streight tree must streighten it when it is tender If thou wouldst bee fit to serue God when thou art old invre thy selfe to his seruice whiles thou art young If thou desirest to bee a farre and straight tree in thy crooked daies turne from thy crookednesse betimes and streighten thy selfe in thy youth The Lord required a sacrifice in which was offered eares of corne dried by the fire and wheate beaten out of the greene eares Abel brought for an offring vnto God of the first fruites and fat of his sheepe so wee must giue God the greene eares of our yeares the prim-rose of our age the first fruits of our life and the fat of our daies He that would haue God kinde vnto him when he is old let him turne vnto him whiles he is yong It is vnseemely for a man to giue his youth vnto Sathan and to keepe his olde rotten bones and feebled spirits for God The Lord disliketh that men should bring him lame torne and sicke thinges for offrings yea hee saith Cursed be the deceiuer which hath in his flocke a male and voweth and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt thing Sixtly all men haue soules as well as bodies therefore all men must be carefull for them as well as for these yea rather more carefull because the soule is the more excellent and more diuine and noble part of man Aguâ— shewed himselfe regardfull of both in his praier when he saith Two things haue I required of thee denie me them not before I die Remoue farre from mee vanitie and lies here appeareth the care of his soule Feede me with foode conuenient for me here he sheweth the honest care hee had of both soule and body Foode makes for the good of the bodie conuenient foode makes for the good oâ— both He that carketh for his bodie and careth not for his soule maketh a God of his belly and resembleth the Pharisies who were diligent in tithing of mint and annise but omitted the weightier things of the Law as faith and mercy Now wherein can our care for the wealth and weale of our soules more easily appeare then in our true repentance and vnfeined conuersion Hee that saith he hath care of the health of his soule and will not turne to God dooth as if a man beeing ready to perish in the water should professe that hee would gladly liue and yet wil vse no meanes or take no paines to come out All men doe wish the welfare of their friendes And art thou not thine owne friend It thou be so then art thou bound to conuert Nature teacheth euery man to seeke the good of his own country so grace will teach a man if hee haue but one droppe thereof in his heart to seeke the prosperitie of that common-wealth country which is within himselfe Now the prosperitie of any country consisteth in freedome from euills and the fruition of good things And whosoeuer turneth truly shall bee deliuered from the greatest euills and shall inioy the greatest good euen God who is goodnesse it selfe who with the strength of his arme and by the power of his grace will fetch them out of Aegipt the land of spirituall seruitude and deliuer them from thraldome vnder Pharoah and the Aegiptians from bondage vnder Satan and sinne and will conduct them safely through the wilde wildernesse of this wretched worlde into celestiall Canaan whither our elder brother Christ Iesus is gone before vs to prepare mansions for vs. Seuenthly euerie man complaines that the worlde is naught therefore euery man to stay this complaint must amend conuert If euerie complainer woulde turne from his sinnes vnto GOD the world would bee good The world is not naught but the people in the worlde as a goodly Citie may haue godlesse Citizens a faire house may haue a foule inhabitant and a good Landlorde may haue bad tenants There is no reason for a man to complaine of the world till hee haue forsaken the sinnes committed in the world Hee that exclames against the world before hee doth renounce the fashions of worldlings discouers the skirtes of his mother and defileth his owne nest If euery one will needes accuse the world as naught let them first reuoult from the world and shake hands with the worlde let them come out of the world as the Israelites came out of Aegipt and as all true Israelites are commaunded to come out of Westerne Babylon and then let them not spare to censure and condemne the worlde First turne from thine owne naughtinesse and then say the worlde is naught and that the wisedome of the world is enmity to God Moreouer euery man was in Adam created according to the image of God and euery man by Adam was depriued of this image neither is it repaired in any man nor any man restored to it till he doe conuert and repent and then the Holy Ghost beginnes to graue and draw it vppon the tables of hearts and faces of our soules But almost euery man will say that he doth desire the reparation of this revnited image within him and without doubt if a man could with these fleshly eies behold this image as Peter beheld Moses and Elias with Christ vppon the mount it would exceedingly moue him as that sight did Peter it is so faire and louely to behold so as that if his heart were not made of marble it would so fill it with delight and so rauish his soule with the loue thereof that as Peter said vpon that glorious sight Master it is good for vs to be here so he would wish from his heart to be partaker of it and thinke no price too costly for it For it is as a mirrour wherin a man may in part beholde the fâ—â—e of the inuisible God and a glasle wherein wee may see the countenance and colour of our first estate If any therfore lust as he doth professe to bee partaker of this glorious Image consisting in holinesse and righteousnesse of heart and hand let him turne his feete from the wayes of sinne into the wayes of God and he shall not faile of that which he saith he doth long after To conclude this point all men couet peace therfore let them all conuert Wouldest thou haue true peace of conscience thou fayest thou wouldest Then I say vnto thee turne For There is no peace saith God vnto the wicked who doe not turne Wouldest thou be at peace with thine enemies then turne for When the waies of man please the Lord hee will make also his enemies at peace with him And without doubt there is no peace comparable to that peace and amitie which is among the faithfull so that if all that seeme to desire peace would repent turne the Lion would become a Lambe and the Wolfe a sheepe all cruell conditions would be cast away and the whole world would bee at perfect peace within it selfe both for outward agreement and
rise vp against vs and make vs also take vppe armes against the Lord Hâ—â—e that hateth suertâ—â—hippe saith Salomon is sure but hee that hateth sinne is surer For if it bee a a righâ— hâ—tred it is an infallible demonstrationâ— of our loue to God and of the gâ—atious operation of his Spirit within vs and the ready way to scape the greatest euill If it be the badge of a man predestined to glorie to contemne a vile person then he which despiseth sinne which makes men vile despiseable may assure himselfe of glory if he do despise it for the vilenesse of it and for that it is derogatorie to the glory of God Wouldst thou therefore be sure of the mercy of God to the saluation of thy soule then turne from thy sinnes and hate them For hee that confesseth his sinnes and doth forsake them shall finde mercy What life more ioyfull can a man wish to leade whilst hee lines in this world then in this life to be assured of an euerlasting ioyfull liâ—e in the world to come What greater pleasure can a man take and taste of in a world of woâ— then to beleeue and know that vnspeakable and perpetuall pleasures are prepared for him in a world of weale What sweeter sweetnesse and more pleasing pleasure can a man in this life feele and enioy vpon the earth below then in beeing certainly perswaded in his conscience that he shall be partaker of the sweete and amiable communion of the Lord in the life to come aloâ—t in the heauens What greater comfort can comfortlesse wretches as all men are by nature receiue of the God of comfort then by his word to bee surely certified of eternall comforts What greater glorie can a mortall man bee glad of and more truly glory of in his inglorious vale of miserie then that hee is by the King of glory secured and by the word of his own mouth assured of immortall glorie in his glorious kingdome vpon his high and holy mountaine With what sweeter mercy can a miserable sinner bee refreshed in his soule then of the God of mercy to receiue a promise of the euerlasting mercy But God doth promise life libertie health and happinesse to euery man that will forsake his sinnes Neither doth he onely promise vs if we doe turne from our sinnes felicitie in the heauens but also peace and prosperitie vpon the earth Therefore Dauid saith What man is he that desireth life and loueth long daies to see good Let him eschew euil and doe good c. And the Lord by Ieremy saith Amend your waies and your workes and I will let you dwell in this place Whensoeuer the Israelites truely repented of their sinnes then