TVVO TREATISES The one Of Repentance The other Of Christs Temptations Both penned By the late faithfull Minister of Gods worde DANIEL DYKE Batchelour in Diuinitie Published since his death by his Brother I D. Minister of Gods word MATTH 3. 2. Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand LONDON Printed by Edward Griffin for Ralph Mab and are to be sold in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Greyhound 1616. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND MOST VERTVOVS LADY the Lady Harrington RIGHT HONOVRABLE THe Lord hath not left himselfe without many witnesses to call vpon vs for the same worke for the which this worke doth call An argument that people are backward and the duty necessary If either the men were more forward or the duty lesse important Quorsum haec profusio To what end were this waste What needed this waste of paper and inke nay of the spirits and lungs of Gods messengers crying earely and late if people were not too late in that duty wherein they cannot bee too earely It was not for nothing that our Sauiour yoakes these two petitions together Giue vs this day c. And forgiue vs our trespasses Surely me thinkes hee teaches vs that so long as wee haue neede to say Giue so long we haue neede to say forgiue and that daily repentance is as necessary for the soule as daily sustenance for the body And yet such is the worlds folly that while they make one to be of an absolute necessity they shuffle off the other as a matter of indifferency at least conceit it not of that present necessity which we vrge Most deale with Repentance as countrey people with Physicians they loue not to haue to doe with them till they feare they are gasping their last breath and conceit as great an efficacie in these fiue words Lord haue mercy vpon me spoken with their last breath for the translation of their soules into heauen as the Papists do of their fiue words of consecration for the transubstantiation of their hoste Nay without question many thinke of their Repentance before their death as diuerse ridiculously doe of making their wils That if they make their wils in their health it is an ominous presage of their death That because many make not their wils but when they die therfore they must needes shortly die if they make their wils The like thinke many of Repenting in their life time that because most make it a death-bed duty therefore to doe this duty will hasten them to their death And so many fearing it in their life are denied it at their death But for the necessity the worth the speede of the practise of this duty I spare to speake ought It is the summe of the following Treatise A Treatise not of mine own but of his whose labours need not feare the light Many and worthy indeede are the labours of others that are extant vpon this argument and indeede so many that amongst such a multitude I should scarce haue aduentured this small Treatise if the generall gracious acceptance of his former works which I published had not made way for it The kinde welcome that it found at the hands of most seemed to promise that these present labors should not be fruitlesse Thereupon I tooke heart both to perfect and to publish this Treatise And being perfected I haue made bolde to commend it to your La. By your patronage the worke may receiue grace from you and by your diligent perusall of it you may receiue encrease of grace from it The Lord grace you with all spiritall blessings till hee bring you to Glory the perfection of Grace Epping in Essex April 18. Your Honours to be commanded IER DYKE A TREATISE OF REPENTANCE CHAP. I. What Repentance is THere is no one point in practicall Diuinity of greater consequence then this of Repentance A naile that all the Sermons both of Prophets and Apostles were continually hammering Christ himselfe as he continually beat vpon it so in his last farwell ascending into heauen in speciall manner he commended the preaching and pressing thereof to his Disciples telling them that it was necessary that Repentance and Remission of sinnes should bee preached in Luk. 24 37. his name among all nations In which words Repentance hath a double commendation 1. That it is ioyned with remission of sinnes and that so that none can feele the sweet of it that feeles not the sowre of this 2. That it is made a doctrine fitting all sorts and conditions Some doctrines are for Gouernours some for Subiects some for Rich some for Poore some for young some for olde some for the wicked some for the godly some for the Court some for the Countrey but Repentance being for sinners I came to call sinners to Repentance Matth. 9. it is for all none can exempt himselfe from the reach thereof vnlesse withall hee can free himselfe from the touch of sinne Therfore it must be preached among all nations Repentance then neuer beeing vnseasonable surely not now when God what by our sinnes what by his iudgements calleth vnto weeping and mourning vnto baldnesse and girding with sacke-cloath Is 22. And yet behold ioy and gladnesse slaying of oxen and sheep Epicure-like eating of flesh and drinking of wine It is high time therefore both for Presse and Pulpit to ring lowde peales of this argument Which though it be much in many mens mouthes yet is it little in their reines being more spoken of then vnderstood and yet better vnderstood then practised better knowen then felt Wherfore for our more happy direction in it let vs first see what it is Now I thinke it may not amisse thus be described Repentance is a supernaturall grace of the sanctifying spirit wherby a beleeuing sinner so humbleth himselfe for sinne that hee turnes from it to the Lord. 1. I call it a Grace Some thinke it onely an action Repentance is a grace But that phrase Ezech. 12. 10. of powring the spirit of grace meaning Repentance on the house of Iudah seemes to argue it to be a quality or infused gift so as faith and charity are So also that phrase of giuing Repentance Acts 5. 31. and 11. 18. for if God giue it we receiue it Now wee cannot properly be sayd to receiue an action which wee doe but the power gift or grace whereby we do it That speech also Matth. 3. 8. Bring forth fruits worthy Repentance shewes that Repentance it selfe is not an outward action as the Papists would make it but an inward grace to bee expressed in outward actions 2. I call it a supernaturall grace not onely in regard Supernaturall of corrupt nature for so euery grace is supernaturall but also of innocent for though Adam before the fall had loue feare temperance c. yet Faith and Repentance had hee not for he needed them not This shewes that Repentance is not a Legall but an Euangelicall grace For all legall graces And therfore
Euangelicall were naturally in Adam Repentance then belongs to the Gospell 1. Because properly it is commanded as is also iustifying faith in the Gospell Mark 1. 14. Christ preached the Gospell One might thinke what was that The next verse tels vs saying Repent and beleeue the Gospell 2. It is promised in the Gospell in the Couenant of grace Ezech. 36. 26. I will take away the stony heart out of your body and giue you an heart of flesh Which that it is a promise of the Gospell appeares plainely vers 22. I doe not this for your sakes but for mine owne names sake And so Ierem. 32. 40. I will make an euerlasting Couenant with them that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good but I will put my feare in their hearts that they shall not depart from me And this is further euident because Repentance is sealed in the Sacraments of the Gospell For Baptisme is called the Baptisme of Repentance Luk. 3. 3. because it seals vp to vs Gods promise of Repentance 3. It is wrought in vs by the Ministery of the Gospell Galat. 3. 2. whilest it sets before our eyes Christ crucified and so causes vs to lament Ezech. 12. 10. Therfore Christ commanded that Repentance should be preached in his name who by his obedience hath merited it for vs as well as remission of sinnes Luc. 24. 46. 47. and in this regard is sayd to bee raised vp of his father to giue Repentance to the house of Israel Acts 5. 31. As for the Law it being the ministery of death 2. Cor. 3. how can it worke Repentance which is vnto life 2. Cor. 7. 10. Acts 11. 