A True and Perfect Way to Win Careless Sinners, Part 1 – Part 3
ANDREWES CAVEAT TO WIN SINNERS.
A true and perfect way to win careleſſe ſinners (if there be but the leaſt ſparke of Grace in them) vntounto ſpeedy Repentance, that in the end they may obtaine eternall life.
Directed vntounto all the elect Children of God, which truly repent.
Newly publiſhed by IOHN ANDREWES Preacher of Gods Word.
Being firſt Seene and Allowed.
LONDON, Printed for Iohn Wright, and are to be ſold at his ſhop without Newgate at the ſigne of the Bible, 1631.
Andrewes Caueat to win Sinners.
Sinne no more.
THe chiefe and aIoh. 5 14. Eccle. 21. 1.principall thing that ariſeth to our Chriſtian conſideration or meditation, out bPſal. 7. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 14.of theſe words, is the comfortable practiſe of our cMat. 1. 21. 1 Tim. 4. 19. Acts 5 31.Sauiour, who not only cureth this foule and loathſome diſeaſed criple; but ſheweth him how hee ſhould liue and continue his health; according to that of Marlarot vponupon thisMarolat. place: Qui aegrotos ſanat, ſanatos admonet: He that healeth the diſeaſed, aduiſeth how they ſhould maintaine, & preſerue their health, Sin no dIohn. 5 14. Eccl 21. 1. Pſal. 41. 4. Eccl. 5. 5. 7. Luke 15. 21.more.
Wée are here to conſider that no man is without ſinne: If we ſay wee hauehave no ſinne, we deceiue out e1 Ioh. 1. 8. Eſay 9. 17. Pro. 20. 9. Eſay. 41 29. 1 Iohn 1 7. Pſ…l 51. …. 2 Eſa. 4. …0. Rom. 7. 23.ſelues, and there is no truth in vsus.
Chriſt did not ſéeke his abſolute obedience to the whole Law, nor his totall immunity or fréeneſſe from all ſinne; for it is impoſſible for a man to bée f1 Tim. 4. 10 Acts 5. 31. Matth. 1. 21.cleane without ſinne in this life. And therefore our Sauiour in bidding this man ſinne no more: Non exegit ab omni peccato vt ſit immunis: Requireth not that he ſhould bee frée from g1 Ioh. 1. 8.all ſinne: Sed comparatione vitae prioris; but in compariſon of his former life: For our Sauiour *1 Tim 4. 10 Mat. 1. 2. Acts 5. 31. Exod. 22. 31. 1 Pet 1. 15. 2 Pet. 3. 11. Iohn. 5. 14. Eccl. 21. 1Chriſt knew, that hee was not only impius & improbus, void of all holineſſe and honeſty for a time; but that he was inſignis nebulo, a notorious, groſſe and grieuous ſinner. Therefore in bidding him ſinne no more: Is, that as hée hath formerly obeyed ſinne, now he muſt withſtand hIam. 4. 7.it, and walke no more ſo inordinately in iEccl. 21. 1. 1 King 2. 4. 1 Kin. 3. 14. Col 4. 5.it, and as hée was wont to yéeld vntounto it, ſo now he muſt ſtriue againſt it, that it may reigne kRom. 9. 12.no more in him, to captiue and enthrall his ſoule vntounto eternall lMar. 19. 14. Dan. 7. 11.perdition: For Ex ſani…ate animae fit ſanitas corporis: The ſoules ſoundneſſe is the bodies ſafety; and if his ſoule had not ſinned, (no doubt) his body had not ſmarted; but had beene alwayes preſerued for the joyes of Heauen; mEſay 66. 1… Mat. 3 12. Nahum. 1. 2▪ Acts 5. 31. Mat. 1. 21. 1 Tim. 4. 10.Wherefore wée may gather, that the only cauſe of our Sauiours conference with this man in the temple, was to ſhew him, that the firſt and efficient cauſe of his ſickneſſe, was nothing but his ſinne. nLeu. 26. 16. 18. 1 Sam 24. 10. 2 Chro 21. 12, 13, 14, 15. Num. 12. … 10, 11. Iohn 8. 34.And therefore hée admoniſheth him to ſinne no more, leſt a worſe thing come vntounto him.