GOD changed his frowning countenance and smiled vpon them but when they prouoked him by their sinnes then he turned their estates and oftentimes gaue them vp vnto their enemies So that our sinnes doe make a diuorcement betweene vs and Gods benefits Let vs therefore like valiant princes labouâ— to subdue them When sinnes begin to die then the sinner beginnes to liue Let not sinne reigne within vs let it not defile vs. But as our Sauior ouerthrew the tables of the mony changers and cast out those that profaned the temple by marchandizing in it so let vs his seruants scourge out our sins out of the temple of our hearts and let vs labour to ouerturne and conquer them The Lord saith that his pleople shall dwell in safetie when hee hath executed his iudgements vpon all their enemies so we shall liue in peace when our sinnes are executed and put vnto the sworde And when we haue ouermastered one sinne then wee must set vppon another like the Ichneumon which as Pliny writeth hauing ouercome one enemie prepareth himselfe to combat with another Let vs neuer be content till we haue gotten the victory of them all being like minded to Alexander th great who as Lucane recordeth thought nothing done whiles any thing remained vndone Hee that turneth from all his sinnes and laboureth to subdue them all dooth shew himselfe a true conuert a prince of spirit and an vtter enemy to the kingdome of Sathan Wee all desire to escape all outward dangers and to haue our bodies free from wormes bâ—les botches and all other deformities of body wherefore should we not then be as carefull to anoyd the dangers and dangerous diseases deformities and enormities of our soules The least bodily disease is shunned why should wee not then feare and preuent the least spirituall disease Many sands though small will sinke a shippe as soone as a fewe great milstones so many sinnes though little in comparison of other will destroy our soules as well as a fewe great ones Foxes are enemies to sheepe as well as wolues though not so dangerous so smaller sinnes are enemies vnto our soules as well as the greater Christ will haue both the great and the little Foxes taken for he saith both destroy the vines so let vs take and turne from all our sinnes little and great for all are noysome to the vineyard of our heartes and hinder our spirituall growth Kill them all and the vines of Gods graces shall flourish and abound within vs. And though one sinne be sometimes câ—â—â—rary to another as couetousnesse and prodigalitie and looke diuerse wayes as Sampsons foxes yet are they ioyned in their tailes with a firebrand of vengeance in the midst wherewith without speciall care they wil fire mens soules as Sampsons Foxes did the Philistines come Wouldest thou not offend thine heauenly Father that did create thee that doth preserue thee that hath bestowed his only sonne vpon thee then forsake thy sinnes A gracious childe forbeareth all thinges which are offensiue to his father Wouldest thou escape the whirl-winde of Gods wrath then flie from sinne Wouldest thou bee deliuered of an intollerable burthen then cast away thy sinnes which are a burthen to thy soule and will otherwise presse thee downe to hell Those which are vexed with the Night-mare feele as it were a mountain vpon them and wish earnestly to haue it remoued But there is more oddes betweene the weight of sinne and that weight which they suppose they feele then there is betwixt a mountaine and a mole-hill Wouldest thou not bee iudged of those in the ende of this world whom now perhaps thou doost contemne yea and condemne Wouldest thou not haue thy religious wife to iudge thee that hath laine in thy bosome thy gracious childe that hath come out of thy loynes thy seruant which hath bene at thy becke wouldest thou not I say be one day iudged of these then iudge thy selfe and turne from thy sinnes For the Saints shall iudge the worlde yea and the wicked Angels Wouldest thou haue the holy Angels sing a song for thee in the heauens as Deborah did for Iael then turne from thy sinnes for there is ioy in heauen at the conuersion
for the second point The third followeth now to be considered namely to whom wee must turne The Prophet exhorts vs to turne vnto Iehouah who is by the Graecians tearmed Kurios by the Latines Dominus and by vs accordingly called Lord. First in respect of creation secondly in regard of gubernation preseruation thirdly in respect of redemption fourthly in regard of absolute possession For by him wee are created and redeemed by him wee are daily gouerned and conserued and of him we are possessed wee are a part of his possessions a part of his goods in him we liue and moue and haue our being of him we hold our liues and lands himselfe being an absolute and eternall substance or nature haâ—ing life and being onely of himselfe as the word Iehouah shâ—weth Now we are to turne from our sinnes to him The reasons are many First from him we haue wandered and him we do by our sinnes principally offend Let the straying sheepe returne to their owne sheepheard Let the seruant that hath transgressed his maisâ—ers will in running from him retire to his owne maister and not to an other man Paul sent â—â—esimus to his own maister Philemon â—rom whom hee did vnlawfuâ—ly depart The prodigall sonne returned to his owne father Secondly God is the fountaine both of our being and well being of our doing and wel doing of our life liberty Yea What hast thou that thou hast not receiued of him Euery good giuing saith Iames and euery perfect gift is from aboue and and commeth downe from the Father of lights Thirdly he is the onely law-giuer which is able to saue and to destroy He alone can pardon sinne therefore he saith I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities He alone can heale our soules and kill our sinnes therefore he saith In mee is thine helpe and againe I will heale their rebellion Hee hath golde and rayment eye-salue for the soule He hath a new heart to giue vs and cleane water to purge vs. He onely can chaunge our mindes and make vs to turne vnto him Therefore the Church prayeth in this wise Draw me wee will runne after thee Ephraim saith Conuert thou me and I shall bee conuerted And Ieremy prayeth in behalfe of the people Turne thou vs vnto thee O Lord and we shal be turned It is he that worketh in vs both the will and the deede Hee is our onely Ariadne that can helpe vs out of the labyrinth of sinne It is hee onely that stretcheth forth his hand to succour vs when wee are readie to sinke into the water of wickednesse and to be drowned in the floods of iniquitie as Christ did vnto Peter when walking vpon the water he began to sinke into it Yea he is so absolute able being God omnipotent to performe all these things as that we cannot at the least sort distrust his sufficiencie without horrible iniurie done vnto him As he was able to ouerwhelme the world with water and to hinder the building of Babel so he is able to subuert the world of our vices to drowne them with the water of his holy Spirit and to stay the building of spiritual Babell made within vs by Sathan the onely Architect of all our enormious buildings As hee was able to riue the rockes and to preserue Daniel in the Lions Denne so is he able to rend our stonie hearts and to defend vs from that cruell Lion which seeketh to prey vpon our soules As he was of power to open the prison doores and to fetch Peter with his fellowes out and at an other time to vnloose the bands wherewith Paul and Silaâ— with their fellow prisoners were tied and bound so hee is as wel able to fetch vs out of the prison of sin and to breake the bolts and vntie the bands of iniquitie As he was able to driue out diuels and to cure all diseases so he can if he will expell all vncleane spirites that haue takeÌ„ vp their lodging in our hearts as the spirite of pride enuie contention couetousnesse drunkennesse dâ—zzinesse vnclâ—annesse hee is able to binde the strong man Satan and to cast him out of vs and to cure all the diseases of the soule He hath a salue for euery sore and a medicine for euery maladie There is neither sore nor sicknesse but hee can remedie if hee please Wherefore wee haue good reason to turne vnto him to seeke vnto him The Lizardes seeke for Calaminth when they are wounded beeing an hearb very excellent against the byting of serpents The Storke feeling himselfe amisse goeth to the herbe Organ for a remedie The Rauen perceiuing himselfe poysoned with the Chameleon flyeth to the Lawrell and with it extinguisheth the venome so when we are wounded or poysoned with sinne and bitten by the serpent Sathan we ought to goe to the Lord hee is our Calaminth our Organ and our Lawrell Qui fecit reficere potest he that made vs can renue vs he that formed vs can as well reforme vs hee that made the soule can as easily mend the soule The waues of the Sea saith the Psalmist are mightie but the Lord on high is more mightie so indeede the waues of sinne are loude and mightie but the Lord by his might can still them It is good therefore