Resolution to Return Unto God by Repentance

First, what Repentance is.

T Here is no Doctrine in the Church of God more necessary thē the doctrine of Repentance and amendment of life; neither doth the holy Ghost so much labor in all the Scripture, as he doth to beat repentance into men's heads.

It was not only the only Sermon which S. John the Baptist preached, to prepare the way for Christ, but also it was the first that ever was made, it was preached by God himself, to our first parents in Paradise; & ever since both the Prophets, Apostles, and many of God's faithful Ministers have preached Repentance unto the people.

Yet notwithstanding many are so wedded unto sin, and they are become so godless, so graceless, so rooted and fully resolved to live therein, y ^t the most part little understand the Doctrine of Repentance, and less practice the duty. Many presume to describe it, though few know it: many can talk of it, but few walk in it; many speak of it, but few feel it; and many think they have caught it, when they have but the shadow of it; because it is so slippery that few can hold it, and so secret that many cannot find it: it is hid from the world, and revealed unto none but to the elect Children of God.

It is a work that no men with their sine heads and deep devices can comprehend, for the conversion of a sinner is supernatural. And whosoever doth or hath not felt in himself what repentance is, shall be dammed; therefore he that hath ears to hear, let him hear, and he that hath eyes to see, let him see what Repentance is, and withal bring this precept of the Philosophers with him, Nosce teipsum, Know thyself; it is the first thing to be done in repentance, and the beginning of all grace.

Repentance is a work of grace▪ arising of a godly sorrow, from a true faith, and knowledge of a man's own spiritual estate. It is a constant turning of man in his whole life from all his sins, unto God; it is an hearty sorrow for sin with amendment of life, having a godly Resolution to sin no more.

It is a most necessary thing for mankind; it is the very supersedeas and discharge of sin, and the cause of unity between God and man. There is no other means to make peace between Christ and us, but Repentance: No other to discharge sin, nor course to avoid hell, but Repentance; neither any way to win heaven, but Repentance: and therefore Repentance is most necessary.

What wounded body would not seek a salve? much more what wounded soul, slain with sin, would not seek Repentance, seeing it is the only salve to cure the soul?

It is an Ephod of purity; and a defiled man may not wear it. The dignity of it is great, & honorable; and the Lord will not bestow it upon an unworthy person. It is a magnificent guest, and will not come into a polluted Tabernacle. It is an holy Saint, and will not dwell in the Synagogue of Satan.

It is not to be bought with silver or gold, nor to be had from the gifts of Kings, Popes, or Potentates: it is a thing of inestimable value, it showeth the atonement between the Savior and the Sinner; and being gotten by Faith, Prayer, and hearing the Word of God, it brings thee unto Christ. It is libera Donatio, a gift absolute, without consideration, which God ever bestoweth upon his friends, upon those that love him. It is called the Spirit of Burning; therefore with speed reap̄t, that repentance may burn thy sins, lest the fire of hell burn thy soul. Isaiah 4. 4.

The true Essence or nature of thy Repentance, only consisteth in turning from all thy sins unto God: and therefore it is not altogether derived of the word Poenitentia, because the Divines say, it doth not comprehend Totum Terminum a quo et ad quem, from what, and to whom thou must return.

But this is the true Repentance, which the Latins interpret by this word Resipiscentia, or Conuersio; w ^e is not only the changing of the mind, but it is Recessus a malo, a forsaking of evil, Accessus ad bonum, & return unto that which is good: Reuertimini vsque ad me, return as far as unto me. Thou must not with Agrippa come w ^e almost, for God delights not in those which will but almost repent: but if thou wilt repent truly, thou must carefully give unto God three things, viz. Primam Lunam, Rotam Solis, Canis iram:

And withal have both a purpose in mind, and an inclination in will, and endeavor in life, wholly to forsake all thy sins forever, and turn unto God.

For better proof that true Repentance is a turning unto God, thou mayest find examples in the holy Scriptures plenteously.

O ye children of Israel (saith Isaiah) turn again frō all your infidelity, wherein you have drowned yourselves.

