full of olde festered woundes you muste haue Corasiue Salues for that is the beste for you and the speediest way to recouer your healthe and for as muche as you bée rough Horses you muste haue a rough rider And harde knobbie timber must haue harde wedges and hard strokes with a béetle We preach the Lawe to driue you to Christe Wee preach Iudgementes to make you séeke Mercie Wée preach damnation to bring you to saluation But to preache Mercie and forgiuenesse before men see their sinnes or knowe their miseries by the preaching of the Lawe is to preach the Gospell vnprofitably For he that is ignorant of the Lawe knoweth not what misery is in himselfe nor what mercie is in God What father is there who if his childe should play the stubborne boy and disobey him in euery thing he commanded would stroke his heade and say hee were a good boy and not rather seuerely correcte him and whippe him with a rodde What master will commende his seruant for doing what he list and not what he commaundeth him euen so wee may not disobey and do euill and looke to he flattered too and not rather chidden Let vs know then that although God vse searing launcing corzing and searching of the bones and other violent remedies yet in the meane while hee procureth our health by them And let vs further vnderstand that forasmuche as there is none other meanes to drawe vs vnto saluation but by cleansing of al our vices and the same cleansing can not be done but by violence when we be warned by the doctrine of the Lawe so as our owne consciences accuse vs. Although we like well to be nowe and then flattered and soothed yet let vs séeke to be spoken vnto earnestly and to haue our faultes tolde vs and to be made ashamed of them and to haue our vnhonesty discouered not desire to be pleased For it were the next way to make vs rotte in our own filthines if we should holde it so in secret it would cost vs deare the setting on if wee shoulde be so flattered by men and in the meane season the heauenly Iudge shall thunder downe vppon vs. Therefore when anie man commeth to a Sermon let him first and formost make his reckoning to be rebuked as méete is and let him vnderstande that it is for his profit that he is not soothed And if he haue itching eares let him laye them awaye from him assuring himselfe that else he is foreclosed so as hée shall neuer receiue the doctrine to his profite and instruction And let him be content to haue his soares rubbed and bewraied that he may be brought to that which is for his welfare If a man please a sicke bodie what shall become of him shall hee giue him drinke euerie minute of an houre Shall he giue him wine whereas he should giue him water Shall hee giue him Sallets It were the nexte way to poyson him To bée shorte it is certayne that a man doeth alwayes seeke his owne death when hée would haue men to sooth him But nowe which is better eyther that hée whiche hath the ordering of a sicke man should yéelde to all his desires or that hée should bridle him notwithstanding that hee chafe and gnashe his teeth because he may not haue his owne will in his desires You see therefore how daungerous a thing it is to flatter and rayse vp men with the preaching of mercie before they haue bin cast downe with the sense of Gods Iudgements Cease therefore to open your mouthes to make hue and crie ouer the Countrey saying they preach nothing but the Law the Lawe damnation damnation vnlesse yée will take in Christ too and make him one of the number and accuse him of wante of wisedome because he preacheth cryeth out that whosoeuer repenteth not shalbe condemned For my part I preache the Gospell to whome the Gospell belongeth and the Law to whom the Lawe belongeth I preache Mercie to whom Mercie belongeth and Iudgement to whome Iudgement appertayneth And therefore holde your peace and be content to bee ruled by the wisedome of God But nowe let vs procéede to the third generall point which is the time when we shoulde Repent The holie Ghoste in the Scriptures pointeth vs to the present time and exhorteth vs to make that the time of our Repentaunce as Ioell 2. 12. Therefore also nowe the Lord sayeth turne you vnto mée with al your heart with fasting with weying and with mourning Likewise in the 3. Chap. to the Hebrues exhorte one another while it is called to daie leaste anie of you bée hardned through the deceiptfulnesse of sin And in the same Chapiter To day if you will heare his voice harden not your harts as in the prouocation So that now euen now eueÌ„ now is y e time of our Repentaunce Nowe whilest hée calleth now whilest he speaketh now whilest hee knocketh let vs now therefore heare let vs now therefore obey Let vs now therefore redeeme this daie this present Wednesday whiche haue foreslowed so manye dayes whiche haue so longe hardened our heartes which haue let so many good thinges run out and spill besides Let vs take vp this daie and make it the day of our repentaunce Although we coulde neuer bée moued with any Sermon hitherto yet let vs now be moued once at last Let vs now say this shall bee my day of Repentaunce I wil deferre it no longer But now wil I turne vnto my God and forsake all my former wicked waies and mine own imaginations I will now chaunge the course of my life and beginne all newe againe