to turne vnto him Fourthly God is not onely able to conuert and cure vs but very readie to doe it if we seeke vnto him and willing to receiue vs if wee return vnto him For the Lord saith Dauid is full of compassion and mercie slowe to anger and of great kindnesse He will not alway chiâ—e neither keepe his anger for euer The father of the Prodigall sonne seeing his son a far off reâ—urning home vnto him pittied him and ran not goe vnto him and fell vpon his necke and kissed him Dauid sheweth the admirable affection of God to a repentant sinner when hee saith after this sort I thought I wil confesse against my self my wickednes vnto the Lord and â—hou forgauest the punishment of my sinne If the Lord be so readie to receiue a â—â—â—essing sinner shall we thinke hee will reiect a conuerting sinner one that doth not onely confesse his sinne in truth but in truth also turne from it and returne to him This argument Ioel vseth to perswade the Israelites to repent Turne saith he vnto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifuâ—l slâ—w to anger and of great kindnesse So then the mercie of God should be so far from making vs carnally secure as that indeede it should rather prouoke and incite vs to rowze vp our selues and to turne againe vnto him Fiftly hee is not onely by nature louing but he hath also made vs of his loue very gracious promises Hezekiah by the speciall motion of the holy Ghost saith The Lorde your God will not turne his face from you if ye conuert vnto him And Esay saith Let
THE TRVE TRIAL and Turning of a Sinner OR THREE PLAINE AND profitable Sermons teaching the Search and Triall of our waies Repentance of Sinne and true turning vnto God The summe whereof was preached at Feuersham in Kent Aug. 3. 1606. By Thomas Tuke ZACH. 1. 3. Turne yee vnto mee saith the Lord of hostes and I will turne vnto you EZEK 18. 21. If the wicked will returne from all his sinnes that he hath committed c. he shall surely liue and shall not die LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1607. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull and vertuous Ladie Christiana wife to the Right Worshipfull Sir Iohn Leueson Knight grace from God both temporall and etâ—â—nall MAdame rare and admirable are the fauors which we haue receiued of the Lord by his grace enioyed now almost fiftie yeares together He hath giuen vs his Word and Gospel his lawes and statutes hee hath planted a Vineyard amongst vs and sent his Prophets vnto vs. Hee hath brought vs out of captiuitie from vnder Weasterne Babylon and dispelled the Egyptian-like darknesse of Romish superstitions Hee hath not dealt so with euery Nation Moreouer hee hath imparked vs with the pales of Peace and hedged vs about with the Lawrells of Prosperitie He dooâ—h fill our barnes with plentie causeth our cups to runne ouer He hath put the Palmes of victorie into our hands the Garlands of triumphs about our heads and hath made our verie enemies seeke to be at peace with vs. Hee hath turned our speares into spades our swords into sythes and our pikes into pennes yea to make a perfect and plenary demonstration of his loue vnto vs and hatred of our Aduersaries he hath of late vouchsafed to vs both Prince and People a verie wonderfull and great Deliuerance from a most barbarous and vniuersall confusion plotted and almost performed by the children of Babel the Minians of that purple Harlot But how doe we remonstrate our thankfulnesse and loue to him Alas our ingratitude is too-too manifest Our sinnes doe testifie the same to our faces Ignorance Oathes Prophanations of the Lords day Neglect yea and palpable Contempt of the Gospell and of Gods faithfull and honourable Embassadours with many other grieuous and transcendent enormities do so swell abound in the multitude as that if they were not by force held in with the piles of wholesome lawes and the banks of gouernmeÌ„t they would quickly ouerflow beare and beate down all before them So that the Lorde may say of vs as Moses somtimes said of Israel But hee that should haue bene vpright when he waxed fatte spurned with his heele and forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation not much vnlike wee are for the most to the yong Hindes mentioned in the booke of Iob who when they are waxed fatte and growne vp with corne Goe from their dammes and returne no more vnto them Iosephus writeth that the Riuer Iordan doth carrie the Fishes so long sporting themselues and floting aloft till at length it casts theÌ„ headlong into the Dead Sea where they perish so it seemes our prosperity through the corruption of our heartes hath trained vs on so long that wee haue fallen into a Sea of sinnes and a gulfe of wickednesse What can we now expect of God besides the complement of that dreadfull minace vpon vs with which the declining church of Ephesus was somtimes threatned to wit the remouing of her Candlestick out of his place vnlesse she did repent If we therefore desire the continuance of the Gospell among vs and of all outwarde blessings which attend vpoÌ„ the true professors and embracers of it we must in the feare of God Search trie our waies and turne againe vnto him Amend your waies and your works saith the Lord and I will let you dwell in this place The Lord our God is gracious and mercifull and will not turne away his face from vs if we conuert vnto him Pliny saith that the Riuer-horse feeling himself too fatte ouermuch grown pricketh a veine in his legge with some sharpe reede newly cut and by letting himselfe blood doeth so helpe himselfe and preuent the daunger which he was subiect before to fall into so when wee swell with pride and selfe-loue and when we waxe grosse spirited and fatte at heart and when the corrupt humors of our soules abound our best phisicke is to prick our hearts with true compunction of spirit and remorse of conscience and to let our selues blood of those corrupt humours by true repentance and godlye sorrow If wee neglect the performance of these duties wee may iustly feare that the Lord will remoue his fauours from vs giue them to a people that will bring forth better fruites To helpe forwarde this godly practise I haue compiled penned and now published these sequent exhortations which I dedicate and offer vnto your Ladishippe especially because I knowe you loue this Doctrine the faithfull practisers of the same Thus taking my humble leaue I recommend you to the grace of God Cuxton March 25. 1607. Your Ladiships in all dutie Thomas Tuke The principall Contents 1 An eleuen doctrines are orderly collected and their applications seuerally annexed 2 Sundry reasons to mooue vs to search our selues 3 Many moâ—iues to perswade vs to search narrowly and soundly 4 Diuers reasons to moue Mâ—nisters to ioyne themselues in their exhortations 5 Many reasons why euery man ought to busie himselfe in searching of himselfe principally 6 Sundry causes why wee should try our waies after that by searching we haue found them out 7 The true Touchstone of triall here sundry Iudges are reiected for sundry reasons 8 These points with their reasons are discussed and propounded 1. Who must turne 2. From what 3. To whom 4. Where 5. When. 6. How 9 All these things are illustrated by many fit similitudes and other comparisons or at least the chiefest Many other particulars are taught which the godly Reader may finde if it please him to peruse the Sermons through SERMONS PREAched at Feuersham in Kent Lament 3. 40. Let vs search and try our waies and turne againe vnto the Lord. THis mournefull prophet Ieremy hauing in part described declared the perplexed and lamentable coÌ„dition of his countrymen and both testified and iustified as wel the righteousnes of God in afflicting them for the multitude of their transgressions as his mercie in moderating their misery and preseruing them from a full and finall destruction hee doth in these words propound vnto them a very serious and sober exhortaâ—ion consisting of three branches The first is conteined in the three former words Let vs sâ—arch That is to say let vs diligently inquire after seeke and labour to find out The second is couched in the next wordes And trie our waies That is let vs proue our thoughts our words workes after that by diligent and due searching we haue found them out The third
