followe the steppes prescribed by him Where vpon it commeth as dayly experience declareth too manifestly that infinite numbers yea almost the whole worlds is drowned in sinne and iniquity For either they be Papistes blind with superstition or carnall gospellers contented with bare profession or Athiests addicted to no religion thinking it the safest way to meddle no whitte that way and all these agrée in one conclusion to delight in sinne and iniquity so that to find one that maketh a conscience of sinne that striueth for sincere reformation wrestleth against his owne corruptiō to please God is very hard euen among a great number and he whome God hath inlightned to take that course What is he a precision a puritane one that taketh himselfe to be without sinne a wayward body and busie controller a medler and what not Which is the cause that sinne euery where so reigneth and truth and godlinesse so generaly decayeth that vnlesse a generall and spéedy repentance preuent it the wrath of God must néeds fall vpon this land and vtterly roote out this most diuelish generation Therefore let them that haue any sparke of Gods grace mourne houle and lament for the desolations of Iacob and the transgressions of Israell that at least they may escape the rodde of Gods visitation Thus wee sée both the reasons that the holy Ghost vseth to moue vs to sorrowe for sinne and the temptations wherewithall Sathan séeketh to kéepe vs backe and stay vs in the delight of the flesh Let euery one of vs examine himselfe which preuaileth most with him Whereby we may sée our selues in what state wée stand before the Lorde our God The ende of thie sorrowe for sinne is not to deserue thereby the fauour of God or y ◠the force thereof shoulde merit iustification for the debter that did fall downe at his maisters féete deserued not thereby to haue his debte forgiuen him And therefore the true end of this sorrow for sin is twofold First it is to shew our humilitie to the Lord for by nature we be proud high minded not bending one whit notwithstanding our huge masse heape of sin but walk with stiffe necks therefore it is néedful y ◠the Lord should lay open before our eies the miserable estate and condition that we stande in to the ende that we séeing his maiestie both great and terrible and his iustice bēt vpon vs to pronounce our condemnation may haue our proud lookes abated our peacockes feathers pulled and our hauty stomackes quailed to beholde Gods wrathfull countenance bente vppon vs tha wée may be caste downe before his throne with vnfained humilitie abasing our selues whome wée haue well thoughte of and ascribing all glorye and power to him whome wée haue little regarded Secondly it is to make way for the grace of GOD to come neare vnto vs and his greate mercy in Christe Iesus our Lord and Sauiour to dwell in our heartes for as it is vnpossible for fyre and water to agrée togither for Heauen and Earth to méete in their naturall motions for Lighte and Darkenesse to be matched as yoke-fellowes so vnpossible is it to lincke the naturall Man and Christe in one or to finde any abode for the spirite of God in the hearte of that man or womā who hath not bene touched w t the griefe of cōscience for his sins nor the terrours of Gods iudgements for the same which to be true our Sauiour himselfe hath affirmed when he said that he came not to call the righteous meaning such as deemed themselues righteous but sinners to repentance for sayth he the poore that is such as are naked in their owne eies receiue the glad tydings of the Gospell and those shalbe blessed that are poore in hearte which also is manifest by the Pharesey who leaned vpon his owne workes and the Publicane that fell downe and prostrated himselfe before the Lord shewing nothing to be in himselfe but sinne and therefore sued vnto the Lord for his mercy and pardon Therefore the doctrine of mercy in Christ Iesus appertayneth not to them that boast in their owne strength and are merit-mongers neither yet vnto the stony and hard hearted who haue no touch of conscience no sorrow for sinne but a continuall delight and pleasure in the sweetnesse thereof striuing to fulfill the déeds of the flesh and to offend euen with gredinesse But vnto the broken hearted the wounded soule the grieued hart and sorrowing spirit that féeleth it selfe by desert in the gulfe of condemnation that be cast downe and truly humbled by the sight of his owne offences to suche when they aske the Lorde giueth when they séeke he is found when they cry he heareth and when they mone their case he with his mercy doth comforte them Let then euery one of vs enter into consideration of his owne estate and trye what effecte the iudgmentes of God for sinne worketh in him assuring our selues that vnlesse it beat vs downe in humility we are no vessels for Christ to dwel in neyther doth the doctrine of faith now folowing in any respect appertainie vnto vs. Lette vs pray The Second Sermon of amendment