LOrd open thou my lippes, Psal. 51.19. and my mouth shal shew forth thy praise, These wordes of the Prophet (right honourable and deare Christians) ma­nifestly shewe that no man can speake the praise and honour of God, vnlesse the Lorde doo open his mouth, that therefore the Lorde vouchsafe at this present to open my mouth, that I may speake to his honour, let vs ioyne in faithfull prayer with heart and voyce vnto God, &c.

THat God requireth of his people is comprehended in a briefe precept, Be ye holy: with this reason annexed,Leui. 11.44.19.2.20.7. for I am holy the Lorde your God. The Apo­stle S.2. Pet. 1.16. Peter exhorting the faithfull to confirme their calling, vseth the same reason, saying, because it is written, [Page] Be ye holy, for I am holy. The same kinde of exhortation vseth S.Rom. 12.1. Paule to the Romanes, beséeching them by the merries of God to giue their bodyes a liuing sacrifice, holy, acceptable vnto God, which he sheweth to bee, their reasonable seruing of God: not fashio­ning themselues like vnto the world, but that they chaunged by renouation of minde, might prooue what that good, acceptable, and perfect will of God is, which wil of God he teacheth y^e Thes­salonians to be holynes: that is,1. Thes. 4.3. a put­ting in vze and practize of that know­ledge of God and Christ, which by the worde, and the spirit with the words working in our heartes, we haue at­tained. Christ the wisedome of God induceth his disciples to a perfection in this holinesse: saying,Mat. 5.48. Ye shal ther­fore be perfect, euen as your father which is in heauen is perfect. That is, ye shall so nie resemble in holinesse your father in heauen, as it is possible for a similitude to represent liuely the thing it selfe, wherof it is a similitude. And that no man deceiue himselfe, [Page]imagining this holinesse to be requi­red onely of the Cleargie men, and not of all Christians, it is apparant by the testimonies afore cited, as well of Moses, as the Apostles, to be required of so many, as will haue the Lord to be their God. Neither did Christ induce his Apostles onely vnto that perfecti­on in holinesse, but also his disciples: betwéene whome & the Apostles was like difference, as now betwéene the Cleargie and Laitie. Séeing then our God exacteth of vs all holines, which is a practize of the knowledge of his will (his will being, we leaue vndoone the euill he forbiddeth, and doo the good he commandeth: and that of these two partes consisteth true repentaunce) to induce the rather thereunto, I haue thought good to set before our eyes a pattern of vnfained repentance. And that after our repentaunce we may take héede of falling, I minde by the helpe of God, out of the same place of Scripture, which I euen now read, first to speake of the fall, then of the ri­sing againe of Peter. In whose fall [Page]we haue to consider these thrée circum­stances: first of the person, secondly of the euill whereinto he fell, thirdly of the occasion.

The holy Ghost by the Euangelists dooth witnes vnto vs, that Peter was he who fell. An elect and chosen vessel: called of Christ to be an Apostle: pro­nounced by the mouth of Christ him­selfe blessed: made partaker of the se­cretes: who in heart beléeued,Matt. 16.16. and in mouth had confessed Christ to bée the sonne of the liuing God:Luk. 22.21. for whome Christ prayed, that whē Satan should syft him, his faith might not fayle: who entirely loued Christ, and was belo­ued of him. This fall of Saint Peter and other the saintes and friendes of God, set downe in the scriptures, is not therefore that we shoulde vse the same as a cloke to couer our wicked­nesse, hyding the candle vnder the bed,Mar. 4.21. which should be set vpon a candlestick, measuring the scriptures by our sen­sualitie: but to this ende that we sée­ing our owne frailtie and the enemie his power, may walke more warely [Page]and treade more sure. And if it so be, we doo fall grieuously, we yet dispaire not, but by the same meanes endeuour to rise againe as they did.1. Cor. 2.14. Our frail­tie appeareth in this, that we can not perceiue the things that are of the spi­rit of God,Sapi. 9.15. this corruptible bodie be­ing heauie vnto the soule, & the earthly mansion keeping downe the mynde that is full of cares. If we cannot per­ceiue the good, much lesse can we doo it. If we be not able,2. Cor. 3.5. as of our selues, to thinke any good thought, much lesse a­ble to bring foorth any good action: as such in whome by nature dwelleth no good thing.Rom. 7.18. Ezechi. 15.3. But as the wood of the pu­trifyed vine tree serueth not to vse, no not so much as a pinne to be made of the wood thereof, to hang any vessell thereon, but onely is matter for the fire: So we of our selues dry rotten wood, are onely méete for euerlasting fire. And although (our knowledge and iudgement béeing cleared by the spi­rit of God) we be able sometimes to discerne betwéene good and euill, yet by reason of this body of sinne which [Page]we carrie about with vs, wée are for the most part drawne away from the good which wee lyke, vnto the euill which we would not doo. Yea so, that if with a thousand things God shoulde charge euen the best of vs,Iob. 9.3. Psal. 130.3. Psal. 143.2. we shoulde not be able to answere to one. If the Lorde should looke straightly what is doone amisse, who shoulde be able to stand? If the Lorde should enter into iudgement with vs, none could in his sight be iustified. To euill there are many wayes, to good onely one way. Euery vertue hath two extremes, and eche extreme, euill. To man to walke so straightly betwéene the extremes, that he doo not at sometime or other decline eyther to the right hande or to the left, it is not giuen. In naturall things it is hard to enioy the good, but we shall also at sometime taste of the euill. The fire comforteth vs with warmth, the extreme heate therof vex­eth vs. The ayre when it is temperate dooth refreshe, but violent it bréedeth passions. The waters bring commo­ditie, but annoy vs when they ouer­flowe [Page]their Chanels. Too much meate bréedeth indigestion, too little maketh y^e bodie weake. Want of exercise brée­deth sicknesse, too much labour is hurt­full. Solitarines maketh vs incline to melancholie, and too much conuersati­on is importunate. Riches are accom­panyed with care, and pouertie subiect to sorrow. Of these and such like hee that will suck the swéete, must nowe and then taste of the sowre. Euerie commoditie bringing with it the dis­commoditie. The Grecians prayse Hercules for his force, but they accuse him of tyrannie. The Lacedemonians attribute much to Lycurgus for his zeale to his Countrie: but they note him of rigorous seueritie, with the E­gyptians Isis is famous for patience, but condemned for vnchastitie. The Athenians extol Plato for his doctrine: but they carpe his vnsatiable coue­tousnesse. The Romanes make Caesar to bee mercifull: and with all report him hautie & proude. Homer in know­ledge excellent: in speache vaine. A­lexander the Great of noble courage: [Page]yet to him remaineth a perpetuall blot of infamie, that in his furie he slewe Clitus his dearest friende. Haniball of minde inuincible: yet stained with periurie. Traian a milde, gentle, and iust Prince: yet a wine