THE TRUE TRIAL and Turning of a Sinner.  
OR, THREE PLAIN AND profitable Sermons, teaching the Search and Trial of our ways, Repentance of Sin, and true turning unto God.  
The sum whereof was preached at Feversham in Kent Aug. 3. 1606.  
By Thomas Tuke.  ZACH. 1. 3. 
Turn ye unto me, saith the Lord of hosts, and I will turn unto you.  EZEK. 18. 21. 
If the wicked will return from all his sins, that he hath committed, etc. he shall surely live, and shall not die.  
LONDON, Printed by Thomas Creed. 1607.   

TO THE RIGHT Worshipful and virtuous Lady, Christiana, wife to the Right Worshipful Sir john Leveson Knight: grace from God, both temporal, and eternal.  
Madam, rare and admirable are the favours which we have received of the Lord, & by his grace enjoyed now almost fifty years together. He hath given us his Word and Gospel, his laws and statutes: he hath planted a Vineyard amongst us, and sent his Prophets unto us. He hath brought us out of captivity from under Weasterne Babylon, and dispelled the Egyptian-like darkness of Romish superstitions. He hath not dealt so with every Nation. Moreover, he hath imparked us with the pales of Peace, and hedged us about with the Laurels of Prosperity. He doth fill our barns with plenty, & causeth our cups to run over. He hath put the Palms of victory into our hands, the Garlands of triumphs about our heads, and hath made our very enemies seek to be at peace with us. He hath turned our spears into spades, our swords into scythes, and our pikes into pens; yea to make a perfect and plenary demonstration of his love unto us, and hatred of our Adversaries, he hath of late vouchsafed to us both Prince and People, 
Nevem. 5. 1605.  a very wonderful and great Deliverance, from a most barbarous and universal confusion, plotted, and almost performed by the children of Babel, the Minians of that purple Harlot. But how do we remonstrate our thankfulness and love to him? Alas, our ingratitude is tootoo manifest. Our sins do testify the same to our faces. Ignorance, Oaths, Profanations of the Lords day, Neglect, yea and palpable Contempt of the Gospel, and of God's faithful and honourable Ambassadors, with many other grievous and transcendent enormities, do so swell & abound in the multitude, as that if they were not by force held in with the piles of wholesome laws, and the banks of government, they would quickly overflow, & bear and beat down all before them. So that the Lord may say of us, as Moses sometimes said of Israel: 
Deut. 32. 15.  But he that should have been upright, when he waxed fat, spurned with his heel, and forsook God that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his salvation: not much unlike we are (for the most) to the young Hinds mentioned in the book of job, who when they are waxed fat, and grown up with corn, Go from their dams, 
job. 39 7.  and return no more unto them. josephus writeth, that the River jordan doth carry the Fishes so long sporting themselves, and floating aloft, till at length it casts them headlong into the Dead Sea, 
Mare mortuum.  where they perish: so it seems our prosperity, through the corruption of our hearts, hath trained us on so long, that we have fallen into a Sea of sins, and a gulf of wickedness. What can we now expect of God, besides the complement of that dreadful minace upon us, with which, the declining church of Ephesus was sometimes threatened: 
reve. 2. 5.  to wit, the removing of her Candlestick out of his place unless she did repent? If we therefore desire the continuance of the Gospel among us, and of all outward blessings, which attend upon the true professors and embracers of it, we must in the fear of God, Search & try our ways, and turn again unto him. Amend your ways and your works (saith the Lord) and I will let you dwell in this place. 
jer. 7. 3.  
2. Chron. 30. 9  The Lord our God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from us, if we convert unto him. Pliny saith, 
Plin. lib. ●. cap. 26.  that the River-horse feeling himself too fat, 
Plin. lib. 8. c. 26.  & overmuch grown, pricketh a vein in his leg with some sharp reed newly cut, and by letting himself blood, doth so help himself, and prevent the danger, which he was subject before to fall into: so when we swell with pride and self-love, and when we wax gross spirited, and fat at heart, and when the corrupt humours of our souls abound, our best physic is, to prick our hearts with true compunction of spirit, and remorse of conscience, and to let ourselves blood of those corrupt humours by true repentance, and godly sorrow. If we neglect the performance of these duties, we may justly fear, that the Lord will remove his favours from us, & give them to a people that will bring forth better fruits. To help forward this godly practice, I have compiled, penned, and now published, these sequent exhortations: which I dedicate and offer unto your Ladyship, especially because I know you love this Doctrine, & the faithful practisers of the same. Thus taking my humble leave, I recommend you to the grace of God.  
Cuxton. March. 25. 1607. Your Ladyships in all duty, Thomas Tuke.   

The principal Contents.  

1 An eleven doctrines are orderly collected, and their applications severally annexed.  
2 Sundry reasons to move us to search ourselves.  
3 Many motives to persuade us to search narrowly and sound.  
4 divers reasons, to move Minister's to join themselves in their exhortations.  
5 Many reasons why every man ought to busy himself in searching of himself principally.  
6 Sundry causes why we should try our ways, after that by searching we have found them out.  
7 The true Touchstone of trial: here sundry judges are rejected for sundry reasons.  
8 These points with their reasons are discussed and propounded. 1. Who must turn. 2. From what. 3. To whom. 4. Where. 5. When. 6. How.  
9 All these things are illustrated by many fit similitudes, and other comparisons: or at least the chiefest.  
Many other particulars are taught, which the godly Reader may find, if it please him to peruse the Sermons through.    

SERMONS PREAched at Feversham in Kent.  Lament. 3. 40. 
Let us search and try our ways, and turn again unto the Lord.  
THis mournful prophet, jeremy, having in part described & declared the perplexed and lamentable condition of his countrymen, and both testified and justified, as well the righteousness of God in afflicting them for the multitude of their transgressions, as his mercy in moderating their misery, and preserving them from a full and final destruction; he doth in these words propound unto them a very serious and sober exhortation, consisting of three branches. The first is contained in the three former words, Let us s●arch. That is to say, let us diligently inquire after, seek, and labour to find out. The second is couched in the next words, And try our ways. That is, let us prove our thoughts, our words & works, after that by diligent and due searching we have found them out. The third is comprehended in the last words, And turn again unto the Lord. That is, after exact inquiry & faithful examination, let us relinquish and abandon all that is amiss, repenting of it, and relenting for it, and let us come home again unto our father, and turn back unto his ways, from which we have gone astray like straggling sheep. Then instructions are many, both excellent and profitable.  

