Concerning Repentance, Part 14
3. Ʋse of Exhortation,
To take the present seasons of grace whilst God offers them. Other good things, when offered, are taken when first offered; onelyonly when persecuted Christ is offered, men stand in a quandary whether they had best to take him: and being exhorted to repentance, they think they may do this soon enough hereafter.
Grounds of this Exhortation, are:
1. We are commanded not to delay the Lord. Exod. 22.29. Thou shalt not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits, &c. They were to offer the firstlings of all. And 2. They were not to delay it, Levit. 6.5. A man that found himself guilty of wrong doing, was bound to make restitution when he found himself guilty, in the day of his trespass-offering.
It is said of David that he made hast, and delayed not to keep Gods Commandments. Psal. 119.70.
2 The inability of effecting any thing when death comes Eccl. 9.10. Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might; For in the grave there is neither power or strength. Many a man that in his life-time could rule a Common-wealth or Kingdome, when once he is dasht on the shore of Death, to which all windes drive us, and when that fatall Anchor is let downe, he can neither adde an hour, nor recall a minute: For the night comes, when no man can work.
As we spend the hour of this life, so shall it be with us for ever. Bishop Cranmer, when he came in sight of death, said, Now I am come to that point upon which depends all my life past, and that life which is to come: now I behold the Angels ready to receive me, or the Divels ready to swallow me up: now must I either reign for ever with my master Christ, or be for ever tormented with Devils and damned Spirits; and therefore its no time to feare or flatter. So do you reason; Death is comming on, and therefore it is no time for me to stand dallying, unless I meane to see a storm come upon my soul, that will never be over-blown.
3 Consider how long God hath forborne us: but how long hee will further forbear, no man knowes. Could we look into a mans heart, and know how far his patience will reach, we might try it to the utmost; much less to know how far the patience of God will reach. The times of ignorance God comparatively overlookt; but, Act. 17.30. when light comes darting on all sides, and they will not see it, they do not onelyonly harden apace, Matth. 13.15. They have closed up their eyes, lest they should see; but likewise are neer to condemnation, Joh. 3.20. If Gods patience be held out, and we mend not, we may fear God deals with us as with vessels of wrath.
4 Consider how many persons in vain catch at grace and mercy in time of distress. Many men in such times are like a man at the point of drowning, who catches to laid hold upon every thing; or like a beast in a quagmire, that struggles and strives to winde himself out: but he that seeks God onelyonly because he is in a distress, and not out of a spirit of faith, apprehending Gods fatherly love in Christ, Hos. 14.1, 2. or a spirit of Repentance, apprehending the bitterness of sin and judgement, Hos. 6.1, 2. shall in no wise finde him.
5. Remember, there are sundry evil times coming on, which are times of spending, not of getting: as sickness, wherein Hezekiah did chatter as a crane or a swallow, and mourn as a dove; also old-age, unteachable of new things, forgetful of old. Neither do these and many other evil days give warning, as Clocks before they strike; but come silently, as a mighty silent Spring-tyde, that overflows all banks. A house will crack before it fall, a dog will bark before he bite; but sickness, death, and changes come upon us, without foregoing admonition. And it is the duty of a prudent holy man, to foresee evils, hiding himself in God, to oppose Christ against all, Prov. 22.3.
6. There is no means to recover times and proffers of grace, when they are finally lost, either by 1. The ceasing of the day of grace, Prov. 1.28. Heb. 3.11. & 4.7. & 12.17. Jer. 7. & 15.1. and Saul, after God had cast him off, though he lived fourty yeers, could never recover himself; and Ishmael, Gen. 21.13. for I do much incline to that, that there is a definitive day wherein persons are to come in; which if they pass, they shall never have more profers: Jer. 14.11, 12. the Lord bids Jeremiah not pray for the Jews. Or 2. By the ceasing of the day of life, Matth. 25.8. If a Merchants Factor should riotously consume the stock wherewith he is intrusted, would his master intrust him with another? No more can we look to be intrusted with another stock of grace or life. We should not account the time to come, but the present, to be our season both of grace and life, 2 Cor. 6.2.
