The Complaint of Verity, Sermon 1
A fruitfull Sermon of Repentance, made by the conſtant Martyr of Chriſt, Maſter Iohn Bradford. 1553.
THe life wee hauehave at this preſent, is the gift of God, in whome wee liue, mooue, and are, and therefore hee is called Iehoua. For the which life, as we ſhould be thankefull, ſo we may not in any wiſe vſe it after our owne fantaſie, but to the ende for the which it is giuen and lent vsus, that is: to the ſetting forth of Gods prayſe and glory, by repentance, conuerſion, and obedience, to his good will and holy lawes, whereunto his long ſuffering doeth, (as it were) euen drawe vsus, if our heartes by impenitencie were not hardened. And therefore our life in the ſcripture is called a walking, for that as the body dayly draweth more and more néere his ende, that is the earth: euen ſo our ſoule draweth dayly more and more néere vntounto death, that is, ſaluation, or damnation, heauen or hell.
Of which thing, in that we are moſt careleſſe, and very fooles, (for we alas, are the ſame to day, wee were yeſterday, and not better or néerer to God, but rather néerer to hell, Sathan, & perdition, béeing couetous, idle, carnall, ſecure, negligent, proude, &c.) I thinke my labour cannot bée better beſtowed, then with the Baptiſt, Chriſt Ieſus, & his Apoſtles, to harpe on this ſtring, which of all other is moſt neceſſarie, and that in theſe dayes moſt ſpecially. What ſtring is that, ſayth one? Forſooth, brother, the ſtring of Repentance, the which Chriſt our Sauiour did vſe, firſt in his Miniſterie, & as his Miniſter at this preſent I will vſe vntounto you all:Mat. 4. Repent, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand.
This ſentence thus pronounced, & preached by our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, as it doth commaund vsus to repent, ſo to the dooing of the ſame, it ſheweth vsus a ſufficient cauſe to ſtirre vsus vp thereunto, namely for that, The kingdome of heauen (which is a kingdome of all ioy, peace, riches, power and pleaſure) is at hand, to all ſuch as doe ſo, that is, as doe repent: So that the meaning hereof is, as though our Sauiour might thus ſpeake preſently: Syrs, for that I ſée you all walking the wrong way, euen to Sathan, and vntounto hell fire, by following the kingdome of Sathan, which now is coloured vnderunder the vaine pleaſures of this life, and fooliſhneſſe of the fleſh moſt ſubtilly, to your vtter vndooing & deſtruction: beholde, and marke well what I ſay vntounto you: The kingdome of heauen, that is, an other manner of ioy and felicitie, honour, and riches, power and pleaſure, then you now perceiue, or enioy, is euen at hand, and at your backes, as if you will turne againe, that is, Repent you, you ſhal moſt truely and pleaſantly féele, ſée, and inherite. Turne againe therefore, I ſay, that is, Repent, for this ioy I ſpeake of, euen, The kingdome of Heauen is at hand.
Héere we may note, firſt the corruption of our nature, in that to this commaundement, Repent you, he addeth a cauſe, For the kingdome of Heauen is at hand: For by reaſon of the corruption & ſturdines of our nature, God vntounto al his cōmaundements. commonly eyther addeth ſome promiſe to prouoke vsus to obedience, or elſe ſome ſuch ſufficient cauſe, as cannot but tickle vsus vp to hearty labouring for ye doing of ye ſame: as here to the commandement of doing penance, he addeth this Aetimologe or cauſe, ſaying: For the kingdō of heauen is at hand.
Againe, in that hée ioyneth to the commaundement the cauſe, ſaying: For the kingdome of heauen is at hand. We may learne that of the kingdome of heauen, none (to whom the miniſterie of preaching doth appertaine) can be partaker, but ſuch as repent and doe penaunce. Therefore déerely beloued, if you regard the kingdome of heauen, in that you cannot enter therein, except you repent: I beſeech you all of eueryevery eſtate, as you would your owne weale, to repent and doe penaunce. The which thing that ye may doe, I will doe my beſt now, to helpe you by Gods grace.
But firſt, becauſe wee cannot well tell what repentance is, through ignoraunce, and for lacke of knowledge, and falſe teaching: I will (to begin with all) ſhew you what repentance is. Repentance, or penance is no Engliſh woorde, but wée borrow it of the Latiniſts, to whom penance is a forethinking in Engliſh, in Greeke, a béeing wiſe afterwards, in Hebrew, a conuerſion or turning, the which conuerſion or turning, in that it cannot be true & hearty, vntounto God eſpecially, without ſome good hope or truſt of pardon, for that which is already done and paſt: I may well in this ſort define it, namely, that penance is a ſorrowing or forethinking of our ſinnes …aſt, an earneſt purpoſe to amend, or turning to God with a truſt of pardon.
This definition may bee deuided into three partes: Firſt, a ſorrowing for our …innes: Secondly, a truſt of pardon, which otherwiſe may bée called, a perſwaſion of Gods merciemercy by the merites of Chriſt, for …he forgiueneſſe of our ſinnes: And thirdly, a purpoſe to amend, or conuerſion to a new life. The which third or laſt part, can not be called properly a parte, for it is but an effect of penance, as towards the ende yee ſhall ſée by Gods grace. But leaſt ſuch as ſéeke for occaſion to ſpeake euill, ſhould hauehave any occaſion though they tary not out the end of this Sermon: I therefore deuide penance into the thrée foreſayde partes: of ſorrowing for our ſinne, of good hope or truſt of pardon▪ and of a new life. Thus you now ſée▪ what penance is: a ſorrowing for ſinne, a purpoſe to amend, with a good hope or truſt of pardon.
This penance not onelyonly differeth from that which men commonly hauehave taken to bee penance, in ſaying and dooing our enioyned Lady Pſalters, ſeuen Pſalmes, faſtings, Pilgrimages, Almes déedes, and ſuch like thinges, but all from that which the more learned hauehave declared, to conſiſt of thrée parts, namely, Contrition, Confeſſion, and Satiſfaction.
Contrition, they call a iuſt and a ful ſorrow for their ſinne. For this word, iuſt and full, is one of the differences, betwéene contrition and attrition.
Confeſſion, they call a numbring of all their ſinnes in the eare of their ghoſtly Father: for as (ſay they) a Iudge cannot abſolue without knowledge of the cauſe or matter, ſo cannot the Prieſt or ghoſtly father abſolue from other ſinnes, then thoſe which he doth heare.
Satiſfaction, they call amends making vntounto God for their ſinnes, by their vndue workes, Opera indebita, Workes more then they néed to doe, as they tearme them▪ This is their penaunce which they preach, write, and allow. But how true this geare is, how it agréeeth with Gods worde, how it is to bee allowed, taught, preached, and written, let vsus a little conſider. If a man repent not, vntill hee hauehave a iuſt and full ſorrowing for his ſinnes (dearely beloued) when ſhall he repent? For in as much as hell fire, and the puniſhment of the deuils, is a iuſt puniſhment for ſinne: In as much as in all ſinne, there is a contempt of God, which is all goodnes, and therefore there is a deſert of all ylneſſe: alas, who can beare or féele this iuſt ſorrow, this full ſorrow for our ſinnes, this their contrition, which they …e ſo diſcerne from their attrition? Shall …ot man by this doctrine, rather deſpaire, …hen come by repentance? If a man repent …ot vntil he hauehave made confeſſion of all his ſinnes in the eare of his ghoſtly father: if … man cannot hauehave abſolution of his ſinnes …ntill his ſinnes bee told by tale and num…er in the Prieſtes eare (in that, as Dauid ſayth) none can vnderſtand, much …eſſe then vtter all his ſinnes, Delicta quis intelligit? Who can vnderſtand his ſinnes? In that Dauid of himſelfe complayneth elſe where, how that his ſinnes are ouerflowed his head, and as a heauy burthen doe oppreſſe him, alaſſe, ſhall not a man by this doctrine, bee vtterly driuen from repentance? Though they hauehave gone about, ſomething to make plaiſter for their ſores of confeſſion or attrition, to aſſwage this geare, bidding a man to hope well of his contrition, though it bée not ſo full as is required, and of his confeſſion, though h… hauehave not numbred all his ſinnes, if ſo be… that he doe ſo much as in him lyeth: deerely beloued, in that there is none, but that herein he is guiltie (for who doth as much as he may) trow ye that this plaiſter is no like ſalte for ſore eyes? Yes vndoubtedly▪ when they hauehave done all they can, for the appeaſing of conſciences in theſe pointes, this is the ſumme, that we yet ſhould hope well, but yet ſo hope, that we muſt ſtand in a mammering and doubting, whether our ſinnes be forgiuen. For to beléeue, Remiſsionem peccatorum, that is: To be certaine of forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, as our Créede teacheth vsus, they count it a preſumption. O abomination, and that not onelyonly herein▪ but in all their penance, as they paint it.
As concerning ſatiſfaction by their Opera indebita, Vndue workes, that is: by ſuch woorkes as they néed not to doe, but of their owne voluntarineſſe and wilfulneſſe (wilfulneſſe in déede) who ſéeeth not monſterous abomination, blaſphemy, and euen open fighting againſt God? For if ſatiſfaction can bée done by man, then Chriſt dyed in vaine, for him that ſo ſatiſfieth, and ſo reigneth he in vaine, ſo is he a Biſhop & a Prieſt in vaine. Gods Law requireth louelove to God with all our heart, ſoule, power,Deu. 6.2 Mat 22 Mar. 20. Lu. 10. might and ſtrength: to that there is nothing can be done to Godward, which is not con…yned in this commaundement: nothing can be done, ouer and aboue this. Againe,Iohn. 3. Chriſt requireth to manwarde, That wee ſhould louelove one another, as hee loued vsus: …nd trowe we, that wee can doe any good …ing to our neighbour ward, which is not …rein comprized?