Doct. 1.  For so much as the holy Ghost doth in the forefront of this exhortation advertise us to search out our ways: I conclude and gather, that this is a duty necessary to be performed of every sinner that desireth to make a sound conversion of his sins. Because it is a duty so much neglected, I will use some arguments to incite and persuade you to the practice of it. In the first place, consider that it is not man but GOD which commandeth us to make this search. 
2. Tim. 3. 16.  For the whole Scripture (whereof this sentence is a part) is given by inspiration from God, and the holy men of God, (whereof this Prophet was not the last, nor yet the leas●) did all of them speak and preach as they were carried and directed by the spirit of God. 
2. Pet. 1. 21.  Homage belongeth to a King, honour to a father, and obedience to a master. God is our King, our Father, our Lord & Master. 
jam. 4. 12.  He is the only lawgiver, that is only able to save and destroy. He exhorteth us to search our ways: therefore as we respect his grace, & fear his anger, as we would not be reputed & regarded as disloyal subjects, disobedient children, rebellious and refractory servants, let us in all humility of heart, and sincerity of soul and conscience submit and obey. Secondly, we shall not know our ways, what they are, and whither they lead, unless we take some pains in searching of them out. A Prince cannot know the state of his kingdom, a physician cannot discern the constitution and habit of a man's body, without some good & competent search and inquisition: so no man can judge of the condition and state of his soul and body, & know the case and quality of the kingdom of his heart, except by searching he do labour to attain thereunto. He that knoweth not his ways, cannot examine them: how then shall he be able to revert and turn from them if they be not good? On the contrary, our searching of them is a very good furtherance & preparative to our trial of them, and turning from them; like the needle, which prepares a way for the thread, which followeth it. For as a man perceiving himself to be wounded or any way diseased, is moved to seek about for a remedy: even so when a sinner by ransacking his life and heart, findeth out his spiritual wounds and diseases, he is by the grace of God prepared & provoked to seek for cure, and to be delivered of his grievances.  
Thirdly, he that intends to build, will search the foundation, whether the ground be sound or sandy, whether fast or false. Salvation is a fair and goodly building. Now he that builds it upon ignorant conceits, & blind presumptions, deceiveth himself, and dishonoureth his Saviour: therefore it is good for a man to search himself, & lay a firm foundation; the top will far the better for the bottom. If the groundwork be not stable, the building cannot stand: and where there is no sure searching, there can be no sure working. Moreour, he that desireth a plentiful Crop, must view his seed, and search it for Chaff, Cockle, and other noxious and infestant seeds: so he, that desireth to be fruitful in good works, must search himself for the seeds of sin, which engendereth nothing but stinking weeds.  
A discreet and faithful Magistrate will search his kingdom, for treacherous, rebellious, and other pernicious persons; specially if he have had certain intelligence of them: 
Revel. 1. 6  so we that are made Kings and spiritual Magistrates by jesus Christ, should search all the corners of our kingdom for our sins, which lurk within us like traitors, and are ready to pull the crown from our heads, and snatch the sceptre out of our hands, yea and blow up the whole Parliament of our souls. God hath given a man reason to be as a Prince to rule him, it being ruled by the line of his Law: the supreme faculties of the soul, be the Peers or Nobles: the senses are the guard and attendants: the outward part are as the Commons: and our Sins, & sinful Affections, are traitors, rebels, and as factious and infectious persons, which disturb the peace of the Commonwealth, and being desperate and irreconcilable enemies unto the State, do strive to dismount the Prince from her Throne, and utterly to ruinate and subvert the kingdom, which God by his holy spirit hath begun to plant within us. Wherefore like politic and faithful Princes, it behoveth us to make search in all the parts of our kingdoms, and as it were with Ho and Cry to pursue our enemies, that by searching having found them out, they may be brought to their trial, and at the bar of Conscience receive sentence as they have deserved.  
Finally, the searching of our ways is a means to prevent the judgements of God▪ For when men will not search themselves, than God searcheth them out by crosses and afflictions. When men forget to search their ways, than God doth oftentimes put them in mind of this duty by his rods, and leadeth them (as it were) by the lip. When men run headlong on an end in irregular and wretched courses, never thinking of their way, he doth sometimes thrust them forward into desperate and irrecoverable casualties & calamities, yea many times to the loss of their dearest lives: as the devil did violently drive the the Gadarens swine into the sea. 
Mar. 5. 13  Sometimes he thrusts them into the mire of affliction, and maketh them to stumble and fall upon some stone in their way, or pricketh their feet with the thorn of some sharp and grievous cross, and so puts them in mind of their way, and teacheth them to think of their ungodly courses. When men suffer Satan to ride them, as the Ass did Balaam, 
Num. 22.  and to abuse them to God's dishonour, than God doth often cause his Angel (as I may speak) to stand in their way with the naked sword of adversity, and so hindereth their enormous proceedings. Therefore it is a point of christian wisdom, and wise christianity, to call ourselves in time to a reckoning, and to make a mature and faithful inquisition and disquisition of all our ways. Search yourselves (saith Zephany) even search you, 
Zep. ●. 1●.  O nation not worthy to be loved, before the decree come forth, and ye be as chaff that passeth in a day, and before the fierce wrath of the Lord come upon you.  
The consideration of these things serveth to convince and condemn the common custom of most men, 
Use. 1.  who walk on securely in ignorance and other ungodliness, and either seldom or never take true notice of their ways; as if a man did not greatly care whither he travels, or how he travels, whether right or wrong, whether in dirt or dry ways, by light or night, so that he do travel. Yea many are so far from searching their ways themselves, as that they w●l not willingly suffer others; like the foolish and unpatient Pa●●ent, which will not let the S●rgeon search his wounds; or to the man that hath stolen goods about him, who cannot abide to hear of searching. If the Minister shall set open their gates of craft and cunning carriage, and shall cut down or break open these thi●k and ●igh hedges of their deep hypocrisy, whereby they hide their ways (as much as may be) from the eyes of men, and shall by that means or any other discover their ways, and make them see the filthiness of their steps, than they stamp▪ they storm, they strike privily with their teeth like Boars, and they bite like serpents: and if their counsel served, and the times permitted, they would openly show their ma●ice, and unchaine their hatred. All which convinceth them of grievous impenitency and carnal security. Is it not strange that men should search & censure other men, and forget themselves? Is it not strange that all men naturally should affect, & delight in searching, some for riches, some for renown, one for profits, an other for pleasures, a third sort for promotion, and yet few, or almost none in comparison, should search after their ways, that if right, they might mend their pace and haste an end; if wrong, they might in time retire, & fetch a straighter compass unto new jerusalem, where there is renown without envy, promotion without pride, wealth and no woe, pleasures but no pains, yea all the good that either thought can think, or will can wish? Moreover, is it not strange that men should be blown every way with the blast of an earthly Prince, as to turn Turk at his command, or to buckle and bend the knee to his pleasure in any thing; like the bird called Cepphos, which is carried every way with the wind, and yet to stand like stocks at God's command, to move nothing at all, or at the least not to remove? Is it not strange that many, which dare no more withstand the word of a king, than the ship, 
Act. 27. 15.  that Paul was in, could (antophthalmein) outlook or withstand the stormy wind Euroclydon, 
antipiptete  yet are nothing afraid with brows of brass to outface and resist, yea to rush against the Spirit of GOD in the ministry of his Prophets, 
Act. 7. 51.  as Saint Steven said the rebellious jews did. A King saith to his subject, 
For the breach of every commandment and exhortation is eternal death  search, or thou diest for it: he searcheth. The King of Kings saith to all his subjects, search or ye die, yea the death of soul and body: very few regard what he saith, as if either he jested with them, or as though the mouth of his mercy were so wide, that it both could and would swallow up his justice for a little of their lip-labour, in a fit of sickness, or when they are to shake hands with the world; which argueth a fearful distemper in their souls, even a spiritual Apoplexy, which hath deprived them of all true sense and motion, as if they were possessed with the spirits of those, whom Isaiah saith, 
Isa. 28. 1●  had made a covenant with Death, and an agreement with hell: or at the least, cast in the same mould with many desolute and ungracious youths, who having exceeding kind and affectionate parents or friends, do play upon them in hope of pardon, abusing their levity to the satisfaction of their own Just, presuming upon their mild & gentle disposition. 
Use 2. Gal. 1. 4. Rom. 12. 2   
But we (beloved) being redeemed out of the world, must not fashion ourselves unto the world. Wouldst thou know thyself? then search thyself. Wouldst thou try thy ways? then search thy ways. The justice cannot examine a felon, till he be found. A man cannot weigh a thing in the balance, except he have the thing. Wouldst thou repent of thy sins and turn from them? then labour to know them, strive to find them out. 
Mat. 8. 9  Shall the Centurion in the Gospel (being a man under the authority of an other, and having soldiers under himself) command one to go, and he goeth: an other to come, and he cometh: an other to do this or that, and he doth it? And shall the Lord, (who is over all, and under none) command us to do this or that, and shall we refuse? Shall he bid us search? or shall he say by his Ambassador, Let us search, and shall we not search? Know ye not, 
Math. 12 50. 1. Thess. 4. 3.  that he, which doth the will of God, is the brother, the sister, yea and the mother of Christ jesus? Christ himself did speak it. But as the Apostle saith, this is the will of God, even your sanstification: so say I, this is the will of God, even the searching of your ways. God doth will it, then let not us nill it. God doth affect it, therefore let us effect it. Shall the wicked hunt after the godly as a Partridge upon the mountains? 
2. Sam. 26 7. 2.  Shall wicked Saul seek, for David to kill him, so soon as he had intelligence whe●e he had hid himself, notwithstanding the Lord had forbidden murder? Shall cruel Herod bid the wise men search diligently for our Lord with a secret intention to m●rther him? 
Math. 2. 8  and sh●ll not we seek and search diligently for our sins, that we might sacrifice & slaughter them, 
2. King. 25  as john did the Priests of Baal? They had no commandment, we are commanded. T●ey were forbidden, (I speak not o● jehu) we are bidden and exhorted. He which desireth to have ei●her good Bees, or good by his B●es, must search their Hives, for spiders, wasps, drones, and mice: So if we would have the graces of God to flourish and swarm within us, we must search the Hive of our hearts for sins, which are as wasps and spiders. Brush down the spinner-webs of covetousness: kill the drones of laziness: drive away infidelity & inordinate cares, which rob God of his honour: (which should be performed in the temple of our spirits) and troubleth the spirit of God, which as a Bee worketh within us, building, breeding & refining. If the king should not view and search his Ports, neither by himself nor by his Ministers, they might come to be as well harbours for Pirates, as havens for honest Merchants: so if we will not search and survey our hearts, they will be rather hog-sties for sin & Satan, than houses for the holy Ghost. If the channel of the haven be not sometimes searched, and if strait passages amongst Sires and Sands be not sounded and well observed, there will be many shipwreck and losses, which with wisdom and labour might have been prevented: even so, if we do not search our hearts, and sound them with the line of God's law, and the plummet of his word, with a faithful heart, a painful hand, and a diligent care, and if we do not observe and note our course and compass, all our roads, & all our ways, the ship of our conscience will be so torn and crazed, that it will either not at all, or very hardly be brought into the haven. Let us therefore, as we respect the voice of the crier, as we regard the favour of God, as we either tender our welfare, or fear the shipwreck of consciences, yea the everlasting loss of our souls and bodies: let us in the fear of God, make conscience of this duty. There is no dallying with edged tools, there is no jesting with God. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, neither will he be abused. 
Gal. 6. 7  And so much for this first lesson: a second followeth.  
It is not sufficient for us to search our ways, 
Doct. 2.  but we must search them narrowly. For the word Search, signifieth to search by uncovering and making things naked, that are secret & hidden; as if a man should search for gold, in the mine, being in the bowels of the earth, where there is much earth, but little gold oar. Thereby showing, that sin is crept into corners, and lieth close in the marrow, and lurketh like a serpent in the bones, and that our ways (being many) are not easily discerned; like the way of a bird in the air, of a fish in the water, or a mole in the earth. This made David cry out in the 19 Psalm, 
Ps. 19 12.  Who can understand his faults? cleanse me from my secret sins. And Solomon saith, 
Ec. 7. 31.  that God made man righteous, but they have found out Many Inventions; even so many devices, & so many ways, as exceed in number the hairs of their heads, and the stars of the heaven. Therefore he that would know and try his ways aright, and repent as he ought, must very diligently search and view them, prying into all the corners of his heart, and observing all the courses of his life. There be four strong reasons, which should move us to perform this duty. First, man's heart is a mine of deceit, and a sea of subtlety, and therefore unless he dig deep into it, and dive low, or sound it to the bottom, he is very like to beguile himself, thinking all is well, when nothing is well. Many men's hearts are like many Quag-mires, which are rotten ground within, and yet seem solid earth above: and like the painted sepulchres, 
Matt. 23. 17.  which our Saviour speaks of, fair without, but foul within; therefore if we look but on the outside of our hearts, we may be deceived. Secondly, the times are so corrupt and vicious, and sin is grown so shameless (like a strumpet) and yet so subtle (like a serpent or sophister) as that if we search not very circumspectly and judiciously, we shall pass by many vices, which lie close covered under the names of virtues; like some young hunters that balk the hare, thinking they saw nothing but a clot. Covetousness is counted good husbandry: drunkenness goes for good fellowship: pride is counted cleanliness: Machiavilianisme is reputed policy: usury of many is thought but thrift: painting of faces is pleaded for: Plays (though lascivious) are defended: swaggering and swearing are made the marks of noble spirits: yea what sin is so vile, which is not either made of or minced? yea there be many works that men do, which are good as concerning their outward substance, and glorious in appearance, and yet evil in the doer, being done without faith and for sinister respects, and therefore abominable in the eyes of God; something like the fruit which groweth near to the Dead Sea, 
Mare m●rtuum.  which being ripe, maketh a fair show, but within is full of cinders or ashes, as some do write. Wherefore if we search but superficially and not thoroughly, we shall take and embrace evil for good, as Ixion did the cloud for juno. And because sin is become so wily, as that it presents itself unto us in the habit of the harmless sheep, being in heart a wolf, we must desire God to open our eyes, and take away the web of ignorance. For if we want the eye of the mind (which is knowledge) as Izhak wanted the eyes of his body: surely, 
Gen. 27.  as he bestowed his blessing upon the younger in stead of the elder, upon jacob in stead of Esau, so we shall set our heart amiss, and bestow our blessing wrong, taking vice for virtue, because it comes disguised.  
Thirdly, we had need search our ways very surely, because the seed of all sins is sown in our hearts & there hath taken root, and shall not till we die be altogether consumed. Now if our hearts be polluted, our ways cannot be pure. For if the fountain be bitter, the brook cannot be very sweet: and if the root be corrupted, the branches fare the worse. When men call to mind the murder of Cain, the churlishness of Nabal, the unnatural ambition of Absalon, the wickedness of Haman, the cruelty of Herod, the malice of the jews, the treason of judas, the blasphemies of julian, & the barbarity of those savage Romanists that would have blown up the Parliament house, 
An. 1605.  they do condemn and accuse them to the pit of hell from whence they came. Beloved, there is in us by nature an inclination unto all these sins, and a thousand other; therefore we must observe our ways very narrowly, lest we should be overtaken, or if we find pollution in them, that we may in time redress them. If a king knew certainly that there were traitors in all the quarters of his kingdom, which plotted his death and the destruction of his Kingdom, he would be very wary how or where he walked, and he would be as industrious in searching out his enemies. If a man knew the●e were some in his house that would (if they could) cut his throat and rob him, he would be very circumspect. If a City had certain intelligence that there were some in the town, that would either fire it over their heads, or betray it (if it were possible) to their enemies, surely they would not be secure, but would use all means possible to find them out. Verily (beloved) we are pestered with enemies. Our ways are many, our works are many, and not one of all these, no not the best, but it is polluted with some sin or other. So many sins as a man hath, so many enemies he hath to the salvation of his soul: 
Ro. 6. 23.  for the ways of sin is death. But our hearts, our heads, our hands, yea all the powers of our souls, are tainted with sins, all which conspire against us with Satan, to work the eternal destruction of our souls & bodies. Therefore it stands us upon to use all diligence to find them out.  
Fourthly, we are by God commanded to keep our hearts With all diligence, 
Pro. 4. 23  which we can never do, unless we view them thoroughly, and search our ways with exceeding care. How can a Governor of a City keep and defend it in the time of war, when the enemies do begirt it, unless he have a narrow eye unto all the inroads and out-rodes of his soldiers, and to the behaviour of the townsmen. So we shall never defend the Castles of our souls, and preserve them from battery, and being taken, having so many enemies within us, without us; before and behind, yea on every side, unless we do well observe the inroads of our senses, the out-rodes of our affections, the flight of our thoughts, the cries of our consciences, the works of our hands, and the ways of our feet, Otherwise we may as soon keep a foe to molest us, as a friend to maintain us: a judas to betray us, as a joseph to befriend us: a falsehearted Dalila, as a faithful jonathan. Wherefore (brethren) as we either respect the glory of God, or desire our own peace and prosperity, let us make conscience of this duty. Shall many men take pains to commit wickedness, 
jer. 9 5.  and shall not we take pains to please God by doing of his will? 
1. Pet. 2. 15.  But as Peter saith, This is the will of God, that by well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. So I say, this is the will of God, that by diligent searching of your ways, ye may be prepared to repent of your ignorance, and to forsake all your follies, and so to stop the mouth of your accusing consciences, and silence those that condemn your profession for your notorious vices. Know ye not that all the duties of Christianity must be performed with zeal and diligence? He that requires a sound conversion, cannot away with slack and slothful searching. We must strive to enter in at the straight gate, 
Mat. 7. 13  if we will be partakers of heavenly glory: even so we must strive to find out our ways, if we desire either to walk aright in the way of life, or to change our ways if they tend to death. 
Prou. 27. 23.  Must men (as Solomon adviseth) be diligent to know the state of their flocks, and must they take heed to their herds? and doth it beseem us to neglect the knowledge of our ways, and to be careless in keeping of our hearts? Shall we roll every stone, and use the utmost means to raise ourselves in this world; and shall we not use this first means, that we may be reclaimed to God in this world, and may be raised by him in the world to come? No pardon, no peace: no penitency, no pardon: no repentance, no remission. And do we think to repent of our ways before we know them? And is it possible to know them without faithful searching of them? What is the cause men turn so much, and return so little? 
Movent non pro movent.  What is the reason, that men move so fast, but move not forward? Surely, one reason is, because they do not understand their state aright, which no man can attain unto, without accurate and faithful searching of his ways. He that would know the cause why his corn thriveth not, why his vines flourish not, and why his trees prosper not, must search diligently for weeds, for superfluous branches, and other annoyances. So he that would know, why he groweth not in grace, and thriveth not in knowledge: why he doth either go backward, as the shadow did in the dial of Ahaz, 
Isa. 38. 8. Ios. 10. 13 Psa. 19 5.  or stand still as joshuas, sun did, and not go forwards as David's did, which cometh forth as a bridegrooms out of his chamber, and roioyceeh like a mighty man to run his race, he must diligently ransack his heart, and search his ways, and so he shall perceive the reason, and discern the lets. Therefore (beloved) as we desire the grounds of our hearts should be fertile, the vine of God's graces should spread, and the tree of our souls should flourish: as we desire the peace of conscience, and that we should return to God, and God to us, let us with all fidelity, search and find out our ways. For though it be no cause to work it, no merit to deserve it, yet is it by the blessing of God, a notable furtherance and preparation; even the first stone towards our spiritual building, and the first step to the true conversion of our hearts and minds unto God. And this shall suffice for the first branch of the Prophet's exhortation. The second followeth. And try our ways. 
Doct. 3.  The original word of that which is translated (Try) signifieth to search out, try, or examine to the ground or bottom of a thing. Whence I conclude, that we ought to the utmost examine and prove all our ways▪ whether they be foul or fair, right or wrong. And here I will first show why we ought to make this trial, and then by what. For the first; this trial is a means of thankfulness. For if after serious examination, we do find them good, we shall be stirred up to magnify the name of God, for directing our ●eete aright in the paths of his precepts, and for preserving us from falling down and wandering out. If we find them evil, yet than we shall be provoked to praise him for sparing of us, and not taking us away in our sins, as we did deserve, A servant or child cannot but commend his masters, and his father's levity, that with patience doth bear his offences, and forbear to punish him, as he hath transgressed. So we, that are the sons and servants of the Lord, cannot (if there be but one grain of grace within us) but extol his love and long-suffring towards us, in bearing with our sins, and sparing of his judgements, far otherwise, then by trial of our ways, we find that we could either merit or expect. And as the man, that considereth by day what dangers he did escape by dark, is occasioned to give thanks to God for preserving of him: so when we shall duly consider, how near we were to the pit of destruction, by reason of our sins, and yet how favourable God hath been unto us (even then when we could not see to walk aright) as that he did not confound us in our ways, we are occasioned and provoked also to glorify the name of God for moderating his justice towards us▪  
Secondly, the true trial of our ways will be a means to further our seeking of God, and his grace. For when a man after trial perceiveth his tickle estate by sin, he is prepared (if not provoked) to seek out for safe deliverance. As a man perceiving the danger of his disease seeketh to the skilful Physician for a remedy: so when a man by diligent and faithful searching and examination of his ways, shall discern his defects, and the dangerous diseases of his soul, he is incited to seek to Christ the only true Physician of our souls for cure. And as the swallow perceiving herself almost blind, presently seeketh out the herb Celandine, and the Hart feeling himself shot with arrow, doth (as some say) by & by run to the herb Ditany, or Dictandor: so when a man finds himself by trial almost blind with sin, and his soul stricken with the darts of iniquity, he is prepared (if not persuaded) to seek out to Christ our Celandine, our Dictander, yea our Panacaea, which healeth all our spiritual maladies and diseases; the Plethory of pride, th● Consumption of envy, the Dropsy of Covetousness, the Frenzy of anger, the Cramp of fearfulness, the Lethargy of forgetfulness, the Apoplexy of a dead and flinty spirit. Furthermore, as the King of some country, seeing the multititude of his enemies, both foreign and domestical, and perceiving his inability to withstand or overcome them (as it were) constrained to seek for help to his neighbours abroad: so when the true Christian man by trying of his heart and ways, shall perceive his enemies to be both mighty and many, and himself unsufficient to conquer and subdue them, he is moved to seek abroad to his neighbour and elder brother Christ jesus, that so by the virtue of his death, and operation of his spirit, they may be quelled and subdued.  
Thirdly, this trial is a means to prepare a man for the work of repentance, & returning from fin. Also the physician by one receipt prepares a way for an other: and as the Carpenter or joiner by one of his tools procureth a way for an other: so the Physician of our souls, and the great Carpenter of our spiritual building, by causing us to prove our ways, prepareth us to redress them, and fitteth us for further works. The traveler perceiving himself to be out of his right way, doth presently bethink with himself, how he may come into it again: so we that are travelers and wayfaring men, perceiving by true trial, that we are not in our right way, are thereupon forthwith disquieted, and moved to go back again or search it out. When a bird perceives the danger of the snare or net, she seeks to fly away: so when the child of God seeth what damage he is like to sustain by reason of his sinful courses, which he hath found out by faithful examination, and what a net of vengeance he is like to have cast over him, he doth seek to scape and get away.  
Fourthly, God hath two fans: the one of his law, the other of his judgements. God hath two fires: one of his word, an other of his wrath. He that would not be fanned with the fan of his judgements, mus● fan himself with the fan of his law: and he that would not be burnt up with the fire of his wrath, must prove himself in time with the fire of his word. He that trieth his ways, whether they be good or evil, is very like to escape all danger: whereas he that ploddeth on, and never regardeth them, is like to stumble on the stones of vengeance, & fall upon the stakes of God's indignation, which are every where laid and set in those ways, which are not straight and good. 
Pro. 16. 2. & 21. 2.  To conclude this first point, All the ways of man (saith Solomon) are clean and right in his own eyes: 
Pro. 30. 12  and there is (as Agur affirmeth) a generation that are pure in their own conceit, and yet there is no man living void of sin. For as there is no metal without some dross, and no body without some corruption: 
Eccls 7. 22  so there is no soul without some sin, and no man so pure who hath not some pollution in him. Wherefore, seeing men are naturally given to soothe up themselves, & to think better of their estate then reason requireth (for by nature the whole frame of our hearts is Only evil continually, 
Gen. 6. 5.  and grace in this life doth but waste and weaken nature, and not wholly consume it) it is a thing both convenient, 
Rom. 7. 18. 23.  commendable, and necessary to try ourselves to the utmost; as also all our ways, lest we do deceive ourselves, thinking our condition safe and sound, being in deed and truth (whatsoever in appearance) corrupt and wretched; like a fuzball (it may be) which seemeth solid, but being broken or trod upon, doth straightway vanish like a leam of lightning. And thus much concerning the reasons which should make us try our ways. It remaineth now to show by what we ought to make our trial. For if a man measure with a wrong wand, and weigh with false weights, or a deceitful balance, he shall delude himself, and make but bad work. If thou wouldst try thy ways by human learning, it cannot truly tell thee what the nature and desert of sin is in all respects: yea it maketh that sometimes a virtue, which God esteemeth but a vice. Secondly, if a man will be tried by his companions, undoubtedly (if they wear the cognisance of the world, and be of her stamping) they will persuade him his state is good, and that he is a right good companion, though his case in deed be very vile and lamentable. If thou consult with thine own flesh, it will make thee believe all is well. It, like an unruly jade cannot endure the reigns; and like many malcontent and froward malefactors, cannot away with trial; therefore if it be judge, it will never be condemned. If we will be tried by the church of Rome, she will teach us that many mortal sins are but venial and trifles: she will persuade us that murdering of Princes, rebellion, equivocating (o● lying) and many other horrible sins, are in some case lawful and laudable. Fiftly, if we will try our ways by the ways of the world, & her children, than we shall approve that as good which God de●esteth as most wicked, & condemn that as evil, which is very good and acceptable in the sight of God. For the world is blind, and her judgement is corrupt and partial: her scoales are false, and her weights unequal. Whence it is, that virtue oftentimes walks on foot upon the ground, when vice doth ride upon the horse, and is rejected when that is received. Yea we see the world like an Alchemist, hath made a vice of virtue, & turned vice into a virtue; so as that the profession of virtue, is reputed ignominious, and derided of the world; therefore she can be no competent judge. Sixtly, if we will try our estate by the Devil, Who is a liar, 
joh. 8. 44.  he will either persuade us that our case is desperate, when yet there is hope in respect of God's mercy, and Christ's merits: or else he will whisper in our ears, that all is well, when in truth our condition is very pitiful, and with tears to be deplored. And this Lullabee he singeth usually to the witch, till she come to the stake, and to the carnal man, till he come to his grave, and so rocks them fast a sleep in the cradle of sensual security. He speaks all for his own advantage, and therefore his sentence is to be rejected and exploded. By what then must we try our ways? even by the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. For they declare unto us the will of God, and show us what we are to will, and what to nill: what to love, and what to leave: what to perform, and what to pass by. These will teach us, when and how to walk: when we are to sit, & when to stand: when to rest, and when to rise and run. These will guide us aright, and show us when we are wrong. For the statutes of the Lord are right, & his commandments give light unto the eyes. 
Psal. 19 8. 11. Psal. 119. 104, 105. Psal. 119. 144, 151.  By them are his servants made circumspect, and purchase understanding. Thy word (saith David) is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my paths, the righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting, and all thy commandments are true. God's precepts must be our practice▪ and his law must be the line of our obedience. His word must be the rule of our works, and the determiner of all our ways. All is not gold which glisters: all coin that hath Caesar's image upon it, is not currant, but sometimes counterfeit: neither is all good corn, that so seemeth. We must therefore take unto us the Touchstone of God's word, and the Fan of his law, and make our trial by them; and so we shall discern which is gold, & which is gilded copper; which is of Gods own stamping▪ and which hath come from the Mint-house of our flesh, and from the forge of the devil, and which is good and clean wheat, and which corrupt and chaffy.  
The consideration of these points, 
Use 1.  teacheth us in the first place, to be careful to know and understand all the commandments of God, legal, and evangelical; because by these we must prove our ways, as malefactors are tried by the Law. 
Psal. 119. 15. 18.  David saith, I will meditate in thy precepts, and consider thy ways. Open my eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law, 
Psal. 119. 24, 64, 73  and teach me thy statutes. Thy testimonies are my delight, and my counsellors. Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. Shall we labour to know the laws of men, & to ●●derstand the secrets of nature? and shall we not labour to learn Go●● law, and to understand the secr●t● thereof? Shall we get stones to try our gold, whether it be pure metal, or but base? and shall we have scales and weights to prove whether it be light or weighty? And shall we not get the knowledge of God's word, that we may prove our ways? It will show us their nature, and is able to sound our hearts to the bottom. Therefore all ignorant persons are far from the performance of this weighty duty.  

Use. 2.  Secondly, the consideration of these things, serveth to convince and condemn the multitude of negligence and frowardness. Some cannot try their ways, because they want the eye of understanding, and the true touchstone of of all truth and falsehood, of vice and virtue: therefore though they sometimes attempt to try their ways, yet because their eyes are out, and guess by groping, as Isaac did in an other matter, they are usually (if not always) deceived, as well (or rather worse) than he.  
Some again will not make this trial; like many men that have run long & much on the score, & cannot endure to hear of a reckoning. Thirdly, there are some that dare not view the Law, 
Occultum quatiente avimo tortore flagellun, Iwen.  it seems vexed with the gripes of a guilty conscience, and possessed with the spirit of slavish fear; like the Elephant, who being guilty to his own deformity, cannot abide to see his face in fair water: and like slaves, that being afraid of the whip, cannot endure to have their offences scanned, or themselves examined. Finally, some will indeed try their ways, but not thoroughly, only coldly and overly: and some will try one way, but not an other: some, but not all. Whereas the Prophet exhorteth us to make an exact and perfect trial of all, and not of some only, and therefore he saith; Let us try our ways, 
Use. 3.  and not way, or some of them.  
Wherefore (brethren) let us use all care and conscience in this duty. Let us learn to know God's will, and labour to understand his commandments, and withal, let us faithfully try All our ways, so near as is possible by them. wouldst thou see the face of thy soul? then behold it in the Glass of God's law, and thou shalt easily perceive whether it be fair or foul, whether pale or fresh? wouldst thou discern the bottom of thy heart, whether it be clear and gravelly, or muddy and clammy? sound it with the long line of God's law, & with the weighty plummet of his precepts, and thou shalt obtain thy desire. wouldst thou know the condition of thy ways? then measure them with the met-wand of his word, and examine them by the old and ancient way of the faithful Patrairkes and Prophets, chalked out in the sacred scriptures. wouldst thou turn out of by-paths, and walk aright, and with an even foot? then view thy ways with diligence. I have considered my ways (saith David) and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. Surely, 
Ps. 119. 59  that man which proveth his ways aright, is in the high way to heaven, and in a fair forwardness, to make a sound conversion. Now he proveth his ways aright, that doth it sincerely, cheerfully, diligently, maturely, constantly, and in conscience of God's commandment, desiring pardon in the name of Christ, for the imperfection of his work, and striving daily to amend it. And thus much for this third Doctrine. 
Doct. 4.  A fourth followeth. In that jeremy saith, Let US search and try our ways. I gather first, that no place or privilege, no calling or descent whatsoever, can exempt a man from the performance of this duty. These were Israelites, the seed of Abraham, men of divers ages & degrees, and himself a Prophet. The yoke of God's commandments is lai● upon every neck. And why should not gold be tried as well as meaner metal?  

