A True and Perfect Way to Win Careless Sinners
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A19458.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
ANDREWES CAVEAT TO WIN SINNERS.
A true and perfect way to win careless sinners (if there be but the least spark of Grace in them) unto speedy Repentance, that in the end they may obtain eternal life.
Directed unto all the elect Children of God, which truly repent.
Newly published by JOHN ANDREWES Preacher of God's Word.
Being first Seene and Allowed.
LONDON, Printed for John Wright, and are to be sold at his shop without Newgate at the sign of the Bible, 1631.
Andrew's Caveat to win Sinners.
Sin no more.
T He chief and principal thing that ariseth to our Christian consideration or meditation, out of these words, is the comfortable practice of our Savior, who not only cureth this foul and loathsome diseased criple; but showeth him how he should live and continue his health; according to that of Marlarot upon this place: Qui aegrotos sanat, sanatos admonet: He that healeth the diseased, adviseth how they should maintain, & preserve their health, Sin no more.
We are here to consider that no man is without sin: If we say we have no sin, we deceive out selves, and there is no truth in us.
Christ did not seek his absolute obedience to the whole Law, nor his total immunity or freeness from all sin; for it is impossible for a man to be clean without sin in this life. And therefore our Savior in bidding this man sin no more: Non exegit ab omni peccato vt sit immunis: Requireth not that he should be free from all sin: Sed comparatione vitae prioris; but in comparison of his former life: For our Savior Christ knew, that he was not only impius & improbus, void of all holiness and honesty for a time; but that he was insignis nebulo, a notorious, gross and grievous sinner. Therefore in bidding him sin no more: Is, that as he hath formerly obeyed sin, now he must withstand it, and walk no more so inordinately in it, and as he was wont to yield unto it, so now he must strive against it, that it may reign no more in him, to captive and enthrall his soul unto eternal perdition: For Ex sani • ate animae fit sanitas corporis: The souls soundness is the bodies safety; and if his soul had not sinned, (no doubt) his body had not smarted; but had been always preserved for the joys of Heaven; Wherefore we may gather, that the only cause of our Saviors conference with this man in the temple, was to show him, that the first and efficient cause of his sickness, was nothing but his sin. And therefore he admonisheth him to sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto him.
Christ would have him to sin no more, neither in Cogitatione, proposito, action, nec obduratione; Neither in thought, purpose, performance, nor countenance. He would not have him to sin in thought, lest it should cause him to stumble; nor in purpose, lest it make him fall; nor in performance, lest it cause him to lie prostrate: neither in continuance, lest it make him become obdurate, and past all sense and feeling of sin. But above all things to abhor sin.
Sin no more.
Our Savior Christ would have this man sin no more, which forewarning was a sign that he loved him, and was loath to lose him: But this love was not of him to Christ, but of Christ to him; whereby we may note, that Christ leueth not only proximum, his nearest, nor amicum, his dearest; for cum inimici essemus, when we were his enemies, foes, and adversaries, he so loved us that he died for us.
If you say, this man was Christ's friend, because he cured him: I may answer, he cured him indeed, Amicum nondum amantem, his friend, not yet loving him: Sed amicum vt jam amatum, but as his friend now beloved of him. Wherefore it may truly be said that he was, Non amicus quasi amans, not his friend as loving; Sed amicus vt amans, but his friend as beloved.
But yet let us mark; Although God love man never so dearly, yet if he continue in his sin, he will severely punish him: It is wonderful and fearful to remember, how God hath dealt with those that have been nearest and dearest unto him, and of him best beloved. How for sin only, and that but once committed (as it is thought) he hath changed his countenance towards them, turned over another leaf, and hath most severely punished them.
The Angels whom he seated in heaven, and adorned with singular graces and perfections above all other creatures: for one only sin of pride against the Majesty of their Maker, were hurled into hell, and are holden with chains of darkness forever-lasting damnation.
After this, God made him a new friend of flesh and blood; he created Adam, and placed him in Paradise whom he loved exceedingly, and lived friendly and familiarly withal; he made him Vice-gerent and sole supreme Sovereign over the whole world: And as the Psalmist speaketh put all things in subjection under his feet; yet for all this, when once he brake his commandment and did eat the forbidden fruit, all friendship was broken betwixt them, and God mightily offended, insomuch, that he banished him out of Paradise, and condemned him and all his posterity (had he not repented) to eternal misery, and everlasting damnation.
How severely this sentence is executed, may easily appear by this, that many millions of people, yea all the sons of Adam are adjudged to hell fire forever, save only those whom Christ Jesus hath ransomed with his precious blood, and bitter passion on the cross.
Lastly, because I will not trouble you with a cloud of witnesses to this purpose, which filleth the book, and are too long to repeat: King David, a chosen vessel, and a faithful servant of God (as the Texttermeth him) a man after God's own heart; yet for his adultery, and numbering the people, God unsheathed the sword of his vengeance, and made it drunken with the blood of seventy thousand for his sake.
