calleth such Idell shéepeheardes dumbe Dogges that cannot barke Salt with out saltnesse not good for the Dunghill and yet this churche of Englande a grieuous thinge to bée considered is euen pestered with suche and they swarme like Locustes lette oute of the lake The Lord for his mercy sake either conuert them to better vses or in his good time send an east winde to blow them into the bottome of the sea and place séeing watchmen and painefull labourers in his vineyarde that will dresse it and not fast themselues therein Amend your liues This is the counsell of Peters a sentence very shorte in wordes but long in matter containing the very substance of all religion and the whole 〈◊〉 of Christianitie the originall word signifieth to recouâ—â— with griefe it is commonly translatâ—â— repent and the mâ—â—ter called repentance which is a turning of our liues vnto God procéeding from a true feare of his iudgments for sinne imbracing God his promises in Iesus Christ and reforming the life according to the prescript rule of Gods worde the which that we may the more orderly procéed consisteth of these thrée principall partes 1. A sorrow for sinne 2 Faith in Christ and 3. Godlinesse of conuersation which laste in truth is rather a fruite of faith as in a place conuenient shall be proued then any part of the whole all which things in some measure more or lesse are to be found in all them that are Gods children and haue receyued any tast of his grace The first Sorrowe for sinne may be thus defined it is a griefe of the soule for sinne wrought by the iudgementes of God layed out in his word whereby the party conuicted is truly humbled I call it a griefe of the soule because it bringeth man euen into the gulfe of condemnation and setteth before his eies the heauie wrath of God and hell torments that his owne conscience telleth him he hath iustly deserued This was wrought in Dauid when his owne mouth condemned him to be the child of death It was in Iosias when his heart melted at the hearing of the Lawe expounded vnto him It was in Marie that washed our Sauiour Christ Iesus his féete with hir teares it was in these that cried out in the anguishe of their hearts men and brethren what shall we doe it is in all them among vs that haue any working of Gods spirit in them when they consider God to be a iust God a reuenger of iniquitye and themselues to be most horrible and wretched sinners Whereby we may take good occasion to examine our selues whether we be of God or no which we shall do thus If I do not tremble at Gods iudgments if my sins grieue me not surely I am hardned but if they make me sigh grone vnto the Lord vnder the weight thereof if I loth them both in my selfe others then I haue a marke of Gods grace in me that he worketh my saluation and sealeth it vnto me This sorrowe may after a sorte be in a man and yet not the true sorrowe for many are grieued because they they are not better for that through their naughtinesse they forgette preferment or credit that else they shoulde haue and therefore it is saide that this muste be wroughte by the iudgementes of God laid out in his worde that is when by Gods Lawe I perceiue the straighte lyne that is inioyned to me and the cursse of God that hang ouer my heade for my disobedience that bringeth with it condemnation of bodye and soule this is the thing wherefore I shoulde be grieued And if wée wey the matter well it carryeth with it iust cause of sorrowe for though I inioye all the delightes and pleasures that bee in the worlde I shall haue them a very shorte time and the rewarde of sinne is eternal wo without ease or intermission which all men haue iustly deserued and from which none shall be deliuered that is not broughte to sorrowe for sinne and to séeke to Iesus Christe the life of them that rightelye séeke him This being the firste steppe to God and entrance into his fauour is mightely gainesaid by the subtile enimie Sathan that would haue vs make a sporte of sinne Secondly by the world that blereth our eies with the poysoned baits of vanities 3. by our owne flesh y â— lusteth after those things that bring perdition and therefore the Lord who hath a care that his chosen should not be deceyued by all these or any of them hath in his word set downe many most strong reasons and forcible persuasions to induce vs to this sorrow for sinne as first his seuere iudgementes executed vppon others Idolators were giuen ouer into the handes of spoilers Blasphemers consumed by the Angell of God Corrupters of Gods sincere worshippe presently strooke downe dead Disobedient rebells swallowed vppe quicke into the earth Murderers requited with murther Generally the whole world except eyght persons drowned for sinne Sodome and Gomorrah burned with fire and brimstone from heauen because of pride riotte idlenesse and contempte of y â— poore Foure sins that now I am perswaded are as rife as euer they were in those Citties and al these as they receyued suddaine punishment in this worlde so to vs no other is knowen but that eternall condemnation followed Now how must these thinges bring vs to sorrowe for sinnes Thus we haue committed the same sinnes in some pointe that they did and therfore being guilty of the same condemnation there is no way for vs to escape it but to flée to the Lorde with penitent heartes and sorrowing soules Saint Paule teacheth vs this doctrine the same vse of it saiing these are written as