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
men that first enter friendship they are then most carefull to doe duties one to an other To this purpose I take it that may be applied which was spoken to the Minister of the Church of Sardi Reuel 3.2.3 vsing two words Be awake and watch where he calleth them to repentance and to shew it hee would haue them awnke and watch which noteth the carefulnes here quireth And these commandements are not clouds without water words without grace for by them to all his he giueth that hee calleth for and they requesting haue it which is manifest in them who haue truely repented As in Dauid his carefulnes and watchfulnes appeareth by his manifold prayers and the earnestnes of them to be kept from euill and for grace to doe the good such a smoke argueth fire within The like may we see in Peter in Manasses and Marie and in all those that haue repented And to this purpose I may applie the saying of the Apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians Perswading him that had been a theefe Ephes 4.28 and had stollen to steale no more but rather labour with his bands because idlenes caused him to steale therefore hee requireth this diligence and care to auoide the sinne and for to doe the good And reason also teacheth vs that it will bee so in all who truely repent Reason 1. 1. Because he that hath truely repented hath a true hatred of the euill and of sinne and a sincere loue of the good and of righteousnes Now as well the one affection as the other breedeth care and deligence As wee may see in those which bee enemies where and whom they hate how carefull and diligent are they to doe them a displeasure so on the other side in friends where a mā loueth he is as careful and diligent to doe him good in matters to his power The like may I say of Metchants for their gaine and of mothers for their infants they are most carefull to auoide their losse and defend them from euill and to do them the best good they can and all this out of loue So trne repentants hauing the hatred of euill and the loue of good in them will with all diligence and care auoide the euill and doe the good Reason 2. 2. Because the true repentant findeth that much is forgiuen him and hereupon loueth much According to that saying of Christ touching Marie noting a reason from the effect to the cause It is a proofe Luke 7.47 Much was forgiuen her because she loued much and therefore shee loued much because many sinnes were forgiuen her as the second part of the verse she weth Then the repentant hauing much forgiuen him loueth much the forgiuer which will make him carefull and diligent euen to auoide all things that may displease and to do that which may be pleasing and acceptable which may further instruct vs thus Vse 1. 1. That if this be a signe an effect and fruit of repentance insepar able from it as the light is from the sunne it will argue and conuince many men who boast of repentance to bee without it indeede and neuer to haue had it seeing they liue in the carelesnesse of the flesh and sleepe in securitie all the daies of their life spending nights and daies weeks moneths and yeeres in vanities idlenes fond delights pleasures and voluptuousnes in negligence of all duties forgetfulnes of God and contempt of all good things Is not the boast of such men a vaine brag when they say they haue repentance doe they not giue the Apostle the lie when he saith that hee that repenteth hath carefulnes to auoide sinne and to doe the thing that is pleasing to God and they are euery where secure and carelesse If they beleeue it not now they shall one day know and beleeue it to their no small cost Others there are who boast of it and liue not as these for their liues are full of all carefulnes watchings labours and indeuours but all is but for the world and the flesh being carefull for it to fulfill the lusts of it to satisfie their lusting coueting vaine-glorious ambitious humors But carelesse to know good or euill and more carelesse to auoid the one or doe the other shewing no hatred nor loue therein arguing no perswasion of forgiuenes because there is no care of performing any dutie Many can bee content for vaine glorie or other respects to inuite Christ in his Ministers and members to eate with them as Simon did in the Gospell of S. Luke Luke 7.36 who notwithstanding loued him nothing so deerely as Mary for he had not and they haue not so much forgiuen them nay indeed they haue nothing pardoned vnto them because they neuer repented Vse 2. 