CAP. I. WHAT REPEN­tance is.

REpentance is a worke of grace arising of a godly so­row: wherby a man turnes frō all his sinnes unto God, and brings foorth fruites worthie amendement of life.

I call repentance a work: because it seemes not to be a qualitie, or vertue, or habit: but an action of a repentant sinner. which appeares by the ser mons of the Prophets and Apostles, which runne in this tenor, Repent, turne to God, amend your lives, &c. Whereby they intimate, that repentance is a worke to be done.

Againe, Repentance is not every kinde of [Page 2] worke, but a worke of grace. because it can not be practised of any, but of such as be in the estate of grace. Reasons are these. I. No man can repent, unlesse he first hate sinne, and loue righteousnes; and none can hate sinne, unlesse he be sanctified; and he that is sanctifi­ed is iustified: and hee that is iustified must needes haue that faith which unites him to Christ, and makes him bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. Wherefore he that repentes is iustified and sanctified, and made a member of Christ by faith. II. Hee that turnes to God must first of all be turned of God: and after that we are turned, then we repent. Sure­ly Ierem. 31. 19. after I was converted I repented: and after that I was instructed I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did beare the reproch of my youth.

Some may obiect, that repentance goes be­fore all grace, because it is first preached. The first sermon that ever was made was of repentance preached by God himselfe in paradise to our first parents. And ever since the sermons of al the prophets and Apostles and of all faith­ful ministers haue had repentance for their be­ginning [Page 3] and scope. The answere hereto may be this. If we respect the order of nature, there be other graces of God which goe before re­pentance▪ because a mans conscience must in some part be setled touching his reconciliatiō with God jn Christ, before he can begin to re­pent. wherfore iustificatiō & sanctification in order of nature go before repentāce. But if we respect time, grace & repentance are both togi ther. So soone as there is fire so soone it is hot: & so soone as a man is regenerate, so soone he repents. If we respect the outward manifesta­tion of these twaine, repentance goes before all other graces: because it first of all appeares outwardly. Regeneration is like the sap of the tree that lies hid within the barke: repentance is like the bud that speedily shews itself, before either blossom, leaf, or fruit appeare: yea, all o­ther graces of the heart which are needfull to salvation, are made manifest by repentance. And for this cause Repentance (as I take it) is first preached.

I adde further, that repentāce riseth of a godly sorow in the heart, as Paul teacheth. Godly so­row 2. Cor. 7. 10. causeth repentance unto salvation never to be repented of. It is called a godly sorow, or [Page 4] a sorrow according to God, that it may be di­stinguished from worldly sorrow: which is a griefe arising of the apprehension of the wrath of God and other miseries; as feare of men, losse of good name, calamities in goods and o­ther things, which in this life follow as punish­ments of sinne: whereas the godly sorrowe causeth griefe for sinne, because it is sinne. And it makes any man, in whome it is, to be of this disposition and minde, that if there were no conscience to accuse, no devill to terrifie, no iudge to arraigne and condemne, no hell to torment, yet he would be humbled & brought on his knees for his sinnes, because he hath of­fended a loving, mercifull, and long suffering God.

Further I say, that repentance standes in tur­ning againe to God. Man at the first was made a goodly creature in the image of God having fellowshippe with him, whereby hee dwelt in God and God in him. By sinne there is a parti­tion made betweene God and man: who is a­lienatedIsa. 59. 2. eph. 4. 18. and estraunged from God, and is be­come the child of wrath, a firebrand of hell, the prodigall child going from his father into a far [Page 5] countrey, the straying nay the lost sheepe. Now when men haue grace to repent, then they begin to renew this fellowship, and turne againe to God. And the very essence or na­ture of repentance consistes in this turning. Which Paul doth seeme to intimate, when he saith, That he shewed both to Iewe and Gen­tile, Actes. 26. 20 that they should repent and turne to God, and doe workes worthy amendment of life. In which wordes he sets downe unto us a full description of repentance.

Againe I say, that repentance is a turning from sinne, because it doeth not abolish or change the substance of body or soule, or any of the faculties thereof either in whole or parte: but onely rectifie and amend them by remooving the corruption. It turnes the sad­nesse of melancholy to godly sorow, choller to good zeale, softnesse of nature to meeke­nesse of spirit, madnesse and lightnesse to chri­stian mirth: it reformes every man according to his naturall constitution, not abolishing it but redressing the faultes of it.

Further I put downe, that repentance is a turning from all sinne to God, that I may ex­clude [Page 6] many false turnings. The first, when a man turnes from God to sinne▪ as when one of a protestant becomes a papist, an Arrian, a Familist. The second, when a man turnes from one sinne to another. As when the riotous person leaves his prodigalitie, and gives him­selfe to the practise of covetousnesse: this can be no repentance: because it is a going from one extreame to another, whereas repentance is to leave the extreames and keepe the mean. The thirde is, not when a man turnes from sinne, but sinne turnes from him and leaves him. As when the drunkard leaves drunken­nesse because his stomacke is decayed: the for­nicatour his uncleannesse, because the strength of nature failes him: the quareller his fighting, because he is maimed on legge or arme. The last is, when men turne from many sinnes, but will not turne from all. As Herod did many things at the advertisement of Iohn baptist, but coulde not be brought to leave incest, in having his brother Philips wife. This re­pentance is nothing. For as he which is truly regenerate, is wholly in body, soule, & spirit regenerate: so he which truly repents, turnes [Page 7] from all sinne, and turnes wholly to God.

Neither is this to trouble any, that they can not know all their sinnes: for sound repentāce for one speciall sinne brings with it repentāce of all sinne. And as God requires particular repentance for knowen sinnes, so he accepts a generall repentance for such as be unknown.

