The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 41
CHAP. XLI. How the weake Chriſtian may bee aſſured that his repentance is true and vnfained.
§. Sect. 1 ANd ſo much for anſwering Sathans tentations drawn from hardneſſe of hart,Of the ſignes of true repentance. & firſt of the ſeuerall degrees therof whereby he laboureth to perſwade poore humbled ſinners that they are vtterly deſtitute of of repentance; but if hee faile of his purpoſe then hee will indeauour to make them beleeue that though they hauehave ſome ſhew of repentance yet it is not ſuch as God requireth: for either hee will affirme that it is hypocriticall and diſſembled rather for feare of puniſhment then for hatred of ſinne or true louelove of God; or if it bee true yet it is not ſufficient as being in verie ſmall meaſure and in no proportion anſwearable to our hainous ſinnes.
Againſt both which tentations it behooueth the humbled ſinner to arme himſelfe that he may repell them when they are ſuggeſted; and to this purpoſe that hee may proue his repentance true and vnfained, hee is to take a true ſearch of his owne heart and conſcience, and to examine his repentance according to ſome vndoubted ſignes which may ſerue as touchſtones to diſcouer whether it be true and vnfained, or diſſembled & hypocriticall. The firſt vndoubted ſigne of vnfained repentance is when wee can obſerue in our ſelues the ſeuerall degrees or partes thereof as they hauehave beene wrought in vsus by Gods ſpirit, for from the enumeration of all the parts we may conclude that wee hauehave the whole. The firſt degree is that by the law we come to the knowledg, and acknowledgment that we are haynous and greeuous ſinners who hauehave broken & tranſgreſſed all Gods cōmaundements. Secondly from this knowledge & acknowledgment of our ſinnes proceedeth a true ſenſe and feeling of them and the puniſhments due vntounto them, and an apprehenſion and applying to our ſelues the anger of God, the curſe of the law, and eternall condemnation due vntounto vsus for our ſinnes. Thirdly from this ſenſe of our miſerable eſtate there ariſeth in our conſciences feare and horror of being ouertaken and ouerwhelmed of thoſe iudgments of God, and fearefull puniſhments which hang ouer our heads for our ſins. Fourthly from this feare and anguiſh of mind proceedeth ſorrow and bitter greefe, becauſe wee hauehave thus hainouſly ſinned, and made our ſelues obnoxious to all theſe euills; and alſo in the ſame reſpects a true hatred of ſinne which ſtill hangeth vponupon vsus, and an earneſt deſire to be freed from it. Fiftly,Act. 2.27. this hatred of ſinne and deſire to be freed from it, maketh vsus earneſtly to ſeeke and inquire after ſome meanes whereby wee may attaine vntounto our deſires, that beeing freed from all thoſe feareful euils which oppreſſe our conſciences with the waight of them, we may obtaine Gods louelove and fauour and the aſſurance of our ſaluation. Sixtly, thus inquiring and ſearching wee finde by the preaching of the Goſpell, that our gratious God hath ſent his ſonne into the world, to the end that he might ſaue and deliuer vsus out of this miſerable eſtate if we beleeue in him, and alſo hath commaunded vsus to beleeue. Which being made effectuall by the inward operation of Gods holy ſpirit, we hauehave true faith begott in vsus, wherby we are aſſured of Gods mercy in Ieſus Chriſt, and of the full remiſſion of all our ſinnes, the conſideration whereof doth comforte and rayſe vsus vp from falling into deſperation and vtter deſtruction. Seuenthly after this aſſurance of Gods louelove and of the forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes there followeth firſt a true hatred of ſinne, becauſe it is ſinne, an vnfained ſorrow not ſo much in regarde of the puniſhment which by our ſinnes wee hauehave iuſtly deſerued, as that becauſe we hauehave offended our ſo gratious a God and tender louing father. Secondly this ſorrow will not ſuffer vsus to hide, excuſe,2. Cor. 7.11 or extenuate our ſins,2. Cor. 7.11. but moueth vsus in all humilitie to proſtrate our ſelues before Gods merciemercy ſeate, and in greefe of ſoule to confeſſe them, acknowledging that confuſion and condemnation is due vntounto vsus, which by no meanes wee can eſcape but by Gods merciemercy, and the merites and righteouſneſſe of Ieſus Chriſt.
