right hand doth Chap. 6.3 and therefore I shall not provoke you by sounding a Trumpet Ezek. 1.8 10.8 The Angels have their hands under their wings they do much good and yet make no noise There are some in the world that are like to them the Violet grows low and covers it self with its own leaves and yet of all flowers yields the most fragrant smell to others There are some charitable Christians that resemble this sweet flower Gentlemen and Ladies your respects and undeserved favours that have been many wayes manifested unto me hath emboldned me to Dedicate and present to you this Treatise as a real Testimony of my unfeigned love service gratitude and desires to promote the internal and eternal welfare of all your precious and immortal souls And wherein could I or any body else be more truly serviceable to you than in endeavouring to promote your assurance of eternal salvation which is the grand Design and Project of this Book 1 Pet. 5 1â— Now the God of all grace fill all your hearts with all the fruits of righteousness and holiness Gal. 5.22 23. unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding Heb. 10.22 and of faith and hope in this Life and at last crown you all and all yours with ineffable glory in the life to come To the everlasting arms of his protection and to the perpetual influences of his grace and mercy in Christ he commends you all who is to you all Your much obliged and affectionate friend and souls servant in our dear Lord Jesus THO. BROOKS The CONTENTS A Of the appearance of sin EIght Arguments to arm us against the appearances of sin 114 to Page 126 Of Assurance The sense and evidence of the least grace yea of the least degree of the least grace may afford some measure of assurance Page 17 18 19 20 That Christians may more easily attain to a comfortable assurance of their gracious estate than many I than mâ—st do apprehend or believe This is strongly and fully made good Page 25 to Page 57 There is a threefold Assurance Page 27 Perfection of Assurance in respect of degrees not attainable in this life Page 57 58 Assurance is not to be expected by any extraordinary way of Revelation Page 58 59 60 Assurance excludes not all fears doubts conflicts c. Page 351 352 B About Babes in grace The generality of Christians are but Babes in grace Page 339 340 C About changing a mans condition A godly man won't change his condition with men of this world for ten thousand worlds Page 200 201 About chusing Mo man can chuse God and Christ grace and glory holiness and happiness as their chiefest good but such who are really good Page 202 203 Of the commands of God He that hath a respect to all Gods commands shall never be ashamed Page 27 28 See O of Obedience About heart-condemning He whose heart does not condemn him in six things may have confidence towards God Page 29 30 About confession of sin The second part of true repentance lyes in confession of sin Page 234 235 236 There are eight properties or qualifications of true penitential confession of sin Page 236 to 255 Of the Covenant of grace When a Christian casts his eye upon his gracious evidences he must remember that he has to do with God in a Covenant of grace Page 83 84 85 86 87 The Covenant of grace is a Christians Fort Royal Page 363 364 In the Covenant of grace God stands engaged to give what ever he requires which is evidenced by an induction of twelve particulars Page 364 to 369 The Covenant is everlasting in two respects Page 370 373 374 The Covenant is a sure Covenant Page 370 371 372 About delighting in God Five Arguments to prove that no Hypocrite can delight himself in God Page 322 323 D Of desires That true desires of grace is grace proved by six Arguments Page 170 to 178 No man can sincerely desire grace for grace sake but he that has true grace Page 178 179 180 181 No man can sincerely desire every grace but he that has grace Page 181 182 No man can sincerely and graciously desire grace for gracious ends and purposes but he that has true grace in his soul Page 182 183 No man can sincerely desire and earnestly endeavour after the highest pitches of grace but he that has grace Page 183 to 186 No man can alwayes desire grace but he that has true grace Page 186 187 No man can sincerely desire to abound to abound and excel most in those particular graces which are most opposite and contrary to those particular sins which his natural temper constitution complexion c. does most expose him and incline him to Page 187 188 189 About the dominion of sin He over whom presumptious sins have no dominion is upright Page 29 Eight wayes for a man to know whether he be under the dominion of sin or no. Page 39 to 48 Against trusting in our own duties Three Arguments against trusting in our own duties Page 374 375 376 377 c. E Of Evidences Sound â—â—id Evidences are the best way to prevent delusions Page 4 5 Two special Rules are still to be seriously minded in propounding of Evidences for men to try their spiritual and eternal estates by Page 6 7. Seven Reasons why many men cry down Marks and Signs and deny sanctification to be an evidence of mens justification Page 337 338 339 340 341 342 'T is lawful and useful to make use of gracious evidences Page 342 343 Such Saints as are now triumphing in glory have made use of their gracious evidences c. Page 343 344 345 346 He that can find but one gracious evidence in his soul he may safely conclude that all the rest are there Page 347 What a Christian should do when his evidences are so clouded and blotted that he cannot read them Page 352 353 354 355 356 When a Christians evidences shine brightest his heart and the eye of his faith is to be most firmly fixed upon three Royal Forts Page 356 357 358 374 375 376 377 c. F Of Christians folly Eight Arguments to shew the folly of such sincere Christians who make their condition worse than ' t is Page 51 to 57 Of forsaking of sin There is a fourfold forsaking of sin Page 28 Of Free-grace When a Christians evidences are either clear or blotted it highly concern him to be still a living upon free-grace Page 356 357 358 359 G Of Grace and Graces Where there is any one grace in truth there is every grace in truth Page 7 8 9 The sense and evidence of the least grace yea of the least degree of the least grace may afford some measure of assurance Page 17 18 19 20 Probabilities of grace may be a great stay support and comfort to poor Christians that want assurance probabilities of grace are mercies more worth than ten thousand worlds
vile and unworthy otherwise be saved Now mark answerable to the evidence that a man hath in his own soul that faith and repentance is wrote in him so will his hope and assurance be weaker or stronger more or less If a mans evidence for the truth of his faith and repentance be dark and weak and low and uncertain his hope and assurance that is born of these parents as I may say must needs partake of its parents weakness and infirmities and be it self weak and dark and low and wavering and uncertain as they are from which it results â—ope and assurance ebbs and flows as the evidence of a mans faith and repentance ebbs and flows Assurance can't be ordinarily had without a serious examination of our own hearts for assurance is the certain knowledge of the conclusion drawn from the premises one out of Scripture the other by a reflect act of the understanding or conscience thus He that believes and repents shall certainly be saved that is the voice of the Word of God then by the search of a mans own heart he must be able to say but I believe and repent and from these two doth result this assurance that he may safely conclude therefore I shall be saved And O that all Christians were so wise as seriously to ponder upon these things Thirdly a godly man may argue thus He that hath respect unto all Gods commands shall never be ashamed Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto a l thy câ—mmandments Shame is both the temporaâ—â— deternal fruâ—â— sin Rom 6â—â— Dan. 12.2 He that is so honest and faithful with God as to do his best shall find that God will be so gracious as to pardon his worst And this Gospel indulgence David does more than hint at in those words Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy commandments Or as the Hebrew has it Then shall I not blush when my eye is to all thy commandments The Traveller you know hath his eye towards the place where he is going and though he be yet short of it yet he is putting on and pressing forward all he can to reach it so when the eye of a Saint is to all the commands of God and he is still a pressing forwards toward full obedience such a foul shall never be put to shame it shall never be put to the blush but it shall be able living and dying boldly to appear in the presence of the Lord. Mark the Psalmist doth not say when I obey all thy commandments but when I have respect to all thy commandments and that implies an inward aw and reverential eye towards every duty God requires You know to have respect unto a thing is this When that of all others swayes most with us as when a Master commands such a business the servant will do it because he respects him and at his command he will go and come though he will not at the command of any other But I have respect unto all his commandments therefore I shall never be ashamed Fourthly a godly man may argue thus He that loveth the brethren is past from death to life and consequently is in Christ 1 John 3.18 19. But I love the brethren therefore I am passed from death to life and so consequently am in Christ Fifthly a godly man may argue thus He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall certainly find mercy Prov. 28.13 But I confess and forsake my sins 1. In respect of my sincere desires 2. In respect of my gracious purposes 3. In respect of my fixed resolutions 4. In respect of my faithful and constant endeavours therefore I shall certainly find mercy Sixthly a godly man may argue thus He that hath the testimony of a good conscience he may rejoyce in that testimony 2 Cor. 1.12 Isa 38.3 But I have the testimony of a good conscience therefore I may rejoyce in that testimony Seventhly a godly man may argue thus He over whom presumptious sins has not dominion is upright Psal 19.13 keep back thy servant from presumptious sins let them not have dominion over me then shall I be upright But presumptious sins has not dominion over me therefore I am upright Mark unfeigned willingness to part with every sin and to mortifie every sin is a sure sign of uprightness a sure sign of saving grace when a man is sincerely willing to leave every sin and to indulge himself in none no not his darling sin it is a most certain sign of his integrity and sincerity as you may evidently see by comparing of these Scriptures together Psal 17.1 3 4. Psal 119.1 2 3 6. Job 1.8 and Chap. 2.3 Psal 18.23 I was upright before him Oh but how do you know that how do you prove that how are you assured of that Why by this that I have kept my self from mine iniquity Doubtless there is as much of the power of God required and as much strength of grace required and as much of the presence and assistance of the Spirit required to work a man off from his bosom sins from his darling sins from his beloved sins as there is required to work him off from all other sins a conquest here clearly speaks out uprightness of heart Eighthly a godly man may argue thus He whose heart doth not condemn him 1. Of giving himself over to a voluntary serving of sin Or 2. Of making a trade of sin Or 3. Of allowing of himself in any course or way of sin Or 4. Of sinning as wicked men sin who sin studiously resolutely affectionately delightfully customarily wilfully or with their whole will or with the full consent and sway of their souls Or 5. of indulging conniving or winking at any known sin Or 6. Of living in the daily neglect of any known positive duty against light and conscience or of an ordinary shifting off of any known service hat God requires of him in that place or station wherein God has set him may have confidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is boldness liberty of speech towards God 1 John 3.21 But my heart does not condemn me 1. Of giving my self over to a voluntary serving of sin Nor 2. Of making a trade of sin Nor 3. Of allowing my self in any course or way of sin Nor 4. Of sinning as wicked men sin viz. studiously resolutely affectionately delightfully customarily wilfully Nor 5. Of indulging conniving or winking at any known sin Nor 6. Of living in the daily neglect of any known duty against light and conscience therefore I may have confidence or boldness towards God I may use liberty of speech with God I may use the liberty and freedom of a favourite of heaven I may open my heart to God as favourites do to their Prince viz. freely familiarly boldly When Austin was converted and his heart sincere with God he could bless God that he could think of his former evil wayes which were very bad without
and harder than before So many men when they are a little Sermon-sick or under some smart pangs of Conscience or under some startling or amazing Judgments O then they will be willing to let Israel go then they will be willing to let drunkenness go and pride go and uncleanness go and worldliness go c. but when their sickness is over and the pangs of Conscience abated and Judgments removed O then they return with the Dog to his vomit 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. and with the Sow to the wallowing in the Mire again There was a man well known to a Minister in this City who in the time of his sickness was so terrified in his Conscience for his sins that he made the very bed to shake upon which he lay and cryed out all night long I am damn'd I am damn'd I am damn'd and this man in the dayes of his outward and inward distresses made many and great protestations of amendment of life if God would be pleased to recover him in a little while he did recover and being recovered he was as bad and as wicked if not worse than he was before So in the time of the great sweat in King Edwards dayes as long as the heat of the Plague lasted all sorts and ranks of people were still a crying out Peccavi Mercy good Lord Mercy Mercy Mercy Then Lords and Ladies and other persons of quality cryed out to the Ministers For Gods sake tell us what we shall do to avoid the Wrath of God take these bags pay so much to such a one whom I have deceived and so much restore unto another whom in bargaining I over-reached O give so much to the Poor and give so much to such and such Pious uses But after the sickness was over they were just the same men that they were before Men in time of trouble are very ready to cry out Arise and save us Jer. 2.27 And with them Deliver us this time Judges 10.15 And with the Samaritans who when God had sent Lyons among them enquired after the manner of his Worship 2 King 's 17.25 26. And yet after all this to remain as vile and wicked as they did Jer. 2.20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bands and thou saidest I will not transgress when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wandredst playing the Harlot A wicked mans willingness to be rid of his sins is transient not constant 't is like the morning Cloud and the early dew that passeth away Hos 6.4 Hos 11.7 Psal 78.34 37 57. Hosea 7.16 The Jews were a very unstable people a people bent to backsliding a people that would often start aside like a deceitful Bow Sometimes when the Judgments of God were heavy upon them or when they were under the reign of some good Kings then down went their Groves their Altars their Idols and their High places but soon after you shall have them as much set upon Idolatry as before sometimes they were willing to be rid of their Idols and at other times they were mad to go a whoring after their Idols But now a godly man when he is himself he is never unwilling to be rid of his sins yea to be rid of all his sins the fixed standing and abiding disposition and bent of a godly mans Soul of a godly mans will is to be rid of every sin and thrice happy is that man that is habitually under such a choice and blessed frame Thirdly A transcendent willingness a superlative willingness an overtopping willingness to be rid of sin is an infallible evidence of the truth of Grace in the Soul When a mans willingness to be rid of his sins overtops his unwillingness when a man is more willing to be rid of his sins than he is to continue in sin then his spiritual state is certainly good A gracious heart had much rather if it were put to his choice live without all sin than to have allowance to wallow in any sin he had rather live without the least sin than to have liberty to live in the greatest or the most flesh-pleasing sin 'T is certain that sin is more afflictive to a gracious Soul than all the losses crosses troubles and tryals that he meets with in the World 2 Sam. 24.10 David cryes not perii but peccavi not I am undone but I have done foolishly He does not cry Take away the pestilence but take away the iniquity of thy servant Dan. 9.5 Nor Daniel cries not out O we are sadly reproached we are greatly distressed we are wofully oppressed Hos 14.2 but We have rebelled And the Church cryes not out Take away our Captivity but take away all iniquity 't is not take away our chains but take away our sins 't is not take away our afflictions but take away our pollutions 't is not take away all our enemies lives but take away the lives of all our lusts 2 Cor. 11.16 ult And so Paul cryes not out of his reproaches or persecutors or bonds or chains or stripes or perils Rom. 7.23 or prisons he rather glories in these But he cryes out of a Law in his Members rebelling against the Law of his mind and bringing of him into Captivity to the Law of sin which is in his Members Paul does not cry out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from all my sorrows and sufferings Verse 24. But O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death A sincere heart when he is himself had much rather be rid of his sins than of his sufferings yea of the least sins than of the greatest sufferings 'T was a sweet saying of Bernard I had rather saith he that God should better my heart than remove his hand I had rather that God should continue my strokes than my sins And the same noble spirit was working bravely in Job when he was under the heavy hand of God See Job 7.20 21. Job 34.31 32. Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more But now graceless men are much more willing to be rid of their afflâ—ctions See Exod. 10.17 than to be rid of their sins witness Pharaoh who cries out take away the Frogs Exod. 8.8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do Sacrifice unto the Lord. 'T is not intreat the Lord that he would take away this proud heart or this hard heart or this besotted heart or this blind mind or this perverse will or this benummed Conscience that is in me and my people but intreat the Lord that he may take away the Frogs from me and my people
produce a hundred other Scriptures to prove that repenting sinners are confessing sinners but let these suffice c. Secondly If you please to cast your eyes upon other Scriptures you shall find these penitent confessing sinners to be expresly under the promises of the forgiveness of sins Confessing penitents are under the promises of forgiveness c. Turn to that Job 33.27 28. and ponder upon it Prov. 28.13 He that covers his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh shall have mercy c. 1 John 1.9 If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Psal 22.5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and then forgavest the iniquity of my sin Seâ—ah Levit. 26.40 41 42. If they shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers with their trespass which then trespassed against me and that also they have walked contrary unto me and that I also have walked contrary unto them and have brought them into the land of their enemies if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity This will I remember my covenant with Jacob and also my covenant with Isaac and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember Jer. 3.12 13. Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord only acknowledge thine iniquity And observable is that prayer of Solomon 1 King 8 47-50 If they shall bethink themselves and repent and make supplications to thee saying we have sinned and have done perversly we have committed wickedness then hear thou their prayer and forgive thy people that have sinned against thee Qu. But what are the properties or qualifications of true penitential confession of sin Ans They are these eight that follow First 'T is free 't is voluntary not forc'd not extorted Nehemiah Ezra Job David Daniel Paul Acts 26.10 11. Ezra 9.9 Neh. 9. Daniel 9. Psal 5. Job 49.4 5. c. were free and voluntary in the confession of their sins as all know that have but read the Scripture The true penitent confesses his sins with much candour ingenuity and freedom of spirit he is as free in his confession of sin as he has been free in the commission of sin his confessions are like water which runs out of a spring with a voluntary freeness but the confessions of wicked men are like water that is forced out of a still with fire their confessions are forced and extracted meerly from sence of pain and smart or from fear of punishments c. Pharaoh never confest his sin till God brought him to the rack Exod. 10.16 1 Sam. 15.24 Num. 22 23-35 Mat. 27.3 4 5. nor Saul till he was in danger of losing his Crown and Kingdom nor Balaam till he sees the Angel stand with his drawn sword ready to slay him nor Judas till horror of conscience and the pangs of hell had surprized him and taken fast hold on him Wicked men cast out their sins by confession as Mariners do their wares in a storm wishing for them again in a calm the confessions of wicked men are commonly extorted or squeezed out either by some outward trouble or by some inward distress but penitential confession is free and ingenuous arising from an inward detestation of sin and from the contrariety of the heart to sin and therefore were there no rod no rack ho wrath no hell the true penitent would very freely and readily confess his sins when God is most free in bestowing of mercies then are they most free in confessing their iniquities Hos 14.1 2 3 4. Look as that is the best wine that flows from the grape with least pressing and as that is the best honey which drops from the honey-comb without crushing so those are the best confessions that flow that drop freely voluntarily from the soul c. Secondly True penitential confession is full as well as free That confession is not sincere that is not full Lam. 1.18 19. God loves neither halting nor mincing confessions These undid the Pharisee Luke 18.11 As penitential confessions are not extorted so they are not straitned sin must be confest in its particular species and parts all known sins must be confest fully plainly particularly as you may see by turning to these Scriptures Lev. 26.40 41 42. 19.21 Judg. 10.10 Psal 51. 1 Sam. 12.19 1 Tim. 1.13 Acts 26.10 11. Dan. 9.5 6 7 8-17 Lev. 16.21 22 c. Some there be that deny their sins with the Harlot Prov. 30.20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman she eateth and wipeth her mouth and saith I have done no wickedness And others there be that father their sins on others as Adam did Gen. 3.12 and as Eve did ver 13. and as Aaron did Exod. 32.22 and as Saul did 1 Sam. 15.22 And many there are that hide their wickedness that conceal their wickedness as that proud Pharisee did Luk. 18.11 12. That expression of the Prophet Hosea Hosea 10.13 You have plowed wickedness is rendred by the Septuagint You have concealed wickedness and indeed there is nothing more common to a wicked heart than to keep closs his sin than to cover and hide his transgressions And certainly this is that sore disease that our first parents were sick to death of almost six thousand years ago and therefore 't is no wonder if we are all infected with it Job 31.33 We are but flesh and bloud sayes one it is my nature sayes a second I cannot help it sayes a third I am not the first sayes a fourth 't was bad company drew me sayes a fifth if it be a sin I am sorry for it says a sixth if it be naught I cry God mercy sayes a seventh And thus wicked men are as hypocritical in their confessions as they are in their professions c. Man by nature is a vain glorious creature apt to boast and brag of the sins that he is free of but unwilling to confess the sins that he is guilty of There are no men so prone to conceal their own wickedness as those that are most forward to proclaim their own goodness There are many that are not ashamed to act sin who yet are ashamed to confess sin but certainly of all shame that is the most shameful shame that leads a man to hide his sins But now the true penitent he makes conscience of confessing small sins as well as great sins secret sins as well as open sins Psal 90.8 Psal 19.12 David confesses not only his great sins of murder and adultery but he confesses also his self-revenge intended against Nabal and of his knife being so neer Sauls throat when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment A true Penitent is much in confessing and lamenting over that secret pride that
sin not to swear and whore and curse and be drunk and prophane Sabbaths and dispise Ordinances yea there are many that are so far from being ashamed of their abominations that they even glory in them like those in that Phil. 3.19 They shew their sins as Sodom they make both a sport of acting and a jest of confessing their sins Thus Austin confesseth that it was sometimes with himself before the Lord wrought upon him I was stricken with such blindness as that I thought it a shame unto me to be less vile and wicked than my companions whom I heard boast of their leudness and glory so much the more by how much they were the more filthy therefore saith he lest I should be of no account I was the more vicious and when I could not otherwise match others I would feign that I had done those things which I never did lest I should seem so much the more abject by how much I was the more innocent and so much the more vile by how much I was the more chast But for a close remember this The true penitent knows that the more God has been displeased with the blackness of sin the better he will be pleased with the blushing of the sinner and therefore he can't but blush when either he looks upon sin within him or God above him But Seventhly Penitential confession 't is believing and fiducial 't is mixt with some faith Hosea 14. â— though not alwayes with a strong faith 't is not like the confession of a Malefactor to the Judge but like the confession of a child to his father or like the confession of a sick man to his Physician As a penitent man has one eye of sorrow upon his sin so he has another eye of hope upon pardoning grace Thus David Psal 51. though he had sinned greatly yet he hangs upon free mercy and begs his pardon believingly Thus Daniel Dan. 9.9 To the Lord our God belongs mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him Thus Sechaniah Ezra 10.2 Ezra 10.2 And Sechaniah the son of Jehiel one of the sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra we have trespassed against our God and have taken strange wives of the people of the Land yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing If it were not for hope the heart would break there was hope among them that Israel would repent and there was hope among them that God would have mercy upon their repentance And the same spirit was working in the Prodigal I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Luke 18.18 Though he was a Prodigal yet he would go to God as to a father who knew how to pity and forgive the mourning and repenting child When confessions of sin are mingled with hopes of mercy and the soul draws neer to God as a father then the heart breaks most and melts and mourns most That confession of sin that is not mixt with some hope of pardon and with some faith in the mercy of God is not penitential but desperate Cain in some sort confesses Gen. 4.16 but then he flies into the Land of Nod and there he falls a building and planting partly in contempt of the dreadful doom God had past upon him and partly to drown the noise of his conscience and despairing of ever obtaining pardon in this world 2 Cor. 5.1 2. or enjoying a house not made with hands in another world Judas likewise confesses his most hainous sin I have sinned in betraying innocent bloud but having no hope of pardon Mat. 27.3 4. no faith in that innocent blood he had shed he goes out and hangs himself Judas had no faith to mingle with his confession he confesses despairingly not believingly and so goes forth and strangles himself Since Adam fell in paradise there has not been one wicked man in the world continuing in that state that has ever mixt faith with his sorrows believing with his confessing 't is only the penitent man that confesseth sin believingly and that is pardoned graciously The confessing penitent reasons thus with God Lord though I am a sinful creature yet thou art a merciful God though I am unworthy of mercy yet thou forgivest sins freely though my sins reach as high as heaven yet thy mercies teach above the heavens I am here ready and willing to accuse and condemn my self and therefore be thou as ready and as willing to absolve me and forgive me O Lord though my sins are very many yet thy mercies are exceeding more though I have multiplied my sins yet thou canst multiply thy pardons though I am a sinner a very great sinner yet there is mercy with thee that thou mayest be feared and loved served and trusted and therefore in the face of all my sins provocations and unworthiness I will look up for mercy and wait for mercy But Eighthly and lastly True penitential confession is joyned with reformation That confession of sin that carries forgivness of sin with it Psal 51.10 is attended with serious desires and earnest endeavours of reformation therefore forsaking of sin is annext to confession of sin Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy Confession of sin must be joyned with confusion of sin or all 's lost God will never cross the book he will never draw the red lines of Christ's bloud over the black lines of our transgressions except confessing and forsaking go hand in hand He that does not â—orsake his sin as well as confess it forsakes the benefit of his confession And indeed there is no real confession of sin where there is no real forsaking of sin 't is not enough for us to confess the sins we have committed but we must peremptorily resolve against the committing again the sins we have confest we must desire as freely to forgo our sins as we do desire God to forgive us our sins Confession of sin is a spiritual vomit now you know a man that is burdened in his stomack is heartily willing to be rid of that â—oad on his stomack that doth oppress nature and so a man that is real in his confession of sin is as heartily willing to be rid of his sin that lyes as a loâ—d upon his conscience as any sick man can be heartily willing to be rid of that load that lyes upon his stomack The penitential confessor doth as heartily desire to be delivered from the power of his sins as he does desire to be delivered from the sting and punishment of his sins This is observable in the confession of good Sechaniah Ezra 10.2 3. We have trespassed against our God and taken strange wives of the people of the Land Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are born of them