of life THE second branch of this amendment doth now follow which is faith in Iesus Christ whereby they in whome the former doctrine worketh terrour for their sinnes are erected and comforted of the which before I speake it shall not be amisse to declare the diuers vses of the word fayth in the scriptures least we should take that for faith in Christ which is not it is taken especially in thrée significatiōs First it is vsed for beleuing the word of God to be true called commonly a historicall fayth whereby man is perswaded that the things done and recorded in the scriptures are not fayned going no further this faith is most properly in deuils for they know and beleue that all the things there spoken shall be performed but because they haue no comfort therein they tremble at the consideration thereof which thing we sée also vttered by the deuils through the mouth of the possessed saying art thou come to torment vs before our time whereby they acknowledg that they looked for torments but they would haue the time prolonged so longe as they could this fayth is hardly to be found in mankinde for Satan can teach them that be wicked a lessō that he could neuer learne him self namely that the word of God is not true that it is but a fable And therefore you shall sée heare them being reprooued by the ministery of the word either to be as blockes not mouing abit or sung a sléepe with the voice of the minister or else openly blaspheme and mocke the word These be notable Schollers that haue learned more then their maister the Deuill It must néedes be therefore that they be as neare condempnation as he Secondly it is taken for the working of miracles in which sense it is vsed where it
downe to the grounde and made them returne this aunswere that they neuer hearde man speake as he spake They in this place came to mocke and you sée howe God turneth their mockinges into earnest intreating the Apostles to giue them good counsell Whereby wée learne the truthe of the saying of Salomon that the heartes euen of Kinges are in the handes of the Lord as a boate in the Riuers of water and therefore it is not in man to directe his owne wayes which teacheth vs to pray vnto the Lorde continually that it woulde please his maiestie so to gouerne vs as may beste tende to his glory and the comfort of our owne soules It teacheth vs moreouer that seeing God turneth at his pleasure euill intentes to good purposes that wee must wishe and desire and dayly exhorte al men of what minde soeuer they bée that they haue a care to heare Gods worde for in that they come thoughe their intente be not to learne but to carp and cauell they bée welcome God may caste the nette of his mercy so farre on them that contrary to their purpose they may be wonne into the shéepefolde of Christe Iesus to their endlesse comforte What shall wee doe Béeing grieued with the sight of their sinnes they séeke what to doo to be eased shewing vnto vs an example of the heart truely touched to séeke the way to amend and not as is the manner of hipocriticall repenters to abide in the same sinne and continue without amendment for such as yet did neuer knowe what it is to be pricked in heart with the true sight of sinne Then Peter said The third generall part of the text which containeth the counsell that Peter gaue vnto them the which before we come to handle wee must obserue two profitable lessons for our comforte and instruction The first is an experience of the truth of the promise of our Sauiour Christ for they that séeke shall finde and to those that knocke it shall be opened and that God is néere at hande to all them that call vppon him faithfully For our good and gracious God béeing full of mercy and tender kindnesse doeth open the treasures thereof vnto his Children when they seeke it by repentance from the bottome of their hearts and in the anguishe of their soules acknowledge their wofull estate and wretched condition if he shoulde leaue them to themselues So he dealte with the Israelites in their slighte before Pharaoh and his hoaste So with Dauid béeing wounded with the sighte of his owne sinnes So with Paule being caste downe and blinded in bodie to teache hym the blindnesse of his soule And thus he dealeth with his dearest beloued Children to witte giueth them a sighte of their owne sinnes and his Iudgementes deserued for the same that they may learne to goe out of themselues where is nothing but confusion and so to séeke vnto him with an vnfained desire of comforte The vse of which Doctrine béeing rightly applyed is mooste swéete and comfortable For it is the lotte of Gods Children to bée often grieued in their soule and afflicted in conscience through the view of their owne sinnes whereby Sathan would make them beléeue y ◠it is for that God hath cast them of and giuen them ouer into hardnesse of heart thereby labouring to driue them to dispaire But wée must striue to be perswaded of the cleane contrary for to be giuen ouer