CHAP. IX Containing powerful Motives to Repentance THAT the exhortation to Repentance may be more quickned I shall lay down some powerful Motives to excite Repentance 1. Sorrow and melting of heart fits us for every holy duty A piece of Lead while it is in the lump can be put to no use but melt it and then you may cast it into any mould and it is made useful So an heart that is hardened into a lump of sin is good for nothing but when it is dissolved by Repentance now it is useful A melting heart is fit to pray When Pauls heart was humbled and melted then Behold he prayes Act. 9. 11. It is fit to hear the word Now the word works kindly When Iosiahs heart was tender he humbled himself and rent his cloths at the hearing the words of the Law 2 Chron. 34. 19. His heart like melting wax was ready to take any seal of the word A melting heart is fit to obey When the heart is like metal in the Furnace it is facil and malleable to any thing Lord what wilt thou have me do A repenting soul subscribes to Gods will and answers to his call as the eccho to the voice 2. Repentance is highly acceptable Then our hearts are a garden of Eden delightful to God when a spiritual River runs to water this garden I have read that Doves delight to be about the waters and surely Gods Spirit who descended in the likeness of a Dove takes great delight in the waters of Repentance The Lord esteems no heart sound but the broken heart Psal. 51. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit Mary stood at Iesus feet weeping Luke 7. 38. She brought two things to Christ saith Austin unguentum lachrymas tears and oyntment her tears were better than her oyntment Tears are powerful Orators for mercy they are silent yet they have a voice Psal. 6. 8. Hear the voice of my â—…eeping 3. Repentance commends all our services to God That is Gods savoury meat which is seasoned with the bitter hearbs of godly sorrow Hearing of the word â—…s then good when we are pricked at the heart Act. 2. 37. Prayer is delightful to God when it ascends from the Altar of a broken heart The Publican smote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner this prayer pierced Heaven He went away justified rather than the other Luke 18. 14. No prayer toucheth Gods ear but what comes from an heart touched with the sense of sin 4. Without Repentance nothing will avail us Some bless themselves that they have a stock of knowledge but what is knowledge good for without Repentance It is better to mortifie one â—…in than to understand all mysteries Impure speculatists do but resemble Satan â—…ransformed into an Angel of light Learning and a bad heart is like a fair face with a cancer in the breast Knowledge without Repentance will be but a torch â—…o light men to Hell 5. Repenting tears are delitious they may be compared to myrrhe which though it be bitter in taste it hath a sweet smell and refresheth the spirits So Repentance though it be bitter in it self yet it is sweet in the effects it brings inward peace The soul is never more enlarged and inwardly delighted than when it can kindly melt Alexander upon the safe return of his Admiral Nearchus from a long voyage wept for joy How oft do the Saints fall a weeping for joy The Hebrew word to repent signifies to take comfort * None so joyful as the penitent Tears as the Philosopher notes have four qualities they are moist salt hot bitter 'T is true of repenting tears they are hot to warm a frozen conscience moist to soften an hard heart salt to season a soul putrifying in sin bitter to wean us from the love of the world And I will add a fifth they are sweet in that they make the heart inwardly rejoyce Ioh. 16. 22. Your sorrow shall be turned into joy Let a man saith Austin grieve for his sin and rejoyce for his grief Tears are the besâ—… sweet-meats David who was the greaâ—… weeper in Israel was the sweet singer oâ—… Israel The sorrows of the penitent are like the sorrows of a travelling woman Ioh. 16. 21. A woman in travel hath sorrow but as soon as she is delivered of the child she remembreth no more the anguish for joy that a man is born into the world So the sorrows of humbled sinners bring forth grace and what joy is there when this manchild is born 6. Great sins repented of shall find mercy Mary Magdalen a great sinner when she washed Christs feet with her tears obtained pardon Some of the Jews who had an hand in crucifying Christ upon their Repentance the very blood they shed was a soveraign balm to heal them Isa. 1. 18. Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow Scarlet in the Greek is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is twice dipt and the art of man cannot wash out the dye again But though our sins are of a scarlet colour Gods mercy can wash them away This may comfort such whom the hainousness of sin discourageth as if there were no hope for them yes upon their serious turning to God their sins shall be expunged and done away Oh but my sins are out of measure sinful do not make them greater by not repenting Repentance unravels sin and makes it as if it had never been O but I have relapsed into sin after pardon and sure there is no mercy for me I know the Novatians held that after a relapse there was no renewing by Repentance But doubtless that was an errour The children of God have relapsed into the same sin Abraham did twice equivocate Lot committed incest twice Asa a good King yet sinned twice by creature-confidence Peter twice by carnal fear Matth. 26. 70. Gal. 2. 12. But for the comfort of such as have relapsed into sin more than once if they solemnly repent a white flag of mercy shall be held forth to them Christ commands us to forgive our trespassing brother seventy times seven in one day in case he repent Mat. 18. 22. If the Lord bids us do it will not he much more be ready to forgive upon our Repentance What is our forgiving mercy to his this I speak not to encourage any impenitent sinner but to comfort a despondent sinner that thinks t is in vain for him to repent and that he is excluded from mercy 7. Repentance is the in-let to spiritual â—…lessings it helps to enrich us with â—…ace it causeth the desart to blossom as â—…he Rose it makes the soul as the Egypâ—…an fields after the overflowing of Nilus â—…ourishing and fruitful Never do the â—…owers of grace grow more than after a â—…ower of repentant tears Repentance â—…auseth knowledge 2 Cor. 3. 16. When â—…eir heart shall be turned to the
