The Resolved Christian Exhorting to Resolution, Book 1 · Chapter 8
Chap. VIII Of the 4. cauſe that maketh Death fearefull to a worldly man; which is his guiltie conſcience, and feare of Gods iudgements and puniſhments: And the remedies against the ſame.
That God is readie to forgiue our ſinnes; and to receiue a repentant Sinner into grace and fauour. Sect. I
AGainſt this, and the like temptation, there is no better remedie, nor more effectuall, then an a vpright, godly and religious life, which conſiſteth in the obſeruing and doing of Gods will.aRom. 2.13 Not the hearers, but the doers of the law ſhall be iuſtified.bIoh. 8.51 If anie man keepe my worde (ſaith Chriſt) hee shall not ſee death. But becauſec1. Kin. 8.46 2. chron. 6.36 eccleſ. 7.22 there is no man that ſinneth not; fordProuer. 20.9. who can ſay, I hauehave made my heart cleane; I am cleane from ſinne: e1. Ioh. 1.8if we ſay, that wee hauehave no ſinne, we deceiue our ſelues, and there is no trueth in vsus. Therefore now it remaineth, that you repent, and be ſorie for your ſinnes, whereby you hauehave tranſgreſſed the law of the Lord, offended his Maieſtie, and prouoked his wrath; that now at laſt you forſake your olde wayes, and purpoſe to leade a godly life hereafter, if it ſhal pleaſe the Lord to raiſe you vp againe; and laſtly, that you lift vp your heart, and boldly approach vntounto the heauenly throane, humbly confeſſing your offences, and with a ſure and firme confidence, in the merits and paſſion of Ieſus Chriſt, craue pardon for the ſame. For God is ready to receiue againe into grace and fauour, any penitent ſinner: Yea, with faire words he allureth vsus to come vntounto him, and with ſweet promiſes he prouoketh vsus to repentance.fEzech. 33.10 As I liue, ſaith the Lord God, I deſire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his waie, and liue. g1. Iohn 1.9If wee acknowledge our ſinnes, hee is faithfull and iust, to forgiue vsus our ſinnes, and to cleanſe vsus from all vnrighteouſneſſe. The beginning of ſaluation, is the acknowledging of our ſinnes, and to require pardon of him, who freely forgiueth all ſinnes,hMatt. 11.28 Come vntounto me, all ye that are wearie and laden, and I wil eaſe you. Chriſt being not requeſted,iLuke 19.5 lodged at the houſe ofk2 Zacheus the publican, whol3 deſired onelyonly to ſee him, as he paſſed by; affirming, that that ſame daym9 ſaluation was come into his houſe; To ſhew that Chriſt is more willing and ready to receiue vsus, then we are to aske it at his handes:n10 matth. 18.11 For the Sonne of man is come to ſeeke and to ſaue that which was loſt. This then being true; And ſeeing in a thouſand places of theoMath. 9.12.13 luke 1.74. pſalme 119.12, &c. holy Scriptures, it is witneſſed, that to the penitent Chriſtian, all his ſinnes and debts are forgiuen, by the meere merciemercy and grace of God; that they are couered and forgotten; that they are pardoned and remitted; that they are not imputed, but caſt afarre off and hidden: it followeth, there is no more the anger of God towards you, (if you be penitent.) Why then ſhould you feare his iudgements, and the torments of hell fire? There is no death, where there is no ſinne; forpRom. 5.12 by ſinne death entred into the world; andqRom. 6.23 the wages of ſinne is death. As righteouſneſſe is the ſeede of life, and the cauſe why God iuſtifieth vsus; So ſinne is the ſeed of death, and the cauſe why God condemneth vsus. Now eueryevery ſeede bringeth foorth fruite according to his owne qualitie and kinde, as wheate bringeth foorth wheate, and ſo of all the reſt. But where there is no ſeede ſowne, what fruit is there to be hoped for? So we, hauing no ſinne, ought not to feare and ſtand in dread of the fruite thereof, eternall damnation, and ſo conſequently, why ſhould we feare the anger and iudgements of God?
