THE PRACTICE OF REPENTANCE.  
OR A Sermon preached at PAUL'S CROSS, the fifteenth of September last passed,  
By RADFORD MAVERICKE, Preacher of God's Word in DEVON.  IER. 17. 21. 
Thus saith the Lord, Take heed to your souls.  
LONDON Printed by WILLIAM STANSBY. 1617.   

TO THE RIGHT Honourable THOMAS, Lord RIDGEWAY, Baron of GALTEN-RIDGEWAY: And to the right Virtuous and Religious LADY his WIFE, all grace and happiness in Earth, accompanied with all glory and renown in Heaven.  
HONOURABLE PERSONAGES,  
MAy it please you to peruse these printed Papers, containing the sum of a Sermon preached at the Cross, not long sithence, the Printer persuading it onward with this reason, for that a Sermon touching Repentance, being preached at the same place now twenty years gone, he thought it not meet that this present Sermon, persuading unto the practice of Repentance, and being so near of Kin to the other, both in respect of the Author and Subject, should sleep in the grave of silence or oblivion, but rather taking her elder Sister by the hand, should seek their fortunes in the wide Wilderness of this World, where happily some godly disposed will either for pity, or piety's sake, give them entertainment.  
And for mine own part, this benefit I hope may redound by the printing of it, that as it may be with far greater ease read and perused of them that heard it, then at that time it could well be attended unto, by reason the wind was somewhat high and hard at the publishing thereof, so such as were not present may by this means be made partaker of the same both for their profit and comfort: the main point therein handled, being a doctrine so necessary and general, that it concerns all persons and people whosoever, that either long for, or desire their eternal salvation.  
And now (Honorables) I will not spend many words to yield reasons or causes of this my Dedication to your honoured selves; you are not ignorant that my ancient and long acquaintance, with you, (with reverence I speak it) here in your own Country, and the certain knowledge I took of your zealous and pious courses you ever held in the right path of Religion, (which happily hath prepared you for these greater Honours and Places) were motives enough to persuade me to suffer these lines (if they had been written with gold) to pass under your godly protections, to speak nothing of the many favours I have received from you and your worthy Ancestors, which as I may never forget, so I take pleasure with all thankfulness often to remember them. One thing more I must add, and so I end; at my being in London when this Sermon was preached, some few days before I promised your brother and verily intended to show my duty unto you at Lambeth, when my pains had been ended about the same; but I was hindered only by sickness and weakness, which made me to return home speedily, where I thank God, I have now (after a long sickness) reasonably well recovered my health and strength again, and am not altogether without hope, but that I may see you once more before I go hence and be no more seen. Mean while and for ever, I will not cease to pray for your honours prosperity, both in your honoured selves and worthy Progeny, that as God of his goodness hath advanced you to these earthly Honours, which you know are but fading, so you may seek by all means possible, to advance God's glory in the Gospel of his Son, and the true Professors thereof, which shall be the Churches good, and your glory for ever. AMEN.  
From my poor house at ILSINGTON in DEVON, the sixth of AUGUST. 1617. Your Honours ever in the Lord to be commanded, RADFORD MAVERICKE.   

THE PRACTICE OF REPENTANCE.  jerem. 4. 14. O jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved; how long shall thy wicked thoughts remain within thee? 

Exordium.  
SEeing this my Text seemeth to be but an abrupt speech of our Prophet, I shall the less need to be curious in observing the Coherence of the same. 
Coherence.  Yet being well observed, we shall find that it hath good dependency upon the former part of this Chapter, where the Prophet biddeth Israel to return to the Lord, and now showeth them how they should return, by willing them to wash their hearts from wickedness, saying, O jerusalem, wash thine heart, etc.   

Divisio.  
In which words, we may observe two general parts: First, an Exhortation. Secondly, a Reprehension.  
An Exhortation to Repentance.  
The Reprehension, for that they linger so long their Repentance.  
The Exhortation in these words, O jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved.  
The Reprehension in these words, How long shall thy wicked thoughts remain within thee?  
In the exhortation I observe four circumstances. 

Who exhorteth? jeremy.  
Who are exhorted? The people of jerusalem.  
Whereunto they are exhorted? To Repentance.  
Wherefore? That they may be saved.     


First then we are to consider in the exhortation who exhorteth, namely jeremy, one of the Lords Prophet, Excelsus Domino, one very highly beloved of the Lord, known unto God before he was form in the womb, sanctified in his Mother's belly, and ordained to be a Prophet unto Nations. For so it is read in the Text:  
Then the Word of the Lord came unto me (saith jeremy) 
jerem. 1.5.  saying, Before I form thee in the womb, I knew thee, and before thou camest out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and ordained thee to be a Prophet unto Nations.  
Obser. 1 Now, in that jeremy is appointed and ordained to be a Prophet unto Nations, specially unto jerusalem, before he was borne, We are to observe therein, the care that the Lord hath for the good of his Church and Children, long before, in providing for them, Pastors & Teachers, likewise Kings, Queens, Captains, and Governors, who are nursing Fathers, and nursing Mothers, as well to Church as Commonweal.  
Example. So were Moses and Aaron provided, and miraculously preserved, for the deliverance of the Israelites of Egypt. 
Exod. 2.   
So was joseph before that, for the preservation of that whole Family, which grew afterward into so great a Nation. 
Gen. 41.   
So was Queen Hester and Mordecay preserved from the conspiracy of that wicked Haman, for the great good of the jews, who were adjudged to the slaughter. 
Hest. 6.   
So was King David preserved first from the Lion and the Bear, and afterward from Goliath and Saul, that he might feed the children of Israel prudently with all his power. 
1. Sam. 17.37.   
So was josias, Hezechias, and other godly Kings: so was Samuel and the rest of the Prophets: so was Paul and the rest of the Apostles, all prepared and provided for the good of God's Church as well of the Gentiles as of the jews.  
So was that good and great King Constantine ordained of God, to give some breathing time to the persecuted Christians, after their so many and cruel persecutions.  
So likewise we may say, was john hus, Hierome of prague, Martin Luther, and other godly Preachers, stirred up and preserved by Gods own power, to oppose themselves against the Pope, and to bring a new light, as it were, unto the World.  
So were many godly Bishops and Preachers saved and preserved in Queen Mary's reign, from the rage of that bloody Bonner, and other cruel persecutors.  
So was our renowned Queen Elizabeth (worthy of lasting memory, very strangely and miraculously saved and preserved at that time, when she had often written her own Epitaph, Tanquam Ouis, with her own hand.  
And to conclude (for of such examples there is no end) who doth not see, and with all thankfulness acknowledge, the blessed providence of a gracious God, in preserving King james, our most gracious Sovereign, from danger of death, even before he was borne (as his Majesty confesseth in his speech to the Parliament) from the point of the Dagger, before he was our King, and from many most vile Treasons and Treacheries since God gave him unto us? (Not to name the Gunpowder Treason for the horror thereof) and all this (doubtless) if God make us thankful, for the everlasting good of those Churches and Kingdoms, over whom God's only providence hath placed him; whose grace guide him in all the paths of piety, and whose right hand shield him from all malignity either of foreign or domestical foes.  
Use 1 The use that must be made hereof, is this, that whether he be a King or a Prince, a Priest or a Prophet, or whatsoever office we have either in Church or Commonweal, we must know and acknowledge, that God hath advanced each one to this or that place, that dignity or this honour, only or chief for the glory of his own name, and for the special good of his Church and Children.  
Use 2 And we must all know farther, that no man cometh into this world, by chance, but for some end and purpose, and that God doth set every one his task, allotting some special duty to every one of his servants, whereunto he ought specially to attend.  
This point is not unnecessary to be urged in these days: but I cannot stand to insist upon it. Only this may be remembered in particular, that because our Prophet jeremy was specially and extraordinarily chosen and ordained of God to so great and hard a task, as to be opposite to the whole world, as it were, therefore God did extraordinarily comfort and encourage him, as he did the rest of his Prophets and Apostles; The same God, no doubt, it is, that to this day doth, and for ever will help and strengthen the poor endeavours of all faithful and painful Pastors, that labour in the work and ministery of his Word, for the increase of your faith, the end whereof is the salvation of our souls.  
And so much for the first circumstance, who exhorteth, namely, jeremy, a great Prophet of God, yet a man subject to many sorrows, and sundry infirmities, as the best of God's servants ever have been, and ever shall be in this world.   

