Four Sermons Upon the Seven Chief Virtues, Sermon 1
The firſt Sermon vponupon the firſt Chapter of the ſecond Epiſtle of Saint Peter.
1 Simon Peter a ſeruant and an Apoſtle of Ieſus Chriſte, to you which hauehave obtained like precious faith with vsus by the righteouſnes of our God and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt.
2 Grace & peace be multiplied to you, through the acknowledging of god and of our Lord Ieſus.
3 According as his diuine power hath giuen vntounto vsus all things that pertaine vntounto life and Godlineſſe, through the acknowledging of him, that hath called vsus vntounto glory and vertue.
4 Whereby moſt great and precious promiſes are giuen vntounto vsus, that by them yee ſhould bee partakers of the diuine nature, in that yee flee the corruption which is in the world through luſt.
BEfore we begin to handle or intreate of the wordes of this text, it ſhall not be amiſſe to note to whom & when this Epiſtle was written. Concerning the firſt of theſe, it appeareth by the third chap. and 1. ver. that it was written vntounto the ſame that the former Epiſtle was. For thus he ſpeaketh. This ſecond Epiſtle I write vntounto you, beloued, in which I ſtirre vp your ſincere minde, by putting you in remembrance: now theſe were the Iewes which were ſcattered abroade in the diſperſiō through diuers countries, as it is expreſſed in the firſt chap. of the former Epiſtle: for the Iewes were ſpecially his charge, as the care of the Gentiles was committed vntounto Paul. Galathians the 2. chapter, 7. and 8. verſes. The wordes are theſe: when they ſawe that the Goſpell of the vncircumciſion was committed to mee, as the Goſpell ouer the circumciſion was vntounto Peter: for he was mightie by Peter in the Apoſtlſhip, ouer the circumciſion, was alſo mightie by me towards the Gentiles. For the 2. this Epiſtle was written by Peter in his extreme age, when he had euen finiſhed his courſe, and was readie to lay downe his tabernacle, as he ſpeaketh here in the 14. verſ. As for the occaſions which moued him to write, they ſhall appeare in the particular handling of the matters.
1 Now let vsus come to the wordes of the text, the 1. verſe hath two members: In the former he ſetteth foorth his own dignitie, that he is not only a ſeruant of God, but a principall ſeruant, and one which commeth vntounto them as the Ambaſſadour of god, to the end they might knowe that they had to doe with God, and not with men, and ſo ſubmit themſelues to the doctrine & meſſage which he brought: for whatſoeuer God ſpake by the Apoſtles, he ſo guided their tong & pen by his ſpirite, that nothing which they ſpake or wrote, was their own, but altogether his. In the ſecond member, he ſetteth forth the dignity which thoſe to whom he writ had with himſelfe: in theſe wordes, To thoſe which hauehave obtained the like precious faith with vsus: as if he ſhould ſay, although I be aboue you in the Apoſtolik dignitie and function, yet you are equal with me & with the reſt of the Apoſtles in the chiefe and principall dignitie, & in that wherein all happines doth cōſiſt, euē our precious faith. Here it may bee demaunded, howe Saint Peter can aſcribe vntounto them a faith equall or like precious with his owne, ſeeing he did ſo farre excell them in giftes and graces, as in knowledge, & ſtrength of faith. The anſwer is eaſie inough, namely, that this compariſon is not made in the meaſure & quātity of faith, for therin ſome hauehave excelled others farre, becauſe God doth not giuegive his gifts to all alike: but in the effect, which is the apprehending of Chriſt with al his merits, which the weak faith doth as wel as the ſtrong, and therefore in this reſpect is equally precious. This I ſpeake, not to make any ſlouthfull, when as the Scriptures do pricke vsus forwarde ſo much to ſeeke increaſe of faith, but for the comfort and hartening of the weake, which feeling their infirmitie and weaknes of faith, if it were not for this which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, might doubt whether they were partakers of the ſame happineſſe with them; now hearing this, they may be wel aſſured, al though their faith ſhould be but as a grain of muſtard ſeed, yet if it bee true faith, it coupleth them to Chriſte, and maketh them partakers of redemption, to hauehave their ſinnes waſhed away in his blood of righteouſnes, to be couered with his obediēce of life, to be heires of the kingdome of glorie, as wel as the faith of Peter, or any other. VntoUnto this is alſo ioyned that wherin the ſtablenes of this their faith doth ſtande, as vponupon a ſure foundation, euē the righteouſneſſe of God and of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſte. And indeede the building of faith is ſo waightie, and the frame ſo heauie, that it can ſtande vponupon no other foundation but this, that is to ſay, the righteouſneſſe, faithfulneſſe, or truth of God which cannot lie. For if we would perſwade a man to beleeue by this reaſon, that the thing which wee ſpeake, is that which hath been taught by diuers men of great learning & ſingular godlines: yet becauſe we know that al men are lyers, except wee bee ſure that the things which they ſpeak, be thoſe which God hath ſpoken, wee ſhall ſtill wauer, and our faith ſhalbe no faith, which alone can reſt in the authoritie of God, and not of men.
