IT is a verie lamen­table thing to behold [...] that bottomles sink [...] of corruption and sin which lyeth h [...]d in mā [...] nature: and yet farre more lamentable to behold his gross [...] and monstrous blindnes, which is so palpable, y ^• although there be no spar­kell of goodnes in him: nay, although he be so defiled with sinne, that he i [...] become as blacke as euer was the blacke horsse, which is spoken of in the reuelation; So that frō the cro [...] Reuel. 6. 5. of the head to the s [...]le of the foote, there Esa. 1. 6. be nothing but woundes, sores, and swellings full of corruption; Yea, al­though his veri [...] righteousnes he as a Esa. 64. 6 [...] verie clo [...]t defiled with corrupt [...], and his wisdome tending alltogether vnto death and destruction: For this is the state of euery naturall man, vntill [Page] such time as he be borne againe: yet notwithstanding I say his blindnes is such: that in no wise he can bee brought to haue any distrust or misli­king of himselfe, but rather is caried away with a vaine perswation of that which ought to be in him, and is not in trueth: hauing his heart lifted vp in pride; because he hath an outward [...] ▪ knowledg of some thing that appertai­neth vnto religion and christian con­uersation: thinking it a sufficient per­fe [...]tion, to be able how to define Repen­tance, although he neuer feele the effect thereof in him selfe. For his owne sins which are so monstrous and wherein he hath euery way so grieuously offen­ded God, a most daungerous disease and incurable, not because there is no remedie soone to heale it: but rather because the sens [...]esnesse of our nature is such y ^• in no wise we can be brought to any feeling of our disease, yea, and the more daungerously we are infe [...] therewith, the lesse willing are we to yéelde vnto our sinnes; nay that which is worst, the more perfecte we thinke our selues to be. And therefore [Page] these things considered: how or which way should we be brought to recey [...] any medicine for the curing thereof. For the patient must first of necessit [...] be brought to feele his disease & knowe the daunger thereof, before he can or will haue any desire of the Phisition. In this sense spake our sauiour Christ when he vsed these words. The whole Mat. 9. [...]. Mark. 2. [...]. Luke. [...]. [...]. neede no Phisition, but those that are sicke. Not that there were or are at any tune any so perfect which neede not Christ, who is the heauenly Phisition of our soules: but rather she­wing thereby how litle Christ our sa­uiour shal profit those which persw [...]d [...] themselues to be whole without him by his ministerie, not for that he can not as I haue before shewed, but rather because they will not: in so much as they feele not theire owne disease, nor knowe the daunger therof. How truely therfore doth the Prophet vse these wordes. Oh, Israel thy dam­nation is of thy selfe. The Lord offreth vs mercy, but we refuse it; he [...]raueth, but we will not heare; he knocketh, but we will not open; and [Page 4] why, because we perswade our selues that we haue no néede of his helpe: not y ^• there is any so rude as to vtter the same in wordes. But the foolish man Psal. 14. 1. & 53. 1. hath said in his heart there is no God. Sure, our great and pensiue care y ^• we haue in labouring by right and wronge to become rich in those things that shal perish; And on the o­ther side our wonderfull carelesnesse in seeking those heauenly riches which will neuer decaye, and whereby we are made righteous: If there were no other thing, this is sufficient to laye o­pen our shame euen vnto the whole world, not as in a glasse or darke spea­king, but face to face, whereby it may plainely bee seene that they trust more in the creature, Then in God, Rom. 1. 5. which is the Creator, who be bles­sed for euer and euer. Amen.

Truely the Lord hath not deserued to be thus recompe [...]sed at our handes, his mercies do require better merites then these are: for what could he haue done more for his vinyard Israel, then [...]sa. 5. 4. he hath done vnto England. And how commeth it then that our fruit is no­thing [Page] but wild grayes. We al confesse that the night is past long since, and why do we not beginne to cast off th [...] workes of darknesse. Wel, if God spa­red not the naturall branches for this and such like corruptions: how shall he spare vs which are the wild oliues? if our sinnes be no lesse, the iudge­mentes and threatnings of God in his worde are plentifully thundred out a­gainst vs: but alas, we do not beleu [...] them; and as for his mercies we make them a bulwarke vnto our sinnes. As for example, admonish any man at a­ny time of his sinnes, this will be his answere accustomably. Tush God is mercifull, loe, thus we imagine of his mercies that we vtterly ouerthrowe & contemne his iustice. But in the end we shall knowe and well vnderstand, that as mercie floweth from him to­wardes the penitent beleeuer: so iudg­ment with seueritie in no lesse mea­sure commeth from him vpon the ob­stinate and disobedient sinners. But how should we be brought to beleeue these things? our heartes are so choa­ked with infidelitie that we will giue [Page] credit to nothing before we feele or s [...] it put before our eyes. Suerely our securitie is such, y ^• we may be very wel compared vnto an Oxe which is driuē to the Butchers stall; or a foole led to the stockes: for the property of an Oxe is when he is driuen to the Butchers stall to go ioyfully, because his hope is that he shall be driuen to some better pasture, and neuer feareth vntill the are be readie to be laid vpon his head. So likewise a foole when he is led to the stockes, goeth wilfully and neuer feareth vntil his feete bee fast snared therein. A comparison verie fit for the securitie of this age, who in like man­ner goeth forwardes weltering in the broade way without remorse of con­science, perswading them selues that that is the perf [...]ct waye, because the greatest nomber do walke therein, and neuer perceiue theire owne folly, vn­till they be snared in the trappes of de­struction. In the meane time, if ani [...] man seeing them in this case, do pittie theire miserie, and seeke by the autho­ritie of the worde to reclaime them and set them in the right waye; who is so [Page 7] deadly a for vnto [...] as such an on [...] s [...]eth to be. For they can in no wis [...] disgest his counsell, and therefore it commeth to passe oftentimes, that in stead [...] of profitting, they purchase vnto them selues some blemish, as it is wit­t [...]n in the prouerbes. He that repro­ueth Prouerb. a scorner getteth a blot; That is, some reprochfull worde or prinie blemish otherwise by sclaunder or so forth. Not that they are made worst therby before the Lord, but rather bet­ter, yet men do so accounte of it: and therefore greate cause haue Gods chil­dren to proceede without discouraging in exhortation, admonition, and re­proofe also, seeing God doth so w [...]ll al­low of it, when occasion is offr [...], al­though it come so to passe oftentimes, that they cast pearles before swine Mat. 7. 6. and giue that which is holie vnto dogges: He that obserueth the Prouer. winde shall neuer sowe. So likewise they which haue an eye alwayes vnto th [...]mons of men and will knowe [...]hat [...]tertainment thri [...]e admoniti­ons and reproof [...] shal haue before they [...] bestowe the [...], can n [...]uer prōfit [...] [Page 8] thereby: for that in so doing they see [...] rather to please men and seede their [...] humors, then that god should haue his glorie increased thereby. Knowe you not what is written. He that will be a man pleaser, cānot be the seruant [...]lat. 4. 10. of God. A most dangerous euil to g [...] about to please those who will not bee pleased without the displeasing of the Lord: For men commonlye are best pleased with those which be as them­selues are; and will iustifie none, but such as flatter thē in their sinnes, and sowe pillowes vnder their [...] elboes. Truely it is euen a worlde it see ou [...] blindnes; how wise we are to deceiue our selues in such matters as these are: for [...] are ready to bestow great cost, yea and burden our selues very large­ly without grudging, so that wee may procure the acquaintance and famili­aritie of those which will flatter vs, & feede our affections at the full, especi­allye if they be such as goe vnder the name of prophets or righteous men: that thereby wee may cloake our cor­ruptions, and seeme to be that which we are not▪ by shrouding our selues vnder [Page 9] their profession. And alas, what is thi [...] any better then to buyld vpon thē lande, which is an vnstable foundati­on; nay it is no other then that which Esay speaketh of, Euen to take false­hoode for our refuge, & couer our selues vnder vanitie. Surely a very thi [...]e garment, and such as will not defende vs from the colde in winter, nor yet from the heate of sommer; nay it were well if it would c [...]uer our fil­thy nakednesse: but alas the thinnesse of it is such that the same is not able so to doe. For what grosse blindnesse is it in vs? to thinke our selues well sa­tisfied when wee are praysed of a fewe miserable men, which possiblie [...] as bli [...] as we our selues be: for that is all the gaine wee [...] [...]chase by it. Nay let mee goe forth [...] can it pr [...] vs to haue the acqu [...]tance & pra [...]e of all the learned and godlye in the worlde: If our owne conscience do acc [...]e vs before the Lord, who is far greater, then the same, to condemn vs. For as we are before the Lord, so we are [...] [...], and not as men doe ac­ [...] of vs: who oftentimes doe take [Page 10] the garments of Gods deare saints, & giue them vnto strangers, and there­fore it behoueth vs to seeke for a better garm [...]nt then the prayses of men only to couer our selues withall; least that when we think our selues to be in best case, then our nakednes should be dis­couered and layde open, not onely to our owne consciences, but also to the whole worlde, who will then laugh at our shame.

Wel therfore to the end y ^t wee may auoid these inconueniences, & remain [...] no longer so blinde as to become decei­uers of our selues, by so much respec­ting of mens prayses, and in the mean [...]éese the pra [...]se of God [...] is the true praise in deede: To the end [...] I say that wee may auoide this, it is needeful for vs to haue an eye alwai [...] vnto our affections in all our acti [...]s and enterprises whatsoeuer, and [...] whether God his glory, the strengthe­ning of our owne faith; and profiting of our brethren be sought onely [...] d [...] ­ing of them. Otherwise let our [...] be neuer so many, and see [...]e as glori­ous as they will; In so much that eue­ry [Page 11] mans mouth is filled with praysing of vs: yet it is to no purpose, if our con­sciences doe not witnesse with vs that these things before repeated, are the things which we in euery of our déedes haue euer theefest respecte vnto. True it is that Scripture doth greatly com­men [...] the receyuing of Prophetes and righteous men into our houses; Yea & God hath bound himselfe, by promisse therunto also, that those that do it shall be greatly rewarded: but the questiō is then, how we ought to receyue thē, he (saith the holy Ghost, Which recey­ueth a Prophet in the name of a Pro­phet, shall receiue a Prophets re­vvard. And againe. He that receiueth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous man, shall receiue a righ­teous mans revvard.

So heere our Sauiour Christ descri­beth [...] plaine wordes, howe wee ought [...] receiue them: that is, as a Prophet, or righteous man, as one that [...] of the Lordes Houshold, and sent vnto vs by him; [...]o the ende that we should entertaine him as one of [...] best [...] and minister [Page 12] vnto him such necessaries, as he com­meth vnto vs for, because we haue hope also to receiue of him in like man­ner such spiritual treasures as y ^• Lord hath endued him withall, to the end [...] (I say) that we might profit theire bo­dies vnto a temporall life, and they our soules and bodies both vnto a spiritual and eternall life. With this minde we ought to receiue them, and not for fa­shions sake; neyther yet to [...]ede our humors: or els it can not be said that we do receiue them as Prophets, or righteous men, but rather as Hipo­crites and dissemblers: for [...] are none that will giue theire con­sent to doe so, vnlesse they bee such. And therefore it behoueth vs, to take heede how we do abuse the Prophets, and Saintes of God, by thinking that they are so vaine as to be drawne a­way from the trueth, to seede our cor­rupt affections. Nay if they be the true Prophets and Saintes of God, rather then they will so doe, they will vtterly forsake our houses, be the plenty ther­of neuer so greate: yea, (and that which is more) they will shake off the [...] of [Page 13] our streetes from theire feete, as a wit­nesse against vs: because we woulde not obey theire counsell, or rather the Lordes, which is vttered by them. Knowe you not what is written. He that receyueth you, receyueth me, and he that receiueth me, receiueth him that sent me. So then heareby you see plainely, what it is to receyue: [...] Prophet or a righteous man: it is not to receiue him alone, but God the Father and Iesus Christ also, which [...] accompany▪ them; and therefore how well welcome should such ge [...]tes he vnto vs; not as though we would so much pleasure them, but they alto­gether pro [...]t vs; neyther yet may we by our own wisdome measure out vn­to them, a way and meane whereby we thinke they may pleasure vs best: for that were to set the Lord who doth ab [...]se him selfe to be their cōpanion, as it hath bene before proued, to schoole: but rather it behoueth vs to bring our owne wisdome into captiuitie, and content our selues with that mean [...] & order, which the holy Ghost doth [...] th [...] to vse for our profiting▪ whether [Page 14] it be sower, or sweete, sharpe, or ple [...] ­sant, iudgement, o [...] mercy, threatning, [...] or promisses, seing the Lord is the di [...] ­poser [...] [...]. of it, Who worketh all things for▪ the best vnto vs. Receyue y ^• same with patience and thankfulnes, and not g [...]ut [...]h or murmure for any thing whatsoeuer commeth vnto vs from them; humbly acknowledginge our owne ignorance and blindnes, in cho­singe vnto our selues, any way or meane that may profit vs vnto eternal life: and thus hauing our heartes pre­pared, we should bec [...]e fitte ground to receiue the seede of God [...] wo [...] [...] to our endles comfort. For sure it is, that before the Lord can sow any [...] seede in y ^e furrowes of our hard heartes▪ he must first of necessitie breake [...] ▪ [...] mo [...]fy the same with the pl [...] [...] his law, & teare in s [...]der y ^e hard [...] of vyces & sins, w ^t the sharp harrow of his iudgments: y ^• so the wéedes which our own flesh do naturally yéeld forth, may be pluckt vp by y ^• rootes, & scatered▪ vpon the vpper [...] of the earth, that is, laide plai [...] [...] open before our eyes, whereby our [...] may bee [Page 15] made manifest vnto vs, and we by that meanes dr [...]en forward more earnest­ly, to séeke for our Physitiō Christ Ie­sus, and more willingly take y ^e purga­tions which he by his seruātes shal mi­nister vnto vs, how sharpe so euer it be for curing therof. Dasig [...]rous disea­ses require sharpe & bitter medicines, to purge out the corruptiō which is the cause of the same; yea & the more daū ­gerous the d [...]sease is, the more sharpe medicine it requyreth▪ Wel thē, if it be so, as it is most true, as by a [...] example it may be made more plaine; y ^t french pockes is a f [...]r more daunge­rous disease, then the messels, and ther­fore requireth a more bitter purgation for y ^• curing therof, then the other doth. But our diseas which naturally we are infected [...] is far more per [...]o [...]s thē eyther y ^t messels or fre [...]he pockes: for it is no better then a most lothsome le­pry, which doth not only [...] or foote, but the whole body [...] e [...]ery member thereof, within and without, so that there is no place fr [...]; which dis­ease although it bee not bodely [...] kinge out into scur [...] [...] [Page 16] in the open face of the world, which may make vs lothsome vnto the [...]y [...] o [...] men, and hasten our naturall death: yet it is spirituall, and breaketh out in­to blasphemous swearinge, lying, de­ceauing, cursed speaking, flaunder, murder, drunckenesse, and such like, which maketh vs lothsome in the eyes▪ of the eternal God; and bringeth spee­dely vpon vs, though not bodely death, yet that spirituall and eternall death of both bodie and soule in hell fire, which is endlesse, endlesse, and hope­lesse, from which y ^• Lord for his Christ his sake deliuer vs all. Amen.

