thirst more presently prayed him saying Master giue me of that water that I may thirst no more nor come hither to draw vnderstanding and dreaming of materiall water such as shee daily needed for the bodie So doe many men now for when wee talke of the desire of spirituall riches they will talke of earthly and whereas they should desire those things that concerne the spirit all their desire is for the world how should there bee true grace in these men how should they haue any assurance that they haue repented when they are like vnto those in the Gospell that were inuited vnto the kings feast who had their seuerall excuses that they might absent themselues Luke 14. One said that he had taken a farme and he must goe and see it another had bought a yoke of oxen and hee must goe and prooue them and another had married a wife and he could not come So many a man saith my profits let mee that I cannot come to heare the word of God and my pleasures carrie mee another way Some other againe will say when I haue done seeking the world when I haue ouercome such a businesse another time or another yeere will I come to heare the word O miserable estate where is that loue and desire and that longing after the word which is required in all repentants Ambrose saith If I should offer thee gold thou wilt not say I wil come to morow but this day thou wilt take it no man will deferre no man will excuse Redemptio anima promittitur nemo festinas Ambrose But the redemption of the soule is proffered and promised and no man hasteneth How truly may that speech of the Father be spoken of our times for earthly things no man wil take time til to morrow but greedily they will seeke for them and not stay till they bee offered them But for spirituall things most mens states are weake and like men readie to breake they are taking order for two three foure and sixe moneths and then are they as farre from any good sufficiencie or further then they were before But to conclude if true repentance bring forth desire of these spirituall and heauenly things as their condition is fearefull who haue it not so is theirs happie and comfortable who vnfainedly find it in their hearts for it doth certainely seale vp vnto them their true conuersion and new birth by which they are liuing creatures in Christ here through his grace and shall liue with him in glorie through his merits in the life to come The sixth signe and fruit of repentance is zeale The sixth fruit and effect of repentance is zeale yea what zeale This zeale is opposite to luke-warmenesse contrary to cold it is heate He is cold which is prophane an enemie to pietie and the workes of holines He is luke-warme that hath some phansie or loue to good things some righteousnesse in the outward act or some common or cursorie inclination therwith contenting himselfe as iudging his case to be as good as the best and can endure to go no further He is hot or zealous who is feruent for the glorie worship of God and the works of pietie is sorrowful when he seeth the defect of thē in himself or others Our point then to be noted is this Zeale is the sixth signe and fruite of true repentance True repentance bringeth foorth zeale that is maketh men zealous for God and his worship zealous of pietie and good workes not to do them carelesly and negligently but it maketh them do though with great labour and cost yea danger and hazard those things which they see they ought to doe This is manifest in this place as also in many other As in the Reuelation Christ saith to the Church of Laodicea Reuel 3.19 Be zealous therefore and amend noting that where zeale is there will also bee repentance and amendment of life Did not Dauids repentance bring forth this zeale 2. Sam. 24.24 when he would be at cost with God to procure his worship and would not offer a burnt offering vnto the Lord that should cost him nothing for whereas if he would hee might haue offered a free offering vnto him yet he would not receiue it for nothing but would giue the price thereof Acts 19.18.19 So may we see this zeale in those men that were conuerted by the preaching of the Gospel at Ephesus they were enforced to take their bookes which were of a great price and to burne them that thereby they might glorifie God by spoyling of those things which were before the cause of his dishonor The like may be said of Paul and Peter Marie and other repentants who haue had this zeale as is at large recorded in the Scripture and how in reason should it be otherwise Reason 1. 1. Because the true repentant is Gods and chosen to life honor and happinesse which this thing namely that he is repentant doth manifest vnto him Then may wee allude to that which Dauid saith in defence of his dancing before the Arke in his zeale when he was derided by Michol giuing the reason why he did it because saith he 2. Sam. 6.21 The Lord hath chosen me rather then thy father and all his house So in this case if he for an earthly kingdome was so zealous for God how much more ought those so to be that are chosen to a heauenly kingdome Reason 2. 2. Because he is regenerate made again and if the first creation required as much as Dauid saith Psal 100.2.3 Serue the Lord with gladnes and he addeth the reason Because he hath made vs not we our selues much more doth this second The more excellent the one is than the other the more zeale is required for the one than for the other Bernard compareth them thus Qui primò secie secundò refecit in primo dedit me mihi in secundo dedit se mihi cui debeo me propter me debeo plusquam me propter se Bernard de diligendo Deo He that made mee first did secondly remake me in the first he gaue me my selfe in the second he gaue me himselfe to whom I owe my selfe for my selfe I owe more then my selfe for that hee gaue me himselfe He that is first set vp by a man ought to bee maruellous careful as it were zealous for him how much more he that being a bankrupte and many pounds worse than nothing is discharged of all and set vp againe So is it in this for men by sinne are worse than nothing and being as it were set vp by God againe what zeale for the Lord ought they to haue c. Reason 3. 3. Because he being redeemed knoweth the price of his redemption how deere it cost God and Christ and why they paied so deere for him Namely as Paul to Titus saith Titus 2.14 That the redeemed might bee a peculiar people to God
