Concerning Repentance, Part 13
2. Ʋse of Reprehension
Of those who delay their repentance, contrary to Solomons counsel, Eccles. 12.1.
8. The longer thou delayest, a greater deadness will seaze on thee; as the anvil, the more blows it hath, the harder it is: so the more bearings the soul hath had from the Spirit of God, and hath rejected them, the harder the heart grows, Psal. 95.7, 8. To day if you will hear his voice, harden not you hearts: q. d. if you do put off the pulses or knockings of the Spirit, your hearts will harden; for the Spirit ceases admonishing, his admonitions having been often slighted. It is not with the Spirit of God, when grieved, as with the Sun, which when it is set, we know it will rise againe; but it's like the winde, which blows when and where it listeth, Joh. 3.9.
2. Delaies bring wants and miseries. If men delay the provision of wood and fodder in winter, they feel the want: if we omit the opportunity of a Fayr or Market, we feel the want long time after: so in spiritual things, one wants peace, another pardon, another assurance of pardon, because they delay the Lord in repentance. Most are like the foolish Virgins, who wanted oyle, when they should put it into their Lamps; or like Simon Magus, who thought he might have the Spirit at any time when he would. We should do with sin, as with poyson, vomit it up, before in disperse it self in the veines.
3. Delaies will in time weary the Lord; as a Master that hath long foborne a lewd Servant, or a Creditor that hath long forborne a promise-breaking debtor, in the ends growes weary. Isa. 42.14. I have a long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained my self: now will I cry like a travelling woman; I will destroy and devout at once: q. d. as a travailing woman a while bites in her pangs, yet after cries out, when she is prest with vehemency of pangs: so the Lord holds in his wrath for a while; yet, through long provocation, he comes fiercely. God in time becomes weary of repenting. Jer. 15.6. Is it small to weary men? but you will weary God. Also Isai. 7.13.
The mischief of delay is seen by the benefit of timely repentance, As in youth we often sow the distempers which break out in sickly old age; so we going on in sinful courses some long while, run into such snares and distresses of conscience, out of which we can hardly get free all our lives. One day spent in a reconciled condition, hath more true comfort in it then a thousand spent in an unregenerate estate. All the time we live in an unreconciled estate, we live without hope, Eph. 2.12. which is rather a death then a life; wherein a man lives in continual fear of hell, which surely is a kind of hell.
5. The longer we delay the Lord, the more inconveniencies shall we expose our selves unto: as, hardlier will Satan be cast out; as he that hath long held possession, though by an unjust title is hardly dispossest, hardlier will the soul be divorced from sin; as friends that have long dwelt together, do irksomly part. Yea more unwelcome will the yoke of Christ be, as having never been accustomed thereto. Yea, as he that hath alwayes been in hell, thinks there is no other heaven; so sinners having gone on in sin a while, begin thus to reason; Let me have the comfort my lusts will yeeld me, and I'lb trust the mercy of God for the rest.
Besides, the longer we go on in sin the more disabled are the powers of the soul: the Mind sees less of God the Conscience checks less for evil, and presses less to duty; the Will chuses less for God, and more for Satan; the Affections have a sweeter relish of sin, and distaste of holiness.
Besides, how often doth God punish as in this condition, both by punishing sin with sin; 2 Thes. 2.10. I mean, a giving the sinner up to a greater evil, for the punishment of a less; See Rom. 1.24, 26, 28. also by punishing sin with punishment, Psal. 7.11, 12, 13. & 68.21. so that an impenitent sinner goes in continual fear of vengeance.
Besides, sin the longer gone on in, the stronger it grows, Heb. 3.13. every act adding to the habit. The world scoffingly say, A young Saint, an old Devil: but I truly say, A young devil, commonly an old Beelzebub. To defer repentance till judgement seaze on us, brings forth nothing but forced shewes which are over when once the fear of judgement is over, and end commonly in secret despaire, though they make faire weather, to delude by-standers.
Now do not you strengthen your selves O Sinners, because you have means of grace; for so had Chorazin and Bethsaida, and yet repented not, nor do you know how long your selves shall enjoy them. Besides, best means, without a blessing from heaven, prove unprofitable, 1 Cor. 3.6. repentance is Gods gift, Jer. 10.23. 2 Tim. 2.26. Act. 11.18. and gifts are dispensed at the will of the giver.
6. Delaies will in time bring the soul to desperation. When a soul in the day of death sees he must reckon with God for so many millions of sins, and sees not a Christ to take them away, is he not at his wits end? Saw we the heart of a dying impenitent sinner, Oh how full is he of fears! Take for example the foolish Virgins, who cry in vain, Lord, Lord, open to us, Mat. 25.11. and that Servant, Luk. 13.26, 27. against whom the Lord shut the door of grace. Such will your condition be, if you delay your repentance. Oh then let not a day pass over your heads, till you have sought an acquaintance from the Lord, asking pardon in Faith for the sake of Jesus Christ.
