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
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
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
Genes 6.9 Am I my brothers keeper Or by a good purpose like vnto Abimeleck who when hee tooke the wife of Abraham said Genes 20.8 he did it with an vpright heart Or els by putting it vpon others as Saul who when he was commanded of God to slay Amaleck and destroy all his cattell being reprooued of Samuel for not doing it laid the fault on the people 2. Sam. 15. that they had spared the best things c. Or if none of these will serue then is that of the Elephant wel moralized in them and as it were verified for he being guiltie of his deformity cannot abide to looke his owne face in the cleere water but flies it and seekes the muddy and troubled chanels so they know their soules are so filthie that they dare not so much as to come where they shall be made to see themselues but desire that which will dawbe them vp But if all will not serue but that they are againe and againe made to see their sins and their conscience is awakned to accuse them either by the word or by some affliction vexing them as the euill spirit did Saul then they seeke to dispatch away such thoughts by musike and mirth pastime and dalliance as Saul did the euill spirit by Dauids playing vpon a harpe and so increase them more and more and cause them to ranckle inwardly These are like debtors who being cleane out at heeles as wee say seeke shifts to put off the clamor of their creditors for a day or a week and seeke no protection for themselues no way to cleere themselues but when they know their creditors haue entred actions against them and feed Sergeants to arrest them yea when they are arrested they onely seeke to corrupt the Sergeants or get them into a Tauerne and make them drunke and so get from them and then they thinke all is well So these being farre in debt and arrested by an accusing conscience all their care is how to bee eased of it how to corrupt it or to make it drunke with pleasures and delites and then they thinke all will be well But in the meane time all is worse then naught with them for they are without true repentance which hath not a defence of sinne but an accusation of sinne and takes a course to cleere the person and to get a defence and protection against all accusations and accusers Vse 2. 2. By this may a man trie his repentance whether it bee good or no and whether it bee true or false if it haue this fruite in him that hauing sinned since his former repentance as he cannot but sinne if then I say hee shall seeke to cleere himselfe with God and get a defence for himselfe not if hee cleere his sinne and defend it but if after his fall and committing of sinne he find sinne to him as the Prophet Zacharie speaketh Zach. 5.7 as heauie as a talent of leade and that he find no quiet within himselfe but accusing and burning till hee hath gotten into some place where hee may lament and mourne for his sinne and so accuse and condemne it and intreat the Lord for pardon as the guiltie and condemned person at the barre cries for life when his accusers call vpon the Iudge for sentence against him yea if hee bee like an vniust but a wise Merchant who hauing run himselfe so deepe in debt by taking vp of euerie man while he could haue credit to maintaine his pompe and state that he is able to pay little or nothing of it and seeth that his creditors come vpon him will yeeld his person to none of thē nor diuide his state among them but layes out a great part of it to get a protection from the Prince that he may not be touched of any and till he haue it will neuer lie from the Court gate or the Presence Chamber doore So if hee neuer lie from God be neuer out of his court or from the presence chamber but still solicite him with prayer till hee haue a protection and a defence against Satan and all who would or can lay any thing against him Whosoeuer hath this signe hath questionlesse the thing and in whomsoeuer this effect is the cause is fure in him also and he hath vndoubtedly repented The third signe of repentance Indignation The third signe or fruite of repentance is indignation This is numbred among the other as S. Paul hath set them downe 2. Cor. 7.11 which some men restraine and referre to the Corinthians vnderstanding it of that indignation or anger where with the Corinthians were angrie and very hot against the sinne of the incestuous person which before they fauoured or wincked at Whereunto though I cannot simplie subscribe seeing I know no reason why this should be restrained more than the other and not be generall to them and to all true repentants yet thence we may see what is the meaning of this word namely to bee angrie with and very much offended yea to bee out of quiet with ones selfe that hee committed such a thing so that though before hee liked it well enough and approoued himselfe in the sinnes he committed yet now he hates euery sinne he falles into both loathing it abhorring himself for committing of it The point then to be obserued is this Indignation the third signe and effect of repentance That true repentance begets and brings foorth indignation making men angrie and hot against those sinnes which before they liked and fauoured and to hate those they loued before and to be displeased with those which were pleasing to them yea to bee angrie and out of patience with themselues that they were such wretches and so carelesse to bee ouertaken with them and to take on as it were with themselues that they haue slipped into such sinnes Which as the Apostle affirmeth in this place that their godly sorrow had brought forth indignation so is it to be seene in other examples Dauid repenting for his two capitall sinnes what indignation had he Psalm 51. The 51. Psal for the first can shew being the monument of his bitter mourning and lamentation for it to God and his grieuing at himselfe Likewise when hee saw the wrath of God come vpon the people for his sinne what indignation he had with himselfe for the sin his words will expresse Behold Lord saith he 2. Sam. 29.17 I haue sinned yea I haue done wickedly but these sheepe what haue they done let thine hand I pray thee be against me and my fathers house So we may see Iob crying out Iob 39.37.38 I am vile I haue spoken once yea twice but I will do so no more And againe he said Iob 42.6 Therefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes So likewise in Esay the Lord speaking of his peole that should repent he maketh this an argument that they had repented when they should pollute the couerings of the
