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order_n	day_n	good_a	time_n	2,585	5	3.4202	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12473	Essex doue, presenting the vvorld vvith a fevv of her oliue branches: or, A taste of the workes of that reuerend, faithfull, iudicious, learned, and holy minister of the Word, Mr. Iohn Smith, late preacher of the Word at Clauering in Essex Deliuered in three seuerall treatises, viz. 1 His grounds of religion. 2 An exposition on the Lords Prayer. 3 A treatise of repentance.	Smith, John, 1563-1616.; Hart, John, D.D.	1629 (1629)	STC 22798; ESTC S117569	350,088	544

it come We reade that when the people of God were to celebrate the Passeouer Exod. 12. 11. the text saith And thus yee shall eate it with your loines girded your shoes on your feet and your staffe in your hand and yee shall eate it in haste c. And why was this that the people might be ready to passe our of Aegypt whensoeuer God should call them vnto it Euen so must euery man prepare himselfe for death get his staffe into his hand haue his loines girded his shoes vpon his feet that he may bee ready to depart out of this world when God shall appoint him but such is our corruption that a number haue a care onely to liue in iollity neglecting altogether preparation for the day of death how to lay themselues downe in rest and peace of conscience at that time Now there be Three reasons that may mooue a man to prepare himselfe for the day of death Reason 1 First because of the vncertainty of Death Vncertaine I say both in regard of time place manner for though we all know that we must die that no man can escape or auoide it yet are these other circumstances of our death onely known vnto God Wherefore because nothing more certaine then that wee must die and nothing so vncertaine as Time Place and Manner it stands vs in hand alwayes to bee prepared for it doing and ordering of our affaires betimes as good old Isaac said in this case to his sonne Esau Gen. 27. 1. 2. Behold now I am old and know not the day of my Death come therefore dresse me venison c. That my soule may blesse thee before I dye Euen so must wee doe order all matters wisely exhort one another dailly whilest it is called to day doe what good wee can repent vs of our sins delay no good wee are able to doe to our selues or others saying to friends children and acquaintance ô my time is vncertaine therefore remember this and this doe this and this c. Thus must wee prepare for death there is none amongst vs I know but if hee had an intent to build a house would surely make preparation for it before hand as Timber bricke morter tyles with other necessaries So seeing wee are to make sure for our selues an eternall house not made with hands ler vs bee carefull to furnish our selues to fit our selues for it by earnest prayer faith patience obedience c. because as I said we are vncertaine of the time whether to day or to morrow young or old this yeare or the next whether in the day or the night whether in the house or the field whether amongst our friends or enemies whether of a lingring or a sudden a milde or a torturing disease by land or water by sword or famine or pestilence all is I say vncertaine therefore wee must prepare for death in regard of the certaine vncertaintie thereof Reason 2 A second Reason to mooue vs to this preparation is because wee can die but once and that which can but once bee done had need to bee well done So the Author to the Hebrews saith Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for men once to die and after that commeth iudgement So because wee can die but once we should be very carefull to doe it wel seeing if it be ●ll done it can neuer be mended againe In all other things if a man doe amisse at first hee may repaire it afterwards but onely in this matter of death there is no amendment no redemption afterwards If a man shoote an arrow at a marke if in the first aime you tell him what his fault was that hee is ouer or vnder or wide he may mend it the next time or the next after that but in death it is not so once amisse and euer vndone therefore be carefull to die well seeing it is but once to bee done Reason 3 The third Reason is The remedilesse state after Death for looke how death leaues a man so shall iudgement find him As long as a man is aliue here vpon earth there is hope that he may bee conuerted repent of his sins and be brought before the throne of Grace but if a man bee once dead and laied in the dust then he can neuer attaine to repentance for his sins Faith in the promises nor vnto one sanctified Grace of Gods Spirit though he would giue a thousand worlds if he had them therefore euery mans wisedome must be to prepare for death before it come according to that counsell of Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoeuer thine hand findeth to doe doe it with all thy might for