TWO LEARNED AND GODLY SERMONS, Preached by that reverend and zealous man M. RICHARD GREENHAM: on these parts of Scripture following.  
The first Sermon on this text. 
A good name is to be desired above great riches, and loving favour above silver and gold.  Pro. 22, 1.  
The second Sermon on this text. 
Quench not the spirit.  1. Thessa. 5, 19  
LONDON. Printed by Gabriel Simson and William White, for William jones, dwelling near Holborn Condite at the sign of the Gun: where they are to be sold. 1595.   

Two learned and godly Sermons, preached by that reverend and zealous man, M. Richard Greenham: and the first of them is of this text following.  
A good name is to he desired above great riches, and loving favour above silver and gold.  proverbs. 22.1. 
ALl that is to be desired of a man, is this, that he be virtuous, godly, and truly religious: this because it is in itself most excellent, & most contrary to our nature, therefore the Scripture useth many arguments and reasons to persuade us thereunto: as in this place, where the Wise man would stir us up to the love of Virtue, by setting before our eyes two principal effects and fruits, which we may receive by it. The first of these is, A good name. The second is, Loving favour: both which, as they do proceed from virtue and godliness, so they do maintain and increase one another: for, as a man findeth much favour with those which do speak and report well of him, so those that will show a man loving favour, will, or at the least ought to show it in this, that they can willingly afford him good report. Now, that both these are preferred to great Riches, both these are accounted better than Gold and much Silver: and surely, who so ever is truly wise, will make this account of them: who so ever doth rightly know to discern what is good, he will first and especially labour for them: for, a good name, doth commend us to God, and to his holy Angels, in whose eyes those virtues, whereof a good name doth arise, are most acceptable: but Riches are not able to do this, no, the abundance of silver, is often an occasion of sin, whereby we are cast out of the favour of God. Again, where as riches (especially if they be evilly gotten) do cause men many times to hate us: this good name, and this loving favour, doth win the hearts of many, yea, it doth sometimes cause our enemies to be at peace with us. And this ever hath been, and ever willbe most certain and true, whether we look to prosperity or adversity, whether we look to the common callings of this civil life, or the calling of the Church: for such is the corruption of man's nature, that naturally they do not love the Magistrates that God hath placed over them, but when the Magistrate hath gotten a good report by the due execution of justice, by his pitiful dealing with the poor, and by his fatherly favour to all that be good; then will his subjects love him, then will they embrace him, then will they willingly commit their matters into his hands, and then will they with faithful and friendly hearts cleave and stick fast unto him. To be short, that Lawyer hath most clyantes, that Physician hath most patientes, and that Merchant hath most customers, whose virtuous and godly dealing hath gotten them a good report. In the callings of the Church this also is true: for, if any Preacher by the faithful discharge of his duty, and by his godly life, have once gotten the favour and friendship of men, how gladly will men hear him, how quietly will they be ruled by him, in what simplicity will they make their griefs known unto him, and how careful will they be to procure his good. That Schoolmaster also that hath the name of learning to teach, of discretion to rule, and of godliness to train up his Scholars in the fear of God, he never wants Scholars, but the best men of all sides will flock unto him. Contrary wise, if any of them be discredited through an evil name, if the Magistrate be accounted an oppressor, or a tyrant: if the Lawyer be reported to deal deceitefully, if the Minister be corrupted either in doctrine or in life, if the Schoolmaster be once known to be unsufficient in learning, unwise in governing, profane and of no religion, then will all men be afraid to have any dealings with them: those things are often found true in peace and prosperity; but in adversity, as in the time of war, in the time of sickness, and in the time of want and poverty, they be found most true. Will not all the poor commonly, in the time of war seek some aid at the Magistrate, who in the time of peace did good unto them: nay rather, will they not all with one consent come together to help and defend with all their might, and with life itself, seeing he hath used all good means to save and defend their lives? Contrariwise, how many Kings, how many Captains, how many Magistrates, have even in their greatest needs been left and forsaken of their Subjects and soldiers, because they have too sharply and unmercifully ruled them? And which is more than this, the Subjects have procured the death of their Princes, the Soldiers have laid violent hands upon their Captains, and the tenants have been the first that have laid violent hands upon their Landlords; because no pity, no compassion, no friendship, nor loving favour, hath been showed unto them. Again, if Magistrate, Minister, or Master, or any other man, by exerciseing or executing the duties of love, have won the hearts of the people, and gotten a good name, among them: then, in his sickness they will pray for him, they will visit him, and they will bear with him a part of his grief. Again, what can be more comfortable to a man, than this? This will glad him at the heart, and this will turn his bed in all his sickness: in poverty also he is most & soonest helped, which hath the best name, and hath obtained through virtue, most favour with men: for, good men do consider their own cause in him; therefore are most ready to help him: the evil and ungodly men, although they bore him no great goodwill, yet they are forced to help him, partly, because his godly life doth witness unto their souls, that he doth deserve to be helped, & partly, because the Lord doth turn their hearts to favour him. The Widow therefore that came to Elisha for help, used this argument to persuade Elisha, O man of God, saith she, my husband is dead, and died in debt, but he feared God: therefore help, I pray thee, seeing the creditors are come: and immediately Elisha did help her. On the other side, if a man be evilly reported of, if he be a thief, an adulterer, an atheist, an idolalour, a riotous person, or a man of hard dealing; if such a man be once brought to some low sail, if he once fall into poverty and need, than the hearts of men are shut up against him, no man doth pity him, & all men will see, and say, that his own sin is brought upon him: and this hath the testimony of the Prophets, who did often threaten such kind of punishment to ungodly men, so that no man shall say, Ah my father, or, ah my mother: but the whole should be glad of their departure. This did the heathen people see in some part, and therefore all of them did greatly desire a good name: and as every one of them excelled in strength, and in courage, or in wit, or any kind of knowledge, so they did labour by that thing, to get some credit to themselves. And to conclude this point, though a man have many good things in him, though a Magistrate do fear God greatly, though a Minister be excellent in many points, though a Physician or Lawyer be skilful in their profession, yet if they have not a good name, they can do little good with their gifts. All this doth teach us, that in deed it is true which Solomon saith here, that a good name, is to be chosen above great Riches: and that loving favour, is better than silver and gold. Now the instructions that we may gather out of this place, be these two: The fiirst is, that we ought not to hurt our neighbour above all things in his good name: and therefore the Lord in his law ordained, that he which doth such a thing, should have the same punishment which he purposed to bring upon an other. Men would be loath to steal the goods of any man from him; and yet the good name of a man, is more worth than all the Riches in the world: therefore, if any man by raising up false reports, do impair his brother's credit, he doth hurt him more, and sinneth more grossly & grievously, then if he had taken away his lands and his livings, his corn or his cattle, or any other thing that he hath: and though the things be false which he reporteth, he sinneth never the less, for after that time, even good men will be more suspicious, and the wicked will not let it go out of their minds: but if it be against a Preacher, or a professor of the truth, than it is a great sin, because the very gospel of God is discredited thereby. The second instruction is this, That we must be careful by all good means, to get and maintain our own good name. For, if it be a sin to discredit an other man; then much more is it a sin to discredit ourselves. If we be charged to further the good name of our brother, then are we straightly commanded to help forward our own, as much as we be able: than it can not be without great sin, that a man should cast off all care of his own credit. The very heathen saw this to be a fault, & they did