XXVIII sermons preached at Golden Grove being for the summer half-year, beginning on Whit-Sunday, and ending on the xxv Sunday after Trinity, together with A discourse of the divine institution, necessity, sacredness, and separation of the office ministeriall / by Jer. Taylor.

The Invalidity of a death-bed [ A] Repentance.* 1.1 (Book 6)

Part II. [ B] (Book 6)

BUt I shall pursue this, great and necessary truth, first; by shewing what parts and ingredients of repentance are as∣signed, when it is described in holy Scripture. Secondly, by shewing the necessities, the absolute necessities of a holy life, and what it means in Scripture to [live holily]. Thirdly, by consider∣ing what directions or intimations we have concerning the last time of beginning to repent; and what is the longest period that [ C] any man may venture with safety: And in the prosecution of these particulars, we shall remove the objections; those aprons of fig-leaves which men use for their shelter to palliate their sin, and to hide themselves, from that, from which no rocks or mount∣ains shall protect them, though they fall upon them; that is, the wrath of God.

First, That repentance is not onely an abolition, and extin∣ction of the body of sin, a bringing it to the altar, and slaying it before God and all the people; but that we must also 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 mingle gold and rich presents, the oblation of good works, [ D] and holy habits with the sacrifice, I have already proved: but now if we will see repentance in its stature and integrity of con∣stitution described, we shall finde it to be the one half of all that which God requires of Christians. Faith and Repentance are the whole duty of a Christian. Faith is a sacrifice of the understand∣ing to God: Repentance sacrifices the whole will: That, gives the knowing; this, gives up all the desiring faculties: That, makes us Disciples; this, makes us servants of the Holy Jesus. Nothing else was preached by the Apostles, nothing was enjoyned as the duty of man, nothing else did build up the body of Christian re∣ligion. [ E] So that, as faith contains all that knowledge which is ne∣cessary to salvation: So repentance comprehends in it, all the whole practise and working duty of a returning Christian: And this was the sum totall of all that Saint Paul preached to the Gen∣tiles, when in his farewell Sermon to the Bishops and Priests of

[ A] Ephesus, he professed that he kept back nothing that was profitable to them; and yet it was all nothing but this; [Repentance towards God,* 1.2 and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ] so that whosoever be∣lieves in Jesus Christ, and repents towards God must make his ac∣counts according to this standard, that is, to believe all that Christ taught him; and to do all that Christ commanded: and this is re∣marked in Saint Pauls* 1.3 Catechisme where he gives a more particu∣lar Catalogue of fundamentals: he reckons nothing but Sacraments and faith; of which he enumerates two principal articles [resur∣rection of the dead, and eternal judgement] whatsoever is practi∣cal, [ B] all the whole duty of man, the practise of all obedience is called [repentance from dead works] which, if we observe the sin∣gularity of the phrase, does not mean [sorrow] For sorrow from dead works, is not sense; but it must mean mutationem status, a conversion from dead works, which (as in all motions) supposes two terms; from dead works, to living works, from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse.

I will adde but two places more, out of each Testament one; in which I suppose you may see every lineament of this great duty [ C] described, that you may no longer mistake a grashopper for an Ea∣gle, Sorrow and holy purposes, for the intire duty of repen∣tance. In the 18. of Ezek. 21. you shall finde it thus described. [

But if the wicked will turne from all his sins that he hath commit∣ted, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.

] or as it is more fully described in Ezek. 33. 14 [When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; If

he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right; if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed; walk in the statutes of life without committing iniquity, he shall surely live, he shall [ D] not die.

] Here onely is the condition of pardon; to leave all your sins, to keep all Gods statutes, to walk in them, to abide, to pro∣ceed, and make progresse in them; and this, without the inter∣ruption by a deadly sin, [without committing iniquity] to make restitution of all the wrongs he hath done, all the unjust money he hath taken, all the oppressions he hath committed, all that must be satisfied for, and repayed according to our ability: we must make satisfaction for all injury to our Neighbours fame, all wrongs done to his soul; he must be restored to that condition of good things thou didst in any sense remove him from: when this [ E] is done according to thy utmost power, then thou hast repented truely, then thou hast a title to the promise; thou shalt surely live, thou shalt not die for thy old sins thou hast formerly committed. * Onely be pleased to observe this one thing; that this place of E∣zekiel is it which is so often mistaken for that common saying, At what time soever a sinner repents him of his sins from the bottom of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance, saith

