Six Sermons, Sermon 4 – Dedication 7
The Pious Convert.
Ezekiel 18. 32. Wherefore turn your ſelves, and live ye.
IT was not I that choſe this Text for this Time: nor was it this Time that choſe this Text for me. Yet choice it was, not chance, that put me at this Time upon this Text, or this Text rather upon me. I cannot chuſe but like and love the choice from him that made it, and ſay, My lot is faln to Pſal. 16. 7.…n a faire ground. It is a Text as fitly choſen for theſe …es as may be. We cannot yet ſay, that the Times are tur…g; yet may we ſay, that they are turning Times: And … Text is like them; a Text of Turning. I wiſh my Ser…n may be as ſuitable to the Text, as the Text is to the …e; and then I am ſure it cannot be unſeaſonable.
Thoſe Sermons are never out of Seaſon, which ſeaſon the …rts of Sinners with godly ſorrow for their Sinnes. And …ſe Seaſons, wherein the Hearts of Sinners are without …h Sorrow, may not be without ſuch Sermons. It were to wiſhed that ſuch Sermons were leſſe ſutable then they are …o theſe Times. But alas! there can be no Sermons more …hen Penitential, for the preſent Time: Nor any Time …re fit then the Preſent, for Penitential Sermons.
That inſpired Secretary of the Holy Ghoſt St. Paul, did truly foretell of Evil Times. And truly theſe Times are as Evill, … 2 Tim. 3. 1, 2.any that he did foretell of: Evill they are in reſpect of S… ings; and worſe they are in reſpect of Sinnes: And ther… worſe they will be alſo in reſpect of Sufferings, unleſſe … doe become leſſe evill then they are in reſpect of Sinnes. … deed moſt men wonder to ſee theſe Times ſo evill as they … already: But we may rather wonder that we have not … ready ſeen them farre worſe then they are indeed.
The Itching Ears of theſe Times have made them very ill … ready:… Tim. 4. 3. God forbid that I ſhould make them worſe by cl… ing of them: He that claws an itching Humour does b… make it ſpread the further. And truly too much clawi… of itching Ears on both ſides hath already ſpread ſuch … mours too too farre: for ſo invenomed they have been … ſuch clawing, that no remedy but Phlebotomy could c… the Maladie. The folly of clawing hath fetcht blood alre… dy on both ſides: And it were to be wiſhed, that the bl… already drawn might ſerve the turn. It would, it may … if men would turn themſelves. And there is no way to … away the Times of this moſt dangerous Phlebotomy, but … turning away from the moſt damnable flatteries of t… Times. Theſe are Times indeed to break Mens Hearts … ſerious Blames of their iniquity: No Times to breake … Heads with the precious Balmes of flattery. Theſe are times … Pſal. 141. 6. Rev. 2, 16. 19, 15. Epheſ. 6. 17. Hebr. 4. 12.incite men to ſhed Tears gladio oris, with that ſword of … which proceedeth out of his mouth, the keen blade of … Word, ſharper indeed then any two-edged Sword. No Times to … men on to ſhed more blood ſtill ore gladii, with the mo… or edge of that mortall Sword which eateth Fleſh and drin… Blood. Theſe are no Times to drive ill Humours in at m… Ears, but to draw them out at their Eyes.
Never were lamenting Jeremies, or relenting Jon…hs, or… proving Nathans, or repenting Davids more needfull to any p… ple: Nor ever any People leſſe heedfull unto ſuch Prop… then the Engliſh in theſe Times. No Times did …ver aff… more Preachers, or fewer Practicers of Repentance then … Preſent. Indeed, the ſound of Repentance was never m… affected by any People: But ſound Repentance indeed … …ver leſſe effected by any Preachers.
Thoſe Prophets of the Lord doe ever bring moſt profit to … People, which preach the People into Repentance, by …aching Repentance unto the People: And thoſe People …e ever return moſt profit to their Preachers, which doe …urn or repent at their preaching of Repentance to them. …hat better office can a Preacher doe to any People, then …nvert them from their Sins by ſpeaking home unto their …onſciences? And what greater Honour can the People …e to any Preacher, then to hear and believe, and turn at …s preaching to them? foreign, ſaith …. Chryſoſtome: What profit a crews to me from all theſeChryſoſt. Hom. 2 …ie applauſes? foreign, ſaith he; And …hat profit is there to me from all theſe popular praiſes,foreign, S. Ch…yſ. Hom. 2. …d tumuls? My praiſe, and profit, and honour are rather … your Works then in your Words. Then am I to be dee…ed happy, ſaith he, not when yee hear, but when ye doe …hat I deliver to you; or, when yee turn at my reproofs, and … amended at my exhortations. The Preachers greateſt …rofit is in the Peoples: And certain it is, that no People of …e Lord can do a better turn unto themſelves, then to turn …mſelves unto the Lord of all People. Wherefore turn your …ves, and live ye.
This Text concludes the Chapter, and as a rational Con…uſion it is inferred from many Premiſes in the Chap…r. …d in this Text we may obſerve the Ʋſe and Application of … the whole Chapter: The Uſe is an Ʋſe of Exho…tation. The …xt is Hortatory; two Exhortations are couched in it. …he firſt, an Exhortation to Repentance: The ſecond an Ex…rtation to Perſeverance. Turn your ſelves; there's the firſt. …ve yee; there's the ſecond. The laſt is uſhered in by the …ſt: And the firſt is uſhered in by an Illation, or note of In…nce, which referreth unto both: Wherefore turn your …ves, and live yee.
Or in the Text we may obſerve twice two Conſiderabl…s.
Two Conjunctions, and
Two Injunctions.
Firſt, two Conjunctions. The firſt to joyn the two In… ctions in the Text unto the former Parts of the Chap… The ſecond, to joyn the latter Injunction in the Text … the former. The two Conjunctions are both Copula… Et reverti ſacite, & vive…is. Ar. Mont.according to Montanus: But according to our Eng… Tranſlation, the former is an Illative, the latter only C… lative. The firſt brings both the Injunctions into the Ch… ter; The ſecond brings them both together.
The firſt Injunction doth command an Humble C… verſion,
Turn your ſelves.
The ſecond commands an Holy Converſation,
Live ye.
The performance of the firſt, prepareth for the ſecond▪ And the performing of the ſecond, is to the perfecting … the firſt. The ſecond cannot be without the firſt; And t… firſt had as good not be, as be without the ſecond. Both … be performed, and both in order: Firſt turn, and then … Living is commanded, as well as Turning. The laſt Ve…b… as mandatory as the firſt; both are in the Commanding Mood, both Imperatives, foreign and ſo they are bo… tranſlated by S. Hierome, and by our own Tranſlators to… Revertimini, & vivite, ſaith he: Turn your ſelves, and l…ve … ſay they. Revertimini per poenitentiam, ſaith Ni…. de Ly… Nic. de Lyra in locum.Turn your ſelves by repenting of your ſinnes. Et vivite p… gratiam, quae ducit ad vitam glori… ſempiternam: And live t… life of Grace here, which leadeth to the Life of Glo… hereafter.