there is neither worke nor deuice nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest Now this Preparation to Death stands in fiue Dutyes First A man of vnderstanding must furnish himselfe with those graces and duties that bee most needfull at the day of death He must labour for Faith and Patience and Obedience with other holy graces of God for he cannot then spare any grace but these three a man shall find more especiall need of when he comes to die Therfore as Noah made an Arke to saue himselfe and his houshold from the flood before it came so must euery man before death come labour to saue and secure himselfe that he may haue a place of shelter in the day of death Wherefore if a man would die well he must first come to liue well for questionlesse as a man liues so is he likely to die If a man look vpon a tree when it is a felling he may giue a shrewd ghesse where it will fall for looke where the greatest burden of boughes hang or grow that way commonly the tree will fall and euen so looke which way a mans thoughts affections carry him in the course of his life the very same inclination will sway him at the houre of his death Therefore a man must prepare to furnish himselfe with abundance of holy graces that they may ouersway him in his loosing from earth to heauen when hee dies Referring all vnto God and his good will and pleasure with holy Dauid saying I held my peace and said nothing because thou O Lord hast done it Secondly A man must that would die well arme himselfe against the feare of death for a man cannot die well if he be affraid to die therefore he must be armed against it If any aske how must we be armed against the feare of death I answer Answ. First By perswading himselfe that it is Gods appointment that hee shall die yea that the very time and manner of our death is appointed by him yea every fit pang and trouble at the time of death all particulars are appointed as Christ shewes Math. 10. 30. But the very haires of your head are all numbred Secondly wee must arme our selues against the feare of death by considering the comfortable state which followeth after Death For

the physicke is alwayes tempered to the st●ength of the diseased but the longer it is deferred the more dangerous is the cure So it is with vs for our sinnes wee must haue the Physicke of Repentance cure vs according to the measure of our sinnes as I haue shewed If a man haue made himselfe a great burden to carry and should assay it on his backe and so hee findes it vneasie and to presse him very much if he should then throw it downe and put a great deale more vnto it and then begin to lift it againe but vpon the second tryall finding it heauier then before if hee should fall in a great rage till hee adde twice as much strength and labour to carry it the lighter would wee not thinke such a one foolish thus wilfully to increase his burden so is it with the children of this world because they finde Repentance somewhat vneasie at first they cast it from them and by that time they come againe hauing added more sinnes and made their burden heauier they are compelled to their greater sorrow and greater Repentance to wrastle with so grieuous a burden at a wondrous great disaduantage The Fifth Reason why early Repentan● is better then late is Because it is more pleasing vnto God for hee for the most part reckoneth more of an old disciple then of a new As wee see in experience vsually one will make more account of an old seruant then of a new hee will commit more trust to him and bee more familiar with him Euen so the Lord makes more reckoning of an old Disciple then of a new wherefore by all these reasons wee may see that early Repentance is better then late And therefore now let vs doe as it is said 1. Chron. 22. 16. Arise therefore and bee doing the Lord will be with thee So seeing wee haue so many sinnes to repent vs of and that God must haue the temple of our soules new built and re-edified let vs vp betimes and be doing with our Repentance As Pro. 3. 28. Say not vnto thy neighbour goe and come againe tomorrow but giue when thou hast it by thee So say not vnto God when he offers thee Repentance goe and come againe I will listen to this another time but listen while it is time and refuse not mercie when it is so neere thee Wee see that in the practise of men they cannot indure to bee put off from day to day in those things they desire to haue but they will take it as an iniurie done vnto them So the Lord takes it as a great i●iurie and wrong done vnto him when men put off their repentance from day to day The common course of the world is to deferre Repentance vnto the day of death thinking that to be the fittest time for it But such are deceiued for of all other times this is the worst for it and that because of two impediments 1. One in Nature 2. The other in Grace The first impediment in Nature is The Dolour and paine wherein the partie at that time is for when paines bee vpon a man how vnfit is he then to repent when it is tedious and irksome to speake or heare any noyse O how vnfit is a man then to set all his sinnes in order before him to sorrow and mourne for them and that hee hath offended by them so gratious and good a God In this case it befalls vnto many at such times as it did with the Israelites Exod. 6. 