The Necessity of Serious Consideration and Speedy Repentance, Part 2 · Section 2
SECT. II. The Sin of DELAY.
THough it can never be too soon for a Sinner to repent of his sinful course of life; yet I dare not say that it can never be too late; a man therefore cannot make too much haste, because he knows not whether any other time after this, will not be too late; and because the longer he delays it, the more cause he hath still to fear that it will be so. Indeed every delaying of this Duty is sinful; and therefore look how long it is delay'd, so much always in one sense it is too late; because it was not so soon as it ought to have been, or not soon enough to prevent a Sin. It hath been already proved, that it cannot be done sooner than it is our duty to do it; because it is our duty at all times, and we ought always to be doing it: and therefore, if it be delay'd at all, we do it later than in duty we were bound to do; and that's too late in respect to God's Command. It hath also been proved, that it cannot be done sooner than it is our interest and near concern to do it; because we can never be safe, nor enjoy any true comfort till it be done; and therefore again, if it be delay'd at all, it comes later than we stood in need of it, and that's too late in respect to our own welfare. God, all the time we delay it, wants his right, the honour due unto him; and we all the while lose much good, our safety and comfort; and so in both respects it is too late, if it be at all delay'd. But now, it may be be too late too (I will not say in a worse, but to us) in a sadder sense; that is, we may drive it off so long, that it will be too late to repent at all, and till there be neither time nor power left us to repent; and what will become of us then? How long any one may delay his Repentance before it be too late in this sense, no man living can tell him: And therefore whoso is wise, will not delay his Repentance at all. Of this I shall say more afterwards: at present, I shall endeavour to make us all a little more sensible of the sinfulness of delaying, and driving off our Repentance, and the keeping of God's Commandments, from day to day; how contrary it is to all Scripture and Reason.
And truly this delay is so contrary to both these, that it seems very wonderful, how any one should not be ashamed, as well as afraid to use it. There can be nothing in the World more absurd, than for a man at once to profess he believes the Gospel, and owns the duty of Repentance as necessary; and to delay this duty: for this delay seems no less than a bold attempt to cancel and blot out the whole Gospel at one dash, and to change the order and method which God hath prescribed for the bringing of Sinners to Salvation, for a new one of our own contriving. It seems, I say, the making of a new Gospel for our selves, and a new way to Blessedness, which God never approved of, nor allow'd. And is not this as absurd, as to set our selves in our Saviour's stead, and a taking upon us to make for our selves a new and easier way to Heaven?
That I may not seem to say this without good reason, let it seriously be consider'd; That Repentance is not only a duty, but the special priviledge of the Gospel. The good news which the Angels brought from Heaven was, That God had sent us the Saviour, whom he had in the beginning promised to Sinners; and the good News that our Saviour brought us, was, That God would for his sake accept of the Sinner's Repentance, and Faith in him. And this was blessed Tidings indeed to a sinful World; told ('tis true) before in the Old Testament, and shadow'd forth in the Law; but now most fully declared, and gloriously confirm'd by JESUS CHRIST in the New Testament.
The Law of Innocence, and Covenant of Works made with Adam, allow'd of no such thing as Repentance. All it said was this, Do this, and live; do it not, and dye. In the day thou eatest thereos, thou shalt surely dye, Gen. II. 17. The first breaking of the Law, was death. There could be no safe delaying to keep it, because every delay of keeping it, was a breaking of it; for it was a not doing of the Commandment, and that was death▪ And it must be kept from first to last; for every ceasing to do what was commanded, was a not doing of what was commanded; and to this death was threaten'd. No repentance therefore could have place under this Covenant. It was the New Covenant of Grace that made way for Repentance; and this is the Gospel-grace, that Sinners who have broken God's Law, and for that are by the Sentence of the Law doom'd to die, shall yet, if they repent, find mercy with God through JESUS CHRIST. This is the Gospel, which the Apostle saith was preached before to Abraham, Gal. III. 8. and therefore was before the Law of Moses, so long, that it was first preach'd by God in that gracious Promise of the seed of the woman, Gen. III. 15. If Repentance had not been allow'd of from the first man's sinning, even all along to the coming of our Saviour into the World, as well as after his coming; then had all men, during that long tract of time, for about four thousand years, perished in their sins. But to prevent this, it pleased God, that so soon as the Law was broken, the Gospel should be preach'd; that men might believe, and repent, and be saved. In a most astonishing condescension to the weakness of Sinners, he mitigated the rigor of the Law, and was pleas'd to accept henceforward of a sincere obedience to it, instead of a perfect fulfilling of it. Heartily a man must endeavour to do the whole will of God; and whatever failings he finds in himself, he must as heartily repent of them, and believe that God for CHRIST his sake, will not only forgive him his repented failings, but also reward his sincere Obedience with Eternal Life. This is the Grace of the Gospel; but this admits of no delay of our sincere obedience, or of our repentance: but makes it our duty every day sincerely to obey, and unfeignedly to repent; and he that doth not so, daily sinneth against the Gospel of Grace; and he that hopeth for Salvation whilst he thus daily sinneth against the Gospel of Grace, must needs frame to himself in his imagination some other Gospel than that which Christ hath preach'd, as the foundation of his Hope. The Gospel of Christ gives no man leave to continue one moment in sin and impenitence. It shews an easier way to Heaven than the Law did; and assures us of pardon and salvation upon our repentance, which the Law did not: but it hath not left Sin to be any part of our way to Heaven; nor assured any one that delayeth to repent, that he shall ever come thither.
