TO The Right worshipfull, my very worthy and Christian friend, Sir Williā Gee, knight, one of his Maiesties honorable

TO THE RIGHT worshipfull, my very worthy and Christian friend, Sir William Gee, knight, one of his Majesties honorable counsel in the North, Recorder of the Towns of Beverley and Hull, and one of his Majesties Justices of Peace in the East-riding of the County of York, a true friend of learning, and piety: and to the virtuous, and religious Lady his wife, Grace and peace from God, &c.

Among the many reasons (Worshipful Sir) which have persuaded me that Popery cannot be the true religion, this is not the least: the insufficiency of their doctrine of faith and repentance: which two things, though they be the chief and principal points in religion, and so necessary, that he, who does not but know, and practice them aright, can never be saved: yet I dare avouch, that the faith and repentance of the Romish church, as they are taught by many of the best approved Papists, are no better than such a faith, and such a repentance as a hypocrite, and a very reprobate may attain to. Indeed, to insist upon repentance only they make many fair flourishes, they call it penance, they make it a Sacrament, and say it is a board that saves a man after shipwreck, and write great volumes of it, and of confession, and of cases of conscience, (as you good Sir in your own reading know better than I) and yet alas, when all is done, it is but a shadow of repentance; and indeed how can they teach aright the doctrine of repentance: which err so foully in setting down the justice of God, and the vileness of sin: which two points a man must know, else he will never repent: but Popery misconceiving the justice of God, teaching it not to be infinite, in as much as it needs not an infinite satisfaction, and misconceiving the nature of sin, teaching every sin not to be damnable, nor to offend God's infinite justice, erring (I say) in these two, how is it possible they should conceive aright the nature of repentance? By which a man seeing his sins, their foulness, their punishment, and his own misery by them, confesses them, bewails them, fearing God's justice, flees from it, and craves forgiveness of his mercy: and lastly purposes, and endeavors to leave them all, and to lead a new life. The serious consideration hereof, has often made me wonder, why many popish treatises, being in some sort exhortations to repentance, should be so accounted of as they are by some: for though I confess, there are in some of them, good and wholesome meditations, and many motives to mortification, and good life, yet would I gladly learn of any man but this one thing, how those exhortations can be pithy, or powerful, sound, or any way sufficient to move a man to repentance, when as, not those books, not all Popery is able to teach a man sufficiently what true repentance is.

If any man reply: I will therefore learn the doctrine out of the Protestants' books: and use the Papists for exhortation only: I then answer; Is it not a more compendious, and convenient, and a less scandalous course, to seek exhortations out of such writers, as do teach the doctrine aright? No, I doubt how it is possible to find a powerful exhortation to repentance in any Papist, who errs in the doctrine: the reason is manifest, because doctrine is the ground of exhortation: and if the doctrine be unsound, how can the exhortation be any better? Let us therefore leave these muddy puddles, and fetch our water at the fountain: the water of life, at the fountain of life: I mean the doctrine of faith, and repentance, at the written word of God, and at such men's writings as are grounded thereupon, and agreeable thereunto.

Now, among those many instruments of God, who have labored with profit in this great point of religion: namely repentance, drawing their doctrine out of the breasts of the two Testaments of God's book, I may well say, (to say no more) that this man of God, Master Perkins, deserves to have his place: whose labors, while he lived, and his yet living labors, what they deserve, I had rather others should proclaim, than I once name: who profess myself to be one of those many, who may truly say, that by the grace of God, and his good means principally, I am that I am. But leaving him in that glorious mansion, which Christ the Lord of the Harvest has prepared for him: and now given him: I return to myself, and do humbly praise the Lord of heaven, who gave me my time in the University, in those happy days, wherein beside many worthy men of God, whereof some are fallen asleep, and some remain alive to this day, this holy man did spend himself like a candle, to give light to others.

The scope of all his godly endeavors was to teach Christ Jesus, and him crucified, and much labored to move all men to repentance, that as our knowledge has made Popery ashamed of their ignorance: so our holy lives might honor our holy profession. And as repentance was one of the principal ends, both of his continual preaching and writing: so especially and purposely has he twice dealt in that argument.

First, in his Treatise of Repentance: published, 1592, wherein briefly (as his manner was) but soundly, pithily, and feelingly, he lays down the doctrine, and the very nature of repentance: and after the positive doctrine, he touches some of the principal controversies and difficulties in that doctrine, but afterwards thinking with himself, that he had not seriously and forcibly enough urged so great and necessary a lesson as repentance is, therefore shortly after, being desired and called to the duty of preaching, in that great, and general assembly at Stourbridge Fair, he thought it a fit time, for this necessary and general exhortation to repentance: to the intent, that as we were taught the doctrine of repentance, in the former treatise: so in these sermons we might be stirred up to the practice of it. And certainly, (good Sir:) I judge there could have been no matter, more fit for that assembly, than an exhortation to repentance: for as the audience was great and general, of all sorts, sexes, ages and callings of men, and assembled out of many corners of this kingdom, so is this doctrine general for all: some doctrines are for parents, some for children, some for scholars, some for tradesmen, some for men, some for women, but repentance is for all: without which, it may be said of all, and every one of age, not one excepted: No repentance, no salvation.

