The sixth is, The Heathen mans repentance. There is in a Heathen ⟨p. 34⟩man a natural conscience, and when he sins against the light 1of nature, this natural conscience will accuse and condemn him, and this oftentimes worketh a natural and moral repentance. Thus when Alexander in his drunken sit had killed his dear friend Clitus, when he was sober, he was troubled in conscience for it, and sent to all the several kinds of Philosophers (as it were to so many Ministers) to know what he might do to appease his conscience, and to satisfy for that sin. Thus Polemo, when in his drunken fit he came to the School of Xenocrates, and heard him reading of sobriety, repented of his drunkenness, and became sober ever after. This I relate to the shame of thousands of Christians. But yet this was not a repentance unto life. For here nature reforms nature. Refined nature reforms nature abominably profaned. Sober Alexander reforms drunken Alexander. Here is no turning to God, no eye to Gods glory, no sorrow for displeasing of God. It is a repentance upon natural and moral grounds, which is not a repentance unto heaven. Thus, many repent of their gaming, and of their drinking and whoring; because it destroyeth their estate, or their bodies, or their good names. This is a natural repentance, upon natural grounds, but not a repentance unto life. Thus you see what that repentance is which is not unto life. It is our duty to examine whether we exceed these six sorts. There are many that are cried up for great professors that come short of them. And it must needs be a miserable thing to come short of those that come short of heaven. It is not enough to repent as Pharaoh, Saul, Ahab, the Israelites, Judas and the Heathen repented▪ But we must labour to exceed them, and amend in all those things wherein they failed. We must not repent of our good actions, as Pharaoh did; but of our bad actions. Our confession of sins must be with shame and confusion of face, with heart-breaking sorrow, it must be free and voluntary, not forced, it must be an humble and self-abasing confession. Our repentance must not only be outward as Ahab's was, but inward also; it must be a rending of the heart, a pricking at the heart. Sin must not only be oculi dolium but it must be cordolium. Our repentance must not only be for sin, but from sin.
The sixth is, The Heathen mans repentance. There is in a Heathen ⟨p. 34⟩man a natural conscience, and when he sins against the light 1of nature, this natural conscience will accuse and condemn him, and this oftentimes worketh a naturall and morall repentance. Thus when Alexander in his drunken sit had killed his dear friend Clitus, when he was sober, he was troubled in conscience for it, and sent to all the severall kindes of Philosophers (as it were to so many Ministers) to know what he might do to appease his conscience, and to satisfie for that sinne. Thus Polemo, when in his drunken fit he came to the School of Xenocrates, and heard him reading of sobriety, repented of his drunkennesse, and became sober ever after. This I relate to the shame of thousands of Christians. But yet this was not a repentance unto life. For here nature reforms nature. Refined nature reforms nature abominably profaned. Sober Alexander reforms drunken Alexander. Here is no turning to God, no eye to Gods glory, no sorrow for displeasing of God. It is a repentance upon naturall and morall grounds, which is not a repentance unto heaven. Thus, many repent of their gaming, and of their drinking and whoring; because it destroyeth their estate, or their bodies, or their good names. This is a naturall repentance, upon naturall grounds, but not a repentance unto life. Thus you see what that repentance is which is not unto life. It is our duty to examine whether we exceed these six sorts. There are many that are cried up for great professors that come short of them. And it must needs be a miserable thing to come short of those that come short of heaven. It is not enough to repent as Pharoah, Saul, Ahab, the Israelites, Iudas and the Heathen repented▪ But we must labour to exceed them, and amend in all those things wherein they failed. We must not repent of our good actions, as Pharaoh did; but of our bad actions. Our confession of sins must be with shame and confusion of face, with heart-breaking sorrow, it must be free and voluntary, not forced, it must be an humble and self-abasing confession. Our repentance must not only be outward as Ahabs was, but inward also; it must be a rending of the heart, a pricking at the heart. Sin must not only be oculi dolium but it must be cordolium. Our repentance must not only be for sinne, but from sinne.
- 1The Heathen mans repentance, and wherein it failed.
