shine the Image of Christ Iesus most cléerely alas are so clogged and cloyed with promotions and dignities of this worlde that they cleane forget what calling they haue what charge is layed vpon them and what a heauie reckoning they haue to make in so much y ◠some falling from their first loue doe now persecute that which heretofore they haue preached others because they thirst after gaines and vaine glory forsake Christ with Demas and imbrace this world vsing all lawfull and vnlawfull wayes to winne the woll not regarding what become of those pilled shéepe the flocke Where from springeth a mistery more grieuous then all these that the people of God for whom Christ Iesus did shed his most precious bloud are so hardened in Atheisme and godlesnesse that a man bad as good speake to a stone as to y ◠most concerning any matter of religion And all these with infinite mo abhominations spring hence y e men are so carelesse to kéepe their standing to be contented to abide the heate of the day and discharge that duty with an vpright consciēce that God hath laid vpon them I would to God that the due consideration of these enormities were setled in the heades and heartes not only of euery particular person whose faulte it is but especially into theirs vnto whō God hath inioyned to sée these thinges redressed that thereby we might be cōpelled not to trifle with God and his seruice as we doe and extoll a bare shadowe so long vntill the Lord remoue from vs the substance which God forbid but that we might all be compelled to labour in the vineyard of the Lord for the instruction and comforte of his people or else cast out as stones that make men stumble and salt that being vnsauery is good for nothing That euery mā if of himselfe he will not may be constrained to obey the Lord according to his word and to serue him for the furtherance of his glory in a lawful and holy calling warranted by the word of God vntill which time it is vnpossible that the Gospel should florish effectually in this land because God will blesse nothing but his owne institution and ordinance for the chaffe and corne cannot agrée togither neither is it lawfull for the Gentiles to be suffered to ioyne with the Iewes in the building of the temple though they seeme neuer so glosingly to offer their helping hande therevnto Least it should afterwarde be said that the Iewes were not able to doe it without the helpe of their foes and so it should be a dishonour to their God The Lord giue vs eies that we may see and heartes that we may perceiue what is his will and howe he wil be serued The outwarde fruite of faith is godlinesse of conuersation which in the beginning was made one branch of amēdment of life and you sée nowe how it procéedeth from faith floweth out of it as the fruite from the trée and water out of the fountaine The which may be thus defined it is an earnest and carefull indeuour to obey and fulfill the law of God growing out of faith and directed to those which God hath appointed that is to his glory the comfort of our consciences and the benefit of our brethren In that it is said that obedience is an earnest and carefull indeuour the meaning is that we must not only think it our duty to serue God according to his will and to obey his commandementes which all godlesse persons will confesse but also study and earnestlie care to doe the same in déed For euery one that sayth Lord Lord shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen But he that doth the will of my heauenly father saith Christ which is in heauen Not the hearers of the lawe are righteous before God but the doers of the law shalbe iustified for if any sayth S. Iam heare the word and doe it not he is like vnto a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse but when he hath considerd himselfe he goeth away and forgets imediately what manner of one he was But who so looketh into the perfect lawe of liberty and continueth therein he not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shall be blessed in his déede All which sentences are spoken by the holy Ghost to this ende that we should knowe that it is néedefull for vs nay faith will bring it forth if it be in vs to liue in godlines to reforme our affection inwardly our conuersation outwardly according to the prescript rule of Gods word Wherein how carelesse y ◠worlde is and how little reckoning is made hereof all men that will try the truth by the touchstone of Gods word shall easily sée For euery man now a dayes if he can put on the name of a protestant if he can make any shewe at all by and by he taketh himselfe and is also taken of others to be of a true and sound religion yea though his life and conuersation doe sweare the contrarye being fraughted with all sinne and iniquitie These are they that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse that sinne because they are not vnder the law but vnder grace that will make sinne abound that grace may superabound that will doe euill that good may come thereof whose damnation is iust But we haue not so learned Christ and notwithstanding the worldlinges be carelesse of godly conuersation yet we haue vnto vs many reasons set downe in the word of God to bring vs therevnto First the commandement of God in the Law reiterated by the mouth of our sauiour Iesus Christ be ye perfect euen as your heauenly father is perfecte and S. Paul meaning to set downe the same thinge sayeth this is the will of God euen your sanctification Now it being the commādement and will of God who is y e God of power a reuenger of sinne and punisher of iniquitie it should be euen as a thousand whippes to driue vs and ten thousand cartropes to hale vs vnto the same for he is not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euyll dwell with him and we knowe that we shal al come before his throne and seate of iudgment where he will giue sentence w eout partiality and iudge all men not according to their outward confession but acording to their deedes where he will say depart from me ye workers of iniiquitie so that this should marueylously inawe vs to consider with our selues that if we carelesly goe on and heape sinne vpon sinne neuer a whit or little regarding whether we liue godly or no surely we can assure our selues of no other sentence at the day of iudgment but goe ye cursed Secondly the consideration of Gods manifold blessings bestowed vpon vs in his son Iesus Christ should make vs to liue godly The which was notablie figured to vs in y e worldly blessings that God bestowed vpon y ◠Iewes vnto whom the Lord