7. God takes notice how many profers of grace any person hath had. The old world had an hundred and twenty yeers given to repent in, Gen. 6.3. The Jews had many Prophets sent unto them, but they despised them. What followed? See 2 Chron. 36.15. even destruction without remedy: Fourty yeers long was I grieved with this generation, Psal. 95.10. Ten yeers God called on the Jews by Jeremiah's Ministery, Ier. 25.3. Persons remaining impenitent under powerful means, soon outrun the day of grace. 2 Pet. 3.2. This second Epistle have I wrote to you. 2 Cor. 13.1. This is the third time I am coming unto you. This man hath had the means ten yeers, that man hath had it twenty. Luke 13. 7, 8. three yeers God let the fig-tree alone; and seeking to finde fruit thereon and finding none, he bade cut it down; Num. 14.29, 30 None entered Gods typical rest though th y liv'd many yeers after, save Caleb and Joshua.why cumbereth it the ground? Upon request, it was let alone till the fourth yeer, and then cut down for unfruitfulness, Matth. 3.8. When the ax is laid to the root of the tree, that is, the Word of God comes to the conscience, and men remain unfruitful, that tree is to be cut down, and cast into the fire of hell. The more profers of grace souls have had, and yet remain obstinate, the neerer is their day of grace expiring. Pretend not impediments, for every thing must give way to the soul.We may know the day is not past to us, if we have a desire after reconciliation, and a purpose to turn to God. They that have past that day, God hardens their hearts, and blinds their minds We have souls to save, as well as estates to look to: If one must needs miscarry, let it not be your souls. Gen. 6.3. My Spirit shall not always strive. Gods Spirit was a long time, as it were, disputing the case, whether he should destroy the world or no, after so much time give them: at last, Resolved upon the question, My Spirit shall not always strive with man. Mercy pleaded one way, Justice another; and his Spirit was like a sword in the sheath, as Vatable observes: but in the end, he draws his sword.
8. The frequent exhortations souls have to come in and be reconciled. We are invited hereto, as Rebels by a Proclamation of a Prince, to return to obedience: we are intreated to be reconciled, 2 Cor. 5.20. exhorted, Ier. 3.14. Turn, O backsliding children: for I am married unto you: reprehended Ezek. 18.30, 31. Cast away all your iniquities; why will ye die? that is, Why will ye do that will bring death? threatned for impenitencie, Deut. 29.18, 19. If there be any root bearing gall and wormwohd, that is, going on in a circular course of sin, which is as bitter to, God, as gall and wormwood to our tastes, Gods wrath shall smoke against that man. Indeed, as a whore great with childe condemned to die, is reprieved till she be delivered of the infant; so doth God defer the judgements of some such wicked men; but forbearance is no forgiveness.
9. If thou goest on impenitently to delay Repentance, thy sins will go further and further on, till they come to a fulness: Gen. 15.16. The iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full. Their sins had well-nigh four hundred yeers to run, of all which God took notice. Zech. 5.7, 8. the Church of Jerusalem is compared to a woman sitting in the midst of an ephah; the commodity, or rather discommodity she had, was wickedness. When the ephah was full, the Lord cast a talent of lead upon it, to signifie the unchangeable certainty of their destruction, as Junius observes. Psal. 76.10. The wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain: So Vatable reads it: God lets out so much wrath, drunkenness, &c. and then restrains the rest. The Scribes and Pharisees had an infinite malice not onelyonly against Christ, but against all good men, that they would not have left one alive; but Christ would have them to come onelyonly to such a measure, Matth. 23.29. Fill ye up the measure of your fathers. The Prince of Tyrus (Ezek. 28.12.) sealed up the sum of his evils. 1 Thess. 2.16. it's said of the Jews, that they, to fill up their sins, forbade the Apostles to preach to the Gentiles. Wicked men make themselves ripe for the vengeance, as the corn for the sickle: Revel. 14.15. Thrust in thy sickle, and reap, for the time is come for thee to reap: for the harvest of the earth is ripe. See also vers. 16, 17, 18. where, when the clusters of the vine of the earthen Church and her grapes were fully ripe, the vine of the earth was cast into the wine-press of the wrath of God.
10. The many calls to Repentance which we have had, should keep us from delaying the Lord: as, 1. By Judgements, Zeph. 3.5. Morning by morning are his judgements made known in the world: Nation after nation hath drunk the cup of Gods fury. See Jer. 25.15, 16, 17. 2. By Mercies: these take us by the hands, and leads us to Repentance, Rom. 2.4 Besides other mercies, we have had the mercy of Gods forbearance, Luke 13.6, 7, 8. By the master of the vineyard, is meant God; by the vineyard, is meant the Church; by the fig-tree, is meant every particular man;Vide Maldonate on Luke. by the husband-man, is meant Saints, and, in particular, holy Teachers; by the three yeers, is meant sufficient time; for either the fig-tree brings forth fruit the third yeer, or not at all. Now as the fig-tree bringing forth onelyonly leaves, hinders other trees, by hiding the sun from them, and drawing away the moisture; and hence is cut down: so will such unprofitable Christians, that pretend themselves plants in Gods vineyard, be cut down and cast into the fire.