2. This is to teach men by this first signe and fruite to trie their repentance and to seale it vp to them by their care they haue to auoid sin and to doe that which is acceptable to God I doe not say by auoiding all or doing all good which is not possible but by their care of both and in both which care is in all that haue repentance and is fruitles in none but compasseth much though it effect not all Many here indeede will bragge they haue this yea all who challenge repentance to themselues will also lay claime to this But whether their title be good or no they shall know it by these notes First if they bee studious and carefull to know what is sinne and righteousnes pleasing or distastfull to God for how can they doe or pretend care of doing who haue not care of knowing For as Augustine saith Jntellectui fides aditum aperit infidelitas claudit August epist 3. Faith makes way for vnderstanding and knowledge but vnbeleefe keepeth a man from it So to obaying and doing knowledge maketh way but ignorance shutteth it vp and excludes men from it And if men be not studious of knowledge they speake absurdly if they boast of practise for none can do his masters will that knoweth it not 2. If this care bee in them they will watch to auoid all the meanes and occasious by which they may be ouertaken with sinne especially such as they haue found themselues ouertakē withall before and in former time as pleasure delights companie and such like For as he that would not fall into the water wil not walke too nie the brim of it and as men auoid the aire where the Cockatrice laieth her egges because she poysons the same So will will these men doe in these things and not answere as some did Basil Bona lex sed dulcius peccatum c. The law is good but sinne is sweeter To whom he replied Pleasure is the diuels hooke drawing men to perdition the mother of sin and sin the sting of death And especially the former for which they haue smarted alreadie for if a fish bee once taken with a hooke it will be affraid to bite again
THE DOCTRINE AND VSE OF REPENTANCE NECESSARIE TO BE PRACTISED AND VSED of all who looke to sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lambe beyond the glassie Sea Reuel 15.23 PREACHED IN SVNDRIE Sermons in the Parish Church of Alhallowes Bredstreete in London By RICH. STOCK LVK. 13.3 I tell you Except you amend your liues you shall all likewise perish AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Edmund Weauer and William Welby 1610. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE WILLIAM Lord Knolles Baron of Greyes Treasurer of his Maiesties houshold and one of the Lords of his Maiesties most Honorable priuie Counsell RIght Honorable the former Treatise which within these two yeeres I presented vnto your Honour I compiled out of two worthie works written in Latine by that worthie seruant of Iesus Christ and famous light of the Church of Christ Doctor Whitakers against two sworne slaues of Antichrist Campian and Dureus and I brought them by your Honours appointment into one volume and translated them into our owne tongue The subiect of it was faith the defence of the true Catholike faith as it is held in our Church and all the Churches of God against those Catholike deprauers of it And now I offer vnto your Honour a free will offering a Treatise of practise and obedience containing the doctrine of repentance Isai 22.12 Calling to weeping and mourning to baldnes and girding with sackcloath A point of that necessitie that Christ maketh mans saluation or damnation to depend on it Luke 13.3 Except you amend your liues yee shall all likewise perish and of which Chrysostom speaketh thus Non cecidisse graue est sed post lapsum non resurrexisse satanicum pernitiosum est Chrysost hom 22. ad pop An◅och It is no great thing to fall into sinne but it is diuellish and deadlie after the fall not to rise again whereupon the Lord saith Ierem. 8.22 Is there no balme in Gilead is there no Physitian there why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recouered Yet happily may it seeme to most men to bee an vntimelie birth to be brought foorth now in the daies time of our Isai 22.13 ioy and gladnesse slaying of oxen and killing of sheepe eating of flesh and drinking of wine and if that was wisdome in Abigail 1. Sam. 25.36 not vpon Nabals feast day not when his heart was merrie within him to acquaint him with heauie newes and mourneful tidings of Dauids wrath and resolution but to stay till the feast was ended it may happilie in me be iudged a point of follie while our feasts lasts yea in the middest of our reioycing to offer to your Lordship and the view of others this tractate of sadnes and sorrow mourning and humiliation My apologie is at hand my defence not farre to seeke The case is not alike and so our course may well differ for with them the danger was well ouer Dauids wrath was well appeased so that shee might with safetie watch a fitter opportunitie to communicate those things vnto him But with vs and our times the danger is imminent our Dauid is not appeased Isai 9.12 For his hād is stretched out still so that delay were now very dangerous and not to hasten to the practise of it verie pernicious to mens both present and future state Skilfull Physitians haue their time of the yeere of