WHEN one Preacher of Repen­tance could work so far upon Jews, that there went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him, confessing their sins, as we read Ver. 5th. and 6th. of this Chapter; I am not willing to suppose that so many as from time to time have come to you upon the same Errand should have prevailed nothing. God forbid that so many earnest Exhortations should have been in vain to you! God forbid that any here should have so much to answer for! By your presence in this place, it is meet for me to think this of you all, That at least you do not come [Page 2]short of these: My Design is to inform you that these came short of their Duty, and that every sinner who would make his Peace with God must exceed them.

As there is Science falsly so called, so there is Repentance too; and it is not to be doubted but that more perish by Repenting amiss, than do by not Repenting at all. Few so seared, but after one sort or another do something that they call so; and yet tho' the number of such Penitents be as the sand upon the Sea-shore, but a remnant of them shall be saved: no more, than those of them who to their Repentance add Amendment.

If any thing less would have served, these spoken to in the Text would not have been found fault with. They had the looks of Pe­nitents, they spake the Language of Penitents, they wore the Garments of Penitents, they used the Diet of Penitents: But when there was nothing more, all this commended them not to God, but is censured by the Baptist as the Ceremonious Sacrifice of Fools, as the Vain­glorious neglect of the Body; and they warned, as they would fly from the wrath to come, not to abuse themselves with such deceitful Fan­cies; given to understand that Repentance [Page 3]strictly taken, if it be true, hath no promise but as it is productive of a change of Life. And upon that account, with a Conscientious plain­ness, vehemence, and sharpness he here presseth them, That they would bring forth fruits meet for Repentance.

That the reason of this Exhortation may appear the clearer, I would desire your At­tention to the opening these three things:

• I First, That a bare Repentance without Fruits is not all that is required of us in order to our Pardon.
• II 2dly, That we may bring forth several fruits of Repentance, and yet not those that are meet neither.
• III 3dly, That as we would have our Repen­tance accepted, we must not content our selves with any fruits, but such as properly mani­fest the Sincerity and Ingenuity of it.

I The first of these Particulars I would speak to, is, That a bare Repentance without fruits is not all that is required of us in order to our Pardon. So the Baptist plainly implieth here. But is this like a fore-runner of Christ? This seemeth not so much to prepare, as con­tradict [Page 4]the way of the Lord. His Command is, that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name. And is not this to put asunder that which he hath joyned together? Seemingly it doth so.

But if we consider the different acceptations of this word in Scripture, we shall find no cause to be offended. One doth not destroy, what the other buildeth; they both mean the same thing.

For the most part Repentance is used in so comprehensive a sense, as to note both the Tree and the Fruit too. Accordingly St. Paul, when he summeth up the whole Duty of a Christian, reduceth it to these two Heads, Acts 10.21. Repentance toward God, and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Where Faith being only a believing the Articles of our Religion, Repentance must include in it all the rest, our conformity to all its Precepts. And if we will understand it thus, too much cannot be said of it. So, it is the Evangeli­cal City of Refuge, the undoubted Heir of the Promise.

But if we take Repentance for no more, than sometimes is meant by it, for that parti­cular Grace singly, so it is no otherwise the [Page 5] Condition of the New Covenant than a hopeful Spring is Harvest.

To Cure those dangerous Conceits of this kind, that are so rife, and have been imbi­bed so deep, we will take a view of the several parts of which Repentance doth con­sist, and shew you that there is not any of them but what may be in them that perish.

Repentance being such an inward sense of our sins, as bringeth us to an acknowledgment of them, with grief for what is past, and pur­pose to reform for the future, hath but these four things in it.

• Conviction,
• Confession,
• Humiliation, and
• Good Resolutions.

Now there are not any of these but what have been in the Children of Perdition.