according to the counsel of my Lord and those that tremble at the commandement of our God and let it be done according to the Law And this was the former practise of the children of Israel who joyned reformation with their confession as you may see in that Judg. 10.15 We have sinned Ver. 16. And they put away the strange Gods from among them and served the Lord and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel That Job 34.31 32. is observable Surely it is meet to be said unto God I have born chastisement I will not offend any more that which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more And the same spirit you may find working in those that were once given up to sorcery and witchcraft Act. 18. And many that believed came and confessed and shewed their deeds Ver. 19. Many also of them which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men Penitential confession leaves a holy awe and dread on the soul to take heed of committing sins confest Though a godly man may in an hour of temptation or in a day of desertion or in a season of God's with-holding the gracious influences of heaven from falling upon his soul commit a sin which he has seriously confest and sadly bewailed yet he retains in his course and practise such a holy fear and awe upon his heart as in some measure proves armour of proof against future commissions of sin But now wicked men are very ready bold and venturous to commit the same sins they have confest as you may see in Saul one while you shall have him confessing his sinful injuries against David with tears and soon after you shall find him pursuing of him in the wilderness of Zaph with three thousand chosen men at his heels Compare 1 Sam. 24.16 17. with Chap. 26.2 3 4 Exod. 9 27 34. The same evil spirit was predominant in Pharaoh one day you shall have him confessing his sin and promising to let Israel go and the next day you shall find his heart hardned and he peremptorily resolved that Israel shall not go And so the Harlot made the confession of her sin Prov. 7.14 to be but a provocation to more sin The wicked sometimes confess their sins but they never forsake their sins 2 Pet. 2. ult after confeâ—sion they commonly return with the dog to his vomit as Fulgentius Fulgent de Rem peccat l. 1. c. 12. hath worthily observed Many saith he being pricked in conscience confess that they have done ill and yet put no end to their ill deeds they humbly accuse themselves in God's sight of the sins which oppress them and yet with a perverse heart rebelliously heap up those sins whereof they accuse themselves The very pardon which they beg with mournful-sighs they impede with their wicked actions they ask help of the Physician and still minister matter to the disease thus in vain indeavouring to appease him with penitent words whom they go on to provoke by an impenitent course Well remember this real confession of sin is alwayes attended with real endeavours of turning from sin Look as the Patient layes open his diseases to the Physician for this very purpose that he may be cured and healed so the penitent soul confesses his sins to the Physician of souls on purpose to be cured and healed The daily language of the penitent soul is this Lord when wilt thou heal the maladies of my soul when wilt thou heal my unâ—elief and heal my pride and heal my vain glory and heal my hypocrisie and heal my impurity and heal my hard heartedness and heal my carnalness and heal my worldliness and heal my selfishness c. Lord I do as earnestly beg grace to heal my soul as I do mercy to pardon my soul And let thus much suffice for the second part of true Evangelical repentance The third part of true Repentanceâ— lyes in turning from all sin to God That great and precious promise of forgiveness of sin is made over to repenting and â—â—â—â—ning from sin all who truly repent of their sins and turn from their sins shall receive the forgiveness of their sins pardon of sin is for that man and that man is for pardon of sin who truly repents and returns from his sin Four things speak out this c. First Scripture exhortations to repent that so our sins may be forgiven Ezek. 18.30 Repent and turn your selves from all your transgressions so iniquity shall not be your ruine Acts 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins Acts 3.19 Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. Secondly Express promises that our sins shall be forgiven upon our repentance 2 Chron. 7.14 If my people shall turn from their evil way then will I forgive their sin Prov. 28.13 Whose confesseth and fâ—rsaketh his sin shall find mercy Ezek. 18.21 If the wicked will turn from all his sins which he hath committed and do that which is lawful and right he shall surely live he shall not die Ver. 22. All his transgressions which he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him Thirdly A most certain assurance of the forgiveness of sins upon repentance though they have been never so great and hainous Isa 1.16 17 18. Wash ye make you clean put away the evil of your doings cease to do evil learn to do well Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow though they be reâ— like crimson they shall be as wool Fourthly Express records and instances of forgiveness unto such as have repented and turned from their sins 2 Sam. 12.13 And David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord and Nathan said to David the Lord hath also put away thy sin Jer. 31.18 19 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself turn thou me and I shall be turned c. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I sâ—ote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth Is Ephraim my dear son â—s he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Luke 7.38 And shee stood at his feet behind him weeping and began to wash his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with ointment Ver. 47. Wherefore I say her sins which were many are forgiven Chap. 15.18 19 20. I will arise and go to my father and will say to him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son And he arose and came to his
A CABINET OF CHOICE JEVVELS OR A Box of precious Ointment Being a plain Discovery of or what men are worth for Eternity and how 't is like to go with them in another World Here is also a clear and large Discovery of the several rounds in Jacob's Ladder that no Hypocrite under Heaven can climb up to Here are also such closs piercing distinguishing and discovering evidences as will reach and suit those Christians who are highest in Grace and spiritual Enjoyments and here are many Evidences which are suited to the Capacities and Experiences of the weakest Christians in Christ's School And here Christians may see as in a Glass what a sober Use and Improvement they ought to make of their evidences for Heaven and how in the use of their gracious evidences they ought to live First upon the free grace of God Secondly upon the Mediatory righteousness of Christ Thirdly upon the Covenant of Grace With several other Points of grand Importance c. By Thomas Brooks formerly Preacher of the Gospel at St. Margarets New-Fishstreet Brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Examine your selves whether ye be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unapproved or rejected Omnis anima est aut sponsa Christi aut adultera Diaboli Austin London Printed and are to be sold by John Hancock at the first Shop in Popes-Head-Alley in Cornhil at the sign of the three Bibles or at his Shop in Bishops-Gate-Street near great St. Hellins 1669. To the Right Worshipful Sir John Frederick Knight and the Lady Mary Frederick his pious Consort To Mr. Nathaniel Herne and Mrs. Judith his vertuous Wife All confluence of blessings both for this Life and for that which is to come from the Father of Mercies and God of all Consolations Honoured and Beloved in our Lord Jesus THough I croud your Names together yet I owe more than an Epistle to each of your Names but the Loâ—d having made you near and dear one to another more wayes than one I take the boldness to present this Treatise to you jointly Here is nothing in this Book that relates to the Government of Church or State The design of this Treatise is to shew what men are worth for Eternity and how it is like to go with them in another World Granctensis tells of a woman that was so affected with souls miscarryings that she besought God to stop up the passage into hell with her soul and body that none might have entrance O anima Dei insignita imagine desponsata fide donata spiritu c. Bern. O divine soul invested with the image of God espoused to him by faith c. There are none of the sons of men but bear about with them precious and immortal souls that are more worth than ten thousand thousand worlds if the soul be safe all is safe if that be well all is well if that be lost all is lost The first great work that men are to attend in this World is the eternal safety and security of their souls the next great work is to know to be assured that it shall go well with their souls for ever And these are the main things that are aimed at in this Discourse The soul is the better and more noble part of man upon the soul the Image of God is most fairly stampt the soul is first converted and the soul shall be first and most glorified the soul is that spiritual and immortal substance that is capable of union with God and of communion with God and of an eternal fruition of God Plato though a Heathen could say That he thought the soul to be made all of eternity and that the putting the soul into the body was a sign of great wrath from God Each living corps must yield at last to death Pindarus And every life must leese his vital breath The soul of man that only lives on high And is an image of Eternity The Romans when their Emperors and great Ones died and their bodies were buried they caused an Eagle to mount on high thereby to signifie the souls immortality and ascent He gave good counsel who said Play not the Courtier with your soul the Courtier doth all things late he rises late and dines late and sups late and repents late A Scythian Captain having for a draught of water delivered up his City cryed out Quid perdidi quid prodidi What have I lost what have I betrayed So many at last will cry out What have I lost what have I betrayed I have lost God and Christ and Heaven and have betrayed my precious and immortal soul into the hands of divine Justice and into the hands of Satan Who these men are that will at last thus cry out this Treatise does discover I have read that there was a time when the Romans did wear jewels on their shoes Most men in this day do worse for they trample that matchless jewel of their souls under feet and who these are this Treatise does discover One well observes Chrysost That whereas God hath given many other things double two eyes to see with two ears to hear with two hands to work with and two feet to walk with to the intent that the failing of the one might be supplied by the other but he hath given us but one soul and if that be lost hast thou saith he another soul to give in recompence for it Now who those are whose souls are in a safe estate and who those are whose souls are in danger of being lost for ever this Treatise does plainly and fully discover Psal 15. Psal 144.15 To describe to the life who that man is that is truly happy in this world and that shall be blest for ever in the other world is the work of this ensuing Treatise The grace of the Covâ—nant in us is a sure evidence of Gods entring into the Covenant of grace with us To be in a gracious state is true happiness but to know our selves to be in such a state is the top of our happiness in this world A man may have grace and yet for a time not know it 1. Joh. 5.13 The child lives in the womb but does not know it A man may be in a gracious state and yet not see it Psal 77. Psal 88. he may have a saving work of God upon his soul and yet not discern it he may have the root of the matter in him and yet not be able to evidence it Now to help such poor hearts to a right understanding of their spiritual condition and that they may see and know what they are worth for another world and so go to their graves in joy and peace I have sent this Treatise abroad into the world Will you give me leave to say First Some men of name
Men of publick spirits shall never die as Jehoram did undesired and unlamented Men of publick spirits lye most open to snares temptations and oppositions c. This all sober Christians well understand and therefore they can't but pray hard for such The names the lives the liberties the estates and all the concernments of men of publick spirits alwayes lye nearest their hearts who lye neerest to the heart of Christ Men of the greatest name and of the greatest renown and that have had the greatest stock of prayers going for them all the world over have been men of publick spirits But Sixthly and lastly When Christians of publick spirits come to dye their publick spiritedness and general usefulness will be no small comfort and cordial to them Nehemiah was a man of a publick spirit and accordingly he pleads it with God Think upon me Neh. 5. ult See Chap. 13.22 O my God for good according to all that I have done for this people This was that which sweetned death to Hezekiah I beseech thee O Lord to remember now how I have walked before thee in truth 2 King 20.3 Acts 13.36 and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And when David had served his generation he fell asleep Sleep is not more welcom and sweet to a labouring man than death is to him who has made it his business his work sincerely and faithfully to serve his generation Such Magistrates 2 Tim. 4.7 8 9. John 17. Ministers and Christians who have made it their business according to their different measures faithfully to serve their generation have found the King of terrors to be but the King of desires to them when death to men of narrow selfish spirits hath been like the hand-writing upon the wall Dan. 5.5 6. very terrible Many score Instances might be produced out of History to evidence this Take one for all Henry Beauford that rich and wretched Cardinal Bishop of Wâ—nchester and Chancellour of England a man swallowed up in self interest in the Reign of Henry the Sixth when he perceived that he must dye Acts and Mon. fol. 925. and that there was no remedy O! how terrible was death to him and O! how did he murmur and fret and vex at death that his riches could not reprieve him till a further time For saith he wherefore should I die being so rich if the whole Realm would save my life I am able either by policy to get it or by riches to buy it Fie upon death saith he will not death be hired will money do nothing I might instance in men of a higher rank but then I should exceed the bounds of an Epistle The second sort of men that my self and all others are bound 1. Highly to prize 2. Cordially to love And 3. Greatly to honour Are men of charitable spirits men of merciful spirits men of tender and compassionate spirits The Hebrew word for godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies merciful to note that the godly man is the merciful man and the merciful man is the godly man Loving kindness is an ingredient unto godliness The godly man is frequently called Chasid gracious or merciful it notes one that hath obtained mercy goodness grace piety and benignity from the Lord and that is pious kind The Italian form of begging is Do good to your selves gracious and merciful to others Though charity bounty is the most compendious way to plenty and giving to getting and scattering to encreasing and layings out to layings up Prov. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth Ver. 25. The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Yet how few in our dayes do honour the Lord with their substance Prov. 3.9 Mic. 4.13 how few look a this as a duty to consecrate any part of their gain unto the Lord or of their substance to the Lord of the whole earth Most men now carry it as if God himself had last his propriety and as if there were no rent-penny due to his poor But yet some there are who have liberal hearts and open hands Deut. 15.11 some there are who do open their hands wide to the poor and needy Now here give me leave to say Mat. 25. Prov. 31.8 9. That these 1. Discharge their consciences in the duty of charity 2. These rightly improve the talents of mercy with which they are intrusted 3. These treasure up a stock of prayers Job 29.13 2 Tim. 1.16 both for themselves and theirs the blessing and the prayers of them that were ready to perish will come upon them and theirs 4. These evidence the liveliness of their faith James 2.17 Even so faith if it hath not works is dead being alone Ver. 18. Yea a man may say thou hast faith and I have works shew me thy faith without thy works and I will shew thee my faith by my works Ver. 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also 5. These take the surest way the readiest course to assure their own souls of Gods eternal favours and mercies to them 1 Tim. 6.17 Charge them that be rich in this world Ver. 18. That they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate Ver. 19. Aeterna vitae vera vlta Aug. Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life Charitable Christians are as wife Merchants happy Usurers parting with that which they cannot keep that they may gain that which they cannot lose 6. These take the surest way to draw down more outward mercies upon themselves The fountain is not diminished Pedagog 3. c. 7 Clemens Alex. but augmented by giving water to the thirsty The widows oyl did increase by running we do not lose but increase our mercies by imparting of them for God's honour and the comfort and benefit of others Luk. 6.38 Give saith Christ and it shall be given to you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom The Jews more large and loose garments so that they could bear away much in their bosoms Hence this expression into your bosom The meaning is That the Lord will largely reward the beneficence of his people yea that he will so reward them that they shall perceive that they are rewarded Honour the Lord with thy substance Prov. 3.9 10. so shall thy Barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine God will certainly bless their substance who honour him with their substance The Jews at this day Godw Heb. â—ntiq 27.7 though they are not in their own Countrey and though they have not a Levitical Priesthood yet those who will be reputed Religious amongst them do distribute the tenth of their increase to the