MOst true it is, that we are all by nature infected with this spiri­tuall leprosie of sinne and corruption, which maketh vs lothsome in the eyes of the almighty as it hath beene already some what touched, and yet not so suf­ficiently [Page 17] as the necessitie of the matter requireth. For although the Disease [...] both grieuous and generall, yet the knowledge & feeling thereof is very sparing; and although that all bee in­fected with the same, yet not one a­mongest a thousand, wil in trueth con­fesse him selfe so to be; such is the blind­nes of our stubborne and crooked na­ture, as for example: aske a naturall man, which hath his life as voyd of th [...] feare of God, as it may be, whether he be proud, (couetous, deceiptfull, [...] blasphemer of the name of God) or how much his nature is enclyned ther­unto, he will straight wayes answers with a shew of thankfulnes vnto God, affirming that his nature both is and hath bene alwayes from his youth, frée from any such things, wondring euen with cursed speaches, how, why, or for what cause, any man should conceiu [...] so euil an opinion of him. A maru [...]lous blindnes, and yet commonly this will be theire answere, although there ap­peare no better fruit in all the actions of their life: and thus Satan pulleth vs forward from euill to worse, in adding [Page 18] vnto our blindnes, wilful stubbernes, and therfore one degree farther off frō being cured: for [...] it were so that wee were simply blinde, there were some hope that we would receiue light whē occasiō is offred, to discerne some part of our disease with desire to be cured, because of the danger▪ which otherwise through the longe continuance of it. might ensue vpon vs. But seeing▪ [...] [...]s far otherwise, that wee are not [...] blinde, but also through the va [...]e wis­dome of our owne conceits, c [...]rryed a­way in a false perswasiō of our selues, that we do both knowe and very well perceiue, our owne estate to be good, yea and so perfect, that the same can by no meanes be bettered. Seeing it is so I say, how, or which way is it possible for a [...]e man to worke for ou [...] health, when we our selues, be [...]o [...] off frō any dread [...] of being sick. What the [...] ▪ shal we leaue it thus ruinous as we finde it [...] God forbid▪ for y ^• which is vnpossible to men, is possible to God. And although the plater b [...] nothing Corin. 3. 6. and the vvat [...]rer as litle vvorth, ex­cept the Lord giue increase: yet [...] is [Page] sinne, in the planter not to plant, and no better in the waterer not to water▪ how [...]de & vnfruitful soeuer y ^• barre [...] groūd of mens heart seeme to be vnto them; and why, because we know not what the Lord will bring to passe by their labours, who by the ministery of his word, doth not only cleanse the le­pers, and gaue sight vnto the blind, but also bringeth far more mightie things to passe; as in turninge raueninge wolfes into meeke lambes; and cruel Leopards into gentle Kids; and deuouring Lyons into t [...]me Calues; yea and the venemous Aspes or Coc­katrices into the nature of innocent & delightfull children; not that beastes are thus changed, but the holy Ghost meaneth the wilde and sauage affecti­ons of men, who although they bee as rauening, deuouring, cruell and vene­mous, as any of these wilde beastes, yet the power and force of the worde & gospel of Iesus Christ is such y ^• it will make thē as tame, meeke, gentle and delightfull as Lambes, Kids, Calues, or little childrē: & not so only, but much more: for y ^• excellencie of it is such, that [Page 20] it will rayse by those y ^• be dead, euē to life againe, & therfore great cause haue y ^• ministers & saints of God, euē with bouldnes and exceeding hope, to take this spirituall weapon, both in hearte and hand, [...] a sufficient armoure, to stand and preuaile, against all the en­gins and f [...]ery darres of y ^• wicked, how 1. Cor. 10. 5. luk. 10. 17. 18. great and cruell soeuer they seeme to be. For it is the word of God onelye, which casteth down strong holds, and euery thing which exalteth it selfe, a­gainst the knowledge of God; yea and bringeth into captiuitie euery affection vnto the obedience of Christ: which worde, as it is a sufficient defence a­gainst all dangers; a perfect purgation to cleanse vs from all ill humors; yea a most pre [...]ous salue to heale al disea­ses or woundes whatsoeuer: so also it is a most cleare and bright candle to lighten our blinde eyes, whereby wee may perfectly behold, not onely y ^• grie­nousnesss of our dise [...]se, but also the great danger therof; a point very néed­full and chiefly to be obserued, as the first step which belongeth to true and vnfayned christianitie. For before [...] [Page 21] doe knowe our disease which is sinne, how shal we vnderstand the danger & inconuenience that it subiecteth vs vn­to, which is the wrath & euerlastinge curse of God; and hauing our eyes once shut vp from beholding the dan­ger and discommoditie of sinne, which way is it possible for vs to be broughte to feare and tremblinge at the iudge­ments and heauy threatnings of God in his words, seting we haue no credit therein: and then hauing our heartes thus hardened, how far [...]ff are we frō Rom. 3. 2 [...] ▪ Ga [...]. [...]. 16. 2 [...] Heb [...] 11▪ 6. repentance, but much farther off from faith, whereby alone vve are iustified before the Lord, and vvithout the vvhich it is impossible to please him. Well then, to the ende that w [...]e may auoide these great inconueniēces, and be vnfaynedlye brought vnto the hope of Christ his kingdome: order re­quireth that we begin to inlarge vpon this first point or step thereunto, which is to prooue and make knowen vnto vs, by the worde of God, our disease, that we are all infected, with this spi­rituall leprosie of sin: cōcerning which matter the Scriptures are very plen­tifull. Psal. 5 [...]. 5, [Page 22] Dauid in the Psalme vseth thes [...] [...]ob. 25. 4. wordes: We are borne in iniquitie, and in sinne hath our mother con­ceaued vs. Iob considering this, ma­keth it an vnpossible thing for vs to be voyde of sinne: how saith he may a mā be cleere in thy sight, or hovv may [...]say. 11. 7. [...]. he vvhich is borne of a vvoman be righteous? Like begetteth and brin­geth foorth his like; men gather not figs of thornes, nor grapes of thistles; It is contrary to the nature of a crab­tree to bring foorth any other fruit thē crabbes: So likewise man and womā all generally being sinners, can beget and bring foorth no better then them­selues. Thinke this therefore with thy selfe, that if thou be begotten of a man and borne of a woman, thou muste néedes be a sinner. Can the blacke Moore change his skin? o [...] the Cat of Mount her Spottes? So vnpossi­ble a thing it is for thee to change thy condition and estate that thou wast [...] borne in, bridle it how thou w [...]lt, and pretend as much as thou canst; yet when thou hast done thy best thou art a sinner, not in parte, but wholie, euen [Page 23] from the soole of the foote, to the Esai. 1 6 crowne of the head, as Esaie saith, in his first chapter: not in worke onely, but also in worde, and not in wordes & workes alone, but also in thoughtes, as it appeareth by that which is writ­ten Gen. 6. 5. [...]. [...] Mat, 15. 19 in Genesis. All the thoughtes & imaginations of mans heart are e­uill continuallie. And yet because we may be more drawn out of our selues; and not deceyued with a shewe of good things, which may seeme to rest in our nature: the holy Ehost telleth vs, that Esai. 64. 6 Rom. 8. 6. The verie righteousnes of man, is as a defiled cloth, & his wisedome ten­deth vvholie vnto death, wherein he ouerthroweth euen▪ the best things of our nature For what should we iudg the righteousnes and wisdome of man, which the holy ghost speaketh of here, to be, but this: his prayer, fasting, and almse deeds, his frequenting of cōmon prayer, Sermons and Sacramentes, his gay and glorious speaches, fran [...]ed out of the word of God, which hath in them great shew of religion and pietie: but to conclude, whatsoeuer it be [...]or how glorious a shewe so euer it hath [Page 24] in the eyes of men, yet if it proceed [...] from no other affection, then that which we haue receyued from our na­turall parentes, it is no better accoun­ted off before the Lord then a defiled cloth, and the wages that we shall re­ceyue for the same, no better thē death: herein then you may see the trueth of that scripture fulfilled, which telleth vs, that to the vncleane, nothinge is cleane: well therefore, Let vs not de­ceiue 1. Iohn. 1. 8. our selues, by saying that we haue no sinne, or by supposinge our selues to be in good case, because our sinnes are more tollerable then o­ther mens bet. For the least sin in vs, although it be but in thought, if there bee no stryuinge against the same, or mislyking of it, the waight thereof, is no lesse, nor no easier then the euer­lasting torment of hell fire. But here some man may obiecte and say, that all these wordes are to no purpose: for who is he that confesseth not himselfe, to be a sinner? True it is that all men in a generall speach doe confesse them selues so to be, yea and perticularly also frō the lippes forwards: but the vnfay­ned [Page 25] acknowledgement of our sins per­ceth far deeper, & commeth more nea­rer vnto y ^• quicke. For it doth not stir vp bare wordes in vs alone, but other things also, which are of farre more sense and feeling; as a troubled soul [...]; a pensiue and sorowfull spirit, for our sins committed against God: because our owne conscience doth tell vs, that therein we haue greatly offended him, and prouoked his euerlasting curse to be powred vpon vs, which as yet we [...] see not which way, or how to auoyde: the consideration whereof, stirreth vp in vs greate care; much and earnest prayer, euen with gr [...]ning sobbes, and bitter teares; feare also w ^t desire, zeale and punishment, that by this iudginge of our selues, we might preuēt y ^• iudge­mentes of God, which otherwise wee knowe & do very well perceyue are to be executed vpon vs. But this may be made more plaine vnto vs by a famili­ar example & such a one as we are ve­ry wel acquainted with, & experienced in: y ^• thiefe or wicke [...] persō, which hath committed some notorious crime, of theft, murder, or both so lōg as his facte [Page 26] is vnknown, he maketh no conscien [...] of it▪ but eateth and drinketh with the drunkard, and proceedeth forwards in like wickednes; tell such a one in ge­nerall speache, that he is [...] sinner, and there is no doubt [...], but that hee will willingly yeelde vnto it; but come more nearer vnto him, and tell him that he is a theefe or murderer, and if he bee sure that thou canst bring forth no sufficient proo [...]e of the same, hee will not falle but make thee smart for it, as farre forth as the Lawes of the Realme will giue him leaue. Now [...] this felowe which standeth so [...]outlis all this while vpon his pantos [...]es, as t [...]ough he had receiued greate wrong, his facte beeinge once knowne, and brought to right, and hee him selfe laide holde [...]pon, to appeare before a iudge, where hee must receyue the sentence of death for his wicked deede, which he hath committed, and seeth no waye nowe to auoyde the sa [...]e: marke then his tou [...]enance and see howe all the powers of his bodie are chaunged, [...]nto tremblinge and feare; his [...]n [...]es which before [Page 27] were so stiffe, nowe doe willingly yeelde them selues vnto the grou [...]de, with weeping and wringing o [...] hands, to cra [...]e pardon, labouringe by all meanes and wayes that hee can de­uise or procure, euen with greate im­portunacie, that he [...] obtaine the same, willingly yeeldinge him sel [...]e vnto the prison, to the [...]etters, and to the hote yron, so that he may escape with life, he weigheth not these other punishmentes, yea, and the more te­rible the sentence of death is, which the iudge doth pronounce against him, the more is his feare and labour to a­auoyde the same. Hereby you see then, as in a cleare glasse, what it is in trueth to confesse our sinnes, and by what meanes we are brought there­vnto. For as the thiefe or wicked person, can not bee brought vnfay­ [...]edly to confesse his facte, before it hee made knowne, and hee himselfe attached to appeare be [...]ore a iudge, to bee condemned for the same: so like­wise the case standeth with euery one of vs▪ who by nature are no better then theeues and murderers before [Page 28] the Lord, that we can by no meanes bee brought in trueth to yelde vnto the same, before the monstrousnesse and vgly shape of these our sinnes, with the paine and penaltie due there­unto, bee set before our owne con­sciences, and we as it were summo­ned before Gods iudgement seate, to be condemned for the same: you see also the fruit and effectes, which folowe the true acknowledgment of our sinnes, which is feare, trem­bling, weeping, wringing of handes, and importunate sute, euery kinde of way for pardon, and the reason is verie good: for if the face of an earth­ly Iudge which can but kill the body, bee so terible vnto that partie, which is brought before him for his facte: what shall wee thinke then, or howe terrible is the face and sentence of that eternall and heauenly Iudge of Iudges; who after hee hath killed, Ap [...]. 20. 11. can cast both bodie and soule into hell fire, and from whose countenance flyeth away both the heauens and the earth. Well then? these compari­sons beinge well thought vpon, and [Page 29] we so perfectlie experienced in the lesser which is before man, will willingly I doubte not yeelde vnto the trueth of the greater, which is, when anie mans conscience for sinne, doth sommon h [...] before the Lord.

Let vs not therefore hereafter, bee anie more so blinde and ignorant, as to thinke that we are come to greate perfection in Christianitie before we are entred into the first steppe that appertayneth vnto the trueth there­of, which is the vnfayned acknow­ledginge of our sinnes: vnfayned I call it, when these passions of the minde before repeated, are stirred vp in vs, through the sighte thereof, other­wise it is fayned and to noe pur­pose. For if wee call to minde the te­stimonie of holie scripture to prou [...] and confirme the same, we shall see it and as in a glasse behold it very plen­tifully prooued, and sufficiently euery way warranted vnto vs, howe that this hath alwayes bene the Lordes purpose and intent, dealinge with all his children & elect, in the beginning of [Page 30] theire calling, euen so to humble theire soules, with the sight of their sinnes, that they were almost fettered in the chames of desperation, as we may see it in the poore Publican, who seemed Luke. 18. 13 so vile in his owne eyes, That hee durst not lift them vp to heauen. So likewise the people of the Iewes, Act. 2. 37. which were conuerted at the prea­ching of Peter, and the rest of the A­postles, were in such distresse and trouble of minde for theire sinnes, that they could not tell which way to wind out of it, But being pricked in their heartes, cried out vnto the Apostles and saide, men and brethren, what shall we do? Which doth importe a marueylous distresse that they were in. A notable example of this also we haue in the sixtenth of the Actes, in the Act. 16. 3 [...]. conuersion of the keeper of the prison, who when hee sawe the greate po­wer of God in shaking the founda­tion thereof for the delyuerance of his Saintes, came tremblinge and quakinge, in marueylous feare, say­inge, What shall I doe, that I maye bee saued? Which requeste [Page 31] doth giue vs to vnderstand, that he iudged him selfe to be no better thē a condemned wretch. In like maner the Prophet Abacuk speaking of the beginning of his calling, saith thus of it When I heard, my bellie trēbled, my lips shooke at the voice: rotten­nesse Abacuk. 1. 1 [...] entred into my bones, and I trembled in my selfe, that I might be spared in the daie of the Lorde. See, here the Prophete taketh these troubles & anguishes of mind, which hee was brought into by the hearing of the word, as a warrante vnto his owne soule, that the Lord would spare him in the day of euill. A verye apte proofe we haue of this also in the booke of kings, where it was said vnto Iosi­as the kinge, that because his hearte 2. King. [...]. 19. 20. did melt, when he heard the booke of the Lawe read, and those iudge­mentes pronoūced, which the lord pretended to bring vpon Ierusalem and the temple for the sinnes of Manasses: because (I say) his heart did melt, & he rent his clothes, & wepte at the hearing thereof, therfore the Lord tolde him, that these miseries [Page 32] shoulde not bee in his dayes, but that he shoulde be gathered to his fathers in peace and not see them. And what should I saye of Dauid the king. who beeing a man after Gods owne heart, yea and also a figure of Christe, what wonderfull distresses & anguishes of minde & soule was he in, not only, in y ^e beginning of his calling, but also throughout his whole life, as it appeareth very plentifully in the Psalmes, where he vttereth these voy­ces. Many saye vnto my soule there Psal. 3. 2. is no helpe for him in his God, and agayne: I fainte in my mourning Psal. 6. 6. and cause my bedde euerie night to swim with my teares: and aga [...]e. howe long wilte thou forget me O Psal. 13 1. 2. Lord for euer? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me, howe long shall I take counsell with my selfe, hauing daily wearines in my heart: and againe, there is nothing sounde Psal. 38. 3. in my flesh because of thy displea­sure, there is no rest in my bones, because of my sinnes, and againe my heart trembleth within me, the Psal. 55. 4. 5. sorrowes of death are fallen vppon [Page 33] me, feare and trembling is come vppon me, and an horrible feare hath couered me, yea his troubles Psal. 42. 7. were such, and his temptations came so thicke one in the ne [...]ke of another, that his soule refused comforte, and Psal. 77. 2. it seemed vnto him that the Lorde had vtterly reiected his soule, * reade the 88. Psalme. Thus you see it plaine­ly proued out of the word of God, how the Lorde hath alwayes dealte with his children, in calling them vnto the hope of his kingdome, that they might be pricked forewardes to bring vnto him that acceptable sacrifice of a so­rowfull spirite, and broken hearte, Psal. 51. 17. which hee at no time will despise, but hath bounde him selfe by promise, that at what time soeuer any do come vnto him, which are ouer burdened Mat. 11 28. with the sight of their sinnes, they shall finde refreshing: here you see also the trueth of this doctrine verifi­ed: that the Lorde doth first wounde, before he maketh whole; hee firste Osce. 61. humbleth, before hee doeth exaulte; bee bringeth dovvne to Hell, bee­fore 1 Sam. 2. 6. hee raiseth vppe to Heauen, [Page 34] And to conclude, hee maketh vs to see our miserie, before he will bestow vp­on vs his mercy: for to whom is meat most sauery, but to hun that is moste hungrie; to whome is liberty most de­lightfull, but to him which is in y ^e most miserablest bondage; and to whom is life most sweete, but to him that is in the greatest danger of death. For of­fer liberty to such a one as is fre [...] from bōdage, or life to him that is in no dā ­ger of death, and they will laugh thee to scorne: but goe to some prison, and offer liberty to him that hath hen long in chaines, and life vnto him that is already iudged to die, and thou shalt sée how thākfully he will receiue thy prof­fer, and how mindefull he will be of the same. A similitude very fit to teach vs, for what cause the Lord doeth thus deale with his children in humbling of them, to the ende that they may praise him in trueth for deliuering them out of such wonderfull miserie, and neuer be vnmindefull of so great a benefitte. In this sense it was sayde of Marye Magdalē, that she loued much, because many sinnes were forgiuen her. For [Page 35] who amongst the children of women, was there euer found [...], to be a more greuouser sinner then she, which was Make 16. [...] Luke. 8. 2. a common harlot, and had [...]uē deuils rast out of her, that is to say, a greate many, we know not the number, and who againe was there euer founde, to shew foo [...]th y ^• like affection of loue vn­to our lauiour Christ as she did, after she perceiued that these greate sinnes were forgiuen her, and she redeemed Iohn. 12. [...]. from the danger therof: for she washed his fee [...]e with her teares, and wyped them with the heire of her head. In this sense also it is sa [...]d of the Apostle saint Paul, that hee laboured more a­boundantly then all the reste of the A­postles, and what moued him so to do, euen this, because hee perceiued that many and grieuous sinnes were for­giuen him. What the [...] shall wee sin much, that we may loue and laboure much? God forbid. The holy Ghoste hath no such meaninge, neither is it saide that they loued and laboured much, because they had sinned much; but because many sinnes were so gi­uen them. There is none of vs all but [Page 36] doe commit many and grieuous sins, and the more wee doe commit the worse we are to be liked, for the lesse doe we loue, and the lesse also is our labour in the waies of Godlines: but if wee were come vnto this steppe, that wee did clearelie see these sinnes, and were perfectlie humbled and wea­ried with the burden of them, hun­gring and thirsting for easement, there is no doubt, but y ^t wee should quickly perceiue and feele, the great loue of God towardes vs, in pardoning and forgiuing all these our sinnes whiche we haue committed against him, and so by that meanes wee also might bee drawē with Mary and Paule, to loue and labour much, because many sins are forgiuen vs. But before wee can haue faith to beleeue, and strength to feele that many sinnes are forgiuen vs, we must first learne to knowe & feele both that wee haue committed many sinnes, yēa that we doe nothing els but sinne, and to the ende that we may vnfainedly bee brought vnto the knowledge therof, the best meane or way that we can vse, is this, euē so set [Page 37] the purenes and seuerity of the law, as it is in it selfe without Christ, against our own affectons, vntill such time as we be euen plunged into nothing, and perfectly hūbled therby: for this is the office of it, & to this end it was orday­ned. The vse of th [...] Lawe. 1 First to reueale vnto vs our sins, as it is very plainly declared in y ^• e [...] ­stle to y ^• Romanes, where it is writtē, by y ^• lawe shall no flesh be iustified in Rom. 3. 20. his fight: for by it cōmeth the know­ledge of sin, & againe: the lavve cau­seth Rom. 4. 15. vvrath, for vvhere no lavve is, there is no trāsgressiō, that is to say, there is no trāsgressiō knowē, accor­ding to y ^• which y ^• Apostle speaketh in another place, where hee vseth these words. I had not knovvē sin, but by Rom. 7. [...]. the lavv: for I had not knovvē that lust had beene sin, except the lavve had said thou shalt not lust, so th [...]n, hereby you may eastly perceiue, y ^• the first office of the lawe, is to reueale or make knowē vnto vs our sinnes.

