such as were men of God only but by such as were holy men of God Peter denyed Christ of knowledge against his owne conscience and that with cursing and banning and yet came to repentance afterward as appeares by the testimony of Christ I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not therefore when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Obiect I. Matth 10. 33. Whosoever shall denie me before men him will I denie before my father which is in heaven Answere The place is only to be understood of such a deniall of Christ which is finall Obiect II. Hebr. 6. 4. It is impossible that they which were once lightened and haue tasted of the heavenly gift c. if they fall away should be renewed by repentance And Heb. 10. 26. If we sinne willingly after that we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne Answere These places must be understood of the sinne which is to death in which men of desperate mallice against Christ vniuersally and wholly fall away from religion For the holy ghost saith not if they fall but a if they fall away and it is added that they crucifie the sonne of God and make a mocke of him that they trample vnder foote the sonne of God that they accompt the blood of the new testament an unholy thing that they despise the spirit of God And the word translated a Willingly imports somewhat more namely to sinne because a man will that is wilfully II. Case of Recidivation WHether the child of God after repentance for some grievous sin do fall into the same again come to repentance the second time Answere The case is daungerous as we may see by comparison in the body If one fall into the relapse of an ague or any other stronge disease it may cost him his life and the recovery will be very hard Christ said to the man that had bene sicke 38 yeeres after that he had healed him Beholde thou art whole sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee And the unclean spirit returning takes to him other seven spirits worse then himselfe Indeed we finde no particular example of recovery after a relapse in the scriptures yet no doubt a recovery may be Reasons are these I. Promise is made of remission of sinnes in Christ without any tearme of time without any limitation to any number or kindes of sinne saue only the blasphemie against the holy Ghost Therfore there may be repentance and salvation after a relapse II. Christ tells Peter that he must forgiue not till seven times only which peradventure hee thought to be very much but seventy seven times and that in one day if one returne seventie times and say it repents me Now if wee must doe this which haue not so much as a drop of mercie in us in comparison of God he will no doubt often forgive even for one sinne if men will returne and say it repents me considering that with him is plentifull redemption and he is much in sparing III. Case Of Restitution WHether he that repents is to make restitution if hee haue taken any thing wrongfully from his neighbour Answere Yea Zacheus when he repented and received Christ gaue halfe of his goods to the poore and if he had taken any thing by forged cavillation he restored it foure fold It is but a badde practise when a man on his death-bedde will very devoutly bequeath his soule to God and his goods euill gotten as his conscience will often cry in his eare to his children and friends without either restitution or amends making Question But what if a man be not able to restore Answere Let him acknowledge the fault and God will accept the will for the deed As Paul saith in the like case If there be a willing minde it is accepted according to that which a man hath not according to that he hath not Question When a man by restoring shall discredit him selfe how shall he both restore and keepe his credite Answere Let him if the thing to be restored be of small moment make choise of some faithfull and honest frend who may deliver the thing in the behalfe of the partie concealing his name IIII. Case of Teares WHether doeth repentance alwayes go with teares or not Answer No For very pride and hypocrisie will draw foorth teares for some there are that can weepe for their sinnes in the presence of others whereas being alone they neither will nor can Some againe are of that constitution of body that they haue teares at commaund And a godly man with drie cheekes may mourne to God for his sinnes and intreat for pardon and receive it Yet in all occasions of deeper griefe for sinne teares will follow unlesse men haue stony and flinty hearts And yet againe though the greatest cause of sorow be offered the softest heart that is sheds not teares at the first but afterward it will When the body receiues a deepe wound at the first yee shall see nothing but a white line or dint made in the flesh without any blood stay but a while then comes blood from the wound in great aboundance So at the first the mind is astonished and gives no teares but after some respit and consideration teares follow V. Case of death WHether the repentant sinner can alwayes shevve him-selfe comfortable on his death bedde Answere Though the comfort of Gods spirite shall never be abolished from his heart yet hee can not alwayes testifie it For he may die of a burning ague and by reason of the extremitie of his fits be troubled with idlenesse of head and breake out into raving speeches blasphemies Likewise hee may die of sicknesse in the braine and be troubled with grievous convulsions so as his mouth shall be writhen to his eares his necke turned behind him and the very place where he lyes shall shake through his trembling as daily experience will testifie Neither is any to thinke this strange For Salomon saith All things in outward matters come alike to all the same condition is to the iust to the wicked to the good and to the pure and to the polluted and to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not CAP. XI Of the contraries to Repentance COntrarie to Repentance is Impenitencie whereby men continue in one estate neither sorowing for sinne nor turning from it It is one of the most grievous iudgements that is if it be finall For as a sick man then is most sicke when he feeles the lest sicknesse saith he is well so miserable man is in most misery when he feeles no misery and thinks himselfe in good estate This sin befalls them that iudge themselves righteous needing no repentance As the Pharises in the daies of Christ the Catharists in the Primative Church the Anabaptistes in our age Adde unto these such as haue hardened their hearts so as
because it is first preached The first sermon that ever was made was of repentance preached by God himselfe in paradise to our first parents And ever since the sermons of al the prophets and Apostles and of all faithful ministers haue had repentance for their beginning and scope The answere hereto may be this If we respect the order of nature there be other graces of God which goe before repentance because a mans conscience must in some part be setled touching his reconciliatiō with God jn Christ before he can begin to repent wherfore iustificatiō sanctification in order of nature go before repentāce But if we respect time grace repentance are both togi ther. So soone as there is fire so soone it is hot so soone as a man is regenerate so soone he repents If we respect the outward manifestation of these twaine repentance goes before all other graces because it first of all appeares outwardly Regeneration is like the sap of the tree that lies hid within the barke repentance is like the bud that speedily shews itself before either blossom leaf or fruit appeare yea all other graces of the heart which are needfull to salvation are made manifest by repentance And for this cause Repentance as I take it is first preached I adde further that repentāce riseth of a godly sorow in the heart as Paul teacheth Godly sorow causeth repentance unto salvation never to be repented of It is called a godly sorow or a sorrow according to God that it may be distinguished from worldly sorrow which is a griefe arising of the apprehension of the wrath of God