of God Ezech. 36.26 I will take away the stonia heart out of your bedie and I will giue you an heart of flesh Shewing that a man before his conuersion hath a heart of stone and of himselfe hath no more power to conuert himselfe then a stone hath Yet notwithstanding he is not in althings so a stone but that there is a difference for a man is a stone in respect of the action but not in respect of reception or as the Schoolemen say a stone in respect of forme but not in respect of matter For a stone or a tree is vtterly vncapable of this thing and hath no meanes to receiue it but a man hath power to receiue it and is capable of it for he hath a mind a will and affection that is capable of the worke of God which these ereatures haue not But it is God only that workes vpon these parts and powers of man and makes them new and good it is hee only that conuerts him and works repentance in him Vse 2. The second vse serueth for comfort to vs touching all those who are yet vnconuerted notwithstanding their great corruptions and vntractablenes resisting the spirit of God speciallie in all outward meanes that a man would thinke it vnpossible that they should be conuerted to God yet it is God that conuerteth who is able to ouercome all the corruptions of man neither shall they hinder where hee will conuert but if he call they shall come if he draw they shall run after him for hee is infinit in power and cannot be resisted Who would haue thought that Saul so great a persecutor of the Church who drew into prisons all that called on the name of Christ and went from place to place breathing out threatnings against the Church yet this great Conuerter of al men euen God ouercame al this corruption and broke through all these impediments and gaue him repentance Good cause then haue we to hope of many wicked and desperate sinners that they may be cōuerted because God the changer of all who are changed is able to ouercome all their corruptions So that the Ministers ought stil to hold on to exhort them and the church to pray for thē notwithstāding all their oppositions because God when and where he will call cannot be resisted The Church saith Augustine Non oraret ecclesia vt daretur infidelibus fides nisi deum crederet anersas aduersas hominum adse conuertere voluntates De bono perseuer lib. 2. cap. 23. would not pray that faith might be giuen to Insidels but that it beleeueth that God is able to conuert both the auerse and the poruerse willes of men vnto himselfe Which must still incourage her to continue to pray for them and to hope that hee will heare her as well as he hath been intreated by the Church for others and make them though they bee of the Synagogue of Satan Reu. 3.9 to come and worship before her feete Vse 3. The third vse of this doctrine will bee for the comfort of that man which is conuerted who knoweth himselfe indeede to bee so for he cannot be ignorant how peruerse and auerse from goodnes he was how against the haire hee was conuerted how all his infidelitie and iniquitie did not hinder Gods purpose Then may he bee assured he cannot fall away God will neuer suffer him to perish though he haue corruption enough to effect it yet let it comfort him that there was more to hinder his calling all which God ouercame and made him willing to be changed and did conuert him so that this lesse corruption cannot make this calling of none effect specially while corruption doth not so choake grace but that still there is a desire to cleaue vnto God and some though weake endeuour to be preserued If God was found of him when hee sought him not nay if he found him when hee fled from him and called him when he liked his corruptions well enough and when though he prayed for his conuersion saying Thy kingdome come yet it was with him as with Augustine who thus prayed Da mibi castitatem contiuentiam sed noli modo timebam enim ne me citò exaudires citò sanares à morbo concupiscentiae quam malebam expleri quà m extingui Confess li. 8. cap. 7. Lord giue me chastity and continencie but I would not haue it yet for I did feare lest thou shouldest speedily heare me and forthwith oure my wound of concupiscence which I rather desired might be fulfilled then extinguished So that hee could haue desired to haue lien still in his corruption and yet God ouercame that and pulled him out of the fire and as Lot out of Sodom by violence how much more will he saue him now when he seeketh both him and it as men doe for siluer and riches Did he euer giue a man an heart to pray for any thing rightly informed according to his word and meant not to giue him the thing Doubtlesse no. And if he intend the gift who shal hinder him for giuing Augustine saith Horum si quisquam perit fallitur Deus sed nemo eorū perit quia non fallitur Deus horum si quisquam perit vitio humano vin citur De us sed nemo corum perit quia nulla re vincitur Deus August de corrept grat cap. 7. If any of these perish speaking of the elect to whom he hath purposed saluation God is deceiued but none of these can perish because God is not deceiued And againe If any of these perish God is ouercome by humane frailtie and corruption but none of them perisheth because God can bee ouercome by nothing But beere is comfort hee that was powerfull in their conuersion will bee powerfull also in their preseruation that nothing shall ouercome him nor pull them out of his hands Ioh. 10.28.29 for he is greater then all Vse 4. 