The New Covenant, Book 3 · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Of Repentance, the third part of examination.
THe next thing in this triall to be conſidered isaRepentance from dead works requyred of al that come to the Lords table. repentance, which is, a renewing of the minde, a change of the heart▪ a turning of the ſoule, and a reformation of our life and affections. As knowledge is the beginning, and as it were the verie fore-runner of faith, like a Meſſenger going before his Maiſter to prepare for his comming: ſo repentance is an eſpeciall fruite of faith▪ without which, whoſoeuer draweth neare to the Lords Table, prophaneth the Sacrament, and departeth without comfort.
For, it is an altering of our liues and conuerſations vntounto God, ioyned with a godly ſorrow and deteſtation of all ſin, together with an vnfeined louelove and deſire of righteouſneſſe. This appeareth in the chaunge of the whole man, of our thoughts, affections, meditations and delights: in all theſe the old man with his deceitfull luſts muſt be put off, and the new man muſt be put on,bEphe …, 24 which after God is created vntounto righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe. This duty is taught in diuers places of the Scripture. Heereunto come the words of the Prophet Eſaiah, When c…ſay 1, 12.ye come to appeare before me, vvho required this at your hands, to treade in my Courts? Bring no mo Oblations in vaine: Incenſe is an abhom nation vntounto me, I cannot ſuffer your New Moones, nor Sab…othes, nor ſolemne daies, (it is iniquity) nor aſſemblies. And when ye ſhall stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you: and though yee make manie prayers I will not heare, for your hands are full of blood. Waſh you make you cleane, take away the euill of your workes from before mine eies: ceaſe to do euill learne to do well, &c. And Chap. 66. He that killeth a Bullocke, d…ſay 66, 3.is as if he ſlew a man: he that ſacrificeth a ſheepe, is as if he cut off a Dogges necke: he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered Swines fleſh: he that burneth incenſe, as if he bleſſed an Idoll: yea they hauehave choſen their owne waies, and their Soule delighteth in their abhominations. Wherby the prophet meaneth, that God accepteth no ſacrifices without faith and repentance.
This alſo was figured and ſhadowed out, by waſhing the Garments, and chaunging the attire of ſuch as came withcGen, 35, …. 3 their Oblations vntounto God, and prepared themſelues vntounto his ſeruice. Th… Iacob commanded, when he reformed his houſhold, and went vp with them to Bethell the houſe of GOD. Thus Moſes prepared the people, before the Lawe was deliuered in Mount Sinai. And heereunto the Prophet Dauid allude…h, Pſ…l. 26. I will waſh mine hands in innocency, O Lord, and …a…p…ſſeth …. As if he ſhould ſay, I wil endeauor to liue moſt vprightly toward thee and toward men, and ſo come and offer ſacrifices at thine Altar.
Wherefore, ſuch as feele not themſelues to hauehave penitent hearts, to be humbled and grieued for their ſins, to ſigh and grone vnderunder the burthen of them, to tremble at God, iudgments, cannot come aright to this holy Supper, but eate & drinke certaine iudgement to themſelues. The broken and contrite heart is the path-way to heauen,f1 Cor 7, 10.11. and an vnſeparable companion of repentance. This the Apoſtle teacheth, 2 Cor. 7. Godly ſorrow cauſeth repentance vntounto ſaluation, not to be repented off, but worldly ſorrow cauſeth death: but behold this thing, that yee hauehave beene godly ſorry, what great …e it hath wrought in you: yea, what cleering of your ſelues: yea, what indignation: yea, what feare: yea, what deſire: yea, what zeale: yea, what puniſhment.
