they are at a iarre among themselues about the meaning of it It is true that Bellarmine doth presse it to this purpose but the words are so pregnant for a brotherlike and mutuall confession of one man to another for the forgiuing of priuate iniuries that both Cardinall Caietane and Scotus confessed the same Bellarm. de poenit lib. 3. cap. 3. Caiestan in Iam. 5.16 Scotus in 4. sentent dist 17. quaest 1. And for the thing it selfe it was a custome in the Church sometimes but it happened that there was a noble Matron dishonoured by a Deacon in the Church of Constantinople Zozomenus which thing highly displeased the people Whereupon Nectarius Bishop then and there by the consent of the Bishops of that time and the rest did abolish it out of the Church and if it were abolished for that one fact how much more should it be abolished for so many of the like committed in poperie which is the very nurcerie of all vncleannesse And therefore to conclude as Augustine said Quid mibi ergo est cum hominibus vt audiant confessiones meas quasi ipsi sana◠uri sunt omnes languores meos Curiesum genus ad cognoscendā vitam alienam desidiosum ad corrigendam suam Confess lib. 10. cap. 3. What haue I to do with men that I shuld make confession to them as if they could heale all my sores It is a curious kind of people to search into other mens liues but most slothfull to reforme and correct their owne Could euer any man haue prophesied more truely of the Priest of poperie being such a curious kind of people whose labour is to know other mens states and sinnes but are carelesse to know their own and most sluggish and negligent to reforme their owne These things thus explained wee must now come to the vse Vse 1. First it may well be thought that many men are sarre from repentance seeing they are far from this dutie and part of humiliation I meane confession It may be generallie that they are sinners as other men they will not stand with you to confesse but not in particulars which commeth partly out of the loue of themselues and partly out of the loue of their sinnes Therfore Iob saith Iob 31.33 I haue not hid my sinnes as Adam concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome The latter part Tremelius readeth Abdendo ex dilectione mei iniquitatem meam hiding my iniquitie out of my selfe loue As if he should say selfe loue is the principall thing why men smother their sinnes and do not confesse them But in most men there is a more impossibility vnto this dutie because they know good and euill sinne and righteousnes no further then they haue by that light and knowledge which remaineth in them since the creation nay in many of them that is darkened by custome and other corruption but as for the law of God where they should indeed see themselues they are altogether ignorant and will not looke into it neither of themselues take the paines so they will not indure the reproofes of their Ministers nor be shewed their sinnes but are like many prodigall wasters who run so farre in bookes that they cannot abide to haue a bill of accounts brought them and like a timorous and foolish patient which finding his wound to bee very deepe would not endure the Chirurgion whereon what ensueth but a festering of the part and a dangering of the whole bodie So to these damnation ensueth because they cannot repent seeing they cannot confesse If any thinke this is hard and false that a man should be condemned for this seeing Dauid saith Psalm 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faults I answere that for him that doth his best ondeuour to know his sinnes and keepes a day booke for his spirituall estate as for his worldly if he know not many sinnes and neuer confesse them yet hath a particular repentance confession of his knowne sinnes and would no lesse repent and confesse the other if he might come to the knowledge of them from him God will accept a generall confession and repentance for such as bee not knowne As Dauid in the same place Clense me from fecret faults But for others who are wilfully and more then negligently ignorant of their estate and sinnes they shall not be accepted by a generall repentance because they neuer repent truely of knowne sinnes for if they did then would they repent them of that ignorance and seeke to reforme it Vse 2. The second vse doth teach men to practise this dutie to goe to God and to confesse to him and against themselues their owne sinnes this is the way to pardon so that howsoeuer the prouerbe is Confesse and be hauged yet without this there is no repentance and here it is true Confesse and be saued Therefore should they not let shame or any thing else keep them from this dutie but shame themselues seeing they may say of themselues as Augustine of himselfe August Conses lib. 4. cap. 16. Non erubui prositeri hominibus blaspbemias me as latrare aduersus̄te I was not ashamed to professe my blasphemies before men and my barking against thee And so now they should not be ashamed to shame themselues before God by consossing and accusing themselues And in this duty this repentant must know that there is required of him that hee bee an examiner an informer and a Iudge First an examiner he must examine himselfe and search his waies without which there can be no knowledge of himself and his owne wretched estate Thus they holy Ghost by Ieremie saith Lamen 3.40 Let vs search and trie our waies and turne againe to the Lord No returning but after a search which euery one knowes that euer did repent Likewise this is that the Prophet Zephanie hath Zeph. 2.1 Gather your selues euen gather you O nation not worthie to be beloued where a word is vsed which signifies to search narrowly as a man would doe that searcheth for gold in a mine of earth where much earth is and but a very little gold oare noting that it is not enough to find out grosse and palpable sinnes but euen those which are accounted lesse and to espie secret faults and priuie corruptions And in this search he that would doe it as he ought must first find out two things which the world dreames not of The first that the guiltines of Adams sinne is his sin in eating the forbidden fruit and that he stands to answere for it before God because hee was in his loines As Saint Paul saith Rom. 5.12 That as by one man sinne entred into the world and death went ouer all ment forasmuch as all men haue sinned 2 That in euery man by nature are the seeds of all sinne euen in the best natured man for what is else original sinne but a want not of sinne but of all good inclination and want of all goodnes
temporarie repentance arising from a temporarie faith and a sauing repentance from a sauing faith Such as the faith is sitch is the repentance Ob. 2. Againe some will say that Repentance vseth first to be preached as the course of the Scripture and the tenor held by all Preachers of all times doth shew who haue first called for it and then for faith Ans To cleere this doubt we must consider three things 1. the order of nature 2. the time 3. the manifestation of them In order of nature faith goeth before in the manifestation of them repentance is first in time they are both ioyntly together For by order of nature first a mans conscience must in some sort be setled touching his recoÌ„ciliation with God by Christ before hee can repent As Ambrose saith Nemo rectè possit poenitentiam agere nisi qui sperauerit indulgentiam Ambros de poenit lib. 1. cap. 1. No man can rightly repent vnlesse he hope for pardon So that first Gods fauour is apprehended and remission of sinnes beleeued then vpon that commeth repentance alteration of life and conuersion But for manifestation repentance both to a mans selfe and to another goes before faith for it is sooner discerned then faith Iustification is like the sap hid within the barke when as repentance as the bud speedily sheweth it selfe before leafe blossome or fruit Lastly if we respect the time neither of them is one before the other but are begotten in a man both at one instant for faith is not begotten to day and repentance to morrow or some daies after but