Yea, let them tell me, when they do any …hing ſo in the louelove of God, & their neigh…our, but that they had néede to crie: Re…itte nobis debita noſtra, Mat. 6.Forgiue vsus our …nnes. So farre are we off from ſatiſfying. …oth not Chriſt ſay: When you hauehave done …ll things that I hauehave commanded you, ſay, Lu. 17.…hat you bee but vnprofitable ſeruauntes? Put nothing to my worde, ſayth God. Yes,Apoc. 22 Deu. 4.1 …oorkes of Supererogation, (yea, ſuper…bomination) ſay they. Whatſoeuer things …re true (ſayth the Apoſtle S. Paul) whatſoeuer things are honeſt, whatſoeuer thinges …re iuſt, whatſoeuer things are pure, what…oeuer things pertaine to louelove, whatſoe…er thinges are of good reporte, if there be any vertue, or if there be any prayſe: hauehave page missing For to omit the teſtimonies I brought out of Iohn and Paul, which the blinde cannot but ſée: I pray you remember the text out of Eſai, which euen now I rehearſed, being ſpoken to ſuch as were then the people of God, and had bin a long time, but yet were fallen into grieuous ſinnes, after their adoption into the number of Gods children. It is for mine owne ſake (ſayth God) that I put away thy ſinnes. Where is your parting of the ſtake nowe? If it bee for Gods owne ſake, if Chriſt bée the propitiation… then recant, except you will become Idolaters, making your works God and Chriſt. Say as Dauid teacheth: Not to vsus Lorde, not to vsus, but to thy name be the glory.
And it is to be noted, that God doth caſt in their téeth, euen the ſinne of their firſt father, leaſt they ſhoulde thinke that yet perchaunce, for the righteouſneſſe & goodneſſe of their good fathers, their ſinnes might bée the ſooner pardoned, and ſo God accept their workes.
If they had taken Satiſfaction, for that which is done to the Congregation publiquely, by ſome notable puniſhment, as in the Primitiue Church, was vſed to open offenders, ſparkles whereof, and ſome traces yet remayne, when ſuch as hauehave ſinned in adulterie, goe about the Church with a Taper in their ſhirtes: Or if they had made Satiſfaction for reſtitution to manward, of ſuch goods as wrongfully are gotten, the which true penance cannot bée without: Or if by Satiſfaction, they had meant a new life, to make amendes to the Congregation thereby, as by their euill life they did offend the Congregation, in which ſence the Apoſtle ſéemeth to take that which he writeth in 2. Corin. 7. where the old Interpreter calleth Apologian, Satiſfaction, which rather ſignifieth a defence or anſwering againe. If I ſay, they had takē Satiſfaction any of theſe wayes, then they had done well, ſo that the Satiſfaction to God had béene left all onelyonly to Chriſt.
Againe, if they had made Confeſſion, eyther for that which is to God priuately, eyther for that which is to the Congregation publiquely, eyther for that which is a frée conſultation with ſome one learned in Gods booke, and appointed thereunto, as firſt it was vſed, and I wiſh were now vſed amongſt vsus, either for ye which is a reconciliation of one to another, it had béene ſome thing: yea, if they had made it for faith, becauſe it is a true demonſtration of faith:…om. 1. as in Paul we may ſée, when hée calleth Chriſt the Captaine of our Confeſſion, that is, of our faith (and ſo Confeſſors were called in the Primitiue Church) ſuch as manfully did witnes their faith with the peril of their liues: if, I ſay, they had taken it thus, then had they done right well.
And ſo Contrition, if they had left out their ſubtill diſtinction, betwéene it and attrition, by this word iuſt or full, making it a heartie ſorrow for their ſinnes, then wée would neuer hauehave cryed out againſt them therefore. For we ſay, penance hath thrée parts, Contrition, if you vnderſtand it for a hearty ſorrowing for ſinne, Confeſſion, if you vnderſtand it for faith, of frée pardon in Gods merciemercy, by Ieſus Chriſt, and Satiſfaction, if you vnderſtand it not to Godwards (for that onelyonly to Chriſt muſt be left alone) but to manward in reſtitution of goods wr…ngfully or fraudulently gotten, of name hindred by our ſlaunders, and in newneſſe of life: although, as I ſayd before, and anon will ſhew more plainely by Gods grace, that this laſt is no part of penance in déed, but a playne effect or fruit of true penanes.
I might héere bring in examples of their penance, how perilous it is to bee embraced: but let the example of their graund Sire Iudas ſerue, in whome we ſée all the parts of their penance, as they deſcribe it, and yet notwithſtanding hee was damned. He was ſorie enough, as the effect ſhewed: hee had their contrition fully, out of the which he confeſſed his fault, ſaying: I hauehave betrayed innocent blood: and thereunto hée made ſatiſfaction, reſtoring the money hee had receyued. But yet all was but loſt, hée hanged vp himſelfe, his bowels burſt out, and he remaineth a child of perdition for euer. I would wiſh that this example of Iudas, in whom yée ſée the parts of their penance, contrition, confeſſion, and ſatiſfaction, would mooue them to penance, and to deſcribe it a little better, making hope or truſt of Gods frée merciemercy a piece thereof, or elſe with Iudas they will marre all.
Perchance theſe words, contrition, confeſſion, and ſatiſfaction, were vſed as I hauehave expounded them at the firſt. But in that wee ſée ſo much daunger and hurt by vſing them without expoſitions, eyther let vsus ioyne to them open expoſitions alwayes, or elſe let vsus not vſe them at all, but ſay as I write, that penance is a hearty ſorrow for our ſinnes, a good hope or truſt of pardon through Chriſt, which is not without an earneſt purpoſe to amend, or a new life. This penance is the thing, whereto all the Scripture calleth vsus. This penance doe I now call you all vntounto: this muſt bée continually in vsus, and not for a Lent ſeaſon, as we hauehave thought: this muſt increaſe dayly more and more in vsus: without this we cannot be ſaued.
Search therefore your heartes all, all ſwearers, blaſphemers, lyers, flatterers, baudy, or idle talkers, ieſters, bribers, couetous perſons, drunkardes, gluttons, whoremongers, théeues, murtherers, ſlanderers, idle liuers, negligent in their vocation, &c. All ſuch, and all other as lament not their ſinnes, as hope not in Gods merciemercy for pardon, and purpoſe not heartily to amend, to leaue their ſwearing, drunkennes, whoredome, couetouſneſſe, idlenes, &c. All ſuch, I ſay, ſhall not or cannot enter into Gods kingdome, but hell fire is prepared for them, wéeping, and gnaſhing of téeth: whereunto, alas, I feare me, very many will néeds goe, in that very many will be as they hauehave bin, let vsus euen to the wearing of our tongue to the ſtumpes, preach and pray neuer ſo much to the contrary, and that euen in ye bowels of Ieſus Chriſt: as now I beſeech you all, all, all, and eueryevery mothers child, to repent and lament your ſinne, to truſt in Gods merciemercy, and to amend your liues.
Now me thinks, ye are ſomewhat aſtonied: whereby I gather, that preſently you deſire this Repentance, that is: this ſorrow, good hope, and newneſſe of life. The which that you may the rather attaine, and get to your comforts, as I hauehave gone about to be a meane to ſtirre vp in you (by Gods grace) this deſire of Repentance, ſo through the ſame grace of God, will I goe about now to ſhew you, how you may hauehave your deſire in this behalfe.
And firſt, concerning this part, namely, ſorrow for your ſinnes, and hearty lamenting of the ſame: For this, if you deſire the hauing of it, you muſt beware, that you thinke not, that of your ſelues, or of your owne frée will, by any means you can get it. You may eaſily deceiue your ſelues, and mocke your ſelues, thinking more of your ſelues then is ſéemely. All good things, and not péeces of good things, but all good things,…im. 1. ſayth Saint Iames, come from God the Father of light. If therefore penance be good (as it is good) then the parts of it be good.Reg. 2. From God therefore do they come, and not of our frée will. It is the Lord that mortifieth, that bringeth downe, that humbleth,…erem. 31 ſaith the Scripture in ſundry places: After thou haddeſt ſtricken my thigh (ſaith Ieremie) I was aſhamed. Loe, he ſayth, After thou haddeſt ſtricken me: & therefore prayeth hee, euen in the laſt words almoſt, hée writeth: Turne vsus, O Lord, and we ſhall be turned. …am. 5.The which thing Dauid vſeth very often. Wherefore firſt of all, if thou wouldeſt hauehave this part of penance, as for the whole,Act. 12. Tim. 2 becauſe it is Gods gift, ſo for this part goe thou vntounto God, & make ſome little prayer, as thou canſt, vntounto his mercy, for the ſame, in this or like ſort.
Merciful Father of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, becauſe I hauehave ſinned & done wickedly, and through thy goodneſſe hauehave receyued a deſire of Repentance, whereto this thy long ſufferance doth draw my hard heart, I beſéech thée for thy mercies ſake in Chriſt, to worke the ſame Repentance in me, and by thy ſpirite, power, and grace ſo to humble, mortifie, and feare my conſcience for my ſinnes to ſaluation, that in thy good time thou mayſt comfort and quicken me againe, through Ieſus Chriſt thy déerely beloued Sonne. Amen.
After this ſort, I ſay, or otherwiſe, as thou thinkeſt good, if thou wilt hauehave this firſt part, Contrition, or ſorrow for thy ſins, do thou beg it of God through Chriſt. And when thou haſt aſked it, as I hauehave laboured to driue thée frō truſting in thy ſelfe, ſo now I go about to moue thée from flattering of thy ſelfe, from ſluggiſhnes & negligence, to be diligent to vſe theſe meanes following. VntoUnto prayer, which I would thou ſhouldeſt firſt vſe as thou canſt: ſecondly, get thée Gods Law as a glaſſe to toot in: for in it, and by it, commeth the true knowledge of ſinne, without which knowledge, there can be no ſorrow. For how can a man ſorrow for his ſins, which knoweth not his ſinnes? As when a man is ſicke, the firſt ſtep to health, is to know his ſickneſſe: euen ſo to ſaluation, the firſt ſtep, is to know thy damnation due for thy ſinnes.
The Law of God therefore muſt be gotten and well tooted in: that is, we muſt looke in it ſpiritually, & not corporally, or carnally, as the outward word or letter dooth declare and vtter: and ſo our Sauiour teacheth vsus in Matthew, expounding the ſixte and ſeuenth commandements, not onelyonly after the outward déede, but alſo after the heart, making the…e the anger of the heart, a kind of murther, luſting after an other mans wife, a kind of adulterie.
