watering for the Liuer is the spring of bloud that runneth into euery veine and therefore Salomon 〈…〉 12. 7 calleth the Liuer the golden well In the body there is a withering for Dauid complaineth in the Psalme 22. 15. verse My moysture is like the drought in Summer and my boanes are dryed vp like a pot-shard As in the earth and bodie of man so like wise in the soule there is a watering and a withering In the 4. of Saint Iohn and 14. verse there is mention of a well of liuing waters for the Soule The preaching of 〈…〉 3. 6. grace in Christ is called the watering of Apollo The Prophet Esay saith with ioy yee shall drawe 〈…〉 12. 3 waters out of the welles of Saluation Contrariwise where this grace doth not water there is withering Si spiritus irrigatio defuerit omnis 〈…〉 g. mag plantatio exarescit Euery planting that hath not the watering of Gods spirit it withereth and dries away therefore saith the Psalmist the 〈…〉 1. 3. godly they are like the tree planted by the riuers side there is watering but the vngodly are as a Garden that hath no water and as the Oaken leafe that Esay 〈…〉 fadeth there is withering The other Greeke verbe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to harden There bee Phisieae and aethicae vicissitudines there is a naturall and a spirituall Philosophie In the naturall course of things there is a congealing and an hardening as of the yce and frost which Iob very fitly calleth the bands of Orion because by the cold Eastern Iob. 3◠31 and Northern windes the water becomes as a stoane and the clods are bound together Contrary to this Hardening there is a melting Hee Psal ◠18 sendeth out his word and melteth them As when the Frost doth giue and the showers fall which Iob calles in the same place The sweete influence of Pleiades Both in nature and in the soule also there is a Resoluing and a Hardening Deut. 32. verse 2. The word is called Dewe and there is a thaw or spirituall melting when the heauenly dewe doth cause the soule to giue and to resolue into teares of Repentance so in the 2. of Kings 22. 10. Iosias heart did melt when he heard the Lawe read When King Dauid had committed murther and adulterie very grieuous sinnes hee neuer be-thought himselfe of the matter but he began to congeale and to bee Hardened in his sinne But assoone as the Prophet Nathan had awaked him and his heart like Gedeons fleece had druncke vp the heauenly dewe then presently Dauid began to relent his soule melted with sorrow and as appeareth in the 51. Psalme hee resolued into teares of Repentance Hezechias when God had giuen vnto him a sodaine and triumphant victorie ouer the host of Zenacherib presently after in the pride of his heart hee forgat God and began to congeale in sinne but as soone as the word of the Lord came vnto him by the Prophet Esay then presently his heart melted the bloud of his soule flowed forth in his repentant teares as appeareth in the 38. of Esay hee turned his face vnto the wall and wept bitterly 〈…〉 38. 3. Nowe as there is a Meiting so also there is an Hardening in the soule and that is when the custome of sinne hath beaten such an hard tracke and so trampled the soule that the word of God the seede of life cannot enter This is expressed in the 13. of Saint Matthew by the parable of the seede which fell by the high way side where there was such an hard way such a beaten path made by the common entrance of sinne that the seede could take no roote but the diuell comes like an Harpie and deuoureth it before it can enter For example hereof we wil take Cain and King Pharao whom my Text concerneth Cain hauing slaine his brother Abell and committed horrible murther the word of the Lord came vnto him saying Where is thy brother Abell Did Cains heart relent did hee confesse and say I haue sinned or did hee resolue into teares with Dauid No such matter but first he answered with a foule word I cannot tell where hee is then hee despised the Lord to his face as if hee should say you may go looke him am I my brothers keeper marke but this answere of Caine and his cariage therein and you neede no other example of an heart that is Hardened neither affection in kinred could touch him nor shame of the world check him nor the bloud of his slaine brother mooue him nor the glorious presence of the Lord astonish him nor the guilt of his owne thoughts raise him nor at last the quickening word of God which is powerfull to raise the very dead Hara Iob. 15. none of these could any whit reuiue him Triplex circa praecordia ferrum as Iob saith of Leuiathan his heart was harder then the nether milstone Pharaoh when the word of God came vnto Pha 〈…〉 him by Moses and Aaron hee was so farre from yeelding that hee seemed presently as though hee would haue fought with God Who is the Lord I know no Lord neither will I let Israel go And whereas the word and miracles ioyned with that word were sufficient to conuince any liuing Pharaohs heart was so stonie that though by a strange Miracle all the water in the land were become bloud and did sauour most vnholsomely yet it is sayd Pharao went home 〈…〉 23 and all this could not enter into his heart it could not pierce him When the Prophet cryed to the Altar of Ieroboam O Altar Altar heare the word of the Lord the Altar heard and claue asunder But the word of God which in Ieremie 〈…〉 13. 23. 29. is called an Hammer because it bruseth the stonie hearts of men this Hammer with ten miracles gaue ten mighty stroakes at Pharaohs heart and yet it could neuer bruse it Thus wee may plainely see there is a watering by Grace and a melting by Gods word as appeareth by Dauid and Hezechiah who resolued into teares againe through want of Grace there is a withering and by custome of sinne there is an Hardening as in Caine and Pharaoh whose hearts the word of God could not pierce but the more they were beaten on the more hard and flintie they became God hardeneth not IT Remayneth on the second poynt to discusse whether this Hardening bee of GOD In opening whereof it is very strange to heare how vntruely how vncharitablie we are charged by our aduersaries not onely Campion and Bellarmine but especially in certaine Articles or Foreible reasons lately published wherein it is directly set downe that the protestants doe make God the author and onely cause of sinne that they deride Gods permission and plainely affirme God is worse Article ◠then the Denill and so are bound in conscience neuer to aske God forgiuenesse for their sinnes Oh fearefull blasphemie and wordes vnseemely
