Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	faith_n	justify_v	5,380	5	8.8463	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64642	Eighteen sermons preached in Oxford 1640 of conversion, unto God. Of redemption, & justification, by Christ. By the Right Reverend James Usher, late Arch-bishop of Armagh in Ireland. Published by Jos: Crabb. Will: Ball. Tho: Lye. ministers of the Gospel, who writ them from his mouth, and compared their copies together. With a preface concerning the life of the pious author, by the Reverend Stanly Gower, sometime chaplain to the said bishop.	Ussher, James, 1581-1656.; Gower, Stanley.; Crabb, Joseph, b. 1618 or 19.	1660 (1660)	Wing U173; ESTC R217597	234,164	424

taste it and therefore many Christians on serious consideration would not change their estate for the estate of Angels Why because hereby Christ is my husband I am wedded to him he is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh which the Angels are not capable of Our nature is advanced above the Angelical nature for we shall sit and judge the world with Christ judge the twelve Tribes of Israel And what an high preferment is this Nay observe this and take it for a Rule Never beg of God pardon for thy sins till thou hast done this one thing namely accepted of Christ from Gods hands For thou never canst confidently ask any thing till thou hast him For all the Promises of God are in him yea and Amen This may serve for the Object of faith to shew that the primary Object is Christ crucified and God by him We come now to declare 2. The Acts of faith what they are and there is some intricacy in that too There is much ado made in what part and power of the soul faith is We must not proportionate the Act of faith according to our own fancy For it s no faith but as it hath relation to the Word now look how is the Word presented After you heard the Word of Truth the Gospel of your salvation Now the Word is presented under a double respect 1. It s presented Sub ratione veri After you had heard the Word of Truth and there comes in the Understanding 2. Then Sub ratione boni as a good word that so we should lay hold on it and here comes in the Will For the Will we say challenges that which is good for its Object Now the Gospel of salvation is a good Word its glad tidings worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners And now as the Word is presented as a good Word so must my Act of faith be answerable unto it See in Heb. 11.13 The act of faith answering hereto These all died in faith not having received the Promises What did their faith to them It made them see the Promises a far off and they were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims in the earth So that by comparing place with place it appears that first this Gospel was presented as the Word of Truth they were perswaded of it It is the first Act of Faith to perswade men of the truth of the Word and then as it is a good word they embraced it these are the two arms of faith as true it perswades me as good I embrace it We must not now be too curious in bringing in Philosophical Disputes whether one Vertue may proceed from two faculties whether Faith may proceed from the Understanding and the Will The truth is these things are not yet agreed upon and shall we trouble our selves with things not yet decided in the schools as whether the practical Understanding and the Will be distinct faculties or no The Word of God requires that I should believe with my whole heart Act. 8.37 As Philip told the Eunuch if thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest If with the heart but with what faculties may you say Why I tell thee believe with thy whole heart and what shall I peece and devide the heart when the whole is required Now to come to these two The Word is presented 1. As a true Word 2. Then as a good Word a word like Gospel like salvation 1. As a true Word And the Act of faith answering thereto is called in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowledge and Acknowledgement 1 Titus 1. 1 Peter 3. 1 Knowledge that 's a thing requisite Why because if there be a Remedy able to cure a mans disease if he do not know it what is he the better for it Knowledge is so essential unto Faith that without it there can be no faith In John 17.3 the terms are confounded the one put for the other This is life eternal to know thee to be the true God and whom c. to know thee that is to believe in thee because knowledge is so essential to belief as one cannot be without the other thou canst not believe what thou hast never heard of I know saith Job that my Redeemer liveth that is I believe he liveth and hereupon it s said in Isa. 53. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Knowledge is an Act primarily requisite to Faith to be justified by his knowledge is to be justified by faith in his blood this then is the first thing that I know it to be as true as Gospel then comes the acknowledgement 2. The Acknowledgement Joh. 6.69 We know and are assured that thou art that Christ. This is an assurance I say not the assurance of my salvation for that is another kind of thing but an assurance that God will keep touch with me will not delude me but that if I take his Son I shall have life I shall have his favour When God illuminates me I find all things in him when I have him I am made When the Understanding clearly apprehends this then comes the next word it is the Gospel of salvation there being a knowing and acknowledging the Act of the Understanding then comes the Will and it being 2. Propounded as a good word then follows 1. Acceptation 2. Affiance 1. Acceptation which receives Christ. 