A Sermon of repentaunce A very godly and profitable Sermon preached at Lee in Essex by Arthur Deut Minister of Gods word And published at the request of sundrie Godly and vvell disposed persons 1581. the 7. of March Ionah chap. 2. ver 8. They that waite vpon lying vanities Forsake their owne mercie Imprinted at London for John Harison and are to bee solde at the white Greihound in Paules Church-yard 1582. To the Reader ALthough I was moste vnwilling that this poore Talent and trauaile of myne should euer haue bene broched abroade and come to light both because it maye seeme as a Candle lighted at no one day as also because many other mennes doinges might more worthely a great deale haue ben published and committed vnto letters Yet because diuers which heard it preached with a liuely voice were very instant yea and more then importunate with mee to haue it published vsing suche reasons as I coulde not well gainesay I did at the last yeelde to their request and so this vntimely fruite is come abroade to be solde in open markettes Let no man be offended that I haue not strained my selfe to flye an high pitch to fome out the froth of mans wisdome and to make a great shew of learning by blowing the bladder of vanity till it burst with swelling For that is not my vse I seeke especiall the saluation of the simple and ignorant and therefore stoupe downe to their reach and capacitie Therefore I beseeche thee gentle Reader accepte my good meaning Reade this without preiudice like it as thou profitest so shalte thou haue praise of God comforte in thy conscience A. D. The Text. Luke 13. 5. I tell you nay but except you repent you shall likewise perish THE occasion of these wordes of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe was bicause there were certayne that shewed him of the Galileans whose bloud Pilate had mingled with their owne Sacrifices That is murthered them as they were sacrificing and so their bloude was mingled with the bloud of the beastes whiche were sacrificed Those men therefore though that these Galileans were greater sinners then all other Galileans because they had suffered suche thinges And that those xviii also vppon whome the Tower in Siloam fell and slue them were sinners aboue all men that dwelte in Hierusalem Wherein they did vtter a secret corruptiō naturally ingendred in all men that is verie sharply to see into the sinnes of others seuerely to censure thē but in the meane while to flatter themselues to bée blindfold in séeing their owne sinnes For these men thought because the like iudgmentes did not fall vpon them therfore they were safe inough they were not so great sinners but rather highly in the fauour of GOD. According as many doe falsly suppose that those are alwayes the worst sort of people whome God doeth moste strike and presse with his punishing hande hauinge forgotten that God doeth not kéepe an ordinarie rate here belowe to punishe euery man as he is worst or to fauour and cocker him as he is best but onely taketh some examples as he thinketh good for the instruction and aduertisement of all others and to be as it were looking glasses wherein euerie man may sée his owne face yea and his owne cause handeled that God is a seuers reuenger of sin that all men maie learne by the example of some to tremble beware least peraduenture they bée worthily constrayned to kéepe their owne turnes and to knowe what they haue deserued These men whiche broughte these newes to our Sauiour Christ had not taken foorth this lesson wherevpon our Sauiour in iustlye occasioned to correcte their erroneous and sinister Iudgement and to teach them that they must not reioice at the iuste punishement of others but rather to bée instructed thereby to repentance And further to signifie that God doeth not alwayes most punishe the moste notorious offenders as Murtherers Théeues Robbers Whoremaisters Blasphemers Quarrellers Scoffers and suche like but reserueth them vnto the iudgement of the greate daie and as it wéere fatteth them against the daie of slaughter and therefore he answereth them negatiuely and sayeth nay or not so but excepte you repente you shal all likewise perish as if he should say are you of this opinion indéede that onelie monstruous Sinners are punished in this worlde others let alone or that the Galileans and these eightéene vppon whome the Tower in Siloā fel were greater sinners then all others Or doe you thinke because the same Iudgementes haue not light vpon you therefore you shal steale away in the darke escape the Iudgement of God No no you are deceyued For I saie vnto you that except you mourne and lament for your sinnes and fall to some agreement with God in time you I say euen you whiche are so readie to condemne others and iustifie your selues shall not onely perish with the like iudgementes in this presente worlde but be euerlastingly condemned in the world to come So that our Sauiour in so saying doeth thunder downe a moste dreadfull sentence vpon all our heades for he concludeth and setteth it downe that all men liuing vpō the face of the earth whether they bee highe or lowe rich or poore young or olde noble or vnnoble learned or vnlearned simple or polyticke of what estate degree and condition soeuer they bee liuing and dying without repentaunce shall perish and bee damned in hell fire for euer The Scriptures are full of suche Thunderboltes Iohn 3. 