voluptas The oyl of joy is poured chiefly into a broken heart Isa. 61. 3. The oyl of joy for mourning In the fields near Palermo grow great plenty of Reeds in which there is a sweet juice of which sugar is made So in a penitent heart which is the bruised Reed grow the sugred joys of Gods Spirit God turns the water of tears into the juyce of the grape which exhilerates and makes glad the heart Who should rejoyce if not the repenting soul he is heir to all the Promises and is not that matter of joy God dwells in a contrite heart and must there not needs be joy there Isa. 55. 17. I dwell with a contrite spirit to revive the heart of the contrite ones Repentance doth not take away a Christians musick but raiseeth it a note higher and makes it sweeter 7. Another obstacle of Repentance is despondency of mind Oh saith a sinner it is a vain thing for me to set upon Repentance my sins are of that magnitude that there is no hope for me Ier. 18. 11 12. Return ye now every one from his evil way and they said there is no hope Our sins are mountains and how shall these ever be cast into the Sea Where unbelief represents sin in its bloody colours and God in his Judges Robes the soul will sooner fly from him than to him This is dangerous Other sins need mercy but despair rejects mercy it throws the cordial of Christs blood on the ground Iudas was not damned only for his treason and murder but it was his distrust of Gods mercy destroyed him Why should we entertain such hard thoughts of God he hath bowels of love to repenting sinners Ioel 2. 13. Mercy rejoyceth over justice Gods anger is not so hot but mercy can cool it nor so sharp but mercy can sweeten it God counts his mercy his glory Exod. 33. 18 19. We have some drops of mercy our selves but God is the Father of mercies who begets all the mercies that are in us He is the God of bowels No sooner do we mourn but Gods heart melts no sooner do our tears fall but Gods repentings kindle Hos. 11. 8. Say not then there is no hope Disband the army of thy sins and God will sound a retreat to his judgements Remember great sins have been swallowed up in the Sea of Gods infinite compassions Manasseh made the streets run with blood yet when his â—…ead was a fountain of tears God grew propitious 8. Hope of impunity Men flatter themselves in fin and think God having spared them all this while he never intends to punish because the Assizes are put off therefore surely there will be no Assizes Psal. 10. 11. He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth his face he will never see it The Lord indeed is long-suffering towards sinners and would by his patience bribe them to Repentance but here is their wretchedness because he forbears to punish they forbear to repent Know that the lease of Patience will soon be run out There is a time when God saith My Spirit shall no longer strive A creditor may forbear his debtor but forbearance doth not excuse the payment God takes notice how long the glass of his patience hath been running Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent but she repented not Iezabel added to her incontinency impenitency and what follows vers 22. Behold I will cast her into a bed Not a bed of pleasure but a bed of languishing where she shall consume away in her iniquity The longer Gods Arrow is drawing the deeper it wounds Sins against patience will make a mans Hell so much the hotter The next Impediment of Repentance is fear of reproach If I repent I shall expose my self to mens scorns The Heathen man could say when thou appliest thy self to the study of wisdom prepare for sarcasms and reproaches But consider well who they are that reproach thee they are such as are ignorant of God and spiritually phrantick and art thou troubled to have them reproach thee who are not well in their wits who minds a mad mans laughing at him What do the wicked reproach thee for is it because thou repentest thou art doing thy duty bind their reproaches as a Crown about thy head 'T is better that men should reproach thee for repenting than that God should damn thee for not repenting 3. If thou canst not bear a reproach for Religion never call thy self Christian Christianus quasi crucianus Suffering is a Saints livery and alas what are reproaches they are but the chips of the Cross which are rather to be despised than laid to heart 10. The last Impediment of Repentance is immoderate love of the world No wonder Ezekiels hearers were hardned into rebellion when their heart went after covetousness Ezok. 33. 31. The world doth so engross mens time and bewitch their affections that they cannot repent they had rather put gold in their bag than tears in Gods bottle I have read of the Turks that they mind neither Churches nor Altars but are diligent in looking after their tillage So many scarce ever mind Repentance they are more for the Plough and breaking of the clods than breaking up the fallow ground of their hearts The Thorns choke the word We read of them who were invited to Christs Supper who put him off with worldly excuses Luk. 14. 18. One said I have bought a piece of ground and must needs go see it I pray thee have me excused and another I have bought five yoke of Oxen c. The farm and the shop so take up peoples time that they have no leisure for their souls Their golden weights hinder their silver tears There is an Herb in the Country of Sardinia like Baulm which if they eat much of will make them die laughing Such an herb or rather weed is the world if men eat too immoderately of it instead of dying repenting they will die laughing These are the obstructions of Repentance which must be removed that the current may be clearer CHAP. XV. Prescribing some Means for Repentance I Shall in the last place prescribe some Rules or Means conducible to Repentance 1. The first is serious consideration Psal. 119. 59. I thought on my waies and turned my feet unto thy testimonies The Prodigal when he came to himself and did seriously consider his riotous luxuriances then he repented Peter when he thought of Christs words wept There are four things which if they were well considered of would be a means to make us break off a course of sinning 1. Consider seriously what sin is and sure there is enough evil in it to make us repent There are in sin these twenty Evils 1. Every sin is a recession from God Ier. 2. 5. God is the supream good and our blessedness lyes in union with him but sin like a strong byass draws
away the heart from God The sinner takes his leave of God he bids farewel to Christ and mercy Every step forward in sin is a step backward from God Isa. 1. 4. They have forsaken the Lord they are gone away backward The further one goes from the Sun the nearer he approacheth to darkness the further the soul goes from God the nearer it approach to misery 2. Sin is a walking contrary to God Levit. 26. 27. The same word in the Hebrew * signifies both to commit sin and to rebel Sin is Gods opposite If God be of one mind sin will be of another If God saith sanctifie the Sabbath sin saith prophane it Sin strikes at Gods very being If sin could help it God should be no longer God Isa. 30. 11. Cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us What an horrible thing is this for a piece of proud dust to rise up in defiance against its maker 3. Sin is an injury to God For 1. It violates his Laws here is crimen laesae majestatis What greater injury can be offered to a Prince than to trample upon his royal edicts A sinner offers contempt to the Statute-Laws of Heaven Nehem. 9. 26. They have cast thy Law behind their back as if they scorned to look upon it 2. Sin robs God of his due You injure a man when you do not give him his due The soul belongs to God he laies a double claim to it it is his by creation and purchase now sin steals the soul from God and gives the Devil that which of right belongs to God 4. Sin is profound ignorance The School-men say All sin is founded in ignorance did men know God in his purity and justice they durst not go on in a course of sinning Ier. 9. 