is comprehended in the last words And turne again vnto the Lord. That is after exact inquiry faithfull examination let vs relinquish and abandon all that is amisse repenting of it and relenting for it and let vs come home againe vnto our father and turne backe vnto his waies from which we haue gone astray like stragling sheepe Then instructions are many both excellent and profitable For so much as the holy Ghost doth in the fore-front of this exhortation aduertise vs to search out our waies I conclude and gather that this is a duty necessary to bee performed of euery sinner that desireth to make a sound conueâ—sion of his sinnes Because it is a dutie so much neglected I wil vse some arguments to incite and perswade you to the practise of it In the first place consider that it is not man but GOD which commandeth vs to make this search For the whole Scripture whereof this sentence is a part is giuen by inspiration from God and the holy men of God whereof this Prophet was not the last nor yet the leasâ— did all of them speake and preach as they were carried and directed by the spirit of God Homage belongeth to a King honour to a father and obedience to a maister God is our King our Father our Lord Maister He is the onely law-giuer that is onely able to saue and destroy He exhorteth vs to search our waies therefore as we respect his grace feare his anger as we would not be reputed regarded as disloyal subiects disobedient children rebellious and refractary seruants let vs in al humility of heart and sincerity of soule and conscience submit and obey Secondly wee shal not know our waies what they are and whither they lead vnlesse we take some paines in searching of them out A Prince cannot know the state of his kingdom a phisitian cannot discern the constitution and habit of a mans body without some good coÌ„petent search and inquisition so no man can iudge of the condition and state of his soule and body know the case and quality of the kingdom of his heart except by searching he doe labour to attaine thereunto He that knoweth not his waies cannot examine them how then shall he be able to reuert and turne from them if they be not good On the contrarie our searching of them is a very good furtherance preparatiue to our triall of them and turning from them like the needle which prepares a way for the threed which followeth it For as a man perceiuing himselfe to be wounded or any way diseased is moued to seeke about for a remedie euen so when a sinner by ransacking his life and heart findeth out his spirituall wounds and diseases hee is by the grace of God prepared prouoked to seeke for cure and to be deliuered of his grieuances Thirdly he that intends to build will search the foundation whether the ground be sound or sandy whether fast or false Saluation is a faire and goodly building Now he that builds it vpon ignorant conceits blind presumptions deceiueth himselfe and dishonoureth his Sauiour therefore it is good for a man to search himselfe lay a firme foundation the toppe will fare the better for the bottome If the ground-worke bee not stable the building cannot stand and where there is no sure searching there can be no sure working Moreour he that desireth a plentifull Crop must view his seed and search it for Chaffe Cockell and other noxious and infestant seeds so he that desireth to be fruitfull in good works must search himselfe for the seeds of sin which ingendreth nothing but stinking weedes A discreete and faithfull Magistrate will search his kingdome for treacherous rebellious and other pernitious persons specially if hee haue had certaine intelligence of them so wee that are made Kings and spirituall Magistrates by Iesus Christ should search all the corners of our kingdome for our sins which lurke within vs like traitors and are ready to pull the crowne from our heades and snatch the scepter out of our hands yea and blowe vp the whole ParliameÌ„t of our soules God hath giuen a man reason to be as a Prince to rule him it being ruled by the line of his Lawe the supreame faculties of the soule be the Peeres or Nobles the senses are the guard and attendants the outward part are as the Commons and our Sins sinfull Affections are traitours rebells and as factious and infectious persons which disturbe the peace of the Common-wealth and being desperate and irreconciliable enimies vnto the State doe striue to dismount the Prince from her Throne and vtterly to ruinate and subuert the kingdome which God by his holy spirit hath begun to plant within vs. Wherefore like politique and faithfull Princes it behoueth vs to make search in all the parts of our kingdomes and as it were with Hoe and Crie to pursue our enemies that by searcâ—ing hauing found them out they may be brought to their triall and at the barre of Conscience â—eceiue sentence as they haue deserued Finally the searching of our waies is a meanes to preuent the iudgements of God For when men will not search themselues then God searcheth them out by crosses and afflictions When men forget to search their waies then God doth oftentimes put them in minde of this dutie by his rods and leadeth them as it were by the lip When men run headlong on an end in irregular and wretched courses neuer thinking of their way hee doth sometimes thrust them forward into desperate and irrecouerable casualties calamities yea many times to the losse of their dearest liues as the diuell did violently driue the the Gadarens swine into the sea Sometimes hee thrusts them into the mire of affliction and maketh them to stumble and fall vpon some stone in their way or pricketh their feete with the thorne of some sharp and grieuous crosse and so puts them in minde of their way and teacheth them to think of their vngodly courses When men suffer Sathan to ride them as the Asse did Balaam and to abuse them to Gods dishonour then God dooth often cause his Angell as I may speake to stand in their way with the naked sword of aduersitie and so hindreth their enormious proceedings Therefore it is a point of christian wisedome and wise christianitie to cal our selues in time to a reckning and to make a mature and faithfull inquisition and disquisition of all our waies Search your selues saith Zephany euen search you O nation not worthy to be loued before the decree come forth and yee be as chaffe that passeth in a day and before the fierce wrath of the Lord come vpon you The consideration of these things serueth to conuince and condemne the common custome of most men who walk on securely in ignorance and other vngodlinesse and either sildome or neuer take true notice of their waies as if a man did not
the Lord are right his commandements giue light vnto the eyes By them are his seruants made circumspect and purchase vnderstanding Thy word saith Dauid is a lanterne vnto my feete and a light vnto my paths the righteousnesse of thy testimonies is euerlasting and all thy commandements are true Gods precepts must be our practise and his law must bee the line of our obedience His word must bee the rule of our workes and the determiner of all our waies All is not gold which glisters all coine that hath Caesars image vpon it is not currant but sometimes counterfet neither is all good corne that so seemeth Wee must therefore take vnto vs the Touch-stone of Gods word and the Fanne of his law and make our triall by them and so wee shall discerne which is gold which is gilded copper which is of Gods owne stamping and which hath come from the Mint-house of our flesh and from the forge of the diuell and which is good and cleane wheate and which corrupt and chaffie The consideration of these points teacheth vs in the first place to bee carefull to know and vnderstand all the commandements of God legall and Euangelicall because by these we must prooue our waies as malefactours are tried by the Law Dauid saith I wil meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies Open my eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law and teach me thy statutes Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellers Giue me vnderstaÌ„ding that I may learn thy commandements Shall we labour to know the lawes of men to â—â—derstand the secrets of nature and shall wee not labour to learne Goâ—â— law and to vnderstand the secrâ—tâ— thereof Shall we get stones to trie our golde whether it be pure mettall or but base and shall we haue scales and weights to proue whether it bee light or weightie And shall we not get the knowledge of Gods worde that wee may proue our waies It will shew vs their nature and is able to sound our hearts to the bottome Therefore all ignorant persons are farre froÌ„ the performance of this weightie dutie Secondly the consideration of these thinges serueth to conuince and condemne the multitude of negligence and frowardnesse Some cannot trie their waies because they want the eye of vnderstanding and the true touchstone of of all truth and falshood of vice and vertue therefore though they sometimes attempt to trie theyr waies yet because their eyes are out and gesse by groping as Isaac did in an other matter they are vsuallye if not alwayes deceiued as well or rather worse then hee Some againe will not make this triall like many men that haue run long much on the score cannot endure to heare of a reckoning Thirdly there are some that dare not view the Lawe it seemes vexed with the gripes of a guiltie conscience and possessed with the spirit of slauish feare like the Elephant who being guiltie to his owne deformitie cannot abide to see his face in faire water and like slaues that being afraide of the whip cannot endure to haue theyr offences scanned or themselues examined Finally some will indeede trie their waies but not throughly onely coldly and ouerly and some will trie one way