9. Moses told them that the Lord would bring them out of Egypt that hee would take away the burdens from their shoulders and that hee would bring them into the land of Canaan which hee had sworne vnto their Fathers to giue vnto them But the text shewes That they did not hearken vnto Moses for the anguish of spirit and because of the cruell bondage they were in So for the most part when paines and sicknesse are vpon one hee is not fit to listen vnto any good counsell or admonition that any one can bring him be it neuer so comfortable vnto others therefore the time of death is a most vnfit time for the beginning of Repentance Secondly Because the time of death to a naturall man vntill hee hath repented is of all other times the most terrible and fearfull Vntill hee haue obtained the assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that heauen and happinesse belongs vnto him If a Physitian should come to take away a legge or an arme from a man what a fearfull thing would it bee how much more fearefull to a naturall man is death which comes not to take away a legge or an arme onely but to rent body and soule asunder to bee at last tormented for euer So that when death comes with so dolefull an errand to seperate two old friends this time must needs bee a most vndisposed season to repent in Thirdly Because of worldly Cogitations as the disposing of wife and children house and lands and other goods all these must needs hinder the motions of Repentance As if a man haue a candle lighted in a Mine vnder the earth if it bee neere or vnder a dampe this will come and put out the candle So when in the time of sicknesse there is a candle lighted of good motions and meditations of Repentance then these new mutinous cogitations enter in to thinke what shall become of wife and children this and that friend and how to bestow our goods these like a dampe extinguish the good thoughts of Repentance The fourth is That God then ordinarily punishes our neglect of this duty in our health with hardnesse of heart on our death-beds As it is Pro. 1. Because hee called then to vs and wee would not answer therefore we call vnto him and he will not answer vs euen when our feares come like a whirlewinde and our desolation posteth vpon vs. O saith Christ to Ierusalem Would to God thou hadst knowne in this thy day the things which belong vnto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Worke saith our Sauiour to the Iewes whilst it is called to day for the night commeth in which no man can worke So that this night time of sicknesse is of all times the most vnfit to repent in when God may iustly leaue vs comfortlesse because wee would not ere that time hearken to the words of instruction and walke in new obedience 2 The Impediments of Grace At that time may bee these First God may deny vs the meanes to worke Faith and Repentance in vs our comforters and helpers then shall be silent tongue tyed or absent when wee most wish desire and languish for comfort and helpe then one of a thousand may be denyed vs. Secondly Though hee doe giue vs meanes yet it may bee hee will not blesse them or make them powerfull and effectuall vnto vs. And though hee doe blesse the

in silkes and veluets commanded to attend but as soone as the time is past they are sent to the Countrey againe to slouen it as they did before Euen so doe we in our courses of Religion when a great day comes a Communion day or such like then we get on all our deuotion wee are ready to doe some seruice vnto GOD we seeme to trimme vp our affections and to attend with the best as liue the life of the righteous but as soone as that time is ouer by and by we be gone Lord who heares of vs till there be the like occasion This is one of our corruptions that we must pray against Sixtly Angels doe the will of God wholly in integrity not in one part and neglect an other but doe as it is said of the man who had the Inkehorne Ezek. 9. 