The Young Mans Guide, Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Containeth several Objections of many Young Men against their early seeking and serving of God.
I Know there are several Objections which Young Men are apt to make for themselves against their early seeking and serving of God, which I shall endeavour to answer.
Obj. 1. Should I now in my Youth set upon the practice, and walk in the ways of godliness, I must look for nothing but jeers and scoffs from my Companions and Acquaintance.
Answ. 1, True it is, none are more evil spoken of, and traduced, than such as walk in the ways of Holiness: but the ground of it springs not from their just deservings, but from the worlds malice, and enmity to God, which is derived to them for his sake.
2. Those jeers and scoffs, which are cast upon thee by thy Carnal Friends, should be an incouragement, rather than a discouragement in the ways of Godliness, in that they may prove a blessing unto thee. For, saith our Saviour, Matth. 5. 11. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake: Rejoyce, and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, Therefore the Primitive Saints rejoyced, that they were accounted worthy to suffer scorn and reproaches, yea any thing for the Name of Christ. Scoffs and disgraces do oft-times increase, as the Graces of Gods people, so likewise their glory. He that takes from a Saints credit, doth add to his Crown.
3. Though thy Neighbours and Companions may outwardly scoff at thy holy walking; yet know, that at the same time they may inwardly reverence and honour thee: for there sits a kind of Majesty in the face of holiness, which draws even from carnal men fear and reverence.
Obj. 2. Should I now in my Youth bid adieu to my fleshly, and betake my self to a godly life, I shall lose my Friends, and make them mine Enemies.
Answ. If thou shouldst lose thy carnal friends upon such an occasion, thy loss will prove thy gain: Thou shalt gain Christ for thy Friend, who will be better to thee than all thy Relations. Can they obtain the pardon of thy sins? procure thy peace and reconciliation with God? quiet thy troubled Conscience? support thy fainting Soul? and chear up thy drooping Spirit? Miserable helps, and miserable Comforters will they all be to thee. Whereas Christ is both able and willing to do all this, and much more for thee. Mark that notable promise in Matth. 19. 29. Every man that hath forsaken Brethren or Sisters, Father or Mother, Wife or Children, or any near and dear Relation for my sake, shall receive an hundred fold. Christ will be instead of all Relations unto him, who is infinitely more than all worldly comforts whatsoever: Yea, such shall be rewarded with everlasting happiness, according to that of our Saviour; Luk. 6. 22, 23. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company: Rejoyce ye in that day, and leap for joy, for behold your reward is great in Heaven.
Obj. 3. If I should now in my Youth set my self to the seeking and serving of God, I must look to be low and poor in the world, for who ever grew rich by a strict and holy walking? Yea, have not the rich men of the World raised their Families to such Greatness and Grandeure by wicked practices, and unconscionable dealing?
Ans. I. True it is, the wicked, for the most part, thrive and prosper in the World; God giving them their portion in this World, to make them the more inexcusable.
II. It is not Godliness, but rather the want thereof that often occasioneth poverty. The Wise Man saith expresly, Prov. 23. 21. The Drunkard and the Glutton shall come to poverty. And speaking of the sin of Whoredom saith, Prov. 6. 26. By the means of a Whorish Woman, a man is brought to a piece of Bread; that is, to such extream poverty, that he hath scarce a piece of bread to eat, but is forced to beg from door to door for a morsel of bread: So that it is Wickedness, and not Holiness, that brings beggery and ruine. There is, I know, a Devilish Proverb, frequent in the mouths of wicked and prophane men, That Piety, and Plain Dealing is a Iewel; but he that useth it shall die a Beggar. But much good may it do the unrighteous with all their gettings, the godly shall never be so poor, but that they shall have riches enough.