but not an other some but not all Whereas the Prophet exhorteth vs to make an exact and perfect triall of all and not of some onely and therefore he saith Let vs trie our wayes and not way or some of them Wherefore brethren let vs vse all care and conscience in this dutie Let vs learne to knowe Gods will and labour to vnderstand his commaundements and withall let vs faithfully try All our waies so neare as is possible by them Wouldest thou see the face of thy soule then behold it in the Glasse of Gods lawe and thou shalt easily perceiue whether it be faire or foule whether pale or fresh Wouldest thou discerne the bottome of thy heart whether it be cleare and grauelly or muddie and clammy sound it with the long line of Gods lawe with the weightie plummet of his precepts and thou shalt obtaine thy desire Wouldest thou know the condition of thy waies then measure them with the met-wand of his word and examine them by the old and auncient way of the faithfull Patrairkes and Prophets chalked out in the sacred scriptures Wouldest thou turne out of by-pathes and walke aright and with an euen foote then view thy waies with diligence I haue considered my waies saith Dauid and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies Surely that man which proueth his waies aright is in the high way to heauen and in a faire forwardnesse to make a sound conuersion Now hee proueth his waies aright that doth it sincerely cheerefully diligently maturely constantly and in conscience of Gods commaundement desiring pardon in the name of Christ for the imperfection of his worke and striuing daily to amend it And thus much for this third Doctrine A fourth followeth In that Ieremy saith Let VS search and trie our waies I gather first that no place or priuiledge no calling or discent whatsoeuer can exempt a man from the performance of this dutie These were Israelites the seede of Abraham men of diuers ages degrees and himselfe a Prophet The yoke of Gods commaundements is laiâ— vpon euery necke And why should not gold be tried as well as meaner mettall 2. I conclude againe that pouertie penury crosses and calamities must not so dismay vs as that wee doe forget or should thinke it too late to searche and examine our waies as if God had vtterly cast vs off These people were in extreame distresse Ierusalem was become a tributary Iudah was carried away captiue All the habitions of Iacob were destroied Their children and sucklinges swooned in the streetes and perished in their mothers bosom through hunger The women were constrained to eate their owne children The olde men lay in the streetes the young men and virgins were slaine with the sword The tongue of the sucking childe claue to the roofe of his mouth for thirst They that were brought vp in scarlet embraced the dung The hands of the pittifull women did seethe their owne children for meate They dranke their water for money and their neckes were vnder persecution Their Princes were hanged vp and their Elders were disgraced All the pallaces of Israel were consumed Ierusalem was hissed at All their enemies barked against them The Temple of the Lord was prophaned The Prophets were slaine in the sanctuary No mercie was shewed to the Elders and no reuerence giuen to the Priestes Yet notwithstanding all this their miserie the Prophet exhorts them to searche and trie theyr wayes and to returne vnto the Lorde thereby shewing that there was hope of recouerie and no time past to ransacke and reforme themselues For the Lorde is rich in loue the doore of his grace and the bowels of his mercie
concupiscence is in seruitide vnder the diuels bastard yea and strumpet also and in thraldome vnder his owne mortall and vnplacable enemie Thirdly the wicked are the slaues of the world For their profession is pinned vpon her sleeue As Dorus in the Comedie denied the truth which before hee did professe when Phaedreae bad him so the wicked man at the worlds commaund is ready to say and vnsay to professe or deny any thing how grosse or euill soeuer he makes the world his God Furthermore they are very traitours and rebells vnto God They are enemies to his crowne and dignitie they robbe him of his honour they rebell against his lawes they trample vpon his commaundements they breake downe the pale of his precepts they teare his titles with their tongues and they practise against his loyall and obedient subiects Doth it therefore beseeme any honest liberall minded man to walke in their waies and to runne in their races They cannot suredly do it without great blemishing of their owne loyalty and iniury to the glory of God Furthermore The way of the wicked is as Salomon saith an abhomination to the Lord. If his sacrifice be an abhomination vnto him and if his verie praier bee vnacceptable to him his waies which are simply euill must needs be very offensiue in his sight Now then were it not horrible impietie for a man either to set his feete in his waies or not to remoue them and depart away with speede if they be already in them Paul forbiddeth vs to bee partakers of other mens sinnes But he that walketh in the waies of the wicked cannot but transgresse this commaundement He that runneth their courses is a scandall vnto them an occasion to harden their hearts and to hinder their conuersion sheweth plainly that they were all cast in one mould and are all euen he as well as they seruants to one Lord. But hee which turneth from them sheweth his hatred of them and is a furtherance to help forward their conuersion also For as when one sheepe breakes away from the drouer shee is an occasion to mooue many other to followe her so when one man breaketh away from the diuell who driues men to their slaughter he giueth an occasion to many that see him to depart in like sort One bird perceiuing the fowlers wiles by flying away is a motiue to her fellowes being in the same danger to doe the like so one man by leauing the waies of the wicked and so escaping the danger prepared for him occasioneth the wicked also that behold him to take their flight from sinne and to flie from the wiles of the diuell To conclude this third point God commandeth vs to aske for the old way and to walke therein Now if wee must walke in the olde way which is the good way and we shall find rest for our soules then we must leaue all new waies which are euill waies or else wee shall finde paines for our soules God commandeth vs to Walke in tho way of good men and to keep the waies of the righteous it followeth therefore that we must turne from the waies of the wicked For their waies are contrary â—he one shineth as the light the other is as darknesse the one is of God the other of Satan the one is of the way of loue and leadeth vnto life the other is the way of lust and leadeth vnto death the one is the way of Gods children the other of the diuells In the one we must goe as Israel requested Sihon to let them passe thorow his country saying Let mee goe through thy Land wee will 〈◊〉 turne aside unto the fielâ—s nor into the vineyards neither drinke of the waters of the wells we will goe by the kings way vntill we be past thy Country The way of the godly is the Kings hie way to heauen we must goe along in it till we haue passed through this vale of miserie without declining from it on any side We must not breake into the fields of couetousnesse nor into the vineyards of vaine delights neither must wee drinke of the waters of sinfull pleasures or pleasing sinnes But as the Israelite promised to goe by the hie way and to turne neither vnto the right hand nor to the left so wee must keepe our way without wandring out therefore it followeth that wee must abandon and turne from the waies of the wicked For how glorious and faire soeuer they seeme in shew they shall vanish and come to nought like the painted face of Iezabel the colors of the Rainbow Fourthly we must turne from our owne sinnes originall and actuall of what name or nature soeuer in what place at what time and vpon what occasion so euer done whether by commission of euill or omission of good For first our sinnes are the workes of the diuell as our goodnesse is the gift of God Our originall corruption which as a reprosie hath polluted all our parts and poores is the fâ—end of sinne and the very spawne of the diuell whereof he doth beget children according to his owne Image From it all our actuall transgressions how barbarous and exorbitant soeuer they be do proceed and issue as the riuers doe from the sea and as light doth from the sunne or as wormes doe from a loathsome carrion Secondly our sinnes doe pollute and deforme vs. As a Ringworme doth disfigure the face so sinne doth deforme the soule As a Canker doth consume the flesh as rust doth eate the yron as dust and chaffe doe corrupt the corne and as firre vessels do corrupt good wine so sinne doth defile our soules and corrupt our consciences and mis-shape our affections Thirdly sinne is very bitter and pernitious The life of any sin affected is the death of the sinner infected It is of a viperous disposition the birth of sin is the death of the sinner It is like the worme Midas which eates the Beane wherein it is bred and the Moath that consumes the cloth in which she receiued her life Sinne is not much vnlike vnto the louers of Aholilah who when they had bruised the breasts of her virginitie and powred their whordomes vpon her dealt cruelly with her and slew her with the sword so sinne shall breed the sorrowe of all such as dote vpon it and delight to commit adulterie with it And as the Lord threatned Aholilah that her louers with whom she wilfully defiled her selfe should cut off her nose and eares so sinne without speciall mercie shall not onely deforme our selues but strippe vs and leaue vs naked for the iudgements of God to seaze vpon Therefore as Paul shooke the viper from his hand so let vs cast away sinne from our hearts As hee was carefull to preserue his life from those bloudie votaries who had vowed his death so let vs bee carefull to defend our selues from sinne which worketh the destruction of our soules
