times yea if it can be most times to cast away ioy to put away pastime to depart from mirth to stop thy eares from musick and thy heart from laughter giuing ouer foolish and vnlawfull iesting merie and pleasant friends and companions and so enter into a deepe consideration of thy sinnes and dangers and troubles and life and death that it may worke an exceeding lamentation for all thy sinnes Remember Moses which forsooke the court of all Pharaohs disports to liue among his poore brethren which daily laboured in making bricke gathering staw and bearing many a heauy burthen and so if we should be exercised in a voluntarie and willing submission vnto teares and weeping sorrowes and lamenting crosses and enduring afflictions we shall kill the hearts of many sinnes and stop the breath of many euils and auoide the danger of many troubles Better it is saith Peter to suffer for well dooings then for euill now when in the feare of God we chastice our selues we suffer for well doing but if we tarrie till famine or warre or sickenes or pouertie or age or death then we suffer for our sins as a thiefe or murtherer for his robbing and killing The twelfth Sermon Vers 13. Girde your selues and lament yee priestes howle yee ministers of the altar c. THe exhortations to the people being finished the prophet goeth on to the priestes and giueth them a speciall direction how to behaue themselues in this time of dearth and famine And this part as hath bin alreadie declared is contayned in this chap. and in the second wherein he putteth thē in mind of their duties which may be reduced to these generall heads particular members First he exhorteth them to a farther humiliation giueth reason for the same vers 13. as that they should be girded with sackcloth vnto lamentation Secondly that they should bee all night long in sorrowing for the same afterward in this chapter he biddeth them sanctifie a fast vers 14. and in the second chapter vers 1. he biddeth them shew the people their woefull danger For the fast he telleth them how it should bee solemnized namely with all the people in the house of God Secondly with praier and the forme or example to pray by is described vers 15. and so to the end of the chapter First when he calleth vnto the priests to be farther humbled whom alreadie he had said to be mourning and lamenting for this matter vers 9. hee thereby giueth vs to vnderstand that there are none so forward in any good action but they haue neede of a farther prouocation and may receiue good instruction to proceed in their godly enterprise For this cause the Apostle 2. Peter 1. 12. telleth the faithfull in his time that he would neuer be negligent to put them in minde of their duetie although they had knowledge and were confirmed in the truth The which thing may reprooue many in our daies which will not abide any wholesome word of exhortation especially there are in the ministerie those which hauing rare gifts and great learning and therefore despise both men and meanes which shall any way put them in minde of their duetie thinking it a disgrace to their persons if any of the inferiour sort shall note vnto them their slips and infirmities But Peter had more modestie which easily yeelded to the reproofe of Paul Would God that men were as much ashamed to commit euill or omit goodnes as they are to be blamed for any default and it were to bee wished that they would as hardly abide the temptation of their enimie the diuell as they will the reprehension of their most christian friends Againe we haue many which haue a little shew of religion and an vnprofitable forme of seruing God the which thinke all knowledge is lapped in their braines and all holines practised in their liues and therefore they despise sermons and preachers reading and hearing conuersion and repentance and will say flatly they haue enough alreadie and therefore will receiue no more Against those let the exhortation of this Prophet and the example of these priests preuaile that they may both either shame them for their folly or reclaime them for their stubbornnes The reasons of this doctrine are these First because it is a true token that we are the Lords when we are exhorted to farther righteousnes Ioh. 15. 