The Practice of Repentance, Chapter 2
CAP. 2. What Repentance is.
IN Repentance cō sider,
1. The Treatise and doctrine.
2. The Practice and application.
The treatise being set downe to our hand by sundry worthie Writers of our owne Age and Country, I will not further prosecute it, than by deliuering and opening a short description of Repentance, that we may know what we are exhorted and incited vntounto.
Repentance is a grace of God, wheroby a Beleeuer turneth from all sin, vntounto God. Where is
1. The efficient: 2. the subiect: 3. the act or forme of it: 4. the termes whence and whither it turneth from all sinne to God.
1. The efficient: A grace of God; both for beginning, progresse, and consummation: for
1. It is not in nature neither intire; for Adam in innocencie knew it not: besides, the voice of the Gospell (the m…ans of Repentance) was not known to man in intire nature; but the first motion of it is supernaturall.
And much lesse is it in corrupt nature, without the reuelation of grace: for
1. Neither hauehave we it in our selues, being dead in sins, and sold vnderunder sinne; as naturally drinking in sin, as the fish doth water.
2. Neither can get it by any labour or industry of our owne, who cannot so much as thinke one good thought, 2. Cor. 5. much lesse reach so high a work as Repentance. How can earth reach heauen? How can a man melt a stone or Adamant, such as his heart is? How can he change a flint into flesh? How can a wandring sheepe returne backe to the fold of it selfe; such as we are? Psal. 119.10.
But it is a grace of the Spirit of God; not a legall grace: for the Law knoweth neither repentance for sin, nor remission of sin. But an Euangelicall grace, wrought not by the Law, but by the Gospell.
That it is a supernaturall grace of the Spirit, is proued Zach. 12.10. it is a pouring out of the spirit of grace and supplication; Acts 11.28. then hath God giuen the Gentiles repentance unto life; 2. Tim. 2.25. waiting if at any time God will giuegive repentance.
2. The Church goeth to God for it. Ierem. 31.18. Conuert thou mee, O Lord, and I shall bee conuerted. Lament. 5.21. Turne vsus, O Lord, vntounto thee, and we shall be turned.
3. Such are the strong resistances and enemies of grace within vsus, and without vsus, that it must bee onelyonly the Spirit of power and fortitude that must conquer them. The strong man hath taken the hold: the deuill worketh effectually in blinding the eyes, and taking captiue the wills of wicked men, to rule them at his pleasure, 2. Tim. 2.26. and onelyonly a stronger man can cast him out.
Such is the strength of lusts, and the numberlesse excuses of sin and sinners, as only the Spirit can conuince of sin. Such is the frowardnesse and peruersenesse of spirit in euill men, yea the deadnesse and senselesnesse of heart, obfirmed by wicked habits, and customes of himselfe, and the world without, that all the power of the means shall be frustrate, and bee ineffectuall to turne the sinner, if the Spirit of God quicken them not with life, and power to this purpose.
Whence it will follow,
1. That wee cannot repent when wee will, as the Atheist thinketh: Repentance is no flower that groweth in our own garden. If the Lord by his Spirit draw vsus not, we neuer run after him.
Object. But why hauehave we so many commandements to repent, if it bee not in our power? they seem to be very idle.
Answ. 1. Deus jubet quae non possumus, vt nouerimus quid ab eo petere debeamus, saith Augustine.
2. Exhortations are instruments, in which the Spirit putteth forth his power, and commeth into our hearts.
2. We must beware of resisting the Spirit in this worke, or in the meanes whereby hee worketh repentance in vsus.
Quest. Tell vsus how the Spirit bringeth vsus to Repentance.
Answ. 1. Docendo: Hee must teach outwardly. The teaching of the Spirit is necessary to lead vsus into the knowledge of our selues, and of God. The former he doth by the Law, letting vsus see our misery: 1. by sinne, 2. the punishment of sin. The latter, by the Gospell; shewing vsus what God is in his Son, and vntounto vsus, ready to receiue vsus to grace and merciemercy.
EueryEvery one must therefore heare the voice of the Spirit in the Ministery, seeing the Spirit, not without the Word, but by the Word, as an ordinary instrument, worketh Repentance.
Heare the Word
Perswading and inuiting to Repentance,
Promising grace and mercy to the p…nitent,
Threatning the impenitent.
Isay 55.7.
By this meanes the Iewes were pricked and conuerted, Acts 2.37. By the Lydia's heart was opened, Acts 16. and such as refuse and resist the Word, are neuer drawne to Repentance. Pro. 1. Because ye would not heare my voice, I will not heare you.
2. Ducendo: by inward mouing and perswading. The Spirit must bee Doctor, and Ducton. This inward motion is,
1. In changing the minde, to see both sin, and the reward of sin; what and how great both of them are.
2. In framing the will, and making it of euill good; and bowing it from it selfe, to the willing of grace.
3. In kindling the affections with a desire of good, and hatred of euill.
Now therefore if thou wouldest truly repent, thou must also giuegive thy selfe to bee led by the Spirit; cherish his motions, affect his graces: for he must not only shew vsus repentance, but lead vsus into it.
3. If the Spirit be the efficient, and author of repentance, then neuer despaire of great sinners: He can presently make of Saul a persecutor, Paul a Preacher: hee can easily raise a dead man from the graue of sin, let him be neuer so rotten. Here is a worke of power, and a powerfull worker.
Neither be out of heart in the sense of strongest corruption, and resistance against grace. When thou seest armies of lusts rise vp in thee, and whole hosts of rebels vp in armes against the worke of grace; hold on the combate, and this Spirit of power shall chase them before thee: Goe forth in his strength, and feare not assured victory; greater is the spirit in thee, than in the world.