A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, Chapter 3 · Answer 3
The third Anſwer.
Anſ. 3 Thirdly, A true penitential turning is a conſtant and continued turning from ſin.2 Chron, 7.15. As it is total in reſpect of the act, ſo it is final in reſpect of the time. True repentance takes an everlaſting farewel, an everlaſting adieu of ſin; it ſaith with the Spouſe, Cant. 5.3. I have put off my coat, how ſhall I put it on? I have found the ſmart of ſin, I have put off the garments of the old man, the rags of old Adam, and how ſhall I put them on again? The burnt child will dread the fire. The man that hath ſmarted for Suretyſhip, will by no means be perſwaded to come again into bonds, though you urge him to it never ſo frequently, never ſo ſtrongly, never ſo rhetorically, yet he will tell you he has ſmarted for it, he has paid dear for it, and therefore you muſt excuſe him; he is peremptorily reſolved, nay he hath ſeriouſly vowed againſt it; and though he be never ſo much intreated, and by variety of arguments importuned, yet ſtill he remains inexorable. A Chriſtian that hath truly repented, is ſo ſenſible of the freeneſs and ſweetneſs of the grace of God on the one hand, and of the weight of ſin and wrath of God on the other hand, that he is highly reſolved never to have any more to do with Idols,Pſal. 40.12. Hoſ. 14.8. never to meddle more with thoſe burning coals. True repentance is a continued act, a repentance never to be repented of. The true penitent is every day a turning further and further from ſin, and neerer and neerer to God. There is nothing that fetches ſo many tears from a penitent man's eyes, nor ſo many ſighs and groans from a penitent man's heart as this, that he can get no further off from ſin, and that he can get no neerer nor no cloſſer to God. Repentance for ſin, and a willing continuance in ſin, cannot conſiſt in the ſame ſubject. A ſincere penitent makes as much conſcience of repenting daily, as he doth of believing daily, and he can as eaſily content himſelf with one act of faith, or love, or fear, or hope, or joy, or obedience, as he can content himſelf with one act of repentance. My ſins are ever before me. Pſal. 51.3.This is the voice of every true penitent; Oh, that I might ſin no more! Oh, that I might never diſhonour God more! Oh, that I might never walk contrary to Jeſus Chriſt more! Oh, that I might never grieve the ſpirit of grace more. To ſin is common to man,1 John 1.8, 10. & 5.19. Iſa. 28.15, 18. Pſal. 139.24. Rom. 7.22, 23. yea to the beſt man in all the world, but to continue in a courſe of ſin, is only proper to a wicked man. To err and fail that's humane, but to maintain a league or friendſhip with ſin, that is diabolical. Though a true penitent dares not continue in a trade, a path of ſin, whilſt he lives in this world, yet ſin will continue in him whilſt he continues in this world; though ſin and grace were not born together, and though ſin and grace ſhall never die together, yet whilſt a penitent man lives in this world they muſt live together. 'Tis one thing for ſin to continue in us, and 'tis another thing for us to continue in ſin. The Apoſtle having cloſed the fifth Chapter of his Epiſtle to the Romans, in the triumph of Goſpel grace; That as ſin hath reigned unto death, ſo grace might reign through righteouſneſs …nto eternal life, by Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 6.1, 2.begins the next with a prevention of the abuſe of this grace; What ſhall we ſay then? ſhall we continue in ſin that grace may abound? God forbid. How ſhall we that are dead to ſin, live any longer therein? To live in ſin, in the face of Goſpel-grace is moſt unreaſonable, and to a gracious and ingenious nature impoſſible; the very queſtion implyes a kind of impoſſibility. Such as were once dead in ſin, and now by Goſpel-grace are dead to ſin, ſuch can no longer continue in ſin. Look, as 'tis not the meer falling into the water that drowns a man, but his lying and continuing in it; ſo it is not a meer falling into ſin that damns a man, that drowns a man, that everlaſtingly undoes a man, but his living in it, his continuing in it. It is bad to ſin, but 'tis infinitely worſe to continue in ſin. The firſt beſt is not to ſin, the next beſt is not to continue in ſin, no not for an hour, as Paul ſpeaks in another caſe (Gal. 2.5.) To whom we gave place by ſubjection, no not for an hour. Certainly to argue from Goſpel-mercy to ſinful liberty, is the Devil's Logick. The more a man lives in the ſight of Goſpel-grace, the more ſin will be diſcountenanced, reſiſted, hated, and totally diſplaced. A man may as truly aſſert, that the Sea burns, or that the fire cools, or that the Sun darkens the Air, as he may aſſert that the ſight, ſenſe, or ſweet of Goſpel-grace will breed ſecurity or carnality, looſneſs or wickedneſs, in a gracious heart. The true penitent never ceaſes repenting, till he ceaſes living; he goes to heaven with the joyful tears of repentance in his eyes; he knows that his whole life is but a day of ſowing tears, that he may at laſt reap everlaſting joyes. True repentance makes a final and everlaſting ſeparation between ſin and the ſoul; it makes ſuch an abſolute and compleat divorce between ſin and the ſoul, and caſts them ſo far aſunder, that no power nor policy can ever bring them to meet as lovers together. The true penitent looks upon ſin as an enemy, and deals with it, as Amnon dealt with Tamar, 2 Sam. 13.15. And Amnon hated her exceedingly, ſo that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her; and Amnon ſaid unto her, ariſe, be gone. And juſt thus doth the penitent ſoul carry it towards ſin. He that truly repents, ſo turns from his ſins, that he never returns to the bondage and ſervice of his ſins any more,Iſa. 1.16. Pſal. 85.8. Iſa. 30.22. Ye ſhall defile alſo the covering of thy graven images of ſilver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold; thou ſhalt caſt them away as a menſtrous cloth; thou ſhalt ſay unto it, Get thee hence.
