A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, Chapter 3 · Answer 2
The ſecond Anſwer.
Secondly, A true penitential turning is an univerſal turning, Anſ. 2 a turning not from ſome ſins, but from all ſins, Ezek. 18.30. Repent and turn your ſelves from all your tranſgreſſions. Ver. 31. Caſt away from you all your tranſgreſſions. 2 Cor. 7.1. Let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſs both of fleſh and ſpirit. Pſal. 119.101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way. Ver. 128. I hate every falſe way. Ezek. 14.6. Therefore ſay unto the houſe of Iſrael, thus ſaith the Lord God, repent and turn your ſelves from your idols, and turn away your faces from all your abominations. Chap. 18.28. Becauſe he conſidereth and turneth away from all his tranſgreſſions that he hath committed, he ſhall ſurely live, he ſhall not die. True repentance is a turning from all ſin, without any reſervation or exception; he never truly repented of any ſin, whoſe heart is not turned againſt every ſin. The true penitent caſts off all the rags of old Adam, he throws down every ſtone of the old building, he will not leave a horn nor a hoof behind. That which Nehemiah ſpeaks of himſelf in that, Neh. 13.7, 8. is very obſervable to our purpoſe. And I came to Jeruſalem and underſtood of the evil that Eliaſhib did for Tobiah, in preparing him a chamber in the courts of the houſe of God, and it grieved me ſore (but he reſts not there, but goes further) therefore I caſt forth all the houſhold-ſtuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. What ſhould Tobiah do with a chamber? therefore he not only outs Tobiah, but outgoes all his ſtuff too. Thus the true penitent, when he conſiders all the evil that ſin has done, how it has taken up not only one chamber, but every chamber in the ſoul, and how it has for many years quite ſhut out God, and Chriſt, and the Spirit, and every thing that is good; he is grieved ſore, and ſo falls upon the outging of every luſt, being highly reſolved that neither Satan nor any of his retinue ſhall ever find the leaſt entertainment in his ſoul any more. Such as are reſolved againſt turning from any ſin, are horrible profane; ſuch as turn from ſome ſins, but cloſe with others, are hideous hypocrites; ſuch as turn from one ſin to another, or change their ſins as men do their faſhions, are moſt ſadly blinded, and deſperately deluded by Satan; but ſuch as turn not from ſome ſins, but from every ſin, are ſincerely penitent. And certainly there are very grea… reaſons why the true penitent does turn, and muſt turn from ſin univerſally. As,
Firſt, 'Tis to no purpoſe for a man to turn from ſome ſins, if he does not turn from all his ſins, James 1.26. If any man ſeem to be religious and bridle not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans Religion is in vain. This at firſt ſight may ſeem to be a hard ſaying,One ſtab at the heart kills, one act of treaſon makes a Traitor, one ſpark of fire ſets the houſe on fire, one flaw in a diamond ſpoyls the price of it, one puddle if we wallow in it, will defile us, one head of garlick will poyſon a Leopard, ſay the Naturaliſts. that for one fault, for one fault in the tongue, all a mans Religion ſhould be counted vain, and yet this you ſee the holy Ghoſt does peremptorily conclude. Let a man make never ſo glorious a profeſſion of Religion, yet if he gives himſelf liberty to live in the practiſe of any known luſt, yea though it be but in a ſin of the tongue, his Religion is in vain, and that one luſt will ſeparate him from God for ever. If a Wife be never ſo officious to her Husband in many things, and though ſhe gives him content ſeveral wayes, yet if ſhe entertains any other Lover into his bed beſides himſelf, it will alienate his affections from her, and for ever ſeparate him from her. The application is eaſie. To turn from one ſin to another, is but to be toſſed from one hand of the Devil to another; it is but with Benhadad, to recover of one diſeaſe and die of another, it is but to take pains to go to hell. If a Ship ſpring three leaks, and only two be ſtopped, the third will ſink the Ship; or if a man have two grievous wounds in his body, and take order only to cure one, that which is neglected will certainly kill him: 'Tis ſo here, if a man that has divers luſts fighting againſt the life of his precious ſoul, ſhall only mortifie and ſlay ſome of them, the reſt will certainly deſtroy him, and all his pains in ſubduing ſome of them will be loſt. I have read of a devout man, who had amongſt many other vertues, the gift of healing, unto whom divers made reſort for cure; among the reſt, one Chromatius being ſick ſent for him, being come he told him of his ſickneſs, and deſired that he might have the benefit of cure as others had before him: I cannot do it (ſaid