imployed in most diuine and holy actions yet euen then his mind and thought still ranne vpon money vpon gaine This is Habitualis obduratio an Hardening which growes by continuance in sinne Hee that is in this case it stands him vpon to gather vp his spirits and strongly to resist sinne to sequester himselfe oft-times vnto deuout and priuate Meditations to ioy in hearing the word with reuerence to receiue the blessed Sacraments especially to bee feruent in prayer for so Saint Peter willed Simon Magus Repent and pray that if it bee possible the thoughts of thy heart may bee forgiuen thee 〈…〉 t s 8. 22. The third and last is Iudicialis obduratio an Hardning which proceedes from the iust iudgement of God Cùm peccatum fit paena peccati when sinne becomes a punishment to him that commiteth it as Saint Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a recompence 〈…〉 m. 1. 2. 7 offormer errours when the thought is so poysoned the mind and soule so generally infected that the spirit of God is vtterly quenched no light of nature no priuate Counsell no publike exhortation out of the word no inward motions of Gods spirit can preuaile but hee goeth on so long is so far spent that being past all feare to offend carelesly he maketh no scruple of any sin whatsoeuer till at length finding in himselfe no hope of recouery either God strikes him apparently with his iudgement as he did Pharao or else by his death hee passeth silent to the graue without repentance as Diues or in this life as Iudas did doth plunge himselfe in the gulfe of desperation This is that Hardening which is here meant of Pharao This Hardening is not all on a suddaine Non ruimus primo impetu vt Deo reluctemur no man is Hardened at the first Nemo fit repentè miser Calu. Heb. 3. 13. Take heed least any of you be Hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne The deceitfulnesse of sinne it creepeth like a canker-worme it gathers it steales vpon vs and so vnder the foreknowledge of God men come vnto Hardening by degrees Naturalis est ordo vt abimperfecto Tho. Aq 〈…〉 ad perfectuÌ„ quis moueatur It is a naturall course euen in euill saieth the schooleman by degrees to come vnto perfection As they that dwell in Psal 84. Gods house will bring forth more fruite and then appeare before the God of Gods in perfect beautie so on the contrary the wicked are not Hardened all at once but as they offend more and more so by little and little they grow to the height of sinne and as the Psalmist saith they do fall from one sinne to another Iudas was first a cunning Dissembler secondly 〈…〉 at 26. 8. he became a secret Thiefe thirdly he grew to be 〈…〉 12. 5. 〈…〉 t. 26. 25 48. an impudent Lyar fourthly he proued a bolde Traitor lastly a desperate Reprobate 〈…〉 at 27. 5. The diseases of the body they do not grow at one the selfe-same time they do first appeare but by ryot distemperature vsed long before so the soule infected with vncleane thoughts and in youth accustomed to euill actions at length commeth to the vncurable disease of Hardening S. Augustine in the 8. of his Confess Aug. conâ—â—ss 8. doth open this point very plainely First the deuill by concupiscence suggesteth euill thoughts euill thoughts egge on delight delight tolleth on consent coÌ„sent engendereth action action bringeth forth custome custome groweth to necessity and necessity in sinning is the forerunner of death For example First the diuell suggesteth euill thoughts so hee did vnto Eue hee wound her in by tainting her thought by telling her she should haue al knowledge and be as God this euill thought egged on delight for as appearethin the sixth verse the Apple grew pleasant in her eyes this delight tolled on consent for then she tooke of the fruite lastly of consent came the action for shee did eate and gaue it to her husband Now when the action of sin is committed there doth not presently follow Hardening for if the heart do melt thaw if the soule do giue resolue into teares of repentance for the same then there is no Hardening But if from one action committed we come vnto another and so to the custome continuance in sin then are we snared with the cords of our owne iniquity and fettered with this chaine against the general day of Gods iudgement To make this plaine I will show you by seuen degrees as it were by seuen stayres how men do descend into this pitte of Hardening The first step is importabile Sin at the first it is 1 Import 〈…〉 bile importable it seemes vntollerable to be borne One that hath bin religiously brought vp hath bin accustomed to a milde and honest conuersation and hath ben feareful to offend at length if through bad coÌ„pany through his own weaknes and the allurements of Sathan hee falleth into any foule sin at the first it is importable it doth strike such an horror into him that he is in a wofull taking and grieuously tormented This we may see by Dauid who hauing alwaies a tender conscience loath to offend yet after ouertaken by committing murder and adulter aâ—soone as he saw what he had done hee was mightily troubled wheresoeuer he became his offence so stucke in his thought that in the 51. Psal 3. he cryeth out my sin is euer before me that is is continually in my sight The second stayre is Graue heauie for sinne 2 〈…〉 ue being committed twise or thrise it is not as it was at the first importable but it is heauie Hee sorrowes and is grieued but hee is nothing so troubled in mind nor afflicted in conscience as he was before The third stayre is Leue light For he that hath 3 〈…〉 vsed himself more often to sin that which at the first was importable and afterwards heauie at length becommeth light This appeareth by the vnchast woman spoken off in the Prouerbs who hauing had some practise in sinne she makes no more matter of it but lightly passeth it ouer with wiping her mouth saith she hath not sinned 〈…〉 30. 20. The fourth stayre is insensible past feeling for 4 〈…〉 nsi 〈…〉 after that sin be made light of and that there be no remorse nor griefe for sinne then they grow past feeling such were the Israelites of whom the Prophet Ieremie speaketh in his 5. Chap. and 3. ver Thou hast smitten them but they haue not sorrowed for they haue made their faces harder then a stone that is they haue sinned so long that now they are past feeling The fift staire is Delectabile When men take 5 â—ecta 〈…〉 pleasure in sin as Salomon saith They reioyce in Pro. 2. 1â— doing euill and delight in wickednesse Heereof Saint Augustine saith Tum est consummata infoelicitas vbi turpia non solùm committuntur sedetiam delectant
Saint Ambrose Nemo tibi Christum potest auferre nisi te illi auferas no man can separate Christ from thee except first thou doest seperate thy selfe from him This is plainely to bee obserued in Pharaoh had hee being long before peaceably setled in a rich and mighty Kingdome made right vse of the blessings of God had hee at the first or oftentimes after yeelded vnto the word of the Lord he had neuer come to the state of Hardening nor left himselfe such a fearefull spectacle of Gods wrath for euer But Pharaoh feeling wealth and reuenew comming so fast and aboundantly that he builded new Citties Pithom Exo. 1. 〈◊〉 and Raamses to lay vp his treasures his heart was so bent and set vpon Couetousnesse such multitudes of people moyling and labouring in sundry workes for his profit that in no Exod. 〈…〉 Cha. 7 〈…〉 case hee could endure to heare of their departure First he said flatly they should not go Secondly hee sought to shift off the matter affirming the miracle not to be done by Gods hand but by inchantment Thirdly hee yeldeed 8. 25. they should offer sacrifice but onely in his owne land Fourthly hee was content they should go sacrifice out off his land but still hee would condition with God None but the 10. 11. 10. 