Repentance Sounding Alarm, Chapter 1
The firſt Chapter treaterh of the certainty of mans ſaluation; wherein hee may cleerely ſee, whether he ſhall bee ſaued or damned; with a moſt perfect rule directed by the holy Scripture, to guide him in the right way to auoid his ſinnes; and how to attaine eternall life.
ALmighty God,*Gen. 17.1. that ſéeth from euerlaſting to euerlaſting,aEccleſ. 39.20. and knoweth all things, both paſt, preſent, and to come;b1 Sam. 2.3. hath from the beginning of the world, and doth to the end thereofcEſay 59.21. Ier. 32.37. Gen. 17.7. Acts 2.39. Ier. 31.33. Heb. 10.16, 17. Ezech. 18.21, 22. Ier. 24.7, 8, 9, 10. gather, and preſerue vntounto himſelfe, by his hnly Spirit,dMat. 16.17 out of all Nations, the flower of all mankinde, to be an holy companie of choſen people*Ioh. 10.28, 29, 30. Tit. 2.14. preſerued for eternall life, whom nothing can ſeparate from God but ſinne,eEſay 59.2 and nothing ſooner than to deſpaire of his mercy, which is ouer all his workesfPſal. 143.9.
And therefore all you that would forſake your ſins to be the children of God, muſt hauehave an aſſured truſt,gHeb. 11.17. Iam. 1.6. Epheſ. 3.12. Rom. 10.10. kindled in your hearts by the Holy Ghoſt,hIoh. 6.29. Mat. 16.16, 17. 2 Cor. 4.13. through the WordiRom. 10.17 Rom. 1.16. Acts 10.44. whereby you may be aſſuredly reſolued,kRom 1.17. Gal. 3.11. Gal. 2.16. that remiſſion of ſins, and euerlaſting life, is not giuen vntounto others only, but vntounto you alſo: and that you muſt hauehave a true and liuely faith in Ieſus Chriſt, to beléeue that you are hislRom. 3.21, 22, 24. Gal. 1.15, 16. Epheſ. 2.8, 9. Phil. 3.9.. Although your conſcience accuſe you; and Satan alleage againſt you; that you hauehave not kept Gods Lawes; but hauehave grieuouſly ſinnedmRom. 3.9, 10, 11, 12. Rom. 7.23., and prouoked Gods wrath againſt you, whereby you hauehave deſerued eternall damnation, yet notwithſtanding, if by your true repentance, hauing an inward ſorrow wrought by the Holy GhoſtoMat. 16.17. Ioh. 10.28, 29., for your ſinnes before committed; you may embrace the benefits of Ieſus Chriſt by a liuely faithpIoh. 3.18., with a full determination to continue in newneſſe of life, yea, and that with a pure conſcience and perſwaſion of mindeq1 Ioh. 2.2., that the full and perfect ſatiſfaction, righteouſneſſe, and holineſſe of Chriſtſ1 Ioh. 2.1. without any righteouſneſſe of yours,tTit. 3.5. Ezech. 36.22 but of the méere mercy of GoduRom. 3.24. Eph. 2.8., is giuen vntounto you; and that ſo cléerely, as if you had neuer committed any ſinne;*2 Cor. 5.21 then there is no doubt (by the grace of God) but the Lord will pardon all your offences; and If your ſinnes were as red as ſcarlet, hee will make them as white as ſnow; xEſay 1.18.and ſo you ſhall bée made heires of eternall lifeyIoh. 3.36. 1 Ioh. 5.13..
But there are too too many, which through their careleſneſſe of repentance, although Gods Preachers daily perſwade them to repent;aEſay 1.18. Ier. 18.11. 2 King 17.13. Ier. 25.5. Ier. 7.3. Ezech. 33.11 Ier. 35.15. Hoſ. 14.3. Ier. 4.2. Hoſ. 6.1. Ioel 12.2. doe ſtand in doubt of their ſaluation; becauſe they hauehave grieuouſly ſinned, and thereby greatly offended the Maieſty of Almighty God, and procured his curſe for their ſinnes, as the Scripture ſaith, There is no peace to the wicked bEſay 48.23, Prou. 38.1..