the devout perſon) till thou haſt beaten all the Idols and Images in thy houſe to pieces. O, that ſhall be done, ſaid Chromatius, here take my keys, and where you find any Images let them be defaced, which was done accordingly; to prayer went the holy man, but no cure was wrought. O, ſaith Chromatius, I am as ſick as ever, O, I am very weak and ſick: It cannot be otherwiſe, replyed the holy man, nor can I help it; for certainly there is one Idol more in your houſe undiſcovered, and that muſt be defaced too. True, ſayes Chromatius, there is ſo indeed, there is one all of beaten gold, it coſt 200 l. I would fain have ſaved it; but here take my keys again, you ſhall find it locked up faſt in my cheſt, take it and break it in pieces; which done, the holy man prayed, and Chromatius was healed. The moral of this ſtory is this: We are all ſpiritually ſick, full of wounds and putrified ſores; Chriſt our ſpiritual Phyſician tells us, that if we will be cured, we muſt break off our ſins by repentance. Now this we are willing to do in part, but not in whole; we would fain keep one Dalilah, one darling beloved ſin, but it muſt not be, there muſt not be one ſin unrepented of; we muſt repent as well for our Achans as our Abſaloms, our Rimmons as our Mammons, our Davids as our Goliahs, our covert as well as our open ſins, our loved as well as our loathed luſts, our heart abominations as well as our groſs tranſgreſſions, our Babe iniquities as well as our Giant-like provocations; our repentance muſt be univerſal, or 'twill be to no purpoſe.
Herod turned from many evils, but would not turn from his Herodias, Mark 6.18, 19, 20and that was his ruin. Judas his life was as fair and as free from ſpots and blots, as the lives of any of the Apoſtles, no ſcandalous ſin was to be found upon him, only that golden Devil covetouſneſs was his ſin, and his everlaſting ruin; his Apoſtleſhip, Preaching, working of Miracles, hearing of Chriſt, and converſing with him, &c. was to no purpoſe, becauſe of that Serpent he kept in his boſom, which at laſt ſtung him to death. If a man lives in the practiſe of any known ſin, the union between ſin and his ſoul is not diſſolved; and if that union be not diſſolved, Chriſt and his ſoul was never united, and therefore ſuch a perſon can never be ſaved. Saul ſpared Agag and the Witch of Endor, whom he ſhould have deſtroyed, and ſo loſt his Crown, his Kingdom, and his Soul, which was ſaddeſt of all. Gideon had ſeventy ſons,Judg. 8.13. and but one baſtard, and yet that one baſtard deſtroyed all the reſt. The Jewiſh Rabbins report, that the ſame night that Iſrael departed out of Egypt towards Canaan, all the Idols and idolatrous Temples in Egypt, by lightning and earthquakes were broken down: So when a man truly repents, all the Idols that were ſet up in his ſoul, are caſt down. But,
Secondly, God has ſo connexed the duties of his Law one to another, that if there be not a conſcientious care to walk according to all that the Law requires, a man becomes a tranſgreſſor of the whole Law, according to that of Saint James, Chap. 2.10. Whoſoever ſhall keep the whole Law, He who prevaricates with God as to any one particular commandement of his, his heart is naught, ſtark naught, and he is guilty of all: he hath no real regard to any of the commandements of God, that hath not a regard to all the commandements of God, &c.and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all; the bond of all is broken, the authority of all is ſlighted, and that evil diſpoſition, that ſinful frame of heart, that works a man to venture upon the breach of one command, would make him venture upon the breach of any command, were it not for ſome infirmity of nature, or becauſe his purſe will not hold out to maintain it, or for ſhame, or loſs, or becauſe of the eye of friends, or the ſword of the Magiſtrate, or for ſome ſiniſter reſpects; and might the breach of any other of the commands of God ſerve his turn, and advance his ends, he ſtands as ſtrongly preſt in ſpirit to tranſgreſs them all, as to tranſgreſs any one of them. He that gives himſelf liberty to live in the breach of any one command of God, is qualified with a diſpoſition of heart to break them all; every ſingle ſin contains virtually all ſin in it. He that allows himſelf a liberty to live in the breach of any one particular Law of God, he caſts contempt and ſcorn upon the authority that made the whole Law, and upon this account breaks it all. And the Apoſtle gives the reaſon of it in Verſe 11. For he that ſaid, do not commit adultery, ſaid alſo, do not kill; now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a tranſgreſſor of the Law. Not that he is guilty of all diſtributively, but collectively; for the Law is copulative, there is a chain of duties, and theſe are all ſo linked one to another, that you cannot break one link of the chain, but you break the whole chain. All the precepts of the Law are as it were a ſtring of pearls ſtrung by the authority of God; now break this ſtring in any place, and all the pearls fall to the ground. No man can live in the breach of any known command of God, but he wrongs every command of God; and this at laſt he ſhall find to his coſt, without ſound repentance on his ſide, and pardoning grace on God's. But,