bibber. Mar­cus Aurelius aboue all for his wise­dome: yet amorous. So that I may well conclude that as there is no bread without branne, no nut without shel, no trée without barke, no corne with­out chaffe, no garden without wéedes, no Wine without lées, no golde with­out drosse: so no wyght that liueth hath lyued, or shall liue, onelye man, without sinne. The caution standeth in this, that for the vertue we allowe not the vice: nor for the vice, condemne the vertue, obscuring the glory of God in his creatures: but rather that wee knowe to discerne betwéene the good and the euill: mislyking the euill to a­noyde it, liking the good to doo it. From the dooing which good the farther wée sée our selues of, touching our owne power, the more we haue to striue, to take héede, and to watche: especially [Page]séeing to this our weakenesse, the ene­mie doth oppose his strength. The A­postle, hauing had a proofe thereof in himselfe compareth him vnto a Lyon,1. Pet. 5.8. and not onely vnto a Lyon for his strength, but to a roaring Lyon for his greedinesse to deuour. The Lyon then roareth when he is pynched with hunger: and beyng hunger bytten, whatsoeuer is in his way prayable, he taketh his pray on it. And this his gréedines is continual. He iudgeth all labour lost, saue that he taketh in woū­ding the soule of man. As Naab the Ammonite warring against the men of Iabes Gilead woulde not rayse his siege but vpon condition,1. Sam, 11.2. that he might thrust out all their right eyes: so this enemie neuer ceaseth to assault vs vn­till he haue depriued vs of the eye of right iudgement, that we sée not our saluation in Christ Iesu onely. And al­though God by grace strengthen vs that we yéelde not so farre, yet let vs knowe that the enemie vpon no other condition rayseth siege. If man bée weake, the enemie strong, the way [Page]slippery, the windes blusterous, she fall daungerous, the bruse perillous, the losse irrecouerable: let vs walke circumspectly, not as vnwise,Ephe. 5.15. but as wise, redéeming the time, because the dayes are euill. A man that is through sicknesse or age impotent, séeing be­fore his eyes the young lustie, and strong man through slabbinesse of the way, & violence of the winds throwne downe, he taketh him to his staffe, and treadeth more surely. If Moses the faythfull fell in infidelitie: Dauid the holyest became prophane: Salomon the wisest committed so great sollies: and Peter the louingst, denied his ma­ster. If the Saintes and deare friends of God haue fallen before our eyes, let vs lay aside trust in our owne strēgth, let vs tread sure, leane vnto our staffe, haue affiance in our God. Let vs not take their fall to be our standing, but rather by them measure our selues, & the guilt of our sinnes, gathering as it were the whole Lyon by the pawe: let vs rise with them by repentaunce: let vs sorow with them for our sinnes: let [Page]vs with them perswade our selues of God his mercie in Christ Iesu: let vs with them take sure holde of that his mercy by stedfast hope: let vs be raised by repentaunce, take héede with them we fall not againe. Nowe let vs con­sider the fall.

But he denyed it, saying: I knowe him not.) The Euangelistes doo wit­nesse that Peter denyed his maister thrée times. To lie in any case is euil, the circumstances, as of cause, maner, time, place, and person doo aggrauate the euill. To fall therein once is not without daunger, to fall the seconde time bruiseth sore: to fall the thirde time, woundeth déepe. To sinne, pro­uoketh God: to adde sinne to sinne kin­dleth him more: to heape them one vp­on others necke, asketh present venge­ance. If to lye be sinne,Rom. 6.23. and sinne haue for the rewarde death: & that to sweare falsely is more then simply to lye: and by curse for a man to deuote himselfe be more gréeuous then falsly to sweare (That being the most perilous kinde of swearing (as S. Augustine sayeth)in Psal. 7. [Page]which is ioyned with a curse: as if I should say, the Lorde so iudge me as I haue doone in this) how gréeuous was this fall of Peter, who not onely deni­ed his Lord, once, againe, and the third time: but sware he neuer knewe him: and as it were, betooke himselfe vnto the deuill if euer he knewe him? And that dooth aggrauate the fault most of al, he did it knowing him to be, as mā, so God: hauing before confessed that he was Christ the sonne of the liuing God. Thus denyed he his maister, his God, his saluation, wittingly, willing­ly, euen against the testimonie of his owne conscience. Willingly I sayde that no mā thinke he did it against his will, for although he came not thither with will to denie him, yet when he sawe the daunger, and yeelded to the reason of flesh & blood, he was brought to will that which otherwise he would not. Héere may we sée a difference be­twéene the sinne wittingly and wil­lingly done against the conscience, and the sinne against the holy Ghost. Not euery sinne committed against the [Page]conscience, is that sinne which Christ sayeth shall not be forgiuen neither in this worlde nor in the world to come:Matt. 12.32. Mark. 3.29. that is, as S. Marke expoūdeth it, ne­uer: but this is the sinne neuer to be forgiuen, which is committed to ouer­throwe the trueth as wittingly, wil­lingly against the testimonie of the conscience, so also malitiously, ioyning handes of set purpose with the enemy to extinguish the spirit, to deface the honour, and to obscure the glory of God. It may yet more plainly appeare if we oppose vnto Peter Iulian the A­postata. Peter denyed Christ in the same sort and maner, as is aforesayde Iulian denied. The one his heart was mollified to repentance: the other his heart hardened. Wherefore? The one denied of frailtie: the other of malice, The one for feare of death: y^e other of selfe will desirous to powre out hys poyson against the Church of God, not mooued thereunto eyther by feare of Magistrate, bitternesse of imprison­ment, or terrour of death, as hee who was Lord, King, & Emperour, ruling [Page]all, not ruled by any. The one denyed that he knewe him, but spake no euill of him: the other abandoned the Gos­pell as wicked, speaking euill both of Christ and it. The one did it sodainly and at a push: the other deliberately. The one in a corner: the other in set and open iudgement. The one, though he forsooke his master, yet serued he no idoles: The other not onely forsooke Christ, but serued the deuill. This his sinne so malitiously cōmitted, set such a stoppe and shut such a bolt betwéene the grace of God and his conscience, that hauing receiued his deaths woūd, whether by a man (as some thinke) or by an Angell (as others write) or by a deuill (as we also reade) thrusting his hand into his wound, he tooke forth an handfull of blood, and sprinckled it in the ayre with these wordes Vicisti Ga­lee, vicisti. O thou Galilean (so he cal­led Christ) thou hast ouercome, thou hast ouercome. Notwithstanding he confessed the power of Christ euen in the instant of death, yet could he not call for grace, nor cry for mercie. This [Page]haue I spoken, not to extenuate the fal of Peter, which was horrible, but partly, that we take héede of that great sinne against the holy Ghost which is irremisible, & partly, to the comfort of the afflicted conscience of such as are o­therwise gréeuously fallen. Peter al­though he denied his master at y^e first, yet did he not at y^e first eyther sweare or curse. Wherby we may see how the deuill when he hath by sin taken hold, dooth lead man, as it were by y^e hand, from one sin to another, from y^e great to the greater, vntill he haue brought him to y^e fulnes of sin to wallow in the same with securitie & contempt. After y^e same maner he inwrappeth vs now adayes. First vnder colour of recreati­on, he bringeth in dice and cardes. By & by he saweeth the same with a grée­die desire of lucre, alwayes accompa­nied with his page falshood, by whom the doore being set open straight rushe in, lying, raging, swearing, forswea­ring, prophanation of y^e Sabboth, con­tempt of good: so great, that man dust & ashes, whose life is in the hand of the [Page]liuing God, maketh no scruple to pro­phane y^e day, which the Lorde of hostes hath commanded him to remēber that he kéepe holy.Ad Pāma­chium con­tra errores Ioan. Hie­rosolomita­ni. Ephe. 4.27. Iacob. 