striken that because wée be but a handful of people and they a
in Ezech. 1827. When the wicked turneth awaye from his wickednesse that hee hath committed and doeth that which is lawfull and righte he shall saue his soule aliue And againe Esay 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lorde and hee will haue mercy vppon him So here we see to whom forgiuenesse of sinnes and the mercies of God belongeth Namely to the penitent sinners to those that leaue sinne and imbrace Godlines to those that forsake his owne waies and imaginations turne vnto the Lord. And as for such as walk on in their owne wayes and follow y e delightes of sin without any sorrow or purpose to leaue them they haue nothing to doe with the mercie of God though Iesus Christe had â—â—â—â—red an hundred deathes which could not bee yet shal no vnpenitent sinner haue remission of his sinnes by his death nor any other benefites of his Passion for they belong onely to his Churche and chosen people here vpon the earth He therefore that is not of the Church he that is not grafted into Christ by fayth he that is not a member of his mystical hody can inioy nothing by Christes death If any man abide not in me he is east foorth as a braunch and withereth and men gather them and caste them into the fire and they burne Iohn 15. 9. We reade in the 29. of Deuteronomie Howe God barreth all stubburne sinners from his mercie and doeth most terrible shoote out against them Hee that heareth the wordes of this curse and blesseth him selfe in his heart saying I shal haue peace although I walke according to the stubburnnes of our owne heart thus adding dronkennesse to thirste the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but then the wrath of the Lorde and his iealousie shall smoke against that manne and euery curse that is written in this booke shal light vppon him So that God saith playnely hee hath no mercie for such as walke in the vayne delights of sinne and in the stubbornes of their owne heart adding drunkennesse to thirst that is one horrible sin to another Yet for all this it is a wonder to sée how y e blind wormes of this earth deceiue theÌ„ selues For they thinke whatsoeuer they say whatsoeuer they doe be it good be it euill whether they repeÌ„t or not repent yet they shalbe saued by christs death as thogh they would make it a baud to their sinnes so worke that villany against Christ I hope to be saued by Christs death aswell as the best of them all sayth some But where is thy repentaunce thou miserable wretche Doest thou thinke that Gods mercy is common to all and Christs death a baude for thy sinnes No no when it conuneth to the vpshotte thou shalt stoppe shorte For it will proue farre otherwise for thou shalt finde Gods mercye turned into Iustice and Christes death into Wormwood because thou hatedst knowledge and choosedst not the feare of the Lorde Thus you sée my deare brethren that Repentaunce must néedes go before forgiuenesse of sinnes where it leadeth not the way there the gates of Gods mercie are shutte vp and this is the first qualitie of repentance It hath also another condition and that is to alter and chaunge men from that they were before not in the substance and proportion of the body but in the qualities conditions of the minde For whosoeuer hath truely repented you shall by and by sée a moste marueilous and wonderfull chaunge in him so that he will not doe as he hath done nor speake as he hath spokeÌ„ nor companie as he hath companied nor play the good fellowe as they terme it as he was wont to do nor runne to the same excesse of riot he was wont And this is it that amazeth the world and causeth them to bristle and fome at the mouth like wild Bores and to speake euil of them that are turned vnto God For the worlde loueth his owne and cannot abide that GOD should plucke one feather froÌ„ his Wings But repentaunce doth violently pull men out of the clawes of Sathan and chaunge them from the conditions of the world for it maketh of proude humble of hurtefull harmelesse of cruell méeke of Wolues Lambes of Lions Sheepe of adulterers Chaste liuers of Drunkardes sober men of Swearers reuerent speakers of Haters Louers of Despisers Imbracers of Scoffers Followers of Earthly Heauenly of Deuils Sainctes All this worketh Repentance Paul trauelled towards Damascus a Woolfe a Persecuter a bloodsucker an hater a despiser but ere he came there he was quite chaunged and cleane of an other mind So mighty was he that met him by the way When Iesus Christ sent downe the holy Ghost vpon his Disciples according to his promise there were some scoffers at Hierusalem which mocked and said they are ful of new wine But the same men cryed out by and by after men and brethren what shal we doe to be saued Here was a moste wonderfull and sodaine chaunge See then the force of Repentaunce when God striketh it into the heart of man and driueth the nayle to the head as they say It effecteth that which all the wisedome and policie of man is not able to bring to passe no when they haue prolled heâ—her and thether and â—â—ide their heades together and sought al the corners of their wits yet can they not tell which way to turne their hande or where to begin to chaunge the hearte of a man and to conuerte him to God Therefore Repentaunce is stronger then all the whole worlde and woorketh that whiche all men with their naturall wittes 〈◊〉 heades and deepe deuises can not compasse for the conuersion of a Sinner is a woorke supernaturall Here then we haue a glasse to beholde our selues in whethereuer we haue Repented or no. For if wee find not this change and alteration in vs we haue not repented and so consequently remaine vnder Damnation Therefore let euerie man looke vnto himselfe for marke how muche he is chaunged and altred from his former euill wayes so much hath he repented And he that is the same man he was three foure eight nay thictie yeares agoe surely surely hee hath not repented and therefore abideth in damnation I maruell then howe those menne which neuer felt anie change or alteration wrought in them nay whose consciences tell them that they are not chaunged ne knowe what it meaneth can have any hope of saluation Vnlesse peraduenture they beléeue not this doctrine or think it to be false But I will sende ouer these men to suche as haue bene in the like case they nowe are and yet thought they might doe well enough for all that although both blinde in Iudgement and corrupt in conuersation I haue knowen and doe knowe men which before their conuersion and inward chaunge were counted as honeste men as euer brake breade and as substantiall men as any coulde bée as true dealers vpright liuers
