not that hee will to heauen with the formost but no repentance no heauen no other gate of heauen nor passage but by Repentance Men are well pleased so long as wee speake of heauen happinesse saluation eternall life but when we speake of repentance it is an hard saying an vnpleasing doctrine a duety which will not down If they could get to heauen by any thing else than by leauing their sins were it thousands of Rams or ten thousand Riuers of oyle if by giuing their first borne or fruits of body for the sin of their soules these they would exchange but to mortifie lusts that the hypocrite cannot yeeld But 1. Thou must come to heauen by no meanes but GODS owne 2. There is but one way and that a narrow and straight way of Repentance and to dreame of heauen without Repentance is to dreame to passe ouer a deep and broad Riuer without bridge or barge Thou mayst poast and wander vp and down and tyre thy selfe in coasting euery way to auoyde the stoninesse roughnesse and straightnesse of the way but if thou meanest to come to thy iournies end thou must passe this narrow lane and there is no way in the world to shift it CAP. 40. Motiues to Repentance in respect of Christ. THe third Motiue in respect of Christ in whom we see 1. Surpassing loue aboue the loue of women hee loued vs better than himselfe than his life when we were no better than rebels and enemies Shall I loue my sinne better than him who loued my soule better than his own life Oh let this coard of loue draw vs to Repentance He came to call sinners to Repentance 2. Looke vpon his bitter passion and therein see the merit and desert of the least sin for which God must shed his blood and pay the greatest price that heauen or earth contained Consider the end of his suffering Hee dyed that sin might dye in me and shall I put life in it againe and frustrate the death of Christ The fountaine was opened in his side and streames of blood issued out that my soule should be cleansed from the filthinesse of sin and shall I wallow in the puddle still Consider that Christ was crucified for none in whom sin is not crucified None haue part in his death but such as are dead to sin none haue the benefit of his death but such as feele the vertue of it in themselues Isay 59.20 Hee is a Redeemer of none but such as turne from transgression in Iacob Consider in whomsoeuer there is sound application of Christs death there is a similitude of his death As he dyed for sin so here is a dying vnto sin Rom. 6.5 Wee are grafted with him to the similitude of his death As Christs body was nayled to the Crosse so must wee nayle our sins to his Crosse. As his body and strength was infeebled and weakned vpon the Crosse till he dyed so must our body of sin bee daily weakned and subdued till it be wholly dead in vs. As Christ spared no part of himselfe but gaue himselfe wholly in all parts and members to death for vs so must we not spare any sin or lust but put them all to paine mortifying one as well as another And as Christ after death was raysed to life and dyed no more so wee hauing dyed to sinne by mortification must rise againe by daily renewing our Repentance neuer to returne vnder the power of sin and death any more This is the similitude of CHRIST'S death 3. Looke vpon Christ as our head and there is no member of that head but the true penitent he admits no rotten or stinking member 2. Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Truth of Christianitie is discerned by truth of Repentance Without faith vnfained is no vnion with Christ and all that faith is fained and false which worketh not in Repentance This grace discerneth vs from hypocrites and wicked men CAP. 41. Motiues to Repentance from ones selfe THe fourth Motiue to Repentance may be drawne from thy selfe And here looke on thy person and thy selfe both whole and parts will call on thy selfe to hasten thy Repentance 1. Thy soule Was it redeemed with gold siluer or any corruptible thing or rather with the precious bloud of Iesus Christ and wilt thou basely sell it again for gold or siluer or corruptible things or any sinfull pleasure will the winning of the whole world recompence the losse of thy soule 2. Thy bodie is or should be a Temple of the holy Ghost else art thou none of Christs and wilt thou prophane thy body with filthy sins and lusts to vexe the spirit and make him weary of his lodging Is it nothing to prophane a Temple to turne it into a Tap-house by drunkennesse into a stewes by vncleanenesse Is it nothing to make thy fathers house a den of theeues by vniustice falshood 3 Thy selfe was a slaue and vassall of Satan and sinne and set free by Iesus Christ wilt thou runne into bondage againe Art thou now a Christian then thou art in vnion with Christ the Spouse of Christ and wilt thou behaue thy selfe as a strumpet and be led away with euery alluring harlot to the dishonour and high displeasure of so louing a husband 2 Cast thine eyes vpon thy sinnes and see it high time by Repentance to renounce them As 1 How hatefull euery sinne is to God as for which he abhorreth his most excellent creatures Angels and men nay so perfectly hated by God as hee could not chuse but punish it in his deare Sonne while he sustained our persons and bare our sins 2 What an extreame folly