A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

This testimony may be perceived by many effects; especially take one: it is the right estimation of our sins. Now this estimation must be in respect of their terms; as they are past, present, or to come. We must find in our selves, for sins past Dolorem, grief: against sins present, Praelium, combat: concerning sins future, Odium, ¹hate and resistance. First we must be grieved for the sins we have done. Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of where is Efficax, Effectus, Qualitas, Finis: the thing operating, godly sorrow: the Effect, Repentance: the Quality, […] to be repented of: the End to salvation. There be two sorrows, and they differ much: for worldly sorrow Deum intuetur iratum, beholds God justly incensed, godly sorrow Deum intuetur pacatum, beholds God sweetly pacified. They also differ causally: the former grieves for the punishment, not for the sin: the other grieves for the sin, not for the punishment: this would be sorrowful for sin, though there were no hell to punish it. Cain groans under the penalty, David grieves for the iniquity. The one trembles as a slave, the other fears as a son. These penitent tears,² Cor maculatum lavant, oneratum levant, contritum laetificant; they ⟨p. 217⟩purge the heart from the foulness of sin, ease it of the burden of sorrow, and give it the cheerfulness of comfort. Therefore no Repentance, no testimony. Secondly, for sins present, there must be in us an holy and valiant combat against them, Gal. 5.17. The Spirit warreth against the flesh, as well as the flesh against the Spirit. This combat can only befall the elect; whose soul is in the state of Rebecca's womb, when the twins struggled within her: Esau will not let Jacob rest, nor Jacob Esau. Two enemies in a Country are too near; two in a City dangerous, two in a house worse, but two in a bosom smartest of all. And yet unless this strife be in a man, he can have no peace with God. Indeed for natural things, war and peace are contraries; yet this spiritual war is the only means to our eternal peace. The Saints in heaven have no such strife, for they are wholly spiritual: the reprobates on earth have no such strife, for they are wholly carnal: only the regenerate believers in the militant Church, maintain this battle, and feel the bitterness of this conflict.