Thirdly, One ſin never goes alone, Cain's anger is ſeconded with murder,Gen. 4.6, 8. Ahab's covetouſneſs is attended with bloudy cruelty, and Jeroboam's rebellion with idolatry, and Judas his thievery with treaſon. I might give inſtances of this in Adam and Eve, and in Lot, Abraham, Noah, Jacob, Joſeph, 1 King. 12.Job, David, Sol…mon and Peter, &c. but a touch on this ſtring is enough; one ſin commonly diſpoſes the heart to another ſin, a ſmall ſin many times draws the heart to a greater, …nd one great ſin draws the heart to another great ſin, and that to a greater, till at laſt the ſoul comes to be drowned in all exceſs. Auguſtine relates this ſtory of Manicheus, who being tormented with Flies,Expoſit. in Evang. S. John, Tract. cap. 1. tom. was of opinion that the Devil made them and not God; why then, ſaid one that ſtood by, …f the Devil made Flies, then the Devil made Worms and not God, for they are living creatures as well as Flies; true ſaid he, the Devil did make Worms: But ſaid the other, if the Devil did make Worms, then he did make Birds, Beaſts, and Man; he granted all. And thus ſaith that old Father by denying God in the Fly, he came to deny God in Man; and ſo conſequently the whole Creation. And thus yielding to leſſer ſins, draws the ſoul to the comm ſſion of greater, yea often to the greateſt of all. I have both heard and read a ſtory of a young man, who being often tempted by the Devil and his own wicked heart, to commit three ſins, viz. to kill his father, to lye with his mother, and to be drunk; the two former his heart would not yield to, as being things abhorrent to the light and law of nature, and therefore to free himſelf from the temptation, he yielded to the laſt and leaſt; but when he was drunk, he killed his father and raviſhed his mother: Thus theſe two abominable ſins, Murder and Inceſt were uſhered in by one that was not of ſo deep a dye. There is ſomething in ſin, like the radical vertue that is in the ſeed of Herbs and Plants; the ſeed is but a ſmall inconſiderable thing in it ſelf, yet let it be but caſt into the ground, and there reſt quietly a time, and it will take root, and grow up to a great ſtock, and bring forth many flouriſhing branches, like the grain of muſtard-ſeed, Mat. 13.31, 32. which though it be the leaſt of ſeeds, yet being caſt into the ground, grows up to be the greateſt among herbs, and becometh a Tree, ſo that the birds of the Air come and lodge in the branches thereof. Satan will be ſure to neſt himſelf, to lodge himſelf in the leaſt ſins (as birdsneſt and lodge themſelves in the ſmalleſt branches of a Tree) and there he will hatch all manner of wickedneſs. A ſinful motion, if it be not rejected, will procure conſent, and conſent will break forth into act, and one act will procure another act, until the multiplying of acts have begot a habit, and that habit hath choakt and ſtifled conſcience, and when once conſcience is ſtifled and benummed, it will be ready upon all occaſions to lay the ſoul open, and to proſtrate it to the baſeſt and worſt of ſins. O! there is a prodigious evil in the leaſt of ſins, it will quickly multiply it ſelf into all manner of evils; unleſs ſin be cut off in the firſt motion, it will proceed to action, and from action to delectation, and from delight to cuſtom, and from cuſtom to a habit; and ſo the ſoul will be in eminent danger of being undone for ever. A little thief put in at the window, may open the doors for ſtronger and greater to come in, that may take away both life and treaſure at once. A little wedge makes way for a greater, and ſo do little ſins make way for greater. Satan and our own hearts will be modeſt at firſt, and therefore they are often in a combination, firſt to draw us to leſſer ſins, and then to greater, and ſo from ſins leſs obnoxious to ſins more ſcandalous, till we come to be … bominable to God, hateful to others, and a terror to our ſelves. Such as live in one ſin, God will in juſtice give over to other ſins. The Gentiles gave up themſelves to idolatry, Rom. 1.23. And God gave them up to uncleanneſs, ver. 24. 'Tis impoſſible for any man to take one ſin into his boſom, and to ſhut all others out; he that lives but in the allowance of himſelf in one ſin, will find that ſin at laſt to ſhut the door of heaven againſt him; and therefore the true penitent turns from ſin univerſally.