But now the repentance of hypocrites is not conſtant but inconſtant, 'tis not ſtedfaſt but unſtedfaſt, 'tis not permanent but tranſient, 'tis quickly on, as quickly off; Come, ſay they, in that, Hoſea 6.1. and let us return unto the Lord. But ver. 4. O Ephraim! what ſhall I do unto thee? O Judah, what ſhall I do unto thee? for your goodneſs is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. The hypocrites repentance is like Jonah's Gourd, which came up in a night, and periſhed in a night, Jonah 4.10. An hypocrites repentance ſprings from mutable grounds, cauſes, conſiderations and circumſtances; and therefore it is compared to a deceitful bow, Hoſea 7.16. 'tis as variable as the wind. An hypocrite is only conſtant in inconſtancy, Pſal. 78.8. whoſe ſpirit was not ſtedfaſt with God, Ver. 37. Neither were they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant, &c. An hypocrite puts off his ſins in the day of adverſity (as he doth his garments when he goes to bed) with an intent to put them on again in the morning of profperity, Ver. 34, 35, 36. When he ſlew them then they ſought him, and they returned and enquired early after God; and they remembred that God was their Rock, and the high God their Redeemer: Nevertheleſs they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongues. In the language of the bleſſed Scripture, he is a dog that returns to his vomit again, and ſuch a dog was Judas; and he is a ſwine that returns to the wallowing in the mire again, and ſuch a ſwine was Demas; 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22.and ſuch dogs and ſwine are all hypocrites. It is an extraordinary vanity in ſome men to lay aſide their ſins for a time, but with a purpoſe to return to them again; as they fable it of the Serpent that layeth aſide his poyſon when he goeth to drink, and when he hath drank, he returns to it again. It is a ſad and ſore evil, when men ſay to their luſts, as Abraham ſaid to his ſervants, Abide you here, and I will go and worſhip, and return again unto you, Gen. 22.5. doubtleſs ſuch ſouls are as far off from ſound repentance, as light is from darkneſs, or as hell is from heaven, &c.
But in what reſpects is true penitential turning from ſin, Queſt. ſuch a turning from ſin, as never to return to ſin any more? In what reſpects is the penitents turning from ſin, a continued and ſtedfaſt turning from ſin, &c.
Sol. This is a very ſober, ſerious, weighty queſtion, Anſ. and beſpeakes a very ſober, ſerious and ſatisfactory Anſwer, and therefore I would anſwer the queſtion, 1. Negatively. 2. Affirmatively, &c.