of God is to wallowe in all sinne without remorse to heape transgression vpon transgression without sight of the daunger thereof and so to make a sporte of iniquitie but to be grieued with sinne to féele the burthen thereof with desire to be eased though we feale no present comforte is the vndoubted worke of the holy ghost and shall by Gods grace in time conuenient when he hath sufficiently humbled and triēd vs bring forth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse vnto all them that be thereby exercised And therfore when the Lorde layeth any triall vpon vs that we séeme to be ready to be swallowed vp of many daungers that are imminent though it be the propertie of flesh and bloud to be grieued at it yet we muste striue to fly vp farther to wit to learne this lesson that if we be the children of God when greatest daungers assaile we muste assure our selues that the Lord hath an especiall worke to bring to passe by vs whereby he will not only haue his owne glory to shine out more brightly but also that we may perceiue his loue vnto vs more euidently The second thing y ◠we haue to note is Peters readinesse to salue that soare that he had made to heale the wound that they were pained with all which sheweth in him two qualities that be required to be in all the Ministers of Gods words to wit a readye and willing minde to helpe and power to performe the same The first we sée was in him and was the marke that he shot at in reprouing them so sharpely euen their conuersion which as it should be the care that all the Ministers of Gods worde should haue to doe the worke of the Lorde willingly to séeke soules vnto Christe and bring them out of darknesse into light so it sheweth vnto the people that when the Minister reproueth sinne sharpely and galleth them to the quicke he neither doth it of mallice nor choler neither yet of hatred but of meere loue vnto them to doe them good to bring them to sée themselues and so to séeke to God And therefore howsoeuer fleshe and bloud iudgeth otherwise they are the greatest fooes to mans soule that doe tickle the eares with painted eloquence studying rather for pleasing speaches to delight the senses then the power of the spirit to cast downe mans pride that he may be humbled to God these be they whome the Prophet speaketh of that sow Cushions vnder mens elbows to lull them a sléepe in their sinnes these be fitte Preachers for such as crie oute preach to vs pleasant thinges But Saincte Peter was not in the number of them and yet did loue this people most dearely The seconde qualitie that wée note in Peter is his habilitie in that he was able presentlie to tell them what they shoulde doe For if when by the threatninges of Gods iudgementes he had wounded them he had not béene able to helpe their brused heartes and comforte their sorrowing soules he had béene no better then a tormentor But in that he was able and readie to doe both his example commendeth vnto vs a patterne of a right Minister of the worde who muste be able to bring out of his treasurie both olde and newe hee muste be able to teache to resiste the gainesaier to instructe to reproue and comforte But alas the worlde is come nowe to that passe that if he canne reade and that barely that is laied before him he is accoumpted and accepted for sufficient and yet the Scripture
and that we be sinners and therefore in his iustice though he would he cannot pardon vs our faith findeth out a meane whereby the iustice of God is satisfied to the full also his mercy purchased for vs which is Iesus Christ both God and man to ouercome as he is God all the enimies of our saluation Sathan sinne and death and to suffer as he is man all y ◠paines and tormentes that we had deserued both in body and soule and so presenteth vs in his owne righteousnesse and merits blamelesse before the face of God and maketh vs heyres of his eternall glory This being set downe in fewe wordes is the substance of the gospell he telleth vs by his owne mouthe that no man commeth to the father but by him and S. Paule saieth that in him are all the promises of God yea and amen because he is the waye whereby al the mercyes of God are conueyed vnto vs the father being we pleased in him The vse of which doctrine being rightly applied is very comfortable for first it bringeth vnto vs a comfort that the seuere wrath of God is appeased against vs. Secondly it teacheth that in all our néedes and necessities in all our praiers and thankesgiuing and in the whole course of our conuersation we are to begge the Lords assistance in through his sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christ in whome he is pleased and without whose mediation our praiers are abhominable our praises stinck in the nostrells of the father and we our selues are the abiecte and refuse of the world Grounded vpon the promises of God c. This is set downe to shewe whereupon faith taketh hold to wit the promises of God for when we heare out of the