7. Consider how long God and Christ hath waited for you: Hos. 8.5. How long will it be ere you attain to innocency? Prov. 1.21, 22. Wisdom utters her voice in the chief places of concourse, How long ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and scorners delight in scorning & fools hate knowledge? turn you at my reproof. Revel. 3.20. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any man will open to me. Cant. 5.2. Open to me, my love; for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night. Its a shame to the Spouse of Christ, whose heart being opened, opens not to Christ.
8. Consider the inability of old-age: thou sayest thou wilt go after ordinances when old; but then the strong men, thy legs, bow themselves: thou wilt then hear Sermons; but thy eares, the daughters of musick will be brought low: thou wilt then read the word; but those that look out of the windows are darkened; yea, Eccles. 12.2. the sun and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkned, and the clouds return after the rain; that is, one malady after another, as in winter one showre comes after another: then the keepers of the house will tremble; that is, the palsey-shaking hand: then the grinders or teeth shall cease because they are few; also, vers. 4. The doors shall be shut in the streets, that is, the lips shall be shut, through which the words and thoughts like passengers in the streets are wont to pass: then the sound of the grinding is low, by reason of bad teeth: he shall rise up at the voice of the bird; that is, his sleep shall faile him; for the very crowing of the Cock shall wake him, and through weariness of lying in bed, he shall now and then desire to rise up. Also vers. 5. He shall be afraid of that which is high; that is, through unweildiness of body, he shall be afraid to go over any stile, to go up any ladders or staires, for fear he hurt himself: also the Almond-tree shall flourish; that is the head will be gray, or white; because the Almond-tree before all others brings forth flowers. Also, the Grashopper shall be a burthen; that is, the smallest weight shall oppress them, though it were but the weight of a Grashopper: for indeed, old-age of it self is a burthren; it's a guest invited by many, but welcomed by none. Also, then the desire shall faile; that is to meates, and drinks, and beauty, and marriage, and to pleasant objects, and to all things wherewith the senses were wont to be tickled. Also, the mourners go about the streets, as if they were waiting at door whiles bier or corpse are carried out. Also then the silver cord will be loosed; that is, the marrow that comes down by the back-bone. When persons grow old, the cord by which the marrow descends is drawn back, and the back begins to bow and bend. Also, then the golden Bowl will be broken; that is, some understand the natural heat, or radical moysture, that goeth out for want of oile: Vatable understands that thin skin which containes the braine, which hath a reddish yellow colour like gold: Also, the pitcher will be broken at the fountaine: by the fountaine, he meanes the liver; by the pitcher, those receptacles or places that receive blood flowing from the liver: unless we understand by the fountaine the heart, which is primum vivens, and ultimum moriens; and the pitcher to be the liver. Also, the wheel broken at the Cisterne: by the wheele, understand the head; by the cisterne, the heart. All the senses are placed in the head, drawing vital strength from the heart, as by a wheel we draw water out of a well: meaning, that even the vital parts do faile; which once failing the soul presently expires.
9. The command we have of meeting God in time of youth, should keep us from delaying repentance, Eccles. 12.1. Satan endeavours to poison youth, that so he may make all the rest of our time unprofitable & sinful. Such liquor as a cask is first seasoned with, it will not easily let the sent go: so where youth is well seasoned (as we see in Obadiah, who feared the Lord greatly from his youth, and Josiah, and Samuel) the after-age proves very useful: the holy instructions sowen in Moses heart by his parents, could never be worne out of his memory and heart by all the pleasures of Egypt. Daniel, ch. 1.8. was young, when he made conscience of not eating forbidden meat, though appointed by the King. Peter, from his childhood, made conscience not to eat any unclean thing, Act. 10.14. So did Ezekiel, ch. 4.14. there's much hope of a childe, who out of conscience, rather then fear of correction, refraines evil.
We have need in youth, above all other times, to seek to God; for then lusts are strongest, and such are exposed to greater tentations from sinful companions and pleasures; and yeelding to tentations, they have been exposed to vengeance, as appears in Er and Onan, Gen. 38. 6. and also in Absalom and Amnon.
Object. But, saith the young man, old-age is a fit time for contemplation and worship, when a man can minde nothing else.
Answ. Thou art not sure to live to it; yet if thou doest, pains and aches will disable thee; besides, thy heart may much harden in the mean while.
Object. But Solomon and Manasses repented in old-age.
A. Their Sun set in a cloud: yet be it so, thousands perish in their youth.
Object. But youth must have its swinge.
A. Then will it never leave a man, till he come in hell: sin hath no bounds save what God sets.
Object. Timely godly courses in youth will breed melancholy.
A. None have joy more then such; others joy in appearance, these in heart.
Obj. A young Saint, an old devil.
A. Though some godlily educated have after proved wicked, as Joash bred under good Jehoiada, 2 Chron. 24. yet those who have been most eminent instruments, began to be holy betimes; as Joseph Gen. 39. Jeremiah, chap. 1.15. John Baptist, Luke 1. Timothy, 2 Tim. 3.16.