Negatively, It is not ſuch a turning from ſin as never to ſin more, 1 King. 8.46. For there is no man that ſinneth not. Prov. 20.9. Who can ſay, I have made my heart clean? I am pure from my ſin? Prov. 24.16. A juſt man falleth ſeven times, and riſeth again. Eccl. 7.20. For there is not a juſt man upon the earth that doth good, and ſinneth not. Luke 17.4. If he treſpaſs againſt thee ſeven times in a day, and ſeven times in a day turn again unto thee, ſaying, I repent, thou ſhalt forgive him. Mat. 18.21, 22. Then came Peter to him, and ſaid, Lord, how oft ſhall my brother ſin againſt me, and I forgive him, till ſeven times? Jeſus ſaith unto him, I ſay not unto thee, until ſeven times, but until ſeventy times ſeven. James 3.2. For in many things we offend all; or we ſtumble all, as the Greek has it. 1 John 1.8. If we ſay we have no ſin we deceive our ſelves, and the truth is not in us. Ver. 10. If we ſay we have not ſinned, we make him a lyar, and his word is not in us. And what did the continual burnt-offering which was to be made day by day import, but a daily ſinning, and expiating of it? &c. Num. 28.3. Such is the univerſal corruption of humane nature, that the ſouls of the beſt, of the pureſt, and of the holieſt men in the world, do from day to day, yea from moment to moment, contract ſome filth and uncleanneſs. The choiceſt Saints can never acquit themſelves from ſins of infirmity, ſuch as do inevitably and inſeparably cleave unto the beſt of men, eſpecially conſidering the ſtate and condition wherein they are, carrying ſtill about them corrupt fleſh and bloud. Methodius compares the inbred corruptions of man's heart to a wild Fig-tree, growing upon the wall of ſome goodly Temple or ſtately Palace, whereof although the main trunk of the ſtem be broke off, and ſtump of the root be plucked up, yet the fibrous ſtrings of it piercing into the joynts of the ſtone work, will not be utterly extracted, but will be ever and anon ſhooting and ſprouting out, until the whole frame of the building be diſſolved, and the ſtone work thereof be diſjoynted and pulled in pieces.
Secondly, It is not ſuch a turning from ſin, as that the true penitent ſhall never relapſe into the ſame kind of ſin any more; for a true penitent may fall into the ſame ſin again and again. It was a ſin for the diſciples to ſleep when Chriſt had commanded them to watch and pray,Mat. 26.40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45. and yet they ſlept again and again. The prophet Jonah was a holy man, and yet he relapſed into paſſion and diſcontent with God again and again; he was diſcontent with the work God ſet him about, therefore he flieth to Tarſhiſh, Jonah 1.2, 3. and ſorrows for it, and confeſſeth that they that truſt upon lying vanities forſake their own mercies, Chap. 2.8. and yet when God had ſhewed mercy to Niniveh, he was exceedingly diſcontented with God again, Jonah 4.1. But it diſpleaſed Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And when the Lord, who might have ſent him to his grave, or a frown'd him to hell, reaſons lovingly, ſweetly and mildly with him to take him off from his paſſion, Chap. 4.3, 4. and provides for him in his extremity; yet upon a very ſmall occaſion, viz. the taking away of a Gourd or ſhrub (which God did to convince him of his folly and waſpiſhneſs of ſpirit) he breaks out again into the ſame paſſion, or worſe, as if he had never ſeen the evil of it, or been humbled for it, Jonah 4.8, 9. I am greatly angry, or I do well to be angry, even unto death. And that is very conſiderable that Job ſpeaks concerning his friends, Job 19.3. Theſe ten times have ye reproached me, yet are ye not aſhamed. It is a ſin to reproach any man, it is a greater to reproach a godly man; but yet greater to reproach a godly man under ſad and ſore afflictions; but yet greateſt of all to reproach a godly man under his ſufferings, often, frequently; yet ſaith Job, Theſe ten times have ye reproached me; and yet Job's friends were not only godly, but eminently godly. By this ſad inſtance 'tis evident, that gracious men, yea that men eminently gracious, may fall into the ſame ſin again and again, yea ten times, that is often. Though Chriſt told his diſciples that his kingdom was not of this world,John 18.36. Mat. 18.1, 2, 3, 4. Mark 9 34. Luke 9.46. & 22.24, 26. yet at three ſeveral times their pride and ambitious humour put them upon ſtriving for preheminence and worldly greatneſs. King Jehoſhaphat, though he was a godly man, yet he joyns affinity with that non ſuch wicked Ahab, for which he was ſmartly reproved by the Prophet, 2 Chron. 19.2. And Jehu went out to meet him, and ſaid to King Jehoſhaphat, ſhouldeſt thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord. Now though this gracious Prince was thus reproved and ſaved, even by a miracle of mercy, 2 Chron. 18.1, 2, 3, 30, 31. compared; yet ſoon after he falls into the ſame ſin again, and joyns himſelf with Ahaziah King of Iſrael, who did very wickedly, 2 Chron. 20.35, 36. and for which he is ſeverely reproved in verſe 37. Then Eliezer the ſon of Dodavan of Mareſhah, propheſied againſt Jehoſhaphat, ſaying, becauſe thou haſt joyned thy ſelf with Ahaziah, the Lord hath broken thy works, and the Ships were broken that they were not able to go to Tarſhiſh. Let was twice overcome with wine, &c. and Abraham, though the father of the faithful, yet falls once and again into the ſame ſin, Gen. 12.11, 12,Mat. 26. Gal. 2.11, 12, 13 13. compared with Chap. 20, 1, 2, 3, 4, 13. Peter falls once and again into the ſame ſin, and John twice worſhipped the Angel, and Sampſon (who is by the Spirit of the Lord numbred amongſt thoſe Worthies of whom this world was not worthy, Heb. 11.32, 33, 38.) fell again and again into the ſame groſs ſin, as is evident in the 14, 15, & 16. Chapters of the book of Judges. And the Church confeſſes, that their backſlidings are many, Jer. 14.7. By all which 'tis moſt evident, that good men may fall again and again into the ſame ſin; and no wonder, for though their repentance be never ſo ſincere and ſound, yet their graces are but weak, and their mortification but imperfect in this life, and therefore 'tis poſſible for a gracious ſoul to fall again and again into the ſame ſin; if the fire be not wholly put out, who will think it impoſſible, that it ſhould catch and burn again and again?