2 Secondlie it goeth forwardes and maketh vs to bee out of measure sinnefull. For to this ende the lavve Rom. 5. 20. entered, that sinne might abounde. [Page 38] And after this sorte the Apostle reaso­neth in another place, where hee hath these wordes: Sinne tooke occasion Rom. 7. 13. by the commandement and decei­ued me, and thereby slew me, wher­fore the lawe is holie, and the com­mandement is holie, and iust, and good. Was that thē which is good made death vnto me, God forbid, but sin, that it might appeare sin, wrought death in me by that which is good, that sinne might be out of measure sinnefull, by the comman­dement. And thus you see how the Lawe doeth proceede, not onely in re­ueiling vnto vs our sinnes, but also in making vs out of measure sinnefull: not onely in be wraying the corrupti­ons of oure workes, but also of our wordes: and not of our wordes and works alone, but also of our thoughts not in condemning some, & iustifyinge the rest, but in vtterly reiecting of all. If there haue been but one thought in all our life time out of square, and ad­mitte it to be so, that we were free frō sinne, both in worde, work, & thought: yet the s [...]ueritie of the Lawe is suche, [Page 39] that it wholy depriueth vs of all hope of life, because wee were borne in sinne, and hauing thus bewrayed in vs such a huge heape of corruptions, whereby we perceyue our selues to be aboue measure sinfull, yea nothing els but a masse and lumpe of sinne, doth it leaue vs so? noe, but then it proceedeth in setting before our eyes, the iudgmentes of God for the same, threatning, condemning, and cursing vs, for not fulfillinge that in euery poynt, which we are not able to per­forme in one of the least poyntes ther­of: Deut. 28. 16. 1: 13 &c. pronouncing vs To be cursed in the field, cursed in the towne, cursed in our basket, and store, cursed in our houses, and in the fruite of our [...]wne bodies, cursed in al y ^• we take in hand▪ yea and that which is worst of all cursed in our selues with an euer­lasting curse, from the presence of God: who is become vnto vs a terible and st [...]rce iudge, from whose face we shall destrethe hils & mountaines to fall vpō vs▪ and hide vs, thundring out heauy, & feareful threatnings against vs. That Osee. [...]3. 7. 8 he will be vnto euery sinner, as a [Page] verie lyon, & as a leoparde in the waie of as [...]hur, he wil meet thē as a she beare that is robbed of her whelpes, & will breake the verie gall of their hearts, he Iere. [...]. 14. Psalm. 11. 9. wil be vnto thē as a deuouring flame, & wil raine snares vpō their heads, fier, brimstone, & stormy tēmpest, this shal be the portion of their cup. For euerie Psalm. 9. 17. sinner must be cast into hel, & all nati­ons that forget God, head & taile, roote & brāch, not one exēpted: for y ^e reward of sin, is death, & we are al sinners: therfore, by y ^• law we are al condēned, we are all vn­der y ^• curse, the bōdstaues of satan, and fire brands of hel. Thus y ^• law proceedeth in plunging vs, deeper & déeper, into y ^• pit of sorrow, where we can finde no g [...]ud: for whē it hath shewed vnto vs our sins; and y ^• vnmeasurablenes of y ^• same, w ^t the m [...]g­mēts & heauēly plagues of God, to be exe­cuted vpō thē, then ētereth y ^• fourth [...] 4. office of the Law. of y ^• law, which is horror, feare, [...], weeping, wringing of hād [...], &c. as it hath bene before made plaine vnto vs, by a si­militude, & very plētifully proued also out of y ^• scriptures, y ^• the children of God, [...] bene subiect vnto these passiōs of y ^• minde & body, before they could come vnto the hope of his kingdome, & therfore lesse may 5. Office of the Lawe. be spoken of it now, wil thē the last office [Page 41] of the law, is, that it sēd [...]th vs vnto christ, as y ^• Apostle witnesseth: Christ is the end Rom. 10. of the Law for righteousnesse, vnto all that beleue, and againe, The law is our Calat. 3. [...] schole master, to bring vs vnto Christ, that we may be made righteous by faith. So thē hereby it is plaine, that y ^• last office of y ^• law, is to send vs vnto Christ, and marke it for a special point, y ^• it is the last office therof, & not y ^• fi [...]st: for the [...]aw must of necessitie proceed vpō vs, by these steps before repeated, y ^• we may be as it were killed in our selues, from all hope of fleshly righteousnes before we can be pre­pared, to receyue y ^• life which is by Christ. So thē hereby you see y ^• the lord in cōuer­ting of a soule, doth euē work a miracle, [...] raise them which are dead to life againe, and therfore they do abuse y ^• gospel, which wil presume, vpō y ^• cōforts therof, before such time, as y ^• law hath thus hūbled thē ▪ for most certaine it is, that they which so deale, do deceiue thē selues, to y ^• ēcrease of pride & security. For as the law w ^tout the gospel, driueth to dispaire, so in like maner y ^• gospel w ^tout the law, maketh vs to pre­sinne, & therfore of necessitie both worke together, but y ^• law hath the first place: for vntil such time as y ^• law hath done [...]is of­fice, in hūbling of vs, y ^• gospel cā not profit [Page 42] neyther yet doth the same appertaine vnto vs, no more then a plaister, or pleasant healing salue, doth belong vn­to that wound which is full of corrup­tion, and rottennesse, euen to the bone: for you know that vnto such a woūd, there belongeth first knyues and laun­ [...]ors, to open the same, and then sharpe and bitter salue to drawe out the cor­ruption, and eate out the deade fleshe thereof, before there come any healing plaister neere it: the nature wherof is to close vp and skinne the vpper parte of the wounde, and clense all the cor­ruption and deade flesh within, which afterward breede to great inconueni­ence, and make the wounde far more daungerous.

Euē so it fareth with all those which are wounded with the venemous dart of selfe loue: which wound beinge choaked with the corruption, and deade fleshe of couetousnesse and pride, and yet, will vse no other medicine for the curing thereof, then that pleasante healinge salue of the Gospell, which if they knewe in trueth howe litle the same did pro [...]te them, before [Page 43] such time as the sharpe launcinge knife of Gods Lawe had opened the wounde, and the bitter salues of his iudgementes, and sharpe threatninges eaten out the rottennesse thereof, they would goe an other waye to worke, and vse a more sounder dyet, for the obtayninge of health, although it bee verie tedious and sharpe at the first. Surely it is very lamentable to behold the grosse blindnesse and securitie of our age: for the most parte of vs, nay almost euery one, doe thinke that christianitie, doth wholy rest in an outward shewe of wordes: and there­fore if wee canne come to the vnder­standinge of some places of the scrip­ture, whereby we may bee able to define and prooue, what faith is, and the obiecte, vpon whome the same taketh holde: we thinke it to be such a perfection, as we neede goe no further, and that there can be no better Christians in the worlde, then we our selu [...]s are, although there be no more remorse of conscience for sinne in vs, then there is in a blind beast. [Page 44] But alasse let vs thinke or knowe as much as we will or can, in this sorte, and let other men which be as blinde as wee our selues are, praise vs for our knowledge, as much as they list, yet al this wil stand for no paymēt be­fore the Lord, nor bringe one spar­kell of warrant vnto our soules, whereby we may assure our selues to be in his fauour; who onely looketh vpon a troubled soule, which is hum­bled with the sight of his sinnes, and Psal 51. Esai. [...]6. 2 hath promised to power his Spirit v­pō those that tremble at his worde. Therefore if thou wilt make a true examination of thine estate between God and thee, whether thy faith to­wardes him be vntayned or not, prooue not the foundation thereof, by thy knowledge, how much or whom thou doest knowe, but rather by the feare, howe much or whome thou doest feare. For in trueth there is neyther knowledge nor faith, except the beginninge thereof bee feare, as it is manifest in diuers places of the prouerbes. The feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisdome. By [Page 45] wisdome in that place is meante all things that belon [...]e vnto the know­ledge & saluation of a Christian man▪ and yet here you see, that y ^• holy Ghost sheweth in plaine wordes, that the feare of the Lord is the beginninge of [...]t: and who knoweth not that faith is the chiefest and onely thinge which belongeth vnto euery Christian, for the attayning of saluation: therefore the beginning of faith is feare, which feare is stirred vp in vs, through re­morse and conscience for sinne, which sinne also is reuealed vnto vs by the Lawe: and therefore if feare be not the beginning and first fruit of thy faith, thou hast good cause to doubte of it, and to thinke with thy selfe, that thou arte come vnto Christ before the Fa­ther draweth, and our sauiour Christ telleth vs plainly, that no man can Iohn. 6. 44 come vnto him, except the Father do first dravve him, which word dra­vving, doth importe in vs, a maruey­louse vnwilling [...]esse, because the way seemeth verie tedious and vnpleasante vnto vs, vntill such time, as wee come vnto Christ, that is, vntill wee [Page 46] haue a iustifyinge faith to beleeue in him. And therefore that rashe and forged faith which men doe drawe vn­to them selues without the Lord, that is without remorse and conscience for sinne, may very fitly be compared, vnto the faith of him, which is spoken off in the Gospel after saint Matthew, who came to our Sauiour Christ, and saide vnto him, Master I will folowe M [...]. 8. 19. 20. thee whither so euer thou goest. But what was the entertainement, that our Sauiour Christ gaue him, he telleth him that y ^• Foxes haue heales, and the foules of the aire haue nestes, but the Sonne of man hath not where to lay his head: meaning that where­as vnto an earthly man for a while it may seeme an excellent and sweet [...] thinge to folowe, that is to professe Christ: yet when he must come to the denying of him selfe, and to renounce the loue of eternall things, it will be veri [...] bitter and vnpleasant vnto him. Hereby you see the entertainement and welcome of those which are so hastie to come before they bee cal­led, that is, in the pride of theire [Page 47] heartes, without any consideration of their owne miserie, & neede they haue of him; nay rather, as though hee had neede of them: for certaine it is, that there are a great manye; which when they haue done any small thing, that belongeth vnto the duetie of a Christi­an; doe thinke in that pointe that the Lord had neede of them, and therefore is become their debter for doinge it. But alack, it is not so, the good or euill which we doe, shall profit or hurte our selues; we cannot enrich [...] the Lord w ^t any thing that we are able to doe, who draweth both y ^• sinners, and the deuils to set foorth his glory, and therfore can as well be glorified in our condemna­tion, as in our saluation. But to leaue this, and come to our former matter: these ready fellowes which are so soone ripe, will be as quickly rotten; those y ^• are so hastie to followe Christ vnto the breaking of bread, that they maye fill their bellies, if they shall but heare this voyce from him; Sell all you haue and giue it to the poore: although hee pro­mise them neuer so greate treasure in heauen, yet they will forsake him, if it [Page 48] be to the vtter destruction and [...]ami­shing both of body & soule euerlasting­ly. Take me not here, that I goe a­bout to condemne our [...] and speede in turning vnto Christ if it be in trueth; neither is it my purpose to withdrawe any man from reading & meditating vpon the sweete promises of the Gospel: for the Lord hath many wayes to conuert vs by, and this may very wel be one, euen the consideratiō of his great mercies offred vnto vs in Christ, which may be a good meane to bringe vs to the consideration of our owne vnworthines and vnthankful­nes for the same, and of our great mi­series without it, and so be vnfaynedly brought vnto Christ: But rather my purpose is to bea [...]e downe our [...] boastinge of faith, when it is with so little fruite, as though it were possible Gen. 28. 12. for vs to be vpō the top of Iacobs lad­der, before we come neere the foot ther­of, and our heedeles presumings vpon Christ, without any remorse or cōsci­ence for sinne, as though the Lord did iustifie and appoint those vnto eternal saluation whō he would neuer sanctify [Page 49] vnto holines of life: these sinners are they, against whom chiefly he [...]herto I haue proceeded, to the end y ^• they may (if it be possible) be pulled away from y ^• grosse absurditie of putting religiō in bare names, titles, & figures, as though it were a matter of indifferencie, whe­ther they which call vpon the name of the lord did depart frō [...]quity or not: to y ^e end, I say, y ^• we may put no more such confidence in daine shadowes, which are without all trueth of sub­stance, & be cōstantly perswaded in our selues y ^• before we can liue vnto righ­teousnes, we must [...]y vnto sin: and before we can be vnseperably ioined vn­to Christ, wee must vt [...]erly be rent a­way from our selues, and see our mi­serie without him, who from euerla­sting is appoynted of God his father, to be a Phisitiō only vnto those which are sick, and not vnto those which per­swade themselues that they are whose; and hath bounde himselfe also by pro­mise to satisfie the hungry, & not those which are full; to giue sighte vnto the blinde, & not vnto those which suppose them selues to see wel mou [...] already, [Page 50] that God may be all in all, and Christ haue the whole glorye of our sauinge health. As hee who hath troden the winepresse of Gods wrath alone for vs, without any to help him, and to the end alss that euerie mouth may bee stopped, and all the world be found culpable before the Lord, who hath shutte vp all vnder sinne, that he may haue mercy on all, not all that are sin­ners, but euery one that confesseth him selfe so to be, which hee graunt for his mercies sake, Amen.

HAuinge before shewed the cor­ruptions of our nature, and by what meanes y ^• same is made knowē vnto vs, euen by the law, which must of necessitie passe vpon vs by these rules before repeated, that we may be humbled in the sight of our sinnes, and [Page 51] weryed with the burden of them, be­fore we can be prepared to come vnto Christ. And how that they doe mar­ueilously abuse the Gospel, which will presume vpon the sweets promyses thereof, before the Lawe hath thus humbled thē. In so much that Christ is the ende of the Lawe, and not th [...] beginning.

Nowe it followeth that we speake somewhat of those that abuse the law, and of the meanes how to shunne & a­uoyde the abusing of it. Those which Two abuser [...] of the Lawe 1. In presum [...] non. 2. In dispaire doe abuse the Lawe, are of two sorts: the one are they that will be iustified for doing those things therein commā ­ded: the other are those which despaire because they are not able to doe them. Concerninge the firste, that is, those which will be iustifyed by the Lawe, let them knowe that the Lawe was not giuen vnto vs to that ende, as the Apostle witnesseth to the Rem [...]nes▪ By the Lawe shall no flesh be iusti­fied in the sight of God. Further­more Deut. 28. 26 Gal. 3. 10. lam 2. the Law doth iustifie none but those which are the fulfillers of it, and none can fulfill the same, but those [Page] which are free from sin, both in birth, thought, and action: but we are polluted in all these, as it hath been before declared.

Christ alone is hee, in whom this perfection and cleannes is to be found, he only hath fulfilled it for vs, and is iustified by the same before his father, and hath also borne the punishmente due vnto vs, for breakinge of it, that we which beleeue might be made iust in his iustice, and not in the iustice of y ^e lawe, which is so farre from iustifying of vs, that if but the least title thereof shoulde be laide vpon our consciences without Christ, it would euē condēne vs downe to the bottome of hell, and therfore it must needes be, that they do marueylously abuse the Lawe, and Christ Iesus in like sorte, which will be iustifyed by it: they abuse the Lawe in presuminge to be iustifyed by that which is appointed to humble them; and Christ Iesus also, in taking vpon them his purenes and persection, in so much as hee alone was appoynted of his Fath [...] to bee the fulfiller of it. [Page] They abuse him also, in makinge hys death and suffringes to be of none ef­fecte, but caste them in the duste as things needelesse: for so reasoneth the Apostle to the Galathians, If righte­ousnesse be of the lawe, then Christ Gal. 2. 21. dyed without a cause. And againe in another place, If they which are Rom. 4. 14▪ of the lawe, be heires, faith is made voide, and the promise of none ef­fecte.

Here you see then what a grieuous absurditie they fall into, that doe séeke iustification in the Lawe, which was onely giuen foorth to reueyle vnto vs the perfection and holynesse of God, and our owne imperfection and vile­nesse, that hee alone might be founde true, and we lyers; hee iuste, and wee vniuste: and yet contrary [...] to this of­fice, which the Lorde hath appoynted it vnto, and contrary vnto the Lawe of our owne members, which wee s [...] to bee rebellious, and againste the Lawe of God, wyll presume vpon the purenesse and perfection thereof. [Page 54] as if the strength of it did rest within the compasse of our filthy bowels, and so make our selues equall vnto God, a marueylous pride, and doth very well declare vnto vs, who it is that is An­tichrist. And thus muche for the first abusers of the Lawe.

