Repentance so painefull as thou sayest first what paine would a man sustaine to auoid sicknesse of body losse of goods pouerty shame and shall not I be at paines to auoid eternal shame losse of soule and saluation 2 What infinite paines and sorrowes indured Christ for my saluation and what was his ayme in all that but to make rough waies smooth Esa. 42. and shall not I be at some paines for my selfe and what paines haue the Saints beene at in taking of the Kingdome by violence and apprehending life eternall through fire and water and infinite deaths and torments Is it not worth so much to mee as them 3 Is there no paines in going to hell in the diuels commandements in the seruice of sinne is there not more paines in committing than forsaking any sin See it in one sinne of vncleanenesse is there not more paines in contriuing his sinne wasting his body consuming his goods exposing himselfe to the shame of men to the punishment of the Magistrate to the iustice curse of God in body and soule than in forsaking his sinne and so in the rest 4 Is there no sorrow nor burden in the consequents of sinne is it no paines to haue a selfe-secret accusation a biting conscience a gnawing and vndying worme a sound of terror euer in the eares feare and flight when none pursue is there no basenesse in sinne to be a seruant and slaue â—o â—usts is there any slaue to the sinner that is ruled and hurried by the will of the diuell No Galley slaue but would breake from his chaines vijs modis 5 Were the pains of Repentance so difficult as thou sayest and intolerable yet the priuiledges and recompences of that pain are as great what sick man would not displease his tast with a bitter potion to recouer health and retaine his life the sufferings of this present life are not worthy the glory that shall be reuealed the moment any afâ—â—â—â—tions of this life cause a weight of eternall glory Resolue therefore of this paines and doe it betimes for if it be hard and difficult now will it be easier by delaying by despairing when thy sinne is stronger and thy selfe weaker An ague the more fits the more incurable a Beast the elder the more vntameable and sinne is a leauen the elder the sowâ—er and stronger Make not thy selfe more labour by sufferance of sin make an onset with courage as the hearty spyes Caleb Numb 13.31 and Ioshuâ— Numb 14.19 they are but bred for vs. 2 But indeed the worke of Repentance is not so painefull and sorrowfull as thou pretendest for is it not Christs yoke and is not Christs yoke easie and sweet and there be other things that make it sweet and easie being an Euangelicall commandement 1 The presence of grace which conquereth difficulties foyleth temptations 1. Ioh. 5. He that is borne of God ouercommeth the world for hee hath a grace sufficient for him I must not fixe mine eyes onely vpon mine owne resistance but on Gods assistance by whom I shall bee able to leape ouer all walles and impediments Psal. 119. I will run the way of thy commandements when thou hast inlarged my heart 2 The promise and donation of the spirit that we may walke in the way of Gods Commandements Ezek. 11.19 20. And I will put a new spirit in their bowels and take the stony heart away and giue them an heart of flesh that they may walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements c. 1. Cor. 3. Where the spirit of GOD is there is liberty 3 Loue of grace and loue of God maketh euery thing sweet 1. Ioh. 5 and 8. This is the loue of God that we keepe his commandements his commandements are not grieuous Da amaÌ„tem sentit quid dico Aug. Loue of gaine maketh the Merchant refuse no aduentures of sea Loue of God makes Abraham offer his onely Isaac a difficult commandement Iacob loued Rachel and the seuen hard yeers of labour seemed to him a few dayeâ— The mother loueth the child and swalloweth all paines watchings and difficulties vnweariably Gods loue for vs made him vndertake many worse torments and sorrowes loue of Christ made the Martyres passe fire and flames and most exquisite torments with sweetnesse and pleasure as if they had been in beds of roses Loue of God is vnconquerable much water cannot drowne it Now is Sathan fully answered get Gods grace neare thee the presence of the spirit and loue of grace and downe shall all the barres and impediments the most difficult commandements shall be made easie CAP. 19. Le ts from Satans temptations from the vnprofitablenesse of our Repentance 2 TO bring vs to despaire of our Repentance to the impossibility