A Golden Chain, Chapter 11 – Chapter 13
CHAP. XI. OF CERTAINE CASES IN Repentance.
I. Case of a Reuolt.
WHether a man that hath professed Christ and his religion, yet afterward in persecution denies Christ, and forsweares the religion, may repent and be saued. Answere. It is a grieuous estate, yet a man may come to repentance afterward. Manasses fell away to idolatrie and witchcraft; and yet was receiued to merciemercy.2. Chr. 33. So did wise Salomon: and yet no doubt recouered, & is receiued to life euerlasting. My reason is, because God vouchsafed him to be a penman of some parts of holy Scripture. And the scriptures were written not by such as were men of God onelyonly,2. Pet. 1.21. but by such as were holy men of God. Peter denied Christ of knowledge against his owne conscience, and that with cursing and banning: and yet came to repentāce afterward, as appeares by the testimonie of Christ, I hauehave praied for thee, that thy faith faile not; therefore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren.Luk. 22.32.
Obiect. I. Mat. 10.33. Whosoeuer shall denie me before men, him will I denie before my father which is in heauen. Ans. The place is onelyonly to be vnderstood of such a deniall of Christ which is finall.
Obiect. II. Heb. 6.4. It is impossible that they which were once lightened, & hauehave tasted of the heauenly gift, &c. if they fal away should be renued by repentance. And Heb. 10.26. If we sinne willingly after that we hauehave receiued the knowledge of the trueth, there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne. Ans. These places must bee vnderstood of the sin which is to death: in which mē of desperate malice against Christ, vniuersally and wholly fall away from religion. For the H. Ghost saith not, if they fall, but aforeign. Heb. 6.6. Heb. 10.29.if they fall away. And it is added, that they crucifie the sonne of God, and make a mocke of him, that they trample vnderunder foote the sonne of God, that they account the blood of the newe testament an vnholy thing: that they despise the spirit of God. And the word translated bvers. 26. foreign.willingly, imports somewhat more, namely, to sinne because a man will, that is, wilfully. The like answere is to be giuen to the question, whereby it is demanded whether men ouertaken with the vnnaturall sinnes mentioned, Rom. 1.24,25,26. may come to repentance afterward or no; namely, that although the sinnes be hainous and capitall, yet the grace of repentance is not denied: as appeares in the example of the Corinthians. 1. Cor. 6.9, 10,11.
VVHether the child of God after repentance for some grieuous sinne, doe fall into the same againe, and come to repentance the second time. Ans. The case is dangerous, as wee may see by comparison in the bodie. If one fall into the relapse of an ague or any other strong disease, it may cost him his life: and the recouerie will bee verie hard. Christ said to the man that had bin sicke eight and thirtie yeres, after that he had healed him, Behold, thou art whole, sinne no more least a worse thing befall thee. Ioh. 5.14. Luk. 11.26.And the vncleane spirit returning takes to him other seauen spirits worse then himselfe. Indeede we finde no particular example of recouerie after a relapse, in the scriptures; yet no doubt a recouerie may be. Reasons are these. I. Promise is made of remission of sins in Christ without any tearme of time: without any limitation to any number or kinds of sinne: saue onelyonly the blasphemy against the H. Ghost. Therefore there may be a repentance and saluation after a relapse.Act. 10.43. II. Christ tels Peter that he must forgiue, not til seuen times only (which peraduenture he thought to be very much) but seuentie seuen times, Luk. 17.4.and that in one daie, if one returne seuentie times and say, it repents me. Now if we must do this, which hauehave not so much as a drop of merciemercy in vsus in comparison of God: hee will no doubt often forgiue, euen for one sinne, if men will returne and say, it repents me;Psal. 130.7. Isa. 51.7. considering that with him is plentifull redemption, and he is much in sparing.
