XXX sermons lately preached at the parish church of Saint Mary Magdalen Milkstreet, London to which is annexed, A sermon preached at the funerall of George Whitmore, Knight, sometime Lord Mayor of the City / by Anthony Farindon.

EZEKIEL 33.11.

As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Turne ye, Turne ye from your evill wayes: For why will you die oh House of Israel.

WEE have here a sudden and vehement out-cry; Turne yee, Turne yee, and those events which are sudden and vehement (the Philosopher tells us) doe 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, doe leave some notable mark and improssion behind them; an Earthquake shakes, and dislocates the Earth; a Whirl∣winde rends the Mountaines, and breakes in pieces the Rocks; what is sudden, at once strikes us with feare and admiration.

Certainly reverenter pensandum est, saith the Father, * 1.1 This call of the Prophet requires a serious, and reverend Considera∣tion: For if this vehement ingemination be not sharpe and

keene enough to enter our Soules, and divide asunder the joynts and the marrow; here is a quare moriemini; a Reason, to set an edge on them; if his Gracious and Earnest call, his Turne, and his Turne will not Turn us, hee hath placed Death in the way, that King of Terrours, to affright us; If we be not willing to dye, wee must be willing to Turne; If wee will heare Reason; wee must hearken to his Voice; and if hee thus sends his Prophets after us, sends forth his voice from Heaven after us; if he make his Ju∣stice and mercy his joynt Commissioners to force us back; If hee invite us to Turne, and threaten us, if wee doe not Turne; ei∣ther Love, or Feare must prevaile with us, to Turne with all our Hearts.

And in this is set forth the singular Mercy of our most Graci∣ous God, parcendo admonet, ut corrigamur poenitendo; before he strikes, hee speakes: When he bends his Bow, when his dead∣ly arrowes are on the string; yet his warning flyes, before his shaft; his word is sent out, before the judgement; the light••ing is before his Thunder, Ecce, saith Origen, antequam Ʋulneramur, mo∣nemur; when we (as the Israelites here) are running on into the very Jawes of Death; when we are sporting with our Destructi∣on in articulo mortis, when Death is ready to selfe on us, and the pitt opens her mouth, to take us in; he calls and calls againe, Turne yee, Turne ye from your evill Wayes, and if all this be too lit∣tle, if wee still venture on, and drive forward in forbidden and dangerous wayes, he drawes a Sword against us, sets before us, the horror of Death it self; Quare moriemini? Why will you die? still it is his word, before his blow; his Convertimini, before his moriemini, his praelusoria arma, before his Decretoria; his blunt before his sharp; his Exhortations, before the Sentence: non parcit ut parcat, non mi∣seretur, ut misereatur; he is full in his Expressions, that he may be sparing in his wrath; he speakes words clothed with Death, That we may not die, and is so severe, as to threaten Death, that hee may make roome for his Mercy, and not inflict it; Why will you die? there is Virtue and Power in it, to quicken and rowse us up; to drive us out of our Evill wayes, that wee may live for ever.

This is the summe of these words: The parts are Two. 1. An Exhortation, and Secondly an Obtestation, or Expostulation: or a Du∣ty; and a Reason urging, and inforcing that Duty: The Exhortation, or Duty is plaine, Turne yee, Turne ye from your Evill wayes; The Obtestation or Reason as plaine, Quarè moriemini? Why will yee Dye, oh House of Israel? I call the Obtestation or Expostula∣tion, a Reason; and good Reason I should doe so; for the Morie∣mini is a good Reason; That wee may not Dye, a good Reason

why we should Turne; but tendered to us by way of expostulati∣on, is another reason, and makes the reason operative, and full of efficacy; makes it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a reason invincible, unan∣swerable; For this very expostulation, is an Evidence faire and plaine enough, that he would not have us die; and then 'tis as plaine; That if we die, we have killed and destroyed our selves a∣gainst his will: Of these two then in their order; and first of the exhortation, and Duty, in which we shall passe by these steps, or de∣grees; 1. Look up upon the Author; consider, whose exhortation it is. 2ly, The Duty itself; and in the last place, pugnacem calo∣rem, that lively, and forcible heat of Iteration and Ingemination, Convertimini, Convertimini, Turne ye, Turne ye; the very life and soul of Exhortation.

Turne ye, Turne ye, saith the Lord.

And first, we aske, Quis? who is he that is thus urgent, and ear∣nest? and as we read, it is Ezekiel the Prophet, and of Prophets, Saint Peter tells us that they spake 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.2 as they were moved by the Spirit of God; and they received the word, non auribus, sed animis, not by the hearing of the eare; but by inspiration, and immediate Revelation; by a divine Character, * 1.3 and impression made in their soules; so that this Exhortation to Re∣pentance, will prove to be an Oracle from Heaven, to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to be a Divine and Celestiall remedy, to be the pre∣script of Wisedome it self, and to have been written with the finger of God.

And indeed we shal find that this duty of Turning, the true na∣ture of Repentance, was never taught in the School of Nature, ne∣ver found in its true effigies and Image, in all its lines and Dimensi∣ons, in the books of the Heathen. The Aristotelians had their Expi∣ations; the Platonicks their purgations; The Pithagoreans their Erinnys; but not in relation to God, or his Divine Goodnesse and Providence; * 1.4 Et à ratione ejus tantum absuit, quantum à rationus auto∣re, and were as farre to seek of the true reason, and Nature of Re∣pentance, as they were of the God of reason himself: many usefull lessons they have given us, and some imperfect descriptions of it, but those did rise no higher then the spring from whence they did flow, from the Treasure of Nature, and therefore could not lift them up to the sight of that peace and rest which is eternall; They were as waters to refresh them, and they that tasted deepest of them, had most ease, and by living 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, according to the di∣rections of Nature, gain'd that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that Peace and compo∣sedness of minde, which they call'd their Happinesse, and was all

they could attain to. Tully and Cato had not such divided, distra∣cted souls, as Cataline, and Cethegus; Seneca and hadnot those ictus & laniatus, * 1.5 those Gashes and Rents in his heart, as Nero had; even their Dreames were more sweet and pleasant, then those of other men; as being the resultancies, and Eccho's of those virtuous Acti∣ons, which they drew out in themselves by no other hand, then that of Nature; which lookt not beyond that frailty, which she might easily discover in her self, and so measur'd out their happinesse but by the Span, by this present life; or if she did see a glimpse and faint shew, of a future estate, she did but see, and guesse at it, and knew no more. Reason it self did Teach them thus much, that sin was unreasonable; * 1.6 Nature it self had set a mark upon it, omne ma∣lum aut timore, aut pudore suffudit, had either struck vice pale, or died it in a blush; did either loose their joynts, or change their Coun∣tenance, and put them in mind of their deviation from her rules, by the shame of the fact, and the feare they had to be taken in it; which two made up that fraenum naturae, that bridle of Nature, to give them a checque, and Turne, but not unto the Lord. For were there ther Heaven nor Hell, neither reward nor punishment, yet whilst we carry about with us this ligh tof Reason, sinne must needs have a soule face, being so unlike unto Reason, and if we would suffer her to come in to rescue, when our loose affections are so violent, we should not receive so many foiles as we doe; a naturâ sequitur ut meliora probantes, * 1.7 peiorum poeniteat, Not to sinne, to forsake sinne, Nature it self teacheth; but Nature never pointed out to this board, this planck of Repentance, to bring a shipwrackt soul to that haven of rest, which is like it self, and for which it was made Immortall. Turne ye, turne ye, is dictum Domini, a Doctrine, which came down from Heaven, and was brought down from thence by him, who brought life and Immortality to light. For it was impossible, that it should ever have fallen within the conceit of any reasonable crea∣ture, to set down and determine, what satisfaction was to be made for an offence committed against a God of Infinite Majesty, what fit recompence could God receive from the hand of Dust and Ash∣es? what way could they find out to redeem themselves, who were sold under sinne? Ten thousand Worlds were too little to pay downe for the least of those sinnes, which we drink down, as an Oxe doth water; The Occan would not wash off the least spot, that defiles us; all the beasts of the Mountains will not make a sacrifice, spiritus fractus sacrificia Dei, * 1.8 other Sacrifices have been the Inventi∣ons of men, of the Chaldeans and Cyprians, and but occasionally, and upon a kind of Necessity, providently enjoyn'd by God: but a relen∣ting, Turning Heart, * 1.9 is his Sacrifice, nay his Sacrifices, instar omnium, worth all the Sacrifices in the world; his owne Invention, his own Injunction; his owne dictum; his own command, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, he hath but one Sacrifice, and that is the sacrifice of pur∣gation;

