Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	call_v	great_a	know_v	1,866	5	3.5550	3	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13339	The amendment of life comprised in fower bookes: faithfully translated according to the French coppie. Written by Master Iohn Taffin, minister of the word of God at Amsterdam.; Traicté de l'amendement de vie. English	Taffin, Jean, 1529-1602.	1595 (1595)	STC 23650; ESTC S118083	539,421	558

be present at praiers vnles we also lift vp our minds to heauen 1. Cor. 14.16 For if when the Pastor speaketh in the name of the Church euery man at each petition saith not in hart Amen feeling a feruent desire to haue his petitioÌ„ granted then is ther both vanity hypocrisie eueÌ„ in this point may we find great corruption infirmitie in many For how many are ther who all the time of praiers do staÌ„d as men without life thinking vpon nothing How many be there whose minds are wandring How many that haue no feeling or desire of the benefits that wee craue at Gods hand To be short how many be ther whose harts minds are entangled buried in earthly affaires euen when their hands are lifted vp to heauen As this vanitie therfore is odious in the sight of God so for the ameÌ„ding therof let vs be both diligent comers to common praier and so touched with a liuely feeling of the same that we may reape the fruits thereof And to this purpose let vs remeÌ„ber that the deuil feareth nothing more theÌ„ the praiers of the Church that ther is no exercise of godlines wherin we are more often more feruently or more attentiuely to employ our selues For albeit the deuill be alwaies at hand ready to induce vs to wickednes yet is his readines most wheÌ„ he seeth vs disposed to pray that then intruding himselfe into our harts drawing away our cogitatioÌ„s he may hinder the sanctificatioÌ„ of the word of God the most excelleÌ„t fruit of our praiers Let the experience of this corruption vanitie in all praiers both publique priuate with the difficulty in amending the same albeit it be troublesome vnto vs yet make vs more wary the better to stand vpoÌ„ our gard to the end that so soone as we feele our selues amisse our thoughts otherwise distracted we may remember that Sathan is at hand among other our praiers beseech God to driue him from vs to giue vs grace to lift vp our minds to heauen with one hart call vpon him that finally we may receiue the fruit of our praiers 4 By this deduction of the titles markes of the Church afore mentioned it doth manifestly appere that they which refuse to ioyne therto become meÌ„bers therof are not in the kingdome house of God that denying to take the Church for their mother they caÌ„ not call God their father that they deserue as coÌ„cerning the soule to languish die because they reiect the food therof that they are worthy to incur the vengeance pronouÌ„ced by Christ importing that in the day of iudgement he wil denie them before God his father because they would not coÌ„fesse him before men We can with S. Austen confesse that there be wolues in the sheepe-fould and sheep without Mat. 10.32 neither must we deny but ther be many hypocrites in the Church whom God will finally disclose and reiect to their confusion or cast headlong into grieuous damnation because they prophaned the honour graces to them presented by the Lord in his Church 2 Tim. 2.19 Likewise God forbid wee should say that all that are out of the visible externall Church should be reprobates in the sight of God God knoweth his he waiteth he beareth with them finally he calleth them touching their harts he maketh them to feele their fault either inserting them into his visible Church or euen in the middest of the Idolaters through his great mercy and power sauing them in his kingdome glory when vntil the very houre of their deaths there is no shew or appearance that they be the children of God as it happened to the theese that was hanged by Christ Iesus But as by the iudgement of loue we are bound to thinke all to be elect that are ioyned to the Church vntil they minister occasion either by reuolt or bad coÌ„uersation to think otherwise so haue wee no ground to accompt those that refuse to ioyne therto to be members of Christ because they beare not his marks or tokens vntill by amendement they renounce the kingdome of Sathan which is without the Church and settle themselues in the house of God as his children there to call vpon him and to be fed with his spirituall food to life euerlasting And in deed Sith in hart we beleeue to righteousnes with our lips do make confession to saluation Rom. 10 10. as S. Paul saith it is in vaine for vs to boast of faith whereby to be iustified vnlesse we confesse Iesus Christ that we may obtaine saluation by true faith iustifieng vs in Christ 5 Sith therfore that the Church called the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a precious pearle Mat. 13.44 and a treasure hid in a garden which when a man findeth he selleth al that he hath to buy enioy it Let vs accompt nothing so deare or precious but that we may be ready resolued to leaue it to get into the Church of Christ To this purpose let vs remember the zeale of Dauid who being depriued of this benefit bitterly complained saying As the hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth after God saying When shal I come appeare before the presence of God Psal 42.1 Psal 84.1 Psal 26.8 In another place also what a desire sheweth hee to bee in the temple of God O Lord of hoasts saith he how amiable are thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for the courts of the Lord for my heart and my flesh reioyceth in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwellin thy house praise thee continually And in another Psal O Lord I haue loued the habitations of thy house the place where thy honour dwelleth If Dauid a man yea a Prophet so excellent in faith vertue so plainly so often doth confesse how needful it was for him to be in the Church of God feeling himselfe as it were rauished with a feruent desire to enioy such a benefit What may we feele euen we who are so ignorant so weake so corrupt among so many dangers and assaults Will we how health-some necessarie this grace for vs to be in the Church of Christ is so far would we be from retiring therefro or deferring to ioyne thereunto that contrariwise we would euen run chearefully to get a roome therin Yea we wâ—uld reioyce boast of such a benefit and sauour Esa 44.5 saying with the Prophet Isay One shall say I am the Lords another shall be called by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord name himselfe by the name of Israell When therefore we heare Iesus Christ and S. Iohn crying Amend your lines Let vs know that the principall point wherin we are to Amend consisteth in renouncing and denying both in hart body al Idolatry superstition

saying Then did he see it and counted it he prepared it also and considered it And vnto man hee said Behold the feare of the Lord is true wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding Hereby we see that as they that doo know Iesus Christ and walk in the feare of God are truly wise so they that haue not this wisdome are very fooles albeit they thinke themselues wise in that beeing esteemed wise men as concerning the world they are in deed foolish Christians in the sight of God 6 These seuen aforesaid follies do euidently declare that wyth great reason the holy Ghost warneth vs in the first sermon of Iesus Christ and of Iohn the Baptist that for the good and due Amendement of our liues the knowledge and feeling of our naturall follies ought to admonish vs to be more wise circumspect and better aduised hereafter For as in beleeuing that there is no God In thinking better of man than of God In thinking to liue euer so not to liue as if we should die In not knowing wherefore we liue and so liuing at randon not for the seruice of God and our neighbours but for our selues In iudging Gods children in respect of their outwarde tribulations to bee accursed and the wicked thorough their prosperitie to be blessed Beleeuing our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill rather than God our perfect and faithfull frend To be short in thinking our selues wise because we are wise as men and yet are ignorant and fooles as Christians Being I saie possessed of all these follies the same are against vs so many ropes and strong chaines in the hands of our enemy the deuill wherwith to pull vs on to sinne and to make vs continually to offend God to heape iniquitie vppon iniquitie and consequently to turne awaie from God from heauen from life euerlasting glory to folow after satan and so to cast our selues into the hel fire in to death into euerlasting damnation And contrariwise if beleeuing there is a God and esteeming him to be as he is all wise almightie all iust and true we doo loue feare and put our whole confidence in him If beleeuing that we must die and that shortly we doo applie our harts to wisdome liuing as we would euen at death wish wee had liued If knowing wherefore we doo liue we do referre the whole course of our liues to the glory of God to our saluation and to the seruice of our neighbors If iudging of mans felicitie or miserie not by the outward apparaunce but by the testimonie of God in his word we doo euen perceiue that the children of God albeit in tribulation are blessed and the wicked though in prosperitie accursed If renouncing the pernitious counselles of our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill we doo listen vnto and beleeue the counsels and admonitions of our God To conclude if considerding that all discretion knowledge and wisdome of man without the knowledge of Christ and the skil of saluation be but folly Also if vnderstanding that we be but fooles men deuoid of knowledge so long as wee are not wise and well aduised Christians therefore wee conuert and returne to God and walke in the waie that shall bring vs to heauen to life and to euerlasting glorie If I saie we doo thus conuert and amend our liues according to the will of God we shall finally become inheritours of his kingdome through his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. The end of the first Booke VVHEREIN MAN IS TO AMEND The second Booke That man knowing Idolatrie and superstition ought wholy to abstaine from all participation in the same Chap. 1. WE haue before declared that the greatest Folly wherewith man is possessed is the offending of God And contrariwise that the beginning of all knowledge wisedome resteth in walking in his loue feare and obedience Also that as all men are naturally inclined to this Folly namely to offend God so we ought by amending our liues heereafter to become more wise and better aduised Now are we more particularly to vnderstand Wherein we are principally to amend The first point therefore to be intreated of consisteth in this That man hauing obtained knowledge of the truth ought to renounce all Idolatrie in no wise to participate in the same Many there are who with their bodies assisting at Idolatrie and superstition do neuerthelesse maintaine that they deserue not to be reproued because they disallow the same in their hearts These men should remember that sith Christ suffered both in body soule for the redemption both of our bodies and soules reason would that wee likewise should glorifie him as Saint Paul saith both in our bodies souls which are his And in deed inasmuch as man consisteth both of bodie and soule we are to cleanse both bodie and soule of all pollution that we may as Saint Paul admonisheth fulfill our sanctification 1. Cor. 6.9.20 1. Cor. 7.1 It is therefore a most sacrilegious and intollerable diuision to giue ouer our bodies to the seruice of the deuill when we say that we reserue our soules to God Will the worst husband among men bee content that his wise prostituting her bodie to whoredoome shall saie for excuse that she reserueth her heart for him S. Paule saith our bodies are Christes members and that applying them to whoredome we take them from the body of Christ make them the members of an harlot But the holy Ghost calleth Idolatrie whoredome he therefore that with his bodie assisteth at Idolatry dismembreth himselfe from Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 6 and maketh himselfe a member of the Idoll 2 In this consideration doth the Apostle exhort the Corinthians to flie from Idolatrie and least they should reply as these men do saying We disallow it in our hearts we know that the Idoll is nothing 1. Cor. 10 he addeth I speake as vnto those that haue knowledge not to the ignorant Then doth he bring them back againe to their owne iudgment the feeling of their owne consciences by the vse of the supper For as the communicants by eating the bread and drinking the wine haue a participation in Christ and are made his members so they that be assistants in the sacrifice of the Idols and doo eate of that that is sacrificed vnto them are made partakers of the Idols euen of the deuil as he expresly saith because that which is sacrificed to Idols is sacrificed to the deuill But saith he afterward yee cannot drinke the cup of the Lord and the cup of deuils yee cannot be partakers of the Lords table and of the table of deuils And to the end to preuent all replication he addeth Do we prouoke the Lord to anger Are we stronger than he And this he saith to shew vs that notwithstanding whatsoeuer we aledge that we do not apply our harts therto or that we know that the Idol is nothing yet in that we assist with our bodies

earth shall perish from the earth from vnder these heauens He hath made the earth by his power c. Wherein we are to note that albeit Ieremie writ al his prophecies in Hebrew yet this one sentence is set downe in the Caldean or Babilonian speech therby admonishing the captiue Iewes to disaduow Idols to coÌ„fesse the true God plainly sensibly in a language knowen to the Idolaters If this confession bee required of these poore captiue Iewes how can these men be excused who being at libertie to depart from among the Idolaters do assist at their Idolatry thereby to giue the world to vnderstand that they also are Idolaters therefore dare not vtter one word in reproofe of the Idols 9 Sith therefore that the first sermon both of Christ of Iohn the Baptist do notably proclaime Amend your liues Let all such as haue attained to the knowledge of the truth resolue with theÌ„selues to renounce all Idolatrie superstition vtterly to denie all assistance participation whatsoeuer therin either in hart or body Let them remember that all abandoning of their bodies to Idolatrie is a prophanation of the temple of God That the yeelding of the body to the deuill reseruing the hart to God is intollerable sacriledge That the denial of the true God the worshipping of the deuill is detestable hipocrisie That thereby they blaspheme Iesus Christ honor the Idol that they giue offeÌ„ce to their neighbours as well by confirming some in their errors as by inducing others to follow their examples But especially let them remember that their pretended excuse will redound to their double damnatioÌ„ For if he who thinking to worship God yet of ignoraÌ„ce throgh worshiping an Idoll offendeth deserueth death surely then he that boweth his body to worship that which he knoweth to be an Idoll 1. Con. 10.20 Luk. 12.47.48 yea a very deuil as S. Paul calleth it offendeth in far greater measure deserues greter punishmeÌ„t And so doth Christ himself pronounce concerning the disobedient seruant who knowing his masters wil not doing it Exod. 20.5 shall be beaten much more grieuously theÌ„ he that was ignoraÌ„t therof And indeed it is not only a simple sinne and transgression as in the ignorant but more contempt and misprision against the maiestie of the law-giuer as God in many places complaineth of his people that they haue dispised him Rom. 5.20 yea euen hated him as himselfe faith in his law And hereto likewise may be referred the sentence of the Apostle where hee saith That God gaue the law that sinne might abound because the knowledge of the law taking away ignorance maketh the transgression to be conioyned with contempt and despising of God 10 The more therfore that we know the inconuenience of Idolatrie the more we are to detest abhor and flie from it and neuer flatter our selues in the presence of God who knoweth our hearts It is but a foolish enterprise to vndertake to deceiue the Lord or to thinke to prosper by offending him We feare the losse of our goods dignities countrie and life if we go not to masse with other men and counterfeate our selues to bee Idolaters as they are yet we feare not to loose the treasure and inheritance of heauen life euerlasting and the kingdome of God by polluting our bodies in Idolatrie euen by the assured testimonie of our owne hearts We are not to order our duties after the easements of our flesh but according to the word of God The meanes to obtaine safetie and felicitie consisteth not in prouoking God to wrath by seruing of Idols but if we desire his mercie and fauour towardes vs wee must renounce and denie our selues and the world that wee may worship and serue him onely Let vs obey S. Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 5.21 Psal 97.7 1. Cor. 6.20 My little children keepe your selues from Idols And let vs remember that the holy Ghost pronounceth woe to all those that worship Idols And contrariwise blesseth all those that adore and glorifie God both in hart and minde That it is not enough that we seperate our selues from Idolatrie vnlesse we also ioyne with the Church of Christ by frequenting Sermons communicating in the Sacraments and comming to common prayer Chap. 2. AS repentance and Amendement of life consisteth in this that we forsake sinne and applie our selues to goodnesse So it is not enough that we keepe both bodies and soules from Idolatrie and superstition vnlesse that also seperating our bodies from Idolaters we adioine our selues to the Church of Christ by hearing his word receiuing the Sacraments calling vpon God in the name of Iesus Christ The titles that the holy Ghost attributeth to this Church do euidently declare vnto vs of how great importance to the glory of God saluatioÌ„ of mankind this duty of ioyning with the true Church is First it is in many places called the kingdom of God yet not without great cause For as this kingdome consisteth in euideÌ„t assured knowledge of the true God of his Son Iesus Christ in faith righteousnes peace and comfort of the holy Ghost in sanctification to be briefe in euerlasting life glory So is it in the church wherin God manifests himself reueales his truth pleasure To the meÌ„bers therof he giueth faith righteousnes holines peace ioy and finally life glory euerlasting Contrariwise the kingdom of Sathan coÌ„sisteth in ignorance Mat. 13. infidelity corruptioÌ„ vice sin iniquity in a bad conscience trouble of mind dispaire death damnation The members therfore of Christs Church are the kingdome of God retired from the power dominion of SathaÌ„ to the end that God may raigne in them by his spirit the scepter of his word as contrariwise al that are without the Church do belong to the kingdome of SathaÌ„ as S. Paul also doth say of the excoÌ„municate that they be deliuered to SathaÌ„ who raigneth without the Church of Christ 1. Cor. 5.5 1. Cor 6.9.10 Luk. 13.28 Act. 1.47 This likewise is confirmed in that the same title of the kingdom of God wherby the Church is signified is also attributed to that blessed glorious estate which the elect shal enioy after the resurrection Wherin we are taught that theris such a coÌ„iunction betweene the Church that glorious kingdom of Iesus Christ that it is as it were the suburbes gate thereinto wherupon also al they that refuse to ioyne with the Church can pretend no portion in this kingdom of heaueÌ„ For the path to felicitie importeth an ascention froÌ„ the kingdome of God vpon earth to the kingdome of God in heaueÌ„ And that doth S. Luke note saying that God did dayly adioyne vnto the Church those that should be saued thereby signifying that such as refuse to adioyne themselues therto do minister no occasion to imagine that they haue attained the way to saluation and life euerlasting 2 By another title are the

