Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	great_a	place_n	see_v	2,240	5	3.1639	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

repentance or confession will serue the turne but we must take heed that we doe not wilfully or willingly forget them in such sinnes wherein a man either in body word or goods does hurt his neighbour hauing no ill intent towards him nor afterward knowing it in this case generalitie will serue But secondly some are such sins as we doe know of and such as in which we well vnderstand and remember that wee haue wronged our neighbour Now if they bee such sins as we doe not know of as I said before or be forgotten or we doe not know to be sinnes then men are not bound to confesse them for else who could be saued for a number of sins were committed against our brethren which we forget and a number of sinnes there are which we doe not know to be sins against them as 2. Sam. 21. 3 Dauid knew not how hee had offended the Gibeonites But if they be such sinnes as one doth know these wee are bound to confesse not onely vnto God but vnto the persons wronged also As Christs counsell is Luke 17. 3. Take heed to your selues if thy brother trespasse against thee rebuke him If he repent forgiue him Quest. 2 The second question is whether a man is bound vpon his repentance to make restitution of that which is taken away by vniustice Answ. To this I answer there are in this case two parties offended proportionable to which must be our practise of Repentance 1. God 2. Our neighbour And it being a rule in Iustice that the penalty must stretch as far as the fault therefore it will follow because both God and man is offended in this case that we should not only repent to God but also to men and make satisfaction for the hurt which we haue done to them For It is the Nature of Repentance to bring all things as neere as may be vnto their former estate againe Now wee know that by the sin of iniustice God is offended our neighbour is hurt wherefore by our Repentance we reconcile our selues to God and by our restitution vnto men wee make satisfaction for the hurt wee haue done them so that there must be restitution and satisfaction that wherin we haue indamaged our brother there may be addition vnto his owne For if our brother haue ought against vs God will not heare vs vntill we be reconciled to our brother by restitution and satisfaction as Christs counsell is Math. 7. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the Altar and there remember that thy brother hath ought against thee leaue there thine offering before the Altar goe thy way and first bee reconciled to thy brother and then come and offer thy offering Whereby we may see that God will not accept of any duty which we shall doe vntill wee bee reconciled to our brother Thus Exod. 22. 5. God commands that If a man doe hurt to a field or a vineyard hee shall recompence of the best of the field or of the best of the vineyard So Nū 5. 7. God sayes in such a case of trespasse And they shall confesse their sinne which they haue done and hee shall recompence his trespasse with the principall thereof and shall adde vnto it a fift part also and giue it vnto him against whom hee hath trespassed Obiect 1 Ob. 1. But what if a man bee not able Soll. Then doe what you can or may 2. Cor. 8. 12. Ob. 2. What if the parties be dead Soll. Then giue it to the next of kinne Numb 5. 8. Ob. 3. What if one know none of the kindred or can finde none Soll. Then giue it to the poore or by aduice of the Minister dispose thereof And thus wee see the sin of iniustice to bee a grieuous sin wherein a man is bound to restitution satisfaction and confession If a man haue spoken ill of his neighbour he must be sorry fo it and speake well of him again If seruants steale or purloyne any thing of their Masters they must make it good confesse their fault and restore it vnto them again if euer God bring them home to himselfe So if a man shall get away his neighbours goods by iniustice or by deceit or fraud or cousening of him God will not accept of such a man vntill hee haue made satisfaction the like may be said in forgerie oppression subornation false witnesses and the rest there must follow repentance and satisfaction or no forgiuenesse