The Sum of Christian Religion 2, Part 3 · Subpart 2
OF CONVERSION.
THE chiefe Queſtions.
1 What Conuerſion is.
2 I… what the conuerſion of the godly differeth from the repentance of the wicked.
3 What are the parts of conuerſion.
4 Wh… the cauſes thereof.
5 What are the effects of …onverſion.
1. WHAT CONVERSION IS.
FIRST we are to ſpeak ſome-what of the … of Conuerſion. Conuerſion is either a generall …, like as is … …ation; or it is …ken more ſpecially. It ſignifie… the ſame in Latine, that foreign dooth in Greeke, and T…ſ…hum in Hebrue. Moreouer the Greeke foreign is very well alſo interpreted in Latine by*We hauehave no one engliſh word to anſwer… vntounto RESIPISCENTIA. For our engliſh, REP…NTANCE, expreſſeth rather the Latin, PaeNITENTIA, which agreeth as well to the wicked as to the godly. Reſipiſcentia, there beeing the ſame reaſon of both names. For as the Latine Reſipiſcentia is deriued from reſipiſco, which ſignifieth to wax wiſe after wee hauehave done a thing: So the Greeke foreign commeth from foreign, which is alſo to wax wiſe after an errour or fault committed, to recall or retract our iudgement and opinion, and to alter an euill purpoſe. Some render foreign by the Latine Paenitentia, that is, repentaunce or penitencie: And this Paenitentia is ſaid to be deriued either from Paenites, which ſignifieth to bee grieued and to repent, or from Paena, which ſignifieth paine and puniſhment: becauſe the griefe which is in repentaunce, is as it were a puniſhment. But the name of paenitentia or repentaunce, is more obſcure than the name of conuerſio, or conuerſion. For repentaunce dooth not comprehend both that from which wee reclaime our ſelues, and that whereunto we are changed. But conuerſion comprehendeth the whole; becauſe it addeth that mutation and chaunge, on which enſueth a beginning of newe life. Nowe repentaunce ſignifieth onelie the griefe which is conceiued after the fact or ſinne. Moreouer the name of repentaunce is of a larger compaſſe, than the name of conuerſion. For conuerſion is ſpoken onlie of the godly, who alone are conuerted vntounto God: and in like manner is the Greeke foreign, and the Latine Reſipiſcentia ſpoken of the godly only: becauſe by theſe three names is ſignified the new life of the godly. But repentaunce is ſpoken of the wicked alſo, as of Iud…s; who indeede repented of his wickednes, but was not conuerted: becauſe the wicked when they ſorrowe or are grieued, are not afterwardes conuerted, or corrected. Whereby alſo it appeareth, how neceſſarie conuerſion is vntounto the godlie, or thoſe who are to be iuſtified: & therefore that mo… exhortatiōs to amendment of life or conuerſion, the foundation or ground is to be laid concerning the abſolute and ſimple neceſſity of conuerſion it ſelfe in al thoſe which are to be iuſtified.
Nowe let vsus ſee then what conuerſion is. Conuerſion is 1. A griefe for ſinne knowen. 2. An hatred and flieng of ſin. 3. A ioy in reſpect that God is pacified and pleaſed by our Mediatour, and an earneſt purpoſe and deſire to obey God in all thinges. This definition is propoſed by his ſeuerall partes: and the ſame is wholy and iointly ſet downe in the Actes of the Apoſtles, To open their eies (ſaith Chriſt) that they maie turne from darkneſſe to light, Act. 26.18.and from the power of Satan vntounto God; that they maie receiue forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, and inheritaunce among them, which are ſanctified by faith in mee. It is alſo defined on this wiſe; Conuerſion is a mortifieng of the old man, and a quickning of the new. Or, It is a change, or mutation of a corrupt mind, life, and wil into a good, ſtirred vp by the holy Ghoſt through the preaching of the Goſpel in the choſen, on which enſue good woorkes, or a life directed according to all the commaundementes of God. This definition conteineth the verie cauſes and eſſence of conuerſion, and is confirmed by diuerſe teſtimonies of Scripture: As, Iſai. 1.16. Waſh you, make you cleane. 1. Cor. 6.11. But ye are waſhed, but yee are ſanctified. Pſal. 34.14. Eſchue euil, and doe good.
