CHAP. I. What Repentance is.

THere is no one point in practi­call Diuinity of greater conse­quence then this of Repen­tance. A naile that all the Ser­mons both of Prophets, and Apostles were continually hammering. Christ himselfe as he continually beat vpon it, so in his last farwell ascending into heauen, in speciall manner he com­mended the preaching, and pressing thereof to his Disciples, telling them, that it was necessary that Re­pentance, and Remission of sinnes should bee preached in Luk. 24 37. his name among all nations. In which words Repen­tance hath a double commendation. 1. That it is ioyned with remission of sinnes, and that so, that [Page 2] none can feele the sweet of it, that feeles not the sowre of this. 2. That it is made a doctrine fitting all sorts and conditions. Some doctrines are for Gouernours, some for Subiects, some for Rich, some for Poore, some for young, some for olde, some for the wicked, some for the godly, some for the Court, some for the Countrey; but Repen­tance being for sinners, I came to call sinners to Re­pentance, Matth. 9. it is for all, none can exempt himselfe from the reach thereof, vnlesse withall hee can free himselfe from the touch of sinne. Therfore it must be preached among all nations.

Repentance then neuer beeing vnseasonable, surely not now; when God, what by our sinnes, what by his iudgements, calleth vnto weeping and mourning, vnto baldnesse and girding with sacke-cloath. Is. 22. And yet behold ioy and gladnesse, slaying of oxen and sheep, Epicure-like eating of flesh, and drinking of wine. It is high time therefore both for Presse and Pulpit, to ring lowde peales of this argument. Which though it be much in many mens mouthes, yet is it little in their reines, being more spoken of, then vnderstood, and yet better vnderstood then pra­ctised, better knowen then felt. Wherfore for our more happy direction in it, let vs first see what it is. Now I thinke it may not amisse thus be described.

Repentance is a supernaturall grace of the san­ctifying spirit, wherby a beleeuing sinner so hum­bleth himselfe for sinne, that hee turnes from it to the Lord.

1. I call it a Grace. Some thinke it onely an acti­on. Repentance is a grace But that phrase Ezech. 12. 10. of powring the [Page 3] spirit of grace, (meaning Repentance) on the house of Iudah, seemes to argue it to be a quality, or infu­sed gift, so as faith and charity are. So also that phrase of giuing Repentance Acts 5. 31. and 11. 18. for if God giue it, we receiue it. Now wee cannot properly be sayd to receiue an action which wee doe, but the power, gift, or grace whereby we do it. That speech also Matth. 3. 8. Bring forth fruits worthy Repentance, shewes that Repentance it selfe is not an outward action, as the Papists would make it, but an inward grace to bee expressed in outward actions.

2. I call it a supernaturall grace, not onely in re­gard Supernaturall of corrupt nature, for so euery grace is super­naturall, but also of innocent: for though Adam before the fall had loue, feare, temperance, &c. yet Faith and Repentance had hee not; for he nee­ded them not.

This shewes that Repentance is not a Legall, but an Euangelicall grace. For all legall graces And therfore Euangelicall. were naturally in Adam. Repentance then belongs to the Gospell. 1. Because properly it is comman­ded, as is also iustifying faith, in the Gospell. Mark. 1. 14. Christ preached the Gospell. One might thinke what was that. The next verse tels vs; say­ing, Repent, and beleeue the Gospell. 2. It is promised in the Gospell, in the Couenant of grace Ezech. 36. 26. I will take away the stony heart out of your body, and giue you an heart of flesh. Which that it is a promise of the Gospell, appeares plainely vers. 22. I doe not this for your sakes, but for mine owne names sake. And so Ierem. 32. 40. I will make an [Page 4] euerlasting Couenant with them, that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good, but I will put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. And this is further euident, because Repentance is sea­led in the Sacraments of the Gospell. For Baptisme is called the Baptisme of Repentance. Luk. 3. 3. be­cause it seals vp to vs Gods promise of Repentance 3. It is wrought in vs by the Ministery of the Go­spell, Galat. 3. 2. whilest it sets before our eyes Christ crucifi­ed, and so causes vs to lament. Ezech. 12. 10. Ther­fore Christ commanded that Repentance should be preached in his name, who by his obedience hath merited it for vs as well as remission of sinnes Luc. 24. 46. 47. and in this regard is sayd to bee raised vp of his father, to giue Repentance to the house of Is­rael, Acts 5. 31. As for the Law, it being the mi­nistery of death. 2. Cor. 3. how can it worke Re­pentance which is vnto life? 2. Cor. 7. 10. Acts 11. 18. Repentance is required vnto the sense of mer­cy and forgiuenesse. The Law then knowing no forgiuenesse, neither knowes it any Repentance. When the Law is broken, it requires the suffering of the curse, and not any Repentance for the auoy­ding of the curse. It sends vs down to the dungeon of damnation, and seales it vpon vs with an vnre­moueable stone, not giuing vs the least inckling of any recouery. Nay the Law setting out vnto vs that most rigorous and precise Iustice of God, and his infinite, and implacable wrath against sin, doth in a manner forbid all Repentance. Telling vs tis in vaine to seeke by our teares and lamentations any mercy at his hands, who is a consuming fire, a [Page 5] God of pure eyes, and cannot behold iniquity. The Law then of it selfe leaues a man in vtter de­speration, then which what can be more contrary to sauing Repentance? and is no otherwise a schoole-master vnto Christ, then as the minister of the Gospell makes vse of it contrary to it owne na­ture to driue vs vnto Christ, by shewing the sin­ner condemned in the Law, that it were not best for him to trust any longer to the Law, but to ac­cept of the grace offered in the Gospell.

The Vse. 1. If Repentance be a part of the Go­spell, then know we it is not so sowre and crabbed a thing as most thinke. Indeed the Law is pure vi­neger. But the Gospell is refreshing and suppling oyle, euen the soueraigne balme of Gilead, and of this Gospell, the glad tidings of peace, is Repen­tance a part. Yea, it is one of the legacies of the new Testament. A rich treasure purchased with the bloud of Christ. Luc. 24. 46. 47. Sorrow in­deed is bitter and vnpleasant to our corrupt na­ture; yet many things are wholsome, that are not so toothsome. The sheepe of Christ know that to feed vpon this salt marsh is the onely preseruatiue against the rot. Therefore nothing is there they lesse repent themselues of, then this Repentance, nothing they reioyce more in, then this sorrow: and good reason. It is a peece of that blessed Go­spell.

2. If the difficulty of Repentance discourage thee, remember that the commandements of the Gospell haue grace annexed; by reason the same things that are commanded in the Gospell are also [Page 6] promised: and so this yoake is sweet and easie.

3. If the weaknesse of thy Repentance trouble thee, remember it is an Euangelicall grace: and how little a mite will the Gospell accept? euen a penny for a pound. A desire to repent is Repen­tance heere: and to grieue because wee cannot bee grieued, goes currant for godly sorrow.

3. In the description I adde further, that it is a Wrought by the Spirit, euen grace of the spirit, to shew that the Spirit is the au­thour thereof, as appeareth, Ezech. 12. 10. I will powre the spirit of grace vpon the house of Iudah, and then they shall lament. Before we can powre out one teare into Gods bottle, God must powre the water of his spirit vpon the dry and heathy ground of our hearts. Rom. 8. 26. Wee cannot breath out so much as a sigh, but the spirit must first breath it in. We cannot suspirare, vnlesse God doe first inspirare. That we may truely say heere with Dauid, in euery repenting sigh, sob, teare, Of thine owne, Lord haue we giuen thee. Wee powre out, because thou hast first powred in. Peter weepes, but first Christ loo­ked on him. The waters flow, but then specially when the winde blowes Psal. 147. 18. Oh to how low an ebbe will the waters of repenting teares come, if this blessed winde of the Spirit blow not? It is the fire of the Spirit in our hearts (like as in a Still) that sendeth vp those dewes of repenting teares into our heads, that droppe foorth of our eyes.

Vse. Let no man thinke Repentance in his own pow­er, and so that hee may repent when hee will. Can any man melt a stone? or turne it into flesh? By [Page 7] repentance we breake the strong snares of Sathan, wherein we are hampered, And what power shall 2. Tim. 2. 26. enable vs to doe that, but that which is stronger then Sathan, euen the power of the spirit? Man is like a wild Asses colt, Iob 11. 12. will he euer be tame of himselfe? no, it is the spirit that must tame and humble him by conuincing his conscience of sin. Ioh. 16. 8. Man is like a silly lost wandring sheep. Will hee euer be able to get into the high way of himselfe. No, he must heare the voice of his sheep­heard crying behinde him, This is the way, walke in it. Is. 30. 21. Else he will wander in the wrong way irreturneably. Therefore while that voyce soun­deth in our hearts, while we are called vpon by it to day, harden wee not our hearts. While the Spirit stirs in thy heart, as once the Angell in the poole Ioh. 5. take the opportunity. The Spirit who is the worker of repentance is not at thy beck. Thou canst not set him on worke when thou wouldest, suffer him then to worke, when he would. If wee could humble our selues we should neuer be hum­ble: foreuen this power of humbling our selues would make vs proud. God therefore hath reser­ued it to himselfe, and his owne Spirit, that so we might be humble indeed; yeelding our selues to be wrought vpon by him when he commeth, yea and in humility attending vpon him, and waiting for his comming in the exercises of the Word and prayer, as they Acts 1. 4. 14. But how many may be charged, as they Acts 7. 51. Yee stiffe-necked, and of vncircumcised hearts and eares, yee haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost. And therefore are ye so hard [Page 8] hearted, and stiffe-necked, because you haue resi­sted the holy Ghost, when he would haue bowe your neckes, and softened your heart.

4. It is said to be a grace of the sanctifying spirit, The sanctify­ing Spirit. to distinguish it from the legall repentance that is sometime in the reprobate, hauing receiued the spirit of bondage vnto feare: for this repentance is a fruit of an effectuall calling, Ier. 31. 19. After I was conuerted, I repented: and so is peculiar to the regenerate. And heereby also is it differenced from that blush, and neere resemblance of Repen­tance which is in such reprobates, as haue receiued the enlightning spirit.

5. It followeth in the description; whereby the In order of nature it is after Faith. beleeuing sinner. I make the subiect of Repentance to be a sinner: for so doth Christ Matth. 9. shew­ing that such as are perfect neede Repentance no more then whole men do physick. But withall I cal this sinner, a beleeuing sinner, to shew that faith must goe before Repentance as the ground and root thereof. In time Faith and Repentance are both together, but in the order of nature, faith is first.

Reasons. 1. Repentance and griefe for displea­sing God by sinne necessarily argue the loue of God: for a man would neuer grieue but rather re­ioyce at the offence of him whom he hates. When Christ wept for Lazarus, the Iewes sayd, Loe how he loued him. Ioh. 11. and Christ imputes the repen­ting teares of that sinnefull woman Luc. 7. to loue; Much is forgiuen her, for she loued much. And wheras Acts 20. 21. Paul makes Faith and Repentance the [Page 9] summe of the Gospell, the same Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 13. makes faith and loue the summe of it: which shewes plainely that Repentance comes from loue, and so consequently from faith, because faith works by loue, Gal. 5. 6. and it is impossible wee should e­uer loue God, till by faith wee know our selues lo­ued of God. 2. Repentance beeing vnto life must needes bee drawen out of Christ the fountaine of all spirituall life, and quickning grace. So that a man must first receiue Christ before he can receiue Repentance, or any grace from Christ. Now faith is that which receiues Christ: Ioh. 1. 12. 3. Re­pentance being the softning of our hearts, and the changing of our natures, how shall our stony harts bee molten, but in Christs bloud? and what can bathe them in that blood, but faith? And how shall such wilde oliue branches as wee be changed, but by being engrafted into Christ as into the naturall Oliue? And what can ingraft vs into him, but faith? 4. It is impossible that a man apprehen­ding nothing in God but rigour and seuerity, should euer relent toward him, or come in and submit himselfe. No, there is mercy with thee ô Lord that thou mightest be feared, Psal. 130. This is it that brings in the sinner creeping and crouching be­fore God; as the Syrians to Ahab, because they had heard the Kings of Israel were mercifull. Christs 1. Kin. 20. 31. gracious aspect cast on Peter drew foorth the tears. Gods gracious reuealing of himselfe not to the ear onely, but eye also of Iob, made him abhorre himselfe, and repent, Iob 42. 6. hence the exhortations to Re­pentance are founded commonly vpon the mercy [Page 10] of God in the Gospell, as Ier. 3. 14. O yee disobedi­ent children returne, for I am your Lord. So Matt. 3. Repent for the Kingdome of Heauen is at hand, in which Christ is ready to dispense mercy and forgiuenesse to the repenting sinner: so Os. 6. 1. Ioel 2. 13. Rom. 12. 1. 2. Cor. 7. 1. There must be faith then to ap­prehend at least some hope & possibility of mercy, or else the sinner will harden his heart, and enrage his affections, & grow furiously desperate against the Lord. 5. As the legall Repentance cannot be without Faith, beleeuing the threats of the Law, so neither by like proportion can the Euangelicall Repentance bee without faith in the promises of the Gospell going before.

Ob. Mar. 1. 15. Repent, and beleeue. Repen­tance is set first: and so Acts 20. 21.

Answ. 1. The order of placing things in Scrip­ture is not alwayes according to the order of na­ture. But sometimes one thing is set first, which in order of nature is last, as the effect before the cause, and then the cause comes after, to shew how wee should obtaine the effect. As faith is set after a good conscience and pure heart, 1 Tim. 1. 5. when yet it is faith that purifieth the heart, Acts 15. So heere: first repent, and then, that yee may re­pent, beleeue.

2. Things in Scripture are often propounded according to the order of our sense and feeling. Now though faith in order of nature be first, and the act of Faith before the Act of Repentance, yet it is not so liuely and strong, and so, not so sensible to vs till after Repentance: for the promises are [Page 11] made onely to repenting sinners.

Ob. Matth. 21. 32. Yee repented not that yee might beleeue.

Answ. Sometimes then name of Repentance is giuen to the first preparatory beginnings and in­troductions thereof. Now the preparations to Re­pentance are those legall fits of feare and terrour which are both in nature and time to, before Faith.

The Vse. 1. Against the Popish Repentance, which is made to goe before mercy and forgiue­nesse, as a meritorious procurer thereof. But as we haue seene Repentance is caused by the taste of Gods mercy by faith. Therefore the Baptist ex­horteth to repentance, not that the Kingdome of Heauen may come, as earned out by the sweat of pennance, but because the Kingdome of Heauen is come. Againe, there cannot possibly bee any true repentance in Popery: because repentance springeth from the particular apprehension of Gods mercy by faith, which Popery cannot en­dure.

2. Against the Libertines abusing Gods mer­cy, and easinesse to forgiue, vnto wantonnesse. As the grace that Kings vse to shew against Parlia­ments makes many theeues. But indeed they are beasts, and no men that sin because of Gods mer­cy; and it is an argument that they neuer by Faith tasted of Gods mercy in the pardon of their owne sinnes. For they that feele much forgiuenesse, loue much Luc. 7. If a man should tell a condemned Traytour that his Soueraigne would forgiue all his [Page 12] treasons, and restore him to all his former digni­ties, would not such mercy make his heart euen to melt, and knit him faster in loue, and duety then euer?

3. Heere is comfort to all true Repentants that mourne for their sinnes, and purpose a new course. This repentance of theirs is an euident argument of their faith that hath tasted of the sweetnesse of Gods mercy, or else their hearts would neuer thus yeeld, nor relent toward God.

6. It is further added, so humbleth himselfe for It consisteth of two parts his sinne that he turnes from it to the Lord. In which words I set downe the two maine, and essentiall parts of Repentance, namely, Contrition, or, Humi­liation, and Conuersion or Reformation.

That both these are required to repentance may appeare,

1. By the very names which Repentance hath both in Hebrew, Greeke and Latine. In Hebrew it is called both Nacham and Teshubha, the former [...] signifying erking, the latter turning. Answerable in the Greeke, Metameleia signifies, after-griefe, [...] or anxiety of minde after the doing of some­what; Metanoia, after-wit, or after-wisdome, when [...] seeing our errour or slip we are better aduised, and change our minde. So Poenitentia, as the word im­ports the paine of griefe, and Resipiscentia the mindes recouering of wisdome, or becomming wiser after our folly. This harmony of languages as touching the names of Repentance shewes plainely there must bee in it these two things, griefe for that which is done amisse, and a change [Page 13] of our minde from that it was before.

2. By the phrases and manner of speech which the Scripture vseth touching Repentance. Some­times repenting for, or of, as vncleannesse, 2. Cor. 12. 21. for idolatry, Reuel. 9. 20. which cannot other­wise be vnderstood then of griefe for the commit­ting of such sinnes. But sometimes we meet with Repentance from. Repent from thy wickednesse, [...]. Acts 8. 22. And Repentance from dead workes, Heb. 26. 2. which cannot in any congruity of speech note griefe, but onely a change, or departure from sinne.

3. By the description of it in this sort in the Scripture, when it cals men to repentance; as Ioel 2. 11. Turne to the Lord with weeping. Rend your hearts, and turne to the Lord. That is in one word, Repent. So Iames 4. after that Psal. 8. he had sayd, Draw neere to God, which is the generall, or whole of Repentance, afterward explaining it in the par­ticulars, he addeth first, Clense your hearts, and purge your hands. There is Renouation, or Reformation: and then Psal. 9. 10. Suffer affliction, that is, bee touched with smarting griefe for your sinnes, as if you were in some grieuous outward affliction, Let your laughter be turned into weeping, humble your selues vnder the mighty hand of God. There is the other part, Contrition, or Humiliation. And 2. Chron. 7. 14. God promising mercy to his people vpon condition of their repentance, hee thus describes their repentance. If they shall humble themselues and turne from their euill wayes, making repentance to stand in these two points, in humbling themselues [Page 14] for, and turning themselues from their sinnes.

Ob. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh Repentance. Heere sorrow is distinguished from repentance, as the cause from the effect.

Answ. Repentance, as may appeare by that al­ready spoken, sometimes signifies onely one part of repentance; sometimes onely the change and alteration of minde; sometimes onely the touch of the affections. An example of the former is the place obiected: as also Ier. 18. If they repent, it shall repent me of the euill I had thought, that is, I will alter my mind, and repeale my threatnings. And Acts 11. 18. where the Iewes hauing heard Peter relate the descents of the holy Ghost vpon the Gentiles in hearing his sermon, conclude thereon; Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance vnto life. There was no mention made of any sorrow, or hu­miliation, but onely of the wonderfull descent of the holy Ghost causing them to speake strange tongues, and to magnifie the name of God. Which strange change of their mindes by the holy Ghost it seemeth they call repentance. But there are ex­amples of the latter also, where repentance onely signifies sorrow, and displeasure with our selues, as Gen. 6. It repenteth me I made man. Luc. 17. It repen­teth me; the speech of a trespasser crying him mercy whom hee hath offended. And Acts 26. 20. That they should repent and turne to God. Where Repen­tance being so plainely distinguished from Con­uersion, must needes be restrained to the significa­tion of sorrow and humiliation. But as from this place we may not gather that Repentance is not a [Page 15] turning to the Lord, no more may we from that o­ther 2. Cor. 7. that it is not a godly sorrow.

Ob. One part is not a cause of his fellow-part. But sorrow is a cause of the change of mind, 2. Cor. 7. 10. Therefore sorrow and change of minde are not fellow-parts of Repentance.

Answ. One part may bee a cause of his fellow-part. As sanctification of the soule is the cause of the sanctification of the body. And yet both are parts of sanctification.

Ob. Contrition seems to be a part of the change and alteration. For what greater change then for a hard heart to turne soft, and a stony to become fleshie. And this is contrition or humiliation. Therefore Humiliation and Alteration are not well distinguished.

Answ. The Apostle plainely distinguisheth them, when he saith, Godly sorrow causeth Repen­tance, that is the change of minde. For though godly sorrow bee a part and peece of that passiue change which is wrought in vs at the first instant of our calling by God, yet it is a cause of the actiue change, whereby we change and alter the purpose and resolution of our harts before set on sinne, and now turne them to the Lord. For were it not that we felt the bitternesse of our sinnes, and were tru­ly touched in conscience for them, wee would ne­uer in good sadnesse forsake, and abrenounce them.

Howsoeuer then some late Diuines take the word Repentance more restrainedly, some onely for a godly sorrow, others only for a turning from [Page 16] sinne to the Lord, yet the truth is, that Repentance accordingly as it is described in the Scripture is the connexion of them both.

Vse. Heere then is the triall of our Repentance. If humiliation and Reformation both meete toge­ther, then is our Repentance accomplished. But either of these single make but a halfe, and a hal­ting repentance. An vnreformed sorrow is but de­formed. And a sorrowlesse reformation is but a very sorry one. Humiliation without reformation, is a foundation without a building. And reformation without humiliation is a building without a foun­dation. To lay a foundation, and not to build on it, is to no purpose, but to expose our selues to laughter. Luc. 14. This man began: but could not fi­nish. To build without a foundation is to play the foolish builder, Luc. 6. 48. for that building will soone fall, and so all our labour will be lost. Heere then is discouered a double errour in repentance.

1. Of such hypocrites as make much adoe, and seem to lay their sins much to heart, & yet stil conti­nue in them, bathing & cherishing, not drowning & choaking them in their tears. Such a one was A­hab; who crept & crouched, & put on sackcloath, being threatned for his cruelty against Naboth. But without any true reformation, for presently after he fell to as bad cruelty against the holy Prophet Micaiah Iudas was grieued for murthering Christ; yet no change ensued: hee fell to murthering of himselfe. The Israelites being threatned by God when as they meditated a returne into Aegypt, wept and howled. And yet at the same time be­ing [Page 17] commanded not to goe the next way to Ca­naan, but to fetch a compasse about, they disobey­ed. But these men sorrow not aright, because they sorrow not as the Corinthians did vnto a transmen­tation, vnto a change of their thoughts and purpo­ses from euill to good. It is not possible a man should truely grieue, and be displeased for his sins, and yet continue in them without a change. For as one very well sayes, vnlesse sinne be made a wanton it will not stay. It likes no grimme entertainement. The sad countenance, the weeping eyes, the frow­ning forehead dash it quite out of countenance. It is not able to stand before them. The teares of true Repentance haue a purging and a raising vertue: & therfore the Prophet exhorting to Repentance, sayes, Wash yee, make yee cleane. These teares there­fore Is. 1. 16. are washing and cleansing teares; where they fall they make cleane worke, scouring away the filthinesse of our sinnes. The abundance of natu­rall raine maketh the waies fowle that before were faire. But contrarily the more abundantly this raine falleth, the cleaner and fairer are the wayes of our hearts, and fitter for the feet of the Lord to walke in. For this is that same preparing of the way Matth. 3. of the Lord, which the Baptist requires. Worldly sorrow workes a change in the body; it brings gray haires on the head, and furrowes and wrinc­kles in the face. It turnes youth into olde age, and strength into weaknesse, and so causeth death. But the change of godly sorrow is quite contrary: It turnes olde age into youth, and a weaknesse and sicknesse into health and strength. No distillations [Page 18] of waters heale our bodily diseases so, as this water doth our spirituall. This salt brine takes away all our raw humours, and makes vs sauory meate for the Lord. This raine dissolues the clowds of our iniquities, and ô what a pure cleerenesse is there in the heauen of our hearts? And therfore iustly may wee suspect their repentance, whose sorrow brings not with it this happy change.

2. So also may we theirs, whose change and alteration proceedes not from godly sorrow, and touch of conscience for sinne. Let it not suf­fice vs that in many things wee haue reformed our wayes. For so did Herod, Iudas, and many other temporary beleeuers. But alas this reformation was not grounded vpon true humiliation, and so at length it came to nought, as an vnfounded buil­ding. And therefore by humiliation first digge wee deepe in our hearts, and cast out the rotten and vnsound ground, and so build wee. Excellent is the counsell of Christ to luke-warme Laodicea, be zealous, that is, reforme the fault of thy luke-warm­nesse, Reuel. 3. but withall he addes, and Repent, namely, of thy lukewarmnesse, let the reformation of thy fault be grounded on sound sorrow for it. So may I say to the couetous, be liberall, and repent; to the vn­cleane, be chaste, and repent; to the neglecter of Gods worship, frequent the Church and exercises of Religion, and repent. Many Professours haue made a goodly flourish, and of couetous haue tur­ned liberall, and of prophane deuout, and who so forward as they? But when they turned religious they did not heartily repent, and repine at their [Page 19] former prophanesse, grieuing and grudging at the seruice which formerly they did Sathan. They sowed not the seed of their obedience in tears, nay with the stony ground they beganne in ioy, and therefore end in sorrow. Before haruest comes, all is withered, and they become vnfruitfull. They beganne not in humility, and therefore end not in glory. Nay they beganne in pride, and therefore end in shame. They beganne in impenitency, and therefore end in despaire. And thus haue we ope­ned the definition of Repentance.

CHAP. II. In what order Humiliation is wrought.

REpentance then consisting of those two parts, Humiliation and Reformation, let vs speake of them both seuerally. And first of Humiliation, where consider first the grace it selfe: And second­ly the contraries to it.

In the grace it selfe foure things are to be consi­dered. 1. The Nature. 2. The Measure. 3. The Vse and Excellency. 4. The Practise.

1. For the nature two poynts must bee consi­dered. 1. The nature of Humiliati­on in two things.

• 1. In what order it is wrought.
• 2. What are the qualities and propeties of it being wrought.

For the former; it is thus to be considered.

1. The spirit by the shrill trumpet of the Law arouseth the sinners drousie conscience, setteth his 1. The order of it. sinnes in order before him, and presenteth him with that fearefull spectacle of eternall death and condemnation. And that so, that the poore sin­ner selfe-conuict, and selfe-condemned holding vp his guilty hands before Gods Tribunall, and re­ceiuing the sentence of death, doth not onely see hell with a wide and gaping mouth ready to de­uoure him, but euen in a manner feeleth himselfe in hell already; the terrours of God fighting a­gainst him, and the envenomed arrowes of the Almighty sticking in his ribbes; so that in this per­plexity being brought downe to the very gate of hell, and feeling the very flashings of hell fire in his conscience, he cries out, Miserable man that I am, who shall deliuer me? Who shall descend into this deepe, to Rom. 7. helpe me out of the myre, wherein I sticke so fast?

A man in this case is like a rocke which with some mighty shaking is made to tremble, but yet still retaines his hardnesse; or as an iron vessell which with some violent stroakes is broken into peeces, but these peeces remaine whole and hard, and are not yet molten by the fire. Now vnto hu­miliation there is required not onely a broken, but also a contrite spirit. And Contrition is when all is stamped to very dust, and ground as it were to powder, so that there is a through dissolution of that which before was firmely hardened and com­pacted together. But the Law of it selfe cannot dis­solue and soften the hard heart of man: Therefore the sinner though neuer so violently shaken and [Page 21] battred with the thunderbolts of the Law, is not as yet truely humbled, but onely prepared for, and in the way vnto humiliation. As when a thing is torne and broken, though into great and solide lumps, it is neerer to dissolution, then when it was whole and entire.

2. Therefore the spirit by the hammer of the Law hauing broken vs, doth in the next place by the fire of the Gospell melt vs. For the word of God Ierem. 23. 9. is both a hammer breaking the rockes, and a fire. A hammer in the Law: A fire in the Gospell, which with the heat of Gods loue in Christ doth melt, mollifie, and dissolue our hearts into the teares of godly sorrow. For after that in the Law we haue seene our miserable and desperate estate in our selues, we should presently raue, and rage against the Lord, did hee not in this our extremity giue vs some hope and inckling of mer­cy; presenting vnto our eye the infinite merits of Christ, the indefinite promises of the Gospell, cal­ling all without exception to the fruition of those merits, excluding none but such as exclude them­selues, and despise the grace that is offered them. But when once mercy is tendred to vs that stand condemned in the Law, and that onely vpon con­dition of our humble & submissiue embracing of it, Oh then the working of our bowels! the stirring of our affections! the melting & relenting of our repenting hearts! reasoning thus with themselues; And is it so indeed? hath the Lord giuen his owne Son to the death to saue sinners? & doth hee offer vs the benefit therof, who hauing been such despe­rate [Page 22] Rebels against him stand cast, and condemned euen in the sentence of our own consciences? What marble brest, what oaken heart is there whom such kindnes would not affect? How can we chuse but out of loue and affection towards so sweet and gra­cious a God, grieue, that euer we haue so grieued him?

And now hath Contrition it perfect worke in vs, when the bloud of the Lambe hath melted the Adamant, and the Sun-shine of Gods loue in Christ hath thawen the ice of our hearts. For be­fore it was the feare of hell, and so indeed selfe-loue, and in a manner pride that humbled vs, because we would not be miserable. But now it is the loue of God that humbleth vs, because of the wrong wee haue done him, who hath done vs so much good. Before it was the hatred onely of punish­ment that made vs to grieue, but now it is the ha­tred of sin (that brings the punishment) and that specially, because displeasing to the Lord our good God, that causes all the trouble.

And thus we see in what order, and by what de­grees Contrition is wrought.

But heere certaine questions may be mooued.

Quest. 1. Whether the sole threatnings and curses of the Law are not of themselues auaileable vnto true contrition? forasmuch as Iosiahs heart melted in godly sorrow, vpon the hearing of the 2. Chro. 34. 27 threatnings.

Answ. Those threatnings were not meerely Legall, but such as were qualified with some tin­cture of mercy in the Gospell. Afflictions soften [Page 23] our hearts, but how? no otherwise then as we ap­prehend Gods mercy in them: So did Iosiah ap­prehend mercy in those threatnings, & that they proceeded from Gods loue, and so accounted them as the wounds of a friend, and thence came the melting of his heart. Dauid relented euen at She­meies bitter reuilings, but it was through the sense of Gods sweet mercy in them.

Quest. 2. Whether God keepe the order spo­ken of constantly in humbling his children, so that none can truely be grieued for sinne till they haue beene cast downe with legall terrours?

Answ. 1. Many may haue the first degree of humiliation by the Law, which neuer come to the second by the Gospell. As Iudas, Caine, and other Reprobates vtterly ouerwhelmed with the terrors of the Law, as children sometimes in the trauell are killed with the paines thereof, before they can be borne. But as there can bee no birth without the paines of the trauell going before, so neither no true Repentance, without some terrours of the Law, and streights of conscience. None can haue the second degree without the first.

The Reason is plaine. None can haue Repen­tance, but such as Christ cals to Repentance. Now he cals onely sinners to Repentance. Matth. 9. 13. e­uen sinners heauy laden with the sense of Gods wrath against sinne. Math. 11. 29. He comes only to saue the lost sheep, that is, such sheep as feele them­selues lost in themselues, and know not how to find the way to the folde, Rom. 8. 15. Yee haue not againe receiued the spirit of bondage vnto feare; which shews [Page 24] that once they did receiue it, namely, in the very first preparation vnto conuersion, that then the spirit of God in the Law did so beare witnesse vn­to them of their bondage and miserable slauery, that it made them to tremble. Now there vnder the person of the Romans, the Apostle speaks to all beleeuers, and so shewes that it is euery Chri­stians common case.

2. Yet all are not handled alike. Though none wholly scape, yet some haue gentler fits then o­thers, and some are but sprinkled in this baptisme, wherein others are euen doused ouer head and eares, and some doe but sippe of that cuppe, wher­of others drinke to the very dregges. It is with the trauell of a sinner in his Repentance, as with a wo­mans in child-birth. None trauels heere without paine, yet some are like those Hebrew women Exod. 1. and haue a farre quicker dispatch then ma­ny others. Those conuerts Acts 2. in their Re­pentance had some grudgings and prickes of consci­ence, but yet they had none of Iobs nor Dauids fits which held them many dayes together. For the same Peter that wounded, presently healed them, and being filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost, they comfortably conuersed with the Christians. Matthew as it is thought at his first conuersion en­tertained Christ with a feast, and so did Lydia the Apostles, which they could not haue done, if they had beene in any extremities of the agonies of conscience. God applies himselfe heere to the se­uerall natures, conditions and dispositions of his children.

1. Some haue beene more hainous sinners, and of longer standing then the rest. Now the more fe­stred and dangerous the wound is, the sharper must be the cure. Some sores will as easily bee let out with the pricking of a pinne, as others with the Surgeons launching. The more viscous and glutinous the humour is, the stronger must the purge be. The greater the burthen is, the greater will bee the paine of the backe. Hence it was that Paul being a more hainous offender then the rest of the Apostles, as being a malicious persecutor, whereas they had beene honest and sober fisher­men, hence it was I say, that hee tasted deeper of this cup then they, as we see Acts 9. insomuch that he sayes the Law slew him. Rom. 7. Hence also it is that such who in their tender yeeres by meanes of religious nurture haue beene seasoned with the grace of God, dropping by little and little into them, before any grosser defilement of actuall transgression, doe not behold that grim and seuere countenance of the Law, which those commonly see who stand idle to the twelfth houre.

2. God meanes to employ some in more wor­thy seruices. For the which hee sees it fit to pre­pare them by the deepest humiliation. For the higher, and greater the building is, the deeper must the foundation be layd in the earth.

3. Some are of greater places and parts then o­thers, some naturally of a more crabbed & croo­ked disposition, some more stout, bold, hardy then others. Now the hard knotty wood must haue a hard wedge. An angry word or looke workes [Page 26] more vpon a softly, then an hundred blows would vpon a crosse and sturdy spirit. Both these reasons hold also in S. Paul that Prince of the Apostles, or­dained of God to bee a worthier instrument then the rest, being a man of great parts & singular lear­ning, and withall, as it should seeme by the story, of a fierce and fiery spirit. So great personages whose high places puffe them vp, that they may truely repent had need to be taken down through­ly with a deep sense of the legall terrors. For euen we poore worms that haue nothing almost either in regard of our parts or places to make vs swell, see yet, what a do we haue to be humbled, and what neede wee haue of the wedge of the Law, and affli­ctions to be driuen in throughly into our hearts.

Quest. 3. To what end and purpose doth the Lord thus exercise his children, whom hee brings to repentance?

Answ. There are more especially sixe reasons of Gods proceeding in this manner.

1. To vrge them to seeke vnto Christ, as the hunted beast flies to his den, and the pursued ma­lefactour to the hornes of the altar, and as vnder the Law the chased man-killer to his city of refuge. Thus Agar confounded with the sense of his owne brutishnesse fled vnto Ithiel, and Vcal, that is Christ Iesus. Prou. 30. 1. 2. 3. Paul likewise when so fol­lowed by the Law that being almost out of breath, he cried out, Miserable man that I am, hides himselfe in the hole of this rocke, euen in the wounds of Christ. I thanke God through Iesus Christ, Rom. 7. Thus the destroying Angell droue the Israelites in­to [Page 27] their chambers, and made them lurke there. Exod. 12. 32. Is. 26. 20. and Dauids deepes made him send foorth many a deepe sigh, and strong cry to the throne of grace Psal. 130. 1. as Christ him­selfe did in the like case. Hebr. 5.