Fourthly, The reaſons of turning from ſin, are univerſally binding to a penitent ſoul. There are the ſame reaſons and grounds for a penitent man's turning from every ſin, as there is for his turning from any one ſin. Do you turn from this or that ſin, becauſe the Lord has forbid it? why upon the ſame ground you muſt turn from every ſin,As in a Harp to make the muſick good and harmonious, it is not enough that all the ſtrings be right tuned except one; one ſtring that jars, will ſpoyl the ſweeteſt muſick. The application is eaſie, &c. for God has forbid every ſin as well as this or that particular ſin; there is the ſame authority forbidding or commanding in all; and if the authority of God awes a man from one ſin, it will awe him from all. There is one and the ſame Law-giver in reſpect of all the commandements; he that gave one commandement gave alſo another, therefore he that obſerves one commandement gave in obedience unto God, whoſe commandement it is, will obſerve all, becauſe all are his commandements; and he that ſlights one commandement is guilty of all, becauſe he doth contemn the authority and will of him that gave them all; even in thoſe commands which he doth obſerve, he hath no reſpect to the will and authority of him that gave them. Therefore there is no obedience towards God, where there is not an uniform endeavour to pleaſe God, as well in one thing as in another. The ſame God that hath inhibited one ſinful act, hath inhibited every ſinful act; and therefore he that out of conſcience and reſpect to God's will, and word, and authority; turns from any one ſin, or abhors any one ſin, he will out of conſcience of the ſame will, and word, and authority, turn from every ſin, and abhor every ſin, becauſe the ſame God in his word hath alike forbidden all. O Si…s! how is it poſſible for a man truly to repent of this or that ſin, becauſe 'tis contrary to the Law, will and authority of God, but he muſt needs repent of whatſoever he knows to be contrary to the Law, will and authority of God. He that turns from any one ſin becauſe it is a tranſgreſſion of the holy and righteous Law of God, he will turn from every ſin upon the ſame account; he that turns from any one ſin, becauſe 'tis a diſhonour to God, a reproach to Chriſt, a grief to the Spirit, a wound to Religion, &c. will upon the ſame grounds turn from every ſin; he that turns from any one ſin, becauſe of the curſe, the threatnings, the judgments, the wrath, the hell that hangs (as it were) over the head of that ſin; he will turn from every ſin, becauſe the curſe, the threatnings, the judgments, the wrath, the hell, that hangs over the head of that one ſin, hangs over the head of every ſin. By theſe hints 'tis moſt evident, that the reaſons of turning from ſin are univerſally binding to a penitent ſoul; and ther…fore he turns not from ſome ſins only, but from every ſin; he ſayes not to one, but to all his Idols, Get you hence, for what have I any more to do with you.
Fifthly, One ſin allowed, wallowed and tumbled in, is ſufficient to deprive a man for ever of the greateſt good. Moſes came within the ſight of Canaan, but for one ſin, viz. not ſanctifying God's name at the water of Meribah, he was ſhut out; for him to be ſo neer the holy Land,Exod. 22. and yet ſo far off from entring into it, was doubtleſs of all ſtroaks the hardeſt that ever he felt. In the Law,Levit. 13. the Leper that had the ſpot of leproſie in any one part of his body, was accounted a Leper, although all the reſt of his body were ſound and whole, and accordingly he was to be ſhut up, and ſhut out from the ſociety and company of the people of God; ſo one ſin, one leprous ſpot, allowed and beloved, will for ever ſhut a man out from the glorious preſence of God, Chriſt, the Spirit, Angels, and the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect; one ſin wallowed in, will as certainly deprive a man of the bleſſed viſion of God, and of all the treaſures, pleaſures and delights that be at God's right hand, as a thouſand. It was a ſore vexation to King Lyſimachus, that he ſhould loſe his earthly kingdom for one draught of water. O Sirs! 'twill be an everlaſting vexation to ſuch, who for one luſt ſhall at laſt loſe not an earthly, but a heavenly kingdom. One ſin ſtript the fallen Angels of all their glory; and one ſin ſtript our firſt parents of all their dignity and excellency.Gen. 3.4, 5. Satan by one loud lye to Adam and Eve made fruitleſs all that God had preached to them immediately before.Job …0.13. To turn from ſome ſins, but not from all, is groſs hypocriſie; one ſin ſet up in the love and ſervice of it, will keep Chriſt out of his throne; it ſpeaks ſin to be rampant, and Satan to be victorious; and what can be the iſſue of theſe things, but ruin and damnation?Rom. 6.16. One flye in the box of precious ointment, ſpoyls the whole box; one thief may rob a man of all his treaſure, one diſeaſe may deprive a man of all his health, one ſtrong wind may blow down and blow away all a man's comforts, and ſo one ſin delighted and wallowed in, will make a man miſerable for ever. Though this or that particular ſin be very pleaſant to the fleſh, and delightful to the fancy, yet he is the wiſeſt man, and he is the beſt man, and the only bleſt man in all the world, that keeps furtheſt from it; and therefore the true penitent turns not meerly from this or that ſin, but from every ſin.
