Sermons and Discourses Volume 8, Sermon 9
SERMON IX.Serm. 8. The Nature and Neceſſity of holy Reſolution. The Firſt Sermon on this Text.
JOB XXXIV.31, 32.
Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, I will not offend any more: That which I ſee not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
THESE words are the words of Elihu, one of Job's Friends, and the only one who is not reproved for his Diſcourſe with Job, and who was probably the Author of this ancient and moſt eloquent Hiſtory of the ſufferings and patience of Job, and of the end which the Lord made with him;Vol. 8. and they contain in them a Deſcription of the temper and behaviour of a true Penitent. Surely it is meet, &c.
In which words we have the Two eſſential parts of a true Repentance.
Firſt, An humble Acknowledgment and Confeſſion of our Sins to God, Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement.
Secondly, A firm Purpoſe and Reſolution of amendment and forſaking of Sin for the future, I will not offend any more; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
Firſt, An humble Acknowledgment and Confeſſion of our Sins to God; Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I have born chaſtiſement, that is, have ſinned and been juſtly puniſh'd for it, and am now convinced of the Evil of Sin, and reſolved to leave it; I have born chaſtiſement, I will offend no more.
Of this Firſt part of Repentance, viz. An humble Confeſſion of our Sins to God, with great Shame and Sorrow for them, and a thorow Conviction of the Evil and Danger of a ſinful Courſe, I have already treated at large. In theſe Repentance muſt begin, but it muſt not end in them: for a penitent Confeſſion of our Sins to God, and a Conviction of the evil of them, ſignifies nothing, unleſs it bring us to a Reſolution of amendment, that is, of leaving our Sins, and betaking our ſelves to a better Courſe: And this I intend, by God's aſſiſtance, to ſpeak to now, as being the
Second Part of a true Repentance here deſcribed in the Text, viz. A firm Purpoſe and Reſolution of amendment and forſaking of Sin for the future; and to expreſs it the more ſtrongly and emphatically, and to ſhew the firmneſs of the Reſolution, it is repeated again; I will not offend any more; and then in the next verſe, If I have done iniquity, I will do no more. And this is ſo neceſſary a part of Repentance, that herein the very eſſence and formal Nature of Repentance does conſiſt, viz. in the firm and ſincere Purpoſe and Reſolution of a better Courſe.
In the handling of this Argument, I ſhall do theſe Six things.
I. I ſhall ſhew what Reſolution is in general.
II. What is the ſpecial Object of this kind of Reſolution.
III. What is implyed in a ſincere Reſolution of leaving our Sins and returning to God.
IV. I ſhall ſhew that in this Reſolution of Amendment, the very eſſence and formal Nature of Repentance does conſiſt.
V. I ſhall offer ſome Conſiderations to convince men, both of the neceſſity and fitneſs of this Reſolution, and of keeping ſtedfaſtly to it. Surely it is meet to be ſaid unto God, I will not offend any more.
VI. I ſhall add ſome brief directions concerning the managing and maintaining of this holy and neceſſary Reſolution.
I. What Reſolution in general is. It is a fixt Determination of the Will about any thing, either to do it, or not to do it, as upon due deliberation we have judged and concluded it to be neceſſary or convenient to be done, or not to be done by us: And this ſuppoſeth three things.
1. Reſolution ſuppoſeth a precedent deliberation of the Mind about the thing to be reſolved upon. For no prudent Man does determine or reſolve upon any thing, till he have conſidered the thing, and weighed it well with himſelf, and have fully debated the neceſſity and expedience of it; what Advantage he ſhall have by the doing of it, and what danger and inconvenience will certainly or very probably redound to him by the neglect and omiſſion of it. For peremptorily to determine and reſolve upon any thing, before a Man have done this, is not properly Reſolution; but precipitancy and raſhneſs.
