Four Sermons Upon the Seven Chief Virtues, Sermon 4
The fourth Sermon.
10 Wherefore brethren, giuegive rather diligence to make your calling & election ſure: for if ye do theſe things yee ſhall neuer fall.
11 For by this meanes an entring ſhall be miniſtred vntounto you abundantly, in to the euerlaſting kingdom of our Lord and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt.
JT hath beene tolde vntounto you already, vppon the verſes which goe next before, howe that Saint Peter regarding how dull wee are and backward in godlineſſe, contented not himſelfe with his exhortation which he maketh, but ſetteth downe what we ſhall gaine if we follow his aduiſe, and alſo what hurt we ſhall ſuſtaine by the contrary: and this hath partly been handeled in the two other verſes, & partly in theſe two which wee hauehave now in hand: where indeed he doth propounde ſo great a commodity which we ſhal gaine, if wee giuegive all diligence to purſue the former things, as is almoſt incomparable: euen this, that we ſhal come to the aſſurance, that wee are called & choſen of God: a thing ſo neceſſary for vsus to knowe, that without it, there is no right faith, no frank and willing obedience, no ſounde ioy. For although without this, men ſeeme to beleeue, yet is it but a wauering fantaſie, to do many good things, yet they proceed but from a ſeruile minde, to laugh & reioyce, yet is it but in a deſperate madnes which in very deed is greatly to be wondered at, howe men ſhoulde bee able to ſport themſelues, & yet to ſpeak in their cōſciences after this maner, there is hel, and eternal flames of vengeance prepared for ſinners, and I am not ſure whether I ſhal eſcape or not: this deſperate and brutiſh ſecuritie ſhalbe apparant to bee the more mad, if wee compare it, and ſet it foorth by an outward compariſon. Let it bee thus, a man is taken in a robberie or murther, impriſoned, brought before the Iudge, and comdemned, by ſute of friendes repriued vntil ſuche time as they maye ſue for to get him a pardon: in the meane time ſome of his acquaintance come to this murtherer, and will him to be of good cheere, & merie, he wil anſwere, vnleſſe he be ſome mad and deſperate ruffian, I am condemned to the Gallowes, the Iudge hath pronounced the ſentence of death vponupon mee, I know not how harde a thing it wil bee to obteine a pardon, I ſtand in great doubt, and for this cauſe I cannot bee merie, vnleſſe I myghte know for certaintie that I ſhould eſcape, if I did once know that, I coulde bee as mery as any man that liueth, before that tyme I may ſeeme to laughe, but my hearte is full of feare and ſorrowe. And is it not thus with vsus all, are wee not all of vsus giltie, and alreadie condemned by the ſentence of the higheſt Iudge; not to ſome torment of one day, or ſhorte continuance, but to the fire that ſhal neuer be quenched? When men can be merie therefore and laugh euen in thoſe things which cauſe this deſtruction, and yet doe feele that they are not ſure to eſcape this dreadfull vengeance, is it not a mad mirth and a deſperate laughter, in which if they were not become verye ſenſles blockes, they ſhoulde feele many gripings at the hart, which would marre al their myrth, yea a worme that gnaweth in ſuche wiſe, that they can hauehave no quiet reſt, nor as I ſaid before no ſound ioy. If we were not therfore more then deſperate and mad fooles, the thought of hel would dampe al our mirth vntyl ſuch time as we be ſure that we hauehave eſcaped it. This then which the Apoſtle ſaith heere is a princely commoditie, that walking the way which he hath preſcribed, we ſhall come to the aſſurance, that wee are the called and choſen of the Lord. But it may be demanded how this can agree with other ſayings in the holy ſcriptures, which doe plainly teach that God choſeth whom he will of his owne free grace, for which S. Paule alleadgeth out of Moſes, that God will hauehave mercy on whomſoeuer he wil hauehave mercy, and whom he wil he hardeneth: adding ther upō that it is neither of him that willeth nor yet of him that runneth, but of god which ſheweth mercy: againe the doctrine of Popery is, that God doth make choiſe, cōditionally reſpecting the good deeds which he did foreſee in thē: & ſo the election ſhold depend vponupon the worthines of the mē: we are to anſwere that this place hath nothing in it whiche is contrary to that free choiſe which God maketh without reſpect of any thinge that is in vsus, for he could finde nothing in vsus that might any way moue him, neither doth it ſerue at al for to proue that