Sixthly, The principle of Regeneration, and ſeed of grace, which God layes into the ſoul of every penitent perſon at firſt converſion, is a univerſal principle, a principle that ſpreads it ſelf over all the faculties of the ſoul,1 Theſ. 5.23. and over all the members of the body, Pſal. 45.13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within, her cloathing is of wrought gold. In regeneration there is infuſed the habits or principles of all grace,Mat. 13.33. which like a divine leaven ſpreads it ſelf over the whole man. Look, as Abſalom's beauty was ſpread all over him,2 Sam. 24.25. even from the crown of his head to the ſoals of his feet; ſo grace ſpreads it ſelf over every faculty of the ſoul, and over every member of the body. Look, as Solomon's Temple was all glorious both within and without; ſo that grace which a man receives at firſt converſion, makes him all glorious both within and without.John 1.16. Look, as Adam's ſin ſpread it ſelf over the whole man, ſo that grace which we receive from the ſecond Adam, ſpreads it ſelf over the whole man. And as that grace which was in Chriſt, did diffuſe and ſpread it ſelf over all of Chriſt; ſo that grace which is in the true penitent, does diffuſe and ſpread it ſelf all over the penitent. Now, look as heaven is contrary to all of hell, and as light is contrary to all darkneſs, and heat to all cold; ſo that divine, that noble, that univerſal principle of grace, which God at firſt converſion infuſes into the penitents ſoul, is contrary to all ſin; and therefore the penitent turns from all ſin. But,
Seventhly, The true penitent would have God to forgive him, not only ſome of his ſins, but all his ſins; and therefore 'tis but juſt and equal that he ſhould turn from all his ſins. If God be ſo faithful and juſt to forgive us all our ſins,1 John 1.9. we muſt be ſo faithful and juſt as to turn from all our ſins. The plaiſter muſt be as broad as the ſore, and the tent as long and as deep as the wound. It argues horrid hypocriſie, damnable folly, and wonderful impudency, for a man to beg the pardon of thoſe very ſins that he is reſolved never to forſake. Look, as he that hath any one ſin forgiven, hath all ſins forgiven; ſo he that hath ſincerely turned from any one ſin, he hath turned from every ſin; and he that hath not repented him of all known ſin, he hath not yet ſincerely repented of any known ſin, nor as yet experienced the ſweetneſs of forgiveneſs of ſin. He that will not renounce thoſe ſins that he would have God to remit, ſhall be ſure to have a hell (of guilt) in his conſcience. Of all fools there is none to him, that is very importunate with God to forgive thoſe ſins, which he is reſolved before-hand to commit; for what Prince (in his wits) will pardon his treaſons that is reſolved to continue a Traitor? or what Judge will forgive his thievery, that is peremptorily determined to continue a thief? or what Husband will pardon his Wife that is reſolved to defile his bed with other Lovers? Such as continue in the practiſe of thoſe very ſins, which they beg a pardon of, ſhall certainly go without their pardon. Pardon of ſin is for that man, and that man is for pardon of ſin, that is as truly willing to forſake his ſins as he is to receive the pardon of his ſins. Who would not look upon that man as a mad man, who ſhould earneſtly beg his pardon, and yet before his pardon is ſealed, ſhould afreſh cut purſes, and murder perſons before the eyes of the Judge? The pardoned ſoul is the repenting ſoul, and the repenting ſoul is the pardoned ſoul, Pſal. 32.2. Bleſſed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whoſe ſpirit there is no guil. He that begs pardon of ſin, and is reſolved againſt turning from ſin, ſhall find no more ſweetneſs in that grand promiſe of pardon, Prov. 28.13. than devils or damned ſpirits do. Look as one ſin unforgiven, will as certainly undo and damn a man as a thouſand; ſo one ſin unforſaken, will as certainly undo and damn a man as a thouſand. The true penitent is as willing to turn from all his ſins, as he is willing that God ſhould pardon all his ſins. But,
