Senatour Sir Iohn Swinnerton which is seuen yeeres and a halfe since I was admitted Preacher to the Gaole of Ludgate and by your Honour and Worships Predecessors hitherto successiuely therein haue bin continued And most willingly long since your Honour and Worships in Court did generally condiscend the Stipend thereunto belonging to augment In acknowledgement heartie thankefulnesse in some lieu thereof vouchsafe to receiue the first Fruits of my poore Haruest a Bunch of Grapes of my first Vintage a Flower from a Slip of the first growth I do vnfainedly acknowledge I owe my self and mine by your Hon. and Wor. all to be commanded who haue been so good and beneuolent lately to me mine Continue fauorable still in receiuing of this my small grown Wheat leaue the Chaffe my Wine leaue the Dregges my sweete Flower leaue the vnpleasant sented Earth nay I hope a little Treasure though in a base Earthen Vessell presented to your view I am the miserable Sonne of Man that is subiect vnto Mutabilitie but poore meane and therefore the more respectlesse and least regarded in these dayes wherein Money is so loued and Mammonists adored respected and of all capped and crouched vnto with low-bended knee I am a Vine whose Branch is weake young and tender and stands in need of supporting Will your Honour and Worships vouchsafe with your powerfull hands to support mee I am a new gathered fresh flourishing Flower which soone fadeth I am in the Bud and Bloome soone blasted Vouchsafe your carefull Ouersights and Protections that the Critikes of this our Age wherein we liue may not breake into your Fields Orchards or Gardens which like a wild Boare will extirpate me wholly and I will by Gods grace as by dutie bound for euer heartily and dayly pray and supplicate vnto the Almightie for continuance of his great goodnesse and mercie towards your Honour and Worships Now the Lord Almightie who of his infinite goodnesse feeds you all with the finest Wheat and cloatheth you with the purest Wooll continue Peace Plentie Prosperitie Safetie and Health within the walls of that most famous and Honourable Citie whereunto God hath elected and made you the prime Gouernour and eminent Magistrat next vnder our most gracious Soueraign and dread Lord the K. Maiestie a place conspicuous to the whole World and admired at the state and ciuill gouernment thereof May it still so flourish in Plentie Honour and with discreet vnderstanding Magistrates The Lord God grant that all your successors may be such vigilant Watchmen for the preseruation maintenance thereof as now it is may that good care be continued still from generation to generation from predecessors vnto all successors and from this your Lo. time wherein all things quietly are gouerned and safely rest And when ye shal surcease to liue amōg men your names may liue for euer and be remembred for the good you haue done that as now men do reioyce to heare of your names whilst you are liuing they may lament for the losse of you when you are gone May this be an Inheritance bestowed by the Almighty to cōtinue vnto all your Ho. and Wor. successors to the Worlds end Amen Now that Blessednesse the Lord vouchsafe your Ho. Wor. which is mentioned in Psal 128. To feare him walke in his wayes quietly to eat the fruit of your endeuours the fatted Oxe in your Stalls the Sheepe of your Fould and the Doue that flyeth about the Courts of your owne Houses The Lord make your Wiues like Dauids Vine fruitfull make your Children like Oliue Branches decking and standing round about your Tables and may they drop sweetnesse and goodnesse to the Church and Common-wealth wherein they are borne bred and brought vp O Lord let them vestigiate the steppes of their Fathers to be an honour vnto their Posteritie Linage a godly President vnto successiue Posterities and Generations that many hundred yeeres hereafter it may be spoken both of you and your Children Loe these are the Men that feared the Lord and therefore God did so blesse them that they did see their Childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation to flourish prosper graciously and vertuously to liue and in Magistracie doing good their Parents to succeede Furthermore the Lord Iesus giue vnto your Honour and Worships from the first day of this New yeere at the expiration of your dayes the New Heauens and the New Man Christ Iesus in the immortalitie of your Soules and of his infinite mercie graunt that as here on Earth yee feast like Princes yee may be partakers of that most Royall Feast and Banquet of Iesus Christ the Prince of Glorie and Light of the whole World who came a Light at this time into the