It is to no end or purpoſe to turn your ſelves, unl… Paenitentiam quippe agere, eſt & perpetrata mala plangere, & plang…nda non perp…trare. S. Gregor. in aeſti. temp.you purpoſe to go on unto the end, when ye are turn… Wherefore turn your ſelves, and live ye. Be Converts, and co… tinue ſuch: Live ye ever ſo, and ſo ye ſhall live for ev… Living without Turning is impoſſible; and Turning without Living is unprofitable. Indeed there is no Living without Turning, nor any Turning indeed without Livin… He that would live, muſt turn himſelf: And he that do… turn himſelf, muſt live too: And he ſhall live, that ſo d… turn himſelf. Wherefore turn your ſelves, and live ye. Re… facite, & vivetis, ſaith Montanus: Do your endeavours to beAri. Mont. Bibl. ſecund. Zanti… Pagnini interpretationem. turned, and ye ſhall live. And ſo Montanus ſeems to part the Text into a Precept, and a Promiſe.
Firſt, into a Precept of Turning.
Secondly, into a Promiſe of Living.
Turn, and Live. As much as to ſay; Repent, and ſo be reprieved; Forſake your ſinnes, and ſo ſave your ſouls; Be but penitent, and ye ſhall be pardoned. The laſt is hinted as a Promiſe, to perſwade men to the Performance of the firſt. The Promiſe commendeth the End; the Precept commandeth the Means. Life is offered in the Promiſe as the End; and Repentance is required in the Precept as the Meanes. He that would obtain the End, muſt uſe the Means; and he that doth uſe the Means, ſhall obtain the End. He that would live, muſt turn himſelf; and he that doth turn himſelf, ſhall live. Wherefore turn your ſelves, and live ye.
Thus ſome have taken both parts of the Text as mandatory; And others have taken onelyonly the firſt part to be mandatory, and the ſecond to be promiſſory. So that ſome have taken the laſt part as an Injunction, and ſome have taken it as an Invitation; Some as a Precept, and ſome as a Promiſe. Let us now take it as both; As a Precept, and as a Promiſe too.
As a Precept to live. And,
As a Promiſe of Life.
Firſt, as a precept of Living after turning; And ſecondly,Dr. Donne, Se…m. 7. on the Nativity. as a promiſe after both. As a Precept enjoyning the Life of Grace; and as a Promiſe of enjoying the Life of Glory. As a Precept requiring a Spiritual life, which is the life of life; And as a Promiſe of requiting it with Life Eternal, which is (as One calls it) the Exaltation of Life Spiritual. Yea, the Promiſe is not only of enjoying the Life of Glory, with the Glory of Life hereafter; But of enjoying the Life of Grace here, with the Grace of Life here alſo. Turn your ſelves, and live here: Turn your ſelves, and live hereafter. The promiſe is of the leſſe ſa…vation as well as of the greater, and no leſſe of the greater then of the leſſe. Temporal life may be prolonged, and Eternal life may be procured, by that Turning here required. Eternal judgments may be prevented, and temporal judgments may be diverted or turned away, by turning here according to the Text. Wherefore turn your ſelves, and live ye.
Wherefore] is a Note of Inference, and it doth referre the Text to that which goes before it. Now here to take in that before it which relateth chiefly to it, we muſt take our riſt at the Verſe before it: And in that we may note two things very conſiderable.
1. An Exhortation.
2. An Expoſtulation.
The Exhortation is very paſſionate; The Expoſtulation very compaſſionate. The firſt in theſe words; Caſt away from you all your tranſgreſſions whereby ye have tranſgreſſed, and make you a a new heart and a new ſpirit. The ſecond in theſe words; For why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael? The firſt is moving, but the ſecond urging. Expoſtulatio pungit: A zealous Exppoſtulation doth infuſe the ſpirit of Compunction: it hath the quickeſt touch of any kind of ſpeech, it often toucheth to the quick. And God himſelf doth here expoſtulate the cauſe with dying Sinners, to make them ſenſible of their dangers, and to quicken them in their ſeeking of deliverance. Firſt he exhorts them to forſake their ſinnes, to ſave their ſoules. And then (ſeeing his Exhortation to work but little upon them, though it were pathetical and paraenetical) He falls to expoſtulate the reaſon with them: For why will ye die? As if he ſhould have ſaid; If ye will but caſt away your ſinnes from you, ye ſhall not be caſt away for your ſinnes: But if ye will not, ye muſt: If ye will not leave them whileſt ye live, ye muſt die for them, whether ye will or no, and they muſt leave you, when ye die. Why will ye die? Why will ye? As much as to ſay; I muſt needs demand the reaſon, or ask the cauſe of you, in whom theProvoke me not to anger with the works of your hands, and I will doe you no hurt. Jer. 25. 6. cauſe of dying is. Ye die, becauſe ye will die. Why will ye die? As much as to ſay, I would not have you die; it is not meerly from my will that ye die, but from your own. Doe not ſay then, that ye muſt needs die, becauſe I will have ye die; and that I will have ye die, becauſe I will. I have no ſuch will: I would have you live; and therefore have exhorted you, and intreated you again and again to turn from your evil wayes, the wayes of ſinne, which are the wayes of death. And I have promiſed to you, that if ye will repent, iniquity ver. 30.ſhall not be your ruine. And my meaning is very ſincere and real: I will be as good as my promiſe, if ye will be but as good as I deſire you. And becauſe I ſee mine Exhortation to be neglected of you, therfore do I come thus home unto you with an Expoſtulation, to make you ſenſible of your fault, and folly, and to make you ſee, that the cauſe of death is in your ſelves, in your own wills, or rather in your wilfulneſſe. Ye will die. Why will ye die? Ye will do that for which ye muſt die: Ye will needs ſinne, to die for it: Ye will not avoid it, by reſiſting the Temptation; nor make it void, by repenting of it; and therefore ye muſt die for it, For the wages of ſinne is death. I muſt needs ſay unto you, Why will ye die? Why will ye not return, and live? Why will ye not be perſwaded? why not intreated? why not commanded? Why, can no means, no mercies, no promiſes, no threatenings prevail with you? Will ye ſinne wilfully? will ye die ſinfully? And yet will ye ſay, that it is my will that ye ſhould ſo doe, and ſo die? Ye do that which is quite againſt my mind, againſt my Word, which is my will. If ye die then, thank your ſelves for all your ſufferings, or rather blame your ſelves for all your ſinnes.
Let this then ſerve as a Caveat to every Sinner, to admoniſh him to take good heed that he doth not charge God fooliſhly, and falſely with the impulſive and originall cauſe of his eternal death. Nefas eſt Deo aſcribere cauſas peccatorum, & ruinarum omnium, ſaith S. Auſtine. It is a funerious crimeS. Aug. Resp. ad articulos ſibi falſe impoſitos. to faſten the cauſe of all evils upon God himſelfe. Let no man therefore ſay, that he muſt needs ſin unto death, and die in ſinne, becauſe it is Gods will and foreign or goodOr, had I not rather that he ſhould be converted from his evil wayes, and live? Diodat. pleaſure that it ſhould be ſo: for God himſelf doth ſay the contrary, and that with a kind of indignation; For, ſaith he, have I any pleaſure at all that the wicked ſhould die; and not that he ſhould return from his wayes, and live? v. 23. His Interrogation does import a vehement Negation. In ſaying, Have I any pleaſure at all that the wicked ſhould dy? He ſayes as much as, I have no pleaſure at all that the wicked ſhould die? And ſo he ſaies very poſitively in the words before the Text. For I have no pleaſure in the death of him that dyeth. So far he is from takingNolo mortem morientis, quantum ut convertatur, & vivat. Pamelius in Tertull. de Paeniten. pleaſure in the death of Penitent ſinners, that the death of Impenitent ſinners is no pleaſure to him. He hath no pleaſure in the death of ſuch as dye naturally in their ſinnes, or for their not repenting of their ſinnes before they die. I have no pleaſure in the death of him that dyeth.