a clensed; purged, Contrite heart, a new Creature. For when the Inventions of men were at a stand; when discourse and reason were posed, and cold make no progresse at all in the wayes of Happinesse, not so farre as to see our want and need of it; when the Earth was barren, and could not bring forth this feed of Repen∣tance; Deus eam sevit, saith Tert. * 1.10 God himself sow'd it in the world, made it publici juris, known to all the world; That he would accept of a Turne of true Repentance, as the onely means to wash away the guilt of sinne, and reconcile the Creature to his Maker; so that, as Theodoret called the Redemption of mankind, the fairest, and most eminent part of Gods Providence and Wisdome; so may we too, give Repentance a Place, and share, as without which the former, in respect of any benefit, which can arise to us, is frust rate & of no effect. * 1.11 A thing indeed it is which may seem strange to flesh and blood, and Lactantius tells us, that Tully thought it impossible, but a strange thing it may seem, that the sigh of a broken heart, should slumber a Tempest, That our sorrow should bind the hands of Majesty, that our Repentance should make God himself repent, and our Turne, Turne him from his wrath, and a change in us, alter his Decree; and therefore to Iulian that cursed Apostate, it ap∣pear'd in a worse shape, not onely as strange, but as ridiculous, and where he bitterly derides Constantine for the profession of Christia∣nity, he makes up his scoffe with the contempt and derision of Repentance, * 1.12 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and whosoever is a corrupter or defiler of Women, whosoever is a man-slayer, whosoever is an uncleane Person, may be secure; 'tis but dipping himself in a little water, and he is forthwith clean, yea, though he wallow again, and againe in the same mire; pollute himself with the same monstrous sinnes; let him but say, he hath sinned, and at the very word, the sinne vanisheth; let him but Smite his breast, or strike his forehead, and he shall presently, without more adoe, become as white as snow; And 'tis no marvaile to hear an Apostate blaspheme (for his Apo∣stacie it self, was blasphemy) no more, then 'tis to heare a Devill Curse; both are fallen from their first estate, and both hate that estate, from whence they are fallen, and they both howle together for that which they might have kept, and would not: upon Repen∣tance, there is Dictum Domini, thus saith the Lord, and this is e∣nough to shame all the witt; and confute all the Blasphemy of the world; As I live, saith the Lord, I will not the death of a sinner, but that he Turne: and in this consists the Priviledge and power of our Turn; this makes Repentance a Virtue, and by this word, this Institution, and the Grace of God annexed to it, A Turne shall free us from Death; a Teare shall shake the powers of Heaven; a repentant Sigh shall put the Angels into Passion; and our Turning from our Sinne shall Turne God himself, even Turne him from his fierce wrath, and strike the Sword out of his hand.

Turne ye, Turne ye, then is Dictum Domini, a voice from Heaven, a command from God himself; And it is the voice and dictate of his Wisdom, an Attribute which he much delights in, more then in any of the rest, saith Naz. * 1.13 for it directs his power, for whatsoever he doth, is done in wisedome, in Order, Number, and Measure, whatsoever he doth, is best: his raine falls not, his Arrowes fly not, but where they should, to the marke, which his Wisedome hath set up; It accompanies his Justice, and make his wayes equall, in all the disproportion and dissimilitude, which can shew it self to an eye of flesh: It made all his Judgements and Statutes; It breathed forth his Promises, and Menaces, and will make them good; in Wisedome he made the Heavens; and in Wisedome he kindled the fire of Hell; nothing can be done in this world, or the next, which should not be done: Againe, it orders his Mercy, for though he will have Mercy on whom he will have Mercy; yet he will not let it fall, but where he should, not into any Vessell, but that which is fit to receive it: for his Wisedome is over all his works, as well as his Mercy; he would save us, but he will not save us without Repen∣tance; he could force us to a Turne, and yet I may truly say, hee could not, because he is wise; he would not have us die, and yet he will desTroy us, if we will not Turne; he doth nothing, either good or evill to us, which is not convenient for him, and agreeable to his wisedome. Nor can this bring us under the Imputation of too much boldnesse, to say; The Lord doth nothing, but what is conveni∣ent for him (for 'tis not boldnesse to magnifie his wisedom) They ra∣ther come too neer, and are bold with Maiesty, who fasten upon him those Counsells, and determinations, which are repugnant, and opposite to his wisedome, and goodnesse, and which his soul hates, as, That hedid Decree to make some men miserable, to that end, that he might make his Mercy glorious, in making them happy; that he did of purpose wound them, that he might heale them; That he did threaten them with Death, whose names he had written in the book of Life; That he was willing man should sinne, that he might forgive him; That he doth exact that Repentance, as our Duty, which himselfe will worke in us, by an irresistible force; That he commands, intreats, beseeches others to Turne and Repent, whom himselfe hath bound, and fetter'd by an absolute Decree, that they shall never Turne; That he calls them to Repentance and Salvati∣on, whom he hath damn'd from al eternity, and if any, certainly such Beasts as these, deserve to be struck through with a Dart. No, 'tis not boldness, but Humility and Obedience to his will, to say, He doth nothing, but what becommeth him; what his wisedome doth justify, and he hath abounded towards us 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 saith Saint tPaul, * 1.14 in all Wiedome and Prudence; His wisedome findes out the meanes of Salvation, and his Prudence orders, and dispo∣seth

