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
of feasting come If this season be vnfit because the time is our feast yet being the doctrine of mortification and renouation of putting off the old man and putting on the new of making 2. Cor. 1.17 men new creatures in Christ Iesus when old things are passed away and all things are become new I suppose it to haue a speciall fitnes for the time Now this I offer to your Honor to continue the signification of my dutie begun in the former as by a freewill offering when the other was enioined by your Honour and so could not so effectually intimate my dutie Yet in this I respect not dutie only but desire of your Lordships spirituall and eternall honor which must be obtained by walking this way or els there is no way to compasse it I vndertooke to handle this point publikely at the request of diuers of my auditorie who had often heard me presse the necessitie of it and yet not so distinctlie conceiuing the nature of the thing desired I would diuert my ordinary course of preaching and handle this point at the full and in all the particulars I now haue written it by others importunitie who desired it for a more publike good and offer it first vnto your Honour which I desire might haue not the least but the best part and profit in it and by it May it please your Honour to heare thus much from mee that this dutie belongs to honourable Personages men of your place as well as to the poorest pesants as the precepts of the scriptures and the practise of King Dauid Salomon Manasses and others doe proue The reason of which is because now though there be difference of men as there is of counters while the Merchants account lasteth some standing for pence some for pounds some for hundreds and thousands and as of plaiers while they are vpon the stage some going for rich some for poore some for knights some for kings while the play continueth and as of trees in the forrest some are oakes some elmes some poplers some thornes some briers and brambles while they stand growing yet when the account is ended when the play is finished when the trees are cut downe specially burnt to ashes there will bee no difference at all So and more it wil be after death when men shall al appeare before Gods iudgement seate that there will be no difference specially in respect of God for then shall the poore appeare without their rags and the rich without their bags Kings without their crownes Nobles without their ensignes of honours Bishops without their rochets Iudges without their commission Sergeants without their coifes Lawyers Ministers and other scholars without degrees and signes of order yea euery man as naked as he came into the world and more naked then he went out of it by as much as his winding sheete coffin or tombe commeth to But euerie man shall haue the workes of his person place age and condition with him hee that hath eschewed euill and done good hee that hath mortified the flesh with the lusts thereof and been renued in the inward man the verie pith and marrow of his repentance Rom. 2.7 He that by continuing in well doing hath sought glory and honour and immortalitie shall haue eternall life whereas hee that hath but pampered the flesh and tooke all care to fulfill the lusts of it renuing nothing but retaining old Adam Vers 8.9 Disobeying the truth and obeying vnrighteousnesse shall haue indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish c. whether hee bee Iew or Grecian one or other whatsoeuer he be Vers 11. for there is no respect of persons with God If I bee blamed for bringing this doctrine to the Court and commending it to your Honor as well as preaching it to the coÌ„mon people this will bee my defence And thus hoping of your Honours good acceptance of this small new yeeres gift praying the Almightie to renue you by his spirit and grace through faith and true repentance that you may not onely continue honourable vpon earth in the Kings Court but your Honour may be multiplied in heauen in the Court of the King of Kings I humblie take my leaue Your Honors Chaplaine in all humble dutie RICHARD STOCKE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER SPECIALLIE THE Rector and parishioners of Al-hallowes Breadstreet THe rod of Gods iudgements hath now been long vpon vs for our sinnes which the abuse of Gods mercies his patience and our long peace hath brought out So that wee may well hope that they haue wrought in vs that of Elihu in Iob Iob 33.16 to wit that they haue Opened the eares of vs euen these corrections which he hath sealed whereby we will willingly heare and receiue this doctrien of repentance vnlesse that of Elies sonnes which is not to bee thought of without feare and trembling should be verified in vs 1. Sam. 2.25 That therefore they obeyed not the voice of their sather being the Lords Priest because the Lord would slay them So we should not obey the voice of Gods Ministers because the Lord hath a purpose to destroy vs. Which lest it befall vs it stands all and euery one vpon to repent or hauing repented and yet sinning again Iames 3.2 as who sinneth not in many things and daily to renue his repentance and doe it againe and againe As often saith Chrysostome Quoties cecidens in foro toties exâ—…ges sic quoties peccaueris toties peccati poeniteat Chrysost hom 9. de poenitent as thou fallest in the streetes so often thou wilt rise againe euen so as often as thou committest sinne so often thou shouldest renue thy repentance The Physitians haue a preseruatiue against the plague which consisteth of three ingredients The medicine is called flying the ingredients are these Citò longè tardè flie soone enough flie farre enough and make slow haste to returne By which notwithstanding that men sometimes escape the pestilence yet they remaining in their sinnes are often ouertaken with a greater plague and are in the case which Amos speaketh of Amos 5.19 As if a man did flie from a Lion and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and the serpent bit him But the Prophets and Saints of God haue a contrarie preseruatiue not against this plague only but all other either to keepe themselues vntouched of them or at least to turne them to their good And this they call not flying but returning the ingredients of this are two laide downe euery where in the Scripture Cease to doe euill learne to do well eschew euill and doe good Yea this is both a restoratiue and a preseruatiue by which men may remoue the present and preuent greater iudgements to come Now for the instructing of you in the nature and for the directing of you in the vse and practise of this medicine and duty at the request of some of you I laboured in publike to
of it and lesse practiseth the dutie we must first shew them what it is which may thus bee described What repentance is Repentance is the constant turning of a man in his whole life from al sinne vnto God arising from true faith and the true knowledge of a mans owne spirituall estate euer ioyned with true humiliation Repentance is a turning When I say it is a turning I say it by the authoritie of the Prophets in the old Testament and of Christ and his Apostles in the new which is manifest by their preachings and writings Isaiah saith Isai 9.13 The people turneth not vnto him that smiteth them neither doe they seeke the Lord of hostes Hosea exhorting the people to repentance saith Hosea 6.1 Come and let vs returne vnto the Lord. And againe Hosea 14.2 O Israel returne vnto the Lord thy God for thou hast fallen by thy iniquitie Likewise saith Ieremiah Ier. 4.1 O Israel if thou returne returne vnto me As much hath Ezechiel Ezech. 18.30.32 I will iudge you O house of Israel euery one according to his waies saith the Lord God returne therefore and cause other to turne away from all your transgressions The like is also in the 32. verse In the new Testament the word vsed to expresse this signifies to change the mind whereupon the change of the manners will follow Iohn Baptist saith while he prepared the way for Christ Matth. 3.2 Repent for the kingdome of heauen is at hand As if he should say Returne from an euill mind to a good And our Sauiour Christ vseth the same word Matth. 4.17 Amend for the kingdome c. The Apostle Saint Paul expresseth the meaning of both these when hee saith The Gentiles were taught Act. 26.20 they should repent and if you aske him what that is he expresseth himselfe thus and turne to God and doe workes worthie amendment of life By all which it is manifest that repentance is a turning I say further it is a turning of the whole life Repentance a turning of the whole life or from all sinne In nature there are foure kinds of turnings or mutations One is in substaÌ„ce called generation and corruption a second is in quantitie either from the greater to the lesse or from the more to the fewer and contrary called augmentation and diminution a third in place when things change places called locall mutation a fourth in qualitie when things change from one condition to another called alteration Now here is no change in substance for the partie sinning and repenting is the same and hath the same body and soule the same faculties and powers both of soule and bodie neither is there any change in quantitie for the change from greater sins to lesse or from more to fewer is not repentance Nor is there any change of place for sinne like a mans sicknes is caried with him and change of place as change of beds doth not free him or make him whole Being then none of these it must needes be the change in qualitie that is when one and the same man is changed in the condition both of his soule and bodie from iniquitie to righteousnes from all sinne to the liuing God both in the inward man and outward conuersation Which is manifest by the Scripture as first for the inward man Ezekiel speaketh from the Lord Ezech. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit not in substance not in quantitie but in qualitie Hence Moses promiseth to his people the blessing if they shall Deut. 30.2 returne with all their heart and with all their soule Hence it is that Ioel speaketh Ioel 2.13 of renting the heart and not the garment And Ieremie Ierem. 4.4 of taking away the foreskin of the heart True repentance then is the change of the heart and inward man but that is not all there must also be a change of the outward man as well as the mind the vnderstanding the wil and affections must be changed so must the eies and the tongue the hands and the feete be changed also Therefore Daniel perswading Nebuchadnezzar to repent he saith vnto him Daniel 4.24 Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by mercie toward the poore let there be an healing of thy error As if he should say it is not true repentance vnlesse a man breake off sinne and doe the contrarie good and be reformed in the outward man So Zacchâ—us Luk. 19.8 when he turned to God what did he euen breake off his oppression gaue halfe of his goods to the poore made fourefold restitution to those he had wronged and so was turned in the outward man The like might bee said of Peter Mary Magdalene and others who were turned as well inwardly as outwardly and both and so accounted true repentants and their repentance good when as the repentance of Ahab and Herod were not good nor sauing repentance being but in the outward man onely or but for some sinne and not a whole conuersion The reasons that proue repentance to be such a turning are two Reason 1. The first because man who at the first was made a goodlie creature in the image of God hauing fellowship with him whereby he was one with God and God with him by sinne was separated from God there being a partition made betwixt them as Isaiah saith Isai 52.2 he being alienated and estranged from God and become the childe of wrath as S. Paul speaketh Ephes 2.3 and 4.18 and was made like the prodigall sonne gone from his father into a farre country euen become the straied yea the lost sheepe Now when men haue grace to repent then they begin to renew this fellowship to recouer this image and to bee reconciled to God therefore I call it a turning againe to God and a change of the condition Reason 1. 2 I say it is of the whole life or the whole man and from all sin because one sinne separates from God as well as many and all parts are to be reduced to God as well as one one facultie of the minde as well as another for if the outward man only be turned it is but hypocrisie and Pharisaicall and the inward cannot be turned but the outward will follow neither can any man forsake one sinne to be at one and reconciled to God which will not be willing and carefull to leaue off and forsake all Now the vse of this is double Vse 1. First if repentance bee a turning and such a turning as is spoken of then many men deceiue themselues in their iudgment of repentance and thinke that to be it which is not and that they haue it when they haue nothing lesse For many thinke in repentance of nothing lesse then turning and when they would seeme to repent neuer endeuor to turne Some thinke repentance is onely a sorrow and sighing when they are by any meanes checked and reprooued
