Works of Hooker, Book 6 · Part 2
Of Penitency, the chiefest End propounded by Spiritual Iurisdiction. Two kinds of Penitency, the one a Private Duty toward God, the other a Duty of external Discipline. Of the vertue of Repentance from which the former Duty proceedeth: and of Contrition the first part of that Duty.
SEeing that the chiefest cause of Spiritual Jurisdiction is to provide for the health and safety of Mens Souls, by bringing them to see and Repent their grievous offences committed against God, as also to reform all injuries offered with the breach of Christian Love and Charity toward their brethren, in matters of Ecclesiastical Cognizance; the use of this Power, shall by so much the plainlier appear, if first the nature of Repentance it self be known.
We are by Repentance to appease whom we offend by Sin. For which cause, whereas all Sin deprives us of the favour of Almighty God, our way of Reconciliation with him, is the inward secret Repentance of the heart; which inward Repentance alone sufficeth, unless some special thing, in the quality of Sin committed, or in the Party that hath done amiss, require more. For besides our submission in Gods sight,Paenitentiae secundae, & …nius, quinio in actu negotium est, tanto potior probatio eshut non soia conscientia proferatur, sed aliquo etiam actu administretur. Repentance must not only proceed to the private contentation of Men, if the Sin be a crime injurious; but also farther, where the wholsome Discipline of Gods Church exacteth a more exemplary and open satisfaction. Now the Church being satisfied with outward Repentance, as God is with inward, it shall not be amiss, for more perspicuity to term this latter alwayes the Vertue, that former the Discipline of Repentance; which Discipline hath two sorts of Penitents to work upon, in as much as it hath been accustomed to lay the Offices of Repentance on some seeking, others shunning them, on some at their own voluntary request, on others altogether against their Wills, as shall hereafter appear by store of ancient examples.Second Penitency, following that before Baptism, and being not more then once admitted in one man, requireth by so much the greater labour to make it manifest, for that it is not a work which can come again in royal, but must be therefore with some open solemnity executed, and not left to be discharged with the privity of Conscience alone. Tertul. dep…. Repentance being therefore either in the sight of God alone, or else with the notice also of Men: Without the one, sometime throughly performed, by alwayes practised more or less; in our daily devotions and Prayers, we have no remedy for any fault. Whereas the other is only required in Sins of a certain degree and quality; the one necessary for ever, the other so far forth as the Laws and Orders of Gods Church shall make it requisite. The nature parts, and effects of the one alwaies the same; The other limitted, extended, and varied by infinite occasions.
The vertue of Repentance in the heart of Man is Gods handy-work, a fruit or effect of Divine Grace, which Grace continually offereth it self, even unto them that have forsaken it, as may appear by the words of Christ in St Iohns Revelation, I stand at the door and knock: Nor doth he only knock without, but also within assist to open, whereby access and entrance is given to the heavenly presence, of that saving power, which maketh man a repaired Temple for Gods good Spirit again to inhabit. And albeit the whole train of vertues which are implied in the name of Grace, be infused at one instant; yet because when they meet and concurr unto any effect in man, they have their distinct operations rising orderly one from another; It is no unnecessary thing that we note the way or method of the Holy Ghost, in framing mans sinful heart to Repentance: A work, the first foundation whereof is laid by opening and illuminating the eye of Faith, because by Faith are discovered the Principles of this action, whereunto unless the understanding do first assent, there can follow in the Will towards Penitency no inclination at all: Contrariwise, the Resurrection of the dead, the Judgement of the World to come, and the endless misery of sinners being apprehended, this worketh fear: such as theirs was, who feeling their own distress and perplexity in that passion, besought our Lords Apostles earnestly to give them counsel what they should do. For, fear is impotent and unable to advise it self; yet this good it hath, that men are thereby made desirous to prevent, if possibly they may, whatsoever evil they dread; The first thing that wrought the Ninivites, Repentance, was fear of destruction within fourty daies; signes and miraculous works of God, being extraordinary representations of Divine Power, are commonly wont to stir any the most wicked with terrour, lest the same Power should bend it self against them: And because tractable minds, though guilty of much Sin, are hereby moved to forsake those evil waies which make his power in such sort their astonishment and fear; therefore our Saviour denounced his curse against Corazin and Bethsaida, saying, that if Tyre and Sidon had seen that which they did, those signes which prevailed little with the one, would have brought the others to Repentance. As the like thereunto did in the men given to curious Arts, of whom the Apostolick History saith, that Fear came upon them, and many which had followed vain sciences, burnt openly the very books out of which they had learned the same; As fear of contumely and disgrace amongst men, together with other civil punishments, are a bridle to restrain from any hainous Acts, whereinto mens outrage would otherwise break; So the fear of Divine Revenge and punishment where it takes place, doth make men desirous to be rid likewise from that inward guiltiness of Sin, wherein they would else securely continue. Howbeit, when Faith hath wrought a fear of the event of Sin, yet Repentance hereupon ensueth not, unless our belief conceive both the possibility and means to avert evil: The possibility, in as much as God is merciful, and most willing to have Sin cured: The means, because he hath plainly taught what is requisite, and shall suffice unto that purpose. The nature of all wicked men, is, for fear of revenge to hate whom they most wrong? The nature of hatred, to wish that destroyed which it cannot brook; And from hence ariseth the furious endeavours of godless and obdurate sinners, to extinguish in themselves the opinion of God, because they would not have him to Be, whom execution of endless wo doth not suffer them to Love.