or difficulty he will vrge the vnprofitablenesse of it What can thy Repentance doe being so slight so sinfull so vnworthy thou canst not looke to be perfect and how can God accept that which is so vnworthy and imperfect Besides dost not thou see many wicked men as Saul Esau Iudas gone farre beyond thee in bitter sorrow and shed farre more signes of Repentance than thou and yet all in vaine for they were reiected and damned Answ. This is a dangorous dart and must be wisely repelled 1 I grant my Repentance to be weake and vnworthy but I am taught in Gods Booke 1 That it is neither my Repentance nor worthinesse of it selfe that washeth away my sin or can satisfie Gods iustice for then it were indeed as thou sayest but it is the bloud of Iesus Christ that washeth away all sinne 1. Ioh. 1.7 and that reconciliation with God dependeth not vpon the quantity or merit of my Repentance but vpon the merit and vertue of Iesus Christ whom I a repentant sinner lay hold on for saluation My Repentance were it neuer so perfect can neither satisfie God nor iustifie me before God but onely testifie that I am a beleeuer prepared to receiue Christ and thankefully to accept him with his merits by ceasing to sinne against him 2 I find in the Scripture that as no man is accepted for his perfect Repentance so none is reiected for the imperfection of his Repentance if it be sound and vnfained for then it is a certain fruit of a liuely faith and so of the presence of Christ and of the life of God euen as the least bud or blossome appearing is a certaine demonstration of life in the roote God careth not how great but how true and sound our Repentance is not how much but how good he accepteth not for quantity but for quality yet where grace is found and right in quality it will euer striue to increase and abound still 3 Notwithstanding my Repentance be weake yet being an Euangelicall grace a mite is accepted a grayne hath his due weight a desire to repent a will for the deed a ready minde for performance a sorrow because I cannot sorrow these goe for godly sorrow and my faith getteth Christ
I shall bee conuerted Lament 5.21 Turne vs O Lord vnto thee and we shall be turned 3. Such are the strong resistances and enemies of grace within vs and without vs that it must bee onely the Spirit of power and fortitude that must conquer them The strong man hath taken the hold the deuill worketh effectually in blinding the eyes and taking captiue the wills of wicked men to rule them at his pleasure 2. Tim. 2.26 and onely a stronger man can cast him out Such is the strength of lusts and the numberlesse excuses of sin and sinners as only the Spirit can conuince of sin Such is the frowardnesse and peruersenesse of spirit in euill men yea the deadnesse and senselesnesse of heart obfirmed by wicked habits and customes of himselfe and the world without that all the power of the means shall be frustrate and bee ineffectuall to turne the sinner if the Spirit of God quicken them not with life and power to this purpose Whence it will follow 1. That wee cannot repent when wee will as the Atheist thinketh Repentance is no flower that groweth in our own garden If the Lord by his Spirit draw vs not we neuer run after him Object But why haue we so many commandements to repent if it bee not in our power they seem to be very idle Answ. 1. Deus jubet quae non possumus vt nouerimus quid ab eo petere debeamus saith Augustine 2. Exhortations are instruments in which the Spirit putteth forth his power and commeth into our hearts 2. We must beware of resisting the Spirit in this worke or in the meanes whereby hee worketh repentance in vs. Quest. Tell vs how the Spirit bringeth vs to Repentance Answ. 1. Docendo Hee must teach outwardly The teaching of the Spirit is necessary to lead vs into the knowledge of our selues and of God The former he doth by the Law letting vs see our misery 1. by sinne 2. the punishment of sin The latter by the Gospell shewing vs what God is in his Son and vnto vs ready to receiue vs to grace and mercie Euery one must therefore heare the voice of the Spirit in the Ministery seeing the Spirit not without the Word but by the Word as an ordinary instrument worketh Repentance Heare the Word Perswading and inuiting to Repentance Promising grace and mercy to the pâ—nitent Threatning the impenitent Isay 55.7 By this meanes the Iewes were pricked and conuerted Acts 2.37 By the Lydia's heart was opened Acts 16. and such as refuse and resist the Word are neuer