commonly say, That who so ever regardeth not the report of men, he is dissolute in deed, and hath in effect, lost the nature of man. And therefore we may well say, that he is without all hope of amendment, which is not brought to some remorse or sorrow, which with a shameless face, can face out sin, and which hath adders ears and will not hear, charm the charmer never so wisely: as then, a shameless face openeth a door to all ungodliness, so due care of credit, causeth a man to be careful of his ways. Who so ever therefore will live godly, he must safely provide for his good name. Seeing these things be so, it shallbe profitable to consider how this good name may be gotten, and preserved. And again, if we be discredited, what use and profit we must make of it. For the first, it is certain, that seeing fame and honest report be good things, and therefore they must needs arise and spring of those things that are good; as of virtue, godliness, & good religion. Now, whereas here Turks, and such ungodly men have great favour amongst the people, and be well reported of, this in deed is no good name, because it ariseth not of goodness, it is only a vain applause of the simple people: Nay, it is the great and fierce wrath of God upon them, though they neither see nor perceive that, when they be well spoken off for their evil deeds: for, by this means, they be hardoned in their sin, by this means they be hindered and holden from repentance: then the which, there is not a greater punishment under the Sun: Such a name then is not to be desired, nay, we ought rather to pray against such a name. And if we willbe famous and of good report, then let us take heed that we seek it by goodness and virtue, and then it willbe a good name in deed. But let us weigh these things more particularly, and let us know, that the first step unto a good name, is the careful and continual avoidance of evil, both outward & inward: in outward and gross evils, we must first beware of all evil general: which thing if we be not careful to do, then will our good name be soon impaired. Secondly, we must narrowly look unto some special sins, whereunto our nature is most inclinable and subject: for, as one dead Fly corrupteth one whole box of ointment, though it be most precious: so, some one sin, doth often crack the credit of a man, though otherwise he hath been well reported off. And if it behoveth all men thus nearly to look to their ways, then much more it is needful, that every child of God should do so: for, the world through the hatred it beareth to them, dealeth with them as it doth with Witches & Physicians: the Witch though she fail in twenty things, yet if she do some one thing aright, though it be but small, the world loveth and commendeth her for a good and a wise woman: but the Physician, though he work five hundred cures, yet if through the waywardness of his patient, or for the punishment of his patientes sins, he fail but in one, that one fail, doth more turn to his discredit, than his manifold, goodly, and notable cures, do get him praise: in this manner doth the world deal with men. If a worldly man have but an outward gift of strength, of speech, of comeliness, he shallbe greatly praised, & counted a goodly man, though he swim and flow over in all manner of vices. But let the child of God be truly zealous in true religion, let him be honest & holy in conversation, yet if there be but some one infirmity in him; or, if he have through weakness fallen once into some one sin, that one infirmity against which he striveth, that one sin for the which he is grieved, shall drown all the graces of God in him, be they never so great, and the world will account him a most wicked man. Seeing then that this is the enmity of the world against God's people, how warily ought they to walk in so crooked and so froward a generation: and hereof they must be so much the more careful, because the wicked by such slips and infirmities, will not only take occasion to discredit them, but even to speak evil of all their profession, yea, and to blaspheme the glorious word of God, and his eternal truth. Then, if we be careful of our own good name, if we have any zeal of God his glory, if we have any care of the world, if we have any love of the saints, then let us carefully shun all and every infirmity whereby God's name is dishonoured, his glorious Gospel blasphemed, his children grieved, and we ourselves discredited amongst the wicked. And thus much for the open and outward sin.  
As open and outward sin, committed in the sight of man, hath always the punishment of an ill name joined with it: so also secret sins, which are hidden as it were, in the dark corners of our hearts, do bring us out of favour and credit with God, and when we are out of credit with him, then doth he further make our sins known unto men, for our further discredit: For, nothing is so hidden, which shall not be brought to light, and nothing so secret, which shall not be discovered, even in the sight of the world. And that we may be the further persuaded of this, let us all know of a surety, that the Lord hath many means to bring such things to light. For, he can make the fields to have eyes to see our wickedness, he can make the woods to have ears to hear our ungodly counsels: yea, he can cause the walls of our bedchambers, to bear witness against us of our sins committed upon our beds: if this will not serve, he can go further, and cause our friends to fall out with us, and the men of our counsel to bewray our wickedness, and though we had not any such purpose, when we make him privy to our devices, yet in displeasure, the Lord doth cause him all at once to break out the matter: yea, rather than thou shouldest bear no reproach for thy secret sins, the Lord will cause thine own mouth to testify against thee, and thine own words shall get thee discredit: For, either unawares thou shalt bewray thyself, or, in thy sleep by dreams, thou shalt make the thing known, or, in thy sickness thou shalt rave of it, or in some frenzy, thou shalt vomit it out, or else the torment of thy evil conscience shallbe so sharp, that even to thine own shame and confusion, thou shalt confess thy fault. Last of all, when thou thinkest or devisest evil against thy neighbour, though it be never so secretly, yet besides all the former, the Lord hath an other means, whereby he will bring thee to discredit for it; and this is a very vehement suspicion, raised up in the heart of him, of whom thou deemest this evil▪ for, as it often cometh to pass, that good motions which arise secretly in the mind, for the good of others, do cause that other men do think well of thee, though they did never hear of them: so doubtless doth it come to pass in evil motions. Thou devisest evil against another, he in some strange manner hath a heart burning, and jealousy over thee. Thou thinkest hardly of another man, & he also is hardly persuaded of thee: Thus the lord doth cause thee to be discredited in the hearts of others, as thou meanest evil against others in thy heart. True it is, that the party may sin, and do very ill, if he suspect without just cause: and in as much as he doth thus suspect, through an immoderate love of himself: yet, the work of the Lord is here sometime to be considered, who seeing the cause to be just, doth stir up such suspicions in his mind. Then, to return to our purpose; If we will avoid an evil name, than we must avoid all evil surmises and devices against others: and this the Scripture doth also forbid us. For, Eccle. 7. the wise man, from the mounth of God, doth forbid us, to think ill of the King in our bed chambers, because that birds, and other dumb creatures, shall disclose the thing, rather than it shallbe kept close. This than must make us afraid to do evil, or imagine ill on our bed, or to declare our deep counsels, even unto them that lie in our bosoms: and this, as it is a good means to provide for a good name, so it is a special rule of all godliness, when we be afraid, not of open sins alone, but even of the secret cogitations of the heart. Thus we have heard the first step that leadeth to a good name. The second remaineth to be declared, and that is, a godly jealousy over a man's own doings, that they may not breed suspicion of evil. For it doth often come to pass, that albeit a man do not that, which is simply evil: yet he may justly be suspected, and suffer some blemish in his good name: and for this cause doth the Apostle charge us, To procure honest things in the sight of God and man. For this cause he commandeth us, that If there be any thing honest, or, If there be any thing of good report, that we must follow, and that we must embrace. It is not enough therefore, that men do say, I did think no evil, I mean no harm. For if through want of care, or of discretion, thou have ventured upon the occasion, thou hast given great matter of evil speeches, to thy great discredit. If then we will avoid this evil name, we must avoid all things that bring it: For, when men will care little to give occasion, than the Lord doth cause an evil report to be laid upon them, that those which in deed are desperate, may suffer just discredit, and they that be otherwise, may be reclaimed from the same. And surely, such is the crookedness of man's nature, that if the Lord should not take this