continually which is the time our heauenly Physitian hath prescribed Then shall he find that true to him which Christ spoke to Zacheus Saluation is come to his house and to his heart Now to proceed in the description Repentance proceedeth from faith In the second place I say that Repentance proceedeth from faith that is none can repent nor practise this dutie of Repentance but those who haue faith and grace or repentance that is true and sound holy and acceptable vnto God euer comes from faith I meane not the faith of diuels nor a temporarie faith but a true iustifying sauing faith no repentance can be accepted vnlesse it haue this roote from whence it comes that is true faith which is manifest by that of Malachie Malach. 3.7 Returne vnto me and I will returne vnto you Where he promiseth them pardon and acceptation if they would returne by the hope of that to draw them to this the ground and motiue to make them returne is an assurance of pardon shewing that when once they are perswaded and assured that God will pardon they will soone returne vnto him Iohn Baptist saith Matth. 3.2 Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand The like saith our Sauior Christ Matth. â— 17 Amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand By which they make grace and the promise of saluation the cause of repentance that is when they are receiued and apprehended which is not neither can be but by faith and though repentance in these places is placed before the promise yet is it not in nature before faith neither would they teach any such thing but that when they once beleeue it then they must and will repent And to this purpose let the consequent words be well waighed as Iohn hath them Matth. 3.3 Prepare the waies of the Lord and make his paths straight Which is the very summe of repentance which words are taken out of the Prophet Esay Esay 40.3 who in the first and second verse was commanded to preach the glad tidings of the Gospell shewing that these must first be beleeued before they could repent The Prophet Dauid also teacheth no lesse Psalm 130.4 But mercie is with thee that thou maist be feared Where hee obserues that no man can euer imbrace God to feare and reuerence him but he that is perswaded of his fauour nor giue himselfe to the obedience of his law but he that is perswaded the things he doth will please him Lastly the Prophet Hosea noteth that repentance commeth of the hope of the forgiuenesse of sinues Hosea 6.1 Come let vs returne to the Lord he hath smitten vs and hee will make vs whole And a certaine truth it is that if the Scriptures be searched we shall not find any to haue truly repented which had not true faith Now the reasons of this are diuers Reason 1. 1. Because this dutie of repentance in euery mans conceit and also in truth is very difficult and hard and man had need to haue some thing to whet him on to it and make him willing to goe about it and what inducement better then this hope of pardon or assurance of remission which is faith being as Ambrose saith Incentiuum poenitentiae Ambros de poenit lib. 1. cap. 1. the prouokement of repentance for who will seeke to an enemie for helpe or of whose fauour and kindnes he is not perswaded Will any sicke man saith he Nemoâ—se curandum praebeat qui contemptui se non compassioni medico suo putat suturum ibid. commit himselfe to such a physitian to be cured whom he thinks will contemne him rather then condole and pitie him So no man will repent and turne to God but he that hath some assurance of mercie and acceptation Reason 2. 2 Because without hatred of sinne there can neuer be any true repentance Now hatred of sinne riseth from sanctification for an vnsanctified man may leaue sinne but not hate it as sinne it is only holines that hateth iniquitie Now there can be no sanctification without iustification and this cannot be but by faith by which men are vnited to Christ and apply him vnto themselues then no repentance without faith Reason 3. 3. Because no man can repent and turne to God except he be first turned of God and after that he is turned he repents So Ephraim saith Ierem. 31.19 After I was conuerted I reponted The first act of a mans conuersion is faith after that hope then loue and obedience for as a prisoner which lies in hold for debt or some deadly offence if any man come vnto him and promise him to pay his debt or discharge him he first beleeues that he is willing and able to doe it then he hopes for it and lastly he is as it were dissolued into loue and seeketh to do all things that wil please him So in a repentant sinner he first beleeues that God will doe that he promiseth namely pardon his sinne and take away his iniquities then he resteth in the hope of it and from that and for it he leaues sinne and will for him for sake his old course which was displeasing and do that which is pleasing and acceptable vnto him Reason 4. 4. Because true repentance is euer acceptable to God now God accepts no worke of man which doth not arise from faith for saith the Apostle Hebr. 2.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God therefore if a man will performe true and acceptable repentance hee must haue faith Ob. Ahab repented and his repentance was accepted for it obtained a blessing yet had he neuer any true faith therefore repentance may be without faith Ans Ahab neuer had true repentance and so his repentance is nothing against this point for I speake here of fauing repentance which hee neuer had and if it pleased God yet it was but as a father speakes in generall Semiplena ficta penè obedientia quandoque hactenus placet deo vt ad tempus iram remittat poenas corporales mitiget August That halfe and fained obedience sometime so farre pleaseth God that for a time he will remit his anger and mitigate temporall punishments But neuer for matter of saluation Againe God shewed himselfe pleased with Ahabs repentance such as it was to encourage his owne to exercise true repentance who may thereby be assured of a gracious acceptance and liberall reward from him who leaues not these vnrewarded But finally we say Ahabs repentance proceeded from faith which is thus made true there is a double faith one sauing and iustifying another temporarie that is such a faith by which a man beleeues for the present something that God hath said is done or shall be so Ahab beleeued that God would do that which he had threatned which made him repent and so his repentance proceeded from faith there is a double repentance answerable to this double faith a
temporarie repentance arising from a temporarie faith and a sauing repentance from a sauing faith Such as the faith is sitch is the repentance Ob. 2. Againe some will say that Repentance vseth first to be preached as the course of the Scripture and the tenor held by all Preachers of all times doth shew who haue first called for it and then for faith Ans To cleere this doubt we must consider three things 1. the order of nature 2. the time 3. the manifestation of them In order of nature faith goeth before in the manifestation of them repentance is first in time they are both ioyntly together For by order of nature first a mans conscience must in some sort be setled touching his recoÌ„ciliation with God by Christ before hee can repent As Ambrose saith Nemo rectè possit poenitentiam agere nisi qui sperauerit indulgentiam Ambros de poenit lib. 1. cap. 1. No man can rightly repent vnlesse he hope for pardon So that first Gods fauour is apprehended and remission of sinnes beleeued then vpon that commeth repentance alteration of life and conuersion But for manifestation repentance both to a mans selfe and to another goes before faith for it is sooner discerned then faith Iustification is like the sap hid within the barke when as repentance as the bud speedily sheweth it selfe before leafe blossome or fruit Lastly if we respect the time neither of them is one before the other but are begotten in a man both at one instant for faith is not begotten to day and repentance to morrow or some daies after but he that beleeues instantly repented though it be not so perceiued no not of him that possesseth both As the thunder crack and lightning are both at one and the same time yet is one discerned before the other All that this sheweth or we would prooue by is is this that none can seriouslie and trulie repent but he that knowes he is Gods none can know this but he that hath his grace and this faith Ob. 3. Further it may be some will obiect that many a man by the terror of his conscience is subdued and brought to obedience long before he hath faith or grace or hath tasted of it and so it ariseth not from thence Ans I answere this is no other then that which may come of nature from the knowledge of good and euill by that conscience of sinne which remaineth in man since his fall being but a seruill seare of punishment and of the anger of God which though it he not a proper worke of Gods sanctifying spirit nor any part of regeneration yet is it a step towards it and to bee nourished because it is as the needle to the thread for it makes way for the true feere of God Vse 1. The first vse of this is to confute those who thinke repentance goeth before saith which opinion by the grounds that haue been alreadie laied is manifestly false Besides it is certaine that repentance is the worke of a liuing man of him that is spirituallie liuing no dead man can repent But he that is with out faith though he haue a name to liue yet is dead for Habac. 2.4 The iust shall liue by his faith No life then without faith and no repeÌ„tance without life so not without faith seeing repentance is the worke of a liuing not a dead man There may be an outward reformation of actions worde an inlightning of the mind and vnderstanding a changing of the will and affections from vice to vertâ—… but no change of the heart from sinfulnes to holines That a naturall man may haue this onely a spirituall that a dead man may performe this onely a liuing man Finally repentance is a purifying of the heart a mortifying and crucifying of the flesh and what shall purifie the heart is it not faith for whom will a man crucifie his beloued sinnes inortifie his flesh and affections will he do it for any but for him of whose loue he is specially assured Then can it not be before but must needes follow after faith Vse 2. 2. This conuinceth the of error who thinke that faith is a part of repeÌ„tance but it cannot be that the roote and the fruit should be both one thing or one a part of the other The strongest reason they haue is that faith and repentance are euer loyned together without faith there can be no repentance But if this reason haue any strength then is faith a part of the Sacrament seeing it is as vnprofitable without it and conioyned they must be where any fruit and comfort will be had Againe if coniunction make it a part why should not the soule be a part of the bodie which is not a bodie but a carcase without it why not the light a part of the heate in the sunne why not faith part of hope and charitie seeing they are not nor cannot be in this life without it though charity may be and is without them in the life to come Besides the scripture hath made them directly distinct Mark 1.15 Repent and beleeue the Gospell And Paul saith Act. 20.21 he preached Repentance towards God and faith in the Lord Iesus Then can it be no part of it but the roote and beginning of it whence it procee deth For when the mind of a man hath once by faith imbâ—aced the goodnes of God and remission of sinnes by Iesus Christ then in liew of thank fulnes to God he will addresse himselfe to the alteration and change of his life to the putting off the old man and putting on the new they are then not as parts one of another but as cause and effect faith the true cause and repentance the necessarie effect Vse 3. 3. This may confute that point of Poperie and popish schoolemen who haue distinguished attrition and contrition coyning both namea things after their owne fâ—ncie without Scriâ—ture Now attrition they say cannot merit but contrition if it be fall doth merit remission of sinne and iustification But this must needs be salfe because no contrition or repentance can be good vnlesse it come from faith if it be without it it is sinne and how should sinne merit It is sinne for saith our Sauiour Christ Matth. 7.17 A good tree brings fâ—orth good fruit and a corrupt tree â—…ings foorth euill fruit And againe Luk. 6.45 A goodman out of the good treasure of his â—…art bringeth forth good and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill So that contrition though it be good in it selfe yet comming froÌ„ a bad tree which euery man is who is not sanctified made good by faith it must needs be euill and sinne specially seeing our Sauiour saith Iohn 3.6 That which is borne of the flesh is flash Which is true both of men and their actions whosoeuer is borne and whatsoeuer is done of a naturall man is corrupt So contrition if
it come from a naturall man one not sanctified by faith must needs be corrupt and cannot merit remission of sinne But if this contrition proceed of faith and so be good it can as little merit remission of sinne which is before it For a man no sooner beleeues but he is iustified no sooner iustified but he hath remission of sinne which though he know not or feele not yet hath he then neuer the lesse for if want of feeling or ignorance of the being of any thing should argue the not being of it then children in the wombe should want life and reason because they haue no knowledge or feeling of either It is not then as they falsely imagine that men first repent and from the merit of that commeth remission of sinne but men first beleeue and apprehend remission of sinne and then doe they repent then do they forrow and mourne for sinne and turne vnto God from those things which are displeasing vnto him Vse 4. 4. This will proue euery ignorant vnbeleeuing prophane man to bee without true and sauing repentance for his ignorance and prophanenes telles euery man that whatsoeuer is in his heart yet faith is not there and so hee beeing a dead man cannot bring forth the works of the liuing Though therfore he should mourne and weepe as much as Esan and sorrow grieue as greatly as Iudas yea and reforme in many things as Herod yea all the outward man as some Heathen men haue done yet hath he not repented Then you will say to what purpose should any man doe any such thing Because God hath commanded these and they are meanes to obtaine that which is true repentance Not that any man can merit grace at the hand of God by this or yet make himselfe more capable of grace seeing his nature remaineth as corrupt as before but because God hath inioyned men to do what they can in renuing themselues and to approch as neere vnto grace as they can although they cannot by any labour or endeuour without the worke of Gods spirit attaine vnto it All should vse the meanes and hope to obtaine grace yea none can hope to obtaine it who vse not the means though some vse the meanes and doe not obtaine and others not vsing the meanes doe obtaine That with the meanes and without it the whole glorie and praise might be giuen to God whose spirit blowes where it listeth Vse 5. 5. The last vse of this is to perswade euery man to labour for true faith if he haue it not or for the increase of it being had still endeuouring to maintaine and nourish it if for no other end and reason yet because it will bring forth in him true repentance not to he repented of and renew it in him euery day as his sin reneweth and make it acceptable vnto God for if it were possible a man could repent without this faith yet should it not be well pleasing to God specially not for saluation and spirituall good and comforts It is not to be denied but that the best men haue many secret and priuie corruptions in them which must be mortified yea many a regenerat and holy man may oftentimes fall into many grosse sinnes and how should they recouer themselues without the medicine of repentance but how should they repent without faith by which they are liuing men able to doe the workes of the liuing and truely repent for the obtaining of this then must they heare the word with all diligence for Rom. 10.17 faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God And for the nourishment of it still must they heare it with reuerence for it is as Chrysostome saith as oyle to the lampe to keepe it burning And the more care must they haue for the preseruation of this because the life and being both of this and all other graces dependeth vpon it Serpens non minimùm cuâ—… si corpus inciditur modò caput suum integrum seruet Sic tu praeter fidem caetera perdere non cura Chrysost homil 24. in Matth. Then as the Serpent of all things is most carefull for his head because he knowes that though he be cut and mangled in the bodie or any part of it yet if his head be whole it will cure all the wounds of the other members such wisdome ought they to haue to labour aboue al things to keepe the faith whole and sound because if any thing else take a wound this will cure all the rest but if this once suffer shipwracke it will cost them much before they can recouer it againe and make themselues whole all other graces decaying and perishing with it For this then must they chiefly labour that they may not once but euery day renew their repentance The third thing in the description of repentance is that it ariseth also from the true knowledge of a mans spirituall estate Repentance ariseth from the knovvledge of a mans spirituall estate True sauing repentance ariseth from the true knowledge of a mans owne spirituall estate and none can repent but they who haue this knowledge which is proued by the course which was euer taken by those who laboured to bring and induce offenders to repentance for they laboured euer to set before their eies and to make them see the condition wherein they were The Lord himselfe when he came to visit Adam who had now sinned and to draw him to repentance tooke this course with him saying vnto him Gen. 3.9 Adam where art thou that is in what a case art thou see and knowe that howsoeuer thou art in the same place yet thou art not in the same condition and take notice of thy miserable condition that by it thou maist be drawne to seeke to me and not to flie from me So the Prophet Nathan 2. Sam. 12.1.2.3 c. being sent to King Dauid to bring him to repentance he took a course to make him see his sins and his owne miserable estate by a familiar parable wisely applied which made him see and confesse his sinne and seeke by true repentance for the pardon of it So the Apostle Peter Act. 2.36 in his first sermon after the ascension of Christ endeuoured to make the Iewes his auditors to see their sinnes in crucifying the Lord of life and their wretched estate for that fact that he might as the successe was draw them to repentance So Christ himselfe with the Church of Laodicea to the end he might make her truly repent laboured to abate her pride which blinded her eyes and to make her see that she was wretched and miserable and blind and poore and naked Reuelat. 3.17 And this Ephraim speaking of her selfe sheweth that it was the cause of her repentance Ierem. 31.19 When I was instructed I repented As if she should say when my eies were open that I saw my owne condition and estate then I repented By all these it is cleere that