them; his wisedome shewes the way to life, and his Prudence leads us through it, to the end; I Wisedome was from everlasting; * 1.15 and as she was in initio viarum, in the beginning of Gods wayes, so she was, in initio Evangelii, in the beginning of the Gospel, which is called the wisedome of God unto salvation; and she fitted and propor∣tioned meanes to that end; means which were most agreeable, and connaturall to it; It found out a way to conquer Death, * 1.16 and him that hath the power of Death, the Devill, with the weapons of Righteous∣ness; to digge up sinne by the very Roots, that no work of the flesh, might shoot forth out of the Heart any more, to destroy it in its effects; that though it be done, yet it shall have no more force, then if it were annihilated, then if it had never been done, and to destroy it in its causes, that it may be never done againe; * 1.17 to draw to∣gether Justice and Mercy, which seemed to stand at distance, and hinder the work, and to make them meet, and kisse each other in Christs Satisfaction and ours (for our Turne is our satisfaction, all that we can make) which she hath joyned together, * 1.18 never to be se∣vered; his Sufferings, with our Repentance; his Agony with our sor∣row, his Blood with our Teares, his Flesh nailed to the Crosse, with our lusts Crucified, his death for sinne, with our Death to it; his Resurre∣ction with our Justification: For he bore our sins, that he might cast them away; He shed his blood, to melt our Hearts, and he dyed that we might live, and turn unto the Lord: and he rose againe for our Justification; and to gaine Authority to the doctrine of Repen∣tance: Our convertimini, our Turne is the best Commentary on the consummatum est, it is Finished; for that his last Breath, breathed it in∣to the world; we may say, It is wrapt up in the Inscription, Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes; for in him, even when he hung up∣on the Crosse, were all the Treasuries of Wisdome and Knowledge hid. * 1.19 In him Justice and Mercy are at Peace, for to reconcile us unto God, he reconciled them one to another. The hand of Mercy was lifted up, ready to seale our Pardon; we were in our Blood, and her voice was Live; we were miserable, and she was ready to relieve us; our heart was sick, and her bowells yearn'd; but then Justice held up the Sword, ready to latch in our sides; God loves his Crea∣ture, whom he made; but hates the sinner, whom he could not make; and he must, and yet is unwilling to strike: If Justice had prevail'd, Mercy had been but as the morning Dew, and soon va∣•…•…sh'd before this raging heat, and if Mercy had swallowed up Ju∣stice in victory, his hatred of sinne, and fearfull menaces against it had been but bruta fulmina, and had portended nothing; * 1.20 had been void, and of no effect; If he had been extreme to marke what is done amisse, men had sinned more, and more, because there could be no hope of Pardon; and if his Mercy had seal'd an absolute Par∣don, men would have walked delicately, and sported in their Evill wayes, because there could be no feare of punishment. And there∣fore

his wisedome drew them together, and reconciled them both, in Christs propitiatory Sacrifice, and our Duty of Repentance; the one freeing us from the Guilt, the other from the Dominion of sinne; and so both are satisfy'd, Justice layes downe the sword, and Mer∣cy shines in perfection of Beauty. God hates sinne, but he sees it condemned in the flesh of his Sonne, and fought against by every member he hath; sees it punisht in him, and sees it every day pu∣nisht, in every repentant sinner, that Turnes from his evill wayes; beholds the Sacrifice on the Cross, and beholds the Sacrifice of a bro∣ken Heart, and for the sweet savour of the one, accepts the other, and is at rest; his death for sinne, procures our Pardon, and our death to sinne sues it out; Christ suffers for sinne, we turne from it; his satisfaction at once wipes out the guilt, and penalty, our Re∣pentance by degrees, * 1.21 destroyes sinne it self; Haec est sapientia de scho∣lâ caeli; This is the method of Heaven; this is that Wise∣dome which is from above; Thus it takes away the sinnes of the world.

And now wisedome is compleat; Justice is satisfyed, and Mercy triumphs; God is glorified, man is saved, and the Angels re∣joyce; * 1.22 Heus tu peccator, bono animo sis, vides ubi de tuo reditu gaudeatur; saith Tert. Take comfort, sinnner, thou seest what joy there is in heaven for thy returne; what musick there is in a Turne, which be∣gins on earth, but reaches up, and fills the highest Heavens! A re∣pentant sinner is as a glass, or rather Gods own renewed Image, on which God delights to look; for there he beholds his wisedome, his Justice, his mercy, and what wonders they have wrought. Behold the shepherd of our souls; see what lies upon his shoulders; you would think a poor Sheep that was lost; nay, but he leads sinne and Death, and the Devill in Triumph; and thou mayst see the very brightnesse of his Glory, the fairest and most expresse Image of these Three his most glorious Attributes, which are not onely vi∣sible, but speake unto us, to follow this heavenly Method, His wise∣dome instructs us, his Iustice calls upon us, and Mercy, Eloquent mer∣cy bespeaks us: a whole Trinity of Attributes, are instant and urgent with us, To Turne à viis malis, from our evill wayes; And this is the Authority, I may say, the Majesty of Repentance; for it hath these Three; Gods Wisedome, and Iustice, and Mercy to seale and ra∣tify it; to make it Authentique.

* 1.23 We come now to the dictum it self, and it being Gods, and it being Gods, we must well weigh and ponder it; and we shall find it comprehends the Duty of Repentance in its full latitude. For as sin is nothing else but aversio à Creatore, and conversio ad creaturam, and aversion, and Turning from God, and an inordinate conversion and application of the soul to the Creature; so by our Repentance we doe referre pe∣dem,

start back, and alter our course, worke and withdraw our selves a viis malis, from evill waies, and Turne to the Lord, by clea∣ving to his Lawes, which are the minde of the Lord; and having our feet enlarged, run the way of his Commandements. We see a streight line drawne out at length, is of all lines the weakest; and the further, and further you draw it, the weaker and weaker it is, nor can it be strengthened, but by being redoubled, and bow'd, and brought back againe towards its first point. * 1.24 The Wise man will tell us, That God at first made man upright, that is simple, and single, and syncere; bound him, as it were to one point; but he sought out many Inventions, mingled himself, and Ingendered with Divers extravagant Conceits, and so ran out, not in one, but ma∣ny lines, now drawne out to that object, now to another, still run∣ning further, and further, sometimes on the flesh, and sometimes on the world; now on Idolatry, and anon on Oppression; and so at a sad Distance from him, in whom he should have dwelt, and rested as in his Center: and therefore God seeing him gone so farr, seeing him weak and feeble, wound, and Turned about by the A∣ctivity of the Devill, and sway of the Flesh, and not willing to loose him; ordained Repentance as a remedy, as the Instrument to bend and bow him back again, that he might recover, and gain strength, and subsistencie in his former, and proper place; to draw him back from those Objects, in which he was lost, and so carry him on forward to the Rock, out of which he was hewed: whilst he is yet in viis malis, in his evill wayes, all is out of Tune, and Order; for the Devil, who doth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.25 in∣vert the order of things, placeth shame upon repentance, and boldness, and senlessness, upon sinne; but Repentance is a perfect Methodist; upon our Turne, we see the danger we plaid with, and the horror of those Paths, in which we sported, we see in our flight, a banish∣ment, in every sinne a Hell, and in our Turne a Paradice.

Divers words we have to expresse the true nature of Repen∣tance, but none more usuall, more full and proper then this of Tur∣ning; for it includes all the rest. It is more, then a bare knowledge of our sinnes, more then Griefe; more then an acknowledgement, or con∣fession: more then a desire of change; more then an endeavour; for if we doe not Turne, a Termino, in Terminum, from one Terme, or state to another; from every sinne we now embrace, to its contrary; If we do not fly and loath the one, and rest and delight in the other; our knowledge of sinne, is but an accusation; our Grief is but a frail and vanishing displacency, and our Teares are our recreation; * 1.26 our desires but as Thoughts, and our Endeavours, proffers; but if wee Turne, and our turne be reall, these Instruments, or Antecedents, These disposing and preparing Acts must needs be so also, true and reall: we talke much of the knowledge and sense of our sinne; when

we cannot be ignorant of it; of grief, when we have no feeling, of consession, and acknowledgement, when the Heart is not broken, of a de•…•…re to be Good, when we resolve to be evill, of our endeavour to leave off our sinnes, when we seed, and nourish them, and even hire them to stay with us,

—In udo est Maenas, et Attin.

our Repentance is languid, and faint, our knowledge without observa∣tion, our grief without compunction; our acknowledgement without tre∣pidation; our desire without strength, and our endeavour without Acti∣vitie: but they are all compleat, and made perfect in our turne, and Conversion: If we turne from our sinnes, then we know them, and know them in their Deformity, and all those Circumstances, which put so much horror upon them; If we Turne, our head will be a Fountaine of Teares; * 1.27 and the Eye will cast out water; our con∣fession will be loud and hearty; Our desire eager, and impati∣ent; and our Endeavours strong, and earnest and violent. This turn is as the hinge on which all the rest move freely and orderly; Op∣tima poenitentia, nova vita, saith Luther, the best and truest Repen∣tance, is a new life, a turne, carries all the rest along with it to the end, The end of our knowledge, of our griefe, of our acknowledgement, the end of our desires and endeavours; For we know our sinnes, we be∣waile them, wee acknowledge them, wee desire, and endea∣vour to leave them; in a word; we turne that we may be sa∣ved.