2 In what the conuerſion of the godly differeth from the repentaunce of the wicked.
THE difference betweene the conuerſion of the godly,The wicked and godly repent after a diuers ſort. 1 Their griefe diuers. Gen. 4.13. and the repentaunce of the wicked, conſiſteth, 1. In their griefe. The wicked are greeued only for the puniſhmēt, & torment enſuing, not for that they offend & diſpleaſe God. So was Caine grieued onelyonly in reſpect of his torment. My iniquitie (the puniſhment of my iniquity) is greater, than J can beare. Behold, thou haſt caſt me out this daie from the earth. Now the godly hate indeed the puniſhment, but they are greeued eſpecially for that God is offended, and for their ſinne. So Dauid, Againſt thee, Pſal. 51.4.againſt thee onlie hauehave I ſinned: my ſin is euer before mee. The good hate to ſin for the louelove they beare to vertue; the wicked, for the feare they ſtand in of puniſhment. So in Peter was a ſorrow and griefe for that hee had offended God: In Iudas for his torment enſuing, not for the ſinne it ſelfe.
2 Jn the cauſe, which breedeth repentaunce in both.2 The cauſe of their griefe diuers. The wicked repent by reaſon of a deſpaire, diſtruſt, and diſſidencie, ſo that they runne more and more into deſperation, murmuring, and hatred againſt God. But the godlie repent by reaſon of faith and a confidence which they hauehave of the grace of God and reconciliation, and ſo comfort and erect themſelues againe in the Mediatour: they truſt in God, and relie on him with Dauid:Pſal. 51. Purge mee with Hyſſope, and J ſhal be cleane.
3 Jn the effect, 3 The effect of their griefe diuers.which their repentaunce woo…eth in them. In the wicked newe obedience dooth not follow repentaunce; but they goe forward in their ſinnes, they are mortified indeed themſelues and quite deſtroied, but the old corruption of their nature, that is ſin, is not mortified in them; and how much the more they giuegive themſelues to repentāce, ſo much the more is in them an hatred of God, murmuring, flying, and turning away from God, and an approching vntounto the Diuel: But in the godly newe obedience followeth & accompanieth repentance; and how much the more they repent, ſo much the more dieth the old man in them, and the ſtudie and deſire of righteouſnes & liuing well is in them ſo much the more encreaſed. For the conuerſion of the godly, is a reuerſiō or returning vntounto God from the Diuel, from ſins, and from their old nature.
3 What are the parts of Conuerſion.
THE parts of Conuerſion are in number two, The 2. parts of conuerſion. 1 Mortification. 2 Quickening.as the Apoſtle ſheweth; The mortifieng of the old man, and the quickening of the new man. So ſpeak we better with the Apoſtle, than if wee ſhould follow them, who make Contrition and Faith, the parts of conuerſion. Nowe by contrition they vnderſtand alſo mortification: by faith they vnderſtand the ioy which followeth the ſtudie of righteouſneſſe & newe obedience; which are indeede effects of ſaith, but not faith it ſelfe: and co…ition goeth before conuerſion, neither is conuerſion it ſelfe, nor any p…rt thereof, but only a preparing of men vntounto conuerſion: and that in the Liect only, not in others. And this is the reaſon why they beginne the preaching of Repentance from the Law, & then come vntounto the goſpell, & ſo come backe againe vntounto the Law. The Old man, which is mortified, is a meere ſinner onelyonly, namely our corrupt nature. The New man, which is quickned, is he who beginneth to ceaſe from ſinnes, namely, as our nature is regenerated.Mortification. Mortification conteineth, 1 A knowledge of ſinne. 2 A griefe for ſin, and for the offending of God. 3 The flieng and ſhunning of ſinne. By this appeareth, that conuerſion or mortification is verie vnproperly attributed vntounto the wicked, becauſe in them is not any hatred or ſhunning of ſin, neither any griefe for ſinne, all which mortification doth comprehend. Furdermore, The knowledge of ſinne goeth before that griefe which is vnfained, & proceeding from the hart, which mortification conteineth, becauſe the affections of the hart folow knowledge. Wherefore knowledge, or acknowledgement ſhall be a part or at leaſt a cauſe of the other two partes in both parts of conuerſion. The griefe which is in the wicked, when they repent, is a griefe for the euill either to come, or preſent, which is puniſhment. But the griefe which is in the godlie when they repent, is 1. A griefe both for ſin paſt and preſent, which is called Sorrowe; and alſo for ſinne to come, which is called Feare. 2. An hatred of ſinne committed, both of preſent ſinne, and of ſinne to come. 3. An auerting from ſinne committed, both preſent and future ſinne. 