the weake that finde themselues willing and yet vnperfect in the seruice of God for God doth accept of vs according to that we are and not according to that we are not The least sparkes of obedience insomuch as they be his owne worke are accepted in his sight so that it be w t earnest endeuour to encrease and therefore this giueth no libertie to licentious loosenesse which notwithstanding we sée to presume herevpon for say the Atheistes who can kéepe Gods commandements is any man without sinne and so forth Which in déede is true but they by occasion thereof haue no regard nor care of any reformation but runne on from sin to sinne and that with gréedines But let such knowe that they can not please the deuill better with any thing in the world because hereby they be as like him as if they were spitted out of his mouth for he knoweth that no man can absolutely obey Gods lawes and therefore he prowleth to mocke them in euery point to breake them and thou sayst thou canst not obey him perfectly and therefore art carelesse to doe any good at all Wherein doest thou now differ from him But let vs haue a care to winne ground of our aduersary to obtaine more and more strength against sinne make it weaker in vs euery day than other by continuall meditation in the worde of God and prayer for his grace to fructifie therein then we shall shew our selues valiant souldiers and not dastards in the quarrell of our Lorde and Captaine Iesus Christ. Now follow the ende that we are to ayme at in this fight against our selues to liue godly which is duely to be considered for Satan hath gone thus farre with a number either to perswade them without al doubting of the matter that they shall merit heauen and deserue to be Gods children by their workes or els that they néede to doe none at all and we sée euen the greatest number put the one of these in practise for either they be obstinate and blind Papistes forgetting Christ Iesus and hoping to come to heauen by their works or els they be Atheists affirming plainly that if they deserue nothing for them they will doe no good works From which fountaine floweth this generall securitie where with all the world is so rocked on sléepe that euery man séeketh for him selfe neuer thinking that he is any way bounde to benefite his poore and needye brother Whereby as in many other things we may behold the vsuall practize of Satan either to make vs lye wallowing in all carelesnes or els to driue vs too farre into the con trary extremitie Which thing we are to haue a great care of euen in euery thing that we do that we may kéepe within the bounds of that meane prescribed by the Lord in his word from which it is not lawfull to decline neither to the right hand nor to the left least Satan ouertake vs and worke our confusion The endes wherevnto by the word of God we are to haue regard and respect be in number thrée First Gods glorie 2. Our owne comfort 3. The good of our brethren among whome we liue The glorie of God which is the first ende is to be sought in our good and godly conuersation for it is euident that we are by nature vnfit to doe any good thing but rather prone and bent to sinne but when it pleaseth God so to alter and reforme our harts that the frute thereof shineth in our conuersation this sheweth the great glory of God in that he of seruants vnto sinne and vncleannes maketh vs to serue him in godlines The which thing our Sauiour Christ ment when he sayd let your light so shine before men that they may sée your good workes and glorifie your heauenly father which is in heauen Where vnto also the Apostle S. Peter had especiall regard when he sayd Déerely beloued I beséech you as straungers and pilgrims absteine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as euill doers may by your good workes which they shall sée glorifie God in the daye of visitation Unto which ende S. Paule had respect also when he exhorting the Thessalonians to godlines sayth that y ◠name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you The which poynt is duely to be obserued for our instruction because that now a dayes all men will say they doe loue God and honour him but their bare wordes must not goe for proofe for we sée the holy ghost setteth downe that the glorifieng of God by vs consisteth in godly conuersation for if thou sayst neuer so much thou louest God and doest honour him vnlesse it shine in thy conuersation it is a lye in thée and a thing not to be beléeued of others For our Sauiour saith If any loue me he wil kéepe my sayings so that the tryall standeth in this looke howe carefull thou art to reforme thy life according to the word of God and looke howe much thou hast subdued the heate of thine owne affections and so much thou doest glorifie God and no further Nay if thou béest slacke herein carelesse to doe that in déede wherof thou makest profession thou doest euen as much as lyeth in thée dishonour God and therfore sayth S. Paule thou that gloriest in the law thorough breaking of the law dishonorest God I would to God that the carnall professors and enemies to sinceritie of these our dayes both in them selues and others could consider of this with a single eye For those that be enemies to reformation be commonly loose in