of sinne from the contagion which followes it or the curse that is due vnto it By which he may be made to come trembling and with feare and accuse himselfe before the throne of God and by a true renouncing of all his sinnes and a true turning from all his former wicked courâ—… and carriage truely repent and be gâ—…usly accepted of God 〈◊〉 description of repentance the last thing is that this turning is euer loyned with true humiliation which not essarily followeth vpon the former for as the error and false opinion of holines and happines doth make a 〈◊〉 pround proâ—…ptuous and confiâ—… 〈◊〉 so the knowledge of a mans â—…hed and dâ—…able estate and sinâ—… condition will abase him by humbling him Now of this first in generall then more particularlie Generally Repentance ioyned vvith true humiliation True repentance is euer ioyned with true humiliation none can repent but hee is truely humbled by the sight of his owne wretched and sinfull estate which is manifest by the exhortations of the Prothets calling to repentance as in Ioel Ioel 2.12 Therefore also now the Lord saith turne you vnto me with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And againe in Isaiah the Lord complaineth that the people did not repent Isai 22.12.13 And in that day when the Lord God of hosts did call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnes and to girding with sackcloth beholdioy and gladnes slaying oxen and killing sheep eating flesh and drinking wine eating and drinking for to mâ—… we shall die shewing thereby thâ—… because they were not humbled therefore they did not repent Hence is that of Micha Micha 6.8 Hee bath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee Surely to doe iustly and to loue mercie and to Humble thy selfe to walke with thy Gâ—… Hence is that exhortation of Pâ—… 1. Pet. 5.6 Humble your selues therefore vnâ—… might is hand of God that he may 〈◊〉 you in due time And S. Iames saith Iames 4.7 Submit your selues to God This also is proued by as many as repented either truly or temporarily either the practise considered or the parable now the practise may bee feene in David who being reprooued by Nathan for murther and adultery 2. Sam. 12. repented and humbled himselfe vnder the hand of God so Ahab though he had no sound and sauing repentance 1. King 21. yet his humiliation was answerable to his repentance So did the Niniuites Iona. 3. humble themselues by fasting and sackcloth The like may appeare by the parable in the Gospell Luk. 15.18.19 where Christ sets out repentance vnder the state of the prodigall sonne who comming home to his father humbleth himselfe in saying to his father that he was not worthie to be called his sonne So the Publican commeth and humbleth himself and smote himselfe vpon the breast Luk. 18.13 and would not lift vp his eies to heauen the 〈◊〉 may he seene in Peter in Mary and others By all which examples it is manifest that wheresoeuer there is repentance there is humiliation â—…nd this stands with reason Reason 1. 1. Beâ—… true repentance riseth from the sight and knowledge of a mans estate how wretched and sinfull it is which maketh him hunble for whereas the 〈◊〉 and false opinion of a mans holinesse doth puffe him vp with pride and maketh him confident and presumptuous on the contrarie the true knowledge of a mans estate and of his sinnes will humble him therefore this repentance comming from the knowledge of a mans essate must needes bee ioyned with humiliation from which knowledge there ariseth a double fruit which is repentance and humiliation Reason 2. 2. Because he that repenteth receiueth grace from God and findeth grace and fauour with him which â—…elie the humbled doe and not the proud as Saint Iames saith Iames 4.6 God resisteth the proud and giueth grace to the humble The vses of this point follow after 〈◊〉 manner Vse 1. First we may then proâ—…nce of many that they are without repentance many euen without the temporarie and many without the true fauing repentance because they neuer came where humiliation greâ—… not the bastard one and much more not where the true and natural 〈◊〉 miliation is to beg had and 〈◊〉 had it For they neuer had these seares and those cares those palâ—gs and gripes which men that haâ—e been humbled haue had they neuer 〈◊〉 to confesse and acknowledge their sinnes and condemne themselues but puffed vp as blackâ—ers with wind so they with a windie and proud conceit of themselues and their 〈◊〉 estate like the Phaâ—isie and to this they easily come and so are kept from humiliation being blinded by 〈◊〉 opinion and conce it of their 〈◊〉 good parts of nature of their 〈◊〉 anâ—…giâ—… by good leducation dock inâ—…trat of their good workes they haue done to God and to their â—…ighbour how many waies and 〈◊〉 how great charges they haue maintained learning set forward religion serued God and releeued the poore These conceites so blind their eies and ouershadow all their senses that they make and pronounce themselues not sinfull but holie iust and innocent Another thing also that blindeth them is a comparing of themselues with those who are more sinfull and in some respect notoriouslie sinfull and then the opinion of their owne holinesse which before was any thing doubtfull is now put out of all controuersie and they exempted not onely from the ranke and rout of wicked men but canonized Saints in their owne conceit The picture of these is the Pharisie who stood and praied thus with himselfe Luk. 18.11 O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publican I fast twice in the weeke I giue tithe of all that euer I doe possesse where both these delusions are found in him whereby he was without humiliation and so iustification and conseâ—uentlie repentance And this is the case of most men which are by these or the like means pussed vp with pride for is not this the speech of many a man I thanke God I am not so wicked as such a man I am not an Adulterer a drunkard or a whoremonger I thanke God I loue the Church well and I desire God to loue me as wel as I loue the Church But let these men consider what became of the Pharisie he went away not iustified because hee was iust in his owne sight so all these men that with these things are thus lifted vp with pride though they be thus iustified in their owne sight yet they stand as condemned persons before God for hee that iudgeth not himselfe God will iudge Vse 2. 2. This may further teach vs how necessarie this humiliation is seeing there can be no repentance without it and therefore ought euery one to labour against the former delusions that wee bee not deceiued
by them and so kept in a proud conceit of our selues and heuer attaine or inioy repentance Now these delusions are ouercome and abandoned thus The first if they consider that all their good workes be they neuer so glorious and many coâ—…ing from a corrupt founâ—…nâ—e of an vnrepentant and vnbeleeuing heart are accounted sins before God for 〈◊〉 saith S. Paul Rom. 14.23 What soeuer is not of faith is sin Whereupon Augustine saith Infideluer misereri vitium est peccatuÌ„ August contra Iulian. Pelag. lib. 4.3 To â—se compassion without faith is sinne Vnderstand that the sin riseth not from the act of compassion but from the priuation of faith and so of other things Againe they must know that their consciences will tell them if they put the question to it that that they do is not from any manner of loue either of righteousnes or to God and man but from selfe-loue pride vaine-glorie c. by which they must needs be corrupted and so no reason they should be proud of them yea as Gregorie saith Rationi consentaneum est vt metuas bonis operibus quà m in ijs glorieris Gregor moral lib. 9. 11. There is more reason they shuld feare for their good works then glory in them But the other delusion may thus be aâ—oided If they would consider that other mens sins will condemne themselues not iustifie them And that in sinfuâ—nes they are as farre beyond others yea and happily much further then they are short of them therefore if the one giue them cause of pride the other may iustly giue them cause of humiliation for as it is in temporall things a maÌ„ that is rich commeth into the countrie among his poore neighbours hee is there a great man and all must bee at his command but if hee come vnto the kings court hee is no body in comparison of those that are there so in spirituall things thou being amongst wicked men and seeing them thou beginnest to iustifie thy selfe and saisâ— I am not an â—surer nor an oppressor nor a drunkard câ— but on the contrary compare thy selfe with others as with Peter with Paul c. and thou shal see how faâ—re thou commest short of them and if the one make thee proud let the other make thee humble by which meanes thou maist come to bee humbled before God and hauing humiliation thou maist haue true repentance and so bee in the state of saluation for whilst thou art proud thou art void of repentance or of sauing grace and so out of the state of saluation Yet let me note condemne euery one that hath pride in him for who can say he is free but him that doth not condemne pride in himselfe for he that condemneth this sinne in himselfe as he doth other sins is not guiltie of it but hee that will stand to iustifie his prido this man is void oâ— humiliation and being void of humiliation is void of repentance and so out of the state of soluation But now particularly to procâ—ed further in this humiliation It is double inward and outward First of the inward and of the soule Humiliation double inward and outward 1. Jnward humiliation Inward humiliation is in the soule and affections and is this when a man is caâ—… downe and his loftines abased in shame sorrow and feare at the sight of his wretched wicked and sinfull estate These three then are in true humiliation the first respects sinne only the second sinne and present punishment the third punishment to comes Shame ariseth from the sight and sense of a mans owne filthy nakednes as the Scriptures cals it that is of his sinne and the defiâ—ing which it pollutes a man withal Sorrow is griefe concâ—iued either of sinne or punishment or both If for sinne onely because it is sinne not respecting the punishment but making a man of this mind that if there were neither hell nor accuser nor Iudge yet hee would be humbled and brought on his knees for his sinnes because he hath offenceâ—… solouing and so gratious a father and patient God then is it godly sorrow but if onely for the punishment or â—utses due to them and now present and vpon them it is but worldlie sorrow If both these concur in a man it is the state of a true repentant for both may bee and are in respect hee consisteth of flesh and spirit 〈◊〉 old and new man the one som owing for the sin the other for the punishment Feare is a grieuous sense and apprehension of some â—…ill to come for 〈◊〉 is euer ioyned with the expectation of the thing feared Now that these three are ioyned with repentance is manifest thus As first for shame Ephraim saith thus of her selfe Ierem. 31.19 After that I conuerted I repented and after that I was instructed I swore vpon my thigh I was ashamed yea euen confounded because I did beare the reproch of my youth So the Lord by his Prophet calleth the people of the Iewes to the remembrance of their sinnes and to be ashamed Isai 46.8 Remember this and be ashamed And the Apossle Paul saith Rom. 6.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof yee are now ashamed Secondly for sorrow and for godly sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul speaketh thus 2. Cor. 7.10 Godlie sorrow causeth repentance unto saluation not to be repented of Such as Dauid had as is manifest by those two Psalmes 32. and 51. Psalm 32. 51. Such also had Peter Now worldlie sorrow was such as Iudas and Achab had Thirdly for 〈◊〉 It was in the Iewes who repented at the preaching of Peter and Acts 2.37 were pricked in their hearts and said Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued The like wee may see in the Iayler who came trembling to Paul and Silas and fell downe before them and said Act. 16.29 Sirs what must I doe to be saued Now these seuerall instances I giue not as if one of these onely were in them and that humiliation is in one alone but because in some one of these three is more perspicuous in some another more manifest Now the reasons proouing that the repentant must haue those and hath them if so bee hee truely repent are these Reason 1. 1 Because when hee was a carnall man being in a senselesse securitie he neither knew nor considered what sin was neither saw he the deformitie of it That as Adam saw not his nakednes in the state of innocency so not he in the state of fecuritie but being entred into the state of repentance his eies are opened and he conceiueth of sinne as it is indeede and then iudgeth hee himselfe in regard of it the most abiect man of all vnworthie of their companie or to come in their sight He is like to a man that while he was in the darke had his face and his ruffe and garments marâ—ello uslie bespotted and besmired of which hee was