1 John 12. As many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God even to as many as believed on his name Then a man resolves I will take God on his word and thereupon follows A resting or relying on God which is a proper act of faith I need no other place then Rom. 10.13 Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved But how shall they call on him on whom they have not believed that is on whom they have not reposed their confidence Mark the ●postle How shall they call on him on whom they have not believed That Faith which was in the antecedent must be in the conclusion therefore our faith is a relying on God and so in this place this trust is made the same with faith as it is in the Text in whom you trusted after you had received the word of Truth for our trust and belief there is the self-same word Nimium ne crede colori this Credo is to have a great confidence in fleeting and fading things and so it is in justifying faith If I have a knowledge of God and acknowledgement of him and from my knowing my will is conformed to accept Christ and if when I have accepted him I will not part from him this is faith and if thou hast this faith thou wilt never perish suppose thou never hadst one day of comfort all thy life long yet my life for thine thou art saved Perhaps by reason of thy

then saith he it is excluded By what Law by the Law of works No but by the Law of faith there is a Law of works and a Law of faith God doth not only give thee leave to come and take him and draw near unto him but he commands thee there 's a Law by the breach of that Law of faith thou art made guilty of a high sin There 's a full testimony of this 1 John 3.23 And this is the Commandment that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. If a man should ask may I love my Neighbour would you not think him a fool because he must do it he is commanded So should a poor soul come and say to me may I believe thou fool thou must believe God hath laid a Command upon thee it is not left to thy choice The same Commandment that bids thee love thy brother bids thee to believe on Christ. To entreaty is added Gods Command and therefore if thou shalt argue what warrant have I to believe Why God injoyns it thee and commands it As the impotent man said so mayst thou He that healed me said unto me take up thy bed and walk This is the very Key of the Gospel and this is the way to turn it right When being thus clean n●ked we have as it were a Cable put into our hands to draw our selves out of this flesh and blood 5. The last thing is if keeping open house special Invitations Entreaties and Commands will not serve the turn then Christ waxeth angry What to be scorn'd when he profer'd Mercy and as it were invite all sorts and compel them to come in by his Preachers and by a peremptory Command Then he falls a threatning We are not of those which draw back unto perdition if thou wilt not come upon this Command thou shalt be damned Mar. 16.16 He that believed not shall be damned Christ commands them to go into the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature unto every soul this Gospel which I speak If you will not hear and believe if you will not take God at his Word you shall be damned John 3. He that believeth not shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Here 's an Iron scourge to drive thee thou that art so flow of heart to believe In Psalm 78. where is set down Gods Mercy unto the Is●aelites afterwards comes one plague upon another verse 22. it is said They hardened their hearts as in the day of provocation This is applyed in Heb. 3.12 to Unbelievers The Lord heard this and was wrath a fire was kindled against Jacob and against Israel Why was this because they believed not in him because they trusted not in his salvation Nothing will more provoke God to anger then when he is liberal and gracious and we are straitned in our selves hearden our hearts and not trust him never forget this Sermon while you live this is the net which Christ hath to draw you out of the world I shal hereafter tell you what faith is which is to receive Christ and to believe in his name but that will require a more particular explication and on that I shall enter the next time FINIS EPHE 1.13 In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the Word of truth the Gospel of your salvation In whom also after you believed you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise THE last time I entred on the declaration of that main point and part of Religion which is the foundation of all our hopes and comfort namely the offering of Christ unto us that as he did offer himself a Sacrifice to his Father for us upon the Cross so that which is the basis ground and foundation of our comfort he offereth himself unto us And here comes in that gracious gift of the Father which closes in with God That as God saith To us a child is born to us a Son is given c. so there is grace given us to receive him And as the greatest gift doth not enrich a man unless he accept it and receive it so this is our case God offers his Son unto us as an earnest of his love if we will not receive him we