The eight Chapter. Of Repentance; where also is treated of Sacraments.
1 SInne, as it is written in the epistle to the Romans, hath death for a reward; and all the retinue of death: it bringeth also confusion therewith. They which sinne, are made ashamed in themselues, and with others: wherefore, after sinne great gréefes doo followe, which afflict the spirit, disquiet and after a sort kill the mind. Furthermore, there followeth a confusion, so as they be greatlie ashamed, if they remember their sinnes; or else if their sinnes be recited by others. They which be impatient of those euils, would faine be deliuered: they attempt manie waies, but haue no successe. Hercules, when he had killed his sonne, and Iphitus his host, 2 was so disquieted in mind, as he was desirous to be purged by sacrifice; he came to Athens, and was admitted to the sacrifice of Ceres. Orestes, when he had killed his mother, came into the countrie of Taurica, and would be purged by sacrifice. Of Nero it is reported, that after he had killed his mother, and had committed other detestable crimes, at the length could not sléepe: and béeing haunted with furies, he deuised to be purged by sacrifice. By diuers and sundrie waies were they purged; namelie, by fire, by water, and sometimes they vsed egges, brimstone, witchcrafts, and sundrie perfumes. Thrise (saith Ouid) did he purge the old man by fire, thrise by water, and thrise by brimstone. Thrise (saith Virgil) did he wash his fellowes all about with cleane water. Vnlesse (saith Iuuenal) he will purge himselfe with a hundred egges. But forsomuch as they were mans inuentions, they profited nothing.
There is one purgation, which is set foorth to vs by faith; which hath repentance ioind with it, by this men are purged, and be at rest. Tertullian saith, that God consecrated this repentance in himselfe: 3 for when he had punished men by the floud, he repealed his sentence, and said that he would destroie the earth no more for mans sake: and it repenteth God of the euill, 4 which he would haue brought vpon men, so that they repent them of their wickednesse. Not that repentance in verie déed hath place in God, whereof we haue spoken else-where. 5 Touching the originall of repentance, it is said, that the same began in paradise. GOD called our first parents to repentance, and added therewith a promise; to wit, that their séed should tread downe the serpents head. This preaching of repentance hath béene continued by all the prophets: at length it came to Iohn Baptist, 6 who was the dawning and morning starre of our sauiour. Christ and his apostles preached repentance; Repent ye, 7 for the kingdome of heauen draweth nigh. By the kingdome of heauen, we vnderstand the newnesse of life, heauenlie actions, and regeneration.
So dooth God gouerne vs, by his spirit and word, which they that doo apprehend by faith, doo repent: there remaineth, that the old life be put awaie. So as the fountaine of repentance, 8 is to haue the goodnesse of God, and the kingdome of heauen in Christ to be manifested, and to apprehend it by faith. 9 And woorthilie dooth repentance followe: for Christ calleth vs vnto a new life, not to nourish sinne in vs, which it behooueth vs to mortifie. The thing is not so to be vnderstood, that men maie first repent, and by the merit of repentance haue remission of sinnes. First it is apprehended by faith: afterward followeth a sound repentance. The outward signe of taking vpon vs a new life, was baptisme: therefore Marke calleth the baptisme of Iohn, 10 The baptisme of repentance, vnto the remission of sinnes. This is the voice of all those that preach the gospell; they be voices crieng in the desert: for how manie soeuer be without Christ, are the desert. The voice is, that the kingdome of heauen is offered vnto them which beléeue. Now it behooueth that they repent them, that they renounce their old life; for repentance is the crosse and gibbet of the old man.