course, even his children would fall into many sins: therefore it is most requisite, that men be mindfullto avoid occasions, and so much the rather, because, as it is commonly said, Either God or the Devil stand at thy elbow to work upon thee. Let us see this in some example of our common life. Thou art a night goer, walking abroad at inconvenient times; at that time some thing is stolen, and thou art burdened & charged with it. Again, thou usest to deal too familiarly and lightly with a Maid, she is gotten with child, and the fault is laid on thee: hereof thou hast given suspicion, because thou hast been a night goer, and such a one as hast dealt wanton with the Maid, albeit thou be free from the very fact. Now, if thou be the child of God, and if thou be guided by his good spirit, then will he teach thee to take profit by this false report, and to say thus with thyself: Lord, thou knowest that I am clear from this very act, yet it was my sin to give any such occasion, whereby men might suspect me; this sin, O Lord, I am guyly of, and I know, thou, for this sin hast afflicted me justly, yet dear father, I see thy mercy in this, that whereas in deed, I have committed many sins, thou hast passed over them, and taken this, whereof I am not so much guilty: so that now merciful father, I do rather suffer for righteousness, then for my transgression and my sin: yea, holy father, I do behold thy tender mercy in this towards me, that by this evil report, thou goest about to stay me from the sin, and to prevent me, that I may never fall into the same: wherefore, seeing it hath been thy good pleasure to deal thus with me: behold Lord, I do repent me of my former sins, and promise before thee, even in thy fear, neither to do this, nor the like sin hereafter. See here, I beseech you, the good profit which a good child of God, through God's spirit, will take of this slanderous reproach, after he hath received some godly sorrow, for giving the occasion of that report. But behold the contrary work of Satan in the heart of unbelievers, for he will soon teach them their lesson, and cause them to say thus: What, doth the churl accuse me without a cause, doth he father such a villainous act upon me, who never deserved it at his hands? surely he shall not say so for nought, I will make his saying true, and will do the thing in deed. Consider then this, you that fear the Lord, and see in how tickelysh state they do stand, which have given occasion, and in what great danger they be to be brought to, to commit the same, or like sin afterward. Therefore, if any man willbe sure to keep his good name, then must he keep himself from all such occasions, as in any wise might impair or hinder it. And this much for this second step, whereby we rise to a good name.  
Thus we have heard of two degrees toward a good name, in the avoiding of evil, and the occasions thereof. And these in deed, have a great force to stay an evil name: but surely, they be not able to build up a good name, & credit among men. To these therefore there must be added a third thing, which hath most special force to this purpose, and that is, that we be plentiful in good works. This doth our saviour charge us to be careful of, when he saith, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works. Many men repine at the good report of an other man, and they be greatly grieved, because they themselves be not in the like, or some greater credit: But alas, they should rather be grieved at themselves, because the fault is in them: For, they regard not to do good, they are careless of good works, and therefore the Lord is careless of them and their credit. Well then, he that will be commended, must do the things that be commendable; he must do good works, yea, he must do good, and pursue it: yet we must know, that it is not one good work, nor two, nor three, that can gain us a good name in deed: but it is required of us, that we be rich in well doing, and continually given to every good work. For as precious ointment (whereunto a good name is lykoned) is made of many and most excellent simples: so a good name cannot be gotten, but by many and most excellent virtues. Now when we feel ourselves affected to good, and to all manner of goodness, then are we warily to see to two things. First, that all our works be done with a simple and sincere affection: secondly, that they be done with good discretion. For when a thing is done undiscreetely, and without advice, it looseth the grace and beauty of the deed: and therefore, though the thing be good, yet no great praise doth come of it, because it was not done with good discretion: likewise, when men do things with sinister affections, and to some other end, then to the glory of God, they do commonly lose the price of their doings: and hereof it cometh to pass, that many men, which do good works to merit by them, or to win the favour of their superiors, or to be of good report amongst the people, or to some such other end: when I say, men do things to this end, the Lord punisheth them with the contrary: and in stead of deserving glory, he poureth confusion upon them: in stead of honour, he giveth contempt: and in stead of riches, beggary. And albeit men may pretend the glory of God, and face out their wickedness with a fresh colour, yet the Lord will bring their wickedness to light. And truly it is marvelous to see, how the Lord layeth folly upon such men, so that although that in their wisdom, they think to blear the eyes of all men, yet the simple sort doth behold their foolish shifts, to their discredit: therefore when thou hast done well, and yet art ill reported off, do not strait way storm against him which hath raised up this report on the: neither do thou over hastily clear thyself; but rather before the Lord examine thine own heart, and see with what affection thou hast done it. And if we find wickedness in our hearts, then let us be humbled before the Lord, and know, that he hath caused us to be thus evil spoken off: first, to correct, and secondly to try us. For, when the Lord doth see us, like Scribes and Pharisees seeking rewards, than he doth punish us, with the loss of our labour, and with shame among men, to see if thereby he can bring us to the fight of sin, which before, we neither would, nor could see. And again, when we have thus done, he doth try us, whether there be any goodness in our hearts, which may move us to continue in well doing, notwithstanding we be evil spoken off. Hear than we see what fruit we must make of such reports, namely, they must first bring us to a sight and feeling of our sins: and secondly, they must cause us with great uprightness to continue in well doing. True it is, that a man may be accused, to have had this or that purpose in his doings, although he have done the things in the simplicity of his heart: but when a man through examination doth find his heart upright, than he receiveth great comfort by it, than he may commend him self unto the Lord, and his cause into his hands, for the Lord maintaineth good tongues and hearts: but he will cut out the tongue that speaketh lies. He will cause the righteousness of the righteous to shine as the noon day, and as the Sun after a cloud: but the wicked shallbe covered with their own confusion, as with a cloak. This shall the godly see, and rejoice therein: but the mouth of the wicked shallbe stopped. Thus we have run through these things, whereby a good name may be gotten: and not only that, but whereby a man may be preserved in a good name, and credit: and therefore surely more to be regarded and observed of us. For, first of all we see what force the good credit of the reformed Churches hath to persuade men to embrace truth, and how soon men willbe moved to continue steadfast, when they see the steadfast continuance of good men in all godliness. Again, we know what great offence is given to the weak, when whole churches, or some particular persons, do not stand in credit, nor maintain by goodness their good name, which they had gotten by great virtues. The very heathen did see this, and therefore they say, it was as great a praise to keep praise, as to get it: yea, and when they saw what great inconvenience it would arise, when men did not satisfy the expectation of the people, they thought much better never to have any good report among men, then to lose it after it had been gotten: therefore, to shut up this whole matter in one word; if any man, if any household, if any town, if any country, be careful to have an honest report amongst men, than they must eschew evil and do good, then must they seek peace, and pursue it: and if once having gotten a good name, they would gladly keep it, then they must use the same means. etc. so shall they have it both of God and man. Now, because men do suffer much discredit, and are very ill reported of amongst men, it shallbe good to consider what profit and use we may make of such reproaches, and evil reports; and this we shall do the better, if we consider and know, upon what grounds these reproaches do arise. First therefore we must learn, that men may be ill reported of, either for evil, or well doing. When men therefore are evil spoken of, they must try first whether it be for evil, or good: and, if it be for evil, then must they go a degree further, to find whether it be for some