The second circumstance.  
The second circumstance is, Who they are that are exhorted. And I say, the people of jerusalem, all the inhabitants thereof, both King, Priest, and People, none excepted. But the Prophet jeremy saith, O jerusalem! I answer, it is a figurative speech, usual in the Scripture, Continens pro contento, naming the City for the Citizens therein contained. In the Gospel it is said, that all jerusalem went out into the wilderness, unto john Baptist, that is, the people of jerusalem. And Christ saith, O jerusalem, jerusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee.  
Now we know, it was not the City, but the Governors of the City, the Kings, the Priests, and the People, that killed the Prophets, and after that CHRIST JESUS the Prince of Prophets. Therefore by jerusalem is meant the people of jerusalem, like as by the world is meant the things and people of the world.  
So then, it is the people of jerusalem that are here exhorted to Repentance, notwithstanding they were the peculiar people of God, and dwelled in the most famous City of the World.  
Doct. The lesson that we may learn hereby is this, that no place in the world can privilege any one from sin: for had not jerusalem sinned, and grievously sinned, they should not have needed exhortation to Repentance, nor reprehension for not repenting.  
Adam sinned in Paradise, the jews sinned at jerusalem, the Pope sinneth at Rome, the hermits in the Wilderness, no change of place, but the gift of grace stayeth the course of sin: all men have sinned at all times, and in all places.  
Use 1 The uses hereof may be: first, for reproof against Pelagians and Semipelagians the Papists, which dream I know not of what perfection, as though they had been borne above the Moon, and had had no touch or taste of Adam's sin and contagion: but this heresy though it be ancient, needs no other confutation, than the common experience of all the world.  
Use 2 Secondly, it may serve to teach us all, to walk warily and circumspectly in every place, because we can come into no place, but we shall meet with occasions enough to entice us unto sin, which occasions we must avoid as much as possibly we may.  
Use 3 A third use may teach all Pastors and Preachers, to labour by all means possible in this duty, to convince the world of sin, as Christ exhorteth, wheresoever they be placed.  
Use. 4 The fourth use may be for Magistrates, to learn them to look well about them, to have their eyes in every corner, to seek and find out the tract and haunt of sinners, to punish sin severely, when and where it is found; lest it be said unto them, They have borne the sword in vain. It was a sage saying, Seek not to be in authority, except thou canst mightily put down sin; the Sword and the Word should go together in this duty.  
A fifth use we might here insert, that seeing jerusalem itself, nor any other Church or Kingdom in the world, is free from sin, and the purest Churches that ever were, had their many imperfections; therefore none should separate 
* Papists for Rome and Rheims. Brownists for Amsterdam.  themselves from the society of the faithful in any Church, State, or Kingdom, where Christ his Gospel is purely preached, his Sacraments rightly administered, and good discipline established, for the punishment of sin. And this doctrine will fall hard upon the consciences of Recusant Papists, that run to Rome or Rheims, as also upon our Brownists or Separatists whosoever, that like Amsterdam better than England, haply because it is better and fit for their purposes.  
And so much for the second circumstance.   

The third Circumstance.  
The third circumstance, and which is most material, and therefore hath need most to be stood upon, is, The matter or thing whereunto they are exhorted, and that is (doubtless) unto Repentance, a point very much urged, but coldly practised.  
john Baptist began with this doctrine, & Christ the Son of God did second him, saying, Repent: for the Kingdom of beaven is at hand: repent and believe the Gospel. This we know was always the manner of the Prophets before that time, to call people to Repentance. And it was the first and chiefest point of doctrine, which the Apostles of Christ were commanded by our Saviour to urge after his Resurrection, That Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in the name of JESUS, beginning at jerusalem: 
Luk. 2.  Where our Prophet jeremy prophesied long time before.  
Ob. But if jeremies' mind and purpose were to exhort the jews unto Repentance, why doth he not use plain words to persuade thereunto?  
Answ. I answer, that this Metaphor of washing which our Prophet useth in this place, is far more significant, then if he had exhorted to Repentance in plain terms. For now, in stead of one word which he might have used, namely, Repent, he useth such words, whereby they are both exhorted to Repentance, and also taught how to repent. We will therefore consider the words in particular, and take them both for an exhortation, and as a direction to Repentance: Only this one thing I would crave by the way of entreaty, that hereafter, in all this Sermon, you would not take these words of our Prophet any more as spoken to the jews, but directed unto us: for whatsoever is written, you know, it is written for our learning. And as jerusalem, to whom this was first spoken, was a type and figure of the Church of God, so doth this exhortation, Wash thine heart from wickedness, belong to all Churches and Kingdoms, Cities & Countries, Nations and People, to all (I say) in general, and to every one in particular; every one hath need to have his heart washed and cleansed from wickedness.  
So that now in this third circumstance we must speak of three things. 

Three things.  
First, of washing, or cleansing.  
Secondly, of washing or cleansing of the heart.  
Thirdly, of washing or cleansing the heart from wickedness.    

And first, of washing or cleansing.  

1. Note, Washing.  This Metaphor of washing, as it is very significant, so it is very usual among the Prophets.  
The Prophet Esay, when he had most sharply reproved the same Nation of the jews, calling the Princes thereof, the Princes of Sodom, and the People thereof, the People of Gomorrah, upbraiding them that they were a finnefull Nation, a People laden with iniquity, and corrupt children, telling them plainly and peremptorily, that the whole head was sick, and the whole heart was heavy, that from the sole of the foot, to the crown of the head, there was no whole part, but wounds and swellings and sores of sin, full of corruption; and so proceedeth on with such terrible menacings and threatenings, as though the Lord had utterly rejected them, and would never receive Prayer or Oblation more at their hands; for it was a burden unto him. Yet on a sudden, the Prophet changeth his speech, and exhorteth them to Repentance, with these like words of our Text, Wash you, make you clean, take away the evil of your works from before mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, and defend the widow.  
Obser. Wherehence I observe, that washing and cleansing are fit words to express the nature of true Repentance: which thing also was plainly signified, by the divers washings in the Levitical Law: 
Levitical Law.  for such indeed is the nature of sin, before it be truly repent of, that it maketh man more ugly in the sight of God, than the foulest Leper in the world can be in the sight of man.  
And indeed, to speak all in a word, sin is a spiritual Leprosy; and therefore if Naaman the Syrian had need to wash himself seven times in the flood of jordan, which signifieth the River of judgement, before the could be cleansed from his bodily Leprosy, how many times above seventy times seven times have we need to be washed and cleansed from our spiritual Leprosy, which hath so tainted and soiled our bodies and souls; that all the water in jordan is not able to cleanse one soul from this disease of sin; but only the blessed blood of our sweet Saviour that was baptised in jordan is it, that must cleanse us from all sin!  
For this cause Christ the true Physician of our souls, did of his gracious goodness cure and cleanse many Lepers from the filth of their bodies, that thereby he might make known to the world, that it is he only which was appointed by God to be to the purgator and cleanser of our souls, as Saint john saith: The blood of Christ cleanseth us from all sin. 
1. john. 1.7.  And the same Apostle, in the Revelation, signifieth unto the seven Churches, that it is jesus Christ which loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood. 
Revel. 1.5.  This cleansing and washing of our sins in the blood of Christ, was prefigured in that blood of the Paschall Lamb, wherewith the Door posts of the children of Israel were stricken; 
Exod. 12.7.  And also in the blood of those sacrifices, which Aaron was to offer, part of the blood whereof was to be put upon the horns of the Altar, with his finger, and the rest of the blood to be powered on the foot of the Altar. 
Exod. 19.12.   
Many such Ceremonies, and prefigurations are every where to be read in the old Testament, the truth and substance whereof was accomplished in the new. Therefore Saint Austen said well, The new Testament was wrapped up in the old, and the old unfolded in the new: 
Nowm in veteri obuolutum, vetus in none explicatum.  All which are more plainly opened unto us by the Apostle in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where he showeth, that all things almost were by the Law purged by blood, and without shedding of blood was no remission. 
Hebr. 9.22.23.  And he addeth further, that it was necessary that the similitude of heavenly things should be purified by such things, but that the heavenly things themselves are purified with better sacrifices than these.  
Moreover, 
Isaac.  Isaac, who was ready to be sacrificed, was a true figure of Christ, which was the substance that was sacrificed for us, being both Priest and sacrifice, who offered himself for our sins upon the Altar of the cross, his holy body, being the night before he suffered, washed all over with his own most precious blood, like as the high Priest was used to be washed the night before he came into Sancta Sanctorum. And his sacred side, when he hung upon the Cross, to the very piercing of his harmless heart, was opened with a spear or lance.  pateant viscera per vulnera (saith Saint Austen sweetly) & ut per foramina Corporis, pateant arcana cordis. 
Augustin.  That the bowels of Christ's love might appear in his wounds, and that the secret sweetness of his heart towards us might be showed forth through the windows or holes of his body.  
Hence issued, saith the Scripture, both blood and water: 
john. 19.34.  blood, because without shedding of blood there was no remission; water, to signify the continual washing of our sins in the blood of Christ. 1. john. 2. 5. 
This is that jesus Christ, saith Saint john, that came by water and blood: not by water only, but by water and blood, and it is the Spirit that beareth witness; for the Spirit is truth.  
For there are three which bear record in heaven: The Father, the Word, and the holy Ghost; and these three are one.  
And there are three which bear record in the earth: The Spirit, and Water, and Blood; and these three agree in one.  
If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which he testified of his Son:  
He that believeth in the Son of God, hath the witness in himself, He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record which God witnessed of his Son.  
And this is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  
He that hath the Son of God, hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.   
Here (beloved) is life, here is water of life offered unto us. Ho, every one that is athirst, come, saith the evangelical Prophet, come buy without silver (that will not the Pope do, he will not sell his pardons without silver:) but the Prophet saith, Come buy without money, without penny or pennie-worth. 
Esay. 55.1.   
Therefore it was that our Saviour himself cried out in the last and great day of the feast, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink; 
john. 7.37.  And likewise saith unto the woman of Samaria, 
John. 4.10.  If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that sayeth unto thee, Give me drink, thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee water of life. And in the last of the Revelation, The Spirit and the Bride say, Come: and let him that heareth, say, Come: and let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take of the water of Life freely. 
Revel. 22.17.   
Use. Now to make use of all this, let us call to remembrance, what the Eunuch saith unto Philip in the eight of the Acts; See, saith he, here is water: What should let me to be baptised? Philip answered, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayst. 
Act. 8.   
So may you all say unto me, beloved; Here you propose unto us Water, and here you propose unto us water of Life: What should let, that we should not be saved?  
I answer you all in general, and every one in particular, out of my Text, If thou wash thine heart from wickedness, thou mayest be saved.  
Thou art a Christian, and the badge of a Christian is Baptism: As Water doth serve to wash away the filth of thy body; so, the effect of Baptism is to wash away the filth of thy soul.  
Thou art buried by Baptism, into the death of Christ, that like as Christ was raised up by the glory of the Father. so thou shouldest walk in newness of life. 
Rom. 6.3.  1. Pet. 3.18. 
For Christ (as St. Peter saith) hath once suffered for our sins, the just, for the unjust, to bring us unto God, and was put to death▪ as concerning the flesh, but was quickened in the Spirit. By which Spirit he also went and preached unto the spirits that are in prison, which were in time passed disobedient, when once the long suffering of God abode in the days of Noah, while the Ark was preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved in the water. To the which also the figure that now saveth us, even Baptism, agreeth (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but in that a good conscience maketh request to God) by the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST from the dead.   

