shall no flesh be iustified in the sight of God Furthermore Deut. 28. 26 Gal. 3. 10. lam 2. the Law doth iustifie none but those which are the fulfillers of it and none can fulfill the same but those which are free from sin both in birth thought and action but we are polluted in all these as it hath been before declared Christ alone is hee in whom this perfection and cleannes is to be found he only hath fulfilled it for vs and is iustified by the same before his father and hath also borne the punishmente due vnto vs for breakinge of it that we which beleeue might be made iust in his iustice and not in the iustice of the lawe which is so farre from iustifying of vs that if but the least title thereof shoulde be laide vpon our consciences without Christ it would eueÌ„ condeÌ„ne vs downe to the bottome of hell and therfore it must needes be that they do marueylously abuse the Lawe and Christ Iesus in like sorte which will be iustifyed by it they abuse the Lawe in presuminge to be iustifyed by that which is appointed to humble them and Christ Iesus also in taking vpon them his purenes and persection in so much as hee alone was appoynted of his Fathâ—â— to bee the fulfiller of it They abuse him also in makinge hys death and suffringes to be of none effecte but caste them in the duste as things needelesse for so reasoneth the Apostle to the Galathians If righteousnesse be of the lawe then Christ Gal. 2. 21. dyed without a cause And againe in another place If they which are Rom. 4. 14 of the lawe be heires faith is made voide and the promise of none effecte Here you see then what a grieuous absurditie they fall into that doe séeke iustification in the Lawe which was onely giuen foorth to reueyle vnto vs the perfection and holynesse of God and our owne imperfection and vilenesse that hee alone might be founde true and we lyers hee iuste and wee vniuste and yet contraryâ— to this office which the Lorde hath appoynted it vnto and contrary vnto the Lawe of our owne members which wee sâ—â— to bee rebellious and againste the Lawe of God wyll presume vpon the purenesse and perfection thereof as if the strength of it did rest within the compasse of our filthy bowels and so make our selues equall vnto God a marueylous pride and doth very well declare vnto vs who it is that is Antichrist And thus muche for the first abusers of the Lawe Secondly the other sort which doe 2. Lawe abused by dispaâ—â— abuse it are those that doe dispaire because they see themselues not able to doe the same it hath beene sufficiently declared already that yâ— Law was not giuen foorth to the end that we should doe it but rather to shew what we are not able to doe that thereby we might be driueÌ„ from our selues and from the Lawe also to seeke for helpe elswhere For sure it is that if we do rest in our selues or in any * Righteousnes actiue is to looke to be iustified by doing of good deedes and by the ments of man 2 Cor. 3. 6. 7 Actes 15. 10. actiue righteousnes of the Lawe the ende thereof must needes be desperation for this cause the Lawe without Christ is called in the Scripture A minister of death the killing letter ay â—â—ke that neyther we nor our fathers were euer able to beare and let it be so or let it be that debt of ten thousande talentes which we are neuer able to pay nay and our estate on the other side so poore and needy as we are not able to discharge the least mite thereof as in trueth we are not yet let vs knowe that the same is limited and hath no further anâ— horâ—tie then to humble vs and therefore they which doe let it passe any further vpon them do not rightly vse the Lawe but rather greatly abuse the same to the depriuinge of them selues from all hope of saluation iâ— they returne not in time and come vnto Christ who theÌ„ and at that time doth chiefly and onely call them as it is in the 11 of Matthew Come vnto Mat. 11. â—8 me all ye that are vvearie laden and I vvill ease you take my yoke vpon you and learne of me that I am meeke and lovvlie in hearte and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie my burden is light here you see then howe greatly they ouershoote them selues which do charge the Lord with vnpossible things as if he did require such a duety at their hands lay such a heauy intollerable burden vpoÌ„ their nâ—ckes as it is impossible for theÌ„ to beare for this