Balm from Gilead, Sermon 19
After-noone Sermon.
IN the last place, (for I purpose not to obserne any thing else out of these words) That GOD may forgiue our sinnes, it is necessary that wee repent. Or repentance in vsus is a condition required, as preuious and disposing to remission of sinns. I gather this from the words: the promise of the Lord is, hearing, forgiuenesse, healing the Land: the condition or qualitie requisite in the subiect to whom this promise is made, Is turning from their euill wayes to God in all holy duties, those named in the Text, Humbling, Prayer, Seeking. If they shall, &c. I will forgiue, &c.
1 This is the constant Method of God in the Scriptures, Reason 1 my Text is a primary place: So Esay 1.16. Wash you, make you cleane, &c. Cease from euill, learne to doe well, &c. Seeke iudgement, releeue the oppressed. In which words, there are both termes of repentance; and then the promise of the Lord followeth, Though your sinnes be as Scarlet, they shall be white as snow: which is, forgiuenesse of sinnes. Jf the wicked shall turne from all his sinnes that hee hath committed, and (which is obseruable) keepe all my Statutes, Ezech 18.21.and doe that which is lawfull and right, hee shall surely liue, and he shall not dye. Thus Peter, Acts 2.38.Repent, and be baptized for remission of sinnes: which is his iniunction vntounto those his auditors pricked in their hearts. And elsewhere Repent, Acts 3.19.and bee conuerted that your sinnes may be blotted out. Thus Solomon, Pro. 28.13.He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall hauehave mercy. Mercy in that effect of remission. If we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vsus our sinnes: 1. Iam. 1.7.What can bee more plaine? Thus the Prophet laying downe the commission of Christ, The Spirit of the Lord is vponupon me, &c. Hee hath annoynted me to preach the Gospell vntounto the meeke. He hath sent me to heale the broken hearted. Whats that glad tydings, but amongst the rest remission of sinnes? and to whom? the meeke, the poore, &c. Answerably, Christ did preach, Blessed are the meeke, &c. They are that quallisied subiect to whom the promise is made, to whom my commission leadeth mee to preach blessing. I might bee larger, but this shall suffice for our first head; the constant method and order of God in Scriptures.
2 This will appeare in the next place, Reason 2 because there is no promise made vntounto an impenitent man, of remission of sinnes; yea, all the curses of God are denounced, and inforce against him. Cursed is eueryevery one that abideth not in all the commandements, to doe them. If thou shalt not obserue and doe all, &c. Deut. 28. All these curses shall come vponupon thee, In which obserue the words runne, of not doeing the Commandements; and that so long a man is vnderunder the curse. I, of doing all, wherein we see there must be a turning from sinne in heart, in the roote, its power must bee tamed; there must be a turning from it in mouth, and in life; suspention of acts is not enough, that may bee where sinne doth raigne, which implyeth contradiction to repentance. I, turning from sinne is not all, there must be a turning vntounto God; there must bee doing whats commanded, amend nont: in heart, in it motions, mouth, and life, in their season: or else all these Curses shall come vponupon you, and ouertake you. Therefore Jt shall come to passe, Deut. 29.19.20.saith Moses. (Of the man, who hearing the wordes and curses of Gods book, shal impenitencly goe on: saying, I shall hauehave peace though I walk in the abominations of mine own heart, &c.) The Lord will not spare that man, the wrath and the iealousie of the Lord shall waxe hot against that man, and all the curses that are written in this booke shall fall vponupon him. Saint Paul of an impenitent man hauing an hard heart that cannot repent, he treasureth vp wrath, Rom. 2.5.against the day of wrath, &c.
The Axe is layd vntounto the rootes of the trees, saith Iohn the Baptist, EueryEvery Tree that bringeth not foorth good fruit (obserue, he saith not that bringeth not euill fruit onelyonly; nay, if it were possible, to bee without good fruit) it shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire. Math. 3.How many times hath God said, Exod. 34.7.Hee will not cleare the guilty. And wee cannot question but he is faithfull and iust. Nah. 1.3.So that if the curse of God necessarily abideth, eueryevery man that doth not repent, turne from sinne, and turne vntounto God, according to his commandements, then must a man in that manner repent, that he may be exempted Gods curse, and qualified to the contrary blessing of remission of sinnes.