Thirdly being aſſured of the pardon of our ſinnes paſt, wee labour and ſtriue for the time to come to leaue and forſake them, and to mortifie the fleſh and corruptions thereof whereby we are led captiue vntounto ſinne, & alſo we indeauour with a feruent zeale of Gods glorie to ſerue the Lorde in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, that ſo by our godly liues wee may glorifie him and expreſſe our thankfulneſſe for all his ineſtimable benefites. Fourthly if at any time beſides or contrary to our purpoſe we be ouertaken by our corruption, and fall into ſinne, there followeth in vsus an holy anger and indignation with our ſelues, becauſe wee did not more carefully looke to our waies; which godly anger preceedeth to the taking of a holy kind of reuenge, to the end that thereby our ſinnes may be ſubdued and our corruptions mortified. For example hee that hath offended through gluttonie and drunkenneſſe being truly penitent and angry with himſelfe for his ſinne, will alſo tame the fleſhe by puniſhing the ſame through faſting and abſtinence. He that hath offended by vſing exceſſiue pride in apparrell, being angrie with him ſelfe vponupon his true repentance doth withdraw from himſelfe ſuch coſtly attire as otherwiſe in reſpect of his calling hee might lawfully weare.
§. Sect. 2 And thus may we come to the aſſurance that our repentance is true and vnfained if wee can finde theſe degrees thereof and theſe effects and fruits in our ſelues.The 2. ſigne that it bee totall and intire and that both in reſpect of the ſubiect and obiect. The ſecond ſigne of vnfained repentance is that it bee whole and intire and that both in reſpect of the ſubiect and alſo the obiect thereof. In reſpect of the ſubiect or of him in whome it is, it is required that it bee not of any part alone, or yet of all parts ſauing one, but it muſt bee intire and totall of the whole man and of euerie of his ſeuerall partes, it muſt bee a reformation in the forſaking of ſin and imbracing of righteouſnes, not in the body or ſoule alone but of thē both, & of al their ſeueral faculties & powers, it muſt not only be of the outward actiōs, but alſo of the inward affections and cogitations, it muſt not only bee of the tongue and hande, but alſo of our wills and hearts,Iam. 4.8. according to that Iam. 4.8. Draw neere vntounto God and he will draw neere vntounto you: clenſe your hands ye ſinners, and purge your heartes you wauering minded. Otherwiſe if wee do not turne vntounto the Lorde with all our hearts, with all our ſoules, with all our bodies and eueryevery facultie and parte of them, if we willingly entertaine ſinne, and purpoſely ſuffer it to lurke in any ſecret corner of vsus, our repentance is hypocriticall and not acceptable in Gods ſight. And hence it is that Dauid ſaith,Pſal. 66.18. that if he ſhould regard wickedneſſe in his hart the Lord would not heare him. Pſal. 66.18.
We muſt perfourme obedience vntounto all Gods commaundementSecondly, it muſt bee whole and intire in reſpect of the obiect: for it is not ſufficient that we perfourme obedience vntounto ſome of Gods commandements, if wee indeauour not to ſhew our obedience vntounto all, it is not inough if we forſake ſome of our ſinnes, if wee willingly and with delight entertaine and nouriſh others, neuer ſtriuing againſt them nor labouring to mortifie them, but if we would approue our repentance to be ſincere and vnfained both vntounto God and our owne conſciences, we muſt deſire & indeauour to performe obedience, as well to thoſe commandements which ſeeme hard and moſt vnpleaſant vntounto vsus, as vntounto thoſe which are more eaſie and delightfull, we muſt not onelyonly forſake thoſe ſinnes which are not ſo pleaſing vntounto vsus, but euen thoſe which otherwiſe are as deare vntounto vsus as our right hād or eye; for he that truely repenteth of one ſin repenteth of al, he that repenteth not of any one ſin, repenteth of none as he ought; he that wittingly and aduiſedly neglecteth any one commandement will in time neglect all, whatſoeuer outward reformation may ſerue to be in him; he that willingly entertaineth any one ſinne and nouriſheth it as his deare dearling in his booſome, will in the end make conſcience of none; for a little leauen leaueneth the whole lumpe, and euen ſmall ſinnes if they be not mortified, will make roome for thoſe which are greateſt and moſt hainous.
