Two Learned and Godly Sermons, Sermon 1
TWO LEARNED AND GODLY SERMONS, Preached by that reuerende and zelous man M. RICHARD GREENHAM: on these partes of Scripture folowing.
The first Sermon on this text.
A good name is to be desired aboue great riches, and louing fauour aboue siluer and golde.
Pro. 22, 1.
The second Sermon on this text.
Quench not the spirit.
1. Thessa. 5, 19.
LONDON. Printed by Gabriel Simson and William White, for William Iones, dwelling neare Holborne Condite at the signe of the Gunne: where they are to be solde. 1595.
Two learned and godly Sermons, preached by that reuerende and zelous man, M. Richarde Greenham: and the first of them is of this text folowing.
A good name is to he desired aboue great riches, and louing fauour aboue siluer and golde.
Prouerbes. 22.1.
ALl that is to be desired of a man, is this, that he be vertuous, godly, and truly religious: this because it is in it selfe most excellent, & most contrary to our nature, therfore the Scripture vseth many argumentes and reasons to perswade vsus thereunto: as in this place, where the Wise man would stirre vsus vp to the louelove of Vertue, by settyng before our eyes two principall effectes and fruites, which we may receiue by it. The first of these is, A good name. The seconde is, Louing fauour: both which, as they do proceede from vertue and godlynes, so they do mainteyne and encrease one another: for, as a man findeth much fauour with those which do speake and report well of him, so those that wyll shew a man louing fauour, wil, or at the least ought to shew it in this, that they can willingly afforde him good report. Now, that both these are preferred to great Riches, both these are accompted better then Golde and much Siluer: and surely, who so euer is truely wyse, will make this accompt of them: who so euer doth rightly know to discerne what is good, he wil first and especially labour for them: for, a good name, doth commende vsus to God, and to his holy Angels, in whose eyes those vertues, wherof a good name doth arise, are most acceptable: but Riches are not able to do this, no, the abundance of siluer, is often an occasion of sinne, whereby we are cast out of the fauour of God. Againe, where as riches (especially if they be euilly gotten) doe cause men many times to hate vsus: this good name, and this louing fauour, doth win the hartes of many, yea, it doth sometimes cause our enemies to be at peace with vsus. And this euer hath been, and euer wilbe most certaine and true, whether we loke to prosperity or aduersity, whether we loke to the cōmon callinges of this ciuill life, or the calling of the Church: for such is the corruption of mans nature, that naturally they do not louelove the Magistrates that God hath placed ouer them, but when the Magistrate hath gotten a good report by the due execution of iustice, by his pitifull dealing with the poore, and by his fatherly fauour to all that be good; then will his subiectes louelove him, then will they imbrace him, then wyll they wyllyngly commit their matters into his handes, and then will they with faythfull and friendly hartes cleaue and sticke fast vntounto him. To be short, that Lawyer hath most clyantes, that Phisitian hath most patientes, and that Merchant hath most customers, whose vertuous and godly dealing hath gottē them a good report. In the callinges of the Church this also is true: for, if any Preacher by the faythfull discharge of his duetie, and by his godly lyfe, hauehave once gotten the fauour and friendshyp of men, how gladly will men heare him, how quietly will they be ruled by him, in what simplicitie will they make their griefes knowen vntounto him, and how carefull will they be to procure his good. That Schoolemaister also that hath the name of learning to teach, of discretion to rule, and of godlines to trayne vp his Scholers in the feare of God, he neuer wants Scholers, but the best men of all sides will flocke vntounto him. Contrary wise, yf any of them be discredited through an euyll name, yf the Magistrate be accompted an oppressour, or a tyrant: yf the Lawyer be reported to deale deceitefully, yf the Minister be corrupted eyther in doctrine or in lyfe, yf the Scholemaister be once knowen to be vnsufficient in learning, vnwise in gouerning, prophane and of no religion, then wil all men be afrayde to hauehave any dealinges with thē: those things are often found true in peace and prosperitie; but in aduersitie, as in the time of warre, in the time of sicknes, and in the time of want and pouertie, they be found most true. Wil not all the poore commonly, in the time of warre seeke some ayde at the Magistrate, who in the time of peace did good vntounto them: nay rather, will they not al with one consent come togeather to helpe