Eighteen Sermons, Sermon 2
Heb. 4.7.
Again he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, to day after so long a time as it is said, to day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
THe last day I entred on the opening of the place, and shew'd.
How the Lord had proposed a limited time for our conversion unto him, in which we should hear and obey his voice.
We shew'd farther how it was Satans policie to make men seem wiser then God, that when God proposes a certain time, and limits us a day wherin he will be found, we will not have his, but our own. True, say we, God calls on us, and it's fit and convenient to hearken unto him; but yet Ile stay for a more seasonable opportunity. There is nothing provokes God so much against us, as when we will thus scorn that acceptable time he hath proposed: Nor can there be a greater hinderance to repentance, then to stop our eares at his counsels, and to suffer him to call and cry unto us so long, and yet to abuse his patience by a foolish neglect. It accuses us of rebellion and high presumption, on such infirm grounds to put from us the day of salvation. Folly it is in the highest degree to trust on the future, when as in our own hands we have neither space nor grace for such a businesse. God is the Lord and owner of them both, and will not part with his Prerogative. Go to, you that say to day or to morrow we will return unto the Lord. You adde to presumption both folly and rebellion. Jezabel had space to repent, yet she repented not, for she had not the grace; that without this will not benefit.
Seeing then these are not in your power, harden not your hearts as in the provocation: Nor offer despight unto the Holy Ghost, by whom you are sealed to the day of redemption. If we embrace not Gods day, we despise the riches of his goodnesse, long suffering and patience. Rom. 2. Despisest thou the riches of Gods grace, not knowing that the long-suffering of God leadeth to repentance? There can be no higher presumption then this, to bid defiance to the Spirit of God: Nor can there be greater contempt of mercy, then to set light of the time of our repentance, and returning unto God, making that the greatest argument of our delay, which God uses to draw us to him. God gives us space, that we may repent, and we repent not, because he gives us space: He gives us life, that with fear and trembling we may set about the businesse of salvation, and we through strong delusions put from us the proffers of his grace, as if they were unseasonably offer'd. What madnesse is it to frustrate the Almighty of his ends and purposes? The Lord is not slack touching his promise. It's a great stop and hindrance to our progesse in goodnesse and the work of repentance, when we distrust God, and take him not at his word. He sends abroad his Embassadors, who proclame, This is the accepted time, this is the day of salvation, to day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; yet we put this day from us, and say hereafter is a more acceptable time. I have this delight, this pleasure to take first in the world, I am not so weaned from it as I would be. As if God would take it well from our hands that we should then return to him when there is no remedy. Ile fi…st use all the pleasure the world affords me, and then Lord have mercy on me will serve the turn. This is the very stifling of the beginnings and proceedings of Christianity. Let this be well and speedily weigh'd, as we tender our good and comfort.
Obj. Obj.But may some say, what needs this haste, may we not use leisure? soft and fair goes far.
Sol. Sol.True, soft and fair goes far, if a man goes fairly in the way. In this case, though thou go but softly, thou mayst come to thy journeys end; but the doubt remains stil, there is a question whether thou art in the way or not. Happy are we if we are, although we can but halt & limp on in this way: although this should be no ground for us to content our selves therewith. We must not trifle in the wayes of holinesse. It's that concernes our life, and must be seriously thought on, and that speedily too. Agree with thine adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him. God is thine adversary, unlesse thou agree with him speedily, his patience will break forth into fury. Kisse the Son lest he be angry, and thou perish from the right way. Thou hast no assurance of thy life, thou mayst be snapt off whilst thou thinkest it time enough to repent and return. As long as we go out of the way of repentance, we are in the way to hell, and the farther a man goes in a wrong way, the nearer is he to hell, and the greater ado to return back: and i… this regard soft and fair may goe far; but 'tis far out of the way, far in the way to perdition and destruction. As long as we are out of the right way to heaven and happinesse, we are in the path that leads directly to the chambers of death.
But let me in this particular unrip the heart of a natural man. What's the reason, that when God gives men a day, and cries out, This is the day of salvation, this is the accepted time, what in the name of God, or the Devils name rather, should cause them to put salvation from them? to defer and desire a longer time? Thus a natural man reasons with himself, I cannot so soon be taken off from the profits and pleasures of the world; I hope to have a time when I shall with more ease and a greater composednesse of mind bring my self to it: or if it be not with so much ease, yet I trust in a sufficient manner I shall do it: wherefore for the present Ile enjoy the profits and delights of the state and condition wherein I am; I will solace my self with the pleasures of sin for a season, I hope true repentance will never be too late.