11. Lord I haue done as thou hast commanded me So must we not make a conscience of some things and leaue the rest vndone but doe all so farre as frailty will permit For all his wayes were before mee saith holy Dauid and in another place Then shall I not be ashamed when I haue a regard vnto all thy Commandements Here wee are to take notice of the common course of the world for there is no body so vilde and wicked but is content to doe some part of the will of God But when it comes to any strait or narrow search to let all goe and submit our will to Gods will in all things Here is that hard tryall which makes vs flye off Pharaoh could be contented to doe one part of the will of God to let the people goe but to keepe backe the women and children at last he would let all the people goe but not the Cattell therefore Moses tels him wee will not leaue so much as a hoofe behind The Lord will haue all or nothing so let vs say in our striuings against sinne not a hoofe must be left behind not a sinne not a corruption but all must be hated forsaken left off in Gods seruice and for Gods sake Obiect Here some may obiect How can we come to bee so strict as to doe all Ans. I answer we must endeuour and striue though wee cannot come to perfection of obedience yet such a resolution must be set vp to doe all being humbled and sorry that we can doe no better Againe we may and must doe this to abstaine from grosse sinnes which duls the conscience and deadens it in time and then for the other frailties accompanying our life Wee shall finde God a mercifull Father vpon our confession pardoning and passing by all our infirmities when wee indeuour truely to doe his will as here we pray Thy will be done in earth euen as it is in Heauen 4. PETITION Giue vs this day our daily Bread WHere in before I come to the Petition I must first speake somewhat of the order Hauing in the three former Petitions prayed for the glory of God we are here taught to pray for our owne good that God would giue vs all things needfull for this life by which order of the Petitions our Sauiour Christ would teach vs two things 1 To Order 2 To moderate our care in the things of this life For the first touching the ordering of our care for things of this life Religion doth not exclude all care for our selues but onely to bring it in due order that we may goe the right way to speed First caring for those things which belong vnto the Lord then afterwards prouiding for such as belong vnto our selues We may seeke our daily Bread but we must seeke it in due order wee may not seeke it before Gods glory Gods Kingdome Gods will but first the one and then the other Questionlesse the thinking of our daily Bread is not vnlawfull yea euery thing belonging to this temporary life may be lookt after but first Gods glory must weigh downe all as Christs Counsell is Matth. 6. 33. First seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be administred vnto you So Christ saith to Martha Luke 10. 42. One thing is needfull God must haue the first place We reade that Abrahams seruant when there was meat set before him would not eat till he had done his Masters businesse which hee came for and when he had once dispatched that then the Text saith He did eate and drinke So must wee doe in the businesse wee come for concerning the glory of God the Kingdome of God c. When wee haue done that we may rest with the better conscience and looke vnto our selues for our daily Bread and ordinary comforts of this life But the world are quite contrary they beginne with the care of themselues their owne delights ease and pleasures and then if any ouerpius remaine or haue any spare time they can be content to looke out a little for the glory of God But you see our Sauiour Christ would heere rectifie our thoughts and order our care in these things Secondly To moderate our care that we doe not desire our daily Bread in any sort rashly but onely with subordination to the best things so farre forth as may stand with the glory of God the Kingdome of Christ and the doing of his will and so farre forth as these temporary things may be a furtherance and a helpe vnto those better things As a man wanting water to driue a Mill must not too greedily open too many Springs and Sluces for feare of glutting and damming it vp So must it be with our wants in this world for an ouer-hasty desire and indeuour to satisfie them may quickely drowne vp our care for spirituall graces not caring what becomes of the glory of God so wee may inioy our base contentments Wherefore our Sauiour shewes that the care of these earthly things must be with subordination to Gods glory Another point to be considered is why we first pray for our daily Bread and afterwards for the pardon of our sinnes for in all reason one should thinke that the pardoning of sinnes being most necessary should be first and then the other I answer there are two Reasons of it Reason 1 First Christ condescended herein to our weakenesse and would graciously first dispatch vs of our worldly care and feare of wants that hauing earthly things supplyed wee might haue the more leisure to attend and be better prepared for the heauenly Because many times we are so disturbed and incombred about earthly things that wee haue little care for heauenly thoughts which in that estate be vnwelcome vnto vs hauing but bad entertainment As the Woman of Samaria was so troubled about the Fountaine water Iohn 4. 10. as she could hardly hearken to conceiue of the water of life which Christ spake of And as the children of Israel hearkened not vnto Moses by reason of the anguish of their spirits so it is with vs in our