drawne to Repentance Pro. 1. Because ye would not heare my voice I will not heare you 2. Ducendo by inward mouing and perswading The Spirit must bee Doctor and Ducton This inward motion is 1. In changing the minde to see both sin and the reward of sin what and how great both of them are 2. In framing the will and making it of euill good and bowing it from it selfe to the willing of grace 3. In kindling the affections with a desire of good and hatred of euill Now therefore if thou wouldest truly repent thou must also giue thy selfe to bee led by the Spirit cherish his motions affect his graces for he must not only shew vs repentance but lead vs into it 3. If the Spirit be the efficient and author of repentance then neuer despaire of great sinners He can presently make of Saul a persecutor Paul a Preacher hee can easily raise a dead man from the graue of sin let him be neuer so rotten Here is a worke of power and a powerfull worker Neither be out of heart in the sense of strongest corruption and resistance against grace When thou seest armies of lusts rise vp in thee and whole hosts of rebels vp in armes against the worke of grace hold on the combate and this Spirit of power shall chase them before thee Goe forth in his strength and feare not assured victory greater is the spirit in thee than in the world CAP. 3. Of the subiect of Repentance 2. THe subiect of Repentance is the beleeuer the generall subiect of Repentance is a sinner for Christ came to call sinners But because euery sinner repenteth not I say only the beleeuer turneth Where I plainly conclude that question wherein is more scruple than staid wisedome That Faith goeth before Repentance not Repentance before Faith Here are 1. Reasons 2. Cautions 1. The fountaine must bee before the streame the roote before the fruit the cause before the effect but Faith leaning vpon Gods mercy manifested in the promise is the instrumentall cause of Repentance Hos. 6.1 Come let vs turne vnto the Lord for he hath smitten and he will heale The hope of Gods healing that is of forgiuenesse of sins is the ground of Repentance Psal. 130.4 Mercy is with thee that thou maist bee feared Which showeth that no man can lay hold vpon God to feare and reuerence him but hee that is perswaded of his fauour Two cannot walke together vnlesse they be friends and man neuer meeteth God in Repentance while he conceiueth God an enemy but runneth away from him as a strict Iudge Slauish feare bringeth not a man to God but loue which is a fruit of Faith for Faith worketh by loue therefore Faith is before Repentance 2. True Repentance is a sauing grace and euery sauing grace is from Christ. Iohn 15.4 No branch can beare fruit of it selfe vnlesse it abide in the Vine Euery penitent must therefore receiue Christ before the gift of Repentance and no receiuing of Christ but by the hand of Faith Iohn 11.12 therfore Faith must necessarily goe before Repentance 3. Repentance worketh directly vpon the heart to soften it to cleanse and purifie it Now in Repentance it is onely the bloud of Christ that can soften the hard heart as onely Goates bloud softeneth the hard Adamant It is onely the bloud of Christ that can purge the heart and conscience from defilements Heb. 9 14. Now would I know how wee can haue his bloud before himselfe or himselfe before Faith Nay therfore the Scripture applyeth the work of purging the heart to Faith Acts 15.9 because it is the instrument to lay hold on the bloud of Christ for our purging therefore Faith must be before Repentance 4. Repentance is the most acceptable of all good workes A contrite heart is aboue all Sacrifices therefore Faith must bee before it for 1. Whatsoeuer is before Faith is the issue only of corrupt nature and corrupt conscience and cannot please God 2. Without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb 11.6 for nothing is acceptable but in and for Christ and nothing in and for Christ but by Faith in Christ apprehending him Object This sheweth that Faith must goe with Repentance but not that Repentance is therefore before it Answ. The Apostle expresseth the same thing in another phrase which putteth Faith before it Rom. 14.10 Whatsoeuer is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex fide is sin If
