The compass of a Christian, directing them that be tossed in the waves of this world unto Christ jesus. Matthew xj. Chap. 28. v. Come unto me all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I well refresh you. etc. printer's device (?), fleur-de-lis LONDON Imprinted by john Wolf, for john Harison the younger; dwelling in Pater noster row, at the sign of the golden Anc●r●. 1. CAP. A description of the natural corruption wherewith mankind is infected by the contagion of sin. 2. CAP. By what means maens corruption is made known unto him: and of the ends of the Law. 3. CAP. Man knowing his corruption by the Law, is thereby humbled and drawn to repentance, and prepared to recei●● the promises of the Gospel. 4. CAP. Of faith and the nature and effects t 〈…〉 of, offered in the Gospel. To the right worshipful & his singular good benefactor M. William Webbe, Alderman and shrive of London. A. P. wisheth all joy & peace both of body and soul, with happiness in the Lords everlasting. AFter I had called into my remembrance your worship's great liberality and bountifulness towards me at sundry times; and on tother side my own ingratitude & unthankfulness for the same: I began to think with myself that there was some christian duty neglected of me, which ought of necessity to have been performed. The consideration whereof hath moved me to put my pen unto paper, and to write as followeth, hoping thereby (although not fully to recompense your goodness towards me, which I am never able:) yet to discharge some part of christian duty by showing myself thankful unto you again for the same. Not by presenting any earthly gift which I am not able; neither (sure I am) do you look for any such thing at my hand, but rather by bestowing upon your worship a little handful of spiritual and heavenly crumbs, which I, (who am a poor wretch) have through earnest prayer found and gathered up underneath the table of the Lord. And therefore, although they be but few and very small, yet be cause they are such as were only taken from his Table: I do not doubt but that you will accept of them. Crumbs also I call them, because they are nourishing, and such as do feed, although not the body to a temporal life; yet both soul & body unto a spiritual and heavenly life; which is not for a time but everlasting, if they be eaten with the teeth of a true faith which worketh by love, & digested in the stomach by the heat of perfect patience, & constant perseverance therein unto the end. And thus being received, it is no matter how small the quantity be which we receive of it. Know you not what is written, a little Leaven leaveneth the whole Math. ●● lump of down? What is smalller in the whole world than a little grain of mustard seed? & yet if the same be sown in fruitful ground, the increase is wonderful: for it groeth up to a great tree, that the fowl● of heaven may make their nests in the branches thereof. To these & such like similitudes is the word of God compared, which showeth unto us the efficacy & strength thereof. For the seed of the word of god is so precious & of such power, that if never so small a grain thereof do fall on the ground of an humble heart, it bringeth forth fruit very plentiful 30. 40. 60. 100 fold. etc. according to the wisdom of the sour, & the goodness of the ground which it is sowed upon. For let us hold this always as a certain rule, that there is never any fault to be found in the sour, nor in the precious seed of the word which is sown: but the fault (if there be any) must needs be found out in the ground which receiveth it, which if there be path ways it lieth Luke. ●. a fit and can not enter, but the fowls of heaven take it away: or if it be stony ground which receiveth the same, it hath a little entrance, but lacketh root, & therefore as soon as the sun of persecution cometh upon it, the same withereth also, & can not prosper: or else if the ground be thorny, the thorns grow up with the seed & choke the same, so that it can not bring forth fruit accordingly. By the path ways is meant, either those Papists whose hearts are so hard trodden with the feet of men's traditions, and are so far overtaken with the credit of man his vain imaginations, that the word can take no place in them: or else those Atheists, which are of no religion and therefore come to the service of God rather of custom then of conscience to profit thereby. By the stony ground is meant, those mouth gospelers which seem in the time of peace to be very religious, but when ani● trouble or danger cometh, than they fall away and do not continue, because it was only in their mouths and not in their hearts; which is the rooting place & where it ought chiefly to have been. And by the thorny ground we understand those covetous men of the world, which have a greater care to become rich then righteous: and therefore oftentimes prefer the Luke 5. ve● trieing of their Oxen before the lords table; yea and they desire Christ to departed out of their coasts before they would bear the loss Mark. 5. ver. of their swine. Well, than these things being well weighed and considered upon, may be a good mean to procure us with more circumspection to look into ourselves and search out the ground of our own hearts, before we come to the reading and hearing of the word preached, lest we being any of these unfruitful grounds should return without profit, nay that which is more, even worse than when we came unto it▪ for it is unpossible that the word light for us to examine ou● affections by, from the which every work doth proceed: and so we finding the Lord to be the head Spring from whom floweth all the good which we do: may in every of our works, confess our own unprofitableness, and so bring unto him in all and every of our works that acceptable Sacrifice of a contrite & broken heart which he will never despise etc. 〈◊〉 ●1. 1● The Lord (who is rich in mercy & great in glory,) heap upon your worship the riches of his grace, bless and sanctify you both in body and soul, and happily finish that which he hath in you so graciously begun, to the glory of his name, and your own comfort in jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. London. 1582. May. 26. Your worshipes' most humble. 〈◊〉 commandment. A. P. A Description of the natural corruption wherewith mankind is infected by the contagion of sin. IT is a very lamentable thing to beholds that bottomless sink● of corruption and sin which lieth h●d in mā● nature: and yet far more lamentable to behold his gross● and monstrous blindness, which is so palpable, that although there be no sparkle of goodness in him: nay, although he be so defiled with sin, that he i● become as black as ever was the black horse, which is spoken of in the revelation; So that from the cro 〈…〉 Revel. 6. 5. of the head to the s●●le of the foot, there Esa. 1. 6. be nothing but wounds, sores, and swellings full of corruption; Yea, although his very righteousness he as a Esa. 64. 6● very clo●t defiled with corrupt 〈◊〉, and his wisdom tending altogether unto death and destruction: For this is the state of every natural man, until such time as he be borne again: yet notwithstanding I say his blindness is such: that in no wise he can be brought to have any distrust or misliking of himself, but rather is carried away with a vain persuasion of that which ought to be in him, and is not in truth: having his heart lifted up in pride; because he hath an outwards▪ knowledge of some thing that appertaineth unto religion and christian conversation: thinking it a sufficient perfection, to be able how to define Repentance, although he never feel the effect thereof in himself. For his own sins which are so monstrous and wherein he hath every way so grievously offended God, a most dangerous disease and incurable, not because there is no remedy soon to heal it: but rather because the senselessness of our nature is such that in no wise we can be brought to any feeling of our disease, yea, and the more dangerously we are inferior therewith, the less willing are we to yield unto our sins; nay that which is worst, the more perfect we think ourselves to be. And therefore these things considered: how or which way should we be brought to recey●● any medicine for the curing thereof. For the patient must first of necessit●● be brought to feel his disease & know the danger thereof, before he can or will have any desire of the Physician. In this sense spoke our saviour Christ when he used these words. The whole Mat. 9 ●●. Mark. 2. ●●. Luke. ●. ●●. need no Physician, but those that are sick. Not that there were or are at any tune any so perfect which need not Christ, who is the heavenly Physician of our souls: but rather showing thereby how little Christ our saviour shall profit those which persw●d● themselves to be whole without him by his ministery, not for that he can not as I have before showed, but rather because they will not: in so much as they feel not their own disease, nor know the danger thereof. How truly therefore doth the Prophet use these words. Oh, Israel thy damnation is of thyself. The Lord offereth us mercy, but we refuse it; he ●raueth, but we will not hear; he knocketh, but we will not open; and why, because we persuade ourselves that we have no need of his help: not that there is any so rude as to utter the same in words. But the foolish man Psal. 14. 1. & 53. 1. hath said in his heart there is no God. Sure, our great and pensive care that we have in labouring by right and wrong to become rich in those things that shall perish; And on the other side our wonderful carelessness in seeking those heavenly riches which will never decay, and whereby we are made righteous: If there were no other thing, this is sufficient to lay open our shame even unto the whole world, not as in a glass or dark speaking, but face to face, whereby it may plainly be seen that they trust more in the creature, Then in God, Rom. 1. 5. which is the Creator, who be blessed for ever and ever. Amen. Truly the Lord hath not deserved to be thus recompensed at our hands, his mercies do require better merits then these are: for what could he have done more for his vineyard Israel, than ●sa. 5. 4. he hath done unto England. And how cometh it then that our fruit is nothing but wild grays. We all confess that the night is passed long since, and why do we not begin to cast off th● works of darkness. Well, if God spared not the natural branches for this and such like corruptions: how shall he spare us which are the wild olives? if our sins be no less, the judgements and threatenings of God in his word are plentifully thundered out against us: but alas, we do not believe them; and as for his mercies we make them a bulwark unto our sins. As for example, admonish any man at any time of his sins, this will be his answer accustomably. Tush God is merciful, lo, thus we imagine of his mercies that we utterly overthrow & contemn his justice. But in the end we shall know and well understand, that as mercy floweth from him towards the penitent believer: so judgement with severity in no less measure cometh from him upon the obstinate and disobedient sinners. But how should we be brought to believe these things? our hearts are so choked with infidelity that we will give credit to nothing before we feel or s●● it put before our eyes. Surely our security is such, that we may be very well compared unto an Ox which is driven to the Butcher's stall; or a fool led to the stocks: for the property of an Ox is when he is driven to the Butcher's stall to go joyfully, because his hope is that he shall be driven to some better pasture, and never feareth until the are be ready to be laid upon his head. So likewise a fool when he is led to the stocks, goeth wilfully and never feareth until his feet be fast snared therein. A comparison very fit for the security of this age, who in like manner goeth forwards weltering in the broad way without remorse of conscience, persuading themselves that that is the perfect way, because the greatest number do walk therein, and never perceive their own folly, until they be snared in the traps of destruction. In the mean time, if ani● man seeing them in this case, do pity their misery, and seek by the authority of the word to reclaim them and set them in the right way; who is so deadly a for unto 〈◊〉 as such an on● s 〈…〉eth to be. For they can in no wis● digest his counsel, and therefore it cometh to pass oftentimes, that in stead● of profiting, they purchase unto themselves some blemish, as it is witt●n in the proverbs. He that reproveth Proverb. a scorner getteth a blot; That is, some reproachful word or prinie blemish otherwise by slander or so forth. Not that they are made worst thereby before the Lord, but rather better, yet men do so account of it: and therefore great cause have God's children to proceed without discouraging in exhortation, admonition, and reproof also, seeing God doth so w●ll allow of it, when occasion is offret, although it come so to pass oftentimes, that they cast pearls before swine Mat. 7. 6. and give that which is holy unto dogs: He that observeth the prover. wind shall never sow. So likewise they which have an eye always unto th' 〈…〉 mons of men and will know 〈…〉 hat ●●tertainment thri●e admonitions and reproofs shall have before they 〈◊〉 bestow the 〈…〉, can n●uer prōfit●● thereby: for that in so doing they see●● rather to please men and seed their● humours, than that god should have his glory increased thereby. Know you not what is written. He that will be a man pleaser, cannot be the servant ●lat. 4. 10. of God. A most dangerous evil to g● about to please those who will not be pleased without the displeasing of the Lord: For men commonly are best pleased with those which be as themselves are; and will justify none, but such as flatter them in their sins, and sow pillows under their● elbows. Truly it is even a world it see ou● blindness; how wise we are to deceive ourselves in such matters as these are: for ●● are ready to bestow great cost, yea and burden ourselves very largely without grudging, so that we may procure the acquaintance and familiarity of those which will flatter us, & feed our affections at the full, especially if they be such as go under the name of prophets or righteous men: that thereby we may cloak our corruptions, and seem to be that which we are not▪ by shrouding ourselves under their profession. And alas, what is thi● any better than to build upon them land, which is an unstable foundation; nay it is no other than that which Esay speaketh of, Even to take falsehood for our refuge, & cover ourselves under vanity. Surely a very thi●●e garment, and such as will not defend us from the cold in winter, nor yet from the heat of summer; nay it were well if it would c●uer our filthy nakedness: but alas the thinness of it is such that the same is not able so to do. For what gross blindness is it in us? to think ourselves well satisfied when we are praised of a few miserable men, which possibly 〈◊〉 as bli●●● as we ourselves be: for that is all the gain we 〈◊〉 〈…〉 chase by it. Nay let me go forth 〈…〉 can it pr 〈…〉 us to have the acquaintance & pra●●e of all the learned and godly in the world: If our own conscience do acc●●e us before the Lord, who is far greater, than the same, to condemn us. For as we are before the Lord, so we are ●● 〈◊〉, and not as men do ac 〈◊〉 of us: who oftentimes do take the garments of God's dear saints, & give them unto strangers, and therefore it behoveth us to seek for a better garment than the praises of men only to cover ourselves withal; lest that when we think ourselves to be in best case, than our nakedness should be discovered and laid open, not only to our own consciences, but also to the whole world, who will then laugh at our shame. Well therefore to the end that we may avoid these inconveniences, & remains no longer so blind as to become deceivers of ourselves, by so much respecting of men's praises, and in the mean 〈…〉 éese the praise of God 〈◊〉 is the true praise in deed: To the end● I say that we may avoid this, it is needful for us to have an eye alwai● unto our affections in all our acti●●s and enterprises whatsoever, and 〈◊〉 whether God his glory, the strengthening of our own faith; and profiting of our brethren be sought only ●● d●ing of them. Otherwise let our 〈◊〉 be never so many, and see●e as glorious as they will; In so much that every man's mouth is filled with praising of us: yet it is to no purpose, if our consciences do not witness with us that these things before repeated, are the things which we in every of our deeds have ever theefest respect unto. True it is that Scripture doth greatly commen● the receiving of Prophets and righteous men into our houses; Yea & God hath bound himself, by promiss thereunto also, that those that do it shall be greatly rewarded: but the question is then, how we ought to receive them, he (saith the holy Ghost, Which receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet, shall receive a Prophet's reward. And again. He that receiveth a righteous man, in the name of a righteous man, shall receive a righteous man's reward. So here our Saviour Christ describeth ●● plain words, how we ought ●● receive them: that is, as a Prophet, or righteous man, as one that ●● of the lords Household, and sent unto us by him; ●o the end that we should entertain him as one of 〈◊〉 best 〈◊〉 and minister unto him such necessaries, as he cometh unto us for, because we have hope also to receive of him in like manner such spiritual treasures as the Lord hath endued him withal, to the end● (I say) that we might profit their bodies unto a temporal life, and they our souls and bodies both unto a spiritual and eternal life. With this mind we ought to receive them, and not for fashion's sake; neither yet to ●●ede our humours: or else it can not be said that we do receive them as Prophets, or righteous men, but rather as Hypocrites and dissemblers: for 〈◊〉 are none that will give their consent to do so, unless they be such. And therefore it behoveth us, to take heed how we do abuse the Prophets, and Saints of God, by thinking that they are so vain as to be drawn away from the truth, to seed our corrupt affections. Nay if they be the true Prophets and Saints of God, rather than they will so do, they will utterly forsake our houses, be the plenty thereof never so great: yea, (and that which is more) they will shake off the 〈◊〉 of our streets from their feet, as a witness against us: because we would not obey their counsel, or rather the Lords, which is uttered by them. Know you not what is written. He that receiveth you, receiveth me, and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me. So then hereby you see plainly, what it is to receive: ● Prophet or a righteous man: it is not to receive him alone, but God the Father and jesus Christ also, which 〈◊〉 accompany▪ them; and therefore how well welcome should such ge●tes he unto us; not as though we would so much pleasure them, but they altogether pro●●t us; neither yet may we by our own wisdom measure out unto them, a way and mean whereby we think they may pleasure us best: for that were to set the Lord who doth ab●se himself to be their companion, as it hath been before proved, to school: but rather it behoveth us to bring our own wisdom into captivity, and content ourselves with that mean● & order, which the holy Ghost doth 〈◊〉 th●● to use for our profiting▪ whether it be sour, or sweet, sharp, or pleasant, judgement, o● mercy, threatening, ● or promises, seeing the Lord is the disposer 〈◊〉 ●. of it, Who worketh all things for▪ the best unto us. receive the same with patience and thankfulness, and not grutch or