the people that he said vnto God Ezra 9.6 I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eies vnto thee my God for our iniquities are increased ouer our heads and our trespasse is grown vp vnto the heauen so ought euery man when he commeth before God to labour to be ashamed and confounded in himselfe for his own sinnes and think that it belongeth vnto him whatsoeuer he is not onely to be ashamed when he is in the sight of the world and in the view of men but when he is in his secret chamber or closet when none but God can be an eie-witnes thereof thus were Adam and Eue ashamed of themselues when there was not a man nor a woman more in the world to look vpon them yet were they ashamed of their owne nakednes when they beheld the same And to this shame must he ioyne sorrow sorrow for sin and for the punishment that belongeth vnto it But if he would haue that which God requires and will accept hee must labour for that sorrow which the Gospell commendeth which proceeds from the consideration of the goodnes of God that is because hee hath offended so good and so grations a God Some may say what measure of sorrow do you require euery man to haue Euery mans sorrow should be answerable to his sinnes all mens sorrowes are not alike neither is it necessarie indeed that euery man should haue sorrow that is necessarie but there is a difference to be found among men arising thus Sometime from the greatnes and smalnes of their sinnes for as a burthen the heauier it is the more it presseth downe so the sinnes of men the greater they are the heauier they are and the more they humble men and presse them down with sorrow so that according to a mans sinnes so is his sorrow The difference of the sin makes dissimilitude in sorrow some mens sins are like botches that are soone cured with the pricking of a needle others are like wounds or sores that will not be cured without the lancing of a rasor so some mens sinnes are cured with a little sorrow others must haue more In all the rule of Chrysostome is general Secundum peccatorum proportionem sit tibi lachryma Si magnus est lapsus tuus maior sit lachrymarum tuarum correns Hom. 22. ad pop Antioch According to the proportion of thy sinnes so should thy teares be If thy sinne be great greater must bee the streames of thy teares Sometimes also there is a difference according to the present afflictions and iudgements that are vpon men either when their afflictions are greater and their conscience agreeth with them as the cause and effect for then Prou. 18.14 a wounded spirit who can beare or else they are lesse and their conscience not so checking or accusing them and then the spirit of a man will beare his infirmities and so is his sorrow the lesse Sometime there is a difference because some men the Lord deferres longer before he sheweth them grace and fauour oftentimes to proue their patience or to make them pray more earnestly which maketh their sorrow the greater and another man calleth and God sheweth him grace and fauor presentlie that he is scarse knowne to goe by the way of sorrow to repentance So we reade of Lydia Act. 16. for wee reade nothing of her sorrow but of her conuersion Lastly there is a difference because some men haue often bin in the schoole of repentance and haue been often humbled others haue neuer before been humbled Now as to him that hath bin often vnder the Physitians hand and is daily taking some of his receits more gentle medicines are sufficient when as he that neuer was must haue sharper potions so must it be with these From these or some such like causes there ariseth a difference in mens sorrowes but howsoeuer of euery man there is required sorrow for his sinnes or else no remission of sinnes but for the quantitie of it for me he must be his owne Physitian seeing he and not we know the greatnes of his sinnes For euen in some diseases Physitians who prescribe the medicine leaue the quantitie to be taken at the patients discretion Then let euery man examine himselfe in this case and if he haue found that he neuer passed by this gate of sorrow and humiliation he can neuer come to the throne of grace Hath any man liued 20. 30. 40. or 50. yeers and yet can neuer say that he was sorie or ashamed before God for his sinnes he is doubtlesse in the state of impenitencie and hath not receiued the remission of his sinnes but all his sinnes from his cradle vnto this day are written before God in a piller of marble with a pen of iron neuer to be blotted out vntill he haue obtained this Then let him labour to get a heart and eyes to see his sinnes and to applie to himselfe the curse of the law and the wrath of God to make him seeke to God in humilitie that he may obtaine his mercie for vntill he be come to this condition he deceiueth his owne heart if he thinke he haue obtained mercie but being thus humbled and hauing shame sorrow and feare he is in the state to finde mercy comfort and glorie Outward humiliation is double verball and reall Hauing seene the inward humiliation we must proceed to the outward which is also double verball and reall That which is in word is called confession The reall belongs to the whole life and all the actions of it But first I must shew that there ought to be an outward humiliation Men ought outvvardly to humble themselues He that repenteth must not only haue an inward but an outward humiliation not in soule but in bodie and other cariage of his life manifested by that of Ioel Ioel 2.12 Therefore now also saith the Lord turne you vnto me with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning Also by that of Isaiah Isaiah 22.12 And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldnes and to girding with sackcloth Examples hereof are many 2. Sam. 12. 2. Sam. 24. Dauid often repenting humbled himselfe outwardly so Ahab that had but a temporarie repentance yet he had an outward humiliation so the people of Niniuie what outward humiliation had they The Apostle Peter and Mary Magdalon all of them haue beene humbled as in soule so in body which manifest that wheresoeuer there is true repentance there is also the outward humiliation And this hath reason to confirme it Reason 1. 1. because the Lord will be serued both by the soule and the body seeing he hath made both and redeemed both for 1. Cor. 6.20 Yee are bought for a price therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirit for they are Gods Now repentance being a part of Gods seruice and a meanes to glorifie him
we be ashamed to confesse our sinnes that he may pardon them doth God therefore command them to bee confessed that after the manner of men he might punish vs he doth it not to punish vs but that he might pardon vs. Then here is life and death set before you saluation and destruction put forth your hand and take whether you will But if there be any loue to your foules if any desire of saluation on if any feare of condemnation both of bodies and soules then lay hold of this first part of humiliation confesse and acknowledge your sins and iudge your selues that you be not iudged of the Lord. And thus much of outward humiliation in word which is confession Now secondly outward humiliation or reall humiliation consisteth first in mourning tearea Secondly in the abstaining from the vse of all outward and earthly pleasures which cherish the body and transport the mind out of it selfe as gay apparrell pleasant companie liberall diet c. Thirdly in giuing satisfaction or restitution Reall humiliation in mourning abstinence and restitution Reall humiliation then consisting in teares abstinence and restitution is ioyned with repentance They who repent haue these though a man may haue them and not repent for teares that of Ioel Ioel 2.12 Turne you vnto me saith the Lord with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And that of Isaiah Isaiah 22.12 And in that day did the Lord God of hostes call vnto weeping and mourning and to baldner and to girding with seekâ—lâ—th Example here of we haue in the Israelites who when they repented are said 1. Sam. 7.6 to draw water and ports it out before the Lord meaning that they wept in abundance as if a man had drawne water out of a well and powred it out before the Lord so they drow reares from their eies So Mary Mâ—…dalen washed our Sauiour Christs feet with her teares So of the Apostle Peter it is said that he wept bitterly If wee admit the conceit of some men that thinke they know somewhat in nature they say they were scalding teares not as some men shed for ioy that goe warme downe the cheekes but they were scalding and sharpe teares such as come from griefe and sorrow For that which standeth in abstinence from the vse of outward pleasures and earthly delights as gay apparrell pleasant companie liberall diet and such like that of Ioel is fit Ioel 2.16 Let the bridogroome goe forth of his chamber and the bride out of her bride chamber Now there must be a proportion betwixt publike and priuate repentance Hence is that of Paul 1. Cor. 7.5 who wilseth the maried folks at no time one to deâ—…d another vnlesse it be with consent for that time wherein they are to giue themselues to abstinence and 〈◊〉 Hence the Prophets when they â—…d the people to humiliation called for fasting And so Dauid did 2. Sam. 12.17 when he was reprooued by Nathan he humbled himselfe and refused to eate meate with the Elders of his house So the people of Niniuie when Ionah threatned destruction Ionah 3. they gaue themselues to fasting put on sackcloth and meane apparrell euen from the King that sat on the throne to the meanest of the people Lastly for restitution which is to be performed in some cases consider that the Lord after he had taught the people how to repent telleth them that they had not truely done it because Micha 6.8.10 The treasures of wickednes were in the house of the wicked That is those riches which they had gotten by sinne by oppression by deceit or vsurie they were still remaining in their houses and not restored And our Sauiour Christ saith Matth. 5.23,24 If thou commest to offer an offering to the Lord and then remembers that they brother hath ought against thee first reconcile thy selfe to thy brother and then come and offer thine offering that is if thou hast offended him in wond goe and confesse thy faults vnto him if in deed restore to him that thou hast wrongfullie taken from him Thersore Zacheus to testifie his true repentance in imbracing Christ standeth forth and saith Luke 19.8 The halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue done wrong to any man I restore him fourefold which was a true note that Christ and saluation was come vnto his house So then by all these it is manifest that true humiliation ioyned with true repentance hath alwaies these teares this abstinence restraint and restitution Now the reasons which further confirme this truth are these Reason 1. 1. Because howsoeuer that is true that bodily exercises profit little 1. Tim. 4.8 in respect of themselues yet seeing they helpe to other good things as to stirre vp the affections or beate downe the flesh and bring it in subiection to make mens prayers more feruent or their humiliation more faithfull or confession and repentance more feeling they are lawfull and necessarie to be performed Reason 2. Because Christ sweat water and bloud and shed his precious bloud for their sinnes it is reason that meÌ„ should shead teares and weepe for their own offences Reason 3. Because braue and costlie apparrell doth lightly puffe vp the mind with pride and tickle it with vaine and foolish pleasures whereas meane apparrell putteth a man in minde of that meane and wofull estate wherein he standeth and so humbleth him Reason 4. Because a daintie and full diet as at the first entrance by heating the bodie it inflameth the soule stirring within it excessiue ioy pleasure boldnes confidence and presumption So after it putteth it into a new temper lulling it asleepe in senslesse security and euen drowning it in a drowsie forgetfulnes both of God and of it selfe which Christ well knew when hee gaue such a caueat saying Luke 21.34 Take heede to your selues lest at any time your harts be ouercome with surfetting and drunkennes As if he should say Take heede you giue not your selues to a full diet for that will cause you to forget your end and so the day come on you vnawares when this then makes a man to forget God and himselfe he must needes bee farre from that humiliation that he ought to haue So that in reason he that would bee humbled should haue a restraint in diet Reason 5. 5. Because without restitution the sinne is not forsaken left it is but not forsaken and repented of and so is no repentance but as Augustine saith Non agitur poenitentia sed fingitur Aug. epist. 54. Macedo They dissemble repentance but doe not repent for if it be a sinne to take then is it a sinne to keepe And because this will argue a man to bee humbled when he is content to lay open his shame thus and to incurre ignominie withmen and thus to abiect himselfe his credit and estimation at their feete with whom hee hath continuall emulation for credit This I
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
marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus And thus much may suffice for the parts of repentance in the next place wee must proceed to the causes of it Chrysostome hauing made three sermons vpon this matter of repentance beginneth the fourth thus Assiduè in eaâ—… c. Chrysost hom 4. de poenit It is the continuall cust ome of shepheads to turne their sheepe into those pastures where they see the grasse is long and plenteous and thence not to drine them before they haue eaten vp all Whom wee will imitate and this fourth day also feede our sheepe in this pusture of repentance and wee will not begin any other matter for the place affordeth much prosit verie much fruit and withall great store of ioy and comfort As that Father imitated those shepheards so will I follow his example and walke in his steps continuing in this fruitfull necessarie and comfortable matter till I haue communicated the whole vnto you The causes of repentance I must proceede then I say in the next place to the causes of repentance or of this change and conuersion namely to the efficient cause and finall for of the matter and forme hath been spoken in the description And first of the efficient which is either principall or instrumentall The first is God the second is either without man to wit the word or within him his faith or comming from him his prayer The efficient and principall cause of repentance is God For the first which is the principall efficient it is God he is the author of mans repentance and his conuersion whatsoeuer meanes may be vsed and applied for that purpose yet is he the principall worker of it in the heart of man For proose hereof wee know the speech of Ephraim Ierem. 