election is conditional: becauſe S. Peter doth not handle in this place, wherevpon election is founded, or what moued god to make choiſe, nor to ſhew wherin the certaintie & ſtableneſſe of election doth ſtand: but his meaning is, to teach vsus how we ſhal attaine to this incomparable treaſure, to bee out of doubt, and ſurely reſolued in our ſelues, not by fantaſied opinions, but by ſure & ſubſtātial proofe, that we be choſen of God, and therfore cannot periſh. If we reſpect the vnchangeable counſel of God, therein doth reſt alone the ſure foundation of election, becauſe God which cannot bee deceiued, nor cannot repent, or change, hath made the choiſe, therefore thoſe whom he hath choſen, can neuer periſht but if we regard the way and meanes, by which we may come to know this fauor of God to be toward vsus, the Lord by his apoſtle telleth vsus, that this is the way, euen to giuegive al diligence & ſtudy, to be richly decked with his graces, or thoſe forenamed vertues, for by theſe wee ſhall vndoubtedly know, becauſe if we hauehave thē, if they abound in vsus, if we walk in them, we ſhal, as he ſaith, neuer fal. Let vsus learn therefore firſt this, that election in it ſelf reſteth vponupon the vnchangeable purpoſe & counſel of God. Then ſecōdly that we are not to fetch the certentie of it in our ſelues, from ſom reuelation, neither are we to clime vp into heauen, to ſearch in the counſels of god, whether our names be in the book of life. But we are to fetch our warrant from within our ſelues, and that from the fruits of the ſpirite, which indeed although it be out of our ſelues, yet becauſe it is not of our ſelues, is certain & infallible. If ye wil vnderſtād this more plainely, firſt I ſay, it is out of our ſelues, or from within our ſelues becauſe wee muſt take the triall, whether thoſe thinges bee in vsus, which are giuen to al thoſe whome God doeth chooſe, then I ſay it is not of our ſelues, for if it were, it ſhould be altogether vncertaine. But of the ſeale of God wherwith he hath ſealed vsus, which is the ſpirite of ſanctification: now mark wel I pray you, If you do, (ſaith S. Peter) theſe thinges, you ſhal neuer fal: and why, is it becauſe our doings are ſo perfect and ſure, or that we are ſo conſtant of our ſelues; no not ſo, but by theſe vertues we know that we are ſealed with Gods ſpirite, whoſe woorke wee feele in vsus: wee know alſo that as many as are led by the ſpirite of God are the ſonnes of God. Rom. 8. From hence it commeth, that looke howe muche more a man feeleth in him ſelfe the increaſe of knowledge, the increaſe of vertues and heauenly deſires, ſo muche more ſure hee is, that hee is the childe of God, and as the one increaſeth, ſo increaſeth alſo the other. Contrariwiſe when a man feeleth within him ſelfe an euil conſcience, feeleth that he is darkened in his vnderſtanding, ledde by the luſtes of ſinne: hee ſhall in ſpite of his teeth within himſelfe, ſing this dolefull ſong, I knowe not whether I ſhal bee ſaued or not: and looke howe the other may ſay I knowe I ſhal be ſaued, becauſe God hath ſealed me with his ſpirite: ſo may this ſay, I am ſure to bee damned continuing in this caſe, becauſe I hauehave not faith, but onelyonly a wauering and doubtfull opinion. We may ſee by this how beneficial they are, and merciful to their owne ſoules, which with al their power day & night giuegive vp themſelues to ſeek after the knowledge and obedience of the Lords wil: for not giuing ouer, nor waxing wearie, they ſhal in continuance of time, if they ply it hard, find ſuch a bleſſing from the Lord, in the increaſe of faith and vertue, that wil cauſe them to ſay, we hauehave not loſt our labor. On the other ſide wee may ſee howe vnkinde and cruel they are to themſelues, which through idlenes, & ſlouth, in ſeeking after God, with their daily and continual ſinnes, doe euen as it were cut the throte of their faith, ſeeing they cannot hauehave truſte in him, whome they doe ſo much diſobey. This place is as a mightie engine to ouerthrow the vanitie of ſundrie opinions which doe reigne in men. As firſt of al in thoſe whiche crie out againſt this doctrine, as a thing which wil make men careleſſe and idle in the ſeruice of God, and ſtoppe the courſe of good woorkes, I beſeech you marke how wel theſe great wiſe men hauehave profited in Gods ſchoole, ſee howe they agree with the holy Apoſtle, he ſaith wee are to giuegive al our ſtudie and diligence in good woorkes to come to the ſure and vndoubted knowledge, that we be choſen vntounto life: they ſay quite contrary, if ye