The Practice of Repentance, Chapter 7
CAP. 7. Rules concerning sinnes to be repented of.
2 THe second rule for directing our Repentance, concerneth sinnes to bee repented of.
The generall rule is vnquestionable, That all sins must bee repented of: because
1. Because the Law of God condemneth all sins, and the Gospell pardoneth all, and Faith and Repentance onelyonly obtaine that pardon. We hauehave not learned, that any sin is veniall in it selfe; but none not veniall by Repentance.
2. One sinne vnrepented of, condemneth the sinner as certainly as a thousand; as one stab at the heart killeth him as dead as a thousand.
3. Although the least sinne committed be damnable, that is, deserueth damnation; yet not the commission of the greatest sins bringeth damnation, but the continuance in them. The onelyonly damning sin is Impenitencie, in respect of the act, though not in respect of the desert.
4. The Scripture, Eccles. 11.9. would hauehave vsus know this, That God will bring eueryevery thing into Iudgement, and, Chapt. 12. Vers. 14. God will bring eueryevery worke vntounto Iudgement, with eueryevery secret thing done in the flesh, whether it bee good or euill: therefore eueryevery sin must bee repented of. For looke what sin thou iudgest not in thy self, thou leauest to God to iudge. If anie sin lye shut vp in the booke of thy conscience, vnblotted by Repentance, the day commeth, in which that booke shall bee opened, and it shall bee found. Hence the Apostle, Acts 17.31. inciteth the Athenians to repent, because God had appointed a day to iudge the world.
From this generall, followeth these conclusions.
1. We must then repent of sins both knowne and vnknowne. For knowne sins eueryevery one will assent; if they be priuate, they must be priuately repented of, if open, they call for declaration of Repentance openly. Knowne sins are not pardoned, but vponupon speciall Repentance.
But besides these, are a number of secret, vnknowne, and hidden sins, euen in the regenerate themselues. Psa. 19. For who knoweth how oft he offendeth? Let the best search his heart with lights, and do it most diligently, and vnpartially, yet it is vngageable. He can neuer get to the bottome to finde out all his sins: Numbers are committed, which hee knoweth not to bee sins. Numbers are committed, which in processe of time are forgotten: A number of sins lye close to our best dueties, and we discerne them not. Now if they be sins, they must be repented of.
Quest. How can vnknowne sins be repented of?
Answ. As knowne sins must be repented with particular Repentance, so vnknowne by a generall Repentance, which God in mercy accepteth for these, or else no flesh could be saued.
The Patriarchs most of them liued in Poligamie, which was euer a sin: nor could they be saued, without repentance of this sin; and yet wee reade not that anie of them specially repented of it, because of the corruption of the times, they knew it not to be sin, onelyonly God in mercy accepted a generall Repentance for the same. Yet they repented specially of knowne sins; as Dauid of his murder and adulterie: yet we read not that he specially repented of this.
By this wee see, that had wee not knowne sins, we hauehave an infinite number of vnknown euils, whereof wee stand guiltie, and whereof we must repent daily, and pray with Dauid, Lord, forgiue giuegive mee my secret and vnknowne sins.
If all sins,Conclus. then wee must repent not only of great, but the smallest sins: for
1. No sin is so little as not to neede repentance; for the least sin is an infinite offence against an infinite God, an infinite Law, meriting an infinite damnation.
2. The smallest of sins, negligences, omissions, ouer-sights, hastinesse of speech, passion, must be repented of, and resisted, else they grow more common, and more strong, or at least, as little theeues, they open the doores and windowes to greater, and stronger: Hee can neuer ouercome the greater, that doth not smaller.
3. Here is more assurance and triall of sound grace, than in that repentance of great sinnes: for
1. True grace lesseneth no sin, but aggrauateth it.
2. Generall, common, and restraining grace, may shunne and grieue for great and open sins; as the Heathens themselues. But it must bee sound grace that groweth to the hatred of smallest, and most secret euils.
3. Sound grace desires to cleare the booke of God, and wipe out the score, as well pence and farthings, as pounds and talents.
4. The nature of sin standeth not in the materiall part, which often is in a little thing; but in the forme or anomy, which is the transgression of the Law: and this may bee in an apple, as well as a talent of gold. Yea the most poysonfull sin of all was in an apple; a small thing, to show the sinne in smallest things not to be small.
If all sins must be repented of,Conclus. 3 then sins of knowledge and presumption: which are of two sorts.
1. When wee attempt any thing aboue our owne strength, not sensible of our owne weaknesse; which is, for the most part, punished with fearefull fals, as Peter. Neuer any Disciple fell so dangerously as he: for neuer any of them was so presumptuous as he.
2. When wee dare attempt a…ie thing against the truth and iustice of God; knowing his will, but runne against it. Sometimes
1. Dreaming that God is made all of mercy; not so iust as the Law saith.
2. Because hee holdeth his peace, wee thinke him like our selues, and conceiue he will neuer punish.
3. Sometimes supposing wee can repent when we will.
4. That howeuer hee deale with others, yet hee will not grow into such displeasure with vsus: Hence wee grow secure in sinne.