4.7. If therefore we will not fal headlōg into peril, let vs (as S. Ie­rom counselleth.) So soone as y^e scorpion appeareth, treade him downe, least suffring him to rise vp, he growe too mighty for vs. Giue no place to y^e de­uil, saith S. Paul. Submit your selues to God saith S. Iames, resist y^e deuil, & he wil flie frō you. But let vs sée what it is to denie Christ, y^e if we be fallen with Peter, we may w^e Peter rise a­gaine. He denieth Christ, who flatly (as Peter did) forsweareth him. He also denieth Christ, who dooth not ac­knowledge & confesse him, to be his sole & onely sauiour. He also who being as­ked of his faith, dooth either of purpose holde his peace, or colourably deale to delude y^e demand by doubtfull answer. He also who by his déedes dooth not ex­presse his faith.Tit. 1.16. De duplici martyrio. To cleaue vnto Beli­al, saieth Cyprian, is to deny Christ, howsoeuer in tongue or other outward appearance we séeme to professe him. [Page]Neither shall it profite vs,in Gene. ho. 3. sayeth O­rigen, to confesse that Christ came in the flesh which he tooke of the Virgin, If in this our flesh we denie the ende wherefore he came.Luk, 1.74. Which ende was, that we by him deliuered from our e­nemies, should serue our God without feare, all the dayes of our life in holi­nesse and righteousnesse before him. That we shoulde denie vngodlinesse and worldly lustes,Tit. 2.12. and liue soberly, iustly, & godly in this present worlde, looking for the blessed hope and appea­ring of the glory of the mightie God, and of our sauiour Iesus Christ, who gaue himselfe for vs that he might re­déeme vs from all iniquitie, and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto him­selfe, zealous of good workes. This if we doo not, we denie Christ. Which beyng so, it can not be gainesayde, but that we haue, almost all, denied Christ our saluation, to our euerlasting con­fusion, if God of his mercie touche not our hearts by grace to repentance.

The occasion of his fall depended partly of himselfe, partly of the damo­sell [Page]and others the seruauntes of the high priest, and partly of the place. Of himselfe, in that he presumed so much in his owne strength, that he thought himselfe sure. When Christ sayd, All ye shall be offended by me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shep­heard, and the sheepe shalbe scatte­red, &c. Peter sayde vnto him, Al­though all men shoulde be offended, yet will not I. He should haue better considered the word spoken, and more déepely haue wayed y^e person of Christ who spake it: or at the least haue ad­ded to that his assertion, God by grace assisting me. But he was so farre off from any of this, that when Christ re­plyed, Verily I say vnto thee, this day euen in this night, before the cocke crowe twise, thou shalt denie mee thrise: he sayde more earnestly, If I should die with thee I will not denie thee. Feruentnes without grace smoo­theth the way to the greater fall. As Rabshakeh one of the captaines of the host of Senacherib king Assur said vn­to the counsellours of Hezekiah king [Page]of Iuda (supposing that Hezekiah had reposed in Egypt & Pharao.2. Reg. 18.21.) Tell ye Hezekiah, Lo, thou trustest in this bro­ken staffe of reede, to wit, in Egypt & Pharao: on which if a mā leane, it will go into his hād & pearce it: so is Pha­rao king of Egypt to all that trust in him. So may I say to euery one who trusteth in his owne strength, that he leaneth but to a staffe of a réede and the saine broken. He thought vpō stay, but he findeth the fall. He looked for helpe, but he féeleth the hurt. There­fore thus sayeth the Lord,Iere. 9.23. Let not the wise man reioyce in his wisedome, nor the strong man glorie in his strength, neyther the riche man in his riches: but let him that glorieth glo­rie in this, that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord which shew mercy, iudgement, & iustice in the earth. The wel liking of our selues bringeth to passe that oftentimes wée stande in our owne light, by reason whereof the imminent euill is shado­wed so, that we sée it not, vntill sodain­ly it clappe vs in the neeke. And ma­nie [Page]times euen there and then is grea­test daunger, where and when wée thinke our selues most safe and sure. Agamemnon in ten yéeres together in mortall and bloodie warres coulde ne­uer be hurt: yet after when he thought least of daunger, at home, in his owne house, by his owne wife was slayne. Senacherib had the conquest of many coūtries, in al which he escaped harm­lesse: yet at home in his owne country in the temple of his idoles his owne sonnes slew him. Iulius Caesar win­ning the west part of y^e world, in 51. set battailes neuer receiued daungerous stroke: yet after al his daūgers so hap­pily escaped, at home in y^e Senat house, in the midst of his nobilitie, and in his Parliament robes, he receiued 24. wounds, and al deadly. So far of from surmyse of any such thing, that the nyght before at supper with his Nobi­litie he reasoned pleasauntly and me­rilie of the best kinde of death: and some affirming this, some that, his iudgement was for conclusion, That death to bée best which was sodayne. [Page]The Troians whē they thought their enemies the Gretians to be gone and all to be safe, and gaue themselues to belly chéere, sléepe and ease, were so­dainely inuaded by the Gretians, and with fire and sworde destroyed. The riche man who sayde vnto his soule. Soule, Luk. 12.19. thou hast much goods layd vp for many yeeres, liue at ease, eate, drinke, take thy pastime: héere God sayd vnto him, O foole, this night will they fetche awaye thy soule from thee: then whose shall the things be which thou hast prouided? Vnto which wordes, Bernard addeth, Yea whose shalt thou thy selfe be which diddest possesse the same?In psal. 99. Where then is securitie? Héere sayth Augustine, in no place: in this life, no where: but in the sole hope of y^e promises of God. Of the occasion giuen by the damosell the Euangelist sayeth, And as Peter was beneath in the hall, there came one of the maydes of the high priest, and when shee sawe Peter warming himselfe, she looked on him and said: Thou wast also with Iesus of Naza­reth, [Page]&c. And as it appeareth by y^e text, she did the like the second time. A bold gyrle and bloodie, and therefore bloodie because bolde, impudent and shame­lesse. Although Aristotle make not shamefastnes a vertue, yet the godly best learned, doo make it a vertue, and such a vertue, that if forceably there should be in a woman but one onely vertue, the same ought to be onely shamefastnesse.Ethic. 