Every Sin against God abateth, and continuance in Sin extinguisheth, our love towards him: It was therefore said to the Angel of Ephesus having sinned, Thou art fallen away from thy first love; so that, as we never decay in love till we Sin, in like sort neither can we possibly forsake Sin, unless we first begin again to love. What is love towards God, but a desire of union with God? And shall we imagine a Sinner converting himself to God, in whom there is no desire of union with God presupposed? I therefore conclude, that fear worketh no mans inclination to Repentance, till somewhat else have wrought in us love also; Our love and desire of union with God ariseth from the strong conceipt which we have of his admirable goodness: The goodness of God, which particularly moveth unto Repentance, is his mercy towards mankind, notwithstanding Sin: For, let it once sink deeply into the mind of man, that howsoever we have injuried God, his very nature is averse from revenge, except unto Sin we add obstinacy otherwise alwaies ready to accept our submission, as a full discharge or recompence for all wrongs; and Can we chuse but begin to Love him whom we have offended, or can we but begin to grieve that we have offended him whom we love? Repentance considereth Sin as a breach of the Law of God, an act obnoxious to that revenge, which notwithstanding may be prevented, if we pacifie God in time.
The root and beginning of Penitency therefore, is the consideration of our own Sin, as a cause which hath procured the wrath, and a subject which doth need the mercy of God: For unto mans understanding, there being presented, on the one side, tribulation and anguish upon every soul that doth evil: On the other, eternal life unto them which by continuance in well doing, seek Glory, and Honour, and Immortality; On the one hand a curse to the Children of disobedience; On the other, to lovers of righteousness, all grace and benediction: Yet between these extreams, that eternal God from whose unspotted justice and undeserved mercy, the lot of each inheritance proceedeth, is so inclinable, rather to shew compassion then to take revenge, that all his speeches in holy Scripture are almost nothing else but entreaties of men to prevent destruction by amendment of their wicked lives; All the works of his providence little other then meer allurements of the just to continue stedfast, and of the unrighteous to change their course; All his dealings and proceedings towards true Converts, as have even filled the grave writings of holy men, with these and the like most sweet sentences: Repentance (if I may so speak) stoppeth God in his way, when being provoked by crimes past, he cometh to revenge them with most just punishments; Yea, it tyeth, as it were, the hands of the Avenger, and doth not suffer him to have his will. Again,
bBasil. Epist. Selene. p. 106. foreign Chrys. in 2 Cor. Hom. 8. foreign Marc. Erem. foreignThe merciful eye of God towards Men, hath no power to withstand Penitency, at what time soever it comes in presence. And again,
God doth not take it so in evil part, though we wound that which he hath required us to keep whole; as that, after we have taken hurt, there should be in us no desire to receive his help. Finally, lest I be carried too far in so large a Sea, There was never any Man condemned of God, but for neglect; nor justified, except he had care of Repentance.