To proceed further, the conversion of a sin­ner in repentance, hath three partes. The first, a purpose and resolution in the mind: the se­cond, an inclination in the will and affections: the third, an indeavour in life and conversati­on, to abandon and leave all his former sinnes, and to imploy himselfe in obedience to Gods commandements.

Lastly, this repentance must bring foorth fruites worthy amendement of life: because it can not be knowen to be sincere, vnlesse it bring forth fruit. Repentant sinners are trees Isa. 61. 3. of righteousnesse of Gods owne planting: and they grow by the waters that flow out of the Ezee. 47. 12. sanctuarie, and therefore they must beare fruite that may serve for meate, and leafe for Mat. 3. 10. medecine: otherwise the axe of Gods iudge­ment is laid to there rootes to stocke them vp.

CAP. II. Of the causes of Repentance.

THe principall cause of Re­pentance is the Spirite of God, as Paul saith, Instru­cting 2. Tim. 2. 25. them with meeke­nesse that are contrarie minded, prooving if God at any time wil give them repentance. And Ieremie, Convert thou me, Ier. 31. 18. and I shalbe converted.

The instrument of the holy ghost in wor­king repentance, is the ministerie of the Gos­pell onely, and not the Law. Reasons hereof are these. I. Faith is ingendred by the prea­ching not of the Law, but of the Gospell, as Paul saith, The gospell is the power of God to Rom. 1. 18. salvation to all that beleeve from faith to faith: therefore repentance which followes faith as a fruite thereof, must needes come by the preaching of the gospell only. II. The Lawe is the ministerie of death and damnati­on: 2. Cor. 3. 7. because it shewes a man his wretched e­state; [Page 9] but shewes him no remedie: therfore it can not be an instrumentall cause of that re­pentance which is effectuall to salvation. III. The doctrine of repentance is a part of the gospell: which appeares in this, that the prea­chingLuc. 9. 6. cum Marc. 6. 12. of repentance, and the preaching of the gospell are put one for another. And our Sa­viour Christ divides the gospell into two partes: the preaching of repentance, and re­missionLuc. 24. 47. of sinnes in his name. IIII. That part of the worde which workes repentance, must reveale the nature of it, and set out the promise of life which belongs unto it. But the law neither reveales faith nor repentance: this is a proper worke of the gospell. If it bee said, that the law is a schoolemaster to bring us to Christ, the answere is, it brings men to Christ ^a vrgēdo non al­liciēdo. not by teaching the way, or by allu­ring them: but by forcing and urging them.

Neither do we abolish the law, in ascribing the worke of repentance to the gospell only: for though it be no cause, yet is it an occasion of true repentance. Because it represents unto the eye of the soule our damnable estate, and smites the conscience with dolefull terrours [Page 10] and feares, which though they be no tokens of grace (for they are in their owne nature the very gates and the downe-fall to the pit of hell) yet they are certen occasions of receiving grace. The Phisition is otherwhiles constrai­ned to recover the health of his patient by ca­sting him into some fits of an ague. So man, because hee is deadly sicke of the disease of sinne, he must be cast into some fittes of Le­gall terrours by the ministerie of the law, that he may recover his former estate, and come to life everlasting.

Repentance also is furthered by calamities. Iosephs brethren, when they were in distresse in Egypt said one to another, We have veri­ly Gen. 42. 21. sinned against our brother in that we sawe the anguish of his soule when hee be sought vs and we would not heare him, therefore is this trouble come upon vs. And the Lorde saith in Oseah, I will goe and returne to my place till Ose. 5. 15. they acknowledge their fault & seeke me; in their affliction will they seeke me diligently. And, The Israelites say, my soule had them Iam. 3. 20. (namely afflictions) in remembrance, & is humbled in me. Example of Manasses. And [Page 11] when hee was in tribulation hee prayed to the 2. Chr. 33. 12. Lord his God, and humbled himselfe greatly. And David saith, It is good for me that I have Psalm. 119. 71. ben afflicted, that I might learne thy statutes.

CAP. III. Of the partes of Repentance.

REpentance hath two parts: Mortification, and Rising to newnesse of life.

Mortification is the first part of repentance which concernes turning from sinne.

Men turn from sinne, when they do not only abstaine frō actuall sinne, but also use all means whereby they may both weaken & suppresse the corruption of nature. Surgeons, whē they must cut of any part of the body, use to lay plai sters to it, to mortifie it, that beeing without sense and feeling, it may be cut off with lesse paine. In the same maner, wee are to use all helpes & remedies prescribed in the worde, which serue to weaken or kill sinne, that in death it may be abolished.

[Page 12]And it must not seeme strange that I say we must use meanes to mortifie our owne sinnes. For, howsoever by nature we can not doe ane thing acceptable to God, yet' be­ingActia gimus. quickened and moved by the holy ghost, we stirre and moove our selves to doe that which is truly good. And therefore repentant sinners haue grace in them, whereby they mortifie their owne sinnes. Paul saith, I be at down my body and bring it in subiection. And,1. Cor. 9. 27. Gal. 5. 24. They which are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the affections and the lustes thereof. And, Mortifie therefore your earthly mem­bers, fornication, uncleannesse, the inordinate Col. 3. 5. affection, evill concupiscence and covetous­nesse. And, If any man purge himselfe from 2. Tim. 2. 21. these, he shall be a vessell unto honour. And S. Iohn saith, Everyone which hath this hope in 1. Ioh. 3. 3 him, purgeth him-selfe, even as hee is pure. And, He which is begotten of God preserveth cap.. 5. vers. 18 himselfe, and the wicked one toucheth him not.

