Speedy repentance urged a sermon preached at Boston, December 29, 1689

Counsel 2.

Seek a Pardon, and seek it PRESENTLY. Be able to say, concerning your Seeking a Pardon from, as the Psalmist said about his Keeping the Precept of, the Eternal God; I made Hast, and did not Delay to do it.

Consider the Incredible Dangers of all Delays. Your main Business is to become well provided of a pardon for your Sins. Let me now say unto you, as in 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold, Now is the Accepted Time, Behold Now is the Day of Salvation!If you slip th•s N•w, you may never have another; you may miss of Acceptance and Salvation for ever more. O do not say, as […] Unhappy Faelix did I'll concern my self about these matters at a more convenient season; for a More convenient Season will never com• The Great God says, To Day! and ⟨p. 41⟩our To morrow, cannot be a more convenient season than that which the all-wise God hath pointed us unto. You have Now about you, a thousand conveniences for the getting of a Pardon, which no Season hereafter will have blowing in the Sails thereof. Nay tis possible, you may never have any other season at all. We are told, in Eccl. 9. 12. Man knoweth not his time. We are bid in Prov. 27. 1. Boast not thy self of Tomorrow. We do not know that the •ime which is future, will ever come to be present with us, and he was but a well-advised man, who could say, I have not had a To morrow, for these many years. It was a prudent Admonition given by a Rabbi to a Scholar, among the Jews, Child, Be sure to Repent at least a day before you Dy. That person is worse than Mad who does not make sure of this. But you cannot make sure of […], if you do not Repent within the […] three or four hours that are now before you. If any man propound ⟨p. 42⟩an Hereafter unto himself, to make sure of a Pardon in, I would say unto him, Thou Fool, This Night thy Soul may be required of thee. And let me add the words once used in a case of sudden and extreme Hazard, save thy self to Night, for To morrow thou mayest be Slain.

Consider the Incredible Dangers of all Delays. Your main Business is to become well provided of a pardon for your Sins. Let me now say unto you, as in 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold, Now is the Accepted Time, Behold Now is the Day of Salvation!If you slip th•s N•w, you may never have another; you may miss of Acceptance and Salvation for ever more. O do not say, as 〈…〉 Unhappy Faelix did I'll concern my self about these matters at a more convenient season; for a More convenient Season will never com• The Great God says, To Day! and ⟨p. 41⟩our To morrow, cannot be a more convenient season than that which the allwise God hath pointed us unto. You have Now about you, a thousand conveniencies for the getting of a Pardon, which no Season hereafter will have blowing in the Sails thereof. Nay tis possible, you may never have any other season at all. We are told, in Eccl. 9. 12. Man knoweth not his time. We are bid in Prov. 27. 1. Boast not thy self of Tomorrow. We do not know that the •ime which is future, will ever come to be present with us, and he was but a well-advised man, who could say, I have not had a To morrow, for these many years. It was a prudent Admonition given by a Rabbi to a Scholar, among the Jews, Child, Be sure to Repent at least a day before you Dy. That person is worse than Mad who does not make sure of this. But you cannot make sure of 〈…〉, if you do not Repent within the 〈…〉 three or four hours that are now before you. If any man propound ⟨p. 42⟩an Hereafter unto himself, to make sure of a Pardon in, I would say unto him, Thou Fool, This Night thy Soul may be required of thee. And let me add the words once used in a case of sudden and extream Hazzard, save thy self to Night, for To morrow thou mayest be Slain.

Counsel. 3.

Counsil. 3.

Seek a pardon, and seek it HOPEFULLY. Despair not of it, but that your sins which have been like Scarlet, may yet become as Wool, and that your sins, which have been as Crimson may become like Snow. To quicken this Hope in your Souls.