and other miseries as feare of men losse of good name calamities in goods and other things which in this life follow as punishments of sinne whereas the godly sorrowe causeth griefe for sinne because it is sinne And it makes any man in whome it is to be of this disposition and minde that if there were no conscience to accuse no devill to terrifie no iudge to arraigne and condemne no hell to torment yet he would be humbled brought on his knees for his sinnes because he hath offended a loving mercifull and long suffering God Further I say that repentance standes in turning againe to God Man at the first was made a goodly creature in the image of God having fellowshippe with him whereby hee dwelt in God and God in him By sinne there is a partition made betweene God and man who is alienated and estraunged from God and is become the child of wrath a firebrand of hell the prodigall child going from his father into a far countrey the straying nay the lost sheepe Now when men haue grace to repent then they begin to renew this fellowship and turne againe to God And the very essence or nature of repentance consistes in this turning Which Paul doth seeme to intimate when he saith That he shewed both to Iewe and Gentile that they should repent and turne to God and doe workes worthy amendment of life In which wordes he sets downe unto us a full description of repentance Againe I say that repentance is a turning from sinne because it doeth not abolish or change the substance of body or soule or any of the faculties thereof either in whole or parte but onely rectifie and amend them by remooving the corruption It turnes the sadnesse of melancholy to godly sorow choller to good zeale softnesse of nature to meekenesse of spirit madnesse and lightnesse to christian mirth it reformes every man according to his naturall constitution not abolishing it but redressing the faultes of it Further I put downe that repentance is a turning from all sinne to God that I may exclude many false turnings The first when a man turnes from God to sinne as when one of a protestant becomes a papist an Arrian a Familist The second when a man turnes from one sinne to another As when the riotous person leaves his prodigalitie and gives himselfe to the practise of covetousnesse this can be no repentance because it is a going from one extreame to another whereas repentance is to leave the extreames and keepe the mean The thirde is not when a man turnes from sinne but sinne turnes from him and leaves him As when the drunkard leaves drunkennesse because his stomacke is decayed the fornicatour his uncleannesse because the strength of nature failes him the quareller his fighting because he is maimed on legge or arme The last is when men turne from many sinnes but will not turne from all As Herod did many things at the advertisement of Iohn baptist but coulde not be brought to leave incest in having his brother Philips wife This repentance is nothing For as he which is truly regenerate is wholly in body soule spirit regenerate so he which truly repents turnes from all sinne and turnes wholly to God Neither is this to trouble any that they can not know all their sinnes for sound repentāce for one speciall sinne brings with it repentāce of all sinne And as God requires particular repentance for knowen sinnes so he accepts a generall repentance for such as be unknown To proceed further the conversion of a sinner in repentance hath three partes The first a purpose and resolution in the mind the second an inclination in the will and affections the third an indeavour in life and conversation to abandon and leave all his former sinnes and to imploy himselfe in obedience to Gods commandements Lastly this repentance must bring foorth fruites worthy amendement of life because it can not be knowen to be sincere vnlesse it bring forth fruit Repentant sinners are trees of righteousnesse of Gods owne planting and they grow by the waters that flow out of the sanctuarie and therefore they must beare fruite that may serve for meate and leafe for medecine otherwise the axe of Gods iudgement is laid to there rootes to stocke them vp CAP. II. Of the causes of Repentance THe principall cause of Repentance is the Spirite of God as Paul saith Instructing them with meekenesse that are contrarie minded prooving if God at any time wil give them repentance And Ieremie Convert thou me and I shalbe converted The instrument of the holy ghost in working repentance is the ministerie of the Gospell onely and not the Law Reasons hereof are these I. Faith is ingendred by the preaching not of the Law but of the Gospell as Paul saith The gospell is the power of God to salvation to all that beleeve from faith to faith therefore repentance which followes faith as a fruite thereof must needes come by the preaching of the gospell only II. The Lawe is the ministerie of death and damnation because it shewes a man his wretched estate but shewes him no remedie therfore it can not be an instrumentall cause of that repentance which is effectuall to salvation III. The doctrine of repentance is a part of the gospell which appeares in this that
TWO TREATISES I. Of the nature and practise of repentance II. Of the combat of the flesh and spirit Printed by IOHN LEGATE Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1593. And are to be sold at the signe of the Sunne in Paules Church-yard in London TO THE READER whosoever GOD hath bestowedon vs great prosperitie and peace with plenty of all temporall blessings that heart can wish for many yeres in this land Prosperity abused hath bin the occasion of many grievous sinnes against the first and secondtable specially of Atheisme neglect of Gods worship contempt of the word prophanation of the Sabbath abuse of the Sacraments c. These and such like sinnes have long called downe for iudgements from heaven upon us the rather because the preaching of the worde hath litle prevailed to bring vs to any amendment of life Whereupon God hath now begun to cause his iudgements to seaze upon vs specially by plague and pestilence that even in the very principall part of this land whereby he him selfe doth as Iob saith round us in the eare and preach repentance to vs. Wherfore it stands vs now in hand if ever to looke about vs and if we have not repented to begin to repent if we have in former time repented to doe it more earnestly If so be that we shall harden our hearts both against his word and iudgements put farre from vs the evill day undoubtedly we must needs looke for iudgements far more terrible then ever we felt as yet if not eternall destruction Let vs be advised by the old world who made light of Noahs warning and were drowned in the flood by Lots sonnes in law who tooke their fathers counsell for mockage and were burnt with fire and brimstone from heaven by the foolish virgins who were sleeping when they should have bene furnishing their lampes and were shut from the mariage of the lambe And to direct thee somwhat in the practise of repentance I haue penned this small treatise vse it for thy benefite and see thou be a doer of it vnlesse thou wilt be a wilfull murderer shed the blood of thine owne soule And whereas there have bin published here to fore in English two sermons of Repentance one by M. Bradford Martyr the other by M. Arthur Dent sermons indeed which haue done much good my meaning is not to adde thereunto or to teach any other doctrine but only to renew revive the memory of that which they have taught Neither let it trouble thee that the principall divines of this age whom in this treatise I follow may seeme to be at difference in treating of repentance For some make it a fruite of faith containing two parts mortification vivification some make faith a part of it by deviding it into contrition faith new obedience The difference is not in the substance of doctrine but in the logicall maner of handling it And the difference of handling ariseth of the divers acception of repentance It is taken two wayes generally particularly Generally for the whole conversion of a sinner and so it may containe