the weake that finde themselues willing and yet vnperfect in the seruice of God for God doth accept of vs according to that we are and not according to that we are not The least sparkes of obedience insomuch as they be his owne worke are accepted in his sight so that it be w t earnest endeuour to encrease and therefore this giueth no libertie to licentious loosenesse which notwithstanding we sée to presume herevpon for say the Atheistes who can kéepe Gods commandements is any man without sinne and so forth Which in déede is true but they by occasion thereof haue no regard nor care of any reformation but runne on from sin to sinne and that with gréedines But let such knowe that they can not please the deuill better with any thing in the world because hereby they be as like him as if they were spitted out of his mouth for he knoweth that no man can absolutely obey Gods lawes and therefore he prowleth to mocke them in euery point to breake them and thou sayst thou canst not obey him perfectly and therefore art carelesse to doe any good at all Wherein doest thou now differ from him But let vs haue a care to winne ground of our aduersary to obtaine more and more strength against sinne make it weaker in vs euery day than other by continuall meditation in the worde of God and prayer for his grace to fructifie therein then we shall shew our selues valiant souldiers and not dastards in the quarrell of our Lorde and Captaine Iesus Christ. Now follow the ende that we are to ayme at in this fight against our selues to liue godly which is duely to be considered for Satan hath gone thus farre with a number either to perswade them without al doubting of the matter that they shall merit heauen and deserue to be Gods children by their workes or els that they néede to doe none at all and we sée euen the greatest number put the one of these in practise for either they be obstinate and blind Papistes forgetting Christ Iesus and hoping to come to heauen by their works or els they be Atheists affirming plainly that if they deserue nothing for them they will doe no good works From which fountaine floweth this generall securitie where with all the world is so rocked on sléepe that euery man séeketh for him selfe neuer thinking that he is any way bounde to benefite his poore and needye brother Whereby as in many other things we may behold the vsuall practize of Satan either to make vs lye wallowing in all carelesnes or els to driue vs too farre into the con trary extremitie Which thing we are to haue a great care of euen in euery thing that we do that we may kéepe within the bounds of that meane prescribed by the Lord in his word from which it is not lawfull to decline neither to the right hand nor to the left least Satan ouertake vs and worke our confusion The endes wherevnto by the word of God we are to haue regard and respect be in number thrée First Gods glorie 2. Our owne comfort 3. The good of our brethren among whome we liue The glorie of God which is the first ende is to be sought in our good and godly conuersation for it is euident that we are by nature vnfit to doe any good thing but rather prone and bent to sinne but when it pleaseth God so to alter and reforme our harts that the frute thereof shineth in our conuersation this sheweth the great glory of God in that he of seruants vnto sinne and vncleannes maketh vs to serue him in godlines The which thing our Sauiour Christ ment when he sayd let your light so shine before men that they may sée your good workes and glorifie your heauenly father which is in heauen Where vnto also the Apostle S. Peter had especiall regard when he sayd Déerely beloued I beséech you as straungers and pilgrims absteine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule and haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles that they which speake euill of you as euill doers may by your good workes which they shall sée glorifie God in the daye of visitation Unto which ende S. Paule had respect also when he exhorting the Thessalonians to godlines sayth that y ◠name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in you The which poynt is duely to be obserued for our instruction because that now a dayes all men will say they doe loue God and honour him but their bare wordes must not goe for proofe for we sée the holy ghost setteth downe that the glorifieng of God by vs consisteth in godly conuersation for if thou sayst neuer so much thou louest God and doest honour him vnlesse it shine in thy conuersation it is a lye in thée and a thing not to be beléeued of others For our Sauiour saith If any loue me he wil kéepe my sayings so that the tryall standeth in this looke howe carefull thou art to reforme thy life according to the word of God and looke howe much thou hast subdued the heate of thine owne affections and so much thou doest glorifie God and no further Nay if thou béest slacke herein carelesse to doe that in déede wherof thou makest profession thou doest euen as much as lyeth in thée dishonour God and therfore sayth S. Paule thou that gloriest in the law thorough breaking of the law dishonorest God I would to God that the carnall professors and enemies to sinceritie of these our dayes both in them selues and others could consider of this with a single eye For those that be enemies to reformation be commonly loose in life as we sée in our owne experience If it were so I doubt not but their conuersation would be found euen of thē selues most vile and filthy not worthy once to be named among them that professe the gospell of Iesus Christ. The second ende which we are to looke vnto is for the establishment and comfort of our owne soules and consciences For we sée that all men are contented to make a shewe of religion and to take vpon them y ◠profession of Christ which can not be sufficient for then should all or at least the greatest number be saued yet we know the words of our Sauiour Christ that narrowe is the way that leadeth to life and fewe doe walke therein Then what shall we doe to examine our selues vnfeynedly to sée whether we are of the number of them or no S. Peter shall tel vs most notably what we must doe Flye sayth he the corruption which is in y e world through lust Therefore giue euen all diligence therevnto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlines and with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue for if these things be among you and doe
