A SERMON OF REPENTANCE. Preached By GEORGE MERITON Doctor of Divinity, and one of his majesties Chaplains in Ordinary. Imprinted at London for Thomas Clarke, and are to be sold at the sign of the Angel in Paul's Churchyard, 1607. To the Right Honourable, the Lord Sheffeild, Lord Precedent of York, and Knight of the Honourable Order of the Garter: increase of Comforts in this life, and after death, a Crown of Glory. RIght Honourable: my desire is to cast my Mite, into the Treasury of the Church: and for want of Gold, Pearl or Precious stones: to bring a Rams skinae or twain, and a little Goat's Exod. 35. 23. hair, to the building of the lords Tabernacle▪ I may seem (perhaps) to pass the bounds of modesty, in craving your honours protection for so small a thing. The smaller it is, the more needful to be protected. And sithence you vouchsafed not long since, to hear part of it with patience: I will now presume upon your L▪ favour for the whole. I do not dedicate it unto you, as doubting of your Honour's care, in this point of Repentance, your love to Religion: Zeal to the Truth: practise of Piety: have made you Honourable, not in yourself alone; but also (as Samuel 1. Sam. 9 6. was) in the hearts of the people. Yet give me leave 2. Pet. 3. 1. (Ibeseech you) to stir up and warn your pure mind, That as you have begun to cleave unto CHRIST, with a good purpose of heart: So you would continue to aoe it still: and to do it more and more. Remember always (Noble Lord) that blood unstained before Men, is stained blood before GOD; if it be not continually restored by the blood of CHRIST. This Sermon then, I commend unto your Honour, and it, to the good blessing and holy protection of God. Hadleigh in Suffolk, May the 26. 1607. Your Honours to be commanded: GEORGE MERITON. Except ye amend your lines, ye all shall likewise perish. Luk. 13. vers. 5. OTher men's afflictions, are our instructions: and the punishments which are laid upon some, are, or should be profitable unto us all. The Dog, is beaten in the presence of a Lion; that by the stripes, and cries of a Dog, a Lion might be tamed; The Thunder bolt, falleth, and burneth, but in a narrow jud. vers. 7. compass, yet is it terrible to a great number, round about: so the calamities of a few, are set forth for ensamples unto the rest, to work amendment in them. This true use of judgements, did not many of the jewish people make: Pilate had destroyed some, and mingled their blood, with their sacrifices: The Tower of Siloam fell down upon others, and bereaved them of Vers. 4. their lives. Those who escaped these punishments, (as the Nature of man is) favouring themselves too much: being wise abroad, and fools at home (as the Poet speaketh:) having their eyes in their purses, when they should behold their own deformities, like Lamia in the Fable, and staring in their heads, to gaze upon the sins of others, with the proud Pharisee in the Gospel: concluded from hence, like bad Logicians from weak and slender premises: that, Therefore they were more righteous and holy than their fellows. Our Saviour CHRIST, to cross this vain supposal, answereth them here Laconically: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Nay: And lest that being over-blinded in themselves, they should all fall into the ditch: to prevent their ruin, he denounceth out a threatening, that, Unless they amended, they should all likewise perish. threatenings they are forcible means, to draw sinners unto GOD: For although good promises, are allurements unto good men: yet such (for the most part) is the corruption of our hearts, as that we are more moved with fear, then with love; more with the rod of Aaron, then with heavenly Manna: more with severe threatenings, then with friendly promisings: Injuries do work a deeper grief in us, than benefits do affect us with delight: Sickness doth more weary us, than health doth refresh us: and we are wont to esteem rightly of prosperity; by the harms of adversity. For this cause therefore are these misdeeming jews, foretold, that unless they amended their lives, their destruction was at hand. CHRIST lanceth them, for to heal them: he threateneth them; for to draw them: he denounceth judgements against them, for to save them: his words are like the Arrows of jonathan, which were shot after David, not 1. Sam. 20. to wound him, but to give him warning. In old times, thus was GOD accustomed to reclaim his people: The writings of the Prophets are even stuffed with woes. Take a book saith GOD unto Ier: 36. 16. jeremy, and write therein all the evil, that I determine to do unto the house of judah, that they may returneevery man from his evil way: and in the same Chapter it is recorded, that when they heard the words of the book they were amazed. The like course hath GOD used in latter times. john's manner of preaching, was as rough, as himself. Now is the Axe (saith he) laid unto the roots of the trees, and every tree that bringeth Mat. 3. 5, 6. not forth good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire: What followed hereupon? jerusalem, all judea, and the region about jordaine were baptised of him, confessing their sins. CHRIST also in this place threateneth the jews, and in them every one of us: for that which stood good against them, standeth still in force against us: Except we amendour lives, we shall all likewise perish. How this wrought, to the conversion of these jews, it is not mentioned in the Scripture; how far it will prevail, for the bettering of us, I am not able to conjecture. This am I sure of, that in former times, threatenings have prevailed: and I beseech our GOD to make them profitable now. The parts of my Text are these four. First, there is a duty required (Amendment of life) Secondly the necessity thereof enforced (unless) Thirdly the time prescribed (Amend) not have amended and fallen again, not will amend, I know not when; but unless you (Amend) do it speedily, and continually without delay or interruption. sorrow for sin, without hope of grace: where there is knowledge of guiltiness, without amendment of life: where there is a kill of the old man; without a quickening of the new: where there is the sentence of death in the Soul, & not of life in the Saviour. Though we should recount unto GOD, all our sins over, & over again; even in the bitterness of our souls; M. ch. 1. 