So that Satan layes before their faces all their ſinnes they hauehave committed, whereby their conſcience tels them, that by reaſon of their ſinnes, which they hauehave ſo long continued in without repentance, that they ſtand now in great danger of damnation, and that, Ibi nulla remis fio, vbi nulla posfit eſſe poenitentia, There can be no pardon, where can be no repentance, according vntounto Chriſts owne ſaying, Except yee repent, yee ſhall all be damned cLuk 13.3. Eſay 59 2, Nahum. 1.2..
And note this for a certainty: ſo long as they careleſly ſtand, and continue in their damnable eſtate of ſinne, without repentance, ſo long they may very well doubt of their ſaluation; for he that continueth in ſinne, and neuer doubteth of his ſaluation, ſcarce euer beléeueth to be ſaueddIer. 20.14, 15. Iob. 3.3. Ier. 15.10. Iob 10.18, 19. Ionah. 2.4 Pſal 42.11. Pſal. 31.11.. Therefore let no man deceiue himſelfe, to continue in ſinne; for it will coſt him many a prayer,eCol. 4.2. Luk 18 1. 1 Theſſ. 5.17. Rom 12.12. 1 Tim. 2.8. Epheſ. 6.18. and cauſe him to let fall a multitude of teares for his ſinnes,fIam. 4.9. Mat. 26.75. Deut. 1.45. 2 King 20.1, 2, 3. Gen. 37 34, 35. 2 King. 22.11, 19. before he can be certaine of his ſaluation: Yet let no man deſpaire of the mercies of God, becauſe where is nulla petitio, gratia nulla, no prayer, no grace, and no repentance, no pardon; but remember, the prayer of the righteous auaileth much, if it bee feruentgIam. 5.16., therefore ſpéedily repent, for God is more mercifull, than man can be ſinfull, if man will be ſorrowfull.
If Satan ſay vntounto you, or any others; how know ye whether God will accept of your repentance, or no, or if he would, how long may ye be aſſured of your ſaluation?
You may anſwer him thus, (or in ſuch like manner,) whereas I was truly cleanſed,hReu. 1 5. 1 Ioh. 1.7. put on Chriſt,iGal. 3.27. receiued inward grace,kTit. 3.7. made the ſonne of God,lLuk. 20.36. 1 Ioh. 3.1. Rom. 8.14. Ioh. 1.12. Gal. 3.26. 2 Cor. 6.18. and heire with Chriſt,mGal. 4.7. Rom. 8.17. Tit. 3.7. vntounto eternall life in my Baptiſme, although through the ſubtilty of thée, O Satan, thou haſt tempted mée to ſinne, and thereby haſt cauſed me to fall from my former eſtate of righteouſneſſe: yet by the grace of God, ſo long as I hauehave truly repented, and am heartily ſorry for all my vgly and loathſome ſinnes, which thou haſt entiſed mée to commit, and am fully purpoſed, both now, and for euer hereafter, to forſake thée O Satan, and all thy curſed company; and withall, I am fully determined to continue in newneſſe of life; ſo long my ſure truſt and confidence is, That God will neuer forſake them that put their truſt in him: nRom. 9.33. 1 Pet. 2.6. Acts 4.12.and this faith is the faith of Gods elect, ſo many beleeued, as were ordained vntounto ſaluation oActs 13 48..
And therefore he which hath truly repented, and doubteth of his ſaluation; his vnbeléefe bewrayes his ignorance in the word of God.
For, doth not our Sauiour ſay, He that beleeueth, and is baptized, ſhall bee ſaued pMark 16.16. Ioh 3.8. Ioh. 3.18. Well then, I doubt not, but with a true heart, and cléere conſcience I may ſay, I was baptized, I hauehave truly repented, and am heartily ſorrie for all my ſinnes: and doe truly purpoſe to continue by the grace of God in newneſſe of life, and doe alſo fully beleeue: Ergo, I ſhall be ſaued; and as the beſt hauehave deſired to make their election to ſaluation ſure; ſo I, the vnworthieſt of all other, doe daily labour vntounto my God with all humility to doe the ſame.
