not permitte vs to giue the prime dayes vnto the Deuill and the Dogge dayes to him to poure out our wine to the world and serue him with our dregges Amend saith my text heere is no time speciall annexed and therefore is our payment presently required And as we must amend without deferring so must wee continue without back-sliding Wee may not repent by quames and startes but go through stitch Fatte promisings may not haue leane performances It is a principle in the Ciuill Law Nihil praesumitur fuisse actum dum aliquid superest ad agendum To begin a thing is pleasant and for varieties sake many will do so much but the prise and praise is at the end Some in the world resemble Snayles which push out a long payre of hornes but beeing touched neuer so little they drawe them in againe Such a one was 2. Chr. 15. Asa carefull to doe good till the goute did take him 1. Sam. 14. 27. Others are like Ionathan who will follow the chase hard till they come where hony is But true repentance may not be by lease or after the manner of Bethulia Iudg. 7. 30. a composition for fiue dayes wee may not say one day Gloriapatri the second filio the third spirituo sancto and after that come to sicut erat in principio Dan. 2. 32. 33. this were Nabuchadnezers image the head of brasse the breast of baser mettall and so neerer the ende Luk. 18. worse and worse still But we must follow repentance Gen. 32. as the widdow did her sute keepe our hold as Iacob did in wrestling Amend to day amend to morrow runne on not for a time but euen our whole time actu continuo with a continued act Moderately at the first constantly in the middest cheerefully to the end All the trees in GODS Orchard must bee Palmes and Cedars Palmes which bring forth fruit betimes Cedars whose fruites lasteth very long Consider well the manifold dangers which followes the want eyther of speed or of continuance First our liues of all things are most vncertaine Short are Iob. 13. the dayes of man saith Iob who also amonst the Philosophers is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of a day old Salomon Eccle. 2. surueying mans life calleth it Vaine and then thinking not that word sufficient correcteth himselfe and calleth it vanity but Dauid goeth yet further and Psal 6 2. tells vs. That man is lighter then vanity too Euen as Psal 90. 9. a thought in the braine wherof there may be no fewer then ten thousand in one day What answer was made vnto him that promised ease vnto his soule many yeares thou foole this night shall thy soule be taken Luk. 11. 19 20. from thee Young men saith Seneca haue death behind them olde men haue death before them and all men haue death not farre from them Mee thinkes the Lord threatneth an vtter ruine vnto all the World The Earth not long since hath trembled the Lightes of Heauen haue beene often darkened Rebellions haue beene raised Treasons haue beene practised Plagues haue beene dispersed Windes haue blustered Waters haue raged and what wanteth there now but fire for vs from Heauen to bee consumed And is it nowe time to buye to sell to eate to drinke to liue securely in sinne as they did in the dayes of Noah and thinke of nothing else Is it nowe time to say vnto GOD as the Niggard doth Prou. 3. vnto his neighbour Cras reuertere come againe to morrow or as that drowsie sluggard doth yet a Prou. 6. 10. little sleepe yet a little slumber yet a little folding of the handes The foolish Virgins supposed that the Bridgroome would not come like an Owle or Baâ—te in the night there is time enough saide they what needes all this hast but poore fooles they were excluded O My beloued many thousands are nowe no doubt in hell who purposed in time to haue turned from their sinnes but being preuented by death are for euer condemned Let therefore the vncertainety and shortnesse of our liues teach vs to watch because we know not the houre to do good whilst we haue Mat. 25. Gal. 6. time to make hast into the promised rest and alwayes Heb. 4 let vs esteeme it as an imminent danger to line in that estate wherein wee would bee loath that death should finde vs. Secondly badde customes are dangerous and Iob. 20. 11 greatly to bee feared Hee that from his youth hath liued wickedly in his old age shall haue sinne in his bones Can the Black-moore change his skinne or the Ier. 13. 23. Leopard his spottes no more may hee doe good sayth GOD who is accustomed vnto euill It is a true speech vsed amongst Physitions Custome is another Nature A Child brought vp in closse prison can there sport and play when hee that lately saw light and had his liberty can do little else but bewayle his Captiuity The Isralites beeing long in bondage Luk. 13. were loath to depart the Woman which had an infirmitie eighteene yeares called not vpon CHRIST Luk. 19. as the Leapers did Sinnes are not like Disseases in the body The older the sorâ—r sed consuetudine plus quam ciues studio plus quam hostes saith Saint Augustine the older the sweeter and yet the more toothsome the more troublesome for Custome not resisted becommeth a Necessity Olde Sinners are compared to Lazarus in his graue First they stinke they are corrupt and become abhommable Ps 14. 