Doct. 5.  2. I conclude again, that poverty, penury, crosses and calamities must not so dismay us, as that we do forget, or should think it too late to search and examine our ways, as if God had utterly cast us off. These people were in extreme distress. 
Lam. 1. 1. 3. Lam. 2. 2, 11, 12, 20, ●1.  jerusalem was become a tributary. judah was carried away captive. All the habitions of jacob were destroyed. Their children and sucklings swooned in the streets, and perished in their mother's bosom through hunger. The women were constrained to eat their own children. The old men lay in the streets, the young men and virgins were slain with the sword. 
Lam. 4. 4.  The tongue of the sucking child clave to the roof of his mouth for thirst. 
5.  They that were brought up in scarlet, embraced the dung. 
10.  The hands of the pitiful women, did seeth their own children for meat. They drank their water for money, 
Lam, 5. 4, 5, 12, 14.  and their necks were under persecution. Their Princes were hanged up, and their Elders were disgraced. All the palaces of Israel were consumed. 
Lam. 2. 5, 15.  jerusalem was hissed at. All their enemies barked against them. The Temple of the Lord was profaned. 
Lam. 3. 46 Lam. 2. 7, 20. Lam. 4. 16  The Prophets were slain in the sanctuary. No mercy was showed to the Elders, and no reverence given to the Priests. Yet notwithstanding all this their misery, the Prophet exhorts them to search and try their ways, and to return unto the Lord; thereby showing, that there was hope of recovery, and no time past, to ransack and reform themselves. For the Lord is rich in love, the door of his grace, and the bowels of his mercy, are never shut up against the penitent. 
Ps. 145. 9 Ps. 89. 32, 33.  His mercy is over all his works, and he will not alway chide, neither is his love removed from his children, when he doth visit their transgression with the rod, & their iniquity with strokes. Therefore no affliction (how grievous soever) must daunt our spirits, and dull the edge of our courages, and make us abstain from the performance of these works, as if all labour herein were spent in vain.  

Doct. 6.  3. Furthermore, hence I gather, that even those which are actually converted & regenerated, had need to search and try their ways, and may very well be exhorted thereunto. The Prophet was a holy man of God, not only by virtue of his special calling, by being a Prophet sanctified and set apart for the service of God, but also in respect of his general calling; for without doubt he was the child of God, and so no question were some of those, to whom he speaketh. The Romans and Corinthians were many of them truly sanctified, 
Rom. 1. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 2 Rom. 15. 14. 15.  yet Paul bestoweth many exhortations upon them, and some not much unlike to this. There is no river without some mud, 
1. joh. 1. 8  no way without so●e mire, dirt or dust: so there is no man without some corruption, and no man's way void of all uncleanness; therefore every man (how good soever) had need to search himself and prove his ways. Furthermore, as there is no ground so fat, which may not sometimes be well watered with a shower of rain: so there is no man's heart so fertile, but may abide the sweet and wholesome dew of heavenly exhortations. Is there any vine without some superfluous sprig, or any tree without a water-branch? so there is no vine in God's vineyard, no plant in all his Orch-yard here upon the earth, but hath his fault. 
1. Ki. 8. 46  For there is no man (as Solomon affirmeth) that sinneth not. Now godly exhortations are as pruning knives to lop off the superfluous branches of sin, and as the river Nilus is to part of Egypt, so these must be as manure to fatten, and as water to moisten the barren and dry grounds of our hearts. Which things no doubt shall be effected by them, if it please the Spirit of God to open the pores of of our souls to receive them in, and the blessed Son of righteousness to shine upon us with the beams of his love, and to warm us with the heat of his grace. Wherefore we ought with all reverence and obedience, both hear, and bear the word of exhortation.  

Doct. 7.  Lastly, from this word (us) I conclude, from the Prophet's example, who includeth himself in this exhortation, that it is fit and commendable in the Minister (though he stand in the room of Christ) sometimes to include himself in his exhortations. 
2. Cor 5. 20  Though it be lawful to say with David, Examine your own heart: 
Psal. 4. 4.  and with Paul, Let every man examine himself; yet it is neither unlawful, nor uncommendable for us to say also with jeremy; Let us search and examine our ways. For first, Ministers are wayfaring men as well as others; secondly, they are subject to erring as well as other men. 
jam. 5. 17.  Helias was (as james saith) subject to such passions, as other of God's children are. Peter sinned, as other professors did. Thirdly, by this means, their exhortations will be more forcible; seeing they persuade them to do no worse, than they either would, or should do themselves. Lastly, shall the wicked say to a man, Come with us, cast in thy lot among us, 
Prou 1. 11. 14. Prou. 7. 18 Ps. 64. 5.  we will lay wait for blood? Shall the harlot say, Let us take our pleasure in dalliance? Shall ungodly men exhort and encourage one an other to commit wickedness, and shall not the godly Minister animate & exhort himself with others, to do that which is commanded of God, commendable among men, and comfortable to the conscience? He that speaketh not unto himself, as well as to an other, is either like a clock, that tells the time for others; or like a mark in the way, which rotteth itself, whiles it stands to direct others. Therefore, as jacob set particoloured rods before the sheep, 
Gen. 30. 37, 38, 39  that they might bring forth young of party colour, and so they did: so let all Ministers set before their eyes the practice of this Prophet, that they may walk in his steps, and do as he hath done before them. And thus much for this seventh instruction.  

Doct. 8.  Moreover, though the Prophet knew full well that God had ordained and ordered all things in an eternal and immutable decree, and therefore had eternally determined who should search and try their ways and turn to God, and who should not; yet he doth exhort them all indifferently to the performance of this duty. God's counsel must not make them lazy, his decree must not make them do nothing, or keep the Prophet from preaching to them. For as he hath decreed the end, so he hath determined the means & way thereunto. As he hath ordained a man's salvation, so hath he subordeined his conversion, calling, and justification. As he hath eternally set down, who shall turn unto him, so he hath eternally set down, that he shall search and examine his ways. God did mean that Paradise should be a fat and fruitful place, and therefore he provided a river to water it, 
Gen. 2. 10  which went out of Eden. God had decreed that the walls of jericho should be cast down, and so withal, for the effecting of his purpose, he did appoint that seven Priests should sound seven trumpets, 
Iosh 6. 4▪ 3  and that all the people should shout very loud, and so the walls should fall flat down. So God hath decreed that his Church should be a fair and fruitful Garden: and to this purpose he hath appointed, that it should be watered with wholesome exhortations, and hath appointed his ministers to keep and dress it. God hath from all eternity purposed that the gates of hell, and walls of sin, should in some be flung from their hinges, and shaken to the ground: and to effect his purpose, he hath commanded ●is Prophets and Ministers to sound out the ●rumpet of his law and gospel, at the sound whereof he raiseth the dead f●om the grave of sin, and driveth down (when and in whom he pl●ase●h) the ●owers of pride, the bulwarks of concupiscence, the castles of iniquity, & sorely shaketh (if not shivereth) all the muniments and foretresses of the devil.  

Use 1.  First therefore, let all God's Minister's, with this holy Prophet, remember to perform their office, notwithstanding the immutability of God's eternal counsel.  

Use 2.  Secondly, let all men be careful to use the means, as well as they are desirous to attain unto the end; for otherwise they may justly fear the wo●st. For the holy Ghost faith, that the sons of Eli did not obey their father's voice, 
1. Sam. 2. 25.  Because the Lord would slay them Therefore, ●f we sha●l contemn the counsel of the Prophet, it is to be f●ared, that God hath a purpose to take us away in our sins.  
Thirdly, 
Use. 3.  all those profane and godless wretches, are to be condemned, that cast off all care of religion, and live like monsters in the world. It is (they say) bootless for them to search, to try, to strive to serve the Lord, considering that their death or life is in the decree of God set down without possibility of alteration. This which they say, is both false & foolish: but it is an ill need that will grow on no ground. Foolish it is; for if they speak the truth, they may as well expect to live, and yet abstain from me●●e & drink. And it is as false as foolish; For as God hath decreed life and found repentance, so he hath decreed faith, obedience, searching and examination of our ways. The holy Ghost teacheth, that Promotion cometh neither 
a Ps. 75. 6.  from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South b●t 
b 1. Chro. 2●. 12.  from the Lord: so he showeth that the way to rise with comfort, is to honour God, to wait upon him, and not to swer●e from his ways. For 
c 1. Sam. ●. 30.  God will honour those that honour him, and will 
d Ps. 37. 34  exalt those that attend upon him and keep his way. 
Act. 27. 22, 23, 31, 34, 43.  Paul assuredly knew that none of those, that were in the ship with him should perish, yet he did exhort them to receive th●ir meat, and told the Centurion and his soldiers, that if the shipmen stayed not in the ship, they themselves should perish: and when the soldiers afterwards were purposed to kill the prisoners, the Centurion moved by God, hindered their intent, & so all were preserved. Therefore let no man think it needless to convert, if God have decreed his salvation, or labour lost to search and prove his ways, because of the constant nature of God's eternal counsel: but rather let him therefore use these means, that so he may both show himself submissive to this voice of God, and gather assurance to himsel●e, that he is one of those, whom God hath decreed to receive to mercy. Do we think that the Prophet would have exhorted us to do it, if it had been needless? Are God's commandments idle and unprofitable? He that will live, must labour: he that desireth health, must exercise his joints: he that would be learned, must use his wi●s, and study: so he that will be saved, must repent: and he that would repent, must search and try his ways. 
Ps. 119. 9  If a young man would redress his way, he must look unto it according to God's word: and so if a young man would know whether his way be good or evil, he must examine it by his word. He that desireth to know the disposition of his friend, must try him: so he that desireth to know the affections of his heart, and the nature of his ways, must prove them, that he may do with them, 
Exod 4. 3.  as Moses did with his rod, which while it was a rod, he kept it in his hand, and used it familiarly, but when it proved a serpent, he ran from it. He which neglecteth the means, barreth himself of the end. He that will not work in summer, is likely to starve in winter. To proceed, Let us search and try OUR ways.  

Doct. 9  Forsomuch as jeremy requireth that we should search and try our own ways, I gather, that our principal and special care and diligence must be in learning to know ourselves, and labouring to discern our own courses▪ He doth not say, search thy neighbour's way, but thine own: he saith not, let us try the ways of the Assyrians, Egyptians, or Aethiopians, but let us try our ways. So David saith, 
Psal. 4. 4. Zeph. 2. 1.  Examine your own heart upon your head▪ Zephaniah saith, Search yourselves: and Paul saith, Let every man examine himself. 
1. Cor. 11. 28 2. Cor. 13. 15.  And again, Prove yourselves whether you are in the faith; examine yourselves: know ye not yourselves, how that jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? The saying is, Nosce te ipsum▪ Know thyself. And the Apostle saith, 
Gal. 4. 4, 5  Let every man prove his own work, for every man shall bear his own burden. Every soul must answer for his own sin. 
2. Cor. 5. 10.  Every man must receive the things which are done in his own body. It is wisdom therefore for every man to search and examine his own ways. Who can know thy ways so well as thyself? Who will be so faithful to thee as thyself? Egomet sum proximus mihi: every man is nearest to himself. Amor a seipso, love begins with a man's self: how can he be faithful to another, that is careless of himself? With what face can a man offer to take a moa●e out of his brother's eye, having a great beam in his own? How darest thou counsel they neighbour to search and try his ways, and nothing regardest thine own? What hast thou to do to take the word of exhortation into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be reform, and hast cast the word of exhortation behind thy back? Why dost thou meddle with other m●ns maladies, if thou neglect thine own? Physician, first learn to cure thyself.  
If a man lay but a very little object close to his eye, it will so take up his sight, as that he shall not see many things a far off: so if we would set our own ways before our eyes, and view them as we ought to do, we should not be so curious and cunning in searching other men's, If a man's house be on fire, as well (or rather ill) as his neighbours, questionless he will not be so careful for his neighbours, as that he will be careless of his own. Our souls are on fire with sin: why then should any man neglect himself, and forget to quench his own, and bestow all his pains (if any at all) in slaking of his neighbours? Seeing our ways are as foul and as uneven as our neighbours, why should not our chiefest care be to repair & make strait our own, unless we had rather see our neighbours shoes cleaner than our own? Is it unseemly for a Prince to be skilful in the state of foreign kingdoms, and either negligent or ignorant of his own? And is it seemly for us to search and examine the conditions of other men, and never to discuss ourselves, and search our own? Every man hath a Commonwealth within him, le● him be most conversant and occupied in his own. It is no point of good husbandry for a man to acquaint himself with his neighbours grounds, goods, corn or cattle, and to know neither the nature, the names, nor the number of his own: therefore Solomon saith, 
Pro. 27. 23.  Be diligent to know the state of thy (thine own) flock, and not thy neighbours. Even so, it is neither Christian thrift, nor wisdom to be curious in prying into other men's ways, and laborious in judging them, and to be oblivious or ignorant of our own; and therefore jeremy saith, Let us search and try our (even our own) ways, every man his own ways by himself. As every shepherd looks to his own sheep, every mariner to his own mast, every founder to his own metal: so let every man look to his own ways. The wise virgins were careful for their own lampe●: so let us look to our own professions. The Bee trims her own h●ue: so let us dress our own hearts. The bird frequenteth her own nest. The Coney keepeth her own burrow. 
Pro. 31. 27  The good housewife mindeth her own house, and carrieth it about with her like a snail: so we must haunt our own hearts, and have greatest respect, and a most watchful eye to our own ways. The good herdsman chiefly searcheth his own flocks. The good husbandman doth most of all search and try the quality and nature of his own soil: so we must chief husband, search and examine our own souls, our own affections, our own works, and our own ways. The Apostle saith, that he that provideth not for his own, 
1. Tim. 5. 8  denieth the faith, and is worse than an Infidel. So it may be truly said of him that dooh not search and prove his own ways, that he doth deny obedience unto God, and is in a wretched condition, not able to prove himsel●e better than a Pagan, setting aside his outward profession, and name of a Christian, which stands him in no more stead, then for a rank beggar to be reputed rich; or for a man to be entitled Emperor of all the world, and yet to want a house to shroud his head. Here then comes to be condemned the common custom of many curious and captious persons, that forget themselves. & busy themselves in searching and examining their neighbours. 
Pro. 7. 11.  Solomon saith of the harlo●, that she is babying and loud and her feet cannot abide in her house. So these men delight in babbling of other men's sins, they are loud and shrill in sounding out the faults of others●, and in censuring and taxing their ways, but they pass by themselves, they love not to tarry within the doors of their own hearts. They will search others to the quick, and pass their verdict on their ways to the highest strain of the Law, but in the mean time they meddle not with themselves, or make but a very par●iall trial. These men like crows, are best at ease, when they are feeding their corrupt humours upon the carrion of other men's sins, or like the flesh-fly, that alway delights to sit upon the soar. I tax not the lawful searching and examination of other men's ways, made by the lawful Magistrate, the godly Minister, the honest Master, and religious parent, or of any other, that keepeth himself within the lists and limits of his calling. Only this I say, let curious inquisition be abandoned: and let him that searcheth and trieth the ways of other men, be mindful of his own; lest he prove no better (at the best) then either the lantern, which beareth a light for others to see by: 
Caprificus.  or the wild figtree, which (as they say) giveth that to others, which it hath not itself. So let him take heed, lest he be an occasion and help to others for to repent by discovering their ways unto them, & yet be through his own default the destruction of himself, in that he did not discover and ponder his own. Thus much concerning the two former branches of the Prophet's exhortation, which I beseech you (brethren) be mindful of. Shall the Ox know his owner, 
Isa. 1. ●.  and the Ass his master's crib, and shall we be ignorant of our ways, and not know ourselves? If we would not, than we must search and try them. Wouldst thou have the vessel of thine heart cleansed of the lees of sin? 
Ezek. 36. 25.  As thou must get it rinsed with the cleansing water of God's Spirit, so thou must search and examine it thyself; or otherwise thou wilt not think it is so full of dregs and corruption as it is, and so will be more secure than is meet.  
I proceed now to the third branch, 
Doct. 10.  And let us turn again unto the Lord. 
Doct. 10.  Whence I gather these two Doctrines. First, that sins sets a man out of his right way, and makes him wander from the Lord: for he that will have fellowship and favour with God, is exhorted to turn from his sins. Sin doth untune the strings of the heart, and puts the limbs of the soul out of joint. It makes one stray like a sheep, and leads one from God to the devil; from life to death, from heaven to hell. Therefore, though it sometimes bring honey with it in the mouth, like a Bee, yet it never is without a sting in the tail. For that which Solomon saith of the harlot, is m●st true of sin. Though it be as soft as oil in the beginning, and as sweet as the honey comb to the taste of the sinner, 
Pro. 5. 4. 5.  yet the end thereof is bitter as worm wood, and as sharp as a two edged sword, the feet thereof go down to death, and the steps take hold on hell: it causeth many to fall down wounded, 
Pro●. 26.  and slayeth the mighty, Wherefore then should men delight in sin, and embrace the bosom of iniquity?  
Secondly, 
Doct. 11.  and so to conclude this text, from these words of the Prophet, I am taught to teach you, That it is not sufficient for a man only to search and try his ways, but he must also turn from them (if he find them wrong) and seriously repent himself of them. For therefore we search and try them, that discerning them to be evil, we may forsake them. The end of fishing is not angling, but taking; the end of fowling, is catching; the end of ploughing is not working, but sowing: so the end of searching and proving our ways, is, that we may repair them, and and return to God. Therefore when the wise man had said, 
Pro. 4. 26 27.  Ponder the path of thy feet: he addeth immediately, And let all thy ways be ordered aright, turn not to the right hand, nor to the left, but remove thy foot from evil. As the Sessions and Assizes are held for the repressing of enormities and injuries, and for the suppressing of irregular and vicious persons: so we hold this Assizes in our souls, for the arraigning, inditing, examining, judging and condemning of our sins, that dying unto sin, we may live unto God with peace of conscience, and tranquillity of mind. Secondly, if we do only search and examine our ways, and proceed no further, we shall make ourselves more inexcusable, & increase our condemnation. For if after the performance of these things, we shall perceive our ways to be our own, and not the ways of God, and will yet content ourselves, and not seek to mend them, we shall the more displease his Majesty, we shall aggravate our punishment, and make ourselves more guilty of our own destructions. For it is not so much the committing of sin which condemns the sinner, as the continuing in it, without conversion from it, being seen and known. If a man were fallen into deep dungeon or pit, & would not seek to come forth, when he might be delivered if he sought in time, he makes himself guilty of his own death. If a man by searching of his wounds, did perceive the present and future danger of them, and yet would hide them, and use no means to have them cured, he may thank himself for his present pain, and future perishing. If a man did either see or foresee some ignominy, ruin or calamity would befall him, and yet would take no pains to remove or prevent it, he should show himself unwise, and careless of his good. Beloved, what man soever shall examine & search his ways, shall find himself to be in a dungeon of iniquity by his nature, 
Sin environeth or hemmeth a man about. Heb. 12. 1.  he shall perceive himself to be environed with sin on every side, he shall see his soul polluted with the leprosy of sin, and wounded with many deadly wounds: and he shall (if he look to the fruit and effect of them) plainly see, that nothing belongs unto him (by reason of the filthiness of his ways) but everlasting shame and confusion. Therefore i● he will not seek abroad for deliverance in time, if the worst do fall (and surely no other can be with reason looked for of him) he may thank himself, and say, that he hath perished through his own default. He saw the snare, and would not fly away: he perceived the danger, and would not seek to prevent it: he doth wittingly cast himself into the fire of God's wrath, and run upon the pike of his own destruction: showing also, that he neither loved God, nor hated sin. He is a very strange traveler, who professeth that he doth in earnest purpose to go the next and nearest way to London, and yet perceiving himself to be out of his way, and seeing the right way, doth for all tha● keep on in a clean contrary way: Will not all men say, that he is either phrantique or foolish? So than if we would not be reputed worse than mad, when by the searching and trial of our ways, we find ourselves to err, let us either turn into the right path, or else let us not profess that we intent to go to Heaven.  
Wherefore (I pray you) doth David speak in this sort, I thought I will take heed unto my ways? 
Ps. 39 1.  Why doth he take this heed? even that he might Not sin with his tongue. Even so, wherefore must men, or do men search and consider their ways? surely, that they may turn from the evil of them unto the Lord. Had Paul no rest in his spirit, when he was in Troa●, 
2. Cor. 2. 13.  because he found not his brother Titus there, but presently departed and went away? 
In utramque aurem ●●●mire.  and is it fit that any man should be reckless and at quiet with himself, when after inquisition and examination of his ways, he findeth not his elder brother Christ jesus in them, but only sin and sinfulness, and when he cannot say, as Paul saith of himself to the Romans, 
Rom. 7. 23  I see an other law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind: but more truly (it may be) as Peter said to Simon Magus, 
Act. 8. 21. 23.  Thine heart is not right in the sight of God, I see that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity? Is there not therefore cause sufficient to make them move one foot further, and to add turning to their searching?  
The end of the first Sermon.   