1. First the Lord hath in his Word made many gracious promises to bless the Righteous, as in their Bodies and Souls, so in their Goods and Estates; as Deut. 28. 1, 2. … sh…ll come to pass, if thou shalt … diligently unto the … of the Lord thy God, to observe, and to do all his Commandments, blessed shalt thou be in the City, and blessed shalt thou be in the Field: Blessed shall be thy Basket, and thy Store. The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee, in thy Storehouse, and in all that thou puttest thine …and unto, &c. And sa…th our Saviour, Matth. 6. 36. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his Righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you; that is food and rayment, yea wealth, and all temporal blessings, so far as they shall be good for you, shall be freely cast upon you, as an over-plus into the bargain.
2. We find the Lord hath made good these promises to his people, so far as hath been good for them; whereof we have many instances in Scripture, as in Abraham, who was both a good man, and a great man, abounding with much wealth and riches. The like we read of Isaac, of Iacob, and of Ioseph in Aegypt, of Iob, and others. In all which, grace and greatness sweetly met together. As the Ark brought a blessing to the house of Obed-Edom, so I may truly say, Godliness brings a blessing to the house and person in whom it is, Having the promise of all needful temporal good things here, as of eternal happyness hereafter. 1 Tim. 4, 8. So that there can be no likelier way to thrive and prosper in the World, than betimes to give up thy self to God, and to consecrate thy youth and younger years to his service.
III. A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked, Psal. 37. 16.
1. For first, Godly men have an heart given them from God to use and enjoy their estate, whatever it is, for their own good, and the relief of others. They have mercies, and taste of them, they have goods, and do good with them: whereas wicked men, for the most part, either have no heart at all to use their estates, or else they spend them upon their …usts: for which they shall full dearly answer at the great and dreadful day.
2. What the godly have, they enjoy with much comfort and contentment, with much peace, and quietness of mind, and they find more sufficiency and fulness in their little, than many rich wordlings do in their plenty and abundance. For these, though they have much, yet they find no contentment, nor satisfaction, no quietness therein, but much vexation of Spirit. Whereas the righteous, though they have but little, yet they have a good and quiet conscience with it, which is a continual feast? yea they find a fulness therein; so that they sit down abundantly satisfied and contented therewith. For God puts a fulness into their little, and makes it more satisfactory to his Children, than greater abundance is to carnal worldly men.
Obj. 4. Should I hearken to your counsel, I should thereby deprive my self of all joy and delight, (which is the very life of my life) and lead a sad, melancholly life. For what doth more abridge men of pleasure and delight, than walking in the ways of godliness?
Ans. 1. A godly life will not deprive thee of all joy and delight, but only change thy rejoycing in evil, for rejoycing in that which is good. Whereas before thou rejoycedst in the pleasures of sin, in rioting and revelling, in chambering and wantonness, now thou wilt rejoyce in the assurance of Gods Love, and of thine own Salvation, in the undoubted Testimony of his Grace and Favour towards thee, which is indeed a blessed change of joy from carnal to spiritual, from that which is vain and frothy, unto that which is sound and solid.
2. The godly sometimes, by reason of their present affliction under which they lie, may seem sorrowful, yet are they always rejoycing, as the Apostle speaketh, 2 Cor. 6. 10. As sorrowful, yet always rejoycing. And our blessed Saviour promised unto his Disciples, and in them to all the faithful, that he would give them such a permanent joy, as no man should be able to take from them, Joh. 16. 22. whereupon said David, The Voice of rejoycing is in the Tabernacle of the Righteous, Psal. 118. 15.
3. Though wicked men think and say, that the godly lead sad melancholy lives; yet certain it is, that the ungodly, when they are alone, are generally melancholy. Indeed when they are in Taverns and Alehouses with their vain Companions, then they can laugh and sing; but in their secret retirements, none so dull and dampish as they: yea, through the checks and clamours of their guilty Consciences, they are oft-times sorrowful in the very midst of laughter. For wickedness is so far from producing peace and comfort, that it is properly the cause of sorrow, and discomfort: Therefore saith the Prophet, Isa. 5. 7. The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt; and then no wonder that it follows, There is no peace to the wicked; it being the property of wickedness to be troublesome and vexatious, so that little joy or comfort can be found in a vicious course of life: whereas godliness brings great pleasure and contentment to the mind of a man; which the Apostle implieth, 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this, the testimony of our Conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, we have had our conversation in the world. The satisfaction which ariseth from the testimony of a mans own Conscience, in the faithful discharge of his duty, is very pleasant and delightful. In which respect, saith David, Psal. 19. 11. In keeping thy Commandments there is great reward. There is not only a reward hereafter, to all such as sincerely indeavour to …eep the Commandments of the Lord, but likewise a reward here in keeping them, men finding a compla… and delight therein, being satisfied that they have in some measure performed their duty.
