Five Discourses, Discourse 3
DISCOURSE III. How to form such a Purpose of sincere Repentance, and entire Obedience, as will be effectual for this Purpose.
On Acts 11.23. And exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart, they would cleave unto the Lord.
WHEN some of those Christians, who were dispers'd abroad, upon the Death of St. Stephen, came to Antioch, and upon their Preaching, Multitudes believed; the Church of Jerusalem sent out Barnabas; that he should go and confirm them in the new Course of Life which they had undertaken; and in the Holy Faith which they had received, and this he doth in the words of the Text; Who when he came and had seen the Grace of God, was glad, and exhorted them all, &c.
By cleaving to the Lord we may understand, not only adhering to God, and the Christian Religion, in opposition to the Jewish Worship, and to all false Gods, and Heathen Idols; a Point very necessary to be pressed, when they sought Converts, among Jews and Gentiles.
Not only adhering to Gospel-Truths, when they grow hazardous, a thing very requisite to be inculcated under approaching Tryals, and in difficult times: But also adhering to him in Vertue and Holiness in opposition to a wicked Life; a thing most indispensibly required, and fit to be studiously urged in all times.
In adhering thus to God in a vertuous Course, we shall meet with many Difficulties, and be put to de…y our selves, and very likely others too, whom either out of some temporal Expectation, or Affection, we gladly would comply withal; and this is enough to stagger our Choice, and to draw our hearts off from God, unless they are fully bent upon his ways, and knit to him by a sixt Resolution and steady Purpose of Obedience. And that the Apostle calls for in this place, from those who were engaged in, and would go on with God's Service, He exhorted them all that with purpose of heart, they would cleave unto the Lord.
My design from these words is to shew, how to form such a Resolution of new Life, and penitential Purpose, as may both set us in, and also carry us thro' with God's Service; and this may seem most necessary to be insisted on, because the far greatest part of penitential Purposes fall off before they have wrought an answerable Practice. So that 'tis highly useful to inquire what are their Defects, and how in a Point of such eternal moment, we may prevent miscarriages.
It is not all Holy Resolution, that will overcome our Lusts, and keep us true to our Maker against all Temptations. If it is weak or wavering, the Sollicitations of our old Friends will quickly alter, or the strength of great Temptations over-power it. If it is chiefly for remote Futurities, and over-looks what is next at hand, it will allow us to be wicked for the present. If it be made only in a good Mood, and the absence of Temptations, it will not bear us out when we come under them. If it were rash and hasty, without a due foresight and Consideration both of the Duties and the Difficulties which we resolv'd upon, it will be quash'd, when Hardships come that were not expected: If this Resolution is too indulgent about means and Expediencies, and not strict enough against all occasions of Sin; it leaves open a Back-door to let in many damnable Offences; and on the other side; if it is indiscreetly rigorous in these Points, it will prove a snare to us; if it is only a transient Act, and is not frequently repeated, and renewed again, in a little time it will pass off from us. A resolution of Amendment may prove ineffective and mis-carry upon all these Grounds; as is daily seen in the good Purposes of awakened Sinners, which are ever and anon rais'd in them by Sickness or some affecting Providence, but vanish and come to nothing, ere they have wrought the Reformation, which they were designed for.
When our Consciences are awakened then, with a frightful sense of our Sins, and we think seriously of reforming, and leading new Lives, great Care must be taken so to fix the bent of our hearts, and to form such a penitential Purpose, as may take effect, and bear us out in performing what we have design'd. And this I think will be well provided for, in these Particulars.
First, Our Resolution of a new Life must be considerate, and well advis'd.
Secondly, It must be without all reserve full and perfect.
Thirdly, It must be adequate to all times, or a Resolution to forsake Sin, not only hereafter, but instantly, and now at present, not only when we are out of Temptations, but also when we are under them; not only when we cannot Act our Sins, but also when we can Act and repeat them too.
Fourthly, It must not only be upon the Duties, but also upon the means and helps of Duty, not only against the Sins but against the Inducements and Occasions, that lead to sin likewise. And that being once well form'd, it may never wear off, but last thro' all times.
Fifthly, It must not only be a transient Act, but oftentimes repeated, and renewed thro' our whole Lives.
1. To form such a Resolution of a new Life as may be like to take effect, it must not be a rash and indeliberate Act, but well advis'd and considerate.