If ye dy then, the fault's your own. It is your wilfulneſſe in ſinning: or your unwillingneſſe to repent you of your ſinning, Ye will not be perſwaded to forſake your ſinnes before ye dye; and therefore ye muſt needs die, and ſuffer for their ſakes. Perditio tua ex te: O Iſrael, thy deſtruction is of thy ſelf: ſaith God, Hoſ. 13. 9. The ſame may be ſaid to any damned ſoule, or dying ſinner.
The Lord is very deſirous to clear himſelf from all aſperſions in this particular; and therefore does not onelyonly ſay it, but ſwear it too, that he would not the death of the wicked. As I live, is an Oath, and a great one too: Yet God himſelf doth take it to atteſt this Truth; As I live, ſaith the …cut verum est quod ſum vita per eſſentiam, it a verum eſt quod nolo mortem impii, &c. Nicho. de Lyra ad locum. Pſal. 89. 35. Gen. 17. 1. Luke 1. 73. Numb. 20. 12. Exod. 14. 11. Pſal. 50. 21. Ezek. 18. 25, 29. Pſal. 78. 19, 20Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked. But that the wicked turn from his evill way, and live. Ezek. 33. 11. For the Lord of life to ſay, As I live, is an oath by the life of the Lord. And that is as high an oath as can be invented. Had he ſworn by his Truth, as he doth ſometimes; or by his Holineſſe, as he did to David; or by his Omnipotencie, as he did to Abraham, his engagement had been very great. But this by his Life is deemed greater: for his Truth hath been queſtioned by divers, and ſo hath his Holineſſe, and his Almighty Power hath been doubted of by as many: But who did ever queſtion his Life? Now it is his very Life that he doth engage for the clearing of this Truth. As I live, ſaith the Lord, &c.
He is the Living God. And he is the God of the Living, not of the Dead: And therefore would not have the wicked Die,Matth. 22. 32. Tertull. l. de Paenit. but Live. And this he ſweareth by his Life, that we might believe him; Jurat Deus, cupit ſibi credi, ſaith Tertullian; When God doth ſwear, we muſt believe him, for he ſwears to be believed. Ideirco jurat, ſaith St. Hierome, ut ſi non credimus Deo S. Hieron. To. 2. Epiſt. 46.promitte…i, credamus ſaltem pro ſalute juranti. God therefore ſwears, that we may believe him upon his oath, when weMagnum eſt loqu… dom…num quanto magis jurare Deum? St. Auguſt. in Pſal. 49. will not believe him upon his word. It is much for God to ſpeak, but more to ſwear. By ſpeaking a word, he made the World; for, he did but ſpeak the word and it was made. But he that could create the World with a Word, could not be credited in the World upon his Word; and therefore was forced to binde it with an Oath. Now though we doe not believe him upon his Word, yet let us believe him upon his Oath.
We may believe his bare Word; for it is the God of Truth Deutr. 32. 4. Iſai. 65. 16.that ſpeaketh in his Word, and it is nothing but the Truth of God which is ſpoken: We will believe an honeſt man upon his word, and ſhall we not believe the moſt holy God. Durum eſt. It is very hard, if we ſhall not give as much credit to God, as we do to an honeſt man, as ſaith Vincentius very divinely.Gen. 3. 4. Durum eſt cum non tantum tribuamus Deo, quantum diabolo. Vincent. An non hac ratione Deum in animo tuo perſtringis mendacii, qui verbo quidem dicat te velle ſervare, &c. interim tamen licet tu velis in Christum credere ipſe tamen nolit. Zanch. de natur. Dei l. 5. Numb. 23. 19. Rom. 3. 4. 2 Cor. 1. 20. Hebr. 6. 18. 1 John. 3. 3.
Our firſt Parents believed the father of lyes, when he did but ſay, ye ſhall not ſurely die. And ſhall not we believe the father of mercies, the God of Truth, when he does not onelyonly ſay it, but ſwear it too, that he would not have us die: He ſwears that he would not the death of the wicked. And ſhall we ſtill ſay that he would their death? Or that he would have them wicked, that ſo they might die? Abſit, abſit, God forbid that we ſhould harbour ſuch a thought of our moſt holy God! The truth is, Gods Word in it ſelf is as ſure as his Oath; for he is not a man that he ſhould lie: Let God be true, and every man a lyar. All his promiſes are yea, and in him amen. Heaven and Earth ſhall paſſe away, but not one tittle of his word ſhall faile: So that for the certainty of what he ſpeaketh, there needs no ſuch religious Conteſtations: Yet for our ſakes the Oath of God is added to his Word, that we might thereby have foreign, ſtrong conſolation. That we might believe a poſſibility of repenting; And a probability, yea an infallibility of Pardon upon our repentance. That we might have hopes of life, and purge our ſelves upon our hopes, Debile fundamentum fallit opus. A weak foundationNemo poteſt bene agere paenitentiam niſi qui ſperaverit indulgentiam St. Ambr. de Paenit. diſt. 1. cap. Nem. fails the building: But here is a ſure foundation for us to build our hopes upon as high as heaven. Dei juramentum e… fide… noſtrae fundamentum. Gods oath may ſurely ground us in our holy faith: Doth he ſwear it? O then, let us believe it! O beatos nos quorum cauſa jurat Deus! O miſerrimos, ſi nec juranti Deo credimus! O happy we, for whoſe ſake the living God doth ſwear by his life, that he would not our death! O moſt wretched we, (ſaith Tertullian) if weTertull. de Paeniten. will not believe him when he ſwears. He ſwears he would not our death, but have us live he would, and therefore would have us uſe the means. Now turning is the means of living; Wherefore turn your ſelves, and live ye.
Turn your ſelves.
Theſe words are altogether Mandatory. And the Precept in them hath theſe two Conſiderables.
1. Who are commanded.
2. What is commanded.
Firſt, Who. The word is Plural in the Text: And the Mandate in it is indefinite, and ſo muſt reach unto us all. Turn ye, even all ye. Turn your ſelves, ye that are ſinners; Ye thatDeus definitionem non facit, qui miſericordiam ſuam omnibus promiſit. S. Ambroſ. de Paenit. diſt. 1. muſt otherwiſe ſuffer eternally for your ſinnes: Turn your ſelves. We are all concerned in the duty here commanded. And in that we may conſider three particulars,
1. The Act.
2. The Object.
3. The Time.
The Act, Turne.
The Object, Your ſelves.
The Time, Preſently.
For the word is in the Imperative Mood; and that admits of none but the Preſent Tenſe. And thus from theſe words we may inferre theſe three Concluſions:
1. That we muſt all Turn.
2. That we muſt all Turn our ſelves.
3. That we muſt all Turn our ſelves without delay.
Wherefore turn your ſelves.