2. To bring their tastes into better rellish with Christ. Thirst makes vs rellish our drinke; Hun­ger our meat. The full stomacke of a Pharisie sur­charged with the superfluities of his owne merits, will loath the hony-combe of Christs righteous­nesse. Their heart is fat as grease (saith Dauid) but I delight in thy Law. By the opposition shewing that Psal. 119. 70. it is onely the leane heart, pined and pinched with spirituall famine that feeles delight in the promi­ses. This was it which made that young Prodigall to rellish euen seruants fare, though before wan­ton, when full fed at home. Nothing more vnsa­uoury to a senselesse brawny heart then Christs bloud. No more rellish feeles hee in it, then in a chip. But ô how acceptable is the fountaine of li­uing waters to the chased Hart panting and bray­ing? The bloud of Christ to the weary and tired soule? to the thirsty conscience scorched with the sense of Gods wrath? He that presents him with it how welcome is he? euen as a speciall choyce man, one of a thousand. The deeper is the sense of mi­sery, Iob 33. 19. 23. the sweeter is the sense of mercy. The tray­tour layd downe on the blocke is more sensible of his Soueraignes mercy in pardoning, then he who is not yet attached. Therefore cxcellently S. Paul, God hath shut vp all vnder sinne, that hee might haue mercy on all. As though hee could not shew mercy [Page 28] without shewing iustice, because wee cannot taste the sweet of his mercy, vnlesse before our mouths be imbittered with the wormewood of his iustice. With thee the father lee shall finde mercy, saith repen­ting Hos. 14. 4. Israel. When a man is brought into the straits of a poore desolate shiftlesse orphane, then is hee fit for mercy. Sweetly Bernard, God poures not the Deus non in­fundit oleum misericordiae nisi in vas con­tritum. oyle of his mercy, saue into a broken vessell. For indeed whole vessels are full vessels: And so Gods precious oyle would runne ouer, and be spilt on the ground if powred into them. Therefore first must they be emptied of their euill liquour; and that they can­not, vnlesse Gods hand shake, tumble, batter and breake them, and then will they be capable of that oyle.

3. To worke a more perfect cure of their sins. For the cure of the stone in the heart is like that of the stone in the bladder. God must vse sharpe in­cision, and come with his pulling and plucking in­struments, and rend the heart in peeces, ere that sin can be got out of it. Euen as a tree that is deepely rooted in the earth, cannot be pluckt vp by the ve­ry roots, but the earth though firme before, must be broke vp. And as in a lethargie it is needefull the patient should be cast into a burning feuer, be­cause the senses are benummed, and this will wake them, and dry vp the besotting humors; so in our dead security before our conuersion, God is faine to let the Law, Sinne, Conscience and Sathan loose vpon vs, and to kindle the very fire of hell in our soules, that so wee might bee roused: Our sinnes sticke close vnto vs as the prisoners bolt, and wee [Page 29] are shut vp vnder them, as in a strong prison: and therefore vnlesse, as once in Paul and Silas their case, an earth-quake, so heere there come a mighty heart-quake, violently breaking open the prison doores, and shaking of our fetters, neuer shall wee get our liberty. We goe on resolutely and stoutly in our sinnes, and vnlesse wee bee scared as once Balaam in his couetousnesse by the naked sword of the Lord threatning destruction, wee will neuer turne backe. How violently did Sathan driue Paul in the way of persecution? Would he euer haue gi­uen ouer, if a contrary winde had not encountred him, and blew him off his horse, and smit him down to the ground dead and blinde? But then hee had his lesson giuen him for euer persecuting more. How now Paul is it good persecuting? how now vnhappy venturous childe is it good running neer the fire, the water, when thy father shall take thee vp by the heeles, and scorch thee, and drench thee, and almost let thee quite fall in? How now Lot, is it good staying in Sodome, when fire and brimstone are comming about thine eares? If Da­uid like of his broken bones, let him fall againe to mur­ther and adultery. If thou like the sowre sawce of a guilty hellish conscience, fall to the sweet meat of thy sin, and eat vnto surfet. But this sowre sawce makes the Elect of God loath their meat, though neuer so sweete. When they see they cannot re­taine their right hands, eyes and feet, without such aches, such tortures, yea and danger of the ouer­throw of the whole body, then they yeelde them to the cutting and mortifying hand of the Surge­on. [Page 30] Then farwell profit, farwell pleasure, treasure and all, rather then I will endure such a racke, such a hell in my conscience.

4. To make vs the more pliable to Gods will. How refractary was the woman of Samaria, till Ioh. 4. Christ sat as a Iudge in her conscience, and pinched her with that close imputation of adultery. There was no dealing with Iob till the whirl-wind schoo­led Iob. him. An vnhumbled sinner is as vnfit for Gods instruction, as an vnbroken colt for the saddle, and as the hard and clotty fallow ground not subdued by Ierem. 4. the plough is for the seede. Who can weilde a mightie hard rocke? but let it bee broken to fitters, and stamped to dust, the hand of the Artificer may worke it as he will. When Isay Is 6. Acts 9. and Paul were tamed with the terrors of the Lord, then, Lord heere I am. What wilt thou haue mee doe? When the Lyons and Beares are meekned, then a little childe may lead them. Is. 11. Hence those speeches, The Lord shall direct the humble. Humble Psalm. 25. Mic. 6. 2. Chro. 30. 8. Ierem. 44. 10. thy selfe to walke with thy God. Be not stiffe-necked, but giue the hand to the Lord, to be lead by him. They are not humbled, neither haue they walked in the wayes of the Lord. There is no more resistance in a bruised heart against the Lord, then in soft waxe against the seale.

5. To procure vs the sounder comfort. Whole sores throb and rage. Ease is by breaking. The deeper the wound is searched and teinted, and the sharper corrasiues be applied, the sounder will the flesh be afterward. The lower ebbe, the higher tide. The deeper our descent in Humiliation, the [Page 31] higher our ascent in Consolation. Therefore when Christ promiseth vs his spirit to be our Comforter, he shewes this shall bee the first ground-worke of Comfort which hee shall lay, the conuincing of our conscience of sinne. I will send the Comforter, and hee Ioh. 16. shall conuince the world of sinne. A miserable Com­forter one would thinke; no, but marke whether this Conuiction of sinne tends. For it is added, that he shall conuince them of righteousnesse; After he hath soundly conuicted them of sinne in them­selues vnto condemnation. He shall to their com­forts conuict their iudgements, and perswade their hearts of righteousnesse in Christ vnto iustification. So the Prophet sheweth how his peace was wrought out of his trouble, When I heard, my bellie Hab. 3. 16. trembled, my lips shooke, rottennesse entred into my bones, and I trembled, but marke the end of all this, that I might rest in the day of trouble. Surely after the most toylesome labour is the sweetest sleepe. After the greatest tempests the stillest calmes. Sanctified trouble establishes peace. And the shaking of these windes makes the trees of Gods Eden take the dee­per rooting.

6. God heerein hath respect to his owne glory which he gaineth to himselfe in working thus by contraries, ioy out of feare, light out of darknesse, heauen out of hell. When he meant to blesse Iacob Gen. 32. he wrestled with him as an aduersary, euen till hee lamed him. When he meant to preferre Ioseph to the throne, hee threw him downe into the dungeon; to the golden chaine about the necke, hee laded him with iron ones about his legges, and caused the iron to Psal. 105. [Page 32] enter into his soule. When he meant to make a most beautifull and orderly world, he makes first a vast gulfe, a grosse Chaos, wherein was nothing but darknesse and confusion: and yet out of it he cau­sed light to shine, and out of it brought hee this goodly frame of heauen and earth which now wee see. Euen so in the second creation which is by Regeneration, first there is nothing but a hellish Chaos of darkenesse in the minde, of Confusion in the heart, and yet at length comes forth the good­liest creature that euer was, the new creature in Christ.

The Vse of all this is,

1. To discouer their errour who thinke they haue true Repentance, when they haue only some legall qualmes of sorrow, some stirrings and stin­gings of conscience, which euen the fiends in hell haue, who yet are vncapable of Repentance. In­deed these are preparations to Contrition as wee heard in the Elect, and are as the pricking of the needle before the thread. But contrition it selfe is a further matter. Christ biddes the heauy loaden come vnto him, and learne of him to bee humble. A man therefore may be heauy loaden, and as yet not come to him, nor truely humbled. When those whom Peter pricked asked what they should doe to be eased of that paine, hee prescribed them Repentance, as the salue for that sore of a woun­ded conscience. A man may haue a sore, and feele it, and yet want the salue that should heale it. And yet the feeling of the sore is the first step to recoue­ry. For this makes vs enquire after the salue.

2. To terrifie such as being stupefied in consci­ence, and are wholly vnsensible of sinne, can car­ry it away lightly as Sampson did the gates of the city, and their backes neuer complaine of the bur­then. These blocks, that neuer in their life were mo­ued with Gods threatnings, neuer in any straight of conscience, neuer groaned vnder the burthen of Gods anger, they haue not so much as entred into the porch of this house, or lift the foote ouer the threshold of this schoole of Repentance. In Dauids Repentance for numbring the people, this is noted at the first step, his heart smote him, So in 2. Sam. 24. his Repentance for adultery, hee notes this to bee the ground, My sinne is euer before me. The terrible Psal. 51. image thereof affrights me continually. But for these Brutes, their sinne is euer behinde them. Nothing is before them, but their profits, their pleasures, their bagges, their barnes. And the delightfull image of these things so bewitches and besots them, that they will neuer see the face of sinne, till they feele the fire of hell. And iust it is, that such who will not see sinne heere by the light of Gods word, should at last see it for euer by the light of the Diuels fire.

3. To comfort such as are distressed in consci­ence in the apprehension of Gods wrath against their sinne. It is a speciall worke of the spirit thus to discouer vnto them their misery, and in the sight thereof to touch their heart. Yee haue not againe re­ceiued Rom. 8. 15. the spirit of bondage vnto feare, saith Paul. The word Receiued implieth that the trouble of consci­ence is to be accounted of, as a gift: and the word [Page 34] Spirit shewes the author of the gift. Heere is com­fort then; thou art in the way to saluation, thou hast receiued the first gift which the spirit bestoweth vpon all those whom it bringeth to Repentance, in that thou seest thy bondage, and tremblest. Yea, but poore comfort thou wilt say, to behold and feele God as an enemy, with his sword wounding me, & then with his naile continually raking in the wounds, with his axe continually hewing and hacking mee, yea, and quite cutting me downe, and laying me flat on the ground. Silly man who seest not the depth of Gods wisedome. Gods wounds are not mortall but medicinable, the wounds not of a Swash-buckler, that giues a gash and runnes away, but of a Surgeon that wounds and then heales; God sees the Diuell hath giuen thee many a secret wound which will fester, vnlesse he heale them with these wounds of his. Gods axe hewes thee down not for the fire, but for the buil­ding, that thou mayest be a piller in his house. The Reuel. 3. Mason pluckes downe an house, but not with an intent to destroy it, but to re-edifie it, and raise it vp againe in better forme and fashion. God brings thee downe to the belly of hell, but it is but to bring the vp into the bosome of Abraham. Hee sends his Sergeant to arrest thee for thy debt, com­mands thee and all thou hast to bee sold. But hee doth but dissemble, and hide his fatherly affecti­ons, as once Ioseph did his brotherly; His meaning is in conclusion to forgiue thee euery farthing. He scorches thee with the heate of his wrath, and af­flicts thee with a maruellous thirst like that of Diues. [Page 35] But in the middest of thy extremity hee releeues thee as once Hagar, opening thine eyes to see that Zach. 13. 1. blessed Fountaine issuing out of the pierced side of Christ. He troubles thy heart, and stirres vp the mud of thy guilty conscience, but it is no other­wise then the Angel troubled the poole of Bethesda; Gen. 9. now mayest thou expect health and helpe. The raine-bow though it threaten raine, yet it is a signe the world shall no more bee drowned with raine. So the wounds and terrors of conscience, though they threaten damnation to the Elect, yet are they a signe, that they shall not be ouerwhelmed with it. Nay as the sottish security of the wicked is a signe of vndoubted destruction, as in the olde worlds prophane worldlinesse, and Baltashars sa­crilegious carousings: so contrarily, heere terror and trouble are fore-runners of assured peace. As when they cry peace, peace, heauen, heauen, hell and perdition are at hand: so when these in their di­stresse cry, Hell, Hell, damnation, damnation, Heauen and saluation are at hand. And surely, much bet­ter is this hell which leades vnto, and ends in an e­ternall Heauen, then that transitory heauen of se­cure worldlings, which ends in an euerlasting hell. Happy then are wee if wee haue so our hell in this life, that we may haue our Heauen for euer in the life to come. Be not afrayd of this hell which will deliuer thee vp safely into Heauen: fear not that fal into Gods dungeon which shal rebound thee back into his palace. Feare not that hand which in kil­ling quickens, in oppressing eases: nay euen in the valley of death, mayest thou boldly say, Thy rod, euen [Page 36] thy smiting rod, comforts mee; In the middest of these sore trauels and troubles, looking with the Psal. 23. trauailing woman to the ioyfull issue, the happy birth of sauing Repentance. Remembring that the short paine of this Surgeons cutting of thee, shall ease thee of that continuall and farre heauier paine of the stone in thy heart. Surely, as when Christ called the blinde man the Disciples sayd. Be of good comfort, he calleth thee: so may I boldly say to all burthened in consciencc: Be of good comfort, Christ Iesus calleth you, saying, Come vnto mee all yee that are heauy loaden that I may ease you. If thou feelest the weight of this burthen now, there is Matth. 11. one that will translate it from thy shoulders to his owne. If not, thou shalt certainely feele it in the life to come; when thou alone must beare it for e­uer. Is it not then a happy turne, that since thou must be thus burthened here, or hereafter thou art laden heere, where Christ may ease thee, so that thou mayst auoyd that clog in hell, easelesse and eternall.

CHAP. III. Of the properties of Humiliation.

HAuing seene the order how Humiliation is 2. The pro­perties, wrought, in the next place we must consider of the properties thereof; which though they bee many, yet may be comprized all vnder that one of Pauls, 2. Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow.

For this sorrow or humiliation may bee called It is godly in foure respects. Godly in diuers respects.

1. Because it makes vs grieue for the offence of 1. It grieues for the of­fence. God by our sinne, and not so much for the offence of our flesh by the punishment. For Paul oppo­seth it to worldly sorrow which is for crosses and pu­nishments. The repenting Israelites sorrow is thus described by Ezechiel, They shall remember mee be­cause Ezech. 6. 9. I am grieued for their whorish hearts, &c. and they shal be displeased in themselues for all their abomina­tions. The ground of their griefe was that they had grieued God with sinning, and not that God had grieued them with punishing.

By this we may iudge of our sorrow. For god­ly sorrow laments after the Lord; as it is noted in those Israelites, 1. Sam. 7. 1. not after our own ease and freedome from paine. Godly sorrow sayes with Dauid; Take away the trespasse, not with Phara­oh, 2. Sam. 24. the plague. Nay, it submits it selfe to any punish­ment, so the sinne may be pardoned. Let thy hand be vpon me, and my fathers house. And though there [Page 38] were no punishment, yet it would grieue in kind­nesse towards so mercifull and forgiuing a father, that is offended. The humiliation of the wicked is not so. If there were no sparkes of fire in hell, there would bee no drops of water in their eyes. Their humiliation is wrung from them onely by the sting and guilt of conscience, which may en­force them to let goe their hold of sinne, and wish for the time to bee rid of it. The distemper and paine of the dogges stomacke, not the dislike of the meat in it makes him cast vp his gorge. For after­ward he returnes to his vomit. And so doth the humbled hypocrite to his sinne. Which shewes he fell not out with his sinne, but with his afflicti­on; whereas godly humiliation in true Penitenti­aries proceedes from the loue of God their good father, and so from the hatred of that sinne that hath displeased him. As it was the sent of the mirrhe Christ had dropped vpon the barre that wakened Cant. 5. 4. 5. the drousie spouse, and made her bowels to fret within her in godly indignation. And the sweeter that mirrhe did smell, the more filthy was the sent of her sinne in her nostrils.

2. Because where the least seede of it is, it driues 2. It driues to God. vs to God in our greatest extremities, to seeke ease and remedy of him. The Reprobate in their sor­row runne away from God, euen as a dogge from him that whippeth him. Iudas in his terrors ranne to the high Priests the enemies of Christ, and to the halter. Cain to building of cities. Saul to mu­sicke, to a witch, and at last to his sword. But the godly they euen out of the deepes with Dauid, and Psal. 130. 1. [Page 39] out of the belly of hell with Ionas call vpon God. E­uen when wounded by God they goe to him to Ion. 2. 2. be healed. Come let vs returne to the Lord, hee hath Hos. 6. 1. wounded vs, and he will heale vs. The Reprobate in hell weepe and waile, and yet no godly sorrow there, because they cannot crie to God. Excel­lently Luther, Hell were no hell if the least whispe­ring vnto God could bee heard there. Despaire stops the mouth of the Reprobate, that they can­not speake one word to God in their deiections, so as the godly do. As Ionas complaining of God in the whales belly, complaines yet to God, Thou hast cast me out. Whereas a Reprobate as Caluin notes, would haue sayd, He hath cast me away, in the third person.

Heere then is further triall of our sorrow and Repentance, if as Paul speakes in another case, Wee mourne not without hope, if as the Lord inuites vs, we 1. Thess. 4. Is. 1. 18. Mar. 1. 15. can come, and reason with him, if as Christ commands wee repent, and in repenting beleeue, that as our sinne, so also Gods mercy be euer before vs. The wicked as they beleeue without repenting, their faith being presumption, so they repent without beleeuing, their repentance is desperation. And therfore they mutter and murmure, like the chaffe which when it is shaken, flutters in the face of the fanner, as angry with him. But the Godly are good wheat falling downe at the feete of the fan­ner, as those conuerts that humbled themselues and sought for ease of him that pricked them, Men Acts 2. and brethren what shall we doe? And the reason is, be­cause they haue faith supporting them, that they [Page 40] sincke not in the Deepes of Desperation. As in Da­uid in the 51. Psalme; when begging mercy, his wounded conscience obiected, the greatnesse of his sinnes, faith opposeth the greatnesse and multitude of Gods mercies. According to the multitudes of thy compassions. And againe to that obiection of the deepe rooting of his sinne, because hee had lien in it three quarters of a yeere, Faith answers, Wash me throughly. There is no staine so deep, but thy hand can fetch it out. Heere Dauids faith plucked him out of the mire, and made him come to the Lord clinging and clasping about him.

3. Because it is offered vp to God as a seruice 3. It is volun­tary. and sacrifice, and that with a free and voluntary spirit, Psal. 51. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite spirit. The Godly are Agents in their sor­row. For because it is mingled with the sense of ioy in the apprehension of Gods loue by faith, they take delight therein, and their teares become their meat, Psal. 42. This voluntarinesse of sorrow in the Godly appeares in two things.

1. In the Vse of all good incentiues and pro­uokements thereof. They worke and labour their hearts what they can thereto: according to that commandement Iames 4. Suffer affliction. And no­thing grieues them more then that they cannot grieue. But the wicked are meere patients in their sorrow, because wanting faith to temper the cup they drinke nothing but pure gall, yea, deadly poison. Hence those strugglings, those wrastlings with, and murmurings against God. With the sturdy horse they irefully champ the bit, and desire [Page 41] nothing more then to haue the deadly arrow fall out of our side. Hence those so many sleights of their feasting, musicke, mirth, pastime to driue a­way this so vnwelcome a ghuest. Which the God­ly haue both inuited and welcommed with sacke cloth, ashes, fasting, going into the house of mour­ning, rending of cloathes, and powring foorth whole buckets of water, as some expound that 1. Sam. 7. 6.

2. In turning euery thing vnto sorrow, worldly not onely griefes, but euen ioyes also. According to that of Iames, Let your laughter be turned into wee­ping: that is, let your laughter be made the matter of your weeping. Let it bee the fuell to feede that fire. So doth repenting Salomon Eccl 2. out of the hony of his abused pleasures hee gathers gall, con­trary to the Bee, sucking sweetnesse out of bitter­nesse. The pleasant witted man will turne euerie thing to a lest, euen sad and serious: but the tou­ched sinner euery thing vnto sorrow, euen sweete and ioyfull. The practise of Bradford that worthy M. Samsons preface to his Sermon of Repentance. Repentant in this kind was very memorable: who to this purpose booked euery notable accident each day that passed; and that so, that in the penning a man might see the signes of his smitten heart. For if he did see or heare any good in any man; by that sight he found and noted the want thereof in him­selfe, crauing mercy and grace to amend. If he did see or heare any plague and misery, he noted it as a thing procured by his owne sinnes, and still added, Lord haue mercy on me.

4. Because it keeps our hearts in a blessed frame 4. It fits for holy duties. [Page 42] of godlinesse; fitting them for prayer, meditation, reading, hearing, conference, admonition, or any other spirituall duty. Worldly sorrow is a heauy leaden thing, making a man fitter to sleepe then to pray, as we see in Ionas, and the Disciples. But god­ly sorrow in the sense of Gods loue is fresh and liue­ly and full of spirits. We neuer pray or performe any Christian duty better, then when our hearts are fullest of this sorrow.

Againe, it makes the heart exceeding soft and tender, and so sensible euen of the least sinnes. As Dauids heart smote him for cutting off but the lap of Sauls coate, and for the entertainement of euill motions, Why art thou disquieted, why frettest thou my Psal. 42. soule. It makes the heart like the eye that will feele the least mote, or like a straight shooe that cannot endure the least pebble stone, which in a wide one would neuer be perceiued.

And thus we see the properties of true Sorrow or Contrition, that it is both a louing Sorrow, pro­ceeding from the loue and affection of our hearts towards the Lord, and a beleeuing Sorrow, com­ming to God, and fastening vpon his mercy, and a willing and voluntary Sorrow, delightfully bathing it selfe in her teares, and lastly, a soft and tender­hearted Sorrow, working a disposition vnto deuo­tion. And therefore woorthily called godly Sor­row. And of the nature of humiliation so much.

CHAP. IV. Of the measure of Humiliation.

THe next point is touching the measure of Humiliation or Sorrow for sinne. Where I 2. The mea­sure of it. propound three rules.

1. Rule. Of all other sorrowes, sorrow for sin must be the greatest.

Reason. 1. Griefe is founded in loue. Accor­ding as our loue is, so is our griefe. But our loue of God, and his fauour is the greatest loue, and ther­fore our griefe for his offence by sinne, the greatest griefe. Therefore as Dauid saies, Thou hast giuen me Psalm. 4. more ioy in the light of thy countenance, then they haue had when their corne & oile abounded: So on the con­trary must euery Christian say, I haue had more griefe in procuring thy displeasure by sinne, then the worldlings haue had in the miscarriage of their corne and oyle. 2. According to the greatnesse of the Euill must sorrow be proportioned. Now of the two Euils, the Euill of sinne is farre greater then the Euill of punishment. For it is onely sinne that grieues the spirit of God, and depriues vs of the fauour of God. Affliction and Gods spirit can agree very well. Therefore Dauid de­scribing true blessednesse remooues nothing from it but sinne, as being that which onely makes vs miserable. Surely they [the blessed men] worke no iniquity. And not, surely they suffer no aduersitie. Psal. 119. 3. [Page 44] Sinne therefore being the greatest Euill, craues the greatest sorrow. 3. The precepts and examples in the Scripture shew as much. Though in world­ly sorrow baldnesse was forbidden the Iewes, yet in sorrow for sinne it was commanded them. The Lord calleth vnto mourning, &c. and vnto baldnesse, Isay 22. 13. saith Esay. A plaine argument of a greater sorrow expected for sinne, then they ought to haue for any outward worldly crosse whatsoeuer. Dauid sayes, his eyes gushed out with riuers of water for other mens Psal. 1 19. sinnes. What then did they for his owne? Great is that Hyperbole, and it argueth an hyperbolicall and excessiue sorrow; I caused my bed euery night to swim, Psal. 6. 6. and not only so, but water my pallet that lies beneath my bed, with my teares. Implying, that if his head could containe so much water, the griefe of his heart could furnish it. In the same sense doe some take that of the repenting Israelites, that they drew 1. Sam. 7. water, and powred it out before the Lord. And thus doth Zacharie describe the sorrow of true Re­pentants, that euen after plenty of teares and la­mentations Zach. 12. in publique, yet the fountaine shall runne still in priuate, and flow from the Church to the priuate closet, euery soule mourning in se­cret by himselfe. And which is strange, that the lamentations of one poore woman weeping soli­tary in her closet, shall equall that great mourning of the whole multitude in the valley of Megiddo for the death of Iosiah.

Farre then are they from Repentance, who though they can cry and howle on their beddes when their money, their houses, their lands are [Page 45] gone, what speake I of so great matters? The death of a cowe, or the losse of a few pigges will pinch them sore. And yet their maine, and fearefull sins could neuer yet draw so much as one teare from their eyes, or fetch one sigh from their hearts.

Quest. 1. Are Teares necessarily required in this sorrow.

Answ. 1. Sometimes want of teares proceeds from abundance of griefe, so oppressing the minde that it cannot ease it selfe by weeping. As in him that weeping at the death of his friend, could not yet weepe at the death of his owne sonne.

2. Sometimes the constitution of the body will yeeld no teares. The triall heere is the same, as in the matter of memory. If a man haue a naturall defect in his memory, which is the cause hee can remember but very little of a sermon, then neither will hee remember much of a tale, of a play, of worldly matters. So if the constitution or com­plexion deny teares in sorrow for sinne, neither will it affoord them in worldly sorrow. But as thy ability to remember worldly matters, when thou hast none to remember Gods, argues no naturall infirmity, but a sinnefull corruption of memory, so is it heere. If thou can weepe plentifully for worldly losses, and yet haue dry cheekes for thy sins, this is from the corruption of thy heart, not from the con­stitution of thy body.

Quest. 2. May not the childe of God feele more griefe for some worldly crosses, then he doth for his sinnes.

Answ. 1. Sorrow may be considered either as [Page 46] it is in the will, and so it is nothing but the displea­sure and dislike of that which the vnderstanding apprehendeth as euill. Or as it is in the sensitiue fa­culty of the soule, common with vs to the beasts. In the former way Gods children feele greatest Thom. supplem. qu. 4 art. 1. Bellar. de poen. l. 2. c. 11. sorrow for sinne. Their will sanctified and dire­cted by the spirit detests, abhors nothing more then to sinne against God. But yet all the children of God doe not feele such a sensible stinging smar­ting griefe for their sinne in the sensitiue faculty, as they doe for diuers outward afflictions. For the more corporall a thing is, the neerer is it, and more familiar to the sensitiue faculty, and so pinches more there. For example: in extremity of tooth­ach, or in the burning of ones finger, there is a more sensible griefe felt, then in a lingring feuer, or then is sometimes in death it selfe. And yet the will gui­ded by right reason dislikes the feuer and death far more then the tooth-ach.

2. Greatnesse of griefe may be measured either by the violent intension, or by the constant continu­ance and duration. Now that which is wanting to the griefe of Gods children for their sinnes the for­mer way, is recompenced, and made vp in the lat­ter. Their griefe for sinne is not so extreamely vio­lent, because of the ioy and comfort of the holy Ghost, which they feele in the middest of their hea­uinesse: and yet this ioy doth not any way lessen the displeasure of our wils against sinne (though it qualifie the sensible smart) nay rather it encreases it. For as ioy and delight in learning makes the scholler learne the better, so delight in godly sor­row [Page 47] sets vs forward in it, but yet as we sayd it miri­gates the extremity of passion so, that oftentimes the children of God are for the time more violent­ly tormented for their crosses, then for their sinnes. As Dauid cried out vehemently, O Absalom, Absa­lom, but not O Vriah, Vriah. Yet his griefe for Vriahs death was a more setled & constant griefe, as often­times the stillest waters are deepest. My sinne is euer before me, so was not Absolons death. That was soon ouer. Iob sayes, that he possessed the sins of his youth, Iob. 13. 26. euen in his olde age: but he sayes not that he possessed the afflictions of his youth. Time had worne a­way those sorrowes: for they are but like a sudden dashing tempest, but sorrow for sinne is like the still, soft, but soaking raines that wets to the very rootes. The one is like a mighty torrent or land-flood, soone dried vp, or a blaze of thornes soone extinct, the other like a little spring alwayes run­ning, or a constant fire holding out the whole day.

Ob. Wee are bidden reioyce alwayes, how then can wee sorrow alwaies for our sinnes.

Answ. 1. These two may well stand together, because godly sorrow ministers matter to vs of ioy. Let the Repentant alwaies sorrow and reioice Semper doleat poenitens, & de dolore gaudeat. Pro. 14. in, and for his sorrow, saith Austin. As in prophane ioy, euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull, so in godly sorrow, euen in weeping the heart is light and cheerefull. Though sinne grieue vs, yet our grieuing for sinne pleases vs. As when wee see a good man wronged, we greeue at his wrong, but reioyce in his goodnesse. 2. Though actuall sor­rowing [Page 48] and reioycing may seeme not so well to a­gree, yet habituall may. Yea, habituall sorrow may stand with actuall ioy; and contrarily; now when we say, A Repentant must alwayes be sorrowfull, we meane habitually, in regard of the preparation of heart, so that hee doe nothing contrary to this sorrow, which should take away the disposition of his heart thereto, but alwaies maintaine a purpose to dislike, and be displeased with sinne. And thus are all those precepts, of reioycing, praying, giuing thankes alwaies to be vnderstood.

The Vse. This giues a checke to the slightnesse of our sorrow for sinne. A sigh and away, no, but we must feede and nourish this sorrow, neuer satis­fie our selues, but wish with the Prophet, that our heads were continuall, vnemptiable fountaines of teares. Ierem 9. Mine eye droppeth without stay, saith the repenting Church of Israel. But how soone are our teares dryed vp? If this plaister of sorrow begin to smart a little, presently we plucke it off, and thinke tis e­nough: whereas we should let it lie on till the sore be throughly healed, which is not till death, when as all teares, and so these of godly sorrow shall bee wiped away. Paul in the height of his Christianity still continued mourning, I am carnall, &c. Misera­ble Rom. 7. man, &c. Euen the best of vs carry about vs the matter of our humiliation, the poysoned root of sinne, which is continually branching foorth some corruption or other. Our hearts are continuall foun­taines of sinne, and therefore our heads also must be continuall fountaines of sorrow, to allay in some mea­sure the stench of that filthy puddle. Peter after his [Page 49] bitter teares was yet thrice pinched with that nip­ping question, Symon louest thou me? that he might yet be more seriously humbled. And to the same Ioh. 21. purpose would God needes speake the second time out of the whirle-winde, to Iob though repenting at the first speaking. So repenting Ionas must bee Iob 40. throwen into the sea, and humbled, Dauid must be further humbled with the losse of his childe, with the treasons and villanies of Absolon. God would neuer haue the wounds of godly sorrow so skinned vp, but that they may bee ready to bleede a fresh vpon euery occasion. Yea, he would haue a con­tinuall issue kept in them. Dauid mourned at Na­thans rebuke: but that mourning could not con­tent him. He goes to it a fresh in the 51. Psalme, and euen soakes and souses himselfe in this brine. It is a deep and piercing sorrow that God requires. Euen such a one that should drowne all other sor­rowes. As when the stone and gout meet toge­ther, the paine of the stone beeing the more gree­uous, takes away the sense of the gout: euen so should it be with vs heere. When sinne and affli­ction Cumque sit exi­lium, magis est mihi culpa dolo­ri. Est que pati poenam, quam mernisse minus. are both vpon vs at once, the desert of the punishment should so grieue vs, that the punish­ment it selfe should not bee heeded. But it is con­trary: Worldly sorrow blunts the edge of Godly.

2. Rule. Though this sorrow must be the chie­fest, yet it must be moderated, for though we can­not exceed in the displeasure of our willes against sinnne; yet we may in the testification of this dis­pleasure in weeping, fasting, pining, and macera­ting [Page 50] the body. Besides that in the best there is a mixture of the Legall humiliation with the Euan­gelicall; and it is one of Sathans wiles to draw vs from godly sorrow to desperation. Whereupon Paul willeth the Corinthians to looke that the ince­stuous person should not be swallowed vp of too much hea­uinesse. 2 Cor. 2 7. 8 11. For as too much hony is not good, so nei­ther too much wormewood. That weeping is not good which blindes the eye of our faith, but only that which quickens it.

3. Rule. Sorrow must be proportioned to our Quam magna deliquimus tan­granditer defle­amus. Cypr. sinnes. The greater our sinne the fuller must bee our sorrow. Dauid was not so much afflicted for his other lesser infirmities, as for his murther and adultery. The medicine must bee answerable to the malady. The antidote to the poyson.

CHAP. V. Of the vse and excellency of Humiliation.

THe third point to be considered in Humilia­tion 3. The vse and excellency of it in that is the Vse and Excellency therof, which shewes it selfe in many particulars.

1. It is the ground of all true renouation and re­formation. 1. It is the ground of reformation. We cannot alter the forme of our ves­sels of mettall which dislike vs, vnlesse we melt and dissolue them, and then may wee cast them into what mould we will. Such vessels when they are [Page 51] broken may be bound vp, or holpen by soddering, but thats nothing, vnlesse they bee molten, and so made new againe. No more will any thing helpe throughly to amend our sinnefull hearts, as long as they remaine in their hardnesse, till they bee throughly liquefied and molten in true humiliati­tion; Ierem. 5. 3. They haue made their faces harder then a stone (saith Ieremy) they haue refused to returne. Therefore Iam. 4. 8. 9. 10. the Apostle bidding vs to clense our hearts and purge our hands of our sinnes, withall biddeth vs to suffer the affliction of godly sorrow, and to humble our selues vnder the hand of God: shewing that sin sticks so close to our hearts, that we shall neuer get it out vnlesse wee euen wring and rent them with this Ioel. 2. sorrow.

And heere is a speciall excellency of godly sor­row, Mulctatus est quispiam pecu­nijs, tristatus est, mulctam non emendauit: filium amisit, doluit, mortuum non resuscita­uit &c: pecca­uit quis, trista­tus est, peccatis deleuit, dissolum delictum. Chry­sost. ad pop. An­tioch. Rom. 5. which shewes indeede that sorrow hath little or no vse any where els, saue in humiliation for sin. For greeue wee neuer so much for losse of friends, goods, good name, we cannot get rid of our cros­ses, but together with our griefe they abide by vs; But sorrow for sinne shakes and batters it in pee-peeces, and eases the conscience of it. Sorrow ther­fore is neuer well bestowed, but heere. It were ab­surd to apply a medicine for the head to the feete; So to apply sorrow the salue for sinne to afflictions and crosses, where it does no good. Weep therfore for thy selfe, not for thy beasts, fling not awaye such precious sweete water into the channell or sincke-hole, but keepe it for to sent the closet of thine owne heart with, against the euill sauours of thy sinnes.

