AMENDMENT of life THREE SERMONS VPON ACTES 2. VERSES 37. 38. CONTEINING the true effect of the worde of God in the conuersion of the godly and the maner how it changeth their harts and reformeth their liues which is the true vvorke of regeneration By IOHN VDALL Preacher of the worde of God at Kingstone vpon Thames IOHN 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe he can not see the kingdome of God AT LONDON Imprinted for Thomas Man W. B. and N. L. 1584. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE CHARLES LORD HOVVARD BARON OF EFFINGAM Lord Chamberlaine of the Queenes Maiesties most honorable houshold Of the moste noble Order of the Garter Knight and one of her Maiesties moste Honorable Priuie Counsell IOHN VDALL wisheth continuall encrease in all vertue godlines AS there is no field be it neuer so wel tilled and be the seede neuer so good that is sowne in the same but weedes will of their owne accorde spring therin and without the diligent care of the husband-man choake the good seede and deceiue the owner of the expected fruit of his former labour so there hath neuer since the world began right honorable bene any church so pure without corruption that hath not had many blemishes in the same the which without the great mercie of God and prouident care of the gouernours thereof both hath and doeth to the ende of the world will so growe and encrease that they will neuer staye vntill they haue brought to passe the vtter subuersion and ouerthrow of religion there professed for if we beginne with the Church of the Iewes not onely the first visible established church but also the image and picture of the Church of God for euer and consider what corruptions haue crept into the same howe they haue increased from time to time often preuailed against the sincere worship of God to the vtter ouerthrow of true religion and strengthening of idolatrie it is so manifest in the bookes of Moses Kings and the Prophets that either we must refer the consideration thereof to those places or els which is needeles make a whole volume of the discourse of the same We see the same practize in the Primitiue Church euen in the time of the Apostles that both corruption of doctrine and also loosenes in conuersation did greatly infect that age The which is euident in the times following and euen vntill this day that the true doctrine of the Gospel hath bene most blasphemously peruerted and godlesnesse in life so rooted into the heart of man that the number of true Christians hath euer bene a small poore and contemned flocke And in truth we neede goe no further than to these present times wherein we liue in which because thorough the great mercy of our good and gracious God the seedes of Popishe tares can take no such roote as Satan wisheth we may behold and to the great griefe of Christian hartes too plainely see how greatly Atheisme and vngodlines preuaileth that it is a hard matter euen in this bright sunne shine of the Gospell of Iesus Christ to finde many of them that together with puritie of religion doe studie to keepe a sincere and vpright conscience in their life For religion now adayes is made a cloake to hide sinne a myst to bleere the eyes of the world a den for transgressors and a cage for all vncleane birds in the world All which springeth hence that Satan can perswade men that if they professe themselues to be Gospellers and make shew of religion it is not onely sufficient because no man shall be saued by his works but also it shall bring them into more credite and estimation in the world thereby to growe greater which bringeth forth these three most pernicious and daungerous euills among men first that the Papists who measure all things by the outward shew are not onely kept from listening to the truth but also more hardened in their blind superstition Secondly that the glorie of the highe and mightie God which should shine in our liues by the Gospell is trampled vnder feete Lastly that their owne soules and bodies are in a most daungerous estate being driuen by the prouocation of the deuil headlong into the pit of condemnation whereinto so many as with out repentance runne on to the ende must needes fall at length feeling the torments increased vnto them that for laying stumbling blocks in the way to ouerthrow others and defacing the glory of the great God and proceeding in satisfieng their owne appetite with sinne they haue most iustly deserued The consideration of which mischiefe moued certaine godly and well disposed persons who were by the prouidence of God eare witnesses of a discourse that it pleased the Lord to strēgthen me to vtter in my ordinary course vpon the Acts of the Apostles earnestly to intreate me that I woulde penne the same for their further comfort which good godly motion of theirs for that it proceeded I doubt not from an earnest desire in them of spirituall edification I condiscended vnto And because it hath pleased God to make me by speciall dutie bound vnto your Honor I therefore haue made especiall choice of the same wherevnto these my simple small labours might be dedicated most humbly beseeching your honor that as it is the summe and substance of all the religion taught and professed in this poore Towne of Kingston so it would please your L. to accept therof not according to the quantitie that is but small nor expecting the inticing words of mans wisedome which is most vnfit for the Gospell of Christ but according to the substance of the thing and the mind of the poore labourer So shall your Honor bind me which notwithstanding is my duetie with the rest of them that feare God among vs to pray continually vnto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ for you that it woulde please him so to direct guide and blesse all your enterprises as may best tende to the glorie of his most blessed name the benefit of his Church and this common weale and the eternal euerlasting comfort of your owne soule Your Honors most humble to commaund in the Lord Iesus Christ. IOHN VDALL Three Sermons of the amendment of life Acts. 2. verse 37. 38. Now when they heard it they were pricked in their hearts and said vnto Peter and the other Apostles men and brethren what shall we doe Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues WHen our Sauiour Iesus Christ according to his promise has sēt dawn y ◠holy ghost into the hearts of his discipls which was so effectual in them that they who were vnlearned spake with diuers languages the Iewes and straungers of diuers countreyes gathered togither to sée that straunge wonder and some admired it as the wonderfull worke of God others mocked them affirming them to be droncke wherevpon Peter stoode vp making an Apologie for himselfe and the rest first deliuering them from that lying slaunder of dronkennes