life as we sée in our owne experience If it were so I doubt not but their conuersation would be found euen of thē selues most vile and filthy not worthy once to be named among them that professe the gospell of Iesus Christ. The second ende which we are to looke vnto is for the establishment and comfort of our owne soules and consciences For we sée that all men are contented to make a shewe of religion and to take vpon them y ◠profession of Christ which can not be sufficient for then should all or at least the greatest number be saued yet we know the words of our Sauiour Christ that narrowe is the way that leadeth to life and fewe doe walke therein Then what shall we doe to examine our selues vnfeynedly to sée whether we are of the number of them or no S. Peter shall tel vs most notably what we must doe Flye sayth he the corruption which is in y e world through lust Therefore giue euen all diligence therevnto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlines and with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue for if these things be among you and doe
they heare that God will graunt whatsoeuer is asked in his sonnes name doe by and by aske riches honor promotions and worldely dignities but for such wishes S. Iames telleth vs that we aske and receiue not because we aske amisse that we mighte bestowe it vpon our owne lusts Therefore to aske in the name of Christe is to aske according to his wil that is to pray for the gifts of the spirit for the strengthning of the soule absolutely and for the thinges of this life with condition that is if it be his will and if we thus pray against any inward weakenesse or outward extremitie yet are not heard we must thinke our praiers haue not bene sufficiently faithfull and feruent or God séeth it better for vs to kéep vs vnder the rod to schoole vs and hauing learned this lesson we should haue great comfort in our prayers though they be not granted and ioy in the crosse euen whē it is most grieuous for whē we are weakest in our selues then be we strongest in the Lord. This fruit of faith bringeth forth many other as first Hope which is a looking for the performance of that which is promised with a trust to obteine it For when I sée that God hath not onely promised eternall life but all things also necessary for this present life vnto al them that with a hearty and true faith aske them at his hands I beléeuing the Lord that he will performe it doe dayly expect looke for the performance thereof and in the meane while doe féed my desire with a continuall expectation for the same to be reuealed wayting for the Lordes leasure vntill it be his good pleasure to accomplish the same vnto me And this is a notable vertue being steadfast for we sée both by the Scriptures and our owne experience how the Lord promiseth and then séemeth to withdrawe his hand he promised the lande of Canaan to the Israelites and yet kept them 400 yeares without it He promised deliuerance from Captiuitie and yet kept them seuentie yeares in it He promised Iesus Christ the Sauiour of the world the séed of the woman to bruse the heade of the Serpent almost foure thousande yeares before he came in the flesh and so he dealeth with vs which thing because it is not presently performed the wicked distrust and take their present pleasure of those things that bée here following their greate graundfather Esau. in selling the birthrighte of the kingdome of Heauen for a messe of pottage of pleasure in this world choosing rather to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and so perish afterwarde eternaly thē to suffer heauinesse for a night and want for a moment that they might inioy the kingdome of heauen But contrarywise the godly beléeuing God and trusting to his promises doe with patience abide with earnest praier beg and with hope looke for the manifestation of all Gods promises to their great and endlesse comfort and of one of these sortes is euery one of vs and therefore let vs examine our owne consciences The second vertue is Patience y ◠daughter of Hope for as it is in thinges of this world a man that hath bene longe exercised in any labour though it be at the first neuer so grieuous vnto him because he séeth it cannot be auoided he is contented to vndergo the paine thereof and with patience he procéedeth euen so it is in the looking for the promises of God the troubles that we indure here for Christes sake at the first they be very grieuous and the wante of the accomplishment of them doth bring greate lamentation and griefe but when we sée that God hath ordaind that it must be so that his must be fed with hope and tried with adueruties it maketh vs if we be Gods children as méek as lambs and milde as Moses and as patient as we say as Iob. So that you sée howe those thinges that be bitter to the fleshe turne to the great honor and glory of God and our owne good in that it increaseth vertue godlinesse in vs. The third and last vertue that this hope bringeth forth is Contentation a singular and heauenly vertue the rarest flower that the garden of mans soule bringeth forth which is this when I sée by the eyes of faith the narrow way that God hath appointed for his children and that euery extremitie bringeth forth a happie