Allusion. Gen. 7.  By which allusion of the Apostle, it is nothing obscure to be collected, that the water wherein Noah was saved, the Red Sea, 
Exod. 14.  and after, the River jordan, wherethrough the children of Israel passed, 
Josh. 3.  together with the two Prophets Elias and Elisha, 
2. King. 2 5.  whom St. Cyprian compareth to Christ and Christians, Elias to Christ, Elisha to Christians. Also the Cloud which passed over the Israelites in the Wilderness. 
Exod. 17.  The washing of Naaman the Assyrian, the Pool of Bethesda in jerusalem, 
joh. 5.  these, all of them were types and figures of our Baptism, like as our Baptism is, and should be unto us, a badge or token of our new Birth or Regeneration, that so, in the water of true Repentance, we should daily wash our hearts from wickedness.  
The which mystery the Apostle Paul doth make more plain unto us, in his first Epistle to the Corinthians and tenth Chapter, where speaking of the Father's living under the old Law, he saith, That they were all baptised unto Moses in the cloud and in the Sea, and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink of the same spiritual drink (meaning with us Christians:) For they drank (saith he) of the spiritual Rock which followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 
1. Cor. 10.   
But as in many of these jews, God had no delight, so with many of us Christians that are baptised only, with the outward Water of Baptism, God is not pleased, because together with the sign of Baptism, we do not care for the thing signified, that is, to wash our hearts from wickedness.  
Saint Paul telleth us, that Circumcision unto the jews, was nothing: but the keeping of the Commandments of God; 
S. Paul. Rom 7.19.  What then can Baptism be unto us Christians, but the washing away of our sins in the blood of Christ? Which thing we shall do, if we truly repent, and believe the Gospel, and bring forth fruits worthy of Repentance; daily and hourly labouring to wash our hearts from wickedness; As David washed his Couch with weep, and as Mary Magdalen washed the feet of Christ with her tears; which was a true token of her unfeigned repentance.  
And thus much have I spoken concerning washing or cleansing.   

Note. 2 Next, we must consider, what must be washed, namely, our hearts, Cor pro anima & sensu, acceptum. As the Prophet joel saith, Rend your hearts, and not your garments:  
So saith jeremy here; Wash your hearts and not your clothes.  
And a little before in this Chapter, he saith, Break up the fallow ground, and sow not among thorns, be circumcised to the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your hearts. 
Jerem. ●. 4.   
The heart of Man, as some think, is the seat of the soul. And true Repentance indeed must be from the heart and soul; therefore God craveth that chiefly, My son, give me thine heart. 
Proverb.   
But whether the heart or the brain of man be the seat of the soul, we will not dispute; sure I am, now the heart of man is the sink of sin, as our Saviour saith, Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, Adulteries, Fornications, Murder, and the rest. And God himself who is the true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and only searcher of the heart, pronounceth, that the heart of man is evil continually. And our Prophet in another place affirmeth, that the heart of man is deceitful of all other things: who can find it out? 
jerem. 17.9.  there are so many concavities and hollow places in the heart, so many hidings, and so many turnings, that it hath need of a great deal of skill and care to cleanse and wash the same, and much filth is left behind in secret foldings, which we know not of: Insomuch that he must be a very wise, careful, and diligent Man, that can find out but even the corruption of his own heart.  
Hence is it that there are so many Hypocrites in the world, that hiding many foul and secret sins in their hearts, can yet make show to the world, that they are very holy and religious. Many men there are that desire to be taken for godly and faithful men; yet the question may still be demanded, Where shall one find a faithful man? such a one as Nathaniel was: even a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile.  
jeremy is commanded in the next Chapter to our Text, to run too and fro by the streets of jerusalem, and to inquire in the open places of the same, if he can find a man that executeth judgement, and speaketh the truth from his heart, that God might spare that City to punish it. 
jerem. 5.1.   
And in the two and twentieth Chapter of Ezechiel, God complaineth, that he sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap betwixt him and the Land, that he might not destroy the same, but could find none. Therefore, saith the Lord, have I powered out mine indignation upon them, and consumed them with the fire of my wrath, their own ways have I rendered upon their own pates, saith the Lord. 
Ezech. 22.30.   
And it is greatly to be feared, how we should far, if the Lord should look down from heaven upon us, that live in this last age of the world, as he did upon the old world a little before he destroyed it, to see the greatness of the wickedness of men upon the earth, and that all the imaginations of man's heart are evil continually.  
And who knoweth whether the Lord be ready to come out from heaven, or to send his Angels (because the sins of our Land are exceeding grievous, and the cry thereof very great) to inquire whether we have done altogether according to the cry that is even ascended to the heavens, or no?  
Let us therefore (beloved) if we will have any care to prevent the fierce wrath of the Lord, which is ready to fall upon us, return speedily unto the Lord by true and unfeigned Repentance; or to use the words of our Text, Let us wash our hearts from wickedness, that we may be saved.  
Object. But Christ saith unto Peter, He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his feet. 
joh. 13. 10.   
Answ. I answer, that by feet there, is meant all our filthy affections, which proceed from the heart of man: therefore with Christ, to wash our feet, and with jeremy, to wash our hearts from wickedness, is all one.  
The jews, about the time our Prophet preached this, and afterward, were very ceremonious and superstitious too in their washings; they thought and persuaded themselves, if they did or could observe the outward rites or customs of their Fathers, touching their eternal cleansings and washings, it was well enough, nay rather very well. But jeremy here wisheth them to wash their hearts, because they drew near unto God with their mouths, but their hearts were far from him. 
Esay 29.13.   
Our Saviour himself reproveth these jews very sharply, 
Matth. 23.  as we read in the Gospel, for this their hypocrisy, for that they were over-careful to make clean the utter-side of the cup and platter, but their hearts were full of all ravening and wickedness. Therefore wisdom willeth us to consecrate our hearts unto God. Not that God will not have the hand as well as the heart, the work as well as the will, the body as well as the soul, and all the members and faculties both of body and soul sanctified unto his service: As St. Paul exhorteth, to give our bodies a lively sacrifice unto God: but because the heart is the chiefest part, and the fountain from whence all our thoughts, words, and works do arise: therefore the heart must first be washed and cleansed, purified by faith in a good conscience, to serve the living God: For if the fountain be foul, the waters that issue from it, cannot be clean. And as St. Austen saith well, Deus magis cordis intentionem, quàm actum operationis intendit: God doth more respect the intention of the heart, than the operation of the work whatsoever. Man judgeth according to the outward appearance, but God seethe the heart. For he is the only searcher of the hearts and reins. All things are naked before him. Can any hide himself in secret places, 
jerem. 23.24.  saith the Lord? He understandeth all thy paths, yea even thy privy paths of pride, of dissimulation, of disdaining thy brother, of fornication, of covetousness, of bribery, theft, extortion, and the like, though acted by thee never so secretly. God saw and discovered achan's wedge of gold, though hid in his Tent; God saw Achab sick at the heart for Naboths' Vineyard: God saw Gehesies heart, and made Elisha to see him also, Did not my heart go with thee, saith the Prophet? that is, did not I see thee, when thou runnest after Naaman for a bribe?  
God grant we have not among us too many achan's, too may Achabs', too many Gehesies, that cover many foul sins, under their gowns or cloaks of hypocrisy, that make a goodly show to the world that they are godly, but their hearts are full of wickedness; that wash their hands clean every day, but their hearts scarce once in the year, scarce once by their lives, with the water of true repentance: yet still my text saith, Wash thine heart from wickedness, Wash thine heart. If Pilate had washed his heart, as clean as he washed his hands, he would never have condemned an Innocent to death, for fear of the people. The fear of man chased away the fear of God, as the Wiseman saith: contrary wise, As the face of the King chaseth away evil from his Throne, so the fear of God driveth out wickedness from the heart of man. 
Prou.   
Use. The use of all this is, to have God and his fear always before our eyes, so that what sin soever we are tempered to commit, we may say with godly joseph, How shall I commit this wickedness, and so sin against God? Therefore the Scripture saith, Blessed is he that feareth always. The wicked, all their care is to hide their sin from man; but the godly desire always to have a good conscience before God. I will conclude therefore this point with a singular sentence of Saint Austen, fitting for this purpose: 
Austen.  Quum hoc diligeuter considero, Domine Deus meus, terribilis & fortis: When I consider this matter well, (namely how God looketh into the inmost intention of our hearts) O Lord God (saith he) fearful and terrible, Timore pariter, & ingentirubore confundor: I am (saith he) with fear and shame confounded, quoniam nobis magna est indita necessitas justè recteque vivendi: because there is so great necessity laid upon us to live rightly and justly, quia cuncta facimus ante oculos judicis cuncta cernentis: seeing whatsoever we do, or intent to do, we do the same before the eyes of our judge which seethe all things.  
And so much also for the second circumstance: the washing of the heart.   