4. There is no joy comparable to their joy, who set themselves to serve God in truth and sincerity. Such the Apostle Peter saith, Rejoyce with joy unspeakable, and full of glory, 1 Pet. 1. 8. Therefore the Wise Man speaking in the commendation of godliness, saith, Her ways are ways of pleasantness, Prov. 3, 17. As if he had said, Though worldly men do judge the ways of godliness to be sad and uncomfortable, yet they do indeed yield great joy and pleasure to those who walk in them; and therefore may well be termed, ways of pleasantness. For,
1. In ways of godliness, God doth communicate himself to the Soul, and the Soul doth injoy sweet communion with God: The Soul doth injoy, as the influences of Gods Grace, so the light of his Countenance, which is, as it were, an Heaven upon Earth: yea, the greatest happiness poor Creatures can possibly attain unto.
2. The ways of godliness are ways of pleasantness, because the walking in them is pleasing and delightful unto God. And a gracious heart must needs take great complacency and contentment in that which is pleasing unto God.
3. There is that delight in the ways of godliness, as upholds the heart of a Christian under all the losses, crosses, and … he meets withal in this world; and which will yield him abundance of comfort upon his Death-bed. What was that which comforted King Hezekiah, when he lay under the apprehension of death, but the testimony of his Conscience, that he had walked with much sincerity in the ways of godliness? Isa. 38. 3.
By all which it appeareth, that godliness doth not deprive men of all joy and delight; but rather the more godly any are, the more joyful, at least the better right and title they have thereunto: whereupon saith one, Wouldst thou live chearfully? then live godly.
The which should be an incouragement unto all Young Men, who are yet unresolved, speedily without any further delay, to consecrate their Youth and younger years unto God, and his service; betimes to walk in the ways of godliness, that so their lives may be the more comfortable and joyful. If the Lord shall be pleased to incline any of your hearts thereunto, you will have cause to bless God for it, not only so long as you live here, but even to all Eternity in the highest Heavens. For by devoting your selves to God and his service betimes, even from your Youth, many sins will be prevented, which otherwise will be committed by you, much more good will be done by you, and much greater will be your glory hereafter.
5. Obj. I have time enough before me; and therefore may for a while longer allow my self my liberty. Hereafter may be time enough to turn from my sins unto God, and to mind the eternal welfare of my Soul.
A. 1. Consider as the shortness, so the uncertainty of thy life. How many have we known in our own experience, who when they have promised themselves life for many years, have then been suddenly taken away! Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee, canst thou upon good ground assure thy self of another day? If not, what folly, yea what madness must it needs be, to live one day longer in such a condition, in which if thou shouldst die, thou art miserably undone to all Eternity! True it is, God hath promised pardon and forgiveness to such, as in truth and sincerity, turn from their sins unto him, but he hath not promised the morrow to him that deferreth.
If thou sayest, though I am not sure to live another day, yet I am likely, being in good health and strength.
I answer, Peradventure thou mayest live another day▪ But what man, in his right senses, would put his Everlasting Salvation upon a Peradventure? Peradven… thou mayest die the next day, even whilst thou art … in sensual pleasures and delights, and then … sad is thy case like to be to all Eternity! The possi… of a sudden and unexpected death, should, me…, be an effectual argument to perswade every man speedily, without farther delay, to reform and amend his life. The Merchant having a fair Wind, will not defer to hoise up sail, saying, we have time enough, because it is possible the Wind may turn, and he lose his opportunity. The Husbandman having a fair day, will not defer the carrying home his Corn, when it is fit to take it in, because it is possible the next day may prove …. In all cases about our worldly affairs, a possibility of danger hath the force of an argument for present care: And why should it not as well awaken our Souls to a speedy amendment of our ways?