3. They proceed from evil to evil and know not me saith the Lord. Therefore ignorance and lust are joyned together 1 Pet. 1. 14. Ignorance is the womb of lust Vapours arise most in the night The black vapours of sin arise most in a dark ignorant soul. Satan casts a mist before a sinner that he sees not the flaming sword of Gods wrath The Eagle first rolls himself in the sand and then flies at the Stagg and by fluttering his wings so bedusts the Staggs eyes that he cannot see and then he strikes him with his tallons So Satan that Eagle or Prince of the Air first blinds men with ignorance and then wounds them with his darts of temptation Is sin ignorance there 's great cause to repent of ignorance 5. Sin is a piece of desperateness In every transgression a man runs an apparent hazard of his soul he treads upon the brink of the bottomless pit Foolish sinner thou never committest a sin but thou dost that which may undo thy soul for ever He who drinks poison it is a wonder if it doth not cost him his life One taste of the forbidden tree lost Adam Paradise One sin of the Angels lost them Heaven One sin of Saul lost him his Kingdom The next sin thou committest God may clap thee up prisoner among the damned Thou that gallopest on in sin it is a question whether God will spare thy life a day longer or give thee an heart to repent so that thou art desperate even to phrensy 6. Sin is a befilthying thing it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthiness Iam. 1. 21. The Greek word signifies the putrid matter of ulcers Sin is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an abomination Deut. 7. 25. Nay in the plural abominations* Deut. 20. 18. This filthiness in sin is inward a spot in the face may easily be wiped off but to have the liver and lungs tainted is far worse Such a pollution is sin it hath gotten into the mind and conscience Tit. 1. 15. 'T is compared to a menstruous cloth Isa. 30. 22. The most unclean thing under the Law A sinners heart is like a field spread with dung Some think sin an ornament it is rather an excrement So doth sin befilthy a person that God cannot abide the sight of him Zach. 11. 8. My soul loathed them 7. In sin is odious ingratitude God hath â—…ed thee O sinner with Angels food he hath crowned thee with variety of mercies yet dost thou go on in sin As David said of Nabal in vain have I kept this mans sheep 1 Sam. 25. 21 So in vain hath God done so much for the sinner All Gods mercies may upbraid yea accuse the ungrateful person May God say I gave thee wit health riches and thou hast imployed all these against me Hos. 2. 8. I gave them corn and wine and oyl and multiplied their silver and gold which they prepared for Baal I sent in provisions and they served their Idols with them The Snake in the fable which was frozen stung him that brought it to the fire and gave it warmth So a sinner goes about to sting God with his own mercies Is this thy kindness to thy friend Did God give thee life to sin Did he give thee wages to serve the Devil 8. Sin is a debasing thing it degrades a person of his honour Nahum 1. 14. I will make thy grave for thou art vile This was spoken of a King he was not vile by birth but by sin Sin blots our name taints our blood nothing doth so change a mans glory into shame as sin doth 'T is said of Naaman He was a great man and honourable but he was a leper 2 Kin. 5. 1. Let a man be never so great with worldly Pomp yet if he be wicked he is a leper in Gods eye To boast of sin is to boast of that which is our infamy as if a Prisoner should boast of his fetters or be proud of his halter 9. Sin is a damage In every sin there is infinite loss Never did any thrive by grazing on this Common What doth one lose he loseth God he loseth his peace he loseth his soul. The soul is a divine spark lighted from Heaven it is the glory of the Creation and what can countervail this loss Matth. 16. 26. If the soul be gone the treasure is gone so that in sin there is infinite loss Sin is such a trade that whosoever follows it is sure to break 10. Sin is a burthen Psal. 38. 4. My iniquities are gone over my head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me The sinner goes with his weights and fetters on him The burden of sin is ever worst when it is least felt Sin is a burden where-ever it comes Sin burdens God Amos 2. 3. I am pressed with your sins as a Cart is pressed under the sheaves Sin burdens the soul what a weight did Spira feel how was Iudas his conscience burdened insomuch that he hanged himself to quiet his conscience They that know what sin is will repent that they carry such
of Christs Righteousness 3. Paul discourseth of the manner of his life after his conversion He who before was a persecutor now became a Preacher ver 16. Arise for I have appeared unto thee to make thee a Minister and a Witness of those things which thou hast seen When Paul this vessel of election was savingly wrought upon he laboured to do as much good as before he had done hurt Before he persecuted Saints to death now he preacheth sinners to life God first sent him to the Jews at Damascus and afterwards enlarged his-commission to preach to the Gentiles And the subject he preacht upon was this in the text That they should repent and turn to God A weighty and excellent Subject deos Judaei Verum Deum sed non sicut oportebat I shall not dispute the Priority whether Faith or Repentance goes first doubtless Repentance shews it self first in a Christians life yet I am apt to think the seeds of Faith are first wrought in the heart As when a burning Taper is brought into a room the light shews it self first but the Taper was before the light So we see the fruits of Repentance first but the initials of Faith were there before That which inclines me to think that Faith is seminally in the heart before Repentance is this because Repentance being a grace must be acted by one that is living Now how doth the soul live but by Faith Heb. 10. 38. The just shall live by his Faith So that there must be first some seeds of Faith in the heart of a penitent else it is a dead Repentance and so of no value But whether Faith or Repentance go first sure I am Repentance is of such importance as there is no being saved without it After Pauls shipwrack he did swim to shore on planks and broken pieces of the ship Act. 27. 44. So in Adam we all suffered shipwrack and Repentance is the only plank left us after shipwrack to swim to Heaven It is a great duty incumbent upon Christians solemnly to repent and turn unto God Mat. 3. 2. Repent ye for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Act. 3. 19. Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Act. 8. 22. Repent of this thy wickedness In the mouth of these three witnesses this truth is confirmed Repentance is a foundation-grace Heb. 6. 1. Not laying again the foundation of Repentance That Religion must needs fall to the ground which is not built upon this foundation Repentance is a grace required under the Gospel Some think it legal but the first Sermon that ever Christ preached nay the first word of his Sermon was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Repent Mat. 4. 