The third Circumstance.  
The third followeth to be considered; From what we must wash or cleanse the heart, namely, from Wickedness. I trust I shall not need to enlarge my speech very much upon this point, seeing all our speech hitherunto hath aimed at this, to teach us to wash our hearts from Wickedness.  
By wickedness is meant in this place all sin and ungodliness whatsoever, that lieth lurking in the heart of man. The Word which our Prophet useth, is Ragnah, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  which may signify malum, malitia, or ira; Wrath, malice, or any wickedness whatsoever, and so it is diversly translated. Montanus saith, Lava: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est, a malitia cor tuum: Wash thine heart from malice. Hierome and others say, Lava à malo cor tuum; that is, Wash thine heart from evil. And agreeable to both is our translation, Wash thine heart from Wickedness, from malice: Whereby the Fathers are wont to mean the malignity or poison of sin; howbeit, as I said before, it may be taken for all sin and iniquity whatsoever; yet because nothing doth poison the heart of man more than malice and envy, therefore Saint Paul saith, But now put you away all these things, wrath, anger, crying and evil speaking far from you, with all maliciousness. 
Ephes. 4.25. Colos. 3.38.  And Saint Peter likewise exhorteth to lay aside all maliciousness, and all guile, and all dissimulation, and all envy, and all evil speaking, and as new borne babes, to desire the sincere milk of the Word, that we might grow thereby unto everlasting life. 
1. Pet. 2.1.   
Use 1 The sum of all is, and this is the use that we must make of this point, as of the whole exhortation, to teach us, that we must make a conscience of every sin, and wash our hearts by Faith and true Repentance, from all ungodliness, not from one sin, or some sins, but from all sin, as David saith, I have turned my feet from every evil way, and all false ways I utterly abhor. 
Psal. 119.  Dissimulatio peccatum, to dissemble with man is a sin: to equivocate, as Papists do in matters of Religion, is a double sin; but there is no mocking with God: Non bonum nec tutum est ludere cum Sanctis: there is no dallying with Saints. Yet herein the most part of common Christians deceive themselves, thinking that God is well pleased with them, yea & beholding to them too, if they can contain themselves within the lists or compass of common Christians.  
Some are of opinion, that if they frequent public prayers, hear Sermons now and then, when they can attend them, receive the Sacrament once or twice a year at the most, though otherwise they be given to many foul vices, as Swearing, Drinking, Whoring, Railing, and the like; that then they may be taken indeed for good Christians; notwithstanding they are as far from the purity of the Gospel, as Popish Recusants are from coming to the Church.  
Others are of opinion, that if they can give themselves but leisure, either from their profits or pleasures, to hear Sermons (if at least the Preacher please them) though they never come to Prayers, they can cover their covetousness, and many other sins under that mantle.  
To be short, I fear there be few living, which have not some Darling sin or other, which they both cover and cocker: wherein they flatter themselves, even to the beguiling of their own souls. Let every one therefore examine well his own heart, as the Apostle exhorteth, and be a severe officer in his own house, leaving no corner unsearched, and so labour by all means possible, to wash and cleanse his own heart from Wickedness.  
Object. But here may be objected, that as it is not in man (as our Prophet saith elsewhere) to direct his own ways: 
jer. 10.23.  So is it not in man, to wash or cleanse his own heart from wickedness, though he wash himself with nitre, & take unto himself much soap, to use the words of the Prophet, in the second Chapter of this prophesy. 
jer. 2.22.   
I answer by a distinction, that man must be considered either as he is regenerate, or not regenerate; as he is unregenerate, he can do nothing in the work of grace; but indeed as he is Regenerate, he is not altogether passive in the works of grace, as mortification, sanctification, and the like; but active also and working together with God's grace, who having renewed our wills, doth will us and command us to repent, to convert, to turn, to work out our salvation, to wash our hearts from wickedness, and the like; and yet this doctrine is so far from Popery, as Popery is from purity or verity itself; howbeit we must know, that even this our working with God, is a special work of God's Spirit working with us and in us, the great work of our Regeneration. Therefore let Prayer and Repentance ever go together; by true Repentance we must turn to the Lord, by Prayer we must crave grace to return.  
For this cause therefore, though our Prophet in the beginning of this fourth chapter exhort Israel to return unto the Lord, yet after, he betaketh himself unto prayer, saying, Turn thou us, good Lord, and we shall be turned; convert thou us, good Lord, and we shall be converted. Therefore godly David purposing true repentance, betaketh himself to earnest prayer, saying, Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy compassion, put away mine iniquity. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquities, and cleanse me from my sin. Purge me with Hyssop, and I shall be clean, wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 
Psal. 51.1.   
Hear beloved, is a perfect pattern for all poor Penitents, that sob and sigh for their sins: to exhort them to often zealous and faithful Prayer, which prevaileth even with God, also to teach us to whom we must direct our Prayers, namely, to the Lord only, and not to Saint or Angel, as Popery teacheth, but true Religion teacheth, but true Religion teacheth us otherwise to pray to God, as David did, to wash us thoroughly from our iniquities, and to cleanse us from all our sins: To purge us with hyssop, with which the blood of the Paschal Lamb was sprinkled, 
Exod. 12.22.  which must put us in mind of the blood of Christ, which cleanseth us from all sin. Then shall we hear of joy and gladness, when our hearts are bruised and broken for our sins; for a broken and a contrite heart God doth not despise.  
Therefore let us seek the Lord by faith and unfeigned Repentance, whiles he may be found; let us call upon him by instant and hearty prayer, while he is near; 
Esay 55.6.  let the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous his own imaginations, and return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon us, and to our God; for he is very ready to forgive. 
a Out of which Text I persuaded unto Repentance out of this place twenty years sithence, and now praise God with all my heart, that hath yet lent us so long a time of Repentance, praying further his Majesty together with the space, now to give us the grace truly to repent. David.  In a word; let us all pray the Lord to wash our hearts from wickedness, that we may be saved.  
And here I might very well end this part also, saving that there is one Main point of doctrine more to be considered, which is, that as it is not sufficient for a man to cease from evil, as Esay speaketh, but he must also do good: so it is not sufficient for us to pray the Lord to wash our hearts from wickedness, but also we must pray the Lord to fill our hearts again with grace and goodness: for that nullum vacuum in Philosophy doth hold also in this point of Divinity: new wine must be put into new vessels, they must not be left empty.  
Therefore when David hath prayed GOD to create a new heart within him, he also prayeth to be renewed, that is, that his heart may be filled with a right spirit, that the spirit of sin and wickedness being expelled, his heart may be filled with grace and goodness; For the spirit of wickedness may departed from a man for a time, but if the heart be not presently supplied with the good Spirit of grace, the wicked spirit will quickly turn back again 
Luke 11.26.  (as our Saviour teacheth us) and enter into that man with seven worse spirits than himself, and so the end of that man shall be worse than the beginning.  
Therefore I say, this point must diligently be observed: we must not think ourselves sure, when we have but begun to leave wickedness, though, I confess, that is a good beginning of goodness. And dimidium facti, qui bene caepit, habet: He is half the way, who hath well begun. But we must also apply our hearts, our souls, and our minds unto goodness, and pray the Lord to replenish our hearts with faith and grace: for it is a good thing, saith the Apostle, that the heart be established with grace: With saving grace for sins passed, With preventing grace for sins present, With preserving grace for time to come. This was that, good St. Austen prayed for, when he said, Sanctifica cor meum, vas tuum, evacua à malitia, imple de gratia: O Lord, saith he, sanctific thy vessel of my heart, but first empty the same from all malicious wickedness, and then presently fill it with all grace and goodness. And the same S. Austen hath a brief and fine discourse of the filling and fast binding of this vessel of man's heart, alluding to the Parable of our Saviour, of new and old vessels, saying, Quando vinum nowm in utres novas ponitur, cavendum est primùm, ut corda mundarentur, ne infusum pollueretur, & postea ut ligarentur, ne infusum amitteretur. In which words that holy Father doth warn and admonish us of two things; The first, agreeing with our Text, that we have care to wash and cleanse the vessels of our hearts, before the new Wine of God's grace be powered into them; and yieldeth the reason, ne infusum pollueretur, lest that which be powered in, be polluted: Afterwards giveth like counsel, that when the new Wine of God's grace is infused into the vessels of our cleansed hearts, that then we take care for the safe keeping and preserving of the same; and yieldeth likewise the reason thereof, ne infusum amitteretur, lest those graces should be lost again; and presently showeth the use both of this cleansing, and fast binding up of these vessels of our hearts, ut mundarentur à gaudio iniquitatis, that they may be freed from that sin of rejoicing in iniquity, & ut ligarentur à gaudio vanitatis, and that they may be preserved from the delights of vanity. And making this difference between rejoicing in iniquity, and delighting in vanity saith, that gaudium iniquitatis polluit, & gaudium vanitatis effundit: the joy of iniquity doth defile and pollute that good liquor which is in the vessel of the heart, but the joy of vanity doth make it run over. Again, he saith, that gaudium iniquitatis reddit vas sordidum, & gaudium vanitatis facit rimosum: The joy of iniquity doth soil the vessels of our hearts with sin, and the joy of vanity doth make them cranny or chinkey, ready and capable to be soiled with sin.  
Last of all, this good Father showeth the natural property both of the one, and the other, when he saith, that gaudium iniquitatis est, cum peccatum diligitur, & gaudium vanitatis est, cum transitoria amantur: That is joy of iniquity, when we rejoice in sin, and that is joy of vanity, when we set our hearts upon things vain and transitory that soon fade away.  
Therefore the conclusion may be, Quae transitoria sunt, proculdubio amanda non sunt: Things vain and transitory are never to be beloved. For which cause S. john saith, Love not this world, nor the things of this world, for whosoever loveth this world, the love of the Father is not in him.  
And indeed hinc lachrymae: here is the woe of all: many can be content to renounce the joy of iniquity, but few there are living upon earth, which take not pleasure in vanity more than is fitting; one in one kind of vanity, another in another kind of vanity; so vain a thing is man, so vain is every man; so full of vanity is every thing, that it made Solomon the wisest of all men to cry out, Vanitas vanitatum, Vanity of Vanity, all mere vanity, and vexation of spirit. 
Ecclesiastes 1.2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
Our honours, our riches, our sports or pleasures, that are not well seasoned with the salt of God's grace, are all but vanity and vexation of mind; from these little pollutions (as we think) the best of us all have great need to have our hearts washed, cleansed and purged, together cum magna comitant caterua, with an innumerable company of our secret sins, which never come within the compass of our knowledge to be repent of.  
And if every one have need to pray with David, that the Lord would forgive us our secret sins, 
Psal. 19.12.  how much more need have we to pray the Lord of Lords to wash our hearts, our tongues, our hands, our thoughts, our words, our works, being so grossly polluted and defiled with all manner of sin and pollutions! And thus much for the Exhortation, Wash thine heart from wickedness: wherein if any shall think I have been too long and tedious, let him know, if so long time need to be spent only in exhorting to such a business; how much time had we need to spend to act and perform the same rightly and religiously as we ought to do!    