2. And Aristotle himself affirmeth the partie in whome it is founde, worthy praise. Much better sayd Cicero, naming it the kéeper of al vertues, flying shame, attayning ho­nour, flying shame by anoyding euill (the force, efficacie, and strength of it consisting in feare of dishonestie) at­tayning honour by aspiring to good, vpon desire, alwayes proper vnto it, to heare well. With this vertue this Damosell was not acquainted: and therfore without blushing she rusheth in amongst the thickest, charging Pe­ter: not taking repulse with his first deniall, she assaulteth him the seconde time. Shée sawe Christ the innocent [Page]Lambe shamefully intreated: yea in maner shée sawe the lamentable endé that woulde ensue. And yet as her mate the daughter of Herodias coulde with drye eyes beholde the heade of John the Baptist in the Platter all imbrewed with blood:Mat. 14.11, so she voyde of all compassion, could behold that dole­full spectacle with gladnesse. And as it were, not satisfied with the blood of one, assayeth againe, & againe to spill more. When Alexander M. sawe the dead bodie of Darius, and Iulius Caesar▪ the head of Pompet: and M. Marcel­lus Syracusa burne: and Scipio Nu­mantia with man woman, and childe destroyed: and Titus, the stréetes of Hierusalem running with streames of blood: they could not restraine them­selues, but their eyes gushed out with teares, yet mortall enemies. These being men, couragious warriours, va­liant captaines, mortall enemyes, had in strong bodyes a softe and tender heart. This séely gyrle for yéeres and sex tender, had in a wretched weake body, a strong stonie heart. And wher­as [Page]the Euangelist dooth say that anon after they who stoode by vrged Peter after the lyke sort, it is not vnlike but they were the rather induced thereun­to by this bloody gyrle. But be it they were of thēselues prone to shed blood. What other thing was to bee looked for in y^e house of Cayphas? The master being euil, can y^e seruants be good? The head being distempered, can y^e body in any member in the same, doo y^e functi­on rightly? The spring being troubled, shall we looke for cleare water? The roote withered, can y^e trée fructifie? Or corrupt bring good fruite? If ye will haue the trée bring good fruite, begin not with the braunches, but digge a­bout the roote, scarche it, cutte away that is corrupt and superfluous, and when yee haue gone nyghe vnto the quicke, applie good, freshe, and fatte moulde, by which the roote may re­ceyue strength and good iuyce to the nutriment of the whole trée. Then prune the tree in conuenient time, cutting away the dead bowghes and vnfruitfull braunches.

If ye wil haue your waters cleare and swéete, search y^e spring. If ye will haue the body in euery member doo rightly the office, let a good plaister be layde to the distempered head. Otherwise ye may complaine, but haue no redresse: wish for better, but endure the worse: see the inconuenience, but not auoyde it. Touching occasion giuen by y^e place for that in my second part. I shal haue conueniencie to speake thereof,In psal. 51. Hom. 1. Citat. Petr. Mar. in 2. Sam. ca. 11. I will nowe onely vse the wordes of Chry­sostome, which as he, so we may apply as answere to those who say they put no difference of place. Whatsoeuer they heare or sée, it mooueth not them. What sayeth Chrysostome, are wée made of yron? of stone? are we more harde then is the Adamant? are we wiser, holier, stronger thē Dauid? If a sparkle of fire fall into hay, will it not set on fire the whole? Our flesh is hay and may easilie be inflamed.1. Thes. 5.22 The holy ghost who knoweth vs better then we our selues, commandeth vs to abstaine not onely from the euill it selfe, but al­so from all apparance of euill. He who [Page]will slake the fire, must withdraw the wood: he who will auoyde the euill, must cut of occasion. This may suffice touching the fall of Peter. Now let vs diligently note his rising agayne. Wherein wee haue to obserue these two thinges. First the meanes by which he was induced to repentance: secondly, howe hee behaued himselfe therein. The meanes the Euangelist noteth to bee externall and internall. The externall & outward meane was the crowing of the cocke: the internall and inwarde meane was, that Iesus looked vpon him, which looke was not of the corporal eye, but spiritual grace: Christ and Peter beyng by place dis­seuered. Both these to the conuerti­on of Peter did concurre. It cannot be that he who is ouercome by temptati­on, and swallowed vp of sinne, shoulde come againe to himselfe and repent, vnlesse by some meanes occasion be gi­uen wherby he may be stirred to com­punction. But the best meanes is with the Lorde his looke, the sounde of the Cocke. This sounde or voyce of the [Page]Cocke is the preaching of the worde: which sounding in our eares (if Iesus with all looke on vs) dooth so awake vs that were in the dead sléepe of sinne, as the noise of the Cocke in the dead time of the night, dooth awake out of sléepe. And this is the direct and ordinarie meanes which God hath appointed to saue all those by,1. Cor, 1.21. that shall beléeue. Whereof we haue manifest examples in the Actes of the Apostles.Acts. 8.8. The Eu­nuche chiefe gouernour to Candace Quéene of the Ethiopians, as he re­turned from Hierusalem, where hée had worshipped, sitting in his chariot, read Esay the Prophet. This noble man was well occupied, vnto whose endeuour God gaue successe according. With vs it is thought more séemely for Nobilitie to trull the Dice, then turne the leaues of the booke of God.) Then the spirit said vnto Philip, Goe neere, Acts. 9.1. & ioyne thy self to yonder cha­riot: & philip ran thither &c. As Saul iournied to Damasco breathing out threates & slaughter against the disci­ples of the Lord, so dainely there shy­ned [Page]round about him a light frō hea­uen. And he fell to the earth, & heard a voyce saying to him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou mee? And he sayde: who art thou Lord? And the Lorde sayd, I am Iesus whom thou persecu­test: it is hard for thee to kicke against prickes. He then both trembling and astonied said: What wilt thou I doo? And the Lord saide vnto him: Arise, and go into the citie, and it shall bee told thee what thou shalt do &c. And the Lord appointed a disciple at Da­masco named Ananias to instruct him. Cornelius a captaine in Cęsarea, a deuoute man,Acts. 10.1.& one that feared God with all his housholde, which gaue much almes to the people & prayed God continually, saw in a vision eui­dently (about the ninth houre of the day) an angell of God comming in to him and saying vnto him: Cornelius, &c. Thy prayers & thine almes come vp into remēbrance before God. Now therefore send mē to Ioppe, & call for Simon whose surname is Peter, &c. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to doo, &c.