3. so that on the other side it is a fearefull signe that wee are none of his when we stop our eares and harden our hearts against the exhortations of the godly ministers wherfore let them which with Peter and Iohn would haue heauen to be on the earth and make a dwelling for their faith on a worldly mount instead of heauēly Sion let them I say know that as the desire of the apostles could not be performed in this life so in this life although they haue clymed vp neuer so great hils of knowledge and secret hidden mysteries and haue seene the graces of God as plainely as they sawe Elias and Moses yet must they come downe againe and labour to goe further before they come to heauen But me thinkes the earnest consideration of this point should make vs all more earnestly to thirst after our spirituall gaine of godlines and neuer to giue ouer till all our vices are remooued all our vncleannes purged and all our wickednes forgotten Doe we not see how the earth after one showre of raine thirsteth for another and so following euery yeere euen so exhortations and reprehensions are like showres of raine to make our hearts to beare fruit the which wee should desire for the loue of more holines as the earth desireth for the encrease of more fruitfulnes Another reason is because it is a notable assurance vnto a mans soule when he beareth exhortation increaseth in knowledge that he hath tasted of the goodnes and grace of God 1. Pet. 2. 3. A yoong childe tasting his mothers milke groweth thereby a sicke man tasting his phisitions potion is strengthened thereby and desireth more phisicke and more meat and therefore if wee can desire to bee more righteous more holy more faithfull more zealous and more carefull of good things we may be assured that our soules are in good and perfect health But alas how many faile herein which taste but finde no relish in the graces of God and suffer the most wholesome foode of their soules to perish in their stomacks they had rather eate the grasse of their own gathering then the meat of the Lords prouiding Stolne bread is swete vnto them that is that which is forbidden them they delight in but that which is commaunded and allowed them they cannot away with they loue better to liue in one forbidden sinne then to liue in a thousand commanded and authorized vertues From this doctrine we may make these vses First seeing there is none so holy and so good in this world but he hath neede of more holines and goodnes then it
and the posteritie of the righteous much happier and godlier if more often with Moses wee remember him to take awaie his wrath by continuing his church Another vse are wee taught Ier. 32. 39. which is that wee likewise pray that our posteritie may haue one and a single hart that they may dwell for euer in the presence of God We can no way so much benefite our posteritie as by praying for them for then wee lay vp their treasure in heauen before the Lord making him the ouerseer of our willes and his kingdome their inheritance So that as hee promised Dauid that he should neuer want a man to sit on his throne if they would continue in his couenant so may euery righteous man assure himselfe that they shall neuer want posteritie if they continue in the Lords worship As there is but one God so men should haue but one hart and as there is but one heauen so men shoulde haue but one soule now the hart is one when it abideth in the worship of God but when it wauereth and is distracted into as many follies as affections there is no hart at all as it is all one to make mo gods and to denie God so is it all one to haue many harts and no hart Therefore pray for thy children whom thou hast nourished in the worlde that they may bee single harted and remaine before the Lorde for euer and euer for surely if they multiply their harts God wil remooue their graces For as Ahab by seeking to winne Ramoth-Gilead lost his owne life because he woulde encrease his territories so shall wee loose our owne soules if wee enlarge our harts for more vanitie Remember that Ierusalem was so built as it was at vnitie in it selfe and so must euery member of Ierusalem that is of the church haue one hart in himselfe that his hart may fit the Lorde and his soule may serue for heauen Secondly wee may obserue in this verse that the policie of wicked men cannot alway preuaile against the good Psal 124. 1 2 3. It was one of the wonders of the world that euer the counsell of Achitophel was so soone confounded that hee tooke against Dauid but the Lords hand was in it for seeing he had promised that Dauid shoulde raigne was not wise Achitophel a foole that woulde assay to breake the couenant and so were these gentiles in taking counsell against the Iewes to keepe them from euer returning to their countrie againe The first reason the Lord will purge iniquitie from his sanctuarie Dan. 8. 