place doth plainely confute them and make theire camllation to be of none effecte which telleth vs that the Lords burdeÌ„ is light his yoke easie and therefore if any mans conscience be so ouerburdened with the sight of his sins that be falleth into desperation let him not thinke that it is the Lorde which hath laid this burden vpon him but rather that he himselfe hath drawne it vpon his owne necke by abusing the Laws through infidelitie because he coÌ„meth not vnto Christ for yâ— end of the Law is faith in Christ and not desperation True it is yâ— euery one seeth â—â—t this and therefore when the stinge of death at any time is awaked vp in theire coÌ„sciences they looking no other way for â—asment but into the actiue righteousnesse of tâ—e Lawe which the more theâ— looke into the further they are froÌ„ helpe and the deeper they plunge theÌ„ selues into sorrow so that in the ende it must needes come to passe yâ— they fall into wonderfull diseases anguishes both of minde and soule as if they were in yâ— present torments of â—el fire Hence it is also yâ— those woful heauy outcryes doe arise I am damned I haue sinned against the holy ghost my sins are so greate yâ— God wil neuer forgiue 〈◊〉 and therfore wish that they had neuer bene borne or yâ— theire liues were câ—t short by some vnlawfull meanes as hanging drowning cutting sticking with theire own hands are ready oft times to execute vpoÌ„ theÌ„ selues But to leaue there which are so far gone standing or fallnig to theire own 〈◊〉 and come vnto those who in theire distresses troubles of minde bodie haue some sparkle of the seede of God in them For sure it is that the deare children of God â—st times are verie far gone this way and brought as it were euen to yâ— lowest pit of fortâ—w where they can hardly perceyue any comfort at alâ—nay rather do shew some tokeÌ„ of reprobatioÌ„ in their anguishes As it may seeme vnto him who is not wel experienced in yâ— afflictions which are common vnto Gods child en 〈◊〉 cause of which great breach yâ— the enemie hath made into them may very well d ee in their owne selues which
are straightly forbidden in the worde of God As aduiterie fornication vncleanenesse â—llo 31. vnnaturall lustes euill concupiscence couetousnesse deceipte lieing swearing cursed speaking and such like For if those former good affectioÌ„s may at some time be a hunderance vnto vs in the waye of life much more these â—â—illes at all times and therefore not to be suffered at any time nor in any person if they will norish any hope of saluation in them selues For they are no other theÌ„ the very whelpes of Babilon which Psal 137. 3. we are charged to destroy and breaks theire bones in peeces while they are yonge lest through theire longe contiduance they growe to such strength and take so sure holde vpon vs yâ— wee become slaues vnto them Let vs looke vnto it therefore and roote them out as soone as any mâ—tion thereof doth appeare in vs. Good admonitioÌ„ to this purpose we haue in the Epistle to the Epâ—e 4. 26. Ephesians Be angrie and sinne not let not the Sunne goe downe vpon your wrath And again in yâ— 4 Psalm Tremble and sinne not examine thine owne hearte vpon thy bedde and be still That is we should striue with our heartes euen in our secrete chambers vpoÌ„ our bed against sin yâ— it sleepe not nor haue any continuance with vs for feare of the discommoditie that may come thereby True it is that sinne will be in vs so longe as we doe remaine in this body but let vs Rom. 6. 12 take heede that it do not raigne and beare rule in vs otherwise then a condemned wretch which hath alreadie Rom. â— 3. receyued the sentence of death And let vs giue it such welcome as the seed Gen. 3. 15 of the serpent with whom we must be at continuall enmitie and striffe And all be it the case stand so with vs that we are not onely guilty in the affection but also drowned in the action of euery sinne that can bee named yet let vs knowe for our comforte that true repentance is of strength to purge them all away and make vs pure in the sight of God As it is witnessed in the fourth of Esay where the Lord maketh this promise vnto the people vpon the condition of repentance Though your sinnes vvere as crimson they shall bee made vvhite as snovve and though they were redde as scarlate they shall be made like vvolle And therfore if the Lorde at any time in mercie shal reueile or make knowen vnto any man all the sinnes that hee hath committed throughout his whole life yet there is no cause why we should dispaire how great grieuous so euer they be For the Lord in opening of them hath no such meaning in him but rather thereby doth draâ—â—e vs to a consideratioÌ„ of our inordinate steppes how farre we haue strayed aside from him and doth moue vs also by that meane to looke into the word of God which is a lanthorne vnto Psal 119. 