repentance ariseth from the knowledge of a mans spirituall estate But to cōceiue this point more fully we must vnderstand that there are three parts of this knowledge or three things are required to make a man know himselfe and his estate throughly 1. That he know his sinne 2. That he haue the sense of his sin that is of the punishment and curse due to his sinne 3 The knowledge of his owne inability to free himselfe either from the sinne or from the punishment due to sinne The first of these is the knowledge of a mans sinfulnes his naturall sinfulnesse that by nature without temptation he is inclinable to all euill and vtterly vnable to doe good Then his inward sinfulnes that is his secret motions which should bee towards God and agreeable to his law are altogether auerse from him toward sinne and disobedience these are his thoughts lust and concupiscence of the soule Lastly his outward actions both his sinnes of omission and commission his apparent euill and his imperfect good things The knowledge of all which are to be had by the law for Rom. 3.20 by the law commeth the knowledge of sin The 2. part of this knowledge is the sense of sin that is the knowledge of the curse and punishment due vnto sin for that is it which makes sinne sensible to a man Thus God dealt with the wicked when he had laid before them their sins as it is in the 50. Psalm vers 18. Psalm 50.18 When thou seest a theese thou runnest with him c. Then he threatneth his iudgements against them vers 22. Verse 22. I will teare you in peeces c. To make them the more sensible Now these are either spirituall plagues or ourses vpon their bodies goods wiues children friends or vpon their name memorie and posteritie All which may bee found in the Word as Deut. 28. and such like The 3. part is the knowledge of a mans owne inabilitie either to free himselfe from the sinne or the punishment due vnto it that howsoeuer he may by his naturall strength represse the rage of his corruption prune and lop it cutting off the superfluous bowes and branches of it yet the roote and the whole bodie will remaine still in his heart and soule and will as occasion is offered breake forth into all his members And this is it which made Dauid to repent and pray so earnestly to the Lord to purge him Psalm 51.2.7 Wash me throughly from mine iniquities and purge me from my sinne And againe Purge me with hyssope and I shall be cleane And that hee is as little able to auoid the punishment either by hiding himselfe or by any wit or powet or any meanes whatsoeuer which was in them whom Peter preached to and made them come with this note to Peter and the other Apostles Act. 2.37 Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued The like was in the gaoler who came trembling to Paul and Silas and said Act. 16.30 Sirs what may I doe to be saued So that it is manifest that the knowledge and sense of sinne and the conscience of a mans owne inabilitie to free himselfe from either will make a man turne to God and repent Now the reasons of this truth are these Reason 1. 1. Because the ignorance of a mans estate is seldome or neuer separated from a false opinion of a mans good estate of his inward holinesse and integritie of nature of the goodnes of his actions hauing a shew and semblance of some good Now a man in his error will neuer seeke for the change of his estate As hee that thinks himselfe whole though he be heart-sicke will neuer seeke to a Physitian or vse any meanes to mend and better himselfe But when he knowes his estate seeth how falsely he was conceited of himselfe then will he hasten to seeke change and amendment For as a state cannot be continued if it were good vnlesse it were thoroughly and fully knowne so being vnknowne can it not bee amended being now amisse Reason 2. 2 Because though the fight of sinne would not driue them to this men not disliking sinne by nature yet the sense of punishment would because euery thing naturally feareth the destruction of it selfe and would by all meanes preserue it selfe much more man who discerning in this case that his escaping must be by turning will addresse himselfe to it for the safetie of himselfe Reason 3. 3 Because though the punishment would not moue him to this dutie or remoue him from his sinne so long as he felt it not because hee might hope by some meanes to escape it as by hiding and couering his sinne or by fleeing I know not whither or by Gods mercie and indulgence for some bountie to religion or charitie to the poore or such like yet if hee once come to know that as he can free himselfe no more from his sinnes then a Leopard from his spots and a blacke More from his skinne so can he as little free himselfe from the punishment of sinne by any other meanes whatsoeuer it being impossible that God shuld let him goe vnpunished because hee cannot bee vniust and so bee brought into a strait as Baalam was then will he endeuour to performe repentance by which onely he may escape and flee the vengeance to come Now the vse wee haue to make of this