Turn you, turn you from all your evil ways, for why will ye die O ye house of Israel?

Repentance may be called a work of Grace; yea, a supernatural Grace of a sanctified spirit, arising of a godly sorrow, from a true faith, and knowledge of a man's own spiritual estate.

I may call Repentance a work, because it seems not to be a quality or habit, but an action of a Repentant sinner, striving to return from all his sins, to come unto God: and it cannot be practiced by any, but such as are in the state of Grace.

Thou must leave all sin, and turn wholly to God: therefore to be contrite, and not to convert; to convert, and not to reform; to forsake sin past, and not to amend; to eschew▪ evil, and not to do good; and to acknowledge God's mercy, & not to give thanks: is indeed, not to reap̄t truly.

To do one thing, and to leave all the rest undone; or to do all but one, and to leave that undone, is to do nothing at all: but to leave all undone, is to put the Devil out of one corner of thy heart into another.

For be thou well assured, that thy soul is a real thing, and cannot pass but by livery; therefore if thou wilt deliver the whole possessō of thy soul unto God by Repentance unfeignedly, thou must needs drive the Devil out of all the corners of thy heart by amend̄t of thy life wholly.

Thou must resolve to leave sin fully and absolutely. If thou begin to repent, and go not forward from Grace to Grace, thy Repentance is of no value: Non progredi est regredi, Not to go forward (in thy Repentance) is to go backward, without thy amendment: for there is no standing still (in the state of sin) if thou mind to repent. Qui cessat esse melior, cessat esse bonus: He that ceaseth to be better, ceaseth to be good; but he that doth begin & go on to the end, receives his reward, and this can never be obtained, except thou repent truly.

To Repent, consisteth but of two syllables; yet unto the wicked it is so hard to be learned, and so unapt to be practiced, that like as the Chameleon can change himself into all colors saving white, so would they change thenselves from all goodness to follow evil, rather then to return unto the Lord by Repentance.

To conclude this point, thou shalt no sooner repent, but heaven shall be confirmed unto thee, habendum et tenendum, forever and ever.

Secondly, God is the Author of Repentance.

REpentance is libera donatio, a gift absolute, without consideratiō; and it comes freely from God, who is the very efficient and principal Author or Donor thereof. It is therefore to be held the more precious, and to be desired with the more hope; yea, to be thy Summum Bonum, for it obtaineth Salvation unto all those which truly repent and turn unto God. And he that turneth unto God by Repentance, must first of all be turned by God: and so saith Jeremiah, Ierem. 31. 19. Surely after I was converted I repented, and after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. And our Savior Christ saith, No man can come unto me except my Father draw him. Therefore saith S. Paul, Instruct them with meekness, proving if God will at any time give them Repentance, that they may be saved.

For God is good and merciful unto all those that turn unto him by Repentance; he is full of pity, and hath no pleasure at all that the wicked should die: but is rich unto all that call upon him for mercy; and hath promised to hear thy petitions if thou truly repent.

Furthermore, if thou hadst repentance in thine own power, and mightest repent when thou wouldest; yet it were but a folly; yea, it were a mere madness to presume in sin because thou hast a remedy. But now seeing thy repentance is in the hand of God, and that none can repent without his especial Grace, it were a double and a treble folly to delay thy Repentance from day today, or to seek it from any other but from God.

Thirdly, of Contrition.

COntrition is a fear and inward sorrow of conscience, perceiving that God is angry with sin, & is sorry that it hath sinned. And to speak more largely of it, thou mayest know this; y ^• Contrition also comprehendeth first the knowledge of God, requiring Obedience, and discommending Disobedience; and not to remit Sin without full and perfect satisfaction, either in respect of obedience it self, or else in respect of punishment.