2 The ſeconde verſe conteineth his ſalutation, euen that which is common to him with Paul & the other Apoſtles: wiſhing grace and peace, to thoſe vntounto whom they write. And this they do, becauſe it is the chiefe ſcope and principal ende of their miniſterie, to bring men againe into Gods fauour, & to be reconciled vntounto him. Of this thing ſpeaketh S. Paul, 2. Cor. 5. chap. ver. 18. ſaying. All things are of God which hath recōciled vsus to himſelf by Ieſus Chriſt. And hath giuen vntounto vsus the miniſterie of reconciliation, for God was in Chriſte and reconciled the worlde to himſelfe, not imputing their ſinnes vntounto them: and hath committed to vsus the word of reconciliation. Now thé are we Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, as though God did beſeeche you through vsus, wee pray you in Chriſte his ſteede, that you bee reconciled to God. This beeing the chiefe end of their trauell, cauſeth them ſo earneſtly to wiſh it for the people: and to bee ſo ſerious, not only in teaching them this generally, but alſo pointing out as it were with the finger, the way to the ſame: and that not onelie in their doctrine, but alſo in their liues. Whoſoeuer digreſſeth or caſteth his eyes aſide from this marke & ende of his miniſterie, ceaſeth to bee the Miniſter of Chriſte. As for example, If hee preach the Goſpell to purchaſe renowme, eſtimation, wealth of caſe, to himſelfe, and not to ſeeke this reconciliation betweene God and men, and to hauehave grace and peace multiplied vppon them, he may wel ſometimes preach the truth, but not truly.
Likewiſe, thoſe parentes whiche ſet foorth their children to learning, with this minde: My ſonne ſhall liue an eaſie and merie life, hee ſhal get ſome liuings, promotions, & dignities in the Church: do lay a corrupt and rotten foundation, & hauehave not learned this doctrine of the Apoſtle, and therefore the building folowes agreeably for the moſt, whē they come to hauehave learning, not forgetting this leſſon which they learned of their fathers, doe become greedie cathers of benefices and promotions, rather then carefull feeders of the flocke of Chriſt. But here it may be obiected, how the Apoſtle can wiſh that grace which is the free fauour of God, ſhould be multiplied vponupon them, ſeeing that Gods louelove & fauor doth not increaſe nor diminiſhe, but hee loueth and fauoureth alwayes alike, being ſubiect to no alteration or change. This may wel be anſwered, that Sainte Peter doeth not ſpeake heere of grace, as it is in it ſelfe in God towardes mē: but of their feeling the ſame, which groweth by degrees from leſſe to greater, and becauſe it is a thing ſo precious, the Apoſtle wiſheth that it may be multiplied vponupon them. Hee expreſſeth the meane to be the knowledge & acknowledging of God, and of Ieſus Chriſt our Lord.