2. Thou who still delayest to hearken unto the Call of God in the Ministery of the Word, woing and beseeching thee speedily to abandon thy sins, and to walk in the ways of holiness, know assuredly, that he will not always wait on thee, his patience will not ever attend thee. As there is a time of Grace, in which the Gate of Mercy stands open; so there is a time of Judgment, in which this Gate will be shut, and a…l possibility of entry taken away. Psal. 32. 6. David speaketh of a time in which God may be found; which implieth, that there is a time in which God will not be found. Though thou cryest out against thy sins, and cryest unto God for mercy, yet will he not hear thee, but turn a deaf ear to all thy prayers. So the Lord threatneth, Prov. 1. 24, 25. Because I have called you, to amendment and reformation, and ye refused to hearken unto me: But have set at nought all my counsels, and would none of my reproofs; I will also laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh: Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me, but they shall not find me. For the Lord usually punisheth the slighting of his Grace in our younger years, with the denying of it in our elder. Hence it is that the Apostle S. Paul so much presseth the foreign, the very now. Behold, saith he, NOW is the accepted time, NOW is the day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6. 2. The time present is the only time, the time to come is no time, but a matter of meer uncertainty: And therefore, saith he, Heb. 3. 7. To day if ye will hear his Voice, harden not your hearts. Where the word foreign, to day, signifieth the time present; and implieth, that the present opportunity of Gods offering Grace ought to be imbraced; thou must hearken unto him now that he calleth upon thee in the Ministery of his Word, and motions of his Spirit, to give over thy sinning Trade, and give up thy self unto him, and his service: Now that God hangs forth the White Flag of Mercy, and is willing to be gracious to thee: Now that Christ is woing and beseeching thee to cast away thy sins, and to cast thy self upon him, to own him for thy Lord and Saviour. Now that the Spirit of God is striving with thee, surely it will be thy wisdom speedily to turn from thy sins unto him. If thou put him off till hereafter, and thereby quench the motions of his Spirit, how justly may he for ever reject thee!
3. Thou who upon a pretence of having time enough before thee, dost procrastinate and delay to look after God and Heaven; consider as the weightiness, so the multitude of works to be done by thee, in order to thy Salvation. Hast thou not a dead Soul to be quickned? a dark understanding to be enlightned with the knowledge of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ? an hard heart to be softned? a proud heart to be humbled? an unclean heart to be purified and cleansed? a multitude of head-strong lusts to be mortified, and subdued? manifold temptations to be resisted, and conquered? Hast thou all these, and many more things to do, in reference to thy future happiness, and yet wilt thou trifle away thy precious time in vanity, and pleasure; yea in sin, and wickedness, saying, thou hast time enough before thee? Know, that the forementioned works are enough to take up thy whole life; How then canst thou imagine, that the short remaining part thereof should be sufficient for them.
Ah sinner! be convinced, that these things must be done by thee, or else thou wilt be undone for ever, And then judge, whether it be not high time for thee to bid adieu to all sinful pleasures, and delights, and seriously to mind the Concernments of thy precious and Immortal Soul. Surely thou canst not be so simple as to flatter thy self with a conceit, that all those things may be done, either in time of sickness, or in old age.
First, For the time of Sickness; that must needs be very unfit, in regard of the many lets and impediments which then usually fall out to hinder the performance of them; as pains of body, faintness of spirit, dulness and deadness of heart, perplexity of mind, partly through fear of Gods Judgments, and partly with care of disposing thy outward estate for the future maintenance of Wife and Children; which will not suffer thee so to collect thy spirits, as is requisite for such weighty works.