wicked the more heynous their sinnes be the more intollerable shal their tormēts be which is to be laid very often before their eyes for it is the common speach of godlesse persons if I be damned then what maketh it the matter what I doe I may giue ouer my selfe to fullfill my lust in all pointes But let them know this that as it was said to the pharyseis that they should receiue the greater damnation so shal it be vnto thée thy offences shall be punished according to the quantity thereof And therefore though thou art no otherwise perswaded but y ◠thou shalt come into condemation yet feare to haue it multiplied vnto thee for the least torment wil be more then thou shalt be able to beare Thus we sée that the holy ghost in the scripture exhorteth vs by weighing the commandement of God by considering the manifolde blessings of God offered to vs in Christ by the looking into the nature of our calling by calling to mind the ende of our baptisme and lastly by viewing the reward that God hath laid vp to bestowe vpon them that serue him to liue godlie in this present world nowe let vs lay them vnto our owne heartes and consciences and sée whether we haue not iust cause to bid battaile to Satā to striue against our owne lustes and corrupt affections and let vs be more carefull thē heretofore we haue béene Let vs not delight in any thing that may displease so louing and mercifull a father But let vs make an ende of our saluation with feare and trembling Thus much for the first part of the definition of Obedience that it is an earnest indeuour to obey the Lawes of God this is the thing we must indeuor to doe which we are allwayes to haue an eye vnto These lawes are set downe briefely in the first and second table The summe whereof standeth in these two pointes first that we séeke to set forth the glory of God according as he prescribeth in the first table a thing commonly knowen to all men but practised of very few for we think if we doe any thing that may séeme to tend neuer so little towards Gods glory that we haue done a glorious worke But marke this wel the Lord requireth not onely of thée to séeke his glory in thy selfe by worshipping him in spirit and truth by sanctifiing his holy name thy selfe to the obseruation of his Saboath but also to thy power to séeke it according to thy calling in others The magistrate to establish and defend true religion and maintaine it by holy discipline warranted by the word The minister to teach instruct and exhort the priuat man also in his calling to vse all lawfull meanes for the aduancement of the same The second table containeth the outward godlinesse that we must shewe forth in the world for the benefit one of another Which we sée very little practised for it is euident vnto the sight of all men to the great griefe of them that feare God how some be altogither set vpon treacherous rebellion conspiracies others on malitious murther enyuing hate others on fornication vncleanenesse with all allurementes to the same as pride banquetting surfetting and dronkennesse with all lewde and vnchast gestures that can be others bent to extort and wring out of mens handes their owne proper possessions and goods by forging by extremitie of lawe by deceyuing and by that foule canker vsury and what not I ceasse to speake of the particular pettie sinnes wherewith men doe so swarme and so customably liue in that they estéeme them to be no sinnes the least whereof deserueth eternall condemnation both in body and soule and yet all these be Christians and say they haue faith but I say of them and that by the warrant of Gods owne worde that if they had the least sparke of faith in the worlde these things would be reformed for it is vnpossible for a man to haue faith but therewithall is the spirit of God But where the spirit is there can be no delight in sinne no such carelesnesse to reformation as appeareth and therefore examine thy selfe and be not deceiued presume not of the mercy of God and stil abide in sinne for then be sure thou shalt find no place to repentance though thou séeke it with teares Then séeke the Lord while he may be found put not of from day to day for suddainely commeth the wrath of the Lord and in his anger he will consume thee Then let vs without prolonging amende And fulfill That is a strife must be in vs against all lets that may hinder vs to be in all pointes perfect and that in such a perfection as by the word of God is not to be found fault withall though it be true that we cannot attaine therevnto in this life yet we must not faint nor be weary but goe on still forget that which is behinde and looke at that which is before neuer casting our eyes aside vpon any baite of sinne in this world but euer goe on in striuing for this perfection all the dayes of our life In which course least we should be discouraged we are to knowe that we are neuer able to attaine to that perfection in this life because of our wretched and sinfull nature because of the clogges of sinne that doe so hang on vs and the remnantes of old Adam that sticke so in the fleshe that it can neuer be wholly cleare therof The which we finde to be in the Apostle S. Paule who had a lawe in his members striuing against the lawe of the spirit leading him captiue vnto the lawe of sinne Whereby it commeth to passe as our fauiour saith y ◠when we haue done al that euer we cā we are vnprofitable seruāts and therefore we are taught to say dayly forgiue vs our sinnes which doctrine sheweth forth diuers most necessary vses as first it sheweth the workes of supererogation imagined by y ◠papistes to be a méere doctrine of an idle braine flatte contrary to the trueth of God and blasphemous against Christes passion Secondly displayeth the diuelish error of that pestiferous secte the family of loue who hold that a man may liue without sinne and therefore accounteth it a note of imperfection to praye so that none may be of the number of their illuminated Elders vntill they be of that perfection and yet we read that the Apostles praied not only when they were weakelings as they fondly affirme but after Christes aseension and the descending of the holy Ghost And therefore for the censuring of their heresie and our owne perswasion let vs say with S. Iohn if we saye we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs for we make God a lyer But if we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteonsnes Thirdly it is an excéeding comfort to