18. Hee that beleeueth not is damned alreadie And 2. Cor. 13. verse 5. Prooue your selues whether you are in the Fayth examine your selues Knowe yee not your owne selues that Iesus Christ is in you except yee bee reprobates Where the Apostle flatlie setteth downe that all those whiche haue not Christ dwelling in their harts by faith which is the houshold sister of repentance are no better then reprobates castawayes and condemned persons But because the most people in those dayes are groslye deceiued in repentaunce both concerning what it is what it meaneth what it woorketh what bee the qualities conditions of it which be the causes and which be the lets and hinderances and also why when and wherefore we should repent Therfore I haue in presēt infent to teach first what is repentaunce Secondly which bee his qualities and effectes Thirdly when wee should repense Fourthly wherefore wee should repent And last of all what letteth vs from Repentaunce whiche order and methode of teaching although some maye mislike as indeede with me it is not ordinary yet considering the matter I haue in hand I thinke it not inconuenient But the matter Repentance is an inward sorrowing and continuall mourninge of the heart and conscience for sinne ioyned with fayth and both inwarde and outwarde amendement Inward I say in chaunging the thoughtes and affections of the hearte and outwarde in chaunging the woordes and woorkes from euill to good This repentaunce no doubte was in
Dauid who wheÌ„ he was couertly reproued by the prophet Nathan and his sinnes laid before his eyes did not stubbornly defende them and so iustle against God nor yet secretlie excuse them and daube them ouer but cryed out in the bitternesse of his hearte I haue sinned and thervpon made the 51. Psalm A Psalme indéed full of dolour and heauines Wherein the Prophet bewayleth his falles lamenteth his sinnes and praieth euen for a newe hearte and a newe spirite newe thoughtes newe affections newe purposes of amendment of life So that in Dauid wée maie sée an inward sorrowing a lasting griefe as the booke of Psalmes doeth euerie where declare whiche layeth him out as it were in an Anotamie yea and greate reformation both in inwarde outward sinnes Héere therefore beholde what is Repentaunce Likewise S. Peter through infirmity hauing denied his Lord and Mayster Christ and béeing punched of his owne conscience wakened with the alaram of a poore Cockes crowing wente out of the Courte of Pilate with a heauie heart wéeping bitterlie euer after stoutlie professing Christe euen vnto the death Sée then what is Repentaunce The Prophetes in the olde Testament exhortinge y e rebellious Iewes vnto Repentance vse commonly an Hebrew verbe which signifieth turne ye or returne yee come backe again by the which Metaphore is meant that like as a man that is strayed farre out of his way must turne quite backe againe the contrary way So those y t haue strayed from the wayes of Godlinesse to the way of sinne must come backe againe as fast as euer they went forwarde altogether change the course of their life so that Repentaunce is an earnest turninge vnto God with all our hearte soule and minde Saint Iohn Baptist and the Apostles in the Newe Testament exhorting vnto Repentaunce vse a Gréeke woorde which signifieth a chaunging of the minde afterwarde or afterwitte so that those whiche through their follie want of former wit haue slipped into the déepe pit and daungerous gulfe of sinne when they come to themselues haue recouered their wits will bée wise afterward take héede they neuer come there againe according to the Proneth The burnt childe will take heed of the Fire By this time I hope you see what is repentaunce It is not euery sorrowe but sorrowe for sinne not for some sinne but for all sinne not for an houre but for euer not for a day but continually not for a week but as longe as we liue Some thinke euerie sorrow is repentance but so should worldlinges repent Some thinke euery litle pante for sinne is repentaunce so