point is this Vse 1. First to informe vs that the world and the Church hath many thousand impenitent sinners such as neuer haue repented neither yet in the case wherein they are are they capable of repentance because they are ignorant of their spirituall estate and that which is worst they cannot be perswaded to looke into it though they often cast vp their estate to know what it is I meane their worldly estate yet they neuer ballance their spirituall estate being either slothfull and negligent or else being possessed with a false opinion of the vnnecessarines of it or with feare of the desperatenesse of it like as bankerupts who are not able to pay a penie in the pound dare not looke into their estate lest they procure griefe and discontentment to themselues Whatsoeuer the cause is the thing is not done and so they are without the knowledge of it and whatsoeuer they thinke of themselues if impenitent sinners must perish they cannot bee safe feeing they cannot repent which they cannot doe as long as they are ignorant of themselues and of their spirituall estate If any man think it strange that man who knoweth so many things should be ignorant of himselfe when this is proper and peculiar to him to know himselfe 1. Cor. 2.11 For what man knoweth the things of a man saue the spirit of a man which is in him he considereth not that when the obiect is nie to or laid vpon the sense it nothing so well discerneth it and the eie of the bodie though it behold all other things
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
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
where no repentance is there is no escaping of iudgement And the Prophet Ezekiel saith Ezech. 18.13 Make you a new heart Why will ye die O ye house of Israel which is not ment of the temporal death but of death eternall So then by all these places it is manifest that the end of repentance is the glorie of God and the good of men And not without good reason Reason 1. First because the glorie of God ought to bee the end of all mens actions as it is to himselfe the end of all his workes and he made them for his glorie so it should be to men the end of their workes And therefore S. Paul to the Corinthians willeth them saying 1. Cor. 10.31 Whether yee eate or drinke or whatsoeuer yee doe doe all to the glorie of God Now this being so principall an action of man ought also to haue this end Reason 2. 2. Secondly because by repentance sin is remooued which procureth euill to men and hindreth good from them and such men are in the state of sanctification and holines which hath the promises both of this life and that that is to come and which is the way to the kingdome of of glorie and so to saluation though not the cause and so mans good is procured by it Vse 1. The vses which wee may haue from this end of repentance are these First this may teach vs to see that many mens repentance is faultie not in other things onely but in this also who when they either haue it indeed in some measure or els but a shew or semblance of true repentance yet they neuer thinke once of this end the glory of God is the furthest thing in their thought Hence is it that in a iudgement from God when they are feared or afflicted they grieue not that they haue dishonoured him but onely that they haue dipleased him and procured such hard things to themselues and so repent onely to auoid or remooue them and neuer to bring any glorie to him Which maketh many men who hope of repentance to take libertie to sinne when once they are freed As Ahab did who when he was punished thought he had displeased God and so sought to please him againe by his outward humiliation that hee might escape the punishment but neuer thought of the dishonour hee had done to God but returned to his old sinnes againe Men commonly doe but humble themselues as mariners doe who in a storme and in the danger of shipwracke make long prayers and large promises vnto God but if they haue once escaped to the land and recouered their spirits they returne to their old distempers and disorders again so many men who are crept out of a iudgement returne againe to their old dishonoring of God which proueth plainly that in their repentance they onely respected themselues and not the glorie of God at all or at least not principally as they should Vse 2. 2. Secondly this doth admonish euery one not onely to repent but to doe it with that affection he ought and to propound the iust end of it to himself to wit principally the glory of God that as at first he dishonored God by his sinning opened the mouthes of men to blaspheme the name of God as Dauid made the Heathen to blaspheme by his adulterie and as the Lord to deliuer his name from reproâ—h slew Dauids childe and smit it with death so should hee aime at the glorifying of God and freeing him from any imputation by crucifying his sinnes and mortifying his corruptions and with Dauid offer vnto God a contrite and a broken heart as a sacrifice acceptable and labour to shew forth his workes of renouation that men may see them and glorifie God And then in the second place to aime at his owne good specially spirituall and eternall saluation and then temporall preseruation Neither of which can hee doe in truth if either as some so hee returne againe to his corruptions and think because of repentance he hath libertie to sinne Cùm poenitentia reinedium peccati sit non peccandi incentiuum Vulneri enim medicamentum necessarium est non vulnus medicameÌ„to quia propter vulnus medicamentum quaeritur non propter medicamentum vulnus desideratur Ambros de Poenit lib. 2. cap. 9. when as repentance is a remedie for sin and not a prouocation to sin For the medicine is necessarie for