13 14. and therefore he will not suffer iniquitie to ouerthrowe his sanctuarie For the policie of wicked men in the destruction of the godly is not so much against mankinde as it is to burie for euer the worship and worshippers of God Would God that this reason might be well waighed of them who are euermore corrupting the sanctuarie of God who broach all the deuises of the world to corrupt the gospell But as the Romaine Image standing in the holy place was called the abhomination of desolation in like manner shall the imaginations of hereticall and proud men standing in the church be called the abhominable desolation of religion Another reason because good men might not fall from God by enduring their iniuries Psal 125. 4. and therefore be assured if God will make one of his owne saints worth a thousand of his enimies then will hee rather destroy their counsels then want his worshippers The vse is let vs then knowe that not all the counsell of men nor all the policie of the diuell nor all the power of the angels shall euer cast downe the members of Christ Apoc. 7. 3. Oh sweete instruction for vs miserable deemed wretches when we neede not to feare all the engins and deuises of the diuell if hee stirre vp princes yet God is greater if wise men God is wiser if strong men Christ is stronger and if learned men yet God catcheth the learned What shall I say more all the diuels in hell cannot take away one soule from the Lord. They are bound they cannot roue they are muzled they cannot rore they are ruled they cannot rage and they are damned they cannot hurt vs. Nay they can neither hurt body nor soule for the same that redeemed soules redeemed bodies and preserueth both Therefore feare not death that hath lost his sting and feare not the diuell that hath lost his force Another vse let this confidence for our raising vp out of miserie into glorie out of iniquitie into holinesse out of death into life and quitteth vs from the wicked stirre vp euery mans soule and hart to cleaue to the Lorde for euermore for as Dinah was safe in her fathers house and none could touch her so shall we be safe in the Lords presence none can hurt vs. Thirdly by this verse when he laieth to their charge the selling of his people that they might neuer return againe which they coulde not bring to passe but yet hee telleth them he woulde punish them wee may note that God punisheth our deuises and thoughts of euill although they proceede no farther as if the thing had beene effected and the sinne perfected Genes 11. 4 8. The builders of Babell thought to builde a tower to reach to heauen but they coulde not preuaile and yet God punished their enterprise by confounding their language So that imagine with thy selfe howe often thou hast stollen by coueting howe often thou hast committed adulterie by lusting and how often thou hast deserued actuall punishment by mentall transgressing wee doe therefore all of vs most iustlie suffer the danger of all kinde of deathes because we liue in the danger of all kinde of sinne neither is there anie man liuing but at one time or other hee hath lusted after euerie sinne that he knewe for if we knewe not sinne we shoulde not sinne And indeede these builders and this building of Babel doth notablie describe and decypher vnto vs the nature of sinners and sinne for as Babell was built without God his consent so is sinne as the builders made the substance and frame thereof of themselues so do wee of sinne As they did it to continue their names that the floud shoulde no more ouerflowe them not trusting to the former promises of God so doe sinners forsake God his promise and for worldly causes fall into many follies Againe as they would build neuer cease building till they had brought it vp to heauen so is the measure of sin it woulde neuer cease till it ascended vp into the sight of God and filled all the space betweene heauen and earth And lastly as the building was not staied but by the confounding of their toongs so shall not sinne be staied but by confounding the soules of men The reasons of this doctrine are these First bicause they which consent to sinne and goe no farther are woorthie of death Rom 1. 32. So that it
Christ who hath deliuered vs frō wrath to come 1. Thes 1. 10. Christ hath deliuered vs from that wrath that condemned the angels that shooke the heauens that rendeth the earth that killeth the beasts and that tormenteth the wicked Oh what had our estate been without a Sauiour but this to vndergoe the intolerable wrath of God which burneth more then any fire which paineth more thē any death which smarteth more thē any torture which tasteth worse then any bitternesse smelleth worse then any filthinesse where a man and a diuel should for euermore be yoked togither this wrath hath Christ pacified from this damnation hath he redeemed vs But now if thou sinne againe make no account of the blood of Christ the wrath shall be seuen times hotter and thou seuen times more the childe of hell Againe seeing this is the estate of the damned how wretched is their estate