should Pharaoh repente Some thinke all weeping and lamenting for sinne is repentaunce so should Esau Iudas Caine repent Some thinke euery litle humbling of our selues is repentaunce but so should Achab repent Some think y t good woords and good purposes is Repentaunce but so shoulde euerie sicke man repent Some thinke y e reformation of words and deeds is Repentaunce but so shoulde ciuill men repent Some thinke that crye God mercie is repentaunce and so shoulde euerie foole repent You see therfore hows many are deceiued in repentaunce but if you will see what it is indeede looke backe to y t which hath beene said afore For hee that will repent in good earnest must not hang down his head like a Bulrushe for a daye onely and so haue doone nor crie from the teeth outwarde Lord haue mercie on me and so away but he must make a back reckoning with diligente consideration of his former life As did the Prophet Dauid Psal 119. ver 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy testimonyes So must euerie one that meaneth to repeÌ„t sinke aside into some corner or out place that there hee may haue roome enough to beate his owne conscience to make his heart smart for his sinnes by aggrauation thereof weighing all the circumstances as in the 9. of Daniel The Church of God confesseth her sinne not lightlye but with woonderfull great exaggeration and heaping of one thinge to another So that it is not enough to say I haue sinned but to say I haue most traitrously sinned I haue most obstinatly carelesly and rebelliously sinned I haue moÌ„strously offended in such a place in such a houre in such companie in such a day In suche a corner in the darke I committed adulterie closly when I thought none had seene mee In suche a Chamber I defiled my neighbours wife mine owne conscience doeth accuse me of it In suche and such companie I haue bene dronke I haue spoken and railed against Gods worde I haue mocked the preachers I haue spared no othes nor filthy spéech and now O Lorde Lorde what an vgley monster and wretched villaine am I. Here I stand before thy presence all naked blinde wounded poore wretched and miserable hauing deserued a thousand damnations if thou shouldest enter into iudgement and trie the lawe with me Therefore I beséeche thée shewe pitie and compassion vpon me Ancient my woundes with the oyle of mercy restore mee my sight cloath my nakednes enrich me that am poore strengthen me that am weake helpe mee that am fallen oh bid me not farewell The infant ouercoÌ„meth his mother with crying the child his father with wéeping the seruant his master by entreaty wilt not y u be intreated O Lord Thus I say if euerie man would speak in his conscience to God thus narrowly or more narrowly examine himself vndoubtedly he were in the way of repentaunce But alas it is a worlde to sée how the blinde Bussards and crooked cancrewormes of this worlde go awrye from this rule deceiuing themselues with the bare title and naked name of repentance Many in déede can talke of it but few walke it it Many speake of it but fewe féele it Many describe it but fewe know it It is hidde and locked vp from the worlde and reuealed onely to Gods children Many think they haue caught it when they haue but the shadow of it It is so high that few can reache it It is so déepe that few can come to the bottome of it It is so narrow that fewe can pearce into it So wide that few can comprehend it So slippery that fewe can holde it So scerete that few can finde it Therefore my deare brethren I beséech you let vs pray vnto our God that hee woulde reueale vnto vs this mystery which is hid from the world that we may truly sée it and know it find it féele it to our endles comfort through Christ Iesus which grace he graunt vs. But now to the seconde point concerning the qualities and fruites of repentance One speciall qualitie of repentance is alwayes to bringe with it remission sinnes for where true repentance 〈◊〉 before there remission of sinnes muste â—â—cessarily followe after not that repentance deserueth remission of sinne but because where God worketâ— repentance there hee pardoneth sin because of his promisse At