* 1.28 And first, it includes the knowledge of our sinnes; for he that knows not his malady, will neither seek for oure, nor admitt it; * 1.29 he that knows not the danger of the place he stands in, will not turne his face another way; he that dwells in it, as in a Paradise, will look upon all other, that yeeld not the same delight, as upon Hell it self; he that knows not his wayes are evill, will hardly go out of them; Malum notum, res est optima, saith Luther; 'Tis a good thing to know evill: for the knowledge of that, which is evill, can have no other end but this; To drive us from it, to that which is Good: when sinne appeares in its uglinesse, and monstrosity, when the Law, and the wrath of God, and Death it self display their Terrors before our face; That face is more then brasse or Adamant, that will not gather blackness, and Turne it self.

But this Prescript; To know sinne (one would think) should ra∣ther be tendred to the Heathen then Christians; * 1.30 To them some sinnes were unknowne, as Revenge, Ambition, Fornication, and therefore they are enjoyn'd to absteine from it; and yet even those which the light of Nature had discovered to them, they did com∣mitt, though they knew, That they who did commit them were worthy of death: But to Christians, it may seem unnecessary, for they live

in the Church, which is spoliarium vitiorum, * 1.31 a place where sin is e∣very day revil'd, and disgraced, where it is Anatomized, and the bowells, and entrayles, every sinew and veine of it showne. I should say, our Church were reformed indeed, if we did commit no sinnes, but those we doe not know: many things we doe, saith the Philosopher, we may say, most sinnes we commit, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, not which reason perswades, but which the flesh betrays us to; not to which our knowledge leads us, but our sensuallity. Stat contraratio, Reason, when we sinne, is not so foyled, or beaten downe, but it stands up against us, and op∣poseth us to our face; It tells the Miser that Covetousness is Idolatry, The wanton, that Lust is that fire which will consume him; the Re∣venger, that he diggs his owne Grave with his sword; it is indeed commonly said, That reason is corrupt, but the Truth is, that which we call corrupt reason, is our passion or sensuality; for that cannot be reason, which directs us to that which is unreasonable; The sense doth too oft get the better, but can never silence, or corrupt it so, as to call evill good, or good evill; For that is the language of the Beast, of the sensuall part; and for ought I see, we may as well assigne and Entitle our Good Actions to our sensitive part, when we keep; as our bad, to our Reason, when we break the Law. Rea∣son never yeelds, and our knowledge is still the same; In Lust, it commends Chastity, in Anger Meeknesse, in Pride Humility; when we surfeit on those delights, which sinne brings with it, our Reason plainly tell us, That they are deadly Poyson.

We need not then, be over-sollicitous to secure this Ingredient (the knowledge of our sinnes) to bring it into the Recipe of our Repen∣tance; for there be but few which we know not, fewer which we may not know, if we will, if we will but take the paines to put it to the question, either before the Act, what we are about to doe; or after, what it is, we have done; for it is a Law, a plaine Law, we are to try it by, not a dark riddle; and if we doe mistake, it is easy to determine what it was that did worke, and frame, and polish the cheat: Not a sinne, which comes with open mouth to devour us, and swallow up our Peace, but is of that Bulke and corpulency, that we cannot but see it, and though we may peradventure here Turne away our eye, yet we cannot put it out. Our knowledge will not forsake us, and our Conscience follows our knowledge, which may sleep, but cannot die in us; which is an evill spirit, that all the mu∣sick in the world will not ease us of; and though we set up bul∣warkes against it, compasse our selves about with variety of De∣lights, and fence our selves in with Honor and Power, which we make the weapons of unrighteousnesse; yet it will at one time or o∣ther make its sallyes, and Eruptions, and Disturb our Peace. God hath placed it in us, as he fixed the Vrim and Thummim on the breast∣plate

of judgement, * 1.32 by which he might give answer unto us, what we are to doe; what not to doe; what we have done well, and what amisse; as he did to the Priest, who by viewing his Breast-plate, saw whether the people might goe up, * 1.33 or not goe up; but when we have once defi∣led our Conscience, we care not much for looking towards it, and we lose the use of it, in our slavery under sinne, as they lost the use of their Vrim and Thummim at the Captivity of Babylon.

But then, who knoweth how oft he offends? who knowes his un∣advised errors? his inconsiderate sinnes? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, his ignoran∣ces, those which he entertaines, as the Septuagint renders it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, unwillingly, which steale in upon him at unawares, even whilst he is busy in subduing others; as we see one part of an Ar∣my may be surprized, and fly, whilst the other Conquers; For the best of men, through the frailty and mutability of their Nature, may receive many such blowes, and feel them not; and it fares with us in the course of our life, as it doth with Travellers in their way; many Objects, many sinnes we passe by, and not so much as cast an eye that way; which yet in themselves are visible enough, and may be seen, as well, as those we look upon with some Care, and some∣times with astonishment: and yet even these secret and retired sinnes are knowne and condemned both by our Feare and Hatred, we know such there be, though we know not what they are, nor can call them by their Name; and our begging Pardon for them, is our defyance of them, and declares not onely our sorrow for them, but our Anger against them; breathes Revenge, though we know them not; and shewes how roughly and disdainfully we should handle them, if we did.

* 1.34 2. The Knowledge then of our sinnes is a thing presupposed in our Turne, and so in the next place is the grief and sorrow which ordinarily doth arise from such a Convincement: for some displa∣cency it will worke, though not of strength enough to move us, or drive us from that, which we make a Paradice, but is our Tophet; and Turne us to imbrace that condition, and estate, which at first presents the horror of a Prison, but is a Sanctuary.

Now Grief is not sub praecepto, * 1.35 under any command, nor indeed can it be; medicamenta mandata non accipiunt: you may prescribe Physick, but you give it not, with a command; nor can you say, thus it shall worke: you may exhort me to look about me, and con∣sider my estate, but you cannot bid me grieve; when we wish men to Feare, or Hope, to be sad, or merry; we speake improperly, and ineffectually, unless our meaning be, they should enter into those considerations which may strike a Feare, or raise a Hope, worke a sorrow, or beget a joy; the Apostle preacheth to the Jewes. Act. 2. puts his goad to their sides, * 1.36 and the Text saies, They were pricked

