them long sithence Therefore if there be any sparke of grace left within vs if there be any feare of Gods iudgements if any dread of hell torments let vs now turne vnto the Lord by true vnfayned repentance for the quieting of our consciences in this life and for the sauing of our poore soules in the life to come And so much for the first point I obserued That it is of Gods infinite patience and mercy towards vs that he hath so long expected our Repentance that we might be saued The second point The second point I obserued was The care that all good Prophets and Pastors haue to exhort vs to Repentance for the saluation of our soules But vpon this point there is no need to stand long Noah and all the Patriarks Samuel and all the Prophets CHRIST IESVS and all his Apostles all their whole care and trauaile was to call people to Repentance Iohn Baptist began with this doctrine Repent and beleeue the Gospell CHRIST IESVS the Sonne of God did the same Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand And after Christ his resurrection he cōmanded his Apostles and all good Preachers to publish the vertue of his Death and Resurrection to this end as Luke reporteth it That Repentance and remission of sinnes Luke 24. should be preached in his name among all Nations beginning at Ierusalem euen the same Ierusalem though not the same people which our Prophet Ieremie exhorteth here to wash their hearts from wickednesse that they may be saued And elsewhere he saith Be instructed O Ierusalem c. Ier. 6.8 Vse 1 The vse of this point may be first to teach all Pastors and Preachers not to thinke it any disgrace vnto them though they do not alwaies soare on high vpon the wings of speculatiue Diuinitie garnished with plumes of Rethoricke and Philosophie though either of them may well attend on Theologie but sometimes if not oftentimes to touch vpon the point of Repentance for the preaching of that doctrine did neuer that I reade of breede any Schisme in the Church of Christ Mens hearts rather then Christ his coate will be rent in pieces by the preaching of Repentance Vse 2 And a second vse may be here to warne all people to expect and desire no doctrine rather from the mouth of the Preacher then the preaching of Repentance though I grant such Preachers are called the playne Preachers now-adayes and indeede they that preach the doctrine of Repentance well had neede be playne that is haue no need to spare any Persons or Professors nor to colour or couer any vices whatsoeuer But it is not to heare such playne preaching that all people flocke so much to Sermons in this Age but it is either to heare newes or nouelties or invectiues that makes many people to presse so neere this place But beloued Christian one thing is necessary namely the saluation of thy soule and no doctrine more necessary for the sauing of soules then the preaching of Repentance The third point And so come we now to the third point lately proposed that is Though there be neuer so much preaching of Repentance except we repent with it and by it we cannot be saued The saying of our Sauiour is right well knowne Except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish Luke 13. Noah preached a long time to the old World and no doubt earnestly perswaded people to Repentance but it was not Noahs preaching that could saue the world from drowning because they repented not The like may be said of Sodom and Gomorrah where Lot doubtlesse gaue many good lessons of Repentance but that did not preuaile with them therefore were they fearefully destroyed with fire from heauen Now as it was in the dayes of Noah so is it come to passe in this last Age of the world as Christ foretold there is now much preaching and calling of people to Repentance but the not practising thereof is still the cause that so few are saued for except we repent we cannot be saued It was the preaching of Saint Peter that pricked the peoples hearts in the second of the Acts and made them to crie out What shall we doe Acts 2. meaning what shall we doe to be saued Then Peter said vnto them Repent and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of your sinnes for without repentance there is no remission of sinnes and without remission of sinnes there is no saluation Further this must be noted by the way that when we vrge Repentance as chiefly necessary to saluation we exclude not faith and good workes for true Repentance is the Child of Faith and good Workes are both the fruits of Faith and the true tokens of Repentance Therefore Iohn Baptist preaching Repentance to the people did bid them to bring forth the fruits of Repentance because each tree is knowne by his fruit And when the Iaylor demanded of Paul and Sylas What he should doe to be saued They said vnto him Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and thy houshold Acts 16.31 Now that faith of his brought forth Repentance with the fruits thereof otherwise he could not haue beene saued For albeit it be true as our Church rightly teacheth that we are freely iustified before God by faith yet our Repentance and good Workes must testifie our faith to the world that it is no dead faith as S. Iames speaketh but such a faith as worketh by loue as S. Paul exhorteth Gal. 5.6 whereby it is manifest that the doctrine of S. Paul and S. Iames doe not differ touching our free Iustification by faith as many Papists pretend for that which S. Iames calleth a dead faith Iam. 2.20 is the same faith which S. Paul meaneth that worketh not by loue And howsoeuer our Aduersaries the Papists