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
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
and declining from the euill allowing the good and inclining to it The heart and affections hating and detesting that euill and affecting and louing the good after which followeth inherent holinesse and sanctitie wrought in men called the new man renewed in Christ and this breakes forth in outward good works and the practise of obedience That this is so the places before named doe testifie Dauid saith Psal 34.14 Eschew euill and do good So the Lord speaketh by Esay Esay 1.16 Wash you make you cleane cease to doe euill learne to doe well Hence is that of Ezekiel Ezech. 18.31 Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby yee haue transgressed and make you a new heart and a new spirit that is the heart must be renewed And as Christ saith in the Gospell A new commandement I giue vnto you that is a renewed commandement so here the Lord saith make you a new heart that is renew your heart So the Apostle S. Paul saith to the Ephesians Ephe. 4.23.24 Bee renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new man which after God is created in true holinesse and righteousnesse The same Apostle to the Colossians saith Colos 3.10 Hauing put on the new man which is renewed according to the Image of him that created him Likewise Christ said to Nicodemus Iohn 3.4.5 Except a mā be borne again he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Which was not as Nicodemus conceiued that a man should be borne againe of his mother but he must bee borne of water of the spirit he must be a new creature And for the outward man S. Peter perswades the men of Israel saying Acts 2.38 Amend your liues and be baptized By all which it is manifest that wheresoeuer there is true repentance there is this second part of it namely regeneration which I also manifest by reason thus Reason 1. 1 Because the repentant is in Christ and so one with him and so must needs be a new creature 1. Cor. 5.17 He is also ingrafted into him and by that partaketh of his spirit then of his life and holines yea being partaker of his death he cannot but partake of his resurrection Hence is that of S. Paul Rom. 6.5 If we bee grafted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection and by his spirit bee renewed to newnes of life Whereupon it is that Christ is said to be Reuel 3.14 the beginning of the creatures of God that is the beginning of euery man that is conuerted Reason 2. 2 The second reason is because he that repents is turned to God for so saith Ieremie Ierem. 4. Hee that returnes to him hath renewed fellowship and vnion with him which he lost by his sin but this cannot be if he be not renewed and walk in the light As S. Iohn saith 1. Iohn 1.6.7 If wee say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknes we lie and doe not truly But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another Then it followeth that they who are turned to God must needes be renewed But it must be vnderstood that this regeneration is not perfect so that man is not perfectly holy by an inherent holinesse but as whole sinne is not abolished so neither is this regeneration perfect and sanctification wholly obtained Therefore the Apostle saith Rom. 6.12 Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Hee doth not say saith Augustine Let not sin be in your mortall bodies for that cannot be obtained but let it not reigne that is let it not haue dominion and rule ouer you And againe he saith to the Galathians Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these two are contrarie by flesh vnderstanding norruption by spirit the regenerate part Now these two are contrary and while a man is in this life he shall neuer be free from this fight the experience of all regenerate teacheth the same Yea euen S. Paul himselfe found this Rom. 7.23 That the law of his members rebelled against the law of his mind leading him captiue to sinne And he was neuer perfect and free from this inward corruption If you aske then what is taken away by Christ I answere we must consider two things in sinne 1. The guilt of sinne which the Schoolemen call the forme of sinne The second is the corruption of sinne which they call the matter of sin Wee say that in euery regenerate man the guilt is taken away and the forme of sinne is wholly gone but the matter in part remaineth and when we speake of mortification wee doe not say that a man that hath repented hath all his sinnes and affections wholly mortified but so farre as the strength and power of them is broken and weakened but the stumps of them remaine still As the Apostle to the Romanes saith Rom. 6.6 By Christ our old man is crucified that the bodie of sin might be destroyed Not that sinne is vtterly gone for that cannot be in this life but the strength and power of it is destroyed Now if sinne bee not wholly mortified a man cannot bee wholly regenerated therefore they are both mixt together for the corruption of the one is the generation of the other and if the whole bee not corrupted then part must needes bee regenerate for all things are but here in part and must after be perfected And the Lord hath so dealt to leaue corruption in men to the end he might humble them in the sight of it and to sharpen their prayers This vse the Apostle Paul made of it 2. Cor. 12.7 when he had the buffet of Satan and the prick of the flesh to humble him and to make him the more feruent to God by prayer to giue him grace to ouercome it So hath God ordained that men should not come to perfection in this life to humble them in the sight of their sinnes and that their prayers might be made vnto him with more earnestnes and feruencie for strength against their infirmities And here wee may applie that of Augustine distinguishing men into three sorts Some saith he August cont Iul. Pelag. are only spirit without the sight of the flesh these are the blessed in heauen others are onely flesh without the fight of the spirit these are men vnregenerated for their sinne rules verie peaceably others are partly flesh partly spirit and therefore they finde a fight betwixt these and a wrastling in their hearts these are they who are regenerated and renewed by the spirit of God consisting of flesh and spirit Which is the state of the most regenerate in this life who though they haue attained to the greatest measure of holinesse yet neither are they nor can be without their measure of corruption These things then thus explaned