§. Sect. 3 The third ſigne of true repentance is,The 3. ſigne when it is preſently vndertaken. when our conuerſion from ſinne vntounto God is not deferred in whole or in part from time to time but preſently vndertaken: neither is it ſufficient to vow repentance vntounto God or to purpoſe it for the time to come, but wee muſt preſently indeauour and labour in it; it is not inough that wee ſubdue ſome ſinnes now and perfourme obedience vntounto ſome of the commaundemēts, purpoſing to labour after more perfectiō whē we hauehave better opportunitie, but wee muſt preſently labour and indeauour to perfourme obedience not to ſome, but to all Gods commaundements, and we muſt out of hand ſet vponupon all our ſinnes and labour to mortifie all our corruptions, for if the whole body of ſinne be not beaten downe and ſubdued together, that which ſtill liueth in vsus, will giuegive life againe vntounto that which is mortified, that which is ſtill retained in the hart, will open a wide dore to let in that which is expelled. And ſo wee ſhall but take in hand an endleſſe and fruitleſſe worke, if wee doe not ſet aſide all excuſes, and inſtantly labour to deſtroy the whole body of ſinne, breaking through all difficulties and impediments, for we ſhall neuer want hinderances in theſe holy actions, and excuſes for want of fit occaſion and conuenient opportunitie, will continually offer themſelues vntounto vsus, and therefore he that will not turne wholly vntounto God, till he hauehave a cleare paſſage & plaine way free from all thorme diſtractions which pull him backe, and worldly incumbrances, which like blocks lying before him hinder him in his iourney, may as well reſolue to ſit ſtill and neuer returne vntounto God by vnfained repentance.
§. Sect. 4 The fourth ſigne of true repentance is if it be continuall from the firſt day of our conuerſion vntounto the end of our liues,The 4. ſigne when it is continuall & conſtant. for it is not ſufficient to ſerue God by fitts, or that our religion ſhould take vsus like a tertian ague but eueryevery other day; it is not that which God requireth, that wee ſhould deuide our time betweene him and the world, or hauing begun in the ſpirit we ſhould end in the fleſh, but after wee are gone out of this Sodome of ſinne, wee muſt goe forward in our iourney of holy obediēce, and neuer like Lots wife looke backe with a deſire to inioy the pleaſures thereof againe. We muſt ſo runne this ſpirituall race that we may obtaine, now we know that rūners of a race, as they do not ſtand ſtil after the watchword is giuen, but labour with all ſpeed to ſet forth with the firſt, ſo they doe not ſit downe in the midde way, much leſſe run one while backward and another while forward, but they ſtill haſten on till they come to the goale and obtaine the garland, and ſo it behooueth vsus to runne ſpeedily to the Lord by vnfained repentance, and not to deſiſt in this our race till the end of our liues, if wee purpoſe to receaue that crowne of glory which the Lord hath promiſed vsus. Our life therefore muſt be a continuall repentance, and ſo long as we liue ſo long muſt we greeue for our ſinnes paſt and preſent, and ſtriue after newneſſe of life and a greater meaſure of ſanctification.
§. Sect. 5 The laſt ſigne of vnfained and true repentance is if it be mixed with faith; for true repentance is a fruit of faith,The 5. ſigne when it proceedeth from faith. and they are neuer diſioined the one from the other, neither can we euer ſorrow for ſinne as we ought, till we hauehave ſome aſſurance of Gods mercy and louelove in Ieſus Chriſt; for otherwiſe though our ſorrow be neuer ſo great yet it is not ſo much for ſinne as for the puniſhment thereof, not ſo much becauſe wee hauehave thereby diſpleaſed God, as for thoſe torments of conſcience which we preſently indure, and the torments of hell which for the time to come we feare. And therefore this deſperate ſorrow is it ſelfe to be ſorrowed for, as being ſeuered from faith and therefore ſinnefull,Rom. 14.23 and not proceeding from any louelove of God or hatred of ſinne, but from the feare of puniſhment and condemnation.