evil work which they have committed, or for some occasion which they have given: When a man is evil reported of for some evil deed he hath done, that evil deene of his is either manifestly known, or else unknown. And sure it is a thing most common amongst men, to suffer discredit for open and gross sins, yet very few do rightly profit by it: For, some are shameless, and care not what men say of them, and therefore in deed are unfit to receive any profit by such reports: therefore after the most sharp and seveere censure of the Church, they must be committed to the hands of the Magistrate, to be punished in the purse and the body: and yet surely, such are their whorish faces, that there is small hope of amendment in them. For, it doth often come to pass, that they which will not profit by the Church, can not receive profit by the Magistrate. Therefore after all this, they must be left to the Lord to work, if it be his will, by some extraordinary means upon their hearts, which are exceedingly hardoned. Other some there be, who being put to open shame, are sorrowful in deed: but this sorrow is, because they sustain open shame, rather than for this, that they have sinned against the Lord. These are in some degree better than the former, and yet they come not so far as they ought to do: For the devil having bewitched them, doth persuade them, that it is no such matter as men would make it, and that as a wonder lasteth but nine days, so this shame shallbe of no longer continuance. Thus they are letted, so that the shame can not sink into their hearts, there to work godly sorrow, which may bring forth unfeigned repentance. This is daily seen in thieves and Whores, and such like malefactors, who though they make large promises of amendment, yet the punishment being passed, they fall into their former filthiness again: but some think, that they do dissemble, and deal deceitefully: but I think, that they think as they speak, and that they speak with sorrow and grief. For, will a Thief purpose to steal again, when he is to be hanged? Will a child purpose to play the wanton, when he is a beating? no doubtless: but in the one, there is chyldishnesse to speak without advice; in the other, is servileness, to be moved with nothing but present fear. I grant in deed, that there is hipocrasie in them: yet that gross hipocrasie, whereby men labour to deceive others, is not in them: but that most close and most dangerous hipocrasie, whereby the devil hath beguiled their own hearts through his subtlety. This witchery of the devil, I say, is the cause why many promising amendment, do not perform the same. Thus we see how men do miss of that profit, which ought to be reaped of open shame. We therefore are to take a better course, and to labour, that as our faces do blush before men, so our souls may be confounded before the Lord: that being thoroughly humbled under his hand by godly sorrow, it may please him in mercy, to raise us up. Now, if we doubt whether our sorrow be sound or no, let us try it by these two rules. First, whether we can with contented minds, take the punishment as a correction from the Lord, and yet mourn and be grieved for the sin: and yet in such manner, as giving place to God's justice in punishing, we can labour for mercy in the forgiveness of sins. Secondly, either when we could keep the sin close, we can yet with David, freely confess, and say, Against thee O Lord, have I sinned. This if we can do, it is a sure argument that our sorrow is godly, and that we have profited well by that reproach which our sin did bring upon us. As the sin is sometime so evident, that it can not be covered: so again, the sin in deed may be committed, and yet either not known, nor suspected, or else probable by suspicions: when the sin is in this case, the Lord may cause a man that hath so sinned, to be accused, or evil spoken of for that sin. Hear the party offending, must first learn to deal wisely, and in such manner, as the sin may be kept close still, if it may be done without any other sin. But if an oath of the Lord be required, then if we give God the glory, though it be with our own shame, and confess the fault. Secondly, that for the profit that must be made of such reports, we must learn with thankful hearts to receive this merciful chastisement of the Lord, and acknowledge it to his praise, for he might have punished us for those sins, which were manifest, yet he hath passed over them: he might have made these known, but he spared our name and our credit: therefore, for a second fruit, this mercy of the Lord, must lead us to repentance, and to an earnest sorrow for all our sins. For it were too too gross, that we should continue in sin, because we can not be convicted of sin: For if the Lord did not mislike thy sin, why should he raise such a report on thee? Why should he save thy good name, if he were not minded to show thee mercy? And if he would not have thee, with all thy heart to repent thee of all thy sins, why doth he whip thy naked conscience for sin? Therefore if by this loving kindness, we be not led unto repentance, verily it will be a sin that shall not escape unpunished. Thus we have heard, how an evil name doth arise of sin committed, and what profit must be taken hereof. Now let us further consider, how a man must profit by an evil name, not when he hath deserved it by some sin, but when he hath only failed in this, that he hath given occasion to be suspected of any evil. This occasion is of two sort: First, when either good duties are either altogether omitted, or done with a grudging mind, or as it were of constraint. This report must teach thee, that although thou be not so evil as men would make thee, yet thou art not so good, as thou oughtest to be. Therefore by this thou must learn to be more careful of doing good, so to do it with greater and better courage: for the Lord loveth a cheerful giver. The second occasion is inward, which although no man can find out, yet the Lord for thy good, doth cause me to speak evil of thee for it. This inward occasion is, when thy heart hath either given some full consent to do evil, or at least hath much wandered in thinking of it. Hear the Lord doth take the time, and suffereth men to report of thee, that thou hast done that, which indeed thou hast not done; yet in thy heart thou hast taken pleasure in it. Then the way to profit by this, is, to confess the goodness of the Lord, who will not have thee to fall into such sin, as might deserve discredit. For, such is the nature of man, that if an evil thought do long tarry in the mind, it willbe hardly restrained, before it come to the outward act. Again, by this report thus raised on us, we must take occasion to call back ourselves, if we have consented to evil, and with grief to be sorrowful for it: or, if we have not as yet consented, we must labour to repress the heat of our affections, and quench them by the moisture of the word. And thus much shallbe sufficient for those reports, which arise of some just grounds and occasions. The last point to be handled in this whole case is, to see what use must be made of those reports, which be altogether false, and have neither ground nor good beginning. For, it may come to pass, that when a man hath avoided evil, and done good: when he hath shunned the occasion of evil, and done all good with a cheerful heart, yet he may be very ill reported of, and his good name hindered. Now if this doth befall any man, he must know, that it is the Lord his doing, and that the Lord doth it, either to correct sin, or else to prevent it: the Lord I say, doth by this means, sometime correct sin, either in the same kind, or in some other. In the same kind he dealeth thus: he suffereth thee to be counted an adulterer, yet thou dost now live chastened, and hatest that filthy sin. But, than he seethe that thou hast either been an adulterer, and hast not repent at all: Or, if thou hast suddenly repent, yet now thou beginnest to fail, and to cool in the hatred of that sin. Again, if after examination, thou find thyself clear in that sin: yet know, that the Lord, by that report, doth correct some sin quite contrary unto it: as, if thou shouldest be accused, because thou lovest not thy wife, whereas in deed thou lovest her too well. Or else otherwise: He causeth thee to be counted an adulterer, that thou mightest be brought to see thy covetous heart: and to say all in one word, we shall never make true use of reports, until we have been brought to see, and repent of some particular sin, which either we saw not before, or else had not thoroughly repent of. Furthermore, it may come to pass, that we having done all good duties, avoided all evil, and examined our repentance, even for particular sins, yet shall we be evil spoken of amongst men: Here we must know, that the Lord by reports, doth forewarn us of evil to come. We are reported to be of the Family of love: hereby we are warned to take heed, that we fall not into the sin: And so forth of other reports, when any such reports are carried about of us, we must be made so much the more wary, that we fall not into that sin: and according to the Apostles rule, We must labour to finish the course of our salvation in fear. Which, that we may do, the Lord grant for his Christ's sake, to whom be praise for ever in the Church. Amen.  