and defende with all their might, and with life it selfe, seeing he hath vsed all good meanes to saue and defende their liues? Contrariwise, how many Kinges, how many Captaynes, how many Magistrates, hauehave euen in their greatest needes been left and forsaken of their Subiectes and souldiers, because they hauehave too sharply and vnmercifully ruled them? And which is more then this, the Subiectes hauehave procured the death of their Princes, the Souldiers hauehave layde violent handes vponupon their Captaynes, and the Tenantes hauehave been the first that hauehave layde violent hands vponupon their Land-lordes; because no pittie, no compassion, no friendshyp, nor louyng fauour, hath been shewed vntounto them. Agayne, if Magistrate, Minister, or Maister, or any other man, by exerciseing or executing the dueties of louelove, hauehave won the hartes of the people, and gotten a good name, among them: then, in his sicknes they wyll pray for him, they will visite him, and they will beare with him a part of his griefe. Agayne, what can be more comfortable to a man, then this? This wyll glad him at the hart, and this wyll turne his bed in all his sicknes: in pouertie also he is most & sonest holpen, which hath the best name, and hath obteyned through vertue, most fauour with men: for, good men do consider their owne cause in him; therefore are most ready to helpe him: the euyl and vngodly men, although they bare him no great goodwill, yet they are forced to helpe him, partly, because his godly lyfe doth witnes vntounto their soules, that he doth deserue to be holpen, & partly, because the Lord doth turne their hartes to fauour him. The Widowe therefore that came to Elisha for helpe, vsed this argument to perswade Elisha, O man of God, sayth she, my husbande is dead, and dyed in debt, but he feared God: therfore helpe, I pray thee, seeing the creditours are come: and immediately Elisha did helpe her. On the other side, yf a man be euilly reported of, yf he be a theefe, an adulterer, an athist, an idolalour, a riotous person, or a man of hard dealing; if such a man be once brought to some low sayle, if he once fall into pouertie and neede, then the hartes of men are shut vp agaynst him, no man doth pittie him, & all men will see, and say, that his owne sinne is brought vppon him: and this hath the testimony of the Prophets, who did often threaten such kinde of punishment to vngodly men, so that no man shall say, Ah my father, or, ah my mother: but the whole should be glad of their departure. This did the heathen people see in some part, and therefore all of them did greatly desire a good name: and as eueryevery one of them excelled in strength, and in corage, or in wit, or any kind of knowledge, so they did labour by that thing, to get some credite to thēselues. And to conclude this poynt, though a man hauehave many good thinges in him, though a Magistrate doe feare God greately, though a Minister be excellent in many poyntes, though a Phisitian or Lawyer be skilfull in their professiō, yet if they hauehave not a good name, they can doe lytle good with their gyftes. All this doth teach vsus, that in deede it is true which Salomon sayth here, that a good name, is to be chosen aboue great Riches: and that louing fauour, is better then siluer and golde. Now the instructions that we may gather out of this place, be these two: The fiirst is, that we ought not to hurt our neighbour aboue all things in his good name: and therefore the Lord in his law ordeyned, that he which doth such a thing, should hauehave the same punishmēt which he purposed to bring vponupon an other. Men would be loth to steale the goodes of any man from him; and yet the good name of a man, is more worth then all the Riches in the world: therfore, if any man by raysing vp false reportes, do impaire his brothers credite, he doth hurt him more, and sinneth more grosly & greeuously, then if he had taken away his landes and his lyuinges, his corne or his cattle, or any other thyng that he hath: and though the things be false which he reporteth, he sinneth neuer the lesse, for after that time, euen good men will be more suspitious, and the wicked will not let it go out of their mindes: but if it be agaynst a Preacher, or a professour of the trueth, then it is a great sinne, because the very gospel of God is discredited thereby. The second instruction is this, That we must be carefull by all good meanes, to get and maynteyne our owne good name. For, if it be a sinne to discredite an other man; then much more is it a sinne to discredite our selues. If we be charged to further the good name of our brother, then are we straightly commaunded to helpe forwarde our owne, as much as we be able: then it can not be without great sinne, that a man