sinner committeth high treason against the crowne and dignity of the God of heauen and is daily drawing neerer his execution a pardon is offered freely in the Gospell grace and mercy are offered but hee by impenitency thrusteth away the word of life scorneth the messengers iustifieth and defendeth his sinne here is a spirituall madnesse and frenzy What a folly is it whereas a man will doe nothing to make his finger ake he would not be hyred to hold his finger in the flame of a candle a moment for any money or gold hee will scarce tast a bitter potion for recouery of health yet this man maketh no bones of that which will bring endlesse torment in hell fire he sticketh not to drink vp a cup of poyson the nature of which is the further it goeth the more incurable it is hee nourisheth a serpent in his bosome which hath teeth and sting and poyson enough hee carryeth euery day a fagot to burne himselfe Oh now will not all this bring the sinner backe with Dauid to say Oh I haue done very foolishly The stung Israelites looked to the brasen serpent and liued they needed not be bidden but wee haue need to bee vrged to loâ—ke vpon Christ lifted vp vpon the pole of the Crosse and yet will not doe so little for our selues and cure What a folly is it for a man to fall and not offer to rise no man in his sense would lye still Oh then remember whence thou art fallen and doe thy first workes and repent 3 All sinne remaineth in full power and condemning force vpon the soule without Repentance Ioh. 9.41 Now you say you see your sinne remaineth in the guilt in the staine in the domination and reigne in the damnation of it Thou wast a swearer an adulterer a hater of God and an enemy to grace a persecutor of Christ and thou art so still if thou hast not repented Sinne hangeth like a burre on the impenitent person it parteth not in life nor in death but lyeth downe in the dust with him and riseth with him it goeth to iudgement with him and is sent to hell with him the wrath of God abideth on him because his sinne abideth with him 4 Of all sinnes impenitency is the greatest and nearest to iudgement Reuel 2.20 Iezabel had time to repent giuen her but repented not and therefore was cast into a bed of sorrow This was noted in Saul 1. Chron. 10 13. Saul dyed for his transgression but what was his transgression First hee disobeyed the commandement secondly hee sought to a Witch thirdly hee sought not to the Lord and therfore the Lord slue him True it is that euery sinne is damnable but no sinne actually condemneth but impenitency and therefore the greatest of sinnes is not to repent of sinne Let it not be said of thee as of Herod yet he added this aboue all that thou being so great a sinner hast not yet repented 3 Looke vpon thy selfe in respect of thy good duties 1 None can be good in thee till thou hast repented first the tree must be good and then the fruit first Abels person was accepted and then his sacrifice but to Caine and his sacrifice he had no respect 2 Nay in the best euen the best duties must bee begun and finâ—shed with Repentance without which the best seruice is vnprofitable and sinfully defectiue Nehemiah in building vp the wall in commanding the Sabbath to bee kept desireth to be remembred in goodnesse and pardoned Neh. 13.12 Repent and pray repent and be baptized repent and receiue the Sacraments else sinne will hinder 4 Looke on thy selfe in thy estate and condition both in respect of sinne and of change and Repentance 1 Looke vpon thy estate of corruption for time Past Present To come 1 What hath thy whole life past been before grace Col 1.21 Paul wisheth them to consider that in times past they were strangers and enemies hauing their mindes set on euill works and 1. Pet. 4.3 It is sufficient that we haue spent our time past in the lusts of the Gentiles in wantonnesse lusts gluttony drunkennesse So dost thou see thy sinnes for number and weight as the sands already and for the manner of committing them against such light and meanes so out of measure sinful and dost thou not say It is sufficient 2 What is thy whole present course without grace 1 To goe on in sin is wilfully to perish and murther our owne soules the case being worse with vs than that mans that fell among theeues we lye not halfe but wholly dead God sendeth his Sonne the good Samaritane to binde vp our wounds to temper a remedy of his owne heart bloud when no herbe or simple was left in heauen or earth for our cure Now we in stead of thankefull acceptance and application of this remedy by going on in sinne we tread vnder foote this pretious bloud nay we make our wounds larger and bigger euery day than other 2 Euery man is euery day nearer his end his death and iudgement we are going before Gods tribunall and