FINIS.  
Richard Greenham.   

Here followeth the second Sermon, as it was preached by M. Richard Greenham. The text as followeth.  
Quench not the spirit.  1. Thessa. 5.19. 
ALl the doctrine of the Scriptures may be briefly referred to these two heads. First how we may be prepared to receive the spirit of God. Secondly, how the spirit may be retained when we have once received it. And therefore S. Paul having laboured to instruct the Thessalonians, in the former part of this Epistle, how they may receive the spirit, doth here teach them how to keep and continue this spirit unto the end: and this the Apostle doth by giving them a charge and commandment, that in no wise they do quench the spirit: therefore doubtless teaching, that as the sunning of evil, is the first step unto goodness; so the ready way to continue the spirit of God in our hearts, is to labour that it be not quenched. Now the Apostle upon a great and weighty consideration, doth here deliver this precept. For first of all, though all those be worthily and justly condemned, that never tasted of the spirit of God: yet as our saviour Christ saith, A more just and fearful condemnation is like to come upon them, that having once received it, doth afterwards lose the same. Moreover, without this spirit of God, no holy exercise can have his full effect: For, the word worketh not, where the spirit is wanting, prayers have no power to pierce before the presence of God, the sacraments seem small and silly things in our eyes, and all other orders, & exercises which God hath granted and ordained for man. They are unprofitable to man, where the spirit is not present to convey them into our hearts, there to sceale up the fruit of them. Last of all, wear fit to receive no good grace at God's hands: nay, we do not esteem God's graces, when we have not the spirit to teach us, to set a due price of them: for, speak of the Law, of the Gospel, of sin, of righteousness: speak of Christ, or of our redemption, & justification by him: yea, speak of that high and weighty heavens, of glory wherewith the elect shallbe crowned; all this moveth not, we are little affected therewith, unless God give us of this good spirit, to profit by the same. The Apostle therefore with good reason, gave this precept, and we for many causes, are to listen unto it, least by any means the spirit of God be quenched in us, and so we deprive ourselves of all the fruits. Now whereas the Apostle saith, Quench not the spirit, it may appear he speaketh to those that had already received it. For, as the fire can not be said to be quenched, where it is not: so they can not be said to quench or lose the spirit, which have not as yet received the spirit. Then know, that this precept doth properly belong to them, that have received the spirit of God, and they especially are to make a special use of it: for the other, it can not profit them, unless that, as the seed lying in the ground a long time, doth afterward bud and become fruitful, so they continue in their minds, till they have tasted (in some good sort) of the spirit of God, and then breed in them some carefulness, that they do not quench it. Well then, to them that have felt and found the spirit of God in them, to them saith S. Paul in this place: Take heed, that ye quench not the spirit. Of this, if we do somewhat seriously consider, these questions will offer themselves, and soon arise in our minds. First, how we may know whether we have the spirit of God, or no. Secondly, if we have it, whether it may be lost or no: which if they be well and sufficiently considered, will doubtless give great force to this precept. For the first, if we will know whether we have the spirit or no, we must surely understand, that as he knoweth that he hath life, which feeleth it in himself: so he best knoweth whether he have the spirit of God, that feeleth the spirit working in him. If we will further know, by the peculiar working and effects of the spirit, then let us mark these. First of all, if there be nothing in man, but the nature of man; if nothing but that may be obtained by the nature and industry of a man, then surely in that man, is not the spirit of God: for the spirit is from God, it is from above, it is above nature: and therefore the Apostle doth set the spirit of God, against the spirit of the world, when he saith: We have received the spirit not of the world, but of God. Beside, the spirit of God is eternal, and endureth for ever: but all the doings and devices of men they perish, and in time have an end. Therefore though a man have wisdom with great knowledge, though in wit and skill he pass and excel the common sort of men: yet, if from above he have not been inlyghtned, if from heaven his wisdom be not sanctified, his knowledge shall decay, his wisdom wither like grass, and as yet he hath not tasted of the spirit of God, that endureth for ever. And therefore saith S. Paul: We teach the mysteries of God, which none, no not the Princes, and the men of this world, which are above others most excellent, are not able to understand. Secondly, consider whether there be in thee any alteration or change: for the wise men that were expert in nature, could say, That in every generation there is a corruption: so that as seed in the ground, so sin in our natural body should decay, that the new man might be raised up, the spirit of God taking possession in our souls. Therefore the Evangelist john doth make this, the first work of the spirit, that it shall rebuke the world of sin: and this so needful, that without it, there is not the spirit of God, neither yet can Christ come and enter into that man. Hereof it was that Christ compared the jews to Children in the market place, who would not dance, though they were piped unto: and the reason was, because they had not first learned with john to mourn: for they that by the preaching of john, learned to lament their sins, for their sins were pensive, nay rather their own souls, they received Christ, they danced and rejoiced to hear the joyful tidings of the Gospel. Therefore Christ saith, That the Whores and Harlots entered into the kingdom of heaven (seeing they lamented their sins) before the proud Pharisees, which with no remorse were touched for their sins. And for the same cause it is, that Christ calleth unto him, them only that labour, and are heavy laden: teaching them, that if they find not sin a heavy load and burden to them, they have not the spirit of God, neither are they fit to receive Christ. Then to be rebuked of sin, is the first work of the spirit, which the spirit worketh in us by these degrees. First, it raiseth upon us a great and general astonishment, because of all these great and grievous sins that we have committed, and this doth strike us down, it doth terrify us, and hold us amazed wonderfully: than it dealeth with us more particularly; and besides that, it bringeth us unto a special grief for special sins, doth bereave us of our chief desires, and bringeth us out of conceit of the best things that are in us: for, than it doth display unto us the vanity and darkness of our understanding, how unfit and unmeet we are to understand and conceive the things, that do above all others especially concern us: then doth it let us see the perverse corruption of our judgement, that before God, and in things belonging to God, we be bruit beasts, not able to discern things that differ, nor to put a sound difference between good and evil: then doth it let us see that our reason is unreasonable, nay that it is hurtful unto us, a great enemy to faith, and a great patron of infidelity and unbelief. When it cometh to our affections, it turneth them upside down, it turneth our mirth into mourning, and pleasure into painfulness, and our great delight into most bitter grief: If it proceed further, and come once to the heart, and to the stomach and courage that is in us, than it cutteth us to the quick, then doth it at once throw us down in humility under the hand of God: for, while we had to deal with men, we were as stout as any, and would not start for the best. We had reason to see for ourselves, and courage to defend ourselves against all them that did deal with us: but now the spirit draweth us into the presence of God, it letteth us see that we have to do with God, and that our strength is weakness in respect of him. Then our hearts begin to fail us, then do we lay our hands on our mouths, and dare not answer, then do we quickly take up our cross, because the Lord himself hath done it. Behold here now the spirit worketh, behold how sin is corrected: and who so can behold here this in himself, may assuredly say, that the spirit of God is in him, that it is not in vain in him, it is mighty and lively in operation in his heart. And the third note and effect, is the bringing forward of this work unto justification: for when as the spirit hath brought us thus far, then doth it begin to open unto us a door unto the graces & favour of God: it doth put it into our minds, that there is mercy with God, and therefore stirreth us up to seek mercy at his hands: after that, it doth let us see how Christ suffered, to take away the sins of the world, that in the righteousness of Christ, we may