reward of eternall glorie in the heauens but also cast themselues into a double calamitie the one in depriuing themselues of eternall glorie the other in destroying their worldly estate for if their riches doe stand and continue with them for their owne life which sundrie times falleth out otherwise because God doth accurse riches so gotten yet do their children scatter and consume them at least within a few generations as dayly experience sheweth in a number and so you may see their double miserie Well may some man say doth not this make for the Popish doctrine of merite and iustification by mens owne workes when aâ— men deedes to the poore doe lay vp in store a good foundation against the time to come tâ—â—t they may attaine eternall life when bouÌ„tifull giuing doth make bagges full of treasure which shall neuer wax olde and when compassion to the needie doth make friendes that shall receiue vs into euerlasting habitations are not men then iustified by these their works or doe not their good deedes deserue or merite eternall glorie These good workes are the testimonies of a true liuely and iustifying faith being plenteously and rightly done they shew that the doer is a liuely member of Christ Iesus who is our righteousnesse 1. Cor. 1. being led by his spirite And touching merites of workes there bee no deedes so excellent as that they can deserue so great glorie so great reward is of the meere mercie and froÌ„ the free grace of God who hath promised such reward vnto good workes This foundation against the time to come these bagges that neuer waxe olde and the friendes that wee must make by almes deedes are all such workes of mercie as doe testifie a true and liuely faith being the vnseperable fruites thereof which God will plentifully reward with glorie and immortalitie The doers of these being not forgetful hearers but doers of the worke shall as the holy Ghost saith be blessed in their deede 〈…〉 It may be here demanded seeing works do not iustifie before God but are the fruites of those which are iustified Christ being our righteousnes when we haue the full pardon of 〈◊〉 sinnes in his bloud and are clothed with 〈◊〉 obedience imputed vnto vs whether men shall haue the greater glory according to the greatnes and multitude of their good workes I answere that according to the measure of Faith which a man hath so are his works the greater his faith and his works be the greater shall be his rewarde in glorie If this were not so how should S. Paule say They which sow sparingly shall reape sparingly and they which sow plenteously shall reape plenteously 2. Cor. 9. Yea howe should he say in this place that he woulde haue those that bee rich in this worlde charged to do good and to be rich in good works If there be not a more plenteous reward to the greater and more plenteous good workes how should any more theÌ„ others be said to be rich in them It is strange wonderful that rich meÌ„ can not be brought to see this and to vse their riches to their best aduantage but doe indeede let slip their happines They can willingly bestowe great cost in building faire houses it doth not grieue them to bestow very much also in gorgeous apparell and they recken not what they lay out in delicate fare both vpon themselues and vpon others that bee wealthie but to bestow a little more then ordinarie vppon those that be poore and in miserie is very greeâ—ouâ— because they doe account that to be lost or cast away whereas in verie deede there is nothing which can be laide out to anie great profite but that which is spent vpon the poore for houses apparel and meates doe perish with their vse they be transitory and vaine but the reward promised by the Lord is a treasure that shal neuer come vnto an end Those former do appertaine but vnto the satisfying of carnall lustes but mercie shewed to the needy heapeth vp glorie in the Heauens There is a verie great difference betweene these two but men are led by sense and not by sounde wisedome and that causeth them to make so bad a choice They feele the sweetnes of riches for the present time they are sure of those goodly pleasures which they enioy by them But to be rich in good workes and so to lay vp a good foundatioÌ„ against the time to come that they may attaine eternall life this is not perceiued by sense this they can not skil of and therefore they doe little trouble themselues about it At the day of iudgement this time to come shall be present and then this inuisible foundation shall be seene when Christ shall say to those on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherite the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was a hungred and ye gaue me meate I thirsted and you gaue me drinke I was a stranger and ye lodgedâ—â—â— I was naked and ye clothed me I was sicke and yeâ— visited me I was in prison and ye came vnto me Then shal the righteous answere him saying Lord wheÌ„ saw we thee an hungred fed thee or a thirst gaue thee drinke And wheÌ„ saw we thee a stranger and lodged thee or naked and clothed thee Or when sawe we thee sicke or in prison and came vnto thee And the king shall answere and say vnto them Verely I say vnto you in as much as ye haue done it vnto one of the least of these my brethren ye haue done it to me Math. 25. ver 34.35.36.37.38.39.40 And goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuil and his angels For I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate I thirsted