the wound and not the wound for the medicine because men seeke the medicine for the wound and not the wound for the medicine Wherefore he that shall wound himselfe with sinne because he hath a remedie tempteth God and doth rightly aime neither at the glorie of God nor the good of himselfe But he that indeede hath these ends before his eies and in his heart will leaue his old sinnes and corruptions and denie them all and strlue to his power neuer to fall into them againe Ambrose tels vs a fable and giues vs the morall with it Ambros de Poe nit lib. 2. c. 10. There goes a tale saith he of a yong man who had been entangled with the loue of an harlot at length wearied with her societie he departed from her and went into a strange countrey Then his loue being worne out he returned and estsoones he met with his old friend but did not salute her she wondring at it supposed he knew her not The next time therefore she met him she said to him I am she I was To whom he answered But I am not be I was Egesum Sed ego non sum ego The morall is this that the Lord said well saith the Father Matth. 16.24 that if any will be my disciple let him denie himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Therefore if we will be the disciples of Christ we must denie all our old companions our old sinnes and corruptions forsaking them all and walk with Christ so shall we not only propound to our selues these ends but also in some measure procure them causing other men by our true conuersion and holy conersation to glorifie God and also preparing and obtaining in the end by the mercie and promise of God good things both spirituall and temporall for our selues Hauing thus spoken of the description parts and causes of repentance and seeing much more may be added as Ambrose saith Ne velut semesas verborum nostrorum epulas reliquisse videamur Ambros de Poenit lib. 2. cap. 1. lest wee should leaue as it were the dishes of our words and discourse but halfe eaten The persons to whom repentance belongeth I must yet prosecute it further and in the next place speake of the parties in whom this true repentance is wrought For as the Apostle saith that all haue not faith so repentance is not common to all that is to say true sincere and sauing repentance for there is a repentance of Ethnicks and Infidels who for feare of punishment
to accuse no diuell to terrifie no Iudge to arraigne and condemne nor hell to torment yet then is he cast downe because hee hath offended a louing mercifull and long suffering God And againe when the anger and indignation of a man is as well for secret sinnes as open for small as great for such as are condemned by the law of God onely as for those which are punishable by the law of man this affection if a man can find to bee within him hee may assure himselfe that hee hath true repentance Vse 3. 3. This may incourage men to labour for and nourish this indignation in themselues this wrath and hatred against and of their sinnes They may hate no person but they must hate their sinnee or them for it If a restraint be touching the hatred of their person there is libertie for the hatred of the sin and especially for a mans own sins for if hee haue not the hatred and indignation for his own the other for other mens is but hypocrisie if hee be not more angry with a lesse sin in himselfe then a greater in another We are forbidden to let the Sun set vpon our wrath in respect of men that offend vs Ephes 4.26 but not of sinnes where by wee offend God In our hatred of them the Sunne must both set and rise and it must vpon them still remaine for he shall euer haue more peace with God and more assurance of his loue that is most out of peace and most angrie with himself and hath the greatest indignation in himselfe for his sinnes As Phineas was then most acceptable to God when he had shewed it against the sin of Zimbrie Cosbie So shal he be that sheweth it most against his own sin by which he hath dishemouted and prouoked God The fourth effect or signe of repentance is feare The fourth effect and suit of this repentance is feare for so saith Paul 2. Cor. 7.2 yea what feares that is to say a certaine awe of God when a man is afraide to displease him There is a double feare one filiall and an other fertile differing thus 1. In respect of the obiect which is sin Filiall feare feareth sinne as sinne and because it is sin seruile feare feareth punishment rather then sin and sin in respect of punishment 2. In respect of their grounds for filiall feare feareth God because he is gracious and merciful feruile feare feareth God because hee is lust and powerfull and able to putrish for sinne 3. They differ in regard of their attendance for filiall feare is ioyned with loue such as good subiects beare to good Princes and ordinarily children beare to their parents but seruile feare is ioyued with hatred such as seruants beare to their cruol inasters this maketh a man flee from God and get as farre as hee can out of his sight the other maketh a man draw neerer and neerer to God and presse vpon him as farre as hee can with reuerence Now here I vnderstand the Apostle speaketh of filiall fere because he speakes of men in the state of grace and of an effect of the grace of repentance and regeneration So that then in the fourth place I obserue this that Feare the fourth effect or signe of repentance True repentance bringeth foorth in men feare that is an affection fearing sinne because it is sinne fearing to offend God because of his mercie and goodnes and benefits receiued not flying or departing from God but drawing neerer vnto him when they haue offended him So saith the Apostle here The same also is manifest in Dauid who being a thirst desired the water of Bethlehem to drinke whereupon three of his worthies brake through the host of their enemies and brought him some of the water but Dauid would not drinke of it 1. Chron. 