THE second SERMON.  
The Text: Let us turn again.  
I Am now come to speak of this last duty, whereunto we are exhorted by the Prophet. And here I will show who must turn, from what they must turn, to whom they must turn, in what and wherein they must turn, when they must turn, how they must turn, and why they must turn. Of these seven points I mean to speak in order, briefly, and with perspicuity.  

First point. Who must turn.  For the first, Let us turn again. The Prophet speaks directly to the Israelites, men, women, young, old, etc. And his speech also belongs unto us. 
Rom. 15. 4  For whatsoever things are written aforetime, are written for our learning. From whence I conclude, that Whosoever would not die but live, must turn, and return; whether he be jew or Gentile, regenerate, or unregenerate, Pastor or people, noble or ignoble, rich or poor, old or young, of what sex, condition, or calling so ever he be. For first, There is no respect of persons with God, 
Rom. 2. 6. 11.  but he Will reward every man accordind to his works. With him neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avail any thing, but a new creature. Secondly, God is an absolute Lord over all men whatsoever, therefore all men are bound to keep his commandments, among which this is one, and not the meanest, as may appear by the practice of the Prophets, who do often and earnestly urge this duty. The Apostle Paul saith, 
Act. 17. 30  that God doth now command: All men every where to change their minds: 
1. Cor. 7. 19  and teacheth the Corinthians, that circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God. Thirdly, 
2. Cor. 5. 27.  all men without exception of any saving Christ, who knew no sin, are by nat●r● deed in sins, the children of wrath, 
Eph. 2. 1, 3, 12.  without God, and aliens from the commonwealth of Israel; therefore if they mean to live, they had need to turn. Yea even the most faithful servants of God, are not only subject to go astray, but do daily err and offend, and therefore they also must repent and turn. Fourthly, men of all sorts and sexes, desire the comforts of this life, and everlasting happiness in the lif● to come, therefore all of them must look to their ways and turn. Otherwise they must look for none, and if any befall them, they are rather banes unto them then ben●fites, so long as they live in their sins, without true repentance. Oh (saith God) that my people had hearkened unto me, 
Ps. 81. 13, 14, 16.  and Israel had walked in my ways: I would soon have humbled their enemies, and turned their hand against their adversaries: I would have fed them with the fat of wheat. 
Isa. 16. 19  Take away (saith the Lord) the evil of your works from before mine eye, cease to do evil, learn to do will: If ye consent and obey, ye shall eat the good things of the land; but if ye refuse and be rebellious, ye shall be devoured with the sword. 
Re. 22. 14.  Blessed are they (saith the Angel to john) that do his commandments (whereof this is one) that their right may be in the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the City. Fiftly, not only old men, but young men also must amend & turn. The prophet speaks to young men as well as to old. David saith, 
Ps. 119. 9 Ecc. 12. 1.  Wherewith shall a young man redress his way? Solomon saith, Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, whiles the evil days come not, nor the years approach, wherein thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. Quod nova testa capit, inveterata sapit. A vessel savours longest of that liquor, wherewith it is first seasoned. Therefore the Spirit of Wisdom saith, Teach a child in the trade of his way, 
Pro. 22. 6.  and w●en he is old he shall not depart from it. He that will have his horse serviceable when he is old, must break him whilst he is young. He that will have a straight tree, must straighten it when it is tender. If thou wouldst be fit to serve God when thou art old, invre thyself to his service whiles thou art young. If thou desirest to be a far and strait tree in thy crooked days, turn from thy crookedness betimes and straighten thyself in thy youth. The Lord required a sacrifice, 
Leu. 2. 14.  in which was offered ears of corn, dried by the fire, and wheat beaten out of the green ears. 
Gene. 4. 4.  Abel brought for an offering unto God of the first fruits, and fat of his sheep: so we must give God the green ears of our years, the primrose of our age, the first fruits of our life, and the fat of our days. He that would have God kind unto him when he is old, let him turn unto him whiles he is young. It is unseemly for a man to give his youth unto Satan, and to keep his old rotten bones and feebled spirits for God. The Lord disliketh that men should bring him lame, torn, and sick things for offerings: yea he saith, 
Mal. 1. 13, 14.  Cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing. Sixtly, all men have souls as well as bodies: therefore all men must be careful for them, as well as for these; yea rather more careful, because the soul is the more excellent and more divine and noble part of man. Agu● showed himself regardful of both in his prayer, when he saith, 
Pro. 30. 7, 8.  Two things have I required of thee: deny me them not before I die. Remove far from me vanity and lies: here appeareth the care of his soul. Feed me with food convenient for me; here he showeth the honest care he had of both soul and body. Food makes for the good of the body: convenient food makes for the good o● both. He that carketh for his body, and careth not for his soul, maketh a God of his belly, and resembleth the pharisees, 
Matt. 23. 23.  who were diligent in tithing of mint and anise, but omitted the weightier things of the Law, as faith and mercy. Now wherein can our care for the wealth and weal of our souls more easily appear, then in our true repentance and unfeigned conversion? He that saith he hath care of the health of his soul, and will not turn to God, doth as if a man being ready to perish in the water, should profess that he would gladly live, and yet will use no means, or take no pains to come out. All men do wish the welfare of their friends. And art thou not thine own friend? 
We quaerae patriae comm●dae quisque suae.  It thou be so, then art thou bound to convert. Nature teacheth every man to seek the good of his own country: so grace will teach a man, if he have but one drop thereof in his heart, to seek the prosperity of that commonwealth & country which is within himself. Now the prosperity of any country consisteth in freedom from evils, and the fruition of good things. And whosoever turneth truly, shall be delivered from the greatest evils, and shall enjoy the greatest good, even God, who is goodness itself, who with the strength of his arm, and by the power of his grace, will fetch them out of Egypt, the land of spiritual servitude, and deliver them from thraldom under Pharaoh and the Egyptians, from bondage under Satan and sin, and will conduct them safely through the wild wilderness of this wretched world, into celestial Canaan, whither our elder brother Christ jesus is gone before us, to prepare mansions for us. Seventhly, every man complains that the world is nought, therefore every man to stay this complaint, must amend & convert. If every complainer would turn from his sins unto GOD, the world would be good. The world is not nought, but the people in the world: as a goodly City may have godless Citizens, a fair house may have a foul inhabitant, and a good Landlord may have bad tenants. There is no reason for a man to complain of the world, till he have forsaken the sins committed in the world. He that exclaims against the world before he doth renounce the fashions of worldlings, discovers the skirts of his mother, and defileth his own nest. If every one will needs accuse the world as nought, let them first revolt from the world, and shake hands with the world: let them come out of the world, as the Israelites came out of Egypt, and as all true Israelites are commanded to come out of Western Babylon, 
Reu. 13▪ 4.  and then let them not spare to censure and condemn the world. First turn from thine own naughtiness, and then say the world is nought, and that the wisdom of the world is enmity to God. Moreover, every man was in Adam created according to the image of God: and every man by Adam was deprived of this image: neither is it repaired in any man, nor any man restored to it, till he do convert, and repent: and then the Holy Ghost begins to grave and draw it upon the tables of hearts, and faces of our souls. But almost every man will say, that he doth desire the reparation of this reunited image within him: and without doubt if a man could with these fleshly eyes behold this image, 
Mat. 17. 3, 4.  as Peter beheld Moses and Elias with Christ upon the mount, it would exceedingly move him, as that sight did Peter; it is so fair and lovely to behold, so as that if his heart were not made of marble, it would so fill it with delight, and so ravish his soul with the love thereof, that as Peter said upon that glorious sight, Master, it is good for us to be here, so he would wish from his heart, to be partaker of it, and think no price too costly for it. For it is as a mirror, wherein a man may in part behold the f●●e of the invisible God, and a glass wherein we may see the countenance and colour of our first estate. If any therefore lust (as he doth profess) to be partaker of this glorious Image consisting in holiness and righteousness of heart and hand, 
Eph. 4. 24  let him turn his feet from the ways of sin, into the ways of God, and he shall not fail of that which he saith he doth long after. 
Nulla salus bello, pacem te poscimus omnes.  To conclude this point, all men covet peace, therefore let them all convert. wouldst thou have true peace of conscience? thou fayest thou wouldst. Then I say unto thee, turn. For There is no peace (saith God) unto the wicked, who do not turn. 
Is. 57 21.  wouldst thou be at peace with thine enemies? then turn: 
Pro. 16. 7.  for When the ways of man please the Lord, he will make also his enemies at peace with him. And without doubt there is no peace comparable to that peace and amity which is among the faithful: so that if all that seem to desire peace, would repent & turn, the Lion would become a Lamb; and the Wolf a sheep, all cruel conditions would be cast away, and the whole world would be at perfect peace within itself, both for outward agreement, and inward affection. For the union of the Saints in firm & indissoluble. The Prince of the air must blow exceeding hard, if he made any great commotion then in the world. If all men amongst us would seriously turn to God, the world would suffer a very great and admirable alteration. For both the wicked should renounce their wickedness, and the godly would not stumble and fall so oft as they now do; many occasions, scandals, temptations, and allurements being removed by the conversion of their neighbours. Then we might indeed be well called the people of God, and the anointed of the Lord: our land might be truly called, the Land of righteousness, yea and the Land of the living: then should we see the beauty of Zion, and the prosperity of jerusalem, otherwise then now we can. Every man will say that he doth affect and desire these things, therefore let every man turn to the Lord, or else be silent.  
Thus much concerning the first point, Who must turn? even every man that desireth the grace of God in this world, and everlasting glory in the world to come. For he rewardeth every one according to his work. 
Ps. 62. 12 Ps. 92. 9  All the workers of iniquity (that will not turn) shall be destroyed. He poureth contempt (even) upon Princes, 
Ps. 10. 40. Rom. 2. 9 10.  which will not turn unto him. Tribulation and anguish shall be upon the soul of every man that doth evil: of the jew first, and also of the Grecian: but to every man that doth good (even to every man that turneth unto God) shall be glory, and honour, and peace.  