should cast off al care of his owne credite. The very heathen saw this to be a fault, & they did commonly say, That who so euer regardeth not the report of men, he is dissolute in deede, and hath in effect, lost the nature of man. And therefore we may well say, that he is without all hope of amendement, which is not brought to some remorse or sorow, which with a shamelesse face, can face out sinne, and which hath addars eares and will not heare, charme the charmer neuer so wysely: as then, a shamelesse face openeth a doore to all vngodlinesse, so due care of credite, causeth a man to be carefull of his wayes. Who so euer therefore will lyue godly, he must safely prouide for his good name. Seeing these thinges be so, it shalbe profitable to consider how this good name may be gotten, and preserued. And agayne, if we be discredited, what vse and profite we must make of it. For the first, it is certayne, that seeing fame and honest report be good thinges, and therefore they must needes arise and spring of those thinges that are good; as of vertue, godlynes, & good religion. Now, whereas here Turkes, and such vngodly men hauehave great fauour amongst the people, and be well reported of, this in deede is no good name, because it ariseth not of goodnesse, it is only a vaine applause of the simple people: Nay, it is the great and fierce wrath of God vponupon them, though they neyther see nor perceiue that, when they be well spoken off for their euyll deedes: for, by this meanes, they be hardoned in their sinne, by this meanes they be hindered and holden from repentance: then the which, there is not a greater punishment vnderunder the Sunne: Such a name then is not to be desired, nay, we ought rather to pray agaynst such a name. And if we wilbe famous and of good report, then let vsus take heede that we seeke it by goodnesse and vertue, and then it wilbe a good name in deede. But let vsus weigh these thinges more particulerly, and let vsus know, that the first step vntounto a good name, is the carefull and continuall auoydance of euil, both outward & inward: in outward and grosse euilles, we must first beware of all euill generall: which thing if we be not careful to do, then wil our good name be soone impayred. Secondly, we must narowly looke vntounto some special sinnes, whereunto our nature is most inclinable and subiect: for, as one dead Flie corrupteth one whole boxe of oyntment, though it be most precious: so, some one sinne, doth often cracke the credite of a man, though otherwyse he hath been well reported off. And if it behoueth all men thus nearely to looke to their wayes, then much more it is needefull, that eueryevery chylde of God should do so: for, the worlde through the hatred it beareth to them, dealeth with them as it doth with Witches & Phisitions: the Witch though she fayle in twentie thinges, yet if she do some one thing aright, though it be but small, the worlde loueth and commendeth her for a good and a wyse woman: but the Phisitian, though he worke fiue hundred cures, yet yf through the waywardnes of his patient, or for the punishment of his patientes sinnes, he fayle but in one, that one fayle, doth more turne to his discredite, then his manifolde, goodly, and notable cures, do get him prayse: in this maner doth the worlde deale with men. If a worldly man hauehave but an outward gyft of strength, of speach, of comelinesse, he shalbe greatly praysed, & compted a goodly man, though he swimme and flow ouer in all maner of vices. But let the childe of God be truely zelous in true religion, let him be honest & holy in conuersation, yet if there be but some one infirmitie in him; or, if he hauehave through weaknesse fallen once into some one sinne, that one infirmitie against which he striueth, that one sinne for the which he is greeued, shall drowne all the graces of God in him, be they neuer so great, and the worlde will accompt him a most wicked man. Seeing then that this is the enmitie of the world against Gods people, how warily ought they to walke in so crooked and so froward a generation: and hereof they must be so much the more carefull, because the wicked by such slippes and infirmities, will not onelyonly take occasion to discredite them, but euen to speake euill of al their profession, yea, and to blaspheme the glorious worde of God, and his eternall trueth. Then, if we be carefull of our owne good name, if we hauehave any zeale of God his glory, if we hauehave any care of the worlde, if we hauehave any louelove of the sainctes, then let vsus carefully shun all and eueryevery infirmitie whereby Gods name is dishonored, his glorious Gospel blasphemed, his children greeued, and we our selues discredited amongst the wicked. And thus much for the open and outward sinne.