Eighthly and laſtly, There is in every penitent a ſincere hatred of ſin, a univerſal hatred of ſin, Pſal. 97.10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil. Prov. 8.13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil. True hatred is to the whole kind. Ariſt.Amos 5.15. Hate the evil and love the good. Pſal. 119.104. Through thy precepts I get underſtanding, therefore I hate every falſe way. Ver. 128. Therefore I eſteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every falſe way. Ver. 113. I hate vain thoughts, but thy Law do I love. Ver. 163. I hate and abhor lying, but thy Law do I love. True hatred is univerſal, 'tis of the whole kind; he who hates a toad becauſe it is a toad, hates every toad; he that hates a ſerpent becauſe it is a ſerpent, hates every ſerpent; he that hates a wolf becauſe 'tis a wolf, hates every wolf; he that hates a man becauſe he is holy, hates every man that is holy; and ſo he that hates ſin becauſe it is ſin, hates every ſin, and therefore he can't but turn from it, and labour to be the death and ruin of it. Holy hatred is an implacable and an irreconcilable affection; you ſhall as ſoon reconcile God and Satan together, Chriſt and Antichriſt together, heaven and hell together, as you ſhall be able to reconcile a penitent ſoul and his ſin together. A true penitent looks upon every ſin as contrary to the Law of God, the nature of God, the being of God, the glory of God, and accordingly his heart riſes againſt it; he looks upon every ſin as poyſon, as the vomit of a dog, as the mire of the ſtreet, as the*Pliny ſaith, that the very trees with touching of it, would become barren. menſtrous cloth, which of all things in the Law was moſt unclean, defiling and polluting; and this turns his heart againſt every ſin, he looks upon every ſin as having a hand in apprehending, betraying, binding, ſcourging, condemning and murdering of his Lord and Maſter Jeſus Chriſt; and this works him not only to refrain from ſin, but to forſake it, and not only to forſake it, but alſo to abhor it, and to loath it more than hell it ſelf. The penitent ſoul will do all he can to be the death of every ſin that has had a hand in the death of his Lord and Maſter; he looks upon the ſins of his body, to be the tormentors of Chriſt's body, and the ſins of his ſoul, to be the tormentors of Chriſt's ſoul, to be thoſe that made his ſoul heavy to the death, and that cauſed the withdrawings of his father's love from him, and that forced him in the anguiſh of his ſoul to cry out,Mat. 27.46. My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me. And this raiſes up in him a univerſal hatred of ſin; and a univerſal hatred of ſin alwayes iſſues in a univerſal turning from ſin. Now theſe eight arguments do ſufficiently prove, that a true penitential turning is a univerſal turning; a turning not from ſome ſins, but from all ſins.
But ſome may be ready to object Object. and ſay, Sir, this is a hard ſaying, who can hear it? who can bear it?John 6.60. who ſhall then be ſaved? for if a man repents not unleſs he turns from every ſin, then there is not a man to be found in all the world that repents; for there is not a man in all the world that turns from every ſin, that forſakes every ſin, &c. 1 King. 8.46. For there is no man that ſinneth not. Prov. 20.9. Who can ſay, Job 9.30, 31. Pſal. 130.3. 2 Chron. 6.36. Job 14.4. Pſal. 51.5. Ponder upon theſe Scriptures, &c.I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my ſin: It is a queſtion that implyes a ſtrong denial. Who can ſay it, and ſay it truly, that he is pure from his ſin? ſurely none. He that ſhall ſay that he has made his heart clean, and that he is pure from his ſin, ſins in ſo ſaying; and commonly there are none more unclean than thoſe that ſay, they have made their hearts clean, nor none more impure than they that ſay they are pure from their ſin, Eccl. 7.20. For there is not a juſt man upon the earth, that doth good and ſinneth not. Theſe words in their abſolute ſenſe, are a full teſtimony of the imperfection of our inherent righteouſneſs in this life, and that even juſtified perſons come very ſhort of that exact and perfect obedience which the Law requireth, James 3.2. For in many things we offend all, or (as the Greek has it) we ſtumble all. 'Tis a metaphor taken from Travellers walking on ſtony or ſlippery ground, who are very apt to ſtumble or ſlide. This Apoſtle was worthily called James the juſt, and yet he numbers himſelf among the reſt of the ſanctified ones, that in many things offended all. The Apoſtle does not ſay, in many things they offend all, but in many things we offend all. We that have more gifts than others, we that have more grace than others, we that have more aſſurance than others, we that have more experiences than others, we that have more preſervatives to keep us from ſin than others, even we in many things offend all; nor the Apoſtle doth not ſay, in ſome things we offend all, but in many things we offend all; the Apoſtle ſpeaking not of the ſingular