Why teares are not numbred amongſt the ſignes of vnfained repentance.But it may bee demaunded why amongſt the ſignes of true repentance I hauehave not numbred teares and weeping for our ſinnes; to which I anſweare becauſe howſoeuer it is a notable fruite of vnfained repentance, vntounto which euerie chriſtian with true compūction of hart is to accuſtome himſelfe, yet notwithſtanding it is not an inſeparable propertie thereof; for often times there is teares wheras their is no true repentance, and there is true repentance whereas there is few or no teares. For the firſt wee may plainely perceiue by continuall experience that teares proceede from diuers other cauſes then from true repentāce, ſometimes frō exceſſiue ioy whereby the pores and paſſages of the eyes are looſed and opened, and ſometimes from naturall and worldly ſorrowe whereby the ſaid paſſages are conſtringed and ſtraightned. Somtimes from furious anger, & ſometims from cōpaſſion and pity; and in ſpirituall things ſometimes theſe teares flow from vnfained repentance, ſometimes from deſperat ſorrow conceiued vponupon the apprehenſion of Gods horrible wrath or of the fearefull torments and eternall condemnation prepared for them. Wherefore it commeth to paſſe that in the abundance of their teares, they vtter from a heart full of raging malice, horrible blaſphemies againſt God. And example heareof wee hauehave in Eſau who in the middeſt of his weeping and howling comforted himſelfe with the remembrance of his fathers death and of that moſt wicked murther which he intended vntounto his innocent brother.Gen. 27.41. Gen. 27 41. So the rebellious Iſraelites being diſcouraged with the newes which the ſpies brought who were ſent to ſearch the land, are ſaid to hauehave cried and wept, & yet in the middeſt of their lamentation to hauehave murmured againſt God & his ſeruants Moſes and Aaron. num. 14.1.2So that ſimplie teares are not a ſigne of true repentance vnleſſe they iſſue from a broken heart and contrite ſpirit, from a true hatred of ſinne, and from hartie ſorrowe conceiued becauſe wee hauehave offended our gratious God. On the other ſide if wee be in ſinceritie of heartt, ruely ſorrie for our ſinnes in theſe reſpects becauſe we hate our ſinnes and louelove God, and are diſpleaſed with our ſelues becauſe we hauehave diſpleaſed our gratious father, indeauouring to forſake our ſinnes and to leade a newe life in holineſſe and righteouſnes, then though wee can ſeldome or neuer ſhed teares which is the eaſe of ſome of Gods deareſt children yet our repentance is true and vnfained, for in this action the broken and contrite hart is more to be reſpected then the blubred eyes howſoeuer moſt commonly they goe togeather.
And ſo much concerning the ſignes of true repentāce, which if after due examination wee can finde in our ſelues, we may be aſſured that we are truely paenitent; nay I will ſay more for the comfort of all humbled ſinners if after diligent ſearch they find not in their owne ſenſe and feeling theſe ſignes of true repentance in them at al or at leaſt in very ſmal meaſure, yet if they earneſtly deſire and ſencerely indeuour to attaine vntounto true repentance vſing thoſe good meanes ordained of God for this purpoſe, they may aſſure themſelues that they hauehave truely repented in the ſight of God who accepteth of the will for the deed and of the affection for the action, as before I hauehave ſhewed.