That the faithfull ought not to feare damnation, for ſomuch as they be the children of God. Sect. II
AS it is vaine and fooliſh, to feare ſickneſſes, when wee are moſt healthfull; and moſt ridiculous to feare pouertie, when we hauehave plentie and aboundance of all things: Euen ſo is it meere folly to feare the iudgements of God, when we be not in daunger to fall into them at all. There is no cauſe then why we ſhould be afraide to die, perſeuering conſtantly in the faith of Ieſus Chriſt: For the nature of faith, as ſoone as it is receiued into the heart, is properly to encourage, animate, and quicken the ſame.aHab. 2.4 rom. 1.17 The iuſt shall liue by his faith, ſaith the Prophet Habacuk. This faith cauſed the Prophet Dauid to ſay;bPſalme Albeit I walke in the middeſt of the shaddow of death, yet will I not be afraide, for thou Lord art with me. Yea the Lord by the Prophet Hoſeas declareth, that the faithfull ſhall hauehave God allied and ioyned to them.cHoſ. 2.19 I will marrie thee vntounto me for euer, yea I wil marrie thee vntounto me in righteouſneſſe, and in iudgement, and in merciemercy, and in compaſsion: d20I vvil marrie thee vntounto me in faithfulneſſe. eIohn 14.23He that loueth me (ſaith Chriſt) keepeth my vvord, and I and my Father vvill come and dvvel vvith him: Herevpon we are called,f1. Cor. 3.16, 17 1. cor. 6.19 2. cor. 6.16 the Temples of the Holighost. Now then ſeeinggRom. 8.31 God is with vsus, who can be againſt vsus? Furthermore, God adopteth and reputeth vsus for his owne children:hGal. 3.26 You are the children of God by faith. iiohn 1.12Chriſt hath giuen power to all them which receiue him, and beleeue in his name, to be the ſonnes of God. So, being thekRom. 8.17 galat. 4.7 children of God, we are alſo heires and felow-heires with Ieſus Chriſt; being children, we are ſet free from ſinne, death, condemnation, bondage, the rigour of the law, and all the forces of the diuell: being children, we are Chriſtes brethren, and the houſhold of God, and in Gods houſe death dwelleth not, but in the houſe of ſatan. And to conclude, being the children of God, God is our father: But can a father hate his owne children? that were againſt nature. Wherefore God loueth vsus with a true and fatherly louelove. The Apoſtle ſaithlRom. 5.8 God ſetteth out his louelove towards vsus, ſeeing that while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for vsus: m9Much more then being now iuſtified by his bloud, we ſhalbe ſaued from wrath through him. n10For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his ſon: much more being reconciled we ſhall be ſaued by his life. What man is he then, that conſidering theſe reaſons, aſſureth not himſelfe of the fauour of God, and remoueth not all feare, which he hath of Gods iudgements, and conſequently of death?
That the members of Chriſt ought not to feare death and damnation, becauſe Chriſt their head, hath vanquiſhed and ouercome them alreadie. Sect. III
WE are thea1. Cor. 6.16. members of Chriſt, fleſh of his fleſh, and bone of his bones, yea one with him. Chriſt ouercame death, and ſhould we feare the ſame? He ouercame it not onelyonly for himſelfe, but for vsus alſo: Hee which hath ouercome death for vsus, ſhall ouercome it alſo in vsus; vvhy then ſhould we feare his ſting? Chriſt ſpoiled and vanquiſhed ſatan, that old ſerpent, the Prince and Lord of Death; and why ſhould we feare his power? Chriſt accompliſhed and fulfilled the lawe; vvhy then ſhould we feare the iudgements of God? Chriſt by his perfect obedience, fulfilled his fathers will, appeaſed his wrath, ſatisfied his iuſtce, and aboliſhed the curſe of the law, which is death, according as it is ſaid,b1. Cor. 15 O death I will be thy death. He died, that we might liue: he roſe againe, that we might be iuſtified. So then he is our Paſtor, we neede not feare to be taken out of his hands. He is our Aduocate, we neede not dread damnation. He is our Mediatour, we neede not feare the wrath of God. He is our Light, we need not feare darkneſſe. He is our Shadow, we neede not feare the heate of hell fire. He is our Iugde, we need not feare that ſentence ſhall be denounced againſt vsus. Wherefore let vsus caſt off all feare, and horrour, of death, hell, and damnation, which not hauing any power ouer the head, cannot hauehave any ouer the members.