murmur for any thing whatsoever cometh unto us from them; humbly acknowledging our own ignorance and blindness, in choosing unto ourselves, any way or mean that may profit us unto eternal life: and thus having our hearts prepared, we should bec●●e fit ground to receive the seed of God● wo●● 〈◊〉 to our endless comfort. For sure it is, that before the Lord can sow any 〈◊〉 seed in the furrows of our hard hearts▪ he must first of necessity break ●●▪ ● mo●●fy the same with the pl〈…〉 ●● his law, & tear in s●●der the hard 〈◊〉 of vices & sins, with the sharp harrow of his judgements: that so the weeds which our own flesh do naturally yield forth, may be plucked up by the roots, & scattered▪ upon the upper 〈◊〉 of the earth, that is, laid plai●●● open before our eyes, whereby our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be made manifest unto us, and we by that means dreen forward more earnestly, to seek for our Physician Christ jesus, and more willingly take the purgations which he by his servants shall minister unto us, how sharp so ever it be for curing thereof. Dasig●rous diseases require sharp & bitter medicines, to purge out the corruption which is the cause of the same; yea & the more dangerous the d●sease is, the more sharp medicine it requireth▪ Well than, if it be so, as it is most true, as by a 〈◊〉 example it may be made more plain; that french pocks is a f●r more dangerous disease, than the mesels, and therefore requireth a more bitter purgation for the curing thereof, than the other doth. But our disease which naturally we are infected 〈◊〉 is far more per●●o●s than either that mesels or fre●●he pocks: for it is no better than a most loathsome lepry, which doth not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or foot, but the whole body 〈◊〉 e●ery member thereof, within and without, so that there is no place fr●●; which disease although it be not bodily 〈◊〉 king out into scur●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the open face of the world, which may make us loathsome unto the ●y●● o● men, and hasten our natural death: yet it is spiritual, and breaketh out into blasphemous swearing, lying, deceiving, cursed speaking, flaunder, murder, drunckenesse, and such like, which maketh us loathsome in the eyes▪ of the eternal God; and bringeth speedily upon us, though not bodily death, yet that spiritual and eternal death of both body and soul in hell fire, which is endless, endless, and hopeless, from which the Lord for his Christ his sake deliver us all. Amen. CAP. II. By what means man's corruption i● made known unto him: and of the ends of the Law. MOst true it is, that we are all by nature infected with this spiritual leprosy of sin and corruption, which maketh us loathsome in the eyes of the almighty as it hath been already some what touched, and yet not so sufficiently as the necessity of the matter requireth. For although the Disease ●● both grievous and general, yet the knowledge & feeling thereof is very sparing; and although that all be infected with the same, yet not one amongst a thousand, will in truth confess himself so to be; such is the blindness of our stubborn and crooked nature, as for example: ask a natural man, which hath his life as void of th● fear of God, as it may be, whether he be proud, (covetous, deceitful, ● blasphemer of the name of God) or how much his nature is inclined thereunto, he will strait ways answers with a show of thankfulness unto God, affirming that his nature both is and hath been always from his youth, free from any such things, wondering even with cursed speeches, how, why, or for what cause, any man should conceiu● so evil an opinion of him. A maru●lous blindness, and yet commonly this will be their answer, although there appear no better fruit in all the actions of their life: and thus Satan pulleth us forward from evil to worse, in adding unto our blindness, wilful stubbornness, and therefore one degree farther off from being cured: for ● it were so that we were simply blind, there were some hope that we would receive light when occasion is offered, to discern some part of our disease with desire to be cured, because of the danger▪ which otherwise through the long continuance of it. might ensue upon us. But seeing▪ ●●●s far otherwise, that we are not 〈◊〉 blind, but also through the va●●e wisdom of our own conceits, c●rryed away in a false persuasion of ourselves, that we do both know and very well perceive, our own estate to be good, yea and so perfect, that the same can by no means be bettered. Seeing it is so I say, how, or which way is it possible for a●●e man to work for ou● health, when we ourselves, be ●o 〈◊〉 off from any dread 〈◊〉 of being sick. What the●▪ shall we leave it thus ruinous as we find it ● God forbid▪ for the which is unpossible to men, is possible to God. And although the platter b● nothing Corin. 3. 6. and the waterer as little worth, except the Lord give increase: yet ●● is sin, in the planter not to plant, and no better in the waterer not to water▪ how ●●de & unfruitful soever y● barre● ground of men's heart seem to be unto them; and why, because we know not what the Lord will bring to pass by their labours, who by the ministry of his word, doth not only cleanse the lepers, and gave sight unto the blind, but also bringeth far more mighty things to pass; as in turning ravening wolves into meek lambs; and cruel Leopards into gentle Kids; and devouring Lions into t●me Calves; yea and the venomous Asps or Cockatrices into the nature of innocent & delightful children; not that beasts are thus changed, but the holy Ghost meaneth the wild and savage affections of men, who although they be as ravening, devouring, cruel and venomous, as any of these wild beasts, yet the power and force of the word & gospel of jesus Christ is such that it will make them as tame, meek, gentle and delightful as Lambs, Kids, Calves, or little children: & not so only, but much more: for the excellency of it is such, that it will raise by those that be dead, even to life again, & therefore great cause have the ministers & saints of God, even with boldness and exceeding hope, to take this spiritual weapon, both in heart and hand, 〈◊〉 a sufficient armour, to stand and prevail, against all the engines and f●ery dares of the wicked, how 1. Cor. 10. 5. luk. 10. 17. 18. great and cruel soever they seem to be. For it is the word of God only, which casteth down strong holds, and every thing which exalteth itself, against the knowledge of God; yea and bringeth into captivity every affection unto the obedience of Christ: which word, as it is a sufficient defence against all dangers; a perfect purgation to cleanse us from all ill humours; yea a most pre●●ous salve to heal all diseases or wounds whatsoever: so also it is a most clear and bright candle to lighten our blind eyes, whereby we may perfectly behold, not only the grienousnesss of our disease, but also the great danger thereof; a point very needful and chief to be observed, as the first step which belongeth to true and unfeigned christianity. For before 〈◊〉 do know our disease which is sin, how shall we understand the danger & inconvenience that it subjecteth us unto, which is the wrath & everlasting curse of God; and having our eyes once shut up from beholding the danger and discommodity of sin, which way is it possible for us to be brought to fear and trembling at the judgements and heavy threatenings of God in his words, setting we have no credit therein: and then having our hearts thus hardened, how far ●ff are we from Rom. 3. 2●▪ Ga●. ●. 16. 2● Heb● 11▪ 6. repentance, but much farther off from faith, whereby alone we are justified before the Lord, and without the which it is impossible to please him. Well then, to the end that w●e may avoid these great inconveniences, and be unfeignedly brought unto the hope of Christ his kingdom: order requireth that we begin to enlarge upon this first point or step thereunto, which is to prove and make known unto us, by the word of God, our disease, that we are all infected, with this spiritual leprosy of sin: concerning which matter the Scriptures are very plentiful. Psal. 5●. 5, David in the Psalm useth these ●ob. 25. 4. words: We are borne in iniquity, and in sin hath our mother conceived us. job considering this, maketh it an unpossible thing for us to be void of sin: how saith he may a man be clear in thy sight, or how may ●say. 11. 7. ●. he which is borne of a woman be righteous? Like begetteth and bringeth forth his like; men gather not figs of thorns, nor grapes of thistles; It is contrary to the nature of a crabtree to bring forth any other fruit than crabs: So likewise man and woman all generally being sinners, can beget and bring forth no better than themselves. Think this therefore with thyself, that if thou be begotten of a man and borne of a woman, thou must needs be a sinner. Can the black Moor change his skin? o● the Cat of Mount her Spots? So unpossible a thing it is for thee to change thy condition and estate that thou was borne in, bridle it how thou w●lt, and pretend as much as thou canst; yet when thou hast done thy best thou art a sinner, not in part, but wholly, even from the fool of the foot, to the isaiah. 1 6 crown of the head, as isaiah saith, in his first chapter: not in work only, but also in word, and not in words & works alone, but also in thoughts, as it appeareth by that which is written Gen. 6. 5. 〈◊〉. ● Mat, 15. 19 in Genesis. All the thoughts & imaginations of man's heart are evil continually. And yet because we may be more drawn out of ourselves; and not deceived with a show of good things, which may seem to rest in our nature: the holy Ehost telleth us, that isaiah. 64. 6 Rom. 8. 6. The very righteousness of man, is as a defiled cloth, & his wisdom tendeth wholly unto death, wherein he overthroweth even▪ the best things of our nature For what should we judge the righteousness and wisdom of man, which the holy ghost speaketh of here, to be, but this: his prayer, fasting, and alms deeds, his frequenting of common prayer, Sermons and Sacraments, his gay and glorious speeches, franked out of the word of God, which hath in them great show of religion and piety: but to conclude, whatsoever it be ●or how glorious a show so ever it hath in the eyes of men, yet if it proceed● from no other affection, then that which we have received from our natural parents, it is no better accounted off before the Lord then a defiled cloth, and the wages that we shall receive for the same, no better than death: herein than you may see the truth of that scripture fulfilled, which telleth us, that to the unclean, nothing is clean: well therefore, Let us not deceive 1. john. 1. 8. ourselves, by saying that we have no sin, or by supposing ourselves to be in good case, because our sins are more tolerable than other men's bet. For the least sin in us, although it be but in thought, if there be no striving against the same, or misliking of it, the weight thereof, is no less, nor no easier than the everlasting torment of hell fire. But here some man may object and say, that all these words are to no purpose: for who is he that confesseth not himself, to be a sinner? True it is that all men in a general speech do confess themselves so to be, yea and particularly also from the lips forwards: but the unfeigned acknowledgement of our sins pierceth far deeper, & cometh more nearer unto the quick. For it doth not stir up bare words in us alone, but other things also, which are of far more sense and feeling; as a troubled soul●; a pensive and sorrowful spirit, for our sins committed against God: because our own conscience doth tell us, that therein we have greatly offended him, and provoked his everlasting curse to be powered upon us, which as yet we● see not which way, or how to avoid: the consideration whereof, stirreth up in us great care; much and earnest prayer, even with groaning sobs, and bitter tears; fear also with desire, zeal and punishment, that by this judging of ourselves, we might prevent the judgements of God, which otherwise we know & do very well perceive are to be executed upon us. But this may be made more plain unto us by a familiar example & such a one as we are very well acquainted with, & experienced in: the thief or wicke● person, which hath committed some notorious crime, of theft, murder, or both so long as his fact is unknown, he maketh no conscience of it▪ but eateth and drinketh with the drunkard, and proceedeth forwards in like wickedness; tell such a one in general speech, that he is ● sinner, and there is no doubt●, but that he will willingly yield unto it; but come more nearer unto him, and tell him that he is a thief or murderer, and if he be sure that thou canst bring forth no sufficient proo of the same, he will not fall but make thee smart for it, as far forth as the Laws of the Realm will give him leave. Now● this fellow which standeth so ●●outlis all this while upon his pantos●●es, as t●ough he had received great wrong, his fact being once known, and brought to right, and he himself laid hold ●pon, to appear before a judge, where he must receive the sentence of death for his wicked deed, which he hath committed, and seethe no way now to avoid the sa●e: mark then his tou●●enance and see how all the powers of his body are changed, ●nto trembling and fear; his ●n●es which before were so stiff, now do willingly yield themselves unto the ground, with weeping and wring o● hands, to cra●●e pardon, labouring by all means and ways that he can devise or procure, even with great importunacy, that he 〈◊〉 obtain the same, willingly yielding him sel●e unto the prison, to the ●etters, and to the hot iron, so that he may escape with life, he weigheth not these other punishments, yea, and the more terrible the sentence of death is, which the judge doth pronounce against him, the more is his fear and labour to aavoyde the same. Hereby you see then, as in a clear glass, what it is in truth to confess our sins, and by what means we are brought thereunto. For as the thief or wicked person, can not be brought vnfay●edly to confess his fact, before it he made known, and he himself attached to appear be●ore a judge, to be condemned for the same: so likewise the case standeth with every one of us▪ who by nature are no better than thieves and murderers before the Lord, that we can by no means be brought in truth to yield unto the same, before the monstruousness and ugly shape of these our sins, with the pain and penalty due thereunto, be set before our own consciences, and we as it were summoned before God's judgement seat, to be condemned for the same: you see also the fruit and effects, which follow the true acknowledgement of our sins, which is fear, trembling, weeping, wring of hands, and importunate suit, every kind of way for pardon, and the reason is very good: for if the face of an earthly judge which can but kill the body, be so terrible unto that party, which is brought before him for his fact: what shall we think then, or how terrible is the face and sentence of that eternal and heavenly judge of judges; who after he hath killed, Ap●●. 20. 11. can cast both body and soul into hell fire, and from whose countenance flieth away both the heavens and the earth. Well then? these comparisons being well thought upon, and we so perfectly experienced in the lesser which is before man, will willingly I doubt not yield unto the truth of the greater, which is, when any man's conscience for sin, doth summon h●● before the Lord. Let us not therefore hereafter, be any more so blind and ignorant, as to think that we are come to great perfection in Christianity before we are entered into the first step that appertaineth unto the truth thereof, which is the unfeigned acknowledging of our sins: unfeigned I call it, when these passions of the mind before repeated, are stirred up in us, through the sight thereof, otherwise it is feigned and to no purpose. For if we call to mind the testimony of holy scripture to prou● and confirm the same, we shall see it and as in a glass behold it very plentifully proved, and sufficiently every way warranted unto us, how that this hath always been the lords purpose and intent, dealing with all his children & elect, in the beginning of their calling, even so to humble their souls, with the sight of their sins, that they were almost fettered in the chames of desperation, as we may see it in the poor Publican, who seemed Luke. 18. 13 so vile in his own eyes, That he durst not lift them up to heaven. So likewise the people of the jews, Act. 2. 37. which were converted at the preaching of Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, were in such distress and trouble of mind for their sins, that they could not tell which way to wind out of it, But being pricked in their hearts, cried out unto the Apostles and said, men and brethren, what shall we do? Which doth import a marvelous distress that they were in. A notable example of this also we have in the sixteenth of the Acts, in the Act. 16. 3●. conversion of the keeper of the prison, who when he saw the great power of God in shaking the foundation thereof for the deliverance of his Saints, came trembling and quaking, in marvelous fear, saying, What shall I do, that I may be saved? Which request doth give us to understand, that he judged himself to be no better than a condemned wretch. In like manner the Prophet Abacuk speaking of the beginning of his calling, saith thus of it When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips shook at the voice: rottenness Abacuk. 1. 1● entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I might be spared in the day of the Lord. See, here the Prophet taketh these troubles & anguishs of mind, which he was brought into by the hearing of the word, as a warrant unto his own soul, that the Lord would spare him in the day of evil. A very apt proof we have of this also in the book of kings, where it was said unto josias the king, that because his heart 2. King. ●●. 19 20. did melt, when he heard the book of the Law read, and those judgements pronounced, which the lord pretended to bring upon jerusalem and the temple for the sins of Manasses: because (I say) his heart did melt, & he rend his clothes, & wept at the hearing thereof, therefore the Lord told him, that these miseries should not be in his days, but that he should be gathered to his fathers in peace and not see them. And what should I say of David the king. who being a man after Gods own heart, yea and also a figure of Christ, what wonderful distresses & anguishes of mind & soul was he in, not only, in the beginning of his calling, but also throughout his whole life, as it appeareth very plentifully in the Psalms, where he uttereth these voices. Many say unto my soul there Psal. 3. 2. is no help for him in his God, and again: I faint in my mourning Psal. 6. 6. and cause my bed every night to swim with my tears: and agapae. how long wilt thou forget me O Psal. 13 1. 2. Lord for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me, how long shall I take counsel with myself, having daily weariness in my heart: and again, there is nothing sound Psal. 38. 3. in my flesh because of thy displeasure, there is no rest in my bones, because of my sins, and again my heart trembleth within me, the Psal. 55. 4. 5. sorrows of death are fallen upon me, fear and trembling is come upon me, and an horrible fear hath covered me, yea his troubles Psal. 42. 7. were such, and his temptations came so thick one in the ne●ke of another, that his soul refused comfort, and Psal. 77. 