This is well weigh'd; but consider whether these thoughts which poise down our hearts, be not groundlesse; see whether they will hold water at the last; and whether in making such excuses, to great presumption we add not the height of folly. To pretend for our delay the profits and pleasures of sin, and yet hope for heaven at the last, as well as the generation of the righteous; it's but a meer fallacy and delusion of Satan, to fill our hearts with such vanities. Can it be expected that we should have our good in this world, and in the world to come too? This is well, if it might be.
But let us try the matter, and begin with your first branch.
You are loth to part with your profits and pleasures.
But consider what a grand iniquity this is. Can you offer God a greater wrong and indignity? Do you thus requite the Lord you foolish and unwise? Dost thou think this the way to make thy peace with God whom thou hast offended, as long as thou mayst to be a rebel against him? What an high dishonour is it to him, that thou shouldst give him thy feeble and doting old age, and the Devil thy lively and vigorous youth, thy strength and spirits? Dost thou think he will drink the dregs, and eat the orts? will he accept thee in the next world, when thou thus scornest him here? If you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not an evil? If you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor, will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person, saith the Lord of hosts? Mal. 1.8. But mark how he goes on, v. 14. Cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth & sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing. Mark, God accounts such service a corrupt thing. Never look for a blessing from God in heaven, when thou sacrificest to him such corrupt things. We are to offer and present our selves a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, Rom. 12.1. Now judge whether they offer God the living, who say, when my doting days come, my lame days, that I cannot go, my blind dayes, that I cannot see, Ile offer my self a sacrifice to God, Will this be acceptable to him? Is not this evil, saith the Lord, to offer me such a corrupt thing? Nay more, he's accursed that offers such an offering, such a polluted sacrifice. God will not like with it, when we serve our selves first with the best and choise? Do you thus requite the Lord? do you think he will accept it at your hands? Go offer such a gift to thy Ruler, to thy Prince, will he accept it, or be pleased with it? No, a Landlord will have the best and the choise; and it must needs provoke God, when we give him the refuse. I am King of Kings, saith the Lord, my name is dreadful, and I will look to be served after another manner. Let no man then thus delude himself with vain hopes, but let him consider how dishonourable a thing it will be to God.
2. And how unprofitable to him, whoever thou art.
1. It's the ready way to thy destruction. Heaven, and happinesse, and eternal life, are laid up for those that embrace the acceptable time; death, horrour, and eternal misery for those that refuse it; and wilt thou hazard soul and body on this? Moses, on this ground, did rather choose to suffer affliction in this world with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a moment. When these things are past, what profit will you have of those things whereof then you will be ashamed? When a man comes to see truly and throughly into himself, he will find no profit of such things as these: death will certainly follow us, both temporal and eternal, if we repent not the more speedily, that's all the profit we shall find.
2: But suppose thou prevent everlasting death by repentance, yet what profit is there of those things whereof we are now for the present ashamed? The best can come is shame.
3. Thou art loth to part with the pleasures of sin for a season, and hereafter thou thinkest thou canst amend all. But consider the particulars, and then shall you see how you are befool'd in your hearts and soules. Believe it for an undoubted truth, there's nothing in the world by which Satan more deludes a man, then by this perswading him to neglect his day, and repent well enough hereafter. That you may expel this suggestion out of your soule, pray unto God that he would go along with his Word, and cause you to lay this to heart, that by his Spirit your understanding may be enlightned to see the truth. Though I make this as clear as the Sun, that it is a false supposition and meer folly on which we build, in deferring our return to God, yet God from heaven must teach you, or you will be never the wiser. Know therefore that this very day God reaches out the golden Scepter to thee, and what folly were it to neglect it, since thou knowest not whether he will ever proffer it thee again: And assure thy self that he is a lyar that tells thee thou mayst as well repent hereafter as now: and this will appear whether we consider, the order of outward things in the world, or the nature of sin.