the Moone and of the signe which they hold best and fittest for letting of blood cutting searing and administring of purging potions yet if they see the state of the sicke patient cannot well abide so long vndealt with but in some diseases it be dangerous to delay a day nay but a few houres as in a pluresie they wil open a veine though the signe be in the vitall parts which in their generall practise they hold vnfit and often ioyned with great danger neither doe men vsuallie reprooue them for it vnlesse it be out of their ignorance Can I then of any man be iustly blamed if I offer this spirituall Physicke to all and be S. Pauls preacher 2. Tim. 4.2 Out of season euen now as it were to let the sicke blood when the signe is verie nie the heart Seeing if wee had no particular occasion by Gods iudgements yet the generall condition of all who are mortall and the generall infection of all who are sinfull and the absolute necessitie of this dutie which being not taken in hand in time but deferred a day nay an houre or two may as much danger the spirituall estate of the soule as omitting of bleeding in a pluresie may the health of the bodie Seeing the Scripture speaketh but of one time or day of turning vnto God which time and tide being not taken there is no turning of the tide againe no reuolution of the time but that though a man may liue with Esau many a yeere after he hath lost the opportunitie of the blessing and of repentance to seeke it and that with a fountaine of teares Heb. 12.17 Yet hee may not find place to repentance It cannot then vpon the point bee vnseasonable for me to cal for this in euery season which at no time can come too soone nor yet too late so it be serious and true but the occasion being let slip cannot be recouered againe if a man would giue a world for it Besides I am not without president of the like For the holy man Iob Iob 1.5 called and commanded his sonnes to sacrifice and so to repent for thitherto the burnt offerings hee made led them not at the end of their feasts when their seuen daies were ouer but euery day lest that should fall out which hee feared that they should sinne against God though it were but in their hearts so carefull was he a thing easily seasing vpon the hart hands and tongue when the rebell flesh is pampered with full diet and many dishes and the mind with pleasures and delites transported out of it selfe yea and fearing also that which after fell out lest if they deferred their repentance and seeking of reconciliation they might be ouertaken with death in the very act of their feasting Vers 18.19 as they afterward were when they began their courses of feasting euen in the first day Hath not that also some resemblance with this Iohn 19.41 that Ioseph built his sepulchre in the place of his pleasure his garden as knowing how easie it was for him in his pleasures to forget himselfe and his end And if we be men of the same matter and cast in the same mould yet their holines exceeding ours this doctrine of humiliation may not be vnfit for vs not onely to be known but practised lest if wee deferre it it should fall out with some of vs as it may wel with all for any Writ of priuiledge wee can sue out that wee may with Iobs sonnes bee taken before our feasts be ouer and ere euer the time
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
by man or afflicted by God but then why should not carnall and worldly sorrow be repentance when carnall men mourne for the losse of wife or child or some losse by fire or water sea or land Some thinke it is a little weeping or grieuing when they are made to see their sinnes or rather the punishment due to them but then why did not Esau repent Others conceit that a little humbling of themselues to hang downe the head like a bulrush to fast certain daies and to put on sackcloth is repentance but then why was not Ahabs repentance good and true Others deceiue themselues by an opinion that good words and good purposes is repentance but then why should not those sicke men repent who haue manie goodly promises and purposes which they neuer performe nor bring to perfection if once they haue crept from vnder Gods hand and haue worne away the circles of his strokes Others thinke it only to bee confession contrition and satisfaction but then what should let that Iudas repented not But some will grant vs that it must be a turning and will practise a change yet that is but from one sinne to another as the prodigall man leaues off his prodigalitie and giues himselfe to the practise of couetousnesse one man forsakes infidelitie and falles into idolatry the greater wound as Augustine speaketh another being a carnall Gospeller or an Atheist fals from these to Poperie and superstition as a sicke man doth out of a tertian into a quartane ague or if they turne from sin yet not from all sinne but as Herod who obeyed in many things as Nahaman who looked that God should