of sinnes See then what a great sinne this of Iniustice is and what a grieuous burden a man pulls vpon himselfe when he hath gathered together a great deale of ill gotten goods For when hee comes to die he is in hazard to be either a damned sinner or a starke begger And therefore it is a wofull case when Parents put and aduenture their children vpon any bad courses not caring how so they may inrich them There are a number of Vsurers which say they cannot liue otherwise and therefore they put their stocke to vse to raise some profite to themselues But let them know that these sins be sins of iniustice and therfore they must not onely repent for them but also they must make restitution and satisfaction If a man doe sin against God if hee confesse and repent God will forgiue him But if he doe sinne against men hee must not onely confesse to God but also vnto men and make satisfaction for the offence here also such are to bee reprooued who at their death make Wills committing their soules to God and their ill-gotten goods to their friends and children the high way to bring a curse vpon them let Parents beware of this error And so much for this third case LECT X. IIII. THE CASES OF Repentance The case of Teares IOEL 2. 12. 13. Therefore also now saith the Lord turne yee e●en to mee with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And r●●t your heart and not your garments c. HItherto wee haue spoken of Repentance with some cases thereof and some yet remaine to bee spoken of The last day wee handled the Case of Confession to men And now in the next place because the want of teares doth so perplexe many in this great work of Repentance The Lord as in this text and many other places of Scripture so exhorting vnto the same sutable vnto which is the Saints practise now and in all ages I haue therefore in the next place chosen to handle The Case of teares in Repentance that is whether euery man or woman who truely repents them of their sinnes must and doe necessarily shed teares for them The answer whereof by your patience I will lay downe in fiue conclusions The first Conclusion shall be this Conclusion 1 A man may weepe for sinne shed teares for it and yet not truely repent teares be not alwayes a true signe of true Repentance The reason whereof is because the very naturall man

the grace of iustification we must labour to ioyne sanctification T. 2. p. 120. Scriptures how knowne to be the Word of God T. 1. p. 8. their drift T. 1. p 10. how to reade them with profit T. 1. p. 67 68 Seruants their duty T. 1. p. 61 62 c. Sinne Our sinfull estate T. 1. p. 11. of sinne originall and actuall ibid. three sorts of actuall sinnes T. 1. p. 12. the misery of our sinnefull estate p 12 13. by what meanes wee become sorrowfull for sinne T. 1. p. 14. no man able to free himselfe from all sinne T. 1. p. 24. how a man may know his darling sinne ibid. how to kill sinne T. 1. p 25. sinnes why called debts T. 1. p. 121. T. 2. p. 99. the meanes that God vseth in deliuering vs from sin T. 1. p. 127. originall sin what T. 1. p. 130. how taken away in baptisme ibid. that vpon pardon of former sinnes the diuell is ready alwayes to fasten new vpon vs T. 2. p. 120. Sit what is meant by Christs sitting at the right hand of God T. 1. p. 92. Sobriety what T. 1. p. 30. in meates ibid. in apparell T. 1. p. 31. and in other creatures T. 1. p. 32. c. of other things wherein sobriety should bee shewed T. 1. p. 33. Sonne why Christ is called Gods ONELY Sonne when as wee also are called sons T. 1. p. 84. Sorrow vide mourning by what meanes wee may become sorry for our sinnes T. 1. p. 14. how to bee moderate therein T. 1. p. 33. sorrow for sinne requires fiue qualifications T 3. p. 74. Spirit vide Holy Ghost T. 1. p. 95 96 97. the markes whereby we may know whether wee haue the Holy Ghost or no T. 1. p. 98. Subiection the wiues subiection to her husband declared T. 1. p. 55. Suffer of Christs sufferings T. 1. p. 86. Supper the Lords Supper vide Sacrament T. 1. p. 132. the needfulnesse of it ibid. the resemblances betweene the Bread and the Body in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 133. whether wee receiue nothing but a signe in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 135. the resemblance betweene the Blood and the Wine in the Lords Supper T. 1. p. 137. T. TEares they are not alwayes true tokens of repentance T. 3 p. 120. how to find comfort in teares T. 3. p. 121. three things for which a man may shed teares T 3. p. 123. hinderances of penitent teares T. 3. p. 127. that a man may truely repent and yet not shed teares T. 3. p. 128 129. the reasons why some men weepe sometimes and others reioyce at the first conuersion T 1. p. 132. Temple what are wee to doe before in and after we goe into the Temple T. 1. p. 72 73 74 c. Temptation of that Petition Lead vs not into temptation T. 1. 