Chriſt would hauehave him to ſinne no more, oIob. 5 14. Eccl. 21. 1.neither in Cogitatione, propoſito, actione, nec obduratione; Neither in thought, purpoſe, performance, nor countenance. Hee would not hauehave him to pWiſd. 1. 9. Mat. 12. 25. 2 Cor. 5. 10 Eccleſ. 12. 14▪ Mat. 12. 37. Rom. 14. 12. 1 Pet. 4. 5.ſinne in thought, leſt it ſhould cauſe him to ſtumble; nor in purpoſe, leſt it make him fall; nor in performance, leſt it cauſe him to lye proſtrate: neither in continuance, leſt it make him become obdurate, and paſt all ſence and féeling of ſinne. But aboue all things qIoh. 5 14. Eccl. 21. 1.to abhor ſinne.
Sinne no more.
Our Sauiour r1 Tim. 4. Acts 5 31. M…t…h 1. …1.Chriſt would hauehave this man ſinne no more, which forewarning was a ſigne that hee loued him, and was loath ſExo. 20 6. Iohn 10. 20. Gal… 2. 20. 1 Ioh 49. Epheſ. 1. Ierem. 2. Rom 5to loſe him: But this louelove was not of him to Chriſt, but of Chriſt to t1 Ioh 4. 10. Ier. 31 3.him; whereby wee may note, that Chriſt leueth not only proximum, his néereſt, nor amicum, his deareſt; for cum inimici eſſemus, when wee were his enemies, foes, and aduerſaries, u…. …h. 2.he ſo loued vsus that he dyed for vsus.xRo 5 6. 7. Iohn …. 16. Rom. 4. 25. Heb. 9. 15. 28. 1 Pet. 3. 18. 1 Iohn 4. 9. Ier. 31. 3.
If you ſay, this man was Chriſts friend, becauſe he cured him: I may anſwer, he cured him indeed, Amicum nondum amantem, his friend, not yet louing him: Sed amicum vt jam amatum, but as his friend now beloued y1 Ioh. 4. 10. Ier. 31. 3. Rom. 9. 5.of him. Wherefore it may truly bée ſaid that he was, Non amicus quaſi amans, not his friend as zIoh. 15 18. Acts 20. 30. 1 Iohn 4. 10.louing; Sed amicus vt amans, but his friend as beloued.
But yet let vsus marke; Although God louelove man neuer ſo *1 Sam. 13. 14 2 Sam. 11. 4. 2 Sam 24. 15dearely, yet if he continue in his ſinne, he will ſeuerely puniſh aNahu. 1. 2. 3. Mar. 9 44. Eſa. 6…. 15, 16. 24.him: It is wonderfull and fearefull to remember, how God hath dealt with thoſe that hauehave beene néereſt and deareſt vntounto him, and of b2 Sam. 13. 14. 2. Sam. 21. 8. Matth. 25. 30. …1. 46. Dan. 7. 11. Mat. 3 12. Mar. 5. 20. Luk. 19 1…. Heb. 10. 27. Mat. 21. 13. Mat. 23. 33. Luk. 16 23. Mat. …. 12 29him beſt beloued. How for ſinne only, and that but once committed (as it is thought) hee hath changed his countenance towards them, turned ouer another leafe, and hath moſt ſeuerely puniſhed them.
The Angels whom hee ſeated in heauen, and adorned with ſingular graces and perfections aboue all other creatures: for one onelyonly ſinne of pride againſt the Maieſty of their Maker, were hurled into hell, and are holden with chaines of darkneſſe for euer-laſting damnation.cIude 6. 2 Per. 2. 4. Reu. 20. 10.
After this, God made him a new friend of fleſh and bloud; he created Adam, and placed him in Paradiſe dGene. 2. 15. Pſ…l 8. 6. Heb. 2. 8.whom he loued excéedingly, and liued friendly and familiarly withall; hée made him Vice-gerent and ſole ſupreme Soueraigne ouer the whole world: And as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaketh put all things in ſubiection vnderunder his féet; yet for all this, when once hee brake his commandement and eGen. 3. 6. Gen. 4. 24. Gen. 4. 10.did eat the forbidden fruit, all friendſhip was broken betwixt them, and God mightily offended, inſomuch, that he baniſhed him out of Paradiſe, and condemned him and all his poſterity (had he not repented) to eternall miſery, and euerlaſting damnation.
How ſeuerely this ſentence is executed, may eaſily appeare by this, that many millions of people, yea all the ſonnes of Adam are adiudged to hell fire fRom. 5. 1….for euer, ſaue onelyonly thoſe whom Chriſt Ieſus hath ranſomed with his precious bloud, and bitter paſſion on the g…. …. 26. Iohn 6. 35. Iohn 3. 16. … Cor. 5. 15. Rom. 5. 6. Cor. 15 3. Tim. 2. 6. P… 3. 18.croſſe.