you shall finde what Naamans little maide said Would to God my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria hee would soone deliuer him of his leprosie so saith the Gospell vnto vs Oh that you would come vnto Christ seeke after him by a liuely faith and true repentance for your sinnes hee would deliuer you from the threatning of the Law and release you of those impossible conditions which there you are bound vnto hee would conquer death and hell for your sake and pay the ransome for your sinnes and in the end by his Redemption bring you vnto life euerlasting Thus must wee needs flie for refuge vnto the death and passion of Christ. I confesse that there is both life and death in the Law as there is Saluation and Redemption in the Gospell but the Law as I said bindes vs vnto conditions which wee can neuer performe whereas the Gospell proposes life and saluation vpon more easier tearmes Then doe and liue or Doe not and perish onely to beleeue and repent and runne vnto Christ and hee will heale vs of our leprosie This then is the difference betwixt the Law and Gospel The Law proffers life and saluation vnto vs if wee can keepe the Law and neuer sinne against God The Gospell giues vs hope of Life and Saluation though wee cannot performe the Law so wee beleeue and repent which are farre easier conditions then actuall holinesse tying vs strictly to the obseruation of the common 〈◊〉 ●…ding vnto the spirituall meaning of the same so you see how the Gospell proffers vs life and saluation vpon farre more easie tearmes then the Law doth which should make vs so much the more diligent to see into the mysteries of the Gospell whereso great priuiledges are granted vnto vs and admire that depth of wisedome that hath thus tempered the seueritie of the Law towards vs euen when death was in the pot Of this there be two vses Vse 1 First that euery Christian must indeauour to keepe himselfe from sinne to liue well and labour in the practise of a holy life But if hee fall and sinne by weaknesse and frailtie and faile in his course and race running then hee must flie vnto Iesus Christ Beleeue the promises of the Gospell bee of good comfort in the Redemption of his soule and remember that which Saint Paul saith Rom. 7. The good which I would doe I doe not and the euill which I would not doe that doe I. Vse 2 Secondly That wee must take heed that wee liue not in notorious knowne sinne for the world is so full of wickednesse and impietie that many dare say what though I sinne thus and thus yet by repentance I hope to bee saued Yea many grosse swearers lyers aduherers and such like can prophane godlinesse in this manner I hope for all this to goe to heauen as well as the best Christ said hee came to saue not to destroy the world and such like But the true Christian onely hee may make a comfortable vse of the Gospell and apply these speeches to the comfort of his soule not the other And thereforee in the name of God let vs apply our selues vnto the search of these things now whilst it is called to day and whilst the time of saluation endures for if now wee 〈◊〉 our time though wee should giue a thousand worlds for it wee cannot haue it here after this life If a man come to the market and cheapen such things as hee hath need of and yet will not goe to the price of them he must returne without them euen so seeing wee heare at what price God hath see life and saluation that they are not to bee purchased but at the price of Faith and Repentance and that God will not let them goe at a lower rate let vs resolue that they will not bee gotten otherwise so that if wee meane not to come to the price or cannot come vnto Faith and Repentance wee must bee content to goe home againe without Life and Saluation And thus much generally for the conditions of the Gospell Now for the Particulars in Repentance there are many worthy heads to be considered as 1. The Necessitie of it wee cannot bee saued without it 2. The Order of it with other Graces 3. The Nature of it 4. The Causes of Repentance 5. The Time of it 6. The Practise of it 7. The Le●s of it 8. The Cases of Repentance c. 9. Contraries vnto it 10. Increase of it 1. NECESSITIE OF Repentance First for the Necessitie thereof Repentance is such a necessary grace as no man can bee saued without it for there bee but two estates wherein euery man liuing may beesaued the state of Innocencts and the state of Penitencie vnto which belongs the Grace of Faith Now no man liuing euer after the fall of Adam can be saued in the state of Innocencie because wee bee all sinners and grieuous sinners before the Maiestie of God so then hee that will bee saued must bee saued in the state of Penitencie There bee but two pleas that any man can make when hee shall stand before God in feare of Iudgement Either Non peccaui Domine Lord I haue not sinned or Domine peccaui Lord I haue sinned Sed poenitet peccasse it repents me that I haue sinned and offended Now no man liuing can stand before God in the strength of this first plea Non peccaui Lord I haue not sinned For Iam 3. 