let vs consider the vses Vse 1. And first this teacheth vs that if this be the second part of repentance and that there is none which is true sound and sauing repentance but it hath necessarilie these two parts as there is no man but bee hath and consisteth of soule and bodie and one part maketh not a man then not onely prophane and wicked men are without repentance but many others also who haue made a good reformation in the outward man and haue a shew of this godlines but not the power of it doing all this but for some sinister respect vpon some vaine glorie pride or conceit of merit or expectation of reward or such like For in their mindes they disallow not the euil that they in former times committed because it is euill neither now approue the good because it is good Againe in their willes they reiect not the euill and decline from it because it is euill nor allowing the good and incline thereto because it is good 3. In their hearts they hate not the euill because it is euil but as the dog casteth vp his vomit because it is troublesome nor loue and affect the good because it is good but for that it brings good to them And that which is worst in all these they approue and gratulate themselues which argueth that they are farre from this true regeneration which doth these for Gods sake because they are good and checks a man when hee hath erring or indirect affections to them and conceits of them and so shewes that they are farre from regeneration and inward holines which leaues outward things and appearances because they are like that which it selfe is in deed and in trueth And that for all this outward reformation such men haue not artained to true and sound repentance And though this is not so apparant to men that are afarre off and conuerse not with them yet is it to them that shall be nigh them and see their conuersation who may easily diseerne it by their speeches the messenger of the mind Jndex animi and by their cariage when for a greater good or benefit they will soone neglect the good yea commit the euill which they haue seemed to haue forsaken and not be smitten for it in their heart but euen wipe their mouthes as the harlot in the Prouerbs as if they had done no such thing which befals not to a regenerate man who though he may and do sometimes fall into the like sinnes yet is free from such deepe securitie and not without the checkes of his conscience which though he may smother for a time yet will they haue their fruit at length in him as in Dauid Vse 2. The second vse is to perswade euery man to labour to be regenerated and renewed in the whole man as he hath bin corrupted in the whole and to be resolued that though he cannot indeed bee wholy renewed yet must he be so in the whole that is in some measure in euery part For no man must looke to be renewed here in that measure he was corrupted either in the inward or the outward man and so to attaine to perfection of holines but the true repentant beginning by a little and little both may and ought to increase more and more towards perfection As it was with Naaman when hee was purged from his leprosie his flesh came againe as the flesh of a yong child so when as man is purged from the leprosie of sinne hee beginneth to bee renewed as a childe groweth who hath all the parts of a man but not the perfection of any so hath this true repentant all the parts of regeneration but not any one in perfection hee hath all parts somwhat reformed though not wholly reformed I say hee is both in the will mind and affections though not perfectly For this must euery one labor and though his grace bee but small in the beginning yet must he not bee discouraged for it is the state of all the children of God that a long time corruption will be greater then grace a long time there will be more chaffe then corne in them But if he in the meane while dislike his corruptions and bewaile his defects hee may assure himselfe he hath his measure of regeneration for no man can doe so in truth but he that is regenerat Yet let no man thinke that because he hath somewhat and is in part regenerate therefore he hath enough and so fet downe his rest as if hee neede goe no further for then shall hee deceiue himselfe seeing the true sanctifying grace is seede that will and doth increase and multiplie not salt that remaineth and maketh barren If men then doe not increase and grow in their graces they haue good cause to suspect them to be rather counterfeit then currant If they doe increase they may be assured their graces are of the right stampe indeede But some man wil happily demand how much he is bound to increase or what measure of increase will proue his graces to be true I answere him that according to the meanes God hath giuen him and the time he hath liued vnder those meanes and the opportunitie hee had to vse them so much ought he to increase For as in temporall things euery man groweth according to the meanes he hath and the time for the vse of his meanes so in spirituall things euery man that hath true grace ought to haue it still increasing and he may be assured that if it be hid in a napkin and continue without increase it is not true grace So that many men who pleased themselues because they haue had some beginnings of good motions now and then in which yet they haue not gone forward nor increased answerable to their meanes haue deceiued themselues while they haue iudged them true and sufficient As the Lord said to the people by Hosea when they had good motions in them which were soone smothered Hosea 6.4 Oh Ephraim what shall I doe vnto thee Oh Iuda how shall Lintreate thee for your goodnes is as a morning cloude and as the morning dew it goeth away As if hee should say Thou hast many good motions and good desires but they are so soone extinct that I know not what to doe with thee So may he say to many a man among vs You haue many good motions and desires but they are but desires many good beginnings but no proceedings yea all is scattered as the cloud and vanished as the dew what shall I say vnto you surely no otherwise then as deceiuers and hypocrites curse you as the sigtree in the Gospell that you neuer prosper more But lest any such thing befall vs and seeing an increase is required of vs Phil. 3.13 let vs forget that which is behind and eudeuour our selues vnto that which is before Hebr. 12.1 running forward in the race that is set before vs Phil. 3.14 and following hard toward the
images of siluer Isai 30.22 and the rich ornament of their images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous cloath and say vnto it Get thee hence Yea euen those images Isai 31.7 which their owne hands haue made shewing the indignation that they should haue with themselues for their sinnes So when Ephraim repented this was the effect of her repentance Ierem. 31.19 When I conuerted I repented and after that I was instructed I smote vpon my thigh I was ashamed yea euen confounded because I did beare the reproch of my youth Likewise the bitter weeping of Peter and the carriage of Mary Magdalene manifest the truth of this doctrine Lastly this is that which the Lord noteth should bee in his people when they had repented Ezek. 16.63 Thou shalt remember and bee ashamed and neuer open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done Then this indignation goeth euer with true repentance and is inseparable from it which these testimonies prooue and the reasons also ensuing will confirme Reason 1. 1. Because hee that hath truly repented is reconciled to God and is become his spouse his friend and his child Then can it not be but he will dislike that which hath displeased him and bee offended with himselfe for that which may make any breach betwixt God and himselfe For so wee see in any of these that when they haue done but the least thing that may offend they take on greatly with themselues and the more where more loue is Reason 2. 