mens souls they are blessed He that sees an absolute necessity of the righteousness of Christ to justifie him and to inable him to stand boldly before the throne of God he that sees his own righteousness to be but as filthy rags Isa 64.4 to be but as dross and dung Phil. 3.7 8. He that sees the Lord Jesus Christ with all his riches and righteousness clearly and freely offered to poor sinners in the everlasting Gospel he that in the Gospel-glass sees Christ to be made sin for them that knew no sin that they may be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5 21. He that in the same glass sees Christ to be made wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption to all those that are sincerely willing to make a venter of their immortal souls and eternal estates upon him and his righteousness and he that sees the righteousness of Christ to be a most perfect pure compleat spotless matchless Some take hungering and thirsting here litterally comparing of it with Luke 6.21 Others understand the words morally by hungering and thirsting they understand a moral hunger and thirst which is when men hunger and thirst for justice and judgment to be rightly executed Psal 119.5 10 20 131. Judg. 15.18 1 Chron. 11.18 Psal 42.1 2. infinite righteousness and under these apprehensions and perswasions is carried out in earnest and unsatisfied hungerings and thirstings to be made a partaker of this righteousness and to be assured of this righteousness and to put on this righteousness as a royal robe Isa 61.10 he is the blessed soul and he that hungers and thirsts after the righteousness of Christ imparted as well as after the righteousness of Christ imputed after the righteousness of sanctification as well as after the righteousness of justification he is a blessed soul and shall at last be filled The righteousness of sanctification or inherent righteousness lyes in the spirits infusing into the soul those holy principles divine qualities or supernatural graces that the Apostle mentions in that Gal. 5.22 23. These habits of grace which are severally distinguished by the names of faith love hope meekness c. are nothing else but the new nature or new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.24 He that hungers and thirsts after the righteousness of sanctification out of a deep serious sense of his own unrighteousness he that hungers and thirsts after the righteousness of sanctification as earnestly as hungery men do for meat or as thirsty men do for drink or as the innocent person that is falsly charged or accused longs to be cleared and righted or as Rachel did for children or as David did after the water of the Well of Bethlehem or as the hunted Hart doth after the water brooks he that hungers and thirsts not after some righteousness only but he that hungers and thirsts after all righteousness he that hungers and thirsts not only after some grace but all grace not only after some holiness but all holiness he that hungers and thirsts after righteousness out of love to righteousness he that hungers and thirsts after righteousness from a sight and sense of the loveliness and excellency that there is in righteousness Phil. 3 10-15 he that hungers and thirsts after the highest degrees and measures of righteousness and holiness Psal 63.1.8 Jer. 15.16 he that primarily chiefly hungers and thirsts after righteousness and holiness he that industriously hungers and thirsts after righteousness and holiness he that ordinarily habitually constanly hungers and thirsts after righteousness and holiness Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times By judgments we are to understand the statutes and commandments of God Mark that word at all times Bad men have their good moods as good men have their bad moods A bad man may under gripes of conscience a smarting rod the approaches of death or the fears of hell or when he is Sermon-sick cry out to the Lord for grace for righteousness for holiness but he is the only blessed man that hungers and thirsts after righteousness at all times and that hungers and thirsts after righteousness according to the other forementioned short hints he is certainly a blessed man heaven is for that man and that man is for heaven that hungers and thirsts in a right manner after the righteousness of justification and after the righteousness of sanctification But I do truly hunger and thirst after righteousness therefore I am blessed and shall be filled c. Twelfthly A godly man may argue thus Such as are truly and graciously merciful are blessed and shall obtain mercy Mat. 5.7 Micha 6.8 Luke 6.36 August de civit Dei 9.13 Mercy is a commiserating of another mans misery in our hearts or a sorrow for another mans distress or a heart-grieving for another mans grief arising out of an unfeigned love unto the party afflicted Or more plainly thus Mercy is a pitying of another mans misery with a desire and endeavour to help him to the uttermost of our ability The Hebrew for godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chasid signifies gracious merciful The more godly any man is the more merciful that man will be Blessed are the merciful that is blessed are they that shew mercy to others out of a deep sense of the mercy of God to them in Christ Blessed are such who shew mercy out of love to mercy out of a delight in mercy blessed are such as shew mercy out of love and obedience to the God of mercy blessed are such as shew mercy to men in misery upon the account of the image of God the glory of God that is stampt upon them blessed are such as extend their piety and mercy not only to mens bodies but also to their precious and immortal souls Soul-mercy is the chief of mercies the soul is the most precious jewel in all the world it is a vessel of honour 't is a spark of glory 't is a bud of eternity 't is the price of bloud 't is beautified with the image of God 't is adorned with the grace of God and 't is cloathed with the righteousness of God such are blessed as shew mercy to others from gracious motives and considerations viz. 'T is free mercy that every day keeps hell and my soul asunder 't is mercy that daily pardons my sins 't is mercy that supplies all my inward and outward wants 't is mercy that preserves and feeds and cloaths my outward man and 't is mercy that renews strengthens and prospers my inward man 't is mercy that has kept me many times from committing such and such sins 't is mercy that has kept me many a time from falling before such and such temptations 't is mercy that has many a time preserved me from being swallowed up by such and such inward and outward afflictions Such as shew mercy out of a design to exalt and glorifie
it at last with a witness I have read of a Gallant addicted to uncleanness who at last meeting with a beautiful Dame and having injoyed his fleshly desires of her he found her in the morning to be the dead body of one that he had formerly been naught with which had been acted by the Devil all night and left dead again in the morning so that the Gallant 's pleasure ended in no small terror And thus 't is doubtless with all sinful pleasures What sin is there so sweet or profitable that is worth burning in hell for or worth shutting out of heaven for c. But Sixthly When men commonly take part with sin when they take up arms in the defence of sin and in defiance of the commands of God the motions of the spirit and the checks of conscience then sin is in dominion he that readily resolvedly and habitually fights sins battels is sins servant and without all peradventure under the reign and dominion of sin Look as we groundedly conclude that such men are under the reign and dominion of that King that they readily resolvedly and habitually take up arms to fight for so when the inward faculties of the soul and the outward members of the body do readily resolve and habitually take up arms to fight for sin then and there sin is in dominion as you may plainly see by consulting the Scriptures in the margent Rom. 6.19 20. Eph. 2.2 3. Titus 3.3 but where the soul readily resolvedly and habitually strives against it conflicts with it and makes war against it there 't is not in dominion there it reigns not as you may see by comparing the Scriptures in the margent together Rom. 7.23 24. Gal. 5.17 Rom. 8.13 That man that can truly appeal to God and say Lord thou that knowest all hearts and things thou knowest that there is nothing under the whole heavens that I am so desirous and ambitious of as this that my sins may be subdued that my strongest lusts may be mortified and that those very corruptions that my nature constitution and complexion is most inclined to may be brought to an under That man that can appeal to God and say O Lord what ever becomes of me I will never be reconciled to any known sin yea Lord though I should perish for ever yet I am resolved to fight against my sins for ever Let God do what he will against me I will do all I can against my sins and to honour my God that man is not under the reign and dominion of sin But Seventhly When sin commonly rises by opposition then it reigns Look as grace when it is in the Throne it rises by opposition 2 Sam. 6.22 I will yet be more vile Mark 10.47 Act. 4.6 to the 34 5.40 41 42. 48. And many charged him that he should hold his peace but he cryed the more a great deal Thou son of David have mercy on me so when sin is in the Throne it rises higher and higher by opposition As the more water you cast upon Lime the more fiercely it burns so when sin is in its reign and dominion it flames out the more by opposition witness the Jews malice and envy against Christ which when it received but a little easie gentle check by Pilate Mark 15.12 13 14. they cryed out so much the more Crucifie him crucifie him A man that is under the reign and dominion of sin is like the Rainbow the Rainbow is never on that side of the world that the Sun is but wheresoever it appears it is in opposition against the Sun if the Sun be in the East the Rainbow is in the West c. Where sin has the Throne it will still rise higher and higher by opposition reprove a swearer for swearing and he will swear so much the more yea many times he will swear that he did not swear when indeed he did and so it holds in all other vices that the sinner is given up to 'T is said of Catiline that he was a compound and bundle of warring lusts and vices the same may be said of all others where sin is in dominion But Eighthly and lastly If the Lord Jesus Christ hath not dominion over you then sin has certainly dominion over you Rom. 6.17 18. Christ hath no dominion over that soul that sin hath dominion over and sin hath no dominion over that soul that Christ hath dominion over Christ and sin cannot have dominion over the same soul at one and the same time Christ's dominion is destructive and inconsistent with sins dominion c. Quest But how shall I know whether the Lord Jesus Christ hath dominion over my soul or no How shall I know whether the Lord Jesus Christ be my Lord or no For if I can but groundedly conclude that Christ is my Lord then I may very boldly safely and undoubtedly conclude that sin is not my Lord but if Christ be not my Lord I may more than fear that sin is certainly my Lord. Ans Sol. Canst thou truly say in the presence of the great and glorious God Psal 139.23 24. Psal 26.2 Jer. 11.20 17.10 Prov. 17.3 1 Thes 2.4 that is the tryer and searcher of all hearts that thou hast given up thy heart and life to the Rule Authority and Government of Jesus Christ and that thou hast chosen him to be thy Soveraign Lord and King and art truly willing to submit to his dominion as the only precious and righteous holy and heavenly sweet and pleasant profitable and comfortable safe and best dominion in all the world and to resign up thy heart thy will thy affections thy life thy all really to Christ wholly to Christ and only to Christ Canst thou truly say O dear Lord Jesus other Lords viz. the world the flesh and the devil have had dominion too long over me Isa 26.13 but now these Lords I utterly renounce I for ever renounce and do give up my self to thee as my only Lord beseeching thee to rule and reign over me for ever and ever O Lord though sin rages and Satan roars and the world sometimes frowns Josh 24.15 and sometimes fawns yet I am resolved to own thee as my only Lord and to serve thee as my only Lord my greatest fear is of offending thee and my chiefest care shall be to please thee and my only joy shall be to be a praise a name and an honour to thee O Lord I can appeal to thee in the sincerity of my heart that though I have many invincible weaknesses and infirmities that hang upon me and though I am often worsted by my sins and overcome in an hour of temptation yet thou that knowest all thoughts and hearts thou dost know that I have given up my heart to the obedience of Jesus Christ and do daily give it up to his rule and government and 't is the earnest desire of my soul above all things in this world