2. Humiliation is the procurer of all other gra­ces. God resisteth the proud, but giueth grace to the 2. The pro­curer of grace. 1 Pet. 5. humble, For all the grace that God giues is obtai­ned by prayer. But proud Pharisies that feele no wants, well may they giue thankes, but pray they will not, Luc. 18. 10. 11. The rich are too stout to begge, onely the poore speake with supplica­tions, Prou. 18. saith Salomon. Onely the poore in spirit that mourne in the sense of their hunger, and thirst, wil open their mouthes wide in the cries of hearty prayer, and therefore they onely shall bee filled with good things, when the rich shall bee sent empty away. Therefore Christ calling sinners to him, in the first place biddes them to be humble and Matth. 11. meeke. For meeknesse fits vs to conuerse sweetely with men, but humility first prepares vs to receiue those graces of God, which makes our conuersing with men sweete and amiable. The Lord is neere Psal. 34. (saith Dauid) to the contrite in spirit. God is high a­boue all, but loe a mysterie, saith Austin. The low­er a Christian is, the neerer is he to this high God. For the Lord hath two palaces, as it is in Isay: one of glory, and thats in Heauen. Heauen is my throne &c. Another of grace heere on earth; and thats Is. 66. 1. 2. the heart of a contrite sinner.

3. Humiliation is the preseruer of grace procu­red. 3. The Pre­seruer of grace. And therefore compared to a strong founda­tion, vpholding the building against the force of winde and weather. Onely those streames of grace hold out, that flow out of the troubled fountaine of a bruised spirit. An vnhumbled professor quick­ly starts back, euen as an vnbroken egge, or chesnut [Page 53] leapes out of the fire. Grace is no where safe, but in a sound and honest heart. Now onely the hum­ble heart is the honest heart. Onely a rent and Non est cor in­tegrum nisi sit scissum. broken heart, is a whole and sound heart. The drosse cannot be purged out of the gold, but by melting. Crooked things cannot bee straightned but by wringing. Now humiliation is that which wrings, and melts vs, and makes vs of drossie pure, of crooked straight, and vpright, and so, sound, du­rable, and perseuering Christians.

4. Humiliation is that which commends all our 4. The Com­mander of our seruices. seruices, making them both profitable to our selues to our brethren, and acceptable to the LORD. Christ preferred the teares of that repenting wo­man before all the delicates of the Pharisies table. Bottles hath he for the least drops. So precious are they with him. A little of this soueraigne baulme water is worth in Gods account more then a whole poole of the mudde of confused, distempered worldly sorrow. The Sacrifices of God are a bro­ken and contrite spirit. The plurall number is in Psal. 51. steed of the superlatiue degree with the Hebrewes, and so notes the excellency of this sacrifice, as be­ing the salt that seasons all other sacrifices. To him Is. 66. 2. 3. will I looke (saith the Lord) that is poore, and of a con­trite spirit. He that killeth a bullocke (namely, without this contrite heart whereby hee must first kill his owne corruption) is as if he slew a man, or blessed an Idoll. In effect thus much now. He that receiueth the Communion without Humiliation, is as if hee went to the Masse. For though God would not haue his Altar couered with the teares of worldly [Page 54] sorrow, Mal. 2. 13. yet hee would of spirituall, as not rellishing any sacrifice without them. What good does all our hearing doe vs, as long as wee want Iosiahs melting hart? no more then the strokes of the hammer doe the anuile. All our prayers what are they but idle prattle, if they be not pier­cingly darted out of the Publicanes smitten heart? no prayer strikes Gods eares, but his whose heart was first stricken with Gods hand. Neither com­monly doe any exhortations preuaile with others which proceed not from an affected heart. Origen Sanctorum e­nim non tan­tum verba, sed & ipsi aspectus spiritali gratia pleni sunt. Chrysost. after his fall reading for his text that Psal. 50. What hast thou to doe to take my word into thy mouth &c. and not able to speake for teares, set all the Congre­gation a crying. So effectuall is the very silence of a touched heart. See the example of the woman of Samaria, Ioh. 4. 39. mightily preuailing with her neighbours, Christ hauing before humbled her.

5. Humiliation is the way to true exaltation. 5. The way to exaltation Godly sorrow is the mother of true ioy: for it giues a vent to sinne, that lies heauy vpon the con­science, as lead, and so the heart eased of that bur­then, is light. Blessed are they that mourne (saith Matth. 5. Christ) for they shall bee comforted. But woe bee to you that laugh: for yee shall weepe. Because the fire of Gods mercy and loue could not make you weepe heere the fire of hell shall heereafter. Blessed are they, that weepe heere where there are wiping hand-kerchers in the hands of Christ. Els they shall weepe heereafter, euen when they shall see all the teares of the mourners in this life wiped a­way; Happy art thou if thou weepe heere, where [Page 55] thy teares may be water to quench the fire of thine own concupiscence; Else shalt thou weep where thy teares shall bee oyle to feede those eternall flames. Happy art thou, if in godly indignation thou gnashest thy teeth at thy sinnes heere. Else shalt thou in a desperate murmuring gnash them in hell at thy punishment, and gnaw out thy very tongue for sorrow. Miserable is that mourning in hell, where the Diuell the tormentor is at hand with his Scorpions. But happy is the mourning heere, where the Spirit, the Comforter is at hand with his oyle to supple thy wounds. Repenting teares are the wine of God, and his Angels. Well mayest thou expect from them the oyle of their comfort, when thou hast giuen them the wine of thy teares.

CHAP. VI. Of the the examination of our hearts by the Law.

THe last point followeth, and that the chiefest 4. The pra­ctise of Humiliation in two things. of all, namely the practise of Humiliation.

• And it consisteth in two points
  • 1. In the inward working of it in the heart.
    1. Inward working.
  • 2. In the outward expressing of it when it is wrought.

In the inward working of it two spciall dueties must be practised. 1. In con­sideration of our owne wayes.

• 1. Consideration of our owne wayes to God.
• 2. Of Gods wayes to vs.

1. For the first; There will bee no sorrow for an euill not knowen. Sinne must bee seene, be­fore it can bee sorrowed for, I agnize my sinne (saith Psal. 38. 18. Dauid) and am sorry for mine iniquity. Onely sinners, that is, such as know and feele themselues to bee Matth. 9. sinners, are called to Repentance. Ieremie calling Ierem. 3. 13. the Church to Repentance, first biddes her know her iniquity. After Christ had discouered to Laodi­cea Reuel. 3. her miserable estate of pouerty, blindnesse, na­kednesse, he bids her repent.

Now vnto a true sight of sinnne, there is requi­red a narrow search after it, and serious considera­tion of it. Man suffers for sinne, saies the Prophet: But how shall we know for what sinnes? The next Lam. 3. 39. 40. words shew, Let vs search and try our waies, and turn to the Lord. The heart is deepe and deceitfull, and (as in such houses where malefactors are hid) many Ierem. 17 9. secret lurking holes are there for sinne, vnespied, vnlesse a more through search bee vsed. There fore the Prophet exhorting to this dutie, sayes, Gather your selues, that is, gather your wits together, that dispersed and wandred about vanities, and in­tentiuely Hagg. 2. 1. fixe them vpon the consideration of your owne estate. Indeed in the examination of a close and cunning companion, the Iudge had need haue his eyes in his head. In the practise of Repen­tance wee sit as Iudges vpon our selues, and our [Page 57] sinnes, and therefore in the examination and triall of them had neede haue our wits about vs. And therefore the Prophet bids vs examine our hearts on our beds, in the still silence of the night, when there Psal. 4. is nothing to distract vs, and when after our first sleepe our wits are freshest.

And this he prescribeth as the only way to true humiliation. Tremble, and sin not. There is humili­ation. And that ye may do so, speake in your selues, commune with your own hearts, examine your reines,

This is the first thing noted in that Prodigals Repentance. He came to himselfe (saith Christ) and sayd &c. By his sinne, as he wandred from God, so Luc. 15. 17. from himselfe, hee was a stranger at home in his owne soule. He was as it were a mad man, besides himselfe, he had not the vse of his reason, to consider his owne estate, and therefore now beginning to bethinke himselfe of his doings, he is sayd to come to himselfe. A phrase of the same nature is that of Salomons concerning the Repentance of the Israe­lites, When they shall turne to their owne hearts and re­turne. 1 King. 8. 47. The beginning of returning to God, is this turning to, or vpon our owne hearts, and taking notice how matters goe there. The minde hath many motions and turnings about: but the best is, when in this graue and sad consideration it turns and reflects vpon it selfe. Else what is it for her to mount vp into the heauens, to compasse about the whole earth, to flie ouer the seas, to descend downe into the bottome of the Deepe, if whiles thus busie abroad, she be idle at home, & knowing other things remaine ignorant of her selfe?

Dauid though a King, and had many things to thinke vpon, yet neglected not this. I haue conside­red Psal. 119. 59. my wayes, saith he. And what followed? Vpon consideration lamenting them, I turned my feet into the wayes of thy testimonies. It is impossible the stray­ing traueller should returne into the way, that markes not, nor mindes not his way, that thinkes not with himselfe, Am I in the right? When God will bring the wandring lost sinner home, he puts such thoughts as these into his heart, God hath placed thee heere in this world, made thee after his image, endued thee with reason and vnderstan­ding; surely, to doe some thing more then bruite beasts doe, who minde onely things present; euen to seeke and serue him according to his Word. But tell me now ô my soule, doest thou answer this end of thy creation? doest thou set God before thine eyes? nay rather, doest thou not the cleane con­trary? so Ezechiel describes the Repentance of the Israelites, Then shall yee remember your owne waies and Ezek. 16. 61. Ezek. 18. 28. courses, and be ashamed. And againe, Because hee con­sidereth, and turneth away from his transgressions. For this Consideration instructs a man throughly in the knowledge of his estate. And after I was thus in­structed, I repented, saith Ephraim. We see in nature Ier. 31. 18. 19. there is the same instrument of seeing and weeping, to shew that weeping depends vpon seeing. Hee that sees well, weeps well. Hee that sees his sinnes throughly, will bewaile them heartily.

Loe then the cause of that great hardnesse of heart, and senslesnesse that raigneth this day in the world; Euen that brutish in consideration, that [Page 59] men go on, walking rashly, and minde not what they Leuit. 26. do, or in what case they stand to Godward. No man repented, saith Ieremie, but why? no man sayd, What Ierem. 8. 6. haue I done? But as the horse rusheth into the battell, so they into their sinnes, blessing and flattering them­selues therein; and putting away all such thoughts as should but once offer to make their courses que­stionable. Bankerouts will not endure the sight of the counting-booke, nor fowle faces of the looking glasse. Guilty Rahels will bee loath to rise when searching Laban comes. Nay, Elephants out of the conscience of their owne deformity, will be trou­bling the waters.

But if indeed we desire to worke our hearts vn­to godly sorrow, wee must then deale faithfully with them, and truly enforme them of their estate. And to this purpose an Inquisition must be erected, an Audit must bee kept in them. Many a man prayes, and confesses his sinnes, and performes Matth. 6. such like outward exercises of Repentance, yet without any inward touch, because they doe not as Christ counselleth, enter into the closet, and se­cret parlour of their hearts, and there behold their many, and greeuous sinnes; the sight whereof would make them pray with greeued & troubled spirits, and euen poure out their soules vnto the Lord in the teares of Repentance.

It were to be wished that we had the fore-wit to consult of that wee doe before hand, and to say, what am I a doing? But if heere we be inconsiderate, we must yet at the least haue the after-wit, to exa­mine that which is done, and to say, what is this we [Page 60] haue done. In the creation when God reviewed at the end of euery day, the worke of the day, and at the end of the sixe dayes, the whole and all the parts, and seeing all to bee good, and very good, how thinke we was hee cheered? The repenting sinner when hee shall recount his dayes past, and take a suruay of his seuerall actions therein, and finde all naught,, and very naught, how can so ruefull a specta­cle, but worke much griefe, and pensiuenesse of minde.

A dead carkasse when whole, sends foorth a fil­thy stench; much more when it is cut vp and ope­ned. Sinne considered in grosse is odious and vgly enough. But when by examination it shall bee a­natomized, and euery particular thereof discoue­red, ô how terrible must such a sight bee, and how auaileable to a through humiliation.

But of the necessity and vse of thy Examination & search of hart, and life in the practise of true con­trition, there is no question. All the difficulty is, how we should examine.

For our direction therefore heerein know that in this search wee must labour to finde out two things.

• 1. Our sinne.
• 2. Our misery by reason of sinne.

In the search of sinne, both Originall and Actuall sinne must be found out.

1. For Originall sinne, we must know that in it are two things.

1. The Guilt of the first sinne of Adam, in eating the forbidden fruit. For in Adam as the roote of [Page 61] all mankinde we all sinned. And if wee had no in­herent sinne of our owne, this imputed sinne of Rom. 5. his were enough to damne vs.

2. That which necessarily followeth vpon the former; The generall corruption, and deprauati­on of our whole nature: and it consists in these two points.

1. The whole man is in Euill. Euery part and power of soule and body is infected with this le­prosie: from the Crowne of the head to the soales of the feet, there is nothing but boiles and botches.

2. Whole euill is in man; that is to say, the seeds of, and so a fitnesse to all sinnes, euen the most odi­ous. As the Chaos at the first creation had the seeds Gen. 1. 2. of all creatures, and wanted onely the spirits mo­tion to bring them foorth: so this Chaos and masse of sinne hath the seedes of all sinnes, and wants but the powerfull motion of Sathan, and warmth of his temptations to hatch euen Cockatrices, and such like poysoned monsters. O how should this humble vs to thinke what venomed natures wee haue, so that neuer was there any villany commit­ted by any forlorne Miscreant wherunto we haue not a disposition in our selues. We cry out of Cain, Iudas, Iulian, the Sodomites. Why, we carry them all in our own bosoms. They are but glasses to see our Prou. 27. 19. faces in: as in the water, face answereth to face, so doth the heart of man to man, saith Salomon. As there is a full agreement twixt the liuing face, and the representation in the water, so twixt Iudas his heart, and any other mans: as there is the same na­ture of all lyons, so of all men.

Let then the schoole-men goe and teach that Thom. in supple. Contrition is not for Originall, but onely Actuall, and those mortall sinnes. But he that shall in sear­ching see what a bottomlesse gulfe, what a filthie sincke it is, shall see what cause he hath to bewaile it with Paul, and with Dauid. Rom. 7. Psal. 51.

II. For Actuall sinnes, we must search out what we can.

• 1. The number.
• 2. The hainousnesse of them.

1. As touching the number, diuers directions for search may be giuen.

A man may consider himselfe according to those diuers relations wherein he stands bound to God, to himselfe, to his brethren, either in the Church as a Minister, in the Common-wealth as a Magistrate, in the family as father, mother, childe, master, seruant, husband, wife. Now a man should carry himselfe along through all these considerati­ons, and examine himselfe of the discharge of his duty, and in euery one of them.

Or else he may deuide his time according to the seuerall places and conditions, wherein hee hath passed it. So much time spent in my Parents fami­ly: so much in apprentishippe: so much in single life: so much in marriage: so much priuately: so much in this or that publique calling: so much in this towne, so much in that: so much in this house, so much in that. And heere he must examine him­selfe how he hath filled vp the empty spaces of his houres; what good he hath done in these seuerall portions of time.

But the best way of examination is by the Law of the ten commandement truely vnderstood, and applied. For many will acknowledge themselues sinners in grosse, but come to the particulars of the Law, and then they are innocent, they neuer brake either the first, or second, or third &c. comman­dement. Like as if a man saying he were sicke, and being thereupon asked where, and led a long from his head to the feete, should yet then be well in e­uery particular part. The reason is, because the Law is not vnderstood by them; For by the Law Rom 3. (vnderstood) comes the knowledge of sinne.

Therefore to helpe vs in examining our hearts by the Law, these rules of interpretation must bee remembred. 1. Vnder the negatiue, the affirma­tiue is comprehended. When euill is forbidden, the contrary, good is commanded. 2. Vnder one good or euill action, all of the same kinde or nature are comprehended, yea, all occasions and meanes leading thereto. 3. The Law is spirituall, and bindes euen the heart and thoughts thereof. 4. The Law requires not onely our obseruation, but preseruation, that is, that we doe not only keep it our selues, but cause others also what in vs lieth to keep it. And therefore it forbids not only the doing of euill our selues, but helping, or any way furthering of others, though but by silence, conniuence, or slight reproofe, as that of Eli to his sonnes. This rule is gathered out of the fourth commandement; Thou, thy sonne &c. which by proportion must be applied to all the rest. 5. That specially wee must search our selues by the first and last com­mandement: [Page 64] for that they pierce deeper then the rest, euen to thoughts not consented to.

Thus conceiuing of the Law lay it to thy heart, and try thy selfe by it, and loe with Ezekiel still shalt thou see new, and fresh abhominations

1. Command. Thou shalt haue no other Gods but mee.

Thou wilt say, I beleeue that there is onely one true God, maker of heauen and earth, and I defie all the Idols of the Heathen.

Answ. Yea, but the Law is spirituall, and claimes the heart, the affections, the thoughts. In the which looke how many sinnes are cherished, so many false gods are there chosen, as it were Bar­rabasses rather then Christ. Looke how many creatures thou inordinately louest, fearest, trustest, reioycest in, so many new gods hast thou coyned: and wilt thou then plead not guilty this comman­dement arraigning thee?

2. Command. Thou shalt not make any grauen image.

O sayes one, I abhorre the Popish images, and the idolatry of the masse. Yea, but vnder the ne­gatiue, the affirmatiue is comprehended. Doest thou loue the true worship of God, as thou hatest the false. Thou detestest Popish fasting; louest thou true fasts? Thou loathest the masse: Delightest thou in the supper of the Lord? Thou despisest the Priests of Antichrist: Reuerencest thou the mini­sters of Christ? These interrogatories will pose and pulse many.

3. Command. Take not Gods name in vaine.

I heare thee saying; I cannot away with swea­ring. Yea, but doest thou reprooue others swea­ring, Leu. 5. 1. for the Law must be preserued, not obserued onely. Againe, vnder Gods name is com­prehended his word, workes, and whatsoeuer it is whereby he makes himselfe knowen, According to the rule, vnder one kinde &c. And diddest thou neuer heare sermons vnpreparedly, irreuerently? &c.

4. Command. Keepe holy the Sabaoth.

Why we worke not; we trauell not. Wee come to Church. Yea, but the Law is spirituall, and re­quireth euen the rest of thy heart from worldly thoughts, much more of thy tongue from worldly speeches. And how often hast thou here offended.

5. Command. Honour thy father &c.

O I should be vnnaturall if I did not so. Yea, but thy Magistrate, thy Minister, thy Husband, thy Master, thy Superiours are thy Fathers also. And hast thou no way failed in performance of honour to all these? And thou that art any of these fathers hast thou preserued this Law? or rather by an vn­beseeming carriage hast thou not inuited thy infe­riours to contemne thee?

6. Command. Thou shalt not kill.

Heere thou thinkest thy selfe innocent indeede. Yea, but there is a murther of the heart, hatred, wrath &c. Perhaps by greeuing the heart of thy brother vniustly thou hast shortned his dayes. Or if free from bodily murther, yet haply thou hast murthered his soule by thy negligence, by thy e­uill example.

7. Command. Against Adultery.

Here also the lust of the heart, yea, the vse of a­ny prouokements thereof, as idlenesse, drunken­nesse, gluttony, wanton bookes, lookes, pictures, dances, speeches, vesture, gesture are sufficient to make thee guilty before God: yea, winking at it in others.

8. Command. Against stealing.

Heere euen Couetousnesse is a Pick-purse before God. Yea, and not to vphold the estate of our bro­ther is stealing, for the poore are made owners of part of our goods. Prou. 3.

9. Command. Against false witnesse bearing.

Where lying, flattering, detracting, listning to tales, yea, not giuing testimony to thy brothers name, and commending Gods grace in him, makes thee guilty.

10. Command. Cuts to the very quicke, con­demning the very first motions of sinnes springing out of our hearts, though reiected presently.

Well then, this filthy dunghill, how euer vnstir­red it did not annoy vs, yer after this raking in it the stench will bee intollerable. Though in our blindnesse wee might please our selues, yet when our eyes are opened to looke in this glasse, ô what vgly creatures shall wee thinke our selues then? Though in the darke seeing no danger, wee were fearelesse, yet by this light discerning not onely the beames, but euen the least moates, and seeing so infinite a swarme of sinnes, yea, an army of ini­quities incompassing vs, how can we chuse but be confounded in our selues, and forced to cry out [Page 67] with Iob, Not one of a thousand: and with Dauid, If thou markest what is done amisse, who shall abide it. Psal. 130. 3.

2. Besides the number of our sinnes, their hai­nousnesse must also be found out. A sore which at first seemes nothing, by reason of the small quanti­ty of skin that is broken, afterward being searched, and launched, and the dead flesh taken out, the hole is much greater then before. So sinnes which seeme small and petty sinnes to carnall ciuill men, such as they thinke may easily be washed away with a few formall cursory prayers, when once they be­gin to search them by the Law, they appeare out of measure sinnefull.

There is no greater hinderer of serious humilia­tion, then that tricke of extenuation, whereby men deale with their sinnes, as the steward with his ma­sters debts, for an hundred, he set downe fifty. But Luc. 16. if wee would make our hearts bleede in godly sor­row, wee must strictly presse euery circumstance, whereby it may be aggrauated. It is noted in Pe­ters weeping that he first weighed his sinne, and con­sidered the heightning circumstances, the person Mar. 14. 72. denied, Iesus Christ, the Lord of glory, his owne person that denied, a Disciple of Christ, the means hee had to haue kept him, Christs admonition, the manner, with swearing and cursing, and that not once but often. So doth Dauid amplifie his sinne by his knowledge, Psalm. 51. Thou hast taught mee wisdome in my secret parts. I cannot plead ignorance, Psal. 51. 6. thou hast most familiarly and fully acquainted mee with thy will.

In this search also the place where, and the time [Page 68] when the sinne was committed would bee inqui­red after. Drunkennesse on the Sabaoth, swearing in the Church-assembly, receiue increase of filthi­nesse from the holinesse of the time and place. Ho­sea thus brands the drunkennesse of the Nobles. In the day of the King, wherein either his birth or Hos. 7. 5. coronation was solemnized, which craued Prayers rather then Cups, euen then they made themselues drunke with flagons of wine.

Inquire also whether the sinne haue been repea­ted often, and specially after Repentance, and how long it hath beene continued in: for custome and daily practise ripens sin. Idlenesse to the twelfth houre is greater then to the sixt. And this is the search we must make for our sinnes.

2. As our sinne, so our misery procured by sin must be considered and beheld in the Law. Euen the curse of God begun heere, and to bee perfited heerafter in torments easelesse and endlesse. Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all the things written in Deut. 27. 26. this booke. And this curse must be applyed to e­uery particular Commandement, and not to the whole Law onely.

When thus wee shall know our estate, our na­ture to bee poysoned, our liues laden with innu­merable, & those hainous and horrible rebellions, bringing vs into the state of condemnation, on our parts wholly vnauoydable; when a man shall know all this, what flinty brest is there that cannot be mooued? Strike the rocke of thy heart, with the rod of the Law, discouering thy sinne, thy mi­sery, and riuers of water will gush foorth.

And this is the first duty for prouoking of god­ly sorrow the consideration of our owne wayes. 2. In Consi­deration of God wayes of

The second followeth, the consideration of Gods wayes, both of

• Iustice.
• Mercy.
  1. Iustice, And Lam. 3.

1. Of Iustice: It worketh much vpon the heart, when a man considers how the Lord hath met with him in his sinne, and hath shaped answerable punishments. My soule hath them (namely the gall and wormewood of my afflictions) in remembrance, & is humbled within me, saith the repenting Church. So Haggay prouoking the Iewes to Repentance. Hagg. 1. 6. Consider (saith he) your wayes in your hearts: but so, that withall yee consider Gods wayes proportiona­ble in the punishment, to yours in the sinne. Yee haue sowen much, and haue reaped little, yee haue eaten and haue not beene filled, drunken, and not satisfied, &c. marke the long taile of punishments your sinnes haue drawen after them.

So the Church of Ephesus being called to Repen­tance, is first bidden to remember from whence shee is Reuel. 2. 5. fallen by her sinne, what she had lost thereby, viz. the presence of the spirit, boldnesse of faith, peace of conscience, ioy in the holy Ghost, free accesse vnto God in praier. Such losses throughly thoght vpon will pierce the heart with godly sorrow, and make the fallen Christian say with Iob, Oh that it Iob 29. were with me as in times past, and with Dauid, When I remember these things my soule is powred out within Psal. 42. mee.

2. Of Mercy; where the patience, prouidence, 2. Of mercy. [Page 70] bounty, and kindnesse of the Lord is seriously to be recognized of vs; knowing as the Apostle spea­keth, that it leadeth vs to repentance. But heere spe­cially Rom. 2. excelleth the meditation of the death and passion of Christ; wherein thou shalt see both the infinitenesse of thy sinne, and Gods loue. And heere consider thy sinnes as the Iudas that betray­ed, the souldiers that apprehended, bound, smote and wounded thy Sauiour, as the gall and vineger in his mouth, spittle in his face, thorns on his head, nailes in his hands, speare in his side. Surely, if a man but vnwittingly should kill, though the silli­est and basest man that is, it could not yet but be a great trouble vnto him. What then should this be to vs, that we haue wilfully murthered the Lord of glory, the sonne of God himselfe?

Behold also Gods infinite loue, and see Christ doing the same to thy sinnes, which they to him, and in suffering death at their hands, inflicting death on them, and all other thy spirituall ene­mies: for God doth that to his enemies to make vs relent, which he bids vs doe to ours: If thine enemie hunger giue him meat, if he thirst giue him drinke. Nay, Rom. 12. 20. when we Gods enemies were dead hee gaue vs life, and that by the death of his owne sonne, and so hath heaped coales of fire on our heads, to melt our harts in godly sorrow. The way then to pierce our hearts with sorrow for sin, is to behold Christ pierced with nailes on the crosse. Then shall they looke on mee whom they haue pierced, and lament. Ezech. 12.

And this is the consideration both of our own, and Gods wayes, required as an incentiue and prouoke­ment [Page 71] of godly sorrow. The which shall bee farre more effectuall, if we keepe iournals or day-bookes of them both, both of our speciall sinnes, and Gods speciall mercies: for then in the exercises of Re­pentance may we the more easily set our sinnes in order before our eyes, and for the better affecting of our hearts, may we spread the catalogue of our sinnes before the Lord, as Ezekiah did Rabsakehs 2. Kin. 19. 14. blasphemous letter. This course holy Bradford tooke, and some thinke Iob did so, because of that speech, Not one of a thousand.

CHAP. VII. Of Confession and Deprecation.

HVmiliation wrought in the heart, must bee expressed outwardly both in word & action. 2. Outward expressing it in word.

• In word by his
  • Confession of sinne, and
  • Deprecation.

• In Confession consider
  • 1. Parts.
    1. In Confes­sion. In it 1. parts which are 2.
  • 2. Manner.

The parts of confession are two. 1. Accusing of our selues. 2. Iudging of our selues.

Both these are necessary duties. For by accusing 1. Accusation In which. our selues we preuent Sathan; by iudging our selues we preuent God. When we haue accused our selues [Page 72] what can Sathan that accuser of the brethen say, which wee haue not sayd before, so his mouth is stopt: Hee comes too late: wee being Accusers, God is our Discharger, and what then shall Sathan be but a Slanderer?

By iudging of our selues, doe wee likewise put God out of office: for he will say, loe how this man iudgeth himselfe: I will not therefore iudge him. If in Ahabs hypocryticall iudging, seest thou not 1. Kin. 21. 29 how Ahab humbleth himselfe, I will not therefore humble him, how much more in the sincere and seuere iudging of the Godly. Indeed in iudging of others, Iudge not least ye be iudged; but in iudg­ing Matth. 7. 1. of our selues, iudge that ye be not iudged. 1. Cor. 11.

Now for the former, namely the accusing of our Three things selues, there must be these three things therein.

1. A particularizing of our sinnes. In an accu­sation 1. Particulari­zing of sinne. it is not enough to accuse in generall, but we must come to particulars, and charge the accused with this or that crime. How can the Physitian helpe him that saies he is not well, and will not tell him where. Many deale with God in the confessi­on of their sinnes, as Nebuchadnezar with his In­chanters Dan. 2. about his dreame: that hee had dreamed hee told them, and desired an interpretation; but what his dreame was he could not tell. So many confesse themselues sinners, and desire pardon. But wherein they haue sinned, and what their sinnes are, they cannot, or will not tell. Generall Confessions, and in grosse, are too too grosse. No, they must be particularly remembred, and ranked, and sorted together in order.

2. And beeing thus set in order, some of thy chiefest sinnes must be culled out, which haue bin 2. Calling out the chiefe. most dishonourable to God, and discomfortable to thine owne soule. Thus Paul in his confession insists specially in that grand and capitall sinne of persecution. I persecuted the Church of God. And so those Israelites. Besides all other our sinnes, wee haue 1. Tim. 1. 13. 1. Sam. 12. 19. sinned in asking a King. For he that truely and seri­ously repents of one sinne, specially his deerest and sweetest sinne, will much more repent of his other lesser sinnes. Hee that will shake off his greatest friends, will much more forsake the meaner, and lesse respected. And indeed vsually Repentance is first occasioned by some one speciall hainous sinne layd to heart. The Apostles Acts 2. doe specially presse the murther of Christ vpon the Iewes, and Acts 17. Ignorance vpon the Athenians, & Christ adultery vpon the woman of Samaria, calling her to repentance. As in battels, though they fight a­gainst the whole Army, yet specially against the Head and Generall; as Fight neither against great, 1. Kin. 22. nor small, but against the King of Israel: so specially we must set our selues in our confession against our Master sinnes; the King being caught, the rest will neuer stand out.

3. Though we must specially dwell vpon some of our most speciall sinnes, yet the rest must not be 3. Yet not neglecting the rest. neglected: for as Confession must be particular, so also must it be full. And our more greeuous offen­ces must bring the rest to our remembrance. As Dauids murther and adultery brought euen his birth-sinne to his minde. And that sin of strange Psal. 51. [Page 74] wiues many other sinnes to Esraes minde. As we in correcting our children for one fault thereupon Esr. 9. remember them of, and reckon with them for many other before; and as in accusation, when a man is endited of some speciall crime, his enemies vpon that occasion bring in whatsoeuer else they can get against him, further to disgrace him: so heere in accusing our selues nothing willingly must bee o­mitted. Take wee heede of spirituall guile in hi­ding ought. Thou mayest hide God from thy selfe, thy selfe from God thou canst not. To the Physician thou wilt discouer euen thy most shame­full diseases, the fruites of thy filthy wickednesse. If thou shouldest conceale but one circumstance of such a disease, it might kill thee. And sixe theeues being entred into thy house, if thou shouldest let but one of them alone vnsearched, and vndiscoue­red, hee would serue the turne to cut thy throat, and steale thy treasure. Thou must then powre out thy whole heart as water, as the Prophet Lam. 2. 19. opened. speaketh: which some of the Ancient haue inter­preted of a full confession, when nothing is left out. As in powring out of water euery drop goes out, not so in powring out of oyle.

Yet in some cases the omission of some perticu­lar sinnes is excusable. As first, in want of know­ledge and memorie. Heere to cry out with Dauid; Psal. 19. Who knoweth the errors of his life? Clense me from my secret sinnes, shall be accepted. Secondly, in want of leysure; as when a man is suddenly preuented by the hand of God, as the theefe on the crosse, or by extreame and violent sicknesse. Heere to remem­ber [Page 75] thy chiefe sinnes, as he his stealing, and for the rest to confesse generally is accepted in mercy of the Lord.

The second part of confession is the iudging of 2. Iudging our selues. Iob. 39. 37. Prou. 30. 2. 2. Sam. 24. our selues. First, for the nature, or quality of our sinnes; wherein wee must bee most seuere against our selues, so was Iob. I am vile; Agar. I am not a man, I haue not the vnderstanding of a man in me; Da­uid. I haue done exceeding foolishly. Though before he thought he had done exceeding wisely. So Paul iudges himselfe the head of sinners, the least of the 1. Tim. 1. 15. 1. Cor. 15 9. Apostles, yea of Saints, yea lesse then the least. He giues himselfe the highest place among sinners, the lowest among Saints. Secondly, for the desert of our sinnes. Heere wee must passe the sentence of the Law, adiudging our selues to death, & so stand before Gods tribunall as guilty persons with ropes about our necks. Ezech. 36. 31. Then shall ye iudge your selues worthy to bee cut off. Daniel. 9. Shame belongs to vs. Luk. 15. I am not woorthy to be called thy sonne.

These be the parts of Confession: the manner fol­lowes; 2. Manner of it in 6. things. wherein sixe things are required.

1. Confession must be in Faith of Gods mercy, 1 In Faith. for forgiuenesse of, and helpe against the sinne con­fessed. Wee must confesse, not as the conuicted malefactor to the Iudge, as Achan to Ioshua, who assures himselfe of certaine death, and lookes for no fauour; but as the sicke man to the Phisition, that hath hope to be cured by him. And here our faith is surer a great deale. For we cannot so assure our selues eyther of the will, or skill of the Physitian [Page 76] to heale vs as of Gods: neither that in the matter of shame he will be so faithfull to vs, as God. Wic­ked men confesse as Iudas, I haue sinned, but des­paire swallows them vp. When they acknowledge their fault, they seeke not Gods mercie; as the Prophet excellently bringeth in God coupling these Hos. 5. 15. two together, Till they acknowledge their fault, and seeke mee. So did Daniel, yet there is mercy and for­giuenesse: Dan 9. Ezr. 10. 2. And Shecaniah, wee haue sinned: yet there is hope in Israel concerning this.

2. It must be in shame, with annihilated, deiected and confounded spirits, as Esra. O my God I am asha­med, 2. In shame. Ezra. 9. and confounded to lift vp mine eies to Heauen: for though faith bee confident, yet not impudent. Though Esra had faith, and called God his God, yet was hee ashamed with his sinne, though not with the shame of a condemned malefactor, yet of a good Sonne or Subiect offending his Father, or Soueraigne. The wickeds presumptuous faith is a shamelesse faith; it makes them shamelesse in sin­ning: and their shame is a faithlesse and desperate shame; They cannot in their shame call God their God with Ezra: But both these must goe toge­ther. Many in confessing begge mercy with the Publicane, but their eyes are not cast downe in god­ly shame as his were. They are not touched with any serious sense of their owne vilenesse, to thinke with Iob, dust and ashes good enough for them. I haue sinned saith Saul, yet I pray thee honour mee in the sight of the people. Lo a proud and high mind in 1. Sam. 15. 30. confession, where our intent principally should be to shame and abase our selues.

