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XIII.

REpentance is a constant turning from all sin unto God, or an inward sorrowing and continually mourning for sin, joyned with Faith and Humiliation, and both inward and outward amendment. It is an aversion or turning from all a mans sins, and a reversion or turning again unto God with all our Hearts: Or, Repentance is an unfained sorrow for, and hatred of sin, with an earnest Love of Righteousness, by the which we are continually stirred up to abhor our Vices, and are moved to do good Works, not for fear of punishment or hope of reward, but for that love we bear towards God; that with a joyful heart we are moved to his Obedience, and with grief go astray from his Commandments. A Godly sorrow, whereby a man is grieved for his sins, because they are sins, is the beginning of Repentance, and indeed for substance it is Repentance it self. So a desire to repent and believe in a touched Heart and Conscience, is Faith and Repentance it self, though not in Nature, yet in Gods acceptation; for in them that have Grace, God accepteth the will for the deed. Also he that is grieved truly and unfainedly from his heart for one sin, shall propor∣tionably be grieved for all the sins that he knoweth to be in himself; for in the most Regenerate there remain some unknown sins, of which he cannot have a particular Repentance, and yet they are not imputed when there is Repentance for known sins. Thus David repented of his Murther and Adultery, and yet afterward (erring in judgement by reason of the corruption of the times) lived to his death in the sin of Poligamy, without any particular Repentance that we hear of; so the Patriarchs, but God in mercy received a general Repentance for the same, provided we endeavor to finde out particular sins.

Now though Godly sorrow be the beginning of Repentance, yet Repentance it self doth chiefly consist in a change of Life upon this Sorrow, and this standeth in a constant purpose of the Minde, and resolution of the Heart, not to sin, but in every thing to do the Will of God. In this purpose stands the very nature of Repentance, nor must it be several from Humiliation and Faith. We cannot so much as think of our sins aright without grief of heart, neither ought we to be grieved for this grief, 2 Cor. 7.8. This Sorrow pleaseth God greatly, and maketh glad the Angels in Hea∣ven, Luke 15.10. And bringeth the Mourners unto infinite joy and peace of Con∣science. Some there are that repent of their Repentance, are sorry they have sor∣rowed for those sins they yet delight in. This is the height of Impiety, and that which filled the hardness of Pharaohs heart to the full; nor were the Israelites them∣selves free there-from, when their murmuring appetites lusted after the Flesh-pots of Egypt: But he that indeed repents, mourns that he hath not mourned, repents that he hath not repented, humbles himself because he hath not been humbled. This is that which a man must do before he can truly repent of any particular sin whatsoever. And such think it, nay they know it to be impossible for them to repent enough: Such are our Offences against the Eternal and Infinite Majesty of God, as no man is so humbled for them, as that he can say, He need be humbled no more for them. So that this is an undeniable Truth, a general Rule without exception, That whosoever is come to this pass to think he hath repented enough, he is not in the account of Gods Word a true Convert or Penitent: Could our life in length equal Methuselahs, and our Repentance in an undiscontinued practice thereof equal our Life; all this com∣pared to the Infinity of the Majesty offended, would come short to entitle it Long∣lived. An unintermitted Watchfulness, fed and supported by a daily constant revolu∣tion of faithful Prayers, is the pith of Repentance, which is likely to prove so much the sounder, by how much the more free and voluntary the performance thereof is; for extorted and inforced Repentance, though it often proves sound and good, no doubt, yet may not be always so; the instrumental cause thereof hapning to be re∣moved, the Work may not go on.

Repent therefore, for except we repent we shall all perish, Luke 13.3. But if

we judge our selves, we shall not be judged of the Lord, 1 Cor. 11.31. Not as the custom is, a seeming sad Confession of sin out of Formality, not Conscience, of Passi∣on without remorse, or of fear without change; like Judas, who confessed he had sinned in betraying innocent blood. This is not to repent, nor can we be said to be truly penitent, when the Judgements upon us for sin, grieve us more then the sins themselves. And although whensoever an unrighteous man truly repenteth, he shall be pardoned, yet he cannot truly repent whensoever he will: Beware therefore of deferring Repentance. He that refuses to turn when God calleth him, provokes God to refuse to turn to him when he calls upon God, yea to give him over to the hardness of his heart, and to assign him Belshazzers, or the rich Fools death.