be mercifull vnto him in one thing as Agrippa who had but his almost and not altogether So we see many ciuil men repent who change words and outward acts but not their hearts and the whole man being therein the hypocriticall Pharisie making the outside of the cup cleane but leauing it foule and fiâ—thie within But some men may goe forward and begin to returne in soule and change the inward powers and faculties of it not indeed from sinfulnes to holines yet from ignorance to knowledge and from vice to vertue as many heathen men specially Philosophers haue attained vnto But all these deceiue themselues with the shadow of repentance without substance some hauing made no turning at all some but an imperfect and partiall change Vse 2. 2 This should teach him that would repent indeed to endeuour to change himselfe euen his whole selfe his owne heart and outward man doing as Chrysostome perswaded the people of Antioch Homil. 80. ad pop Antioch Quod in antiquis domibus facere solemus cum fuerint putrefactae putrida subtrahimus supponimus noua à continua cura nunquam desinimus Si sueris antiquatus à peccato per poenitentiam te renoua as men vse to doe in olde houses when they were rotten they take away the rotten postes and put new in their places and haue a continuall care to keep them in repaire So if he be growne old and rotten in sinne hee must renew himselfe by repentance euen both the outward and inward man still changing from some and from al sinne and that in all the faculties and powers of his bodie and soule and parts of his life And in this endeuor though a mans best way is to begin with the inward man as in purging a chanell the best is to begin in the fountaine and the spring head yet lest the hardnes and difficultie of the worke may discourage him make him faint in it and giue ouer I would deale with him as schoole-masters doe with children which teach them the easiest things first though they be not so needfull and profitable and perswade him to begin with the change of the outward man being easier to compasse then the change of the inward and disposition of the mind He must then call himselfe to an examination for the sinnes whereun to he is addicted and finding them to be fornication adulterie drunkennesse theft vsury oppression swearing or the like he must make this resolution vtterly to forsake them all and for euer be they as no doubt they may be neuer so sweet bring they in neuer such pleasure or profit yet must he turne from them all and vtterlie breake them off And to that end carefully auoid all manner of occasions and prouocations entising and drawing to these sinnes by which he is either put in minde of them or tempted to commit them By which care God assisting of him the weakest man that is subiect to any sinne may get the mastery ouer it wheÌ„ as he that is furthest from that sin may easily be ouertaken if he auoid not the occasions As a weake man may keepe his treasure long that can keep his doores shut and theeues out when as a strong man shall be soone robbed of it if he let in the theeues Now when hee is able to abstaine from these then must he endeuoury contrary good workes as we heard Daniel counselled Nebuchadnezzar Zaccheus practised and Peter perswaded his repentants Act. 2.38 Amend your liues And this done then must hee proceede to the reforming and purging of the soule and all the faculties of it for to the reforming of the outward act may hee attaine and yet neuer repent Yet say I not that he shall lose his labour for he may by it procure to himselfe the fauour of God for some forbearance and sparing in temporall iudgement or obtaining of some earthly blessing as Ahab did But if he would truly repent he must endeuour to purge the mind from ignorance his will from frowardnes and peruersnes his affections from corruptions and vncleannesse and labour to haue knowledge of the mysteries of saluation in his vnderstanding vprightnesse in his will holinesse in his affections not onely abstaining from grosse sinnes or liuing vnblamable before men but from all small and secret sinnes by keeping a good conscience in all his waies in the sight of God not leauing some sinnes onely but all not doing some good onely but laboring to doe all knowne duties circumcising the flesh and the heart making not onely a new hand a new soote a new eie a new tongue c. but specially a new heart and a new spirit And so his endeuour shall bee to some purpose and indeede the practise of Repentance prouided that this turning be without a returning to his sinnes againe for as the whole man so the whole life must be changed and not for a day or two but continually for as he that was sicke and is recouered to whom the Physitian hath prescribed a diet for preseruation of his health must keepe it not a day or two but during the time by him prescribed left he haue a relapse which is alwaies most dangerous So he that hath repented must obserue the diet prescribed to abstaine from all cuils and doe the contrarie good and that constantlie and