III. Case of Restitution.
VVHether hee that repents is to make restitution if hee hauehave taken any thing wrongfully from his neighbour? Ans. Yea, Zacheus, when hee repented and receiued Christ, gaue halfe of his goods to the poore, and if hee had taken any thing by forged cauillation, he restored it foure folde. Luk. 19.8.It is but a bad practise when a man on his death bed will verie deuoutly bequeath his soule to God, and his goods euill gotten (as his conscience wil often crie in his eare) to his children and friendes, without either restitution or amends making. Quest. But what if a man be not able to restore? Ans. Let him acknowledge the fault, and God will accept the will for thee deede. As Paul sayeth in the like case:2. Cor. 8. 12. If there be a willing mind, it is accepted according to that which a man hath, and not according to that which a man hath not. Quest. When a man by restoring shall discredit himselfe: howe shall he restore and keep his credit? Ans. Let him (if the thing to be restored be of small moment) make choice of some faithfull or honest friend, who may deliuer the thing in the behalfe of the partie, concealing his name. Quest. Howe if the parties bee dead? Ans. Let him restore to the heires and successors; if there be none, let him restore to God, that is, the Church and the poore.
IV. Case of teares.
VVHether doth repentance alwaies goe with teares or not? Answer. No: For verie pride and hypocrisie will drawe foorth teares. And some there are, that can weep for their sins in the presence of others, whereas being alone, they neither will nor can. Some againe are of that constitution of bodie, that they hauehave teares at commaund. And a godly man with drie cheekes may mourne to God for his sinnes, and intreat for pardon, and re…ue i… Yet in all occasions of deeper griefe for sin, teares will follow: vnles men hauehave stonie & flinty hearts. And yet againe though the greatest cause of sorrowe be offered, the softest heart that is sheds not teares at the first, but afterwards it wil. When the bodie receiues a deepe wounde, at the first ye shall see nothing but a white line or dint made in the flesh, without any blood: staie but a while, then comes blood from the wound in great aboundance. So at the first the minde is astonished & giues no teares: but after some respite or consideratiō, teares follow.
V. Case of death.
VVHether the repentant sinner can alwaies shewe himselfe comfortable on his death bed. Ans. Though the comfort of Gods spirit shal neuer be abolished from his heart: yet he can not alwaies testifie it. For he may die of a burning ague: and by reason of the extremitie of his fits, bee troubled with idlenesse of head, and breake out into raging speeches and blasphemies. Likewise he may die of a sicknesse in the braine, and be troubled with grieuous convulsions, so as his mouth shall be writhen to his eares, his necke turned behind him, and the verie place where he lies shall shake through his trē bling, as daily experience will testifie. Neither is any to thinke this straunge: for Salomon saith,Eccl. 9.2. All things (in outward matters) come alike to all: and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked: to the good and to the pure, and to the polluted, and to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not.
CHAP. XII. Of the contraries to Repentance.
COntrary to repentance is Impenitencie: whereby men continue in one estate, neither sorrowing for sinne, nor turning from it.
It is one of the most grieuous iudgements that is, if it be final. For as a sicke man, then is most sicke, when he feeles the least sicknes, and saith he is well: so miserable man is in most miserie when he feeles no miserie, and thinkes himselfe in good estate.
This sin befalls them that iudge themselues righteous, needing no repentance. As the Pharises in the daies of Christ, the Catharists in the primitiue Church, & the Anabaptists in our age. Adde vntounto these such as hauehave hardened their hearts: so as they can discerne betweene good and euill, nor tremble at Gods iudgements, but rather fret & rage against them: till God in his wrath either destroy them, or cast them to final despaire. As it befell Iulian the Apostata, who died blaspheming and casting his owne blood into the aire.
Betweene the two extreames Repentance and Impenitencie, is placed coū terfeit repentance. For the wicked nature of man can dissemble and counterfeit Gods grace, as the Lord complaines of the Iewes: Her rebellious sister Iudah, hath not returned vntounto me with her whole heart, but fainedly saith the Lord, Ier. 3.10.
Counterfeit repentance, is either ceremoniall, or desperat.