109. our feet a light vnto our pathes that thereby we may sée how to turne againe into the right way and what dueties there are required of vs for the purginge and cleansinge away of these greate sinnes There may the theefe which hath stoalne learne to Ephes 4. 28. steale no more but laboure truelie â—ith his owne handes in some lawfull vocation that he may be able to minister vnto the necessitie of others There may the deceitfull perâ—ured person learne to restore home his euill gotten gooddes and take â— more righteous course afterwardes There may the fornicators and adulterers 1. Cor. 7. 2. learne to leaue off their vncleaÌ„nesse and content them selues euerye man with his owne wife and euerye woman with her owne husbande Leuit 24. 15 16. 1. Tim 6. 7. 8 There may the blasphemous swearer learne to feare an oath and tremble at the maiestie of God and the greedye couetous person to contente himselfe with foode and rayment because hee â—en 3 19. brought nothing into this worlde and shall carrie as little out There may the proude person learne to beâ— humble because he is made of duste and to dust shall returne And to conclude there may euerie Psal 119 9. sinner learne to redresse his mordinate Phil. 3. 8. wayes and to esteeme of all the pleasures and profites of this life as doâ—gue in respecte of Christ For this is the fruite which the Lorde by reueylinge our sinnes doeth looke for at our handes and this change is requyred in euerie one of vs before wee can truelye be turned vnto Iohn 3 3. him in so much as it is the fruite of our secoÌ„d birth without the which no man can see the kingdome of God Therfore it standeth vs vpon so much the more earnestly to practise this change in our selues that wee may euery day be reâ—ued into a more perfitte shape then other For true and vnfayned repentance is nothinge els then a continuall striuing to better our manners And to this ende are all those spirituall exercises appointed by the holy Ghost in the church of Christ as prayer preaching prayses sacramentes with such like If therefore our mindes in frequentinge of them be not to profite this way I see not how wee shall profite our selues at all yea although we frequent them very often May we not read for warrant hereof very plentifully in the olde Testament howe that the Lorde did euen loath their Sacrifices and other spirituall exercyses commaunded in the Lawe for the seruice of God when men are holden in them without any conscience of sinne or carefull practise vnto newenes of life whereunto chiefly they were ordeyned as sayeth the Lorde by his Prophet Bring no more oblations in vaine â—ay 1. 11. Incense is abhomination vnto me I cannot suffer your nevve moones nor Sabbaoth daies it is iniquitie nor solemne assemblies my soule hateth your nevve moones your appointed feastes they are a burdeÌ„ vnto me I am vvearie to beare theÌ„ When you stretch foorth your hands I vvil hide mine eies from you and though you make manie praiers I vvill not heare you And againe in another place Take avvaie from me Amoâ— 5. 23. the multitude of your songes I can not abide the melodie of the vials And againe Hee that killeth a Bullock Esay 56. 3. is as he that slevve a man and he that sacrificeth a sheepe is as if he cut off a dogges necke hee that offreth an oblation as if hee offred svvines blood and he that remembreth incense as if he sanctified an Idole And why doth the Lorde thus abhorre those thinges which otherwise he hath commanded The causes are set downe also which be these the neglects of iudgement wante of mercy towards their brethren for so saith the holy Ghost Their handes are full of Esay â— blood the preferring of their owne wayes which is sinne wherein they did set their whole delight before the wayes of God They thought that the
