THe first thing to be done in Repentance is this , that the carnall man labour to haue the true knowledge of his owne estate , the which ( as it is in all other things ) neither could be continued , if it were good , nor can bee amended , being now amisse , vnlesse it be fully and throughly knowne . And therefore we must endeuour in the first place to bring this our Nicodemus to know himselfe , to wit , how he standeth in respect of God and his fauour , whereon his good estate doth wholy depend . For as the good estate of a subiect or seruant consisteth in this , that he liuing in the fauour and good liking of his king , or maister , procured by his loial obedience & faithful seruice , is free from al euils and iniuries , and enioieth all things either needfull , or pleasant : so the state of man being pure from sin , is good & happie : otherwise , if by sinning , & rebelling against god , he incur his displeasure , most wretched & miserable . But what ? doth not man knowe himself ? how can we suppose that he who knoweth all things , is ignorant of his own estate , especially seeing this knowledge is most proper and pertinent vnto him , For , none knoweth the things of man , but the spirit of man which is in him . Surely , as the eye of the bodie , although it beholde all other things , yet it can not see eyther it selfe , or some other partes of the bodie , euen those which are nearest vnto it : so it fareth with the mynde of man , the eye of the soule , it raungeth ouer the whole worlde , aboue the highest heauens , and beneath the bottome of the earth , and yet it is a straunger at home , most ignoraunt of the owne estate , as the manifold doubts , controuersies , and contentions , which haue from time to time troubled the heads , schooles , and bookes , not onely of Philosophers , but also of learned Diuines , about the originall creation , substaunce , infusion , infection or corruption , and separation of the soule , do plainely testifie . Yea , in the soule of man , nothing is so vnknowne to man himself , as that which both of it selfe , and to all others is most apparant , and conspicuous , as are the spots in a mans face , to wit , the wants , infirmities , and enormities of it . This commeth to passe ; by reason of that self loue ▪ engrauen by nature in man , and in all other things , by the which it commeth to passe , that as he is better affected towards himselfe , than to any other thing : so , ( the iudgement following affection ) he thinketh better of himself then he ought to do , being vnwilling to heare , and vnable to conceaue anie thing , tending to the disgrace of himselfe , especially of his soule , wherein his excellencie dooth consist . And therefore , as Philosophers , knowing that men are altogither ignorant of their owne faults and vices , set this precept& Nosce seipsum , in the beginning of their morall institutions : so the first lesson , which a diuine is to teach , and a Christian to learn is this , know , and acknowledge the sinfulnesse of thy soule , wherof , of thy selfe thou art altogither ignorant . And surely so it is : for although the soule of man bee so wholy infected with the leprosie of sinne , that there is no cleane part or piece from the top to the toe of it , yet it seemeth to it selfe most pure , beautifull and glorious , as by the receiued opinions of perfect inherent righteousnesse , iustification by works , merit , of pure naturals & free will , doth plainly appeare . Reuel. 3.17 . Thou sayest I am rich , and am enriched , ( the one by nature , the other by freewil and industry ) and haue need of nothing , and knowest not that thou art wretched , miserable , poore , blinde and naked . These are the opinions , & conceits which al men haue of themselues , thinking far better of themselues in euery respect than they shuld do : yea , the errors before named , as they are natural to man , so they haue place commonly in most , if not generally in all carnall men , who , howsoeuer perhaps for company and fashions sake they make profession of the contrary truth , yet in their minds they hold the puritie of mans nature , thinking it no more corrupt , then it was created by god , & then it was in Adam , during the time of his innocencie : yea , that it is impossible to shew how possibly , either his nature shuld be corrupted , or his corruption deriued to his posteritie . Yea , thinking it to be the most excellent nature , or little inferior or different from it : wherof it commeth that they do so vsually resemble the diuine nature vnto it : honoring , fearing , worshipping , trusting & inuocating it as god , yea , ascribing to it what soeuer is glorious in god , making saints of sinful men , & gods of saints , wheras in truth it is not only not most excellent , but euen very base and meane : not onely corrupt in sinfulnesse , but euen filthy and loathsome , not weake or sick , but dead and rotten , not happy , but of all natures ( if wee except the the diuel & his angels ) the most wretched & wofull . Likewise for outward action , he thinketh that those works which haue any shewe of goodnes , although they be neuer so imperfit , corrupt and hipocriticall , are meritorious before god , yea , to be a sufficient price of eternal saluation , both for himself , & also for others . For meane & ordinary sins , he thinketh them venial , & light offences , not to be accounted , or auoided : his good meaning is as good as perfit holinesse , his owne righteousnes perfite and absolute : yea , this blindnes and ignorance of their own estate appeareth , euen in the natural gifts of men , who vsually iudge themselues of all other the wittiest , most wise , and most worthy of honour , although there bee no such cause : yea , althogh they be most simple , & vnlearned , yet they are as stifly addicted to their owne opinions and fashions , as they who haue the surest ground for their actions , & course of life . In these & other like respects , our naturall blindnesse is to be considered , and so to be applied to our spiritual estates , in respect whereof , this blindnesse is greatest and most hurtful .