successe to them that feare God therefore doe hope that the Lorde being pleased with me in his sonne my sauiour Iesus Christ it bréedeth this in me and must doe the same in all Gods children to be very willing and contented with that crosse which he hath lotted out vnto me and be so farre from murmuring and grudging that God hath left me vnder the crosse that I muste greatly reioyce therein Which thing we doe not only sée practised by y ◠holy apostls of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who did reioice y ◠they were counted worthy to suffer for his name but also prescribed vnto all Gods children that because all that will liue godly in Iesus Christ must suffer persecution and enter into the knigdom of God by many tribulations and afflicons that therefore we must account it exceading ioy when wée fal into diuers temptations knowing that the triall of our faith bringeth forth patience and pacience hauing hir perfect worke bringeth forth perfection The outwarde fruite of which Contentation is also cōtentatyon with our estate and calling wherein the Lord hath set vs that so it be neuer so poore base contemptible or laborious seing that God in whō we repose all confidence of whose loue we be perswaded hath set vs therein we must thinke it the most conuenient standing for vs and be well contented therewithall labouring to do our duty therein with all sinceritie and care to deale iustly and truly which lesson a pitifull thing to thinke is scarse learned of any for we sée how y e poore acount rich in good estate the rich déemeth the poore to liue most at ease subiects admire the happinesse of princes and princes wish to themselues the secure condition of their inferiours Wherevpon it commeth that euery one almost setting his eies vppon the glory and outwarde shewe of an other man starteth aside from his standing and is carelesse in his calling as magistrates become careles mean men looking aloft wax couetous séeking to grow greate by extortion and vsery artificers to inrich themselues vnlawfully by facing and lying swearing and forswearing so that the head is sicke and the whole heart heauie from the top to the toe there is nothing whole therein but woundes and swelling and soares full of corruption And in this generall apostacy I quake to think it my toūg faltereth in my mouth to speak it they that should be lanternes of light to others they from whose mouthes should come the swéete word of eternal life and in whose liues should
calleth such Idell shéepeheardes dumbe Dogges that cannot barke Salt with out saltnesse not good for the Dunghill and yet this churche of Englande a grieuous thinge to bée considered is euen pestered with suche and they swarme like Locustes lette oute of the lake The Lord for his mercy sake either conuert them to better vses or in his good time send an east winde to blow them into the bottome of the sea and place séeing watchmen and painefull labourers in his vineyarde that will dresse it and not fast themselues therein Amend your liues This is the counsell of Peters a sentence very shorte in wordes but long in matter containing the very substance of all religion and the whole 〈◊〉 of Christianitie the originall word signifieth to recouâ—â— with griefe it is commonly translatâ—â— repent and the mâ—â—ter called repentance which is a turning of our liues vnto God procéeding from a true feare of his iudgments for sinne imbracing God his promises in Iesus Christ and reforming the life according to the prescript rule of Gods worde the which that we may the more orderly procéed consisteth of these thrée principall partes 1. A sorrow for sinne 2 Faith in Christ and 3. Godlinesse of conuersation which laste in truth is rather a fruite of faith as in a place conuenient shall be proued then any part of the whole all which things in some measure more or lesse are to be found in all them that are Gods children and haue receyued any tast of his grace The first Sorrowe for sinne may be thus defined it is a griefe of the soule for sinne wrought by the iudgementes of God layed out in his word whereby the party conuicted is truly humbled I call it a griefe of the soule because it bringeth man euen into the gulfe of condemnation and setteth before his eies the heauie wrath of God and hell torments that his owne conscience telleth him he hath iustly deserued This was wrought in Dauid when his owne mouth condemned him to be the child of death It was in Iosias when his heart melted at the hearing of the Lawe expounded vnto him It was in Marie that washed our Sauiour Christ Iesus his féete with hir teares it was in these that cried out in the anguishe of their hearts men and brethren what shall we doe it is in all them among vs that haue any working of Gods spirit in them when they consider God to be a iust God a reuenger of iniquitye and themselues to be most horrible and wretched sinners Whereby we may take good occasion to examine our selues whether we be of God or no which we shall do thus If I do not tremble at Gods iudgments if my sins grieue me not surely I am hardned but if they make me sigh grone vnto the Lord vnder the weight thereof if I loth them both in my selfe others then I haue a marke of Gods grace in me that