to the barre of his iudgement and shall we be so mad as euen in the way to multiply our misdemeanours A malefactor going to the barre or to execution if he should cut a purse by the way would not euery one thinke hanging too good for him This is the case of euery impenitent person liuing in the practise of sinne euen in the way to his execution 3 What will bee thy case in time to come going on in sin 1 In the approach of death Sathan will asâ—ayle with all his strength that in the last combat he may breake the necke of thy soule and hee hauing the strength of a mans owne sinnes vnsubdued and vnmastered he easily attaineth his purpose then setteth hee euery small sinne before the eye in the magnitude of a huge mountaine and the curse due vnto it to the breaking of the heart of a sinner Now is the guilty conscience in a wofull case stricken through with terror and torment Now hee seeth that whereas hee thought to haue got out of sin at the furthest at his death how weake and sicke his Repentance is how strong vnconquerable and gyant-like his sinne is and all concludeth with sathan against him he seeth where the strong man hath long dwelt he is not easily cast out but as he hath liued so he is likely to dye for as the tree leaneth so commonly it falleth and as it falleth so it lyeth 2 If all this will not moue thee consider what followeth after death the time hasteneth wherein thou shalt bee naked before the Lord the Iudge of all in the sight of Angels Men and Diuels Before thee a terrible Iudge to condemne thee and with him the Saints shall iudge the world and giue witnesse against thy sin On the one hand Sathan who tempteth thee shall now accuse thee On the other the Angels ministring spirits shall be ready as a fagot to binde thee and cast thee into hell within thee an accusing conscience as a thousand witnesses against thee shall bring to minde all sinnes and circumstances long since forgotten Beneath thee hell ready to deuoure thee none shall be admitted to speake for thee and thy selfe shalt bee speechlesse and canst not speake for thy selfe so as sentence must needes passe against thee and thou deliuered to the Deuill whose will thou didst diligently execute here that hee may now haue his will and delight in thy endlesse torment Oh therefore vse meanes to preuent this ruful condition come out of thy sin betime hye thee apace out of Sodome lay aside thine owne folly now take Gods warning heare the raps of Christ now knocking at the doore of thy heart by the hammer of his Word Spirit Mercies Iudgements Now follow the Motion let not Sathan or sin beguile thee any longer to hold thee off from Repentance 2. See thy happy change and blessed estate by this grace of Repentance 1. Of all gifts a broken heart is the rarest and happiest the humble heart in stead of lodging foule sins and lusts becommeth a lodge for the highest God who pleaseth to dwel with a broken and contrite heart What an happy change of a stony heart into flesh 2. The very first act of Repentance bringeth pardon of sin Psal. 32. I said I will confesse thou forgauest 2. Sam. 12.13 Dauid no sooner said I haue sinned but Nathan said The Lord hath put away thy sin And the continuance of it bringeth and continueth a sweet sense and assurance of remission in the heart It is not with God as in mens Courts Confesse and iudgement runneth against but in Gods Confesse and the Law is satisfied In mens Courts Confession and Condemnation goe together in Gods Confession and Iustification Iudge thy selfe and preuent the iudgment of God 3. What an happy and welcome change were it of age into youth Nature cannot worke it grace can The old man is put off the new man put on Of old men wee become young and smug againe renewing our strength as the Eagle Psal. 103. And this change by grace forerunneth that great change by glorie and is the beginning of it When these base earthly bodies shall become spirituall bodies and this very peece of clay shall shine as the Sun when corruption shall put on incorruption and these ignorant sinfull soules shall put on a perfect image of Godâ— and the whole man become like the Angels themselues Whom these considerations cannot moue I suppose nothing can Thus I haue somewhat largely intreated out of this Text of the Practice of Repentance in the Rules Le ts Helpes Markes and Motiues I will conclude the Treatise with that of our Sauiour If ye heare these things blessed are yee if yee doe them and end as I began with the words of the Text If yee repent not yee shall all perish There is no greater miserie than to bee without miserie no greater sorrow than to bee without the sorrow of sound Repentance FINIS Note 1. Note 2. Reason Vse 1. Note 3. Vse Reason Secondly the Cautions Reason Deut. 5 Reas. 1. Conclus Conclus 3 Conclus 4 Reas. â— Reason 1 Rule 3. The fourth Let. Let 4. Conclus 1. Conclus 2. Reason Reason Vse