Mortification hath three partes. A purpose in minde, an inclination in will, and an indea­vour in life and conversation to leave all sinne.

[Page 13]Rising to newnesse of life, is the second part of repentance concerning sincere obe­dience to God.

And it hath also three partes. The two first are a resolution in the minde, and an inclina­tion or lust in the will to obey God in all things. Barnabas exhorts them of Antiochia, That with purpose of heart they would cleave Actes 11. 23. vnto the Lord. Examples of both these are many in scriptures. Of Ioshua. If it seeme Iosh. 24. 15. evill vnto you to serve the Lord, chuse you this day whome yee will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served, or the gods of the Amorites, &c. but I and my housholde will serve the Lorde. Of David, O Lorde Psalm. 119. 57. thou art my portion, I have determined to keepe thy commandements. And, I have v. 106. sworne, and will perfourme it, that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements. And, When thou saidst, Seeke ye my face, mine heart answered Psalm. 27 8. Psalm. 119. 112. unto thee, O Lord I will seeke thy face. And, I have applyedmine heart to fulfill thy statutes alwayes even to the end.

The third parte, is an indeavour in life and conversation to obey God. Example of Paul.

[Page 14] And herein I take paines to have alwayes a Actes 24. 16. cleare conscience towardes God & towardes men. Of David, I have respect vnto all thy Psalm. 119. 6. v. 30. commandements. And, I haue chosen the way of truth, & thy iudgements have I laid before me. And, I have cleaved to thy testimonies. 31 And, Direct me in the path of thy commande­ments: 35. for therein is my delight.

No man must here thinke, that a repentant sinner fulfilles the lawe in his obedience: for their best workes are faultie before God. And whereas the faithfull in scriptures are said to be perfect: we must know that there be two degrees of perfection: perfection in substance, and perfection in the highest de­gree. Perfection in substance is, when a man doth sincerely indeavour to perfourme per­fect obedience to God not in some but in all his commandements. And this is the only per­fection that any man can have in this life. A Christian mans perfection is to bewaile his imperfection: his obediencee more con­sistes in the goodwill then in the worke, and is more to be measured by the affection, then by the effect.

CAP. IIII. Of the degrees of repentance.

REpentance hath two degrees. It is either ordinarie or extra­ordinary.

Ordinary repentance is that which every christian is to per forme every day: for as men fall daily either more or lesse: so the graces of God are pro­portionally weakened day by day. wherefore the continuall reparation therof must be made by a daily renuing of repentance. A christian man is the temple & house of Gods spirit: hee must therfore once a day sweepe it, that it may be sit to entertaine so worthy a ghest.

Extraordinary repentance is the same in na­ture with the former: it differs onely from it in degree and measure of grace.

And this is to be put in practise, when men fall into any enormous, capitall, or grievous offences, whereby they doe very grievously wound thir owne consciences, & giue great offence to the Church. Of this sort was the re­pentāce of Peter when he went forth & wept bitterly: & Davids repentāce, after that he had committed adultery & murdered Vriah.

CAP. V. Of the persons which must repent.

MEn be of two sortes: the naturall man, and the regenerate. Re­pentance is needefull for both. For the na­turall man, that hee may be brought frō his sinnes, and the I­mage of God renewed in him. Some may say, that many naturall men live civilly, ab­steining from all outragious behaviour, and therefore neede no repentance. I graunt in­deede, they doe so: yet repentance must goe withall. For civil life without grace in Christ, is nothing else in Gods sight, but a beautifull abomination. The Pharises were civill, yet Christ saith of them, Except your righteous­nesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises, yee shall not see the kingdome of heaven. Repentance is also required in the [Page 17] regenerate: because they have many knowen and privie corruptions in them, which must be mortified: and otherwhiles they fall gree­vously: and therefore that they may rise a­gaine, they must be daily practised in the spi­rituall exercises of repentance.

CAP. VI. Of the practise of Repentance

IN the practise of Repen­tance foure speciall duties are required. The first is a diligent and serious exa­mination of the consciēce by the Lawes & comman­dementes of God, for all manner of sinnes both originall and actuall. Example of theLam. 3 39. 40. children of Israel. Wherefore is the living man sorowfull? man suffereth for his sinne: let vs search & trie our wayes, & turne a­gaine to the Lorde. Of David. I considered Psalm. 119. 59. my wayes, & turned my feete to thy testimo­nies.

[Page 18]Touching Originall sinne, this must be well remembred, that one man hath not one part onely of originall sinne, and another man an other: one man this corruption, another that: but every man as he received from Adam the whole nature of man: so also he received o­riginall sinne wholly. And therefore every man, (not one excepted, saving Christ who was extraordinarily sanctified by the holy ghost in the womb of the virgin) hath in him from his parents the corruption and seede of all sinne, which is a naturall disposition & pro­nesse to commit any sinne whatsoeuer. Take a view and consider all the horrible sinnes that be practised in any part of the world, either against the first or second table: whatsoeuer they are, the spawne and seede of them all is euen in that man that is thought to be best dis­posed by nature. Some may say, that experiēce shewes the contrary; because among men that want all maner of religion some are more ci­vill & orderly: some againe more lewdly dis­posed. I answere, that this comes to passe, not because some men are by nature lesse wicked then others: but because God, by his provi­dence [Page 19] doth limit and restraine mens corrupti­on more or lesse, which he doth for the good of mankind. For if men might be wholly left to themselves, corruption woulde so excee­dingly breake out into all maner of sinnes, that there should be no living in the world.