cannot be the better for him If we refuse him and turn Gods Commodity which he offers us back upon his hand then Gods storms and his wrath abides on us for evermore That it is his good pleasure that we should receive Christ it is no doubt we have his word for it all the point is how we may receive him and that is by Faith And in this Text is declared how Faith is wrought and that is by the Word of truth In whom also you trusted after you had heard the Word of Truth Now after this Faith there cometh a sealing by the Spirit of God In whom also after you believed you were sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise Now lest a man should through ignorance and indiscretion be misled and deceived there is faith and there is feeling Where this is not I say not that there is no faith No for feeling is an after thing and comes after Faith If we have Faith we live by it But after you believed you were sealed You see then Faith is that whereby we receive Jesus Christ and to as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God to as many as believe on his name The blood of Christ is that which cureth our souls but as I told you it is by application A Medicine heals not by being prepared but being applied so the blood of Christ shed for us unless applied to us doth us no good In Heb. 12. It s called the blood of sprinkling and that in the 51. Psalm hath relation to it where he saith Purge me with hysop In the Passover there was blood to be shed not to be spilt but to be shed and then to be gathered up again and put into a Basin and when they had so done they were to take a bunch of Hysope and dip and sprinkle c. Faith is this bunch of Hysope that dips it self as it were into the Basin of Christs blood and our souls are purged by being sprinkled with it In Levit. 14.6 There was a bird to escape alive but see the preparation for it You shall take it and the scarlet and the Cedar wood and the Hysop and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed c. and then you shall sprinkle on him that had the leprosie seven times and shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird loose into the open field We are thus let loose cleansed and freed but how unless we are dipt as the living bird was in the blood of the dead bird there is no escaping unless we are dipt in the blood of Christ Jesus this dead bird and sprinkled with this Hysop we cannot be freed

So that now to come to that great matter without which Christ profiteth us nothing which is Faith The Well is deep and this is the bucket with which we must draw This is the hand by which we must put on Christ As many as are baptized put on Christ thus must we be made ready we must be thus clothed upon and by this hand attire our selves with the Son of Righteousness Wherefore I declared unto you that this Faith must not be a bare conceipt floating in the brain not a device of our own The devil taking hold on this would soon lead a man into a fools Paradise To say I am Gods Child and sure I shall be saved I am perswaded so this the Devil would say Amen to and would be glad to rock men a sleep in such conceipts Such are like the foolish Virgins That went to buy oyl for their Lamps and were perswad●d they should come soon enough to enter with the Bride-groom but their perswasion is groundless and they are shut out So such groundless perswasions and assurances in a mans soul that he is the child of God and shall go to heaven is not Faith thou mayst carry this assurance to hell with thee This Faith is not Faith For faith comes by hearing and that not of every word or fancy but by hearing the word of Truth Faith must not go a jot further then the Word of God goeth If thou hast an apprehension but no warrant for it out of the Word of God it is not faith for it s said After you heard the Word of Truth you believed So that we must have some ground for it out of the Word of Truth otherwise it is presumption meer conceipts fancy and not Faith Now I shew'd unto you the last time how this might be for while a man is an Unbeliever he is wholly defiled with sin he is in a most lothsom condition he is in his blood filthy and no eye pities him And may one fasten comfort on one in such a condition on a dead man And this I shew'd you was our case When Faith comes to us it finds no good thing in us it finds us stark dead and stark nought yet there is a Word for all this to draw us unto Christ from that miserable Ocean in which we are swimming unto perdition if God catch us not in his Net Hearken we therefore to Gods Call there is such a thing as this Calling God calls thee and would change thy condition and therefore offers thee his Son Wilt thou have my Son Wilt thou yield unto me Wilt thou be reconciled unto me Wilt thou come unto me and this may be preacht to the veriest Rebel that is It is the only Word whereby faith is wrought It is not by finding such and such things in us before-hand No God finds us as bad as bad may be when he proffers Christ unto us He finds us ugly and filthy and afterwards washes us and makes us good It is not because I found this or that good thing in thee that I give thee interest in my Son take it not on this ground No he loved us first and when we were defiled he washt us with his own blood Rev. Now there is a double love of God towards his Creatures 1. Of Commiseration 2. Of Complacency That of Commiseration is a fruit of love which