18. Repentance is required vnto the sense of mercy and forgiuenesse The Law then knowing no forgiuenesse neither knowes it any Repentance When the Law is broken it requires the suffering of the curse and not any Repentance for the auoyding of the curse It sends vs down to the dungeon of damnation and seales it vpon vs with an vnremoueable stone not giuing vs the least inckling of any recouery Nay the Law setting out vnto vs that most rigorous and precise Iustice of God and his infinite and implacable wrath against sin doth in a manner forbid all Repentance Telling vs t is in vaine to seeke by our teares and lamentations any mercy at his hands who is a consuming fire a God of pure eyes and cannot behold iniquity The Law then of it selfe leaues a man in vtter desperation then which what can be more contrary to sauing Repentance and is no otherwise a schoole-master vnto Christ then as the minister of the Gospell makes vse of it contrary to it owne nature to driue vs vnto Christ by shewing the sinner condemned in the Law that it were not best for him to trust any longer to the Law but to accept of the grace offered in the Gospell The Vse 1. If Repentance be a part of the Gospell then know we it is not so sowre and crabbed a thing as most thinke Indeed the Law is pure vineger But the Gospell is refreshing and suppling oyle euen the soueraigne balme of Gilead and of this Gospell the glad tidings of peace is Repentance a part Yea it is one of the legacies of the new Testament A rich treasure purchased with the bloud of Christ Luc. 24. 46. 47. Sorrow indeed is bitter and vnpleasant to our corrupt nature yet many things are wholsome that are not so toothsome The sheepe of Christ know that to feed vpon this salt marsh is the onely preseruatiue against the rot Therefore nothing is there they lesse repent themselues of then this Repentance nothing they reioyce more in then this sorrow and good reason It is a peece of that blessed Gospell 2. If the difficulty of Repentance discourage thee remember that the commandements of the Gospell haue grace annexed by reason the same things that are commanded in the Gospell are also promised and so this yoake is sweet and easie 3. If the weaknesse of thy Repentance trouble thee remember it is an Euangelicall grace and how little a mite will the Gospell accept euen a penny for a pound A desire to repent is Repentance heere and to grieue because wee cannot bee grieued goes currant for godly sorrow 3. In the description I adde further that it is a Wrought by the Spirit euen grace of the spirit to shew that the Spirit is the authour thereof as appeareth Ezech. 12. 10. I will powre the spirit of grace vpon the house of Iudah and then they shall lament Before we can powre out one teare into Gods bottle God must powre the water of his spirit vpon the dry and heathy ground of our hearts Rom. 8. 26. Wee cannot breath out so much as a sigh but the spirit must first breath it in We cannot suspirare vnlesse God doe first inspirare That we may truely say heere with Dauid in euery repenting sigh sob teare Of thine owne Lord haue we giuen thee Wee powre out because thou hast first powred in Peter weepes but first Christ looked on him The waters flow but then specially when the winde blowes Psal 147. 18. Oh to how low an ebbe will the waters of repenting teares come if this blessed winde of the Spirit blow not It is the fire of the Spirit in our hearts like as in a Still that sendeth vp those dewes of repenting teares into our heads that droppe foorth of our eyes Vse Let no man thinke Repentance in his own power and so that hee may repent when hee will Can any man melt a stone or turne it into flesh By repentance we breake the strong snares of Sathan wherein we are hampered And what power shall 2. Tim. 2. 26. enable vs to doe that but that which is stronger then Sathan euen the power of the spirit Man is like a wild Asses colt Iob 11. 12. will he euer be tame of himselfe no it is the spirit that must tame and humble him by conuincing his conscience of sin Ioh. 16. 8. Man is like a silly lost wandring sheep Will hee euer be able to get into the high way of himselfe No he must heare the voice of his sheepheard crying behinde him This is the way walke in it Is 30. 21. Else he will wander in the wrong way irreturneably Therefore while that voyce soundeth in our hearts while we are called vpon by it to day harden wee not our hearts While the Spirit stirs in thy heart as once the Angell in the poole Ioh. 5. take the opportunity The Spirit who is the worker of repentance is not at thy beck Thou canst not set him on worke when thou wouldest suffer him then to worke when he would If wee could humble our selues we should neuer be humble foreuen this power of humbling our selues would make vs proud God therefore hath reserued it to himselfe and his owne Spirit that so we might be humble indeed yeelding our selues to be wrought vpon by him when he
that thy impenitent heart refuses his physicke This is Ioh. 3. 19. the condemnation that light being come into the world men loued darknesse rather then light Not darknesse simply that condemnes but obslinate continuance in darknesse with loue of it and delight in it after that light is sent to helpe vs out of darknesse On the contrary then if thou repent not though thy sinnes were neuer so small they haue waight enough to presse thee downe to hell Impenitencie makes small sinnes great and heauy But Repentance makes great sinnes no sinnes in regard of diuine imputation The greatest sinnes are pardonable to the penitent as the smallest vnpardonable to the impenitent And further although our sinnes were pardoned and forgiuen yet can we haue no assurance that they are so the promises of remission belong to vs It is presumption to snatch at the promise before wee haue the condition And though thou hadst pardon yet canst thou haue no peace till thou hast come to God by Repentance For God holds the same rule with vs in forgiuing vs which hee prescribes to vs in the forgiuenes of our brethren For though our brother come not to vs and humble himselfe vnto vs yet are we bound to forgiue him but yet wee are not bound to goe to him to tell him that wee forgiue him but hee is to come and say It repenteth mee Euen so deales God with vs he may happily haue forgiuen vs yet vnlesse wee turne and come againe vnto him and say It repenteth vs hee will not tell vs neither shall his spirit Luc. 17. 4. assure and witnesse it to our hearts that he hath pardoned vs. Now if there bee assurance as well as pardon thou shalt bee perplexed and turmoiled as much in the want of assurance as of pardon God often deales with his children as Ioseph did with his brethren hee would not at first make himselfe knowen vnto them but spake roughly vnto them and threatned them the prison and afterward hee telles them I am Ioseph your brother So till wee are prepared by Repentance neither Gen. 45. will God make himselfe nor our pardon knowen vnto vs but will rather speake roughly and threten the prison of hell but if once we come with broken 1. Pet. 3. 19. and with bleeding hearts vnto him then can he no more refraine himselfe then Ioseph could but will say to our consciences I am your father Bee of good comfort your sinnes are pardoned And when we haue by repentance filled Gods bottle with tears then will hee fill our hearts with this soueraigne balme and will annoynt our hearts with the oyle of gladnesse and the vnspeakable ioy of the holy Ghost Then shall the former feares stings and horrors of the accusing conscience be banished all shall be peace and ioy Repentance charmes the windes and the blustring stormes of the accusing conscience and makes the hauen of thine heart to bee calme and cleere So that we may say of Repentance as they of our Sauiour What kinde of grace is this that the Psal 32. windes and sea obey it euen the sea of a hellish and a raging conscience For the experience of all Gods children that haue had any experience of Repentance in themselues can witnesse thus much that they haue no sooner set themselues to prayer confession and renewing of their couenants with God but though at first they brought an hell in their conscience yet they haue presently felt hell turned into heauen and in steed of the pricke of conscience the vnconceiueble peace of God cheering and comforting them It is Dauids owne experiment I sayd I would confesse and thou forgauest mee that is thou tookest hell out of my conscience and shedst the sense of thy forgiuenes into mine heart Hence it is that in diuerse of the Psalmes specially the penitentiall ones the Prophet beginning in Psal 6. 