Chapter 10: Exhorting to Speedy Repentance
THE second branch of the Exhortation is, to press persons to speedy Repentance, (Acts 17:30). Now God commands men every where to repent. The Lord would not have any of the late Autumn fruits offered to him. God loves early penitents that consecrate the spring and flower of their age to him. Early tears, like Pearls b[illegible]ed of the morning dew, are more orient and beautiful. Oh do not reserve the dregs of your age for God, lest he reserve the dregs of his cup for you! Be as speedy in your Repentance, as you would have God speedy in his mercies, 1 (Samuel 21:8). The Kings business required haste: So Repentance requires haste.
'Tis natural to us to procrastinate and put off Repentance. We say as (Haggai 1:2). The time is not yet come. No man almost is so bad, but purposs he will amend, but he adjourns and prorogues so long, till at last all his purposes prove abortive . Many are now in Hell that purposed to repent. Satan does what he can to keep men from Repentance: when he sees they begin to take up serious thoughts of reformation, he bids them stay a while longer. If this traitor sin must die (says Satan) let it not die yet: So the Devil gets a reprieve for sin, it shall not die this Sessions: at last men put off so long, that death seizs on them, and their work is not done.
Let me therefore lay down some cogent Arguments to persuade to speedy Repentance.
1. Now is the season of Repentance; and every thing is best done in its season, 2 (Corinthians 6:2). Now is the accepted time. Now God has a mind to shew mercy to the penitent, he is on the giving hand. Kings set apart daies for healing. Now is the healing day for our souls; now God hangs forth the white flag, and is willing to parley with sinners. A Prince at his coronation as an Acts of Royalty, gives money, proclaims pardons, fills the conduits with wine: Now God proclaims pardons to penitent sinners; now the conduit of the Gospel runs wine; now is the accepted time; therefore now come in and make your peace with God; now break off your iniquities by Repentance: 'tis wisdom to take the season The Husbandman takes the season for sowing his seed: now is the seed-time for our souls.
2. The sooner you repent, the fewer sins you will have to answer for. Were you at the death-bed of an old sinner, when conscience begins to be awakened, and should hear him crying out, here are all my old sins come about me, haunting my death-bed as so many evil spirits, and I have no discharge; here is Satan who was once my tempter, is now become my accuser, and I have no Advocate; I am now going to be dragg'd before Gods judgement-seat, where I must receive my final doom. Oh how dismal is the case of this man, he is in Hell before his time! but you who repent betimes of your sinful courses, this is your priviledge, you will have the less to answer for; nay, let me tell you, you will have nothing to answer for, Christ will answer for you; your Judge will be your Advocate, 1 (John 2:1). Father, will Christ say, here is one that has been a great sinner, yet a broken-hearted sinner, if he owes any thing to your justice, set it on my score.
3. The sooner we repent, the more glory we may bring to God. 'Tis the end of our living, to be useful in our generation: better lose our lives, than the end of our living. Late converts who have for many years taken pay on the Devils side, are not in a capacity of doing so much work in the Vineyard. The thief on the Cross could not do that service for God as St. Paul did. But when we do betimes turn from sin, then we give God the first-fruits of our lives; we spend and are spent for Christ. The more work we do for God, the more willing we shall be to die, and the sweeter death will be. He that has wrought hard at his day-labor, is willing to go to rest at night. Such as have been honouring God all their lives, how sweetly will they sleep in the grave! The more work we do for God, the greater will our reward be. He whose pound had gained ten pounds, Christ did not only commend him, but advance him, (Luke 19:17). Have you authority over ten Cities By late Repentance, though we do not lose our Crown, yet we make it lighter.
4. It is of dangerous consequence to put off Repentance longer.
—Mora trahit periculum—It is dangerous,
If we consider what sin is. Sin is a poison; it is dangerous to let poison lye long in the body. Sin is a bruise; if a bruise be not soon cured, it gangrenes and kills: If sin be not soon cured by Repentance, it festers the conscience, and damns. Why should any love to dwell in the tents of wickedness? They are under the power of Satan, (Acts 26:18). And it is dangerous to stay long in the enemies quarters.
It is dangerous to procrastinate Repentance; because, the longer any go on in sin, the harder they will find the work of Repentance. Delay strengthens sin, and hardens the heart, and gives the Devil fuller possession. A plant at first may be easily plucked up , but when it has spread its roots deep in the earth, a whole team cannot remove it: 'Tis hard to remove sin when once it comes to be rooted. The longer the Ice freezs, the harder it is to be broken: the longer a man freezs in security, the harder it will be to have his heart broken: the longer any travel with iniquity, the sharper pangs they must expect in the new birth. When sin has got an haunt, it is not easily shaken off. Sin comes to a sinner, as the elder Brother came to his Father, (Luke 15:29). Lo these many years have I served you, neither at any time transgressed I your Commandment, and wilt you cast me off now? what in mine old age, after you have had so much pleasure by me? See how sin pleads custom, and that is a Leopards spot, (Jeremiah 13:23).
It is dangerous to prorogue and delay Repentance, because there are three daies may soon expire.