That the Forgiueneſſe of ſinnes is not a common benefite, as the ſecure and careleſſe Chriſtian imagineth. Sect. IIII
Obiection.
Me thinkes it were needeleſſe for you to trouble your ſelfe ſo much about this point, for I feare not the iudgements of God, eſpecially conſidering that my ſins are forgiuen me; For where there is no ſinne, there can be no condemnation (as you noted very well before:) And that my ſinnes are pardoned, I know right well, conſidering it is but a common benefite, and therefore eaſily obtayned.
Anſwere.
TRue it is indeed, if our ſinnes be pardoned, we ſhall not come into iudgement,aPſalme 32.1.2 for hee is bleſſed, that is eaſed of that burthen. But ſuch is the ſecuritie & preſumption of men in theſe dayes (who neuer knew what ſinne meant) that they eſteeme little or nothing of the forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes, imagining it indeed, (as you ſay) a common benefite, and eaſily obtained: whereas, if they were prickt but a little, with the feeling of the ſmart of their ſinnes, they would eſteeme of the pardon of them, as of the greateſt treaſure that can be; they would ſell all they hauehave to buy it, and chooſe it before tenne thouſand worldes.How miſerable Man is, without remiſsion of his ſinnes. For without this bleſſing, man is more miſerable, and more wretched, then the vileſt creature that euer was, or can be. For when the bruite beaſtes die, there is an end of their miſerie: but when men die, without the remiſſion of their ſinnes, there is the beginning of their woe, of their endleſſe torments in that lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone, with Satan and his Angels; firſt in the ſoule onelyonly, vntill the day of iudgement, and then, both in body and ſoule, for euer and euer. Oh (ſaith one) if a ſinner damned in hell, did know, that hee had to ſuffer thoſe tormentes there, no more thouſand of yeeres, then there be ſandes in the Sea, and graſſe-pilles on the ground: or no more thouſand millions of ages, then there be creatures in heauen and in earth, he would greatly reioyce thereof; for he would comfort himſelfe at the leaſt, with this cogitation, that once yet the matter would hauehave an end. But now, this word NEVER, breaks his heart, when hee thinketh on it; and that after a hundred thouſand millions of worldes there ſuffered, he hath as farre to his end, as he had the firſt day of his entrance into thoſe torments. Now then, if theſe things were well conſidered, & weighed in the ballance of reaſon, then ſhould the drouzie Chriſtian finde his ſtate fearefull, and then would he acknowledge what, and how great a bleſſing is the Remiſſion of ſinnes.
What we muſt doe for the obtaining of the remiſsion of our ſinnes. Sect. V
Obiection.
Alas, now I know my ſtate is fearefull indeede, I feele the ſting of ſinne wounding my conſcience, and piercing my very ſoule. The law doth accuſe and condemne me, the iuſt and ſeuere wrath of God is ready to take vengeance of me. Oh by what meanes, and how ſhall I procure pardon of my ſinnes at Gods handes?
Anſwere.