And this is one of the differences betwéene Gods Law and mans law, that of this (mans law I meane) I am not contemnable, ſo long as I obſerue outwardly the ſame. But Gods Law goeth to the roof and to the heart, condemning mee for the inward motion, although outwardly I liue moſt holily. As for example: If I kill no man, though in my heart I hate, mans law condemneth mee not: but otherwiſe doth Gods law. And why? for it ſeeeth the fountaine whence the euil doth ſpring. If hatred were taken out of the heart, then loftineſſe in looks, detraction in tongue, and murther by hand, could neuer enſue. If luſting were out of the heart, curioſitie in countenance, wantonneſſe in words, baudy boldneſſe in body would not appeare.
In that therefore this outward euill ſprings out of the inward corruption: ſéeing Gods Law alſo is a Law of libertie, as ſaith ſaint Iames: and ſpirituall,Iam. 2. Rom. 7. as ſaith …aint Paul: perfectly and ſpiritually it is to …e vnderſtood, if we will truely come to the …nowledge of our ſinnes. For of this …nward corruption, reaſon knoweth but …ittle or nothing. I had not knowen (ſaith Paul) that luſting (which to reaſon,Rom. 7. and …o them which are guided onelyonly by reaſon, …s thought but a trifle:) I had not knowen (ſayth he) this luſting to hauehave béene ſinne, …f the Law had not ſayd, Non concupiſces, Thou ſhalt not luſt.
To the knowledge therefore of our ſinne (without which we cannot repent, or bée ſorte for our ſinne,) let vsus ſecondly get vsus Gods Law, as a glaſſe to toote in: and that not onelyonly literally, outwardly, or partly, but alſo ſpiritually, inwardly, & throughly. Let vsus conſider the heart, and ſo ſhall we ſée the foule ſpots we are ſtained withall, at leaſt inwardly, whereby we the rather may bee moued to hearty ſorrow and ſighing. For as Saint Auſtine ſayth, it is a glaſſe which feareth no body, but euen looke what a one thou art, ſo it painteth thée out.
In the Law wee ſée it is a foule ſpotte, not to louelove the Lord our God, with all (I ſay) our heart, ſoule, power, might and ſtrength, and that continually.
In the Law it is a foule ſpot, not onelyonly to make to our ſelues any grauen Image or ſimilitude, to bowe thereto, &c. but alſo no… to frame our ſelues wholy after the Image whereto we are made, not to bowe to it, to worſhip it.
In the Law we ſée that it is a foule ſpot, not onelyonly to take Gods name in vaine, but alſo not earneſtly, heartily, and euen continually to call vponupon his name onelyonly, to giuegive thanks vntounto him onelyonly, to beléeue, to publiſh, and liue in his holy word.
In Gods Law wee ſée it is a foule ſpot to our ſoules, not onelyonly to bée an open prophaner of the Sabboth day, but alſo not to reſt from our owne woords and works, that the Lorde might both ſpeake and woorke in vsus and by vsus, not to heare his holy woord, not to communicate his Sacraments, not to giuegive occaſion to others to holineſſe, by our example in godly works, and reuerent eſtéeming of the miniſterie of his woord.
In Gods Law we ſée it is a foule ſpot to our ſoules, not onelyonly to be an open diſobeyer of our Parents, Magiſtrates, Maſters, and ſuch as bee in any authoritie ouer vsus, …at alſo not to honour ſuch euen in our …earts, not to giuegive thankes to GOD for …em, not to pray for them, to ayd, to helpe, … relieue them, to beare with their infir…ities, &c.
In Gods Law we ſée it is a foule ſpot in …ur ſoules, not onelyonly to be a manqueller in …atred, malice, proud looks, brags, backe…iting, rayling, or bodily ſlaughter: but al…o not to louelove our neighbours, yea, our enemies, euen in our hearts, and to declare …he ſame in all our geſtures, woords, and works.
In Gods law we ſée it a foule ſpot to our ſoules, not onelyonly to bee a whoremonger in luſting, in our hearts, in wanton looking, in vncleane and wanton talking, in actuall dooing vnhoneſtly with our neighbours wife, daughter, ſeruant, &c. But alſo not to be chaſt, ſober, temperate in heart, lookes, tongue, apparel, déeds, and to helpe others thereunto accordingly, &c.
In Gods Law wee ſée it is a foule ſpot to our ſoules, not onelyonly in heart, to couet, in looke or woord to flatter, lye, colour, &c. in déede to take away any thing which pertayneth to an other: but alſo in heart, countenance, word and déede, not t… kéepe▪ ſaue, and defend that which pe… taineth to thy neighbour, as thou woulde… thine owne.
In Gods Law, wee may ſée it a foul… ſpot, not onelyonly to lie or beare falſe witneſſ… againſt any man, but alſo not to hauehave as great care ouer thy neighbours name, as ouer thine owne.
Sinne in Gods Law, it is we may ſée, and a foule ſpot, not onelyonly to conſent to euill luſt, or carnall deſires, but euen the very naturall or carnall luſtes, and deſires themſelues, for ſo I may call them: nature it ſelfe, being now ſo corrupted, are ſinne, and ſelfe-louelove, and many ſuch like. By reaſon whereof, I trow there is none that tooteth wel therein, but though he be blameleſſe to the world, and faire to the ſhew, yet certainly, inwardly his face is foule arayed, and ſo ſhamefull, ſaucie, mangie, pockie and ſcabbed, that he cannot but be ſorie at the contemplation thereof, & that ſo much more by how much he continueth to looke in this glaſſe accordingly.
And thus much concerning the ſecond meane to the ſtirring vp of ſorrow for our ſinne, that next vntounto prayer, wée ſhould …ofe in Gods law ſpiritually. The which …ting, if we vſe with prayer, as I ſayd, …et vsus not doubt, but at the length Gods …irite will worke, as now to ſuch as be…eue, for to the vnbeléeuers all is in vaine, their eyes are ſtarke blind, they can ſee …othing) to ſuch as beléeue (I ſay) I truſt …eme thing is done euen already. But if …eyther by prayer, nor by tooting in Gods …aw ſpiritually, as yet thy hard vnbelee…ing heart féeleth no ſorrow, nor lamen…ing for thy ſinne: Thirdly, looke vponupon the …ag tyed to Gods Law: for to mans law …here is a tag tyed, that is, a penaltie, and that no ſmall one, but ſuch a one, as cannot but make vsus to caſt our curriſh tayles betwéene our legs, if we beléeue it, for all is in vaine, if we be faithleſſe, not to beléeue before we féele.
This tag is Gods malediction or curſe. Maledictus omnis (ſayth it) qui non permanet in omnibus quae ſcripta ſunt in libro legis, vt faciat eam. Loe, accurſed (ſayth he) is all, no exception, all, ſayth God, which continueth not in all things (for he that is guiltie of one, is guiltie of the whole, ſayth S. Iames:) in all things therefore, (ſayth the holy Ghoſt) which are written in the booke of the law to doe them. Hee ſayth not, to heare them, to talke of them, to diſpute of them, but, to doe them.
Who is he now that dooeth theſe? Rara anis, few ſuch Byrds, yea, none at all. For all are gone out of the way, though not outwardly by word or déed, yet inwardly at the leaſt by default, and wanting of that which is required: ſo that a child of one nights age is not pure, but (by reaſon of birth-ſinne) in danger of Gods malediction: then much more wee, which alaſſe, hauehave drunken in iniquitie, as it were water, as Iob ſayth: But yet alas we quake not.
Tell me now, good brother, why do you ſo lightly conſider Gods curſe, that for your ſinnes paſt, you are ſo careleſſe, as though you had made a couenant with death and damnation, as the wicked did in Eſayes time? What is Gods curſe? At the Popes curſe with booke, bell, and candle, O, how trembled wee, which heard it, but onelyonly though the ſame was not directed vntounto vsus, but vntounto others? For this Gods curſe, which is incomparable, more ſell and importable, and is directed to vsus, yea, hanging ouer vsus, all by reaſon of our ſinnes: alas, how careleſſe are wee? O faithleſſe hard hearts. O Iezabels gheſts, rocked and layd aſléepe in her bedde. O wicked wretches, which béeing come into the depth of ſinne, doe contemne the ſame. O ſorrowleſſe ſinners, and ſhameleſſe ſhrinking harlottes.
Is not the anger of a King death? and is the anger of the King of all Kings, a matter to be ſo lightly regarded as wee doe regard it, which for our ſinnes are ſo retchleſſe, that we ſlugge and ſléepe it out? As waxe melteth away at the heate of the fire (ſayth Dauid) ſo doe the wicked periſh at the face or countenance of the Lord.
If, déerely beloued, his face bee ſo terrible and intolerable for ſinners, and the wicked: what trow wée his hand is? At the face and appearing of Gods anger, the earth trembleth: but we earth, earth, yea, ſtones, yron, flints, tremble nothing at all. If wee will not tremble in hearing, woe vntounto vsus, for then ſhall we bee craſhed in pieces in féeling. If a Lyon roare, the beaſtes quake: but wee are worſe then beaſts, which quake nothing at the roring of the Lyon, I meane ye Lord of hoſts. And why? becauſe the curſe of God, hardnes of heart, is already fallen vponupon vsus, or elſe we could not but lament and tremble for our ſinnes: If not for the ſhame and foulenes thereof, yet at the leaſt, for the malediction and curſe of God, which hangeth ouer vsus for our ſinnes.
Lorde bee mercifull vntounto vsus for thy Chriſts ſake, and ſpare vsus, in thine anger remember thy mercies towards vsus: Amen.
And thus much for the third thing to the moouing of vsus to ſorrow for our ſinnes, that is, for the tag tyed to Gods Law, I meane, for the malediction & curſe of God. But if our hearts bee ſo hard, that through theſe, wee yet féele not heartie ſorrow for our ſinnes: let vsus fourthly ſet before vsus examples paſt and preſent, olde and new, thereby the holy ſpirite may be effectual to worke in his time this woorke of ſorrowing for our ſinne.