mortified though no man can wholly mortifie his sinne the body of sinne may bee destroyed but the stumps of sinne will remaine in euery man to goe to the graue with him as it came out of the wombe with him Vse 1. 1. The first vse of this doctrine is to teach vs that if this be a part of repentance then is it not so easie a thing as the world takes it to be to repent and turne from sinne for if it were onelie the turning and changing of the outward act of sin the leauing of all these vaine and idle lasciuious and wanton speeches of the act of oppression vsurie adulterie theft prophaning of the Sabbath swearing and a thousand such like wherewith the life of a man abounds yet is it not a thing so easilie compassed as men do dreame because of the profit pleasure and delight which they bring vnto them as experience teacheth euery man both in himselfe and others But when that is had it is nothing to the other If this be so hard what is it to kill crucifie and mortifie a mans affections and sinnes as deare vnto him as his members and therfore so called Coloss 3.5 Mortifie your members If it be a hard thing for a man to indure a little drawing salue which drawes away the corrupt blood and humors which hinder the healing of the wound what wil it be to endure plaisters and corasiues which should eate to the very bone And if a man cannot endure the mortifying of one member of one ioynt how shall he indure the mortifying of all the ioynts of the hand or of the bodie Such a thing is repentance and the mortification of al the lusts of man as neere and deere as members to him Therefore you deceiue your selues when you thinke that repentance is so easie a dutie that you can performe it when you are old and sicke seeing now when you are young and strong and in health you cannot indure the mortifying of one member how wil you indure then the mortifying of all or of those sins which are as deere as members Vse 2. 2. Againe this serueth to teach vs that many men deceiue themselues with an opinion and conceit of repentance and that they haue repented when they neuer had the first part of it many neuer hauing any change at all of any act or way wherein they haue walked and the most neuer came to killing and crucifying nor to any mortifying of any sinne or any affection which is as if a wounded man who hath a festered wound which hath long been so should thinke that because a Surgion hath but once blowed vpon him hee is surely made whole though he neuer felt either his drawing salues or his eating corasiues or his mortyfying plaisters nay when he hath perhaps driuen him away by raylings speeches or casting bedstaues or such things at him when hee once came neere to touch his wound but howsoeuer he so thinke would not all men iudge him to be in a dreame and deceiued Then how do these dreame and are deceiued that thus perswade themselues of repenting when they haue not the first part of it nor euer could endure that the sword of the spirit or the biting or eating salues of the law and iudgements of God should come nigh them but either endeuour to driue away these spirituall surgions or to withdraw themselues from them Do they not I say dreame and that they shall one day know if euer God open their eies as hee will either here or in hell Vse 3. The third vse teacheth that euerie one must endeuour for this part of repentance namely to mortifie their lusts and affections of couetousnesse pride anger or any other corrupt affection whatsoeuer it be for if sinne be not killed in you euen while yee liue yee are but dead Therefore if yee would liue here and liue for euer mortifie these members crucifie this flesh with the lusts therof for one of these two must of necessitie be either your sins lusts and corruptions must die or your soules must die if you will saue these they must perish if you mortifie these they shall liue Therefore if yee haue any care for the sauing of your soules then crucifie the lusts and affections of the flesh It is the wisdome of Trauellers warrantable by the law of nature and nations of God and man when they are set vpon by theeues who will not onely take their purses from them but put them in feare of their liues it is I say their warrantable wisdome to kill rather then to be killed So should it be your spirituall wisdome no lesse warrantable and commendable when in your trauell to heauenward you are assaulted by your corruptions and lusts which cleaue fast vnto you which will spoile you of your sauing health and spirituall saluation and will indeed kill you vnlesse you crucifie them it should be I say your wisdome to kill before you be killed and to crucifie that which will else bring condemation vnto you and to your soules It is then if I may so speake in your free choice whether your sinnes shall die or your soules Rom. 8.13 If you liue after the flesh you shall die but if you mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the spirit you shall liue Therefore as our Sauiour Christ saith perswading men to take away their lusts Matth. 