A Golden Chain, Chapter 4 – Chapter 6
CHAP. IV. Of the parts of Repentance.
REpentance hath two parts: Mortification, and Rising to newnes of life.
Mortificatiō is the first part of repētance, which cōcerns turning frō sin.
Men turne from sinne, when they doe not onelyonly abstaine from actuall sin, but also vse all meanes wherby they may both weaken and suppresse the corruption of nature. Chirurgions when they must cut off any part of the bodie, vse to lay plaisters to it, to mortifie it; that beeing without sense and feeling, it may be cut off with lesse paine. In the same manner, we are to vse all helps & remedies prescribed in the worde, which serue to weakē or kill sinne, that in death it may be abolished.
And it must not seeme strange, that I say wee must vse meanes to mortifie our owne sinnes.Acti agimus For, howesoeuer by nature we can not doe anything acceptable to God, yet beeing quickened and mooued by the holy Ghost, we stirre and mooue our selues to doe that which is truely good. And therefore repentant sinners hauehave grace in them, whereby they mortifie their own sinnes. Paul saith. I beate downe my bodie, and bring it in subiection. And, they which are Christs hauehave crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof. 2. Cor. 9.27. Gal. 5.24. Col. 3.5. 2. Tim. 2.21. 1. Ioh. 3.3. cap. 5.18.And, Mortifie therefore your earthly members, fornication, vncleannesse, the inordinate affection, euil cō cupiscence, and couetousnesse. And, If any man purge himselfe from these, he shall be a vessell vntounto honour. And S. Iohn saith, EueryEvery one which hath this hope in him, purgeth himselfe, euen as he is pure. And, he which is begotten of God preserueth himselfe, and the wicked one toucheth him not.
Mortification hath three parts. A purpose in mind, an inclination in will, and an indeauour in life and conuersation to leaue all sinne.
Rising to newnesse of life, is the second part of repentance concerning sincere obedience to God.
And it hath also three parts. The two first are a resolution in the mind, and an inclination or lust in the will to obey God in all things. Barnabas exhorts them of Antiochia,Act. 11. 23 that with purpose of heart they would cleane vntounto the Lord. Examples of both these are many in Scriptures. Of Ioshua,Iosh. 24. 15. If it seeme enill vntounto you to serue the Lord, choose you thi… daie whome you will serue, whether the gods which your fathers serued, or the gods of the Amorites, &c. but I & my houshold wil serue the Lord. Of Dauid,Psal. 119.57 vers. 106. Psal. 27.8. Ps. 119.112. O Lord, thou art my portion, I hauehave determined to keep thy commandements. And, I hauehave sworne, and will performe it, that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements. And, When thou saidst, seeke my face, mine heart answered vntounto thee, O Lord, I will seeke thy face. And, I hauehave applied mine heart to fulfil thy statutes alwaies euen to the end.
The third part, is an indeauour in life and conuersation to obey God. Example of Paul.Act. 24. 16. Psal. 119. 6. vers. 30. 31. 35. And herein I take paines to hauehave alwaies a cleare conscience towards God and towards men. Of Dauid, I hau… respect to all thy commandements. And, I hauehave chosen the waie of trueth, and thy iudgements hauehave I laid before me. And, I hauehave cleaued to thy testimonies. And, direct me in the path of thy commandements: for therein is my delight.
No man must here thinke, that a repentant sinner fullfils the lawe in his obedience: for their best works are faultie before God. And wheras the faithful in scriptures are said to be perfect: we must knowe that there be two degrees of perfection: perfection in substance, and perfection in the highest degree. Perfection is substance is, when a man doth sincerely endeauour to performe perfect obedience to God, not in some but in all his commaundements. And this is the onelyonly perfection that any man can hauehave in this life. A Christian mans perfection is to bewaile his imperfection: his obedience more consists in the good will, then in the worke, and is more to be measured by the affection, then by the effect.
CHAP. V. Of the degrees of Repentance.
REpentance hath two degrees. It is either ordinarie, or extraordinarie.
Ordinarie repentance is that which eueryevery christian is to performe eueryevery 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 mā is the tēple and house of Gods spirit: he must therefore once a day sweep it, that it may be fit to entertaine so worthy a guest.
Extraordinarie repentance is the same in nature with the former: it differs onelyonly from it in degree and measure of grace.
And this is to be put in practise, when men fal into any enormous, capital, or grieuous offences: whereby they doe verie grieuously wound their owne consciences, and giuegive great offence to the Church. Of this sort was the repentance of Peter, when he went forth and wept bitterly: & Dauids repentance, after he had committed adulterie and murdered Vriah.
CHAP. VI. Of the persons which must repent.
MEn be of two sorts: the natural man, and the regenerate. Repentance is needefull for both. For the naturall man, that he may be brought from his sinnes, and the image of God renued in him. Some may say, that many naturall men liue ciuilly, abstaining from all outragious behauiour, and therfore neede no repentance. I graunt indeede they doe so: yet repentance must goe withall. For ciuil life without grace in Christ, is nothing els in Gods sight, but a beutifull abhomination. The Pharises were ciuill, yet Christ saith of them, Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises, ye shall not see the kingdome of heauen. Repentance is also required in the regenerate: because they hauehave may vnknown and hidden corruptions in them, which must be mortified: and otherwhiles they fal grieuously: and therfore that they may rise againe, they must be daily practised in the spirituall exercises of repentance.