A Plain Discourse on Vain Thoughts, Doctrine 1 · Part 8 – Part 9
THUS much for the Third Vain Thought concerning Repentance.
4. IT is a Vain Thought, That Repentance is no Goſpel Duty. This is the moſt Vain and worſt Thought of all, and yet a Thought by ſome entertained; they call Repentance a Legal Duty, and the Preaching of it Legal Preaching, they think that a Child of GOD ought not to be troubled for his Sins; and that it does not become a Goſpel-Spirit to grieve and ſorrow for Miſcarriages. They ſay, that GOD beholds no Iniquity in Jacob, takes no notice of them, as having from Eternity Pardoned them; and therefore they ought not to Mourn for them: Thus ſpeaks the abominable Antinomian. Such a Thought as this is moſt pernicious, as it makes Men ſecure and quiet in Sin and Impenitency. The Vanity of this Thought is ſo obvious as that little needs be ſaid to Evidence it.
Yet,
1. NOTHING is more clearly revealed in the Goſpel to be a Duty, than that of Repentance. 'Tis altogether needleſs to produce the Multiplied Commands to Repent. It may ſuffice only to ſay that Repentance was conſtantly preſſed by Jeſus Chriſt the Author of the Goſpel In His Publick Miniſtry he made it one of the chief Subjects which He inſiſted upon, as being that which He was eſpecially ſent to call Sinners unto, Math. 9.13. I am not come to call the Righteous but Sinners to Repentance: And it is Recorded of Him, that this was His Practice; Mat. 4.17. At that time Jeſus began to Preach and to ſay, Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Mark 1.14, 15. Jeſus came into Galilee, Preaching the Goſpel of the Kingdom of God, ſaying, Repent ye, and believe the Goſpel. Now ſurely Jeſus Chriſt was a Goſpel Preacher, and Preached Repentance as an Evangelical Duty; and not only did He thus Himſelf; but likewiſe Commanded His Apoſtle to Preach the ſame Doctrine of Repentance, Luke 24.46, 47. He ſaid unto them, — That Repentance and Remiſſion of Sins ſhould be Preached in his name, among all Nations.
2. REPENTANCE is Commanded in the Goſpel as neceſſary to Salvation. 'Tis not only required as a Duty; but as a Duty of abſolute neceſ… unto Salvation. Without it Men cannot be Pardoned. Acts 3.19. Repent ye therefore and he Converted, that your Sins may be blotted out. Without it Men cannot be Saved; Luke 13 3, 5. Except ye Repent, ye ſhall likewiſe Periſh. Impenitency will end in Eternal Perdition; Rom. 2.5 after this impenitent heart, treaſureſt up to thy ſelf Wrath, &c.
WE ſee then, That it is a Vain Thought, That Repentance is a needleſs thing, and not calle… for in the Goſpel. Let not ſuch a Thought lodge in us; but let us know and believe that GOD now Commands all Men every where to Repent, and that if we do not exerciſe our ſelves in Repentance, we ſhall Eternally Periſh.
THUS much for the Fifth ſort of Vain Thoughts, viz. thoſe concerning Repentance.
6. THERE are Vain Thoughts in the Hearts of Sinners concerning Obedience, which are great Hindrances of their being Saved. Sinners do many times take up wrong notions of true Obedience. They think they do indeed Obey GOD, when they do not; and thus falling ſhort in their Obedience, they do miſs of Salvation. Some of their Vain Thoughts in this Caſe may be mentioned.
1. IT is a Vain Thought, That Partial Obedience to the Commandments of GOD is true Obedience. If Men Obey GOD in ſome things, in many things, they think they Obey Him acceptably, though they don't Obey Him in all things. Thus Men ſometimes are ſeemingly careful and exact in obſerving the Duties of the Firſt Table of the Law; they ſeem to be very Religious towards GOD, in performing thoſe Duties of Worſhip which He requires of them. They Pray to GOD in their Families, they Pray alſo in Secret, they frequent the Publick Worſhip and Ordinances of GOD, and are ſeemingly Devout therein: And now they think they are Dutiful and Obedient Chriſtians, though it may be all this while they neglect the Duties of the Second Table of the Law: They are not Juſt and Honeſt in their Dealings, they are not Charitable and Beneficent, they are not Chaſte and Sober.