should make it our great business and work to come up to them and to imitate them to the life O friends the examples last cited should be very awakening very perswading very convincing and very encouraging because in them you may see that though abstinence from the appearance of evil be a difficult thing yet 't is a possible thing Shall we love to look upon the Pictures of our friends and shall we not much more love to look upon the holy examples of those eminent Saints that had the lively picture of Grace and the lovely Image of Christ fairly stampt upon their hearts and lives 'T is both our Mercy and our duty to eye the examples and to follow the footsteps of those Christians that have been most eminent in Grace as you may plainly see by comparing of these Scriptures together Prov. 2.20 Heb. 6.12 1 Thes 1.6 Phil. 4.9 2 Tim. 3.10 11 12. Heb. 12.1 Phil. 3.17 1 Cor. 11.1 Titus 2.7 He that would fain write a fair hand had need have his eye often upon his Copy and he that would fain abstain from all appearance of evil he had need often to eye the gracious examples of such who have made Conscience of abstaining from appearing evils as well as from apparent evils But Eighthly and lastly Consider what some refined Heathens and civilized Pagans have done in this very case There are stories of Heathens that would not look upon excellent Beauties lest they should be ensnared Dâ—mocritâ—â— pluckt out his own eyes to avoid the danger of uncleanness Socrates speaketh of two young men that flang away their Belts when being in an Idol-Temple the lustrating water fell upon them detesting saith the Historian the garment spotted by the Flesh Alexander would not see the woman after whom he might have lusted Scipio Africanus warring in Spain took New Carthage by storm Aure victor at which time a beautiful and noble Virgin fled to him for succour to preserve her Chastity he being four and twenty years old and so in the heat of youth hearing of it would not suffer her to come into his sight for fear of a temptation but caused her to be restored in safety to her Father So when Demâ—sthenes the Oratour was asked an excessive sum of money to behold the beautiful Lais he answered He would not buy repentance so dear neither was he so ill a Merchant as to sell eternals for temporals Nor Caesar would not search Pompeyes Cabinet lest he should find new matters of revenge Memorable is the story of the children of Samosâ—ta that would not touch their Ball but burnt it because it had touched the Toe of a wicked Heretical Bishop as they were tossing and playing with it Now shall some refined Heathens shall civilized Pagans abstain from the appearance of evil from occasions and temptations to sin and shall real Christians fall short of them Shall blind nature do more than Grace Shall men fallen in the first Adam do more than those that are raised and enlivened by the second Adam But to prevent all mistakes let me add though many Heathens have abstained from the appearance of some evil yet they have not abstained from the appearance of all evil neither have they abstained from the appearance of any evil out of a hatred of evil nor from any principles of saving light or life or love nor out of any regard to any Royal Law of God nor out of any regard to the honour or glory of God but either out of vain-glory and popular applause the Pole-stars by which they steered all their actions or out of Hypocrisy which set a tincture and Dy upon all their actions what Writer hath more golden Sentences than Seneca against the contempt of Gold yet if Tacitus and others of his contemporaries may be credited none more rich none more covetous than he as if out of design he had perswaded others to cast away their money that he himself might come and gather it up again c. And thus you see that there are very great reasons why every Christian should avoid the very shew suspition or appearance of evil c. But Eleventhly and lastly He that sets himself resolutely mostly habitually against his bosome sins his constitution sins Psal 18.26 his most prevalent sins c. he has certainly a saving work a powerful work of God upon his Soul True Grace will make a man stand stoutly and stedfastly on Gods side and work the heart to take part with him against the most darling sins though they be as right hands or as right eyes True Grace will lay hands upon a mans most beloved lusts and cry out to Heaven Lord Crucify them Crucify them down with them down with them even to the ground Lord do Justice do signal Justice do speedy Justice do exemplary Justice upon this Head-lust this Master-sin Lord hew down root and branch let the very stumps of this Dagon be broken all in pieces Lord curse this wild Fig-Tree that never more Fruit may grow thereon Certainly God and Christ is set up highest in that mans heart who bends most of his thoughts strength and endeavours against his constitution sins against the sins of his Place Calling condition and complexion 'T is very observable that the Jews after they had been in the Babilonish Furnace for Idolatry they ever hated and feared that sin as much as the burnt child dreads the Fire yea they would dye any death rather than admit an Idol Josephus tells us how stoutly they opposed Pilate and Petronius that would have set up Caesars Statue in their Temples offering their throats to the Swords of the Souldiers rather than they would endure that Idol in Gods house O when once the heart of a Christian comes thus to be set against all his Golden and Silver Idols then we may safely say Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile He that finds his lusts his bosome his darling lusts begin to fall before him 〈◊〉 6 1â— as Hâ—mâ—â— once begun to fall before Morâ—eoai he may safely and confidently conclude that he is of the seed of the Jews and that the seed of God abideth in him 1 John 3.9 But having discoursed so largely as I have concerning bosome sins darlâ—ng lusts head-corruptions in my other writings I need say no more at this time And thus you see that there are Eleven particulars in regard of sin and a Christians actâ—ngs about it that speaks out a true saving work of Grace to be in the Souls of the Saints But c. Secondly Where the constant ordinary standing and abiding purpose disposition frame and general bent of a mans heart soul spirit desires and endeavours are fixed and set for God for Grace for Holiness in heart and life there is a most sure and infallible work of God past upon that mans soul the constant bent and the setled purpose of a true child of God is for God for Grace for Holiness in heart
couragious and be valiant or sons of valour as the Hebrew runs And so a Christian must lay the command of God before him as his highest encouragement to do what God requires of him c. Fifthly and lastly Our obedience must be bottomed and grounded upon the commands of God to difference and distinguish our selves from all hypocrites formalists superstitious and prophane persons whose obedience is sometimes bottomed upon the Traditions of men and sometimes upon the commandments of men 'T was the sin of the Ten Tribes that they complyed with the command of Jeroboam and his Princes Isa 29.13 14. Mat. 15.1 to 10. Mark 7.8 to 10. Hos 5.11 12. to worship the Calves at Dan and Bethel and for this the wrath of the Lord fell heavy upon them Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandment And sometimes their obedience is bottomed upon the examples of men sometimes their obedience is bottomed upon the examples of their forefathers and ancestors Jer. 44 17 18 c. Joh. 7.48 49. Jer. 10.3 The customs of the people are vain c. and sometimes upon the examples of great men This was that which the Pharisees objected against believing on Christ Have any of the Rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him but this people who knoweth not the Law are cursed And sometimes they bottom their obedience upon the example of the multitude This was Demetrius his argument against Paul Acts 19.26 27. on the behalf of Diana that all Asia and the world did worship her and therefore the doctrine of Paul that they be no Gods which are made with hands was falfe and not to be suffered This hath alwayes been and is still the common plea of many We do but as the most do and sure a great many eyes can see more than one or two And hereupon they exclaim against others for their singularity because they won't do as the rest of their neighbours do But Thirdly That obedience that springs from faith is a growing obedience 't is an abounding obedience such a man's desires will study and labour is to get up to the highest pitch of obedience to get up to the highest round in Jacob's ladder Rev. 2.19 I know thy work and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more than the first The Angel of the Church of Thyatira 'T is not every believers happiness always to make a progress in grace Solomon and Asa and others run retrograde Saints have their winter seasons they have their decaying times and withering times as well as their thriving times their flourishing times Rev. 2.4 is commended First for his love 2. For his charity 3. For his faith And 4. For his patience And in the general course of his life he daily became more excellent for his latter works were more than the first that is they were more manifest proofs of his constancy and more worthy of praise than the first This faithful Pastor is commended for his holy progress in grace and holiness So Paul Phil. 3.12 Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Ver. 13. Brethren I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before Ver. 14. I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth emphatically import a pressing with an eager pursuit after the mark It is the same word that signifies to persecute because the earnestness of his spirit in pressing toward the mark now is the same that it was in the persecution of those that pressed toward the mark before Look as good runners when they come near unto the mark stretch out their heads and hands and whole bodies to take hold of them that run with them or of the mark that is before them so he in his whole race so laboured unto that which was before as if he were still stretching out his arms to take hold of it If such a man might have his choice he would be the most humble the most holy the most heavenly the most mortified the most patient the most contented the most thankful the most fruitful the most active the most zealous and the most self-denying Christian in the world 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Mat. 5. if he might have his choice he would be holy as God is holy and perfect as his heavenly father is perfect he would do the will of God on earth as those Princes of glory the Angels do it now in heaven viz. freely readily cheerfully delightfully universally reverentially and unweariedly c. if he might have his choice Eccl. 9.10 he would exercise every grace and perform every duty with all his might he sees so much excellency and beauty in God and Christ that he can't be at rest till he be swallowed up in the enjoyment of them he sees so much excellency in grace that nothing but perfection of grace will satisfie him he makes perfection not only his utmost end but he also labours after perfection with his utmost strength and endeavours When God is made the one of a mans desires the one of a mans affections the one of a mans life and comfort then will he be the one of a mans endeavours too That obedience that springs from faith when 't is not winter-time with a Christian is a fruitful obedience 't is an abounding obedience 't is a progressive obedience Look as the mercy and favour of God to a believer is not stinted nor limited so the obedience of a believer to God is not stinted or limited but now the obedience of hypocrites is alwayes stinted and limited this command they will obey but not that this duty they will do but not that this work they will attend but not that c. Fourthly That obedience that springs from faith is the obedience of a son not of a slave 't is a free voluntary evangelical obedience and not a legal servil and forced obedience Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness in the Hebrew 't is willingness in the plural number to shew their exceeding great willingnesses Psal 27.8 When thou saidest seek ye my face my heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek By face is meant 1. God himself Exod. 20.3 Before my face that is before me 2. His favour Jer. 18.17 I will shew them the back and not the face in the day of their calamity Now no sooner had God given forth a word of command for the Psalmist to seek himself and to seek his favour but presently his heart did eccho to that command Thy face Lord will I seek So Jer.
for all the duties that they have hindered Judg. 16.28 Sampson pleads hard with God that he might be avenged on the Philistines for his two eyes and so doth the gracious soul plead hard with God that he may be avenged on his bosom lusts on his complexion sins which have put out his two eyes which have so blinded him that he has not for a long time been able to see God or Christ or the things that belong to his external internal or eternal peace The next of kin in the Law was alwayes the avenger of bloud and to him it appertained to hunt after the murderer to bring upon his head the innocent bloud that he had shed if therefore we will shew our selves brethren or sisters of Christ or any thing of kin unto him we must even be the avengers of his bloud upon bosom sins upon complexion sins for for them as well as others was his bloud shed O Sirs what bosom sin is there so sweet or profitable that is worth a burning in hell for or worth a shutting out of heaven for surely none This a gracious soul seriously weighs and accordingly he sets himself against the Toad in his bosom against his darling sins against his complexion sins But now unsound hearts are very favourable to bosom sins to complexion sins they say of them as Lot of Zoar Gen. 19.20 Is it not a little one and my soul shall live And as David once said concerning Absalom 2 Sam. 18.5 Deal gently for my sake with the young man even with Absalom beware that none touch the young man Absalom Ver. 12. And the King said is the young man Absalom safe Ver. 29. An unsound heart is as fond of his bosom sins 2 King 5.18 of his complexion sins as Jacob was of his Benjamin or as Jeha was of his calves or as Naaman was of his Idol Rimmon or as Judas was of bearing the bag or as Herod was of his Herodias Acts 19. or as Demetrius was of his Diana or as the Pharisees were of devouring widows houses Mat. 23. and of having the uppermost seats in the Synagogues and of being saluted in the market places with those glorious titles Rabbi Rabbi The besotted sinner is most engaged to his bosom sins his complexion sins and therefore 't is as bitter a thing as death for him to part with them Mich. 6.6 7. he had rather part with burnt-offerings and calves of a year old he had rather part with thousands of Rams and with ten thousand Rivers of oyl yea he had rather part with his first-born than with his bosom sin Job 20.12 13. he is ready to give the fruit of his body for the sin of his soul Let God frown or smile stroke or strike lift up or cast down promise or threaten yet he will hide and hold fast his bosom sin let God set life and death heaven and hell glory and misery before him yet will he not part with his bosom sins let God wound his conscience blow upon his estate leave a blot upon his name crack his credit afflict his body Jer. 20.3 4. write death upon his relations and be a Magor-missabib a terror to his soul yet will he not let go his darling sins An unsound heart will rather let God go and Christ go and heaven go and all go than he will let his darling lusts go But now a sound Christian a throuhgout Christian he sets himself most against the Dalilah in his bosom against the Benjamin the son the sin of his right hand A sincere Christian looks upon bosom sins upon complexion sins as the most God-provoking sins there are no sins so provoking to Gods jealousies and justice as bosom sins he looks upon bosom sins complexion sins a the most dangerous sins he looks upon bosom sins complexion sins as the worst thing in all the world he looks upon bosom sins complexion sins as more ugly and horrid than the devil himself or than hell it self he looks upon bosom sins as the great make-bates between God and his soul and between his conscience and his comfort Isa 59.1 2. Lamen 3.8 44. he looks upon bosom sins as those enemies that have provoked God often to turn a deaf ear to all his prayers he looks upon his bosom sins as so many Judas's that have often betrayed him into the hands of the devil he looks upon his bosom sins as the waters of Marah that has imbittered all his mercies he looks upon his bosom sins as the only things that have often clouded the face of God he looks upon his bosom sins as dead flies in the box of precious ointment that spoyls all and accordingly with all his might he sets himself against them 1. He fights most against these 2. He weeps most over these 3. He watches and aâ—ms most against these 4. He prayes most against these 5. He resolves most against these And 6. He layes the axe of repentance most to these c. But pray Sir before you close up this Chapter lay down some sure and infallible evidences of the goodness graciousness and happiness of their estates and conditions who are but weak in grace who are but babes of grace that so they may have their portion satisfaction support and consolation as well as others Ans I shall endeavour to do it and therefore thus Sixthly True desires of grace is grace true desires after Christ and grace and holiness is grace he who does sincerely desire to believe he does really believe and he that does sincerely desire to repent he does really repent and he that does sincerely desire to obey the Lord 1 Pet. 2.3 4. 2 Chron. 30.18 19 Mat. 7.8 Psal 42.1 2. Psal 63.1 c. and to fear the Lord and to serve the Lord he does really obey the Lord and fear the Lord and serve the Lord. It is the first step to grace for a man to see his heart void of grace and it is the first degree of grace for a man to desire grace Mark all true desires of grace have the very nature and truth of grace in them As there is true fire in a spark as well as in a flame and true water in a drop as well as in a stream and true light in a beam as well as in the Sun and true gold in the very filings of gold as well as in the whole wedge of gold the least of any thing partakes of the nature of the whole Isa 55.1 2. 65. 1. John 7.37 True desires of grace argues a state of grace and salvation Psal 38.9 Lord thou knowest all my desire my groanings is not hid from thee Mat. 5.6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled or as the Greek runs after the participle of the present tense they that are hungering and thirsting intimating that where ever this is the present disposition of mens souls they are blessed