saint Iames saith more that the deuils Iames. 2. 1â— doe beleeue and tremble But there are a great manye of vs which doe make much boast of our faith and yet neuer tremble neither at our own sinnes nor at the iudgements of God and therfore if the deuils were not alredy condemned it might well be said of them that they are nearer vnto saluatioÌ„ then a great many of our mouth Gospellers in these dayes Surely it is strange that the Gospell being of such excellencie and power as it is and we pretending so great knowledge of the lame as we doe shoulde gaine so little fruite at our handes Wee may see by plentifull testimonie of Scripture how woÌ„derâ—â—llie the knowledge thereof hath wrought in the hearts of Gods children heretofore and what great duties it hath perswaded them to 2 Cor. 6. 6. passe ouer in hunger and thirst in cold â— Cor. 11. 24. 25. Hebr. 1â— 37. 38. and nakednesse in watchings and fastinges in greate weakenesse longâ— prayer and tedious trauels and persecutions diuers wayes Some wandring vp and downe in wildernes cloathed in Sheepes skinnes and Goates skinnes hauing their abode in deâ—mes and caues of the earth to declare that the Lord was their portion Psal 119. 57. and that they had no kingdome in this life therfore bade the worlde aduâ— which was not worthie of them Others also of Gods children whom he preferred to great râ—ches â— honour liued in the possession thereof as if nothing of the same belonged priuatelie vnto themselues And therefore oftetunes Gen 13. 9. resigned ouer euen their owne right to buy peace vsing this world as though they had hâ—â—â—â— inheritance therein confessing their estate here to be no other but as pâ—igrunes strangers and therefore esteemed all things Gen 47. 9. in this world as dongue in respecte of that heauenly comfort which was laid Phil. â— â— vp for them in Christ Iesus All these things we know can talke very pleÌ„tiâ—ullie of them when we come in companie of those that dâ—e fauour religion We caÌ„ tell of Ioseph how he preferred Gen. â—9 20. yâ— dungeoÌ„ and Irons which did pearâ—e his soule before the libertie glory of Poâ—â—phers house of Moyses how he Heâ— 11. 24. 25. 26. forsooke to be called yâ— soÌ„ne of Pharaâ—s daughter and chase rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sin for a season Wee can tell also of Dauid how hee made his choysâ— rather to bee made a doore keeper in the Lordes house then â—sal 84. 10. to be head ruler in the gilded 〈…〉 aces of wicked Princes And of the Apostles in 〈…〉 e sorte how theâ—re chieâ—est glorie in this â—â—e was to suffer afflictions for the name of Christ all this is Act. 5 40. 41. most â—â—ue and these great effectes and fruite â—ath saith gayned at their hands as the holy Ghost witnesseth vnto the Hebrewes And howe shall we think Hâ—br 11. then that we haue the same saith wheÌ„ we are not onely voyd of these vertues but also haue placed in the roome of euery of them a vice repugnant therevnto Well I must conclude that our faith is fayned and we greatly blinded to thinke that the holye Ghost is become so careles of his owne glory now in these last dayes especially where the Gospell is so plentifully preached Nay looke further and we shall finde out a more grosser blindnesse then all this for are we not oftentimes forced to pronounce sentence of condemnation vpon our owne soules and wee perceiue it not Dâ—e we not say daylie that the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse Exod. 2â—â—â— that taketh his name in vain and yet without any remorse we tosse the same in our mouthes like a tennisse ball about euery trifling toye beside also our vayne abusing of his worde and neglecte of duetie therein which often in the Scripture is taken for his name Againe are we not readye alwayes Leuit. 22. 31. 3â— with the congregation to beg forgiuenes conditionally of the Lord as we forgiue others Yet wee will Mat. 6. 12. forgiue none but are mooued with euery fleabyting to seeke reuenge to the vttermost and therfore doe no other then craue that the iudgementes and vengeance of God may seuerelye be executed vpon vs. But we see not this therfore procâ—ede on forwardes in our sinnes as the horse rusheth vnto the battell and neuer respecteth the Ierem 8. 