Looke vponupon Gods anger for ſinne in Adam and Eue, for eating a péece of an apple. Were not they, the déereſt creatures of God, caſt out of Paradiſe? Were not they ſubiect to mortalitie, trauaile, labour, &c. Was not the earth accurſed for their ſins? Doe not we all, men in labour, women in traueiling with child, and all in death, mortalitie and miſerie, euen in this life feele the ſame? And was God ſo angrie for their ſinne, and hee béeing the ſame God, will he ſay nothing to vsus for ours (alas) more horrible then the eating once of one piece of an apple?
In the time of Noe and Lot, God deſtroyed the whole world with water,Gen. 6. and the Cities of Sodom and Gomorra, Gen. 19Seboim and Adamah, with fire and brimſtone from heauen for their ſinnes, namely, for their whoredoms, pride, idleneſſe, vnmercifulnes to the poore, tyranny, &c. In which wrath of God, euen the very babes, birds, fowles, fiſhes, hearbes, trées, and graſſe periſhed: and thinke we that nothing will be ſpoken to vsus, much woorſe and more abominable then they? For all men may ſée, if they will, that the whoredomes, pride, vnmercifulneſſe, tyranny, &c. of England, farre paſſeth in this age, any age that euer was before. Lots wife looking backe,Gen. 19 was turned into a ſalt ſtone: and will our looking backe againe, yea, our running backe againe to our wickedneſſe, doe vsus no hurt? If we were not already more then blinde Béetles, we would bluſh. Pharao, his heart was hardned ſo, that no miracle could conuert him: if ours were any thing ſoft, we would begin to ſob.
…ua and …aleb.Of ſixe hundred thouſand men, all onelyonly but twaine entred into ye Land of promiſe, becauſe they had ten tymes ſinned againſt the Lord, as hee himſelfe ſayth: and trow we,…um. 14 that God wil not ſweare in his wrath, that wee ſhall neuer enter into his reſt, which hauehave ſinned ſo many ten times, as wée hauehave toes & fingers, yea, haires on our heads and beards (I feare me) and yet we paſſe not.
…euit. 24 …um. 15The man that ſware, and he that gathered ſticks on the Sabboth day, were ſtoned to death: but wee thinke our ſwearing is no ſinne, our bribing, rioting, yea, whorehunting on the Sabboth day, pleaſeth God, or elſe wee would ſomething amend our maners.
Reg. 5.Helias negligence in correcting his ſonnes, nipped his necke in two: but ours which pamper vp our children like puppets, will put vsus to no plunge? Helias ſonnes for diſobeying their fathers admonition, brought ouer them Gods vengeance: and wil our ſtubburneſſe doe nothing?
…. Reg. …1.22.Sauls malice to Dauid, Acabs diſpleaſure againſt Naboth, brought their bloud to the ground for dogs to eate, yea, their children were hanged vp and ſlaine for this geare: but wee continue in malice, enuie,4 Reg. 4. Re. 1 and murther, as though wee were able to wage warre with the Lord.
Dauids adulterie with Bethſabe, was viſited on ye child borne, on Dauids daughter, defiled by her brother, and on his children, one ſlaying another, his wiues defiled by his owne ſonne, and himſelfe driuen out of his Realme in his old age, and otherwiſe alſo, although he moſt heartily repented his ſinne: But wee are more déere vntounto God then Dauid, which yet was a man after Gods owne heart, or elſe we could not but tremble, and begin to repent.
The rich gluttons gay paunch filling: what did it? it brought him to hell: and hauehave we a placcard, that God will doe nothing to vsus?
Achans ſubtill theft prouoked Gods anger againſt all Iſrael: and our ſubtiltie, yea, open extortion, is ſo fine and politike, that God can not eſpie it.
Gehezi his couetouſneſſe, brought it not the Leproſie vponupon him, and on all his ſéed? Iudas alſo hanged himſelfe. But the couetouſneſſe of England is of another cloth & colour. Well, if it were ſo, the ſame Tallor will cut it accordingly.
Anania and Saphira by lying, linked to them ſudden death: but ours now prolongeth our life the longer, to laſt in eternall death.
The falſe witnes of the two Iudges againſt Suſanna, lighted on their own pates: and ſo will ours doe at length.
But what goe I about to auouch ancient examples, where dayly experience doth teach? The Sweate the other yéere, the ſtormes the Winter following, will vsus to weigh them in the ſame balances. The hanging and killing of men themſelues, which are (alas) too rife in all places, require vsus to regiſter thē in the ſame roules. At the leaſt in Children, Infants, and ſuch like, which yet cannot vtter ſinne by word or déed, wée ſée Gods anger againſt ſinne, in puniſhing them by ſickneſſe, death, miſhappe or otherwiſe, ſo plainly, that we cannot but grone and grunt againe, in that we hauehave guſhed out this geare more aboundantly in word and déed.
And héere with me a little looke on Gods anger, yet ſo freſh, that we cannot but ſmel it, although wee ſtoppe our noſes neuer ſo much, I pray God we ſmell it not more freſh hereafter, I meane it forſooth (for I know you looke for it) in our déere late Soueraigne Lord the Kings Maieſtie. You al know he was but a Child in yéeres, defiled he was not with notorious offences: Defiled, quoth he? nay, rather adorned with ſo many good gifts, and wonderfull qualities, as neuer Prince was from the beginning of the world. Should I ſpeake of his wiſedome, of his ripeneſſe in iudgement, of his learning, of his godly zeale, heroical heart, fatherly care for his Commons, nurcely ſolicitude for Religion? &c. Nay, ſo many things are to bee ſpoken in commendation of Gods excéeding graces in this Child: that, as Saluſt writeth of Carthage, I had rather ſpeake nothing, then too litle, in that, too much is too little. This gift God gaue vntounto vsus Engliſh men, before all Nations vnderunder the Sunne, and that of his excéeding louelove towards vsus. But alas, and welaway: for our vnthankefulnes ſake, for our ſinnes ſake, for our carnalitie and prophane liuing, Gods anger hath touched, not onelyonly the body, but alſo the mind of our King, by a long ſickneſſe, and at length hath taken him away by death, death, cruell death, fearefull death. O, if Gods iudgement be begun on him, which as he was the chiefeſt, ſo I thinke the holyeſt, and godlyeſt in the Realme of England, (alas) what will it be on vsus, whoſe ſinnes are ouergrowne ſo our heads, that they are climed vp into heauē? I pray yo…, my good brethren, know that Gods anger for our ſin towards vsus, cannot but be great, yea, too fell, in that we ſée it was ſo great, that our good King could not beare it. What followed to Iewrie, after the death of Ioſias? God ſaue England, and giuegive vsus repentance: my heart will not ſuffer me to tarie longer héerein: I trow this will thruſt out ſome teares of repentance.
If therefore to prayer for Gods feare, the tooting in Gods glaſſe, and the tag thereto will not burſt open thy blockiſh heart, yet, I trow, the toſſing to and fro of theſe examples, and ſpecially of our late King, and this troubleſome time, will tumble ſome teares out of thine heart, if thou ſtill pray for Gods ſpirit accordingly. For who art thou (thinke alwayes with thy ſelfe) that GOD ſhould ſpare thée, more then them whoſe examples thou haſt heard? What friends haſt thou? Were not of theſe Kings, Prophets, Apoſtles, learned, and come of holy ſtocks? I deceiue my ſelfe, (thinke thou with thy ſelfe) if I beléeue that God, béeing the ſame God that he was, wil ſpare me, whoſe wickedneſſe is no leſſe, but much more then ſome of theirs. Hee hateth ſinne now, as much as euer hee did. The longer hee ſpareth, the greater vengeance will fall: the déeper hee draweth his Bow, the ſorer will the ſhaft pierce.
But if yet thy heart be ſo hardened, that all this geare will not mooue thée, ſurely thou art in a very euill eſtate, and remedie now I know none. What, ſaid I, none? Know I none? Yes, there is one, which is ſureſby, as they ſay, to ſerue, if any thing will ſerue. You looke to know what this is. Forſooth, the Paſſion and death of Ieſus Chriſt. You know, the cauſe why Chriſt became man, and ſuffered as he ſuffered, was the ſinnes of his people, that he might ſaue them from the ſame. Conſider the greatneſſe of the ſore, I meane ſinne, by the greatnes of the Surgion, and the ſalue. Who was the Surgion? No Angell, no Saint, no Archangell, no power, no creature in heauen nor in earth: but onelyonly hée, by whom all things were made, all things are ruled alſo, euen Gods owne deareling, and onelyonly beloued Sonne, becomming man.
Oh what a great thing is this, that could not be done by the Angelles, Archangelles, Potentates, Powers, or all the creatures of God, without his owne Sonne? who yet muſt néeds be thruſt out of heauen, as a man would ſay, to take our nature, and become man. Heere hauehave yee the Surgion: great was the cure, that this mightie Lord tooke in hand.
Now, what was the ſalue? Forſooth, déere geare, and of many compoſitions: I cannot recite all, but rather muſt leaue it to your hearty conſiderations. Thrée and thirtie yéeres was he curing our ſore. Hée ſought it earneſtly by faſting, watching, praying &c. The ſame night that hee was betrayed, I reade how buſie he was about a plaiſter in the garden, when he lying flat on the ground, praying with teares, and that of bloud not a few, but ſo many as did flow downe on the ground againe, crying on this ſort: Father, (ſayth hée) if it bee poſsible, let this cup depart from me. That is, If it be poſſible, that elſe the ſinnes of mankind can be taken away, graunt that it may be ſo. Thou heardeſt Moſes crying for the Idolaters: Thou heardeſt Lot for the Zoarites: Samuel, Dauid, and many other for the Iſraelites: And déere Father, I onelyonly am thine owne ſonne, as thou haſt ſaid, in whom thou art well pleaſed: wilt thou not heare me? I hauehave by the ſpace of three and thirtie yeeres, done alwayes thy will: I hauehave ſo humbled my ſelfe, that I would become an abiect amongſt men, to obey thée. Therefore (déere Father) if it be poſſible, graunt my requeſt, ſaue mankind, now without any further labour, ſalues, or plaiſters. But yet (ſayth he) not as I wil, but as thou wilt.