contrition faith and nevv obedience under it It is taken particularly for the renovation of the life and behavicur and so it is a fruite of faith And this only sense do I follovv in this treatise I have added hereto a fevv lines of the combat betvvene the flesh and the spirit because repentance and this combat are ioyned togither the one is not practised vvithout the other as appeares by resolving Psalme 51. Spirit Haue mercy on me O God according to thy louing kindnes Flesh. Yea but this thine adultery comprehends infinite sinnes therfore looke for no pardon Spirit According to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities Flesh. This sinne hath taken such deepe place in thee that it will be hardly pardoned Spirit Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and clense me from my sinne Flesh. Thy speciall trespasse is against man Spirit Against thee against thee only haue I sinned c. Flesh. Except this one sinne thy life is unblameable Spirit Behold I was borne in iniquity c. Yea the best man that is in the practise of godlinesse often appeares to be unlike himselfe the cause is this spirituall combat The flesh other whiles makes him waile and mourne and goe drooping presently after the spirit puts into him as we say the heart of grasse and makes him triumph against the flesh the devill the world Moses was couragious at the red sea but he failed at the waters of strife Iob first praiseth God and after blasphemeth David is often fainting in miserie yet by and by revived Wherefore there is good cause why the consideration of repentance and the combat should go togither that no man after he hath begun to repent might dreame of ease to his flesh as though we should goe to heaven in beds of downe but rather that we might be resolved that when we begin to doe any thing pleasing unto God then wee must looke for nothing but continuall molestations from our vile and wicked natures Written Anno 1593. the 17. of November which is the Coronation day of our dread Soveraigne Queene ELIZABETH whose raigne God long continue William Perkins Faults amended Pag. 73. lin 16. for this first read this sense p. 75. l. 3. speake p. 83. in marg place Zach. 7. 11. with Eph. 4. 19. p. 87. l. 23. for and yet read and the. CAP. I. WHAT REPENtance is REpentance is a worke of grace arising of a godly sorow wherby a man turnes frō all his sinnes unto God and brings foorth fruites worthie amendement of life I call repentance a work because it seemes not to be a qualitie or vertue or habit but an action of a repentant sinner which appeares by the ser mons of the Prophets and Apostles which runne in this tenor Repent turne to God amend your lives c. Whereby they intimate that repentance is a worke to be done Againe Repentance is not every kinde of worke but a worke of grace because it can not be practised of any but of such as be in the estate of grace Reasons are these I. No man can repent unlesse he first hate sinne and loue righteousnes and none can hate sinne unlesse he be sanctified and he that is sanctified is iustified and hee that is iustified must needes haue that faith which unites him to Christ and makes him bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh Wherefore he that repentes is iustified and sanctified and made a member of Christ by faith II. Hee that turnes to God must first of all be turned of God and after that we are turned then we repent Surely after I was converted I repented and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did beare the reproch of my youth Some may obiect that repentance goes before all grace
pray to God for grace strength whereby wee may be inabled to walke in newnesse of life Of David Behold I desire thy commandements quicken me in thy righteousnesse And Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God let thy good spirit lead me into the land of righteousnes CAP. VII Of legall motives to repentance MOtives to repentance are either Legall or Evangelicall Legall are such as are borrowed from the law they are 3. especially The first is the misery and cursed estate of euery impenitent sinner in this life by reason of his sinnes His miserie that I may expresse it to the conceit of the simplest is seven-fold 1. within him 2. before him 3. behind him 4. on his right hand 5. on his left hand 6. over his head 7. vnder his feete His miserie within him is twofold The first is a guiltie conscience which is a very hell vnto the ungodly man For hee is like a silly prisoner and the conscience like a Iayler which followes him at the heeles and dogges him whither soever he goes to the end he may see and observe all his sayings and doings It is like a register that sits alwaies with the pen in his hand to record and inrole all his wickednesse for everlasting memory It is a litle iudge that sittes in the middle of a man even in his very heart to arraigne him in this life for his sinnes as he shall be arraigned at the last iudgement Therfore the pangs terrors and feares of all impenitent persons are as it were certaine flashings of the flames of hell fire The guiltie conscience makes a man like him which lies on a bedde that is too strait and the covering too short who would with all his heart sleepe but can not Belshazzar when he was in the middest of his mirth seeing the hand-writing on the wall was smitten with great feare so as his countenance changed his knees smote togither The second evill within man is the fearefull slaverie and bondage vnder the power of Satan the Prince of darkenesse in that his mind will and affections are so knit and glued to the will of the devill that he can doe nothing but obey him rebell against God And hence Satan is called the prince of this world which keepes the hold of the heart as an armed Captaine keepes a sconse or a castle with watch and ward The misery before man is a daungerous snare which the devill layes for the destruction of the soule I say it is dangerous because he is in setting of it twentie or fortie yeres before he strikes when as God knowes men do little thinke of it It is made of three cords with the first he brings men into his snare and that he doeth by covering the miserie and the poyson of sinne and by painting out to the eie of the minde the deceitfull profits pleasures thereof With the second he hopples and insnares them for after that a man is drawen into this or that sinne the devill hath so sugered it over with fine delightes that he can not but needes must live and lye in it By the third he drawes the snare and indevours with all his might to breake the necke of the soule For when he seeth a fitte opportunitie especially in grievous calamities and in the houre of death he takes away the vizar of sinne and she weth the face of it in the true fourme as ouglie as him selfe then withall he beginneth as we say to shewe his hornes then he rageth in terrifying accusing that the soule of man may be swallowed up of the gulfe of finall despaire The miserie behinde him is the sinnes past The Lord saith to Cain If thou doest not well sinne lyeth at the doore Where sinne is compared to a wilde beast which followes a man whither soever he goeth and lyeth lurking at his heels And though for a time it may seeme to be hurtlesse because it lyeth asleepe yet at length unlesse men repent it will rise up sease on them and rent out the very throtes of their soules Iob in his afffliction saith Thou writest bitter things against me and makest me possesse the sinnes of my youth And David prayeth Forgive me the sinnes of my youth If the memorie of sinnes past be a trouble to the godly man oh what a racke what a gibbet wil it be to the heart of him that wants grace The miserie on the right hand is prosperitie and ease which by reason of mans sinne is an occasion of many iudgements In it men practised the horrible sinnes of Sodome it puffes up the heart with divelish pride so as men shall thinke themselves to be as God him selfe as Senacherib Nebuchad-nezzar Antiochus Alexander Herode Domitian did It steales away mans heart froÌ„ God quenches the sparkes of grace As the Lord