slander vs Heauen and Earth Men and Angels can witnesse with vs that we vrge good workes in our Sermons as much as they and to better purpose then they by good workes we meane bona opera benè operata such workes as are true tokens of our conuersion and fruits of our faith in Christ by whom only we are saued And we affirme with Saint Austen that bona opera non praecedunt iustificandos sed sequuntur iustificatos Good workes goe not before them that are to be iustified but follow them being iustified for first the person must be accepted with God before any thing that proceedeth from man be pleasing to his Maiestie And whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne We say also with S. Bernard Bernard that bona opera sunt viae ad regnum non causae regnandi Good workes accompany vs towards heauen but are not the causes of our comming thither And to conclude this point which by way of digression I haue pursued thus farre we all say with Saint Paul By grace we are saued through faith not of our selues it is the gift of
God not of workes lest any man should beast Ephes 2.8 but yet so as followeth in the same Text that God hath ordayned good workes for euery good Christian to walke in And therefore let euery one that beleeueth in Christ be carefull to bring forth good workes to testifie his Faith Repentance without which he cannot be saued Vse 1 The vse of this point may then serue To teach all people to take heede that they linger not their Repentance and put it off from day to day because euery houre they are in danger of death and if they dye without Repentance they cannot be saued Vse 2 To teach vs all neuer to soothe our selues in any sinne though neuer so sweet though neuer so pleasing though neuer so profitable for that is not Repentance that only sorroweth for sinne but that which causeth vs to hate all sinne and to labour to leaue the same to the vttermost of our power In a word true Repentance or conuersion as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth is the whole conuersion of the minde vnto God with a full purpose and holy resolution to denie all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Vse 3 Lastly seeing except we thus repent we cannot be saued let vs pray night and day for this grace of Repentance for it is not in our selues to turne vnto the Lord for euen Ieremie himselfe prayeth Conuert thou vs good Lord and we shall be conuerted turne thou vs good Lord and we shall be turned Let vs know that this is a businesse that of necessitie must be done whatsoeuer be left vndone if we will be saued and the sooner it is done the easier it is to be done and the better accepted put not off thy Repentance therefore any longer lest Gods wrath fall vpon thee to thine euerlasting destruction Thinke vpon the end of thy Creation thinke vpon the price of thy Redemption it was to this end that thou mayest be saued for this end was Prayer Preaching and Sacraments commanded and ordayned that thou mayest be saued In a word this is the end of thy faith as S. Peter saith The saluation of thy soule Therefore not without great cause is it that our Text saith Wash thine heart from wickednesse that thou mayest be saued And so much for the Exhortation being the first generall part of our Text. Wherein we haue obserued first Who exhorteth Ieremie secondly Who is exhorted Ierusalem thirdly Whereunto to Repentance fourthly For what end That they may be saued Second part Now come we to the second and last part of our Text which is the Reprehension in these words How long shall thy wicked thoughts remayne within thee The Prophet hauing so louingly exhorted vs to Repentance by willing vs to wash our hearts from wickednesse he falleth now to reprouing vs for lingring so long our Repentance saying How long shall your wicked thoughts remayne within you Wherein we may obserue things worthy of obseruation both in the manner and in the matter of this reproofe The manner In the manner I obserue the dutie of a good Pastor and Teacher who must often-times ioyne with Doctrine and Exhortation Reproofe and Reprehension as also the Apostle S. Paul exhorteth when he saith Improue rebuke exhort 2. Tim. 4.2 Examples of this kinde of teaching we haue store in all the Prophets Euangelists and Apostles which being so well knowne to all I shall not neede to relate any of them but in stead thereof will take vp a reproofe which I thinke euery one of vs must be cōtent to beare of what estate or calling soeuer we are of either in the Church or Common-weale that is That euery one almost can be contented to heare the Preacher patiently so long as he is in his generall doctrine and exhortation or if sometime he reproue sinne in some generall sort for that which seemeth to be spoken to all is taken many times as spoken to none But if the Preacher once begin to fall vnto more particular reprehension As haply when there is great cause to reproue the Magistrate and Gouernors of some remissenesse in their duties that they suffer sinne and sinners as Idolaters Adulterers Drunkards Swearers Prophaners of the Sabbaths and the like to goe vnpunished yea vncontrolled and that not in corners but in publike places to the great offence of Almightie God and to the scandall of our holy profession Or when sometimes many zealous Preachers taxe others of their owne profession for neglecting of their callings or reproue Merchants and men of Trades for their seuerall deceits or Land-lords for inhansing their Rents or Lawyers for delaying of their Clyents or mightie Men for oppressing the poore