and stoppeth his nose at the stincke of it wheresoeuer he smelleth it The fourth thing is feare whiche is a certaine awe of God when a man is afraide to displease him For the penitente person feareth alwaye and beeing priuie to his owne infirmity and weaknesse wheÌ„ God neuer so litle withdraweth his grace and leaueth him alone worketh his Saluation with feare and trembling He will not presume vpon former grace to commit any sinne nor flatter himself in the mercy of God and in the thinges that he hath alreadie tasted of God to yeeld to some litle sinne thinking he may doe that and bee the child of God wel enough because some of Gods children haue fallen into greater but rather he trembleth at the least motion of sinne and is afraid of the temptations whiche Sathan trumpeth in his waye and is afraide when the temptations of sinne are vppon him to satisfie the hunger of sinne but rather he fighteth against sin when sin fighteth against him and presenteth the feare of God before his eyes as godly Ioseph in the assault of Putiphars wife to be as it were a Tower of defence Welspring of life to auoide the snares of Death The fift thing is Desire that is a hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse For the penitent man is rauished with desire of good thinges Hee desireth to be euery day better then other He desireth to leaue euery day some sinne He desireth to praye He desireth newe knoweledge and newe vnderstanding of heauenly things He desireth to heare Sermons and wil straine himselfe to heare theÌ„ He desireth the company of the godly he thinketh him selfe in heaueÌ„ when he is emongest them He desireth the saluation of his very enemies and prayeth for them All these and many other such like desires are in the penitent man The first qualitie is zeale which consisteth in the earnest imbracing of vertue and hatred of vice so that the penitent person is zealous in euery good thing Zealous of Gods glory in all places in all coÌ„panies and emongest all persons hee cannot abide that Gods honour should be impeached or his name blasphemed or his glory trampled vnder foote by wicked meÌ„ but he will open his mouth to reproue the wicked and stand stoutly in the defence of Gods glorie Hee is not like these Atheistes and dissemblers which are alwayes as is the companie that is godly emongst the Godly A Protestant emongest Protestantes wicked amongest the wicked a Papist emongest Papistes a worldling emongest worldlinges and a Swearer emongest Swearers a Weathercocke that turneth with euery wynde The penitent man I say is not of this stampe but he is constant and zealous in all good things Hee is zealous both against the pleasures and profites of sinne though he might winne a whole worlde or pleasure himselfe neuer so much by committing a sinne against God yet will he refuse it for he hath learned from Christes mouth that it shall not profite a man to winne all the whole worlde and to loose his owne soule The last thing is Reuenge that is the penitent person is so offended with the sinne he hath committed that hee will be reuenged of himselfe for it As for example if he haue offended in gluttony he wil Reuenge himselfe by fasting two or thrée daies after If he haue offended in whoredome hee will be reuenged of his lustes by haltring and bridling them euer after If he haue offended in couetous catching and polling of other mens goodes he will he reuenged of himselfe by restitution as was godly and penitent Zacheus and this in déed is a speciall fruite of Repentaunce to reforme our selues in 〈◊〉 thinges wherein we haue moste offended Nowe then you see my deare brethren what lieth in the bellie of repentance and which be her inwardes so that wee must needes now come to the vnlasuÌ„ng and vnbowelling of Christes wordes Except ye repent sayth he ye shall all perishe that is except ye haue this forenamed care you shall all be damned Except ye haue this clearing of your selues you shall be damned Except you haue this indignation you shall all he damned except you haue this feare you shalbe damned Except you haue this desire you shal aâ— be damned Except you haue this zeale you shall all be damned Except you haue this reuenge you shall all be damned For our Sauiour Christe doeth not speake of the bare name of Repentaunce But of Repentance withal his â—urnâ—â—â—re and appurtenances so that who so euer hath not Repentaunce with all his qualities and effectes or at leaste some measure of them he hath no Repentaunce indeed and therefore shall be damned For except ye repent ye shall all perishe But me thinketh I here some man say Here is nothing but damnation damnation You preach nothing but the law Let vs heare of the Gospell My brethren I protest vnto you that I speake of loue whatsoeuer I speake I desire the saluation of you all if I could win but two in all this congregation I woulde count my selfe happy thinke that God had greatly blessed my labours And vndoubtedly if I knewe any neerer way to bring you vnto GOD then by preaching the Lawe to make you knowe your selues surely surely I would vse it Or if I could be perswaded that the preaching of the Gospel and mercie would doe you more good you shoulde heare of nothing but Gospel Gospel mercie mercie But alas I sée that euerie carelesse and euerie ignorant man presumeth vppon Gods mercy I sée that euerie filthy liuer and notorious blasphemer abuseth Gods mercy in applying it to him selfe without Repentaunce so that they woulde make Gods mercie a cloake for their sinnes I sée that euerie man would faine be flattered in his sinne heare of it no more but haue the Gospell preached which in déed belongeth not vnto them continuing in their stubburnes but only to the penitent sinner which forsaketh himselfe and groneth and panteth vnder the burden of his sinne Therefore when I sée you humbled with the conscience of your sinnes and grone and pant vnder the burden of them when I sée your faces blubbered with weping and your hearts mollified and sorrowing with care then will I comforte you and cease to preach the lawe But I praye you will you steale murther and commit adultery and yet heare of mercy Will ye Mocke Sweare blaspheme and Rayle and yet heare of mercy Will you serue sinne hate vertue and followe your owne lusts and yet heare of mercy Would you haue Plaisters before you haue woundes Would you haue Phisicke before you bee sicke Would you be let bloud before you haue néede Would you not account him a foolish Physitian that wil minister Phisicke to a whole man Woulde you not thinke him an vnskilfull Surgion that will applie a gentle salue to an olde festered sore and not rather Corsie it Then knowe my brethren that because you are ful of grosse humors you must haue strong purgations Because ye are