2. Reſolution ſuppoſeth ſome Judgment paſt upon the thing, after a Man hath thus deliberated about it; that he is ſatisfied in his Mind one way or other concerning it, that his Underſtanding is convinced either that it is neceſſary and convenient for him to do it, or that it is not; and this is ſometimes call'd Reſolution, but is not that Reſolution which immediately determines a man to action. This Judgment of the neceſſity and fitneſs of the thing, is not the Reſolution of the Will, but of the Underſtanding; for it does not ſignifie that a Man hath fully determined to do the thing, but that he hath determined with himſelf that it is reaſonable to be done, and that he is no longer in doubt and ſuſpence whether it be beſt for him to do it or not, but is in his Mind reſolved and ſatisfied one way or other. And theſe are two very different things; to be reſolved in one's Judgment, that is, to be convinced that a thing is fit and neceſſary to be done; and to be reſolved to ſet upon the doing of it; for many men are thus convinced of the fitneſs and neceſſity of the thing, who yet have not the heart, cannot bring themſelves to a firm and fixt Reſolution to ſet upon the doing of it. So that an act of the Judgment, muſt go before the Reſolution of the Will: for as he is raſh that reſolves to do a thing before he hath deliberated about it; ſo he is blind and wilful that reſolves to do a thing before his Judgment be ſatisfied, whether it be beſt for him to do it or not.
3. If the matter be of conſiderable moment and conſequence, Reſolution ſuppoſeth ſome motion of the Affections; which is a kind of Biaſs upon the Will, a certain Propenſion and Inclination that a Man feels in himſelf, either urging him to do a thing, or withdrawing him from it. Deliberation and Judgment they direct a Man what to do, or leave undone; the Affections excite and quicken a Man to take ſome Reſolution in the matter, that is, to do ſuitably to the Judgment his Mind hath paſt upon the thing. For inſtance; A great ſinner reflects upon his Life, and conſiders what he hath done, what the Courſe is that he lives in, and what the iſſue and conſequence of it will probably or certainly be, whether it will make him happy or miſerable in the concluſion; and debating the Matter calmly and ſoberly with himſelf, he is ſatisfied and convinced of the Evil and Danger of a wicked Life, and conſequently that it is beſt for him to reſolve upon a better Courſe, that is, to repent. Now theſe thoughts muſt needs awaken in him fearful apprehenſions of the wrath of Almighty God, which is due to him for his Sins and hangs over him, and which he is every moment in danger of, if he goes on in his Evil Courſe. Theſe thoughts are apt likewiſe to fill him with Shame and Confuſion, at the remembrance of his horrible Ingratitude to God his Maker, his beſt Friend and greateſt Benefactor, and of his deſperate Folly in provoking Omnipotent Juſtice againſt himſelf; whereupon he is heartily grieved and troubled for what he hath done; and theſe Affections of Fear and Shame and Sorrow being once up, they come with great violence upon the Will, and urge the Man to a ſpeedy Reſolution of changing his Courſe, and leaving the Way he is in, which he is fully convinced is ſo Evil and Dangerous, and of betaking himſelf to another Courſe, which he is fully ſatisfied will be much more for his Safety and Advantage.
So that Reſolution in general, is a fixt Determination of the Will; that is, ſuch a Determination as is not only for the preſent free from all wavering and doubting, but ſuch as cannot prudently be altered, ſo long as the reaſon remains. For the Man who upon full Deliberation and Conviction of his Mind reſolves upon any thing, cannot without the imputation of ſickleneſs and inconſtancy quit that Reſolution, ſo long as he hath the ſame Reaſon which he had when he took it up, and is ſtill ſatisfied that the Reaſon is good. For inſtance; The Man who hath taken up a Reſolution to be Sober, becauſe of the uglineſs and unreaſonableneſs of Drunkenneſs, and the temporal Inconveniences and Eternal Damnation which that Sin expoſeth a Man to; if theſe Reaſons be true and good, can never prudently alter the Reſolution which he hath taken, and return to that Sin again.
