A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

V. point. For what must they repent? namely, for the decay of their love: not for the want thereof, but for that they suffered it to wax lesser, both towards God, and his word, and towards their brethren. The same thing is spoken to us daily in the ministry of the word: that whereas our first love is gone, many having fallen from it, and moe having none at all, we would unfeignedly repent of this our decay and want: that if we have had love, and now wax cold, we may renew it; and if we never had it, we may labour for it; that so we may be answerable to his blessed desire. And here observe, that Christ enjoineth us a strait repentance. It is not enough for men to repent them of gross sins, as whoredom, theft, drunkenness, and such like: but they must repent them of their want• ⟨p. 90⟩of grace, as of the knowledge, and fear, and love of God, and of brotherly love, and of decay in any grace, be it never so little. We have many justiciaries in conceit, that be Pharisaically minded, thinking too well of themselves, that they need no repentance, because they live civilly, and are not tainted with gross sins: But these consider little what God doth here require; even repentance for our secret wants and decays. And great reason it should be so: for else to what end should we examine our selves of our secret wants, unless we should repent us of them, having found them in us?

V. point. For what must they repent? namely, for the decay of their loue: not for the want thereof, but for that they suffered it to waxe lesser, both towards God, and his word, and towards their brethren. The same thing is spoken to vs dayly in the ministerie of the word: that whereas our first loue is gone, many hauing fallen from it, and moe hauing none at all, wee would vnfainedly repent of this our decay and want: that if wee haue had loue, and now waxe cold, wee may renew it; and if we neuer had it, we may labour for it; that so we may be answerable to his blessed desire. And here obserue, that Christ enioyneth vs a strait repentance. It is not ynough for men to repent them of grosse sinnes, as whoredome, theft, drunkennesse, and such like: but they must repent them of their want• ⟨p. 90⟩of grace, as of the knowledge, and feare, and loue of God, and of brotherly loue, and of decay in any grace, bee it neuer so little. Wee haue many iusticiaries in conceit, that bee Pharisaically minded, thinking too well of themselues, that they need no repentance, because they liue ciuilely, and are not tainted with grosse sinnes: But these consider little what God doth here require; euen repentance for our secret wants and decayes. And great reason it should bee so: for els to what end should we examine our selues of our secret wants, vnlesse wee should repent vs of them, hauing found them in vs?