he that beleeues instantly repented though it be not so perceiued no not of him that possesseth both As the thunder crack and lightning are both at one and the same time yet is one discerned before the other All that this sheweth or we would prooue by is is this that none can seriouslie and trulie repent but he that knowes he is Gods none can know this but he that hath his grace and this faith Ob. 3. Further it may be some will obiect that many a man by the terror of his conscience is subdued and brought to obedience long before he hath faith or grace or hath tasted of it and so it ariseth not from thence Ans I answere this is no other then that which may come of nature from the knowledge of good and euill by that conscience of sinne which remaineth in man since his fall being but a seruill seare of punishment and of the anger of God which though it he not a proper worke of Gods sanctifying spirit nor any part of regeneration yet is it a step towards it and to bee nourished because it is as the needle to the thread for it makes way for the true feere of God Vse 1. The first vse of this is to confute those who thinke repentance goeth before saith which opinion by the grounds that haue been alreadie laied is manifestly false Besides it is certaine that repentance is the worke of a liuing man of him that is spirituallie liuing no dead man can repent But he that is with out faith though he haue a name to liue yet is dead for Habac. 2.4 The iust shall liue by his faith No life then without faith and no repeÌ„tance without life so not without faith seeing repentance is the worke of a liuing not a dead man There may be an outward reformation of actions worde an inlightning of the mind and vnderstanding a changing of the will and affections from vice to vertâ—… but no change of the heart from sinfulnes to holines That a naturall man may haue this onely a spirituall that a dead man may performe this onely a liuing man Finally repentance is a purifying of the heart a mortifying and crucifying of the flesh and what shall purifie the heart is it not faith for whom will a man crucifie his beloued sinnes inortifie his flesh and affections will he do it for any but for him of whose loue he is specially assured Then can it not be before but must needes follow after faith Vse 2. 2. This conuinceth the of error who thinke that faith is a part of repeÌ„tance but it cannot be that the roote and the fruit should be both one thing or one a part of the other The strongest reason they haue is that faith and repentance are euer loyned together without faith there can be no repentance But if this reason haue any strength then is faith a part of the Sacrament seeing it is as vnprofitable without it and conioyned they must be where any fruit and comfort will be had Againe if coniunction make it a part why should not the soule be a part of the bodie which is not a bodie but a carcase without it why not the light a part of the heate in the sunne why not faith part of hope and charitie seeing they are not nor cannot be in this life without it though charity may be and is without them in the life to come Besides the scripture hath made them directly distinct Mark 1.15 Repent and beleeue the Gospell And Paul saith Act. 20.21 he preached Repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Iesus Then can it be no part of it but the roote and beginning of it whence it procee deth For when the mind of a man hath once by faith imbâ—aced the goodnes of God and remission of sinnes by Iesus Christ then in liew of thank fulnes to God he will addresse himselfe to the alteration and change of his life to the putting off the old man and putting on the new they are then not as parts one of another but as cause and effect faith the true cause and repentance the necessarie effect Vse 3. 3. This may confute that point of Poperie and popish schoolemen who haue distinguished attrition and contrition coyning both namea things after their owne fâ—ncie without Scriâ—ture Now attrition they say cannot merit but contrition if it be fall doth merit remission of sinne and iustification But this must needs be salfe because no contrition or repentance can be good vnlesse it come from faith if it be without it it is sinne and how should sinne merit It is sinne for saith our Sauiour Christ Matth. 7.17 A good tree brings fâ—orth good fruit and a corrupt tree â—…ings foorth euill fruit And againe Luk. 6.45 A goodman out of the good treasure of his â—…art bringeth forth good and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill So that contrition though it be good in it selfe yet comming froÌ„ a bad tree which euery man is who is not sanctified made good by faith it must needs be euill and sinne specially seeing our Sauiour saith Iohn 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flash Which is true both of men and their actions whosoeuer is borne and whatsoeuer is done of a naturall man is corrupt So contrition if
yet it cannot see it self or some parts of the bodie which are neerest vnto it So the mind of man compassing the whole world sometimes the heauens and things aboue it and in it sometime the earth the bottome of it and things vnder it yet is it ignorant of it owne estate like many Gentlemen trauellers who know diuers strange and forraine countries and yet are ignorant of their owne euery one being better conceited of himselfe then there is cause neither finding his defects nor discerning his corruptions which procee deth from self-loue which maketh a man too well affected to himselfe and so iudgement following affection hee neuer discerneth rightly of his estate but thinking hee hath no need of any change neuer goeth about it But by the particulars this will more appeare For many cannot be perswaded that they are so corrupt dynature but their nature seemes to them to be pure beautiful and glorious thinking it no more corrupt then it was created by God and then it was in Adam during the time of his innocencie Hence are those opinions of perfect inherent righteousnes iustification by works and merit of works of the power of pure naturals free will and such like which Papists and other heretiks haue inuented and maintained out of the naturall or affected ignorance of mans estate Againe for outward actions they thinke that those works which haue any shew of goodnes although they bee neuer so imperfect corrupt and hypocriticall yet they are good and may be meritorious to deserue earthly and heauenlie blessings Further for meane and ordinarie sinnes they thinke them veniall and light offences not to bee accounted of or auoided they thinke their good meaning to be as good as perfect holines their owne righteousnes perfect and absolute so that they say in effect Reuel 3.17 I am rich and increased with goods and haue need of nothing The Church hath many of these as also as many who are without the sense of sin â—…o perswade themselues there is no such punishment for sinners such curses as are spoken of neither is God so prouoked to anger to inflict punishment vpon offenders as the ministers tell them hee is which they falselie ground vpon the patience of God which he generally vseth towardsall who although they go on in all mancâ— of disobedience and wilfull breaking of his commandements adding one hainous sinne to another and shewing open contempt of him and of his word yet they estape vnpunished and liue as merilie in the world as the holiest man doth and at death die as peaceablie as he that liued best so the patience of God that should leade them to repentance they make as a meanes to keepe them backe from repentance But say they haue the sight and sense of sinne yet are they perswaded that they can and are able at their owne pleasure to purge themselues both from their naturall corruption and outward act of sinne and so the sicknesse which a man can cure himselfe of is nothing so grieuous vnto him And for the punishment they thinke they are able to escape it either by their cunning conueying and couering of their sinne or by the great mercie of God who delighteth not in