Christian directions, showing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…

Again, Repentance is a Reformation, wherein consists the very nature thereof, as the words of turning, renewing, changing, and the like, which in Scripture are attributed to Repentance, do imply. Now this Reformation must first be of the heart; for the heart of a man is the fountain of all his actions; now in reason the fountain must be cleansed and purged, before that which issueth and streameth from it can be wholesome. There must be therefore first a renewed heart, before there can be a reformed life; for it cannot be that the stream of our actions should be good, if the fountain of our heart be corrupt. Hence it is that the Prophets so often call for the cleansing of the heart, and the Apostles for the renewing, and changing thereof, without which all external and outward reformation is but mere Pharisaical ostentation. In the last place is added, A reformation of the life and actions without; for as to make some outward show of Reformation, without reforming the heart within, is but Pharisaical ostentation, whereby we deceive others: So to pretend an inward Reformation, without the outward fruits of amendment, is but mere folly, whereby we deceive our selves. For it cannot be that Reformation should be truly rooted and grounded in the heart, but that it will bud forth, and show it self in the fruits of a godly life. That man therefore deceiveth himself, who thinks his heart is purged and reformed, when his life is polluted. For as the fruits declare the tree, so the actions of men manifest their affections.

Again, Repentance is a Reformation, wherein consists the very nature thereof, as the words of turning, renewing, changing, and the like, which in Scripture are attributed to Repentance, do imply. Now this Reformation must first be of the heart; for the heart of a man is the fountain of all his actions; now in reason the fountain must be cleansed and purged, before that which issueth and streameth from it can be wholesome. There must be therefore first a renewed heart, before there can be a reformed life; for it cannot be that the stream of our actions should be good, if the fountain of our heart be corrupt. Hence it is that the Prophets so often call for the cleansing of the heart, and the Apostles for the renewing, and changing thereof, without which all external and outward reformation is but meer Pharisaical ostentation. In the last place is added, A reformation of the life and actions without; for as to make some outward shew of Reformation, without reforming the heart within, is but Pharisaical ostentation, whereby we deceive others: So to pretend an inward Reformation, without the outward fruits of amendment, is but meer folly, whereby we deceive our selves. For it cannot be that Reformation should be truly rooted and grounded in the heart, but that it will bud forth, and shew it self in the fruits of a godly life. That man therefore deceiveth himself, who thinks his heart is purged and reformed, when his life is polluted. For as the fruits declare the tree, so the actions of men manifest their affections.