2. Because now he knoweth how sin maketh a separation betwixt him and his God abandoning God from him and withdrawing his heart from God and therefore is displeased with it and angrie with himselfe for it As a chaste spouse and modest Matron is offended with her selfe when shee hath looked or spoken or done any thing amisse which maketh her husband to withdraw himself from her or steales her owne heart from him Reason 3. 3. Because he that hath repented is regenerate and so made holie therefore he hateth and abhorreth sinne for it is naturall to holines to abhorre and loth sinne Hence is that of Lactantius Naturale bono est ad alterius peccatum moueri incitari sicut naturale malo lapsu alieno gaudere Lactan. de ira Dei c. 17. It is naturall to good to bee mooued and affected with the sinne of another as it is naturall to euill to reioyce in the fall of another Then much more to be affected with and grieued with his own euil sins yea with himself for them This indignation thē in al proofe and reason being an effect of repentance may as the former instruct vs thus Vse 1. 1. That many men perswade themselues and are deceiued by their owne harts thinking that they haue truly repented when the time is yet to come that euer they were angrie and offended with themselues for the sin they had committed or disliked and hated their sin Nay many most liue still in their sins and loue them because they bring them in pleasure honor gaine c. As some Courts haue liked of and hountenanced Informers because they bring sacks to the mill and as the Pope doth the stewes because of the reuenew hee receiues thereby so they like of their sinnes because of that good which commeth of them as they account good and therefore they will not leaue them neither can they dislike or hate them Yea oftentimes whē they are gauled or grieued for them by some reproofe of conscience or by the word by some afflictiō or iudgement as beggers euer anon are by their sores yet as they will not haue those sores cured because they are a couer for ease and idlenes and now and then bring them in a peny and therefore cannot endure the Surgeans but if they be forced to receiue some plaister they will pull it off specdilie againe when his backe is once turned so is it with these men in their sins they dislike them not they would not be cured of them nay they dislike them who would helpe to pull them out of them And therefore as Demetrius cried out against Paul Acts. 19.25 amongst his crafts-mates because hee would ouerthrow their craft by which they got their goods so doe these men against all them which would ouerthrow their trade and custome of sinning And if this be a signe of true repentance and an vnseparable fruite such men deceiue themselues if they think they haue repented Moreouer some men there be that can leaue their sinnes who yet neuer did nor do lothe them or were angry with themselues for them but therefore only left them either because they found losse and damage by them as the young man his ioy and prodigalitie when he groweth in yeeres or because strength of bodie and abilitie faileth them as the adulterer his follie or because they haue felt the smart of them as when the hand of God or the sword of the Magistrate hath met with them But that these neuer disliked their sinnes is manifest for they haue but changed prodigalitie for couetousnes which argueth no true dislike of sin or indignation for that is as well against loue as another and if against any thou against all whereupon these men when they haue strength returne to the stewes againe and when the hand of God is once remooued from them to their former sinnes They were offended with this not with their sinnes and therefore neuer trulie repented To these wee may adde also all such as talke of the sinnes and infirmities of their youth with ioy or without indignation so shewing directly that they haue left them but not repented of them Vse 2. 2. This may comfort as many as find this indignation and anger in them against themselues their sine who though they be ouer come sometimes by their passions and their pleasures of sin and by other means drawn into it yet when they haue done they are offended and in a fume with themselues and angrie and dislike it and can say in truth that which S. Paul did Rom. 7.15 I allow not that which I doe for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. Euen as Ammon after he had abused his Sister Tamen 2. Sam. 13.15 he put her away with indignation and hatred yea with more hatred then euer he had loue to her before So if they put away their sinnes with more batred then euer they loued them and affected them before which if it bee indeed for sinne because it is sinne and because they haue offended God as a father not only as a Iudge it is true indignation For this hatred and indignation must be like his sorrow which if it bee true is such as grieues for sinne principally because it is sin and maketh one then to grieue when there is no conscience
they Peter 1.2.2 As new borne babes would desire the sincere milke of the word as if he said Are ye indeed new borne by repentance and regenerated then desire the milke of the word as the child desireth the breast This also is manifest in the Canticles where is expressed what a desire the spouse of Christ had vnto her husband Draw me saith she Cantic 1.3 and we will runne after thee the king hath brought me into his chambers we will reioyce and be glad in thee we will remember thee more than wine c. And Dauid saith Psalm 19.97 O how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually See in all these and by all this how this desire and repentance haue and must goe hand in hand yea and that also with good reason Reason 1. 1. Because the repentant hath tasted of God and his word his goodnes and the sweetnes of it wherein he can find no satietie at all he can neuer haue enough he is neuer satiffied but the more he hath the more hee may and the more he desireth still As Augustine cōfessed after his calling when he had repented and begun once to taste how good the Lord was that he tasted too late of him Serò te amaui pulchritudo tam antiqua tam noua serô te amaui August Confes lib. 10. cap. 27. I haue loued thee too late O thou beautie most ancient yet euer new and fresh I haue loued thee too late So questiōles he thought he had tasted too little and so shall all thinke who haue once truly begun to taste of God for there is no satietie and a man cannot haue his full apprehension of God and his word till hee come to enioy him face to face and til he come where hee shall hunger no more If any one obiect that of our Sauiour Christ which he spake Iohn 4.14 Whosoeuer shall drink of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer bee more athirst Therefore there is satietie of these spirituall things I answere he meaneth not that a man should haue such satietie in them as that hee should desire them no more but that while he tasteth of them he should thirst after no other As a man whose palate tasteth of that meate or liquor which delites it desireth no other but yet thirsteth and hungreth after that still so he that drinks of Christs water shall find that contentment in it that hee doth not desire any other though he thirsteth still for this Reason 2. 