vs which doubtlesse will be the best patrimonie that as we begat them to the world so the word may beget them to God and wee may with them be glorified together Vse 3. 3. Thirdly seeing that God begetteth vs vnto him by the word then ought euery one who hath any care to attaine to this to take out and learne that good sentence of S. Iames Iames 1.19 My deere brethren saith he let euery man be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath Consisting of three speciall and spirituall aphorismes 1. Be swift to heare that is to say Take all occasions and opportunities that may be to imbrace the trueth 2. Be slow to speake take heede of a spirit of contradiction and reasoning against the trueth deliuered 3. And slow to wrath be not apt to be offended when thy sins are reprooued For the first euery man ought to learne it The wise man in his booke of Eccles saith Eccles 11.6 In the morning sow thy seed and in the euening let not thine hand rest for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that c. So ought a man to take all occasions to heare the word for he knoweth not at what time God will bestow this mercie and grace of repentance vpon him It may bee euen then when hee sought worldlie blessings and followed after profits and pleasures if he had been as carefull and eager to heare hee might haue obtained this and God would haue wrought it in his heart Happily his thoughts are if he take not that opportunity for worldly things he may not a long time haue the like againe and neuer thinkes that it may bee his case in this thing But let him remember that Iacob had the blessing when Esau was a hunting and so that many attend to this and obtaine saluation by it when hee is a hunting after pleasures and profits and such like I know God is able indeede to touch him and call him whersoeuer he straieth and without these meanes and I know that that is the thought of many mens harts which maketh them so to neglect the meanes as they doe and all because some were so called But these men must know that as God ceased to feed Israel from heauen extraordinarily when he had set them in the land of Canaan and gaue them meanes to liue ordinarily which if they neglected they could haue looked for nothing else but to famish and perish So hath he in this neither may any man look for such extraordinarie things who neglecteth the ordinary For such wicked tempting of God will prouoke him rather to leaue him to himselfe to bee hardned and made more obstinate than to worke extraordinarily for him Therefore must hee bee swift to heare that so vsing the meanes specially with conscience and diligence he may obtaine the blessing Yet must he not bee so swift in this as slow to speake I meane not slow to speake of the word in conference with others but not to speake against it nor to quarell with it questioning and reasoning against it as it is the manner of some who will be swift to heare I say they will heare much and often but withall they will reiect euery thing that is not directly to their minds as if a minister must bee a tailer to shape euery garment after their crooked loynes and liues or else they will question with this man and that concerning such a point but neuer wil once question with their Minister or him of whom they heard that which argueth they haue only a spirit of contradiction and no desire to be instructed seeking to intrap or disgrace the Minister and not to be caught and turned themselues whereas if they were slow to speake better fruite and more benefit might they reape But specially if they bee slow to wrath and be not offended when they haue their sinnnes touched Not as some who are like Stephens hearers who heariug some thing that pleased them not Acts 7.54 Their harts brast for anger and they gnashed at him with their teeth For touching such men experience teacheth vs that which Iames affirmeth Iames 1.20 That the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God For few or neuer any of these while they are themselues and come not to denie themselues come to any degree of repentance and so not to regeneration That which Chrysostome then hath of the reproouer will haue the same vse in the hearer Quisquis alios vult reprehendere animam suam ab omni temeritate arrogantia quā maxime liberā faciat Nam vt medici ossa putrida accensa secturi non ira se replent quando curatum eunt sed tunc maxime tranquillitatem animae seruare student ne fortè obsit arti turbatio Chrysost aduersus Gentes Hee that will take vpon him to reprooue others must haue speciall care to free his mind from hastines and arrogancie For as Surgions when they are about to lay open or cut off rotten and inflamed bones do not fill them selues with anger when they goe about the cure but then speciallis indeuour to haue their minds quieted lest happily the disquietnes hinder their art So he would haue reproouers free from wrath and anger lest it shouid hinder them from doing that good they might else doe And so say I for hearers and the reprooued when they come to heare the word they should put on the spirit of meeknes and hearken diligently to the word of God Iames 1.21 and not bee offended at the Minister or at the word when it speaketh not as they would haue it but marke this exhortation of the Apostle and remember that to the end they may receiue the word to bee conuerted by it They must bee swift wheare slow to speake and slow to wrath The invvard instrumentall cause of repentance is faith The second instrumentall cause of repentance is faith within vs wchich is as one saith the mother of repentance which brings ir forth as the word is the begetter and so may haue the name of father But of that hath been spoken in the description of repentance The instrumentall cause from within is praier The third instrumentall cause or speciall meanes by which repentance is obtained or renewed is prayer faith within vs this from within vs is the meanes of it I say by faithfull prayer and earnest inuocation of the name of God men obtaine this gift of God to repent Hence it is that Dauid when hee had fallen into sinne knowing that hee had not repentance in his owne power prayeth so earnestly to God and saith Psalm 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me And Ephruim vseth the same meanes for his conuersion touching whom the Prohpet Ieremie bringeth in the Lord thus saying Ierem. 31.18 I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an