Laſtly, becauſe I will not trouble you with a cloud of witneſſes to this purpoſe, which filleth the booke, and are too long to repeat: King Dauid, a choſen veſſell, and a faithfull ſeruant of God (as the Texttermeth him) a man after Gods owne h1 Sam. 13. 14.heart; yet for his adultery, i2 Sam. 11. 4.and numbring the people, God vnſheathed the ſword of his vengeance, and made it drunken with the bloud of ſeuenty thouſand for k2 Sam. 24. 15.his ſake.
Hereupon let vsus conſider with our ſelues, ſearch the lIohn 3. 19. Rom. 15. 4. Nehe. 8 7. Deut. 6. 6, 7, 8, 9. Acts 17 12. Pſ. 19. 2. 4. 9. Pro. 30. 5. Pſal. 112. 1, 2. Deu. 11. 21, 22. Ioſuah 1. Pſal. 19. 7, 8, 9, 10.Scriptures; and let each of vsus deſcend into his owne ſoule and conſcience, and ſée whether there bee any reaſon or cauſe in the world why God ſhould ſpare vsus, or change the courſe of his juſtice towards vsus, when he hath dealt thus ſeuerely with great perſonages, and holy Prophets for ſome few ſinnes, and thoſe only of infirmity. And let vsus reſolus with our ſelues, that vnleſſe we repent vsus of our ſinnes, God will mete the like meaſure vntounto vsus, and our reward and puniſhment ſhal be the ſame, which hath be fallen vntounto mNahu. 1. 1, 2, 3. Reu. 17. 18. 1 Sam. 3. 12, 13. Hoſe 4 1.others. Here we may learne what it is, that is the cauſe of Gods anger, and haleth downe a puniſhment vponupon men: the Text ſets it downe in a groſſe ſumme, and in nIoh. 8. 14. Matth. 9. 2. Matth 8. 16 Deut. 26. 16. 18. Num. 12. 10, 11.generall, to be ſinne: For ſinne cauſeth the children of vnbelée…e aEph. 2. 2.ſo to dandle in the lap bEc. 10. 10.of folly, that they neuer feare their fall, nor hells fury cIud. 8. 17., vntill they bée ſerued with a writ of preſent dMat. 25. 12.penance. Sin blindeth the ſight of many, which in their owne conceit ſée me to be wiſe eLuke 12.▪ 19., but wanting true wiſdome, ſeparatef Rom. 1 2…. themſelues from God, and run headlong to hell, and eternall hEſay 59. 2. Ier. 15. 6. Eccl. 10. 13.damnation. Marke I pray you, the ſubtilty of ſin, whom it can diuert from the milke of Gods i1 Pet. 2. 2.word, it politickly blotteth againſt, with the doctrine kIer. 10. 8.of vanity: whom ſinne can fruſtrate from the rock of l1 Cor. 10. 14religion, it vniteth vntounto the God of m2 Kin. 1. 2.Ekron: whom ſinne can deuorce from the Spouſe of nReu. 12. 19Chriſt, it deflowreth with the foule whore of oReu. 17. 3.Babilon. And in the end, ſinne bringeth with it ſuch damned pReue. 12. 3, 4.ſpirits, howling hel-hounds qMat. 25. 41 Luke 13. 27. Pſal. 22. 16., and r1 Pet. 5. 8. Pſal. 35 17.roaring lyons, with Vaſa furoris, their veſſels of fury, which euer ſhall be prepared ready for their ſReu. 12. 4.prey. Thus ſin being not forſaken, cauſeth a worſe thing to come vntounto all them whom it ruleth and *Rom. 6. 12.ouer-commeth: Qui jam nolentes ceciderunt in paenam; quia ſaepè volentes ceciderunt in culpam; which now vnwillingly are puniſhed in hell tEſ. 30. 33.fire, becauſe they ſo often ſinned, and ſo long & willingly continued in their ſin, without uLuk. 13. 3. Nahu. 1 ….repentance.
Heare, oh therefore, heare all you that walke after the luſts of your owne hearts, and depart from Bethel xGen. 28. 19▪the houſe of God, to ſtarue your ſoules in Bethauen the den of yIoſ 24. 20. Hoſ. 4. 15. Ioh. 18. 12.iniquity: It is ſinne, oh! it is your vnrepented ſinne that drawes Gods anger towards you, that makes our eyes more dry than the ſtony z1 Ioh. 3. 8. Nah. 1, 2, 3. 1 Cor. 15. 56. Iohn 8. 34. Rom. 6. 12. Rom. 6. 21. Ier. 31. 30.rocke, and your hearts more hard than the Adamant; that you cannot relent with any tender affection vntounto your God, for all your fouleaExod. 17. 6. Num 20. 8. offences, which you hauehave daily and hourely committed againſt him.
