TO a discourse upon these words, I cannot think of any fitter introduction, then that where­with our Saviour someime began a Sermon of his, This day is this Scripture fulfilled. And I would to God there were not great occasi­on to feare that a great part of it may be ful­filled in this place.

Two things are contained in it: First, the reall wicked­nesse of the generality of the men of the latter times, in the foure first verses. For by men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, &c. I conceive is meant, men generally shall be so, otherwise this were nothing peculiar to the last, but common to all times, for in all times some, nay many have been lovers of themselves, covetous, boast­ers, proud, &c. Secondly, we have here the formall and hypocriticall godlinesse of the same times, in the last verse, having a forme of godlinesse, but denying the power there­of; [Page 2] which latter ordinarily and naturally accompanies the former. For as the shadowes are longest when the Sunne is lowest, and as vines and other fruit trees beare the lesse fruit, when they are suffered to luxuriate and spend their sap upon superfluous suckers, and abundance of leaves: So commonly we may observe both in Civill conversati­on, where there is great store of formality, there is little sincerity: and in Religion, where there is a decay of true and cordiall piety, there men entertaine and please them­selves, and vainly hope to please God with externall for­malities, and performances, and great store of that righte­ousnesse for which Christ shall judge the world.

It were no difficult matter to shew that the truth of Saint Pauls prediction is by experience justified in both parts of it, but my purpose is to restraine my selfe to the latter, and to endeavour to cleare unto you, that that in our times is generally accomplished: That almost in all places the po­wer of Godlinesse is decayed and vanished, the forme and profession of it onely remaining: That the spirit, and soule, and life of Religion, is for the most part gone, onely the outward body or carcase, or rather the picture or shadow of it, being left behind: This is the Doctrine which at this time I shall deliver to you, and the use, which I desire most heartily you should make of it, is this. To take care that you confute, so farre as it concernes your particulars, what I feare I shall prove too true in the generall.

To come then to our businesse without further comple­ment, let us examine our wayes, and consider impartially what the Religion of most men is.

We are baptized in our infancy, that is, as I conceive, dedicated and devoted to Gods service, by our Parents and the Church, as young Samuel was by his mother Anna, and there we take a solemne vow, To forsake the Devill and all his workes, the vaine pompe and glory of the world, with all the [Page 3] covetous desires of it, to forsake also all the carnall desires of the flesh, and not to follow nor be led by them. This vow we take when we be children and understand it not: and how ma­ny are there who know, and consider, and regard what they have vowed, when they are become men, almost as little as they did being children? consider the lives, and publique Actions of most men of all conditions in Court, City, and Country, and then deny it if you can, that those three things which we have renounced in our baptisme, the profits, ho­nours, and pleasures of the world, are not the very gods which divide the world amongst them, are not served more devoutly, confided in more heartily, loved more affectio­nately, then the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost, in whose name we are baptized: deny if you can the daily and constant imployment of all men, to be either a violent prosecution of the vaine pompe and glory of the world, or of the power, riches, and contemptible profits of it, or of the moment any or unsatisfying pleasures of the flesh, or else of the more diabolicall humours of pride, malice, revenge, and such like: and yet with this empty forme we please and satisfie our selves, as well as if we were lively borne againe by the Spirit of God, not knowing, or not regarding what Saint Peter hath taught us, That the Baptisme which must save us, is, Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, 1 Pet. 3 21 but the answer of a good conscience unto God.

When wee are come to yeeres capable of instruction, many, which is lamentable to consider, are so little regard­ed by themselves or others, that they continue little better then Pagans in a Common-wealth of Christians, and know little more of God or of Christ, then if they had beene bred in the Indies. A lamentable case, and which will one day lye heavie upon their account, which might have a­mended it and did not. But many I confesse are taught to act over this play of Religion, and learned to say, Our Fa­ther which art in Heaven; and, I beleeve in God the Father Al­mighty: [Page 4] but where are the men that live so, as if they beleeve in earnest, that God is their Almighty Father? where are they that feare him, and trust him, and de­pend upon him onely, for their whole happinesse, and love him, and obey him, as in reason we ought to doe to an Almighty Father? who if he be our Father, and we be indeed his children, will do for us all the good he can; and if he be Almighty, can doe for us all the good he will; and yet how few are there, who love him with halfe that affe­ction as Children usually do their naturall Parents, or be­leeve him with halfe that simplicity, or serve him with halfe that diligence? And then for the Lords prayer, the plaine truth is, we lie unto God for the most part cleane through it, and for want of desiring indeed what in word we pray for, tell him to his face as many false tales as we make Petitions. For who shewes by his endeavours, that he desires heartily that Gods Name should be hallowed, that is, holily, and religiously worshipped and adored by all men? That his Kingdome should be advanced and inlarged? That his blessed will should be universally obeyed? Who shewes by his forsaking sinne, that he desires so much as he should do the forgivenesse of it? Nay, who doth not revenge upon all occasions, the affronts, contempts, and injuries put upon him, and so upon the matter curse himselfe, as oft as he sayes, Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that tres­passe against us? How few depend upon God onely for their dayly Bread, viz. the good things of this life, as upon the onely giver of them, so as neither to get nor keepe any of them, by any meanes which they know or feare to be offensive unto God? How few desire in earnest to avoyd temptation? Nay, who almost is there, that takes not the Devils office out of his hand, and is not himselfe a tempter both to himselfe and others? Lastly, who almost is there that desires heartily and above all things, so much as the thing deserves, to be delivered from the greatest evill, sinne, [Page 5] I meane, and the anger of God? Now beloved this is cer­taine, he that imployes not requisite industry, to obtaine what he pretends to desire, does not desire indeed, but on­ly pretends to do so: He that desires not what he prayes for, prayes with tongue onely, and not with his heart; in­deed does not pray to God, but play and dally with him. And yet this is all which men generally doe, and therefore herein also accomplish this prophecie, having a forme of godlinesse, but denying the power thereof.