and ye gaue me no drinke c. In as much as ye did iâ— not to the least of these ye did it not to me a wonderfull thing to see the blindnes in which men are Who doth not accompt it the most happie thing that can befall a man to giue to Christe when he is hungrie or thirstie or naked or sicke or in prison Againe who is he that will not confesse it to be a most vile wretchednes when a man doth set more by his riches then by relieuing Christe Now marke well are not all that beleeue the very members of Christes mysticall bodie Thou beholdest the poore that are sicke or lame thou seest poore fatherlesse childreÌ„ that pine and are readie to famish these for ought which thou knowest may be the true members of Iesus Christ If then thou doest neglect and despise them thou doest neglect and despise Christ Is not this a most cursed thing that any man should loue worldly trash euen for the filling of fleshly lustes more then he loueth God or Christ For if a man had any sparke of loâ—e in him vnto God he must needes loue Christe in his members he must needes loue his brother Whereupon Saint Iohn manifestly saith
created after his owne image and for whose vse also he made the world But how farre off are men from hauing this sure trust in the liuing God alas it is lamentable to speake They can see and they can feele riches but he is inuisible they can not see him yea but he hath giuen his word and his promise which is infallible It is vnpossible that God should lye or deceiue if they had the eyes of their minde but halfe as cleere as they haue their carnall eyes they might see this Some man will obiect that sundrie which haue trusted in the Lord haue bin very poore That is true the holie Scripture doth afford sundrie examples the Lord seeth it is best for them and men ought to rest in his will seeing he maketh pouertie a meane to bring them to glorie It will be said further such a trust in God or the pretense of such a trust may make men negligent and idle That is not so for true faith in God doth bring forth true obedience to his commandements and God doth forbid idlenes and negligence commanding men to vse all moderate care and diligence in their callings but that trusting in the liuing God draweth these vertues which follow in the text with it euen liberalitie and bountifulnes to the poore with facilitie of maners for that which is translated to communicate may be expounded of facilitie of maners for when men are puffed vp and be high minded because of the abundance of their riches in which they repose a vaine confidence their maners are rough and sterne they cannot liue in common societie they cannot as S. Paule in another place willeth make themselues equall to them of the lower sort but touching this vertue I meane to speake no more And while men trust in their riches making them the staffe and stay of their life and of their posteritie how is it possible that they should be liberall and rich in good works and readie to distribute will a man willinglie part with that which he doth repose his trust in and maketh it his god no pluck riches from a worldlie minded man and it is vnto him euen as if you should teare out his bowels for if he haue neuer so much yet he feareth he shall not haue inough to hold out If he distribute any thing to the poore it is by compulsion of the lawes or else that he is loath to be deemed too too miserable Doth not reason teach that the more is taken from the heape the lesse remaineth A great vessell with often drawing is emptied and made dry These be the thoughts of worldlie minded men which trust in riches but if they once forsake that their vaine confidence and fixe their hope in the liuing God hauing their eyes opened to behold how it is he that giueth all things abundantly to inioy then will they beleeue his word and promise that plenteous liberalitie ordered with godlie discretion shall not deminish but increase their very worldly substance What shall plentifull giuing increase riches to the giuer This may seeme a Paradox For what reason is it that dispersing and scatring abroad should increase a mans wealth He that doth shew mercie to the poore may as Saint Paule heere teacheth be rich in good workes but can he be the richer also in the world Can a man both keepe his goods and giue them away Yea that he may For do you not see how the husbandman doth in seede time disperse and scatter his seed yea euen burie it in the ground so that to mans reason but that we see it commeth otherwise to passe it would seeme to be cast away and vtterly lost and by the blessing of God he receiueth it againe ten fold yea often times a great deale more Yea but is the liberall distributing to the poore like the sowing of wheate or barley shall it also yeeld an increase if rich men were so perswaded they would fall to sowing apace Surely they might be so perswaded for the word of truth that can not lye doth tell them so Salomon in Ecclesiast chap. 11. saith thus Cast thy bread vpon the waters and after many dayes thou shalt finde it Giue a portion to seuen and also to eight seeing thou knowest not what euil shall come vpon the earth The scripture sometimes doth call seede bread because bread is made of it And Salomon willeth to cast this seed vpon the waters that is vpon groundes which are well watred and fertile Admonishing therby all rich men to be wise in imitating the husbandmen for as they make choise of good grounds to sow their corne to the