Rev. 22.17 And let him that is a thirst come and whosoever will let him take the water of life freely Augustin Where there are sincere desires of grace there are the seeds of grace the conception of grace the buds of grace Sincere desires of grace are those holy seeds those divine beginnings of grace in the soul out of which grace springs and grows up to its measure and perfection O Sirs look as no man can sincerely seek God in vain so no man can sincerely desire grace in vain A man may love gold yet not have it but no man loveth God but is sure to have him Wealth a man may desire and yet be never the neerer for it but grace no man ever sincerely desired and missed it And why it is God that hath wrought this desire in the heart and he will never frustrate the desire that himself hath there wrought let no man say I have no faith no repentance no love no fear of God no sanctifying no saving grace in me Doth he see a want of those things in himself yes that is it which so grieves him that he cannot love God stand in awe of him trust in his mercy repent of sin as he should yea but doth he seriously and unfeignedly desire to do thus yes he desires it above all things in the world and would be willing as it were to buy even with a whole world the least measure or dram or drop only of such grace Now let me ask him who is it that hath wrought this desire in him Not the Devil for he would rather quench it than kindle it in him not his own corruption for that is naturally averse to every thing that is good it must needs then be the work of the Spirit of God who works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure and who pronounceth all them blessed that thus desire after grace Kemnitius Ursini Catechis When I have a good desire saith one though it doth scarcely shew it self in some little slender sigh I must be assured that the Spirit of God is present and worketh his good work Wicked men do not desire the grace of the holy Spirit whereby they may resist sin and therefore they are justly deprived of it for he that earnestly desireth the holy Ghost hath it already because this desire of the spirit cannot be but from the Spirit Taffnies Book of the marks of Gods children Our faith saith another may be so small and weak as it doth not yet bring forth fruits that may be lively felt in us but if they which feel themselves in such an estate desire to have these feelings namely of God's favour and love if they ask them of God's hands by prayer this desire and prayer are testimonies that the Spirit of God is in them and that they have faith already for is such a desire a fruit of the flesh or of the Spirit it is of the holy Spirit who bringeth it forth only in such as he dwells in c. Then those holy desires and prayers being the motions of the holy Ghost in us are testimonies of our faith although they seem to us small and weak As the woman that feeleth the moving of a child in her body though very weak assureth her self that she hath conceived and that she goeth with a live child So if we have these motions these holy affections and desires before mentioned let us not doubt but that we have the holy Ghost who is the Author of them dwelling in us and consequently that we have also faith Again saith the same Author 1. If thou hast begun to hate and flie sin 2. If thou feelest that thou art displeased at thine infirmities and corruptions 3. If having offended God thou findest a grief and a sorrow for it 4. If thou desire to abstain from sin 5. If thou avoidest the occasions of sin 6. If thou doest thy endeavours against sin 7. If thou prayest to God to give thee grace all these holy affections proceeding from none other than from the Spirit of God Phil. 2.13 2 Cor. 8.10 12. ought to be as so many pledges and testimonies that he is in thee It is as impossible for us naturally to do the least good or to desire the least grace as 't is for a Toad to spit Cordials Sincere desires after God and Christ and Grace is sometimes the all that the people of God find in themselves This was all that Nehemiah could say of himself and the rest of his brethren Neh. 1.11 That they did desire to fear God's name And so the Church Isa 26.8 The desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thy holiness And vers 9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night So the Spouse Cant. 3.1 2 3. So David Psal 27.4 Psal 42.1 2. Psal 63.1 They must needs be sure of grace that have an unfeigned desire of it This is a Maxim that we must live and die with viz. That no man can truly desire grace but he that hath already grace certainly he that desireth grace hath grace to desire it It is an infallible sign that that man hath already some measure of grace that doth seriously desire to have it he would never seriously desire to fear God who stands not in some awe of him already nor he would never seriously desire to love God who has not in him some love to God already nor he would never seriously desire to believe who has not in him some faith already nor he would never seriously desire to repent that hath not repented already nor he would never seriously desire sanctifying grace whose heart in some measure is not already sanctified by the spirit of grace It is the very essence of righteousness saith one of the Ancients for a man to be willing to be righteous Angustine Pars magna bonitatis est vellâ— fieri boâ—um Sen. Ep. 34. And the poor Heathen could say It is a principal part of goodness for a man to be willing to be good It is natural for every one to desire his own natural good but to desire spiritual grace holiness sound sanctification faith unfeigned the true fear of God serious repentance c. is more than ever any natural man did or can do No man did ever desire to eat which had not eaten before nor no man did ever desire to believe that did not believe before all true desires after faith spring from faith as the root of them Certainly wicked men don't nor can't so much as desire saving grace Job 21.14 Isa 53.2 and that First Because grace is above the reach of nature 1 Cor. 2.14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned The water riseth no higher than the springs from whence it came so natural men can ascend no
the doctrine of Repentance at large but only to speak so far of it as may speak it out to be evidential of the goodness and happiness of a Christians spiritual and eternal condition NOw before I come to open my self more particularly give me leave to premise this in the general viz. That there is a repentance that does accompany salvation 2 Cor. 7.10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death Jer. 4.14 O Jerusalem wash thy heart from wickedness that thou mayest be saved Acts 11.18 When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life Mat. 18.3 And Jesus said verily I say unto you except you be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven Acts 3.19 Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Having premised thus much in the general give me now leave to say That there are three parts of true sound saving repentance unto all which forgiveness of sin is promised And the First is contrition or grief of heart for sins committed Now this is called sometimes godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 and sometimes a contrite spirit Isa 66.2 and sometimes a broken and contrite heart Psal 51.17 and sometimes the afflicting of our souls Levit. 16.29 and sometimes the humbling of the heart 2 Chron. 7.14 Lamen 3.20 and sometimes a mourning Zech. 12.10 and sometimes a weeping Mark 14.72 All repenting sinners are mourning sinners David repents and waters his couch with his tears Psal 6.6 Hezekiah repents and humbles himself for the pride of his heart 2 Chron. 32.26 Ephraim repents and Ephraim bemoans himself and smites upon his thigh and is even confounded Jer. 31.18 19. Mary Magdalen repents and weeps and washes Christs feet with her tears Luke 7.38 The Corinthians repented and they were made sorry after a godly manner 2 Cor. 7.9 Repentance in the Hebrew is called Nacham an irking of the soul and in Greek Metamelia after grief and Metanoia after wit and in the Latine Poenitentia All which do import that contrition or sorrow for sin is one part of true repentance O! the sighs the groans the sobs the tears that are to be found among repenting sinners Luth. Tom. 3.457 c. Luther hit the Mark when he said What are all the Palaces of the world to a contrite heart yea heaven and earth seeing it is the seat of divine Majesty Secondly 'T is very observable that all mourning persons for their sins are within the compass of the promise of forgiveness of sins Zech. 12.11 In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddo Zech. 13.1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Jer. 31.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning of himself c. Ver. 20. I will surely have mercy on him or as the Hebrew has it I will having mercy have mercy on him As soon as Ephraims heart is troubled for his sins Gods bowels are troubled for Ephraim as soon as Ephraim like a penitent child falls a weeping at God's foot God like a tender indulgent father falls a bemoaning of Ephraim Ephraim could not refrain from tears and God could not refrain from opening his bowels of mercy towards him So Isa 57.15 And how can the contrite heart be indeed revived and cheered without forgiveness of sins without a pardon in the bosom Melancthon makes mention of a godly woman who having upon her death-bed been in much conflict and afterwards much comforted brake out into these words Now and not till now did I understand the meaning of these words Thy sins are forgiven There is no comfort to that which arises from the sense of forgiveness Isa 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people saith your God speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her iniquities are pardoned And why is the mourning soul pronounced the blessed soul Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted but because the mourning soul is the pardoned soul But what is that sorrow or mourning for sin Qu. that is a part of true repentance The resolution of this question is very necessary for the preventing of all soul-deceits and mistakes and for the quieting setling and satisfying of souls truly penitent and therefore I shall give these eight following Answers to it First It is a sorrow or grief that is spiritual that is supernatural no man is born with godly sorrow in his heart as he is born with a tongue in his mouth Godly sorrow is a plant of God's own planting 't is a seed of his own sowing 't is a flower of his own setting 't is of a heavenly off-spring 't is from God and God alone The spirit of mourning is from above 't is from a supernatural power and principle there is nothing that can turn a heart of stone into flesh but the spirit of God Ezek. 36.25 26. Godly sorrow is a gift from God Job 23.16 God makes my heart soft No hand but a divine hand can make the heart soft and tender under the sight and sense of sin Nature may easily work a man to mourn and melt and weep under worldly losses crosses and miseries as it did David's men 1 Sam. 30.4 But it must be grace it must be a supernatural principle that must work the heart to mourn for sin Secondly godly sorrow is a sorrow for sin as sin 't is a mourning rather for sin than for smart 't is not so much for loss of goods lands wife child credit name c. but for that a holy God is offended a righteous Law violated Christ dishonoured the Spirit grieved and the Gospel blemished c. Peter's sorrow was godly but Judas his sorrow was worldly Peter mourns over the evil of sin but Judas mourns over the evil of punishment David mourns over his sin Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Psal 51.4 And so 2 Sam. 24.10 And David's heart smote him after he had numbred the people and David said unto the Lord I have sinned greatly in that I have done and now I beseech thee O Lord take away the iniquity of thy servant for I have done foolishly David does not cry out take away the threatned famine but take away the iniquity of thy servant nor he does not cry out take away the enemies of thy servant but take away the iniquity of thy servant nor he does not say take away the pestilence from the Land but take away the iniquity of thy servant But now when Pharaoh was under judgments he never cryes to the Lord to take away his sins
delivered from sin 6. Concomitant of godly sorrow Sixthly Yea what zeal Zeal is an extream heat of all the affections set against sin and working strongly towards God David's zeal did eat up his sin as well as himself And Paul was as zealous in propagating the Gospel as he had been furious in persecuting of it Many mens zeal is hot and burning when scorns and reproaches are cast upon them but the penitent man's zeal is most hot and burning when Religion is scorned Saints persecuted truth endangered and the great and dreadful name of God blasphemed c. The zeal of a true penitent will carry him on in a course of godliness and in a course of mortification in spight of all the diversions and oppositions that the world the flesh and the devil can make Holy zeal is a fire that will make its way through all things that stands between God and the soul The true penitent is unchangably resolved to be hid of his sins what ever it cost him who ever escapes who ever lives he is fully determined his lusts shall die for it only remember this though zeal should eat up our sins yet it must not eat up our wisdom no more than policy should eat up our zeal Seventhly Yea what revenge The true penitent revenges himself upon himself for his sins 7. Concomitant of godly sorrow not by whips and scourges as the Papists do 1 Cor. 9.27 A penitent sinner loaths the very scars of his sins after they are healed Nazian but by buffetting the flesh and bringing it into subjection by fasting and prayer and by crossing of his lusts and loading of them with chains and by diâ—â—ding the sword of mortification against them and by with-holding from them that fuel that might feed them and by the use of all other holy exercises whereby the old man the body of sin and death may be subdued to the obedience and discipline of the Spirit of God Holy revenge will shew it self by contradicting of corrupt self and by a severe chastising and punishing of all those instruments that have been servants to the flesh as you may see by the daughters of Israel in dedicating their looking-glasses by which they had offended Exod. 38.8 to the service of the Sanctuary Acts 19.19 and as you may see by the Ephesians burning of their costly and curious books before all men Luke 7. and by Mâ—ry Magdalens wiping of Christ's feet with her hair wherewith formerly her fond and foolish lovers were inticed and intangled And the same spirit you may see working in Zacheus Luke 19.8 9. and in the Jailor Acts 16.23 24 29 30 31 33 34. And so blessed Cranmer thrust his right hand first into the fire that being the hand by which he subscribed the Popish Articles revengfully crying out This unworthy right hand this unworthy right hand as long as he could speak The common language of holy revenge is this Lord pour out all thy wrath and all thy fierce anger and all thy fiery