AGAIN, On the other hand, Men are ſometimes ſtrict Obſervers of the Second Table o… the Law; but are negligent and careleſs …bout the Duties of the Firſt Table of the Law: They are Men of Juſtice and Honeſty, Sober and Temperate, Kind and Charitable: And now they think they are good Livers; and do as much as needs to be done; though all this while they neglect Prayer, Reading of the Holy Scriptures and attending on GOD in Goſpel Ordinances, and Sanctifying the Sabbath: But 'tis a Vain Thought, that ſuch Partial Obedience i… Right and well-pleaſing Obedience. The Vanity of this Thought thus appears,
1. GOD requires of Men Univerſal Obedience … His Commandments. He does not allow Men … diſpenſe with any of His Commands, but enjoins the Obſervation of them all, without Exception. The more difficult, as well as the m… eaſy, the leaſt as well as the greateſt, are a… to be complied with. Numb. 15.40. That ye may remember and do all my Commandments. Mat. 28.20. Teaching them to obſerve all things which … have Commanded you. Conformity to the whole Law of GOD is expected and demanded of us. Our Obedience ought to be as extenſive as the Law of GOD, reaching to every part of it Every Duty required muſt be practiſed, and no one of them willingly Omitted. Unleſs there be ſuch a Care to keep all the Commandment of GOD, …our Obedience is unſound.
2. PARTIAL Obedience is ſo far from being pleaſing to GOD, as that it is exceeding provoking to Him. The Holy Lord rejects and abhors ſuch half ſerving of Him. Isa. 1.11, …3. To what purpoſe is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me? ſaith the Lord. I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams, an… … fa… of fed Beasts. And I delight not in the blood of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of He-goats. Bring no more Vain Oblations, incenſe is an abomination unto me, &c. All theſe were things which GOD required, and yet the Lord teſtifies his abhorence of them. The reaſon hereof was becauſe they all this while neglected the Duties of the Second Table of the Law; Ver. 17. Learn to do well, ſeek Judgment, relieve the Oppreſſed, judge the Fatherleſs, plead for the Widow. And our Lord Jeſus Chriſt denounces Woes to ſuch Partial Keepers of GOD's Commandments, Matth, 23.23. Wo unto you Scribes and Phariſees, Hypo…rites; for ye pay tythe of Mine, and Anniſe and Cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law, Judgment, Mercy and Faith; theſe things ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. And moſt juſtly may GOD be offended at ſuch partial Obedience. For there is no regard to the Authority of GOD in ſuch Obedience. Things are to be done for this reaſon becauſe GOD Commands them: Pſal. 119.4, 5. Thou haſt commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy ſtatutes! The Authority of GOD ſhould be the ground of our Obedience; but now ſuch as are partial in their Obedience, have no reſpect to the Authority of GOD: If that were their Motive to keep any of the Commandments of GOD, it would move them to keep all His Commandments; for the Authority of GOD is alike unſtamped on all the Commandments. Such then are Guilty of Contempt of the Divine Authority. Again, in partial Obedience there is no Exerciſe of Love to GOD: Our Obedience ought to flow from a Principle of …ove to GOD. And when it does ſo, is will make us ſtudy to do all GOD's Will, 1 Joh. 5.3. For this is the Love of God, that we keep his Commandments; and his Commandments are not grievous. None of the Commands of GOD are grievous or diſtaſtefull to one that truly Loves GOD: He likes then all, and endeavours to keep them all. Such then as Obey ſome Commands, and diſobey others, do nothing from Love to GOD W… then may GOD be diſpleaſed at what they do.
FROM theſe things it appears that Partial Obedience is not right and acceptable Obedience. Let us not then vainly think that it is true Obedience: But on the other hand, let us think that Integrity or Univerſality is eſſential to Evangelical Obedience: And accordingly let … ſhew our ſelves Cordial Friends to Chriſt, by doing whatſoever He has Commanded us. Let …s be ſuch as Zecharias and Elizabeth, who walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameleſs. Let us have a Conſcientious reſpect to all GOD's Commandments, then ſhall we not be aſhamed.