I will be acquainted with Gods woord and take counsell there how to doe and how to behaue my selfe in euery action I will not onely reforme my selfe but also my whole houshold Wife Children and Seruauntes according vnto the same Thus my deare Brethren I beséeche you purpose in your heartes without anye further delaye and bée not like to Epicures and slaâ—ckgraces whiche say youth will bee youthfull and youth will haue his course what should we make it so holy when we are young tushe there needs but a sigh an houre before death let vs be merrie nowe we shall neuer bee younger wée will Repent when wee are olde As though poore soules they had repentance in their sléeue and at their commandement and that they could repent when they liste No no these fellowes shall paye for their presumption For God will giue them ouer to hardenes of hearte and impenitencie because they tooke so muche vppon them and made so long delaies that in the mean season they might enioye the profites and pleasures of sinne Therefore good brethren let vs not put it off from day to day but let vs nowe séeke the Lord whilest hée maie bée found and cal vppon him whilest hée is néere let vs take time while time is for time and tyde tarrieth for no man Let vs knowe this to bée the time of our
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
visitation Our Sauiour Christe wepte ouer Ierusalem because they knew not the time of their visitation Hée reproueth the Iewes because they coulde discerne the face of the Skye but could not discerne the signes of the times And surely in the ende it will turne to our destruction if wée will not knowe this to bee the daie of mercie the time of Grace wherein God stretcheth foorth his hande vnto vs and wisedome crieth out in the stréetes Therefore nowe whilest wée haue the light let vs walke as children of the light the nighte commeth when no manne can woorke It shall be too late to call for mercie after this life when the gates of mercy are shut vp and Repentaunce will bée too late Oh deare christians let vs remember the fiue foolishe Virgins whiche because they forslowed the time had heauen gates barred vp against them Let vs also remēber the fearefull dolefull example of the riche Glutton which beeing in Hell torments yelled and yelped for the least ease and help that might be and could not haue it An hundred thousande times therefore better it is for vs to leaue our sinnes now to mourne for them now and now to Repente then hereafter alas when it shall be too late Better nowe a great deale to take some paine to strayne our selues to leaue our sinnes and to make our hearte smarte for them then to bee condemned for euer and to cry in the bottome of Hell we haue wearied our selues in the way of wickednesse and Destruction and wee haue gone through daungerous waies But we haue not knowen the way of the Lorde What hath pride profited vs Or what profite hath the Pompe of riches brought vs All these thinges are possed awaie like a shadowe and as a Paste that passeth by We haue set our selues against the children of God we had them in derision and in a parable of reproch Wée fooles thought their life madnesse and their ende without honour but loe they are counted emongst the children of God and their portion is emonge the Sainctes Therefore let vs knowe the tyme of our calling and let vs not be worse thē the foules of the ayre the Storke knoweth her appointed tyme the Turtle the Crane and the Swallowe obserue the time of their comming The Husbandman taketh his times The Mariner watcheth his tide Therefore let vs also take the time turne vnto the Lorde whilest it is saide to day which grace God graunt vs. Nowe let vs returne vnto the fourth pointe concerning the causes which may moue vs vnto Repentance Herein I haue obserued nine especiall thinges First the great mercie of God leadeth vs vnto Repentaunce As Rom. 2. The bountifulnesse of God leadeth vs vnto Repentance sayth the Apostle God doth continually followe vs with his mercies and benefites both concerning our soules bodies wée haue no good thinge which wee haue not receyued at his hands we hold all that we haue of him and to him wee are beholding for all Great is his mercie towarde our bodies but much greater towardes our soules and euerie mercie and benefit eyther towarde soule or body calleth vs to repenaunce Hée giueth vs meate drinke and clothing these call vs to repentaunce Hée kéepeth vs at his owne costes and charges here below this calleth vs to Repentance the Sunne the Moone and the Starres calleth vs to Repentance The birdes of the ayre the fishes of the Sea the fruites of the yearth crie out vpon vs both loude and shrill Repent repent All creatures mooue vs to Repentaunce Our creation calleth our redemption crieth our sanctification knocketh and our Election mooueth to Repentaunce What could God do more for his vineyard y ◠he hath not done Therefore let vs repent Secondly the iudgements of God moue vs vnto repentance for al y e thunderbolts plagues and punishments which God hath throwen downe vppon obstinate sinners from the beginning of y e world are so manie warning péeces vnto vs to awake vs out of the dead sléepe of sinne to prick vs to Repentaunce As in the 1. Cor. 10. When the Apostle hath cited diuers greate