2. it is written in many things wee sinne all and 1. Iohn 1. 8. If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues And Salomon in his prayer hath it thus 1. King 8. 46. if they sinne against thee for there is no man that sinneth not So then seeing no man liuing can lay hold on the former plea Non Paccani let vs all lay hold on the latter Peccaui sed poenitel peccasse we haue sinned and offended but it repents vs that wee haue so done And thus wee see that Repentance is such a sauing grace as no man liuing can bee saued without it and the Scriptures also agree to this thing Act. 11. 18. Then hath God also granted Repentance vnto life c. whereby wee see that no man can come to life but by Repentance 2. Pet. 3. 9. hee sayes Not willing that any should pperish But that all should come to Repentance so then if a man will not persist in his sinnes the onely way is to come to Repentance when God willeth him 2. Tim. 2. 25. he sayes to this purpose If God peraduenture will giue them Repentance to the acknowledging of the truth by all which is apparant that no man can come out of the snares of Death but by Repentance and so wee may conclude that Repentance is a necessarie Grace without which we cannot come to life and Saluation Of this there bee diuers Vses Vse 1 First seeing Repentance is such a necessarie Grace That wee renew

but with a condition If I my selfe can beleeue and repent I shall bee saued Now when a man hath this worke of Faith in himselfe this makes him labour to repent his sinnes to beleeue in Christ and when hee hath repented and beleeued then followes the great act of Faith whereby a man beleeues that his sinnes are pardoned and his soule shall bee saued and so some acts of Faith gee before Repentance and some follow after Then that Repentance shewes it selfe before Faith in the life of a Christian is most euident and plaine For first a man must needes bee humbled for his sinnes hee must groane vnder the burden of them and crie to heauen against them before hee can lay hold by Faith that they nee pardoned and ●…itted So wee see Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 13. hee was humbled for his sinne before hee could perceiue and perswade himselfe that his sinne was pardoned or receiue comfort I have sinned against the Lord and then follows The Lord also hath put away thy sinne thou shalt not die Many are the examples in the booke of God where wee may see how the most part of the people of God were well and truly humbled by Repentance before Faith raised them But here some may say Obiect How comes it to passe then that some haue beene comforted by Faith who were but slenderly if at all humbled by Repentance as wee see in Lydia Act. 16. 14. whose heart the Lord opened that shee attended the things that were spoken And in the Eunuch Act. 8. 39. of whom it it is said presently vpon his hearing of the word from the mouth of Philip And hee went on his way reioycing Answer I answer this difference ariseth of this First in some there is apprehension of the ouglinesse of sinne so much as nothing can fixe their conceits and imaginations another way in which case though comfort come it cannot so soone make impression Secondly some doe so exceedingly apprehend the Punishment due to sinne that though Promises come pardon be proclaimed yet they remaine heauy and lumpish still not being able to raise vp themselues and set their Faith aworke to beleeue so good newes though they haue repented of their sinnes Where againe in the other First there is a strong apprehension of the greater which is the mercie of God beyond all and a lesser sight of their owne sinne which makes their act of Faith so much the more easie And secondly there is in them a large apprehension of Gods offering of redemption in Christ and saluation in his blood which with good affection they receiue and so are comforted So that the case is according as it falleth out diuersly in the Conuersion of a sinner In whom there are two apprehensions first apprehension of the greatnesse and guiltinesse of his sinnes Secondly an apprehension of the mercy of God offering of Redemption and Reconciliation in the death of Christ. Now because it falls out in the conuersion of a sinner that somtimes hee apprehends more strongly the one and sometimes the other that so accordingly is his ioy or sorrow great or small And therefore if a man in his first conuersion haue a more strong apprehension of his owne sinnes and all his thoughts is carried vpon the beholding of his miseries and wofull estate this makes him to lament and mourne bitterly many a day together but if at his first conuersion with a sight of sinne a man behold such an infinite sea and depth of Gods mercies as is farre beyond all his sinnes and the infinite merit of the death and sufferings of the Sonne of God Euen as Flakes of fire falling into the Ocean sea are quenched with the abundance of water so all his sinnes falling into the maine sea and Ocean of Gods mercie in Christ are all couered and put out so as his heart is filled with ioy and gladnesse as it fell out with Lydia and the Eunueh Act. 8. and others LECT III. III. THE NATVRE OF Repentance ISAIAH 1. 