11.18.19 but poured it out for an oblation to the Lord and said Let not my God suffer me to doe this should I drinke the blood of these-mens liues for they haue brought it with the ieopardie of their liues This sheweth that it was the sinne hee feared and not the punishment So likewise the Prophet Hosea saith Hosea 3.5 Aftorward shall the children of Israel conuert and seek the Lord their God shal feare the Lord and his goodnesse in the latter daies So saith the Prophet Dauid Psalm 130.4 There is mercie with thee O Lord that thou maiest bee feared Likewise the prodigall sonne Luke 15. when he repented his feare made him come to his father to confesse his sinne And Marie sought Christ for his goodnes Luke 7. though shee had lead her life in wickednesses and was smitten for them yea and foucken with feare yet her feare made her presse vpon Christ These all teach vs that repentance is accompanied with a filiall feare which thing these reasons also confirme Reason 1. 1. Because euery true repentant is a true child of God Now at is the nature of a child as to obey of loue so to feare to disobey of loue For all feare saith Bernard Seruilis est timor Auamdiu ab amore non mane Bernar. Cant. serm 83. is seruile if it flow not from loue And againe Qui de amore non venit honor non honor sed adulatio Ibid. The honour and reuerence which commeth not from loue is no honor but a formall fanning Reason 2. 2. Because in the 〈◊〉 repentant Gods loue be areth sway as selfe-loue did before therefore as that made him sometimes restraine his corruptions for hope of good or feare of punishment so this now maketh him flie and feare sinne because God is good There is one man saith Bernard that Est qui confitetur Deo quia potens est est quoniam sibi bonus est est quia simpliciter bonus est 1. Seruus est timet 2. Mercenarius est cupit sibi 3. Filius est desert patri Bern de diligendo Deo confesseth to God and reuerenceth him because he is potent and mightie another because bee is good to him a third because he is simply and absolutely good As it is in the Psalmes Psal 118.1 Praise ye the Lord because he is good The first of these is a seruant and feareth the second is an hireling and desireth for himself the third is a son and giueth honor to his father And indeede as he that loueth another is afraid out of his loue to offend him euen so is it with such a man towards God Reason 3. 3. Because the repentant hath a perswasion of the loue of God to him which hee knoweth from his owne loue to God which he findeth in himselfe this rising as it were from the reflexe of that heate and therefore he will flie to GOD and not from him euen when hee hath offended him Now vpon this thus taught and proued I ground these vses crossing some and comforting others 1. This is a hard saying for
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
zealous of good workes That is the ende why God gaue so great a price as the blood of his owne sonne that we might be a peculiar people zealous vnto him Then they that know this in liew of that mercie will grow zealous and think that they cannot be too zealous for him that hath paid so great a price for them Vse 1. Now by this truth for the vse of it we may first condemne our age as that which promiseth or performeth little repentance because there is so little zeale amongst vs for seeing repentance bringeth forth zeale where there is little zeale there is little repentance and where no zeale there no repentance And that I may iustly challenge our age of want of this zeale appeareth thus because it is growne to that in our times that nothing is so much condemned as the zeale here spoken of Zeale for any thing and any person saue for God and his truth is reputed commendable and in any course saue in the way of pietie They are commended who are zealous so their prince and his crowne and accounted good subiects so they who are zealous for their captaine and his honour and esteemed good souldiers so they who are zealous for their father and master and his credit and are reckoned good sonnes or seruants but if they bee zealous for God and his glorie or seruice they shall be reuiled and derided yea Papists if they be deuout and zealous in their superstitious vanities are commended of many and yet Protestants if they bee zealous and forward in the way of truth and godlines they are scorned and mocked as Isaac was of Ismael euen of those who liue in the same kingdome citie Church and house The people condemne thir Minister as too zealous and on the contrarie the Minister the people as too forward so the master the father the husband condemne the seruant the child and the wife and these againe the other How may wee thinke then that they are zealous themselues verily if they were they would not condemne zeale in others nay they could not For though a man in his hypocrisie may condemne that euill in another which he allowes in himselfe yet can hee not condemne the good hee is indued withall for good cannot but reloyce and delite in her like Therfore to prooue these voide of zeale we neede no further proofe or euidence then their condemning of zeale in others When then we haue so many condemners of zeale wee must needs haue many voide of zeale Few we haue who can say as Iehu when he met with Iehonadab saying vnto him when he took him vp into his chariot 2. King 10.15.16 Is thy heart vpright as mine is towards thine then giue me thy hand and come and see the zeale that I haue for the Lord of hosts Few I say that can take others into their houses chambers and companie and shew them how zealous they are for God and his glorie in reading and conferring of the scripture in prayer and other practise of pietie nay they can rather shew them how zealous and feruent they are for their pleasure and profit for themselues and their owne states But the zeale for the Lord of hosts they condemne in others and therfore cannot haue it in themselues and so cannot haue true repentance Vse 2. 