the miserie of man and his confusion but in their saluation and so will be eafilie intreated by their pitifull moaning to pardon their sinnes and if not to bestow on them the crowne of glorie yet to remit them the punishment deserued or at the worst that may fall they can free themselues by their works of mercie and other satiffactions and so say there is no feare but blesse themselues in their hearts saying Deut. 29.19 Wee shall haue peace although wee walke according to the stubbâ—enâ—sse of our owne hearts Many thousands there are who are thus ignorant of their estates either in some of these or in all neither are willing to come our of this ignorance but in time of health and prosperitie spurne against the plaine ministerie of the Word as â—hâ— which would giue them a view of themselues crying against the Ministers as the woman against the Prophet 1. King 17.18 What haue I to do with thee Art thou come vnto me to call my sinne to remembrance and to stay way sonne So what haue we to doe with you are you come to call our sinnes to remembrance and to slay our souâ—… And against the word as a salse glasse that as she â—…loohed her selfe in â—…glasse and appeared to her selfe no more deformed their 〈◊〉 was yet more then she was â—…nceited of her selfe broke it and 〈◊〉 vnder foote so spurne they against the glasse of the word as if it made them more deformed then they are indeed All these vnder 〈◊〉 are in the state of impenitechcie and so in the state of perishing because they cannot or they will not see themselues and know their estate that they might bee brought to repentance Vse 2. 2 This may perswade men who would repent that they may flie from and escape the vengeance to come to labour for this knowledge of their estate The Philosophers knowing that men are all together ignorant of themselues vsed to set this precept Kâ—…s thy selfe in the beginning of their morall â—…utions They are worth the inâ—s 〈◊〉 that euery Minister should 〈◊〉 and euery Christian should learne to know himselfe and his estate in the things before spoken of And this must he do by looking into the law of God whereby he may see himselfe to be a most vile and filthie leper defiled in nature in soule and bodie in minde will and affections in thought word and all his actions with all manner of sin so that he may crie out with the leper I am vncleane I am vncleane But if he will doe it as hee should hee must not only looke to the letter of the law which expresseth only capitall sinnes from which he happily will cleere himselfe and wash his hands but he must seeke into the spirituall meaning of it set downe by Christ Mat. 5. and other the Prophets and Apostles whereby hee shall see 〈◊〉 his originall sinne and his 〈◊〉 transgressions his inward corrupâ—… 〈◊〉 the filthie vncleane and disley aâ— motions of his mind wil and affection and his outward his vaine foolish and filthie talke his leaud behauiour dishonorable to God and iniurious â—… men his sinnes of ignorance and wilfull rebellions hi◠〈◊〉 of youth 〈◊〉 riper yeeres h◠〈◊〉 â—ns and 〈◊〉 commissions yeaâ—… best 〈◊〉 culpable either quoâ—…tem or 〈◊〉 finem in respect of the fountaine that they proceeded not from faith or in respect of the ende that they were done more for his owne glorie and gaine then for the glorie of God and good of his brother which when he shal once discerne the same law will shew him the blacke tayle of sinne all the curses that are due vnto it and no lesse make him perceiue that he is not able to free himselfe from the guilt or the punishment
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
as warie in the manner as he can For example if thou hast deceiued thy brother secretly and vnknowne to him which was sinne in thee thou maist make him restitution againe vnknowne to him and that be a righteous thing in thee Yet more particularly in one instance for the rest Thou art a trades man and the partie iniured trades with thee still restore him that thou defraudest him of either by weight measure or price or howsoeuer in the same kinde secretly as Iosephs steward put Iacobs sonnes monie in their bagges and sacks and doe this at times by little and little till thy conscience which checked thee before tell thee thou hast done him right and restored him all But take this caueat with thee beware thou flatter not thy selfe and restore not all because no man knoweth whether thou doest or not for he that is the searcher of the heart knoweth all But if thou wantest opportunitie to doe it secretly rather then it should not be done thou must do it publikely and that vpon no lesse penaltie then damnation For the contrarie must needes be to that of Christ to Zacheus That no restitution excludes saluation out of thy house and heart For as Augustine saith Non remittetur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatum sed cùm restitui potest August ibid. the sinne shall not be remitted if that which is taken away be not restored when a man hath abilitie to restore For if it deserue damnation to take any thing from a man wrongfully as doubtlesse it doth then is it as dangerous to keepe it being taken Thinke it not then in these cases of iniustice enough that when thou humblest thy selfe before God thou shead teares for them or fast and performe such things vnlesse also thou make recompence for the wrong The parts of repentance Hauing spoken of the description of repentance wee must proceede to the parts of it and as Augustine saith in another thing Aliud est adiutorium sine quo aliquid non fit aliud est adiutorium quo aliquid fit Aug. de corrupt gratia There are some helps without which a thing is not and some by which it is So I may say there are some things which may bee called the part of another without which it cannot bee and others by which it is and of which it consisteth Of the former kinde are faith and the knowledge of a mans selfe and the inward and outward humiliation spoken of which may in a generall sense bee called parts because it cannot bee without them though most of them may bee without it of the latter are these two mortification of the flesh and viuification of the spirit called by the Prophets leauing of euill and doing of good of which it consisteth and which wholly make it of which in their order I will now speake The first part of repentance mortification Mortification is the first part of repentance whereby the repentant doth not onely change and take away sinne from the eies of men which yet hee doth but also purgeth the heart crucifieth the flesh with the corruptions of it and taketh away sinne from the eies of God Hence is that of Dauid Psalm 34.14 Eschew euill that is the first part of repentance and doe good that is the second part Salomon also saith He that Prou. 28.13 hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie And the Lord saith to the people by his Prophet Esay Esay 1.16 Wash you make you cleane put away the euill of your works from before mine eyes cease to doe euill learne to doe well c. On which place Chrysostome speakes thus Hom. 5. de poenit What neede all this copie of words Had it not been enough to haue said Purge your selues or take euill from your selues Why then doth he adde Take away the euill from before mine eyes Hee answers That it is because Gods eyes look otherwise then mans do who lookes but into the face but God into the heart And so denies that to bee true repentance which is for ostentation in the outward man but would haue it to be approoued in his sight which searcheth the hart and raines and consequently a purging of the inward man Hence are those exhortations in the new Testament as first that of S. Paul who saith Galath 5.24 They that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof And the same Apostle to the Colossians saith Coloss 3.5 Mortifie your members which are on the earth fornication vncleannesse the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnes which is idolaetrie Again hee counselleth Timothie 2. Tim. 2.22 to flee from the lusts of youth and to follow after righteousnes faith loue and peace with them that call on the Lord with pure heart Hereupon repentance is called an escaping out of the snares of the diuell 2. Tim. 2.25.26 Instruct them that are contrarie minded prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance that they may know the truth and that they may come to amendment out of the snare of the diuell c. And the author to the the Hebrewes calles it Heb. 6.1 Repentance from dead workes that is to say from al workes which bring death And so touching the inward corruption S. Paul willeth the Ephesians Ephes 4.21.22 to cast off concerning the conuersation in times past the old man that is corrupt through deceiueable lusts So that the first essentiall part of repentance is mortification of the flesh which is further proued by these reasons Reason 1. 