3 I argue, Reason. a liuely faith is before in nature, and so preuious to remission of sinnes, and therefore repentance; for the former, it is the position of all Diuines that I know. Protestants constantly teach a liuely faith, the instrumentall cause of iustification, it is indeede that whereby we receiue Jesus Christ, and hauehave vnion with him, in whom we hauehave redemption, remission of sinnes, remis…ion of sinnes floweth from communion with Christ, which in order of nature followeth vnion, which is by faith; for the consequence, it is cleare, seeing faith without repentance is not a liuely faith; faith without, seperable, seperated from workes, 1. Thes. 1.3is a dead faith: a liuely faith is an effectuall faith, it sheweth it in all good workes in seperable companions; it is the mother of all Christian vertues: it is that one good worke which is great with all other; it is a worke, holinesse is of it nature, whence it is called our most holy faith; though in that respect it iustifieth not, faith indeede alone iustifieth, but that faith which iustifieth is neuer alone: it hath all graces present, though not efficient in iustification.
Promissio Dei de remissione peccatorum gratuita{que} nostri iustificatione percipienda fidem viuam postulat; Dr. Benef. de perseuer. pag. 213.fides autem viua non est, si sine poenitentia studio{que} bonorum operum fuerit; cui autem non fuerit fides viua, nequaequam ei remittentur peccata, nequaquam ille iustificabitur. Dr King on Ionas, Lect. 39. p. 529. & 530.Wee neuer said (saith that Reuerend late Bishop of London) that faith without workes, barren and empty of her fruits, iustified an vnrighteous soule, but that faith so qualified, doth notwithstanding iustifie without those workes, wee maintaine against men and Angels, &c. It is not a naked, fruitlesse, hypocriticall faith, but soundly and substantially conditioned: So St. James meant. Let vsus now make vse of it. And first, it serueth for refutation of the contrary opinion that repentance is not before, and disp…sing to remission of sinnes in the order of nature; especially that which maketh repentance simply after remission of sinnes, in the order of nature: (which distinction must bee obserued in faith, and repentance, and remission of sinnes, seeing these hauehave the nature of cause, and effect, and so stand in relation vntounto each other, which I obserue a scruple, when as repentance is spoken of, vnderunder that notion of sanctification…; (though confessed the same with repentance) my selfe demanded heretofore of priority of repentance and remission of sinns, hauehave constantly answered according to my proposition: But if the question were of sanctification, mortification, viuification, and remission of sinnes, I was wont to denie it, and yet finding, and still holding both these one and the same, I saw my selfe condemned: and being eueryevery way perswaded of the truth, thought good to perswade others, hauing so cleare a Text, and rise for it and such an occasion.
Against this may be obiected, Obiect. God iustifieth the vngodly.
I answer: Answer. vngodlinesse was not the state of that man in the point of Gods act, but the immediat state before Gods mercy on him in that effect, God protesteth the contrary in plaine termes before; who knoweth not that the formall cause of iustification, is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed and giuen? VponUpon which instification, and I so remission of sins follow, in which a man is not vngodly. Heere is a supposition of vnion with Christ, of one in Christ, Coll. 1.14.in whom wee hauehave redemption, remission of sinnes: and faith by which we hauehave vnion, and thereby remission of sinnes, a liuely faith as before: so that betweene remission of sinnes and an vngodly man, there is imputation of righteousnesse, vnion, and faith, vngodlinesse is the immediate estate in order of nature before.
Whom hee called he iustified, Obiect. whom he iustified he glorified; vnderunder which, sanctification is enfolded: from whence it followeth, as that iustification is before glorification, and so sanctification.
I answer, Answer. and graunt sanctification a part, or the beginning of glory. I graunt also that the degrees of sanctification & consummation, Note. followeth iustification or remission of sinnes; that it simply and according to its parts doth follow, I denie. Call enfoldeth repentance or sanctification, as it terme ad quem, the first terme ad quem, is Christ, 1. Cor. 1.9. in Christ from sinne it raigne, and the power of darknesse, Colloss 2.in whom wee are circumcised with the circumcision not made with hands, to the putting away the body of the sinnes of the flesh: Colloss. 1.and so to the Kingdome of the Sonne of Gods louelove, light, righteousnesse, holinesse, grace, vertue, repentance which enfoldeth all: so that though the consummation followeth iustification, the beginning and parts of renouation may goe before, as the terme ad quem of call, and as the companions of faith, by which I am iustified.
But is not this Poperie? Obiect. 3 I answer, it hath nothing to doe with any thing that is Poperie indeede.
Repentance with them is a Sacrament, Answer. it worketh iustification ex opere operato, it is a part of the formall cause of iustification, it is a cause of remission of sinnes: These particulars are Poperie, and I denie them.
I affirme a necessitie of good workes or repentance, in regard of presence, Note. and that in a measure and degree onelyonly, as the quality and conditions of faith: and the person to whom God promiseth remission of sinnes. I confesse the progresse of sanctification, and it exercise vponupon that motiue, Gods mercy in forgiuenesse after. I denie all efficiencie, or casuality in repentance at all, of our iustification, or remission of sinnes.