Firſt of the firſt, we muſt all turn. But what is it to turn? By Turning here is meant Repenting. In Sinning there is a turning from the Creator, and a turning to the Creature: And therefore in Repenting there muſt be a turning from the Creature, & a returning to the Creator. And this Turning is commonly called the Converſion of a Sinner. And in this Converſion there are many Turnings. The firſt is the Sinners turning of al… ſinnes out of himſelf, by a full and clear Confeſſion of them. The ſecond is, theAgite paenitentram det…ſtando peccatum. Nic. de Lyra in locum. S. Aug. Ser. 3. de Nat. Dom. Sinners turning from all ſinnes ſo turned out, with an utter deteſtation of them. And the third is, the Sinners turning or returning unto God, with true compunction and contrition for his former turning from him. For, Paenitentiam certam non facit, niſi odium peccati, & amor Dei, ſaith S. Auſtine. A ſinner can never be ſaid to be a true Convert, untill he turns his loving of ſinne into a loathing of it, and his hating of God into a loving of him. God hates an obſtinate Sinner,God accounteth thoſe to be haters of him, which continue ſinners againſt him. Ex. 20. 5. but loves an humble Penitent. And we cannot but love him when we are Penitents, though we were haters of him whileſt we were Sinners. When our repenting of our ſinnes hath procured his love to pardon them, and his pardoning of our ſinnes hath perſwaded us to love him, then our love unto him muſt needs provoke us to abhorre even all our ſinnes, which provoked him to abhorre us; and to ſet our hatred moſt againſt thoſe Delilahs or delightful ſinnes, on which we once moſt ſet our hearts. Our Hearts are moſt ofProv. 23. 26. all deſired of God; And God (who is a (jealous God in this particular) is moſt jealous of thoſe ſins which have been our Darlings; for thoſe are moſt likely to ſteale away our hearts and turn away our loves from him. He loves nothing like our Hearts, and wooes us for nothing more then for our loves, and therefore hates nothing ſo much as thoſe inſinuating ſinnes, which will needs be his Corrivals and Competitors in Courting of our Hearts. And therefore we, to atteſt the truth of our love to him, muſt from our very Hearts deteſt thoſe ſinnes, and ſcorn to entertain them as beloved Suiters. Yea, we muſt even hate them with a perfect batred, or we cannot love God with entire love: And unleſs we love him, we cannot hope for his love towards us: And without his love we cannot live, or not ſo as we would, not well, not in peace, either with him, or others, or with our ſelves.
Sinne is a very Make-bate, a common Barattor, the grand Boutefeu of Great-Britain, and of all the World. It is the partition-wall betwixt God and man, and betwixt man and man too. It is Sinne that hath parted the Church and theIſa. 59. 2. Jer. 5. 25. State: it is Sinne that hath parted the Soveraign and the Subject, the Prince and the People. It is Sinne that hath been the Impulſive cauſe of all our hurtful Combuſtions;Lam. 5. 16. and Sinne it is that is the Impedimental cauſe of all our hopeful Accommodations. Oh, Sinne's the Remora of Reconcilement. What evil of Suffering is there now amongſt us, which the evil of Sinne hath not pulled down upon us?Iſa. 48. 22. 57. 21. It is Sinne that hath been the Traitor foreign, both to the King and to the Kingdome; the Troubler of this our Iſrael. Sinne is the grand Malignant, the great Delinquent: It is Sinne that hurts, and hinders the Great and Graveſt Councel of the Kingdome. What evil hath been acted, but Sinne hath had a finger in it? Sinne is the all in all for miſchiefe.
It hath been thought by ſome Polititians, that malus Vir may be bonus Cives; An evil Man, and a good Commonwealths man. But believe it upon a plain demonſtration, A great Sinner can never be a good Subject: His ſinnes are ever doing of more evil in a Kingdom, then he himſelf is able to do good: Whileſt the Sinner himſelf may be fighting for it, his ſinnes are fighting againſt him and that. When a Kingdome quarrels with it ſelf, it is a ſigne that God hath a quarrel with it. When the people of any Country doe ſinne againſt God, they do but pick quarrels betwixt God and their Country; and God he fights them all, by making them to fight each other, whileſt the ſinnes of the divided Parties do ever fight againſt their own Parties. How many on both Parties ſwear to fight for their own Parties, to the beſt of their powers and policies; and drink deep Healths to the greateſt Leaders of their Parties, with intentions and proteſtations to be faithful to them: whileſt their Drinkings, and Swearings, and other ſinnes are very treacherous to themſelves, and make them as ill as Traitors to their Cauſes, and to their Companions? The ſinnes of each Party do take part with the other Party againſt the Sinners and their Parties. Yea indeed there would be no ſuch Parties, nor any need of ſuch parts-taking, but for the ſinnes of both Parties. O that every Party and every perſon would look upon their own ſinnes as the moſt malignant party, and as the worſt of enemies. O that every man would take ſome ſpeedy courſe to ſecure himſelf and all Parties, by ſeeking out of thoſe moſt dangerous Malignants that are in his own boſome, and bringing them to their tryals before the Bars of Self-examination, and Self-Conviction, and Self-condemnation! That every man would turn out his own ſinnes, and turn them off, and return to the God of peace and mercy, that God might turn away his fierce anger from us all, and turn his diſpleaſure into love, and his controverſie with this Nation into a National peace. And this he might be perſwaded to do for us, cou'd we be perſwaded by him to turn from all our ſinnes, and return unto him. Wherefore turn your ſelves.
This brings the Act unto the Object, I would it might alſo bring the Object to the Act. It hath brought Turning unto you; I wiſh it might as well bring you to Turning.
Many are buſie in turning, but it is not of themſelves. They are turning out and turning off, but it is not of their own ſinnes. There are many and many ill turns done to others in theſe Times, but theſe are not the turnings in the Text. Our turning muſt be of our ſelves. Wherefore turn your ſelves. Let us ſearch and try our own wayes, and turn again unto the Lord, ſaith the Prophet Jeremy, Lam. 3. 40. Let us turn our ſelves; and let us all do ſo. A particular Perſon, by turning ofBP. Davenant, Sermon before the Houſe of Lords. Jer. 3. 22. himſelf unto the Lord, may turn away a particular Judgment from himſelf: But when the ſinne hath been generall, and the ſuffering be as generall almoſt as the ſinne, then the ſorrowing for it muſt be generall. There muſt be a generall Turning at ſuch a time, to turn away the Judgment. Clergie and Laitie, Noble and Ignoble, all muſt turn at ſuch a time. When that great Defection was in the Kingdome of Iſrael, and both parties had been ſorely puniſhed, the lamenting Prophet Jeremy, by inſpiration beſpake both parties to return together. Let the Children of Iſrael, and the Children of Judah come together, and weeping ſeek the Lord their God, Jerem. 50. 4. And the Prophet Hoſea's Exhortation return is general. Come let us returne unto the Lord, for he hath ſpoyled us, and he will heale us, he hath wounded us, and he will binde us up againe, Hoſ. 6. 1. Then our Turning may be to purpoſe indeed, when it is univerſal, when we all joyne hands hearts, and turne as one Man unto the Lord. When every Man turneth one, every one turns himſelf. When every wicked man forſakes his owne wayes, and every unrighteous man his own imaginations, and returne unto the Lord. As the the Prophet Iſaiah exhorteth, Iſa. 55. 7.