1 First, As to Conviction: Tho' a sort of Men have thought fit to set it out under the affected Title of the Pangs of the New Birth; and taught their followers to date their Con­version from the terrors of it: when it is only [Page 6]an apprehension of our Guilt and Danger, it cannot in it self be any Vertue at all, being but that we are meerly passive in. They who use studied Arts to elude it, can no more prevent it, than they can the Cholick in their Bowels, or the Lighting flashing in their faces. When St. Paul reasoned of Righteous­ness, and Temperance, Acts 24.25. John 8.9. and Judgment to come, Felix could not help trembling; nor the Pha­risees when the case was put home to them, being convicted of their own Consciences. So that this may be, and we no more in a state of Grace than either of these were.

2 The next part of it is Confession, the hum­ble acknowledgment of our sins unto God. This is a piece of Ingenuity that we are much encouraged to. He looketh upon men (saith Elihu) and if any say, Job 37.27. I have sinned, and perverted that which is right, and it profited me not; he will deliver his soul from going into the pit. Only acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord (saith God in Jeremy) and I will not cause mine anger to rest upon thee. Jer. 3.13. If we confess our sins (saith St. John) he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, 1 John 9. &c. But can any [Page 7]imagine that it is a bare Confession that all these Promises belong to? No, by a Figure fami­liar to the Holy, as well as other Writings, it is only a part put for the whole, when such glorious thing are spoken of it. The Event sheweth there is more than so expected from the Sinner. If Confession alone had been e­nough, Saul would have fared as well as Da­vid, his Confession was altogether as ample. When Nathan reproved David, his Answer was, I have sinned against the Lord, 2 Sam. 12.13. When Samuel reproved Saul, he said as much. Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned, for I have transgressed the command­ment of the Lord, 1 Sam. 15.24. And yet tho' David's sin was done away, Saul (you know) was rejected. So little is this part al­so of Repentance to be relyed on.

3 The Third is Humdiation under, and Sor­row for the sins we have committed. This is a thing People have such Opinion of as generally to fancy Repentance to be nothing else; so that if they find but something of this in themselves, they conclude they are safe, and all is well with them. But this is much to over-reckon also; 2 Cor. 7.10. the [Page 8]Apostle informeth us, that godly sorrow work­eth repentance unto life, &c. It is a good begin­ning, and well managed may bring us to re­pentance unto life, but if self is not to be ac­counted so. If it were, then Ahab repented unto life,1 Kings 21 29. for he humbled himself, and put on sackcloth. If it were, the Hypocrites com­plained of in Isaiah, Isal. 58.5. repented unto life, for they afflicted their souls, and spread ashes un­der them. If it were Judas himself repen­ted unto life, for he was so overwhelmed with sorrow for what he had done, that he burst asunder in the midst. Acts 1.18. So ineffectual may this part of Repentance be also, sorrow for our sins.

4 The last is Resolution of Amendment. This looketh best of any, and if Men could be sure they should keep them, when they make them, they might have grounds to hope, that he who calleth the things that are not, as if they were would graciously accept them. But (alas!) what are most Mens Resolu­tions of this kind? like the hasty Blossoms produced by some unexpected warmth of Weather, they adorn the Tree with their in­viting Colours, and are promising to the Eye, [Page 9]but not one in a hundred of them cometh to good, but drop to the ground before they knit, and frustrate Expectation. Such are most of our Resolutions, but casual Embryo's of incomplete velleities, that frequently be­fore they are any thing more, miscarry and prove Abortive; dye before they could well be said to live. Experience sadly convinceth us we can no more depend on them than on the Morning-Cloud for Rain.

It is a mistake that [...], which signi­fieth a change of Mind, doth always im­port a Saving Repentance: The word is used by the Septuagint, Prov. 14.15. in the same sense with [...], which is allowed to note but the fruitless one of Reprobates. There may be, too often is, a present Change of Mind that proveth no better; and therefore the Holy Ghost joyneth other words with it, to explain and adjust it. So St. Peter, Acts 3.19. Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out. And St. Paul, Acts 26.20. Repent and turn unto God, to shew that it is not enough to have better Resolutions, un­less as God giveth space and Opportunity we put them into Practice.

[Page 10] This is sufficient to be spoken to the first Proposition, That bare Repentance without Fruits is not all that is required of us in or­der to our Pardon. I proceed to the

II Second, That we may bring forth several Fruits of Repentance, and yet not those that are meet neither. That was the case of these here spoken to in the Text, the Pharisees and Sadducees.