16. Wash yee make you cleane put away the Euill of your doings from before mine eyes Cease to doe euill Learne to doe well c. I Haue read in the stories of this time that they which trauell into Virginia and Guiana or among those sauage and desolate countries carry a Tinderboxe with them and when night comes they make a fire or light vp a candle to see where to sleepe and rest the more safely Euen so God hath left vs his holy Word to bee as a tinderboxe vnto vs to strike fire and light vp a candle to direct vs through the darke wildernesse of this world so as they who will see the mercies of God must take the booke of God into their hands and as by striking of fire the traueller is the safer and hath the meanes of light to direct how and when to rest so must wee raise a light out of Gods word to conuey vs home to heauen Therefore of all other things let vs take heed that wee doe not despise this kindnesse and goodnesse of the Lord whose bountie leades vs vnto Repentance of which I spake the last day First wee haue heard the Necessitie of it Secondly the Order of it with other graces and now in the third place wee are to treate of The Nature of Repentance and of this the rather because there is a kinde of Faith and Repentance which deceiues vs in their Nature for there are a number of men and women that haue a shew of Repentance and thinke themselues in a good estate and well enough when indeed they are not and haue but a meere shadow of Grace so that wee may not bee deceiued in a matter of such moment and weight I haue thought it good to make it knowne vnto you what is the true Nature of Repentance But before I shew you the true nature thereof I will first refuce the false account which the world hath of Repentance some take repentance to bee but some sorrow for sinne so that when the hand of God is vpon him or that hee lies sicke lame or any way perplexed if he then can vent some few sighes and say Lord haue mercy vpon mee a sinner I am sorry that I haue offended he supposeth it is Repentance but this Ahab did and more this Iudas did with publike confession yet neuer repented so that if outward sorrow for sinne or a sad looke or a sigh or such like were true Repentance what Reprobate is there almost in the world but doth this and many a day Yea such as liue in grosse and knowne sinnes can crie to God for mercie and confesse their offences and thinke they haue obtained a grace from God in so doing seeming sorry for their sinnes though yet they liue in knowne sinnes as I said against their owne conscience and continue presumptuously in their wickednesse Yea how many thousands are there who neuer obtained any grace or mercy at all to bee

how willing and how ready hee was to receiue him So it is with euery sinner so soone as hee returneth home to God the Lord is presently readie to receiue him and to forgiue all that is past The Fourth is That one day wee shall dye and know not how soone when if wee die without Repentance wee must be damned for euer Therefore this should make vs repent and turne vnto God I remember the meditation of a learned man saith hee The estate of a sinner is like a man trauelling or going a iourney and as hee went hee fell into a pit full of snakes toades and serp●nts in the mouth of which pit there was a tree a bough whereof as hee fell hee catcht hold of and did hang thereby at the roote whereof there was a leane and hunger-bitten beast that euery day did gnaw to pull it downe which beast is death which seeing one day it will gnaw the roote in peeces it shewes what need wee had of Repentance LECT V. V. THE TIME OF Repentance HEB. 4. 7. To day if you will heare his voice hardon not your hearts WEE spake the last day of the Causes of Repentance First of the Efficient Cause which is God Secondly of the Instrumentall cause which is the preaching of the Word or the Gospel Thirdly of the Furthering or helping causes which I said was The mercies of God the Iudgements of God our owne considerations Now the next thing wee are to speake of is The Time of Repentance for it is in vaine to know what wee haue to doe if wee deferre to doe it in due time or take exception to the time as you see the Iewes did when they were called vpon to build the Temple after their returne from the captiuitie Hag. 1. 