Balm from Gilead, Sermon 15
August. 31.10. Day.
COme wee now to the other terme of Repentance, and so our Proposition is, Doct. When God sendeth the Pestilence amongst his people, It is not enough to turne from sinnes, but there is further required at their hands, as a meanes of curing the Land, reformation and amendment of life: And this is,
1 Gods Precept and Commandement in all places where hee calleth vponupon vsus and prescribeth Repentance, wherein he calleth for conuersion, turning, or returning to the Lord. It is the scope of GOD in all his Commandements, the affirmatiue part is amendment. The Negatiue precepts infould the Affirmatiue, which is amendment: sometimes both termes are expressed, euer to bee supplied. Rom. 12.9.Abhorre that which is euill, cleaue vntounto that which is good; Put off the olde man, Coloss. 3.put on the new man: Let him that stole, steale no more, but labour with his hands. And so to the purpose, as the Lord calleth: Cease to doe euill, Isai. 1.17.he addeth, learne to doe well: Seeke good and not euill, and so liue. As they must loose the bonds of wickednesse: Amos 5.15so they must deale bread vntounto the hungry, Isai. 58.and bring the poore into their house. And in this place the terme ad quem is amendement.
2 It is called for, Reason 2 because thats it which hath the promise; all promises, positiue blessings and deliuerances, Who is the man that would liue long, Psal. 34.and see good dayes, let him escbew euill and doe good. And so before in the place of Esay and Amos; when as Iohn the Baptist prescribeth meanes to such as come vntounto him, To stye from the wrath to come, hee calleth for Repentance: That is, (not excluding turning from sinne) Amend your liues, (as our Church rightly giueth the same in the Booke of Common prayer,) Bring foorth fruits worthy amendment of life. And when hee hath threatned the Axe, he inferreth, EueryEvery tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit, is hewen downe and cast into the fire. Not to beare evill fruit is not enough, it must be good fruit or else cast into the fire: And when as the Apostle had said, There is no condemnation to them that are in Iesus Christ; Hee describeth the subiect, Such an one as doth walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit. Rom. 8.1Amendment hath the promise of temporall deliuerance, it hath the promise of eternall deliuerance, and therefore it is a meanes prescribed & called for by the Lord. Reason 3
3 Because the want of it is sinne, and so a cause of the Plague, which must be taken away by a suplie of that want: It is sinn (a transgression of the Lawe) which requireth the presence of that power & its vse; it is lesse then what's commanded, & so a fault: Such is want of humility, Prayer, seeking the face of God: In all which positiue graces, holinesse and rghteousnesse are ingredients, (as we hauehave heard) euen these and the like defects are the cause of the Plague: and therefore,
4 Amendment is called for, Reason 4 because it is the meanes it selfe inioyned and prescribed, I, an ingredient vntounto eueryevery one of the same: Whats humbling of a mans selfe, but the exercise of humility, turning vntounto God according to that Commandement, possitiue good? And the same may be saide of Prayer, and seeking the Lord: The Prayer that is inioyned, hath ingredients, Fayth, Hope, Charitie, Holinesse, Righteousnesse, &c, as we hauehave heard: All positiue graces and amendment, the like is true of seeking. These are the meanes of GOD, disposing to his hearing, to his forgiuing, to his healing the Land of the plague: and therefore it is not enough, or all that the Lord calleth for, when as hee will hauehave turning from sinne, there must bee reformation and amendment of life, to the curing of a Land of the Plague.
Which (as it instructeth vsus in the nature of true repentance, Vse 1 and iustifieth that snarled at saying of Luther, Optima poenitentia nova vita. Stoppeth their mouthes who exclude amendment, and conuinceth many in the world neuer to hauehave repented.) So it reprooueth some, and may be a ground of exhortation vntounto all at this time, not onelyonly to turne from sinne, but to amend their liues.
