M. PERKINS HIS EXhortation to Repentance out of Zephaniah Preached in 2. Sermons in Sturbridge Faire TOGETHER WITH TWO Treatises of the Duties and Dignitie of the Ministrie Deliuered publiquely in the Vniuersitie of Cambridge With a Preface praefixed touching the publishing of all such workes of his as are to be expected with a Catalogue of all the perticulers of them diligently perused and published by a Preacher of the Word Prouerbs 28. 13. Hee that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper But he that confesseth and for saketh them shall finde mercy LONDON Imprinted by T. C. for William Welby and are to bee sold at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Grey-hound 1605. To the right worshipfull my very worthie and Christian friend Syr William Gee Knight one of his Maiesties Honourable Counsell in the North Recorder of the Towne Maiesties Iustices of peace in the Eastriding of the Countie of Yorke a true friend of learning and pietie and to the vertuous and religious Lady his wife Grace and peace from God c. AMongst the many reasons Worshipful Syr ' which haue perswaded mee that Poperie cannot bee the true religioÌ„ this is not the lest the insufficiency of their doctrin of faith repeÌ„tance which two things though they be the chiefe principal points in Religion and so necessarie that he who doth not both knowe and practise them aright can neuer be saued yet I dare auouch that the faith and repentance of the Romish Church as they are taught by many of the best approued Papists are no better then such a faith and such a repentance as an hypocrite and a very reprobate may attaine vnto Indeed to insist vpon repentance onely they make many faire florishes they call it penance they make it a sacrament say it is a boord that saues a man after shipwrack and write great volumnes of it and of confession and of Cases of conscience as you good Syr in your owne reading know better then I yet alas when all is done it is but a shadow of repentance and indeede how can they teach aright the doctrine of repentance which erre so fowly in setting downe the iustice of God and the vilenes of sin which 2. points a man must know else he will neuer repent but Poperie misconceiuing the iustice of God teaching it not to bee infinite in as much as it needes not an infinite satisfaction misconceiuing the nature of sin teaching euery sin not to bee damnable 〈◊〉 to offend Gods Infinite iustice â—â—ring I say in these 2. how is it possible they should conceiue aright the nature of repentance by which a man seeing his sins their foulenesse their punishment and his own misery by them confesseth them bewails them fearing Gods iustice flyeth froÌ„ it and craues forgiuenesse of his mercie and lastly purposeth indeuoureth to leaue them all and to leade a newe life The serious consideration hereof hath often made me wonder why many Popish treatises being in some sort exhortations to repentance should be so accounted of as they are by some for though I confesse there are in some of them good and holesome meditations and many motiues to mortification and good life yet would I gladly learne of any man but this one thing how those exhortations can be pithie or powerful sound or any way sufficient to moue a man to repentance when as not those bookes nor all Poperie is able to teach a man sufficiently what true repentance is If any man reply I will therefore learne the doctrine out of the Protestants bookes and vse the Papists for exhortation onely I then answere is it not a more compendious and conuenient and a lesse scandalous course to seeke exhortations out of such writers as do teach the doctrine aright nay I doubt how it is possible to finde a powerfull exhortation to repentance in any Papist who erres in the Doctrine the reason is manifest because Doctrine is the ground of exhortation and if the doctrine be vnsound how can the exhortation be any better Let vs therefore leaue these muddic puddles and fet our water at the fountaine the water of life at the fountaine of life I mean the doctrine of faith and repentance at the written word of God and at such mens writings as are grounded therevpon and agreeable thereunto Now amongst those many instruments of God who haue laboured with profit in this great point of Religion namely repentance drawing their doctrine out of the two brests of the 2. Testaments of Gods booke I may well say to say no more that this man of God Maister Perkins deserues to haue his place whose labours whilst he liued and his yet liuing labours what they deserue I had rather others should proclame then I once name who professe my selfe to bee one of those many who may truely say that by the grace of God his good meanes principally I am that I am But leaning him in that glorious mansion which Christ the Lord of the Haruest hath prepared for him and now giuen him I returne to my selfe and doe humbly praise the Lord of heauen who gaue mee my time in the Vniuersitie in those happie dayes wherein beside many other worthy men of God whereof some are falne asleepe and some remaine aliue vnto this day this holy man did spend him self like a Candle to giue light vnto others The scope of all his godly endeuours was to teach Christ Iesus and him crucified and much laboured to moue all men to repentance that as our knowledge hath made Popery ashamed of their ignorance so our holy liues might honour our holy profession And as repentance was one of the principal ends both of his continuall preaching and writing soespecially and purposely hath hee twise dealt in that Argument First in his Treatise of Repentance published 1592. wherein briefly as his manner was but soundly pithily and feelingly hee layeth downe the true doctrine and the very nature of repentance and after the positiue