4. The fourth vse is to informe vs that if repentance be the onely worke of God then is it not in a mans owne power to repent when he list so then what a madnes and follie is it for any man to sinne wilfully presuming that hee can repent when hee pleaseth If it were in his power to repent when hee would yet to be thereby the more emboldned and presumptuous in sinning were it not great follie Would wee not reprooue him of folly that because he hath a pill in his closet or balme in his power should therefore surfet or else wound himselfe with a sword because he hath that which will cure him But if he had neither of these helps in his owne power but they were in the hand of some Apothecary or such a Physition who for some iniurie committed against him hateth him were it not much more madnes and follie then to surset and wound himselfe So in the matter of repentance if it were in a mans owne power to repent when he
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
by them and so kept in a proud conceit of our selues and heuer attaine or inioy repentance Now these delusions are ouercome and abandoned thus The first if they consider that all their good workes be they neuer so glorious and many coâ—…ing from a corrupt founâ—…nâ—e of an vnrepentant and vnbeleeuing heart are accounted sins before God for 〈◊〉 saith S. Paul Rom. 14.23 What soeuer is not of faith is sin Whereupon Augustine saith Infideluer misereri vitium est peccatuÌ„ August contra Iulian. Pelag. lib. 4.3 To â—se compassion without faith is sinne Vnderstand that the sin riseth not from the act of compassion but from the priuation of faith and so of other things Againe they must know that their consciences will tell them if they put the question to it that that they do is not from any manner of loue either of righteousnes or to God and man but from selfe-loue pride vaine-glorie c. by which they must needs be corrupted and so no reason they should be proud of them yea as Gregorie saith Rationi consentaneum est vt metuas bonis operibus quà m in ijs glorieris Gregor moral lib. 9. 11. There is more reason they shuld feare for their good works then glory in them But the other delusion may thus be aâ—oided If they would consider that other mens sins will condemne themselues not iustifie them And that in sinfuâ—nes they are as farre beyond others yea and happily much further then they are short of them therefore if the one giue them cause of pride the other may iustly giue them cause of humiliation for as it is in temporall things a maÌ„ that is rich commeth into the countrie among his poore neighbours hee is there a great man and all must bee at his command but if hee come vnto the kings court hee is no body in comparison of those that are there so in spirituall things thou being amongst wicked men and seeing them thou beginnest to iustifie thy selfe and saisâ— I am not an â—surer nor an oppressor nor a drunkard câ— but on the contrary compare thy selfe with others as with Peter with Paul c. and thou shal see how faâ—re thou commest short of them and if the one make thee proud let the other make thee humble by which meanes thou maist come to bee humbled before God and hauing humiliation thou maist haue true repentance and so bee in the state of saluation for whilst thou art proud thou art void of repentance or of sauing grace and so out of the state of saluation Yet let me note condemne euery one that hath pride in him for who can say he is free but him that doth not condemne pride in himselfe for he that condemneth this sinne in himselfe as he doth other sins is not guiltie of it but hee that will stand to iustifie his prido this man is void oâ— humiliation and being void of humiliation is void of repentance and so out of the state of soluation But now particularly to procâ—ed further in this humiliation It is double inward and outward First of the inward and of the soule Humiliation double inward and outward 1. Jnward humiliation Inward humiliation is in the soule and affections and is this when a man is caâ—… downe and his loftines abased in shame sorrow and feare at the sight of his wretched wicked and sinfull estate These three then are in true humiliation the first respects sinne only the second sinne and present punishment the third punishment to comes Shame ariseth from the sight and sense of a mans owne filthy nakednes as the Scriptures cals it that is of his sinne and the defiâ—ing which it pollutes a man withal Sorrow is griefe concâ—iued either of sinne or punishment or both If for sinne onely because it is sinne not respecting the punishment but making a man of this mind that if there were neither hell nor accuser nor Iudge yet hee would be humbled and brought on his knees for his sinnes because he hath offenceâ—… solouing and so gratious a father and patient God then is it godly sorrow but if onely for the punishment or â—utses due to them and now present and vpon them it is but worldlie sorrow If both these concur in a man it is the state of a true repentant for both may bee and are in respect hee consisteth of flesh and spirit 〈◊〉 old and new man the one som owing for the sin the other for the punishment Feare is a grieuous sense and apprehension of some â—…ill to come for 〈◊〉 is euer ioyned with the expectation of the thing feared Now that these three are ioyned with repentance is manifest thus As first for shame Ephraim saith thus of her selfe Ierem. 