There are two parts of Repent∣ance; viz.

• 1. The Mortification of the Old man, that is, Of the Corruption, which by reason of sin sticketh in us.
• 2. The Resurrection of the New.

So there is a two∣fold consideration of Repentance:

• 1. In respect of the beginning of Repentance, as Contrition: This is before Faith.
• 2. In respect of the Act of it; now the Act of Repentance followeth Faith.

The exer∣cise of Re∣pentance; viz.

• 1. A constant turning from all sin unto God, which hath two parts; viz.
  • 1. A purpose of heart and resolution never to sin more.
  • 2. A holy endeavor of performing the said resolution.
• 2. A humble Confession
  • 1. Of our sins, not in word onely.
  • 2. Of our desert of punishment due for them.
• 2. A continual inward grief and sorrow of heart for our sins, not a worldly, but a godly sorrow, which consisteth of two parts:
  • 1. To be displeased with our selves for our sins.
  • 2. To have a bodily moving of the heart, which often causeth crying and tears. The former of these is necessary; the latter is not simply necessary, though it be commendable in whomsoever it is, if it be in truth.
• 4. A true inward Humiliation of the heart, joyned with a true in∣ward shame of all our sins whatsoever.
• 5. An earnest begging of God, in the Name and Mediation of Jesus Christ, pardon for all our sins.

Grief of heart causing Repent∣ance, a∣riseth

• 1. From the Word of God, whereby sin and Gods wrath for the same is discovered, Acts 2.37.
• 2. From Despair of all help in our selves, or any other Creature, Acts 16.30.
• 3. From our wretchedness and vileness by reason of sin, whereby God is offended and his wrath provoked, as well as from our cursedness by reason of the punishment and fearful issue of sin, Luke 15.18.

What the grief is which is in the godly when they re∣pent; viz.

• 1. A grief both for sin past and present, which is called Sorrow; and also for sin to come, which is called Fear.
• 2. An hatred of sin committed, both of present sin, and sin to come.
• 3. An averting from sin committed, to Godliness.
• 4. A flying from sin to come. So the grief is in the heart; the flying is in the will; the averting is in the heart and will, and it is an averting from evil unto good.

The effects of true spiri∣tual grief; viz.

• 1. Shame for evil, which hath been done, Jer. 31.19. Rom. 6.21.
• 2. A true and thorow Resolution to enter into a new course of life.
• 3. A renuing of grief so oft as occasion is offered. True spiritual grief is never clean dried up, because sin the cause of it is never quite taken away.

The true properties of sound repentance; viz.

• 1. We must begin with our hearts to purge them of all corruptions and filthy lusts, Ezek. 18.31.
• 2. As we must turn unto God with the heart, so with the whole and all the heart, with all our soul, Deut. 30.2.
• 3. We must shake off all our sins, as well one sin as another, and turn un∣to God, Ezek. 18.13.
• 4. Our Repentance must be speedy and always, so long as we live, Matth. 24.13. Revel. 2.10.

No man ought to defer his Re∣pentance on this ground, That Christ was merci∣ful to the Thief at his death, Luk. 23.43. For

• 1. That one example is recorded, that none should utterly de∣spair.
• 2. Onely that one, that none should presume.
• 3. It cannot be proved that he put off his Repentance to that day.
• 4. It is not safe to make an extraordinary Action (as this was) a patern: For Christ did miraculously work on that thief, to give in that moment of his Humiliation an evidence of his di∣vine Power.

Reasons why we ought to hasten our Repent∣ance; viz.

• 1. Because we are uncertain of the means, not knowing whether God will offer the same to morrow, or no.
• 2. Because we are most uncertain of our lives.
• 3. Because the longer we live, having not repented, we get the greater measure of sin: Sin by custom becometh stronger, and our selves the weaker thereby to repent thereof.
• 4. Otherwise we provoke Gods wrath against us, and cause him to re∣move the means from us.

We must wit∣ness our Re∣pentance by ac∣knowledging our particular sins and tres∣passes, for these Reasons; viz.