Secondly, As for Old Age, which is scarce able to bear the infirmities of Nature, how unfit must that needs be for such hard and difficult services? How can it be expected, that such who are in a manner past working, should go thorow the greatest works, that in this world are to be performed? Eccl. 12. 1, Solomon calls the days of Old Age, evil days; not because they are so in themselves, but because of the manifold weaknesses and diseases, pains and aches which do accompany them, whereby they are very much disinabled unto any good work. And therefore to put off the main business of our lives, the things which concern the Salvation of our Souls to our Old Age, must needs be the greatest folly in the world, because in so doing we put it to the hazard whether ever it will be done. Besides, that God who requireth the First-fruits of all we have, will not be put off with the Devils leavings. If a Souldier should spend the strength of his days in service against his Prince, and in his Old Age offer his service to him, would he, think you, accept thereof, and not rather reject him, and his service? Canst thou then imagine that God will accept the service of thine old Age, when thou hast spent the strength of thy years in the service of sin and Satan?
4. Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee, and thereupon resolvest hereafter to be for God, and Holiness, know that thereby thou deceivest thine own Soule For no resolution can be hearty and sincere, but what is present. He who is willing to indulge his sinful flesh but a Day longer, would as willingly do it a Year longer, yea to Eternity, if he might. He who is not willing to cast away his sins, and to close with Christ to day, would never do it by his good will. Thy purposes and resolutions for the time to come are but deceitful, and hypocritical: O trust not to deceitful purposes.
5. Thou who delayest to serve God out of a pretence, thou hast time enough before thee; I would ask thee, what shew of reason thou hast for it? Happily thou wilt say, Oh the contentment I find in my present course is so sweet and delightful to me, that I cannot as yet deny my self therein: But is thy Lust sweeter than Christ? than pardon of sin? than peace and reconciliation with God? yea, than the joys of Heaven? Sure thou art a Bruit, if thou say so. And if not, why dost thou not presently reform, and return to the Lord? Is it too soon for thee yet to be happy? Thou art worthy to die for ever, who chusest to lie longer in the estate of the dead, when thou mightest presently turn and live.
6. Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee, hast thou not served the Devil, and Sin long enough? Hast thou not done enough to the damning thine own Soul, but thou must go on further in thy wicked and ungodly courses? Certainly if thou hadst any of the ingenuity of a Christian within thee, thou wouldst rather say, I have long enough wallowed in the filth of sin, and mire of sinful filthiness; I have long enough slighted the free grace of God, and rejected the invitations of Jesus Christ, 'tis a shame I have stood out so long. Well, I have now done with iniquity, from henceforth I will be for Christ, and Holiness: farewel my former sinful courses, and Companions: farewel my carnal peace, ease, and pleasure; 'tis high time to mind the eternal welfare of my Soul, and to give up my self to God.
7. Consider, Though sound repentance is never too late, yet late repentance is seldom sound; like untimely fruit, it rarely cometh to any perfection; as may evidently appear from the usual practise of such as recover of their sickness, who in the time of affliction seemed mightily troubled for their wicked lives, and outwardly bewailed their sins, crying out against them; yea, made many vows and promises of newness of life, and better obedience, professing, for the time to come, utterly to renounce their former lewd courses, and to serve God in true holiness and righteousness all the remaining part of their days; yet being recovered to their former health again, forgetting the vows and promises they made in the time of their sickness, with the Dog, they have returned to their former Vomit; and with the Sow, wallowed again in the filth of sin, and mire of sinful filthiness, imbracing the same sins which they had formerly lamented, and so become worse than before. It was the observation of that worthy Divine Mr. Robert Bolton, that he never knew or heard of any man unwrought upon under conscionable means, who after recovery, performed the vows and promises of a new life, which he made in his sickness, and time of extremity; which methinks should be a strong Motive to perswade every one of us to turn from our sin, and to givup our selves intirely unto God in our health and strength, that so we may have some comfortable Evidence of the truth and soundness of our Repentance.
