friend that by reason of the loue he beareth him would hardly be displeased or moued to anger against him would he make this vse of his loue and patience still to prouoke him with new iniutles Nay it would moue him to loue him and loue would make him loth to displease him and fearfull to offend him Which being so then these men are monsters in nature and reason that because God will be mercifull therefore they will sinne and displease him But to restraine vs from this presumption wee must remember what is prooued before that God is iust as well as mercifull and that the promises of God belong to the repentant and not to the obstinate and though God be good to his yet that he will destroy the wicked and let vs not answere God with these vnkindnesses because he is mercifull therefore we will sinne against him but rather because he is gratious let vs turne vnto him and we shall find pardon Despaire of Gods mercie is the fourth impediment to re-repentance The fourth impediment to repentance is despairing of the goodnesse and mercie of God a thing contrarie to the former There be two things saith Augustine August tract 35. in Ioan. whereby sinners are in great danger the one in hoping too much the other in hoping too little the one presumption the other desperation this is contrarie to that By this was Cain damned despairing of Gods mercies as if they were lesse then his sinne By this Iudas perished who seeing his sinne could not lay hold of Gods mercie but as without hope hanged himselfe and brast asunder with despaire The like may I say of Simon Magus who began as it were to liue in a day and died in the same and of diuers others who by this despaire like the swine in the Gospell by the diuell haue been carried headlong into the sea of destruction and perdition and were neuer able to come out againe by returning and repenting Reason 1. 1. Because Satan who made men in former times to looke vpon their sinnes with a young sight and so they seemed smal makes them now behold them with an old spectacle which makes euery thing seeme great and so they are ouertaken with a fearefull sight and apprehension of them during which time Satan resteth not to suggest that God indeede is merciful but he wil neuer extend his mercie toward such hainous offenders whose sinnes are in number numberlesse in qualitie and nature most grieuous and outragious And so putting them out of hope of mercie they cannot during that time repent and returne Reason 2. 2. Because others seeing their sins so grieuous and thinking them not possible to bee pardoned say within themselues Well we are damned alreadie why doe we not then whatsouer pleaseth vs best in this life These men are murdered by despaire As Augustine speaketh Or rather murder themselues by not repenting Now for the vse it is thus much Vse This impediment is rarer then the former few there are whom Satan assaies with it because it is too fearefull euen to others and would disaduantage him more then he can gaine by it though he vse it in some where hee seeth it may aduantage him and sometime when he feareth to bee cast out Yet as fewer die of the sword then of surfetting by a plentie and full diet So fewer perish by this then by the other Yet for the taking away of this snare and the remoouing of this impediment euery one that is troubled with it must vnderstand that though their sinnes were neuer so great and hainous yet this should not keepe them from turning to God by vnfained repentance which they may bee assured shall bee accepted for these reasons and grounds First from the name of God and his royall title as it is expressed by God himselfe in the booke of Exodus Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in mercie and truth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie and transgression and sinne Where the greatest part of it is mercie goodnes long suffering and readinesse to forgiue And why is all this but for the comfort of such as haue neede of mercie and not onely to encourage them to come but to make them affraid by such feares as these to be kept from him which they cannot doe without denying this vnto them and so bring much dishonour and disgrace vnto him and sinne to themselues For as men much dishonour great princes in doubting of and calling in question their title and regall stiles and make themselues capable of treason so is it in this 2. They must thinke his name is not a bare title as some princes haue without any part of the thing but as his name so is his nature as the Prophet Micha manifesteth Micha 7.18 Who is a God like vnto thee that taketh away iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage he retaineth not his wrath for euer for mercie pleaseth him And why is this but because as the seruants of Benhadad perswaded him to let them put on sackcloath about their loynes 1. King 20.31 and ropes about their heads and to let them goe to the King of Israel and so humble and submit themselues vnto him because the Kings of Israel were reported to be merciful Kings and therfore said they It may be Ahab will saue thy life So should others incourage themselues in respect of God and not onely because it is his nature but because hee is said to take pleasure in it that he is maruellous glad to haue the occasion to shew his mercie not that he is simply glad of sinne and the miserie of man the obiect of his mercie but glad that sinners wil come to him that hee may manifest his mercie and the greater the sinner is the more gladder of him for it more magnifieth his mercie 3. To ouercome this let vnto repentance they should thinke of the promises of God who is true and cannot lie As these and such like First that of Esay Isal 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and hee will haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is very readie to forgiue Also that of Ezekiel Ezech. 18.21.22.23 But if the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all my statutes and do that which is lawfull and right he shall surely liue and not die All his transgressions that hee hath committed they shall not bee mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnes that he hath done hee shall liue Haue I any desire that the wicked should die saith the Lord God or shall he not liue if he turne from his waies And againe by the same Prophet he speaketh Ezech. 33.11 As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne
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