end that in time they may receiue the greater increase so would he haue these to sow to disperse and sâ—â—ter their riches by almes deeds vpon the poâ—re the widow and the fatherlesse especiallie thâ— godlie poore that be as S. Paule saith of the houshold of faith for these be the well waâ—ed and fruiteful ground and after many dayes they shall finde it Such as do sow vpon this ground do sow vnto the Lord and by his singular blessing they shall receiue great increase The Prophet in Psal 112. setting forth the blessednes of the godlie man saith thus He hath dispersed abroad and giuen to the poore and his righteousnes remaineth for euer Now marke how S. Paule doth applie this saying of the Prophet 2. Cor. 5. for perswading them to be plenteous in liberalitie he vseth this comparison He that soweth sparinglie shall reape sparinglie and he that soweth bountifullie shall reape bountifullie All men do know that the Farmer which doth sow but a little seede must needes haue but a little haruest Euen so he sheweth that such as do sow but a little in almes-deedes and workes of charitie to the poore shall also haue a small haruest And then further to shew that the same haruest or reaping which he speaketh of is not only in the world to come or in the riches of good works but also in the blessing of God vpon their worldlie goods and to take away the doubt which men haue that if they giue liberally they mayâ— come to pouertie themselues he addeth And God is able to make you plentifull in all grace that 〈◊〉 alwayes hauing all sufficiencie in all things 〈◊〉 â—bâ—â—â—nd in euery good worke as it is written 〈◊〉 hâ—th dispersed abroad and giuen to the poore his righteousnes remaineth for euer We see then â—â—â—w S. Paule expoundeth this clause his righâ—â—â—â—snes to be his beneuolence or bouÌ„tifulnes in giuing a lines shall remaine for euer As if he should say the more lie doth scatter and disperse abroade the more God doth make his riches to abound and giueth him all sufficiencie then to sinfull that which is written that his â—â—bilitie to be liberall shall neuer faile And to confâ—â—de this yet further the holie Apostle vseth the similitude of the husbandman who by â—â—â—ing his seed doth receiue increase for thus â—e addeth in verse 10. Also
to admonish him it argueth that hee is deeply tainted with prophanesse himselfe He loueth not God hee loueth not aright his owne soule that careth not whither other men walke Therefore let the Pastors vse all their diligence to looke to their flock that prophanesse creepe not in among them Let euery man watch ouer his owne heart and conscience and take heede to himselfe yea let him not neglect his neighbour for this is an vndoubted thing that Satan laboureth to make men prophane and preuaileth much To be prophane is a most execrable thing as it doth appeare by the seueritie of Gods displeasure indignation against it expressed in the last part of this text but the most men doe not know what it is They doe vnderstand that it is taken in very euill part whē we say one is prophane they know it is a sore accusation but yet they can not tell the nature of the sinne or wherein prophanesse doeth consist In the seconde place therefore here i◠an example set down of a very prophane man and what his prophanesse was So that from hence wee may learne what the sinne is which the holy ghost warneth vs to take heede of The man propounded for an example vnto vs is Esau the elder sonne of Isaake the great Patriarke Wee are then warned to take heede that we be not like prophane Esau for if we be wee are sure to drinke of the same cup that hee did for God is no respecter of persons if he spared not him he will not spare thee if thou be found like him but wherin did he shew himselfe prophane He solde his birth right for one portion of meate Herein lyeth the matter this needeth exposition for by this wee shall see what prophanesse is God called Abraham from Vr of the Chaldeans he made his couenant with him that he would bee his God and the God of his seede and also that in his seede all the nations of the earth should be blessed In this is included that Christ the Sauiour of the worlde shoulde come of his seede Abraham begate Isaake of Sarah And vnto Isaake by the expresse commaundement of God willing Abraham to cast out the bond-woman and her sonne the blessing came For in that place he saith In Isaake shall thy seede be called Gen. 21. ver 12. Abraham therefore passed this blessing ouer not vnto Ismael his elder sonne but vnto his sonne Isaake Abraham being olde he tooke an oth of his seruant that he should goe into the land of his Natiuitie and from thence take a wife for his sonne Isaake He did bring Rebecca whom Isaake tooke to wife she was married vnto him twentie yeares before she had any childe For it is written that Isaake was fortie yeares olde when he married Gen 25. ver 20. And he was threescore yeares of age when Iaacob and Esau were borne as we reade in the same Chapter verse 26. For Rebecca being all that while barren Isaake praied to God for her and the Lord heard him and shee conceiued and the children straue in her wombe whereat shee was troubled and went to enquire of the Lorde touching the same Where answere was made vnto her by God two nations be in thy wombe and two peoples shall be seperated from thy wombe the one people shall be greater then the other people and the greater shall serue the lesser Esau was the first