doctrine hee toucheth some of the principall controuersies and difficulties in that doctrine but afterwards thinking with himselfe that hee had not seriously and forcibly enough vrged so great necessarie a Lesson as Repentance is therefore shortly after being desired and called to the duty of preaching in that great general assembly at Sturbridge-Faire he thought it a fit time for this necessary and generall exhortation to Repentance to the intent that as wee were taught the doctrine of Repentance in the former treatise so in these sermons we might bee stirred vp to the practise of it And certainly Good Sir I iudge there could haue beene no matter more fit for that assembly then an exhortation to repentance for as the audience was great and general of all sorts sexes ages and callings of men and assembled out of many corners of this kingdom so is this doctrine generall for all some doctrines are for Parents some for children some for schollers
Ministers let this suffice them they are the men that must declare vnto man his righteousnesse euen he that scornes and contemnes the ministerie hee hath no righteousnesse in him vnlesse it bee by the meanes of a poore Minister then doe thou thy duty and bee that mockes thee hath cause to honour thee And let this encourage Students to consecrate themselues to the ministery for what calling hath so high an office as this to declare vnto man his righteousnesse And assuredly how euer in this wicked world thou art little accounted of for if it did not so it were not wicked yet thou art honoured in the harts of all Gods children and euen in the conscience of some whose tongues doe smite thee and the soules of thousands when they dye shal blesse thee who in their liues cared not for thee and the diuell himselfe doth enuy the holy Angels themselues doe wonder at the excellency of thy calling in that thou hast power to declare vnto men his righteousnesse In the next place hearers may heere learne first if their righteousnesse bee thus to bee declared as afore then if they will haue it they must seeke it as it may bee found namely both in the lawe and in the Gospell and not in the Gospell alone and first in the lawe then in the Gospell for he must neuer looke to taste the sweetnes of the Gospell which hath not first swallowed the bitter pilles of the law if therefore thou wouldest be declared righteous by the Gospell bee content first to bee pronounced miserable by the lawe if thou wouldst be declared righteous in Christ then bee content first to bee pronounced sinfull and vnrighteous in thy selfe Secondly all men may heere learne how they are to esteeme of Gods Ministers and what reuerence and obedience is due to their persons and their doctrine these are they which must declare vnto thee thy righteousnesse if thou hast any Art thou beholden to him who when thou hast lost a Iewell which was all thy wealth can tell thee where it is and helpe thee to it againe or to him who when thy cause is in triall at the barre will pleade it for thee or to him who when thy health is lost can tell thee how to get it againe then beholde how thou art beholden to a godly Minister who when Adam had lost both himselfe and thee that Iewell of righteousnesse which was and is the whole wealth of thy soule can truly tell thee where it is and howe it is to bee had againe and who when the diuell haleth thee to the barre of Gods iustice to receiue triall for thy sinnes can drawe thee there such a declaration as the diuell himselfe shall not bee able to answere and who when thy soule is sicke to death and euen to damnation can heale the deadly wounds thereof A good minister therefore is worthy as the Apostle saith of double honour whose dutie wee see is to declare vnto man his righteousnesse And to conclude this point also the consideration of the height of this office of a minister may encourage fathers to dedicate their sonnes to this holy calling for the Physitians care for the body or the Lawyers for thy cause are both inferiour duties to this of the Mininister A good Lawyer may be one of tenne a good Physitian one of 20. a good man one of 100. but a good minister is one of 1000. A good Lawyer may declare the true state of thy cause a good Physitian may declare the true state of thy body No calling no man can declare vnto thee thy righteousnesse but a true Minister And thus we see the office or function of a minister Now followeth the blessing Then will he haue mercy vpon him The fourth generall part of this description is the blessing which God giueth to the labours and function of a true Minister then that is when a man by the preaching of the lawe is brought to true humiliation and repentance and by the preaching of the Gospell to true faith in the Messias then will he that is God haue mercy on him that is on the penitent and beleeuing sinner Behold heere the admirable simpathy and the cooperation of God and the Ministers office Man preacheth and God blesseth Man worketh on the heart and God giues grace a minister declares vnto man his righteousnesse and God saith so be it he shall be righteous a minister pronounceth mercy to a penitent sinner and forthwith God hath mercy on him Heere wee see the great and glorious account which God makes of the worde of his ministers by them truly taught and rightly applyed namely that he as it were tyeth his blessing vnto it for ordinarily till a man knowe his righteousnesse by the meanes of an Interpreter God hath not mercy on him but as soone as he doth knowe it then as we see here God wil haue mercy on him and will say deliuer him c. This is no small honour to ministers and to their Ministerie that God himselfe giues a blessing vnto it worketh when they work and as it were staieth wayting when they declare vnto a man his