account the preaching of the word after the Church is gathered not so necessarie supposing it a needlesse thing that the people should haue so much knowledge But I must tell them that knowledge is not so much gotten by preaching as by reading and that the speciall end of preaching is not so much for knowledge as for grace and sanctification and that a man may haue knowledge and want sanctification yea hee may in part bee sanctified and yet be farre short of that he ought to haues which doubtlesse is to bee increased by the same meanes it is begotten which is preaching There is then perpetuall necessitie of it which made God say of his church I wil water it euery moment Esay 27.3 that is make it bring forth fruit and increase yea and the rather seeing a man is subiect to a continuall decrease in his soule as hee is in his body and to lose of the degrees of grace and sanctification which haue bin begotten in him by the preaching of the word Where upon Chrysostome saith Non sicut reliquae artes ita est docendi vis Argentarius enim qualecunque vas excuderit reposuerit tale postridie reuersus iterum inueniet aerarius marmorarius artificum quisque quale proprium opus dimiserit tale rursus recipiet Non tales vos inueniamus quales relinquimus sed postquam susceptos labore multo reformauerimus correxerimus effecerimus feruentiores egressos negotiorum circumstantia vos vndique circumcurrens rursus peruertit maior em nobis praebet difficultatem Chrysost hom 13. ad pop Antioch The Art of teaching and hearing is not like other artes For the goldsmith what worke soeuer he frameth and casteth in a mould and laieth a side the next day when he returneth to his worke hee findeth it as hee left it and so the Blacke smith and the Mason and eueâ—ie artificer looke in what condition they leaue their worke in the same they find it But wee doe not find you as we lefe you but after that with much labour we haue reformed you and corrected you and made you more zealous you are no sooner departed but the multitude of businesses doth beset you on all sides and corrupt you and maketh our worke more diffioult then before Reason then and good cause is there that as men cate againe and often for the repairing of the decaies of the bodie so they should heare often for the renewing and repairing of the breathes and decaies which Satan and the world haue made in their soules But how should they heare without a preacher and preaching men euen after their rene wing and repentance are still subiect to sinne and sall and as subiect to lie long in it euen many a weeke and many a moneth and yeeres if there be not meanes affolded to waken them though they bee very grieuous and fearefull falles and sinnes where with they are ouertaken as it was with holy Dauid who for the space of 40. weekes or there abouts lay in his sins that he had committed both adulterie and murther And howsoeuer hee was a Prophet of God and enlightned by the spirit of God yet lay he all that time in security neuer soundly repentiug nor renewing himselfe till by the voice of Nathan hee was awaked and recouered And if he so rare and excellent a man how much more may others lie in their sins without euer returning or renewing themselues if they haue not some Nathan some Seer some Preacher or other to awaken them out of their sleepe and securitie As necessarie then as their repentance is and the perpetuall vse and exercise of it so necessarie is the preaching of the word especially seeing men may not stand at a stay but as hath been shewed they ought daily to increase more and more till they come to that age and perfection whereunto God hath appointed Hitherto you haue heard of the nature parts and causes of repentance and lastly of the parties to whom it belongeth and who haue neede of it Seuen signes or effects of repentance Wee must now proceede in the next place to speake of seuen things inseparable from repentance which the Apostle Paul hath in his epistle to the Corinthians His words are these 2. Cor. 7.11 For behold saith he this thing that ye haue bin godly sorie what great care it hath wrought in you yea what clearing of your selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea hoy great desire yea what a zeale yea what punishmet Whether we shal cal them effects or fruits qualities or properties affections or consequences of repentance the learned differ the name is not greatly materiall when it is manifest they are things inse parably ioyned with repentance so that there is no repentance where they are not in some measure and where they are there is certainly repentance of them then will I speake in order If I may acquaint you sinst with the conceit of some who thinke that the first of these seuen respecteth both good and euill which is cara The three next euill onlys the first which is cleering of your selues respecteth euill pastethe second which is indignation euill present the third which is feare euill to come The three last they will haue to respect good onely which are desire 〈◊〉 punishment But I meane not to tye my selfe to thier sense neither would I binde others And I will speake of them as the Apostle hath laid them downe The first the Apostle called care or some interpret it studie It is thought to be that which is opposite to sloth and securitie So that where as a man that is without true faith repentance and sense of sin is maruellous secure and carelesse either to auoide euill and sinne or to doe the good that he ought hee that hath this is on the contrarie full of care and full of thoughts how to auoid euill and sinne and keepe himselfe from being corrupted and defiled and to doe the contrarie good whence we may gather this The first signe or effect of repentance is care or studie That euery one that hath a godly sorrow and true repentance is not slothfull but diligent nor carelesse but carefull to auoid all sin especially such as he hath humbled himselfe for and hath repented of so that hee doth not only leaue them but he is also studious carefull to auoid theÌ„ which is manifest by this place of S. Paul to the Corinthians What care it hath wrought in you which place Ambrose interpreteth thus Qui poenitet solicitus est ne denuo peccet He that repenteth is carefull he sin not againe As also he is most carefull to doe that which is good and not onely doth but is carefull to doe This our Sauiour Christ perswadeth the Church of Ephesus vnto Reuel 2.5 That repenting she should remember from whence sne was fallen and repent and doe her first workes Not only workes but first workes alluding vnto
marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus And thus much may suffice for the parts of repentance in the next place wee must proceed to the causes of it Chrysostome hauing made three sermons vpon this matter of repentance beginneth the fourth thus Assiduè in eaâ—… c. Chrysost hom 4. de poenit It is the continuall cust ome of shepheads to turne their sheepe into those pastures where they see the grasse is long and plenteous and thence not to drine them before they haue eaten vp all Whom wee will imitate and this fourth day also feede our sheepe in this pusture of repentance and wee will not begin any other matter for the place affordeth much prosit verie much fruit and withall great store of ioy and comfort As that Father imitated those shepheards so will I follow his example and walke in his steps continuing in this fruitfull necessarie and comfortable matter till I haue communicated the whole vnto you The causes of repentance I must proceede then I say in the next place to the causes of repentance or of this change and conuersion namely to the efficient cause and finall for of the matter and forme hath been spoken in the description And first of the efficient which is either principall or instrumentall The first is God the second is either without man to wit the word or within him his faith or comming from him his prayer The efficient and principall cause of repentance is God For the first which is the principall efficient it is God he is the author of mans repentance and his conuersion whatsoeuer meanes may be vsed and applied for that purpose yet is he the principall worker of it in the heart of man For proose hereof wee know the speech of Ephraim Ierem. 