I readily grant, that the Lord hath graciouſly promiſed to heal the backſlidings of his people (Hoſea 14.4. and ſo Jer. 3.22.See Jer. 3.1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14. Return ye backſliding children, and I will heal your backſlidings; behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God.) But I can no where find in all the Scriptures, that God hath engaged himſelf by any particular promiſe or promiſes, that Chriſtians truly converted, truly penitent, ſhall never fall again and again into the ſame ſins, after their converſion. I cannot find in all the book of God, where God has engaged himſelf to give ſuch ſtrength or power againſt this ſin or that, as that a Chriſtian ſhall be for ever (in this life) put out of all poſſibility of falling again and again into the ſame ſins. No perſon on earth can ſhew ſuch a promiſe, that when a Chriſtian has been thus or thus troubled, grieved, humbled or melted for his ſins, that then God will aſſuredly preſerve him from ever falling into the ſame ſins again. The ſight of ſuch a promiſe under God's own hand, would be as life from the dead to all real Chriſtians, who fear nothing more than the ſin of backſliding. Certainly, there is no ſuch power or infinite vertue in the greateſt horrors or terrors, troubles or ſorrows that the ſoul can be under for ſin, nor in the fulleſt, ſweeteſt or choiceſt diſcoveries of God's rich grace and free love to the ſoul, as for ever to fence and ſecure the ſoul from relapſing into the ſame ſin again and again. Though grace be a glorious creature, yet 'tis but a creature; grace is but a created habit, that may be prevailed againſt by Satans temptations, and by the ſtrong, ſecret, and ſubtile workings of ſin in our hearts. But this muſt be carefully minded and remembred, that though the Saints may and do ſometimes relapſe, yet they do not relapſe in ſuch a manner as wicked men do relapſe. For,
Firſt, They do not relapſe voluntarily, but involuntarily. Involuntary relapſes, are when the reſolution and full bent of the heart is againſt ſin, when the ſoul ſtrives with all its might againſt ſin, by ſighs and groans, by prayers and tears, and yet by ſome invincible weakneſs is forced to fall back into ſin again, becauſe there is not ſpiritual ſtrength enough to overcome.
Secondly, They do not relapſe out of choice, as wicked men do, Iſa. 66.3.
Thirdly, They don't relapſe out of any delight that they take in relapſing; witneſs their ſad complaints, their great lamentations, and their bitter mournings over their relapſes. Relapſes into diſeaſes, and relapſes into ſins, are more troubleſom and dangerous than they are any wayes delightful, to all that are in their wits.
Fourthly, They don't relapſe out of any ſetled purpoſe or reſolution of heart to relapſe, as wicked men do, Jer. 2.25. All the relapſes of a Saint, are againſt the ſetled bent, byaſs and reſolution of his ſoul.
Fifthly, They don't relapſe out of any love or longing to relapſe, as wicked men do, who long and love to return to the fleſh-pots of Egypt.
Sixthly, They don't relapſe into enormities, as wicked men do (for 'tis not uſual with God to leave his people frequently to relapſe into enormities; for by his ſpirit and grace, by his ſmiles and frowns, by his word and rod he doth commonly preſerve his people from a common, a frequent relapſing into enormities, into groſs wickedneſſes.) The common and ordinary relapſes of the people of God, are relapſes into infirmities, as idle words, paſſion, haſtineſs, raſhneſs, vain thoughts, &c. and theſe God pardons in courſe; but the common and ordinary relapſes of wicked men, are relapſes into enormities, into groſs impieties.