3. In sorrow with a bleeding and melting hart, 3. In sorrow. as Dauid, Psalm. 51. In confessing, euery sinne con­fessed should be felt as a dagger pricking vs at the heart. Else the confession of sinne is worse then the sinne confessed, the remedy is worse then the dis­ease; and after such confessions, wee had need to reconfesse our selues for our confessions. It would more anger vs to see those that haue wronged vs confesse their wrong with an impudent forehead without relenting, then the wrong it selfe did which they confesse.

4. With a free-heart; not extorted by the paine 4. With a free heart. of the wracke as Pharaohs was, who when hee was of the wracke, bit in his confession againe, and re­canted; not wrung nor wrested from vs by the dint of argument, as Sauls was by the force of Samuels reasons. Our owne hearts must smite vs with Da­uid, before Gad the seer come to smite vs, and they 2. Sam. 24. must vrge vs out of loue to our God offended, to come and confesse. God loues a cheerefull con­fessor; who needs not to bee laboured vpon by his minister, friends, or neighbours, nor to be haled and pulled to confession by sicknesse, or such like extre­mity: for the vilest hypocrite will stoope then. Ba­laam when hee saw the Angells naked sword could say then I haue sinned. Num 22. 34. 5. With an angry heart.

5. With an angrie and impatient heart against sin, and our selues for sinne. The repenting sinner though hee bee the most patient to God, yet the most impatient to himselfe, and full of indignation to his sinnes. Thus was it with Dauid befooling himselfe in his confession, 1. Sam. 24. 10. and calling [Page 78] himselfe beast, in confessing his distrust in Gods prouidence. Thus was it with Iob, abhorring him­selfe Iob. 42. 6. in his confession, and with the Publican knock­ing himselfe, shewing what mind he carried to his sinne, euen to doe the like to it, and with Ephraim Ier. 31. 9. in anger smiting himselfe on the thigh. This is the way to fall in with God, to fall out with our selues; to bee friends with God, to bee enemies with our selues.

6. It must be with an honest heart, in confessing 6. With an honest heart. of sinne, forsaking the sinne confessed. He that con­fesseth, and forsaketh his sinne, &c. Confession and con­fusion Prou. 28. of sinne must goe together. Heere many er­rors in Confession are discouered.

First many confesse their sinnes in a brauery, as Paul did his religion: I confesse, saith hee, that after Acts 24. 14. the way they call heresie, so worship I the God of my Fathers. So many gracelesse men there are, that doe ioy to make long and large accounts of their leaudnesse, feeding their delights with their liues past, as the dogge returneth to smell of his cast gorge, and the horse to his doung: yea when by Confession they haue disgorged their sinne, they presently with the dogge licke vp their vomit a­gaine. Others there are that are fully set vpon sinne in confessing, As those Israelites that said, we haue sinned: we will goe vp. As much as to say, wee haue Deut. 1 41. sinned: we will sinne; for God forbad them flatly to goe vp. Others there are that, as the Papists, pre­sume to sinne because of confession, thinking by it to bee eased, as the drunkard by vomiting. And though some in their good moodes may seeme in [Page 79] confession verily to purpose amendment, yet these are no sound, no settled, no sincere and honest purposes, but sudden flashings conceiued by their deceitfull hearts rather to auoyd the iudgements felt or feared, then truely to please God. But wee in our confession must imitate that good Shecaniah, who in confessing sinne entred into Couenant Ezra. 10. 2. 3. with the Lord against the sinne confessed. We haue sinned: now therefore let vs enter into couenant with the Lord. Otherwise confession the remedy against sin is turned into sin. The remedy encreaseth the dis­ease. Some of the Heathen in the daies of sacrifice to their Idols for health, did riotously banquet to the preiudice of their health. So to too many of vs in the very selfe same dayes we confesse our sins wee runne afresh to our sinnes. And God in his iust iudgement punishes hypocriticall confession with a further greedinesse of sinning. When the heart is not rent with the garments, the rending of the garments sowes the sinne faster together: when the heart and conscience is not knocked together with the brest, that knocking will neuer batter sin, but consolidate and compact it more firmely to­gether, Tundens pertus, & non corri­gens vitia, ea consolidat. Aug. it will be as the knocking of a naile, which driues it further in.

In the next place to Confession wee must ioyne 2. In Depre­cation. Deprecation, with strong cries crauing pardon, euen as the poore hunger-bitten begger does an almes, or as the cast malefactour pleads for his life at the barre before the Iudge; Thus did Dauid, Haue mercy vpon me ô Lord, according to the multitude of thy com­passions, Psal. 51. &c. And Daniel, O Lord heare, ô Lord Dan. 9. [Page 80] forgiue, againe, and againe repeating his cries.

In these penitentiall prayers we may note these two things: First, that they be deepely serious: the guilty theefe pleading for his life, goes not about to entertaine the Iudges eares with quaint phrases and fine words, but he studies to shew the passion and affection of his heart. There are some lusty beggars, that in begging will keepe a flourishing in their Rhetoricke, such as it is. A wise man will neuer be moued to compassionate them: Hee will thinke they are not throughly hungerbitten, they would vse another kind of dialect then, and leaue their fooleries, and fall to humble and pittiful com­plaints and groanes. As Salomon saies, The poore man speaketh supplications; so the repenting sinner Prou. 18. beeing poore in spirit, speakes supplications. The best flowers he can garnish his prayers with, are his sighes, his sobbes, his groanes, his cries. This is the Rhetoricke of repentance in prayer. The af­fectation of carnall eloquence in prayer, shewes there is little repentance in such praiers.

2 That oftentimes affection in them is so strong that wordes faile, Rom. 8. 26. Dauid when Nathan had wounded him cryed out, I haue sinned. Why, will some say, did he not go on and craue pardon? his inward griefe was such that hee could not in wordes: in desire of heart hee did: his heart was full, and the seedes of the 51. Psalme were then in his breast. So the Publicane said no more but Lord be mercifull to me a sinner, yet there was affection & Luke 18. meditation enough to haue spent a whole day in prayer, and not onely to furnish that one short sen­tence, [Page 81] Lord be mercifull. Some haue more words then matter in their prayers: but humbled repen­tants haue more matter then wordes: and so are streighted, as great throngs of people pressing out at some narrow passage sticke fast, and cannot goe forward but very slowly. Some are very short in praier for want of matter and affection: but repen­ting sinners are short, because of the aboundance of matter and affection; being as full vessells that doe not runne presently at the first piercing, or as the flesh that in deeper wounds bleeds not present­ly. Thus was it with the repenting prodigall: he purposed to speake thus, and thus to his Father, Luc. 15. Namely, Father I haue sinned, &c. make mee but as one of thy hired seruants. Now this last clause he leaues out when he comes to his Father, by rea­son his heart was so surcharged with griefe; his pas­sions drunke vp his speech, as wee see how Christs teares made his speech broken and imperfect, Luk. 19 41. And fit it is indeede there should bee this sweete harmony betwixt the repenting sinners heart and tongue, his broken heart, and his broken prayers.

The vse. Seeing the practise of true humiliation consisteth in these exercises of Confession and depre­cation, let vs in Gods feare buckle to the serious pra­ctise of them. Hast thou sinned? Suffer not sinne to lye vpon thy conscience; Cast vp thy confession suffer not the impostumation any longer to paine thee with the swelling, but giue a vent to the hu­mor and so get ease. Dauid professeth that neither in silence, nor in roaring hee could finde any ease, [Page 82] till he came to confession. But I thought I would con­fesse and then thou forgauest: Among men indeede Psal. 32 Deo peccatum dicere sufficit, et solicitur. In ho­minibus vero contrarium pe­ni [...]us cum pec­catores confessi fuerint tunc magis puniūtur. Chrysost. ad pop. Ant. hom. 3. 1. Iohn 1. 2. Sam. 24. in their Courts confession brings no such priuilege, there, confesse and bee hanged; after confession fol­lowes condemnation: but here confession and iu­stification goe together: If we confesse, God is faithfull to forgiue; it must needs be some special seruice which God promiseth so great a reward vnto. Da­uid after his sinne of numbring the people, proueth himselfe to be Gods seruant, because he confessed it, Take away the trespasse of thy seruant: yea but how darest thou call thy selfe Gods seruant, who hast so lately and so grieuously sinned? He answers, for I haue done foolishly. Though I am not his seruant in playing the foole, yet in confessing my folly I am his seruant. Iob among many fruits of obedience, as Iustice, Mercy, Chastity, whereby hee would proue himselfe Gods seruant, reckons also this of Iob 31. confession: If I haue hid my sinne as did Adam, e­qualling the confession of his sinnes with the best of his vertues. For as hee onely can tell his dreame that is awakened out of his dreame; so he only can confesse his sinne, that is truely and throughly a­wakened out of his sinne by the spirit of God: farre are they from repentance, who in stead of a free and childlike confession after their sinne are ready to vse shifts, excuses, extenuations, minsings, mit­tigations, daubings with vntempered mortar; nay that do sow cushions vnder their elbowes, and lay pillowes vnder their heads, that thy may sleepe se­curely in their sinnes. A pittifull thing it is, that whereas God hath giuen shame to sinne, & bold­nesse [Page 83] to confession, the matter should bee so inuer­ted, Pudorem, et vere undiam Deus dedit pec­cat [...]: Confessio­ni fidutiam. In­uertit rem Di­abolus, et pecca­to fiduciam prae­bet, confessioni pudorem. Non pudet peccare poeuitere pudet. Chrys. Iosh. 7. 19. Dan 9. that men should be impudently bold in sinning and yet ashamed to confesse when they haue sin­ned. Well in concealing thy sinne thou doest but keepe the Diuells counsell, his secretary thou art, whose pollicie it is thus to ouerthrow thee. Hee knowes right well the next way for vs to get glory from God, is to glorifie God. And then doe wee glorifie him, when by confession wee shame our selues. According to that of Ioshua to Achan, My sonne giue glory vnto God, and of Daniel, Glory to thee O Lord, shame to vs. When man will not glo­rifie God by shaming himselfe, God will glorifie himselfe by shaming man. When man will not o­pen his mouth to pleade against himselfe, and his sinnes, God will stop his mouth when hee would faine plead for himselfe before his iudgement seat, and strike him dumbe that hee shall not haue one word to say in his own defence. It is deceit enough that the Diuell should bring vs to sinne: tis double deceit to make vs hide and excuse our sinnes, and so to preuent vs of that mercy which is promised to simple and ingenious confession. Hauing sinned therefore, lay not in the way of Gods mercy the Noli opponere obicem defensi­onis sed aperi sinum confessi­onis Aug. Psal. 51. 1. 2. 3. stumbling blocke of thine owne iustification, but open the lap of thy confession to receiue it; as Da­uid doth, Haue mercy vpon mee, &c. but why? for I know, or acknowledge my iniquity. Well may hee open his lap to receiue Gods mercy, that opens his mouth to confesse his owne misery. Open thy mouth Psal. 81. wide, in hearty prayer and confession, and I will fill it with the sense of fauour and mercy.

CHAP. VIII. Of reall Humiliation.

THe expressing of our Humiliation in Deede 2. In deed. followes: And it consists in three sorts of actions.

• 1. Such as respect our selues.
• 2. Such as respect God.
• 3. Such as respect our brethren.

1. For our selues. And that is, the restraint of 1. In regard of our selues. our selues in the vse of the comforts and pleasures of this life: as meats, mirth, marriage, musicke, ap­parell, company, &c. This restraint must be som­times Ioel 2 15 16. 17. Exod. 33 4. in action, when in more speciall sort we hum­ble our selues in fasting, but alwayes in affection, so that we bee not deuoured, and eaten vp of any earthly pleasure, but may reioyce as though we reioyced 1. Corinth. 7. not. In wearing of sumptuous apparell bee no more puffed vp, nor make any more reckoning of it, then if it were sack-cloath, in faring more dantily be no more prouoked to excesse in gluttony, or to satisfying of our appetite, then if we sate at a poore leane table. Repentance is the sobriety of minde, but wordly pleasures make the minde drunken. This is the heauinesse spoken of Luc. 21. 34. Take heede lest your hearts bee oppressed with surfetting and drunkennesse. It is a drunken heauinesse, not the hea­uinesse of godly sorrow. And indeed this is the rea­son that many are so eager in the pursuits of their [Page 87] pleasures, because they would make Gods Serge­ant, their owne conscience, that pursues them drunken with these pleasures: iust as many men vse to doe, getting the Sergeant that comes to ar­rest them into the Tauerne, and there making him drunke, that so they may escape. This excesse that is in pleasures shewes how little men haue tasted of true humiliation. If they did bathe themselues in salt teares could they bathe themselues in this sweet milke? If they did consider what Christ suf­fred for their sinnes, his want of all these outward comforts, euen of an house to hide his head in, his hunger, thirst, nakednesse, his vineger on the crosse. Could they so fill and glut themselues euen to satiety and surfet with the pleasures of this life, and spend their whole precious time in them? would they not rather steepe their owne dainties in this vineger of godly sorrow, and delay this strong wine with this water, and eate their meats, as the Iewes their Passeouer, with sowre hearbs? If Exod. 12. their spirituall ioy in that Sacrament, where Christ was giuen to the Beleeuer, was to be seasoned with this sorrow, how much more should this outward temporall ioy? Thus did Dauid notably expresse his humiliation: I cause my bed euery night to swimme, Psal. 6. 6. and water my couch with my teares: His bedde is the place of his ease. Now look how he qualefied that one ease, and comfort, so by proportion did he all the rest. Not our beds onely, but our boords, our gardens, our fine buildings, all our delights must be washed with this water, as good Bradford vsu­ally at his dinner vsed to shed teares on his tren­cher. [Page 86] So the woman Luc. 7. sate weeping and wi­ping, while they were eating at table. Ioseph of Arimathea makes his garden or place of pleasure, to be a place of Humiliation, by building a sepul­cher therein. Thus also doth Ieremie, bring in the repenting sinner testifying his humiliation: He sits Lam. 3. 28. alone, retyring himselfe into his closet from his vain and delightfull company, he shuts him vp himselfe close, and layes his mouth in the dust, what then shall we say to our Epicures, to our good fellowes, and the rest of that crue, but that of Amos 6. Woe bee to them that are at ease in Zion, not sitting alone, not wa­shing their beds with their teares, but with their quaffings and carowsings, They lie stretching them­selues on iuory beds, eating the lambs of the flocke, and the calues out of the stall, and sing to the sound of th violl. &c. For as they forget Iosephs affliction, so they forget their owne sinnes: were they remembred, they would be sowre sawce to their sweete meate, and would be as gall and wormewood to imbitter vnto them all their vaine delights.

2. Such as respect God. And those actions are 2. Such as re­spect God are twofold. twofold.

1. Feare, trembling, silence at his rebukes and 1. Feare. threatnings, Is. 66. 2. I looke to him that is of an hum­ble and contrite heart, but who that is, he shewes by the words following, and trembles at my word. A man whose courage is cooled, and naturall spirits wasted, and his very heart broken with crosses in this world is soone taken downe. A little thing daunts such a poore soule, whereas a man of spirit and courage will not be terrified with ones threat­nings. [Page 87] Before our Repentance, oh the stoutnesse and stiffenesse of our hearts against God! Though the Lyon roared neuer so much, wee would not tremble: but when with the hammer of the Law, and happily of some afflictions besides, God hath broken these stout hearts of ours, then alas what a little thing will make vs stoope? An angry word, or an angry looke will more humble vs then, then angry stroakes and stripes could do before. Thus was it with broken heartd Iosiah: he heard the book 2. Kin. 22. 10. 11. of the Law onely read in a priuate place, by a lay­man, and yet his heart melted. Alas we heare the same threatnings not read onely but preached at large, with an edge set on them, in the open Church by Gods Ministers, and yet wee tremble and relent no more then the seates wee sit on, and the stones we tread on. So contrite Hezekiah, when Is. 39. 8. Isaiah threatned him, he bowed, hee tooke not the boldnesse and foole-hardinesse of Ahab against Mi­caiah, and which many now take, to kicke against the Minister and his doctrine, and to say, It is not good which thou sayest, as Ahab sayd, but the word of the Lord, saies hee, is good. Thus was it with Dauid, and so is it with all tender hearted Christi­stians, that when God hides his face, and looks but a little awry on them, then are they sore troubled. So was it with humbled Iob, Behold (sayes he) I am Iob 39. 37. 38. vile, what shall I answer thee, I will lay mine hand vpon my mouth, Once haue I spoken, but I will answer no more, yea twice, but I will proceed no further. So Ionah testi­fies his repentance, by closing his Prophecy with Ion 4. his silence. But many are like those impudent cast­awayes [Page 88] at the last day, that will not sticke to giue God the lie when hee rebukes them by his Mini­sters, Matth. 25. Lord (say they) when saw we thee an hungry, and sed thee not? as if they had said, why doest thou chal­lenge vs of that wherof we were neuer guilty; and so they charge God to charge them falsely.

2. Humble patience in all our afflictions: I say 2. Humble Patience. humble patience; for there is a threefold patience. 1. Constrained and perforce, when a man beares that which he would faine be rid, of, as the damned in hell. 2. Voluntary and cheerefull. But now one may suffer cheerefully when hee that afflicts deales vniustly. And this patience argues a vertue rather in the sufferer, then any iustice in the infli­cter of the punishment. 3. There is therefore an humble patience, when a man acknowledges the righteousnes of his afflictions in regard of his sins: when a man frees and iustifies God, and blames himselfe altogether. So Lam. 3. Wherefore is the Lam. 3. 39. 33. 34. liuing man sorrowfull? Man suffereth for his sinnes, for God doth not punish willingly, nor afflict the children of men: In stamping vnder his feete all the prisoners of the earth. This is that which is called in Scripture, Humbling our selues vnder the hand of God. When we take Gods part against our selues in our crosses, and not our owne parts against God, as the humbled sinner sits alone, and keepes silence, and puts his mouth in the dust, and giues his cheekes to smiters. So the Re­penting Lam. 3. 28. 29. 30. theefe, wee are indeede heere righteously. So the poore woman acknowledged the name of a Luc. 23. 41. dogge at Christs hand, Truth Lord, yet the dogs eat the crummes that fall vnder the table. So the Lord Matth. 15. [Page 85] sayes of the Israelites, that their vncircumcised harts Leuit. 26. 41. should bee humbled, and they should willingly beare the punishments of their iniquities. When then we mur­mure, and like the angry horse stamp, and champ the bit in our crosses, and doe not with the Pro­phet say, I will beare the wrath of the Lord, because I haue sinned against him, wee know not as yet what true humilation is. Mic 7. 9.

3. Such as respect our brethren: and these a­ctions Such as re­spect our bre­thren. 3. 1. In quiet bearing of in­iuries. are threefold.

1. In meeke and quiet bearing all iniuries, vn­kindnesses, and disgraces whatsoeuer. An vnhum­bled wretch cannot suspect the least wrong, but hee swells presently. Whereas if a man bee truely humbled, his humility will tell him; thou deseruest thus to bee vsed, thou art worthy of these wrongs. Loe then true humiliation will make vs not only to take Gods part, but euen our wicked enemies part against our selues, as Dauid tooke Shemeis against himselfe, Let him alone. Dauid beeing humbled 2. Sam. 16. thought there could come no disgrace to him which his sinnes deserued not. So Hezekiah; and his people held their peace when Rabsakeh rayled on them. For none can thinke or speake so vilely of 2. King. 18. 36. an humbled repentant, as he himself thinks of him­selfe. Who could haue said more of Paul then hee himselfe did, when he said hee was the chiefe of sin­ners. 1. Tim. 1. 15. The wicked call Gods children hypocrites, proud, couetous, wordly. Why alas! they call themselues so, and accuse themselues with heauy hearts of all these sinnes vnto the Lord. And wher­as they vse to bee humbled with the sense of these [Page 90] sinnes, they will be so farre from being moued with these clamours of the world, that they will reioyce rather that there is matter, & occasion giuen them to shew and expresse their humiliation. It is an ill signe when a man can put vp no iniury. Moses be­ing a meeke man humbled with the sence of his owne vnworthinesse, with silence passed by the grudgings of Aaron and Miriam. And Dauid when he was reuiled was as a deafe man that heard not, and Numb. 12. Ps. 38. 12. 13. as a dumbe man, in whose mouth was no answer.

2 In not preferring and aduancing our selues a­boue our brethren, but in making our selues equall 2. In not ad­uancing our selues aboue our brethren. with those of the lower sort, and in giuing honour go­ing one before another, accounting the lowest place good enough for vs, choosing the lowest place at the Rom. 12. Luke. 14. feast. And so indeed an humbled sinner will thus a­base himselfe. First of all considering that euen his best part, his soule, is made of nothing. This ex­cellent creature that thus reasons and discourses, not long since was nothing. Now nothing is lesse then a Feather, then a stone, then a moate in the ayre. But then when hee lookes to his sinnes, hee sees himselfe worse then nothing. That ambition then which raignes in men whereby they aspire to the highest places, and iudge themselues worthier then others, shewes plainely that they were neuer yet truely humbled for their sinnes.

3 In not daring Masterly and Iudge-like to cen­sure: 3. In not cen­suring. for the humbled sinner finds so much matter at home within himselfe, that he hath no leysure to looke so much into others. And therfore though seuere to himselfe, yet more milde to others, in [Page 91] meekenesse of minde esteeming euery man better then Phil 2. 3. himselfe. And those faults he sees in others he takes notice of happily in himselfe, or else of others as bad, at least of the seedes and inclinations to those sinnes. Therefore Iames after he had commanded vs to humble our selues, hee addes, speake not euill Aut sumus, aut fuimus, aut pos­sumus esse quod hic est. Iam. 4. 10 11. one of another: For how doth hee humble and cast downe himselfe, that goes about to cast downe o­thers, and trample them vnder his feete.

4 In abasing and submitting our selues to the lowest and meanest offices of loue to our brethren. 4. In submit­ting to lowest offices. Thus the humbled sinner will make himselfe a ser­uant vnto all, and according to the Apostles com­mandement, will serue others by loue; and bearing o­ther 1. Cor 9. 19. Gal. 5. 13. Gal. 6 2. mens burdens so fulfills the law of Christ.

CHAP. IX. Of the contraries to Humiliation, Despaire and a seared Conscience.

HItherto of the grace of Humiliation it selfe: Now to adde a worde or two of the contra­ries to it. Contrary to godly humiliation or contri­tion are these two. 1. Desperation. 2. The block­ish, the seared, and sencelesse Conscience that is past feeling. Both these indeed must be auoyded, but Ephes. 4. yet the latter of the two is more vsuall, and more dangerous, more vsuall; because it is more pleasing [Page 92] to our nature, whereas Desperation is more di­stastefull in regard of the bitternesse. And therfore Sathan wants that bait to bring men to despaire, which he hath to bring men to senslesse security. Therefore heere we may say, as they sang of Saul and Dauid. Desperation slayes thousands, Security Sam. ten thousands, euen as more die of intemperancy of diet, then are killed by the Sword: so though De­spaire be more fearefull, yet Security is more fre­quent. More dangerous also, because Desparation may be turned sooner to good, for that the despai­ring person is touched with the sight of his sins, & feeles his owne misery. But the senslesse conscience is nothing so, it hath neither sight of sin, nor sense of misery.

Both these extreames of Desperation and of Senslesnesse come from one cause, and that is, the neglect of the prickes and wounds of conscience. It is a great mercy of God to giue vs so faire warning from a monitour within our owne bosomes. The warnings others giue vs, wee are ready to except against. Wee cannot except against the warnings of our owne hearts. But as when milder correcti­on preuailes not with our children, wee proceed to seuerer discipline: so when Conscience her gent­ler prickings are neglected, shee falles to deeper wounding and cutting; when rods will do no good, God puts Scorpions into her hands to scourge vs to death. Euery little prick of an accusation fetches as it were some blood from thy soule; Now if pre­sently with a repenting heart thou wouldest craue the bloud of Christ to be applyed to thy soule, the [Page 93] bleeding would be stayed. But because thou neg­lectest the bleeding, and thinkest to stay it by base medicines of thine owne, therefore the wound bleedes still, and thou shalt dye of it. And thus we see how desperation comes from the neglect of the pricks of Conscience.

But againe and that more commonly the Con­science growes seared, and past feeling, so that a man may now sinne freely, and that without con­troule of Conscience, after that hee hath once be­gunne to despise the admonitions and accusations thereof. So we see the Father giues ouer correct­ing his vnhappy child, when hee growes worse for all his correcting of him. Thus many mens consci­ences deale with them speaking in a manner vnto them as God speakes to the Iewes, Why should we smite you any more, since ye fall away more and more? you set light by our warning, we will euen giue o­uer. Isay 1. 5. Conscience is Gods officer, and it is set by God to doe the best office that can bee to vs. But when God sees his officer not regarded, hee will discharge him of his office. When a wound is not taken in time, the flesh festers, and growes dead and rotten: so also it fares with the wounds of Con­science. A wounding Conscience neglected will grow a dead Conscience. O then howsoeuer thou mayst set light by the checkes and rebukes of men, and mayst shake off them. yet neuer reiect or con-contemne the checks of Conscience. In any case take heed of that, for either it will continually ring such a loud peale in thine eares as shall make them to tingle, and thine heart to tremble: or else that [Page 94] which is worse, it shall for euer after hold its peace. Doe wee then feele the priuy nippes, and secret snibs, and pulls of our consciences? Let vs giue ear to so wholsome a rebuker. Let vs seeke presently to the Lord for mercy and forgiuenesse. Let vs hum­ble our soules before him in confession. Let vs put Conscience out of office no otherwise then thus, that as Conscience hath accused vs to our selues, so now we will goe and accuse our selues to our God. For if Consciences roddes, and checks cannot driue thee to Repentance, whose should? Many there are that in regard of their places are free from the rods, and the cheekes of men, as Kings, and great ones: Who dare checke them? None may smite them, yet God in mercy towards them will 2. Sam. 24. 10. haue their Conscience to smite them as Dauids heart smote him, though a King. Conscience takes no notice of Kingship. Therefore all, euen great States, and they of all others must most listen to, and heede the voice of Conscience, lest otherwise it fare with vs as with those whom great and vio­lent noises continually herd, at length make deafe, as in those that dwell by the fall of the riuer Nilus. Or as it doth with vnlucky boyes, who beeing vsed to the rodde, at length harden themselues, and re­gard it not.

CHAP. X. Of the names whereby the second part of Repentance, viz. change of heart is set out in Scripture.

HItherto of the former part of Repentance, 2. The se­cond part of Repentance, Conuersion, where Mourning, Humiliation or Contrition: The se­cond followeth, Turning. Reformation, or Conuersi­on, where consider wee 1. The Names. 2. The Na­ture. 3. The Practise of it.

1. For the names, they are more especially two. 1. The names of it. 1. An Hebrew name signifying Turning or Con­uersion. 2. A Greeke name signifying After-wit, or wisdome.

The first name is a metaphor drawen from tra­uellers, who hauing gone out of their way, must come backe againe and returne into the right way if euer they meane to arriue vnto the intended pe­riod of their iourney. We all are or should be tra­uellers to God, to Heauen-ward: but wee are tur­ned aside into the quite contrary way: we are like the Prodigall departing from his fathers house, like the lost sheepe straying from the fold: therefore we must turne backe againe, and set our faces to wards God, vpon whom wee haue turned our backes. It is impossible his feete should euer stand in Heauen, whose eyes are not turned towards it. Men doe vainely perswade themselues of finding [Page 96] God and his Kingdome with faces turned vpon sinne, and backes vpon God. Excellently doth Isay ioyne together turning and seeking God. A man Is. 9. 13. may long enough seeke an Easterne Countrey in the West, ere he finde it. And as long may hee seeke God in the wayes of sinne and Sathan, ere he shall meet with him. This phrase then sheweth the absolute necessity of Repentance: for as he whose backe being turned vpon me is gone farre from me can neuer be with me, vnlesse he turne his face to­wards me, and so make towards me with his feete: no more can wee sinners that are gone away from the Lord euer enioy him, or bee with him, vnlesse by Repentance we turne towards him: onely thus turning may wee seeke him, and thus seeking can we finde him.

The second name is Metanoia, After-wit, or Af­ter-wisdome, opposed to Pronoia, Fore-wit, fore-ca­sting and prouiding before hand.

This name teacheth that euery impenitent sin­ner is a witlesse foole, and that true wisdome con­sists in turning from our sinnes to the Lord. Of the Bapitst drawing men to Repentance, it is sayd, He shall turne them to the wisdome of the iust. The mi­nister Luc. 1. sayes Paul, must wait if God at any time will giue thee refractary Repentance, [...], that is, that 2. Tim. 2. 25. they may awake out of their drunken sleepe, and become sober. Implying that as long as we lie in our sinnes, we are as drunken sots voyd of all vn­derstanding. Hence that phrase of the repenting Prodigall, He came to himselfe, implying that before Luc. 15. 17. Prou. 9. he was mad, and besides himselfe. If thou wilt bee [Page 97] wise, thou wilt be wise for thy selfe, that is thine owne soules good, saith Salomon.

Let now the wordling and impenitent wretch go, and thinke Repentance folly and himselfe wise, that will not bee troubled with so heauy and me­lancholy a thing. They shall sing another song one day, euen that Wisd. 5. Wee counted them fooles, but &c. Is not hea foole that being out of his way, wil not returne backe when the right way is shewed him? Hearke what Ieremy saies of such? They haue Ierem. 5. 4. refused to returne: therfore I sayd they are poore; how poore? poore in the braine, poore in wit; for he addes, They are foolish: for this cause that rich man is called a foole for all his worldly wit, and Luc. 12. those virgins foolish virgins for all their blazing lamps. It were madnesse to thinke of comming vp to the top of the house without the staires or lad­der; so to come to Heauen without this ladder of Repentance. Extreame solly for a man to aime at some excellent end, and in meane time neuer think of the meanes that should compasse it, nay to doe that which is directly contrary thereto. For a man to professe his desire after Heauen, and yet to shun Repentance the onely way that carries thether. Worthily therefore is Repentance called After-wisdome or After-wit. In other things Fore-wit is preferred before After-wit. But heere the afterwit of Repentance shall bring vs to a farre better estate then euer wee should haue attained if Adam had had the fore-wit to haue espied the deceit of Sa­than, and so to haue preuented the danger. This is the wisdome that is commended to vs in the pa­rable Luc. 16. [Page 98] of the vniust steward. And it is the wisdome Moses prayes for: Teach vs so to number our dayes, counting euery day for the last, that wee may apply our hearts to wisdome, euen to the wisdome of proui­ding for our soules by Repentance.

And so much of the names giuen to this second part of Repentance.

CHAP. XI. Of turning from sinne.

THe second poynt to bee considered in this 2. The na­ture of it. where Change or Turning, is the nature thereof, and that is set downe in the definition to be a turning from sinne to God.

Heere though the nature of it be set foorth by a metaphor drawen from change of place, yet indeed Repentance is no change of place, but of qualities, manners and dispositions from Euill to Good. The soule and body in regard of their essence, powers, faculties, and proper and naturall actions remaine the same after Repentance that before. Onely the corrupt and vicious qualities in them are taken a­way. and so they are rectified. Sorrow, feare, ioy, &c. are not abolished, but onely polished, and re­fined of that drosse of errour in regard of their ob­iect. Feare of punishment is turned into feare of sinne, and worldly sorrow into godly, Carnall [Page 99] mirth into spirituall ioy in the holy Ghost.

Againe this change is twofold. 1. Passiue, wher­by God changes and turnes vs. In the which wee are meere patients, and God onely workes. 2. A­ctiue, whereby wee being turned and changed by God, doe labour further to turne and change our selues. Both these in time are together, but yet di­stinct in nature. The former is that which is cal­led Regeneration, and is as it were the infusing of a soule into a dead body. The latter is Repentance, and is the motion or stirring of the soule infused. Of it Iohn, when he saith, He that hath this hope pur­geth 1. Ioh. 3. 3. himselfe. And this latter actiue Conuersion in Repentance, is the effect of the former passiue con­uersion. After I was conuerted I repented: so Isay 30. Ierem. 31. 18. 21. 22. And in this regard is Repentance made the gift of God, because his turning of vs, is the cause of our turning our selues.

For the vnderstanding of the nature of this tur­ning two things must be considered. 1. The Parts. 2. The Properties thereof.

The Parts are two. 1. Auersion from sinne. 1. The parts which are 2. Conuersion to God.

For the former; It was thus expressed in the de­finition, 1. Auersion from sinne. Repentance is a grace, &c. whereby the sinner &c. turnes from his sinne: where let vs mark that Repentance is made a turning from sinne in­definitely without restriction: whence arise those two Consectaries. 1. That there is no sinne so great but may be; And 2. That there is no sinne so small, but must be opposed and encountred with Repen­tance. Reason sayes, Great sinnes cannot be: and [Page 100] small sinnes need not be repented of. In great sins Reason derogates from Gods mercy; as though they could not bee pardoned for all our Repen­tance: My sinne is greater then can be forgiuen. In les­ser, Gen. 4. from his iustice and truth; as though they might be pardoned without any Repentance at all. Against both these errours oppose wee both these assertions, and thus doe we maintaine them.

1. I say; There is no sinne so hainous or hide­ous, but there is place for Repentance, the sinne a­gainst the holy Ghost alwayes reserued: of which it is sayd, that it is impossible that euer the offendors therein should be renewed by Repentance. Not that Hebr. 6. the Arme of Gods power is shortned, or the bow­els of his mercy so straightned, as though any sinne could ouercome either: but as of a Physician though otherwise able, and willing to heale a Pa­tient, it may be sayd yet, hee cannot heale him, if he bee obstinately wilfull, and will neither endure the Physician, but spits in his face, nor his Physick, but spils it on the ground; euen so the case is here. Therefore cannot this sinne be pardoned, this spi­rituall disease be cured, because this is the nature of it, to rage and raue desperatly both against the physicke, and against the Physician; to trample Heb. 10. 29. the bloud of Christ vnder feet, and to despight the spirit of God the sprinckler of this bloud, and not to endure him, when he perswades to prepare the heart to Repentance, for the receit of that Soue­raigne medicines.

But as for all other sinne; Christ sayes, I came to call sinners (without exception) to Repentance, [Page 101] though Publicans and Harlots: Princes of Sodome and Gomorra, that is, such as matched the filthy So­domites Is. 10. 16. in wickednesse, are yet bidden to wash themselues in this riuer. The conspirators against Christ are called to kisse the sonne, namely with the Psal. 2. kisses of that repenting woman, Luc. 7. who would haue thoght that euer the crucifiers of Christ, who shed his bloud by murther, should haue drunke his blood by faith; and imbruing their hands in the matter, Acts 2. should haue bathed their soules in the merit therof. And yet euen these are bidden Repent.