exampls for vs that we sinne not as they did least we receyue the same condemation Whereby we learne that the scriptures of God are not written to vs as histories to read and heare for pleasure but for our learning and instruction that we may learne by the example of the wicked there mentioned to leaue sinne and of the godly to be stirred vp vnto godlines Againe when we consider how mercyfull God hath bene vnto vs that whereas in his iuste iudgemente be might haue not onely cutte vs of and cast vs into eternal condemnation when first we began to conceiue any inclination vnto sinne but euen before we were borne haue drowned vs in originall guilte and neuer sufferd vs to come to any knowledge of good or euill hath so long a time we committing so many and infinite sinnes against his maiesty yet spared vs not dealt rigorously with vs this shoulde make vs very sory that we haue so long prouoked so merciful a God vnto anger which vse S. Paule setteth downe saying that the mercy of God leadeth to repentance But alas we take occasion to sin by the same and so are carelesse to amend euer hauing this in our mouths God is mercifull and
shine the Image of Christ Iesus most cléerely alas are so clogged and cloyed with promotions and dignities of this worlde that they cleane forget what calling they haue what charge is layed vpon them and what a heauie reckoning they haue to make in so much y ◠some falling from their first loue doe now persecute that which heretofore they haue preached others because they thirst after gaines and vaine glory forsake Christ with Demas and imbrace this world vsing all lawfull and vnlawfull wayes to winne the woll not regarding what become of those pilled shéepe the flocke Where from springeth a mistery more grieuous then all these that the people of God for whom Christ Iesus did shed his most precious bloud are so hardened in Atheisme and godlesnesse that a man bad as good speake to a stone as to y ◠most concerning any matter of religion And all these with infinite mo abhominations spring hence y e men are so carelesse to kéepe their standing to be contented to abide the heate of the day and discharge that duty with an vpright consciēce that God hath laid vpon them I would to God that the due consideration of these enormities were setled in the heades and heartes not only of euery particular person whose faulte it is but especially into theirs vnto whō God hath inioyned to sée these thinges redressed that thereby we might be cōpelled not to trifle with God and his seruice as we doe and extoll a bare shadowe so long vntill the Lord remoue from vs the substance which God forbid but that we might all be compelled to labour in the vineyard of the Lord for the instruction and comforte of his people or else cast out as stones that make men stumble and salt that being vnsauery is good for nothing That euery mā if of himselfe he will not may be constrained to obey the Lord according to his word and to serue him for the furtherance of his glory in a lawful and holy calling warranted by the word of God vntill which time it is vnpossible that the Gospel should florish effectually in this land because God will blesse nothing but his owne institution and ordinance for the chaffe and corne cannot agrée togither neither is it lawfull for the Gentiles to be suffered to ioyne with the Iewes in the building of the temple though they seeme neuer so glosingly to offer their helping hande therevnto Least it should afterwarde be said that the Iewes were not able to doe it without the helpe of their foes and so it should be a dishonour to their God The Lord giue vs eies that we may see and heartes that we may perceiue what is his will and howe he wil be serued The outwarde fruite of faith is godlinesse of conuersation which in the beginning was made one branch of amēdment of life and you sée nowe how it procéedeth from faith floweth out of it as the fruite from the trée and water out of the fountaine The which may be thus defined it is an earnest and carefull indeuour to obey and fulfill the law of God growing out of faith and directed to those which God hath appointed that is to his glory the comfort of our consciences and the benefit of our brethren In that it is said that obedience is an earnest and carefull indeuour the meaning is that we must not only think it our duty to serue God according to his will and to obey his commandementes which all godlesse persons will confesse but also study and earnestlie care to doe the same in déed For euery one that sayth Lord Lord shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen But he that doth the will of my heauenly father saith Christ which is in heauen Not the hearers of the lawe are righteous before God but the doers of the law shalbe iustified for if any sayth S. Iam heare the word and doe it not he is like vnto a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse but when he hath considerd himselfe he goeth away and forgets imediately what manner of one he was But who so looketh into the perfect lawe of liberty and continueth therein he not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shall be blessed in his déede All which sentences are spoken by the holy Ghost to this ende that we should knowe that it is néedefull for vs nay faith will bring it forth if it be in vs to liue in godlines to reforme our affection inwardly our conuersation outwardly according to the