indignation upon this lust and that lust Lord bend thy bow and shoot all the arrows of thy displeasure into the very heart of my strong corruptions Lord when wilt thou rain hell out of heaven upon this proud heart this unbelieving heart this unclean heart this worldly heart this froward heart this treacherous heart of mine c. I have read of Hannibal that when he saw a pit full of the bloud of his enemies he cryed out with much content and delight O beautiful sight So when a penitent Christian sees his spiritual enemies his strong corruptions all in a goar bloud O! how delightfully and rejoycingly does he cry out O beautiful sight O blessed sight that ever I have seen Exod. 15. When the children of Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the Sea-shore then they sang a song of praise the Application is easie O Sirs let no man deceive his own immortal soul for 't is most certain that repentance to life hath all these lively companions attending of it Sound repentance and the companions of it are born together and will live and continue together till the penitent soul changes earth for heaven grace for glory And let thus much suffice for the first part of true repentance c. The second part of true repentance lyes in confession of sin which flows out of a contrite heart I mean not a bare formal empty confession such as is common amongst the worst of sinners as that we are all sinners and stand in need of a Saviour God help us God be merciful unto us c. but of such a confession of sin as ariseth from a true sight and full sense of sin and from the due apprehensions of a righteous Law that is transgressed and a holy God that is provoked c. When tongue and heart goes together when the tongue speaks out of the abundance of the heart when the tongue is the faithful interpreter of the heart freely ingenuously and humbly acknowledging iniquity transgression and sin and the penitent judging himself worthy of death of wrath of hell and unworthy of the least mercy and favour from God c. Now such a confession as this is you shall find in repenting sinners and if you look again you shall find those persons so confessing to be under the capacity of the promise of the forgiveness of their sins c. First You shall find repenting sinners confessing their sins Ezra 9.6 O my God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face unto thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens Repenting sinners confess their sins c. Ver. 10. And now O our God what shall we say after this for we have forsaken thy commandements c. Psal 51.3 I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me Ver. 4. Against thee thee only have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight Dan. 9.4 5. I prayed unto the Lord my God and made my confession and said O Lord the great and dreadful God c. We have sinned and committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments c. Ver. 8. O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day Luke 15.18 I will arise and go to my father and will say unto him father I have sinned against heaven and before thee Ver. 19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son c. 1 Cor. 15.9 For I am the least of all the Apostles that am not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God 1 Tim. 1.13 Who was before a blasphemer and a persecuter and injurious c. Isa 53.6 All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all I might easily
I restore him fourfold Thus you see that true penitents make a particular confession of their right eye sins and of their right hand sins and indeed what is confession of sin but a setting our sins in order before the Lord and how can this be done but by a distinct and particular enumeration of them But to prevent mistakes this must be taken with a grain of salt this must be understood with this limitation we are to confess our sins distinctly particularly so far as we know them so far as we are acquainted with them There are many thousand sins which we commit that we know not to be sins and there are many thousand sins committed by us that can't be remembred by us Now certainly it is impossible for us to recount or confess those sins that we know not that we remember not so that our particular confessions can only reach to known sins so far as we can call them to mind for indeed our particular acts of sin are innumerable they are more in number than the hairs of our head and indeed we are as well able to tell the stairs of heaven and to number the sands of the Sea and to recount all the sparing mercies the pitying mercies the preventing mercies the succouring mercies the supporting mercies and the delivering mercies of God as we are able to tell to number to recount the individual particular acts of sin that we are guilty of yet so far as the knowledge and memory of a penitent Christian reaches so far his confession reaches But now wicked men confess sin in the general in the lump as Tharaoh I have sinned and their conâ—essions are commonly confused and at random When and where do you find wicked men confessing their sins distinctly or particularly before God or man this is none of the least of their miseries that they have not a clear distinct particular view of their own corruptions and abominations But Fifthly The true penitent does not only distinctly and particularly confess his sins but he does very highly aggravate his sins Psal 32.5 Levit. 16.21 by confessing not only the kinds and acts so far as he knows and remembers them but the circumstances of them also There are sometimes some circumstances that may somewhat lessen a penitent mans sins now these he readily and easily passes over but then there are other circumstances which do exceedingly heighten and aggravate his sins and that makes them more hainous and dangerous and these he carefully and faithfully acknowledges The penitential confessions recorded in the old and new Testament are full of exaggerating expressions as is evident in these instances Ezra at once heightens and aggravates their sins by this circumstance that they had been committed against manifold experiments that they had had both of the severity and also of the mercy of the Lord Ezra 9. and so does Nehemiah also Neh. 9. The like instance you have in Daniel Chap. 9. 5 6. We have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy Name to our Kings our Princes and our Fathers and to all the people of the Land In these words you have seven circumstances that Daniel useth in confessing of his and the peoples sins and all to heighten and to aggravate them First We have sinned Secondly We have committed iniquity Thirdly We have done wickedly Fourthly We have rebelled against thee Fifthly We have departed from thy percepts Sixthly We have not hearkened unto thy servants Seventhly Nor our Princes nor all the people of the Land These seven aggravations which Daniel reckons up in his confession are worthy of our most serious consideration The same spirit you may find working in Peter Mark 14.72 When he thought thereon be wept or neerer the Original When he cast all these things one upon another he wept Ah wretch that ever I was born that ever I should deny the Lord that bought me that ever I should deny him who hath not only externally but also internally called me that ever I should deny him that made me an Apostle that fed me at his table that beautified me with his grace and that in the Mount shew'd me some glimpses of his glory that ever I should deny him who has brought me out of a state of death and wrath into a state of life and love that ever I should deny him that has been the best the wisest the holiest the tenderest the faithfullest and the noblest Master that ever man served Ah wretch that I am he forewarned me of this sin before-hand that I might be not only cautioned but armed against it and yet I denied him I promised him before-hand that I would never deny him that I would never forsake him that I would never turn my back upon him and yet like a base coward I have denied the captain of my salvation yea this very night and no longer ago did I say again and again that I would not deny him and yet now even now I have most shamefully denied him yea I told him that though all others should deny him yet would not I deny him and yet in all the world there is not such another to be found that has so sadly so desperately denied him as I have denied him and that before a silly Maid nay more beast that I am to my denying of him I have added a most incredible lye saying I know not the man when there was not a man in all the world that I was so well acquainted with as I was with Christ feeding constantly at his table There was scarce any Jew which knew not Christ by sight he being very famous for the many miracles that were wrote by him and drinking constantly of his cup and living constantly upon his purse and waiting constantly upon his person and being a constant eye-witness of all the famous miracles that were wrought by him nay yet more monster that I am I did not only lye but I also bound that lye with an hideous Oath I did not only say that I knew not the man but I also swore I knew not the man nay yet more than all this I did not only basely deny him I did not only tell an incredible lye against my own light and conscience I did not only bind a fearful lye with a hideous oath but I also fell a cursing and damning of my self for so much the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports I wisht that the curse the wrath or vengeance of God might fall upon me if I knew the man I wisht my self separated from the presence and glory of God if I knew the man And wo and alas to me all this I did when my Lord and Master was neer me yea when he was upon his trial yea and yet more when all the world had forsaken him yea and yet more
God a lyar if we say we have not sinned he that says he has no sin he does no sin he does by consequence charge God with falshood who hath frequently told us in that word of grace that can't deceive us that all men are sinners and that they have all gone astray and that they all need pardoning and purging grace and that upon these very accounts he sent his beloved Son to lay down his dearest life Isa 53.3 Rom. 10.23 5.12 c. and to make himself an offering for sin Now from these Scriptures these two things are most evident First that sinful qualities do remain in the most sanctified persons Secondly that these sinful qualities are sometimes very prevalent over the most sanctified persons and therefore I shall answer the objection thus Ans viz. That a true penitential turning from all sin consists in these six things First In the alienation and inward aversation and drawing off of the soul from the love and liking of all sin and from all free and voluntary subjection unto sin the heart being filled with a loathing and detestation of all sin Psal 119.104 128. as that which is most contrary to all goodness and happiness Secondly In the wills detestation and hatred of all sin When the very bent and inclination of the will is set against all sin and opposes and crosses all sin and is set upon the ruin and destruction of all sin then the penitent is turned from all sin Rom. 7.15 19 21 23. Isa 30.20 Thou shalt cast them away as a menstrous cloth thou shalt say unto it get thee hence Hosea 14.8 Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols When the will stands upon such terms of defiance with all sin as that it will never enter into a league of friendship with any sin then is the soul turned from every sin When the will is set upon avenging it self upon all sin and upon daily endeavours to mortifie and crucifie all sin then is the penitent turned from all his sins when those sins that were once to the will as Dalilah to Sampson are now to the will as Tamar to Amnon then is the soul turned from sin with a witness Thirdly In the judgments turning away from all sin by disapproving disallowing and condemning of it Rom. 7.15 For that which I do I allow not for what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. O saith the judgment of a Christian sin is the greatest evil in all the world 't is the only thing that God abhors and that brought Jesus Christ to the Cross that damns souls that shuts heaven and that has laid the foundations of hell O it is the pricking thorn in my eye the deadly arrow in my side the two-edged sword that hath wounded my conscience and slain my comforts and separated between God and my soul O it is that which hath hindred my prayers and imbittered my mercies and put a sting into all my crosses and therefore I can't but disapprove of it and disallow of it and condemn it to death yea to hell fâ—om whence it came I thus preach and thus think saith Chrysostom that it is more bitter to sin against Christ than to suffer the torments of hell Plutarch reports of Marcus Cato that he never declared his opinion in any matter in the Senate but he would close it with this passage Methinks still Carthage should be destroyed So when ever a penitent looks upon his sins in his judgment he is still saying Methinks these sins should be destroyed methinks this pride this unbelief this earthly-mindedness this hypocrisie this vain glory c. should be destroyed Fourthly In the purpose and resolution of the soul the soul sincerely purposing and resolving never willingly wilfully or wickedly to transgress any more The true penitent holds up his purposes and resolutions to keep off from sin and to keep closs with God though he be not able in every thing and at all times to make good his purposes and resolutions c. Psal 17.3 I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress The general purpose and resolution of my heart is not to transgress though particular failings may attend me yet my resolutions and purposes are firmly fixt against evil Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked are before me David highly resolves so to bridle and muzzle up his mouth that he would not break out into any impatient or unbeseeming speeches that might give the wicked any advantage to reproach Religion or to blaspheme the holy One of Israel c. Anselme was a man of a holy resolution I had rather saith he go to hell pure from sin than to heaven polluted with that filth And saith another I will rather leap into a bonfire than wilfully to sin against God When Valens the Emperor threatned Basil with imprisonment banishment death Threaten sayes he your Boyes with such fray-bugs and your purple Gallants that give themselves to their pleasures I am resolved neither menaces nor flatteries shall silence me or draw me to betray a good cause or a good conscience c. Fifthly In the earnest and unfeigned desires and careful endeavours of the soul to abandon all sin to forsake all sin to be rid of all sin Rom. 7.22 23. Now where God sees this frame of spirit there he will certainly pardon the failings and pass by the imperfections of his people and he will spare them as a man spareth his son that serveth him Mal. 3.17 Now you know when a prudent tender indulgent father sees his child to fail and come short in that which he enjoyns him to do yet knowing that his desires and endeavours is to please him and serve him he will not be harsh rigid sowre or severe towards him but will spare him and exercise much tenderness and indulgence towards him and will God will God whose mercies reach above the heavens and whose compassions are infinite and whose love is like himself carry it worse towards his children than men do carry it towards theirs surely no. God's fatherly indulgence accepts of the will for the work Heb. 13.18 2 Cor. 8.12 As a father will accept in his child the desire for the deed and if there be a blemish in his child he will pity it and cast a mantle of love over it A sick man is not more desirous to be rid of all his diseases nor a prisoner to be freed from all his bolts and chains than the true penitent is desirous to be rid of all his sins c. Sixthly and lastly In the ordinary declining shunning and avoiding of all known occasions temptations provocations inducements and inticements to sin c. That royal Law 1 Thes 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evil is a Law that is very precious in a penitent man's eye See Jude 23.