§. Sect. 6 And thus may we repell the tentation of Sathan and receiue comfort vntounto our owne ſoules when hee laboureth to perſwade vsus that our repentance is not true and vnfained,That the aſſurance of the remiſſion of ſinnes dependeth not on the dignity of ourrepentāce. but falſe and hypocriticall: but if the tempter cannot thus preuaile, in the next place hee will tel vsus that our repentance though if be true yet it is not ſufficient, neither is there any proportion betweene our ſmall repentance and our great ſinnes as Gods iuſtice doth require, To which we muſt anſweare that the remiſſion of our ſinnes and reconciliation with God, dependeth not vponupon the dignitie or quantitie of our repentance, but vponupon the righteouſneſſe and full ſatiſfaction of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt; neither doe wee repent to the end that thereby wee may in whole or in part ſatiſfie for our ſinnes; for though it could bee imagined that the whole ſubſtance of our bodies ſhould be reſolued into teares, yet woulde they not all of them ſatiſfie and appeaſe Gods wrath for one breach of any of his commandements, neither is it the water of our eyes no nor yet the bloud of our harts wounded deepely with ſorrow, which will purge vsus from our ſinnes either in reſpect of the guilt, puniſhment, or corruptions themſelues, but it is the water and bloud which flowed from our crucified Lord which cleanſeth our guiltie ſoules from the filchie ſpotts of ſinne, being applied vntounto vsus by a true and liuely faith. And therefore let vsus not with the popiſh rabble fooliſhly imagine that wee can by our repentance meritt any thing at Gods hand or ſatiſfie his iuſtice for our ſinnes, for ſo ſhall wee rob our Sauiour Chriſt of the glorie due vntounto him for our ſaluation, and ſpoile our ſoules of all true comfort, but let vsus repent and vnfainedly turne vntounto God in obedience to his commaundement, and to the ende that thereby we may approue our faith before God, the world, & our owne conſciences to be true by this liuely and vndoubted fruit thereof, For it cannot bee if we hauehave attayned to the aſſurance of Gods louelove and the remiſſion of our ſins for the merits and ſatiſfaction of Chriſt, but that we will louelove God againe, and this louelove cannot be idle but will ſhew it ſelfe in a feruent zeale of Gods glorie, and this zeale will make vsus abhorre ſinne whereby our gratious God is diſhonoured, and louelove righteouſneſſe whereby his holy name is glorified, and euen ſorrow with bitter greefe when as we are ouertaken with our corruptions and fall into ſinne, ſeeing our Sauiour Chriſt hath not ſpared his pretious bloud to purge vsus, whē as nothing els could make vsus cleane. Seeing therefore our repentance doth not ſatisfie Gods iuſtice nor purge away any ſinne, let vsus not be perſwaded by Sathan that reconciliation with God, and the remiſſion of our ſinnes dependeth on the dignitie or quantitie of our repentance, but let vsus aſſure our ſelues that it is onelyonly the bloud of Chriſt applied vntounto vsus by a liuely faith, that purgeth vsus from all our ſinnes, and maketh full ſatisfaction vntounto Gods iuſtice: And therefore though our repentance be but in ſmall meaſure, yet ſo it be true and vnfained it is a certaine fruite of a liuely faith,That wee are not to be diſcouraged in that ſome reprobates hauehave ſhowed more outward ſignes of ſorrow then we. and hee that beleeueth is made partaker of Chriſt and all his benefits.
§. Sect. 7 Laſtly Sathan will obiect that many who hauehave more bitterly ſorrowed then we, & hauehave ſhewed more notable ſignes of exceeding repentāce, hauehave notwithſtāding bene reiected and condemned. To which wee are to anſwere, that though ſuch hauehave ſhewed more ſorrow yet they hauehave had no true repentance, in that their ſorrow hath bene deſtitute of faith and not ſo much for any hatred of ſinne or louelove of God, or vnwillingneſſe to diſpleaſe him, as for horrour of conſcience and deſperate feare of eternal condemnation. And therefore though notwithſtanding ſuch ſorrow, they hauehave bene condemned, yet we may be aſſured that vponupon our true repentance, whereby on the one ſide wee looke vponupon our ſinnes and are grieued for them, and on the other ſide behould Gods mercifull and gratious countenance in Ieſus Chriſt by a liuely faith, we ſhall hauehave the pardon of our ſins and be made partakers of eternall ſaluation. For the promiſſes of the Goſpell are not made to thoſe who afflict themſelues with a deſperate ſorrow, without any hope or deſire of Gods mercy in Chriſt Ieſus, but vntounto thoſe who turne vntounto him by vnfained repentance which is ioyned with a true faith and aſſurance of the remiſſion of our ſinnes and euerlaſting life.