individual acts of ſin, but of the divers ſorts of ſin; nor the Apoſtle does not ſay, in many things we may offend all, but in many things we do offend all, 1 John 1.8. If we ſay that we have no ſin, we deceive our ſelves, and the truth is not in us. The Apoſtle does not ſay, if thou ſayeſt thou haſt no ſin thou deceiveſt thy ſelf, as if he ſpake to ſome particular perſon only, but if we ſay we have no ſin we deceive our ſelves; nor the Apoſtle does not ſay, if ye ſay ye have no ſin ye deceive your ſelves, as if he intended weak or ordinary Chriſtians alone, but if we ſay we have no ſin we deceive our ſelves, we Apoſtles, we that in all grace, and in all holineſs, and in all ſpiritual enjoyments exceed and excel all others, even we ſin as well as others. He that is ſo ignorant and ſo impudent, ſo ſaucy and ſo ſilly, as to ſay he has no ſin, ſins in ſaying ſo, and has no ſincerity, no integrity, nor no ingenuity in him. Ver. 10. If we ſay we have not ſinned, we make him a lyar, and his word is not in us. As much as in us lyes we make God a lyar, if we ſay we have not ſinned; he that ſays he has no ſin, he does no ſin, he does by conſequence charge God with falſhood, who hath frequently told us in that word of grace that can't deceive us, that all men are ſinners, and that they have all gone aſtray, and that they all need pardoning and purging grace, and that upon theſe very accounts he ſent his beloved Son to lay down his deareſt life,Iſa. 53.3. Rom. 10.23. & 5.12, &c. and to make himſelf an offering for ſin. Now from theſe Scriptures theſe two things are moſt evident; Firſt, that ſinful qualities do remain in the moſt ſanctified perſons. Secondly, that theſe ſinful qualities are ſometimes very prevalent over the moſt ſanctified perſons; and therefore I ſhall anſwer the objection thus, Anſ. viz. That a true penitential turning from all ſin, conſiſts in theſe ſix things.
Firſt, In the alienation and inward averſation and drawing off of the ſoul, from the love and liking of all ſin, and from all free and voluntary ſubjection unto ſin, the heart being filled with a loathing and deteſtation of all ſin, Pſal. 119.104, 128. as that which is moſt contrary to all goodneſs and happineſs.
Secondly, In the wills deteſtation and hatred of all ſin. When the very bent and inclination of the will is ſet againſt all ſin, and oppoſes and croſſes all ſin, and is ſet upon the ruin and deſtruction of all ſin, then the penitent is turned from all ſin, Rom. 7.15, 19, 21, 23. Iſa. 30.20. Thou ſhalt caſt them away as a menſtrous cloth, thou ſhalt ſay unto it, get thee hence. Hoſea 14.8. Ephraim ſhall ſay, what have I to do any more with Idols. When the will ſtands upon ſuch terms of defiance with all ſin, as that it will never enter into a league of friendſhip with any ſin, then is the ſoul turned from every ſin; When the will is ſet upon avenging it ſelf upon all ſin, and upon daily endeavours to mortifie and crucifie all ſin, then is the penitent turned from all his ſins; when thoſe ſins that were once to the will, as Dalilah to Sampſon, are now to the will as Tamar to Amnon, then is the ſoul turned from ſin with a witneſs.
Thirdly, In the judgments turning away from all ſin, by diſapproving, diſallowing and condemning of it, Rom. 7.15. For that which I do, I allow not; for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. O, ſaith the judgment of a Chriſtian, ſin is the greateſt evil in all the world, 'tis the only thing that God abhors, and that brought Jeſus Chriſt to the Croſs, that damns ſouls, that ſhuts heaven, and that has laid the foundations of hell. O, it is the pricking thorn in my eye, the deadly arrow in my ſide, the two-edged ſword that hath wounded my conſcience, and ſlain my comforts, and ſeparated between God and my ſoul. O, it is that which hath hindred my prayers, and imbittered my mercies, and put a ſting into all my croſſes, and therefore I can't but diſapprove of it, and diſallow of it, and condemn it to death, yea to hell, f…om whence it came. I thus preach, and thus think (ſaith Chryſoſtom) that it is more bitter to ſin againſt Chriſt, than to ſuffer the torments of hell. Plutarch reports of Marcus Cato, that he never declared his opinion in any matter in the Senate, but he would cloſe it with this paſſage; Methinks ſtill Carthage ſhould be deſtroyed. So when ever a penitent looks upon his ſins in his judgment, he is ſtill ſaying, Methinks theſe ſins ſhould be deſtroyed, methinks this pride, this unbelief, this earthly-mindedneſs, this hypocriſie, this vain glory, &c. ſhould be deſtroyed.