31.18 Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted Where she acknowledgeth God to be the author of her conuersion So like wise that honour was giuen vnto Christ that hee should giue repentance and remission of sinnes vnto men For so saith Peter of him Acts 5.31 That God had lift him vp with his right hand to bee a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenes of sinnes Likewise when Peter had shewed vnto the people the vision that he saw and the mercie that God shewed vnto the Gentiles Acts 2.28 They all glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life Hence is that of Paul to Timothie Instruct them saith he 2. Tim. 2.25 with meekâ—…esse that are contrarie minded prâ—oâ—ing of at any time God will giue them repentance c. So Noah prayed Gen. 9.27 God perswade Iaphet to dwel in the 〈◊〉 of Shem. That is God conuert his heart that he may be of the Church and not of the wicked Also it was the Acts. 16.14 Lord that opened the heart of Lydia that she attended to the things which Paul spake Paul spake for her conuersion and the Lord opened her heart and conuerted her And Christ in the Reuelation saith Reuel 3.9 I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan to come and worship before thee Meaning that he would make the wicked to be of the number of the Church and conuert them to himselfe By all these it is manifest that the principall worker of repentance in the heart of man is God himselfe And it must needs in reason be so Reason 1. First because true repentance hath as a principall part of it the conuersion of the heart and inward man and to doe this requireth as much power as to make it for there was then no resistance of corruption but here now are all contrarieties the whole man being corrupted when then it was an infinite power that created man it must needes bee an infinite power that also must conuert and create him anew Reason 2. The second reason is Because man is by nature dead hauing neither power nor will to be conuerted And as S. Paul saith to the Ephesians Ephes 2.1.2 That euen then when wee were dead in sinnes God hath quickned vs together in Christ Then as no man can raise vp a dead man nor he quicken himself no more then Lazarus could being in the graue but it must bee the voice of Christ and his power that must doe it so must it be only God that must conuert the heart and worke this repentance in it Question Why doth God then in many places command men to repent and returne vnto him if they haue no power or abilitie of themselues to doe it but it bee his gift onely which they cannot haue vnlesse they receiue it from him Answer I answere with Augustine O homo in praeceptione intellige quid debeas habere De corrept grat cap. 3. Iubet aliquae quae non possumus vt nouerimus quid ab illo petere debemus De libero arbit ad Valent. cap. 2 O man vnderstand in these commandements of God what thou oughrest to haue So what thou oughrest to do And againe he saith God commandeth some things which wee are not able to doe that wee might know what we ought to big of him And therefore when he saith Returne vnto mee hee would haue our hearts sound with an echo againe Lord conuert thou vs and we shall be conuerted Lord turne thou our heaâ—â—s and we shall bee turned So that the Lord doth not command because wee can doe but because we ought to do and should seeke to him for grace to do it Vse 1. God is then the worker of euerie mans repentance and conuersion which first serueth to confute a point of Poperie which teacheth that men haue a great hand in their owne conuersion And that they may take and resist the grace of conuersion which we say is false because as I haue alreadie proued God giueth repentance Therefore these speeches and comparisons of theirs wee reiect as false when some of them make man by nature like one in fetters so him in his corruptions which being strucken off by grace he can presently goe of himselfe Some as the halfe dead passenger from Ierusalem to Iericho others like a sicke man which hath the power of walking but being faint he cannot vnlesse hee haue one to helpe him or to leane vpon So man hath power say they but it is a little languishing which if it be helped but a little by grace he can will and doe of himselfe that which is good But all these such like if there were a thousand of them are ouerthrowne with this one point that it is God and his grace which conuerteth the harts of al men Neither feare we to affirme this notwithstanding that they obiect that by this meanes wee make a man as a blocke and a stone for so we say hee is by nature in respect of any goodnes and that by the warrant of Ezekiel who saith in the person
would were it not some follie for a man to sinne because he hath a remedie But seeing it is not in his owne power but in the hand of God who must needes hate him for his sinne committed against him with a high hand and for his hardnes of heart who will not repent when hee calleth him to it but will goe on in his presumptuous sinning against him what can it bee but a double and treble follie And howsoeuer hee accounteth others fooles who make all their life a continuall practise of repentance yet indeede is there no foole to him and one day hee shall know that he deceiued himselfe with a vaine hope sinning with purpose of repentance hereafter and not indeed repenting or seeking it then when God called him to it but delaying still off thinking that the last day of his life or the last houre of that day would be time enough for his repentance Obiect Some will here say that the Scripture is plaine that at what time soeuer a man repenteth God will accept it Answ But know that a sinner cannot repent when he would If thou hadst the power of repentance in thine own hand it were somewhat but it being not in thy custodie but in Gods to dispose of and to giue when and to whom it pleaseth him in this case for thee still to liue and dwell in sinne it is but a delusion of Satan whereby he would bring thee to damnation so leading thee on in a fooles paradise vntill hee haue brought thee to hell Was it not a folly for the fiue wise virgins to slumber hauing their oyle readie at command knowing not how soone the bridegrome would come But were not the fiue foolish virgins thrice fooles that hauing no oyle fell asleepe and neglected it till the bridegrome came and then they would haue bought and knew not where to get it So if a man had the oyle of repentance to forsake sinne and to turne vnto God in his owne power it were somewhat lesse folly to deferre it but whereas hee hath it not what folly and madnes were it for him to deferre it till Christ come or death come when hee would bee glad to buy it with a thousand worlds if he had them and shall not know where to haue it or how to obtaine it Obiect But thou wilt say God is mercifull and so will giue me repentance when I seeke for it Answ I answere thee with asking thee how thou knowest God is mercifull I know thy answere the Scripture euery where telles vs that God is mercifull And doth it not also tell thee that he is iust Seest thou what makes with thee and not what is against thee Is it the mercie of God to giue repentance to them that seeke it and is it not the iustice of God to denie it them that contemne it Therefore as thou findest God is mercifull so thou shalt find the same God iust who in his iustice will denie thee repentance when thou seekest it because thou regardest it not when he offered it Art thou acquainted with those Scriptures which declare the mercies of God by calling thee to repentance and doest thou not know that place of the iustice of God which saith Prou. 2.14 Because I called ye refused I haue stretched out my hand and none would regard 26. I will also laughut your destruction and mock when your feare commeth 28. Then shall they call vpon me but I will not answer They shall seeke me early but they shall not find mee Then maist thou haue time and space to repent yea and teares to shed for it and yet neuer obtaine it For although Esau liued many a long day after hee had sold his birthright and sought it againe with teares yet he neuer obtained it There is but one acceptable time which being neglected is as a bird escaped out of the hand or a shaft shot out of the bow not to be recalled againe Do not then neglect it It may bee this euen this is the acceptable time this is the day of saluation if thou neglect it and as it were contemne God when he calleth thee now in the time of thy health it shal be iust with him to contemue thee whē thou art sicke and when thou callest to him in thy necessitie to stop his eares against thee Therfore doe not deceiue thy selfe to put off thy repentance as it is the practise of many thousands to their own destruction Augustine saith Sperādo desperando pereunt homines sperando malè in vita desperando peiùs in morte August hom 2. inter 50 By hoping and despairing many men perish by hoping ill in their liues and despairing worse in their deaths promising to themselues health that all shall be wel with them and that there is no feare nor neede as yet to repent or to seeke for it and so they are led on till they come to die when they find nothing but despaire Or if they die quietly in their beds and as it were goe singing to hell what then haue they gained by it To conclude and shut vp this point as I began it the onely worker of this grace in our hearts is the God of grace and not we our selues Cor curare solus potest qui finxit sigillatim corda nostra Chrysost hom 4. de Poenitent He only can cure our hearts which did frame and fashion them one by one Therfore to him must wee looke and suffer him to worke vpon our hearts yea we must pray instantly vnto him that as hee hath giuen vsspace to repent and calleth vs continually to it hee would work it in our harts and make vs able to do that which he requireth that so we may escape that he threatneth and enioy the good he hath promised The instrumentall cause of repentance The next thing to be considered of is the instrumental cause by which God worketh repentance in the hearts of men And that is either outward or inward The outward is the ministerie of the word The word is the instrumentall cause So then the doctrine is that God worketh repentance and conuersion in the harts of men by the preaching of the word ordinarily The preaching of the word the outward instrumentall cause of repentance I say ordinarily for he somtimes when it pleaseth him worketh it by some other meanes or without any meanes at all That this is the ordinary means is proued by Pauls words vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 2.25 who exhorteth him to Instruct them with meeknes that were contrarie minded prouing if at any time God would giue them repentance Noting that the author and giuer of it is God but the meanes by which hee doth worke it is the ministery of the word After this maner Acts 16.14 The Lord opened the heart of Lydia at the preaching of Paul that she attended vnto the things which Paul spake and so she was conuerted by
Pauls preaching So the Apostle Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.23 Being borneanew not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God c. Like wise Saint Iames saith Iames 1.18 Of his own wil begat be vs with the word of truth And S. Paul saith to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4.15 That in Christ Iesus he begot them through the Gospell And the Lord saith by his prophet Ieremy Ierem. 23.29 That his word was like a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Al which places doe prooue that the word is the ordinarie instrumentall eause of a mans repentance and conuersion as also these reasons consirme it Reason 1. First because it is so powerfull and pearcing as the author to the Hebrues saith Heb. 4.12 That it is liuely mighty in operation sharper thē any two edged sword c. Which power it hath not from any inherent qualitie in it selfe or from man that preacheth it but because of the supernaturall power of God who as the Apostle saith to the Galathians Galath 2.8 was mightie by Peter in the Apostleship ouer the Circumcision and was mighty by him also toward the Gentiles Noting that when men are conuerted by the preaching of the word and it is powerfull to that purpose it hath it not of it self but from God but howsoeuer it is indeed powerfull Psalm 19.7 and doth conuert the soule Reason 2. The second reason is because faith is one immediate cause and beginning of repentance Now faith is begotten by the word therefore repentance also must needes come by the word As touching faith the Apostle to the Romans saith Rom. 10.17 Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Therefore preaching the word being the cause of faith it must needs be the cause of repentance Causa causae causa causati Reason 3. The third reason is Because the conuersion of men is the seale and only miracle that the Gospell now hath And it is vsuall with the Lord in working miracles to shadow them by outward meanes that he might conceale his owne worke specially from vnbeleeuers As Salomon saith Prou. 25.1 The glorie of God is to conceale a thing secret Then it is his glory to couer this miracle by this outward meanes 1. Cor. 1.21 and by so foolish and base a thing as preaching is in the eies of the world to worke this great wonder and to saue men designed by Satan to destruction And when I say the word is the instrumentall cause of repentance I exclude not the law as that which helpeth to this though properly it worke it not for by bringing men to the sight and knowledge of their sinnes and miseries it prepareth them for the receiuing of that grace and mercie which is propounded in the Gospel as an eating corasiue which maketh way for a healing medicine But the Gospell is the message of glad tidings and mairing the promises of pardon ◅dre◅sission of fumes is that which especially worketh it or that which doth throughly worke it in men Vse 1. Now for to make vse of this truth vnto our selues First This may teach vs that their case is fearefull that are without the preaching of the word because they are without the ordinarie meanes and so without hope to come to repentance as Iewes Turkes and Infidels that are depriued of the word and they that liue in corners where the sound of it is not heard It was a fearefull curse when Christ said vnto his Apostles Matth. 10.5 Goe not into the way of the Gentiles and into the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not And now that some haue found mercy which sought it not and others are still left in their darkenes and horrible blindnes it is no lesse fearefull when God denieth still the ministerie of the word vnto them and saith as it were vnto his ministers preach not there for it is as if he had said I will not haue these conuerted as Augustine saith Quoniam vt crederent non erat ijs datum etiam vnde crederent est negatum Aug. de bono perseuerantiae God hath denied vnto men the meanes whereby they should beleeue because hee hath no purpose that they should beleeue And so God hath denied to men that by which they should be conuerted because he hath not purposed their conuersion Then wheresoeuer men want it either by the iudgement of God denying it to them or by their owne peeuishnesse withdrawing themselues from hearing the word or else not harkning to it hauing eares not boared but giuen to drowsines and sleepinesse and so they want it though they liue in the middest of it such an estate is a fearefull signe as if God had no purpose they should hee conuerted Vse 2. 2. Secondly this teacheth vs to acknowledge the happie condition of that people or that nation or place wheresoeuer God hath vouchsafed the preaching of the word to wit that it is a mauifest proofe hee hath a people there that hee would conuert and hath a desire to saue them As he said to Paul in the Acts when he was at Corinth Acts 18.18 Feare not but speake for I haue much people in this place Arguing that he had a people there whom hee meant to saue and therefore hee sent his word to them So whersoeuer God sendeth his word and giueth his ministers gifts and conscience to preach the word vnto any nation or people it is a signe hee fauoureth them and that he would haue them conuerted and be saued though not euery one that heareth it for many haue this but to make them more inexcusable and to increase their iudgement but only those to whom he giueth hearts and eares open vnto it which if it be so great a fauour from God then are wee to acknowledge the mercie of God that hath sent his Gospell amongst vs and giuen gifts vnto men to preach the same vnto vs. For wherefore hath God giuen his Ministers knowledge to preach the word is it only for themselues No verily for as they are men they could bee saued with as little knowledge as others But God hath giuen them gifts for the gathering together of his Church and for the conuersion of others And here we are to be stirred vp to walke worthie of this benefit lest it be remoued taken from vs and giuen to a nation that will bring forth better fruit For though we may be alreadie conuerted by the benefit of the ministery hitherto inioyed yet what shal become of our posterity euē of so many thousand infants or sucklings if they may not haue the means by which they may be conuerted If thē we haue any loue vnto thē that as they are our children by nature so they may be the children of God by grace let vs labour to walke worthie of this mercie that we may leaue it to our posteritie as our sathers left it to