And this were ill enough, were it in private, but we abuse God Almighty also with our publike and solemne formalities, we make the Church a Stage whereon to act our parts and play our pageants, there we make a professi­on every day of confessing our sinnes with humble, lowly, and obedient hearts, and yet when we have talked after this man­ner, 20. 30. 40. yeeres together, our hearts for the most part continue as proud, as impenitent, as disobedient, as they were in the beginning. We make great Protestations when we assemble and meet together to render thanks to God Al­mighty, for the benefit received at his hands; and if this were to be performed with words, with Hosanna's & Hallelujah's, and gloria patri's, and Psalmes and Hymnes, and such like outward matters, peradventure we should doe it very suffi­ciently: but in the meane time with our lives and actions, we provoke the Almighty, and that to his face, with all va­riety of grievous and bitter provocations; we doe dayly and hourely such things as we know, and he hath assured us to bee odious unto him, and contrary to his nature, as any thing in the world is to the nature of any man in the world; and all this upon poore, trifling, triviall, no temptations. If a man whom you had dealt well with, should deale so with you, one whom ye had redeemed from the Turkish slavery, and instated in some indifferent good inheritance, should make you fine speeches, enter­taine you with Panegyricks, and have your praises al­wayes [Page 6] in his mouth, but all this while doe nothing that pleases you, but upon all occasions, put all affronts and in­dignities upon you, would you say this were a thankfull man? Nay would you not make heaven and earth to ring of his unthankfulnesse, and detest him almost as much for his faire speeches, as his foule actions? Beloved, such is our un­thankfulnesse to our God and Creatour, to our Lord and Saviour; Mat. 21 9. M rk 15.13.14. our tongues ingeminate, and cry aloud, Hosanna, Hosanna, but the lowder voice of our lives and actions is crucifie him, crucifie him: We Court God Almighty, and complement with him, and professe to esteeme his service perfect freedome, but if any thing be to be done, much more if any thing be to be suffered for him, here we leave him, we bow the knee before him, and put a reed in his hand, and a Crowne upon his head, and cry, Haile King of the Iewes: But then with our Customary sinnes, we give him gall to eat, and vinegar to drinke, we thrust a speare in his side, naile him to the Crosse, and Crucifie to our selves the Lord of Glory. This is not the Office of a friend to be­waile a dead friend with vaine lamentation. Sed quae volu­erit meminisse, quae mandaverit exequi, to remember what he desires, and execute what he commands; so said a dying Roman to his friend, and so say I to you, To bee thankfull to God is not to say, God be praised, or, God be thanked, but to remember what hee desires, and execute what hee commands, to bee thankfull to God is certainly to love him, and to love him is to keepe his Commandements, so saith our Saviour, Ioh. 19. If ye love me keepe my Commande­ments: If we doe so, we may justly pretend to thankful­nesse, which beleeve me is not a word, nor to be perfor­med with words: But if wee doe not so, as generally we doe not, our talke of thankfulnesse is nothing else but meere talke, and we accomplish Saint Pauls prophecy herein also: Having a forme of thankfulnesse, but not the reality, not the power of it.

If I should reckon up unto you, how many direct lies eve­ry wicked man tells God Almighty as often as he sayes A­men, to this forme of godlinesse, which our Church hath pre­scribed. If I should present unto you all our acting of piety, and playing of humiliation, and personating of devotion in the Psalmes, the Letanies, the Collects, and generally in the whole service, I should be infinite: And therefore I have thought good to draw a vaile over a great part of our hypo­crisie, and to restraine the remainder of our discourse to the contrariety between our profession and performance, only in two things; I meane Faith and Repentance.

And first for Faith, We professe, and indeed generally, be­cause it is not safe to do otherwise, that we believe the Scrip­ture to be true, and that it containes the plaine and onely way to infinite and eternall happinesse: But if we did gene­rally beleeve what we doe professe, if this were the language of our hearts as well as our tongues, how comes it to passe that the study of it is so generally neglected?

Let a book that treats of the Philosophers stone, promise never so many mountains of gold, and even the restoring of the golden age againe, yet were it no marvaile if few should study it, and the reason is, because few would beleeve it. But if there were a book extant, and ordinary to be had, as the Bible is, which men did generally beleeve to contain a plain, and easie way for all men to become rich, & to live in health and pleasure, and this worlds happinesse, can any man ima­gine that this book would be unstudied by any man? And why then should I not beleeve, that if the Scripture were firmly and heartily believed, the certaine and onely way to happinesse which is perfect and eternall, it would be studied by all men, with all diligence? Seeing therefore most Christi­ans are so cold and negligent in the study of it, prefer all o­ther businesse, all other pleasures before it, is there not great reason to feare, that many who pretend to beleeve it firmely, beleeve it not at all, or very weakly and faintly? If the Ge­nerall [Page 8] of an Army, or an Embassadour to some Prince or State were assured by the King his Master, that the trans­gressing any poynt of his Commission should cost him his life, and the exact performance of it be recompenced with as high a reward as were in the Kings power to bestow upon him: can it be imagined that any man who believes this, and is in his right mind, can be so supinely and stupidly negli­gent of this charge, which so much imports him, as to over­see through want of care any one necessarie article or part of his commission: especially if it be delivered to him in wri­ting, and at his pleasure to peruse it every day? Certainly this absurd negligence is a thing without example, and such as peradventure will never happen to any sober man to the worlds end: and by the same reason, if we were firmely per­swaded that this book doth indeed contain that charge and commission, which infinitely more concerns us, it were not in reason possible, but that to such a perswasion, our care & diligence about it, should be in some measure answerable: seeing therefore most of us are so strangely carelesse, so grossely negligent of it, is there not great reason to feare, that though we have professors and protestors in abundance, yet the faithfull, the truely and sincerely faithfull are in a manner failed from the children of men. What but this can be the cause that men are so commonly ignorant of so many articles, and particular mandates of it, which yet are as ma­nifest in it as if they were written with the beams of the Sun? For example; how few of our Ladies and Gentlewomen do or will understand, that a voluptuous life, is damnable and prohibited to them? [...] Tim. 5.6. Yet Saint Paul saith so very plainely; She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. I beleeve this case divinely regards not the Sex; he would say, He well as She, if there had bin occasion. How few of the gallants of our time doe or will understand, that it is not lawfull for them to be as expensive and costly in apparell, as their meanes or perhaps their credit will extend unto? which is to sacrifice [Page 9] unto vanitie, that which by the Law of Christ is due unto Charity; and yet the same Saint Paul forbids plainely this excesse even to women— also let women (he would have said it much rather to the men) array themselves in comely apparell, 1 Tim. 2. [...]. with shamefastnesse and modestie, not with embroidered haire, or gold, or pearles, or costly apparell; and to make our ignorance the more inexcuable, the very same rule is delivered by Saint Peter also, 1 Epist. 3, 3.

