The amendment of life comprised in fower bookes: faithfully translated according to the French coppie. Written by Master Iohn Taffin, minister of the word of God at Amsterdam.

That the word translated Amend, signifieth, to be better adui∣sed, and why. Chap. 1.

IT is a matter worth the noting, that the whole summe of the first sermon of Iesus Christ, as also of Saint Iohn the Baptist, is by S. Mathew comprised in these wordes, Amend your liues,* 1.1 for the kingdome of hea∣uen is at hand. Heereby doth the holie Ghost teach vs, that the first thing that is to bee preached in the Church, and soun∣ded into our eares: that especially and aboue all things we are to learne in the Gospell: whereupon principally wee should set our heartes and mindes: To be briefe, the same which we ought chiefly to practise, is this first sermon of Iesus Christ, and of his forerunner Saint Iohn, Amend your liues, for the kingdom of hea∣uen is at hand. Now the word which the holy Ghost doth ordina∣rily vse throughout the new Testament, and namely in this first sermon, whereby to expresse Amendement, signifieth vnder∣standing, aduice, and wisdome, after the knowledge of our error, corruption, and transgression. Thus the Amendement whereto

wee are heere exhorted, consisteth in this, that where be∣fore time we haue beene so foolish and vnaduised, as to followe our owne corruptions, and so to offend God, wee may heereafter obtaine vnderstanding and sense, euermore walking in the feare and obedience of God.

2 Out of this Sermon therefore, considering the propertie of the word which Iesus Christ doth vse, we gather two things: the first, that it is an extreme folly to liue according to the flesh, and so to giue ouer our selues to sinne: and contrariwise, that the be∣ginning of wisedome is the feare of God,* 1.2 & walking in his waies. The second, that man naturally is inclined to this folly: namely, to giue himselfe ouer to his lustes, and consequently to offende God: for otherwise it were in vaine by so notable a reason to ex∣hort him to shunne the same. As concerning the first point. The holy Scripture in many places tearmeth sinners fooles, & sinne ••••oli ••nesse. Moses foreshewing the corruption and rebellion of he I raelites,* 1.3 saith thus: They haue corrupted themselues towarde God, they resemble not his children, but are a froward & crooked gene∣ration.* 1.4 Do ye thus reward the Lord, O ye foolish people and vnwise. My people (saith the Lord) are foolish, they haue not knowen me, they are foolish children & haue no vnderstanding. They are wise to do euill, but to doo well they haue no knowledge. Againe, See (saith Saint Paul) that ye walke diligently, not as fooles, but as wise men. And writing to Titus,* 1.5 he speaketh more plainly, saying. We our selues were in time past vnwise, disobedient, deceiued, seruing the lustes and diuerse plea∣sures,* 1.6 liuing in malitiousnes and enuie. Salomon in his Prouerbs doth vsually so take it. Wisedome (saith hee) crieth out, O yee foolish, how long will ye loue foolishnes, and the scornefull take their pleasure in scorning, and the fooles hate knowledge? And so in many other pla∣ces, But that we may the better vnderstand what a foolishnesse it is to offend God: the holy Ghost, especially in the olde Testa∣ment, and sometimes also in the new, doth signifie this Amende∣ment, by conuersion and turning to the Lord. Oh Israel, sayth the Lord by Ieremie,* 1.7 If you returne, returne vnto mee. Againe, Conuert me, O Lord, and I shall be conuerted. Againe, I desire not the death of a sinner, saith the Lord, but rather that hee conuert from his wicked∣nes and liue.* 1.8 Conuert ye, O ye house of Israel. Likewise sometimes in the new Testament, Bee yee better aduised, that is to saie, Amend, saith S. Peter and S. Iohn,* 1.9 and conuert. And S. Paul saith, that hee shewed them of Damascus and others, that they shoulde repent