123 124. God tempts no man ibid. how God workes in temptation and yet is free from sinne ibid. the euils that we pray against in that we say Lead vs not into temptation T. 1. p. 125. that wee may pray not to be tempted T. 2. p. 121. two kinds of temptations that a man is subiect vnto T. 2. p. 122. that we are exceeding apt to yeeld to temptation T. 2. p. 123. how God may be said to tempt how not T. 2. p 125. the vses of it T. 2. p. 126. whether a man may resist temptation by the power of Nature T. 2. p. 129 130. Testament what T. 1. p. 139. the tenour of both Testaments ibid. Tryall we should daily try our estates T. 1. p. 67. U. VNregenerate a fourefold vse of the Law to the vnregenerate T. 3. p. 2 3 4 5 6. Vowes the remembrance of them are helpes to an holy life T. 1. p. 69. Vsury what T. 1. p. 40. how allowed by our Lawes ibid. why not condemned in the New Testament ibid. c. IV. WAtch we must watchouer our life T. 1. p. 67. Wife her duty T. 1. p. 55 56. her subiection how declared ibid. Will of that Petition Thy will be done T. 1. p. 115. what the will of God is ibid. how done of of vs ibid. how of the Angels T. 1. p. 116. Will and Testament what T. 1. p. 139. how many Wils God did make ibid. three motiues to subiect vs to the Will of God T. 2. p. 48 49. whose will must be done T. 2. p. 58. Gods will opposed by three wills T. 2. p. 59 60. what will of God must be done T. 2. p. 62. foure speciall wils that God requires in his Word T. 2 p. 63 64. In what manner wee must doe the will of God T. 2. p. 65. why Christ fetcheth a patterne from heauen for doing his wil T. 2. p. 66. Wisedome wherein Gods wisedome appeareth T. 1. p. 3 spirituall wisedome wherein consisting T. 1 p. 28 Witches running to such reproued T. 2. p. 81. Word what it is T. 1. p. 8. how we may know the Scriptures to to be the Word of God ibid. The end of the Table SMITHS GROVNDS of Religion Question WHy was man made Answer To serue God Pro. 16. 4. Acts 17. 27. Q What gather wee of this A. That our first and chiefest care must bee to serue God Math. 6. 33. Pro. 4. 7. Q. Whom doth this Doctrine meere withall A. First with those that thinke it enough to liue ciuilly and honestly in the world hauing no loue to Religion no care of seruing God Secondly it meeteth with those who though they haue some care of it yet make it not their first and chiefest care but let euery worldly businesse take place before it Q. How doe wee know there is a God A. First by the Scriptures Secondly by the light of Reason Q. What bee the reasons A. The first is drawne from the Workes of God The second is taken from the Testimonie of our owne Conscience Q. What is the first A. When wee see a faire and a goodly Tower though we saw not the workman when he built it yet wee easily conceiue that there was some Architect that framed it and set it vp So when wee see the glorious frame of Heauen and Earth wee easily conceiue that there is a God who made it though wee see him not Q What is the second A. When as a man hath committed any horrible fact as murder theft blasphemie and the like Though he hide it from men yet hee feeles then especially when he is wakened vp with some iudgement continuall gripings and gnawings and fearefull terrors in his heart which is nothing else but a secret guiltinesse and a close feeling that there is a God who will reuenge it Q What is God A. God is a Spirit or a spirituall substance hauing his being of himselfe Iohn 4. 24. Q. What gather wee of this that God is a Spirit A. That they that conceiue God to bee like an old man sitting in heauen worship an horrible Idol in stead of the true God Luke 24. 39. Numbers 23. 19. Q.