World to light all thither And this blessednesse I will dayly and heartily pray vnto Almightie God to bestow on you all at the end of this your mortall liues The Lord Iesus with that blessed Life of Glory indow you and all your Posterities for euermore Amen Your Honor and Worships much bounden and in the seruice of my Lord and Master Iesus Christ at all times to be commanded Henry Goodcole TO ALL GODLY zealous religious sanctified and Christian-minded People who expect and vnfainedly desire the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ fruition thereof to the euerlasting ioy of their Soules PEruse mee Will you please Then finde helpe for each Disease Soule and Body I apply And cure both their Maladie Such good meanes not disdaine When to thee so friendly sent Lest in sicknesse thou remaine And thy folly doe repent Had I wist breedes much woe Gentle Patient be no foe To the health and happie states Of such peerelesse louing Mates Farewell good Soule till wee meet In Heauens Blisse each to greet Expect wee doe and dayly pray Lord graunt to vs that happie day CHristian and conscionable Reader thou mayest now iustly with Apelles reprooue and deride me who thus haue presumed to diuulge and diue into the height of all Learning Arts Sciences Knowledge Wit and Skill whose vnskilfulnesse in all of them recommands me to the lowest degree that may be to be abased I know it is but lost labour to cast water into the Ocean an vnthankefull respectlesse Gift to cast a Sheaue of Wheat into a rich mans Garner or to put a small Bunch of Grapes into a vaste Wine-presse small encrease thereof can issue Yet seeing I am called and sent into my Heauenly Lord and Masters Haruest hired and sent to his Vineyard in both to worke and not to loyter That I haue in both endeuoured I present thee good Christian friends this little of my hard labour and gleaned Corne obtained by following others of my fellow Labourers Though theirs was pure yet mine not without Chaffe receiue my Grapes though not without some soure and sharpe distaste altogether disliking your Pallat and disappointing your expectation The Lord of the Vineyard hath sent by me some Bread and Wine to strengthen
place that when the deluge of sinne is past she may bring one Oliue braunch vnto the Arke of her Soule to expresse her peace is made The Prodigall expresseth that nothing can content the Soule or hath any right in the Soule but God only and alone GIue vnto God that which is Gods It is he that deserueth thee O my heart and there is none fit to possesse thee but he He it is that can onely satisfie thee he it is that can onely suffice thee thou requirest peace he will giue it thee as hee gaue it vnto such as followed him Hee is the God of peace who then can establish my heart in peace but he that is the God of peace Teneat te cor meum quia perfodisti eor tuum vt saluares meum It is not pleasure shall transport me nor riches ensnare me or honour inflame mee I am wholy prest for my Sauiour I will take vp his Crosse willingly with Simon of Cyrene and on my shoulders beare it where though I faint vnder my burden yet will hee support me with his mercies for his loue is more strong then wine What afflictions can separate me from the loue of my God No Lord I haue sinned I haue sinned and in the abundance of my sorrowes doe I flie vnto thee for refuge neither hunger nor nakednes shall take me from thee I haue tasted thy exceeding mercies towards me and thy compassions haue beene from generation to generation For who euer came vnto thee for sight and went away blind for hearing and went away deafe for speech and went away dumbe for health and went away sicke for comfort and went away sorrowfull for the forgiuenesse of sinnes and went away a sinner O inexplicable mercy O inscrutable pietie O ineffable clemencie I that haue euer offended and neuer till now repented I that haue multiplied trangression vpon transgression making league with my sinnes I that haue beene a rebellious childe and haue turned my eare from thy discipline and instruction I that neuer felt remorce of conscience neuer made recourse to thy Temple neuer brake the bread of comfort to the hunger-starued soule To bee short I that gloried in my sinnes and made light of my offences deferring repentance from day to day am now heard in thy mercy comforted in my misery and promised an inheritance of glory Cyrus that renowned Prince of Persia promised such as aided him against his grandsire Ast yages that if they were footemen he would make them horsemen if horsemen they should ride in their Charriots But the King of Hostes that rideth in the clouds for