31.19 After that I conuerted I repented and after that I was instructed I swore vpon my thigh I was ashamed yea euen confounded because I did beare the reproch of my youth So the Lord by his Prophet calleth the people of the Iewes to the remembrance of their sinnes and to be ashamed Isai 46.8 Remember this and be ashamed And the Apossle Paul saith Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed Secondly for sorrow and for godly sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul speaketh thus 2. Cor. 7.10 Godlie sorrow causeth repentance unto saluation not to be repented of Such as Dauid had as is manifest by those two Psalmes 32. and 51. Psalm 32. 51. Such also had Peter Now worldlie sorrow was such as Iudas and Achab had Thirdly for 〈◊〉 It was in the Iewes who repented at the preaching of Peter and Acts 2.37 were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued The like wee may see in the Iayler who came trembling to Paul and Silas and fell downe before them and said Act. 16.29 Sirs what must I doe to be saued Now these seuerall instances I giue not as if one of these onely were in them and that humiliation is in one alone but because in some one of these three is more perspicuous in some another more manifest Now the reasons proouing that the repentant must haue those and hath them if so bee hee truely repent are these Reason 1. 1 Because when hee was a carnall man being in a senselesse securitie he neither knew nor considered what sin was neither saw he the deformitie of it That as Adam saw not his nakednes in the state of innocency so not he in the state of fecuritie but being entred into the state of repentance his eies are opened and he conceiueth of sinne as it is indeede and then iudgeth hee himselfe in regard of it the most abiect man of all vnworthie of their companie or to come in their sight He is like to a man that while he was in the darke had his face and his ruffe and garments marâ—ello uslie bespotted and besmired of which hee was
say will be a probable testimonie of his true humiliation Obiection Some may say then what reason haue Protestant Preachers to condemne the fasting and whipping and humiliation practised in Poperie Answere Chrysostome saith Chrysost hom 3. ad pop Antioc That fasting is a medicine but though the medicine be a thousand waies profitable if an vnskilfull patient vseth it and as I may adde an vnskilfull Physitian prescribe it it may turne to a poyson and not a medicine So some of these things are good profitable and necessarie to humiliation but as they are prescribed by their vnskilful Priests and vsed by vnskilfull men they are poysons and not medicines and make their humiliation vnprofitable because they oftentimes command them things when they are crossing to God that at set times they must be done though God call and giue occasion of the contrarie As for example they must fast though God giue cause of feasting and mourne though he giue cause of ioy and laughter Is it not then iustly reproueable And besides they do that which they haue nither precept nor practise or example for in the Scripture vnlesse it be in Baals priests that lanced and cut themselues And lastly their end of doing is sacrilegious which makes it abominable to God and man that is to omerit saluation and satissie the iustice of God Doe we not then iustly condenine it as a poyson and not approue it as a medicine Now for the vses of this doctrine Vse 1. If this be so how can they thinke then that they haue repented who were neuer yet thus humbled when as thus farre they may goe and not repent but not repent without it Vnto how many may God say Where are your teares and mourning and not why couer yee my Altar with teares for though they can mourne and weepe in abundance for the losse of earthly friends and riches and for the displeasure of men yet doe they neuer weepe for their sins or for that they haue displeased God They haue saued him the labour of putting their teares into his bottel and wiping their teares frō their eies but little to their gaine yea many of them haue counted thē children and fooles who haue wept bitterlie with Peter for their sinnes Such shal weepe if they do it not here when the others shall reioyce and their weeping shall be fruitlesse and vnprofitable to them Againe the same persons or the like though they could often change their attire and put on mourning weeds for the death of friends yet could neuer find any time to put on mourning apparrel for their sinnes to leaue off their gay garish wanton and whorish apparrell not the space of one day for their sinnes that they might the better