stand in stead of vtterance What we are in profession saith S. Ambrose Ambrose of the dignity of Priesthood Cap. 3. let vs shewe rather by worke then by name to the end the name may agree with the action and the action with the name and so the name be honourable euen when the action is horrible Neither let an abhominable life be conioyned with an honourable calling let vs not make a shew of doouish wordes and serpentine deeds let not vs who in profession are Pastors be possessed with woluish crueltie rather let this be the full scope of our meaning euen to speake as we thinke and to thinke as we speake that so there may be good concord and harmony between the word and the life To this doth S. Hierom also exhorte saying Let not thy workes confound thy words least when thou speakest to the flock some one should in hart reply Hierom. in epist to Nepotian Why dost not thou that which thou teachest let there be saith he a good accord between the mouth the hart and the handes of the Preacher 36 The Ecclesiasticall historye doth testifie of Iohn Chrisostome that he being in life of a heauenly conuersation Zozom in Eccle Hi. l. 8. c. 2. l. 6. c. 3. did insinuate the zeale of his vertue to his hearers for his words being adorned with good workes seemed worthie to be beleeued which without them would haue bene ridiculous and surely the wicked life of the teacher doth make his owne worde to accuse him and therefore saith S. Augustin Prosper in his sentences out of Aug. Theodoret Ec. hist l. 4. c. 5. to say well and to liue euill is no more but with his owne tung to condemne the speaker To this purpose is the oration of the Emperor Valentinian in the Synode after the death of AuxeÌ„tius the Arrian very notable You that are brought vp in the holy scriptures saith he can not be ignorant what manner of man he ought to be that is to be established in the dignitye of a Bishop also that in duty he is to instruct the people not by his doctrine onely Decretals dist 63. cap. Sacâ—o but also by his good maners holy conuersation whereby he may be an example of all honesty and vertue and so the exercise of his charge may be a testimonie and seale to his doctrine In this sence haue the Emperors Charles and Lewes speaking of the election of Bishops decreed that without accepting of persons they shall elect such as they shall finde to be endued with knowledge and holines of life to the end they may profit their flock as well by example of life as by doctrine 37 And indeed the first degree of abuse saith S. Augustin is this A skilfull Preacher deuoid of good workes euen one that careth not for perfourming that in action Aug. of the 1â— degrees of Abuse deg 1. which he teacheth with his lippes for they that heare his doctrine do soon contemne his words when they see that his workes agree not with his doctrine Neither shall the Preacher haue any effectuall authoritie vntil the efficacie of his workes doe print it in the harts of his hearers Let the Pastors therefore remember that as faith without works is dead so is their doctrine of no force where it is not accompanied with holines of life And such Pastors are like vnto the man that with one hand doth pull vp that which the other hath planted or that with one hand plucketh downe that which the other hath built If the Pastor be learned Bernard vpon the Cantic saith S. Barnard yet a bad man it is to be feared that his barreÌ„ life hurteth as many as his profitable doctrin doth help And the bad life of the Pastor is the calling of the doctrine into question Rom 2.14 scorne contempt coÌ„sequently giueth occasion to blaspheme the name of God as S. Paul admonisheth vs. 38 True it is that Iesus Christ exhorteth vs to obserue and doe the things which the Scribes and Pharisies that sit vpon Moses chaire Mat. 23. that is that teach the doctrine of Moses doe saye vnto vs but not to doe their works Galat. 2.11 when they doe not as they say But such is mans infirmitie that euil examples doe more stirre vs to doe euill then good doctrine to doe well And to this purpose we are to note the phrase that S. Paul vseth where he reproueth S. Peter because that before the comming of the Iewes hee did eate with the Gentils and at their comming he withdrew himselfe If thou being a Iewe liuest as the Gentils why constrainest thou the Gentils to doe like the Iewes He ther sheweth that the example of S. Peter was of such efficacy that thereby he enforced the Gentils to followe his dissimulation and he also noteth that euen Barnabas was induced thereto If then the example of the Pastors be so mighty both in good and euill let them diligently labour that their conuersation may be conformable to their doctrine and so they may be of double edification to the Church of Christ Let them saith S. Hierom Hierom. vpon this if any desire to be a Bishop conceaue the truth in their mindes and sound it forthwith their lippes and in all their conuersation to the end that whatsoeuer they say or do may be a doctrine or instruction to the people let the Pastors therfore take heed that their life and conuersation be not contrarye to their doctrine least they make their ministerye vnprofitable and hurte more by their bad liues then they profite by their good doctrine by drawing the people after their example to imitate their euil works finally bring the heauenlye doctrine into contempt and giue occasion to blaspheme the name of God And withal let theÌ„ remeÌ„ber what Christ saith Mat. 5.19 He that shal teach obserue the commaundements of God shal be called great in the kingdome of heaueÌ„ but that coÌ„trariwise he wil say to those that haue preached his gospel wrought miracles but haue not sealed their doctrine with good workes Depart from me ye workers of iniquity Mat. 12.23 39 Among other the vices which the Pastors for auoiding of euil example are to shun is couetousnes the root of al mischiefe in all men but chiefly in the Pastors and Ministers of Gods worde and therefore doth S. Paul expressely say A Bishop must not couet after dishonest gaine And S. 1. Tim. 3.3 1. Pet. 5.2 Peter exhorteth the Pastors to feede their sheep not in hope of dishonest gain but with a willing minde This aduertisement is the more necessary because it is a coÌ„mon vice as Esay obiecteth to the Pastors of his time saying Esay 56.11 The Pastors haue no vnderstanding they are all gone astray euery one followeth after couetousnes S. Tit. 1.11 2. Pet. 2.3 Paul likewise complaineth of some that for dishonest gaine did subuert whole families And S. Peter

our bodie lyfe or earthly goods for anie offence coÌ„mitted by vs doth without comparison more daunt and quaile vs than the desert of euerlasting death and the losse of the kingdome of heauen 4 Let vs therefore plainly confesse the truth that naturally wee loue the bodie better than the soule the goods commodities of this temporal life better than the tresures of eternity And consequently that in lieu of seeking first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnes thereof and thereupon expecting that all other things shall be giuen vs according to the promise of Christ wee contrarywise setting the caâ—t before the horse doo first and much more seeke that which concerneth the bodie and this present life than anie thing that toucheth the soule the kingdom of heauen And yet he that knoweth not that the body is more than the soul hath no soule neither hath anie vnderstanding or reason and is no man but a beast And he that confesseth not the kingdome of heauen to be infinitly better than all the kingdomes of the world sheweth himselfe to bee most peruerse and malitious 5 That we may therefore correct these corruptions so amend our liues Math. 13.44 45. let vs remember that Iesus Christ likeneth the kingdome of heauen to a treasure hidde in the field which when a man hath sound he hideth it and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that he hath buieth that field Also to a pearle of great value for the purchase wherof the marchant selleth al that he hath But what was this so excellent treasure or pearle of so great price euen the Church or holy ministerie The kingdome of God in vs and the kingdome of glorie in heauen This kingdome of heauen therfore must we first especially seeke after and after the example of those marchants sell all we haue that is to saie forsake all that we account to bee precious concerning this life that wee may inioy this kingdome of heauen 6 And in deede first they that beeing members of the Church doo vse the holy ministerie are accounted to bee the children of God and members of Iesus Christ who also imployeth this holie ministerie to driue from them the kingdome of Sathan and to establish his And so are they gotten on to the first step and entered in at the first gate In the meane time because there be also hypocrites that do enter and abide there for a time in shew keeping the place of Gods children it is requisite moreouer that the kingdom of heauen be in vs. For as all they that are possessed with righteousnesse Rom. 14.17 peace and the ioy of the holie Ghost which Saint Paule calleth the kingdome of God are certaine to enrer into heauen so is it in vaine to pretend to enter into the kingdome of God which is in heauen vnlesse the kingdome of heauen which is the gate be first in vs that is to saie if we haue not the true knowledge of God and of his sonne Iesus Christ a liuely fayth a feruent charitie vnles wee increase in sanctification of bodie of soule and of minde vnles in our selues wee do feele a good conscience conioyned with peace and ioy in the holie Ghost and vnlesse wee bee regenerate in newnesse of lyfe As also Iesus Christ himselfe doth plainly say That vnlesse wee bee borne againe wee cannot see the kingdome of God And in deede it is written Iohn 3.3 1. Cor. 6.9 That neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor theeues nor couetous men nor dronkardes nor euill speakers nor rauishers shall inherite the kingdome of God Yet before hee pronounceth this sentence hee wakeneth vs saying Deceiue not your selues to the end that casting off all illusions and sweete baites of the world the flesh and the deuill we may be assured that by amendement correcting of these vices and other lyke corruptions we shall inherite the kingdome of God Wherefore as where there bee two gates to a towne it is not inough that wee enter the first vnlesse wee also passe through the second so is it not inough that wee beeing members of the Church vsing the holie ministerie which we haue sayd to be as the first gate to the kingdome of heauen vnlesse wee thence proceede to the second in liuing as true and liuely members of the Church declaring the effectes of the holy ministerie by the testimonies of our faith mortification of the old man newnesse of lyfe in briefe by dayly amendement For albeit wee haue preached the worde of God yea and wrought myracles yet shall wee not therefore enter into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse wee also amende our liues as Iesus Christ also sayd Not euery one that saith Lord Lord Mat. 7.21 shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee which doth the will of my father which is in heauen Manye will saye vnto mee in that daye Lord Lord haue we not by thy name prophecied and by thy name cast out deuils and by thy name done many great workes Then will I professe vnto them I neuer knew ye Departe from me ye workers of iniquitie 7 The parable of the seede sowen in sundry sorts of ground doth euidently declare that for the establishing of the kingdom of heauen in vs Mat. 13. also that we may assuredly enter into the kingdome of God which is in heauen we are to amend in three points First as the seede that fell by the way side and so was deuoured by the soules of the aire so must we beware that our harts be not so hard and impenitent that the woorde heard when it cannot enter into theÌ„ vanish away and be as it were euen violently caught away by satan Secondly we must be so firmly resolued to beare in patience the losse of parents brethren sisters goods dignities yea euen of life that being possessed with this good humour of patience a good conscience and faith the sunny heat of persecution may not make this sacred seede vnfruitfull or vnprofitable or cause vs to forsake the Church which is the kingdome of heauen and so fall againe vnder the tiranny of Satan as a dogge to his vomite or a washed sow to her myre Thirdlye 2. Pet. 2.12 as the seede that fell among thornes coÌ„meth at the last to be choaked vp and stiffeled so must we beware that the cares of worldly affaires the earnest desire of the coÌ„modities of this transitory life do not choak vp the good seede of the heauenly doctrine These three pernicious inconuemences must we auâ—id and amend in case we desire to enter into the kingdome of God that is in heauen 8 Now where it is said in this parable that only the fourth part of the seed did bring forth fruite we are thereof togather for the inducing of vs to ameÌ„dmeÌ„t of life that the number of those that shal be saued in the kingdom of God which is in heauen shaâ—be small and this doth our

and to the felicity of the Children of God in heauen doth admonishe and teach vs that we must first enter into the Church and vse the holy ministery secondly thereby increase in faith and amendment of life and so attaine to the fruition of the incomprehensible felicity and glory prepared in heauen for the children of God The thirteenth cause of amendment deriued of this saying of Iesus Christ The kingdome of heauen is at hand Chap. 13. THis saying of Iesus Christ The kingdome of heauen is at hand may be referred first to the kingdom of glory which we waite for in heauen Secondly to the renewing restauration of man and thirdly to the preaching of the gospel And indeed the kingdome of heauen considered in these three points Gen. 3. 23. did truely at the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ come very neere vnto man As concerning the kingdome of glory that is in heauen we know that our first parents Adam and liue when they had transgressed the commaundement of God were driuen out of the garden of Eden also that God placed the Cherubins on the east side of the garden with a flaming sworde continually mouing to keep the way to the tree of life Then God thereby hauing shewed that man was put forth and banished out of heauen and life euerlasting by the building of the tabernacle and afterward of the temple in Hierusalem gaue vnto his people some figure of a passage into heauen through the Messias that was to come For in that the people remained in the porch might haue no accesse into the holy sanctuarye Exod. 28.9 the figure of heauen God gaue them to vnderstand that they were vnworthy to come in but in that the high priest once in the yeere did enter with the twelue names of the twelue tribes vpon his shoulders and his breast God thereby signified that when Iesus Christ figured in this high priest should come he by his death should open vnto them the gate of heauen and should enter thereat not for himselfe onelie but as it were carying his people in with him And thereupon at the death of Christ the vaile of the Temple that seperated and did hide the holy Sanctuary did cleaue and rent to the bottom Mat. 27.51 Heb. 9.8 thereby to shew that the way of heauen was now open to the members of Iesus Christ which was not before reuealed as the Apostle saieth to the Hebrews Thus did the kingedome of heauen beginne to be at hand 2 Yet drew it nearer when Iesus Christ rising from death ascended into heauen For as the high Priest entring into the holy Sanctuarie vpon his shoulders and brest carryed the twelue names of the twelue tribes of Israel So Iesus Christ entred not alone into heaueÌ„ but we also with him as saith Saint Paule Eph. 2.5 That God quickened vs together with Christ and raiseth vs vp together and made vs sit together in the heauenlie places in Iesus Christ And in an other place the same Apostle saieth If we be children we are also heires euen the heires of God and coheyres with Iesus Christ And this he sayeth to assure vs Rom. 3.17 that Iesus Christ hath so taken possession of heauen that it is not onely for himselfe but also for vs his coheyres As if vpon the confiscation of an inheritance common to many brethren when the prince afterward maketh a release the eldest brother taketh the possession for assurance that himselfe and his bretheren are restored to their goods the same is an assurance to the coheires with the eldest that in the person of their eldest brother themselues are put in possession of the inheritance common to them all Thus did the kingedome of heauen draw neare at the comming of Iesus Christ and this is it that he first wisheth vs to note for our amendment when he saith Amend your liues for the kingdome of heauen is at hand 3 The auncient fathers could neuer discerne this kingdome but a farre off and very obscurely God promised to Abraham Isaac and Iacob the land of Canaan Not that they should settle their minds vpon the fat of the earth but that it might be to theÌ„ as an image of this kingdome of heauen wherto they should aspire Heb. 11.13 But saieth the Apostle They are all dead and receiued not the promises but saw them a farre off and beleeued them and receiued them thankfully And this he meaneth not simply by the land of Canaan but principally by the opening of heauen approching of this kingdome of heauen fulfilled at the comming of Iesus Christ Howe neare then is this kingedome of heauen commen vnto vs by the comming of Iesus Christ in respect of them sith he toke possession both for himselfe and vs whom also we cannot behold in the fruition of this heauenly kingdome but we must withall behold our selues with him because he is our head and keepeth his members vnited to himselfe and our spouse who communicateth with vs all his goods in which sence Saint Paule also calleth vs Burgesses of heauen Doth not Iesus Christ therefore when he saieth Amend your liues iustly alledge this reason For the kingdome of heauen is at hand Ephes 2.19 And in deed If Abraham Isaac Iacob the Prophets Iohn 8.56 and the rest of the faithfull before the comming of the sonne of God in the flesh whilest the kingdom of heauen was yet so farre from them and from their view did notwithstanding reioyce as it is written of Abraham and accounted themselues Pilgrims and strangers in this world and lyued deuoutly righteously and religiously to be short did amend their liues as aspiring to this kingdome of heauen How much more earnestly ought we to feele in our selues that we are strangers pilgrims vpon the earth whereto his kingdome is come so neare that we do therein behold Iesus Christ and our selues with him Howe much rather I say should we be euen rauished to asp re to this kingdome which we see open by denying the world the flesh and all that might keepe vs backe that by amending our lyues we might increase in faith loue holynesse in euery good thing that might be vnto vs as a path a Chariot horse to transport vs really into heauen When winter is ouer the nearer that the Sun draweth vnto vs the more doth the earth being warmed by the heat therof fructifie And the longer that the dayes are the more worke may we do Euen so the nearer that the kingdome of heauen doth draw vnto vs by the coÌ„ming of Iesus Christ especially by his ascention into heauen the more should we be heat in the loue of God and charity to our neighbors to bring foorth the more fruite of holines be the more adicted to al good works 4 Secondly we are to consider the drawing neere of the kingdom of heuen in the restauratioÌ„ renewing of man WheÌ„ Christ died for our sins Rom. 4.25 Rom.