31.18 Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted Where she acknowledgeth God to be the author of her conuersion So like wise that honour was giuen vnto Christ that hee should giue repentance and remission of sinnes vnto men For so saith Peter of him Acts 5.31 That God had lift him vp with his right hand to bee a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenes of sinnes Likewise when Peter had shewed vnto the people the vision that he saw and the mercie that God shewed vnto the Gentiles Acts 2.28 They all glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life Hence is that of Paul to Timothie Instruct them saith he 2. Tim. 2.25 with meekâ—…esse that are contrarie minded prâ—oâ—ing of at any time God will giue them repentance c. So Noah prayed Gen. 9.27 God perswade Iaphet to dwel in the 〈◊〉 of Shem. That is God conuert his heart that he may be of the Church and not of the wicked Also it was the Acts. 16.14 Lord that opened the heart of Lydia that she attended to the things which Paul spake Paul spake for her conuersion and the Lord opened her heart and conuerted her And Christ in the Reuelation saith Reuel 3.9 I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan to come and worship before thee Meaning that he would make the wicked to be of the number of the Church and conuert them to himselfe By all these it is manifest that the principall worker of repentance in the heart of man is God himselfe And it must needs in reason be so Reason 1. First because true repentance hath as a principall part of it the conuersion of the heart and inward man and to doe this requireth as much power as to make it for there was then no resistance of corruption but here now are all contrarieties the whole man being corrupted when then it was an infinite power that created man it must needes bee an infinite power that also must conuert and create him anew Reason 2. The second reason is Because man is by nature dead hauing neither power nor will to be conuerted And as S. Paul saith to the Ephesians Ephes 2.1.2 That euen then when wee were dead in sinnes God hath quickned vs together in Christ Then as no man can raise vp a dead man nor he quicken himself no more then Lazarus could being in the graue but it must bee the voice of Christ and his power that must doe it so must it be only God that must conuert the heart and worke this repentance in it Question Why doth God then in many places command men to repent and returne vnto him if they haue no power or abilitie of themselues to doe it but it bee his gift onely which they cannot haue vnlesse they receiue it from him Answer I answere with Augustine O homo in praeceptione intellige quid debeas habere De corrept grat cap. 3. Iubet aliquae quae non possumus vt nouerimus quid ab illo petere debemus De libero arbit ad Valent. cap. 2 O man vnderstand in these commandements of God what thou oughrest to haue So what thou oughrest to do And againe he saith God commandeth some things which wee are not able to doe that wee might know what we ought to big of him And therefore when he saith Returne vnto mee hee would haue our hearts sound with an echo againe Lord conuert thou vs and we shall be conuerted Lord turne thou our heaâ—â—s and we shall bee turned So that the Lord doth not command because wee can doe but because we ought to do and should seeke to him for grace to do it Vse 1. God is then the worker of euerie mans repentance and conuersion which first serueth to confute a point of Poperie which teacheth that men haue a great hand in their owne conuersion And that they may take and resist the grace of conuersion which we say is false because as I haue alreadie proued God giueth repentance Therefore these speeches and comparisons of theirs wee reiect as false when some of them make man by nature like one in fetters so him in his corruptions which being strucken off by grace he can presently goe of himselfe Some as the halfe dead passenger from Ierusalem to Iericho others like a sicke man which hath the power of walking but being faint he cannot vnlesse hee haue one to helpe him or to leane vpon So man hath power say they but it is a little languishing which if it be helped but a little by grace he can will and doe of himselfe that which is good But all these such like if there were a thousand of them are ouerthrowne with this one point that it is God and his grace which conuerteth the harts of al men Neither feare we to affirme this notwithstanding that they obiect that by this meanes wee make a man as a blocke and a stone for so we say hee is by nature in respect of any goodnes and that by the warrant of Ezekiel who saith in the person
Pauls preaching So the Apostle Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.23 Being borneanew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God c. Like wise Saint Iames saith Iames 1.18 Of his own wil begat be vs with the word of truth And S. Paul saith to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4.15 That in Christ Iesus he begot them through the Gospell And the Lord saith by his prophet Ieremy Ierem. 23.29 That his word was like a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Al which places doe prooue that the word is the ordinarie instrumentall eause of a mans repentance and conuersion as also these reasons consirme it Reason 1. First because it is so powerfull and pearcing as the author to the Hebrues saith Heb. 4.12 That it is liuely mighty in operation sharper thē any two edged sword c. Which power it hath not from any inherent qualitie in it selfe or from man that preacheth it but because of the supernaturall power of God who as the Apostle saith to the Galathians Galath 2.8 was mightie by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the Circumcision and was mighty by him also toward the Gentiles Noting that when men are conuerted by the preaching of the word and it is powerfull to that purpose it hath it not of it self but from God but howsoeuer it is indeed powerfull Psalm 19.7 and doth conuert the soule Reason 2. The second reason is because faith is one immediate cause and beginning of repentance Now faith is begotten by the word therefore repentance also must needes come by the word As touching faith the Apostle to the Romans saith Rom. 10.17 Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Therefore preaching the word being the cause of faith it must needs be the cause of repentance Causa causae causa causati Reason 3. The third reason is Because the conuersion of men is the seale and only miracle that the Gospell now hath And it is vsuall with the Lord in working miracles to shadow them by outward meanes that he might conceale his owne worke specially from vnbeleeuers As Salomon saith Prou. 25.1 The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret Then it is his glory to couer this miracle by this outward meanes 1. Cor. 1.21 and by so foolish and base a thing as preaching is in the eies of the world to worke this great wonder and to saue men designed by Satan to destruction And when I say the word is the instrumentall cause of repentance I exclude not the law as that which helpeth to this though properly it worke it not for by bringing men to the sight and knowledge of their sinnes and miseries it prepareth them for the receiuing of that grace and mercie which is propounded in the Gospel as an eating corasiue which maketh way for a healing medicine But the Gospell is the message of glad tidings and mairing the promises of pardon ◅dre◅sission of fumes is that which especially worketh it or that which doth throughly worke it in men Vse 1. Now for to make vse of this truth vnto our selues First This may teach vs that their case is fearefull that are without the preaching of the word because they are without the ordinarie meanes and so without hope to come to repentance as Iewes Turkes and Infidels that are depriued of the word and they that liue in corners where the sound of it is not heard It was a fearefull curse when Christ said vnto his Apostles Matth. 