8 though we lament with Dragons, and mourn like Ostriges, yet had we but that part of this grace, which even the wicked and reprobates have; Cain, Saul, judas, Heb. 12. 17 were greatly grieved for their sins, Esau lift up his voice, and howled out, yet found he no place to repentance, though he sought a blessing with tears. What was the cause of this? (my beloved) but that there was in him penance without desire of repentance; grief without faith, a sorrow without conversion: whereas sorrow, faith, and new obedience, they should go together. The first, driveth to the second; sorrow, to faith: The second to the third: faith, to conversion▪ Sorrow without faith is hopeless; faith without conversion, is fruitless; the one killing, the other dead, all must concur in true repentance. As it must have the knowledge of sin in the soul, rising from the Law of GOD; and a sorrow for sin in the heart, proceeding from the fear of punishment go before it: so must it spring from faith, and by faith be finished: from the faith of science, whereby we give credence unto the Gospel must it spring: and by the faith of confidence,, by which the heart is converted unto GOD, is it fully perfected. There is no part of Christian religion of that main importance, wherein men do more voluntarily deceive themselves: then commonly they do in this duty of Repentance. In consideration whereof it will not be amiss, to deliver unto you certain infallible signs, and unseparable fruits; whereby we may assure ourselves that we have repent. S. Paul nameth seven fruits which (in some measure) always follow, where true amendment goeth before. Behold (saith he) your godly sorrows what care (1) it hath 2 Cor. 7. 11 wrought in you▪ yea what clearing (2) of yourselves: yea what indignation (3): yea what fear (4). yea how great desire (5)▪ yea what Zeal (6): yea what punishment (7)? Those then who are true converts, who do unfeignedly amend their lives: they are not sluggish or secure in sin, but Careful to redress what is amiss: not hiders, or excusers of evil: but Confessors; and by humble supplication Clearing their offences: They are not contented to dwell in wickedness: but vexed in soul and full of Indignation against themselves for their sins committed, they stand in awe, and are afraid of GOD'S judgements. They Desire his favour, as the heart desireth the water Brookes: they labour by religious Zeal, to approve their lives, to GOD and good Men: and they are so far from favouring of their faults; as that they severely punish them upon themselves. These be good Converts indeed. But those who have not this care to keep the Law of God. Who use not the means to clear the score: who be not angry with themselves for their sins: who fear not GOD'S judgements, who desire not his mercy: who contend not to go before others in Zeal, and honesty of life: who revenge not their sins upon themselves: irridentes sunt, non paenitentes (saith Gregory) they are proud mockers▪ not true repenters. Must then amendment of life, yield such worthy fruits? Is Care? Is Clearing? Is Indignation? Is Fear? Is Desire? Is Zeal? Is Punishment, required hereunto? O then (My beloved) to repent, can be no light matter, nor trifling labour; which a man may have at command, or perform when he list. No, Noah: As six days went before the creation of Mankind: so must we think of our Recreation; not as if we were then converted, when as Evening, and Morning, make the second, or third or fourth day: it is a sixth days work: that is, much toil and travail belongs unto it. Sin cannot be cast off as an upper garment. The hearts of sinners must suffer an Earthquake within them, and tremble, and rend: There must be mortifying, and crucifying; and sacrificing, both of Bodies and Souls. Strange words! (Mortifiing, Crucifying, Sacrifyeing) arguing as strange actions. That must torment us at the Heart, which delighted us in our Bodies: that must be sour to our Souls, which was sweet in our Lives: we must change our Vices into as many Virtues: and so turn unto our GOD, as if we never more would return unto sin. Many are there (saith Fulgentius) which are sorrowful for their sins, yet leave not their sinning▪ but these take not away their sins by sorrowing; because they leave not sinning after sorrowing. For as Saint Augustine speaketh, nihil prosunt lamenta ubi replicantur peccata: Mourning is in vain, if we sin again. But more (alas) are there, which seldom, or never, are sorry for their sins at all: Which will not learn to drink Gall with CHRIST, which cannot abide a bitter Soul, nay in steed of sorrowing for sins, they glory in them; they say unto them, as GOD said unto his Creatures: increase & multiply▪ proclaiming with a Trumpet, their own reprobation. O let us remember, that the hearts of Eccl. 20. foolish sinners, are like broken vessels which cannot be mended, till they must first be melted: That (as Beda saith) we must plough up our grounds, before we can rid them from thorns. That (as Saint Ambrose speaketh) great sins, craves great weeping, great lamentation. If Naman will be cleansed from his leprosy, he must wash himself seven times in the water: and if we will purge us from the filthiness of our sin, we must rench ourselves often with tears, we must undergo the Agony of Repentance: mingle our Drink with weeping, water our Couches with Tears: yea the very blood (as it were) of our souls must gush out of our eyes: we must be grieved, that we cannot always be grieved. When CHRIST considered the sins of jerusalem, Luk. 13. 34 he wept over it: O jerusalem, jerusalem etc. When David heard that his Son was slain in his sin, he 2, Sam. 18. lamented for him: O Absalon my son, Absalon my son; my son. Have these wept for the sins of others? much more ought we then to mourn for our own transgressions. Michah followed the soldiers; crying because they had stolen away his Idols; and the question being moved, why he cried so piteously? judges. 