2. Because the true repentant is inlightned with some knowledge more then hee had of God and his word Now as a man increaseth in knowledge so hee doth in loue for by his knowledge he apprehends more causes of loue in the thing loued Then as men are hardlie drawne to loue without cause so where they see cause they loue and where there are more causes they loue more And hence it is that the repentant hath more loue to God and his word because he seeth now more causes why hee should desire and loue them then he did before when hee liued in ignorance Now from this point we may learne these things Vse 1. 1. That it is no wonder that there is so little loue and desire to be found in our age toward God and his word and of spirituall things seeing the doctrine and practise of repentance is so little knowne and vsed yea and that it is so this will prooue it 1. Because all the desire of most men is set vpon the world Now you know in a Conduit the more water goeth by one pipe the lesse must needs goe by another yea as Christ saith that a man cannot loue both God and Mammon so not the word and the world Againe they mightily and miserablie complaine of too much preaching and teaching thinking the labourers too many which Christ thought too few or else that they are too diligent murmuring as it were against God that he hath in some sort and some places fulfilled his word that he spoke by Isaiah Esay 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea meaning the meanes of knowledge Which must needs argue that these complainers are no louers of God and his word but haue soules loathing this light foode Manna and so though it grieue me to speake it more then I know it wil them to heare it yet I must tell them that this little loue to the word nay this loathing of it doth manifestly conuince them to be without true repentance and so to be in the state of damnation and in the snare of the Diuell which hath taken them at his will Vse 2. 2. This will leade vs to a fit marke and note whereby euery man may know whether hee hath true repentance Thou knowest thine owne hart so doe not I but God knoweth it and iudgeth Then canst thou not deceiue him Therefore examine thine owne heart whether thou hast this desire in thee or not whether as a new borne babe thou desirest the sincere milke of the word and hunger after spiritual things as after spirituall treasure and riches Doest thou in some measure follow Dauid whose loue to the word of God was not onely a wonder to others but to himself saying Psalm 1 19. Lord how loue I thy law Or if thou canst not find this desire in thee then doest thou dislike thy selfe and bewaile thy dull affections after spirituall things Bee thou then comforted in it that it is some token that thou art partaker of repentance But thou wilt demaund how thou shalt know whether thou hast this desire or no seeing euery man is apt to challenge this vnto himself who hath nothing lesse Answ I answer thee that thou shalt know it by this if thou findest no satietie in heauenly things but the more thou tastest of them the more thou desirest for as the truth and the word of God is not vnfitlie compared to the waters of the sea which the deeper thou drawest from the bottome the sweeter thou shalt find them so the more knowledge a man hath in spirituall things the more delightfull will they be to him though in the beginning to the taste of a naturall man they are bitter and vnpleasant till he be changed So againe may they be compared to the same waters of the sea which the more a man drinkes of them the more hee desires still So the more a man truly tasteth of the word of God the more he shall desire it still hee will neuer bee satisfied and hee thinkes hee can neuer haue enough Hee then that findeth this in himselfe may bee assured that hee hath repented for this desire being present godly sorrow cannot bee absent and wanting But alas many men are like the woman of Samaria who when Christ had said Iohn 4.15 Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer
any man in a beastly and beggerly house offer to receiue a king And know as Chrysostome saith Nec sane sub vna die adornetur domus Christo sed per totam vitae nostrae aetatem aeterno principi in referenda humani peccaetoris aula componatur c. Chrysost hom de militia Christ That one day is not enough to repaire or adorne a house for Christ but a man had neede to spend his whole life in repairing the hall of his heart for the eternall king But thou hast sinned let it repent thee for repentance doth purge a sinner and repaireth holines in him The impediments of repentance In the next place in this doctrine of repentance we must-speake of the impediments which hinder men from the doing of it and from the speedie doing of it And the first of these is ignorance not that I suppose any in the Church is ignorant that it ought to bee but ignorance of the nature of repentance how it is a change how there must be a mortification and regeneration and such like and as concerning this I say Ignorance the first impediment of repentance Ignorance of the nature substance and parts of repentance is a great impediment to keepe men from repentance and from the speedie and continuall practise of it which is manifest by that of Nicodemus who was amazed at this doctrine of repentance and regeneration as neuer hauing heard of any such thing before for when Christ said vnto him Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Nicodemus thought that Christ had spoken of a naturall birth and said 3. Iohn 3.4 How can a man be borne which is old can he enter into his mothers wombe againe and be borne He could not be ignorant that such a thing was to be performed as being a great Rabbi in Israel and therfore knew the exhortations of the Prophets Eschew euill and doe good But yet the nature and as it were the marrow and pith of this he knew not and so could not make speede to performe it So was it with Peters hearers for when they were pricked and touched in their hearts by the preaching of Peter Acts 2.37.38 They said men and brethren what shall we doe Peter then calleth them to repentance and said Amend your liues and be baptised c. So that wee may see by these men what was the impediment why they had not hitherto performed it neither could performe it now that they saw their sinne and their miscrie ◅n by reason of their ignorance of it So was it with the Iayler Acts 16.30 who being astonied at the miraculous opening of the prison dore came trembling and fell downe at Pauls feete and said what shall I doe to be saued where we see that he was ignorant of this doctrine of repentance and therefore could not repent So is it with all others ignorance is that which hath and will keepe them from repentance and reason there is for it Reason 1. 1. Because men will neuer desire that they know not and lesse endeuour and labour for it which vsually followeth their desire Euen as a Hawke that seeketh not after the prey while she is hooded though otherwise she haue a great desire vnto it No maruaile then that these men while they are ignorant labour not for it nor desire it Reason 2. 2. Because if they could desire yet they could not performe for many may haue a general blind deuotiō to a thing which they are not able for their ignorance to do As many men seeing the cunning works of some artificers may haue a desire to do the like but are not able to performe any one of them seeing they are ignorant of the art no maruell then if all the while men are ignorant of repentance they performe it not And hence may wee learne Vse 1. 