Great complaining there hath been by the Many, againſt all ſorts of Magiſtrates, both Supreme, and Subordinate. Yea the greateſt Councel of the Kingdome hath been complained of by many: As if all evils were originally from miſcarriages in Governours. But may not the Many erre in this, Matth. 22. 29.not knowing the Scriptures?
It was the Sinne of David that cauſed the people to be numbred: And it was from Davids numbring of the People, that ſeventy thouſands of them were ſwept away in three dayes ſpace by the plague of Peſtilence. Yet was it not Davids 1 Chron. 21. 2. 7. 14.ſinne, but the ſinnes of the People, that gave the firſt occaſion of that puniſhment. As you may ſee 2 Sam. 24. 1. And againe the anger of the Lord was kindled againſt Iſrael, and he moved Cauſa cauſae eſt cauſa cauſati.David againſt them to ſay, go number Iſrael and Judah. When God is angry with a people for their ſinnes, he ſuffers their Ruler, or Rulers to doe ſomething amiſſe, that ſo upon the fault of the Magiſtrate he may take an occaſion to puniſh the multitude. And it becomes the people to begin their Complaints, where the fault to be complained of began.See this point very excellently handled by Mr Rous in his Oil of Scorpions, Sect. 14. If the ſufferings of Iſrael were occaſioned by Davids ſinning, And Davids ſinning were occaſioned by the ſinnes of Iſrael, then ſurely the way for Iſrael to have turned away their ſufferings, had been by turning from their finnes.
Let not us inferiours look above our ſelves, or from our ſelves: for the finding out of faults to be amended, but let us look into our ſelves, and amend what there we finde amiſſe.
The Hearts of the Governours are in the hands of God, and heProv. 21. 1. They are ſtill in the hand of Gods powerful providence, though he permits the Devil to have a hand and power over them. Dr Jermin Paraphraſtick Meditations upon the Proverbs. turnes them as he pleaſeth which way he will himſelfe. When he turnes away their hearts from the People, it is a ſigne that Hearts of the People are turned away from him. He is the God of Gods, and Lord of Lords, He is the Over-ruler of all Rulers; and by his diſpoſing it is that they rule, for the benefit, or for the detriment of the People. Now if there by any miſcarriages in our Governours, the way to win the Lord to ſet them right unto us, is to ſet our ſelves right to the Lord. Let us but turne with all our hearts unto the Lord, and he will ſurely turne the Hearts of all our Governours to us, and our welfare. He will make their Counſels proſperous, He will make their deſignes ſucceſsful; He will turne our ſtorme into a calme, our dangers into ſafety, our troubles into tranquility. All things Rom. 8. 28.ſhall work together for good to thoſe that love him.
Many Men have many enemies in theſe times; And every Mans deſires are to get the Victory over his enemies. Our greateſt Enemies are in our ſelves, our owne ſinnes are boſome Enemies; And home-bred Enemies are ever moſt miſchievous. Above any other Enemies let us therefore labour to get the Victory over our ſelves. Let us never give over combating till we have conquered our own corruptions. Theſe are the firſt, and worſt of Enemies, the Makers andJam. 4. 1. Pugna, ut ſit in animo hominis paena peccati eſt, ex primo homine in omnes filios propagata: ut qui noluit cum Deo eſſe unitus, eſſet in ſemetipſo diviſus: & qui imperanti Dom ino noluit eſſe ſubjectus, ſibi ipſirebellis at que contrarius eſſet. Iſidorus de Summo bono, l. …. cap. 26. Movers of all Enmities. From whence come Wars and fightings amongſt you? Come they not hence, even of your Luſts which warre in your Members? ſaith St. James. Our unruly affections make us all unruly. Our mutinous affections make us ſo amongſt our ſelves. There are Warres within us, and they are the incentives of the Warres without us. Let us labour to make a peace within us, and that's the way to have a peace without us. The way to get the Nobleſt Victory over all our Enemies, is for every Man to get the Victory over himſelſe. Caeſar was more commended by Cicero for overcomming his own paſſions to the yeelding of Pardon to Marcellus, then for his greateſt Conqueſts over his other Enemies. It is a ſignal Conqueſt for a Man of a fiery Spirit to ſuppreſſe his Anger; It is with Hercules to conquer one of the furies of Hell. It was but Inhumanely ſpoken by Vitellius upon the Death of Otho, as he viewed the Carcaſſes on the place where they fought the Battail. O how ſweet a perfume is a dead Enemie! But it may be Divinely ſpoken by one that hath Conquered himſelfe, or Mortified his ſinfull affections: O what a ſavor of life unto life! is the Death of ſuch a Mortal ſinne, Such a boſome Enemy! The Sinnes of every Man are every Mans greateſt Enemies. And the Kingdomes greateſt Enemies are the greateſt ſins of the Kingdome. I have been ever more afraid of the Sins of this our Nation, then of any Souldiers from forreigne Nations. Great talking there hath been of Daniſh Fleets, and other Out-landiſh Forces But we have more cauſe to fear our Sea-mens ſinnes, and the ſinnes of our owne Land. If God be for us, who can be againſt us? And he will be for us, if our ſins be not againſt him: but ourRom. 8. 31. ſinnes are all againſt him, and for their ſakes he is againſt us. Were it not for them, we need not feare any Daniſh foreign. St Chryſoſt. Nemo leditur niſi à ſeipſo.Fleets, or Spaniſh Armados, or Turkiſh Navies; nor all the Pyrates and Powers of Hell. We have moſt cauſe then to be afraid of our ſelves, to feare our owne ſinnes. Every Man may well pray as ſome of old were wont to do, Ame Domine ſerva me: Lord ſave me from my ſelfe! In the Common Prayers; when the Miniſter ſaid, Give peace in our time, O Lord! the People were wont to anſwer, Becauſe there is none other that fighteth for us, but onelyonly thou, O. God. A very ſtrange Reply, but not more ſtrange then true; for true it is, that it is God alone that fighteth for us. The Devill, he fighteth againſt us. The World, that fighteth againſt us; And the Fleſh as much as either of both. So that we our ſelves are enemiesQuo ſugiam poenitendo, niſi ad ejus miſericordiam cujus poteſtatem contempſeram peccando? Tertul. to our ſelves, and fight againſt our ſelves. And ſo may fitly pray, Lord ſave us from our ſelves. Now there is no way for us to ſave our ſelves from our ſelves, but by turning of our ſelves to him that fighteth for us. Wherefore turne your ſelves.
But it is not every turning that will ſerve the turne There is eaſe indeed to be had by this turning, but this turning is not to be had with eaſe. It is not turning with the Time, nor turning to the Time, that can turne the Time: No, but our turning of our ſelves in time from the ſinnes of the Time. God himſelfe will turne unto our ſide, andWhen a mans wayes pleaſe the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him. Prov. 16. 7. make us all to turne unto one ſide, or rather turne away all this ſiding, would men on all ſides but turne themſelves to him. Wherefore turne your ſelves. And how ever the Times turne this way, and that way; backward, and foreward: Yet let not us turn meer Cameleons in Religion, as if we had no colour for it, but what we borrow of thoſe which are neareſt to us: Neither let us be turned about like Weathercocks, with every Wind of New Doctrine. Let us not turne, and turne, and turne with every Polypus, and every Proteus, and every fantaſtical Changeling, which turne to every new Religion, Proteo mutabilior. Eraſ. Adag.untill they have no Religion left to turne unto. Turne not with them that are ever turning their old Religions out of themſelves, untill they have turned all Religion out of themſelves, and themſelves out of all Religion. There need but theſe two moving in our turning of our ſelves.