These Sermons being in my hands, and not delivered to me from hand to hand, but taken with this hand of mine, from his own mouth, were thought worthy for the excellency, and fit for the generality of the matter, to be offered to the public view. I have also other works of his in my hands: of which (being many,) I confess myself to be but the keeper for the time, taking myself bound to keep them safely, to the benefit of God's church, of whose treasure upon earth I make no question, but they are a part. And I heartily desire you (my good friends) and all other faithful Christians, to solicit the Lord in prayer for me, that I may faithfully discharge myself of that great charge which in this respect lies upon me. And that his grace and blessing may be on me and all others, who are to be employed in this service, wherein (had the Lord so pleased) we could heartily have wished never to have been employed: but that his life might have eased us of the labor. And that as I begin with this, so I, or some other better able (which I rather desire) may go forward, undertaking the weight of this great burden, and not faint, till he have made a faithful account to the Church of God, of all the jewels delivered to our trust.

And now these first fruits of my labours, in another man's vineyard, as also all that hereafter do or may follow, I humbly consecrate to the blessed spouse of Christ Jesus, the holy Church of God on earth, and namely to the Church of England, our beloved mother, who may rejoice, that she was the mother of such a son, who in few years did so much good to the public cause of religion, as the wickedness of many years shall not be able to wear out. But first of all, and especially, I present the same to you (my very worshipful and Christian friends) who (I must needs say) are very worthy of it in many respects.

1. For the matter itself, which is repentance, myself being able to testify, that you are not hearers, but doers, rise in knowledge, and rise in the practice of repentance: insomuch as I dare from the testimony of my conscience, and in the word of a Minister, pronounce of you that as you have heard and known this doctrine of repentance, so blessed are you, for you do it.

And 2. for him who was the author hereof whose mouth spoke it from the feeling of his soul, and whose soul is now bound up in the bundle of life: I know, and cannot in good conscience conceal the great delight you have always had in the reading of his books, the reverent opinion you had of him living, and how heavily and passionately you took his death and departure. Therefore to cheer you up in want of him, I send you here this little book, his own child, begotten in his lifetime, but born after his death. Observe it well, and you shall find it, not unlike the father; yes, you shall discern in it the father's spirit, and it doubts not, but to find entertainment with them, of whom the father was so well respected.

And for myself, I spare to rehearse what interest you have in me, and all my labours, it is no more than you worthily deserve, and shall have in me for ever. You are the fairest flowers in this garden, which in this place, I after others have planted for the Lord (or rather God by us). And two principal pearls in that crown, which I hope for, at the last day from the Lord my God, whose word at my mouth you have received with much reverence, and with such profit, as if I had the like success of my labours in others, I should then never have cause to say with the Prophet, I have laboured in vain, and spent my strength in vain, but my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.

And if I knew you not, to be such as take more delight in doing well, then in hearing of it, I would prove at large, what I have spoken of you: yet give me leave to say that, which without open wrong, I may not conceal, that beside your care, knowledge, and godly zeal to religion, and other duties of the first table to God himself, your charity and piety to the needy distressed Christians, at home and abroad: your merciful dealing with them, who are in your power; your benevolence to learning, and namely to some in the University, do all proclaim to the world those your due praises: which I (well knowing your modesties) do spare once to name: neither would I have said thus much, were it not for this cold and barren age, wherein we live, that so, when our preaching cannot move, yet your godly examples might stir up. Pardon me therefore I pray you, and think it no wrong to you, which is a benefit to God's Church: But go forward in the strength of the Lord your God, and hold on in that happy course you have begun, be faithful to the end, the Lord will give you the crown of life: faithful is he, which has promised, who will also do it: proceed (good Sir) to honor learning in yourself and others, and religion especially, which is the principal learning, and proceed both of you, to practise religion in your own persons; and in your family, hold on to shine before your family, and among the people, where you dwell, in zeal and holiness: hold on hereby, still to shame popery, to stop your enemies' mouths, and to honor that holy religion, which you profess, to gain comfort of good conscience to yourselves, and assurance of eternal reward: and lastly, to encourage me in those painful duties which lie upon me: for I openly profess that your religious zeal and love of the truth, with many other good helps, are principal encouragements in my ministry, and especial motives to me, to undertake the charge of publication, of so many of the works of this holy man deceased, as may not in better manner be done by others. But I keep you too long from this holy exhortation following; I therefore send you it, and it to you, and from you, to the Church of God: for I dare not make it privately yours and mine, wherein the whole church has interest, as well as we: It was preached in the field, but it is worthy to be admitted into our hearts: I found it in the open field, but upon diligent view, finding it to be God's corn, and a parcel of his holy and immortal seed, therefore I brought it home, as good corn deserves: And as it is God's corn, so in you, I desire all holy Christians to lay it up in God's garners, that is, in their hearts and souls.

And thus committing this little volume to your reading, the matter to your practise: you and yours, to the blessed favor of that God, whom you serve: and myself and my endeavors, to your hearty love, and holy prayers, I take leave: From my study; August. 7. 1607.

Yours in Christ Jesus, ever assured, William Crashawe.