3 According as his diuine power hath giuen vntounto vsus al things that perteine vntounto life & godlines, through the acknowledging of him that hath called vsus vntounto glory and vertue.
This is fitly ioyned to the former verſe, to ſhewe that the aboundance of grace and peace is not without cauſe required at our handes, as if the Apoſtle ſhoulde ſay, You are not to content nor to ſatisfie your ſelues with a ſcant meaſure of Gods giftes and graces, ſeeing that there is offred vntounto you, & ſet forth in Chriſt, vntounto whom you may reſort as to a ſtorehouſe fully furniſhed with all treaſures, all things which partain to life and godlineſſe.
Secondly, we hauehave to obſerue in this verſe, when hee ſaith that all thinges are giuen vntounto vsus by his diuine power, that here is nothing left in the worke of our ſaluation vntounto our ſelues: ſo that it muſt needes follow, that theſe which defend free will, doe not ſpeake with the ſame ſpirite which the Apoſtle doth here. For ſetting forth a contrary doctrine to this it muſt needes proceed from a contrary ſpirite. The Apoſtle doth not ſay heere, that all thoſe thinges which wee want, through the weakeneſſe of our nature, ſhalbe ſupplied, but to ſhewe that there is nothing in vsus at all, but that wee are quite ſtript of all things which pertaine to life and godlineſſe, Hee ſpeaketh not of repairing or helping in ſome parte, but of a whole and free gifte in euerie part: when he ſaith whithout exception that all thinges are giuen vntounto vsus by the diuine power, which pertaine vntounto life, and godlines: and ſo this doctrine doth chalenge all the praiſe and glory of our ſaluation to God alone.
Thirdly, it may be demanded why the Apoſtle ſhoulde ſay that all thinges are giuen vntounto vsus by the diuine power or Godhead of our Sauiour Chriſte, when it is manifeſt that wee ferche all thinges from his manhood: and therefore hee ſaith in the 6. chap. of S. Iohn, verſe 46. I am the bread of life: and againe in the 54. verſe of that ſame chapter, Hee that eateth my fleſh, and drinketh my blood I will raiſe him vp in the laſt day: For my fleſhe is meate indeede, and my blood is drink indeed: by this it is manifeſt, that life is giuen vntounto the worlde, by the manhood of Chriſte. The anſwere is eaſie, that Chriſte in his manhoode is a creature, and therefore hath nothing of his owne, but whatſoeuer is in him, as to bee the life of the worlde, and the light of men, and to hauehave in him al the treaſures of wiſdom: This commeth from the diuine nature, which dwelleth in him bodily, as Saint Paule ſpeaketh. Nowe the cauſe why all theſe are put into the manhoode of Chriſte, is that from thence wee maye bee partakers of them: for ſolong as they hauehave reſidence onelyonly in God, wee are ſo farre remoued from him that by no meanes wee can approche or come neere vntounto him to drawe out of him any drop of the ſame. Therefore though all things bee giuen vsus by this meanes, that GOD hath put them into the fleſhe of Chriſt, and ſo is come downe neere vntounto vsus, that wee may lay faſt hold of him: yet neuertheleſſe becauſe the proprietie of them remaineth ſtill in the diuine nature, the gifte of them is heere aſcribed vntounto the power thereof.