borne as we reade in that Chapter and so the birthright euen the heauenly blessing that God should be his God and Christ to come of his seede was by the ordinarie course of nature to be conueyed vnto him This blessing could bee passed ouer but vnto one of the two sonnes and Esau was the elder by birth But then Moses doeth proceede and shewerh how prophane this Esau was He saith that when they were growen vp Esau followed hunting Iaacob was a plaine man and dwelt in tents He dwelt with cattel that was the husbandry and trade of life which he followed Also that which we translate a plaine man is in the Hebrewe a man of simplicitie integritie vprightnes sinceritie or some dealing such an one was Iaacob Esau came wearie out of the fielde and Iaakob had made pottage and he requested that he would giue him some of them Iaacob answereth sell me then thy birthright Esau saide behold I am readie to die and what is the birthright to me Then Iaakob saide sweare vnto me and hee sware vnto him and sould his birthright to Iaakob And when Iaakob had giuen him bread and pottage hee eate and drunke rose vp and went his way and set light by or dispised the birthright Now may you perceiue wherein his prophanesse lay which God is so highly offended withall that he setteth so light by the heauenly blessing as that he would sell it for a messe of pottage Isaake had instructed them touching the promise Esau did knowe that the Sauiour of the worlde was promised with that birth-right hee is so earthly minded for this world and for his belly that he preferreth a little commoditie before it In a worde he made little account of spirituall graces and heauenly blessings in Christ or of that couenant which God had made with his grandfather Abraham who liued vntill he was fifteene yeeres olde so olde I say was Esau when Abraham dyed That couenant being now renewed with Isaake his father and that heauenlie blessing and grace of God in which Isaake most reioyced and fullie purposed in deede to conuey it ouer vnto Esau did hee nothing esteeeme Hee was then prophane because hee did esteeme and loue as a carnall worldling the base and transitorie thinges of this worlde more then the heauenly promise and blessing of GOD. You may now discerne what the sinne of prophanenesse is And so what it is which the holy Ghost warneth vs to beware of when he saith Let there be no prophane person as Esau But some man may obiecte howe can there be any like Esawe is there any birthright now or any such couenant and promise touching Christ to come If not how can this example of Esau be applied to vs can any be like him when there is not the matter wherein they may bee like I graunt that there is no birthright now as there was betweene Iacob and Esau or couenant touching Christ to come of their seede but yet the couenāt made with Abraham belongeth vnto vs as to haue this birthright to become the sonnes of the most high GOD through Christ the blessed seede to be heires of life euerlasting This is it which is set before vs and all such as doe set their hearts vpon carnall pleasures honors and riches of this world louing them and seeking after them more then after this heauenly blessing and grace of God in Christ delighting more in bellie-cheere then in the Gospell which is the glad tidings of saluation what are they but prophane persons euen like Esawe which made more account of
best that you can finde For are any more holy then the great Patriarks were And from some of Gods elect in al times great offences haue broken forth take heede that for some such particular faultes we iudge them not as men reiected of God or ouer seuerely iudge them wicked and vngodly And on the other part you shall see the very enemies of the Gospell sundrie of them which make a goodly shew in outward deedes they bee prophane as Esau and all the shew of their workes is nothing before God Well now to the seuerity of Gods wrath vpon Esau for that is the principall matter which we haue in hand He vvas reiected hee found no place for repentance though hee sought it with teares What is this Esau had the repulse when he came and vvould haue inherited the blessing and then seeking euen vvith teares to obtaine it Isaake could not bee moued to alter that which he had done there was no place to repent him and so to call it backe againe from Iaakob who had got it by sleight For now was Isaake stricken with an exceeding feare and euen as it were awaked out of the error of his natural affection and saw that the thing came of God for that Isaake cannot alter the thing he had done nor repente it proceedeth from God Marke then the seueritie of God Esau had set light by the birthright so prophane he was that he loued the life present more yet when he doth consider of it more aduisedlie 〈◊〉 iudgeth it to be a great thing and wisheth so earnestlie to haue it that when he saw it taken from him he cried out bitterlie and wept but his crying and his teares doe not moue God 〈◊〉 shew anie pittie or compassion towardes him Therein now lieth the matter For God laide a great terror vpon Isaake and held his minde that although he loued Esau dearely yet he saw now that he might not giue the blessing vnto him What was there in all the world which Isaake loued so tenderly as hee loued his sonne Esau How can it be then but he must needes be moued much with the dolefull crie that hee vttered and with those teares that hee shed Why was not his wrath kindled against