The fourth circumstance.  

The reason.  Now come we to the reason, why we should wash our hearts from wickedness? Which is in a word, that we may be saved. A reason of all reasons to be regarded: for what should it gain us to win the whole world, & c? And that we may the better consider of it, let us observe from thence these three points. 

Three things.  
First, the great patience, mercy and love of God towards us, in waiting for our Repentance, that we might be saved.  
Secondly, the care of all good Pastors in all Ages to exhort God's people to repentance, that they may be saved.  
Thirdly, we may here-hence collect and plainly conclude, that except we repent, we cannot be saved.    
Of these three particulars as briefly as I may, and as the Lord shall enable me with his grace.  

Touching the first, To what thing else may we ascribe this so long forbearance of punishment, for our so manifold transgressions, but to the long patience and mere mercy of our so good and gracious a God? for the earth is weary to bear the burden of our sins, the heavens are ashamed of them, and the Angels of glory blush to behold them: Only God in his mercy, and for his sons sake, turneth the face or edge of his justice from them, that so we might repent and be saved.  
But sinful man, which either cannot or will not repent, heapeth sin upon sin, to his own destruction. Whereof S. Paul giveth good warning, in the second to the Romans, 
Rom. 2.4,5.  advising that we should not despise the riches of God's bountifulness, and patience, and long sufferance (using so many words to express Gods jove towards us) adding that this bountifulness of God should lead us to repentance.  
But thou, saith the Apostle (speaking to such despisers of God's mercies) after the hardness and heart which cannot repent, heapest unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and declaration of the just judgement of God. And S. Peter saith likewise, That the Lord is not slack concerning his promise 
2. Pet. 3.9.  of coming to judgement: but is patiented toward us, and would have no man to perish, but would have all men to come unto repentance: for it is not man's merit, but of God's mercy, that we are not daily consumed in our sins, and as Esay saith, Except the Lord of Hosts, had reserved a remnant, 
Esay 1.9.  we should have been as Sodom, and like unto Gomorrah. Whereby we are also taught, that the wicked are oftentimes spared from punishment for the Godlies' sake; for Sodom itself should not have been destroyed, if there could have been but ten godly persons found in it. Therefore the Prophet jeremy is willed, as we heard before, to run to and fro by the streets of jerusalem, and to inquire in the open places thereof, if he could find a man. 
jer. 5.1.  And God himself complaineth in Ezechiel, that he could not find a man. 
Ezech. 22.30.  Wherein appeareth the infinite patience and mercy of God towards us, in expecting our repentance, and staying his hand from punishing, as long as possible may be. The use of this point may be,  
Use 1 To teach us to be thankful unto God for this mercy, who waiteth daily for our conversion, and to praise him continually for the same; for if we be sinful and unthankful too, then woe, woe be unto us.  
Use 2 To teach us to love hearty and to make much of such as fear the Lord; for it is for the godlies' sake many times that a whole City or Country is saved and preserved; and when the godly Magistrates or Ministers are taken away, it is a fearful sign some imminent danger may ensue: for Aaron and Moses may prevail more in the Lords wars with fervent prayers, than the people with all their Pikes. Therefore Esay complained not without cause, That good men perished, though he knew they were taken away from the evil to come.  
Yea, David himself cried out for help to God, when godly men were diminished from the earth; 
Psal. 12.1,  therefore I say still, if thou canst not thyself attain to be so godly as thou desirest, yet pray hearty, and praise God continually for them that are godly; for God hearkeneth, and is attentive to their prayers, as Malachy speaketh. 
Malach. ●  And we know that S. james saith, The prayer of one righteous man availeth much, if it be fervent.  
Use 3 The last use must be to teach us, to call ourselves to a reckoning, how long God hath withholden his judgements from us for any sin; which long since haply we have justly deserved to be powered upon us, every man is Conscius sibi, best known to himself: therefore following the counsel of S. Paul, Let every one examine himself for his own sins, and let him do this business thoroughly as he ought to do, and he shall find little leisure to pry into other men's faults, which is the fault of all the World.  
O dear Christians! if this course of examination might be presently put in practice without favour or affection to ourselves, what a crying of consciences would there be among us, seeing they are privy to all our faults? yea, our own souls would exclaim against our own bodies, and against every member and faculty thereof. One would cry out, Oh my head, for craftiness; another, O my heart, for covetousness; another, Oh my throat, for drunkenness; another, Oh my belly, for beastliness; another, Oh my tongue, for blasphemy; another, Oh mine eyes, for adultery; another, Oh my hands, for bribery; another, Oh what shall become of my poor soul, for usury: To speak nothing of Envy, Malice, Pride, Theft, Murder, and Treachery, with an innumerable multitude of all sins, which, like a great flood, have overflown all our Country, of all which sins we may, I fear me, too too truly say, as the young man did in the Gospel, though in another sense, All these sins have we committed from our youth: and it is only of God's mercy that we have not been consumed in them and for them long sithence. Therefore if there be any spark of grace left within us, if there be any fear of God's judgements, if any dread of hell torments, let us now turn unto the Lord by true & unfeigned repentance, for the quieting of our consciences in this life, and for the saving of our poor souls in the life to come.  
And so much for the first point I observed, That it is of God's infinite patience and mercy towards us, that he hath so long expected our Repentance, that we might be saved.   