Object. But if delay of repentance be so dangerous, why do men so put off the Lord?
A. There are divers causes hereof; as,
1. Spiritual improvidence; its improvidence to be to seek our oile when our lamps want it, or to have our wood and hay to provide in the depth of winter. Men are improvident to see the glasse of their lives is almost run out, and that every motion of life is a motion to death, and that upon this little moment of time depends all our life past, and that life which is to come: they foresee not that there is no gain like the gaine of grace, and that it must be got now or never.
2. The badness of mens conditions: men are loth to see, and the Divel as loth they should see how bad it is with them. Hence as Bankrupts loth to cast up their accounts, because they fear all is bad, we are loth to see that which might make us out of conceit with our selves: hence we put off means of means of grace, when it comes to discover our wretchedness & to urge an union with our hearts, as Paul did Foelix till another time.
3. Multitudes of worldly business. Many men take so much business upon them, that they are forced to put off God and his wayes. Some have resembled the souls of such men to mills, wherein there is such a noise, that no man can hear another; they cannot hear the motions of the Spirit, they are so fully possest. It will be our wisedome not to lose our selves in a crowd of cares, nor take too much business upon us, forasmuch as the ablest soule hath a due capacity, which when full, it can receive no more; men have oxen and farmes, and other things to minde, which makes them neglect the supper of the great King, Luke 14.17. If we cannot minde all things, let us minde that which is most necessary: death is alwayes before us; but profits and pleasures hoodwink us.
4. Present enjoyment of peace, and delay of future punishment, makes men put off the Lord, Job 21.15. Eccles. 8.12. They reason, What should we trouble our selvs with sin since the evil day is far off?
The fifth cause why men delay the Lord in Repentance, is, a foundation of false suppositions set up in the soul; as,
1. A hope of meeting God in future times; whereas we are certain of no time but the present. The Heathen man said, The short summer of life forbids us to begin a long hope. Time is onelyonly a point, or something less: besides, of this short time, how little of it is Opportunity! Let our former neglects, then, quicken us to double our diligence. He that hath a fair winde to carry him to his Port, and shall in hope of a fairer neglect it, may suffer no small damage thereby: so when we have gales of grace, and take them not, will it not be our folly?
2. A supposed natural freedom of Will to be in us, that we may turn to God when we please: Were there any such freedome, he were unmeasurably foolish that would be damned, when one or a few acts of the will might save us. Besides, if a man could do it at any time, he could do it in extremity, when he is in sight of eternity: but the frequent despairing of many persons in such time, sufficiently proves the contrary. There is a freedome of will in regenerate men, Rom. 6.13. Yeeld your selves to God, as those that are alive from the dead. Song 5. 2. The creatures cannot make themselves alive; but when they are made alive, they can move themselves; so it is with us; onelyonly remember we stand in need of following, as well as of preventing and accompanying grace; of grace working together, as well as of working grace: There is the precedency of grace, as well as the accompanying of the Will, whereby we both act and are acted. Christ is not onelyonly the Author, but also the Finisher of our Faith: and the Church saith oft, Turn thou me, and I shall be turned.
3. A supposition of finishing things upon our death-bed, or sick-bed: then we shall have nothing to divert us. But the question is, Whether the Lord will be found then; Prov. 8.17. They that seek me early shall find me. Besides, are you sure of a long visitation? many die suddenly, and some of them good men; as Abel, Josiah, and that Prophet, 1 Reg. 13.
Besides, sudden destruction (which a rises from inexpectancy) is threatned to wicked men frequently in Scripture, Luke 12.19. and may not our performance then he presumed to be servile? Besides, can God be served too long, or the devil too little? Or is the devil become the better master, and God the worse, that our last time must serve Gods turn, and all the rest must be for the devil? If we should live the days of Methusalah, we owe them all unto the Lord: holy men as Ioshua and Paul, the neerer they come to their deaths, have been still more fruitful; yet have they begun before.
Well, put off time by delay, as long as you please; when you come in sight of death, you cannot put off conscience. Consider, your sun is setting, your glass is running, your tide is ebbing, your journey shortning, your lamp consuming: O then, haste, haste, post-haste, by day and by night: hadst thou taken but one turn in hell, thou wouldst see the worth of the present seasons thou now flightest.
4. An easiness to finde God whensoever we call: but the contrary appears, Prov. 1.28. Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer. The Romanes, when a man was condemned to die, before they would pardon him, they would have all his friends and kindred to petition for him, that so Justice might be honoured: so God will have Mercy honoured; he will have our hearts to yern, and the strength of our spirits breathing out for mercy, before he will grant it. Have not the Saints of God wrestled with God for mercy? as Iacob, Gen. 32.26. How doth Paul exhort the Saints to strive in prayer for mercy for him! Rom. 15.31. The woman of Canaan, (Matth. 15.26, 27, 28.) could not obtain mercy without much importunity; and do you think to obtain mercy so easily?