Secondly, the discussing and examining of thy Nature, thy thoughts, will, affections, and all thy actions and deeds, according to the square and rule of God's Laws in every point: for as saith S. Augustine, Peccatum puniendum est aut a te, aut a Deo: si punitur a te, tunc punitur sine te: si vero a te non punitur, tecum punietur. Sin must needs be punished, either of God, or of thyself; if by thyself, then sin is punished without thee; if of God, then thou and thy sin must be punished together. Therefore if thou wouldst repent with a true contrition, that thereby thou mayest reap a most plentiful harvest, thou must sow in God's field y ^e seeds of Repentance, and oftentimes water them w ^t the tears of thy humble Contrition: so shalt thou gather the true fruits of everlasting joy and felicity. For as y ^e deeper the wound, the more diligent the cure: so let thy repentance bring forth as much sorrow, as sin gave thee delight.

And as S. Ambrose saith, Expectat lachrimas nostras Deus, vt profundat Pietatem suā: God looketh for thy tears in thy Contrition, that he may pour down his grace upon thy amendment. Lauandum est cor Poenitentiae lachrimis. Thou must wash thy heart in the troubled Poole of Bethesda, in the true tears of Repentance, having an inward sorrow wrought by the holy Ghost, for thy sins before committed, against so good and gracious a God; joined both with a perfect faith to be forgiven for Christ his sake, and also from henceforth, with a full and determinate purpose to amend and lead a new life.

Fourthly, of Examination.

BEfore thou confess thy sins unto God, thou must take heed to examine thyself, that thereby thou mayest know them both in greatness and danger: for until thou know thy sins, that thy conscience may be convicted by them, thou canst never humbly & heartily confess them.

For, let any repentant sinner ask his conscience, what was the first cause of his conversion, and surely he will say, That when he began to repent, he did first search himself; and finding his ways dangerous, and his cause fearful, did thereupon resolve to take a new course. It is the beginning of all grace, to search, try, and examine thyself. It is also a means to prevent God's judgment: for if thou doest not search thyself, then God will search thee with his fiery crosses and terror of his punishments.

But if thou truly examine thyself, first to be guilty of Adams sin.

Secondly, prone by Nature to all evil.

Thirdly, subject to the curse of God's wrath.

Thus in the guiltiness of Adams sin, sin hath his beginning; in the original, his continuance; and in actual, his full perfection.

So, answerable thereunto is the wrath of God; it beginneth by leaving thee by nature unto the slavery of Satan; it is continued by death, and accomplished by damnation.

Now these three rules I leave to thy careful consideration, assuring thee from God, thou canst never be saved, unless thou repent; nor never repent, except thou doest search, try, and examine thyself.

Thus, if thou wilt repent truly, thou must search and look into thyself, to see in what a miserable case thou art; as I have said before: and thou shalt find, that by nature thou art the child of wrath, out of the favor of God, not only wretched and accursed by the Law, a bond-slave unto Satan, but finally subject to death, hell, and damnation.

Thus if thou wouldst know, if thou art in the right way of repentance, or no, thou shalt find, if thou consider in thyself, whether thou hadst ever any need of God's pardon for thy sin, or of Christ his blood, to salve and cure thy soul: Or was thy heart ever wounded or grieved for thy sin, so that thy soul were even sick with the stink thereof?

Or didst thou ever hunger and thirst after God in Christ? and with sighs, groans and tears, beg for his mercy upon thy knees (as for life and death:) If thou hast not felt, nor done these things in some measure, surely thy case is very fearful and dangerous; y ^u art not yet in the way of Repentance: therefore as yet the mercies of God belong not unto thee.

Fifthly, of Confession.

SAint Chrysostom saith, that nothing pleaseth God more then Confession, if it be joined with true contrition; and that it is a part of Humiliation, ever joined with true Repentance, because they cannot be truly humble & repent, who confess not their sins unto God: neither will he give them pardon; for God covers when men uncover and acknowledge; he justifieth when men condemn themselves, and fly unto him for mercy. If any plead unto God, Non est factum, and deny his deeds, and debts of sin; there is no reason why he should have the Acquittance of Grace. Therefore, saith Solomon, He that hideth his sins shall not prosper, but he that confesseth them and forsaketh them, shall have mercy.