1. Whence it is that in our times as in all times this dutie is so little practised it is manifest to be the ignorance of it for to say nothing of the common beleefe and confession of men who when they talke of saluation they say they hope to be saued by their good meaning and good works and neuer thinke or speake of any such matter as repentance and regeneration at least as the Scripture speaketh of it yea to let passe those errors which possesse many of the learned and take vp their thoughts as well as the ignorant as iustification by works inherent holinesse mans own righteousnes which argue plaine ignorance of this doctrine of repentance and regeneration I say to let passe these what an infinit number of men liue in the Church whose eares heare often of this from the mouthes of their Ministers that they must repent and so they know the name of it but vnderstand nothing of the nature of it none of the doctrine but they thinke and are so deluded by Satan and their owne selfeloue and naturall reason that hauing once the sight of their sinnes and their consciences conuinced out of Gods word if they doe but in some generall termes confesse that they are all sinners and desire God after a formall manner to haue mercie vpon them if they can sometime straine from them a broken sigh and be content to leaue some of their lesse pleasing sinnes though they neuer knew what the turning of the whole man meant what it is to mortifie one member or to be renewed in any part inward or outward neither had experience of any such things in themselues as are the fruits of true repentance I say if vpon these sleight and small performances they should not be accepted of God and man as good repentants they will quarell as those hypocrites of whom the Prophet Esay speaketh Esay 58.3 who say Wherefore haue we fasted and thou seest it not we haue punished our selues and thou regardest it not c. But he will answere them that he cannot away with their sicke and blind and lame sacrifices Malac. 1.6.7.8 though they say they are not euill yet he accounteth them but the pollution and despising of his name Vse 2. 2. If knowledge of repentance be so necessarie vnto repentance as without which a man cannot repent then if there be any desire of this dutie in any man hee must endeuour to remooue this first let and impediment for this being in him will not onely hinder him from the speedie doing of it as fetters may hinder the speede of the swift but make him he shall neuer be able to doe it As no man can exercise any Arte that vnderstands not the principles nature of it Though some thinke a man may vnderstand the nature of an Arte and teach it others yet neuer be able to practise it himselfe as they say a man may know Musicke and be able to teach others and yet be neuer able to play himselfe yet sure it is he that doth not know this cannot act
himself from the Lord that he would 2. Sam. 16.12 looke vpon his affliction and to doe him good for their cursing amongst other things happily this good which Dauid speaketh of that the Lord would make him of the very sume seruants which Michol told him had despised him 2. Sam. 6.22 to be had in honour So that God wil make those who now reproch and dospise him afterwards to honour him yea and to glorifie God for them 1. Pet. 4.2.12 in the day of their visitation when God shall call them And as for scandals which arise from professors hee must learne to put a difference betwixt the person and the profession and not for the faults of him to condemne this I haue heard it often obserued that in many handie crafts the more skilfull the trades man is the more vitious he proues in his carriage as in drunkennes and such like yet no man condemnes his Art for all that and why then should men condemne this art of pietie for the impieties of the professors of it Alas how many should haue stumbled at pietie when Dauid fell into his vncleane and bloody sinne how many at Christianitie when Iudas an Apostle of Christ hanged himselfe being before filthie and couetous how many at Peters deniall and forswearing his Master Nay take heede whosoeuer thou art and know that these scandals may be laid before thee in Gods iustice that thou mightest stumble at to thy destruction but labor to make good out of their euils and let them moue thee to striue and pray for more grace that thou maist be able to stand though they fall And thinke that if a wo◠belong to them who giue the scandall which yet by their repentance they may auoid it cannot be well with thee which takest the scandal and art by it kept from repentance The peaceable ends of sinners is the seuenth impediment to repentance Now we must proceede to the seuenth let and impediment which is the ends of other men who hauing liued very wickedly and vngratiouslie yet haue died very peaceablie and either in truth or shew very happily whereupon they gather that they also may make the like end though they liue impiouslie and impenitentlie all the daies of their liues hence it is that nothing is so common in their mouthes as the good theefe saued at the last houre who at the last houre passed from the state of a wicked man to the condition of a godly man and out of the place of dead bodies into the place of liuing soules yea and they will long talke of the end of a wicked man or men which they haue seene or heard to haue been quiet and peaceable to animate themselues to goe on still in their sinnes and keepe them from repentance Yea they will not passe ouer the vnquiet ends and deaths of many who haue repented and their vncomfortablenes at their death who exercised this dutie much in their life time and so are kept from this repentance yea and they haue reason why they should not make such hast to this Reason 1. 1. Because they thinke of themselues that they haue liued and do still liue a farre more orderly and ciuill life then they haue done though not so holily as some others And so doubt not to make as good or rather a better ende then the best of them Reason 2. 