1. 3. as the Psalmist speaketh Secondly they haue a greate stone of Custome rowled vpon them which can hardly be remoued Ioh. 11. 43. CHRIST must grone and crye aloud before Lazarus can bee raised Thirdly their seete and handes are bound they cannot imploie them to any good action And lastly their faces are couered hauing by the darkenesse of their sinnes lost the sight of GOD. Againe ancient sinnes are by the Prophet compared vnto Chaynes where one lincke one sinne doth draw on another First commeth secret suggestion after suggestion Cogitation after cogitation Affection after affection Delight after delight Consent after consent an Act then many actes make a Custome Custome bringeth Despayre despaire a Defence of sinne defense a Boasting in it and this is the next steppe to condemnation Here is the Chaine of sinn wherein euerie lincke is more heauye then an other the former are the easier the latter alwayes the harder to bee shaken off Peter at the first did but denye CHRIST afterwardes hee denyed him with an oath at last hee did curse and swcare and for-swore him-selfe The Disciples of Mat. 26. CHRIST could not caste out a Foule Spirit that had remayned in one from his child-hood Hee that hath had long possession will plead prescription Mar. 9. A Language saith Bassill first learned is not soone forgotten and a custome long retayned is not quickly changed It is therefore very dangegerous
without faith a sorrow without conuersion whereas sorrow faith and new obedience they should go together The first driueth to the second sorrow to faith The second to the third fayth to conuersion Sorrow without faith is hopelesse faith without conuersion is fruitlesse the one killing the other dead all must concurre in true repentance As it must haue the knowledge of sinne in the soule rising from the Law of GOD and a sorrow for sinne in the heart proceeding from the feare of punishment goe before it so must it spring from faith and by faith bee finished from the faith of science wherby wee giue credance vnto the Gospell must it spring and by the faith of confidence by which the heart is conuerted vnto GOD is it fully perfected There is no part of Christian religion of that maine importance wherein men doe more voluntarily deceiue themselues then commonly they doe in this duty of Repentance In consideration whereof it will not be amisse to deliuer vnto you certaine infallible fignes and vnseparable frutes whereby we may assure our selues that wee haue repented S. Paul nameth seuen fruites which in some measure alwaies follow where true amendment goeth before Behold saith hee your godly sorrowes what care 1 it hath 2 Cor. 7. 11 wrought in you yea what clearing 2 of your selues yea what indignation 3 yea what feare 4 yea how great desire 5 yea what Zeale 6 yea what punishment 7 Those then who are true conuertes who doe vnfaynedly amend their liues they are not sluggish or secure in sinne but Carefull to redresse what is amisse not hiders or excusers of cuill but Confessors and by humble supplication Clearing theyr offences They are not contented to dwell in wickednesse but vexed in soule and full of Indignation against them-selues for their sins committed they stand in awe and are affraid of GODS iudgments They Desire his fauour as the Hart desireth the water Brookes they labour by religious Zeale to approue their liues to GOD and good Men and they are so farre from fauoring of their faults as that they seuerely punish them vpon them-selues These bee good Conuerts indeede But those who haue not this care to keepe the Law of GOD. Who vse not the meanes to cleare the score who be not angry with them-selues for their sinnes who feare not GODS iudgements who desire not his mercie who contend not to go before others in Zeale and honesty of life who reuenge not their sinnes vppon them-selues irridentes sunt non paenitentes saith Gregory they are proud mockers not true repenters Must then amendment of life yeelde such worthy fruites Is Care Is Clearing Is Indignation Is Feare Is Desire Is Zeale Is Punishment required heere-vnto O then My beloued to repent can bee no light matter nor trifling labour which a man may haue at command or performe when hee list No noe As sixe dayes went before the creation of Man-kind so must wee thinke of our Recreation not as if wee were then conuerted when as Euening and Morning make the second or third or fourth day it is a sixt dayes worke that is much toyle and trauaile belongs vnto it Sinne cannot be cast off as an vpper garment The heartes of sinners must suffer an Earth-quake with-in them and tremble and rende There must bee mortifying and crucifying and sacrificing both of Bodyes and Soules Strange wordes Mortifiyng Crucifying Sacrifyeing arguing as strange actions That must torment vs at the Heart which delighted