The latter of these the Sadducees, tho' they denyed that great Article of Faith, and motive to Repentance, the Immortality of the Soul, and consequently its Rewards or Pu­nishments in another Life; yet they were not direct Atheists, but had some belief and fear of God with them notwithstanding. They received the Law of Moses, and were so per­swaded of the certainty of the Temporal Bles­sings and Curses written in it, as made them regular Observers of the letter of it. Some of the High Priests themselves, Hircanus, Aristobulus, Alexander, &c. were of this Sect, and many of them are said, ver. 7. to be so wrought on by the Preaching of John, as to come to his Baptism, confessing their sins.

[Page 11] The other, the Pharisees, St. Paul, who understood them well (having himself been one of them) Acts 26.5. calleth the straitest Sect of our Religion. They were more pre­cise than any of the rest. Josephus saith they did nearly resemble the Stoicks among the Greeks, who had the highest Esteem of any of their Philosophers, for the Severity of their way of Living. The Common People had such an Opinion of their Sanctity, that it was Proverbially said among them, That if but two Men in the World went to Hea­ven, one of them must be a Pharesee.

And yet for all this, though others thought them so very Righteous, though they trusted in themselves that they were righteous, they are here called a Generation of Vipers. That which was so highly esteemed with men, was but an abomination in the sight of God; and if we consider it, we shall find Reason for it.

I will not insist upon what our blessed Lord so oft ubraideth them with, the vile and selfish, the poultry and hypocritical ends they had in all their Religious Performances, namely, to make themselves Popular, and serve their Secular In­terests; tho' this alone must render the best things we can do odious and loathsome to him [Page 12] who seeth not as man seeth, but requireth truth in the inward parts: Yet because it is not so much their aims and intentions in doing them, as the things themselves which they did, that seem here reflected on, I shall confine my Discourse to them, and mark out two consi­derable defects in them.

• First, Tho' they brought forth some Fruits, they were but some, not all that were required of them.
• Secondly, Tho' they brought forth some Fruits, they were but coarse and mean, such as were of least value.

First, Tho' they brought forth some Fruits, they were but some, not all that were required of them. One part of their Duty was taken, and another left; one regarded, and another re­jected, according as it was in vogue, or suited with their inclinations. Instead of an univer­sal, they yielded unto God a partial Obedience; flattering themselves that their extraordinary niceness about some particular Precepts, should excuse their neglect, and make amends for their violation of others. They presumed that their Devotion should commute for their Injustice, [Page 13]and that because they were temperate in eating and drinking, they should not be condemned for being covetous or malicious. Being truly zealous against Idolatry, they were not con­cerned for their Lying, Pride, or Envy; and as long as they kept themselves free from gross carnal sins, there was no convincing them but that they were the Children of God, though they abounded in all sorts of Spiritual.

But if ye offer the lame for Sacrifice, is it not evil? St. James informeth us, Chap. 2.10. who­soever shall keep the whole Law (besides) and yet offend in one point, that is, wilfully and habitually, (let the Instance be what it will) he is guilty of all: It is not upon God's ac­count, but his own, from Conscience towards him, but respect to himself, that such a one sticketh at the rest of them. It must be gran­ted, we cannot, when we have done our ut­most, actually keep all, but if we do not our sin­cere endeavour conscientiously to keep all, we are but counterfeit and pretended Penitents. That is one fault in the Fruits which these brought forth; tho' they brought forth some, they were but some, not all that were required of them.

2. The other is, That though they brought forth some Fruits, they were but coarse and [Page 14] mean ones, such as were of least value. All the Commandments of God are equal in re­spect of their Authority, but they are not so, in respect of their Nature: So, some are of far more importance than others; and their usual manner was to rest in the performance of those that were least material. Thus our Sa­viour describeth them to themselves, Matth. 23. Ye pay tythe of mint, and annice, and cummin, but omit the weightier matters of the Law, mer­cy, and judgment, and faith.