5.29 If thy right eie cause thee to offend pull it out If thy right hand make thee to offend cut it off for better it is for thee that one of thy members perish then that thy whole bodie should be cast into hell Christ applieth it to adulterie I may applie it to anger or any other corruption whatsoeuer And may say whatsoeuer infirmitie cleaueth fastest vnto you though it be as deere vnto you as your right eies or right hands rather then they should cause you to offend to endanger your soules cut them off and cast them from you yea put them away though it be with violence and blood euen crucifying and mortifying them that you may escape that destruction they would else bring vpon you Blessed shall you be if you reward them as they would haue serued you yea happie shall you be if you take them and dash them while they are young against the stone that is Christ for wherewith should you better obtaine the fauor of your Lord and God then with the heads of these enemies of him and your owne soules 1. Sam. 29.4 The second part of repentance viuification The second part of repentance is viuification of the spirit or rising againe to newnes of life which we call regeneration When the repentant is renewed his mind in holines and his cariage and life with sincere obedience or thus Regeneration is when the repentant is changed in mind will and heart The mind and counsell disallowing and condemning the euill alreadie committed and approouing of the good to be done The will reiecting
not for a day but his whole life Obiect Repentance is neuer separated from godly sorrow but mourne we cannot alway seeing the Apostle willeth vs Rom. 12.15 to reioyce with them that reioyce Answ I answere that these two may well stand together because they are exercised about diuers obiects A man may well reioyce in God and mourne in himselfe he may well reioyce for another mans good yet mourne for his owne sinne or euill he may haue sorrow mixed with ioy As a man when he hath escaped shipwracke and is got to the shore reioyceth in his owne safety but seeing his friend suffer shipwracke and cast away he cannot but mourne and instantly be thus diuersly affected so that both these may well stand together Obiect But sometime we must sleepe and then wee cannot repent for then all actions and senses cease Answ I answere as Paul did some men for indifferent things Rom. 14.6.8 Hee that obserueth the day obserueth it to the Lord and he that obserueth not the day obserueth it not to the Lord He that eateth eateth to the Lord and giueth God thanks and he that eateth not eateth not to the Lord and giueth God thanks So may I say he that sleepeth sleepeth to the Lord and giueth God thankes For euen by our sleepe wee obay God who hath so made our natures and if we receiue it as we ought to doe we doe then performe an action whereby we doe glotifie God for thereby were are made fit and able to performe seruice vnto him and so we not only sinne not but doe good then Obiect Some againe may obiect and say that repentance is physicke and that is not to be taken euery day for if it bee it will doe more hurt then good Answ I answere it is true it is compared to physicke but similitudes doe not hold in euery thing they runne not vpon all foure therefore though it be like physicke in some things yet in other things it differeth Men take physicke but seldome because their bodies are not alwaies distempered but for the sicknesse of the soule it is contrarie for that sicknesse seaseth vpon a man continually therefore hee must vse repentance alway Besides physicke for the bodie is not vsed dailie because no man can take physicke so warily but oftentimes it will take away good humors as well as bad but it is contrarie in repentance for it taketh away al bad humors of the soule and leaueth the good behind Therefore there ought to be a continual vse of it and that to good vse and purpose But now I come to the vses Vse 1. 1. This serueth to reprooue all such as repent or practise this dutie of repentance only by fits with intermission onely taking it vp as a tertian or quartan ague euery other day who diuide their time betwixt God and the world begin in the spirit but end in the flesh who being gone out of the Sodom of sinne doe not goe forward in their iournie and practise of this but with Lots wise looke backe with a desire to inioy the pleasures thereof which prooueth directly that their repentance was neuer good not because they fall which is incident to all but because they still practise not this dutie of repentance to rise again And hence it commeth that these men prooue farre worse then they who neuer made any such shew of repentance and much more secure