The Contents The first Booke Of mans follies and that his wisedome consisteth in the Amendement of the same That the word translated Amend you signifieth to be better aduised And why Chapter 1. Follio 1. Of the first folly to thinke that there is no God Chap. 2. Follio 4. Of the second folly to thinke better of man then of God Chap. 3. Follio 24. Of the third To thinke to liue euer Chap. 4. Follio 33. Of the fourth Not to know wherefore we doe liue Chap. 5. Follio 39. Of the fifth By the outward appearance to iudge of mans felicitie or miserie Chap. 6. Follio 50. Of the sixt To put more coÌ„sidence in our enemies then in our friends Chap. 7. Follio 59. Of the seuenth To thinke our selues wise Chap. 8. Follio 65. The second Booke Wherein man ought to Amend That man knowing what Idolatrie superstition is ought wholy to abstaine from all participation in the same Chap. 1. Fol. 70. That it is not enough that we seperate our selues from Idolatrie but that we must moreouer ioyne with the Church of Christ Chap. 2. Fol. 77. That we ought diligently to frequent Sermons Chap. 3. Fol. 80. That in dutie we are to participate in the holy Sacraments Chap. 4. Fol. 91. That we ought to assist at common Prayer Chap. 5. Fol. 97. Of the dutie concerning domesticall and priuate praiers of euery faithfull man Chap. 6. Fol. 101 Of our dutie in reading the holy Scriptures Chap. 7. Fol. 105. That we must put in practise the word of God Chap 8. Fol. 117. Of charitie in generall Chap. 9. Fol. 120. Of Almes and releefe of the poore Chap. 10. Fol. 125. Of Couetousnesse Chap. 11. Fol. 152. Of Pride and Ambition Chap. 12. Fol. 168. Of Sumptuousnesse and excesse in apparell Chap. 13. Fol. 183 Of Ryot and superfluitie in banquets and feastes Chap. 14. Fol. 192. Of Voluptuousnesse in generall Chap. 15. Fol. 199. Of Drunkennesse Chap. 16. Fol. 205. Of Adulterie and other whoredomes Chap. 17. Fol. 215. Of Daunces Chap. 18. Fol. 228. Of games at hazard as Cardes and Dice Chap. 19. Fol. 249. Of Enuie Chap. 20. Fol. 255. Of Backbiting and slaundering Chap. 21. Fol. 262. The third Booke Who ought to Amend Of the duties common both to the man and the wife Chap. 1. Fol. Fol. 274. Of the particuler dutie of the wife to her husband Chap. 2. Fol. 285. Of the particuler dutie of the husband to his wife Chap. 3. Fol. 293. Of the duties of fathers and mothers to their Children Chap. 4. Fol. 297. Of the duties of Children to their fathers and mothers Chap. 5. Fol. 316. Of the dutie of Magistrates to their subiects Chap. 6. Fol. 327. Of the dutie of subiects to the Magistrates Chap. 7. 374. Of the duties of the ministers of the word to their Church Chap. 8. Fol. 385. Of the duties of the Church to her pastors Chap. 9. Fol. 416. The fourth Booke Of the causes of Amendement The first cause why wee shoulde Amend taken of the Authoritie of Iesus Christ to commaund vs. Chap. 1. Fol. 422. The second cause is drawne from the name Holy attributed to Iesus Christ And doth briefly intreate vpoÌ„ election reprobation Gods prouidence Chap. 2. Fol. 426 The third cause deriued from the predestination and prouidence of God intreated of in the former Chapter Chap. 3. Fol. 448 The fourth cause grounded vpon the name Emanuel attributed to Iesus Christ Chap. 4. Fol. 464. The fifth cause drawne from these titles Holy Wonderful a counsailer The strong and mightie God The prince of peace The father of eternitie Attributed to Iesus Christ Chap. 5. Fol. 473. The sixt cause deriued of these two names Iesus Christ. Chap 6. Fol. 485. The seuenth cause gathered of the signification of this word Amend Chap. 7. Fol. 497. The eight cause taken of the reason added by Iesus Christ where hee saith For the kingdome of heauen or of God is at hand Chap. 8. Fol. 499. The ninth cause taken hereof That the kingdome of God which wee looke for in heauen doth admonish vs that in this life we are straungers pilgrimes and trauelers Chap. 9. Fol. 506. The tenth cause deriued from the kingdome of heauen which is in vs. Chap. 10. Fol. 516 The eleuenth cause taken of the holy ministerie called the kingdome of God Chap. 11. Fol. 520. The twelfth cause taken hereof That by the kingdome of heauen is signified the blessed felicitie of the children of God in heauen The kingdome of God in vs and the holy ministerie Chap. 12. Fol. 533. The thirtenth and last cause of Amendement deriued of this saying of Iesus Christ The kingdome of heauen is at hand Chap. 13. Fol. 540. Faults escaped Page 40. line 2. for same Read sunne Pa. 79. l. 11. at the end R. in heauen Pa. 124. l. 28. pronouncing R. procuring P. 162. l. 2. so plentie as R. as plentie of P. 164 l. 37. hateh R. loueth P. 180. l. 41. so to resist R. so to employ our forces to resist P. 224 l. 2â— 22. as also R. otherwise P. 257. l. 31. grounded vpon R. pining at Ibidem l. 34. setting sure footing is brought R. pining away is worne ib. l. 37. soule R. haâ—t P. 259. at the end of the page read at the good of others and reioyceth at their P. 267. l. 27. shew R. shame P. 295 l. 21. prone R. reproue P. 323. l. 22. grieued R. reuealed ib. l. 32. after mother Re. to his Disciple Iohn P. 341. l. 22. after should R. not l. 40. after did R. not Pa. 387. l. 14. put out owne Pa. 403. l. 39. after deliuered R. to the death P. 409. l. 16. path R. youth P. 412. l. 41. passion R. parson P. 417. l. 14 carnall R. eternall P. 428. l. 36. after ghost R. to say P. 450. l. 1. that R. thereof but P. 465. l. 39. after clense R. our selues P. 467. l. 20. we R. ye P. 482. l. 25. after resolue R. to walke P. 496. l. 37. after that R. neuer P. 498. l. 9. amend R. bee damned P. 499. l. 29. best Re. least P. 505. l. 41. after if R. we belieue these things that l. 1. God R. we P. 513. l. 40. hand R. hart P. 515. l. 4. wine R. wiues P. 519. l. 6. after this R. ioy l. 16. after retaine R. in vs P. 526. l. 36. after the R. darke and for darke R. Deuill P. 527. l. 8. signe R. Cyon li. 28. dead into R. mortified in P. 534. l. 20. hands R. harte OF AMENDEMENT OF LIFE The first Booke Of the foolishnesse of Man and that his wisedome consisteth in amendement of the same That the word translated Amend signifieth to be better aduised and why Chap. 1. IT is a matter worth the noting that the whole summe of the first sermon of Iesus Christ as also of Saint Iohn the Baptist is by S. Mathew comprised in these wordes Amend your liues Math. 3.2 Math 4.17

owne and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ What mercy goodnesse and loue shineth in this redemption That he so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him might not perish Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 but haue life euerlasting What a seale of his truth in that notwithstanding the ingratitude and vnworthinesse of the world he yet in his appointed time sent the seed of the woman promised to our forefathers Gen. 3.15 to breake the Serpents head To be briefe what power shewed he in this redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Gal. 4.4 wherein he surmounted and ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell But what doth such an image of God so expressely represented before our eyes in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ accomplishing our redemption shoot at but to giue vs to vnderstand and earnestly to feele the wisedome holinesse righteousnesse mercy truth goodnesse loue and power of God the father of Iesus Christ That we might loue him put our trust in him cleane vnto him call vpon him acknowledging him to be the inexpuiseable fountaine of al goodnesse and so glorifie him And the rather because by this meanes we are reclaimed from death and euerlasting damnation we bee made the children of God through the same Iesus Christ and inheritors of his kingdome and glory Rightly therefore doe we say that the ende of our redemption shoulde tend to encrease our knowledge of God that we may glorifie him That it is the dutie whereto Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying You are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods Also in another place Eph. 1.6 God hath choseÌ„ vs to him throgh Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace 8 Ther is yet another consideration When Christ gaue sight to the blind raised the dead healed the sicke wrought other like miracles Mat. 9.8 Luk. 13.13 the same were so many testimonies seales of his diuinitie consequently arguments to induce men to glorifie him As he himselfe saith speaking of the sicknes of Lazarus This sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God Ioh. 11.4 that the sonne might be glorified therby For his raising froÌ„ death was a testimony of his diuine power But we al are naturally as concerning the soul dead in sin blind sicke of a huÌ„dred diseases And as the soule is more excelleÌ„t theÌ„ the body so the illuminating restoring to life curing of the diseases of the soule are miracles more excelleÌ„tly representing the deuine power grace then those of the body Of necessity therefore these miracles being performed in vs through faith in Iesus Christ do bind vs to glorifie him And how By effectual demonstration that where we were blind sicke dead in spirit we are now illuminated cured raised againe to life And indeed the motions affections holy works of Gods children being assured testimonies that in soule they be illuminated risen againe are the true meanes to glorifie God Contrariwise if we walk as men yet blind in the darknes of ignorance as men sicke polluted in vice corruption as men yet dead in sin We doo so much as in vs lieth abolish the miracles of Iesus Christ consequently his glory In this respect Saint Peter saith Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2 1â— that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Mat. 5.16 And in the same sence saith Iesus Christ Let your light so shine before men that seing your good works they may glorify God your father 9 But what argument is this to glorifie God in our holy conuersation good works Because as we haue before said shewed the same be testimonies effects of our spiritual resurrection consequently of Gods power goodnes mercy toward vs. Wherupon the ignorant seing that we who in the time of our ignoraÌ„ce were dead in sin giuen ouer to all vice corruption since we were illuminated in the truth of the Gospell haue by this spiritual resurrection declared such an alteration in vs that now we are contrariwise become as it were new creatures walking in purenes holines loue may also glorifie God in two sorts First in this miraculous alteration that they see in vs as being a worke truely proceeding of the power and goodnes of God Secondly in this that by such miracles they be moued to allowe and embrace the same religion which we professe as being conuict that it is truely of God not of man Psal 65.1 To conclude where Dauid crieth out O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion He manifestly declareth vnto vs that they which be regenerate through the redemption in Iesus Christ are burgeses of Sion and members of the Church bound to praise God And also that we frustrate God of his dutie and expectation Psal 119 175 if we refer not out whole liues to his glory saying with Dauid O Lord let my soule liue that I may praise thee 10 The secoÌ„d principal end of our life should tend to attaine to life euer lasting John 3.16.17 And indeed In as much as God hath sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saued that he so loued the world that he hath giueÌ„ his only begotteÌ„ son to the end that al that beleue in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting It thereby appeareth that as the end of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ is the sauing of the elect so we that beleeue in him shoulde in all the course of our liues aime at this To bee saued by him Otherwyse wee doo so much as in vs lieth reuerse that excellent and wonderfull work of our redemption God hath created man without comparison more excellent than beasts yet if man be not saued nor attaineth to life euerlasting hee is much more miserable than the brute beast which passing ouer this life a great deale more easilye than man after death feeleth no euill and contrariwise the man which aimeth not at this lyfe euerlasting after all his calamities both bodily and ghostly tribulations in this life at his death entereth into incomprehensible and eternall torments If man who naturally desireth felicitie could comprehend the felicitie of such as attaine to the kingdom of heauen likewise the miserie and woe of those who at their decease doo passe into euerlasting death the very horror of the death of these wretches together with the soueraigne felicitie of the blessed would make him earnestly to couet after life euerlasting to esteeme this incomprehensible felicitie to be one of the principall endes of his lyfe Such therefore as doo neuer propound the kingdome of

in matter appertaining to life euerlasting thinketh himselfe wise and is in deed but a foole because he is wise in the lesse and a foole in the principall wise as concerning men and this temporall life but a foole as concerning God and life euerlasting And we shall finde many presidents counsellors aduocates phisitions philosophers marchants and artificers wise discreet and aduised in their arte and vocation who all in the vocation of Christianitie are but fooles ignorant and senselesse They are verie perfect in matter concerning this present life but ignorant and foolish in matter of lyfe euerlasting Neither is it anie maruell For euerie man in youth learneth a phrase mysterie or arte whereby to grow wise expert in his vocation and so to prouide for this present life but few there are that learne the skill to bee true Christians wise and well aduised Beholde therefore how weening to be wise because they bee wise men they be but fooles in that they be ignorant vnaduised Christians 3 By experience we see that the aduocate can be skilfull learned in the vnderstanding of the ciuill laws pleading other mens causes yet vnderstandeth nothing in Gods law whereby to plead his owne cause against the deuill and so be iustified in the sight of God The phisition can be skilfull and expert in the cure of bodily diseases and yet not know wherein the cure of so many the diseases of his owne soule doth consist The Arithmetician can multiply numbers yet wotteth not how to reckon to 70. or 80. yeres of his life Psal 90 12 but as all the rest must bee forced to praie to God to giue him grace to vnderstand how to count his daies that he may apply his heart to true wisedome The Geometrician can bee skilfull in measuring the earth yet hath no knowledg of heauen either of Iesus Christ who is the way to come thereunto The Astronomer is well seene in the course and greatnesse of the Sun yet hath no skill in the Son of righteousnes our Lord Iesus Christ The philosophers perfect in a number of the secrets of nature are neuertheles ignorant in the mysteries and secretes of the eternall saluation of the soule reuealed in the Gospell The marchant can keepe his booke of accounts to know his estate who is indebted to him yet wotteth not hee what account hee must make to God of his life The Smith is skilful in making of keies yet vnderstandeth not what the keies of the kingdome of heauen are Euery one can tell what fruit apple trees pearetrees plumtrees c. do beare yet few know what fruit Christians should beare To be brief there be men enow wise and aduised but few Christians wise and well instructed What is it for an aduocate a phisition a marchant or an artificer to be wise in his profession and yet in Christianitie to be a foole ignorant and vnaduised To bee accounted wise among beasts that haue no immortall soule yet to be so much the more foolish and vnaduised as that in seruing men wisely and God foolishly hee looseth both bodie and soule for euer Augustine in his myrrour for sinners cap. 6 S Augustine reproouing those that take greater delight in the writings of Plato and Aristotle than of the Apostles calleth them fooles His reason because they reaped knowledge like to their study leaues in sted of fruit that is to say words and no vertue So men generally thinking themselues wise because they be so in matters of this life are yet foolish sensles in that they vnderstand not what is requisite for the obtaining of lyfe euerlasting 4 What doth it auaile vs saith S. Augustine subtilly to search out Augustine in his booke of the spirit and the letter cap. 1. 2 and plentifully to comprehend the nature of all things if wee haue no knowledge of our selues This sentence Know thy selfe for the excellencie thereof was thought to be brought from heauen The rather to the end that man standing in necessity of the knowledge of himselfe his ignorance pouertie miserie might humble himself seeke his felicity from other than himselfe The wise Socrates said that he knew but one thing viz. that he knew nothing And therein he spake better than hee was aware For if man knowing much as hee did must notwithstanding confesse that hee knoweth nothing in comparison of so much as hee is ignoraunt of euen in such sciences as concerne not life euerlasting how much rather must he were he double as wise as euer was Socrates confesse that he knoweth nothing if he haue no knowledge in the heauenly knowledge requisite to the saluation of our soules It is therefore a hellish opinion for a man to think himself wise when he is a fool likewise to be a wise man yet a foolish vntaught christian Iesus Christ speaking to the pharisies who thinking themselues skilful said Are we also blind Said vnto them If yee were blind Ioh. 9 40 you should haue no sin But now you saie We do see therefore your sin abideth in you Thereby shewing that as the beginning of a cure consisteth in the knowledge and feeling of the hurt so the beginning of our sight resteth in the knowledge that we are ignorant and fooles That we may therfore Amend our liues we must giue ouer this folly wherby we thinke our selues wise and heereafter being better aduised confes that we know nothing so long as we know not Iesus Christ Besides that how wise discreet and expert so euer we be in worldly matters yet knowing our selues to bee fooles and senselesse in thinking our selues wise while we are ignorant Christians we may be better aduised increasing in whatsoeuer may make vs become true Christians and consequently the children of God and inheritours of life euerlasting 5 This is the knowledge of all knowledge and consisteth in two poyntes First in that which Saint Paule sayeth I am not determined to know my other thing 1. Cor. 2.2 but onely Iesus Christ and him crucifyed Therin declaring that he that knoweth not Christ knoweth nothing but is a foole deuoid of sense how wise discreet so euer he is in the sight of the world so he that truly knoweth Iesus Christ how simple so euer the world accounteth him is perfectly wise and well aduised Secondly this knowledge consisteth in the beginning of wisedome Pro. 1.7 as the holy Ghost calleth it namely in walking in the feare of God Whereupon Dauid addeth that they which walke in the feare of God and keepe his commandements Psa 111.10 are wise And on the other side SalomoÌ„ protesteth that such as despise this wisdome discretion are fooles Iob. 28. â—5 Iob more largely speaking therof sayth Wisedome is more to bee esteemed than siluer golde precious stones or any worldly goods Then discoursing vppon the wonderfull workes of God in the knowledge whereof it seemeth there resteth great wisdome he concludeth his speech