The Angell from God might haue in­structed Cornelius: The voyce from heauen, Saul: The spirit, the Eunuch by secrete working in his heart onely. Yet it was not so doone: but the or­dinarie meanes by the wisedome of of God decreed, euen the ministerie of man, was vsed. That therefore God sayth by Moses vnto his people, ought to haue with vs déepe impression, It is no vaine worde to bee made light of,Deut. 32.47. In Mat. ca. 8. but it is your life. Well therefore said Hilarie, that the congregations, in which y^e word of God dooth not watch, goe to wracke. Agréeable to that of the holy Ghost,Pro. 29.18. where there is no vision, the people perish. And to that the An­gell sayd to Esdras,4. Esdr. 7.20 assigning y^e cause that so many perish, to be: for that they neglect the lawe of of God in this life. If the word of God be our wisedome,Deut. 4.6. Iob. 28.28. be our vnderstanding, and that by this vnderstanding we depart from euill: If hope be that golden chayne by the which we are drawen vp into heauen,Cit [...]t. Pet. Mar. in ca. 1. ad Ro. as Chrysostome sayeth, and wee haue this hope, through comfort of the scrip­tures: [Page]If by the word we come to the knowledge of God, Rom. 15.4 [...] Osee. 6.6. and that to know God be more then sacrifice or burnt offerings: Psa. 119.105 Theophi­lact in Luk. ca. 16. 2 Pet. 1.19. If it be a Lanterne to our feete, and light vnto our pathes: If it be the candle whereby the comming of the theefe is espied: If it bee the light burning in the darke place, to wit, in this world dusked and dimmed with thicke mystes of sinne and igno­raunce, whereunto by héede giuen on­lie, the day starre ariseth in our harts: Psal. 119.9. If the taking héede to it, be the onely rule whereby the young man shall re­dresse his wayes: Iere. 23.29. Ephe. 6.17. If it be the hammer mollifying the stonie heart: the fire consuming the chaffe, the sworde of the spirit cutting away whatsoeuer is offensiue: Rom. 5.1. Rom. 10.17. 2. Cor. 5.19. 1. Pet. 1.23. Ephe. 1.13. Ioan. 4.14, If saluation be the sequele of iustification, and iustification come by faith, faith by the word: and that therefore it be called the word of re­conciliation: the seede of regeneratiō: the ioyfull tydings of saluation: If it be water to slake our thirst, Cant. 1.2. Deut, 8.3. Mat. 5.13. & quench our lust: oyle to supple our woundes: meate to make vs stronge: salt to sea­son [Page]vs: Pet. Mart. in ca. 14. li. 2. Sam. Caluinus institut. 2. Tim, 4.3. 2. Tim. 3.16 Apo 20.12. Theodoret. dialog. 2. If it be the shop of vpright­nesse: the schole of the holy Ghost: holesome doctrine, giuen by inspira­tion from God: If it be vnto vs the will of God, and the will of God bee the booke of life, by the which the bookes out of which we shall be iud­ged, to wit, our consciences, shall bée scanned: in waightie matters we may not dallie. The hearing and reading of the sacred Scriptures are not to be made light of. And who is so wretched to neglect his owne saluation? In that Peter heard the Cocke crowe once, but repented not, wee haue to learne that wee iudge not one another, but vse the meanes appoynted by the Lorde, leauing iudgement vnto him, who iudgeth rightfully. If we finde any, as new borne babes, to be weake, let vs in the spirit of méekenesse helpe to support them vntill they growe strong. Not sodainely, but by little and little the day dooth light. He who hath after blindnesse newly recouered his sight, can not by and by see so farre as he who neuer was blinde. Yet in time [Page]the sight of the one may come to be as perfect as of the other. Is thy eye more sharpe of sight then thy brothers? Con­demne him not, neyther yet scorne him.1. Cor. 4.7. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued? If thou haue receyued, knowe of whom, and by a thankefull heart giue the glory vnto God, who hath giuen more then hee ought to whom he hath giuen least. Forget not with al how it commeth to passe some­times that by y^e slight of legerdumaine and iugling, euen he (who is of sight most sharpe) is, as other, deceiued, sup­posing, he seeth that in déede he seeth not. The deuill is master of that arte, and hath the whole skill thereof. If thy sight be so good, sée that the Apostle byddeth the sée, when he sayeth:1. Cor. 10.12 Let him who thinketh, he standeth, see that he fall not. The inward meanes concurring to the conuersion of Peter, was the looke of Iesus. The body of the earth betwéene vs and the Sunne, taketh the same from our sight & cau­seth darknesse: the body of sinne taketh from the eyes of our soule the Sonne [Page]of righteousnesse Christ Iesus, & cau­seth blindnesse. Though a candle ne­uer so cleare of light and neuer so of­ten, be set before the blinde man, yet can hee not sée, vnlesse some other meanes be vsed for the opening of his eyes and recouerie of his sight: though the light of the worde be set before vs blinde through sinne, if God by his ho­ly spirit touche not the heart, by his grace open not the eyes of our vnder­standing, wee shall not sée. If Iesus looke not on Peter, though the Cocke crowe Peter repenteth not. The very heathen Socrates, as Plato hath, coulde say: No man euer learned any thing of me, though by me he were the bet­ter learned. I onely did exhort, the good spirit did inspire. Thinke not sayth S. Augustine that one man lear­neth any thing of another.In epist. Ioā. tract. 3. We may warne by the sounde of our voyce, but if he, who teacheth the heart, be not within, vaine is the noyse made with­out. And againe, He that teacheth the hearts hath his chaire in heauen.Luk. 24.45. This teacher did not onely open the eyes of [Page]the two disciples in Emmaus, but also of the eleuen, and of al those who were gathered together with them at Hie­rusalem, that they might vnderstande the Scriptures. This teacher opened the heart of Lydia, Acts 16.14. Ioan. 16.13. that she attended to the things which Paule preached. This teacher Christ promised to his disciples to be giuen vnto them, euen the spirit of trueth, which should leade them into all trueth. This teacher is he, who (whether Paul plant, 1. Cor. 3.6. or Apol­los water) onely giueth increase. Yea if this teacher be away, so farre it is of that by the word preached we become better, that by the same we be made worse, which caused that worthy in­strument of God Peter Martyr to