the hope of his kingdome that they might be pricked forewardes to bring vnto him that acceptable sacrifice of a sorowfull spirite and broken hearte Psal 51. 17. which hee at no time will despise but hath bounde him selfe by promise that at what time soeuer any do come vnto him which are ouer burdened Mat. 11 28. with the sight of their sinnes they shall finde refreshing here you see also the trueth of this doctrine verified that the Lorde doth first wounde before he maketh whole hee firste Osce 61. humbleth before hee doeth exaulte bee bringeth dovvne to Hell beefore 1 Sam. 2. 6. hee raiseth vppe to Heauen And to conclude hee maketh vs to see our miserie before he will bestow vpon vs his mercy for to whom is meat most sauery but to hun that is moste hungrie to whome is liberty most delightfull but to him which is in the most miserablest bondage and to whom is life most sweete but to him that is in the greatest danger of death For offer liberty to such a one as is freâ— from boÌ„dage or life to him that is in no daÌ„ger of death and they will laugh thee to scorne but goe to some prison and offer liberty to him that hath hen long in chaines and life vnto him that is already iudged to die and thou shalt sée how thaÌ„kfully he will receiue thy proffer and how mindefull he will be of the same A similitude very fit to teach vs for what cause the Lord doeth thus deale with his children in humbling of them to the ende that they may praise him in trueth for deliuering them out of such wonderfull miserie and neuer be vnmindefull of so great a benefitte In this sense it was sayde of Marye MagdaleÌ„ that she loued much because many sinnes were forgiuen her For who amongst the children of women was there euer foundâ— to be a more greuouser sinner then she which was Make 16. â— Luke 8. 2. a common harlot and had â—â—ueÌ„ deuils rast out of her that is to say a greate many we know not the number and who againe was there euer founde to shew fooâ—th yâ— like affection of loue vnto our lauiour Christ as she did after she perceiued that these greate sinnes were forgiuen her and she redeemed Iohn 12. â— from the danger therof for she washed his feeâ—e with her teares and wyped them with the heire of her head In this sense also it is saâ—d of the Apostle saint Paul that hee laboured more aboundantly then all the reste of the Apostles and what moued him so to do euen this because hee perceiued that many and grieuous sinnes were forgiuen him What theâ—â— shall wee sin much that we may loue and laboure much God forbid The holy Ghoste hath no such meaninge neither is it saide that they loued and laboured much because they had sinned much but because many sinnes were so giuen them There is none of vs all but doe commit many and grieuous sins and the more wee doe commit the worse we are to be liked for the lesse doe we loue and the lesse also is our labour in the waies of Godlines but if wee were come vnto this steppe that wee did clearelie see these sinnes and were perfectlie humbled and wearied with the burden of them hungring and thirsting for easement there is no doubt but that wee should quickly perceiue and feele the great loue of God towardes vs in pardoning and forgiuing all these our sinnes whiche we haue committed against him and so by that meanes wee also might bee draweÌ„ with Mary and Paule to loue and labour much because many sins are forgiuen vs. But before wee can haue faith to beleeue and strength to feele that many sinnes are forgiuen vs we must first learne to knowe feele both that wee haue committed many sinnes yeÌ„a that we doe nothing els but sinne and to the ende that we may vnfainedly bee brought vnto the knowledge therof the best meane or way that we can vse is this eueÌ„ so set the purenes and seuerity of the law as it is in it selfe without Christ against our own affectons vntill such time as we be euen plunged into nothing and perfectly huÌ„bled therby for this is the office of it to this end it was ordayned The vse of thâ— Lawe First to reueale vnto vs our sins as it is very plainly declared in yâ— eâ—â—stle to yâ— Romanes where it is writteÌ„ by yâ— lawe shall no flesh be iustified in Rom. 3. 20. his fight for by it coÌ„meth the knowledge of sin againe the lavve causeth Rom. 4. 