good housekéepers as any of their neighboures yea and they had the same opinion of them selues too And yet notwithstanding when they haue felte Repentaunce woorkinge this chaunge and alteration in them through the power of the Spirite at the preaching of the woord and when they haue had new heartes giuen then to discerne better and newe eyes to sée better as men come out of a dampe haue wondered and marueiled at the palpable and grosse darkenesse they were in before and haue burst foorth into these woordes that they woulde not bee in the same case they were afore no not for al the worldes goodes for if they should haue died in that case they were sure they shold haue béene damned But I pray you what case were they in before were they not good honest men well accounted of and honest liuers and well taken wheresoeuer they came Surely they were so taken in the world but nowe they thinke far otherwise of theÌ„selues their eyes being opened and their Iudgementes enlightened for nowe they sée that they sawe not before nowe they vnderstand y t God condemneth many whome the worlde iustifieth Mée thinketh this example shoulde make ciuill and worldely men sée and suspecte themselues and knowe their owne miserie before God For these men were as good as they before their conuersion and yet afterwarde confesse y t they were plunged in the Bottome of Hell and drowned in the deapth of Damnation He that hath eares to heare let him heare and he that hath eyes to sée let him sée For if menne wil still sooth them selues for all this that they shalbe saued without féeling any chaunge or worke of repentaunce It will cost them full deare in the ende for Christâ—s woordes will proue true that whosoeuer repenteth not shal bée damned that is whosoeuer doeth not feele in him selfe what is Repentance and find in him selfe the qualities thereof that he condemned For where Repentaunce is there be the qualities of Repentaunce and where the qualities be absent there is no true repentaunce So that where Chryst sayeth Except ye repent yee shall all perish It is all one as if he had sayde except ye knowe the truth of Repentaunce excepte yee can proue vnto your consciences the forgiuenesse of your sinnes excepte you feele a chaunge and alteration in the bottome of your heart of all your former lewd waies and misdemeanour you shall surely perish and be damned But let vs yet a little further search out y e qualities of RepeÌ„taunce the Apostle in the seuenth Chapiter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians setteth downe seuen natable qualities and effects of Repentaunce The firste of them he nameth Care For beholde saith he this thing that you haue byn godlie sorie what Care it hath wrought in you that is an earnest studie and as it were a takinge thoughte to please God For where true Repentance hath once wrought there followeth great care afterward Care I say to liue in the obedience of God Care to keepe a good conscience Care to reforme our housholdes Care to instruct Wyues Children and Seruauntes in the knoweledge of GOD Care to pray with them Morning and Euening and generallye Care to perfourme all dueties belonging vnto God so that Repentaunce is not a carelesse but a carefull thinge Let not men thinke therefore that although they welter in the carelesnesse of the fleshe and slepe in securitie all the dayes of their life yet their repentance is good inough yea and though they spend whole dayes Hightes Monethes and Yeares in vanities Playes and pastimes in Idlenesse fonde delight pleasure and voluptuousnesse in negligence of all dueties forgetfulnesse of God and contempte of all good thinges Yet for all this they repeÌ„t for their sinnes and hope to be saued as well as any other But alas how can these thinges stand together to repent for sinne to delight in sinne to hate sinne and loue sinne to flie from sinne and to follow after sinne But these men I perceiue would fayne make Saint Paule a lyar For he sayeth a mâ—â— hath neuer repented except he bée carefull afterwarde to please God They say they do repent haue repented although they liue neuer so wretchedly carelesly But when all licencious and leud liuers filthie whoremongers beastly belligoddes and carelesse caitiffes come to the kingdom of God and are saued then shall these men also come with them to be saued by careles repentaunce The next qualitie and effect of Repentaunce is named clearing of our selues that is discharging of our selues when sinne doeth accuse vs and laye thinges to our charge for when sinne and Sathan doeth terrifie the conscience of y e poore penitent sinner by and by he fléeth vnto God and asketh forgiuenesse throughe Iesus Christ and so cleareth himselfe and maketh his Apologie against sinne and Sathan like as a man that is presented into the Court vppon suspicion of whoredome or any other notorious crime muste cleare himselfe by witnesses of that whiche is layde to his charge So the conscience that is cited by Sathan before the Iustice and Iudgement of seate of God cleareth it selfe by Repentaunce and asketh forgiuenesse through Iesus Christ So that héere wee may see a wonderfull fruite of a penitente conscience it cannot abide the accusations of sinne It can not be quyet till it bée reconciled