Touching actuall sinnes, they shalbe found by examinatiō to be innumerable as the haires of a mans head, & as the sands by the sea shore: if any will but search themselves a litle by the ten commandements of the Decalogue, for all their sinful thoughts, words, and deeds against God and man.

Thus much of examination: now followes the second duty, which is confession of sinne unto God, which is very necessary. For the right way to haue our sinnes covered before God is, to uncover and acknowledge them unto him. For hee will iustifie vs if we con­demne our selues, he will pardon us, if we, as being our owne enemies, accuse our selues: he forgets our sinnes if wee remember them: when we are vile in our owne eyes, wee are pretious in his: and when we are lost to our selues, we are found of him.

[Page 36]That confession may be rightly performed, a notable duety is to be put in practise in it: namely, the arraignment of a repentant sin­ner, whereby he iudges himselfe that he may 1. Cor. 11. 31. not be iudged of the Lord.

This arraignment hath three speciall pointes in it. For first of all, hee must bring himselfe forth to the barre of Gods iudgement. which thing hee doeth when he sets himselfe in the presence of God, as though even now the day of iudgement were. As Saint Hierome did, who alwayes thought with himselfe that hee heard this voice sounding in his eares, Rise yee dead and come to iudgement.

Secondly, he must put up an inditement a­gainst himselfe: by accusing him-selfe before God, by acknowledging his knowne sinnes particularly and his unknowen generally, without any excuse, or extenuatiō, or defence, or hiding of the least of them. Example of David. I know mine iniquitie and my sinne is Psal. 51 3, 4, 5. ever before me: against thee, against thee only have I sinned, and done this evill in thy sight, &c. behold, I was borne in iniquitie, and [Page 37] in sinne hath my mother conceived me. And,1. Chr. 21. 8. I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now, I beseech thee, remoove the iniquitie of thy servant: for I have done very foolishly. Of Ezra, O my God, I am ashamed & Ezra. 9. 6. confounded to lift up mine eyes vnto thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our heads, & our trespasse is growen vp vnto heaven.

Thirdly, he must with heavinesse of heart give sentence against himselfe, acknowled­ging that hee is worthy of everlasting hell, death, and damnation. As the prodigall child, Father, I have sinned against heaven, & a­gainst thee, & am not worthy to be called thy child, And Daniel, Wee haue sinned and com­mitted Dan▪ 9. 7. iniquitie, & have done wickedly: yea, wee have rebelled & have departed from thy precepts, & from thy iudgements, &c. O Lord, righteousnesse belongeth vnto thee, & vnto vs open shame. Of Iob, Beholde, I am vile, Iob. 39. 36. & 42. 6 what shall I answere thee. I will lay my hande upon my mouth. And, I abhorre my selfe, & I repent in dust & ashes. Of the Publicane,Luke 18. 13. Who standing a farre off, woulde not lift up so [Page 38] much as his eyes to heaven, but smote his brest saying, Lord be mercifull to me a sinner.

As for confession of sinne to men, it is not to be used but in two cases. First, when some [...] [...]4. Mat. 5. Iam. 5. 16. offence is done to our neighbour: secondly, when ease and comfort is sought for, in trou­ble of conscience.

The third dutie in the practise of repen­tance is Deprecation, whereby we pray to God for the pardon of the sinnes which haue bene confessed with contrition of heart, with earnestnesse and constancie, as for the weightiest matter in the world. And here we must remember to behaue our selues to God as the poore prisoner doth at the barre, who when the iudge is about to giue sentence, cries unto him for favour as for life and death. And we must doe as the cripple or lazar man in the way: sit downe, vnlappe our legges and armes and shew the sores of our sinnes; crying to God continually as they doe, (Looke with your eye, and pity with your heart:) that wee may finde mercy at Gods handes, as they get almes at the hands of passengers. Thus OseahOse. 14. 2. instructeth the people, O Israel, returne unto [Page 39] the Lord thy God: for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie: take unto you words, and turne vnto the Lord, and say unto him, Take away all ini­quitie and receive vs graciously: so wee will render thee the calves of our lips. Of Daniel,Dan. 9 18. 19. Wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our own righteousnes, but for thy great tender mercies. O Lord heare, O Lord forgive, O Lord consider and doe it: defer not for thine owne names sake, O my God. Of David, Have Psalm. 51. 1. mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindnesse: according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities.

The last duty is to pray to God for grace & strength, whereby wee may be inabled to walke in newnesse of life. Of David, Behold, I Psalm. 119. 40 desire thy commandements, quicken me in thy righteousnesse. And, Teach me to doe thy will, Psalm. 143. 10. for thou art my God: let thy good spirit lead me into the land of righteousnes.

CAP. VII. Of legall motives to repentance.

MOtives to repentance are either Legall or Evangelicall. Legall are such as are bor­rowed from the law: & they are 3. especially.

[Page 40]The first is, the misery and cursed estate of euery impenitent sinner in this life by reason of his sinnes.

His miserie (that I may expresse it to the conceit of the simplest) is seven-fold.

• 1. within him.
• 2. before him.
• 3. behind him.
• 4. on his right hand.
• 5. on his left hand.
• 6. over his head.
• 7. vnder his feete.