• 1. Because Repentance onely made generally and confusedly, is never true, but a common and hypocritical Repentance of one re∣solved and setled to continue in sin, and not yet touched with a true feeling thereof. Indeed for unknown sins which we in weak∣ness and ignorance commit, the Lord accepteth a general con∣fession and acknowledgement (which no doubt may be said of the poligamy or marrying of many Wives, and other daily infirmities) provided we daily renew our Repentance for all known sins, and lead the whole course of our lives penitentially.
• 2. Because we must make a particular account to God at the hour of death, not a general one of gross sins onely, but a particular one of all specials also.

The true signs of sound Repent∣ance; viz.

• 1. Care to avoid all sin as well as any one, not for fear but love, not be∣cause man, but God commandeth; a diligent care, study, and endeavor to amend what is amiss, and to labor to practice the contrary Vertue.
• 2. Impatience till we have cleared our selves, and made our peace with God for committed sins; and a purging of our selves of other mens sins with a clear Conscience in all things.
• 3. A holy Indignation or Anger against our selves, and the sins we before took pleasure in, either in our selves or others.
• 4. Fear, because it is sin; fearing to offend God because of his Mercy; a filial fear to sin, to displease God, or to hazard his favor.

• 5. Desire or fervent affection to God, to Spiritual things; a longing after the Grace of God, a thirsting after Christs Righteousness and the sincere Milk of the Word.
• 6. Zeal for God and his Worship, which makes us not to perform it per∣functorily; a knowing Zeal after Gods Glory, a holy Contention or Emu∣lation to exceed in Piety.
• 7. Revenge, when we are holily revenged of our selves for our sins by the con∣trary Vertues; a holy Revenge, judging and condemning of our selves for our sins in our selves, or others by our occasion.

Motives to true & sound Repen∣tance; viz.

• 1. The Commandment of God himself so often urged and repeated, Jer. 13.12. & 8.6. & 18.11. This was Johns Proclamation in the Wil∣derness, Mat. 3.8. This Doctrine was preached to our Parents in paradice, was afterward figured out by Circumcision before the Law, and by Purification after the Law, Isa. 1.16.
• 2. Such as Repent not, lie under the bondage of Satan, they are as Ca∣ptives and Prisoners, bound to obey his Will, and to do him Service, 2 Tim. 2.26.
• 3. Such as dye without Repentance, remain for ever without Remission and Forgiveness, they are lost, and must needs perish, if they repent not before, 2 Pet. 3.9. Luke 13.3.
• 4. The Threatnings denounced and executed upon the Rebellious and Dis∣obedient, are made Examples and Admonitions unto us. Gods Ven∣geance justly faln upon others should serve to amend us, 1 Cor. 10.6.
• 5. The Certainty and Suddenness of the last and general Judgement: What maner of persons ought we therefore to be in holy Conversa∣tion and Godliness?
• 6. We must be all led to Repentance by the unspeakable Fruits that fol∣low it; as, Pardon of Sins, Reconciliation with God, Peace of Con∣science, Hearing of our Prayers, and in the end Blessedness in the Hea∣vens, Ezek. 33.11.
• 7. The Exellency of it, which appeareth
  • 1. In the Antiquity of it, being the first Sermon in Paradice.
  • 2. In the Continuance of it, having always been in the Church, and shall be to the end.
• 8. The Pro∣fit of it, w^ch may appear in these five things; viz.
  • 1. It freeth us from the Snares and Subtilties of Satan, 2 Tim. 2.25, 26.
  • 2. It preventeth the Judgement of God in this Temporal life, Jonah 3.4, 10.
  • 3. It procureth the Mercies of God, Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal, Mal. 3.7. Ezek. 18.
  • 4. It freeth us from Death Spiritual and Eternal.
  • 5. It saves our Souls from Death, and hides a multitude of Sins, Jam. 5.20.
• 9. The Necessity of it, because without it we may perish for ever, Luke 13.5, 3.

The means to attain unto re∣pentance; viz.

• 1. A careful, diligent, profitable and constant Hearing of Gods Word, Acts 2.38, 41.
• 2. To beg it at the hands of God by Prayer, for it is the gift of God onely, Ezek. 36.26.

Duties requi∣red of us af∣ter we have repented, viz.

• 1. We must pray to God to uphold us, that we may not fall again into our former Sins and Transgressions.
• 2. We must labor to convert others, and be a means for the beating down of Sin in them, and for the raising of them up to Newness of Life.