complaineth of the Israelites I spake unto thee when thou wast in prosperitie but thou saydest I will not heare this hath bene thy manner from thy youth It is like the Ivie that embraces the tree and windes rounde about it but yet drawes out the iuice and life of it Hence is it that many turne it to an occasion of their destruction Salomon saith Prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them When the milt swelles the rest of the body pines away and when the heart is puft with pride the whole man is in danger of destruction The sheepe that goes in the best pasture soonest comes to the slaughter-house and the ungodly man fattes himselfe with continuall prosperity that he may the sooner come to his owne damnation The misery on the left hand is Adversitie which stands in all manner of losses and calamities in goods friends good name and such like Of this read at large Deut. 28. The miserie over his head is the wrath of God which he testifies in all maner of iudgements from heaven in danger of which every impenitent sinner is every houre And the danger is very great The scripture saith It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God He hath store-houses full of all maner of iudgements and they watch for secure sinners that they can not scape Gods wrath is â—s a fire making havocke and bringing to nought whatsoeuer it lights on yea because he is slow to anger therefore more terrible as a man therefore stayes his hand for a time that he may lift it higher and fetch a deeper blowe When the dumb creatures melt as wax and vanish away at his presence when he is angry as the huge mountaines and rockes doe fraile man must never looke to stand If the roaring of a lyon make men afraid and the voice of thunder be terrible oh how exceedingly should all be astonished at the threatnings of God The misery under his feete is Hell fire for every man till he repent is in as great danger of damnation as the traitour apprehended of
hanging drawing and quartering A man walking in his way falles into a deepe dungeon that is full of vggely serpents and noisome beastes in his fall he catches hold of a twigge of a tree that growes at the mouth of the dungeon and hangs by it afterward there comes a beast both leane and hungerbitten which having cropt the whole tree is ever and anon knapping at the twigge on which he hanges Nowe what is the daunger of this man surely he is like to fall into the pit over which he hangeth well this man is every impenitent sinner the pit is hell prepared for the devill and his angels the twig is the brickle and fraile life of man the hungerbitten beast is death that is ready every houre to knap our life asunder the daÌ„ger is fearful for maÌ„ hanging as it were over the mouth of hel wheÌ„ life is ended unlesse he use good meanes before he die he then falleth to the very bottome of it If this be the miserie wherewith the careles man is sieged coÌ„passed about every way that for his sinnes why do men lie in the dead sleepe of security ô it stands them in hand to take up the voice of bitter lamentation for their offences to howle after the manner of dragons If men could weepe nothing but teares of blood for their sins if they could dye a 1000 times in one day for very griefe they could never be grieved ynough for their sins The second motive to draw men to repentance is the consideration of the wretched estate of an impenitent sinner in his death which is nothing but the wages allowance that he receives for his sinne and it is the very suburbs or rather the gates of hel S. Paul compares death to a scorpion who carieth a sting in his taile which is sinne Now then wheÌ„ impenitent prophane persons die then comes this scorpion gripes them with her legs stabs them at the hart with her sting Wherfore the best thing is before death come to use meanes to pull out the sting of death And nothing wil do it but the blood of Christ let meÌ„ therfore breake off their sinnes by repeÌ„taÌ„ce let theÌ„ come to the throne of grace crie yea let them fil heaven earth with cries for mercy oh pray pray pray for the pardoÌ„ of thy sinnes If thou obtaine but one drop of Gods speciall mercie in Christ all danger is past For death hath lost his sting and then a man without danger may put an ougly serpeÌ„t in his bosom The third motive is the consideration of his estate after death When the day of the last judgement shalbe he must be brought and set before the tribunal seat of christ he shal not be able to escape or hide himself then the bookes shalbe brought out all his sins shalbe discovered before Gods saints angels the devil his own conscience shal accuse him none shall be aduocate to plead his cause hee himselfe shall be speechlesse hee shall at length heare the dreadfull sentence of damnation Goe ye cursed into hell prepared for the divell his augels This thing might moove the vilest Athiest in the world to leaue his wicked wayes and come to amendement of life Wee see the strongest theefe that is when he is ledde in the way from the prison to the barre leaves his theeving and behaues himselfe orderly And indeed if hee woulde then cut a purse it were high time that he were hanged All men by nature are traitours and malefactours against God whiles we live in this worlde wee are in the way going to the barre of Gods iudgement The wheele of the heavens turnes one bout every day and winds up somwhat of the threed of our life whether wee sleepe or wake we are alwayes comming neerer our end wherfore let all men daily humble themselues for their sinnes and pray vnto God that he would be reconciled unto them in Christ and let them indeavour themselves in obedience to all Gods commandements both in their lives and callings Againe after the last iudgement there remains death eternal appointed for him which standes in these three things I. A separation from all ioy and comfort of the presence of God II. Eternall fellowship with the divell and all his angels III. The feeling of the horrible wrath of God which shall seaze upon bodie soule and conscience shall feed on them as fire doth on pitch and brimstone and torment them as a worme crawling in the bodie and gnawing on the heart they shall alwaies be dying and never deade alwayes in woe and neuer in ease And this death is the more grievous because it is euerlasting Suppose the whole worlde to be a mountaine of sande and that a birde must carrie from it a mouthfull of sand euerie thousande yeeres many innumerable thousands of yeres will be expired before she will haue caried away the whole mountaine well if a man should stay â—n torment so long and then haue an ende of his woe it were some comfort but when the bird shall haue caried away the mountaine a thousand times alas alas a man shall be as far from the ende of his anguish and torment as ever he was This consideration may serve as an yron scourge to drive men from their wicked lives Chrysostome would have men in their meetings in tavernes and feastes to talke of hel that by often thinking on it they might avoyde it A grave and chaste matrone being mooved to commit folly with a lewd ruffian after long discourse she called for a panne of burning coales requesting him for her sake to holde his finger in them but one houre he answered that it was an unkinde request to whome she replyed that seeing he would not holde so much as one finger in a fewe coales for one small houre she could not yeeld to do the thing for which she should be tormented body soule in hell fire for ever And so shold all men reason against themselves None will be brought to doe a thing that may make so much as their finger or tooth to ake therefore we ought to have great care to leave our sinnes whereby we bring endlesse torment to bodie and soule in hell CAP. VIII Of motives Evangelicall EVangelicall Motives are two especially The first is taken from the consideration of mans redemption He that redeemed mankind is God him selfe As Paul saith that God was in Christ reconciling the world to him selfe Mans sinne is so vile and hainous in the eyes of God that no Angell nor creature was able to appease the wrath of God for the least offence But the Sonne of God himselfe must come downe from heaven and take mans nature on him and not onely that but he must also suffer the most accursed death of the crosse and shed his most pretious heart blood to satisfie the justice of his Father in our behalfe If a Father should be sicke of such a