How few rich men are or will be perswaded that the Law of Christ permits them not to heape up riches for ever, nor perpetually to adde house to house, and land to land, though by lawfull meanes, but requires of them thus much charitie at least, that ever while they are providing for their Wives and Children, they should out of the increase, wherewith God blesseth their industrie, allot the poore a just and free proportion? and when they have provided for them in a convenient manner, (such as they themselves shall judge suf­ficient and convenient in others) that then they should give over making purchase after purchase, but with the surplus­sage of their revenue beyond their expence, procure as much as lyes in them, that no Christian remaine miserably poore: few rich men I feare are or will be thus perswaded; and their daily actions shew as much; yet undoubtedly, Mat. 19.19. either our Sa­viours generall command, of loving our neighbours as our selves, which can hardly consist with our keeping vainely, or spend­ing vainly what he wants for his ordinary subsistence, layes upon us a necessity of this high liberality, or his speciall command concerning this matter, Mat. 19.2 [...]. Quod superest date pauperi­bus, that which remaines give to the poore, or that which S. Iohn saith, 1 Epist. 3, 17. reacheth home unto it, Whosoever hath this worlds good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up the bowells of his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Which is in effect, as if he had said— He that kee­peth from any brother in Christ that which his brother wants, and he wants not, doth but vainely thinke that he [Page 10] loves God, and therefore vainely hope that God loves him.

Where almost are the men that are or will be perswaded the Gospell of Christ requires of men Humilitie, like to that of little Children, and that under the highest paine of damna­tion? That is, that we should no more over-value our selves, or desire to be highly esteemed by others, no more under­value, scorn, or despise others, no more affect pre-eminence over others, then little children doe, before we have put that pride into them, which afterwards we charge wholy upon their naturall corruption▪ and yet our blessed Saviour re­quires nothing more Rigidly, nor more plainly then this high degree of humility; Mat. 18, [...]. verily, saith he, I say unto you, he speakes to his disciples affecting high places, and demand­ing which of them should be greatest, except ye be converted and become as little Children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven.

Would it not be strange newes to a great many, that not onely adultery and fornication, but even uncleanenesse and lasciviousnesse; not onely idolatry, and witchcraft, but hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, and contentions, not onely mur­thers, but envying: not drunkennesse only, but revelling, are things prohibited to Christians, and such as if we forsake them not, we cannot inherit the Kingdome of Heaven? and yet these things, as strange as they may seeme, are plainely written; some of them by S. Peter, 1 Epist. 4. chap. But all of them by S. Paul, Gal. 5, 15. Now the workes of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanenesse, lasciviousnesse, &c. of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in times past, that they who doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God.

If I should tell you that al bitternesse and evill speaking (nay such is the modesty and gravity which Christianity requires of us) foolish talke and jesting are things not allowed to Christians, would not many cry out these are hard and strange sayings, who can heare them? and yet as strange as [Page 11] they may seeme, they have beene written well nigh 1600 yeares, and are yet extant in very legible Characters in the Epistle to the Eph. the end of the 4. and the beginning of the 5 chap.

To come a little nearer to the businesse of our times, the chiefe Actors in this bloudy Tragedy, which is now upon the Stage, who have robb'd our Soveraign Lord the King of his Forts, Townes, Treasure, Ammunition, Houses, of the Persons of many of his Subjects, and (as much as lyes in them) of the hearts of all of them: Is it credible that they know and remember and consider the example of David re­corded for their instruction, 1 Sam. 24, 11. Whose heart smote him when he had but cut off the hemme of Sauls garment?