As open and outwarde sinne, committed in the sight of man, hath alwayes the punishment of an ill name ioyned with it: so also secret sinnes, which are hidden as it were, in the darke corners of our hartes, do bryng vsus out of fauour and credite with God, and when we are out of credite with him, then doth he further make our sinnes knowen vntounto men, for our further discredite: For, nothing is so hidden, which shall not be brought to light, and nothing so secret, which shal not be discouered, euen in the sight of the worlde. And that we may be the further perswaded of this, let vsus all know of a suretie, that the Lord hath many meanes to bryng such thynges to light. For, he can make the fieldes to hauehave eyes to see our wickednesse, he can make the woodes to hauehave eares to heare our vngodly counselles: yea, he can cause the walles of our bedchambers, to beare witnesse against vsus of our sinnes committed vponupon our beddes: if this will not serue, he can go further, and cause our friendes to fall out with vsus, and the men of our counsell to bewray our wickednesse, and though we had not any such purpose, when we make him priuie to our deuises, yet in displeasure, the Lord doth cause him all at once to breake out the matter: yea, rather then thou shouldest beare no reproch for thy secret sinnes, the Lord will cause thine owne mouth to testifie agaynst thee, and thine owne wordes shall get thee discredite: For, eyther vnawares thou shalt bewray thy selfe, or, in thy sleepe by dreames, thou shalt make the thing knowen, or, in thy sicknesse thou shalt raue of it, or in some fransie, thou shalt vomit it out, or els the torment of thy euyll conscience shalbe so sharpe, that euen to thine owne shame and confusion, thou shalt confesse thy fault. Last of all, when thou thinkest or deuisest euyll agaynst thy neighbour, though it be neuer so secretly, yet besides all the former, the Lord hath an other meanes, whereby he will bring thee to discredite for it; and this is a very vehement suspition, raysed vp in the hart of him, of whom thou deemest this euyll▪ for, as it often commeth to passe, that good motions which aryse secretly in the minde, for the good of others, do cause that other men do thinke wel of thee, though they did neuer heare of thē: so doubtlesse doth it come to passe in euyl motions. Thou deuisest euyll agaynst another, he in some strange maner hath a hart burning, and ielowsie ouer thee. Thou thinkest hardly of another man, & he also is hardly perswaded of thee: Thus the lord doth cause thee to be discredited in the hartes of others, as thou meanest euil against others in thy hart. True it is, that the partie may sinne, and doe very ill, if he suspect without iust cause: and in as much as he doth thus suspect, through an immoderate louelove of himselfe: yet, the worke of the Lord is here somtime to be considered, who seeing the cause to be iust, doth stirre vp such suspitions in his minde. Then, to returne to our purpose; If we wyll auoyde an euyll name, then we must auoyde all euyll surmises and deuises agaynst others: and this the Scripture doth also forbid vsus. For, Eccle. 7. the Wyse man, from the moūth of God, doth forbid vsus, to thinke yll of the King in our bed chambers, because that byrdes, and other dumme creatures, shall disclose the thing, rather then it shalbe kept close. This then must make vsus afrayde to do euyll, or imagine ill on our bed, or to declare our deepe counselles, euen vntounto them that lie in our bosomes: and this, as it is a good meanes to prouide for a good name, so it is a speciall rule of all godlynesse, when we be afrayde, not of open sinnes alone, but euen of the secrete cogitations of the hart. Thus we hauehave heard the first step that leadeth to a good name. The second remayneth to be declared, and that is, a godly ielowsie ouer a mans owne doinges, that they may not breede suspition of euill. For it doth often come to passe, that albeit a man doe not that, which is simply euill: yet he may iustly be suspected, and suffer some blemysh in his good name: and for this cause doth the Apostle charge vsus, To procure honest things in the sight of God and man. For this cause he commaundeth vsus, that If there be any thing honest, or, If there be any thing of good report, that we must folow, and that we must imbrace. It is not enough therefore, that men do say, I did thinke no euyll, I meane no harme. For if through want of care, or of discretion, thou hauehave ventured vponupon the occasion, thou hast geuen great matter of euill speaches, to thy great discredite. If then we will auoyde this euill name, we must auoyde all thinges that bryng it: For, when men wyll care lytle to giuegive occasion, then the Lord doth cause an euyll report to be layde vponupon them, that those which in deede are desperate, may suffer iust discredite, and they that be