24. men should go Fiftly the men should go the Women go the Children go but their sheepe and Oxen wherein their wealth stood should not go Thus Pharaoh through a wretched and griple minde neuer left winding and turning dallying and presuming of the Lords mercie and patience till adding one sinne vnto another his heart became Hardened Nay notwithstanding so many miracles and that before hee confessed the Lord to bee God He and his people sinfull and earnestly desired Moses to pray for him yet contrarie to his owne thoughts and against 〈…〉 eure howe 〈…〉 esull a 〈…〉 g it is 〈…〉 ully 〈…〉 nne a 〈…〉 st our 〈…〉 e conce his owne knowledge when hee saw the people of Israel were gone hee flies to strength of war hee cals his Captaines hee musters his people hee gathers his Chariots hee pursues with all might and maine till at last both hee and his ouerwhelmed in the sea receaued the fearefull and finall iudgement of wilfull disobedience Now then let all the earth know the goodnesse of the Lord and wisely obserue his loue vnto mankinde for euer It is true Pharaohs heart was Hardened and hee with his Nobles vtterly ouerthrowne But before this ouerthrow all meanes possible that could bee were vsed to winne Pharao Blessing vpon blessing before receiued punishment vppon punishment after inflicted Moses still and againe prayed for him Aaron euer and anon perswaded him the plagues to astonish him were sodaine and exceeding wonderfull the deliuerance to winne him was present and more miraculous the Enchanters confessed the People cryed out his Seruants were offended Aegypt was almost quite destroyed the land of Goshen was still vntouched God againe and againe and still againe was entreated and yet Pharao remained obstinate Shall we then say that God Hardened Pharaohs heart Bee it farre from vs for it is directly set downe in the ninth Chapter 34. verse And when Pharao saw the haile and thunder were gone hee sinned againe Hardened his heart And againe the 8. Chap. 15. verse When Pharao saw that he had rest he hardened his owne heart Oh I would to God it were onely Pharaohs case and that wee also being Christians did not abuse the long forbearance and much louing kindnesse of our God For now feare of the storme is ouer but euen one yeare or two now that our louing God through his vnspeakable mercie hath so sweetely set all in order that all Nations round about vs stand amazed now that he hath setled amongst vs a most happie and religious Behold our vnthankful 〈…〉 nes to G 〈…〉 enjoying so religious and peaceable a Prince peace now that hee hath giuen honour plentie and rest throughout all the Land stil stil wee dally and trifle with the Lord according to our priuate humors and seuerall sectes we will not professe the Gospell except we first condition as Pharao did both with our God King with humble hearts we do not submit our selues peaceably to serue the Lord For this blessed Catastrophe our soules flame not with thankeful loue neither as they ought breake forth into euerlasting praises Nay whereas the word of God came ten times to Pharao willing him to let the people of Israell go serue the Lord the same word comes an hundred times ten to our hearts crying and beating vpon vs to haue vs let go our contentions our carnal and peruerse affections and yet we neuer relent at the same A mans heart will tell him more then seuen watchmen 〈…〉 37. in a trwer We know we know euery one in his owne bosome the sinnes which we secretly foster and will not let go But as Saint Paul exhorteth the Iewes Hebrewes 3. 12. so I aduise you in the name of God Take heede take heede least in any of you there be found a false and an euill heart to depart from the liuing God For assuredly it is a fearefull and bitter thing to carry euer a selfe-wilde and peruerse mind to respect meerely the applause of men and fading pleasures of this life so inwardly falling away from God and loosing the blessed comfort of our saluation O Sauiour sweete and secret hope turne vs that we may be turned bow our hearts and the hearts of our seede vnto thee that we may feare thy iudgements acknowledge thy goodnes and stand fast in thy loue for euer How men become Hardened THe third point is to shew how men become Hardened in opening whereof we are to vnderstand that there are three sorts of Hardenings Naturalis Voluntaria Iudicialis The first is by Nature the second by habite and Custome the third by the Iust iudgement of God The first is the forgetfulnes or dulnesse in a natural man when he ouershootes him selfe for want of wise obseruation and remembrance In the sixth of Marke our Sauiour Christ fed Mar. 6. fiue thousand men with fiue loaues and two fishes a miracle sufficient to proue vnto his Disciples that hee was the Sonne of God Yet presently after when he came walking on the Sea and caused the winde to cease they stood amazed and did not acknowledge his Diuinity for Gods children may be blind in mind hardened in heart for a tim◠saith the scripture in the 52. verse They considered not the miracle of the loaues because their hearts were hardened that is through naturall imperfection they had forgot it Secondly there is an Hardening by habit when through a carelesse securitie men doe continue in sinne take such a custome as they can hardly leaue So Simon Magus his heart by custome was so long bent and set vpon couetousnesse that being conuersant amongst the Apostles and daily
loue who is able to wrong them whom he hath chosen how can they be reiected whom hee doth Call how shall they be shut out whom hee doth Iustifie who dare accuse them Whom God will Glorifie how can they bee forsaken Seeing my soule is lincked to that Chaine which can neuer be vnloosed my soule grounded vpon that foundation which can neuer be shaken what shall make vs to dispaire nay what is it shal make vs to wauer or doubt of the singular loue of God which he beareth towards vs in his Sonne Christ Iesus What shall separate vs from the hope of immortalitie in the life to come shall the wearisomnesse of this troublesome life shall the discontentments of this transitorie World shall a litle sicknesse shaking this brittle house of clay No all the afflictions of this life which are but for a moment they are not to be accounted worthy that exceeding siâ— passing eternall weight of glorie For God hath chosen vs before the world he hath Called vs out of the World he hath Iustified vs in the World and hee will Glorifie vs in the World to come God hath Chosen vs not being hee hath Called vs being enemies hee hath Iustified vs being sinners and hee will Glorifie vs being mortall wretches Therefore we may cherefully sing with Dauid Misericordia Domini abaeterno in aeternum The mercie of the Lord is from euerlasting to euerlasting FroÌ„ euerlasting Predestination to euerlasting Glory the one hauing no ending the other hauing no beginning This blessed fruition of glorie and immortalitie that wee may feele the comfort of it in our hearts and consciences now in this life and hereafter enioy in the life to come the Lord grant euen for his blessed son Christ Iesus sake to whome with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one euerliuing God be ascribed all power glory praise and thankes-giuing for euer and euer Amen FINIS THE SECOND SERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE KING BY ANT HONIE MAXEY Batchelar in Diuinitie and Chaplaine to his Maiestie in ordinarie The Points handled heerein are these That there is an Hardening That God Hardeneth not How men become Hardened Most wofull to be Hardened The meanes to auoid it LONDON Printed by G. Eld. for Clement Knight dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the holy Lambe 1606. HARDENING Exod. 10. 