2. Point. From what men must turn.  The second thing to be considered, is, From what we must turn. Which, though it be not expressly set down, yet it is implied in the word Turn. For whosoever turneth, must needs turn from something, either from some person, or some place, or from something else. What are we then to turn from? Surely, from Satan, from the world, from the ways of the wicked, and from all our sins. We must turn from whatsoever thing may either keep us, or draw us from God and his ways. We must avoid every thing that may disturb the peace of conscience, and hinder the salvation of our souls.  
Whatsoever thing may cause us to displease the Lord, and may provoke his wrath against us, must be forsaken of us. The Mariner must beware of rocks, and the traveler of crosse-paths, and by-ways. So we that would sail with the ship of our consciences, to the haven of everlasting happiness, and would come to new jerusalem in due season: that is, when the sun of this life doth set, & the evening of our days is shut up, we must beware of the foresaid evils; for they are as rocks in our road, and do either molest us in our way, or seek to lead us out. Shall we delight in the devil, & dance after his pipe? Know ye not that he compasseth the earth too and fro, 
job. 1. 7. 1. Pet. ●. 8.  and walketh about like a ramping and roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour? We should rather hide ourselves from him, and desire the Lord to pa●e his claws, and break his teeth. Know ye not that he wrought our downefell at the first, and daily seeketh the dishonour of God, the disgrace of the truth, and the desolation of the Church? He is the prince of darkness, the god of this world, the blinder of men's minds, the accuser of the faithful, the father of lies, a sinner from the beginning of the world, 
joh. 8. 44. 1. joh. 3. 8.  a sworn enemy to God's glory, and the architect & first motour of man's misery. Let us therefore fly from him, as a bird from the fowler, when she spies him. And what is the world (I pray you) but a Theatre of vanity, a mirror of madness, an ocean of some iniquity, a labyrinth of error, a gulf of evils, a moon of inconstancy, a wheel of turning, a shop of deceit, and a spectacle of ungodliness? Why should any man therefore wed himself unto the world, and not seek to be divorced from her? Or if he be already free, wherefore should he be enamoured with her? If she dote upon thee, and s●nd messengers to to thee, as Aho●ibah is charged by the Lord to have dealt with the Assyrians: 
Ezek. 23. 16.  if she be so shameless as to woo thee, as the Harlot which Solomon speaks of, 
Pro. 7. 13.  with a brazen face enticed the foolish young man; yet be not thou persuaded by her: let not thine heart decline to her ways, and wander not in her paths. If the world cast her eyes upon thee, 
Gen. 39 7,  as Potiphars' wife did upon joseph; and if she tempt thee to commit adultery with her, as she did joseph; if she say to thee, 
Pro. 7. 18.  as Salomon's Harlot doth to that fool, Come, let us take our fill of love, and our pleasure in dalliance: if thou be daily sued unto by her, as joseph was by his Mistress; yet as he denied her request unto the end, and said, 
Gen. 39 9, 10, 12.  How can I do this great wickedness, and sin a 'gainst God? so do thou repel the darts of her amorous language, ●nd like an adder stop thine ears at her alluring incantations. Rather let her have thy garment, and be content to be accused falsely, and condemned to the prison, as joseph was, then that by condescending to her unlawful suit, thou shouldest displease or divorce thyself from God, or break thy promise plighted to him in thy Baptism, of purity and Penelope's constant fidelity. The world is something like the foolish woman, the wise man speaks of, 
Pro. 9 16.  which saith to the foolish passenger, come hither: but she setteth her guests in the depth of hell. By her two naked and painted breasts of profits and pleasures, she useth thousands to commit, fornication with her: but as the holy Ghost saith of those which are entrapped with the craft of the subtle Harlot, 
Pro. 7. 21, 22, 23.  so we may truly say of them that are seduced with the world; They follow her, as an ox that goeth to the slaughter, and as a fool that goeth to the stocks for corection (who go on cheerfully, not knowing their future misery) and as a bird that hasteth to the snare, being ignorant of the fowler's policy. The voice of the world is like the fowlers call, which causeth the bird to be caught: and her allurements are like the bait which hideth the hook, that is the bane of the fish. And when she is most jocund and obsequious, than she is most pernicious and dangerous: as the stillest waters are the deepest and most deceitful. If therefore the world shall come forth to meet us, as jael did to Sisera, 
jud. 4. 18.  and shall say to any of us as she did to him, Turn in, turn in to me, be not afraid: let us beware that she do not cover us with the mantle of security, and take heed lest she beguile us with the milk of her pleasures, and the butter of her profits, though set before us in a lordly dish, 
jud. 5. 25.  as she set hers; lest yielding to her with bold credulity, as Sisera did to jael, we be stricken through the temples (as it were) of our souls with her magical enchantments, 
jud. 4. 27.  as the temples of his head were stricken through by a nail in her hand, and so we die as he did. For her house is the way unto the grave, 
Pro. 7. 10. 27.  which goeth down to the chambers of death, as the wise man speaketh of the woman of whorish behaviour. So then, albeit the wicked enticements of the world be pleasant in the beginning, yet are they bitterness in the latter ending: and like the book that john was commanded to eat, 
Reu. 10. 9  sweet in the mouth, but bitter in the maw: and so hurtful to the stomach of the soul, as that if a man do not cast them up, it is no more possible for him to live, either the life of grace or of glory, than it is for that man to live the life of nature, who hath swallowed down pills of poison, he drank with sugar. Let us therefore take heed of her charms, and turn from her. 
1. joh. 2. 15  Love not this world (saith john) nor the things that are in this world. If any man love this world, the love of the Father is not in him. No man can serve God and Mammon. 
Mat. 6. 24  We must leave the world, and the world must leave us; therefore why should we fix our love upon the world, or bend our love unto the world? Whereas all other creatures have but four muscles to turn their eyes round about, 
O● homini su●●l●me d●dit.  God hath given man a fist to pull up his eyes, from t●e earth to heaven. And whereas all other creatures bow downwards to look to the earth from whence they rose, and to which they must return, God hath fitted man a body, that he might behold the heaven, the place of happiness, and the Paradise of perpetual pleasures. We are redeemed from the world; let us therefore so live in the world, as by our lives we may declare that we are not of the world. For as much as our inheritance is in the heavens, let us have one foot there fixed, where our inheritance is. We tread upon the earth with our feet, therefore let not our hearts be interred in it, but let us trample upon earthly things. Though we live in the world, yet let us not be polluted of the world: but as the Swan swims in the water, but is not drowned of the water, so we must live in the world, as a ship floateth aloft upon the sea, or a bird upon the water, and we must take heed that the love of the world do not leak into our hearts, lest we make shipwreck of our faith, and break in pieces the vessels of our consciences. An●●f any do leak in, we must pump it out with speeds, by true repentance, and seek to stop the passage. The Mole lives in the earth, and yet receiveth no hurt at all, neither to her flesh, nor to her coat. So we that live in the world in the midst of a crooked generation, should like pilgrims, so alienate our affections from it, as that we may receive no damage by it, neither in our hearts within, nor in our profession and practice without: but as a stone being cast into the dirt, will still remain a stone: so though we which are living stones, 
1. Pet. 2, 5.  do live in the world, which is full of the dirt of sin, and puddles of iniquity, yet let us remain as we are made by grace, living stones of God's spiritual Temple. To this end, let us turn from the world with our hearts, let us beware of her witchcraft and sorcery, let us not turn in unto her at her call, let us not drink of the cup of her fornications: and finally, let us seek the kingdom of God, 
Mat. 6. 33 Col. 3. 1.  & the things that are above: and let us have our conversation in the heavens, where our commonwealth and kingdom, our head and husband is, 
Pet. 3. 21  and will be until the time that all things be restored which God hath spo●en by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began.  
Thirdly, we must turn from the ways of the wicked. This the Spirit of wisdom teacheth us, when he saith: My son, walk not thou in the way with sinners: 
Pro. 1. 15.  refrain thy foot from their path. 
Pro. 4. 14, 1●▪ Pro. 2. 15.  Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walk not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, go not by it: turn from it, and pass by. For their Ways are crooke●. The way of the wicked is as darkness. 
Pro. 4. 19 Psal. 1. 6.  The way of the wicked shall perish. If thou wouldst not walk in a crooked path, an obscure and dark lane, and in a way that shall come to nought, yea in a way that leadeth from heaven to hell, and from life to death, than thou must decline and turn from the ways of the wicked. God doth command thee to turn from them: In the name of God I do beseech thee to turn from them. Be not disobedient unto his voice. He that obeyeth him, 
Pro. 1. 33  shall dwell safely, and be quiet from fear of evil. But those, that stop their ears at his voice, and will not obey his word in the ministery of his Prophets, do fall upon the sword of vengeance. As when God cried, they would not hear, 
Zach. 7. 11, 12, 13  but pulled away their shoulder, and made their hearts hard as an adamant: so they shall cry, and he will not hear. We all know that it is the will of God, that we should forsake the ways of the wicked, who are his enemies. But that servant (saith Christ) that knew his masters will, 
Luk. 12. 47.  and prepared not himself▪ neither aid according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes: with many more than he that knoweth not his will, and doth it not. Can a man be in a mill, and not be mealy? Can a man be in a shower of rain, and not be wet? Can a man stand long upon a quag-mire, and not sink? And is it possible for a man to walk in the ways of the wicked, which are full of the mire of wickedness, and dirt of iniquity, and not to be polluted? Or i● it like, that he shall not sink into the pit of perdition, if he shall stand in the way of sinners, and refuse to come out? No wise man, especially no honest man will delight in the courses of slaves and traitors: but the wicked are slaves. First, they are slaves of the devil: for he That committeth sin, is of the Devil, 
1. joh. 3. 8. 2. Pet. 2. 19  & of whom soever a man is overcome, even unto the same he is in bondage. Now, what slaves are they, that are in slavery under a very slave? Secondly, they are the slaves of sin. For Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 
joh. 8. 34 Pro. 19 28. Pro. 4. 16. joh. 20. 12  But the wicked drink iniquity, as fishes do the water. Their mouth (saith Solomon) swalloweth up iniquity. They cannot sleep, except they have done evil. Wickedness (as Zophar saith) is sweet in his mouth, he hides it under his tongue, and will not forsake it. Therefore he cannot but commit sin, and that with greediness, and with full consent of heart. Now he that is the servant of sin, and a slave to his own concupiscence, is in seruitide under the devils bastard, yea and strumpet also, and in thraldom under his own mortal and unplacable enemy.  
Thirdly, the wicked are the slaves of the world. For their profession is pinned upon her sleeve. 
Ter. Eunuch.  As Dorus in the Comedy denied the truth, (which before he did profess) when Phaedreae bade him: so the wicked man at the world's command, is ready to say, and unsay, to profess or deny any thing, how gross or evil soever; he makes the world his God. Furthermore, they are very traitors and rebels unto God. They are enemies to his crown and dignity: they rob him of his honour: they rebel against his laws: they trample upon his commandments: they break down the pale of his precepts: they tear his titles with their tongues: 
Ps. 37, 12.  and they practise against his loyal and obedient subjects. Doth it therefore beseem any honest & liberal minded man to walk in their ways, and to run in their races? They cannot suredly do it without great blemishing of their own loyalty, and injury to the glory of God. Furthermore, 
Prou. 15. 9 Pro. 21. 27.  The way of the wicked is (as Solomon saith) an abomination to the Lord. If his sacrifice be an abomination unto him, and if his very prayer be unacceptable to him, his ways (which are simply evil) must needs be very offensive in his sight. Now then, were it not horrible impiety for a man either to set his feet in his ways, or not to remove them and depart away with speed, if they be already in them? 
1. Tim. 5. 22.  Paul forbiddeth us to be partakers of other men's sins. But he that walketh in the ways of the wicked, cannot but transgress this commandment. He that runneth their courses, is a scandal unto them, an occasion to harden their hearts, and to hinder their conversion, & showeth plainly that they were all cast in one mould, and are all (even he as well as they) servants to one Lord. But he which turneth from them, showeth his hatred of them, and is a furtherance to help forward their conversion also. For as when one sheep breaks away from the drover, she is an occasion to move many other to follow her: so when one man breaketh away from the devil, who drives men to their slaughter, he giveth an occasion to many that see him, to depart in like sort. One bird perceiving the fowler's wiles, by flying away, is a motive to her fellows being in the same danger to do the like: so one man by leaving the ways of the wicked, and so escaping the danger prepared for him, occasioneth the wicked also that behold him, to take their flight from sin, and to fly from the wiles of the devil. To conclude this third point, God commandeth us to ask for the old way, 
jere. 6. 16.  and to walk therein. Now if we must walk in the old way, which is the good way, and we shall find rest for our souls, than we must leave all new ways, which are evil ways, or else we shall find pains for our souls. God commandeth us to Walk in the way of good men, 
Pro. 2. 20.  and to keep the ways of the righteous: it followeth therefore that we must turn from the ways of the wicked. 
Pro. 4. 18. 19  For their ways are contrary; ●he one shineth as the light, the other is as darkness: the one is of God, the other of Satan: the one is of the way of love, and leadeth unto life, the other is the way of lust, and leadeth unto death: the one is the way of God's children, the other of the devils. In the one we must go, as Israel requested Sihon to let them pass thorough his country, saying: 
Num. 27. 22.  Let me go through thy Land: we will 〈◊〉 turn aside unto the fields, nor into the vineyards, neither drink of the waters of the wells: we will go by the king's way, until we be passed thy Country. The way of the godly, is the King's high way to heaven: we must go along in it till we have passed through this vale of misery, without declining from it on any side. We must not break into the fields of covetousness, nor into the vineyards of vain delights, neither must we drink of the waters of sinful pleasures, or pleasing sins. But as the Israelite promised to go by the high way, and to turn neither unto the right hand, nor to the left: 
Deu. 2. 27.  so we must keep our way without wandering out; therefore it followeth, that we must abandon, and turn from the ways of the wicked. For how glorious and fair soever they seem in show, 
Psal. 1. 6. 2 King. 9 30. 33.  they shall vanish and come to nought; like the painted face of jezabel, & the colours of the Rainbow. Fourthly, we must turn from our own sins; 
Zach. 1. 4.  original and actual, of what name or nature soever, in what place, at what time, and upon what occasion so ever done, whether by commission of evil, or omission of good. For first, our sins are the works of the devil, as our goodness is the gift of God. Our original corruption (which as a reprosie hath polluted all our parts and poors) is the f●end of sin, and the very spawn of the devil, whereof he doth beget children according to his own Image. From it all our actual transgressions (how barbarous and exorbitant soever they be) do proceed and issue, as the rivers do from the sea, 
Eccles. 1. 7  and as light doth from the sun, or as worms do from a loathsome carrion. Secondly, our sins do pollute, and deform us. As a ringworm doth disfigure the face: 
Ezek. 14 11.  so sin doth deform the soul. As a Canker doth consume the flesh, as rust doth eat the iron, as dust and chaff do corrupt the corn, and as fir vessels do corrupt good wine: so sin doth defile our souls, and corrupt our consciences, and mis-shape our affections. Thirdly, sin is very bitter and pernicious. The life of any sin affected, is the death of the sinner infected. It is of a viperous disposition: the birth of sin, is the death of the sinner. It is like the worm Midas, which eats the Bean, wherein it is bred: and the Moth, that consumes the cloth, in which she received her life. Sin is not much unlike unto the lovers of Aholilah, 
Ezek. 23.  who when they had bruised the breasts of her virginity, and powered their whoredoms upon her, dealt cruelly with her, and slew her with the sword: so sin shall breed the sorrow of all such as dote upon it, and delight to commit adultery with it. And as the Lord threatened Aholilah, 
Ezek. 23. 25.  that her lovers, with whom she wilfully defiled herself, should cut off her nose and ears: so sin (without special mercy) shall not only deform ourselves, but strip us and leave us naked for the judgements of God to seize upon. Therefore as Paul shook the viper from his hand, 
Act. 28. 5.  so let us cast away sin from our hearts. As he was careful to preserve his life from those bloody votaries, 
Act. 23. 17.  who had vowed his death: so let us be careful to defend ourselves from sin, which worketh the destruction of our souls. Wherefore was Adam exiled out of Paradise, but for his sin? Why was the old world drowned with water, but for their sin? Why was Sodom burnt with fire and brimstone, but for sin? Paul's sinful zeal made him a persecutor. Sin made Absolom ambitious, Haman malicious, Nabal a churl, and judas a traitor. Sin caused Korah and his company to be swallowed up of the earth: 
Num. 16. 32. Exod. 14. 28. Leuit. 10. 2. Psal. 107. 34. Pro. 28. 2  sin made Pharaoh and his people to be consumed by the water: sin occasioned Nadab and Abihu to be devoured with fire: sin caused Her●d to be eaten with worms. God turneth a fruitful land into baroness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. And the Spirit of wisdom saith, that For the transgression of the Land, there are many Princes thereof: that is, many and no small alterations in the state. Our sins are the cause of our sorrows, and our wickedness is the worker of all our wretchedness. It is the cause of all disorder and dissension, in Church, in Commonwealth, and Family. Yea, it oftentimes is the cause, why the sinner is punished by committing of other sins; 
Rom. 1. 24 28.  therefore Paul saith, that God gave the Heathen (for their wickedness) up to their heart's lusts, and delivered them over to a reprobate mind, to commit very fearful and odious enormities. 
Plin. nat. Hist. l. 8. cap. 23.  Sin is like the Serpent Amphisbaena, which hath (as it were) two heads, one before, an other behind at the tail, as if she were not hurtful enough to cast her poison at one mouth only. Sin woundeth at both ends: in the one it wounds the soul by poisoning and infecting it: and in the other, it wounds both soul and body, by destroying them, without the Antidote, or counterpoison of the meritorious blood of that true brazen serpent Christ jesus. Sin (as it were) out of two mouths spiteth forth her venom, whereby she both hurteth our hearts, and exposeth us to the fire of God's dreadful indignation. Fourthly, sin is very subtle like a serpent, & all (like a witch) to work our woe. It is like the Hyaena, 
Plin hist. nat. hist. l. 8. cap. 30  which (as Pliny recordeth) is said to vomit like a man, thereby to train dogs to come unto him, and then will devour them. Sometimes it will weep with the Crocodile, sometimes it will be musical with the Siren, but all to destroy. It begins sometimes with a song like a Gnat, but it endeth with biting. Pliny sayeth that the Hyaena will change his eyes into a thousand colours: 
Plin. ibid.  so sin will make many faces.  
The Beivers' hair is softer than the down of feathers, yet is he dangerous with his teeth. For (as Pliny writeth) he will gnaw trees with his teeth, is if they were cut with axes: and if he catch hold of any joint in a man, he will not leave till he have knapped the bone asunder. So sin doth oftentimes very much delight the sinner, as being very soft to the touch, and pleasant to the taste, and yet it is but a painted jezabel, a disguised harlot, and a sweetened poison; it gnawnes the conscience, and bites the soul to the bone. It is green like the box tree, but the seed is poison.  