II. Let us conſider what is the ſpecial Object or Matter of this Reſolution, wherein the formal Nature of Repentance does conſiſt, what it is that a Man when he repents reſolves upon; and that I told you is to leave his Sin, and to return to God and his Duty; and this is the Reſolution which the Penitent here deſcribed in the Text takes up, I will not offend any more. That which I ſee not, teach thou me; and if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. He reſolves againſt all known Sin, I will not offend any more; and if through Ignorance he had ſinned and done contrary to his Duty, he deſires to be better inſtructed, that he may not offend again in the like kind, That which I ſee not, teach thou me; and if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
So that the true Penitent reſolves upon theſe two things.
1. To forſake his Sin. And
2. To return to God and his Duty.
1. To forſake his Sin: and this implies the quitting of his ſinful Courſe whatever it had been; and that not only by abſtaining from the outward act and practice of every Sin, but by endeavouring to crucifie and ſubdue the inward Affection and Inclination to it.
And it implies farther, the utter forſaking of Sin; for Repentance is not only a Reſolution to abſtain from Sin for the preſent, but never to return to it again. Thus Ephraim when he repented of his Idolatry, he utterly renounced it, ſaying, What have I to do any more with Idols? Hoſ. 14.8. He that truly repents, is reſolved to break off his ſinful Courſe, and to abandon thoſe Luſts and Vices which he was formerly addicted to, and lived in.
2. The true Penitent reſolves likewiſe to return to God and his Duty: he does not ſtay in the negative part of Religion, he does not only reſolve not to commit any Sin, but not to neglect or omit any thing that he knows to be his Duty; and if he has been ignorant of any part of his Duty, he is willing to know it, that he may do it; he is not only determined to forſake his Sin, which will make him miſerable, but to return to God, who alone can make him happy: he is now reſolved to love God, and to ſerve him as much as he hated and diſhonoured him before; and will now be as diligent to perform and practiſe all the Duties and Parts of Religion, as he was negligent of them before, and as ready to do all the good he can to all men in any kind, as he was careleſs of theſe things before: theſe in general are the things which a true Penitent reſolves upon. I proceed to the
III. Thing I propoſed to conſider, namely what is implyed in a ſincere Reſolution of leaving our Sins, and returning to God and our Duty. And this holy Reſolution, if it be thorow and ſincere, does imply in it theſe three things.
1. That it be Univerſal.
2. That it be a Reſolution of the Means as well as of the End.
3. That it preſently come to effect, and be ſpeedily and without delay put in Execution.
1. A ſincere Reſolution of amendment muſt be univerſal: a Reſolution to forſake all Sin, and to return to our whole Duty, and every part of it; ſuch a Reſolution as that of holy David, to hate every falſe way, and to have reſpect to all God's Commandments.
This Reſolution muſt be univerſal in reſpect of the whole Man, and with regard to all our Actions: in reſpect of the whole Man; for we muſt reſolve not only to abſtain from the outward Action of Sin, but this Reſolution muſt have its effect upon our inward Man, and reach our very hearts and thoughts; it muſt reſtrain our inclinations, and mortifie our luſts and corrupt affections, and renew us in the very ſpirit of our minds, as the Apoſtle expreſſes it.
And it muſt be univerſal, in reſpect of all our Actions. For this is not the Reſolution of a ſincere Penitent, to abſtain only from groſs and notorious, from ſcandalous and open Sins; but likewiſe to refrain from the Commiſſion of thoſe Sins which are ſmall in the eſteem of men, and not branded with a Mark of publick Infamy and Reproach; to forbear Sin in ſecret, and when no Eye of Man ſees us and takes notice of us. This is not a ſincere Reſolution, to reſolve to practice the Duties and Virtues of Religion in publick, and to neglect them in private; to reſolve to perform the Duties of the firſt Table, and to paſs by thoſe of the ſecond; to reſolve to ſerve God, and to take a liberty to defraud and cozen men; to honour our Father which is in Heaven, and to injure and hate our Brethren upon Earth; to love our Neighbour, and to hate our Enemy, as the Jews did of old time; to reſolve againſt Swearing, and to allow our ſelves the liberty to ſpeak falſely, and to break our Word; to flee from Superſtition, and to run into Faction; to abhor Idols, and to commit Sacriledge; to reſolve to be devout at Church, and deceitful in our Shops; to be very ſcrupulous about leſſer matters, and to be very zealous about indifferent things; to tithe mint and aniſe and cummin, and to omit the weightier matters of the Law, Mercy and Fidelity and Juſtice; to be very rigid in matters of Faith and Opinion, but looſe in Life and Practice.