They that make no scruple at all of fighting with His Sa­cred Majesty, and shooting Musquets and Ordnance at Him (which sure have not the skill, to choose a Subject from a King) to the extreame hazard of his Sacred Person, whom by all possible obligations they are bound to defend, do they know (think you) the generall rule without exception or li­mitation left by the Holy Ghost for our direction in all such cases, Who can lift up his hand against the Lords Anoynted, 1 Sam. 2 6 9. Prov. 24.21. and be innocent? or doe they consider his Command in the Proverbs of Solomon, My sonne feare God and the King, and meddle not with them that desire change? Eccles. 8.2. Or his councell in the Booke of Ecclesiastes, I councell thee to keepe the Kings Comman­dement, and that in regard of the Oath of God? or because they possibly may pretend that they are exempted from, or un­concerned in the commands of obedience delivered in the Old Testament, doe they know and remember the precept given to all Christians by S. Peter, 1 Pet, 2, 13 Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man, for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King as Supreame, or unto Governors, as unto them that are sent by him? or that terrible sanction of the same command, Rom. 13, 2. They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation, left us by St. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, who then were the miserable Subjects [Page 12] of the worst King, the worst man, nay, I think I may adde truly, the worst beast in the world, that so all rebells mouths might be stopt for ever, and left without all colour or pre­tence whatsoever to justifie resistance of Soveraign power. Undoubtedly if they did know and consider and lay close to their hearts, these places of Scripture, or the fearefull judg­ment which befell Cora [...], Numb. 16.32. Dathan, and Ab [...]ram, for this very sinne which now they commit and with a high hand still proceed in, it would be impossible but their hearts should smite them, as Davids did, upon an infinitely lesse occasion, and affright them out of those wayes of present confusion, and eternall damnation. And then on the other side they that maintain the Kings righteous cause with the hazard of their lives and fortunes; but by their oathes and curses, by their drunkennesse, and debauchery, by their irreligion and prophannesse, fight more powerfully against their partie, then by all other meanes they doe or can fight for it, are not I feare very well acquainted with any part of the Bible; but that strict caution which properly concerns themselves in the booke of Deut. 23.9. I much doubt they have scarce ever heard of it, When thou goest to Wars with thine Enemies, then take heed there be no wicked thing in thee, not only no wickednesse in the cause thou maintainest, nor no wickednesse in the means by which thou maintainest it, but no personall impieties in the persons that maintaine it. Beloved for the former two, we have reason to be full of comfort and confidence; For what is our cause? What is that which you fight, and we pray for? but to deliver the King and all his good Sub­jects out of the power of their Enemies, who will have no peace but with their slaves and vassalls? and for the meanes by which it is maintained, it is not by lying, it is not by calumnies, it is not by running first our selves, and then forceing the people to universall perjury; but by a just war, because necessary, and by as faire and mercifull a Warre as if they were not Rebells and Traitors you fight against, [Page 13] but Competitors in a doubtfull Title. But now for the third part of the caution, that, to deale ingenuously with you, and to deliver my owne soule, If I cannot other mens, that I cannot think of with halfe so much comfort as the former; but seeing so many Ionasses imbarqued in the same ship, the same cause with us, and so many Achan's entering into Battel with us against the Canaanites, seeing Publicans and sinners on the one side, against Scribes and Pharisees on the other; on the one side Hypocrisy, on the other pro­phannesse, no honesty nor justice on the one side, and very little piety on the other; On the one side horrible oathes, curses, and blasphemies; On the other pestilent lyes, ca­lumnies, and perjury: When I see amongst them the pre­tence of reformation, if not the desire, pursued by Anti­christian, Mahumetan, devillish meanes; and amongst us little or no zeale for reformation of what is indeed amisse, little or no care to remove the cause of Gods anger towards us, by just, lawfull, and Christian meanes; I professe plainly I cannot without trembling consider what is likely to be the event of these distractions; I cannot but feare that the good­nesse of our cause may sinke under the burthen of our sinns: And that God in his justice, because we will not suffer his Judgements to acheive their prime scope and intention, which is our amendment and reformation, may either deli­ver us up to the blind zeale and fury of our Enemies; or else, which I rather feare, make us instruments of his justice each against other, and of our owne just and deserved confusion. This I professe plainly is my feare, and I would to God it were likewise the feare of every Souldier in His Majesties Army; but that which increaseth my feare is, that I see very many of them have very little or none at all: I meane not that they are fearelesse towards their Enemies, (that's our joy and Triumph) but that they shew their courage even a­gainst God, and feare not him, whom it is madnesse not to feare. Now from whence can their not fearing him proceed; [Page 14] but from their not knowing him, their not knowing his will and their owne duty? not knowing how highly it concerns Souldiers, above other professions to be religious, and then if ever when they are engaged in dangerous adventures, and every moment have their lives in their hands, When they goe to Warre with their Enemies, then to take heed there be no wicked thing in them.

You see, beloved, how many instances and examples I have given you of our grosse ignorance of what is necessary and easie for us to know, and to these it were no difficult matter to adde more. Now from whence can this ignorance proceed, but from supine negligence? and from whence this negligence, but from our not believing what we pretend to believe? For did we believe firmly and heartily, that this Booke were given us by God for the rule of our Actions, and that obedience to it were the certaine and only way to eternall happinesse, it were impossible we should be such e­nemies to our selves, such Traytors to our owne soules, as not to search it at least with so much diligence, that no ne­cessary point of our duty plainly taught in it could possi­bly escape us. But it is certain, and apparent to all the world, that the greatest part of Christians, through grosse and wilfull negligence remaine utterly ignorant of many necessary points of their duty to God, and man: and there­fore it is much to be feared, that this booke, and the Reli­gion of Christ contained in it, among an infinite of profes­sours, labours with great penury of true beleivers.

It were an easie matter (if the time would permit) to present unto you many other demonstrations of the same conclusion; but to this drawn from our willing ignorance of that which is easie and necessary for us to know, I will content my self to adde only one more taken from our vo­luntary and presumptuous neglect to doe those things which we know and acknowledge to be necessary.

If a man should say unto me that it concerns him as much [Page 15] as his life is worth, to goe presently to such a place, and that he knowes but one way to it, and I should see him stand still or goe some other way, had I any reason to believe that this man believes himselfe? Quid verba audiam, cum facta videam? saith he in the Comedy. Potestatio contra factum non valet, saith the Law: and why should I believe, that, that man believes obedience to Christ the onely way to present and eternall happinesse, when I see wittingly, and willingly and constantly, and customarily to disobey him? The time was that we all knew that the King could reward those that did him service, and punish those that did dis-service, and then all men were ready to obey his commands, and he was a rare man that durst doe any thing to his face that offended him. Beloved, if we did but believe in God, so much as most subjects doe in their King, did we as verily believe, that God could and would make us perfectly happy if wee serve him, though all the world conspire to make us mise­rable, and that he could and would make us miserable if wee serve him not, though al the world should conspire to make us happy, how were it possible that to such a faith our lives should not be comformable? Who was there ever so madly in love with a present penny, as to run the least hazard of the losse of 10000 li. a yeare to gaine it, or not readily to part with it upon any probable hope or light perswasion, much more a firme beliefe that by doing so he should gaine 100000 li. Now beloved, the happinesse which the servants of Christ are promised in the Scripture, wee all pretend to believe, that it exceedes the conjunction of all the good things of the world, and much more such a portion as wee may possibly enjoy, infinitely more then 10000 li. a yeare, or 100000 li. doth a penny, for 100000 li. is but a penny so many times over, and 10000 li. a yeare is worth but a certaine number of pence; but betweene Heaven and Earth, betweene finite and infinite, betweene Eternity and a moment, there is utterly no proportion, and therefore see­ing [Page 16] we are so apt upon trifling occasions, to hazard this Heaven for this Earth, this infinite for this finite, this all for this nothing; is it not much to be feared, that though many of us pretend too much faith, we have indeed very lit­tle or none at al? The sum of all which hath bin spoken con­cerning this point is this. Were we firmely perswaded that obedience to the Gospell of Christ, is the true and onely way to present and eternall happinesse (without which faith no man living can be Justified) then the innate desire of our owne happinesse could not but make us studious inquirers of the will of Christ, and conscionable performers of it: but there are (as experience shewes) very few, who make it their care and businesse to know the will of Christ, and of those few againe, very many, who make no conscience at all of doing what they know; therfore though they professe & protest they have faith, yea their protestations are not to be regarded against their actions, but we may safely and reaso­nably conclude what was to be concluded, That the Do­ctrine of Christ amongst an infinite of professors labours with great scarcitie of true, and serious, and hearty belie­vers, and that herein also we accomplish St. Pauls predicti­on, having a forme of godlinesse, but denying the power &c.