3. God calls by the voice of Conscience. If we sin against Conscience, we sin grievously, 1 Joh. 3.20. As in Arithmetick, if a Cypher be added to a number, it makes the number ten times as much; so do sins against conscience. As a stone put into a Ring is often of more price then the Ring, so the doing of things against conscience usually out-weighs the evil we do. See Dan. 5.22. Rom. 1.24, 26, 28. Luke 12.48. James 4.17. Mark 15.10. This was one of the sins for which God cast off Saul, 1 Sam. 13. for which God cast him off, because he forced himself against his conscience to offer a burnt-offering, he being no Priest: And for this, Belshazzar lost his kingdom, Dan. 5.22. and the Gentiles given up to reprobate-mindes, Rom. 1.26, 28. When Conscience tells you you have means of grace, and Gods long-suffering waiting for you, do not delay.
4. God calls you by the voice of his Word: Jer. 44.5. Oh do not this abominable thing which I hate. But people either contemn it, under the names of plain preaching, much preaching, mocking at the Preachers, 2 Chron. 36.15. or bless themselves against the threatnings; as those Husbandmen, who when it was told them the vineyard should be taken away, they cried, God forbid, Luk. 20.16. or else, like Ezekiel's hearers, they will not do it, though the sound be like the sound of a Musical instrument, Ezek. 33.32. Eli his sons would not hear their father, because the Lord was purposed to slay them, 1 Sam. 2.25. Jerusalem had never so many Prophets, as when she was neerest destruction. Let us take heed of refusing.
5. By the motions of his Spirit God calls, Isai. 30.21. This is the way, walk therein. To the drunkard and whore-monger the Spirit saith, Sobriety and chastity is thy way. Many think, because they have good motions, their heart is good: whereas, the having good motions, and rejecting of them, bindes over to the greater guilt. That wicked men have good motions, appears in Balaam, who wisht to die the death of the righteous; in Pharaoh, who desired Moses his prayers; in Herod, who heard John gladly. And these motions in the wicked come from God, because Saints of themselves are not able to think a good thought, 2 Cor. 3.5. much less wicked men. Holy motions on carnal hearts, are like sparks of fire falling on wet tinder. This was Spira's case: the Spirit often suggested that he should not signe the Abjuration which the Popes Legat had drawn up: but he rejected.
Q. But how should I know the motions of the Spirit?
A. When they press to Holiness. When God saith to thee (as Psal. 27.8. to David) Seek thou my face; let thy heart answer, Thy face Lord will I seek. This will lie as a great guilt on many souls, That when at the same moment God suggests, and Satan suggests, persons will hear Satan's suggestions, and reject God's.
QUESTIONS or CASES About RESTITƲTION.
Q. WHether ought there to be restitution of things unjustly got, as a duty essentially necessary to Repentance?
A. Yes; Because, till we do this either in affection and purpose of heart, when our ability will reach no further; or in action, when we are able, we go on in the sin of theft. Hence the ancient rule is true, viz. Sin is not forgiven, till the thing taken away be restored. Ezek. 33.15. If he give againe that which he hath robbed, he shall surely live.
See the constant opinion of the learned herein, because some may think it a strange doctrine.
Babington on Leviticus cap. 6. v. 3. God is never pleased with any thing that is ours, whilest we retaine and keep that which is not ours: when we will agree with God, we must also agree with our neighbour.
Pilkinton on Nehemiah saith, God will not pardon, unless a man make actuall restitution, if he be able to do it: cap. 5. fol. 79.
Augustine, Epist. 54. If men be able to make actuall restitution, and do it not, repentance is not done, but feigned.
Musculus on the eighth commandment, in Latine, printed at Leyden Anno 1562. pag. 205. saith, The mind of a true repenting person is so disposed, that he cannot endure that what belongs to another, and is not his, should be in his keeping. It is manifest that repentance is not true, if any man by theft, robbery, or usury, or other deceits shall hold back things pilfered.
Chamier, Tom. 3. lib. 23. cap. 10. Sect. 16. saith, If any man hath committed theft he never truely repents of his theft, if he do not restore that which he hath taken way, or some other just way heales that damage. In this sence, let Satisfaction be part of Repentance.