1. The day of the Gospel may expire; this is a sun-shiny-day; it is sweet, but swift. Jerusalem had a day, but lost it, (Luke 19:42). But now they are hid from yours eyes. The Asian Churches had a day, but at last the Golden Candlestick was removed: It would be a sad time in England see to the glory departed. With what hearts could we follow the Gospel to the grave? To lose the Gospel, were far worse than to have our City Charter taken from us. Gray hairs are here and there, (Hosea 7:9). I will not say the Sun of the Gospel is set in England, but I am sure it is under a cloud. That was a sad speech, (Matthew 21:43). The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you: therefore it is dangerous to delay Repentance, lest the market of the Gospel should remove, and the vision cease .
A mans personal day of grace may expire. What if that time should come, in which God should say, the Means of Grace shall do no good; Ordinances shall have a miscarrying womb, and dry breasts. Were it not sad to adjourn Repentance till such a decree came forth ? 'Tis true, no man can justly tell that his day of grace is past; but there are two shrewd signs by which he may fear it.
1. When conscience has done preaching. Conscience is a bosom-Preacher; sometimes it convincs, sometimes it reproves: It says as Nathan to David, you are the man. But men imprison this Preacher, and God says to conscience, preach no more: He that is filthy, lethim be filthy still. This is a fatal sign a mans day of grace is past.
2. When a person is in such a spiritual [illegible]ethargy, that nothing will work upon him, or make him sensible. There is [illegible], the spirit of a deep sleep poured on him, (Isaiah 29:10). This is a sad presage his day of grace is past. How dangerous then is it to delay Repentance when the day of grace may so soon expire!
3. The day of life may expire; what security have we that we shall live another day? We are marching apace out of the world; we are going off the stage; our life is a taper soon blown out. Mans life is compared to the flower of the field, (Psalm 103:15). which withers sooner than the grass . Our age is [illegible]as nothing, (Psalm 39:5). Life is but a flying shadow. The body is like a ves[illegible]el tunned with a little breath; sickness broachs this vessel, death draws it out. O how soon may the scene alter ! Many a Virgin has been dressed the same day in her bride-apparel and her windingsheet! How dangerous then is it to adjourn repenting, when death may so suddenly make a thrust at us. Say not, you will repent to morrow : Remember that speech of Aquinas; God who pardons him that repents, has not promised to give him to morrow to repent in. I have read of Archias, a Lacedemonian, who being among his cups, one delivered him a Letter, and desired him to read the Letter immediately, being of serious business; he replyed, seria cras, I will mind serious things to morrow; and that day he was slain. Thus, while men think to spin out their silver thred, death cu[illegible]s it. Olaus Magnus observes of the Birds of Norway, that they fly faster than the Birds of any other Country; not that their wings are swifter than others, but by an instinct of nature, they knowing the daies in that climate to be very short, not above three hours long, do therefore make the more haste to their nests: So we knowing the shortness of our lives, and how quickly we may be called away by death, should fly so much the faster on the wing of Repentance to Heaven.
But me-thinks I hear some say, they do not fear a sudden surprizal, they will repent upon their sick-bed.
I do not so well like a sick-bed Repentance: He runs a desperate hazard, who will venture his salvation within the circle of a few short minutes. Thou that puttest off Repentance till sickness, answer me to these four queries.
1. How dost you know you shalt have a time of sickness? Death does not alwaies shoot its warning-piece by a lingring consumption; some it arrests suddenly. What if God should immediately send you a summons to surrender your life!
2. Suppose you shouldest have a time of sickness, how dost you know you shalt have the use of your senses? Many are distracted on their sick-bed.
3. Suppose you shouldest have your senses, yet how dost you know your mind will be in frame for such a work as Repentance? Sickness does so discompose body and mind, that one is but in an ill posture at such a time to take care for his soul. In sickness a man is scarce fit to make his will, much less to make his peace. The Apostle says, Is any sick among you, let him call for the Elders of the Church, (James 5:14). He does not say, is he sick, let him pray; but let him call forthe Elders that they may pray over him. A sick man is very unfit to pray, or repent; he is like to make but sick work of it. When the body is out of tune, the soul must needs jar in its devotion. Upon a sick bed a person is more fit to exercise impatience, than Repentance. We read, that at the pouring out of the fourth Vial, when God did smite the Inhabitants, and scorched them with fire; They blasphemed the Name of God, and repented not, (Revelation 16:9). So when the Lord pours out his Vial, and scorchs the body with a Feaver, the sinner is fitter to blaspheme than repent.
4. How dost you who puttest off all to a sick bed, know, that God will give you in that very juncture of time grace to repent? The Lord usually punishs neglect of Repentance in time of health, with hardness of heart in time of sickness . you have in your life time repulsed the Spirit of God, and art you sure it will come at your call? you have not taken the first season, and perhaps you shalt never see another spring-tyde of the Spirit more: All this considered, may hasten our Repentance. Do not lay too much weight upon a sickbed, 2 (Timothy 4:21). Do your diligence to come before winter. There is a winter of sickness, and death a coming, therefore make haste to repent; let your work be ready before winter. To day hear Gods voice, (Hebrews 3:7).