of Christ the onely salue of his sore it is not possible hee should be renewed againe And as for that which the Apostle saith If a man sinne willingly after hee hath receiued knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinne I answere that the place is not simplie vnderstood of those who sin willingly and fall into sinne but of those who fall from the truth and cast from them willingly that one sacrifice which is the only sacrifice namely Christ to them verily there is no other sacrifice left for their sin whereas there is no other sacrifice fit or able to take away any sinne but Christ being once offered Therefore he saith not there is no remission but no sacrifice shewing this to bee the meaning of sinning willingly that is willingly reiecting the true sacrifice for sinne which is Christ and the Gospell which doth offer this sacrifice to all for such a sin then is no sacrifice and so it cannot bee pardoned being the sin against the holy Ghost Finally I say with Ambrose in answering the former place conferring S. Pauls practise in the Epistle to the Corinthians with this preaching of his Nunquid Paulus aduersus factum suum praedicare potuit Donauit Corinthio peccatum per poenitentiam quomodo hîc potuit sententiam suam reprehendere Ergo quia non potuit quod aedificauerit dedestrucre non contrarium dixisse cum sed diuersum aduertimus Quod enim contrarium est seipsum impugnat quod diuersum est distinctam solet habere rationem Ambr. de Poenir lib. 2. cap. 2. Shall wee think that Paul could preach against his own act he forgaue the Corinthian his sin vpon repentance how could be then here reproue his own iudgemēt Therfore because he could not destroy that he had built we must conceiue that he spake not things contrarie but different which may well stand tegether not which ouerthrow one another Otherwise it is manifest that the Saints of God who haue sinned voluntarilie and against their conscience vpon their repentance haue obtained remission Now that which hath been may bee as well as nothing is new which hath not been Obiect But secondly these obiect against this truth and themselues that they cannot reade in the word of God of anie one who hath fallen into one and the same sinne diuers times and was againe recouered and renewed by repentance But sauing their iudgement I thinke I can shew them some presidents of such as haue been called and yet haue fallen twice into one sin and been after renewed Let them remember with mee the father of the faithfull Gen. 12. Abraham denying Sara to bee his wife and yet rising againe Gen. 20. And after in the twentith chapter hee falleth into the same sin and yet riseth here is a faithfull man falling twice into one sinne and yet rising againe So the holy man Iob confesseth that hee had twice fallen into one sinne Once saith he Iob 39.38 I haue spoken but I will answere no more yea twice but I will proceede no further yet was he againe renewed Therefore let no man despaire in himselfe though hee haue fallen and that often but that yet hee may be renewed againe by repentance for the couenant of God is generall and perpetuall generall without exception of sinnes and perpetuall without limitation of time for great sinnes as well as for small and for all sinnes as well as any and for all times as well as once To what end else was that repeated of God Exod. 34.6.7 The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and grations slow to anger and abundant in goodnes and truth reseruing mercy for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sins Wherefore doth the spirit of God thus repeate iniquitie transgression and sinne if it were so that a man falling after his calling were not to be renewed by repentance and where were the gratious goodnes of God But admit the ground of this temptation were true yet is it as certaine a truth that a man falling into seuerall sinnes after his repentance may rise againe and be pardoned and though one sinne again willingly yet also be pardoned why not then falling into one and the same Nay if Peter fell three times together into one sinne for the kind of it but euery time differing in the quantitie of it yea and the last the greatest and after all this yet found mercy why may not a man though he fall againe into the same sinne yet find mercie againe and the third time It may be wich Princes a barre in their proceedings if they haue pardoned a man for a great offence why they should not grant him a pardon for the same nay not for a lesse But with God it will be no barre at all for he being infinitely more mercifull then men and yet requiring this of men Luke 17.4 Though thy brother sinne against thee seuen times in a day and seuen times in a day turne againe to thee saying It repenteth mee thou shalt forgiue him what needeth any to doubt but he shall finde mercie and forgiuenes with him if hee can and doe repent and returne By all this I giue not libertie to sinne nor encourage any man to transgresse I onely comfort them who haue sinned That seeing repentance is appointed for the regenerate as well as for the vnregenerate to renew those that are fallen as well as to renew those who were neuer yet called they should not doubt but to find mercie whensoeuer they sought the Lord if so be they sought him in truth Vse 3. The third vse of this doctrine is to teach vs that if there be repentance to all and they haue need of it who haue been regenerate and renewed then is there a necessarie vse of the preaching of the word as well to men that are called as to them that are not This must bee vnto them instead of Christs looke vpon Peter Luke 22.60.61.62 and the crowing of the cocke wich may make them remember themselues and goe out and weepe bitterly for thir sinnes The end of preaching was not only to beget men but to vphold men also and renew them after their slippes and falles For he that is in the best estate in this life is but as a ship which if it be neglected it will rot in the hauen and if it bee kept neuer so carefully it will still need some repairing So euery man in this condition if he be negligent he will soone be corrupted and be he as carefull as hee can hee shall neede some repairing for liuing in a corrupt age and in the company of wicked men hee cannot chuse but gather corruption how then shall hee bee renewed must it not be by repentance But how shall he repent and be stirred vp to this dutie though he were as perfect as Peter if he haue not the looke of Christ and the crow of the cocke I speake this in respect of those who