2. This people say the time is not come the time that the Lords house should bee built So for vs to say the time is not yet come wherein wee should repent but if God tooke it ill that they should put off the building of a materiall house what will hee say vnto such as deny the building vp of their soules to life euerlasting But such is the depraued nature of man that when wee should seeke God and reforme our selues wee take exception to the time yea when wee are pressed vnto this dutie by a godly Minister wee are readie to cry out with the deuills against Christ Math. 8. 29. Art thou come hither to torment vs before our time The reason of this delay is because if wee haue serious and sad thoughts of repentance wee thinke and conceiue that we haue true repentance indeed But wee must not so deceiue our selues to say I haue thought so I had a purpose to repent and doe the duty c. But to come to The time of Repentance it may be considered 1. Generally 2. Particularly The Generall time of Repentance is the Time of this life for there is no repenting when a man is dead Therfore here are two rules in the Generall First that this whole life is the time of Repentance Secondly that after death it is a worke cannot be done Therefore let no man presume of further mercy then he is able to call for which is in the time of this life All the Scripture is cleere for this as Iohn 9. 4. I must worke the worke of him that sent mee while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke So Gal. 6. 20. As wee haue therefore opportunitie let vs doe good vnto all and Eccles. 9. 10. Whatsoeuer thy hand findeth to doe doe it with thy might for there is no worke or deuice nor knowledge nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest and this wee see that as the time of doing good is in this life so is the time of Repentance and as wee can doe nothing being dead no more can wee repent being dead For this purpose Ieremie reasoneth with the people Giue glorie to the Lord your God before hee cause darkenesse and before your feet stumble vpon the darke mountaines And Dauid saith Psal. 39. vlt. O spare mee that I may recouer strength before I goe hence and bee no more So then if wee haue any thing to doe doe it with all thy might if thou haue to repent repent earnestly if thou haue to pray pray feruently if thou haue to heare heare diligently if thou haue to giue giue cheerefully for when thou art in the graue all opportunitie is gone all time is taken away I remember a pretty meditation of a learned man saith he As long as a murtherer is in the way to the Iudgement seate hee may make friends to compasse the matter but if the Iudge haue giuen sentence and hee bee condemned then hee may looke for the hangman for the sword and for the halter and for the darke dungeon Euen so as long as wee are in the way to the Iudgement that is as long as wee are in this life wee may labour to compasse the matter wee may make friends with God but if once wee be dead and the sentence haue passed wee may looke for the diuell and hell to seaze vpon vs and therefore saith hee my good brethren let not the time of your life passe without Repentance for death will come and the iudgement will come therefore grieue and sorrow mourne and lament whilst you haue time and liue here It is true indeed that all the wicked in Hell shall repent euery veine in their hearts when they shall see what styes and stables they haue made of their bodies by their sinnes of Idolatrie Adulterie Drunkennesse Swearing and prophanenesse they shall mourne and lament and waile for it but they shall haue no benefite or profite thereby for this bond of Repentance shall be Afflictiue and Poenall it shall bee to their further increase of torment therefore if wee would haue comfort by Repentance wee must repent betimes in this life for it is better to sorrow and mourne here where wee may haue comfort then hereafter when we can haue none In worldly businesse either planting building or purchasing we make haste whilst wee liue to see all things done betimes and settled during our liues nay wee thinke it will not bee so well done as when wee our selues ouersee it And shall wee not much more regard the preparing and fitting of our selues for Heauen which cannot bee done vnlesse wee faithfully repent in the time of this life so as it was commanded to Hezekiah to settle his house in order for hee should die so are wee pressed to the duty of Repentance before wee die that in our life our soules may bee prepared for Heauen Is it not then high time for all wicked men to prepare themselues to Repentance in this life considering all hope is debarred them after death Now there be diuers Reasons why this is so that Repentance must not be put off First Because the delaying and putting off