vnto God so haue peace within it selfe For this is to bée noted in the godly man that when hée hath committed any sinne and his conscience telleth him of it by and by hée féeleth Leade within him and is all heauie and can not fléepe quietly till hee haue got into some corner where hée may mourne and lament to the ful and confesse and lay open himselfe vnto God and so cleare him selfe through Christ Iesus his conscience bearing him witnes that his sinne is forgiuen Whereas contrariwise the vngodly man when his conscience accuseth him of sinne he dispatcheth away all suche thoughtes and treadeth them vnder foote and by and by calleth for a paire of Cardes or Tables and some merrie companion to driue away the time and to put out all suche thoughtes out of his heade and so indéede hee increaseth them more and more and causeth them rankle inwardly The thirde qualitie is called indignâ—â—â— on that is a mortall and deadly hatred â—gainst sinne as when a man doeth shuâ—der and shake and as it were grynde hâ—â— teeth at the remembraunce of his sinnes for this is alwayes in the penitent person to loth and abhorre all sin from his heart both his owne sinnes and the sinnes of â—ther and to hate it as the Diuel himselfe which is the Author of it and to flie from it as from the very cutthroate and hangâ— man of his soule and to know it to be the onely thing that blindeth that hardeneth that separateth from God and procureth all plagues and diseases both of bodye and soule against vs. Therefore he spitteth at it in defiance and disdaineth it
and stoppeth his nose at the stincke of it wheresoeuer he smelleth it The fourth thing is feare whiche is a certaine awe of God when a man is afraide to displease him For the penitente person feareth alwaye and beeing priuie to his owne infirmity and weaknesse wheÌ„ God neuer so litle withdraweth his grace and leaueth him alone worketh his Saluation with feare and trembling He will not presume vpon former grace to commit any sinne nor flatter himself in the mercy of God and in the thinges that he hath alreadie tasted of God to yeeld to some litle sinne thinking he may doe that and bee the child of God wel enough because some of Gods children haue fallen into greater but rather he trembleth at the least motion of sinne and is afraid of the temptations whiche Sathan trumpeth in his waye and is afraide when the temptations of sinne are vppon him to satisfie the hunger of sinne but rather he fighteth against sin when sin fighteth against him and presenteth the feare of God before his eyes as godly Ioseph in the assault of Putiphars wife to be as it were a Tower of defence Welspring of life to auoide the snares of Death The fift thing is Desire that is a hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse For the penitent man is rauished with desire of good thinges Hee desireth to be euery day better then other He desireth to leaue euery day some sinne He desireth to praye He desireth newe knoweledge and newe vnderstanding of heauenly things He desireth to heare Sermons and wil straine himselfe to heare theÌ„ He desireth the company of the godly he thinketh him selfe in heaueÌ„ when he is emongest them He desireth the saluation of his very enemies and prayeth for them All these and many other such like desires are in the penitent man The first qualitie is zeale which consisteth in the earnest imbracing of vertue and hatred of vice so that the penitent person is zealous in euery good thing Zealous of Gods glory in all places in all coÌ„panies and emongest all persons hee cannot abide that Gods honour should be impeached or his name blasphemed or his glory trampled vnder foote by wicked meÌ„ but he will open his mouth to reproue the wicked and stand stoutly in the defence of Gods glorie Hee is not like these Atheistes and dissemblers which are alwayes as is the companie that is godly emongst the Godly A Protestant emongest Protestantes wicked amongest the wicked a Papist emongest Papistes a worldling emongest worldlinges and a Swearer emongest Swearers a Weathercocke that turneth with euery wynde The penitent man I say is not of this stampe but he is constant and zealous in all good things Hee is zealous both against the pleasures and profites of sinne though he might winne a whole worlde or pleasure himselfe neuer so much by committing a sinne against God yet will he refuse it for he hath learned from Christes mouth that it shall not profite a man to winne all the whole worlde and to loose his owne soule The last thing is Reuenge that is the penitent person is so offended with the sinne he hath committed that hee will be reuenged of himselfe for it As for example if he haue offended in gluttony