2. it seemed unto him that the Lord had utterly rejected his soul, * read the 88 Psalm. Thus you see it plainly proved out of the word of God, how the Lord hath always dealt with his children, in calling them unto the hope of his kingdom, that they might be pricked forwards to bring unto him that acceptable sacrifice of a sorrowful spirit, and broken heart, Psal. 51. 17. which he at no time will despise, but hath bound himself by promise, that at what time soever any do come unto him, which are over burdened Mat. 11 28. with the sight of their sins, they shall find refreshing: here you see also the truth of this doctrine verified: that the Lord doth first wound, before he maketh whole; he first Osce. 61. humbleth, before he doth exaulte; Bee bringeth down to Hell, before 1 Sam. 2. 6. he raiseth up to Heaven, And to conclude, he maketh us to see our misery, before he will bestow upon us his mercy: for to whom is meat most savoury, but to him that is most hungry; to whom is liberty most delightful, but to him which is in the most miserablest bondage; and to whom is life most sweet, but to him that is in the greatest danger of death. For offer liberty to such a one as is fre● from bondage, or life to him that is in no danger of death, and they will laugh thee to scorn: but go to some prison, and offer liberty to him that hath hen long in chains, and life unto him that is already judged to die, and thou shalt see how thankfully he will receive thy proffer, and how mindful he will be of the same. A similitude very fit to teach us, for what cause the Lord doth thus deal with his children in humbling of them, to the end that they may praise him in truth for delivering them out of such wonderful misery, and never be unmindful of so great a benefit. In this sense it was said of mary Magdalen, that she loved much, because many sins were forgiven her. For who amongst the children of women, was there ever found'st, to be a more grievouser sinner than she, which was Make 16. ● Luke. 8. 2. a common harlot, and had ●●uen devils razed out of her, that is to say, a great many, we know not the number, and who again was there ever found, to show forth the like affection of love unto our laviour Christ as she did, after she perceived that these great sins were forgiven her, and she redeemed john. 12. ●. from the danger thereof: for she washed his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the heir of her head. In this sense also it is sa●d of the Apostle saint Paul, that he laboured more abundantly than all the rest of the Apostles, and what moved him so to do, even this, because he perceived that many and grievous sins were forgiven him. What the●● shall we sin much, that we may love and labour much? God forbidden. The holy Ghost hath no such meaning, neither is it said that they loved and laboured much, because they had sinned much; but because many sins were so given them. There is none of us all but do commit many and grievous sins, and the more we do commit the worse we are to be liked, for the less do we love, and the less also is our labour in the ways of Godliness: but if we were come unto this step, that we did clearly see these sins, and were perfectly humbled and wearied with the burden of them, hungering and thirsting for easement, there is no doubt, but that we should quickly perceive and feel, the great love of God towards us, in pardoning and forgiving all these our sins which we have committed against him, and so by that means we also might be drawn with Mary and Paul, to love and labour much, because many sins are forgiven us. But before we can have faith to believe, and strength to feel that many sins are forgiven us, we must first learn to know & feel both that we have committed many sins, yena that we do nothing else but sin, and to the end that we may unfeignedly be brought unto the knowledge thereof, the best mean or way that we can use, is this, even so set the pureness and severity of the law, as it is in itself without Christ, against our own affections, until such time as we be even plunged into nothing, and perfectly humbled thereby: for this is the office of it, & to this end it was ordained. The use of th● Law. First to reveal unto us our sins, as it is very plainly declared in the epistle to the Romans, where it is written, by the law shall no flesh be justified in Rom. 3. 20. his fight: for by it cometh the knowledge of sin, & again: the law causeth Rom. 4. 15. wrath, for where no law is, there is no transgression, that is to say, there is no transgression known, according to the which the Apostle speaketh in another place, where he useth these words. I had not known sin, but by Rom. 7. ●. the la: for I had not known that lust had been sin, except the law had said thou shalt not lust, so th●n, hereby you may eastly perceive, that the first office of the law, is to reveal or make known unto us our sins. secondly it goeth forwards and maketh us to be out of measure sinful. For to this end the law Rom. 5. 20. entered, that sin might abound. And after this sort the Apostle reasoneth in another place, where he hath these words: Sin took occasion Rom. 7. 13. by the commandment and deceived me, and thereby slew me, wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, and just, and good. Was that then which is good made death unto me, God forbidden, but sin, that it might appear sin, wrought death in me by that which is good, that sin might be out of measure sinful, by the commandment. And thus you see how the Law doth proceed, not only in revealing unto us our sins, but also in making us out of measure sinful: not only in bewraying the corruptions of our works, but also of our words: and not of our words and works alone, but also of our thoughts not in condemning some, & justifying the rest, but in utterly rejecting of all. If there have been but one thought in all our life time out of square, and admit it to be so, that we were free from sin, both in word, work, & thought: yet the severity of the Law is such, that it wholly depriveth us of all hope of life, because we were borne in sin, and having thus bewrayed in us such a huge heap of corruptions, whereby we perceive ourselves to be above measure sinful, yea nothing else but a mass and lump of sin, doth it leave us so? Noah, but than it proceedeth in setting before our eyes, the judgements of God for the same, threatening, condemning, and cursing us, for not fulfilling that in every point, which we are not able to perform in one of the least points thereof: Deut. 28. 16. 1: 13 etc. pronouncing us To be cursed in the field, cursed in the town, cursed in our basket, and store, cursed in our houses, and in the fruit of our own bodies, cursed in all that we take in hand▪ yea and that which is worst of all cursed in ourselves with an everlasting curse, from the presence of God: who is become unto us a terrible and st●rce judge, from whose face we shall destrethe hills & mountains to fall upon us▪ and hide us, thundering out heavy, & fearful threatenings against us. That Osee. ●3. 7. 8 he will be unto every sinner, as a very lion, & as a leopard in the way of as●hur, he will meet them as a she bear that is rob of her whelps, & will break the very gall of their hearts, he jere. ●. 14. Psalm. 11. 9 will be unto them as a devouring flame, & will rain snares upon their heads, fire, brimstone, & stormy temmpest, this shall be the portion of their cup. For every Psalm. 9 17. sinner must be cast into hell, & all nations that forget God, head & tail, root & branch, not one exempted: for the reward of sin, is death, & we are all sinners: therefore, by the law we are all condemned, we are all under the curse, the bondstaves of satan, and fire brands of hell. Thus the law proceedeth in plunging us, deeper & deeper, into the pit of sorrow, where we can find no g●●ud: for when it hath showed unto us our sins; and the unmeasurableness of the same, with the m●gmēts & heavenvly plagues of God, to be executed upon them, then entereth the fourth 〈◊〉 4. office of the Law. of the law, which is horror, fear, 〈◊〉, weeping, wring of hand●, etc. as it hath been before made plain unto us, by a similitude, & very plentifully proved also out of the scriptures, that the children of God, 〈◊〉 been subject unto these passions of the mind & body, before they could come unto the hope of his kingdom, & therefore less may 5. Office of the Law. be spoken of it now, will then the last office of the law, is, that it sends us unto christ, as the Apostle witnesseth: Christ is the end Rom. 10. of the Law for righteousness, unto all that believe, and again, The law is our Calat. 3. ● school master, to bring us unto Christ, that we may be made righteous by faith. So then hereby it is plain, that the last office of the law, is to send us unto Christ, and mark it for a special point, that it is the last office thereof, & not the fi●st: for the ●aw must of necessity proceed upon us, by these steps before repeated, that we may be as it were killed in ourselves, from all hope of fleshly righteousness before we can be prepared, to receive the life which is by Christ. So then hereby you see that the lord in converting of a soul, doth even work a miracle, ● raise them which are dead to life again, and therefore they do abuse the gospel, which will presume, upon the comforts thereof, before such time, as the law hath thus humbled them▪ for most certain it is, that they which so deal, do deceive themselves, to the increase of pride & security. For as the law without the gospel, driveth to despair, so in like manner the gospel without the law, maketh us to presinne, & therefore of necessity both work together, but the law hath the first place: for until such time as the law hath done ●is office, in humbling of us, the gospel can not profit neither yet doth the same appertain unto us, no more than a plaster, or pleasant healing salve, doth belong unto that wound which is full of corruption, and rottenness, even to the bone: for you know that unto such a wound, there belongeth first knives and laun●ors, to open the same, and then sharp and bitter salve to draw out the corruption, and eat out the dead flesh thereof, before there come any healing plaster near it: the nature whereof is to close up and skin the upper part of the wound, and cleanse all the corruption and dead flesh within, which afterward breed to great inconvenience, and make the wound far more dangerous. Even so it fareth with all those which are wounded with the venomous dart of self love: which wound being choked with the corruption, and dead flesh of covetousness and pride, and yet, will use no other medicine for the curing thereof, than that pleasant healing salve of the Gospel, which if they knew in truth how little the same did pro●●●te them, before such time as the sharp lancing knife of God's Law had opened the wound, and the bitter salves of his judgements, and sharp threatenings eaten out the rottenness thereof, they would go an other way to work, and use a more sounder diet, for the obtaining of health, although it be very tedious and sharp at the first. Surely it is very lamentable to behold the gross blindness and security of our age: for the most part of us, nay almost every one, do think that christianity, doth wholly rest in an outward show of words: and therefore if we can come to the understanding of some places of the scripture, whereby we may be able to define and prove, what faith is, and the object, upon whom the same taketh hold: we think it to be such a perfection, as we need go no further, and that there can be no better Christians in the world, than we our selves are, although there be no more remorse of conscience for sin in us, than there is in a blind beast. But alas let us think or know as much as we will or can, in this sort, and let other men which be as blind as we ourselves are, praise us for our knowledge, as much as they list, yet all this will stand for no payment before the Lord, nor bring one sparkle of warrant unto our souls, whereby we may assure ourselves to be in his favour; who only looketh upon a troubled soul, which is humbled with the sight of his sins, and Psal 51. isaiah. ●6. 2 hath promised to power his Spirit upon those that tremble at his word. Therefore if thou wilt make a true examination of thine estate between God and thee, whether thy faith towards him be untayned or not, prove not the foundation thereof, by thy knowledge, how much or whom thou dost know, but rather by the fear, how much or whom thou dost fear. For in truth there is neither knowledge nor faith, except the beginning thereof be fear, as it is manifest in divers places of the proverbs. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. By wisdom in that place is meant all things that belong unto the knowledge & salvation of a Christian man▪ and yet here you see, that the holy Ghost showeth in plain words, that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of ●t: and who knoweth not that faith is the chiefest and only thing which belongeth unto every Christian, for the attaining of salvation: therefore the beginning of faith is fear, which fear is stirred up in us, through remorse and conscience for sin, which sin also is revealed unto us by the Law: and therefore if fear be not the beginning and first fruit of thy faith, thou hast good cause to doubt of it, and to think with thyself, that thou art come unto Christ before the Father draweth, and our saviour Christ telleth us plainly, that no man can john. 6. 44 come unto him, except the Father do first draw him, which word drawing, doth import in us, a marvelous unwillingness, because the way seemeth very tedious and unpleasant unto us, until such time, as we come unto Christ, that is, until we have a justifying faith to believe in him. And therefore that rash and forged faith which men do draw unto themselves without the Lord, that is without remorse and conscience for sin, may very fitly be compared, unto the faith of him, which is spoken off in the Gospel after saint Matthew, who came to our Saviour Christ, and said unto him, Master I will follow M●●. 8. 19 20. thee whither so ever thou goest. But what was the entertainment, that our Saviour Christ gave him, he telleth him that the Fox's have heals, and the fowls of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head: meaning that whereas unto an earthly man for a while it may seem an excellent and sweet● thing to follow, that is to profess Christ: yet when he must come to the denying of himself, and to renounce the love of eternal things, it will be very bitter and unpleasant unto him. Hereby you see the entertainment and welcome of those which are so hasty to come before they be called, that is, in the pride of their hearts, without any consideration of their own misery, & need they have of him; nay rather, as though he had need of them: for certain it is, that there are a great many; which when they have done any small thing, that belongeth unto the duty of a Christian; do think in that point that the Lord had need of them, and therefore is become their debtor for doing it. But alack, it is not so, the good or evil which we do, shall profit or hurt ourselves; we cannot enrich● the Lord with any thing that we are able to do, who draweth both the sinners, and the devils to set forth his glory, and therefore can as well be glorified in our condemnation, as in our salvation. But to leave this, and come to our former matter: these ready fellows which are so soon ripe, will be as quickly rotten; those that are so hasty to follow Christ unto the breaking of bread, that they may fill their bellies, if they shall but hear this voice from him; Sell all you have and give it to the poor: although he promise them never so great treasure in heaven, yet they will forsake him, if it be to the utter destruction and famishing both of body & soul everlastingly. Take me not here, that I go about to condemn our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and speed in turning unto Christ if it be in truth; neither is it my purpose to withdraw any man from reading & meditating upon the sweet promises of the Gospel: for the Lord hath many ways to convert us by, and this may very well be one, even the consideration of his great mercies offered unto us in Christ, which may be a good mean to bring us to the consideration of our own unworthiness and unthankfulness for the same, and of our great miseries without it, and so be unfeignedly brought unto Christ: But rather my purpose is to bea●e down our 〈◊〉 boasting of faith, when it is with so little fruit, as though it were possible Gen. 28. 12. for us to be upon the top of jacobs' ladder, before we come near the foot thereof, and our heedless presuming upon Christ, without any remorse or conscience for sin, as though the Lord did justify and appoint those unto eternal salvation whom he would never sanctify unto holiness of life: these sinners are they, against whom chief hitherto I have proceeded, to the end that they may (if it be possible) be pulled away from the gross absurdity of putting religion in bare names, titles, & figures, as though it were a matter of indifferency, whether they which call upon the name of the lord did departed frō●●quity or not: to the end, I say, that we may put no more such confidence in deign shadows, which are without all truth of substance, & be constantly persuaded in ourselves that before we can live unto righteousness, we must ●y unto sin: and before we can be unseparably joined unto Christ, we must utterly be rend away from ourselves, and see our misery without him, who from everlasting is appointed of God his father, to be a Physician only unto those which are sick, and not unto those which persuade themselves that they are whose; and hath bound himself also by promise to satisfy the hungry, & not those which are full; to give sight unto the blind, & not unto those which suppose themselves to see well mou● already, that God may be all in all, and Christ have the whole glory of our saving health. As he who hath trodden the winepress of God's wrath alone for us, without any to help him, and to the end alss that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world be found culpable before the Lord, who hath shut up all under sin, that he may have mercy on all, not all that are sinners, but every one that confesseth himself so to be, which he grant for his mercy's sake, Amen. CHAP. III. The corruption of man, known by the Law, is thereby humbled, & he drawn to repentance, and prepared to receive the promises of the Gospel. Having before showed the corruptions of our nature, and by what means the same is made known unto us, even by the law, which must of necessity pass upon us by these rules before repeated, that we may be humbled in the sight of our sins, and wearied with the burden of them, before we can be prepared to come unto Christ. And how that they do marvelously abuse the Gospel, which will presume upon the sweets promises thereof, before the Law hath thus humbled them. In so much that Christ is the end of the Law, and not th● beginning. Now it followeth that we speak somewhat of those that abuse the law, and of the means how to shun & avoid the abusing of it. Those which Two abuser● of the Law 1. In presume non. 2. In despair do abuse the Law, are of two sorts: the one are they that will be justified for doing those things therein commanded: the other are those which despair because they are not able to do them. Concerning the first, that is, those which will be justified by the Law, let them know that the Law was not given unto us to that end, as the Apostle witnesseth to the Rem●nes▪ By the Law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God. Furthermore Deut. 28. 26 Gal. 3. 