15. vvrath for vvhere no lavve is there is no traÌ„sgressioÌ„ that is to say there is no traÌ„sgressioÌ„ knoweÌ„ according to yâ— which yâ— Apostle speaketh in another place where hee vseth these words I had not knovveÌ„ sin but by Rom. 7. â— the lavv for I had not knovveÌ„ that lust had beene sin except the lavve had said thou shalt not lust so thâ—n hereby you may eastly perceiue yâ— the first office of the lawe is to reueale or make knoweÌ„ vnto vs our sinnes Secondlie it goeth forwardes and maketh vs to bee out of measure sinnefull For to this ende the lavve Rom. 5. 20. entered that sinne might abounde And after this sorte the Apostle reasoneth in another place where hee hath these wordes Sinne tooke occasion Rom. 7. 13. by the commandement and deceiued me and thereby slew me wherfore the lawe is holie and the commandement is holie and iust and good Was that theÌ„ which is good made death vnto me God forbid but sin that it might appeare sin wrought death in me by that which is good that sinne might be out of measure sinnefull by the commandement And thus you see how the Lawe doeth proceede not onely in reueiling vnto vs our sinnes but also in making vs out of measure sinnefull not onely in be wraying the corruptions of oure workes but also of our wordes and not of our wordes and works alone but also of our thoughts not in condemning some iustifyinge the rest but in vtterly reiecting of all If there haue been but one thought in all our life time out of square and admitte it to be so that we were free froÌ„ sinne both in worde work thought yet the sâ—ueritie of the Lawe is suche that it wholy depriueth vs of all hope of life because wee were borne in sinne and hauing thus bewrayed in vs such a huge heape of corruptions whereby we perceyue our selues to be aboue measure sinfull yea nothing els but a masse and lumpe of sinne doth it leaue vs so noe but then it proceedeth in setting before our eyes the iudgmentes of God for the same threatning condemning and cursing vs for not fulfillinge that in euery poynt which we are not able to performe in one of the least poyntes therof Deut. 28. 16. 1 13 c. pronouncing vs To be cursed in the field cursed in the towne
cursed in our basket and store cursed in our houses and in the fruite of our â—wne bodies cursed in al yâ— we take in hand yea and that which is worst of all cursed in our selues with an euerlasting curse from the presence of God who is become vnto vs a terible and stâ—rce iudge from whose face we shall destrethe hils mountaines to fall vpoÌ„ vs and hide vs thundring out heauy feareful threatnings against vs. That Osee â—3 7. 8 he will be vnto euery sinner as a verie lyon as a leoparde in the waie of asâ—hur he wil meet theÌ„ as a she beare that is robbed of her whelpes will breake the verie gall of their hearts he Iere. â— 14. Psalm 11. 9. wil be vnto theÌ„ as a deuouring flame wil raine snares vpoÌ„ their heads fier brimstone stormy teÌ„mpest this shal be the portion of their cup. For euerie Psalm 9. 17. sinner must be cast into hel all nations that forget God head taile roote braÌ„ch not one exeÌ„pted for the reward of sin is death we are al sinners therfore by yâ— law we are al condeÌ„ned we are all vnder yâ— curse the boÌ„dstaues of satan and fire brands of hel Thus yâ— law proceedeth in plunging vs deeper déeper into yâ— pit of sorrow where we can finde no gâ—â—ud for wheÌ„ it hath shewed vnto vs our sins and yâ— vnmeasurablenes of yâ— same with the mâ—gmeÌ„ts heaueÌ„ly plagues of God to be executed vpoÌ„ theÌ„ then eÌ„tereth yâ— fourth 〈◊〉 4. office of the Law of yâ— law which is horror feare 〈◊〉 weeping wringing of haÌ„dâ— c. as it hath bene before made plaine vnto vs by a similitude very pleÌ„tifully proued also out of yâ— scriptures yâ— the children of God 〈◊〉 bene subiect vnto these passioÌ„s of yâ— minde body before they could come vnto the hope of his kingdome therfore lesse may 5. Office of the Lawe be spoken of it now wil theÌ„ the last office of the law is that it seÌ„dâ—th vs vnto christ as yâ— Apostle witnesseth Christ is the end Rom. 10. of the Law for righteousnesse vnto all that beleue and againe The law is our Calat 3. â— schole master to bring vs vnto Christ that we may be made righteous by faith So theÌ„ hereby it is plaine that yâ— last office of yâ— law is to send vs vnto Christ and marke it for a special point yâ— it is the last office therof not