8. Consider the desperate hazard thou runnest, by delaying to close with Iesus Christ. For what if thy great change should come before the change of thy heart? how sad would thy condition be! What if Christ who hath long been knocking at the door of thine heart, should withdraw himself, and never knock again? Surely, as it was one of the greatest mercies that ever was vouchsafed to thee, that Jesus Christ should condescend to stand and knock at the door of thine heart; so it will prove in the event the heaviest Judgment that ever befel thee, if thou wilt not now open unto him, but put him off with delays: It will be just with Christ finally to withdraw himself from those who will not hearken unto him in this his merciful day of Visitation. Beware that this be not thy case.
9. Thou who sayest thou hast time enough before thee, and thereupon yet a while longer wilt venture after the Devil, suppose thou shouldst at the latter end of thy life turn from thy sins unto God, which, as I shewed before, is not ordinary, yet must it needs be matter of grief and sorrow to thee, then to call to mind, how thou hast spent the strength of thy Youth, the best of thy days in the service of sin and Satan; and now hast little time, and less strength remaining for God, and his service. Surely this will be matter of great shame and sorrow unto thy Soul: And therefore as thou tenderest the honour of God, and thine own eternal happiness, now stir up in thy self a longing desire after the work of Grace in thy Soul, and put thy self upon a present and serious use of the means: delay not a day longer, lest that delay be unto death.
10. Thou who still goest on impenitently in thy wicked course of life, consider how sad and dreadful thy condition is, so long as thou continuest therein.
1. Thou art under the guilt of sin. All the sins that ever thou committedst are yet on thy score, none of them are blotted out. Surely, if one sin laid to the charge of a sinner is enough to sink him irrecoverably into Perdition; Oh then how sad is thy condition, who liest under the guilt of many millions of sins, cloathed with many aggravating circumstances!
2. Thou art under the power and dominion of sin, yielding up thy self to the command of every lust. Yea, such a Slave art thou to every filthy and unclean motion, that though thou knowest very well, that the fire of Lust will end in the fire of Hell, (without speedy repentance) yet wilt thou gratifie thy self therein. The truth is, there is no such Tyrant in the World as SIN; and therefore there can be no greater folly and madness, than to serve such a Master, whose work is drudgery, whose wages is death, and that eternal, Rom. 6. 23. Oh that the eyes of poor sinners were opened to see the miserable slavery and bondage in which they are! surely then they would flee unto Jesus Christ for freedom, and redemption. I deny not, but sin and corruption doth remain, yea work and stir in the very best, after they are renewed and sanctified by the Spirit of God; but they hate and loath their sins, yea pray and strive against them, and are never satisfied till they are utterly subdued and vanquished. But in the unconverted sin doth Reign, and play the Rex, so that they are under the power and dominion thereof, yielding a willing subjection thereunto. Their lusts no sooner bid them go, but they go and run again, they yield up themselves to be the servants of unrighteousness, and sometimes are content to be at a great deal of cost and pains, for the satisfying their filthy lusts.
3. Thou art under the damnation of sin. Though thou art nor actually roaring in Hell-flames with the Devils and damned, yet art thou liable thereunto; and if by some unexpected Providence thou shouldst be taken hence in thine unconverted state (which for ought thou knowest may be…al thee this night) thou hast no hope of escaping the damnation of Hell, but wilt most assuredly be cast into that Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where is nothing but weeping, and wailing, and gnash…ng of teeth, and that to all Eternity. Eccl. 11. 9. Solomon speaking unto the Young Man who was much addicted to his sensual lusts and pleasures, saith, by way of scorn and derision, Rejoyce in thy youth, and let thine heart chear thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. As if he had said, Do what thou pleasedst, deny not thy self any thing, which thine heart can desire, take thy fill of pleasure; But know thou, that for all these things, God will bring thee into Iudgment; that is, for thy misspent Youth, and all those sensual pleasures wherein thou takest so much content and delight, thou shalt perforce be brought before Christs Judgment-Seat at the last and great day, and there receive the dreadful sentence of Condemnation; and then be hurried by the Devils out of Christs Presence, and dragged into Hell, never, never to return again. Ah sinner, might thy torments there have an end, after so many millions of years as there are Stars in the Firmament, hairs on thy head, or sands on the Sea-shore, the consideration thereof would administer some comfort to thee; but the thought of Everlasting torment is the very Hell of Hell. O the folly and madness of many men, who from day to day, and from year to year, do put off their reformation, and amendment; yea, spend their days in mirth and jollity, as if they were in no danger, though they walk upon the very brink of Hell. Know, O young man, that so long as thou livest and continuest impenitently in thy wicked and ungodly course of life, there is but a step betwixt thee and eternal destruction: for thou hangest over the very Mouth of Hell, by the rotten Thred of thy life, which may soon be snapt asunder; and then what can be expected, but an irrevocable downfal into Hell?