in their Hearts, and it follows, Then Peter said unto them, Repent; his words were sharpe, and did prick them at the heart, but they were no commands; the command is Repent and be baptized; what a Sea of words may flow, and yet not a drop sall from our eye? what fearfull Prognosticks may we see? what mournfull Threnodies may we heare, and yet not be cast downe, or change the counte∣nance? nay, what penance may we undergoe, and yet not Grieve? For Grief followes the Apprehension, and knowledge the Object, and riseth and falleth with it, vary's, as that vary's: if our apprehen∣sion be cleare, our sorrow will be great; if that be pure, this will be syncere, if it be inward, this will be Deep, but if it be superficiall, this will be but in the Face; if it be flitting, and unsetled, this will vanish at the sight of the next object, which presents it self with less distaste; vanish like the lightning, which is seen, and gone. * 1.37 Sin is a heavy burden (saith David) it is so; when 'tis felt, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, hard to be borne; Moles, saith Austin; of a great bulk, and weight, and it is not a sigh, or a groane, a forc'd displacency, it is not such weak, faint Heaves of the Sonle, that can remove such a Mountain: we see some, who mourne like a Dove, and chatter like a Crane, when the hand of God toucheth them for their sinne, who speake mournfully, look mournfully, goe mournfully all the day long; who are cast down (you would think indeed) to the lowest pitt, and 'tis easy to mistake a Pharisee, for a Poenitentiary; we read of some who did afflict, and Pennance themselves with so much severity, That they fell in morbum poenitentialem, as Rhenanus observes upon Tertull. into a strange distemper, which they called the poenitentiary Disease, because it was contracted in the daies of Penance; but all this doth not make up the full face of Repentance, nor compleat our Turne. For we may hang down our head like a Bullrush; we may fast, till we have more need of a Physitian, then a Divine (and yet too much need of both) we may even seem to be afraid of our selves, to be weary of our selves, to run out of our selves, and yet not Turne; For these may be rather apparitions, then motions; Fa∣sting Lamentation, and that displacency, which sin carries natural∣ly along with it, are glorious expressions, and probable symptomes of a wounded Spirit, but yet many times, they are nothing else but the Types, and shadows of Repentance; many times signa non sig∣nantia, signes indeed, but such as signifie nothing. Qui peccata de∣plorat, ploranda minimè committat, saith Gregoory, he truly bewailes his sin, who doth no longer practice what he will be forced to be∣waile; he gives a perfect account of his debts, who is resolved ne∣ver to add to the Bills, he Truly Turnes, who will never look back, Haec poenitentiae vox est lachrymis orare, saith Hilar. Teares and Com∣plaints are the voice and language of Repentance, * 1.38 and if you see a Turne, you see a Change also in the Countenance; but many Times, Vox est, & praetereà nihil; It is the voice

of REPENTANCE, and nothing else.

For sorrow, and Dejection of minde have not alwaies the same beginnings, nor doe our Teares constantly flow from the same Spring and Fountaine; Omnis Dolor Fundatur in amore; saith the Schools, all Grief is grounded on Love, for as my Joy is to have, so my Grief is, to want what I love; and ours may have no better principle, then the love of our selves, and then it comes, à Fumo pec∣cati, from the troublesome smoake which finne makes, or rather from the very Gall of Bitternesse; a Grief begot betwixt Consci∣ence and Lust, betwixt the Deformity of sin, and the pleasure of sinne, betwixt the apprehension of a reall evill, and the flattery of a seeming good; when I am troubled, not that I have sinned, but that it is not lawfull to sinne, much disquieted within me, that that sin, which I am unwilling to fly from, is a Serpent, that will sting me to death; That there is Gravell in the Bread of deceit; That, that unlawfull pleasure, which is to me as sweet as Honey, should at last bite like a Cockatrice; That the wayes, in which I walk with de∣light, should lead unto Death; That, that sinne, which I am unwil∣ling to fling off, hath such a Troope of Serjants, and Executioners at her heels; and so it comes à Fumo Gehennae, from the smoke of the bottomlesse Pitt, from feare of punishment, which is farre from a Turne, but may prepare, mature, and ripen us for Repentance. But then it may come from the Feare of God, wrought in us, by the ap∣prehension of his Justice and Mercy, and Dominion, and Power to Judge both the quick & the dead; and this Griefe is next to a Turn, the next and immediate cause of our Conversion, when out of the admiration of his Innocence, Majesty and Goodness, I am willing to offend my self for offending him; and offer up to him some part of my substance, the Anguish of my soul, the Groanes of Con∣trition, and my teares, * 1.39 which are ex ipsa nostrâ essentia, sicut sanguis martyrum; from our being and essence, and are offer'd up, as the blood of Martyrs.

* 1.40 3. And this Grief will (in the third place) open our mouthes, and force us to a Confession and acknowledgement of our sinnes) I mean a sad and serious Acknowledgement, which will draw them out, * 1.41 and not suffer them to be pressed downe, and settle like foule and putrifyed matter, in the bottome of the soule, as Basil expresseth it; For the least grief is vocall, the least displacencie will open our mouthes; yea, where-there is little sense, or none, we are ready to complaine; and because St. Pauls Humility brought him so low, look for an Absolution, if we can say (what we may truly say, but not with St. Pauls Spirit) That we are the chiefest of sinners. For nothing more easy, then to libell our selves, where the Bill takes in the whole world; and the Best of Saints, as well as the

worst of sinners: How willing are we to confesse with David, That we are conceived in sinne, and borne in Iniquity? how ready to call our selves the Children of wrath, and workers of all unrighteousness? what delight doe we take to miscall our virtues? to finde Infidelity in our Faith; wavering in our Hope; Pride in our Humility; Ignorance in our Knowledge, coldness in our Devotion, and some degrees of Hosti∣lity in our very love of God? what can the Devil, our great Adversa∣ry and Accuser say more of us, then we are well pleased to say of our selves? But this Acknowledgement is but the product of a la∣sy knowledge, and a faint, and momentary disgust, and it comes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as the Stoicks speaks, not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.42 it is but the calves of our lips, not the Sacrifice of our Hearts; we breath it forth with noise, and words enough; we make our sinnes Innume∣rable, more then the haires of our head, or the Sands of the Sea∣shore, but bring us to a particular account, and we find nothing but Ciphers; some sinnes of daily Incursion, some of sudden subrepti∣on, some minute, scarce visible sinnes, but not the Figure of any sinne, which we think will make up a Number: he that will con∣fesse himselfe the chiefe of Sinners, upon the most gentle re∣membrance, upon the meekest reprehension, will be ready to charge you, as a Greater; or peradventure, Take you by the Throat.

But this is not that Confession, which ushers in Repentance, or for∣wards and promotes our Turne; it is rather an Ingredient to make up the Cup of stupefaction, which we take downe with Delight, and then fall asleep, and dreame of safety; even when we are on the Brinke, and ready to fall into the pitt. David, 'tis true, * 1.43 said no more but peccavi, and his sinne was Taken away, Tantum valent, Tres syl∣labae, saith St. Aust. such force there was in Three Syllables; and can there be virtue in Syllables? no man can imagine there can; but Davids Heart, saith he, was now a sacrificing, and on these three Syllables, the name of that sacrifice was carryed up be∣fore the Lord, into the highest heavens. If our knowledge of our sinnes be cleane, and affective; if our Grief be reall, then our con∣fession and acknowledgement will be hearty, our Bowells will sound as a Harpe, our Inwards will boyle, and not rest, our heart will trem∣ble, and be Turned within us, our Sighes and our Groanes will send forth our words, as sad messengers of that Desolation, * 1.44 which is within; Our heart will cry out as well as our Tongue; My heart, my heart is prepared, saith David, which is then the best, and sweetest Instrument, when 'tis broken.