10. lamb 2. the Law doth justify none but those which are the fulfillers of it, and none can fulfil the same, but those which are free from sin, both in birth, thought, and action: but we are polluted in all these, as it hath been before declared. Christ alone is he, in whom this perfection and cleanness is to be found, he only hath fulfilled it for us, and is justified by the same before his father, and hath also borne the punishment due unto us, for breaking of it, that we which believe might be made just in his justice, and not in the justice of the law, which is so far from justifying of us, that if but the least title thereof should be laid upon our consciences without Christ, it would even condemn us down to the bottom of hell, and therefore it must needs be, that they do marvelously abuse the Law, and Christ jesus in like sort, which will be justified by it: they abuse the Law in presuming to be justified by that which is appointed to humble them; and Christ jesus also, in taking upon them his pureness and perfection, in so much as he alone was appointed of his Fath●● to be the fulfiller of it. They abuse him also, in making his death and sufferings to be of none effect, but cast them in the dust as things needless: for so reasoneth the Apostle to the Galathians, If righteousness be of the law, than Christ Gal. 2. 21. died without a cause. And again in another place, If they which are Rom. 4. 14. of the law, be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise of none effect. Here you see then what a grievous absurdity they fall into, that do seek justification in the Law, which was only given forth to reveal unto us the perfection and holiness of God, and our own imperfection and vileness, that he alone might be found true, and we liars; he just, and we unjust: and yet contrary to this office, which the Lord hath appointed it unto, and contrary unto the Law of our own members, which we s●● to be rebellious, and against the Law of God, will presume upon the pureness and perfection thereof. as if the strength of it did rest within the compass of our filthy bowels, and so make ourselves equal unto God, a marvelous pride, and doth very well declare unto us, who it is that is Antichrist. And thus much for the first abusers of the Law. Secondly, the other sort which do 2. Law abused by dispa●●. abuse it, are those that do despair, because they see themselves not able to do the same: it hath been sufficiently declared already, that the Law was not given forth to the end that we should do it, but rather to show what we are not able to do, that thereby we might be driven from ourselves and from the Law also, to seek for help elsewhere. For sure it is, that if we do rest in ourselves, or in any * Righteousness active is to look to be justified by doing of good deeds and by the ments of man. 2 Cor. 3. 6. 7 Acts 15. 10. active righteousness of the Law, the end thereof must needs be desperation, & for this cause the Law without Christ is called in the Scripture, A minister of death; the killing letter; ay ●●ke that neither we nor our fathers were ever able to bear, and let it be so; or let it be that debt of ten thousand talentes which we are never able to pay: nay, and our estate on the other side, so poor and needy as we are not able to discharge the least mite thereof, (as in truth we are not;) yet let us know, that the same is limited, and hath no further an● hor●tie, then to humble us, and therefore they which do let it pass any further upon them, do not rightly use the Law, but rather greatly abuse the same, to the depriving of themselves; from all hope of salvation▪ i● they return not in time, and come unto Christ, who then, and at that time, doth chief and only call them, as it is in the 11 of Matthew. Come unto Mat. 11. ●8. me all ye that are weary & laden, and I will ease you, take my yoke upon you and learn of me that I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls, for my yoke is easy & my burden is light: here you see then, how greatly they overshoot themselves, which do charge the Lord with unpossible things, as if he did require such a duty at their hands, & lay such a heavy & intolerable burden, upon their necks, as it is impossible for them to bear: for this place doth plainly confute them, and make their camllation to be of none effect, which telleth us that the Lords burden is light, & his yoke easy, and therefore if any man's conscience be so overburdened with the sight of his sins that be falleth into desperation, let him not think that it is the Lord which hath laid this burden upon him, but rather that he himself hath drawn it upon his own neck, by abusing the Laws through infidelity, because he cometh not unto Christ: for the end of the Law is faith in Christ, and not desperation. True it is, that every one seethe ●●t this, and therefore when the sting of death at any time is awaked up in their consciences, & they looking no other way for pasment, but into the active righteousness of t●e Law, which the more the● look into, the further they are from help, and the deeper they plunge themselves into sorrow, so that in the end, it must needs come to pass, that they fall into wonderful diseases & anguishes, both of mind and soul as if they were in the present torments of ●el fire. Hence it is also that those woeful & heavy outcries do arise: I am damned, I have sinned against the holy ghost, my sins are so great that God will never forgive 〈◊〉 and therefore wish that they had never been borne, or the their lives were c●t short, by some unlawful means: as hanging, drowning, cutting, sticking, with their own hands, are ready oft times to execute, upon themselves But to leave there which are so far gone, standing or fallnig to their own 〈◊〉 and come unto those who in their distresses & troubles of mind & body have some sparkle of the seed of God in them. For sure it is that the dear children of God ●st times are very far gone this way, and brought as it were even to the lowest pit of forthwith, where they can hardly perceive any comfort at al●nay rather do show some token of reprobation in their anguishes. As it may seem, unto him, who is not well experienced, in the afflictions which are common unto God's child, en 〈◊〉 cause of which great breach that the enemy hath made into them, may very well dye in their own selves, which through ignorance do suffer the law to take such hold, and enter so far into their consciences, where it hath nothing to do. For the conscience of a spiritual man is the state of Christ, where there should be nothing else but toy, peace, comfort and consolation in the holy Ghost. And therefore the law which bringeth horror and sear hath nothing to do with it, but upon the flesh and old man, which is corrupted with pride & many other deceivable lusts, and therefore requireth a burden to be laid upon the same, that it may be kept under, and not triumph ever the spirit ● inward man, which should always be at liberty, in the ●●ye of heavenly things. Yet I say, when contrary to the office which it is appointed unto, they will place the ●●a●ghtnesse and severity thereof upon their consciences, it must needs be great cause of disquyetnesse and fear divers ways: for it urgeth upon unpossible duties, it checketh for neglecting the same, it threateneth and curseth them for doing those things which it hath forbidden. And thus the poor conscience being so much over charged with Righteousness active in the Law, palsive in the Gospel. sorrow and fear, because it tooketh only upon the Active righteousness of the Law, what he hath done & what he hath jest undone, and altogether forgetteth that Passive righteousness as t● believe and ● he saved by that which Christ hath suffered for v● Passive righteousness of faith, which is begotten in them by the seed of God through the bowels of jesus Christ, whereunto they ought to have their chief and only respect, to strengthen themselves within tune of trouble. And it may be, that by reason of the great afflictions which the mind is overpressed with, the seed of God be so darkened in them, that they are in doubt whether it be of his seed or not, And therefore to speak somewhat for the comforting of those which are so low brought, admitie that in thine own judgement thy faith is utterly darkened and razed out, so that thou canst not perceive any one sparkle of it in thee, to refresh and ease thy sorrowful mind withal: yet think with thyself, that y● which hath once been truly & unfeignedly in thee, the same must needs be in thee still. For Rom 3. 1 it is unpossible that our unbelief, should make the faith of God to be of none effect: for he is always one Mal. 3. 6. & unchangeable, howsoever we do seem to be unto ourselves. His gifts ●om. 11. 29. & callings, are without repentance, how so ever he dealeth with us by afflictions in this life. Notable instruction to this purpose we have in the 89. psalm. 89. 30. 34 Psalms, where the holy Ghost useth these words: ●f my children forsake my ●aw, & walk not in my judgement, in they break my statutes, & keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgressions with the rod & their iniquitic with strokes. But my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them, nor falsify my truth, my covenant will I not break, nor chauge that which hath gone out of my lips. ●ere you see then by plain testimonies, that the most dear children of God, when so ever they do offend him, must look for some punishment at his hand for the same: though not such as they will appoint unto themselves, but rather such as he in his wisdom shall see to be convement & profitable for the bettering of their manners, & furtherance of their salvation. Yea and it may be, that he will e●●rcise or punish them with this cross, even by darkninge their faith, to make them see their misery without him, tha● afterwards when strength shall come again, they may learn to: live more warily, and become more thankful unto God for his mercies towards them: But in conclusion how straungty to ever he doth punish them which are his, we have the warrant from his own mouth, who can not lie, that he will not take his mercy from them, nor fa 〈…〉 ye his truth. Yea and for more assurance he h●th sworn the performance thereof by an oath, saying. As I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will no more be angry with thee nor reprove isaiah. 54. 9 10. thee, the moutaines shall remove & the hills shall fall down, but my therese shall not depart from thee, nor the covenant of my peace fall away. And what though we at sometime be blind, shall we think therefore that the lords sight is demined also; and what though now and their we be weak and feeble, that we think or imagine therefore that the lords strength is decayed in like sort? far be it from us so to do●▪ for that were to imagine of the Lord, as of a mortal man, who judgeth always according to the present estate▪ and from whose eyes a thin stumme of dross will hide great● and precious matter, who thinketh also that when things are hid and darkened for a time, that they are lost & gone for ever, specially if they be such as are dear & precious unto them. But there i● no such matter in the Lord, who doth not only see the bottom and ground of all things, but also is the beginner & ender of everything that is done. Who at some time is provoked through our security and coldness in prayer, to cast a thin scumine of infidelity upon our faith, and darken it withal, to wake us up to more watchfulness, and earnest calling upon him: But we (alas) such is our weakness, do think by and by that all is gone and lost and we utterly forsaken, than we begin to groan and cry, than we sigh and sob, than we sorrow and lamerite, than we begin to call to mind our unthankfulness for his former merci●s bestowed upon us. And this is the fruit which the Lord doth sack at our hands, by thus afflicting of us. who is so far from taking away his seed of faith from us, that after our earnest prayer & true acknowledgement of ourselves, doth both kindle and increase the same, to a far greater measure than ●uer it was before. These things being well thought upon, may be a good mean to make us more wise and valiant in this spiritual warfare, than we have been heretofore: For as the ashes cast upon the fire, put it not out, but is a means to preserus the same in the night againsts morning, which otherwise would he consumed. And as the barrenness of the trees in w●nt ●, are a means to▪ preserve the root● against summer, which then will ascend up his juice into the body and branthes thereof, whereby they are greatly enlarged, and made far more fruitful than ever then were before: e●en so are afflictions unto the children of God, which do not only keep them from the barrenness of sin, but also increase ●nd 〈◊〉 them in the 〈◊〉 ● fruit 〈…〉nes of God's holy spirit, ●● the Apostle witnesseth unto the ●●manes: Tribulation bridgeth patience, patience ●om. 5. ●. 4. experience, experience hope, & hope maketh not ashamed. How ●e it there is no cross pleasant for the present time but very 〈◊〉 & bitter, as it appeareth very 〈◊〉 in the book of job, & in the 〈◊〉 where there is set down unto us▪ 〈◊〉 a platform of the estate of the Church being under the cross, who pour ou●●eaute and grievous complaints, in ●ursing the day and hour o● birth▪ ●● accusing the Lord of 〈…〉 stice, and ●● job. 3. ●. calling into doubt whether he would any more mercy or not. Whereby we Psal. 77. 7. 8. may evidently perceive▪ ●●w but de●●ous afflictions are unto us whilst they are present, specially if they 〈◊〉 such crosses as these bolye men were exercis●▪ with many 〈◊〉 which very often had all spiritual strength and 〈◊〉 so darkened i● them, that they could not perceive 〈◊〉 spark remaining to re●●eue themselves with all; ●●t were feign to ●●ye unto the former mercies of God, which they were wont to find at his hand, or unto his goodness showed unto their fathers: Because their temptations were such, as did make them obtimons of his former mercies towards themselves▪ being surely persuaded▪ that as they being in like distresses; called upon him and were delivered, so in like ma●ter he would be no less merciful unto them, although their hope were even against hope. But in conclusion how bitte● so ever their▪ or our afflictions were, or are, for the present time, yet the end thereof always bringeth with it, an 〈◊〉 weight of glory, as we job. 4●. cle●relye see, by the end which the Lord made with job. Which ●. jam. 5. ●●. I●mes (exhorting unto patience) willeth v● to consider of. And ●● the testimony of David also, w●● after his afflictions now overpassed, and he 〈…〉 linge the commodity which they brought unto him, bursteth out into these words▪ Before I was afflicted I went astray, ●. 119. 67. 68 but now I keep thy word. And again, It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes▪ So than here you see that the Prophet confesseth that affliction was the mean where by he was not only procured to know the word, but also to keep it. The wise man in like sort considering the great commodity which affliction bringeth unto the church of God, telleth us plainly, that his strength is small which 〈◊〉 teeth in the pay of adversity. But yet for all that set the commodity thereof he as great as it shall it behoveth us not to use any means whereby to multiply and increase the same upon ourselves, but rather all lawful and godly means that we can to prevent it. And amongst all the rest this may be one, & the chiefest, what afflictions soever we suffer in body or otherwise▪ to bear them with patience▪ and no● permit the law for any thing▪ after it hath beaten down the pride of our flesh, to take hold upon our consciences. For this is the chiefest matter that my purpose was in this place to handle, how be it I have taken occasion by the way, to speak somewhat for the comfort and instruction of those weak ones, who (although they have the seed of God in them) do ofte●●nes so far over shoot themselves this way▪ by letting the Law to take such deep hold upon their consciences, that all hope of comfort doth seem ●o be perished in them. And as for the rest which are without, I leave them as those to whom these comforts do not yet belong, until such time as the law hath thus humbled them also. And thus much for the second abusers of the Law, namely for those that do despair. It remaineth now that I speak somewhat of the means, whereby we may avoid these abuses, which is to come unto Christ, and that, as I have before showed, is the last office of the Law. For the Law having passed upon us, by these rules before repeated, it is now appointed for us to come unto Christ▪ and not presume in the pride of our hearts against the Law● of our own members to the fulfilling of it: neither yet faint by the way, because we are not able to do the same, but come unto Christ who is the fulfiller thereof for us. And the steps whereby we come unto him are these: Faith and Repentance. For in the framing ●ith and re●ntance, steps ● Christ. of a Christian man, saith hath the first place, as it is manifest in the Epistle to the Romans: How shall they call upon him in whom they have not Rom. 10. believed. But because I have spoken somewhat already of the root and foundation of faith▪ I will now begin at repentance, and so proceed more clearly unto the justifying faith which bringeth with it the peace of conscience for true repentance stretcheth further than a hatred of sin and fear of God's judgements, (which hath been somewhat touched already.) For there is contained in it also the love of virtue, with a hope of his mercies. For so much doth the Prophet▪ Ezechiel comprehend in describing of the same, where he hath these words: If a wicked Ezech 1●. 21 〈◊〉. 14 1 man will return from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep Os●● 6. ●. Esay ●5. 6. Io●l. 2 1●. all my starutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live and not die▪ This is the general description, which the Scripture very plentifully giveth forth of repentance, namely: A turning from our own ways which is sin, into the ways of God, which the prophet calleth his statutes: for they alone are lawful and right in his sight, and to those only which walk therein▪ he hath joined this promise of life. Hereby you see then how needful a thing this doctrine is unto every Christian man, for we● can have no assurance of life from the Lord, unto our own consciences, except we do warrant it unto ourselves also, by this careful practice and endeavour to strive and ●●ght continually against our own ways, that thereby we may become more tractable every day than other in the ways of God. And as for the rest, which have ●● care this way, but rather have their delights and actions carried away headl●g unto all fleshly pleasures. Let them pretend what they can, and brag so much of their knowledge as they list, yet for all that, they stand in the state of death, and can have no hope of life in them, before such time as they make this careful indenture unto godliness, by … inge of their own corruptions, to be the fruit of it. For what other thing then this doth the holy Ghost means when he willeth us to make our election or calling by good works. Not as if the 2. Pe●●. 10. assurance thereof lay in ourselves, neither yet that we should think that Lord to be subject unto change: but rather that we may know this to be the will of God, even our sanctification 1. Thes. 4. 3. that we should abstain from fornication, and that every man might know how to possess his vessel in holiness, and not in the lusts of concupiscence and sin as those Gentiles which know not God. For to this end doth the Lord bestow his graces upon us, that we might learn to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts; and become Ti●. ●. 