No; the Reſolution of a ſincere Penitent muſt be univerſal and uniform: it muſt extend alike to the forbearing of all Sin, and the exerciſe of every Grace and Virtue, and to the due Practice and Performance of every part of our Duty. The true Penitent muſt reſolve for the future to abſtain from all Sin, to be holy in all manner of Converſation, and to abound in all the fruits of righteouſneſs, which by Jeſus Chriſt are to the praiſe and glory of God. For if a Man do truly repent of his wicked Life, there is the very ſame Reaſon why he ſhould reſolve againſt all Sin, as why he ſhould reſolve againſt any; why he ſhould obſerve all the Commandments of God, as why he ſhould keep any one of them. For as St. James reaſons concerning him that wilfully breaks any one Commandment of God, that he is guilty of all, and breaks the whole Law; becauſe the Authority of God is equally ſtampt upon all his Laws, and is violated and contemned by the wilful tranſgreſſion of any one of them; For he that hath ſaid, thou ſhalt not kill, hath likewiſe ſaid, thou ſhalt not commit adultery, and thou ſhalt not ſteal: ſo he that reſolves againſt any one Sin, or upon Performance of any one part of his Duty, ought for the very ſame reaſon to make his Reſolution univerſal; becauſe one Sin is Evil and Provoking to God, as well as another; and the Performance of one part of our Duty good and pleaſing to him, as well as another, and there is no difference. So that he that reſolves againſt any Sin, upon wiſe and reaſonable gounds, becauſe of the Evil of it, and the danger of the wrath of God to which it expoſeth us, ought for the ſame reaſon to reſolve againſt all Sin; becauſe it is damnable to commit adultery, and to ſteal, as well as to kill; and that Reſolution againſt Sin, which is not univerſal, it is a plain Caſe that it is not true and ſincere, and that it was not taken up out of the ſenſe of the intrinſical evil of Sin, and the danger of it in reſpect of God and the Judgment of another World; (for this Reaſon holds againſt every Sin, and remains always the ſame) but that it was taken up upon ſome inferior Conſideration, either becauſe of the Shame and Infamy of it among men, or becauſe of ſome other temporal inconvenience, which if the Man could be ſecur'd againſt, he would preſently break his Reſolution, and return to the Commiſſion of that Sin, with as much freedom as any other.
2. A ſincere Reſolution implies a Reſolution of the Means as well as of the End. He that is truly and honeſtly reſolved againſt any Sin, is likewiſe reſolved to avoid as much as is poſſible the Occaſions and Temptations which may lead or draw him to that Sin; or if they happen to preſent themſelves to him, he is reſolved to ſtand upon his Guard and to reſiſt them. In like manner he that ſincerely reſolves upon doing his Duty in any kind, muſt reſolve upon the Means that are requiſite and neceſſary to the due Diſcharge and Performance of that Duty. As he that reſolves againſt that needleſs and uſeleſs Sin of Swearing in common Converſation, muſt reſolve alſo to ſet a guard before the door of his lips, ſeeing it is certain that it requires great care and attention, at leaſt for ſome competent time, to get rid of a habit.
When David reſolved not to offend with his Tongue, he reſolved at the ſame time to be very watchful over himſelf, Pſal. 39.1. I ſaid I will take heed to my ways, that I offend not with my Tongue: I will keep my mouth as with a bridle, while the wicked is before me. For a Man to reſolve againſt any Sin or Vice, and yet to involve himſelf continually in the occaſions, and to run himſelf into the Company and Temptation which do naturally, and will almoſt neceſſarily lead and betray him into thoſe Sins, is a plain evidence of inſincerity. This I take for a certain rule, that whatever can reaſonably move a Man to reſolve upon any End, will, if his Reſolution be ſincere and honeſt, determine him every whit as ſtrongly to uſe all thoſe Means which are neceſſary in order to that end. But of this I have ſpoken elſewhere.