Iaakob Why did he not call for him and tell him that as he had no meaning to blesse him so he would now reuoke it and bestowe the same where he did purpose yea and thought he had bestowed it All men may easily perceiue that this did proceede from the seueritie of Gods displeasure Isaak like an holy man as a godly father had carefully instructed his sonnes in the couenant shewed vnto theÌ„ what incoÌ„parable treasures of felicitie were included therein Iaakobs minde was inflamed with a burning desire thereof but Esau though he vnderstood the doctrine yet set little by it and that is the cause why God was so angrie with him If anie shall thinke was this so great a cause to moue the Lorde so to wrath that he would neuer forgiue him Iudge of it thus If a prince offer vnto a subiect great honour and it bee dispised will it not be hardlie taken Now when the king of kings dooth set before miserable sinfull men the high dignitie glorie and felicitie euen to become his sonnes and heires with Christ of the eternall kingdome and they esteeme baselie thereof how can he but be exceedingly displeased at such a prophane contempt Let vs not then maruaile that this prophane man is reiected but rather take heede to our selues least we be like him and so be forsaken of God as he was If he cried and wept and could not be heard surely if wee take not heede we may so highlie offend that when we crie and weepe we shall not be heard There can no heauier iudgement of God light vpon a man then this The summe as it were a botomlesse gulfe of al miseries plagues is contained in it as when a man shal cal and crie out bitterlie with teares for the blessing of God and partaking of life eternall and be reiected Here is a pitte to fall into heere is a daunger vnrecouerable yea heere is a state and condition which may make vs all to tremble and quake to come nigh it For if men will quake when they looke downe from the toppe of an high tower to the ground If when there is daunger of falling how much more are we to feare at this There a man may fall so high that he dashe in peeces vpon the ground and so be depriued of this natural life but here is the losse of life eternall and that with the sustaining of endles sorrowes It may be some will take it to be an hard collection to gather from this example of Esau who cried to his father with bâ—â—ter cryings to haue the blessing and also sought it with teares and was reiected that therefore men may call and crie to God and euen with sobbing teares craue pardon of their sinnes and yet not be heard Esau did not pray to God but sought the blessing at the handes of his father and shall a generall doctrine be drawne from a particular example I haue shewed before that the reiecting came from God farre was it from the naturall affection of Isaake so to haue reiected Esau if it had bene in his own power Also we may see that the holy ghost doth propound this example in one man for a generall doctrine euen this that such men as like Esau prophanely dispise the graces of God shall afterward crie bitterlie and weepe and call for the blessing of God and yet bee reiected of him And to speake the trueth the holy worde of God doth teach vs this onelie by the example of Esau but deliuereth it forth in flatte and plaine tearmes as a generall doctrine In the first Chapter of the Prouerbes Salomon bringeth in wisedome preaching and calling vpon men to receiue her instruction And then shee complaineth that they dispise her counsell so vttereth a terrible threatning that shee will laugh at their destruction and mocke when their feare commeth She saith they shall call vpon her but shee will not answere they shall seeke her earlie but shall not fâ—â—de her With many moe speeches there this matter is set forth Christ is that wisedome of the father which calleth there vnto men to returne vnto him to imbrace his lawes and holy doctrine offering all spirituall blessings in heauenlie thinges but men set light by his counsell they be addicted to the worlde to the vaine pleasures of sinne so with profane mindes dispise the heauenly giftes and graces This doth moue his indignation so farre that he saith he will be so farre from pittying them is their calamitie that he wil laugh at their destruction and mocke them in their feare and distresse Yea he sheweth plainelie that they will call vpon him for helpe but hee will not answere they shall also earlie seeke him but not finde him
Can any thing be more plaine then this do you not marke the reason Such as will not heare the Lord calling so earnestly to them offring so great kindnes he will not regard nor heare them when in their distresse they shall cry vnto him In the 28. chapter of the Prou. ver 9. it is written He that turneth away his earâ— fâ—â— hearing the lawe euen his prayer shall be abominable Is not this a most fearefull thing Is not thiâ— the same also in effect with that which is heeâ—â— spoken of Esau Then the doctrine is generall Let euery man then take heed to it God doesâ— now offer vnto vs grace hee hath sent vnto vs the word of reconciliation he openeth vnto vs the heauens calleth vs with an holy calling then take heede wee be not so prophane aâ—â—o set light by it for if we doe it may be that we shall afterwardes seeke it with teares and yet misse thereof Men cannot beleeue this therfore they liue dissolutely trusting that at their end they shall call to God for grace and so obtaine pardon O poore