and then proued it to be the worke of Iesus Christ whome though they had crucified yet God the father had raysed and had exalted him to bée Lorde and King ouer all thinges both in heauen and earthe The which beyng proued vnto them that he was the very Messia◠whom they had so wickedly crucified they perceiued themselues to bée in daunger of the heauie vengeance of God for it and their feare it wronge in them as is sette downe in the former of these verses In which togither with the latter for our better remembrance wée haue to note these thrée thinges First the effecte that Peters Sermon wrought in the heartes of these Iewes Secondly their care to bée resolued what to doo and lastly Peters counsell vnto them When they heard it that is who he was whom they had so abused and what danger they were in for it it wounded them euen at the very heart and strooke them in a marueilous feare of Gods suddaine vengeance to be powred downe vpon them for their so hainous a facte so horrible murther as to kill the Lord of life from whome all they that euer shall be saued doe receyue their life and saluation Which declareth vnto vs their wonderfull blockishnes and palpable blindnes y ◠they reading the prophesies concerning the Sauiour to come euery Saboth day daily looking for him yet when he commeth do thus behaue themselues towardes him The cause wherereof was for that they dreamed of a worldly King full of pomp glory and Christ being so base and poore they were offended at him much like y e carnall christians of our time who are ashamed of y e basenes of the gospel simplicitie of religion and therefore thinke that it is too meane a thing for mē of great estat honor but we sée y e cōtrarye in Gods word that there is no ioy w tout Christ but sorrow no honor but ignominie no blessednesse but curssednesse howsoeuer it séemeth otherwise to carnall people that iudge fleshly and according to naturall reason and therefore we reade that the greatest dishonour that euer came to the Kings of Iuda and Ierusalem was their negligence in religion and their greatest praise is their care to establish it in sinceritie and therefore how base poore contemptible so euer Christ séeme to flesh blood there is no glory riches nor honor that profiteth excepte it be gouerned by him and directed to his glory We learne further by these Iewes that there is no way in the worlde that can serue to conuert man vnto God vntill the appointed time doo come For they heard Christ often and yet his word was to them as water powred vpon a stone vntill this houre wherein God had determined their conuersion Which doctrine ministreth a double vse vnto vs first to y ◠magistrate that he compell all yea euen the obstinate to the outward exercises of religion for by y ◠meanes it may please God to worke their conuersion Secondly for euery priuate person that is already called yea and the minister of the worde especially to beare with pacience the vnregenerate and not to determine or iudge rashly of their reprobation But still to hope for the time of their conuersion Moreouer in that it is said here that they were pricked in their heartes when they hearde it we learne how néedfull it is for vs to haue the worde of God continually sounding in our eares whereby wée may be rouzed out of the sléepe of sinne For wée are naturally prone to euill and slouthfull in the seruice of Gods worde very dull to goodnesse néeding the goade of Gods threatninges to pricke vs in the sides and to make vs procéede in the feare of the Lorde else wée fréese in our sinnes and if any good motions come in our mindes nowe and then they are choaked and so wée waxe worse worse The consideration hereof made Dauid a Kinge to meditate in the word of God day and nighte and made it his counseller a good example for all greate estates to looke vnto and follow Pricked in their heartes Howe commeth this to passe that Peter speaking onely to the outwarde eares they are sayed to be pricked in their heartes euen by the wonderfull power and Maiestie that God hath printed in his woorde that it shoulde sounde the bottomelesse deapthe of mans moste secrete thoughtes and enter betwéene the soule and the spirite And this effecte it hath in all though it haue a contrarie fruit for the wicked take occasion hereby to be more seuere against the Children of GOD. As we may sée in Pharaoh Achab Ieroboam and the Pharises But the children of God vse meanes assoone as they be touched to amende their liues as did Dauid and Iosias and these Iewes Whereby wée may take good occasion to examine our selues whether wée be the Children of God or no for if the contempt or neglecte of amendemente of our liues argueth as yet no grace to be in vs then the care to amende and the indeuour therevnto indéede is a speciall motion of the spirite which we muste be carefull to cherrish leaste it be quenched and so our estate waxe miserable And said vnto Peter This is the seconde generall parte conteining their care to séeke the righte way to be deliuered from the gulfe of perdition that hanged ouer their heades which is a Note of a true Childe of God for it is the nature of euery man to say when his sinne is reproued that the Preacher sayeth true and that wée shoulde amende but they neuer sette one foote forwarde to putte it in practise onely the Godlie haue that care that when any thing is founde by the word of God to be amisse in them they canne neuer be at quiet vntill they finde oute meanes wherey it may be redressed Lette vs obserue further in them a wonderfull change They had mocked Christ and his doctrine and neuer were at reste till they had killed him they not long before this time did estéeme the Apostles no better then Dronckardes and yet the Lorde in this shorte time so altereth their mindes that they come to them louinglie terming them Men and Brethren which will bée so farre from a wicked man vntouched with Gods spirite that he will rather with Iudas and Achitophel hange himselfe then séeme forsoothe to bée so muche beholdinge to the godly whome hée taketh to be his enimies But if once Gods word take déepe and sound roote in any man it will alter and chaunge him quite from his former wicked mind Whereof wée haue notable examples in the Scriptures Saule wente to Naioth entending to persecute Dauid but God chaunged his minde that he prophesied Paule wente toward Damascus with intente to make hauecke of the Sainctes of God But when he came there hée preached Christe vnto them The Souldiours wente out from the Pharises to take Christe but the Maiestie of his woorde strooke them
