Institutions of Christian religion framed out of Gods word, and the writings of the best diuines, methodically handled by questions and answers, fit for all such as desire to know, or practise the will of God. Written in Latin by William Bucanus Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lausanna. And published in English by Robert Hill, Bachelor in Diuinitie, and Fellow of Saint Iohns Colledge in Cambridge, for the benefit of our English nation, to which is added in the end the practise of papists against Protestant princes.

Which is the subiect, to whome repentance belongeth, or, Whose is repentance?

There is a repentance of the heathen, who either for wearisom∣nesse, doe giue ouer their vices, or else by the iudgement of reason doe cease to sinne, and that either for feare of punishment, or for loue of vertue.

There is also a repentance, & that an earnest repentance, of the wicked, but it is but temporarie, onely for a time, as in Esau.a 1.1 and Achab.b 1.2, which is nothing else, but a worldly sorrowe, which causeth death, whom, notwithstanding God spareth for a time, and doth temporally blesse them, that by that clemencie he might prouoke his owne children to sincere repentance.

There is also a repentance of hypocrites, fained and Pharisai∣call, which consisteth onlie in the outward forme, against which Ioell cryeth out, Chap. 2. vers. 13. and the rest of the Prophets doe the like.

But sincere repentance is onely belonging to the elect, whom God will deliuer from destruction, for it dependeth of the spirit of regeneration, and is inseparable from faith, and the mercie of

God, as witnesseth the Prophet Esai. 59.20. The Redeemer shall come vnto Syon, and vnto them that turne from iniquitie in Iacob. And Heb. 6.6. the Apostle minding to exclude the Apostates from the hope of saluation, bringeth this reason, that, It is impossible that they vvho vvere once enlightened, and haue tasted of the hea∣uenly gifte, and haue beene partakers of the Holy Ghost, and haue tasted of the good vvord of God, and of the powers of the vvorld to come, if they fall away, should bee renewed againe by repentance, be∣cause they crucifie againe the sonne of God, and make a mocke of him. Because indeede, God renewing those whom hee will not haue to perish, sheweth them a token of his fatherly loue and fauour, and on the contrarie, hee stricketh the reprobate, with hard∣nesse of heart, whose iniquitie is vnpardonable.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Gen. 27.38 Heb. 12.17
• b 1.2

  1. Kings. 21, 27.29