They did not distinguish as they ought, be­tween Natural Duties, and such as are only Relative; between the Essential parts of Re­ligion, and such as are but Instrumental; be­tween the power of Godliness, and the empty form of it. Accordingly, they were punctual in fasting twice in the week, and used their Bodies hardly, but minded not so much the mortifying their inordinate Affections, which were the Springs of all their outward actions. They daily read some portion of the Law, and got great part of it without book, but they did not make Conscience of keeping the Com­mandments of if, but made them void by their own Traditions.

[Page 15] They were strict Observers of the Sabbath-day, so as to do no manner of work on it; but their Tongues did not rest from slandering their Neighbours on it, nor their Thoughts from lay­ing Snares for them.

I would not be understood as if these things were despicable in themselves, they minister to Piety, and ought to be encouraged, but only when the other are left undone (to let you know) then they are no where more to be prized, than they were here. The most spe­cious of them all are but so many empty Shells without their Kernels; like that Offering (men­tioned by Pausanias) to Ceres Phrygaliensis, not the Honey of their Bees, but only the Wax, the dry and tastless part of their La­bours. They are all consistent with a Carnal Mind and raigning Sins, with a hard heart and a wicked life; the unjust and the filthy, the sen­sual and the uncharitable may abound in them, and yet be unjust and filthy, sensual and un­charitable still. They who would approve themselves Penitents indeed, must bring forth Fruits of a more substantial excellent kind. These were not, but they must bring forth fruits that are meet for Repentance. And this is

The last Proposition I have to speak to;Prop. 3. [Page 16]That if we would have our Repentance ac­cepted with God, we must not content our selves with any Fruits, but such as properly manifest the Reality and Ingenuity of it, Fruits indeed meet for Repentance. This we can­not but grant in the general; but least any of us should flatter our selves in the case, as these conceited ones here did, and think those so that are not, besides what may be gathered from that which hath been already spoken, it will be convenient for the clearer explication of the Phrase to acquaint you, that there is a two-fold meetness we are to have regard to in the Fruits of our Repentance.

• I First, That they be meet with respect to our selves.
• II Secondly, That they be meet with respect to others.

1 They must be meet with respect to our selves; and that two ways: meet with respect to our lives past, and meet also with respect to our lives for the future.

1 The Fruits of our Repentance should be meet with reference to our lives past. Our Humiliation bearing some proportion to the sins [Page 17]we have been guilty of. When our blessed Lord, Luke 15.7. speaketh of just persons that need no Repentance, we are not to under­stand it absolutely but in a qualified sense: There are none so just but need some (the Righteous falleth seven times a day) but they who from their Youth have lived vertuously and piously, without being stained with any foul and heinous Crime, are said comparatively not to need Repentance; that is, not such a one, so sharp and signal, so deep and grievous, as they who have been extravagant and scanda­lous sinners are obliged to; but where Trans­gression hath exceeded, there it is meet that the Repentance should exceed also.

If it be true, it is not to be imagined how it can be otherwise. You may as well suppose a Man to be no more concerned for a dange­rous Wound with a Sword, than for a slight Scratch with a Pin, as that a true Penitent should be no more disturbed for crying and presumptu­ous sins, than for sins of meer surprize and ordinary frailties. It is observable that when David had fallen into the great transgression, though a Prophet from God had expresly told him, that his sin was done away; yet for all that, he roared for the very disquietness of his [Page 18]heart, and his bones were consumed within him, he mourned all the day long like a dove, and watered his Couch with his tear; he chastned himself with fasting, and eat ashes like bread. And if he did this who was sure of his Par­don, what shall we think of them who have sinned as heinously, and yet do little or no­thing in this kind, tho' they are not sure? It is true, Penitential Sorrow is not seated in the Affections directly, but in the Ʋnderstand­ing; and is rather Hatred than Grief. So that if this appears in the rational Appetite, that we loath and abhor our evil ways, it is not absolutely necessary it should be in the sensible. But when in other cases that hath so general an influence upon this, it is suspicious that the heart is not so throughly affected as it ought, where it hath no discernable effects upon the outward man. They who are conscious to themselves of any scarlet sins, of any flagrant and enormous vices, ought to consider that this is one meetness in the Fruits of their Re­pentance, they should judge themselves by, whether they have a meetness with respect to their lives past.