Secondly, the other sort which doe 2. Lawe abused by dispa [...]. abuse it, are those that doe dispaire, be­cause they see themselues not able to doe the same: it hath beene sufficiently declared already, that y ^• Law was not giuen foorth to the end that we should doe it, but rather to shew what we are not able to doe, that thereby we might be driuē from our selues and from the Lawe also, to seeke for helpe elswhere. For sure it is, that if we do rest in our selues, or in any Righteous­nes actiue is to looke to be iustified by doing of good deedes and by the ments of man. 2 Cor. 3. 6. 7 Actes 15. 10. actiue righteousnes of the Lawe, the ende thereof must needes be desperation, & for this cause the Lawe without Christ is called in the Scripture, A minister of death; the killing letter; ay [...]ke that ney­ther we nor our fathers were euer able to beare, and let it be so; or let it be that debt of ten thousande talentes which we are neuer able to pay: nay, [Page 55] and our estate on the other side, so poore and needy as we are not able to dis­charge the least mite thereof, (as in trueth we are not;) yet let vs knowe, that the same is limited, and hath no further an [...] hor [...]tie, then to humble vs, and therefore they which doe let it passe any further vpon them, do not rightly vse the Lawe, but rather great­ly abuse the same, to the depriuinge of them selues; from all hope of saluation▪ i [...] they returne not in time, and come vnto Christ, who thē, and at that time, doth chiefly and onely call them, as it is in the 11 of Matthew. Come vnto Mat. 11. [...]8. me all ye that are vvearie & laden, and I vvill ease you, take my yoke vpon you and learne of me that I am meeke and lovvlie in hearte, and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules, for my yoke is easie & my burden is light: here you see then, howe greatly they ouershoote them selues, which do charge the Lord w ^t vnpossible things, as if he did require such a duety at their hands, & lay such a heauy & intollerable burden, vpō their n [...]ckes, as it is im­possible for thē to beare: for this place [Page 56] doth plainely confute them, and make theire camllation to be of none effecte, which telleth vs that the Lords burdē is light, & his yoke easie, and therefore if any mans conscience be so ouerbur­dened with the sight of his sins that be falleth into desperation, let him not thinke that it is the Lorde which hath laid this burden vpon him, but rather that he himselfe hath drawne it vpon his owne necke, by abusing the Laws through infidelitie, because he cōmeth not vnto Christ: for y ^• end of the Law is faith in Christ, and not desperation. True it is, y ^• euery one seeth [...]t this, and therefore when the stinge of death at any time is awaked vp in theire cō ­sciences, & they looking no other way for [...]asment, but into the actiue righte­ousnesse of t [...]e Lawe, which the more the [...] looke into, the further they are frō helpe, and the deeper they plunge thē selues into sorrow, so that in the ende, it must needes come to passe, y ^• they fall into wonderfull diseases & angui­shes, both of minde and soule as if they were in y ^• present torments of [...]el fire. Hence it is also y ^• those woful & heauy [Page 57] outcryes doe arise: I am damned, I haue sinned against the holy ghost, my sins are so greate y ^• God wil neuer for­giue [...] and therfore wish that they had neuer bene borne, or y ^• theire liues were c [...]t short, by some vnlawfull meanes: as hanging, drowning, cut­ting, sticking, with theire own hands, are ready oft times to execute, vpō thē selues But to leaue there which are so far gone, standing or fallnig to theire own [...] and come vnto those who in theire distresses & troubles of minde & bodie haue some sparkle of the seede of God in them. For sure it is that the deare children of God [...]st times are ve­rie far gone this way, and brought as it were euen to y ^• lowest pit of fort [...]w, where they can hardly perceyue any comfort at al [...]nay rather do shew some tokē of reprobatiō in their anguishes. As it may seeme, vnto him, who is not wel experienced, in y ^• afflictions which are common vnto Gods child, en [...] cause of which great breach y ^• the ene­mie hath made into them, may very well dee in their owne selues, which through ignorance doe suffer the law to take such holde, and enter so [Page 58] far into their consciēces, where it hath nothing to do. For the conscience of a spirituall man is the state of Christ, where there should be nothing els but toy, peace, comfort and consolation in the holy Ghost. And therefore the law which bringeth horror and seare hath nothing to do with it, but vpon the flesh and old man, which is corrupted with pride & many other deceyuable lustes, and therefore requyreth a bur­den to be laide vpon the same, that it may be kept vnder, and not triumph euer the spirit [...] inwarde man, which should alwayes bee at libertie, in the [...]ye of heauenly things. Yet I saye, when contrarie to the office which it is appointed vnto, they will place the [...]a [...]ghtnesse and seueritie therof vpon theire consciences, it must needes bee greate cause of disquyetnesse and feare diuers wayes: for it vrgeth vpon vn­possible dueties, it checketh for neglec­ting the same, it threateneth and cur­seth them for doing those things which it hath forbiddē. And thus y ^• poore con­science being so much ouer charged w ^t Righteousnes actiue in the Lawe, palsiue in the Gospell. sorrow and feare, because it tooketh onely vpō y ^• Actiue righteousnesse of [Page 59] the Lawe, what he hath done & what he hath lest vndone, and altogether for­getteth that Passiue rigteousnes as t [...] beleue and [...] he saued by that which Christ hath suffered for v [...] Passiue righteousnesse of faith, which is begotten in them by the seede of God through the bowels of Iesus Christ, whereunto they ought to haue theire chiefe and onely respect, to strengthen themselues within tune of trouble. And it may be, that by rea­son of the greate afflictions which the minde is ouerpressed with, the seede of God be so darkened in them, that they are in doubte whether it be of his seede or not, And therefore to speake some­what for the comforting of those which are so lowe brought, admitie that in thine owne iudgement thy faith is vt­terly darkened and rased out, so that thou canst not perceyue any one spar­kle of it in thee, to refresh and ease thy sorrowfull minde withall: yet thinke with thy selfe, that y ^• which hath once beene truely & vnfaynedly in thee, the same must needes be in thee still. For Rom 3. 1 it is vnpossible that our vnbeliefe, should make the faith of God to be of none effecte: for he is alwaies one Mal. 3. 6. & vnchaūgable, howsoeuer we doe [Page 60] seeme to be vnto our selues. His giftes [...]om. 11. 29. & callings, are without repentāce, how so euer he dealeth with vs by af­fl [...]ctions in this life. Notable instructi­on to this purpose we haue in the 89. [...]salm. 89. 30. 34 Psalm, where y ^• holy Ghost vseth these wordes: [...]f my children forsake my [...]aw, & walke not in my iudgment, in they breake my statutes, & keepe not my commandements, then wil I visite their transgressions with the rod & theire iniquitic with stroaks. But my louinge kindnes will I not vtterlie take from them, nor falsifie my trueth, my couenant will I not breake, nor chauge that which hath gone out of my lippes. [...]ere you see then by plaine testimonies, that the most deare children of God, when so e­uer they do offend him, must looke for some punishment at his hande for the same: though not such as they will ap­poynt vnto thē selues, but rather such as he in his wisedome shal see to be cō ­uement & profitable for the bettering of their manners, & furtherance of theire saluation. Yea and it may be, y ^• he will e [...]rcise or punish them w ^t this crosse, [Page 61] euen by darkninge their faith, to make them see theire miserie without him, tha [...] afterwardes when strength shall come againe, they may learne to: liue more warely, and become more thāk­ful vnto God for his mercies towards them: But in conclusion how straūg­ty to euer he doth punish them which are his, we haue the warrant from his owne mouth, who can not lye, that he will not take his mercy from them, nor fa [...]ye his trueth. Yea and for more assurance he h [...]th sworne the perfor­mance thereof by an oth, saying. As I haue sworne that the waters of No­ah shall no more go ouer the earth, so haue I sworne that I wil no more be angrie with thee nor reproue Esai. 54. 9. 10. thee, the moutaines shal remoue & the hilles shall fall downe, but my there [...]e shall not departe from thee, nor the couenant of my peace fall a [...]aie. And what though wee at sometime bee blinde, shall wee thinke therefore that the Lordes sight is demined also; and what though nowe and their wee bee weake and feeble, that we thinke or imagine therfore that [Page 62] the Lordes strength is decayed in lik [...] sorte? far be it from vs so to do [...] ▪ for that were to imagine of the Lord, as of a mortal man, who iudgeth alwaies according to the present estate▪ and from whose eyes a thinne s [...]umme of drosse will hide great [...] and pretious [...] matter, who thinketh also that when things are hidde and darkened for a time, that they are lost & gone for euer, specially if they be such as are deare & pretious vnto them. But there i [...] no such matter in the Lord, who doth not onely see the bottome and ground of all things, but also is the beginner & ender of euerything y ^• is done. Who at some time is prouoked through our securitie and coldnesse in prayer, to cast a thinne scumine of infidelitie v­pon our faith, and darken it withall, to wake vs vp to more watchfulnesse, and earnest callinge vpon him: But we (alas) such is our weakenesse, do thinke by and by that all is gone and loste and wee vtterly forsaken, then we beginne to grone and crye, then wee sigh and sobbe, then we sorrow and lamerite, then wee beginne to call [Page 63] to mind our vnthākfulnes for his for­mer merci [...]s bestowed vpon vs. And this is y ^• fruite which y ^• Lord doth seck at our hands, by thus afflicting of vs. who is so farre from taking away his seede of faith from vs, that after our earnest prayer & true acknowledge­ment of our selues, doeth both kindle and encrease the same, to a far greater measure then [...]uer it was before.

These thinges being well thought vpon, may be a good mean to make vs more wise and valiant in this spiritu­all warfare, then we haue beene here­tofore: For as the ashes caste vpon the fire, put it not out, but is a means to preseru [...] the same in the nighte a­gainsts morninge, which otherwise would he consumed. And as the bar­rennes of the trees in w [...]nt [...], are a means to▪ preserue the root [...] against sommer, which then wil ascende vp his iuice into the bodye and branthes therof, wherby they are greatly inlar­ged, and made farre more fruitefull then euer then were before: e [...]en so are afflictions vnto y ^• children of God, which doe not onely keepe them from [Page 64] the barrennes of sin, but also increase [...]nd [...] them in the [...] [...] fruite­ [...]nes of Gods holy spirite, [...] the A­postle witnesseth vnto the [...]manes: Tribulation bridgeth patience, pa­tience [...]om. 5. [...]. 4. experience, experiece hope, & hope maketh not ashamed. How [...]e it there is no crosse pleasant for the present time but very [...] & bitter, as it appeareth very [...] in the booke of Iob, & in the [...] where there is set downe vnto vs▪ [...] a plat­forme of the estate of the Churche be­ing vnder the crosse, who poure ou [...] [...]eaute and grieuous complaintes, in [...]ursing the day and houre o [...] birthe▪ [...] accusing the Lord of [...]stice, and [...] Iob. 3. [...]. calling into doubt whether he woulde any more mercy or not. Wherby we Psal. 77. 7. 8. may euidentlye perceaue▪ [...]w but de­ [...]ous afflictions are vnto vs whilest they are present, specially if they [...] such crosses as these [...]olye men were exercis [...] ▪ with many [...] which ve­ry often had all spirituall strength and [...] so dark [...]ned i [...] them, y ^• they could not perceiue [...] sparke remay­ning to re [...]eue themselues with al; [...]t [Page 65] were faine to [...]ye vnto y ^• former mer­cies of God, which they were woonte to finde at his hande, or vnto his good­nesse shewed vnto their fathers: Be­cause their tentations were such, as did make them obtimons of his for­mer mercies towardes themselues▪ being surelye perswaded▪ that as they being in like distresses; called vpon him and were dely [...]ered, so in like ma [...]ter he would bee no lesse mercifull vnto them, although their hope were euen against hope.

But in conclusion howe bitte [...] so e­uer their▪ or our afflictions were, or are, for the present time, yet the ende thereof alwayes bringeth with it, an [...] wayght of glorie, as wee Iob. 4 [...]. cle [...]relye see, by the ende which the Lorde made with Iob. Which [...]. Iam. 5. [...]. I [...]mes (exhortinge vnto patience) willeth v [...] to consider of.

And [...] the testimonye of Dauid also, w [...] after his afflictions nowe ouerpassed, and hee [...]linge the com­moditie which they broughte vnto him, bursteth out into these wordes▪ [Page 66] Before I was afflicted I went astray, [...]. 119. 67. 68. but nowe I keepe thy worde. And again, It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted, that I might learne thy statutes▪ So then here you see that the Prophet confesseth that affliction was the meane where by he was not onelye procured to knowe the worde, but also to keepe it. The wise man in like sort considering the great com­moditie which affliction bringeth vnto the church of God, telleth vs plainely, that his strength is small which [...] ­teth in the pay of aduersitie. But yet for all that set the commoditie thereof he as great as it shall it behooueth vs not to vse any meanes wherby to multiplie and increase the same vpon our selues, but rather all lawfull and godly meanes that wee can to preuente it. And amōgst al y ^• rest this may be one, & the chiefest, what afflictions soeuer we suffer in body or otherwise▪ to bear them with pati [...]nce▪ and no [...] permitte the law for any thing▪ after it hath bea­ten downe the pride of our fleshe, to take holde vpon our consciences. For this is the chiefest matter that my pur­pose [Page 67] was in this place to handle, how be it I haue taken occasion by y ^• way, to speake somewhat for the comforte and instruction of those weake ones, who (although they haue the seede of God in them) doe ofte [...]nes so farre ouer shoote them selues this way▪ by lettinge the Lawe to take such déepe holde vpon their consciences, that all hope of comforte doth seéme [...]o be pe­rished in them. And as for the reste which are without, I leaue them as those to whome these comfortes do not yet belong, vntil such time as the lawe hath thus humbled them also. And thus much for the seconde abusers of the Lawe, namelye for those that doe dispaire.

It remayneth now that I speake somewhat of the meanes, wherby we may auoyde these abuses, which is to come vnto Christ, and that, as I haue before shewed, is the last offi [...]e of the Lawe. For the Lawe hauing passed vpon vs, by these rules before repea­ted, it is now appointed for vs to come vnto Christ▪ and not presume in the pride of our heartes against the Law [...] [Page 68] of our owne members to the fulfilling of it: neither yet faint by the way, be­cause we are not able to doe y ^• same, but come vnto Christ who is the ful­filler therof for vs. And y ^• steps wher­by we come vnto him are these: Faith and Repentance. For in the framing [...]ith and re­ [...]ntance, steps [...] Christ. of a Christian man, saith hath the first place, as it is manifeste in the Epistle to the Romanes: How shall they call vpon him in whome they haue not Rom. 10. beleeued.

But because I haue spoken some­what already of the roote and founda­tion of faith▪ I will nowe begin at re­pentance, and so procéede more cleere­ly vnto y ^• iustifyinge faith which brin­geth with it the peace of conscience for true repentance stretcheth further thē a hatred of sinne and feare of Gods iudgements, (which hath beene some­what touched alreadie.) For there is conteyned in it also the loue of vertue, with a hope of his mercies. For so much doth the Prophet▪ Ezechiel com­prehend in describing of y ^• same, where he hath these wordes: If a wicked Ezech 1 [...]. 21 [...]. 14 1 man will returne from all his sinnes [Page 69] that he hath committed, and keepe Os [...] 6. [...]. Esay [...]5. 6. Io [...]l. 2 1 [...]. all my starutes, and doe that which is lawfull and right, hee shall surelie liue and not die▪

This is the generall description, which the Scripture very plentifullie giueth soorth of [...]epentance, namely [...]: A turninge from our owne wayes which is sin, into the waies of God, which the prophet calleth his statute [...]: for they alone are lawfull and right in his sight, and to those only which walk therein▪ he hath ioyned this promise of life. Hereby you see then how neede­full a thing this doctrine is vnto euery Christian man, for we [...] can haue no assurance of life from the Lorde, vnto our owne consciences, except we doe warrante it vnto our selues also, by this carefull practise and indeuoure to striue and [...]ght continuallye againste our owne wayes, that thereby wee may become more tractable euery day then other in the wayes of God.