6. great daÌ„gers that are before his eyes Furthermore doe wee not all willingly yeald vnto this that these are yâ— last dayes and that there is no signe vnaccomplished which our Sauiour Christ hath foreshewed to bee before his comming so that nowe not onelye the bodies but also the very fruite it selfe doth appeare to declare that summer is already come that the regions Iohn 4 35. Reuel 14. 18. 19. are euen now white vnto haruest yea and that the sickle is alredy thrust into the earth as we may cleerely â—ee by the generall â—hâ—king thereof so that there is nothing els to be looked for but the appearing of the sonne of man in the Mat. 2â— 30. 31. cloudes the voyce of the Archangell and the sounde of the trumpe of God arise you dead and come to iudgemeÌ„t All these thinges I say wee doe with an outwarde willingnes yeald vnto because the trueth thereof is so manifest that it can by no meanes be denied and what is the cause then that all these euideÌ„t tokens of the final iudgement which is so neer at hand wil not awake vs out of our deepe sleepe in sinne vnto repentance and newnesse of life that we may be readilie prepared for the Bridegrome Surely an euill Mat 25. 6. H 〈…〉 3 12. Luke 12. â—5 heart hath deceiued vs for we say in our selues that the Lord wil deferre his comming therfore take boldnes to deal more roughly with our fellow seruants But alas this blinde perswasion of leÌ„gthning the dayes cannot stand for the holy ghost saith expreslye that for the electes sake those dayes shal Mat. 24. 22 be shortened which is an item that might strike a greate feare into our Esay 29. 10. Esay 6. 9. 10. heartes if a spirite of slumber had not ouerwhelmed vs but I see no other then that the saying of the Prophet Esay is fulfilled vpon our english natioÌ„ by seeing they shal see not perceiue hearing they shal hear not vnderstand lest they should conuert I should heale them For if it were not so how were it possible for vs to condemne cast behinde our heeles so many louing admonitions so many beséechings and prayings euen by the Rom. 12 1. 2. Cor. 5. 20. mercifulnes of God and in Christes behalfe that we wil be reconcyled vnto him So many fatherly warnings which the holy Ghost doeth vse in perswading vs vnto watchfulnesse that we may be saued
sometime by yâ— certaintie of the day that it shall come and the terriblenesse thereof when it commeth as Sainte Luke paynteth it out There shal be trouble perplexitie Luke 21. 25. 2â— amongst nations the sâ—â— and the waters shall rore and mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those thinges that shall come vpon Mat. 24. 27. the earth sometime by the suddenesse of it euen as the lightning shineth out of the East and goeth vnto the West so shall the comming of the Sonne of man be And sometime by the vncertaintie Mark 13. 3â— of the houre whether at euening or at midnight at the cock crowing or in the dawning least if he come suddenly should finde you sleepinge Sometime also by the vigilantnesse crueltie of our enemie the deuill who goeth about like a deuouring and roring Lyon continually seeking whom 1. Pet. 5. 8. he may deuoure But how little account wee make of all these fatherlye warnings and admonitions all those which haue eyes to see may see it and let all them that haue heartes of fleshe Eze. 36. 26. and 9. 4. lament and mourne for the same that they may be spared from the euill day not perish with the careles worlde but especially with our owne Lande with whome it cannot be but that the Lord hath a great controuersie vnles we should thinke that the most highâ—st doth speake wordes in vayne nay Esai 45. 19. he saith not in vaine vnto the séede of Iacob séeke ye me it is not for nought that the Lord hath continued yâ— preachinge of his worde amongst our nation this many yeares rysinge vp early late to send Prophets Preachers Iere. 7. 13. and wise men vnto vs who haue pyped very sweetely and mourned very lamentably vnto vs. And Mat. 11 17. therefore if we will not daunce at their 〈…〉 th nor wéepe at theire mourning that is if we wil not reioyce at yâ— great mercies and sweet promisses of God which he offereth vnto vs by them nor tremble and feare at the mournful longe of his heauie plagues and iudgements which he thundereth out aginst vs by theire mouthes In like sort if we will needes harden our hearts like an Adamant stone stop our eares Zic 7. 11. 