the Lord] For although at what time soever a sinner does repent (as re∣pentance [ A] is now explained) God will forgive him, and that, re∣pentance as it is now stated cannot be done [At what time soever] not upon a mans deathbed; yet there are no such words in the whole Bible, nor any neerer to the sense of them then the words I have now read to you, out of the Prophet Ezekiel. Let that therefore no more deceive you, or be made a colour to countenance a perse∣vering sinner, or a deathbed penitent.

Neither is the duty of Repentance to be bought at an easier rate in the New Testament. You may see it described in the 2 Cor. 7. 11. Godly sorrow worketh repentance. Well? but what is that [ B] repentance which is so wrought? This it is,

Behold the self same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulnesse it wrought in you, yea what clearing of your selves, yea what indignation, yea what fear, ye what vehement desire, yea what zeal, yea what revenge.

These are the fruits of that sorrow that is effectual: these are the parts of repentance; clearing our selves of all that is past, and great carefulnesse for the future, anger at our selves for our old sins, and fear lest we commit the like again, vehement desires of pleasing God, and zeal of holy actions, and a re∣venge upon our selves for our sins, called by Saint Paul in a∣nother [ C] place,* 1.4 a judging our selves lest we be judged of the Lord. And in pursuance of this truth, the primitive Church did not admit a sinning person to the publike communions with the faith∣full, till besides their sorrow they had spent some years in an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in doing good works and holy living; and es∣pecially in such actions which did contradict that wicked incli∣nation which led them into those sins whereof they were now ad∣mitted to repent. And therefore we find that they stood in the station of penitents seven years, 13 years, and somtimes till their death, before they could be reconciled to the peace of God, and his [ D] Holy Church.

Scelerum si bene poenitet eradenda cupidinis pravi sunt elementa & tenerae nimis mentes asperioribus Formandae studijs—Horat.* 1.5

Repentance is the institution of a philosophical and severe life, an utter extirpation of all unreasonablenesse and impiety, and an addresse to, and a finall passing through all the parts of holy living.

Now Consider whether this be imaginable or possible to be [ E] done upon our deathbed, when a man is frighted into an invo∣luntary, a sudden and unchosen piety; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, saith Hierocles. He that never repents till a violent fear be upon him, till he apprehend himself to be in the jawes of death, ready to give up his unready and unprepa∣red

[ A] accounts, till he sees the Judge sitting in all the addresses of dreadfulnesse and Majesty, just now (as he beleeves) ready to pro∣nounce that fearfull and intolerable sentence of [Go ye cursed into everlasting fire] this man does nothing for the love of God, nothing for the love of vertue; It is just as a condemned man re∣pents that he was a Traytor, but repented not till he was arrested, and sure to die. Such a repentance as this may still consist with as great an affection to sin as ever he had; and it is no thanks to him, if when the knife is at his throat, then he gives good words and flatters. But suppose this man in his health, and the middest of all [ B] his lust, it is evident that there are some circumstances of action in which the man would have refused to commit his most pleasing sin. Would not the son of Tarquin have refused to ravish Lucrece if Junius Brutus had been by him? Would the impurest person in the world act his lust in the market place? or drink off an intem∣perate goblet if a dagger were placed at his throat? In these cir∣cumstances, their fear would make them declare against the pre∣sent acting their impurities. But does this cure the intemperance of their affections? Let the impure person retire to his closet, and Junius Brutus be ingaged in a far distant war, and the dagger [ C] be taken from the drunkards throat, and the fear of shame, or death, or judgement be taken from them all, and they shall no more resist their temptation, then they could before remove their fear; and you may as well judge the other persons holy, and haters of their sin, as the man upon his death-bed to be penitent; and rather they then he, by how much this mans fear, the fear of death, and of the infinite pains of hell, the fear of a provoked God, and an angry eternall Judge, are far greater then the appre∣hensions of publike shame, or an abused husband, or the poniard of an angry person.* 1.6 These men then sin not because they dare not, [ D] they are frighted from the act, but not from the affection, which is not to be cured but by discourse, and reasonable acts, and hu∣mane considerations; of which that man is not naturally capable who is possessed with the greatest fear, the fear of death and dam∣nation. If there had been time to cure his sin, and to live the life of grace, I deny not but God might have begun his conversion with so great a fear, that he should never have wiped off its im∣pression; * 1.7 but if the man dies then, dies when he onely declaims against and curses his sin, as being the authour of his present fear, and apprehended calamity; It is very far from reconciling him to [ E] God, or hopes of pardon, because it proceeds from a violent, un∣naturall, and intolerable cause, no act of choice, or vertue, but of sorrow, a deserved sorrow, and a miserable, unchosen, una∣voidable fear,