If thou confess them effectually, it will cause thee to weep like Mary Magdalene; wrestle with God like Jacob; and pour forth floods of tears, like Ezechia. Thou must confess thē in this or such like manner. First, y ^u must put up an inditement against thyself, and accuse thee before God; wherein thou must acknowledge both thy particular & unknown sins, generally without any excuse, extenuation or defense, in hiding the least of them. An example thou mayest find in David: I know my iniquity is ever before me.

Secondly, y ^u must w ^t grief of heart (as a Judge upon y ^e Bench) give sentence against thyself, acknowledging thy unworthiness, by reason of thy sin, to have deserved everlasting damnation; as the Prodigal child did, who said, Father I have sinned against heaven and before thee: Or the Publican, who standing a far off, would not so much as cast up his eyes unto heaven, but smote his breast, crying: Lord be merciful unto me a sinner.

Thou must also accuse thy sins, thy very conscience must witness against them, and thy heart convince them; thou must accuse them, first, as strangers dejected; secondly, as adversaries convicted; and thirdly, as enemies professed.

In so doing, saith Augustine, when thou accusest thyself by confessing thy sins unto God, thou preuentest thereby the Devil of his purpose, so that he cannot accuse thee at the day of Judgment. For, saith he, thou blottest out all thy sins by Repentance.

Where there is no accuser, there is no crime produced for the Judge to condemn: For Eius quod non est, non est poena: peccatum remissum, non est; ergo peccati remissi non est poena. That which is not, hath no punishment; forgiven sins are not; ergo forgiven sins have no punishment. And so saith the Author to the Hebrews, 10. 18. Leo saith, that those sins shall never be condemned which are purged before with confession and Repentance Neither is Jesus Christ any longer thy Judge to condemn thee, but thy Advocate to plead for thee, if y ^u accuse thyself by confession.

Therefore confess thy sins unto God without any excuse or delay. For it is another manner of thing to repent then many take it for; It is not every sob or sigh, that brings Repentance; God is merciful, &c. And thus lightly daub them over, as though God's mercy were to be gained in a moment. Let no man deceive himself; it will cost thee many a prayer, and many a tear in thy confession, before thou canst have pardon for thy sins.

If thou diddest feel the smart of sin but prick in thy wounded conscience, y ^u wouldst never give God any rest; but like David, cry unto God again, & again, until thou hast found some comfortable persuasion of God's mercy in Christ, for the forgiveness of thy sins.

Untill thou do thus, thou shalt never find any quietness in thy conscience, nor any sound comfort of God's Spirit in thee.

David could never repent until God sent Nathan unto him; to reprove him for his sin: but so soon as he saw his sin, and that it was not only committed against Uriah, but also against God it presently so wounds his conscience, killed his poor heart, and so grieved his soul, that he cried out in his conscience; Against thee O Lord, against thee have I sinned, &c.

As if he would have said, Oh my God, it grieves me exceedingly, and wounds my very soul, that ever I was so vile a sinner as to sin against thee, O my most gracious and merciful God.

Therefore the only way to repent, is, from the bottom of thy heart, in thy conscience to grieve for thy sin; especially for that it is against God, and causeth thee to break his Laws; for if thou couldst be sorry for thy sin, because it is against God, more then for fear of punishment it were a good sign that thou wert in the ready way of Repentance.

Wherefore if there were no shame nor punishment, no Hell nor damnation, yet thou oughtest to repent, because thou hast sinned against so good and gracious a God, who hath created and redeemed thee.

Sixthly, Faith is the ground or root of Repentance.

FAith may be added unto Repentance, not as a part, but as the ground or root thereof; for it cannot be, that the root and the fruit should be both one thing: and without Faith there can never be any true Repentance, therefore they are still joined together.

To clear this doubt, thou must consider three things: First, the order of Nature; secondly, the time; thirdly, the manifestation of them both.

In order of nature, faith goeth before Repentance: in manifestation of them, repentance is first; in time, they are both joined together.

By order of nature, first a mans conscience must in some sort be settled, touching his reconciliation with God in Christ, before he can truly repent.

As S. Ambrose saith, No man can rightly repent, unless he hope for pardon. So that remission of sins is believed, then upon that comes Repentance.