Hereupon let us consider with our selves, search the Scriptures; and let each of us descend into his own soul and conscience, and see whether there be any reason or cause in the world why God should spare us, or change the course of his justice towards us, when he hath dealt thus severely with great personages, and holy Prophets for some few sins, and those only of infirmity. And let us resolus with our selves, that unless we repent us of our sins, God will mete the like measure unto us, and our reward and punishment shall be the same, which hath be fallen unto others. Here we may learn what it is, that is the cause of God's anger, and haleth down a punishment upon men: the Text sets it down in a gross sum, and in general, to be sin: For sin causeth the children of vnbelee • e so to dandle in the lap of folly, that they never fear their fall, nor hells fury , until they be served with a writ of present penance. Sin blindeth the sight of many, which in their own conceit see me to be wise , but wanting true wisdom, separate themselves from God, and run headlong to hell, and eternal damnation. Mark I pray you, the subtlety of sin, whom it can divert from the milk of God's word, it politically blotteth against, with the doctrine of vanity: whom sin can frustrate from the rock of religion, it uniteth unto the God of Ekron: whom sin can deuorce from the Spouse of Christ, it deflowreth with the foul whore of Babylon. And in the end, sin bringeth with it such damned spirits, howling hell-hounds , and roaring lions, with Vasa furoris, their vessels of fury, which ever shall be prepared ready for their prey. Thus sin being not forsaken, causeth a worse thing to come unto all them whom it ruleth and over-cometh: Qui jam nolentes ceciderunt in paenam; quia saepe volentes ceciderunt in culpam; which now unwillingly are punished in hell fire, because they so often sinned, and so long & willingly continued in their sin, without repentance.
Hear, oh therefore, hear all you that walk after the lusts of your own hearts, and depart from Bethel the house of God, to starve your souls in Bethaven the den of iniquity: It is sin, oh! it is your unrepented sin that draws God's anger towards you, that makes our eyes more dry than the stony rock, and your hearts more hard than the Adamant; that you cannot relent with any tender affection unto your God, for all your foul offenses, which you have daily and hourly committed against him.
Oh! if you did feel the smart of sin but prick in your wounded conscience, it were forcible enough to draw streams of tears out of the dryest eye that ever was in the head of man; and to excite a multitude of sorrowful groans out of the hardest heart that ever God made: Yea, it would make you (like David ) to pray and cry unto God again and again, and never leave the Lord until you obtain his mercy and favor, that you may get some comfortable persuasion of God's love in Christ, for the pardon of your sins. Until you do so, you shall never have peace nor quietness of conscience, nor any sound comfort of God's holy Spirit in you.
Therefore, with speed learn here of our Savior to sin no more , for it is far better for us, that Anima carnem ad Coelum vehat, quam vt animam caro ad infernum trahat: The soul should carry the body to Heaven, then the body should pull down the soul to hell, by the heavy weight and burden of sin.
For sin is of such an intolerable weight, that it pressed Christ himself, as a cartis pressed that is full of sheaves: and it maketh the earth to reel to and fro like a drunken man. Wherefore, let us fly from sin as from a serpent, saith the son of Sirach, and learn here of our Savior to sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto us.
Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you.
THe effect of sin is punishment, Raro antecedentem scelestum deseruit pede poena claudo, Pumishment limping after with his lame foot, hath seldom forsaken the sinner going before him. Thus sin goeth before, & punishment follows after. They are inseparable companions, like water & moisture, fire and heat, the Sun and his light: yea, cause and effect, mother & daughter, which sin, no man can pardon but God, & take this for a general rule whatsoever thou be, that Peccatum puniendum est, aut à te, aut à Deo: si punitur à te, tunc punitur sine te: si vero à te non punitur, tecum punietur. Sin must needs be punished, either of God, or of thyself: If by thyself, then it is punished without the: If of God, then thou and thy sin must be punished together, for God punisheth either sin, or the sinner, in one, or in both, and that without respect of persons, except they repent, and sin no more; p whensoever, wheresoever, and in whomsoever he findeth it. Quia abyss • s abystum inuocat, one deep calleth another: So, the greatness of the sin causeth the seuerenesse of the punishment. Thus you may see that sin, Non solum ponit nos contrarios Deo, sed facit nos nobis ipsis graves, doth not only set us at varience with God, but it maketh us grievous unto our selves.
Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you.
