the man Christ Iesus with a full perswasion of the hart a sure confidence of an assured rest of conscience grounded vpon the promise of Gods mercy that we shall be fréely accepted with God in Christ for that First our sinnes are purged in his blood 1. Ioh. 1.2 Esa. 53. Secondly his righteousnes is imputed vnto vs. Rom. 4.1 1 Cor. 1.30 The fathers looked for none other righteousnes thē this righteousnes of Christ as the Apostle Paul proueth sufficiently by that one example of Abraham who is said to rest himselfe vpon that righteounesse of faith which is the righteousnes which God giueth vs in Christ apprehended by faith onely The Apostle S. Peter which fel most dangerously comforted himselfe with this righteousnes all men that will beleeue his doctrine affirming that we cannot be saued with siluer or gold but with the precious blood of Iesus Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled Here then we sée what is required of all that shall be saued by Christ which things if we doe belieue with a liuely faith planted and grounded vpon the sure promises of Gods mercy offered vnto vs in Christ and not doubting thereof but with all diligence kéepe and performe the premises aforesaid then we shall bee assured to enter in at the straight gate and narrow way leading vnto eternal life Saluation is he gift of God which he fréely bestoweth vpon all that séek him aright This is eternall life to know the Father and him whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ. We must seeke God aright But some perhaps will say how shall wee seeke him aright I answer Dilige Deum mandata eius obserua Loue God kéep his commandements Héerby shall all men know that you seeke him as you ought S. Augustine speaking of this matter saith Da amantem et sentit quid dico si autem frigido loquor nescit quid loquar Giue me a man that is in loue with God he seeth this to be true which I say but if I talke to a cold Christian he vnderstandeth not what I say And this is the cause why Christ talking of the kéeping his commandements repeateth so often this word loue as the surest cause of keeping the same for want whereof in the world the world kéepeth them not as there he sheweth If you loue me keepe my commandements Againe Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them hee is he that loueth me And againe Hee which loueth me will keepe my commandements See what S. Austen exhorts vs vnto Ama amorem illius Loue this his loue His deserues and requires loue O loue the Lord saith the Prophet Dauid all his saints If no loue no saints and yet no true loue vnlesse fath Ye that loue the Lord sée that you hate euill and doe good séeke the Lord and yee shall liue for euermore Can God bestow better things vpon his children then eternall life who is the efficient cause of saluation by the working of the holy Ghost in the hearts of his children through faith in Christ Iesus For faith is the testimony of Gods spirit which spirrit doth not only speak within vs but also perswadeth vs of the good grace of God towards vs by arguments drawne from our free redemption in Christ. Lastly the same spirit mortifieth sin in vs and quickeneth our mortal bodies to bring forth most swéet pleasāt fruits vnto God This bréedeth that inward solace ioy and peace which the mind and conscience hath with God because it is freed from the bondage of sinne the curse of the law c. and restoreth to grace againe This ioy and solace of a good conscience the Apostle calleth it the kingdome of God Ro. 14.17 And an especiall fruit of the holy Ghost Gal 5 22. And a sure consequent of our iustification by faith Ro. 5.1 and the child of God in all his troubles comforteth himselfe therwith as with a feast Dauid longed for this ioy as appeaeth in his earnest prayer for it where hee cryeth saying Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free spirit Many which seeke to enter in at the straight gate shall not be able Wherefore thou secure worldling thy conscience telleth thee that thou hast not yet sought the Lord aright thou hast not yet repented and thou art not yet a liuely member of Iesus Christ. And further thou knowest that howsoeuer thou art aliue at this time yet thou hast no lease of thy life God may call thée forth of the world the next yeare the next hower yea he may strike thee with a sudden death at this very present And in very truth if thou goest forth of this world being no repentant sinner thou goest damned to hell Therfore delay not one minut of an houre longer but with all speed repent and turne vnto God and bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life that all thy sins may be done away when the day of death or the day of iudgement shall be And do not think with thy selfe it shall be sufficient to defer thy turning vnto God till the last day for late repentance is seldome true repentance And he which continueth long in any sin is in a dangerous case If a man lie long sicke in any disease he will scarce recouer his former health and he which is growne in the custome of any sin the sin is become ripe in him it is a thousand to one he is neuer saued according to that of S. Iames Sinne being perfitted bringeth forth death Let vs therefore without any delay repent and turne vnto God for if we liue in this world not being true Christians wee are far more vile then the basest Creatures of all euen the dog or toad For first we are nothing else but a filthy dunghill of all abomination vncleannes the stink whereof hath infected heauen and earth and no perfumes could euer delay it in the nostrils of God but only the suffering of Christ being a sacrifice of a swéet smelling sauour to God we make it very dainty to come néere a lazer man full of botches blaines sores but much more are these mē to be abhorred which haue lien many yeares stark dead in sins trespasses therfore now do nothing els but rot stink in them like vgly loathsome carrions Againe if we liue as secure worldlings carnall Ghospellers not as true Christians we are in danger of al the iudgements of God so that euery moment some of thē may befall vs· We may perish sodainly by water with the old world we may be consumed with fire brimstone with Sodome Gomorrah we may be swallowed vp of the earth with Corah Dathan and Abiram we may hang our selues with Iudas wee may haue our brains dashed out against the ground be eaten vp of dogs with Iesabel we may die in hardnes of heart with Pharaoh we may