righteousnesse and then hath he mercy on him so powerfull and so effectuall is the worde spoken by a minister of God This is that which Christ auoucheth Whatsoeuer you loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Will you knowe the meaning hereof Reade Saint Iohn whose sinnes soeuer you remit they are remitted whose you retaine they are retained will you haue the meaning of both read Esay God destroyeth the tokens of Soothsayers and makes Wisards and Astrologers fooles turneth worldly wisemen backward and makes their knowledge foolishnesse but hee confirmeth the word of his seruants and performeth the counsel of his messengers Thus God bindeth and looseth with them remitteth and retaineth with them by confirming their word and performing their counsell For example A true minister seeth a sinner hardned in his sins still rebelling against the will of God he therfore declareth vnto him his vnrighteousnes his sin denounceth vnto him the misery curses of Gods iustice as due vnto him for the same here he binds on earth here he retains on earth this mans sins are likewise bound retained in heauen On the other side hee seeth a man penitēt belieuing he pronounceth forgiuenes of sins happines vnto him for the same he looseth him from the band of his sins by declaring vnto him his righteousnes this mans sins are likewise loosed remitted in heauen God himselfe doth pronounce him cleare in heauen when the Minister doth on earth Thus God confirmeth the word of his seruants and performeth the counsell of his messengers The vse of this doctrine is first for rulers and great men of this worlde this may teach them to be nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers vnto the Church whose authority they see is so great ouer them
the world to loue God and to beleeue in Christ and for sake sinne it is therefore manifest that they haue not yet begun to beleeue or repent nor haue entred into the first step of grace which leadeth to repentance for that they haue not learned this lesson which the Prophet teacheth that is to search themselues Furthermore let vs in the second place obserue better the signification of the word it signifieth to Search narrowly as a man would doe for a piece of gold or a pâ—cious Iewell which is lost in a great house Or as a man may search for gold in a Myne of the earth where is much earth and but very little gold Oare Hence wee may learne that in true Repentance and conuersion we must not search so only as to find the grosse and palpable sinnes of our liues but so as we may finde those sinnes which the world accounts lesser sinnes and espie our secret faults priuy corruptions Some corruptions see memore neere a kinne to our nature and therein men hope to be excused when they forsake many other greater sins But a true penitent sinner must search for such so as a good Magistrate searcheth for a lurking 〈…〉 which is 〈◊〉 into some close and secret corner and he must ranfack his heart for such corruptions as wherein his heart takes special delight and must thanke that no sinne can be so small but it is too great to be spared and that euery sinne great or litle must be searched for as being all Tray 〈◊〉 to Gods Maiestie But alas the practise â—â— the world is farre otherwise great sinnes are little sinnes little sinnes are no sinnes Nay after a little custome great sinnes are also little or nothing and so at last men make no bones of grosse and grieuous sins and for the most part men search so superficially that they scarse finde any thing to be sinne such excuses are made such distinctioÌ„s are deuised such mittigations such qualifications such colours are cast vppon all sinnes as now vp and downe the world grosse sins are called into question whether they be sins or no and the great transgressions of the lawe are counted small matters necessarie euils or inconueniences tollerated to auoyd other euils and what is he counted but a curious and a precise foole which stands vpon them Ignorance after fiue and thirtie yeares preaching is counted no sinne blind deuotion in Gods seruice no sin lippe labour in praying vaine and customable swearing mocking of religion and the professors thereof no sin prophaning of the Saboath contemning of preachers abusing of parents no sinnes pride in apparel superfluitie in meates beastly and ordinarie drunkennes fornication no sinnes Nay decites Cosonages oppressing vsury notorious briberie and couetousnes that mother sinne these are counted no sinnes these beames are made but moates by prophane men they are so minced and carued or there is some such necessitie of them or some such other flourish or vernish must be cast vpon theÌ„ as that they are little or none at all Alas alas is not that a simple a silly search where such blockes as these are lye vnspied what are moulehils when such mountaines are not seene Moates will be little regarded where such beames are not discerned but it is cleare that therefore there is no true trial nor diligent search made for a true conuert will search his heart for all and wil spare none He deales in searching his owne heart as a good Iustice of peace in searching for traytors or Seminarie Priests He seekes not superficially but most exactly and leaueth neuer a corner vnsought and he thinkes great sinnes to be infinite and little sinnes great and iudgeth no sinne so small but that it deserueth the anger of God therefore he wonders at the mercy of God which throwes vs not al downe to hel in a moment he crieth out with holy Ieremie It is the Lords mercie that we are not consumed Away then with this superficial hypocritical search where so many sinnes are spared and not found out It is Pharisaical for euen so the Pharisie when hee came into the Temple to recken with God and to tell what Traytours hee had