calleth such Idell shéepeheardes dumbe Dogges that cannot barke Salt with out saltnesse not good for the Dunghill and yet this churche of Englande a grieuous thinge to bée considered is euen pestered with suche and they swarme like Locustes lette oute of the lake The Lord for his mercy sake either conuert them to better vses or in his good time send an east winde to blow them into the bottome of the sea and place séeing watchmen and painefull labourers in his vineyarde that will dresse it and not fast themselues therein Amend your liues This is the counsell of Peters a sentence very shorte in wordes but long in matter containing the very substance of all religion and the whole 〈◊〉 of Christianitie the originall word signifieth to recouâ—â— with griefe it is commonly translatâ—â— repent and the mâ—â—ter called repentance which is a turning of our liues vnto God procéeding from a true feare of his iudgments for sinne imbracing God his promises in Iesus Christ and reforming the life according to the prescript rule of Gods worde the which that we may the more orderly procéed consisteth of these thrée principall partes 1. A sorrow for sinne 2 Faith in Christ and 3. Godlinesse of conuersation which laste in truth is rather a fruite of faith as in a place conuenient shall be proued then any part of the whole all which things in some measure more or lesse are to be found in all them that are Gods children and haue receyued any tast of his grace The first Sorrowe for sinne may be thus defined it is a griefe of the soule for sinne wrought by the iudgementes of God layed out in his word whereby the party conuicted is truly humbled I call it a griefe of the soule because it bringeth man euen into the gulfe of condemnation and setteth before his eies the heauie wrath of God and hell torments that his owne conscience telleth him he hath iustly deserued This was wrought in Dauid when his owne mouth condemned him to be the child of death It was in Iosias when his heart melted at the hearing of the Lawe expounded vnto him It was in Marie that washed our Sauiour Christ Iesus his féete with hir teares it was in these that cried out in the anguishe of their hearts men and brethren what shall we doe it is in all them among vs that haue any working of Gods spirit in them when they consider God to be a iust God a reuenger of iniquitye and themselues to be most horrible and wretched sinners Whereby we may take good occasion to examine our selues whether we be of God or no which we shall do thus If I do not tremble at Gods iudgments if my sins grieue me not surely I am hardned but if they make me sigh grone vnto the Lord vnder the weight thereof if I loth them both in my selfe others then I haue a marke of Gods grace in me that he worketh my saluation and sealeth it vnto me This sorrowe may after a sorte be in a man and yet not the true sorrowe for many are grieued because they they are not better for that through their naughtinesse they forgette preferment or credit that else they shoulde haue and therefore it is saide that this muste be wroughte by the iudgementes of God laid out in his worde that is when by Gods Lawe I perceiue the straighte lyne that is inioyned to me and the cursse of God that hang ouer my heade for my disobedience that bringeth with it condemnation of bodye and soule this is the thing wherefore I shoulde be grieued And if wée wey the matter well it carryeth with it iust cause of sorrowe for though I inioye all the delightes and pleasures that bee in the worlde I shall haue them a very shorte time and the rewarde of sinne is eternal wo without ease or intermission which all men haue iustly deserued and from which none shall be deliuered that is not broughte to sorrowe for sinne and to séeke to Iesus Christe the life of them that rightelye séeke him This being the firste steppe to God and entrance into his fauour is mightely gainesaid by the subtile enimie Sathan that would haue vs make a sporte of sinne Secondly by the world that blereth our eies with the poysoned baits of vanities 3. by our owne flesh y â— lusteth after those things that bring perdition and therefore the Lord who hath a care that his chosen should not be deceyued by all these or any of them hath in his word set downe many most strong reasons and forcible persuasions to induce vs to this sorrow for sinne as first his seuere iudgementes executed vppon others Idolators were giuen ouer into the handes of spoilers Blasphemers consumed by the Angell of God Corrupters of Gods sincere worshippe presently strooke downe dead Disobedient rebells swallowed vppe quicke into the earth Murderers requited with murther Generally the whole world except eyght persons drowned for sinne Sodome and Gomorrah burned with fire and brimstone from heauen because of pride riotte idlenesse and contempte of y â— poore Foure sins that now I am perswaded are as rife as euer they were in those Citties and al these as they receyued suddaine punishment in this worlde so to vs no other is knowen but that eternall condemnation followed Now how must these thinges bring vs to sorrowe for sinnes Thus we haue committed the same sinnes in some pointe that they did and therfore being guilty of the same condemnation there is no way for vs to escape it but to flée to the Lorde with penitent heartes and sorrowing soules Saint Paule teacheth vs this doctrine the same vse of it saiing these are written as exampls for vs that we sinne not as they did least we receyue the same condemation Whereby we learne that the scriptures of God are not written to vs as histories to read and heare for pleasure but for our learning and instruction that we may learne by the example of the wicked there mentioned to leaue sinne and of the godly to be stirred vp vnto godlines Againe when we consider how mercyfull God hath bene vnto vs that whereas in his iuste iudgemente be might haue not onely cutte vs of and cast vs into eternal condemnation when first we began to conceiue any inclination vnto sinne but euen before we were borne haue drowned vs in originall guilte and neuer sufferd vs to come to any knowledge of good or euill hath so long a time we committing so many and infinite sinnes against his maiesty yet spared vs not dealt rigorously with vs this shoulde make vs very sory that we haue so long prouoked so merciful a God vnto anger which vse S. Paule setteth downe saying that the mercy of God leadeth to repentance But alas we take occasion to sin by the same and so are carelesse to amend euer hauing this in our mouths God is mercifull and