And therefore I ſay with Iob, euen with a good conſcience and ioyfull heart, that I am ſure my Redeemer liueth, and although wormes deſtroy this body of mine, yet in my fleſh ſhall I ſee God iIob 19.25 26: And with Saint Paul, that When mine earthly houſe is deſtroyed, I hauehave a building giuen of God; (that is) an houſe not made with hands, but eternall in Heauen k2 Cor 31., where is laid vp for me a crowne, of righteouſneſſe l2 Tim. 5; ſo that I am perſwaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, ſhall be able to ſeparate mee from the louelove of God, mRom. 8.38, 39.which is in Chriſt Ieſus my Sauiour, nActs 5.31. Luk. 2.11. 2 Sam. 22.3. Pſal. 18.1.in whom I truſt, and in whom alſo I am ſealed with the holy Spirit of promiſe, which is the earneſt of mine inheritance oEph. 1.13, 14. Ioh. 6.27. Reuel. 7.3. Ioh. 3.33..
And all thoſe who are led by the Spirit of God, are the ſonnes of God pGal. 4.5, 6, 7. Rom. 8.17. 1 Ioh. 2.28.; if ſonnes, then children; if children, then heires; euen heires annexed with Chriſt vntounto eternall life, and conſequently ſure of ſaluation. And that ſo ſure, that no man can plucke them out of the hands of ChriſtqIoh. 10.28 2 Tim. 2.26. 1 Pet. 1.5. 1 Ioh. 5.14, 15.
This aſſurance made the Virgin Marie call Chriſt her Sauiour,*Luk. 1.47. the théefe on the croſſe to ſay, Lord remember mee rLuk. 23.42, and Paul to ſay, that Chriſt gaue himſelfe for me ſGal. 2.20., and in another place, I know on whom I hauehave beleeued t2 Tim. 1.12..
This promiſe God hath made vntounto all beléeuers; Hee that beleeueth in mee, though he were dead, yet he ſhall liue uIoh. 11.25.; for I will put my feare in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me *Ier. 32.40., they ſhall bee my people, and I will be their God xIer. 32.38., and forgiue their iniquities, and remember their ſinnes no more yHeb. 10.17: And thus the greater your faith is, the greater is your aſſurancez1 Pet. 1.7, 8, 9..
Thus Gods word aſſures you, that if yée hauehave truly repented, and continue in newneſſe of life, ye ſhall liue, and not die: but ſaue your ſoule aliue aEzech. 18.21, 22.to enioy eternall life. Thus, if ye were neuer ſo weary and heauie laden, ye ſhall be eaſed bMat. 11.28; If your ſinnes were as red as ſcarlet, they ſhall be made as white as ſnow cEſay 1.18.: All this our gracious God hath promiſed, which cannot lye; and hath not only ſworne thereunto by an oathdHeb. 6.17, 18. Eſay 54.9, 10, but alſo bound himſelfe by couenants, as it were a paire of Indentures, the one in the Old TeſtamenteIer. 1.33. Ier. 32 44. Ier. 24.7., the other in the NewfHeb. 10.16, 17..
And therefore yée may aſſure your ſelues by the teſtimonies of all theſe Scriptures, that you may be as firmely perſwaded of the certainty of your ſaluation, as your hearts can witneſſe the ſincerity of your conuerſion. Saint Paul proues it, I liue, yet not I, but Chriſt liueth in mee gGal. 2.20. 1 Cor. 3.16.. So Chriſt and the Chriſtian dwelleth not one with another, but one in another; this being in Chriſt is a relatiue, for, Wee cannot be in him, but he muſt be in vsus h1 Ioh 5 24. Againe, Know yee not your owne ſelues (ſaith hée) how Ieſus Chriſt is in you, except yee bee reprobates i2 Cor. 13.…? Here Saint Paul giueth them the title of reprobates, that know not how Ieſus Chriſt is in them.
By theſe words we ought all to vnderſtand, that all which beléeue hauehave the Spirit of diſcerning, to know certainly that they doe beléeue; becauſe the faith which he here ſpeaketh of, is that liuely faith, whereby Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts; thus if Chriſt dwell in our hearts, then wee are in Chriſt; if wee bee in Chriſt, wee cannot bee condemned, for there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Ieſus kRom. 8.1..