things temporall things eternall for things of no valew bounties of incomparable esteeme No hee will do more euen whilest we soiourne heere in this tabernacle of clay for he will helpe vs fainting exhort and excite vs fighting and crowne vs vanquishing Hence it is poore Prodigall that I reape comfort seeing his mercy vpon all flesh readier to saue then to kill willinger to heare then wee to aske and as forward to crowne as we to fight The prodigals earnest desire THough Father I haue euer retired my selfe in the heate of the day and haue not laboured in thy Vineyard yet comming in the euening of my dayes the Sunne-set of my life it is thy fatherly will that I shall haue my penny Suffer mee at least Father to feede vpon the crummes vnder thy Table or as the Prodigall sonne let me be one of my fathers meiny I desire no great place in thy house for I am vnworthy of thy acceptance yet Father speake but comfortably to thy Seruaunt and my soule will be glad Thou hast promised that at what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes thou wilt put all his offences out of thy remembrancr Behold Lord I present my selfe vnto thee prostrate vpon the ground desiring remission and pardon of all my sinnes nor be these teares I shed dissembling for thou knowest the secrets of al hearts and examinest the reins and I know thou hast denounced a double woe vpon the Hypocrite and Pharisee It is not my prayer but my harty praier not my tears but my harty teares not my conuersion but my harty conuersion which pleaseth thee For the Pharises praier the harlots vow the traitors kisse the sacrifice of Caine the fast of Iezabel the oblation of Ananias theteares of Esau are nothing they are not accepted because not heartily offered but this sacrifice which I offer proceeds from my heart otherwise Father had I not giuen it thee For I know thou art iust and righteous and considerest all the wayes of man whether they be straight or crooked How long Lord how long ere thy fury will be appeased that my wayes may be directed to thee my hope erected by thee and my confidence planted in thee so may the tempests rage but not dismay mee the flouds rise but not come neare mee the winds blow but not remoue me for my foundation is built on a rocke a rocke impregnable a mount in accessible a fort irremoueable Blessed fort where the Saints be enthroned glorious mount with Gods presence beautified and puissant rocke which against the gates of hell hath preuailed O that I might be but a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord singing Songs of mirth and spirituall melody to inhabite there all the dayes of my life Happy Cittizens which bee enfranchised there ioyfull Quiristers that may sing there and victorious souldiours that for the Church millitant are transplanted to a Church Triumphant Heere they beginne to fight there to raigne Heere they were in Tents of Clay now in Campes of Immortality Now in heauen heere on earth In heauen to receiue their reward in earth to sustaine all Afflictions For whosoeuer will pertake of consolations must likewise haue his share of tribulations And that which the Poet saith is true Pati noncesset Qui regnare cupit Fit it is deere Father that thy Children suffer here to raigne els-where that no punishment how intollerable soeuer may seeme worthy of the infinite loue which is borne vnto vs in CHRIST our Lord. For is the maister inferiour to the Seruant Thy Sonne blessed Father whose foot steps we ought to folow was whipped that we might be exempted scourged that wee might bee spared Crowned with Thornes that wee might be crowned with a Crowne of pure golde Crucified that wee might be glorified Farre be it from me to refuse thy Crosse which bore that Crosse that I should haue borne so willingly Thy Crosse was my gayne thy death my life thy wonndes my cures thy Caluarie where thou wast hanged my place of Glorie whereto I shall be aduanced Woe is mee that I should so long wander from the folde of the true Sheepheard Hee that is the great Sheepheard of our Soules Long haue I strayed from these green and flourishing pastures of true consolation following mine owne vanities erring in the pricking brakes of
