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yet, if from above he have not been enlightened, if from heaven his wisdom hath not been sanctified, his knowledge shall decay, his wisdom shall wither like grass, he hath not as yet tasted of the spirit of God, that endureth for ever. And therefore saith. S. Paul: We teach the mysteries of God, which none, no not the Princes, and the men of this world, which are above others most excellent, are able to understand. Secondly consider, whether in he, there be any alteration or change. For the wise men which were expert in nature, could say, that in every generation there is a corruption▪ And we see, that the seed sown is much changed before it grow up and bear fruit: Then needful it is that in regeneration, there be a corruption of sin, so that as seed in the ground, so sin in our mortal bodies may decay, that the new man may be raised up, the spirit of God taking possession of our souls. Therefore the Evangelist John doth make this, the first work of the spirit, that it shall rebuke the world of sin: and this so needful, that without it, there is not the spirit of God, neither yet can Christ come and enter into that man. Hereof it was that Christ compared the Jews to Children in the market place, who would not dance ⟨p. 146⟩though they were piped unto: and the reason was, because they had not first learned with Joh• to mourn: for they that by the preaching of John, learned to lament their sins, and for their sins were pensive in their own souls, they received Christ, they daū ced and did rejoice to hear the joyful tidings of the Gospel. Therefore Christ saith, That whores and harlots entered into the kingdom of heaven (seeing they lamented their sins) before the proud Pharisees, which were touched with no remorse for their sins. And for the same cause it is, that Christ calleth unto him, them only, that labour and are heavy laden: teaching, •hat if they find not sin to be a heavy load and burden to them, they have not the spirit of God, neither are they fit to receive Christ. Then to be rebuked of sin, is the first work of the spirit; which the spirit worketh in us by these degrees. First it raiseth up in us a great and general astonishment, by reason of all those great and enormous sins that we have committed, and this doth strike us down, it doth terrify us, and hold us amazed wonderfully:

yet, if from aboue he haue not beene inlightned, if from heauen his wisedome hath not bene sanctified, his knowledge shall decay, his wisdome shall wyther like grasse, hee hath not as yet tasted of the spirit of God, that endureth for euer. And therefore saith. S. Paul: We teach the misteries of God, which none, no not the Princes, and the men of this worlde, which are aboue others most excellent, are able to vnderstande. Secondly consider, whether in hee, there bee any alteration or change. For the wise men which were expere in nature, coulde say, that in euery generation there is a corruption And wee see, that the seede sowen is much changed before it growe vp and beare fruite: Then needfull it is that in regeneration, there be a corruption of sinne, so that as seede in the ground, so sinne in our mortall bodies may decaye, that the new man may be raised vp, the spirit of God takeing possession of our soules. Therefore the Euangelist Iohn doth make this, the first worke of the spirit, that it shal rebuke the worlde of sinne: and this so needefull, that without it, there is not the spirit of God, neither yet can Christ come and enter into that man. Hereof it was that Christ compared the Iewes to Children in the market place, who would not daunce