2. By this may euery one trie whether they haue repentance or not euen whether they haue fire or no by this heate If they be not cold nor luke-warme but striue to bee hot and zealous in Gods seruice and in the way of piety respecting rather what God calleth for then fearing what men condemne Obiect But there may well be zeale without repentance neither is al zeale good for there is a bad as well as a good zeale how will zeale prooue it then Answ I answere it is true that as the sea water and the raine water agree in the matter yet they differ by diuers qualities and properties as sweet and salt thicke and thin light and heauie So a good zeale and bad are both affections but they differ in many seueral things And first as the Moralist speaketh of other affections that they are so farre good as they are guided by wisdome and kept within the bounds limited by it and on the contrarie they are euill when they passe those bounds So in this zeale it is so farre good as it is gouerned by true knowledge and faith and so far bad as it is depriued of this As the Apostle Paul saith of the Iewes Rom. 10.2 I beare them witnes that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge that is their zeale was not ruled by reason nor grounded vpon the word of God but according to their owne fancie teaching vs thereby what is good and what is bad zeale Zeale is then euill and bad when it will not be nor is ruled by true knowledge that is not subiect to the word but by custome tradition our own affections and wils and of this may be said as before Rom. 10.2 that such haue zeale but not according to knowledge and they may be prayed for as Christ prayed for the Iewes Luke 23.34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe And this zeale argueth no repentance but that which is according to knowledge submitted to the word of God is good and wil prooue a man to haue repentance Againe zeale consisteth of two affections loue and sorrow loue for the glorie of God and his seruice sorrow when it is not performed May wee compare spirituall things with earthly things wheresoeuer there is this loue it is speedie for the compassing of that it desireth Therefore wee reade when Shechim loued Dinah Iacobs daughter Genes 34.19 he was speedie in compassing that by which he might obtaine her though the thing was very sore and grieuous which he was to doe so where there is this affection in the heart of man it maketh a man forward and speedie to procure the glorie of God and to accomplish his seruice Secondly loue hath another propertie wheresoeuer it is notwithstanding all difficulties discouragements or dangers yet will that man goe forward for the procuring of that hee loueth and dreadeth not for any feare or discouragement so he may obtaine the thing hee affecteth So it is said of Iacob he serued seuen yeeres for Rachel and being deceiued by her father in giuing vnto him Leah in stead of Rachel hee was content to serue seuen yeeres more Gen. 29 20. and yet those yeeres seemed vnto him but a few daies hauing borne the cold of the winter the heate of the summer the chilling of the Moone and the burning of the Sunne the dangers both by night and day and all this was because he loued her So if there be this loue of God in men it will neuer shrinke for all difficulties that may be he that hath it will not faint nor be hindred with
all lets and impediments which may fall out as the reproches and indignities which men Satans complices wil be readie to cast vpon him neither will he thinke the time long nor the labour too much for it but goe thorow and thorow trauell and paine that he may procure the glorie of God and aduance his worship and seruice Therfore whereas men pretend zeale let them examine themselues according to this affection and trie whether there bee this loue in the heart or not Thirdly he that hath true zeale he hath this affection of sorrow mourning when he cannot obtaine or procure the glorie of God as he would We haue begun to compare heauenly things with earthly and spiritual with carnal may we once more proceed It is written of Ammon that when he could not inioy Tamar whom hee loued 2. Sam. 13.2.4 hee was sore vexed and fell sicke and grew leane day by day because hee could not enioy her these effects had his loue in him So when there is true loue to God and his glorie there if men cannot further it as much as they would if they cannot enioy his word if they see him dishonoured and false worship established they will pine and grieue and fall away As it is said Psalm 69.9 The zeale of thy house hath eaten mee And as Elias said 1. King 19.10 I haue been very zealous for the Lord of hosts Hee was so stricken with sorrow that he was readie to die because he saw not the glorie of God go forward so that where there is true zeale there is also this affection of sorrow and mourning Then let euery man examine himselfe by these three rules whether he haue this affection within him or no and so whether he haue repented if he haue not this affection at the best he is but lukewarme and euen such an one whom God wil spue out of his mouth and cast out of his house but hauing it truly in himselfe he may be assured he hath truly repented and so is regenerate and holy and