4. A flying of ſinne to come. The griefe is in the heart. The flieng is in the will; in that we wil not here after commit ſinne. The auerting is in the hart and wil, and it is an auerting vntounto ſomewhat, to wit, an auerting from euil vntounto good. This former part of conuerſion is called mortification, 1. Becauſe as dead men can not ſhew foorth the actions of one that is liuing: ſo our nature, the corruption thereof beeing aboliſhed, doth no more ſhew forth or exerciſe her actions, that is, doth no longer bring forth actuall ſinne, originall ſinne beeing repreſſed: For the dead bite not. 2. Becauſe mortification is not wrought without griefe and lamenting. The fleſh rebelleth againſt the ſpirite: and for this cauſe mortification is alſo called a crucifieng.Qui…ening. Quick…g comprehendeth thoſe thinges which are contrarie vntounto mortification. 1. The knowledge of Gods merciemercy, and the applieng thereof in chriſt. 2. A ioifulneſſe thence ariſing, which is for that God is pleaſed, and for that newe obedience is begun and ſhal bee perfected. 3. An ardent or earneſt ende…ur and purpo… to ſinne no more, ariſing from thankefulnes, and becauſe we reio…e that we hauehave God appeaſed and pacified towardes vsus, a deſire alſo of righteouſneſſe, and of reteining gods louelove and fauour. That ardent deſire both of not ſinning, and alſo of righteouſneſſe, and of reteining Gods louelove and fauour, is newe obedienc… it ſelfe. This latter part of conuerſion is called quickening, for a cleane contrarie reſpect vntounto that, for which the former part was called mortification. 1. Becauſe as a liuing man doth the actions of one that liueth; ſo quickening is a kindling of new… faculties and qualities of working in vsus. For the louelove of God is kindled in vsus, and the holy Ghoſt is giuen vsus, by whom we doe good woorkes. By nature the vnregenerate are dead, aſtouching good works. The regenerate begin to doe good woorkes. 2. In reſpect of that ioie which the conuerted hauehave in God: which is a moſt pleaſaunt thing. This ioie in God, which is the other part of quickening, ariſeth from hence, to wit, in that we know God now to be pacified towardes vsus, and that we are able to performe the Law, and bee conformed and correſpondent vntounto the Law and God.
4 What are the cauſes of conuerſion.
THE principal efficient cauſe of conuerſion is the holie Ghoſt. Conuert vsus and we ſhal be conuerted. The inſtrumentall cauſes, or meanes, are firſt, the Lawe, then the Goſpell, and, after the doctrine of the Goſpel hath beene preached, Lamen. 5.2….againe the doctrine of the Law. For the preaching of the Law goeth before preparing vsus to the preaching of the Goſpel: becauſe without the Lawe there is no knowledge of ſinne, and therefore no griefe or ſorrowe for ſinne. Afterwardes followeth the preaching of the Goſpell, becauſe without the Goſpel there is no faith: & after the preaching of the Goſpel, againe followeth, in the church, the preaching of the Law, that it maie be the ſquire of our actions. So doe the Prophets firſt accuſe, threaten, and exhort, and then promiſe: and laſtlie exhort againe. Such was alſo Iohn Baptiſtes preaching: And ſuch is the preaching & doctrine of repentance: which comprehendeth the Law & the goſpel. The next inſtrumentall cauſe is faith; becauſe without faith there is no louelove of God: and except wee knowe, what the wil of God is, as, namely, that hee wil remit vntounto vsus our ſinnes by and for Chriſt: conuerſion will neuer be begunne in vsus, neither in reſpect of the firſt part thereof, which is Mortification: neither in reſpect of the ſecond part, which is Quickening. For by faith are the harts of men purified: without faith there is no true ioying i… God: neither can wee without faith louelove god: And whatſoeuer is not of faith is ſinne. All good works flow from faith, as from their fountain. We being iuſtified by faith, hauehave peace with god. The furthering cauſes of conuerſion are, The croſſe & chaſtiſementes; as alſo puniſhmentes, benefites, and examples of others. The ſubiect or matter of conuerſion, which belongeth to the mind, will, and hart, is, 1. Jn the minde and vnderſtanding, a right iudgement concerning god, his wil and workes. 2. In the wil, an earneſt and ready deſire and purpoſe to obey god according to al his commaundementes. 3. In the hart, a good & reformed affection. The obiect of conuerſion, is 1. Sin, or diſobediēce, which is the thing from which we are conuerted. 2. Righteouſnes or new obedience, which is the thing whereunto we are conuerted. The formal cauſe of conuerſion is the conuerſion it ſelfe, and the properties thereof. The chiefe finall cauſe of conuerſion is gods glorie. The next and ſubordinate ende, is our good, euen our bleſſednes, and fruition of euerlaſting life. There is another end alſo of conuerſion, which is leſſe principall, to wit, the conuerſion of others. When thou art conuerted, confirme thy brethren. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may glorifie your heauenly father which is in heauen.
5 What are the effectes of conuerſion.
THE effectes of conuerſion are all good woorkes, and an earneſt deſire both to obey God according to all his commandements without exception, & alſo to conuert and recall others into the way. The conuerted or beleeuers, ſinne indeede oftentimes, but they defend not their ſinnes, but endeuour more and more to ſhun and auoide them.