is saide if ye had but fayth as a graine of mustard séede should say vnto this mulbery trée pluck thy selfe vp by the rootes and plante thy selfe in the sea it should euen obey you This kinde of fayth was very rife in the primitiue church when the gospell was to be planted in the whole worlde for God gaue vnto the Apostles power to confirme their doctrine with signes and wonders But afterwarde it ceased only the ordinary confirmation by the preaching of the word remayneth now amōg vs. This fayth hath bene and may be in a man that is a reprobate and cast away for some shall say in the latter day Lord haue not we cast out deuils in thy name to whome it shallbe answered I know ye not departe from me ye workers of iniquitie The strength of Antechrist was foreshewed to be with signes and greate wonders And it is also sayde by our Sauiour himselfe speaking of the last dangerous times that there shall arise false Christes and false Prophets that shall shew great signes and wonders so y ◠if it were possible they should deceiue euen the very elect which we haue séene and dayly doe sée by experience especially in the confirmation of Antechristes kingdome Thirdly faith is taken in the scriptures for that fayth whereby we apprehende the mercy of God to saluation commonly called Iustifiing fayth which so beleueth the word of God to be true that it applieth the whole as profitable to himselfe the threatenings to feare him from sinne and the promises of God in Iesus Christ vnto his owne comfort and consolation and then both to drawe him on to godlynesse in these thrée senses is fayth most commonly vsed in the worde of God The last is that which appertayneth to our purpose whereof we are to speake yet more at large It may be thus desyned Fayth is a certaine knowledge and sure perswasion of the frée fauour of God in Iesus Christ grounded vpon the promises of God in his holy worde and sealed in our hearts by the holy Ghoste This definition containing in it y e whole substance and summe of our fayth is to be enlarged further to the ende that euery parte and parcel thereof may the more plainely be knowen Certaine knowledge This is the beginning and as it were the cause of fayth for as the appostle sayeth he that commeth to God must beléeue that there is a God so he that beleueth must first know what to beleue and learne the doctrine of saluation out of the worde and therfore our Sauiour Christ in that heauenly prayer that he made a little before his passion hath these wordes This is life eternall that they know thée to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The which place though it containe in it fayth also yet it is forcible to prooue that knowledge must goe before faith for it is the nature of faith to beleue that it certainely knoweth and therfore where there is no knowledge there can be no faythe Then let all men iudge what doctrine that was which taught ignorance to be the mother of deuotion and forbid the people the knowledge of the worde of God it was euen to blindfolde our eyes that we might fall into the pitte of perdition before we beware it was to hide the keyes of the kingdome of heauen so that they neyther entered them selues neyther suffered others to enter But blessed be God who of his great and infinite mercy hath eased vs of that burthen and granted vnto vs his holy word The which albeit many amonge vs do little estéeme because their consciences are seared with a hote yron that they cannot sée the necessity of it And therefore doe loath the hearing of the same preached yet we know that fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God And albeit it was to the Iewes a stumbling blocke and the Grecians foolishnesse and is now to the supersticious Papist Heresie and to the conceited wise man of the worlde néedelesse or too base for him to meddle withall yet it then was and now is and euer shall be to them that beleue the power of God to saluation and that by preaching the which must make vs if we haue any loue to our owne soules health or desire of fayth to meditate in the worde of God day and night and to loue and like it aboue any profite or pleasure this knowledge must be certain for knowledge being the ground work of fayth if it be vnstable the building cannot stande sure which certeinty standeth in these two poyntes first to be perswaded of the vndoubted truth of Gods word and secondly of the absolute sufficiencie thereof not to néede any traditions of men to make it perfect for so much as it is euery waie perfect it self These two things are duely to be considered and so much the rather for that Sathan fighteth to shake them both laying the truth of the word vpon the approbation and allowance of men and foysting dreames and fancies of idle brayned persons into it to consūmate the perfection of the same Sure perswasion This is the substance and nature of fayth which doeth arise by the working of Gods spirite with the worde out of the knowledge of the same that hereby we are not only perswaded of the truth of his worde but also beleue vndoubtedly without wauering to be partakers of the mercies of God in Iesus Christ. The names that the holy Ghost ascribeth vnto this fayth in the doctrine of the apostles be notable to proue the same not to be wauering but sure and certaine it is called a ground or foundation a stedfaste fayth and assurance of fayth without wauering a full assurance an anchor of our soule both sure and stedfast which comparison is notable for as the anchor though the shippe be tossed moued with the waues and tempests yet it is still safe and holdeth fast euen so faith what troubles or trials so euer befal vnto the godly in this world doth neuer let go his hold that it hath in Iesus Christ but cleaueth vnto him and dependeth vpon his mercy in all extremities and so the Children of God féeling the comfort of Gods grace and hauing a sure hope of the performance of Gods promises vnto them are certaine and sure to be saued The which doctrine Satan hath euer laboured and doth greatlie at this day labour to darken and extinguish affirming it pride and presumption to dare be so bold as to be assured of saluation Which thing is true if the certainty therof stoode any way in man himselfe who is naturally filled with al sinne and incredulity but while they take their markes amisse they greatly dishonour God For marke this well God promiseth in his worde eternall life to all that beleue thou sayest thou beleuest and I say so too thou art not sure to be saued and I say that I
these wordes We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the law The prophet also sayeth that a iust man liueth by his faith The reasons that the Apostle vseth to proue this are many I will onelie set downe three of them which are most apparant and euident The first is this by the testimonie of the old testament it is proued that al men haue erred and done amisse there is none that doth good no not one so that al hauing sinned and be that hath sinned in one is guiltie in all it muste needes follow that none can be saued by their workes and therefore either by faith or not at all The second is by the sentence and promise of the Lawe This doe and thou shalt liue but curssed is he that abideth not in all these commandementes to doe them but none is able to doe so for then Christe dyed in vaine and his death had béene to no purpose therefore al men beyng by nature vnder the cursse and not able to redéeme themselues it followeth that he who was without sin Iesus Christ must be their redemption and applied vnto them by faith Thirdly by the nature of the promise made to our father Abraham thus The same way that Abraham was