wil hauehave men careful of wel doing, away with the doctrine of election, for it will marre al: thus the wiſedome of fleſhe doth proudly lift vp it ſelfe euen againſt God (but howe fooliſhly, a very child may ſee:) Doeth that thing which wee cannot come to the knowledge of, without exceeding care of godlineſſe, abundance of vertue, and plentie of all good woorkes, deſtroy in men the ſtudie and care of good workes? But proud fleſhe is worthily blind. Some other, although not thus bruitiſhly blinded, yet greatly ouerſeene, when they thinke on this doctrine, which is ſet vp vntounto vsus as the mark for vsus to aime at in al our doings, and the trial whether we hauehave done wel or not: I meane the trial in this reſpecte, and when a man hath done many good deedes, hee ſhal know he hath not done them wel, if hee yet doubt, whether hee bee one of Gods choſen, for howſoeuer hee paſſeth it ouer, yet his conſcience (which doth in ſome ſort know, that he hath not dealt but for vaine glory, or ſome other ſiniſter reſpect) wil not ſuffer him to hauehave this faith: For God doth not woorke ſo darkely by his ſpirite in men, but that they may learne to knowe whether it bee of him, if they woulde make a due triall: becauſe wee muſt not reſt in the outwarde doeing of good thinges, but in the right doing. Let him therefore whiche giueth him ſelfe to doe good woorkes, (and yet feeleth not this, which Saint Peter ſaith, we ſhal) ſuſpect that his doinges are miſhapen, and be careful to faſhion them after the rules of the worde. A thirde ſort of men there be, which with might and maine wil defende this doctrine, that men ought to be ſure of ſaluation, that wee cannot more honour God, then to giuegive ful credite to his promiſes, and becauſe the plaine teſtimonie of the ſcripture compelleth them, they affirme it conſtantly, and condemne the contrary as a foule errour, that God hath choſen men, and men come to feele & to know this: And therefore becauſe it is a true doctrine, they ſay alſo that they themſelues are ſure, that God hath choſen them, but when they take not the way to become ſure, which S. Peter here hath ſet downe, but goe in a contrary path, & are ſpotted with filthie crimes, wee may boldly ſay, they be lyers: for although they bragge with their tongues of that that they ſhould bee, yet there is a byrde in their breſt, which doth ſing in a cōtrary note, and telleth them plainely what they bee. Another kinde of men there bee, which in no caſe can be perſuaded, that any man may bee ſure of his ſaluation, and therfore with ſcoffs they aske of them which profeſſe the word, when God tolde them ſo? If it were a thing whiche were not to bee, or coulde not be knowne, then the Apoſtle hath greatly ouerſhot himſelfe, in telling vsus howe wee ſhal come to bee ſure. But aske a queſtion of them, whether they do not beleeue in God, eueryevery one wil anſwere, I put al my whole truſt in him: reaſon then a little further and tel thē, that the Scripture which cannot lye, ſaith, That al which truſt in God ſhalbe ſaued: how then wil they ioyne theſe together, that they truſte in GOD, and yet doubt whether they ſhal bee ſaued; Can God deceiue; or ſay they, they know not what; Vndoubtedly if they did know that they hauehave truſt, they ſhoulde alſo knowe they cannot periſh. But let vsus learne by this the miſerie of our time: in which men doe ſtil thinke this doctrine to be ſtraunge. Nowe let vsus come to the particuler application of this doctrine, in which eueryevery one muſt come home to himſelfe, remembring firſt, that ſuche as God hath called home to himſelfe, and choſen to be his children, hee doth alſo giuegive vntounto them true faith and feeling that they bee his elect: and ſuch as perceiue no ſuche thinge in themſelues: are in a very miſerable caſe, and as yet we may ſay forlorne creatures: therfore euerye man in him ſelfe muſt aske this queſtion, of his owne ſoule, howe goeth the matter with thee? Art thou ſure GOD hath choſen thee; Doeſt thou feele any aſſurance of eternal life? The conſcience wil anſwere vprightlie if wee be not negligent to make inquirie: then if wee finde this within. I am not ſure, for I doubt and ſtagger: wee muſt inquire without ſelues thus, what is the cauſe, God is faithfull which hath promiſed eternal life vntounto all which beleeue: our heart wil make anſwere, thou regardeſt not the feare of God, thou art ful of foule ſinnes, euill luſtes doe reigne in thee, thou doeſt not ſtudie for the knowledge of Gods word, thou art vnfruiful and barren in good