2. Because in the hypocrifie of their hearts they perswade themselues that they are the children of God and more deere vnto him thē those whose ends they remember and therefore make no doubt to find as much fauour as they suppose they haue done alreadie Reason 3. Thirdly because by the discomfortable ends of such as haue repented Satan worketh vpon their corruption and perswades them that it is abootelesse and vnprofitable thing for them to vexe and disquiet themselues in crucifying their corruptions seeing they see but little fruite of it in the end But let vs make some vse of these mens follie Vse Euery man ought to striue against this if they desire at all to bee saued which must bee by repentance they ought to labour to remooueit which that they may doe the more easilie they should first remember and consider it well that the quiet ends of most wicked men though not of all commeth partly by the iustice of God and partly by the subtiltie of S◅n and their owne corruption so to blind them that they may haue and doe still imagine that they are as deare to God as any of his and as sure of heauen and euerlasting happinesse and life though they neuer repented in truth neither knew hee what it meant And to change Augustines words a little Sperando desperando pereunt homines c. By hoping and despaire many men perish I say By hoping and presuming manie perish hoping euill in their liues but presuming worse in their deaths And this God doth either lest they should bee conuerted and bee saued as the Lord commandeth in Esay Esay 6.10 to make the heart of this people fat make their eares heauie and shut their eies lest they see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts and conuert and hee heale them Or that their companions who haue contemned God and his lawes with them might bee hardned in their course he hauing a purpose to destroy both the one and the other If it proceed from Satans craft and subtiltie that men be thus holdē in impenitencie then is it after this manner he being sure of them and by the former delusion hauing held them seeing what is for his purpose will not trouble them but feede them on still with a vaine hope of saluation by which not onely they dying are as the diuell said to Saul 1. Sam. 28.19 To morow thou and thy sonnes shall be with me so they and their soules with him but he also holdeth many in his power still who outliue them which would be made to bethink themselues if they should see their companions for their former courses to be at their deaths full of doubts and perplexities Againe this should bee thought on when the repentant dieth not so comfortable that it argueth not he neuer had it because now hee hath not the seeling of it no more then a mans feeling of nothing but aches and paines will prooue that he was neuer healthfull or that it is not now because it appeareth not for so should all trees in the winter be accounted dead because their life appeareth not for as this commeth from extremitie of cold so that may come from extremitie of heate by a burtting ague which may so distemper the braine that he may be like Peter in the mount speake he know not what The iudgement of a man then is to be fetched from his life in former time for as he liue◠and beleeued so shall he end in trueth whatsoeuer he do in shew for the
must as well be performed in bodie as soule Reason 2. 2. Because as vnitie and agreement is pleasant and acceptable vnto him betwixt man and man so much more would it please him that a man agree with himselfe Hence in the law was forbidden sowing diuers seeds in the same field making garments of halfe linnen and halfe wollen mourning in a festiuall time as Nehemiah Nehem. 8.9 with the Priests and Leuites that instructed the people said vnto them This day is holy vnto the Lord your God mourne not neither weepe How vndecent and vnacceptable then would this disagreement be betwixt the soule and the bodie that when the one weepeth the other should laugh when the soule is humbled with sorrow and feare the bodie should be puffed vp and swell in ioy and pleasure Reason 3. 3. Because it will further his repentance namely for the mortification of the flesh and the corrupt lusts of it and bringing it into obedience to the spirit for it requires abstinence from pleasure and abundance of diet whatsoeuer is aboue necessitie yea often the abating of that That as horses the more plentifully they are fed the more fierce and vntractable they are when as by withdrawing their prouender they are made subiect to their rider such is the flesh by abundance made to rebell And as a seruant that hath too much laid vpon him more than he can vndergoe reprocheth and reuileth his master so the bellie too full corrupts the minde and vnderstanding as Chrysostome speaketh Hom. 45. in Matth. but when it is abated of that it is brought into subiection of the spirit and soule Obiection Heere may some obiect that our Sauiour Christ willeth men when they fast Matth. 6.16 not to looke sower as the hypocrites for they dissigure their faces that they might seeme vnto men to fast Also that of the Prophet Ioel Ioel 2.13 Rent your hearts and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God And that of Dauid Psalm 51.17 The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit By which places it seemeth that the Lord requireth the inward humiliation and not the outward Answere I answere the inward is the principall which God requireth but he will also haue the other and in requiring of this more principallie he reiects not that The inward is more in request with God as the outward with man in their seruices Yet as man would haue both so God will though principallie he require the inward and if he seeme to reiect the outward the cause is for that he findeth it seuered from the other and done in hypocrisie which he abhors as much as he did a dead carrion or carcase brought to him for a sacrifice vnder the law when he required liuing sacrifices such are these when the soule is not humbled with the bodie Yet in some cases the outward may be omitted as when by vsing it men shall incurre the suspition of hypocrisie and a desire of vaine-glory in which respect Christ our Sauiour forbid it But rather the reproofe is because priuate things are done publikely and such as should be betwixt God and himselfe are acted in the view of the world Now for the vse of this Vse 1. vpon this we may iustly feare that many men are farre from humiliation and so from repentance from inward because they so much detest the outward a thing they neither will nor doe practise for we may well feare that they who doe not the lesse and the easier will not do the greater nor practise the harder Now it is a far lesse and easier thing to practise humiliation in the bodie then in the soule in the members then in the heart as it is easier to bend a bough then the bodie of a tree speciallie then the roote And besides men be naturallie hypocrites and more apt to performe the outward humiliation which being not found giues vs fuspition that the inward is far from them Vse 2. 2 To perswade men to labour for this that their outward humiliation may be correspondent to the inward as we finde the apparell of men is agreeable to their coditions and course of life And therefore this inward humble repentant must put on a black mourning weede that as he is in soule and conscience cast down by the sight of his sinne and sense of the wrath of God so he may behaue himselfe accordingly and expresse his inward humiliation in all his words deeds and in the whole course of his life which he ought to labour for as for the reasons before so because it will be very profitable for him in respect of the inward for the confirming and increasing of it For as it is in all other parts of holinesse the more they are practised by the bodie in life and action the more they are confirmed and increased inwardly in the soule so the more that a man giueth himselfe to the vse of all outward exercises of humiliation before men the more doth hee humble himselfe in the sight of God Therefore labour for this that thou maist increase thy true humiliation to thy comfort All this while I speake of particular and ordinarie outward humiliation and repentance which is not necessarily required that it should be done publikely It is a thing that