From these considerations, setting before our eyes our inexcusable, both unthankfulness in disobeying so merciful, foolishness in provoking so powerful a God; there ariseth necessarily a pensive and corrosive desire that we had done otherwise; a desire which suffereth us to foreslow no time, to feel no quietness within our selves, to take neither sleep nor food with contentment, never to give over Supplications Confessions, and other penitent Duties, till the light of Gods reconciled favour shine in our darkned soul.
Ful. de remi. peccat. lib 2. cap. 15.Fulgentius asking the question, Why Davids confession should be held for effectual Penitence, and not Saul's; answereth, that the one hated Sin, the other feared only punishment in this world: Sauls acknowledgement of Sin, was Fear; David's, both fear and also love.
This was the Fountain of Peters Tears, this the Life and Spirit of Davids eloquence, in those most admirable Hymns intituled Penitential, where the words of sorrow for Sin, do melt the very Bowels of God remitting it; and the Comforts of Grace in remitting Sin, carry him which sorrowed, rapt as it were into Heaven, with extasies of joy and gladness. The first motive of the Ninevites unto Repentance; was their belief in a Sermon of Fear, but the next and most immediate, an Axiom of Love,Jon. c. 3.9. Who can tell whether God will turn away his fierce wrath, that we perish not… No conclusion such as theirs, Let every man turn from his evil way, but out of premisses such as theirs were, Fear and Love: Wherefore the Well-spring of Repentance is Faith; first breeding Fear, and then Love, which Love causes hope, hope resolution of Attempt: I will go to my Father, and say, I have sinned against Heaven and against thee; that is to say, I will do what the Duty of a Convert requireth.
Now in a Penitent's or Convert's duty, there are included; first, the aversion of the will from Sin; secondly, the submission of our selves to God, by supplication and Prayer; thirdly, the purpose of a new life, testified with present works of amendment: Which three things do very well seem to be comprised in one definition, by them which handle Repentance, as a vertue that hateth, bewaileth, and sheweth a purpose to amend Sin: We offend God in thought, word, and deed. To the first of which three, they make Contrition; to the second, Confession; and to the last, our works of Satisfaction, answerable.
Contrition doth not here import those sudden Pangs and Convulsions of the mind, which cause sometimes the most forsaken of God, to retract their own doings; it is no Natural passion, or anguish, which riseth in us against our wills; but a deliberate aversion of the Will of Man from Sin, which being alwaies accompanied with grief; and grief oftentimes partly with tears, partly with other external signs; it hath been thought, that in these things, Contrition doth chiefly consist: whereas the chiefest thing in Contrition, is, that alteration whereby the Will which was before delighted with Sin, doth now abhorr and shun nothing more. But forasmuch as we cannot hate Sin in our selves without heaviness and grief, that there should be in us a thing of such hatefull quality, the Will averted from Sin, must needs make the affection suitable; yea, great reason why it should so do: For since the Will by conceiving Sin hath deprived the Soul of Life, and of life there is not recovery without Repentance the death of Sin; Repentance not able to kill Sin, but by withdrawing the Will from it, the Will unpossible to be withdrawn, unless it concur with a contrary affection to that which accompanied it before in evill: Is it not clear, that as an inordinate delight did first begin sin, so Repentance must begin with a just sorrow, a sorrow of heart, and such a sorrow as renteth the heart; neither a feigned nor sleight sorrow; not feigned, blest it increase Sin; nor sleight, lest the pleasures of Sin overmatch it…ef
Wher ore of Grace, the highest cause from which Mans Penitency doth proceed; of Faith, Fear, Love, Hope, what force and efficiency they have in Repentance; of Parts and Duties thereunto belonging, comprehended in the Schoolmens definitions; finally, of the first among those Duties, Contrition, which disliketh and bewaileth iniquity, let this suffice.
And because God will have Offences by Repentance, not only abhorred within our selves, but also with humble Supplication displayed before Him; and a testimony of amendment to be given, even by present works, worthy Repentance, in that they are contrary to those we renounce and disclaim: Although the vertue of Repentance do require, that her other two parts, Consession and Satisfaction should here follow; yet seeing they belong as well to the Discipline as to the vertue of Repentance, and only differ for that in the one they are performed to Man, in the other to God alone; I had rather distinguish them in joynt-handling, then handle them apart, because in quality and manner of practise, they are distinct.