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
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
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
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
get not because they aske not or aske amisse Obiect But some man may obiect here what neede men aske and pray for repentance seeing God giueth it to many not asking as hee gaue it to Paul and others Answ I answere that this is no dispensation to free any man from this dutie It being a sinne for a man not to pray for the things which he is bound to haue though God then doe giue him them vndesired yet is hee to bee humbled in soule when he hath them for not praying for them And so no doubt they were that truly repented Besides Gods extraordinarie dealing is no rule for ordinarie things nor any warrant for a man to neglect ordinary meanes As it is no warrant for a man to neglect prouision for his life because the Lord extraordinarily fed the Prophet by rauens Yea rather men should thus inferre that if to them hee gaue it not seeking it and if hee was found of thē that sought him not how much more will he be found of those who seeke him and giue to those who aske it of him Vse 2. The second vse is to perswade men to vse this meanes by which they may thus obtaine repentance or renew it not onely to frequent the hearing of the word which is one meanes by which this may be wrought in them but feruently also to call vpon God who is powerfull by his word that it may be effectuall hereto and that hee would turne their hearts and doe that which is his proper glorious worke namely to drop into them his grace which may mollifie their stony hearts and to quicken their soules being cleane dead in sinne And this ought they to doe not seldome or coldly or negligently but often with vehemencie of affection and with all importunitie giuing no rest night nor day to themselues or to God till they haue obtained their desire For this importunitie how it will preuaile Christ sheweth in Saint Lukes Gospell by the parable of the vnrighteous Iudge Luke 18.5 which though hee feared not God nor reuerenced man yet because the widow troubled him by her importunitie hee would dee her right And to whet them on they ought to labour to see their want of it by reason of their owne sinfull and wretched estate together with their inabilitie to performe it of themselues who cannot make one haire white or blacke nor remooue any wrinkle from their faces much lesse change their soules They may be able to pray to God as Augustine did August Confess lib. 1. cap. 5. Augusta est domus animae meae que venias ad eam dilatetur abs te ruinesa est refice cam c. The house of my soule is very little how canst thou come vnto her doe thou therefore inlarge it It is very ruinous doe thou repaire it It hath many things which may offend thy holie eies I confesse and know it but who shall elense it or to whom rather should I pray then vnto thee Specially seeing the holy man Iob saith Iob 14.4 Who can make it cleane that commeth of an vncleane thing As if he said no man And yet Dauid saith to God Psalm 51.27 Wash me thorowlie from mine iniquitie and clense me from my sinne And againe Purge me with hyssope and I shall be cleane wash mee and I shall be whiter then snow And hee that shall thus pray shall obtaine hee that shall thus wrestle with God shall vndoubtedly ouercome For if men who are sillie wormes stand so much vpon their honour that they thinke it a disgrace that any man should say that hee had in vaine asked helpe at their hands as we reade of the Senators of Rome in old time Shall not God who is as able as the richest and as willing to giue as the frankest yea and hath as great care of his glorie as any man hath of his worldly worship and renowne thinke it a disgrace that any man should goe from him with this discomfort say I haue in vaine afflicted my soule humbled my selfe at his footstoole repaired to the place of his presence and called vpon him faithfully can get nothing And the rather shuld we thus frequently pray because God hath so often granted grace to men euen whilest they asked it and doth touch their hearts and soules by his spirit in the very instant while they are thus exercised in earnest prayer For as the Smith striketh the iron while it is hot or fit to receiue any forme or impression so God although hee could imprint his grace in the coldest and hardest heart or most flintie disposition yet hee rather doth it when the affections are stirred vp by hearing of the word publike praier or by some priuate Christian exercise of reading singing praying and such like and then chiefly sendeth hee his spirit and worketh and thereby conuaieth grace vnto men Therefore there should bee more care had in comming to the publike assemblies of the Church and praiers thereof and in stirring vp our affections to pray vnto God seeing at that time especially he giueth grace vnto men and if we be not wanting to our selues he will not be wanting vnto vs. He then that reiecteth these goeth on carelesly and negligently if God doe not giue him repentance but leaue him in the blindnes and hardnes of his owne hart he hath none to accuse but himselfe And thus much for the efficient causes of repentance whether principall or instrumentall without vs or within vs or from vs. The finall cause of repentance Gods glorie and a mans owne good Now we must proceed to the finall cause and end of repentance which is principally the glory of God and then the good of the repentant either temporall or spirituall either present or to come as the remoueall and preuenting of punishment or procuring of some good as earthly blessings and eternall happines I say all men ought to confesse their sinnes and humble themselues condēning all their waies in the sight of God and studie and labour for the mortification of the flesh and true regeneration that they may glorifie God by that change and new life and procure good to themselues spiritual and corporall temporall eternall Which is manifest by that in the book of Ioshua Ioshua 7.19 whē as Achan had sinned Ioshua biddeth him giue glorie to God confesse his sin And the Apostle Paul saith in the Epistle to the Romans Rom. 3.23 They haue all sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God as if he had said they are depriued of that by which God is glorified And if we consider of repentance as it is beneficial vnto mā S. Iohn saith Matth. 2.7 that repentance auoideth iudgements to come So they that heard Peter preach were such as by repētance did auoid the iudgement to come And our Sauiour Christ saith Luke 13.3.5 Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish where he noteth that
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
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