THe LordeaPſalme 103.10 dealeth not with vsus after our ſinnes, neither doth he reward vsus according to our iniquities. b11For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth, ſo great is his merciemercy towardes them that feare him. 12c As farre as the Eaſt is from the Weſt, ſo farre hath he remoued our ſinnes from vsus. The onelyonly meanes to procure the pardon of ſinnes at the hands of God, is the death and paſſion of Chriſt: fordRom. 4.25 Chriſt died for our ſinnes. e1. Iohn 1.7The bloud of Ieſus Chriſt his Sonne, cleanſeth vsus from all ſinne. f1. Pet. 1.18Wee were redeemed with the precious bloud of Chriſt, as of a lamb vndefiled and without ſpot. So then, asg1. Ki. 20.32 Benhadad the king of Syria, when he was diſcomfited and ouercome by the king of Iſrael, by the counſell and perſwaſion of his ſeruants; who tolde him, that the kings of Iſrael were mercifull men; ſent men cloathed in ſackcloth, with ropes about their neckes, to intreate for peace and fauour: and when the king of Iſrael ſaw their ſubmiſſion, he made couenant of peace with him. So, ſeeing we, by our ſinnes doe iuſtly deſerue death, hell, and condemnation, it ſtandeth vsus vponupon to come into the preſence of God, and to humble our ſelues before him, continually crauing and intreating for the pardon of our ſins, through the merites of Ieſus Chriſt, and no doubt the Lord will graunt our requeſt, and be at peace with vsus; for the Lord our God is a moſt merciful father.hPſal. 32.5 Confeſſe and acknowledge your ſinnes vntounto the Lord, and hee will forgiue you. YeaiEſay 1.18 though your ſinnes were as crimſon, they ſhall be made white as ſnow, though they were redde like skarlet, they ſhall be as wooll. kRom. 8.…There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus. And that we ſhould be ſure of the pardon of our ſinnes, whereof God giueth vsus a diſlike and true abhorring, the Lord would hauehave it an Article of our faith, ſo that we ſhould not bee ſound chriſtians, if we beleeued it not. See li. 2. cha. 2. ſect. 4. &. 5
Teſtimonies out of the word of God, concerning the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, promiſed to all ſuch as cleauing faſt to the merites of Chriſt onelyonly, are truly penitent. Sect. VI
MOſes, I am the Lorde thy God,Exodus 2.2, 5 6 ſhewing merciemercy vntounto thouſands, to them that louelove me and keepe my commandements.
The Lord, the Lord ſtrong,Exodus 34.6 mercifull and gratious, ſlow to anger, and abundant in goodneſſe, and trueth. 7Reſeruing mercy for thouſands, forgiuing iniquity, and tranſgreſſion, and ſin:9 Pardon our iniquitie and ſinne, and take vsus for thine inheritance.
Dauid, Pſalme 25.10All the pathes of the Lorde are merciemercy and trueth vntounto ſuch as keepe his couenant and his teſtimonies.
He that truſteth in the Lord,Pſalme 32.10 merciemercy ſhal compaſſe him.
I will ſing the mercies of the Lord for euer:Pſalme 89.1 with my mouth will I declare thy trueth, from generation to generation. For I ſaid,2 MercieMercy ſhall be ſet vp for euer, thy trueth ſhalt thou ſtabliſh in the very heauens.3 I hauehave made a couenant with my choſen, I hauehave ſworne to Dauid my ſeruant. Thy ſeede will I ſtabliſh for euer,4 and ſet vp thy throne from generation to generation.30 But if his children forſake my law, & walke not in my iudgements: if they breake my ſtatutes,31 and keepe not my commandements:32 Then wil I viſit their tranſgreſſion with the rodde, and their iniquitie with ſtrokes.33 Yet my louing kindneſſe will I not take from him, neither will I falſifie my trueth.34 My couenant will I not breake, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
As a father hath compaſſion on his children,Pſalme 103.13 ſo hath the Lord compaſſion on them that feare him.
With the Lord is merciemercy,Pſalme 130.7 and with him is great redemption.
The Lord is gracious and mercifull,Pſalme 145.8 ſlow to anger, and of great merciemercy. The Lord is good to all,9 and his mercies are ouer all his works.14 The Lord vpholdeth all that fall, and lifteth vp all that are ready to fall.
Hee healeth thoſe that are broken in heart, and bindeth vp their ſores.Pſalme 147.3 The Lord delighteth in them that feare him,11 and attend vponupon his merciemercy.
Iſaiah, Though your ſinnes were as crimſin,Eſay 1.18 they ſhall bee as white as ſnow: though they were as red as skarlet, they ſhall be as wooll.
Therefore will the Lord waite,Eſay 30.18 that he may hauehave merciemercy on you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may hauehave compaſſion vponupon you; for the Lord is the God of iudgement. Bleſſed are all they that waite for him.