And as for the reste, which haue [...] care this waye, but rather haue their delightes and actions caryed a­way headl [...]g unto al fleshly pleasures. [Page 70] Let them pretende what they can, and bragge so much of their knowledge as they liste, yet for all that, they stand in the state of death, and can haue no hope of life in them, before such time as they make this carefull indenture vnto godlinesse, by [...]inge of their owne corruptions, to be the fruite of it. For what other thing then this doth the holy Ghost means when hee willeth vs to make our election or calling by good workes. Not as if y ^e 2. Pe [...] [...]. 10. assurance therof lay in our selues, ney­ther yet that we should think y ^t Lorde to be subiecte vnto change: but rather that we may knowe this to bee the will of God, euen our sanctification 1. Thes. 4. 3. that vvee should abstaine from for­nication, and that euerie mā might knovve hovv to possesse his vessell in holinesse, and not in the lustes of concupiscence and sinne as those Gentiles vvhich knovve not God. For to this ende doeth the Lorde be­stowe his graces vpon vs, that wee might learne to denie vngodlinesse and vvorldlie lustes; and become Ti [...]. [...]. 11. 1 [...] holie as he him selfe is holie. Yea [Page 71] & the scripture doth binde a mar­ueielous necessitie vnto the same, vvhere the holie Ghost hath these vvordes. If ye be risen vvith Christ, seeke those things vvhich are aboue Col. 3. 1. [...] ▪ vvhere Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. And set not your af­fections on earth lie things. And a­gaine, If vve call him Father, who 1. Pet. 1. 17. without respecte of persons iudge­eth euery mans worke, let vs spende y ^• time of our being here in feare. And Philip. 2. 1 [...]. againe, worke out your saluation with tr [...]mbling and feare; so that hereby it is plaine that we are not come to the end of our race, when we haue gotten a litle vnderstanding and knowledge of the scriptures and how to apply the same: for that is but to knowe what weapons we must vse in this spiritu­all warfars, and how to handle y ^• same for our owne defenc [...]; neyther when we are come to the sight & mistyking [...] of our sinnes and corruptions where­in we do displease y ^• Lorde: for y ^• is no other also then to be brought out into y ^• fielde in the sight of our enemies, y ^• de­uil, y ^• world, & the flesh, against whom [Page 72] we must fight & vse these weapons for y ^• ouerthrow of thē, lest they preuaile, against vs, and make vs more secure in sinne then euer we were before. So that the greatest [...] most daunge­rouse parte of our spirituall warfare is as yet vnaccomplished: that is the sub­duing & ouerthrowe of these enemies. The first & thie [...]est of them which we must set vpon, and séeke to subdue, is our owne flesh, which if that be once mastered the other two are but scarre crowes, and can neuer be able to do vs any greate harme. Know you not that one secrete & vnknowne enemye in a besieged citie is more hurtful then a hundred knowne enemies without the same? But if this secrete enem [...]s which is within bee once knowne and subdued (nay although theire bee many of them) yet as long as they bee kept vnder bōds they can not be hurt­ful at al, & theire hope also greatly de­ca [...]ed which are w ^tout. The deuil, the world, are enemies w ^tout, and can not possibly preuaile any whit w ^t vs, vntil such time as they get some lyking and [...]ntertainemēt of our affections, which [Page 73] if they do: certainely there is like to be a greate spoile & the whole man to be [...] brought into vtter ruine▪ vnlesse there be a short returne, & these affections of ours quickly called home againe vnder subiection of y ^e spirit. Surely a matter wherein the deare children of God o [...]tetimes do very far forget and ouershoot themselues. And therefore this is good counsel vnto those which haue strigth to receyue it, y ^• as often as our affectiōs do beginne to stray o [...]t after y ^• desire & loue of worldly things or fleshly cōcu­cupiscēces any kind of way: so often to suspect our selues of some daunger to­wards, & esteeme of thē, as of our home enemies, which now beginne to come in league with those which are with­out, namely the worlde and the deuil, thereby to worke some treason a­gainst vs. And therefore to make all possible speede that we can to cut thort and restraine them, lest in the ende through theire sugred entycementes, they beget both the will and minde to consent also. This is y ^• cause why the scripture is so plentifull and earnest in commending vnto vs the doctrine [Page 74] of mortification as a chiefe fruite of our repentance & telleth vs plainely, y ^• if we wil be Christes, we must cruci­fy the flesh with the affections & lustes thereof, that is, we must dayly and cō ­tinually striue and fight against our handes, and heart, worde, & thought, that they may be crucified & killed frō all vnrighteousnesse: As pride, coue­tousnesse, deceipt, blasphemie, or any other vngodlinesse; that the contrarie vertues, as hu [...]itie, liberallity, inno­cencie, or whatsoeuer is of pietie, may liue and growe in vs. For before we haue some striuing in our selues to slea those vices, it is vnpossible that we [...] should haue any feeling of these other vertues: for as we do conceaue a mis­lyking of the one, so we shal receyue a loue and lyking towardes the other: they can not both liue together in vs. This much doth the Apostle giue vs to vnderstand where he hath these words: Knovv you not that to vvhō so euer you giue your selues as ser­uantes Rom. 6. 16. 20. to obeie, his seruantes you are to vvhom you obeie, vvhether it be of sinne vnto death, or of obedi­ence [Page 75] vnto righteousnesse. So that whi­lest we are the seruants of sinne, we haue no part nor portion in righteous­nesse, no more then death hath with life, or hell with heauen. Wel then, se­ing y ^• case standeth so, let vs bewise in chusing vnto our selues y ^• better part, which is obedience vnto righteousnes, that we may become the seruantes & sonnes of God. And although it be a crowne which can not be had without greate and tedious stryuing, yet let vs knowe that it is worthie of all the la­boure that we shall or can bestowe v­pon it: the end wil bringe recompence ten thousand folde, as the Apostle wit­nesseth. The afflictiōs of this life are Rom. 8 18. not vvorthie of the glorie that shal be shevved vnto vs. And therefore let vs play the valiant souldiers, fight, striue, kill, crucify, & condemne, what­soeuer in vs may be ame hinderance thereunto, yea although it bee as deare vnto vs as our eie or hande, yet Mat. 5. 9 vve must pull it out and cast it off, for better it is to goe into life hault, maiemed, or blinde, then into e­ternall fire hauing al our members. [Page 76] In which wordes our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs to vse vyolence euen a­gainst our owne nature: for the king­dome of Gods sake. Not in cuttnig of the members of our bodies, but in rooting out the affections of the mind, how deare so euer they are vnto vs, vpon whome these affections do rest. Whether it bee Father, or Mother, wife, or children, yet if the loue of them bee any let vnto vs in the way [...] of life, pull them cut, cutte them off, and cast them awaye, so that if it stande vs vpon to cast away those affections out of our heartes, which haue so great shewe of good in them, and are both commaunded and com­mended in scripture, for the loue of Gods kingdome: Howe much more then behoueth it be, to roote out those priuate affections, which are not onely frée from any shewe of good: but also bring greate [...]lis and were, dible incōueniences with them, & are straightly forbidden in the worde of God. As aduiterie, fornication, vn­cleanenesse, [...]llo. 31. vnnaturall lustes, euill concupiscence, couetousnesse, de­ceipte, [Page 77] lieing, swearing, cursed spea­king, and such like. For if those for­mer good affectiōs, may at some time, be a hunderance vnto vs in the waye of life: much more these [...]illes at all times, and therefore not to be suffered at any time, nor in any person, if they will norish any hope of saluation in them selues. For they are no other, thē the very whelpes of Babilon, which Psal. 137. 3. we are charged to destroy and breaks theire bones in peeces while they are yonge, lest through theire longe conti­duance, they growe to such strength, and take so sure holde vpon vs, y ^• wee become slaues vnto them. Let vs looke vnto it, therefore, and roote them out, as soone as any m [...]tion thereof doth appeare in vs. Good admonitiō to this purpose we haue in the Epistle to the Ep [...]e. 4. 26. Ephesians. Be angrie and sinne not, let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath. And again in y ^• 4 Psalm: Tremble and sinne not, examine thine owne hearte vpon thy bedde and be still. That is, we should striue with our heartes euen in our secrete chambers vpō our bed against sin y ^• it [Page 78] sleepe not, nor haue any continuance with vs, for feare of the discommoditie that may come thereby. True it is, that sinne will be in vs so longe as we doe remaine in this body: but let vs Rom. 6. 12 take heede that it do not raigne and beare rule in vs, otherwise then a con­demned wretch, which hath alreadie Rom. [...]. 3. receyued the sentence of death. And let vs giue it such welcome, as the seed Gen. 3. 15 of the serpent with whom we must be at continuall enmitie and striffe. And all be it the case stand so with vs, that we are not onely guilty in the affecti­on, but also drowned in the action of euery sinne that can bee named: yet let vs knowe for our comforte, that true repentance is of strength to purge them all away and make vs pure in the sight of God. As it is witnessed in the fourth of Esay, where the Lord maketh this promise vnto the people vpon the condition of re­pentance: Though your sinnes vvere as crimson, they shall bee made vvhite as snovve, and though they were redde as scarlate, they shall be made like vvolle. [Page 79] And therfore if the Lorde at any time in mercie, shal reueile or make know­en vnto any man, all the sinnes that hee hath committed, throughout his whole life: yet there is no cause why we should dispaire, how great & grie­uous so euer they be. For the Lord in opening of them hath no such meaning in him, but rather thereby doth dra [...]e vs to a consideratiō of our inordinate steppes, how farre we haue strayed a­side from him, and doth moue vs also by that meane to looke into the word of God, which is a lanthorne vnto Psal. 119. 109. our feet, & a light vnto our pathes: that thereby we may sée how to turne againe into the right way, and what dueties there are required of vs, for the purginge and cleansinge away of these greate sinnes. There may the theefe which hath stoalne, learne to Ephes. 4. 28. steale no more, but laboure truelie [...]ith his owne handes in some law­full vocation, that he may be able to minister vnto the necessitie of o­thers. There may the deceitfull per­ [...]ured person, learne to restore home his euill gotten gooddes, and take [...] [Page 80] more righteous course afterwardes. There may the fornicators, and adul­terers, 1. Cor. 7. 2. learne to leaue off their vncleā ­nesse, and content them selues euerye man with his owne wife, and euerye woman with her owne husbande. Leuit 24. 15 16. 1. Tim 6. 7. 8 There may the blasphemous swearer learne to feare an oath, and tremble at the maiestie of God; and the greedye couetous person, to contente himselfe with foode and rayment, because hee [...]en 3 19. brought nothing into this worlde, and shall carrie as little out. There may the proude person learne to be [...] humble, because he is made of duste, and to dust shall returne.

And to conclude, there may eue­rie Psal 119 9. sinner, learne to redresse his mor­dinate Phil. 3. 8. wayes, and to esteeme of all the pleasures and profites of this life as do [...]gue, in respecte of Christ. For this is the fruite which the Lorde by reueylinge our sinnes, doeth looke for at our handes, and this change is requyred in euerie one of vs, be­fore wee can truelye be turned vnto Iohn. 3 3. him, in so much as it is the fruite of our secōd birth, without the which no man can see the kingdome of [Page 81] God. Therfore it standeth vs vpon, so much the more earnestly to practise this change in our selues, that wee may euery day be re [...]ued into a more perfitte shape then other: For true and vnfayned repentance is nothinge els, then a continuall striuing to bet­ter our manners. And to this ende are all those spirituall exercises appoin­ted by the holy Ghost in the church of Christ, as prayer, preaching, prayses, sacramentes, with such like. If there­fore our mindes in frequentinge of them, be not to profite this way: I see not how wee shall profite our selues at all, yea although we frequent them very often.

May we not read for warrant here­of, very plentifully in the olde Testa­ment, howe that the Lorde did euen loath their Sacrifices, and other spi­rituall exercyses commaunded in the Lawe for the seruice of God: when men are holden in them, without any conscience of sinne, or carefull prac­tise vnto newenes of life, whereunto chiefly they were ordeyned, as sayeth the Lorde by his Prophet. [Page 82] Bring no more oblations in vaine▪ [...]ay. 1. 11. Incense is abhomination vnto me, I cannot suffer your nevve moones nor Sabbaoth daies, it is iniquitie: nor solemne assemblies, my soule hateth your nevve moones, & your appointed feastes, they are a burdē vnto me, I am vvearie to beare thē; When you stretch foorth your hands I vvil hide mine eies from you, and though you make manie praiers, I vvill not heare you. And againe in another place: Take avvaie from me Amo [...] 5. 23. the multitude of your songes, I can not abide the melodie of the vials. And againe. Hee that killeth a Bul­lock, Esay. 56. 3. is as he that slevve a man, and he that sacrificeth a sheepe, is as if he cut off a dogges necke, hee that offreth an oblation, as if hee offred svvines blood, and he that remem­breth incense, as if he sanctified an Idole.

And why doth the Lorde thus ab­horre those thinges, which otherwise he hath commanded? The causes are set downe also, which be these: the neg­lects of iudgement, wante of mercy to­wards [Page 83] their brethren, for so saith the holy Ghost: Their handes are full of Esay. [...] blood; & the preferring of their owne wayes, which is sinne, wherein they did set their whole delight, before the wayes of God. They thought that the bare vse of these outward ceremonies or shadowes, was so much as y ^• Lord did require, or looke for at their hands, supposing him to be affectionated like vnto a common strumpet, who al­wayes looketh vnto the gifte, & neuer respecteth the minde or qualities of the giuer. They had forgotten that the Lorde vvill haue mercie and not sa­crifice: Os [...]. 6. 6. and therefore made no conscy­ence in falsifying their weight, & making their measure small, and price Amos. 8. 5. 6. great, that they might bie the pore for siluer, & the needie for shovves. Yea and in the time of theire newe moones, & sabaothes also, they thought euery day to be ten, till these feastes were ouerpassed, that they might be [...] at whome againe, to vtter their refus [...] corne: thinking all y ^• time loste which was spent in the seruice of God, pre­ferring euē the basest of their odde rec­koninges, [Page 84] that made any thinge for their priuate profit, before it. And this was the cause why the Lord did ab­horre their sacrifices, which otherwise he both commanded and commended. But we may speake much more pro­fitablie of this in applyinge the same vnto our time: sor were not their sacri­fices in that time of the lawe, as preti­ous in the sight of God, as our sacra­mentes are nowe vnder the Gospell? And are not our sinnes also of this age, as monstruous as euer were theirs? And what is behinde t [...], that those our seales of Baptisme and the Lordes Supper, which wee make so much accounte of, and so smoothelye shrowde our selues vnder, should not be as loathsome in the eyes of God▪ as euer were theirs at that time? Surely I can perceiue no reason to the con­trary, so long as wee are holden in them, without remorse of sinne, or care vnto newnesse of life, whereunto they were appoynted. For these out­warde seales are so farre foorth profi­table vnto vs, as we are partakers of those spirituall graces which are figu­red [Page 85] vnder them in Baptisme. There­fore we haue to consider our [...]ree for­giuenesse of sinnes, washed away in the bloud of Christ, that as Christ di­ed and was buried for our sinnes, Rom so wee also shoulde die vnto sinne, that it haue no more rule in our mortall bodies. And as Christ is ry­sen againe frō the dead, death hauing no more dominion ouer him: so wee should after liue in newnesse of life, offering vp vnto God our bodies and soules which he hath purchased and re­déemed vnto him selfe. The Lordes Supper also is a meane to refresh and renue our dull memories in these so greate mercyes and benefites besto­wed vpon vs in Christ, that euerye daye wee may become more thanke­full then other for the same. These considerations or profitinges in the obseruation of the Sacramentes bee­inge layde aside, there remayneth not one sparke of Religion or holy­nesse in them, as the holye Prophet Dauid moste plainelye prooueth vn­to vs out of the fi [...]tie Psalme, where hee saith: [Page 86] I vvill not reprooue thee for thy sa­crifices Psal. 50. 8. and burnt offerings vvhich haue not beene continued before me, saith the Lord. I vvill not take a bullock out of thy house, or goates out of thy folde, the vvhole vvorlde is mine and all that therein is. But what followeth? Offer to god praise and paie thy vovves vnto the moste 14 highest. Loe these are the dueties which the Lorde doeth chiefly lo [...]ke for at our handes: for by offring of praise is meant no other thing then a conti­nuall thankfull remembrance of the great benefites bestowed vpon vs in Christ, which the Lordes supper doeth The Lordes Supper. liuelie represent vnto vs, as I haue be­fore shewed, by paying or performing our vowes.

Wee are taught also manfullye to fight vnder y ^• banner of Christ, against Baptisme the deuill, the worlde, and our owne fleshe, whereunto we haue bound our selues vnder the seale of baptisme, as by a solemne oath made in our behalfe by two or thrée witnesses. These I say are the thinges which wee must haue our chiefe respecte vnto, in the parta­king [Page 87] of those outwarde elementes, or els they can bringe no profit vnto vs, there is no religion in them, and ther­fore so lothsome vnto the Lord that in no wise he can digest the same, but is ready euen to belche against it: yea & it shalbe saide vnto those in the end [...] which do frequent them in this sorte, Who hath required these things at Esa. 1 [...]. your handes?