sinne is who but a foole hauing light sight and reason would walke vpon rockes and quick-sands and bolt on into pits and ponds being warned of the danger for all these cannot threaten such danger to the body as sinne doth to the soule Who but a foole being warned that theeues and murtherers lye in such a way and such and such they haue robbed slaine and that they lye in waite for himselfe and if he goe on hee cannot auoid present death yet will be bold and foole-hardy to goe on after such warning But thy sinnes are so many theeues and robbers that lye in wait to destroy thee and if thou goest on in that way thou canst not auoid euerlasting perdition Who but a mad man would stirre vp the wrath of the King against him and run daily into the lurch of the Law as the sinner doth who maketh God his enemy stirreth vp a Lyon against himselfe maketh the Law of God but a cobweb as if no execution waited the transgressor What a folly is it to offend and not seeke to satisfie nay a frenzie farre beyond that for a traytor going to execution and hauing a pardon brought him for accepting scorneth the pardon breaketh the seales tramples the writing reuiles the Prince the messenger and iustifieth his treasonable practices still The
true Repentance there is a clearing of ones selfe 1. Cor. 7.11 in our rotten frame and building it will not leaue a stone vpon a stone 2. To finde mercy there must bee confessing and forsaking Pro 28. 3. The profession of euerie true penitent must bee that of Paul I was a blasphemer I was an oppressour but now God hath shewed mercy I am no such man now Now all this will not be done but by earnest endeauour slighting and slubbring of this businesse leaueth men in the suddes they were in before as Some dally with their sins and semble a repentance as men that ioyne doe a fight Perhaps they will this time of yeare come to confession and seeme very penitent and hauing confessed thinke themselues eased but it is as a drunkard by vomiting that hee may drinke more so these to go fresh to drinke in sin againe Some will sweare and curse and say God forgiue mee you make mee sweare and sweare as fast by and by again But these roots of sin remaine Some pressed by Gods hand force a Repentance and make many confessions and promises but after returne are as fresh to sin as a dogge to vomit or the horse to the smell of his dung Here is no parting with sinne Well may hee say I was a swearer drunkard a tippler an hater of God and so am I still for all my dissembling Repentance I was neuer other nor like to be 4. In this wise proceeding rest not in the rooting out of sin till thou seest the rooting and growth of the contrary grace for in all true Repentance is a change in the iudgement from errour to truth in the will from euill to good in the whole man from darknesse to light Thou canst show no Repentance if thou canst not show this change True Repentance maketh a man cleane contrary vnto himselfe and changeth him into a cleane other man His whole nature is changed from a corrupt and carnall into a spirituall nature In nature an Aethiopian cannot change his colour but grace changeth nature of a bramble he becometh a vine of a thorne a fig tree of a wilde a naturall oliue of a lyon a lambe of a dogge vnder boord a son sitting at table of a Saul a Paul He is changed in all his parts and members they were as swords and speares weapons of vnrighteousnesse and fiercenesse against God and good men now are turned into sythes and mattocks weapons of grace and instruments of common good in time of peace His whole course is changed of a louer of sin hee is be come a loather of sin and louer of grace of a receiuer and deceiuer it maketh Zacheus a restorer and charitable destributer Of one thirsting after the bloud of Saints it maketh Saul thirst now after their saluation Of a waster of the Lords talent it maketh him increase it Let not thy soule deceiue thee in thy Repentance except it haue brought thee thus farre to expresse the contrary grace Solomon could not satisfie himselfe with his Repentance of those fowle sins of lust till hee had written his booke of Repentance nor Augustine till hee had written his book of Retractations nor Cranmer till he had burned his vnworthy right hand Trust not thy Repentance for wantonnesse and vncleannesse vnlesse as the woman Luke 7. who had abused her eyes her haire and lippes to folly shee gaue her lippes to kisse his feete her eyes to wash them and her haire to dry them Thou must expresse Humility Modesty and Repentance in members most abused Dauid polluting his bed washeth it with teares Trust not thy Repentance for couetousnesse vsury briberie without restitution as Zacheus without expression of charitie mercifulnesse to the poore and without free and liberall dispensing to pious and godly vses Hath thine house been a profane house a gaming house an house of swearing riot and disorder thou hast not repented though these things bee left if thou hast not reformed it vnto a house of prayer Hast thou bin an enemie or no friend to Gods seruants and seruice thou hast not repented in putting off thy malice vnlesse thou hast put on louing affections and expressest loue aboue the former hatred Hast thou sinned in disgracing and reuiling the seruants