greatest enemies No man will doe so much for his friend as God doth for his foes Wee came into the world with neuer a penny in our Purse with neuer a sheare in our Barnes with neuer a sheepe in our folds with neuer a Coate on our backe and yet the Lord hath filled our liues with great abundance Thirdly in sparing of our 〈◊〉 and that diuersly First in hiding many of our sinnes from the eyes of the world For if the world knew as much by vs as God knowes the best man that liues would blush to shew his face Secondly in giuing vs a time to repent for if God should damne euery sinner so soone as hee sinnes against him wofull were our case for none would be saued it is Gods mercy that wee liue and breathe vpon the Earth being guiltie of so many rebellious mutinies and treasons against our heauenly King as Ieremtah saith Lament 3. 22. Thirdly in vsing all meanes to draw vs to repentance like one that would gladly vndoe a doore he tries key after key till he hath tryed euery key in his bunch So God hath tryed by Mercy and tryed by Iudgement he hath tryed by pouertie and tryed by plenty because he would gladly by some meanes bring vs to him Esay 5. 4. As when a great fish is caught vpon the hooke the fish pulls and the man pulls and the fish pulls againe So God and the sinfull soule lie wresting together the soule drawes to Hell and God pulls to Heauen so f●ine God would haue vs who care too little to be saued of him Q. What vse may wee make of this Propertie A. First that men haue good cause to loue God seeing hee doth more for them then the deerest friend in the world will do If we should iniure your friend but halfe so much as we iniure God he would sooue cast vs off Psal. 27. 10. Secondly they doe the Lord of Heauen great wrong who pray to the Virgin Mary or to any of the Saints as if they were more fauourably inclined to Mercie then the Lord Psal. 50. 15. Q. What is the last Propertie of God A. Hee is Infinite Wherein appeareth the infinitenesse of God A. In two things First in respect of Time Secondly in respect of Place In respect of Time because hee is euerlasting without beginning and without end beyond all time Esay 51. 5. In respect of place because he filleth all places with his presence Psalme 139. 7. 8. Qu What vse doe wee make of this Propertie A. First to walke with feare and reuerence all our daies because God is an eye-witnesse of all we doe or say and therefore wee ought to walke with as great shamefacednesse and bashfulnesse before him as before the greatest Prince or power in the world Prou. 15. 11. Secondly not to be dismayed in any trouble because God is euer at hand to take our part As a childe will not care for the seruants so long as hee is in his fathers presence Psal. 23. 4. Thirdly that the diuine Nature ought rather with reuerence to be adored then curiously to be searched for seeing God is infinite in all his nature so mightie that none can conceiue how mightie he is so wise that all the wits in the world cannot tell how wise he is Wee are no moreable to comprehend his excellent Nature then wee are to graspe the Mountaines in our armes or to span the broadest of the Sea with our fingers 1. Tim. 6. 16. Qu. How many persons be there in the Godhead A. Three the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Qu. Is it needfull for vs to know the distinction of the Persons A. Very needfull for the Turkes and the Iewes confesse one God but because they denie the distinction of the Persons they neither acknowledge the Sonne of God their Redeemer nor the holy Ghost their Sanctifier Secondly the Maiestie of God is vnsearchable and cannot be apprehended but as it commeth forth and reueales it selfe in the Person of the Sonne and therefore they that know not the Sonne of God they in very deed know not God Iohn 1. 18. 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Qu. What is the Father A. The Father is that Person in the Godhead who begetteth the Sonne Psal. 2. 7. Qu. What is the Sonne A. The Sonne is that person who is begotten of the Father Iohn 1. 14. Qu. What is the Holy Ghost A. The Holy Ghost is that Person who proceedeth from them both from the Father and the Sonne Iohn 15. 26. Gal. 4. 6. Qu. Was not the Father before the Sonne A. The Sonne is euerlasting as well as the Father for the Sonne is the Wisdome of the Father and therefore as wee cannot say there was any time when God was without wisedome So wee cannot say there was any time when God was without a Sonne Pro. 8. 23. Qu. Are there not three Gods as there are three Persons A. No for all the three Persons are but one and the selfe-same God so that as the Root and the Body and branches of a tree are all but one tree So the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are all but one God and therefore they that conceiue the three Persons to be so distinct as threemen are they entertaine a false conceite of the liuing God Cor. 8. 