20. And the Lord Hardened Pharaohs heart and hee did not let the children of Israel go THE heart of Man is deceitfull and wicked aboue all Iere. 17. thnigs who can knowe it Although the Heart of man bee so little that it will scarce serue a Kite for a baite yet there are not more windings nor more turnings in a Maze or in a Laborinth then are in the heart of man The Heathen were so forward in acknowledging a Diuine power that rather than they would bee without a God they gaue diuine honour to any kinde of creature The Assyrians worshipped Idols the Persians Starres the Aegiptians Plants and all manner of beasts the Graecians their owne conceits and the Romanes made their Cittie a shoppe for all kinde of Gods So many were the windings and so infinite the turnings of the Heathen touching diuine worshippe that Varro obserued in the world three thousand Gods The dissolute and cunning Atheist hee hath a fetch by himselfe alone hee lets loose the reines and followes the streame of his sensuall affections because hee conceiues in his heart and cleane contrary to the Heathen saith there is no God at all There is a third kinde who though in 〈…〉 14. 1. showe they outwardly acknowledge God yet they againe haue an other winding secretly to themselues they plod on swallowing any sinne for why The Lord will neither do good nor euill â—h 1. 12. Because there is not present punishment for euery sinne Tush all is well no harme shall 〈◊〉 10. 12. happen vnto vs For God careth not for any thing Lastly in these our dayes there is a fourth sort who haue a more strange turning than all the former For many hauing a generall notioh of Gods omnipotencie hearing and reading sometimes of Gods Election and Reprobation whereof they vnderstand no ground nor conceiue aright they will presume to commit any sinne for say they All is in God no man can resist his power if hee hath chosen mee to life I am sure for one if otherwise as hee did with Pharaoh hee hath appointed mee a Vessell of his Wrath it is not possibly to be auoyded Such are the windings and these are the turnings in the hearts and secret thoughts of men either euery creature a God or else no God either a God that regarded not sinne or else a God that causeth vs to sinne These turnings Esa 2â— and deuises in the sight of the Lord are esteemed as clay before the Potter To conuince the Palpable errours of the three former I holde it not conuenient For to thinke there is any one heere present who doth acknowledge no God at all or such a God as regardeth not the actions of men I hold it wrong to this holy assemblie and I hope better things of this Christian audience But to meete with this latter sort who leauing all good meanes of their saluation do inwardly fall a way from God and yet in their willfull ignorance would shift off and shoue the cause of their condemnation vpon GOD. For such chiefely haue I vndertaken the exposition of this Scripture in opening whereof I will touch these fiue points First that there is 1 An hardening 2 That God Hardeneth not 3 How men become Hardened 4 Most wofull to bee Hardened 5 The meanes to auoidit There is an Hardening COncerning this first point there are in the Scriptures two Greeke verbes which are commonly vsed for this Hardening The first is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth properly signifie to drie vp wither vsed often in the 3. to the Hebrewes 8. 13-15 verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Harden not your hearts The other verbe in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to obdurate or to make hard Eph. 4. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They became strangers from the life of God through the hardnesse of their hearts Hauing thus recourse vnto the Greeke tongue wee shall see that in the heart of man first there is a drying vp and a certaine withering For in naturall things and also in the soule as there is a watering which is good and comfortable so there is a drying vp and withering which is dangerous and hurtfull In the earth there is a watering for the hills are the teates and the springs the milke to moysten and to water the valleyes Psalme 104. verse 10. Hee sendeth the springs into the riuers which runne amongest the hilles In the earth 〈…〉 20. there is a drinesse for saith Ioel The people mourne for want of moisture the riuers of waters are dried vp and the trees of the field are withered In the body there is a
Then is the estate of condemnation certaine when foule sinnes are not onely commited but are delightfull also The sixt staire is Desiderabile when through 6 Desiderabile delight men grow to such a custome that they inwardly desire to sin so that as S. Gregory said Si nunquam moreretur nunquaÌ„ vellepeccare desineret such a maÌ„ if he should neuer die he would neuer cease to sin for though he did not commit it in action yet still he would desire it in thought The seauenth staire is defensibile When hee hath 7 Defensibile gotten a forehead of brasse â—say 48. 4. as the Psalmise saith wheÌ„ the tyrant doth boast that he can Psal 1. 1. do mischiefe when hee sits in the seate of the scorner when hee doth not onely by habit desire to sin and delight in it but nowe he will take vpon him to defend it Peccatum porta mortis defensio Origen est lumen inferni Sin is the high way to death but the defence of sin is the very next step into hell At this point were the Iewes who being reproued for idolatry the Scripture saith they said desperately we haue loued strange Gods and them will we follow againe they refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder stopped their eares and Zach. 7. â—â— made their hearts as an Adamant stone Impius cùm â— 2. 25. â—0 18. 