of God and professors of the Gospell casting on them the comâ—mon termes of hypocrites puritans thou hast neuer repented if thou dost not iustifie and defend them and right them in their names and godly practices and so in all others sins True Repentance will not only vndoe what is ill done but will set vp with both hands what it hath plucked downe it will now see God haue his glorie and men their right I conclude with 1. Iohn 3.7 Let none deceiue you let none deceiue himselfe hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous as he is righteous CAP. 10. Concerning the time of Repentance both of 1. Possibilitie 2. Necessitie THe fourth rule of direction concerning the time of repentance for the time is either of 1. Possibilitie 2. Necessitie The time of Possibilitie is the whole time of this life and onely the time of this life Except ye repent while ye liue here ye shall perish eternally God giueth euery man a space to repent in as â—â—zabel Reu. 2.21 that is the space of this life and any time of this life the Lord may giue repentance 2. Tim. 2.25 waiting at any time Mat. 5.25 Agree in the way 2. After this life can bee no Repentance for these reasons 1. Because there is no faith that ceaseth The tree cut down no fruit can grow any more Repentance is a fruit of Faith 2 Because the acts parts of repentance are only for this life These are 1. Mortification godly sorrow Christian combatâ— 2. Renouation growth in grace strife to perfection All these are by death abolished no more teares fight no more imperfection no more molestation of sin but victory and perfection attained 3. After death is nothing but iudgement Heb 9.27 there is a resting from labour of repentance no more working no more washing no Purgatory no more oyle may be gotten after the doore is shut no more place for Repentance is to be found being at the waies end Repentance is the way of life This consideration calleth vs to the speedy vndertaking of Repentance euen while this fraile and vncertaine life lasteth for who hath a lease of his life but for so few yeares as Hezekiah Thou mayest dream of many yeares as the glutton did when that night his soule was taken and hee called a foole and so prooued Nature teacheth to take the time allotted for all other things the husbaÌ„dmaÌ„ to sow while seed-time lasteth to make Hay while the sunne shineth the Merchant to buy and trade while the Faire lasteth the Sea man to take time and wind which stayeth for no man the Smith to strike while the iron is hot the Souldier to fight while the battell continueth yea the very Storke and Crane and Swallow to
wisedom of the wise is to chuse and direct his way Pro. 14.8 Hee taketh it not on mens words or walketh on aduentures wisedome will to heauen alone if it cannot get company The wisedome of the wise wil looke better to the soule than to damme it for company No man but loueth his body better but if he see neuer so many leap into the sea or cast themselues into the fire or off a rocke hee will be loath to kill himselfe for company and wilt thou foolish man break the necke of thy soule for company 5 Thou must hinder and stop the sins of the multitude rather than imitate them So Lot perswaded the multitude of Sodomites striue resisting sin euen unto bloud keepe the praise of grace euen in oppositions Tully coÌ„mended one for being continent in Asia So hold on the light in the midst of a froward generation And what thou canst not hinder thou must mourne for the sins of the multitude as Lot whose righteous soule was grieued daily to see and hear the unchast conuersation of Sodomits And Ieremy said My soule shall weep for you in secret And Dauid I saw the Transgressours and was sore grieued and mine eies gushed with riuers of teares This is true zeale against a mans own sins which kindleth a fire against other mens sins and the more vniuersall they be the more will zeale be kindled CAP. 15. Le ts from Satan lulling vs in securitie 3. FRom the World we come to the encombrances and rubbes cast in the way of our repentance by Satan the god of this world And he hath reason to bestirre himselfe especially against our repentance because he knoweth that only this grace fetcheth vs out of his power 2. Tim. 2.25 To this purpose he suggesteth three â—orts of Temptations 1 To lull vs asleepe in the securitie of our present naturall estate 2 If our naturall estate content vs not hee vrgeth to despaire 3 If he cannot do that he wil enforce the other extreame of presumption of Gods mercy though we slacke or slip our repentance 1 To hold vs in our present securitie hee will perswade vs of the loue of God towards vs in our estate of nature For hath he not made vs men not beasts or serpents hath he not preserued vs and prospered vs in our estate and lifted vs vp in earthly mercies yea are wee not members of the Church enioy the Word and Sacraments and seeing God hath beene so free in his loue and care what need we trouble our selues with such penslue precisenesse and spend our time in feares and cares which requireth rather comfort and cheerfulnesse in our condition Against this Temptation consider 1 How dangerous and deceiueable a thing it is for a man to blesse himself in cursed estate As the wicked man who couenanteth with death