And by theſe examples I conclude with this ſaying of Saint Peter, I would hauehave all that feare God, and hope to be ſaued, euen for Gods ſake, their owne ſake, and their ſoules ſake, to make their election ſure, and they ſhall neuer fall a2 Pet. 1.10; neither will that ſoule feare to goe vntounto Chriſt,b1 Ioh. 3.10 that is in Chriſt, it knoweth it is reconciled vntounto his SauiourcPal. 18.1. Acts 5.31. 2 Sam. 12.3. Luk. 2 11 1 Tim. 4.10. Matth. 1.21., and therefore hee néed not to feare ſudden death, who is euer prepared to die: and alſo aſſured of his ſaluation, to liue in Heauen with the royall PrieſthooddExod 19.6 1 Pet. 2.9. Eſay. 61.6. Pſal. 132.9., the peculiar people,eTit. 2.14. Ioh. 10.28, 29, 30., the children of lightf2 Sam. 22.29., the new creatures*Gal. 6.15., the elect by Gods preordinationgEph. 1.4. 1 Pet. 1.2., where all are Kings and heires with ChriſthRom. 8.17. Gal 4 7. Tit. 3.7., inueſted with glorieiRom. 9.23., and crowned with Maieſtiek2 Tim. 4 8., to reigne with Chriſt in his eternall Kingdome.
Laſtly, if Satan lay open all your ſins that euer you hauehave committed, and ſay, they are more and greater than can bee pardoned, and ſo perſwade you to deſpaire, then ſay vntounto him, Depart Satan, I defie thée, and all thy workes ʒ if my ſinnes were as many as the haires of mine head lPſal. 40.12, or ſands in the ſea mManaſſ. pr., yet it is God that iuſtifieth, who ſhall then condemne me nEſay 50.8. Rom. 8.32, 33.?
Oh Satan, I am none of thy curſed …rew, nor by the grace of God neuer ſhall …ee; thou haſt no part nor portion in me, wherefore I bequeath all, and eueryevery one of my ſinnes againe vntounto thée, O Satan, from whence they came, and appeale vntounto my God, in Chriſt, for his mercy, that hée may ſaue mée from thy curſed company.
Oh, thou helliſh Fiend, I ſay againe, Depart, I doe vtterly defie thée, O take thy vgly ſinnes againe, which thou haſt cauſed me to commit; and lay them not vntounto my charge, for I am a member of my Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſtd1 Cor. 6.15, 19., and partaker of his annointinge1 Ioh 2.27., and ſo long as I hauehave earneſtly repented of all thoſe ſinnes which thou haſt enticed mée to doe, confeſſed my Sauiours name fMat. 10.32. Rom. 10 10, 2 Sam. 14.11., and preſented my ſelfe a liuely ſacrifice of thankſgiuing vntounto Almighty GodgRom. 12.1. Reu 4.8, 10. 2 Pet. 5.9. Reuel. 1.6. Rom. 6.12.13., and alſo doe in this life by the helpe of my SauiourhAct. 5.31. Luk. 2.11. Pſal. 18.1. Mat. 1.21. 2 Sam. 22 3. 1 Tim. 4.10., fight againſt thee thou damned Satan, and that with a cleare and good conſcienceiEpheſ 6.11. Gal. 5.1, 17. 1 Tim. 1.18, 19., why then ſhould I feare théek1 Pet. 5.8.? I am ſure, that when I depart this life, I ſhall enioy an euerlaſting Kingdome with my CreatorlMat. 25.34. 2 Tim. 3.12..
But marke this one thing aright, without fauour or affection vntounto any particular ſinne; that yée be well aſſured that ye hauehave repented and are heartily ſorry for all your ſinnes; as thoſe alleaged Scriptures doe teach youmEzech. 18.21, 22, 23. 2 King 17.13 Acts 2.38. 2 Pet. 3.8. Acts 17.30. Hoſ. 14.2. Ier. 36.3. Luk. 13.3. Ier. 18.11. Mat. 4.17. Mat. 3.26., for otherwiſe (if you hauehave but the leaſt of your ſinnes left to reigne in you) he will ſoone finde matter enough to plead againſt you. Wherefore you muſt not onelyonly barely repent, and ſlightly ſorrow for your ſinnes, and ſo careleſly giuegive them ouer, as though you could repent when you would; but yée muſt accuſe your ſinnes, loath, hate, and deteſt them, your conſcience muſt witneſſe againſt them, and your hearts conuince them.