Seventhly, They don't relapſe habitually, conſtantly, as wicked men do; their relapſes are tranſient, not permanent, they are not of courſe. A Sheep may fall into the mire, but a ſwine wallows in the mire, &c.
But ſecondly, I anſwer affirmatively, That notwithſtanding all this, yet a true penitential turning from ſin, is a continued and ſtedfaſt turning from ſin, and that in theſe five reſpects.
Firſt, In reſpect of his habitual purpoſe and reſolution, not to ſin, 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 is before me. See my Treatiſe on holineſs, page 507, 508, 509.David reſolves to lay a Law of reſtraint upon his tongue, and to clap a muzzle upon his mouth, whilſt he was in the preſence of the wicked, who did lye at the catch to enſnare him, and trapan him; come health, come ſickneſs, come honour, come reproach, come poverty, come plenty, come liberty, come reſtraint, come life, come death, the true penitent is fixed in his purpoſe and reſolution not to ſin. Jerom writes of a brave woman, that being upon the wrack, told her perſecutors, that they might do their worſt, for ſhe was firmly reſolved rather to dye than lye.
Secondly, In reſpect of his babitual deſires, which are, that he may not ſin, Pſal. 119.133. Order my ſteps in thy word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. David's great deſire is that he may walk as in a frame, that he may walk by line and rule, exactly, accurately; and that though ſin did dwell in him, that yet it might not reign in him; and though it did rebel in him, that yet it might not have dominion over him; he would have his ſins to be like thoſe beaſts in Daniel, whoſe dominion was taken away, though their lives were prolonged for a ſeaſon and a time, Chap. 7.12. Pſal. 119.10. O, let me not wander from thy commandements. Ver. 36. Incline my heart unto thy teſtimonies, and not to covetouſneſs. Under the name of covetouſneſs, all manner of viciouſneſs is to be underſtood, that being the root of all evil, 1 Tim. 6.10.
Thirdly, In reſpect of his habitual endeavours, which ſtill are not to ſin. The ordinary and habitual endeavours of a true penitent, are ſtill ſet againſt ſin; he ordinarily rows againſt the ſtream of ſin, though ſometimes the ſtream proves too ſtrong for him. Pſal. 119.11. Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not ſin againſt thee. He hides the word in his heart as a treaſure, that he might not loſe it, and as a rule, that he might not tranſgreſs againſt it. The Law of God kept cloſs in the heart, is the beſt armour of proof againſt evil luſts. David locks up the Law of God in his heart, as in a cheſt or cabinet, to ſecure him againſt Satan's ambuſhes and aſſaults on the one hand, and to preſerve him from ſin on the other hand. So Pſal. 18.23. I have kept my ſelf from mine iniquity.
Fourthly, In reſpect of his habitual hatred of ſin. Although the true penitent does ſometimes ſin, yet he alwayes hates the evil he does; there is a firm and fixed hatred in his ſoul againſt ſin, Pſal. 119.1…. Therefore I hate every falſe way. Ver. 113. I hate va… …oughts. Ver. 163. I hate and abhor lying. So Rom. 7.15. The evil that I hate, that I do. A penitent heart uſually riſes and ſwells againſt the toad in the boſom. Some ſay, that there is ſuch a native dread and terror of the Hawk implanted in the Dove, that ſhe is afraid of every feather, and that ſhe deteſts and abhors the very ſight of any feather that hath grown upon a Hawk; ſo there is ſuch a deteſtation & abhorrency of ſin divinely implanted in every penitent man's heart, that he cannot but hate every thing that looks like it, or that belongs to it, or that comes from it.
Fifthly, In reſpect of his conſtant path, or continued way, or courſe of life, which is quite oppoſite and contrary to ſin, Gal. 5.17. Iſa. 26.7. The way of the juſt is uprightneſs, Prov. 16.17. The high-way of the upright is to depart from evil. It is as common and ordinary for upright perſons to depart from evil, as 'tis for Paſſengers to keep the King's high-wayes. Though an upright man, through miſtake or weakneſs of grace, or violence of temptation, may ſtep out of a way of holineſs, yet walking in a way of wickedneſs, cannot be charged upon him, Pſal. 139.23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and ſee if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlaſting. You know the path and practiſe of penitent Zacheus, of penitent Paul, and of the penitent Jaylor, was quite contrary to thoſe wayes of wickedneſs, that they had formerly walked in.