The subject matter presented unto you in this Sermon, is Repentance: A Theme that concerns you not only as you are Parliament men, betrusted by the people with the happiness of the Kingdom, but as you are Gentlemen betrusted by God with immortal souls. It is a question with some (though with me it is no question) Whether a wicked man can be a good Parliament man? But I suppose it is a question with none, That if the man go to hell for want of repentance, what shall then become of the Parliament man? For this grace is absolutely necessary for your own salvations; so necessary as that there is not the least crevice ⟨image 3⟩for an impenitent sinner to get into heaven at. And it is necessary also for the preservation of the Kingdom. For it is The only way, and an infallible way to deliver us from this man-devouring, and land-devouring Judgement that is now upon us, as is proved at large in the ensuing Discourse. And therefore I could heartily wish that one of the Sermons preached before you every Fasting day, might be a Sermon of Repentance, And that all our Pulpits might sound forth nothing but the the Doctrine of Repentance; and that this might be the Language of every godly Minister, Repent O England, Repent, Repent. It was once said, and that very truly, Inter altercandum veritas amittitur. I am sure it may be more truly said of our times, Inter disputandum paenitentia amittitur, The people of the City of London have almost disputed away their Repentance. I have read of one that by long studying of School-Divinity was so besotted that he quite forgot the Lords Prayer. And I fear that in our days through the heat of disputation about matters of Discipline, Faith, and Repentance is much forgotten both by Minister and People. And therefore as it was the excellency of our first Reformers (for which they are eternally to be praised) to bring the Divinity of former times (which was much perplexed, and almost lost amongst the multitude of unnecessary School-utrum's) unto a plain positive Scripture-Divinity: So it will be the excellency of all the godly Ministers in England (for which Posterity will bless them) to bring all the multitude of the unnecessary Questions that are amongst us, to this Unum necessarium of Repentance.
THe subject matter presented unto you in this Sermon, is Repentance: A Theam that concerns you not only as you are Parliament men, betrusted by the people with the happinesse of the Kingdom, but as you are Gentlemen betrusted by God with immortall souls. It is a question with some (though with me it is no question) Whether a wicked man can be a good Parliament man? But I suppose it is a question with none, That if the man go to hell for want of repentance, what shall then become of the Parliament man? For this grace is absolutely necessary for your own salvations; so necessary as that there is not the least crevise ⟨image 3⟩for an impenitent sinner to get into heaven at. And it is necessary also for the preservation of the Kingdom. For it is The only way, and an infallible way to deliver us from this man-devouring, and land-devouring Iudgement that is now upon us, as is proved at large in the ensuing Discourse. And therefore I could heartily wish that one of the Sermons preached before you every Fasting day, might be a Sermon of Repentance, And that all our Pulpits might sound forth nothing but the the Doctrine of Repentance; and that this might be the Language of every godly Minister, Repent O England, Repent, Repent. It was once said, and that very truly, Inter altercandum veritas amittitur. I am sure it may be more truly said of our times, Inter disputandum paenitentia amittitur, The people of the City of London have almost disputed away their Repentance. I have read of one that by long studying of School-Divinity was so besotted that he quite forgot the Lords Prayer. And I fear that in our dayes through the heat of disputation about matters of Discipline, Faith, and Repentance is much forgotten both by Minister and People. And therefore as it was the excellency of our first Reformers (for which they are eternally to be praised) to bring the Divinitie of former times (which was much perplexed, and almost lost amongst the multitude of unnecessary School-utrum's) unto a plain positive Scripture-Divinitie: So it will be the excellency of all the godly Ministers in England (for which Posterity will blesse them) to bring all the multitude of the unnecessary Questions that are amongst us, to this Unum necessarium of Repentance.