Consider the Boundless Mercy of the infinite God. It may be that your sins have had most bloody Aggravations; as being against much Light, and much Love, and against very solemn Vows unto the contrary. Yet a Pardon is attainable, if you slight it not. What is Gods Design, in our Pardon? it is to ⟨p. 43⟩magnify His Grace, and (as the Apostle speaks) that he may Commend His Love. Well then, then greater our Pardon is, the greater will Gods Glory be. Hence it was the plea of the Psalmist, in Psal. 25. 11. O Lord, Pardon my Iniquity, for it is great. What a FOR is that? How strange an Argument is this? The Despairing Soul thinks, God will not Pardon my Iniquity FOR it is Great. But if we really Turn to God, the greatness of our sins will become no less than a plea for the Pardon of them. For Great Sinners will give Great praises, if they may taste of his pardoning mercy. Be not then Discouraged from industrious endeavours hereabout; but remember, that when our Lord Jesus hath said, in Joh. 6 37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out; None of our Names are excepted there.

Consider the Boundless Mercy of the infinite God. It may be that your sins have had most bloody Aggravations; as being against much Light, and much Love, and against very solemn Vows unto the contrary. Yet a Pardon is attainable, if you slight it not. What is Gods Design, in our Pardon? it is to ⟨p. 43⟩magnifie His Grace, and (as the Apostle speaks) that he may Commend His Love. Well then, then greater our Pardon is, the greater will Gods Glory be. Hence it was the plea of the Psalmist, in Psal. 25. 11. O Lord, Pardon my Iniquity, for it is great. What a FOR is that? How strange an Argument is this? The Despairing Soul thinks, God will not Pardon my Iniquity FOR it is Great. But if we really Turn to God, the greatness of our sins will become no less than a plea for the Pardon of them. For Great Sinners will give Great praises, if they may tast of his pardoning mercy. Be not then Discouraged from industrious endeavours hereabout; but remember, that when our Lord Jesus hath said, in Ioh. 6 37. Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out; None of our Names are excepted there.

Remember also that there are some now Triumphing with God in Heaven that once were guilty of the very same ⟨p. 44⟩Sins which We are now terrified withal. Where is Abraham, that once was an Idolater? what became of Manasseh, the Conjurer? and of Magdalen the Strumpet? Is it not an Epitaph written by the Apostle upon the Grave of Rahab, Rahab the Harlot perished not? yea, did not even some of those that Murdered the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, afterwards partake in the pardoning virtue of His Blood, which with wicked Hands they had been shedding of? see also 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11, And why may not YOU come to be pardoned as well as the•, if you tread in their steps, by a serious and sedulous making after it? Perhaps you have been ready to Sin. But it is an Attribute of God, in Neh. 9. 17. He is ready to pardon. Have you gone on a great while in Sin, and grown old and grey, and horribly Ripe in your Evil ways? yet hear that Charm, in Jer. 3. 1. Thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers, yet Return unto Me saith the Lord. In the primitive ⟨p. 45⟩times there was one Victorius, a very old Man, converted unto Christianity: the Church would not receive him for some time, for thought they, Old Sinners do not use thus to turn and Live: But he evidenced the Reality of his Conversion, so that they sang Hymns about it, in the Christian Assemblies, and it was every where proclaimed, Victorius is become a Christian! Victorius is become a Christian! Even so may it come to be a shout over the oldest Sinner among you all, That Old Wretch has got a Pardon after all ! Behold I have an Order to make an Offer of a Pardon within these Walls this Day; and in the Name of the Eternal King, I make it unto every Soul among the many hundreds of People here. A Preface once Angrily made by Moses, let me Cheerfully and Joyfully make th•• Day; Hear ye Rebels: But that which I thus Preface is, The glorious King •f Heaven will receive every one of you to Mercy, if you will now at last lay ⟨p. 46⟩down your Arms. I am to assure you There is Hope in Israel concerning this thing. Do not say with them, in Eze. 7 3: 11. Our Hope is lost. No, to all your other Sins, I beseech you add not that of Despair, which will be at least equal to the greatest of them, which you have already perpetrated. What a nefandous Blasphemy was that of Spira, one of whose Roarings was, My Sin is greater than the Mercy of God!