10.5 Goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not And now that some haue found mercy which sought it not and others are still left in their darkenes and horrible blindnes it is no lesse fearefull when God denieth still the ministerie of the word vnto them and saith as it were vnto his ministers preach not there for it is as if he had said I will not haue these conuerted as Augustine saith Quoniam vt crederent non erat ijs datum etiam vnde crederent est negatum Aug. de bono perseuerantiae God hath denied vnto men the meanes whereby they should beleeue because hee hath no purpose that they should beleeue And so God hath denied to men that by which they should be conuerted because he hath not purposed their conuersion Then wheresoeuer men want it either by the iudgement of God denying it to them or by their owne peeuishnesse withdrawing themselues from hearing the word or else not harkning to it hauing eares not boared but giuen to drowsines and sleepinesse and so they want it though they liue in the middest of it such an estate is a fearefull signe as if God had no purpose they should hee conuerted Vse 2. 2. Secondly this teacheth vs to acknowledge the happie condition of that people or that nation or place wheresoeuer God hath vouchsafed the preaching of the word to wit that it is a mauifest proofe hee hath a people there that hee would conuert and hath a desire to saue them As he said to Paul in the Acts when he was at Corinth Acts 18.18 Feare not but speake for I haue much people in this place Arguing that he had a people there whom hee meant to saue and therefore hee sent his word to them So whersoeuer God sendeth his word and giueth his ministers gifts and conscience to preach the word vnto any nation or people it is a signe hee fauoureth them and that he would haue them conuerted and be saued though not euery one that heareth it for many haue this but to make them more inexcusable and to increase their iudgement but only those to whom he giueth hearts and eares open vnto it which if it be so great a fauour from God then are wee to acknowledge the mercie of God that hath sent his Gospell amongst vs and giuen gifts vnto men to preach the same vnto vs. For wherefore hath God giuen his Ministers knowledge to preach the word is it only for themselues No verily for as they are men they could bee saued with as little knowledge as others But God hath giuen them gifts for the gathering together of his Church and for the conuersion of others And here we are to be stirred vp to walke worthie of this benefit lest it be remoued taken from vs and giuen to a nation that will bring forth better fruit For though we may be alreadie conuerted by the benefit of the ministery hitherto inioyed yet what shal become of our posterity euē of so many thousand infants or sucklings if they may not haue the means by which they may be conuerted If thē we haue any loue vnto thē that as they are our children by nature so they may be the children of God by grace let vs labour to walke worthie of this mercie that we may leaue it to our posteritie as our sathers left it to
deliuer this doctrine for the benefit of all who heard me and now at the importunitie of some I publish it in writing to the profit I hope of many more The order I haue vsed is as familiar and plaine as I could labouring to profit rather the most then to satisfie the learned I haue begun with the description of it and haue examined the seuerall particulars thereof then I haue proceeded to the essentiall and naturall parts of it from them to the causes of it from the causes to the subiect and parties to whom it belongs and who ought to practise this dutie from these vnto those seuen inseparable fruits or effects which the Apostle S. Paul in the second Epistle to the Corinthes hath deliuered vnto vs. 2. Cor. 7.17 Hence I haue descended to the time and place when and where this dutie ought to be practised Finally I haue laboured to remooue some of those principall lets and impediments which Satan casteth in the way of all men when they shall but once mind their way to his holie dutie I cannot say I haue brought here any thing new and vnheard of For there is no new thing vnder the Sunne Eccles 1.9 For matter I meane yet for the manner and particular handling of it I know none who hath descended to the capacity of the meanest as I haue endeuoured to my power and for my skill to doe What doe our Lawyers pleade now but that which hath been pleaded in former times the same statutes the same rules of law the same book cases onely they applie them to the particular causes and fit them for the aduantage of their clients What doe our Physitians prescribe now any thing but that which Galene Hippocrates and other Physitians haue done before them the same simples and compounds the same purges and preseruatiues the same cordials and restoratiues onely by their experience and skill liuing among vs they discerne of the state of the patient of his age strength and temperature of the disease whether new or old begun but now or inueterate so they increase or diminish the simples or the quantitie of thē making thē either milder or sharper as the state of the party disease do require As little able are we to bring any new thing but only fit them to the times and occasions seeing liuing in the same ages wee may the better bee able to doe it though we be many degrees inferiour in gifts and knowledge That I then professe is the more particular and familiar handling and applying of these things which others haue worthilie deliuered for the benefit of the Church of God I haue endeuoured to confirme euerie point by the word of truth and haue added after my vsuall manner confirmations illustrations drawne from reason similitude and the sayings of the Fathers not to strengthen the Scriptures but to helpe and benefit the hearer and reader to whom all is little enough to make him heare with attention and delite to conceiue with profit and to carry away for practise If any dislike my alleaging of Fathers as some haue done my vsing of reasons to confirme the truth and doctrine but with very little reason as I suppose I must pray them to giue me leaue to vse them till I can see that vnlawfulnes which they affirme to be in the practise and to censure me in charitie for the vse of them as I doe them for not vsing them I know wel there may be an abuse in the quotation of these as