tenders and pities the miserable estate of another But now there is another love of Complacency which is a likeness between the qualities and manners of persons for like will to like and this love God never hath but to his Saints after Conversion when they have his Image instamped in them and are reformed in their Understandings and Wills resembling him in both then and not till then bears he this love towards them Before he loves them with the love of pity and so God lov'd the world that is with the love of Commiseration that he sent his only Son that whosoever believed in him might not perish but have everlasting life Now we come to the point of Acceptation the Word is free and it requires nothing but what may consist with the freest gift that may be given Although here be something that a man may startle at Object Is there not required a condition of faith and a condition of obedience Sol. Neither of these according to our common Understanding do hinder the fulness and freedom of the Grace of the Gospel 1. Not Faith because Faith is such a condition as requires only an empty hand to receive a gift freely given Now doth that hinder the freeness of the gift to say you must take it Why this is requisite to the freest gift that can be given If a man would give something to a Begger if he would not reach out his hand and take it let him go without it it s a free gift still so that the condition of Faith requires nothing but an empty hand to receive Christ. 2. Obedience hinders it not I am required may some say to be a new man a new Creature to lead a new life I must alter my course and is not this a great clog and burthen and do you account this free when I must crucifie lusts mortifie Passions c. Is this free when a man must renounce his own Will Yes It is as free as free may be as I shewed you the last time The very touching and accepting of Christ implies an abnegation of former sinfulness and a going off from other courses that are contrary to him If the King give a pardon to a notorious Rebel for Treason so that now he must live obedient as a Subject the King need not in regard of himself to have given the pardon if he give it it takes not from its freeness that he must live like a Subject afterwards the very acceptance of the pardon implies it But now to declare Faith and to open the Mystery thereof Faith is a great thing it is our life our life stands in the practise of it that as in the offering of Christ for us there is given him a name above every name That at the name of Jes●s every knee shall bow As I say in the purchasing of Redemption so in the point of acceptation God hath given unto this poor vertue of faith a name above all names Faith indeed as it is a vertue is poor and mean and comes far short of love and therefore by the Apostle love is many degrees prefer'd before faith because love fills the heart and faith is but a bare hand it lets all things fall that it may fill it self with Christ. It s said of the Virgin Mary That God did respect the low estate of his hand-maid So God respects the low estate of Faith that nothing is required but a bare empty hand which hath nothing to bring with it though it be never so weak yet if it have a hand to receive it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a like

found him if they pleased to try it a skilful Linguist a Subtile Disputant a fluent Orator a profound Divine a mighty Antiquary an exact Chronologer and indeed a living and walking Library The greatest professors have admired the Concatenation of so much and such variety of Learning in one person 1. Do but think he that Learned to read of two of his Aunts that were both blind Was converted from a state of Nature into grace at ten years old Was admitted the first Scholar into the Colledge at Dublin and that upon design by reason of his pregnancy and forwardnesse at thirteen years of age Made an exact Chronology of good part of the Bible and of some other Authors he had read at fifteen years old Encountred a Jesuite at 19. years old and afterwards was called by him of such as are not Catholicks the most Learned Was Master of Arts answered the Philosophy Act and chosen Catechist of the Colledge when he went through a great part of the body of Divinity in the Chappel by way of common place at nineteen yeears old Commenced Batchelour of Divinity at twenty seven years old and immediately after was chosen Professor of Divinity in that Vniversity Do but think I say how mighty he was when beside his promptnesse in School Divinity he had read over all the Fathers and trusted his own eyes in the search of them by that he was thirty eight years of age and was Master of all other Learning also Secondly If any yet be found that would detract from so accomplished a person and indeed pillar of our Church in his Generation by reason of the distance at which they stand from Prelacy or by reason of their Engagement in the late civil and unhappy differences between The late King and Parliament claiming to themselves Liberty wherein soever they differ from others both in matters of Church and State but allowing to others as little concerning either to such as these if they be such as deserve satisfaction give me leave to say A Divine and Apostolical Bishop he was and next to the Apostles Evangelists and Prophets as great a Pastor and Teacher and trusted with as much of Gods mind as I believe any one since