which liue in danger therof euery hower of life being aliue they haue no peace and being dead they haue no ease they are borne in filthines they liue in wickednes they die in wretchednesse and damnation is their graue where the fire is their cradle the diuels are their nurses the Lord is their enemie endlesse torments are their rest wrath without remedie is their meate Oh let this make good men desire to forsake this life and let it make euill men long to forsake their sinnes for their pleasurable life shall end in insufferable woes The xix Sermon Vers 12. Therefore also now saith the Lord Turne you vnto me with all your harts with fasting and with weeping and with mourning NOw at the length by the mercifull assistance of the holy Ghost haue wee finished the first part of our first diuision and are come vnto the last wherein the people are exhorted to repentance In this treatise following first of all the prophet sheweth them the manner of their repentance 12. 13. verses and secondly setteth downe certaine reasons to perswade them thereunto The manner of their repentance is either in action or in affection and it respecteth both the people and the priestes In affection as conuersion in hart and renting thereof in action as weeping fasting and mourning The reasons to mooue them hereunto are two first in respect of his nature vers 13. then of his works vers 14. That part which concerneth the priestes doth shew vs first how they should stirre vp the people and secondly how they should pray vers 15 16 17 thus much for the diuision In this that after all the before expressed iudgements the prophet nowe at the length commeth with the flat commandement and worde of God to cause them to bee conuerted Wee are first of all taught that except God giue the preaching of his worde with his heauie iudgements men can neuer bee amended by them Amos 4. 6 7 8. Let him thunder omnipotently let him shake the earth terribly let him darken the light fearefully let him curse the world iustly and multiply his punishments abundantly yet all this without the word of God cannot conuert a soule All this is plaine in the forenamed place of Amos wherein God telleth the people that he had giuen them scarcenesse of bread and no raine insomuch as two or three cities wandered vp and downe to drinke water hee sent blastings and mildeawes and great store of pestilence the yong men lay murdred their horses were taken away and noisom stinks smels infected them yet still God complained that they had not turned vnto him then he biddeth them be prepared to meete their maker So that it is euident that no crosse or iudgement can work repentance The experience hereof is to be seen in our times wherein haue been as great signes and as many woonders as in any place of the worlde beside great thunders feareful earth-quakes terrible darknes mortal pestilence pining famines yet who is conuerted by thē great men are made richer mean men are made poorer poore men are made beggers yet who considereth this The waters haue drowned vs the wars haue deuoured vs want hath afflicted vs and yet still we are as heard harted as wickedly affected and as stiffenecked as euer wee were insomuch as if the whole world were in an vprore our whole land vpon hir death bed well we might complaine but hardly repent The reasons of this doctrine may be these First bicause the Lord sendeth iudgements to take reuenge and not to worke repentance Deuter. 32. 41. The halter is not put on the the eues necke to conuert him but to punish him as Agar was expelled out of Abrahams house not to reclaime hir but to torment hir And here we may learne the end of all the Lordes iudgements which is to take vengeance on our euill liues what is our estate seeing wee are vnder the reuenging hande of God one while our desires are plagued another while our appetites are molested and continually is our life threatened with a longer calamitie But some will saie shall wee not bee repentant during our crosses and aduersitie Oh yes my deere brethren for we haue the worde as well as the rod and therefore we must be instructed by the one as wee are corrected by the other our punishment is a light vengeance but our profession is a great comfort yet we are but as it were led to execution and therefore wee must repent with speede before death catch our soules as dearth hath done our bodies Another reason is bicause the word is of more force then any iudgement whatsoeuer for the conuersion of a sinner is a worke of more value then the destruction of a worlde man was lost by an apple but it cost more to redeeme their soules Is not my worde like fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone Ierem. 23. 