there may be in citing of Scripture when either ostentation of memorie or reading shall be ioyned with it or when as Hierom speaketh Eruditionis gloriam declinando eruditissimus habebatur Ill◅◅aiebat Tertu◅ani istud Cy◅ani hoc Lac◅tij illud Hi◅ est c. Hie◅ epist 3. ad ◅od Epitaph ◅potia One affecteth to bee accounted learned by eschewing the glorie of learning That saith hee is it which Tertullian speaketh that Cyprian this Lactantius that Hilarius c. Or finally when they shall bee like lights at a great feast which take vp all the roome vpon the table and leaue little place for dishes of meat to be set on I will looke as well to my heart in the vse of them as God shall enable mee and when I shall see the hurt of them I wil as much endeuour to auoid them in the meane time I will make the best vse I can of them to edifie the Church of God Those places which I haue here vsed I haue set downe in the treatise in our owne tongue but I confesse not so aduisedly in the margent I begun to set them downe in their owne and hauing so done for three or foure sheetes I saw it was not so profitable for those whom I most aime to teach namely the simple yet I haue continued on that course for an vniformitie yet knowing that many vnderstand the Latine who doe not vnderstand the Greeke though I haue vsed some of the Greek Fathers as Iustin Martyr and Basil and somewhat out of those parts of Chrysostome which we haue in Greeke yet haue I set down the Latin only lest I should bee troublesome and vnprofitable to moe Many testimonies out of the Scriptures I haue vrged diuers times and in seuerall points euen one and the same for one place will proue many things and hath many branches The Lawyers will vrge one and the same law or booke case to seuerall points in pleading of the same cause because of seuerall branches in it and they are blamelesse I hope in the vse of the word we may haue as much libertie and yet not seeme to haue idle repetitions and the rather I haue affected this for the benefit of the simpler sort that the places of moment may bee more familiar vnto them Now not to detaine you any longer from the Treatise it selfe I beseech you reade it with attention labour to know the particular points with iudgement and to practise them with conscience And the God of grace so perswade your hearts and so open them vnto it that you may bee like the citizens of Abel 2. Sam. 20.22 who at the perswasion of one wise woman cut off the head of Sheba the Rebell and cast it to Ioab who blew the trumpet and all the armies returned from their siege and sacking So you may cut off your sinnes and cast them to God that the armies of his iudgements may at length retire from the citie and our land and his hand be no more stretched out And that Isai 1.19 You consenting and obeying may cate the good things of the land And repenting and amending and doing your first workes the candlesticke bee not remoued out of his place Reuelat. 2.5 Your friend and seruant for Iesus sake Richard Stocke THE DOCTRINE AND VSE OF REPENTANCE TO the end we may instruct our present age in the nature of Repentance which for the most part little vnderstandeth the doctrine
would were it not some follie for a man to sinne because he hath a remedie But seeing it is not in his owne power but in the hand of God who must needes hate him for his sinne committed against him with a high hand and for his hardnes of heart who will not repent when hee calleth him to it but will goe on in his presumptuous sinning against him what can it bee but a double and treble follie And howsoeuer hee accounteth others fooles who make all their life a continuall practise of repentance yet indeede is there no foole to him and one day hee shall know that he deceiued himselfe with a vaine hope sinning with purpose of repentance hereafter and not indeed repenting or seeking it then when God called him to it but delaying still off thinking that the last day of his life or the last houre of that day would be time enough for his repentance Obiect Some will here say that the Scripture is plaine that at what time soeuer a man repenteth God will accept it Answ But know that a sinner cannot repent when he would If thou hadst the power of repentance in thine own hand it were somewhat but it being not in thy custodie but in Gods to dispose of and to giue when and to whom it pleaseth him in this case for thee still to liue and dwell in sinne it is but a delusion of Satan whereby he would bring thee to damnation so leading thee on in a fooles paradise vntill hee haue brought thee to hell Was it not a folly for the fiue wise virgins to slumber hauing their oyle readie at command knowing not how soone the bridegrome would come But were not the fiue foolish virgins thrice fooles that hauing no oyle fell asleepe and neglected it till the bridegrome came and then they would haue bought and knew not where to get it So if a man had the oyle of repentance to forsake sinne and to turne vnto God in his owne power it were somewhat lesse folly to deferre it but whereas hee hath it not what folly and madnes were it for him to deferre it till Christ come or death come when hee would bee glad to buy it with a thousand worlds if he had them and shall not know where to haue it or how to obtaine it Obiect But thou wilt say God is mercifull and so will giue me repentance when I seeke for it Answ I answere thee with asking thee how thou knowest God is mercifull I know thy answere the Scripture euery where telles vs that God is mercifull And doth it not also tell thee that he is iust Seest thou what makes with thee and not what is against thee Is it the mercie of God to giue repentance to them that seeke it and is it not the iustice of God to denie it them that contemne it Therefore as thou findest God is mercifull so thou shalt find the same God iust who in his iustice will denie thee repentance when thou seekest it because thou regardest it not when he offered it Art thou acquainted with those Scriptures which declare the mercies of God by calling thee to repentance and doest thou not know that place of the iustice of God which saith Prou. 2.14 Because I called ye refused I haue stretched out my hand and none would regard 26. I will also laughut your destruction and mock when your feare commeth 28. Then shall they call vpon me but I will not answer They shall seeke me early but they shall not find mee Then maist thou haue time and space to repent yea and teares to shed for it and yet neuer obtaine it For although Esau liued many a long day after hee had sold his birthright and sought it againe with teares yet he neuer obtained it There is but one acceptable time which being neglected is as a bird escaped out of the hand or a shaft shot out of the bow not to be recalled againe Do not then neglect it It may bee this euen this is the acceptable time this is the day of saluation if thou neglect it and as it were contemne God when he calleth thee now in the time of thy health it shal be iust with him to contemue thee whē thou art sicke and when thou callest to him in thy necessitie to stop his eares against thee Therfore doe not deceiue thy selfe to put off thy repentance as it is the practise of many thousands to their own destruction Augustine saith Sperādo desperando pereunt