1. Downwards.
2. Ʋpwards.
Firſt, Downwards by Mortification. Secondly, Upwards by Vivification. Downwards by a Death unto ſinne; Upwards by a New Birth unto Righteouſneſſe. Downwards by an Humiliation; Upwards by a Reformation. And if we thus draw nigh to God, he will draw nigh to us. He will return to us with much Compaſſion towards our ſoules, ifJam. 4. 8. Zach. 1. 3. we will turne to him with true Compunction for our ſinnes. He will be diſpleaſed with us for our ſinnes, till we be diſpleaſed with our ſelves for them. For he can never take pleaſure in us ſo long as we take pleaſure in that which is ſo diſpleaſing as ſinne is unto him. But when we are diſpleaſed with ſinne in our ſelves, then he isforeign. Menand. Hug. Cardin. l. 3 de Myster. Eccleſiaſt. pleaſed with us. When we condemne our ſelves for ſinning ſo againſt him, we ſave him a labour, we prevent him for condemning of us. Paenitentia, quaſip…nientia, ſaith Hugo Cardinalis. True Penitency is a puniſhing of ſinne in our ſelves, to ſave our ſelves from Gods puniſhments. For God will not for ever puniſh that which hath been once puniſhedPoenitentia est quaedam doloris vindicta, puniens in ſe quod ſe dolet commiſiſſe. St Auguſt. Poenitentia, quaſi paenae tentio. Guido de Monte Rocherii in Manipulo Curatorum.. God hath promiſed Remiſſion of ſinne to thoſe that have Contrition for ſinne. At what time ſoever a ſinner doth repent him of his ſinne from the bottome of his heart, I will put all his wickedneſſe out of my remembrance, ſaith the Lord.
But obſerve it well. He that hath promiſed to pardon a ſinner at what time ſoever he doth turne himſelfe, or truly repent him of his ſinnes, doth not promiſe that he ſhall repent, or turne whenſoever he will. We cannot repent when we would, therefore let us repent when we can. We are not ſure of time hereafter, therefore let us take the preſent. Repentance is a due debt, and there is no longer day given in the Bond, and therefore the payment muſt be preſently. And that's the third Concluſion.
We muſt all turn our ſelves without delay.
Therefore alſo now, ſaith the Lord, Turne ye even to me with all your heart, and with faſting, and with weeping, and with mourning, Joel 2. 12. As it is never too late to amend, ſo it is neverN…m ſera nunquam eſt ad bonos mores via. Seneca Tragaed. 8. too ſoon to be good. Better late then never; but the ſooner the better. They do well that do amend, though it be at the very laſt: But they better, that amend ſooner; And they beſt of all, that amend firſt of all. The ſooner men be good, the eaſier it is unto them to grow better. And the later they amend, the harder it is unto them to grow better, or continue good. At this time there are many, who might by this time have been better then they are, had they been good but ſooner then they were: And would by this time have been worſe then ever they were, had they not grown better then they were untill this time. The evill mans condition is made worſe and worſe, by his continuance in an evill condition. The deferring of his amendment doth make the difficulty of amending double.
Qui non eſt hodie, cras minus aptus erit.
He that is unfit to repent to day, will be more unfit to morrow, for he will have more ſinnes to repent of, and will be hardened more in his ſinnes: He will have a Day more to repent of, and a Day leſſe to repent in. Every Day doth add a new Summe to the old Score; yea every houre doth ſcore up many ſmaller Debts to increaſe the Totall Summe. So that he who is not able to diſchage the debt of his Sins to Day, will the leſſe able to unſcore a longer ſum to Morrow. The longer any ſinner lets his ſcores run on, the greater will his quantum be, when it comes to be ſummed up. And they muſt needs become non-ſolvent, that ſcore up ſins too many dayes before they reckon. Often reckoning doth make long friends: And eaſie reckonings are made by often reckoning. So it happens between man and man: And ſo it happens alſo between God and man. But many deale with God, as ſome evill Debtors deale with their Creditors; they ſtudy much how to get into debt, but not at all how to get out: They take great care to be truſted; but little care to pay. Whereas their firſt care ſhould be to run as little as may be into Gods Debt, by ſcoring up of Sins: And their next care ſhould be to get out of Debt as ſoon as may be. It is the height of impiety, to be hardened with impenitency. To commit ſin is to diſpleaſe God; but to continue in ſin, is to deſpiſe him, when he is diſpleaſed, or to ſleight his diſpleaſure. And to go on in ſin at ſuch a time as this, when God hath taken his Rod into his hand, and ſuch a Red as now he hath, can be no leſſe then a bidding of utter defiance to him. It is a bidding of him to do his worſt.
They go farre that never return: farre be it from us to go on in ſinne ſo farre, or too farre to return. Some Mariners have ſailed ſo far to the Arctick-Pole-wards, and ſtaid ſo long in thoſe Northern parts, that their ſhips have been bewintered in the midſt of congealed waters, and they bennumed in their frozen ſhips. Lots wife was turned into a Pillar of Salt for turning back ſo ſoon; and they into Pillars of Ice forGen. 19. 26. not returning ſooner: And many in the World are like ſuch adventurous Mariners, they go on, and on, and on in the wayes of ſin, which are the wayes of death, ſo far, that they can never return alive to the land of the living. They are benummed by the winterly froſts of Icie Death before they be aware. O beware that ye be not ſo ſurprized. Repent ſpeedily, ye may die ſuddenly: Take the counſel of Jeſus the ſon of Sirach, And make no tarrying to turn to the Lord. Put Eccluſ. 5. 7.not off from day to day: for ſuddenly ſhall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in your ſecurity ye ſhall be deſtroyed, and periſh in the day of vengeance. foreign; So Demoſthenes to the Athenians, and ſo ſayDemoſthen. Olynthiac. 3. I to you, What Time, or what opportunity doe ye look for better then the preſent? foreign, When will ye do what ye ought to doe, if ye will not doe it now? when will y… repent and turn your ſelves, if ye will not now? foreign: Doe theſe things, ſaith he, whileſt a propitious fortune leads the way. AndHaec ſacite, duce proſpera fortuna. Vit. Amerpach. interpr. whileſt a faire opportunity does invite you, do this thing which does ſo much concern you, Repent in time. They that deferre their repentance till it be too late to repent, will repent when it is too late, that they did ſo long deferre their repentance. True repentance is ſeldome late: and late repentance is ſeldome true.