11. 1● holy as he himself is holy. Yea & the scripture doth bind a marueielous necessity unto the same, where the holy Ghost hath these words. If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above Col. 3. 1. ●. where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. And set not your affections on earth lie things. And again, If we call him Father, who 1. Pet. 1. 17. without respect of persons iudgeeth every man's work, let us spend the time of our being here in fear. And Philip. 2. 1●. again, work out your salvation with trembling and fear; so that hereby it is plain that we are not come to the end of our race, when we have gotten a little understanding and knowledge of the scriptures and how to apply the same: for that is but to know what weapons we must use in this spiritual warfars, and how to handle the same for our own defence; neither when we are come to the sight & mistyking● of our sins and corruptions wherein we do displease the Lord: for that is no other also then to be brought out into the field in the sight of our enemies, the devil, the world, & the flesh, against whom we must fight & use these weapons for the overthrow of them, lest they prevail, against us, and make us more secure in sin then ever we were before. So that the greatest ● most dangerous part of our spiritual warfare is as yet unaccomplished: that is the subduing & overthrow of these enemies. The first & thie●est of them which we must set upon, and seek to subdue, is our own flesh, which if that be once mastered the other two are but scar crows, and can never be able to do us any great harm. Know you not that one secret & unknown enemy in a besieged city is more hurtful than a hundred known enemies without the same? But if this secret enemy's which is within be once known and subdued (nay although their be many of them) yet as long as they be kept under bonds they can not be hurtful at all, & their hope also greatly decayed which are without. The devil, the world, are enemies without, and can not possibly prevail any whit with us, until such time as they get some liking and ●ntertainement of our affections, which if they do: certainly there is like to be a great spoil & the whole man to be● brought into utter ruin▪ unless there be a short return, & these affections of ours quickly called home again under subjection of the spirit. Surely a matter wherein the dear children of God oftentimes do very far forget and overshoot themselves. And therefore this is good counsel unto those which have strigth to receive it, y● as often as our affections do begin to stray o●t after the desire & love of worldly things or fleshly concucupiscences any kind of way: so often to suspect ourselves of some danger towards, & esteem of them, as of our home enemies, which now begin to come in league with those which are without, namely the world and the devil, thereby to work some treason against us. And therefore to make all possible speed that we can to cut thort and restrain them, lest in the end through their sugared enticements, they beget both the will and mind to consent also. This is the cause why the scripture is so plentiful and earnest in commending unto us the doctrine of mortification as a chief fruit of our repentance & telleth us plainly, that if we will be Christ's, we must crucify the flesh with the affections & lusts thereof, that is, we must daily and continually strive and fight against our hands, and heart, word, & thought, that they may be crucified & killed from all unrighteousness: As pride, covetousness, deceit, blasphemy, or any other ungodliness; that the contrary virtues, as hu 〈…〉itie, liberality, innocency, or whatsoever is of piety, may live and grow in us. For before we have some striving in ourselves to slay those vices, it is unpossible that we● should have any feeling of these other virtues: for as we do conceive a misliking of the one, so we shall receive a love and liking towards the other: they can not both live together in us. This much doth the Apostle give us to understand where he hath these words: Know you not that to whom so ever you give yourselves as servants Rom. 6. 16. 20. to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey, whether it be of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. So that whilst we are the servants of sin, we have no part nor portion in righteousness, no more than death hath with life, or hell with heaven. Well then, seeing the case standeth so, let us be wise in choosing unto ourselves the better part, which is obedience unto righteousness, that we may become the servants & sons of God. And although it be a crown which can not be had without great and tedious striving, yet let us know that it is worthy of all the labour that we shall or can bestow upon it: the end will bring recompense ten thousand fold, as the Apostle witnesseth. The afflictions of this life are Rom. 8 18. not worthy of the glory that shall be showed unto us. And therefore let us play the valiant soldiers, fight, strive, kill, crucify, & condemn, whatsoever in us may be aim hindrance thereunto, yea although it be as dear unto us as our eye or hand, yet Mat. 5. 9 we must pull it out and cast it off, for better it is to go into life halt, maiemed, or blind, then into eternal fire having all our members. In which words our Saviour Christ teacheth us to use violence even against our own nature: for the kingdom of God's sake. Not in cuttnig of the members of our bodies, but in rooting out the affections of the mind, how dear so ever they are unto us, upon whom these affections do rest. Whether it be Father, or Mother, wife, or children, yet if the love of them be any let unto us in the way● of life, pull them cut, cut them off, and cast them away, so that if it stand us upon to cast away those affections out of our hearts, which have so great show of good in them, and are both commanded and commended in scripture, for the love of God's kingdom: How much more than behoveth it be, to root out those private affections, which are not only free from any show of good: but also bring great ●●●lis and were, dible inconveniences with them, & are straightly forbidden in the word of God. As adviterie, fornication, uncleanness, ●llo. 31. unnatural lusts, evil concupiscence, covetousness, deceit, lying, swearing, cursed speaking, and such like. For if those former good affections, may at some time, be a hunderance unto us in the way of life: much more these trilles at all times, and therefore not to be suffered at any time, nor in any person, if they will nourish any hope of salvation in themselves. For they are no other, than the very whelps of Babylon, which Psal. 137. 3. we are charged to destroy and breaks their bones in pieces while they are young, lest through their long contiduance, they grow to such strength, and take so sure hold upon us, that we become slaves unto them. Let us look unto it, therefore, and root them out, as soon as any m●tion thereof doth appear in us. Good admonition to this purpose we have in the Epistle to the Ep●e. 4. 26. Ephesians. Be angry and sin not, let not the Sun go down upon your wrath. And again in the 4 Psalms: Tremble and sin not, examine thine own heart upon thy bed and be still. That is, we should strive with our hearts even in our secret chambers upon our bed against sin that it sleep not, nor have any continuance with us, for fear of the discommodity that may come thereby. True it is, that sin will be in us so long as we do remain in this body: but let us Rom. 6. 12 take heed that it do not reign and bear rule in us, otherwise then a condemned wretch, which hath already Rom. ●. 3. received the sentence of death. And let us give it such welcome, as the seed Gen. 3. 15 of the serpent with whom we must be at continual enmity and strife. And all be it the case stand so with us, that we are not only guilty in the affection, but also drowned in the action of every sin that can be named: yet let us know for our comfort, that true repentance is of strength to purge them all away and make us pure in the sight of God. As it is witnessed in the fourth of Esay, where the Lord maketh this promise unto the people upon the condition of repentance: Though your sins were as crimson, they shall be made white as snow, and though they were red as scarlate, they shall be made like wool. And therefore if the Lord at any time in mercy, shall reveal or make known unto any man, all the sins that he hath committed, throughout his whole life: yet there is no cause why we should despair, how great & grievous so ever they be. For the Lord in opening of them hath no such meaning in him, but rather thereby doth dra●●e us to a consideration of our inordinate steps, how far we have strayed aside from him, and doth move us also by that mean to look into the word of God, which is a lantern unto Psal. 119. 109. our feet, & a light unto our paths: that thereby we may see how to turn again into the right way, and what duties there are required of us, for the purging and cleansing away of these great sins. There may the thief which hath stoalne, learn to Ephes. 4. 28. steal no more, but labour truly ●ith his own hands in some lawful vocation, that he may be able to minister unto the necessity of others. There may the deceitful perjured person, learn to restore home his evil gotten goods, and take ● more righteous course afterwards. There may the fornicators, and adulterers, 1. Cor. 7. 2. learn to leave off their uncleanness, and content themselves every man with his own wife, and every woman with her own husband. Levit 24. 15 16. 1. Tim 6. 7. 8 There may the blasphemous swearer learn to fear an oath, and tremble at the majesty of God; and the greedy covetous person, to content himself with food and raiment, because he ●en 3 19 brought nothing into this world, and shall carry as little out. There may the proud person learn to be● humble, because he is made of dust, and to dust shall return. And to conclude, there may every Psal 119 9 sinner, learn to redress his inordinate Phil. 3. 8. ways, and to esteem of all the pleasures and profits of this life as do●gue, in respect of Christ. For this is the fruit which the Lord by revealing our sins, doth look for at our hands, and this change is required in every one of us, before we can truly be turned unto john. 3 3. him, in so much as it is the fruit of our second birth, without the which no man can see the kingdom of God. Therefore it standeth us upon, so much the more earnestly to practise this change in ourselves, that we may every day be re●ued into a more perfect shape then other: For true and unfeigned repentance is nothing else, than a continual striving to better our manners. And to this end are all those spiritual exercises appointed by the holy Ghost in the church of Christ, as prayer, preaching, praises, sacraments, with such like. If therefore our minds in frequenting of them, be not to profit this way: I see not how we shall profit ourselves at all, yea although we frequent them very often. May we not read for warrant hereof, very plentifully in the old Testament, how that the Lord did even loath their Sacrifices, and other spiritual exercises commanded in the Law for the service of God: when men are holden in them, without any conscience of sin, or careful practice unto newness of life, whereunto chief they were ordained, as sayeth the Lord by his Prophet. Bring no more oblations in vain▪ ●ay. 1. 11. Incense is abomination unto me, I cannot suffer your new moons nor Sabbaoth days, it is iniquity: nor solemn assemblies, my soul hateth your new moons, & your appointed feasts, they are a burden unto me, I am weary to bear them; When you stretch forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you, and though you make many prayers, I will not hear you. And again in another place: Take away from me Amo● 5. 23. the multitude of your songs, I can not abide the melody of the vials. And again. He that killeth a Bullock, Esay. 56. 3. is as he that slew a man, and he that sacrificeth a sheep, is as if he cut off a dogs neck, he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood, and he that remembreth incense, as if he sanctified an Idol. And why doth the Lord thus abhor those things, which otherwise he hath commanded? The causes are set down also, which be these: the neglects of judgement, want of mercy towards their brethren, for so saith the holy Ghost: Their hands are full of Esay. ● blood; & the preferring of their own ways, which is sin, wherein they did set their whole delight, before the ways of God. They thought that the bare use of these outward ceremonies or shadows, was so much as the Lord did require, or look for at their hands, supposing him to be affectionated like unto a common strumpet, who always looketh unto the gift, & never respecteth the mind or qualities of the giver. They had forgotten that the Lord will have mercy and not sacrifice: Os●. 6. 6. and therefore made no conscience in falsifying their weight, & making their measure small, and price Amos. 8. 5. 6. great, that they might buy the poor for silver, & the needy for shows. Yea and in the time of their new moons, & sabaothes also, they thought every day to be ten, till these feasts were overpassed, that they might be● at whom again, to utter their refuse corn: thinking all the time lost which was spent in the service of God, preferring even the basest of their odd reckonings, that made any thing for their private profit, before it. And this was the cause why the Lord did abhor their sacrifices, which otherwise he both commanded and commended. But we may speak much more profitably of this in applying the same unto our time: sor were not their sacrifices in that time of the law, as precious in the sight of God, as our sacraments are now under the Gospel? And are not our sins also of this age, as monstrous as ever were theirs? And what is behind t●●●, that those our seals of Baptism and the lords Supper, which we make so much account of, and so smoothelye shroud ourselves under, should not be as loathsome in the eyes of God▪ as ever were theirs at that time? Surely I can perceive no reason to the contrary, so long as we are holden in them, without remorse of sin, or care unto newness of life, whereunto they were appointed. For these outward seals are so far forth profitable unto us, as we are partakers of those spiritual graces which are figured under them in Baptism. Therefore we have to consider our ●ree forgiveness of sins, washed away in the blood of Christ, that as Christ died and was buried for our sins, Rom so we also should die unto sin, that it have no more rule in our mortal bodies. And as Christ is risen again from the dead, death having no more dominion over him: so we should after live in newness of life, offering up unto God our bodies and souls which he hath purchased and redeemed unto himself. The lords Supper also is a mean to refresh and renew our dull memories in these so great mercies and benefits bestowed upon us in Christ, that every day we may become more thankful than other for the same. These considerations or profitings in the observation of the Sacraments being laid aside, there remaineth not one spark of Religion or holiness in them, as the holy Prophet David most plainly proveth unto us out of the fi●tie Psalm, where he saith: I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices Psal. 50. 8. and offerings which have not been continued before me, saith the lord I will not take a bullock out of thy house, or goats out of thy fold, the whole world is mine and all that therein is. But what followeth? Offer to god praise and pay thy vows unto the most 14 highest. Lo these are the duties which the Lord doth chief lo●ke for at our hands: for by offering of praise is meant no other thing then a continual thankful remembrance of the great benefits bestowed upon us in Christ, which the lords supper doth The lords Supper. lively represent unto us, as I have before showed, by paying or performing our vows. We are taught also manfully to fight under the banner of Christ, against Baptism the devil, the world, and our own flesh, whereunto we have bound ourselves under the seal of baptism, as by a solemn oath made in our behalf by two or three witnesses. These I say are the things which we must have our chief respect unto, in the partaking of those outward elements, or else they can bring no profit unto us, there is no religion in them, and therefore so loathsome unto the Lord that in no wise he can digest the same, but is ready even to belch against it: yea & it shallbe said unto those in the end● which do frequent them in this sort, Who hath required these things at Esa. 1ST. your hands? Surely the knowledge of this, can not but be very profitable for our time, if we would let it take some root in our hearts. For who seethe not that the most part of men are carried away with a blind persuasion of religion & holiness, which they themselves do think to be truly in them, because they do resort unto the outward ceremonies commanded in the word, and although all those duties, wherefore these spiritual exercises are ordained, be clean shut out of their lives they make no conscience of it at all, but without blushing will set an impudent face upon it that they are as good christians as any can be, although their lives do testify unto the whole world that there is not one spark of true and unfeigned christianity in them. Well, I can think more of this, than now ray leisure will serve to condemn at large. Yet thus much may I say, that Christ can have no entrance into us, nor we any way unto him, except the path be first prepared by repentance, by an unfeigned acknowledging of our sins, with earnest striving to better our conversation. Shut up thy heart from these things, and thou dost so much as in thee lieth, to wall thyself about with brass, that Christ by his spirit may have no entrance into thee, and provokest him in like sort, so to hedge up his mercies and graces from thy soul, that thou shalt never have any part in them. How miserable then will thy case be, for having once shut out thyself from Christ, the way to heaven also, is shut up from thee, hell gapeth with open mouth, ready to receive thee, and the devils wait with great diligence to carry thy soul into the everlasting torments thereof. Look unto it therefore, and let us be wise: for if the entertainment of Christ, will be a mean to set us free from all these miseries: what great diligence ought we to use in preparing a way for him, that he may have free passage unto us. Certain it is that before he can come, the way must be prepared, and there is no● other mean to prepare the same, but by repentance. For our barren hearts are that very desert which the Prophet Esay speaketh of, where the lords isaiah. 40. 3. 4. way must be prepared before his coming, by filling up every low valley, and dangerous hole, which is our ignorance and infidelity, that must be filled up with the true knowledge of God: by beating down every high mountain, that is our pride and arrogancy, which must be beaten upon with the mattock of God's judgements, till such time as we be humbled and brought low in our own eyes: by making every crooked path strait, which is the crooked inventions of man's brain, contrary to the will of God, which must be made strait & plain by the light of his word: and the rough ways plain, by rough ways is meant, not only stubborness and obstinacy, but also all other sins and vices whatsoever. Which may be very well compared unto stones and stumbling blocks, which are as hindrances in the Lord's way, that he can not have free passage unto us, until such time, as the delight & will unto them, be clean pared and swept away out of our hearts. The forerunner, which was sent to prepare this way, was john Baptist, and the only mean which he used to prepare the same, was by preaching repentance, Repent for the kingdom of Mat. 3. ●. 