woorkes, therfore thon canſt not ſay, I am led by the ſpirite of God, and therefore ſure I ſhalbe ſaued: if hee bee wiſe hee will not ſtay heere, as the maner of fooles is, ſaying I am not ſure indeede, neither do I thinke any man can bee, I commit it to God, let him doe with mee what he will: theſe ſpeeches may ſeeme to hauehave ſome wit and godlineſſe in them, but they are in deede diueliſh and mad, becauſe God hath taught vsus a contrary leſſon in this place: but goe this ſteppe further, may I come to this aſſurance? & which is the way? The Lorde doth anſwere by his Apoſtle, thou maieſt come to this aſſurance, and pointeth him out the way: euen that which you hauehave hard, wherein hee muſt painefully trauel and goe forwarde, not for a gird or a braide, and waxe idle againe, but ſtill labour, for theſe men had gone a great way and yet they are willed to proceede ſtill, if the Lorde giuegive not this aſſurance, wee are to labour ſo much the more, and to bee ſo much the more importunate, to ſuſpect our iudgement, and to ſeeke for knowledge, to call our ſelues to a more ſtraite account, to ſet a watch ouer our affections too ſee with what mynde wee doe things, to foſter no ſin willingly in vsus, nor to bee ſlacke to any good worke which God hath appointed, to cal and cry vntounto God for faith, and his ſpirite to guide vsus, to vſe the meanes diligently which God hath appointed, as the hearing, ſearching, & meditating in the word: thus in time (for it is wrought in men by degrees, & they neuer come to the ful) God will let them ſee that he is their God. That neither life nor death, height or depth, thinges preſent or things to come, Angels, Principalities, nor powers, nor any creature ſhall ſeparate vsus from his louelove in Chriſte. It followeth in the next verſe, For by this meanes an entring ſhalbe miniſtred vntounto you abundantly into the euerlaſting kingdome of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſte. This is a confirmation of the laſt clauſe of the former ſentence, where he ſaith, If you doe theſe thinges, you ſhal neuer fall: and why? becauſe you ſhal hauehave a great entrance into the eternal kingdome of Chriſt: as that is a confirmation of the other, where he ſaith, Make your calling and election ſure, as the reaſon foloweth there, Ye ſhall come to bee ſure: howe? becauſe he which proceedeth ſo far that he knoweth he ſhal neuer fal away from God to deſtruction, hee is, (as it muſt needes bee,) ſure alſo that hee is choſen: for hee ſpeaketh not here of eueryevery particuler fal into ſinne, which is the moſte godly: but ſaith Saint Peter, I tell you if you doe theſe things, yee ſhal neuer fall, not becauſe there is any ſuch ſtablenes in our ſelues, or in our own workes, but wee know they bee the fruites of Gods ſpirite in vsus, which is his ſeale, ſet vppon none but thoſe whom he doth mark vp to life eternal, & he is vnchangeable: ſo it foloweth here, ye ſhal not fal, for they that hauehave a rich entrance into the kingdome of Chriſte, which is euerlaſting, ſo that Chriſte doth reigne in them, as hee doth in all the faithful by his ſpirite, can not fal, vntil the power of Chriſte faile, and his kingdome come to an end. For we muſt note, that the force of the reaſon, reſteth in the difference which is betweene the kingdome of Chriſt and the kingdomes of this worlde: in which though they bee neuer ſo mightie, & ful of policie and wiſedome, yet they ſhould come to and ende: and therefore a man cannot rightly ſay vntounto the ſubiects, you hauehave a mightie Prince, who is bountifull and gracious, your peace therefore and happie eſtate ſhall endure for euer: naye, the mightie may bee ouercome, if not by men, at leaſtwiſe by death, and ſo they may be to day in peace and good eſtate, to morowe al in an vprore, to day vnderunder a louing and gracious Prince, to morowe vnderunder a fierce tyrant: ſo vncertaine is the ſtate of the kingdom of this worlde: but in the kingdome of Chriſte, whoſe power is aboue al, and can neuer come to an ende, but is as he ſaith here, eternal, it is farre otherwiſe, becauſe his ſtate is vnchangeable, ſo is theirs that be once entred thereinto, and therefore are ſure they can neuer fal. Whoſoeuer doth but euē ſtreightly looke ouer theſe words of the apoſtle, if he hauehave any ſight at al, he muſt needes confeſſe al this, the matter is ſo cleere, that we can but maruel how it ſhould come to paſſe that this doctrine of the Lord, ſet foorth by his apoſtle, ſhould finde ſo few friendes, and ſo many extreeme enemies: but indeed men which