and maketh an agreement with hell whose wilfull ignorance hideth all the danger near him who as the silly Bird feedeth securely on the bayte while it is within the compasse of the net Oh what a delusion is it for a naturall man to assure himselfe of Gods loue Can iustice loue wickednesse Can the Lord doe any other than hate a rebell against him Is a childe of wrath the obiect of our fathers loue Can a vessell of wrath looke to bee filled with any thing but wrath 2 Looke what deceit and fallacie lyeth in all his arguments of loue 1 God created him a man not a beast Why did not GOD create the Angels that sinned too and yet are not they shut vp in chaynes of blacke darkenesse for euer Little comfort that God loueth thee as a creature vnlesse as a Father in Iesus Christ better it were thou haddest beene a beast 2 God hath outwardly blessed and prospered him in the world and therefore loueth him Answ. No man knoweth loue or hatred by any thing afore him Ecclesâ— 9.1 Temporall blessings are common to good and bad and the worst men enioy common mercies more than other Iob 21.13 He speaketh of wicked men flourishing in all wealth and prosperity who say to the Almighty Depart from vs who is the almighty And it is said of Antiochus Epiphanes that mad and furious horne against the Church who cast downe some of the hoast of heauen and the starres and extolled himselfe against the Prince of the hoast and tooke away the daily sacrifice and cast downe the place of the Sanctuary the text addes Thus he shall doe and prosper Dan. 8.13 Who was more outwardly prosperous Caine or Abel Esau or Iacob who durst not looke his Lord Esau in the face nor come neare him till he had bowed seauen times 3 They are seazed with a kind of spirituall prosperity they liue in the bosome of the Church and enioy Word and Sacraments therefore are loued of God Answ. But many are in the Church that are not of the Church yea the wickedest of men enioy the outward ordinances of Word and Sacraments as well as other as Esau Saul Iudas Simon Magus and are so much the mote hated as their sinne was against the glorious meanes what loue can a malefactor gather when the sentence of death is read against him as in the Word What loue when the Lords Table is made snares to him and his sinne casteth poyson into the Lords cup When his Baptisme is but a broken vow and all his profession a vizzard of hypocrisie 4 Wouldest thou finde true euidences of Gods loue which come from God not as God but as from a father bestowed on sonnes but not on bond children find it in other gifts 1 Hath he giuen thee Christ God so loued the world Ioh. 3.16 hath he giuen thee a sonne-ship Ioh. 1.3 1. Behold what great loue the Father hath giuen vs to be called the Sonnes of God Hath he giuen thee faith oh there is a precious gift of loue hast thou loue God loueth not thee vnlesse thou loue him what obedience hast thou Keeping his commandements is a signe of his loue Ioh. 14.23.24 The Scripture which knoweth the best assurances of Gods loue pulleth our eyes from gazing on earthly dignities prerogatives which wee are euer poring vpon as with Hawkes eyes and would haue vs behold Gods loue in other things than these namely in the inward notes and markes of Gods children See thou what faith what hope what repentance what holinesse what fruits of faith and holinesse thou hast attained this argueth our iustification and so assureth vs of our election and consequently of his eternall and vnchangeable loue this is the inheritance which is giuen to sonnes of promise while the bond children are sent away with mouâ—ables 2 To hold vs in the security of our naturall estate he perswadeth vs wee cannot bee Saints here and why should we not doe as others rather than tyre our selues in vaine by pursuing impossibilities To answer this temptation consider none are Saints in heauen but saints in earth 1 True it is in their sense none can be saints
earnest thou hast bin in prosecuting the profits of this life with vtter neglect of better things and then how necessary it is to clear out this self loue and loue of sin to make roome for better 2. Consider which will bee the principall desire of a repentant heart as namely 1. To bee rid of sin Rom. 7. O miserable man c. neuer was a prisoner so weary of his bolts nor a sickeman of his paine as the penitent of his sin 2. To please God in all the waies of his Commandements Psal. 119.5 Oh that my waies were directed c. 3. To be in nearest fellowship with God in Christ. Cant. 1.3 Draw me and we will run Oh when shal I come into thy sight And these desires will be insatiable till the soule get a presence sight and comfortable hold of God for neuer can a good heart be delighted but in seeking most excellent things with most excellent affections 2. To further thy Repentance recount thy life actions and course what it is what it ought to be Neuer man considered his waies aright but found something to be redressed As 1. If hee behold the infinite euils of his whole life committed against God and his Law light of his grace 2. The innumerable good duties omitted for which he hath had calling and opportunity 3. The good thing done but failed in all both in the Manner End Oh what a measure of sorrow will this set to a carefull