or Noble men and Gentlemen for sacriledge or Rich men for vsurie or Gentlewomen for their excessiue pride in their apparel or women of lower degree for following of the fashion or any one of these or the like for their seuerall sinnes whatsoeuer Oh then that Preacher is either too precise or peremptorie he leaueth his Text and falleth to rayling as some thinke Notwithstanding like a paynefull Silke-worke he draweth his reprehension out of the very bowells of his Text and doth no more then God commands him To shew the people their sinnes and the house of Iacob their transgressions Esay 58.1 O beloued if this gentle kinde of preaching vsed in our dayes be so hard to be digested how would you take it if Preachers should take libertie by the example of the Prophets to reproue sinne and sinners in such playnenesse and boldnesse that they single them out by name as Esay Amos Ieremie Iohn Baptist haue done though it cost them full deare for their labour But they knew their reward was with the Lord and their labour with the Almightie One thing more we may not passe vnremembred in the manner of the reproofe and that is the vehemencie of the interrogation which our Prophet vseth when he saith How long shall your wicked thoughts remayne within you Text. for it is a reproofe with a certayne kinde of indignation striking to the very heart of them whom he reproueth such force doth the Maiestie of Gods Word carry with it When it is preached with authoritie and in the zeale of Gods Spirit It is then liuely and mightie in operation Heb. 4.12 as the Apostle speaketh and sharper then any two-edged sword and entreth through euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and the spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and the intents of the heart How long shall your wicked thoughts remayne within you Vse 1 The vse drawne here-hence may be First to teach Preachers which are to fight the Lords battell against the sinnefull Amalekites to take courage vnto themselues and like Samuel the Lords Prophet in pieces To cut and hew Agag 1. Sam. 15.33 with the sword of Gods Spirit and not to
plainely He that lusteth after a Woman hath committed adulterie alreadie in his heart and S. Iohn saith He that hatesh his brother in his heart is a Murtherer And the same God that saith Thou shalt not steale saith also Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours goods Therefore our Prophet when he exhorteth to Repentance he willeth vs to wash our hearts from wickednesse And Christ coÌ„demned the filthie Pharises for that they would wash the vtterside of the cup and platter but leaue the inside foule and filthy Matth. 23.25 comparing them to rotten Sepulchres which were garnished with an outward shew of holynesse but were within full of all wickednesse whatsoeuer Therefore when the Prophet Esay doth exhort the people to Repentance and bids them to seeke the Lord whiles he may be found and to call vpon him whiles he is neere he doth not onely command the wicked to leaue their wicked workes but also the vnrighteous their owne euill imaginations and so to turne vnto the Lord for that indeed is true and sound conuersion when the minde is rectified and the body mortified to serue the Lord. Therefore is it that the Apostle prayeth for the Thessalonians that their whole spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Vse 3 And hereupon ariseth a third vse seeing we are commanded to wash our hearts from wicked thoughts and haue no power in our selues to doe it therefore being priuy to our owne thoughts and wicked cogitations which rise one vpon anothers necke like the waues of the Sea we should flie continually vnto the Lord by instant and vncessant prayer day and night for grace strength acknowledging also Gods great mercy toward vs that doth keepe vs and preserue vs from running out into all euill with the wicked seeing we haue the seedes of all sinnes naturally in our selues except they be suppressed by grace and by the holy and sanctifying Spirit of God And so much briefly for the first part of the Reprehension of our Prophet which is against such as soule and soyle their hearts and soules with sinnefull thoughts whereby their hearts and consciences are defiled and make themselues vnapt and vnfit for euery good worke The 〈◊〉 part The second part of the Reprehension is for harbouring and retayning such euill thoughts too long in our hearts How long shall your wicked thoughts remayne within you Not that it is lawfull to giue consent vnto any euill thoughts or to harbour them in our hearts no not a moment of time But as it is said of Couetousnesse Crescit amor nummi quantum ipsa pecunia crescit So it may be said of euill thoughts Crescit amor peccati Sinne it selfe doth grow and increase so long as any euill thought is cherished within vs. Simile The seede must be cast into the ground and take rooting before it grow vpward to any blade and the blade must grow to a stemme and Eare too before it blow or bring forth any fruit so the seedes of sinne are first sowne in the heart of man and there takes roote before it breake out and bring forth fruit but if these seedes of sinne be weeded and taken away before the roote haue taken fast holding then they rot and die and bring no more detriment to the ground Therefore good Christians must be skilfull in this spirituall husbandrie namely oftentimes to teare vp their fallow grounds as the Prophet speaketh with the Share and Culter of true Repentance lest those seedes and weedes of sinne which doe continually spring vp