—moriensque recepit Quas nollet victurus aquas—

He curses sin upon his deathbed and makes a Panegyrick of vertue [ A] which in his life time he accounted folly, and trouble, and a need∣lesse vexation.

Quae mens est hodie,* 1.8 cur eadem non puero fuit? vel cur his animis incolumes non redeunt genae?

I shall end this first Consideration, with a plain exhorta∣tion; that since repentance is a duty of so great and giant-like bulk; let no man croud it up into so narrow room, as that it be strangled in its birth for want of time and aire to breath in. Let [ B] it not be put off to that time when a man hath scarce time enough to reckon all those particular duties which make up the integrity of its constitution▪ Will any man hunt the wild boare in his garden, or bait a bull in his closet, will a woman wrap her childe in her handkerchiefe, or a Father send his son to school when he is 50 yeers old? These are undecencies of providence, and the instru∣ment contradicts the end; And this is our case. There is no roome for the repentance, no time to act all its essentiall parts; and a childe who hath a great way to go before he be wise, may defer his studies, and hope to become very learned in his old [ C] age, and upon his deathbed, as well as a vitious person, may think to recover from all his ignorances and prejudicate opinions, from all his false principles and evil customs, from his wicked incli∣nations and ungodly habits, from his fondnesses of vice, and dete∣stations of vertue, from his promptnesse to sin, and unwillingnesse to grace, from his spiritual deadnesse and strong sensuality; upon his deathbed (I say) when he hath no naturall strength, and as little spirituall, when he is criminal and impotent, hardned in his vice, and soft in his fears, full of passion, and empty of wisdom, when he is sick and amazed, and timorous and confounded, and impatient, and extremely miserable. [ D]

And now when any of you is tempted to commit a sin, remember, that sin will ruine you unlesse you repent of it. * But this (you say) is no news, and so far from affrighting you from sin, that God knows) it makes men sin the rather. For therefore they venture to act the present temptation, because they know, if they repent, God will forgive them; and therefore they resolve upon both, to sin now, and to repent hereafter.

Against this folly I shall not oppose the consideration of their danger, and that they neither know how long they shall live, nor [ E] whether they shall die or no in this very act of sinne; though this consideration is very materiall, and if they should die in it, or before it is washed off, they perish; But I consider these things. 1 That he that resolves to sin upon a resolution to repent, by every act of sin, makes himself more uncapable of repenting, by growing more in