3. venerit in profundum contemnit a dissolute liuer once growne to the height of sin becomes desperate Thus Sin first it is importable secondly heauie thirdly it becomes light fourthly past feeling fiftly delightfull sixtly desired and lastly to be defended Here is descensus Auerni these be the stayres that lead to the chambers of death the stepswherby the reprobate do descend vnto final destruction Indeed at the first when sin is importable that we are wonderfully grieued for coÌ„mitting of it there is great hope of recouery he that so feeling the wound of sinne doth there stay the course of it it is an excellent signe of saluatioÌ„ Initium salutis notitia peccati the first step of repentance is the first finding out acknowledgement of sin In the second of the Acts wheÌ„ they saw and knew their sin they cried out Men brethern what shal we do to be saued This horror this troubled mind it made them seeke for comfort and so brought them to repentance Secondly when sin is a burden vnto our soules so that we would faine be eased of it there is yet good hope We may see it by Dauid in the 38. Psalme 4. verse Mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and are as a burden too heauy for mee to beare The weight of this burden made Dauid in the 18. ver following to confesse his wickednes and to be sory for his sin it made him flie vnto God for ease O cast your burden vpon the Lord for he will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer Thirdly when men make light of sin surely danger is not far off for a threefold cord is not easily broken and the third letting of bloud in the same veine is exceeding dangerous but yet still there is some hope for though in the hot chase of our blinde and youthful desires though then for a time we account it a light matter to commit this or that sinne yet God may touch our hearts Christ may looke backe vpon vs as he did on S. Peter who denied him thrice His word may so strike vs that we may come to know our selues to see in what case we are to bewaile our infirmity so turne vnto god by praier repeÌ„taÌ„ce All these things as Iob saith will God worke twice Iob. 33. â— O bewâ— and sin more or thrice with a man But if we come to Insensibile the fourth stayre so that we grow past feeling we sin daily and haue no sense of it if there be no remorse no griefe nor dislike of sin wo be vnto vs 2. Amos. 6. For three transgressions and for foure I will not turne to Israel saith the Lord. Without the infinite and extraordinary mercie of God we are the sons of wrath for theÌ„ followeth this deadlie wound of Hardening It is a principle in Phisicke grauissimè is aegrotat qui se non sentit aegrotare if a man bee sicke and know it not out of question hee is very dangerously and deadly sicke hee that findes in himselfe no want of any thing as the Church of Laodicea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I stand not in need of any thing This deadnesse â—uel 3. 17 this vnfeeling numnesse it is a plaine foreteller of death for example if a man haue taken a grieuous wound in his body if it ake if it pricke and shoote if it paine him eyther it is healing or else there is hope to heale it but as Saint Augustine saith Quod non dolet non pro August sano sed pro mortuo computandum if the wound be such that it neuer causeth griefe if it neuer ake nor smart vndoubtedly it is dead flesh of necessitie it must be cut off To commit actuall and presumptuous sinnes when a man 's owne knowledge and Gods spirit cryeth in him to the contrary these are wounds and grieuous woundes vnto the soule and whosoeuer hath gone on so far that he doth delight in these sinnes so often so long that his minde is neuer troubled his thoughts neuer checked his soule neuer grieued surely such a one being vtterly past feeling is very neere to this fearefull estate of hardening Thus haue I shewed how and after what sort men become Hardened not of my selfe but as S. Augustine saith Ligatus teneor non ferro alieno sed meaferrea voluntate velle meum tenebat inimicus et inde mihi funes fecerat et consuetudini dum non resistitur fact a est necessitas A man becomes hardened he is fettered not by any other chaine but by the cordes of his owne sinne the deuill by deceit gets power ouer the will and so doth snare vs and because in the beginning wee did not resist custome at length it groweth to necessity This is the very same in effect setdown by Saint Paule in the 4. to the Ephesians 18. where this manner of Hardening is also expressed first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the minde is darkened they cannot rightly discerne what to do then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they become ignorant thirdly comes in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when the soule for want of heauenly dewe beginnes to wither and harden fourthly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 past feeling and lastly giuen ouer to commit all sinne with greedinesse Most wofull to be hardened NOw what a grieuous and lamentable estate is it to be hardened let it please you with patience to obserue a while you shall briefely vnderstand The comfort of mans life in this world it consisteth in the enioying either of temporall or spirituall blessings But the strong
man hauing once got possession when a man is fallen away from grace and his heart Hardened how fearefull how mournfull a case it is it may manifestly appeare in this for that such men they can haue no true ioy of temporall things in this world nor any true comfort of the sweete graces in the life to come First concerning spirituall blessings There is nothing more cheerefull vnto man then the knowledge of his minde nothing more excellent in him then the light of his vnderstanding This knowledge this light of nature this vnderstanding and iudgement is vtterly extinguished Suffocatur naturae lumen cùm ad huius abissi ingressum Calâ— accedimus the light of nature is choked wheÌ„ they once enter into this gulf of Hardning In man there is a threefold light The light of the body which is the Eye the light of the mind which is Reason and Faith the light of the soule Eph. 1 1â— 1 Cor. 4. â— by which we discerne things that are not seene In the obstinate their bodilie eye is full of adultery and cannot cease to sinne 2. Pet. 2. 14. 2. Pe. 2. â— The light of Reason which is the law of nature is extinguished Rom. 1. 28. Lastly Faith which is Rom. 1. 2 the light of the soule is wholy blinded for such cannot see to take hold of the mercies of God nor to apprehend his comfortable promises Ebre 4. 2. Now if the Eye which is the light Ebr. 4. 2. of the body if Reason which is the light of the minde if Faith which is the light of the soule be dimmed If all that light which should bee in vs bee darknesse Iustissima poena vt qui sciens Aug. de li 〈…〉 be arbit lib. 3. rectum non facit amittat scire quod rectum saith Saint Augustine it is a punishment that hee who knowing doth not well at length should loose the knowledge of wel dooing so is it with the Hardned as Iob. saith The light of the vngodly Iob. 18. â— shall bee darkened and the wicked shall become blind Zeph. 1. 1 because they haue sinned against the Lord. The iudgement of the minde beeing thus peruerted and Faith which in all stormes and temptations should guide the sterne being ouerthrowne there fellowes a generall shipwrack of conscience The word of God is said to bee sharper then a â—br 4. 12. two edged sword it pierceth the very sinewes marrow it diuideth the soule and spirit asunder how wonderfull it is in operation how mightie to conuince our thoughts howe powerfull to quicken the soule how comfortable to strengthen our faith I doubt not but most here to their endlesse comfort do effectually know This word this mighty word which for the piercing operation is resembled to fire able to soften yron this word it cannot mollifie the hardened But as the bright beames of Sunne doe harden clay and soften wax and as the sweete drops of raine do mollifie earth and harden sand so the heauenly and eternall word returneth not in vaine but by reason of different disposition in the subiect it illuminateth it melteth the rightous it obdurates and Hardens the wicked their Esay 6. 