Our Blessed Saviour came not to call Sinners immediately to Heaven, or to assure them of Blessedness, whether they lead a life of repentance or no; but he came to call sinners to repentance, Matt. IX. 13. and so to put them into the new way to life, which was opened unto them through him. His Forerunner, Iohn the Baptist, he sent before to prepare his way, by his Preaching and Baptism. The substance of whose Preaching was this, The kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye, and believe the Gospel, Mar. I. 15. He preached the Baptism of Repentance, for the remission of sins, v. 4. And the first preaching of our Holy JESUS was to the same purpose. He began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, Matth. IV. 17. And sending out the Twelve to preach, we find the Business they were sent about, was the very same, Mar. VI. 12. They went out and preached, that men should repent. For this was God's will, That Repentance and remission of sins should be preach'd in Christ's name among all Nations, Luke XXIV. 47. When St. Peter's Auditors were moved with his Discourse on the day of Pentecost ▪ and began to be inquisitive what course to take for themselves; he thus directs them, Acts II. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Iesus Christ, for the remission of sins. Now what doth all this signify, but that as many Sinners, as hearing this comfortable Gospel, believe it, and are thereupon willing to leave their former sinful course of life, and to bind themselves in a new Covenant by Baptism, to live a holy life in all sincerity and uprightness of heart, always as they find themselves failing, repenting of their faults, and endeavouring to do better, shall, through the Merits of Christ, in whom they have believed, be pardon'd and saved? That therefore which the Gospel calls, and admits us to, is a state of Repentance, whereinto we enter by Baptism. Adult persons, already come to the use of Reason, must repent; that is, bid adieu to their old wicked way of life, and resolve upon a new and holy one, before they be baptized. And Christian Infants by Baptism covenant to lead a life of repentance when they come to understanding. And none are to delay this wilfully, but always as they are able to understand the state whereunto they are called, and wherein they are engaged, to make good their part of the new Covenant; which is to live in sincere obedience to Christ, and always to repent of their failings, as they are able to discover them. Thus he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved, Mar. XVI. 16. How! Shall he be saved, though he live as long as he will in his Sins after he is baptized! No; but if he die after Baptism before any actual sin, and in a purpose not to commit any such, he shall be saved; and if he do commit sin afterward, and speedily repent of it, not wilfully continuing therein, he shall be saved: But if he wilfully continue in his Sins, which in Baptism he renounced, 'tis no-where told him that he shall be saved. Baptism saveth us (saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. I. 3, 21.) But then he saith too, 'Tis not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good Conscience towards God. If our Consciences, being examined, can answer us truly, that we covenanted sincerely, and keep covenant faithfully, Baptism saveth us. But what was it we promised? To repent, and begin to live an holy life at such or such an Age; or when we grow old, and are going to dye; or after we have had our fill of sinning, some time or other when we shall think it most convenient? Was it not this we promised, To keep God's holy will and commandments all the days of our life? Was it not this Charge that Christ gave his Apostles, when he gave them Authority and Command to baptize; Teach them to observe all things that I have commanded you? Matth. XXVIII. 20. What, for some few days of their life, or for the whole remaining part of it? St. Paul shall answer this Question, Rom. VI. 2. Shall we (saith he) that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? What means he by saying, We are dead to sin? Is it not, that we are by our Baptism engaged to live in Sin no longer? Know ye not (saith he again) that so many of us as were baptized into Iesus Christ, were baptized into his death? v. 3. And what will follow thence? This is that which he tells us, v. 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death; that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. And then he adds, v. 6. Our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroy'd, that henceforth we should not serve sin. Henceforth we are not to let sin reign in our mortal bodies, that we should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither to yield our members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but to yield our selves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness unto God, v. 12, 13. Henceforth then, that is, from the time that we are called to repentance by the Gospel, and are baptized into Christ, we are to lead a life (as St. Paul saith, Eph. IV. 1.) worthy of the vocation wherewith we are call'd: and that's a life of sincere Obedience, and unfeigned Repentance. To sin at all, is a transgression of the Law, and that's mortal in it self; but that the Gospel comes in to our succour, and gives us the privilege of Repentance; If then we delay our Repentance, so graciously indulged unto us, we sin against the mercy of the Gospel, as well as against the righteousness of the Law; we reject our Pardon, most lovingly tender'd unto us, by our unwillingness to comply with the Terms on which it is offer'd us: and if we be sick unto death, and will not in time apply the only remedy provided for us in our otherwise desperate case, what can we expect but to dye? and what pity can we deserve if we die?