Surely the knowledge of this, can not but be very profitable for our time, if wee would let it take some roote in our heartes. For who seeth not that the most parte of men are caried away with a blinde perswasion of religion & holinesse, which they themselues doe thinke to be truely in them, because they doe resorte vnto the outward ce­remonies commaunded in the word, and although all those duties, where­fore these spirituall exercises are ordey­ned, be cleane shut out of theire lyues they make no conscience of it at all, but without blushing will set an impudēt face vpon it y ^• they are as good christi­ans as any can be, although theire liues do testifie vnto the whole world [Page 88] that there is not one sparke of true and vnfayned christianitie in them. Well, I can thinke more of this, then nowe ray leasure will serue to condemne at large. Yet thus much may I say, that Christ can haue no enterance into vs, nor we any way vnto him, except the path be first prepared by repentance, by an vnfayned acknowledginge of our sinnes, with earnes [...] stryuinge to better our conuersation. Shut vp thy hearte from these things, and thou dost so much as in thee lyeth, to wall thy selfe about with brasse, that Christ by his spirit may haue no enterance into thee, and prouokest him in like sort, so to hedge vp his mercies and graces from thy soule, that thou shalt neuer haue any parte in them. Howe mise­rable then will thy case be, for hauing once shut out thy selfe from Christ, the way to heauen also, is shutte vp from thee, hell gapeth with open mouth, rea­dy to receyue thee, and y ^• deuiles waite with great diligence to carry thy soule into y ^e euerlastinge tormentes thereof. Looke vnto it therefore, and let vs be wise: for if the entertainement of [Page 89] Christ, will bee a meane to set vs frée from all these miseries: what greate diligence ought we to vse in prepa­ringe a way for him, that he may haue free passage vnto vs. Certaine it is that before he can come, the way must bee prepared, and there is no [...] other meane to prepare the same, but by re­pentance. For our barraine heartes are that very desart which y ^• Prophet Esay speaketh of, where the Lordes Esai. 40. 3. 4. way must be prepared before his com­ming, by filling vp euery lowe valley, and daungerouse hoale, which is our ignorance and infidelitie, that must be filled vp with the true knowledge of God: by beating downe euery high mountaine, that is our pride and arro­gancie, which must be beaten vpon with the mattocke of Gods iudge­ments, till such time as wee be hum­bled and brought lowe in our owne eyes: by making euery crooked path straight, which is the crooked inuen­tions of mans braine, contrarie to the will of God, which must bee made straight & plaine by y ^• light of his word: [Page 90] and the rough waies playne, by rough wayes is meant, not onely stubbor­nesse and obstinacie, but also all other sinnes and vices whatsoeuer. Which may bee verie well compared vnto stones and stumbling blockes, which are as hinderances in the Lords way, that he can not haue free passage vn­to vs, vntill such time, as the delight & will vnto them, be cleane pared and swept away out of our heartes. The forerunner, which was sent to prepare this way, was Iohn Baptist, and the onely meane which he vsed to prepare the same, was by preachinge repen­tance, Repent for the kingdome of Mat. 3. [...]. 3. God is at hand This was the gene­rall doctrine which he preached for the accomplishing of this worke, not vnto one sorte of people, but vnto all that e­uer came vnto him. And in token of the necessitie therof, he would receyue none vnto his baptisme, before they had made open confession of all theire Mar. 1. [...] sinnes, ensigne that as a chiefe meane whereby their own consciences might witnesse vnto them selues, howe need­fully it was requyred in euery one to [Page 91] repent, seeinge theire owne mouthes did confesse such matter to be in them, as is worthie of repentance. Further­more whē any came vnto him, whom he perceyued by some inwarde mo [...], or outward token, not to haue theire heartes aright as the malitious Pha­rises, and Saduces, he manessed th [...]m sharpely with the iudgmentes of God, calling them a Generation of vipers. M [...]t. 3. 7. 8. Charginge them straightly to bringe forth the fruit worthy of amendment of life, before they could be fitte to re­ceyue that seale of the newe couenant. And after Iohn was beheaded, our Sauiour Christ also continued this doctrine of repentāce vnto the Iewes, saying. Amende your liues for the M [...] 4 17. kingdome of God is at hand. And againe, The time is fulfilled, the M [...]r. 1. 15. kingdome of God is at hand, repēt & beleue the Gospel. For this cause he came into y ^e world not to call righ­teous, M [...]. 9. 13. but sinners to repētance: which precept belongeth not onely vnto the Iewes, but we Gētiles also are vnder y ^• same condition in like sorte, as it is witnessed in y ^• Actes. God hath giuē Act. 11. 18. [Page 92] vnto the Gentiles, repentance vnto life also. True it is, that it had his be­ginning at the Iewes, and so from thē vnto vs Gentils: for to this end Christ dyed, was buried and rose againe: that repentance & remission of sinnes, [...]uke 21. 46. [...]. verses. might be preached vnto all natiōs, beginning at Ierusalem. So then hereby it is plaine, that as there is noe other meane to prepare y ^• Lords way but by repentance: so in like sorte this office of preparing, belongeth not vnto Iohn and our sauiour Christ alone, but vnto all the Apostles and ministers of God, euen to the worldes [...]nd. Ney­ther is it a duetie y ^• is simply requy [...]ed of the Iewes thus to be prepared: but we Gentils also (as many as wil giue any entertainemēt vnto y ^• Lord) must put our neckes vnder y ^• yoke, and sub­mit our selues vnto the same order of discipline in the bettering of our man­ners, before our earthly tabernacles can fitly be prepared, to receyue him. Saint Paule who was appoynted of y ^• Lord as a chiefe minister for y ^• con­uersion of y ^• Gentiles, who also was so carefull in his office, that he labou­red [...]. 20. 20. 21. [...]erses. [Page 93] night & day euen with teares, for the conuersion of thē, teaching openly and in euey house, the repē ­tance towards God, & the faith to­wards our Lord Iesus Christ. The sa [...]e S. Paul (I say) telleth vs plain­ly Titus. 3. 8 9. y ^• they which haue beleued God, must be careful to shew forth good workes, charging Titus his Sōne as Titus. 14. touching the new birth, who was thē minister of Creta, y ^• he should earnest­ly exhort his auditory vnto y ^• same, for this saith he is good & profitable vnto all men, high & low, rich & poore, bond & free, euery one that beleueth in Christ this must be y ^• s [...]nt of it: a care to shew forth good workes, circūspecti­on of life towards them y ^• doe not yet beleue, & a sham [...]nes for our former negli [...]ēce. S. Iames compareth y ^• saith Iames. 2. 2 [...] which is without these effectes, vnto a body w ^tout a spirit: which in y ^• eyes of man is not onely deade, but also very lothsome & noysome. Euē so is our faith y ^• is voyd of good workes in y ^• eyes of God, as our sauiour Christ maketh it Mar [...]. 11. 14 plain to vs by cursing y ^• [...]ig tree because it was fruitlesse. By casting y ^• wicked [Page 94] guest into vtter darkenesse, because he Mat. 22. 12. presumed vnto the mariage without a wedding garment. And by reiectinge Mat. 25. 3. 12. those foolish virgines, because they had no oyle in theire lampes. Which ex­amples, doe very well shew vnto vs, that faith and workes must goe toge­ther, how be it not in the matter of iu­stification before God, yet in our con­uersation before men, or els neither of both can be accepted. For as these foo­lish virgines could not be receyued for theire emptie Lampes, nor the fruit­lesse tree, spared for his leaues, nor yet the wicked guest accompted of, for his resorting vnto the heauenly banquet, seing he wanted his mariage garment: euen so we in like sorte shalbe as litle accompted of, for our outward know­ledge and profession, so longe as the san [...]e is without those effects & fruites, that belonge vnto true repentance. For whilest our religion or christiani­tie standeth in a bare profession, what are wee anie better then emptie Lampes without oyle, trées bearinge leaues, but noe fruite, wicked guestes which eythor [...]or custome [Page 95] or companie resorte often vnto the Lordes table, but neuer put on the wedding garment. And therfore whē the Lord shal come to vs his guestes, Mat. 22. [...]1. alas what shal then become of vs but cursednes & reiection into vtter darck­nesse, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. I will not say but that now for a time we may haue a name that we liue, but then it shall be founde out that we are dead: it may seeme nowe vnto mē that we haue some what, but then shall be taken from vs, euen that which in trueth, we neuer had. Knowe you not what is written, There is no Luke. 12 [...]. thing couered that shal not bee re­ueiled, neither hid that shall not be made knowen. Let vs not therefore anye longer, so securelye satisfie our selues in the shadowe of Christianitie, when the true substance is away, for if a bare outward professiō may stand for payment before the Lord, why thē shoulde not the deuils be iustifyed as well as we, for they professe openlye that Iesus is the Sonne of God: Nay saint Iames saith more, that the de­uils Iames. 2. 1 [...]. doe beleeue and tremble. But [Page 96] there are a great manye of vs which doe make much boast of our faith, and yet neuer tremble, neither at our own sinnes, nor at the iudgements of God: and therfore if the deuils were not al­redy condemned, it might well be said of them, that they are nearer vnto sal­uatiō then a great many of our mouth Gospellers in these dayes. Surely it is strange, that the Gospell (being of such excellencie and power as it is, and we pretending so great knowledge of the lame as we doe) shoulde gaine so little fruite at our handes. Wee may see by plentifull testimonie of Scrip­ture, how wōder [...]llie the knowledge thereof hath wrought in the hearts of Gods children heretofore, and what great duties it hath perswaded them to 2▪ Cor. 6. 6. passe ouer, in hunger and thirst, in cold [...] Cor. 11. 24. 25. Hebr. 1 [...]. 37. 38. and nakednesse, in watchings and fa­stinges, in greate weakenesse, long [...] prayer, and tedious trauels and perse­cutions diuers wayes: Some wan­dring vp and downe in wildernes, cloathed in Sheepes skinnes, and Goates skinnes, hauing their abode in de [...]mes and caues of the earth, to [Page 97] declare that the Lord was their por­tion, Psal. 119. 57. and that they had no kingdome in this life, & therfore bade the worlde adu [...], which was not worthie of them. Others also of Gods children, whom he preferred to great r [...]ches [...] honour. liued in the possession thereof, as if no­thing of the same belonged priuatelie vnto themselues. And therefore oftetunes Gen 13. 9. resigned ouer euen their owne right to buy peace: vsing this world as though they had h [...] [...] inheritance therein, confessing their estate here to be no other but as p [...]igrunes & stran­gers, and therefore esteemed all things Gen 47. 9. in this world as dongue, in respecte of that heauenly comfort which was laid Phil. [...]. [...]. vp for them in Christ Iesus. All these things we know, & can talke very plē ­ti [...]ullie of them when we come in companie of those that d [...]e fauour religion. We cā tell of Ioseph how he preferred Gen. [...]9. 20. y ^• dungeō and Irons which did pear [...]e his soule, before the libertie & glory of Po [...]phers house: & of Moyses, how he He [...] 11. 24. 25. 26. forsooke to be called y ^• sōne of Phara [...]s daughter, and chase rather to suffer af­flictions w ^t the people of God, then to enioy the pleasures of sin for a season. [Page 98] Wee can tell also of Dauid how hee made his choys [...], rather to bee made a doore keeper in the Lordes house, then [...]sal 84. 10. to be head ruler in the gilded [...]aces of wicked Princes. And of the Apo­stles in [...]e sorte, how the [...]re chie [...]est glorie in this [...]e, was to suffer afflicti­ons for the name of Christ, all this is Act. 5 40. 41. most [...]ue and these great effectes and fruite [...]ath saith gayned at their hands as the holy Ghost witnesseth vnto the Hebrewes. And howe shall we think H [...]br. 11. then that we haue the same saith▪ whē we are not onely voyd of these vertues but also haue placed in the roome of e­uery of them, a vice repugnant there­vnto. Well I must conclude that our faith is fayned, and we greatly blinded to thinke that the holye Ghost is be­come so careles of his owne glory now in these last dayes, & especially where the Gospell is so plentifully preached. Nay looke further and we shall finde out a more grosser blindnesse then all this: for are we not oftentimes forced to pronounce sentence of condemna­tion vpon our owne soules, and wee perceiue it not? D [...]e we not say daylie [Page 99] that the Lord will not hold him guilt­lesse Exod. 2 [...] [...] that taketh his name in vain, and yet without any remorse, we tosse the same in our mouthes, like a tennisse ball, about euery trifling toye, beside also our vayne abusing of his worde, and neglecte of duetie therein, which often in the Scripture is taken for his name. Againe, are we not readye al­wayes Leuit. 22. 31. 3 [...] with the congregation, to beg forgiuenes conditionally of the Lord, as we forgiue others? Yet wee will Mat. 6. 12. forgiue none, but are mooued with e­uery fleabyting, to seeke reuenge to the vttermost, and therfore doe no o­ther then craue that the iudgementes and vengeance of God may seuerelye be executed vpon vs. But we see not this, & therfore proc [...]ede on forwardes in our sinnes, as the horse rusheth vn­to the battell, and neuer respecteth the Ierem 8. 6. great dāgers that are before his eyes.

Furthermore doe wee not all wil­lingly yeald vnto this, that these are y ^• last dayes, and that there is no signe vnaccomplished, which our Sauiour Christ hath foreshewed to bee before his comming, so that nowe not onelye [Page 100] the bodies, but also the very fruite it selfe doth appeare to declare that sum­mer is already come, that the regions Iohn 4 35. Reuel. 14. 18. 19. are euen now white vnto haruest, yea and that the sickle is alredy thrust into the earth, as we may cleerely [...]ee by the generall [...]h [...]king thereof, so that there is nothing els to be looked for, but the appearing of the sonne of man in the Mat. 2 [...]. 30. 31. cloudes, the voyce of the Archangell, and the sounde of the trumpe of God, arise you dead and come to iudgemēt, All these thinges I say, wee doe with an outwarde willingnes yeald vnto, because the trueth thereof is so mani­fest, that it can by no meanes be deni­ed: and what is the cause then, that all these euidēt tokens of the final iudge­ment which is so neer at hand, wil not awake vs out of our deepe sleepe in sinne, vnto repentance and newnesse of life, that we may be readilie prepa­red for the Bridegrome. Surely an e­uill Mat 25. 6. H [...]. 3, 12. Luke. 12. [...]5. heart hath deceiued vs: for we say in our selues, that the Lord wil deferre his comming, & therfore take boldnes to deal more roughly w ^t our fellow seruants. But alas, this blinde perswasi­on [Page 101] of lēgthning y ^e dayes cannot stand: for the holy ghost saith expreslye, that for the electes sake those dayes shal Mat. 24. 22, be shortened, which is an item that might strike a greate feare into our Esay. 29. 10. Esay. 6. 9. 10. heartes, if a spirite of slumber had not ouerwhelmed vs: but I see no other then y ^t the saying of the Prophet Esay is fulfilled vpon our english natiō, by seeing they shal see & not perceiue, & hearing they shal hear & not vn­derstand, lest they should conuert & I should heale them. For if it were not so, how were it possible for vs to condemne & cast behinde our heeles so many louing admonitions, so many beséechings and prayings, euen by the Rom. 12 1. 2. Cor. 5. 20. mercifulnes of God, and in Christes behalfe, that we wil be reconcyled vn­to him? So many fatherly warnings which the holy Ghost doeth vse in per­swading vs vnto watchfulnesse, that we may be saued, sometime by y ^• cer­taintie of the day, that it shall come, and the terriblenesse thereof when it commeth, as Sainte Luke payn­teth it out.

There shal be trouble & perplexitie Luke. 21. 25. 2 [...] [Page 102] amongst nations, the s [...] and the wa­ters shall rore, and mens hearts shall faile them for feare, and for looking af­ter those thinges that shall come vpon Mat. 24. 27. the earth, sometime by the suddenesse of it, euen as the lightning shineth out of the East, and goeth vnto the West, so shall the comming of the Sonne of man be. And sometime by the vncer­taintie Mark. 13. 3 [...]. of the houre, whether at eue­ning, or at midnight, at the cock crow­ing, or in the dawning, least if he come suddenly, should finde you sleepinge. Sometime also by the vigilantnesse & crueltie of our enemie the deuill, who goeth about like a deuouring and ro­ring Lyon, continually seeking whom 1. Pet. 5. 8. he may deuoure. But how little ac­count wee make of all these fatherlye warnings and admonitions, all those which haue eyes to see, may see it, and let all them that haue heartes of fleshe Eze. 36. 26. and 9. 4. lament and mourne for the same, that they may be spared from the euill day, & not perish with the careles worlde, but especially with our owne Lande, with whome it cannot be, but that the Lord hath a great controuersie, vnles [Page 103] we should thinke that the most high­ [...]st doth speake wordes in vayne: nay Esai. 45. 19. he saith not in vaine vnto the séede of Iacob, séeke ye me, it is not for nought that the Lord hath continued y ^• prea­chinge of his worde amongst our nation this many yeares, rysinge vp early, & late, to send Prophets, Prea­chers, Iere. 7. 13. and wise men vnto vs, who haue pyped very sweetely, and mour­ned very lamentably vnto vs. And Mat. 11 17. therefore if we will not daunce at their [...]th, nor wéepe at theire mourning: that is, if we wil not reioyce at y ^• great mercies and sweet promisses of God, which he offereth vnto vs by them, nor tremble and feare at the mournful longe of his heauie plagues and iudge­ments which he thundereth out aginst vs by theire mouthes; In like sort if we will needes harden our hearts like an Adamant stone, & stop our eares Zic. 7. 11. 12. to shut out the graces of God frō our soules which he so plentifully offereth vnto vs▪ yet let vs knowe, that a Pr [...] ­phet hath bene amōgst vs, and y ^• grace & mercy by the preaching of y ^• Gospell hath bene generally proferred vnto [Page 104] our Lande that thereby we may be [...] cleane without excuse, and our blood [...] iustly vpon our owne heades. For if they bee worthie of stripes for theire ignorance which neuer saw any light of knowledge: howe much more wor­thy are they of punishment, who through longe continuance of the true light shyninge amōgst them, haue al­most forgotten what darknesse mea­neth, if they take not the benefit of it, but remaine still vnfruitfull, and vnthankfull for the same. Surely this is the estate of our nation at this day: for haue we not had the Gospell so longe time amongst vs, that the most of vs, eyther neuer sawe, or haue almost cleane forgotten what poper [...] meaneth. Well looke vnto it there­fore, and let vs not thinke our selues to bee happier then other Landes, be­cause we haue the Gospell, vnlesse we bringe forth such fruites of repen­tance, and newenesse of life, as the same doth require at our handes. For to that ende hath he sent it amongst vs, and therefore if it take not his effecte wherefore it was sent▪ yet [Page 105] let vs be sure that the Lorde will bee knowne to be Kinge at the Last, and it shall bee saide vnto vs as the holie Ghost doth testifie in a certaine place: Prou. 1. 24 30. because I haue called and yee refused, I haue stretched out my hand, and none would regarde, but ye haue de­spysed my counsell and woulde none of my correction, therefore I will al­so laugh at your destruction, and will mocke when your feare commeth like sudden desolation, and your destructi­on as a whi [...]le winde, when affli­ction and anguish shall come vppon you, then shall they call but I will not answere, they shall seeke mee early, and shall not finde mee, and why: the reason is added, because they refused knowledge, and did not chuse the feare of the Lord, they woulde none of my counsell, but de­spysed my corrections.

And what other thinge is if, but a castinge awaye of the L [...]des counsell, when we will not giue such enter­tainement vnto his worde as the same requyreth at out handes; or how much better is it thē a despysing of his [Page 106] corrections, when we wil not be war­ned by so many spectacles of his anger▪ applying them rather vnto second cau­ses, and so take occasion thereby vnto greater securitie. This sinne of casting away or despysing the Lords counsel, how greatly it doth displease him, our Sauiour Christ, doth make knowne vnto vs, by pronoūcing of so grieuous woes, against those cities of Iuda, [...]at. 11. 2 [...]. wherein he had preached most, & done most of his great workes, because they repented not, affirming that it shoulde be easier for Sodom & Gomorrham y ^• iudgemēt day then for them. For saith he, if the great workes which are done amōgst you, had bene done in thē, they had repented long agoe in sackcloth & ashes: and may it not as well be saide of England, in this respect also, that it shall be easier for Fraunce, Flastder [...], Spaine, and for Rome in the iudge­ment daye then for them? For who knoweth howe wonderfull their [...] re­pentance shoulde haue beene ear [...] this time, if they hadde the Gospell preached amongst them, so longe as we haue had the same. And besides [Page 107] that, theire wante of it hath made them to commit many sinnes, through Ignorance, because they knewe no better: but our hauinge of it hath left vs cleane without excuse, so that now wee haue no cloke for our sinnes, Iohn. 15. 22 and therefore in conclusion, our con­demnation must needes, be farre more iust and greater then theires, ex­cepte wee repent in time. Thus much haue I thought good to speake vnto y ^• carelesse which are so soundly lulled asleepe in Iezabells bedde, a bedde of securitie: that if it be possible some of them may bee awaked whylest the Ebr. 3. 8. day is present & prepare them selues to come vnto Christ. For admitte it be so that many haue gotten greate and excellent knowledge by the prea­chinge of the Gospell: yet what is this knowledge without repentance? surely euen deade. For who knoweth not that practise is it which giueth life therevnto, as the Apostle wit­nesseth in a certaine place, where he [...] hath these wordes: though I had all knowledge and knewe all secretes, [...]ea, if I had faith that I coulde re­moue 1. Cor. 1 [...]. [...]. [Page 108] moue mountaines, and had no loue, it coulde profit me nothing. And as re­pentance or newnesse of conuesation is that which giueth life vnto our knowledge, so also it abandoneth from vs all vnlawfull pleasures, and not so onely but doth moderate and bring vs vnto the true vse of those that bee lawfull: as eating, drinking, sleeping, appar [...]ling our selues, and is forth, in euery of which necessitie, satan hath put marueylous snayres, and occasi­ons of fallings. If temperance & sobri­etie, which are speciall fruites belon­ging therunto do not somewhat beare rule ouer our affections, as those which are spiritually minded, doe very well vnderstand: vnto whom I will now turne my selfe, a litle, by the way of ad­monition, and so proceede vnto the iu­stifying faith, which I before haue pro­mised to speake of, & which onely doth belonge vnto them. For those are they which in greate humilitie do iudge and condemne them selues, that they may not be condemned of the Lord. Those are they which are at contin [...]all war­fare not onely against all theire out­warde [Page 109] senses and actions of the body that they behold not with pausing, nor consent with delight vnto euery vani­tie, but also against the very motions aid thoughtes of the mind to restraine aid kill them when soeuer they begin t [...] moue the affections to stray out af­t [...]r the desire of vnlawfull things, ney­her are they greeued at these inward [...]rruptions onely, but also it p [...]cheth [...]hem [...]uen to the very heart, that any auour thereof should be found about [...]hem: for they hate the very coate y ^• [...]s bespotted with the flesh, as Saint Iude witnesseth. And therefore vse a narueylouse straightnesse euē against heire owne nature, in abridginge the [...] from y ^• plentie of those pleasures, [...]nd profittes which before tune they [...]aue delighted in. Stryuinge also, [...]ruth greate violence to bringe theire [...]n [...]ndes in such subiection vnto y ^• spirit, [...]hat neither prosperitie nor aduersi­ [...]ie, shall much moue theire mindes [...]yther to ioy or sorrowe, to be lifted [...]p, or cast downe: And hauinge [...]ce thus mastered themselues in [...]arninge perfectly to bee full, to be [...] [Page 011] emptie, to abounde, and to haue no­thinge, contentinge them selues in euery estate, whether it bee pouerte, or riches, sicknesse, health, or what soeuer: attributinge no happinesse vn­to the one, nor vnhappinesse vnto t [...]e other, (because that by these outward thinges no man knoweth whether hee bee worthy of loue or hate) but rather receyue euery thinge as from th [...] Lordes hand, to whom they liue [...]om. [...]. 28. who also is become theire Father in Iesus Christ, and therefore worketh all for the best vnto them. This is a perfecte estate, and certaine it is that there must bee no end of our re­pentance, before wee haue thus farre preuailed and gotten the vi [...]tory ouer our rebellious nature, and yet is there no such stayednesse in it, neyther that after we haue once thus fa [...] maistered our owne willes, that ther [...] we should become secure and careles as if we were now at our iorneys en [...] and neede goe no further. Nay but th [...] blessed man Iob teacheth vs anothe [...] lesson, that our life here on earth is [...] continuall warfare, not onely agains [...] [Page 111] flesh and blood, but also against spiri­tuall wickednes in heauenly thinges, against euerie thing that is exalted a­gainst the knowledge of God, & must haue no stay vntill euery affection in vs be brought wholy and for euer vn­der the obedience of Christ, which can not be in this life, but in that which is to come: and therefore our striuinge must be with perseuerance, & let our perseuerance vs also with courage: for the crowne which we labour for, is worthie of running. But if our run­ning doe fayle before wee come to the thirde houre, let vs not fainte, but ra­ther learne to goe: and if it bee so that our goinge begin to waxe tedious be­fore the fixte houre be ouer past, yet let vs not turne back againe for anie thing, but rather he downe and créepe, so that it be forwards, and all is well; yea if all naturall strength doe fayle Mat. 20. before the nienth houre be ouer paste, yet let our mindes and desires go for­wards still in earnest prayer, and cal­ling vpon the Lord for strength, in heauy sighes and gromings, vnder the but then of our corruptions, which we [Page 112] hate euen as hell, because they hinder our going forwards vnto goodnes, and can by no meanes auoyde them: & let that inwarde parte of vs neuer saynt, but goe forwards still, vntil the twei [...]t and last houre be past, in which wee shall receiue our wages. For the ve­ry grace and pride of our Christiā race is to perseuere in the fruites & effectes of repentance, as our Sauiour Christ witnesseth: he that endureth to the end shall be safe.