Reproofe falleth vponupon many, vponupon most, they are the olde men, they are turned from no sinne, nor proportioned vntounto God in any Commandement. God looking downe from heauen seeth all gone out of the way, a few that doe good. I would that amongst our rabble of sinners, there were to be found one taking vp this preseruatiue against the Plague. Where is that man whose trade hath beene a breach of the Sabbath (before against Lawes of GOD and man) in buying and selling, killing, doing the workes of ordinary calling, that is now turned from that sinne by Gods call, That remembreth now to keepe holy the Sabbath day? What Idolater is there who is turned from Idols to the seruice of the liuing God? That man that did not feare an oath, that now feareth it, and honoureth that great and glorious name, the Lord our GOD? That man that was an Adulterer, that liueth chastely, and possesseth his vessell in holinesse, as a member of Christ, as the Temple of the holiest? The Vsurer and Oppressor, a man of that common trade, that he is so wrought vponupon by Gods hand, that hee forsaketh that sinne, That giueth his euill gotten goods vntounto the poore, or resolueth with Zacheus on restitution? I might run through the rest. I might demand it of Magistrates, Ministers, Masters of Families, of husbands, of wiues, &c, in regard of relatiue, ordinarily required duties to man; and priuate duties of Families to man and to God? I am afraide, a few answer the call of God. Did wee but examine our selues, our selues must confesse it. Indeede brethren, let vsus examine our selues, bring home this word; as the Disciples at a speech of Christ, let vsus demand of our selues. Is it I? hauehave I answered this call of God? hauehave I vsed this meanes? If I finde purpose, indeauour, and practise, according to thy measure, and the sinceritie of that endeauour, thou mayest finde comfort, and expect that God will heare, and forgiue thee thy si…nes, and be gracious vntounto the Land, and so be encouraged to perfect thy satisfaction in the feare of God.
But if vponupon examination thou doest finde it otherwise, thou art still the same man, and doest not amend, thou art vnderunder Gods reproofe, and canst not expect at this time to escape Gods iudgement, the plague, and that thou hast not thus repented, thou must repent.
Consider it is that which thou art called vponupon by the plague, as many as are smitten, and die about thee, as reall voyces call vponupon thee to amend thy life: they say, except thou bring forth good fruit, thou shalt bee hewen downe.
Consider it is the Lords intendment, in being still patient towards thee; why did he not meet with thee first, and cut thee off, when a thousand hauehave falne on one of thine hands, and ten thousand on the other? Why did it not? Why doth it not come neere thy dwelling? Theres no reason in thee, it is onelyonly in gods patience, which therefore suffereth long, that thou mayest amend. Out of this, it is that in effect, hee saith, Let him alone one weeke longer: let him hauehave one Sabbath more, and one day, or opportunity in publique of seeking God more: let him hauehave one dunging and dressing more, one gracious shower more: Let him hauehave the call and space of one Sabbath more, and the example of one neighbour more. If these meanes worke reformation well: Jf not, plucke him vp as a fruitlesse tree, as a cumberer of the ground: Let Gods patience leade thee to repentance, and execite thee to a nend.
Consider there is no priuiledge in the world without this, that can exempt thee, not all thy riches, these die. It is not thy youth, children die: It is not thy strength, strong men smitten, expire and die. Thine health hitherunto cannot, many are spared many weekes, and yet dye. Baptisme and comming to the Supper cannot; such comming thither vnworthily, die: commers without amendment, come vnworthily, eate and drinke iudgement: it is a wonder, if for that very cause they be not cut off, and die.
It is not thine hearing Gods word, or treading his Courts: as the Apostle in another case I may. Circumcision profiteth nothing, nor vncircumcision. If any thing preuaile, it must be a new creature: amendment of life.
Consider without amendment of thy life, thou canst vse none of the Lords meanes; without this thy prayer and seeking the Lord, are vaine; thy fasting and humbling thy selfe in vaine. Suppose Gods hand vponupon thee, what canst thou doe but crie, Lord, Lord, will that helpe thee? nothing at all, except thou doe the will of the Lord: Psal. 50.VntoUnto eueryevery wicked man, saith God, what hast thou to doe to take my word, or name, in thy mouth, being a man that doest hate to be reformed?
Thou canst not vse meanes thy selfe. I pray thee who shall vse them for thee? thou wilt send to thy Minister or neighbour: If thou amend not (suppose they pray) what helpe can come vntounto thee? No man can regularly pray while hee hath no promise, as long as thou doest not amend thy life, thou hast no promise: What shalt thou be the better if another pray?