otherwise, may be reclaimed from the same. And surely, such is the crookednesse of mans nature, that yf the Lord should not take this course, euen his chyldren woulde fall into many sinnes: therefore it is most requisite, that men be mindfullto auoyde occasions, and so much the rather, because, as it is commonly sayd, Eyther God or the Deuil stand at thy elbow to worke vponupon thee. Let vsus see this in some example of our common lyfe. Thou art a night goer, walking abrode at incōuenient times; at that time some thing is stolen, and thou art burthened & charged with it. Agayne, thou vsest to deale too familiarly and lightly with a Mayde, she is gotten with chylde, and the fault is layde on thee: hereof thou hast giuen suspition, because thou hast bin a night goer, and such a one as hast dealt wantonly with the Mayde, albeit thou be free from the very fact. Now, yf thou be the chylde of God, and yf thou be guyded by his good spirit, then will he teach thee to take profite by this false report, and to say thus with thy selfe: Lord, thou knowest that I am cleare from this very acte, yet it was my sinne to giuegive any such occasion, whereby men might suspect me; this sinne, O Lorde, I am guyly of, and I know, thou, for this sinne hast afflicted me iustly, yet deare father, I see thy merciemercy in this, that whereas in deede, I hauehave committed many sinnes, thou hast passed ouer them, and taken this, whereof I am not so much guyltie: so that now mercifull father, I do rather suffer for righteousnesse, then for my transgression and my sinne: yea, holy father, I do beholde thy tender mercy in this towardes me, that by this euyll report, thou goest about to stay me from the sinne, and to preuent me, that I may neuer fall into the same: wherefore, seeing it hath bin thy good pleasure to deale thus with me: beholde Lord, I do repent me of my former sinnes, and promyse before thee, euen in thy feare, neyther to do this, nor the like sinne hereafter. See heere, I beseech you, the good profite which a good chylde of God, through Gods spirite, will take of this slanderous reproch, after he hath receiued some godly sorow, for geuing the occasion of that report. But beholde the contrarie worke of Satan in the hart of vnbeleeuers, for he will soone teach them their lesson, and cause them to say thus: What, doth the churle accuse me without a cause, doth he father such a villanous acte vponupon me, who neuer deserued it at his handes? surely he shal not say so for nought, I will make his saying true, and wil do the thing in deede. Consider then this, you that feare the Lord, and see in how tickelysh state they do stande, which hauehave geuen occasion, and in what great danger they be to be brought to, to commit the same, or lyke sinne afterwarde. Therefore, yf any man wilbe sure to keepe his good name, then must he keepe him selfe from all such occasions, as in any wyse might impayre or hinder it. And this much for this second step, whereby we ryse to a good name.
Thus we hauehave heard of two degrees towarde a good name, in the auoyding of euil, and the occasions thereof. And these in deede, hauehave a great force to stay an euil name: but surely, they be not able to buylde vp a good name, & credite among men. To these therefore there must be added a third thing, which hath most speciall force to this purpose, and that is, that we be plentifull in good workes. This doth our sauiour charge vsus to be carefull of, when he sayth, Let your lyght so shyne before men, that they may see your good workes. Many men repine at the good report of an other mā, and they be greatly greeued, because they them selues be not in the lyke, or some greater credite: But alas, they shoulde rather be greeued at them selues, because the fault is in them: For, they regarde not to doe good, they are carelesse of good workes, and therefore the Lord is carelesse of them and their credite. Well then, he that wylbe commended, must do the thynges that be commendable; he must doe good workes, yea, he must do good, and pursue it: yet we must know, that it is not one good worke, nor two, nor three, that can gayne vsus a good name in deede: but it is required of vsus, that we be Riche in well doing, and continually geuen to eueryevery good worke. For as pretious oyntment (whereunto a good name is lykoned) is made of many and most excellent simples: so a good name cannot be gotten, but by many and most excellent vertues. Now when we feele our selues affected to good, and to all maner of goodnesse, then are we warely to see to two thynges. First, that all our workes be done with a simple and sinceere affection: secondly, that they be done with good discretion. For when a thyng is done vndiscreetely, and without aduice, it looseth the grace and beautie of the deede: and therefore, though the thing be good, yet no great prayse doth come of it, because it