This is to comfort such whom the multitude and hainousnesse of their sinnes discourages, as though there were no accesse to mercy by Repen­tance. Vnto these God sayes, Come, let vs reason to­gether: Is. 1. 18. Stand not reasoning with your owne di­strustfull hearts, but hearke what I say to you. If yee will wash and clense your selues by Repentance; Though your sinnes were as red as crimson, &c. yet then shall they be as white as snow. O but my sinnes are exceeding great, and aboue the ordinary seize: why so much the more neede hast thou to repent: the more dangerous the disease is, the more is physick vsed. And if thy sinne bee so great as thou com­plainest, what meanest thou to make it greater by not repenting. The greatnesse of thy sinne trou­bles thee. Repentance will make it lesse: it is only impenitency that is the condemning sinne. O but the greatnesse of my sinne hinders me from repen­ting: say not so: Remember that Christ is thy physician, and Repentance is his physicke, Mat. 9. The whole neede not a Physician, but the sicke; I came [Page 102] not to call the Righteous, but sinners to Repen­tance. Wilt thou now make him so weake and vn­skilfull a Physician, that he should be good onely at a cold, or at the rheume, or some such petty in­firmity, and not able to deale with a burning pe­stilentiall feuer? Indeed bodily diseases sometimes so weaken that there is no ability to receiue, much lesse the power in the physicke receiued to worke. Many diseases are there that pose the best Physici­ans, Ludibria Me­dicorum. and are their shame and reproch: not so here: Neuer art thou so low brought, but Christ is able to make thee take his receit of Repentance: and when it is once taken, neuer doubt of the working: for there is no sinne, no spirituall disease that ex­ceedes the skill of our spirituall Physician, Iesus Christ. And therfore so many examples we haue of horrible sinners renewed by Repentance, as Ra­hab an Harlot, Abraham an Idolater, Manasses a Tyrant, Paul a Persecutour, those Magicians called at the birth, that debauched theefe called at the death of Christ.

This doctrine condemneth the rigour of the No­uatians denying Repentance to them that fell away through feare in time of persecution.

It answereth also that Question concerning Re­lapse or Recidiuation, into some greeuous sinne after Repentance for it, namely, whether such relapsed persons may be recouered againe by new Repen­tance? This doctrine shewes plainely they may. Because no sinne is excluded from Repentance, saue that one vnpardonable. And heereto adde these reasons.

1 Relapse into some one perticular grieuous of­fence, after Repentance seemes not to bee more heynous, then a generall and long continued re­uolt of one eminent in the profession of the trueth, from religion, to idolatry, from holinesse, to filthi­nesse of life. But euen such a reuolt may be holpen by repentance, as in Salomons case. Therefore a re­lapse also.

2 Repentance is Christs Phisick for sicke sinners, Matth. 9. Now if temporall Physicke doe help re­lapses into the same diseases, why may not repen­tance relieue relapses into the same sinnes.

3 Christ commands vs to forgiue our brother vnto 70. times 7. times in one day, if hee repent. Now that which God bids vs doe, in some measure Matth. 18. 22. we doe it: and that good which we doe, and haue, we haue it from God, and doe it by his helpe. All our goodnesse and mercy is but a little particle out of his fulnesse, a drop out of his Sea. Therefore if there be such mercy in vs to forgiue those that af­ter their repentance for some iniuries done vs, of­fend againe in the same kind, much more then in God the Father, and fountaine of mercies.

4 Neither want wee altogether example of Scripture. Abrahams example, Gen. 12. 19. hazar­ding his wiues chastity by a slippery pollicie: and a­gaine, Genesis. 20. 2. dashing his foote at the same stone is alleaged by some. To the which wee may also adde that of Iohn, worshipping the Angell the second time, after the Angells rebuke for his for­mer errour. But in these examples there is no men­tion made of repentance after the first slip. Though [Page 104] in all likelihood the rebuke of an Angell should preuaile with Iohn, and of a heathen man with A­braham, specially when hee saw Gods rebuke in the the danger he was in. Besides that these seeme ra­ther to bee examples of infirmities, then of more grieuous offences, whereof the question is made. As for Peters dissimulation in his Iudaizing, Gal. 2. it was nothing of that nature that his dissimulation was in denying Christ. And therefore it cannot be counted such a Relapse as now we speake of. The example of Ionas seemes fitter for this purpose: his sinne was grieuous to runne away from God, and forsake his ambassage to Niniueh: and for it being grieuously punished in the whales belly, hee there heartily repented, as appeares, Ionas. 2. yet for all this when God spared Niniueh, he was angry with him, and iustified his former sinne, and wished hee had neuer come thither; which in effect, and before Ionas 4. 1. 2. God was all one as to haue committed that sinne a­gaine the second time. Heere is comfort then e­uen for relapsed persons, that are intangled againe in the same offences whereout formerly they were deliuered by repentance. And yet this comfort be­longs onely to poore troubled consciences, not to presumptuous sinners. It is not to encourage any that stands to fall, or that is fallen to lye still, but onely him that is fallen, and feeles himselfe fallen, and begins to despaire of recouery, to striue to get vp on foote, by putting him in hope of a possibili­ty of rising vp againe by helpe of that stone which is Luke 2. set as for the fall, so and that much more for the ri­sing againe of many.

But as for lesser slippes, whose experience doth not tell him that euen after repentance he is again, and againe hampered in the same snares of anger, techinesse, lust, negligence, secret pride, hypocri­sie, vaine-glory, &c. Though yet the fruit of seri­ous repentance before will appeare in our falling againe, that we shall presently catch our selues tar­die. Therefore we must not be ouer much perplexed in such cases, to thinke our former repentance vnsound. For repentance doth not wholly take a­way sinne, but onely weakens it, lessens, and im­payres it. And as he truely runned who afterward sitteth downe: so hee may truely repent of some sin who afterward is foyled by it againe.

2 Consectary is, that there is no sinne so small but it needes repentance. The world thinkes that repentance is onely for more grieuous sinnes, as murther adultery, oppression, blasphemy: as for lesser matters they hope they may bee dispensed withall. Heere our ciuill men are to bee nipped, who put away repentance from themselues be­cause free from grosse scandall. Surely, though they had no vnbeleefe or prophanenesse of heart, which indeede are as heynous sinnes as any, yet haue they cause enough to repent, if it were but for the very least idle thoughts, or wordes they euer thought or spoke. The children of GOD whose heart God hath softned by the touch of his spirit, will be troubled euen for the least sinnes; account ting no sinne little which is committed against so great a God. Iohn Husse that good Martyr in his Foxe Martyrol. in Epist. Hess. imprisonment repented for his playing at Chesse, [Page 106] because of the losse of time, and prouocation vn­to anger. So Bradford and Ridley for their negli­gences, and secret infirmities euen in good acti­ons, as is to bee seene in their letters. When Da­uids hand did touch but the lap of Sauls garment, that touch of his hand cost him blowes and stroaks of heart. Euery thing is laid to heart by Gods chil­dren, such things the world neuer sticks at, sinnes of omission as wel as of comission. Ephesus is called to Reuel. 2. 4. 5. Repentance for leauing her first loue. Euen not to increase in grace according to the good meanes, and occasions we enioy, is a matter that craues re­pentance, fauouring our selues though in neuer so small sinnes cannot stand with repentance, which turnes the backe vpon all sinnes whatsoeuer, bee they great, or be they small.

CHAP. XII. Of the second part of Conuersion, Turning to the Lord.

THe second part of Turning, is turning to the 2. Conuersion to God. Lord. In sinne our backs are turned to him, In repentance our faces are turned towards him. For it is not enough to cease from sinne, but with­all we must turne to the Lord, and set our hearts to­wards him and his kingdome. O Israel if you returne, returne vnto me saith the Lord. And let him that stole Ier. 4. 1. [Page 107] steale no more, but let him labour and giue to him that Eph. 4. 28. needes. For euery tree that brings not forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire. Many lead Mat. 3. 10. a ciuill and an honest life, not spotted with grosse sinnes, yet for all this they haue prophane hearts turned to the world-ward, not sauouring or affe­cting the things of God. But here is the very pith of repentance, The turning of the heart vpward to Heauen, and fixing the eye vpon God, and so ma­king towards him with the foote: that so it may be said of euery true repentant, that his behauiour is as of one that is going vp to the heauenly Ierusalem, Luke 9. as it was saide of Christ going to the earthly Ierusa­lem. Oh this one thing showes how little repen­tance there is in this world, when the shame of our affections carries vs downeward to the earth. A plaine argument the heart is turned to God: For in this regard a Christians conuersation is in heauen, because by repentance his eye is now turned to hea­uen, and his feete are carrying him thether apace. Phil. 3. 2.

This then ministers exceeding great comfort to the poore repenting sinner discouraged with his manifold slippes and infirmities, and is brought to doubt of the truth of his repentance by the sense of his many and daily frailties. Such an one may re­member that repentance consists in a turning of the heart and affections to God, not in walking in a way without a stumbling foote. Repentance takes not away stumbling, it takes not away slipping, and sliding of the foote. It keepes the face from tur­ning from God, and the foote from walking from God. It fares with a repentant as with a man go­ing [Page 108] vp an hill, who though he may haue many fals and slippes, yet still is said to bee going vp the hill, because his face is toward the toppe of the hill. So it is with the penitent sinner, he is turning to God, though he haue many falls, because his face is set, and the maine current of his affections is bent vp­on God. This therefore be thy comfort, thou wen­test not out to meete and to welcome sinne, but it came vpon thee at vnawares, and like a coward comming behind thee strooke vp thine heeles, thy feet indeed slid a little downeward, but thy face was still vpward.

But the maine point that heere is to bee insisted vpon, is this, that repentance alwaies brings with it a wonderfull, and a palpable change and alterati­on of the heart and life. When our affections, like wilde madde horses are violently galloping to hell, the spirit of God by repentance, as by a bridle, sud­denly giues a ierke and turnes them, and sets them a going as fast the other way. So that those our companions in the broad way stand maruelling at vs, that wee breake off company, and doe not still continue running out with them into the same excesse of ryot. 1. Pet. 4 4.

So great is the change that not onely our selues, but others also may discerne it as to maruell at it. It is compared to the change of darkenesse into Eph. 5. 8. light, which who sees it not? yea vnto the change of a stone into flesh, I will take away the stony heart, and giue you a heart of flesh. Why doth Sathan bid Ezek. 26. 26. Christ turne stones into bread to prooue himselfe God? Hee had long before done a greater matter [Page 109] then that, euen turned stones into flesh which is softer then bread. Great and wonderfull is that change of glory in the life to come, when a peece of clay shall shine as the Sunne, when corruption shall put on incorruption, when these base earthly bodies shall bee spirituall bodies, and these weake ignorant soules shall become like the Angels them­selues. But this change which is wrought by Re­pentance in the conuersion of a sinner farre excels it: For the distance betwixt Grace and Glory is not so great as betwixt Sinne and grace: for grace is the beginning of glory. And therefore Paul couches Sanctification vnder Glorification, being but the per­fection of Sanctification: And Peter cals the Grace Rom. 8. of ioy, glorious ioy and vnspeakable. But sin is flat con­trary 1. Pet. 1. 8. to grace, and a change from one degree to a­nother, is easier then from one kinde to another. No maruell then if the Angels doe so triumph at the Repentance of a sinner, when they see a greater Luc. 15. 10. change then that at the first creation, when out of that deformed and confused Chaos, so good and so bewtifull a creature as heauen & earth was drawn. Oh the bright hue the leprous soule is in, when once washed in this Iorden. Though before blacker then the stocke, yet now shineth as once Ierusalems Lam. 4. 7. Nazarites. The beggers nasty ragges are stript off, the old man is put off, and the royall robes they cloath vs, the new man is put on. Great is the change of olde age into youth. Now in Repen­tance of olde men we become young men, we cast our olde skinne with the snake, and oh how smug and fresh are wee then? Wee euen renue our strength Psal. 103. [Page 110] with the Eagle. All olde things passe away, and all things become new. 2. Cor. 5.

Heere then is an excellent triall of our Repen­tance. Let vs not deceiue our selues. Repentance will transforme a man out of himselfe, so that all the world may see it, and say, How much is this man changed from that he was? Canst thou say of thy selfe as Paul of Onesimus? Once vnprofitable, now profita­ble. Or as Paul of the Corinthians, Once I was a theefe, Philem. 11. an adulterer, an extortioner, a couetous person, &c. But 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10 11. now I am washed, now I am cleansed. Once I was a dogge, vnder the table, but now a sonne sitting at the table: once I was a bramble in the wilder­nesse, but now a pleasant and a fruitful figge-tree in Gods Orchard. If thus thou canst say of thy selfe, it is a blessed euidence of true Repentance. But how sore doth this say to full many of vs. For

First, how many prophane wretches are there that lie wallowing in their mire, and liue in the daily and greedy practise of grosse sinnes, that may say, I was a swearer, and so I am still, I was a pro­phaner of the Sabaoth, a proud scoffer, and a moc­ker of all goodnesse, I was couetous, a drunkard, an vncleane person, and as I was, so I am still. Thou wretch that hast thy leprosie still sticking in thy forehead, wilt thou euer bragge, that thou hast washed thy selfe in this Iorden? Thou that hast an Aethiopian hide tanned in the sunne of thine owne scorching concupiscence, and the Diuels fiery temptations, thou that hast the Leopards spots, and the Leuiathans scales, wilt thou euer take the boldnes to thee of saying, Thou Repentest? where [Page 111] is thy change? where is thy transformation? Re­pentance would make a change in thee. It made of Paul a furious persecutour, a zealous Preacher, It makes a Lyon to become a Lambe: It makes the Is. 11. 7. Lyon eate grasse quietly with the Lambe, as hee did at the first creation: It makes him forget and leaue off his roaring and his ramping. It made the wo­man of Samaria, and the crucifiers of Christ to be­come Ioh. 4. Acts 2. humble and serious petitioners to Christ and his Apostles. It turned the Iaylor from scourging, to annoynt the wounds of the Apostles. It made Zaccheus of a proling and pilling Publican, and a Acts 16. grinder of the faces of the poore, to be a compassi­onate, and a mercifull refresher of their bowels. Loe, the Wolfe dwelling with the Lambe, and the Leo­pard with the Kid. Dauid who before his Repen­tance Is. 11. lusted after Bathsheba without feare, afterward was afrayd, for that hee had inordinately lusted after a little water, and spilt it on the ground. Pre­sumptuous Peter whose voyce was before his Re­pentance: 2. Sam. 23. Though all men, yet not I, oh how humble and how meeke was hee afterward: Symon louest thou mee more then these? to wit, then these thy fel­lowes? Ioh. 21. That was our Sauiours Question; See now what was his answer. Not, more then these. No, he had now turned his crowing into crying, his con­fident triumphs into humble teares, Lord I loue thee, though weakely, though not so strongly as these who neuer denied, and forswore thee as I haue done, yet Lord I loue thee. Cowardly Peter before his Repentance plucking in his snailes horne at the touch of a silly girle, afterward how couragious [Page 112] was he, how did he not feare to affront the highest Priest himselfe. Now then, thou that talkest of Repentance, shew me the like change in thy selfe. Canst thou with good conscience say, I was thus and thus, but now the case is altered, I hate that folly which before I loued, I embrace that grace of God which before, swine that I was, I trampled vn­der my feete. Thou must be able to say so before thou canst bee able to say thou hast repented. Re­pentance and Continuance in thine old wicked cour­ses cannot stand together. Repentance will make thee of an earthling, a saintling, of fierce, meeke, of couetous, bountifull, of fleshly, spirituall, of a wolfe, a sheepe, yea of a Diuell, an Angell. So that thou maist say, I was an vncleane beast; but doe I follow drinking still? So Paul; Doe I yet seeke to please men? as who should say, it is time: Indeede Gal. 1. 10. explaned. once I did seeke to please men, but I am now other­wise then I was. So to the Corinthians, Yea though wee haue knowne Christ after the flesh heeretofore, despising him for want of outward glory, yet now henceforth know him so no more. But alas, alas, no 2. Cor. 5. 16. expounded. change to be seene in many, except it be from e­uill to worse.

2. How many ciuil men haue wee, that remaine in their pure naturalls, and blesse themselues in their outward honesty and glory in this, that they were alwaies the same, which is iust to glory in their shame. For what is it else but a plaine profes­sion that they neuer had any repentance: for that would haue made a strange alreration. It would haue reuersed, and haue vndone all that wee haue [Page 113] done. A thing indeed which ciuill men can hard­ly be brought vnto, to demolish and cast down the goodly buildings (as they thinke, though indeed rotten and ruinous) of their ciuill vertues: they can hardly endure to haue all their life by-past censured and condemned for nought. But yet they must if euer they will see the kingdome of God. Except a Iohn 3. [...]. man be borne againe, hee cannot see the kingdome of God. The word againe is significant; which, as Beza there notes, imports, that we must goe ouer all a­gaine that is past, and reiect it as vnprofitable, and begin a new. Thus did Paul who was a better ci­uilian then thou canst be for thine heart: when he repented hee threw away all his glozing ciuill ver­tues as offals to dogges. And though before hee Phil 3. [...]. thought himselfe in good case, yet when the Law was reuealed vnto him, he saw what hee was then, Rom. 7. and then was troubled for inward lusts, and moti­ons of his heart. And these our times want not such examples, when ciuill men hauing beene cea­zed vpon by the spirit, they haue seene their owne dangerous state, and haue beene vrged to repen­tance, and so haue felt a wonderfull change in their harts and liues: of neglecters of the word and prai­er, they haue become conscionable practisers of all religious dueties, and zealous louers of that which before onely fashionably, and for Lawes sake they haue performed.

Let then ciuill men whose nature is changed by the spirit of Repentance, know that they are in a damnable state, and that it will not bee well with them, till they grow to a loathing, and a detestati­on [Page 114] of this their euill life, voyd of all heat, and heart of holy deuotion.

CHAP. XIII. Of the properties of Conuersion.

BVt because many will yet deceiue themselues 2. The pro­perties of it which are 3. thinking they haue repentance when they haue none, and some againe will bee so terrified with this doctrine of the change which repentance workes; that they will thinke they haue no repen­tance when indeede they haue, wee will therefore further proceed to speake of three properties of this change or turning of the heart in Repentance. By the two former whereof wee shall terrifie the first kinde of selfe-deceiuers, and by the third shall comfort the second kind of doubters.

1. Properly. This change then must be an or­derly change, beginning in the soule, euen in the 1. It is orderly very marrow and spirit thereof, and so proceeding to the outward man, and the actions thereof. This orderly change the Apostle teacheth when first he bids vs be renued in the spirits of our mindes, and then Eph. 4. 23. 24 let him that stole steale no more. O Ierusalem wash thine Ieremy 4. heart. But alas how many are there that set the cart before the horse, and begin to change their liues before their hearts. Some indeede aduise vs so to doe, but as I thinke not aduisedly. It is the onely [Page 115] way to hypocrisie to doe that outwardly which is not first begunne in wardly. And besides it is idle, and to no purpose to purge the channell when the fountaine is corrupt, and to apply remedies to the head, when the headach is caused from the impu­rity of the stomacke. Miserable experience shewes how such disordered beginnings of Repentance of­ten come to a miserable end. Content not then thy selfe with leauing sinne outwardly, but see you loath it inwardly, content not thy selfe to loppe off the boughes, but lay the axe to the roote of the Tree.

2. Properly. It must be a thorough change. The 2. It is tho­roughly. Lord sanctifie you throughout, that your whole spirit and soule and body may bee blamelesse. Many in their repentance giue but the halfe turne, Acts 1. those 1. Thess. 5. 23. that turne from one sinne to another, as from coue­tousnesse to prodigality, from Atheisme, or Iuda­isme, to Popery. This is as if the mouse escaping the trappe, should fall into the pawes of the cat. It is iust like the turning of the wind from one point of the North vnto the other, from North-east to North-west, but yet still it is in the North, and as far from the South as before. So these men turne, but yet in their sinne still, and as farre from God as before. Secondly, those that turne their vnderstan­dings from errour to truth, but not their wills from euill to good, as those that of Papists turne loose and vnreformed Protestants. Thirdly, those that turne from many sinnes and with Herod doe ma­ny things, but yet they remaine vnturned from some one speciall sinne. Some indeede there are [Page 116] whose change makes them like Aethiopians, white onely in teeth, euery where else cole-black. I meane our verball professours that haue onely a change from the teeth outward, a change of their wordes, can speake well, and that is all. But others there are that goe further, and doe much, and yet not e­nough, because though they seeme to turne from sinne, and to looke towards God, yet haue a lee­ring eye, and a squint respect vnto their sins, with Lots wife casting a longing looke after their olde Sodome. And they turne, as if a man whose face is towards the West, should turne to the North, or South: for so turning hee may looke both waies, both to the West whereon his face was set, and to the East whereon his backe was turned. So many turne from their sinnes to God, not directly, but side-waies, so that with one eye they may looke to God, and with the other to some sinne. But as hee whose face is turned directly to the East cannot see the West, so he who indeed looks directly to God, cannot looke to his sinnes, but he must needs haue them behind his backe. Repentance if it be true, is generall: It strippes vs starke naked of all the gar­ments of old Adam, and leaues not so much as the shirt behind. In this rotten building it leaues not a stone vpon a stone. As the flood drowned Noahs owne friends and seruants, so must the floud of re­penting teares drowne euen our sweetest and most profitable sinnes. Most true is that saying of Tho­mas Aquinas, That all sinnes are coupled together, though not in regard of conuersion to temporall good, for some looke to the good of gaine, some of glory, some [Page 171] of pleasure, &c. Yet in regard of auersion from eter­nall good, that is God. So that hee that lookes but toward one sinne, is as much auerted and turned backe from God, as if he looked to all. In which re­spect S. Iames sayes, he that offends in one, is guil­ty of all. Repentance is a thorough change of the whole man, of the whole life: it refines euery part, not so much but vanity and lightnesse in apparell. The Lord shall wash (saith Isaiah) the filthines of the daughters of Zion, that is, that proud brauery, and affected meanes of apparell mentioned in the third Isay 4. 4. opened. chapter, by the spirit of iudgement, that is of Repen­tance, whereby they shall iudge themselues for that sinne, and condemne that for nastinesse which before they accounted neatenesse, and that for fil­thinesse, which before they accounted finenesse.

3. Property. It is yet an vnperfect change. Per­fect it is in regard of parts, as a childe is a perfect 3. It is vnper­fect. man, but imperfect in degrees. It is like the change of the ayre from darke to light in the dawning of the day, which proceedes by degrees, or as the change and turning of water from could to hot, which is first luke-warme. This I note for the com­fort of such poore soules, that when they heare re­pentance is such a change of the minde, and feele so little change in themselues, but their olde sinnes to be so strong and liuely, are driuen to doubts. But for their comforte they must know that this is a change, that with greefe they feele, and complaine euen of those secret infirmities which were wont neuer to trouble them. The rising of the heart a­gainst sinne, the antipathy, and secret grudging, [Page 118] and murmuring of the spirit against it, euen then when it is foyled by it, is an argument of a bles­sed change begunne, which shall bee perfected in time.

CHAP. XIIII. Of the practise of Conuersion in foure duties.

THe third point followes. The practise of this 3 The practise of conuersion in 7. dueties. Turning, Reformation, or Conuersion. And it is notably set downe by the Apostle Paul, 2. Corin. 7. 11. where seuen particular dueties are set downe wherein the practise of this second part of repen­tance consisteth: For behould (saith the Apostle) 2. Cor. 7. 11. fully handled. this thing that yee haue beene godly sorry, what great care it hath wrought in you, yea what cleering of your selues, yea what indignation, yea what feare, yea how great desire, yea what a zeale, yea what punishment. &c He had said before Godly sorrow workes repentance, that is, this second part of repentance, the change of the minde, for godly sorrow as wee haue seene is the first part. Now heere hee prooues that godly sorrow workes repentance, and his reason standeth thus. That which workes care and cleering, and in­dignation, &c. that workes repentance: but godly sorrow workes these things, therefore it workes re­pentance. So that it is plaine that the Apostle here referreth those things to the practise of this second [Page 119] part. To come then vnto the particular duties.

1. Duety is Care. Now this care is twofold: first 1. Care. the maine care whereby a sinner takes thought for the remission of his sinnes, and life eternall. Such was the care of those after they were pricked in their hearts at Peters sermon when they crie out, Acts 2 37. Men and brethren what shall wee doe? The voice of men in care & anxiety, as of those that are in great care for this world: what shall wee eat? or what shall Matth. 6. 31. we drinke? or what shall we put on?

And this is that which is figured in the Parable of the vniust steward, who is brought in consulting and taking care, what shall I doe? digge I cannot, and Luke 16. 3. to begge I am ashamed. So that the first beginning of our turning to the Lord is a serious, and a thought­full consultation what course to take for the pardon of our sinnes, and the saluation of our soules.

Now in this carefull consultation there are two things to be considered. 1. the ground. 2. the end of it.

For the ground of it. It is the sight and certaine knowledge of the errour of our former course of life, and the iust censure and condemnation of it. As when a man turnes him to the right way, first he sees plainely, and concludes that he is gone wrong and thereupon bethinks himselfe what to doe, that he may recouer the right way againe.

2. The end or effect of it, it ends alwaies in true repentants in a setled determination, and resolute purpose to enter into that good way which the word of God discouers vnto them for good. Some indeede deliberate and consult, but they remaine [Page 120] houering, and do not resolue: like faint chap-men, that cheapen and hancker about wares, but will not come off. They are loath to sell all they haue, to purchase the pearle, to buy heauen with the losse of their sinnes. For when Sathan sees a man beginne to mistrust his owne courses, and to enter­taine thoughts of departing out of Aegypt, he vses all the craft he can to detaine him, and pursues after him departing, as Pharaoh after the Isralites. So in the Gospell, the dumbe and deafe Diuell, when Christ came to dispossesse him, raged and tooke on. So that euery Christian in the practise of Repen­tance before he can passe from his consultation to a resolution and determination, he shall finde and feele a shrewd bickering and conflict both with Sathan and the flesh, that will labour him to continue in his sinnes still, as Austin in his confessions shewes it was with him in his conuersion. But notwith­standing all the temptations of Sathan & the flesh, the Christian gets the victory, and growes to a reso­lution. This purpose and resolution of the heart, is the very hart of Repentance. I haue determined to keepe Psal. 119. 57. thy word, saith Dauid. And this is that which Barna­bas exhorted the Antiochians, that with purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord. And thus is Acts 11. 23. the Prodigall sonne brought in resoluing with him­selfe, I will goe to my father and say, &c. and when he Luc. 15. 18. did but thus resolue, his father came foorth to meet him: for this serious purpose to turne, is turning: I thought I will confesse, and thou forgauest me. So when Psal. 32. 5. Zaccheus had but resolued to make restitution, when as yet he had not done it, Christ said, Saluation was Luc. 19. 8. 9. [Page 121] come into his house. If wee haue not this constant purpose of heart to forsake all our sinnes, and to endeauour our selues to the obedience of Gods commandements, we haue not yet set one foot o­uer the threshold of Repentance. The Prophet Ieremie calling vpon Israel to returne, they are brought in answering the Lord, Behold wee come Ier. 3. 22. vnto thee: when this purpose and will of comming is conceiued, there is returning. So repenting E­phraim is brought in thus resoluing, what haue I to Hos. 14. 19. doe any more with idols? And Iob, Once haue I spoken, but I will answer no more. It is not enough for vs with Agrippa to be halfe perswaded, but we must Acts 26. 28. goe through stitch, and so pitch it in a setled pur­pose, that we may say with Dauid, I haue chosen the Psal. 119. way of thy commandements. The Prophet Isaiah bids the Iewes to wash them, and to make them cleane, to Is. 1. 16. cease to doe euill, and to learne to doe well, &c. Now it might bee sayd, Alas these are hard matters, how shall we be able to doe all this? The Prophet ther­fore qualifies the matter, saying, If yee consent and verse 19. obey, that is, If ye consent to obedience in the sound and serious purposes and thoughts of your hearts, ye shall eat the good things of the Land. Though you cannot so thoroughly wash you, yet consent to it, and agree to it, and it shall be accepted.

The second Care followes vpon this purpose, the former Care ended: when a man hath purpo­sed and set downe with himselfe to do ought, then he takes Care how to bring this purpose to passe. The Repentant considers with himselfe that though now he be turned into the right way, yet [Page 122] if he haue not his eyes in his head, hee may easily lose it againe. Hee is not ignorant how many im­pediments will encounter him in the way, how many stumbling blockes will bee layd by Sathan, besides that the olde Sepent will be behinde him nibbling at his heeles, and assaying him to plucke him backe. Now then these thoughts runne in his head, I haue resolued to enter into this course, alas how shall I be able to goe thorough it? like the wise Luc. 14. builder he casts his accounts afore hand, considers the weightinesse of Christianity, and bethinkes himselfe how hee shall bee able to performe that which he hath vndertaken. He obiects to himselfe resoluing to serue God, as once Ioshua to the peo­ple, saying, We will serue the Lord, Nay but yee cannot serue the Lord, for he is an holy God, hee is a iealous God, Iosh 24 28. 19. &c. So our Repentant in his first turning informs himselfe of the great difficulties, that are in walk­ing on in that way, whereinto his feet are turning. He considers that he is raised out of the graue of sinne, but yet like Lazarus bound with napkins, so Ioh. 11. is he still hampered with the bonds of many infir­mities, wich will quickely make him weary and faint. And therefore now all his care is, how hee may hold out, and compasse that which hee hath propounded to himselfe. Now this second Care he shewes in the practise of these duties.

1. Because he knowes that in this building there are many enemies, as once in the building of the wals of Ierusalem, hee therefore shewes his Care in Nehem. 4 furnishing himselfe with spirituall weapons wor­king with one hand, and holding the sword of the [Page 123] spirit in the other.

2. Being thus armed and prouided, hee hath a vigilant and a watchfull eye against all occasions and meanes of sinne, and hath a Care to auoyde them. He is watchfull and carefull against the very first motions and whisperings of the olde Serpent, saying vnto himselfe secretly, as before Gods spi­rit did, This is the way, turne into it againe,

3. Hee is carefull to doe all good duties both in his generall, and in his speciall calling, as to pray, reade, meditate, instruct, admonish. Heare ô Israel, Deut. 6. 3. and obserue to doe it, saith Moses to the Israelites. So heere is his care in that he obserues to doe all good duties.

4. He is carefull to doe them in that holy man­ner which God requires. Hee is not ignorant of Sathans wilinesse, how he labours to interest and insinuate himselfe into our best actions. Heere then is his Care that he goe with an euen foot, and an vpright heart not out of a desire to bee seene of men, and to haue praise from them. Take heed how you giue your almes. He obserues not onely that hee doe, but how he doth good duties.

5. Hee is carefull to apprehend all occasions of Good whatsoeuer are offered: hee markes when God sends such men vnto him, of whom hee may receiue further comfort and knowledge: hee also markes when God puts such into his hands, to whom hee may performe any good office, and withall hee markes the season and opportunity. When any accident of Gods speciall workes, either of mercy or iudgement fals out in the world, hee [Page 124] makes good vse of it: as the Lord noted how Abra­ham vppon occasion of his iudgement on Sodom, Gen. 18. 18. would thereby prouoke himselfe and his to a more carefull keeping of his Lawes.

By this now may we trye our selues whether we repent or no. Repentance we see is a very carefull thing, & fills our heads with many serious thoughts in things spirituall. But alas with Martha we busie our heads with many things, but in the meane time that one thing which is needfull is the least part of our care, we lye secure in our sinnes, and if any thought Luke 10. 41. be taken, it is how to fulfill the lusts of the flesh. Wee are like those women in Isay; Arise ye women that sit Rom. 13. 14. at ease: we eat, drinke, play and sleepe, but as for our soules, let God take care if he will, wee list not to trouble our selues with such a burden. Who is there almost, who in the morning at his first ari­sing entertaines these thoughts, Oh how may I passe and bring about this day well? How may I auoid Sathans snares, & restrain my owne corrup­tion? And as we looke not backe to say, what haue I done? so neither looke we forward to say what shall we doe. Now we walk rashly, hand ouerhead. The repentant sinner is turned toward God, and sees his great and awfull maiesty, and therefore is excee­ding carefull and respectiue of his carriage, that he may not offend, walking now in the eye of so great and withall so good a God. Children when their Gouernours backes are turned vppon them, play reakes, but if once they see them, then are they carefull of their behauiour.

2. Duety is clearing. Such is our owne weake­nesse, 2. Clearing. [Page 125] and Sathans malice, that be we neuer so care­full and watchfull ouer our waies, yet wee shall of­tentimes be ouertaken with heauinesse, and drow­sinesse, and then is the enuious mans time to sow his tares and darnell, for sinne to steale vpon vs Loe then what a repenting sinner will do in such a case. If contrary to his purpose and carefull endeuor, he ouer shoot himselfe, and fall into some offence, will he lye in his sinne, and suffer his sinne to lye on his conscience vnquestioned? No, He cannot endure such guests, hee knowes full well by deere bought experience what they are, he will neuer be at qui­et till they haue cleered his conscience of the guilt and defilement of the sinne. He gets him present­ly into some corner with Peter, and there not able to endure conscience to accuse him, hee falls of ac­cusing himselfe to God, earnestly crauing his mer­cy, neuer giuing ouer rapping at his gate till hee haue gotten Gods acquittance sealed for the par­don [...]. of his sin. This is the Apologie or Defence here spoken of, the getting of Gods pardon signed, and sealed with the bloud of his sonne, that so when Sa­than and Conscience shall come to dragge vs by the throats to hell, we may plucke this pardon out of our bosomes, and so chase them away. When Sathan accuses, yea and begins to iudge add con­demne vs; heere is our Apology, here is our Defence and our answer ready: God hath graciously forgi­uen me. The bookes and bonds are cancelled; Sa­than goe not beyond thine office, as Bradford sweetly speakes, God is the iudge, thou hast not to meddle with his office. Loe the Iudge hath cleered me. Ac­cuse [Page 126] now as long as thou wilt. So long as a man hath the iudges acquitting sentence, he needs not feare the clamours of any malicious accusers.

And heere we may obserue a notable difference betweene the repentant sinner, and the impeni­tent. The wicked wretch so he can shift off by any meanes the accusation, hee neuer cares nor labours for the Iudges absolution, who in his time will take notice of his sinne, though neuer any accusation should be profered. All his care is for the present to put off the accuser, the sergeant, the officer. Well, thou riddest thy selfe by some deuise to day, but he comes to thee againe to morrow. Where is thy defence, thy protection against him? Alas, thou hast prouided none. Now the true repentant he considers that it is to no purpose to put away the accuser, when as yet the iudge remaines vnpacifi­ed, who will againe, and againe set this accuser on our backes till we haue pacified him. And therfore his chiefe dealing is with the iudge himselfe, to get his fauour and grace, and so hee getting the Iudges absolution, regards not a whit the officers accusati­on. In a worde, the wicked when Conscience ac­cuses, haue no other care then to stop the mouth of Conscience, and to choake it for the present that it may not accuse. The godly further, as they would not haue it accuse, so neyther further would they haue it a silent and a sencelesse Conscience, but they would turne accusing conscience, into an ex­cusing and clearing Conscience. The wickeds care is only to stoppe and damme vp this violent floud, but the godly for that they see it is to little purpose [Page 127] thus to doe (because within a little while it will o­uerflow, and rage more violently then euer it did before) they haue therefore a further care to turne the streame and current the other way, to make Conscience sing another note, and in stead of ter­rors, to speake peace.