comfort vnto him Contendenti et vincenti that striueth ouercommeth saying though in the world ye haue no peace but tribulations afflictions yet be of good chéere Ego vici mundum et omnia in hoc mundo I haue ouercome the world all things in this world therefore in me you shall haue peace eternally In the second head our Lord Iesus Christ affirmeth that the gate is very straight noting that none can enter in without vehement crowding and almost breaking their shoulder bones that is none can enter into eternall life without vehement suit earnest prayer and supplication vnto God for the forgiuenes of their sinnes wrought by the spirit of all Christians with an inward and true repentance and God shal derect all thy wayes and appoynt thée how to goe either hither or thither as the Prophet Esaias saith Though the Lord giue thee bread of trouble the water of affliction aduersity thy raine shall be no more scant but thine eyes see the raine yea and thine eare shall heare the talking of him that speaks behind thee This is the way walke therein turne not aside neither to the right hand nor to the left Wherfore hoc opus hic labor endeauour we and let our chiefest care yea our greatest endeauor be for the vertue of his grace the antecedent to glory both which are his free guift The Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he withheld from them that walke vprightly As I haue shewed you of sundry lets both within vs and without vs which doe keepe vs backe from God and hold vs fast in our sinnes so now vnto all that hath beene saide before I will lay forth vnto your view seauen especiall lets and hinderances vnto eternall life which may not vnfitly be termed seauen barres out of Heauen and seauen gates into Hell and thereby you shall perceiue that the gate is very straight that leadeth vnto life and few there be that find it The first which is infidelity is proued out of the fourth Chapter to the Hebrewes where it is thus written Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as vnto them but the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it And againe they could not enter in because of vnbeleefe Héere we sée that vnbeliefe did barre out the old people frō entring into the land of promise which was a figure of Gods eternall Kingdome And sure it is that the same vnbeliefe doth barre out thousands of vs. For many will beléeue nothing but their owne fantasies they will not beléeue the word of God especially when it is contrary to their lust likings profits and pleasures Though things be manifestly proued to their faces and the Chapter and verse shewed them yet will they not beléeue or though they say they will belieue yet will they neuer goe about the practise of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will either say or doe another when God saith yea they will say no and so giue God the lye Some againe will say if all be true that the Preachers say then God helpe vs. Thus you sée how infidelitie doth bar men out of Heauen and cast them into hell The second gate which is the presumption of Gods mercy for if men be sharply reproued for their sinnes and exhorted vnto repentance by and by they take couert saying God is mercifull as though God were made all of mercy and that there were no iustice in him at all and thus the wicked make Gods mercy an occasion which though the Prophet Nahum in the first Chapter of his prophesie doth sharpely reproue The Lord saith he is slow to anger but he is great in power and will not surely cleare the wicked Here we see that God will not surely spare such as goe on in their sinnes presuming of his mercy and saying in their hearts If I may but haue a Lord of mercy vpon me thrée howres before my death I care not But it is iust with God when those three howers come to shut them vp in blindnes and hardnes of heart as a iust plague for their presumption Therfore the Prophet Dauid seeing the greeuousnes of this sinne prayeth to be deliuered from it Keep me O Lord from presuptuous sinnes let them not raigne ouer mee Let all men therefore take héed of presumptious sinnes which is the onely cause that sinne doth so mightily abound in our age and let vs not continue in sin presume of Gods mercy but let vs come vnto God for mercy while the gates of mercy are opened vnto vs For though God be full of mercy yet will hée shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy but they shal once know to their cost that Iustice goeth frō him as well as mercy And therfore it may wel be called the strait gate to heauen and the wide gate to Hell Let vs come to the third gate which is the example of the multitude for that doth harden imbolden men vnto sin As when many birds do flicker flock together they fall vpon the net without any feare but one or two alone wil be affraid Euen so the example of many sin companions do imbolden men to run through the snares of Sathan without any mistrust This is proued in the 23. of Ex. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill This is a thing that hindreth a great number from God for they neuer looke vp vnto God or to his word but stare vpon the common multitude and doings of most men and examples of the world thinking that if they do as the most men doe as their forefathers haue done before them they are cockesure and of an euen ground And herevpon riseth their diuellish Prouerbe Doe as the most men doe and the fewest will speake of you which is a very wicked spéech But they haue forgotten S. Pauls rule Ne configuremini seculo isto c. Fashion not your selues like vnto this world These fellowes that stand vpon the multitude will reason thus we sée none of these great ones of the world none of the noble none of the rich none of the wise and prudent receiue this doctrine but onely a few Shackragges and beggerly rascalls and therefore it is a token that it is nothing worth and that it is doubtfull and not for vs to meddle withall Loe what thoughts may créepe into our hearts and how slily Sathan may trumpe in our way and blindfold vs and lead vs away in the dark by doting and dorring vs with the example of the multitude Let vs therfore take heed of these pitfalls which Satan layeth in the way and not be caried away with these thoughts reasons The wicked beare themselues in hand that they shall win the game and that the goale goeth on