vs which doubtlesse will be the best patrimonie that as we begat them to the world so the word may beget them to God and wee may with them be glorified together Vse 3. 3. Thirdly seeing that God begetteth vs vnto him by the word then ought euery one who hath any care to attaine to this to take out and learne that good sentence of S. Iames Iames 1.19 My deere brethren saith he let euery man be swift to heare slow to speake and slow to wrath Consisting of three speciall and spirituall aphorismes 1. Be swift to heare that is to say Take all occasions and opportunities that may be to imbrace the trueth 2. Be slow to speake take heede of a spirit of contradiction and reasoning against the trueth deliuered 3. And slow to wrath be not apt to be offended when thy sins are reprooued For the first euery man ought to learne it The wise man in his booke of Eccles saith Eccles 11.6 In the morning sow thy seed and in the euening let not thine hand rest for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that c. So ought a man to take all occasions to heare the word for he knoweth not at what time God will bestow this mercie and grace of repentance vpon him It may bee euen then when hee sought worldlie blessings and followed after profits and pleasures if he had been as carefull and eager to heare hee might haue obtained this and God would haue wrought it in his heart Happily his thoughts are if he take not that opportunity for worldly things he may not a long time haue the like againe and neuer thinkes that it may bee his case in this thing But let him remember that Iacob had the blessing when Esau was a hunting and so that many attend to this and obtaine saluation by it when hee is a hunting after pleasures and profits and such like I know God is able indeede to touch him and call him whersoeuer he straieth and without these meanes and I know that that is the thought of many mens harts which maketh them so to neglect the meanes as they doe and all because some were so called But these men must know that as God ceased to feed Israel from heauen extraordinarily when he had set them in the land of Canaan and gaue them meanes to liue ordinarily which if they neglected they could haue looked for nothing else but to famish and perish So hath he in this neither may any man look for such extraordinarie things who neglecteth the ordinary For such wicked tempting of God will prouoke him rather to leaue him to himselfe to bee hardned and made more obstinate than to worke extraordinarily for him Therefore must hee bee swift to heare that so vsing the meanes specially with conscience and diligence he may obtaine the blessing Yet must he not bee so swift in this as slow to speake I meane not slow to speake of the word in conference with others but not to speake against it nor to quarell with it questioning and reasoning against it as it is the manner of some who will be swift to heare I say they will heare much and often but withall they will reiect euery thing that is not directly to their minds as if a minister must bee a tailer to shape euery garment after their crooked loynes and liues or else they will question with this man and that concerning such a point but neuer wil once question with their Minister or him of whom they heard that which argueth they haue only a spirit of contradiction and no desire to be instructed seeking to intrap or disgrace the Minister and not to be caught and turned themselues whereas if they were slow to speake better fruite and more benefit might they reape But specially if they bee slow to wrath and be not offended when they haue their sinnnes touched Not as some who are like Stephens hearers who heariug some thing that pleased them not Acts 7.54 Their harts brast for anger and they gnashed at him with their teeth For touching such men experience teacheth vs that which Iames affirmeth Iames 1.20 That the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God For few or neuer any of these while they are themselues and come not to denie themselues come to any degree of repentance and so not to regeneration That which Chrysostome then hath of the reproouer will haue the same vse in the hearer Quisquis alios vult reprehendere animam suam ab omni temeritate arrogantia quā maxime liberā faciat Nam vt medici ossa putrida accensa secturi non ira se replent quando curatum eunt sed tunc maxime tranquillitatem animae seruare student ne fortè obsit arti turbatio Chrysost aduersus Gentes Hee that will take vpon him to reprooue others must haue speciall care to free his mind from hastines and arrogancie For as Surgions when they are about to lay open or cut off rotten and inflamed bones do not fill them selues with anger when they goe about the cure but then speciallis indeuour to haue their minds quieted lest happily the disquietnes hinder their art So he would haue reproouers free from wrath and anger lest it shouid hinder them from doing that good they might else doe And so say I for hearers and the reprooued when they come to heare the word they should put on the spirit of meeknes and hearken diligently to the word of God Iames 1.21 and not bee offended at the Minister or at the word when it speaketh not as they would haue it but marke this exhortation of the Apostle and remember that to the end they may receiue the word to bee conuerted by it They must bee swift wheare slow to speake and slow to wrath The invvard instrumentall cause of repentance is faith The second instrumentall cause of repentance is faith within vs wchich is as one saith the mother of repentance which brings ir forth as the word is the begetter and so may haue the name of father But of that hath been spoken in the description of repentance The instrumentall cause from within is praier The third instrumentall cause or speciall meanes by which repentance is obtained or renewed is prayer faith within vs this from within vs is the meanes of it I say by faithfull prayer and earnest inuocation of the name of God men obtaine this gift of God to repent Hence it is that Dauid when hee had fallen into sinne knowing that hee had not repentance in his owne power prayeth so earnestly to God and saith Psalm 51.10 Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me And Ephruim vseth the same meanes for his conuersion touching whom the Prohpet Ieremie bringeth in the Lord thus saying Ierem. 31.18 I haue heard Ephraim lamenting thus Thou hast corrected me and I was chastised as an
and sometime for loue of vertue may leaue their sinnes And there is a serious repentāce of the wicked but it is but temporarie as that of Ahab which is but worldly sorrow that brings forth death And there is a repentance of hypocrites which is fained and Pharisaicall onely in the outward act But of none of these doe I speake but of true repentance such as is described before touching which this is the point to be obserued Only the elect can truly repent That true sincere and sauing repentance is onlie of the elect and that none can repent and truely turne to God from their sin but they who are elected of him And this is a book case prooued thus First in Isaiah Isa 59.20 where the Lord promiseth the Redeemer vnto them that turne from iniquite in Iacob So that onely they for whom Christ died can repent So the Apostle Peter saith Acts 5.31 God hath made him a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel That is to the true people of God Hence it is that the Apostle Paul to the Romanes Rom. 2.5 speaketh of some that cannot repent through the hardnes of their hearts Likewise the Author to the Hebrewes excludeth manie from repentance and saith Heb. 6.4 That it is not possible that they should be renewed by repentance This further hath a probatum est as we say for it is neuer found in the Scriptures that any truly repented but such as were Gods by election and grace and such were Dauid Peter Manasses Mary and such like who truely repented because they were his whereas others neuer could because they were not elected of him Therefore this is a thing onely proper to the children and elect of God which truth standeth with reasons also out of the word of truth Reason 1. The first is because repentance and remission of sinnes goe together and to whom one belongeth to them both appertaine therefore are they ioyned together by the Apostle Peter Acts 5.31 Hee shall giue repentance to Israel and remission of sinnes But remission of sinnes is proper to the elect of God and is onely a benefit bestowed vpon his owne As in the Apostles creed wee beleeue it to bee a priulledge onely belonging to the Church and her members Therefore repentance is likewise onelie theirs Reason 2. The second is because true repentance the spirit of regeneration and true faith euer goe together and are inseparable for from these it ariseth and commeth as hath been shewed now onlie the elect can haue these and those who are Gods As saith the Apostle to the Romans Rom. 8.9 They that haue the spirit of Christ they are his And none can haue faith but those that haue Gods spirit And S. Iohn saith Iohn 1.12 To as many as receined him and beleeued in his name hee gaue power to be the sonnes of God Then if faith and the spirit of sanctification be proper onely to the elect none but they are likewise capable of this benefit of repentance Reason 3. The third is because repentance in this life and saluation in that which is to come are necessarie consequents one of another whosoeuer repenteth shall be saued and whosoeuer is saued did repent but saluation is onely of the elect therefore repentance is proper to them also Question Why then is repentance preached to all Answ Because the Lord onely knoweth who are his and who belongeth to his election and not man and therefore though there bee many wolues within the Church as sheep without yet must as Augustine saith the Minister preach to al because often wolues are made sheep and for ought that he knoweth one may be called as well as another For as Augustine speaketh of faith so may I of repentance Posse habere fidem sicut posse habere charitatem naturae est hominum habere autem fidem vt habere charitatem gratiae est fidelium August de praedest Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 5. The nature of man may haue and is capable of faith as it is of charitie I ad of repentance but it is a proper grace of the faithful to haue faith charity I adde here also repentance And sometime men most vnlikely are wont to haue faith and brought to repent and others whom men would thinke God had chosen are reiected As Dauid in the eies of Samuel was farthest off from the kingdome of all the sons of Ishai yet he only was anointed so oftentimes hee that is most likely in the eies of man by reason of a ciuil course of life is farthest from repentance Who would haue thought that Saul a persecuting Pharisie should haue bin conuerted and many other ciuill and slie Pharisies and Scribes been left in their sins yet so it was By which it appeareth that many more vnlikely are called and conuerted when others more likely are left in their corruption And thus the question being resolued I come to the vses of this point Vse 1. And first this is but cold newes for many men liuing in the Church and lying in their sins in their hardnes of hart and impenitencie yea when they are such as by the means which draw others to a consideration and search of their waies and to a reformation of their liues they are more hardned and further from returning as namely by the iudgements of God and the preaching of the word This may be cold at their hearts they can haue no assurance that they are Gods I doe not say that they are not his at all for not simple impenitencie but finall obstinacie is a proofe of that but they can haue no assurance that they are his while they are in that condition yea rather they haue iust cause to suspect they are not his Such men especially as when they are perswaded to this dutie answer some in words and some by their cariage what needs this or to what end is it our sinnes are now past neither can wee effect that we should not haue fallen that that is done cannot be vndone why then should we mourne or afflict our selues These persons consider not that though the action bee ceased yet the guilt remaineth which is an obligation binding them to eternall destruction and leauing in them the corruption and deformity of the soule and all the faculties of it But if they would reason rightlie they should conclude the contrary to that they imagine One comforting a certaine Philosopher mourning for the death of his son vsed this argument to perswade him that by al his lamentation he could not remedie that which was done and reuiue his sonne to whom hee answered Yea this especially I grieue for that it cannot be otherwise So should they mourne that they haue offended and that it cannot be otherwise compassed but that they haue offended and transgressed the law of God Others there are who seeing their sin prosper with them and God vsing it well and