disease that nothing would heale but the heart blood of his owne childe he would presently judge his owne case to be dangerous and would also vowe if ever he recovered to use all meanes whereby he might avoid that disease So likewise seeing nothing could cure the deadly wound of our sinne but a plaister made of the heart blood of Christ it must make us acknowledge our pitifull case and the hainousnesse of the least of our sinnes and stirre us up to newnesse of life Againe considering the end of the redemption wrought by Christ was to deliuer us from our euill conuersation in sinne and unrighteousnesse we are not to continue and as it were lie bathing our selues in sinne for that were as if a prisoner after that he had bin ransomed and had his boltes taken of and were put out of the prison to go whither he would should returne againe and desire to lie in the dungeon still The second motive is that God hath made a promise to such as truly repent I. Of remission of sinnes Wash you make you cleane take away the evill of your workes from before mine eyes cease to doe evill c. though your sinnes were as crimsin they shall be made a◠white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shal be as wooll And Seeke the Lorde while he may be found call upon him while he is neere Let the wicked for sake his wayes the vnrighteous his own imaginations returne vnto the Lord and he will have mercie on him for hee is very plentifull in forgiving II. Of life everlasting I will not the death of a sinner but rather that hee repent and live And Thus saith the Lord vnto the house of Israel Seeke yee me ye shall live III. Of mitigating or remooving temporall calamities Stand in the courte of the Lordes house speake vnto all the cities of Iudah c. If so be they will hearken and turne every man from his evill way that I may repent me of the plague which I have determined to bring upon them because of the wickednesse of their workes As God hath made these mercifull promises to penitent sinners so he hath faithfully perfourmed them so soone as they have but begun to repent Exāple of David Then David said to Nathan I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David thy sinne is forgiven thee Of Manasses When he was in tribulation he prayed vnto the Lord his God humbled him selfe greatly before the Lord God of his fathers and prayed unto him an◠God was intreated of him heard his prayer Of the Publicane The Publicane c. smot◠his breast saying O God be mercifull to me sinner I tell you this man departed iustified t◠his house rather then the other Of the thiefe He said unto Iesus Lord remember me when thou commest to thy kingdome Then Iesus sai◠unto him verely I say unto thee to day shall thou be with me in paradise Having such notable promises made to Repentance no man is to drawe backe from the practise of it because of the multitude o◠his sinnes but rather to doe it The Pharise◠said to Christs disciples why eates your master with Publicanes and sinners When Iesu◠heard it he said unto them the whole need no◠the Phisition but they that are sicke And I am come not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And Verely I say unto you that Publicanes and harlots shall goe before you into the kingdome of God CAP. IX Of the time of Repentance THe time of repentance is the time present without any delay at all as the holy Ghost saith To day if ye will heare his voyce And Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfullnesse of sinne Reasons hereof are these I. Life is uncerten for no mā knowes at what houre or moment after what manner he shall goe forth of this world Be ye also prepared therefore for the sonne of man wil come at an houre when ye thinke not This one thing should make a man to hasten his repentance and the rather because many are dead who purposed with them selves to repent in time to come but were prevented by death and shall never repent II. The longer a man lives in any sin the greater danger because by practise sin gets heart strēgth Custome is of such force that that which men use to do in their life time the same they doe and speake when they are dying One had three pounds owing to him to be paid three seuerall yeres when he was dying nothing could be got of him but three yeres three pounds Againe by deferring repentance men treasure up wrath against the day of wrath As if a malefactour for his punishment should be appointed to cary every day a sticke of wood to an heape to burne him twentie yeeres after III. The more the time is prolonged the harder it is to repent the longer a man goes in his sicknesse without phisicke the harder is the recoverie And where the devill dwells long hee will hardly be remooved The best way to kill a serpent is to cruse it in the heade when it is young IIII. It is as meat and drinke to the devill to see men liue in their sinnes deferring repentance as on the contrary there is great ioy among the angels of god in heaven when a sinner doth repent V. Late repentance is seldome or never true repentance For if a man repent when he cannot sinne as in former time as namely in death then hee leaves not sinne but sinne leaves him wherefore the repentance which men frame to them selues when they are dying it is to be feared least it die with them And it is very iust that hee should be contemned of God in his death who contemned God in his life Chrysostome sayeth that the wicked man hath this punishment on him that in dying hee shoulde forget himselfe who when hee was living did forget God VI. We are with Abel to giue unto God in sacrifice even the fatte of our flocke now they which deferre repentance to the end do the contrary Late repenters offer the flower of their youth to the deuill and they bring the lame and broken sacrifice of their old age to God CAP. X. OF CERTAINE CASES in Repentance I. Case of a revolt WHether a man that hath professed Christ and his religion yet afterwarde in persecution denies Christ and forsweares the religion may repent and be saved Answere It is a grievous estate yet a man may come to repentance afterward Manasses fell away to idolatry and witchcraft and yet was received to mercie So did wise Salomon and yet no doubt recovered and is received to life everlasting My reason is because God vouchsafed him to be a pen-man of some parts of holy scripture And the sctiptures were written not by
they can not discerne between good and euill nor tremble at Gods iudgements but rather fret and rage against them till God in his wrath either destroy them or cast them to finall despaire As it befell Iulian the Apostata who died blaspheming and casting his own blood into the aire Between the two extremes Repentance Impenitencie is placed counterfeit repentance For the wicked nature of man can dissemble counterfeit Gods grace As the Lord complains of the Iewes Her rebellious sister Iudah hath not returned vnto me with her whole heart but fainedly saith the Lord. Ierem. 3. 