was not done with good discretion: likewise, when men do things with sinister affections, and to some other ende, then to the glorie of God, they do commonly loose the price of their doinges: and hereof it commeth to passe, that many men, which do good workes to merite by them, or to win the fauour of their superiours, or to be of good report amongst the people, or to some such other ende: when I say, men do things to this ende, the Lord punisheth them with the contrary: and in steade of deseruing glory, he powreth confusion vponupon them: in steade of honour, he geueth contempt: and in steade of riches, beggarie. And albeit men may pretende the glory of God, and face out their wickednesse with a fresh colour, yet the Lord will bring their wickednesse to lyght. And truely it is marueylous to see, how the Lord layeth folly vponupon such men, so that although that in their wysedome, they thinke to bleare the eyes of all men, yet the simple sort doth beholde their foolysh shyftes, to their discredite: therefore when thou hast done well, and yet art ill reported off, do not straight way storme agaynst him which hath raysed vp this report on the: neyther do thou ouer hastely cleare thy selfe; but rather before the Lord examine thine owne hart, and see with what affection thou hast done it. And if we finde wickednesse in our hartes, then let vsus be humbled before the Lord, and know, that he hath caused vsus to be thus euill spoken off: first, to correct, and secondly to try vsus. For, when the Lord doth see vsus, lyke Scribes and Pharisees seeking rewardes, then he doth punish vsus, with the losse of our labour, and with shame among men, to see if thereby he can bring vsus to the fight of sinne, which before, we neither woulde, nor could see. And agayne, when we hauehave thus done, he doth trie vsus, whether there be any goodnesse in our harts, which may moue vsus to continue in well doing, notwithstandyng we be euyll spoken off. Heere then we see what fruite we must make of such reportes, namely, they must first bring vsus to a sight and feelyng of our sinnes: and secondly, they must cause vsus with great vprightnesse to continue in well doing. True it is, that a man may be accused, to hauehave had this or that purpose in his doinges, although he hauehave done the thinges in the simplicitie of his hart: but when a man through examination doth finde his hart vpright, then he receyueth great comfort by it, then he may commend him selfe vntounto the Lord, and his cause into his handes, for the Lorde maynteyneth good tongues and hartes: but he will cut out the tongue that speaketh lyes. He will cause the ryghteousnesse of the ryghteous to shyne as the noone day, and as the Sunne after a cloude: but the wicked shalbe couered with their owne confusion, as with a cloake. This shall the godly see, and reioyce therein: but the mouth of the wicked shalbe stopped. Thus we hauehave runne through these thynges, whereby a good name may be gotten: and not only that, but wherby a man may be preserued in a good name, and credite: and therfore surely more to be regarded and obserued of vsus. For, first of all we see what force the good credite of the reformed Churches hath to perswade men to imbrace trueth, and how soone men wilbe moued to continue stedfast, when they see the steadfast continuance of good men in all godlynesse. Agayne, we know what great offence is geuen to the weake, when whole churches, or some perticuler persons, do not stande in credite, nor maynteyne by goodnes their good name, which they had gotten by great vertues. The very heathen did see this, and therefore they say, it was as great a prayse to keepe prayse, as to get it: yea, and when they saw what great inconuenience it would aryse, when men did not satisfie the expectation of the people, they thought much better neuer to hauehave any good report among men, then to loose it after it had bin gotten: therefore, to shut vp this whole matter in one word; if any man, if any household, if any towne, if any countrey, be carefull to hauehave an honest report amongst men, then they must eschew euyll and doe good, then must they seeke peace, and pursue it: and if once hauing gotten a good name, they would gladly keepe it, thē they must vse the same meanes. &c. so shall they hauehave it both of God and man. Now, because men do suffer much discredite, and are very yll reported of amongst men, it shalbe good to consider what profite and vse we may make of such reproches, and euill reportes; and this we shall do the better, if we consider and know, vponupon what groundes these reproches do arise. First therefore we must learne, that men may be ill reported of, eyther for euill, or well doing. When men therefore are euill spoken of, they must trie first whether it be for euil, or good: and, if it be for euill, then must they go a degree further, to finde whether