he wil Reuenge himselfe by fasting two or thrée daies after If he haue offended in whoredome hee will be reuenged of his lustes by haltring and bridling them euer after If he haue offended in couetous catching and polling of other mens goodes he will he reuenged of himselfe by restitution as was godly and penitent Zacheus and this in déed is a speciall fruite of Repentaunce to reforme our selues in 〈◊〉 thinges wherein we haue moste offended Nowe then you see my deare brethren what lieth in the bellie of repentance and which be her inwardes so that wee must needes now come to the vnlasuÌ„ng and vnbowelling of Christes wordes Except ye repent sayth he ye shall all perishe that is except ye haue this forenamed care you shall all be damned Except ye haue this clearing of your selues you shall be damned Except you haue this indignation you shall all he damned except you haue this feare you shalbe damned Except you haue this desire you shal aâ— be damned Except you haue this zeale you shall all be damned Except you haue this reuenge you shall all be damned For our Sauiour Christe doeth not speake of the bare name of Repentaunce But of Repentance withal his â—urnâ—â—â—re and appurtenances so that who so euer hath not Repentaunce with all his qualities and effectes or at leaste some measure of them he hath no Repentaunce indeed and therefore shall be damned For except ye repent ye shall all perishe But me thinketh I here some man say Here is nothing but damnation damnation You preach nothing but the law Let vs heare of the Gospell My brethren I protest vnto you that I speake of loue whatsoeuer I speake I desire the saluation of you all if I could win but two in all this congregation I woulde count my selfe happy thinke that God had greatly blessed my labours And vndoubtedly if I knewe any neerer way to bring you vnto GOD then by preaching the Lawe to make you knowe your selues surely surely I would vse it Or if I could be perswaded that the preaching of the Gospel and mercie would doe you more good you shoulde heare of nothing but Gospel Gospel mercie mercie But alas I sée that euerie carelesse and euerie ignorant man presumeth vppon Gods mercy I sée that euerie filthy liuer and notorious blasphemer abuseth Gods mercy in applying it to him selfe without Repentaunce so that they woulde make Gods mercie a cloake for their sinnes I sée that euerie man would faine be flattered in his sinne heare of it no more but haue the Gospell preached which in déed belongeth not vnto them continuing in their stubburnes but only to the penitent sinner which forsaketh himselfe and groneth and panteth vnder the burden of his sinne Therefore when I sée you humbled with the conscience of your sinnes and grone and pant vnder the burden of them when I sée your faces blubbered with weping and your hearts mollified and sorrowing with care then will I comforte you and cease to preach the lawe But I praye you will you steale murther and commit adultery and yet heare of mercy Will ye Mocke Sweare blaspheme and Rayle and yet heare of mercy Will you serue sinne hate vertue and followe your owne lusts and yet heare of mercy Would you haue Plaisters before you haue woundes Would you haue Phisicke before you bee sicke Would you be let bloud before you haue néede Would you not account him a foolish Physitian that wil minister Phisicke to a whole man Woulde you not thinke him an vnskilfull Surgion that will applie a gentle salue to an olde festered sore and not rather Corsie it Then knowe my brethren that because you are ful of grosse humors you must haue strong purgations Because ye are
great multitude that in a maner the whole world agréeth w e them to practise our death Thus the diuell doth cast a mist before their eies and closly lead them away from repentaunce Therefore â—éere brethreÌ„ let vs stand fast in the word of the Lord and not be caried away or bowed quite down with this raging stream of the multitude but let vs knowe it to be one speciall engine of Sathan whereby he driueth vs from repentaunce The fourth let vnto repentance is long custome of sinne For that taketh away all sense féeling of sinne making it as 〈◊〉 were another nature vnto vs So that we may aswel alter nature as shake it of wheÌ„ it is once thus soldred vnto vs through loÌ„g custome Therefore it is saide Iere. 13. 