1. Because euery true repentant is partaker of Christ and hath embraced him by faith and by it is ingrafted into him which he cannot be but he must partake of his death and the power of it which will worke in him the death of sin he applying it vnto himselfe by his faith it wil be like the plaisters of Surgians which mortifie the members for the more easie cutting them off Reason 2. 2. Because els he can neuer be renewed or brought to new and true obedience to God seeing the affections and corruptions of the flesh are an enemie against God As the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 8.7 The wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God That is saith Ambrose the corrupt lusts of men are at enmity with God called wisdom because men that haue these corrupt affections thinke themselues the only wife men of the world The whole corrupt nature is not an enemie but enmitie it selfe with God and against him for as an enemie it is euer contrarie to the will of God and cannot consent to it Then the first entrance of obedience must be the taking away of these and the mortifying of this corruption But it must bee vnderstood that when I say the repentant mortifies sinne I speake of all sins not whole sinne for euery sinne must bee in part
where no repentance is there is no escaping of iudgement And the Prophet Ezekiel saith Ezech. 18.13 Make you a new heart Why will ye die O ye house of Israel which is not ment of the temporal death but of death eternall So then by all these places it is manifest that the end of repentance is the glorie of God and the good of men And not without good reason Reason 1. First because the glorie of God ought to bee the end of all mens actions as it is to himselfe the end of all his workes and he made them for his glorie so it should be to men the end of their workes And therefore S. Paul to the Corinthians willeth them saying 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the glorie of God Now this being so principall an action of man ought also to haue this end Reason 2. 2. Secondly because by repentance sin is remooued which procureth euill to men and hindreth good from them and such men are in the state of sanctification and holines which hath the promises both of this life and that that is to come and which is the way to the kingdome of of glorie and so to saluation though not the cause and so mans good is procured by it Vse 1. The vses which wee may haue from this end of repentance are these First this may teach vs to see that many mens repentance is faultie not in other things onely but in this also who when they either haue it indeed in some measure or els but a shew or semblance of true repentance yet they neuer thinke once of this end the glory of God is the furthest thing in their thought Hence is it that in a iudgement from God when they are feared or afflicted they grieue not that they haue dishonoured him but onely that they haue dipleased him and procured such hard things to themselues and so repent onely to auoid or remooue them and neuer to bring any glorie to him Which maketh many men who hope of repentance to take libertie to sinne when once they are freed As Ahab did who when he was punished thought he had displeased God and so sought to please him againe by his outward humiliation that hee might escape the punishment but neuer thought of the dishonour hee had done to God but returned to his old sinnes againe Men commonly doe but humble themselues as mariners doe who in a storme and in the danger of shipwracke make long prayers and large promises vnto God but if they haue once escaped to the land and recouered their spirits they returne to their old distempers and disorders again so many men who are crept out of a iudgement returne againe to their old dishonoring of God which proueth plainly that in their repentance they onely respected themselues and not the glorie of God at all or at least not principally as they should Vse 2. 2. Secondly this doth admonish euery one not onely to repent but to doe it with that affection he ought and to propound the iust end of it to himself to wit principally the glory of God that as at first he dishonored God by his sinning opened the mouthes of men to blaspheme the name of God as Dauid made the Heathen to blaspheme by his adulterie and as the Lord to deliuer his name from reproâ—h slew Dauids childe and smit it with death so should hee aime at the glorifying of God and freeing him from any imputation by crucifying his sinnes and mortifying his corruptions and with Dauid offer vnto God a contrite and a broken heart as a sacrifice acceptable and labour to shew forth his workes of renouation that men may see them and glorifie God And then in the second place to aime at his owne good specially spirituall and eternall saluation and then temporall preseruation Neither of which can hee doe in truth if either as some so hee returne againe to his corruptions and think because of repentance he hath libertie to sinne Cùm poenitentia reinedium peccati sit non peccandi incentiuum Vulneri enim medicamentum necessarium est non vulnus medicameÌ„to quia propter vulnus medicamentum quaeritur non propter medicamentum vulnus desideratur Ambros de Poenit lib. 2. cap. 9. when as repentance is a remedie for sin and not a prouocation to sin For the medicine is necessarie for the wound and not the wound for the medicine because men seeke the medicine for the wound and not the wound for the medicine Wherefore he that shall wound himselfe with sinne because he hath a remedie tempteth God and doth rightly aime neither at the glorie of God nor the good of himselfe But he that indeede hath these ends before his eies and in his heart will leaue his old sinnes and corruptions and denie them all and strlue to his power neuer to fall into them againe Ambrose tels vs a fable and giues vs the morall with it Ambros de Poe nit lib. 2. c. 10. There goes a tale saith he of a yong man who had been entangled with the loue of an harlot at length wearied with her societie he departed from her and went into a strange countrey Then his loue being worne out he returned and estsoones he met with his old friend but did not salute her she wondring at it supposed he knew her not The next time therefore she met him she said to him I am she I was To whom he answered But I am not be I was Egesum Sed ego non sum ego The morall is this that the Lord said well saith the Father Matth. 16.24 that if any will be my disciple let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Therefore if we will be the disciples of Christ we must denie all our old companions our old sinnes and corruptions forsaking them all and walk with Christ so shall we not only propound to our selues these ends but also in some measure procure them causing other men by our true conuersion and holy conersation to glorifie God and also preparing and obtaining in the end by the mercie and promise of God good things both spirituall and temporall for our selues Hauing thus spoken of the description parts and causes of repentance and seeing much more may be added as Ambrose saith Ne velut semesas verborum nostrorum epulas reliquisse videamur Ambros de Poenit lib. 2. cap. 1. lest wee should leaue as it were the dishes of our words and discourse but halfe eaten The persons to whom repentance belongeth I must yet prosecute it further and in the next place speake of the parties in whom this true repentance is wrought For as the Apostle saith that all haue not faith so repentance is not common to all that is to say true sincere and sauing repentance for there is a repentance of Ethnicks and Infidels who for feare of punishment