But Sir, what heard hée? Though hée ſweat bloud & water, in making his plaiſter for our ſore of ſinne, yet it framed not. Twiſe hee cryed without comfort: yea, though to comfort him, God ſent an Angel, wee yet know, that this plaiſter was not allowed for ſufficient, vntill hereunto, Chriſt Ieſus was betrayed, forſaken of al his Diſciples, forſworne of his déerely beloued, bound like a Théefe, belyed on, buffeted, whipped, ſcourged, crowned with thornes, derided, crucified, racked, nayled, hanged vp betwéene two théeues, curſed and rayled vponupon, mocked in miſerie, and had giuen vp the ghoſt: then bowed downe the head of Chriſt, that is, God the Father, which is the head of Chriſt: then allowed he the plaiſter, to bée ſufficient and good for the healing of our ſore, which is ſinne. Now would God abide our breath, becauſe the ſtinke, that is, damnation or guiltineſſe, was taken away by the ſwéet ſauour of the breath of this Lambe, thus offered once for all.
So that héere, déerely beloued, wée as in a glaſſe may ſée, to the bruſing of our blockiſh hard hearts, Gods great iudgement and anger againſt ſin. The Lord of lords, the King of kings,Gen. 6. Gen. 19. the brightneſſe of Gods glory, the Sonne of God, the Deareling of his Father, in whom he is well pleaſed, hangeth betwéene two théeues, crying for thée and mée, and for vsus all: My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken mee? Oh hard hearts that wée hauehave, which make tuttes for ſinne. Looke on this: toote in the very heart of Chriſt pearced with a ſpeare, wherein thou mayſt ſée, and reade Gods horrible anger for ſinne. Woe to thy hard heart that pierced it.
And thus much for the firſt part of Repentance, I meane, for the meanes of working contrition. Firſt, vſe prayer: then …ooke on Gods Law: thirdly, ſée his curſe:Gen. 19. fourthly, ſet examples of his anger before thée: and laſt of all, ſet before thée the death of Chriſt.
From this and prayer ceaſe not, till thou féele ſome heartie ſorrow for thy ſinne. The which when thou féeleſt, then labour for the other part, that is, faith, on this ſort.
As firſt, in Contrition I willed thée not to truſt to thy frée will, for the attayning of it: ſo doe I will thée in this. Faith is ſo farre from the reach of mans frée will, that to reaſon it is plaine fooliſhnes. Therefore, thou muſt firſt goe to God, whoſe gift it is: thou muſt, I ſay, get thée to the Father of merciemercy, whoſe worke it is, that as he hath brought thée downe by Contrition, and humbled thée, ſo hee would giuegive thée faith, rayſe thée vp, and exalt thée.
On this maner therefore, with the Apoſtles, and the poore man in the Goſpell, that cryed: Lord encreaſe our faith: Lord helpe my vnbeleefe, pray thou and ſay: O mercifull God and deare Father of our Lord & Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, in whom as thou art well pleaſed, ſo haſt thou commanded vsus to heare him, for as much as hee often biddeth vsus to aſke of thée,2. Tim. 2 and thereto promiſeth that thou wilt heare vsus, and graunt vsus that which in his name we ſhall aſke of thée: loe, gracious Father, I am bold to begge of thy merciemercy, through thy Sonne Ieſus Chriſt, one ſparkle of true faith, and certaine perſwaſion of thy goodneſſe & louelove towards me in Chriſt, wherethrough I béeing aſſured of the pardon of all my ſinnes, by the mercies of Chriſt thy ſonne, may be thankefull to thée, louelove thée, and ſerue thée in holineſſe and righteouſnes all the dayes of my life.
On this ſort I ſay, or otherwiſe as God ſhall mooue thée, pray thou firſt of all, and looke for thy requeſt at Gods hand, without any doubting, though foorthwith thou féeleſt not the ſame: for oftentimes wee hauehave things of GOD giuen vsus, long before we féele them as we would doe. Now vntounto this prayer, vſe thou theſe meanes following.
After prayer for faith, which I would ſhould be firſt, ſecondly, becauſe the ſame ſpringeth out of the hearing, not of Maſſes, Mattins, Cannons, Councels, Doctours, Decrées, but out of the hearing of Gods …oord, get thée Gods woord, but not that …art which ſerueth, ſpecially to Contrition, that is the Law: but the other part, which ſerueth ſpecially to conſolation and certaine perſwaſion of Gods louelove towards thée, that is, the Goſpell or publication of Gods merciemercy in Chriſt, I meane the frée promiſes.
But héere thou muſt know, that there are two kinds of promiſes: one, which is properly of the Lawe: another, which is properly of the Goſpel. In the promiſes of the Law, wee may indéed behold Gods merciemercy, but ſo, that it hangeth vponupon the condition of our worthines, as, if thou louelove the Lord with all thy heart, &c. thou ſhalt find mercy. This kind of promiſes, though it declare vntounto vsus Gods louelove, which promiſeth where he néedeth not: yet vntounto him that féeleth not Chriſt, which is the end of the Law, they are ſo farre from comforting, that vtterly with the Law they bring man to great deſpaire: ſo greatly we are corrupt, for none ſo loueth God as hée ought to doe. From theſe therefore get thée to the other promiſes of the Goſpell, in which we may ſée ſuch plentie and francke liberalitie of Gods goodneſſe, that wee can not but be much comforted, though we hauehave very déepely ſinned. For theſe promiſes of the Goſpell doe not hang on the condition of our worthineſſe, as the promiſes of the Law doe: but they depend and hang on Gods trueth, that as God is true, ſo they cannot but be performed to all them which lay holde on them by faith, I had almoſt ſaid, which caſt thē not away by vnbeliefe.
Marke in them therefore two things, namely, that as wel they are frée promiſes, without any condition of our worthineſſe: as alſo, that they are vniuerſall, offered to all, all (I ſay) which are not ſo ſtubburne, as to kéepe ſtill their hands, whereby they ſhould receyue this almes in their boſoms, by vnbeliefe. As concerning Infants and children, you know I now ſpeake not, but concerning ſuch as be of yéeres of diſcretion. And now you looke that I ſhould giuegive you a taſte of theſe promiſes, which are both frée and vniuerſall, except none but ſuch as except themſelues. Well, you ſhal hauehave one or two for a ſay.
In the 3. of Iohn, ſayth our Sauiour: So God the Father loued the world, that hee would giuegive his dearling, his owne onelyonly Sonne, that all that beleeue in him ſhould …ot periſh, but hauehave euerlaſting life. Loe, …r, hee ſaith not, that ſome might hauehave life: …ut all, ſayth he. And what all? All yt louelove …im with all their hearts? all yt hauehave liued a …odly life? Nay, all that beléeue in him. Al…hough thou haſt liued a moſt wicked & hor…ible life: if now thou beléeue in him, thou …halt be ſaued. Is not this ſwéet geare?
Againe ſayth Chriſt: Come vntounto me, all …ee that labour and are laden, and I will re…eſh you. Let vsus a litle looke on this letter: Come vntounto me. Who ſhould come? Lords, Prieſts, Holy men, Monkes, Friers? Yea, …oblers, Tinkers, whores, théeues, mur…herers alſo, if they lament their ſinnes. Come vntounto me (ſayth he) all ye that labour …nd are laden, that is, which are afrayd of …our ſinnes. And what wilt thou do, Lord? And I wil refreſh you (ſayth he.)
O, what a thing is this: And I will re…eſh you? Wot you who ſpake this? Hée …hat neuer told lye: He is the trueth, there …as neuer guile found in his mouth: and …ow wil he be vntrue to thée, good brother, …hich art ſorie for thy grieuous ſinnes? No …rſooth: heauen and earth ſhal paſſe and pe…iſh, but his word ſhall neuer fayle.
Saint Paul ſayth, God would hauehave al men ſaued: Loe, he excepteth none. And to Titus: The grace of God bringeth ſaluation to all men. As from Adam al hauehave receiued ſinne to damnation: ſo by Chriſt all hauehave grace offered to ſaluation, if they reiect not the ſame. I ſpeake not now of Infants, I ſay: nor I néed not to enter into the matter of Predeſtination. In preaching of repentance, I would gather where I could with Chriſt.
As ſurely as I liue, (ſayth God) I wil not the death of a ſinner. Art thou a ſinner? Yea. Loe, God ſweareth, hée will not thy death. How canſt thou now periſh? Conſider with thy ſelfe what profite thou ſhouldeſt hauehave to beléeue this to bee true to others, if not, to thy ſelfe alſo: Sathan doth ſo. Rather conſider with Peter, that the promiſe of ſaluation perteineth not onelyonly to them which are nie, that is, to ſuch as are fallen a little: but alſo to all, to whō the Lord hath called, be they neuer ſo farre off.
Loe, now by mee the Lord calleth thée, thou man, thou woman, that art very farre off. The promiſe therefore pertayneth to thée: néeds muſt thou be ſaued, except thou with Sathan ſay, God is falſe: And yet if thou doe ſo, God is faithfull, and can not denie himſelfe: as thou ſhalt féele by his plagues in hell, for ſo diſhonouring God, to thinke that hée is not true. Will hée bée found falſe now? The matter hangeth not on thy worthines, but it hangeth on Gods trueth. Clap hold on it, and I warrant thée, Chriſt is the propitiation for our ſins, yea, for the ſinnes of the whole world: beléeue this, man: I know thou beléeueſt it: ſay therefore in thy heart ſtill, Domine audage mihi fidem: Lord encreaſe my fayth: Lord helpe my vnbeleefe. Bleſſed are they which ſée not (by reaſon) this geare, but yet beléeue. Hope, man, paſt all hope, as Abraham did.
And thus much for a taſte of theſe promiſes, which are eueryevery where, not onelyonly in the new Teſtament, but alſo in the old. Reade the laſt end of Leuiticus 26. The Prophet Eſay 30. Where hee ſaith: God tarrieth looking for thee, to ſhew thee merciemercy. Alſo the 40. and ſo foorth to the 60. Reade alſo ye 2. Reg. 24. Pſa. 33. Ioel. 2. &c.