His miserie within him is twofold. The first is a guiltie conscience: which is a very hell vnto the ungodly man. For hee is like a silly priso­ner, and the conscience like a Iayler which followes him at the heeles, and dogges him whither soever he goes, to the end he may see and observe all his sayings and doings. It is like a register, that sits alwaies with the pen in his hand, to record and inrole all his wickednesse for everlasting memory. It is a litle iudge, that sittes in the middle of a man even in his very heart, to arraigne him in this life for his sinnes as he shall be arraigned at the last iudgement. [Page 41] Therfore the pangs, terrors, and feares of all impenitent persons, are as it were, certaine flashings of the flames of hell fire. The guiltie conscience makes a man like him, which lies on a bedde that is too strait and theIsa. 28. 20. covering too short: who would with all his heart sleepe, but can not. Belshazzar when heDan. 5 6. was in the middest of his mirth, seeing the hand-writing on the wall, was smitten with great feare, so as his countenance changed, & his knees smote togither.

The second evill within man, is, the feare­full slaverie and bondage vnder the power of Satan the Prince of darkenesse: in that his mind, will, and affections are so knit and glu­ed to the will of the devill, that he can doe nothing but obey him, & rebell against God. And hence Satan is called the prince of this2. Cor. 4. world: which keepes the hold of the heart as an armed Captaine keepes a sconse or a castle with watch and ward.

The misery before man, is a daungerous snare which the devill layes for the destructi­on of the soule. I say it is dangerous: because he2. Tim. 2. 25. is in setting of it twentie or fortie yeres, be­fore [Page 42] he strikes; when as (God knowes) men do little thinke of it. It is made of three cords: with the first, he brings men into his snare: and that he doeth by covering the miserie and the poyson of sinne; and by painting out to the eie of the minde, the deceitfull profits & pleasures thereof. With the second, he hopples and in­snares them: for after that a man is drawen into this or that sinne, the devill hath so suge­red it over with fine delightes, that he can not but needes must live and lye in it. By the third, he drawes the snare and indevours with all his might to breake the necke of the soule. For when he seeth a fitte opportunitie, especi­ally in grievous calamities; and in the houre of death, he takes away the vizar of sinne, and she weth the face of it in the true fourme, as ouglie as him selfe: then withall he begin­neth (as we say) to shewe his hornes: then he rageth in terrifying & accusing, that the soule of man may be swallowed up of the gulfe of finall despaire.

The miserie behinde him, is the sinnes past. The Lord saith to Cain, If thou doest not well, Gen. 4. 7. sinne lyeth at the doore. Where sinne is com­pared [Page 43] to a wilde beast, which followes a man whither soever he goeth, and lyeth lurking at his heels. And though for a time it may seeme to be hurtlesse, because it lyeth asleepe: yet at length, unlesse men repent, it will rise up, sease on them, and rent out the very throtes of their soules. Iob in his afffliction saith, Thou writest Iob. 13. 26. bitter things against me, and makest me pos­sesse the sinnes of my youth. And David pray­eth,Ps. 25. 7. Forgive me the sinnes of my youth. If the memorie of sinnes past be a trouble to the godly man, oh what a racke? what a gibbet wil it be to the heart of him that wants grace?

The miserie on the right hand is prospe­ritie and ease: which by reason of mans sinne is an occasion of many iudgements. In it menEzec. 16. 49. practised the horrible sinnes of Sodome: it puffes up the heart with divelish pride, so as men shall thinke themselves to be as God him selfe, as Senacherib, Nebuchad-nezzar, Antio­chus, Alexander, Herode, Domitian did. It steales away mans heart frō God, & quenches the sparkes of grace. As the Lord complai­neth of the Israelites. I spake unto thee when Iere. 22. 21. thou wast in prosperitie: but thou saydest, I will not heare: this hath bene thy manner from [Page 44] thy youth. It is like the Ivie that embraces the tree and windes rounde about it, but yet drawes out the iuice and life of it. Hence is it that many turne it to an occasion of their de­struction. Salomon saith, Prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them. When the milt swelles, theProv. 1. 32. rest of the body pines away: and when the heart is puft with pride, the whole man is in danger of destruction. The sheepe that goes in the best pasture, soonest comes to the slaugh­ter-house; and the ungodly man fattes him­selfe with continuall prosperity, that he mayRom. 9. 22. the sooner come to his owne damnation.

The misery on the left hand is Adversitie, which stands in all manner of losses and cala­mities, in goods, friends, good name, and such like. Of this read at large. Deut. 28.

The miserie over his head is, the wrath of God, which he testifies in all maner of iudge­ments from heaven, in danger of which eve­ry impenitent sinner is every houre. And the danger is very great. The scripture saith. It is Hebr. 10. 31. Deut. 32. 34. Ezec. 7. 6. a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the li­ving God. He hath store-houses full of all ma­ner of iudgements: and they watch for secure [Page 45] sinners that they can not scape. Gods wrath is [...]s a fire making havocke and bringing to nought whatsoeuer it lights on: yea, because he is slow to anger, therefore more terrible: as a man therefore stayes his hand for a time, that he may lift it higher and fetch a deeper blowe. When the dumb creatures melt as wax and vanish away at his presence, when heNah. 1. 4, 5, 6. Psalm. 97. is angry, as the huge mountaines and rockes doe, fraile man must never looke to stand. If the roaring of a lyon make men afraid, and the voice of thunder be terrible: oh, how excee­dingly should all be astonished at the threat­nings of God.

The misery under his feete is, Hell fire: for every man till he repent, is in as great danger of damnation as the traitour apprehended, of hanging, drawing, and quartering. A man walking in his way falles into a deepe dunge­on that is full of vggely serpents and noisome beastes: in his fall he catches hold of a twigge of a tree that growes at the mouth of the dun­geon, and hangs by it: afterward there comes a beast both leane and hungerbitten, which having cropt the whole tree, is ever and anon [Page 46] knapping at the twigge on which he hanges. Nowe, what is the daunger of this man? surely he is like to fall into the pit, over which he hangeth. well, this man is every impeni­tent sinner: the pit is hell, prepared for the de­vill and his angels: the twig is the brickle and fraile life of man: the hungerbitten beast is death, that is ready every houre to knap our life asunder: the dāger is fearful: for mā hang­ing as it were over the mouth of hel, whē life is ended, unlesse he use good meanes before he die, he then falleth to the very bottome of it.