Heere be thegSigns wherby to examin our repentance. notes and tokens whereby we may try our repentance, whether it be ſincere or not. It hath theſe ſignes to diſcerne it, a care to leaue that ſin into which we are fallen, otherwiſe we hauehave not repented, as Act. 2. They which had crucified the Lord of life, and deliuered him into the hands of ſinners, were pricked in their hearts, and ſaid to Peter and to the otherhAct, 1. 37.38 Apoſtles, Men and brethren what ſhall we do? And Peter ſaid vntounto them, Amend your liues, and ſaue your ſelues from this froward generation. The other ſignes of repentance are a confeſsion of our ſins to God, & a condemning our ſelues for them: an holy and inward anger againſt our ſelues for our careleſneſſe in looking to our owne waies: a feare nor ſo much of Gods iudgements, as leaſt we fall into the ſame ſins againe, and ſo offend our mercifull Father: a deſire euer after to pleaſe God with all our hearts: and laſt of all a renewing and puniſhing of our owne ſoules for our offences committed againſt him. Now to the end we may repent aright, and ſit in iudgement of our ſelues, according to the forme of God; iuſtice: it ſhall be needfull for vsusiIn examining our ſelues, we muſt … the order of the Comandements. Command. 1. to examine our ſelues by the ten words of the law, and out of the ſame to frame ten ſeueral encitements againſt our ſelues, whereby wee ſhall finde a great defect of righteouſnes, a great ſpoile of obedience, a great acceſſe of diſobedience, and a great heape of all kinde of corruptions. This then may ſerue and ſuffice for the true examination of our ſelues. We muſt conſider and confeſſe that we hauehave not loued and feared God, we hauehave not beleeued & depended vponupon him in all eſtates as we ought, but hauehave oftentimes feared and loued the creatures aboue him, we hauehave preferred a filthy pleaſure before him, wee hauehave doubted of his promiſes through vnbeleefe, and relyed vponupon an arme of fleſh and blood. We hauehave beene careleſſe Command. 2 in the worſhip of God, we hauehave not prayed vntounto him with ſtedfaſt aſſurance to be heard, we hauehave not ſerued him in ſpirit and in truth as he requireth of vsus, but hypocriſie hath crept into our beſt actions and meditations, we hauehave more laboured after the outward ſhewes and appearances of religion, then to expreſſe the power of godlineſſe: and hauehave more eſteemed to ſeeme to others to be true Chriſtians then to be ſuch indeed. We hauehave not reuerenced the Command. 3 eternall Maieſty of God as is meet to doe, who is infinite, inuiſibe, vnchangeable; we hauehave not bleſſed and praiſed his name with thankſgiuing for all things, and at all times, as well for aduerſity as proſperity: We hauehave not heard, read, and meditated in his word with ſuch affection, reuerence, and zeale, as is requiſite: when occaſion hath beene offered to ſpeak of the works of Gods prouidence, we hauehave not acknowledged in them the greatnes of his wiſedome, power, and goodnes as we ought: nay rather the glorious and dreadfull name of God (which ought to be more deare vntounto vsus then our owne liues) hath beene blaſphemed, diſhonoured, and abuſed by vsus. Touching the Sabboth, wee Command. 4 muſt conſider and confeſſe how we hauehave prophaned it: we hauehave beene more carefull to follow our worldly workes & affaires, then to ſeeke the kingdome of God and his righteouſneſſe, hauing had more care of the body then of the ſoule: we hauehave ſent out our ſeruants to diſpatch our buſineſſe on that day, and hauehave not ſuffered them to attend on the buſineſſe of the Lord for the ſaluation of their ſoules: and our ſelues hauehave neglected the miniſtry of the word of God, hauehave defiled his ſanctuary, and hauehave polluted that holy day with feaſting, playing, ſporting, drinking, idleneſſe, and other vanities. Wee hauehave not yeelded reuerence to ſuperiors for conſcience ſake, nor beene affrayed to offend them as God hath commaunded: we hauehave not alwaies ſpoken Command. 5 of them and their gouernment as we ſhould: wee hauehave not had ſuch a reuerence opinion and perſwaſion of our Paſtors and teachers as wee ought, which hauehave the charge of our ſoules, and labour among vsus in the Lord. Againe, we hauehave not beene carefull to teach and inſtruct ſuch as are vnderunder vsus, as our Children, Seruants, and whole family as wee are bound, praying with them in our houſes, exhorting them in all wiſedome, conferring with them in all gentleneſſe, and furthering them in all the waies of godlineſſe.
