The Practice of Repentance, Chapter 23
CAP. 23. Presumption of Gods mercy hindering Repentance.
Obiect. 3 BVt is not God mercifull, who will not the death of a sinner? and therefore what needest thou so continually afflict and macerate thy selfe by Repentance?
Answ. Yes, Gods mercy is a boundlesse Ocean, which can neuer be drawne dry, and he is mercifull to all, euen the worst, and vessels of wrath.
But first, distinguish of Gods mercy; it is either generall, whereby he saueth man and beast, and maintaineth the creature in a temporall being: thus he feedeth the Sparrowes, and cloatheth the Lillies: thus he is the Sauiour of all men, especially of them which beleeue, 1. Tim 4.10. For that place is meant of his generall prouidence: Or, secondly, there is a speciall sauing mercy, which tendeth to eternal life, whereby he tendereth men as a father. Now herein hee is mercifull to the worst in offering this mercy by Christ, and proclaiming it in the Preaching of the Gospell. But they are content with the other without this. This speciall mercy is not cast as a musse vntounto all.
2 Let not Sathan delude thee by offering an vnlimited mercy where God hath bounded it. For that mercy which in God knoweth no bounds, in respect of persons, is bounded and limited according to the couenant of grace, and mercy, as appeareth in two conclusions.
Conclus. 1.1 There be sundry sorts of impenitent sinners to whom the Lord couenanteth no mercy, but wrath. As,
1 Ignorant persons, who care not for the knowledge of God, Isa 27.11. This people hath no vnderstanding, and therefore he that made them, will not be mercifull vntounto them▪ and 2. Thes. 1 8. Rendring vengeance in flaming fire to all that know not God.
2 Hard hearted persons, that will not repent. Rom. 9.18. Hee will hauehave mercy on whom hee will, and whom he will, he hardeneth; implying, that hardened persons are shut from mercy. Rom. 2. Thou that by the hardnesse of thy heart, treasurest wrath.
3 Wilfull and stubborne persons against the Ministery, and counsels of the word. Ier. 16.5. Mourne not for this people, for I hauehave taken my peace from it, euen my mercy and my compassion: why? verse 1…. For eueryevery one walketh in the stubbornenesse of his heart, and will not heare mee: and therefore I will shew you no grade.
4 Presumptuous sinners, who say I shall hauehave peace, though I walke on in sinne. God will not be mercifull to that man, Deut. 29.30. but the wrath of the Lord, and his iealousie shall smoake against that man, and all the curses in the booke of God shall ouertake him.
OnelyOnly vessels of mercy areConclus. 2. filled with mercy; for saluation or sauing mercy is not so prodigally bestowed, being childrens bread, but on such a… are qualified and pointed out in the Scripture by sundry markes.
1 All that must share in this mercy, must be true members of the Church. Isay. 63.7. I will remember the great mercies of the Lord, and goodnesse towards the house of Israel, which he hath giuen them of his tender louelove. Am I a true Israelite, a sonne of Abraham, according to the faith? Doe I lay about mee for the blessing, as Israel did? Doe I wrastle it out with God by prayer, and doe I preuaile for mercy and grace? Am I circumcised in the heart, and daily part from sinnes and lusts?
2 All that must share in mercy, must be repentant sinners: God would hauehave all saued, but so as they must first come to the knowledge of the truth, 1. Tim. 2.4. But this they cannot doe without Repentance. 2. Tim. 2.25. If at any time God will giuegive Repentance, that they may come to acknowledgement of the truth. Ezek. 33.11. God will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he repent and liue.
3 Mercy is intailed onelyonly to such as louelove God, and keepe his commandements: second Command. Exod. 20.6. He sheweth mercy to thousands of them that louelove him and keepe his Commandements: for God is in couenant with no other, and vessels of wrath cannot looke to be filled with mercy: yet this sheweth not the cause of Gods mercy, for there is none in vsus, and it is a free grace; but onelyonly sheweth the persons that may claime it. Doe I louelove God? All externall obedience without inward louelove, is hypocrisie: LoueLove is the fountaine of obedience. And doe I keepe the Commandements? I cannot fulfill them: but doe I keepe them in my vnderstanding, meditation, affection, in true purpose and indeauour in my whole conuersation? then mercy is mine.
4 Mercy belongeth to such onelyonly as feare to offend God, and liue in any sinne. Psal. 130 Mercy is with thee that thou mayest be feared. Psal. 1.03. As a father pittieth his sonne, so the Lord him that feares him. He that apprehendeth mercy, will not bolster himselfe in sinne, nor lay presumptuous sinnes vponupon Gods backe, but the sense of Gods mercy will leade him to Repentance. Rom. 2. He knoweth that though mercy reioyceth against iustice, yet it destroyeth not Gods iustice: All the waies of God are mercy & truth: these are the two feet of God, by which hee walketh in all his waies: Let vsus humbly fall downe, and kisse both these his feet. Bernard.
5 Mercy belongeth to the mercifull, to those that are charitable & kind to their brethren. Math 5. Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall finde mercy; but iudgement mercilesse shall be to them that shew no mercy. Can we expect and receiue a full streame, and not let fall a drop of mercy vponupon others? Hath the Ma…er for iuen thee 10000. talents, and wilt not thou forgiue pence and farthings? Math 18.27. In spirituall things, will not we beare with the infirmities of the weake? are not we subiect to the same infirmities? doe not we consider our selues? Gal 6.1. Did not Christ become in all things like to vsus, to be a mercifull high Priest? HaueHave we neuer had any sores, which we would hauehave had others handle gently? Doe old men forget they were children? what lusts of youth and temptations they hauehave passed? In temporall things, we call for mercy on this, and that occasion, generall and speciall: God in his members call for mercy: Some men passe by as the Priest and Leuite, without all bowels, dry as flint, without hearts, hands, bowels; no charity, no humanitie: first, looke they for no more? secondly, may it be their case? thirdly, is it not a great misery on themselues, on their ill-gotten wealth, on their iniustice to God his Ministers and others?