If this be the miserie wherewith the careles man is sieged & cōpassed about every way, & that for his sinnes, why do men lie in the dead sleepe of security? ô! it stands them in hand to take up the voice of bitter lamentation, & for their offences to howle after the manner of dragons. If men could weepe nothing but teares of blood for their sins, if they could dye a 1000 times in one day for very griefe, they could never be grieved ynough for their sins.

The second motive to draw men to repen­tance, is the consideration of the wretched estate of an impenitent sinner in his death, [...] which is nothing but the wages & allowance [Page 47] that he receives for his sinne: and it is the veryRom. 6. 23. suburbs, or rather the gates of hel. S. Paul com­pares death to a scorpion, who carieth a sting in his taile, which is sinne. Now then whē im­penitent1. Cor. 15. 55, 56. & prophane persons die, then comes this scorpion & gripes them with her legs, & stabs them at the hart with her sting. Wher­fore the best thing is before death come, to use meanes to pull out the sting of death. And no­thing wil do it, but the blood of Christ: let mē therfore breake off their sinnes by repētāce: let thē come to the throne of grace, & crie: yea let them fil heaven & earth with cries for mercy. oh! pray, pray, pray for the pardō of thy sinnes. If thou obtaine but one drop of Gods speciall mercie in Christ, all danger is past. For death hath lost his sting: and then a man without danger may put an ougly serpēt in his bosom.

The third motive, is the consideration of his estate after death. When the day of the last judgement shalbe, he must be brought and set before the tribunal seat of christ: he shal not be able to escape or hide himself: then the bookes shalbe brought out, & all his sins shalbe disco­vered before Gods saints & angels: the devil & his own conscience shal accuse him: none shall be [Page 48] aduocate to plead his cause: hee himselfe shall be speechlesse; hee shall at length heare the dreadfull sentence of damnation, Goe ye cur­sed into hell prepared for the divell & his au­gels. This thing might moove the vilest A­thiest in the world to leaue his wicked wayes and come to amendement of life. Wee see the strongest theefe that is, when he is ledde in the way from the prison to the barre, leaves his theeving and behaues himselfe orderly. And indeed if hee woulde then cut a purse, it were high time that he were hanged. All men by nature are traitours and malefactours a­gainst God: whiles we live in this worlde, wee are in the way going to the barre of Gods iudgement. The wheele of the heavens turnes one bout every day, and winds up som­what of the threed of our life: whether wee sleepe or wake we are alwayes comming nee­rer our end: wherfore let all men daily hum­ble themselues for their sinnes, and pray vnto God that he would be reconciled unto them in Christ: and let them indeavour themselves in obedience to all Gods commandements, both in their lives and callings.

[Page 49]Againe, after the last iudgement there re­mains death eternal appointed for him: which standes in these three things. I. A separation from all ioy and comfort of the presence of God. II. Eternall fellowship with the divell and all his angels. III. The feeling of the horrible wrath of God, which shall seaze up­on bodie, soule, and conscience, & shall feed on them as fire doth on pitch and brimstone: and torment them as a worme crawling in the bodie and gnawing on the heart: they shall al­waies be dying, and never deade: alwayes in woe, and neuer in ease. And this death is the more grievous, because it is euerlasting. Sup­pose the whole worlde to be a mountaine of sande, and that a birde must carrie from it a mouthfull of sand euerie thousande yeeres: many innumerable thousands of yeres will be expired before she will haue caried away the whole mountaine: well, if a man should stay [...]n torment so long and then haue an ende of his woe, it were some comfort: but when the bird shall haue caried away the mountaine a thousand times: alas, alas, a man shall be as far from the ende of his anguish and torment as [Page 50] ever he was. This consideration may serve as an yron scourge to drive men from their wic­ked lives. Chrysostome would have men in their meetings in tavernes and feastes, to talke of hel, that by often thinking on it, they might avoyde it. A grave and chaste matrone, being mooved to commit folly with a lewd ruffian; after long discourse, she called for a panne of burning coales, requesting him for her sake to holde his finger in them but one houre; he answered, that it was an unkinde request: to whome she replyed, that seeing he would not holde so much as one finger in a fewe coales for one small houre, she could not yeeld to do the thing, for which she should be tormented body & soule in hell fire for ever. And so shold all men reason against themselves. None will be brought to doe a thing, that may make so much as their finger or tooth to ake: there­fore we ought to have great care to leave our sinnes, whereby we bring endlesse torment to bodie and soule in hell.

CAP. VIII. Of motives Evangelicall.

EVangelicall Motives are two especially. The first is taken from the consideration of mans redemption. He that re­deemed mankind is God him selfe. As Paul saith, that God was in Christ, re­conciling 2. Cor. 5. 19. the world to him selfe. Mans sinne is so vile and hainous in the eyes of God, that no Angell nor creature was able to appease the wrath of God for the least offence. But the Sonne of God himselfe must come downe from heaven, and take mans nature on him: and not onely that, but he must also suffer the most accursed death of the crosse, and shed his most pretious heart blood to satisfie the ju­stice of his Father in our behalfe. If a Father should be sicke of such a disease, that nothing would heale but the heart blood of his owne childe, he would presently judge his owne case to be dangerous; and would also vowe if ever he recovered, to use all meanes whereby he might avoid that disease. So likewise, [Page 52] seeing nothing could cure the deadly wound of our sinne but a plaister made of the heart blood of Christ: it must make us acknow­ledge our pitifull case, and the hainousnesse of the least of our sinnes, and stirre us up to new­nesse of life.