be humbled within If that be true of Cyprian as I think it most true their case is heauie Non resipiscunt mulieres quae Christi indumenta negligunt sua ornamenta quaerunt Cyprian de lapsis Those women neuer repent who neglect the garments of Christ and affect only their vaine ornaments Many daies can they sequester themselues from the sweete companie of their neerest friends for worldly respects profit or pleasure and such like yet not one day can they sequester themselues that they might mourne for their sins either a familie apart as in Zacharie it was prophesied shuld come to passe Zach. 12.12 that the land of Ierusalem should bewaile euery familie apart by themselues or euery man alone Oftentimes for the health of their bodies for the remoouing of diseasos or the preuenting of some one or other they could leaue their meales but could find no time to do it for their sinnes that they might tame the flesh and subdue it that it might be pliable to the spirit that as principall and accessarie they might be both humbled before God Often they haue been content to lose many an ounce of blood for the health of their bodie but yet could neuer bee content to part with a pound or a shilling of their coine to make reftitution for the health of their soule but liuing and dying the treasures of iniquitie are found in their houses as we heard before out of Micha Micha 6.10 These feare to shame themselues with bringing home and neuer remember the shame they must endure when all secrets shall be laid open not to a few but to all the world when it will be too late to make any restitution And though they haue now courts and pretences for it as prouision for wife and children or necessitie of the Common weale or colour of this or that law yet one day it shall appeare that all these are but pretences when it shal be known whether our reproofes for sinne be iust or your couerings of sinnes be good when as one of our soules and bodies shall pay for it in hell either ours for preaching falshoods or yours for not practising restitution here Vse 2. The second vse serueth to perswade men to labour for this outward humiliation as to confesse their sinnes so to bewaile them with teares not before men nor in the congregation which some may doe in pride and hypocrisie of their hearts who cannot weepe betwixt God and themselues But men should goe out as Peter did and turne themselues to the wall as Ezckias did and then if they draw water before God looking vpon him whom they haue pearced there may be comfort in it As I thinke there may be teares and no repentance for some men as wee say of women haue teares at command so may there be repentance in other some and no teares But when a man can weepe euery day vpon any occasion of worldly griefe and cannot vpon the consideration of his sinne the great displeasure of God the vnspeakeable torments which Christ indured for him c. it is some suspition hee is not humbled and so hath not repented If hee that cannot weepe for worldly causes being so drie brained haue a dispensation not to weepe yet hee that can hath an obligation to do it Therefore the Prophet when he speaketh of sorrow for sinne saith Zach. 12.10 That a man shall lament for it as a man mourneth for his onely son By which he sheweth what a great deale of sorrow is required and deep sorrow wil hardlie bee without teares If there bee a vent at the bung of a tearse or hogshead it will soone run at the head but if it be close stopped there it will scarse run at all So if the heart be pearced the braine and the eies will runne ever in their time and place which must bee laboured for As also there must bee a restraint and abatement of their gorgious and gay apparell for though I thinke not that Christians ought to vse any strange or vnusuall attire as haire sackcloth such as was proper for the times when God inioyned them so to make thēselues the common bie word of the people and their
at will yet let death come when it wil they are prouided for it and may giue it entertainemâ—t with cheereful countenances And as Danid said of Ahimaaz 2. Sam. 18.27 he is a good man and commeth with good tidings so may they say that haue repented of death let it come it bringeth good tidings vnto them because they are at peace with God and in fauour with him for they know that euery thing shall turne for their aduantage death it selfe shall be an aduantage to them This made the Apostle Paul desire to die Phil. 1.23 because he might bee with Christ when hee was once assured that he was reconciled to God A malefactor who hath offended the law and for the same is taken and committed and in danger of death yet if hee can a weeke before the Assises get his pardon from the prince then though all the other prisoners be full of terror and griefe yet he wisheth euery day for the day of assises because he is then sure to be acquitted So a man that hath repented by which he hath assurance of pardon and reconciliation with God needes not feare this day of affise or iudgement howsoeuer others may feare and quake when death commeth because they must not onely depart from men but in stead of their societie shal haue the