The Abuse of Gods Grace, Chapter 5 · Section 15
SECT. 15.
5. The preſumption of time enough to repent, hath brought 15. The preſumption of time enough to repent, doth cauſe the abuſe of Grace.forth this uncomely Monſter, The abuſe of Grace: There are not a few incurable inſtances in the other World, who have firſt delayed, and then everlaſtingly loſt the ſpace and Grace of repentance: Thoſe words of Chriſt concerning Jeruſalem, may be truly and ſadly ſaid of Grace-refuſing and abuſing Chriſtians: Hadſt thou known in this thy day the things belonging to thy Peace, but now they are hidden from thine eyes. Hannibal bewailed the loſs of his opportunity to maſter Rome; when he would have taken it, he was twice forced from his attempt, to a ſad retreat, by almoſt vehement ſhowr of rain, and is reported to ſay, When I could, I had no minde to take Rome; when I would, I had no power. There are too many, that will to all Eternity confeſs, that when Grace hath wooed them for their eternal ſalvation, and repentance to life, they had no minde to it, but when they would on a death-bed repent, they could not. 'Tis never enough conſidered by them that put off their repentance, what infinite hazard they run to be loſt for ever. Subtle Satan and the wily fleſh, doth againſt deceived ſinners, as ill Debtors carry to their Creditors, promiſe to pay, but beg a longer day of payment, and when that is come, another, and ſo another day, and never pay: Flattering Luſt begs a longer day of repentance, and being loth to leave Luſts dear ſweet ſervices and delights, craves ſtill a longer day, and ſo the Debt of repentance is unpaid. This curſed and common frame of Spirit, doth in effect ſpeak thus to God, The real love and delight of my ſoul is in my ſin; I delay repentance, not out of love to the duty, or hatred of my delicious Luſts, but to quiet my conſcience, and for fear of Hell; I mean not to delay a repentance once, but often, yea always; yea, ſhould I live an Eternity in the World, my delicious ſins ſhall have my heart, my ſervice: Mortification is an idle dream: The death of ſin ſhall neither have my ſentence nor endeavors: I am loath to leave my ſweet Companions. Hence is it, that from youth to man-hood, from that to old age, from that to Eternity, there is no repentance in hardned veſſels of wrath: A while longer, and a while longer is the conſtant importunity of the fleſh: Back-ſliding is perpetual, Jer. 8. 5. O Jeruſalem, wilt thou not be made clean, when ſhall it once be? Jer. 13. 27. This lazy diſeaſe of ſluggiſh putting off repentance, was in Auguſtine, yea had ever been in him, had not Grace cured it: When he could not anſwer the convictions of the neceſſity Non erat quid reſponderē veritate convictus, niſi tantum verba lenta & ſomnolē ta. Modo, ecce modo ſine paululū, ſed modo, & modo non habebat modū, & ſine panlulum in longum ibat. Aug. in Confeſ. Nitido cum flore juventus, Num ſatanae? & ſenii faex erit apta Deo?of repentance, he craved forbearance not to do it yet; I know not, ſaid he, hat to anſwer, being convinced of the truth, but onelyonly ſluggiſh and ſleepy words, Anon, behold anon, ſuffer me a little: But anon and anon had no meaſure, and bear me a little held long: Thus Satan hath the flower of age, the ſtrength of man-hood, and God the dregs of old age: 'Tis mans folly and madneſs to give God the worſt: 'Tis ordinarily his angry Juſtice not to accept it. He that is denyed the ſweet Roſe of the Spring, cannot be pleaſed with the dry Thorn: Had God no delight in the yong-long-ſtanding fruitleſs tree; ſurely he can take none in it, when 'tis withered, It's no longer for the ſoil, but fire, Matth. 3. 10. If it be ſaid God works Grace on a ſick bed, as one ſaid: An early Saint, now in glory, anſwered him in two things: This is extraordinary. 'Tis not Gods uſual courſe, to begin and period death-bed repentance; and further ſaid he, Do not you truſt to that.