hath been An Ecclesiastical Bishop he was also and the most able Moderator in Church assemblies To him pertained the double honour for ruling well and for Labouring in word and Doctrine Famous were two of his Predecessors in that See of Armagh in their Generations the one for his sanctity the other for his Learning but both these Eminently met in him John the Divine commendeth the Angel or Bishop of Ephesus c. and Ireland will do no lesse for this Angel or Bishop of Armagh But for Popish Bishops none was further off then he Witnesse his Learned Writings against the Romish Synagogue his Judgement within the bounds of a moderated Episcopacy and when the Reader hath perused that frame of Church Government drawn up under his own hand and now published he will see what a good Bishop Doctor Usher was The last thing which I shall propose to the Reader is The Crown God set upon the head of this Humble Saint both in the Conversion and Edification of very many Indeed his bow seldome turned back nor his sword returned empty God was mighty in him which way soever he bent himself either in Conviction Conversion or Consolation wherein he had the Tongue of the Learned given unto him Witnesse the many Souls who were and are his Epistle known and read of all Men Witness again the successe God gave to divers of his Encounters with Adversaries to the true Religion some instances whereof the Learned Doctor that writes his Life hath given to which many more might be added Witnesse also such as were his frequent hearers how mightily the hand of God was with him so that a great number beleeved and turned unto the Lord. If they that turn many to righteousnesse shall shine as stars for ever and ever then this famous Evangelist is a star of the greatest Magnitude and will be able in the strength of Christ to say after him Behold I and the Children which God hath given me And though the work of the Ministry is ours the successe Gods yet who so expecteth blessing from God upon his Labours I cannot commend to such a pattern more exact to be imitated amongst the men of this Generation then this good Bishop especially in these three things First in making his whole life an example of his doctrine an example in word in Conversation in Love in Spirit in faith and in purity Many there were who in that respect Reverenced him though of the Romish Synagogue as Herod did John the Baptist knowing that he was a just and an holy man This blessed Preacher did Live all his Sermons and had learned of Jesus who began both to do and to teach Nazianzens Epitaph on the life of Basil was true in him His words were Thunder his Life Lightning Secondly in making Christ and the Apostles the pattern of his preaching this great Master in Israel was the most self-denying man in the pulpit and the most Reverend and Christ advancing Preacher He preached with great Authority as did our Saviour to the Conscience his speech was not with enticing words of Mans wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit and of power that their faith might not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God How oft have I seen my self and heard from others whilst he thus prophesyed some that beleeved not coming to hear him go away Convinced of all Judged of all and the secrets of their heart made manifest and so falling down on their face they have worshipped God and reported that God was in him of a truth He was an Apollos an Eloquent man and mighty in the scriptures he was another Paul in the preaching that did compare Scripture with Scripture and so make demonstrative Proofs from the spirit speaking in them Some that affected a frothy way of preaching by strong Lines as they call them after they heard him in Oxford decry that Corinthian vanity were much ashamed and took up a more profitable way of preaching Those words of his in a sermon at the Court before the King are worthy to be printed in Letters of Gold And oh that God would print them in the hearts of all the Ministers in the World Great Schollars said he possibly may think it standeth not with their Credit to stoop so low c. But let the Learnedst of us all try it when ever we please we shall find that to lay this ground-work right that is to apply our selves to the Capacity of the Common Auditory and to make an ignorant man to understand these mysteries in some good measure will put us to the tryal of our skill and trouble us a great deal more then if we

But let me in this particular unrip the heart of a natural man What 's the reason that when God gives men a day and cries out This is the day of salvation this is the accepted time what in the name of God or the Devils name rather should cause them to put salvation from them to defer and desire a longer time Thus a natural man reasons with himself I cannot so soon be taken off from the profits and pleasures of the world I hope to have a time when I shall with more ease and a greater composednesse of mind bring my self to it or if it be not with so much ease yet I trust in a sufficient manner I shall do it wherefore for the present I le enjoy the profits and delights of the state and condition wherein I am I will solace my self with the pleasures of sin for a season I hope true repentance will never be too late This is well weigh'd but consider whether these thoughts which poise down our hearts be not groundlesse see whether they will hold water at the last