yâ— fiâ—st for the â—aw must of necessitie proceed vpoÌ„ vs by these steps before repeated yâ— we may be as it were killed in our selues from all hope of fleshly righteousnes before we can be prepared to receyue yâ— life which is by Christ So theÌ„ hereby you see yâ— the lord in coÌ„uerting of a soule doth eueÌ„ work a miracle â— raise them which are dead to life againe and therfore they do abuse yâ— gospel which wil presume vpoÌ„ yâ— coÌ„forts therof before such time as yâ— law hath thus huÌ„bled theÌ„ for most certaine it is that they which so deale do deceiue theÌ„ selues to yâ— eÌ„crease of pride security For as the law wtout the gospel driueth to dispaire so in like maner yâ— gospel wtout the law maketh vs to presinne therfore of necessitie both worke together but yâ— law hath the first place for vntil such time as yâ— law hath done â—is office in huÌ„bling of vs yâ— gospel caÌ„ not profit neyther yet doth the same appertaine vnto vs no more then a plaister or pleasant healing salue doth belong vnto that wound which is full of corruption and rottennesse euen to the bone for you know that vnto such a wouÌ„d there belongeth first knyues and launâ—ors to open the same and then sharpe and bitter salue to drawe out the corruption and eate out the deade fleshe thereof before there come any healing plaister neere it the nature wherof is to close vp and skinne the vpper parte of the wounde and clense all the corruption and deade flesh within which afterward breede to great inconuenience and make the wounde far more daungerous EueÌ„ so it fareth with all those which are wounded with the venemous dart of selfe loue which wound beinge choaked with the corruption and deade fleshe of couetousnesse and pride and yet will vse no other medicine for the curing thereof then that pleasante healinge salue of the Gospell which if they knewe in trueth howe litle the same did proâ—â—â—te them before such time as the sharpe launcinge knife of Gods Lawe had opened the wounde and the bitter salues of his iudgementes and sharpe threatninges eaten out the rottennesse thereof they would goe an other waye to worke and vse a more sounder dyet for the obtayninge of health although it bee verie tedious and sharpe at the first Surely it is very lamentable to behold the grosse blindnesse and securitie of our age for the most parte of vs nay almost euery one doe thinke that christianitie doth wholy rest in an outward shewe of wordes and therefore if wee canne come to the vnderstandinge of some places of the scripture whereby we may bee able to define and prooue what faith is and the obiecte vpon whome the same taketh holde we thinke it to be such a perfection as we neede goe no further and that there can be no better Christians in the worlde then we our seluâ—s are although there be no more remorse of conscience for sinne in vs then there is in a blind beast But alasse let vs thinke or knowe as much as we will or can in this sorte and let other men which be as blinde as wee our selues are praise vs for our knowledge as much as they list yet al this wil stand for no paymeÌ„t before the Lord nor bringe one sparkell of warrant vnto our soules whereby we may assure our selues to be in his fauour who onely looketh vpon a troubled soule which is humbled with the sight of his sinnes and Psal 51. Esai â—6 2 hath promised to power his Spirit vpoÌ„ those that tremble at his worde Therefore if thou wilt make a true examination of thine estate between God and thee whether thy faith towardes him be vntayned or not prooue not the foundation thereof by thy knowledge how much or whom thou doest knowe but rather by the feare howe much or whome thou doest feare For in trueth there is neyther knowledge nor faith except the beginninge thereof bee feare as it is manifest in diuers places of the prouerbes The feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisdome By wisdome in that place is meante all things that belonâ—e vnto the knowledge saluation of a Christian man and yet here you see that yâ— holy Ghost sheweth in plaine wordes that the feare of the Lord is the beginninge of â—t and who knoweth not that faith is the chiefest and onely thinge which belongeth vnto euery Christian for the attayning of saluation therefore the beginning of faith
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