The Resolved Christian Exhorting to Resolution, Book 2 · Chapter 2
Cap. II Comforts for the broken-harted and penitent Malefactors, that by the Magiſtrate are adiudged to die.
That Iudgement commeth from God. Sect. I
MIſerie commeth not forth of the duſt, aIob. 5.6.neither doth affliction ſpring out of the earth. (ſaith Eliphaz) wherefore you muſt thinke that this deſerued Croſſe now layd vponupon you, cōmeth from God: forbPro. 29 26 EueryEvery mans iudgement commeth from the Lord cIob 5.17Behold, bleſſed is the man whom God correcteth; therefore refuſe not thou the chaſtiſing of the Almightie. d18For hee maketh the wound, and bindeth it vp; he ſmiteth, and his hands make whole. The LoueLove, wherewith God loueth vsus,eCant. 8.6. is ſtrong as Death, ſo that it appeareth vntounto the worlde, as though the LoueLove of God were miſerie, death, and deſtruction, whereas vntounto vsus it ſeemeth merciemercy, life, and bleſſednes. Forf1. Cor. 11.32 whē we are iudged we are chaſtened of the Lord, becauſe we ſhould not be condemned with the world. So then, vnderunder puniſhment, you may behold merciemercy, vnderunder correction, peace, and vnderunder death, life; whereby it will come to paſſe, that you ſhall not iudge hardly of your ſtate, it ſhal not ſeeme miſerable and fearefull vntounto you, but that you may be able to vnderunder-go your croſſe, and patiently to ſuffer it. SeeinggIob. 14.5 mans daies are determined, and the number of his moneths certaine, and that he hath his bounds appointed him, which he cannot paſſe: Conſider that your glaſſe is runne out, that your pilgrimage is at an end, & that your appointed time is now come, be not agrieued therefore to die, be content to render vp your life againe vntounto him that gaue it you. As you were not borne at your ovvne pleaſure, ſo ſhall you not liue at your ovvne luſt: Conforme your vvill therfore vntounto the vvill of God, and ſayhLu…. 22.42 Father, thy wil be done, and not mine. For ſeeing it is the vvill of God that you ſhould drinke of his Cup, vvhichwhich he hath filled for you, pray that you may ſup it vp with patience, and continuance in the faith of Chriſt vntounto the end, that ſo you may paſſe through it to euerlaſting life: where your tears ſhall be turned into triumph, & your diſgrace into glorie; where your comfort ſhal be without croſſe, and your repoſe without trouble. Who would not reioice therfore, quietly and patiently to die, ſeeing Death is the paſſage from this world to the next, from the earth to heauen, & from al the preſent aggreeuances, to all comfortable happines? Wel may the bruit beaſt feare to die, whoſe end of life is their concluſion of being. Well may the Epicure tremble, who with his life looketh to looſe his felicitie. Yea, well may the faithleſſe and vnrepentant ſinners quake, whoſe death is the beginning of their damnation. But ſeeing the Lord hath vouchſafed you a penitent and beleeuing heart, goe on boldly and receiue your portion in the land of the liuing, where you ſhall liue euer.
Particular directions for the diſtreſſed partie. Sect. II.
SEeing it is the good pleaſure and will of God to lay this croſſe vponupon you, that for a while you ſhould beare the ſame, doe not excuſe your ſelfe, nor make your fault light to the world, diſſemble it not as though you were guiltleſſe and innocent, as though you had not deſerued this puniſhment laid vponupon you. Caſt away theſeaGen. 3 fig-leaues, they will not couer your ſhame. AndbIoſh. 7.19 giuegive glorie vntounto the Lord God of Iſrael, make confeſſion vntounto him, and ſhew vsus now what thou haſt done, hide it not from the people. Say with Achan,c20 Indeed I hauehave ſinned againſt the Lord God of Iſrael, and thus and thus hauehave I done. Hee gaue God the glory, and ſo departed (no doubt) in Gods merciemercy: ſo alſo ſhall you do, if you wil follow his godly ſteps: lay open your heart this day, ſearch your thoughts, and giuegive God the glorie. Conceale not the trueth, diſſemble not with Malefactors, doe not extenuate the heinouſneſſe of your crime, the Lord is a ſearcher of the heart & reines. Seeing God hath brought your Offence to light; Seeing he hath ordained the Magiſtrate, who isdRom. 13.4 the Minister of God, to take vengeance on him that doeth euill, to puniſh you, giuegive praiſe and thankes vntounto God; thinke it better to bee ſhamed here, then hereafter before all the world, & before all the hoaſt of heauen; far better it is, to bee puniſhed here, with a temporarie puniſhment, than in the world to come to be tormented in hell, with euerlaſting and endleſſe tortures. Alſo, if you hauehave at any time confeſſed any thing to charge the innocent, for the clearing of your ſelfe, thereby to eſcape and bee at libertie, or for hatred and malice, burden not your ſelfe therewith, giuegive glorie to God and confeſſe the trueth. If you hauehave hindered any man, by taking away of his good name, reſtore it him againe to your power. If you hauehave hurt any man in his goodes, reſtore it vntounto him againe, as much as you are able, and be truely ſorrie in your heart, for that you are not able to make reſtitution of the whole. If you know any Malefactors, Theeues, Murderers, Traitors, &c. be not partaker of their ſinnes, but certifie the Magiſtrate of them. And ſo pray to God for merciemercy, that he wil giuegive you true and faithfull repentance, that hee will not ſuffer your heart to be bent to any vngodly way; committing your ſelfe wholly vntounto his merciemercy.