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
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
they heare that God will graunt whatsoeuer is asked in his sonnes name doe by and by aske riches honor promotions and worldely dignities but for such wishes S. Iames telleth vs that we aske and receiue not because we aske amisse that we mighte bestowe it vpon our owne lusts Therefore to aske in the name of Christe is to aske according to his wil that is to pray for the gifts of the spirit for the strengthning of the soule absolutely and for the thinges of this life with condition that is if it be his will and if we thus pray against any inward weakenesse or outward extremitie yet are not heard we must thinke our praiers haue not bene sufficiently faithfull and feruent or God séeth it better for vs to kéep vs vnder the rod to schoole vs and hauing learned this lesson we should haue great comfort in our prayers though they be not granted and ioy in the crosse euen whē it is most grieuous for whē we are weakest in our selues then be we strongest in the Lord. This fruit of faith bringeth forth many other as first Hope which is a looking for the performance of that which is promised with a trust to obteine it For when I sée that God hath not onely promised eternall life but all things also necessary for this present life vnto al them that with a hearty and true faith aske them at his hands I beléeuing the Lord that he will performe it doe dayly expect looke for the performance thereof and in the meane while doe féed my desire with a continuall expectation for the same to be reuealed wayting for the Lordes leasure vntill it be his good pleasure to accomplish the same vnto me And this is a notable vertue being steadfast for we sée both by the Scriptures and our owne experience how the Lord promiseth and then séemeth to withdrawe his hand he promised the lande of Canaan to the Israelites and yet kept them 400 yeares without it He promised deliuerance from Captiuitie and yet kept them seuentie yeares in it He promised Iesus Christ the Sauiour of the world the séed of the woman to bruse the heade of the Serpent almost foure thousande yeares before he came in the flesh and so he dealeth with vs which thing because it is not presently performed the wicked distrust and take their present pleasure of those things that bée here following their greate graundfather Esau. in selling the birthrighte of the kingdome of Heauen for a messe of pottage of pleasure in this world choosing rather to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and so perish afterwarde eternaly thē to suffer heauinesse for a night and want for a moment that they might inioy the kingdome of heauen But contrarywise the godly beléeuing God and trusting to his promises doe with patience abide with earnest praier beg and with hope looke for the manifestation of all Gods promises to their great and endlesse comfort and of one of these sortes is euery one of vs and therefore let vs examine our owne consciences The second vertue is Patience y ◠daughter of Hope for as it is in thinges of this world a man that hath bene longe exercised in any labour though it be at the first neuer so grieuous vnto him because he séeth it cannot be auoided he is contented to vndergo the paine thereof and with patience he procéedeth euen so it is in the looking for the promises of God the troubles that we indure here for Christes sake at the first they be very grieuous and the wante of the accomplishment of them doth bring greate lamentation and griefe but when we sée that God hath ordaind that it must be so that his must be fed with hope and tried with adueruties it maketh vs if we be Gods children as méek as lambs and milde as Moses and as patient as we say as Iob. So that you sée howe those thinges that be bitter to the fleshe turne to the great honor and glory of God and our owne good in that it increaseth vertue godlinesse in vs. The third and last vertue that this hope bringeth forth is Contentation a singular and heauenly vertue the rarest flower that the garden of mans soule bringeth forth which is this when I sée by the eyes of faith the narrow way that God hath appointed for his children and that euery extremitie bringeth forth a happie successe to them that feare God therefore doe hope that the Lorde being pleased with me in his sonne my sauiour Iesus Christ it bréedeth this in me and must doe the same in all Gods children to be very willing and contented with that crosse which he hath lotted out vnto me and be so farre from murmuring and grudging that God hath left me vnder the crosse that I muste greatly reioyce therein Which thing we doe not only sée practised by y ◠holy apostls of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who did reioice y ◠they were counted worthy to suffer for his name but also prescribed vnto all Gods children that because all that will liue godly in Iesus Christ must suffer persecution and enter into the knigdom of God by many tribulations and afflicons that therefore we must account it exceading ioy when wée fal into diuers temptations knowing that the triall of our faith bringeth forth patience and pacience hauing hir perfect worke bringeth forth perfection The outwarde fruite of which Contentation is also cōtentatyon with our estate and calling wherein the Lord hath set vs that so it be neuer so poore base contemptible or laborious seing that God in whō we repose all confidence of whose loue we be perswaded hath set vs therein we must thinke it the most conuenient standing for vs and be well contented therewithall labouring to do our duty therein with all sinceritie and care to deale iustly and truly which lesson a pitifull thing to thinke is scarse learned of any for we sée how y e poore acount rich in good estate the rich déemeth the poore to liue most at ease subiects admire the happinesse of princes and princes wish to themselues the secure condition of their inferiours Wherevpon it commeth that euery one almost setting his eies vppon the glory and outwarde shewe of an other man starteth aside from his standing and is carelesse in his calling as magistrates become careles mean men looking aloft wax couetous séeking to grow greate by extortion and vsery artificers to inrich themselues vnlawfully by facing and lying swearing and forswearing so that the head is sicke and the whole heart heauie from the top to the toe there is nothing whole therein but woundes and swelling and soares full of corruption And in this generall apostacy I quake to think it my toūg faltereth in my mouth to speak it they that should be lanternes of light to others they from whose mouthes should come the swéete word of eternal life and in whose liues should