Thus wee hauing brought this repentant to the sight of his sin , which is the first part of the knowledge of his estate , we are in the next place to bring him to the sense of sinne , which is the second part of it . By the sense of sinne , wee meane the knowledge of that punishment , which is due vnto him for his sin : For most men make so little account of sinne , that although they know in their owne consciences , and will not sticke to confesse to others , themselues to be both sinfull by nature , and sinners in the whole course of their liues : yet their sinnes are not a heauie burden or a clog vnto their consciences , not as sharpe pricks wounding and galling their hearts , but as small and light matters wherof they haue no sense or feeling : they thinke that as they themselues , so also God himselfe maketh small reckoning of it , and though he haue commanded men to liue in obedience to his law , and to abstaine from committing of sin , yet he is not by the committing of it prouoked to anger , or to inflict any punishment vppon the offendant , as plainely appeareth by that great patience which he vseth towards men , who although generally they go on in al maner of disobedience and wilful breaking of his commandements , adding one greeuous sinne to another , and open contempt of him , & of hi● word to al , yet they escape vnpunished , & liue as merily in the worlde as the holiest man doth , who dare not suffer an euill thought to enter into his minde . Thus ( that we may answere this prophane and pernitious error with the words of the apostle , Rom. 2.2 ) men contemne & abuse the patience and long suffring of God & are by it kept back from repentance , the which they should know and think to lead them to repentance , in that God doth not confound them in their sins , as he might iustly do , but suffering them to liue , giueth time of repenting : yet they , according to the obstinacie and hardnesse of their hearts , which cannot , or rather which will not rep●nt heape vp to themselues wrath agaynst the day of wrath , and the declaration of the iust iudgement of God . Thus God speaketh to the wicked person , Psa. 50.21 . These sins thou hast committed , & I haue held my peace , that is : I did not punish thee as thy sins did deserue , wherupon thou thoughtest that I was like vnto thee , that is , that I liked and approued sinne , and was as little offended with it as thou thy selfe : But I will reprooue and punish thee for thy sinne , & so I will take this error out of thy mind . For so we are to interpret this patience of GOD , esteeming impunitie to bee the greatest punishment of all other , and that as the water is deepest , where it is the stillest : so where God is most silent in threatning , and patient in sparing , there he is most inflamed with anger , and purpose of reuenge : and lastly , that the fewer iudgments are poured foorth vpon the wicked in this life , the mo are reserued in store for them in the life to come . And yet the anger of God , and the punishments of sin , are not so deferred to the world to come , but that they are euen in this life felt of the wicked , and may be acknowledged by all men . For beside spirituall plagues , as blindnesse of mind , hardnesse of heart , impenitencie , the adding of one heinous sinne vnto another , a reprobate sense , and a desperat outrage in sin ( the which howsoeuer they be lightly esteemed of , yea , not at all perceiued by carnall eies , yet they are of all others most fearefull , and grieuous ) the curses of God do euidently fal & seaze vpon the bodies , goods , vpon the wiues , children , and friends , vpon the name , memorie , and posteritie of wicked and vngodly men , as they are at large rehearsed , and most fearefully threatened , Deuter. 28. He shall be curs●d in the towne , and in the field , in his basket , and in his dough , in the fruit both of his bodie , and of his land , in his kine , and in his fl●cks of sheep , in his going out , and in his comming in . And , ( for breuitie sake , referring the reader to the place it selfe ) the heauie hand of God shall be vppon all his actions , endeuours , and enterprises , vpon all things whatsoeuer do any way belong vnto him : yea , al the creatures both small and great , weake and strong , good and euill , in heauen and on the earth , shall bande themselues togither in huge armies against him for his confusion , as executioners of the wrath of God due vnto him for his sinne . Yea , whilest they are deferred , the expectation of them is more fearefull ( if more may be ) then the suffering of them is greeuous , and if ( the conscience being seared and benummed ) there bee no feare , that state is of all other desperate and fearefull .

This part of repentance ( as also all the rest ) is vsually wanting in carnall men , who passe on their daye in mirth , pleasure , and securitie , and so blessing themselues in their prosperous estate , put farre from themselues the euill day : yet sometimes it may be found in them , vppon occasion either of some hainous sinne committed , or some great crosse or miserie sustained . For the first , lesse sinnes do not trouble mens consciences , or worke in them these agonies of horror and desperation : for men seeing them to be committed daily , both by them selues , and also by others , without anie punishment , make no reckoning of them . But as for hainous and extraordinarie sins , as murther , incest , adulterie , oppression , and such others , which all men condemne , and fewe commit , these are not so easely swalowed ouer , but do often leaue behinde them a pricke in the conscience , and feare of punishment . But especially this commeth to passe , when as togither with anie such sin , some outward misery doth concur , the which will easely put a man in mind of his sinne , and in feare of further punishment : hereof it commeth that this sense of Gods wrath due to sinne , is oftnest seene in the tyme of some daungerous sickenesse threatning death , in the which manie are brought to see and acknowledge , both their sinne , and the desert of it , who as long as they enioyed their health , liued in senselesse securitie , and Atheisme . This vse wee are to make of all those miseries and euilles which befall vs , gathering by the smart of them , what the anger of God due vnto sinne is , which bringeth with it , not that onely , but all other plagues and torments . And ghessing by that sorrow , and those euils and iniuries , which wee sustaine at the handes of men , howe fearefull a thing it is to fall into the hands of God , and by that paine of bodie , and griefe of minde , wherewith wee are afflicted for a short time , what it is to liue for euer in paine and griefe .