look to be justified before God: And this it doth not let us see only, but doth effectually work a sure persuasion of it in our hearts, and confirmeth the same by two notable effects. The first is, a joy unspeakable and glorious, wherewith our hearts must needs be taken up and ravished, when we see ourselves by the righteousness of Christ, the free mercy and grace of God, redeemed from death, delivered from hell, and freed from the condition of the wicked. The second is the peace of conscience: which in deed, passeth all understanding. While sin, and the guilt of sin remained, there was no peace, no rest, no quietness to be found, but fear, with terrors without, and troubles on every side: But when sin is once nailed to the cross of Christ, when the guilt of sin is taken out of our consciences, and the punishment thereof far removed, then must needs ensue great peace: for our enemies dare not proceed against us, our sins are forgiven us, and God is at one with us: and for this, we have the warrant and testimony of the spirit. Can flesh and blood persuade us of it? can any creature assure us how God is affected towards us? no doubtless. And therefore where this joy and this peace is, there must needs be the holy ghost, the author and worker of the same: for as no man knoweth what is in man, but the spirit of man which is in him: so none knoweth the will of God, but the spirit of God, and therefore it is the spirit of God that must certify our hearts and spirits of the same. And hereof doth arise that, which we take as the note, when we see in ourselves, to wit, the baseness and unableness that is in us to do good: for when a man doth find favour with God, from the forgiveness of sins, than the love of God constraineth him, that joy which he conceiveth enforceth him, and putteth life into him, for the performance of these things, which are pleasing unto God: then he beginneth to find himself not only retained from evil, but applied and framed to that which is good, then is his understanding enlightened, to see into the mysteries of godliness, and into the great rock of his redemption, and into whatsoever concerneth the saving health of his soul: then is his judgement reform, and he is made able to judge between false religion and pure, between the works of the flesh and the spirit, that which is good and that which is evil, and displeasing in the sight of God. Then are his affections in some good measure altered, his desire is set, not upon earthly, but upon heavenly things, his joys are not in the earth, but in the heavens, his anger is wasted and spent, not upon his own private cause and quarrels, but upon his own sins, and whatsoever hindereth the glory of his God: This is the life of God in him; thus he liveth that hath received the spirit, and thus he leadeth his life continually: for they that have received the spirit, are led by the spirit, and do live accordingly, bringing forth the fruits of the spirit. But this hath weakness joined with it, and men through frailty may fall, and therefore their life is said To be hid in Christ, because in full and perfect manner it doth not appear: therefore if notwithstanding these frailties and falls, we will know whether we still retain the spirit of God, we must search ourselves, and try our hearts by these rules. First, if through frailty we have fallen (for who is he that falleth not?) If we will then know whether by our fall we have lost the spirit of God, let us see what liking, or misliking we have of sin: for, if after our fall, we do hold our form hatred of sin, and the more we fall, the more through deadly hatred we conceive against sin, undoubtedly the frailty hath not as yet deprived us of the spirit. Secondly, come and see how it standeth with thy sorrow: for so long as this sorrow increaseth for thy sins, it cannot be thought that sin and the flesh, hath utterly quenched the spirit in thee. Thirdly, try thy care: and if thou groan in a godly care, both how thou mayst be able to wage battle in the plain field with sin, and how thou mayst prevent him in all his policies, thou hast a further assurance that sin, although it be as great as Goliath, yet it hath not prevailed against thy poor and little David, I say, against those few and small graces, which the good spirtie of God hath bestowed upon thee: but the last, it is most certain: and that is this. When thou art careful to redeem that, which by thy fall thou hast lost, and hast a care to run so much faster forward, by how much more thou hast been letted by thy fall: than it doth appear that the spirit is in thee, yea lively and mighty in operation, and such as shall never be taken from the, until the day of Christ. Thus may we in some good and competent measure prove, whether we have the spirit of God or no: for where the fruits are to be found, there is also the spirit of God. For further confirmation whereof, we may note the manner of speech, where he saith, Quench not the spirit. We do commonly say, the fire is quenched, where the light and heat there of is taken away, and in deed nothing can properly be said to be quenched, but the fire. Now whereas the Apostle saith, quench not the spirit, he giveth us to understand, that the spirit is in some respect like unto fire: therefore if we do but a little consider of the nature of fire, we shall the better judge of the spirit. And among others, we find these properties of fire. First, it will consume things consumeable: and therefore lighting upon straw or stubble, or such like, it bringeth them to ashes. Secondly, it doth purge and purify those things that can abide to be purged: and this it doth, first by taking away the superfluity of dross, that hath over covered the thing to be purged. Secondly, by making the thing itself purer & purer: Thirdly, it giveth light in the darkest places: But last of all, it giveth heat, and doth as it were withal, put life into those things, which are capable of life: for whilst a man is frozen and starved for cold, he is numbde, and as it were without life: but being brought to the fire, he is hot, he is revived, he is cheered, and then become active and nimble: these are the properties of fire, and these do in some manner part resemble unto us the works of the spirit: for when the spirit of God seizeth upon a man, and then entereth into his soul, than it beginneth to waste and consume in him those noisome lusts, and other stubble which is in him. Secondly, it doth purge us from gross sins, and daily more and more fume us, that we may be a clean and holy Temple for him to dwell in. Thirdly, it is a shining light, ever burning and continually giving light unto us, in that way which we have to walk. And lastly, heateth and inflameth in us zeal of God's glory, with a care of our duty, and with a love of all mankind: yea, withal it putteth life and lust into us, to walk in that good way in which it doth lead us, and do all those good works by the which we may glorify God, and be commodious to men. Thus we see what likelihood there is between the spirit and fire, nay it is called fire: for john saith, That Christ should baptize with the holy ghost, and with fire: that is, with the holy ghost, which is like fire: Therefore, as truly as we may say there is fire, where we see straw and such like things consumed, or gold and silver finely purged, or great light in dark places, or great heat in bodies that were numbed before; even so certainly we may persuade ourselves, that the spirit of God is in us, when we see the corruption that is in us consumed, our souls purged from the dross of sin, our hearts inlyghtned and made hot in walking, and working according to the light. The second question to be considered is, whether that man which hath once tasted of the spirit, may lose it, and have it quenched in him. To this it may be said, that because the spirit of God cometh to, & worketh in divers men, divesly, in divers measures: therefore we must consider of the working of the spirit, and frame our answer accordingly. First then, there is a lighter and a lesser working of the spirit, which may be quenched in them that have it: and that this inferior or lesser kind of working, may be taken away, appeareth plainly by the parable of the seed which our saviour Christ propoundeth, for that besides them that receive the word into good ground, and bring forth fruits, some an hundredth, some thirty, some sixty fold: he doth also make mention of some others that received the word, and yet continued not: and what, had not these the spirit of God in them? yes doubtless: for they received the word, yea, they received it gladly, and that which is more, they believed it, when as they had received it. Behold then three fruits of good spirits in these men, and yet they continue not: for they believed in deed, but their faith was temperacie, it lasted but for a time, and after a time it vanished away, and the spirit departed from them: for, either the pleasures or the profits of this life did draw out the graces of God, and dry them up, or else the fiery heat of persecution did quite consume them. More plain & notable for this purpose is that, in that other to the Hebrews, for there the Apostle saith, That some may taste