say:In 1. Sam. cap. 2. We haue néede of the inward light, which vnlesse it be present and shyne vnto vs, how much y^e more we heare, so much the more & more we are har­dened. The inhabitantes of Hierusa­lem had the letter of the Scriptures, and could the same without Booke (as Musculus sayth:In Mat. ca. 2 Mat. 2.5. and as it appeareth by the answere giuen vnto Herod) yet [Page]they wanted the starre, that is, hea­uenly reuelation. We haue therefore to pray that to the Oracles of y^e scrip­tures, may come reuelation from hea­uen: for so Christ is founde.Isidorus de summo bono li. 3. ca. 10. Other­wise though they be powred into the eares, they enter not into the heart, the sounde is heard without, no profite is had within. This I haue remem­bred to the ende we ioyne prayer and preaching together.Iac. 1.5. If any of you lack wisedome, sayth Saint Iames, let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberally and reprocheth no man: and it shall be giuen him: but let him aske in faith, and wauer not. This wise­dome to consist in the worde, teacheth the Prophet:Iere. 8.9. Lo, they haue reiected the worde of the Lorde, and what wisedome can be vnto them? If then the worde of the Lorde be wisedome, and this wisedome to be had of God, and the meanes to obtayne it faithfull prayer: If we desire fruite by y^e word, let vs vse the meanes to obtayne the same, as well the teacher as the hea­rers: and the hearers as the teacher, [Page]as well eche for other, as for them­selues. If Hester when shée shoulde speake before Assuerus the King for preseruation of life in her selfe & peo­ple,Ester. 4.16. did not onely her selfe pray, but caused her people to doo the like with her, that God would put in her mouth that she might speake:De doctr. Christ. li. 4 Howe much more saith Augustine, ought he to pray to whom the office is committed to la­bour in the worde and doctrine, when he shall speake, not for preseruation of life temporall but eternall: not for safetie of the body onely, but for safetie of both soule and body for euer. And not he onely but the hearers also: the benefite or daunger ensuing his doc­trine being also theirs. And this is to be done of all, as well after, as before: that not onely good séede may be sowne in good grounde, but that by swéete dewes and heauenly droppes of grace, it may be watered and nourished from time to time vnto ripenesse. The Phi­sition who ministreth vnto his patient such medicine as by his learning, skill and arte, he knoweth méetest for the [Page]disease, and that doone, hauing more re­gard to his fée, then care of successe, go­eth his way, deserueth small praise. Neither is that patient wise who ha­uing the aduise of his Phisition, be he neuer so cunning, and following his counsel in admitting and applying the medicine in quantitie, maner, & time prescribed, is therewith contented, loo­king for health onely thereby, without eleuation of his heart vnto God,Psal. 103.3. Who onely healeth all infirmities. This be­ing spoken there resteth, I shewe how Peter thus being called behaued him­selfe. Wherein the letter offereth vs these thrée thinges to bee considered. First, he remembred the words of the Lorde Iesus. Then he gat him out of the high Priest his court. Lastly, as the text hath, he wept and that bitter­ly as other Euangelistes witnesse. In that the holy Ghost setteteth downe, that he remembred the wordes of the Lorde Iesus vpon the crowing of the Cocke, we are taught the ende of all preaching to be, that thereby we may remember the Lorde, and by remem­brance [Page]bee brought to repentaunce. Who can condemne himselfe for in­gratitude towardes his Lorde, beying vnmindfull of the bountie of his Lord towardes him? Who can liue in obe­dience through loue to God, forgetfull of the loue of God to man? As the for­getfulnesse of God is the cause of re­bellion against God (the Prophet she­wing it plaine in the wordes.Psal. 106.7. Our fa­thers vnderstoode not thy wonders in Egypt, neyther remembred they the multitude of thy mercies, but re­belled at the sea, euen at the red sea) So the remembraunce of his goodnes, is the cause of newe obedience. Wher­vnto the holy Ghost inuiting, counsel­leth thus:Eccle. 12.1. Remember thy Creator in thy youthfull dayes, &c. His goodnes, that thou mayst loue him: his iustice, that mayst feare him. They therefore who shall teache in the congregation to any other ende or purpose omitting this, shall spend all their arrowes at a wrong marke. Mē would gladly heare straunge things and curious deuises, neyther marueile is it, séeyng they [Page]haue (as the Apostle sayeth) ytching eares, 2. Tim. 4.3. and shall turne their eares from the trueth, and be giuen vnto fables. But wée must let such goe, and learne of him, who was taught of God, saith, Brethren, 1. Cor. 15.1. I make knowen vnto you the Gospell which I preached vnto you, which yee haue also receyued, wherein ye stande, and whereby yee are saued, &c. That Paule preached was the Gospell, the good, glad, and comfortable tydings of the fauour of God towardes man in the incarnati­on of his sonne: of free remission of sinnes vnto man by the blood of the immaculat and vnspotted Lambe: of reconciliation and attonement with God and acceptation into his fauour, through Christ Iesus the onely & sole mediatour: of the foile giuen to the de­uill, death, sin, an hell by the Lyon of y^e tribe of Iuda. This good & glad tidings vnto y^e conscience comfortably, he said he made knowen vnto the Corinthi­ans, often inculcating the same into their eares, that they might at y^e least sometimes in part remember y^e inesti­mable [Page]goodnes of the Lord: which tou­ching the heart, dooth out of the same (as the yron out of the flint) strike cer­taine sparkles of loue againe towards God. Which sparkles, if they be nou­rished and sedde with matter conueni­ent, kindle a fire of loue in the heart, which is that fire that the Lorde com­mandeth alwayes to burne vpon the altar and neuer go out. Leuit. 