wretches if their prayer it selfe then be abominable wher is their help what shall become of them I pray you le◠〈◊〉 repeat it againe The Lord God doth call vpon men to turne vnto him from their wicked and sinfull wayes he promiseth to become their father as it is written in the Prophet and alleadged by the Apostle 2. Cor. 6. ver 17.18 Therefore come out froÌ„ among them saith the Lord and separate your selues and touch no vncleaâ— thing and I will receiue you and I wil be you father and you shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord God almighty and beeing sonnes they bee the heyres of God and fellow heires with Christ Rom. 8. Nowe while this dignitie and glory is propounded and set before them men prophanelie dispise the same they doe more esteeme a messe of pottage they satisfie their vaine lustes and carnall appetites they haue all threatnings in derision they will repent and cal for grace when age or sicknes shall take holde of them they hope to do euen as well then as the godliest of them all that liue vpon the earth Thus with Esau they fall to their pottage what care they for the birth-right Well sicknes comes terror of conscience ariseth from the sight remembrance of their sins in which they haue walked they must now come before the high Iudge they wish now that they had neuer committed such abominable and filthy vices where is their refuge onely in prayer They cry out with feare with horror and with teares And where are they then if this their prayer be abominable to God Ye see the place which I alleaged Prou. 28. Which telleth vs so They crie and call now vnto Christ and he doth mocke them and laugh at their destruction as he saith hee will Prou. 1. Doe you not see now what a wofull case these prophane men are in which now dispise the grace of God that the prayer and the repentance which they trust vnto is abominable This is hard will some man say For doe not they esteeme highly of Gods blessings which weepe and crie to haue it Againe doth not the Scripture teach that God will forgiue at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent hiâ—â— of his sinne Shall we say that they doe not repent which crie with teares to GOD for mercie To this I answere that Esau woulde faine haue had the blessing at the last but that doth not argue but that he was prophane Who is iâ— that woulde not willingly be saued Or who 〈◊〉 so prophane but that he would bee glad to escape from the damnation of hell And touching their crying with teares it is not true repentance no more then that in Esau He wepâ— not for any detestation of his prophanesse bâ—â— because he had lost the blessing Euen so these doe weepe and crie out not that they loath and hate the sinne by which they haue dishonoured GOD and defiled themselues but because their conscience doeth terrifie them with the losse of heauen and with thâ— feare and horror of hell O beloued learne to knowe true repentance least we bee seduced and caried awrie to destruction It will bee obiected further that the holy Scriptures doe testifie how some haue repented at their ende and haue beene saued as for example the theefe vppon the crosse And Christ in the Parable of the man that hired labourers into his Vineyarde doeth teach that some come at the eleauenth hower Most true it is that God alwayes hath and doth conuert some euen towarde the ende of their life when as they haue spent a long time in wickednesse for thereby the Lorde doth declare the riches of his mercie drawing men euen out of hell which of themselues would neuer haue returned But shall euerie man therefore presume that God will doe the same to him He doth open the eyes of some giuing them faith and repentance which haue liued in blindnesse and ignoraunce al their life will he therefore heare thee which hast for a great part of thy life yea it may bee euen from thine infancie beene taught and hast dispised the grace of GOD boldning thy selfe in sinfull wayes and saying thou wilt cal for mercie and pardon at thine ende Yea thou sayest that thou hast knowne many which haue liued verie wickedly which haue made as good an ende as the godliest calling euen to their last breath for mercie and for pardon Well Esau trust not to such kinde of repentance thinke not that such must needs be saued because they weepe and cry for pardon but heare what Christ hath spoken Maâ—â—â—e the seauenth Not euerie one that sayth vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but hee that doth the will of my 〈◊〉 which is in heauen Turne turne and doe the will of God while thou hast time 〈◊〉 godly life that so thou mayest maâ—e a godly and a happie ende Let vs call vpon God for this wisedome and grace The end of the third Sermon THE FOVRTH Sermon Romanes 6. 1 What shall we saye then shall we continue still in sin that grace may abound God forbid 2 How shall we that are dead to sin yet liue therein 3 Know yee not that all we which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptised into his death 4 We are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glorie of the Father so we should walke in newnesse of life 5 For if we bee grafted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection 6 Knowing this that our olde man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might bee destroyed that henceforth we should not serue sinne 7 For he that is dead is freed from sinne 8 Wherefore if we be dead with Christ we belieue that we shall