3. A ſincere Reſolution of leaving our Sins, and returning to God and our Duty, does imply the preſent time, and that we are to reſolve ſpeedily and without delay to put this Reſolution in practice; that we are peremptorily determined not to go one ſtep farther in the ways of Sin, not to neglect any Duty that God requires of us, not for one moment; but immediately and forthwith to ſet upon the practice of it, ſo ſoon as occaſion and oportunity is offer'd to us. And the Reaſon of this is evident; Becauſe the very ſame Conſiderations that prevail upon any Man to take up this Reſolution of amendment, and changing the Courſe of his Life, are every whit as prevalent to engage him to put this Reſolution preſently in practice and execution.
I deny not, but a Man may reſolve upon a thing for the future, and when the time comes, may execute his Reſolution, and this Reſolution may for all that be very ſincere and real, tho' it was delayed to a certain time, becauſe he did not ſee Reaſon to reſolve to do the thing ſooner: But it cannot be ſo in this Caſe of Repentance; becauſe there can no good Reaſon be imagined, why a Man ſhould reſolve ſeven years hence to change his Courſe, and break off his ſinful Life, but the very ſame Reaſon will hold as ſtrongly, why he ſhould do it preſently and without delay; and over and beſides this, there are a great many and powerful Reaſons and Conſiderations, why he ſhould rather put this good Reſolution in preſent Execution, than put it off and defer it to any farther time whatſoever.
What is it that puts thee upon this Reſolution of leaving thy Sins, and urgeth thee to do it at all? Art thou reſolved to leave Sin, becauſe it is ſo great an Evil? Why it is ſo for the preſent; the Evil of it is intrinſical to it, and cleaves to the very Nature of it, and is never to be ſeparated from it: ſo that this is a preſent Reaſon, and as ſtrong againſt it now, as ever it will be hereafter: nay it is ſtronger at preſent; becauſe if it be ſo great an Evil, the ſooner we leave it, the better.
Or doſt thou reſolve to forſake Sin, becauſe thou art apprehenſive of the danger and miſchief of it, that it will expoſe thee to the wrath of God, and to the endleſs and intolerable Miſery of another World? Why this Reaſon likewiſe makes much more for the preſent leaving of it; becauſe the longer thou continueſt in a ſinful and impenitent ſtate, the greater is thy danger, and the greater Penalty thou wilt moſt certainly incur; by delaying to put this good Reſolution in Practice, thou doſt increaſe and multiply the Cauſes of thy Fear. For hereby thou provokeſt God more, and every day doſt incenſe his wrath more and more againſt thee; thou prepareſt more and more fewel for everlaſting burnings, and treaſureſt up for thy ſelf more wrath, againſt the day of wrath, and the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God. Nay thou doſt not only increaſe and aggravate; but thou doſt hereby haſten thine own Miſery and Ruine, and takeſt the moſt effectual Courſe that is poſſible, to bring thine own Fears, and the Vengeance of Almighty God, ſo much the ſooner upon thee. For nothing provokes God to take a ſpeedier courſe with ſinners, and does more quicken the pace of his Judgments, than wilful continuance in Sin.
And yet farther; If thy Reſolution be valuable and conſiderable to thee, thou takeſt the moſt effectual courſe in the World to fruſtrate and defeat it. Thou art fully reſolved to leave thy Sins hereafter, and thou thinkeſt thou haſt Reaſon for it: but by continuing in them for the preſent, thou provokeſt the Juſtice of almighty God to cut thee off, before thy Reſolution hath taken effect.