it be for some euill worke which they hauehave committed, or for some occasion which they hauehave giuen: When a man is euill reported of for some euil deede he hath done, that euyll deene of his is eyther manifestly knowen, or els vnknowen. And sure it is a thyng most common amongst men, to suffer discredite for open and grosse sinnes, yet very fewe doe rightly profite by it: For, some are shamelesse, and care not what men say of them, and therefore in deede are vnfitte to receyue any profite by suche reportes: therefore after the most sharpe and seueere censure of the Churche, they must be committed to the handes of the Magistrate, to be punished in the purse and the body: and yet surely, suche are their whoryshe faces, that there is small hope of amendement in them. For, it doth often come to passe, that they which wyll not profite by the Churche, can not receyue profite by the Magistrate. Therefore after all this, they must be left to the Lorde to worke, yf it be his wyll, by some extraordinarie meanes vponupon their hartes, which are exceedyngly hardoned. Other some there be, who being put to open shame, are sorowful in deede: but this sorow is, because they susteine open shame, rather then for this, that they hauehave sinned agaynst the Lorde. These are in some degree better then the former, and yet they come not so far as they ought to do: For the deuill hauing bewitched thē, doth perswade them, that it is no such matter as men would make it, and that as a wonder lasteth but nine dayes, so this shame shalbe of no longer cōtinuance. Thus they are letted, so that the shame can not sinke into their hartes, there to worke godly sorrowe, which may bryng foorth vnfeygned repentance. This is dayly seene in Theeues and Whores, and suche lyke malefactours, who though they make large promises of amendement, yet the punishment being passed, they fall into their former filthinesse agayne: but some thynke, that they do dissemble, and deale deceitefully: but I thinke, that they thinke as they speake, and that they speake with sorow and griefe. For, will a Theefe purpose to steale agayne, when he is to be hanged? Will a childe purpose to play the wanton, when he is a beating? no doubtlesse: but in the one, there is chyldishnesse to speake without aduice; in the other, is seruilenesse, to be mooued with nothyng but present feare. I graunt in deede, that there is hipocrasie in them: yet that grosse hipocrasie, whereby men labour to deceyue others, is not in them: but that most close and most dangerous hipocrasie, whereby the deuill hath beguyled their owne hartes through his subtiltie. This witcherie of the deuill, I say, is the cause why many promysing amendement, doe not performe the same. Thus we see how men doe misse of that profite, which ought to be reaped of open shame. We therefore are to take a better course, and to labour, that as our faces do blushe before men, so our soules may be confounded before the Lord: that being throughly humbled vnderunder his hande by godly sorow, it may please him in merciemercy, to rayse vsus vp. Now, if we doubt whether our sorow be sounde or no, let vsus try it by these two rules. First, whether we can with contented myndes, take the punishment as a correction from the Lord, and yet mourne and be greeued for the sinne: and yet in such maner, as geuing place to Gods iustice in punishyng, we can labour for merciemercy in the forgiuenesse of sinnes. Secondly, eyther when we could keepe the sinne close, we can yet with Dauid, freely confesse, and say, Agaynst thee O Lord, hauehave I sinned. This if we can do, it is a sure argument that our sorow is godly, and that we hauehave profited well by that reproch which our sinne did bryng vppon vsus. As the sinne is sometyme so euident, that it can not be couered: so agayne, the sinne in deede may be committed, and yet eyther not knowen, nor suspected, or els probable by suspitions: when the sinne is in this case, the Lorde may cause a man that hath so sinned, to be accused, or euyll spoken of for that sinne. Heere the partie offendyng, must first learne to deale wysely, and in suche maner, as the sinne may be kept close styll, yf it may be done without any other sinne. But yf an othe of the Lorde be required, then yf we giuegive God the glory, though it be with our owne shame, and confesse the fault. Secondly, that for the profite that must be made of such reportes, we must learne with thankefull hartes to receyue this mercifull chastisement of the Lorde, and acknowledge it to his prayse, for he might hauehave punished vsus for those sinnes, which were manifest, yet he hath passed ouer them: he might hauehave made these knowen, but he spared our name and our credite: therefore, for a seconde fruite, this merciemercy of the Lorde, must leade vsus to repentaunce, and to an earnest sorow for all our sinnes. For it were too too