THe last thing , which this repentant is to learne , and knowe , as touching his owne estate , is this , howe vnable hee is of himselfe , or by any meanes which hee can vse , to free himselfe , eyther from his sinne , or from the anger of GOD due vnto it For there is no condition so miserable , but that the hope of amending it ( if there bee anie ) will asswage the paine and griefe of it . But in this case , there is no hope , and therefore no comfort left to man , to whom it is altogither impossible , if hee respect himselfe , or any thing that any creature can do in his behalfe , eyther to shake off his naturall sinfulnesse , or to escape the punishment of eternall death belonging vnto it . For the former of these two , a carnall man may foster in his minde what conceytes hee will of his owne excellencie and naturall strength , supposing himselfe to bee , although perhaps for the present , both outwardly wicked , and inwardly sinfull , outwardly filthy , and inwardly vncleane , yet able at his own pleasure to purge himself both from the naturall corruption and from the outward act of sin : but the truth of Gods word teacheth the contrarie , to wit , that sin being by the fall of Adam made naturall to man , cleaueth vnto him as vnseparably , as the skin doth to his body , and as the spots to the skin of the leopard , which hauing their originall in the bones , marrow and most secret parts , cannot by any force or deuise be gotten out . He may indeede by his naturall strength represse the rage of it : hee may prune and loppe it , cutting off the superfluous boughes and branches of it , yet the roote , yea , the whole bodie of it will remaine vnmoueable in the secret parts of his soule , & send forth plentifull fruit in all the parts and members of his bodie at one time or other , as occasion is offered , as hath beene declared more at large else where . Likewise , for the punishment due vnto sinne , that can no way bee auoyded , not by hiding our selues in some secret place from God , for whether shall wee go from his presence who is euery where ? hee is in heauen , and in hel , in the towne , and in the desart , he seeth as well at midnight , as at noon day . Psa. 139. If we say to the hugest mountains , fal vpon vs , and couer vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne , & from the wrath of the Lambe . Reue. 6.16 . yet the eyes and hands of God will pierce thorow the highest hils and the hardest rocks , for they laide the foundations of them . But we hope perhaps to escape punishment , yea , though we cannot eschew his presence , & that by meanes of the great mercy and indulgencie of God , who delighteth not in the misery , anguish , and confusion of men , but in their saluation and happie estate , and therefore will no doubt bee easely entreated by the humble sute and pittifull mone of men , to pardon their sinnes , and if not to bestowe vppon them the crowne of eternall glorie , they hauing not deserued it , yet to remitte the punishment due vnto their sinnes . Thus doo many men imagine of God , and thus they imagin him not to bee God , who as hee is mercifull , so also he is iust : yea , hee is as iust as hee is mercifull , being in both respectes infinite , and therefore equall . And therefore it is no lesse impossible that GGD should remitte the punishment due vnto sinne , then that he should do that which is contrarie to his owne nature . If it be here asked , how then doth God shew mercie on the elect : we answer , that he doth it not by remitting the punishment of their sin , but by taking it vpon himselfe , euen by punishing their sin in his owne person : and therfore there is no hope of impunitie left for the carnall man , but a fearfull expectation of wrath , the which although perhaps it bee in part deferred for a time , yet assuredly the day of iudgement , and of vengeance will come at length . Thus we haue brought this vnregenerate man to the sight or true knowledge of himselfe , and of his owne estate , to wit , the knowledge first of his sinfulnesse : secondly , of the punishment due vnto his sinne : and thirdly , of his impotencie , or inabilitie , of mending this his euill estate . This is the first part of Repentance , and may fitly bee called by the name of the whole , to wit , Repenting , forethinking , or rather after thinking , and an after minde . For , in steade of that fonde conceate , which he had of his owne puritie , righteousnesse , and happinesse , he now seeth himselfe to be sinfull , guiltie of eternall death , and subiect to all maner of plagues , miseries , and curses , both in this life , and for euer in the life to come . So that now he is in the same case with the Iewes , Act. 2.37 . who being pricked in their consciences by a sight & sense of sin : asked Peter what they should doo : the answere followeth in the next verse , Amende your lyues , and be baptized for the remission of sinne , and ye shall receaue the holy Ghost .