prescript rule of Gods word Wherein how carelesse y ◠worlde is and how little reckoning is made hereof all men that will try the truth by the touchstone of Gods word shall easily sée For euery man now a dayes if he can put on the name of a protestant if he can make any shewe at all by and by he taketh himselfe and is also taken of others to be of a true and sound religion yea though his life and conuersation doe sweare the contrarye being fraughted with all sinne and iniquitie These are they that turne the grace of God into wantonnesse that sinne because they are not vnder the law but vnder grace that will make sinne abound that grace may superabound that will doe euill that good may come thereof whose damnation is iust But we haue not so learned Christ and notwithstanding the worldlinges be carelesse of godly conuersation yet we haue vnto vs many reasons set downe in the word of God to bring vs therevnto First the commandement of God in the Law reiterated by the mouth of our sauiour Iesus Christ be ye perfect euen as your heauenly father is perfecte and S. Paul meaning to set downe the same thinge sayeth this is the will of God euen your sanctification Now it being the commādement and will of God who is y e God of power a reuenger of sinne and punisher of iniquitie it should be euen as a thousand whippes to driue vs and ten thousand cartropes to hale vs vnto the same for he is not a God that loueth wickednesse neither shall euyll dwell with him and we knowe that we shal al come before his throne and seate of iudgment where he will giue sentence w eout partiality and iudge all men not according to their outward confession but acording to their deedes where he will say depart from me ye workers of iniiquitie so that this should marueylously inawe vs to consider with our selues that if we carelesly goe on and heape sinne vpon sinne neuer a whit or little regarding whether we liue godly or no surely we can assure our selues of no other sentence at the day of iudgment but goe ye cursed Secondly the consideration of Gods manifold blessings bestowed vpon vs in his son Iesus Christ should make vs to liue godly The which was notablie figured to vs in y e worldly blessings that God bestowed vpon y ◠Iewes vnto whom the Lord
is saide if ye had but fayth as a graine of mustard séede should say vnto this mulbery trée pluck thy selfe vp by the rootes and plante thy selfe in the sea it should euen obey you This kinde of fayth was very rife in the primitiue church when the gospell was to be planted in the whole worlde for God gaue vnto the Apostles power to confirme their doctrine with signes and wonders But afterwarde it ceased only the ordinary confirmation by the preaching of the word remayneth now amōg vs. This fayth hath bene and may be in a man that is a reprobate and cast away for some shall say in the latter day Lord haue not we cast out deuils in thy name to whome it shallbe answered I know ye not departe from me ye workers of iniquitie The strength of Antechrist was foreshewed to be with signes and greate wonders And it is also sayde by our Sauiour himselfe speaking of the last dangerous times that there shall arise false Christes and false Prophets that shall shew great signes and wonders so y ◠if it were possible they should deceiue euen the very elect which we haue séene and dayly doe sée by experience especially in the confirmation of Antechristes kingdome Thirdly faith is taken in the scriptures for that fayth whereby we apprehende the mercy of God to saluation commonly called Iustifiing fayth which so beleueth the word of God to be true that it applieth the whole as profitable to himselfe the threatenings to feare him from sinne and the promises of God in Iesus Christ vnto his owne comfort and consolation and then both to drawe him on to godlynesse in these thrée senses is fayth most commonly vsed in the worde of God The last is that which appertayneth to our purpose whereof we are to speake yet more at large It may be thus desyned Fayth is a certaine knowledge and sure perswasion of the frée fauour of God in Iesus Christ grounded vpon the promises of God in his holy worde and sealed in our hearts by the holy Ghoste This definition containing in it y e whole substance and summe of our fayth is to be enlarged further to the ende that euery parte and parcel thereof may the more plainely be knowen Certaine knowledge This is the beginning and as it were the cause of fayth for as the appostle sayeth he that commeth to God must beléeue that there is a God so he that beleueth must first know what to beleue and learne the doctrine of saluation out of the worde and therfore our Sauiour Christ in that heauenly prayer that he made a little before his passion hath these wordes This is life eternall that they know thée to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. The which place though it containe in it fayth also yet it is forcible to prooue that knowledge must goe before faith for it is the nature of faith to beleue that it certainely knoweth and therfore where there is no knowledge there can be no faythe Then let all men iudge what doctrine that was which taught ignorance to be the mother of deuotion and forbid the people the knowledge of the worde of God it was euen to blindfolde our eyes that we might fall into the pitte of perdition before we beware it was to hide the keyes of the kingdome of heauen so that they neyther entered