17. Why (saith he) ye have carried my gods away, and ask ye me why I cry? Did this Idolatrous wretch think it cause sufficient to lament for the loss of his false gods, which his own hands had made? judge you then (Beloved) how we should be grieved for our sins, which deprive us of the true GOD whose hands have framed Heaven and Earth. Will examples move us to the performance of this duty? Look upon repenting David, and behold there are ashes upon his head, and sackcloth upon his back: he did not brave it in attire, nor lay streaking upon his bed, with a bare (Lord help me) in his mouth. Look upon the repenting Ninevites; and behold King, and people, are strangely humbled. Men and beasts, fast and drink water; they sat not bealching at their boards, saying (Pardon Sir) & so post it over. Look upon repenting Magdalen. and behold (saith Gregory) quot habuit in se oblectamenta, tet de se fecit hollocausta: so many pleasures as she found in herself, so many sacrifices she made of herself. She had abused her eyes to wanton looks; and therefore now she caused them to flow-over with tears: she had made her lips the weapons of lasciviousness and gates of vanity, and therefore now she caused them to kiss her saviour: her hair once set out and frizeled after the newest fashion, doth she now make serve in steed of a napkin; her precious ointment, that was her wont perfume, she now powered upon CHRIST'S feet, which her eyes had watered, her hair had wiped, her mouth had kissed. The Philistines being plagued with Emrodes, offered Emrodes unto the Ark. 1. Sam. 6. The Isralites being stung with Serpents, erected a serpent in the wilderness, serpens momordit, serpens curavit. Num. 21. a Serpent did bite, & a serpent did heal. Those that gave their jewels to the making of a Calf, did afterwards Ex. 35. bestow them upon the Lord's Tabernacle. And this was Mary's practice: so many sins, so many sacrifices: such sins such sacrifices: her eyes, her lips, her hair, her ointment, all the instruments of her death were turned (at her conversion) into the means of life. Notable examples to teach all their duties. Have you delighted in pride of attire? put on sackcloth: have you offended in surfeiting, & drankennes? fast and drink water: hath your mirth been immoderate? weep; strangle that sin with the stream of tears: have you rob or wronged your brethren? make restitution: no restitution, no atonement. Exo. 6. 7. Nay further revenge that sin upon yourselves; by giving somewhat of your own: have you been unclean, fleshly livers? chastise your bodies with Paul: demete aliquid de hordeo, as it is in the Poet, keep 1. Cor. 9 27. before his covenant: as Amend: and Enter: but Nis●, unless you amend, Regnum amittitur, the Kingdom is lost, ye shall surely perish: Repentance is as Necessary a condition to life, as a Ship is needful to him that will sail over the Sea: or as a medicine is necessary (saith S. Ambrose) unto a wounded body. Neither is it necessary to some: but to all. All shall perish, unless there be amendment. The whole race of Adam stand bound to this strict condition. Not Moses: Not Abraham▪ Not David: not the patriarchs not the Apostles of CHRIST: Not any who may challenge unto themselves (either by Birth or bringing up) the greatest prerogatives in the world, can plead exemption from this Condition. Hast thou failed in thy faith, and repent? behold GOD'S mercy towards repenting Peter: Hast thou rob thy Neighbour and repent? behold GOD'S mercy to the repenting Thief: Hast thou covetously gained, and repent? behold GOD'S mercy to repenting Zachy restored. Zachie. Hast thou burned in unclean lust, and repent? behold GOD'S mercy to repenting Magdalen. Hast thou committed Adultery, and repent? behold GOD'S mercy to repenting David. But hast thou done these and many more: and not repent: take heed to thyself: if the condition be still broken: thou shalt surely be damned. GOD accepteth of no man's person: he feareth no man's power, he is deceived by no policy; he is corrupted with no money, he is alured by no flattery. Who would not have thought, but that the pharisees should have been saved, which made a show of a precise life: or that Esau should not have been respected, who lift up his voice and wept bitterly. Or that Ahab had not been Heb. 12. in good case who humbled himself exceedingly: Or that Herod should not have gone to Heaven: who 2. King. 21 heard john Baptist gladly. But woe unto the Pharisees Mar. 6. 20. said CHRIST. Esau did GOD hate: Achab was a Luk. 11. 42 counterfeit, Herod was a cruel Tyrant. Will not a Mal. 1. 3. seeming precise life, outward humility, crying for 2 Kin. 21. Luk. 3. 19 20. a blessing, hearing of GOD'S word with some gladness serve our turns? No verily: I may say of this condition, as S. Paul speaketh of Charity. Though 1. Cor 13. we spoke with the tongues of men and Angels: though we had the gift of Prophesiing, and knew all secrets: though we had faith to remove mountains: though we should feed the poor with all our goods▪ though we should give our bodies to be burned; and want Repentance: all would be nothing worth: but like the Golden Apples of Caligula, which might please the sight of his Guests (saith Plutarch) but not slake their hunger: or like the gold on the outside of the Temple, which (as Origen writeth) was never sanctified: Say what we can: believe what we can, do what we can: suffer what we can: unless we repent we shall surely perish. As CHRIST JESUS is a Lamb full of mercy joh. 1. & meekness: so is he a Lion, full of wrath & fierceness. Apo. 5. Unto the repenting person he giveth a soft heart, for his mercy endureth for ever: he sendeth the comfort of his spirit: for his mercy endureth for ever: he giveth peace of conscience: for his mercy endureth for ever: and bestoweth on them the joys of Heaven; for his mercy endureth for ever. But as for the impenitent: he giveth them over unto hardness of heart: for his justice endureth for ever. He leaveth them, in a Reprobate sense, for his justice endureth for ever. He sendeth into them the horror of Conscience, for his justice endureth for ever. And cafteth them at last into the torments of Hell: for his justice endureth for Jud. 6. ever. Did not GOD spare his Angels, but reserved Gen. 7. Num. 14. them in Chains under darkness? did he not spare the old World, but drowned it with a flood? did he not spare his own people, but destroyed them in the Wilderness? And will he spare us without our conversion? Is there now an other way to Heaven? or a new trick to escape danger? Let no Man flatter himself there is no Atheist, no Drunken swil-tubbe, no Covetous wretch, no doting Dreamer, who despiseth government, and speaketh evil of those that are in Authority: no Swearer, no For-swearer: no Thief, no Adulterer. In one word no kind of sinner, without Repentance shall escape GOD'S vengeance. CHRIST JESUS hath spoken it: the Life that faileth not: the Way that misleadeth not: the truth that deceiveth not. Unless ye amend your lives, ye shall all likewise perish. Thus much of the necessity of this duty, 3. The time is prescribed. Amend instantly, continually. In omnibus obligationibus, in quibus dies non ponitur, present die debetur: In all Obligations (saith the Lawyer) where no time is specified the Condition is presently to be performed. Upon this Theme the Holymen of GOD spent many of their Sermons: Look into Esay, jeremy and the rest, and you shall find, that they ever beat upon the present time: Now turn unto the Lord. Now, Efa. 55. whilst it is called to day; to day if you will hear his jer. 35. Heb. 3. voice, this is the acceptable time etc. What were Psal. 95. they so barren headed; as that penury constrained Heb. 4. them to harp always upon the same string? GOD forbidden we should think so. But iniquity did then abound (as now it doth) and procrastination, was ever dangerous: and therefore they judged no Doctrine so fit, as oftentimes to urge repentance without all delay. GOD will not permit us, to give the prime days unto the Devil: and the Dog days to him: to pour out our wine to the world, and serve him with our dregs. Amend (saith my text) here is no time special annexed? and therefore is our payment presently required. And as we must amend, without deferring▪ so must we continue without backsliding. We may not repent by quames and starts, but go through stitch. Fat promisings may not have lean performances. It is a principle in the Civil Law. Nihil praesumitur fuisse actum, dum aliquid superest ad agendum. To begin a thing is pleasant, and for variety's sake many will do so much, but the prize and praise is at the end. Some in the world resemble Snails, which push out a long pair of horns, but being touched never so little, they draw them in again. Such a one was 2. Chr. 15. Asa, careful to do good, till the gout did take him; 1. Sam. 14. 27. Others are like jonathan, who will follow the chase hard, till they come where honey is. But true repentance may not be by lease, or after the manner of Bethulia, judg. 7. 30. a composition for five days: we may not say one day Gloriapatri, the second & filio, the third & spirituo sancto: and after that come to sicut erat in principio; Dan. 2. 32. 33. this were Nabuchadnezers image, the head of brass the breast of base metal, and so nearer the end Luk. 18. worse and worse still. But we must follow repentance Gen. 32. as the widow did her suit, keep our hold as jacob did in wrestling. Amend to day, amend to morrow▪ run on, not for a time, but even our whole time: actu continuo with a continued act, Moderately at the first; constantly in the midst; cheerfully to the end. All the trees in GOD'S Orchard must be Palms and Cedars: Palms, which bring forth fruit betimes; Cedars, whose fruits lasteth very long. Consider well, the manifold dangers which follows the want either of speed or of continuance. First our lives, of all things are most uncertain. Short are job. 13. the days of man saith job, who also amongst the Philosophers is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, a man of a day old. Solomon Eccle. 2. surveying man's life calleth it Vain: and then thinking not that word sufficient, correcteth himself and calleth it vanity: but David goeth yet further, and Psal. 6 2. tells us. That man is lighter than vanity too. Even as Psal. 90. 9 a thought in the brain, whereof there may be no fewer than ten thousand in one day. What answer was made unto him that promised ease unto his soul many years? thou fool this night shall thy soul be taken Luk. 11. 19 20. from thee. Young men (saith Seneca) have death behind them: old men have death before them: and all men have death not far from them. Me thinks the Lord threateneth an utter ruin unto all the World: The Earth not long since hath trembled: the Lights of Heaven have been often darkened. Rebellions have been raised. Treasons have been practised▪ Plagues have been dispersed, Winds have blustered: Waters have raged, and what wanteth there now, but fire for us, from Heaven to be consumed? And is it now time to buy, to sell, to eat, to drink, to live securely in sin, as they did in the days of Noah, and think of nothing else? Is it now time to say unto GOD as the Niggard doth Prou. 3. unto his neighbour, Cras revertere, come again to morrow? or as that drowsy sluggard doth; yet a Prou. 6. 10. little sleep, yet a little slumber, yet a little folding of the hands? The foolish Virgins supposed that the Bridegroom would not come like an Owl or Ba●te in the night: there is time enough (said they:) what needs all this haste? but poor fools they were excluded. O (My beloved) many thousands are now, no doubt in hell, who purposed in time to have turned from their sins, but being prevented by death are for ever condemned. Let therefore the uncertainty and shortness of our lives, teach us to watch because we know not the hour, to do good whilst we have Mat. 25. Gal. 6. time; to make haste into the promised rest, and always Heb. 4. let us esteem it, as an imminent danger, to line in that estate, wherein we would be loath that death should find us. Secondly bad customs are dangerous, and job. 20. 11 greatly to be feared: He that from his youth hath lived wickedly, in his old age shall have sin in his bones. Can the blackmoor change his skin, or the jer. 13. 23. Leopard his spots? no more may he do good (saith GOD) who is accustomed unto evil. It is a true speech used amongst Physicians, Custom is another Nature. A Child brought up in close prison, can there sport and play: when he that lately saw light, and had his liberty: can do little else but bewail his Captivity: The Isralites being long in bondage, Luk. 13. were loath to departed; the Woman which had an infirmity eighteen years, called not upon CHRIST Luk. 19 as the Lepers did. Sins are not like diseases in the body. The older the sor●r: sed consuetudine plus quam cives study plus quam hosts (saith Saint Augustine) the older the sweeter, and yet the more toothsome, the more troublesome: for Custom not resisted becometh a Necessity. Old Sinners are compared to Lazarus in his grave. First, they stink: they are corrupt, and become abominable Ps. 14. 1. 3. as the Psalmist speaketh. Secondly, they have a great stone of Custom rolled upon them, which can hardly be removed: joh. 11. 