diuell to terrifie them and hell to forment them and the whole wrâ—… 〈◊〉 God laid vpon them for their impenitence where as he I say that hath repented shall not neede to feare neither van euil death nor a sudden death 〈◊〉 a sudden death because if he haue repented no death can come suddenly to him nor yet an euill death for what euill death can come to a man that hath liued well and hath truely repented That is not saith Chrysostome Non heaest male mori violenta morte finiri sed in peccatis mori Chrysost hom 5. ad pop Antioch to haue an euill death to end his daies by a violent death but to die in his siâ—…es which no repentant doth Like to that which Hierom reporteth of Hikarion comforting himselfe against the feare of death when he said to his soule Hilarion animam agens eidem dicebat egredere anima mea quid times septuaginta prope annis seruiuisti Christo mortem times Hieroni. O my soule goe out of thy house of they why are thou afraid these seventie yeeres almost hast thou serued Christ and dost thou yet feare to die The like I say may a repentant man shy to his soule Goe out my soule 〈◊〉 shouldest thou bee afraid to goe to him with whom thou are reconciled and from whom thou hast a 〈◊〉 barge of all thy sinnes It is for them to feare to die who haue neuer repented who neuer serued Christ but haue been the slaues of their flesh and Satan seeing whose they were 〈◊〉 his shall they bee dying It is 〈◊〉 for him to bee vnwilling and fearefull to goe â—ce Christ who beleeues that hee shall begin to reigne with Christ because hee hath here suffered and crucified his flesh and his lusts for Christ and his loue 3. This may teach vs that if there bee no time for repentance after this life then is it a fearefull condition wherin many men are who contemne repentance when they are called to it And no maruell if death be so feareful to them For thence is the feare of death saith Chrysostome Iude timor mortis quia non viuimus in asperitate Christianis congrua sed so lutam mollem am amus vitam Chrysost hom 6. ad pop Antioch because wee liue 〈◊〉 in â—…steritie fitting Christians but leade a delicate and voluptuous life Euen such a life as all they who put far from them repentance haue made choice of to themselves and so cannot but bee pressed with the guiltines of their consciences seeing they neuer tooke the way to haue any discharge but are like to a malefactor that hath neglected the time and hath not gotten his pardon till the day of Assifes come when it is too late to seeke for it must he not needs be in great feare and horrible distractions much more feareful must it needs be to these who haue neglected the time of repentance so of obtaining their pardon euen till the very day of their iudgement To these as Bernard saith Si illis dicitur cras egrediemini comminatio non consolatio erit ista Bern. in vigil natal Do. serm 2 if it should be said to morrow you shall got out it should be a commination and no comfort yea and to conclude as the 〈◊〉 father speaketh Si tales moriendo non tam egressi dicendi sunt quam ingressi qui non in lucem non in libertatem va dunt sed in carcerem sed in renebras sed in infernum Ibid. These dying in this condition are not so much to bee said to goe out at to goe in who goe not into the light and into liber the but into prison into darkenes into hell The particular time of repentance Now wee will proceede to the particular time of repentance which is double first present it must be done instantly without delay 2. Continuall it must be done constantly and euery day And first for the present and the speede of it Repentance must be present and speedie Repentance must be done speedilie without delay or deferring from time to time or from one day to another Which is manifest by the Scripture Dauid saith Psal 95.7.8 To day if ye will heard his voice harden not your heart As if hee said if you will repent you must not deferre it till to morrow but it must be done while it is called to day And S. Iohn saith Matth. 3.2 Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand And our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 6.33 Seeke ye first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof The Author also to the Hebrewes saith Hebr. 3.13 Exhort ye one another while it is called to day c. This counsell the Prophet Esay giueth vs Esay 55.6 Seeke the Lord saith he while he may be found call vpon him while he is neere All which and many of the like kind prooue that repentance ought to be without any delaying or putting off and not without cause Reason 1. 1. Because the deferring of repentance if euer it bee performed breedeth more matter of hartie and bitter sorrow for sinne so that the present delight will neuer answere nor counteruaile the future paine and griefe or if it neuer be performed then do men but sill vp the vials of Gods wrath and heape vp iudgement to themselues as S. Paul saith in his Epistle to the Romans Rom. 2.5.6 But thou after thine hardnesse and bea rt that cannot repent heapest vp vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath Reason 2. 2. Because by deferring a man may bee depriued of the meants by which God