iudgementes of God against the olde Israelites for diuers sinnes he concludeth now all these things came vnto them for examples and were writtē to admonishe vs vppon whome the endes of the worlde are come So that all the Iudgementes wee reade of in the Scriptures are so many admonitions and as it were carteropes to drawe vs to Repentaunce All the iudgementes we haue read of heard of do sée and heare of euery day knocke with mayn strokes beate downe right vpon our consciences to repentance The vgly monsters straunge byrthes fiery constellations vnknowen Cometes sodaine deathes marueilous droughtes vnwonted snowes horrible inundations forraine wonders straunge apparitions threatning of heauen aboue w e streaming and shooting fire trembling of the earth vnder our féete and our houses ouer our heades as of late dayes What are al these but as it were great Cranes with beams and Cable Ropes to drawe vs vp to the Lord by Repentance Thirdly the word of God haleth vs to repentance For as God in olde time sent his Prophets both early and late to call the rebellious Iewes to Repentaunce so he sendeth abroad his preachers and messengers in those daies to sounde vp the trumpe of his word to ring the swéet bel of Aaron emongst thē to awake thē to repentance but alas how lightly are they regarded Who heareth their voice But surely this is the last remedie y t God hath apointed if this wil not moue vs to repentance if this wil not cure vs then are we altogether vncurable Fourthly the infinite number of sinnes we haue committed ought to be so manie spurres in our sides to pricke vs to repentaunce It is sufficient saith Saint Peter that we haue spēt the time past of our life after the lustes of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lustres drunkennes gluttonie drinkinges and abominable Idolatries Therfore it is time now to repent Oh that men would looke backe to themselues and consider themselues as they were fortie thirtie twentie or ten yeares ago Oh that they would call to mind theyr open secret sins me thinketh it should make their heart bléed within their belly to thinke vpon them Oh y t they would consider how much time they haue mispent how many good things they haue neglected and altogether omitted Fiftly the shortnesse of our life calleth earnestly vpon vs to repent The time of our life is sixtie yeares ten if they bee of strength eightie yeeres yet the strength is but labour and sorrowe so it is cut off quickly and we flie away saith the Prophet Dauid we haue spent our yeres as a thought Therefore he addeth Teach vs to number our dayes that wee may apply our heartes vnto wisdome Our life for the shortnesse and inconstancie of it in the scripture is compared to grasse to a vapour to smoke and to a Weauers
shuttle which glideth away swiftly Euen so the daies of man passe away no man knoweth how Man is of short continuaunce saith Iob full of trouble Experience teacheth that to day a man to morowe none Hence away we must al here is no abiding place for vs how soone we know not Therefore let vs repent Sixtly the small number of those which shal be saued ought to thrust vs forward to repentance Striue to enter in at the narrow gate for many I say vnto you will séeke to enter in and shal not be able saith Christe Luke 13. 24. And in an other place he saith the gate is straight and the way narrowe that leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it If men would consider of this it would make them looke better about them and trie with them selues whether they be of that small number or no. Seuenthly Death threatneth vs who is very terrible to the flesh and the remembraunce of it very bitter to a man that is soused and soked in the pleasures of this worlde It flattereth no man it regardeth not persons it weigheth not friendship it careth not for rewardes it is very grim vglie and cruel and killeth downe right where it hitteth Therefore let vs repent Eightly the day of iudgement and seconde appearing of the Sonne of man ought to quicken vs. The day of the Lord will come as a Théefe in the night in the whiche the heauens shal passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes that are therein shal be burnt vp séeing therefore that all these things must be dissolueâ— what manner of persons ought ye to be in holy conuersation and Godlines saith S. Pet. 2. 3. The Lorde Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mighty angelles in flaming fire rendering vengeaunce vnto them that know not God and obeye not vnto the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ saith the Apostle 2. Thes 1. I sawe saieth Saint Iohn Apoc. 20. A great white Throne and one that sate on it from whose face fledde away both the earth and the heauen and their place was no more founde And I sawe the deade both great and small stand before GOD and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which is the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those thinges which were written in the bookes according to their woorkes And the Sea gaue vp her deade whiche were in her and death and hell deliuered vp the deade which were in them and they were iudged euery man according to his woorkes In these places we sée both the sodainnesse the fearefulnesse and glory of Christs