further Vse That they are in error who thinke of themselues or speak of some other that they haue no need of repentance they liue so ciuillie vprightlie and so vnblameablelie and deale so trulie But these must know that all this ciuill carriage without faith and repentance is nothing else before God then a beautifull abomination Matth. 7.18 For a corrupt tree cānot bring forth good fruit and if euer God open their eyes and giue them new harts to see and discerne better as men come out of a dungeon they will wonder and maruell at their palpable and grosse darknes they were in before In the meane time that which Christ saith in Mathew may be spoken to them Matth. 5.20 Except your righteousnes doe exceede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisies yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen and yet were these Pharisies as ciuill as they can be for their liues Two things deceiued the Pharisies and so doe deceiue them that they thinke they haue no neede of repentance First because they haue some good motions and dispositions many good things that they haue gottē by custom and doe many good workes and are at much cost for the worship of God the helpe of the poore and the furtherance of religion and learning which doth so ouershadow and couer their corruptions wherein they are that they thinke they cannot be mended Secondly they compare themselues with some notorious sinners and finding themselues in a better condition they are as canonized Saints in their own opinion who doubtlesse neede no reformation That this is the minde of our meere ciuill honest men shall appeare if we set them by the Pharisie in the Gospell who had this speech Luke 1◠2 I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or as this Publican Is not this the voice of many a man I thanke God I am not like such a man comparing himselfe with some notorious sinner but I loue the Church heare sermons receiue the Sacraments pay the Minister his due and giue almes to the poore deale vprightly oppresse and defraud no man c. which formall Christianitie and ciuill honestie doth so blind them and ouershadow their sins that they thinke themselues not to stand in neede of repentance and so they lie still in their corruptions and sins But euery one must labour against these corruptions and know that this repentance is absolutely necessarie for them and that meate and drinke is not more necessarie to keepe their bodies from famishing then this to preserue their soules from perishing We haue seene hitherto that the naturall man hath need of repentance now must wee see what is to bee iudged of the regenerate concerning whom this I affirme and deliuer The regenerate man must repent The regenerate man must repent as well as the naturall hee also hath need of it as well though not as much Repentance is required in him This is manifest by that in the Reuelation The Church of Ephesus had many good things in her Reuel 2.5 yet shee decaied in graces God exhorts her therefore verse 13. to remember from whence she was fallen and repent Euen so in the same chapter was it with the Church of Pergamus verse 14.15 and yet because shee had those among her that maintained the doctrine of Balaam as also of the Nicolaitans therfore she must repent The like also was commanded to the Church of Sardi He saith Chap. 3.2 Bee awake and strengthen the things that remaine that are readie to die for I haue not found thy workes perfect before me remember therefore and repent So likewise Ephraim the people of God Ierem. 31.18 hauing fallen from God and being become as an vntamed heyfer she commeth and prayeth Luke 15. Lord conuert thou me and I shal be conuerted And our Sauiour Christ by the two parables one of the lost sheepe that was brought home vpon the shoulder the other of the prodigall sonne manifesteth that there is place of repentance for men falling into sinne after regeneration Examples wee haue many Dauid a man after Gods owne heart was againe renewed by repentance when he had fallen by sinne So Peter that was euen the chiefest among the Apostles in respect of gifts and graces falling into sinne was renewed by repentance Then it is manifest that repentance is necessarie for those that are called and regenerate And for this wee haue good reason Reason 1. The first is because the most regenerate man that is sinneth S. Iames saith Iames 3.2 that in many things we sinne all And Salomon saith Eccles 7.22 that no man in the earth is so iust that sinneth not And our Sauiour Christ teacheth euery man euen the most perfect to pray for forgiuenes of his sinnes and that euery day as the coniunction of the third and fourth petitions shews Matth. 6.2.12 Therfore must there be a renewing of repentance and a new application of the salue to the sore Reason 2. The second is because no man is so regenerate but he hath manie corruptions still continuing in him Therefore S. Iohn saith 1. Iohn 1.8 If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. And many such like places there are proouing that then onely when a man goeth out of his bodie at his last day and death is hee freed from the bodie of this death or the stumps of that bodie For though corruption came in a moment by one sinne yet is it not cast out in a moment at one time The image of God was lost in a minute yet is it not repaired againe in a mans whole life time perfectly but as houses are long in building againe which are ouerturned in an instant Now then for the mortifying of those corruptions and the renewing of the other graces the regenerate man must still exercise repentance Vse 1. The first vse of this doctrine may serue to confute their error who denie repentance to men which once professing or being regenerate after through infirmitie fall away seeme to denie Christ in time of persecution or trouble and conclude that such men cannot be renewed againe by repentance who for their ground vse the words of our Sauior Christ Matth. 10.33 He that denieth me be foremen I wil deny him before my father which is in heauen Therefore say they he that denieth Christ there is no place for him to repent The answere is that Christ speaketh there of a finall deniall and of one that doth persist to denie him to the end But otherwise for a man to denie Christ in some extremitie of persecution is not the thing there meant but as Isaiah saith Isai 29.13 They draw neere to me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me So these on the contrarie may come neere to God with their hearts though their lips bee farre from him for such may be drawne to