he worketh my saluation and sealeth it vnto me This sorrowe may after a sorte be in a man and yet not the true sorrowe for many are grieued because they they are not better for that through their naughtinesse they forgette preferment or credit that else they shoulde haue and therefore it is saide that this muste be wroughte by the iudgementes of God laid out in his worde that is when by Gods Lawe I perceiue the straighte lyne that is inioyned to me and the cursse of God that hang ouer my heade for my disobedience that bringeth with it condemnation of bodye and soule this is the thing wherefore I shoulde be grieued And if wée wey the matter well it carryeth with it iust cause of sorrowe for though I inioye all the delightes and pleasures that bee in the worlde I shall haue them a very shorte time and the rewarde of sinne is eternal wo without ease or intermission which all men haue iustly deserued and from which none shall be deliuered that is not broughte to sorrowe for sinne and to séeke to Iesus Christe the life of them that rightelye séeke him This being the firste steppe to God and entrance into his fauour is mightely gainesaid by the subtile enimie Sathan that would haue vs make a sporte of sinne Secondly by the world that blereth our eies with the poysoned baits of vanities 3. by our owne flesh y â— lusteth after those things that bring perdition and therefore the Lord who hath a care that his chosen should not be deceyued by all these or any of them hath in his word set downe many most strong reasons and forcible persuasions to induce vs to this sorrow for sinne as first his seuere iudgementes executed vppon others Idolators were giuen ouer into the handes of spoilers Blasphemers consumed by the Angell of God Corrupters of Gods sincere worshippe presently strooke downe dead Disobedient rebells swallowed vppe quicke into the earth Murderers requited with murther Generally the whole world except eyght persons drowned for sinne Sodome and Gomorrah burned with fire and brimstone from heauen because of pride riotte idlenesse and contempte of y â— poore Foure sins that now I am perswaded are as rife as euer they were in those Citties and al these as they receyued suddaine punishment in this worlde so to vs no other is knowen but that eternall condemnation followed Now how must these thinges bring vs to sorrowe for sinnes Thus we haue committed the same sinnes in some pointe that they did and therfore being guilty of the same condemnation there is no way for vs to escape it but to flée to the Lorde with penitent heartes and sorrowing soules Saint Paule teacheth vs this doctrine the same vse of it saiing these are written as exampls for vs that we sinne not as they did least we receyue the same condemation Whereby we learne that the scriptures of God are not written to vs as histories to read and heare for pleasure but for our learning and instruction that we may learne by the example of the wicked there mentioned to leaue sinne and of the godly to be stirred vp vnto godlines Againe when we consider how mercyfull God hath bene vnto vs that whereas in his iuste iudgemente be might haue not onely cutte vs of and cast vs into eternal condemnation when first we began to conceiue any inclination vnto sinne but euen before we were borne haue drowned vs in originall guilte and neuer sufferd vs to come to any knowledge of good or euill hath so long a time we committing so many and infinite sinnes against his maiesty yet spared vs not dealt rigorously with vs this shoulde make vs very sory that we haue so long prouoked so merciful a God vnto anger which vse S. Paule setteth downe saying that the mercy of God leadeth to repentance But alas we take occasion to sin by the same and so are carelesse to amend euer hauing this in our mouths God is mercifull and
followe the steppes prescribed by him Where vpon it commeth as dayly experience declareth too manifestly that infinite numbers yea almost the whole worlds is drowned in sinne and iniquity For either they be Papistes blind with superstition or carnall gospellers contented with bare profession or Athiests addicted to no religion thinking it the safest way to meddle no whitte that way and all these agrée in one conclusion to delight in sinne and iniquity so that to find one that maketh a conscience of sinne that striueth for sincere reformation wrestleth against his owne corruptiō to please God is very hard euen among a great number and he whome God hath inlightned to take that course What is he a precision a puritane one that taketh himselfe to be without sinne a wayward body and busie controller a medler and what not Which is the cause that sinne euery where so reigneth and truth and godlinesse so generaly decayeth that vnlesse a generall and spéedy repentance preuent it the wrath of God must néeds fall vpon this land and vtterly roote out this most diuelish generation Therefore let them that haue any sparke of Gods grace mourne houle and lament for the desolations of Iacob and the transgressions of Israell that at least they may escape the rodde of Gods visitation Thus wee sée both the reasons that the holy Ghost vseth to moue vs to sorrowe for sinne and the temptations wherewithall Sathan séeketh to kéepe