Howbeit, if this geare will not ſerue, i… yet thou féeleſt no faith, no certaine perſwaſion of Gods louelove: then vntounto prayer and diligent conſidering of the frée and vniuerſall promiſes of the Goſpell: Thirdly, ſet before thée thoſe benefits which God hath to foregiuen thée, and preſently giueth thée. Conſider how hee hath made thée a man or a woman, which might hauehave made thée a Toade, or a Dog. And why did hée this? Verily, becauſe he loued thée. And troweſt thou, that if hee loued thée when thou waſt not, to make thée ſuch a one, as he moſt graciouſly hath made thée: will he not now louelove thée, béeing his handy worke? Doth he hate any thing that he made? Is there vnableneſſe with him? Doth he louelove for a day, and ſo farewell? No forſooth, he loueth to the end, his merciemercy endureth for euer. Say therefore with Iob: Operi manuum tuarum, porrige dexteram, that is: To the worke of thy hands, put thy helping hand.
Againe, hath hée not made thée a Chriſtian man or woman, where if hee would, hée might hauehave made thée a Turke or Paynim? This thou knoweſt hee did of louelove. And dooſt thou thinke his louelove is leſſened, if thou lament thy ſinne? Is his hand ſhortened for helping thee? Can a woman forget the child of her wombe? And though ſhee ſhould doe it, yet will not I forget thée, ſayth the Lord. He hath giuen thée lyms, to ſée, heare, goe, &c. He hath giuen thée wit, reaſon, diſcretion, &c. Hee hath long ſpared thée, and borne with thée, when thou neuer purpoſedſt to repent: and now thou repenting, will hee not giuegive thee merciemercy? Wherefore doth hee graunt thée to liue at this preſent, to heare him to ſpeake this, and mee to ſpeake this: but of louelove to vsus all? Oh, therefore let vsus pray him, that he would adde to this, that wee might beléeue theſe louelove tokens, that hee loueth vsus, and indéed hee wil doe it. Lord, open our eyes, in thy gifts, to ſée thy gracious goodneſſe. Amen.
But to tarie in this I will not. Let eueryevery man conſider Gods benefites, paſt and preſent, publike and priuate, ſpirituall and corporal, to the confirming of his faith, concerning the promiſes of the Goſpell, for the pardon of his ſinnes.
I wil now go about to ſhew you a fourth meane to confirme your faith in this geare, euen by examples. Of theſe there are in the Scriptures very many, as alſo dayly experience doth diuerſly teach the ſame, if wee were diligent to obſerue things accordingly: wherefore I will bee more briefe héerein, hauing reſpect to time, which ſtealeth faſt away.
Adam in Paradiſe tranſgreſſed grieuouſly, as the painfull puniſhment, which we all as yet doe féele, prooueth, if nothing elſe. Though by reaſon of his ſinne, he diſpleaſed God ſore, and ran away from God, (for hée would hauehave hid himſelfe, yea, hée would hauehave made GOD the cauſer of his ſinne, in that he gaue him ſuch a mate, ſo farre was he from aſking merciemercy) yet all this notwithſtanding, God turned his fierce wrath, neither vponupon him nor Eue, which alſo required not merciemercy, but vponupon the Serpent Sathan: promiſing vntounto them a ſéed, Ieſus Chriſt, by whom they at the length ſhould be deliuered. In tokē whereof, though they were caſt out of Paradiſe for their nurture, to ſerue in ſorrow, which would not ſerue in ioy, yet hee made them apparell to couer their bodies: a viſible Sacrament, and token of his inuiſible louelove and grace, concerning their ſoules. If God was ſo mercifull to Adam, which ſo ſore brake his commandement, and rather blamed God, then aſked merciemercy: troweſt thou, O man, that hee will not bee mercifull to thée, which blameſt thy ſelfe, and deſireſt pardon?
To Cain hee offered merciemercy, if he would hauehave aſked it. What haſt thou done, ſayth God? The voyce of thy brothers bloud, crieth vntounto me out of the earth. O mercifull Lorde (ſhould Cain hauehave ſayd) I confeſſe it: But alas, hee did not ſo, and therefore ſayd God: Now, that is, In that thou deſireſt not merciemercy: Now, I ſay, be thou accurſed &c. Loe, to the Reprobate he offered merciemercy, and will he deny it thée, which art his Child?
Noah, did he not ſinne and was drunke? Good Lot alſo, both in Sodome diſſembled a litle with the Angelles, prolonging the time: and out of Sodome, he fell very foule: as did Iudas, and the Patriarches againſt Ioſeph, but yet I wéene they found merciemercy. Moſes, Myriam, Aaron, though they ſtumbled a litle, yet receyued they merciemercy: yea, the people in the wilderneſſe often ſinned and diſpleaſed God, ſo that hee was purpoſed to hauehave deſtroyed them. Let mee alone (ſayth hee to Moſes) that I may deſtroy them. But Moſes did not let him alone, for he prayed ſtill for them, and therefore God ſpared them. If the people were ſpared through Moſes prayer, they not praying with him, but rather worſhipping their golden Calfe, eating, drinking, and making …olly good cheere: why ſhouldeſt thou doubt whether God will be mercifull to thee? hauing, as in deede thou haſt, one much better then Moſes to pray for thee, and with thee, euen Ieſus Chriſt who ſitteth on the right hand of his Father, and prayeth for vsus, beeing no leſſe faithfull in his Fathers houſe, the Church, then Moſes was in the Synagogue. Dauid that good King had a foule foyle, when hee committed whoredome with his faithfull ſeruants wife, Bethſabe: whereunto hee added alſo a miſchieuous murther, cauſing her huſband, his moſt faithful Souldier Vrie to bee ſlaine, with an honeſt company of his moſt valiant men of warre, and that with the ſword of the vncircumciſed.
In this his ſinne, though a great while he lay aſléepe, (as many doe now a dayes, God giuegive them good waking) thinking that by the Sacrifices he offered, all was well, God was content: yet at length, when the Prophet by a Parable, had opened the poke, and brought him in remembrance of his owne ſinne, in ſuch ſort, that hee gaue iudgement againſt himſelfe: then quaked he, his Sacrifices had no more taken away his ſinnes, then our Sir Iohns Trentals, and wagging of his fingers ouer the heads of ſuch as lye aſléepe in their ſinnes (out of the which when they are awaked, they wil well ſée, that it is neyther Maſſe nor Mattins, bleſſing nor curſing will ſerue,) then I ſay, he cryed out, ſaying: Peccaui, Domine: I hauehave ſinned, ſayth hee, againſt my Lord and good God, which hath done ſo much for mée. I cauſed indéed Vrie to bee killed, I hauehave ſinned, I hauehave ſinned. What ſhall I doe? I hauehave ſinned, and am worthy of eternall damnation. But what ſayth God by his Prophet: Dominus (ſayth he) tranſtuli… peccatum tuum, non morieris: The Lord hath taken away thy ſinnes, thou ſhalt not die. Oh good God, he ſayd, but, Peccaui, I hauehave ſinned: but yet from his heart, and not from the lippes onelyonly, as Pharao and Saul did, and incontinently hee heareth: Thou ſhalt not die, the Lord hath taken away thy ſinnes: Or rather hath layd them vponupon an other, yea, tranſlated them vponupon the backe of his ſonne Ieſus Chriſt, who bare them, and not onelyonly them, but thine and mine alſo, if that wee will now crie but from our hearts, Peccauimus: Wee hauehave ſinned, good Lord, wee hauehave done wickedly, enter not into iudgement with vsus, but bee mercifull vntounto vsus after thy great merciemercy, and according to the multitude of thy compaſſions, doe away our iniquities, &c. For indéed, God is not the God of Dauid onelyonly: Idem Deus omnium, He is the God of all: So that, Quicunque inuocauerit nomen Domini, ſaluus erit. He or ſhée, whoſoeuer they bee that call vponupon the name of the Lord, ſhal be ſaued. In confirmation whereof, this Hiſtorie is writtē, as are alſo the other which I hauehave recited, & many mo which I might recite. As of Manaſles the wicked king, which flew Eſai the Prophet, and wrought very much wickedneſſe: yet the Lord ſhewed merciemercy vponupon him béeing in priſon, as his Prayer doth teach vsus. Nabuchodonozor, though for a time he bare Gods anger, yet at the length he found merciemercy. The Citie of Niniue alſo found fauour with God, as did many other, which I will omit for times ſake, and will bring forth one or two out of the new Teſtament, that wee may ſée God to be the ſame God in the new Teſtament, that he was in the old.
I might tell you of many, if I ſhould ſpeake of the Lunatike, ſuch as were poſſeſſed with Deuils, Lame, Blind, Dumbe, Deafe, Lepers, &c. But time will not ſuffer me: one or two therefore ſhall ſerue. Marie Magdalen had ſeuen deuils, but yet they were caſt out of her: and of all others, ſhée was the firſt that Chriſt appeared vntounto, after his reſurrection. Thomas would not beléeue Chriſts reſurrection, though many told him, which had ſéene and felt him: by reaſon whereof, a man might hauehave thought that his ſinnes would hauehave caſt him away. Except I ſhould ſee and feele (ſaith hee) I will not beleeue. Ah wilfull Thomas: I wil not, ſayth hee. But Chriſt appeared vntounto him, and would not léeſe him, as hée will not doe thée, good brother, if that with Thomas thou wilt kéepe company with the Diſciples, as Thomas did. Peters fall was vgly, hée accurſed himſelfe, if euer hée knew Chriſt, and that for feare of a Gyrle, and this not once, but euen thrée diuers times, and that in the hearing of Chriſt his Maſter: but yet the third time Chriſt looked backe, & caſt on him his eye of grace, ſo that hee went out and wept bitterly. And after Chriſts reſurrection, not onelyonly did the Angels will the woman to tell Peter, that Chriſt was riſen, but Chriſt himſelfe appeared vntounto him ſeuerally: ſuch a good Lord is he.