For as it is with a salue applied to a wound which wanteth a virtue to heale the sore and venome of the disease ouercomming the vertue of it the wound doth more fester and ranckle inward so this spiritual salue applied to soules wounded with sins not curing them they waxe worse and worse or when a salue is not continued but the wound is suffered to take cold and to ranckle inward so it is with them that are not cured by this spirituall salue they grow worse and worse As men roused out of sleepe with some stirring noise or vnusuall sound they presently start vp and are amased but after they haue been sometime acquainted with the noise they can sleepe secure lie and not bee much disquieted so awaked out of their carnall securitie by the threatnings of the law as it were by canon shot thundred in their eares at the first they begin a little to bee affected but after falling asleepe againe in their sinnes these fearefull sounds nothing disquiet them but they are much more secure Vse 2. 2. This may perswade vs as to begin with the first so to hold on with the last to be both speedie and constant in the practise of this dutie of repentance by which we may assure our selues the rather that it is true when it is constant and not variable and by fits If we finde it oftentimes difficult and that when we haue ouercome one straightway there riseth vp another nay if like the monster Hydra when one head is cut off many others arise at least appeare yet must wee continue For men that desire health doe not giue ouer their physicke if they see their disease grow but the greater it is the more they seeke after the meanes and doe more frequently vse them And if not with one indeuour thou canst ouercome sinne and corruption thou maist with the 2.3.5.10 as Chrysostome speaketh Chrysost hom 3. Poenitent of the cutting downe of an oake by many strokes which cannnot be by one If they be hardly ouercome with all thou canst do think they will ouercome thee if thou neglect them Therfore this repentance must bee continual for mortificatiō so must it be also for regeneration men must labour and not thinke they be holy enough for as Bernard saith Desinit esse honus qui desinit velle sieri melior Bern. Perfectum esse nolle delinquere est Hieron That man ceaseth to be good that doth not indeuour to grow better Yea as Hierome saith Not to striue to be holy is to be corrupt not to continue in that endeuour For going against the wind and tide in this if there be not a continuall rowing if any remissiō of the hands or any time sitting still they must needs decay and fall backe Besides if that were not yet here is it much more true then in the body a little thing as a surfet and such like decaieth the health and strength of it in a moment or minute or very short time more then many meanes and long time will recouer the perfect health againe But the soule that was corrupted in a moment almost is not recouerable in so short a time as the other is therefore there must bee a constant care to practise this by which it may bee recouered and repaired and so fit to receiue the Lord whether comming in grace or in glorie For who about to intertaine a king doth not prepare and adorne his house that it may be fit to receiue him and fit for his abiding dare
it Which vrgeth as the necessitie of the teaching of this point so of the learning of it that men should by all meanes possible and with all the care and endeuour they can labour for this knowledge as they doe for earthly things specially seeing the necessitie is such as there is no saluation without it neither can a man looke for any saluation by any other meanes Now then as in the things of this life if there were no trade or way for a man to liue by and to keepe soule and bodie together to get maintenance for it but only by one would not euery man labour for the knowledge and endeuour to vnderstand that mysterie Nay now that there are many yea almost infinite yet see how they labour for knowledge of one to be able to maintaine a poore miserable condition vpon the earth how should they then much more labour for this when it is the onely thing whereby they must either take their way towards heauen or neuer come there Who being in a strange countrie ignorant of his way to his natiue soile where he should inherit great things if he were once come thither would not be willing to learne and diligent to know the meanes and the way Doubtlesse none but he that hath no desire at all neither to his countrie nor his inheritance And so may we well iudge of as many as content themselues and sit downe in the ignorance of this doctrine the Kings high way to the Court of Heauen and the countrie of happines The second impediment is despaire Despaire of a mans owne strength and abilitie is the second impediment to repentance that is when men are diffident or despairing in themselues by reason of their owne corruption and the greatnes of the thing that they shall neuer attaine to it which maketh them often to defer and to delay the time before they will set about it and oftentimes neuer to endeuour for it And this seemeth to be proued by the saying of our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell of S. Iohn Iohn 6.65.66 No man can come vnto me except it be giuen vnto him of my father Whereupon many of his disciples went backe and walked no more with him Also by that place of Matthew where Christ speaketh Matth. 