13. much heauinesse and anguish of spirit ends in much ioy and assurance This is the first euill which Repentance remooues 2. Repentance remooues the euill of sinne in regard 2. Of the staine of the staine the blurre and ignominy For euen this also it takes away It so heals the wound that not so much as the skarre remaines When Onesimus had once repented the staine and ignominy of his theft was taken away Once vnprofitable but now profitable to bee receiued not as a theefe Philem. 11. but as a brother But as long as a man remaines impenitent so long the staine stickes in the soule in such sort as if hee were still in the act of sinning euen as dirt doth in the face till it bee washed out All saith our Sauiour before me are theeues and Ioh. 10. 8. robbers Why sayd he not They were theeues in asmuch as they were dead and gone The reason may bee because they died impenitently in that their sinnes and impenitency seems to continue the sinne though the act bee past Hence it is that a man may say of Cain still that hee is a murtherer but not of Dauid that hee is an adulterer the staine being washed out by repentance and hee beeing made cleere and cleane as the picked glasse Because you say saies Christ to the Pharisies you see Ioh. 9. that is remaine obstinate in your blindnesse therfore your sinne remaines that is the blot and staine of it Sinne casts dirt in our faces and besmeares and befoules vs but after Repentance may a man say as Nebuchadnezzer did of himselfe after his Dan. 4. 33. restoring At the same time was my glory and my beauty restored vnto me so at the time of our Repentance the shame and the deformity which sinne brought vpon vs is takenaway and our glory and our beauty is restored vnto vs which wee had before wee sinned The same thing God promises to the Gentiles in their conuersion Then will I change in the people Zeph. 3. 9. 11. their lips that it may be pure so Iunius reads it with the which all may call vpon the name of the Lord that is I will call them to repentance and then followes a promise of taking away the staine In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy works c. Thus doth repentance take away the shame and the staine of sinne But impenitency sets a very brand-marke of shame vpon the fore-head of the sinner and makes him as foule after as in his sinne A man turning from the sunne remaines so till hee turne him towards it again so in sin turning away from God he remaines so till by a fresh act of Repentance he turne himselfe to God againe The wicked sinner may not thinke that his sinne passed away with the acte which presently vanished No but as the workes of the Repentant follow them to Apoc. 14. the graue so also of the wicked That as the one being dead may be still called iust and holy so the other still wicked and impure A lesson for
laughing the heart is sorrowfull so in godly sorrow euen in weeping the heart is light and cheerefull Though sinne grieue vs yet our grieuing for sinne pleases vs. As when wee see a good man wronged we greeue at his wrong but reioyce in his goodnesse 2. Though actuall sorrowing and reioycing may seeme not so well to agree yet habituall may Yea habituall sorrow may stand with actuall ioy and contrarily now when we say A Repentant must alwayes be sorrowfull we meane habitually in regard of the preparation of heart so that hee doe nothing contrary to this sorrow which should take away the disposition of his heart thereto but alwaies maintaine a purpose to dislike and be displeased with sinne And thus are all those precepts of reioycing praying giuing thankes alwaies to be vnderstood The Vse This giues a checke to the slightnesse of our sorrow for sinne A sigh and away no but we must feede and nourish this sorrow neuer satisfie our selues but wish with the Prophet that our heads were continuall vnemptiable fountaines of teares Ierem 9. Mine eye droppeth without stay saith the repenting Church of Israel But how soone are our teares dryed vp If this plaister of sorrow begin to smart a little presently we plucke it off and thinke t is enough whereas we should let it lie on till the sore be throughly healed which is not till death when as all teares and so these of godly sorrow shall bee wiped away Paul in the height of his Christianity still continued mourning I am carnall c. Miserable Rom. 7. man c. Euen the best of vs carry about vs the matter of our humiliation the poysoned root of sinne which is continually branching foorth some corruption or other Our hearts are continuall fountaines of sinne and therefore our heads also must be continuall fountaines of sorrow to allay in some measure the stench of that filthy puddle Peter after his bitter teares was yet thrice pinched with that nipping question Symon louest thou me that he might yet be more seriously humbled And to the same Ioh. 21. purpose would God needes speake the second time out of the whirle-winde to Iob though repenting at the first speaking So repenting Ionas must bee Iob 40. throwen into the sea and humbled Dauid must be further humbled with the losse of his childe with the treasons and villanies of Absolon God would neuer haue the wounds of godly sorrow so skinned vp but that they may bee ready to bleede a fresh vpon euery occasion Yea he would haue a continuall issue kept in them Dauid mourned at Nathans rebuke but that mourning could not content him He goes to it a fresh in the 51. Psalme and euen soakes and souses himselfe in this brine It is a deep and piercing sorrow that God requires Euen such a one that should drowne all other sorrowes As when the stone and gout meet together the paine of the stone beeing the more greeuous takes away the sense of the gout euen so should it be with vs heere When sinne and affliction Cumque sit exilium magis est mihi culpa dolori Est que pati poenam quam mernisse minus are both vpon vs at once the desert of the punishment should so grieue vs that the punishment it selfe should not bee heeded But it is contrary Worldly sorrow blunts the edge of Godly 2. Rule Though this sorrow must be the chiefest yet it must be moderated for though we cannot exceed in the displeasure of our willes against sinnne yet we may in the testification of this displeasure in weeping fasting pining and macerating the body Besides that in the best there is a mixture of the Legall humiliation with the Euangelicall and it is one of Sathans wiles to draw vs from godly sorrow to desperation Whereupon Paul willeth the Corinthians to looke that the incestuous person should not be swallowed vp of too much heauinesse 2 Cor. 2 7. 8 11. For as too much hony is not good so neither too much wormewood That weeping is not good which blindes the eye of our faith but only that which quickens it 3. Rule Sorrow must be proportioned to our Quam magna deliquimus tangranditer defleamus Cypr. sinnes The greater our sinne the fuller must bee our sorrow Dauid was not so much afflicted for his other lesser infirmities as for his murther and adultery The medicine must bee answerable to the malady The antidote to the poyson CHAP. V. Of the vse and excellency of Humiliation THe third point to be considered in Humiliation 3. The vse and excellency of it in that is the Vse and Excellency therof which shewes it selfe in many particulars 1. It is the ground of all true renouation and reformation 1. It is the ground of reformation We cannot alter the forme of our vessels of mettall which dislike vs vnlesse we melt and dissolue them and then may wee cast them into what mould we will Such vessels when they are broken may be bound vp or holpen by soddering but that 's nothing vnlesse they bee molten and so made new againe No more will any thing helpe throughly to amend our sinnefull hearts as long as they remaine in their hardnesse till they bee throughly liquefied and molten in true humiliatition Ierem. 5. 