Indeed the Authentick ſtory (as that famous Poet cals the Goſpel) doth tell us of one true Convert, which returnedDu-Bartas. as far homewards in a few houres, as he had wandred from home in many years. The penitent Thiefe was far gone in that broad way, which leadeth to deſtruction, before he returned intoLuke 23. 40, 41, 42. Matt. 7. 13, 14. the narrow way, which leadeth unto life: He was gone to the very gate of Hell, and yet returned. But let no man preſume to run on in his evill way in hope of his good return: for he had an advantage which no man elſe is like to have; forJohn 10. 7. the doore of Heaven was next unto him, when he began to turn: Chriſt is the way, and the Gate, and the Doore, and the14. 6. Guide, and the Help to Heaven; and the All in all in Heaven, and he was as neer to the Penitent Thief as he could wiſh, when he began to be a Penitent. And it was a good turn for him, that ſo it was, or he might have come ſhort of Heaven as farre as ſome other Theeves have done, who never thought of turning themſelves to Heaven-wards, untill they were even ready to be turned off the Ladder. O, what an happy turn was this for that Penitent Theif! This Turn did ſet him ſafe upon the Ladder of Life, the trueHebr. 10. 20. Joh. 1. 51. Geneſ. 28. 12. and living Ladder, which reacheth up from Earth to Heaven: The ſubſtance of Jacobs Ladder, whoſe foot did ſtand upon the Earth, and whoſe top did reach up unto Heaven. ThatSymb. S. Athan. foreign. myſtical viſion was an adumbration of Chriſt: his Humane nature was as the foot, and his Divine nature was the top of the Ladder. The top and foot made but one Ladder, and God and Man make but one Chriſt, as the onelyonly Mediator between God and man; the new and living way between Heaven and Earth; the Ladder by which the penitent ThiefLuk. 23. 42, 43 Non dicit in die judicii, cum juſtis ad dextram te locabo. Non ait, poſt aliquot annos Purgatorii ad refrigerium te perducā. Non poſt aliquot menſes vel dies te conſolabor; Sed hodie, &c. Bellar. de ſept. verb. … Chriſt. in cru. prolat. Si quis vel hiſtorias legat, vel curſus quotidianos obſervat, inveniet profecto rariſſimos fuiſſe qui de hoc mundo exierint, cum per totum vitae ſuae curſum perdite vixerint. Bellar. de ſept. verb. … Chriſto in cruce prolat. lib. 5. cap. 5. Pſal. 9. 17. climbed up to Heaven. There is no way for a Thief to ſteal into Heaven. It was not by ſtealth that the penitent Thief got thither: It was by turning from his theft, that he got into the way; It was by repenting of his former wayes of ſtealing, that he got into the favour of Chriſt; and by his favour it was, that the gates of Heaven were fairly opened to him. Upon his turning, Paradiſe was promiſed. Verily Iſay unto thee, to day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe, ſaid our Saviour unto him. See what a ſudden return was here! He does not ſay, after ſo many ages, or years, or moneths, or weeks, or dayes; but, hodie mecum, To day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe: This day thou haſt turned thy ſelf from an heinous Peccant to an humble Penitent; and this very day thou ſhalt be turned from an humble Penitent to an heavenly Triumphant: This is the day of thy Converſion, and this ſhall be thy day of Coronation: This day thou art truly humbled, and this day thou ſhalt be highly exalted. But this one Swallow makes no Summer: This rare Example may not be made a general Rule to go by: This Phenix had no Mate. A pair of Malefactors were concrucified with Chriſt, but both were not converted unto Chriſt. Chriſt was brought with both unto the Croſſe; but the Croſſe could not bring both of them unto Chriſt. They both came to the death of the Croſſe by the ſame way: but they went not both the ſame way after death from the Croſſe, for that they turned not themſelves the ſame way upon the Croſſe before death: One turned unto the Lord upon the Croſſe before his death; but the other was croſſe, and would not turn. And therefore the Lord did turn to that one in mercy, and turned his Croſſe into a Crown: But the other was turned into Hell. And ſo ſhall all the ungodly that forget God. One of the two was ſaved, that none might deſpaire: And but one, that none might preſume. Our Saviours accepting of the Penitent upon the Croſſe, may encourage us to repent, be it never ſo late: & his rejecting of the other bold impenitent Thief, may diſcourage us from ſinning, be it never ſo ſoon.
As it is therefore now with us, whether ſooner, or later,Utendum eſt … tate, cito pede labitur aetas. Ovid. l. 3. de Art. amand. Let us apply our ſelves to the ſeaſon: Let us neither deſpaire of time paſt, nor preſume of time to come; but let us take the time preſ…nt, and turn our ſelves. Time is but a moment, and Eternity depends upon it: Ex hoc momento aeternitas, Eternity it ſelf depends upon this moment; yea two Eternities depend upon this one Article of Time; Eternity of Happineſſe in Heaven, and Eternity of Miſery in Hell do bothEraſmi Adag. Qui arripit occaſionem rei conficiendae, dum illa ſeſe offert, ille ſapit; qui negligit, deſipil. Cornel. à Lap. in Prov. c. 10. Pſal. 95. 7. Heb. 3, 7. 8, 15. depend upon the very foreign of Temporal life: & man hath no more of Life, or Time, but the very preſent. Poſt eſt occaſio calva, Time is bald behind: Yeſterday cannot be recalled, To morrow cannot be aſſured. Let this Preſent therefore be well imployed. One To day is worth two To morrows, to turn your ſelves in. To day therefore, if ye will heare his voice, harden not your hearts, but turn your ſelves. Let impertinent mirth be turned into penitent mourning. Let laughing at ſinne be turned into lamenting of ſinne. He that hath not been a Prometheus in his life, let him be an Epimetheus before his death: He that hath not been fore-wittedDo therefore the work of the day in die ſuo. No man can promiſe himſelf a morrow. Deferring as well as preſuming makes many implicite Atheiſts. Mancheſt. Contemp. mortis & immortal. in his actions, let him ſhew himſelf after-witted in examining and amending them. If the want of due advice hath occaſioned any improvident act of Sinne, let the betteradviſed act of Sorrow prevent the final puniſhment of it. And if the fear of Hell cannot make us repent in Time, then Hell it ſelf ſhall make us repent to all Eternity. They that will not give ſo much for the love of God as a few penitential Tears, ſhall have the hatred of Devils for nothing: And they that will not take ſo much pains to go to Heaven, as to turn themſelves, may go to Hell with eaſe. Facilis eſt deſcenſus averni: It is an eaſie matter to go to Hell, but not ſo eaſie to get out. Ab inferno nulla eſt redemptio. If a ſinner be once butSera nimis vita est craſtina, vive hodie. turned into Hell, he can never return. Be perſwaded therefore to turn your ſelves, before you come there. Turn your ſelves, and ye ſhall never come there. Turn your ſelves, and ye ſhall live.
And live ye.
Turn your ſelves, and live here: Turn your ſelves, and live hereafter.2 Chron. 7. 14. Luk. 15. 20. Life temporal and life eternal are both promiſed to all thoſe that turn themſelves, or thoſe that turn a natural life into a ſpiritual.
But now I perceive my preaching upon this Text, to be like to moſt mens practiſing of it: They are ſo long in turning of themſelves, that they leave themſelves but a very little time to live in, when they are turned. And I have been ſo long in perſwading you to turn your ſelves, that I have left my ſelf but a little time to ſpeak of Living.
I muſt now do, as the Time hath done: I muſt make haſte to have done with the Time.