HAuinge shewed before, that the beginning of our faith (if it bee vnfayned) is feare, which feare doeth ingender in vs a godly sorrowe, out of which sorrowe also ryseth such a re­pentance, as is neuer to be repented off, and hauing spoken also of y ^• fruits and effects which belong thereunto, & of the necessitie of it, that without th [...] same, all other exercises of Religiō are [Page 113] to no purpose, & by what meanes also we are brought thereunto, namely by the Lawe, which is our schoolemaster to bring vs vnto Christ: Nowe it re­mayneth that I proceede vnto the iu­stifying faith, which maketh all sure, and the hope whereof also is it which ministreth comfort and incouragemēt vnto vs in all those former tedious trauels. Yea and the possession ther­of after the heate of these conflictes is ouer passed, bringeth so great peace of conscience vnto vs, as all the wisdome of flesh and blood shall neuer be able to attayn, as the holy Ghost doth witnes the same, in calling it a peace that pas­seth all vnderstanding. For when the troubled conscience hath whollye and for euer setled himselfe in the bowels of Iesus Christ, not onely in full per­swasion of the free remission of all his sins, but also with stable purpose man­fully to fight vnder his banner, yea, if it be to the renouncing of his own life: then may it be at peace, and boldly say with the Apostle in a holy boasting: I Rom 8. am perswaded, that neither height, nor depthe, nor angels, nor princi­palities, [Page 114] nor powers, nor things pre­sent, nor thinges to come, neither life nor death, nor anie thing, shall bee able to separate mee from the loue of God in Christ Iesus. For this is the fruite that followeth our iu­stifying faith, of which I haue rather chosen to write, thē of the bare descrip­tion of faith it selfe: yea and to say the trueth, there is no way so profitable to describe it, as in declaring the fruite & comforte which it bringeth vnto vs, which is to be assured that now there is no wrath of God to come againste E [...]y 40. vs, but altogether grace and mercie for Christes sake. And therefore to y ^• ende that Ierusalem may be comfor­ted at the heart, to the ende that the church may bee throughly perswaded that her trauell is at an ende, and all her iniquities pardoned, so that nowe she shall neuer receiue damage, nor come into any danger of losinge Gods fauour for the same any more: It shal be good for vs to procéede vnto the certaintie and vnmoueablenes of our estate and condition, after that we b [...] once thus called vnto the hope of gods [Page 115] kingdome. For as it is an [...] which cannot be warranted vnto vs, by any fleshly righteousnesse that wee can doe; so in like sort, the certaintie therof cannot be decayed by any sinne which we at any time through infir­mitie shall committe or fall into: no more then the weaknes of man is a­ble to ouermatch the strength of God, or our infidelitie to make his faith to be of none effecte. And therfore these things considered, the sinnes of Gods children are no cause why theyr faith should be darkened, or their hope de­cayed, but rather there is great cause in them why their humilitie should be increased, and they more freely driuen out of themselues into the strength of Christ: for our saluation doth not reste in our selues, but in the Lorde, who hath decreed from euerlastinge [...] saue some, and therefore as vnpossible as it is for his decree to be altered, so vn­possible it is for that number which he hath thereunto appoynted, to be dam­ned. Heauen and earth shall passe a­way like a scrowle but, no one iote or title of the words shall passe till all [Page 116] thinges [...]e accomplished. All fleshe is Esay. 40. grasse, and the glorye thereof as the floure of the grasse, but the word of the Lord endureth for euer. His giftes & callings are without repentance, he Rom 11. 2 [...]. Pro. 16. [...]. hath created all thinges for himself, euen the wicked for the day of euil. And so it may be saide on the contrarie side, that he hath created his childrē for the day of saluation and glorie, and to y ^• end y ^• the heires of promise may yet Heb. 6. 17. be more strengthned in this, he hath boūd himselfe vnto thē by two immu­ble things, to the ende that wee may hold fast the hope that is set before vs, which we haue as an ancore of y ^• soul [...] both ste [...]fast and sure: which two im­mutable things are these: his worde, and an oath. His worde, in that it is vnpossible that God should lie. As the prophet Samuell doth testifie the same: The strength of Israel wil not Sam. 15. 29. lie nor repent him, for hee is not a man that should repent. And again, Rom. 23. 19. that wicked Balaam coulde say thus much also: God is not a man that he should lie, nor the sonne of a man, that he should repeat him, hath he [Page 117] saide, and shal he not doe? hath hee spokē, and shall he not accomplish? He hath saide that the righteous shall Psal. 112. 6. neuer be moued, but be had in euerla­sting remembrance. He hath said that Israel shall be saued in the Lord: they Esay 45. 17. shall not bee ashamed nor consounded world without [...]d. He hath saide that he will be mercifull to our transgres­sions, and will remember our sinnes and iniquities no more. Let vs neuer Ierem. 31. 34. thinke that the most highest doth at a­ny time speake wordes in vayn. Sure­ly Esay. 45. 18. 19. 20. 21. as he hath created the earth not in vaine, but to be inhabited, so hee hath not saide in vaine to the seede of Iacob, seeke yee mee: Nay I the Lorde speake righteousnesse, and doe righteous thinges, as he testi­fieth by the Prophet Esay. Yea hee hath sworne the same also. And that is the second thing wherby he hath bound himselfe vnto vs, namely his oath: I haue sworne by my name, saith he, the worde is gone foorth of my mouth in righteousnes, and shall not returne a­gain: y ^• euery knée shal bow vnto me, & all tōgues shal sweare by my name. [Page 118] By bowing of the knee, and swearing by the name of God, is meant y ^• whole seruice of God, wherein he will be ser­ued and worshipped of his Church. And marke the emphasis of the word, for it is a worde of drawing: he hath sworne that they shall do it, will they, [...]ill they: If they be Gods children, he will drawe them, to glorifie him here in this life, and will also glorifie them in the life to come. Therfore y ^• faith­full cannot pearish. And beside this, consider his oathe that he hath sworne, which is very plentifull in the Scrip­tures, as in y ^• Psalmes: I haue sworn by my holinesse that I will not faile Dauid. But in Esay it is notably de­scribed, where hee hath these wordes: As I haue sworne that the waters of Noah shall no more goe ouer the earth, so haue I sworne that I will no more be angrie with thee, nor reprooue thee: the mountaines shall remoue, and the hilles shall fal downe, but my mercie shall not de­parte from thee, nor the couenant of my peace fall away. So that here­by it is plaine that the estate of Gods [Page 119] children is more surer then the moun­taines and hils. Fitly therefore is the Church of Christ, compared vnto the Mat. 7. 26. house that is buylded vpon a rocke, which although the raine fall, y ^• winde blow, the flouds come and beate vpon it, yet they shall neuer bee able to di­sturbe the same. And why, because it is buylded vpon a rocke, not a rocke of stone: for all such shall come to naught, but Christ Iesus, vpō whom, all the faithfull are buylded: for there is so neare a coniunction betwene thē, that Christ is theires, and they are his, God doth beholde all the righteousnes of Christ in them, and hath punished, all theire sinnes in him: and therefore as vnpossible as it is for God to be an­gry with Christ, so vnpossible it is for him to be angrie with vs, which belōg vnto him. Feare not therefore litle Luke. 12 32. [...]ocke: it is your heauenly Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome, nay he hath giuen it vnto vs already: for doth not the scripture say, that as hee is, (meaninge Christ) euen so are we 1. Ioh. 4. 1 [...] in this life, what is Christ? Christ is freed from condemnation alreadie, [Page 120] euen so are we, although we be in this life: Christ is the heire of heauen, and hath the same already in possession: in the same estate are we, how be it, not so fully, yet in as greate assurance, al­though we be in this life: and therefore marke it for a speciall poynt, that the Rom. 8. promisses of eternall life, of saluation, and of being the sonnes of God, are Ioh. 3. still spoken of in the present tence, that they are the sonnes of God, and not y ^• Ioh. 6. they shalbe; that they haue eternal life alreadie as it were, and not that they shall haue it. And in Saint Iohns Gospel it is very plentiful: Verely ve­rely Ioh. 5. 24. I say vnto you (saith Christ) he that heareth my worde and belee­ueth in him that sent me, hath eter­nal life, & shall not come into con­demnation, but hath passed from death to life already, as though it were a thinge done & past, neuer to be called backe againe, as most certaine it is net, no more then the Father is to bee called backe againe from the worke of creation, or the Sonne from the worke of redemption, or the holy Ghost from the office of sanctifi­cation. [Page 121] A notable testimony of this vnmoueable estate of the Church we haue in the Psalmes, where the holy Ghost vseth these wordes. If my chil­dren Psal 49. 30 forsake my lawes and walke not in my iudgemēt, if they breake my statutes and kepe not my com­maundementes: then will I visit theire transgressions with the rod, & theire iniquitie with strokes, but my louing kindnes willl I not take from them, nor falsifie my trueth, my couenant will I not breake, nor chaunge that which hath gone out of my lippes, according to that which is writtē in Malachie. I am thy Lord, Ma [...] [...]. [...]. I chaunge not, and the Sonnes of Iacob are not consumed. And ther­fore when the Lorde doth correcte vs, it is not to the end that we should bee consumed, but rather to put vs in minde that we haue sinned against Psal. 94 12. him, and that we may bee spared in 1. Cor. 11. 32. the euill day: and not condemned w ^t the world, but more of this in his due place. Hereby you see then, that in the worke of our saluation, the Lorde hath no respecte eyther to our sinnes, [Page 122] or vertues, but vnto his own vnchaū ­gable purpose, vnto his euerlastinge decree and couenant which can not be altered. Therefore in Deuterone­mie, it is thus written: The Lorde Deut. 4 31. thy God is a mercifull God, he will not despise thee, nor forsake thee, neyther forget the couenant which he sware, vnto thy fathers, Abrahā, Isaac, and Iacob. Saint Paul saith, That if it be but a mans couenant Gal. 3. when it is finished, no man doth abrogat, or adde anie thing therun­to: Much lesse in the couenant of God, which is writtē, not in paper or parch­ment, but in his euerlastinge decree & counsel, which is sealed also, not with a signet in ware, but w ^t the very finger and power of God, in the bloodshed­ding & death of his Sōne Iesus Christ, and in raysing him again from y ^• same. Neyther hath he left it thus, but hath sealed the assurance thereof vnto our heartes also by his spirit, which doth testifie vnto our conscience, that wee Rom. 8. 16. are those to whom this new couenant doth belong, y ^• God is our Father, & we his children: and therefore are im­boldened [...] Cor. 2. 16. [Page 123] through y ^e mind of Christ to fly vnto him, in al our troubles, as our stay and refuge to cast our whole care vpon him, because y ^t we are fully per­swaded, that it is he alone which ca­reth 1 Pet. 5. [...]. for vs. So y ^t now euen amongest a multitude of cares which y ^e world is ouer whelined in, we are become care­lesse, not after the māner of a desperat person, which contēneth meanes: but rather by y ^e prerogatiue of a free mind, which we haue, and do obtaine, both after, & in the middest, of all christian & lawful meanes, that are to be vsed, ca­ring only for heauenly things. True it is, that vnto the sight & iudgement of y ^e world, there are none so miserable as they which are thus minded, and why: because a fewe outwarde things doe satisfie them; because they seeke not there own, but are more ready to take wrong, thē do any; they looke still vn­to those spirituall good things, which y ^e Lord hath prouided for thē, & not man; [...]. 12. 1 [...] they make long strydes vnto that, & striue to forget more & more this trash & pelfe, y ^t is behind thē. And as it is w ^t Iohn 10. 5 thē, in life, so also it is in religion: they [Page 124] will heare no voyce, but the voyce of Christ in his wor [...]e, all other soundes are straunge vnto them▪ and therefore will not heare their voyces. No though Gal. 1. [...]. it be an Angell from heauen, they will not haue their [...]aith to hange vpō men, but [...] [...]arnestly to get setled iudge­ment in them selues, that although the whole world bee ouerwhelmed with e [...]ours, s [...] as ther be not a man left to instruct thē: yet they will not be offen­ded at the matter, but haue sufficient in theire owne [...]somes to keepe them in the trueth: as [...]lya [...], who although al Israeli runne a whoring after Ball, 1. King. 19. 1 [...] yet he wil constantly follow the liuing God; and as Micheas, who although al Balles Priestes flatter y ^• king of Isra­ell, [...]. King. 22. 14. & speake pleasant things vnto him, yet he wil speake nothing but y ^• which y ^• Lord hath put in his mouth; and w ^t y ^• Apostls also, who although many of the Disciples forsake Christ, yet they [...] 6. [...]8 knowe not whither to goe but vnto him. Where y ^• deade carkas is, thither [...] 2 [...]. 28 will the Eagles resorte, where Ies [...]s Christ is, there wil y ^• faithful be. They wil follow y ^• Lābe whither so euer he [...] 14. 4. [Page 125] goeth not only to y ^• breaking of bread, which Hipecrites wil do, but also vnto y ^• very death, whē y ^• tryal shal be made: for death is vnto them life, and there­fore they long for it, as y ^• scripture doth very plentifully witnesse y ^• same, and Christ is all the gaine y ^• they séeke for. From whence I pray you commeth all these thinges, or what should moue thē thus to despise this life & the things thereof? is it not the assurance which they haue of y ^• heauenly life that is laid vp for thē in christ? this is some parts of the fruit of our iustifying faith, and yet not all: for looke further and wee shall see more & greater testimonies of the same then al these. For what is the cause why a great many are so valiant that theire feare is past, and they care not what man can do vnto them: yea they receyue euery bondage, as a li­berty, & euery death, as a life, they take greatest occasiō of [...]oy in y ^• middest of those tormēts, whereby their enemies, goe about to make them most so­ [...]owfull, yea theire tormentors often times are more vexed and wea [...]ed in tormentinge, then they them [Page 126] selues are in bearing the tormentes, & why: because the Lord is with them, in euery place to comforte them as he Esai. [...]. 2. hath promised by Esai the Prophet, saying, when thou walkest through y ^• waters, I will be with thee, & through the floudes y ^• they shall not ouerflowe thee, when thou goest through the fire, it shall not burne thee, nor the flames kindle vpon thee: the holy ghost mea­neth not here, that the wicked, by their [...]gins y ^• they vse against Gods childrē, shall not be able to take awaye their naturall life, but their spirituall & hea­uenly life which afflictiōs, are meanes, to confirme and make more sure vnto them, yea & in far greater glory also, which they themselues are well expe­rienced in, and therfore some of thē, al, though their torments were to be sto­ned, racked, & torne in sonder of wilde beastes, yet would not be deliuered, for the hope which they had of a better re­surrection, as it is manifested in y ^• He­brewes: other whē y ^• stones were clat­tering Heb. 11. 3 [...]. about theire [...]ares, prayed for Act. 7. 59. theire enemies, as Steuen: but looke vnto all the Apostles, and you shall see, that the greater theire afflictious [Page 127] were, the greater occasion they toke Act. 5. 4. to reioyce, because they were counted worthy to suffer for y ^• name of Christ. And I might come to the martyrs of our time, who did not only reioyce in imprisonmente, but also in the verye hote fire: yea they euen laughed at destuction and death, as the booke of Monumentes doeth very well th [...]we: Iob. 5. 22. and as Iob also doth testifie that the faithfull shall doe. These testimonies may suffice to teach, that the peace of Iohn. 14. 27. and 16. 2 [...]. Gods children is such as the worlde cannot giue, and their ioy such as no man may take from them. O you foo­lish tormenters, knowe you not those engins which you vse againste Gods children to murther them withall, are his owne creatures, which hee hath promised shall be at league with them, Iob. 5. 2 [...]. as it is written: The stones of y ^• fielde shalbe at peace with thee, and y ^• beasts of the field shalbe at league with thee. Well therfore you may breake theire heartes, but you shall neuer breake their faithfulnesse: (manger youre heards) that shall be increased through your crueltie. Knowe yee not what is [Page 128] writtē? Tribulation worketh patiēce [...] Rom. 5. 3. patience experience; expertence hope; and hope maketh not ashamed.