19.23.24.25 Verily I say vnto you that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of God And againe I say vnto you it is easier for a camell to goe thorow the eye of an needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God whereupon his disciples were in a maze and said Who can then be saued Noting as it were an impossibilitie that any should bee saued being so hard a thing to be effected and so by one particular vnderstanding all sorts of men and by their answere shewing as it were the despairing of other men in themselues And may not that in the Acts prooue this where the people beeing pricked in their hearts at the preaching of Peter said Acts 2.38 Men and bretheren what shall we doe who despairing in themselues if God had not shewed them more mercie would neuer haue gone about this thing These and many such like will easilie prooue this to be an impediment and for further proofe I adde these reasons Reason 1. 1. Because when they are any waies awakened and come to the sight of themselues and their sins they are like the seruant of Elisha who cast his eies onely vpon his enemies 2. King 6. the huge armie of the Assyrians ready to assault him and so thought himselfe lost and impossible to stand in their sight So these men beholding their infirmities of nature together with all their sinnes of custome of ignorance of knowledge of weakenes and wilfulnes and such like doe account this not onely painefull to striue against them but almost impossible to ouercome them and forsake them and so sit down before they begin Reason 2. 2. Because in that condition they are not so sharpe sighted to discerne what is against them as they are blind like the forenamed seruant who saw not the angels that stood there prest readie to sight for him and on his side so doe not they see how nie God is vnto them with his graces and what helpes and spirituall succors he is readie to send vnto them who do goe about this worke and doe truely and constantly seeke it at his hands That he doth not only looke on iudge and reward as the Iudges did in the games of Olympia Chrysost but also putteth to his helping hand sustaining their infirmities and enabling them to doe that which he requires and to ouercome all that oppose against them But see what wee may learne from this Vse 1. 1. This teacheth vs that it is no maruell though many bee still found impenitent seeing they are possessed with this despaire and diffidence and the tongue telles vs it is rooted in the heart For perswade them to this dutie they seeme willing but they say they cannot tell which way to turne themselues nay they desist to begin because they despaire euer to attaine vnto it for they tell vs how maruellous hard and difficult a thing it is how paineful and laborious that they despaire euer to goe thorow with it if they should begin and so in the cowardlinesse and slothfulnesse of their owne heart goe neuer about it when as notwithstanding that is true in them which Chrysostome saith Cogitemus quae diabolus imperarit quà m laboriosa quam grauia nec difficultas fuit eius mandatis impedimentum Chrysost hom 19. ad pop Antioch Let vs thinke what things the diuell hath commanded them how laborious and grieuous they be yet they make not difficultie any let why they should not obey his commandements but in these things they tell vs of the difficultie and so by despaire remaine impenitent We see how apt and laborious men are in following their pleasures saith the Father which is the seruice of the diuell yea with what danger they will doe it as Tumblers to goe along vpon a cord whose safetie consisteth in an exact euen cariage of the bodie the least swaying to either side is no little hazard of their liues others carrying a beame vpright vpō their foreheads or swords and such like whom if thou perswade to this dutie or any part of Gods seruice they crie out of the difficultie of it Perswade an adulterer to leaue his adultery and to mortifie that member he pretends the difficultie of it yet obserue him and thou shalt see him take greater paines for the satisfying of his lust and desire then in reason he need to doe in mortifying of them hauing the assistance of Gods spirit for hee wasteth his bodie hee consumeth his goods he exposeth himselfe to the rereproch of the world to the law of the Magistrate to the curse of God both for bodie and soule and yet he feares difficultie to mortifie