3. They haue made their faces harder then a stone saith Ieremy they haue refused to returne Therefore Iam. 4. 8. 9. 10. the Apostle bidding vs to clense our hearts and purge our hands of our sinnes withall biddeth vs to suffer the affliction of godly sorrow and to humble our selues vnder the hand of God shewing that sin sticks so close to our hearts that we shall neuer get it out vnlesse wee euen wring and rent them with this Ioel. 2. sorrow And heere is a speciall excellency of godly sorrow Mulctatus est quispiam pecunijs tristatus est mulctam non emendauit filium amisit doluit mortuum non resuscitauit c peccauit quis tristatus est peccatis deleuit dissolum delictum Chrysost ad pop Antioch Rom. 5. which shewes indeede that sorrow hath little or no vse any where els saue in humiliation for sin For greeue wee neuer so much for losse of friends goods good name we cannot get rid of our crosses but together with our griefe they abide by vs But sorrow for sinne shakes and batters it in pee-peeces and eases the conscience of it Sorrow therfore is neuer well bestowed but heere It were absurd to apply a medicine for the head to the feete So to apply sorrow the salue for sinne to afflictions and crosses where it does no good Weep therfore for thy selfe not for thy beasts fling not awaye such precious sweete water into the channell or sincke-hole but keepe it for to sent the closet of thine owne heart with against the euill sauours of thy sinnes 2. Humiliation is the procurer of all other graces God resisteth the proud but giueth grace to
but the Law is spirituall and requireth euen the rest of thy heart from worldly thoughts much more of thy tongue from worldly speeches And how often hast thou here offended 5. Command Honour thy father c. O I should be vnnaturall if I did not so Yea but thy Magistrate thy Minister thy Husband thy Master thy Superiours are thy Fathers also And hast thou no way failed in performance of honour to all these And thou that art any of these fathers hast thou preserued this Law or rather by an vnbeseeming carriage hast thou not inuited thy inferiours to contemne thee 6. Command Thou shalt not kill Heere thou thinkest thy selfe innocent indeede Yea but there is a murther of the heart hatred wrath c. Perhaps by greeuing the heart of thy brother vniustly thou hast shortned his dayes Or if free from bodily murther yet haply thou hast murthered his soule by thy negligence by thy euill example 7. Command Against Adultery Here also the lust of the heart yea the vse of any prouokements thereof as idlenesse drunkennesse gluttony wanton bookes lookes pictures dances speeches vesture gesture are sufficient to make thee guilty before God yea winking at it in others 8. Command Against stealing Heere euen Couetousnesse is a Pick-purse before God Yea and not to vphold the estate of our brother is stealing for the poore are made owners of part of our goods Prou. 3. 9. Command Against false witnesse bearing Where lying flattering detracting listning to tales yea not giuing testimony to thy brothers name and commending Gods grace in him makes thee guilty 10. Command Cuts to the very quicke condemning the very first motions of sinnes springing out of our hearts though reiected presently Well then this filthy dunghill how euer vnstirred it did not annoy vs yer after this raking in it the stench will bee intollerable Though in our blindnesse wee might please our selues yet when our eyes are opened to looke in this glasse ô what vgly creatures shall wee thinke our selues then Though in the darke seeing no danger wee were fearelesse yet by this light discerning not onely the beames but euen the least moates and seeing so infinite a swarme of sinnes yea an army of iniquities incompassing vs how can we chuse but be confounded in our selues and forced to cry out with Iob Not one of a thousand and with Dauid If thou markest what is done amisse who shall abide it Psal 130. 3. 2. Besides the number of our sinnes their hainousnesse must also be found out A sore which at first seemes nothing by reason of the small quantity of skin that is broken afterward being searched and launched and the dead flesh taken out the hole is much greater then before So sinnes which seeme small and petty sinnes to carnall ciuill men such as they thinke may easily be washed away with a few formall cursory prayers when once they begin to search them by the Law they appeare out of measure sinnefull There is no greater hinderer of serious humiliation then that tricke of extenuation whereby men deale with their sinnes as the steward with his masters debts for an hundred he set downe fifty But Luc. 16. if wee would make our hearts bleede in godly sorrow wee must strictly presse euery circumstance whereby it may be aggrauated It is noted in Peters weeping that he first weighed his sinne and considered the heightning circumstances the person Mar. 14. 72. denied Iesus Christ the Lord of glory his owne person that denied a Disciple of Christ the means hee had to haue kept him Christs admonition the manner with swearing and cursing and that not once but often So doth Dauid amplifie his sinne by his knowledge Psalm 51. Thou hast taught mee wisdome in my secret parts I cannot plead ignorance Psal 51. 6. thou hast most familiarly and fully acquainted mee with thy will In this search also the place where and the time when the sinne was committed would bee inquired after Drunkennesse on the Sabaoth swearing in the Church-assembly receiue increase of filthinesse from the holinesse of the time and place Hosea thus brands the drunkennesse of the Nobles In the day of the King wherein either his birth or Hos 7. 5. coronation was solemnized which craued Prayers rather then Cups euen then they made themselues drunke with flagons of wine Inquire also whether the sinne haue been repeated often and specially after Repentance and how long it hath beene continued in for custome and daily practise ripens sin Idlenesse to the twelfth houre is greater then to the sixt And this is the search we must make for our sinnes 2. As our sinne so our misery procured by sin must be considered and beheld in the Law Euen the curse of God begun heere and to bee perfited heerafter in torments easelesse and endlesse Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all the things written in Deut. 27. 26. this booke And this curse must be applyed to euery particular Commandement and not to the whole Law onely When thus wee shall know our estate our nature to bee poysoned our liues laden with innumerable those hainous and horrible rebellions bringing vs into the state of condemnation on our parts wholly vnauoydable when a man shall know all this what flinty brest is there that cannot be mooued Strike the rocke of thy heart with the rod of the Law discouering thy sinne thy misery and riuers of water will gush foorth And this is the first duty for prouoking of godly sorrow the consideration of our owne wayes 2. In Consideration of God wayes of The second followeth the consideration of Gods wayes both of Iustice Mercy 1. Iustice And Lam. 3. 1. Of Iustice It worketh much vpon the heart when a man considers how the Lord hath met with him in his sinne and hath shaped answerable punishments My soule hath them namely the gall and wormewood of my afflictions in remembrance is humbled within me saith the repenting Church So Haggay prouoking the Iewes to Repentance Hagg. 1. 6. Consider saith he your wayes in your hearts but so that withall yee consider Gods wayes proportionable in the punishment to yours in the sinne Yee haue sowen much and haue reaped little yee haue eaten and haue not beene filled drunken and not satisfied c. marke the long taile of punishments your sinnes haue drawen after them So the Church of Ephesus being called to Repentance is first bidden to remember from whence shee is Reuel 2. 5. fallen by her sinne what she had lost thereby viz. the presence of the spirit boldnesse of faith peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost free accesse vnto God in praier Such losses throughly thoght vpon will pierce the heart with godly sorrow and make the fallen Christian say with Iob Oh that it Iob 29. were with me as in times past and with Dauid When I remember these things my soule is powred out within Psal 42. mee 2.