[Page 19] 2 The other is, That they be meet with respect to our Lives for the future, becoming such as have really repented them of their e­vil ways. That is, there must be a putting off the former Conversation, and we must be new Creatures. The severest significations of trouble for our sins past, if we forsake them not upon it, St. Paul appositely calleth1 Tim. 4.8. bo­dily Exercise, telling us, it profitteth little; and accordingly we are to esteem of it. It is not that which most vexeth us, but that which most pleaseth God, we are chiefly to take care of in our Repentance. Now he looketh upon all that we do, without a­mendment; all Penances, all revenge upon our selves, but as Self-deceit and Superstition. He that will drink nothing but Water for so long time, because he hath been intemperate, and will make a Beast of himself again, next time he meeteth with his Comrades; he that giveth so much Money to a pious use as a fine upon himself for his Ʋncleanness, and turneth again to folly upon sight of the strange Women; hath rather the Ague of Re­pentance, than the Grace: Such a one may be said to have fits of Repentance, but not the fruits of it: They are firm and lasting.

[Page 20] To have these meet, it is not enough that there be an utter forsaking of the sin, but there ought to be likewise a careful exercise of the opposite Grace to it. It is not e­nough for the profane man, the he talk no more corruptly and atheistically, his commu­nication must be good to the use of edifying: for the licentious man, that he leave off his wildness and debaucheries, he must be an ex­ample of gravity and sobriety. So St. Paul ad­monisheth the converted Romans, Chap. 6.19. As ye have yielded your Members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your Members servants to righ­teousness unto holiness. That thence forward they would be as eminently vertuous, as be­fore they had been loose and vicious. This is meet in the fruits of our Repentance as to our selves.

But this is not all, the fruits of it must be meet with respect to others also; as many as have been any ways wronged or injured by our sins.

Besides the dishonour done to God by them, sometimes mens sins are highly pre­judicial and mischievous to their Neighbours. And where it hath been so, the fruits of Re­pentance [Page 21]are not meet, except they extend to them too, according as they have been dam­nified by them, either

In their Outward man, or Their Inward.

First, If they have been damnified by them in their outward man. Thus he who hath ta­ken away the Life of another, in Duel or heat of Blood; must not think he repenteth by lamenting and being sorry for it, (tho he can make no satisfaction to the person himself, whom he hath thrust into the other World in so unbeseeming, so dangerous a posture) it is meet he be sollicious to make the best and most proper he can, to that of him which is left, his Relatives that survive him. He who by defiling the Bed of another, hath imposed a spurious Off-spring upon his Fami­ly and Fortunes; must not think he repent­eth by being some times troubled in mind a­bout it, but doth nothing to prevent the subsequent Evils: it is meet, if it be in his power, so to order it that none of the law­ful Issue receive damage by it. He who hath defrauded another by artifice in dealing, or a­busing [Page 22]a trust reposed in him, must not think he hath repented, because he hath asked God forgiveness for it, so long as he de­taineth the gains of unrighteousness in his hands; it is meet (if he be able) that he make him actual restitution. He who hath defamed a­nother by calumniating and misrepresenting him, must not think he repenteth, by holding his tongue for the future: it is meet, that (whenever he judgeth it may be serviceable to him) by acknowledging the groundlesness of it, he make him reparation. There is no speaking to all the particular cases in this kind, they are so many and various; let it suffice to say, That tho where the offence hath been only against God, to bring forth fruits unto him, is all that is required: yet where it is in any kind against our brother too, there a consideration is to be had of him al­so, or our repentance bringeth not forth meet fruits. As it must be thus in our repentance of sins against the Temporal good of others. So it must be

