Christian ethics -- Fiction; Christian fiction; Conduct of life -- Fiction
Wise. You say well, and I will add a word or two more to what I have
said: Repentance, as it is not produced without a sight and sence
of sin, so every sight and sence of sin cannot produce it: I mean,
every sight and sence of sin cannot {160c} produce that Repentance,
that is Repentance unto salvation; repentance never to be repented
of. For it is yet fresh before us, that Mr. Badman had a sight and
sence of sin, in that fit of sickness that he had before, but it dyed
without procuring any such godly fruit; as was manifest by his so
soon returning with the Dog to his Vomit. Many people think also that
Repentance stands in Confession of sin only, but they are very much
mistaken: For Repentance, as was said before, is a being sorry for, and
a turning from transgression to God by Jesus Christ. Now, if this be
true, that every sight and sence of sin will not produce Repentance,
then Repentance cannot be produced there where there is no sight and
sence of sin. That every sight and sence of sin will not produce
repentance, to wit, the godly repentance that we are speaking of, is
manifest in Cain, Pharaoh, Saul and Judas, who all of them had sence,
great sence of sin, but none of them repentance unto life.
Now I conclude, that Mr. Badman did die impenitent, and so a death most
miserable.
Atten. But pray now, before we conclude our discourse of Mr. Badman,
give me another proof of his dying in his sins.
Wise. Another proof is this. {160d} He did not desire a sight and
sence of sins, that he might have repentance for them. Did I say he
did not desire it, I will add, he greatly desired to remain in his
security: and that I shall prove by that which follows. First, he could
not endure that any man, now, should talk to him of his sinfull life,
and yet that was the way to beget a sight and sence of sin, and so of
repentance from it in his soul. But, I say, he could not endure such
discourse. Those men that did offer to talk unto him of his ill-spent
Life, they were as little welcome to him in the time of his last
sickness, as was Elijah when he went to meet with Ahab, as he went down
to take possession of Naboths Vineyard. Hast thou found me, said Ahab,
O mine enemy? {161a} So would Mr. Badman say in his heart to and of
those that thus did come to him, though indeed they came even of love,
to convince him of his evil life, that he might have repented thereof,
and have obtained mercy.
Atten. Did good men then goe to see him in his last sickness?
Wise. Yes: Those that were his first wifes acquaintance, they went to
see him, and to talk with, and to him, if perhaps he might now, at
last, bethink himself, and cry to God for mercy.
Atten. They did well to try now at last if they could save his soul
from Hell: But pray how can you tell that he did not care for the
company of such?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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