in the furrowes of our hearts doe ouertop and ouer-grow that little grace and goodnesse which we seeme to haue Therefore if it cannot be auoided but that euil thoughts must arise in our hearts by reason of our natiue corruption Simile for as the earth doth bring forth weedes without sowing bryers without planting so the heart of man doth yeeld forth the seedes of sinne without dressing It should be our chiefe care euen in the spring of our yeeres to weede out as much as possibly we may these sinfull weedes of wicked thoughts out of the Garden of our hearts that the seede of Gods Word may grow in the same being indeede the immortall seede whereby we must grow vp into euerlasting life And this is one good vse that we should make of this reprehension Vse 1 How long shall your wicked thoughts remayne within you Now as this first vse doth serue to instruct the yonger sort of Christians to timely Repentance before sinne haue taken too deepe rootes in them So the second vse Vse 2 must be to reproue those which together with their age and yeeres haue suffered euill thoughts to grow as old as themselues and haue taken such rooting in their hearts that they are now passed weedes and growne into great Trees insomuch that nothing but the Axe of Gods iudgements can cut them downe Therefore is the Axe saith Iohn Baptist put to the roote of the Tree and the fall of such a tree must needes be fearefull for there is no hope of any recouery againe To this sort of people it is especially that our Prophet speaketh How long shall your wicked thoughts remayne within you How long a yeere or two or ten or twentie Oh that were too long but what say you then to thirtie fortie fiftie Oh fearefull But what if they hold out till sixtie seuentie eightie O God be mercifull vnto them O deare Christians let vs feare to grow old in sinne Dauid prayeth God to forgiue him the sinnes of his youth and to cleanse his heart from secret sinnes which were many of them his euill thoughts But we are not afraid of the sinnes of our age which were begun in our youth and continued in our strength and now dragge after vs euen to our graue So vnwilling is Satan to lose any one of his old Souldiers he knoweth they are cunning skilfull craftie full of hypocrisie able to deceiue the world themselues and their owne soules but cannot deceiue God which seeth their hearts and daily cryeth out vnto them How long shall your wicked thoughts remayne within you O deare Christians how strange a thing is it that we can neuer be wearie of wickednesse that the elder many grow the worser they grow verifying the saying of a Heathen Rarò senes Deos timent which indeede may seeme to be a meere Paradox and therefore I will not English it for old men should be examples to the yonger sort to serue God to loue Religion to bring vp their Families and Children in the feare of the Lord as Abraham Isaac and Iacob together with the rest of the Patriarkes and the faithfull ones of all ages haue done Last of all we must not thinke or imagine that euill thoughts rest only in old age and that this reproofe of our Prophet doth not reach to euery one of vs to old to yong to rich to poore to men to women for euery one may accuse himselfe of this sinne that he hath suffered his euill thoughts too long to continue within him Wherefore to conclude let vs labour betimes to suppresse those sinfull seedes of sinne which haue filled this Land of ours full of wickednesse from the Court to the Countrie as Amos basket was full of Summer fruit Amos 8.1 let vs dash out the braines of these Babylonish Babes and Brats before they breede vs to greater mischiefes for of sinnefull thoughts come all our sinnefull wordes all our wicked workes all our Treasons and Trecheries all our priuie plots and conspiracies all our poysonings and villanies whatsoeuer they be Therefore the wiseman giueth counsell not so much as to speake or thinke euill no not in thy priuie chamber and what is more priuie then the chamber of our hearts where all euill thoughts are hatched The Prophets of God complayne of such as lie musing of wickednesse vpon their beds by night and in the day time they put the same in practice If needs euil thoughts like so many Souldiers must muster through the Countrie of our hearts let them only passe as strangers giue them nor bread nor water for intertaynement then they will not care greatly to come againe but as the brute beast and euery man is a beast in his owne knowledge will willingly come againe after once he hath beene well intertayned so these beastly thoughts and affections if they be any thing comforted or cherished will neuer tarry long away they are the harbingers of Satan and like vnto their Master for though he goe away for a time if he finde the house swept and garnished that is prouided for him he will surely come againe with seuen spirits worse then himselfe and so the end of that man shall be worse then the beginning Peâ—â—ratio Now God of his mercy make vs all wary and wise vnto saluation strengthen vs with grace against all wicked thoughts and sinnefull temptations pardon vs for our passed transgressions finish soone these dayes of sinne and bring vs to his euerlasting peace and rest through IESVS CHRIST our LORD to whom with the FATHER and the holy GHOST three persons in most glorious TRINITIE but one GOD in essentiall VNITIE be rendred and ascribed of all Saints and Angels in heauen and in earth all honor glorie praise power and thanksgiuing from this time forth and for euer Amen FINIS Laus Deo trin-vno in aeternum Amen