How the place of Peter is to bee vnderſtood, where he ſaith, Let none of you ſuffer as a Murderer, or as a Theefe, &c. And that God ſometimes doth call men by this means. Sect. III.
Obiection.
The Apoſtle ſaith, Let none of you ſuffer as a murderer, or as a theefe,1 Pet. 4.15 or as an euill doer, or as a buſie-bodie in other mens matters: Thereby indeed, condemning all ſuch as die ſo. Now, alas! I die as a murderer, Traitor, Theef, &c. an euill doer, I am in this number here condemned.
Anſwere.
THe Apoſtle condemneth not ſuch; Only he giueth the Chriſtians a Caueat, that none of them ſuffer as a Malefactor, for then could they notaGalat. 6.14 glorie in their ſufferings, For (as the ſame Apoſtle ſaieth) This is thanke-worthie, if a man for conſcience toward God endure griefe, b1. Pet. 2.19ſuffering wrongfully. For what praiſe is it, if when yee bee buffeted for your faults? becauſec1, Pet. 2.20 they ſhould hauehave deſeruedly incurred the puniſhment laide vponupon them; they ſhould not ſuffer for the name of Chriſt, but for their owne deſerts; which yet is ſo farre from condemning a man, if he take his puniſhment patiently, that it is a means of his reclaiming into the ſheep-fold.dLuc. 23.40.41 You hauehave for exāple the good Theefe, who had liued very wickedly, and committed many heinous facts, for which he was iudged to die by the magiſtrate. Yet this puniſhment vntounto him was the meanes to bring him to Chriſt, and to know. God, whereby he receiued ſpirituall comfort, that the innocent lambe which ſuffered with him Chriſt Ieſus, woulde43 pittie his miſerie, forgiue him his ſinnes, and bring him into Paradice his heauenly kingdome: whereas otherwiſe he ſhould neuer hauehave forſaken his wicked life, but continued his courſe and runne on the high way to perdition. And ſo peraduenture had it beene with you; you would hauehave runne on the race of wickednes, & gone forward in your ſinnes, and ſtill continued in that vngodly courſe, without all repentance or godly knowledge, vnderunder the fearefull wrath of God. But now, by this meanes, he recalled you againe, hee made you know your ſelfe, hee brought you to repentance, and to the knowledge of his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt our Sauionr, wherein if youfApoc. 2.10 continue vntounto the end, you ſhal receiue the crown of life. Conſider therefore, how louing a Father the Lord is vntounto you, and what a mightie God is he that can bringgEſa. 42.16 light out of darkeneſſe, that can make bad things good, and that will to his, turne all worſt things to thehRom. S. 28. beſt. By this meanes God hath hindered Sathan of his purpoſe, who now made full account to hauehave kept you in his kingdome for euer; for he hath made you of the bondſlaue of Sathan, a liuely member of Ieſus Chriſt; of the childe of darkneſſe, the child of light and euerlaſting bliſſe.
That the multitude of our ſinnes should not make vsus faint-hearted. Sect. IIII.
Obiection.
Yet (me thinkes) I am a rebellious wretch, abounding with a whole ſea of iniquities. I feele my ſelfe laden with a huge companie of horrible ſinnes, whereof euē the very leaſt, is ſufficient in iudgement, to throw mee downe to the euer burning lake. My owne conſcience doth beare witneſſe againſt me, of my manifold and innumerable tranſgreſſions, of my ſecuritie and ſenſeleſſe blindneſſe, committing ſinne after ſinne, both notorious to the world, and horrible before God. The thoughts of my heart riſe vp in iudgement againſt mee: The vanitie of my life condemneth me: The wickedneſſe and heinouſneſſe of my horrible deeds reiecteth me from the Lords eies: All my wicked thoughts, wordes, and deeds, with the inward corruption of my nature, doe lie heauie vponupon mee, and with their intolerable weight, do euen preſſe my ſoule downe to hell.
Anſwere.