3. God is at hand This was the general doctrine which he preached for the accomplishing of this work, not unto one sort of people, but unto all that ever came unto him. And in token of the necessity thereof, he would receive none unto his baptism, before they had made open confession of all their Mar. 1. ● sins, ensign that as a chief mean whereby their own consciences might witness unto themselves, how needfully it was required in every one to repent, seeing their own mouths did confess such matter to be in them, as is worthy of repentance. Furthermore when any came unto him, whom he perceived by some inward mo●●●, or outward token, not to have their hearts aright as the malicious Pharisees, and Saducees, he manessed th●m sharply with the judgements of God, calling them a Generation of vipers. M●t. 3. 7. 8. charging them straightly to bring forth the fruit worthy of amendment of life, before they could be fit to receive that seal of the new covenant. And after john was beheaded, our Saviour Christ also continued this doctrine of repentance unto the jews, saying. amend your lives for the M●● 4 17. kingdom of God is at hand. And again, The time is fulfilled, the M●r. 1. 15. kingdom of God is at hand, repent & believe the Gospel. For this cause he came into the world not to call righteous, M●●. 9 13. but sinners to repentance: which precept belongeth not only unto the jews, but we Gentiles also are under the same condition in like sort, as it is witnessed in the Acts. God hath given Act. 11. 18. unto the Gentiles, repentance unto life also. True it is, that it had his beginning at the jews, and so from them unto us Gentiles: for to this end Christ died, was buried and rose again: that repentance & remission of sins, ●uke 21. 46. ●. verses. might be preached unto all nations, beginning at jerusalem. So then hereby it is plain, that as there is no other mean to prepare the Lords way but by repentance: so in like sort this office of preparing, belongeth not unto john and our saviour Christ alone, but unto all the Apostles and ministers of God, even to the worlds ●nd. Neither is it a duty that is simply required of the jews thus to be prepared: but we Gentiles also (as many as will give any entertainment unto the Lord) must put our necks under the yoke, and submit ourselves unto the same order of discipline in the bettering of our manners, before our earthly tabernacles can fitly be prepared, to receive him. Saint Paul who was appointed of the Lord as a chief minister for the conversion of the Gentiles, who also was so careful in his office, that he laboured ●. 20. 20. 21. ●erses. night & day even with tears, for the conversion of them, teaching openly and in every house, the repentance towards God, & the faith towards our Lord jesus Christ. The sa●e S. Paul (I say) telleth us plainly Titus. 3. 8 9 that they which have believed God, must be careful to show forth good works, charging Titus his Son as Titus. 14. touching the new birth, who was then minister of Creta, that he should earnestly exhort his auditory unto the same, for this saith he is good & profitable unto all men, high & low, rich & poor, bond & free, every one that believeth in Christ this must be the s●●nt of it: a care to show forth good works, circumspection of life towards them that do not yet believe, & a shame 〈…〉nes for our former negligence. S. james compareth y● saith james. 2. 2● which is without these effects, unto a body without a spirit: which in the eyes of man is not only dead, but also very loathsome & noisome. Even so is our faith that is void of good works in the eyes of God, as our saviour Christ maketh it Mar●. 11. 14 plain to us by cursing y●●ig tree because it was fruitless. By casting the wicked guest into utter darkness, because he Mat. 22. 12. presumed unto the marriage without a wedding garment. And by rejecting Mat. 25. 3. 12. those foolish virgins, because they had no oil in their lamps. Which examples, do very well show unto us, that faith and works must go together, how be it not in the matter of justification before God, yet in our conversation before men, or else neither of both can be accepted. For as these foolish virgins could not be received for their empty Lamps, nor the fruitless tree, spared for his leaves, nor yet the wicked guest accounted of, for his resorting unto the heavenly banquet, seeing he wanted his marriage garment: even so we in like sort shallbe as little accounted of, for our outward knowledge and profession, so long as the san●e is without those effects & fruits, that belong unto true repentance. For whilst our religion or christianity standeth in a bare profession, what are we any better then empty Lamps without oil, trees bearing leaves, but no fruit, wicked guests which eythor ●or custom or company resort often unto the lords table, but never put on the wedding garment. And therefore when the Lord shall come to us his guests, Mat. 22. ●1. alas what shall then become of us but cursedness & rejection into utter darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth. I will not say but that now for a time we may have a name that we live, but than it shall be found out that we are dead: it may seem now unto men that we have some what, but then shall be taken from us, even that which in truth, we never had. Know you not what is written, There is no Luke. 12 ●. thing covered that shall not be revealed, neither hid that shall not be made known. Let us not therefore any longer, so securely satisfy ourselves in the shadow of Christianity, when the true substance is away, for if a bare outward profession may stand for payment before the Lord, why then should not the devils be justified as well as we, for they profess openly that jesus is the Son of God: Nay saint james saith more, that the devils james. 2. 1●. do believe and tremble. But there are a great many of us which do make much boast of our faith, and yet never tremble, neither at our own sins, nor at the judgements of God: and therefore if the devils were not already condemned, it might well be said of them, that they are nearer unto salvation then a great many of our mouth Gospelers in these days. Surely it is strange, that the Gospel (being of such excellency and power as it is, and we pretending so great knowledge of the lame as we do) should gain so little fruit at our hands. We may see by plentiful testimony of Scripture, how wonderfully the knowledge thereof hath wrought in the hearts of God's children heretofore, and what great duties it hath persuaded them to 2▪ Cor. 6. 6. pass over, in hunger and thirst, in cold ● Cor. 11. 24. 25. Hebr. 1●. 37. 38. and nakedness, in watchings and fastings, in great weakness, long● prayer, and tedious travels and persecutions divers ways: Some wandering up and down in wilderness, clothed in sheeps skins, and goats skins, having their abode in deems and caves of the earth, to declare that the Lord was their portion, Psal. 119. 57 and that they had no kingdom in this life, & therefore bade the world adu●, which was not worthy of them. Others also of God's children, whom he preferred to great r●ches ● honour. lived in the possession thereof, as if nothing of the same belonged privately unto themselves. And therefore oftetunes Gen 13. 9 resigned over even their own right to buy peace: using this world as though they had h●●●● inheritance therein, confessing their estate here to be no other but as p●igrunes & strangers, and therefore esteemed all things Gen 47. 9 in this world as dung, in respect of that heavenly comfort which was laid Phil. ●. ●. up for them in Christ jesus. All these things we know, & can talk very plenti●ullie of them when we come in company of those that d●e favour religion. We can tell of joseph how he preferred Gen. ●9. 20. the dungeon and Irons which did pear●e his soul, before the liberty & glory of Po●●phers house: & of Moses, how he He● 11. 24. 25. 26. forsook to be called the son of Phara●s daughter, and chase rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. We can tell also of David how he made his choice, rather to be made a door keeper in the lords house, then ●sal 84. 10. to be head ruler in the gilded 〈…〉 aces of wicked Princes. And of the Apostles in 〈…〉 e sort, how the●re chiefest glory in this ●●e, was to suffer afflictions for the name of Christ, all this is Act. 5 40. 41. most ●●ue and these great effects and fruit ●ath saith gained at their hands as the holy Ghost witnesseth unto the Hebrews. And how shall we think H●br. 11. then that we have the same saith▪ when we are not only void of these virtues but also have placed in the room of every of them, a vice repugnant thereunto. Well I must conclude that our faith is feigned, and we greatly blinded to think that the holy Ghost is become so careless of his own glory now in these last days, & especially where the Gospel is so plentifully preached. Nay look further and we shall find out a more grosser blindness than all this: for are we not oftentimes forced to pronounce sentence of condemnation upon our own souls, and we perceive it not? D●e we not say daily that the Lord will not hold him guiltless Exod. 2●●● that taketh his name in vain, and yet without any remorse, we toss the same in our mouths, like a tennisse ball, about every trifling toy, beside also our vain abusing of his word, and neglect of duty therein, which often in the Scripture is taken for his name. Again, are we not ready always levit. 22. 31. 3● with the congregation, to beg forgiveness conditionally of the Lord, as we forgive others? Yet we will Mat. 6. 12. forgive none, but are moved with every fleabiting, to seek revenge to the uttermost, and therefore do no other than crave that the judgements and vengeance of God may severely be executed upon us. But we see not this, & therefore proc●ede on forwards in our sins, as the horse rusheth unto the battle, and never respecteth the jerem 8. 6. great dangers that are before his eyes. Furthermore do we not all willingly yield unto this, that these are the last days, and that there is no sign unaccomplished, which our Saviour Christ hath foreshowed to be before his coming, so that now not only the bodies, but also the very fruit itself doth appear to declare that summer is already come, that the regions john 4 35. Revel. 14. 18. 19 are even now white unto harvest, yea and that the sickle is already thrust into the earth, as we may clearly ●ee by the general ●h●king thereof, so that there is nothing else to be looked for, but the appearing of the son of man in the Mat. 2●. 30. 31. clouds, the voice of the Archangel, and the sound of the trump of God, arise you dead and come to judgement, All these things I say, we do with an outward willingness yield unto, because the truth thereof is so manifest, that it can by no means be denied: and what is the cause then, that all these evident tokens of the final judgement which is so near at hand, will not awake us out of our deep sleep in sin, unto repentance and newness of life, that we may be readily prepared for the Bridegroom. Surely an evil Mat 25. 6. H 〈…〉. 3, 12. Luke. 12. ●5. heart hath deceived us: for we say in ourselves, that the Lord will defer his coming, & therefore take boldness to deal more roughly with our fellow servants. But alas, this blind persuasion of lengthening the days cannot stand: for the holy ghost saith expressly, that for the elects sake those days shall Mat. 24. 22, be shortened, which is an item that might strike a great fear into our Esay. 29. 10. Esay. 6. 9 10. hearts, if a spirit of slumber had not overwhelmed us: but I see no other than that the saying of the Prophet Esay is fulfilled upon our english nation, by seeing they shall see & not perceive, & hearing they shall hear & not understand, lest they should convert & I should heal them. For if it were not so, how were it possible for us to condemn & cast behind our heels so many loving admonitions, so many beseechings and prayings, even by the Rom. 12 1. 2. Cor. 5. 20. mercifulness of God, and in Christ's behalf, that we will be reconciled unto him? So many fatherly warnings which the holy Ghost doth use in persuading us unto watchfulness, that we may be saved, sometime by the certainty of the day, that it shall come, and the terribleness thereof when it cometh, as Saint Luke painteth it out. There shall be trouble & perplexity Luke. 21. 25. 2● amongst nations, the s●● and the waters shall roar, and men's hearts shall fail them for fear, and for looking after those things that shall come upon Mat. 24. 27. the earth, sometime by the suddenness of it, even as the lightning shineth out of the East, and goeth unto the West, so shall the coming of the Son of man be. And sometime by the uncertainty Mark. 13. 3●. of the hour, whether at evening, or at midnight, at the cock crowing, or in the dawning, least if he come suddenly, should find you sleeping. Sometime also by the vigilantness & cruelty of our enemy the devil, who goeth about like a devouring and roaring Lion, continually seeking whom 1. Pet. 5. 8. he may devour. But how little account we make of all these fatherly warnings and admonitions, all those which have eyes to see, may see it, and let all them that have hearts of flesh Eze. 36. 26. and 9 4. lament and mourn for the same, that they may be spared from the evil day, & not perish with the careless world, but especially with our own Land, with whom it cannot be, but that the Lord hath a great controversy, unless we should think that the most high●st doth speak words in vain: nay isaiah. 45. 19 he saith not in vain unto the seed of jacob, seek ye me, it is not for nought that the Lord hath continued the preaching of his word amongst our nation this many years, rising up early, & late, to send Prophets, Preachers, jere. 7. 13. and wise men unto us, who have piped very sweetly, and mourned very lamentably unto us. And Mat. 11 17. therefore if we will not dance at their 〈…〉 th', nor weep at their mourning: that is, if we will not rejoice at the great mercies and sweet promises of God, which he offereth unto us by them, nor tremble and fear at the mournful long of his heavy plagues and judgements which he thundereth out against us by their mouths; In like sort if we will needs harden our hearts like an Adamant stone, & stop our ears Zic. 7. 11. 12. to shut out the graces of God from our souls which he so plentifully offereth unto us▪ yet let us know, that a Prophet hath been amongst us, and the grace & mercy by the preaching of the gospel hath been generally proffered unto our Land that thereby we may be● clean without excuse, and our blood● justly upon our own heads. For if they be worthy of stripes for their ignorance which never saw any light of knowledge: how much more worthy are they of punishment, who through long continuance of the true light shining amongst them, have almost forgotten what darkness meaneth, if they take not the benefit of it, but remain still unfruitful, and unthankful for the same. Surely this is the estate of our nation at this day: for have we not had the Gospel so long time amongst us, that the most of us, either never saw, or have almost clean forgotten what poper●● meaneth. Well look unto it therefore, and let us not think ourselves to be happier than other Lands, because we have the Gospel, unless we bring forth such fruits of repentance, and newness of life, as the same doth require at our hands. For to that end hath he sent it amongst us, and therefore if it take not his effect wherefore it was sent▪ yet let us be sure that the Lord will be known to be King at the Last, and it shall be said unto us as the holy Ghost doth testify in a certain place: Prou. 1. 24 30. because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and none would regard, but ye have despised my counsel and would none of my correction, therefore I will also laugh at your destruction, and will mock when your fear cometh like sudden desolation, and your destruction as a whi●le wind, when affliction and anguish shall come upon you, then shall they call but I will not answer, they shall seek me early, and shall not find me, and why: the reason is added, because they refused knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord, they would none of my counsel, but despised my corrections. And what other thing is if, but a casting away of the L●des counsel, when we will not give such entertainment unto his word as the same requireth at out hands; or how much better is it than a despising of his corrections, when we will not be warned by so many spectacles of his anger▪ applying them rather unto second causes, and so take occasion thereby unto greater security. This sin of casting away or despising the Lords counsel, how greatly it doth displease him, our Saviour Christ, doth make known unto us, by pronouncing of so grievous woes, against those cities of juda, ●at. 11. 2●. wherein he had preached most, & done most of his great works, because they repented not, affirming that it should be easier for Sodom & Gomorrham the judgement day then for them. For saith he, if the great works which are done amongst you, had been done in them, they had repent long ago in sackcloth & ashes: and may it not as well be said of England, in this respect also, that it shall be easier for France, Flastder●, Spain, and for Rome in the judgement day then for them? For who knoweth how wonderful their● repentance should have been ear● this time, if they had the Gospel preached amongst them, so long as we have had the same. And besides that, their want of it hath made them to commit many sins, through Ignorance, because they knew no better: but our having of it hath left us clean without excuse, so that now we have no cloak for our sins, john. 15. 22 and therefore in conclusion, our condemnation must needs, be far more just and greater than theirs, except we repent in time. Thus much have I thought good to speak unto the careless which are so sound lulled asleep in jezabel's bed, a bed of security: that if it be possible some of them may be awaked whilst the Ebr. 3. 