are lyers, doe in this thing confes the truth, that they feele not any ſuch matter, & therfore cannot abide to heare that al true godly men, & faithfull Chriſtiās hauehave this knowledge in themſelues: but let vsus giuegive eare to the Apoſtle, who telleth vsus how we ſhal com to hauehave Chriſte to be our king, & to reigne ouer vsus, namely if we yeld vp our ſelues to the gouernance of his ſpirit, which worketh al goodnes in our hearts, ſubduing and vāquiſhing al the rebels which we beare about in vsus. Cōtrariwiſe it muſt needs be graunted, the ſuch as are beaſtly Epicures, folowing their own fleſhly mind, letting loſe the raines, & giuing the ſwing vntounto the raging luſtes of the fleſhe, deſpiſing the knowledge of Gods wil, & therefore regard not his worde: though with full mouth they cal Chriſt their king & their lord: yet when god ſaith here by his apoſtle, that the entrance into his kingdom is by this means, that mē folow after vertue, knowledge and godlines: they ſhew that they be none of his ſubiects, being altogether void of his ſpirit, but the bōd ſlaues of ſin and Satan, whoſe kingdome they vphold, with tooth & naile: & that maketh them, euen as thoſe which are of another Corporatiō to fight againſt the truth, & thoſe which profeſſe it: deuiſing al the colours & ſhifts they can to maintaine ſin, inuenting al the ſlanders that may be to diſcredite the godly conuerſation of ſuch as folow the way here preſcribed: condemning them as ouer preciſe & curious, if they do but looke this way which God willeth al his ſeruantes to walk: if God doe open their eyes, to ſee but euē in a glimmering, that whiche he doth teach in this place, they woulde be aſhamed of their maſter and bluſh at that, which now they boaſte & brag of: they would alſo confeſſe that like blinde buzzards and madde beaſts, they hauehave fought againſt God, & not men: finally it would make them change their waies, and ſeeke diligently to hauehave the witnes within themſelues, that they bee the ſeruants of God. We muſt marke wel one other thing which is here ſpoken, to wit that he ſaith an entrāce ſhalbe miniſtred vntounto you, abundantly or richly: as if hee ſhould ſay, when ye hauehave labored & trauelled, to bee as it were wel ſoked & ſeaſoned in godlines, & plentifully decked with al graces & gifts of the ſpirit, ye ſhal by degrees proceede ſo far, and gaine ſo much, that your entrance into the kingdom of Chriſt ſhalbe very great: wherevpon it doth folow, that they ſhalbe paſt danger, & may wel warrant themſelues, of ſure ſtāding in aſmuch as Chriſt hath not onelyonly begun to reigne in them, and to bee their king, but alſo in great meaſure and mightily. But doth he not adde this one worde more then needeth; Is it not enough to hauehave an entrance, vnleſſe wee hauehave a riche entrance into his kingdome; doth Chriſt once begin to reigne in a man, and to driue out the power of Satan, and afterward caſt him of againe to deſtruction; I anſwere that this word is not added in vaine, for wee be taught thereby to take heede that wee content not our ſelues with ſome litle taſte and ſmal entrance: for his purpoſe is to make a difference betweene ſuche on the one part as make ſome beginning, and hauehave ſome good deſires & motions in them, and do taſte of the good word of God, and are in ſome ſort lightned, but ouercome with ſinful luſtes, & vaine delights of the fleſh, they ſlide back againe ſodenly, they were but for a brunt, it bringeth foorth no ripe fruite in them, neither to ſpeake properly, did Chriſte euer reigne in them: and ſuch on the other part as proceede vntounto the deepe rooting out of ſinne, & ſure and faſt planting the truth in their heartes, going forwarde dayly from grace to grace, and from ſtrength to ſtrength, vntil Chriſte hauehave ſet vp his throne in them, and beare ſway, to the ouerthrow of the power of darknes, and bereuing the Diuel of the intereſt hee had, and thruſting him from the poſſeſſion which hee helde: a doctrine which muſt needes doe vsus much good if wee bleeue it: and very needefull to be vrged inſtantly, conſidering the nature & diſpoſition of men at this day: they are afraide of going too farre in vertue and knowledge, they count it a needleſſe thing to bee admoniſhed or taught diligentlie, they take great ſcorne to bee counted ſuch as may bee amended, yea and that which is more, when as they hauehave not learned the firſt pointe of a Chriſtian ſcholler, they will ſeeme perfect: ſo farre are they from hauing this abundant entring into the kingome of Chriſte.