homines sperando malè in vita desperando peiùs in morte August hom 2. inter 50 By hoping and despairing many men perish by hoping ill in their liues and despairing worse in their deaths promising to themselues health that all shall be wel with them and that there is no feare nor neede as yet to repent or to seeke for it and so they are led on till they come to die when they find nothing but despaire Or if they die quietly in their beds and as it were goe singing to hell what then haue they gained by it To conclude and shut vp this point as I began it the onely worker of this grace in our hearts is the God of grace and not we our selues Cor curare solus potest qui finxit sigillatim corda nostra Chrysost hom 4. de Poenitent He only can cure our hearts which did frame and fashion them one by one Therfore to him must wee looke and suffer him to worke vpon our hearts yea we must pray instantly vnto him that as hee hath giuen vsspace to repent and calleth vs continually to it hee would work it in our harts and make vs able to do that which he requireth that so we may escape that he threatneth and enioy the good he hath promised The instrumentall cause of repentance The next thing to be considered of is the instrumental cause by which God worketh repentance in the hearts of men And that is either outward or inward The outward is the ministerie of the word The word is the instrumentall cause So then the doctrine is that God worketh repentance and conuersion in the harts of men by the preaching of the word ordinarily The preaching of the word the outward instrumentall cause of repentance I say ordinarily for he somtimes when it pleaseth him worketh it by some other meanes or without any meanes at all That this is the ordinary means is proued by Pauls words vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 2.25 who exhorteth him to Instruct them with meeknes that were contrarie minded prouing if at any time God would giue them repentance Noting that the author and giuer of it is God but the meanes by which hee doth worke it is the ministery of the word After this maner Acts 16.14 The Lord opened the heart of Lydia at the preaching of Paul that she attended vnto the things which Paul spake and so she was conuerted by
and sometime for loue of vertue may leaue their sinnes And there is a serious repentāce of the wicked but it is but temporarie as that of Ahab which is but worldly sorrow that brings forth death And there is a repentance of hypocrites which is fained and Pharisaicall onely in the outward act But of none of these doe I speake but of true repentance such as is described before touching which this is the point to be obserued Only the elect can truly repent That true sincere and sauing repentance is onlie of the elect and that none can repent and truely turne to God from their sin but they who are elected of him And this is a book case prooued thus First in Isaiah Isa 59.20 where the Lord promiseth the Redeemer vnto them that turne from iniquite in Iacob So that onely they for whom Christ died can repent So the Apostle Peter saith Acts 5.31 God hath made him a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel That is to the true people of God Hence it is that the Apostle Paul to the Romanes Rom. 2.5 speaketh of some that cannot repent through the hardnes of their hearts Likewise the Author to the Hebrewes excludeth manie from repentance and saith Heb. 6.4 That it is not possible that they should be renewed by repentance This further hath a probatum est as we say for it is neuer found in the Scriptures that any truly repented but such as were Gods by election and grace and such were Dauid Peter Manasses Mary and such like who truely repented because they were his whereas others neuer could because they were not elected of him Therefore this is a thing onely proper to the children and elect of God which truth standeth with reasons also out of the word of truth Reason 1. The first is because repentance and remission of sinnes goe together and to whom one belongeth to them both appertaine therefore are they ioyned together by the Apostle Peter Acts 5.31 Hee shall giue repentance to Israel and remission of sinnes But remission of sinnes is proper to the elect of God and is onely a benefit bestowed vpon his owne As in the Apostles creed wee beleeue it to bee a priulledge onely belonging to the Church and her members Therefore repentance is likewise onelie theirs Reason 2. The second is because true repentance the spirit of regeneration and true faith euer goe together and are inseparable for from these it ariseth and commeth as hath been shewed now onlie the elect can haue these and those who are Gods As saith the Apostle to the Romans Rom. 8.9 They that haue the spirit of Christ they are his And none can haue faith but those that haue Gods spirit And S. Iohn saith Iohn 1.12 To as many as receined him and beleeued in his name hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God Then if faith and the spirit of sanctification be proper onely to the elect none but they are likewise capable of this benefit of repentance Reason 3. The third is because repentance in this life and saluation in that which is to come are necessarie consequents one of another whosoeuer repenteth shall be saued and whosoeuer is saued did repent but saluation is onely of the elect therefore repentance is proper to them also Question Why then is repentance preached to all Answ Because the Lord onely knoweth who are his and who belongeth to his election and not man and therefore though there bee many wolues within the Church as sheep without yet must as Augustine saith the Minister preach to al because often wolues are made sheep and for ought that he knoweth one may be called as well as another For as Augustine speaketh of faith so may I of repentance Posse habere fidem sicut posse habere charitatem naturae est hominum habere autem fidem vt habere charitatem gratiae est fidelium August de praedest Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 5. The nature of man may haue and is capable of faith as it is of charitie I ad of repentance but it is a proper grace of the faithful to haue faith charity I adde here also repentance And sometime men most vnlikely are wont to haue faith and brought to repent and others whom men would thinke God had chosen are reiected As Dauid in the eies of Samuel was farthest off from the kingdome of all the sons of Ishai yet he only was anointed so oftentimes hee that is most likely in the eies of man by reason of a ciuil course of life is farthest from repentance Who would haue thought that Saul a persecuting Pharisie should haue bin conuerted and many other ciuill and slie Pharisies and Scribes been left in their sins yet so it was By which it appeareth that many more vnlikely are called and conuerted when others more likely are left in their corruption And thus the question being resolued I come to the vses of this point Vse 1. And first this is but cold newes for many men liuing in the Church and lying in their sins in their hardnes of hart and impenitencie yea when they are such as by the means which draw others to a consideration and search of their waies and to a reformation of their liues they are more hardned and further from returning