is to bee wrought in them God taking it from them or keeping them from it And if it was not effectuall to conuert them when they often had it what hope can they haue to be turned without this Oh but some will say sicknesses may worke it for it putteth vs in minde of our ende and it openeth the eare that before was shut But medicines are for the diseases they are ordained and if the medicine cure not the eies which is ordained for it and hath a vertue to cure it what shall that doe which hath no such power Admit it putteth men in mind of their end and so that they were certainly assured to die to morrow yet S. Paul in his epistle to the Corinthians speaketh of some who thought of dying to morrow and yet no such thing was wrought in them for they said Cor. 15.32 Let vs eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die Which sheweth that men are neuer a whit the neerer by that assurance of death to their conuersion which is only wrought by God not by the meanes of sicknesse or feare of death but by the preaching of the Word which is Gods ordinance But admit they haue the word and the Minister comming to them know they not that many sicknesses shutteth the care as well as others open it And may it not be iust that they which had a deafe eare to God in their health should be made deafe by him in their sicknes or that he should lay vpon them a kind of lethargie and drowsie sicknesse so that they cannot be awaked to heare two sentences together or giue them a crasie and diseased braine that they shall be able to conceiue nothing or remember nothing Finally these remember not that they may haue such hardnesse of heart that they cannot finde repentance though they seeke it with teares as Esau did Lastly they remember not that if they could doe it yet how vngratefull and vnacceptable it should be to God that when they can no longer serue sinne and Satan they should offer themselues to God when they were weake and blinde and lame and sicke Mal. 1.4 Cursed is he that hath a male and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing As if hee should say Cursed is hee that hath strength of yeers action of body and affection of soule and spendeth it in the seruice of the flesh and Satan and offers to God his old age his weake and feeble bodie and soule and it is like to be the more vnacceptable because it is rather for feare of punishment and hope of reward than for any loue they beare to God To conclude Basil vrging this point saith Sic Cain sacrificia offerre solebat primùm quidem pro propria voluntate c. Thus Cain offered vp sacrifices to God first he serued himselfe and then brought to God but God reiected both him and his sacrifice So let him that shall thus serue God and thus sacrifice to God himselfe when he hath first serued the flesh the world and Satan with all the strength and liuelihood of his bodie and minde and bring his weakest and worse parts to God looke to bee reiected of God Vse 2. 2. This may perswade vs to labour for speedie repentance to follow the counsel which the Angell gaue to Lot going out of Sodom saying Gen. 19.17 Escape for thy life so flee for thy life thou that art a Christian And the better to stirre thee vp to this consider these two things the follie and the difficultie of procrastinating repentance and turning to God The folly appeareth first because prescription and custome often preuaileth against all law For when a man hath enioied and possessed a thing long hee hath eleauen points of law and will by occasion of long possession keepe it so will sinne and Satan doe with thee Follie then it is not to make speed to take forth an Eiectione firmae against them Secondly what madnes is it for a man that is fallen into some pit or filthie puddle to lie still and not to hasten out Sin is as filthie as any puddle madnes then it is and follie to deferre the comming out of it If sinne saith Basil Si res honesta est peccatum hoc vsque ad extremum custodi si patranti turpis ac nocens quid in eo perseueras quod perniciosum est nullus enim bilem euomere quaerens maiorem eam ex mala intemper antique diaeta reddere cogitabit Basil exhort ad Baptis be an honest thing then keepe it to the end but if it bee a filthie and hurtfull thing to him that committeth it why doest thou continue in that which is hurtfull for no man that desireth to ease his stomacke of choler will endeuour to encrease it by a bad and intemperate diet It is a maruellous madnes that an Asse should fall into a pit and his master will instantly lift him out and yet when hee that is a Christian is fallen into this pit of filthinesse he careth not to come out 2. It is a follie to vse procrastination in those things whose times and opportunitie passe as in transplanting of plants in grafting of fiēces in taming of beasts in instructiō of youth for the time past will hardly be recouered so is it in this there being but one appointed time for it Take heede saith Basil Vide ne te tuorum consiliorū pigeat cum te sera nihil profutura poenitentia ceperit Disce prudentiam exemplo virginum c. Idem ibid. lest thou be ashamed of thy owne purposes when thou shalt finde that late repentance will profit thee nothing Learne wisedom from the virgines who are therefore accounted foolish for that they neglected the time when they might haue had oyle and spent it in riot and sleeping and were after shut out and excluded from the presence of the bridegrome Now the difficultie appeareth 1. Because custome is another nature and as hard it is for a man to change that hee is accustomed to as to alter natures course Hence is that of Ieremie Ierem. 13.23 Can the black more change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may ye also doe good that are accustomed to doe euill Hence also is that of Basil As a man cannot vnlearne his mothers tongue so can hee hardly leaue the custome of sinne 2. Because naturall faculties will bee spent in a man by which God ordinarily worketh much harder is it for a man to grow rich when he hath spent his fathers patrimonie then when hee hath those foundations and helps 3. Continuance in sinne addeth to the weight of sinne as a burden is increased by adding to it If then it bee difficult in youth to leaue it much more in age 4. Because at the death of a man hee hath many impediments as the infirmitie pressing of him the care of disposing his earthlie things possessing of him his wife at one eare his children at another
all which hinder him that he cannot so freely thinke of his soule and sinne yea and perhaps few or none will be found when he is carelesse himselfe to call vpon him and put him in minde of his wants Who shall saith Basil Basil ibid. admonish him that is possessed and oppressed with a mortall disease of things necessarie then to be remembred Shall his nie kindred but these cannot for griefe Shall strangers but these wil contemne him Shal friends but these will be fearefull to trouble him by putting him in mind of any such things And so hauing many impediments and few or no furtherances how difficult will the dutie then be vnto him 5. It is iust with God to contemne that man dying that contemned him liuing And Chrysostome saith Vt moriens obliuiscatur sui qui dum viueret oblitus est Dei Chrysost Let this affect a sinner That he who while hee liued was forgetfull of God when hee is a dying shal be forgetful of himselfe Make speed then and repent betime which is the best way to ouercome sinne and Satan The best way to kill an earth lie serpent is to bruse his head not his taile the best way to ouercome Satan wil be in the beginning in life not in death Let vs thē not put it off from day to day and from one time to another For it is not to morrow that God requireth but to day for he saith Heb. 3.15 To day if yee will heare my voice harden not your hearts Put it not off till you haue disposed of your goods and worldlie affaires for ought not thy soule to be more deare to thee then all things in the world then take time while thou hast it lest thou repent with teares too late and so haue no benefit by it Remember there wil be a time whē there will be a iudgement without mercie when if thou neglect this day of saluation and acceptable season thou shalt be cast to hell and there shalt lie in miserie howling and crying out Oh miserable wretch what did I meane that I did not confesse my sins repent and turne to God whē I was on earth now I see others partakers of the heauenly ioyes and I thrust out and cast into these miserable torments when thou shalt bee inforced to say Oh how iustare Gods iudgements I was spoken vnto but I would not heare I was instructed and intreated by the Ministers of Christ to repent but I stopped mine eares against their admonitions How doe I now iustlie feele that which nothing could make me to feare But to end this point I suppose I haue not spent my breath in vaine but that there are many here vpon whom these things haue wrought and in whom they haue begotten good purposes of repenting and forsaking their sinnes now I beseech you by the mercies of God and the merits of Christ and I charge you by the loue you owe to your selues and your soules that you smother not these motions but make much of them and quench not the