[ A] love with sin, by remembring its pleasures, by serving it once more, and losing one degree more of the liberty of our spirit: and if you resolve to sin now, because it is pleasant, how do ye know that your appetite will alter? will it not appear pleasant to you next week, and the next week after that, and so for ever? And still you sin, and still you will repent; that is, you will repent when the sin can please you no longer. For so long as it can please you, so long you are tempted not to repent, as well as now to act the sin. And the longer you lie in it, the more you will love it. So that it is in effect to say; I love my sin now, but I will hereafter hate it; onely [ B] I will act it a while longer, and grow more in love with it, and then I will repent, that is, then I will be sure to hate it, when I shal most love it. 2. To repent signifies to be sorrowful, to be ashamed, and to wish it had never been done. And then see the folly of this temptation. I would not sin, but that I hope to repent of it, that is, I would not do this thing but that I hope to be sorrowful for doing it, and I hope to come to shame for it, heartily to be ashamed of my doings, and I hope to be in that condition, that I would give all the world I had never done it; that is, I hope to feel and apprehend an e∣vil infinitely greater then the pleasures of my sin; & are these argu∣ments [ C] fit to move a man to sin? what can affright a man from it, if these invite him to it? it is as if a man should invite one to be a partner of his treason by telling him, if you will joyn with me, you shal have all these effects by it; you shall be hang'd, drawn and quarter'd, and your blood shall be corrupted, and your estate forfeited, and you shall have many other reasons to wish you had never done it: He that should use this Rhetorick in earnest, might well be accounted a mad man: This is to scare a man, not to allure him, and so is the other when we understand it truely. 3. For I consider, He that repents, wishes he had never done that sin. Now I ask, does he [ D] wish so upon reason, or without reason? Surely, if he may when he hath satisfied his lust, ask God pardon, and be admitted upon as easie termes for the time to come as if he had not done the sin, he hath no reason to be sorrowful, or wish he had not done it. For though he hath done it, and pleased himself by enjoying the plea∣sure of sin for that season, yet all is well again; and let him onely be carefull now, and there is no hurt done, his pardon is certain. How can any man that understands the reason of his actions and passions wish, that he had never done that sin in which then he had pleasure, and now he feels no worse inconvenience. But he that truely repents, [ E] wishes, and would give all the world he had never done it. Surely then his present condition in respect of his past sin hath some very great evil in it, why else should he be so much troubled? True, and this it is. He that hath committed sins after baptisme, is fallen out of the favour of God, is tied to hard duty for the time to come, to cry vehemently unto God, to call night and day for pardon, to be in

great fear and tremblings of heart, lest God should never forgive [ A] him, lest God will never take off his sentence of eternal paines, and in this fear and in some degrees of it he will remain all the dayes of his life, and if he hopes to be quit of that, yet he knowes not how many degrees of Gods anger still hang over his head; how many sad miseries shall afflict, and burne, and purifie him in this world with a sharpnesse so poinant as to divide the marrow from the bones; and for these reasons, a considering man that knows what it is to repent, wishes with his soul, he had never sinned; and therefore grieves in proportion to his former crimes, and present misery and future danger. [ B]

And now, suppose that you can repent when you will, that is, that you can grieve when you will, (though no man can do it, no man can grieve when he please) though he could shed tears when he list, he cannot grieve without a real, or an apprehended infelicity, but, suppose it, and that he can fear when he please, and that he can love when he please, or what he please; that is, suppose a man to be able to say to his palate, though I love sweet meats, yet to morrow I will hate and loath them, and believe them bitter and distastful things; suppose (I say) all these impssibilities, yet since, repentance does suppose a man to be in a state of such real misery [ C] that he hath reason to curse the day in which he sinned, is this a fit argument to invite a man, that is in his wits, to sin? to sin in hope of repentance? as if dangers of falling into hell, and fear of the Divine anger, and many degrees of the Divine judgements, and a lasting sorrow, and a perpetual labour, and a never ceasing tremb∣ling, and a troubled conscience and a sorrowful spirit were fit things to be desired or hoped for.

The sum is this. He that commits sins shall perish eternally if he never does repent. And if he does repent and yet untimely, he is not the better; and if he does not repent with an intire, a per∣fect [ D] and complete repentance, he is not the better: But if he does, yet repentance is a duty full of fears and sorrow, and labour; a vex∣ation to the spirit, an afflictive, paenal, or punitive duty, a duty which suffers for sin, and labours for grace, which abides and suf∣fers little images of hell in the way to heaven; and though it be the onely way to felicity, yet it is beset with thorns and daggers of suf∣ferance, and with rocks and mountains of duty. Let no man there∣fore dare to sin upon hopes of repentance: for he is a foole and a hypocrite, that now chooses and approves, what he knows here∣after he must condemn. [ E]

2. The second generall consideration is, The necessity, the absolute necessity of holy living,

God hath made a Covenant with us,* 1.9 that we must give up our selves, bodies and souls, not a dying, but a living, and healthfull sacrifice.