17. And his last farewell that he left when he was going to ascend was that Repentance should be preached in his Name Luke 24. 37. And the Apostles did all beat upon this string Mark 6. 3. They went out and preached that men should repent Repentance is a pure Gospel-grace The covenant of works admitted no Repentance There it was sin and die Repentance comes in by the Gospel Christ hath purchased in his blood that repenting sinners shall be saved The Law required personal perfect and perpetual obedience it cursed all that could not come up to this Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them It doth not say he that obeys not all things let him repent but let him be cursed So that Repentance is a Doctrine brought to light only by the Gospel CHAP. II. Shewing how Repentance is wrought THE manner how Repentance is wrought is 1. Partly by the Word Act. 2. 37. When they heard this they were pricked in their heart c. The Word preached is Gods Engine he useth to effect Repentance 'T is compared to an Hammer and to a Fire Ier. 23. 29. The one is to break the other to melt the heart How great a blessing is it to have the Word dispensed which is of such noble vertue And how hard will they find it to escape Hell who put out the lights of Heaven 2. Repentance is wrought by the Spirit Ministers are but the Pipes and Organs it is the Holy Ghost breathing in them makes their words effectual Act. 10. 44. While Peter spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word The Spirit in the Word illuminates and converts When the Spirit toucheth an heart it dissolves into tears Zach. 12. 10. I will pour on the Inhabitants of Hierusalem a spirit of Grace and they shall look on me whom they have pierced and mourn 'T is wonderful to consider what different effects the Word hath upon men Some at a Sermon are like Iosiah their heart is tender and they let fall tears others are no more affected with it than a deaf man with mufick Some grow better by the Word others worse The same earth which causeth sweetness in the Grape causeth bitterness in the Wormwood What is the reason the Word works so differently it is because the Spirit of God doth carry the Word to the conscience of one and not another One hath received the divine Unction and not the other 1 Ioh. 2. 20. Oh pray that the dew may fall with Manna That the Spirit may go along with the Word The Chariot of Ordinances will not carry us to Heaven unless the Spirit of God joyn himself to this Chariot CHAP. III. Discovering the Deceits of Repentance IT will next be enquired what Repentance is I shall first shew you what it is not There are several Deceits of Repentance which might occasion that saying of Austin That Repentance damns many He means a false Repentance A person may delude himself with a counterfeit Repentance 1. The first Deceit of Repentance is legal Terrour A man hath gone on long in sin at last God arrests him shews him what desperate hazard he hath run and he is filled with anguish within a while the tempest of conscience is blown over and he is quiet then he concludes he is a true penitent because he hath felt some bitterness in sin Be not deceived this is not Repentance Ahab and Iudas had some trouble of mind It is one thing to be a terrified sinner and another thing to be a repenting sinner Sense of guilt is enough to breed terrour infusion of grace breeds Repentance If pain and trouble were sufficient to Repentance then the damned in Hell should be most penitent for they are most in anguish Repentance depends upon a change of heart There may be terrour yet no change of heart 2. Another Deceit about Repentance is resolution against sin A person may purpose and make vows yet be no penitent Ier. 2. 20. Thou saidst I will not transgress Here was a resolution but see what follows under every green tree thou playedst the Harlot Notwithstanding
her solemn engagements she played fast and loose with God and ran after her Idols We see by experience when a person is on his sick-bed what protestations will he make if God recover him again yet he is as bad as ever He shews his old heart in a new temptation Resolution against sin may arise 1. From present extremity not because sin is sinful but because it is painful This Resolution will vanish 2. Resolution against sin may arise from fear of future evil an apprehension of death and Hell Rev. 6. 8. I looked and behold a pale horse and his name that sate on him was death and Hell followed after him What will not a sinner do what vows will he not make when he knows he must die and stand before the Judgement seat Self-love raiseth a sick-bed vow and love of sin will prevail against it Trust not to a passionate resolution it is raised in a storm and will die in a calm 3. The third Deceit about Repentance is the leaving many sinful courses 'T is a great matter I confess to leave sin So dear is sin to a man that he will rather part with a child than a lust Micah 6. 7. Shall I give the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul But sin may be parted with yet no Repentance 1. A man may part with some sins and keep other As Herod reformed many things amiss but could not leave his incest 2. An old sin may be left to entertain a new As you put off an old servant to take another This is to exchange a sin Sin may be exchanged and the heart not changed He who was a Prodigal in his youth turns an Usurer in his old age A slave is sold to a Jew the Jew sells him to a Turk here is the Master changed but he is a slave still So a man removes from one vice to another but he is a sinner still 3. A sin may be left not so much from strength of grace as from moral grounds A man sees that though such a sin be for his Tooth yet it is not for his interest It will ecclipse his credit prejudice his health impair his estate therefore upon prudential reasons he gives it a dismiss The true leaving of sin is when the acts of sin cease from the infusion of a principle of grace As the air ceaseth to be dark from the infusion of light CHAP. IV. Opening the Nature of True Repentance I Shall next come to shew what Gospel-Repentance is Repentance is a grace of Gods Spirit whereby a sinner is inwardly humbled and visibly reformed For a further amplification of Repentance know that Repentance is a spiritual medicine made up of six special Ingredients if any one be left out it loseth its vertue 1. Sight of Sin 2. Sorrow for Sin 3. Confession of Sin 4. Shame for Sin 5. Hatred for Sin 6. Turning from Sin SECTION I. 1. THE first Ingredient in Repentance is Sight of Sin The first part of Christs Physick is Eye-salve Act. 26. 18. 'T is the great thing noted in the Prodigals Repentance Luk. 15. 17. He came to himself He saw himself a sinner and nothing but a sinner Before a man can come to Christ he must come to himself Solomon in his description of Repentance puts this in as the first Ingredient 1 King 8. 47. If they shall bethink themselves A man must first recognize and consider what his sin is and know the plague of his heart ere he can be duly humbled for it The first creature God made was Light So the first thing in a penitent is illumination Ephes. 