of Christ the onely salue of his sore it is not possible hee should be renewed againe And as for that which the Apostle saith If a man sinne willingly after hee hath receiued knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne I answere that the place is not simplie vnderstood of those who sin willingly and fall into sinne but of those who fall from the truth and cast from them willingly that one sacrifice which is the only sacrifice namely Christ to them verily there is no other sacrifice left for their sin whereas there is no other sacrifice fit or able to take away any sinne but Christ being once offered Therefore he saith not there is no remission but no sacrifice shewing this to bee the meaning of sinning willingly that is willingly reiecting the true sacrifice for sinne which is Christ and the Gospell which doth offer this sacrifice to all for such a sin then is no sacrifice and so it cannot bee pardoned being the sin against the holy Ghost Finally I say with Ambrose in answering the former place conferring S. Pauls practise in the Epistle to the Corinthians with this preaching of his Nunquid Paulus aduersus factum suum praedicare potuit Donauit Corinthio peccatum per poenitentiam quomodo hîc potuit sententiam suam reprehendere Ergo quia non potuit quod aedificauerit dedestrucre non contrarium dixisse cum sed diuersum aduertimus Quod enim contrarium est seipsum impugnat quod diuersum est distinctam solet habere rationem Ambr. de Poenir lib. 2. cap. 2. Shall wee think that Paul could preach against his own act he forgaue the Corinthian his sin vpon repentance how could be then here reproue his own iudgemēt Therfore because he could not destroy that he had built we must conceiue that he spake not things contrarie but different which may well stand tegether not which ouerthrow one another Otherwise it is manifest that the Saints of God who haue sinned voluntarilie and against their conscience vpon their repentance haue obtained remission Now that which hath been may bee as well as nothing is new which hath not been Obiect But secondly these obiect against this truth and themselues that they cannot reade in the word of God of anie one who hath fallen into one and the same sinne diuers times and was againe recouered and renewed by repentance But sauing their iudgement I thinke I can shew them some presidents of such as haue been called and yet haue fallen twice into one sin and been after renewed Let them remember with mee the father of the faithfull Gen. 12. Abraham denying Sara to bee his wife and yet rising againe Gen. 20. And after in the twentith chapter hee falleth into the same sin and yet riseth here is a faithfull man falling twice into one sinne and yet rising againe So the holy man Iob confesseth that hee had twice fallen into one sinne Once saith he Iob 39.38 I haue spoken but I will answere no more yea twice but I will proceede no further yet was he againe renewed Therefore let no man despaire in himselfe though hee haue fallen and that often but that yet hee may be renewed againe by repentance for the couenant of God is generall and perpetuall generall without exception of sinnes and perpetuall without limitation of time for great sinnes as well as for small and for all sinnes as well as any and for all times as well as once To what end else was that repeated of God Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and grations slow to anger and abundant in goodnes and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sins Wherefore doth the spirit of God thus repeate iniquitie transgression and sinne if it were so that a man falling after his calling were not to be renewed by repentance and where were the gratious goodnes of God But admit the ground of this temptation were true yet is it as certaine a truth that a man falling into seuerall sinnes after his repentance may rise againe and be pardoned and though one sinne again willingly yet also be pardoned why not then falling into one and the same Nay if Peter fell three times together into one sinne for the kind of it but euery time differing in the quantitie of it yea and the last the greatest and after all this yet found mercy why may not a man though he fall againe into the same sinne yet find mercie againe and the third time It may be wich Princes a barre in their proceedings if they haue pardoned a man for a great offence why they should not grant him a pardon for the same nay not for a lesse But with God it will be no barre at all for he being infinitely more mercifull then men and yet requiring this of men Luke 17.4 Though thy brother sinne against thee seuen times in a day and seuen times in a day turne againe to thee saying It repenteth mee thou shalt forgiue him what needeth any to doubt but he shall finde mercie and forgiuenes with him if hee can and doe repent and returne By all this I giue not libertie to sinne nor encourage any man to transgresse I onely comfort them who haue sinned That seeing repentance is appointed for the regenerate as well as for the vnregenerate to renew those that are fallen as well as to renew those who were neuer yet called they should not doubt but to find mercie whensoeuer they sought the Lord if so be they sought him in truth Vse 3. The third vse of this doctrine is to teach vs that if there be repentance to all and they haue need of it who haue been regenerate and renewed then is there a necessarie vse of the preaching of the word as well to men that are called as to them that are not This must bee vnto them instead of Christs looke vpon Peter Luke 22.60.61.62 and the crowing of the cocke wich may make them remember themselues and goe out and weepe bitterly for thir sinnes The end of preaching was not only to beget men but to vphold men also and renew them after their slippes and falles For he that is in the best estate in this life is but as a ship which if it be neglected it will rot in the hauen and if it bee kept neuer so carefully it will still need some repairing So euery man in this condition if he be negligent he will soone be corrupted and be he as carefull as hee can hee shall neede some repairing for liuing in a corrupt age and in the company of wicked men hee cannot chuse but gather corruption how then shall hee bee renewed must it not be by repentance But how shall he repent and be stirred vp to this dutie though he were as perfect as Peter if he haue not the looke of Christ and the crow of the cocke I speake this in respect of those who
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
preuents God that there is no neede of any such admonition from him for as diseases are cured by contraries so are these euils Obiect Why then may some obiect are not the penances pilgrimages and other sort of punishments lawfull in poperie or why should they be condemned as they are Answ I answere briefly for it hath bin answered at large in the point of humiliation that we condemne them because in some of them we may say that they are spoiled in dressing and vse the prouerbe much more truely here then men doe in their choler when their meates distaste their palats God sendeth meate but the diuell sendeth Cookes God hath ordained some of these but the diuell hath stirred vp men to corrupt them seuerally to make them distaste God Namely that whereas God commandeth or alloweth them to be done and that men shall doe them to the end they may dislike God and be made vnprofitable to the actor the diuell hath taught them to make that publik which should be priuate and so by ostentation or hypocrisie to marre the act yea to vse them at such times as the Lord calleth to the contrarie yea to thinke by them to merit remission of sinne at least of the temporall punishment which as it is ignorantly taught by their priests seeing remission of sinne goeth before this a man hauing no sooner beleeued and repented but both the guilt and punishment are remitted euen before hee can performe any such act as this so is it sacrilegious to Christ who hath freed vs from both whereas this makes his sufferings and merits imperfect and for one of them only And this is like that Colloquintida 2. King 4.38 which spoiled the whole pot of pottage which was made for the children of the Prophets These are like good medicines which being not taken in their time season and quantitie are poysons rather then medicines But others of them are will-worship things without warrant precept or practise and so good reason there is why we should condemne the things and reprooue their authors And now I come to the vses of this seuenth and last signe Vse 1. 1. If this be so how can many men perswade themselues that they haue repented when there is in their affection no indignation against themselues and their sins and in the action no reuenge nor punishment they haue done no execution vpon themselues or their sinnes they neuer yet restrained or bridled their lusts for all their offending by them in whoredomes vncleannes and wantonnesse They neuer yet abated the vanitie and excesse of their apparell which made them offend against that sobrietie which becommeth women 1. Tim. 2.10 that professe the feare of God They neuer yet fasted a meale or two a day or two because they offended in gluttonie drunkennes excesse But rather like those whom the Prophet Esay speaketh of who said Esay 56.12 Come I will bring wine and wee will fill our selues with strong drinke and to morrow shall bee as this day and much more abundant Or else like vnto him that Salomon speaketh of Prou. 23.35 They haue stricken me but I was not sicke they haue beaten me but I knew not when I awoke therefore will I seeke it yet still These and such like cannot perswade themselues they haue true repentance or if they doe it is a deceitfull perswasion If the Corinthians had been still indulgent to the incestuous person and not haue punished him and excomunicated him would euer the Apostle haue acknowledged them to haue truely repented surely no and when as they neuer tooke any reuenge of themselues for any sinne they haue committed shall God acknowledge them for true repentants questionles no and that shall they one day know when God will iudge them because they haue not iudged themselues Vse 2. 2. This may teach men to the end they may be perswaded their repentance is true to seale it vp to themselues both to search their hearts for this and to labour still it may be â—ound in them euen this punishment and reuenge If they haue been or they be Iudges to themselues and excutioners for the Lord against those things wherein they haue offended him and haue been reuenged of themselues and their sinnes for the Lords sake As hauing offended in gluttouie they reuenge themselues by fasting meales and daies If by whordome and vncleannes they be reuenged of their lusts and flesh by reforming and brideling of theÌ„ by some lawful seueritie afterward If in couetous catching and polling of other mens goods they will bee reuenged of themselues by restitution and deminishing their store If in vsing excessiue pride of apparell by withdrawing from themselues such costlie attire as might happilie otherwise be worne both for their calling and abilitie And so in all things taking a godly reuenge of themselues and of the flesh for withdrawing their soules from God and making them to do that which is contrarie vnto him dealing in this case as a chaste woman would do who being maried to a certaine noble man absent and vnseene should be perswaded of some baud or pandor that another is her husband and so being credulous should take him dwell with him and vse him as her husband But after vnderstanding better and that she was abused by this leaud woman how would she handle such a deceiuer with what indignation would shee looke vpon her how full of wrath would her heart and countenance be how would she be reuenged of her she would thinke it too little to drinke her blood and teare her flesh but by all means would torture her who had so deceiued her and brought her into that pollution So the soule whose eies God hath opened and inlightned by which shee seeth her lawfull and true husband for whom she was created and seeth also how by the deceit of the flesh she was drawne to affect and imbrace to loue and liue with that which is contrary to God and giue that vnto it which is Gods how can she abstaine from this holy reuenge how can she chuse but afflict the flesh that she may reuenge this iniurie to God and her selfe By which this will be manifest that such a soule hath repented and returned Prouided that all this be done of men without any conceit of merit or satisfaction to God for the sin or punishment but onely as an effect of repentance to seale the same vp to themselues and by this to preuent sinne to come that they may preuent the iudgements of God that finding out the depth of the wound that sin hath made they may thus remoue the causes and extinguish the remnants of it taking away the occasions and preuenting the reentring of it again and so preuent Gods hand which would otherwise smite theÌ„ not to be satisfied in the course of his iustice which was effected by Christ neither would he touch vs for any thing past if by perfect forsaking of sinne we were fullie
this So the aspiring mind who perswades himself that it is a thing impossible to ouercome his ambition and so neuer goes about it will on hands and knees on foote and horse backe toile like a horse following of Princes courtes for one step of honour more then he hath So if thou call vpon a couetous man to subdue his couetousnes and labour to be crucified to the world hee holds out difficulties and saith it is a labor not to be indured and yet takes hee much more paines rising earely and going to bed late eating the bread of care and sorrow to scrape that together which had will no more satisfie him then waters of the sea will quench his thirst No maruell then if many men remaine stil impenitent and lie in their sinnes Vse 2. 2. This may instruct him that would repent to labour to remoue this and to steppe ouer or breake thorow this hedge which is made against him and to gather his spirits vnto him and take courage to goe about it for the difficultie of this lieth more in his faintnesse and sloth then in the thing As Chrysostome spoke of a commandement of the Law Difficile mandatum non suapte natura sed audientium desidia mel natura dulcedinē habet c. Chrysost hom 8. de Poenitent The commandement is hard not in it owne nature but by the sloth of the hearer Honie by nature is sweet yea most lussious but to those who are sicke it is bitter and not to be tasted which is not from the nature of it but from their infirmitie So the law is not burdensome by nature but by our sloth and negligence which will be much more true of this being a precept of the Gospell which is much more assisted by the spirit and more giuing grace then the other Besides if it be now difficult and hard and he vnable for it can he thinke to make himselfe more able by despairing or delaying in his diffidence when as sinne will grow the stronger and himselfe the weaker Tam bona quā mala cum fuerint plurimùm immorata potentiora sunt c. Chrysost hom 80. ad popul Antioch As well good things as euill if they long continue grow stronger as a tree in the ground the longer the more vnremooueable as an ague the more fits the more incurable and a beast the elder the more vntameable And if the multitude doe now discourage him what will they doe when they are growne to be more And if his youth be not able to ouercome them but he falleth before them how shal he stand when he is old But that which must best incourage him is that which Christ spake to take this diffidence from his Disciples In the Gospell of S. Matthew Matth. 19.26 With man this is vnpossible but with God all things are possible Which is as much as if hee had told them that though it were impossible for any man to repent and turne yet with God it is not onely possible but also easie And therefore they ought not to bee discouraged from seeking nor despaire of attaining it but account it an easie thing and though this hedge were a stone wall yet by the helpe of God he may leape ouer it or breake thorow it And the rather should a man labour against this difficultie and discouragement because if he doe not kill and crucifie them they will certainely kill him and is it not better to kill then bee killed If a Physition should tell his patient that he must change his diet and take physicke and purge away his corrupt humors of choler or melancholie or he must die for it though it were verie vnpleasant yea very difficult and hard yet would hee not sticke to doe it how much more ought men to doe this for the soule A certaine Philosopher when hee found his goods and riches to hinder him he could not goe the way of vertue as he desired threw them into the sea with this farwell I had rather drowne you then you should drowne me How much more ought a Christian to part with his sins and giue them such a farwell though it bee somewhat more difficult And to conclude as Hierom counselled Heliododorus to go on in the course of pietie and following after Christ Licèt paruulus ex collo pendeat nepos licèt sparso crine scissis vestibùs vbera quibus te nutriebat mater ostendat licèt in limine pater iaceat perculcatum perge patrem siceis oculis ad vexillum crucis euola Solum pietatis genus est in hac re esse crudelem Hieron ad Heliodorū epist. 