for his sinnes For the bookes wherein all mens actions are as it were recorded shal be opened and euery man shall be iudged of those things whicâ— are registred in the bookes of Gods knowledge and mans conscience according to their works And euery man without exception shall receiue the things which are done in his body according to that hee hath done whether it bee good or euill The riches of Laban the wealth of Nabal the wisedome of Achitophel the beauty of Absolon the crown of Saul the strength of Lamech the kingdomes of Nebuchadnezar the eloquence of Tertullus the miter of Caiaphas will than stand them in no stead at all For the Lord is no accepter of persons he hath prepared Tophet of olde for wicked princes and hee will rebuke the vngodly of all their wicked deedes Now as death dooth leaue them so the last iudgement shall find them If therefore wee would either fit our selues for death or frame our selues to the last iudgement let vs abandon our sinnes and iudge our selues If wee will accuse and condemne our sins and execute them as Iosiah did the priests of the high places wee shall not neede to feare the terrour of death which is appointed for all nor the sentence of the iudge which shall onely be pronounced against the wicked Lastly I say wee must turne from all our sinnes and not from some onely For so is the will of God Cast away from you all your transgression for why will yee dis O house of Israel Euery sinne displeaseth God and deserueth death euery sin doth staine the soule and wound the conscience It is not possible for a man to carry fire in his bosome and his clothes not bee burnt and impossible for him to goe vppon coales and his feete not be scorched so is it impossible to fauour any sin and not to be infected As euery enemie is dangerous and as the least drop of poison is hurtfull and the least plague-sore infectious so the smallest sinne wil smart the least offence is pernicious pestilent infectious Secondly we vowed to God in our baptisme that we would turn from all our sinnes and from all the workes of the diuell Hee that will not keep touch with God must neuer looke that God will keep touch with him For his promise of pardon belongs onely vnto penitent persons And therefore he saith If the wicked will returne from all his sins hee shall surely liue and shall not die Thirâ—ly the Lorde in expresse tearmes forbiddeth not onely greater but aâ—so smaller sinnes He doth not onely condemne drunkennes but hee doth also pronounce a woe vnto them that are mighty to drinke wine and are strong to powre in strong drinke Saint Peter doth not onely râ—quire vs to forbeare drunkennesse but also drinkings Saint Paul doth not onâ—ly forbid vs filthines but foolish talking The Lord commandeth the wicked to forsake their very imaginations Christ telleth vs that we must giue account of euery idle word Peter warneth vs to lay aside all malitiousnesse and all guile and all euill speaking Dauid saith I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes A froward heart shall depart from me I will know none euill And according to this his resolution hee saith againe I haue refrained my feete from euery euill way and do hate all false waies And desireth God to let none iniquitie to haue dominion ouer him The Lord hateth all our sins Christ hath suffered for all our sins therefore let vs abandon them all If we entertaine but one we open a casemenâ— for another and animate the diuell to sally a fresh vppon vs who like a Crocodile flieth if hee be resisted but if we yeeld vnto him in the least sinne hee will very falsely assault vs and seeke to swallow vs vp Must wee abstaine from all appearance of euill Must wee hate the very garment which is spottâ—d by the flesh Then good reason haue wee to abstaine from all things that are meerely euill in themselues and to detest the flesh which defiles the man and lusteth against the Spirit Shall kings fight against their quarrellous despitâ—ful enemies which onely seeke to depriue them of their earthly kingdomes and shall not we contend and war against our fleshly lusts which fight against our soules and seek to defeat vs of our heauenly kingdome Will euery man by the vertue of his nature like Chariâ—us in the Comedie proue euery way before they will perish or lose their liues in this world and shall not wee take any paines to escape eternall paines and to saue our soules in the world to come Shall Christ lament yea and die for our sinnes and shall we make our selues mery with them as many doe Or rather shall we not mourne for them and seeke to bee deliuered from them Shall Dauids eyes gush out with riuers of water because other men kept not Gods law and doth it beseeme vs to be drie cheeked and not lament for our owne sinnes whereby wee haue broken his law and battered the castles of our owne consciences Shall Ieremy wish that his head were full of water and his eyes a fountaine of teares that he might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of his people and shall wee neuer lament weepe for our sinnes which displease our friend and please our foe which did once slay our soules and doe daily wring them would consume them vâ—terly if the Lord who hath restored them to life in Christ did not guard them by his grace Doe we not see what an antipathy there is amongst the creatures One of them by a secret instinct of nature doth hate and persecute another Nay doe wee not see that many men are as wolues each to other Wherefore then should we not persecute and hate our sinnes seeing that they be our mortall enemies and will neueâ— become our friends The fish called Lepus is as some write poisoâ— to a man and man to him Sinne is poison vnto vs so let vs be as poison vnto it Shall tâ—e wicked lay wait for blood and swallow the innocent vppe like a graue and shal not we seeke to mortifie our siâ—nes which are noxious vnto vs and offensiue vnto God Mortifie therefore your members which are on earth fornication vncleannesse the inordinate affection euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is idolatry If wee will not mortifie them they will mortifie vs If we will not part from them God will part from vs. Surely saith Dauia God will wound the head of his enemies and the hairie pate of him that walketh in his sinnes Shall Dauid hate the desperate enemies of God and earnestly contend with those that rise vp against him and shall not wee hate sinne which makes men hatefull vnto God and haters of God Shall not we earnestly contend against our sins which do both
the wicked forsake his waies and returne vnto the Lord and he will haue mercie vpon him Now God is constant in his word and faithfull in his promises and will performe the wordes of his Prophets The Lord saith Dauid is great in truth Verbum eius ab intentione non dissentit quia veritas est nec factum à verbo quia virius est his word dissenteth not from his intention because he is Veritie Nor his workes from his word because he is Vertue Thou wilâ— beleeue thy faithful friend and wilt thou not beleeue the God of Faith he condemneth breaking of promise in men therefore surely he will not breake his promise made with man Sixtly wee are commaunded to turne vnto God Let the wicked returne vnto the Lord. Turne you vnto me saith the Lord. The commandements of God are not to bee neglected Disobedience to them is death but Hee that keepeth the commaundement keepeth his owne soule But this is one commaundement of God that we turne vnto him Lastly wee haue the example of the Saints to direct vs. Dauid Iosiah the Niniuites Paul The exaâ—ple of the Saints in good things should be vnto vs as the cloude and pillar of fire was vnto the Israelites to goe before vs and to direct vs into celestiall Canaan Imitation is the disease of the English Nation therefore if wee will needes imitate and follow let vs follow the best Wee are forbidden to followe the fashions of the world but not to follow the foote-steps of the Saints Thus much concerning this third point The third Sermon THe