9. heartes being fat their eyes heauie and their eares shut they shall heare indeed but shall not vnderstand they shall see and not perceiue Where the word of God cannot preuaile there can be no repentance It is true The scripture saith at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent Eze. 1â— him of his sin froÌ„ the bottom of his hart God wil put all his wickednes out off his remembrance Therevpon many take their pleasure glut themselues in sin at last they thinke to make all good by repentance Indeed it is true if they can repent but they must obserue what S. August saith Qui promittit paenitenti veniam non promittit peccanti paeniteÌ„tiam God who promiseth vnto euery one Aug. that repeÌ„teth forgiuenes doth not promise vnto euery one that sinneth repentance RepeÌ„tance is the gift of god such as are hardened because in times past they despised the riches of his bounty grace his long suffering mercy that did cal them to repeÌ„tance when they wold they caÌ„not repent Ro. 2. 5. after hardnes the heart it caÌ„not repeÌ„t If there can be no repentance then lamentation teares are bootlesse Teares they are the bloud of the soule and the Wine of Angels most Bern. pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God Yet the hardened though they should wash theÌ„selues in their owne teares it will not preuaile Nihil prosuÌ„t lamenta si replicantur peccata tears are not accepted where sinnes are still and againe double Ebr. 12. 17. Esau found no place to repentance Ebr. 12. 1â— though he sought the blessing with teares The holy blessed Sacraments now presently to be administred are Pledges of Gods loue and Seals of our saluation By Baptisme he breaks the Rom. 4. 1â— heads of the Dragons in the Waters et per Baptismum coeli ianua aperitur And by baptisme euen the dore of heaueÌ„ is set open The sacrament of the Lords supper it is canalis gratiae et lauacruÌ„ animae 〈…〉 l. 74. 14 the coduit of grace the bath of the soule What can be more ioyful then by receiuing the signe of the crosse to fight vnder the banner of Chirsts loue to be knit into the misticall body of his saints what can be more ioyful then to receiue that pure princely blood the least drop wherof being able to redeeme a thousaÌ„d worlds I may rest assured it is a full perfect satisfactioÌ„ for all my sinnes so that if my body hath sinned his body hath made ameÌ„ds if my soule haue sinned his soule hath made recompence therefore both soule and body are his and so we firmly and fully setled in a Christian ioy for euer These holy and heauenly Sacraments are not effectuall in the obstinate Iudas notwithstanding he was a disciple of our Sauiour and that blessed hand which after for his sake was nayled on the Crosse did reach him the bread of life yet he was so hardened with secret sin a trayterous disposition that as soone as he receiued the sop the deuilentred into him tooke ful possessioÌ„ 〈…〉 h. 13. 27. of him so brought him to a most feareful end Prayer what maruailous things it hath brought to passe and indeede what greater comfort can there be to a distressed minde then to open our griefe to poure out our complaints and ease our wounded hearts by making our mone vnto God by faithful and humble prayer yet in those that are Hardenedned prayers of themselues are frutelesse Ioh. 9. 31. God heareth not the prayer of sinners that is of such as reteine a will to sinne Dauid saith He that enclineth his heart vnto wickednesse Psa 6â— God will not heare his prayers To hope in the prayer of
others that also is in vaine Ier. 7. 16. Because you haue done these things and I spake vnto you you would not heare therefore Ier. 7. 1◠11. 14 thou shalt not pray for this people nor lift vp cry nor entreat me for I wil not heare Though Noe Iob should intreat me though Moses and Samuel should pray vnto me yet will I not heare neither be intreated In the 15. of the Prou. 15. it is said a good conscience is a continuall feast Assuredly if a man haue all earthly blessings which his heart can desire if he wax neuer so warme and wealthie yet if hee be at war with himselfe if hee be stung with the guilt of his owne thoughts what comfort what ioy can he haue The spirit of a man may beare his sicknes or infirmitie Pro. 18. ◠but a wounded cōscience who is able to endure Contrariwise peace with God peace of conscience and quiet rest of soule it is the greatest cōfort that man can enioy vpon earth S. Augustine calles it The beautiful Temple of Salomon the garden of Paradice the golden bed of rest the ioye of the Angels the treasure of the great King the mercie seat of the Cherubins and the tabernacle of the holy Ghost This peace the Hardened can neuer bee partakers of Their grief is doubled with mourning 〈…〉 11. 10. and remembring things past and it is plainely said There is no peace vnto the wicked Hope is the treasurie of all spirituall and heauenly 〈…〉 48. 22. blessings in all wants and miseries it is the safe and sure anchor of the Soule For by hope wee are saued but the hope of the vngodly is like the dust blowne away with the wind They forecast vnto 〈…〉 s 17. 10. themselues cruel things and their thoughts are like the flights of a bloudie and vanquisht field where al hope and comfort lyeth slaine Now when the soule thus affected is not at peace with God but giuen ouer to sin remaines in the state of Condemnation all temporall blessings which are comforts to Gods children they doe increase our condemnation Riches weeknow are the good blessings of God but to such as haue no sinne in their conscience otherwise as Iob saith in his 15 Chap. 27. If his face be so couered with fat and that hee hath such collups in his flancks that in aboundance and prosperitie he forgets God Dat legitimum sed non sanctum vsum he giueth a lawfull and outward but not a sanctified vse Sleepe is sweet vnto euery man but a mind secretly woūded with sin is afflicted with feareful 〈…〉 is 12. 13 dreames and visions in the night The wicked that haue liued a dissolute life they are tormented with their owne imaginations as Iob saith The terrours of God do fight against them Mirth and Cheerefulnes the wise man saith they are the reioycing of the heart and prolonging of the life Iob 14. 22. The sinner while his flesh is vpon him he shall be sorrowfull while the soule is in him he shall not cease to mourne Prouerbes 14. 13. Euen in laughing the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mans mirth is heauinesse Now if the estate of the Hardened be such that the light of the minde and soule be wholly darkned if the word of God cannot peirce thē if hauing made shipwrack of conscience their heart it cannot repent and so neither Sacraments nor teares be auaileable If their own Praiers cannot be heard others are forbid to pray for them if their sleepe be feareful theirlaughing inwardly mournfull their riches cursings their hope vtterly forlorne they can neuer enioy any peace of conscience or quiet rest of soule iudge you whether it had not bin better such a man had not beene borne or being borne had presently bin flung into the bottome of the sea drowned in euerlasting forgetfulnes For alas when God is become our enimy who is able to enter into cōbat to match with the wrath of the Lord of hostes whē a mans ownhart doth condēne him who is able to put to silence the voice of desperation Oh happy is he that sinneth least next he that returneth soonest but most dreadfull is the estate of him who like Pharao is giuen ouer vnto Hardening For he that is once come to this passe that as Ieroboam he hath sold himselfe to cōmit sin his minde reprobate his conseience seared and 〈…〉 1. 