He hath forgiven all our old sins, and we have bargained to quit them, from the time

[ A] that we first come to Christ, and give our names to him; and to keep all his Commandements. We have taken the Sacramentall oath, like that of the old Romane Militia, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we must beleeve, and obey, and do all that is commanded us, and keep our station, and fight against the flesh, the world, and the devil, not to throw away our mili••ary girdle, and we are to do what is bidden us, or to die for it, even all that is bidden us, according to our power. For, pre∣tend not, that Gods Commandements are impossible. It is disho∣nourable to think God enjoyns us to do more then he enables us to [ B] do; and it is a contradiction to say, we cannot do all that we can: and [through Christ which strengthens me, I can do all things, saith S. Paul,] however, we can do to the utmost of our strength, and beyond that we cannot take thought; impossibilities enter not into deliberation, but according to our abilities, and naturall powers, assisted by Gods grace, so God hath covenanted with us to live a holy life. [For in Christ Jesus nothing avayleth but a new creature, nothing but faith working by charity, nothing but keeping the Com∣mandements of God.] They are all the words of S. Paul before quoted; to which he addes. [and as many as walk according to this [ C] rule, peace be on them and mercy.] This is the Covenant, [they are the Israel of God] upon those peace and mercy shall abide; if they be∣come a new creature, wholly transformed in the image of their minde; if they have faith, and this faith be an operative working faith, a faith that produces a holy life, a faith that works by charity; if they keep the Commandements of God, then they are within the Covenant of mercy, but not else; for, in Christ Jesus nothing else avayleth. * To the same purpose are those words Hebr. 12. 14. Follow peace with all men, and holinesse, without which no man shall see the Lord.] Peace with all men] implies both justice and charity, [ D] without which it is impossible to preserve peace: Holinesse] im∣plies all our duty towards God. universall diligence; and this must be followed, that is, pursued with diligence, in a lasting course of life and exercise, and without this, we shall never see the face of God. I need urge no more authorities to this purpose; these two are as certain and convincing as two thousand, and since thus much is actually required, and is the condition of the Covenant; it is certain that sorrow for not having done what is commanded to be done; and a purpose to do what is necessary to be actually perfor∣med, will not acquit us before the righteous judgement of God. [ E] * [

For the grace of God hath appeared to all men,* 1.10 teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts, we should live godly, justly, and soberly in this present world.

] for upon these termes alone we must [look for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ]. * I shall no longer insist upon this particular, but onely propound it to your consideration,

To what purpose are all those Commandements in Scripture, of [ A] every page almost in it, [of living holily, and according to the Commandements of God, of adorning the Gospel of God, of walk∣ing as in the day, of walking in light, of pure and undefiled religion, of being holy as God is holy, of being humble and meek, as Christ is humble, of putting on the Lord Jesus, of living a spirituall life,] but that it is the purpose of God, and the intention and designe of Christ dying for us, and the Covenant made with man, that we should expect heaven upon no other termes in the world, but of a holy life, in the faith and obedience of the Lord Jesus.

Now if a vitious person, when he comes to the latter end of his [ B] dayes, one that hath lived a wicked, ungodly life, can for any thing he can do upon his death-bed, be said to live a holy life; then his hopes are not desperate; but he that hopes upon this onely, for which God hath made him no promise, I must say of him as Galen said of consumptive persons, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the more they hope, the worse they are; and the relying upon such hopes is an approach to the grave, and a sad eternity.

Peleos & Priami transit, vel Nestoris aet as & fuerat serum jam tibi desinere. [ C] Eja age, rumpe moras, quo te spectabimus usque Dum quid sis dubitas,* 1.11 jam potes esse nihil.

And now it will be a vain question to ask, whether or no God cannot save a dying man that repents after a vitious life? For it is true, God can do it if he please; and he can raise children to Abra∣ham out of the stones, and he can make ten thousand worlds if he sees good, and he can do what he list, and he can save an ill living man though he never repent at all, so much as upon his death-bed. All this he can do; but Gods power is no ingredient into this que∣stion: [ D] we are never the better that God can do it, unlesse he also will; and whether he will, or no, we are to learn from himself, and what he hath declared to be his will in holy Scripture. Nay since God hath said, that without actuall holinesse no man shall see God, God by his own will hath restrained his power, and though abso∣lutely he can do all things, yet he cannot do against his own word. * And indeed the rewards of heaven are so great and glorious, and Christ burden is so light, his yoke is so easie, that it is a shamelesse impudence to expect so great glories at a lesse rate then so little a service, at a lower rate then a holy life. It cost the Eternall Son [ E] of God his life blood to obtain heaven for us upon that condition, and who then shall die again for us, to get heaven for us upon easier conditions. What would you do if God should command you to kill your eldest son? or to work in the mines for a thousand yeers together? or to fast all thy life time with bread and water? were