3. Duty. Indignation, namely against our sins, 3. Indignation and so against our selues for our sinnes. For though we haue gotten Gods defence against our sins, yet may we not remain frends with them, nay so much the more bitter, and deadly ought our enmity to be against them, because of Gods loue in giuing vs the defence of his merciful pardon in Christ against them. As if I had gotten the Iudges absolution, and so a discharge from mine enemies that sought my life, will I not then so much the more set my selfe in hatred against those wicked enemies? Some when they haue sinned will seeme to labor for the former cleering, they will confesse their sinnes, and craue Gods mercy, but yet that league and friendshippe which they still entertaine with their sinnes shews they haue not so cleered themselues as they should, for if they would cleere their consciences from accusing, they must also cleare their harts from lo­uing their sinnes. Euery wicked man hath his clea­ring, his apologie and defence against the damage of his sins ready at hand, namely, the death of Christ. But what followes on this? Doe they hate and de­test their sinne? Doe they grind their teeth at it in anger? No; but rather make their protection and defence against sinne to bee as it were a licence of sin­ning still. But the fruit of true repentance is indig­nation [Page 128] and bitter anger against our sins. Hereupon Isay brings in the repenting Church, throwing a­way idolatrous ornaments, as in a chafe, as one that throwes away a menstruous cloath, & sayes, fie, get thee Is. 30. 22. hence. So Hosea brings in Ephraim in a like angry mā ­ner, saying, What haue I to doe any more with idols? So Hos. 14. 9. Peter not only wept, but wept bitterly, the bitter gall Matth 26. 75. of this godly indignation beeing mingled with his salt teares. Thus the Church, when she had shame­fully neglected Christs cal, her hart fretted within her, Cant. 5. 4. Visceribus fre­mentibus. as Iunius reades it: we can fret and chafe at little de­fects in others, and are tetchie for trifles. True re­pentance turns all tetchinesse with others, into this holy tetchinesse and fretfulnesse with our selues for our sinnes. The Idolater frets himselfe and curses Is. 8. 21. his Gods, but the Repentants fretting reaches not to God, him he blesses when he frets at himselfe, nor yet to man, to whom the humility of his heart makes him patient, but to himselfe onely, and to his owne sinnes. Thus Dauid fretted in a manner at himselfe, when seeing how much he was deceiued, and offended at the wickeds prosperity, hee at length befooles himselfe, and be-beasts himselfe too, So foolish was I, and so ignorant, euen as a beast be­fore Psal. 73. 22. thee: In the like moode was hee with himselfe when he had numbred the people, I haue sinned ex­ceedingly, 2. Sam. 24 10. I haue done very foolishly. This is that An­ger which Salomon preferres before all carnall mer­riment Eccles. 7. 5. and laughter, Anger is better then laughter. Then is God well pleased with vs, when in an holy anger wee are displeased with our selues, then is he ready toturne from his fierce indignation against our [Page 129] selues, when he sees vs forward in holy indignation a­gainst our sinnes.

4. Duty. Feare which must follow indignation. A strange coniunction of Anger and Feare, for 4. Feare. when men are angry they feare least, and grow more fierce then fearefull. Men commonly feare nothing in their anger: but heere it is otherwise, indignation breedes feare: that indignation against sinne past, which is not attended and followed with feare of sinne to come, is not good, and there­fore is feare added to indignation. And this is ano­ther excellent part of the practise of Repentance: for the burnt childe must needs dread the fire: and the Repentant sinner hauing once been bitten and stung by his sinnes, cannot but feare to come neere them againe. He that after a dangerous straying is returned into the way, will bee afrayd of losing it againe: for before we saw one maine duety of Re­pentance was Care, now Feare alwayes waites vpon Care: and besides that, the Repentant being now turned to God, and seeing how great a good hee is, cannot but exceedingly loue him, and out of his loue feare the losse of him, for loue in this sense is exceeding fearefull: euen as the wife reconciled to Res est solliciti plena timoris amor. her louing husband offended, feares againe to of­fend and lose his fauour. Againe, in Repentance, and in turning to God, the heart was softned and made pliable to the hand of God, and therefore now being made a tender heart of an hard and sto­ny, it will the more easily feare and tremble at a danger: whence comes that opposition betwixt feare and hardnesse of heart, as Blessed is that man Prou. 28. 14. [Page 130] that feareth alwayes, but hee that hardneth his heart shall fall into euill, and that of the Prophet, why hast Is. 63. 87. thou hardned our hearts from thy feare.

Now this feare is of excellent vse in the practise of Repentance, for it is as a bridle to order, guide and keepe vs in the way whereinto Repentance Prou. 28. 14. turnes our feet. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies, but he that in desperate boldnesse hardens his heart, shall surely fall into euill. Therefore by the force of the opposition he implies, that he that feares shall be kept from euill, and that heerein his blessednesse consisteth, which he more plainly auouches else­where, The feare of the Lord is a well-spring of life to Prou 14. auoyd the snares of death: for more particularly it thus keeps thus.

First it makes vs to quake at the very first risings of euill and sinnefull motions in our hearts, and so to dash sinne in the shell, Tremble (sayes Dauid) and sinne not. Psal. 4 4.

Secondly, when strong and violent tentations assault vs, it strengthens vs, and withholds our as­sent, for the repenting sinner being now turned to God, he alwayes sees God, and knowes that God sees him, and therefore the awefull reuerence hee carries to his presence restraines him. This vpheld Ioseph, How can I, saith he) doe this, and sinne against Gen. 39. 9. God? This strengthened him against the powerfull and adulterous follicitations of his Mistresse, The times was fit, his master was absent, and the place fit, priuate and remote, yet though time and place gaue him leaue, Gods feare would not: so power­full was it against her powerfull perswasions to fol­ly. [Page 131] So Isaac though naturall affection would haue carried him to haue reuersed Iaakobs blessing, speci­ally when he was importuned by the howlings of Esau, yet hee did not: and what was the bridle that held him backe? He feared an exceeding great feare, Gen. 27. 33. which is mentioned afterward, The feare of my father Isaac, sayes Iaakob, swearing by God, whose feare Gen. 31. 42. opened. possessing Isaac his father, kept him from passing a­way the blessing to Esau.

Thirdly, it keepes from such sinnes, where the feare of man restraines not, euen from secret and vnknowen sinnes to the world. Thou shalt not, saith Leuit. 19. 14. the Lord, curse the deafe: why, what should hin­der? he cannot heare vs if we doe, Thou shalt not lay a stumbling blocke before the blinde: why, what should let vs? hee cannot see vs if wee doe. Marke the words following, Thou shalt feare the Lord, who both heares thy curses, and sees thy stumbling blockes.

Fourthly, In the whole course of our life it makes vs worke out our saluation with fearing and trembling, euen reioycing in feare, and feasting in feare, knowing Phil. 2. Psal. 2. Iude 12. that there is then the greatest danger, when to our eyes there is the least appearance of it.

In these and such like respects is this feare so ne­cessary in the practise of repentance: for Repen­tance is a continuall returning towards God, and drawing neerer still to him. To the which how so­euer that hellish and slauish feare bee a let, for it driues a man backe from God, and turnes away the face from sinne, yet not this louing and filiall feare, for it driues from sinne, and keepes vs from forsaking God, I will put my feare, sayes the Lord, Ier. 32. 40. [Page 132] in their hearts that they shall not depart from mee. Out of this feare arises that notable duety which some Repentants in the more serious exercise of their Repentance, in the Scriptures, haue practised. Namely, that entring into Couenant with God, & binding our selues by solemne oath vnto him. This was Dauids practise, I haue sworne, and I will performe it, that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements. Psal. 119. 106. The same duty we finde practised in the bookes of Ezra and Nehemiah. Now this practise arises out Ezr 10. Neh. 10. of this feare and iealousie, which we haue of our de­ceitfull hearts. As when wee feare the faith and honest dealing of men, wee will not trust to their bare words, but we will haue it vnder their hands and seales.

The contrary to this feare is bold venturousnesse, when we rush desperately into all manner of sinne, and in boldnes of face and hardnes of heart, worke out our owne damnation.

Now by this may wee try the truth of our Re­pentance. What, doe we feare to sinne? when we see sinne following vs doe we runne from it, as the chicken seeing the Kite come, flies vnder the wings of the hen. Art thou now afrayd of an oath? Hast thou beene a couetous vsurer? a swinish drunkard? Eccles. 9. 2. an vncleane adulterer? a godlesse Sabaoth-breaker? And art thou now afrayd of these sinnes? tremblest thou at the thoughts of them? then hast thou good euidence of the truth of thy Repentance. But this giues the most the lie that bragge of their Re­pentance, because as it is sayd of those deceiuers, that they feast without all feare feeding themselues. So it Iude 12. [Page 133] may be sayd of them that they follow their sinnes with all greedinesse, without feare, or wit. So farre from feare, that they doe desire the occasions of sinne, and euen harden their hearts against this feare. These may well feare that they neuer knew what Repentance meant.

CHAP. XV. Of three other duties wherein conuer­sion is practised.

5. DVty is Desire. That which we feare, wee 5. Desire. desire to bee freed from, and to enioy the contrary. So hee that feares death desires life, and he that truely feares sinne, desires to be freed from sinne, and to enioy the presence of God euery day more and more. This desire then of Gods grace and his presence to deliuer vs from the cum­ber and the burden, and body of death is another affection of a repentant heart: for when by Re­pentance we are turned to God, and see the sweete beauty of his face, wee are exceedingly rauished withall, and therefore in strong and earnest desires we make towards him, faine would we bee at the end of our iourney, that we might be with him, & graspe him with our armes, and satiate our selues with his sweetnes. Hence it is that the children of God desire death and dissolution with Paul because Phil. 1. 23. [Page 134] till then they cannot be with Christ. These desires are so much the stronger, because of our infirmity in approaching towards God, which is such, that we goe but as it were creeping. This greeues vs, and makes vs desire that wee were rid of these infir­mities which so clogge vs, and hang as lead at our heeles. This makes vs cry with the Church, Draw me, and we will runne after thee: and with Dauid, Oh Cant. 1. 3. that my wayes were directed. By Repentance indeed Psal 119. 5. we are escaped out of Satans snare, but yet so as the prisoner out of prison with the bolt on his legge, and so he can goe but slowly, yet in his desire hee flies, and wishes euery step twenty. Wee are still fettered with many infirmities that presse vs so downeward, that we cannot runne vp Gods hill, and therefore this encreases the vehemency of our desires. This is a great comfort to euery true Re­pentant heart. Thou that hast these desires, it is an argument of the truth of thy repentance, where­by hauing turned thy face towards God, thou hast gotten sight of his face, and therfore doest so long after him, and desire to draw neerer and neerer vn­to him. A repenting heart is neuer without these earnest desires, Blessed (saith our Sauiour) are they Matth. 5. 3. 6. which are poore in spirit, and then hee addes, Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, where-euer there is a poore, there is a thirsting spirit, and these hungring and thirsting desires are euidences of a repenting hearts.

6. Duety is Zeale, which is a compounded affe­ction 6. Zeale. of Loue and Anger. There may bee deceit, and often is in our desires. Euery one pretends they [Page 135] desire Gods commandements, but there is no zeale in their desires: they are lazie and sluggish desires: therefore is Zeale added next to Desire, to shewe what kinde of desires these must bee, to wit, they should be feruent and zealous desires: The Desire of the sloathfull slayes him, for his hands refuse to worke. Prou. 21. 25. But true desire hath zeale ioyned with it, which causes vs eagerly to pursue the thing desired, and to ouercome all impediments hindring our desires. We see in nature how the irascible faculties backes the concupiscible. And as fire hath lightnesse whereby it aspires to the highest place, so it hath also heat to consume that which should hinder his ascent. In the like manner hath the true desire of a repenting sinner, the grace of zeale to second it: when one had vttered that affectionate speech, Blessed are Luc. 14. 14. they that eate bread in the Kingdome of God, see how Christ presently entertaines it with the Parable of the ghuests, who being inuited to the supper, had euery one their excuses from their farmes, oxen and wiues: whereby Christ seemes to giue a checke to the counterfet desires of many, and seemes to insi­nuate thus much, oh you indeede make as if you had a desire to come, but you doe but counterfet, you meane it not, for when God calles you to this supper, yee are ready to shuffle off his inuitation with one worldly excuse or another, and so are your desires, zeale-lesse desires. They are so colde, so heartlesse and so heatlesse, that they cannot leap ouer the least blocke that lyes in their wayes. Thus wee see then how fitly zeale followes desire.

And indeede a true penitentiary cannot but be [Page 136] zealous. Zeale must needes be ioyned with repen­tance for these reasons.

1. Repentance is a turning vnto God, and a re­turning into our way, out of which we had wandred by our sinnes. Now the more way and time a man hath lost, the more earnest and zealous he is in the redemption of both. A man that hath rid out of his way, when once he perceiues it, will spurre the harder, and gallop the faster till he hath recouered so farre as he might haue beene if hee had kept his way in a good reasonable pace. So when the Re­pentant considers how much knowledge and expe­rience hee might haue gained, if the good time which he hath mispent in his sins, had beene spent vpon better things, when he considers how much of his life is past in sin, and knows not how little he hath to come wherin he may walk in obedience he layes the more zealousty about him, that what he wants in time, he may redeem with his zeale. And this is that which Peter vrges, That henceforward we should liue (as much time as remaines in the body) not af­ter 1. Pet. 4. 2. 3. the lusts of men, for it is sufficient for vs, that we haue spent the time past after the lusts of the Gentiles. The longer wee haue beene stragling, the more quicke should be our speed in our returne.

And the same thing doth Paul vrge the Romanes withall, As yee haue giuen your members seruants to Rom. 6. 19. Qui per poeni­tentiam resur­gunt magna charitato re­splendent, & saepe maiori quā illi qui nunquā cecidernut Chry. vncleannesse and iniquitie to commit iniquity, so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holi­nesse. The Repentant will be no lesse zealous in the wayes of grace, then hee was in the wayes of sinne, and the more zealous will hee bee in the seruice of [Page 137] righteousnesse, because hee spent so much of his time and strength in the seruice of iniquity.

2. Before repentance wee are blind, and cannot see God, nor the sweete beauty of his face, for in­deed our faces are turned from him, but in repen­tance wee turne our faces to God, and then seeing him, his bounty, our crowne and recompence of reward, wee arc so rauished and enamoured vpon him, as that with Paul in an holy zeale, wee forget that which is behind, endeuouring our selues to that Phil. 3. 13. 14. which is before, and following hard toward the marke, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus.

3. The Repentant considers the vnconceiuable loue of God towards him in the pardon of his sins, that howsoeuer hee was running headlong into hell to cast away himselfe, and his soule, yet the Lord stayd him, and was mercifull vnto him in the remission of all his offences. The meditation of which sweete goodnesse, and loue of God constraines 2. Cor. 5. him to bee zealous for the glory of so gracious a God. This loue of God in Christ to him constrains him, and inflames and fires his heart with an ear­nest zeale to glorifie the Lord. That whereas be­fore by his sinnes hee had wounded Gods glory, now the loue of God who hath had mercy vppon him in plucking him out of the iawes of Sathan, makes him now zelous of his glory, and carefully to labour to heale these wounds which before his sins had made. This we may see in that repenting wo­man, who because much was forgiuen her, therefore Luke. 7. she loued much, that is zelously. She had not beene so zelous before in following her filthy and vnclean [Page 138] loues, as now she was zelous in following her holy, and spirituall loue.

Now this zeale in repentance shewes it selfe in these properties.

1. Property, It ouerlookes all difficulties, and ouercomes all impediments. Much water cannot Cant. 8. quench loue, nay it kindles rather, and the more wa­ter the more loue. Zeale dampes at no bogges, quagmires, hilles, or mountaines, it is an affection that will wing a man, and mount him ouer all. It is not a Lyon in the way, no nor yet Legions of De­uils in the way can coole it's courage. Michols scoffs was to Dauids zeale but as water vpon lyme, made 2. Sam. 6. it the more hotter, I will be yet more vile. And o­ther mens hatred of the trueth did but encrease his Psal. 119. 126. 127. Loue, They haue destroyed thy Law, therefore doe I loue it. A worthy example of repentants zeale in this kind was that of that repenting woman, who though Christ were at dinner in a Pharises house, Luke 7. and much company likely there, yet in the holy madnes of her zeale she comes rushing in, seeking him whom her soule loued, not abashed with the company, but before them all falls to kissing and washing the feete of Christ.

2. Propertie, This zeale of Repentance thinkes nothing too good for God, or too deare for him, and spares for no cost and charges in the cause of his glory. Thus Dauid repenting for his numbring of the people, would not haue the place for the al­tar, and the burnt offrings of Arannah for nought, but would giue him money for them. So the Isra­elites repenting for their idolatry, shewed their 2. Sam. 24. [Page 139] zeale in their costly offerings to the Tabernacle e­uen Exod. 36. till they were faine to be forbidden to offer. So it was with that good woman that poured the box of costly oyntment vpon the head of Christ.

3. Property. It makes vs draw others to God. This our Sauiour required of Peter as a fruit of his repentance, that when hee was conuerted hee should strengthen his brethren. In our sinnes wee are com­monly Luke 22. 32. instrumentall for Sathan to draw others in­to our sinnes with vs. True Repentance will make vs zealous to bee as instrumentall to bring others to God. I would, saies Paul, that not onely thou, but Acts 26. 29. all heere, were not onely almost, but altogether as I am, except my bonds.

7. Duetie is Reuenge. Here is the demonstrati­on 7. Reuenge. of our zeale for God, and his word when we re­uenge their quarrells vpon their capitall enemy, the flesh, the corruption of our nature. There is much deceit in zeale. The zeale of many is only verball, It may be heard, but not seene, but true zeale must be seene as well as heard, Come saies Iehu, and see what zeale I haue for the Lord. Now as his zeale 2. King. 10. 16 was seene in the reuenge which he tooke vpon Baals Priests in the slaughter of them, so must our zeale appeare in our reuenge vppon the flesh, which wee must wound and daily mortifie. This reuenge will shew what affection we beare to our sinnes. Before repentance they are so deare to vs, that wee cannot endure so much as the reproofe of them, but when our repentance comes, then comes reuenge, and we can brooke not onely reproofe of them from others, but vengeance also vpon them from our selues. And [Page 140] when once we can come to be reuenged vpon them it is a signe wee account them as enemies. For no man desires reuenge but vpon his enemy. Salomon knew the right mother of the child by her tender heart, and earning bowells, which could not in­dure to see the babe diuided by the sword, surely when wee cannot abide the sword of reuenge to wound and slay our sinnes, wee haue cause to sus­pect 1. Kings. 3. 27. our repentance, for who would bee loath to haue his enemy wounded?

Now this reuenging our selues vpon the flesh is

• Generall,
• Especiall.

1. Generally, this reuenge consists in that which the Apostle calls the beating downe of the body. And offering vp our bodies as sacrifices to God, both which places I vnderstand of the body of sinne, that is, the 1. Cor. 9. 27. Rom. 12. 1. flesh, which must looke for no better at our hands then a clubbe, or a sacrificing knife. It must be hand­led as Sarah handled Hagar, roughly. Our flesh is of a slauish disposition; If a slaue be well vsed, hee will grow sawcy, and malapert. And hee, saith Sa­lomon, that brings vp his seruant delicately, he will bee as his sonne, nay hee will ouertop him, as Ieroboam did Rehoboam, at whom it is thought Salomon ay­med Prou. 29. 21. at in that Prouerbe. This slaue then must haue a straight hand held ouer it, and must be vsed like a slaue to a whip, to a cudgell. Wee are not deb­ters to the flesh, wee owe it no kindnesse, no fauour, Rom. 8. we owe it nothing but reuenge, nothing but blowes, and the blue eye that S. Paul gaue it. But alas! how farre are wee from this? how doe we feed and flesh 1. Cor 9. 27. [...]. [Page 141] the flesh against the spirit? what ease, and content doe wee giue it? How doe wee stroake and hugge, and cocker it? How doe we take thought for it? How doe we gratifie it in all things, as Dauid did Adoni­ah, Rom. 13. 14. whom hee would not displease from his childhood to 1. King. 1. 6. say, why hast thou done so?

2. This Reuenge is more speciall, and it con­sists in these particulars.

1. There cannot bee a greater reuenge then to spoyle our aduersary of his chiefest delight, and in stead of that to vexe him with that which is most contrary thereunto. Now the flesh in euery one hath some speciall darling sinne wherein shee most delights, which is as her right eye in regard of plea­sure, or as her right hand in regard of profit. Now Matth. 5. this right eye must be plucked out, and wee must bee reuenged vppon the flesh as the Philistimes vppon Sampson in putting out his eyes. And this right Iudges 16. 21 hand must be cut off, and the flesh must bee vsed as was Adonibezek. Such sinnes as are deerest, must Iudges. 1. be quite abandoned, and the contrary graces must be carefully practised. A reuenge it is on our ene­my to hurt his body any where, but to spoyle him of his eye or hand; this is a speciall reuenge. The repenting sinner in mortifying the whole body of sinne, must do as Cranmer did in the burning of his body, he burnt it all, but first hee beganne with his right hand. So the repentant must labour to con­sume the whole masse of the body of sinne, and bring old Adams bones into ashes, but yet let him beginne with the most speciall members thereof. Thus did Zaccheus when hee was conuerted. His [Page 142] gainefull sinne of wrong and oppression, that went first to the pot, his right hand went first to the fire. Luke 19 8. Halfe my goods I giue to the poore, and if I haue wron­ged any man by forged cauillation, I restore him se­uen fold. Pauls maine sinne was persecution, and wasting of the Church, and what delight did the flesh take therein? but loe how hee practised his owne rule, As ye haue giuen your members seruants to vncleannesse, and to iniquity to commit iniquity, so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnesse in holinesse. As fast as with both hands hee pluckt Rom. 6. 19 downe, so fast with both hands he built vp againe. The great paine and toyle hee put himselfe vnto in planting Churches, was a reuenge vppon the flesh for the pains before taken in persecuting. Salomons special sinne was Epicurisme, for he euen sold him­selfe to carnall and filthy pleasures. Therefore re­penting hee doth not onely cut the flesh short of those pleasures, but in a further reuenge writes a booke against them, the booke of his repentance, and retractations, Ecclesiastes.

2. This reuenge consists in conuerting those ve­ry things, which haue beene the matter, or ob­iect of sinne, and abused by the flesh to sinne, to the seruice of God, and matter of our repentance for example. Dauid in his adultery defiled his bed. In his repentance he washeth his bed with his tears: he turns Psal 6. his bed which he had made a brothell-house, into an oratory, and an house of prayer. That place where­in hee bathed himselfe, as it were in the milke of his fleshly pleasure, in the same he now baths him-the salt brine of bitter repenting teares.

So the Ephesians made a sacrifice to the Lord of their bookes of sorcery, and Dauid of that water of Acts 19. blood, for which his worthies had by his meanes aduentured their liues. So the Israelites as they had sinned in offering their eare-rings of golde to Exod. 35. the calfe, so repenting they offer likewise gold and ear-rings to the Tabernacle. So likewise the Israe­litish women offered their looking glasses which they Exod. 38. 8. had abused to the proud prancking vp of them­selues, to the vse and seruice of the Tabernacle. So Tyrus that famous mart-city sinning in the abuse of their goods, both in getting and spending of them, their Repentance is thus set foorth. Her oc­cupying Is. 23. 18. and her wages are holy to the Lord, it shall not be layd vp nor kept in store, but her merchandize shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, &c. Heere is a lesson for Vsurers, Pillers, Pollers, Receiuers of bribes, all such as haue defiled their hands with vnlawfull gaines, either getting it by an vnlawfull calling, or by the abuse of a lawfull. Let them learne of Tyrus: Let them not lay vp nor keepe in store the matter of Iames 5. their sinne to testifie and witnesse against them. Are yet the treasures of wickednes in your houses? oh pluck Mic. 6. 10. from the fleshie those fat collops. Better they should serue their gold and siluer so got, as Dauid did the water of Bethlem, euen spill it, and throw it a way, then reserue it for their owne priuate enrichment heere, and their eternall beggery and endlesse mi­sery heereafter. That which before they offered as a sacrifice to Mammon, let them now offer it to Gods altar, that is the poore who are now come into the roome of the Altar of the old Testamen: where [Page 144] Repentance is, there is reuenge. Hast thou repented for thy couetousnesse, for thine vsury, bribery, &c? shew thy reuenge vpon them by taking from them the matter they feede vpon, and with Tyrus giue it to the Lord, & with Zaccheus giue it to the poore. The example of Bradford that woorthy Repen­tant, whose life, death, speeches and actions euen breathed Repentance, a man that might seeme wholly to be made of Repentance, his example, I say, in this kind is very memorable: who hearing a Sermon of M ^r. Latymers, wherein restitution was M. Samson in his preface to Bradfords Ser­mon of Re­pentance. vrged, he was so stricken to the hart for one dash of a pen which he had made without the knowledge of his Master, (as full often, sayes M ^r. Samson, I haue heard him confesse with plenty of tears) being Clark to the Treasurer of the Kings Camp beyond the seas, & was to the deceiuing of the King, that he could neuer be quiet till by the aduice of the same M ^r. Latymer a restitution was made. The which thing to bring to passe hee did willingly forgoe all the priuate and certaine patrimony hee had on earth. Those that thus offending with Bradford meane not to repent and reuenge themselues on their coue­tousnes in this manner, are not like to come where now Bradford is.

3. Another specialty in this Reuenge is, when with the very selfe same members and instruments of our bodies, which the flesh most of all hath abu­sed to sinne, wee in speciall sort glorifie God. Za­chary that sinned with his mouth in giuing God Luc. 1. the lie, repenting, as soone as euer he could speake, glorified God with his mouth. So that woman, [Page 145] which had abused her eyes, her hayre, her lippes to Luke 7. wantonnesse and vncleannesse, repenting she re­uenges her selfe vpon the flesh. Shee takes from the vncleane Diuell all those instruments, & to spight him the more giues them to his vtter enemy Iesus Christ. Her lippes to kisse his feete, her eyes to wash them, her hayre to wipe them. So many delights as she found of the flesh, so many burnt offrings shee sacrificed to the Lord.

4. Further we take reuenge on the flesh, when we restraine our selues from the vse of things otherwise lawfull, because we haue offended therein. As if of­fending in gluttony, and drunkennes we should pu­nish our selues with abstinence from wine, and fa­sting. If in abuse of mirth, and recreations, wee then forbeare them. If in apparell, we then also cut off this our Peacockes tayle. Thus we take kniues from children when they cannot vse them without hurting themselues. Timothy but liuing amongst the luxurious Ephesians to checke their excesse, did 1. Tim. 5. 23. thus tame and subdue the flesh in absteyning from wine. How much more if he had so offended him­selfe, would hee haue done it to haue punished the flesh?

Ob. But in this doing, doe wee not seeme to ap­proue of the popish exercises of pennance.

Ans. No. For 1. Many of these exercises they vse, are simply vnlawfull in themselues, being brea­ches of the sixth Commandement, as their scour­gings of themselues, and vsing that roughnes and austerity, which takes away health, and shortens life. The deeds of the flesh must bee mortified by the Rom. 8. 13. [Page 146] spirit, in a spirituall manner, and not in this forced, violent, and fleshly fashion.

2. Our reuenge is vpon our sins, directed against the flesh, that is, against the corruption of our na­ture, theirs is against their skinnes, directed against their persons, and their outward man. And so in­deede it is nothing else but an idle violence offred to the outward man, such as that of the Pharisees, in fasting till they lost their colour and complexi­on, but that fasting fatted their inward corrupti­ons, their pride, and their vaineglory. For though they pinched their carkasses, yet not their corrupti­ons. Their leane bodies had swollen soules. This reuenge being especially against our sinnes, and sin hauing greatest interest in our souls then in our bo­dies, the soule especially should tast of this reuenge. Shee should bee broke of her will, shee should bee crossed in her affections in her pride and vaineglo­ry. As Dauid saide to the Lord smiting the people with the pestilence, Alas these sheepe, what haue they 2. Sam 24. done? Let thine hand be against me, it is I that haue sin­ned. So may the Iesuites soules say to them so cruel­ly martyring their bodies: Alas, what haue these bodies done without vs? it is we specially that haue sinned, and yet wee neuer feele your discipline, your hands should be specially against vs. As Ioel saide to them of his time, Rend your hearts and not your garments, so may we say to these Papists, whip Ioel. 2. 13. your soules, and not your sides. This is the farre har­der matter, to humble the pride of our spirits, then to take downe the flesh of our bodies.

3. They make their carnall, their bodily, and [Page 147] bedlem-like reuenge to be satisfaction to Gods anger against sinne, which is blasphemous, and deroga­tory to the bloud of Christ.

5. The last point of this reuenge is, when we vp­braid the flesh, and cast it in the teeth with those afflictions which God sendeth. Though wee may not draw afflictions vpon our selues to mortifie the flesh, yet being imposed vpon vs by God, we may make our aduantage of them for this vse, to insult and triumph ouer the flesh when God punisheth it. It argues a vindictiue mind in vs, and a reuenge­full spirit, when wee reioyce to see another reuen­ging himselfe vpon our aduersary. So this is also a kinde of reuenge vpon the flesh, when God hauing entred the crucifying nayles into the sides of olde Adam, wee pegge and driue them in further, and hammer them vp to the heads, by imputing them to our flesh, and charging her with her dulnesse, and vntowardnesse, and rating at her as the cause of them. Ah thou vile flesh, I may thanke thee for all this smart, I could not turne thee, but I trow God will now tame thee, I trow hee will bring thee vn­der, thou rebell. Thus if we will helpe God to whip harder, by taking Gods part, iustifying him in his dealings, and twittings at our corruptions, we shal manifest our spight and reuenge against this our e­nemy. This was notably practised by that worthy Martyr Cranmer, who when by his cruell aduersa­ries he was brought to the stake to haue his body burnt, and so his right hand, yet tooke that aduantage against his right hand, or rather against his flesh, that had abused his right hand to subscribe [Page 148] to the Popish articles, to bee reuenged first vpon it. And so in a godly reuenge burnt his right hand first. And thus we see the practise of this second part of Repentance, and the whole definition of Repen­tance vnfolded.

CHAP. XVI. Of Initiall Repentance.

NOw after the definition thus explaned it resteth The kinds of repentance. to see what diuision there is of Repentance. In­to kindes it hath none, yet it hath certaine degrees:

Repentance therfore is eyther the first repentance, or the after Repentance: the after repentance is two­fold. First the continuation of the first in the daily course of our liues. Secondly, the renouation of the first in speciall manner vpon some speciall occa­sions. So then in al there be these three degrees of Repentance. Initiall, Continued, Renewed.

1 Initiall repeetance is that at our first calling, 1. Initiall. Hebr. 6. called repentance from dead workes: because all the workes, euen the best workes before, were dead workes, comming from men wholly dead in their sinnes. This is the repentance of which Paul speaks when he wishes Timothy to instruct the contrarie minded, prouing if God at any time will giue them re­pentance. 2. Tim. 2. 25.

Heere consider two things.

• 1. The measure of this repentance.
• [Page 149]2. The time of it.

1. The measure of it, how farre it doth extend. Ans. It is in the very first beginnings but small, but when once it comes to the birth, it breedes in vs greater sorrow then is in continued or renued re­pentance. Initiall repentance then is the greatest in our sense, and apprehension. Indeede sometimes After-repentance is more bitter by reason of the greater fauors and mercies we haue receiued from God, but yet ordinarily the first repentance hath a greater measure of sorrow.

1. First at our first repentance our harts are harder then euer after beeing neuer before mollified with any former Repentance, and therefore the harder our hearts are, the harder wedges needes there to cleaue them.

2 Secondly, at our first repentance we haue to deale with all the sinnes of our whole life: now the more sinnes the more griefe.

3 Thirdly, in our first repentance more sorrow and griefe, because wee neuer yet had any sense of Gods loue before; whereas the former assurance of Gods loue in after-repentance, doth some thing al­lay and sweeten the bitternesse of our sorrow: these bitter pills are sugred in after-repentance.

2 The time of it, which must be considered two waies.

1 Generally. This life is the time of Repentance while we are in the way, for when our iourney is ended in death, no returning then. While it is day Iohn 9. we may worke, no working in the night, that is, af­ter death. Then is the paying of wages. The day [Page 150] of iudgement is called the Lords day, because hee then must reward euery man according to his workes. This life onely is our day, because then we must worke. Manna was to bee gathered onely in the sixe dayes, none vpon the Sabbath. The time Exod. 16. Vide Drus. A­d [...]. pag. 1 [...]0 [...]. Qui lab [...] post [...]die. after our life is a Sabbath from working the works of God. Now then in the sixe dayes of our life is the Manna of Faith & Repentance to be gathered. Some went out to seeke Manna vpon the Sabbath but found none. If once our Sabbath bee come, none shall finde nor eate Manna, that hath not ga­thered it before. As therefore wee are bidden to remember this weekely Sabbath, that our worldly businesses be not deferred till then, but may be dis­patched in the sixe daies before hand, so must wee also remember that eternall Sabath after this life, and dispatch the spiritual businesses of repentance, and not put them off till the working daies be past. The life to come is no time of repentance. It is the Nam in inferno inquit, quis cō ­fitebitur tibi? [...] Chrys. ad Ephes. hom vlt. Ier. 31. 9. Cum fl [...]tu & depr cationibus Iun. Reuel. 6. 2. Sam. 7. 2. time of Iudgement, not of Repentance. It is not a time of weeping and deprecations, but a time of wee­ping and imprecations, of weeping and gnashing of teeth. It is a time rather of howling vnto the mountaines, then of lamenting after the Lord. But some will be ready to say, if this life be the time of repen­tance, then we will repent any time whilest we liue, and it may serue the turne well enough, wee will repent in ould age, in our sickenesse. &c. There is time enough before wee dye. Therefore for an­swer we must know that the time of repentance is to be considered in the second place.

2. More specially. This life is indeede the time [Page 151] of Repentance, yea any time of it, in regard of hope and possibility, both which are taken from vs after death. So Paul sets downe no certaine time, but prouing if God at any time will giue them repentance. But yet in regard of our duety to practise repen­tance the time present is the time. Euen this very 2. Tim. 2. 25. now wherein I speake, if hitherto thou hast not re­pented Hence it is that the Apostle so much beats 2. Cor. 6. 2. [...]. vpon this now: Behold now the accepted time, behold now the day of saluation. He beats vpon the very [...], the time present, the very instant of the time present. So hee beats as much vpon to day, to day if ye will heare his voice. To day is Gods voyce, To Heb. 3 and 4. morrow the Diuells. If our neighbour must not be put off till to morrow; say not to thy neighbour, goe Prou. 3 28. and come againe to morrow; Then how much lesse must God? If ye will seeke, saies Isay, namely after God by repentance, seeke out of hand without fur­ther delay, and enquire, returne and come. And a­gaine, Isay. 21. 12. Isay 55. 6. seek the Lord while he may be found: when is that? while he is neer in the meanes of the word, and motions of the spirit to thy heart: Now hee is ready to be found, while he cals vpon thee to seeke him. But the Diuell still keepes his olde wont, and when Christ comes to cast him out by Repentance he cries out, why art thou come to torment me before my time? Too many are like those Iewes that said, Matth. 8. The time was not yet come to build the house of the Lord. But against these delayes and prorogations of repentance we may consider these arguments. Hagg. 1.