4. Qu. What vse may wee make of this A. That whosoeuer worshippeth one of the diuine Persons worshippeth them all because they are all but one and the selfe-same God And therefore men may not thinke when they pray to one of the diuine Persons the other is passed by but hee that honoureth one honoureth all and hee that prayeth to one prayeth to all Iohn 5. 23. Qu. How must wee serue God A. According to his Word not after our fancies but as God himselfe will be serued Deut. 12. 32. Qu. What gather wee of this A. That all will-worship brought in by men without warrant of the Word of God is to be condemned Mark 17. 17. Qu. What is the word of God A. That which is contained in the holy Scriptures in the Bookes of the old and new Testament there God speakes vnto vs and breakes his minde familiarly how and in what sort hee will be serued of vs 2. Tim. 3. 16. Qu. What vse may wee make of this A. To remember that as oft as the Bible appeareth the blessed mouth of God is open to instruct vs and that they which regard not the Scriptures regard not the voyce of God and they that suffer the Bible to lye clasped and shut in their houses doe as it were seale vp the mouth of God that hee may not speake vnto them Qu. How know wee that the Scriptures are the word of God A. By the power of them for God alone is able to conuert the soule of a sinner and to beget faith and therefore seeing the preaching of the Scriptures hath begotten faith in vs. and conuerted vs vnto God wee must needes confesse euen from

our owne feeling that the Scriptures are the very arme and power of God Qu. Why are they tearmed the old and new Testament A. Because as a man by his Will and Testament disposeth those lands and goods which he hath So God in the Scriptures hath bequeathed many blessings as it were a number of legacies to the sonnes of men Qu. What did God bequeath in the Old Testament A. Saluation and eternall Peace to those that fulfill the Law Miserie and hell and eternall death to those that breake the Law Deut. 28. 15. Qu. What did God bequeath in the New Testament A. Saluation and eternall Peace to those that beleeue in Christ and contrariwise Condemnation and Eternall death to those that beleeue not in him By the Old Testament none inherite but those that fulfill the Law By the New Testament all those inherite who beleeue in Christ Mark 16. 16. Qu. Are all the Bookes in the Bible to be receiued alike A. No for the Apocryphall are no further to bee receiued then they consent with the Canonicall bookes or with sound reason Qu. What Bookes are Canonicall A. All in the New Testament and so many in the Old as were written by Moses or any of the Prophets so that all are Canonicall from Genesis to Malachy who was the last Prophet Qu. Why are they called Canonicall A. Because they are the rule to direct our faith and our life for Canon in Greek signifieth a Rule or a square which a Mason or a Carpenter vseth for his direction in his worke So that as they worke all by Rule and line so wee must square out both our Faith and our life by these holy Bookes Q. What Books are Apocryphall A. All in the Old Testament that were written after the time of the Prophets as the first of Esdras and the second of Tobith Iudeth Wisedome Ecclesiasticus or Iesus Sirach certaine peeces of Esther and Daniel with the Prayer of Manasses the 1. of Maccabeus and the second Q. Why are not these Canonicall as well as the rest A. Because they were not written by Moses or the Prophets who were the penne-men of the Holy Ghost but by other godly men who hauing not so great a measure of the Spirit could not write all things so heauenly and so purely as the Prophets did Q. Why are they called Apocryphall A. Because they come not forth with publike authoritie from God but crept in closely and by stelth into the Church for Apocryphall in Greeke signifieth a thing lurking in a hole or a corner to shew that these Bookes are not nobly borne And therefore howsoeuer they may be profitable yet they ought not to speake with equall authoritie in the congregation of the Lord Deut. 23. 2. Q. Had wee not need of good warrant to strike off so many Bookes from the Canon A. So wee haue Christ himselfe who interpreting all the Scriptures interpreted no more but Moses and the Prophets And therefore seeing these Bookes of Tobith Iudeth and the rest belong neither to Moses nor the Prophets as being written after their time It is manifest that our Sauiour Christ hath shut them out from the Canon of the Scriptures Luke 24. 27. Q. What is the drift and scope of all the Scriptures A. To teach vs how to be saued and to chalke out the way that leadeth vnto true happinesse and eternall life 2. Tim. 3. 15. Iohn 20. 