The Evils of theſe Times do threaten every man with Death: yea Death it ſelf does threaten every man a Miſchief in theſe Times of Evil. And what way is there for any man to turn away theſe Times of Evil from himſelf, but by turning of himſelf from the Evils of theſe Times? Who is it, that doth not even long to ſee a return of better Times? And who can make any doubt but better Times would yet ere long return to men, would …en but turn themſelves to better the Times? The Times grow good, or bad to Men, as Men grow in their Times. The Times would ſoon be better, would Men be ſo; and Men muſt mend, or the Times will not. But evil Times can never amend, whileſt evil Men grow worſe and worſe, Or whileſt they ſleep ſupinely in their Evil. No Times can make ſome Men to amend or turn themſelves: But would they turn themſelves, they might both turn the Times, and ſave themſelves from ruine. See Jer. 3. 12. 13. 22. and ſee Joel 2. 12, 13. 18, 19, 20, &c. Ezek. Iſa. 1. 16, &c. Promiſſa haec tua ſunt; & quis falli timeat, cum promittit ipſa veritas. S. Aug. Jonah 3. 6, &c.33. 12. 14, 15, 16, 19. At what inſtant I ſhall ſpeak concerning a Nation, and concerning a Kingdome, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to deſtroy it: If that Nation againſt whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them, ſaith God himſelf, Jer. 18. 7, 8. So he dealt with Niniveh; And ſo he hath often dealt with our Metropolis, and with this whole Nation. He is long-ſuffering to usward, Ego & ante mortem prae malis ſum mortua. Eraſ. Some pleaſant their lives, as if the world ſhould alwayes laugh upon them. Quāvis p…jor eſt mundus cum blanditur, quam cum indignatur. Mancheſt. Al Mondo's Cont. Mortis & Jmmortal. Sueton. de vita Tiberii. Si ſalvabor ſalvabor. Si praedestinatus ſum, nulla peccata poterunt mihi regnum coelorū auferr…: Si praeſcitus, nulla opera mihi illud valebunt conferre. Heiſterbach. l. 1. de memor. Hiſt. c. 27. VVe are inſtruments, though not cauſes of our own ſalvation. VVe bring nothing for it, but ſomething to it; Nothing worth it, but ſomthing with it. Dr. Donne.not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to repentance, ſaith S. Peter, 2 Epiſt. c. 3. v. 9. Both periſhing here, and periſhing hereafter too, may be prevented by repenting here in time.
Euripides brings in Hec…ba crying out amain, foreign Iam even dead with the very terrors of death… And many in theſe evil Times have even killed themſelves with the feares of being killed. But others are ſtill running neerer unto Death, and to Damnation …oo, and yet are further every day then other from thinking of either. They think they ſhall not die as yet; and therefore as yet they think not of preparing themſelves for death by turning of themſelves. Yea, many live as if they thought they ſhould ever live; and therefore never think of turning themſelves that they might live for ever.
Tiberius thought that all things came by deſtiny; and therefore neglected all endeavours to prevent or alter any thing. And many are like Tiberius, at leaſt in deportments, if not in judgments. They do not endeavour to turn themſelves, to turn the times; to ſave their lives, either in this preſent world, or that to come. Yea ſome are ready to ſay, as that Italian Ludovicus did: If we ſhall be ſaved, we ſhall be ſaved. And as that Lantgrave of Thuring did, which Heiſterbachius writes of: If we be elected, no ſinnes can keep us out of Heaven; but if we be reprobate, no ſorrows can keep us out of Hell. This is a moſt irreligious kind of reaſoning. This is not the way for men to work out their own ſalvation with feare and trembling, This is not the way to perſwade them to give all diligence to make their calling and election ſure.
True it is, that all that Man can do is but in vain, unleſſe that God beſtows his bleſſing on it: But all in vain it is for Man to expect a bleſſing from the hands of God, unleſſe that he will do what God expecteth at his hands for the procuring of it. For God will not do all things all alone for them, that will do nothing for themſelves with him, when he is doing for them. When God is working in men, and for them, then they in him muſt needs be foreign workers together with God. In vain it is for men to call toIn vain do men call to Heaven for help, when they withſtand the help of Heaven. Many do invoke it, and yet do hinder it: They require help from others, and abandon themſelves; and by their deeds, contrarying their words, they ſhew, not to have deſired what they have intreated; and to have intreated, that they might not be heard. Malvez. Romul. & Tarq. tranſlated by the Earl of Monmouth. Heaven for help, if they will not uſe the help of Heaven which they call for. In vain it is for men to have any Talents of Grace, if they wi…l not put them out to uſe: And they that have them, and will not improve them, deſerve to have them taken away from them.
By Nature indeed we are all dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes, and cannot help our ſelves. But when God by the Spirit of Life hath helped us unto the Life of the Spirit; then we, like men of ſpirit, muſt beſtir our ſelves to uſe his help. When GodDr. Love's Watchmans Watchword. hath begun with us, then we muſt go on with him: when he is turning of us, then we together with him muſt turn our ſelves: And being turned, we muſt live too. Turn, & live. An early endeavour is then to purpoſe, when it is put on with an earneſt endeavour to perſevere. But it were better to begin late, and hold out unto the end, then to begin betimes, and be preſently weary of well-doing. There is a Penny Ma…. 10. 22. Gal. 6. 9.promiſed to him that comes to labour in the Lords vineyard at the eleventh houre of the day: But no Salary promiſed to him that ends his labour, before the day of his life be ended. We muſt go on then, as well as begin. It is Perſeverance that crowns Repentance. Turning it is that prepares the way of Living; And Living it is that perfects the work of Turning. Optima paenitentia nova vita. Luther.We muſt do the laſt as well as the firſt. Indeed we can do neither well, unleſſe we do both: But by doing both, we may do well. And that we may be ſure to do ſo, let us both turn, and live. Wherefore turn your ſelves, and live ye.
F…NIS.
St. PAVL'S CONCRVCIFIXION. Preached in two Sermons at Hoxne in the County of SUFFOLK, By Edw. Willan, M. A. Vicar of Hoxne.
Galat. 6. 14. God forbid that I ſhould glory ſave in the Croſſe of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by whom the World is crucified to me, and I unto the World.
LONDON, Printed for RICHARD ROYSTON at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1651.
TO THE VVORSHIPFULL, ROBERT STYLE, Eſq. his very Generous and bountifull Patron AND TO THE VVORSHIPFULL, NATHANEEL THRUSTON, Eſq. his very Worthy Pariſhoner.
VVORTHY SIRS,
IT was by both your Worſhips that I was placed in the Pulpit where theſe two Sermons were preached. By the one of you it was that I was perſwaded, and by the other it was that I was preſented to it; and therefore by both your Worſhips may both theſe Sermons be joyntly and juſtly claimed. I ſhall not diſclaime the right of either to them. They were both my Service in that pulpit long agoe upon one of your Sabbaths, one of my Working dayes; But neither of your Worſhips (ni memini male) were that day neere to hear them as they were preſented to the care, be pleaſed to let them come ſo neere unto your Worſhips now, that you may reade them as they are repreſented to the eye. Mine Office doth bind me to live, not to my ſelfe, but others. It makes me a Servant to all by Common Duty: But my place to officiate doth make me by Speciall tyes, and Service,
Sirs, Your Worſhips devoted beadſman and poore Vicar. EDVV. WILLAN.