shall both abide in the house of God all his life and be afterwards receiued into his euerlasting tabernacles The seuenth signe or fruit of repentance is punishment The seuenth signe or fruit of repentance is reuenge or punishment yea what punishment which some restraine particularlie to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 7.11 as they did the former effect indignation vnderstanding it of that punishment which they inflicted vpon the incestuous person that whereas as before they spared him now admonished they executed the censure of the Church against him and excommunicated him Which admit it bee true that it may be so vnderstood yet it carrieth with it another generall sense seeing al sinne is to be punished wheresoeuer it is found and speciallie should men begin with themselues This being then a signe or fruit of repentance it must begin and bee in a mans selfe It differs from indignation because that is in the affection this is in the action that is a iust conceiued anger towards himselfe for his sinne and hatred of the sinne this the punishment of himselfe for those sinnes and a taking as it were a iustreuenge of himselfe for them Which is when men haue offended in yeelding too much to their owne desires pleasures delights and profits then for the freeing of themselues from the euill of sin they denie some things to themselues which otherwise they might lawfullie vse for their comfort which if they doe not they shall in the punishment which God shall bring vpon them taste the bitternes of that that seemed sweete vnto them The point then is this Punishment is the seuenth signe of repentance True repentance bringeth forth punishment or reuenge That is he that is trulie penitent doth holilie and iustly punish himselfe and is reuenged of himselfe for his sinnes Which as it is manifest in this place so also in diuers other places as first some doe not vnfitly applie to this purpose that place of S. Paul to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 11.31 If wee would iudge our selues we should not bee iudged Which though in the generall it be spoken of the whole conuersion and of the whole act of repentance with al the appurtenances yet the whole will carrie this particular Thus Dauid repenting 2. Sam. 12.16.17 punished himselfe in his humiliation for his child and his sinne who besought the Lord and fasted and lay a whole night vpon the earth and would not for that time receiue any meate for his refreshing Likewise another example in the same man may be seene when in giuing way vnto his lust 1. Chron. 11.18.19 he had desired the waters of Bethlehem and after did see it was brought with the liues of his three Worthies to take a holie reuenge of himselfe hee would not drinke of it but powred it vpon the ground for a sacrifice to the Lord. Likewise we haue the example of the woman Luke 7.38 that shewed the fruit of her repentance hauing before abused her eies to vncleannes and her haire to vanitie by laying it out to the inticing of youth to follie when she had repented she tooke a holy reuenge of her selfe and vsed her eies as a spring to yeeld water to wash Christs feete and her haire to be as a towell to wipe them So likewise those cunning men that were Necromancers Acts 19.19 being conuerted by the preaching of the word to repentance would burne those bookes that were before deare vnto them for a reuenge vpon themselues for their sinne shewing both an indignation in the affection and a iust reuenge in the action Thus then and in these and such like hath repentance brought foorth this reuenge or punishment and reason it should Reason 1. 1. Because the repentant now discerneth two things which he saw not before 1. Gods loue to him 2. His dislike and hatred of his sinne Now then for his loue he taketh punishment and an holie reuenge of himselfe It is necessarie saith Ambrose Necesse est vt quis vindicet eum cuius erga se sentit assectum Am bros in hunc locum that euerie one should take reuenge and punishment for him whose loue and affection hee perceiueth to bee towards him For so shall he shew loue againe Reason 2. 2. Because by this he may preuent Gods punishment of it For the Apostle Paul saith 1. Cor. 11.37 Iudge your selues and yee shall not be iudged As if hee should say iudge not your selues and yee shall bee iudged of God but take this reuenge on your selues and iudge your selues and God shall not iudge you He doth not speake this as if it were any redemption or satisfaction for the punishment but because it was Gods counsell and purpose by chastening and correcting of them to shake them from their security that being put in minde of his anger they might bee more warie afterward Which man doing by this voluntarie reuenge
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
but that in al wants miseries and troubles their chiefe care studie desire and endeuour bee set vpon this and they chiefly labour for it For being in distresse they haue more need to seeke God and to exercise this And better were it to suffer their bodies to pine for want of food then their soules to continue in the state of sinfulnesse and death For as our Sauiour Christ saith What will it profit a man if hee win the whole world and lose his owne soule So in the case of wife and children let men thinke it is a fearefull condition that the prouerb though it be prophane should be fulfilled in them Happie is the sonne whose father goeth to the diuell So happie wife and happie bodie whose soule goeth to the diuell And as for these who haue these outward things alreadie Luke 10.41 they may more freely seeke the spirituall and are bound more strongly so to doe and they should know more is required of