By manifestation Repentāce goeth before faith, for it is sooner descried then faith.

Regeneration is like the sap of a tree, hid within the bark, when as Repentance is like the bud, that speedily showeth it self.

If we respect the time, neither of them are one before the other, but are begotten both in an instant. So soon as there is fire, so soon it is hot: and so soon as a man is regenerate, so soon he repents: for he that believes, instantly repents. Therefore none can truly repent, except he believes that he is God's. And none can have belief, but he that hath his grace, and faith in him.

Furthermore, none can reap̄t unless they hate sin; and faith causeth a man to hate sin: now none can hate sin, except he be sanctified; and none can be sanctified, without he be justified; and this cannot be without faith; for faith comprehendeth justification.

Again, the inward or instrumental cause of Repentance, is faith, which may be called the mother of reap̄tance, because it brings it forth, as the Word is the begetter; and so may have the name of a Father: for he that is without faith is dead. No life without faith; no reap̄tance without life: & therefore neither y ^e Pharisees Prayer, the Harlots vow, the Traitors kiss, the Sacrifice of Cain, the Fast of Jezebel, the Oblation of Ananias, nor the Tears of Esau, could be accepted of God, because they were not truly devoted from a lively faith.

Lastly, the efficiēt or principal working cause of faith in thy repentance, is God, whereby, by faith every true believer receiveth Christ for himself, as given for him, borne for him, dying for him, and rose again for him: for he died for his sins, and rose again for his justification.

And to conclude, repentance separated from faith in Christ, is no true Repentance.

And thus much concerning Faith.

Lastly, the time when to repent.

MAN hath no time of repentance certain, no term of years but term of life, and that is most uncertain.

Though God called Saul twice, Samuel thrice, his Spouse four times, the Ninevites forty days, and the Jews forty years; yet he gives us no time to repent, but to repent now.

The time of reap̄tance is y ^e time present without delay, as y ^e holy Ghost teacheth: This day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts: for there is but one acceptable time, w ^t being neglected, is as a Bird escaped out of the hand, or a shaft shot out of a bow, not to be recalled. At what time (saith the Lord.) The Lord limits no time, if a man repent truly. The time of repentance is double; First it must be done presently, without delay: Secondly, continually, every day. It must be done speedily without delay: for who knows whether this be the acceptable time, which if thou neglect when God calls thee in thy youth, or in thy health, it may be he will not call thee hereafter in thy age or sickness; and the longer thou doest defer thy repentance, the harder it will be for thee to repent. Therefore if thou hast suffered the bud of thy youth to be blasted, thy flower to fade, thy leaves to dry up, and thy boughs to wither, yet keep life in the root, lest the whole become fuel for hell fire.

Be not like those w ^t begin not to live until they be ready to dy, & then after a foes desert, come to crave of God afrends enternainmēt. Nor think to snatch up heaven in a moment, which the best can scarce attain unto in many years: or jump from Dives diet to Lazarus Crown; that is, from the service os Satan, to the solace of Saints. O Beloved, Heaven is not to be gained so easily.

The thief indeed may be saved on the Cross, and mercy found at the last; but late repentance is seldom or never true repentance. For if a man repent when he can sin no more, then he leaves not sin, but sin leaves him.

Look in the whole book of God, there is but only one, and that was that good thief, that truly repented at the hour of his death: and who knoweth whether he had repented before or no, we read nothing to the contrary (yet howsoever) Ille vt nullus desperet, solus vt nullus praesuma • , He is left unto us for an example that no man should despair, he only that no man should presume.

Oh therefore if thou wouldest be free from this doubt, avoid the uncertainty, repent whilst thou art in good health, take time whilst it is offered thee, for time and tide stayeth for no man. Common experience teacheth us, that tempus est pretiosum, breue, et irreuocabile, time is precious, short, and irrevocable, which can never be redeemed: and withal consider, Qui non est hodie, cras minus aptus erit, he that is not ready to repent today, will be less ready tomorrow: it may be God hath appointed this day to be the end of thy life. Oh therefore always so live, that thou be ever prepared to die: remember the saying of Chrysostom, The wicked (saith he) have this punishment, in dying they forget themselves, because in their life time they forgot God.