31. Q. How may a man be saued A. There are three things required of him that will be saued First he must know and bee perswaded of his owne miserable estate by nature and be humbled for it Secondly hee must bee perswaded of his happie estate in Christ. Thirdly he must practise that godly and Christian kinde of life which euery one is commanded to liue that beleeues in Christ. Q What is the first thing required of him that will be saued A. Hee must know his miserable estate in himselfe how wretched and how wofull hee were if God should not looke vpon him with fauour and mercie in the face of Christ. Q. Why is it needfull to know our miserable estate A. Because the sight of it will send vs more speedily to Christ. Secondly it will make vs set greater price on the benefit which we haue by him Q. How doth this appeare A. For when we see how deeply we are indebted and indangered to God that it is no dribling summe that we owe him but so huge a matter that neither wee nor all the friends we haue are able to discharge it This will make vs seeke more carefully to Christ to discharge it for vs and offer occasion to thinke more highly of him who hath brought vs a full discharge for so great a debt Q. What is our Estate in our selues A. Wee are dead in sinnes like a Corse that is layed out and waites but the buriall to be cast into the graue Q. How are wee falne into this estate A. Two wayes Partly by Adams sinnes And partly by our owne sinnes Q. What was Adams sinne A. The eating of the forbidden fruit whereby he wrapt vp himselfe and all his Posteritie in the wrath of God as wee see a Noble man by committing Treason not onely hurts himselfe but staines his blood doth hurt to his children too Rom. 5. 12. Q. What gather wee of this A. That he that will stand off from Christ had need haue a good purse when he shall not onely pay that which himselfe owes but that also wherein Adam his father was indebted to God Q. What is our owne sinne A. Our owne sinne is of two sorts 1. Originall Sinne 2. Actuall sinne Rom. 5. 24. Q. What is originall sinne A. Originall sinne is that backwardnesse and vntowardnesse of our nature whereby we stand not indifferently affected but vtter enemies to all the duties of obedience and holinesse required of vs Rom. 7. 23. Q. In what part is originall sinne A. It hath stricken like a poyson through all our parts so that they are all bent against God like a sort of Rebells that haue put themselues in armes against their King Gal. 5. 27. Qu How is the Understanding corrupted A. It is blinde and ignorant in the things of God and thèrefore euen they that are wise and wittie in the matters of the world in the matters of God are of no capacitie and of no conceite 1. Cor. 2. 14. Q. How is the will corrupted A. It onely willeth and lusteth after euill like a sicke man that cares not for wholsome meate but his stomacke onely stands to sluppersauce and that which is naught Iames 4. 5. Q. What is Actuall sinne A. That which ariseth from the corruption of our nature like sparkes from a Furnace Galat. 5. 19. Q. How many sorts are there of it A. Three sorts 1. Euill thoughts in the minde 2. Euill desires in the heart 3. Euill words and workes arising thence Math. 15. 19. Q. What gather wee of this A.

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

renewed by repentance but it will the more hardly be done and it will cost much terrour labour and sorrow Wee may then see that in this case recouery is possible and that vpon three grounds The first is taken From the generality of the Promise which in generall is made to pardon of all sinnes except the sinne against the Holy Ghost as Math. 12. Uerily verily I say vnto you that all sinne and blasphemie shall be forgiuen a man except the blasphemie against the Holy Ghost But a man may fall into Relapses through weaknesse which is not the sinne against the Holy Ghost and therefore may be forgiuen The second ground is taken A comparatis From the condition of the Promise Luk. 17. 4. Where Christ hath giuen vs a commandement that wee should forgiue our brother seuentie times seuen times a day so often as hee repenteth and is sorrowfull and Math. 6. Christ threatneth If you doe not forgiue your brother his trespasses no more will your beauenly Father forgiue you your trespasses So then if a man must forgiue his trespasses that his brother trespasseth against him so often all which is not a drop of mercie compared with Gods mercie how much more wil God forgiue them that sinne against him againe and againe if they doe repent seeing hee is the Ocean of mercie and goodnesse The third ground is ab Exemplis from sanctified examples of holy Scripture for wee see in the booke of Iudges when there were any bad Iudges in Israel the people fell away from God vnto Idolatrie and when there came good Iudges the Prophets came and exhorted the people to returne againe vnto God and repent and so they did recouer againe So in the