found that is what sinnes vpon good search hee had espied he returnes his precept all is well he hath found neuer a one but beginnes to thanke God that he was so good and so good and not so il and so il nor yet like the Publicane The world is full of Pharisies not onely the popish Church but euen our Church swarms with these superficial searchers who cannot because they will not finde any sinnes to present vnto God Men thinke in the Countrie a Church Officer hazards his Oath if he present all well and findeth no fault in his Parish to present as punishable to the Ordinary for men thinke it vnpossible that there should bee none in a whole parish then how doth that man hazard his own soule who being made ouerseer searcher of his heart findes nothing in it to present to the Lord. For it is not more easie to espie outward actual traÌ„sgessions in a whole parish then it is to finde a heape of corruptions in a mans heart if a man will search into the bottome of it with the light of Gods Law Therefore when the Lord comes and keepes his visitation what shal become of such a man but to vndergoe the strict and seuere search of the Almightie because hee would not search himselfe Our bodyes and liues are free from spanish Inquisition which is one of the last props which Sathan hath lent the Pope wherewith to vphold his declining kingdom and the Lord grant we may be euer free from it But in the meane time that might put vs in mind how to deale with our corrupt hearts and vnmortified affections euen to erect an Inquisition ouer them to lay in waite for them to search them narrowly and to vse them roughly yea to set our hearts vpon the rack of Gods law that so it may confesse the secret wickednesse of it for the Papistes doe not thinke vs Protestants greater enemies to their superstition then the inward corruptions of our hearts are to our saluation therefore it may bee a godly pollicie for euery man curn to erect an Inquisition ouer his owne heart and conscience and not to spare his most secret and dearest sinnes and such as are neerest allyed to his owne nature for that is the true search here commaunded by the Prophet and practised by all Godly and holy men when a man purposeth to finde al that are to espie eueÌ„ al his sins for a godly man is neuer satisfied in his search but still the more he findes he suspects the more are stil behind and therefore hee continueth searching his owne heart all his life long Therefore let euery professor looke to it betwixt God and his conscience that he dally not with himselfe in ths case for if he doe then
hee therefore that hath in his nature the seede of all sinnes hath also the seede of it And againe seeing all euill tendes to a perfection as well as grace doth what reason therefore is there but wee may safely thinke that the Diuell would hale euery one to that height of sinne if it were not that the powerfull hand of God preuented him who will neither suffer wicked men nor the Diuell himselfe to bee so wicked as they could and would be The vse of this second rule is notable For in this searching of our selues it sheweth vs what wee are without all colours or deceit and fully discouers vnto vs the vglinesse of our natures and it may teach vs all how to think and esteeme of our selues when we heare of Caines vnnaturall murther Pharohs vnnatural crueltie the Sodomits vnnatural lust Achitophles diuilish pollicy Senacheribs horrible blasphemie Iudas monstrous treason Iulians fearefull Apostacie When we heare of the fearefull murders treasons periuties sinnes against nature blasphemies Apostacies witchcrafts and other the horrible sinnes of the world let vs then returne into our selues looke homewards euen into our owne hearts and confesse euery one that these should haue bene euen thy sinnes also if Gods grace had not preuented thee This will humble thee and make thee thinke vilely basely of thy selfe and so consequently bring thee to repentance and true amendment and the very reason why men repent not nor amend their waies is because they are Pharisies by nature and thinke highly of themselues and of their owne natures and their naturall inclinations this will be a harsh and a strange Doctrine to them Oh they haue excellent natures and they cannot indure such and such sinnes and they thanke God they are not as ill as others but let all such men knowe they must cease magnifying nature and learne to magnifie Gods grace Let them knowe that nature in them is in the Roote as much corrupt as in the worst man in the world and euery mans heart is a bottomlesse fountaine of all sinne therefore praise not thy nature but Gods grace and mercy in giuing thee so good a nature or rather so well restraining and rectifying thy nature and stay not there but desire of the Lord that as he hath giuen thee a better tempered nature thē to other men so also he would bestowe on thee his speciall and sauing grace and as he hath kept thee from the feareful sins of others thou being as ill naturally as they so he would also lead thee into the way of saluation which else the best nature in the world can neuer attaine vnto The third rule to be known and practised by him who will truly search himselfe is that euery man borne of Adam is by nature the child of wrath and Gods enimie this is true of all without exception High or Low Rich or poore noble or simple borne in the visible Church or without And further by being enemy of God he is therefore borne subiect to hell to damnation and to all other curses so that looke as a Traytour conuicted stands therby in his Princes high displeasure and is sure of death without speciall pardon so stands euery man when he is borne conuicted of high treason against God in his high disfauour and is in daunger of Hell which is the fulfilling of the