as namely by the iudgements of God and the preaching of the word This may be cold at their hearts they can haue no assurance that they are Gods I doe not say that they are not his at all for not simple impenitencie but finall obstinacie is a proofe of that but they can haue no assurance that they are his while they are in that condition yea rather they haue iust cause to suspect they are not his Such men especially as when they are perswaded to this dutie answer some in words and some by their cariage what needs this or to what end is it our sinnes are now past neither can wee effect that we should not haue fallen that that is done cannot be vndone why then should we mourne or afflict our selues These persons consider not that though the action bee ceased yet the guilt remaineth which is an obligation binding them to eternall destruction and leauing in them the corruption and deformity of the soule and all the faculties of it But if they would reason rightlie they should conclude the contrary to that they imagine One comforting a certaine Philosopher mourning for the death of his son vsed this argument to perswade him that by al his lamentation he could not remedie that which was done and reuiue his sonne to whom hee answered Yea this especially I grieue for that it cannot be otherwise So should they mourne that they haue offended and that it cannot be otherwise compassed but that they haue offended and transgressed the law of God Others there are who seeing their sin prosper with them and God vsing it well and
they Peter 1.2.2 As new borne babes would desire the sincere milke of the word as if he said Are ye indeed new borne by repentance and regenerated then desire the milke of the word as the child desireth the breast This also is manifest in the Canticles where is expressed what a desire the spouse of Christ had vnto her husband Draw me saith she Cantic 1.3 and we will runne after thee the king hath brought me into his chambers we will reioyce and be glad in thee we will remember thee more than wine c. And Dauid saith Psalm 19.97 O how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually See in all these and by all this how this desire and repentance haue and must goe hand in hand yea and that also with good reason Reason 1. 1. Because the repentant hath tasted of God and his word his goodnes and the sweetnes of it wherein he can find no satietie at all he can neuer haue enough he is neuer satiffied but the more he hath the more hee may and the more he desireth still As Augustine cōfessed after his calling when he had repented and begun once to taste how good the Lord was that he tasted too late of him Serò te amaui pulchritudo tam antiqua tam noua serô te amaui August Confes lib. 10. cap. 27. I haue loued thee too late O thou beautie most ancient yet euer new and fresh I haue loued thee too late So questiōles he thought he had tasted too little and so shall all thinke who haue once truly begun to taste of God for there is no satietie and a man cannot haue his full apprehension of God and his word till hee come to enioy him face to face and til he come where hee shall hunger no more If any one obiect that of our Sauiour Christ which he spake Iohn 4.14 Whosoeuer shall drink of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer bee more athirst Therefore there is satietie of these spirituall things I answere he meaneth not that a man should haue such satietie in them as that hee should desire them no more but that while he tasteth of them he should thirst after no other As a man whose palate tasteth of that meate or liquor which delites it desireth no other but yet thirsteth and hungreth after that still so he that drinks of Christs water shall find that contentment in it that hee doth not desire any other though he thirsteth still for this Reason 2. 2. Because the true repentant is inlightned with some knowledge more then hee had of God and his word Now as a man increaseth in knowledge so hee doth in loue for by his knowledge he apprehends more causes of loue in the thing loued Then as men are hardlie drawne to loue without cause so where they see cause they loue and where there are more causes they loue more And hence it is that the repentant hath more loue to God and his word because he seeth now more causes why hee should desire and loue them then he did before when hee liued in ignorance Now from this point we may learne these things Vse 1. 1. That it is no wonder that there is so little loue and desire to be found in our age toward God and his word and of spirituall things seeing the doctrine and practise of repentance is so little knowne and vsed yea and that it is so this will prooue it 1. Because all the desire of most men is set vpon the world Now you know in a Conduit the more water goeth by one pipe the lesse must needs goe by another yea as Christ saith that a man cannot loue both God and Mammon so not the word and the world Againe they mightily and miserablie complaine of too much preaching and teaching thinking the labourers too many which Christ thought too few or else that they are too diligent murmuring as it were against God that he hath in some sort and some places fulfilled his word that he spoke by Isaiah Esay 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea meaning the meanes of knowledge Which must needs argue that these complainers are no louers of God and his word but haue soules loathing this light foode Manna and so though it grieue me to speake it more then I know it wil them to heare it yet I must tell them that this little loue to the word nay this loathing of it doth manifestly conuince them to be without true repentance and so to be in the state of damnation and in the snare of the Diuell which hath taken them at his will Vse 2. 2. This will leade vs to a fit marke and note whereby euery man may know whether hee hath true repentance Thou knowest thine owne hart so doe not I but God knoweth it and iudgeth Then canst thou not deceiue him Therefore examine thine owne heart whether thou hast this desire in thee or not whether as a new borne babe thou desirest the sincere milke of the word and hunger after spiritual things as after spirituall treasure and riches Doest thou in some measure follow Dauid whose loue to the word of God was not onely a wonder to others but to himself saying Psalm 1 19. Lord how loue I thy law Or if thou canst not find this desire in thee then doest thou dislike thy selfe and bewaile thy dull affections after spirituall things Bee thou then comforted in it that it is some token that thou art partaker of repentance But thou wilt demaund how thou shalt know whether thou hast this desire or no seeing euery man is apt to challenge this vnto himself who hath nothing lesse Answ I answer thee that thou shalt know it by this if thou findest no satietie in heauenly things but the more thou tastest of them the more thou desirest for as the truth and the word of God is not vnfitlie compared to the waters of the sea which the deeper thou drawest from the bottome the sweeter thou shalt find them so the more knowledge a man hath in spirituall things the more delightfull will they be to him though in the beginning to the taste of a naturall man they are bitter and vnpleasant till he be changed So againe may they be compared to the same waters of the sea which the more a man drinkes of them the more hee desires still So the more a man truly tasteth of the word of God the more he shall desire it still hee will neuer bee satisfied and hee thinkes hee can neuer haue enough Hee then that findeth this in himselfe may bee assured that hee hath repented for this desire being present godly sorrow cannot bee absent and wanting But alas many men are like the woman of Samaria who when Christ had said Iohn 4.15 Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer
107 Motiues to Mortification Page 111. 112 P PArts as also Helps are of two sorts Page 103. 104 A true Penitent is carefull to auoid all sinne 199. Two reasons prouing it Page 201 Why one Penitent person was receiued at the last houre Page 344 The Penitent is perswaded of Gods loue to him Page 227 The Penitent discernes two things which he saw not before Page 254 The Penitent will take an holy reuenge of himselfe Page 260 The Penitent is fit for death Page 266 The Penitent need not dread the day of doome Page 267 Popish Penances disallowed Page 255 Person and profession of a man must be distiguished Page â—3â— The Physike of the Soule continuall Page 289 Preaching where wanting their case is fearefull Page 143 Preaching is a great blessing Page 144 Preaching is much to bee respected Page 146 Preaching serues both to beget and to preserue Page 194 Preaching is not like other arts Page 195 Prayer is the instrumentall cause of repentance from within Page 150 Two reasons prouing Prayer so to be Page 151. 152 Presumption of Gods mercie an impediment of repentance Page 308 Three reasons proouing it Page 309 Helps against Presumption Page 312. 314 Presumption the cause of perdition Page 341 Popish Purgatorie of no vse Page 265 R REpentance deseribed Page 1 Repentance is a turning Page 1. 2 Repentance is a turning of the whole man from all sinne 3. and so proued by Scripture 4. And by two reasons Page 5. 8 Fiue sorts of men mistaken about Repentance Page 6. 7 The best way to begin Repentance is to deale with the heart first 9. But the more easie course is to begin with the life Page 9. 10 Repenting must be dailie Page 12 Repentance is from a iustifying faith Page 13 Abab Repentance was from a temporary faith Page 17 Repentance as faith is double Page 18 Repentance how it is before faith 18 How after Page 21 Repentance is not in the ignorant and vnbeleeuers Page 24 Repentance arisoth from the knowledge of a mans spirituall estate 27 Three reasons hereof Page 31. 32 Repentants must haue shame feare and sorrow 51. Three reasons thereof Page 51. 52. 53 The Repentant must be an Examiner an Informer and a Iudge Page 78 Repentance may be without teares Page 95 Repentance hath two parts Page 104 Repentance is not so easily made as is imagined Page 108 Regeneration described Page 113 Where repentance is there is regeneration proued by two reasons Page 115 Repentants are not perfect Page 121 The principall efficient of Repentance is God 125 Proued by two reasons Page 127 The Regenerate shall not fall away Page 132. 133. 134 A man cannot repent when hee list Page 134. 137 The outward instrumentall cause of Repentance is the word 139. 140 Three reasons proouing it Page 141 Why many doe not repent Page 154 The end of Repentance Page 161 Diuers kinds of Repenters Page 167 Remission of sinnes and Repentance goe together Page 169 Why RepentaÌ„ce is preached to the Page 17â— Repentance absolutely necessanie to saluation Page 180 The Regenerate must repent 181 Two reasons hereof Page 182 Seuen signes or effects of Repentance Page 197. 198 How Repentance may be knowno to be true Page 213 Three reasons shewing that Repentance produceth anger at sin Page 218 Three reasons prouing that Repentance makes a man afraid to sin Page 22â— Repentance works a seruent affect on to God and his word 233. Two reasons prouing this Page 233. 235 Reasons proouing that Repentance produceth zeale Page 242. 243. 244 Repentance must be with speede not posted off 136. 270. Fiue Reasons prouing it Page 271. 272. 273 The Proroguers of Repentance taxed Page 274 The danger of delaying repeÌ„tance set forth in fiue particulars Page 281. 282 Repentance must be constant Page 285. 291 292 Two reasons shewing it Page 286 287 The cares and pleasures of the world a let of Repentance Page 324 Three Reasons hereof Page 327. 328 Repentance hindred by scandals 333 Two reasons hereof Page 335 The peaceable ends of sinners a let to Repentance as also the vnquiet deaths of some Repentant Professors 338. 339. Three reasons of it Page 339. 340 Diuers differences betwixt the repentant theefe and our Adiourners of Repentance Page 345 No man is respected for his perfect repentance nor reiected for the imperfection of it Page 348 No restitution no Repentance Page 90 Shifts against Restitution remooued Page 99. 100. 101 Restitution how to be made without crazing credit Page 102 Non-Restitution excludes saluation Page 103 Reuenge the seuenth signe or fruit of Repentance Page 251. 253 How this Reuenge differs from indignation Page 252 Reasons prouing repentance to bring foorth this reuenge Page 253. 255 Reuenge how it may be taken Page 259 This life is the onely time of Repentance Page 262 Two Reasons prouing it Page 264 The delaying of Repentance fearefull Page 269 S SCandals and their remedies Page 333 335. 337 Scandals may by God be set before a man and why Page 338 Searching of a mans selfe necessarie Page 79 Search out two things Page 79. 80 Sinne separated man from God Page 5 Shame whence it ariseth Page 49 No Shame before repentance Page 51. 52 Sinne why of some liked Page 219 Sinners must not be hated except for sinne Page 213 Originall sinne described Page 80 The seedes of all sinnes are in euerie man Page 80 Stumps of sinne sticke in the regenerate Page 107 Sinne why not wholly slaine in this life Page 117 Sinne willingly committed may bee pardoned Page 190 Sins iterated haue been forgiuen Page 191 Of Sighes and sobbing Page 68 Sorrow for sinne makes a man defend himselfe against sin and Satan Page 207 Sorrow and ioy how they will stand together Page 287 Sorrow is ioyned with repentance Page 50. 51. 57 Sorrow for sinne must not bee deemd a melancholike passion Page 55 Sorrow should bee sutable to a mans sinnes Page 58. 59 Whence difference of Sorrow ariseth Page 59. 60 Soule-sicknes is continuall Page 289 T TVrning is of foure kinds Page 3 Turning from one sinne is made by some vnto another Page 8 Turning meerely outward may haue a benefit Page 11 Turning is not constaÌ„t without feare Page 53 V VIuification described Page 113 Vnworthie man must not despaire for his vnworthinesse Page 323 W GOds Word should be heard often Page 196 Why meÌ„ loue the word no better Page 235 Why some cannot abide the word Page 311 Good works from a corrupt fountaine are sinnes Page 46 Whipping vsed of Papists taxed Page 92. 93 Of Weeping for sinne Page 95. 96 The World is an enemie to repentance Page 325 Helps against worldly cares Page 329. 332 Z ZEale a fruit of repentance Page 247 Zeale little in the world Page 244 246 Zealous Protestants scorned Page 245 The difference of good bad Zeale Page 247 Zeale consists of Loue and Sorow Page 248 Zeale that is true how discerned Page 251 FINIS