of their iourney We all are or should be trauellers to God to Heauen-ward but wee are turned aside into the quite contrary way we are like the Prodigall departing from his fathers house like the lost sheepe straying from the fold therefore we must turne backe againe and set our faces to wards God vpon whom wee haue turned our backes It is impossible his feete should euer stand in Heauen whose eyes are not turned towards it Men doe vainely perswade themselues of finding God and his Kingdome with faces turned vpon sinne and backes vpon God Excellently doth Isay ioyne together turning and seeking God A man Is 9. 13. may long enough seeke an Easterne Countrey in the West ere he finde it And as long may hee seeke God in the wayes of sinne and Sathan ere he shall meet with him This phrase then sheweth the absolute necessity of Repentance for as he whose backe being turned vpon me is gone farre from me can neuer be with me vnlesse he turne his face towards me and so make towards me with his feete no more can wee sinners that are gone away from the Lord euer enioy him or bee with him vnlesse by Repentance we turne towards him onely thus turning may wee seeke him and thus seeking can we finde him The second name is Metanoia After-wit or After-wisdome opposed to Pronoia Fore-wit fore-casting and prouiding before hand This name teacheth that euery impenitent sinner is a witlesse foole and that true wisdome consists in turning from our sinnes to the Lord. Of the Bapitst drawing men to Repentance it is sayd He shall turne them to the wisdome of the iust The minister Luc. 1. sayes Paul must wait if God at any time will giue thee refractary Repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that 2. Tim. 2. 25. they may awake out of their drunken sleepe and become sober Implying that as long as we lie in our sinnes we are as drunken sots voyd of all vnderstanding Hence that phrase of the repenting Prodigall He came to himselfe implying that before Luc. 15. 17. Prou. 9. he was mad and besides himselfe If thou wilt bee wise thou wilt be wise for thy selfe that is thine owne soules good saith Salomon Let now the wordling and impenitent wretch go and thinke Repentance folly and himselfe wise that will not bee troubled with so heauy and melancholy a thing They shall sing another song one day euen that Wisd 5. Wee counted them fooles but c. Is not hea foole that being out of his way wil not returne backe when the right way is shewed him Hearke what Ieremy saies of such They haue Ierem. 5. 4. refused to returne therfore I sayd they are poore how poore poore in the braine poore in wit for he addes They are foolish for this cause that rich man is called a foole for all his worldly wit and Luc. 12. those virgins foolish virgins for all their blazing lamps It were madnesse to thinke of comming vp to the top of the house without the staires or ladder so to come to Heauen without this ladder of Repentance Extreame solly for a man to aime at some excellent end and in meane time neuer think of the meanes that should compasse it nay to doe that which is directly contrary thereto For a man to professe his desire after Heauen and yet to shun Repentance the onely way that carries thether Worthily therefore is Repentance called After-wisdome or After-wit In other things Fore-wit is preferred before After-wit But heere the afterwit of Repentance shall bring vs to a farre better estate then euer wee should haue attained if Adam had had the fore-wit to haue espied the deceit of Sathan and so to haue preuented the danger This is the wisdome that is commended to vs in the parable Luc. 16. of the vniust steward And it is the wisdome Moses prayes for Teach vs so to number our dayes counting euery day for the last that wee may apply our hearts to wisdome euen to the wisdome of prouiding for our soules by Repentance And so much of the names giuen to this second part of Repentance CHAP. XI Of turning from sinne THe second poynt to bee considered in this 2. The nature of it where Change or Turning is the nature thereof and that is set downe in the definition to be a turning from sinne to God Heere though the nature of it be set foorth by a metaphor drawen from change of place yet indeed Repentance is no change of place but of qualities manners and dispositions from Euill to Good The soule and body in regard of their essence powers faculties and proper and naturall actions remaine the same after Repentance that before Onely the corrupt and vicious qualities in them are taken away and so they are rectified Sorrow feare ioy c. are not abolished but onely polished and refined of that drosse of errour in regard of their obiect Feare of punishment is turned into feare of sinne and worldly sorrow into godly Carnall mirth into spirituall ioy in the holy Ghost Againe this change is twofold 1. Passiue wherby God changes and turnes vs. In the which wee are meere patients and God onely workes 2. Actiue whereby wee being turned and changed by God doe labour further to turne and change our selues Both these in time are together but yet distinct in nature The former is that which is called Regeneration and is as it were the infusing of a soule into a dead body The latter is Repentance and is the motion or stirring of the soule infused Of it Iohn when he saith He that hath this hope purgeth 1. Ioh. 3. 3. himselfe And this latter actiue Conuersion in Repentance is the effect of the former passiue conuersion After I was conuerted I repented so Isay 30. Ierem. 31. 18. 21. 22. And in this regard is Repentance made the gift of God because his turning of vs is the cause of our turning our selues For the vnderstanding of the nature of this turning two things must be considered 1. The Parts 2. The Properties thereof The Parts are two 1. Auersion from sinne 1. The parts which are 2. Conuersion to God For the former It was thus expressed in the definition 1. Auersion from sinne Repentance is a grace c. whereby the sinner c. turnes from his sinne where let vs mark that Repentance is made a turning from sinne indefinitely without restriction whence arise those two Consectaries 1. That there is no sinne so great but may be And 2. That there is no sinne so small but must be opposed and encountred with Repentance Reason sayes Great sinnes cannot be and small sinnes need not be repented of In great sins Reason derogates from Gods mercy as though they could not bee pardoned for all our Repentance My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen In lesser Gen. 4. from his iustice and truth as though they might be pardoned without any Repentance at
out of Satans snare but yet so as the prisoner out of prison with the bolt on his legge and so he can goe but slowly yet in his desire hee flies and wishes euery step twenty Wee are still fettered with many infirmities that presse vs so downeward that we cannot runne vp Gods hill and therefore this encreases the vehemency of our desires This is a great comfort to euery true Repentant heart Thou that hast these desires it is an argument of the truth of thy repentance whereby hauing turned thy face towards God thou hast gotten sight of his face and therfore doest so long after him and desire to draw neerer and neerer vnto him A repenting heart is neuer without these earnest desires Blessed saith our Sauiour are they Matth. 5. 3. 6. which are poore in spirit and then hee addes Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse where-euer there is a poore there is a thirsting spirit and these hungring and thirsting desires are euidences of a repenting hearts 6. Duety is Zeale which is a compounded affection 6. Zeale of Loue and Anger There may bee deceit and often is in our desires Euery one pretends they desire Gods commandements but there is no zeale in their desires they are lazie and sluggish desires therefore is Zeale added next to Desire to shewe what kinde of desires these must bee to wit they should be feruent and zealous desires The Desire of the sloathfull slayes him for his hands refuse to worke Prou. 21. 