fourth is In what and wherein we must turne Which because it hath affinitie with the second I will the more speedily dispatch We must turne to the Lord in our hearts mindes wills workes and waies As the Priests clensed all the house of the Lord and the altar of burnt offerings with all the vessells thereof and the shew-bread table with all the vessells thereof so we must clense our hearts hands and all our waies from the filthines of our sinnes As they went into the inner parts of Gods house to clense it and brought out all the vncleannesse that they found so wee must enter into the bottome of our hearts and seeke into all the winding corners of our waies to dresse them wee must sweepe out all the dust of sinne and shouell away all the dirt of wickednesse And as the Leuites hurled that vncleannesse into the riuer Kidron so ought we to cast and condemne all our sinnes into the pit of hell frâ—m whence they came God requireth an alteration in the whole man O thou my sonne saith the Lord heare and hee wise guide thine heart in the way Againe Let not thine heart be enuious against sinners O Ierusalem saith the Prophet wash thine heart from wickednesse Here wee see that God requireth a turning in the heart and with good reason For the heart commaundeth both the hand and the tongue Of the aboundance of the heart the tongue speaketh Hee that will haue a cleane streame must purge the fountaine Hee that will haue good hearbes must weede his garden Secondly we must turne to God in our heads Wee must â—e wise but the throne of wisedome is the head God will haue a change in our heads for a man of wicked imaginations he wil condemne saith Salomon Thirdly hee will haue an alteration in our words We must be full of blessing and beware of cursing our speech must be seasoned with the words of grace Fourthly wee must turne to God in respect of our companions Therâ—fore Paul saith Eate not with any brother that is a fornicatour a railer or couetous And Salomon saith Keepe not company with drunkards nor gluâ—tons Bâ—rds of one feather will flie together If thy companions be vicious it may iustly bee feared that thou art not vertuous The Spider and the Serpent cannot agree the Thoes the Lions doe â—ouly iarre the bird Aeguthus doth so much abhorre another bird called Anchus that as some affiâ—me their blood will not mingle together As Salolomon saith accordingly that A wicked man is an abhomination not abhominable vnto the iust and hee that is vpright in his way is an abhâ—mination to the wicked Therefore he that delighteth himself with a wicked maÌ„s company sheweth himselfe either verie wicked or very weake Hee that will turne vnto GOD must change his companions and hate with Dauid the assembly of the euil he must not company with the wicked and haunt with vaine persons but must bee as Dauid was a companion of aâ—l them that feare God and keepe hiâ— precepts Fiftly wee most turne to God in the workes of our hands and in the waies of our feete Dauid sâ—ith I will wash mine hands in innocency O Lord. The wise man saith Let all thy waies be ordered aright remooue thy foote from euill Lastly wee must turne to the Lord here vpon earth The earth must be the place of our turning He that will come to heauen must beginne his race vpon the earth He that will will not turne to God vppon the earth must neuer looke to be receiued into heauen Hee that will not set open the gates of his heart here vpon earth for the King of glory to come in the King of glory will not set open heauen-gates for him to enter in when hee shall be taken from the earth And thus much for this fourth point The fift is when wee must turne Hee which turneth must turne in something and so hee must turne in some time Wee must turne to the Lord without delay Delay breeds danger So soone as wee haue searched and tried our waies wee must turne vnto the Lord. We must in no wise deferre our conuersion For first the Lord seemeth to bee as it were in trauell till wee relinquish our sinnes and turne vnto him O ye foolish saith Wisedome how long wil ye loue foolishnesse turne ye at my correction How long saith God wiâ—t thou sleepe O sluggard When wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe O Ierusalem saith the Lord how long shall thy wicked thoughtes remaine within thee Woe vnto thee O Ierusalem wilt thou not be made cleane when shall it once bee How long wilt thou goe astray O thou rebellious daughter Therefore to deliuer the Lorde out of his paines let vs turne vnto him and repent with speede Secondly the seruice of the Lord is perfect freedome And as Elihu saith If men will serue him they shall ende their daies in prosperitie and their yeares in pleasures Therefore the sooner we enter into his seruice the sooner wee shall be free from men yea free-denisons of new Ierusalem And this is not till wee repent and turne vnto him and â—hen it is Thirdly it is a very absurd and disorderly course for any man to take a noble mans liuery and to weare his recognisance and yet in
the meane time to serue his enemie Beloued the profession of pietie is as it were the Lordes cloath and Baptisme is his badge Shall wee weare his cloath beare his badge shall wee enter into his house and eate his meate and in the meane while serue our lostes and fulfill the fancie of our flesh which is an enemie to God and godlinesse If wee account this course vnreasonable as in deede it is then hauing set our feete within the territories of the Church which is the house of God and hauing taken of him his liuerie and recognisance let vs now cease to serue his enemies and truly turne vnto him The longer wee stay the more vnreasonable wee shewe our selues to be and the more iniurious we are to him Fourthly God doth often withdrawe the outward sigâ—es of his fauour from them which wander from him â—â—d forget to turne againeâ— yâ—a though they bee his deere children Thereâ—ore hee saith that if they breake his sâ—atues hee will then visite their transgression with rods and so he doth vsually As wee therefore feare Gods correction and dread his rods let vs beware of sinning against him and if wee be ouertaken at anytime as who is not let vs without delay repent and recouer our selues A good childe hauing iniustly vexed his father will not be quiet till they be reconciled againe Fiftly when wee liue in sinne and hasten not to turne from it vnto God then we distemper our consciences Were it not then better to returne with speede then either to dull or disquiet them What is more intollerable then a disturbed conscience The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmity but a wounded spirit who can beare it An euill conscience is a mans prison his Iailer his accuser his Iudge yea and executioner also Though a man could dissemble his griefe and seeme to laugh yet euen in that laughing the heart is sorrowfull And though the countenance doe not alway bewray the anguish and agony of the minde perplexed yet The heart knoweth the bitternesse of his soule Now then were it not better for a man with speede to turne then by delay to purchase and procure that to be his foe which hee ought to make his surest friend and deeme a daily delight For a good conscience is a continuall feast and a ioyfull heart which is not without the other maketh a cheerfull countenance Sixtly though God haue pardoned all the sinnes of his children by his decree promise and merits of his sonne yet he doth not actually apply this pardon to their faith and feeling till they do turne vnto him For though I doe forgiue my brother though hee doe not aske forgiuenesse yet I thinke I need not alway tell him so till he doe aske so though God did indeede pardon our sinnes in his decree and in the purpose of his heart yet doth he neuer seale the pardon actually vnto vs till we turne vnto him and desire it The father of the Prodigall sonne did not goe to meete his sonne till his sonne had first determined to returne vnto him Seuenthly there is a day of grace a day of saluation a time wherein God will be found Therefore Esay counselleth vs to seeke the Lorde whiles he may be found and to call vpon whilest hee is neare And Wisedome saith They shall seeke mee early but they shall not finâ—e mee because they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord. Beloued this is the day of saluâ—tion this is the day of obtâ—ining present grace and future glory yet the trumpet or the Gospell is sounded amongst vs yet the Lorde like a Nurse holdeth out his naked breastes vnto vs yet wee heare his voice â—inging in our eares Awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from the dead and Christ shall giue thee light Let vs therefore redeeme the time and serue the season Take the tide which stayes for no man and strike the Iron whiles it is hote it is yet sommer winter will come it is yet light but night draweth on the Sun seâ—meth to descend the shadowes are long Draw neere to God and he will draw neere to you To day if ye heare his voyce harden not your hearts And as Paul saith While wee haue time let vs doe