These sins must bee repented of, because they mightily preuaile, Psal. 1 9.
1. Sins against conscience waste the conscience, make great gashes, destroy graces, grieue the spirit, setteth a mans owne best friend against him, that is, his owne conscience, which becommeth a seruant, a iudge, a witnesse, & executioner.
2. A marke of a wicked man, is to make league with hell, and death, and goe on in sinne; and though the sword passe through the land, to cry Peace, Peace.
3. Great is the difference betweene the sins of godly and wicked: One sinneth of weaknesse, the other of wickednesse; one is drawne to sin violently, the other runneth willingly: the one sinneth against his purpose, the other purposeth sin; the one slippeth into sin, the other lyeth downe, and walloweth in it: the one slumbers, the other is in a dead sleep.
4. We must hasten out of presumptuous sins, because the sin against the holy Ghost is of this kind of sins; though not eueryevery sin of presumption, and against knowledge, and conscience, but such a presumption as renounceth the whole Gospell, and that of set purpose and malice against the maiesty of God, and of Christ, Heb. 10.29.
If all sins, then sins of aggrauating,Conclus. 4 or scandalous circumstances: as
1. Old and customable sins, which are growne strong and habituall, and neede a long and earnest Repentance to cut and breake them off; and here especially our oldest and strongest sin of all, the mother and nurse of all the rest, our originall corruption, had need bee bewailed, being as a great wheele in a clocke, that setteth all wheeles a mouing, while it seemeth to moue slowest.
Yet not one of a hundreth taketh this of all other in hand, as not seeing the danger of it. But neuer did any truely repent, that begun not here, and first conquered this master▪ esteeming it the most foul…, and hatefull of all, as Dauid, Psal 51. and Paul cryeth out of it, as most secret, deceitfull, powerfull euill, Rom. 7.
2. Sweete, pleasing, and profitable sins▪ the more pleasure thou hast taken in sin, the more shall thy sorrow bee sooner or later, and shalt know one day (but the sooner, the better) that thy sweetest sin is a poison, or rats-bane, sweet in going down: but forget the danger, and please thy palate a while, it shall work in thy bowels, and bring death sure enough. If sin bee not as a dagger at the heart before, it shall after the commission. The profit of sinne, is like Achans wedge, it cost his life. Vnhappy is that profit of the world, gotten by the losse of the soule.
3. Sins of the godly after conuersion, are greater than common mens.
1. They are committed against more grace, more means, more knowledge.
2. It is more noted, being in a greater light. Dauid caused the enemies to blaspheme, and the godly bee ashamed because of sin.
3. There is great profession of louelove to God▪ and this cannot but worke great sorrow for offending him. Luke 7. The woman that had much forgiuen her, loued much; and so in Peter, he sorrowed bitterly, as his louelove was great.
4. The Lord taketh sinne more hainously at their hands, than any others; as a father, abuse and dishonour from his son. Christ complaineth it was thou my friend and familiar, foreign.
4. Sins against mean…, against warning, admonition, vowes, promises, correction, much prouoke the Lord to wrath. So Christ aggrauateth Iudas his sin, he hath the greater sin. Iohn 19. he not only knew my doctrine, saw my miracles, but was warned. Peter after warning on Christs part, and protestations on his owne, so fowly denying: Oh how the sin pricketh him, and giueth him no rest till hee had met the Lord by Repentance!
Most sins of men in these daies of light, are not for want of knowledge, but against knowledge, admonition, and conscience; the sins of men are taught, among whom the Gospell is still preached, and men follow with daily instructions. All of them are against the vow and promise of Baptisme, many of them against speciall motions of spirit, against speciall promises, and vowes to God, either in time of affliction, or terrour of conscience, or bodily sicknesse, or comming to saluation, when men hauehave resolued and promised a change of life: All these are fearefull sins, and hauehave a loud voice, to call either thee to repent, or God to reuenge.
5 Sinnes of open profanenesse. As,
1 Against holy times; swearing, whoring, drinking, gaming on the Sabbaoth day: a time holy, wherein ordinary lawfull actions are prohibited; as Iourneyes, Markets, bying, selling, and eueryevery piece of ordinary calling.
2 Against holy places; profane thought…, speeches, actions in the Church and house of God. The holier the place, the fouler the sinne.
3 Against holy exercises, disgracing, reproching, & scorning the exercises of Religion, Preaching, Hearing, Prayer, Singing in the family, and other godly duties.
4 Against godly persons, and such as excell in vertue; reuiling godly men vnderunder titles of Puritans, Hypocrites, factious, and troublers of the state. Little know men the height of profanenesse they are growne to in these sins, nor what, nor whom they blaspheme, nor what a fierce plague of GOD hangeth ouer them, which nothing but timely Repentance can turne away. Let such therefore try their Repentance, if the wickednesse and profanenesse of their hearts may be forgiuen them.