The Théefe hanging on the Croſſe, ſayd but this: Lorde, when thou commeſt into thy Kingdome, remember mee: And what anſwere had hee? This day (ſayth Chriſt) ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe. What a comfort is this, in that he is now the ſame Chriſt to thée and mee, and to vsus all, if wee will runne vntounto him? for hee is the ſame Chriſt to day and to morrow, vntill hee come to iudgement. Then indéed, hee will be inexorable: but now is he more ready to giuegive, then thou to aſke. If thou crie, hee heareth thee, yea before thou crie.
Crie therefore, bee bold, man, hee is not partiall.…ai. 31. …et. 7. Call, ſayth hée, and I will heare thée: Aſke and thou ſhalt hauehave: Séeke, and thou ſhalt finde: though not at the firſt, yet at the length. If he tarie a while, it is but to trie thee.…b. 10. Nam veniens veniet, & non tardabit: Hee is comming, and will not be long.
Thus hauehave you foure meanes, which you muſt vſe to the attayning of faith, or certaine perſwaſion of Gods merciemercy towards you, which is the ſecond part of penance, namely, prayer, the free and vniuerſall promiſes of Gods graces, the recordation of the benefits of God, paſt and preſent, the examples of Gods merciemercy. Which although they might ſuffice, yet will I put one more to them, which all onelyonly of it ſelfe, is full ſufficient: I meane, the death of the Sonne of God, Ieſus Chriſt: which if thou ſet before the eyes of thy mind, it will confirme thy placcard: for it is the great Seale of England, as they ſay, yea, of all the world, for the confirmation of all patents and perpetuities of the euerlaſting life, whereunto we are all called.
If I thought theſe, which I hauehave before recited, were not ſufficient to cōfirme your faith, of Gods louelove towards ſuch as do repent, I would tarie longer herein. But becauſe I hauehave béene both long, and alſo I truſt, you hauehave ſome exerciſe of conſcience in this daily (or els you are too blame) I wil but touch & goe. Conſider with your ſelues what we are, miſers, wretches & enemies to God. Conſider what God is, euen hée, which hath all power, maieſtie, might, glory, riches, &c. perfectly of himſelfe, & needeth nothing, but hath all things. Conſider what Chriſt is: concerning his Godhead, coequal with his Father, euen hee by whom all things were made, are ruled and gouerned: concerning his manhood, the onelyonly Dearling of his Father, in whom is all his ioy. Now Sir, what a louelove is this? that this God which néedeth nothing, would giuegive wholy his owne ſelfe to thée his enemie, wreaking his wrath vponupon him ſelfe, in this his Sonne: as a man may ſay, to ſpare thée, to ſaue thée, to winne thée, to buie thée, to hauehave thée, to enioy thée for euer. Becauſe thy ſinne hath ſeparated thée from him, to the end thou mighteſt come eftſoones into his company againe, and therein remaine: hee himſelfe became, as a man would ſay, a ſinner, or rather ſinne it ſelfe, euen a malediction or curſe: that wée ſinners, wee accurſed by our ſinne, might by his oblation or offering for our ſinnes, by his curſe, be deliuered from ſinne, and from malediction. For by ſinne, hee deſtroyed ſinne, killing Death, Sathan, and Sinne, by their owne weapons, and that for thée and mee (man) if wee caſt it not away by vnbeleefe. Oh wonderfull louelove of God. Who euer heard of ſuch a louelove? the Father of Heauen for vsus his enemies, to giuegive his owne deare Sonne, Ieſus Chriſt, and that not onelyonly to bee our Brother, to dwell among vsus, but alſo, to the death of the Croſſe for vsus? Oh wonderfull louelove of Chriſt to vsus all, that was content and willing to worke this feate for vsus. Was there any louelove like to this louelove?
God in déede hath commended his charitie and louelove to vsus heerein, that when wee were very enemies vntounto him, hee would giuegive his owne Sonne for vsus. That wee béeing men, might become, as you would ſay, Gods, God would become man. That wee beeing mortall, might become immortall, the immortall God would become mortall man. That we earthly wretches might be Citizens of Heauen, the Lord of Heauen would become, as a man would ſay, earthly. That wee beeing accurſed, might be bleſſed, God would bee accurſed. That wee, by our father Adam, beeing brought out of Paradiſe, into the puddle of all paine, might be redeemed, and brought into Paradiſe againe, God would bee our Father, and an Adam thereunto. That we hauing nothing, might hauehave all things, God hauing all things, would hauehave no thing. That wee beeing vaſſailes, and ſlaues to all, euen to Sathan the Fiend. might be Lords of all, and of Sathan: the Lord of all would become a vaſſaile, and a ſlaue to vsus all, and in danger of Sathan. Oh louelove incomprehenſible. Who can otherwiſe thinke now, but if the gracious good Lorde diſdayned not to giuegive his owne Sonne, his owne hearts ioy, for vsus his very enemies, before wée thought to begge any ſuch thing at his hands, yea, before we were? who, I ſay, can thinke otherwiſe, but that with him, hee will giuegive vsus all good things? If when we hated him, and fled away from him, he ſent his Sonne to ſéeke vsus: who can thinke otherwiſe, then that now wee louing him, and lamenting, becauſe we louelove him no more, but that he wil for euer louelove vsus? He that giueth the more to his enemies, wil not hée giuegive the leſſe, trow you, to his friends? God hath giuen his owne Sonne, then which thing nothing is greater, to vsus his enemies: and wee now béeing become his friends, will he deny vsus faith, and pardon of our ſins? which though they bee great, yet in compariſon they are nothing at all. Chriſt Ieſus would giuegive his owne ſelfe for vsus, when wee willed it not: and will he now deny vsus faith, if we will it? This will is his earneſt, that hee hath giuen vsus truely to looke indéed, for the thing willed. And looke thou for it in déed: for as he hath giuen thee to will, ſo will he giuegive thée to doe.
Ieſus Chriſt gaue his life for our euils, and by his death he deliuered vsus. O then, in that hee liueth now, and can not die, will he forſake vsus? His heart bloud was not too deare for vsus, when we aſked it not: what can then bee now too deare for vsus, aſking it? Is he a changeling? Is he mutable as man is? Can hee repent him of his gifts? Did he not foreſée our falles? Payd not he therefore the price? Becauſe hee ſaw wee ſhould fall ſore, therefore would hee ſuffer ſore. Yea, if his ſuffering had not béene enough, he would yet once more come again. God the Father, I am ſure, if the death of his Sonne incarnate, would not ſerue, would himſelfe and the holy Ghoſt alſo become incarnate and die for vsus.
This death of Chriſt therefore looke on, as the very pledge of Gods louelove towards thée, whoſoeuer thou art, how deepe ſoeuer thou haſt ſinned. See, Gods hands are nayled, they cannot ſtrike thee: his feete alſo, he cannot runne from thee: his armes are wide open to embrace thee: his head hangs duplicate page duplicate page downe to kiſſe thee, his very heart is open, ſo that therein ſee, toote, looke, ſpie, peepe, and thou ſhalt ſee nothing therein, but louelove, louelove, louelove, louelove to thee: hyde thee therefore, lay thy head there with the Euangeliſt.
This is the clift of the Rocke wherein Helias ſtood. This is the pillow of downe for all aking heads.
Anoint thy head with this oyle: let this oyntment enbaulme thy head, and waſh thy face.
Tarie thou heere, and cocke ſure thou art, I warrant thee. Say with Paul, What can ſeparate me from the louelove of God? Can death, can pouertie, ſickeneſſe, hunger or any miſerie, perſwade thee now, that God loueth thee not? Nay, nothing can ſeparate thee from the louelove wherewith God hath loued thee in Chriſt Ieſus: whom he loueth, he loueth to the end. So that now where aboundance of ſinne hath beene in thee, the more is the aboundance of grace. But to what end? Forſooth, that as ſinne hath raigned to death, as thou ſéeeſt, to the killing of Gods Sonne: ſo now Grace muſt raigne to Life, to the honouring of Gods Sonne, who is now aliue, and can not die any more.
So that they which by faith féele this, cannot any more die to God, but to ſinne, whereto they are dead and buried with Chriſt.
As Chriſt therefore liueth, ſo doe they, and that to God, to righteouſneſſe and holineſſe. The life which they liue, is In fide Filii Dei: In the faith of the Sonne of God. Whereby you ſée, that now I am ſlipt into that, which I made the third part of penance, namely, newneſſe of life, which I could not ſo hauehave done, if that it were a part of it ſelfe indéed, as it is an effect or fruit of the ſecond part, that is, of faith, or truſt in Gods merciemercy. For he that beléeueth, that is, is certainely perſwaded, ſinne to be ſuch a thing, that it is the cauſe of all miſerie, and of it ſelfe ſo greatly angereth God, that in heauen nor in earth, nothing could appeaſe his wrath, ſaue alonely the death and precious bloodſhedding of the Sonne of GOD, in whom is all the delight and pleaſure of the Father: hee, I ſay, that is perſwaded thus of ſinne, the ſame cannot but in heart abhorre and quake, to doe or ſay, yea, to thinke any thing willingly, which Gods Law teacheth him to bee ſinne.
Againe, hee that beléeueth, that is, is certainely perſwaded, Gods louelove to bée ſo much towards him, that where through ſinne he was loſt, and made a firebrand of hell, the eternall father of mercy, which is the omni-ſufficient God, & néedeth nothing to vsus, or of any thing that we can doe, to deliuer vsus out of hell, and to bring vsus into heauen, did ſend euen his owne moſt déere Sonne out of his boſome, out of heauen into hell, as a man would ſay, to bring vsus, as I ſaid, from thence into his owne boſome and merciemercy, wee béeing his very enemies: hee, I ſay, that is thus perſwaded of Gods louelove towards him, and of the price of his redemption, by the deare bloud of the Lambe immaculate, Ieſus Chriſt, the ſame man cannot but louelove God againe, and of louelove doe that, and heartily deſire to doe better, the which might pleaſe God.