spirit withstand not this call and exhortation of God Let it be enough that he hath stood thus long knocking at the doores of your heart and hath not been let in It is more then time you giue ouer to abuse his patience and long suffering and to day while it is called to day hearken vnto his voice lest you afterwards be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne when you shall not be able to repent though there may seeme to be some desire in you and when he wil not be intreated because you came not when he called you nor will open vnto you because you were not readie at his comming The second particular time of repentance is that it be done constantly and euery day And so the thing is this Repentance must be the daily and continual practise of a Christian Repentance is not once or twice to be performed it is not the exercise of a Christian for once or twice a day or two but it must be the continuall exercise of him The Author to the Hebrewes saith Heb. 3.7.13 To day if ye will beare his voice And againe Exhort one another daily while it is called to day As to day admits no delay so it admits no interruption but this speaketh to euerie man as yesterday so to day and so to morrow so long as there is to day And S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 4.16 That though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily what is this renewing but regeneration which is a part of repentance and being to be done daily therefore there must be a daily repentance Againe S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 9.18 Wee all behold as in a mirrour the glorie of God with open face and are changed into the same image from glorie to glory noting that when we are changed it is not done in a moment but from glory to glory that is from one degree to another And Dauid saith Psal 119.176 I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy commandements And as one saith What is the whole life or what are the whole actions of the godly but repentance for they are departings from euill and certaine renouations or new obedience to God or at least ought to bee And Christ hath taught vs daily to say Matth. 6.12 Forgiue vs our trespasses arguing that there must be a continual repentance in that this prayer is to be said euery day hauing reference to the petition going before that as we must aske euery day for our daily bread wee eate so must we daily aske for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Now there can bee no remission of sinnes where repentance is not Then must it be continually practised and that for good reason Reason 1. 1. Because all men euen the best are still subiect to fall and to be corrupted therefore they must still rise and be purged for liuing in an infected aire they cannot but draw corruption though they are neuer so warie of themselues Yea seeing as Chrysostome saith Ecclesia est Paradisus ibi est serpens in sidians Eua seducens Adam seductus Chrysost the Church is as Paradise where there is the Serpent besetting Eue seducing and Adam seduced So here is the diuell inducing and the flesh seducing the soule then must needes transgresse Reason 2. 2. Because a Christian mans life is Via semita cursus vbi eundum non standum qui non progreditur in via domini nou proficit is deficit a way a path and a walke therefore in this way a man must not stand but goe he may not sit downe but goe on and grow to perfection and hee that doth not increase doth decrease for there is no standing at a stay Now this increase is wrought by repētance and renouation Therefore he must needs exercise regeneration and repentance and that
friend that by reason of the loue he beareth him would hardly be displeased or moued to anger against him would he make this vse of his loue and patience still to prouoke him with new iniutles Nay it would moue him to loue him and loue would make him loth to displease him and fearfull to offend him Which being so then these men are monsters in nature and reason that because God will be mercifull therefore they will sinne and displease him But to restraine vs from this presumption wee must remember what is prooued before that God is iust as well as mercifull and that the promises of God belong to the repentant and not to the obstinate and though God be good to his yet that he will destroy the wicked and let vs not answere God with these vnkindnesses because he is mercifull therefore we will sinne against him but rather because he is gratious let vs turne vnto him and we shall find pardon Despaire of Gods mercie is the fourth impediment to re-repentance The fourth impediment to repentance is despairing of the goodnesse and mercie of God a thing contrarie to the former There be two things saith Augustine August tract 35. in Ioan. whereby sinners are in great danger the one in hoping too much the other in hoping too little the one presumption the other desperation this is contrarie to that By this was Cain damned despairing of Gods mercies as if they were lesse then his sinne By this Iudas perished who seeing his sinne could not lay hold of Gods mercie but as without hope hanged himselfe and brast asunder with despaire The like may I say of Simon Magus who began as it were to liue in a day and died in the same and of diuers others who by this despaire like the swine in the Gospell by the diuell haue been carried headlong into the sea of destruction and perdition and were neuer able to come out againe by returning and repenting Reason 1. 1. Because Satan who made men in former times to looke vpon their sinnes with a young sight and so they seemed smal makes them now behold them with an old spectacle which makes euery thing seeme great and so they are ouertaken with a fearefull sight and apprehension of them during which time Satan resteth not to suggest that God indeede is merciful but he wil neuer extend his mercie toward such hainous offenders whose sinnes are in number numberlesse in qualitie and nature most grieuous and outragious And so putting them out of hope of mercie they cannot during that time repent and returne Reason 2. 2. Because others seeing their sins so grieuous and thinking them not possible to bee pardoned say within themselues Well we are damned alreadie why doe we not then whatsouer pleaseth vs best in this life These men are murdered by despaire As Augustine speaketh Or rather murder themselues by not repenting Now for the vse it is thus much Vse This impediment is rarer then the former few there are whom Satan assaies with it because it is too fearefull euen to others and would disaduantage him more then he can gaine by it though he vse it in some where hee seeth it may aduantage him and sometime when he feareth to bee cast out Yet as fewer die of the sword then of surfetting by a plentie and full diet So fewer perish by this then by the other Yet for the taking away of this snare and the remoouing of this impediment euery one that is troubled with it must vnderstand that though their sinnes were neuer so great and hainous yet this should not keepe them from turning to God by vnfained repentance which they may bee assured shall bee accepted for these reasons and grounds First from the name of God and his royall title as it is expressed by God himselfe in the booke of Exodus Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in mercie and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne Where the greatest part of it is mercie goodnes long suffering and readinesse to forgiue And why is all this but for the comfort of such as haue neede of mercie and not onely to encourage them to come but to make them affraid by such feares as these to be kept from him which they cannot doe without denying this vnto them and so bring much dishonour and disgrace vnto him and sinne to themselues For as men much dishonour great princes in doubting of and calling in question their title and regall stiles and make themselues capable of treason so is it in this 2. They must thinke his name is not a bare title as some princes haue without any part of the thing but as his name