Touching the ſixt Commaundement, we hauehave not loued Command. 6 our Neighbours as our ſelues, procuring their good as our owne; wee hauehave broken out thorough debate, contention, chyding, reuyling, brawling, quarrelling and reuenging: we hauehave not reioyced at the good and proſperity of our bretheren, but when GODS eye haih beene good towards them in bleſsing them we hauehave repined and grudged at it. Wee hauehave not poſſeſſed the veſſelles of or bodies in holineſſe and honour, as the Temples of the Holye-Ghoſt, knowing we are bought with a price: we hauehave not tamed and brought into ſubiection this fleſh as we ſhould, to make it in all reſpectes ſubiecte and obedient vntounto the ſpirite: wee hauehave not made a couenat with our eies, with Command. 7 our eares, with our tongues, to turne them from all vncleane ſights, wanton wordes, and filthy communication, but hauehave ſuffered them to wander after vnlawfull luſt and concupiſence: neither hauehave wee vſed ſuch ſobriety, abſtinence, and temperancie, as hath beene fit to keepe vnderunder our affections, but riotouſneſſe, exceſſe in apparrell, ſurfetting, ſloathfulneſſe, idlenes, pride, and fulneſſe of breade, (which were the ſinnes of Sodome. Ezekiel 16.) are vſed in many places: as for drunkennes, it hath taken away the heartes, and euen waſhed away the braines of many. Wee muſt confeſſe, that our dealinges with our neighbours in Command. 8 buying, ſelling, bargaining, and contracting, hauehave not bin with ſuch vprightneſſe, ſoundneſſe, iuſtice, ſinceritie, and truth as God requireth: we hauehave bene giuen to oppreſsion, couetouſneſſe, and hard dealing one towards another, and not conſidered that godlineſſe is great gain, if a man be contented with that he hath, that if we hauehave food and rayment, we muſt bee content, and can carry nothing with vsus out of this world, we hauehave not at all times beene giuen to merciemercy and compaſsion towards the poore, for the maintenance of them and their families, eſpecially in times of famine, derth, peſtilence, ſickeneſſe, and other mortalities and neceſsities.
Command 9 Wee muſt acknowledge, that we hauehave not Loued the truth in the inward parts, neither maintained the credit and good name of men as wee ought, but hauehave beene addicte to lying, enuying, backe-byting, flattering, or defaming, one of another, and to heare others with comfort and delighte to do the like: we hauehave not beene couragious and conſtant to confeſſe and defend the truth againſt the enemies thereof, but hauehave beene aſhamed to ſet our ſelues againſt lies, errors and ſlanders: we hauehave kindled the coales of contention by falſe furmiſes, carrying of tales, and publiſhing of infirmities vntounto the great damage, hurt and hinderance of our brethren.
Command. x. Laſtly, we muſt remember (to ſhut vppe this confeſsion) that our whole Nature is vile and wretched, the heart of man is deceitfull aboue all things, and paſt finding out: wee are ſinful as an euil tree, which can bring forth nothing but euill fruite, our thoughts are vaine and corrupt, our firſt motions and imaginations are euil againſt the law of God that ſaith,kExod 10, 17 Thou ſhalt not luſt, requiring a pure heart towards our neighbors, holy cogitations of the ſpirit, and a continuall conflict againſt euil affections and luſts of the fleſh.
Thus muſt eueryevery one of vsus araigne and endite our ſelues. Thus wee muſt accuſe our ſelues, and condemne our owne workes. Thus wee muſt ſearch our owne wayes, confeſſing that iflIohn 3, 20 our owne hearts accuſe vsus, God is greater then our hearts, and knoweth all thinges. Then let vsus appeale to the throne of grace, let vsus deſire ſaluation in Chriſt for his mercies ſake, let vsus caſt all our comfort vponupon him, couering our faces through ſhame of our ſinnes that are paſt, humbling our ſelues through griefe of them that are preſent, and working out our ſaluation with a feare of that which may come heereafter.
If thus we iudge our ſelues, God will acquite vsus: if thus we condemne our ſelues, God will iuſtify vsus: if wee accuſe our ſelues, he will diſcharge vsus: if we be diſpleaſed with our ſelues for our ſinnes, God wil bee well pleaſed with vsus, and cloath vsus with the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. But if wee ſtand vponupon our owne righteouſneſſe and worthineſſe, if we ſay we hauehave neede of nothing, if wee flatter and deceiue our ſelues, comparing our ſelues with our ſelues or with others, and not with the rule of Gods word, God will examine vsus, and ſit in iudgement vponupon vsus. If he enter intomPſal. 130, …, iudgement with vsus no fleſh ſhall be iuſtifyed in his ſight: for if thou, O Lorde, ſtreightly markeſt iniquities, O Lord, who ſhall ſtand? Hee will be reuenged of our ſinnes, and bring many plagues vponupon vsus: he will ſend ſundry diſeaſes vppon our bodies, and a troubled ſpirit vponupon our ſoules, he will add one puniſhment to another vntill we repent, as he teacheth by manie examples in the ſcriptures.