How reaſonable will Gods uſual refuſal of ſick-bed and old Non illos qui neceſſario ſed qui ſponte vitiis abſtinent, Coronat Deus. Chryſoſt.age returning thoughts, appear in the other world? They that put off repentance to the laſt, do it not out of choice, but neceſſity; and God is not ont to crown forced and artificial, but free and natural repentance: It is a poor, weak, and unconvincing demonſtration, that a man delights in wholſome ſevere exerciſes of repentance, who never ſet upon them, but when going out of the World: Their ſins leave them, before they Priuſquā peccata relinquāt … peccatis retinquuntur.leave their ſins: They think of leaving them, becauſe they have no more active ſpirits, ſtrength, time to beſto upon them, not becauſe of holy hatred againſt them, indignation at, and wearineſs of them: Had this frame of ſpirit been infuſed by the holy Ghoſt, in the renewed heart long ago, ſin had not had ſo many years faithful ſervice: This adjourning repentance reprieving not executing the fleſh, makes fooliſh men, like bad Gameſters, that throw up the Cards when they have loſt the Game; ſo theſe faint woulders after repentance, never think of throwing up their ſins, till in their diſeaſe they have loſt their lives; they never think of ending their iniquity, till the pleaſure of their iniquity be at an end, Ezek. 21. 25. But O dallying ſinner, that h…ſt a long time been caught in the ſnare of deep carnal ſecurity! Hear the Apoſtles warning, Awake, thou that ſleepeſt, from the dead, and Chriſt ſhall give thee light: Hearken not to the Ravens Song, Cras, Cras, to morrow, to morrow, That morrow comes not to many lingring ſinners: Art thou ſure the repenting morrow will come unto thee? The ſaving motion of the ſpirit often abuſed, never comes again: The ſafer and wiſer words are, Cito, Cito, Redi, Redi, Quickly, quickly, Return, return. Hearken, O fooliſh ſons and daughters of men! to that of the wiſe Solomon: How long will ye love ſimplicity? ſit in the region and ſhadow of death, be the Devils Priſoners, and your Luſts Captives, and abide condemned under the curſe of the Law? Would you quickly run out of an Houſe fired about your ears? Would you flie from a drawn purſuing Sword to run you through? O while under Goſpel time and means of grace, you are Wantons, and pamper the fleſh, ſlight and contemn the ways and methods of Eternal Life; even all this while the wrath of God, the malice of Satan, the killing Law, is purſuing you for your immortal ruine. O take the counſel that once a friend gave to Brentius, when his enemies were ſuddenly plotting, determining, and endeavoring his death, he wrote a Letter to him, Fly Brentius, with all poſſible ſpeed, Fly for your life: O lingring ſinners, within Cito, Citius, Citiſſime. Melch. Adam:a little of the Grave and Eternity, that have abuſed the grace of God, Fly with all poſsible ſpeed, from the ſtate of damnation, the wrath to come, while your day of Grace is ſpending, and it may be ſhortly will be quite ſpent, your damnation ſlumbers not, but with terrible awakened Lion-like eyes, will ſtare on your departing ſouls, if you go with the un-repenred, unpardoned mountain load of all your ſins into the other World: As Solomon ſpake concerning flight from enſ…ing, undoing ſuretiſhip: Deliver thy ſelf as a Roe from the hand of the Hunter, and as a Bird from the hand of the Fowler, Give not ſleep to thine eyes, nor ſlumber to thine eye-lids, Prov. 6. 5. So take counſel concerning flight from the gall of bitterneſs, the bond of iniquity, the bondage of Satan, the infinite danger of impenitence, that ſeals the guilt of infinite ſins upon the ſoul: Deliver thy ſelf as a Roe from the hand of the Infernal Hunter, as a Bird from the crafty deſtructive ſnare of the inviſible Fowler, do not creep, but flie from his Helliſh mortal Gun-ſhot: His name is Abaddon, Apollyon, ſo is his diſpoſition and converſation. It was mercy that made lingring Lot to get out of Sodom and haſte to Zoar: It would be infinite mercy, did you haſten your eſcape from the dominion and damnation of your pleaſing Luſts, to the reign and ſecurity of ſaving grace.