vs in our Bodies that must bee sower to our Soules which was sweete in our Liues wee must change our Vices into as manye Vertues and so turne vnto our GOD as if wee neuer more would returne vnto sinne Many are there saith Fulgentius which are sorrowfull for their sinnes yet leaue not their sinning but these take not awaye their sinnes by sorrowing because they leaue not sinning after sorrowing For as Saint Augustine speaketh nihil prosunt lamenta vbi replicantur peccata Mourning is in vaine if wee sinne againe But more alas are there which seldome or neuer are sorrie for theyr sinnes at all Which will not learne to drinke Gall with CHRIST which cannot abide a bitter Soule nay in steed of sorrowing for sins they glory in them they say vnto them as GOD said vnto his Creatures increase multiplie proclayming with a Trumpet their own reprobation O let vs remember that the hearts of Eccl. 20. foolish sinners are like broken vessells which cannot be mended till they must first bee melted That as Beda sayth we must plowe vp our groundes before wee can ridde them from thornes That as Saint Ambrose speaketh great sinnes craues great weeping great lamentation If Naman will bee cleansed from his leprosie hee must wash him-selfe seauen times in the water and if wee will purge vs from the filthinesse of our sinne wee must rench our selues often with teares wee must vnder-goe the Agonie of Repentance mingle our Drinke with weeping water our Couches with Teares yea the very bloud as it were of our soules must gush out of our eyes we must be grieued that wee cannot alwayes be grieued When CHRIST considered the sinnes of Ierusalem Luk. 13. 34 he wept ouer it O Ierusalem Ierusalem c. When Dauid heard that his Sonne was slaine in his sinne he 2 Sam. 18. lamented for him O Absolon my sonne Absolon my sonne my sonne Haue these wept for the sinnes of others much more ought wee then to mourne for our owne transgressions Michah followed the souldiers crying because they had stolne away his Idols and the question beeing moued why he cryed so piteously Iudges 17. Why saith he yee haue carried my gods away and aske yee me why I crie Did this Idolatrous wretch thinke it cause sufficient to lament for the losse of his false gods which his owne handes had made Iudge you then Beloued how we should be grieued for our sinnes which depriue vs of the true GOD whose handes haue framed Heauen and Earth Wil examples moue vs to the performance of this duty Looke vpon repenting Dauid and behold there are ashes vpon his head and sack-cloth vpon his backe he did not braue it in atire nor lay streaking vpon his bed with a bare Lord helpe mee in his mouth Looke vpon the repenting Nineuites and behold King and people are strangely humbled Men and beasts fast and drinke water they sat not bealching at their bordes saying Pardon Sir so post it ouer Looke vpon repenting Magdalen and behold saith Gregory quot habuit in se oblect amenta tet de se fecit hollocausta so many pleasures as shee found in her selfe so many sacrifices shee made of her selfe Shee had abused her eyes to wanton lookes and therefore nowe she caused them to flow-ouer with teares shee had made her lips the weapons of lasciuiousnes and gates of vanitie and therefore now shee caused them to kisse her Saniour her hayre once set out and frizeled after the newest
Psa 16. 11. but shewe you now what Saint Augustine speaketh of the ioyes of Heauen and so will I passe vnto that which followeth Wee may saith hee sooner tell you what they are not then what they are Yet take a surusie of those manifolde benefits which GOD bestoweth vpon our base and ignoble bodies Shed out both vpon good and badde from the Heauens from the Ayre from the Earth from the Waters from light from darkenesse from heate from coldnesse from all the creatures shed also out by succession to exclude a loathing Doth GOD bestow vpon our bodies and promiscuaily vppon all these excellent benefits Then O Lord howe great and wonderfull are those good things which thou hast laid vp for thine Elect in the Kingdome of Heauen if these be so good which thou hast giuen to good and badde what shall they bee which thou hast reserued onely for the good if they bee soe pleasant which thou sendest to friendes and enemies howe sweete are those which thy friends shall enioy if there bee so many comfortes in the valley of teares what shall there bee in the day of marriage if thou beest so kind vnto vs in this prison of ours how wilt thon imbrace and hugge vs when we come into thy Kingdome Into that euerlasting Kingdome where euerlasting glory shall bee vpon our heads where that which we would haue shal be present with vs and that we would not haue shal be as sent from vs where there shal be a measure of ioy heaped vp shaken together pressed downe running ouer mensura sine mensura as Bernard speaketh a measure without measure Where we shall haue health without sicknesse strength without weakenesse freedome without bondage beautie without