1. Consider the vncertainty of thy life, which is such as thou canst haue no assurance of it, no not [Page 152] for a minute. True it is at the twelfth houre, euen in thine olde age thou mayest repent, but how know­est thou that thou shalt see the twelfth houre? God hath promised pardon to him that repenteth, but hath not promised the morrow to him that defers. The whole time of Repentance is but a day, oh that Paenitentiae in­dulgentiam, sed dilationi d [...]m crastinum non promisit, Amb. Luc. 19. in this thy day, but yet it is not in this as in other dayes: for after them followes such a night as hath a day returning again. After this day coms an eter­nall night. And againe, in other dayes the time is determined for the end, but it is not so in this day, wee cannot say of this day that there are twelue houres in it. How many are there whose sunne hath Itaque sic agen­dus omnis dies tanquam agmen agat, & ex­pleat, ac con­summet vitam Qui dicit vixi, quotidie surgit ad lucrum. Se­neca. set at noone-day? who in the prime and floure of their dayes haue beene taken away? yea, whose sunne hath set in the very rising? Therefore bee yee prepared also, for ye know not at what houre the Sonne of man will come. Thou sayest thou wilt repent at thy death, well I take that thou grantest. Euen this day for ought thou knowest is the day of thy death. Out of thine owne mouth then will I iudge thee thou euill ser­uant. An tibi quoque concedet? Concedet for­tasse, inquis. Quid a [...], for­tasse, & inter­dum, & saepe? In mentem tibi veniat, se de a­nima taa consi­lium inire. Contrarium etiam pone, &c. Chrysost. ad 2 Cor. 13. hom. 22. Thou art to account euery day the day of thy death, why then doest thou not repent to day, since thou art to looke for death to day? I but, sayes our youngster, I haue knowen many liue till their old age, and haue repented then: ‘Well, what then, sayth Chrysostome, Art thou sure that God will grant the same to thee? Thou sayest, Peraduenture he will: what sayest thou peraduen­ture, and sometimes, and oftentimes. Bethinke thy selfe, that the businesse thou hast in hand con­cernes thy soule. Therefore suppose the contra­ry, [Page 153] and thinke with thy selfe, what if God should not grant it me.’ Who would be so madde to put his soule to the aduenture, vpon a Peraduenture? Peraduenture thou mayest liue till thou bee olde, and why not as well, Peraduenture thou mayest die both in thy youth, and so sodaine a death, as thou shalt not haue time to speake, much lesse to repent. In other matters, in the things of the world we can number our daies in this manner, as to summe them vp, and so apply our hearts to worldly wisdome. Wee can make our wils in our health, let slip no opportunity of furthering our estate, because wee thinke I may die too morrow. Oh that wee could so number our dayes, as to apply them to the spirituall and heauenly wisdome of Repentance. Enimuero quū ad bellum profi­cisceris non dicis minime necesse est testamentum condere, fortasse revertar. nec cum de ineundo matrimonio, consultas, dicis, vxorum egentē accipiam, multi enim praeter o­pinionem ad o­pes ita pervene­runt. At verò non de anima. Id. ibid. Luke 12. ‘ When thou go­est to warre, saies the same Father in the same place, thou doest not say, I neede not make any will, peraduenture I shall returne again, neither when thou goest about thy marriage businesse, doest thou say, I will marry a poore wife, for I haue known many beyond their expectation to haue growen rich that haue done so, and yet when the matter concernes thy soule, thou puttest it vpon these vncertainties, and peraduentures.’ Take heede. Euen whilest thou art thus reasoning what thou wilt do hereafter, euen in the very thoghts of future Repentance may death smite thee, as that foole in his worldly thoughts. And that so much the rather because thy presumption is greater then his. He promised the time to come to himselfe, as if he had beene Lord of time, but thou doest not onely so, but promisest thy selfe also the grace of [Page 154] Repentance, as though thou hadst Repentance al­so at thy command. Whereas both the Grace and the Space of Repentance are in the hands of God. The Grace is in his hand, proouing if at any time God 2 Tim. 2. 25. will giue them repentance, and so is the space, I gaue her space to repent, and shee repented not, Renel. 2. 1.

2. Consider with the vncertainty of thy life, the vncertainty of Gods grace. Say thou hadst with Hezekiah a lease of thy life, and that thou wert sure to liue as long as Methushelah, yet what assurance hast thou to repent in thy latter end, who hast re­fused grace before when it was offered? Gods spirit Gen. 6. will not alwayes striue with wicked resisters of his grace. The chicken that will not come when the hen clucks, may be well caught by the Kite. The sicke men that came not into the water when the Ioh. 5. Angell mooued, were not healed. It is not with the tydes of Gods grace, as in the tydes of water, which come certainely at set time, so that hee that misses the morning tide, may haue the euening tide. No, it is tide too day, and now it is tide. Now take it if thou bee wise, thou knowest not whether in all thy life time the like grace will be offered thee againe. Behold, saies our Sauiour, I stand at the doore Reuel 3. 20. and knocke, if any man will open, viz. when I knocke, then I will come in, else not. Thou mayest well feare that, because thou wast deafe at Gods call, God will bee both dumbe neuer to call thee heereafter a­gaine, and also deafe not to heare thee calling on Prou. 1. 28. him.

3. Though Gods Grace in outward meanes may stil be offred, yethow knowest thou whether he wil [Page 155] giue thee the inwarde grace with the outwarde meanes of grace. Nay, delayes are dangerous. The longer thou puttest off, the further off art thou and the more incapable of Repentance. For still thou heapest vp sinne vpon sinne, and euery new sin is a new stroake with an hammer that driues the naile in further. So that Repentance will bee more difficult afterward then now, sinne will haue got­ten such an interest, and confirmed a strength by continuance of time. And this is that which the A­postle speakes of, Lest your hearts be hardned thorough Hebr. 3. 13. the deceitfulnesse of sinne. Wee thinke to shake off our sinnes afterward, but the longer they tarry, the faster they cleaue. A twigge may bee easily bowed, but let it grow to a confirmed tree, & then there is no dealing with it. And thus haue we seen with these delayers of Repentance, that haue sayd at first, It is too soone, wee will repent heereafter, when their heereafter hath beene come, then haue they sayd, It is too late, the season is past, our hearts are so hardned that now we cannot repent. Wee must not say to our neighbour that comes for his owne good, goe and come againe too morrowe, how much lesse to God, who comes and craues not for his, but our good: who if wee doe our endea­uour in asking of him, will giue that which he askes of vs. If thou deny him too day, he will deny to aske of thee too morrow.

4. Death is no fit time to beginne to learne Re­pentance. It is absurd for a souldier to seeke his armour when the battle is begunne. The Appren­tice will not be to learne his trade, when his time is going [Page 156] out. Repentance should rather be an introducti­on to Death, then Death to Repentance. Besides at the time of death, the body is so possessed with payns, & the soule so taken vp with feare of death, that a man is altogether vnfitte for so great and waighty a worke as Repentance is: yea, we see that men vpon their death-beds are not fit to meddle with ordinary matters of the world, and shall wee thinke that when we are vnfit for the basest things of the earth, that wee can bee fit for the great and weighty businesses of Heauen?

5. Repentance at death is seldome sound. For it may seeme rather to arise from feare of iudge­ment, & an horror of hell, then from any griefe for sin. And many seeming to repent affectionately in dangerous sicknesse, when they haue recouered, haue beene rather woorse then before. It is true, that true Repentance is neuer too late, but late Re­pentance is seldome true: for heere our sinnes rather Poenitentia nunquam sera siserir, sed sera. raro serta Vae illis qui tunc habuerunt ter­minum luxuriae cum vitae. leaues vs, then wee them, as Ambrose sayes, And as he addes, Woe be vnto them whose sinne and life end to­gether.

Let vs therefore no longer foreslow our Repen­tance till death, sicknesse and old age, let God haue the best of our dayes. If we reserue the dregges of our dayes for him, he will reserue the dregges of the cuppe of his fierce wrath for vs. Let vs account it a greater shame to be to beginne Gods learning in our old age, then to bee to beginne any humane learning. And yet euen there it is a shameful thing. What a shamefull and ridiculous thing were it to see a man with a gray beard goe to the Grammer-schoole, [Page 157] or to sit among children learning his Turpis et ridi­cula res elemen­tarius senex. Senec. A. B. C. Repentance is the A. B. C. of religion, bee as much ashamed to learne that in thine olde age, as thou wouldest be to be amongest children and schoole-boyes.

CHAP. XVII. Of continued and renued Repentance.

THe second degree, I call Continued repentance, 2. Continued Repentance. which is a going forward in the first repen­tance thoroughout the whole course of our liues; for Repentance is not onely a turning, that is but the first degree, but it is also a returning. A man must neuer giue ouer till he be returned to that e­state, wherein once he was, which is not done till our dying day. If yee will seeke, seeke, returne and Is. 21. 12. come. After turning our faces to God at our first re­pentance, there must be a daily comming forward to him by this continued Repentance. The Popish pennance is confined within the circle of a few daies, weekes, moneths or yeres, according to the priests discretion. But the true Repentance of a Christi­an, is a continuall act, and a daily exercise: for the change of the heart is not wrought in vs perfectly at the first, but there must bee proceeding on by degrees. The old man must bee crucified by repen­tance. Now crucifying is a lingring death. After [Page 158] we are conuerted, still wee carry the body of sinne about vs, and many infirmities cleaue vnto vs, and breake from vs continually. As therefore in a a leaking ship there must bee continuall pumping, and in a beggers coat continuall patching, so in our liues continuall repenting & repairing of our daily breaches. There is matter enough to hold our re­pentance worke all our life long. Many practise repentance by starts, now, & then, when the mood and fit comes on them, but it must bee a continuall practise. For

1. We haue daily infirmities. 2. Wee had sin before our birth, euen in our conception, euen o­riginall sinne which will hang vpon vs till our death. 3. After death our sinnes will remaine in regard of the euill sent corrupting others. 4. Ma­ny were our sinnes before our calling, neuer to be forgotten, but often with bitternesse to be remem­bred as Paul did his persecution. 5. By neglecting the daily practise of Repentance, we shall make the practise of it farre more difficult afterward. The house that is daily swept hath but little dust, and is easily swept, but if it be seldome swept then it askes much scraping, rubbing, paring and washing, the dirt will be growen so hard to the floore. So in ca­sting of accounts, he that casts them vp euery day shall the easier cast them vp at the weekes end, and he that casts them vp euery weeke, shall the easier cast them vp at the yeeres end, but hee that lets them runne on from day to day, and from weeke to weeke, hee shall finde them so perplexe and in­tricate, as that they shall trouble his best braines [Page 159] to bring all ends together.

The practise of this continued repenatnce is,

1 Hearty confession, and bewailing of our sins to the Lord.

2 Carefull watchfulnes ouer our harts to keepe out all sinne.

3. Strict examination of our selues at the dayes end, and so censuring our selues, for that we finde a­misse, with earnest calling on GOD for greater Grace.

3 The third degree is renued repentance. Repen­tance 3. Renued re­pentance. Where. is oftentimes discontinued, interrupted, or at least, increases not so as it should, therefore euer and anone it is in speciall sort to bee renued. Now here are two things to be considered: The practise and the times of this Repentance.

1 The practise of this repentance, what it is, 1. The pra­ctise. wherein it consists? Ans. 1. In performing the du­ties of Repentance, handled before in generall, in a greater measure, and a more powerfull manner. Acts 2. Corin. 7. 11. speaking of this renewed repen­tance, which some call extraordinary repentance: Beholde saith the Apostle, what care, what cleering, &c. They had care before, but now a greater mea­sure, and a more watchfull care. 2. In a more strickt examination of our selues. Examination of our selues is to bee practised dayly, but now a stricter, and seuerer, and that specially for our estate to god­ward. And therefore this narrow search must dis­couer some secret infirmities before not found out. As in reading ouer our owne workes, or writings the second or third time, wee espye that [Page 160] which we did not before. So in the second reuiew of our liues by renued repentance we find out more sinnes then before. 3. In a greater measure of con­trition, and humiliation, as in those Israelites draw­ing buckets of water, in a greater plenty of teares, deeper sighes and sobbes.

2. The times and occasions of this renued repen­tance: 2. The times. They are fiue,

1. When wee are to performe speciall seruices to God, because then wee may feare least our for­mer negligences may come vp in account against vs, therefore we must in speciall sort renue our re­pentance, and so seeke vnto God. Thus before the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Paul commands a 1. Cor. 11. 31. Gen. 35. 1. 2. &c. renuing of our repentance, and a fresh iudging and condemning our selues. Thus Iakob renued his repen­tance before he went vp to Bethell, and purged his family of the idolls. This God also first cals for, be­fore our approching into his presence, in the duties of his worship, wash you, make you cleane, and then Isay. 1. 16. 18. Come and let vs reason together. So oft then as an holy seruice is to bee performed to God, wee must renue our Repentance.

2. When wee seeke for any speciall blessing at the hands of God. Because then our sinnes may in­terpose themselues, and so intercept the blessing desired, then are wee especially to renue our repen­tance. As when our aduersaries renue the battell a­gainst vs, wee are to renew our preparation against them, so must we doe heere. Thus Isaac when he Gen. 24. Gen. 32. 9. sought the blessing of a good wife, went out into the fields into some secret corner or other, to pray Acts. 1. [Page 161] in speciall manner vnto the Lord. So did Iakob when he sought the mercy of deliuerance from his brother Esau. So the election of ministers in the Primitiue Church was done with prayer.

3 In speciall afflictions, when God corrects our dulnesse, and by them as by whetstones seemes to sharpen our repentance, and to put an edge vppon our prayers. So did Dauid in the rebellion of his son 2. Sam. 15. 26. 30. 2. Chron. 20. Absolom, and Iehoshaphat when the Moabites and Ammonites came vp against him. And this is that which the Prophet calls for, Search your selues, Zeph. 2. 1. search your selues, before the decree come foorth, &c. wishing them in that speciall affliction to enter in­to a speciall examination, and search of all their waies.

4 In, and after our speciall falls and sinnes, whe­ther grosse and more palpable, or more secret, such as are dulnesse, coldnesse, security. Thus Dauid after his two sinnes of adultery and murther, in a most speciall sort renued his repentance in his pri­uate confession to Nathan and his publique confes­sion 2. Sam. 12. 13. Psal. 51. to the whole Church. Peter after his deniall went out and wept bitterly. So when the Church of Ephesus was fallen into coldnesse and security, the Lord calls vppon her to remember from whence Reuel. 2. 5. shee was fallen, to repent and doe her first workes.

5. At the time of death. Then because the chil­dren of God take their farewell of repentance, they take also their fill of it: they thinke with themselues, this is the last act of my repentance, it shall be ther­fore the best. And in death Sathans temptations, and consciences accusations will be strongest, and [Page 162] therefore our preparation against them must bee more then ordinary. On the sixt day the Israelites gathered double Manna, because none was to bee gathered by the day following, the day of rest. So because the time after death, is a time of rest, and Sabbath from repentance, therefore then should there bee a double portion of Repentance. Euery motion is the swiftest towards the center.

It is good indeed to see men ioyfull and comfor­table in their death, but yet withall, if we see them not humbled and penitent, wee may iustly suspect their ioy. Euen the holy Martyrs who exceeded in spirituall ioy, and had the greatest cause of ioy that might bee, were yet great in their repentance at their death. Hezekiah receiuing the sentence of death, turned to the wall and prayed, and wept sore. 2. King. 20.

Here mark the preposterous course of the world, that make death the time of beginning repen­tance, whereas it is indeed onely the time of renu­ing repentance begunne, and practised before in our life-time. Obiect. But the thiefe on the crosse be­gan to repent, but at his death. Ans. It was a mira­cle with the glory whereof our Sauiour would ho­nor the ignominy of the crosse. We may almost as well expect a second crucifying of Christ, as such a second thiefe. Christ then triumphing on the crosse did as Princes doe in the triumph of entring into their kingdomes, they pardon grosse offences be­fore committed, such as they pardon not after­wards.

CHAP. XVIII. Of the motiues to Repentance, from the euill it remooues.

HAuing thus absolued the doctrine of Repen­tance, it will not bee amisse to close vp this Treatise, with some perswasiues & motiues wherby men may be induced to the practise of it. Indeed the bare necessity of it might mooue, but such is our dulnesse, that euen in those things are most ne­cessary, and most neerely concerne vs, we are most supine and secure, and neede the goades of the strongest argument to pricke vs forward. The mo­tiues Two motiues to repentance. then that may perswade vs are of two sorts. 1. From the benefits of Repentance. 2. From the euils of impenitency. Out of these two heads shall spring the motiues following.

1. For the benefits which come vnto us by Re­pentance. 1. The bene­fits of Repen­tance. Which are Exod. 15. Repentance indeed is bitter, and many therefore distaste it, as the Israelites did the bitter waters of Marah, But if we shall consider the bene­fits that shall accrue vnto vs thereby, we shall find them as the tree which the Lord shewed vnto Mo­ses, to sweeten and alay the bitternes therof. Oh say some, this repentance is an heauy & a troublesom matter: what good shall we get by our mourning & mortification, but depriue our selues of our plea­sures. Repentance is a very hell, or at lest a Pur­gatory: well, be it that it be an hell, yet it is such [Page 164] an hell, as must bring thee out of hell in the King­dome of Christ. Repent (sayth Iohn) for the King­dome of Heauen is at hand. Our way to heauen, is to goe by this hell. And because men aske like those in the Prophet, What profit shall wee haue, and what Mal. 3. good, if we doe repent, wee will lay downe more particularly the benefits thereof. They therfore consist principally in two things.

1. In remoouing of euill. 2. In bringing of Good. 1. In remoo­uing euill. The euils which are remooued by repentance, are either of sinne, or of punishment. Repentance re­mooues 1. Of sinne in regard the euill of sinne two wayes.

• 1. In regard of the sting.
  1. Of the sting.
• 2. In regard of the staine.

1. In regard of the sting. The sting of sinne is the guilt of sinne in the conscience, binding a man ouer to the wrath of God, and filling the consci­ence full of terrour from the expectation of Gods vengeance. Now the repenting sinner is freed from this guilt, and from the sense of it in his con­science, and hath the free and full remission of all his sinnes in the blood of Christ. At what time Zach. 13. 1. soeuer a sinner shall repent him of his sinne, I will blot out all his wickednesse out of my remembrance. The same thing teaches Zachary, In that day (namely, when (as it is in the former chapter) they shall mourne for their sinnes, as for the losse of their first borne) shall a fountaine be opened for sinne and vncleannesse. They whose heads are fountaines of teares to bathe Christs feet in, with Mary Magdalen shall haue Christs heart pierced to be a fountaine of blood to bathe their souls in, and to wash away all their guiltinesse. These [Page 165] two fountaines must goe together, and when wee wash our selues in the one, wee shall bee bathed in the other. Our mercy to our sinnes breedes Gods seuerity, as Ahabs foolish pity to Benhadad was cruelty 1. King. 20. to himselfe; but on the contrary our seuerity pro­cures Gods mercy. Our mercy to our sinnes, pre­uents Gods mercy to our selues, but if wee take re­uenge vpon our selues in our repentance, then will not God take reuenge vpon vs. The promises of re­mission to repentance are very frequent in Scripture. So the Prophet Isay promises pardon to the Peni­tent, Is. 1. 16. 17. 18. Wash you, make you cleane, put away the euill of your workes from you, that is to say, Repent: And then followes, Though your sinnes were as crimson, they shall be made white as snow, &c. that is to say, you shall be pardoned and forgiuen. Haue mercy on mee (saith Psal. 51. 1. 3. Dauid) ô Lord, now what is his argument to mooue God to mercy? For I know mine iniquities, and my sin is euer before me. If we acknowledge our sinnes, that is, if men repent, he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our 1. Ioh. 1. 9. sinnes. Not that Repentance merits remission, nor that it apprehends it, for so onely fath brings remission, but as it is a necessary attendant of faith in appre­hending remission. For when wee hold out the hand of faith to receiue Gods mercy, wee doe it as beggers, crying and lamenting our miseries. And Faith lookes vpon Christ with a weeping and a re­penting eye. And therefore though it bee faith that doth apprehend mercy and pardon, yet because this faith is a repenting faith, yea, euen then most of all repenting, when it most of all apprehends mer­cy, therefore it is that that the promise of pardon [Page 166] is made to repentance. Hence Repentance and Re­mission of sinne are ioyned together by our Saui­our, Luk. 24. 47. No Repentance, no Remission. Except yee Luk. 13. 3. repent, yee shall all likewise perish: so if Repentance, then Remission. Be it true Repentance, though it be neuer so small, there is Remission, and so life e­ternall. Hence Repentance is called Repentance Acts 11. 18. vnto life. The Repenting sinner then is in a most hap­py case, for hee hath his sinnes pardoned, and so title to Heauen. So that if a man dies in Repen­tance, he dies in the state of saluation, and so goes to heauen. For looke what way wee are turned when we dye, thither goe wee, as the tree fals that way wherto it inclined & bowed, when it stood on the ground, Now Repentance, as we haue seene, is the turning of the heart to God: so that if a man die with his face turned to God-ward, to God hee goes. But if he die in his irrepentance, with his face turned from God, to God he can neuer come. Let this then perswade euery one, as euer hee lookes to be saued, to breake off his sinnes by Repentance. The Papists lye when they teach vs, that there are two wayes to Heauen; The way of innocency, and the way of penitency. No, there is but this one way of penitency, by which euen the most holy must go, for all haue sinned; and onely the repenting sinners shall be saued. And againe, here is both exceeding great comfort to the repenting, and terror to the impenitent sinner. Are thy sinnes many and gree­uous? If they were as red as Scarlet, yet if thou re­pent they shall bee made white as snow. It is onely impenitency that damnes thee, not murther, not a­dultery, [Page 167] not incest. If thou canst repent of these these sinnes thou art safe: when the streame of thy sinnes, and the streame of Gods wrath fot thy sins. come against thy soule, let the streame of that water which issued out of Christs heart, together with that streame which issueth out of thy repenting eyes meet it, and they shall turne away the current of it away from thee. The Physician is not so much offended with the loathsomnesse of the disease, as with the contempt of his physick, which he knows being taken would heale the disease. Nor God so much with thy most odious sins, as with this, that thy impenitent heart refuses his physicke. This is Ioh. 3. 19. the condemnation, that light being come into the world, men loued darknesse rather then light. Not darknesse simply that condemnes, but obslinate continuance in darknesse, with loue of it, and delight in it, after that light is sent to helpe vs out of darknesse. On the contrary then, if thou repent not, though thy sinnes were neuer so small, they haue waight e­nough to presse thee downe to hell. Impenitencie makes small sinnes great and heauy. But Repen­tance makes great sinnes no sinnes, in regard of di­uine imputation. The greatest sinnes are pardona­ble to the penitent, as the smallest vnpardonable to the impenitent.

And further, although our sinnes were pardon­ed and forgiuen, yet can we haue no assurance that they are so, & the promises of remission belong to vs; It is presumption to snatch at the promise, before wee haue the condition. And though thou hadst pardon, yet canst thou haue no peace till thou hast [Page 168] come to God by Repentance. For God holds the same rule with vs in forgiuing vs, which hee pre­scribes to vs in the forgiuenes of our brethren. For though our brother come not to vs, and humble himselfe vnto vs, yet are we bound to forgiue him, but yet wee are not bound to goe to him, to tell him that wee forgiue him, but hee is to come and say, It repenteth mee. Euen so deales God with vs, he may happily haue forgiuen vs, yet vnlesse wee turne and come againe vnto him, and say, It re­penteth vs, hee will not tell vs, neither shall his spi­rit Luc. 17. 4. assure and witnesse it to our hearts, that he hath pardoned vs. Now if there bee assurance as well as pardon, thou shalt bee perplexed and turmoiled as much in the want of assurance as of pardon. God often deales with his children, as Ioseph did with his brethren, hee would not at first make himselfe knowen vnto them, but spake roughly vnto them, and threatned them the prison, and after­ward hee telles them, I am Ioseph your brother. So till wee are prepared by Repentance, neither Gen. 45. will God make himselfe, nor our pardon knowen vnto vs, but will rather speake roughly, and thret­en the prison of hell; but if once we come with bro­ken, 1. Pet. 3. 19. and with bleeding hearts vnto him, then can he no more refraine himselfe, then Ioseph could, but will say to our consciences, I am your father, Bee of good comfort, your sinnes are pardoned. And when we haue by repentance filled Gods bottle with tears, then will hee fill our hearts with this soueraigne balme, and will annoynt our hearts with the oyle of gladnesse and the vnspeakable ioy of the holy Ghost. Then [Page 169] shall the former feares, stings and horrors of the accusing conscience be banished, all shall be peace and ioy. Repentance charmes the windes and the blustring stormes of the accusing conscience, and makes the hauen of thine heart to bee calme and cleere. So that we may say of Repentance, as they of our Sauiour, What kinde of grace is this, that the Psal. 32. windes and sea obey it? euen the sea of a hellish and a raging conscience. For the experience of all Gods children that haue had any experience of Repen­tance in themselues, can witnesse thus much, that they haue no sooner set themselues to prayer, con­fession, and renewing of their couenants with God, but though at first they brought an hell in their conscience, yet they haue presently felt hell tur­ned into heauen; and in steed of the pricke of con­science, the vnconceiueble peace of God, cheering and comforting them. It is Dauids owne experi­ment, I sayd I would confesse, and thou forgauest mee, that is, thou tookest hell out of my conscience, and shedst the sense of thy forgiuenes into mine heart. Hence it is that in diuerse of the Psalmes, specially the penitentiall ones, the Prophet beginning in Psal. 6. & 13. much heauinesse and anguish of spirit, ends in much ioy and assurance. This is the first euill which Repentance remooues.

2. Repentance remooues the euill of sinne in re­gard 2. Of the staine. of the staine, the blurre, and ignominy. For euen this also it takes away. It so heals the wound, that not so much as the skarre remaines. When Onesimus had once repented, the staine and igno­miny of his theft was taken away, Once vnprofita­ble, [Page 170] but now profitable; to bee receiued, not as a theefe, Philem. 11. but as a brother. But as long as a man remaines im­penitent, so long the staine stickes in the soule in such sort, as if hee were still in the act of sinning, e­uen as dirt doth in the face till it bee washed out. All (saith our Sauiour) before me are theeues and Ioh. 10. 8. robbers. Why sayd he not, They were theeues in as­much as they were dead and gone. The reason may bee because they died impenitently, in that their sinnes and impenitency seems to continue the sinne though the act bee past. Hence it is that a man may say of Cain still, that hee is a murtherer, but not of Dauid that hee is an adulterer, the staine being washed out by repentance, and hee beeing made cleere and cleane as the picked glasse. Be­cause you say, saies Christ to the Pharisies, you see, Ioh. 9. that is, remaine obstinate in your blindnesse, ther­fore your sinne remaines, that is the blot and staine of it. Sinne casts dirt in our faces, and besmeares, and befoules vs, but after Repentance may a man say as Nebuchadnezzer did of himselfe after his Dan. 4. 33. restoring, At the same time was my glory and my beau­ty restored vnto me, so at the time of our Repentance the shame and the deformity which sinne brought vpon vs is takenaway, and our glory, and our beau­ty is restored vnto vs, which wee had before wee sinned. The same thing God promises to the Gen­tiles in their conuersion, Then will I change in the peo­ple Zeph. 3. 9. 11. their lips, that it may be pure (so Iunius reads it) with the which all may call vpon the name of the Lord, that is, I will call them to repentance, and then followes a promise of taking away the staine, In that day shalt [Page 171] thou not be ashamed for all thy works, &c. Thus doth repentance take away the shame and the staine of sinne. But impenitency sets a very brand-marke of shame vpon the fore-head of the sinner, and makes him as foule after, as in his sinne. A man turning from the sunne, remaines so till hee turne him towards it again, so in sin turning away from God, he remaines so, till by a fresh act of Repen­tance he turne himselfe to God againe. The wic­ked sinner may not thinke that his sinne passed a­way with the acte which presently vanished. No, but as the workes of the Repentant follow them to Apoc. 14. the graue, so also of the wicked; That as the one being dead may be still called iust and holy, so the other still wicked and impure. A lesson for impe­nitent persons, your skarres, your wounds, your deformities, your filthinesse in which you lie down shall all rise vp againe with you, and with these shall you appeare in Gods sight at the day of iudg­ment.

Now Repentance takes away the staine and ig­nominy Which is ta­ken away in regard of sinne, both in regard of God, and in re­gard of man.

1. In regard of God: and that appeares by these 1. Of God. two things.

1. In that he receiues repenting sinners into for­mer fauour and grace againe, without vpbraiding Iam. 1. them with their sinnes: Yea, heere the prouerbe is true, The falling out of louers, is the renewing of loue. And as bones out of ioynt, ioynted againe, are stronger then before, so when God and wee, are ioynted together againe by Repentance, his affe­ctions [Page 172] are stronger to vs then before. The repen­ting prodigall receiued greater tokens of fauour, Luk. 15. then his elder brother that neuer brake out into that riot, neither doe we finde his father, girding, and reproaching him with his riotous courses, nay he rather answers the elder brother disgracing him with them. So Christ first appeared to Mary Mag­dalen, Mark: 16. out of whom he had cast seauen deuills, for all her former seauen deuills, hee honors her with his first appearance. The like honour did he to Peter, Goe your wayes saith the Angell, and tell his Disciples, and Peter, that he will go before you into Galile. Why Dicit speciali­ter, & Petro, quia se indignū indicanit disci­pulatu, cum ter [...]egauit magi­strum. Sed pec­cata praeterita non nocent quando non pla­cent. Hierony­mus in hunc locum. is Peter more especially named then any of the rest of the Disciples? Not to giue Peter any primacie aboue the rest, but that they might know that how soeuer Peter had greeuously offended in his three­fold deniall, yet because he had wept bitterly, and had thoroughly repented, he had blotted away that staine, and receiued him to his former sauour againe. Though Peter sinned aboue the rest, yet repenting, he is named aboue the rest. The hus­bandman loues that ground, which hauing aboun­ded in weedes, doth yet afterward by good culture abound with good fruits, better then that ground which as it was neuer abundant in weedes, so nei­ther extraordinarily in good fruit. And the Cap­taine makes more of that Souldier, which hauing fled, yet after returning doth valiant exploits vpon the enemies, then of him that euer kept his station, but did no speciall extraordinary seruice.

2. In that hee restores vnto them their former gifts and graces lost, and that with increase and [Page 173] aduantage. Dauid all the while he lay in his sinne had his heart altogether out of tune to compose any Psalmes, but after his Repentance was he in a more excellent manner, a sweet singer of Israel. Zecharie by sinne lost his speech, but by repentance, he regained not onely his speech, but propheticall speech. Repenting Sampson was stronger then be­fore; Luk: 1. and did a more valiant act then euer. So Sa­lomon and Noah recouered the spirit of prophecie after their repentance. And Peter the spirit of confidence aboue that he had before, that he who for­merly was faine to speake to Christ by Iohn, after­ward durst speake, and aske himselfe concerning Ioh: 21. Iohn. This is the admirable vertue of Repentance, that with the Eagle it causes vs to renew our youth, Psal: 103. and with the Snake to be fresher, and liuelyer, after the casting of our old skin. When sinne hath im­payred, and infeebled, and made vs olde, and wi­thered creatures, Repentance reviues vs, and puts young spirits into vs. So hearty, and so cordiall is this physicke of Repentance. Other physick may take away our bodily infirmities, but yet so, that it brings some weaknesse to nature; but repentance addes strength to our spirituall and renewed nature. In this regard that repentance recouers the losse of grace, it may be said also that it recouers the losse of time; in that recouering grace, it makes vs by double diligence redeeme the time; and so we may allegorically apply to repentance, that of Ioel, I will giue you the yeeres, which the Caterpiller hath de­uoured. Ioel 2.

2. Repentance takes away the ignominie, and 2. of man. [...] [Page 174] staine of sinne, in regard of men, and the Church, who are to admit euery repenting sinner into their societie, and familiaritie as before, yea into those former offices, and dignities, and credit, which be­fore they had amongst vs. Hence it is that Salomon Cartm. in eccl. f. 46. in the booke of his Repentance, prefers the title of Ecclesiastes, that is, a soule reconciled to the Church, or, a soule speaking and making confession, in the Church, before the title of the sonne of Dauid King in Ierusalem, as that which would procure more grace to his worke, and more credit to his person. He seeks more credit in his repentance, then his crowne. His repentance had more power to re­store him to the fellowship of the Church, then his scepter. Thus was repenting Ionah restored to his propheticall office, Peter to his Apostleship, Nebu­cadnezzar to his kingdom. As if a Traytor should not onely haue his life, and his lands, but with them his honors and his offices in the Common-wealth restored him by his Prince. True it is that if the children of God fall into any scandalous sinne, let them repent neuer so much they are like for euer after to heare of it through both their eares, and alwaies to haue it laid in their dish. But this do­ctrine, as it must correct the malice of the world, reproching the repenting sinner, whom God ho­nors, and raking vp the carcases of their sins, which God hath buried, so must it comfort the Repen­tant, when they shal remember, My sin is as if it had neuer been, and therefore may they say to the De­uill, and the world reproching them, Tell me not what I haue been, but what I am, and will be. And thus [Page 175] doth Repentance remooue the euill of sinne.

2. It also remones the euill of punishment. And 2 of punish­ment. By that it doth three wayes. 1. by keeping backe affli­ctions. 2. by taking them away. 3. by sanctifying, and sweetning of them.