1. Order of outward things.1. For external things, every Age after a man comes into the world (if he embrace not the present opportunity for repentance) is worse then other, and are each of them as so many clogs which come one after another to hinder it. As for thy childish Age, that's meer vanitie, and thy riper Age will bring many impediments and hindrances that youth never thought of. Thou art then troubled about many things, and perplexed how to provide for maintenance; in the midst whereof know that thou hast not a body of brass, but a corruptible and fading body: and yet such is the folly of the heart of man, that the less ground he hath to go, the fewer dayes to spend, the more he often provides, and is the more covetous. Consider that the wisest of men gave thee this counsel, Remember thy Creator in the day of thy youth, before the evil dayes come, wherein thou shalt say thou hast no pleasure in them. Here we find it's a youthful thing, and should be a young mans practice: not according to that devilish saying, A young Saint, and an old Devil: but Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth. The more sin thou committest, the more unapt thou art to repent. Custome in sinning makes thee a Lot; the elder thou growest, the more loth to go out of Sodom. Besides,
2. The nature of sin.2. Consider what sin is in its nature. It is a weight, Heb. 12.1. Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us. Sin is then a weight, and so an heavy thing; but add sin to sin, a weight to a weight, and it becomes heavier and heavier. A man that is in the state of impenitencie, hath this weight laid on him, and is subject to the Devil, in a state of rebellion against God. A man now in this estate is weigh'd down, what will he be six, seven, or ten years hence, going on in his impenitency? How will he then shake that off, which now he cannot free himself of? He must hereafter buckle against it with a great deal of disadvantage, and wrestle with more difficulty: One sayes well, that if we consider of sin aright, it's like the rising of water, over which a man being to passe, and finding it higher then it was wont to be, he stayes a while, and then tryes again, and finds it higher then before: he stayes yet longer, till it become unpassable, so that he may not adventure without great disadvantage. Thus it is with sin: now peradventure the waters of iniquity are passable, if thou wilt, thou mayst go over, but if thou delayest the adventure, the streams of sin will run together into one channel, and be more difficultly passed.
Take another Metaphor from the Scripture: The Scripture compares sin to cords, Sin is compared to cords.which are instruments of binding, and therefore the mystery of the Gospel is expressed by binding and loosing; Whose soever sins you shall bind on earth, they are bound in heaven, but whose sins ye remit, they are remitted. Every sin thou committest is a bond, and binds thee hand and foot against the judgment of the great day. Therefore it's said, His own iniquity shall take the wicked, and he shall be bound and holden with the cords of his sins. Now consider what folly it is, when a man shall say, though my sins are so many cords difficult to be broken, yet Ile not trouble my self about it in my younger days, but Ile stay till my old age, and then I hope I shall be the better able to break these bonds, and cast all these cords from me; when as every iniquity I commit is as a new cord, which binds me faster and faster. Is not this madnesse it self to think so, that in our younger yeares being scarce able to break one of them, in our dotage we shall be able to break ten thousand together? And certainly this is the disposition and nature of sin.
3. But add hereto the Argument in the Text:To defer repentance hardens the more To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart; but repent while it is called to day. Shewing that if we passe this day, we shall be harder and harder. Wherefore, saith the Apostle, Exhort every one another daily while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sin, Heb. 3.13. As if he had said, if thy heart be hard to day, it will be harder to morrow. Custome in sin hardens the heart, and takes away the sense of it. Wherefore, saith the Apostle, I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmitie of your flesh. For as ye have yeilded your members servants to uncleannesse and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yeild your members servants to righteousnesse, unto holinesse, Rom. 6.19. So that we see if a man once give himself up unto sin, he will not be satisfied therewith, but will give himself up to iniquitie unto iniquitie. What's the meaning of that? It's as if he had said if we give our selves up to iniquity, we will not rest there, but we'l add iniquity unto iniquity, sin unto sin: we will be brought to such a custom in evil, as that it will be easier for a blackmoor to change his skin, and a leopard his spots, then for those that have been accustomed to do evil, to learn to do well, Jer. 13. It will be to as much purpose to wash an Aethiopian, as to go to put off that ill custome, and shake off that second nature. Sin is a hammer, and sin is a nail too. Every sin strikes the former sin home to the head, that whereas before it might easily have been drawn out, it roots it in so fast, as that it can very hardly be plucked out. Mark how the Apostl… describes this cursed nature of sin: Having eies full of Adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable soules, a heart they have exercised with covetous practises, 2 Pet. 2.14. What makes a man prompt in any thing but exercise? When a man is exercised in sin, see the event of it: it brings him to that vicious habit, as that at length he cannot cease from sin. If a man deal with a young twigg, it will bend and break at his pleasure; but when it comes to full growth, it's past his strength. So fares it with sin: if thou dealest with it whilst thou art young, and it in thee, before it hath taken …oot, thou maist easily wield it, at least with more facility then otherwise thou couldst; but if thou let it run on to confirmed habits, it becomes immoveable. Wherefore, saith the Apostle, Heb. 12.1. Let us lay aside the sin which doth so easily beset us. The reason is evident, because else we shall be so hardned, as that we shall not be able. A man that hath a green wound, if he'l seek for his cure betimes, it may be quickly and easily remedied; but through delay it begins to fester, and must be lanced to the quick, not without great pain and anguish to the Patient. Sin is such a wound; if it be let …lone, it corrupts; and proud flesh the more grows up, the longer the cure is delayed. This …herefore should be a chief thing we should take heed of, how we put from us Gods time, and the proffers of mercy till another day.