5. 8. Now ye are light in the Lord. The eye is made both for seeing and weeping Sin must first be seen before it can be wept for Hence I infer where there is no sight of sin there can be no Repentance Many who can spy faults in others see none in themselves They cry they have good hearts Were it not strange that two should live together and eat and drink together yet not know one another Such is the case of a sinner his body and soul live together walk together yet he is unacquainted with himself He knows not his own heart nor what an Hell he carries about him Under a vail a deformed face is hid Persons are vailed over with ignorance and self-love therefore see not what deformed souls they have The Devil doth with them as the Faulkner with the Hawk blinds them and carries them hooded to Hell Zach. 11. 17. The sword shall be upon his right eye Men have insight enough into worldly matters but the eye of their mind is smitten they see not any evil in sin The sword is upon their right eye SECT II. 2. THE second Ingredient into Repentance is Sorrow for Sin Psal. 38. 18. I will be sorry for my sin Ambrose calls sorrow the imbittering of the soul. The Hebrew word to be sorrowful signifies to have the soul as it were crucified* This must be in true Repentance Zach. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and â—…ourn As if they did feel the nails of the Cross sticking in their sides A woman may as well expect to have a child without pangs as one can have Repentance without sorrow He that can believe without doubting suspect his faith and he that can repent without sorrowing suspect his Repentance Martyrs shed blood for Christ and penitents shed tears for sin Luk. 7. 38. She stood at Iesus feet weeping See how this limbeck dropped the sorrow of her heart ran out at her eye The brazen lavor for the Priests to wash in Exod. 30. 18. did tipifie a double lavor The lavor of Christs blood we must wash in by Faith and the lavor of tears we must wash in by Repentance A true Penitentiary labours to work his heart into a sorrowing frame he blesseth God when he can weep he is glad of a rainy-day He knows 't is a Repentance he shall have no cause to repent of Though the bread of sorrow be bitter to the taste yet it strengthens the heart This sorrow for sin is not facil It is an holy Agony 'T is called in Scripture a breaking of the heart Psal. 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken heart And a rending of the heart Ioel 2. 13. Rend your hearts* The expressions of smiting of the thigh Ier. 31. 19. knocking on the breast Lâ—…k 18. 13. putting on of sackcloth Isa. 22. 12. plucking off the hair Ezra 9. 3. What are all these but outward signs of inward sorrow This sorrow must be 1. To make Christ precious O how desirable is a Saviour to a troubled soul Now Christ is Christ indeed and mercy is mercy indeed Till the heart be full of compunction it is not fit for Christ How welcome is a Chyrurgion to
as makes us willing to let go those sins which brought in the greatest income of profit or delight Then the Physick hath been strong enough when it hath purged out the disease And then a Christian hath arrived at a sufficient measure of sorrow when the love of sin is purged out Godly sorrow in some cases is joyned with restitution Whosoever hath wronged others in their estate by unjust fraudulent dealing ought in conscience to make them recompence There is an express Law for this Numb 5. 7. He shall recompence his trespass with the principal thereof and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed Thus Zacheus Luk. 19. 8. If I have wronged any man by false accusation I restore him â—…our-sold When Selymus the great Turk lay upon his death-bed being moved by Pyrrhus to bestow that wealth he had wronged the Persian Merchants of upon charitable uses he commanded it should rather be sent back to the right owners Shall not a Christians Creed be better than a Turks Alcoran 'T is a bad sign when a man on his death-bed bequeaths his soul to God and his ill-gotten goods to his friends I can hardly think God will receive his soul. Austin saith without restitution no remission And it was a speech of old Latimer if ye restore not goods unjustly gotten ye shall cough in Hell 1. But suppose a person hath wronged another in his estate and the party wronged be dead what shall he do in this case Let him restore his ill-gotten goods to that mans heirs and successors Qu. But what if none of them be living Answ. Let him restore to God that is let him put his unjust gain into Gods treasury by relieving the poor 2. But what if the party who did the wrong be dead Then they who are his heirs ought to make restitution Mark what I say if there be any who have estates left them and they knew that the parties who left their estates did defraud others and died with that guilt upon them then the Heirs or Executors who possess those estates are bound in conscience to make restitution else they entail the curse of God upon their family 3. But if a man hath wronged another and he be not able to restore what shall he do in this case Let him deeply humble himself before God promising to the party wronged if the Lord make him able full satisfaction and God will accept of the will for the deed 6. Godly sorrow is abiding It is not a few tears shed in a passion will serve the turn Some at a Sermon will fall a weeping but it is like an Aprill showre soon over Or like a vein opened and presently stopp'd again But true sorrow must be habitual Oh Christian the disease of thy soul is Chronical and is frequently returning upon thee therefore thou must be continually physicking thy self by Repentance And this is that sorrow which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after a godly manner How far are they from Repentance who never had any of this godly sorrow Such are 1. The Papists who leave out the very soul of Repentance making all penitential work consist in fasting pennance pilgrimages but there is nothing of spiritual sorrow in this they torture their bodies but their hearts are not rent What is this but the carkass of Repentance 2. Carnal Protestants who are strangers to godly sorrow they cannot endure a serious thought nor do they love to trouble their heads about sin Paracelsus speaks of a Phrensie some have which will make them die dancing So sinners spend their lives in mirth they sing away sorrow and go dancing to damnation Some have lived many years yet never put a drop in Gods bottle nor do they know what a broken heart means they weep and wring their hands as if they were undone when their estates are gone but have no agony of soul for sin There is a twofold sorrow 1. A rational sorrow which is an act of the soul whereby it hath a displacency against sin and chuseth any torture rather than to admit of sin 2. There is a sensitive sorrow which is expressed by plenty of tears The first of these is to be found in every child of God but the other which is a sorrow running out at the eye all have not yet it is very commendable to see a weeping penitent Christ counts those the great beauties which are tender-eyed and well may sin make us weep We usually weep for the loss of some great good By sin we have lost the favour of God If Micah did so weep for the loss of a false God Iudg. 18. 