10. Counterfeit repentance is either Ceremoniall or Desperate Ceremonial when men repent in outward shew but not in the truth of heart As Saul Then said Saul to Samuel I haue sinned for I haue transgressed the commandements of the Lord thy words because I feared the people obeyed their voice Now therfore I pray thee take away my sin turn again with me that I may worship the Lord c. Again I haue sinned but honour me I pray thee before the elâ—ers of my people Of Ahab When Ahab heard these words â—e rent his clothes and put on sackcloath fasted went softly And the word of the Lord came to Elijah saying seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me Dissembled repentance may be discerned because men after a time returne to their old byas againe Pharao king of Egypt said unto Moses Aaron Pray unto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me from my people And when Egipt was smitteÌ„ with haile he saide I have now sinned and the Lorde is righteous but I and my people are wicked pray ye unto the Lord that there be no more mighty thunders and baile Againe troubled with grashoppers he said I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you and now forgive me my sinne onely this once c. Now marke the issue of all when Pharao saw that he had rest given him he hardened his heart and harkened not unto them as the Lorde had said This is the ordinary common repentance that most men practise in the world Desperate repentance is when a man hauing only gods iudgements before his eyes is smitten with horrour of conscience wanting assurance of Gods mercy despaires finally This was Iudas Repentance who when he had brought again the 30. peeces of silver confessed his fault went and hanged himselfe CAP. XII Of corruptions in the doctrine of Repentance THe Church of Rome at this day hath corrupted the ancient doctrine of repentance being one of the speciall points of religion The corruptions are specially sixe The first that they make repentance or penance to be a sacrament which can not be because it wants an outward signe And though some say that the words which the priest rehearseth in absolution are the signe yet that can not be because the signe must be not only audible but also visible The second that a sinner hath in him a naturall disposition which being stirred-up by Gods preventing grace he may and can work togither with Gods spirit in his owne repentance But indeed all our repentance is to be ascribed to Gods grace wholly The soule of man is not weak but starke dead in sinne therefore it can no more prepare it selfe to repentance then the body being dead in the grave can dispose it self to the last resurrectioÌ„ The third corruption that contrition in repentance must be sufficient A thing impossible For sinne doth so greatly offend Gods maiesty that no man can ever mourne enough for it The fourth that contrition doth merit remission of sinne An opinion that doth derogate much from the all-sufficient merites of Christ. The fift that he that repents must confesse all the sinnes that he can remember with all their circumstances to his owne priest or one in his stead if he will receive pardon This kind of confession is a mere forgery of mans brain I. There is neither precept nor example of it in the Scriptures II. David and others haue repented and haue receiued remission of their sinnes without confessing of their sinnes in particular to any man The last that the sinner by his workes and sufferings must make satisfaction to God for the temporall punishment of his sinnes A flat blasphemie The scriptures mention no other satisfaction but Christs and if his be sufficient ours is needlesse if ours needful his imperfect Papists write that both may stand togither Christs satisfaction they say is as a plaister in a boxe unapplyed mans satisfaction as a meanes to apply it because it prepares us to receiue it Ah good divinity for euen in common sense the satisfaction of Christ must first be applyed to the person of man that it may please God before the workes which they terme satisfactions can any way be acceptable to God To conclude the Romish doctrine of repentance is the right way to hell For when a sinner shall be taught that he must haue sufficient sorow for his sinne and withall that he must not beleeue the remission of his owne sinnes particularly when sorow comes upon him and he wants sound comfort in Gods mercy he must needs fall into desperation without recovery Therfore the papists in the houre of death as we haue experience are glad to leaue the trumpery of humane satisfactions and to rest only for their iustification on the obedience of Christ. LAVS DEO THE COMBAT OF THE FLESH AND SPIRIT Gal. 5. 17. For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh these are contrary one to another so that ye can not doe the things which ye would THe Apostle Paul from the beginning of this chapter to the 13. verse exhorts the Galatians to maintaine their christian liberty froÌ„ theÌ„ce to the end of the chapter he perswades theÌ„ to other speciall duties of godlines In the 13. verse he stirs them up to be serviceable one to another by loue in the 15. verse he disswades them froÌ„ contentions doing of iniuries In the 16. verse he shewes the remedy of the former sinnes which is to walk according to the spirit In this seventeenth verse he renders a reason of the remedie the force whereof is this The flesh and the spirit are contrary wherfore if ye walke according to the spirit it will hinder the flesh that it shall not carry you forward to do iniuries liue in contentions as otherwise it would In this verse we haue to obserue 5. points The first that there is a combat betwene the flesh the spirit in these words The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh The second is the maner of this combat which stands in the contrary lusting of the flesh and the spirit The third is the cause of the combat in these words and these are contrary The fourth is the subiect or person in
aud suppresse the bad motions and suggestions of the flesh S. Iohn saith he that is borne of God sinneth not because his seed remaineth in him that is grace wrought in the heart by the holy ghost which resisteth the rebellious desires of the flesh That the manner of this fight may more clearely appeare we must examine it more particularly In the soule of man there be two speciall parts the mind and the will In the mind there is a double combat The first is betweene knowledge of the word of God and naturall ignorance or blindnes For seeing we doe in this life knowe but in part therefore knowledge of the truth must needs be ioyned with ignorance in all that are inlightned one of these being contrary to an other they striue to ouershadow and ouercast ech other Hence we may learn the cause why excelleÌ„t divines do vary in divers points of religioÌ„ and it is because in this coÌ„bat naturall blindnes yet remaining prevailes more or lesse Men that are dim sighted cannot discerne without spectacles if they should be set to discry a thing a far off the most of them would be of divers opinions of it And men inlightened regenerate in this life do but see as in a glasse darkly Again this must teach all studeÌ„ts of divinity often to suspect themselues in their opinions and defences seeing in them that are of soundest iudgemeÌ„t the light of their understanding is mixed with darknes of ignoraÌ„ce And they can in many points see but as the man in the Gospell who when our Saviour Christ had in part opened his eyes saw men walking not as men but in the forme of trees Also this must teach all that read the scriptures to invocate cal upoÌ„ the name of God that he wold inlighten theÌ„ by his spirit abolish the mist of natural blindnes The prophet David was wor thily inlightned with the knowledge of Gods word so as he excelled the ancient and his owne teachers in wisdom yet being privy to himselfe touching his owne blindnes often prayeth in the Psalms Inlighten my eyes that I may vnderstand the wonders of thy law By reason of this fight when naturall blindnes prevailes the child of God truly inlightened with knowledge to life everlasting may erre not only in lighter points but euen in the very foundation of religion as the Corinthians the Galathians did And as one man may erre so an hundred men may also yea a whole particular Church and as one Church may erre so an 100. more may For in respect of this combat the estate and condition of all men is alike Whence it appeares that the Church militant upoÌ„ earth is subiect to error But yet as the diseases of the body be of two sorts some curable and some incurable which are to death so likewise errours are And the Church though it be subiect to sundry fals yet it can not erre in foundation to death the errours of Gods children be curable Some may here say If all men Churches be subiect to errour then it shall not be good to