vs backe and stay vs in the delight of the flesh Let euery one of vs examine himselfe which preuaileth most with him Whereby we may sée our selues in what state wée stand before the Lorde our God The ende of thie sorrowe for sinne is not to deserue thereby the fauour of God or y ◠the force thereof shoulde merit iustification for the debter that did fall downe at his maisters féete deserued not thereby to haue his debte forgiuen him And therefore the true end of this sorrow for sin is twofold First it is to shew our humilitie to the Lord for by nature we be proud high minded not bending one whit notwithstanding our huge masse heape of sin but walk with stiffe necks therefore it is néedful y ◠the Lord should lay open before our eies the miserable estate and condition that we stande in to the ende that we séeing his maiestie both great and terrible and his iustice bēt vpon vs to pronounce our condemnation may haue our proud lookes abated our peacockes feathers pulled and our hauty stomackes quailed to beholde Gods wrathfull countenance bente vppon vs tha wée may be caste downe before his throne with vnfained humilitie abasing our selues whome wée haue well thoughte of and ascribing all glorye and power to him whome wée haue little regarded Secondly it is to make way for the grace of GOD to come neare vnto vs and his greate mercy in Christe Iesus our Lord and Sauiour to dwell in our heartes for as it is vnpossible for fyre and water to agrée togither for Heauen and Earth to méete in their naturall motions for Lighte and Darkenesse to be matched as yoke-fellowes so vnpossible is it to lincke the naturall Man and Christe in one or to finde any abode for the spirite of God in the hearte of that man or womā who hath not bene touched w t the griefe of cōscience for his sins nor the terrours of Gods iudgements for the same which to be true our Sauiour himselfe hath affirmed when he said that he came not to call the righteous meaning such as deemed themselues righteous but sinners to repentance for sayth he the poore that is such as are naked in their owne eies receiue the glad tydings of the Gospell and those shalbe blessed that are poore in hearte which also is manifest by the Pharesey who leaned vpon his owne workes and the Publicane that fell downe and prostrated himselfe before the Lord shewing nothing to be in himselfe but sinne and therefore sued vnto the Lord for his mercy and pardon Therefore the doctrine of mercy in Christ Iesus appertayneth not to them that boast in their owne strength and are merit-mongers neither yet vnto the stony and hard hearted who haue no touch of conscience no sorrow for sinne but a continuall delight and pleasure in the sweetnesse thereof striuing to fulfill the déeds of the flesh and to offend euen with gredinesse But vnto the broken hearted the wounded soule the grieued hart and sorrowing spirit that féeleth it selfe by desert in the gulfe of condemnation that be cast downe and truly humbled by the sight of his owne offences to suche when they aske the Lorde giueth when they séeke he is found when they cry he heareth and when they mone their case he with his mercy doth comforte them Let then euery one of vs enter into consideration of his owne estate and trye what effecte the iudgmentes of God for sinne worketh in him assuring our selues that vnlesse it beat vs downe in humility we are no vessels for Christ to dwel in neyther doth the doctrine of faith now folowing in any respect appertainie vnto vs. Lette vs pray The Second Sermon of amendment of life THE second branch of this amendment doth now follow which is faith in Iesus Christ whereby they in whome the former doctrine worketh terrour for their sinnes are erected and comforted of the which before I speake it shall not be amisse to declare the diuers vses of the word fayth in the scriptures least we should take that for faith in Christ which is not it is taken especially in thrée significatiōs First it is vsed for beleuing the word of God to be true called commonly a historicall fayth whereby man is perswaded that the things done and recorded in the scriptures are not fayned going no further this faith is most properly in deuils for they know and beleue that all the things there spoken shall be performed but because they haue no comfort therein they tremble at the consideration thereof which thing we sée also vttered by the deuils through the mouth of the possessed saying art thou come to torment vs before our time whereby they acknowledg that they looked for torments but they would haue the time prolonged so longe as they could this fayth is hardly to be found in mankinde for Satan can teach them that be wicked a lessō that he could neuer learne him self namely that the word of God is not true that it is but a fable And therefore you shall sée heare them being reprooued by the ministery of the word either to be as blockes not mouing abit or sung a sléepe with the voice of the minister or else openly blaspheme and mocke the word These be notable Schollers that haue learned more then their maister the Deuill It must néedes be therefore that they be as neare condempnation as he Secondly it is taken for the working of miracles in which sense it is vsed where it