25. But true desire hath zeale ioyned with it which causes vs eagerly to pursue the thing desired and to ouercome all impediments hindring our desires We see in nature how the irascible faculties backes the concupiscible And as fire hath lightnesse whereby it aspires to the highest place so it hath also heat to consume that which should hinder his ascent In the like manner hath the true desire of a repenting sinner the grace of zeale to second it when one had vttered that affectionate speech Blessed are Luc. 14. 14. they that eate bread in the Kingdome of God see how Christ presently entertaines it with the Parable of the ghuests who being inuited to the supper had euery one their excuses from their farmes oxen and wiues whereby Christ seemes to giue a checke to the counterfet desires of many and seemes to insinuate thus much oh you indeede make as if you had a desire to come but you doe but counterfet you meane it not for when God calles you to this supper yee are ready to shuffle off his inuitation with one worldly excuse or another and so are your desires zeale-lesse desires They are so colde so heartlesse and so heatlesse that they cannot leap ouer the least blocke that lyes in their wayes Thus wee see then how fitly zeale followes desire And indeede a true penitentiary cannot but be zealous Zeale must needes be ioyned with repentance for these reasons 1. Repentance is a turning vnto God and a returning into our way out of which we had wandred by our sinnes Now the more way and time a man hath lost the more earnest and zealous he is in the redemption of both A man that hath rid out of his way when once he perceiues it will spurre the harder and gallop the faster till he hath recouered so farre as he might haue beene if hee had kept his way in a good reasonable pace So when the Repentant considers how much knowledge and experience hee might haue gained if the good time which he hath mispent in his sins had beene spent vpon better things when he considers how much of his life is past in sin and knows not how little he hath to come wherin he may walk in obedience he layes the more zealousty about him that what he wants in time he may redeem with his zeale And this is that which Peter vrges That henceforward we should liue as much time as remaines in the body not after 1. Pet. 4. 2. 3. the lusts of men for it is sufficient for vs that we haue spent the time past after the lusts of the Gentiles The longer wee haue beene stragling the more quicke should be our speed in our returne And the same thing doth Paul vrge the Romanes withall As yee haue giuen your members seruants to Rom. 6. 19. Qui per poenitentiam resurgunt magna charitato resplendent saepe maiori quā illi qui nunquā cecidernut Chry. vncleannesse and iniquitie to commit iniquity so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse The Repentant will be no lesse zealous in the wayes of grace then hee was in the wayes of sinne and the more zealous will hee bee in the seruice of righteousnesse because hee spent so much of his time and strength in the seruice of iniquity 2. Before repentance wee are blind and cannot see God nor the sweete beauty of his face for indeed our faces are turned from him but in repentance wee turne our faces to God and then seeing him his bounty our crowne and recompence of reward wee arc so rauished and enamoured vpon him as that with Paul in an holy zeale wee forget that which is behind endeuouring our selues to that Phil. 3. 13. 14. which is before and following hard toward the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus 3. The Repentant considers the vnconceiuable loue of God towards him in the pardon of his sins that howsoeuer hee was running headlong into hell to cast away himselfe and his soule yet the Lord stayd him and was mercifull vnto him in the remission of all his offences The meditation of which sweete goodnesse and loue of God constraines 2. Cor. 5. him to bee zealous for the glory of so gracious a God This loue of God in Christ to him constrains him and inflames and fires his heart with an earnest zeale to glorifie the Lord. That whereas before by his sinnes hee had wounded Gods glory now the loue of God who hath had mercy vppon him in plucking him out of the iawes of Sathan makes him now zelous of his glory and carefully to labour to heale these wounds which before his sins had made This we may see in that repenting woman who because much was forgiuen her therefore Luke 7. she loued much that is zelously She had not beene so zelous before in following her filthy and vnclean loues as now she was zelous in following her holy and spirituall loue Now this zeale in repentance shewes it selfe in these properties 1. Property It ouerlookes all difficulties and ouercomes all impediments Much water cannot Cant. 8. quench loue nay it kindles rather and the more water the more loue Zeale dampes at no bogges quagmires hilles or mountaines it is an affection that will wing a man and mount him ouer all It is not a Lyon in the way no nor yet Legions of Deuils in the way can coole it's courage Michols scoffs
euen in those things are most necessary and most neerely concerne vs we are most supine and secure and neede the goades of the strongest argument to pricke vs forward The motiues Two motiues to repentance then that may perswade vs are of two sorts 1. From the benefits of Repentance 2. From the euils of impenitency Out of these two heads shall spring the motiues following 1. For the benefits which come vnto us by Repentance 1. The benefits of Repentance Which are Exod. 15. Repentance indeed is bitter and many therefore distaste it as the Israelites did the bitter waters of Marah But if we shall consider the benefits that shall accrue vnto vs thereby we shall find them as the tree which the Lord shewed vnto Moses to sweeten and alay the bitternes therof Oh say some this repentance is an heauy a troublesom matter what good shall we get by our mourning mortification but depriue our selues of our pleasures Repentance is a very hell or at lest a Purgatory well be it that it be an hell yet it is such an hell as must bring thee out of hell in the Kingdome of Christ Repent sayth Iohn for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand Our way to heauen is to goe by this hell And because men aske like those in the Prophet What profit shall wee haue and what Mal. 3. good if we doe repent wee will lay downe more particularly the benefits thereof They therfore consist principally in two things 1. In remoouing of euill 2. In bringing of Good 1. In remoouing euill The euils which are remooued by repentance are either of sinne or of punishment Repentance remooues 1. Of sinne in regard the euill of sinne two wayes 1. In regard of the sting 1. Of the sting 2. In regard of the staine 1. In regard of the sting The sting of sinne is the guilt of sinne in the conscience binding a man ouer to the wrath of God and filling the conscience full of terrour from the expectation of Gods vengeance Now the repenting sinner is freed from this guilt and from the sense of it in his conscience and hath the free and full remission of all his sinnes in the blood of Christ At what time Zach. 13. 1. soeuer a sinner shall repent him of his sinne I will blot out all his wickednesse out of my remembrance The same thing teaches Zachary In that day namely when as it is in the former chapter they shall mourne for their sinnes as for the losse of their first borne shall a fountaine be opened for sinne and vncleannesse They whose heads are fountaines of teares to bathe Christs feet in with Mary Magdalen shall haue Christs heart pierced to be a fountaine of blood to bathe their souls in and to wash away all their guiltinesse These two fountaines must goe together and when wee wash our selues in the one wee shall bee bathed in the other Our mercy to our sinnes breedes Gods seuerity as Ahabs foolish pity to Benhadad was cruelty 1. King 20. to himselfe but on the contrary our seuerity procures Gods mercy Our mercy to our sinnes preuents Gods mercy to our selues but if wee take reuenge vpon our selues in our repentance then will not God take reuenge vpon vs. The promises of remission to repentance are very frequent in Scripture So the Prophet Isay promises pardon to the Penitent Is 1. 16. 17. 