[ A] not heaven a great bargain even after all this? and when God re∣quires nothing of us but to live soberly, justly, and godly, (which very things of themselves, to man are a very great felicity, and neces∣sary to his present well-being) shall we think this to be a load, and an unsufferable burden? and that heaven is so little a purchase at that price, that God in meer justice will take a death-bed sigh or groan, and a few unprofitable tears and promises in exchange for all our duty? Strange it should be so: but stranger that any man should rely upon such a vanity, when from Gods word he hath no∣thing to warrant such a confidence. But these men do like the Ty∣rant [ B] Dionysius, who stole from Apollo his golden cloak, and gave him a cloak of Arcadian home-spun, saying that this was lighter in summer, and warmer in winter. These men sacrilegiously rob God of the service of all their golden dayes, and serve him in their hoary head, in their furs and grave clothes; and pretend that this late service is more agreeable to the Divine mercy on one side, and humane infirmity on the other, and so dispute themselves into an irrecoverable condition, having no other ground to rely upon a death-bed, or late-begun-repentance, but because they resolve to [ C] enjoy the pleasures of sin, and for heaven, they will put that to the venture of an after-game. These men sow in the flesh, and would reap in the spirit, live to the Devil, and die to God, and therefore it is but just in God that their hopes should be desperate, and their craft be folly, and their condition be, the unexpected, unfeared in∣heritance of an eternall sorrow.

Lastly. Our last inquiry is into the time, the last or latest time [ 3] of beginning our repentance. Must a man repent a yeer, or two, or seven yeers, or ten, or twenty before his death? or what is the last period after which all repentance will be untimely and ineffe∣ctuall? [ D] To this captious question I have many things to oppose. 1. We have entred into covenant with God, to serve him from the day of our Baptisme to the day of our death.* 1.12 He hath

[sworn this oath to us, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered from fear of our enemies, might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse before him [all the dayes of our life

]. Now although God will not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 forget our infirmi∣ties, but passe by the weaknesses of an honest a watchfull, & industri∣ous person; yet the Covenant he makes with us is from the day of our first voluntary profession, to our grave: and according as we [ E] by sins retire from our first undertaking; so our condition is inse∣cure: there is no other Covenant made with us, no new beginnings of another period; but if we be returned, and sin be cancelled, and grace be actually obtained; then we are in the first condition of pardon; but because it is uncertain when a man can have ma∣sterd his vices, and obtain'd the graces, therefore no man can tell any set time when he must begin.

2. Scripture describing the duty of repenting sinners, names no [ A] other time but [today. To day if ye will hear his voyce harden not your hearts. 3. The duty of a Christian is described in Scripture, to be such as requires length of time, and a continued industry. [Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.* 1.13] and [Con∣sider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied, and faint in your mindes.] So great a prepara∣tion is not for the agony and contention of an hour, or a day, or a week, but for the whole life of a Christian, or for great parts of its abode. 4. There is a certain period and time set for our re∣pentance, and beyond that all our industry is ineffectuall. There is a [ B] day of visitation, our own day, and there is a day of visitation, that is Gods day. This appeared in the case of Jerusalem. [O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, if thou hadst known the time of thy visitation, at least in this thy day.] Well! they neglected it, and then there was a time of Gods visitation which was his day; called in Scripture, [the day of the Lord] and because they had neglected their own day, they fell into inevitable ruine: No repentance could have prevented their finall ruine. And this which was true in a Nation, is also clearly af∣firmed true in the case of single persons. [

Look diligently lest any fail of the grace of God,* 1.14 lest there be any person among you as Esau, [ C] who sold his birth-right, and afterwards when he would have inheri∣ted the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for his repen∣tance though he sought it carefully with tears.