hath beene obserued in many that they breake forth into teares and sighings in the congregation I simplie condemne it not I would iudge charitablie of it but yet if I may aduise them I thinke it fit they abstaine from such outward things in publike place and doe it betwixt God and themselues rather when they are alone knowing not what construction others may make of it Sighs may come suddenly vpon a man but to doe as some doe to sit in the face of the preacher one whole houre together sâ—ghing and sobbing and their eies shâ—l of teares will breede some suspitions as if they did it to be seene of men Let particular mourning then be in the secret chamber betwixt God and thy selfe but when the whole congregation hath cause of mourning and doth sanctifie an assemblie for that end it may well be done and ought to be performed of particular men in the publike place neither can it be iustlie censured in an euill sense Verball humiliation is confession Now to the particulars of this humiliation and first of that which is in word which is called Confession Confession Confession of sinnes is a part of humiliation and euer ioyned with true repentance they can not be truly humbled and repent who confesse not their sinnes vnto God And they who repent must and doe confesse Hence is that saying of Salomon Prou. 28.13 He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie Thus Dauid confesseth his sinnes vnto God and saith Against Psalm 51.4 5. thee against thee onely haue I sinned and done euill in thy sight Behold I was borne
in sinne and in iniquitie hath my mother conceiuedme So the same Dauid 2. Sam. 24.10 after he had sinned by numbring the people and was touched in heart for it he confessed vnto the Lord that hee had sinned exceedingly in that hee had done so Nehemiah bewailing the captiuitie of Ierusalem said Nehem. 1.7 We haue grieuouslie sinned against thee and haue not kept thy commandements nor the slatures nor the iudgements which thou commâ—odest thy seruant Moses So Danel confessed and said Dan. 9.5 We haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and departed from thy precepts and from thy indecent Reason 1. Now the reason of this truth is first because confession is a part of humiliation For euery man is charie of his owne credit and estimation and cannot indure from any other to heare any thing that may impaire the same but it is vtterly against his owne stomacke to vtter any thing any way tending to his owne disgrace to cast mire in his owne face Hence he couereth his faults by all meanes possible but if he cannot stay that hee will be sure to keepe his owne counsell So that whensoeuer a man is brought willingly and plainely to confesse his sins it is a great argument and proofe of his humiliation Reason 2. 2. Because there is no repentance without this for he will neuer forsake and turne from his sinnes who wil not confesse then for as it is with the bodie hee that will not confesse to the Physitian the meat where of he surfeited it is apparent he neuer meaneth to forsake that meate so hee that will not confesse his sinnes and acknowledge that to be the cause of his hurt will neuer come to forsake them Reason 3. 3. Because there will be no pardon else for God couers when men vnâ—…uer and acknowledge hee iustifies when men condemne hee pardons when men accuse themselues And if any man pleade non est of actâ—m and denie his deed and his debt there is no reason he should haue the 〈◊〉 of grace Q. To whom must this confession be made Ans To God But is theâ—… no confession at al to be made 〈◊〉 Yes there is â—…ciuill confession and an Enclesiasticall confession Ciuill confession is when a malefactor confesseth to the Iudge a seruant to his master or a child to his father So Achan confessed to Iosuah Gehazi confessed to his master But there is besides another ciuill confession when one man confesseth vnto another an offence committed against him which is also lawfull and taught by the Apostle S. Iames when he saith Iames 5.16 Acknowleege your faults one to another which is not meant of a sacramentall confession as the Papists would haue it witnes euen their owne Cardinal Caietan who in his Commentarie vpon that place obserueth that it cannot be vnderstood of the sacrament of Confession because the Apostle doth not say acknowledge your faults to the Priest but one to another therefore the meaning of the Apostle is that when a man lieth sicke to the intent that they come to visit him may the more carnestlie pray for him there should passe a mutuall confession of the offences committed one against another The Ecclesiasticall confession is when a man hath committed some publike offence as adulterie or periurie c. he is censured by the Church to stand in an appointed place in the publike assemblie and in a publike maner to make confession of his fault and to â—estifie his repentance that the congregation may be satisfied and he receiued into their fauour and loue againe Q. But is there none other particular confession Ans There is no other of any absolute necessitie but by consequence it may be necessarie that is when a man is distracted in his minde and is discomforted and can finde no comfort in himselfe nor is able to apply vnto himself the comforts of God he is bound to confesse his griefe to some who is able to applie vnto him the promises of the Gospel for the delaying of his spiritual malady as much as a man that is bodily sicke and cannot cure himselfe is bound to send for a Physitian and shew him his griefe that he may helpe to cure him But so as he is not bound to any one man or that he must needes be a Preacher or a Minister so he make choice of an able man well experienced trustie and secret for often times in the matter of conscience or distraction of minde a priuate man may giue more comfort then many a good Preacher As in the bodie in many diseases an experienced man who hath been subiect to and cured of them can better tell how to helpe and cure another then a learned Physitian who is without that home-bred experience so many a priuate man by his owne experience of the terrors of his conscience and the gratious comforts he found from God in due time can better tell how to administer a word of comfort and shall more fitly doe it then many a learned Minister who neuer had the like terrors and so not the like experience As the Apostle speaketh generallie 1. Cor. 1.4 God hath comforted vs in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any tribulation by the comfort wherewith we our selues are comforted of God And this confession wee speake of is a necessarie thing for all such as bee in the condition mentioned whether they be learned or ignorant whether of the Laitie or of the Clergie euen to one as well as to another For oftentimes it may fall to a Minister to haue this trouble of conscience and distraction of mind so that he shall not be able to administer comfort to himselfe Basil hath such a saying That a Physitian bee hee neuer so skilfull or expert yet being fallen into some disease may by reason of the passion or extremitie of his sicknes which may breed and bring obliuion of his Art be often not able to helpe himselfe but bee forced to seeke helpe of another so a Minister may be in that condition that he may be driuen to seeke helpe and comfort of another man and so had need to confesse as well as another But some will demand what I think of the confession of Poperie which is pressed vpon men to be made of al sins and that to a Priest vpon paine of damnation Answer I thinke of it as an excellent policie and full of humane wisdome and as the greatest meanes for the vpholding of Poperie that the world affoordeth except the Inquisition for by this means they know the harts affections and dispositions of men by which they can tel how to prouide for themselues either for the greater increasing of themselues or for the preuenting of a mischiefe comming vpon them but for the thing it self there is no tittle in the Scripture to prooue it for that in the Epistle of Iames Iames 5.16