Booke of Kings wee see that when bad Kings came they fell away from God and yet when good Kings came againe the Prophets preached and exhorted them and they repented and were receiued into fauour againe Here therefore we haue to acknowledge the kindnesse and mercy of God It is his mercie to forgiue vs if wee doe sinne but once in our lifetime against him But great and exceeding great is his mercie that when wee haue sinned and sinned so exceeding oft against him that euen then vpon repentance hee will receiue vs. Wee reade the Lord declares this much Ier. 3. If a man put away his wife and she become another mans If shee returne againe to her husband shall not this land bee polluted but thou hast played the harlot with many louers yet returne againe to me saith the Lord. Thus there may bee forgiuenesse euen after many relapses It is the charitie of the Popish Church if a man relapse into Heresie though he doe repent hee cannot bee forgiuen The Pope and his Cardinals will not may not forgiue him but the kindnesse and tendernesse of God is such that though a man doe fall into the same sinne hee hath repented of hee may bee forgiuen and shall vpon Repentance bee forgiuen Oh then shall not the despisers of Gods kindenesse bee iudged of him Answ. 2 But yet I say Though Repentance be possible yet it will bee very hard and difficult and that in two respects First in respect of God 1. God will not bee so easily intreated to forgiue I do not say that he will not forgiue but that hee more hardly remits these sinnes then others 2. In respect of our selues we shall not finde our selues so readie nor our hearts so apt to repent in this Relapse as otherwise wee might haue done This then I say that if wee prouoke the Lord too often with some sinnes wee shall not finde him so readie to forgiue as at other times nor so easie to bee intreated So saith our Sauiour Christ Iohn 5. 14. Behold thou art made whole sinne no more left a worse thing come vnto thee And so if we doe sinne Deterius accidet a worse thing may befall vs. Looke into the tenth of Iudges and there you shall finde how the children of Israel had fallen into Apostasie concerning their Idolatrie which they repented of and so prayed vnto the Lord but the Lord would not heare their prayers but turned them off with scorne deriding them the words are these Yet yee haue for saken mee and serued other gods therefore I will deliuer you no more goe and crie vnto the gods whom yee haue chosen let them deliuer you in the time of your Tribulation So then if wee make no conscience to fall into a sinne often which wee haue repented of let vs not maruell if God doe not heare vs at the first for if wee stand vpon tearmes with God for the hearing and helping of vs by and by take heed hee say not vnto vs goe away I will not helpe you goe vnto your sinnes and the worldly pleasures profites honours that you haue serued let them helpe you It is true indeed that all the Scriptures declare God to be a mercifull God to bee full of compassion and very ready to forgiue but when wee shall therefore imbolden our selues to sinne and desperately come to aske Almighty God how often wee may sinne if it bee but once or twice it is too much but say it bee once or twice and the Lord forbeares vs with patience then let vs beware wee doe not prouoke the Lord by falling backe vnto the same sinnes after wee haue repented for when it comes to Quoties peccavtmus how often haue wee offended in the same sinne the Lord no question will bee much displeased hardly drawne to forgiue and not easily appeased towards such offenders for hee complaines of such Psal. 78. 40. How often did they prouoke him in the wildernesse and grieue him in the Desert And Psal. 95. 8. To day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the Prouocation of the wildernesse when your fathers tempted mee And Iob 40. 5. hee sayes Once haue I spoken but I will speak no more yea twice but I will proceed no further Math. 25. How often saith God would I haue gathered thee together as a henne gathereth her chickens but yee would not Fortie yeares long saith hee of his owne people was I vexed with you in the wildernesse If it had beene but for some few yeares hee could haue borne the matter but it was fortie yeares together God is indeed very readie and mercifull to forgiue but when it is so often committed this makes Gods eares bee heauie and stopt to our cries yea and our selues to bee so much the more vnfit for the businesse I speake not this to cut off any man from the hope of pardon God forbid that wee should take away mercy from the Lord but to shew that men which fall into the Relapse of the same sinnes are in greater danger then before and it makes God the lesse readie to forgiue them and to bee intreated of them Secondly In regard of our selues it workes a difficultie in vs wee being