43. CHRIST must groan and cry aloud, before Lazarus can be raised. Thirdly their feet and hands, are bound, they cannot employ them to any good action. And lastly their faces are covered, having by the darkness of their sins, lost the sight of God. Again ancient sins, are by the Prophet compared unto Chains: where one link, one sin doth draw on another. First cometh secret suggestion, after suggestion, Cogitation: after cogitation, Affection: after affection Delight: after delight, Consent: after consent an Act: then many acts make a Custom: Custom bringeth Despair: despair a Defence of sin: defence a Boasting in it: and this is the next step to condemnation. Here is the Chain of sin: wherein every link is more heavy than an other: the former, are the easier: the latter, always the harder to be shaken off. Peter at the first did but deny CHRIST, afterwards he denied him with an oath: at last he did curse and swcare, and for-swore himself. The Disciples of Mat. 26. CHRIST could not cast out a Fowl Spirit, that had remained in one from his childhood. He that hath had long possession, will plead prescription. Mar. 9 A Language (saith Bassill) first learned; is not soon forgotten, and a custom long retained, is not quickly changed. It is therefore very dangegerous, not to examine or try ourselves before we be judged: not to use physic before we be deadly sick: not to repent before we can sin no more. It will be too late, to come to the kaye when the ship is launched: too late, to transplant trees, when they be grown in years: too late to apply a medicine, where the disease is desperate: too late to resist enemies, when they have gotten, and fortified the hold: too late to season flesh, when it crawleth with worms: or to mend a house when it is on fire. So standeth the case with him that hath lined long in sin: what is there no hope of Salvation for him? Non dico saluabitur, non dico damnabitur (saith Saint Augustine) I will not say, he shall be saved, I will not say, he shall be damned. The Thief was receined in the end of his days. Where upon Origen writeth thus. There is no man which hath cause to despair of pardon: seeing CHRIST said unto the Thief, Amen dico tibi, etc. verily this day shalt Thou be with me in Paradise: and yet may we not too much presume of pardon, because CHRIST said not. Amen dico vobis, etc. verily this day shall You be with me in Paradise. Wherefore let us remember before we sin; that CHRIST pardoned not the multitude; and thereby fear his justice. And after we have sinned, let us remember that CHRIST pardoned the thief; and thereby hope for mercy. Et si paenitentia est sera, tamen indulgentia non est fera, saith Lombard▪ GOD'S mercy is above our misery: and an evening sacrifice is accepted by him, And yet on the other side: we never read, that CHRIST cured one blind man often; that he healed the same Lepers diverse times: that he raised Lazarus twice. Antiochus prayed for mercy at the end of his life and was not heard. 2. Macha. 6 He that sayeth, at what time soever a sinner doth repent, I will put away his wickedness: saith also, Eze. 33. it is good for a man to bear the yoke from his youth: Lam. 3. 27. for old age is like to flint, you may break it, before you can soften it: and therefore the wiseman adviseth, to bow down the neck of thy son whilst he is Eccl. 10. 12 young; to beat sin on the sides, to nip it on the head while it is a child: for it will else grow stubborn, and get the Mastery. In youth, sins are few and fecble; but by continuance they grow to be as strong as Giants, and increase into mighty Armies▪ Besides they are a burden; heavier than the whole earth. They made wicked Angels to fall like thunderbolts jud. vers. 6. from the Highest Heaven, into the lowest Hell: they caused GOD to complain. Behold I am pressed under Amo. 2. 13 you, as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves. The creatures groan under this burden; being by man's sin, subject to vanity, and corruption; and shall Rom. 8. 22. crooked age be able to sustain it? A thousand to one we shall be constrained to cry out with Cain. My Gen. 4. 13. sin is heavier than I am able for to bear. Thirdly we must remember, that the longer we continue in sin, the farther and greater space, we run from our God. Your Iniquities (saith GOD) makes a Separation betwixt me and you. And is there Esa. 59 2. any likelihood, that he who hath been running from his GOD, forty, threescore, perhaps fourscore years together, who with the prodigal, is run into a far Country: can return again, in the space of six days? six hours? six minutes? For it may be his sickness, (unto the time whereof he deferreth his conversion) will not be six days, six hours, six minutes long: and how is it possible then to return unto GOD? Say that the forcible working of the holy spirit (like a great gale of wind) be able to blow thee home upon the sudden: yet art thou not sure for to have it. Nay GOD hath told thee: Because I have called, and you refused: you shall call upon me, and I will not Pro. 1. 28. answer you. A doleful and heavy doom, for a dying man. Lastly let us ever remember, that in time of sickness we think most upon that we most feel: Death besiegeth us: sin affrighteth us: our wives grieveys: our children withdraw us: being many ways distracted, how shall we then amend? being then at the weakest, how can we resist Satan, who is then at the strongest? now he must have us, or else ever lose us: now therefore standeth the red Dragon, ready to devour his prey. Vaunting himself against CHRIST JESUS: I never died for these, I never was whipped, crucified, tormented for them. I never promised them eternal life, not Paradise, not the joys of Heaven. And yet lo how they follow me unto their lives end? Avaunt Satan: in the Name of CHRIST JESUS. And let all true Christians Amend speedily: Continually. 4. There is punishment threatened, Ye shall all perish. Amongst the Philosophers, to perish, doth usually signify, A returning unto nothing which the Creatures of GOD, do naturally abhor. For ever since that first blessing Increase and multiply, there Gen. 1. hath been in the Creatures, a natural desire, to preserve themselves. In this philosophical sense, is not the word here to be understood. It were a piece of happiness to impenitent persons, if they might become as though they had never been. But death shall departed from them: and as the Heart of Prometheus was (say the Poets) always eaten with Vultures, Apo. 9 and not devoured, so shall it be with these: They shall ever perish, and never be consumed. In the Scriptures, To perish: is a word of a large extent: containing in it, the plagues of the Soul, the punishment Pro. 21. of the body, the wrath and curse of Dan. 2. Psal. 1. GOD, upon the Reprobates in this world, and joh. 10. 