mortified though no man can wholly mortifie his sinne the body of sinne may bee destroyed but the stumps of sinne will remaine in euery man to goe to the graue with him as it came out of the wombe with him Vse 1. 1. The first vse of this doctrine is to teach vs that if this be a part of repentance then is it not so easie a thing as the world takes it to be to repent and turne from sinne for if it were onelie the turning and changing of the outward act of sin the leauing of all these vaine and idle lasciuious and wanton speeches of the act of oppression vsurie adulterie theft prophaning of the Sabbath swearing and a thousand such like wherewith the life of a man abounds yet is it not a thing so easilie compassed as men do dreame because of the profit pleasure and delight which they bring vnto them as experience teacheth euery man both in himselfe and others But when that is had it is nothing to the other If this be so hard what is it to kill crucifie and mortifie a mans affections and sinnes as deare vnto him as his members and therfore so called Coloss 3.5 Mortifie your members If it be a hard thing for a man to indure a little drawing salue which drawes away the corrupt blood and humors which hinder the healing of the wound what wil it be to endure plaisters and corasiues which should eate to the very bone And if a man cannot endure the mortifying of one member of one ioynt how shall he indure the mortifying of all the ioynts of the hand or of the bodie Such a thing is repentance and the mortification of al the lusts of man as neere and deere as members to him Therefore you deceiue your selues when you thinke that repentance is so easie a dutie that you can performe it when you are old and sicke seeing now when you are young and strong and in health you cannot indure the mortifying of one member how wil you indure then the mortifying of all or of those sins which are as deere as members Vse 2. 2. Againe this serueth to teach vs that many men deceiue themselues with an opinion and conceit of repentance and that they haue repented when they neuer had the first part of it many neuer hauing any change at all of any act or way wherein they haue walked and the most neuer came to killing and crucifying nor to any mortifying of any sinne or any affection which is as if a wounded man who hath a festered wound which hath long been so should thinke that because a Surgion hath but once blowed vpon him hee is surely made whole though he neuer felt either his drawing salues or his eating corasiues or his mortyfying plaisters nay when he hath perhaps driuen him away by raylings speeches or casting bedstaues or such things at him when hee once came neere to touch his wound but howsoeuer he so thinke would not all men iudge him to be in a dreame and deceiued Then how do these dreame and are deceiued that thus perswade themselues of repenting when they haue not the first part of it nor euer could endure that the sword of the spirit or the biting or eating salues of the law and iudgements of God should come nigh them but either endeuour to driue away these spirituall surgions or to withdraw themselues from them Do they not I say dreame and that they shall one day know if euer God open their eies as hee will either here or in hell Vse 3. The third vse teacheth that euerie one must endeuour for this part of repentance namely to mortifie their lusts and affections of couetousnesse pride anger or any other corrupt affection whatsoeuer it be for if sinne be not killed in you euen while yee liue yee are but dead Therefore if yee would liue here and liue for euer mortifie these members crucifie this flesh with the lusts therof for one of these two must of necessitie be either your sins lusts and corruptions must die or your soules must die if you will saue these they must perish if you mortifie these they shall liue Therefore if yee haue any care for the sauing of your soules then crucifie the lusts and affections of the flesh It is the wisdome of Trauellers warrantable by the law of nature and nations of God and man when they are set vpon by theeues who will not onely take their purses from them but put them in feare of their liues it is I say their warrantable wisdome to kill rather then to be killed So should it be your spirituall wisdome no lesse warrantable and commendable when in your trauell to heauenward you are assaulted by your corruptions and lusts which cleaue fast vnto you which will spoile you of your sauing health and spirituall saluation and will indeed kill you vnlesse you crucifie them it should be I say your wisdome to kill before you be killed and to crucifie that which will else bring condemation vnto you and to your soules It is then if I may so speake in your free choice whether your sinnes shall die or your soules Rom. 8.13 If you liue after the flesh you shall die but if you mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the spirit you shall liue Therefore as our Sauiour Christ saith perswading men to take away their lusts Matth. 5.29 If thy right eie cause thee to offend pull it out If thy right hand make thee to offend cut it off for better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell Christ applieth it to adulterie I may applie it to anger or any other corruption whatsoeuer And may say whatsoeuer infirmitie cleaueth fastest vnto you though it be as deere vnto you as your right eies or right hands rather then they should cause you to offend to endanger your soules cut them off and cast them from you yea put them away though it be with violence and blood euen crucifying and mortifying them that you may escape that destruction they would else bring vpon you Blessed shall you be if you reward them as they would haue serued you yea happie shall you be if you take them and dash them while they are young against the stone that is Christ for wherewith should you better obtaine the fauor of your Lord and God then with the heads of these enemies of him and your owne soules 1. Sam. 29.4 The second part of repentance viuification The second part of repentance is viuification of the spirit or rising againe to newnes of life which we call regeneration When the repentant is renewed his mind in holines and his cariage and life with sincere obedience or thus Regeneration is when the repentant is changed in mind will and heart The mind and counsell disallowing and condemning the euill alreadie committed and approouing of the good to be done The will reiecting