I,Eſay 43 25 euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine owne ſeke, and will not remember thy ſinnes.
Thou art my ſeruant,Eſay 44.21 ô Iſrael, forget me not:22 I hauehave put away thy tranſgreſſions like a clowde, and thy ſinnes as a mist, turne vntounto me, for I hauehave redeemed thee.
There is none other God beſide mee,Eſay 45.21 a iust God, and a Sauiour, there is none beſide me. Looke vntounto me, and yee ſhall be ſaued:22 all the endes of the earth ſhall be ſaued.
Reade the 53, Chap. of the ſufferings of Chriſt, for your ſingular comfort.
This is vntounto me as the waters of Noah, for as I hauehave ſworne,Eſay 54.9 that the waters of Noah ſhould no more goe ouer the earth, ſo hauehave I ſworne, that I will not be angrie to thee, nor rebuke thee:10 For the mountaines ſhal remoue, and the hilles ſhal fall downe, but my merciemercy ſhal not depart from thee, neither ſhall the couenant of my peace fall away, ſaith the Lord, that hath compaſſion on thee.
Let the wicked forſake his wayes,Eſay 55.7 and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vntounto the Lord: and he will hauehave merciemercy vponupon him, and to our God, for he is very ready to forgiue.8 For my thoughts are not as your thoughts, neither are your wayes my wayes, ſaith the Lord.9 For as the heauens are higher then the earth, ſo are my wayes higher then your wayes, and my thoughts aboue your thoughts.
Ieremiah, Ieremie 3.8Turne thee againe vntounto me, ſaith the Lord: And I wil not let my wrath fall vponupon you, for I am mercifull,12 ſaith the Lord, and will not alway keepe mine anger. O yee diſobedient Children,22 returne, and I wil heale your rebellions.
If this Nation,Ieremie 18.8 againſt whome I hauehave pronounced, turne from their wickedneſſe, I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vponupon them.
I know the thoughts that I hauehave thought towards you,Ieremie 29.11 ſaith the Lorde, euen the thoughts of peace, and not of trouble, to giuegive you an ende, and your hope:12 Then ſhall you crie vntounto me, and ye ſhall go and pray vntounto me, and I wil heare you.
Behold,Ieremie 31.31 the day is come, ſayth the Lord, that I will make a newe couenant with the houſe of Iſrael, and with the houſe of Iudah. I will put my Law in their inward partes,33 and write it in their hearts; and wil be their God, and they ſhal be my people.34 And they ſhal teach no more, eueryevery man his neighbour, and eueryevery man his brother, ſaying Know the Lord: For they ſhall all know me, from the least of them vntounto the greateſt of them, ſaith the Lord: For I will forgiue their iniquitie, and wil remember their ſins no more.
Ezechiel, Ezech. 18.21If the wicked returne from his ſinnes that hee hath committed, and keepe all my ſtatutes, and do that which is lawfull and right, he ſhal ſurely liue and not die.22 All his tranſgreſſions that hee hath committed, they ſhall not be mentioned vntounto him, but in his righteouſneſſe that he hath done, hee ſhall liue.23 HaueHave I any deſire that the wicked ſhall die, ſaith the Lord God? Or ſhall he not liue if hee returne from his wayes?27 When the wicked commeth away from his wickedneſſe that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawfull and right, he ſhal ſaue his ſoule aliue. Becauſe he conſidereth,28 and turneth away from his tranſgreſſions that he hath committed, he ſhall ſurely liue and ſhal not die. Returne therefore, and cauſe others to turne away from all your tranſgreſſion,30 ſo inquitie ſhall not be your deſtruction. Caſt away from you all your tranſgreſſions,31 whereby you hauehave tranſgreſſed, and make you a new heart, and a new ſpirit, for why will yee die, O houſe of Iſrael? For I deſire not the death of him that dieth,32 ſaith the Lord God, cauſe therefore one another to returne, and liue yee.