6.13. The conueni­ent matter to féede this fire from time to time that it go not out, is, faithfull and feruent prayer vnto the Lorde, hearing of his worde with desire, and participation of his Sacramentes. Peter through negligence let passe (though but a little whyle,) the féeding of this fire, and it was almost extin­guished. May wée not easilie sée héere our dulnesse, and heauinesse vnto hea­uenly thinges? Was not Peter war­ned euen of Christ himselfe, and but a little before, yet nowe ouer­whelmed with obliuion? Shall wée say because we haue prayed a whyle, or heard sermons, we are sufficiently [Page]instructed and prepared, wee néede no more? The Rasor though it be tempe­red with dewe proportion of stéele, if it passe not by the grindestone is vn­apt to cut: yea, be it made once neuer so sharpe, if it bee not often reduced to the Whetstone, wexeth dull: So there is no man so rype in forecast, readie in policie, sharpe in iudgement, feruent in loue, earnest in trueth, zea­lous in Religion, who from one time to another standeth not in néede of ad­uertisement, counsell, and direction. Neither is it to purpose that some say. Eyther we are the shéepe of God, or we are not. If not, to what end is hea­ring? If wee be,Ioan. 10.29. we cannot perish. It is impossible to take God his sheepe out of his hand. Sentence was giuen by God that Saint Paul shoulde ap­peare at Rome, Acts 23.11.27.23. and not perish with his companie in the sea. It now being vnpossible that he should perish or any of his company,27.31. he yet truely said, that they could not be saued vnlesse the ma­riners did abyde in the shippe: Euen so it is impossible to take God his [Page]shéepe out of his hand is truely sayde, notwithstanding that it is impossible for them to be saued without continu­ance of féeding by the word of God, for as that, (videlicet the continuance of the mariners in the ship) was the or­dinarie meanes to deliuer from ship­wracke: so this (videlicet continuance of féeding by the worde) is the ordina­rie meanes to deliuer from spirituall destruction. Because we haue well fed this day of good wholesome meate, haue wee not néede to eate againe to morrowe? Shall we not finde the bo­dy begin to languish, if dayly it receiue not competent sustenance? If there­fore we will loue God,1. Ioan. 4.1. who hath pro­uoked vs thereunto in that he first lo­ued vs: If by repentaunce we will turne vnto God that we may liue and not die, be saued and not damned: we haue to be mindfull of the goodnesse of God, mindfull whereof we can not be but by the crowing of the Cocke and looke of Iesus. If Peter heare not the Cocke, Iesus looketh not on him: if Ie­sus looke not on him, he remembreth [Page]not the wordes of the Lorde Iesus. If he remember not the wordes of the Lord Iesus, he repenteth not. Peter waighing the wordes of Iesus rushed forth of the doores. And no maruayle if now well aduised he gat him apace away. If a man knewe the place hée were in to be infected with the pesti­lence, woulde he not packe?Super illo, Quod deus non est au­thor malo­rum. Surely, sayth Basill, as in pestilent places the aire drunke in dooth secretly poison the body, so the euill which is sucked in by company with the wicked (though it be not by and by felt) dooth poyson the soule. If a man were in daunger pre­sently to be deuoured of some sauage wilde beast, were it not hie time for him to trudge? There is no beast of mouth so wide, téeth so sharpe, de­sire so gréedie, as is that beast Acheron within whose iawes, sayth Arnobius, ready to be swallowed is he,In psal. 140. Who is in company with the wicked. If a mā were in a house that were on fire, would he tarie there? The congrega­tion of the wicked, sayth Iesus of Sy­rach, is like towe wrapped together, Eccle. 21.9. [Page] their ende is a flame of fire to destroy them. Enter not into the way of the wicked, sayeth Solomon,Pro. 4.14. Eccle. 13.1. and walke not in the way of euill men. Hee that toucheth pitch shall be defyled with it: and he who is familiar with the proude, shall be like vnto him. Eccle. 9.18. 1. Cor. 5.6. One euill man destroyeth much good. A litle leauē, sowreth the whole dowgh. Our maners, sayth Seneca are framed by the conuersation of those whom we liue with. Which to be true is mani­fested in the Israelites, who hauing béene in captiuitie in Babylon seuen­tie yéeres, were so infected by dayly conuersatiō of that wicked, idolatrous, and faithlesse nation, that after when there was libertie giuen them to re­turne first by Cyrus, then by Darius, many of them would not returne. So frozen was all zeale of religion, & loue of godlinesse exiled: especially in the Leuites themselues,Esd 1.8.15. of whom there was not founde one that returned, vn­till such time as Esra was faine to vse his authoritie which the King had graunted him, for the causing of them [Page]to come. Wherefore obserue the coū­sell of the wise man,Eccle. 7.16. who sayth: Ioyne not thy selfe to the multitude of the wicked, but remember that venge­ance will not be long ere it fall. Héere let them (whose calling to honourable estate requireth a traine) take héede that not onely they themselues be not by example infectuous, but also that they nourish no infection. Let them set before their eyes y^t princely Pro­phet, which sayth, I will walke in the vprightnesse of my heart in the midst of my house. Psal. 101.2, I wil set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the worke of them that fall away, it shall not cleaue vnto mee. A froward heart shall de­part from me, I will knowe no euill. Him that priuily slaūdereth his neigh­bour will I destroy. Him that hath a proude heart and hie looke, I can not suffer. There shall no deceiptfull per­son dwell within my house: he that telleth lyes shall not remaine in my sight, &c. If Dauid would wéede out of his house those in whō such crimes were as the law punisheth not, where [Page]place haue béene in his house to forni­cation, adulterie, blasphemie, and such like detestable enormities? If he could not abide him in his sight who telleth lyes, howe coulde he abide the wicked mouth and loathsome breath of him, who euen as it were in dispite of God shall thunder out blasphemous other. Is that nowe good, which then was e­uill? Nowe lawfull, which then was vnlawfull? Was it then true that the plague shoulde not depart from the house of the swearer, Eccle. 