Plin. ibid.  The hurtful serpents are ordinarily of the colour of the harmless earth: so sin sometimes doth seem a virtue, and is so esteemed of some that are bad-sighted, or grown to desperate impiety, Which speak good of evil, 
Is. 5. 20.  and evil of good: which put darkness for light, and light: for darkness: that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for sour. Sin hath so distempered their tastes, and bewitched their eyes. If sin were not exceeding subtle, and the sinner made by sin exceeding simple, Solomon would not say, There is a way that seemeth right unto man, 
Pro. 16. 25.  but the issue thereof are the ways of death. Neither would any hypocrites be so impudent, as to say without blushing (if at all) with those in Isaih: Stand apart, 
Is. 65. 5.  come not near unto me: for I am more holy th●n thou. If sin had not been very deceitful, would the Valentinian heretics have condemned all others as gross and earthly, and have called themselves only Ghostly? Would the Arrians have called the true Christians, that professed the faith of the holy Trinity, sometime Ambrosians, sometimes Iohannites, and sometimes Homousians, allowing themselves only (something like our Papists) to be called Catholics? Would the Brownists which are sprung out of the ashes of the Donatists, condemn our Ministry, our Churches, and assemblies, as Antichristian? Could widows houses be devoured through the pretext of long prayers? Could vice wander in the habit of virtue? or would any but a dog, return like a dog to his vomit, if sin were not very deceitful, but did appear unto all men as it is in itself? Considering therefore (beloved) the malicious subtlety, and the subtle malice of sin unto mankind, let us not only be wise to discern it, but careful also to fly from it, and eschew it. He that fostereth sin, favoureth a false and perfidious enemy, and doth as joash did, 
2. Ki. 12. 20. Rom. 6. 13  who entertained servants, which slew him. Let no man therefore (I say) be the servant of sin. Give not your members as weapons of unrighteousness unto sin. Listen not unto it, least by listening unto it, as Eve did unto the serpent, ye make yourselves, as she did herself, a pray to the devil. Fiftly, unless a man do purpose, and with a constant determination of mind, and resolution of spirit, do labour to leave his sins, and to stand against the stream of his sinful affections, he doth show himself destitute of the fear of God, 
Pro. 8. 13  which is to hate evil: and altogether unlike to God, who is holy; yea even holiness itself: and he doth moreover, make himself unmeet to ask forgiveness of his sins. For with what face dare he desire of God to forgive him his sin, that makes no conscience of committing sin? How dare he desire God to turn his judgements from him, seeing he doth not seriously himself purpose, and accordingly study to turn from his sins, which do not only deserve the judgements of God, but are also a match to give fire unto his wrath, or as bellows to blow it up? Yea, it is a very manifest argument, that he, which will not turn from his sin, doth not sincerely, & with an honest heart desire the pardon of sin. For no man will think that he doth heartily desire the peace and pardon of his neighbour, who cometh creeping to him for it, and yet in the mean time, doth either secretly practise against him, or at the least doth not purpose to forbear the practice of those things, which makes the ●arre betwixt them. He doth only dally with him, and abuse him. Sixthly, let us remember that there is a day of death, and a day of judgement, in which every man must answer for his facts; Cain for his murder, Ishmael for his mocking, Nahal for his drunkenness, Absalon for his ambition, Achitophel for his wicked counsel, Haman for his haughtiness, Herod for his pride, judw for his treason, julian for his blasphemies, and every sinner for his sins. For the books, wherein all men's actions are (as it were) recorded, shall be opened, 
Reu. 20. 12  and every man shall be judged of those things whic● are registered in the books (of God's knowledge, and man's conscience) according to their works. 
2. Cor. 5. 10.  And every man without exception shall receive the things which are done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or evil. The riches of Laban, the wealth of Nabal, the wisdom of Achitophel, the beauty of Absalon, the crown of Saul, the strength of Lamech, the kingdoms of Nebuchadnezar, the eloquence of Tertullus, the mitre of Caiaphas' will than stand them in no stead at all. For the Lord is no accepter of persons: he hath prepared Tophet of old for wicked princes: 
Act. 10. 34 Isa. 30 33 jude. 15.  and he will rebuke the ungodly of all their wicked deeds. Now, as death doth leave them, so the last judgement shall find them. If therefore we would either fit ourselves for death, or frame ourselves to the last judgement, let us abandon our sins, and judge ourselves. If we will accuse and condemn our sins, and execute them, as josiah did the priests of the high places, 
2 King. 22. 20. Heb. 9 27 Mat. 25. 41.  we shall not need to fear the terror of death, which is appointed for all, nor the sentence of the judge, which shall only be pronounced against the wicked. Lastly, I say we must turn from all our sins, and not from some only. For so is the will of God. 
Ezek. 11. 31.  Cast away from you all your transgression: for why will ye does O house of Israel? Every sin displeaseth God, 
Rom. 6. 23  and deserveth death: every sin doth stain the soul and wound the conscience. 
Prou 6. 27. 28.  It is not possible for a man to carry fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burnt: and impossible for him to go upon coals, and his feet not be scorched: so is it impossible to favour any sin, and not to be infected. As every enemy is dangerous, and as the least drop of poison is hurtful, and the least plague-sore infectious; so the smallest sin will smart: the least offence is pernicious, pestilent & infectious. Secondly, we vowed to God in our baptism, that we would turn from all our sins, and from all the works of the devil. He that will not keep touch with God, must never look that God will keep touch with him. For his promise of pardon belongs only unto penitent persons. And therefore he saith, If the wicked will return from all his sins, 
Ezek. 18. 21.  he shall surely live, and shall not die. Thir●ly, the Lord in express terms forbiddeth not only greater, but also smaller sins. He doth not only condemn drunkenness, 
Isai. 5. 22.  but he doth also pronounce a woe unto them, that are mighty to drink wine, and are strong to power in strong drink. Saint Peter doth not only require us to forbear drunkenness, 
1. Pet. 4. 3  but also drink. Saint Paul doth not only forbid us filthiness, 
Ephe 5. 4.  but foolish talking. The Lord commandeth the wicked to forsake their very imaginations. 
Isai. 55. 7.  Christ telleth us that we must give account of every idle word. 
1. Pet. 2. 1.  Peter warneth us to lay aside all maliciousness, and all guile, and all evil speaking. 
Psal. 101. 3, 4.  David saith, I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: A froward heart shall depart from me, I will know none evil. And according to this his resolution he saith again, 
Psal. 119. 101, 128, 133.  I have refrained my feet from every evil way, and do hate all false ways. And desireth God to let none iniquity to have dominion over him. The Lord hateth all our sins, Christ hath suffered for all our sins, therefore let us abandon them all. If we entertain but one, we open a casement for another, and animate the devil to sally a fresh upon us: 
Plin. nat. hist. li. 8. c. 25.  who like a Crocodile flieth if he be resisted, but if we yield unto him in the least sin, he will very falsely assault us, and seek to swallow us up. 
1. Thess. 5. 22. jude. 23.  Must we abstain from all appearance of evil? Must we hate the very garment, which is spotted by the flesh? Then good reason have we to abstain from all things that are merely evil in themselves, and to detest the flesh, 
Gal. 5. 17.  which defiles the man, and lusteth against the Spirit. Shall kings fight against their quarrelous & despiteful enemies, which only seek to deprive them of their earthly kingdoms, and shall not we contend and war against our fleshly lusts, 
1. Pet. 2. 11  which fight against our souls, and seek to defeat us of our heavenly kingdom? Will every man by the virtue of his nature (like Chari●us in the Comedy) prove every way before they will perish, 
Omnia exo periri cerium est priù●, quam pereo. Ter. Anar.  or lose their lives in this world: and shall not we take any pains to escape eternal pains, and to save our souls in the world to come? Shall Christ lament, yea and die for our sins, and shall we make ourselves merry with them, as many do? Or rather shall we not mourn for them, and seek to be delivered from them? Shall David's eyes gush out with rivers of water, 
Psal. 119. 136.  because other men kept not God's law? and doth it beseem us to be dry cheeked, and not lament for our own sins, whereby we have broken his law, and battered the castles of our own consciences? Shall jeremy wish that his head were full of water, 
jer. 9 1.  and his eyes a fountain of tears, that he might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people? and shall we never lament & weep for our sins, which displease our friend, and please our foe: which did once slay our souls, and do daily wring them, & would consume them utterly, 
Eph. 2. 5.  if the Lord, who hath restored them to life in Christ, did not guard them by his grace? Do we not see what an antipathy there is amongst the creatures? One of them by a secret instinct of nature doth hate and persecute another. 
Homo hominilupus.  Nay, do we not see that many men are as wolves each to other? Wherefore then should we not persecute and hate our sins, seeing that they be our mortal enemies, and will neue● become our friends? The fish called Lepus, is (as some write) poison to a man, and man to him. 
Pro. 1. 11, 12.  Sin is poison unto us, so let us be as poison unto it. Shall t●e wicked lay wait for blood, and swallow the innocent up like a grave? and shall not we seek to mortify our sins which are noxious unto us, and offensive unto God? 
Col. 3. 5.  Mortify therefore your members which are on earth, fornication, uncleanness, the inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry. If we will not mortify them, they will mortify us, If we will not part from them, God will part from us. Surely (saith Davia) God will wound the head of his enemies, 
Ps. 68 21.  and the hairy pate of him that walketh in his sins. Shall David hate the desperate enemies of God, 
Ps. 139. 21  and earnestly contend with those that rise up against him: and shall not we hate sin, which makes men hateful unto God, and haters of God? Shall not we earnestly contend against our sins, which do both rise up against us, and make us also take up arms against the Lord? 
Pro. 11. 15  H●●e that hateth suert●●hippe (saith Solomon) is sure: but he that hateth sin is surer. For if it be a a righ● hatred, it is an infallible demonstration● of our love to God, and of the gracious operation of his Spirit within us, and the ready way to scape the greatest evil. If it be the badge of a man predestined to glory, to contemn a vile person, 
Psa. 15. 4,  than he which despiseth sin, which makes men vile & despiseable, may assure himself of glory, if he do despise it for the vileness of it, and for that it is derogatory to the glory of God. Wouldst thou therefore be sure of the mercy of God to the salvation of thy soul! then turn from thy sins and hate them. For he that confesseth his sins and doth forsake them, 
Pro. 28. 13  shall find mercy. What life more joyful can a man wish to lead, whilst he lines in this world, then in this life to be assured of an everlasting joyful li●e in the world to come? What greater pleasure can a man take and taste of in a world of wo●, then to believe and know that unspeakable and perpetual pleasures are prepared for him in a world of weal? What sweeter sweetness, and more pleasing pleasure can a man in this life feel and enjoy upon the earth below, then in being certainly persuaded in his conscience, that he shall be partaker of the sweet and amiable communion of the Lord in the life to come alo●t in the heavens? What greater comfort can comfortless wretches (as all men are by nature) receive of the God of comfort, then by his word to be surely certified of eternal comforts? What greater glory can a mortal man be glad of, and more truly glory of in his inglorious vale of misery, then that he is by the King of glory secured, and by the word of his own mouth assured of immortal glory in his glorious kingdom upon his high and holy mountain? With what sweeter mercy can a miserable sinner be refreshed in his soul, then of the God of mercy to receive a promise of the everlasting mercy? But God doth promise life & liberty, 
Pro. 28. 13 Eze. 18. 21  health and happiness, to every man that will forsake his sins. Neither doth he only promise us (if we do turn from our sins) felicity in the heavens, but also peace and prosperity upon the earth. Therefore David saith: What man is he that desireth life, 
Psal. 34. 12. 14.  and loveth long days to see good? Let him eschew evil, and do good, etc. And the Lord by jeremy saith, Amend your ways, 
jer. 7. 3.  and your works, and I will let you dwell in this place. Whensoever the Israelites truly repent of their sins, than GOD changed his frowning countenance and smiled upon them: but when they provoked him by their sins, than he turned their estates, and oftentimes gave them up unto their enemies. 
Isai. 59 2. jer. 5. 25.  So that our sins do make a divorcement between us and God's benefits. Let us therefore like valiant princes labour to subdue them. When sins begin to die, than the sinner begins to live. Let not sin reign within us: let it not defile us. 
Mark. 12. 15.  But as our Saviour overthrew the tables of the money changers, and cast out those that profaned the temple by merchandising in it: so let us his servants scourge out our sins out of the temple of our hearts, 
Ez. 28. 26.  and let us labour to overturn and conquer them. The Lord saith, that his people shall dwell in safety, when he hath executed his judgements upon all their enemies: so we shall live in peace when our sins are executed▪ and put unto the sword. And when we have overmastered one sin, than we must set upon another; like the Ichneumon, which (as Pliny writeth) having overcome one enemy, 
Hist. nat. l. 8. c. 24.  prepareth himself to combat with another. Let us never be content till we have gotten the victory of them all; being like minded to Alexander th' great, 
Nil actum credens cum quid superesse● agendum.  who (as Lucan recordeth) thought nothing done, whiles any thing remained undone. He that turneth from all his sins, and laboureth to subdue them all, doth show himself a true convert, a prince of spirit, and an utter enemy to the kingdom of Satan. We all desire to escape all outward dangers, and to have our bodies free from worms, b●les, botches, and all other deformities of body; wherefore should we not then be as careful to annoyed the dangers and dangerous diseases, deformities and enormities of our souls? The least bodily disease is shunned, why should we not then fear and prevent the least spiritual disease? Many sands (though small) will sink a ship, as soon as a few great millstones: so many sins (though little in comparison of other) will destroy our souls as well as a few great ones. Foxes are enemies to sheep as well as wolves, though not so dangerous: so smaller sins are enemies unto our souls, as well as the greater Christ will have both the great and the little Foxes taken, 
Gant. 2. 15  for (he saith) both destroy the vines: so let us take and turn from all our sins, little and great: for all are noisome to the vineyard of our hearts, and hinder our spiritual growth. Kill them all, and the vines of God's graces shall flourish and abound within us. And though one sin be sometimes c●●●rary to another, as covetousness and prodigality, and look diverse ways, as Sampsons' foxes, 
judg. 15. 4. 5.  yet are they joined in their tails with a firebrand of vengeance in the midst, wherewith (without special care) they will fire men's souls, as Sampsons' Foxes did the Philistines come. wouldst thou not offend thine heavenly Father that did create thee, that doth preserve thee, & that hath bestowed his only son upon thee? then forsake thy sins. A gracious child forbeareth all things which are offensive to his father. wouldst thou escape the whirlwind of God's wrath? then fly from sin. wouldst thou be delivered of an intolerable burden? then cast away thy sins, which are a burden to thy soul, and will otherwise press thee down to hell. Those which are vexed with the Nightmare, 
Incubus.  feel, (as it were) a mountain upon them, and wish earnestly to have it removed. But there is more odds between the weight of sin, and that weight which they suppose they feel, than there is betwixt a mountain and a molehill. wouldst thou not be judged of those in the end of this world, whom now perhaps thou dost contemn, yea and condemn? wouldst thou not have thy religious wife to judge thee, that hath lain in thy bosom, thy gracious child that hath come out of thy loins, thy servant which hath been at thy beck, wouldst thou not (I say) be one day judged of these? then judge thyself, and turn from thy sins. For the Saints shall judge the world, yea and the wicked Angels. 
1. Cor. 6. 2, 3.  wouldst thou have the holy Angels sing a song for thee in the heavens, 
judg. 5. 24 Lu. 15. 10.  as Deborah did for jael? then turn from thy sins: for there is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner. And strike a nail (as it were) through the temples of thy sins, as she did one indeed through her enemies. Wherefore did john the Baptist begin his ministry, 
Math. 3. 2 Math. 4. 17.  with Repent: and our Saviour, with Amend your lives? And why are the Apostles so frequent and earnest in dehorting us from sin, if this duty of turning from it were not of very great importance? Dost thou think that God is not able to be revenged of thee? Is he not the Lord of Hosts, 
Dominae● exercituum. job. ●5. 6. Heb. 12. 29. Heb. 10. 31. Ezek. 3. 19  and an Essence as well infinite in power as in time? And what is man but a worm, an impotent and silly wretch? Dost thou imagine, that he will not punish thee? God is a consuming fire: and it is a fearful thing to fall into his hands. The Lord hath said, That if the wicked turn not (upon the Prophet's warning) from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity. Dost thou hope to hide thy sins from his sight? 
Pro. 5. 21  The ways of a man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondere●h all his paths. Thou understandest my thought a far off, 
Psal. 139. 2, 4. job. 42. 2.  (saith David) and there is not a word in my tongue, but lo● thou knowest it wholly, O Lord. Dost thou think with thy cunning and close behaviour, either to deceive him, or to shift him off? 
job. 5. 13. Psal 7. 9  He trieth the wise in their craftiness: he trieth the heart and the reins. His eyes are as a flame of fire which do pierce into all the corners of the heart. He can tell when thou drawest near unto him with thy lips, but keepest thy love for an other. Yea, but thy birth or beauty, wealth or wisdom will prevail with him. Be not deceived. For God seeth not as man seeth: 
1. Sam. 16 7. jer. 17. 10. Pro. 24. 12.  for man looketh upon the outward appearance: but the Lord beholdeth the heart. I the Lord search the heart, and try the reins: but why? even to give every man according to his ways. He will (saith Solomon) recompense every man according to his works. Though hand join in hand, 
Pro. 11. 10. 27.  the wicked shall not be unpunished. And whosoever followeth evil, seeketh his own death.  
God respecteth neither strength nor stature, neither face nor fashion, nor any other circumstance in the person of any man. Yea, rather these will aggravate thy punishments, and augment thy pains, if thou wilt not forsake thy sins, because thou hast not used them to the honour of God, that did honour thee with them.  
We see now (beloved) that there is no safety in continuing in our sins; let us therefore turn from them. And as there is is irreconcilable hostility between the Ichneumon, and the serpent Aspi●, between the Dolphin and the Crocodile: 
Plin Hist. not lib. ca 24. 25.  as God doth hath the devil, with an everlasting hatred: so let there be perpetual combating between us and our sins: let us abhor them, and strive against them, till God by death, as by a sword, strike off the head of sin, and utterly demolish it, as Ezekiah did the brazen serpent. 
2. Kin. 18. 4.  It is a godly flight, to take the wings of the mourning, and to fly from sin: it is a good turning to turn from ungodliness: 
2. Ki. 18. 7.  it is a lawful rebellion to rebel against the tyrant Sin, as the good king Hezekiah did against the king of Ashur, and would not serve him. This is the only tyrant, which a man may lawfully stab, and kill. For For sin is a mere usurper: 
We are bidden to kill sin.  all her laws are wr●tten in blood as Dracoes was, and she rewardeth all her vassals with death. Therefore howsoever we have in times past given ourselves unto sin, 
Re. 17. 13  as the ten kings were foretold to give their power to the beast, yet let us now revolt and turn from it, as they should from the whore of Babylon: and let us make it desolate and destroy it, as they shall do that purple whore. For (as Peter saith) It is sufficient for us that we have spent the time passed of our life after the lust of the Gentiles, 
1. Pet. 4. 3  wal●ing in wantonness lusts, dr●nkenn●sse, in gluttony, drink, and in abominable idolatries. 
Ro. 13. 12.  The night is passed (saith Paul) and the day is at hand: let us therefore cast away the works of darkness, and let us put on the armou● of light, so that we wa●ke honestly as in the day: not in gluttony and drunkenness, neither in chambering and wantonness, nor in strife and envy.  
Thus than we have seen from what we must turn. First, from Satan: for he doth either assaults us with violence to devour us, 
Vid. Pim. hist. nat. li. 10. c. 73.  like a Lion: or else with subtlety, like a Leopard. And if at any time he please our corrupt humours, or make fair as if he would do us good, it is but in policy; like Herod▪ that pretended to worship Christ, but intended to kill him: or like Davus in the comedy, whom Simo saith, 
Ter. Audr.  did study rather to cross him, then to please his son. So Satan by satisfying our sinful lusts, doth rather seek to displease God, and to exasperate him against us, than indeed to please us. When he comes unto thee, with I will give thee: it is only with a mind to get thee. When he doth transform himself into an Angel of light, it is but to deceive thee; as he did sometime appear in the shape of Samuel to Saul the king, but not with any purpose to do him good. 
1. Sam. 28  When he doth salute a man, it is only (as judas dealt with his Master) to betray him: or like joab, who spoke courteously to Amasa and took him by the beard to kiss him, 
Sam. 20. 9, 10.  but suddenly slew him with a sword. Therefore we have good cause to take heed of him, and to turn from him. Secondly, we must turn from the world: which (like the whore of Babylon) is indeed arrayed in purple and scarlet, 
Reu. 17. 4.  and guilded with gold, and beset with pearls and precious stones, yet is she with all, the sink of sin, and a notorious harlot, alluring all men to commit fornication with her, and to go a whoring after her from God. Thirdly, from the ways of the wicked: for they lead us to the house of woe, and bring us to the pit o● perdition, into which many fall, but out of which none do come, none can come. Fourthly, from all our sins, both great and ●mall. For al● are the works and instruments of the devil. They are all deceitful, like a broken too●h, and a sliding foot. They are all of an imperious disposition, like the bramble, 
Iud 9 15.  that delighted to be king: or like to Crocodiles, that take themselves to be kings (as Pliny writeth) in the river Nilus, 
Plin nat. hist. l 8. c. 25.  as if it were their peculiar Kingdom. Finally, they are all enemies to our christian race; like stones in our shoes, thorns in our legs, moats in our eyes, flints in our way, or not unlike to the fish called Remora: which, though it be not very great, 
Plin. l. 9 c. 25.  yet cleaving to the keel of a ship under water, doth (as some report) cause her to go more slowly: and doth oftentimes make her to stay, as Trebius Niger affirmeth.  
Thus much for the second point. 
3. point. To whom we must turn.  The third followeth now to be considered, namely to whom we must turn. The Prophet exhorts us to turn unto jehovah: who is by the Grecians termed (Kurios:) by the Latins Dominus: and by us accordingly called Lord. First in respect of creation: secondly, in regard of gubernation & preservation: thirdly, in respect of redemption: fourthly, in regard of absolute possession. For by him we are created and redeemed: by him we are daily governed and conserved: and of him we are possessed: we are a part of his possessions, 
Act. 17. 28  a part of his goods, in him we live and move, and have our being: of him we hold our lives and lands; himself being an absolute and eternal substance, or nature, ha●ing life, and being only of himself, as the word jehovah showeth.  
Now, we are to turn from our sins to him The reasons are many. First▪ from him we have wandered, and him we do by our sins principally offend. Let the straying sheep return to their own shepherd. Let the servant that hath transgressed his masters will, in running from him, retire to his own master, and not to an other man. Paul sent ●●esimus to his own master Philemon, 
Philem. 12  from whom he did unlawfully depart. The prodigal son returned to his own father.  
Secondly, God is the fountain both of our being, and well being: 
Luk. 15. 20. Luk. 1. 16. 1. Cor. 4. 7 jam. 1. 17  of our doing, and well doing? of our life & liberty. Yea; What hast thou, that thou hast not received of him? Every good giving (saith james) and every perfect gift is from above, and and cometh down from the Father of lights. Thirdly, he is the only lawgiver, 
jam. 4. 12  which is able to save and to destroy. He alone can pardon sin: therefore he saith, I, 
Mar. ●. 7. Is. 43. 25.  even I am he that putteth away thine iniquities. He alone can heal our souls, and kill our sins: therefore he saith, 
Hos. 13. 9 & 14. 5. Revel. 3. 18. Ezek. 36. 26.  In me is thine help: and again, I will heal their rebellion. He hath gold, and raiment, & eyesalve for the soul. He hath a new heart to give us, and clean water to purge us. He only can change our minds, and make us to turn unto him. Therefore the Church prayeth in this wise: 
Cant. 1. 3.  Draw me: we will run after thee. Ephraim saith, Convert thou me, 
jer. 31. 18  and I shall be converted. And jeremy prayeth in behalf of the people, 
L●●. 5. 21 Phil. 2. 13  Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shallbe turned. It is he that worketh in us, both the will and the deed. He is our only Ariadne, that can help us out of the labyrinth of sin. It is he only that stretcheth forth his hand to succour us, when we are ready to sink into the water of wickedness, and to be drowned in the floods of iniquity, 
Mat. 14. 31.  as Christ did unto Peter, when walking upon the water, he began to sink into it. Yea, he is so absolute able (being God omnipotent) to perform all these things, as that we cannot at the least sort distrust his sufficiency, without horrible injury done unto him.  
As he was able to overwhelm the world with water, and to hinder the building of Babel: so he is able to subvert the world of our vices, to drown them with the water of his holy Spirit, and to stay the building of spiritual Babel, made within us by Satan, the only Architect of all our enormous buildings. As he was able to rive the rocks, and to preserve Daniel in the Lion's Den: so is he able to rend our stony hearts, and to defend us from that cruel Lion, which seeketh to pray upon our souls. As he was of power to open the prison doors, and to fetch Peter with his fellows out, and at an other time, to unloose the bands, wherewith Paul and Sila● with their fellow prisoners, were tied and bound: so he is as well able to fetch us out of the prison of sin, and to break the bolts, and untie the bands of iniquity. As he was able to drive out devils, and to cure all diseases: so he can (if he will) expel all unclean spirits, that have taken up their lodging in our hearts, as the spirit of pride, envy, contention, covetousness, drunkenness, dizziness, uncleanness; he is able to bind the strong man Satan, and to cast him out of us, and to cure all the diseases of the soul. He hath a salve for every sore, and a medicine for every malady. There is neither sore nor sickness, but he can remedy, if he please. Wherefore we have good reason to turn unto him, to seek unto him. The lizards seek for Calaminth when they are wounded, being an herb very excellent against the biting of serpents.  