24. Ye have taken away my gods and what have I more Then well may we weep for our sins which have taken away the true God from us SECTION III. 3. THE third Ingredient in Repentance is confession of sin Sorrow is such a vehement passion as will have vent it vents it self at the eyes by weeping and at the tongue by confession Neh. 9. 2. The children of Israel stood and confessed their sins Hos. 5. 15. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their sins 'T is a metaphor alludes to a Mother who when she is angry goes away from the child and hides her face till the child acknowledgeth its fault and begs pardon Gregory Nazianzene calls confession a salve for a wounded soul. Confession is a self accusing 2 Sam. 24. 17. Lo I have sinned Indeed among men it is otherwise no man is bound to accuse himself but desires to see his accuser but when we come before God we must accuse our selves me me adsum qui feci in me convertite Ferrum And the truth is by this self-accusing we prevent Satans accusing In our confessions we tax our selves of pride infidelity passion now when Satan who is called The Accuser of the Brethren shall â—…ay these things to our charge God will say They have accused themselves already therefore Satan thou art non-suited thy accusations come too late Nay the humble sinner doth more than accuse himself he doth as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit in Judgement and pass a sentence upon himself he confesseth that he hath deserved to be bound over to the wrath of God And hear what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged But have not wicked men confessed sin as Iudas and Saul yes but theirs was not a true confession That confession of sin may be right and genuine these eight qualifications are requisite 1. It must be voluntary it must come as water out of a spring freely The confession of the wicked is extorted like the confession of a man upon a rack When a spark of Gods wrath flies into their conscience or they are in fear of death then they will fall to their confessions Balaam when he saw the Angels naked
sword could say I have sinned Numb 22. 34. But true confession drops from the lips as myrrhe from the tree or honey from the comb freely Luk. 15. 18. I have sinned against Heaven and before thee He charged himself with sin before his Father charged him with it 2. Confession must be with compunction the heart must deeply resent it A natural mans confessions run thorow him as water thorow a pipe they do not at all affect him but true confession leaves heart-wounding impressions on a man Davids soul was burdened in the confession of his sins Psal. 38. 4. As an heavy burden they are too heavy for me It is one thing to confess sin and another thing to feel sin 3. Confession must be sincere our hearts must go along with our confessions The hypocrite confesseth sin but loves it like a thief that confesseth stoln goods yet loves stealing How many confess pride and covetousness with their lips but â—…oul them as honey under their tongue Austin saith before his conversion he confessed sin and begg'd power against it but his heart whispered within him not yet Lord he was afraid to leave his sin too soon A good Christian is more honest his heart keeps pace with his tongue he is convinced of the sins he confesseth and abhors the sins he is convinced of 4. In true confession a man doth particularize sin A wicked man acknowledgeth he is a sinner in general he confesseth sin by whole-sale his confession of sin is much like Nebuchadnezzars dream Dan. 2. 3. I have dream'd a dream but he could not tell what it was vers 5. The thing is gone from me So saith a wicked man Lord I have sinned but he doth not know what the sin is at least not remember whereas a true convert acknowledgeth his particular sins As it is with a wounded man he comes to the Chyrurgion and shews him all his wounds here I was cut in the head there I was shot in the arm So a mournful sinner confesseth the several distempers of his soul. Israel drew up a particular charge against themselves Iudg. 10. 10. Wee have served Baalim The Prophet Daniel recites the very sin which drew a curse along with it Dan. 9 6. Neither have we hearkned unto thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy Name By a diligent inspection into our hearts we may find some particular sin indulged point that sin with a tear 5. A true penitent confesseth sin in the fountain he acknowledgeth the pollution of his nature The sin of our nature is not only a privation of good but an infusion of evil It is like Canker to Iron or a Stain to Scarlet David acknowledgeth his birth-sin Psa. 51.5 I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me etiam embrioni haeserit peccatum We are ready to charge many of our sins upon Satans temptations but this sin of our nature is wholly from our selves we cannot shift it off to Satan we have a root within that bears gall and wormwood Deut. 29. 18. Our nature is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an abysse and seminary of all evil from hence come those scandals that infest the world 'T is this pravity of nature which poisons our holy things 't is this which wings Gods judgements and makes our mercies stick in the birth O confess sin in the fountain 6. Sin is to be confessed with all its circumstances and aggravations those sins doubtless are dyed in grain which are committed under the Gospel horison Confess sins against knowledge against grace against vows against experiences against judgements Psal. 78. 31. The wrath of God came upon them and slew the fattest of them for all this they sinned yet still These are killing aggravations which do accent and inhance our sins 7. In confession we must so charge our selves as to clear God should the Lord be severe in his providences and unsheath his bloody sword yet we must acquit him and acknowledge he hath done us no wrong Nehemiah in his confessing of sin vindicates Gods righteousness Nehem. 9. 33. Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us Mauritius the Emperour when he saw his wife slain before his eyes by Phocas cryed out Righteous art thou O Lord in all thy wayes 8. We must confess our sins with a resolution not to act them over again Some run from the confessing of sin to the committing of sin Like the Persians who have one day in the year wherein they use to kill Serpents and after that day suffer them to swarm again So many seem to kill their sins in their confessions and afterwards let them grow as fast as ever Isa. 1. 16. Cease to do evil 'T is vain to confess we have done those things which we ought not to have done and continue still in doing so Pharaoh confessed he had sinned Exod. 9. 