so is his nature as the Prophet Micha manifesteth Micha 7.18 Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his wrath for euer for mercie pleaseth him And why is this but because as the seruants of Benhadad perswaded him to let them put on sackcloath about their loynes 1. King 20.31 and ropes about their heads and to let them goe to the King of Israel and so humble and submit themselues vnto him because the Kings of Israel were reported to be merciful Kings and therfore said they It may be Ahab will saue thy life So should others incourage themselues in respect of God and not onely because it is his nature but because hee is said to take pleasure in it that he is maruellous glad to haue the occasion to shew his mercie not that he is simply glad of sinne and the miserie of man the obiect of his mercie but glad that sinners wil come to him that hee may manifest his mercie and the greater the sinner is the more gladder of him for it more magnifieth his mercie 3. To ouercome this let vnto repentance they should thinke of the promises of God who is true and cannot lie As these and such like First that of Esay Isal 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and hee will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is very readie to forgiue Also that of Ezekiel Ezech. 18.21.22.23 But if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all my statutes and do that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and not die All his transgressions that hee hath committed they shall not bee mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnes that he hath done hee shall liue Haue I any desire that the wicked should die saith the Lord God or shall he not liue if he turne from his waies And againe by the same Prophet he speaketh Ezech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne
from his way and liue c. And lest these should be thought to appertaine onely to those who haue committed few and small sinnes let them consider that place of Esay and see what manner of men the Lord promiseth forgiuenes vnto vpon their true repentance whose words are Esay 1.18 Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimsin they shall bee made white as snow though they were as red like scarlet they shall bee as wooll And S. Iohn saith 1. Iohn 1.1.9 If we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his son cleanseth vs from all sinne And againe If we acknowledge our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Here is no restraint of number or grieuousnes And if they yet stagger let them take his othe which he hath made to put them out of all doubt of his abundant loue vnto them as it is manifest in the Epistle to the Heb. Heb. 6.17.18 So God willing more abundant lie to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath That by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue the refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before vs. And so vnlesse God bee vntrue and more as a periured person which is blasphemie to thinke this let neede bee no impediment But if it yet haue any more liuely force in them to hinder them let them consider what sinners he hath receiued As Rahab the harlot of which Chrysostom hath this saying Chrysost hom 5. de Poenitent Reported by the Ievves to liue 40. yeeres in vncleannes That Iesus who said Rahab the harlot shall liue was the image of the Lord Iesus saying the harlots and publicans shall goâ—… before you into the kingdome of God Also Manasses and Mary Luke 7.41.25 whose sinnes were like the debt of him that ought fiue hundred pence and of Peter and Paul with infinit others Consider further if God be good peccantibus to those that sin as they haue experience by his patience and many otherwise what will he bee poenitentibus that is to those that repent yea as saith Chrysostome Ambrose If men bee good to seruants when they haue offended and doe receiue them into fauour againe if they humble themselues and not onely haue them in the same account but also giue them more libertie how will God be gratious and good to his If our Sauiour Christ doe thus teach men to vse a motiue to God to forgiue them their sinnes Luke 11. â— For euen we forgiue euery man how much more may it be a ground to them to hope for his mercy when they see how mercifull men are who haue but a dramme of mercie in comparison of that infinite mercie which is in him Now if a man lay together and compound as it were all these simples he may make thereof an excellent confection to keepe him from this euill of despairing of the mercy of God and make him the more able and willing to returne vnto God repent Obiect But some will say you say well Sir God is mercifull but I am so vnworthie of my selfe and I finde so many insirmities in mee that I am not worthie of the mercie of God and therefore I cannot expect it Answ I answer that this is a common obiection which riseth not from humilitie but from the pride of thy heart which maketh thee to say thus because thou wouldest not be beholding to God for his mercie but wouldest haue God bee beholding to thee for thy worthinesse But if thou wouldest haue God to haue the glorie stand not vpon thy infirmities for the more vnworthy thou art in thine own sight the more worthie thou art in the sight of God and the more acceptable because Gods glory is then most magnified As our Sauior Christs power was magnified not in curing one that was a few daies sicke but in curing of him that was 38. yeeres diseased Iohn 5. so the mercie of God is not magnified so much in curing of a small sinner or a few sins but in curing of great sinners doth his goodnes most shew it selfe Doest thou thinke that God is like some Physitians that wil doe nothing without a fee so he will doe no more for thee then thou art worthie of nay it is farre coÌ„trary with God for he neuer cured any who was not brought both to see and know and acknowledge his owne spirituall pouertie and vnworthinesse and to thinke himselfe lesse then the least of Gods mercies When thou art so humbled that with the Centurion thou canst send thy friends Luke 7.6.7 thy prayers to Christ with this message Lord I am not worthie thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe and with Peter Lord depart from me a sinfull man thou shalt find thy soule cured thy sinnes pardoned and Christ will come to thee in mercie Care and pleasures of the vvorld the fifth impediment to repentance And now I come to the fifth impediment which is the cares and pleasures of this present life of the loue of the world and the things of it which is either in seeking for them or in vsing of them This impediment is double those who haue not attained them but are in want or necessitie thinke they may lawfully prouide for the bodie before the soule and deferre the care of this till that be sufficientlie prouided for Those who haue them doe more inlarge their appetite and desire of them inuenting new fresh pleasures daily by which they are kept from this Now that these things are a let if the common experience of euery man doe not sufficientlie proue it then may the testimonies of these places of Scripture confirme it As first that place of S. Luke Luke 14.17 where many being inuited to a wedding all of them made delaies and excuses either profit or pleasure cares or delight hindring them and therefore one preteÌ„ded that he had bought a farme and he must goe and see it and another that he had bought a yoke of oxen and hee must goe and prooue them and another said that hee had married a wife and hee could not come So that one thing or other hindreth them from hearkning to the voice of God So we reade of certaine who heard the Word but were not brought by it to repentance The reason was Matth 13.21 because the cares of the world grew vp as thornes with the seede and the deceitfulnes of riches choked the word and it was made vnfruitfull So the rich man in the Gospell so called because riches was his master euen sâ—tled himselfe vpon his lees and his hope vpon his wealth and debarred himselfe from this dutie of repentance Luke 12.19