Oh! if you did féele the ſmart of ſinne but prick in your wounded conſcience, it were bIohn 20. 1. Ezech. 12. 3.forcible enough to draw ſtreames of teares out of the dryeſt eye that euer was in the head of man; and to excite a multitude of ſorrowfull groanes out of the hardeſt heart that euer God made: Yea, it would make you (like Dauid) to pray a2 Sam. 24. 17. 20.and cry vntounto God againe and bPſal. 51. 2. 11, 12.againe, and neuer leaue the Lord vntill you obtaine his mercy andcRom. 12. 11, 12. Luke 18. 1. Eccl. 18. 22. Eph. 6. 18. Col. 4. 2, 3. Theſ. 5. 17. 1 Theſ. 3. 1. fauour, that you may get ſome comfortable perſwaſion of Gods louelove in Chriſt, for the pardon of your ſinnes. Vntill you do ſo, you ſhal neuer hauehave peace nor quietneſſe of conſcience, nor any ſound comfort of Gods holy d2 Cor. 13. 5. 1 Cor. …. 16. 1 Cor. 12. 3. Gal. 5. 12.Spirit in you.
Therefore, with ſpéed learne here of our Sauiour to ſinne no moreeIoh. 5. 14. Pſal 41. 4. Eccle. 21. 1., for it is farre better for vsus, that Anima carnem ad Coelum vehat, quam vt animam caro ad infernum trahat: The ſoule ſhould carry the body to Heauen, then the body ſhould pull downe the ſoule to hell, fEſ. 30. 39.by the heauy weight and burthen of ſinne.
For ſinne is of ſuch an intolerable weight, that it preſſed Chriſt himſelfe, as a cartis preſſed that is fullAmos …. 13. of ſheaues: and it maketh the earth to réele to and fro like a drunken man. Wherefore, let vsus flye from ſin as from a ſerpent, ſaith the ſonne ofEſay 24. 20. Eccl. 12. 15. Syrach, and learne here of our Sauiour gAct 5. 21.to ſinne no more, leſt a worſe thing come vntounto vsus.
Sinne no more, leſt a worſe thing come vntounto you.
THe effect of ſin is puniſhment, hDeut. 32. 42, 43. Mat. 23. 33.Rarò antecedentem ſceleſtum deſeruit pede poena claudo, Pumiſhment limping after with his lame foot, hath ſeldome forſaken the ſinner going before him. Thus ſin goeth before, iGene. 13. 6.& puniſhment followes after.kGen. 13. 19 …4. They are inſeparable companions, like water & moyſture, fire and heat, the Sun and his light: yea, cauſe and effect, mother & daughter, which ſin, no man can pardon but God, lMat. 1. 31. Hoſea 13. 4. Iohn 1. 15.& take this for a generall rule whatſoeuer thou bee, that Peccatum puniendum eſt, aut à te, aut à Deo: ſi punitur à te,Auguſtine. tunc punitur ſine te: ſi verò à te nonLuke 24. 47. Eſay 45. 15. punitur, tecum punietur. Sinne muſt néeds bée puniſhed, either of God, or of thy ſelfe: If by thy ſelfe, then it isPſal. 4. 8. Dan. 9. …. puniſhed without the: If of God, then thou and thy ſin muſt be puniſhed together,m 1 Pet. 4. 13 for God puniſheth either ſin, or nLuk 13. 3. Eſay 59 1. …the ſinner, in one, or in both, and that without reſpect of perſons, except they repent, oIoh. 5. 14. Eccl. 21. 1. …and sin no more; p whenſoeuer, whereſoeuer, and in whomſoeuer he findeth it. Quia abyſſ…s abyſtum inuocat, one déepe calleth another: So, the greatnes of the ſinpLuk. 15. 2… cauſeth the ſeuereneſſe of theqMatth. 22 13. puniſhment. Thus you may ſee that ſin, Non ſolum ponit nos contrarios Deo, ſed facit nos nobis ipſis graues, doth not onelyonly ſet vsus at varience with God,rEſay 1. …. Pro. 1. 28. Exod. 32. 10. but it maketh vsus grieuous vntounto our ſelues.