of the holy ghost, and thereby be made to taste of the good word of God, to be enlightened to receive heavenly gifts, yea, and the taste of the life to come: and what then: surely the Apostle saith, That if such fall, it is impossible they should be renewed: giving us to understand, that even they that have been inlyghtned, and that have received heavenly gifts, and have tasted of the power of the life to come, even such may fall away, and have the spirit quenched in them. There is a second kind of working of the spirit, which is a more effectual working, which is never taken from them that have received it, this the Apostle describeth, when he saith, That the chosen of God, are begotten again of the immortal seed of the word: that is, not a bare receiving, or light tasting of the word; but it is the deep tasting of the same, whereby we are begotten and borne again. The Apostle john setteth down an other note of that, saying, That they that are thus borne again, can not sin: that is, can not make an occupation of sin, they can not fall flat away by sin: and why? Because the seed of God's word abideth in them, even that seed wherewith they were begotten to a lively hope of life, even that seed doth abide, and will abide, even to the end. Who so is begotten again by this seed, and hath it abiding in him, that the spirit hath wrought in him, which shall not be taken from him, for that the father is mightier than all: and therefore our saviour Christ said, The words that I speak, are spirit and life: Therefore in an other place he saith, It is impossible that the elect should be seduced. Then we see the question is answered: namely, that there is an inferior working, which may be lost; and a more effectual working, which can not be taken from them that have it: And this must not seem strange to us, neither must we be offended that the Lord doth take some, and leave some: or that he should begin in some, and not bring his work to perfection: For he dealeth with them, as with Corne. Some Corn is sown & never riseth: some springeth, and yet shortly withereth: some groweth up in the ear, and yet is stricken and blasted: and other some (at his good pleasure) come to a timely ripeness. In like manner, some trees are planted, and never take root: some take root, and yet not blossom: some blossom, & never bring forth fruit: and other some through his goodness do bring forth fruit in good season. If the Lord deal so with the plant and herb of the field, why may he not deal so with us, the sons of men? If we can not conceive the reason of this, we must hold our peace: for all the works of God are done in righteousness, and all our knowledge is unperfect, and therefore we must accuse ourselves rather of ignorance, than the Lord of unrighteousness: nay, ourselves do deal in like sort with those things which are under our hands. In Colleges, Fellows are first chosen to be probationers, and if they be then approved, they be made Fellows, otherwise not. If a man (being childless) do take unto him some friends child, to make him heir of all his goods, he will keep him upon liking; if his manners be honest, he shallbe preferred, he may be set over all his family, and yet afterward for some fact, be cast off. Some other man taketh an other child for the same end, and maketh him heir in deed: Therefore we must think that it is righteous with the Lord to deal thus with us, seeing we are in his hand: and we must not be offended, though he call some, & do not enlighten them: and although he do not inlyght them, and do not continue them, and do of his great mercy continue some unto the end: let us rather see what use we may have of this doctrine. First, we must take heed that we never quench any grace, or gift that God bestoweth upon us. Secondly, we must labour to have greater measure of gifts: for the wicked may come to have some small gifts, and such may be quite taken away from us. Tastly, it doth put a plain difference between the godly, and the godless, between them that bear a show of holiness, and them that are the Lords holy ones: for the one endureth but a time, and the other lasteth for ever. Now if we require a further trial, whereby we may know whether we have received the spirit of God, which lasteth but for a time, and that which lasteth for ever with us: then let us mark those rules, which put a plain difference between them. First we must mark the enlightening and insight we have into the word of God. Certain it is, that both the godly and wicked are enlightened, but the inlyghtning of the godly is one, and the insight of the wicked is an other: for, the knowledge and insight which the godly have received, is certain and distinct: therefore in particular things, they be able to apply the threatening of God's judgements, to the humbling of themselves, and the promises of God to comfort themselves. Again, their knowledge is sufficient to direct them generally, and particularly. And last of all, it never faileth them, but directeth them to the end: but the knowledge of the wicked is not so, for it is a confused and a general knowledge of the threatenings, and of the promises of God, yet can they not make particular use of the same. Their knowledge is not sufficient, nor able to direct them in particulars, and therefore doth leave them in the end. Therefore the knowledge of the godly for the clearness, the certainty, and the sufficiency of it, is compared to the Sun: so the knowledge of the wicked, is compared to lightning, which doth not give any light, it doth not continue any time, and when it is gone, men are worse than they were before. So doth it fall out with the wicked; for beside that their knowledge cloth soon vanish, there is in them greater and more dangerous darkness, than there was before: therein than we see our plain and manifest note of difference. Secondly, we must come to our affections. Certain it is, that the wicked do desire the help of God: but look to the cause, & it will show a difference between the wicked and the godly. The wicked do only seek help, because of some extremity which they suffer, they only desire to be in the favour of God, because they would be freed from grief; and therefore it is common with them to say (Oh that I were out of this pain, Oh that this sorrow were taken from me:) by which speech they show, that so they might be at rest, or at their ease, they would little weigh of the help and favour of God. But the godly find such sweetness in the favour of God, that for the desire thereof, they can be content to suffer much, and endure the cross patiently, so that at the last, they may enjoy God's favour. Not the godly only, but the wicked also, are grieved when they have sinned: but the wicked do therefore sorrow, because their sin hath, or will, bring some punishment upon them: And the godly sorrow, because they have offended God, and given him occasion to draw his favour from them, therefore his correction do they bear patiently: but the remembrance of their sin, that toucheth them still at the quick: and so then in their joy, and in their sorrow, may appear a second difference. The third difference is in love, for though both of them love God, yet it is after a divers manner; the one of sincerity, the other of wages, A poor child that is taken up, fed, and clothed, will love him that doth thus feed & clothe him: but if he received no more of that man then of another, he would like him, and love him no better than another: Even so is it with the wicked, if their bellies be filled, if their barns stuffed, and they have their hearts desire, they love God in deed, but it it only for their belly, and their barns. Thus did Saul love God, but it was for his kingdom: Thus did Achitophel love God, but it was because he was a counsellor: Thus did judas love God, but it was because he was chosen to be an Apostle, and carried the bag: But what became of their love, histories do testify. Saul was a little afflicted, and forsook God: Achitophel somewhat crossed in his devices, hangeth himself: judas for gain of money, betrayed Christ his master. Some experience we may see of this among us; Courtiers willbe professors, and Scholars willbe religious, if Courtiers may come to be counsellors, and Scholars may be preferred to chiefest places: but if promotion come not, than their profession is forsaken, and Religion laid aside. Do the children of God love on this manner? No, the holy Ghost which they have received in effectual manner, doth shed the seed of love in their hearts, and doth work in them a special liking of his goodness, of his righteousness, and of his holiness: and therefore of sincere affection they love him, as the natural child loveth his father naturally, although he beat him, yet beareth he it, and still loveth him: so do the children of God deal. They have powered into them, as S. Peter saith, a godly nature, so that they freely love God the father: and though he afflict them, or cross them in their desires, yet they love him, and in love perform obedience unto him continually: therefore job saith, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him: they therefore are said to have received a free spirit, and to serve God in the liberty of the