Fourthly, we are to note in this verſe, that the Apoſtle doeth briefly ſet downe the ende and ſumme of religion, and of all theſe giftes, when he ſaith, which pertaine to life and godlineſſe: for in theſe two wordes, vntounto which the other two do anſwere, which are ſet downe in the latter ende of the verſe, glorie and vertue, all thoſe giftes are contained. For that which hee expreſſed firſt by life, heere by glorie, that which before he called godlineſſe, here he calleth vertue: they are as much as to ſay, eternall felicitie, and life with glorie, and the way which we muſt paſſe through to the ſame, which is godlines and vertue. Here we are to take great heede, that wee doe not ſeuer or ſunder thoſe thinges which the Lorde himſelfe hath ſo neerely coupled and linked together. And this admonition is ſo much the more neceſſarie, becauſe there are very many carnall profeſſors and beaſtly abuſers of chriſtianity, which doe ſeeme very willingly and gladly to imbrace the promiſes of the Goſpell, concerning redemption and eternall life purchaſed in Chriſte Ieſus: and they make great boaſt that they looke for their parte in the ſame as well as any other, & yet they looke nothing at al to this godlines and vertue, through which we muſt paſſe vn to it, for God hath not called vsus, but as hee ſaith heere, to glorie and vertue, ſo that whom ſoeuer the Lorde hath called to know him aright, and ſo to be made heires of eternall glorie, he hath alſo garniſhed them with vertues and graces of the ſpirite of ſanctification. Vntill ſuch time therefore, as there ſhall riſe vp a new Peter, which with contrary pen ſhal write a newe and contrary goſpell, theſe men ſhall neuer aſſure them ſelues, nor yet perſwade others that they ſhall euer come to the kingdome of God, ſeeing they goe a quite contrarie way.
4 Whereby moſt great and precious promiſes are giuen vntounto vsus, &c. Now hee ſheweth by what meanes or by what inſtruments the diuine power doeth beſtow thoſe giftes vponupon vsus, and the ſame are as hee calleth them, moſt great and precious promiſes which are giuē vntounto vsus, whereby we are called to glorie and vertue, as hee ſpeaketh in the former verſe: theſe are called moſt great & precious, becauſe the things which are offered vntounto vsus in the goſpel of Chriſt, for greatnes & dignity are incōparable. For what cā we ſeeke out to match with this that here is offered vntounto vsus: namely the remiſſion of our ſins in the blood of his ſonne, deliuerance & freedom from the thraldom of Satan & power of darknes, that of damned creatutes & children of his wrath, he hath giuē vsus this high dignity to be his ſonnes & daughters: & as S. Iohn ſaith, Reue. I. Chriſt hath waſhed vsus in his blood, and made vsus kinges and prieſts to god his father: what a change is this, from the loweſt miſery, euē in the gulf of hel, to be lifted vp, to the higheſt dignitie, to be glorified with God in the kingdō of heuen? Becauſe therfore theſe things are the greateſt & moſt honorable, S. Peter calleth the promiſes of the goſpel, moſt great & precious. But wherfore doeth the apoſtle aſcribe all to the doctrine of the goſpel? for whē he ſaith, that by theſe we are made partakers of the diuine nature, hee includeth all, becauſe it is by the goſpel that we are called home to the Lord: for although hee vtter his will vntounto vsus in his law, yet therin hee ſheweth himſelfe none otherwiſe vntounto vsus, but as a ſeuere iudge, we can ſee nothing there, but the dreadful curſe, & vengeance of eternall fire: his brightnes appeareth therein, but we be not able to beholde the ſame, but are daſeled with the ſight therof, amazed & confounded ſo that we cannot but runne from him, bicauſe there is nothing but that which is terrible. Cōtrariwiſe, in the Goſpel, he hath reuealed himſelfe in the face of his ſonne, where hee ſheweth an exceeding glory, but with ſuch fatherly louelove, & pitie, ſuch abūdance of merciemercy, and ſweete allurements, by which he calleth vsus and draweth vsus to himſelf: that here wee are able to looke vponupon him with open face, and heere his countenance is ſo cheereful, that the ſoule which hath once, with the eye of faith ſeene but a glimſe thereof, is ſo inflamed and rauiſhed with deſire of a neerer and fuller ſight▪ that it can neuer bee ſatisfied. For this cauſe Saint Paule making compariſon betweene the miniſterie of the Lawe and the miniſterie of the Goſpell. 