iustified and acquited from sinne the same way are all his children iustified but he was iustified by faith for he beléeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and therefore must all the godly for euer be iustified by faith so that this must stand for an vndoubted truth that he which séeketh any other way to haue his sinnes put away whether it be by pardons merits or any way else then onely by faith apprehending the merites of Christ cannot be comforted in his soule by certaine persuasion but must néeds stagger and wauer continually The second inward fruite of faith is the loue of God the father which commeth vnto vs when our sinnes are forgiuen for as man is separated from God by reason of sinne and iniquitie so the same being remoued and taken away God and Man are made one and be reconciled togither againe by which reconciliation the loue of God is precured by the reconciler Iesus Christ to haue his full course and passage vnto man The which our Sauiour ment when he saied the father loueth you because ye haue loued mée and beleued in me which thinge S. Iohn also ment when he said that y e effecte of the Gospell is that we mighte haue fellowshippe with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christe Of which thing whosoeuer is truly perswaded he shall haue in his soule and conscience an vnspeakable comforte for as there is nothing more grieuous vnto man if he cōsider it well then to haue the heauie hād of God vpon him and his seuere countenance against him so nothing can bée more swéete and comfortable then to bée perswaded of his fauour and fatherlye loue towardes him Out of which ariseth to the godly that peace of conscience and ioy in soule that passeth all vnderstanding which thing our Sauiour ment whē he said to his disciples peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the worlde giue giue I vnto you Let not your heartes be troubled nor feare which also S. Paule ment when he said being iustified by faith we haue peace toward God and in another place peace is reckened vp among the fruites of the spirit Examples whereof we haue in the scriptures the Eunuch of Ethiopia being instructed in the faith and baptised by Phillip the Euangelist it is saide that he went on his way reioycing The same is reported of the Iayler that was conuerted by the preaching of Paule that he reioyced because that he with all his houshold beléeued in God Marie likewise ieioyced not so much in that she was the mother of Christ but in God hir Sauiour So that this being by the word of God proued to be one of the fruites of a true faith it resteth that euery one of vs doe wey our selues examining our hearts how great we finde this ioy in vs the which although I doubt not it is found in great measure in the heartes of some yet I feare in the most it is very little or nothing at all For if we may iudge the trée by the fruites some haue so so great pleasure and delighte in scraping worldly pelfe togither other in banquetting and dronkennesse and many in chambering and wantonnesse y ◠it is hard to finde that man or woman that sheweth forth vnto the worlde the signes of ioy in the holy ghost which argueth vs to be carnal and fleshly minded not sauouring of the spirit of God The third inward fruite is a promise that God hath made vnto vs that he will heare our praiers and graunt our requests which thing is promysed by the mouth of Christ Iesus vnto al beléeuers saying verely verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he will giue it you which thing wée sée veryfied vnto the Centurion to whome it was said as thou haste beléeued so bée it vnto thée and his seruaunt was made hole the same houre And likwise to the two blind men who cried sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs to whome he aunswered according to your faith be it vnto you Which doctrine must néedes be vnto the faithfull an exceading comfort for we sée the manifold daungers wherevnto we be subiect the diuerse temptations wherewithall Satan laboreth to ouerthrow our soules and the manifold tribulations that doe dayly befal to the bodye as the slaunders and iniuries done vnto vs by the wicked the sicknesse pouerty and néede that lay hold vpon vs against all which we haue no shield nor defence but only to fly vnto the Lord by humble and hearty praier the which if he should not regard our state were miserable and we of all other most wretched if wee shold not be heard of him for whose sake we hazzard all our liberties in the world and oppose our selues against his soes then could we looke for nothing but vtter confusion both of body and soule but in that he hath promised that if we call vpon him in y ◠day of our trouble he wil heare and deliuer vs we gather thereby an vndoubted comfort against al afflictions that either the Lord will remoue them from vs or else graunte vs suche strength and patience that we shall not onely sustaine and beare them but also triumph ouer them to his greate glory and our owne exceading comfort where vpon we resting as vpon an anchor both sound and stedfast doe most willinglye lay downe our neckes vnder the yoke of Gods correction being certainely persuaded that all things shall fall out for the best vnto vs if we doe vnfainedly feare him Yet this doctrine giueth no warrāt to the carnall and fleshly praiers of naturall men who when
abound they will make you that ye neither shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. But he that hath not these thinges is blind and can not sée a farre off and hath forgotten that he was purged from his olde sinnes Wherefore BrethreÌ„ giue rather diligence to make your calling election sure By which words we sée that the fruite of the gospell in holines of life doth make our calling and election sure not to God for it was sure in him before the foundation of y e world but to our selues approuing thereby vnto our owne soules and consciences that we be the elect of God because we féele the working of his grace in our hearts and shew forth the fruites thereof in our conuersation The third ende of our good workes hath relation vnto our brethren which is diuerse wayes First thus there be many that be weake in the faith newly conuerted vnto the Gospel who haue great néede to be supported and holden vp the which as we may doe manye wayes so chiefly it is to be declared in our conuersation for when he beholdeth our godly and vpright behauiour great occasion is offered vnto him not onely to glorifie God in vs but also to consider of his owne imperfection and weakenes how farre he is behind and therevpon is moued to striue more strongly against his owne infirmitie to growe stronger and more established Contrariwise if he should behold vs