29. and the worde of God is life and liuely in operation Heb. 4. 10. sharper then a sworde lighter then the sunne and heauier then the earth The which thing doth mightily magnifie the worde preached and the publike ministerie thereof being attended by the angels accompanied with the spirit and reuerenced in the church The angell was honorable that slew so many thousands of Saneheribs armie Esay 37. for it was a great iudgement but the ministerie of the worde hath droue more diuels out of the worlde then it slewe or draue Assyrians out of Israell And heereby let vs learne what account we are to make of the worde of God Wee feare drowning in the seas burning on the lande robbing in our iourneies and euery ioint in our body is subiect to many easelesse paines but let vs more earnestly feare the worde of God for those hurt vs when wee feele them and see them but this will harme vs when wee neither feele norsee it they afflict vs but this instructeth vs they punish vs but this doth acquite vs they bring vs the heauie newes of condemnation but this bringeth the
glad newes of life euerlasting By iudgements we are blinded but by the Gospell we are enlightened by iudgements wee are endangered by the Gospell we are defended and to conclude they threaten our liues but the worde threatneth our soules Make much of the word in thy health for beleeue me sicknes cannot so prepare thee for the Lorde as the worde can bee conuerted by it for thou seest all other meanes faile for miracles doe make vs woonder and this maketh vs repent therefore either make this thy ioy or God shall make them thy sorrowe What then will some say this is a strange doctrine do not sorrowes and earthquakes and other fearefull thinges turne vs to the Lorde then we will not make any account of these thinges To whom I answere that if they doe so they doe that which will vndoo them shall the scholler neuercare for the rod bicause it cannot teach him but correct him and shall wee set light by the Lordes iudgementes bicause they cannot conuert vs no no they must keepe vs in obedience although they cannot beget vs to obedience they must reforme vs although they cannot turne vs. Dauid said Psal 119. when I see thy iudgements I am astonied and afraide and so must all the elect children of God vse the iudgements of God to continue them in the feare of God and to keepe their natures from being ouerproude Yea let vs tremble and quake as the earth doth let vs weepe and mourne as the aire doth when wee see the wrath of God the sunne cannot then shewe her face she is so dazeled with his brightnesse how shall men farre inferiour to her in glorie bee carelesse of his anger And although I haue said that we are but yet leading vnto execution let vs yet feare most greeuously least the wrath of God be encreased on vs for wee knowe not how soone we shall be consumed with what calamities we shall bee troubled and with what maner of death we shall be crucified Therfore let vs feare the works of God that we neede not feele them let vs be warned by them that we be not confounded by them and aboue all things let vs cast away that prophanenes that calleth for heauen and earth to take vengeance on vs. Secondly we may obserue in this verse when hee saith thus saith the Lord that if the Lorde worke not repentance in vs we shall neuer haue it while the world standeth we may weepe out our eies rip vp our breastes rend asunder our harts and satisfie for our iniuries but if the Lord worke not repentance in vs then all is lost For this cause 2. Tim. 2. 25. Paul instructeth him with meekenes to instruct those which were cōtrarie minded waiting if at any time God would giue them repentance vnto life Indeede I graunt that men may haue a kinde of repentance as Iudas had Matt. 27. 6. when hee sawe Christ condemned hee repented and went and hung vp himselfe but to haue repentance vnto life Act. 11. 18. as the church speaketh it is a speciall and woorthy worke of God And in these daies may this point be very profitably vrged wherein men are so carelesse in liuing and so wretched in sinning as if repentance were pinned on their sleeues or lay in their pockets to pull out and in at their pleasure but let them beware be warned that if they wil be saued they must seeke it at the hands of God Is repentance so easie that you can haue it at your wish indeede you may haue it but you cannot doe it Imagine in thy presence a man or woman possessed with a diuel trie thy cunning cast him forth I know your answer you wil say you cannot because you can worke no miracles so agame say I that you cannot haue repentance of your selues for it is a casting of the diuel out of your souls the which none can do but by the finger of God Repentance is not to wring out a teare or to breath out a sigh or to lift vp an ey vnto heauē or to say I am sorrie for my sins but it must fil all a mans life with weeping sighing praying cōfessing amending the which commeth frō God only The first reason of this doctrine is because with repentance goeth remissiō of sins Act. 5. 