The Apoſtle ſaith, He that eateth and drinketh vnworthily, eateth and drinketh n1 Cor. 11, 29 30, 32.iudgement to himſelfe. For this cauſe many are weake and ſicke among you, and many ſleepe: for if wee would iudge our ſelues we ſhould not be iudged. But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord, becauſe we ſhould not be condemned with the world. So the Iſraelites being myraculouſly fedde by the Lords owne hand, luſted and became vnthankfull, and therefore while the meate was yet in their mouthes,oPſa. 78, 30 32 The wrath of God fell downe vponupon them, and ſlew the ſtrongeſt of thē, and ſmote downe the choſen men of Iſrael.
Iudas choſen to be one of the twelue,pIohn 13, 27. comming vnwoorthily to the Paſſeouer, Satan entred further into him, wroght in him his owne confuſion, and brought vponupon him fwift dam nation. The gheſt in the Goſpell,qMat. 22, 22, 13. that preſſed vntounto the ſupper without his wedding garment, was taken ſpeecheleſſe, bound hand and foot, and caſt into vtter darkeneſſe, where ſhalbe weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. Let no man therefore put off, and deferre his repentance from day to day, leaſt he draw vponupon himſelfe finall deſtruction of ſoule and body, and find his hart exceedingly hardened through continuance in ſinne: but whiler2 Cor. 6, 2. the acceptable time is, let vsus both purpoſe and endeuour to forſake our euill waies, our wicked workes, and all knowne ſins reuealed vntounto vsus by the ſacred Oracle of the word of God.
And becauſe we hauehave daily wants, and do commit daily and new ſins through infirmity of the fleſh,ſRenewed faith, and renewed repentance required of vsus. we muſt hauehave renewed faith & renewed repentance,tLuk. 22, 32 becauſe eueryevery new ſinne requireth a new acte of repentance, and appealing to Chriſt by faith. Then we are aright diſpoſed to the Lords table, when we are liuely touched with a ſenſe and feeling of our corrupt diſpoſitions and daily fallings in our ſaith & obedience. For the repentance of eueryevery faithfull man muſt be double: firſt generall, repenting of originall and actuall ſinnes generally, receiuing power of God to change our minds, wils, and affections,uMat. 3, 1. whereof Iohn Baptiſt faith, Repent, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand. This is giuen and granted vntounto vsus at that time, when firſt we receiue to beleeue, it maketh an alteration in vsus, ſlayeth the olde man, quickeneth the life of the new man; beginneth in weaknes, continueth in greater ſtrength, and groweth more & more vntounto perfection. Secondly ſpeciall, for ſpeciall ſinnes and continuall failings into which we fall, which we muſt practiſe to the end of our dayes.
Now as we ſaid in the former chapter, that no man for the feeblenes of his faith, is to abſent himſelfe from this Supper, ſo muſt wee remember touching our repentance, though it be in great weakneſſe and frailety: yet if it be a ſound and ſincere hatred of all ſin, not a forſaking of ſome ſinnes onelyonly, as Saul, Herod and Iudas did, keeping other in themſelues to their own confuſion: our imperfections ſhal be couered, our wants ſhall be ſupplied, our weakneſſe ſhal be remitted by the death of Chriſt, who was annointed & ſent to preachLuk. 4, 18. the Goſpell to the poore, to heale the broken hearted, to publiſh deliuerance to the Captiues, recouering of ſight to the blinde, and to ſet at liberty them that are bruiſed. And he pronounceth ſuchbMat. 5.3. bleſſed as are poore in ſpirit. For theirs was the kingdome of heauen. Wherefore if thou feele in thy ſelfe great defects of faith, of repentance, of ſanctification, pray to God earneſtly that hee will vouchſafe to increaſe his gifts, let vsus confeſſe with Dauid, c2 Sam 12.13we hauehave ſinned; let vsus weepe with Peter, dLuk. 22, 62 and 7, 38.and the ſinfull woman: let vsus acknowledge our vnworthines, and ſay with the Centuriō, Lord,eMat. 8, 8. We are not worthy that thou ſhouldst come vnderunder our roofe. Let vsus cry out with the Publican,fLuk. 8, 13 O God bee mercifull to me a ſinner. Let vsus not be aſhamed to ſpeake it with Daniel, that to vsus belongeth open ſhame and confuſion of faces. This is the way to make vsus worthy: this is the means to fit vsus to the Lords Table: this is to be practiſed of ſuch as will be his gueſts.