You ſhall knowe that I am the Lorde when I hauehave reſpect vntounto you for my names ſake,Ezech. 20.44 and not after your wicked wayes, nor according to your corrupt workes: O yee houſe of Iſrael, ſaieth the Lord God.
As I liue,Ezech. 33.11 ſaith the Lord God. I deſire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turne from his way, and liue: Turne, turne, from your euill wayes; for why will ye die, O ye houſe of Iſrael?
Hoſea, Oſe. 6.6I deſire merciemercy and not ſacrifice. I wil not execute the fierceneſſe of my wrath;Oſe. 11.9 I will not returne to deſtroy Ephraim; for I am God, and not Man.
Ioel. Ioel 2.12Now the Lord ſaith, turne you to me with al your heart, and with faſting, and with weeping,13 and with mourning. And rent your heart and not your clothes, and turne vntounto the Lorde your God, for he is gracious and mercifull, ſlow to anger, and of great kindnes, and repenteth him of the euill.
Ionah, Ionah 4.2I know that thou art a gracious God and mercifull, ſlow to anger, and of great kindneſſe, and repenteſt thee of the euill.
Micah, Who is a God like vntounto thee that taketh away iniquity,Micah 7.18 and paſſeth by the tranſgreſſion of the remnant of his heritage! he retaineth not his wrath for euer, becauſe mercy pleaſeth him. He wil turne again and hauehave compaſſion vponupon vsus,19 he wil ſubdue our iniquities, and caſt off all their ſinnes into the bottome of the ſea.
Zechariah, Zechar. 1.3Thus ſayth the Lorde of hoſtes, Turne vntounto me ſaith the Lord of hostes, and I wil turne vntounto you ſaith the Lord of hoſtes.
As I thought to puniſh you when your fathers prouoked me vntounto wrath,Zechar. 8.14 ſaith the Lord of hoſtes, and repented not:15 So againe I hauehave determined in theſe daies to doe well vntounto Hieruſalem, and to the houſe of Iudah; feare yee not.
Malachi, Mala. 3.7From the dayes of your fathers, ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and hauehave not kept them: returne vntounto me, and I will returne vntounto you, ſaith the Lord of hoſtes.
Hezechiah, 2. Chro. 30.9The Lorde your God is gracious, and mercifull, and will not turne away his face from you, if ye conuert vntounto him.
Ieſus Chriſt, Iohn 6.37All that the Father giueth me, ſhall come to me: and him that commeth to me,38 I caſt not away. For I came from heauen, not to do mine own wil, but his will which hath ſent me.
And this is the fathers will which hath ſent me,39 that of al which he hath giuen me, I ſhould looſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it vp at the laſt day.
I am the reſurrection and the life:Iohn 11.25 he that beleeueth in me though he were dead, yet ſhal he liue. And whoſoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me ſhall neuer die.26
Peter, Actes 10.12To him giuegive all the Prophets witneſſe, that through his name al that beleeue in him, ſhal receiue remiſſion of ſins.
The Lord is patient towardes vsus,2. Pet. 3.9 and would hauehave no man to periſh, but would all men to come to repentance.
Paul, Rom. 10.12There is no difference between the Iew and the Grecian: for he that is Lord ouer all, is rich vntounto all that call on him.13 For whoſoeuer ſhal cal on the name of the Lord, ſhal be ſaued.
This is a true ſaying,1. Tim. 1.19 and by all meanes worthy to be receiued, that Chriſt Ieſus came into world to ſaue ſinners.1. Tim. 2.4 Who will that all men ſhall be ſaued, and come vntounto the knowledge of the truth.6 Who gaue him ſelfe a ranſome for all men.
Iohn, If we acknowledge our ſinnes,1. Iohn. 1.9 he is faithfull and iuſt to forgiue our ſins, and to cleanſe vsus from all vnrighteouſneſſe.
If any man ſinne,1. Ioh. 2.1 we hauehave an Aduocate with the Father Ieſus Chriſt the iuſt: And he is the reconciliation for our ſinnes,2 and not for ours onelyonly, but alſo for the ſinnes of the whole worlde.
The end of the firſt Booke.