18. Wash you make you cleane put away the euill of your workes from you that is to say Repent And then followes Though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made white as snow c. that is to say you shall be pardoned and forgiuen Haue mercy on mee saith Psal 51. 1. 3. Dauid ô Lord now what is his argument to mooue God to mercy For I know mine iniquities and my sin is euer before me If we acknowledge our sinnes that is if men repent he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our 1. Ioh. 1. 9. sinnes Not that Repentance merits remission nor that it apprehends it for so onely fath brings remission but as it is a necessary attendant of faith in apprehending remission For when wee hold out the hand of faith to receiue Gods mercy wee doe it as beggers crying and lamenting our miseries And Faith lookes vpon Christ with a weeping and a repenting eye And therefore though it bee faith that doth apprehend mercy and pardon yet because this faith is a repenting faith yea euen then most of all repenting when it most of all apprehends mercy therefore it is that that the promise of pardon is made to repentance Hence Repentance and Remission of sinne are ioyned together by our Sauiour Luk. 24. 47. No Repentance no Remission Except yee Luk. 13. 3. repent yee shall all likewise perish so if Repentance then Remission Be it true Repentance though it be neuer so small there is Remission and so life eternall Hence Repentance is called Repentance Acts 11. 18. vnto life The Repenting sinner then is in a most happy case for hee hath his sinnes pardoned and so title to Heauen So that if a man dies in Repentance he dies in the state of saluation and so goes to heauen For looke what way wee are turned when we dye thither goe wee as the tree fals that way wherto it inclined bowed when it stood on the ground Now Repentance as we haue seene is the turning of the heart to God so that if a man die with his face turned to God-ward to God hee goes But if he die in his irrepentance with his face turned from God to God he can neuer come Let this then perswade euery one as euer hee lookes to be saued to breake off his sinnes by Repentance The Papists lye when they teach vs that there are two wayes to Heauen The way of innocency and the way of penitency No there is but this one way of penitency by which euen the most holy must go for all haue sinned and onely the repenting sinners shall be saued And againe here is both exceeding great comfort to the repenting and terror to the impenitent sinner Are thy sinnes many and greeuous If they were as red as Scarlet yet if thou repent they shall bee made white as snow It is onely impenitency that damnes thee not murther not adultery not incest If thou canst repent of these these sinnes thou art safe when the streame of thy sinnes and the streame of Gods wrath fot thy sins come against thy soule let the streame of that water which issued out of Christs heart together with that streame which issueth out of thy repenting eyes meet it and they shall turne away the current of it away from thee The Physician is not so much offended with the loathsomnesse of the disease as with the contempt of his physick which he knows being taken would heale the disease Nor God so much with thy most odious sins as with this
the euill that I thought to bring vpon them Thus the Nineuites repentance wrought repentance in God God saw their workes that they turned from their euill wayes and God repented of the euill that hee Ion 3. 10. had said he would doe vnto them and he did it not Thus by their repentance was the threatned sentence reuersed A strange thing as Chrysostome hath noted that the condemned Malefactors repentance should repeale the Iudges sentence and a thing altogether vnvsuall in the Courts of men yet in Gods court repentance doth not onely frustrate Gods owne casting sentence but turnes it into an acquitting sentence doth not onely turne backe the euills to be expected but brings the contrary blessings which could neuer bee expected That murtherous and adulterous marriage betwixt Dauid and Bathsheba how many heauy curses did it threaten yet they seriously repenting all curses turned into blessings Christ came of this marriage and Salomon the eldest sonne thereof was the most eminent man for gifts that euer was and in his posteritie did the kingdome continue for many generations Loe how Repentance was more powerfull to draw downe blessings then murther and adulterie both together with their vnited forces to bring downe curses For this is a certaine rule in all vnlawfull entrances into any Calling that After-Repentance is counteruayleable to a lawfull entrance and both keeps backe the punishments due to vnlawfull entrance and sometimes brings greater blessings of God then a lawfull entrance Wouldest thou then keep backe those plagues thy sinnes haue deserued the way is to repent Repent of thy sinne and God will repent of his plagues Gods anger is often in Scripture compared to fire now looke what power the elementary water hath against fire to quench it when it is beginning to flame and burst out the same vertue is in the water of the teares of Repentance to keep the fire of Gods wrath from breaking out vpon vs in his punishments This is the water that can only preuent the burning of this fire 2 Because sometimes notwithstanding our Repentance 2. Remouing God sees it fit to lay some chastisements vpon vs for the furtherance and increase of our repentance to shew his hatred of sinne and for the example of others as in Dauid punished with the losse of his child after his Repentance for his adulterie and in Ionah throwen into the sea after his repentance for his disobedience therefore though the power of repentance appeare not in keeping backe the affliction that it touch vs not yet appeares the power of it in the taking away of the affliction in due time If my people saith the Lord 2. Chro 7. 14. vpon whom my name is called doe humble themselues and pray and seeke my presence and turne from their 2. Chron. 33. wicked wayes then will I heare in heauen and be mercifull to their sinne and will heale their land After Manassehs repentance had broken the fetters of Sathan and his sinnes it also broke the yrons he was held in in prison And repentance was the same to him that the Angell was to Peter which opened Act. 12. the prison and loosed his fetters Loe the Angelicall vertue of repentance So Ionahs repentance was as a powerfull vomit to the Whale and made him cast him vp safe vpon the land Ionah his repentance was as powerfull as the three childrens faith It ouercame the fire of the whales belly as well as their faith the fire of Nebucadnezzars furnace yea it did not ouercome the fire onely but the water also in the Seas that they could not drowne him So Iob repenting recouered all his losses and receiued double riches and possessions 3. If afflictions still abide with vs and we cannot 3. Sweetning and sanctifying as yet be deliuered yet Repentance is a sweet comforter and so brings a mitigation of our afflictions If it cannot plucke out the poyson yet it shall turne it to wholsome food so that affliction shall be as no affliction and according to the Apostles counsell we shall weep as if we wept not If a man feele 1. Cor. 7. the grace of Repentance in his afflictions so that he can go to God and confesse and bewayle his sinnes calling vpon him for mercy and renewing his couenant with him his affliction shall not so much grieue him as this his repentance shall cheere and reioyce him For to say the truth in all our afflictions it is more our sinne then the affliction that pinches vs. Sinne is a thorne in the flesh which makes but the touch of the finger painfull whereas if that thorne were not the stroake of the whole hand might be endured without any paine Now repentance takes away that thorne that is sinne and so makes our afflictions both easy and comfortable None so meeke quiet patient silent and cheerefull in affliction as the Repentant sinner The more repentance the more ease in afflictions Onely the impaenitent are impatient He that hath two burdens on his backe at once must needs feele more trouble then he that hath onely one Now the impenitent sinner hath two burdens his affliction and his sinne which addes weight to his affliction and layes as it were the hand to presse it downe vpon vs. But the penitent sinner hath but one burden his affliction as for sinne the other burden his repentance hath eased him of it Therefore Dauid prayes Looke on my affliction and trauell and forgiue me my sinne Then is Psal 25. 