Exod. 23.7 Prov. 22.3 27.12 Prov. 5.8 and commonly lyes warm upon a penitent man's heart so that take him in his ordinary course and you shall find him very ready to shun and be shie of the very appearances of sin of the very shews and shadows of sin Job made a covenant with his eyes Job 31.1 and Joseph would not hearken to his bold tempting Mistris to lye by her or to be with her Gen. 39.10 and David when himself would not sit with vain persons Psal 26.3 4 5. 2 Sam. 24.20 ult and at another time he refused to take the threshing floor Oxen and threshing instruments of Araunah as a gift but would buy them because he would avoid the very shew of covetousness as some conceive Austin being often ensnared in uncleanness in his younger dayes before his conversion he was exceeding careful to avoid all occasions of it afterwards Now a true penitential turning from all sin lyes in these six things and therefore you had need look about you for if there be any one way of wickedness wherein you walk and which you are resolved you will not forsake you are no true penitents and you will certainly lose your souls and all the great and glorious things of another world The third Answer Ans 3 Thirdly A true penitential turning is a constant and continued turning from sin 2 Chron 7.15 As it is total in respect of the act so it is final in respect of the time True repentance takes an everlasting farewel an everlasting adieu of sin it saith with the Spouse Cant. 5.3 I have put off my coat how shall I put it on I have found the smart of sin I have put off the garments of the old man the rags of old Adam and how shall I put them on again The burnt child will dread the fire The man that hath smarted for Suretyship will by no means be perswaded to come again into bonds though you urge him to it never so frequently never so strongly never so rhetorically yet he will tell you he has smarted for it he has paid dear for it and therefore you must excuse him he is peremptorily resolved nay he hath seriously vowed against it and though he be never so much intreated and by variety of arguments importuned yet still he remains inexorable A Christian that hath truly repented is so sensible of the freeness and sweetness of the grace of God on the one hand and of the weight of sin and wrath of God on the other hand that he is highly resolved never to have any more to do with Idols Psal 40.12 Hos 14.8 never to meddle more with those burning coals True repentance is a continued act a repentance never to be repented of The true penitent is every day a turning further and further from sin and neerer and neerer to God There is nothing that fetches so many tears from a penitent man's eyes nor so many sighs and groans from a penitent man's heart as this that he can get no further off from sin and that he can get no neerer nor no closser to God Repentance for sin and a willing continuance in sin cannot consist in the same subject A sincere penitent makes as much conscience of repenting daily as he doth of believing daily and he can as easily content himself with one act of faith or love or fear or hope or joy or obedience as he can content himself with one act of repentance My sins are ever before me Psal 51.3 This is the voice of every true penitent Oh that I might sin no more Oh that I might never dishonour God more Oh that I might never walk contrary to Jesus Christ more Oh that I might never grieve the spirit of grace more To sin is common to man 1 John 1.8 10. 5.19 Isa 28.15 18. Psal 139.24 Rom. 7.22 23. yea to the best man in all the world but to continue in a course of sin is only proper to a wicked man To err and fail that 's humane but to maintain a league or friendship with sin that is diabolical Though a true penitent dares not continue in a trade a path of sin whilst he lives in this world yet sin will continue in him whilst he continues in this world though sin and grace were not born together and though sin and grace shall never die together yet whilst a penitent man lives in this world they must live together 'T is one thing for sin to continue in us and 't is another thing for us to continue in sin The Apostle having closed the fifth Chapter of his Epistle to the Romans in the triumph of Gospel grace That as sin hath reigned unto death so grace might reign through righteousness â—nto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6.1 2. begins the next with a prevention of the abuse of this grace What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein To live in sin in the face of Gospel-grace is most unreasonable and to a gracious and ingenious nature impossible the very question implyes a kind of impossibility Such as were once dead in sin and now by Gospel-grace are dead to sin such can no longer continue in sin Look as 't is not the meer falling into the water that drowns a man but his lying and continuing in it so it is not a meer falling into sin that damns a man that drowns a man that everlastingly undoes a man but his living in it his continuing in it It is bad to sin but 't is infinitely worse to continue in sin The first best is not to sin the next best is not to continue in sin no not for an hour as Paul speaks in another case Gal. 2.5 To whom we gave place by subjection no not for an hour Certainly to argue from gospel-Gospel-mercy to sinful liberty is the Devil's Logick The more a man lives in the sight of Gospel-grace the more sin will be discountenanced resisted hated and totally displaced A man may as truly assert that the Sea burns or that the fire cools or that the Sun darkens the Air as he may assert that the sight sense or sweet of Gospel-grace will breed security or carnality loosness or wickedness in a gracious heart The true penitent never ceases repenting till he ceases living he goes to heaven with the joyful tears of repentance in his eyes he knows that his whole life is but a day of sowing tears that he may at last reap everlasting joyes True repentance makes a final and everlasting separation between sin and the soul it makes such an absolute and compleat divorce between sin and the soul and casts them so far asunder that no power nor policy can ever bring them to meet as lovers together The true penitent looks upon sin as an enemy and deals with it as Amnon dealt with Tamar 2
do well to be angry even unto death And that is very considerable that Job speaks concerning his friends Job 19.3 These ten times have ye reproached me yet are ye not ashamed It is a sin to reproach any man it is a greater to reproach a godly man but yet greater to reproach a godly man under sad and sore afflictions but yet greatest of all to reproach a godly man under his sufferings often frequently yet saith Job These ten times have ye reproached me and yet Job's friends were not only godly but eminently godly By this sad instance 't is evident that gracious men yea that men eminently gracious may fall into the same sin again and again yea ten times that is often Though Christ told his disciples that his kingdom was not of this world John 18.36 Mat. 18.1 2 3 4. Mark 9 34. Luke 9.46 22.24 26. yet at three several times their pride and ambitious humour put them upon striving for preheminence and worldly greatness King Jehoshaphat though he was a godly man yet he joyns affinity with that non such wicked Ahab for which he was smartly reproved by the Prophet 2 Chron. 19.2 And Jehu went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat shouldest thou help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord. Now though this gracious Prince was thus reproved and saved even by a miracle of mercy 2 Chron. 18.1 2 3 30 31. compared yet soon after he falls into the same sin again and joyns himself with Ahaziah King of Israel who did very wickedly 2 Chron. 20.35 36. and for which he is severely reproved in verse 37. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavan of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat saying because thou hast joyned thy self with Ahaziah the Lord hath broken thy works and the Ships were broken that they were not able to go to Tarshish Let was twice overcome with wine c. and Abraham though the father of the faithful yet falls once and again into the same sin Gen. 12.11 12 Mat. 26. Gal. 2.11 12 13 13. compared with Chap. 20 1 2 3 4 13. Peter falls once and again into the same sin and John twice worshipped the Angel and Sampson who is by the Spirit of the Lord numbred amongst those Worthies of whom this world was not worthy Heb. 11.32 33 38. fell again and again into the same gross sin as is evident in the 14 15 16. Chapters of the book of Judges And the Church confesses that their backslidings are many Jer. 14.7 By all which 't is most evident that good men may fall again and again into the same sin and no wonder for though their repentance be never so sincere and sound yet their graces are but weak and their mortification but imperfect in this life and therefore 't is possible for a gracious soul to fall again and again into the same sin if the fire be not wholly put out who will think it impossible that it should catch and burn again and again I readily grant that the Lord hath graciously promised to heal the backslidings of his people Hosea 14.4 and so Jer. 3.22 See Jer. 3.1 4 5 6 7 8 12 14. Return ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God But I can no where find in all the Scriptures that God hath engaged himself by any particular promise or promises that Christians truly converted truly penitent shall never fall again and again into the same sins after their conversion I cannot find in all the book of God where God has engaged himself to give such strength or power against this sin or that as that a Christian shall be for ever in this life put out of all possibility of falling again and again into the same sins No person on earth can shew such a promise that when a Christian has been thus or thus troubled grieved humbled or melted for his sins that then God will assuredly preserve him from ever falling into the same sins again The sight of such a promise under God's own hand would be as life from the dead to all real Christians who fear nothing more than the sin of backsliding Certainly there is no such power or infinite vertue in the greatest horrors or terrors troubles or sorrows that the soul can be under for sin nor in the fullest sweetest or choicest discoveries of God's rich grace and free love to the soul as for ever to fence and secure the soul from relapsing into the same sin again and again Though grace be a glorious creature yet 't is but a creature grace is but a created habit that may be prevailed against by Satans temptations and by the strong secret and subtile workings of sin in our hearts But this must be carefully minded and remembred that though the Saints may and do sometimes relapse yet they do not relapse in such a manner as wicked men do relapse For First They do not relapse voluntarily but involuntarily Involuntary relapses are when the resolution and full bent of the heart is against sin when the soul strives with all its might against sin by sighs and groans by prayers and tears and yet by some invincible weakness is forced to fall back into sin again because there is not spiritual strength enough to overcome Secondly They do not relapse out of choice as wicked men do Isa 66.3 Thirdly They don't relapse out of any delight that they take in relapsing witness their sad complaints their great lamentations and their bitter mournings over their relapses Relapses into diseases and relapses into sins are more troublesom and dangerous than they are any wayes delightful to all that are in their wits Fourthly They don't relapse out of any setled purpose or resolution of heart to relapse as wicked men do Jer. 2.25 All the relapses of a Saint are against the setled bent byass and resolution of his soul Fifthly They don't relapse out of any love or longing to relapse as wicked men do who long and love to return to the flesh-pots of Egypt Sixthly They don't relapse into enormities as wicked men do for 't is not usual with God to leave his people frequently to relapse into enormities for by his spirit and grace by his smiles and frowns by his word and rod he doth commonly preserve his people from a common a frequent relapsing into enormities into gross wickednesses The common and ordinary relapses of the people of God are relapses into infirmities as idle words passion hastiness rashness vain thoughts c. and these God pardons in course but the common and ordinary relapses of wicked men are relapses into enormities into gross impieties Seventhly They don't relapse habitually constantly as wicked men do their relapses are transient not permanent they are not of course A Sheep may fall into the mire but a swine wallows in the mire c. But secondly
hypocrites that won't receive him in every office 1 Cor. 1 1â— should have no benefit by any one of his offices Christ and his offices may be distinguished but Christ and his offices can never be divided whilst many have been a labouring to divide one office of Christ from another they have wholly stript themselves of any advantage or benefit by Christ Hypocrites love to share with Christ in his happiness but they don't love to share with Christ in his holiness they are willing to be redeemed by Christ but they are not cordially willing to submit to the Laws and Government of Christ they are willing to be saved by his bloud but they are not willing to submit to his Scepter Hypocrites love the priviledges of the Gospel but they don't love the services of the Gospel especially those that are most inward and spiritual But now a sincere Christian he owns Christ in all his offices 1 John 12. Mat. 2.6 Heb. 7.21 26. Acts 3.22 John 12.46 he receives Christ in all his offices and he closes with Christ in all his offices he accepts of him not only as a Christ Jesus but also as a Lord Jesus he imbraces him not only as a saving Christ but also as a ruling Christ The Colossians received him as Christ Jesus the Lord Col. 2.6 they received a Lord Christ as well as a saving Christ they received Christ as a King upon his throne 2 Cor. 4.5 as well as a sacrifice upon his Cross God the Father in the Gospel tenders a whole Christ We preach Christ Jesus the Lord Acts 5.31 and accordingly a sincere Christian receives a whole Christ he receives Christ Jesus the Lord he sayes with Thomas My Lord and my God John 20.28 he takes Christ for his wisdom as well as for his righteousness and he takes him for his sanctification as well as for his redemption An hypocrite is all for a saving Christ for a sin-pardoning Christ for a soul-glorifying Christ but regards not a ruling Christ a reigning Christ a commanding Christ a sanctifying Christ and this at last will prove his damning sin John 3.19 20. But Seventhly An Hypocrite can't mourn for sin as sin nor grieve for sin as sin nor hate sin as sin nor make head against sin as sin Mark to hate sin is not 1. Num. 22. Meerly to refrain from sin for so Balaam did even then when he was tempted to it 2. To hate sin is not meerly to confess sin Exod. 10.16 Mat. 27.4 for so Pharaoh and Judas did 3. To hate sin is not meerly to be afraid to sin for this may be where the hatred of sin is not 4. To hate sin is not meerly to mourn because of the dreadful effects and fruits that sin may produce for so Ahab did and the Ninivites did c. He that sears sin for hell Augustine fears not to sin but to burn but he hates sin indeed whoso hates sin as hell it self It was a saying of one of the Ancients Anselm That if hell and sin were before him he would rather fall into hell than fall into sin here was a true hatred of sin indeed An hypocrite may be troubled for sin as it blots his name and wounds his conscience and brings a scourge and destroys his soul shuts him out of heaven and throws him to hell but he is never troubled for sin he never mourns for sin he never hates sin because 't is contrary to the nature of God the being of God the Law of God the glory of God the design of God or because of the evil that is in the nature of sin or because of the defiling and polluting power of sin True hatred of sin is universal 't is of the whole kind he who hates a toad because it is a toad hates every toad and he who hates a man because he is holy hates every holy man and so he who hates sin because 't is sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Rhet. lib. 2. hates every sin Psal 119.128 I hate every false way True hatred is ever against the whole kind of a thing Every sincere Christian hath in him a general hatred of every false way and dares not allow himself in the least sin What I do I allow not Rom. 7.15 Rom. 12.9 Abhor that which is evil The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very significant Chrysost the simple Verb imports extream detestation which is aggravated by the composition Rom. 2.21 the word signifies to hate evil as hell it self Though an hypocrite may hate some sins Thou abhorrest Idols yet that is out of some peculiar and particular indisposition to a particular sin Doctor Sibs in his souls conflict makes the hatred of sin the surest and never failing character of a good soul page 340. but this hatred of thâ—s or that particular sin ariseth not from an inward nature or gracious principle as it doth in him that is a sincere Christian the reason is this because that contrariety to sin which is in a real Christian arising from this inward gracious nature is to the whole species or kind of sin and is irreconcilable to any sin whatsoever As contrarieties of nature are to the whole kind as light is contrary to all darkness and fire to all water so this contrariety to sin arising from the inward man is universal to all sin Though a sincere Christian has not a universal victory over all sin yet there is in him a universal contrariety to all sin Victory argues strength contrariety argues nature Hence it is that an hypocrite may hate one sin and love another because there is not a gracious nature in him which would be contrary to all The inward nature of a Christian is to be judged by the universal contrariety of his inward man to all sin Now this universal contrariety to all sin will beget a univeâ—sal conflict with all sin O Sirs remember this A universal contrariety to sin can be found in no man but he that is sincere and this universal contrariety to sin argues an inward nature of grace and this is that which differences a real Christian from an hypocrite who may oppose some sins out of other principles and reasons An hypocrite may be angry with this sin and that which brings the smarting rod and wounds his conscience and disturbs his peace and imbitters his mercies and strangles his comforts and that layes him open to wrath and that brings him even to the gates of hell but he can never hate sin as sin An hypocrite he hates some sins but likes others he loaths some but loves others he opposes some but practises others like the Angel of the Church of Ephesus that hated the deeds of the Nicolaitans but loved luke-warmness Rev. 2.5 6. Many men detest theft that love covetousness abhor whoredom that like irrereligiousness c. There is no hypocrite under heaven that can truly