windy presumption is not capable of Repentance till hee be pricked with the sharpe needle of the Law pricking his heart Neuer till then did the Conuerts say Men and brethen what shall we do Acts 2.37 2. God giueth no grace but to the humble Iam. 4.6 but especially the grace of faith without which is no true Repentance excludes all boasting in our selues that we may be all wee are in Christ in whom wee beleeue for righteousnesse and reconciliation 3. Christ and his sauing Grace is receiued into the heart as seed is into the ground Luke 8.12 And therefore the heart being like stony and fallow ground must first be broken vp and made full of furrowes by the helpe of legall humiliation Ier. 4.5 4. Repentance is a walking with God as being made friends Now no proud man can walke with God for he dwelleth onely with an humble and contrite spirit Isay 57.15 and Micah 6.8 Hee hath showed thee O man what is good to do iustly to loue mercie to humble thy selfe and walke with thy God The meanes therefore to attaine true Repentaince is 1. To get a cleare sight of our sins and miserie by them and by the curse due to them temporall and eternall for how can a man be humbled for those sinnes or iudgements which he neuer saw nor knew off Hence are wee called to a through search and tryall of our waies to finde out distinctly in what particulars wee haue gone astray Lam. 3.40 and then turn to the Lord. And Ier. 31.19 the Church saith After I was conuerted I repented But to show that conuersion nor repentance is or can be before this search he addeth After I was instructed or as the Hebrew word signifieth After I was made knowne to my selfe that is After in the glasse of the Law I discerned mine owne sinfull and wofull estate then I repented for who can otherwise see his need of mercie but in the sense of his miserie Tremelius Post quam ostensum fuerit mihi 2. True sense and sorrow for sin as pangs and throwes before the birth with shame of face griefe of heart and horror of soule in the apprehension of our guiltinesse by sin the curse of the law and Gods infinite anger all this represented in the law in a most terrible maner As holy Paul by the dart of the Law professed himselfe killed and slaine and made so wretched in the sense of his owne guiltinesse and vncleanenesse that hee desired to be dissolued to be ridde of it This is the true touch of sin wrought by the spirit when we most grieue afflict our hearts with that which hurteth vs most It is not losse of mony goods estate libertie or life it selfe that hurteth vs so much as the losse of Christ of grace of saluation 3. To get to an holy despair in our selues as being out of all hope of deliuerance by any power pollicy or goodnesse of our owne or of any creature that the case be with vs as with Paul and his fellowes distressed on the sea who are said to bee past all hope of beeing saued from drowning Acts 27 20. And as the woman with the bloody issue hauing spent all her strength and meanes in physick without cure was out of hope to be recouered by any secundarie meanes Mark 5.26 All this maketh vs to seek for a remedie and feeling the need and extreame want of whatsoeuer the Gospell offreth yea and pinched with hunger thirst pouertie and beggarie doe long after seeke and begge earnestly for helpe and pardon Let this admonish euery man that would proceed in Repentance which is a continued act to be conuersant still in the Law of God and especially to be wel acquainted with the Moral Law by which is the knowledge of sinne Rom. 7.7 that thereby seeing their owne sins daily and the miserie due to them they may bee kept humble and low in their owne eyes What meane men to cast off the whole vse of the Law vnder the Gospell and they must heare of nothing but Gospell For 1. Is not the Conuert lyable to sinne and how can he know what is sin or what is not sin but by the Law how can he discerne the nature of sin to be an irrectitude and crookednesse but by the straightnesse of the Law how can he discouer the danger of his sinne to awaken him out of it but by the Law The office of which is as of Pauls kinsman to detect the