But perhaps the truth and reality of our repentance may make some kind of satisfaction to God Almighty for our hypocriticall dallying with him in all the rest; truly I should be heartily glad it were so: but I am so farre from being of this faith, that herein I feare we are most of all hy­pocriticall, and that the generality of professors is so farre from a reall practice of true repentance, that scarce one it an hundred understands truely what it is.

Some satisfie themselves with a bare confession and ac­knowledgement, either that that they are sinners in general, or that they have committed such and such sinnes in parti­cular, which acknowledgement comes not yet from the heart of a great many, but only from their lips and tongues: [Page 17] For how many are there, that doe rather complaine and murmure that they are sinners, then acknowledge and con­fesse it? and make it upon the matter rather their unhappi­nesse and misfortune, then their true fault, that they are so? such are all they who impute all their commissions of e­vill to the unavoydable want of restraining grace, and all their omi on of good to the like want of effectuall exciting grace. All such as pretend that the Commandements of God are impossible to be kept any better then they are kept, and thus the world, the flesh, and the divell are even omni­potent enemies, and that God neither doth nor will give sufficient strength to resist and overcome them. All such as lay al their faults upon Adam & say with those rebellious Is­raelities (whom God assures that they neither had nor should have just reason to say so) That their Fathers had ea­ten sowre grapes, and their teeth were set on edge. Ezek. 18.2. Lastly all such as lay all their sinnes upon divine prescience, and prede­stination, saying with their tongues, O what wretched sinners have we beene; but in their hearts, how could we helpe it, we were predestinate to it, we could not doe otherwise?

All such as seriously so perswade themselves, and thinke to hide nakednesse with such fig-leaves as these, can no more be said to acknowledge themselves guilty of a fault, then a man that is borne blind or lame, with the stone or gout can accuse himselfe of any fault for being borne so; well may such a one complaine and bemoan himselfe, and say, O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this un­happinesse? But such a complaint is as farre from be­ing a true acknowledgement of any fault, as a bare acknowledgement of a fault is farre from true repen­tance: for to confesse a fault is to acknowledge that free­ly and willingly without any constraint, or unavoydable necessity, wee have transgressed the law of God, it being in our Power by Gods grace to have done other­wise.

To aggravate this fault, is to confesse we have done so when we might easily have avoyded it, and had no great nor violent temptation to it; to pretend any great difficultie in the matter is to excuse and extenuate it: but to say that all things considered, it was absolutely impossible for you to a­voyd it, is flatly to deny it. Others there are that think they have done enough, if to confession of sinne they adde some sorrow for it; if when the present fit of sin is past, and they are returned to themselves, the sting remaining breed som re­morse of conscience, some complaints against their wicked­nesse and folly for having done so, and some intentions to forsake it, though vanishing and ineffectuall. These heat-drops, this morning dew of sorrow, though it presently va­nish, and they return to their sin againe upon the next temp­tation, [...]. 2.22. as a dog to his vomit, when the pang is over; yet in the pauses betweene, while they are in their good mood, they conceive themselves to have very true, and very good repen­tance; so that if they should have the good fortune to be taken away in one of these Intervalla, one of these sober moods, they should certainly be saved; which is just as if a man in a quartane Ague, or the stone, or gout, should think himselfe rid of his disease, as oft as he is out of his fit.

But if repentance were no more but so; how could S. Paul have truely said, 1 Cor. 7.10. that godly sorrow worketh repentance? every man knowes that nothing can worke it selfe. The Architect is not the house which he builds, the Father is not the Son which he begets, the Tradesman is not the worke which be makes; and therefore if sorrow, godly sorrow, worketh re­pentance, 2 Cor. 7.1 [...]. certainly sorrow is not repentance: the same S. Paul tells us in the same place, that the sorrow of the world work­eth death, and you will give me leave to conclude from hence, therefore it is not death, and what shall hinder me from concluding thus also? Godly sorrow worketh repentance, therefore it is not repentance.

To this purpose it is worth the observing, that when the [Page 19] Scripture speakes of that kind of repentance, which is one­ly sorrow for something done, and wishing it undone, it constantly useth the word [...], to which forgivenesse of sinnes is no where promised. So it is written of Judas the son of perdition, Mat. 27, 5. [...], he repented and went and hanged himselfe, and so constantly in other places. But that repentance to which remission of sins and salvation is promised is perpetually expressed by the word [...], which signifies a through change of the heart and soule, of the life and actions, [...], Mat. 3, 2. which is rendred in our last translation, Repent for the King­dome of heaven is at hand: But much better, because freer from ambiguitie in the entrance to our Common Prayer Book. A­mend your lives, for the Kingdome of heaven is at hand. From whence by the way we may observe, that in the judgement of those holy and learned Martyrs, repentance and amendment of life are all one: And I would to God the same men, out of the same care of avoyding mistakes, and to take away oc­casion of cavilling our Liturgy from them that seeke it, and out of feare of encourageing carnall men to security in sin­ning, had beene so provident, as to set downe in termes the first sentence taken out of the 18 of Ezekiel, and not have put in the place of it an ambiguous, and (though not in it selfe, yet accidentally, by reason of the mistake to which it is subject,) I feare very often a pernitious paraphrase; for whereas thus they make it: At what time soever a Sinner doth repent him of his sins from the bottome of his heart, I will put out all his wickednesse out of my remembrance, saith the Lord; The plain truth, if you will heare it, is, the Lord doth not say so, these are not the very words of God, but the paraphrase of men: the words of God are as followeth— If the wicked turne from all the sins which he hath committed, and keepe all my statutes, Ezek. 18.21. and do that which is lawfull & right, he shall surely live, he shall not dye; where I hope you easily observe, that there is no such word as— At what time soever a sinner doth repent, &c. and that there [Page 20] is a wide difference betweene this (as the word repent usually sounds in the eares of the people) and turning from all sinnes, and keeping all Gods statutes, that indeed having no more in it but sorrow and good purposes, may be done easily and certainely at the last gaspe, and it is very strange that any Christian, who dyes in his right senses, and knowes the difference betweene heaven and hell, should faile of the performing it: but this worke of turning, keep­ing, and doing is (though not impossible by extraordinarie mercy to be performed at last) yet ordinarily a worke of time, a long and a laborious worke (but yet heaven is very well worth it) and if you meane to goe through with it, you had need goe about it presently. Yet seeing the Composers of our Liturgy thought fit to abreviate, Turning from all sinne, and keeping all Gods statutes, and doing that which is law­full and right, into this one word repenting, it is easie and ob­vious to collect from hence, as I did before, from the other place, that by repentance they understood not only sorrow for sinne, but conversion from it. The same word [...], Mat. 12, 42. is used in speaking of the the repentance of the Ninivites, and how reall, hearty, and effectuall a conversion that was, you may see Jonas 3, from the 5 to the last verse: The people of Ninive beleeved God, and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them to the least of them, for word came to the King of Ninive, and he arose from his throne, and he cast his Robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sate in ashes; and he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Ninive, by the decree of the King and of his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, heard, nor flock, taste any thing, let them not feed nor drinke water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God; yea let every one turne from his evill way, and from the violence which is in their hands; who can tell if God will turne and repent, and turne away his fierce anger that we perish not?