The second point.  
The second point I observed, was, The care that all good Prophets and Pastors have, to exhort us to Repentance for the salvation of our souls. But upon this point there is no need to stand long. Noah and all the patriarchs, Samuel and all the Prophets, CHRIST JESUS and all his Apostles, all their whole care and travail was, to call people to Repentance. john Baptist began with this doctrine, Repent, and believe the Gospel. CHRIST JESUS the Son of God did the same; Repent, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. And after Christ his resurrection, he commanded his Apostles, and all good Preachers, to publish the virtue of his Death and Resurrection, to this end, as Luke reporteth it, That Repentance and remission of sins 
Luke 24.  should be preached in his name among all Nations, beginning at jerusalem; even the same jerusalem, though not the same people, which our Prophet jeremy exhorteth here to wash their hearts from wickedness, that they may be saved: And elsewhere he saith, Be instructed, O jerusalem, etc. 
jer. 6.8.   
Use 1 The use of this point may be first to teach all Pastors and Preachers, not to think it any disgrace unto them, though they do not always soar on high upon the wings of speculative Divinity, garnished with plumes of Rhetoric and Philosophy (though either of them may well attend on Theology) but sometimes, if not oftentimes to touch upon the point of Repentance; for the preaching of that doctrine, did never that I read of, breed any Schism in the Church of Christ: men's hearts rather than Christ his coat, will be rend in pieces by the preaching of Repentance.  
Use 2 And a second use may be here, to warn all people to expect and desire no doctrine rather from the mouth of the Preacher, than the preaching of Repentance, though I grant, such Preachers are called the plain Preachers nowadays; and indeed they that preach the doctrine of Repentance well, had need be plain, that is, have no need to spare any Persons or Professors, nor to colour or cover any vices whatsoever. But it is not to hear such plain preaching, that all people flock so much to Sermons in this Age; but it is either to hear news, or novelties, or invectives, that makes many people to press so near this place. But beloved Christian, one thing is necessary, namely, the salvation of thy soul; and no doctrine more necessary for the saving of souls, than the preaching of Repentance.   

The third point.  
And so come we now to the third point lately proposed; that is, Though there be never so much preaching of Repentance, except we repent with it, and by it, we cannot be saved.  
The saying of our Saviour is right well known, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 
Luke 13.   
Noah preached a long time to the old World, and (no doubt) earnestly persuaded people to Repentance; but it was not Noah's preaching, that could save the world from drowning, because they repent not.  
The like may be said of Sodom and Gomorrah, where Let doubtless gave many good lessons of Repentance; but that did not prevail with them: therefore were they fearfully destroyed with fire from heaven.  
Now as it was in the days of Noah, so is it come to pass in this last Age of the world (as Christ foretold) there is now much preaching and calling of people to Repentance, but the not practising thereof is still the cause, that so few are saved; for except we repent, we cannot be saved.  
It was the preaching of Saint Peter, that pricked the people's hearts in the second of the Acts, and made them to cry out, What shall we do, 
Acts 2.  meaning, what shall we do to be saved?  
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptised every one of you, in the name of jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins; for without repentance there is no remission of sins, and without remission of sins there is no salvation.  
Further, this must be noted by the way, that when we urge Repentance, as chief necessary to salvation, we exclude not faith and good works; for true Repentance is the Child of Faith; and good Works are both the fruits of Faith, and the true tokens of Repentance. Therefore john Baptist preaching Repentance to the people, did bid them to bring forth the fruits of Repentance, because each tree is known by his fruit.  
And when the jailor demanded of Paul and Sylas, What he should do to be saved? They said unto him, Believe in the Lord jesus, and thou shalt be saved and thy household. 
Acts 16.31.   
Now, that faith of his brought forth Repentance, with the fruits thereof; otherwise he could not have been saved: For albeit it be true, as our Church rightly teacheth, that we are freely justified before God by faith, yet our Repentance and good Works must testify our faith to the world, that it is no dead faith, as S. james speaketh, but such a faith as worketh by love, as S. Paul exhorteth: 
Gal. 5.6.  whereby it is manifest, that the doctrine of S. Paul and S. james, do not differ touching our free justification by faith, as many Papists pretend: for that which S. james calleth a dead faith, 
jam. 2.20.  is the same faith which S. Paul meaneth, that worketh not by love.  
And howsoever our Adversaries the Papists slander us; Heaven and Earth, Men and Angels can witness with us; that we urge good works in our Sermons as much as they, and to better purpose than they; by good works we mean bona opera benè operata: such works as are true tokens of our conversion and fruits of our faith in Christ, by whom only we are saved. And we affirm with Saint Austen, that bona opera non praecedunt iustificandos, sed sequuntur iustificatos: Good works go not before them that are to be justified, but follow them being justified: for first, the person must be accepted with God, before any thing that proceedeth from man, be pleasing to his Majesty: And whatsoever is not of faith, is sin.  
We say also with S. Bernard, 
Bernard.  that bona opera sunt viae ad regnum, non causae regnandi: Good works accompany us towards heaven, but are not the causes of our coming thither.  
And to conclude this point, which by way of digression I have pursued thus far, we all say with Saint Paul, By grace we are saved through faith, not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should beast: 
Ephes. 2.8.  but yet so as followeth in the same Text, that God hath ordained good works, for every good Christian to walk in. And therefore let every one that believeth in Christ, be careful to bring forth good works, to testify his Faith & Repentance, without which he cannot be saved.  
Use 1 The use of this point may then serve, To teach all people to take heed that they linger not their Repentance, and put it off from day to day, because every hour they are in danger of death; and if they die without Repentance, they cannot be saved.  
Use 2 To teach us all never to sooth ourselves in any sin, though never so sweet, though never so pleasing, though never so profitable; for that is not Repentance that only sorroweth for sin, but that which causeth us to hate all sin, and to labour to leave the same to the uttermost of our power. In a word, true Repentance, or conversion, as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth, is the whole conversion of the mind unto God, with a full purpose and holy resolution to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world.  
Use 3 Lastly, seeing except we thus repent, we cannot be saved; let us pray night and day for this grace of Repentance, for it is not in ourselves to turn unto the Lord, for even jeremy himself prayeth, Convert thou us, good Lord, and we shall be converted: turn thou us, good Lord, and we shall be turned. Let us know, that this is a business that of necessity must be done, whatsoever be left undone, if we will be saved; and the sooner it is done, the easier it is to be done, and the better accepted: put not off thy Repentance therefore any longer, lest God's wrath fall upon thee to thine everlasting destruction. Think upon the end of thy Creation, think upon the price of thy Redemption; it was to this end, that thou mayest be saved; for this end was Prayer, Preaching, and Sacraments commanded and ordained, that thou mayest be saved. In a word, this is the end of thy faith, as S. Peter saith, The salvation of thy soul. Therefore not without great cause is it, that our Text saith, Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved.  
And so much for the Exhortation, being the first general part of our Text.  
Wherein we have observed, first, Who exhorteth? jeremy: secondly, Who is exhorted? jerusalem: thirdly, Whereunto? to Repentance: four, For what end? That they may be saved.     