wrath of God Thus Dauid confesseth of himselfe I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my Mother conceined me If in sinne then in Gods wrath and vnder the danger of damnation If any aske how or why this is so I answere the truth as also the equitie of this third rule depends on the two former for because euery man is borne guiltie of Adams great sinne and also tainted originally with all corruption a pronnesse to all sin therefore it followeth in equitie and iustice that euery man is borne vnder the wrath and curse of God This point is a plaine and euident truth yet men in the world thinke not so and it is the cause why men repent not of their sinnes for most men thinke that by nature they are in Gods fauour and therfore they neede not to sue for it in humiliation and repentance but onely liue ciuily and do no open wrong and all is well whereas alas there is no condemned Traytour more out of his Princes fauour nor more sure of death without a pardon then al we are out of Gods fauour and sure of damnation vnlesse we procure Gods fauour again by faith and repentance For the better opening of this third rule and the manifesting of the truth let vs know further that the curse of God vnder the which we are all borne is three-fould The first is a bondage vnder Sathan It is a certaine truth that euery man as he is borne of his Parents and till hee repent is a slaue of Sathan man or woman high or low Sathan is his Lord and Maister Hee sittes as iudge in his heart and in this sence Sathan is the King of the Nations and God of the world Men will in wordes defie Sathan and not name him without defiance and spitte at him and yet alas hee is in their hearts they spit him out of their mouthes but hee is lower they should also spitte him out of their hearts and that is true defiance indeede for alas hee lodgeth in thy heart and there he makes his Throne and raignes vntill the spirit of regeneration dispossesse him and till then no seruant is so subiect to his maister no slaue to his Lord as is the heart of man by nature vnto Sathan the prince of darknesse Nay our bondage is more fearefull then the slauery of any poore Christian in the Spaniards or in the Turkes Gallies for their bodies are but in bondage and at commaund and vnder punishment but our best part our heart our conscience our soule it selfe is captiuated vnto him and vnder his commaunde who is the King of crueltie and confusion and Lord of Hell whose commaundements are Iniustice whose seruice is sinne and whose hyre is damnation The second part of the Curse is the first death or the death of the body that is a separation of the soule and body a sunder for a time namely till the last iudgement This death is duly and iustly the punishment of any one or the least sinne therefore how due and iust a punishment vpon that horrible heape of sinfulnesse which is in euery mans nature and it is a most terrible curse For it is the very gate of hel and the downfall to damnation vnto all men but such as by faith and repentance doe get their death sanctified by the death of Christ vnto such men indeed it is no curse but a gracious and glorious blessing for it is altered by Christ his death But vnto all men by nature and which repent not it is the heauy curse of Gods wrath and the very downfall into the gulfe of Hell The thirde part of the
curse vnder which euery man is borne is the second death the death of soule and bodie which is the eternall want of Gods presence and the accomplishment of his wrath and an apprehension and feeling of that wrath seazing on body soule and conscience The first curse was a spirituall death the death of the soule The second a temporarie death the death of the body The third is an eternall death a death both of soule and bodie together and for euer This eternall death is the curse of all curses the miserie of all miseries and torment of all torments and I shewe it thus Often when thy tooth acheth and sometime when thy head acheth or in the paine of the stone or collicke thou wouldest giue all that thou hast in the world to bee eased of that paine Nay in the exstremitie of some fitts many will wish them-selues euen out of the world Now if the paine of one tooth can so farre distemper minde and body that it cannot bee releiued with all the pleasures of this life O then what a torment shall that bee when not one kinde of paine but the whole viole of Gods wrath shall bee powred not on one member but on the whole soule body and conscience and that not for a time vnder hope of better but eternally without hope of release and that not in this world where there are comforts helpes and remedies but in that vgly and darksome place of torments and that not amongst liuing men which might mittigate thy paine or else bemone thee and beway leit with thee but with the Diuels and damned spirits which will now laugh at thy destruction and solace themselues in this thy misery and will reioyce as thou didest serue them in earth so now in hel to be thy tormēters It may be therfore by the way good warning and wisedome to vs all when we feele the extremity of some bodily paine to consider with our selues and say O then what shall be my misery and torment if I repent not when not one member but soule bodie and conscience shall be racked and tormented in the feeling and apprehension of the anger of the Lord of Hostes In these three points stands that curse and wrath of God vnder which euery man is borne And these doe answer to the three degrees of sinne which are in vs for as the two first Rules taught vs there is in euery man by nature till hee repent a three-fold guiltinesse First a guiltinesse of Adams sinne Secondly the taint of originall and vniuersal corruption Thirdly a pollution by many outragious actuall sinnes In the