* 1.45 4. And these three in the fourth place, will raise up in us a de∣sire, secondly an endevour to shake off these feares, and this weight which doth so compasse about, and infold us: * 1.46 for who is there, that

doth see his sinnes, and weep over them, execrate them by his Teares, * 1.47 and condemn them by his Confession, that shall see sin cloth∣ed with Death; The Law, a killing letter; the Judge frowning; Death ready with his Dart, to strike him through, who would be such a Beast, as to come so neere; and Hell opening her mouth to take him in; who will not long, and groane, and travaile in paine, and cry out to be delivered from this body of Death? Quissub tali consci∣entiâ &c? who would live under such a Conscience, which is ever galling and gnawing him? what Prisoner, that feels his Fetters, would not shakethem off? certainly, he that can stand out against all these Terrours and Amazements; he that can thwart and resist his knowledge, wipe off his Teares, and fling off his sorrow, and baffle and confute his owne acknowledgement; he that can slight his own conscience, mock his Distaste, Trifle with the wrath of God, which he sees neer him, and play at the very gates of Hell; he that is in profundis, in this Great Deep, and will not cry out, he that knows what he is, and will be what he is, knows he is miserable, and desires not a change, is neere to the condition of the Damned spirits, who howle for the want of that light which they have lost, and detest, and Blaspheme that most, which they cannot have; who because they can never be Happy, can never desire it. But to this condition we cannot be brought, till we are brought under the same punish∣ment, which neverthelesse is represented to us in this life, in the sad thoughts of our Heart; in the Horror of sinne; and in a Trou∣bled Conscience, that so we may avoid it: The Type we see now, and to this end, that we may never see the Thing it self; and the sight of this (if we remove not our eye, at the call and enticement of the next approaching vanity, which may please at first, but in the end will place before us, as foule an Object, as that, which we now look upon) will worke in us a Desire, to have that removed which is now as a Thorn in our eyes; a desire to have Gods Hand taken off from us, and that those sinnes too may be taken away, which made his Hand so heavy; a desire to be freed from the guilt, and a de∣sire to be freed from the Dominion of sinne; a Desire that reach∣eth at Liberty, and at Heaven it self: Eruditi vivere, est cogitare, saith Tully; * 1.48 Meditation is the life of a Schollar, for if the minde leave off to move, and work, and be in agitation; the man indeed may live, but the Philosopher is dead; and vita Christiani sanctum Desiderium, saith Hierom the life of a Christian is nothing else, but a holy desire, drawne out and spent in Prayers, Deprecations, Wishes, Obtestations, in Pantings and longings, held up and continued by the heat, and vi∣gor, and the endlesse unsatisfyednesse of desire, which (if it slack or fayl, or end in an indifferency, or Luke-warmness) leaves nothing behind it, but a lump, a masse of Corruption; for with it, the life is gone, the Christian is departed.

* 1.49 5. But in the last place; This is not enough, nor will it draw us neere enough unto a Turne; there is required, as a true witnesse of this our convincement, and sorrow, of the Heartinesse of our con∣fession, and the Truth of our desire; a serious endavour, an eager conten∣tion with our selves, an assiduous violence against those sinnes, which have brought us so low, to the dust of Death, and the House of the Grave: and endeavour to order our steps; to walk contrary to our selves; to make a Covenant with our eye; to purge our eare, to cut off our hand; and to keep our Feet; to forbeare every Act which carries with it, but the appearance of evill, to cut off every occasion, which may prompt us to it, an Endeavour to work in the Vineyard, to exercise our selves in the workes of Piety; to love the faire opportunities of doing good, and lay hold on them, to be ambitious, and Inquisitive after all those Helps, and advanta∣ges, which may promote this endeavour, and bring it with more ease and certainty unto the end: And this is as the heaving and strugling of a man under a Burden; as the striving in a Snare, as the Throwes of a Woman in Travail, who longs to be delivered; this is as our knocking at the Gates of Heaven, as our flight from the wrath to come: Thus doe we strive and fight with all those defects, which either nature began, or custome hath confirmed in us; thus do we by degrees work that happy change; that we are not the same, but other men; * 1.50 as the Historian speaks of Demosthe∣nes (whose studiousnesse and Industry overcame the malignity of Nature, and unloos'd his tongue) alterum Demosthenem mater, alte∣rum industria enixa est, The mother brought forth one Demosthenes, and Industry another; so by this our serious and unfeigned Endea∣vour, eluctamur per obstantia, we force our selves out of those ob∣stacles and encumberances, which detain'd us so long in evill waies; we make our way through the Clouds, and darknesse of this world, and are compassed about with raies of light. Nature made us men; evill Custome made us like the Beasts, that perish, and grace and Repentance make us Christians, and consecrates us to Eter∣nity.

* 1.51 All these are in our Turne, in our Repentance; but all these doe not compleat and perfect it; For I am not Turn'd from my evill wayes, till I walk in good; I have not shaken off one Habit, till I have gain'd the contrary; I am not truely Turn'd from one point, till I have recovered the other; have not forsaken Babylon, till I dwell in Jerusalem; for, Turne ye from your evill Wayes, in the holy language is, Turne unto me with all your heart; worke out one Habit, * 1.52 with ano∣ther: let your Actions now, controll and demolish those, which you built up so fast; that which set them up, will pull them downe, perseverance, and assiduity in Action: The liberall Hand casts a∣way our Almes, and our Covetousness together: The often put∣ting

our knife to our throat, destroyes our Intemperance; The of∣ten disciplining our Flesh, crucifies our Lusts; our acts of mercy, proscribe Cruelty; our making our selves Eunuchs for the King∣dome of Heaven, stones the Adulterer; our walking in the light, is our Turne from Darknesse; our going about, and doing good, is our voluntary Exile, and Flight out of the World, and the Pollutions thereof, Then wee are Spirituall, when we walke after the Spirit; and when wee thus walke, wee are Turn'd.

I know Repentance, in the Writings of Divines, is drawne out, and commended to us under more notions, and considerations, then one; It is taken for those preparatory Acts, which fitt and qua∣lify us for the Kingdome and Gospel of Christ; Repent, for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand; * 1.53 it is taken for that change, in which we are sorry for our sinne, and desire and purpose to leave it, which serves to usher in Faith and Obedience; but I take it in its most generall and largest acception, for the leaving one state and Condition, and a constant cleaving to the contrary; for the get∣ting our selves of every evill Habit, and investing our selves with those which are good; or, to speak with our Prophet; for Turn∣ing away from wickednesse, * 1.54 and doing that which is Lawfull and right; for casting away all our Transgressions, and making us new Hearts, and new Spirits; I am sure this one Syllable Turne, will take in and comprehend it all: for what is all our preparation; if when we come neere to Christ, we stand back? what are the beginnings of obedience, if we revolt? what is the bend, or Turne of our Initiation, if we Turn aside like a deceitfull Bow? whats out sor∣row, if it do but bow the head; and leave the Heart as wanton as before? what's our desire, if it have but the strength of a Thought? whats our endeavour, if it strike and contract it self, and is lost at the sight of the next Temptation? But our Turne supposeth all These; and takes in all the Dimensions of Repen∣tance, the Body, and full Compasse of it, and though it be but a word, yet is as expressive and significant, as any other in Scrip∣ture, and conteins them all.