Second part.  
Now come we to the second and last part of our Text, which is the Reprehension, in these words: How long shall thy wicked thoughts remain within thee!  
The Prophet having so lovingly exhorted us to Repentance, by willing us to wash our hearts from wickedness; he falleth now to reproving us for lingering so long our Repentance, saying, How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you! Wherein we may observe things worthy of observation, both in the manner and in the matter of this reproof.  

The manner.  In the manner, I observe the duty of a good Pastor, and Teacher, who must oftentimes join with Doctrine and Exhortation, Reproof and Reprehension, as also the Apostle S. Paul exhorteth, when he saith, Improve, rebuke, exhort. 
2. Tim. 4.2.   
Examples of this kind of teaching, we have store in all the Prophets, Evangelists, and Apostles, which being so well known to all, I shall not need to relate any of them: but in stead thereof will take up a reproof, which I think every one of us must be content to bear, of what estate or calling soever we are of, either in the Church or Commonweal, that is, That every one, almost, can be contented to hear the Preacher patiently, so long as he is in his general doctrine, and exhortation; or if sometime he reprove sin, in some general sort: for that which seemeth to be spoken to all, is taken many times as spoken to none. But if the Preacher once begin to fall unto more particular reprehension: As haply when there is great cause to reprove the Magistrate and Governors, of some remissness in their duties, that they suffer sin and sinners, as Idolaters, Adulterers, Drunkards, Swearers, profaners of the Sabbaths, and the like, to go unpunished, yea, uncontrolled, and that not in corners, but in public places, to the great offence of Almighty God, and to the scandal of our holy profession: Or when sometimes many zealous Preachers tax others of their own profession, for neglecting of their callings; or reprove Merchants, and men of Trades, for their several deceits, or Landlords for enhancing their Rents, or Lawyers for delaying of their Clients, or mighty Men for oppressing the poor, or Noble men, and Gentlemen for sacrilege, or Rich men for usury, or Gentlewomen for their excessive pride in their apparel, or women of lower degree, for following of the fashion, or any one of these, or the like, for their several sins whatsoever: Oh, than that Preacher is either too precise or peremptory; he leaveth his Text, and falleth to railing, as some think: Notwithstanding, like a painful Silke-worke, he draweth his reprehension out of the very bowels of his Text, and doth no more than God commands him, To show the people their sins, and the house of jacob, their transgressions. 
Esay 58.1.  O beloved, if this gentle kind of preaching used in our days, be so hard to be digested, how would you take it, if Preachers should take liberty by the example of the Prophets, to reprove sin and sinners in such plainness and boldness, that they single them out by name, as Esay, Amos, jeremy, john Baptist have done, though it cost them full dear for their labour? But they knew their reward was with the Lord, and their labour with the Almighty.  
One thing more we may not pass unremembered in the manner of the reproof, and that is, the vehemency of the interrogation which our Prophet useth, when he saith, How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you? 
Text.  for it is a reproof with a certain kind of indignation, striking to the very heart of them whom he reproveth; such force doth the Majesty of God's Word carry with it. When it is preached with authority, and in the zeal of God's Spirit, It is then lively, and mighty in operation 
Heb. 4.12.  (as the Apostle speaketh) and sharper than any two-edged sword, and entereth through even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, and of the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart.  
How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you?  
Use 1 The use drawn here-hence may be, First, to teach Preachers, which are to fight the Lords battle against the sinful Amalekites, to take courage unto themselves, and like Samuel the Lord's Prophet, in pieces, To cut and hue Agag 
1. Sam. 15.33.  with the sword of God's Spirit, and not to be so fainthearted as Iether Gideons' youngest son was, who feared to slay Zebah and Zalmunnah the Lord's enemies, 
judg. 8.20.  though his father commanded him so to do.  
Use 2 A second use must be to teach us, that if Preachers must be bold to reprove sin, yea, to launce the heart of sinners, with the knife of God's Law, and to tear them in pieces with the coulter of God's Word; then people must be contented to suffer themselves to be reproved, and to have their impostumes of sin taken out; for it is for the health of their bodies, and for the salvation of their souls. The wounds of a friend are better than the kisses of a foe. And who more foe to man, than they that sooth us in our sins, and sow pillows under our elbows, that sinners may sleep the more sound in their sins, as the false prophets in old time were wont to do?  
Use 3 Hereunto we might add a third use for Magistrates, if it would please them to be entreated to draw out the sword of justice, to meet and join with the sword of God's Word; for the cutting off of those Hidra's heads; I mean Swearing, Drunkenness, and Profanation of the Sabbath, that every day take life again; say and do the Preachers herein what they can. It is the sword of the Magistrate that can do more good in one days punishment for these sins, than the Preachers can do with all their pains. And albeit we are to bless God, that we live in such a Land, where these sins are both spoken against by the Preachers, and also punished by the Magistrates, when they come to light, yet surely many times, too much remissness in this duty, may do much hurt both in City and Country, where all these sins abound like a Sea breaking over her banks, which must be looked unto betimes, for fear of drowning the whole Continent.  
And thus much now, for the manner of Reproof, being done with a vehement interrogation: How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you?  

Matter.  Now come we to the matter of reproof, which consisteth of two parts. 

