Amendment of Life, Title page – Dedication
AMENDMENT of life: THREE SERMONS, VPONUPON ACTES 2. VERSES 37. 38. CONTEINING the true effect of the worde of God, in the conuersion of the godly: and the maner how it changeth their harts, and reformeth their liues, which is the true vvorke of regeneration.
By IOHN VDALL, Preacher of the worde of God, at Kingstone vponupon Thames.
IOHN. 3. 3.
Except a man be borne againe, he can not see the kingdome of God.
AT LONDON, Imprinted for Thomas Man, W. B. and N. L. 1584.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE CHARLES, LORD HOVVARD, BARON OF EFFINGAM, Lord Chamberlaine of the Queenes Maiesties most honorable houshold, Of the moste noble Order of the Garter Knight, and one of her Maiesties moste Honorable Priuie Counsell: IOHN VDALL wisheth continuall encrease in all vertue & godlines.
AS there is no field, be it neuer so wel tilled, and be the seede neuer so good that is sowne in the same, but weedes will of their owne accorde spring therin, and without the diligent care of the husband-man, choake the good seede, and deceiue the owner of the expected fruit of his former labour: so there hath neuer since the world began (right honorable) bene any church so pure without corruption, that hath not had many blemishes in the same: the which without the great merciemercy of God, and prouident care of the gouernours thereof, both hath, and doeth, & to the ende of the world will, so growe and encrease, that they will neuer staye, vntill they hauehave brought to passe the vtter subuersion and ouerthrow of religion there professed: for if we beginne with the Church of the Iewes, not onelyonly the first visible, & established church, but also the image and picture of the Church of God for euer: and consider what corruptions hauehave crept into the same, howe they hauehave increased from time to time, & often preuailed against the sincere worship of God, to the vtter ouerthrow of true religion, and strengthening of idolatrie: it is so manifest in the bookes of Moses, Kings, and the Prophets, that either we must refer the consideration thereof, to those places, or els (which is needeles) make a whole volume of the discourse of the same. We see the same practize in the Primitiue Church, euen in the time of the Apostles, that both corruption of doctrine, and also loosenes in conuersation, did greatly infect that age. The which is euident in the times following, and euen vntill this day: that the true doctrine of the Gospel hath bene most blasphemously peruerted, and godlesnesse in life so rooted into the heart of man, that the number of true Christians hath euer bene a small, poore, and contemned flocke. And in truth, we neede goe no further than to these present times, wherein we liue: in which (because thorough the great mercy of our good and gracious God, the seedes of Popishe tares can take no such roote, as Satan wisheth) we may behold, and (to the great griefe of Christian hartes) too plainely see, how greatly Atheisme and vngodlines preuaileth, that it is a hard matter, euen in this bright sunne shine of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, to finde many of them, that together with puritie of religion, doe studie to keepe a sincere and vpright conscience, in their life. For religion (now adayes) is made a cloake, to hide sinne: a myst, to bleere the eyes of the world: a den, for transgressors: and a cage, for all vncleane birds in the world. All which springeth hence, that Satan can perswade men, that if they professe themselues to be Gospellers, and make shew of religion, it is not onelyonly sufficient, (because no man shall be saued by his works) but also it shall bring them into more credite and estimation in the world, thereby to growe greater: which bringeth forth these three most pernicious and daungerous euills among men: first, that the Papists, (who measure all things by the outward shew) are not onelyonly kept from listening to the truth, but also more hardened in their blind superstition. Secondly, that the glorie of the highe and mightie God, which should shine in our liues, by the Gospell, is trampled vnderunder feete. Lastly, that their owne soules and bodies are in a most daungerous estate, (being driuen by the prouocation of the deuil) headlong into the pit of condemnation, whereinto so many, as with out repentance, runne on to the ende, must needes fall at length, feeling the torments increased vntounto them: that (for laying stumbling blocks in the way to ouerthrow others, and defacing the glory of the great God, and proceeding in satisfieng their owne appetite with sinne) they hauehave most iustly deserued. The consideration of which mischiefe, moued certaine godly, and well disposed persons, (who were by the prouidence of God, eare witnesses of a discourse, that it pleased the Lord to strēgthen me, to vtter in my ordinary course, vponupon the Acts of the Apostles) earnestly to intreate me, that I woulde penne the same, for their further comfort: which good & godly motion of theirs, for that it proceeded (I doubt not) from an earnest desire in them, of spirituall edification, I condiscended vntounto. And because it hath pleased God, to make me, by speciall dutie, bound vntounto your Honor: I therefore hauehave made especiall choice of the same: wherevnto, these my simple & small labours might be dedicated, most humbly beseeching your honor, that, as it is the summe and substance of all the religion, taught, and professed in this poore Towne of Kingston, so it would please your L. to accept therof, not according to the quantitie (that is but small) nor expecting the inticing words of mans wisedome, (which is most vnfit for the Gospell of Christ) but according to the substance of the thing, and the mind of the poore labourer. So shall your Honor bind me, (which notwithstanding is my duetie) with the rest of them, that feare God, among vsus, to pray continually vntounto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ, for you: that it woulde please him, so to direct, guide, and blesse all your enterprises, as may best tende to the glorie of his most blessed name, the benefit of his Church, and this common weale, and the eternal & euerlasting comfort of your owne soule.
Your Honors most humble to commaund in the Lord Iesus Christ. IOHN VDALL.