Trow you, that ſuch a one, knowing this geare by faith, will willingly welter and wallow in his wilfull luſts, pleaſures and fantaſies? Will ſuch a one, as knoweth by faith, Chriſt Ieſus to hauehave giuen his bloud to waſh him from his ſinnes, play the Sow, to welter in his puddle of filthie ſinne and vice againe? Nay, rather then he will be defiled againe by wilful ſinning, he will waſh often the féet of his affections, watching ouer the vice ſtill ſticking in him, which as a ſpring, continually ſendeth out poyſon enough, to drowne and defile him, if the ſwéete water of Chriſtes paſſion in Gods ſight, did not waſh it, and his bloud ſatiſfie the rigour of Gods iuſtice, due for the ſame.
This bloud of Chriſt ſhed for our ſinnes, is ſo deare in the ſight of him that beléeueth, that he will abhorre in his heart, to ſtampe it, and tread it vnderunder his féete. He knoweth now by his beléefe, that it is too much, that hitherto he hath ſet too little by it, and is aſhamed thereof. Therefore, for the reſidue of his life, hée purpoſeth to take better héed to himſelfe, then before hee did. Becauſe hée ſéeeth by his faith, the grieuouſneſſe of GODS anger, the fouleneſſe of ſinne, the greatneſſe of Gods merciemercy, and of Chriſts louelove towards him, hée will now bee héedie to pray to GOD to giuegive him his grace accordingly, that as with his eyes, tongue, hands, féet, &c. hée hath diſpleaſed God, doing his owne will: euen ſo now with the ſame eyes, tongue, eares, hands, féete, &c. hee may diſpleaſe his owne ſelfe, and doe Gods will: Willingly will he not doe that which might renew the death of the Sonne of God. Hée knoweth he hath too much ſinne, vnwillingly in him, ſo that thereto hee will not adde willing offences.
This willing and witting offending and ſinning, whoſoeuer doth flatter himſelfe therein, doth euidently demonſtrate and ſhew, that hee neuer yet indéed taſted of Chriſt truely. Hee was neuer truely perſwaded, or beléeued, how foule a thing ſinne is, how grieuous a thing Gods anger is, how ioyfull and precious a thing, Gods merciemercy in Chriſt is, how excéeding broad, wide, hie and déepe, Chriſts louelove is: Perchance he can write, prate, talke, and preach of this geare: but yet he in part by faith, neuer felt this geare.
For if hee did once féele this geare indéed, then would he bée ſo farre from continuing in ſinne, willingly and wittingly, that wholy and heartily hee would giuegive ouer himſelfe to that which is contrary, I meane, anew to life, renewing his youth, euen as the Eagle doth.
For as we, béeing in the ſeruitude of ſin, demonſtrate our ſeruice, by giuing ouer our members to the obeying of ſinne, from iniquitie to iniquitie: euen ſo, we béeing made frée from ſinne, by faith in Ieſus Chriſt, and endued with Gods ſpirit, a ſpirit of libertie, muſt néeds demonſtrate this fréedome and libertie, by giuing ouer our members to the obedience of the ſpirit: by the which we are lead and guided from vertue to vertue, and all kind of holines. As the vnbeléeuers declare their vnbeléefe, by the woorking of the euill ſpirit in them, outwardly the fruits of the fleſh: euen ſo the beléeuers declare their faith, by the working of Gods good ſpirit in them outwardly the fruits of the ſpirit. For as the Deuill is not dead in thoſe which are his, but worketh ſtill to their damnation: ſo is not God dead in them which bee his, but worketh ſtill to their ſaluation. The which working is not the cauſe of the one or the other béeing in any, but onelyonly a demonſtration, a ſigne, a fruit of the ſame: As the Apple is not the cauſe of the Apple tree, but a fruit of it.
Thus then you ſée briefly, that newnes of life, is not in déed a part of penance, but a fruit of it, a demonſtration of the iuſtifying faith, a ſigne of Gods good ſpirit poſſeſſing the heart of the penitent: as the old life is a fruite of impenitencie, a demonſtration of a lip-faith, or vnbeliefe, a ſigne of Sathans ſpirit, poſſeſſing the heart of the impenitent, which all thoſe be, that bee not penitent.
For meane I know none: He that is not penitent, the ſame is impenitent: hee that is not gouerned by Gods ſpirit, the ſame is gouerned by Sathans ſpirit. For all that bée Chriſtians, are gouerned with the ſpirit of Chriſt, which ſpirit hath his fruits. All other that bee not Chriſts, are the Deuils. Hee that gathereth not with Chriſt, ſcattereth abroad.
Therefore, dearely beloued, I beſéech you to conſider this geare, and deceyue not your ſelues. If you bee not Chriſts, then pertayne you to the Deuill: of which thing the fruits of the fleſh doth aſſure you, as whoredome, adulterie, vncleanneſſe, wantonneſſe, Idolatry, witchcraft, enuy, ſtrife, contention, wrath, ſedition, murther, drunkenneſſe, gluttony, blaſphemy, ſlothfulneſſe, idleneſſe, bawdy talking, ſlaundering, &c. If theſe Apples grow out of the Apple trées of your hearts, ſurely, ſurely, the Deuill is at Inne with you, you are his birds: whom when he hath well fed, he wil broache you and eate you, chaw you and champe you, world without end, in eternall woe and miſerie. But I am otherwiſe perſwaded of you all. I truſt you bee all Chriſt Ieſus his people and children, yea, brethren, and by faith.
As ye ſee your ſinnes in Gods Law, and tremble, ſigh, ſorrow and ſob for the ſame: euen ſo you ſée his great mercies in his Goſpell and frée promiſes, and therefore are glad, merrie and ioyfull, for that you are accepted into Gods fauour, hauehave your ſins pardoned, and are endued with the good ſpirit of God, euen the ſeale and ſigne Manuel of your election in Chriſt before the beginning of the world.
The which ſpirit, for that he is the ſpirit of life, giuen to you, to worke in you, with you, and by you héere in this life, ſatiſfaction and holineſſe, whereunto you are called, that yée might be holy, euen as your heauenly Father is holy: I beſéech you all by admonition and warning of you, that you would ſtirre vp the gifts of God, giuen to you generally and particularly, to the edifying of his Church: that is, I pray you, that you would not moleſt the good ſpirit of God, by rebelling againſt it, when it prouoketh and calleth you to goe on forwards, that the which is holy, might yet be more holy, hee which is righteous, might bee more righteous, as the euill ſpirit moueth and ſtirreth vp the filthy to be yet more filthy, the couetous, to be more couetous, the wicked, to be more wicked.
Declare you now your repentance, by works of repentance. Bring forth fruits, and worthy fruits.
Let your ſorrowing for your euils, demonſtrate it ſelfe, departing from the euils you hauehave vſed.
Let your certaintie of pardon of your ſinnes through Chriſt, and your ioy in him bee demonſtrated, by purſuing of the good things which Gods word teacheth you. You are now in Chriſt Ieſus, Gods workmanſhip, to doe good works which God hath prepared for you to walke in.
For the grace of God that bringeth ſaluation vntounto all men, hath appeared, and teacheth vsus, that wee ſhould deny vngodlineſſe and worldly luſts, and that we ſhould liue ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world, looking for that bleſſed hope and glorious appearing of the mighty God, and of our Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, which gaue himſelfe for vsus, to redéeme vsus from al vnrighteouſneſſe, and to purge vsus a peculiar people vntounto himſelfe, feruently giuen vntounto good works.
Againe, Titus 3. For we ourſelues alſo were in times paſt vnwiſe, diſobedient, deceiued, ſeruing luſts, and diuers pleaſures, liuing in maliciouſneſſe and enuy, full of hate, and hating one another. But after that the kindneſſe and louelove of God our Sauiour to manward appeared, not by the déeds of righteouſneſſe which wee wrought, but of his merciemercy he ſaued vsus by the fountaine of the new birth, and with the renewing of the holy Ghoſt, which he ſhedde on vsus aboundantly through Ieſus Chriſt our ſauiour, yt wee once iuſtified by his grace, ſhould be heires of eternall life through hope. This is a true ſaying. But I will make an end, for I am too tedious.
Dearely beloued, repent your ſinnes, that is, be ſorie for that which is paſt, beléeue in Gods merciemercy for pardon, how déepely ſoeuer you hauehave ſinned, and both purpoſe and earneſtly peruſe a new life, bringing forth worthy and true fruits of repentance. As you hauehave giuen ouer your members from ſinne to ſinne, to ſerue the Deuill, your tongues to ſweare, to lie, to flatter, to ſcold, to ieſt, to ſcoffe, to baudie talke, to vaine iangling, to boaſting, &c. Your hands to picking, groping, idleneſſe, fighting, &c. Your féete to ſkipping, going to euill, to dancing, &c. Your eares to heare fables, lyes, vanities, and euill things, &c. So now, giuegive ouer your members to godlineſſe, your tongues to ſpeake, your eares to heare, your eyes to ſée, your mouthes to taſte, your hands to worke, your féete to go about ſuch things as may make to Gods glory, ſobrietie of life, and louelove to your brethren, and that dayly more and more, diligently: for in a ſtay to ſtand you cannot, eyther better or worſe you are to day, then you were yeſterday. But better I truſt you bee, and will be, if you marke well my Theame, that is, Repent you. The which thing that you would doe, as before I hauehave humbly beſought you: euen ſo now yet once more I doe againe beſeech you, and that for the mercies of God in Chriſt Ieſus our Lord: Repent you, repent you, for the kingdome of heauen (that is, a kingdome full of all riches, pleaſures, mirth, beautie, ſwéetneſſe, and eternall felicitie) is at hand. The eye hath not ſéene the like, the eare hath not heard the like, the heart of man cannot conceyue the treaſures and pleaſures of this kingdome, which now is at hand to ſuch as repent, that is, to ſuch as are ſorie for their ſinnes, beléeue Gods merciemercy through Chriſt, and earneſtly purpoſe to leade a new life. The God of merciemercy, through Chriſt his Sonne, graunt vsus his holy ſpirit, and woorke in our hearts this ſorrow, faith, and new life, which through his grace I hauehave ſpoken of, both now and for euer. Amen.