we prouoke the wrath and indignation of God we leuie warre against him euen a woful warre to vs because God being stronger than we wil ouercome vs. Spake not the same Apostle to those that had knowledge of the truth when hee sayde Be not vnequally yoked with Infidels 2. Cor. 6 for what fellowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes And what communion hath light with darknes what concord hath Christ with Beliall or what parte hath the beleeuer with the Infidell VVhat agreement hath the temple of God with Idols for ye are the temple of God as God hath sayd I will dwell among them and walke therein Here he speaketh of the whole man and consequently not of the soule only but also of the body as in another place he saith Our bodies are the temple of God therfore he addeth 1. Cor. 6.19 2. Cor. 6.18 Esa 52. Come out froÌ„ among the Idolaters and separate your selues sath the Lord touch not vncleane things and I will receiue you I will be your father and you shal be my sonnes my daughters saith the Lord. If God will not receiue vs to be his sonnes and daughters if he wil not be our father but vpon condition that wee touch no polluted thing then contrarywise those men that voluntarily do touch them yet do notwithstanding maintaine that stil they are the childreÌ„ of God do gainsaie the very truth and deserue to be cast off at his hands 3 When God to comfort Elias sayd 1. King 19.18 I haue yet reserued to my selfe 7000. in Israel eueÌ„ all the knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal euery mouth that hath not kissed him doth he not shew that he coÌ„deÌ„neth all outward adoration and bodily reuerence to the Idoll and accounteth them markes of reprobation As also saying by Esay I liue Esa 45.23 euerie knee shall bowe vnto me Hee sheweth that all adoration euen in bodie is an homage due to God onely When satan sayd to Iesus Christ Math. 4.9 All these kingdomes will I giue thee if falling down thou wilt worship me It would haue sufficed him if Iesus Christ woulde haue made him but an outward reuerence with his bodie onelie And I praie what doo the tyrants persecuters of Gods children pretend but to cause men with their bodies to countenance theyr masse For as they cannot command the heart nor knowe the inward secretes of man so doo they require onely the outward view and obedience of the bodie And in deed such as persecute euen against their owne consciences the children and seruants of God will not sticke to whisper vnto them and saye Beleeue what yee will so yee goe to masse If it were lawfull to abandon our bodies to such idolatrie as in heart wee doo condemne the crosse of Christ shoulde bee abolished and all persecution taken awaie A man might so professe himselfe a Iewe and Turke yea hee myght countenance and assist all the greatest and most abhominablest Idolatries in the world so long as in heart he dislyked of them But then what should become of Christs martyrs Wherfore haue they suffered death Why did not they reseruing their hearts to God abandon their bodies to the seruice of Idols Dan. 3 Manut. and Morel vppon the pas of S. Cyptian And in Saint Augustines sermon of Ciprian the martyr And of his passion after the olde manuscripts obey the commandements of Idolatrous kings When Nabuchadnezzer commanded to worship the golden Image he required onely the outwarde adoration and reuerence and yet the three Hebrew princes chose rather to bee cast into the burning furnace than to obey it S. Ciprian was heerein so certaine and so fully resolued that when the tyrant offered to saue his life if hee woulde obey his commaundement and offer incense or sacrifice to the Idol counselling him to thinke vpon it he constantly answered that he needed neither consultation nor deliberation in so iust a matter that he would rather die than shew any testimonie of approuing such Idolatrie Yet might he haue escaped by yeelding onely his bodie to idolatrie keeping his heart vnto God Some Iudges there are who hauing knowledge of the truth do giue sentence of condemnation against the faithful in hart disalowing the sentence yet in mouth pronouncing the same Exod. 20.4 Are these men thinke you excusable in the sight of God When God in his law forbiddeth making any grauen images or liknes of any thing Speaketh he to the haÌ„d or to the hart Likwise when he addeth Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them When for so the word that he there vseth doth signifie he prohibiteth not only to worship serue theÌ„ in mind but also he speaketh of the whole man rather more expressely of the bodie forbidding all adoration and outward seruice inuented by men 4 Saint Paul protesteth that Idolaters shal not inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.10 Here he speaketh to the members of the Church and so to those who knowing the truth did not in hart allow of Idolatry he therfore threatneth those that shall assist therat in body Likewise Gods horrible iudgemeÌ„ts executed vpon diuers euen in our time as vpoÌ„ Frances Spiera an Italian others who knowing the truth became notwithstaÌ„ding assistants at Idolatry false seruice alowing in body that which they in hart condemned do take away all excuse make those worthy double punishment that do pollute their bodies in Idolatry and so shew an outward testimonie of allowing that which their hart coÌ„demning the actioÌ„ of the body do abhorre To be short what is this assistance at the masse bowing of knees before the Idol but an actual testimonie that they allow all the Idolatries blasphemies there committed It is an opinion impression which they seeke by their assistance to infuse into others It is as if that the body should cry out say you see of what religion I am The body speaketh in liew of the mouth And thus instead of confessing Christ his truth they do in action renounce him so are to looke for no other sentence then the same which Iesus Christ himself hath pronounced saying Mat. 10 3â— Whosoeuer shal deny me before men him wil I deny before God my father If such men could but a little coÌ„prehend how villanously Christ is dishonored in the masse how his office is vsurped his sacrifice abolished his death made frustrate the institution of his holy supper reuersed the zeale of the house glory of God would euen eate vp consume their harts whereby they should bee moued to shunne and abhorre the same and neuer to be assistant thereat 5 It may seeme to some that I need not to stand so long vpon so plaine a case But ther be hipocrites that dare alledge that they do it because they would not offend their neighbors This surely is a goodly charity First they speake against their

premises confirmed in that the Church is called the house of God For as the holy scripture speaketh of two sorts of children only the one the children of God the other of the deuill 1. Tim. 3.15 1. Ioh. 3.10 so are ther but two houses the one wherin the childreÌ„ of God are gathered norced together the other wherin the childreÌ„ of the deuil are scattered abrod So many therfore as are in the Church are the children domestical seruants of God as S. Paul also calleth them Ephe. 2.19 And contrariwise they that do refuse to adioyne theÌ„selues therto are forreners strangers as the Apostle nameth theÌ„ Christ himself Ioh. 14.2 wher he saith that In the house of God my father ther be many maÌ„sions attributing the same title of the house of God to the heaueÌ„ly Citie which is the congregation of the elect in heauen replenished with the glory of God as he doth to the Church and assemblies of Saints which do enioy the ministery doth admonish vs that the house of God vpoÌ„ earth is the ready way there by to climbe the gate that we are to enter at into this house of God And coÌ„sequeÌ„tly that they that refuse to enter into the house of God vpoÌ„ earth haue no accesse or entry into the house of God 1. Tim. 3.15 3 This Church is also called a piller of the truth in two considerations first because that without the same ther is nothing but lying coÌ„sequently the dominion of the deuill the prince of darknes and father of lies Secondly to aduertise vs that all they vnto whoÌ„ God hath reuealed his truth are by this title aduowed to be pillers therof by confessing preaching defending it before against all men yea euen by suffering for the same Whereby it euidently appeareth that such as will not make profession but refuse to ioyne with the Church do deserue to be giuen ouer to the power of the father of lies because so far as in theÌ„ lieth they suffer the truth to fall be brought to nought Gal. 4.26 But especially we are to note this title Mother attributed to the Church which sheweth her to bee the mother that brought vs foorth the nouise that suckled vs with her two pappes of the word and Sacraments the tutrix that bringeth vp guideth gouerneth vs vntil that hauing put of this mortall flesh we become like vnto the Angels And sith it is the wil of God that al they to whoÌ„ he vouchsafeth to be a father shold acknowledge the Church for their mother those that shal refuse to adioyne themselues therto are not Gods children Which is more S. Paul calleth this Church Eph. 4. the assembly of Saints and body of Christ teaching vs that as the members therof are aduowed to be Saints meÌ„bers of Christ so they that do refuse to adioyne theÌ„selues therunto are holden as being no Saints nor members of the body of Christ to be the members of Sathan Mat. 12.43 whom the Scripture termeth the vncleane spirit Which consideration should minister as great terror confusion to these as contentment consolation to the members of the body of Christ When Iesus Christ therfore S. Iohn do cal vpon vs to Amend they do admonish vs that among al other things renouncing Idolatry we are especially to adioine our selues to the church of Christ to the end to become members of his body whereby departing from the kingdome of Sathan we may haue entrie accesse into the house of God wher hauing the Chruch for our mother wee shall bee assured to haue God for our father finally renouncing al falsehood we shal be made pillers and supporters of the truth by confessing and maintaining the same all the daies of our liues to the glorie of God and the saluation of our soules That we ought diligently to frequent Sermons Chap. 3. THe premises shall we much the better vnderstand when wee shall more particulerly be instructed what the Church is by the markes of the same And these are comprised principally in three points In the pure preaching of the word of God In the lawfull administration of the Sacraments and in the publike inuocation of one onely God in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ Concerning preaching Iesus Christ saith My sheepe heare my voice and follow me Thereby declaring that so many as heare the voice of Christ are his flocke and his Church Ioh. 10.27 and to that sence in another place he saith He that is of God heareth the voice of God But how can we heare Iesus Christ who is in heaueÌ„ Ioh. 8.47 He that heareth you saith he to his Apostles Heareth me It followeth then that he that refuseth to heare Iesus Christ Luk. 10.16 when hee speaketh by his ministers is none of his sheepe And this indeed is euidently confirmed by the scope and right vse of the preaching of the Gospel noted in these titels which the holy Ghost attributeth thereunto The ministerie of reconciliation 2. Cor. 5.18 Ephe. 6.15 Act. 14.3 Act. 20.32 Act. 13.26 Act. 5.20 Phil. 2.15 The Gospell of peace The word of grace saluation and of life euerlasting For who be Christs sheepe the children of God and members of his Church but onely they that are reconciled to God That haue peace of conscience That feele Gods fauour and grace in their soules And that waite for saluation life in Iesus Christ according to the most assured testimonies of his holy Gospell Whereupon wee see there is nothing which wee are to holde more deare or in greater estimation then the ministerie of the word 2 Except we be illuminated we cannot be saued Now where Iesus Christ calleth his Apostles The light of the world Mat. 5.14 Esa 49.6 Act. 13.47 And S. Paul saith that God hath sent him to be a light and saluation to the Gentiles The same is likewise ment by all those that are called to preach the Gospell Neither are they called light in respect of their persons but of their doctrine Who so therefore desireth to see cleerely into the waie of euerlasting lyfe must diligently giue eare to those whose preaching is the light Iohn 3.5 No man saith Iesus Christ can come into the kingdome of God vnles he bee regenerated Saint Paul who calleth himselfe the father of the Corinthians and sayth 1. Cor. 4.15 that he hath begotten them to the Lord doth sufficiently declare that this regeneration is wrought by preaching of the Gospel Without faith we can neither please God nor be saued The same Apostle sayth that Faith commeth by hearing the preaching If wee be not saued Heb. 1 16. Ephes 2.8 Rom. 10.15 1. Tim. 4.16 we are for euer accursed Saint Paul writing to Timothie sayth that by the faithfull discharging of his duetie he shall saue both himselfe and those that shall heare him The same Apostle sayth that when Iesus Christ ascended into heauen he

resolue least they should be knowen to be of the religion so loose their goods dignities otherworldly commodities Is not the soule more precious then the body Must we not haue more respect to the soule then to the body In a time of famine we can be content to sell al for bread rather then to die for hunger Gen. 47. Did not the Egyptians giue all their money their cattle and finally their possessions to Ioseph for corne Nay more then so we will euen snatch bread out of the fire And lastly if wee haue no other meanes wee can bee content to leaue countrey kinred and friends to trauaile into forrein countries to seek for food rather then to die for hunger But why do we not as much for our soules The famished soule cryeth out I must liue And is it not meere rashnesse to think to liue without food We must therfore forsake all for to obtaine the spirituall food of the woord we must euen wrest it from out the fire and persecution or els depart into some other countrey where it may be had freely And thereto doth Iesus Christ lead vs when he saith Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat that endureth vnto euerlasting lyfe Should we call in question his promise who saith Seeke first the kingdom of God and his righteousnes and all other things shal be ministred vnto you Hath he not effectually declared vnto vs what care he taketh to feed those that follow him to heare his word Behold there were sower thousand besides women children that folowed him into the desert to heare his doctrine They knew not what to eate but Iesus Christ had a care thereof I am moued in compassion toward this multitude said he for three daies haue they been with me and haue nothing to eate and I will not send them away fasting least they faint by the way Herevpon he blessed seauen loaues and a few fishes and gaue vnto them so that they were all satisfied 14 Some scorners and blasphemers will say let God take care for the soule and I will take care for the bodie But contrarywise let vs say Let vs take such care for the soule as God hath commanded and he will care for the bodie as he hath promised Let his promise be vnto vs as the pitcher of oyle and the barrell of meale to the Widow of Sarepta that neuer wasted euen a more certain rent then the money in our purses or the goods in our houses What will it profit a man to win all the world and to loose his owne soule What a folly were it to buy a house for the bodie laying out so much therevpon that for want of goods the bodie so well housed must die for hunger Euen so what shall a man get by keeping his goods for to feed and cloath the bodie which is the house of the soule and in the mean time suffer the soule to pyne away and die for hunger Sith therefore the question now dependeth vpon the amendement of lyfe let vs resolue to frequent and heare the preaching of the Gospell and so to feed our soules with the word of God turning away our eyes from all incumbrances offered by the flesh and assuring our selues that we can catch no harme by obeying God and seeking food life and saluation for our soules 15 Others there are who albeit they may freely without danger frequent Sermons are neuertheles marueilous cold and negligent in that dutie who think it sufficient that they haue the liberty albeit they vse it not Such men respect only the commodities of the flesh the world They be prophane in their harts and deuoid of religion accompting of no other God but their riches neither religion Augustine of the manners of the Catholike Church but a care skill to purchase wealth to grow mightie in the land S. Austen rehearseth three degrees of woe He saith he that hath not that he loueth cannot be said to be blessed Neither he that hath that which he loueth if his loue be hurtful vnto him Neither he that hath that which is soueraignely good profitable if he loueth not that which he hath Now as we may to sample the first bring in those who louing the holy ministerie haue no meanes to come by it the second such as loue superstition Idolatrie and do enioy it so for the third among others we may place those that are in place where they may freely commodiously haue the vse of the holy ministerie of the word and sacraments but doe not loue it therefore doe either neglect it or peraduenture despise it These men shall incurre Gods double iudgement for contemning treading vnder foot the food of their soules the incomprehensible graces which God offereth vnto theÌ„ in the preaching of his word They be men that thinke not theÌ„selues to be men for they liue as beastes that care only for the body and this life but make no accompt of the soule and life euerlasting If sometime they come to a Sermon it is but for a fashion because it is an honour to be of the religion But let them harken to Iesus Christ who crieth Amend your liues to that end meditat vpoÌ„ that which we haue spoken that therby vnderstanding that the preaching of the word is ordained to build Gods house the body of Christ which is his Church to illuminate vs with the truth to strengthen vs in saith to reproue our vices to exhort vs to liue acording to God to comfort vs in our afflictions to bee short to saue vs That vnderstanding I say how profitable and necessarie it is they may awake from their giddinesse and take hart to heare diligently the Sermons to the glorie of God and the saluation of their soules Let them not thinke the time bestowed at Sermons to be lost as some doe but let them assuredly beleeue that they cannot better employ their time then in the preseruation of the life of their soules in encreasing the health of the same in strengthening their hearts against all temptations and mortal assaults in the more certaine apprehension of the kingdome of heauen the riches of the glorie prepared for the true disciples of Iesu Christ in glory euerlasting Of our duties to communicate in the holy sacraments Chap. 4. NOw let vs come to the sacraments As concerning baptisme in as much as among all Christians except the Anabaptistes the institution ordinance of Iesus Christ to baptiste children is obserued reseruing to another place the corruptioÌ„ of not knowing much lesse practising the vse of our baptisme wee will proceed to the supper The supper was ordained principally for two reasons The first As a mother hauing brought forth her litle one doth not forsake it but nurseth bringeth it vp So Christ hauing ordained baptisme to bee as a seale pledge of our spiritual new birth into his Church did institute