2. Corinthians, 3. Termeth that the miniſtration of death, and the letter which killeth: and this the miniſtration of the ſpirit which giueth life. Which by the way alſo is to bee obſerued, becauſe there be among vsus at this day many frā tike braines: namely thoſe of the Family of louelove, which call the true & ſound interpreting of the word, the literal ſenſe, or the letter which killeth, & their owne groſſe and fooliſh allegories the ſpirite: not knowing that S. Peter ſpeaketh of the difference betweene the Lawe, and the Goſpel. Here alſo appeareth of what price and dignitie the goſpel is: for who can ſet foorth the worthineſſe of this, whē he ſaith, that by theſe promiſes we are made partakers of the diuine nature we were indeed at the firſt created after the Image of God, and ſo partakers of his nature: but we loſt all this with our firſt parents, & in ſteede thereof we were made partakers of the diueliſh nature, bearing his Image and fulfilling: his luſtes. Nowe by faith in the Goſpel, this image is reſtored and built vp in vsus againe, whileſt we receiue the ſpirite of ſanctification ioyned with the ſame. If men did know this firſt, that all happineſſe in men is to be made partakers of the nature of God, & to communicate with him: and then that this is wrought only by the Goſpel: men woulde not ſo lothſomely deſpiſe it, and preferre eueryevery light commoditie, and trifling pleaſure before it: men woulde not ſeeke to diſgrace & ſlander it: men would not be ſo ſoone wearie in hearing of it, nor thinke eueryevery houre ten while they bee at it. Finally men, vnleſſe they were mad men, would not as they do now almoſt eueryevery where, thinke them ſelues beſt at eaſe when it is furtheſt from them: for who would willingly throwe himſelfe headlong to deſtruction; who would ſo play the mad beaſtes, as to thruſt God from them, & refuſe to bee made partakers of his heauenly nature? which al they doe, that hauehave as yet felt no ſweetneſſe in the Goſpell, or at leaſt hauehave ſo little taſted it that it can ſcarſe obtaine colde lone at their hands. But there needeth ſomwhat to be ſaid vpō the phraſe of ſpech which S. Peter vſeth, for it is ſomewhat hard to ſome, & as it was in old time fouly abuſed by heretikes, ſo is it wickedly at this day peruerted by the louely Familie, which holding this doctrine that men are deified, and God is hominified, as their language is, meaning that the very eſſence and ſubſtance of God, is tranſſuſed into men, and his ſubſtance & theirs mingled together, take great holde of this, that the Apoſtle ſaith, wee are made partakers of the diuine nature. But you ſhal ſee that eueryevery ſimple man may eaſily confute thē: if we aſke what the nature of an horſe is, wil a man anſwere that he is made of the earth: then a horſe and a man are both of one nature, for man is alſo made of the earth: it is manifeſt thē, that none is ſo fooliſh but hee will confeſſe, that when we ſpeake of the nature of any thing, we meane not the ſubſtāce, but the qualities & properties: euen ſo in this place we muſt needs graunt, that by the diuine nature in this place is nothing els ment, but that there ſhould be ſuch a nature and ſuch qualities in men, as may carrye a reſemblance of the diuine nature: as for example, god is holy, wee muſt bee holy, he is pure, good, iuſt, gracious, bountiful, louing, & merciful, all theſe and ſuch like muſt be alſo in vsus: we ſhal alſo come to be partakers of life, of glory, of ioye, of happineſſe, and eternitie, and ſo in a neerer ſorte to bee partakers of the diuine nature. What are all thoſe now the better, which hauehave ſo receiued the precious promiſes, that their qualities are euen as agreeable to the nature of GOD, as light is with darkeneſſe, or Heauen with Hell, or Chriſte with Beliall: Sith ſo manie ſhamefull and beaſtly ſinnes, flowe