23.11. and the case now affered? The times in déede are chan­ged, and we are chaunged in them. But God remaineth one and the same, Esal 40.8, a iust God, and his word shall stand for euer. O follie, O madnesse to shut the gates against those who bring the plague which infecteth onely the body, and set them wide opē to such as bring the plague which infecteth both soule and body. Peter went forth and wept and that as S. Matthew and S. Luke without, bitterly. Two things,Mat. 26.75. Luk. 22.62. saith Augustine, cause true repentaunce: which are, the loue of God and hatred [Page]of [...].De Temp. set. 7. These both manifestly ap­peare in Peter. His loue, in that hée wept bitterly. His hetred of sinne, as in his bitter wéeping, so in that hée went forth. Whence are teares (if they [...] true teares) at the death of our friends but of sorow? Whence is that sorow, but of loue? We sorow y^e want of them, because wee loued their pre­sence. We sorowe their death, because their life was deare vnto vs. This so­row can not but bee where is vnfeig­ned loue, [...]. Vehement is the sorowe which causeth the heart to bléede. True teares (as some thinke) being no other thing then droppes of blood which di­still from the heart by the eyes. [...].24 [...] The sorowe in Peter great, argueth his loue to be great. And although it can not be but that the consideration of the due reward of sinne, that is, of eternall death and paines of hell, doo worke so­row in the heart, yet in the children of God the greatest sorow is, in that they haue prouoked so mercifull and louing a God. And therefore euen after they are risen againe by repentaunce, and [Page]haue by saith beléeaed, and by hope ta­ken holde of God his mercie in Christ Iesu, the fall remembred, the heart so­roweth. Which sorow then can not by any meanes procéede of feare, of ven­geance, but of loue of God. This loue maketh vs (if we be of God) both to de­test and abhorre y^e euill, as that which prouoketh our God: and to desire to ensue the good, as that we knowe ac­ceptable and pleasant in his sight. Of which two partes consisteth true re­pentance. It being after the Hebrewe word, a turning vnto God: after the Gréeke word, a chaunge of mind, pur­pose and déede: after the Latines, a re­calling of our selues home, or a recoue­rie of the pristine health of the minde after folly or madnesse. Whereby it apparantly resteth in eschewing euill, and doyng good: in turning from the deuill vnto God: in chaunge of pur­pose, abhorring now that which before with pleasure we hunted after: in re­turning home againe into our selues with deuise and studie to amende the euill committed. (Repentance hauing [Page]respect not is the minde and purpose alone, but also vnto the déede.) The roote of it is faith which (if it be of ef­ficacie) hath alwayes adioyued vnto it vehement griefe, sorow, and feares a­bundant. Héere may we sée wherein the repentance of the godly and of the wicked dooth differ. The very repro­bate (as is manifest in the example of Iudas) haue in them after the euill committed, both confessiō of the fault, and sorowe of the heart. Which not­withstanding, for that it procéedeth not of faith, is not accepted with God. Whom without faith it is not possi­ble to please. Heb. 11.6. Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith being sinne. The repentaunce which is in the children of God is therefore of efficacie, because it contei­neth not onely the confession of y^e fault with vehement sorowe of the heart: but also a willing chaunge of minde and life in conuersion vnto God, ioy­ned to and with an assured perswasi­on of pardon and forgiuenesse, through the fauour & mercy of God in Christ. The end being the honour of God and [Page]our saluation. If a man desire to know whether his repentance be effectuall or no Basil giueth this notice.Quest. 296. If a mā finde in himselfe vnfeynedly the affec­tion which was in Dauid when hée sayd: Iniquitatem odio habui, &c. I de­tested and abhorred iniquitie, &c. then is his repentance effectuall. S. Augu­stine in the place afore cited desyphe­reth true repentaunce this, When a man dooth so repent that the same is now in minde bitter, which before in life was swéete: and that dooth nowe vexe and pinche the heart, which some­time was embraced with delectation in the fleshe.In ca. 10. Iudic. Peter Martyr assigneth this for a speciall marke, when we doo not onely repent the euill doone, but al­so gladly suffer whatsoeuer pleaseth God to lay vpon vs for the same, lyke vnto the children of Israel, which saide vnto the Lorde, we haue sinned:Indie. 10.15. doo thou vnto vs whatsoeuer pleaseth thée. To drawe nowe to an ende, since after shipwracke which we haue all made, the best and surest, yea the one­ly hauen, is repentance, that it may be [Page]true, not counterfeit: profitable vnto vs, not hurtfull: acceptable in God his fight, not odious: let vs not snatch at it and go our wayes, but to the ful qui­eting and setling of our consciences, take with vs so much as is of necessi­tie, that by it we may with Peter bée saued, & not with Iudas condemned. Wee haue therefore to acknowledge our fall and confesse our sinnes: to so­rowe bitterly in heart for the same: to submit our selues vnder the mightie hand of God, contented to suffer what soeuer he shall lay vpon vs, willingly to turne vnto God through chaunge not onely of minde and purpose, but al­so of life (if God giue time:) Assuredly to perswade our selues that whensoe­uer we shall this doo, he who by iudge­ment (that I may vse Tertullian his words) hath appointed paine,De poeni­tentia. hath by mercy promised pardō to al our sins: howe many or great soeuer, whether in will or déede, in flesh or spirit com­mitted. God by his Prophet saying, If the wicked will turne from all his sinnes that he hath committed, Eze. 18.21. and [Page]keepe all my statutes, and doo that which is lawfull & right, he shal sure­lye liue and shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath commit­ted, they shall not be mentioned vn­to him. For the Lorde reteyneth not his wrath for euer, Mich. 7.18. because mercie pleaseth him. He will turne againe & haue compassion vpon vs, he wil sub­due our iniquities, and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea. This if we shall truely doo to the ende to honour God by rising againe to good life, whome by our fall into euill wée had dishonoured, then shall we, not of merit, but of mercy, eschew death the reward of sinne, and inioy eternal life the gift of God, through Iesus Christ our Lord: vnto whom with the fa­ther and the holy spirit bee all praise and glory now and for euer. Amen.