Learne heere therefore, dearely beloued, and learne it wel, lay ſure hold therof that it do not ſlip from you, for God teacheth vsus heere the onelyonly way to life and happines: let go the vaine dreames & doltiſh opinions of people ſotted in their ignorance, which are ſo far blinded by the malice of Satan, that which way ſoeuer they goe, ſtill they are in hope of eternal glory, as though the way to heauen were ſo brode that a man could not goe out of it, and the entrance ſo eaſie, that he may enter when he wil: for this is the diuinitie of our time: howſoeuer a man ſpend his time in ignorance, not caring for, nor ſeeking after the true knowledge of god, howſoeuer he be defiled with foule & beaſtly ſinnes, that in deed there be nothing in him but pride, ſelf louelove, vaine glory, enuie, gluttony, the luſtes of adulterie, and ſuch like, yea, ſo farre, that the ſcripture doeth liken him to a ſwine or a dogge: yet if as they ſay, hee hauehave God in his minde, and can ſay, Lorde hauehave mercy vponupon mee, they thinke this is all that can bee required of men, they wil not ſticke to acquite al ſuche: beeing nothing at al acquainted with that, which God telleth in this place by his Apoſtle, howe farre men muſt proceede in his feare before they can wel warrant themſelues to bee in good caſe. For ye may as wel ioyne heauen and hell together, fire and water wil aſſoone agree, light and darkeneſſe, are as like one another, as the common faith is to that whiche wee are taught in this place. But I wil returne to applie this doctrine to the godly, for whom it is written: howe they may, as wee vſe to ſay, make this thing dead ſure: for there is many a godly man, which after long trauel, and muche care to pleaſe God, is yet ſo matched with ſtubborn nature ſo deepely infected and poyſoned with ſinne, that he is compelled, although he hauehave gained muche and doeth feele the power of Gods ſpirit in him, ſometimes to bee in doubt, and to thinke his labor but loſt, becauſe hee cannot get ſo great a victorie as he would faine: let not this man be diſmaied, but let him goe forward, remembring what is here promiſed: the more hee wanteth, the more let him ſtriue, and hee ſhal plainly perceiue, that God regardeth his care and trauel, conſidereth his ſighes and grones, and wil perfourme all his deſires: let him remember that theſe men whome S. Peter wrote vntounto, had obteined the precious faith, did knowe and were eſtabliſhed in the preſent truth, & yet they were not ſo far but that they may bee moued to make their election ſure, to ſeeke a further entrance into the kingdom of Chriſt: & ſo to continue that which was but begun. We ought the more to be moued herevnto, becauſe the worlde is euer full of fearful examples, which if they were wel conſidered, wold make a mans haire to ſtand vpright, when hee ſhal ſee that for want of this doctrine, or at the leaſt the not practiſing of it, ther be many which ſeeme not only to hauehave had ſome good liking of the truth, but alſo a great zeale, euen to ſuffer ſome what for the ſame, which are become euen as cold as yſe, & ſcarce any point of god lines left in thē: yea though they would beare mē in hād that they hauehave, like good ſchollers proceeded to the higheſt fourme, yet when our great maſter ſhal poſe them, they ſhal not be alowed to ſit in the loweſt: ſo dangerous a thing it is once to relent or ſlacken our care, vntil wee hauehave gotten this ful aſſurance, and made this rich entrance into the kingdom of Chriſt, that wee feele our ſelues to be led by the ſpirit of God, and feele it, not by any vaine conceit of our owne fooliſh braine, nor by ſenſles ſecuritie, but by the working and fruits of the ſame ſpirit. If this were wel weighed, men woulde not content themſelues with ſo litle, or nothing: they woulde not make ſo light account of teaching: they would leaue of their ſlanderous and reprochful raylinges: they would not like filthie ſwine wallow thē ſelues ſtil in the filthie mire of their ſins: they would not prattle ſo much of this, that al are