and raigne in them, which are ſo many partakinges of the Diueliſhe nature, let them for ſhame denye that they hauehave ought wherein they communicate with GOD, in anye thing ſauing a bare profeſſion. Then what is it which maketh a good man; The promiſes of the Goſpell. What is it which bringeth life and ſaluation? The Goſpel. Who are they which hauehave imbraced the promiſes, & hauehave the true and liuely faith: The holy. Who are they whom God hath called to life eternall, to bee thoſe whome hee loueth as children, bearing his Image; The pure and vndefiled. in the laſt clauſe of this verſe he ſheweth his meaning very plainly, In that, ſaieth hee yee flie the corruptions which are in the world through luſt, this is the way to bee made partakers of the diuine nature, for as corruptions and filthie defilinges the more they cleaue vntounto vsus, the more they ſeparate vsus from the Lord, ſo contrariwiſe the more a man doeth flie and eſchewe them, ſo much the neerer hee doeth approch vntounto God, who is the fountaine of all puritie. We are here to note that S. Peter maketh al corruption and naughtineſſe in the worlde to ſpring out of concupiſcence, or as it is vſually tranſlated, luſt: where wee muſt learne firſt, what this concupiſcence or luſt is, which is heere ſaide to bee as it were the ſeate of ſinne, and indeede it is the roote and fountaine, out of which groweth & floweth al euill that is committed in the world, either in thought, worde, or deede: to be ſhort, this is that which is forbiddē in the tenth cōmādemēt, whē he ſaith, Thou ſhalt not couer: at leaſt ſo much of it is forbidden there, as pertaineth to the ſecond table, that is the roote & fountaine of all euil againſt men, for there is nothing recited in the ſame laſt commandement, but towarde men: & when our Sauiour Chriſt ſetteth foorth the ſumme of the firſt table, hee ſaith it is to louelove the Lorde with all the heart, with al the ſoule, &c. Now where the whole hart is required, there concupiſcence muſt needs be forbiddē: but ye wil ſay, what is it; wherin doth it conſiſt? It is not in deeds, words, nor thoughts, but a more cloſe & inward ſicknes, bred as they ſay, in the bones, the natural blot & ſpot of originall ſinne, which we hauehave by inheritance, from our firſt parents, & bring with vsus out of our mothers wōb, out of which al euil thoughts & deſires do ariſe in vsus. S. Iames in the firſt chap. of his Epiſtle maketh it the wombe & mother which conceiueth & bringeth forth ſinne: Let no man (ſaith hee) when he is tempted, ſay, I am tempted of God, for God cannot be tempted with euill, neither tēpteth he any mā, but eueryevery one is tempted when he is drawne away by his own concupiſcence, & is entiſed: thē luſt when it hath conceiued, bringeth forth ſinne, & ſinne whē it is finiſhed bringeth forth death. The firſt thing we hauehave here to note in this doctrine is this: that all corruptiō is of our ſelues, not comming from any outward cauſe: it is true that Satan is an inſtrument, & as it were the bellowes to ſtirre and kindle in vsus the luſtes of ſinne, and beareth a very great ſtroke in the matter: but if it were not for this concupiſcence that is in vsus, hee coulde not bring his matters to paſſe, the prouocations and alurementes of wicked men, are ſo many meanes to driue vsus and draw vsus into ſinne, but yet the cauſe is in our ſelues. A chiefe point to bee obſerued that wee may learne to condemne our ſelues when wee hauehave done amiſſe, and not after the maner of men, which looke when they hauehave faulted howe they may disburthen themſelues, and be diſcharged of the blame, and therefore they will either crie out of the Diuell, as though hee, as they ſay, ought them a ſhame, or els they will ſay, woe worth ſuch or ſuche that euer I knew them, if it had not been for them, I ſhould not hauehave done thus. The Prophete Dauid when hee had committed murther and adultery, being reprooued by Nathan, although hee knewe rightwel that the Diuel was a great furtherer in the matter: likewiſe hee might hauehave thought vponupon the fonde dealing of the woman, which ſo indiſcretly waſhed