] Esau had time enough to repent his bargain as long as he lived; he wept sorely for his folly, and carefulnesse sate heavy upon his soul, and yet he was not heard, nor his repentance accepted; for the time was past: And [take heed] saith the Apostle, lest it come to passe to any of you to be in the same case. Now if ever there be a time in which repentance is too late, it must be the time of our death∣bed, and the last time of our life: And after a man is fallen into [ D] the displeasure of Almighty God, the longer he lies in his sin without repentance and emendation, the greater is his danger, and the more of his allowed time is spent, and no man can antecedent∣ly, or before-hand, be sure that the time of his repentance is not past; and those who neglect the call of God, and refuse to hear him call in the day of grace, God will laugh at them when their cala∣mity comes; they shall call, and the Lord shall not hear them. * And this was the case of the five foolish virgins when the arrest of death surprized them: they discovered their want of oil, they were troubled at it, they beg'd oil, they were refused, they did [ E] something towards the procuring of the oil of grace, (for they went out to buy oil) and after all this stir the bridegroom came be∣fore they had finished their journey, and they were shut out from the communion of the bridegrooms joyes.

Therefore concerning the time of beginning to repent, no man

[ A] is certain but he that hath done his work. Mortem venientem nemo hilaris excipit nisi qui se ad eam diù composuerat,* 1.15 said Seneca. He onely dies cheerfully who stood waiting for death in a ready dresse of a long preceding preparation. He that repents to day, repents late enough that he did not begin yesterday: But he that puts it off till to morrow is vain and miserable.

—hodiè tam posthume vivere serum est Martial. l. 2. ep 90. Ille sapit quisquis posthume vixit heri.

[ B] Well! but what will you have a man do that hath lived wic∣kedly, and is now cast upon his death-bed? shall this man despair, and neglect all the actions of piety, and the instruments of restitu∣tion in his sicknesse? No. God forbid. Let him do what he can then; It is certain it will be little enough: for all those short gleames of piety, and flashes of lightning will help towards the alleviating some degrees of misery; and if the man recovers, they are good beginnings of a renewed piety: and Ahabs tears and hu∣miliation, though it went no further, had a proportion of a reward, [ C] though nothing to the portions of eternity. So that he that sayes, it is every day necessary to repent, cannot be supposed to discou∣rage the piety of any day: a death-bed piety, when things are come to that sad condition may have many good purposes: there∣fore even then neglect nothing that can be done. Well! But shall such persons despair of salvation? To them I shall onely return this. That they are to consider the conditions which on one side God requires of us, and on the other side, whether they have done accordingly? Let them consider upon what termes God hath pro∣mised salvation, and whether they have made themselves capable [ D] by performing their part of the obligation. If they have not, I must tell them, that, not to hope where God hath made no promise, is not the sin of despair, but the misery of despair. A man hath no ground to hope that ever he shall be made an Angel, and yet, that not hoping, is not to be called, despair: and no man can hope for heaven without repentance; And for such a man to despair, is not the sin, but the misery. If such persons have a promise of hea∣ven, let them shew it, and hope it, and enjoy it; if they have no promise, they must thank themselves, for bringing themselves in∣to a condition without the Covenant, without a promise, hopelesse [ E] and miserable.

But will not trusting in the merits of Jesus Christ save such a man? For that we must be tried by the word of God: In which there is no contract at all made with a dying person that hath lived in Name a Christian, in practise a Heathen: and we shall dishonour the sufferings and redemption of our blessed Saviour, if we make them to be a Umbrello to shelter our impious and ungodly living.

But that no such person may after a wicked life repose himself in [ A] his deathbed upon Christs merits, observe but these two places of scripture [Our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us] what to do?* 1.16 that we might lives as we list? and hope to be saved by his merits? No But

[that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purifie to himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. These things speak and exhort,]

saith Saint Paul. But more plainly yet, in S. Peter [Christ bare our sins in his own body on the tree.* 1.17] To what end? [that we being dead unto sin should live unto righteousnesse.] since therefore our living a holy life is the end of Christs dying that sad and holy death for us, he that trusts on it to evil purpo∣ses, [ B] and to excuse his vicious life, does (as much as lies in him) make void the very purpose and designe of Christs passion, and disho∣nours the blood of the everlasting covenant: which covenant was confirmed by the blood of Christ: but as it brought peace from God, so it requires a holy life from us.