them selues neyther suffered others to enter But blessed be God who of his great and infinite mercy hath eased vs of that burthen and granted vnto vs his holy word The which albeit many amonge vs do little estéeme because their consciences are seared with a hote yron that they cannot sée the necessity of it And therefore doe loath the hearing of the same preached yet we know that fayth commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God And albeit it was to the Iewes a stumbling blocke and the Grecians foolishnesse and is now to the supersticious Papist Heresie and to the conceited wise man of the worlde néedelesse or too base for him to meddle withall yet it then was and now is and euer shall be to them that beleue the power of God to saluation and that by preaching the which must make vs if we haue any loue to our owne soules health or desire of fayth to meditate in the worde of God day and night and to loue and like it aboue any profite or pleasure this knowledge must be certain for knowledge being the ground work of fayth if it be vnstable the building cannot stande sure which certeinty standeth in these two poyntes first to be perswaded of the vndoubted truth of Gods word and secondly of the absolute sufficiencie thereof not to néede any traditions of men to make it perfect for so much as it is euery waie perfect it self These two things are duely to be considered and so much the rather for that Sathan fighteth to shake them both laying the truth of the word vpon the approbation and allowance of men and foysting dreames and fancies of idle brayned persons into it to consūmate the perfection of the same Sure perswasion This is the substance and nature of fayth which doeth arise by the working of Gods spirite with the worde out of the knowledge of the same that hereby we are not only perswaded of the truth of his worde but also beleue vndoubtedly without wauering to be partakers of the mercies of God in Iesus Christ. The names that the holy Ghost ascribeth vnto this fayth in the doctrine of the apostles be notable to proue the same not to be wauering but sure and certaine it is called a ground or foundation a stedfaste fayth and assurance of fayth without wauering a full assurance an anchor of our soule both sure and stedfast which comparison is notable for as the anchor though the shippe be tossed moued with the waues and tempests yet it is still safe and holdeth fast euen so faith what troubles or trials so euer befal vnto the godly in this world doth neuer let go his hold that it hath in Iesus Christ but cleaueth vnto him and dependeth vpon his mercy in all extremities and so the Children of God féeling the comfort of Gods grace and hauing a sure hope of the performance of Gods promises vnto them are certaine and sure to be saued The which doctrine Satan hath euer laboured and doth greatlie at this day labour to darken and extinguish affirming it pride and presumption to dare be so bold as to be assured of saluation Which thing is true if the certainty therof stoode any way in man himselfe who is naturally filled with al sinne and incredulity but while they take their markes amisse they greatly dishonour God For marke this well God promiseth in his worde eternall life to all that beleue thou sayest thou beleuest and I say so too thou art not sure to be saued and I say that I
so we incurre the danger of the seuere denunciation following in the same place where it said that such heap vp wrath against the day of wrath For we must know that as God is mercifull to all penitent sinners so is he iust to all carelesse and loose people that withhold the truth of God in vnrighteousnes therefore let vs not be so abused by Satā to think y ◠God hath mercy in store for him that goeth on stil in his wickednesse But let vs try our selues by y e touch stone of Gods word how the consideration of Gods great mercy worketh in vs. Besides this we sée that when or wheresoeuer the word of God hath béene preached it hath wrought either to their conuersiō comfort or hardning and condemnation it was to Noe a safegard because he beléeued to y e worldes ouerthrow for y ◠they harkned not to the Israelites deliuerance to the Egiptians destruction to the apostles saluation to the Scribes and Phareseis condemnatō The due consideration of this must bring vs to sorow for sin for thus we must reason w t our selues we haue the word preached out of which y t iudgements of God are threatned to fall on the wicked contrarywise his promises to be performed to the godly of which sort am I if of the godly then the word preached hath moued me to amēdment cōtinuall griefe of heart y ◠I can amend no better if I be not thus moued thereby surely thē I am of the worst sort to whom the gospel is folishnes and in whom it sauoureth to death Thē I may not abide in sin thus but by sorow for the same I must conceiue a loathing of al iniquitie And to the end that this remorse may take déeper holde in me I must enter into a vew of my former conuersatiō and that by the candle of Gods lawe whereby I cannot choose but sée the vgly deformities of mine owne heart the corrupt desires of my mind the fruitelesse if not blasphemous speaches of my tounge the god lesse actions of my conuersation all which heretofore euery one of vs haue taken pleasure in and estéemed them as our great felicitie and this being truely viewed and withall the reward thereof in his owne nature