them They may learne by experience that which reason could not teach them before that is the vanitie vncertaintie and lothsomnes of them For as one saith Earthlie things are like to certaine herbes which grow in the fields which a farre off seeme very beautiful but when a man is come nie and hath gathered the leaues they smell rankelie which a man will speedily cast away correcting the error of his eies by the touch of his hand So should they doe with these and labour to haue the seeing of that which is in truth That they are by the word not vnfitlie compared to thornes saith Chrysostome as thornes howsoeuer they are taken hold of they pricke so earthly things are eftsoones through our corruption causes of destruction and of sorrow though not of the true sorrow when as spirituall things are as pretious stones as in other respects so in this that as they delight wheresoeuer they are beholden so these are euer pleasant and continuall comforts Chrysost hom 32. ad popul Antioch They therfore should learne to vse the world as though they vsed it not to touch it as honie but not tumble in it Remember if they enter too farre into it the laylor is couetousnesse as saith Chrysostome I would adde voluptuousnesse and the like if they be thorowlie in the more they assay to goe out the more fetters they will put vpon them And so both by seeking of them and by inioying of them shall they be still kept from this dutie of repentance and so out of the state of saluation Offence a sixt impediment to repentance The sixt impediment is offence that is either such as they feare from wicked men their companions before in their sinne that is their hatreds iniuries and reproches or such as they take from those who professe they haue attained this worke of regeneration and repentance Of the first sort we haue a proofe in Nicodemus Iohn 3.1 whose repentance was deferred for feare of men which appeareth by his comming to Christ by night Also by the example of the Rulers of whom Iohn 12.42.43 many beleeued in Christ but because of the Phâ—risies they did not confesse him test they should be cast out of the Synagogue Because they loued the praise of men more then the praise of God Like vnto Zedekia who refused to goe foorth vnto the King of Babels Princes because as himselfe confessed Ierem. 38.19 he was careful of the â—ewes that were fâ—ed vnto the Caldeans lest they should deliuer him into their hands and they mocke him The second kind of offence appeareth by these exhortations As of Paul vnto the Colossians Coloss 4.5 Walke wisely toward them that are without and redeeme the time As if he should say Giue them no offence as a meanes to keepe them out still Againe by the same Apostle vnto the Thessalonians 1. Thes 4.12 who exhorteth them to behaue themselues honestly towards them that are without and that nothing bee lacking vnto them And vnto the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10.32 Giue none offence neither to the lewes nor to the Grecians nor to the Church of God For if offences from these and corruptions in carriage did not hinder them why should the Apostle thus exhort them to beware of such carriage lest they should lay a stumbling blocke before them Yea and reason tels vs these must needs hinder men Reason 1. 1. Because men are a great deale more sensible of the iniuries and indignities which men can doe them then they are of the iudgements that God can bring vpon them remaining in that course wherein they then walke and naturall men especiallie liue rather by sense then by faith Reason 2. 2. Because if they see the wants and infirmities yea sometimes the vices and sinces that are found in them who haue receiued grace and repentance being but personall they impute them to the profession and not able to distinguish betwixt the person and the profession they are made out of loue with the profession for the personall faults and so neuer endeuour for it but are discouraged from it Vse To remoue these â—…drances men ought first to labour for spirituall courage and to contemne all those iniuries and reproches that sinners will cast vpon them such as they are readie to forsake and come to God For those reproches cannot hurt them vnlesse they be faint-hearted within As I may say of pleasure saith Chysost Homil. 2. ad popul Antioch that it consisteth not in the dressing of the meate but in the affection of the eater So say I of reproches that they are somewhat or nothing not from his opinion that reprocheth but from his affection that suffereth and is reproched For example let a man cast vpon thee very strange and vnheard of infamies and reproches if thou deride them if thou set light by his words thou hast suffered no reproch For as if thou hadst a bodie of Adamant or iron if thou were smitten with innumerable darts on all sides yet thou hadst receiued neuer a wound for wounds come not from the hands of him that cast those darts but from the bodie of him that suffereth So here iniuries and reproches haue not their being from the madnes of him that reprocheth but from the meekenes of him that suffereth Doth any man iniurie thee thou feelest not thou grieuest not thou hast suffered no iniurie thou hast rather smitten him than he thee For hee that reprocheth if he see his wound and stroke goe not to the heart of him that suffereth hee is much more vexed then before and a man meekely suffering his reproches the stroke of those reproches doe returne vpon him that sent them out of their own accord Againe he shall finde that God will take notice of all these as hee said he did of the reproches which fell vpon the Church of the Smyrnians Reuel 2.9 I know the blasphemies of them c. to doe to his as Dauid promised