ioyne with any of them but to separate from them all I answer though they may and do erre yet we must not separate from them so long as they do not separate from Christ. The second combat in the mind is between faith unbeliefe For faith is imperfect and mixt with the contrary unbeliefe presuming doubting c. As the man in the Gospell saith Lord I beleeve help mine unbeliefe By reason of this fight when unbeliefe preuailes the very child of God may fal into fits pangs of dispaire as Iob David in their teÌ„ptations did For David once considering the prosperity of the wicked brake out into this speech Certenly I have clensed mine heart in vaine washed mine hands in innocencie yea this dispaire may be so extreme that it shal weakeÌ„ the body consume it more then any sicknes No man is to think this strange in the child of God For though he dispaire of his election saluation in Christ yet his desperatioÌ„ is neither total nor final It is not totall because he doth not dispaire with his whol heart faith euen at that instant lusting against dispaire It is not finall because he shall recouer before the last end of his life To proceed the combat in the will is this The will partly willeth and partly nilleth that which is good at the same instant so likewise it willeth nilleth that which is evill because it is partly regenerate partly unregenerate The affections likewise which are placed in the wil partly imbrace partly eschew their obiects as loue partly loueth and partly doth not loue God and things to be loued feare is mixed not pure as schoolemeÌ„ haue dremed but partly filiâ—l partly servil causing the child of God to staÌ„d in awe of god not only for his mercies but also for his iudgements punishments The will of a man regenerate is like him that hath one leg sound the other lame who in every step which he makes doth not wholly halt or wholly go upright but partly go upright partly halt Or like a man in a boate on the water who goeth upward because he is caried upward by the vessell at the same time goes downward because hee walkes downward in the same vessell at the same instant If any shall say that contraries caÌ„ not be in the same subiect The answer is that they caÌ„ not if one of them be in his full streÌ„gth in the highest degree but if the force of them both be delaied weakned they may be ioyned togither By reason of this coÌ„bat wheÌ„ corruption prevails against grace in the wil affectioÌ„s there ariseth in the godly a certain deadnes or hardnes of heart which is nothing els but a waÌ„t of sense or feeling Some may say that this is a fearfull iudgement but the answer is that there be 2. kinds of hardnes of heart one which possesseth the heart is never felt this is in them who haue their coÌ„sciences seared with an hot iron who by reason of custome in sin are past all feeling who likewise despise the meanes of softning their harts And indeed this is a fearful iudgement There is another hardnes of heart which is felt this is not so dangerous as the former for as we feele our sicknes by contrary life health so hardnes of hart when it is felt argues quicknes of grace softnes of hart Of this Dauid often coÌ„plained in the Psalmes of this the childreÌ„ of Israel speak when they say Why hast thou hardned our harts froÌ„ thy waies Thus much of the maner of the câ—mbate in particular before we proceed any further let us mark the issue of it which is this The spirit prevailes against the flesh at two times in the course of a mans life and at his end but yet with some
foiles receiued I say the spirit prevails not in one instant but in the whol course of a mans life So S. Iohn saith He which is begotten of God sinneth not for he preserveth himselfe the grace of God in his heart ordinarily prevailing in him And Paul makes it the property of the regenerate man to walk according to the spirit which is not now then to make a step forward but to keep his ordinary course in the way of godlines As in going from Barwick to London it may be a man now and then will go amisse but he speedily returnes to the way againe his course generally shall be right Again the spirit prevails in the end of a mās life For then the flesh is utterly abolished sanctification accōplished because no uncleane thing can enter into the kingdom of heaven This further must be conceived that when the spirit prevailes it is not without resistance striving As Paul testisieth I do not the good which I would but the evill which I would not that do I. which place is not to be understood only of thoughts inward motions as some would haue it nor of particular offences but of the generall practise of his duty or calling through the whol course of his life And it is like the practise of a sickman who having recovered of some grieuous disease walkes a turn or twain about his chamber saying ah I would fain walk up and down but I cannot meaning not that he can not walke at all but signifying that he cannot walke as he would being soone wearied through faintnesse I added further that this prevailing is with foyles A foile is when the flesh for the time vanquisheth subdueth the spirit In this case the man regenerate is like a soldier that with a blow hath his brain-pan cracked so as he lyes groueling astonished not able to fight or like him that hath a fit of the falling sicknes who for a time lies like a dead man Hence the question may be mooued whether the flesh preuailing doth not extinguish the spirit so cut off a man from Christ till such time as he be ingrafted again The answer is this There be two sorts of christians one who doth only in shew name professe Christ such an one is no otherwise a member of Christs mystical body then a wooden leg set to the body is a mēber of the body The second is he that in name deed is a liuely part mēber of Christ. If the first fall he cānot be said to be cut off because he was never ingrafted If the secōd fall he may be is cut off from Christ. But marke how he is not wholly cut of but in some part namely in respect of the inward fellowship communiō with Christ but not in respect of coniunctiō with him A mans arme takē with the dead palsie hangs by receives no heate life or sense frō the rest of the members or frō the head yet for all this it remains still united coupled to the body may again be recovered by plaisters phisicke so after agrievous fall the childe of God feeles no inward peace and comfort but is smitten in conscience with tbe trembling of a spirituall palsie for his offence and yet indeed remaines before God a member of Christ which shall be restored to his former estate after serious repentance And God permits these foiles for weighty causes first that men might be abashed confounded in thēselves with the consideratiō of their vile natures learne not to swell with pride because of Gods grace Paul saith that after he had bin rapt into the third heaven the angell Satan was sent to buffet him and as we said to beat him black blew that he might not be exalted out of measure The secōd that we may learn to deny our selues cleaue unto the Lord frō the bottom of our hearts Paul saith that he was sick to death that he might not trust in him selfe but in God who raiseth the dead Thus much of the maner of the combate now followes the cause of it The cause is the contrariety that is between the flesh and the spirit As Paul saith The wisdome of the flesh is enmitie to God Hēce we are taught that since the fall there is no free wil in mā in spiritual matters cōcerning either the worship of God or life everlasting For flesh is nothing els but our naturall dispositiō mā is nothing els but flesh by nature for the spirit comes afterward by grace yet flesh is flat contrary to the spirit which makes us do that which is pleasing unto God wherfore the wil naturally is a flat bōdslaue unto sin Again hence we may learne that it is not an easie matter to practise religiō which is to liue according to the spirit to which our naturall disposition is as cōtrary as fire to water wherfore if we will obey God we must learne to force our natures to the duties of godlines yea even sweat