31. therefore we may as wel say that they can pardō their own sins as they say they can repent whē they list And this must needs mightily discourage vs frō sinning seeing we may cōmit that in one minute which we can neuer claw off so long as we liue Again how sweet is this consideration that remission of sins is ioined with repentance We knowe what great vile sinnes we haue committed but we knowe not will some say how or when they were pardoned Vnto whom I answere that they haue beene so long pardoned as they haue repented and they haue as many witnesses and seales of their remission as they haue weeping teares sighing sobs and wounded affections for them in the presence of God Another reason is as it is the worke of God to harden mens harts Iohn 12. 40. so it must needes be the worke of God to soften the hart But some will say how can the Lord punish men for not repenting when he denieth them repentance and how can he damne them for harde hearts when hee hath hardened them I answere an harde heart and an ill life doe not simply condemne a man but delight in them and negligence to bee deliuered from them good men are tormented with hardnesse of hart but they lament it euill men are perplexed with it they reioice in it God is saide to make hard harts but not euill harts and so to make hard harts that men may know and acknowledge that soft harts come from his workehouse so then God hardeneth but men delight in it and they are condemned not for sin but for delight in sinne Wouldest thou then knowe whether thy hart hath beene new wrought in the Lordes moulde then looke and see how thou louest sinne but thou findest thy hart harde then looke againe howe thou art pleased with this hardnes if thou like it thy hart is damnable but if thou loath it thy state is tollerable The first vse wee are to make of this doctrine is this seeing the Lorde hath the working of repentance in vs then let vs praie euerie day to his maiestie for the same Lament 5. 21. So doe the faithfull when they say Turne vs vnto thee O Lorde and wee shall be turned returne vs as of old This is the dutie of all those that haue any care of their soules health Art thou heauie in thy heart and feelest a dulnes in thy soule vnto goodnes but a nimblenes vnto euill when thou knowest thou dost those things which displease the Lord and trouble thy conscience then enter into thy soule and humble thy selfe by praier lift vp thy voice to heauen
and speake for thy conuersion Seest thou not the danger of life worse then death so long as thou liuest in an vnrepentant state there is but a little aire twixt thee and death there is but a little time twixt thee and hell Repentance is the Lordes gift and he giueth it to them that aske it I dare be bolde to saie that of all suites commenced before God this was neuer denied and if thou haue any minde to bee saued praie that thou maiest be conuerted Art thou dissolute in life and resolute in vanitie yet hearing some sermons of death and fearing some iudgements for thy sinnes wouldest willingly wish that thou couldest doe better and dost thou sometime wring out teares to see the preacher so earnest and yet by no meanes thou canst reforme thy life then commune with thy soule and praie to the Lorde that thou maiest so liue as hee hath taught and so die as thou shalt wish Praie I say not onely in companie but secretlie not for a season but continually not with an indifferent minde but with an earnest affection and then I assure thee drunkennes shall not drowne thee couetousnes shall not preuaile with thee pride shall not deface thee whoredom shall not vndoe thee stealing shall not shame thee the worlde shall not deceiue thee nor the flesh shall euer condemne thee Another vse is this seeing wee must aske repentance of God we must needes know our sinnes before we can repent them Ierem 3. 