and whether in making such excuses to great presumption we add not the height of folly To pretend for our delay the profits and pleasures of sin and yet hope for heaven at the last as well as the generation of the righteous it 's but a meer fallacy and delusion of Satan to fill our hearts with such vanities Can it be expected that we should have our good in this world and in the world to come too This is well if it might be But let us try the matter and begin with your first branch You are loth to part with your profits and pleasures But consider what a grand iniquity this is Can you offer God a greater wrong and indignity Do you thus requite the Lord you foolish and unwise Dost thou think this the way to make thy peace with God whom thou hast offended as long as thou mayst to be a rebel against him What an high dishonour is it to him that thou shouldst give him thy feeble and doting old age and the Devil thy lively and vigorous youth thy strength and spirits Dost thou think he will drink the dregs and eat the orts will he accept thee in the next world when thou thus scornest him here If you offer the blind for sacrifice is it not an evil If you offer the lame and sick is it not evil Offer it now unto thy governor will he be pleased with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hosts Mal. 1.8 But mark how he goes on v. 14. Cursed be the deceiver which hath in his flock a male and voweth sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing Mark God accounts such service a corrupt thing Never look for a blessing from God in heaven when thou sacrificest to him such corrupt things We are to offer and present our selves a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God Rom. 12.1 Now judge whether they offer God the living who say when my doting days come my lame days that I cannot go my blind dayes that I cannot see I le offer my self a sacrifice to God Will this be acceptable to him Is not this evil saith the Lord to offer me such a corrupt thing Nay more he 's accursed that offers such an offering such a polluted sacrifice God will not like with it when we serve our selves first with the best and choise Do you thus requite the Lord do you think he will accept it at your hands Go offer such a gift to thy Ruler to thy Prince will he accept it or be pleased with it No a Landlord will have the best and the choise and it must needs provoke God when we give him the refuse I am King of Kings saith the Lord my name is dreadful and I will look to be served after another manner Let no man then thus delude himself with vain hopes but let him consider how dishonourable a thing it will be to God 2. And how unprofitable to him whoever thou art 1. It 's the ready way to thy destruction Heaven and happinesse and eternal life are laid up for those that embrace the acceptable time death horrour and eternal misery for those that refuse it and wilt thou hazard soul and body on this Moses on this ground did rather choose to suffer affliction in this world with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a moment When these things are past what profit will you have of those things whereof then you will be ashamed When a man comes to see truly and throughly into himself he will find no profit of such things as these death will certainly follow us both temporal and eternal if we repent not the more speedily that 's all the profit we shall find 2 But suppose thou prevent everlasting death by repentance yet what profit is there of those things whereof we are now for the present ashamed The best can come is shame 3. Thou art loth to part with the pleasures of sin for a season and hereafter thou thinkest thou canst amend all But consider the particulars and then shall you see how you are befool'd in your hearts and soules Believe it for an undoubted truth there 's nothing in the world by which Satan more deludes a man then by this perswading him to neglect his day and repent well enough hereafter That you may expel this suggestion out of your soule pray unto God that he would go along with his Word and cause you to lay this to heart that by his Spirit your understanding may be enlightned to see the truth Though I make this as clear as the Sun that it is a false supposition and meer folly on which we build in deferring our return to God yet God from heaven must teach you or you will be never the wiser Know therefore that this very day God reaches out the golden Scepter to thee and what folly were it to neglect it since thou knowest not whether he will ever proffer it thee again And assure thy self that he is a lyar that tells thee thou mayst as well repent hereafter as now and this will appear whether we consider the order of outward things in the world or the nature of sin 1. For external things every Age after a man comes into the world if he embrace not the present opportunity for repentance is worse then other and are each of them as so many clogs which come one after another to hinder it As for thy childish Age that 's meer vanitie and thy riper Age will bring many impediments and hindrances that youth never thought of Thou art then troubled about many things and perplexed how to provide for maintenance in the midst whereof know that thou hast not a body of brass but a corruptible and fading body and yet such is the folly of the heart of man that the less ground he hath to go the fewer dayes to spend the