IT is said in the holy Scripture, in diverse & sundry places, that Odio est Deo impius & impietas eius: God hateth the wicked man & his wickedness too: He hateth all those that work iniquity; both the wicked man, and all his wickedness, are in hatred with him; Yea, the whole life of sinners, as much as their very thoughts, words and deeds God hateth. They are abomination in his gracious sight, he cannot abide them, but saith, He that committeth sin, is of the Devil ; and therefore, their names shall • ot, their dwelling place shall not remain, for a worse thing shall come unto them, their destruction shall come suddenly, when they least think of it: he doth not only say, their houses shall be destroyed, but also they themselves shall be no more remembered, because they shall be taken in the sin of their own transgression: And farther yet, he cannot abide, nor permit sinners to praise him: but cutteth them off suddenly, in so much as many have not time to think on God, or once to cry, Lord help me; and therefore no marvel if he show such rigor to sinners at the last day, when their worse thing shall come unto them, that is the dreadful sentence of Christ: Quantum in delitiis fuit, tantum date illi tormentum: Look how much he hath been in delights (of his sin) so much torment do you lay upon him: where and when he or they shall behold the great, terrible fearful, and angry countenance of that mighty God Jehovah, above them to be their Judge with a sword of Vengeance in the one hand to terrify them, and a scabart of Justice in the other hand to judge them; and their sin on the one side, to accuse and cry for Vengeance against them; and those cursed Serpents, those ugly Monsters, those damned spirits, those houling helhounds, on the other side, to execute the vengeance of this worse thing that shall come unto them, (which is) God's eternal wrath and damnation; their conscience gnawing within them: without them all damned souls that continued in their sins, bewailing; and beneath them, Gehenna, that infernal pit of hell open, and the cruel furnace ready to devour them: without, and on every side of them, all the world burning on fire. O then what shall they do? to go backward is impossible, and to appear, intolerable: Oh, therefore, let us not defer our time, but learn of our Savior to sin no more, lest a worse thing do come unto us.
Lastly, it was the continuing in sin, that caused the rejection of Came , the drowning of the whole World , the burning of Sodom , the consuinption of Herod , the fall of Ananias, and the damnation of the rich glutton , with many thousands more which now lie damned in hell: and can none of all these fore-warnings serve us to sin no more, that this worse thing do not come unto us?
If they cannot, yet at the last, either let the miraculous deliverance of Jonah from drowning, Ichosaphat from the Amorites, Joseph in prison, Daniel in the Lions den , Sufanna from her wrongful judgment , Peter from sinking in the sea , the three Israelites from the fiery furnace , or the most bitter death which our Savior Jesus Christ suffered on the cross for our sins , be a motive to cause us to sin no more, which in so doing, he hath both covenanted and granted , that this worse thing shall never come unto us.
If you would fly the effect, shun the cause: If you would avoid the punishment, then abandon your sin; and learn of our Savior to sin no more, lest that a worse thing do come unto you. And as you were clothed before (like the criple) with the garment of Vanity: you must now put on the Robes of Christ's humility; & wash not yourselves in Sylo, nor in Jordan; but in the pool Bethesda, of spiritual Zion; Lest a worse thing come unto you.
To conclude, seeing God, is the infinite good that is offended: Sin the infinite evil that is committed , & this worse thing that should come unto us, the infinite punishment of hell prepared for all those that continue in their sins without c repentance: Let us therefore learn our Saviors Caveat, to forsake our sins, that this worse thing may not come, for our sins are in the falling; but the grace of God is in the rising: Sin, the cursed work of the Devil: but mercy, pardon, and forgiveness, the blessed work of God. And as much as God is mightier than the Devil, so much is his mercies toward repentant sinners greater than his malice; our disease is great, but the power of the Physician is far greater; yea before they call I will answer, (saith the Lord) and while they speak, I will hear.
Wherefore, let us not plead unto God, Non est factum, in denying our sins, which he warneth us to Sin no more; but let us like good Soldiers, put on the whole Armor of God, and violently resist the Devil, in the power of Jesus Christ, and he will fly from us: So often as we resist him, so often we over-come, we make the Angles glad; and glorify God which exhorts us to fight, And helps us in the time of need: He beholds our striving, he helps us up, when we faint, and crowns us with glory and honor, when we overcome.
The greater our temptations are, the more noble must be our resistance; and the more godly our life and conversations are, the greater shall be our crown and glory.
We must also most entirely desire Almighty God, who is the Author of repentance, to give us his grace to reap̄t, that we may record a decree in our hearts, to keep all our sins with everlasting exile of Banishment , and never admit any of them again in our Coasts. And let our hearts be pricked on with the feeling of God's mercies, encouraged by his gracious promises of accepting our poor endeavours to do him service; yea ravished with the expectation of such a reward, as is assured unto all those which learn this lesson of our Savior, To sin no more.
And withal, let us be ashamed of our long continuing in sin, that we could repent no sooner, and condemn the carelessness of our hearts, for doing our best works so imperfect.
And most entirely crave pardon, grace, and mercy, from the Father of mercies; and carefully searth our hearts, find out our sins, that we may learn here of our Savior, To sin no more; but each day renew our repentance.
And then we shall be assured, that tha outward offering of grace, will be ever accompanied with the inward working of the Spirit. And God's holy Spirit will be our conductor, his Word our director, while our faith holds the anchor; And grace steer the helm: Oh let our tears be theseas, our sighs the gales of wind, to arrive at God's heavenly Kingdom, which God hath prepared for us, Christ hath merited for us, the holy Spirit doth assure us, and our own godly lives and conversations in learning here of our Savior to sin no more, will witness the same unto us, which the Father of mercies, even for his Son Jesus Christ his sake, forever grant us. And as we have begun to live here in thy fear, proceed and continued in thy favor, grow daily in thy grace: even so we beseech thee Oh Lord, to let us live within thee thy Glory. Amen.