1. Repentance doth keepe backe, and preuent 1. preuenting. Gods iudgments, and many of his plagues hanging ouer our heads, and ready to seaze vpon vs. When sinne, that is, the punishment, lyes before the dore. Gen: 4. ready to enter in, and make hauocke, yet if Cain doe well, and repent him of his former hypocrisie, and turne in truth vnto the Lord, shall he not be accepted? When Rabsakeh lay before the doores of Ierusalem, and before that the Ammonites, how did the repen­tance of Iehoshaphat, and Hezekiah driue them back? 2. Chron: 20. 2. Chron: 32. And it is a certaine rule set downe by God himself, when I haue spoken against a nation to destroy them, and Ier: 18. 7. 8. to root them out, if they repent of their sinnes, I will repent of the euill that I thought to bring vpon them. Thus the Nineuites repentance wrought repentance in God. God saw their workes, that they turned from their euill wayes, and God repented of the euill that hee Ion: 3. 10. had said he would doe vnto them, and he did it not. Thus by their repentance was the threatned sen­tence reuersed. A strange thing, as Chrysostome hath noted, that the condemned Malefactors re­pentance should repeale the Iudges sentence, and a thing altogether vnvsuall in the Courts of men; yet in Gods court repentance doth not onely fru­strate Gods owne casting sentence, but turnes it into an acquitting sentence, doth not onely turne backe the euills to be expected, but brings the contrary [Page 176] blessings which could neuer bee expected. That murtherous and adulterous marriage betwixt Da­uid and Bathsheba, how many heauy curses did it threaten? yet they seriously repenting, all curses turned into blessings. Christ came of this marriage, and Salomon the eldest sonne thereof, was the most eminent man for gifts that euer was, and in his po­steritie did the kingdome continue for many gene­rations. Loe how Repentance was more powerfull to draw downe blessings, then murther and adul­terie both together with their vnited forces to bring downe curses. For this is a certaine rule in all vnlawfull entrances into any Calling, that After-Repentance is counteruayleable to a lawfull en­trance, and both keeps backe the punishments due to vnlawfull entrance, and sometimes brings grea­ter blessings of God then a lawfull entrance. Wouldest thou then keep backe those plagues thy sinnes haue deserued, the way is to repent. Repent of thy sinne, and God will repent of his plagues. Gods anger is often in Scripture compared to fire, now looke what power the elementary water hath against fire to quench it when it is beginning to flame, and burst out, the same vertue is in the water of the teares of Repentance, to keep the fire of Gods wrath from breaking out vpon vs in his pu­nishments. This is the water that can only preuent the burning of this fire.

2 Because sometimes, notwithstanding our Re­pentance, 2. Remouing. God sees it fit to lay some chastisements vpon vs for the furtherance, and increase of our re­pentance, to shew his hatred of sinne, and for the [Page 177] example of others, as in Dauid punished with the losse of his child after his Repentance for his adul­terie, and in Ionah, throwen into the sea after his repentance for his disobedience, therefore though the power of repentance appeare not in keeping backe the affliction that it touch vs not, yet ap­peares the power of it in the taking away of the af­fliction in due time. If my people, saith the Lord, 2. Chro 7. 14. vpon whom my name is called, doe humble themselues, and pray, and seeke my presence, and turne from their 2. Chron. 33. wicked wayes, then will I heare in heauen, and be merci­full to their sinne, and will heale their land. After Manassehs repentance had broken the fetters of Sa­than, and his sinnes, it also broke the yrons he was held in, in prison. And repentance was the same to him, that the Angell was to Peter, which opened Act. 12. the prison, and loosed his fetters. Loe the Angeli­call vertue of repentance. So Ionahs repentance was as a powerfull vomit to the Whale, and made him cast him vp safe vpon the land. Ionah his repen­tance, was as powerfull as the three childrens faith. It ouercame the fire of the whales belly, as well as their faith the fire of Nebucadnezzars furnace. yea, it did not ouercome the fire onely, but the water also in the Seas, that they could not drowne him. So Iob repenting, recouered all his losses, and recei­ued double riches, and possessions.

3. If afflictions still abide with vs, and we cannot 3. Sweetning and sanctify­ing. as yet be deliuered, yet Repentance is a sweet com­forter, and so brings a mitigation of our afflictions If it cannot plucke out the poyson, yet it shall turne it to wholsome food, so that affliction shall be as [Page 178] no affliction, and according to the Apostles coun­sell, we shall weep as if we wept not. If a man feele 1. Cor. 7. the grace of Repentance in his afflictions, so that he can go to God, and confesse, and bewayle his sinnes, calling vpon him for mercy, and renewing his couenant with him, his affliction shall not so much grieue him, as this his repentance shall cheere, and reioyce him. For to say the truth, in all our afflictions it is more our sinne, then the af­fliction, that pinches vs. Sinne is a thorne in the flesh which makes but the touch of the finger pain­full, whereas if that thorne were not, the stroake of the whole hand might be endured without any paine. Now repentance takes away that thorne, that is sinne, and so makes our afflictions, both easy, and comfortable. None so meeke, quiet, patient, silent, and cheerefull in affliction, as the Repentant sinner. The more repentance, the more ease in afflictions. Onely the impaenitent are impatient. He that hath two burdens on his backe at once, must needs feele more trouble, then he that hath onely one. Now the impenitent sinner hath two bur­dens, his affliction, and his sinne, which addes weight to his affliction, and layes as it were the hand to presse it downe vpon vs. But the penitent sinner hath but one burden, his affliction; as for sinne, the other burden, his repentance hath eased him of it. Therefore Dauid prayes, Looke on my af­fliction and trauell, and forgiue me my sinne. Then is Psal. 25. 18. our affliction eased, when our sinne is forgiuen, which cannot be without repentance; for it is sinne onely that exasperates affliction, and is as salt and [Page 179] vineger to a sore; it is sinne that makes it smart. Thus did Dauids repentance ease, and sweeten the 2. Sam. 12. affliction of his childes death: when by prayer, fa­sting, and such like exercises of Repentance, he had remooued the cause of affliction, his sinne: his af­fliction was not bitter, and burdensome, but his Re­pentance inabled him cheerefully to rise vp, and refresh himselfe. And this is the reason why the children of God, as hath been shewed, haue alwaies in their afflictions afresh renewed their Repen­tance, that they might, if not wholy free them­selues from their affliction, yet from the stinge and torment of it, and might gaine, if not deliuerance from, yet patience, and comfort in it. for this is the admirable power of Repentance, that it turnes euen crosses into comforts, losses into gaines and aduan­tages; as contrarily, impaenitent lying in sinne, turnes comforts into crosses, and helps into hinde­rances. Ionah while he went on impaenitently in his disobedience, the ship could not saue him, nor all the skill of the Marriners: but when he once repen­ted, then neither the waters could drowne him, nor the heat of the fishes maw consume him. When he was in his sinne, then the windes, the seas, and all were against him; when in repentance, all for, and with him: the Sea, and the Whales belly kept him safer then any ship, the Nineuites became obedi­ent, and humbled themselues at his preaching. So then afflictions may come, and may abide with vs, but shall not consume vs, no nor yet much disease vs, if we haue once eased our backes of the burdens of our sinnes by Repentance. This turnes all curses [Page 180] into a blessing, God hath raised vp his sonne Iesus, saith Peter, and him he hath sent to blesse you in tur­ning euery one of you from your iniquities. So that turning from sinne is a blessing that turnes all crosses and curses into blessings. And thus we see how Re­pentance remooues euill both of sinne, and punish­ment.

CHAP. XIX. Motiues to Repentance, from the good it brings.

NOw see a little the Good it brings, and pro­cures. 2. In procu­ring good. And the Good is twofold: Spirituall, and Temporall.

The spirituall good which Repentance procures, 1. Spirituall. is twofold.

1. First, it brings to the repenting sinner, the Holy Ghost. Repent, saith Peter, and be baptized, and yee shall receiue the gift of the Holy Ghost. Act. 2. 38.

Now it brings the Holy Ghost both in respect of 1. The Holy Ghost. his Comforts, and in respect of his Graces.

1. For the Comforts of the Holy Ghost, then are 1. In the comforts. they most bountifully dispensed to vs, when we are most vncomfortable, and mourne for sinne, Blessed are they that mourne, for they shall be comforted. Re­pentance Matth. 5. 4. is the preparing the way of the Lord in the desert, by it are the rough and filthy wayes of our Isai. 40. 3. opened. [Page 181] hearts amended, and made fayre, and then the Lord himselfe sets in his feet, and walkes in them: by it our hearts being made of a desert, a paradise, Christ comes presently and makes it the place of his delight, and solace. By repentance wee gaine sweet fellowship with Chtist, and a more liuely, and comfortable presence of the Holy Ghost. For by preparing away in the wildernes, is meant the change of our hearts by Repentance: and by the way of the Lord, is meant the blessed, and comfor­table presence of Christs spirit within vs: when those crooked wayes of ours are made straight by our repentance, and these rough places plained, Then shall Isai: 40. 5. Luc: 3. 5. 6. the glory of the Lord be reuealed, and all flesh shall see the saluation of God. So true in this regard also is that speech, Repent, for the kingdome of God is at Matth: 3. 2. hand, that is, Christ is a King at hand, ready, royally to dispense his bounty in powring the vnspeakable comforts of his spirit vpon you.

2. It procures the Holy Ghost in respect of his 2. In the gra­ces of it. Graces, procuring both the meanes of Grace, and Grace it selfe. God will neuer be wanting to the repentant sinner in the good meanes of grace: O ye disobedient children turne againe saith the Lord, &c. Ier: 3. 14. 15. And I will giue vnto you Pastors according to mine heart which shall feede you with knowledge and vnder­standing. Thus Cornelius his serious exercises of prayer and repentance, brough vnto him first an Angell, then an Apostle, and then the Holy Ghost himselfe. And as it procures the meanes, so also Act: 10. 3. 25 44 Grace it selfe. And among other the gifts and graces of the spirit, procured by Repentance, we may [Page 182] instance in Knowledge a mayne one, and which is the ground of all the rest. Now we shall see how Repentance gaines it. Sinnes are as scales to our eyes, whence they are called workes of darknesse, and the Deuill, the prince of darknesse, but the vio­lent streame of repenting teares, carry and brush away these scales. Naturall teares indeed dull our bodily eyes, but these teares cleare the soules eyes, Proouing saies the Apostle, if God at any time will 2. Tim: 2. 25. giue them Repentance, that they may know the truth. The reason of our ignorance of Gods word, is the hardnes of our hearts, which being remooued by repentance, we come then to the knowledge of it. Excellent is that of Paul concerning the Iewes, that 2. Cor: 3. 16. when their heart shall be turned to the Lord, the vayle should be taken away. That vayle of ignorance which thorough the hardnes of their hearts is drawne ouer their eyes, by repentance shall be remooued, and taken away. The Lord saies Dauid, will teach sin­ners Psalm: 25. 8. in the way: why Ioh: 9. he will not heare sinners, and will he then teach them? He expounds him­selfe in the next verse, what sinners he meanes, euen such as he will heare also, euen humble, and repen­ting sinners, Them that be meeke will he guide in iudg­ment, vers. 9. and teach the humble his way. Humiliation is the way to get vnderstanding, From the day saies the Angell to Daniel, that thou didst set thine heart to vnderstand, and to humble thy selfe before thy God, Dan: 10. 12. thy words were heard. Herevpon it is that the igno­rance of the Gentiles, and the infidelitie of the Dis­ciples, Eph: 4. 18. Mark: 6. 52. 8. 17. is imputed to the hardnesse of their hearts. Is it any maruell then that men are so grossely [Page 183] ignorant, that they neuer feele the enlightning and quickning presence of the Spirit, so that they may euen say in this regard, though not we haue not heard, yet we haue not felt whether there bee an holy Ghost, or no? Is this any maruell when men goe on so wilfully and impenitently in their sinnes? Repen­tance is the best commentary to the Minister on his text, and to the priuate man on his Ministers Sermon. If any man, sayes our Sauiour, will doe my will (and this is the will of God, euen our sanctifi­cation, Ioh. 7. 17. 1. Thess. 4. 3. and this is our sanctification, by Repen­tance to correct our errors, & to endeuor our selues in obedience) then he shall know whether the doctrine I speake be of my selfe, or of my father. It was a good saying of Bradfords, That we must first be in the Gram­mar-schoole of Repentance, before wee goe to the vniuer­sity of Predestination. And Cardinall Poole answered not amisse to him that demanded what course should be taken in reading of the Epistle to the Ro­mans, First, saith he, beginne at the twelfth chapter, and reade to the end, and practise the precepts of Repentance and mortification, and then set vpon the former part of the Epistle, where iustification and predestination are handled.

Secondly, Repentance bringeth grace and ac­ceptation to all our good workes. Insomuch as 2. Acceptati­on to our seruices. without Repentance they are no good workes in Gods sight. This will the better appeare if wee consider how that Repentance must haue a dou­ble worke, in euery good worke. It hath both a worke preparatory and conclusory, it must beginne, and conclude all our seruices to God.

1. It hath a preparatory worke, whereby wee are fitted and prepared to doe that good, which is to be done. For when we are to doe any good thing, our sinnes past rise vp against vs to hinder vs, and they stop the passage of Gods grace, whereby we should be enabled to doe it. It is necessary there­fore that with repenting hearts for sinnes past, we goe about the doing of good workes, and so draw downe from heauen the grace of God, to enable vs to do that good we go about. Heereupon Peter bids those conuerts Repent, and be baptized, first, to Acts 2. 38. wash themselues in the teares of Repentance, be­fore they were washed in the waters of baptisme. So Paul requires of the Corinthians the renewing of 1. Cor. 11. 31. their repentance in the iudging of themselues before the receiuing of the Sacrament of the Supper.

2. Worke of Repentance in doing good workes is conclusory, in the closing vp of a good worke, for our best righteousnesse is as a menstruous cloath. Is. 64. 6. This menstruity must bee washed away with the teares of Repentance. We bring foorth the fruits of our obedience, as the Beares doe their whelpes, altogether vnshapen. Wee had neede by repen­tance licke them ouer, and bring them into better forme. And as sowre apples haue sugar to com­mend them to our taste; so had our obedience neede of the weeping water (salt in our feeling, but sweete to God) to commend it to his palat. Thus did Nehemiah close vp his many worthy seruices with this act of repentance, acknowledging him­selfe an vnprofitable seruant, and crauing pardon for his defects: As after his reformation of the a­buses [Page 185] on the Sabaoth, he prayes, Remember me, ô my God, concerning this, and pardon mee according to thy Neh. 13. 22. great mercy. And after the relation other abuses re­formed, hee closes his booke with this, Remember me, ô my God, in goodnesse. These bee the spirituall Neh. 13. 31. good things which the grace of Repentance pro­cures vnto vs.

2. Repentance brings also temporall Good, and outward blessings. If ye consent, and obey, that is, if 2. Temporal Good. Is. 1. 19. ye consent to yeeld obedience to the former com­mandement of washing you, and making you cleane by Repentance, then shall you eate the good things of the land, you shall not onely haue the bles­sings of heauen, but the blessings of the earth also. So the Lord promises the captiued Iewes peace, Ier. 29. 11. 12. 13. 14. and freedome from their captiuity vpon their Re­pentance and seeking vnto God. So Ioel vpon his exhortation to the people to turn vnto the Lord with Ioel 2. 12. 17. 19. all their heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning, &c. brings in the promise of tem­porall blessings, The Lord will answer, and say vnto his people, Behold, I will send you corne, and wine, and oyle, and you shall be satisfied therewith. Thus fasting procures feasting, and when we feast the Lord with the wine of the teares of our repentance, then will hee fill vs with the wine and fruites of the earth, when wee haue withered faces with the teares of Repentance, then will hee giue vs oyle to make our Psal. 104. faces to shine, and will powre downe a blessing without Mal. 3. 10. measure, when in any good measure wee humble our selues for our sinnes. This is that argument where withall Eliphaz vrges Iob to turne vnto the Iob 22. 23. 24. 25. [Page 186] Lord, If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built vp: Thou shalt lay vp gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the flints of the riuer. Or else, if Repentance doe not procure these things alwayes, yet it brings as great a good, as Eliphaz there tels Iob, Yea, the Al­mighty Sic Iun. Aurū [...]ectissimum. shall be most choice gold and siluer, and strength vnto thee. If God doe not giue thee gold, hee shall giue thee himselfe which is better then gold. Hee will make a blessed supply another way. Such is that gracious promise made by the Prophet Hosea to the Israelites vpon their Repentance, O Israel re­turne Hos. 14. 3. 5. 6. vnto the Lord thy God, And what shall follow thereupon? I will heale their rebellion, I will loue them freely; there be spiritual blessings which shal follow vpon their repentance, but there is not all, he also promises temporall blessings, I will be as the dew vn­to Israel, he shall grow as the lilly, and fasten his roots as the trees of Lebanon. When we giue vnto God the dew of repentant teares, then will he himselfe bee a dew vnto vs. There is one dew for another, a dew from heauen, for a dew from the earth. And no maruell that true Repentance procures temporall good, when as but a temporary Repentance hath not wanted these temporall blessings. Ahab a very None-such for working of wickednes, for there was none like Ahab, who sold himselfe to commit euill, yet euen he but rending his clothes, though he rent not 1. King 21. 27. 28. 29. his heart, and putting on sack-cloth and fasting, is not neglected of God: Seest thou, sayes the Lord to E­liah, how Ahab is humbled before me? Because he sub­mits himselfe before me, I will not bring that euill in his dayes. How much more will God regard the ren­ding [Page 187] of the heart, who thus farre respects the ren­ding of the clothes? If God doe thus to the dry, what will he doe to the greene tree?

CHAP. XX. Motiues from the euils of impenitency.

THe second sort of motiues is from the euils of 2. Motiue from the euils of Impeniten­cy. Which are 2. Chro. 36. 13 14. 15. 16. impenitency. Impenitency it selfe is of it selfe a greeuous and a fearfull euill. An impiety aboue heathenish abominations. Zedekiah hardned his neck, and made his heart obstinate that he might not returne to the Lord God of Israel, And as he so the people and the Priests trespassed wonderfully according to all the abomi­nations of the Heathen. Nay, they did not only tre­spasse according to the abominations, but aboue their abominations, for though the Lord sent his messengers rising, and sending to call them to Repen­tance, yet they mocked his messengers, and despised his words, till there was no remedie. Heereupon it is that our Sauiour vpbraides the cities wherein he had done Matth. 11. 20. most of his great workes, euen for their very impeni­tency, because they repented not. This is the maine sinne for which he girds them. And for the same sinne he spares not to vpbraid the eleuen after his resurrection, he reprooued them of their vnbeliefe and Marc. 16. 14. hardnesse of heart. Indeede God giueth as grace, so the meanes, and reproacheth and vpbraideth no man, Iam. 1. 5. [Page 188] that is, he vpbraideth no man with lesser infirmi­ties, but where impenitency is vnder the meanes there he vpbraideth, and threatens it both. This is a greater sinne then all other sinnes; other sinnes are rebellious against God, but yet this is a perpetuall rebellion against him. This is that whereby that Ierem: 8: 5. Apocalypticall Iezabels sinne is aggrauated, not so Reu. 2. 20. 21. much in this did she sinne, that shee called her selfe a Prophetesse, that she deceiued Gods seruants, and made them commit fornication, and eat meat sacrificed to idols. But this was her heauy and hainous trasgression, I gaue her space to repent of her fornication, and she repen­ted not. Her great sinne was, that she repented not for sinne. This indeede is the damning sinne. It is not simply sinne that now damnes, but continu­ance in, and impenitency for sinne. It is not the falling into the water, but the lying vnder the wa­ter that drownes. It is not falling into sinne, but lying in it by impenitency, that drownes a mans soule in perdition. There is but one sinne that shall neuer be forgiuen, the blasphemy against the ho­ly Ghost, and euen this sinne is not simply irre­missible and vnpardonable, but only because that sinne hath alwayes annexed vnto it finall impeniten­cy: euen that sinner, but that he is an impenitent sin­ner might be pardoned.

But let vs a little more particularly see what the euill of this sinne is. Salomon telleth vs in one word what it is: He that hardeneth his heart, to wit, by im­penitency, shall fall into euill. Now this euill that Prou. 28. 14. shall follow impenitency is two fold: Temporall e­uils, and Spirituall euils.

1. Impenitency brings Temporall euils. They are these. 1. Temporall, they are 1. Iudgments of note.

1. Fearefull, exemplary, and remedilesse pu­nishments, God whips not this sinne with ordina­ry rods, but he lashes it with scorpions, plagues it with remarkeable vengeance and iudgements of more eminent note. The patience of God is that which keepes backe Gods iudgements. Now im­penitency sinnes against Gods patience, and abu­ses it. Mans impenitency causes Gods impatience. And whereas Repentance stands in the gappe, and keeps out iudgement, Impenitency breakes down not a gappe, but the whole fence, and not onely lets in, but as with cart-ropes, hales in Gods iudg­ments. The wise man seeth a plague, and hideth himselfe Prou. 22. 3. but the foolish goe on still, and are punished. The wise man hides himselfe by Repentance, by it turning backe from his sinne, and so turning back the iudge­ment; but the foole, the impenitent sinner, he goes on still till he meete with the iudgement. Repen­tance is a meeting with God, Because I will doe this Am. 4. 12. vnto thee, prepare to meet thy God ô Israel: Then wee meet God when we seek to him by Repentance, & sendforth our tears & prayers, as our Ambassadors to plead for a peace, and sue for mercy to God, in turning his fierce wrath from vs. But Impeniten­cy makes a man sit still, and lets the iudgement come, and so because it will not come to meet with God, it meetes with his wrath and iudgements. So it is noted of the old world, They were eating and drinking, and marrying, and giuing in marriage, and knew Mat. 24. 38. 39. nothing till the flood came and tooke them all away. They [Page 190] were washt away with the waters of Gods iudge­ment, who would not wash themselues in the tears and waters of Repentance. Therefore it is that when the Lord comes to threaten this sinne, hee heapes so many threatnings one vpon another a­gainst this sin of impenitency, as if so be he could not satisfie himselfe in threatning it, as if so be the naming of it had enraged his iealousie: If any man Deut. 29. 19. 20. 21. &c. shall blesse himselfe in his heart, saying, I shall haue peace though I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart, &c. The Lord will not bee mercifull vnto him, but then the wrath of the Lord, and his iealousie shall smoake against that man, and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him, and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen, and so goes on still in that heauy manner threatning impeni­tent persons to the end of the chapter. And wher­as the Lord in threatning other sins vses to come in with some qualifications vpon hope of Repen­tance, yet when he threatens this sinne, he is abso­lute in his threatnings, to shew that he will be reso­lute in his iudgements. The Lord called to weeping Is. 22. 12. 13. 14 and mourning, to baldnesse and girding with sack-cloath, that is, to the exercises of Repentance and Humi­liation, And behold ioy and gladnesse, slaying oxen, and killing sheepe, eating flesh, and drinking wine, eating and drinking, that is, hardening their hearts by impeni­tency and going on in their sinnes without Re­pentance. Well, but how did the Lord take this, Surely, saith he, this iniquity, this iniquity of their horrible impenitency, shall not bee purged from you, till ye die. Heere is no qualification of the threat­nings, [Page 191] but God absolutely threatens that he will neuer pardon this sin of theirs, that with so high an hand, went on in their sinnes.

Secure sinning and hardnesse of heart, is an vn­doubted fore-runner of seuere destruction. And when God will giue ouer men to his iudgements, he first giues them ouer to this iudgement of an impenitent heart. So vpon the iudgement of hard­nesse of heart threatned by Isaiah, In making their Is. 6. 10. 11. hearts fat, and their eares heauy, &c. followes the fearefull threatning, of washing the cities till they bee without inhabitant, and the houses till they bee without man, and the vtter desolation of the Land. Thus is hardnesse of heart and impenitency, alwayes the harbinger to some fearefull plague. As on the contrary, when God intends mercy to a nation, he first giues them the grace of Repentance. In that day (saith the Lord by Zachary) will I seeke to destroy all nations that come against Ierusalem, And I will powre Zich. 12 9. 10. vpon the house of Dauid, and vpon the inhabitants of Ie­rusalem the spirit of grace and compassion, and they looke vpon me whom they haue pierced, and they shall lament, &c. as if had sayd. Though I meane to destroy o­ther nations yet will I not destroy Ierusalem, but will giue them the grace of Repentance, that they may preuent and auoyd destruction. But on the other side, when our hearts are hardened in sin­ning, Diluvium fuit circa finem A­prilis cum orbis quasi reuiuiscit, cum aues can­tillant, & ex ultant pecudes, &c. Luther in Genes. 7. Gods heart is hardened in punishing. Yea, e­uen then when men are most securely hardened, is Gods hand neerest vnto them to fall heauy vpon them. The old world was destroyed in the end of Aprill, which is the most pleasant time of all the [Page 192] yeere: And the sunne shone vpon Sodome that morning it was destroyed: who would haue looked for such a flood now the winrer was past, and the yeere now in her prime and pride? who af­ter such a faire sunne-shining morning would haue looked for such a dismall day? Such dismall euents doth mens impenitency portend, and then most of all, when they are in their greatest security. A­rise (saith the Lord to Nebuchadnezzer) and get you Ier. 29. 31. 32. vp to the wealthy nation that dwels without care, which haue neither gates nor barres, but dwell alone, And their camels shall be a booty, &c. Men are neuer so fit a booty for Gods iudgements, as when they are without care.

As generall hardnesse fore-runnes generall iudg­ments, so in particular men, their hardnesse goes before destruction. See Ieroboams example. Hee was reprooued by the Prophet for his idolatry, the Altar cleft, his hand dried vp, and healed againe. Any of these might haue cleft his heart, and had wrought him to Repentance, But yet after this Ie­roboam conuerted not, but turned againe to his idola­trous 1. King. 13. 33 34. courses, and continued in his impenitency: and what was the issue of all this? And this thing turned vnto sinne vnto the house of Ieroboam, as who should say, all that hee had done before had not turned to sinne, had it not beene for this sin of his impenitency, But this turned to sinne to his house, e­uen to root it out, and destroy it from the face of the earth. Balaam hardening his heart against Gods com­mand, the Asses rebuke, and the Angels sword, re­turnes home by weeping crosse, and he that would [Page 193] not returne for the Angels sword, was afterward slaine by the sword of the Israelites. So was Phara­ohs Num. 31. 8. Exod 14. heart hardened to his destruicton in the sea. So of the cities of Canaan it is sayd, That it came of the Iosh. 11. 20 Lord to harden their hearts, that they should come a­gainst Israel in battle, to the iutent they should destroy them vtterly, and shew them no mercy, but that they should bring them to nought. This is made the cause of Gods iudgements vpon Saul. Saul died for his transgression against the Lord. Now what was his transgression, first hee brake the commandement 1. Chron. 10. 13. 14. of God, then he sought and asked counsell of a familiar spirit, and last of all, which was his sinning sinne, after all this, hee sought not to the Lord, by Repen­tance, therefore the Lord slue him.

2. If any impenitent sinner doe escape some 2. Reseruation to worse iudgements. temporal iudgements, as often he may, & doth, yet his impenitency turnes all his deliuerances but into further curses and iudgements, and his deliuerance is a worse iudgement then the iudgements from which he is deliuered; for it argues either Gods vt­ter forsaking of them, as desperate patients are gi­uen ouer by the Physician, Why should ye bee smitten any more? for yee fall away more and more. Or else it Isay 1. 5. argues a reseruation of them for some more feare­full plague. If by these former iudgements before specified, yee will not be reformed by me, but walke stubbornely against me, then I will walke stubbornely against you, and smite you yet seauen times for your sins. So that an impenitent mans preseruation out of one iudgement, is but a further reseruation of him to seauen iudgements. What mercy or fauour is this? [Page 194] nay the mercy is seauen times a greater iudgement. Cham was saued from the flood in the Arke, but it Gen 9. was for a greater iudgement, for his fathers, and for Gods curse: as good to be drowned as to bee cursed, as good to die vnder the waters, as to liue vnder a curse. Pharaoh escaped many of the former Exod. 14. plagues vnder which the rest of the Aegyptians smar­ted, he was but kept for the sea, to be made a prey to the waters. Lots wife escaped from Sodom, but Gen. 19. Gen. 14. was turned into a pillar of salt. The Sodomites were rescued out of the hand of Chedor-laomer, but were Gen. 19. after consumed with fire and brimstone from hea­uen. It had beene happy for them if they had bin still captiued slaues vnder Chedor-laomer. So true is that of Amos, that it is with wicked impenitent Amos 5. 19. sinners, as if a man did flie from a Lyon, and met with a Beare, or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him. As also that of Isaiah re­peated Isay 24. 18. Ierem. 48 44. by Ieremy, He that flyeth from the noyse of the feare shall fall into the pit, and hee that comes vp out of the pit, shall be taken in the snare. Euen as good be in the pit still. This is but out of the frying pan into the fire, or as Ezekiel speakes, out of one fire into Ezek. 15. 7. another fire, and the last fire happily like Nebuchad­nezzars furnace, seauen times hotter then ordinary.

3. Thirdly, God will euen take pleasure in in­flicting Gods delight in iudgement. iudgement, God indeed delights in mer­cy, but mans impenitency will make him delight in iudgement. Heereupon he threatens Loadicea, Reuel. 3. to vomit her foorth of his mouth, if shee still went on impenitently in her luke-warmnesse. God signifies by that phrase, that hee would take [Page 195] pleasure and delight in their destruction, as it giues great ease to the ouer-pressed stomacke to bee dis­burdened and eased by vomiting. Such is that threatning Prou. 1. 24. 25. 26. Because I baue cal­led, and yee haue refused, I haue stretched out mine hand, and none would regard, but yee haue despised my counsell, and would none of my correction, I will also laugh at Risus Dei longa graui [...]r est ira Dei. Quid Deus loquitur cum risu, in legas cum luctu. Augustin. your destruction, and mocke when your feare cammeth. God is neuer more angry then when hee laughes. Gods laughter is an heauier iudgement then his anger, for when once hee comes to delight in his anger, it is a signe his anger is implacable. Wee haue most cause to weepe, when God laughes.

2. Spirituall euils procured by impenitency 2. Spirituall which are are these.

1. Spirituall blindnesse, and blockish sensles­nesse, 1. Spirituall blindnesse. further hardnesse, and obduration, My peo­ple would not heare my voyce, and Israel would none of mee. See what was the punishment that followed vpon it, So I gaue them vp to the hardnes of their harts, Psal. 81. 11. 12 & they walked in their own counsels. As if he had said, Since they will harden their hearts, their hearts shall be hardened: since they will harden them a­gainst my mercy, I will harden them in my iustice. Thus was Balaam besotted thorough the hardnesse of his heart, that hee could not see so much as the Asse did hee rode vpon. And the Sodomites were smitten as well with a spirituall, as a temporal iudg­ment of blindnesse. So Pharaoh hardening his hart against each plague was also giuen vp to further hardnesse. Thus the Apostle seemes to make this the cause of the Gentiles hardnesse of heart, because Eph. 4. 18. 19. [Page 196] they being past feeling gaue vp themselues to wantonnesse, to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse, So God pu­nished their former hardnesse with further obdu­ration. So elsewhere he makes this the cause why they were giuen vp to a reprobate sense; and a cau­terized conscience because, they went on impeni­tently Rom. 1. in their sinnes with greedinesse. This is an heauy and a fearefull iudgement to be giuen vp to the hardnesse of our owne heart. Dauid had his choyce of three plagues, whether hee would take, 2. Sam. 24. but all those three ioyntly, are three times easier then this one, famine, sword and pestilence, are mer­cies to this iudgement. Better to bee deliuered vp to the sword, famine and pestilence then to an hard heart, nay, better be deliuered vp to Sathan himselfe, then to hardnesse of heart: we finde a man deliuered 1. Cor. 5. 5. 1. Cor 2. vp to Sathan, and yet he repented and was saued, we finde none deliuered or saued that hath beene de­liuered vp to the hardnesse of heart. Deliuering vp to Sathan is for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit 1 Cor. 5. 5. may be saued: but deliuering vp to the hardnesse of heart is for the destruction both of flesh and spirit, both of soule and body. It is a desperate euill to be deliuered vp to ones owne heart. Adulterers by Gods Law should be stoned to death: though now mans Law be more fauorable, yet God secretly ex­ecutes his Law vpon impenitent adulterers, for he stones them with the heauiest and hardest stone that is, euen with a stony heart, to which he deliuers all such impure beasts.

2. Desperation. They that thinke Repentance 2. Despera­tion. is a bitter cup, to the which they will not lay their [Page 197] lips, shall drinke a cup of Satans owne tempering, and shall sucke vp the very lees of it. If thou refuse heauenly repentance, though shalt with Iudas be for­ced to a desperate hellish repentance. Though sinne may lie a sleepe a while before the doore, as with Caine, like a drowsie sluggish cur, yet at the length it will awaken and barke so hideously, and grinne so fearefully in thy face, that though thou bee not driuen with Saul to murder thy selfe, or with Iudas and Achitophel to hang thy selfe, yet shall thy con­science bee no lesse dismayd with desperate feares then theirs were.

3. Eternall condemnation: The impenitent 3. Eternall damnation. Is. 4. 4. person shall fall into that bottomelesse pit of fire and brimstone. Repentance is called the spirit of burning. It is a burning fire that consumes our sinnes; if this fire burne not our sinnes, Hell fire will burne our soules. If our Gospell be hid, it is hid to them 2. Cor. 4. 3. that perish, saith the Apostle. Heereupon our Saui­our threatens those Iewes, that they should die in their Ioh. 8. 24. sinnes. If they should die in them, they should rise in them, and if they should rise in them, then shold their sinnes rise vp against them, and fall heauy vp­on them to presse them downe into the lowermost hell. This is the sinne which of all others, encrea­ses a mans damnation. Therefore impenitent sin­ners are sayd to heape vp wrath against the day of wrath; Rom. 2. 5. euen the whole heape of all their sinnes, and the whole heap of Gods wrath shall be laid vpon them. So our Sauiour pronounces an heauy sentence vpon those impenitent cities where he had preach­ed, That it should bee easier for Sodom and Gommorrha Matth 11 21. 22. 23. 24. [Page 198] in the day of iudgement then for them. Surely, they that haue the least paine in hell, shall haue but litle cause to bragge of their ease. Euen the least sinnes shall haue smart enough, what then shall the crying sinnes of the Sodomites haue? Sodomy was a mon­strous sinne, such a sinne that, as Chrysostome saies, Cogitato quam graue illud sit peccatum, et quod ipsam Gehennam etiam ante tempus ap­parere coegerit. Chrys. ad Rom. 1. hom. 4. it made hell to appeare before the time, such a sin as made an hell on earth. Such a sinne then as had an hell on earth, must needes haue an hell with a witnesse, in hell. Needes must their damnation be fearefull and easelesse that began so earely. And yet the accursed Sodomites shall haue an easier hel then such impenitent persons as reiect Gods mer­cy in the Gospell. Sodom and Gomorrhaes hell, shall be an heauen to Bethsaida and Chorazins hell. An impenitent person shall thinke himselfe to haue beene an happy man, if he had beene one of those accursed Sodomites that once perished with fire and brimstone from heauen, and now lie yelling and howling in the lake that burnes with fire and brim­stone in hell. Oh how heauie shall his condition be, how vnconceiueable his woe and torment, that shall enuy, and grinde, and gnash his teeth at a cur­sed and damned Sodomite for his happinesse. Oh consider this all yee that forget God, lest he teare you in Psal. 50. 22. peeces, and there be none that can deliuer you. Repent, and the Kingdome of God is at hand to receiue thee: Repent not, and the Kingdome of hell is at hand to double-damne and deuoure thee.