they Peter 1.2.2 As new borne babes would desire the sincere milke of the word as if he said Are ye indeed new borne by repentance and regenerated then desire the milke of the word as the child desireth the breast This also is manifest in the Canticles where is expressed what a desire the spouse of Christ had vnto her husband Draw me saith she Cantic 1.3 and we will runne after thee the king hath brought me into his chambers we will reioyce and be glad in thee we will remember thee more than wine c. And Dauid saith Psalm 19.97 O how loue I thy law it is my meditation continually See in all these and by all this how this desire and repentance haue and must goe hand in hand yea and that also with good reason Reason 1. 1. Because the repentant hath tasted of God and his word his goodnes and the sweetnes of it wherein he can find no satietie at all he can neuer haue enough he is neuer satiffied but the more he hath the more hee may and the more he desireth still As Augustine cōfessed after his calling when he had repented and begun once to taste how good the Lord was that he tasted too late of him Serò te amaui pulchritudo tam antiqua tam noua serô te amaui August Confes lib. 10. cap. 27. I haue loued thee too late O thou beautie most ancient yet euer new and fresh I haue loued thee too late So questiōles he thought he had tasted too little and so shall all thinke who haue once truly begun to taste of God for there is no satietie and a man cannot haue his full apprehension of God and his word till hee come to enioy him face to face and til he come where hee shall hunger no more If any one obiect that of our Sauiour Christ which he spake Iohn 4.14 Whosoeuer shall drink of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer bee more athirst Therefore there is satietie of these spirituall things I answere he meaneth not that a man should haue such satietie in them as that hee should desire them no more but that while he tasteth of them he should thirst after no other As a man whose palate tasteth of that meate or liquor which delites it desireth no other but yet thirsteth and hungreth after that still so he that drinks of Christs water shall find that contentment in it that hee doth not desire any other though he thirsteth still for this Reason 2. 2. Because the true repentant is inlightned with some knowledge more then hee had of God and his word Now as a man increaseth in knowledge so hee doth in loue for by his knowledge he apprehends more causes of loue in the thing loued Then as men are hardlie drawne to loue without cause so where they see cause they loue and where there are more causes they loue more And hence it is that the repentant hath more loue to God and his word because he seeth now more causes why hee should desire and loue them then he did before when hee liued in ignorance Now from this point we may learne these things Vse 1. 1. That it is no wonder that there is so little loue and desire to be found in our age toward God and his word and of spirituall things seeing the doctrine and practise of repentance is so little knowne and vsed yea and that it is so this will prooue it 1. Because all the desire of most men is set vpon the world Now you know in a Conduit the more water goeth by one pipe the lesse must needs goe by another yea as Christ saith that a man cannot loue both God and Mammon so not the word and the world Againe they mightily and miserablie complaine of too much preaching and teaching thinking the labourers too many which Christ thought too few or else that they are too diligent murmuring as it were against God that he hath in some sort and some places fulfilled his word that he spoke by Isaiah Esay 11.9 The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea meaning the meanes of knowledge Which must needs argue that these complainers are no louers of God and his word but haue soules loathing this light foode Manna and so though it grieue me to speake it more then I know it wil them to heare it yet I must tell them that this little loue to the word nay this loathing of it doth manifestly conuince them to be without true repentance and so to be in the state of damnation and in the snare of the Diuell which hath taken them at his will Vse 2. 2. This will leade vs to a fit marke and note whereby euery man may know whether hee hath true repentance Thou knowest thine owne hart so doe not I but God knoweth it and iudgeth Then canst thou not deceiue him Therefore examine thine owne heart whether thou hast this desire in thee or not whether as a new borne babe thou desirest the sincere milke of the word and hunger after spiritual things as after spirituall treasure and riches Doest thou in some measure follow Dauid whose loue to the word of God was not onely a wonder to others but to himself saying Psalm 1 19. Lord how loue I thy law Or if thou canst not find this desire in thee then doest thou dislike thy selfe and bewaile thy dull affections after spirituall things Bee thou then comforted in it that it is some token that thou art partaker of repentance But thou wilt demaund how thou shalt know whether thou hast this desire or no seeing euery man is apt to challenge this vnto himself who hath nothing lesse Answ I answer thee that thou shalt know it by this if thou findest no satietie in heauenly things but the more thou tastest of them the more thou desirest for as the truth and the word of God is not vnfitlie compared to the waters of the sea which the deeper thou drawest from the bottome the sweeter thou shalt find them so the more knowledge a man hath in spirituall things the more delightfull will they be to him though in the beginning to the taste of a naturall man they are bitter and vnpleasant till he be changed So againe may they be compared to the same waters of the sea which the more a man drinkes of them the more hee desires still So the more a man truly tasteth of the word of God the more he shall desire it still hee will neuer bee satisfied and hee thinkes hee can neuer haue enough Hee then that findeth this in himselfe may bee assured that hee hath repented for this desire being present godly sorrow cannot bee absent and wanting But alas many men are like the woman of Samaria who when Christ had said Iohn 4.15 Whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him shall neuer
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
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
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