28. in the world to come everlasting condemnation. The meaning then of the word [perish]. First, is this: You shall have in this life the face of GOD against you: Heaven shall be as Iron, and Earth as Brass unto you. Cursed shall you be in the City, cursed in the Fields: cursed shall you be in your Barn, cursed in your Store, cursed in the fruits of your Wombs, cursed in the fruits of the Earth, cursed in your herds of Cattle, cursed in your flocks of sheep: cursed shall be your going out, cursed shall be your coming in: your Honours, your Pleasures, Deu. 28. your Riches, your Children: all the blessings of GOD shall be turned into curses, until you be destroyed and perish utterly. This is the portion of the impenitent in this world. Secondly, the meaning of the word (perish) is this: you shall in the world to come, be everlastingly condemned. Which the Schoolmen have reduced, to two kinds of torments: poena damni: paena sensus. 1. the torment of loss, or wanting: 2. the torment of sense, and feeling▪ the effect of both is this: you shall lose the joys of Heaven, you shall feel the pains of hell. The joys of Heaven, are these of such value, or the loss of them so great, as should move us to repentance? what those joys are, and by consequence how great their loss is, we may behold as in a Glass darkly: but tongues of men and Angels can in no wise express. S. Paul being rapt into the third 2. Cor. 12. Heaven, heard there such things as cannot be uttered. First we may rove at them, by that high price which is set upon them. CHRIST the Son, and only Son of GOD, not by Adoption but by nature, loving, and best beloved: bought them, not with money, but with blood: not with the blood of Goats and Rams: but with his own blood: not with the blood of head, hands or feet: but with his own heart blood. And as he prayed sound for them himself: so hath he prized them unto his Friends, and Children. None can enter into them but by many tribulations. They cost Paul a beheading, Peter a A &. 14. 22 crucifiing: Steven a stoning: millions of Martyrs a racking or burning, a torturing, a tormenting. GOD 1. Cor. 10. who is faithful and true, hath not deceived his Son, nor over-sold his joys unto his Saints. And therefore unspeakable are those joys, which CHRIST hath purchased, and his Children obtained, thorough a world of miseries. Secondly we may conceive of them: by taking a view of inferior beauties. Look upon the meadows: consider (saith our Saviour) the Lilies of the field, how they grow and flourish: I say unto you; that Solomon in all his glory, was not like to one of these: all salomon's glory, not like to one Lilly. Hath GOD put such glory and gladness upon the grass of the field? hath he so gorgeously attired them? which to day have a being, but to morrow are cut down, and cast into a furnace? how much more than shall Luk. 12. 2● be the glory, and joy of you, O ye of little faith? Thirdly we have a resemblance of these joys, in CHRIST'S transfiguration: when as his face did Mat. 17. shine as the Sun, and his raiment was as white as snow. For hereby we learn what glory our bodies shall have in the day of the resurrection: when (as S. Paul tells us) we shall bear the image of the heavenly, 1. Cor. 15. and be like the Son in glory. Fourthly, the place of blessedness, doth inform us of these joys. First it is a place of purity and holiness: no unclean thing shall enter thereinto. Secondly Apo 21. a place of beauty, and brightness: as clear as crystal, glistering as jasper▪ the twelve gates are twelve pearls; the sireetes like gold, and shining glass. Thirdly a Apo. 22. place of roomth, and largeness: O Israel how great is the house of GOD, and how large is the place of his possession? Baruch. 3● into this pure, bright, large place of glory shall true Conuertes enter: for where I am▪ (saith CHRIST) there shall my servants be: and that is joh. 12. not all; but Kingdoms shall be given unto them: Come ye blessed of my Father, possess a Kingdom: Luk. ●2. 29 and in this Kingdom, the Lord himself will honour Luk. 12. 37 them with his own attendants: and there shall they reign for evermore. Fiftly we may make conjecture of these joys, by reflecting our eyes upon those innumerable perils, which we have here escaped. For if such as are delivered from the dangers of the Sea, do wonderfully rejoice when they come unto the shore. Much greater than is the joy of those who having been tossed in the waves of this World; troubled with sins, with Satan; with the frailties of the flesh, with the fear of hell, (Quorum periculum probat periuntium multitudo (saith Gregory) whose dangers appears by the multitude of those that perish) are now arrived at Heaven, for their Haven: and are wholly freed from all their miseries: Quanto fuit maius periculum in praelio▪ tanto maius gaudium in triumpho: (as Saint Augustine well speaketh:) the more dangers escaped, the more joys increased: as the most doubtful battle, maketh the most joyful victory. Lastly though we know not what it is to behold the Face of GOD: yet herein consisteth the Exo. 33. 18 highest degree of happiness, and therefore are the joys of the Saints in Heaven super-superlative▪ Esa. 33. 