28. his soule frozen in the dregges of sin then though 〈…〉 im 4. 2 he weepe lament with Esau though he would 〈…〉 h. 1. 12 restore that which hee hath wrongfully gotten with Iudas though he do gird himselfe in sackcloth walke softly as Ahab though he do pul the men of God to comfort him and pray for him as Saul did though hee do mourne like a Doue and chatter like a crane with the Pellicā though he do send forth shril and fearefull cries into the ayre yet al this wil not helpe wo alas there is no recouery Ier 13. 23. Can the black-More 〈…〉 13. 23. change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may they doe good who haue accustomed themselues to doe euilt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that 〈…〉 st eth 7 ◠7. hardeneth his heart can neuer be cured Habituati 〈…〉 s 12. 10 in malo sunt impaenituri their thoughts can neuer 〈…〉 l. 17. 14 be altered their stony hearts cānot become fleshy they 〈…〉 b. 10. 26 haue denied the power of saluatiō they haue despited 〈…〉 b. 12. 17 the spirit of grace and though they seeke the blessing with tears they can find no place to repētance This is a lamentable estate this is a feareful iudgmēt for man to be left vnto himselfe giuen vp to Sathan to be forsaken of God for euer frō this estate the Lord for his endlesse mercy deliuer vs. The Remedie TO eschue this gulfe and to auoide the danger of this Hardening either we must cut off and stay the course of sin in the act or else we must resist it in the beginning and stay it in our thoughts It is an excellent saying of S. Ierom Ibi maxime oportet obseruare peccatum vbi nasci solet both in sin also in curing the diseases of the body it is the chiefest point to obserue finde out where the malady first tooke beginning It is plaine sin first buddeth in the thought and therupon S. Ierome calls it primo genita Diaboli the Diuels darling or first begotten Sathan dare not attēpt any vnto murther treasō or any such grieuous sin vnlesse he send an euil thought before to trie whether he shall be welcome The Philistins will not venture till Dalilah hath wrought the feat as she with Sampson neuer left fawning and creeping into his bosome til by cōsenting vnto her he lost both his strength his eyes became a mil-horse for the Philistins so il thoughts allure
toll on so long til the light of the vnderstaÌ„ding being blinded satan that foule Philistine sets them such a grist to grind as they must pay the losse of eternal life for the toll The Philosopher sayd truely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custome ariseth of very small beginnings and though it seeme a small matter to lend the diuel an euill thought yet the wise man saith in the 13. of Wis Euill thoughts separate from 〈…〉 rd God cogitationes malae dum ludunt illudunt euill thoughts while they dally they doe deceiue As the stream in the riuer Iordan doth carry the fish 〈…〉 hus swimming playing til on a sodaine they fall in mare mortuum into the dead sea where by reasoÌ„ of brimstone they presently die so many suffer themselues to bee caried away so long with vitious thoughts wicked imaginations that on a sodain the powers of the mind be grieuously infected The eye is fenestra mentis many times 〈…〉 9. 21. ere euer we be aware death stealeth in at the window The eare Iob calleth it in his 12. Chap. the taster of the soule As the mouth tasteth meat for 12. 11. the belly so the eare tasteth words for the soule He that hath a wicked eye and an vnchast eare as S. Peter saith of Simon Magus his soule will soone 〈…〉 um 〈…〉 guae 〈…〉 pe 〈…〉 um be brought to the gall of bitternesse Therfore wise men may hereby iudge how carefully how prouideÌ„tly the educatioÌ„ of youth especially of the nobler sort ought to be respected How flattering parasits prophane iesters ought to 〈…〉 ld this 〈…〉 true 〈…〉 nside 〈…〉 be warily shuned Alas the mind dispositioÌ„ of youth at the first it is like a sweet and brightsiluer dish you may put in what you please but if through vile Atheists dissolute company the affection be once led away the disposition infected wo worth that coÌ„pany for the infectioÌ„ of Iob. 36. 〈…〉 sin taken in teÌ„der yeares Iob saith The soule dieth in youth as cloth stained in the wooll doth neuer lose the colour so the staine of sin taken in teÌ„der yeares wil hardly or neuer be taken out nay that which afterwards discretioÌ„ yeares doth know and iudge in it selfe most hatefull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrisost By euill custome hee is inforced to put the same in practise whether he will or no. In the 9. of Mark. â—1 ver the foule spirit which kept possession froÌ„ a child could not bee cast out by any other but only by our Sauiour Iob made a couenant with his heart Dauid praied the lord to turne away his eyes froÌ„ beholding vanity Euery good man ought to labour striue with himself to quench his desires to checke his thoughts to beat down keepe vnder his affections that though he do sin sometimes of infirmity yet it may neuer generally infect the minde it may neuer be setled in the thought There is no sacrifice more acceptable vnto God then the nipping of a serpeÌ„ts head therfore as Dauid speaketh or the children of Babilon adpetras illidere to dash their braines Psal 137. 9 against the wall while they are yong so the best way to preueÌ„t Hardening is to nip sin in the head at the first to kil the streÌ„gth of it in our thoughts Now if God do not so strengthen vs to ouercome sin in the thought the next way to shunne this Hardening is to stay the course of it in the act For God wil wound the heary scalpe of such as go 〈…〉 l. 68. 22 on still in their wickednes Paruus error in principio maximus est in fine A small scape in the beginning many times proues a mischiefe in the end Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati The custome of sin takes away all feeling of sin as hee that is stung with a viper is so deadly benuÌ„med that he feeles the sting of nothing els so he that hath takeÌ„ a custome of offeÌ„ding neuer feeles the infectioÌ„ of any sin though it rancle neuer so grieuously In the 69. Ps 16. ver Dauid prayeth O let not the pitshut her mouth vpoÌ„me To sin is to fal into a pit but to take a custom in sin is to couer the pit daÌ„ it vp that we shal neuer get out againe CoÌ„suetudineÌ„ vincere dura pugna saith August 〈…〉 ag in sal 36. It is a difficult fight to ouercome custome for in all humane things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custome is the mostintollerable tirant Horatius the Romane being to fight with 3. enimies at once did single them out then slew theÌ„ one by one so the force of sin is to be cut off in euery seueral actioÌ„ 〈…〉 ro 28. 