And on thy death-bed (if thou shouldest defer thy repentance until then) it may be thou wilt be wearied with dolour and pain, thy thoughts may be amazed, and thy memory decayed.

But thy guilty conscience burdened with sin, that would continually accuse thee, and the Devil w ^t all his cursed caitiues, will be there in a readiness to persuade thee to despair, with their vasa furoris, their vessels of fury, to attend & require their hire for their service, presenting before thine eyes all those sins that they have tempted thee to do, alleging that thus and thus they have done for thee.

O what then wilt thou do? What answer canst thou make? Doest thou think that God whom thou never regardedst to serve, will then send his Angels to deliver thee out of his claws? No, no. It is just and right, that thou being dead shouldst never want torment, that whilst thou liuedst wouldest never want sin.

According unto Christ's own saying, Quantum in delitiis fuit, tantum dato illi tormentum: Look how much they have delighted in sin, so much torment shall be laid upon them.

If all this will not move thee to turn unto God by repentance; what will move thee then? Wouldest thou defer thy repentance until thy last day? Oh! who knoweth whether the Lord will give thee grace and space to repent then or no? If he would, it were an uncertain point, to hazard so great a Jewell as the salvation of thy soul upon.

Or wouldest thou continue in thy sins, and never repent, and yet think to have eternal life? It is impossible. As soon thou mayest drive God out of heaven: for Christ himself saith; I tell you nay; Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or wouldest thou forgo heaven, and escape hell too? It is as much impossible.

Wherefore to conclude, I beseech thee gentle Reader, in the Name of Jesus, and for Christ his sake, to beware that thou defer not thy repetance, lest thou find thy heart deeply wounded, when thou shalt find many sins committed and not repented, and many of thy promises made to God, but in little or no measure performed.

Therefore I besaech thee, shake off thy sins, banish thē, send thy darlings packing, and never more pity them; for they seek thy very souls destruction. If thou doest defer thy Repentance until it be too late; Oh! then thou wouldest give a thousand worlds for one days repentance, or an hours contrition. Record therefore a decree in thy heart, to keep all thy sins in perpetual exile, and never admit them again in thy coasts. Now followeth an excellent mark to know the child of God which hath truly repented.

He that hath earnestly repented, and is truly converted from his sins, hath this special mark in him; he is none of those fruitless hearers, barren believers, unregenerate knowers, or verbal Professors: but he is the faithful doer of the will and Word of God.

( ) Whosoever keepeth God's word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: Hereby know we that we are in him: he that abideth in God, ought also to walk even as he hath walked, that is, as S. John showeth us, ( ) Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

For the regenerate man desireth nothing so much, as he desireth God; therefore he maketh himself fit for him: ( ) Blessed, ( ) the friend of God, ( ) and do count all things but dung, that he may win Christ. Wherefore he doth ( ) imitate the godly, ( ) shun the wicked ( ) embrace virtue, ( ) and fly sin.

For the Spirit of God assures no man pardon of his sins, but such as be humbled for them, repent of • hē, confess them to God, leave and forsake them, & withal become a new creature, and walk in newness of life.

Those which walk in newness of life, are these which Christ calleth ( ) his Mother, Sister and Brother, ( ) his Servants, ( ) his Friends, ( ) his Sons, (o) and his Spouse. To conclude, those be terms of love, and that from Christ himself, to requite the regenerate man that returns unto him by unfeigned repentance.

Non tam audire, quàm obedire, requir it Deus.

God regardeth more a faithful heart, than an attentive ear.

Now I have shown thee what Repentance is; how necessary it is; what benefits it brings; and whose gift it is; and also how it is attained; and now lastly the time when it is to be taken in hand.

Oh repent, repent therefore, that thou and I, and all the Elect children of God may have all our sins freely forgiven us, and be with Christ Jesus our Savior, who hath so dearly bought us: to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost, be all Honor, Power, Glory, and Dominion, both now and ever more. Amen.