2. But there are another sort as greatly be…ol'd as these, yea more, if more may be:The folly of those that defer their repentance till death. and …ose are they who put it off till the hour of … death, till the last gasp, as if they desired t… …ive God as little of their service as possibly th…y might, who think if they can but cry Peccavi, and Lord have mercy on me, when their breath departs their bodies, they shew a good disposition, and perform such acceptable service, as that God cannot chuse but grant them a pardon: But think not all will be well if thou shalt shake hands with God at thy journeys end, when thou hast not walked with him all the way.
Obj. Obj.But did not the thief repent at the last on the Crosse, and why may not I on my death bed:
Sol. Sol.This is no good warrant for thy delay, for Christ might work this miraculously for the glory of his Passion. Trust not therefore on this, nor content thy self with good intentions, but set about the businesse in good earnest and presently. Our death-beds will bring so many disadvantages, as will make that time very unseasonable: whether we respect.
Impediments to repentance on our death-bed.1. External hindrances, such as are pangs and pains in thy body, which must be undergone: and thou shalt find it will be as much as thou well canst do to support thy self under them. Every noise will then offend thee; yea thou wil not be able to endure the speech of thy best friends. When Moses came to the children of Israel, and told them God had sent him to deliver them, what acceptation found this comfortable message? The Text saith, Exod. 9.6. They hearkned not through anguish of their spirits. Trust not to death-bed repentance.See here the effects of anguish and grief: Moses spake comfortably, but by reason of their pains they hearkned not unto him; they were indisposed to give attendance. So shall it be with us on our death-beds, through the anguish of our spirits we shall be unfit to meddl… with ought else; especially when the paines of death are upon us, the dread whereof is terrible: how will it make us tremble, when death shall come with that errand, to cut off our soules from our bodies, and put them into possession of hell, unlesse we repent the sooner. Now thou art in thy best strength, consider what a terror it will be, what a sad message it will bring, when it comes not to cut off an arm or leg, but soul from body. Now then make thy peace with God: but that these men are fooles, they would through fear of death be all their life-time in bondage. It's the Apostles expression, Heb. 2.15. The consideration hereof should never let us be at rest till we had made our peace with God; it should make us break our recreations and sports. The considerations of what will become of us, should put us in an extasie. Nor are these all our troubles, besides these, outward troubles, when a man is to dispose of his wife and children, house and lands, so that he must needs be very unfit at this time for the work of rep…ntance. These things will cast so great a damp on his heart, as that he shall be even cold in his seeking after peace with God.
2. But suppose these outward hindrances are removed, that neither pain of body, nor fear of death seize on thee, neither care of wife nor children, houses nor lands distract thee, but that thou mightst then set about it with all thy might, though thou wert in the most penitent condition that might be to mans seeming, yet where's the change or new nature should follow thy contrition, unlesse we see this in truth, we can have but little comfort. Shall I see a sinner run on in his ill courses till the day of his death, and then set on this work,It will be hard to prove death-bed repentance to be ound. I could not conclude therefore the safety of his soul, because it's the change of the affections, not of the actions, that God looks after; for the fear of death may extort this repentance, where the nature is not changed. Take an example of a covetous man, which dotes on his wealth more then any thing else in the world; suppose him in a ship with all his riches about him, a tempest comes and puts him in danger of losing all, both life and goods, in this strait he sticks not to cast out all his wealth, so he may preserve his life; and shall we therefore say he is not covetous? No, we will account him neverthelesse covetous for all this, nor that he loved his goods the lesse, but his life the more. It's so in this c…se when an impenitent person is brought upon his death bed … to cry out in the bitternesse of his soul, If God will but grant me life; and spare me now, Ile never be a drunkard, swearer, or covetous person more. Whence comes this? Not from any change of his nature, and loathing of what he formerly loved, but because he cannot keep these and life together: fear alters his disposition, the terrors of the Almighty lying upon him. I have my self seen many at such a time as this, that have been so exceeding full of sorrow and penitent expressions, that the standers by have even wished their souls to have been in the other souls cases, and yet when God hath restored them, they have fallen into their former courses again; And why is this? but because when repentance comes this way, it alters only the outward actions for the present, not the sinful dispositions, things that are extracted from a man, alter the outward appearance not the nature. Therefore saith the Lord, Ile go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: In their affliction they will seek me early, Hos. 5. last. Mark, when Gods hand is on them, they will seek him: and as in the 6. Chap. 1. v. say one to another, Come let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn and he will heal us, he hath smitten and he will bind us up: How penitent were they when Gods hand was on them: but let it once be removed, and hear how God presently complaines of them: O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away. Mark, thy goodness is as a morning cloud, such a goodness as is extorted, that is as temporary as earthly dew! Another considerable place we have in the Psal. 78.34. When he slew them, then they sought him, and they returned and enquired early after God. Was not this a great conversion? When they were in this dismal condition, they were not troubled with cares, for Wife or Children, Houses or Lands, how can we think but that these men died in peace, that were in so good a humour; yet see what followes, verse 36. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouths, and lied unto him with their tongues.