26 least by gathering streÌ„gth it ourthrow vs. He that trusteth his owne heart is not wise In this case it is good for a man â—o suspect his owne heart to call his own way to remeÌ„brance to take somtimes a suruey a view of the maÌ„ner of his life daily actions if he find in himself that God hath suffered him so far to be tempted that he is falleÌ„ into any foule offence which he knowethis directly both against God his own conscience then preseÌ„tly to bestir himself neuer to suffer his eies to sleep nor his eie-lids to sluÌ„ber til he haue poured out his heart vnto God made bitter lamentation craued pardon with repentance and vowed by Gods assistaÌ„ce neuer to offend in any such sort againe Otherwise if lightly he passe it ouer so go on as Mithridates accustomed his body so much to the receipt of poyson that at length no poison would work on him so he that hath once taken in with the custom of sin shal at leÌ„gth come to that passe that the greatest sin that Aug. in se 〈…〉 4 â—n adu Dom. is he shall neuer feele it Omne peccatuÌ„ vilescit coÌ„suetudine et sit homini quasinulluÌ„ the greatest sin by custom comes to be accouÌ„ted nothing WheÌ„ the body is sore hurt wounded there is no driuing of time but preseÌ„tly it must be looked to so when the soule is wounded we must not defer to turne vnto the Lord but flie to him with importunate prayer with a broken mourning heart for feare the wound do fester inwardly and so there be no recouery I make it plaine by example thus If a maÌ„take in the spring 3. or 4. plants and set them al together at one time if he come by and by or within a while after he may easily pull vp one of them if he stay a fortnight or a moneth he may pull vp an other but it will be somewhat harder if he stay a yeare or two till it settle and take roote then he may pul and straine his very heart strings but his labour is lost hee shall neuer be able to pull it vp One sin one offence if we labour to pul it vp
in time it may be forgiuen it may be taken away if we let it go on to two or three with vnfained repentance with bleeding teares with vncessant outcryes vnto a gratious God they may be rased out and wiped away but with greater difficulty at length if a man giue ouer himselfe vnto sinne so that it take deepe roote in the heart and bee setled in the soule he shall neuer be able to pull it vp nor to arise from the death of sinne Application TO draw then to an end forasmuch as God desireth not the death of any sinner but most louingly offereth his grace meanes of saluation vnto all seeing sinne doth proced from our owne vile concupiscence and we neuer striuing to stay the course of it in our thoughts do secretly fall away seeing by degrees against their own knowledge men do wound their soules with many actuall sinnes and thervpon God doth withhold his grace and so forsake them and this forsaking is such a forlorne estate that as Iob saith 12. 14. God shutteth a man vp and he can neuer be loosed O how feruent ought we to be in prayer thereby to kindle in vs the heat of Gods spirit how deuout in sweete heauenly meditations to stir vp in vs the good graces of God how diligent to shewe the fruits of our faith euer stirring in the workes labours of our calling giuing no aduantage to our aduersary how carefull when wee heare the word of God to do it with a humble spirit with great reuerence therby to keepe a tender heart a minde and cogitation that may easily bee touched with remorse how desirous secretly ioyfull at this holy time to prepare our selues to the receiuing of the blessed sacraments to haue our hearts stripped off worldly vanities to cal home our affections to appease our thoughts and so peaceably to bath our soules afresh in the precious blood of our euerlasting redeemer That so feeling our selues as it were newely created againe soule body heart hand tongue may neuer cease to sound praises vnto him who doth neuer cease to renew his mercies vnto vs. The holy kingly Prophet Dauid he is a worthy example for this roial presēce set him before your eies obserue the whole course of his life How sweet and mild was his spirit in forbearing to take reuenge for himselfe how couragious inuincible his faith whē it stood in the quarrel of gods honour how dearly affected to his people when he said to the destroying Angel not these sheep but it is I that haue offended what melting kinde affection did he shew towards Ionathan those whō he loued what a mournful repentāt heart whē he knew that he had offēded how full of diuine meditations to better his thoughts how frequent in praier falling frō him as a continual streame how ioyfull in Gods seruice dancing before the Ark how reuerend in Gods house kneeling bowing in the tēple before al the people what a thankfull heart in offering to build a glorious temple to the Lord what an hūble minde saying what am I what was my fathers house that thou hast brought vs hitherto what a chary tender care of Gods glory whersoeuer he became how abundant in praises thanksgiuing calling euery member of himselfe all the creatures both of heauē earth to make one quire in setting forth singing sounding the euerlasting praises of his God But why did Dauid thus to what end was al this that he might be sure stil to hold fast by God to be intirely knit vnto him by al means possible to retaine his loue for feare least God hauing raised him to the height of renowne deliuered him miraculously out off many eminent and bloudy dangers so set a crowne of blessings vpon his head if Dauid should haue showne any vnthankfulnes any cōtempt or the least neglect of his loue a mighty ielous god he also vpon iust cause might haue withdrawne his loue laid al his honour in the dust againe Now therfore with al humblenesse duety I intreat you by the tender mercies of Christ Iesus in the name of the liuing God I chalenge euery christiā which hopes for any ioy in the life to come take heed of actuall and presumptuous sinnes in no case let them haue dominiō ouer you Psal 19. 1 do not woūd your soules as Pharao did with wilfull offences against your own knowledge try examine all your thoughts how wherin they stand affected aboue al grieue not the blessed motions of that cōfortable spirit which keepes the very Life and Being of the soule To conclude let al slaunderous mouthes be stopped all the factious scismatiques in the land ashamed in beholding your christian and Princely example continue still to be louingly and kindly affected one towards another celebrate this holy time in a true religious maner Sanctifie the ioyful beginning of this new yeares raine with new deuotion vnto God lay all your Honors downe at the foote of the altar receiue the holy Sacraments ioyntly together and so bee faithfully knit in loue and in one head Christ Iesus go cheerefully on delight still in doing good the Lord God of our Fathers increase in you good desires giue you zeale to performe them confirme vnto you to your seede all his good promises and vnto euery one of vs here graunt pardon for offences past giue vs comfort and strength in temptations to come change all our liues more and more to a better course euen for his blessed Sonne Christ Iesus sake who with the Father and the holy Ghost be blessed and praysed for euer Amen FINIS