When some extraordinary Providences, as great Losses and Dangers, or severe smart and Sickness, have awakened mens Consciences, and fill'd them with a great and painful Dread of God's deserved wrath; to cure that Dread they resolve without more ado, to please him by a good Life; never considering what that is, or what Pains it costs, or whether it may not prove such a Remedy, as afterwards they will Fancy worse than the Disease it self. And when they are thus rash and unadvised in resolving on it, they quickly repent of such Resolutions, when they find it worse than they imagin'd, and meet with Hardships which they never expected.
To prevent this Sickliness in our Resolutions of a good Life then it is necessary, that we view and consider it well, what it is, and what Pains it requires, before we make them, and look on all sides to see, both what may discourage us from, and what may move us to them. And this our Saviour has plainly directed in two Similitudes; that of a Builder, who before he begins, considers whether he have enough to finish; and that of a King making war, who first consults, whether he is strong enough at least to defend himself, if not to conquer; for speaking to those, who seemed desirous to become his Disciples, he instructs them first to consider, what they are going to undertake, in these two Parables. Which of you, says he, intending to build a Tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Or what King going to War, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand; so that he may proceed not to fight but seek a Peace, if he find his numbers are in that Disproportion, Luk. 14.28, 31.
Thus when we resolve upon a good Life, if we would have that Resolution take effect, we must consider and weigh well what we do before we make it. We must bethink our selves and attently view, what that good Life is which we resolve upon; and also what reason we have to resolve upon it; and when we have thus considered all before, there is the less cause to fear, that any thing which we meet withal afterwards, should make us alter, or recede from it.
We must bethink our selves and consider, what that good Life is which we resolve upon. It is not enough that we resolve in the general to be good, but in our thoughts we must survey the particular Instances of Goodness, that so, if we stick at any of them, we may give it all its weight at first, and that after we have once resolved, it may not cause us to start back from it. When we return to God then, to live as he has requir'd, we must run over the several Duties wherein we stand bound to God, our Neighbour and our selves, and observing all the Particulars, ask our selves, whether we are willing to perform all of them for his sake. And if we resolve to do them, after we have taken such particular notice of them, this Resolution is like to do some good, and we may expect the desired effect from it. And when we have thus seriously considered, what a good Life is, we must next consider what great reason we have to resolve upon it, and what those things are, which may either discourage us from it, or excite us to it. To Discourse particularly upon these, would of it self be sufficient, for a Sermon, and therefore upon this Point, I shall barely mention them.
As for the Difficulties which may discourage us, they are such as these. When we enter upon a good Life, we engage in a Course, wherein for some time till use has made us Masters of it, we must undergo the Toyl of Inexpertness, and Act contrary to our former Customs, and lay restraint upon our natural Inclinations, and contend daily against the importunity of Temptations, and sometimes it may be, lose our Friends, and disserve our temporal Interests; all which are uneasie, and discouraging Considerations.
Indeed, if by the Earliness of his Conversion, and by the advantages of his place and station (his Lot being cast in innocent Employments, and among good men) and by the vertuous bent of his natural Temper and Complexion, (an invaluable Gift, which God bestows on some Persons) a mans Soul is originally disposed, and timely secured to Holiness; he will find little trouble in these things, nor be much pain'd, or hindred by them, from the first entrance. And if he has not been blest, in all these Particulars, to take off all Hardship from the first, yet will he have this to mitigate, and sweeten all the Labour, which he lays out upon them; the Toyl he undergoes is for the sake of one, who has endured far more for him, and infinitely deserved it of him, and if there is no want in his endeavour, by the help of God he shall be sure to conquer them; and to reap a present Content of Mind, and Peace of Conscience after every Conflict with them, and in the end to gain the everlasting Joys of Heaven by them. And when he has been used to them a little while, use will take off all the Hardship, and then instead of being burden'd by the ungrateful Duties, he shall begin to like them, and take a Pleasure therein. All which are great Abatements of the foresaid Difficulties, and very encouraging.
But let a good Life be difficult and uneasie as it will, when Hell fire is threatned to a wicked Life, that sure is incomparably more difficult; and a reason for us to resolve to be good beyond all Contradiction. For if the sight of Pain must discourage us from any Course, I am sure Hell fire has infinitely the most of it; and if Ease and Happiness may be any Inducement, the Ease and Happiness of Heaven, can never in any degree be equall'd; so that if we seriously consider, and look upon eternal Torment as inseparably annexed to every Sin; and on endless Joys as the sure Reward of our being intirely obedient; they are an answer to all Temptations in the World, and bear down every opposite Argument, and will make us resolve to lead a Holy Life, be the Difficulties or Discouragements that attend it what they will.