Again; Doſt thou reſolve to leave thy Sins one time or other, becauſe thereby thou hopeſt to put thy ſelf into a Capacity of Pardon and Mercy, and of Eternal Life and Happineſs? Why this Reaſon ſhould move thee to do the thing as ſoon as is poſſible; becauſe the ſooner thou forſakeſt thy Sins, thou haſt the greater hope of finding Mercy and Forgivneſs with God; and the ſooner thou beginneſt a Holy Courſe, and the longer thou continueſt therein, thou haſt Reaſon to expect a greater and more ample Reward. Thou canſt not by holding off, hope to bring down Pardon and Mercy to lower Rates, and to obtain theſe hereafter upon eaſier Terms: no; the Terms and Conditions of God's Mercy are already fixt and eſtabliſh'd, ſo as never to be alter'd.
So that whatever Reaſon thou canſt poſſibly allege for taking up this Reſolution, it is every whit as forcible and powerful to perſwade thee to put it ſpeedily in Execution.
And then there is this Reaſon beſides, and that a very conſiderable one, why thou ſhouldeſt immediately put this Reſolution in practice, and not delay it for a moment. Thou may'ſt at preſent do it much more certainly, and much more eaſily. Much more certainly; becauſe thou art ſurer of the preſent time, than thou canſt be of the future. The preſent is in thy Power: but not one moment more. And thou may'ſt at preſent do it more eaſily; for the longer thou continueſt in Sin, thy Reſolution againſt it will ſtill grow weaker, and the habit of Sin continually ſtronger. Thou wilt every day be more enſlaved by the Power of thy Luſts, and thy heart will every day be more hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin. All the change that time makes, will ſtill be for the worſe, and more to thy diſadvantage. Sin will be as pleaſant to thee hereafter, and thou more loth to leave it, than at preſent. Sin was never mortified by Age. It will every day have more ſtrength to bind thee and hold thee faſt, and thou wilt every day have leſs to break looſe from it. For by every Sin thou doſt commit, thou addeſt a new degree to the ſtrength and force of it; and ſo much ſtrength as thou addeſt to it, ſo much thou takeſt from thy ſelf, and ſo much thou loſeſt of thine own Power and Liberty. For a Man and his Luſts are like Nature and a Diſeaſe: ſo much ſtrength as the Diſeaſe gains, Nature loſeth, and the Man is hereby doubly weakned: for he does not only loſe ſo much of his own ſtrength; but the Enemy gets it.
Nay thou doſt hereby likewiſe forfeit that auxiliary ſtrength and aſſiſtance which the Grace of God is ready to afford to men, his reſtraining and his preventing Grace. For as a Man goes on in Sin, and advanceth in an evil Courſe, the Grace of God draws off by degrees, and his Holy Spirit doth inſenſibly leave him: and when a ſinner is come to this, his beſt Reſolutions will vaniſh like the morning cloud, and the early dew, which paſſeth away.
So that it cannot be a true and ſincere Reſolution of leaving our Sins, if it do not take place, and have not its effect preſently. For there is no Man that takes up a Reſolution, upon weighty and conſiderable Reaſons, of doing any thing; but if the Reaſons upon which he takes it up urge him to do the thing at preſent, he will preſently ſet about it: and that Man is not reſolved to do a thing, whatever he may pretend, who hath moſt Reaſon to do it at preſent, and may beſt do it now, and yet delays it.
And thus I have opened to you the Nature of this holy Reſolution of leaving our Sins, and returning to God and our Duty; and have ſhewn what is neceſſarily implyed in ſuch a Reſolution, if it be ſincere and in good earneſt; That it be Univerſal; and that it be a Reſolution of the Means, as well as of the End; and that it preſently take place and be put in Execution. And theſe are three the beſt Signs and Marks that I know of, whereby a Man may try and examine the truth and ſincerity of that Reſolution of Amendment, which we call Repentance. If it be againſt all Sin, and have an equal regard to every part of our Duty; if when we reſolve upon the End, that is to avoid Sin, and to perform our Duty, we are equally reſolved upon the Means that are neceſſary to thoſe Ends; if the Reſolution we have taken up commence preſently, and from that day forward be duly executed and put in practice, then is our Repentance and Reſolution of Amendment ſincere: but if there be a defect in any of theſe, our Reſolution is not as it ought to be.