FEare not for al this, foraRom. 5.20 where ſinne aboundeth, there grace aboundeth much more. Where there is the knowledge and feeling of ſinnes, there is the remiſſion and pardon of …hem:bLament. 3.29 The goodnes of God toward ſinners. The Lorde is good vntounto them, that truſt in him, and to the ſoule that ſeeketh him. This infinite goodnes of God, is manifeſtly declared in the Scriptures, that we ſhould euer thinke on the …ame, and hauehave Hope,cMath. 19.17 Luc. 18.19 Mar. 10.18. there is none good but one, …uen God, who isdPſal. 73.1 good to Iſraell, yeaePſal. 119.68 good and gracious: fNahum. 1.7The Lord is good, and a ſtrong hold in …he day of trouble, and he knoweth them that truſt in him. So then, God being good in nature and eſſence, and that onelyonly good, he is ready to communicate his goodneſſe with the humble and penitent ſoule, that groneth and ſigheth vnderunder the burthen of iniquitie, whoſe hart and hands be bathed in the bottome of repentance; …f in faith, with a ſure confidence in Chriſts merites he require the ſame.g1. Ioh. 1.9 If we acknowledge our ſinne God is faithfull to forgiue vsus. Next his goodnes followeth his LoueLove, which is ſo great …owardes vsus, that King Dauid beeing rapt with admiration of the ſame,The louelove of God towards ſinners. ſaith;hPſal. 8.4 What is man ſay I, that thou art mindful of him, and the ſonne of man that thou viſiteſt him? iPſal. 103.13As a father hath compaſsion on his children, ſo hath the Lorde compaſsion on them that feare him. In the Prophecie of Eſay, this louelove of God towards vsus is compared to the louelove of a mother, that moſt tenderly embraceth her owne childe, which louelove is the heartieſt of all other.kEſa. 49.15 Can a woman (ſaith he) forget her child? and not hauehave compaſsion on the ſonne of her wombe? (as who ſay, No;) though they ſhould forget, yet will I not forget thee ſaith the Lord of Hoſtes: thereby declaring that God doth louelove vsus more tenderly then doth the naturall mother louelove the fruite of her owne wombe. And this declareth the feruencie of Gods louelove towardes vsus, in thatlRom, 8.32. he ſpared not his owne ſon, but gaue him for vsus all to death. mIoh. 3.11For ſo God loued the world, that he hath giuen his onelyonly begotten ſonne, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhould not periſh, but hauehave euerlaſting life. n1. Ioh. 4.10Herein is louelove, not that we loued God, but that hee loued vsus, and ſent his Son to be a reconciliation for our ſinnes. SooEpheſ. 2.4 God which is rich in merciemercy, through his great louelove wherewith he loued vsus. p5 The merciemercy of God toward ſinners.Euen when wee were dead by ſinnes, hath quickened vsus togither in Chriſt, by whoſe grace yee are ſaued. Out of this goodnes and louelove of God ſpringeth his infinit and maruellous great merciemercy towards vsus.qLamen. 3.22 It is the Lords mercies that we are not conſumed, becauſe his compaſsions faile not. rPſal. 130.7Let Iſraell waite on the Lorde, for with the Lord is merciemercy, & with him is great redemption; s8And he ſhal redeem Iſraell from all his iniquities. How many, or how great our ſins be (ſo they be not ſins againſt the holy ghoſt) it maketh no matter, for ſinne cannot ſo abound, but that the goodneſſe, louelove, and merciemercy of God, purchaſed for vsus by the obedience and righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt, doth much more abound. Chriſt is ſtronger then the diuell, and his workes are more effectuall and forcible to ſaue vsus, then are the workes of his enemie the Diuell to deſtroy and ouerthrow vsus: his holineſſe and righteouſneſſe hath more power to iuſtify vsus, then hath Sinne to condemne vsus; and his integritie to waſh vsus, then the foule ſpirit to defile vsus. This is he that is thetLuc. 11.22 ſtronger man which bindeth and ouercommeth the ſtrong man: he taketh his armor from him wherein he truſted, to wit, Sinne, Death, and the Law: So that now the diuell hath no more power to hurt vsus, neither by ſinne,v1. Ioh. 1.8 for Chriſt hath u waſhed vsus in his bloud, and cleanſed vsus from all ſinne; not by death, for Chriſt when he was dying, hathx1. Cor. 15.4 ſwallowed it vp into victorie; nor by the law, for Chriſt hath fullyyMath. 51.4 ſatisfied it, in fulfilling the ſame, and in ſubmitting him ſelfe vntounto that curſe that was ordained for vsus.
That late Repentance is good if it bee true Repentance: and how a man may iudge whether his repentance be vnfained or not Sect. V.
Obiection.