17. because their eyes do always see their King in his glory. It is a pleasing sight and delight-some unto the eye, to behold the Sun: Sed illud est verum gaudium (saith S. Bernard) non quod ae creatura sed quod de creatore concipitur: but that is the true and only joy indeed, which is conceived from the Creator, not from the Creature. john leapt in his Mother's womb, when but the Mother of his maker came near unto him: the Wisemen rejoiced exceedingly, when they but saw his Star. The Bethshemits were comforted at the sight of his Ark, were these causes of great and unwonted gladness? Then are the Saints ravished with joy in Heaven, who behold their Creator face to face. If the people shouted for joy, so as the earth did ring again with the sound of their noise when Solomon was 1. King. 1. proclaimed King: O what a Hallaluiah is there in Heaven, at the sight of the King of Peace, crowned in his Throne of Glory? Huic comparata, omnis aliunde iucunàitas, maeror est: omnis suavitas, dolour: omne dulce, amarum: omne decorum, foedum. (saith Saint Bernard) In comparison of this, all joy, is sadness: all sweetness, sourness: all beauty, blackness: yea all the delights in the World put them together; which have been, which are, which shall be to the day of judgement: all, are but as a drop of water, to the main Ocean, in respect of that blessedness which we shall drink from the ever living fountain of the face of God. For if we find such store of sweetness in a piece of one little Creature (be it Sugar, or Honey; or such like:) what shall we not find in the Creator? if the footsteps of the goodness of GOD abound in pleasures: what hath not the fountain of goodness, GOD himself? The consideration whereof caused Moses to sue unto GOD, that he might see his glory. Compelled David oftentimes humbly to request, that he might behold the face Psa. 27. 8. of his GOD, and when GOD said unto him: Psa. 80. seek my face: his heart answered as an Echo, O Lord I will seek thy face. And as a man not contented he treble●h his request. O thou shepherd of Israel, cause thy face to shine upon me, that I may be saved. Twice more he prayeth. O thou shepherd of Israel etc. His salvation and eternal happiness, he reposeth in the sight of GOD: for he knew full well, that in his presence, there was fullness of joy for evermore. Let me Psa. 16. 11. but show you now, what Saint Augustine speaketh of the joys of Heaven, and so will I pass unto that which followeth. We may (saith he) sooner tell you, what they are not; than what they are. Yet take a surusie of those manifold benefits, which GOD bestoweth upon our base, and ignoble bodies. Shed out both upon good and bad, from the Heavens, from the Air, from the Earth, from the Waters, from light, from darkness, from heat, from coldness, from all the creatures, shed also out, by succession, to exclude a loathing. Doth GOD bestow upon our bodies, and promiscuaily upon all; these excellent benefits? Then O Lord how great and wonderful are those good things which thou hast laid up for thine Elect in the Kingdom of Heaven? if these be so good, which thou hast given to good and bad: what shall they be, which thou hast reserved only for the good? if they be so pleasant, which thou sendest to friends, and enemies: how sweet are those, which thy friends shall enjoy? if there be so many comforts in the valley of tears: what shall there be in the day of marriage? if thou be'st so kind unto us, in this prison of ours: how wilt thou embrace and hug us, when we come into thy Kingdom? Into that everlasting Kingdom, where everlasting glory shall be upon our heads: where that which we would have, shall be present with us: and that we would not have, shall be as sent from us: where there shall be a measure of joy, heaped up, shaken together, pressed down, running over; mensura sine mensura (as Bernard speaketh) a measure without measure. Where we shall have health without sickness: strength without weakness. freedom, without bondage: beauty without blackness: Knowledge without ignorance, plenty without want: peace without trouble: safety without fear: life without death: glory without shame. Where we shall be filled with joy: yet being filled we shall still desire, lest our fullness procure a loathing: and in desiring we shall always be filled, lest our desire beget a grieving: (to conclude) neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor heart of man can conceive those excellent things that are prepared for us. Neither can GOD give more: nor man receive more than we shall there enjoy. And is not this then a most lamentable loss, to be debarred from these joves of Heaven? Me thinks the remembrance of it should dismay the heart of a wicked man. When he recounteth with himself that he shall be shut out off doors with Dogs, that he shallbe excluded from those unspeakable joys, which CHRIST JESUS hath bought with his precious heart blood: that he shall be bereft of that glory, whereof the beauty of the most glorious Creatures is but a simple shadow: that he shall be cast out from that pure, bright, and large place of happiness: from an Eternal Kingdom. Did the loss of the Ark of 1. Sam. 4. GOD cause Elye to break his neck? This then is enough to break a Pharaohs heart in pieces; to know that after troubles here, there is no hope of harbour, of rest, of safety in the world to come: that he shall be deprived of the face of GOD, the sight of CHRIST, the fellowship of the Spirit, the company of holy Angels, and blessed Saints: finally that he shall have no part in that great measure of joy; which is so infinite as it cannot enter into us, but we must enter into it: Thou good and faithful Mat. 25. 21 servant enter into thy masters joy. O woeful, and unsufferable loss! more then can be counternayled by the gaining of ten thousand Worlds: Nay all the tears which shall be in Hell: will (saith Chrisostome) never be sufficient, to bewail the loss of Heaven. And is this all the punishment, the impenitent shall sustain? shall they only lose the joys of Heaven? we may not stay here: They shall perish, they shall likewise feel the terrible pains of Hell. Many motives are there (saith Saint Hierom) to stir us up to amendment of our lives. The consideration of the tears, and of the blood, which CHRIST shed for sinners: our own ennumerable offences; the weakness of our bodies, and frailty of our lives: GOD'S continued mercy towards us: his justice and revenging power: but especially the fear of losing the joys of Heaven. All these are as spurs to prick us forward to repentance: and as Trumpets to rouse us up from our carnal security. Yet such is the dullness of many, and so dead a sleep are some in their sins, as such motives as these will work but small effect in them. Let CHRIST weep till his Head, and Heart ache: let him suffer never so extreme Torments: let sins be as red as scarlet: and lives of all things most uncertain: show GOD'S mercies, tell of his judgements, Preach of the loss of Heaven. Yet were there no Hell to receive them; or Tortures provided for them: they would easily put off all these with a Tush: and be as resolute for their own destruction as Hester was for the saving of her people, If we perish, we perish. Oderunt peccare mali formi dine paenae. Wicked Hest. 4. 