first of these euery man is equally guiltie In the second euery man is equally corrupt But in the third euery one keepes that compasse within which the Lord wil keepe them by his limitting power Now as in our guiltinesse of Adams sinne sin hath his beginning In originall sinne his continuance in actuall sin his perfection So answerable herevnto the wrath of God which alwaies standeth opposite to sinne is begun in leauing vs by nature to the slauerie of Sathan is continued by death and is accomplished in damnation And now these three Rules I commend to the carefull Christian consideration of you all certifying you from God that as you can neuer bee saued vnlesse you repent nor repent vnlesse you Search your selues as here the Prophet bid deth So that you can neuer search your selues aright til you bee perswaded and resolued of these three Rules and of the truth of them all euen in your hearts and consciences namely First that thou art guiltie of Adams sin Secondly that thou art prone by nature to al euil in the world Thirdly that for these thou art subiect to the wrath of God and to all the curses of his wrath but when thou art in heart conscience resolued that these are true then thou art a fit Scholler for this Lesson of the Prophet Search thy selfe For when thou goest thus prepared vnto this Search and esteemest of thy selfe as these three Rules haue described thee then if thou Search into thy selfe thou wilt finde thy selfe and thy estate to be such as will cause thee to repent returne and take a new course therefore what the Prophet sayd to those Iewes I say vnto you also my brethren of this Realme of England who are here now gathered together out of so many countries quarters of this Realme yea in the name of the same God I cry vnto you Search O Search your selues and thinke it not a matter indifferent to do or not to doe it but know it that God commandes you as euer you will come to saluation Search your selues And the rather because by these three Rules you see how much chaffe of corruption is in your nature and what neede therefore it hath to bee searched into and fanned by Repentance Bee well assured thou man whatsoeuer thou art there is so much Chaffe in thee that if thou search not and fanne it not out thou wilt proue nothing but Chaffe at the last day and so be blown away with the winde of Gods iustice into Hell Take hold therefore of this exhortation and deferre it not Thou wilt not suffer thy Wheate to lye too long in the chaffe for feare of hurting it Is it then safe to suffer the chaffe of thy sinnes and corruptions to lie cankering and rotting in thy heart Bee sure that that little portion of grace which thou attainest vnto by liuing in the Church and vnder the Ministrie of the Word of GOD will bee putrifyed and cleane corrupted with the Chaffe of thy sinnes therefore againe and againe I exhort you to make conscience of this dutie Search into your selues fanne out this Chaffe this presumption of ours and high esteeming of our owne nature and conceits of Gods fauour before wee haue it that so this Chaffe being blowne away the Lord may then bestow vpon vs foundnesse of grace the foundation of al goodnes which is a holy humbled heart Salnation is such a building as the foundation thereof had need to be sure and strong Ignorance blindnesse and presumption are not sufficient foundations for such a building therefore as no man wil build a strong house vpon any earth but will first search it least it prooue Sandie so ouerthrow all So a wise Christian will not build his saluation vpon fancies conceits and naturall presumptions but will Search and looke into his heart and finding these to be sandie and rotten and therefore too weake for the foundation of so glorious a building wil refuse them all and labour to furnish his heart with such sound grace as whervpon he may trust so weighty a work as is the Saluation of his soule Againe if thou wilt stand in the day of triall then Search thy heart betime and discerne betwixt Chaffe Wheat thou seest that chaffe flyeth away before the wind but good corne indures the Fan and the furie of the wind so in
beter cause may it be said to vs as to the Iewes O Nation not worthy to be beloued Looke at the outward face of our Church at the signes of Gods loue which are amongst vs and at Gods dealing with vs and behold we are a most beautifull Church a glorious Nation a Nation to bee admired and wondred at but looke at the liues of our ordinarie professors looke at our sinnes and at our requiting of Gods loue and we are a people of Sodome as full of iniquities as they were whose sinnes are so many so rife and so ripe that at the last they wil euē bring down fire brimstone or some other strange iudgement vpon vs if repentance doe not preuent it or the cries and prayers of holy men stay not Gods hands So then let vs all here assembled grant confesse that we are a Nation so farre from being worthy to bee beloued as that we are most worthy to be hated to haue all the wrath of God powred vpon vs. Now then are we so and shall wee continue so still Nay that is the worst and most wretched of all then let euery one of vs learne this duty enter into our selues Search our hearts and liues that they may lye open to our owne sight to the confusion of vs in our selues that in God by repentance wee may bee raised vp Our sinnes lye open before the face of God and stincke in his presence and and cry for vengeance and before the face of Gods Angels who bewaile it and before the face of the Diuell who reioyceth in our confusions and shall they lye hid onely to our selues Now then if wee would haue them hidde from God and stoppe the cry that they make against vs and keepe them from Sathan who accuseth vs for them wee must so Search our selues that they may lye