The Institution of Christian Religion

But certain learned men, even long before these times, meaning to §3speak simply & sincerely of repentance, according to the truth of Scripture, have said that it consisteth of two parts, mortification, & vivification, Mortification they expound to be a sorrow of the soul & fear conceived of the acknowledging of sin, & of the feeling of the judgement of God. For when a man is ones brought into true knowledge of sin, then he truly beginneth to hate and abhor sin: then he heartily misliketh himself, confesseth himself to be miserable and lost, and wisheth himself to be an other man. Further, when he is touched with some feeling of the judgement of God (for the one immediately followeth upon the other) then he lieth stricken and overthrown, ⟨image 207⟩then he trembleth, humbled and cast down, then he is discouraged and despaireth. This is the first part of repentance, which they have commonly called Contrition. Vivification they expound to be the comfort that groweth of faith, when a man overthrown with conscience of sin, and stricken with fear of God, looking afterward unto the goodness of God, unto the mercy, favour in salvation that is through Christ, raiseth up himself, taketh breath again, recovereth courage, and returneth as it were from death to life. And these words, if they have a right exposition, do aptly enough express the nature of repentance. But where they take Vivification for the cheerfulness, which the mind receiveth being brought into quietness from trouble & fear, therein I agree not with them: forasmuch it rather signifieth a desire to live holily and godly, which groweth of regeneration, as if it were said, that man dyeth to himself, to begin to live to God.

But certaine learned men, euen long before these times, meaning to §3speake simply & syncerely of repentance, according to ye truth of Scripture, haue said yt it consisteth of two parts, mortification, & vinificatiō, Mortification thei expounde to be a sorrowe of ye soule & feare cōceiued of the acknowledging of sinne, & of the feling of the iudgement of God. For when a man is ones broughte into true knowledge of synne, then he truely begynneth to hate and abhorre synne: then he heartyly misliketh hymselfe, confesseth himselfe to be miserable and loste, and wyssheth himselfe to be an other man. Further, when he is touched wyth some feelinge of the iudgemente of God (for the one immediatly foloweth vpon the other) then hee lyeth stryken and ouerthrowen,