comming For he shall not come poorely and contemptuously as in his first visitation but he shall come very princely royally and triumphantly to the great terrour of all his enemies when a consuming fire shall goe before him and ten thousand thousands of Angels waite vpon him at what time the Kinges of the earth the great men and the rich men and the chiefe Captaines and the mightie men and euery bondman and euery fréeman shall hyde themselues in dennes and amongest the rockes of the mountaines and say to the rockes and mountaines fall on vs hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe for the great day of his wrath is come and who can stand Apoc 6. Therfore let vs repent The last thing is Hell tormentes then the which nothing is more vntollerable Therefore saith Christe Marke 9. If thine hand cause thee to offende cut it off It is better for thee to enter into life maymed then hauing two handes to goe into Hell into the fire that neuer shall bee quenched where the worme dieth not and the fire neuer goeth out The Scripture speaketh very terribly to our senses concerning the estate of the damned persons calling it hel fire damnation the lake that burneth with fire brimstone for euer In 30. cha of the prophesie of Esai it is called Tropheth and it is euen prepared of old it is euen prepared for y e king he hath made déepe large y e burning therof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lorde like a Riuer of Brimstone doeth kindle it these spéeches are terrible to our senses may maruellously amaze vs. But if I had the tongue of an hundred men nay of an hundred Angels yet were I not able to vtter them as some shall one day féele them much lesse were you able to conceiue theÌ„ If al the tortures and cruel torments that can be deuised by the wit of man were executed vpon some one yet were it nothing to this We poore wretches thinke there is no paine to a Collike or a cruell Ague But if all Collikes Agues and all other strange diseases could possibly light vpon one man yet were it but a fleabiting to that which is to come The pain is endlesse easelesse and remedilesse The daies of their hellish torments shal neuer weare â—ut nor their yeares come to an ende the longer they continue the lesse hope haue they When as many yeres are expired as there be men in the world starres in the heauens when as many thousand yeares are ended as there be stones and sands by the Sea shore yet still there be ten huÌ„dred thousande times so many moe to come Those that wil not now be moued in hearing shall then be crushed to péeces in féeling Al dronkards swearers whoremongers vsurers extortioners liers mockers contemners secure persons iolly felowes roisting ruffians lustie bloudes the braue laddes of this world and all other vnbeleuers shal one day be apprehended and arraigned before the barre of Gods tribunal seate where the Maiesty of GOD shall stand aboue them with a naked sworde of vengeance and a scepter of Iustice The Deuil that olde Satanas shal stand on the one side to accuse them and their own conscience on the other side to condemne theÌ„ and the gasping gulfe of Hell vnderneath them ready to swallow them vp for euermore Then shall the dreadfull sentence of eternall woe and damnation procéede against them Go ye cursed into hel fire c. There they shall drinke as a iuste recompence for their iniquitie the bitter cup of Gods eternall wrath and indignation in the kingdom of darknes and in the fearefull presence of Sathan all the cursed enemies of Gods grace where the dolefull Droome of Gods anger shall euer sounde through their eares where shalbe wéeping gnashing of téeth where shall bée confusion woe and endles lamentation Their gripes shall bée so greate their groanes so déepe and their garboiles so vntollerable that they shall grinne like a Dog in their infernall conuâ—lsions and with howling and yelling crie out woe alas that euer I was borne Oh that I had neuer béene borne or that my mother had borne mee a Tode For then should my condition haue bin better
then it is Cursed was the time I was begot in The houre I was conceiued in and the day that I sucked my mothers paps Cursed I was alwayes cursed I am cursed I shall be for euermore Woe woe howe greate is my tormente whose heart doeth not melte whose eares doe not glowe whose haires doe not staÌ„nd vppon his heade to heare these thinges Therefore déere brethren let vs repent If the mercie of God cannot allure vs let his Iudgements scarre vs. If his Iudgementes cannot scarre vs let his woorde moue vs If his woorde cannot moue vs let our sinnes amaze vs If our sinnes cannot amaze vs let the shortnes of our life dampe vs if the shortnes of our life cannot daâ—â—â—e vs let the smal number of those that shal be saued affray vs if that cannot affray vs let death terrifie vs if death caÌ„not terrifie vs let the daie of Iudgement shake vs if that cannot shake vs yet let Hell tormentes shudder vs rente vs in yeeres For verily verily my brethreÌ„ if none of al those caÌ„ preuaile if we wil not for all this repent but be obstinate then wée shall all periâ—â—e and be damned according to Christs wordes Now let vs procéede to speake of those thinges which let and â—inder vs from Repentaunce whiche indéede although they bée in number infinite yet at this tyme I will laie foorth seuen especiall lettes and hinderances vnto Repentance The first is vnbeliefe that is when men will not beléeue those things thaÌ„t are spoken and proued vnto them out of the word of God This is it y t vomiteth vp all good thinges and poysoneth the very intrals of a man kéepeth all good graces from vs. As appeareth Math. 13. 