lyfe taken awaie not onely by swoord or violence but also by not ministering vnto his necessities And therefore Saint Ambrose sayth Hee that refuseth the poore in theyr necessitie Ambrose vpon the Psalm Beati imaculati Luk. 6.9 killeth them Let vs therefore as hee addeth beware wee burie not their liues in our coffers Iesus Christ himselfe confirmeth the premises For when vppon the sabbaoth daie hee purposed to heale the man that had the withered hand hee asked of the Pharisies that were offended thereat whether it were lawfull vppon the sabbaoth daie to do good or to hurt to saue or to kill thereby shewing that the deferring of the cure of the poore man was an euyll deede yea euen murder Moreouer God forbiddeth to steale but when wee giue to the poore wee giue nothing of our owne onely we distribute to them that which is theyrs yea which it were the euerie to keepe from them It is the hungrie mannes bread saith Saint Ambrose that thou keepest locked vp and the naked mans garment that thou reseruest If thou canst helpe him thou takest from him whatsoeuer thou deniest him in his necessitie And indeede euery man must thinke that he is not master and Lord but onely steward of those goods that God hath put into his hands And therefore as a receiuer a treasurer or a steward if he keepe backe that which he is commanded to furnish or deliuer forth is an vnfaithfull seruant and a theefe euen so are we so long as we retaine that wherewith we should relieue the poore in their necessitie And as the Moone receiuing her light from the sunne doth impart it vnto men so are men to impart vnto the poore of the goods which they haue receiued from the Lord. Thinke not therefore that the reliefe of the poore is left at our choise for it is Gods commandement as is before declared and so it is disobedience ingratitude vnrighteousnesse sinne yea euen murder and sacriledge in the sight of God because we relieue not their necessities according to such ability as we haue receiued from the Lord And albeit such murder and sacriledge passeth vntouched by the sworde of the magistrate yet in the presence of God it is worthie of death and euerlasting damnation 6 Which is more through this neglect and contempt of the poor we doe so much as in vs lieth ouerthrow Gods prouidence For in as much as he is our creator it is also his part to feede and maintaine vs and hee therefore so far honoreth some as to giue them more plenty of goods then to other som Yet not that they should riotously wast them but rather to lay them vp that they may bee his ministers 2. Cor. 9.12 to nourish and relieue the needie so that if wee neglect the poore their want their hunger and nakednesse will crie out vpon vs before God and accuse our infidelitie and ingratitude And God hearing theyr crie and being therein dishonored will take reuenge thereof Basil Hom. 1. But contrariwise when wee doe relieue the necessitie of the poore our charitie saith Saint Paule causeth them to praise God by acknowledging his care of them in that hee giueth to men both charitie and meanes whereby to releeue their necessitie God by this his prouidence sayth Saint Basill hath ordained for man two crownes for the poore the crowne of pacience and for the rich the crowne of liberalitie And as the poore doe depriue themselues of their crowne by impaciencie and murmuring so ought the rich by helping the poore to striue to obtaine the crowne of liberalitie And to this purpose they are to remember this sentence pronounced by Iesus Christ as Saint Paule saith It is a more blessed thinge to giue then to take Because he that taketh receiueth onelie corporall assistaunce But hee that giueth Act. 20 35. besides the commoditie of meanes whereby to helpe himselfe and the honour to bee a stewarde of Gods goods hee also purchaseth a crowne a permanent treasure in life euerlasting And this is one pointe which shoulde also kindle vs in the dutye of charitie 7 Most men doe imagine that all that they giue to the poore is so much diminution of their owne goodes and losse to them yea euen as money cast into the sea And this theyr false opinion groweth heereof that in their conceite they reape no profite thereof in this lyfe because they doe not apprehend the rewarde promised in life euerlasting But these men shoulde first remember the prouerbe hee that payeth empouerisheth not But wee are endebted to the poore in their necessities Whatsoeuer then wee giue them is not money lost but so much employed toward the discharge of our obligation in the sight of God Moreouer by this mistaking they abolish faith which assureth vs not of things that wee see with our eyes but of thinges inuisible neither of that which is present but of that that is to come As therefore the promise is the foundation of faith so are wee carefull to meditate thereupon that wee may assure our selues that our charitie hath great reward in the sight of God and so be stirred vp therto First it is one thinge to bee noted as is aforesaide Mat. 25. that the sentence which Iesus Christ shall pronounce in the daie of iudgement shall be grounded vpon the helpe and reliefe or neglect and contempt of the poore as also that the Sonne of God shall call and bring into the possession of the inheritance of his euerlasting kingdome all those that shall haue ministred foode or apparell vnto the poore that shall haue visited the sicke or in generall haue relieued those that haue beene in affliction and contrariwise shall send all such as haue beene negligent and slacke in these workes of charitie into euerlasting fire with the deuill and his Angels And as hee shall call the one sorte the blessed of God his father and the other the cursed so shall the sentence bee imediatelie executed as the holy Euangelist Saint Mathew reporteth and such as haue beene mercyfull shall enter into euerlasting lyfe and the others into euerlasting tormentes of hell fire prepared for the deuill and his Angels This sentence should continually ring in our eares not that wee shoulde thinke our selues able through these works of charitie to merite this euerlasting kingdome considering it is called an inheritance and hath beene prepared for vs as Iesus Christ himself saith from before the foundations of the world also that hee purchased it for vs by dying for our redemption and hereof he assureth vs by the testimonie of the holy Ghost ingendering faith in vs but because these workes of charitie are the true fruites effectes and markes of our faith and consequently of our election and adoption and the way whereby he willeth vs to walke toward the possession of his euerlasting kingdome To the end also that wee should not doubt of the performaunce of this sentence Iesus Christ aduoweth whatsoeuer our doings

dutie in this point departed from Nazareth and came to Bethleem to be enrouled True it is that Kinges and Princes ought neuerthelesse to be as moderate and stayed in these matters as their estates may beare and remember this saying that taxes and tributes are as the bloud of the people also in case they haue no measure but tyrannously do oppresse their subieâ—â—s heerin the States of the Countrey are to put vp their complaintes in defence of the right and libertie of those whom God hath deliuered into their charge and so much as in them lyeth oppose themselues as also in all other tyrannous oppressions of the people But as for priuate persons it is not lawfull for them so much as to murmure or to alleadge that the taxes or tributes are excessiue either that the Magistrates doe abuse them but they must thinke that sometimes they complaine wrongfully and without cause in that they know not either the greatnes of the Magistrates charges neither wherin he imploreth that which is gathered of the people Also that albeit there were some exces or abuse yet that it is not properly for the people to take account thereof but for God who misliking with the oppression of his people and the corruption of the Magistrate can and will take vengeance of the same and therfore let those likewise who vnder like pretence doe priuiledge themselues to defraude the Magistrate of his right thinke and consider what account they may giue vnto God and to this purpose may we referre that which S. Paul saith of the subiection and obedience due to the superiour powers namly that we must yeeld iâ— not because of wrath and punishment onely but also for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. thereby declaring that albeit the fraud be not reueaâ—ed to man and so punished yet that God doth see and will punish it also that our conscience knowing it accuseth and condemneth vs for it in the sight of God 10 Some there haue beene neither are our dayes free from them that haue beleeued and vpholden that the faithfull and children of God are called to such liberty that they ought not to be subiect to superiour powers neither to paye taxes tributes or other like charges S. Augustine in his fourth exposition of the propose to the Rom. trop 72. But S. Augustine very fitlye answereth such persons saying that by this sentence of S. Paul Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers we are admonished that no man by his conuersion to Christianitie is so called to libertie by the Lord that therefore he should grow proude thereof or thinke him selfe in the course of this life freed from his obedience due to the superiour powers to whom the Lord hath deliuered the gouernement in temporall affaires for albeit we be called to this heauenly kingdome wherein there shal be no principalities or powers yet so long as we trauaâ—â—e vpon this way which leadeth vs to the possession therof wherin al powers shal be abolished we must be ordered according to the coÌ„duct of humaine affaires and yeelde all obedience not so much to man as to God who hath so coÌ„manded vs. Mat. 21.21 Likewise where Christ saith Giue vnto Caesar that is Caesars and to God that that belongeth to God he doth sufficiently declare that there is a good harmony coÌ„currence between the spirituall kingdome of God and the poâ—â—tiquegouernmeÌ„t of man 1. Pet. 2 13. Rom. 13. â— that the one subuerteth not the other but each helpeth other to perfourme the will of God For as the obedience yeelded to the Magistrate is of no value in the sight of God vnlesse it proceede as S. Peter saith of our loue toward God or that as Saint Paul willeth 1. Tim. 2. 2. it be conioyned with a good conscience so in respect of mans infirmitye the office of a Magistrate dooth greatlye conduce to this that the Church be maintayned in peace iustice and godlynesse as the same Apostle doth teach whereupon this rule is to be obserued that all faithfull for heere wee treat onely of their dueties ought to yeeld all dutie and obedience to all Magistrates euen to the vnbeleeuers how much rather when they beleeue in euery thing that is not repugnant to the will and pleasure of almightie God 1. Pet. 2.13 and the saluation of the soule Did not the Apostle Saint Peter speake to the beleeuing Iewes when he commaunded them to be subiect to all ordinances of man euen for Gods sake whether to the King as the superior or to the gouernours as sent by him Titus 3.1 The holy Apostle S. Paul writeth to Tytus to exhorte the congregation to be subiect to principalities and powers and in another place he speaketh more generally saying Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers Rom. 13â— 1. The Romish clergie exempteth themselues but Saint Paul in saying Let euery soule exempteth none from this subiection no were he euen an Apostle And this doth our Sauiour Iesus Christ himselfe also most plainely declare Mat. 17.27 where he commaundeth the Apostle Saint Peter as is aforesaide to pay tribute for them both neither was that which he did any new matter as the answere of Saint Peter to the Customer did declare namelye that Christ did vsuallye pay it And therefore they that did rise in Germany in the yeere of our Lord God 1525. pretending to free themselues from taxes tributs and other subiection due to their superiours were greatly deceiued and seduced for were they in woâ—ser estate then were the beleeuing bondmen whom the Apostle Saint Paul commaunded to be subiect to their maisters and to yeeld vnto them al obedience seruing them in feare and trembling in simplâ—â—â—tye of hart as vnto Christ euen albeit as the Apostle Saint Peter saith they were bitter vnto them Eph. 6.5 And where the Apostle ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ this duetye saying Least the name of God and the gâ—spell should be blasphemed he doth very euidentlye and plaâ—â—â—lye dâ—clare Col. 3.22 tâ—â—t they which teach this exemption from the subiection due vâ—â—o the Magistrate doe teach men to giue occasion to blâ—â—pheme and dishonour the name of God and to speake euill of the Gospell as if the pure woorde and sincere doctrine of Iesus Christ did â—â—bucâ—â—e and ouerthrowe all publique order and ciuile gouernement with disobedience 1. Pet. 2.18 1 Tim. â— 1. and taught no other thing but the libertye of the fleshe and vaine lustes thereof 1. Tim. 2.1 11 The fourth dutie of subiects to the Magistrates is the same which S. Paul teacheth when he saith I exhorte therefore that first of all supplications praiers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authoritie that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in al godlynes and honesty This end and purpose of their charge doth already teach vs how far we are bound to this dutie to pray vnto God for them

hist l. 6. c. 45 forced agaynst thy will thou mayst now shew it in returning with thy will It had beene better to haue indured all things rather than to haue brought a schisme into the church Martirdome for preseruing the Church from diuision is no lesse glorious than the same that is suffered for not communicating in Idolatrie yea in my opinion it is worthie greater glorie because it is a greater matter to suffer for the preseruation of the vniuersall Church than for the sauing of one soule Now therefore if thou perswadest the brethren and euen compellest them to reunite themselues with the Church that notable action will be accounted greater than the former fault yea as the fault shall not bee imputed so the duetie and power to reduce them to concord shall be commended Yet if it shall happen that they rest so obstinate that thou canst not induce or perswade them at the least haue a care to saue thy owne soule by retiring from them 14 It is another case when the question concerneth thinges indifferent in Gods Church For therein wee must much relent and rather accomodate our selues than trouble the Churches or bring in anie schisme Euseb Eccle. hist l. 5. c. 26. And therefore when Victor Bishoppe of Rome had excommunicated all the Churches in Asia because they celebrated the feast of Easter vpon the fourteenth daie of the Moone contrarie to the custome vsed in the Latine churches where it was holden as it yet is vpon the daie of the resurrection Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons albeit himselfe also allowed the celebration vpon the daie of the resurrection did iustly reproue him and wrote to him a notable Epistle wherein he alledged the example of his predecessor Anicetus and of Polycarpus S. Iohns disciple who when he came to Rome and could not by Anicetus bee induced to alter the custome receiued from Saint Iohn in the Churches of Asia neither could induce Anicetus to receiue his custome they notwithstanding remained vnited and sealed their agreement wyth the holy communion 15 If the pastor for the faithfull discharge of his dutie in defence of the truth be wronged or slaundered euen of some of his owne flocke the rather must he beare it seeke to cure reduce them to amendement of lyfe And in deed albeit a sicke bodie troubled in minde should spit in the phisitions face yet would he not bee so displeased as to forsake and giue him ouer for it Likewise albeit the nipples of a womans brest should be so sore that she could not suffer her child without great pain to take them yet would she indure all to suckle her child euen so must pastors deale with theyr flockes and haue patience as S. Paul requireth them For hee exhorteth Timothie to preach the word to reproue 2. Tim. 2.24 2. Tim. 4.2 2. Cor. 6.4 to chide with all patience And in another place he saieth In all thinges let vs approue our selues as the ministers of Christ in much patience 16 Againe when the Phisition hath prescribed some potion or other receit for the cure of the sicke man returning the next daie he enquireth of the operation thereof and feeleth his pulses that hee may learne his disposition and thereafter order himselfe so it is not inough that the pastor preach reproue exhort and comfort the Church but he must also seeke to vnderstand how euery member thereof is disposed and what his preaching hath wrought in them In this sense are they tearmed Bishops which is as much to saie as ouerseers or watchmen to haue their eies vpon those whom the Lord hath committed to their charge And this is it that God noteth saying to Ezechiel I haue made thee a watchmaÌ„ ouer the house of Israel Ezech. 3.14 Heb. 13.17 Acts 20. Hereby are they warned to watch ouer the flocke which the Lorde hath committed vnto them as the Apostle saith that they watch ouer the soules as men that are to giue account vnto God As also Saint Paul saith Looke to your selues and to the whole flocke that the Lord committed to you 17 In this consideration they ought after the example of Iesus Christ to know their sheep Ioh. 10.14 27 chiefly to marke whether they heare their voice in diligent frequenting of their sermons and communicating in the holy supper of the Lord. For as at a feast when one that sitteth at the table eateâ—h nothing wee vse to demaund whether he be well or no so if anie of those that are committed to the pastors charge doo not eate of the spirituall foode vnto him offered it is to bee feared least he bee crased or not well at his ease and therefore without delaie the pastour is to hearken out the cause and diligently to see to his cure and to procure him an appetite Secondly as Iesus Christ requireth that his sheepe should not onely heare his voyce but also follow him so is it the pastors duetie to learne whether his auditours doo followe the doctrine preached vnto them and to that end he is to visit his sheepe Ioh 10.27 to see whether they bee instructed in the knowledge of the principall points of doctrine required to saluation whether they perseuere in the truth whether they profite in purenesse of lyfe and holy conuersation yea and to that effect hee is to take example in the care and diligence of some parents towardes theyr children that go to schoole whome they cause to saie theyr lessons or looke vpon theyr writing and by such examination trie and see whether they profite or no But finding them to bee neglygent and faultie they reproue admonish and exhort them to their dutie For so must the good and faithfull pastours deale with theyr sheep following the example of Saint Paul who visited the churches and thereby enquired of their estate As also hee wrote to the Thessalonians saying Yee are witnesses and God also how holily and iustly and vnblameably wee behaued our selues among you that beleeue As you know how that wee exhorted you Acts 15 36 1 Thes 2 10 and comforted and besought euerie one of you as a father his children that ye would walke worthie of God who hath called you to his kingdome and glorie And this doeth hee also protest to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus saying I haue kept from you nothing that was profitable Acts 20 20 but haue taught you openly and throughout your houses witnessing the repentance towardes God and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ. Heereto also should wee bee moued by the threatnings of the Lorde against the pastours of Israel where hee sayth Iere 23.2 Because yee haue not visited my sheepe beholde I will visite vppon you the maliciousnes of your actions And as a good shepheard seketh his lost sheep a surgeon bindeth vp the wounds a phisition trieth all medicines for the cure of the sick and a father seeketh all meanes to reclaime his vnthriftie sonne into the ryght

