The rule and exercises of holy living. In which are described the means and instruments of obtaining every vertue, and the remedies against every vice, and considerations serving to the resisting all temptations. Together with prayers containing the whole duty of a Christian, and the parts of devotion fitted to all occasions, and furnish'd for all necessities.

Motives to Repentance.

I shall use no other arguments to move a sin∣ner to repentance, but to tell him unlesse he does he shall certainly perish; and if he does repent timely and intirely, that is, live a holy life, he shall be forgiven and be saved: But yet I desire that this consideration be enlarged with some great circumstances; and let us re∣member.

1. That to admit mankinde to repentance and pardon was a favour greater then ever God gave to the angels & devils: for they were never admitted to the condition of second thoughts: Christ never groaned one groan for them; he never suffered one stripe, nor one affront, nor shed one drop of blood to restore them to hopes of blessednesse after their first failings. But this he did for us, he paid the score of our sins, only that we might be admitted to repent, and that this repentance might be effectual to the great purposes of felicity and salvation.

2. Consider that as it cost Christ many milli∣ons of prayers and groans, and sighs, so he is now at this instant and hath been for these 1600 years night and day incessantly praying for grace to us that we may repent, and for par∣don when we do, and for degrees of pardon beyond the capacities of our infirmities, and the merit of our sorrows and amendment: and this prayer he will continue till his second coming;* 1.1 for he ever liveth to make intercession for us, and that we may know what it is in behalf of which he intercedes, S. Paul tells us his de∣signe [we are Embassadours for Christ, as though he did beseech you by us, we pray yo•• in Christs stead to be reconciled to God; and what Christ prayes

us to do, he prayes to God that we may do; that which he desires of us as his servants, he desires of God who is the fountain of the grace and powers unto us, and without whose assist∣ance we can do nothing.

3. That ever we should repent, was so costly a purchase, and so great a concernment, and so high a favour, and the event is esteemed by God himself so great an excellency, that our blessed Saviour tells us, there shall be joy in Hea∣ven over one sinner that repenteth:* 1.2 meaning that when Christ shall be glorified and at the right hand of his Father make intercession for us, praying for our repentance; the conversion and repentance of every sinner is part of Christs glorification; it is the answering of his prayers, it is a portion of his reward, in which he does essentially glory by the joyes of his glorified humanity. This is the joy of our Lord himself directly, not of the Angels, save onely by re∣flexion: The joy (said our blessed Saviour) shall be in the presence of the Angels; they shall see the glory of the Lord, the answering of his prayers, the satisfaction of his desires, and the reward of his sufferings, in the repentance and consequent pardon of a sinner. For therefore he once suffered, and for that reason he re∣joyces for ever: and therefore when a penitent sinner comes to receive the effect and full con∣summation of his pardon, it is called [an entring into the joy of our Lord] that is, a partaking of that joy which Christ received at our coversion and enjoyed ever since.

4. Adde to this, that the rewards of Heaven are so great and glorious, and Christs burden is so light, his yoke is so easy, that it is a shame∣lesse impudence to expect so great gloryes

at a lesse rate then so little a service; at a lower rate then a holy life. It cost the heart blood of the Son of God to obtain Heaven for us upon that condition; and who shall dye again to get Heaven for us upon easier terms? What would you do, if God should command you to kill your eldest son, or to work in the mines for a thousand years together, or to fast all thy life time with bread and water? Were not Hea∣ven a very great bargain even after all this? And when God requires nothing of us, but to live soberly, justly and godly (which things of them∣selves are to a man a very great felicity, and necessary to our present well being) shall we think this to be an intolerable burden, and that Heaven is too little a purchase at that price? and that God in meer justice will take a death-bed sigh or groan, and a few unpro∣fitable tears and promises in exchange for all our duty?

If these motives joyned together with our own interest, even as much as felicity and the sight of God, and the avoyding the intolerable pains of Hell and many intermedial judge∣ments comes to, will not move us to leave, 1. The filthinesse, and 2. The trouble, and 3. The uneasinesse, and 4. The unreasonable∣nesse of sinne, and turn to God, there is no more to be said, we must perish in our folly.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hebr. 7.25. 2 Cor. 5.20.
• * 1.2

  Luke 15.7.