Thus much for the setting forth the miserable condition of such as continue impenitently in their sinful courses, upon a conceit that they have time enough before them to repent in. Wherein I have somewhat the longer insisted, thereby to startle and awaken all unconverted sinners out of their carnal security, into a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadful danger they are in, so long as they live and lye in their sins unrepented of.
I shall close this last Objection, by removing those incouragements which many plead for the delaying their amendment, and reformation.
1. Taken from that noted place in Ezek. 18. 21. But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my Statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Whence some have inferred, that at what time soever a sinner doth repent him of his sins, he shall be received to mercy; and thereupon have deferred their repentance till it hath been too late.
Ans. 1. The Text affirmeth no such thing; but only, that whosoever truly turneth from all his sins, and sincerely endeavoureth to walk in all the ways of Gods Commandments, he shall surely live, and not die. So that the place truly understood, giveth no incouragement to any to put off their repentance to their old age, or death-bed; for what time have they then to express the sincerity of their repentance by their godly lives and conversations? If the conditions of the Text be well weighed and considered, they would fright men from that folly and madness.
2. Although it be true, that whensoever a wicked man truly repenteth, he shall be pardoned; yet he cannot truly repent whensoever he will; Repentance not being in his own power, but the free gift of God, which he seldom bestoweth on those in their old age, who have neglected it all the former part of their lives: And he that refuseth to turn when God calleth him, provoketh God to give him over to the hardness of his own heart, so that he cannot turn.
11. Another incouragement is taken from the Mercy of God. God, say they, is merciful and gracious, yea rich in mercy, whose arms are ever open to receive all poor sinners who come unto him; and therefore we hope to find mercy at last, though we never sought it before.
A. 1. True it is, God is merciful, yea abundant in mercy, but to whom will he extend his mercy? surely to poor penitent sinners, who in truth turn from their sins, and devote themselves to him, and his service: but thou who delayest and puttest off thy repentance from time to time, must not expect to partake one drop thereof. Though the Lord be ready to imbrace all poor penitent sinners in the Arms of his Mercy, yet will he wound the head of his Enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses, putting off his amendment from day to day, Psal. 68. 21.
2. Know, that as God is rich in Mercy, so likewise abundant in truth, and will shew no mercy to sinners in a way derogating from his truth. Now as God hath promised in his Word to receive such into his favour, who without delay will turn from their sins unto him, and keep his Statutes, Ezek. 18. 21. so in his Word hath he threatned destruction to such as put off their repentance, when he calleth upon them to turn; as Pro. 1. 24. Every Word of God will certainly have its accomplishment. When therefore thou presumest on the Mercy of God, remember withal, that he is a God of Truth; and as sure as God is true, if thou continuest in thine ungodly course of life, thou wilt perish for ever, notwithstanding God is merciful; For all the ways of the Lord are Mercy and Truth unto such as keep his Covenant, and his Testimonies, Psal. 25. 10.
3. Know that God is Iust as well as Merciful, and will by no means clear the Guilty. As he hath prepared Heaven for some, so Hell for others; and it is very just, that such should be cast into Hell, who will not accept of Heaven upon Gods terms, by a speedy turning from their sins, and giving up themselves unto him. Thou therefore who blessest thy self with a false perswasion of Gods Mercy, and thereupon runnest on in a course of sin, know that thereby thou dost deceive thine own Soul; for thou wilt at last find, that the Lord is just as well as merciful, just in executing his wrath upon obdurate and wilful sinners, as well as merciful in receiving your penitent sinners into favour. As God to shew the riches of his mercy converteth some in their elder years; so to shew the glory of his Justice, he leaveth others, and those the greatest part, to die in their sins.