treason of the Iewes and Pauls danger that he might auoide it Acts 23.16 3 Though the regenerate man bee free from the raigning act and power of sinne yet hee is not from the roote of euill which euery one can find fruitfull and euer shuting as in a perpetuall May How necessary is it then alwaies to haue by vs this sharpe axe of the law which striketh at the roote of sinne which else would grow 〈◊〉 and insolent that as a seruant it may be kept vnder with blowes and feare wherein the spirit worketh it being his office as well still to conuict as to conuert Ioh. 16.8 3 Though the maine armies of sinne be defeated in the godly and those masterfull commanders be suppressed and subdued by grace yet there be stragling troopes of smaller euils and infirmities which daily assaile and should warre against the law of the minde now by what other glasse shall a man see these spots in his face than by the law for as we see the little motes discouered by the light of the Sun so it is the light of Gods law that detecteth the smallest euils against God or men without which we should neuer come to a distinct notice or Repentance of them and so consequently could neuer prize the grace or offers of the Gospell That wee may magnifie the Gospell let vs prize the law as a perpetuall scourge to driue vs out of our selues to Iesus Christ. So long as we haue any thing found with vs which must bee either forgiuen by mercy or repented or reformed by grace let vs faithfully heare and reade the law to this purpose That we may daily conquer the pride of our hearts and walke humbly before God let vs take with vs the vse of the law I cannot maruaile at the intolerable pride of these Antinomists and Perfectists because they neuer came to see their sinnes aright and this they doe not because they reiect the law the proper glasse of sins discouery CAP. 30. Meanes of Repentance in respect of God 2 IN regard of God wee may many waies helpe forward our Repentance if we consider first his word secondly his eye thirdly his hand fourthly his relation vnto vs. 1 Gods word in the reuerend vse is a notable meanes of Repentance for first the very knowledge of the word is a meanes in which GOD giueth Repentance 2. Tim. 2.25 Instructing them and waiting if God will giue Repentance and ignorance of the Scripture is made by Christ a chiefe cause of error both
vers 31. Then shall you remember your owne wickednesse and your deedes which were not good and iudge your selues worthy to be destroyed for your sinnes therefore shal the house of Israel be ashamed and confounded for your owne waies vers 31. 2 This remembrance of former sinnes though pardoned preserueth and bloweth vp the embers and keepeth aliue godly sorrow in the soule Zach. 12.10 The looking on him whom wee haue pierced exciteth all that haue receiued the spirit of grace and compassion to mourne for him as their first borne Peter remembring what himselfe had done and his master had said went out and wept bitterly Hereby our Repentance is renewed daily and the wound made bleed afresh 3 As it is our happinesse that God once pardoning our sinnes forgetteth them and neuer remembreth them more so it is a signe and way of our happinesse that our selues forget them not but hold them before the eye of our mindes to containe vs in constant humiliation for them 2 He will aggrauate his sin when he beholdeth it hee will excuse none extenuate none he will not mince nor hide any as Adam nor cast it off himselfe vpon others shoulders as Saul The people did it But he weigheth his sinnes in a true ballance which hath shewed none of them to be light he will put in so many weights as to bring him to a iust humiliation If his sins be of a bloudy dye his heart shall bleed with godly sorrow If they haue beene sinnes of knowledge and after illumination or after admonition or with vehemence or repetition or in hatefull manner with cursing and swearing as Peters was Oh this will bring backe bitter sorrow brinish teares here is cause to weepe bitterly If his sins haue beene old sins as old sores and festers long continued in and liued in till the eleuenth or twelfth houre the longer and more painefull will be the cure the more willing will hee be to open them and content to haue them handled If they haue beene committed in foule circumstances as to haue beene drunke or disordered on the Sabbaoth day to be rude or irreligiously disposed in the Church vnder the eye of God to run ryot against good counsell against the directions of the