Zanchy his explication on the first Epistle of John, pag. 43. saith, If thou repent truely and from thy heart, without doubt thou wilt take care both to restore things wickedly taken away, and to be reconciled to thy brother whom thou hast offended.
Downam on the 15 Psalme, pag. 113. saith, Whosoever makes not restitution, being able to restore, he neither hath unfeigned repentance for his sin, nor any found assurance of the forgiveness of it: — So oft as a man remembreth whatsoever he hath unjustly got by any kind of theft, to the damnifying of others, is not his own, but theirs whom he hath wronged, and yet refuseth (being able) to restore the same; so often he committeth theft.
Wilson, Zacheus convert, pag. 384, 385. saith, A man that knowes the doctrine of restitution, and against his light and conscience keeps goods wrongfully, cannot justifie his repentance, either in the sight of God, or his own soul; unless he have spent all, and cannot make restitution: then his will, and love of the duty, will be accepted.
Zanch. in Ephes. 4.28. Tom. 2. saith, To true repentance restitution is necessary: but how much more is to be given besides the thing stole, this did belong to the punishment.
Zacheus, in testimony of his repentance, said to Christ, And if I have defrauded any man I restore fourfold. And to whom did he restore it? even to him whom he had defrauded.
Ames his Cases, l. 5. c. 4. saith, A mind prepared to restore (if there be power or ability) is absolutely necessary: for he doth not repent him of a wrong done, who will not abolish the same when he can; neither is there love of righteousness, and of his neighbour in him, that hath not that mind, that he is willing to give every man his own.
2 Q. What reasons have you to urge Restitution?
A. These: 1. It is an act of distributive justice, to give to every man his own. Rom. 13.8. Owe no man any thing. How do we fulfill this command, when we keep other mens goods in our hand? There is so much equity in this command that its preferred before our own livelihood, or providing for posterity. 2 Kings 4.7. First the Prophets wife was to pay her husbands debts, then she and her children were to live of the rest. You ought to restore to the utmost of your estates, and then you have gone as far as you can. Hence, Exod. 22.3. The Theefe was commanded to be sold; which though it were a judiciall law, yet so much stands in force, that we must make satisfaction to the utmost of what we have.
2. This duty of restitution is taught us by the law of Nature. Abimelech restored unto Abraham his wife, when she knew she was his wife Gen. 20.7. Micah, though an horrible Idolater, made restitution of eleven hundred shekels of silver at once, which mony he had taken from his mother Judg. 17.2, 3. The counsellors of Babylon restored the Kingdome againe to Nebuchadnezzar, after he had been seven yeers removed from governing, Dan. 4.36. Jehoram, 2 Kings 8.5, 6. restored the widow (whose child Elisha had raised to life) not onelyonly all her lands, but the seven yeers profits that issued therefrom during the time she was out of the country. Evil gotten goods, even in a natural conscience that is not seared, are like an hard bone in the stomach of a dogg, whereof he is glad to disgorge himself, as Judas of his thirty peeces, Mat. 27.3. or like a vomit which a man hath taken, which will not tarry with him, Job 20.15. He hath swallowed down riches, he shall vomit them up againe; God shall cast them out of his belly. The ingredient of this vomit is made up of the wrath of God.
3. Without restitution, the conscience will never cease grumbling and galling. Bread of deceit is sweet to a man, but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel, Prov. 20.17. such wealth will be like a stone in the shooe, which will fret the feet; so will this fret the conscience. What peace had Zimri in his conscience, after he had unjustly got the Kingdome from Baasha? 2 Kings 9.31. What peace had Judas, after he had taken thirty pieces of silver? presently the physick began to work. Especially when persons come in sight of death, then will conscience present thy stately furniture about thee, and thy lands and mannors which thou hast robbed from the widows and fatherless, to give account whereof thou art going to the judgement-seat. The conscience is not good, unless it be universally good, Heb. 13.18. Act. 23.1. and this cannot be, without restitution. What terrors had Richard the third king of England, when he had got the crown by murther and oppression?
4. The rule of equity, Mat. 7.12. Whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, do even so unto them. Now thou wouldest that every man should restore thee that which is thine: Do thou so to others, tantum quantum, toties quoties, tot quot; that is, as much as thou hast taken away.