considered must if any sparke of grace be in vs not only pinch vs at the very hearte but also make vs say with the Apostle that it is sufficient that we haue spente the time past after the will of the fleshe And so much the rather for that our time is very short and a great parte thereof already mispense and therefore we may not differre any longer to beginne the seruice of our God in gloryffyng his holy name in these our mortall bodyes Neither may this be a remisse or slacke sorrowe which is ordinarily almost in al men for if y ◠would serue then should al or the greatest number be saued and yet we sée both by the course of Gods worde and also euident sentences of the same that the least number are accepted of God for where eyght were saued thousandes were drowned Where Abraham and his family were there was the Church the Israelites were the peculiar people of God a small handfull in respecte of the worlde so it was in the time of Christ and his Apostles and yet euen of them that were outwardly of the number many were hipocrites and dissemblers So true is that saying vttered by the month of Christ Iesus our Sauiour Straighte is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it And wide is the gate and broade is the way that leadeth to distruction and many goe that way And therefore this same vsuall and ordinary saying I am sory and it grieueth me when yet they amend not cannot be the sorrowe to repentance which is not to be sorrowed for seing besides that the pangs of death shall try whether we haue sorrowed vnfainedly or no. Iesus Christ who séeth the darkest corner of our hearts shal be the Iudge and will giue sentence of euery one as they are and not as they séeme to the world to be And lastly eternall torments are prouided both for hipocrites and hard hearted persons Let vs not deceiue our selues with an outward shewe of religion let vs not like glowormes make boast of that we are not But all pleasures and vanities set a side let vs beginne to rippe vp our owne heartes returne to the Lord our God with earnest and hearty sorow for our former transgressions with ful purpose of taking a better course then yet we haue done I know that as this is the entrance vnto God and so the first slip that we giue vnto Sathan so he lacketh not his perswasions glorious baits to trump in our way whereby our eyes may be turned and our hearts alienated from this course For sayeth he doest thou beléeue y ◠there be so many torments prouided for them that take their pleasure in y ◠things of this world will God be so seuere as so will he marke so diligentlie what is done amisse Is there such knowledge in the most highest No no it is but the cholerick rayling of these precise and wayward preachers that loue to be alwayes chiding God is mercifull he knoweth man cannot kéepe his Lawes in all pointes and therefore he will beare with him Doest thou not sée and beholde greate men yea and learned men they beleeue no such matter and they be wiser then thou arte being a simple man for they take all the delighte and pleasure that canne be Thou haste taken greate delighte in sinnne and wickednesse thus longe and if thou shouldest doe as they say it were euen to make a metamorphosis of thy selfe and thou haddest better be out of the worlde then to leaue thy former companions thy delectable past-times and merrimentes Thus oulde thou art and thus many yeares thou hast liued at thy pleasure what hath hapned vnto thée for it if it were such a grieuous thinge in the sight of God thou shouldest neuer haue enioyed it so longe without punishement for behold there be no men vnder the Sunne more void of calamities then they be y ◠are not so precise but follow their owne desires And though it did offend the Almightie which is to be doubted yet thou mayest returne vnto him many yeares hence he wil receyue thée at any time yea if thou doe but cry Lord haue mercy vpon me when thou liest sicke and séest no other way but death it will serue Were it not greate pitty that thou being a gallant young and comelie person shouldest be abandoned from the pleasures that thine estate both require Yes doubtles These with infinite such like motions doeth Sathan put into the heades and heartes of naturall men which are so fitte to their nature and so agreable to their complexion that they quickly assente and
am Which of vs twaine doth offende most the cause why thou canste not be sure is for that thou arte sinfull And therefore God may cast thée off Contrarywise the cause why I am sure is the truth and the power of God his truth because I doe not doubt but that he will be as good as his promise his power because all things are possible to him This is the ground and foundation of the certainty of my hope least I should mistrust God or extenuate his power For in this I looke not vpon mine owne worthynes for then must I néedes doubt but vpon him that promised and that I doe well in so doing I prooue by the testimony of the scripture concerning Abrahā whose fayth I am to followe of whome it is said that he neither did consider his owne body being now dead which was almost a hundred yeares olde neither the deadnesse of Saraas wombe neyther did hée doubt of the promise of God through vnbeliefe marke here doubtinge termed vnbeliefe but was strengthened in the fayth and gaue glory to God then wauering dishonoureth God being fully assured that he which had promised was also able to performe it This