18. our affliction eased when our sinne is forgiuen which cannot be without repentance for it is sinne onely that exasperates affliction and is as salt and vineger to a sore it is sinne that makes it smart Thus did Dauids repentance ease and sweeten the 2. Sam. 12. affliction of his childes death when by prayer fasting and such like exercises of Repentance he had remooued the cause of affliction his sinne his affliction was not bitter and burdensome but his Repentance inabled him cheerefully to rise vp and refresh himselfe And this is the reason why the children of God as hath been shewed haue alwaies in their afflictions afresh renewed their Repentance that they might if not wholy free themselues from their affliction yet from the stinge and torment of it and might gaine if not deliuerance from yet patience and comfort in it for this is the admirable power of Repentance that it turnes euen crosses into comforts losses into gaines and aduantages as contrarily impaenitent lying in sinne turnes comforts into crosses and helps into hinderances Ionah while he went on impaenitently in his disobedience the ship could not saue him nor all the skill of the Marriners but when he once repented then neither the waters could drowne him nor the heat of the fishes maw consume him When he was in his sinne then the windes the seas and all were against him when in repentance all for and with him the Sea and the Whales belly kept him safer then
21. much in this did she sinne that shee called her selfe a Prophetesse that she deceiued Gods seruants and made them commit fornication and eat meat sacrificed to idols But this was her heauy and hainous trasgression I gaue her space to repent of her fornication and she repented not Her great sinne was that she repented not for sinne This indeede is the damning sinne It is not simply sinne that now damnes but continuance in and impenitency for sinne It is not the falling into the water but the lying vnder the water that drownes It is not falling into sinne but lying in it by impenitency that drownes a mans soule in perdition There is but one sinne that shall neuer be forgiuen the blasphemy against the holy Ghost and euen this sinne is not simply irremissible and vnpardonable but only because that sinne hath alwayes annexed vnto it finall impenitency euen that sinner but that he is an impenitent sinner might be pardoned But let vs a little more particularly see what the euill of this sinne is Salomon telleth vs in one word what it is He that hardeneth his heart to wit by impenitency shall fall into euill Now this euill that Prou. 28. 14. shall follow impenitency is two fold Temporall euils and Spirituall euils 1. Impenitency brings Temporall euils They are these 1. Temporall they are 1. Iudgments of note 1. Fearefull exemplary and remedilesse punishments God whips not this sinne with ordinary rods but he lashes it with scorpions plagues it with remarkeable vengeance and iudgements of more eminent note The patience of God is that which keepes backe Gods iudgements Now impenitency sinnes against Gods patience and abuses it Mans impenitency causes Gods impatience And whereas Repentance stands in the gappe and keeps out iudgement Impenitency breakes down not a gappe but the whole fence and not onely lets in but as with cart-ropes hales in Gods iudgments The wise man seeth a plague and hideth himselfe Prou. 22. 3. but the foolish goe on still and are punished The wise man hides himselfe by Repentance by it turning backe from his sinne and so turning back the iudgement but the foole the impenitent sinner he goes on still till he meete with the iudgement Repentance is a meeting with God Because I will doe this Am. 4. 12. vnto thee prepare to meet thy God ô Israel Then wee meet God when we seek to him by Repentance sendforth our tears prayers as our Ambassadors to plead for a peace and sue for mercy to God in turning his fierce wrath from vs. But Impenitency makes a man sit still and lets the iudgement come and so because it will not come to meet with God it meetes with his wrath and iudgements So it is noted of the old world They were eating and drinking and marrying and giuing in marriage and knew Mat. 24. 38. 39. nothing till the flood came and tooke them all away They were washt away with the waters of Gods iudgement who would not wash themselues in the tears and waters of Repentance Therefore it is that when the Lord comes to threaten this sinne hee heapes so many threatnings one vpon another against this sin of impenitency as if so be he could not satisfie himselfe in threatning it as if so be the naming of it had enraged his iealousie If any man Deut. 29. 19. 20. 21. c. shall blesse himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace though I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart c. The Lord will not bee mercifull vnto him but then the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen and so goes on still in that heauy manner threatning impenitent persons to the end of the chapter And wheras the Lord in threatning other sins vses to come in with some qualifications vpon hope of Repentance yet when he threatens this sinne he is absolute in his threatnings to shew that he will be resolute in his iudgements The Lord called to weeping Is 22. 12. 13. 14 and mourning to baldnesse and girding with sack-cloath that is to the exercises of Repentance and Humiliation And behold ioy and gladnesse slaying oxen and killing sheepe eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking that is hardening their hearts by impenitency and going on in their sinnes without Repentance Well but how did the Lord take this Surely saith he this iniquity this iniquity of their horrible impenitency shall not bee purged from you till ye die Heere is no qualification of the threatnings but God absolutely threatens that he will neuer pardon this sin of theirs that with so high an hand went on in their sinnes Secure sinning and hardnesse of heart is an vndoubted fore-runner of seuere destruction And when God will giue ouer men to his iudgements he first giues them ouer to this iudgement of an impenitent heart So vpon the iudgement of hardnesse of heart threatned by Isaiah In making their Is 6. 10. 11. hearts fat and their eares heauy c. followes the fearefull threatning of washing the cities till they bee without inhabitant and the houses till they bee without man and the vtter desolation of the Land Thus is hardnesse of heart and impenitency alwayes the harbinger to some fearefull plague As on the contrary when God intends mercy to a nation he first giues them the grace of Repentance In that day saith the Lord by Zachary will I seeke to destroy all nations that come against Ierusalem And I will powre Zich 12 9. 10. vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and compassion and they looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall lament c. as if had sayd Though I meane to destroy other nations yet will I not destroy Ierusalem but will giue them the grace of Repentance that they may preuent and auoyd destruction But on the other side when our hearts are hardened in sinning Diluvium fuit circa finem Aprilis cum orbis quasi reuiuiscit cum aues cantillant ex ultant pecudes c. Luther in Genes 7. Gods heart is hardened in punishing Yea euen then when men are most securely hardened is Gods hand neerest vnto them to fall heauy vpon them The old world was destroyed in the end of Aprill which is the most pleasant time of all the yeere And the sunne shone vpon Sodome that morning it was destroyed who would haue looked for such a flood now the winrer was past and the yeere now in her prime and pride who after such a faire sunne-shining morning would haue looked for such a dismall day Such dismall euents doth mens impenitency portend and then most of all when they are in their greatest security Arise saith the Lord to Nebuchadnezzer and get you Ier. 29. 31. 32.