of the deuill Col. 1.15 neither by smiting the first borne of Egipt but by giuing himselfe euen the first borne of euery creature to death for vs. It were therfore a two-folde rebellion not to amend our liues and so to obey him who being as S. Paul saith the sauiour of all men 1. Tim. 4.10 as concerning the bodily life but especially of the faithful in respect of eternall saluation hath a two-folde right and authoritye to command vs. And the premises doth S. Augustine confirme by an excellent confession and praier that hee maketh to God saying I know Aug. in his Medita c. 39. O Lord that I owe to thee my self because thou hast created me yea more then my selfe because that being made man for me thou hast redeemed me euen so much the rather as thou ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ greater then he for whom thou hast giuen thy selfe But in as much as I haue nothing more then my selfe also that I cannot giue to thee that which I haue without thy selfe take me and draw me vnto thee that I may be thine in following and louing thee as I am thine in being created and redeemed by thee 4 Moreouer in thaâ— in our beleefe we doe confesse that we doe beleeue in Iesus Christ our Lord wee doe also by that tytle acknowledge in him a two-folde authoritie to commaund vs and consequently in our selues a twofolde obligation to obey him For as beeing both God and man in respect of his diuinitie hee is Lord ouer all creatures so hauing redeemed vs by his death hee is our Lord and wee that doo beleeue in him are his peculyar people and seruantes And therefore it were a double disobedience in vs if we as his creatures shoulde not obey the Lorde of all and as his peculyar people and proper purchase bee wholy subiect to him that is more particularly Lorde ouer vs. Iesus Christ is also called King of Kings and consequently king of the whole world yet is hee also particularly king ouer his Church And in deed 1. Tim. 6.15 Psalm 2 as wee reade that the yron scepter is giuen to him to raigne and rule ouer all nations and kingdomes of the earth so is hee particularly established king ouer ã€ˆâ€¦ã€‰ heere a twofolde authoritie in Christ which doth doubly binde vs to amend by obeying of him who beeing Lord of the whole world is particularly and more excellently king ouer the Burgeses of Sion and the members of his Church 5 All thâ—se names and titles Iehoua Creator Redeemer Sauiour Lord and king attributed to him that commaundeth to amend being well considered as is afore shewed doth teach vs what authoritie hee hath to commaund vs and how deeplie wee are bounde to obey him as his creatures children subiectes and seruantes and wholy to consecrate vnto him all whatsoeuer wee are haue knowe or can doo in his seruice wythout whome we neyther haue neyther are neyther doo or knowe anie thing Let vs therefore acknowledge that wee are not in our owne power to liue at our owne pleasures but doo appertaine vnto Iesus Christ and must practise the same which the Apostle Saint Paul sayth of himselfe I liue yet not I but Iesus Christ liueth in mee Galat. 2 20 1. Cor. 6.19 Let vs remember what the same Apostle sayth You are not your owne for yee are bought with a price therfore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirites for they are Gods We are therefore bound as our sauiour Iesus Christ admoniseth vs to denie our selues that is to saie our owne sense and wisedome and to followe his also our owne will Math 16.24 Luke 9.23 Rom. 12.2 that wee may will that which hee willeth And heereto also doeth Saint Paul exhort vs saying Bee ye changed by the renuing of your minde that ye may proue what is the good wil of God and acceptable and perfect 6 There bee two sorts of seruants and bondmen the one borne at their masters houses the others purchased by their masters Neither of these may liue after his owne will sense or vnderstanding but as it shall please theyr master and Lord. Now are we borne the seruants of Christ for he created vs all and besides he hath also redeemed and purchased vs that wee may belong more particularly to him As the master therefore of those seruantes that are borne in his house or whome he purchaseth doo pretend that they doo him wrong when they spend anie time either to theyr owne particular profite or in the seruice of others so maye Iesus Christ and much more iustly complaine of vs that are his two folde seruants namely by birth and by purchase if wee imploy euen neuer so lyttle of our liues to serue and please our selues the world or the deuill our enemies and this must needes redounde to a double sacriledge and twofolde prophanation of that which by double reason ought to bee dedicated and consecrated to him who with double authoritie doth command vs to amend The second cause of Amendement drawen from the name Holy attributed to Iesus Christ wherein is handled Election Reprobation and Gods prouidence Chap. 2. THE Prophet Esaie rehearseth that hee sawe the Lord sitting vpon his throane Isay 6.3 and the Seraphims aboue him crying one to another Holy holy is the Lord of hoasts Heere dyd they speake of Iesus Christ Iohn 12.41 as Saint Iohn in his Gospell doth affirme who also reporting another vision which himselfe sawe sayeth There were foure beasts which cryed night and daie wythout ceasing Holy holy holy is the Lord God almightie Apoc. 4.8 This title Holy thus thrice repeated among other thinges doth teach vs that he is souerainly good righteous merciful wise mightie and true euen so excellently and perfectly that in these and other lyke diuine properties he is most holy and in them holdeth nothing in common wyth other creatures And in deed if in man there bee anie goodnesse righteousnesse wisedome or truth hee hath them not of himselfe but from God Neither hath hee thereof anie more but small droppes or sparkes and the same are but graces happened and accidents or qualities as they saie in schooles so that euen without them hee is neuerthelesse a man But as concerning God hee hath all these properties of himselfe they bee in him perfect and infinite yea they are in such sorte his essence that to denie his righteousnesse wisedome power mercie and goodnesse is to denie God Marke therefore how rightly he is called Holy holy holy 2 It is no maruel that this and all that proceedeth herefro doth passe mans vnderstanding for it exceedeth euen the capacitie of the Angels And this doth Esaie in this vision testifie saying The Seraphims couered their faces with two wings Esay 6. â— as not able to abide the brightnesse of this holynesse But the more incomprehensible that it is the more doth it admonish vs diuersely and in many sortes to amend And indeed among the most dangerous pernitious

the reiecting of this error the elect may vnderstand that hauing bene called First by the preaching of the Gospell Secondly by the power of the holy Ghost ther are in them as it were two elections The one in that God almighty leauing so many others to whom hee hath not at all addressed the doctrine of his Gospell hath elected them to deliuer it vnto them the other in that reiecting so many others to whom he hath sent the preaching of his Gospell and yet neuerthelesse calleth them not by his holy spirite hee hath elected them that they might be called by the light and power thereof to the ende hee might saue them in his kingdome and glory And this consideration is vnto them as a twofold obligation wherein they are doubly bound as well incessantly to praise God as also to loue him and consequentlye to amend their liues And indeede if they that had the first grace namely the preaching of the Gospell and doe not beleeue and amend shal be more hardly entreated in the day of iudgement theÌ„ the enhabitants of Sodome and Gomorrah what do they deserue that are partakers also of the second grace Mat. 10.15 and haue the Gospell preached vnto them with the power efficacie of the holy ghost whereby they beleeue and are made the children of God in case the feeling of such a benefite truely incomprehensible and proceeding as it were from the bowels of Gods mercy loue toward them should not kindle their harts with a holy affection and zeale to amend their liues 16 As concerning the other error that the election of some and not of other some came of this that God did foresee that the men should doe either well or euill as the Pelagians did in olde time teach one only place of Saint Paul will be sufficient to condemne it Blessed be God saith he Ephes 1. 3 which hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessing in heauenlye places in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde that we should be holye and without blame before him in loue Who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherewith hee hath made vs accepted in his beloued Throughout all this whole sentence there is not any worde but may â—â—fise to condemne this errour First where the Apostle saith that God hath blessed vs hee sheweth that the spirituall blessings whereof he speaketh are the giftes of the Father of light and come not of ourselues Secondly adding that he hath blessed vs in Christ he declareth that those blessings are imparted vnto vs not for our owne sakes but for Christes sake Thirdly in this according as he had chosen vs and that in Christ he noteth that our election commeth of God and is grounded vpon Christ and not vpon vs. Fourthly adding that hee had chosen vs before the foundation of the worlde and so before that man was he would that we should acknowledge our electioÌ„ to proceed from the eternall wil and counsell of God not from our works or our acceptation of his grace vnto vs offered Fifthly he hath euidentlye declared this in that he saith that we were chosen not in respect of any holynes that he foresaw in vs but to the end that we might be holy vnreproueable in his sight And therfore it is not the acceptation of Gods graces and the faithfull vse of the same foreseene in vs that maketh vs to be chosen but euen the election it self which bringeth forth this acceptation of grace and consequently faith and good workes Sixtly he addeth according to the good pleasure of his will to shewe that our election dependeth vpon the onely goodnes and will of God and not of men Seuenthly he confirmeth it adding to the praise and glory of the grace of God for if election had proceeded from the freewill and workes of men the praise and glorye thereof as Saint Paul many times noteth would haue redounded to themselues and not to God Rom. 4.2 and so God should not haue elected theÌ„ but they should haue elected themselues Lastly in adding that of his grace hee hath made vs acceptable in his wel beloued he euidentlye doth shew that it is not our acceptation of his grace that hath made vs acceptable whereby we should be elected but only his grace and the loue that he beareth to Iesus Christ 17 Moreouer if the election of some and not of other some should haue beene wrought according to the good or euill workes foreseen Rom. 9. it were in vaine for S. Paul to perswade vs to acknowledg the power and authoritie of God in shewing mercy to whome he will and hardening whom he will and to make the good will and pleasure of God the foundation of the election of some and not of other some for in maintenance of Gods iustice he might haue answered in one worde that hee had chosen some and not other some according to the merites of their workes which he foresawe In vaine also had it beene for him to cry out O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God Rom. 11.33 how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out for could there be any thing more easilye comprehended or any answere more readye and plaine then to say that the election of some and not of other some was made according to the merites foreseene in euery one But the Apostle in not propounding this for the maintaining of Gods iustice doth sufficiently shew that we must not vse it and that it is a vaine and false allegation And indeed in another place for the foundation of our election and saluation opposing against the works of iustice not those which our selues shall doe but the mercy of God he plainly sheweth that our electioÌ„ is not wrought by the workes foreseene either done or to doe but by the onelye mercye of God 18 Heereto will wee also adde one notable place of Saint Augustine Augustine of predestinatioÌ„ c. 12. of t e benefite of perseuerance cap. 10. If the children of the faithfull sayth hee doo die in their infancie wee neuerthelesse beleeue that according to the teno of the couenant they shall bee saued It must needs then follow that they are elect and predestinate yet not by theyr workes foreseen for they neuer did anie But where the Pelagians replyed that God elected them for the good workes that he foresawe that they might haue done if they had liued He answereth that no man is punished or rewarded for the workes that hee hath not done nor neuer shall or that he neuer had neither could haue anie conceite or will to doo Whereupon it is written 2. Cor. 5.10 that euerie man shall receiue according as in his bodie hee hath done good or euill And for proofe heereof he alleadgeth the examples of

darknes What concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath the beleeuer with the Infidell And what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols for yee are the temple of the liuing God as God hath sayde I will dwell among them and walke there and I will bee their God and they shall bee my people Wherefore come out from among them and separate your selues sayth the Lord and touch no vncleane thing and I will receiue you and I will bee a father vnto you and you shall bee my sonnes and daughters saith the Lorde almightie And in the next Chapter following hee addeth Now therefore beloued seeing wee haue these promises let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirite and growe vp vnto full holinesse in the feare of God 3 The temple of Ierusalem was called holy because it was not a lodging for men but the house of God wholye dedicated and consecrated to his seruice as were also the vesselles belonging thereto in the same respect called holy Nowe if Baltasar king of Babylon by vsing them in a banquet drinking in them with his princes and concubines dyd prophane them and was for the same soone after rewarded for the same night hee lost both his kingdome and lyfe surely they that shall abandon not the vessels but the temple it selfe and not a temple of stone and of wood but euen theyr bodies and soules that are made the liuely temples of the liuing God to the prophane and filthie vses of the world and the flesh in lieu of dedicating the whole to the holye seruice of God who is with them do most filthily prophane the Temple of God and can expect no other than a most horrible vengeaunce and punishment as the holie Apostle Saint Paule protesteth saying Hee that destroieth the temple of God God will destroie him 1. Cor. 3.17 for the temple of God is holy which you are When a king maketh his entrie into a Towne or Citie hee findeth those streetes where he is to passe made cleane and his pallace hanged howe much rather ought wee whome God chooseth to bee his temple and to make his entrie into vs to bee with vs and to dwell with vs to purifie and cleanse from all filthynesse and vncleannesse and to adorne the place of his habitation with all vertue and holynesse 1. Pet. 1 13 4 Heereunto doth Saint Peter exhort vs saying Gird vp the loines of your minde bee sober and trust perfectly on the grace that is brought vnto you by the reuelation of Iesus Christ as obedient children not fashioning your selues vnto the former lusts of your ignorance But as hee that hath called you is holie so bee yee holie in all manner of conuersation because it is written Leuit. 11.44 19. 2 Be ye holie for I am holy Where hee sayeth that the loyns of our minds must be girt hee sheweth that as they that weare long garments when they come in foule wayes doo tucke and girte them vp least they should load them with mire by dragging them through the same so wee whose mindes and affections doo so bend to the earth that they doo euen traile thereupon walking thorough this world full of mire and corruption must tucke them vp toward heauen least they shoulde touch such daungerous and damnable mire from the which we ought wholy to retire and separate our selues that we may be made holy to the Lord. If anie man 2. Tim. 2.21 sayth Saint Paul purge himselfe from these filthinesses and corruptions he shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified and meet for the Lord and prepared vnto euerie good worke 5 Iesus Christ prayeth vnto his father to sanctifie vs but how Euen by withdrawing vs from the corruptions of this worlde Iohn 17.17 and guiding vs by his spirite to bee consecrated and dedicated vnto him If therefore we grow not in sanctification we do make vaine the prayer of Iesus Christ so farre as it concerneth our selues In the same prayer hee addeth this protestation For their sakes I sanctifie my selfe Iohn 17.19 that they also maie bee sanctified thorough the truth If our sauiour Iesus Christ sanctified and consecrated himselfe to God his father to the ende his holynesse might stretch vnto vs and so in him and by him wee might bee sanctifyed vnto God wee doo falsely boast that hee is Emanuel God wyth vs conioyned and vnited vnto vs and that wee are members of his bodie vnlesse that separating our selues from the corruptions of the worlde and the flesh 1. Cor. 1.30 wee bee sanctified in him and vnto him And in deede if Christ were of God made vnto vs not onely righteousnesse but also sanctification it is in vaine for vs to boast of iustification wythout sanctification for God beeing wyth vs and vnited vnto vs this vnion must of necessitie engender not onelye our iustification in him but also our sanctification by him 6 It is the holy Ghost dwelling in vs that hath conioyned vs with Iesus Christ that hee may bee E anuel God wyth vs For hee sayth the Apostle Saint Paul that hath not the spirit of Christ is not his And as there can bee no fire without warmth or lyght so cannot God bee by his spirite in vs or with vs but hee will also sanctifie and purifie vs from all vice and corruption Rom. 8.9 that hee may consecrate vs vnto God We beleeue the holy Catholike Church Holy I saie because God is with it causing it to participate in his holynesse Wee are not therefore members of this holy Church vnlesse wee also bee holie As lykewise wee adde that wee beleeue the communion of Saintes that is of the faithfull and children of God But falsely and in vaine shall wee beare the name of Saintes or pretende our selues to bee the faithfull and children of God vnlesse that denying the filthynesse and corruptions of the worlde and the flesh wee bee fully dedicated in all purenesse and holynsse to the seruice of God And in deede when the holy Apostle sayeth Ensue peace and holinesse Heb. 12.14 without the which no man commeth to the Lorde Hee aduertiseth vs that holinesse is as it were the bonde betweene God and vs also that without the same we cannot beholde the face of the Lord. 7 This is the will of God saith Saint Paule euen your sanctification 1 Thes 4.3 that is that wee abstaine from whooredome that euerie one of you shuld know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour not in the lust of couetousnes euen as the Gentiles which knowe not God That no man oppresse or defrande his brother in anie matter for the Lorde is auenger of all such thinges as wee also haue tolde yee before time and testified for God hath not called vs to vncleannes but vnto holines 8 Whereas Emanuel commaundeth vs to sanctifie the sabaoth daie hee therein sheweth vs how much his holynes doth bind vs to amend our liues The