Sill they follow their Mistris, but in remission of sinnes, and cloathing a sinner with the iustice of God, therein they giuegive her the place, and put the burthen of the worke vponupon her shoulder: As that worthy Protestant, Doctor King, vbi supra.
This Papists themselues confesse Protestant doctrine: Multi postea docuerunt opera necessaria esse ad vitam aeternam: Vasques 1.2 ae. disp. 214 n 21.sicut etiam dixerunt necessariam esse renouationē per fidem spem & charitatem ad iustificationem.
Lutherani etiamsi contritionem requirunt ad remissionem peccatorum, Bellar. de poenit. l 1. ca. 12.tamen non ferunt, vt contritio dicatur causa iustificationis.
And elsewhere, Lib. 1. de Instit. ca. 18 §. adhaec.Praerequiri istos actus praeter fidem quoad praesentiam, non quoad apprehensionem iustificationis: Bellarmine giueth sanioribus Prostantibus
Which distinction of Efficiency and Presence, though some allow not of, I suppose to be nothing else but the Doctrine of the Church of England. Homil. of Salua. p. 15.And yet that Faith (which alone iustifieth) doth not shut out Repentance, hope, louelove, dread, and the feare of God, to bee ioyned with Faith in eueryevery man that is iustified, but it shutteth them out from the Office of iustifying: so that though they bee all present together in him that is iustified, yet they iustifie not altogether.
Neither is this Doctrine mine alone but of the learned.
Bellarmnie before giueth it Lutherans: And so to Luther, Ibid. Ʋolo eam (scilicet poenitentiam) sed dico eamnon operari iustificationem aut remissionem peccatorum.
To Cymnitius, Exam. part. 2. de paenit. pag. 316.Est & hoc extra controuersiam apud nos neminem posse Deo reconciliari, & remissionem peccatorum consequi, nisi agat poenitentiam: nam cor impaenitens cumulat sibi iram Dei, Rom. 2. Luc. 13.
I, hee giueth it also to Caluin. Inslit li. 3. ca. 4. §. 3.Diximus nos quodam loco nunqum sine poenitentia obuenire peccatorum remissionem: sed similiter adijcimus poenitentiam non esse causam remissionis peccatorum.
Nam nullis hoc peccatum (originale) remittitur nisi qui spiritu mentis suae renouari incipiunt.D. Whitak de orig. pec. pag 313. in octaue.
Repentance for sinne must goe before remission, In vers. vlt. Iud. Dr. Abbot. in Thomp. pag. 212.saith Master Perkins.
Nusquam autem decreta est remissio peccatorum abs{que} poenitentia, ne{que} vnquam alia conditione concessa est.
Oleum miserecordiae non infundit nisi in vas contritum & contribulatum, saith Bernard, citat Cymnit. vbi supra pag. 330. Hee pardoneth and absolueth all them which truely repent, saith our Chuch.
King Iames on the Lords prayer calleth it, Pag. 65. In Iohan. lo. de remiss. peceat. l o. §. 6. pag. 42.43.Causa sine quo non. Master Zanchy, Conditiones non propter quas, sed citra quas peccatorum remissio non obtinetur. Whom I wish consulted with, hee answereth that obiection fully, that then remission will not be free.
See also Master Taylor in Psal. 32. pag. 153. & 164.173. And Doctor Francis Whites Orthodex, pag. 17. p. 33. p. 217.
One saith truely, The Lord hath not as much as promised or spoken any sillable tending to a promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes but to such as forsake their sinnes. And I could adde a great many more: And by this must that of Augustine be limited and vnderstood, Bona opera non praecedunt iust ficandum, sed sequuntur iustificatum: of degrees and measures not simply, in the sence explained before. All which I desire to bee considered by my Learned Brethren.
One rubb more must bee remoued, Obiect. If Repentance bee before remission of sinnes, then before iustifying faith: Three I finde in this manner arguing.
Briefely I deny the consequence. Of Repentance in the sence, I hauehave out of the Word of God explained it, Turning from sinne, turning vntounto God in amendment, mortification, and viuification; two of the three yeeld the non consequence: and to make that good deny Mortification and Viuification, or turning to God, by amendment, to be the repentant God calleth for; that they confesse a fruit of faith in question: which I suppose in former propositions I hauehave sufficiently made good.
The third that maketh this obiection conceiueth rightly of Repentance, and includeth, the louelove of GOD aboue all in it nature. Now to say, that the louelove of GOD aboue all is in nature before iustifying faith, is a conclusion; so of all sortes confessedly absurd, that I neede for the present but to name it. It is sufficient though I say nothing.