Plin. nat. hist. l. 8. c. 27.  The Stork feeling himself amiss, goeth to the herb Organ for a remedy. The Raven perceiving himself poisoned with the Chameleon, flieth to the Laurel, and with it extinguisheth the venom: so when we are wounded or poisoned with sin, and bitten by the serpent Satan, we ought to go to the Lord: he is our Calaminth, our Organ, and our Laurel. Qui fecit, reficere potest: he that made us, can renew us: he that form us, can as well reform us: he that made the soul, can as easily mend the soul. The waves of the Sea (saith the Psalmist) are mighty, 
Ps. 93. 4  but the Lord on high is more mighty: so indeed the waves of sin are loud and mighty, 
Is. 1. 18.  but the Lord by his might can still them. It is good therefore to turn unto him.  
Fourthly, God is not only able to convert and cure us, but very ready to do it, if we seek unto him, and willing to receive us if we return unto him. For the Lord (saith David) is full of compassion and mercy, 
Psal. 103. 8. 9  slow to anger, and of great kindness. He will not alway chi●e, neither keep his anger for ever. The father of the Prodigal son, seeing his son a far off, returning home unto him, pitied him, and ran (not go) unto him, 
Luk. 15. 20  and fell upon his neck and kissed him. David showeth the admirable affection of God, to a repentant sinner, when he saith after this sort: I thought I will confess against myself my wickedness unto the Lord, 
Ps. 32. ●.  and ●hou forgavest the punishment of my sin. If the Lord be so ready to receive a ●●●essing sinner, shall we think he will reject a converting sinner, one that doth not only confess his sin in truth, but in truth also turn from it, and return to him?  
This argument joel useth to persuade the Israelites to repent. 
joel 2. 13.  Turn (saith he) unto the Lord your God, for he is gracious, and merciful, sl●w to anger, and of great kindness. So then the mercy of God should be so far from making us carnally secure, as that indeed it should rather provoke and incite us to rouse up ourselves, and to turn again unto him.  
Fiftly, he is not only by nature loving, but he hath also made us of his love very gracious promises. Hezekiah by the special motion of the holy Ghost, 
2. Chro. 30 9 Is. ●5. 7. Zach. 1. 3. Is. ●4. 26.  saith: The Lord your God will not turn his face from you, if ye convert unto him. And Esay saith: Let the wicked forsake his ways, and return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him. Now God is constant in his word, and faithful in his promises, and will perform the words of his Prophets. 
Ps. 86. 15.  The Lord (saith David) is great in truth. Verbum eius ab intentione non dissentit, quia veritas est: nec factum à verbo, quia virius est: his word dissenteth not from his intention, because he is Verity: Nor his works from his word, because he is Virtue. Thou wil● believe thy faithful friend, and wilt thou not believe the God of Faith? he condemneth breaking of promise in men, therefore surely he will not break his promise made with man.  
Sixtly, we are commanded to turn unto God. 
Is 55. 7.  Let the wicked return unto the Lord. 
Ioel ●. 12. Zach. 1. ●. job. ●5. 14 Pro. 1●. 16 Hos 12. 6.  Turn you unto me (saith the lord) The commandments of God are not to be neglected. Disobedience to them is death: but, He that keepeth the commandment, keepeth his own soul. But this is one commandment of God, that we turn unto him.  
Lastly, we have the example of the Saints to direct us. David, josiah, the Ninivites, & Paul. The example of the Saints in good things, should be unto us (as the cloud and pillar of fire was unto the Israelites) to go before us, and to direct us into celestial Canaan. Imitation is the disease of the English Nation; therefore if we will needs imitate and follow, let us follow the best. We are forbidden to follow the fashions of the world, 
Rom. 12. 2.  but not to follow the footsteps of the Saints. Thus much concerning this third point.   

The third Sermon.  

4. point. In what we must turn.  THe fourth is In what, and wherein we must turn. Which, because it hath affinity with the second, I will the more speedily dispatch. We must turn to the Lord, in our hearts, minds, wills, works, and ways. As the Priests cleansed all the house of the Lord, 
2. Chr. ●9  and the altar of burnt offerings, with all the vessels thereof, and the showbread table with all the vessels thereof: so we must cleanse our hearts & hands, and all our ways from the filthiness of our sins. As they went into the inner parts of God's house to cleanse it, and brought out all the uncleanness that they found: so we must enter into the bottom of our hearts, and seek into all the winding corners of our ways to dress them, & we must sweep out all the dust of sin, and shovel away all the dirt of wickedness. And as the Levites hurled that uncleanness into the river Kidron: so ought we to cast and condemn all our sins into the pit of hell, fr●m whence they came. God requireth an alteration in the whole man, 
Prou. 23. 17. 19  O thou my son (saith the Lord) hear, and he wise, guide thine heart in the way. Again, Let not thine heart be envious against sinners. 
jer. 4. 14.  O jerusalem (saith the Prophet) wash thine heart from wickedness. Here we see that God requireth a turning in the heart; and with good reason. For the heart commandeth both the hand and the tongue. Of the abundance of the heart, the tongue speaketh. He that will have a clean stream, must purge the fountain. He that will have good herbs, must weed his garden. Secondly, we must turn to God in our heads. We must ●e wise, but the throne of wisdom is the head. God will have a change in our heads: 
Pro. 12. 2.  for a man of wicked imaginations, he will condemn, saith Solomon. Thirdly, he will have an alteration in our words. 
Eph. 4. 29 Col 3. 8.  We must be full of blessing, and beware of cursing: our speech must be seasoned with the words of grace. Fourthly, we must turn to God in respect of our companions. Therefore Paul saith, Eat not with any brother, 
1 Cor. 5. 11. Pro. 23. 20  that is a fornicator a railer, or covetous. And Solomon saith, Keep not company with drunkards, nor glutton's. B●rds of one feather will fly together. If thy companions be vicious, it may justly be feared that thou art not virtuous. 
Plin. nat. hist. ●● 10. c. ●4.  The Spider and the Serpent cannot agree: the Thoes & the Lions do ●ouly jar: the bird Aeguthus doth so much abhor another bird called Anchus, that as some affirm, their blood will not mingle together. As Salolomon saith accordingly, that A wicked man is an abomination (not abominable) unto the just, 
Pro. 29. 27.  and he that is upright in his way, is an abomination to the wicked. Therefore, he that delighteth himself with a wicked man's company, showeth himself either very wicked, or very weak. He that will turn unto GOD, must change his companions, and hate with David the assembly of the evil: 
Ps. 26. 4, 5  he must, not company with the wicked, and haunt with vain persons, but must be (as David was) a companion of a●l them, 
Psal. 119. 63.  that fear God and keep hi● precepts. Fiftly, we most turn to God in the works of our hands, 
jon 3. 8. Zach. 1. 4. Ps; a. ●6, 6. jam. 4. 8. Pro. 4. ●6, 27.  and in the ways of our feet. David s●ith; I will wash mine hands in innocency O Lord. The wise man saith, Let all thy ways be ordered aright, remove thy foot from evil. Lastly, we must turn to the Lord here upon earth. The earth must be the place of our turning. He that will come to heaven, must begin his race upon the earth. He that will will not turn to God upon the earth, must never look to be received into heaven. He that will not set open the gates of his heart here upon earth for the King of glory to come in the King of glory will not set open heaven-gates for him to enter in, when he shall be taken from the earth. And thus much for this fourth point.  