Which words containe an excellent and lively patterne [Page 21] for all true penitents to follow, and whereunto to conform themselves in their humiliation and repentance. Ionah 3, 4. And truly though there be no Ionas sent expressly from God to cry unto us, Yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be destroyed; yet seeing the mouth of eternall truth hath taught us, that a Kingdome divided is in such danger of ruine and destruction, that, morally speaking, if it continue divided it cannot stand, and seeing the strange and miserable condition of our Nati­on at this time, may give any considerable man just cause to feare, that as in Rehoboams case, so likewise in ours, 1 King 12, 24. The thing is of the Lord, intending to bring his heavy judgement upon us, for our great sinnes, and our stupid, and stupendious security in sinning, and to make us instruments of his de­signed vengeance, one upon another, peraduenture it would be a seasonable and necessary motion to be made to our King and his Nobles, to revive this old Proclamation of the King of Nineveh, and to send it with authority through His Majesties dominions, and to try whether it will produce some good effect: who can tell if God will turne and repent, and turne away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? Who can tell whether he that hath the hearts of King and people in his hand, and turneth them whithersoever he thinketh best, may not upon our repentance take our extreamity for his opportunity, Kuk. 19, 42. and at last open our eyes that we may see those things that belong to our peace, and shew us the way of Peace, which hitherto we have not known: but this by the way, for my purpose I observe that this repentance, which, when the sword of God was drawne, and his arme advanced for a blow, stayed his hand, and sheathed his sword againe, was not a meere sorrow for their sinnes, and a purpose to leave them, nay it was not only laying aside their gallantry and bravery, and putting on sack-cloath and sitting in ashes, and crying mightily unto God, of which yet we are come very short: but it was also and that chiefly, their uniuersall tur­ning from their evill way, which above all the rest was pre­valent [Page 22] and effectuall with God Almighty, for so it is writ­ten. And god saw their works that they turned from their evill way, [...]nah 3.10. and God repented him of the evill that he sayd he would doe, and he did it not.

In the gospell of S. Luke, cap. 24. The condition of the new Covenant, to which remission of sinnes is promised, is expressed by the word [...], Thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and that ( [...]) Repentance and re­mission of sinnes should be preached in his name, which place if ye compare with that in the Gospell of S. Matthew. Mat. 28.29. Go teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all whatsoe­ver I shall command you. It will be no difficulty to collect, that what our Saviour calls in one place [...], repentance, that he cals in another observing all that he hath comman­ded; which if repentance were no more but sorrow for sin, and intending to leave it, certainly he never could nor would have done. And as little could S. Paul Act. 20.21. professe that the whole matter of his preaching was nothing else but [...], Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Iesus Christ: It being manifest in his Epistles, he preaches and presses every where, the necessity of mortification, re­generation, new, and sincere obedience, all which are evi­dently not contained under the head of Faith, and therfore it is evident he comprized all these under the name of Re­pentance.

In which words moreover it is very considerable, as also in another place, Heb. 6. where among the fundamentalls of Christianity the first place is given to [...] I say it is very considerable, that though the word may not very absolutely be rendred repentance, yet we shall doe much right to the place and make them much more cleare and intelligible, if in stead of Repentance we had put conversion as it is in some of the best Latine translations: so for example, if instead of repentance to God Act. 20. and re­pentance [Page 23] from dead works in the Epistle to the Heb. which our English tongue will hardly beare; we should reade conversion to God, and conversion from dead workes, every one sees it would be more perspicuous and more naturall, whereas on the o­ther side if in stead of repentance we should substitute sorrow (as every true and genuine interpretation may with advan­tage to the clearenesse of the sense be put in place of the word interpreted) and read the places sorrow towards God, and sorrow from dead workes, it is apparent that this reading would be unnaturall, and almost ridiculous, which is a great argument that [...], to which forgivenesse of sinnes is pro­mised in the Gospell, is not only sorrow for sinne, but conversion from sinne.

And yet if it be not so, but that Heaven may be purcha­sed at easier, and cheaper rates: how comes it to passe that in the new Testament, we are so plainly and so frequently assu­red, that without actuall, and effectuall amendment, and newnesse of life, without actuall, and effectual mortification, regeneration, sanctification, there is no hope, no possibili­ty of Salvation?

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire, So S. John Baptist preaches repentance; it is not then the leaves of a faire profession, no nor the blossoms of good purposes and intentions, but the fruite, the fruit on­ly that can save us from the fire, neither is it enough not to bear ill fruit, unlesse we bring forth good. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire.