good to all men So I say while we haue time let vs doe this good vnto our selues let vs leaue our sinnes and turne to God He that hath a long iourny to goe and but a little time to finish it in as wee haue will take the day before him and set foote forward betimes Eightly let the ensample of the Saints be considered Dauid was no sooner admonished by Nathan but hee presently repented Peter no sooner considered his hainous offence but hee did relent The Prodigall sonne feeling his smart forthwith resolued to turne home vnto his Father The Niniuites hearing the short but sharpe Sermon of Pâ—ophet Ionah beleeued God and repentâ—d yea their King did immediately vppon his intelligence by proclamation commâ—nd euery man to turne from his euill way And God sawe their workes that they turned from their euill waieâ— The good Iewes hauing heard their sinnes discouered by Peter were presently pricked in their heartes as if his wordes had beene swordes and cried out vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Then Peter saide Amend your liues and be baptized And as the Scripture saith they receiued his wordes gladly Here are hearers indeede happie teachers happy bearers worthy of our imitation But our hearers for the most parte are like brasse and yron their heartes are made of marble insomuch that wee may in some sort say with the Prophet The bellowes are burnt the leade is consumed in the fire the Founder melteth in vaine our oyle is wasted our labour spent vppon them is lost wee light a candle to the walles and speake to the stones for they will not forgoe their drosse part from their sins But the word of the Lord shall not returne voyd but shall accomplish that which he will and shal prosper in the thing whereto hee sent it It must be the sauour of life vnto life by his grace to some and the sauour of death vnto death by their corruption to others The sunne doth whiten flaxe but blacke the face and fire will stiffen clay but soften waxe But I returne from whence I haue digressed To conclude this point Samuel and Timothy and Ioseph began to serue the Lord in their tender yeres Shall wee giue the strength of our dayes vnto Sathan and keeepe our rotten bones and withered age for God Will any man entertaine a seruant that seekes vnto him in his olde age but refused his seruice all his life before though hee was by many messengers desired Can a man be happy to soone Can a man bee holy too soone Young diuells sildome make olde Saintes Though sound repentance bee neuer
loue feareth to displease him and not so much for feare of punishment as the reprobate vse to doe Secondly if he turne because he detesteth sin as an enemy to the glory of God and to the saluation of his owne soule and therefore laboureth with heart and hand against all his sinnes without exception Thirdly if he turne not like the old Israelites of whome the Psalmist saith that when God slew them they returned and sought him early but they flattered him with their mouth for their heart was not vpright with him therefore as many with vs vse to do after their solemne protestations of their repentance in the extreamitie of some sicknesse they fell againe to their old byas and started aside like a deceitfull bow Fiftly wee must turne to the Lord cheerefully and willingly Dauid commands his son Salomon to serue his God with a perfit heart and with a willing mind As we must turne sincerely without simulation so wee must turne cheerefully not heauily willingly not as by constraint As God loueth a cheerefull giuer so hee loueth a cheerefull conuert Feed the flock of God saith Peter caring for it not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind so I say turne to the Lord with care and willingnes of mind not as it were by compulsion or for feare turn readily not being mooued with hope of gaine or credite with men as many doe If there be a willing mind and a cheerefull affection it is accepted yea a coÌ„stant setled wil to turne is of God accounted turning indeede Now this alacrious and willing turning is perceiued two waies First by speedy turning For cheerefulnes will be quicke nimble and speedy not sluggish and lither Dauid saith I made haste delaied not to keep thy commandements so we to shew our selues alacrious conuerts must turne without delay The Spider espying a Serpentlying vnder the shade of the tree where she spinneth maketh presently vnto her and poisoneth her so we must deale with our sins For if they bee but let alone awhile they will get shelter within vs and wil not very easily be remoued like the sea-Dragon which if he be let goe vpon the land maketh with his snowt a hollow trough with admirable celeritie Secondly this cheereful turning is likewise very laborious A willing mind makes a man very painefull He that turnes vnto God cheerefully wil striue exceedingly against his corruptions and labour to please God in all things He will not say with the sluggard there is a Lion in the way a Lion is in the streetes He will not say yet a little sleep a little slumber The slouthfull man turneth vpon his bed as a doore vpon the hinges but so doth not he But hee makes haste to his businesse and is very diligent and painefull in his workes The wicked are actiue liuely forward industrious in working wickednesse wherefore then should not we be painefull and ready to do that which is good as to turne from sinne and returne vnto God Lastly wee must turne to the Lord daily Wee must renew our repentance euery day Reioyce euermore saith Paul and pray continually So I say repent euermore return continually For we do sin daily we transgresse continually we offend euermore So long as we liue vpoÌ„ the earth we shall not be free from sinne we cannot bee free from sinning Therefore we had need to repent and turne to God continually Blessed are those which doe perseuere in turning vnto the ende There is no shame in turning to God all the shame is in turning from him And thus much concerning the sixt point It remaineth now to speake of the seuenth and the last to wit Wherefore we must turne For whosoeuer worketh must in reason propound the end of his worke vnto himselfe And he that will doe any good worke well must doe it not onely in a good maner by good means but also to a good ende The ende why wee must turne to the Lord is double supreme and subordinate greater or lesser The maine and highest end of our turning ought to be the glory of God Therefore Paul saith Whether yâ— eate or drinke or whatsoeuer else ye doe â—oe all to the glory of God The subordinate and inferiour end is manifold First that wee may shewe our selues of the number of Christs sheepe which must all be gathered together into one fold and conuerted from their indirect and crooked waies Secondly that we may gather assurance to our selues of our eternall predestination to perpetuall blessednes and that we are out of the ranke of reprobates whom God hath reiected and prepared for the day of euill Thirdly that we may adorne the profession of Christianitie which wee haue taken vpon vs. Fourthly that wee may stop the mouthes of Atheists Papists and all dissolute and desperate catiues that take vpon them with open mouthes to blaspheme bark against our religion for the sinnes and irregularities of the multitude amongst vs. Fiftly that we may allure men to the liking both of vs and of our contemned profession and also to stir them to conuert and glorifie God Therefore our Sauiour saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in heaueÌ„ And likewise Peter Abstain from fleshly lusts and haue your couersation honest among the Gentils that they which speake euil of you as of euil doers may by your good workes which they shal see glorifie God in the day of visitation This shall suffice for these seuen points and for this doctrine of turning to the Lorde Let vs now see how this doctrine may be applied for our vse and benefit and so we will conclude The vse is either of reprehension or exhortation First the consideratioÌ„ of these things serueth to condemne al those which refuse to turne but wil notwithstanding al admonitions run on without repentance to the dishonour of God the offence of his people the griefe of their friends and destruction of their owne soules These men to vse the words of the Prophet doe draw iniquitie with cords of vanity and sinne as with caâ—tropes These meÌ„ as the Lord speaketh of the Israelites are wise to the diuell but to doe well they haue no knowledge They take great paines to doe wickedly and as Dauid saith of Doeg they loue euil more then good These are the fooles that make but a mock of sinne These are they that esteeme the Prophets words as wind and their mâ—nacies as mockes These like those of whom the Prophet Ieremy speaketh haue made their faces harder then a stone and haue refused to returne A stone will be battered with an hammer and worne in the end with continuall dropping but these men will neither be brused with the hammer of the law nor mollified with the oyly drops of the Gospel which are daily falling vpon them