27. But when the thunder ceased he fell to his sin again vers 33. He sinned yet more and hardned his heart Origen calls confession the vomit of the soul whereby the conscience is eased of that burden did lye upon it Now when we have vomited up sin by confession we must not return to this vomit What King will pardon that man who after he hath confessed his treason practiseth new treason Thus we see how confession must be qualified Is confession a necessary Ingredient in Repentance then here is a Bill of Indictment against four sorts of persons 1. It reproves those that hide their sins as Rachel hid her Fathers Images under her Gen. 31. 34. Many had rather have their sins covered than cured They do with their sins as with their pictures draw a curtain over them or as some do with their Bastards smother them But though men will have no tongue to confess God hath an eye to see he will unmask their treason Psal. 50. 21. I will reprove thee and set them in order before thee Those iniquities which men hide in their heart shall be written one day on their forehead as with the point of a Diamond They who would not confess sin as David that they might be pardoned shall confess sin as Achan that they may be stoned 'T is dangerous to keep the Devils counsel Prov. 28. 13. He that covers his sin shall not prosper 2. It reproves them who do indeed confess sin but it is by halves they do not confess all they confess the pence but not the pounds they confess vain thoughts or badness of memory but not the sins they are most guilty of as rash anger extortion uncleanness Like him in Plutarch who complained his stomach was not very good when his lungs were bad and his liver rotten But if we do not confess all how do we think God will pardon all 'T is true we cannot know the exact catalogue of our sins but the sins which come within our view and cognizance and which
our hearts accuse us of must be confessed as ever we hope for mercy It reproves them who do in their confessions mince and extenuate their sins A gracious soul labours to make the worst of his sins hypocrites make the best of them they do not deny they are sinners but yet do what they can to lessen their sins they indeed offend sometimes but it is their nature and it is long of such occasions These are rather excuses than confessions 1 Sam. 15. 24. I have sinned I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord because I feared the people Saul layes his sin upon the people They would have him spare the Sheep and Oxen. 'T was an Apology not a self-indictment This runs in a blood Adam acknowledgeth he did taste the forbidden fruit but instead of aggravating his sin he translates it from himself to God Gen. 3. 12. The woman whom thou gavest me she gave me of the Tree and I did eat If I had not had this woman to be a tempter I had not transgressed inscripsere deos sceleri That is a bad sin indeed that hath no excuse as it must needs be a very course Wooll which will take no dye How apt are we to pare and curtail sin and look upon it through the small end of the perspective that it appears but as a little cloud like the bigness of a mans hand 1 King 18. 44. It reproves them who are so far from confessing sin that they boldly plead for it Instead of having tears to lament it they use Arguments to defend it If their sin be passion they will justifie it Ionah 9. 4. I do well to be angry If it be covetousness they will vindicate it When men commit sin they are the Devils Servants when they plead for it they are the Devils Attorneys and he will give them a fee. 2. Let us shew our selves penitents by sincere confession of sin The Thief on the Cross made a confession of his sin Luk. 23. 41. We indeed suffer justly And Christ saith to him This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Which possibly might occasion that speech of Austin that confession of sin shuts the mouth of Hell and opens the gate of Paradise That we may make a free and ingenuous confession of sin let us consider Holy confession gives glory to God Iosh. 7. 19. My Son give I pray thee glory to God the God of Israel and make confession unto him An humble confession exalts God What a glory is it to him that out of our own mouths he doth not condemn us While we confess sin Gods patience is magnified in sparing and his free-grace in saving such sinners Confession is a means to humble the soul He that subscribes himself an Hell-deserving sinner will have little heart to be proud with the Violet he will hang down his head in humility A true penitent confesseth he mingles sin with all he doth therefore hath nothing to boast of Uzziah though a King yet having a Leprosie in his forehead he had enough to abase him 2 Chron. 26. 19. So a child of a God though he doth any good yet acknowledgeth much evil to be in that good this layes all his feathers of pride in the dust Confession gives vent to a troubled heart When guilt lyes boiling in the conscience confession gives ease It is like the lancing of an Imposthume which gives ease to the Patient Confession purgeth out sin Austin calls it the Expeller of vice Sin is a bad blood confession is like the opening of a vein to let it out Confession is like the dung-gate by which all the filth of the City was carryed forth Nehem. 3. 13. Confession is like pumping at the leak it lets out that sin which would else drown Confession is the spunge that wipes off the spots of the soul. Confession of sin endears Christ to the soul. If I say I am a sinner how precious will Christs blood be to me When Paul had confessed a body of sin he presently breaks forth into a gratulatory triumph for Christ Rom. 7. 25. Thanks be to God through Iesus Christ If a debtor confess a Iudgement yet the creditor will not exact the debt but appoint his own Son to pay it will not the debtor be very thankful So when we confess the deâ—… and that though we should for ever 〈◊〉 in Hell we cannot pay it that God should appoint his own Son to lay down his blood for the payment of our debt how is free-grace magnified and Jesus Christ eternally loved and admired Confession of sin makes way for pardon No sooner did the Prodigal come with a confession in his mouth I have sinned against Heaven but his Fathers heart did melt towards him and he kissed him Luk. 15. 20. When David said I have sinned the Prophet brings him a box with a pardon The Lord hath put away thy sin 2 Sam. 12. 13. He who doth sincerely confess sin hath Gods bond for a pardon 1 Ioh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins Why doth not the Apostle say if we confess he is merciful to forgive our sins no but he is just because he hath bound himself by promise to forgive such He who confesseth sin and comes with a penitent heart by faith in Christ Gods truth and justice is ingaged for the pardoning of that man How reasonable and easie is this command that we should confess sin 1. It is a reasonable command For if one hath wronged another what more rational than to confess he hath wronged him We having wronged God by sin how equal and consonant to reason is it that we should confess the offence 2. It is an easie command What a vast difference is there between the first Covenant and the second In the first Covenant it was If thou committest sin thou diest In the second Govenant it is If thou confessest sin thou shalt have mercy In the first Covenant no surety was allowed under the Covenant of Grace if we do but confess the debt Christ will be our Surety What way could be thought of more ready and facile for the salvation of man than an humble confession Ier. 3. 13. Only acknowledge thy iniquity I do not ask for sacrifices of Ramms to expiate thy guilt I do not bid thee part with the fruit of thy body for the sin of thy soul Only acknowledge thy iniquity Do but draw up an Indictment against thy self and plead guilty and thou shalt be sure of mercy Methinks all this should render this duty amiable Throw out the poison of sin by confession and this day is salvation come to thy house Let this suffice to have spoken of our confession of sin to God Only there remains one case of conscience Whether we are bound to confess our sins to men The Papists insist much upon