16. ones, must be scared from sin, with fear of punishments: let them then set before their eyes the fearful and horrible pains of heil. These in the Scriptures, are expressed by divers Apoc. 10. names, Sometimes they are called fire▪ he that is not written in the book of life: is sent into a lake of fire. Esa. 66. 14. Sometimes they are termed a Worm: their worm shall not die. Verme roditur conscientia, igne cremantur corpora: (saith Bernard) with the worm is their consciences gnawed, and with the fire are their bodies burned. Sometimes again, are they set out, by the loathsome stench of Brimstone: upon the wicked he Psal. 11. 6. will rain fire and brimstone. Otherwhiles by weeping, Mat. 13. 42 and gnashing of teeth. Weeping because of the fire that will not be quenched: and gnashing, because of the worm that will not be killed. the one coming from Esa. 65. 13. 14. grief, the other from rage. Sometimes they bear the names of thirst, of hunger, of sorrow, of shame. And such penury is there in hell, as there is nothing to relieve the damned which are therein. The rich man begged a drop of water, and could not have it. guttam petijt (saith Gregory) qui micam negavit: he craved a drop, that denied a crumb. Neither is it a little torment to be imprisoned, and tortured by the ugly Fiends of hell: by those Etheopian Angels; (as Cyrill calleth them) whose arms (saith Cassian) are like the heads of Dragons, whose eyes shoot forth arrows of fire: whose teeth, are like the teeth of Elephants; whose tails are like the tails of Scorpions, that is gushfull, and grisly Devils: if the sight of one of them be able to bereave a man of his wits: O how great will the horror be, when they shall all appear? And what doth the place of punishment afford? that place of confusion? of darkness? of chains? of most horrible shapes? but even Math. 22. Echoes of woes. Well then; suppose one to be burning in a lake of fire, having a Viper at his heart, always gnawing and stinging his soul: imagine boiling brimstone to be powered upon him; that with the heat thereof, he is scalded: with the smoke thereof, he is stifled, and with the noisome savour continually choked: let him weep, wail, wring his hands, and stand gnashing of his teeth▪ let him be ever languishing and pining with want of food, denay him all things which may any way ease him. Conceive yet further that he is bound hands and feet; that he is affrighted and tormented with ugly Devils, and compassed round about with horrible darkness. Think well of the misery of such a man: and know that these are the pains of an impenitent wretch in hell. These the pains? nay (my beloved) these are not the tenth part of Hell's torments. CHRIST calleth them Everlasting pains▪ As they are extreme without decreasing, so are they endless without all redemption. Math. 25. There are sighs, without pitying: cries Verl. last. without moaning: lamentation, without relecuing: a flood of black flimes, ever flowing: ibi dolores torquent animas, non extorquent, puniunt corpora, non finiunt: (as Prosper speaketh) there is a Death, which always liveth, and a Life, which always dieth: there he that tortoreth, fainteth not, and he that suffereth faileth not: There is Ever parching fire, for warming love: Ever banishment, for reconcilement: Ever heaviness, for singing; Ever darkness for shining: Ever fetters, for crowns; Ever gnashing of teeth, for clapping of hands: Ever miserable immortality and immortal miserve. Alas who is able (saith Esay) to dwell in everlasting burnings? Esa. 33. 14. It were some comfort in the midst of afflictions, to think that one day, they will come unto an end; and the damned spirits in hell, had they but a little hope, that after the space of many thousand, thousand years they should be released: this little spark in the midst of their flames, would in some sort make them joyful: but Ever to burn, Ever to boil, Ever to weep, Ever to wring, Ever to be in chains, to suffer unsufferable torments. Everlasting pains? This is that which cutteth heartstrings a sunder. Yet is not this all. For as they are eternal without redemption: so are they General without exception. For first; all suffer them: and judge you, what a doleful sight it will be, to see infinite millions of males and females, continually without any intermission, hacking and hewing, their teeth together: to hear howling and crying, Woe, woe, be unto us, that ever we were borne: to hear one Devil, one damned Ghost, calling unto another, to strike, to rend, to kill, to spoil, to heap on coals, to pour on Brimstone: like one that is pressing to death, who calleth for more weights to be cast upon him. Secondly as they all suffer in all parts, in all the members of their bodies, in all the powers of their souls. they have corporal flames without, and spiritual flames within: no part; no power is free. Hast thou offended with thy Head? thou shalt have scalding: hast thou offended with thine Eyes? thou shalt have weeping: hast thou offended with thy Mouth? thou shalt have howling: with thy Tongue? thou shalt have scorching: with thine Ears? thou shalt have yelling: with thy Nose? thou shalt have stinking: with thy Feet? thou shalt have fettering: with thy Hands? thou shalt have wring: with thy Heart? thou shalt have gnawing; in thy Soul, and Body, burning, and boiling. Pro disparibus generibus peccatorum sunt disparia tormenta suppliciorum (saith Saint Augustine) every man shall receive according to his several 1. Pet. 1. works. Conjecture yet further of Hell's tortures, by things of no account. Put thy foot into a seething bath, and how dost thou grieve? what sorrow dost thou conceive? if thou be'st vexed with a sharp burning ague; how dost thou toss, and tumble, and art out of quiet? is the scalding of thy foot, or a fit of an Ague so grievous unto flesh and blood? which are but Flea-bite, no though thou did dost abide them, thy whole life long? O how then wilt thou be able to endure everlasting burnings? Will CHRIST now profit thee, who stretched his arms out ●pon the Cross for sinners? No, he will now NOW JESUS CHRIST our Lord, and GOD, Even the Father which hath loved us, and given us everlasting consolation by his spirit: and good hope through grace: purge our dead consciences, and 'stablish our hearts in every good word and work unto the end▪ that being made the servants of GOD, we may have our fruit in holiness, and in the end eternal life. Amen. Laus DEO.