Word and motions of the spirit the fouler the sinne the deeper will be the sorrow But if they haue beene after Repentance vowes promises after fasting prayer now the weight increaseth marueilously vpon the soule A good heart will hardly thinke any Repentance enough for such sinne Farre from true Repentance is that false heart that is more ashamed to confesse sin than to commit it and in confession doth it in the grosse and lumpe with excuses and extenuations and in making shew of sorrow is as a cloud without raine soone blowne ouer he hath neuer a teare of godly sorrow for foulest sinnes or if any too soone dryed away He that can plead for his sin and defend bad actions with faire pretences as Saul saueth the fat against the commandement for sacrifice that can rob God and his Ministers of their right pretending a reach of wisedome or publike care beyond all others that can plead for their vsury a practise of charity as doing as they would be done to their iniustice and false arts in trading because they doe as others doe and else they cannot liue or their non-residency because of their charge or a way to preferment all these and all others that hold vp bucklers for their sins neuer yet knew what Repentance meant In a word he that can please himselfe in the remembrance of his sinne that can glory how he hath ouer-reached his brother which is ordinary in trading that can reioyce in the pleasure or profit gotten by sinne is farre from Repentance A good heart the more pleasing or profitable any sinne hath beene wil lament so much the more 3 He hateth and shunneth all sinne euery where This indignation and bitter hatred against sinne is made a fruit and note of true repentance 2. Cor. 7.11 Can. 5.4 See how the Church rated her selfe for her folly and vnkindnesse against Christ and no maruaile For 1 If we look at God he hateth all sin with a deadly hatred and all that loue the Lord must hate all that is euill And the more a man conceiueth God his friend the lesse friendly can he be to his sin and the more fauour a man expecteth from God the lesse can he fauour any sin 2. If hee looke at his sin he seeth it a serpent and hateth it though the sting be gone by a spirituall and gracious Antipathy And now the league being broken he will neuer be friends any more with it but in anger as Ephraim to his Idols say Get thee hence what baue I more to do with you 3. If he looke on sinne in the euills it hath formerly wrapped him in he cannot but shunne feare and fly it A burnt childe dreadeth the fire A man once stung with an Adder will fly from all Serpents A man that hath felt the paines of broken bones by his fals will feare to fall and looke better to his feet An impenitent person may forbeare to sweare but a true conuert feareth an oath Eccles. 9 So he feareth to breake the Sabbath is affraid of couetousnes worldlinesse drunkennesse profanenesse and other sins and this not in respect of his owne skin only but in respect of God now reconciled vnto him Euen as a deare Wife feareth to offend her louing Husband to whom she was lately married 4. Hee resisteth and holdeth fight against all sin euen those that he cannot conquer he combateth against As Iacob said of the people of the â—and after the slaughter of the Sichâ—mites Now will they hate vs and therfore will raise their powers against vs to destroy vs euen so a godly heart hating sin will rayse all his power against it to destroy the whole bodie of sin wil reuenge vpon it as his capitall enemie A Subiect that hath taken vp armes against his Prince and Countrey and gone out in rebellion with rebels and traytors if once hee come to see his offence on the one side and the Princes clemencie on the other pardoning his offence and sauing his life cannot chuse but hold himselfe extraordinarily bound to resist all such rebels euen while he liueth This is the case of euery Christian who hauing run with his rebellious lusts fighting against the crown and dignitie of Iesus Christ but now graciously pardoned cannot but stand stoutly against them And this cannot be other but where flesh is and spirit the spirit will bee lusting against the flesh Wheresoeuer these twins are conceaued this Iacob and Esau will struggle in the wombe and Rebecca shall feele the striuing within her whereas the barren and fruitlesse wombe which neuer receiued the seed of God feeleth no such strugling 5. Hee relinquisheth his sin in true endeauour and neuer returneth to it any more for true Repentance is neuer repented