greater professors or of longer continuance in the profession of the Gospell than he doe those things that swarue fowly from our shewe we make it not onely an offence whereby his weake conscience is wounded but as much as in vs lyeth a stumbling blocke for him to fall from his profession withall A lesson of all men to be learned for we sée many that in shew and to their owne thinking be forward in religion who when they be reproued or by méekenes exhorted to leaue some abuses that they commit because they agrée not with their profession and are offensiue to y â— consciences of many weake ones Tush say they if they be offended with these things let them what haue they to doe with me they are not to medle with my dealing for I haue not to doe with them and such like spéeches In the meane while they haue cleane forgotten not onely the care that we ought to haue one ouer another but also the example of S. Paule who would neuer eate fleshe when he liued rather then he would offende his brother which of it selfe was a thing lawfull and to be receiued with thanks giuing And therefore we are not onely to be carefull that we giue none offence for woe be vnto him by whome offences do come but euen to depart from those thinges that we may vse if they be any occasion of offence to the weake for many things are lawful that are not expedient This end is yet further to be considered another way and that is in respect of them that are without who be so obstinate that they will not onely oppugne the profession of religion but euen refuse to heare the voice of the charmer charme he neuer so wisely not once frequenting the publike méetings of Christians with whom yet we haue some dealings in the world Whereby it may please God to bring them to some consideration of our profession by our conuersation The which thing S. Peter setting downe in one particular calling is also to be applyed as a generall doctrine the words are these Let the wiues be subiect to their husbands that euen they that obey not the word may be wonne without the word while they behold your pure conuersation which is with feare and surely as the vnblameable conuersation is verye forcible to moue the aduersarie to consider of the profession it selfe so we often sée both by example of the word of God as in Moses whome Pharao accompted godly and himselfe wicked and Dauid whome Saule accompted vpright and also by our owne experience that it cooleth the courage of the enemie and stoppeth his mouth And therefore it is our dutie and I pray God we may rightly consider of it to be marueilous circumspect and carefull that we liue so obedient to the decrées of our God and be so carefull to giue none occasion to any to sée vs faultie in our dealing that thereby our good and gracious God may be glorified our harts and consciences comforted and all men by vs may either be encouraged vnto godlines or conuicted in their owne consciences of vngodlines Which God for his mercies sake graunt AMEN Let vs pray c. Iohn 15. 26. Acts. 1 4. Luke 24 49. Acts. 3. 15. 5. Acts. 13. 27. 2. Kings 10 31. 21 20 18 3. 22 2. Psal. 1 â— 119 24. Exod. 5. 6. 1. Kings 13. 4. Math. 26. 3. 2. Sam. 12 13. 2. King 22. 11. Mathew 27 5. 2. Sam. 17 23. 1. Sam. 19 23. Acts. 9 20. Iohn 7 â—6 Pro. 21 1 20 24 Math. 7. 7 Psal. 145. 18. Exod. 14. 15. Psal. 6. 9. Acts. 9. 11. Heb 12 11. Ezek. 13. 18. Math. 13. 52. 2. Tim. 3. 16. 17. Tit. 1. 9. Esay 56. 10. Math. 5. 13. Reue. 9. 3. Exod 10 19. The definition of Repentance Sorrow for sin what it is 2 Sam. 12. 13. 2 King 22. 11. Luk. 7. 38. The word of God affordeth many reasons to moue vs to sorrow for sin The 1. reason Iudg. 214 Esay 37. 10. 36. 2. Sam. 6. 7. Numb 15. 32. Iudg. 8. 19 1 King 2. 31. Gen. 7. 17. 19. 24. Ezek. 16. 49. 1. Cor. 10. 6. Rom. 15. 4. The 2 reason Rom. 2. 4. Rom. 1. 18. The 3 reason Gen. 7. 7. 17. Exod. 14. 22. 1 Cor 1. 18. 2 Cor. 2. 16. The 4 reason 1 Pet 4 3. The 5 reason The 6 reason 1 Pet. 3. 20. Gen. 17 2. Deu. 7. 6. Acts. 1. 15. 5. 1. Mat. 13. 4. 7. 14 2 Cor. 7. 10. Other three reasons The motions of Sathan in mans heart to kepe him in sin Acts. 18. 15. Math 18. 26. Math. 9. 13. Mat. 11. 5. 5. 3. Luke 18 10. Faith in Scripture hath 4 significations Iames. 2. 19 Mat. 5. 29. Sathans schollers more cunning then their maister Luke 17. 6. Mark 16. 20. Math. 7 22. Reade Peter Marters commen places Booke 1. cap. 8 Reue. 13. 13. 2 Thes. 2 9. Math. 24. 24. The definition of Faith Heb. 11 6. Iohn 17. 3. Luke 1 â—2 1 Tim. 4. 2. Rom 10. 17. 1 Cor 1. 23 Psal. 1. 2. 19. 10 Heb. 11. 1. Collo 2. 5. Heb. 10. 22. Rom 4. 21 Heb. 6. 19. Rom 4 19. 20. Foure obiections against the certainty of sal uation The 1 obiection The second obiection Phil. 2. 12. The 3 obiectioÌ„ Phil. 1. 6. Iohn 13. 1. 1. Dan. 17. 34. The 4 obiectioÌ„ Rom. 8. 30. How to trie whether we be elected Math. 16. 17. Iohn 6. 44. 15. 5. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Phillip 2. 13. Gen. 6. 5. Rom. 7. 18. Iohn 14. 6. 2. Cor. 1 20. Math. 3. 17 Act. 16. 14. Rom. 8. 16. 2. Cor. â— 21 Iohn 4. 13. Three effectes of the holy ghost in them in whoÌ„ it dwelleth Iohn 8. 47 1. Iohn 4. 6. Rom. 8. 9. Fruits of faith of two sortes Math. 9. 2. Rom. 3. 28 Haba 2. 4 3 reasons out of S. Paul prouing iustifica tion onely by faith Psal 14. 1. Iames. 2. 10. Gal. 3. 10. Rom 4. 12. Iohn 16. 27. Iohn 1. 3. Iohn 14. 27. Rom. 5. 1. Gal. 5. 22. Acts. 8. 39. Luke 1. 47. Math 7 16 Iohn 16. â—3 Maâ—h 8. 13 9. 13 Psal. 50. 15 Rom. 8. 28. Iam. 4. 3. What it is to aske in the naÌ„e of Christ. 2. Cor. 12. 10. The definitioÌ„ of Hope Gen. 3. 19. â—b 12. 16. Patience Contentation Acts 5. 41. 2 Tim 3. 12. Acts. 14. 22. Iames. t. â— Esay 1. 4. 5. 2. Tim 4. 10. The definition of Obedience Math 7 21 Rom. 2. 13. Iames. 1. 23. The Scripture exhorteth vs to godly life by many reasons The 1 reason Leuit 11. 44. Math 5. 48. 1 Thes 43. Psal. 5. 4. Math 7. 2â— Math. 25. 41 The 2 reason Ezech. 16. 3. Deu. 32. 10. 11. Psal. 51. 5 Rom 12 1. Ephe 4 1. 5. 8 1 Pet 3 â— Luke 1 7 â— Heb. 6. 6. The 3 reason Ephe. 2. 19. 1 Thes. 4. 7. 1 Cor. 6. 19. 1 Iohn 1 5 Rom 8 9 The 4 Reason Rom 6 4 2. Tim. 3. 5. The 5. reason Dan. 12. 3. Luke 20. 47. Philip. 2. 12. Heb 12. 17. Rom. 7. 23. Luke 17. 1â— Act. 4. 24. 2. Cor. 12. 8. 1. Iohn 1. 8. 9. 10. The agreemeÌ„t of Satan with the wicked Satan vrgeth the one extremitie in euery thing The ende of godlines in respect of God Matth. 5. 16. 1. Pet. 2 11. 2. Thess. 1. 12. Iohn 14. 15. Rom. 2. 23. The ende of godlines in respect of our selues Matth 7. 13. 2. Pet. 1. 4. 5. 6. c. Let vs try our selues by this The ende of godlines in respect of others Rom. 14. 15. 1. Cor. 8. 13. Matth. 18. 7. Psal. 58. 5. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Exod. 9. 21.