It includes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, our Regeneration; for if we Turne, we Turne à termino ad terminum, * 1.55 from one Terme to another; and as in Generation, and our naturall Birth, there is Non ens Tale, and ens Tale, a progresse, or mutation from that which it was not, to that, which it now is, so is it in our Turne; It was Nehushtan, a rude peece of Brasse, it is now a polisht Statue of Piety; It was a Child of Wrath; * 1.56 it is now a Child of Blessings; It was dead, and is alive; and it takes in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, our Renovation or Renewing; Behold old Things are passed away, all things are become New; The sin∣ner

that Turnes, leaves his strange Apparell, * 1.57 his Filthy Raggs be∣hind him, and upon his Turne comes forth Glorious in the Robes of Righteousnesse? and it comprehends our Cleansing, * 1.58 or purificati∣on; He that turnes from his evill wayes, hath purged out his old Lea∣ven, and is made a new Lump. * 1.59 Repentance is as Physick to the Soule, but not to be given ad pondus et mensuram, so many graines, and so many Drammes; by measure, and proporti∣on; non est periculum, ne sit nimium, quod ei maximum debet, we may take too little, there is no feare at all, that we should take too much of it; Repentance for our sinnes is the businesse of our whole life; for inded what is Perseverance, but an entire, and continued Repentance? a constant turning away from our evill wayes? when sinne hath corrupted our faculties, we purge it out by Repentance; and when 'tis dead we bury it by Re∣pentance, and it is quite lost and forgotten in the wayes of Righteousnesse, and being Turn'd, we never look back, never cast a Thought after it, but with sorrow, and Anger, and detestation; and when it appeares before us, it appeares in a fouler shape, in greater horror, then we beheld it in, when we first fell upon our Knees for Pardon; For the more Confirm'd wee are in Goodnesse, the more abhorrent we are of Evill; and defy it most, when we stand at the greatest Distance; wee never loath our Disease more, then when wee are purged and Healthy. There is another word; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which hath a good sense put upon it, which yet the word doth not naturally yeeld, and rather signifies a Trouble of minde, then a Turne, * 1.60 and it is spoken of Judas himself, * 1.61 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he repented himself; and what a Repentance was that, which he should have repented of? what a Turne was that, that choked him? Had his Turne been right, hee might have dyed a Martyr, who dyed a Traytor; and a Murderer of his Master, and himself; For this deep, Melancholly, * 1.62 and Trouble of minde, is like that poysonous Plant which Pliny speaks of, which if it doe not take away the Disease, kills the man: Judas in∣deed was called the son of perdition; but it was because he destroy∣ed himself.

But there is another word, which is more proper, and more used, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Turne, and change of the Mind? what? of the understanding. There may be such a change, and yet no Turne, no Repentance; for how many have been brought to a knowledge of their sinnes, who could never be induced to leave them? nay, but of the will! for this sense 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.63 the primi∣tive, and those compounds of it, doe beare, who hath knowne 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Minde, the Will, the Decree of the Lord? and God delivered up those that retein'd him not, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.64

to a reprobate mind, id est, a will to doe those things which are not convenient; * 1.65 not to knowledge of evill, but to the practise of it; and to those who are defiled, saith Saint Paul; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, even their mind, that is their will is corrupted, as appeares by their Evill Workes in the next verse: and so 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which doth not sig∣nify a Good understanding, or a good Mind or opinion; (These will beget but a Complement, but good words, Depart in peace, * 1.66 be ye warmed and filled) not a good wish, but a good Will, which gives those things, which are needfull for the body; in like manner, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which signifies not onely prescience, and fore-sight, but Government, Care, and direction, which are the free Actions of the Will: wee might instance in more; but (to our present purpose) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, primarily, and properly signifies an Act of the Will, not as it necessarily follows the Act of the understanding, but as it ought to follow by the com∣mand of God, although we see, it doth not alwayes follow: De∣spisest thou the riches of his Goodnesse, * 1.67 not knowing, that is, not willing to know, that it leadeth thee 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to repentance? and he speakes to those, who did judge such things, yet did the same, vers. 3. and did know the will of God. vers. 18. So; Repent, and doe the first Workes, Revel. 2.5. and in most places it is thus taken; you may call it a Transmentation, but it is a subduing and Turning of the Will and Affections, that the whole man may bee 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.68 not the same, but another man; before hurryed away by his passion; but now walking by the right rule, before spreading, and diffusing himself on variety of unlaw∣full Objects, now recollected into himself, and looking forward on God alone.

Why vvill ye die?

The maine Turne, is of the will; For we see the face of it, here in the Text, is set upon Death it self; and therefore to be Tur∣ned away; 'Tis not our Naturall Concupiscence; 'Tis not the dulnesse of our understandings; 'Tis not the violence of our Pas∣sion; 'Tis not our weaknesse, that we Dye, it is our Will de∣stroyes us; If the will be Turn'd, the Understanding is also chang'd, not to know, what it cannot be ignorant of; but to be sub∣servient, and Instrumentall to the Will, in drawing it neer∣er and neerer to that end, for which it hath determined its Act; in finding, and squaring out materialls, to the build∣ing up of this Temple of the Holy Ghost. For Heaven is Hea∣ven, and Hell is Hell; Virtue is Virtue, and vice is vice to the Understanding; nor can it appeare otherwise; for in these we cannot be deceived: what Reason can that be, which teacheth us

to Act against Reason? Esau knew well enough, that it was a sinne to kill his Brother; but his Reason taught him to expect his Fathers Funerall. Ahab knew it was a crying sinne to take Naboths Vineyard from him by violence; and therefore hee would have paid down money for it; and his painted Queene knew as much; but that the best way to take possession of his Vineyard, was to dispossess him of his life; and the surest way to that, was to make him a Blasphemer, that was the effect and product of Reason, and Discourse; which is the best servant when the Will is Right; and the worst when shee is irregular. Reason may seek out many Inventions for Evill; and shee may discover many helps and Advantages to promote that which is good; she may draw out the method which leads to both; find out opportunities; bring in Encouragements and Provocations to both; but Reason never yet call'd Evill good, or Good evill, * 1.69 for then it is not Reason; the Apostle hath joyn'd both together, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, if they be wicked, they are unreasonable, and absur'd, for they doe that which Reason abhorres, and con∣demnes at the first presentment. So that the will you see, is ori∣go boni, & mali, is the prinipall cause of Good and Evill; That I will not understand, when I cannot but understand, is from the will; that the Judge is blind, (when he sees well enough what is just, and what is unjust) is not from the Bribe, but the Will; That my feare shakes me, my Anger enflames me, my Love Transports me, my sorrow casts me downe, and my joy makes me mad; That my Reason is Instrumentall, and Active against it self; That my Passions rage, and are unruly, is from my will, which being fastened to its Object, drawes all the Powers of the Soul af∣ter it.

And therefore, if the will Turne, all these will Turne with it, Turne to their proper offices and Functions. The Understanding will be all Light, and the Affections will be all Peace, (for the proper Act of every Faculty, is its Peace) when the Understand∣ing contemplates that Truth which perfects it; it rests upon it, and dwells there, as upon a holy Hill: But when it busies it self in those, which hold no proportion with it (as the gathering of Wealth; the raysing of a Name; the finding out pleasures) when it is a Steward, and Purveyor for the Sense, it is rest∣lesse, and unquiet: now finds out this way; anon another, and by & by disapproves them both, and contradicts it self in every mo∣tion. When our Affections are levell'd on that, * 1.70 for which they were given us; they lose their name, and wee call them Vir∣tues, but when they fly out after every impertinent Object, they fly out in infinitum, and are never at their end and rest; place Love on the things of this VVorld, and what a

troublesome, Tumultuous Passion is it, tiring it self with its own Hast, and wasting and consuming it selfe, with its owne Heat: but place it on Piety, and there it is, as in its Heaven; and the more it spends of it self, the more it is increased. Let your Anger kindle against an Enemy; and it is a Fury, that Torments two at once; but derive it, and lay it on your sin, and there it sits as a Magistrate on a Tribunall, to worke your Peace. That sorrow, which wee cast away upon Temporall losses, is a Disease, which must be cured by Time, but our sorrow for sinne, is a Cure it self, is a second Baptisme; wash∣es away the Causes of that Evill, and dyes with it, and rises up againe in Comfort. That joy which is rays'd out of Rich∣es, and Pleasure, is rais'd as a Meteor out of dung, and is whiffed up and downe, by every winde and Breath; but if it follow the Health and Harmony, the good Constitution of the Soule; it is as cleare, and pure, and constant, as the Heavens themselves, and may be carried about in a lasting and continu∣ed Gyre, but is still the same. And this Turne the Affections will have, if the will Turne; then they Turne their face ano∣ther way, from Bethaven to Bethel; from Ebal, to Garazin; from the Mount of Curses, to the Holy Hill.