Fourthly, In the purpoſe and reſolution of the ſoul, the ſoul ſincerely purpoſing and reſolving never willingly, wilfully or wickedly to tranſgreſs any more,The true penitent holds up his purpoſes and reſolutions to keep off from ſin, and to keep cloſs with God, though he be not able in every thing, and at all times, to make good his purpoſes and reſolutions, &c. Pſal. 17.3. I have purpoſed that my mouth ſhall not tranſgreſs. The general purpoſe and reſolution of my heart is not to tranſgreſs; though particular failings may attend me, yet my reſolutions and purpoſes are firmly fixt againſt evil, Pſal. 39.1. I ſaid I will take heed to my wayes, that I ſin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked are before me. David highly reſolves ſo to bridle and muzzle up his mouth, that he would not break out into any impatient or unbeſeeming ſpeeches, that might give the wicked any advantage to reproach Religion, or to blaſpheme the holy One of Iſrael, &c. Anſelme was a man of a holy reſolution; I had rather, ſaith he, go to hell pure from ſin, than to heaven polluted with that filth. And ſaith another, I will rather leap into a bonfire, than wilfully to ſin againſt God. When Valens the Emperor threatned Baſil with impriſonment, baniſhment, death; Threaten, ſayes he, your Boyes with ſuch fray-bugs, and your purple Gallants, that give themſelves to their pleaſures; I am reſolved neither menaces nor flatteries ſhall ſilence me, or draw me to betray a good cauſe, or a good conſcience, &c.
Fifthly, In the earneſt and unfeigned deſires, and careful endeavours of the ſoul to abandon all ſin, to forſake all ſin, to be rid of all ſin, Rom. 7.22, 23. Now where God ſees this frame of ſpirit, there he will certainly pardon the failings, and paſs by the imperfections of his people; and he will ſpare them as a man ſpareth his ſon that ſerveth him, Mal. 3.17. Now you know, when a prudent, tender, indulgent father ſees his child to fail and come ſhort in that which he enjoyns him to do, yet knowing that his deſires and endeavours is to pleaſe him and ſerve him, he will not be harſh, rigid; ſowre or ſevere towards him, but will ſpare him and exerciſe much tenderneſs and indulgence towards him; and will God, will God whoſe mercies reach above the heavens, and whoſe compaſſions are infinite, and whoſe love is like himſelf, carry it worſe towards his children, than men do carry it towards theirs? ſurely no. God's fatherly indulgence accepts of the will for the work, Heb. 13.18. 2 Cor. 8.12. As a father will accept in his child the deſire for the deed, and if there be a blemiſh in his child, he will pity it, and caſt a mantle of love over it. A ſick man is not more deſirous to be rid of all his diſeaſes, nor a priſoner to be freed from all his bolts and chains, than the true penitent is deſirous to be rid of all his ſins, &c.
Sixthly and laſtly, In the ordinary declining, ſhunning, and avoiding of all known occaſions, temptations, provocations, inducements and inticements to ſin, &c. That royal Law, 1 Theſ. 5.22. Abſtain from all appearance of evil, is a Law that is very precious in a penitent man's eye,See Jude 23. Exod. 23.7. Prov. 22.3. & 27.12. Prov. 5.8. and commonly lyes warm upon a penitent man's heart, ſo that take him in his ordinary courſe, and you ſhall find him very ready to ſhun, and be ſhie of the very appearances of ſin, of the very ſhews and ſhadows of ſin. Job made a covenant with his eyes, Job 31.1. and Joſeph would not hearken to his bold tempting Miſtris to lye by her, or to be with her, Gen. 39.10. and David when himſelf would not ſit with vain perſons, Pſal. 26.3, 4, 5.2 Sam. 24.20—ult and at another time he refuſed to take the threſhing floor, Oxen and threſhing inſtruments of Araunah as a gift, but would buy them, becauſe he would avoid the very ſhew of covetouſneſs, as ſome conceive. Auſtin being often enſnared in uncleanneſs in his younger dayes (before his converſion) he was exceeding careful to avoid all occaſions of it afterwards. Now a true penitential turning from all ſin, lyes in theſe ſix things, and therefore you had need look about you; for if there be any one way of wickedneſs wherein you walk, and which you are reſolved you will not forſake, you are no true penitents, and you will certainly loſe your ſouls, and all the great and glorious things of another world.