23. Can the blake-More chaunge his skin or the Leopard his spots theÌ„ may ye also doe good that are accustomed to do euil Here the Prophet affirmeth that it is as hard to cure an old disease that is bred in the bone and to remedie a sinne that hath béene hatched and brought vp with vs as to washe a black-more white or to change the spots of a Leopard which cannot be with out destroying of nature And surely trie it who will hee shall finde it as harde a matter to leaue an old custom whether it be of swâ—â—ring of gaming of lying of whoring of euill company or of any other sinne as to wash an Aethiopian Therfore it is written Prou. 27. Though thou shouldest bray a foole in a morter emonge wheaâ—e brayed with a pestell yet will not his foolishnes depart from him So that as longe as we are in custome with sinne the doore of repentance is barred vp against be The fifth hinderance is long escaping of punishmeÌ„t for the wicked therby are staâ—â—â—ed in sinne and driuen of from repentance euen as an olde théefe that hath stollen a long time and escapeth both prison and gallows is animated more boldely to procéede in his wickednesse thinking he shall so alwayes escape So many filthy loose liuers go forward in their abhominations without repentaunce thinking that because God doth not incontineÌ„tly punish them and shew some manifest iudgments signe of his wrath vpon them therefore they shalbe acquited for altogether Wheras contrariwise if God should by and by strike thÌ„ down assone as they had sinned by thundering vpon one and lightning vpon another and raining fire brimstone vpon the third it would make them afraid Hereupon it is said in Pet. 2. 3. 4. This first vnderstand that there shal come in the last dayes mockers which will walke after their lustes and say where is the promise of his comming For since the fathers died al things continue alike from the beginning of the creation But let these men well knowe that when God hath delayed along time prolonged the terme of the wicked at length he will shew y t althoughâ— he waited for their repentance yet he foâ—â—gate not their misdéedes but registreâ— them before him and packed them vp 〈◊〉 a great heape to increase the terrour oâ— his wrath The sixt hinderance is the beholding 〈◊〉 other mens endes For when some meâ— that haue liued a wicked an vngratiouâ— life and haue bene notorious sinners euen to the worldward so that euery man couâ— point at them yet if vpon their death 〈◊〉 they can say a fewe good wordes and crye God mercy and say their praiers and for giue al the world and so die quietly It is merueilous to heare howe the foolish people of the world will exalt them iustifye them saying hee made a very good ende as any man could make and died as quiâ—â— as a Lambe set all things in good orâ—â—â— before he died Herevpon an other wâ—â—ked monstrous verlet is encouraged 〈◊〉 sinne For thinketh he such a man liued 〈◊〉 loosely as I or any man else and yet 〈◊〉 made a verie good ende and why may not I do so too But alas these mens eyeâ— are bleared For to die quietly is no to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to crie God mercie for fashion is not to haue God mercifull to say a fewe â—â—â—yers with téeth outwarde is not to die in the faith of Christ for many may doe all this and yet die miserably The last let is hope of long life for while men féede and besette them selues in this hope they waxe dronken in sin and defer the day of Repentance As the riche man in the Luke 12. dreaming of his long life cast off all thought of God and of the other life and of Christes comming and of Repentaunce and all good thinges and sayid within himselfe Soule thou hast muche goods laid vp for many yeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime Thus the bleareyed men of this world choke vp Repentance quite smother it by doting themselues with hope of long life Therefore my deare brethren I beséech you by the mecies of God in the bowels of Iesus Christ that none of all these common lets may stay you from spéedy and vnfeigned Repentance But that you may ouerstride them all least vnhappily you being found without Repentance and taken tardie in your sinnes should all perish and be damned according to Christs sentence Whâ—â—â— fore in conclusion let vs with godly Eâ—chias be afraide of Gods threateninges sorrow aforehand stand in awe of GOD examine our conscience mourne for our sinnes lament inwardly that when the wicked which haue swimmed in pleasures here belowe shall enter into their eternal paynes we may then I say there haue euerlasting peace rest that when Iesus Christ shall appeare from heauen with all his holy Angels we may haue crownes of glory and victory clapped on our heades and raigne with our God our sauiour his sonne and all his Sainctes and Angels in the middest of all ioy in the heauens for euermore To the which ioy he bring vs all which hath so bearely bought vs Iesus Christ the righteous to whom with the father the holy Ghost be all honour glory praise power empire and dominion now and for euermore Amen FINIS