We cannot Think, that in this our Turne, the Powers of the Soul are pull'd to pieces, that our Affections are plucked up by the roots; That our Love is Annihilated, our Anger destroyed, our Zeal quencht; By my Turne, I am not dissolved, but better built, I have new Affections, and yet the same; now dead, and impotent to evill, but vigorous and active in Good; my steps are altered, not my Feet, my Affections cut off; the Character is chang'd, but not the Book. That sorrow, which covered my face for the losse of my Friend, is now a Thicker and Darker cloud a∣bout it, because of my sinne. That hope, which stoop'd so low, as the Earth, as the mortall and fading vanities of the world, is now on the wing, raising it selfe as high as Heaven: That Zeale, which drove Saint Paul upon the very pricks, to persecute the Church, did after lead him to the block, to be crown'd with Martyrdome.

If the Will be Turned, that is captivated, and subdued to that Will of God, which is the Rule of all our Actions, it becomes 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Shop, and Work-house of Virtuous, and Religious Actions; and the Understanding and Affections, are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, fellow-workers with it, ready to forward and Com∣pleat the Turne; Saint Bernard tells us, that nothing doth Burne in Hell but our will; and 'tis as true, Nothing doth reigne in Hea∣ven but the will: In it are the wells of Salvation, and in it are the

waters of Bitterness; in it is Tophet, and in it is Paradise: * 1.71 Totum ha∣bet, qui bonam habet voluntatem, saith Austin, he hath runne through all the Hardship, and Exercises of Repentance, who hath (not changed his opinion, or improv'd his knowledge) but alter'd his will; for the Turne of the will supposeth the rest, but the rest doe not necessitate this; when this is wrought, all is done: that is, The Soul is enlightened, purged, renewed; hath its Regeneration, and new Creation; in a word; when the Will is turn'd, the soul is saved; The Old man is a New Creature; and this New Crea∣ture changes no more, but holds up the Turne, till he be Turn'd to Dust, and raysed againe, and then made like unto the An∣gels.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Greg, in le••.
• * 1.2

  2 Pet. 1.21.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Bas in Isai. vis. 1.
• * 1.4

  Tert. de poenit.
• * 1.5

  Aristot. l. 1. Eth. c. 13.
• * 1.6

  Tert. de poenit.
• * 1.7

  Quint. l. 6. c. 6.
• * 1.8

  Psal. 51. Naz Or. 3.
• * 1.9

  Naz. Or. 15.
• * 1.10

  Lib. de poenit.
• * 1.11

  Quod fieri posse Cicero non pu∣tavit, & Lact. l. 6 de ver. cult. c. 24.
• * 1.12

  Julian. Caesar.
• * 1.13

  Orat. 1.
• * 1.14

  Ephe. 1.8.
• * 1.15

  Proverb. 8.
• * 1.16

  Heb. 2.14.
• * 1.17

  Immutabile, quod factum est: Quint l. 7.
• * 1.18

  Condigna est satisfatio mald facta corrigere, est correcta non reiterare. Ber. de Just. Dom. c. 1. Satisfactio, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Antio∣chens, conc. can 2.
• * 1.19

  2 Coloss. 3.
• * 1.20

  Deus purgari homines à pec∣cato maxime cupit, ideo{que} agere poeni∣tentiam jubet. Lact. l. 6. c. 24.
• * 1.21

  Tert. de anima. c. 1.
• * 1.22

  Tert de poenit. c. 8.
• * 1.23

  The 2. part. Turn ye, Turn ye.
• * 1.24

  Eccles. 7.20.
• * 1.25

  Chrysost. Hom. de poenitent.
• * 1.26

  Iugentibus la∣chrymae quietis & recreationis loco sunt. Mos. Maimmon. Doct. perplex. l. 3. c. 4 s.
• * 1.27

  Lament. 1.16.
• * 1.28

  1. The Know∣ledge of our sinnes
• * 1.29

  Isid. Pelusiot. l. 1111. ep. 149.
• * 1.30

  Act 15 20. Quand•• hoe Factum non est? quando reprehensum? Quando non P•…•…missum, Cic. •…•…o M. Caeli••. Rom. 1.31.
• * 1.31

  Ethic. 3. c. 22.
• * 1.32

  Exod. 28.30.
• * 1.33

  Esr. 2.63. Nehem. 7.15. Psal. 19.12. Levit. 4.2. Heb. 9.7.
• * 1.34

  2. Grief for sinne.
• * 1.35

  Quint. decl. 185.
• * 1.36

  Acts 2.37,38.
• * 1.37

  Psal 38.4.
• * 1.38

  Hil. in Ps. 11 S.
• * 1.39

  Anastas. Bib. pairum.
• * 1.40

  Confession of sinne.
• * 1.41

  Bas. in Ps. 37.
• * 1.42

  Epict. Art. c. •• c. 15.1.
• * 1.43

  Aug. Hom. 4.1. In his Tribus S••llabis Flam∣m•• sacrificii ec∣ram ••emino ascenctit in coelum.
• * 1.44

  Is. 16.11. Job. 30.27.
• * 1.45

  4. Desire.
• * 1.46

  Heb. 12.1.
• * 1.47

  Fletus huma∣narum necessi∣atum vere∣cunda exe∣cratio. Sen. C••nt. 8.6.
• * 1.48

  Tusc. q. l. 5.
• * 1.49

  5. Endeavour.
• * 1.50

  Val. Max. l. 8. c. 7.
• * 1.51

  The Turne it selfe, Or, True Repen∣tance.
• * 1.52

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Arist. 2. Ethic. c. 1.
• * 1.53

  Matth. 3.2.
• * 1.54

  Ezek. 18.27.
• * 1.55

  Titus. 3.5.
• * 1.56

  Luk. 15.32. Rom. 12.2. Gal. 3.27.
• * 1.57

  Gal. 3.27.
• * 1.58

  Tit. 2.14.
• * 1.59

  1 Cor 5,7.
• * 1.60

  Matth. 21.32.
• * 1.61

  Matth. 27.3.
• * 1.62

  L. 27. c. 2. De Aconito; Ea est natura, ut hominem oc∣cidat, nisi in∣venerit quod in homine perimat.
• * 1.63

  1 Cor. 2.6.
• * 1.64

  Rom. 1.28.
• * 1.65

  1 Tit. 15.16.
• * 1.66

  Jam. 2.16.
• * 1.67

  Rom. 2.4.
• * 1.68

  Nazianz:
• * 1.69

  2 Thess. 3.2.
• * 1.70

  Affectiones or∣dinatae sunt vir∣tutes. Gers.
• * 1.71

  Aug. Hom. 8.