ſinners, and therefore thinke al are alike, ſhuffeling together one with another: nay God wil ſunder them, for he hath taught here who bee godly and faithful, ſuch as he taketh and accepteth for his children: and who bee vn godly Infidels, children of the diuel, and heires of hel. For in very deede, though al bee ſinners, yet they greatly differ, for ſome continue in their ſinnes, ſeducing & deceiuing themſelues with vaine hope of Gods mercy: ſome do repent after the maner here preſcribed thē, which ſtandeth in this, that they clenſe themſelues more and more from al filthines of the fleſhe, and growe in al vertues and graces, vntil they be decked in their ſoules, with heauenly ornaments, and hauehave yelded vp them ſelues too hauehave Chriſte raigne in them. As for the commō repentance, to crie only with words for mercy, in ſome light meaſure to be greeued, to feare the iudgementes of God, and yet the ſoule within nothing changed, nor the ſpirite renued, nor Chriſte raigning in the heart: it doth but deceiue all which truſt to it. Moſt true it is, that what time ſoeuer a ſinner doth repent, hee is forgiuen: but this is as like to that repentance, which is here by S, Peter deſcribed, as we ſay, an Apple is to an Oyſter: forif wee looke wel vntounto them both, we ſhal finde them to agree in very fewe thinges, and thoſe euen the leaſt. Let vsus I ſay once again faſten our ſteppes in this way, let vsus goe forward, and not ſo much as loke back, vntil ſuch time as we hauehave by our owne experience, proued that to bee true which is taught by Saint Peter. For it is not enough to beleeue that this is true (although that be ſomwhat) vnles wee trie it to bee ſo by our ſelues. Hee is now a ſtark foole which ſeeth this to be the only way to happines, and for ſlouth wil not walke in it: as though the kingdom of heauen were not worth the trauelling for. We may gather alſo in this place, if wee bee not ſenſles▪ howe great enemies they be to the ſaluatiō of men: which would vtterly debar them of the worde, that is appointed to bee the inſtrument by which god worketh al theſe good things in his ſeruants: for without the (as it may be eaſily gathered here) we cā do nothing. It doth alſo appeare, that thoſe are in a miſerable caſe, whoſe office and duetie is, not onlie to ſhewe men ſome part of Gods will, but to bring them thus far as S. Peter doth require, if they be not wel furniſhed, and hauehave walked firſt this way themſelues: for how ſhal they bring other men, to that, which themſelues hauehave not, nor knowe not; It doeth appeare alſo that God hath ſhewed a ſore iudgement againſt that people, whiche hauehave ſuche a guide as cannot ſhewe them this way: which is the onelyonly way to heauen: for doubtleſſe it is more then if he ſhoulde thunder vponupon them from heauen, or fire their houſes ouer their heads: eſpecially when they are ſo blind, that they ſee not the plague, but thinke themſelues in better caſe then thoſe whome God doth ouer rule by his word. But woe, & woe againe be to thoſe blinde guides, & ſhepheards, which doe not feed: & wretched is that people which are as ſheepe with, out a ſhepheard. For how ſhall they euer heare of theſe things; We can but pitie their miſery, and deſire the Lord to ſend redreſſe, in ſo lamentable and deſperate a caſe: which is thought to be nothing. becauſe indeed the moſt men know nothing: for had they but knowne what god requireth in that man whom he wil ſaue, though they were not partakers of it themſelues, yet they would conſent & agree to the doctrine: and confeſſe that there is no way to attain eternal life, but by ſo ſound teaching as may bring people to the things here required. But I wil here make an end.
O Lorde graunt, that this doctrine which thou haſt taught vsus in this thy holy word, may enter into vsus, & dwel in vsus for euer: that ſo we may be ſure of thy fauour and of eternal life, through Ieſus Chriſte thy deare ſonne our Lorde and only ſauiour.
Amen.
End of the text · George Gifford, Four Sermons Upon the Seven Chief Virtues (1582)