their side and there is nothing but crowing long before it be day and great triumphing among them before any stroke be stricken and that because we bee but a handfull of people and they a great multitude and that in a manner the whole world agréeeth with them to practise our death Thus the Diuell doth cast a mist before their eyes and leades them away from the straight Gate to heauen and brings them into the broad way which leadeth them to the bottomlesse pit of hell Therefore my deare Bretheren let vs stand fast in the word of the Lord and take héed of bending with the way that we be not carried away or bowed quite downe with the raging streame of the multitude for the sway of the world doth way downe all thinges that can be spoken out of the word of God and openeth a very wide passage into Hell Now let vs procéed to the fourth Gate into hell which is the long custome of sinne for that taketh away all sence and féeling of sinne and making it as it were an other nature vnto vs so that wee may as well alter nature as shake it off when it is thus soldered vnto vs through long custome this is noted by the Prophet Ieremy to be a very dangerous thing For hee saith Can the blacke Moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also doe good which are accustomed to doe euill Héere the Prophet affirmeth that it is as hard to cure an old disease that is bred in the bone or to remedie a sin that hath béene hatched and brought vp with vs as to wash a blacke Moore white or to change the spots of a Leopard which cannot be without the destroying of nature And surely trye it who will hee shall finde it as hard a matter to leaue an old custome whether it be of swearing gaming lying whoring euill company or any other sinne as to wash an Aethiopian Therefore it is written Pro. 27. Though thou shouldest bray a foole in a morter among wheate brayed with a pestle yet will not his foolishnes depart from him So that as long as we are in custome with sinne the doore of Heauen is barred vp against vs. Now let vs heare of the fift gate which is the long escaping of punishment this is auouched by the wise man in these wordes Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therfore the hearts of the children of men haue set them to do euil Where he sheweth that one cause why men are so hardened in their sins is because God wincketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediately after they haue sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raigne downe fire and brimstone vpon another cause the earth to swallow vp the third then men would feare indéed But God taketh not that course for though he méeteth with som in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall neuer come to their answer Euen as an old Theefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwayes escape and therfore goeth bouldly on in his thefts But let men take héed for as the prouerbe saith though the pitcher goeth long to the well yet at last it commeth broken home so though men escape long vnpunished for sin yet shall they not alwayes be freed for there will come a day of reuenge a day that will pay thē home for all Thus you sée that impunity leadeth numbers to destruction that is when men are let alone not smitten by the hand of God nor punisht by law of the Magistrate The sixt Gate is the beholding of other mens déeds for when some men that haue a wicked and vngratious life haue béene notorious sinners euen to the world ward so that euery man could poynt at them if vpon their death-bed they say a few good wordes and cry God mercy and say their prayers and forgiue all the world and so dye quietly it is maruellous to heare how the foolish people of the world will exalt them and iustifie them saying He made a very good end as any man could make and dyed as quietly as a lambe set all things in good order before he dyed Héerevpon an other wicked monstrous varlet is encouraged to sin for thinketh he such a man liued as wickedly and loosely as I or any man else and yet he made a very good end and why may not I doe so too But alasse these mens eyes are bleared for to dye quietly is not to dye godly to crye God mercy for fashion sake is not to haue God mercifull to say a few praiers with téeth outward is not to dye in the faith of Christ for many do this and yet dye miserably The last gate is hope of long life this is affirmed by our Lord concerning the rich worldling who whē he felt the world come in vppon him with full streame said hee would pull downe his Barnes and build greater and say to his soule Soule habes multa bona reposita in annos multos requiesce comede bibe oblectare Thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeares liue at ease eat drinke and take thy pastime But our Sauiour calleth him foole for flattering himselfe in security and promising vnto himselfe long life moreouer he plainly telleth him that the same night he should make a hellish and miserable end Note I pray you how Iesus Christ the fountaine of all wisedome calleth this man a foole and yéeldeth a reason thereof to wit because he gathered ritches to himselfe and was not rich in God hee had great care for this life and none at all for that which is to come So then it followeth that all such are méere fooles indéede and may bee Chronicled for fooles howsoeuer they be taken and reputed in the world which haue much care for their bodies and none for their soules great care for this life and none at all for that which is to come Wel let all such prophane worldlings as dreame and dote of long life and therefore defer the day of their repentance vnto God take héed by this mans example that they reckon not without their host and bee suddenly snatcht away in the midst of all their pleasures and iollities as Iob saith Some dye in their full strength being in all ease and prosperity their brests are full of marrow Wée see therefore how dangerous a thing it is for men to flatter soothvp themselues with hope of a long life Via arctissima the way is very straight my little flock speake thus one to another Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob Et docebit nos vias suas and hee will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths for we will no longer follow the multitude nor walke in the wayes of