Two Treatises 2, Tract 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of the names whereby the ſecond part of Repentance, viz. change of heart is ſet out in Scripture.
HItherto of the former part of Repentance, 2. The ſecond part of Repentance, Conuerſion, whereMourning, Humiliation or Contrition: The ſecond followeth, Turning. Reformation, or Conuerſion, where conſider wee 1. The Names. 2. The Nature. 3. The Practiſe of it.
1. For the names, they are more eſpecially two. 1. The names of it.1. An Hebrew name ſignifying Turning or Conuerſion. 2. A Greeke name ſignifying After-wit, or wiſdome.
The firſt name is a metaphor drawen from trauellers, who hauing gone out of their way, muſt come backe againe and returne into the right way if euer they meane to arriue vntounto the intended period of their iourney. We all are or ſhould be trauellers to God, to Heauen-ward: but wee are turned aſide into the quite contrary way: we are like the Prodigall departing from his fathers houſe, like the loſt ſheepe ſtraying from the fold: therefore we muſt turne backe againe, and ſet our faces to wards God, vponupon whom wee hauehave turned our backes. It is impoſſible his feete ſhould euer ſtand in Heauen, whoſe eyes are not turned towards it. Men doe vainely perſwade themſelues of finding God and his Kingdome with faces turned vponupon ſinne, and backes vponupon God. Excellently doth Iſay ioyne together turning and ſeeking God. A man Iſ. 9. 13.may long enough ſeeke an Eaſterne Countrey in the Weſt, ere he finde it. And as long may hee ſeeke God in the wayes of ſinne and Sathan, ere he ſhall meet with him. This phraſe then ſheweth the abſolute neceſſity of Repentance: for as he whoſe backe being turned vponupon me is gone farre from me can neuer be with me, vnleſſe he turne his face towards me, and ſo make towards me with his feete: no more can wee ſinners that are gone away from the Lord euer enioy him, or bee with him, vnleſſe by Repentance we turne towards him: onelyonly thus turning may wee ſeeke him, and thus ſeeking can we finde him.
The ſecond name is Metanoia, After-wit, or After-wiſdome, oppoſed to Pronoia, Fore-wit, fore-caſting and prouiding before hand.
This name teacheth that eueryevery impenitent ſinner is a witleſſe foole, and that true wiſdome conſiſts in turning from our ſinnes to the Lord. Of the Bapitſt drawing men to Repentance, it is ſayd, He ſhall turne them to the wiſdome of the iuſt. The miniſter Luc. 1.ſayes Paul, muſt wait if God at any time will giuegive thee refractary Repentance, foreign, that is, that 2. Tim. 2. 25.they may awake out of their drunken ſleepe, and become ſober. Implying that as long as we lie in our ſinnes, we are as drunken ſots voyd of all vnderſtanding. Hence that phraſe of the repenting Prodigall, He came to himſelfe, implying that before Luc. 15. 17. Prou. 9.he was mad, and beſides himſelfe. If thou wilt bee wiſe, thou wilt be wiſe for thy ſelfe, that is thine owne ſoules good, ſaith Salomon.
Let now the wordling and impenitent wretch go, and thinke Repentance folly and himſelfe wiſe, that will not bee troubled with ſo heauy and melancholy a thing. They ſhall ſing another ſong one day, euen that Wiſd. 5. Wee counted them fooles, but &c. Is not hea foole that being out of his way, wil not returne backe when the right way is ſhewed him? Hearke what Ieremy ſaies of ſuch? They hauehave Ierem. 5. 4.refuſed to returne: therfore I ſayd they are poore; how poore? poore in the braine, poore in wit; for he addes, They are fooliſh: for this cauſe that rich man is called a foole for all his worldly wit, and Luc. 12.thoſe virgins fooliſh virgins for all their blazing lamps. It were madneſſe to thinke of comming vp to the top of the houſe without the ſtaires or ladder; ſo to come to Heauen without this ladder of Repentance. Extreame ſolly for a man to aime at ſome excellent end, and in meane time neuer think of the meanes that ſhould compaſſe it, nay to doe that which is directly contrary thereto. For a man to profeſſe his deſire after Heauen, and yet to ſhun Repentance the onelyonly way that carries thether. Worthily therefore is Repentance called After-wiſdome or After-wit. In other things Fore-wit is preferred before After-wit. But heere the afterwit of Repentance ſhall bring vsus to a farre better eſtate then euer wee ſhould hauehave attained if Adam had had the fore-wit to hauehave eſpied the deceit of Sathan, and ſo to hauehave preuented the danger. This is the wiſdome that is commended to vsus in the parable Luc. 16.of the vniuſt ſteward. And it is the wiſdome Moſes prayes for: Teach vsus ſo to number our dayes, counting eueryevery day for the laſt, that wee may apply our hearts to wiſdome, euen to the wiſdome of prouiding for our ſoules by Repentance.
And ſo much of the names giuen to this ſecond part of Repentance.