Ceremoniall, whē mē repēt in outward shew, but not in the truth of heart. As Saul,1. Sam. 15. 24.30. Then said Saul to Samuel. I hauehave sinned: for I hauehave transgressed the commandemēts of the Lord, & thy words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therfore I pray thee take a way my sin, & turne again with me, that I may worship the Lord, &c. Again, I hauehave sinned, but honour me, I pray thee, before th… elders of my people. Of Ahab. When Ahab heard these words he rent his cloathes and put on sackcloath, and fasted, and went softly. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me?1. King. 21. 27.29.
Dissembled repentance may be discerned because men after a time returne to their old byas againe. Pharao king of Egypt saide vntounto Moses and Aaron, Pray vntounto the Lord that he may take away the frogges from me and from my people. Exod. 8.8. Exod. 9. 27.And, When Egypt was smitten with hayle; he said, I hauehave now sinned: and the Lord is righteous: but I and my people are wicked: Pray yee vntounto the Lord, that there be no more mightie thunders and hayle. Again, troubled with grashoppers, he saide,Exo. 10.16. I hauehave sinned against the Lord your God and against you, and now forgiue me my sinne onelyonly this once, &c. Now marke the issue of all:Exod. 8. 15. when Pharao saw that he had rest giuen him he hardened his heart, and hearkened not vntounto them, as the Lord had said. This is the ordinarie and common repentance that most men practise in the world.
Desperate repentance commonly called Penitencie is, when a man hauing onelyonly Gods iudgements before his eyes, is smitten with horror of conscience: and wanting assurance of Gods merciemercy despaires finally. This was Iudas repentance,Math. 27.3. who when he had brought againe the thirtie pieces of siluer, confessed his fault, and went and hanged himselfe.
CHAP. XIII. Of corruptions in the doctrine of Repentance.
THe Church of Rome at this day hath corrupted the ancient doctrine of Repentance, beeing 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 cannot 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 onelyonly audible, but also visible.
The second, that a sinner hath in him a naturall disposition, which beeing stirred vp by Gods preuenting grace, he may and can worke together with Gods spirit in his owne repentance. But indeed all our repentance is to be ascribed to Gods grace wholly.Eph. 2.1. The soule of man is not weake, but starke dead in sinne: and therefore it can no more prepare it selfe to repentance, then the bodie beeing dead in the graue can dispose it selfe to the last resurrection.
The third corruption, that contrition in repentance must be sufficient. A thing impossible. For sinne doth so greatly offend Gods maiestie, that no man can euer mourne enough for it.
The fourth, that contrition doth merit remission of sinne. An opinion that doth derogate much from the all-sufficient merits of Christ.
The fifth, that he that repents must confesse al the sinnes that he can remē ber, with all their circumstances to his owne priest, or one in his stead, if he will receiue pardon. This kind of confession is a meere forgerie of mans brain. I. There is neither precept nor example of it in the Scriptures.Psal. 32.3. 2. Sa. 12.12. II. Dauid and others hauehave repented and hauehave 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.1. Ioh. 1.7. & 2. 1. A flat blasphemie. The Scriptures mention no other satisfaction but Christs, and if his be sufficiēt, ours is needles: if ours needfull, his imperfect. Papists write that both may stand togither. Christs satisfaction (they say) is a plaister in a boxe vnapplied: mans satisfaction as a meanes to apply it: because it prepares vsus to receiue it. Ah, good diuinitie: for euen in common sense the satisfaction of Christ must first bee applied to the person of man that it may please God, before the workes (which they tearme satisfactions) can any way bee 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 hauehave sufficient sorrowe for his sinnes: and withall that he must not beleeue the remission of his owne sinnes particularly: when sorrow comes vponupon him, and hee wants sound comfort in Gods merciemercy, he must needs fal into desperation without recouerie. Therfore the Papists in the houre of death, (as we hauehave experience) are glad to leaue the trumperie of humane sattsfactions, and to rest onelyonly for their iustification, on the obedience of Christ.
LAVS DEO.