1. Though his little nephew should hang about his necke though his mother should with her haire about her head and her garments rent shew him the teates which gaue him sucke though his father should lie vpon the threshold to stop vp his passage yet he would haue him trample vpon his father and with drie eies follow after Christ For this is a special kind of pietie to be cruell in this thing So would I counsell euery one though his sinnes were as deare as his father and mother and dearest friends though it be neuer so difficult to part with them yet that he should cast them away and trample vpon them to follow after Christ and performe true obedience to him for this is a speciall kinde of pietie to be cruell in this execution Presumption is the third impediment to repentance The third impediment is presumption of Gods mercie whereby they are perswaded he will accept them whensoeuer they come and returne And that this is such a let needeth no further proofe then of sinners themselues who often alleage for themselues why they should not seare to deferre their repentance and still to follow their pleasures the sweet promises of Gods mercie at all times as these First the Lord speaketh by his Prophet Ezechiel Ezech. 18.32 That he desireth not the death of a sinner And againe by the same Prophet Ezech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue And Christ saith in the Gospell of S. Matthew Matth. 9.13 I will haue mercie and not sacrifice And againe in the same Euangelist our Saniour speaketh Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and heauie laden and I will ease you And S. Paul to Timothie hath these words 1. Tim. 2.4 Who will that all men should be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Then what needs such haste to repentance what needs all this care and speed they shall be receiued at all times and by the abuse of these they abuse God and themselues and still are kept from returning and that by these meanes also Reason 1. 1. Because they so remember and their mindes so runne on his mercie that hee is mercifull that they vtterly forget his iustice and that
friend that by reason of the loue he beareth him would hardly be displeased or moued to anger against him would he make this vse of his loue and patience still to prouoke him with new iniutles Nay it would moue him to loue him and loue would make him loth to displease him and fearfull to offend him Which being so then these men are monsters in nature and reason that because God will be mercifull therefore they will sinne and displease him But to restraine vs from this presumption wee must remember what is prooued before that God is iust as well as mercifull and that the promises of God belong to the repentant and not to the obstinate and though God be good to his yet that he will destroy the wicked and let vs not answere God with these vnkindnesses because he is mercifull therefore we will sinne against him but rather because he is gratious let vs turne vnto him and we shall find pardon Despaire of Gods mercie is the fourth impediment to re-repentance The fourth impediment to repentance is despairing of the goodnesse and mercie of God a thing contrarie to the former There be two things saith Augustine August tract 35. in Ioan. whereby sinners are in great danger the one in hoping too much the other in hoping too little the one presumption the other desperation this is contrarie to that By this was Cain damned despairing of Gods mercies as if they were lesse then his sinne By this Iudas perished who seeing his sinne could not lay hold of Gods mercie but as without hope hanged himselfe and brast asunder with despaire The like may I say of Simon Magus who began as it were to liue in a day and died in the same and of diuers others who by this despaire like the swine in the Gospell by the diuell haue been carried headlong into the sea of destruction and perdition and were neuer able to come out againe by returning and repenting Reason 1. 1. Because Satan who made men in former times to looke vpon their sinnes with a young sight and so they seemed smal makes them now behold them with an old spectacle which makes euery thing seeme great and so they are ouertaken with a fearefull sight and apprehension of them during which time Satan resteth not to suggest that God indeede is merciful but he wil neuer extend his mercie toward such hainous offenders whose sinnes are in number numberlesse in qualitie and nature most grieuous and outragious And so putting them out of hope of mercie they cannot during that time repent and returne Reason 2. 2. Because others seeing their sins so grieuous and thinking them not possible to bee pardoned say within themselues Well we are damned alreadie why doe we not then whatsouer pleaseth vs best in this life These men are murdered by despaire As Augustine speaketh Or rather murder themselues by not repenting Now for the vse it is thus much Vse This impediment is rarer then the former few there are whom Satan assaies with it because it is too fearefull euen to others and would disaduantage him more then he can gaine by it though he vse it in some where hee seeth it may aduantage him and sometime when he feareth to bee cast out Yet as fewer die of the sword then of surfetting by a plentie and full diet So fewer perish by this then by the other Yet for the taking away of this snare and the remoouing of this impediment euery one that is troubled with it must vnderstand that though their sinnes were neuer so great and hainous yet this should not keepe them from turning to God by vnfained repentance which they may bee assured shall bee accepted for these reasons and grounds First from the name of God and his royall title as it is expressed by God himselfe in the booke of Exodus Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in mercie and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne Where the greatest part of it is mercie goodnes long suffering and readinesse to forgiue And why is all this but for the comfort of such as haue neede of mercie and not onely to encourage them to come but to make them affraid by such feares as these to be kept from him which they cannot doe without denying this vnto them and so bring much dishonour and disgrace vnto him and sinne to themselues For as men much dishonour great princes in doubting of and calling in question their title and regall stiles and make themselues capable of treason so is it in this 2. They must thinke his name is not a bare title as some princes haue without any part of the thing but as his name so is his nature as the Prophet Micha manifesteth Micha 7.18 Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his wrath for euer for mercie pleaseth him And why is this but because as the seruants of Benhadad perswaded him to let them put on sackcloath about their loynes 1. King 20.31 and ropes about their heads and to let them goe to the King of Israel and so humble and submit themselues vnto him because the Kings of Israel were reported to be merciful Kings and therfore said they It may be Ahab will saue thy life So should others incourage themselues in respect of God and not onely because it is his nature but because hee is said to take pleasure in it that he is maruellous glad to haue the occasion to shew his mercie not that he is simply glad of sinne and the miserie of man the obiect of his mercie but glad that sinners wil come to him that hee may manifest his mercie and the greater the sinner is the more gladder of him for it more magnifieth his mercie 3. To ouercome this let vnto repentance they should thinke of the promises of God who is true and cannot lie As these and such like First that of Esay Isal 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and hee will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is very readie to forgiue Also that of Ezekiel Ezech. 18.21.22.23 But if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all my statutes and do that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and not die All his transgressions that hee hath committed they shall not bee mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnes that he hath done hee shall liue Haue I any desire that the wicked should die saith the Lord God or shall he not liue if he turne from his waies And againe by the same Prophet he speaketh Ezech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne
from his way and liue c. And lest these should be thought to appertaine onely to those who haue committed few and small sinnes let them consider that place of Esay and see what manner of men the Lord promiseth forgiuenes vnto vpon their true repentance whose words are Esay 1.18 Come now and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimsin they shall bee made white as snow though they were as red like scarlet they shall bee as wooll And S. Iohn saith 1. Iohn 1.1.9 If we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his son cleanseth vs from all sinne And againe If we acknowledge our sins he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse Here is no restraint of number or grieuousnes And if they yet stagger let them take his othe which he hath made to put them out of all doubt of his abundant loue vnto them as it is manifest in the Epistle to the Heb. Heb. 6.17.18 So God willing more abundant lie to shew vnto the heires of promise the stablenes of of his counsell bound himselfe by an oath That by two immutable things wherein it is impossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue the refuge to hold fast the hope that is set before vs. And so vnlesse God bee vntrue and more as a periured person which is blasphemie to thinke this let neede bee no impediment But if it yet haue any more liuely force in them to hinder them let them consider what sinners he hath receiued As Rahab the harlot of which Chrysostom hath this saying Chrysost hom 5. de Poenitent Reported by the Ievves to liue 40. yeeres in vncleannes That Iesus who said Rahab the harlot shall liue was the image of the Lord Iesus saying the harlots and publicans shall goâ—… before you into the kingdome of God Also Manasses and Mary Luke 7.41.25 whose sinnes were like the debt of him that ought fiue hundred pence and of Peter and Paul with infinit others Consider further if God be good peccantibus to those that sin as they haue experience by his patience and many otherwise what will he bee poenitentibus that is to those that repent yea as saith Chrysostome Ambrose If men bee good to seruants when they haue offended and doe receiue them into fauour againe if they humble themselues and not onely haue them in the same account but also giue them more libertie how will God be gratious and good to his If our Sauiour Christ doe thus teach men to vse a motiue to God to forgiue them their sinnes Luke 11. â— For euen we forgiue euery man how much more may it be a ground to them to hope for his mercy when they see how mercifull men are who haue but a dramme of mercie in comparison of that infinite mercie which is in him Now if a man lay together and compound as it were all these simples he may make thereof an excellent confection to keepe him from this euill of despairing of the mercy of God and make him the more able and willing to returne vnto God repent Obiect But some will say you say well Sir God is mercifull but I am so vnworthie of my selfe and I finde so many insirmities in mee that I am not worthie of the mercie of God and therefore I cannot expect it Answ I answer that this is a common obiection which riseth not from humilitie but from the pride of thy heart which maketh thee to say thus because thou wouldest not be beholding to God for his mercie but wouldest haue God bee beholding to thee for thy worthinesse But if thou wouldest haue God to haue the glorie stand not vpon thy infirmities for the more vnworthy thou art in thine own sight the more worthie thou art in the sight of God and the more acceptable because Gods glory is then most magnified As our Sauior Christs power was magnified not in curing one that was a few daies sicke but in curing of him that was 38. yeeres diseased Iohn 5. so the mercie of God is not magnified so much in curing of a small sinner or a few sins but in curing of great sinners doth his goodnes most shew it selfe Doest thou thinke that God is like some Physitians that wil doe nothing without a fee so he will doe no more for thee then thou art worthie of nay it is farre coÌ„trary with God for he neuer cured any who was not brought both to see and know and acknowledge his owne spirituall pouertie and vnworthinesse and to thinke himselfe lesse then the least of Gods mercies When thou art so humbled that with the Centurion thou canst send thy friends Luke 7.6.7 thy prayers to Christ with this message Lord I am not worthie thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe and with Peter Lord depart from me a sinfull man thou shalt find thy soule cured thy sinnes pardoned and Christ will come to thee in mercie Care and pleasures of the vvorld the fifth impediment to repentance And now I come to the fifth impediment which is the cares and pleasures of this present life of the loue of the world and the things of it which is either in seeking for them or in vsing of them This impediment is double those who haue not attained them but are in want or necessitie thinke they may lawfully prouide for the bodie before the soule and deferre the care of this till that be sufficientlie prouided for Those who haue them doe more inlarge their appetite and desire of them inuenting new fresh pleasures daily by which they are kept from this Now that these things are a let if the common experience of euery man doe not sufficientlie proue it then may the testimonies of these places of Scripture confirme it As first that place of S. Luke Luke 14.17 where many being inuited to a wedding all of them made delaies and excuses either profit or pleasure cares or delight hindring them and therefore one preteÌ„ded that he had bought a farme and he must goe and see it and another that he had bought a yoke of oxen and hee must goe and prooue them and another said that hee had married a wife and hee could not come So that one thing or other hindreth them from hearkning to the voice of God So we reade of certaine who heard the Word but were not brought by it to repentance The reason was Matth 13.21 because the cares of the world grew vp as thornes with the seede and the deceitfulnes of riches choked the word and it was made vnfruitfull So the rich man in the Gospell so called because riches was his master euen sâ—tled himselfe vpon his lees and his hope vpon his wealth and debarred himselfe from this dutie of repentance Luke 12.19