being my warrante I am assured that whosoeuer doubt of their saluation haue no fayth at all The reasons that the aduersaries of this doctrine doe alleadge because they séeme to carrie some colour of truthe in them are to be considered first say they there is in al men naturally a feare but where is feare there is doubting and therefore all men must néedes doubte Whereunto I answere confessinge the whole and yet it maketh nothing against me for the feare that is in all men is naturall and is the worke of the flesh and indéede doth striue against fayth as the regenerate man doth against the vnregenerate or the outward man against the inward but as the Children of God are through Iesus Christ more then conquerers through him that loueth them so true faith ouercometh yea expelleth feare and maketh vs to approche with confident boldnes vnto the throne of his grace Further they obiecte that we are commaunded by Sainct Paule to worke our saluation with feare and trembling the which we néeded not to doe if we were sure to be saued I answere that we must so but we doe not worke fayth in our selues and therefore the apostle speaketh there of the continuall conuersation of Christians which in regarde of the maiestie of God alwayes beholdinge them and the quicke eyes of the wicked narrowly espying into them must bée maruelous careful that they doe not displease so great and good a God and wary that they giue the aduersary no aduauntage Whereby he may take occasion to dishonour God and to speake ill of the Gospell A meditation neuer to passe out of our mindes and yet maketh nothing against the assurance of our fayth They obiecte yet further and say no man is sure that he shall stand for Dauid Lot Peter with many moe that were godlier then we haue fallen I answere I am not sure to stand in sinceritie of conuersation for it may please God to suffer me to fall into that sinne wherevnto I am naturally prone to the end to shew me my owne weakenes and his greate mercy but I am sure I shall neuer fall finally because he that hath begonne a good worke in me will performe it vntill the day of Iesus Christ for whom God loueh he loueth vnto the ende so that I or whosoeuer else doth féele himselfe comforted with an vnfained persuasion of Gods loue may thererby assure himselfe of Gods fauour for euer A notable example whereof we haue in the seruant of God Dauid who by the consideration of the helpe that he had against the Lion and the Beare in the wildernesse is strengthened to go against Goliah saying that God that deliuered me out of the hands of them shal also saue me from vncircūcised philistine so y ◠our assurance standeth in the mercy of god not in our obedience which staggereth daily Lastly they say certainty of saluatiō standeth in Gods eternal election and who knoweth whether he is elected or no answere the foundation indéede standeth in election is the root of our assurance but to say y e none knoweth whether he be elected or no is to say that none be called for he y ◠is called is elected because whom god electeth him he calleth so that whosoeuer can proue to me by infallible marks out of y ◠word that he is called w t the inward calling to him I can proue his owne particular election therefore whē they say y ◠none knoweth whether he be elected they shewe plainelie that themselues be not called and then no maruaile if they doubt of their saluatiō when they know not whether they be within the compasse of Gods grace in calling or no. Therfore let him whosoeuer he be whether papist pelagian libertine familiā or atheist for al these shake hands in this point labour diligently by hearing and reading of the word and praier to find out what y e will of God is and to try himselfe whether it doth work in him or no and not condemne y e truth of God to be false because his carnal wit cannot attaine vnto it but let him rather cōdemne himselfe because he findeth not in himselfe the marks that the word of God painteth them out with all that are the children of God Of the free fauour of God This is the thing which we must know and whereof we must be undoubtedly perswaded that is that God of his mere mercy in Iesus Christ hath vouchsafed to adopt vs to be his children not regarding any thing in vs that is ill to hinder nor any good to further the same Which doctrine is in many places of scripture set downe to vs as in that confession of Peter our Sauiour saieth flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thée but my father which is in heauen And in another place No man commeth vnto mée vnlesse my father draweth him without Christe we can doe nothing for we are not able of our selues to thinke a good thought seing that it is he that worketh in vs both to will and to performe And yet notwithstanding all these expresse sentences of the holy scripture we sée how man laboureth by maine and might to establish merit and to maintaine frée will in man to be good if he list But we haue learned out of Gods word that all the imaginations of the heart of man are altogither euill and that there is in our selues no good thing and therefore our faith leaneth vpon the sole and onely mercy of God for our saluation and in regarde of our owne vnworthinesse doth in true humility cast downe our mindes to bée ruled and guided by his blessed worde In Iesus Christ. Because wée finde in the word of God that God is iust
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