58. Hee did not manye greate woorkes there for their vnbeleefes sake And the 4. to the Hebrues it is saide Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as also vnto them but the worde that they hearde profited not them because it was not mixed with fayth in those that heard it So that here we may sée although we heare neuer so muche yet if wée bringe not faith with vs wée shall neuer profite vnto Repentaunce For vnbeliefe taketh vp our hartes for Sathan and refuseth all the wholesome doctrine of saluation and doth so harden them in the waies of sinne that in the ende they become paste feeling and caÌ„not be touched one whit either with the iudgementes or mercies of God But count the one as blasts of wynd and make the other a couert for their filthinesse You shall note some men who when they haue heard their sinnes straightlie ripped vp by the woord of God and their iust damnatioÌ„ proued by the same without spéedie earnest repentance will breake out into these words of vnbeléef If it be as the saith God helpe vs I hope it is not so I trust I shall doe well inough for all this as longe as I haue a good faith in God and doe in bodie no harme shall I leaue my pleasures and my profites for their sayinges What doe they thinke none shalbe saued but such as read the Scriptures and heare Sermons God forbid but those which doe not goe to heare sermons should bée saued as well as they Why may not one serue God as wel at home in his house hauing good Bookes and good Prayers as by comming to the Church to heare sermons and seruice Alas these men stand too much in their own light and betray what folly and ignorancâ— is in theÌ„ For they do thinke to be saued by any other means theÌ„ God hath appointed Or when God hath auouched anie thinge in his word will they accept against it so make God a liar When God hath once set down a thing and proued it to their faces will they yet reply When God hath told vs that the preaching of the worde is the ordinary meanes of our saluation shal we hope to be saued although we contemn it and neuer or verie seldome heare it Is not this plaine infidelity vnbeliefe that when God saith one thing we will say another when God saith yea we will say no I hope not so Yes surely that is it that stoppeth the way vnto Gods graces and barreth vs out from repentance The seconde let is the presumption of Gods mercie for if men be sharply reprooued for their sinnes and exhorted vnto repentance by by they take couert saying God is mercifull God is mercifull as though God were made all of mercie and that ther were no iustice in him at al and thus the wicked make Gods mercie an occasion to sinne which thinge the Prophete Nahum in the first of his Prophesie doeth sharply reproue The Lord saith he is slow to anger but he is great in power and will not surely cleare the wicked But because I haue spoken afore of this presuming and misapplying of Gods mercie I will héere passe it ouer willing you to note it as one special let vnto repentance The third hinderance is the example of the multitude for that doth harden imbolden men vnto sin As when many birdes flicker and flocke together they fall vpon the net without any feare but one or two alone wilbe afraid Euen so the example of manie and many sinne companions do imbolden men to run through y e snares of SathaÌ„ without any mistrust Therefore it is said in Exod. 23. Thou shalte not followe a multitude to doe euill This is the thinge that hindreth a great number from God for they neuer looke vp vnto God or to his worde but stare vppon the common doinges of most men and examples of the world thinking if they do as the most men doe as their forefathers haue doone before them they are Cocksure and of an eueÌ„ grouÌ„d And herevpon ariseth their diuelish Prouerbe doe as the moste men doe and y e fewest will speake of you but they haue forgotten S. Paules rule Rom 12. Fashion not your selues like vnto this world These fellows that stand vpon the multitude wil reason thus We sée none of y e great ones of the world none of the noble none of the rich none of the wise and prudent receiue this doctrine but onely a fewe shackrags beggerly rascals and therefore it is a token that it is nothing worth and that it is doubtfull and not for vs to 〈◊〉 withal Lote what thoughts may créep in our head â—es and how slily Sathan maie trumpe in our way blindfold vs and lead vs away in y e darke by doting vs with the example of y e multitude Therfore let vs take héede of those pitfalles which Sathan layeth in out way not be carried away with these thoughtes and reasons The wicked beare themselues in hand that they shal win the game that the goale goeth on their side and there is nothing but crowing long before it bee daye and greate triumphing emongst them before any stroke be striken that because wée be but a handful of people and they a
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