Whole Sanctification, as well it parts, Mortification, and Viuification; the purging and purifying the heart in this sense, is ordinarily giuen to Faith in Christ, Acts 26. and Collossians 2. From which Christ, Faith draweth the same. Faith is of all the Learned confessed the roote, the mother of LoueLove, and all Christian Vertues; and therefore to make it an effect or consequent of them is but nouelty, strange, and vnheard of Doctrine. But of this (if GOD be pleased) an other time.
2 If repentance be the condition of remission of sin; Vse 2 then wheresoeuer there is this condition, there is remission of sinnes: it is Gods promise, his truth and iustice are at stake for it, 1 Iohn 1.7. J said I will confesse, and thou for gauest. Neither is there any space or time betweene these; therefore the Scripture pronounceth such a man blessed, Blessed are the meeke, blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, Matth. 5. actually blessed. The Lord dwelleth with the humble, actually. A broken heart is a sacrifice of God. Indeede, true repentance put, all requisites to remission are in act; it is turning from all sinnes, and turning to God according to all his commaundements, there is the whole new creature for parts of grace. Consequently fellowship with Christ, from which this doth flowe: and so faith, by which there is caused that fellowship with Christ; and if it were otherwise, a true repentant might be actually accursed, and it might be possible, that hee dying in the meane time, might goe to hell.
Which I obserue against those who teach that true repentance, and iustifying faith, may be seperated, the one before the other in time, and others who teach besides, that a man may be seauen yeares, more or lesse, truly repentant, and yer vniust, one of the vngodly, vniustified, and so without remission of sinnes, and there is a route of those about this Cittie: (which withall conuinceth repentance with them, to bee but legall, indeede vniustice, vngodlinesse: if the tree be naught, the fruit cannot be good.)
No, no, repentance and remission of sinnes are inseperable, godly Preachers euer ioyned repentance and remission of sinnes, as our Homilies: And therefore our Church: At what time so euer a sinner repenteth him of his sins, &c. I will put out all his wickednesse out of my remembrance, as the saying of the Lord, and giueth power to Ministers, to declare and pronounce vntounto the penitent soule, remission of sinnes, such men are subiects of comfort; glad tydings must bee preached vntounto them, they may heare of ioy and gladnesse: wheresoeuer God worketh repentance, he promiseth and giueth withall inseperably remission of sinnes.
3 This teacheth vsus in what manner to seeke and sue for, to the Lord, Vse 3 remission and pardon of sinnes, namely with this quality and disposition, repentance, and for that cause it is (as before) that eueryevery one that calleth vponupon the Lord, must depart from iniquity, must lift vp pure hands, &c. And withall, affordeth vsus vponupon triall, an infallible ground of knowledge, whether wee hauehave remission of sinnes or no. The triall is necessary, remission of sinnes is a matter of great consequence, blessednesse is that which belongeth vntounto that man, vntill our sinnes are forgiuen vsus, wee hauehave no sound peace, or ioy, or comfort: guilt binding ouer to Gods iudgements, lyeth as a dogge at our dore. Wee are open to Gods danger of all curses, of death it selfe: the very sight and sence of such a state is terrible, and hath strange and vnnaturall effects. See it in Iudas and Caine: when as Gods face is sometimes hidden from his children, withdrawne, and their perswasion and assurance of faith is ecclipsed: When GOD bringeth olde sinnes to remembrance, and maketh euen them to possesse the sinnes of their youth: their trouble sheweth their complaints, and earnest cries for mercy, declareth it. If a man hath that blessing, and none other of the world, hee is truly blessed. If a man want that, if he hath all the world can afford him, he is truly miserable, fearefully accursed, the wrath of God abideth on him: the healing and weale of the Land, in regard of the plague, dependeth on it. Besides, eueryevery one of vsus stand vp, and say, wee beleeue remission of sinnes, we begge it often: would you now know whether you hane attained that blessing, whether you are as you professe, free from that terrour and danger spoken of, and so bound for life euerlasting?
Looke vntounto your repentance, Gods condition, examine thy selfe narrowly about that, as I hauehave before deliuered it. If thou finde that, thou mayest conclude, and know thy sinnes are remitted. The peace and quiet of thy soule is substantiall: thy faith and hope of eternall life are liuely, truly conditioned and qualified; thou mayest be encouraged comfortably to goe on vntounto perfection. But if vponupon triall it bee otherwise, there is a deniall of repentance spoken of: Thou hast not the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes: thou art not conditioned and qualified vntounto the promise of the same: the peace and quiet of soule are but carnall security, thy faith and hope vaine: as a Spiders web, as the giuing vp of the Ghost: Thou hast no title to eternall life, the stipend and wages of those sinnes, is death: repent and bee conuerted for the remission of thy sinnes, except thou repent, thou shalt now, or eternally perish: repentance is Gods condition to forgiuenesse of sinnes. And so much for this proposition, and GODS whole prescript for the plague.
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