Two things.  
First, it is for conceiving and receiving evil and wicked thoughts into our hearts: for did we not receive or conceive them, we could not harbour them.  
Secondly, for harbouring and retaining them there toolong, How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you?    
For the first, it seemeth our Prophet jeremy playeth too much the Cynic, and dealeth somewhat too austerely in his reprehensions.  
What? Had it not been enough if he had only reproved actual sins, whether in word or work (though I know wicked thoughts consented unto, be actual sins of the mind) such sins as might haply have come within the compass of his own knowledge; or such sins whereof the World might take notice of; but must he come to such secret sins, as never came within the compass of men's knowledge, except they that commit them? for no man knoweth the heart of man, but the spirit of man that is within him, no not the Devils themselves, 
The Devils know not our thoughts.  but by signs, except it be such thoughts as the Devils themselves suggest.  
I answer for the Prophet, that he doth herein perform the part of a good Teacher, and like a skilful Surgeon or Physician, doth not content himself to take away only outward Ulcers, or cool the heat of a Fever, with outward coolings, but looketh unto the inward causes of all these mischiefs, and so doth labour to take away the cause, that the effect may follow.  
Now who knoweth not that the seed of all sins, and the Wellspring of all wickedness riseth from the heart of man? as our Saviour right well teacheth, Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, Adulteries, Thefts, Murders, 
Matth. 15.19.  and the like. Therefore as the heart must be washed from all wickedness, so from all wicked thoughts, which are the originals of all unrighteousness: for the imaginations of men's hearts are evil continually, and no man can say his heart is clean; nay, I think, every one will confess, that the wicked thoughts of his heart are worse than his works, because either fear or shame, want of occasion, or one thing or other doth hinder the wicked work, when the heart doth burn or boil in wickedness; as in lust, fury, malice, enuic, or the like, which are the maladies of the mind: And little doth man know how much he is bound to the goodness of God, that the Devil doth not know our wicked thoughts, farther than we bewray ourselves unto him, or by guessing at our complexions wherein he is not unskilled.  
I shall not need to relate the opinion of the Schoolmen concerning the thoughts of men, even in wicked things: Aquinas saith, Cogitatio de opere illicito, non est semper peccatum: The thought of an unlawful thing is not always sin: his reason, because, saith he, Tales cogitationes dupliciter considerandae: Such thoughts are to be considered in a double sense, Aliquando sunt cum aliqua affectione concupiscentiae, aliquando horroris: Sometimes they are accompanied with affection of Concupiscence, and then they are sin; sometimes with a thought of horror and detestation, and then it is no sin. Also some wicked thoughts are cast into our minds by Satan, whereunto we never yield any consent; these are not our wicked thoughts. But it is not against these latter thoughts, that our Prophet speaketh; for such thoughts, to think upon the ugliness and foulness of sin, come too little into our minds: but it is against wicked thoughts, which either proceed of our own corrupted nature, or suggested into our minds by the malice of Satan, whereunto we give consent and liking, or the allurements of the World, which we cherish and delight in, that our Prophet doth here reprove, withthiss vehemency of an interrogation; when he saith, How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you? Such wicked thoughts whereof Saint james speaketh, When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 
jam. 1.15.  These wicked thoughts of ours are the Cockatrice eggs; which in short time break forth into sinful Serpents, and must be killed in cold Winter, when they seem to be dead; otherwise; if we heat them long in our breasts and bosoms, they will bite and sting us as bad as Scorpions: Which is one good use that we must make of this doctrine. Use 1 Therefore take we heed how we either conceive or receive wicked thoughts into our hearts; for evil thoughts separate from God; and such a heart as is taken up with such foul and filthy guests, the Spirit of grace and of glory will never rest in.  
Use 2 A second use we must make hereof, namely, To keep watch and ward as well over our thoughts, as over our words or works; and not think we are in a good case, if we commit not actual Adultery, Theft, Murder, and the like; for our Saviour saith plainly, He that lusteth after a Woman, hath committed adultery already in his heart: and S. john saith, He that hateth his brother in his heart, is a Murderer. And the same God that saith, Thou shalt not steal, saith also, Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbour's goods. Therefore, our Prophet, when he exhorteth to Repentance, he willeth us to wash our hearts from wickedness. And Christ condemned the filthy Pharisees, for that they would wash the outerside of the cup and platter, but leave the inside foul and filthy: 
Matth. 23.25.  comparing them to rotten Sepulchres, which were garnished with an outward show of holiness, but were within full of all wickedness whatsoever. Therefore when the Prophet Esay doth exhort the people to Repentance, and bids them to seek the Lord whiles he may be found, and to call upon him whiles he is near, he doth not only command the wicked to leave their wicked works, but also the unrighteous their own evil imaginations, and so to turn unto the Lord; for that indeed is true and sound conversion, when the mind is rectified, and the body mortified to serve the Lord. Therefore is it, that the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians, that their whole spirit, soul and body may be kept blameless unto the coming of our Lord jesus Christ.  
Use 3 And hereupon ariseth a third use; seeing we are commanded to wash our hearts from wicked thoughts, and have no power in ourselves to do it; therefore being privy to our own thoughts and wicked cogitations, which rise one upon another's neck, like the waves of the Sea, we should fly continually unto the Lord by instant and uncessant prayer, day and night for grace & strength, acknowledging also God's great mercy toward us, that doth keep us and preserve us from running out into all evil with the wicked, seeing we have the seeds of all sins naturally in ourselves, except they be suppressed by grace, and by the holy and sanctifying Spirit of God. And so much briefly for the first part of the Reprehension of our Prophet, which is against such as soul and soil their hearts and souls with sinful thoughts, whereby their hearts and consciences are defiled, and make themselves unapt and unfit for every good work.  

The 〈◊〉 part  The second part of the Reprehension is for harbouring and retaining such evil thoughts too long in our hearts: How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you? Not that it is lawful to give consent unto any evil thoughts, or to harbour them in our hearts, no not a moment of time. But as it is said of Covetousness, Crescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crescit. So it may be said of evil thoughts, Crescit amor peccati; Sin itself doth grow and increase, so long as any evil thought is cherished within us.  

Simile.  The seed must be cast into the ground, and take rooting, before it grow upward to any blade, and the blade must grow to a stem, and Ear too, before it blow or bring forth any fruit; so the seeds of sin are first sown in the heart of man, and there takes root, before it break out and bring forth fruit; but if these seeds of sin be weeded and taken away, before the root have taken fast holding, than they rot and die, and bring no more detriment to the ground. Therefore good Christians must be skilful in this spiritual husbandry, namely, oftentimes to tear up their fallow grounds, as the Prophet speaketh, with the Share and Coulter of true Repentance, lest those seeds and weeds of sin, which do continually spring up in the furrows of our hearts, do overtop and overgrow that little grace and goodness which we seem to have.  
Therefore if it cannot be avoided, but that evil thoughts must arise in our hearts, by reason of our native corruption: 
Simile.  (for as the earth doth bring forth weeds without sowing, briars without planting; so the heart of man doth yield forth the seeds of sin without dressing) It should be our chief care even in the spring of our years, to weed out, as much as possibly we may, these sinful weeds of wicked thoughts, out of the Garden of our hearts, that the seed of God's Word may grow in the same, being indeed the immortal seed whereby we must grow up into everlasting life. And this is one good use that we should make of this reprehension. Use 1 How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you?  
Now as this first use doth serve to instruct the younger sort of Christians, to timely Repentance, before sin have taken too deep roots in them: So the second use Use 2 must be to reprove those, which together with their age and years, have suffered evil thoughts to grow as old as themselves, and have taken such rooting in their hearts, that they are now passed weeds, and grown into great Trees; insomuch that nothing but the Axe of God's judgements can cut them down. Therefore is the Axe (saith john Baptist) put to the root of the Tree; and the fall of such a tree must needs be fearful: for there is no hope of any recovery again. To this sort of people it is especially that our Prophet speaketh, How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you?  
How long? a year, or two, or ten, or twenty? Oh that were too long; but what say you then to thirty, forty, fifty? Oh fearful! But what if they hold out till sixty, seventy, eighty? O God be merciful unto them.  
O dear Christians, let us fear to grow old in sin. David prayeth God to forgive him the sins of his youth, and to cleanse his heart from secret sins, which were many of them his evil thoughts. But we are not afraid of the sins of our age, which were begun in our youth, and continued in our strength, and now drag after us even to our grave. So unwilling is Satan to lose any one of his old Soldiers; he knoweth, they are cunning, skilful, crafty, full of hypocrisy, able to deceive the world, themselves and their own souls, but cannot deceive God, which seethe their hearts, and daily crieth out unto them, How long shall your wicked thoughts remain within you?  
O dear Christians, how strange a thing is it, that we can never be weary of wickedness! that the elder many grow, the worse they grow, verifying the saying of a Heathen, Rarò senes Deos timent: which indeed may seem to be a mere Paradox; and therefore I will not English it: for old men should be examples to the younger sort, to serve God, to love Religion, to bring up their Families and Children in the fear of the Lord, as Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, together with the rest of the patriarchs and the faithful ones of all ages have done.  
Last of all, we must not think or imagine, that evil thoughts rest only in old age, and that this reproof of our Prophet doth not reach to every one of us, to old, to young, to rich, to poor, to men, to women; for every one may accuse himself of this sin, that he hath suffered his evil thoughts too long to continue within him.  
Wherefore, to conclude, let us labour betimes to suppress those sinful seeds of sin, which have filled this Land of ours full of wickedness, from the Court to the Country, as Amos basket was full of Summer fruit; 
Amos 8.1.  let us dash out the brains of these Babylonish Babes and Brats, before they breed us to greater mischiefs; for of sinful thoughts come all our sinful words, all our wicked works, all our Treasons and Treacheries, all our privy plots and conspiracies, all our poisonings and villainies whatsoever they be: Therefore the wiseman giveth counsel not so much as to speak or think evil, no not in thy privy chamber: and what is more privy than the chamber of our hearts, where all evil thoughts are hatched?  
The Prophets of God complain of such as lie musing of wickedness upon their beds by night, and in the day time they put the same in practice If needs evil thoughts, like so many Soldiers, must muster through the Country of our hearts, let them only pass as strangers, give them nor bread nor water for entertainment, than they will not care greatly to come again; but as the brute beast (and every man is a beast in his own knowledge) will willingly come again after once he hath been well entertained, so these beastly thoughts and affections, if they be any thing comforted or cherished, will never tarry long away; they are the harbingers of Satan, and like unto their Master; for though he go away for a time, if he find the house swept and garnished, that is, provided for him, he will surely come again with seven spirits worse than himself, and so the end of that man shall be worse than the beginning.   

Pe●●ratio.  
Now God of his mercy make us all wary and wise unto salvation, strengthen us with grace against all wicked thoughts and sinful temptations; pardon us for our passed transgressions, finish soon these days of sin, and bring us to his everlasting peace and rest, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD; to whom, with the FATHER and the holy GHOST, three persons in most glorious TRINITY, but one GOD in essential UNITY, be rendered and ascribed of all Saints and Angels in heaven and in earth, all honour, glory, praise, power, and thanksgiving, from this time forth, and for ever.  
Amen.   
FINIS.  
Laus Deo trin-uno, in aeternum, Amen.