And yet too many are apt enough to encourage themselves, to hold out still longer against all Calls and Invitations to a speedy Repentance, upon the most deceitful grounds imaginable: Because they read in the Prophet, Ezek. XVIII. 27. When the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive. And because many have lived a long time very wickedly, and yet have been converted at length, and accepted of God upon their conversion and repentance; they are apt to think it no such ill thing, as they are told it is, to delay their Repentance a-while longer; and therefore venture on it, in hopes they may be accepted hereafter, as well as others have been.
Now for men to flatter themselves thus upon so very slender grounds, is so very foolish a thing, that one who considers not how much the love men have to Sin, is become too hard for their reason to answer, how weakly soever it plead for it self; would exceedingly wonder how any reasonable creature should be guilty of it. It is indeed very true (and God's Holy Name be for ever Blessed for it) that God will accept of the true Repentance of great Sinners, who have lain long in their Sins without Repentance; and this is a good reason why one that hath continued long in Sin, should not despair; but if he yet Repent, he may hope to be Saved: But is it therefore as good a reason why he should delay his Repentance, in hopes to Repent hereafter? I have not yet said, that no man who hath been long an Impenitent Sinner, can never Repent, or shall not be pardon'd if he Repent; though I am in doubt, whether or no a Sinner that Repents not till he come to die, can have a pardon upon so late a Repentance. But that which I have said is this, That all delay of Repentance is exceedingly sinful; and therefore nothing ought to be pleaded for it; no man should dare to encourage himself in it. It is a Sin against the Gospel of Christ, which is the only foundation Sinners have to raise their hope of Salvation upon? 'Tis, I think, beyond all dispute, that though the Gospel of Christ assure Salvation to the Penitent, yet it hath not assured Repentance to him who delayeth it. It calleth Sinners to Repentance without exception, whether they have been so a longer or a shorter time, and promiseth acceptance; but doth it allow them to take what time they please for it, after they are called? Doth it tell them, that they may safely stay as long as they have a mind to Sin, and yet Repent at last? Neither Ezekiel, nor any other Prophet, no nor Apostle, hath left us one syllable in the Holy Scripture to encourage Delay; though they have left much to encourage him that hath long delay'd to Repent. To do the former were to encourage men to Sin. To do the later, is to encourage them to give over Sinning, though it be late. The former were to allow men to Sin that Grace may abound, which the Apostle abhors, Rom. VI. 1. The later, is but to dehort men from continuing in Sin through despair of Mercy. In short, though an old Sinner may Repent, yet was it his Sin to stay till he was old; and he hath that Sin, as well as others, to Repent of; and no Scripture encourageth him to grow Older in Sin before he Repent, or to take what day he pleaseth for it before his Death, or to hope he shall ever Repent at all if he do it not now. We are call'd immediately to put off the old man, and to put on the new, Eph. IV. 24. I need say no more, but that he who delays his Repentance, imagining that to Repent afterwards will be enough, must needs account an Holy life a needless thing; as though that were not the principal thing that God requires, but it would satisfie him if a man died well, how ill soever he had lived; when on the contrary, God hath often Commanded us to live well; and indeed all his Commands are to that purpose; but hath never commanded us to die well; and reason good, for there is no other way to die well, but to live well; and as little danger that he who lives well, should not die well. Alas! To what purpose was a great part of the Scripture written, containing so many rules of Holy living, if one may delay to live holily as long as he will? Had it not been enough to have told us thus: You that are Sinners must be sure one time or other to Repent that you have been so. Though it be your duty to live an holy life, yet you need not make all the haste you can to do it; only you must take heed of this, That you die not before you have Repented that you have lived wickedly. A man that understands any thing of God, or of the Gospel of Christ, would tremble to hear such a sense as this put upon it; and yet no better doth he use it, that delays his Repentance in hopes of Repenting time enough hereafter. And yet after all, would the Gospel bear such a sense as this, it would not excuse the delaying Sinner's either Sin or Folly: For were he sure, that a late Repentance would be accepted; yet he cannot be sure, that he shall live long enough to Repent, if he delay it never so little; and 'tis a foolish thing to venture all upon an uncertainty: And though he could be sure of this, yet would it still shew the greatest basenss of Spirit, and the meanest sense of God, and of all those Obligations of Duty and Gratitude which he hath laid upon us, that a man can have; both which I shall endeavour to make very plain in these following Periods.