Remember also that there are some now Triumphing with God in Heaven that once were guilty of the very same ⟨p. 44⟩Sins which We are now terrified withal. Where is Abraham, that once was an Idolater? what became of Menasseh, the Conjurer? and of Magdal•n the Strumpet? Is it not an Epitaph written by the Apostle upon the Grave of Rahab, Rahab the Harlot perished not? yea, did not even some of those that Murder'd the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, afterwards partake in the pardoning vertue of His Blood, which with wicked Hands they had been shedding of? see also 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11, And why may not YOV come to be pardoned as well as the•, if you tread in their steps, by a serious and sedulous making after it? Perhaps you have been ready to Sin. But it is an Attribute of God, in Neh. 9. 17. He is ready to pardon. Have you gone on a great while in Sin, and grown old and gray, and horribly Ripe in your Evil wayes? yet hear that Charm, in Ier. 3. 1. Thou hast played the Harlot with many Lovers, yet Return unto Me saith the Lord. In the primitive ⟨p. 45⟩times there was one Victorius, a very old Man, converted unto Christianity: the Church would not receive him for some time, for thought they, Old Sinners do not use thus to turn and Live: But he evidenced the Reality of his Conversion, so that they sang Hymns about it, in the Christian Assemblies, and it was every where proclaimed, Victorius is become a Christian! Victorius is become a Christian! Even so may it come to be a shout over the oldest Sinner among you all, That Old Wretch has got a Pardon after all ! Behold I have an Order to make an Offer of a Pardon within these Walls this Day; and in the Name of the Eternal King, I make it unto every Soul among the many hundreds of People here. A Preface once Angrily made by Moses, let me Chearfully and Ioyfully make th•• Day; Hear ye Rebels: But that which I thus Preface is, The glorious King •f Heaven will receive every one of you to Mercy, if you will now at last lay ⟨p. 46⟩down your Arms. I am to assure you There is Hope in Israel concerning this thing. Do not say with them, in Eze. 7 3: 11. Our Hope is lost. No, to all your other Sins, I beseech you add not that of Despair, which will be at least equal to the greatest of them, which you have already perpetrated. What a nefandous Blasphemy was that of Spira, one of whose Roarings was, My Sin is greater than the Mercy of God!

That is the Cursed Language of Despair, which let no man indulge! Don't count the Day of yet over with you. Sayest thou? I am afraid the Spirit of God has done striving with me? nay, if thou art afraid of it, then it is not yet come to pass; He may be striving in those very Fears. Sayest thou, I fear I have committed the Unpardonable sin? If thou fear it, then thou hast never Done it. They that are conscientiously solicitous and suspicious about it, are yet Clear from the great Transgression. ⟨p. 47⟩O then come to God at the Door Hope thus opened for you.

That is the Cursed Language of Despair, which let no man indulge! Don't connt the Day of yet over with you. Saiest thou? I am afraid the Spirit of God has done striving with me? nay, if thou art afraid of it, then it is not yet come to pass; He may be striving in those very Fears. Saist thou, I fear I have committed the Vnpardonable sin? If thou fear it, then thou hast never Done it. They that are conscienciously solicitous and suspicious about it, are yet Clear from the great Transgression. ⟨p. 47⟩O then come to God at the Door Hope thus opened for you.

Counsel 4.

Seek a Pardon, and seek it BELIEVINGLY. It is to be Enjoyed by none but a Believing Soul.

Seek a Pardon, and seek it BELIEVINGLY. It is to be Enjoy'd by none but a Believing Soul.

To Excite this Faith.