Thus must our penitential Purpose be no rash and sudden Act, but deliberate and well advis'd; when we resolve to lead a Holy Life; we must seriously consider with our selves what an Holy Life implys, and what reason we have to resolve upon it; attently viewing, both what may discourage us from it, and also what, notwithstanding that Discouragement, may and will induce us to it.
2. The Second Qualifications of a penitential Purpose is, that it must be without all reserve full and perfect.
When we resolve to amend our Lives, and become good, we must not except any Duties, for God excepts none, nor reserve to our selves an allowance of any Sins, for God forbids, and most severely punishes all sorts of Sin. Our Resolution must know no other limits but our Duty, and extend to every thing which God has required of us. And this compass of religious Purpose the Commandment expresly calls for, when we are enjoyn'd to love God with all our hearts, Luk. 10.27. For if we keep a secret reserve for any sin, our heart is given but by halves to God, and is not whole with him. Jehu walk'd not in the law of God with all his heart, says the Scripture, and the Proof is given, because he had a reserve in one Point, and departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, 2 Kin. 10.31. but David, says God, followed me with all his heart; which appear'd, because he did that only which is right in mine eyes, 1 Kin. 14.18. and what is said in this Case, the Psalmist expresses more universally of all others, They seek the Lord with their whole heart, who do no iniquity, Psal. 119.2, 3.
Thus must our penitential Purposes be full and intire with God, not sticking at any thing he has enjoyn'd, nor allowing of thing any his Law forbids us; and therefore, those Resolvers must not think they have finish'd, but only begun the work, who have not renounced all but only the greatest part, and still reserve themselves for some particular Sins; which are deep rooted in their natural Tempers, or closely interwoven with their way of Life and business; yea, or for some particular times, and Acts of any sin, resolving against it in all Cases, save only when 'tis powerfully recommended by some great Temptations; whilst they resolve thus by halves, they must needs perform and obey by halves too.
3. A Third Qualification of a penitential Purpose, is that it be adequate to all times, or a Resolution to forsake sin, not only hereafter, but instantly and now at present; not only when we are out of Temptations, but also when we are under them; not only when we cannot act them, but also when we can act and repeat them too.
1. It must be a Resolution to forsake sin, not only hereafter, but instantly and now at present. When mens Consciences are affrighted with the sense of their sins, and are made to see the necessity of Repentance, yet thinking that they may repent at any time, and desiring to enjoy the Pleasures of sin as long as they can, to please their Lusts, they will venture to sin on for some time▪ and to please God too in the end; resolve afterwards to repent of them. They will fulfil their wicked Lusts while they are in Health, and amend when they come upon their Sick-beds; they will enjoy all the Liberties of Vice in the vigorous days of youth, and grow severely vertuous when they are bowed down by the infirmities of old Age. Or if they are afraid to defer the work of Reformation so long, lest in the mean time Death prevent them; yet will they venture still to put it off a little longer, and not set about it suddenly, but delay it till the next Sacrament, or till some solemn time come.
But now as to this Dilatoriness in mens penitential Purposes; so far is it from being an Act of true Repentance, that indeed 'tis only an Art and Subterfuge for mens impenitence. For whilst we resolve only to repent hereafter, 'tis plain we intend to continue wicked still at present; nay what is more, we are in very great Danger, when that future time is come, to continue wicked then also. For if we delay it till Death or Sickness seize us, in all Likelihood, we shall neither have time, nor power for it. And if we put it off till old Age, we shall then have far greater Difficulties, and much less Strength to set about it. Nay, if we defer it to any time yet absent, besides our dying in the mean Season, which may prevent our doing what we intend, we shall find as great, or greater Hindrances then, than we do now.
If we delay it I say, till Death and Sickness seize us, in all Likelihood we shall have neither time nor power for it. Indeed, if God so please he can work Repentance in us, when there is the least time for it, and by the power of his Almighty Spirit, both begin and finish the Change in us in an instant. And that men may not quite despair in any State; one Case we have upon Record, wherein he did thus, and that was in the thief upon the Cross, who was reclaimed and converted to God, at the last moment, Luk. 23.43. So that there is no prescribing to the power of God, when he is willing to employ it in extraordinary Favours, and work wonders in reclaiming, and regenerating us all at once; whereas his ordinary way is to do it by more leisurely and gradual Motions.