12. to shut out the graces of God froÌ„ our soules which he so plentifully offereth vnto vs yet let vs knowe that a Prâ—phet hath bene amoÌ„gst vs and yâ— grace mercy by the preaching of yâ— Gospell hath bene generally proferred vnto our Lande that thereby we may beâ— cleane without excuse and our bloodâ— iustly vpon our owne heades For if they bee worthie of stripes for theire ignorance which neuer saw any light of knowledge howe much more worthy are they of punishment who through longe continuance of the true light shyninge amoÌ„gst them haue almost forgotten what darknesse meaneth if they take not the benefit of it but remaine still vnfruitfull and vnthankfull for the same Surely this is the estate of our nation at this day for haue we not had the Gospell so longe time amongst vs that the most of vs eyther neuer sawe or haue almost cleane forgotten what poperâ—â— meaneth Well looke vnto it therefore and let vs not thinke our selues to bee happier then other Landes because we haue the Gospell vnlesse we bringe forth such fruites of repentance and newenesse of life as the same doth require at our handes For to that ende hath he sent it amongst vs and therefore if it take not his effecte wherefore it was sent yet let vs be sure that the Lorde will bee knowne to be Kinge at the Last and it shall bee saide vnto vs as the holie Ghost doth testifie in a certaine place Prou. 1. 24 30. because I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched out my hand and none would regarde but ye haue despysed my counsell and woulde none of my correction therefore I will also laugh at your destruction and will mocke when your feare commeth like sudden desolation and your destruction as a whiâ—le winde when affliction and anguish shall come vppon you then shall they call but I will not answere they shall seeke mee early and shall not finde mee and why the reason is added because they refused knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord they woulde none of my counsell but despysed my corrections And what other thinge is if but a castinge awaye of the Lâ—des counsell when we will not giue such entertainement vnto his worde as the same requyreth at out handes or how much better is it theÌ„ a despysing of his corrections when we wil not be warned by so many spectacles of his anger applying them rather vnto second causes and so take occasion thereby vnto greater securitie This sinne of casting away or despysing the Lords counsel how greatly it doth displease him our Sauiour Christ doth make knowne vnto vs by pronouÌ„cing of so grieuous woes against those cities of Iuda â—at 11. 2â— wherein he had preached most done most of his great workes because they repented not affirming that it shoulde be easier for Sodom Gomorrham yâ— iudgemeÌ„t day then for them For saith he if the great workes which are done amoÌ„gst you had bene done in theÌ„ they had repented long agoe in sackcloth ashes and may it not as well be saide of England in this respect also that it shall be easier for Fraunce Flastderâ— Spaine and for Rome in the iudgement daye then for them For who knoweth howe wonderfull theirâ— repentance shoulde haue beene earâ— this time if they hadde the Gospell preached amongst them so longe as we haue had the same And besides that theire wante of it hath made them to commit many sinnes through Ignorance because they knewe no better but our hauinge of it hath left vs cleane without excuse so that now wee haue no cloke for our sinnes Iohn 15. 22 and therefore in conclusion our condemnation must needes be farre more iust and greater then theires excepte wee repent in time Thus much haue I thought good to speake vnto yâ— carelesse which are so soundly lulled asleepe in Iezabells bedde a bedde of securitie that if it be possible some of them may bee awaked whylest the Ebr. 3. 8. day is present prepare them selues to come vnto Christ For admitte it be so that many haue gotten greate and excellent knowledge by the preachinge of the Gospell yet what is this knowledge without repentance surely euen deade For who knoweth not that practise is it which giueth life therevnto as the Apostle witnesseth in a certaine place where heâ— hath these wordes though I had all knowledge and knewe all secretes â—ea if I had faith that I coulde remoue 1. Cor. 1â— â— moue mountaines and had no loue it coulde profit me nothing And as repentance or newnesse of conuesation is that which giueth life vnto our knowledge so also it abandoneth from