images of siluer Isai 30.22 and the rich ornament of their images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous cloath and say vnto it Get thee hence Yea euen those images Isai 31.7 which their owne hands haue made shewing the indignation that they should haue with themselues for their sinnes So when Ephraim repented this was the effect of her repentance Ierem. 31.19 When I conuerted I repented and after that I was instructed I smote vpon my thigh I was ashamed yea euen confounded because I did beare the reproch of my youth Likewise the bitter weeping of Peter and the carriage of Mary Magdalene manifest the truth of this doctrine Lastly this is that which the Lord noteth should bee in his people when they had repented Ezek. 16.63 Thou shalt remember and bee ashamed and neuer open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou hast done Then this indignation goeth euer with true repentance and is inseparable from it which these testimonies prooue and the reasons also ensuing will confirme Reason 1. 1. Because hee that hath truly repented is reconciled to God and is become his spouse his friend and his child Then can it not be but he will dislike that which hath displeased him and bee offended with himselfe for that which may make any breach betwixt God and himselfe For so wee see in any of these that when they haue done but the least thing that may offend they take on greatly with themselues and the more where more loue is Reason 2. 2. Because now he knoweth how sin maketh a separation betwixt him and his God abandoning God from him and withdrawing his heart from God and therefore is displeased with it and angrie with himselfe for it As a chaste spouse and modest Matron is offended with her selfe when shee hath looked or spoken or done any thing amisse which maketh her husband to withdraw himself from her or steales her owne heart from him Reason 3. 3. Because he that hath repented is regenerate and so made holie therefore he hateth and abhorreth sinne for it is naturall to holines to abhorre and loth sinne Hence is that of Lactantius Naturale bono est ad alterius peccatum moueri incitari sicut naturale malo lapsu alieno gaudere Lactan. de ira Dei c. 17. It is naturall to good to bee mooued and affected with the sinne of another as it is naturall to euill to reioyce in the fall of another Then much more to be affected with and grieued with his own euil sins yea with himself for them This indignation thē in al proofe and reason being an effect of repentance may as the former instruct vs thus Vse 1. 1. That many men perswade themselues and are deceiued by their owne harts thinking that they haue truly repented when the time is yet to come that euer they were angrie and offended with themselues for the sin they had committed or disliked and hated their sin Nay many most liue still in their sins and loue them because they bring them in pleasure honor gaine c. As some Courts haue liked of and hountenanced Informers because they bring sacks to the mill and as the Pope doth the stewes because of the reuenew hee receiues thereby so they like of their sinnes because of that good which commeth of them as they account good and therefore they will not leaue them neither can they dislike or hate them Yea oftentimes whē they are gauled or grieued for them by some reproofe of conscience or by the word by some afflictiō or iudgement as beggers euer anon are by their sores yet as they will not haue those sores cured because they are a couer for ease and idlenes and now and then bring them in a peny and therefore cannot endure the Surgeans but if they be forced to receiue some plaister they will pull it off specdilie againe when his backe is once turned so is it with these men in their sins they dislike them not they would not be cured of them nay they dislike them who would helpe to pull them out of them And therefore as Demetrius cried out against Paul Acts. 19.25 amongst his crafts-mates because hee would ouerthrow their craft by which they got their goods so doe these men against all them which would ouerthrow their trade and custome of sinning And if this be a signe of true repentance and an vnseparable fruite such men deceiue themselues if they think they haue repented Moreouer some men there be that can leaue their sinnes who yet neuer did nor do lothe them or were angry with themselues for them but therefore only left them either because they found losse and damage by them as the young man his ioy and prodigalitie when he groweth in yeeres or because strength of bodie and abilitie faileth them as the adulterer his follie or because they haue felt the smart of them as when the hand of God or the sword of the Magistrate hath met with them But that these neuer disliked their sinnes is manifest for they haue but changed prodigalitie for couetousnes which argueth no true dislike of sin or indignation for that is as well against loue as another and if against any thou against all whereupon these men when they haue strength returne to the stewes againe and when the hand of God is once remooued from them to their former sinnes They were offended with this not with their sinnes and therefore neuer trulie repented To these wee may adde also all such as talke of the sinnes and infirmities of their youth with ioy or without indignation so shewing directly that they haue left them but not repented of them Vse 2. 2. This may comfort as many as find this indignation and anger in them against themselues their sine who though they be ouer come sometimes by their passions and their pleasures of sin and by other means drawn into it yet when they haue done they are offended and in a fume with themselues and angrie and dislike it and can say in truth that which S. Paul did Rom. 7.15 I allow not that which I doe for what I would that doe I not but what I hate that doe I. Euen as Ammon after he had abused his Sister Tamen 2. Sam. 13.15 he put her away with indignation and hatred yea with more hatred then euer he had loue to her before So if they put away their sinnes with more batred then euer they loued them and affected them before which if it bee indeed for sinne because it is sinne and because they haue offended God as a father not only as a Iudge it is true indignation For this hatred and indignation must be like his sorrow which if it bee true is such as grieues for sinne principally because it is sin and maketh one then to grieue when there is no conscience