But whatever there may be in those rare Cases, wherein God works by unwonted and extraordinary Grace; yet according to ordinary Rules, and the Course of things, we are not likely to have either time or power sufficient to repent, if we delay it till our Death-beds. The Alteration of a whole Life, and long Course of sin, requires much time, and a vigorous and diligent Application; for ordinarily we cannot retrench our sinful Habits, but by an opposite Course and Usage; we cannot turn the Byass of our Natures, and the bent of our corrupt Inclinations, but by strong and frequent Exercise; the Duties which we are to perform, are very numerous in Particulars, and in the ordinary way we cannot attain, and become habitually inclinable almost to any one, till after many Actions and repeated Tryals. When we have a whole Life to alter and reform; and must mortifie, many natural Lusts, and root out many habitual Sins, and acquire as many Vertues, which are not only very uncouth, but opposite and repugnant to our Inclinations; we have a long and studious work that lies upon us, and that requires both much time, and much Freedom, and Fitness in all our Faculties, and how can we expect that upon our Death-bed? For then our time is short, and all our Faculties enfeebled and oppressed, which utterly unfits them to be held either much or long employ'd; so that if we delay our Repentance till Death seize us, in all Probability we shall never thorowly repent at all.
Again, if we delay our Repentance till old Age, we shall have then, far greater Difficulties, and much less Strength to set about it.
The Difficulty which we have to conquer will then be greater. For by our continuance in sin, all those things are strengthned and confirm'd, which make our return difficult; for all our sinful Habits are confirm'd by Practice, and all our natural Lusts are heightned by Indulgence; so that our continuance doth nothing else but add to the Disease, and make it harder to be cured afterwards.
And as it heightens the Difficulties, so it impairs our Aids, and leaves us much less Strength to set about Amendment. For by every Repetition of an evil Action, our Conscience of its guilt is the more extinguish'd, and the good Spirit of God is the more alienated from us, and provok'd the more to withdraw himself, and abandon us; and our own Conscience, and God's Grace, are the very things, which must recover us out of our sinful state, if ever we do recover out of it: So that to defer repenting to old Age, is only to put it off, till we have contracted the greatest spiritual Impotence, and till sin is grown most strong and potent in us; which is not the way to reclaim us from, but to secure us fast in wickedness.
Nay, if we would not defer repenting, till our Death-bed, nor till we are grown old, but only till the next Sacrament, or some other time yet distant; yet even of this delay I must observe, that besides our dying in the mean Season, which may prevent our doing what we intend, if we put it off to any time beyond the present, we shall find as great or greater Hindrances then, than we do now; for that which hinders us from an actual Reformation now, is only the uneasiness of the work; and if we take time only to sin more, that, as I have observ'd, is the way to increase that uneasiness, but not at all to lessen or abate it. We have no Exception against the present time, but only because it is present, and because we would have difficult things always future, and far distant from us; and that Exception will lie equally against all other times, when they come to be present too. Nay, 'twill lie against them much more; because the longer we put off this difficult work, the harder will it be at last when we come to it; the Hardships daily growing upon our hands, and encreasing by continuance in a Course of wickedness. So that when by reason of the Difficulty of an entire Reformation; men deferr it to a distant time, they will find to their Cost, when that time comes, that the same Difficulties are still in force; yea, have more added to them, to make them delay it, yet a little longer; and that which hindred them at first; if it be acknowledg'd a sufficient hindrance, will equally, nay, much more hinder them, for ever after. And this St. Austin ingeniously Confesses he found. *Differens dicebam, modo, ecce modo, sine paululum; sed modo & modo, non habebant modum.When I delay'd repenting, says he, I said yet a little while, and then again a little while, and then I will repent: till at last I found, if I gave way to these little whiles, they would be infinite and last always.
Thus if men would repent in earnest, and have their holy Purposes take any good Effects, they must resolve to do it out of hand, and not delay it till their Sick-bed, or some other time yet distant. They are too late in all reason to have a work of that necessity and importance yet to begin; and they may well be the farther from it, but cannot expect to be more able or likely to begin it at another Season. The present time is only that which they can call their own, and that wherein they are like to go on most easily, and surely with the work of Reformation. So that when they resolve to repent, the only wise Course is to resolve to do it instantly, and use no delays at all.
But besides this, That our penitential Purpose must not only be to repent at some time hereafter, but instantly now at present: It is necessary,
2. That it be made against our sins, not only when we are out of Temptations, but also when we are under them: Not only when we cannot Act them, but also when we can act and repeat them too.