spirit. And who seeth not this to be a plain and manifest difference between them: therefore we may take it as a third mark or rule, to prove and try ourselves. The fourth and last rule is, in considering the work and effect which Gods mercy received, doth work in us: for, herein do the wicked show their wickedness two ways. First, on the right hand the mercies of God do work in them wonderful contentation: but not such as causeth them to return all glory to God, nay, rather, it is such as causeth them to take all glory to themselves: for the graces of God do puff them up, and make them proud, and conceited in themselves. Hereof ariseth great security, which bringeth neglect and contempt of all good means, whereby they should grow up in godliness. On the left hand others offend, being never pleased nor contended with the they have in deed, forgetting and lightly esteeming that they have, and still desiring new. These men beside that they be unthankful, do also murmur and grudge against God, and are never pleased with him. Between these two, the children of God hold a middle and even course: and therefore we shall see these things in them. First, a sight & an acknowledging of the wants which do move them, as S. Peter saith, Like new borne babes, to desire the sweet and sincere milk of the word, that thereby the graces they have, may be increased, and their other wants may be supplied: and so far are they from being puffed up with pride, that they rejoice when their pripe may be pulled down, or their haughtiness abated, either by some sharp rebuke, or by some fearful threatening, or by some moderate correction from the Lord: for they know, if it were needful for S. Paul to be buffited, and that by the minister of Satan, to the end that his pride may be beaten down: than it is much more needful for than, after more ways so to be humbled. Besides that, they do not only desire the word, but they also wait upon the Lord, until it pleased the lord to work further in them thereby: and this waiting is as earnest as theirs, who have watched all the night, do wait and look for the dawning of the day. Secondly, as they see their wants, so also they see that grace they have received, and for that time well appayde, & contented therewith: and therefore as their wants do humble them, so the graces of God do comfort them: and as their wants do call upon them, & cause them to seek more: so that they have, doth provoke them to be thankful for that they have received. See then a quite contrary course of the wicked, & those that do of sincerity worship God, I say how contrary the graces & gifts of God do work in them, & therefore from the consideration hereof, we may well draw a fourth rule, whereby to make trial & examination of our own selves: therefore to conclude this point in a word, when a man by the spirit of God hath been enlightened unto a certain & sufficient knowledge of God's will, when he findeth his affection, chief & above all other things set upon God, when he findeth a pure & sincere love of God in his heart, not for wages, but for that word of grace, which after an unspeakable manner doth move him thereunto: and when he doth thankfully acknowledge mercies received, as he doth carefully attend & wait upon the Lord, till he bestow some great measure of graces upon him, he may be undoubtedly persuaded, that he hath found the spirit working in him, in a more effectual manner, & therefore it shall never be taken from him. But what then, may such men cast off all care? No, for unto them doth S. Paul give this charge: for though that the spirit can never be taken utterly from them, yet doubtless, if they wax proud, if they grow secure, if they fall into sin, the graces & gifts of the spirit may decay and die in them, their clear love, their feeling, their affection, and all may be gone, so that in their own judgement, & in the judgement of others, it may seem that they have quite quenched, & put out the spirit. Neither must this seem strange: for if the image of God, which was more perfectly placed in Adam, than it is now in us. If I say, this image might quite be blotted out & lost, as we see in was; then no marvel if the graces of the spirit be for a time, as it were dead & drowned in us: and that we may be the less offended herewith, the Scriptures do offer unto us examples of men, as having been once effectually and truly borne again, have yet afterward through some sins, lost the graces of the spirit: such were the Galathians, for they were truly called, & effectually regenerate, by the spirit & Gospel of God, as may appear by this, that for the words sake they reverenced the Apostle as the angel of God, yet they were snared with false doctrine, & fell very dangerously to the choking & quenching the spirit in them, the spirit itself was not taken from them, nay, Christ did still continue in their hearts, yet for want of godly graces they were as it were without fashion & form, so that the Apostle did as it were travel again, until Christ was fashioned a new in them. David also upon the committing of his sin, was brought into the like case, & therefore in the. 51. Psal. he prayeth, That God will create in him a new spirit: What, was the spirit quite gone? no, for by and by in the same Psalm he prayeth, That the Lord would not take away his holy spirit from him: how can these two stand together, first to pray, that a new spirit may be created in him, and, that the spirit of God may not be taken from him? Surely the spirit itself was still in him, & therefore he prayeth, that it may not be taken from him: but the graces, & gracious working of the spirit they were dead & gone, and therefore he prayeth that they may be renewed in him. By this than we see, that the very chief graces of the spirit may be quenched, even in the most godly, when they fall into sin. But yet that no liberty may be taken hereby, let us consider what grief they bring to themselves, that do by any means lose the graces of the spirit. First of all we must know, that though the spirit of God cannot be gotten by our labour, yet it costeth us much labour, and we must undergo much travel, & suffer much trouble, before the spirit of God do take possession of us. Now when the graces of the spirit are lost, all our labour seemeth to be lost, & come to nothing. Secondly, when a man receiveth the spirit of God, and by the same spirit is assured that his sin is forgiven him, and he is in the favour of God, there doth arise in his heart a great joy in the holy ghost, a joy I say, that is unspeakable & glorious: and this joy is lost & gone, when the graces of God's spirit are gone: with how great grief & woe they know it, that in any measure have tasted of it. Again, when the graces of the spirit are choked in men, they have no haste to do good, they have no affection to goodness, but all is gone, and they are made for the time, as it were an unprofitable burden of earth. What grief can be greater than this? What sorrow cap sink more deep, then that a good man should be clean withholden from doing good? Moreover it is sure, that when the gifts of the spirit are in this sort gone, that he that was more righteous before, may soon fall into greater sins, yea and which is more, they shall also suffer the reproach of their sins: For this is a part of the covenant that God made with his, That though he will not take his mercies utterly from them, yet he will visit their sins with the rod, and their iniquities with scourges: and what grief is this. The example of God's children. What heart breaking to David, by his own son to be thrust from his kingdom, so grievous, that if without any respect of hell or heaven, we could consider of them, we had rather want all the pleasure of sin, which David enjoyed, than we would feel the pain which David suffered. Last of all, when the graces of the spirit of God are decayed, they can never be repaired and recovered, but with much sorrow and great danger: for it can not but breed much sorrow of heart, to examine & see the greatness of them, to apply God's judgements to them, and to provoke himself to sorrow for them: This is as it where to go through the pikes, and through purgatory in this present life; & yet this must be done, before we can recover God's grace. Again, it is a very dangerous thing, for in such cases men are brought as it were with jonas, into the bottom of the sea: and as David saith, into the deep waters, so that all the surge and waves do pass over him. Now we know what danger it is for a man to be thrust over head and ears into the deep waters: and therefore they that are in such a case, are in great danger: wherefore all these things considered, the loss of all our labour, the loss of all true joy, the unfitness to do good, the readiness to sin; the grief and danger that ensueth thereof, will, or at the least wise may cause us to be ware, how we quench the spirit. And this is 〈◊〉 use of the doctrine, in humbling us: which also doth further serve to ●●mfort us, knowing that we may suf●●● a great decay of God's graces; yet the rod, or word of God, they ●ay be renewed in us again. And thus much of this commandment that the Apostle giveth here, that we should not quench the spirit.  
FINIS.