Againe, considering the end of the redem­ption wrought by Christ, was to deliuer us from our euill conuersation in sinne and un­righteousnesse, we are not to continue and as it were lie bathing our selues in sinne; for that were, as if a prisoner, after that he had bin ran­somed and had his boltes taken of, and were put out of the prison to go whither he would, should returne againe, and desire to lie in the dungeon still.

The second motive is, that God hath made a promise to such as truly repent. I. Of re­mission of sinnes. Wash you, make you cleane, take away the evill of your workes from before Isa. 1. 16. 18. mine eyes: cease to doe evill, &c. though your sinnes were as crimsin, they shall be made a [...] white as snow: though they were red like scar­let, they shal be as wooll. And, Seeke the Lorde Isa. 55. 6. 7. while he may be found, call upon him while he [Page 53] is neere. Let the wicked for sake his wayes, & the vnrighteous his own imaginations, & re­turne vnto the Lord, and he will have mercie on him, for hee is very plentifull in forgi­ving. II. Of life everlasting. I will not the Ezech 18. death of a sinner, but rather that hee re­pent and live. And, Thus saith the Lord vn­to the house of Israel, Seeke yee me, & ye shall Amos. 5. 4. live. III. Of mitigating or remooving temporall calamities. Stand in the courte of the Lordes house & speake vnto all the cities Ierem. 26. 3. of Iudah, &c. If so be they will hearken and turne every man from his evill way, that▪ I may repent me of the plague which I have determined to bring upon them, because of the wickednesse of their workes.

As God hath made these mercifull promises to penitent sinners, so he hath faithfully per­fourmed them, so soone as they have but be­gun to repent. Exāple of David, Then David 2. Sam. 12. 12. said to Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said to David, thy sinne is forgiven thee. Of Manasses. When he was in tribulation he prayed vnto the Lord his God, 2. Chr. 33. 12. & humbled him selfe greatly before the Lord [Page 54] God of his fathers, and prayed unto him: an [...] God was intreated of him, & heard his prayer Of the Publicane. The Publicane &c. smot [...] Luke 18. 13. his breast, saying, O God be mercifull to me sinner: I tell you, this man departed iustified t [...] his house, rather then the other. Of the thiefe▪ He said unto Iesus, Lord, remember me, when Luke 23. 42. 43. thou commest to thy kingdome. Then Iesus sai [...] unto him, verely I say unto thee, to day shall thou be with me in paradise.

Having such notable promises made to Repentance, no man is to drawe backe from the practise of it, because of the multitude o [...] his sinnes: but rather to doe it. The Pharise [...] said to Christs disciples, why eates your master Matt. 9. 12. with Publicanes and sinners. When Iesu [...] heard it, he said unto them, the whole need no [...] the Phisition, but they that are sicke. And I am come not to call the righteous, but sinners to re­pentance. Matt. 21. 31. And Verely I say unto you, that Pub­licanes and harlots shall goe before you into the kingdome of God.

CAP. IX. Of the time of Repentance.

THe time of repentance is the time present, without any delay at all: as the holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will heare his voyce. And,Heb. 3. 7, 13. Exhort one another daily, while it is called to day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfull­nesse of sinne. Reasons hereof are these. I. Life is uncerten: for no mā knowes at what houre or moment, & after what manner he shall goe forth of this world. Be ye also prepared there­fore, Luke 12. 40. for the sonne of man wil come at an houre when ye thinke not. This one thing should make a man to hasten his repentance; and the rather, because many are dead, who purposed with them selves to repent in time to come; but were prevented by death, and shall never repent. II. The longer a man lives in any sin, the greater danger: because by practise sin gets heart & strēgth. Custome is of such force, that that which men use to do in their life time, the [Page 56] same they doe and speake when they are dy­ing. One had three pounds owing to him to be paid three seuerall yeres: when he was dy­ing, nothing could be got of him, but three yeres, three pounds. Againe, by deferring re­pentance, men treasure up wrath against the day of wrath. As if a malefactour for his pu­nishment, should be appointed to cary every day a sticke of wood to an heape, to burne him twentie yeeres after. III. The more the time is prolonged, the harder it is to re­pent: the longer a man goes in his sicknesse without phisicke, the harder is the recoverie. And where the devill dwells long, hee will hardly be remooved. The best way to kill a serpent, is, to cruse it in the heade when it is young. IIII. It is as meat and drinke to the devill to see men liue in their sinnes defer­ring repentance: as on the contrary, there is great ioy among the angels of god in heaven, when a sinner doth repent. V. Late repen­tance is seldome or never true repentance. For if a man repent when he cannot sinne as in former time, as namely in death: then hee leaves not sinne but sinne leaves him: where­fore [Page 57] the repentance which men frame to them selues when they are dying, it is to be feared least it die with them. And it is very iust, that hee should be contemned of God in his death, who contemned God in his life. Chrysostome sayeth, that the wicked man hath this punishment on him, that in dying hee shoulde forget himselfe, who when hee was living did forget God. VI. We are with Abel to giue unto God in sacrifice even the fatte of our flocke: now they which deferre repentance to the end do the contrary. Late repenters offer the flower of their youth to the deuill: and they bring the lame and broken sacrifice of their old age to God.

CAP. X. OF CERTAINE CASES in Repentance.

CAP. XI. Of the contraries to Repentance.