Besides, consider the unworthiness of it; Ile forsake sin, when sin forsakes me: We leave it, when we can keep it no longer: Thank you for nothing, may God say, if you could you would sin longer, this is that folly which deferring our repentance brings us to.
But to draw to a conclusion: God hath set us a certain day, and if we pass the time woe be to us. For though he is full of mercy and patience, yet patience hurt oftentimes harmes, and provokes the Almighty to fury. God will not alwaies strive with man, Gen. 6.3.but his daies shall be an hundred and twenty years, if he convert in that space, and return, well, if not, he shall be swept away. And to this purpose is that parable, Luke 13.6. A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon and found none, Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, behold these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: Cut it down, why combreth it the ground? There is an appointed time then fore-ordained by God, wherein he offers us grace. Let it alone, saith the dresser one year more: it may be seven years, or ten, it may be but two hours for ought thou knowest, that God may offer thee longer this space. No man knowes the time, and its continuance, but he that hath appointed it to this purpose: which is a point I thought not to speak of, but now I will.
You hear much talk of Gods eternal, & everlasting election, and we are too apt to rest on this, that if we are elected to salvation we shall be saved, and if not, we shall be damned; troubling our selves with Gods work of Praedestination,What use to make of Election and Reprobation. whereas this works no change in the party elected, until it come unto him in his own person. What is Gods election to me, that he chooses the godly, and refuses the wicked? Its nothing to my comfort, unlesse I my self am actually elected. We are to look to this actual election. The other is but Gods love to sever me. But what is my actual election? Its that, when God touches my heart, and translates me from the death of sin, to the life of grace. Now there are certain times which God appoints for this election, wherein he uses the means to work on us, and of which he can say, what could I do more then I have done? Now if it be thus in the point of election, what must we think of the point of reprobation? May there not be actual rejection as well as actual election? And mayst thou not fear since thou hast lived thus long under the means of grace; That God hath waited these, not only three but many years, the dew of heaven continually falling on thee, and that yet thou shouldst remain unfruitful. Doest thou not fear, I say, that dismal sentence, cut it down, why combreth it the ground? Gods grace is not to be dallied with, as Children doe with their meats, if we do thus slight him, he may justly deprive us of all. See a terrible place to this purpose, Heb. 6.7, 8. The earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God; but that which beareth thornes and briers, is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned. Consider these places, God calls us where the droppings of his grace are; consider then, do we bring forth that fruit which is meet for the dresser, answerable to those continual distillings and droppings on us? If our consciences witnesse for us, happy are we, but when there have been these showers of grace out of Gods Word flowing down upon us, and yet we have received so much grace in vain; O what can we then expect, but a curse in this life, and eternal death in the world to come? What can we look for, but the fig-trees curse which was barren? The tree was not cut down but withered: We are near the same curse, if we answer not Gods grace. When we have had so long a time, the Ministery of the Word, and yet suffer it to be lost, through our barrennesse, our condition is sad and woeful; we can look, for nothing but withering.It's our wisdom to arm against Satans fallacy, and hearken to God in his accepted time. But beloved, I must hope better things of you, and such as accompany salvation: Labour therefore to prevent, and arm your selves against this suggestion and fallacy of Satan, and resolve to hear God in this acceptable time, now to set to the work, which if we do, all will be well. God will be gracious to us. If otherwise, we are undone for ever. Till you have learned this lesson, you can go no further. Wherefore let not Satan possesse you with that madnesse, to cause you to passe and let slip this golden opportunity, through a false conceipt, that you may have a more seasonable day of your own for repentance hereafter.