13. So then if thou wouldest praie most earnestly for thy conuersion and bring all thy euidence into the Lordes sight that hee might pronounce sentence on thy side thou must not come with general words say I am a sinner as other men are I haue liued sinfully as my neighbours haue done and I knowe I haue offended thy maiestie greeuously But thou must knowe thy sinnes thou must account them to knowe the number so neere as thou canst possible thou must weigh them vprightly fee which were directly against God and which were against thy neighbour thou must aggrauate them mightilie and make them as heinous as the greatest thou must condemne thy selfe open thy whole soule and abhor thy owne life Then shalt thou knowe thy sinnes that their number is infinite their rewarde is damnation that their power is execrable that their presence is intollerable Tell them as a couetousmā doth his siluer look on them as the husbandman doth his furrowe consider them as the carrier doth his loade condemne them as the iudge doth the theefe pray against them as a marriner against a storme fight against them as a souldier against an enimie accuse them as a lawyer doth his aduersarie and forsake them as a lambe doth a lyon Then shalt thou knowe that one sinne is woorth a soule that one drop of mercy is worth a world and that true repentance hath winges to beare thee vp to heauen If the preacher tell thee thy sinnes then knowe them if the lawe tell thee them then remember them if thy conscience accuse them then repent them if thy brother rebuke them then euer after loue him if the church reprooue then yeelde vnto it and if thy enimie cast them at thee yet receiue it for this will make thee know them and if thou know them thou wilt pray against them and if thou praie against them thou wilt repent them Turne you vnto me By this sentence wee may obserue that God neuer regardeth any of our sufferings or crosses till wee be repentant Or more plainly be it that our houses are burned our children murthered our inheritances remooued and our owne liues tormented yet all this doth not appease his wrath except wee adde contrition the which thing the prophet insinuateth when hee maketh this conclusion vpon all the former iudgements Therefore nowe saith the Lorde turne vnto me c. As if hee had vsed more wordes saying you O people haue had your land wasted with beastes your liues pined with famine your cattle mourning for foode the heauens obscured with darknes the earth quaking to trouble you and terrible thunders roaring to disquiet you yet for all this is not the Lord contented with you except you be repentant The selfe-same thing may wee see Esay 57 3 4 5. where the Lorde telleth them that it was not their fasting and sorrowes that he regarded but their vnfeined conuersion As a father hauing an euill sonne is not pleased with him bicause hee is whipped openly in the streetes or imprisoned and so arraigned for his follie except he bee repentant euen so is it with the Lorde hee regardeth not the punishment saith Augustine but the person that suffereth It is not our sufferings voluntarie or inuoluntarie our sicknes warre famine pouertie or bloud that can satisfie the Lord or saue our soules insomuch as after thou hast endured harde fits wicked slanders wrongfull oppressions many hungrie daies manie sharpe stripes and many dangers of death yet for all this without the ornaments of a christian thou are neuer the neerer to God Some will saie this is harde meate to be digested that the Lorde is not pleased nor pacified although hee punish vs why are not all these sufferinges the punishments of sinne and when wee are punished heere is not the Lorde too rigorous to punish vs also hereafter I answere wee suffer for our sinnes but not to satisfie for our sinnes for the rewarde of sinne is death euerlasting and all miseries which may bring vs to our ende Therefore excuse not your selues for pouertie or sicknes or famine or labour or slauerie or seruice or anie other crosse for a man may haue all this and yet bee a cast away The first reason heereof is Matth. 24. 8. That all the sufferinges of this life are but the beginning of sorrowes they are not one quarter of that vengeance which the Lord will take for our sinnes except we repent Oh consider the intollerable hande of the Lordes wrath which regardeth not our bloude nor woulde looke on a burnt sacrifice made of a whole nation and yet regardeth the broken harts cast down soules what are the plagues in the worlde to come and the wages of sinne in another life if heere wee may haue a pining sicknes a despised life an easelesse heart and an endlesse feare one man neuer lyeth in bed another neuer eateth bread another neuer liueth merrie day som lie tormented in a burning fire some bed-redden with the gout some tormented with a collicke some scalded to death some cut in peeces inchmeale some are put into furnaces of burning lead and yet all these are but the beginning of sorrowes and without repentance if it were possible for one man to endure all yet afterwarde he might goe to hell fire Another reason is bicause the sufferings of this life are alike common to good and bad vncircumcised and the people of God Ezec. 32. 28. Although God chasten euerie one that hee loueth yet he