they are at a iarre among themselues about the meaning of it It is true that Bellarmine doth presse it to this purpose but the words are so pregnant for a brotherlike and mutuall confession of one man to another for the forgiuing of priuate iniuries that both Cardinall Caietane and Scotus confessed the same Bellarm. de poenit lib. 3. cap. 3. Caiestan in Iam. 5.16 Scotus in 4. sentent dist 17. quaest 1. And for the thing it selfe it was a custome in the Church sometimes but it happened that there was a noble Matron dishonoured by a Deacon in the Church of Constantinople Zozomenus which thing highly displeased the people Whereupon Nectarius Bishop then and there by the consent of the Bishops of that time and the rest did abolish it out of the Church and if it were abolished for that one fact how much more should it be abolished for so many of the like committed in poperie which is the very nurcerie of all vncleannesse And therefore to conclude as Augustine said Quid mibi ergo est cum hominibus vt audiant confessiones meas quasi ipsi sana◠uri sunt omnes languores meos Curiesum genus ad cognoscendā vitam alienam desidiosum ad corrigendam suam Confess lib. 10. cap. 3. What haue I to do with men that I shuld make confession to them as if they could heale all my sores It is a curious kind of people to search into other mens liues but most slothfull to reforme and correct their owne Could euer any man haue prophesied more truely of the Priest of poperie being such a curious kind of people whose labour is to know other mens states and sinnes but are carelesse to know their own and most sluggish and negligent to reforme their owne These things thus explained wee must now come to the vse Vse 1. First it may well be thought that many men are sarre from repentance seeing they are far from this dutie and part of humiliation I meane confession It may be generallie that they are sinners as other men they will not stand with you to confesse but not in particulars which commeth partly out of the loue of themselues and partly out of the loue of their sinnes Therfore Iob saith Iob 31.33 I haue not hid my sinnes as Adam concealing mine iniquitie in my bosome The latter part Tremelius readeth Abdendo ex dilectione mei iniquitatem meam hiding my iniquitie out of my selfe loue As if he should say selfe loue is the principall thing why men smother their sinnes and do not confesse them But in most men there is a more impossibility vnto this dutie because they know good and euill sinne and righteousnes no further then they haue by that light and knowledge which remaineth in them since the creation nay in many of them that is darkened by custome and other corruption but as for the law of God where they should indeed see themselues they are altogether ignorant and will not looke into it neither of themselues take the paines so they will not indure the reproofes of their Ministers nor be shewed their sinnes but are like many prodigall wasters who run so farre in bookes that they cannot abide to haue a bill of accounts brought them and like a timorous and foolish patient which finding his wound to bee very deepe would not endure the Chirurgion whereon what ensueth but a festering of the part and a dangering of the whole bodie So to these damnation ensueth because they cannot repent seeing they cannot confesse If any thinke this is hard and false that a man should be condemned for this seeing Dauid saith Psalm 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faults I answere that for him that doth his best ondeuour to know his sinnes and keepes a day booke for his spirituall estate as for his worldly if he know not many sinnes and neuer confesse them yet hath a particular repentance confession of his knowne sinnes and would no lesse repent and confesse the other if he might come to the knowledge of them from him God will accept a generall confession and repentance for such as bee not knowne As Dauid in the same place Clense me from fecret faults But for others who are wilfully and more then negligently ignorant of their estate and sinnes they shall not be accepted by a generall repentance because they neuer repent truely of knowne sinnes for if they did then would they repent them of that ignorance and seeke to reforme it Vse 2. The second vse doth teach men to practise this dutie to goe to God and to confesse to him and against themselues their owne sinnes this is the way to pardon so that howsoeuer the prouerbe is Confesse and be hauged yet without this there is no repentance and here it is true Confesse and be saued Therefore should they not let shame or any thing else keep them from this dutie but shame themselues seeing they may say of themselues as Augustine of himselfe August Conses lib. 4. cap. 16. Non erubui prositeri hominibus blaspbemias me as latrare aduersus̄te I was not ashamed to professe my blasphemies before men and my barking against thee And so now they should not be ashamed to shame themselues before God by consossing and accusing themselues And in this duty this repentant must know that there is required of him that hee bee an examiner an informer and a Iudge First an examiner he must examine himselfe and search his waies without which there can be no knowledge of himself and his owne wretched estate Thus they holy Ghost by Ieremie saith Lamen 3.40 Let vs search and trie our waies and turne againe to the Lord No returning but after a search which euery one knowes that euer did repent Likewise this is that the Prophet Zephanie hath Zeph. 2.1 Gather your selues euen gather you O nation not worthie to be beloued where a word is vsed which signifies to search narrowly as a man would doe that searcheth for gold in a mine of earth where much earth is and but a very little gold oare noting that it is not enough to find out grosse and palpable sinnes but euen those which are accounted lesse and to espie secret faults and priuie corruptions And in this search he that would doe it as he ought must first find out two things which the world dreames not of The first that the guiltines of Adams sinne is his sin in eating the forbidden fruit and that he stands to answere for it before God because hee was in his loines As Saint Paul saith Rom. 5.12 That as by one man sinne entred into the world and death went ouer all ment forasmuch as all men haue sinned 2 That in euery man by nature are the seeds of all sinne euen in the best natured man for what is else original sinne but a want not of sinne but of all good inclination and want of all goodnes
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