4. It is a mercy that sinners can never enough admire, that upon repentance they may be received into favour: but it is a wicked perverting this mercy of God, if instead of leading us to repentance, it should incourage us to defer the same from day to day. Because God is merciful, shall we be so ungrateful, as thereupon to run on in a course of sinning against him, presuming on his mercy to the last? Because God is gracious, shall we thereupon prove the more ungracious and rebellious against him, and his Commandments? That be far from us. Yea rather, seeing the Lord is merciful and gracious, let us be the more ashamed to sin against so good and gracious a God. Let not the mercy of God occasion us to take any incouragement to sin against him; but rather let the consideration thereof be an effectual argument to prevail with us speedily to turn from our sins unto him, and to walk in the ways of holiness. Surely if there were any ingenuity in us, his love to us would constrain us to love him again: His mercy to us would work in us, both a care to please him, and a fear to offend him.
III. Another incouragement is taken by many from the patience and long-suffering of God, because he long bears with them in their wicked and ungodly courses, not executing his wrath upon them. Eccl. 8. 11. Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the Sons of men is fully set in them to do evil. Because the Lord is slow in executing vengeance on wicked men, therefore are their hearts exceedingly hardened in their sinful ways, so that they go on impenitently therein; abusing the long-suffering of God unto presumption, which should have led them to repentance: But know, that though the Lord doth bear long with some sinners, yet not with all. How many have we known in our own experience have been suddenly surprized and cut off in the very act of sin, not having so much time and strength as to say, Lord have mercy upon me! And assuredly the slower God is in striking, the heavier will be his stroak; tthe Curse and Wrath of God, for thy going on still in thy trespasses, will be more grievous on thee at the last.
IV. Another incouragement is taken by many from the example of the converted Thief on the Cross, who had spent all the former part of his life in wickedness, and profaneness.
A. 1. It is a single example of extraordinary mercy, there being not one more in all the Bible. It is the saying of S. Austin, Unus misericordiam invenit hora ultima, ne quis desperet, & unicus, ne quis praesumat. That one man was received to mercy at the last hour, that none should despair, and but one, that none should presume. For this one man that repented at the last, many thousand instances might be brought of such, who putting off their amendment from day to day, have at last perished in their sins. What folly then must it needs be in any, to put himself in a way wherein so many have miscarried!
2. Christ wrought this rare Miracle of Mercy upon an extraordinary occasion; namely, to honour the ignominy of his Cross. When his Humane Nature was lowest, then would he manifest the power of his Divine Nature; whereby Christ shewed what he could do, not what ordinarily he would do. And being an extraordinary act of Christs Mercy and Power, it can make no general rule: What ground of hope then can this afford to thee who wilfully spendest thy Youth and younger years in the service of sin and Satan, in hope to find mercy at the last.
3. Though the Thiefs repentance was late, even at the close of his life, yet it was so soon as he heard of Christ. For it doth not appear, that he either saw or heard of him before: whereas thou hast often heard of Christ in the Ministry of the Word, yea been called and invited to cast away thy sins, and to cast thy self upon him, to come unto Christ that thou mightst be saved, and yet hast slighted and rejected his gracious invitations, and quenched the good motions of his Spirit; therefore thy case is far different from his.
4. Though the Thief continued in his wicked and ungodly course of life to the last, and then became a true Convert; yet can it not be proved, that he purposely put off his repentance to that day. But questionless he persisted in his sinful ways till the hour of death, through ignorance, and not through wilfulness; whereas thou designest to follow thy sinful lusts and pleasures all thy life long, at least the best and greatest part thereof, and then at the last to resign up thy self to God, and his service: Therefore his late repentance can be no ground of incouragement unto thee, who wilfully resolvest to go on in thy wicked courses, so long as thou hast time and strength.