heereof wee haue examples and assured pledges in his deliuery of his people Exod. 14. whom he led dry foote through the sea Dan. 3. Dan. 6. in the three Hebrew Princes in the burning furnace and in Daniel in the Lyons denne 19 Finally he is called the Father of eternity thereby to teach vs that it is he that poureth forth his blessings vpon vs all the dayes of our liues and will continue vnto vs the fruition of the same with wonderfull encrease eternally and infinitely in his kingdome and glory and hereof to assure vs Mat. 28.20 1. Thes 4.16 he hath promised to be with vs euen vnto the end of the worlde And S. Paul saith that he will then lift vs vp into heauen into the house of God his father there to abide with Iesus Christ the immortall King 2. Tim. 1.10 who through his Gospel hath brought vs to light life and immortalitie This eternitye of ioy and glory should binde vs greatly to loue Iesus Christ to obey him and to put our whole confidence in him considering that it is he by whom we are by whome we shall continue to be and be for euer blessed Let therefore these tytles wonderfull Counsailor strong and mighty God Prince of peace Father of eternity be alwaies in our sight and in our mindes to the end that as Iesus Christ to whome they be giuen doth commaund vs to amend so we diligently ameÌ„ding our liues may finally by a happy path replenished with all blessings proceeding from the wisedome power and goodnes of Iesus Christ attaine to the fruition of the wonderfull and perpetually perdurable felicity which this wonderfull and father of eternity shall giue vs to enioy continually and without end The sixt cause of amendment deriued of these two names Iesus Christ. Chap. 6. THe angel of God being sent vnto Ioseph when the virgine was conceiued Mat. 1.21 declared vnto him that she should bring forth a sonne and commaunded him to name him Iesus and for a reason of this name added That he should saue his people from their sinnes according whereto as also to shew that he is our Sauiour the angel that declared his natiuitie to the Shepheards said vnto them Luke 2.11 This day is borne the Sauiour which is Christ As therefore it is this Christ that commandeth vs to amend so the consideration of these two names may stand vs in great stead to moue vs to yeeld vnto him al obedience and so to amend our liues First this name Iesus signifying a Sauiour admonisheth vs that by nature we are lost and that there is no other saluation for vs but in him onely as it is written Act. 4.12 that There is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto man whereby we must be saued This onely tytle therefore of Sauiour doth already binde vs to acknowledge that we are not our owne but his that hath saued vs from euerlasting destruction and that in that consideration we are bound to deny our selues that we may liue 1. Cor. 19. not to our selues neither after our discretion and will but according to the good pleasure of our Sauiour so that not liuing to our selues but he liuing in vs we may amend our liues 2 But let vs moreouer consider what manner of destruction this is wherefro he hath saued vs it is from the fire of hell from the curse and wrath of God from darkenesse from the woorme that will euer be gnawing and from the sorrowes that engender eternall weeping and gnashing of teeth this is a merueilous enforcement of our duetye to amend And indeede if thou fallest into a deep riuer in apparant danger of drowning if any man should cast thee a rope or himselfe leap into the water to saue thy life thou canst not sufficientlye confesse and acknowledge thy selfe his debtor to doe him pleasure and seruice all the dayes of thy life But we were not onely in danger of falling into hell but were already fallen euen from our infancy and dayly through our sinnes fell deeper and deeper yet Christ cast vs not in a rope to pull vs vp and saue vs but threw himselfe into our sea of woe into our hel to be shorte into horrible death wherein wee were drowned to plucke vs foorth with what affection then ought we to say vnto him Lord we are more then bound to loue honor serue please and obey thee in all that we may with our whole hearts all the dayes of our life Ionas being in the bottome of the sea in the Whales bellie protested that being deliuered hee would sacrifice to the Lord a Song of thankesgiuing Ionas 2.10 that hee would paye vnto him his vowes namely besides his prayses that he would no more disobey God but readyly and willingly would obeye him as in effect he well shewed when being againe commaunded to go to Niniuie he went boldely and spake freelye in the name of God Now if we could feele according as we ought that our sinnes doe dayly cast vs into the bottome not of the sea but of hell and that by them not a fish but the deuill doth swallow vs vp what protestations would we make to Iesus Christ to holde our liues and saluations of him in case he would vouchsafe to plucke vs out of this pit and gulfe of death how feruently would we vow to praise him and to renounce all rebellion and disobedience and to amend our liues Being therefore by such a Sauiour drawen out of such a gulf of death are we not bound to perfourme such vowes and by amendment of life to correct our passed disobedience with Ionas and to become ready and willing to doe whatsoeuer he shall commaund vs If thou beest vpon a scaffold ready to bee beheaded for thy drunkennesse or adulterye and thereupon hast a pardon and thy life saued vpon condition thou fallest no more thereinto how hartily wilt thou promise with thy hand subscribe and with thy tung swear that thou wilt neuer more coÌ„mit adultery or drunkennes that thou wilt abhorre all tauerns and drunkards all whores and bauds and to be short amend thy life Now Iesus Christ hath saued thee not from an apparant danger of death but euen from death it self and not from the death of body but from euerlasting death And what doth he require of thee he coÌ„mandeth thee to amend thy life art thou not bound so to do shuldst thou not feele thy hart euen open to promise and sweare to amend and to shun al occasions that might procure thee to displease and offend him 3. How often doth the Lord represent to his people of Israel their deliuery out of Egipt thereby to make them to vnderstand how much they are bound to loue him and to keep his commaundements as a preface at the publishing of his law hee maketh this protestation I am the Lord thy God that hath brought thee out of the land of Egipt out of the house of bondage And in another

reformed and the goodnesse wisedome and wonderfull iustice of God be reuealed 5 True it is as Saint Peter saith that in the later times there shall come scorners that shall walke after their owne lusts say Where is the promise of his comming 2. Pet 3.3 For since the fathers died all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation And in deed we now see but too many that are not touched with the apprehension either of the kingdome of heauen or of the torments of hell but are possessed with prophane and deuilish spirits that take al to be but fables that is spoken as well of the kingdome of heauen promised to the faithfull as of the tormentes of hell prepared for the wicked And this is a pernitious pollicie of Sathan wherewith he discourageth the faithfull from walking in the feare of God from amending their liues Psal 73 13. from cleansing their harts and as the Prophet saith from washing their hands in innocencie But to the contrary hereof let vs stand stedfast and be wel assured that there is a kingdom of heauen prepared for the children of God and a hell for the disobedient and therfore let vs labour to grow in faith to fructisie in good workes 2. Cor. 15 58 and so to amend our liues as knowing that as S. Paul saith our labour shall not be in vaine in the sight of the Lord. 6 This is the foundation whereupon the Apostle laieth holde to perswade men to repentance and amendement of lyfe God sayth hee Act. 17.30 nothing regarding this time of ignorance now admonisheth all men euerie where to repent because hee hath appoynted a daie in the which hee will iudge the worlde in righteousnesse But how in righteousnesse Euerie man shall as else where it is sayde receiue the thinges that are done in his bodie 2 Cor. 5 10 according as hee hath done whether it bee good or euill and God will render to euerie man according to his workes That is to them which by continuance in well dooing seeke glorie honour and immortalitie Rom. 2.6 eternall life but vnto them that are contentious and disobey the truth and obey vnrighteousnes shall be indignation and wrath 7 Albet we see not this kingdome of heauen Rom. 8. Heb. 11. yet let vs remember that the goods saluation of Gods children consisteth in faith and hope and that as well the one as the other doth appertaine to things to come which we see not so that not to beleeue or hope for more than we see is to be short the abolishment of faith and hope and so consequently the subuerting of the assured foundation of our saluation Let therfore this faith the mother of hope and hope her mothers nurse cause vs patiently to attend the fruition of this kingdom of heauen and our assured attendance for the same make vs to amend our liues Apoc 19.9 T it 2.11 that we may cloath our selues in garmentes beseeming those that purpose to come vnto the marriage and to haue a seat at the banquet of the lambe Iesus Christ The grace of God saith S. Paul that bringeth saluation to al men hath appeared teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlynes and worldly lusts and that we should liue righteously soberly and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glorie of God which is our sauiour Iesus Christ The same Apostle gaue thanks to God for the Colossians when he heard of their faith and loue for the hopes sake which was laid vp for them in heauen Col. 1.4 1. Iohn 3 And in this sense saith Saint Iohn Welbeloued we are now the children of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shal be and we know that when Iesus Christ shal appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is And euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure 8 But to the end the more earnestly to incourage vs to amend our liues in hope of the kingdome of heauen wee are moreouer to apprehend the incomprehensible excellencie of the glorie and ioye that we shall inioy in this kingdome when our bodies being risen againe vncorruptible and immortall like vnto the image of the glorious bodie of Christ reunited to their sanctified souls shall be lifted vp into the house of God our father aboue all heauens wher we shall see the face of God as the Sun in his brightnes shall inioy the fruit of the praiers of Iesus Christ when he said Iohn 17.24 Father I wil that they which thou hast giuen mee bee with me where I am 1 Cor 15.28 that they may see my glorie which thou hast giuen me When Iesus Christ hath rendered the kingdome to God his father then shall God the father the son the holy Ghost be vnto vs all in all yea euen such a fulnes of good and felicitie that as sundrie vessels cast into the sea are so filled with water that they can desire or hold no more so this sea of diuinity being in vs all in all we shall be replenished and satisfied with life glorie and ioy so as we shall not bee able to desire or haue anie more Apoc. 21.18 Euen when wee shall bee truely burgeses of the heauenly and holy Citie that shall be of fine golde like vnto pure Christall the foundations of the walls set with precious stones the twelue gates made of twelue pearles which shal need neither Sun nor Moone to shine therein for the light of God shall illuminate it and the lambe himselfe shall be the candle To be short when we shall be in the fellowship of the Angels shining as the Sunne in his pride and rauished with ioy that shall neuer be taken from vs. A ioy I saie not onely for our owne felicitie but also for the felicitie of all the elect for wee shall loue them all as our selues and so shall reioyce as much for their felicitie as for our owne And this ioy shal be infinitly corroborated by the contemplation as well of the glorie of Iesus Christ whom iustly we shal loue better than our selues as also of the glorious maiestie of God whom we shall loue with our hearts our strength and our mindes 9 If the representation remembrance of this kingdom of heauen doth not kindle our heartes with a feruent desire to attaine thereto and by desiring the same to amend our liues that we may take the path that leadeth to such felicitie the same is an assured testimonie that wee account of our selues as of beastes that looke for no goodnesse after death And on the other side if the apprehension of the fire that neuer shall be quenched of the wormes that shall be alwayes gnawing of the terrible darknes of the weeping and gnashing of teeth through the feeling of the heauy wrath of the liuing God doth not moue our harts to feare to offend

him and in offending him to cast our selues into the gulfe and bottomlesse pit of this eternall wo The same is an euident token that wee are either Atheists or Saduces that beleeue neither the resurrection of the bodie nor the immortality of the soul To be short neither heauen nor hell 10 When therefore we heare that Christ to the end to induce vs to amendement alleadgeth this reason For the kingdome of heauen is at hand Let vs stedfastly beleeue that there is a kingdom of heauen replenished with glorie immortall ioy let the apprehension of such a felicitie inflame our harts with a feruent resolute desire to denie our selues the world and the flesh so to amend our liues that louing God and our neighbors and endeuouring to yeld vnto him all obedience we may conforme our actions to his holy and good will as in hart to seeke nothing so much as to please him and to abhorre nothing more than the offending of him Let vs alwayes thinke with our selues that wee are no beasts who after death haue no feeling of good or euill but contrariwise let vs consider that at the seperation either of the body or of the soule the soule must goe either to heauen or to hell also that the bodye must followe after yea night and day let vs thinke and meditate vpon the difference that shal be betweene those that shall goe into the kingdome of heauen and the others that shall departe into hell 11 Let vs remember that not for a thousand yeares but euen for euer and infinitely we shal be either in soueraigne blisse or in extream misery Can we then possibly apprehend the glory and felicity of this kingdome of heauen Mat. 7.13.21 Luke 13 2â— without vnspeakable ioye and feruent desire to attaine thereto either consider of the cursed estate of the reprobate without trembling and feare let vs therfore think vpon the saying of Christ Labour to enter in at the narow gate least when you shall say Lord open vnto vs the gate of the kingdome of heauen that we may come in he answereth I know ye not depart from me ye workers of iniquitie There shal be weeping and gnashing of teeth when he shall see Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the prophets in the kingdome of God and your selues shut out at dores Let vs beholde the difference betweene the two theeues that were hanged on either side of Iesus Christ of whom the one departed into hell Luke 23.39 and the other ascended into the kingdome of heauen as Iesus Christ sayde vnto him This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Let vs looke vpon the soule of Lazarus by the Angels caryed into Abrahams bosome where it rested in ioy as hee testified Luke 16.19 and the soule of the cursed rich man cast into torments as S. Luke witnesseth and himselfe confesseth saying I am tormeneted in this flame When he praieth to be refreshed with a little water but was denyed To be short let vs beholde the great multitude of the blessed that stood before the throne and in the presence of the Lambe clothed in long white garments with branches of palmes of victorye in their handes seruing God day and night gouerned by the Lambe and by him leadde to the liuely springes of water Apoc. 7. 9. and withall let vs looke vpon the others speaking to the rockes and mountains saying Fall vpon vs and hyde vs from before the face of him that sitteth vpon the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe Let vs I say beholde them cast into the lake of fyre and brimstone to be tormented day and night for euer Apoc. 6.16 Apoc. 19.20 and 20.15 For who is it that will not be earnestly touched in hart hastely to departe and retyre out of the way into hell and diligently and constantly to walke by amendement of life into the kingdome of heauen Can it be possible if we should not think vpon them or can God think vpon them and not amend either can we amend and not feel our selues blessed by being gotten into the way of such a felicitie Apoc. 6.16 that wee may constantly perseuere vntill that God fulfilling his worke in vs doe receiue vs into the fruition of this kingdome of heauen to enioy the same for euer and euer The ninth cause of amendment taken hereof that the kingdome of God which we looke for in heauen doth admonish vs that we are strangers pilgrimes and trauelers in this life Chap. 9. THe holy scripture doth many times tearme vs strangers pilgrims and trauellers neither is it onely as it was with Abraham Gen. 23.4 when he spake to the Cananites saying I am a stranger and a forrener amongst you and as it is daylye with those who flying from persecution and forsaking the land of their natiuitie doe goe to dwell in another prouince and kingdome wherein they are strangers but we are so tearmed in respect of the kingdome of heauen our true and eternall countrey And indeed if we be Burgesses of heauen Eph. 2.10 Prosper in his sentences out of August Sent 17. as S. Paul teacheth we are strangers to the earth according to the saying of S. Augustin also All they that belong to the heauenly Cittie are pilgrimes and strangers in this worlde so long as this their teÌ„porary life doth continue they do liue in an others countrey And that wee maye the better vnderstand this we call that land our countrey wherein we were borne and brought vp wherin our parents and ancestours successiuely haue made their abode and wherein we haue our principall goods possessions and inheritances Now whence doe we take our spirituall birth but froÌ„ our father which is in heauen Phil 3.20 where doe we receiue the soule of our spirituall birth but in the Church which is the kingdome of God or where is the house of our father but in heauen and there dwelleth our eldest brother Iesus Christ and al other our brothers and sisters in him 1. Pet. 1.4 Moreouer our treasure immortal inheritaÌ„ce vndefiled and vncorruptible are reserued in heauen as saith S. Peter for vs that beleeue in Iesus Christ heauen is then our true couÌ„trey and in respect thereof are we here called strangers pilgrimes and trauellers on the earth 2 This doth the Apostle writing to the Hebrews euidently declare Heb. 11.13 where speaking of the ancient fathers he saith All these died in the faith and receiued not the promises but saw them a farre of and beleeued them and receiued them thankefullye and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth For they that say such things declare plainely that they seeke a countrey And if they had beene mindefull of that countrey from whence they came out Gen. 12.1 they had leisure to haue returned But now they desire a better that is an heauenly Wherfore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God for he