Not every one that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven, so our Saviour Matth. 7 21. And againe after he had delivered his most divine precepts in his Ser­mon on the mount (which Sermon contains the substance of the Gospell of Christ:) he closeth up all with saying: he that heareth these sayings of mine and doth them not) and yet these were the hardest sayings that ever he sayed ( I will liken [Page 24] him to a foolish man, Mat. 7, 26.27. which built his house upon the sand, that is, the hope of Salvation upon a sandy and false ground; when the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, it fell, and great was the fall of it.

They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. So S. Paul. Gal. 5.24. they then that have not done so, nor crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts, let them be as sorrowfull as they please, let them intend what they please, they as yet are none of Christs, and good Lord what a multitude of Christians then are there in the world that doe not belong to Christ?

Gal. 5.19.20.21. The workes of the flesh sayeth the same S. Paul, are manifest, which are these, Adultery, Fornication, Vncleannesse, Lascivious­nesse, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Heresies, Envyings, Murthers, Drunkennesse, revellings, of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in times past, that they which doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. He doth not say, they which have done such things shall not be saved, but manifestly to the contrary— Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but you are sanctified: but he says; they which doe such things, and without amendment of life shall continue doing them, shall not be excused, by any pretence of sorrow and good purposes. They shall not inherite the Kingdome of Heaven.

1 Cor. 6, 9.10.And againe in another Epistle, know ye not that the unrigh­teous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? be not deceived; nei­ther fornicators, nor Idolaters, nor Adulterers, nor abusers of them­selves with mankinde, nor Theeves, nor covetous, nor Drunkards, nor revilers shall inherite the Kingdome of God. Gal. 6.15.

In Christ Iesus (saith the same Saint Paul in other places) nothing availeth but faith: nothing but a new creature, nothing but keeping the Commandements of God; it is not then a wishing but a working faith, not wishing you were a new creature; nor sorrowing you are not, but being a new creature, not wishing you had kept, not sorrowing you bare not kept, nor purposeing vainly to keepe, but keeping his Comman­dements [Page 25] must prevaile with him.

Follow peace with all men and holinesse, Heb. 12.14. saith the Divine Author of the Epistle to the Heb.) without which no man shal see the Lord.

Saint Peter in his 2. Epistle, 2 Pet. 1.5.6.7.8.9. commends unto us a golden chaine of Christian perfections, consisting of these linkes, Faith, vertue, knowledge, Temperance, patience, godlinesse, bro­therly kindnesse, charity: and then addes—He that lacketh these things is blind, and knoweth not that he was purged from his old sinnes, Let his sorrow be never so great, and his desires ne­ver so good, yet if he lacke these things, he is blind, and was purged from his old sinnes, but is not.

Lastly Saint Iohn, he that hath this hope purifieth himselfe, 1 Iohn 3.3 [...] e­ven as he is pure, the meaning is not with the same degree of purity, for that is impossible, but with the same kind, the same truth of purity, he that doth not purify himselfe, may, nay doth flatter himselfe, and without warrant presume up­on Gods favour, but this hope he hath not; and againe, Lit­tle Children, let no man deceive you, 1 Iohn 3.7. he that doth righteousnesse is righteous, even as he is righteous; And thus you see all the divine Writers of the New Testament with one consent and one mouth proclaime the necessity of reall holinesse, and la­bour together to disinchant us from this vaine phansy, that men may be saved, by sorrowing for their sinne and inten­ding to leave it, without effectuall conversion and reforma­tion of life, which, it may well be feared, hath sent thousands of soules to hell in a golden dreame of Heaven.

But is not this to preach workes as the Papists doe? no certainly; it is not; but to preach workes as Christ and his Apostles doe it is to preach the necessity of them, which no good Protestant, no good Christian ever denied, but is is not to preach the merit of them which is the error of the Papists.

But is it not to preach the Law in time of the Gospell? no certainly it is not: for the Law forgives no sinnes but requireth exact obedience, & curseth every one which from [Page 26] the beginning to the end of his life, continueth not in all things which are written in the Law to do them, Gal. 3.10. but the Gospel sayes, & accordingly I have said unto you, that there is mercy alwayes in store, for those who know the day of their visitation, and for­sake their sins in time of mercy, and that God will pardon their imperfections in the progresse of holinesse, who miscall not presumptuous and deliberate sins by the name of imper­fections; but seriously and truly endeavour to be perfect; onely I forewarne you that you must never looke to be ad­mitted to the wedding feast of the Kings Son, either in the impure rags of any customary sinne, or without the wedding garment of Christian holinesse; onely I forewarne you that whosoever lookes to be made partaker of the joyes of hea­ven, must make it the chiefe, if not the onely businesse of his life, to know the will of God and to doe it; that great violence is required by our Saviour for the taking of this Kingdome, that the race we are to run is a long race, the building we are to erect is a great building, and will hardly, very hardly be finished in a day, that the worke we have to doe of mortifying all vices; and acquiring all Christian ver­tues, is a long worke; we may easily deferre it too long, we cannot possibly begin it too soone. Onely I would perswade you, and I hope I have done, that that repentance which is not effectuall to true and timely conversion, will never be a­vailable unto eternall salvation. And if I have proved unto you that this is indeed the nature of true repentance, then certainly I have proved withall, that that repentance where­with the generality of Christians content themselves, not­withstanding their great professions what they are, and their glorious protestations of what they intend to be, is not the power but the forme; not the truth but the shadow of true re­pentance, and that herein also we accomplish Saint Pauls prediction, having a forme of godlinesse, &c.

And now what remaines but that (as I said in the begin­ning,) I should humbly intreat and earnestly exhort every [Page 27] man that hath heard me this day, to confute in his particu­lar what I have proved true in the generall. To take care that the sinne of formality, though it be the sinne of our times, may yet not be the sin of our persons, that we satisfie not our selves with the shadowes of Religion, without the sub­stance of it, nor with the forme of godlinesse without the power of it.

To this purpose I shall beseech you to consider, that though sacrificing, burning incense, celebrating of set festi­valls, praying, fasting, and such like, were under the Law, the service of God commanded by himselfe, yet whensoever they proceeded not from, nor were joyned with the sinceri­ty of an honest heart, he professeth frequently almost in all the Prophets, not onely his scorne and contempt of them all, as fond, empty, and ridiculous; but also his hating, loath­ing, and detesting of them as abominable and impious.

The Sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to God, Prov. 15, 8. What have I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices? saith the Lord, Esay the first, I am full of the burnt offerings of Rams, and of the fat of fed beasts, when ye come to appeare before me, who requi­red this at your hands? Bring no more vaine oblations: Incense is an abomination to me, I cannot suffer your new moones, nor sabbaths, nor solemne dayes, it is iniquity, even your solemne assemblies: My soule hateth your new moones, and your appoynted feasts, they are a burthen to me, I am weary to beare them; and when you shall stretch out your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you, and though you make many prayers I will not heare, for your hands are full of blood.

And againe, Isa, 66, 3. He that kills an Oxe is a if he slew a man, he that sacrificeth a Lambe as if he cut off a Dogs necke, he that offereth an oblation as if he offered Swines flesh, he that burned incense, as if he blessed an Idoll; and what's the reason of this strange aversion of God from his owne Ordinances? it fol­lowes in the next words, they have chosen their owne wayes, and their soule delighteth in their abominations.

Terrible are the words which he spe keth to the same pur­pose [Page 28] in the prophecie of Amos, chap. 5. v. 21, 22, 23. I hate, I despise your feast dayes, and I will not smell in your solemne assemblies, though you offer me burnt offerings and meat offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I regard your peace offerings.

Now beloved, if this hypocrisie, this resting in outward performances, were so odious to God under the law, a reli­gion full of shadowes, and ceremonies, certainely it will be much more odious to do so under the Gospell, a religion of much more simplicity, and exacting so much the greater sincerity of the heart, even because it disburdens the out­ward man of the performance of Legall rites and observan­ces. And therefore if we now under the Gospell, shall thinke to delude God Almighty, as Michall did Saul, with an Idoll handsomely drest in stead of the true David. If we shall con­tent and please our selves, with being of such or such a Sect or profession, with going to Church, saying, or hearing of Prayers, receiving of Sacraments, hearing, repeating, or preaching of Sermons, with zeale for Ceremonies, or zeale against them, or indeed with any thing besides constant pie­tie towards God, Loyalty and obedience towards our Sove­raigne, justice and charity towards all our Neighbours, tem­perance, chastity, and sobriety towards our selves, certain­ly we shall one day find, that we have not mocked God, but our selves, and that our portion among hypocrites shall be greater, then theirs.

In the next place let me intreat you to consider the fear­full judgement which God hath particularly threatned to this very sinne of drawing nigh unto him with our lips, when our hearts are farre from him: It is the great judgement of being given over to the spirit of slumber and securitie, the usuall fore-runner of speedy desolation and destruction, as we may see in the 29 chap. of Esaiah, from the 9 to the 14 verse, Stay your selves and wonder, cry ye out, and cry, they are drunken but not with wine, they stagger but not with strong drinke: for the Lord hath powered out upon you the spirit of deepe sleepe, and [Page 29] hath closed your eyes. The Prophets and your Rulers, the seers hath he covered, and after, at the 14 verse, The wisedome of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidde. Certainely this judgement if ever it were up­on any people, we have cause to feare it is now upon us. For if the spirit of deepe sleepe were not upon us, how could we sleepe so securely, even upon the brinke of the pit of per­dition? how could wee proceed on so confidently in our mirth and jollity, nay in our crying sins and horrible impi­eties, now when the hand of God is upon us, and wrath is gone out, and even ready to consume us? And if the wise­dome of our wise men were not perished, how were it pos­sible they should so obstinately refuse the security offered of our lawes, liberties, and religion by the Kings Oath, by his execrations on himselfe, and his posterity, in case hee should violate it, by the oathes of all his Ministers, not to consent to, or be instruments in such a violation, by the so much desired Trienniall Parliament, from which no trans­gressor can possibly be secure; and instead of all this secu­rity, seeke for it by a civill warre, the continuance whereof must bring us to destruction and desolation, or else he hath deceived us by whom we are taught, Mat. 23.25. That a Kingdome divi­ded against it selfe cannot stand.

Now what was the sinne which provoked this feare­full judgement? What but that which I have laboured to convince you of, and to disswade you from, even the sin of hypocrisie? as we may see at the 12 verse: Wherefore saith the Lord, forasmuch as this people draw neare me with their mouth, and with their lips doe honour me, but have removed their hearts farre from me; and their feare towards me is taught by the precepts of men, therefore behold I will proceed to doe a mervailous worke a­mongst them: for the wisedome of their wise men shall perish, &c.

Consider, thirdly, what woes, and woes, and woes, our Saviour thunders out against the Scribes and Pharisees for hypocrisie, Woe be unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, Mat. 25.25.27.29. [Page 30] and again, and again, Woe be unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hy­pocrites: Beloved, if we be hypocrites as they were, Tithe mint and Cumin, and neglect the weighty matters of the Law, judge­ment and justice, and mercy, as they did: Make long prayers, and under a pretence devoure Widowes houses, as they did: Wash the outside of the dish and platter, while within we are full of ravening and wickednesse, write Gods Commandements very large and faire upon our Phylacteries, but shut them quite out of our hearts: Build the Sepulchres of the old Prophets, and kill their successors, in fine, if we be like painted Sepulchres as they were, outwardly garnished and beautifull, but within full of dead mens bones and rottennesse, we are then to make accompt that all these woes belong to us and will one day over-take us.

Consider, lastly, the terrible example of Ana [...]s and Sa­phira, and how they were snatcht away in the very act of their sinne, and that their fault was (as the Text tell us) that they lyed unto God. Beloved, we have done so a thousand thousand times: our whole lives (if sincerely examined) would appeare, I feare, litttle lesse but a perpetuall lye; hi­therto God hath beene mercifull to us, and given us time to repent, but let us not proceed still in imitating their facts, lest at length we be made partakers of their fall.

God of his infinite mercy prevent this in every one of us, even for his Sonne our Saviour Jesus Christ's sake; by whom and with whom, in the unity of the holy Spirit, be all honour and glory to the eternall Father, world without end: Amen.