Late Repentance, is ſeldome or neuer true Repentance: Alas, hitherto I wallowed in wickedneſſe all the dayes of my life, and now I cannot ſin as in former time, by reaſon that my libertie is reſtrained, or that I am not mine owne man. I left not ſin before ſin left me: I feare leſt when I die, this my late repentance dieth with me. For it is very iuſt, that he that contemned God in his life, ſhould be contemned of God in his death. It is the iuſt iudgemēt of God on the wicked, that dying, they ſhuld forget thēſelues, who liuing, did forget God.
Anſwere.
INdeed your caſe is no leſſe daungerous then common: For the men of this our yron age do offer the flower of their youth to the diuell, and bring the lame and rotten ſacrifice of their old age to God. In a word, whē they cannot ſerue the diuell, they will be content to ſerue God. Theſe frame a kinde of repentance vntounto themſelues which may iuſtly bee ſuſpected. Yet notwithſtanding enter you into your owne heart, and ſee whether you be truly ſorrie that you hauehave miſpent your time, whether you hate thoſe ſinnes you hauehave cōmitted with a perfect hatred, for that thereby you hauehaveaEphe. 4.30 grieued the holy ſpirit of God, & prouoked him to anger, and not ſo much for feare of his reuenge and wrath to bee powred vppon you. Whether if you were your owne man againe, you would commit the like. Whether you are not willing to bee reconciled to your aduerſaries, to make reſtitution and recompence of ſuch goods as you hauehave wrongfully gotten and detained. Or, if you bee not able to reſtore, whether you doe not acknowledge the fault; Whether it doth not grieue and vexe your very ſoule, to ſee and to heare the horrible ſinnes & outragious blaſphemies that men commonly commit and belch out againſt the Maieſtie of God, who hath bin ſo louing and ſo good a Father vntounto them: and therefore, whether you will not vſe any lawfull meanes to refraine and puniſh theſe notorious ſinners and Malefactours (whether it bee by confeſſion, iuſt accuſation or detection, or any other good and godly means) for the glorie of God, and the peace of the Church. If you find your ſelf thus affected, thē doubt not but that your repentance is vnfained and true, howbeit it be late: Better late than neuer, the Prouerb is. Conſider that the Promiſe of remiſſion of ſinnes in Chriſt, is made without any tearme of time: And therefore late repentance may bee true repentance.bEzcch. 18.21 If the wicked will returne from all his ſinnes that he hath committed, and keepe all my Statutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, hee ſhall ſurely liue, and ſhall not die. c22All his tranſgreſsions that he hath committed, they ſhall not be mentioned vntounto him, but in his righteouſnes that he hath done, he ſhall liue. d23HaueHave I any deſire that the wicked ſhould die, ſaith the Lord God: Or ſhall hee not liue, if hee returne from his waies? If Sathan ſtand before you, and accuſe you of your vanities, and lay before you, the daies of your looſeneſſe, deſpaire not. HaueHave you ſpent thirtie yeeres in vanitie? nay, hauehave you ſpent fortie or threeſcore, yea threeſcore and ten, or fourſcore? deſpaire not: Reſerue the reſt of your daies, yea, if you hauehave not daies, reſerue the reſt of your houres, of your halfe houres, of moments, for Ieſus Chriſt, and hee will make much of them: they are theeZach. 3.2 brand taken out of the fire, and thefApoc. 3. remnant which is left. Though there be no light in your candle, yet if it doeth but ſmoake, Ieſus Chriſt will not put it out; he will not quench the ſparckles that are left in yourgEſa. 42.3 flax. Is your ſtrong man become a reed, yet Chriſt wil not breake that, ſuch is his merciemercy. Oh, hauehave you a remnant left, euen a little remnant: and is that readie to die?hApoc, 3.2 yet bee awake, and ſtrengthen the things which remaine, that are readie to die, and Chriſt will ſaue you. It came no ſooner into theiLuc 15.17 Prodigall childes heart, to goe and ſee his father; he had no ſooner directed hisk20 feet towards home, but his father ranne to meet him, embraced him, and receiued him withl22 great ioy. Euen ſo doeth Chriſt, we are no readier to leaue and forſake our ſinnes, and to ſue vntounto Chriſt for merciemercy, but he is as readie to pardon and forgiue vsus, and to graunt merciemercymMath. 11.21 Come vntounto me all yee that are wearie and laden, and I will eaſe you. Heere you may caſt anchor, in this port you may reſt your ſelfe: now let thenMath. 7.25 waues beate, let the winds blow, let Sathan aſſault you, yet are you harmeleſſe, your rocke is vnconquerable.oRom 8.31 Chriſt is on your ſide, what can preuaile againſt you? not ſands nor rockes, not ſtormes nor tempeſts, not windes nor waues, not fire nor water, not all the powers of Sathan, nor thepMath. 16.18 gates of hell.