Lord Iesus Christ coÌ„firme saying Luke 12.32 Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers pleasure to giue you the kingdome of heauen And in another place Wide is the gate and broade is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in therat Mat. 7 13. Luke 13.23 and contrariwise Straight is the gate and the way narrow that leadeth to life and few there be that finde it This doth he speake as S. Luke noteth in an answere to one that had asked him saying Lord are there fewe that shal be saued Those men therfore are not the disciples of Iesus Christ but rather most pernitious instrumentes of Satan that affirme that the gospell is no ioyfull tidings because many doe perish for want of especiall grace that all men shal be saued by a certaine kinde of faith which they haue by nature of God the creator of heauen and earth euen they that neuer heard the Gospel or beleeued in Iesus Christ alwais excepting such as euen in this life by their owne mallice and perpetuall ingratitude haue purchased eternall paines for they doe maintaine merites they forge a faith to saluation without Gospell and without Christ they promise eternall life to hypocrites and to such as think themselues either to be no sinners or to be saued with their sinnes or to haue remission of their sinnes without Iesus Christ to be short they giue assuraÌ„ce of saluation to all idolaters and sinners in the worlde in case by their workes they obstinatly make not neither shewe themselues abhominable truely they belye Iesus Christ for so should the gate of heauen be very large and wide and not onely many should enter in therat but euen the most part of the worlde as these men doe verily inferre albeit contrary to the expresse protestation of Iesus Christ 9 This is a pollicy of the deuill wherby he seeketh to rock men on sleepe in their sins and to lead them to death vnder colour of sauing them Eph. 2.12 First where S. Paul speaking to the Gentiles saith Before yee beleeued yee were without Christ and were aliants from the common wealth of Israell and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were without God in the world Doth he not euidently shewe that all heathen that knew not Christ to beleeue in him and so not they onely that were more wicked then the rest are out of Christ the onely sauiour of the worlde are depriued of the promise of the couenant and are without hope and without God Phil. 2.16 Acts. 5.20 Eph. 6.15 Act 14.3 and 20 32. and 13.26 what reason or ground can they then lay holde of whereby to the contrary to maintaine that such men can haue any hope of saluatioÌ„ or that they shal be saued in the kingdom of Christ Moreouer as the gospell is called the worde of life of peace of grace saluation so can ther be no other faith that shal bring forth peace life and saluation but that which is grounded vpon the Gospell Faith therfore in God the creator vnknowen as a redeemer in Iesus Christ can bring no saluation or life euerlasting doth not this errour likewise abolish the holy ministery that is to say preaching and the vse of the sacraments sith men may be saued without theÌ„ Is it not also a dispensation to all the corruptions and vices of the soule euen to an infinite number of sins coÌ„sidering that only those men shal be damned that of their perticular malice shall haue declared a perpetual ingratitude against God the creator or that hauing heard the gospel haue publickly reiected it and so what a folly is it or may it be to suffer for the name of Iesus Christ for let a man be an idolater let him neuer come at Sermon let him neuer coÌ„municat the sacraments let him make profession of no religion let him burne in couetousnes and ambition yea let him foster vp hatred malice and enuy yet if otherwise he liue honestly after the maner of the world it is enough in their doctrine for his saluation 10 These are such monstrous opinions that the very shew of theÌ„ may suffise to confound them Now let vs returne to our purpose and with Iesus Christ conclude to the contrary namely that the number of those that shal be saued is very small for if vnto men there be giuen no other name whereby we may be saued Act. 4.12 but only the name of Iesus Christ such as boast that they beleeue in God and obey not Christ who commaundeth that wee should also beleeue in him can be no pertakers of the saluation that is in him Likewise if vnto those that know not Christ wee doe adioyne all those that albeit he be preached vnto them Iohn 14.1 doe not beleeue in him neither liue as the members of Christ euery one may easilye vnderstand the truth of his sentence who is the self truth namely that few shal be saued and that in respect of the others it is a small flocke that shal be partakers of the eternall kingdome And herein doe we gather two points that should mightily induce vs to amend our liues First that we must practise the exhortation that Christ himselfe gathereth thereof when he saith Labour to enter at the narrow gate but how by putting of the olde man by denying our selues and the worlde in breefe by daylye amendment Luke 13.24 Let vs therefore beware of the broad way and consequentlye of these cursed dispensations to offend God when we are attempted hereto let vs remember that as sin leadeth vnto death so must we seperate our selues from the multitude that walketh in the broad way that leadeth to destruction euerlasting neither must we hearken to those that say all the worlde doeth thus most men doe liue thus we cannot make a world apart if thou followest this world take the broad way thou shalt with the world go into destruction 11 Secondly the more stedfastly that we vnderstand and beleeue that there shal be few saued the more earnestly let vs praise God who hath chosen vs to be of that small number and hath called vs to bring vs in at the narrowe gate to be of his euerlasting kingdome let vs beholde the multitude that goe by the brode gate to destruction let the horror of their woe kindle our harts that we may praise God for his great mercy toward vs and walke cheerefully in the straight way that leadeth to heauen let vs couragiously reiect all desires of the flesh allurements of the worlde and all other temptations to the ende that by dayly amendment of life we may finally enter at the narrow gate that leadeth to the kingdome of eternall glory Thus we see how the consideration of this title of the kingdome of heauen attributed to the Church to the holye ministerye to the restauration of man consisting in righteousnes peac e and ioy in the holy ghost

to the workes of darkenesse What an ingratitude will it be in vs who by nature are Gentils if when the kingdom of heauen is thus come vpon vs by the preaching of the Gospell we make no accompt thereof neither haue any care to amend our liues according to the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of Iesus Christ how mightily wil the deuil possesse vs vnlesse by the ministerye of the holy ghost he be expelled to the end to make roome for the kingdome of heauen in vs 8 Iesus Christ saith The men of Niniue shall rise in iudgement with this generation and condemne it for they repented at the preaching of Ionas and beholde a greater then Ionas is heere Againe Mat. 12.41.42 The Queene of the south shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it For she came from the vtmost partes of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater then Salomon is heere Woe theÌ„ be vnto vs if hearing the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13.12 we doe not obey his commandement and amend It is now time that we should arise from sleep saith S. Paul for now is our saluation neerer then when we beleeued by the preaching of the gospell and were before vnbeleeuers The night is past and the day is come let vs therfore cast away the works of darknes and put on the armour of light so as we walk honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennes c. 9 This kingdome of heauen is at hand and dayly gathereth vpon vs in two maners which for a conclusion wee will heere adde First all faithfull beleeuers doe know and are assured that at the separation of the soule and the body the soule shal be exalted into heauen with Christ Now as dayly this seperation doth by death drawe neerer and neerer to the faithfull so doth the kingdome of heauen also come vpon them how carefull therfore should we be to amend our liues and to prepare our selues to make our entry into heauen the holy Ghost protesteth that there shall enter no vncleane thing Apoc. 21.27 neither any that worketh abhomination or lyes We must therefore put of all the workes of the flesh which are as S. Paul noteth adultery fornication vncleannesse wantonnesse idolatrie Gal. 5.19 witchcraft hatred debate emulation wrath contention sedition heresie enuie murther dronkennes gluttonie and such lyke And afterward protesteth that they which commit these things shall not inherite the kingdome of God Let vs then beware of delaying of this amendment least in a matter of such importance we bee surprised we haue not two soules that we may hazarde one If the day of death findeth vs a sleepe in our sinnes woe be vnto vs let vs remember the saying of S. Peter The end of all thinges draweth neere 1. Pet 4. Be ye therfore sober and watchfull in praier Euery of vs shall in our death finde this end of all things and indeed let vs look vpon a rich man caried dead out at dores and we shall see that all is at an end with him neither hath his body any more then his length of ground 10 Let vs therefore remember to be sober not in workes of pietie for in them we cannot be too plentifull neither in sinne for we must vtterly abstaine therefro wherin then euen in thinges appertaining to this present life 1. Cor. 7.29 by practising this admonition of S. Paul And this I say brethren because the time is shorte hereafter that both they which haue wines be as though they had none And they that weep as though they wept not And they that reioyce as though they reioyced not And they that buy as though they possessed not And they that vse this worlde as though they vsed it not for the fashion of this worlde goeth away And I would haue you without care Here doth he shew that the sobriety whereto S. Peter exhorteth vs doth admonish vs that there is drunkennesse not onely of the body but also of the spirite And indeede where Iesus Christ saith See to your selues Luke 21.34 that your harts be not ouercome with gluttony and drunkennesse neither with the cares of this life He doth sufficiently declare that there is another kinde of drunkennesse then either with beere or wine And that is when the care for the things of this life whether of warre or marchandise or of landes and possessions of wiues or of children doe so feaze vpon and entangle our mindes and affections that we are diuerted letted froÌ„ that which is required for the seruice of God and the saluation of our soules if a man rise in the morning and goe to the Tauerne and tarry there all day and at night commeth home drunke and so againe the next day and the next and all the weeke long and neuer thinketh vpon his famely but letteth his wife and his children sit staruing at home wil we not say that he is a drunkard and in case he continue this course a moneth or two will we not reporte of him as of a perfect and desperate drunkard What shall we then say of those that doe so set their harts and mindes vpon the affaires of this life that so soone as they are vp in the morning they are presently at the Tauern of those cares wherein they delight and whereto they so giue themselues that they care neither for the kingdome of heauen the seruice of God nor the saluation of their own soules which is more during this repast at home their mindes are in their tauernes yea and which is worse whether they speak to God in their praiers or that God talketh to them by sermons their mindes are so wandering that immediatly they are in this tauerne of worldly cares and affaires and that so deepely that they neither hear God speaking to them neither wot what themselues doe say to him for there is no more but the body that speaketh or heareth euen a body as it were without a soule for their minde is in their Tauerne If they then follow this course not one moneth or sixe or tenne neyther one yeere but ten twentie thirtie yea euen to the death may we not well call them perfect drunkards Likewise as to that tauerne that beareth the name to haue the best drinke or wine the drunkards will soonest resort as seeking occasions to be drunk so these spirituall drunkards doe seeke after townes and places of most practise where there is great dooinges which breede encrease of cares that likewise they may be the more drunken in them 11 This is an excessiue and most pernitious drunkennesse yet ouer common among christians and therefore let euery man examine him selfe that knowing it he may amend And indede sith the kingdome of heauen doth dayly approch to the faithfull by death we are in duty to beware according to Christs admonition that our harts be not ouercome with this drunkennesse of cares least that day ouertake

vs in that drunkennes vnreadye and vnprepared to expect this kingdome of heauen in assurance ioy Let vs take heede that we doe not wittingly abuse our selues saying When I haue attained to such wealth or to such dignity I wil take my ease and come forth of this tauerne to serue God First it is an ordinary course that the more beere or wine that a man drinketh the more he may and the more the drunken man drinketh the more drunke he will be Euen so the more wealth and dignitie that thou hast the more shalt thou find thy cares to encrease and the more they encrease the more drunken in them thou wilt be Secondly we must take great heed that when God calleth vs to repentance and amendmeÌ„t we appoint him no time Prosper in his Sent. out of Aug. Sent. 71. He saith S. Augustine that hath promised forgiuenes to him that repenteth hath not promised another day to him that deferreth his amendement â—â—â—sius in ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Hebrew â—â—â—bian apoâ—â—â— lib. 1. Among the sentences of the wise men that liued among the Iewes after their return from the captiuitie of Babylon we reade of one Eleazar the sonne of Hircanus who being demanded when it woulde bee time to repent and amende aunswered One daie before death And when the other replied that no man knew the daie of his death he sayd Beginne then euen to daie for feare of failing 12 Inasmuch then as dayly we expect not onely death but also the day of iudgement that in that respect the kingdome of heauen commeth two solde vpon vs that we may the more earnestly be moued to our duty to amend let vs remember this saying of Iesus Christ Mat. 24.43 If the good man of the house knew at what watch the theefe would come he would surely watch and not suffer his house to be broken Therefore be ye also readie for in the houre that ye thinke not will the son of man surely come And therefore he addeth Blessed is that seruant whom his master when he commeth shal finde doing his dutie And this is also represented vnto vs in the parable of the virgins For the foolish ones that tooke no oyle in their lamps were shut from comming in to the marriage Mat. 25. but the wise that had made their prouision came in Sith therefore that the kingdome of heauen is at hand let vs amend our liues and make good prouision of holy oyle increasing in the knowledge of God in faith loue holynes and all other good works let vs in time put on our wedding garments that when the bridegrome commeth if it be so dainly as himselfe hath warned vs we may be readie and prepared to enter into the marriage with him Neither let vs forget that as Iesus Christ doth aduertise vs Apoc. 22.20 It shall as a snare come on all them that dwell on the face of the earth And as he addeth Let vs watch and praie continually that we may be accounted worthie to escape all these thinges that shall come to passe Luke 21.34 and that we may stand before the sonne of man Your selues doo know perfestly sayth S. Paul that the daie of the Lord shall come euen as a theefe in the night 1. Thes 5. 2. For when they shall saie Peace and safetie then shal come vpon them sodaine destruction as the trauell vppon a woman with child and they shall not escape And then to comfort the faithfull hee sayth But ye brethren are not in darknes that that day should come vpon you as a theef ye are all the children of light and the children of the daie And thereupon he also taketh occasion to exhort them to theyr duties saying Therfore let vs not sleep as doo other but let vs watch be sober putting on the brest plate of faith and loue and the hope of saluation for an helmet Let vs beware that we folow not the euill seruant who seeing that his master was long in comming saide in himselfe that he wold not come therupon gaue himself to work wickednes Mat. 24.48 But as Iesus Christ addeth His master comming at an houre when he looked not for him cut him off and punished his iniquitie and incredulitie 13 Saint Peter warneth vs. that in the later daies there will come lyke people whoÌ„ he termeth mockers which will walke after their lusts saie Where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers slept 2. Pet. 3.3 all things continue alike from the beginning of the creation But by a notable example he sheweth that they doo wittingly and willingly deceiue themselues in such discourses For when Noah foreshewed the floud and built the arke for his owne safetie the like mockers rise against him who seeing no apparance of the flould for aboue a hundred yeres thereof concluded that the world continuing in that estate shoulde not perish but were surprised and swallowed vp in the floud Inasmuch therefore as Iesus Christ commanding vs to amend doth affirme that his kingdom is at hand lest seeming to be long in comming we should therfore falsly conclude that it will not come let vs diligently note what S. Peter addeth Derely beloued be not ignorant of this one thing that a thousaÌ„d yeres is with the Lord as one daie and one day as a thousand yeres The Lord is not slacke as concerning his promise as some men account slacknes God is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance But the day of the Lorde will come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe awaie with a noise and the elementes shall melt with heate the earth with the workes therin shall be burnt vp Then doth he thereof gather this earnest exhortation to repentance amendement of life Seeing therefore that all these things must bee dissolued what maner of persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and godlynes Looking for and hastning vnto the comming of the day of God wherein the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shal melt with heat But we loke for new heauens new earth according to his promise wherein dwelleth righteousnesse c. 14 Albeit therfore it seem to our flesh that this kingdome is long in comming yet let vs not slacke our amendement Ioel. 2.12 but let vs euen this daie conuert and thinke vpon the saying of the prophet Ioel Euen this daie conuert vnto me sayth the Lord. Wherein he sheweth that he yet giueth vs this daie to repent but assureth vs not of to morrow Let the remembrance therfore of the drawing neere of the kingdome of heauen induce vs to amend 2. Tim. 4.8 to the end that in amending we may gather argument to long after the comming of Christ as it is the dutie desire of all the children of God Luke 21.28 And when we shall see the signes of his comming more more fulfilled let vs lift vp our heads reioyce because our deliuerance is at hand and that shortly wee shall be gathered and brought into the fruition of his kingdome and eternall glory FINIS

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