blacknesse Knowledge without ignorance plenty without want peace without trouble safety without feare life without death glory without shame Where wee shall be filled with ioy yet beeing filled wee shall still desire least our fulnesse procure a loathing and in desiring wee shall alwayes bee filled least our desire beget a greeuing to conclude neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart of man can conceiue those excellent things that are prepared for vs. Neyther can GOD giue more nor man receiue more then we shall there inioy And is not this then a most lamentable losse to bee debarred from these ioves of Heauen Mee thinkes the remembrance of it should dismaye the heart of a wicked man When hee recounteth with himselfe that hee shall bee shutte out off doores with Dogges that hee shall be excluded from those vnspeakable ioyes which CHRIST IESVS hath bought with his pretious heart bloud that hee shall bee bereft of that glory whereof the beauty of the most glorious Creatures is but a simple shadow that hee shall be cast out from that pure bright and large place of happinesse from an Eternall Kingdome Did the losse of the Arke of 1. Sam. 4. GOD cause Elye to breake his neck This then is inough to breake a Pharaohs heart in peeces to know that after troubles heere there is no hope of harbour of rest of safty in the world to come that he shal be depryued of the face of GOD the sight of CHRIST the fellowship of the Spirit the company of holy Angells and blessed Saintes finally that hee shall haue no part in that great measure of ioy which is so infinite as it cannot enter into vs but wee must enter into it Thou good and faithfull Mat. 25. 21 seruant enter into thy Maisters ioy O wofull and vnsufferable losse more then can bee counternayled by the gayning of ten thousand Worldes Nay all the teares which shall be in Hell will saith Chrisostome neuer be sufficient to bewayle the losse of Heauen And is this all the punishment the impenitent shall sustaine shall they onely loose the ioyes of Heauen we may not stay heere They shal perish they shall likewise feele the terrible paines of Hell Many motiues are there saith Saint Hierom to stirre vs vp to amendment of our liues The consideration of the teares and of the bloud which CHRIST shedde for sinners our owne ennumerable offences the weaknesse of our bodies and frailty of our liues GODS continued mercy towardes vs his Iustice and reuenging power but especially the feare of loosing the ioyes of Heauen All these are as spurres to prick vs forward to repentance and as Trumpets to rowse vs vp from our carnall securitye Yet such is the dulnesse of many and so dead a sleepe are some in their sinnes as such motiues as these will worke but small effect in them Let CHRIST weepe till his Head and Heart ake let him suffer neuer so extreame Torments let sinnes bee as redde as scarlet and liues of all thinges most vncertaine shewe GODS mercies tell of his iudgments Preach of the losse of Heauen Yet were there no Hell to receiue them or Tortures prouided for them they would easily put off all these with a Tush and bee as resolute for their owne destruction as Hester was for the sauing of her people If wee perish wee perish Oderunt peccare mali formi dine paenae Wicked Hest 4. 16. ones must bee scarred from sinne with feare of punishments let them then set before their eyes the fearefull and horrible paines of heil These in the Scriptures are expressed by diuers Apoc. 10. names Sometimes they are called fire hee that is not written in the booke of life is sent into a lake of fire Esa 66. 14. Sometimes they are tearmed a Worme their worme shall not die Verme roditur conscientia igne cremantur corpora saith Bernard with the worme is their consciences gnawed and with the fire are their bodies burned Sometimes againe are they set out by the loathsome stench of Brimstone vppon the wicked hee Psal 11. 6. will raine fire and brimstone Otherwhiles by weeping Mat. 13. 42 and gnashing of teeth Weeping because of the fire that will not be quenched and gnashing because of the worme that wil not bee killed the one comming from Esa 65. 13. 14. griefe the other from rage Sometimes they beare the names of thirst of hunger of sorrow of shame And such penury is there in hell as there is nothing to relecue the damned which are therein The rich man begged a droppe of water and could not haue it guttam petijt saith Gregory qui micam negauit hee craued a droppe that denied a crumme Neyther is it a little torment to bee imprisoned and tortured by the vgglie Fiendes of hell by those Etheopian Angelles as Cyrill calleth them whose armes saith Cassian are like the heades of Dragons whose eyes shoote forth arrowes of fire whose teeth are like the teeth of Elephants whose tayles are like the tayles of Scorpions that is gushfull and grisly Diuils if the sight of one of them be able to bereaue a man of his wittes O how great will the horrour be when they shall all appeare And what doth the