grosse, that we shoulde continue in sinne, because we can not be conuicted of sinne: For if the Lorde did not myslyke thy sinne, why shoulde he rayse suche a report on thee? Why shoulde he saue thy good name, yf he were not minded to shew thee mercy? And yf he woulde not hauehave thee, with all thy hart to repent thee of all thy sinnes, why doth he whippe thy naked conscience for sinne? Therefore if by this louing kindnesse, we be not ledde vntounto repentance, verely it wylbe a sinne that shal not escape vnpunished. Thus we hauehave heard, how an euyll name doth arise of sinne committed, and what profite must be taken hereof. Now let vsus further consider, how a man must profite by an euyll name, not when he hath deserued it by some sinne, but when he hath onelyonly fayled in this, that he hath geuen occasion to be suspected of any euyll. This occasion is of two sort: First, when eyther good dueties are eyther altogeather omitted, or done with a grudging minde, or as it were of constraynt. This report must teach thee, that although thou be not so euyll as men woulde make thee, yet thou art not so good, as thou oughtest to be. Therefore by this thou must learne to be more carefull of doing good, so to do it with greater and better corage: for the Lord loueth a chearefull giuer. The seconde occasion is inwarde, which although no man can finde out, yet the Lord for thy good, doth cause me to speake euyll of thee for it. This inwarde occasion is, when thy hart hath eyther giuen some full consent to do euyll, or at least hath much wandered in thinking of it. Heere the Lord doth take the time, and suffereth men to report of thee, that thou hast done that, which in deene thou hast not done; yet in thy hart thou hast taken pleasure in it. Then the way to profite by this, is, to confesse the goodnesse of the Lord, who will not hauehave thee to fall into such sinne, as myght deserue discredite. For, such is the nature of man, that yf an euyll thought do long tary in the minde, it wilbe hardly restrayned, before it come to the outwarde acte. Agayne, by this report thus raysed on vsus, we must take occasion to call backe our selues, yf we hauehave consented to euyll, and with griefe to be sorowfull for it: or, yf we hauehave not as yet consented, we must labour to represse the heate of our affections, and quench them by the moysture of the worde. And thus muche shalbe sufficient for those reportes, which aryse of some iust groundes and occasions. The last poynt to be handled in this whole case is, to see what vse must be made of those reportes, which be altogeather false, and hauehave neyther grounde nor good beginning. For, it may come to passe, that when a man hath auoyded euyll, and done good: when he hath shunned the occasion of euyll, and done all good with a chearefull hart, yet he may be very yll reported of, and his good name hyndered. Now if this doth befall any man, he must know, that it is the Lorde his doing, and that the Lorde doth it, eyther to correct sinne, or els to preuent it: the Lorde I say, doth by this meanes, sometyme correct sinne, eyther in the same kynde, or in some other. In the same kynde he dealeth thus: he suffereth thee to be compted an adulterer, yet thou doest now lyue chastly, and hatest that filthy sinne. But, then he seeth that thou hast eyther been an adulterer, and hast not repented at all: Or, yf thou hast sodaynely repented, yet now thou beginnest to fayle, and to coole in the hatred of that sinne. Agayne, yf after examination, thou finde thy selfe cleere in that sinne: yet knowe, that the Lorde, by that report, doth correcte some sinne quite contrarie vntounto it: as, yf thou shouldest be accused, because thou louest not thy wyfe, whereas in deede thou louest her too well. Or els otherwyse: He causeth thee to be counted an adulterer, that thou mightest be brought to see thy couetous hart: and to say all in one worde, we shall neuer make true vse of reportes, vntill we hauehave bin brought to see, and repent of some perticular sinne, which either we saw not besore, or els had not throughly repented of. Furthermore, it may come to passe, that we hauing done all good dueties, auoyded all euyll, and examined our repentance, euen for perticular sinnes, yet shall we be euyll spoken of amongst men: Here we must know, that the Lord by reportes, doth forewarne vsus of euyll to come. We are reported to be of the Family of louelove: hereby we are warned to take heede, that we fall not into the sinne: And so foorth of other reportes, when any such reportes are caried about of vsus, we must be made so much the more warie, that we fall not into that sinne: and according to the Apostles rule, We must labour to finish the course of our saluation in feare. Which, that we may do, the Lord graunt for his Christes sake, to whom be prayse for euer in the Churche. Amen.
FINIS.
Richarde Greenham.