8. day is present & prepare themselves to come unto Christ. For admit it be so that many have gotten great and excellent knowledge by the preaching of the Gospel: yet what is this knowledge without repentance? surely even dead. For who knoweth not that practice is it which giveth life thereunto, as the Apostle witnesseth in a certain place, where he● hath these words: though I had all knowledge and knew all secrets, ●ea, if I had faith that I could remove 1. Cor. 1●. ●. move mountains, and had no love, it could profit me nothing. And as repentance or newness of convesation is that which giveth life unto our knowledge, so also it abandoneth from us all unlawful pleasures, and not so only but doth moderate and bring us unto the true use of those that be lawful: as eating, drinking, sleeping, appareling ourselves, and is forth, in every of which necessity, satan hath put marvelous snayres, and occasions of fallings. If temperance & sobriety, which are special fruits belonging thereunto do not somewhat bear rule over our affections, as those which are spiritually minded, do very well understand: unto whom I will now turn myself, a little, by the way of admonition, and so proceed unto the justifying faith, which I before have promised to speak of, & which only doth belong unto them. For those are they which in great humility do judge and condemn themselves, that they may not be condemned of the Lord. Those are they which are at continual warfare not only against all their outward senses and actions of the body that they behold not with pausing, nor consent with delight unto every vanity, but also against the very motions aid thoughts of the mind to restrain aid kill them when soever they begin t● move the affections to stray out after the desire of unlawful things, neyher are they grieved at these inward ●●rruptions only, but also it percheth ●hem ●uen to the very heart, that any avour thereof should be found about ●hem: for they hate the very coat y●●s bespotted with the flesh, as Saint Jude witnesseth. And therefore use a narueylouse straightness even against heir own nature, in abridging the 〈◊〉 from the plenty of those pleasures, ●nd profits which before tune they ●aue delighted in. striving also, ●ruth great violence to bring their ●n●ndes in such subjection unto the spirit, ●hat neither prosperity nor adversity, shall much move their minds ●yther to joy or sorrow, to be lifted ●p, or cast down: And having ●●ce thus mastered themselves in warning perfectly to be full, to be● empty, to abound, and to have nothing, contenting themselves in every estate, whether it be poverty, or riches, sickness, health, or what soever: attributing no happiness unto the one, nor unhappiness unto t●e other, (because that by these outward things no man knoweth whether he be worthy of love or hate) but rather receive every thing as from th● lords hand, to whom they live ●om. ●. 28. who also is become their Father in jesus Christ, and therefore worketh all for the best unto them. This is a perfect estate, and certain it is that there must be no end of our repentance, before we have thus far prevailed and gotten the vi●tory over our rebellious nature, and yet is there no such staidness in it, neither that after we have once thus fa● mastered our own wills, that ther● we should become secure and careless as if we were now at our journeys en● and need go no further. Nay but th● blessed man job teacheth us another lesson, that our life here on earth is 〈◊〉 continual warfare, not only against flesh and blood, but also against spiritual wickedness in heavenly things, against every thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, & must have no stay until every affection in us be brought wholly and for ever under the obedience of Christ, which can not be in this life, but in that which is to come: and therefore our striving must be with perseverance, & let our perseverance us also with courage: for the crown which we labour for, is worthy of running. But if our running do fail before we come to the third hour, let us not faint, but rather learn to go: and if it be so that our going begin to wax tedious before the fixed hour be over past, yet let us not turn back again for any thing, but rather he down and creep, so that it be forwards, and all is well; yea if all natural strength do fail Mat. 20. before the ninth hour be over paste, yet let our minds and desires go forwards still in earnest prayer, and calling upon the Lord for strength, in heavy sighs and groming, under the but then of our corruptions, which we hate even as hell, because they hinder our going forwards unto goodness, and can by no means avoid them: & let that inward part of us never saint, but go forwards still, until the twei●t and last hour be past, in which we shall receive our wages. For the very grace and pride of our Christian race is to persevere in the fruits & effects of repentance, as our Saviour Christ witnesseth: he that endureth to the end shall be safe. CHAP. FOUR Of Faith, and the nature and effects thereof, offered in the Gospel. Having showed before, that the beginning of our faith (if it be unfeigned) is fear, which fear doth engender in us a godly sorrow, out of which sorrow also riseth such a repentance, as is never to be repent off, and having spoken also of the fruits and effects which belong thereunto, & of the necessity of it, that without th● same, all other exercises of Religion are to no purpose, & by what means also we are brought thereunto, namely by the Law, which is our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ: Now it remaineth that I proceed unto the justifying faith, which maketh all sure, and the hope whereof also is it which ministereth comfort and encouragement unto us in all those former tedious travels. Yea and the possession thereof after the heat of these conflicts is over passed, bringeth so great peace of conscience unto us, as all the wisdom of flesh and blood shall never be able to attain, as the holy Ghost doth witness the same, in calling it a peace that passeth all understanding. For when the troubled conscience hath wholly and for ever settled himself in the bowels of jesus Christ, not only in full persuasion of the free remission of all his sins, but also with stable purpose manfully to fight under his banner, yea, if it be to the renouncing of his own life: then may it be at peace, and boldly say with the Apostle in a holy boasting: I Rom 8. am persuaded, that neither height, nor depth, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, neither life nor death, nor any thing, shall be able to separate me from the love of God in Christ jesus. For this is the fruit that followeth our justifying faith, of which I have rather chosen to write, than of the bare description of faith itself: yea and to say the truth, there is no way so profitable to describe it, as in declaring the fruit & comfort which it bringeth unto us, which is to be assured that now there is no wrath of God to come against E●●y 40. us, but altogether grace and mercy for Christ's sake. And therefore to the end that jerusalem may be comforted at the heart, to the end that the church may be thoroughly persuaded that her travel is at an end, and all her iniquities pardoned, so that now she shall never receive damage, nor come into any danger of losing God's favour for the same any more: It shall be good for us to proceed unto the certainty and unmovableness of our estate and condition, after that we b● once thus called unto the hope of god's kingdom. For as it is an 〈◊〉 which cannot be warranted unto us, by any fleshly righteousness that we can do; so in like sort, the certainty thereof cannot be decayed by any sin which we at any time through infirmity shall commit or fall into: no more than the weakness of man is able to overmatch the strength of God, or our infidelity to make his faith to be of none effect. And therefore these things considered, the sins of God's children are no cause why their faith should be darkened, or their hope decayed, but rather there is great cause in them why their humility should be increased, and they more freely driven out of themselves into the strength of Christ: for our salvation doth not rest in ourselves, but in the Lord, who hath decreed from everlasting ●● save some, and therefore as unpossible as it is for his decree to be altered, so unpossible it is for that number which he hath thereunto appointed, to be damned. Heaven and earth shall pass away like a scroll but, no one jot or title of the words shall pass till all things ●e accomplished. All flesh is Esay. 40. grass, and the glory thereof as the flower of the grass, but the word of the Lord endureth for ever. His gifts & callings are without repentance, he Rom 11. 2●. Pro. 16. ●. hath created all things for himself, even the wicked for the day of evil. And so it may be said on the contrary side, that he hath created his children for the day of salvation and glory, and to the end that the heirs of promise may yet Heb. 6. 17. be more strengthened in this, he hath bound himself unto them by two immuble things, to the end that we may hold fast the hope that is set before us, which we have as an ancore of y● soul● both steadfast and sure: which two immutable things are these: his word, and an oath. His word, in that it is unpossible that God should lie. As the prophet Samuel doth testify the same: The strength of Israel will not Sam. 15. 29. lie nor repent him, for he is not a man that should repent. And again, Rom. 23. 19 that wicked Balaam could say thus much also: God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of a man, that he should repeat him, hath he said, and shall he not do? hath he spoken, and shall he not accomplish? He hath said that the righteous shall Psal. 112. 6. never be moved, but be had in everlasting remembrance. He hath said that Israel shall be saved in the Lord: they Esay 45. 17. shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without ●●d. He hath said that he will be merciful to our transgressions, and will remember our sins and iniquities no more. Let us never jerem. 31. 34. think that the most highest doth at any time speak words in vain. Surely Esay. 45. 18. 19 20. 21. as he hath created the earth not in vain, but to be inhabited, so he hath not said in vain to the seed of jacob, seek ye me: Nay I the Lord speak righteousness, and do righteous things, as he testifieth by the Prophet Esay. Yea he hath sworn the same also. And that is the second thing whereby he hath bound himself unto us, namely his oath: I have sworn by my name, saith he, the word is gone forth of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return again: that every knee shall bow unto me, & all tongues shall swear by my name. By bowing of the knee, and swearing by the name of God, is meant the whole service of God, wherein he will be served and worshipped of his Church. And mark the emphasis of the word, for it is a word of drawing: he hath sworn that they shall do it, will they, ●ill they: If they be God's children, he will draw them, to glorify him here in this life, and will also glorify them in the life to come. Therefore the faithful cannot perish. And beside this, consider his oath that he hath sworn, which is very plentiful in the Scriptures, as in the Psalms: I have sworn by my holiness that I will not fail David. But in Esay it is notably described, where he hath these words: As I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the earth, so have I sworn that I will no more be angry with thee, nor reprove thee: the mountains shall remove, and the hills shall fall down, but my mercy shall not depart from thee, nor the covenant of my peace fall away. So that hereby it is plain that the estate of God's children is more surer than the mountains and hills. Fitly therefore is the Church of Christ, compared unto the Mat. 7. 26. house that is builded upon a rock, which although the rain fall, the wind blow, the floods come and beat upon it, yet they shall never be able to disturb the same. And why, because it is builded upon a rock, not a rock of stone: for all such shall come to nought, but Christ jesus, upon whom, all the faithful are builded: for there is so near a conjunction between them, that Christ is theirs, and they are his, God doth behold all the righteousness of Christ in them, and hath punished, all their sins in him: and therefore as unpossible as it is for God to be angry with Christ, so unpossible it is for him to be angry with us, which belong unto him. Fear not therefore little Luke. 12 32. ●●ocke: it is your heavenly Father's pleasure to give you a kingdom, nay he hath given it unto us already: for doth not the scripture say, that as he is, (meaning Christ) even so are we 1. joh. 4. 1● in this life, what is Christ? Christ is freed from condemnation already, even so are we, although we be in this life: Christ is the heir of heaven, and hath the same already in possession: in the same estate are we, how be it, not so fully, yet in as great assurance, although we be in this life: and therefore mark it for a special point, that the Rom. 8. promises of eternal life, of salvation, and of being the sons of God, are joh. 3. still spoken of in the present tense, that they are the sons of God, and not that joh. 6. they shallbe; that they have eternal life already as it were, and not that they shall have it. And in Saint john's Gospel it is very plentiful: Verily verily joh. 5. 24. I say unto you (saith Christ) he that heareth my word and believeth in him that sent me, hath eternal life, & shall not come into condemnation, but hath passed from death to life already, as though it were a thing done & passed, never to be called back again, as most certain it is net, no more than the Father is to be called back again from the work of creation, or the Son from the work of redemption, or the holy Ghost from the office of sanctification. A notable testimony of this unmovable estate of the Church we have in the Psalms, where the holy Ghost useth these words. If my children Psal 49. 30 forsake my laws and walk not in my judgement, if they break my statutes and keep not my commandments: then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, & their iniquity with strokes, but my loving kindness will I not take from them, nor falsify my truth, my covenant will I not break, nor change that which hath gone out of my lips, according to that which is written in Malachi. I am thy Lord, Ma●●●. ●. I change not, and the Sons of jacob are not consumed. And therefore when the Lord doth correct us, it is not to the end that we should be consumed, but rather to put us in mind that we have sinned against Psal. 94 12. him, and that we may be spared in 1. Cor. 11. 32. the evil day: and not condemned with the world, but more of this in his due place. Hereby you see then, that in the work of our salvation, the Lord hath no respect either to our sins, or virtues, but unto his own unchangeable purpose, unto his everlasting decree and covenant which can not be altered. Therefore in Deuteronemie, it is thus written: The Lord Deut. 4 31. thy God is a merciful God, he will not despise thee, nor forsake thee, neither forget the covenant which he swore, unto thy fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and jacob. Saint Paul saith, That if it be but a man's covenant Gal. 3. when it is finished, no man doth abrogat, or add any thing thereunto: Much less in the covenant of God, which is written, not in paper or parchment, but in his everlasting decree & counsel, which is sealed also, not with a signet in ware, but with the very finger and power of God, in the bloodshedding & death of his Son jesus Christ, and in raising him again from the same. Neither hath he left it thus, but hath sealed the assurance thereof unto our hearts also by his spirit, which doth testify unto our conscience, that we Rom. 8. 16. are those to whom this new covenant doth belong, that God is our Father, & we his children: and therefore are emboldened ● Cor. 2. 16. through the mind of Christ to fly unto him, in all our troubles, as our stay and refuge to cast our whole care upon him, because that we are fully persuaded, that it is he alone which careth 1 Pet. 5. ●. for us. So that now even amongst a multitude of cares which the world is overwhelmed in, we are become careless, not after the manner of a desperate person, which contemneth means: but rather by the prerogative of a free mind, which we have, and do obtain, both after, & in the midst, of all christian & lawful means, that are to be used, caring only for heavenly things. True it is, that unto the sight & judgement of the world, there are none so miserable as they which are thus minded, and why: because a few outward things do satisfy them; because they seek not there own, but are more ready to take wrong, than do any; they look still unto those spiritual good things, which the Lord hath provided for them, & not man; 〈◊〉. 12. 1● they make long strides unto that, & strive to forget more & more this trash & pelf, that is behind them. And as it is with john 10. 5 them, in life, so also it is in religion: they will hear no voice, but the voice of Christ in his wor●e, all other sounds are strange unto them▪ and therefore will not hear their voices. No though Gal. 1. ●. it be an Angel from heaven, they will not have their ●aith to hang upon men, but 〈◊〉 earnestly to get settled judgement in themselves, that although the whole world be overwhelmed with errors, s● as there be not a man left to instruct them: yet they will not be offended at the matter, but have sufficient in their own ●●somes to keep them in the truth: as ●lya●, who although all Israeli run a whoring after Ball, 1. King. 19 1● yet he will constantly follow the living God; and as Micheas, who although all Balls Priests flatter the king of Israel, ●. King. 22. 14. & speak pleasant things unto him, yet he will speak nothing but the which the Lord hath put in his mouth; and with the apostles also, who although many of the Disciples forsake Christ, yet they 〈◊〉 6. ●8 know not whither to go but unto him. Where the dead carcase is, thither 〈◊〉 2●. 28 will the eagle's resort, where Ies●s Christ is, there will the faithful be. They will follow the Lamb whither so ever he 〈◊〉 14. 4. goeth not only to the breaking of bread, which Hipecrites will do, but also unto the very death, when the trial shall be made: for death is unto them life, and therefore they long for it, as the scripture doth very plentifully witness the same, and Christ is all the gain that they seek for. From whence I pray you cometh all these things, or what should move them thus to despise this life & the things thereof? is it not the assurance which they have of the heavenly life that is laid up for them in christ? this is some parts of the fruit of our justifying faith, and yet not all: for look further and we shall see more & greater testimonies of the same than all these. For what is the cause why a great many are so valiant that their fear is past, and they care not what man can do unto them: yea they receive every bondage, as a liberty, & every death, as a life, they take greatest occasion of ●oy in the midst of those torments, whereby their enemies, go about to make them most sorrowful, yea their tormentors often times are more vexed and wea●ed in tormenting, than they them selves are in bearing the torments, & why: because the Lord is with them, in every place to comfort them as he isaiah. ●●. 2. hath promised by isaiah the Prophet, saying, when thou walkest through the waters, I will be with thee, & through the floods that they shall not overflow thee, when thou goest through the fire, it shall not burn thee, nor the flames kindle upon thee: the holy ghost meaneth not here, that the wicked, by their ●gins that they use against God's children, shall not be able to take away their natural life, but their spiritual & heavenly life which afflictions, are means, to confirm and make more sure unto them, yea & in far greater glory also, which they themselves are well experienced in, and therefore some of them, all, though their torments were to be stoned, racked, & torn in sunder of wild beasts, yet would not be delivered, for the hope which they had of a better resurrection, as it is manifested in the Hebrews: other when the stones were clattering Heb. 11. 3●. about their ●ares, prayed for Act. 7. 59 their enemies, as Steven: but look unto all the Apostles, and you shall see, that the greater their afflictions were, the greater occasion they took Act. 5. 4. to rejoice, because they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ. And I might come to the martyrs of our time, who did not only rejoice in imprisonment, but also in the very hot fire: yea they even laughed at destuction and death, as the book of Monuments doth very well thaw: job. 5. 22. and as job also doth testify that the faithful shall do. These testimonies may suffice to teach, that the peace of john. 14. 