word of God what mercy God promiseth vnto them that beléeue in him it is the office of a true faith to apply the same particularly vnto our selues whereby we sée that same yet further veryfied that was spoken before that faith respecteth not our selues nor nothing that is in vs but the promises which God offereth vnto vs in his blessed word and therefore our faith is not to respecte the decrées of mā nor to leane vpon any thing sauing y e word of God only which is the thing whereby faith is wrought strengthened and established in our heartes Sealed in our heartes by the holy Ghost The promises of God are generall offered indifferently to al men both good and bad without exception in the ministery of the word and yet effectuall only to a fewe and therefore here may arise a question how I may assure myne owne soule and cōscience that they be particularly applied vnto me Which is answered thus by doctrine though euery man féeleth best by his owne experience when the word is preached to many we sée that it is effectuall onelie to fewe because in the most it knocketh only in their outward eares moueth them nothing at al but to those few vnto whom it is effectuall God openeth their hearts that they attend vnto the word and as by the same he speaketh through the ministery of man vnto the outward eares so inwardly he preacheth vnto the soule by his holy spirit whereby those words are ingraffed into their hearts they vnfainedly perswaded of them in their soules which spirit doth kéep cōtinual residence in their hearts afterward assuring them of his mercy This S. Paul setteth down saying we haue not receiued y e spirit of bōdage to feare againe but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father y e same spirit witnesseth w e ours that we are the children of God and in an other place it is God which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath anointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of his spirite into our heartes hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit This being euident by the word that whomsoeuer God calleth he sealeth with his holy spirit it resteth y ◠euery one of vs examine himselfe how he féeleth himselfe affected in this point whether we can féele this spirite comfort vs at all times and seasons or no. The which triall that it may be the better I will set downe thrée effects of this spirit in them that haue it whereby thou mayest examine thy selfe The first is this whereas we by nature cannot away with or care not for the worde of God because it is to our reason méere folishnes the holy ghost worketh in vs alone of the same to take delight and comfort in hearing and reading of it therefor they are said to be of God y ◠heare his word Which sentence Saint Iohn applieth to the hearing of of the ministers of God preaching the the same worde The second is the fruit that floweth out of this which is comfort by the word and increase of faith with féeling of the working of the same in our hearts for many heare the word and that with some ioy who yet haue little comfort by it for that they cannot applie it to themselues for their particular vse and profit Therefore this is the effect of the holy ghost to be vnfainedly perswaded that all the mercies of God in Iesus Christ promised in his word are as effectuall to me as if they were set downe only to me by name The 3. is a loathing of sinne and a thirsting after godlines whereby we indeuour to leaue sinne and to liue in all obedience of conuersation This Saint Paule setteth downe in expresse wordes saying if any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is none of his and if Christ be in you the body is deade because of sin but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake so then these thrée Loue to the word Perswasion of Gods mercyes and Reformation of life are in all them that haue the holy ghost Thus we sée briefely the particular pointes of of faith set downe out of the word of God Let vs pray The third Sermon of amendment of Life NOw remaineth to speak of the fruites and effectes of the same faith which are wrought by it in the heartes of all them that haue it which be of two sorts inward in the soule and outward in the conuersation inwarde be 1 Remission of sinnes 2. The loue of the Father 3 Promise to be hearde in our praiers All which procéede one out of another Outwarde is godlines in life and conuersation For the first which is remission of sinnes to be the fruite of faith is proued by many places of scripture our Sauiour Iesus Christ hauing a man sicke of the palsey broughte vnto him seing their faith said be of good comforte thy sinnes are forgiuen thée Where we haue to cōsider that not their faith but his owne applied remission of sinnes vnto him S. Paule in a long discourse in that heauenly Epistle written to the Romans concludeth with
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
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