Secondly, In such sins as are against their eternal good; prejudicial to their immortal precious Souls. Such is every one guilty of, who hath been the unhappy instrument of [Page 23] corrupting, and debauching any other person. It is not for any to make light of this, be­cause it was in their own choice, whether they would hearken to, and be perswaded by them, or not. The Devil hath so much to plead for his tempting us; and yet he will be tormented for it, not withstanding that: and so will men too, who have been the means of enticing and turning any from the ways of righteousness, if they endeavour not what they can to reclaim them they have so perverted, and prevent the fatal Consequences of it. The Lascivious must not be satisfied with repent­ing himself of his lasciviousness, but must seek to bring the unhappy frail one his importunity prevailed with to sin with him, to repent too. The profane one must not think it sufficient to recover himself out of the Snare of the De­vil, but must strive to recover such as he hath poisoned with his loose and wretched Prin­ciples out of the Snare of the Devil also. Was it not a cutting Question of God to Cain, Where is Abel thy Brother, when it was he that murthered him? but how much deep­er must it pierce, to be asked at last, Where is thy Companion? whom thou hast been the barbarous cause of depriving, not of temporal [Page 24]life, but of eternal! How knowest thou (O man!) but thy good counsel yet may save them? it being likely to leave a greater im­pression on them, than that of any other person. And thinkest thou not thy self con­cerned to try?

This is so meet, that if it were not duty, one would think meer ingenuity and good na­ture should be enough to prompt to it. The rich man is represented having so much cha­rity in Hell, as to desire his Brethren might be warned that they came not into that place of torment: and would it not look monstrous to find so little on Earth, in any who have endangered the Souls of them thy pretended particular uncommon kindness for, to suffer them to go on in the way that leadeth to de­struction, which they themselves enticed them into, without caring what becometh of them? Surely as hath been the transgression, so ought to be the repentance: where the transgression hath reached to others to pollute, there the repentance must reach to them also, to instruct, perswade, and reform them.

I conclude with this one Inference from that which hath been spoken. When there are so many fruits meet for repentance, relating [Page 25]both to our selves and others, whoever put it off to the close of their lives, must be guilty of unanswerable carelesness and presumption. Fruits require time to bring them to maturity, and can all the fruits of repentance, (which are no fewer than you have heard) in our last sickness, as in a hot bed, be raised and ri­pened in a few days, or perhaps but hours? Who that hath any sense of an immortal state, would venture it upon such unlikelihoods? Can the Temple of the Holy Ghost be built in a day? If the fruits of repentance be not only a sorrowful looking back upon our lives past, but a sincere living well for the time to come, how absurd as well as desperate is it, for any to defer it, while they perceive they cannot live!

Men flatter themselves with the Example of the Thief upon the Cross, and the Labour­ers that came in at the last hour; both which were never called before, and so are not our case: but consider not that of the foolish Vir­gins, which is. The Parable acquainteth us, with their fear and sorrow, their diligence and desire, their great cry, and running up and down, their begging of oyl, and their going out to buy, when the Bridegroom was just on [Page 26] coming; all that could be done in so short a space: And telleth us withal, the no effect of it: That when they came to enter, they had stayed too long, the door was shut upon them.

It is not to be denyed, but that God can do Miracles of Mercy, as well as Miracles of Power; but why should he that has a Soul to save run so bold, so needless a hazard, to have nothing else to depend upon?

Having been too long to press this fur­ther, I shall end with a passage of St. Augu­stine, containing his Opinion of it. ‘A faith­ful Man (saith he) living well,Hom. 41. goeth hence securely: A wicked Man that Repenteth, and afterwards liveth well, goeth hence se­curely: He that Repenteth not while he is going hence, si securus hinc exit ego non sum securus, &c. Do I say he shall be damned? I do not say it. Do I say he shall be saved? I do not say it. I Judge not, I Promise not, I Know not. Would you free your Souls from doubt? Would you avoid that which is uncertain? Repent before that day overtake you. Then you may have good Reason to believe you are sincere in it, be­cause you leave off your sins, when you might enjoy them. But if you only re­nounce [Page 27]them, when you can no longer en­joy them, you cannot so properly be said to leave your sins, as your sins to leave you.’

God Almighty grant, that every one of us may timely consider of it before the Ax be laid to our Root. For as the Tree falleth so shall it lye.