See here what a heape of bene­fites affl [...]ctions bring vnto Gods chil­dren: your purpose is altogether set vp­on euill, but beholde a wonderful good: for by it our patience is approued, both vnto our selues, & also vnto y ^• worlde. As for example, doth not the patience [...]am. 5. 11. of Iob which sprange out of his afflic­tions, speake vnto vs at this day: and againe, out of it sloweth experience, a­nother benefite which is as a scale vn­to our consciences of the feare of God towards vs: that he will be our ready helpe in all d [...]stresses & dangers what­soeuer: which is a chiefe meane to pro­cure vs more earnestly to call vpō him in our troubles, and also to praise him in trueth for deliuerance.

The thirde is hope, a benefit which resteth in the will, and maketh al sure: for whosoeuer hath it shall neuer be a­shamed nor cōfoūded: but it lifteth him vp vnto an vnspeakeable reioycinge and comfort, which all the afflictions of this world are not able to quench: and [Page 129] why? because the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost, which is giuen vnto vs. Well then, these things considered, what hurt or dammage commeth vnto Gods chil­dren by afflictions? Nay what good is there, that their mindes are not chiesly garnished with in time of trouble? See here then how the expectations of our enemies are deceiued: for when they thinke that wee are moste ouercome and destroyed, then is oure strength greatly renued, and our conquest most victorious, as it is writen: Though Rom. 36. 37 we be killed al the day long, and coun­ted as sheepe for the slaughter, yet are wee more then conquerours through him that loueth vs. But if they will needes striue againste the streame (as Pharao did in the redde Sea) til they be ouerwhelmed therwith, let them do it rather by faire promises, thē by cru­el threatnings, & sooner they shall pre­uaile. I speake now after y ^• manner of men: for in trueth they can neuer pre­uayle, but they them selues muste needes haue y ^• foyle, which way so e­uer they do striue. Wel, by this means they may sooner draw Gods children [Page 130] somewhat more to pause vpō their fai­ [...]d prosperities, as did Dauid, til such time as his foot had w [...]lnere slipt. But to drawe them cleane away frō y ^• path of life, that can they neuer doe: for sen­tence is gone out from euerlasting to the contrary, the church is builded vp­on a foundation which the Lord hath layde, and not man, and therfore must needes stande sure, as it is written: the foundation of God standeth sure, and [...] Tim. 2. 16 hath this seale, the Lord knoweth who are his, and of those he wil not lose one as it is in the 6. of Iohn: All that the father giueth me, shal come to me, and [...]ohn. 6. 37. him that commeth to mee, I caste not awaye: for I came downe from hea­uen, [...]ohn. 6. 39. not to doe my owne will, but the will of him that sent me: and this is the will of the father which hath sente me, that of al which he hath giuen me, I shoulde lose nothinge, but shoulde rayle it vp againe at the last day: nay rather then he will leese one, [...]ee will leaue nientie and nine in the wilder­nesse, [...]uk. 1 4. 5. 5 and will shearth sorrowinge till he hath found it, and when hee findeth the same, he taketh it vp with ioy, lay­eth [Page 131] it vpon his shoulders, bringeth it home, causeth his neighbours & frends to reioyce with him, for that one shéepe that was loste, and now is founde a­gaine. And what doe all these things signifie vnto vs? surely euen the great care, and tender affection, which the Lord hath ouer his: not that his eyes can be darkened through any impedi­ment, whereby he should be be subiect vnto losses: but this is rather an aba­ [...]ing of the Scriptures to our capaci­ties, because such thinges are done a­mongest men, whereby is more liuely and cleerely set foorth vnto vs, howe farre Gods children are frō perishing, as these Scriptures doo testifie the same also: He keepeth vs as the ap­ple Psal. 17. 8. of his eye, and hydeth vs vnder the shadowe of his winges: He hath numbred Luke. 12. 7. Psal. 34. 7. our heires, and put our teares in­to a bottle: He will giue his Angels charge ouer thee, to keepe thee in all thy wayes, that thou hurte not thy foote against a stone. All which pro­mises of cōforte, are not as bare soūds in the eares of Gods children, but ra­ther as seales vnto their consciences, [Page 132] which they are wel experienced in: for howe could it be els that they shoulde haue such boldnesse, and be so greatlye comforted in their distresses and af­flictions, euen beyonde all reason or humaine wisdome whatsoeuer, as the Psalmes doe yeald vnto vs very plen­tifull testimonie of the same.

I will not be afraide (saith the Pro­phet Dauid) though ten thousande be­set me round about. And again: though I walke through the vale of the sha­dowe Psal. 3. 6. Psal. 23. 4. of death, yet will I feare none ill: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staffe they doe comfort me. And in another place: The lord is my hope and helpe in trouble, ready to be foūdt Psal. 46. 2. 3. therefore will I not feare, though the earth be mooued: though the moun­taines doe fall into the middest of the Sea: and though the waters doe rage and bee troubled, so that the Moun­taynes doe shake at the sourges there­of, yet there is a riuer whose streames shall make glad the citie of our God, euen the Sanctuarie of the Taberna­cle of the most highest.

And what is this Ryuer which [Page 133] the Prophet by the spirit of prophecie speaketh off here: euen Iesus Christ, who by the will of his heauenlye Fa­ther, is made vnto vs the fountayne and head spring of all goodnesse: By the streames which flowe from him, wee vnderstand the most comfortable consolations of the Spirite of God, which doeth testifie vnto our spirites, that we are the children of God: and not children onely, but also heires, e­uen Rom. 8. 17. heires of God, and heires annexed with Christ. A wonderfull exaltati­on: and beholde we haue two witnes­ses of the same: that is, the Spirite of God, and our owne spirites: the Spi­rite of God, in that it pricketh vs for­wardes vnto prayer, not onely in pub­like places, but also in priuate cor­ners, where none seeth but the Lorde: euen with vnspeakeable groaninges, which can not otherwise bee expres­sed. In that also [...]t stirreth vs v [...] vnto other exercises of Religion: as the worke of mortification, dyinge vnto sinne, liuinge vnto righteous­nesse, yea, and to suffer persecution [Page 134] when occasion is offred, because that by the same spirite we know that our labour shall not be in vaine: our own spirites also, in that wee doe not stub­bor [...]ely resist these good motions of Gods spirite, but striue rather by all possible meanes to make our selues tractable thereunto, being vexed euen with great sorrowe at our vnwilling­nesse, and reioycing with all exceeding ioy when we haue gotten any strēgth against the same. And thus you see what a wonderfull priuiledge al those haue, which doe vnfaynedly come vn­to Christ: for they shall neuer pearish, neither shall any take them out of his hande. Well then, these thinges con­sidered, what greate iniurie doe they Iohn. 20 28. vnto their owne soules, which denye this doctrine of predestination, or fore­knowledge: doe they any other then denie the verye strength and pride of the Gospell: for what better Gospell can we haue, then to heare that y ^e chil­dren of God can neuer pearish: that nether their sinnes, nor the deuils, shal euer bee able to pull them out of his hand: & that the Lord in Christ hath [Page 135] decreed the same from euerlastinge, what a miserable case I say are they in which bee ignorant of this, nay, which stubburnly resist it, and wil not be instructed therin. How is it possibl [...] for such to praye with any hope to re­ceyu [...], when it is done with so litle cre­dit; which way is it possible for them to receyue any comforte whose faith is incombred with so many doubtes; howe vnreuerently do they thinke of God who doe imagine of him, as of a mortall man, which is ignorant in the beginning of those thinges, that he wil doe afterwardes, and whose affecti­on is chaunged to day, from that that he purposed yesterdaye. Surely these are the daungers, which they do day­ly fall into, that eyther are ignorant, or haue no credit in this poynt of do­ctrine, which is the strength and foun­dation of all other poyntes of our chri­stian knowledge, and without the which (let our knowledge bee neuer so much otherwise) yet wee are no better then those which Sainte Iames speaketh of: waueringe minded and Iam. 28 therfore vncōstante in all our wayes, [Page 136] but to leaue these vnto him, who is both able and also wil teach them bet­ter, in his good time, if they belonge vnto his holy election, and to turne to our former byase; which is the vnmo­ueable estate and condition of Gods Children; the ground and pillar of out saith; the strength whereby we stand [...] and the chiefest thinge wherein wee haue to reioyce as our Sauiour Christ witnesseth, in the admonition that hee giueth vnto his Apostles: where h [...] willeth them, that they shoulde not reioyce in this that the deuils or wicked spirites were subiecte vnto Luke. 10. 20. them, but rather in this, that their [...] names were written in heauē, which is a thinge not done in tune, but be­yonde all times, euen before the Lord was. A merueylouse benefitte, and vnspeakable [...] I call it vnspeakable, because it cā not be attayned vnto, by any fleshly wisdome, which is altoge­ther beastly in this behalfe: for it is a secrete, which is wo [...]e hid from y ^• natu­rall man, then the iudgement day. F [...] y ^• remēbraunce of y ^• great iudgmēt doth at some time make thē tremble, when [Page 137] theire guyltie consciences, do beginne to accuse them, and whe [...] they see, and heare that those figge lea [...]es, [...]o begin, Mat 24. 32. yea and are already [...] [...]th, which our Samour Christ spake of, to de­clare that sommer is neare: but tell thē of the assurance which Gods children haue in them selues, of theire saluati­on in Christ; and howe the same hath b [...]ne from euerlasting: and thou shalt set how farre off they will be, from giuing any credit; nay, they will euen laugh thée to scorne, and thinke, that if there be any foole in the worlde thou [...]t hee, as we see dyuers examples of it in scripture. The wicked Iewes, thought that the Apostles, had beene drunken, when they spake the great [...] of God, with new tongues, Act. 2. 13 & 26. 24. as the spirit gaue them vtterance. Fe­stus likewise iudged Paul to be beside him selfe, and madde, when he began to speake once of the resurrection from death. And no maruel though y ^• wic­ked are so farre of from receyuing this heuenly treasure, because it is a newe Reuel. 2. 17. name y ^• no man knoweth, saue he y ^• re­ceyueth it; it is a secret which only be­longeth [Page 138] vnto Gods children, as it is writtē in y ^• Psalmes: [...]he secretes of y ^• Lord, are reueyled vnto them that feare him, and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding. Well then it re­mayneth that wee bee thankfull vnto God, who hath vouchsafed vs from e­uerlasting, this priueledge, to bee his Sonnes, yea, and hath warranted if Rom. 8. 16. by so sure a seale as can not be altered, euen the earnest of his owne spirit. The Apostles are very plentifull, in yealdinge of thankes vnto God for this benefit, as the chiefest of all other. Blessed be God saith Sainte Paull Ephe. 1. 5. [...]. euen the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ, which hath blessed vs with all spiritual blessings, in heauenly things, in Christ, and aledginge this as the chiefest: for he hath chosen vs in him, before y ^• foundation of the worlde, y ^• we should be holy, and without blame before him in loue. And againe in an other place, we ought to be thankefull [...]. Thes. 2. 13. alwayes vnto God for you brethren, because hee hath from the beginnings chosen you vnto saluation, through the sanctification of the spirit and the [Page 139] faith of trueth. These & such like pla­ces, are very plentifully founde in scripture, which to repeate I shoulde be tediouse, therfore letting them passe, and to speake more plainely vnto our capacity of the matter: Gods children which are effectually called, and doe feele the assurance of this inheritance in them selues, are thankfull, yea, and so thankfull as y ^• same doth carry sub­stance with it, euen to the bewraing of them, vnto the world, so that y ^• wic­ked men de beholde the image of God in them, and do reuerence them great­ly for theire vertues, although theire giftes otherwise be but slender, yea, and are more afraied oft times to committe sinnes in theire sighte, then in the presence of God, who seeth all things, and from whose eyes, nothing Ebr. 4. 13. can be hidde. Yet such is theire blind­nesse, and such is the strength of grace in the other, as for example: did Ma [...]. 6. 20. not Herod that cruell Kinge who had no feare of God at all before his eyes, yet feare and reuerence Iohn Bap­tist? because (saith the text,) that he knewe him to bee a iust, and a [Page 140] holy man, yea and did many things af­ter his counsell: so likewise Felix who although he were wholy giuē ouer to seeke bribes, yet trembled, at the prea­ching Act. 24. 26. of Paul, whē he spake of y ^e iudgemēt to come. Herein thē we may per­ceyue the trueth of that saying, which the holy Ghost vseth in the Psalmes: the Lord is greatly to be feared, in the assemblie of his Saintes: as the same also may appeare in y ^e strength of their prayers, how mightely they doe pre­uaile with God, not only for the attay­ninge of spiritual and inwarde com­fortes, but also of outwarde deliueran­ces, as the scripture for warrant of the same is very plentiful: which we may see in the deuyding of the red sea; the o­uerthrowe of the enemies in the wil­dernesse; the downe fall of the wals of Ieryco; and the staying of the course of the Sunne: all which things were procured through faith, and prayer of the Saintes, tendinge still to the de­lyuerance of Gods children, and o­uerthrowe of his enemies. Other ex­amples there are also, which to repeat I shoulde bee tedious, and therefore [Page 141] will satisfie my selfe, in noting the pla­ces. 2. Kings. 6. 16. 17. Danyel. 6. 22. and 3. 25. 26. 27. wherein likewise we may behold, the greate loue & care which the Lorde hath euer his church, and howe vnpossible it is for those to quaile, who haue the eares of the al­mightie continually so open vnto their cryes, and his helping hand so atten­tiue for theire delyuerance, eyther in iudgement towardes the wicked, or in mercy towardes them: and as he is attentiue vnto them, so likewise they are importunate in theire prayers w ^t him, as our Sauiour Christ doth wit­nesse in Luke: that his children do [...]e Luk [...]. 18. 1. day and night vnto him, and therefore can not but bee aduenged of the [...]e wrōges, and this is a speciall [...] of faith, a sure token of greate trust & confidēce, y ^• benefit whereof we all doe both feele & find vnto this day: for how many treasōs, & trecheries haue beene wrought against our gratious Prince, frō time to time, by y ^• man of sin & his impes, both by purpose of murther, & other meanes also: to put out the candell of Gode worde which so clear­ly doth shine amongest vs, and [Page 142] which he hath vsed here, as a chief [...] meane to vpholde and maintaine a­mongst vs, yet none of them could [...] preuaile, but are taken at halfe turne, and fast snared in the ginne that they laide for others: as vpon London bridge and other partes of the citie, we haue a plentifull spectacle of the same, Which thing beinge brought to passe, let vs not impute it, vnto our owne cunninge or pollicy, but vnto the great mercy of God, who is the watchman of Israel, that neuer sleepeth nor slom­bereth, and hath beene procured there­unto, by the importunate outcryes of his Saintes: For otherwise, eare this time we should haue had, a blacke and glow my day. Well y ^• Lord he blessed, for all his mercies towardes our land, and let vs loue his children, for whose sakes (no doubt of it) we do enioy this so greate peace and plenty. Know you not y ^• the Lord would not bringe cōfu­sion, vpō y ^• old world so long as Noah, & his familie were amongest them, but [...]en. 7. 16. as sone as they were once closed vp in y ^• arke, thē im nediatly came destructiō vpon y ^• rest, & they were euerwhelmed [Page 143] with waters: be not forgetful likewise how that the Angels which were ap­poynted of God, to execute his ven­geance vpō Sodome and Gomortha▪ could doe nothing vntill Lot and his Gen. 12. [...] two daughters were gone out: & then streight wayes came fire & brimstone vpon the rest. Phinees in like maner, Rom. 25. 1 [...] through his zeale, turned away the wrath of God from all Israel. And Rom. 16. 17 Moyses likewise (through importu­nate begging) stayed the plague.

Thus you see how that peace and prosperitie is continued amongest the wicked, not for themselues, but for the great regarde and care that God hath of his church, which is amongst them: yea and whole Cities or Countreyes oft times are preserued from plagues, for some one of them, as the same is notablie descrybed in the talke which the Lord had with Abraham, vpon the plaine of Mamre: who woulde haue spared those fiue great cities for y ^• sakes Gen. 18. 32. of tenne righteous men, if they coulde haue beene founde amongest them. Here you see then further, that this great loue, and assurance of saluation, [Page 144] which God doth bestowe vpon his children, is no meane to make them se­cure or careles, as some blasphemers doe oft times obiecte, but rather more fearefull, more duetifull, and more earnest in prayer: because that when they beholde such a wonderfull mercie of God towards them, they thinke (as the trueth is in deede) that they can neuer be thankfull inough vnto him. Then they begin to giue dueties both to God & men: then they walke law­fully in lawfull vocation: then the husbandman, or handicraftes man, doeth seeke the kingdome of God as [...] [...]. 3 [...]. well in the fieldes or towne, as in the Church; as well in walking in theire vocation, as by frequentinge of Ser­mons: Take me not gresly, I meane they put in practise that abroad, which they learne in the Church. Their yea is yea, and their nay is nay: and there­fore [...]at. 5. to conclude, we can neuer doe any duetie in trueth, before the assurance of Gods kingdome doe send vs there­unto: for Gods children only are care­full, and all the worlde besides care­lesse.