so discompose body and mind that one is but in an ill posture at such a time to take care for his soul. In sickness a man is scarce fit to make his will much less to make his peace The Apostle saith Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church Iam. 5. 14. He doth not say is he sick let him pray but let him call for the Elders that they may pray over him A sick man is very unfit to pray or repent he is like to make but sick work of it When the body is out of tune the soul must needs jar in its devotion Upon a sick bed a person is more fit to exercise impatience than Repentance We read that at the pouring out of the fourth Vial when God did smite the Inhabitants and scorched them with fire They blasphemed the Name of God and repented not Rev. 16. 9. So when the Lord pours out his Vial and scorcheth the body with a Feaver the sinner is fitter to blaspheme than repent 4. How dost thou who puttest off all to a sick bed know that God will give thee in that very juncture of time grace to repent The Lord usually punisheth neglect of Repentance in time of health with hardness of heart in time of sickness Thou hast in thy life time repulsed the Spirit of God and art thou sure it will come at thy call Thou hast not taken the first season and perhaps thou shalt never see another spring-tyde of the Spirit more All this considered may hasten our Repentance Do not lay too much weight upon a sick-bed 2 Tim. 4. 21. Do thy diligence to come before winter There is a winter of sickness and death a coming therefore make haste to repent let thy work be ready before winter To day hear Gods voice Heb. 3. 7. CHAP. X. The Trial of our Repentance IF any shall say they have repented let me desire them to try themselves seriously by those seven Adjuncts or Effects of Repentance which the Apostle laies down 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1. Carefulness The Greek word signifies a solicitous diligence or careful shunning all temptations to sin The true penitentiary flies from sin as Moses did from the Serpent 2. Clearing of our selves The Greek word is Apology The sense is this though we have never so much care yet through strength of temptation we may slip into sin now in this case the repenting soul will not let sin lye festring in his conscience but doth judge himself for his sin he pours out tears before the Lord he begs mercy in the Name of Christ and never leaves till he hath gotten his pardon Here he is cleared of guilt in his conscience and is able to make an Apology for himself against Satan 3. Indignation He that repents of sin his spirit riseth against it as ones blood riseth at the sight of him whom he mortally hates Indignation is a being fretted at the heart with sin The penitent is vexed with himself David calls himself a fool and a beast Psal. 73. 22. God is never better pleased with us than when we fall out with our selves for sin 4. Fear A tender heart is ever a trembling heart The penitent hath felt sins bitterness this Hornet hath stung him and now having hopes that God is reconciled he is afraid to come near sin any more The repenting soul is full of fear he is afraid to lose Gods favour which is better than life he is afraid he should for want of diligence come short of salvation he is afraid lest after his heart hath been soft the waters of Repentance should freeze and he should harden in sin again Prov. 28. 14. Happy is he that fears alwaies A sinner is like the Leviathan who is made without fear Iob 41. 29. A repenting person fears and sins not a graceless person sins and fears not 5. Vehement desire Sowre sauce sharpens the appetite So the bitter herbs of Repentance sharpen desire But what doth the penitent desire he desires more power against sin and to be released from it 'T is true he hath got loose from Satan but he goes as a prisoner that hath broke Prison with a fetter on his leg he cannot walk with that freedom and swiftness in the waies of God he desires therefore to have the fetters of sin taken off he would be freed from corruption he cries out with Paul Who shall deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7. 24. In short he desires to be with Christ as every thing desires to be in its centre 6. Zeal Desire and zeal are fitly put together to shew that true desire puts forth it self in zealous endeavour How doth the penitent bestir himself in the business of salvation How doth he take the Kingdom of Heaven by force Matth. 11. 12. Zeal quickens the pursuit after glory Zeal encounters with difficulty is imboldened by opposition tramples upon danger Zeal makes a repenting soul persist in godly sorrow against all discouragements and oppositions whatsoever Zeal carries a man above himself for Gods glory Paul before conversion was mad against the Saints Act. 26. 11. And after conversion he was judged mad for Christs sake Act. 26. 4. Paul thou art besides thy self But it was Zeal not Phrenzy Zeal doth spirit and animate duty it causeth fervency in Religion which is as fire to the sacrifice Rom. 12. 11. As fear is a bridle to sin so Zeal is a spur to duty 7. Revenge A true Penetentiary pursues his sins with an holy malice he seeks the death of them As Sampson was avenged on the Philistines for his two eyes He useth his sins as the Jews used Christ he gives them gall and vinegar to drink he crucifies his lusts Gal. 5. 24. A true child of God seeks to be revenged most of those sins which have dishonoured God most Cranmer who had with his right hand subscribed the Popish Articles was revenged on himself he put his right hand first in the fire David did by sin defile his bed after by Repentance he watered his bed with tears Israel had sinned by Idolatry and afterwards they did offer disgrace to their Idols 1 Sam. 30. 22. Ye shall defile the covering of thy graven Images of silver Mary Magdalen had before sinned in her eye by adulterous glances and now she will be revenged on her eyes she washeth Christs feet with her tears she had sinned in her hair it had intangled her Lovers now she will be revenged on her hair she wipes Christs feet with it The Israelitish women who had been dressing themselves by the hour and had abused their Looking-glasses to pride afterwards by way of revenge as well as zeal offered their Looking-glasses to the use and service of Gods Tabernacle Exod. 38. 8. So those Conjurers who used curious Arts oâ—… Magick as it is in the Syriack when once they