heart to see it selfe so far from answering his horrible sins that he cannot answer one of a thousand of his best actions through his life All this showeth the need of mercie answerable to so wofull miserie 3. Consider seriously the checks of thy owne conscience Thou mayst contemne the checks of men but neuer reiect the checks of thy conscience For conscience keepeth Court in the soule at all times there is a continuall Tearme it hath a power to examine witnesse and sentence at any time And this sentence admitteth no delay no delusion no appeale If thou feelest the priuie nips of conscience listen to so neer and wholesome a rebuker lest it grow to a seared conscience and God in iustice discharge it of the office it holdeth in the soule vnder him when he seeth it vnregarded But doe thus 1. when thy conscience checketh thee blesse God for a waking conscience which will onely checke great ones whom none else may and for things which none else can 2. When conscience accuseth thee and as the Clarke of the Lords Crown office readeth a bill of inditement against thee take his office on thy selfe plead guilty accuse thy selfe too The way not to be iudged of the Lord is to iudge our selues before the Lord. 3. If conscience go on to prick thy heart and fetch blood of thy soule now feele the smart apply the blood of Christ to stay the smart and bleeding of it This is the chiefe labour of Repentance 4. To further thy Repentance remember thy latter end the shortnesse of thy life the approach of thy death and the terror of the day of iudgement This numbring of our daies is a meanes to apply our hearts to wisedome Psal. 90 12. But therfore is mens iniquitie in their skirts because they remember not their latter end Lam. 1.9 CAP. 33. Meanes of Repentance concerning others 4. MEanes of Repentance in respect of others 1. If a good man be cast amongst good men he wil quicken himselfe to repentance and reformation 1. By humble submission of minde hee yeeldeth to all godly admonitions of good men and blesseth God with Dauid for their rebukes An impenitent person beareth such affection to his sins that he disaffecteth him that reproueth him But this man contrary is a stone in the Lords Temple and is willing to be hewed and polished and as a man knowing himselfe out of the way is willing to be set in againe by any euen the meanest that knoweth it better than he 2. By imitating their godly example which is a great incitation to goodnesse Whence Christians are called lights shining in the darknesse of the world holding forth the word of life whose light must shine that others seeing it may glorifie God And God putteth good examples to good vse in the world not onely to conuince the aduersary but sometimes to win the disobedient and to gaine a testimony in their consciences to the truth yea to prouoke others to an holy emulation to get share in the same grace 2 If good men be cast among enemies of God and grace yet they will bee furthering themselues in their way of Repentance they will take knowledge of the reproches of their enemies by whom they may heare their sinne sooner and plainer told them than by friends although neither in a good manner nor to a good end 1 But this will helpe to humble a good man Let Shemei alone saith Dauid I haue deserued it 2. Sam. 16. And no sooner shall a wicked man accuse a Saint but he with an heauy heart will accuse himselfe before the Lord. Nothing is more ordinary than for wicked men to scandalize godly ones They are hypocrites proud couetous and what not and when they heare this they can goe to the Lord and complaine of themselues that they are so indeed and can rifle themselues and be more vile in themselues than the others tearmes can make them They can inroll themselues as Paul before the Lord the chiefe of all sinners But all this while when they intend to wound them they helpe to heale their wound and make them humbly seeke to the Physitian Augustine hearing the Donatists reuiling him for the former wickednesse of his youth made this answer The more you blame my disease I will so much the more admire my Physitian And Beza to one obiecting against him the wantonnesse of his youth and wit in his Poems answered Iste homo inuidet mihi gratiam Christi CAP. 34. Markes and signes of Repentance and first in respect of sinne to be repented 4 NOw followeth the fourth generall concerning the signes markes of a man truely penitent for this grace will shew it selfe what way soeuer a man turne himselfe whether he looke vpon first his sinne repented or secondly God offended or thirdly himselfe or fourthly vpon others it wil be working euery way 1 In respect of sinne a man truely penitent will discouer himselfe by those properties and practises 1 He remembreth his sinnes though they be remitted and that with shame and sorrow Ezek 16.60 I will establish my couenant with thee then shalt thou remember thy sinnes and be ashamed of thy waies nor neuer open thy mouth any more namely in iustification of thy self when I am pacified towards thee for all thou hast done vers 62.63 So as when God is pacified yet the humble heart is ashamed This is one clause of the new couenant Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I giue you and a new spirit I will put into you