COntrarie to Repentance is Impeniten­cie: whereby men continue in one e­state, neither sorowing for sinne, nor [Page 65] turning from it.

It is one of the most grievous iudgements that is if it be finall. For as a sick man, then is most sicke, when he feeles the lest sicknesse, & saith he is well: so miserable man is in most misery when he feeles no misery, and thinks himselfe in good estate.

This sin befalls them that iudge themselves righteous, needing no repentance. As the Pha­rises in the daies of Christ, the Catharists in the Primative Church, & the Anabaptistes in our age. Adde unto these, such as haue harde­ned their hearts: so as they can not discerne between good and euill; nor tremble at Gods iudgements, but rather fret and rage against them: till God in his wrath either destroy them or cast them to finall despaire. As it be­fell Iulian the Apostata, who died blasphe­ming, and casting his own blood into the aire.

Between the two extremes Repentance & Impenitencie, is placed counterfeit repentance. For the wicked nature of man can dissemble & counterfeit Gods grace. As the Lord com­plains of the Iewes. Her rebellious sister Iudah, hath not returned vnto me with her whole [Page 66] heart, but fainedly saith the Lord. Ierem. 3. 10.

Counterfeit repentance is either Ceremo­niall or Desperate.

Ceremonial, when men repent in outward shew, but not in the truth of heart. As Saul. Then said Saul to Samuel, I haue sinned: for I 1. Sam. 15. 24, 30. haue transgressed the commandements of the Lord, & thy words: because I feared the peo­ple & obeyed their voice. Now therfore I pray thee take away my sin, & turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord &c. Again, I haue sinned, but honour me I pray thee before the el­ [...]ers of my people. Of Ahab. When Ahab heard these words [...]e rent his clothes and put on sack­cloath, 1. Kin. 21. 27, 29. & fasted, & went softly. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah saying, seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me.

Dissembled repentance may be discerned because men after a time returne to their old byas againe. Pharao king of Egypt said unto Moses & Aaron, Pray unto the Lord that he Exod. 8. 8. may take away the frogges from me & from my people. And, when Egipt was smittē with haile he saide: I have now sinned: and the Lorde is righteous: but I and my people are wicked: pray [Page 67] ye unto the Lord, that there be no more mighty Exod. 9. 27. thunders and baile. Againe, troubled with grashoppers, he said, I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you, and now for­give Exod. 10. 16. me my sinne onely this once, &c. Now marke the issue of all: when Pharao saw that he had rest given him, he hardened his heart. and harkened not unto them, as the Lorde had Exod. 8. 15. said. This is the ordinary & common repen­tance that most men practise in the world.

Desperate repentance is, when a man hauing only gods iudgements before his eyes, is smit­ten with horrour of conscience: & wanting assurance of Gods mercy despaires finally. This was Iudas Repentance, who when he had brought again the 30. peeces of silver con­fessed Matt. 27. 3. his fault, & went and hanged himselfe.

CAP. XII. Of corruptions in the doctrine of Repentance.

THe Church of Rome at this day hath cor­rupted the ancient doctrine of repentance [Page 68] being one of the speciall points of religion. The corruptions are specially sixe.

The first, that they make repentance or pe­nance to be a sacrament, which can not be: be­cause it wants an outward signe. And though some say, that the words, which the priest re­hearseth in absolution, are the signe: yet that can not be: because the signe must be not on­ly audible, but also visible.

The second, that a sinner hath in him a na­turall disposition, which being stirred-up by Gods preventing grace, he may and can work togither with Gods spirit in his owne repen­tance. But indeed all our repentance is to be ascribed to Gods grace wholly. The soule of man is not weak but starke dead in sinne: &Eph. 1. [...]. therefore it can no more prepare it selfe to re­pentance, then the body being dead in the grave can dispose it self to the last resurrectiō.

The third corruption, that contrition in re­pentance must be sufficient. A thing impossi­ble. For sinne doth so greatly offend Gods ma­iesty, that no man can ever mourne enough for it.

The fourth, that contrition doth merit re­mission [Page 69] of sinne. An opinion that doth dero­gate much from the all-sufficient merites of Christ.

The fift that he that repents must confesse all the sinnes, that he can remember with all their circumstances to his owne priest, or one in his stead, if he will receive pardon. This kind of confession is a mere forgery of mans brain. I. There is neither precept nor example of it in the Scriptures. II. David and others haue re­pentedPsalm. 32. 3. 2. Sam. 12. 1 [...]. and haue receiued remission of their sinnes without confessing of their sinnes in particular to any man.

The last, that the sinner by his workes and sufferings must make satisfaction to God for the temporall punishment of his sinnes. A flat blasphemie. The scriptures mention no other1. Ioh. 1. 7. & 2. 1. satisfaction but Christs; and if his be sufficient, ours is needlesse: if ours needful, his imperfect. Papists write that both may stand togither. Christs satisfaction (they say) is as a plaister in a boxe unapplyed: mans satisfaction as a meanes to apply it: because it prepares us to receiue it. Ah, good divinity: for euen in com­mon sense the satisfaction of Christ must first [Page 70] be applyed to the person of man that it may please God: before the workes (which they terme satisfactions) can any way be acceptable to God.

To conclude, the Romish doctrine of repen­tance, is the right way to hell. For when a sin­ner shall be taught that he must haue sufficient sorow for his sinne: and withall that he must not beleeue the remission of his owne sinnes particularly: when sorow comes upon him and he wants sound comfort in Gods mercy, he must needs fall into desperation without recovery. Therfore the papists in the houre of death, (as we haue experience) are glad to leaue the trumpery of humane satisfacti­ons, and to rest only, for their iustification, on the obedience of Christ.