and take paines therein Lastly here we may learne the nature of sin The spirit is not a substance but a quality and therfore the flesh which is nothing els but originall sinne and is contrary to the spirit must also be a quality for such as the nature of one contrary is such is the other There is in euery man the substance of body and soule this cannot be sin for then the spirit also should be the substance of man There is also in the substance the faculties of body soule they can not be sinne for then euery man should haue lost the faculties of his soule by Adams fall Lastly in the faculties there is a contagion or corruption which carieth them against the law and that is properly sinne and the flesh which is contrary to the spirit The fourth point is touching the persons in whom this combat is Paul shewes who they are whē he saith So that ye can not c. where it appeares that such as haue this cōbat in them must be as the Galatians men iustified sanctified And yet not all such but only they that be of yeres for the infants of the faithfull how soeuer we must repute them to belong to the kingdom of heauen therfore to be iustified sanctified yet because they do not commit actuall sin they want this cōbat of the flesh and spirit which stāds in actiō As for those which be unregenerate they neuer felt this fight If any say that the worst man in the world when he is about to cōmit any sinne hath a strife fight in him It is true indeed but that is another kind of cōbat which is between the conscienceand the heart The cōscience on the one part terrifying the man frō sinne the will and the affections haling pulling him therunto the will the affections wishing desiring that sin were no sin Gods commandement
abolished wheras contrariwise the conscience with a shril voice proclaimes sin to be sin This fight was in Pilat who by the force of his conscience feared to condemne Christ yet was willing and yeelded to condemne him that he might please the people Furthermore this cōbat is in the regenerate but during the time of this life for they which are perfitly sanctified feele no strifte If any shal say that this cōbat was in Christ whē he said Father if it be thy will let this cup passe from me yet not my will but thine be done Indeed here is a cōbat but of another sort namely the fight of two divers desires the one was a desire to do his fathers will in suffering the death of the crosse the other a natural desire which was no sinne but a meere infirmity of humane nature whereby he in his manhood desires as the maner of nature is to seek the preseruation of it selfe to haue the cursed death of the crosse remooued from him The fift point is the effect of this combat which is to make the man regenerate that he can not doe the things which he would and this must be understood in things both good ill And first he can not do the evill which he would for two causes First because he cannot commit sin at what time soeuer he would S. Iohn saith He that is borne of God sinneth not neither can he sin because he is borne of God that is he can not sin at his pleasure or when he will Ioseph when he was assaulted by Putiphars wife to adultery because the grace of God abounded in him wherby he answered her saying Shall I doe this sin against God he could not then sin Lot because his righteous heart was grieved in seeing and hearing the abominations of Sodom could not then sin as they of Sodom did Hence it appeares that such persons as liue in the daily practise of sin against their own consciences though they be professours of the true religion of Christ haue no soundnes of grace in them Secondly the man regenerate can not sin in what manner he would And there be two reasons therof First he can not sinne with full consent of will or with all his heart because the will so far forth as it is regenerate resisteth and draweth back yea even then when a man is caried headlong by the passions of the flesh he feeles some contrary motions of a regenerate cōscience It is a true rule that sin doth not reigne in the regenerate For so much grace as is wrought in the mind will affectiōs so much is abated proportionally of the strength of the flesh wherfore whē he cōmits any sin he doth it partly willingly partly against his wil. As the mariners in the tēpest cast Ionas into the sea willingly for otherwise they had not done it yet against their willes too which appeares because they prayed and cast their goods out of the ship laboured in rowing against the tempest that very long before they cast him out And herein lies the difference betweene tvvo men cōmitting one the same sinne the one of them being regenerate the other unregenerate For the latter sins with all his heart with full consent so doth not the first Secōdly though he fall into any sin yet he doth not lie lōg in it but speedily recouers himself by reason of grace in his hart Hence it is manifest that sinnes of infirmitie are cōmitted only of such as are regenerate As for the man unregenerate he cannot sin of infirmity whatsoeuer some falsly think For he is not weak but stark dead in sinne And sinnes of infirmity are such only as rise of constraint feare hastines such like sudden passions in the regenerate Aed though they sin of weaknes often by reason of this spirituall combat yet they do not alwaies for they may sinne against knowledge cōscience of presumptiō To come to the secōd point the regenerate mā cannot do the good which he would because he cannot do it perfitly soundly according to Gods will as he would Paul saith To will is present with me but I find no means 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfitly to do that which I would In this point the godly man is like a prisoner that is gotten forth of the gayle that he might escape the hand of the keeper desires striues with all his heart to run an 100 miles in a day but because he hath strait and weighty boults on his legs cannot for his life creep past a mile or twain that with chafing his flesh tormenting himselfe So the servants of God do hartily desire indeavour to obey God in all his commādements as it is said of king Iosias That he turned to God with all his heart with all his soule with all his might according to all the lawes of Moses c. yet because they are clogged with the boltes of the flesh they perfourme obedience both slowly and weakely with divers slips falles Thus much of the combat now let vs see what use may be made of it First of all by it we learn what is the estate of a christian man in this life A christiā is not one that is free frō al evil cogitations frō rebellious inclinations motiōs of will affections frō all maner of slips in his life cōversation for such an one is a mere deuise of mans brain not to be found upō earth But indeed he is the sound christiā that feeling himselfe laden with the corruptions of his vile rebellious nature bewailes them frō his hart with might and main fights against them by the grace of gods spirit Againe here is ouerthrown the popish opinion of merit iustificatiō by workes of grace on this manner Such as the cause of works is such are works thēselves The cause of works in man is the mind will affectiōs sanctified in which the flesh the spirit are mixt togither as hath bin shewed before Therfore works of grace euen the best of them are mixt works partly holy partly sinfull wherby it is euidēt to a man that hath but cōmon sense that they are not answerable to the righteousnes of the law that therfore they can neither merit life or any way iustify a mā before God If any reply that good works are the works of Gods spirit for that cause perfitly righteous I answer it is true indeed they come frō the holy ghost that can not sin but not only or immediatly For they come also from the corrupt mind and will of man and in that respect become sinfull as sweete water issuing out of a pure fountaine is by a filthy channell made corrupt Thirdly we do hēce learn that concupiscēce or originall sin is properly indeed sin after baptism though it please the councel of Trent to decree otherwise For after baptism it is flat