5. point. When we must turn.  The fifth is, when we must turn. He which turneth, must turn in something: and so he must turn in some time. We must turn to the Lord without delay. Delay breeds danger. So soon as we have searched and tried our ways, we must turn unto the Lord. We must in no wise defer our conversion. For first, the Lord seemeth to be (as it were) in travel, till we relinquish our sins and turn unto him. 
Prou. 1. 22, 23. Prou. 6 9  O ye foolish (saith Wisdom) how long will ye love foolishness: turn ye at my correction How long (saith God) wi●t thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? 
jer. 4. 14.  O jerusalem (saith the Lord) how long shall thy wicked thoughts remain within thee? 
jer. 13. 27  Woe unto thee, O jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be? How long wilt thou go astray, 
jer. 31. 22  O thou rebellious daughter. Therefore to deliver the Lord out of his pains, let us turn unto him, and repent with speed.  
Secondly, the service of the Lord is perfect freedom. 
job. 36. 11  And as Elihu saith, If men will serve him, they shall end their days in prosperity and their years in pleasures. Therefore the sooner we enter into his service, the sooner we shall be free from men, yea freedenisons of new jerusalem. And this is not till we repent and turn unto him, and ●hen it is.  
Thirdly, it is a very absurd and disorderly course, for any man to take a noble man's livery, and to wear his recognizance, and yet in the mean time to serve his enemy. Beloved, the profession of piety is (as it were) the lords cloth, and Baptism is his badge. Shall we wear his cloth, & bear his badge? shall we enter into his house, and eat his meat, and in the mean while, serve our lostes and fulfil the fancy of our flesh, which is an enemy to God and godliness? If we account this course unreasonable, as in deed it is, then having set our feet within the territories of the Church, 
1. Tim. 3. 15.  which is the house of God, and having taken of him his livery and recognizance, let us now cease to serve his enemies and truly turn unto him. The longer we stay, the more unreasonable we show ourselves to be, and the more injurious we are to him.  
Fourthly, God doth often withdraw the outward sig●es of his favour from them which wander from him ●●d forget to turn against y●a though they be his dear children. Therefore he saith, 
Ps. 89. 31, 32.  that if they break his statues▪ he will then visit their transgression with rods, and so he doth usually. As we therefore fear God's correction, and dread his rods, let us beware of sinning against him: and if we be overtaken at anytime, as who is not? let us without delay repent and recover ourselves. A good child having injustly vexed his father, will not be quiet till they be reconciled again.  
Fiftly, when we live in sin, and hasten not to turn from it unto God, than we distemper our consciences. Were it not then better to return with speed, then either to dull or disquiet them? What is more intolerable than a disturbed conscience? 
Pro. 18. 14  The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity: but a wounded spirit who can bear it? An evil conscience is a man's prison, his jailer, his accuser, his judge, yea and executioner also. Though a man could dissemble his grief and seem to laugh, 
Pro. 14. 13  yet even in that laughing the heart is sorrowful. And though the countenance do not alway bewray the anguish and agony of the mind perplexed, yet The heart knoweth the bitterness of his soul. 
Pro. 14. 10   
Now then, were it not better for a man with speed to turn, then by delay to purchase and procure that to be his foe, which he ought to make his surest friend, and deem a daily delight? 
Pro. 15. 15. 13.  For a good conscience is a continual feast, and a joyful heart (which is not without the other) maketh a cheerful countenance.  
Sixtly, though God have pardoned all the sins of his children by his decree, promise, and merits of his son: yet he doth not actually apply this pardon to their faith and feeling, till they do turn unto him. For though I do forgive my brother, though he do not ask forgiveness, yet (I think) I need not alway tell him so, till he do ask: so, though God did indeed pardon our sins in his decree, and in the purpose of his heart, yet doth he never seal the pardon actually unto us, till we turn unto him, and desire it. The father of the Prodigal son did not go to meet his son, till his son had first determined to return unto him.  
Seventhly, there is a day of grace, a day of salvation, a time wherein God will be found. Therefore Esay counseleth us to seek the Lord whiles he may be found, 
Is. 55. 6.  and to call upon whilst he is near. And Wisdom saith, 
Pro. 1. 28. 29.  They shall seek me early, but they shall not fin●e me, because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. Beloved, this is the day of salvation, this is the day of obtaining present grace, and future glory, yet the trumpet or the Gospel is sounded amongst us, yet the Lord like a Nurse, holdeth out his naked breasts unto us, yet we hear his voice ●inging in our ears, Awake, thou that sleepest, 
Eph. 5. 14  and stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Let us therefore redeem the time, and serve the season. Take the tide which stays for no man, and strike the Iron, whiles it is hot: it is yet summer, winter will come: it is yet light, but night draweth on, the Sun seems to descend, the shadows are long. 
jam. 4. 8.  Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. 
Gal. 6. 10.  To day if ye hear his voice harden not your hearts. And as Paul saith, While we have time let us do good to all men. So I say, while we have time, let us do this good unto ourselves, let us leave our sins, and turn to God. He that hath a long journey to go, and but a little time to finish it in (as we have) will take the day before him, and set foot forward betimes.  
Eightly, let the ensample of the Saints be considered. David was no sooner admonished by Nathan, but he presently repent, Peter no sooner considered his heinous offence, but he did relent. The Prodigal son feeling his smart, forthwith resolved to turn home unto his Father. The Ninivites hearing the short, but sharp Sermon of Prophet jonah, believed God and repent: yea their King did immediately upon his intelligence, by proclamation comm●nd every man to turn from his evil way. And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil waie●. 
jon. 3. 5, 8, 10.  The good jews, having heard their sins discovered by Peter, were presently pricked in their hearts (as if his words had been sword) and cried out unto Peter and the other Apostles, 
Act. 2. ●7, 38, 41.  Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said, Amend your lives and be baptised. And as the Scripture saith, they received his words gladly. Here are hearers indeed: happy teachers, happy bearers, worthy of our imitation. But our hearers for the most part, are like brass and iron, their hearts are made of marble, insomuch that we may (in some sort) say with the Prophet: The bellows are burnt, 
jer. 6. 29.  the lead is consumed in the fire, the Founder melteth in vain: our oil is wasted, our labour spent upon them is lost we light a candle to the walls, and speak to the stones: for they will not forego their dross, & part from their sins. But the word of the Lord shall not return void, 
Is. 55. 11.  but shall accomplish that which he will, and shall prosper in the thing whereto he sent it. It must be the savour of life unto life by his grace to some, and the savour of death unto death, by their corruption to others. The sun doth whiten flax, but black the face: and fire will stiffen clay, but soften wax. But I return from whence I have digressed.  
To conclude this point; Samuel, and Timothy, and joseph began to serve the Lord in their tender years. Shall we give the strength of our days unto Satan, and keep our rotten bones and withered age for God? Will any man entertain a servant that seeks unto him in his old age, but refused his service all his life before, though he was by many messengers desired?  
Can a man be happy to soon? Can a man be holy too soon? Young devils seldom make old Saints. Though sound repentance be never too late, yet late repentance is s●ldome or never sound. He that hopes to find mercy, as the thief did at the last gasp, though he live lewdly all his life time, may as well by spurring of his Ass, look that he should speak, because Balaams' Ass did so on a time. Every man with Pamphilus desires to be rid of his fear with as much speed as may be. 
Ter, And. quam primùm hoc me ●ihera me●u.  What greater fear can any man be possessed with, then, the flare of damnation, from which no man can before his conversion assure himself to be freed? If a thorn be in our foot, or a moat in our e●e, without delay we seek to pull it out. Why then should we not be as diligent to have our sins plucked ou● of our hearts, seeing they are as thorns and moats unto our souls? If any thing disquiet us, we do presently seek to remove it. There is no quietness in sin, no peace in sinning. Therefore as Paul wisheth the Gala●ians. Would to God they were even cut off, 
Gal. 5. 12.  which do disquiet you: so let us now wish & labour that our sins may be destroyed, for they do distemper and disquiet us. The Elephant having swallowed down a Lizard, 
Plin. nat. hist. ●●. 8. c. ●.  goeth straightway to a wild Olive for a remedy. The Hind feeling himself poisoned with some venomous weed, goeth without delay to the Artichoke for cure. Men are very ready to send or to run to the Phisi●ian or the Chirurgeon for the disease's and wounds, which can only kill the body: why then should we not be as ready to seek to God for the cure of the diseases and wounds of the soul, which if they be not cured and repent of, will k●ll both soul and body? We all desire that GOD should turn to us with speed, when he frowneth upon us, and speaks roughly to us, as joseph did to his brethren: we would not that he should hide the light of the Sun, or hold up the water in the clouds long from us: we would not have him unkind unto us a moment: wherefore then should we be unkind unto him, why should we any time neglect his service, or reject his word? Why should we prorogue the time of turning to him? Can we be too soon in his court? too soon in his love? too soon in his service? If we cannot (as indeed we cannot) then let us with speed make haste unto him. The longer we tarry, the more unfit we make ourselves to turn. For Censuetudo peccand● tollit sensum peccati, A custom in sinning, takes away the sense of sin: and when men become senseless, they prove sensual and sottish, feeling no misery, & therefore affecting no change. And this shall suffice for the fifth point.  
The sixth to be considered is, 
6. point. How men must turn●  how we must turn to God. For, that any good work may be well done, and so accepted of God, it must be done in due manner. Ahab and judas repent after a fashion, but it was not the right fashion. Many men make many turnings, but they be not good and gracious. 
Bona non bonè Splendida peccata.  The wicked do many good things, but none well: and therefore their goodly works are but goodly sins. Lastly, the wicked do not only wi●ked things, but they have withal a guise in doing them wickedly▪ 
Psal. 59 5. Pro. 2. 15.  David speaketh of some that transgress maliciously. The wise man maketh mention of some that are lewd in their paths. 
Pro. 10. 23  Solomon saith; It is a pastime to a fool to do (not that only which is wicked, but to do it also) wickedly. The sacrifice of the wicked (saith he) is an abomination to the Lord: 
Pro. 21. 27  how much more when he bringeth it with a Wicked Mind. 
jude. 15. Isa. 32. 6.  The wicked as Enoch showeth, do not only commit wicked actions, but they do them wickedly.  
Considering therefore that the wicked have a custom or fashion in their working, 
Malum ma●è.  not only to do a sinful action, but sometimes also (if not alway) to do it sinfully, we on the contrary are taught, not only to see that all the works we do be good, but that they be withal well, and not wickedly done, as many use to do, and so mar that by the manner, which was good for the matter. To come then to the point in hand. We must not only turn to the Lord, but we must turn handsomely and holily. If Ahab had turned as he ought to have done, he should never have been rejected. That we therefore turn aright from every evil unto the Lord, we must observe these rules that follow. First, we must turn in faith. For, Whatsoever is not of faith, is sin. 
Ro. 14. 23  We must believe that our turning is both good in itself, and good in us, yea and for us; yet not for any merit in it, but by the mere mercy of God, that doth in love accept it, and of his mercy promise life and prosperity, if we will turn. Secondly, we must turn in the name of Christ. 
Col. 3. 17.  Whatsoever y● do (saith Paul) whether in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord jesus. If we would have God accept and approve our conversion, we must convert in the name of Christ. If a man behold the Rainbow, or the Sun being ready to set through a grove of trees, the trees will seem brighter than otherwise they do: and if a man look through a blue glass, all that he seeth will seem blue; so if the Lord behold our converting to him, in or through the righteousness of Christ, he will accept of it, nothing regarding the weakness of it, as being hidden (is it were) from his eyes in the blood of Christ. 
Hos. 12. 6.  Thirdly, we must turn to God in consciencence of his commandment, even because he doth command us to turn unto him. Fourthy, we must turn in sincerity & uprighteousnesse of heart: for if we t●rne in show, and not in truth, we make a mock of God: like those of whom God saith, This people draw near unto me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. If we condemn sin with our tongues, and take pleasure in it in our hearts, we make ourselves abominable to the Lord, 
Heb. 4. 13  before whose sight all things lie bare and naked. Therefore David saith, 
Ps. ●6. 18.  If I regard wickedness in my heart, the L●rd will not hear me. Let us ●herefore (beloved) turn with the heart, heartily and sincerely. Cast aside (saith Peter) all deceit and hypocrisies. 
1. Pet. 2. 1 Pro. 1●. 22.  They that deal truly (saith Solomon) are God's delight: so they that turn truly do please him at the heart. josiah is s●id to have turned to the Lord, 
2. King. 23 25.  With all his heart, with all his soul and with all his might according to the Law of Moses. W●e cannot deceive th● lord 
jer. 17. 9, 10.  For though the heart b●e deceitful and wick●d above all things, yet the Lord doth search it out and see it, and rewardeth every man according to the fruit of his works. Now a man may know whether he turn sincerely, or but in show and superficially, by these three notes of true turning. First, if he turn to God, because he loveth him, and for his love feareth to displease him, and not so much for fear of punishment, as the reprobate use to do. Secondly, if he turn, because he detesteth sin as an enemy to the glory of God, and to the salvation of his own soul, and therefore laboureth with heart and hand against all his sins without exception. Thirdly, if he turn not like the old Israelites, of whom the Psalmist saith, that when God slew them, they returned and sought him early: but they flattered him with their mouth, 
Ps. ●8. 34, 36, 37.  for their heart was not upright with him, therefore (as many with us use to do after their solemn protestations of their repentance in the extremity of some sickness) they fell again to their old bias, and started aside like a deceitful bow. Fiftly, we must turn to the Lord cheerfully, 
1 Chron. 28. 9  and willingly. David commands his son Solomon to serve his God with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind. As we must turn sincerely without simulation, so we must turn cheerfully, not heavily, willingly: not as by constraint. 
2. Cor. 9 7. 1. Pet. 5. 2.  As God loveth a cheerful giver, so he loveth a cheerful convert. Feed the flock of God (saith Peter) caring for it not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: so I say, turn to the Lord with care, and willingness of mind, not as it were by compulsion or for fear: turn readily, not being moved with hope of gain, or credit with men, as many do. If there be a willing mind and a cheerful affection, it is accepted; 
2. Cor. 8. 12.  yea a constant & settled will to turn, is of God accounted turning indeed. Now this alacrious and willing turning is perceived two ways. First, by speedy turning. For cheerfulness will be quick, nimble, and speedy, not sluggish and lither. 
Ps. 119. 60.  David saith; I made haste & delayed not to keep thy commandments; so we to show ourselves alacrious converts, must turn without delay. 
Plin. l. 10. c. 74.  The Spider espying a Serpentlying under the shade of the tree where she spinneth, maketh presently unto her and poisoneth her: so we must deal with our sins. For if they be but let alone awhile they will get shelter within us, and will not very easily be removed; like the sea-Dragon, 
Plin. li. 9 c. 27.  which if he be let go upon the land, maketh with his snout a hollow trough with admirable celerity. Secondly, this cheerful turning is likewise very laborious. A willing mind makes a man very painful. He that turns unto God cheerfully, will strive exceedingly against his corruptions, and labour to please God in all things. 
Pro. 26. 13. Prou. 6. 10. Pro. 26. 14.  He will not say with the sluggard, there is a Lion in the way, a Lion is in the streets. He will not say, yet a little sleep, a little slumber. The slothful man turneth upon his bed as a door upon the hinges, but so doth not he. But he makes haste to his business, and is very diligent and painful in his works. The wicked are active, lively, forward, & industrious in working wickedness, wherefore then should not we be painful and ready to do that which is good, as to turn from sin, and return unto God? Lastly, we must turn to the Lord daily. We must renew our repentance every day. 
1. Thes. 5. 16, 17  Rejoice evermore (saith Paul) and pray continually. So I say, repent evermore, & return continually. For we do sin daily, we transgress continually, we offend evermore. So long as we live upon the earth, we shall not be free from sin, we cannot be free from sinning. Therefore we had need to repent and turn to God continually. Blessed are those, which do persevere in turning unto the end. There is no shame in turning to God, all the shame is in turning from him. And thus much concerning the sixth point. It remaineth now to speak of the seventh, and the last, to wit:  
Wherefore we must turn. 
7. Point. Why we must turn.  For whosoever worketh, must in reason propound the end of his work unto himself. And he that will do any good work well, must do it, not only in a good manner, & by good means, but also to a good end. The end why we must turn to the Lord, is double, supreme and subordinate, greater or lesser. The main and highest end of our turning, aught to be the glory of God. Therefore Paul saith: Whether y● eat, 
1. Cor. 10.  or drink, or whatsoever else ye do, ●oe all to the glory of God. The subordinate and inferior end is manifold. First, that we may show ourselves of the number of Christ's sheep, which must all be gathered together into one fold, and converted from their indirect and crooked ways. Secondly, that we may gather assurance to ourselves of our eternal predestination, to perpetual blessedness, and that we are out of the rank of reprobates, whom God hath rejected, and prepared for the day of evil. 
Pro. 16. 4.  Thirdly, that we may adorn the profession of Christianity, which we have taken upon us. Fourthly, that we may stop the mouths of Atheists, Papists, and all dissolute and desperate caitiffs, that take upon them with open mouths, to blaspheme & bark against our religion, for the sins and irregularities of the multitude amongst us. Fiftly, that we may allure men to the liking both of us, and of our contemned profession, and also to stir them to convert, and glorify God. Therefore our Saviour saith, 
Math. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2. 11, 12.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. And likewise Peter, Abstain from fleshly lusts, and have your conversation honest among the Gentiles, that they which speak evil of you, as of evil doers, may by your good works, which they shall see, glorify God in the day of visitation. This shall suffice for these seven points, and for this doctrine of turning to the Lord. Let us now see how this doctrine may be applied for our use and benefit, and so we will conclude. The use is either of reprehension or exhortation.  
First, the consideration of these things, 
Use. 1.  serveth to condemn all those which refuse to turn, but will (notwithstanding all admonitions) run on without repentance, to the dishonour of God, the offence of his people, the grief of their friends, and destruction of their own souls. 
Is. 5. 18.  These men (to use the words of the Prophet) do draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as with ca●tropes. These men (as the Lord speaketh of the Israelites) are wise to the devil, 
jer. 4. 22. jer. 9 5. Ps. 52. 3. Pro. 14 9  but to do well, they have no knowledge. They take great pains to do wickedly: and as David saith of Doeg, they love evil more than good. These are the fools that make but a mock of sin. These are they that esteem the Prophet's words as wind, and their m●nacies as mocks. These like those, of whom the Prophet jeremy speaketh, 
jer. 5. 3.  have made their faces harder than a stone, and have refused to return. A stone will be battered with an hammer, and worn in the end with continual dropping; but these men will neither be bruised with the hammer of the law, nor mollified with the oily drops of the Gospel, which are daily falling upon them. Men they are not, but monsters, of a prodigious, luxurious, & rebellious disposition; to whom belongeth eternal confusion of face, which they cannot possibly escape without serious and sound repentance of sin, and turning unto God, before it be too late. 
Use. 2.  Secondly, all those are here to be reprehended, which defer their conversion from day to day, like many bad pay-ma●sters. As Foelix said to Paul, Go thy way for this time, 
Act. 24. 25.  and when I have a convenient time, I will call for thee: so they will turn, when they have a convenient time to turn in. They have oxen to prove, wives to look too, or dead to bury, they cannot (nay they will not) come yet, they have not leisure to turn as yet. They can turn their religion with the weathercock, they can fit their profession (as Millers do their sails) for every wind, how contrary soever it be, they can turn any whither, but to God. These men may indeed be ashamed of their turning, & that with good cause: and that they may shame their former turnings, let them fire the wheel of their turning devices, and return to God. Otherwise they show themselves to be of the nature of the Moon, 
Reu. 12. 2  whereon the Church doth set her feet, and to be the natural children of the world, which is made of turning metal, and is constant in nothing but in inconstancy, changing her face as often as the chameleon doth her colour.  
Thirdly, all those are to be condemned, 
Use. 8.  which will leave some of their sins, but will not part from all. They will needs entertain one at the least, 
jam. 1. 21. Pro. 3. 31.  as their darling. But james saith, Lay a part all filthiness. God forbiddeth us to choose any of the ways of the wicked. As there is no brook so small, no river so little, but will bring a man to the sea, if he will follow it: so there is no sin so small, nor yet any of the wicked man's ways whatsoever, but if a man addict his heart unto them & follow them to the end, they will lead ● man to the pit of perdition, and to a wide & bottomless gulf of everlasting horrors, and horrible tortures.  

Use 4.  Fourthly, those are convinced of unorderly turning, which turn from one sin unto an other, and not from their sins unto God, as we are here exhorted. Some turn from their prodigality, to covetousness: some from foolish humility, to humble pride: some from sottish ignorance, & leadennesse of spirit, to captious curiosity, and to a spiritual lunacy, being ready to run wild with their own light. What is this but with Aesop's fish to leap out of the frying pan into the fire, 
Ier 4 1.  to escape bushes, & fall among brambles? But the Lord will have us turn to him. O Israel, if thou return, 
Isa 44. 22 1. Thes. 1. 9  return unto me, saith the Lord. The Thessalonians turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God. When we relinquish one extreme, we must not run to the other, but we must keep the mean.  
To conclude this text: we all, 
Use. 5.  both old and young, rich and poor, high and low, we are all (I say) taught and admonished to repent of all our sins, 
Zach. 1. 4. Hos. 10. 12  and with speed to turn unto the lord Break up your fallow ground for it is time to seek the Lord. 
jer. 4. 4.  Be circumcised to the Lord, an● take away the foreskins of your hearts, lest my wrath come ●orth like fire, and burn, that none can quench it. 
Ps. 8●. 2, 3.  How long will ●ee judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Do right to the poor and fatherless, do justice to the needy. 
Pro. 1. 22.  O●e scornful, how long will ye take pleasure in scorning? O ye fools, 
Pro. 3. ●7.  how long will ye ha●e knowledge? Will not the Lord have us to with hold the good from th● owners thereof, and shall we dare to withdraw or withhold ourselves from him, whose goods we are in man● respects? He that turneth not unto God, withholdeth himself from God, and locketh himself up in the devils hold. Mayst thou not say unto thy neighbour, 
Pro. 3. 28.  Go, and come again, and to morrow will I give thee, if thou now have it? And wilt thou now deny the Lord, that comes unto thee for his own, which now thou hast in thine hands to give him, if thou list to part (if part) from it? We are forbidden to wrong & to rob our neighbour, yea (saith the Lord) the work-man● hire shall not abide with thee unto the morning; 
L●. 19 13  meaning, without his consent or leave. And shall we presume to rob the Lord, to wrong the Lord, or to detain any thing from the Lord, though but for a night, without his leave & licence? Thou art the Lord●, then turn unto him, delay no time, withhold not thyself a moment from him. Thou hast no leave, therefore leave to loiter, and return with speed. Thou art happy thou hast so good an owner, so kind a Master. 
1. Cor. 7. 5  Paul will not have man and wife depart asunder for a time, without mutual consent. And darest thou depart from god without his leave? Darest thou tarry away without his liking? Is there any safety, but under his wings? Was not Eve made a prey to the serpent, when she was absent from her husband? Is there any peace without God's pardon, or is there any pardon without man's penitency? In what a wretched condition is the malefactor apprehended & attached of high treason without the king's pardon? Is not his life a death, and his death a horror? Paul would not give place by subjection for an hour to the false brethren. 
Gal. 2. 5. 14.  So we should not yield to the devil a jot. And as soon as he saw Peter play a trick of simulation, he did incontinently rebuke him: so we ought presently to reform our ways, so soon as ever we do perceive that we tread awry, or wander out. Shall Paul travel in birth, 
Gal. 4. 19  until Christ be form in the Galatians, and they restored to him, and shall we be careless of ourselves? shall not we be (as it wer●) in travel and continual torment till Christ be form in us, 
2. Cor. 13. 7.  and we form to him? Shall Paul pray that the Corinthians may do none evil, and shall not we labour for ourselves against all evil? 
2. Cor. 12. 21.  Shall Paul be ready to bewail those, which having sinned do not repent of their uncleanness, fornication, and wantonness, and shall not we lament, relent, and repent for our own sins? Do we not know that tribulation belongeth unto those, that will not turn unto God? Ashur shall be his king, because they refused to convert. 
Hos 11. 5. Amos. 8. 4  Amos speaketh of some that swallow up the poor, which are the creatures of God as well as the rich. 
Pro. 30. 14  And Agur saith; There is a generation, whose teeth are as sword, and their jaws as knives, (horrible and bloody monster's) to eat up the afflicted out of the earth, and the poor from among men. Shall any men, can any men be ●hus brutish, barbarous, and cruel hearted to their brethren, to their own flesh? and shall we do nothing unto our sins, which are the gangreves, and the plague-sores of our souls, and utter enemies to our peace and safety? shall we let them alone, shall we stand still, & suffer them to destroy us? 
Psal. 137. 8, 9  O daughter Babel, worthy to be destroyed! And is not sin the daughter of the devil, and the Babel of the soul, as worthy to be destroyed? Blessed (saith the Psalmist) shall he be (not seem, nor called) that taketh and dasheth thy children against the stones: even so blessed shall that man be (I say be) that dasheth his sins in pieces, and killeth the kill corruption of his heart, which like the fire saith not, 
Pro. 30. 15 Plin. l. 8. c. 25.  It is enough: and like the Crocodile, will grow so long as it hath any life, unless it be both pressed and oppressed. If David cry out. Woe is unto me, 
Ps. 120. 5.  that I remain in Meshek, and dwell in the tents of Kedar; have not we cause to lament, that we remain in our sins, and for that not only sin dwelleth in us, but we also in sin: as it is to be feared, many of us may truly say as much, if we did search ourselves narrowly. David could say: My soul hath too long dwelled with him that hateth peace. 
Ps. 120. 6.  Wherefore then should not we be weary of our sins, which are sworn enemies to all true peace? Amos maketh mention of some, that desire the Sabbath were gone, 
Amos. 8. 5. 6.  that they might sell their corn dear, and falsify their weights: yea, that they might buy the poor for silver, and the needy for shoes. Their delay was as death unto them. Shall any man make so much haste for filthy lucre, and to work heinous iniquity, and shall we linger the time, and defer to do good, to turn from our sins unto God▪ David was grieved, 
Ps. 119. 158.  because he saw men that kept not the word of God: & shall not we be grieved for ourselves, when we break the commandments of God, and demonstrate our grief by our true turning unto him? Must jerusalem mourn, 
jer. 7. 29. 30.  because the children of judah have set their abominations in the house of God, and shall we be joyful and careless, while our hearts, which are the houses of the holy Ghost, are polluted with abominable corruptions, whereof we have not all of us as yet truly repent, as our lives do testify? Yea, rather let us repent, and turn again unto the Lord, and then we may indeed rejoice. Was jeremy sore vexed for the hurt of the daughter of his people? 
jer. 8. 21. Lam. 3. 48  Shall his eye cast out rivers of water for her destruction? And shall not we lament for our own hurt, for defacing of God's image within us, and for the many grievous wounds of our souls? Must Christ be nailed to the Cross for thy sins, and pierced with a spear to the heart for thy wickedness; and wilt not thou turn from them, and forsake them? Shall he groan, and sigh, and sob, shall he sweat water and blood for thy sins, and wilt thou yet delight in them, wilt thou not forsake and leave them? knowest thou not that Christ bore our sins upon the Cross, that we should die to sin, 
1. Pet. 2. 24.  and live in righteousness? Paul saith, that Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purge us to be a peculiar people unto himself, Zealous of good works. Therefore, 
Tit. 2. 14.  to show ourselves to be the redeemed of Christ, we must turn from our sins, and follow the works of piety and justice. As there is no agreement between God and the Devil, between Christ and Beliall, 
Plin. nat. hist. lib. 10. cap. 74.  between light, and darkness: as there is mortal enmity between the Eagle and the Swan, between the Turtle and the Pyralis, between the Ichneumon and Wasp, the Raven and the Leriot, one of them jarring and warring with an other: so let there be no concord betwixt the● and thy sins, but as they contend against thy soul, so do thou wage war with them, and cease not till thou have gotten conquest over them. 
1 Pet. 2. 2●. Turning from evil, and turning unto God, be the two Cardines, or celestial Poles of man's conversion.  And as Peter saith of the faithful in his time; that they were as sheep going astray, but are now returned un-the Shepherd and Bishop of their souls: even so, though ye have been in time past stragglers from the Lord, and transgressors of his law, yet now repent of your sins, and turn again unto him; so shall Satan be grieved, his members silenced, the godly edified, yourselves comforted, and God glorified; unto whom be rendered all honour, praise and glory, in the Church, and of the Church, ●or ever and ever. Amen.  
Trin-vni Deo Gloria.