Oh, beloued, is it a greater terrour vntounto you, to accuſe your ſinnes, than it was a delight to commit them? would yée be in louelove with ſinne, which is the ſoules ſickneſſe, and the breach of Gods Law, which whoſoeuer committeth is of the Deuill: how dare yée act thoſe ſinnes, you dare not aske for pardon? HaueHave you procured Gods vengeance, and will yée refuſe to aske for his merciemercy? Oh, no, no; the more penitent a ſinner is, the more mercifull is God, and the readier to giuegive pardon.
So that all yée which hauehave truly repented, and fully purpoſe to continue in newneſſe of life, may boldly ſay vntounto Satan, or vntounto any of his deſpairing Iudaſſes, that would perſwade you to deſpaire: That the God whom I ſerue is able to deliuer me aDan. 6.16., ſo that the gates of hell ſhall not preuaile againſt me bMat. 16.18., for hee maketh mee to dwell in ſafetie cPſal. 4.9.; yea, and that both in ſoule and body, whether I liue or die dRom. 14.8., I am not mine owne e1 Cor. 6.19, but belong wholly vntounto my Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt f1 Cor. 3.23 Tit. 2.14., who by his precious bloud hath ſatisfied for all my ſinnes g1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Epheſ. 1.7. Heb. 9.14. Reuel. 1.5. Heb. 2.14., deliuered mee from the power of the Deuill hEſay 53.34, to preſerue me iIoh. 6.39. Ioh. 10.28. 1 Pet. 1.5. 2 Theſſ. 3.3.from all danger, that without the will of my heauenly Father, not ſo much as one haire of my head ſhall fall from me kMat. 10.30 Luk. 21.18. 2 Sam. 14.11 Acts 27.34.. Therefore I will not doubt of my ſaluation, nor feare what man or Satan can doe againſt me; for I will put my whole truſt in the merciemercy of God, If he ſlay me, yet will I put my truſt in him lIob 13.15..
And thus with a true affection and deſire of heartmIoh. 4.23, 24. Pſal. 145.18 through the inward féeling of our miſeriesn2 Chron. 20.21. Pſal. 2.11. Eſay 66.2., you muſt caſt your ſelues downe proſtrate in the preſence of Almightie GodoRom. 10.14, and build your ſelues on this ſure foundationpIam. 1.6., that yée, though farre vnworthie, yet for Ieſus Chriſt his ſake, are certainly heard of GodqIoh. 14.13., euen as he hath promiſed in his wordrMat. 7.7, 8. Mat. 11.24. Luk. 11.9. Ioh. 16.24..
And withall, you muſt bée ſo feruent with God in your dayly prayers, for the forgiueneſſe of your ſinnes, that yée muſt with Iacob, euen wreſtle with God ſGen. 32.26., and neuer let the Lord goe, vntill he bleſſe you: but with ſighs, groanes and tearestIam. 4.9. Deut. 14.5., bewaile your ſinnes, beg for his mercies, and that ſo entirely, as it were for life and death; yea wéepe for your ſinnes like Mary Magdalen uIoh. 20.15., and powre forth flouds of teares like Ezechia *2 King 20.3: vntill yée doe ſo, you ſhall neuer hauehave peace, nor quietneſſe of conſcience, neither any ſound comfort of Gods holy Spirit in you.
Thus all thoſe which hauehave truly repented, and continued in newneſſe of life, are ſpiritually renati et iuſtificati, borne againe in righteouſneſſe, and iuſtified from ſin; wherefore I conclude with this beléefe, that I doe fully hope (through the merits of Ieſus Chriſt) to be ſaued, and am reſolued that eternall life belongs not vntounto others only, but vntounto me alſo: ſo that Chriſt died for my ſinnes, and roſe againe for my iuſtification; and that God who gaue him for me, gaue me all things with him, Rom. 8.32. If all things, then he gaue me eternall life.
This is my faith, and from this faith permanet in facto mens mea firma ſuo, feares ſhall not compell me; & lachrymae voluuntur inanes, and teares ſhall not moue me to change my minde: Quia mens immota manet; for I am fully reſolued, neuer to alter it, and I doe reſt in hope, and am alwayes waiting for the accompliſhment thereof.