27. and 16. 2●. God's children is such as the world cannot give, and their joy such as no man may take from them. O you foolish torments, know you not those engines which you use against God's children to murder them withal, are his own creatures, which he hath promised shall be at league with them, job. 5. 2●. as it is written: The stones of the field shallbe at peace with thee, and the beasts of the field shallbe at league with thee. Well therefore you may break their hearts, but you shall never break their faithfulness: (manger your herds) that shall be increased through your cruelty. Know ye not what is written? Tribulation worketh patience● Rom. 5. 3. patience experience; expertence hope; and hope maketh not ashamed. See here what a heap of benefits afflictions bring unto God's children: your purpose is altogether set upon evil, but behold a wonderful good: for by it our patience is approved, both unto ourselves, & also unto the world. As for example, doth not the patience ●am. 5. 11. of job which sprang out of his afflictions, speak unto us at this day: and again, out of it sloweth experience, another benefit which is as a scale unto our consciences of the fear of God towards us: that he will be our ready help in all d●stresses & dangers whatsoever: which is a chief mean to procure us more earnestly to call upon him in our troubles, and also to praise him in truth for deliverance. The third is hope, a benefit which resteth in the will, and maketh all sure: for whosoever hath it shall never be ashamed nor confounded: but it lifteth him up unto an unspeakable rejoicing and comfort, which all the afflictions of this world are not able to quench: and why? because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost, which is given unto us. Well then, these things considered, what hurt or damage cometh unto God's children by afflictions? Nay what good is there, that their minds are not chiesly garnished with in time of trouble? See here then how the expectations of our enemies are deceived: for when they think that we are most overcome and destroyed, then is our strength greatly renewed, and our conquest most victorious, as it is written: Though Rom. 36. 37 we be killed all the day long, and counted as sheep for the slaughter, yet are we more than conquerors through him that loveth us. But if they will needs strive against the stream (as Pharaoh did in the red Sea) till they be overwhelmed therewith, let them do it rather by fair promises, than by cruel threatenings, & sooner they shall prevail. I speak now after the manner of men: for in truth they can never prevail, but they themselves must needs have the foil, which way so ever they do strive. Well, by this means they may sooner draw God's children somewhat more to pause upon their fai 〈…〉 d prosperities, as did David, till such time as his foot had w●lnere slipped. But to draw them clean away from the path of life, that can they never do: for sentence is gone out from everlasting to the contrary, the church is builded upon a foundation which the Lord hath laid, and not man, and therefore must needs stand sure, as it is written: the foundation of God standeth sure, and ● Tim. 2. 16 hath this seal, the Lord knoweth who are his, and of those he will not lose one as it is in the 6. of john: All that the father giveth me, shall come to me, and ●ohn. 6. 37. him that cometh to me, I cast not away: for I came down from heaven, ●ohn. 6. 39 not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me: and this is the will of the father which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing, but should rail it up again at the last day: nay rather than he will lose one, ●ee will leave ninety and nine in the wilderness, ●uk. 1 4. 5. 5 and will shearth sorrowing till he hath found it, and when he findeth the same, he taketh it up with joy, layeth it upon his shoulders, bringeth it home, causeth his neighbours & friends to rejoice with him, for that one sheep that was lost, and now is found again. And what do all these things signify unto us? surely even the great care, and tender affection, which the Lord hath over his: not that his eyes can be darkened through any impediment, whereby he should be be subject unto losses: but this is rather an aba●ing of the Scriptures to our capacities, because such things are done amongst men, whereby is more lively and clearly set forth unto us, how far God's children are from perishing, as these Scriptures do testify the same also: He keepeth us as the apple Psal. 17. 8. of his eye, and hideth us under the shadow of his wings: He hath numbered Luke. 12. 7. Psal. 34. 7. our heirs, and put our tears into a bottle: He will give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone. All which promises of comfort, are not as bare sounds in the ears of God's children, but rather as seals unto their consciences, which they are well experienced in: for how could it be else that they should have such boldness, and be so greatly comforted in their distresses and afflictions, even beyond all reason or humane wisdom whatsoever, as the Psalms do yield unto us very plentiful testimony of the same. I will not be afraid (saith the Prophet David) though ten thousand beset me round about. And again: though I walk through the vale of the shadow Psal. 3. 6. Psal. 23. 4. of death, yet will I fear none ill: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they do comfort me. And in another place: The lord is my hope and help in trouble, ready to be foundt Psal. 46. 2. 3. therefore will I not fear, though the earth be moved: though the mountains do fall into the midst of the Sea: and though the waters do rage and be troubled, so that the Mountains do shake at the surges thereof, yet there is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of our God, even the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle of the most highest. And what is this river which the Prophet by the spirit of prophecy speaketh off here: even jesus Christ, who by the will of his heavenly Father, is made unto us the fountain and head spring of all goodness: By the streams which flow from him, we understand the most comfortable consolations of the Spirit of God, which doth testify unto our spirits, that we are the children of God: and not children only, but also heirs, even Rom. 8. 17. heirs of God, and heirs annexed with Christ. A wonderful exaltation: and behold we have two witnesses of the same: that is, the Spirit of God, and our own spirits: the Spirit of God, in that it pricketh us forwards unto prayer, not only in public places, but also in private corners, where none seethe but the Lord: even with unspeakable groanings, which can not otherwise be expressed. In that also ●t stirreth us v● unto other exercises of Religion: as the work of mortification, dying unto sin, living unto righteousness, yea, and to suffer persecution when occasion is offered, because that by the same spirit we know that our labour shall not be in vain: our own spirits also, in that we do not stubbor●ely resist these good motions of God's spirit, but strive rather by all possible means to make ourselves tractable thereunto, being vexed even with great sorrow at our unwillingness, and rejoicing with all exceeding joy when we have gotten any strength against the same. And thus you see what a wonderful privilege all those have, which do unfeignedly come unto Christ: for they shall never perish, neither shall any take them out of his hand. Well then, these things considered, what great injury do they john. 20 28. unto their own souls, which deny this doctrine of predestination, or foreknowledge: do they any other than deny the very strength and pride of the Gospel: for what better Gospel can we have, then to hear that the children of God can never perish: that neither their sins, nor the devils, shall ever be able to pull them out of his hand: & that the Lord in Christ hath decreed the same from everlasting, what a miserable case I say are they in which be ignorant of this, nay, which stubbornly resist it, and will not be instructed therein. How is it possibl● for such to pray with any hope to receyu●, when it is done with so little credit; which way is it possible for them to receive any comfort whose faith is encumbered with so many doubts; how unreverently do they think of God who do imagine of him, as of a mortal man, which is ignorant in the beginning of those things, that he will do afterwards, and whose affection is changed to day, from that that he purposed yesterday. Surely these are the dangers, which they do daily fall into, that either are ignorant, or have no credit in this point of doctrine, which is the strength and foundation of all other points of our christian knowledge, and without the which (let our knowledge be never so much otherwise) yet we are no better than those which Saint james speaketh of: wavering minded and jam. 28 therefore unconstante in all our ways, but to leave these unto him, who is both able and also will teach them better, in his good time, if they belong unto his holy election, and to turn to our former byase; which is the unmovable estate and condition of God's Children; the ground and pillar of out saith; the strength whereby we stands and the chiefest thing wherein we have to rejoice as our Saviour Christ witnesseth, in the admonition that he giveth unto his Apostles: where h●● willeth them, that they should not rejoice in this that the devils or wicked spirits were subject unto Luke. 10. 20. them, but rather in this, that their● names were written in heaven, which is a thing not done in tune, but beyond all times, even before the Lord was. A marvelous benefit, and unspeakable ● I call it unspeakable, because it can not be attained unto, by any fleshly wisdom, which is altogether beastly in this behalf: for it is a secret, which is wo●e hid from the natural man, than the judgement day. F●● the remembrance of the great judgement doth at some time make them tremble, when their guilty consciences, do begin to accuse them, and whe● they see, and hear that those fig lea●es, ●o begin, Mat 24. 32. yea and are already 〈◊〉 ●●th, which our Samour Christ spoke of, to declare that summer is near: but tell them of the assurance which Gods children have in themselves, of their salvation in Christ; and how the same hath b●●ne from everlasting: and thou shalt set how far off they will be, from giving any credit; nay, they will even laugh thee to scorn, and think, that if there be any fool in the world thou ●●t he, as we see divers examples of it in scripture. The wicked jews, thought that the Apostles, had been drunken, when they spoke the great 〈◊〉 of God, with new tongues, Act. 2. 13 & 26. 24. as the spirit gave them utterance. Festus likewise judged Paul to be beside himself, and mad, when he began to speak once of the resurrection from death. And no marvel though the wicked are so far of from receiving this heavenly treasure, because it is a new Revel. 2. 17. name that no man knoweth, save he that receiveth it; it is a secret which only belongeth unto God's children, as it is written in the Psalms: ●he secrets of the Lord, are revealed unto them that fear him, and his covenant to give them understanding. Well then it remaineth that we be thankful unto God, who hath vouchsafed us from everlasting, this privilege, to be his Sons, yea, and hath warranted if Rom. 8. 16. by so sure a seal as can not be altered, even the earnest of his own spirit. The Apostles are very plentiful, in yealdinge of thanks unto God for this benefit, as the chiefest of all other. Blessed be God saith saint Paul Ephe. 1. 5. ●. even the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, which hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings, in heavenly things, in Christ, and alleging this as the chiefest: for he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love. And again in an other place, we ought to be thankful ●. Thes. 2. 13. always unto God for you brethren, because he hath from the beginnings chosen you unto salvation, through the sanctification of the spirit and the faith of truth. These & such like places, are very plentifully found in scripture, which to repeat I should be tedious, therefore letting them pass, and to speak more plainly unto our capacity of the matter: Gods children which are effectually called, and do feel the assurance of this inheritance in themselves, are thankful, yea, and so thankful as the same doth carry substance with it, even to the bewraing of them, unto the world, so that the wicked men the behold the image of God in them, and do reverence them greatly for their virtues, although their gifts otherwise be but slender, yea, and are more afraid oft times to commit sins in their sight, then in the presence of God, who seethe all things, and from whose eyes, nothing Ebr. 4. 13. can be hid. Yet such is their blindness, and such is the strength of grace in the other, as for example: did Ma●. 6. 20. not Herod that cruel King who had no fear of God at all before his eyes, yet fear and reverence john Baptist? because (saith the text,) that he knew him to be a just, and a holy man, yea and did many things after his counsel: so likewise Felix who although he were wholly given over to seek bribes, yet trembled, at the preaching Act. 24. 26. of Paul, when he spoke of the judgement to come. Herein then we may perceive the truth of that saying, which the holy Ghost useth in the Psalms: the Lord is greatly to be feared, in the assembly of his Saints: as the same also may appear in the strength of their prayers, how mightily they do prevail with God, not only for the attaining of spiritual and inward comforts, but also of outward deliverances, as the scripture for warrant of the same is very plentiful: which we may see in the dividing of the red sea; the overthrow of the enemies in the wilderness; the down fall of the walls of Jericho; and the staying of the course of the Sun: all which things were procured through faith, and prayer of the Saints, tending still to the deliverance of God's children, and overthrow of his enemies. Other examples there are also, which to repeat I should be tedious, and therefore will satisfy myself, in noting the places. 2. Kings. 6. 16. 17. Danyel. 6. 22. and 3. 25. 26. 27. wherein likewise we may behold, the great love & care which the Lord hath ever his church, and how unpossible it is for those to quail, who have the ears of the almighty continually so open unto their cries, and his helping hand so attentive for their deliverance, either in judgement towards the wicked, or in mercy towards them: and as he is attentive unto them, so likewise they are importunate in their prayers with him, as our Saviour Christ doth witness in Luke: that his children do ●●●e Luk●. 18. 1. day and night unto him, and therefore can not but be avenged of the●e wrongs, and this is a special 〈◊〉 of faith, a sure token of great trust & confidence, the benefit whereof we all do both feel & find unto this day: for how many treasons, & treacheries have been wrought against our gracious Prince, from time to time, by that man of sin & his imps, both by purpose of murder, & other means also: to put out the candle of Good word which so clearly doth shine amongst us, and which he hath used here, as a chief● mean to uphold and maintain amongst us, yet none of them could● prevail, but are taken at half turn, and fast snared in the gin that they laid for others: as upon London bridge and other parts of the city, we have a plentiful spectacle of the same, Which thing being brought to pass, let us not impute it, unto our own cunning or policy, but unto the great mercy of God, who is the watchman of Israel, that never sleepeth nor slombereth, and hath been procured thereunto, by the importunate outcries of his Saints: For otherwise, ere this time we should have had, a black and glow my day. Well the Lord he blessed, for all his mercies towards our land, and let us love his children, for whose sakes (no doubt of it) we do enjoy this so great peace and plenty. Know you not that the Lord would not bring confusion, upon the old world so long as Noah, & his family were amongst them, but ●en. 7. 16. as soon as they were once closed up in the ark, them in nediatly came destruction upon the rest, & they were everwhelmed with waters: be not forgetful likewise how that the Angels which were appointed of God, to execute his vengeance upon Sodom and Gomortha▪ could do nothing until Lot and his Gen. 12. 〈◊〉 two daughters were gone out: & then straight ways came fire & brimstone upon the rest. Phinees in like manner, Rom. 25. 1● through his zeal, turned away the wrath of God from all Israel. And Rom. 16. 17 Moses likewise (through importunate begging) stayed the plague. Thus you see how that peace and prosperity is continued amongst the wicked, not for themselves, but for the great regard and care that God hath of his church, which is amongst them: yea and whole Cities or Countries oft times are preserved from plagues, for some one of them, as the same is notably describe in the talk which the Lord had with Abraham, upon the plain of Mamre: who would have spared those five great cities for the sakes Gen. 18. 32. of ten righteous men, if they could have been found amongst them. Here you see then further, that this great love, and assurance of salvation, which God doth bestow upon his children, is no mean to make them secure or careless, as some blasphemers do oft times object, but rather more fearful, more dutiful, and more earnest in prayer: because that when they behold such a wonderful mercy of God towards them, they think (as the truth is in deed) that they can never be thankful enough unto him. Then they begin to give duties both to God & men: then they walk lawfully in lawful vocation: then the husbandman, or handicrafts man, doth seek the kingdom of God as 〈◊〉 ●. 3●. well in the fields or town, as in the Church; as well in walking in their vocation, as by frequenting of Sermons: Take me not gresly, I mean they put in practice that abroad, which they learn in the Church. Their yea is yea, and their nay is nay: and therefore ●at. 5. to conclude, we can never do any duty in truth, before the assurance of God's kingdom do send us thereunto: for God's children only are careful, and all the world besides careless. THus you have heard (although rudely yet I hope truly) describe unto you, a pathway unto Christ The first step thereunto is a true sight Cap. 1. of our sins, with godly sorrow, because we are subject thereunto. The Cap. 2. second is unsayned repentance for the same, with newness of life and conversation, without the which all outward exercises of Religion are to no purpose. The third and last is faith in Christ. Cap. 3. jesus, which then is truly in us, when repentance and godly sorrow go before it: for otherwise it is presumption, as repentance▪ without it is desperation. The fruit which followeth is joh. 16. 26. peace of conscience, that passeth all understanding, and such a ●●y as no man shall ●uer be able to take from us: for we can never perish, but all things shall be for the best unto us. Me thinks saint Paul to the Romans is very plain in this matter, where he hath these words: Moreover whom he predestinate, them also he called; whom he called, them also he justified; and whom he justified, them also he glorified. Calling here hath the ●●rst place, 〈…〉, which callings 〈◊〉 in it 〈…〉 Then followeth 〈…〉 in the se … place, which 〈…〉 consci … 〈…〉 followeth our 〈…〉 unto our 〈…〉, and 〈…〉 is 〈◊〉 the Law, the 〈…〉 earnest 〈…〉 perfection, 〈◊〉 by the sweet pr … of the Gospel.