open to our owne hearts remember thou thy sinnes and God will forget them lay them open before thy owne face and God will hide them from his write them vp for thy owne selfe and God will blot them out of his remembrance but if contrariwise thou hidest them then assure thy selfe the more thou hidest and buriest them the more open doe they lye in the face of GOD and then what will followe but that they will all bee disclosed at the last day to thy eternall confusion Therefore againe and againe I exhort you in the name of GOD Search your selues finde out your sinnes confesse them to GOD freely and ingeniously confesse their desert to bee Hell and damnation humble your hearts to God cry and call for pardon as for life and death purpose and promise to leaue them begin a new course of life beleeue stedfastly and doubt not of pardon and forgiuenesse in the blood of Christ continue in that faith and that newe course of life So may Englande preuent Gods iudgements and quench that great action of vnkindnes which God hath against them and become a Nation as worthy vpon their faith and repentance in Christ to be beloued as for their peace and prosperitie they haue bene of all nations of the earth admired Hitherto of the third generall point 4 The fourth generall point in this exhortation is the time limitted them when they should Search Before the Decree come forth c. As though the Prophet should say Israell repent before God execute his iudgements on thee For behold the gratious dealing of God Man sinneth his sinnes deserue plagues but GOD presently plagueth not but deferres it he puts a time betwixt the sinne and the punishment ordinarily this he doth to shew his mercie to mankinde because that hee would not destroy them if they would amende Therefore after the sinne he smites not presently but puttes of his punishment that in the meane time man may Repent Here the Prophet compares the Lord to a mother for as she conceiues the fruite in her wombe and beares it a long time ere she bring it out so the Lord after a mans sinnes or a peoples sinnes conceiue that is ordaines and decreeth a iudgement for it but he keepes it vp and all that while he heares it But as she when her time is come then trauailes and bringes forth so when the time that God hath appointed is come and stil sinne is not repented of then his iustice trauailes to be deliuered of that iudgemēt which mercy hath kept vp so long a time Thus the old world had an hundred twentie yeares giuen them for time of repentance all that while God was in conceiuing at last when there sinnes were ripe and no hope of amendment then GOD trauelled and brought forth a fearefull byrth namely the vniuersall flood to wash away and take reuenge vpon the vniuersall iniquities of those times So many hundred yeares he gaue vnto the Iewes long hee was in conceiuing their destruction and oftentimes hee had it at the bringing forth as in the captiuitie of Babylon and vnder Antiochus yet his mercy stayed it and still hee trauailled longer telles them here by the Prophet that yet the Decree is not come forth though it bee conceiued but at last when Israell would not Repent but grewe worse and worse as in Christ his time then hee could containe no longer but trauelled indeede and though it bee with griefe yet hee hath brought foorth and what a most fearefull byrth euen an vtter disolation of that kingdome and Countrey of their Citie and Temple and a dispertion of their Nation ouer all the world but as a woman at last is deliuered with daunger and difficultie with paine and sorrowe so the Lord long conceiues but at last bringes forth his iudgements yet it is with griefe and vnwillingnesse and hee is loath as it were and much agrieued to execute his most iust iudgements on those who haue professed his name hee often touched the Iewes a little and as being vnwilling to smite them hee drue backe his hande againe but at last when their sinnes did so increase and were so strong that they euen did wring out by violence his plagues from him then with much bewayling of their great misery as wee may see in Christ weeping for them hee executes his iudgements on them But as they are long a comming so when they come forth they were the heauier as a child the more fulnesse of time it hath is the greater the liuelier and the stronger so Gods iudgements the longer God deferreth them and is in conceiuing them the heauier are they when they come that is manifest in the Iewes once his owne people for he hath destroyed their land with an irrecouerable destruction and smitten their posteritie with a blindnes of minde til this houre so that to this day when the old Testament is read the vaile is ouer their eies that they cannot see the light of Christ Iesus but plodde on in fearefull and palpable blindnesse This Doctrine hath speciall vse to this our Church to teach vs to looke to our selues betimes
apply their Doctrine to their audience in such manner as the circumstances of place times or persons do require some Ministers come to an ignorant and vnhumbled people and teach them the Gospell which neuer knewe the lawe here the firy coale is vsed but the lips are not touched that is good doctrine taught but not well applyed for that the lawe should first be laid to their consciences others beate all vpon the Lawe when it may be their hearers are a people sufficiently cast downe and haue more need to be raised vp with the sweet comforts of the Gospell others vse to laye open the nakednes of the Court in the country and to reproue the faults of Princes and great magistrates before the coÌ„mon people who haue more need of the Catechisme others bring the Catechisme or points of ordinarie instruction into the Court where the duties of Kings and councellors should be taught in all plainnesse