and turne to God, and doo workes worthie amendement of life.* 1.10 This phrase of speech teacheth vs, that mans life resembleth a pilgrimage, wherein whosoeuer offendeth God, by walking af∣ter the world and the flesh, he doth (as it were) turne his back to God, to heauen, and to life: and goeth to the deuill, to death, and to hell fire. And contrariwise, that conuerting and turning to God by Amendement of life, hee turneth his backe to death, to hell, and to the deuill: and goeth to God, draweth neere to him, and directeth his course to heauen & to life euerlasting. Is there therefore anie greater foolishnes than to offend God? that is to saie, to turne from God and life euerlasting, and to go after the deuill and death? If anie man should voluntarily call himself in∣to the fire, or into some riuer, either stab himselfe, or drinke poi∣son, men would not saie that he were a foole, but rather that hee were frantike and besides himselfe: What shall wee then saie to those, who willingly offending God, do cast themselues into hell fire, and into the bottomlesse pit of eternall death? To the ende therefore that we may amend, it is requisite that we retire, con∣uert vnto God, and returne to him. But how? Euen by ceasing to offend him, and by walking according to his word: for so do we turne backe from the deuill, from death, and from hell, Let vs, I saie, conuert and turne vnto God, yea, let vs drawe neere vnto him: yet as Saint Austen saith, not by changing of place,* 1.11 for hee is euerie where, but by alteration of manners: for, as he addeth, According as we grow like or vnlike vnto him, so doo we eyther approch or she backe from him.

3 For the second point. This exhortation Amend, that is to saie, Be ye wiser and better aduised, together with the reason there∣unto added, whereby to induce vs so to doo, doo sufficiently, as is aforesayde, shew that man of his owne nature is inclined to this folly and rage, namely, to apply himselfe to all corruption & sinne, and so for the amending of his life ought to become wiser and better aduised. Now notwithstanding we might note many examples of this folly, yet at this present we will consider onely of seuen of the chiefest. And in the meane time as the number of seuen doth commonly signifie perfection, so will we thereby de∣clare that man is perfectly foolish, vntill he change his minde, that he may amend. And these be the follies.

• ...1. Not to beleeue that there is a God.
• ...2. To account more of man than of God.

• ...3. To thinke to liue euer.
• ...4. Not to know wherefore we liue.
• ...5. To iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward apparance.
• ...6. To beleeue our enemies sooner than our friends.
• ...7. To thinke our selues wise.

4 These seuen follies are the cables of vanitie, and the roapes that drawe on iniquitie. Of these doth Esay saie, Wo vnto them that draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie,* 1.12 and sinne, as with cart ropes. For by these cordes and cables, hee vnderstandeth certaine false opinions and peruerse imaginations, wherewith the deuil quen∣ching in men all feeling of sinne & apprehension of God, draw∣eth them (as it were) with cordes and cables to all iniquitie, and consequently to the pit of hell. Of these he setteth downe three examples. The first of prophane persons, scorners of God, who saie, Let him make speed, let him hast his worke that we may see it, & let the counsell of the holy one of Israel drawe neere and come, that we may know it. Secondly, of those that call euill good, and good e∣uill▪ that make darknesse light, and light darknes: that make bit∣ter sweet, & sweet bitter. Thirdly, of those that are wise in their owne conceits, and skilfull in the consideration of themselues. The explaning therfore of these seuen follies afore mentioned, may stand as a commentarie and opening of these cords and ca∣bles mentioned by Esay, as also to shew that these follies tende onely to persuade man that he is a beast, and that after his death he is to attend neither good nor euill: thereby to staie all his thoughts and affections vpon this temporall life, to plunge him in the pleasures of the world and the flesh, and consequently, to take from him all holines and religion. Inasmuch therefore as we are now to amend our liues, we must learne to renounce these se∣uen follies, and to be wiser hereafter.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math. 3.2. Math 4.17
• * 1.2

  Psal. 111.10. Prouerb. 1.7
• * 1.3

  Deut. 32.5
• * 1.4

  Iere. 4.22.
• * 1.5

  Titus 3.3.
• * 1.6

  Prou. 1.22
• * 1.7

  Iere 4.1 Iere. 31.18
• * 1.8

  Exech. 33.11
• * 1.9

  Act. 3.19
• * 1.10

  Act. 26.20
• * 1.11

  Prosper in his sentences out of S. Austen.
• * 1.12

  Esa. 5.18