Some men are very zealous against their sins, whilst they have no Temptation to them; but their Indignation is quite cold, and all their Resentment is laid aside; when once they have. They are never angry with them, but when they are at a distance, and are melted down again into Love and Compliance, when once they come to a second Meeting. Their holy Purposes are not owing to any strength of their virtuous Convictions, but only to the absence of sinful Inducements; so that as soon as they return upon them, they are altogether, the same men, as unresolved, and unreclaimed as they were before.
And others are firmly set against some sins only, whilst they are incapacitated for them; but instantly revolt, when they are able, and prepared to return to to them again. A fit of sickness has cool'd the flames of Lust, or dull'd the edge of Appetite; and whilst they are in this impotent Estate, they can easily resolve against intemperance and uncleanness; because they are not fit to undergo them, nor can take any pleasure in them; but if once their bodily Indisposition is amended, having recovered to the same Desires, they are set as much upon the same Practices as ever. Their good resolution was owing only to the weakness of Nature, and so vanishes in Course, when it becomes vigorous and strong again.
But a good resolution is made for the hour of Temptation; it is to be our strength and guard, and is then most especially to be put on, when our virtue is assaulted, and we have the greatest need of it. So that we must not only put on resolutions, whilst Dangers are at a distance, but most of all, when they are near at hand, and ready to assayl us.
Besides these Qualifications of a penitential Purpose hitherto insisted on, there remain two more, which I recited at first, and which I have not time now to explain, and can do little more than mention.
4. In the Fourth place then our penitential Purpose and Resolution of new Life, must not only be upon the Duties, but also upon the means and helps, and not only against the sins, but against the occasions and inducements to sin likewise.
The neglect of this resolving upon sit means and helps of living well; and against the occasions of doing ill, makes as many good Resolutions miscarry, I believe, as any other thing whatsoever. For under some great Convictions, and fright of mind men resolve to be good; but at the same time, they are not careful to resolve upon the right way and means of being so: They do not resolve in order to it, to store their minds with clear apprehensions of all particular Duties; to think much of Heaven and Hell, Death and Judgment, and other Motives to obedience; to make choice of religious Companions, who will cherish in them a sense of good things; to shew care in keeping out of Temptations, and Watchfulness, and Circumspection, when they are under them; and call themselves daily to an account of their miscarriages; and be instant in Prayers for God's Grace; and to use other wise means and expedients, which may enable them to accomplish what they design, and effectually perform that good Life which they resolve upon; and for want of resolving thus wisely upon the means, as well as upon the end, all those good beginnings and holy purposes fall to nothing. For a Man may as well resolve to be rich, without resolving to mind his Business, or resolve to be learn'd, without a diligent Application to his Studies; as resolve to be good, without resolving also upon the right way, and means of attaining Goodness. A bare resolution of it will not do the work, for we must not only firmly resolve; but wisely endeavour it too.
And when we have thus considerately resolv'd to lead new Lives, and have resolved it without reserve in all Points; and that too in all times, both at present, and for the future, in Temptations and out of them; and that upon the Means, as well as upon the Duties, and against the occasions, as well as against the sins: When our penitential purpose, I say, is thus qualified in all these Particulars, to make it strong and persevering in all times, we must take care,
5thly, That it be not only a transient Act; but oftentimes repeated and renewed through our whole Lives.
As for the frequency of this renewal; there can be no fixt bounds set to all tempers and states of Penitents, but that must be determin'd by the measure of their Zeal for God; and the necessities of their own Souls. When at any time they relapse into any wilful sin, they must renew their resolution particularly against it, before they come to ask Pardon for it; because God will not pardon any wilful Sin, till we have particularly repented of it. And when they come to the Holy Sacrament, which is a renewal of the whole Baptismal Covenant; it may be very fit and adviseable, that at some times through all their Lives, but much oftner whilst their falls are more frequent, and their state more doubtful, they renew their Vows and penitential Engagements upon all the particular heads of Duty, and against all known sins whatsoever. And to be prepared every day, against the sins, which they are lyable to incurr in the constant Course of Life and Conversation; they may do well to repeat their resolutions against all probable Temptations of that day every Morning, and lay wait for the Opportunities of performing them in the day-time, and take a strict account of their Faculties or Performances every night. And if Repentance is thus made a design'd work, and turn'd into a daily buness; it will be like to go on well and prosper in our hands. We are still supplying it, where it wants, and renewing it where it fails, and fortifying it, where it begins to falter. And if we persevere in this Course, and proceed in it, not only now and then by Fits, but always; we shall be in no danger of relapsing, but continue Penitents, to our Lives-end Which God of his great Mercy grant, &c.