and sinceritie others bring their new opinions or controuersall points vnto popular audiences which indeede are fit for the schools other busie themselues about ceremonies when the substance is in daunger to be lost All these haue it may be the Coale of fire but it is misapplyed and not applyed to the polluted lips Let all ministers therefore learne this point of wisdome of the Angell to apply the medicines of their doctrine to the times persons and places which are infected so shal they be sure not to take paines in vaine And thus much of the circumstances of his consolation It followeth in the text Loe thy iniquitie shall be taken away and thy sinnes shall be purged After the Circumstances followeth the ground and matter of his consolation and that is the forgiuenesse of his sinnes where first let vs marke how it and the instrument are annexed together Loe saith the Angel this Coale haâ—h touched tay lippes and thy Iniquities shall bee forgiuen and thy sinnes purged as though hee had bene clensed by the Coale where we may note how greatly God magnifieth the meanes which himself ordaineth euen true remission and saluation to the right and holy vsing of them though it come not from them but from his own mercy and power of his ordinance It is therefore no maruell though God sanctifieth the childe by the Ministery of water in Baptisme and feede our soules in the Lords Supper by feeding our bodies with bread and wine and no maruell though the carelesse neglect of either of them be damnation to him that despiseth them seeing they are Gods instruments ordained by him to conuey his grace vnto vs And yet for all this wee are to knowe that remission or saluation is no more tyed to the very elements or the actions then here the Prophets forgiuenesse is to the Coale of fire But the maine point is that for the Prophets consolation the Angell tells him his iniquities shall bee taken away and his sinnes purged as thereby he had said thy sins were the cause of thy feare therefore that thy feare may be taken away thy sinnes shall be forgiuen Where we learne that as few comes by sinne so all true comfort comes from the forgiuenesse of sinnes this is that that onely pacifieth the conscience and satisfieth the soule when Dauid had sinned against the Lord in his two great sinnes and thereby prouoked Gods wrath against him and wounded his owne conscience if the Prophet had told him hee had made him King of 10 kingdomes more he had not so reioyced his heart as when he told him after his repentance thy sinnes are forgiuen thee thou shalt not dye So when this Prophet was extreamely affrighted at Gods preseÌ„ce because of some sinnes and negligences in his calling it had bene no comfort to his poore soule to haue bene told thou shalt haue a more eloquent tongue and a more powerful speech thou shalt haue better accesse to the Court audience before the King all these and all such like would haue beene no better then guided poyson vnto him being in this case but the happy answere that refresheth his wearie soule more then all the world was this Loe thy iniquities are forgiuen and thy sinnes purged All faithfull Ministers must heere learne the true way of comforting troubled and distressed conscieÌ„ces namely first to drawe him vnto a sight of some particular sinnes then to summon him into Gods presence and there to arraigne him for those sinnes vntill the view of the foulnesse of his sinnes and the glory of Gods iustice haue sufficiently humbled him and then to labour to perswade his conscience vppon good groundes of the pardon of those sinnes by Christ Iesus this is the way that God vsed and deuised this is the sure way that cannot faile Some thinke that all trouble of mind is nothing but melancholy and therefore thinke nothing needes but Physicke and outward comforts but he that considers in what case the Prophet heere was or Dauid when hee made the 6. the 32. or the 51. Psalmes will be of another mind and will finde that nothing can properly trouble the mind but sinne therefore as the wise Physitian in his cure first searcheth out the cause and then endeuours to take it away so the good Physitian of the soule must first of all search into the cause of his sicknesse that is his sins and must take them away which if they doe not then al their labour is lost for al the companie musicke recreation wine diet nay all worldly comforts delights if it were the aduancement to a kingdom cannot so much comfort the distressed soule of a sinner as this voice of a minister spoken from God vpon good grounds Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Now to lay downe what bee those true and good groundes whereupon a Minister may safely and comfortably pronounce pardon of sins to a sinner belongs properly to another place In the next place Let vs heere obserue how the Lord afore he renued the Prophets commission or send him to preach to the people first humbles him for his sinnes and then vppon his repentance giues him pardon teaching vs that no Minister is well qualified to the holy duties of the Ministerie vnlesse hee haue truly repented of his sins and haue obtained pardon and mercie in the Messias Ministers labour for qualifications but the true Minister of God will labour for this qualification aboue all other for doubtlesse hee shall pronounce most powerfully the pardon of sinnes to others to whose conscience God hath pronounced pardon of his owne In the last place let vs obserue how the Prophet being to be comforted before hee goe this newe embassage the Lord is so carefull for him that rather then he be not comforted if there be no man to do it An Angel shal be seÌ„t to be his comforter if ther be not another Prophet to doe it An Angell shall pronounce vnto him the pardon of his sins Let this be an