VeR. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 33. 263
this is evangelical, wrought by a sense of God's love. A malefactor ought not only to be sorry for his crime while he is in suspense, and knoweth not how his prince will deal with him, but after he is par- doned is still to be ashamed and grieved for his offence. Their former sorrow was an involuntary impression ; this an active grief. They were pricked at heart whether they would or no. Now repent : he would have that work theirs. That was dolor morhi, the pain of the disease ; this was dolor medicince, the trouble of physic, or the smart that comes by the cure. That sting was the effect of an accusing con- science, which may be in the wicked ; this the grief of a confessing penitent, which argueth a tender heart.
[2.] It is a proper cure. They were in sorrow ; therefore repent. Ars deinde sequatur, naiura monstranie viam. Physicians will cure men of fluxes by giving a purge, and stay vomiting and a disposition to cast by a vomit, divert bleeding by letting of blood ; so they were in trouble and anguish, and he presseth them to repent, in a kindly manner to come and bewail their sin to God: ' Repent, and be bap- tized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins.'
Doct. Repentance is one special means which God hath instituted for the cure of a wounded soul.
Not only faith, as Acts xvi. 31, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved ;' but repentance. Indeed those two are the two great means : Acts xx. 21, ' Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.'
I. Let us see what is repentance, or wherein it consists. There are three words by which it is expressed : /meravoia ; that word yon have in the text, and it signifieth an after-wit, or a change of mind. Secondly, The next word is /j^era/jbeXeta, an after-sorrow, or a change of heart; that word you have Mat. xxi. 29, 'But afterwards he repented, and went,' /uera/ieXT/^ei? airrjkde ; he was sorry for his refusal. Thirdly, fxeraaT peyln<; , an after-turning, or a change of course. That word you have Acts iii. 19, ' Repent ye, therefore, and be converted ; ' /xeravorjaaTe kol ixeraarpi'^are : Acts ix. 35, 'And turned to tlie Lord ; ' as he that hath walked in a wrong course bethinketh himself, and goeth back again, and taketh another way. In all these three consists repentance ; not in one alone, not in a change of mind. Many a man knoweth better, but doeth that which is worse. Video meliora 2irohoqae, deteriora sequor. There must be a change of heart as well as a change of mind, such a sorrow for sin as 'crucifieth the flesh, with the affec- tions and lusts,' Gal. v. 24, that doth weaken the power and interest of sin in the heart; and not only a change of heart, but a change of course. Many men are troubled for sin, but still go on in the ])ractice of sin. Vera poeniteniia est, saith An»;u8t\ne, posniienda non admiltere, et admissa dejiere ; such a change of heart as draweth with it a change of life ; to repent for what is past, and amend what is to come : Prov. xxviii. 13, 'He that confesseth, and forsaketh his sin, shall find mercy.' Well, then, repentance consisteth not in an acknowledgment of sin, and saying, God be merciful ; but it is a change of our minds, hearts, purposes, and evil course of life.
1. Meruvoia, a change of mind and understanding : Rom, xii. 2,
264 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SeR. IV.
' Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by tlie renewing of your minds.' A transmentation is necessary, by which a sinner beginneth to approve the law of God, which before he disliked, and to prize holy things, which before he lightly esteemed ; to see the excel- lency and sweetness of the spiritual life, and walking in communion with God, which before he disesteemed as a heavy bondage or a foolish niceness : 1 Cor. ii. 14, 'For the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' In short, men's eyes are opened, and they have other thoughts of sin and duty than ever they had before. They did not think sin so bad as they find it ; nor that theue was so much good and sweetness in a course of obedience. Now he seeth that all this while he hath gone astray, and been preju- diced against his own happiness : Titus iii. 3, ' For we ourselves were sometimes foolish and disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another ;' 1 Cor. iii. 18, 'Let no man deceive himself; if any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.' That sin which was his delight before, is now his burden. He was wont to marvel why men kept such a stir about sin, and that their complaints were but words of course ; now he seeth it is the most hateful thing in the world, and all that was said is little enough to express the odiousness of it. He was wont to think a course of holy walking to be a dark, sad, and gloomy course; but now his judgment is altered, he seeth that nothing is so lovely and sweet as obedience, and no liberty but in God's service ; that none live at large so much as they whose lusts are restrained, and whose consciences are still held under the awe of God's precepts. He was wont to call the proud happy and blessed, and that none lived so comfortable a life as they that had both ability and opportunity to please the flesh ; now he seeth they are the most miserable creatures in the world, because their snares and temptations are multiplied, and that poor afflicted godliness is a far better condition ; no preachers or scriptures are now too strict for him. This is a change of mind.