Consider, The proper and only Gospel-way, to a pardon. 'Tis by Faith; as we are minded in Rom. 5. 1. We are Justified by Faith. We must Request, and Expect our Pardon to come swimming down unto us in the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ alone; and we must keep our Eye upon Him, under that Notion, in John 1. 29. The Lamb of God which takes away the Sin of the World. We must look upon our Pardon as purchased and procured for us, by the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in the Eternal Covenant of Redemption Engaged unto His Father, That He would make His own Soul an offering for the Sins of all His Chosen ones. We are to take the Merits of the Lord ⟨p. 48⟩Jesus Christ, as they are proffered unto us in the Tenders of the Gospel; and lay the whole Stress of our Guilty Souls thereupon for ever. It is said in 1 John 1. 7. The Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin. Wherefore we must Renounce all Dependence upon any Righteousness of our own for our pardon. Let us not place any Trust, in any Good Works, or in any Good Frames of our own, as tho' they could render the Holy God propitious to us. It is said in Job 9. 2, 3. How should man be Just with God? If He will contend with him, he cannot answer Him one of a thousand. The Jews give this Exposition of it; The pleas which men fetch from any Good thing in themselves, for the pardon of their sins, are so weak, and so trifling, and so foolish, that the Great God would scorn to give an Answer to one among a Thousand of them. Alas, we must not so much as ascribe the Inclinations of God to Impute the ⟨p. 49⟩Righteousness of Jesus Christ unto us, •nto any Humiliations and Reformations which we may be disposed unto. We are to lie before the Lord, as Loathsome, Undone, Wretched Creatures, and Shout Grace! Grace! concerning all the Methods of our pardon. Here, to speak as Jerome of old, All Hands are Dissolved, because nothing done by our Hands will be found to answer the Righteousness of God. It was a thing prescribed in Ancient Directiores for the Visitation of the Sick, that the Sick Man should be taught to say, O my God, I now place the Death of the Lord Jesus Christ, between me and my Sins. Behold, words fitted for every Sin-sick Soul! What else can we say, seeing we are told in Acts 26. 18. Men receive the Forgiveness of Sins, and are Sanctified by Faith in Christ Jesus.

Consider, The proper and only Gospel-way, to a pardon. 'Tis by Faith; as we are minded in Rom. 5. 1. We are Iustify'd by Faith. We must Request, and Expect our Pardon to come swimming down unto us in the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ alone; and we must keep our Eye upon Him, under that Notion, in John 1. 29. The Lamb of God which takes away the Sin of the World. We must look upon our Pardon as purchased and procured for us, by the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in the Eternal Covenant of Redemption Engag'd unto His Father, That He would make His own Soul an offering for the Sins of all His Chosen ones. We are to take the Merits of the Lord ⟨p. 48⟩Jesus Christ, as they are profered unto us in the Tenders of the Gospel; and lay the whole Stress of our Guilty Souls thereupon for ever. It is said in 1 John 1. 7. The Blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin. Wherefore we must Renounce all Dependence upon any Righteousness of our own for our pardon. Let us not place any Trust, in any Good Works, or in any Good Frames of our own, as tho' they could render the Holy God propitious to us. It is said in Job 9. 2, 3. How should man be Iust with God? If He will contend with him, he cannot answer Him one of a thousand. The Iews give this Exposition of it; The pleas which men fetch from any Good thing in themselves, for the pardon of their sins, are so weak, and so trifling, and so foolish, that the Great God would scorn to give an Answer to one among a Thousand of them. Alas, we must not so much as ascribe the Inclinations of God to Impute the ⟨p. 49⟩Righteousness of Jesus Christ unto us, •nto any Humiliations and Reformati•ns which we may be dispos'd unto. We are to ly before the Lord, as Loathsome, Undone, Wretched Creatures, and Shout Grace! Grace! concerning all the Methods of our pardon. Here, to speak as Ierome of old, All Hands are Dissolved, because nothing done by our Hands will be found to answer the Righteousness of God. It was a thing prescribed in Ancient Directiores for the Visitation of the Sick, that the Sick Man should be taught to say, O my God, I now place the Death of the Lord Iesus Christ, between me and my Sins. Behold, words fitted for every Sin-sick Soul! What else can we say, seeing we are told in Acts 26. 18. Men receive the Forgiveness of Sins, and are Sanctify'd by Faith in Christ Iesus.

And hence even one of the greatest Giants among the Romish Philistines, having argued a great while, for the Interest of our own ⟨p. 50⟩Merits, in the pardon of our Sins, at last he comes to that memorable issue of all [Tutissimum est] By Reason of the uncertainty of our own Righteousness, and the Danger of vain Glory, 'tis the safest course to Repose our whole Trust, in the Mercy and Grace of God alone. Indeed! I pray, why then did you, Bellarmine, Dispute with so long and strong a Sophistry, against the safest course in the World? I beseech you, Let none of us take any other course for the pardon of our Sins.

Counsel 5