5. The examples of Saints, who as soon as converted, have restored; Luk. 19.8. Zacheus saith, If I have wronged any man (by forged cavillation) I restore him (there was the duty) fourfold, was the punishment; which was sometimes more, sometimes less: sometimes twofold, sometimes fourfold, sometimes sevenfold, as the judges were pleased to order it. One simus had wronged his master, and taken away his goods; Paul knowing restitution to be a duty, promiseth Philemon satisfaction under his hand, in the behalfe of One simus, who was unable to pay: Philem. v. 18, 19. Samuel (1 Sam. 12.4.) proffered to restore, if any man could charge him that he had taken any bribe, or any thing else unjustly. David made restitution to Mephibosheth, giving him all the lands that were his fathers, 2 Sam. 9.7. Nehemiah (being a godly Magistrate) took care that the lands and moneys which were unjustly got, should be restored, Neh. 5.9, 10. Musculus on the eighth Commandement, tells a story of a young man, who when Musculus came first to be preacher at Augusta, Anno 1531. this young man came to him, aged twenty four yeers, having a conscience full of dispeace, because when he was a boy he had stole from his master massam argenti, a heap of silver, or silver wedge: this he had whole. At his confession, being under the Papacy, he was bid to give part of it to the Masse-sayers, and part to the poor: but he did not do this, because he did not see it tend to the easement of his afflicted conscience: he was hindered, with shame, that he did not restore it to his master. When Musculus knew the cause of his affliction of conscience, he urged him to restore it to his master, unless he would perish. He shewed him a way to do it; he obeyed, and restored it to his master, both of them weeping, both he and his master, who was ignorant of the theft, who promised to him all good will. After this restitution, the afflicted young man, who had assayed to kill himself, was happily restored to himself, and his masters favour, and began to live honestly.
The like did Master Bradford, as appears in a letter to father Traves, Acts and Monuments, pag. 1661. He being a clerk to a certaine Knight who had the oversight of the provisions for the Kings Navy, and being in the state of nature, to ingratiate himself with his master, had in his accounts cozened the king: whereupon he sent to his said Master once and againe, to restore to the King: His master at first thought him mad; but trouble still remaining on Bradfords conscience, he went to Master Latimer, who counselled him to write to his master in the country, and to shew him, that if within fourteen dayes he did not go about to make restitution, then Bradford would submit himself to the Lord Protector, and the Kings Majesties counsel, to confess the fault, and aske pardon; saying, This life is uncertaine and fraile; and when time is, it must not be defer'd: and what should it profit me to win the whole world, and lose my own soul? If as I have justly deserved, I be put to death for it, Gods will be done. At the least, slander, reproach, rebuke, loss of worldly friends, loss of living, shall ensue. What then? Lord, thy will be done; thine I am: If death come, welcome be it; If slander, welcome be it; even as thou wilt, Lord, so be it; onelyonly grant me a penitent obedient loving heart, and of meer love to go forwards herein, and not to shrinke; to stand, and not to fall, that thy name onelyonly be praised. Amen.
6. There will be a general outcry against thee, both from God and Conscience, till thou restorest. From God Mica. 6.10, 11. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable? shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bagge of deceitfull weights? Yea, the creatures cry out against thee, Habak. 2.6. Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his: and vers. 11, 12. The stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it: Wo to him that buildeth a town with blood, and stablisheth a city by iniquity. And as God and creatures will cry out against thee, so will thy own conscience: the terrible accusation whereof, made Judas to restore his thirty peeces, Mat. 27.4. Especially, the more poor and helpless persons are, the greater is the cry of injustice against them: Jam. 5.4. The hire of the laborers which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cryes of them that have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. Prov. 22.22, 23. Rob not the poor because he is poor; neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: for the Lord will plead their cause. It will not serve thy turn that thou cry to God for mercy: for unless thou restorest, God hath no mercy for thee, Mat. 5.23. If thou remembrest thy brother hath ought against thee, offer not thy gift, for it will not be accepted, nor will almes-giving serve without it: for, Mich. 6.8. dealing justly and loving mercy, are joyned together. To conclude, never think to know peace, till thou restorest. Job 20.18. That which he labored for shall he restore and shall not swallow it down: according to his substance shall the restitution be, and he shall not rejoyce therein. See the cause, vers. 19. Because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not: surely he shall not feel quietness in his belly, vers. 20. Yea, the wrath of God, resembled to a bow of steel and a sword, strikes him through; and terrours are upon him, ver. 24, 25. and a fire not blown shall consume him, vers. 26. These, and many other effects of injustice, you may see in that Chapter.