Besides, Gods pestilence is as a plaister: the Chirurgion putting on the one, aymeth at the cure of thy body: the Lord sending the other at the health of thy soule. The plaister may not bee taken away, vntill the sore mend, vnlesse it bee to put on another, nor may wee looke for the remoueall of the plague, vntill our liues doe amend, vnlesse it be to send another.
It is true, we must pray one for another: for forgiuenesse of sinnes, and the healing of the Land: but if it be according to Gods will, it must bee first for repentance, and so for forgiuenesse of sinnes, and the healing of the land. Thats the course thou must take for thy selfe, if God heare thy prayer, thou must first amend. I, that the prayers of others, for thee, may preuaile with God for forgiuenesse, &c. thou must see that thou amend. The plague was neuer taken away in mercy, but iustice rather, where men doe not amend.
Neither may we now trust in lying words (as the most doe) of faith, and hope, the spirit, Christ & Gods mercy, so long; these are lying words, as we doe not amend. Neither let man say, I doe repent, or beleeue such as say one may, when as hee doth not amend. It is not the stroke vponupon the breast, when thou doest sweare, and saying, I crie God mercy. It is not thy sighing, nor eueryevery sorrow indeede, (much lesse griefe like the sicknesse of a dogge causing him to vomite) not eueryevery shaking with feare of hell, as a man in the fit of an Ague; it is no one, nor all these, or more, I, or any thing else, that a man may in this sence safely trust vntounto: they are as lying wordes, so long as a man doth not amend.
The faith thou doest talke of seuered from this, will not saue thee: true faith that saueth, is a liuely faith, a purifier of the heart. It hath all good workes: the man that is dead and buried with Christ, is risen with him also, and that by faith of the operation of God, Col. 2.
Thy tattle of a good hope, is a lying word, without this whosoeuer hath this hope, purifieth himselfe: it is, and produceth, amendment of life. If any man be in Iesus Christ, he is a new creature If the spirit of Christ bee in thee as the body is dead, because of sinne, the spirit is aliue: grace appearing to saluation, teacheth as (what was spoken of before) deniall of vngodlinesse and worldly lusts: so (which is the matter in hand) to liue a godly, righteous, and a sober life. The repentance Christ calleth for, is, amendment of life: thats it which conformeth to Christ: hee loued righteousnesse, and hated iniquity, and proueth vsus the people of God. The repentance that shall stand for true, and good before God, is amendment of life. Thou hast none of all these indeed, that hast not amēdmēt of life. Thou dishonourest the Gospell, and grace, and Christ, and discreditest all the rest: vntounto whatsoeuer soule in these effects the Gospell commeth, there are all manner of good fruits: Col. 1.6.It is fruitfull from the day that they heard, and knew the grace of God in truth.
Finally, if thou without amendment, escapest this hand of GOD, thou must looke for a greater; thou hast beene vnderunder the hand of God, thou mayest fall into the hands of man, thou hast beene deliuered from a Lyon, and shalt meete with a mercilesse Beare; the little finger of GOD in his next iudgemēt, shall be thicker then his loynes: this a chastisement, and it was as with whips, the next shall be a punishment, and it shall be as with Scorpions. It was one plague. The Lord will send vponupon thee Land, Cittie, Parish, particular soule, seauen times so many plagues more, I, many times se…uen times so many plagues more: and at length desolation: and though thou liue now, thou shalt die, and thy death shall bee eternall. Theres no condemnation to them that walke after the spirit: there is nothing else vntounto them that walke not after the spirit: The Ax is laid to the rootes of trees that bring not forth good fruit, they shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire: that fire is an vnquenchable fire, there shall bee weeping, and wayling, and gnashing of teeth: If thou hast no feare of the plague, and canst withall dwell with euerlasting burnings, continue in thy former courses, and doe not amend: and yer remember that God calleth for it now from thee, and that one of the prescripts of the Lord, whereby a man may escape, is, to turne from our euill wayes vntounto God, and so to amend.