her ſelfe in ſuch a place as others might ſee her: yet hee letteth theſe goe, and to the ende hee may wholy and fully condemne himſelf, he looketh home to the welſpring of all this foule and beaſtly ſinne, and ſaith, Beholde I was borne in wickedneſſe, and in ſinne hath my mother conceiued mee: as if he ſhoulde ſay, O Lorde, I cannot ſeeke any way to be excuſed, for all this rebellion againſt thee, is conceiued and bred in mine owne corrupt breſt, I brought the roote of it from my mothers wombe. This is a good leſſion for vsus to learne: for ſo long as wee doe not knowe it, but like partial and corrupt Iudges go about to excuſe our ſelues, & to rid our hands of that we hauehave committed, we ſhal neuer come to any ſincere repētāce. Further, weare here to obſerue in this place that al corruptiō comming from this luſt, if wee will repent indeede, wee muſt begin heere. For if they bee changed onelyonly in their outwarde deedes and wordes, and this inward ſicknes not healed, they hauehave gained nothing, no more thē a man which would deſtroy a tree, and doth no more then loppe & ſhred of certaine boughes and twigges, leauing the ſtumpe and roote behynde: for ſo long as this doth liue in them, they may well ſeeme in the eyes of men, to bee very great conuerts, if they bee ignorant idiots, are become ſuche as hauehave gotten ſome ſkill and knowledge: from drunkardes, ruffians, adulterers, and ſuche like, they become ſober and modeſt, and of good behauiour: as this may bee done before men, and yet the hart nothing altered before God: for there bee many cauſes which may mooue men to ſeeme outwardlye to bee godly, when the hearte within is fraught with loathſome luſtes, and full of rotten corruptions, whiche make men ſtill altogether abhominable before God. To bee ſhort therefore a man ſhall neuet rightly iudge of him ſelfe whether hee hauehave repented, vnleſſe hee looke to the bottome of this ſore, that it may be healed. The greateſt multitude of men, being as blind as beetles in this point, imagine that repentance, is a very light & eaſie thing, which they can hauehave when they liſt: when a man of wiſdome ſaith this, that here lieth ſo deep a matter, that heere be rootes which are hard to be pulled vp, hee is moued to bee the more carefull, leaſt he deceiue himſelfe. Looke therefore eueryevery man to his thoughts, for by them is the trial made: if the thoughts be chāged, & the inward deſires altered, ſo that of prophane and worldly, they are become holy and heauenly: then hee may boldly ſay, I hauehave a newe hearte, and there is a right ſpirite renued in mee, I hauehave repented, I hauehave not plaide the hypocrite, I feele an vpright heart toward God, I feele the corrupt fountaine ſtopped, ſo that the filthy matter, and ſtinking mudde doeth not boyle foorth as it did. It may alſo bee demaunded heere, whether this iuſte bee not a ſinne or a corruption of it ſelfe, becauſe S. Peter ſaith, that corruption reſteth in it. The place which I alleadged out of the 51. Pſalme, doeth prooue it to bee a ſinne: alſo it may bee proued out of the fifth to the Romans, Where Saint Paule proueth that infants hauehave ſinne, becauſe they are ſubiect to death, which is the reward of ſinne, although as hee ſaith, they ſinne not after the ſimilitude of the tranſgreſſion of Adam. Therefore if wee had none other but this, it were enough to condemne vsus, and vtterly to caſt vsus away. Let vsus neuer ceaſe therefore, vntill wee feele a change in our ſelues, euen in this ſecrete infection, for otherwiſe wee ſhall neuer bee able to flie the corruptions whiche are in the world, or as Saint Iames ſpeaketh in the firſt Chapter of his Epiſtle, to keepe our ſelues vnſpotted of the worlde, ſo long as wee carie the corrupt world in our own breſt: neither ſhal our religion be pure, for thus it is ſaide, if any man among you ſeemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiueth his owne hearte, this mans religion is vaine. Pure religion and vndefiled before God, euen the father is this, to viſite the fatherleſſe and widowes in their diſtreſſe, and to keepe himſelfe vnſpotted of the worlde.