But why may not we be saved as well as the thief upon the crosse?* 1.18 even because our case is nothing alike. When Christ dies once more for us, we may look for such another instance; not till then. But this thiefe did but then come to Christ; he knew him not be∣fore; and his case was as if a Turk or heathen should be conver∣ted [ C] to Christianity, and be baptized, and enter newly into the Co∣venant upon his deathbed. Then God pardons all his sins; and so God does to Christians when they are baptized, or first give up their names to Christ by a voluntarie confirmation of their bap∣tismal vow: but when they have once entred into the Covenant, they must performe what they promise, and to what they are ob∣liged. The thief had made no contract with God in Jesus Christ, and therefore failed of none; onely the defaillances of the state of ignorance Christ paid for at the thiefes admission. But we that have made a covenant with God in baptisme, and failed of it all our [ D] dayes, and then returne at night, when we cannot work; have nothing to plead for our selves, because we have made all that to be uselesse to us which God with so much mercy and miraculous wisdom, gave us to secure our interest, and hopes of heaven.

And therfore let no Christian man who hath covenanted with God to give him the service of his life, think that God will be an∣swered with the sighs and prayers of a dying man; for all that great obligation which lies upon us cannot be transacted in an in∣stant, when we have loaded our souls with sin, and made them em∣pty of vertue; we cannot so soon grow up to a perfect man in Christ [ E] Jesus.* 1.19 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 you cannot have an apple, or a cherry, but you must stay its proper periods, and let it blossom and knot, and grow and ripen, [and in due season we shall reap if we faint not] (saith the Apostle) far much lesse may we expect that the fruits of repentance, and the issues and degrees of holinesse shall

[ A] be gathered in a few dayes or houres. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; you must not expect such fruits in a little time, nor with little labour.

Suffer therefore not your selves to be deceived by false princi∣ples, and vain confidences; for no man can in a moment root out the long contracted habits of vice, nor upon his deathbed make use of all that variety of preventing, accompanying and persevering grace, which God gave to man in mercy; because man would need it all, because without it he could not be saved; nor upon his death∣bed can he exercise the duty of mortification; nor cure his drun∣kennesse [ B] then, nor his lust, by any act of Christian discipline; nor run with patience; nor resist unto blood; nor endure with long sufferance; but he can pray, and groan, and call to God, and re∣solve to live well when he is dying; but this is but just as the Nobles of Xerxes, when in a storm they were to lighten the ship to preserve their Kings life, they did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 they did their obeysance, and leaped into the sea: so (I fear) doe these men, pray and mourn, and worship and so leap overboard into an ocean of eternal and intolerable calamity. From which God deli∣ver [ C] us, and all faithful people.

Hunc volo laudari qui sine morte potest. Mart. ep. l. 1. Vivere quod propero pauper, nec inutilis annis Da veniam, properat vivere nemo satis. Differat hoc, patrios optat qui vincere census Atria{que} immodicis arctat imaginibus. Mart. l. 2. ep 90.

[ D] [ E]

Notes

• * 1.1

  SERM. VI.
• * 1.2

  Acts. 20. 21.
• * 1.3

  Hebr. 6. 1.
• * 1.4

  1 Cor. 11. 31.
• * 1.5

  Hierocles. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. See life of H. Jesus part. 2. disc. of Re∣pentance.
• * 1.6

  Cogimur à suetis animum suspendere Atque Atque ut viva∣mus, vivere desinimus. Co••••••l. Gal.
• * 1.7

  Nec ad rem ••••••tinet ubi in ••••••pevet, quod 〈…〉〈…〉 ut s••cret.
• * 1.8

  Hor. l. 4. od. 10.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 12. 1.
• * 1.10

  Tit. 2. 12.
• * 1.11

  Mart. l. 2. ep. 64.
• * 1.12

  Luke 1. 74.
• * 1.13

  Hebr. 12. 1. Ver. 3.
• * 1.14

  Heb. 12. 16.
• * 1.15

  Epist. 30.
• * 1.16

  Titus. 2. 14.
• * 1.17

  1 Pet. 2 24.
• * 1.18

  See life of Je∣sus. Disc. of Repentance. part. 2.
• * 1.19

  Arrian. Epictet l. 1. c. 15.