know it not deceiued by Ismael and see it not slaued by the flesh yet curbe her not taught better things by the Spirit of God yet beleeue them not Pitty it is that creatures of so promising a feature should for the hardnes of their hearts heare like stones and goe like snaile It is written of the Hart that when hee lifteth vp his eares hee is quicke of hearing and heareth euery noise but when hee laieth downe his eares he is deafe and heareth nothing the worldlings eares bee euer downe for the hearing euer goeth with the heart and that is neuer fixed by a worldling on the tidings of the Spirit or affections of the new man but on a deare summer a scarce haruest or such like publike ill whereby he may chance to reape a priuat good The ambitious and vainglorious mans eares bee neither downe nor vp but about him he looketh for obseruance with his eyes and listens for fame with his eares The dissolute young man hee hath his eares engaged to the report of Beautie not one of these will heare Wisedome cry she neuer so lowde in the open streetes These know not that a diuine Tongue and an holy Eare make sweete Musicke but a deafe eare maketh a dombe tongue Alas What concord with Belial when the Tongue should be conuersant in thankesgiuing the Eare in attentiue listening the faculties of the Soule in vniformitie of operation the Tongue for thankesgiuing is employed in cursing the Eare for attentiue hearing is giuen to peruerting the faculties of the Soule for vniformity of operation are strangely distracted by a preposterous confusion Here may the Prophets of Almighty God pipe long before any of these daunce for why the couetous man trembleth at their doctrine they talke too much of Diues and yet they like the history well so long as this Diues was clad in Purple and fared deliciously euery day But when it followeth his soule was carried to hell there to be tormented for euermore O there the end sounds not so well as the beginning The Ambitious man if he heare any thing which may bee applied to his owne vanitie heere an aspiring Absolon there a politicke Haman a vaine-glorious Herod and their miserable ends though they tremble with Foelix yet they will say with Foelix We will find some other time to heare thee Oras one of the Polemarchi answered Archias Letter wherein he was aduertised of the conspiracie intended against his Soueraignty RES SERIAS ad crastinum differamus The present time must be reserued for their priuate honour the serious and important state of their soule must be deferred The wantan if he heare words of instruction or discipline hee presently returneth to his Glasse not to his houre-glasse for then he should be put in minde of the expence of his time where seeing no riuells in his face no emblems of age but all like the freshest of Autumnes floures hee thinkes it pitty so good a face should be so soone mortified That it is hard for ambition auarice or sensuality to ascribe honor where honor belongs because they be partiall followers and giue them honour onely which they affect hartily it agreeth with Minius the Philosophers saying there is no honour or adoration which proceeds not from admiration O let vs then onely admire that we onely adore the Soueraigne of heauen and earth not any subiect within the circumference of earth for though it allay perchance our desires yet can it no way satisfie them We see in the natures of Elements they continue their owne course fire and aire aspiring earth and water declining each body tends to her proper centre If our essentiall part were composed of earth or any other grosse substance then no maruell if we tended to the place of our composition but being of a purer clearer and lighter nature let not the viler and baser part depriue the better of her Soueraigne end The worse should be in subiection to the better and not the better to the worse I haue found two meanes as speciall motiues to reduce the body to the subiection of the minde the first by force the second by awe By force when all depraued motions be expelled by a certain violence wrestling with the rebellious flesh and discomfiting it by the argument of reason and soueraignty of will By awe when she expresseth her selfe and the necessity of her command shaking onely the rod of her discipline at the seruile flesh to imply that she is Mistris and if easier meanes will not preuaile then rougher and seuerer chasticements must I reade how the Scythians in their third expedition into Asia hauing beene absent for the space of seauen yeeres from their wiues and children were entertained at their returne with a seruile warre for their wiues wearied with expecting their husbands imagining them to be rather discomfited then detained by warre married their seruants which were left at home to graze their cattell the Maisters at last returning home with victorie were denyed the entrance of their owne prouinces as if they had beene strangers by their owne seruants Long and doubtfull was the victory till the Scythians aduised to change the nature of the battell calling to memory how they fought not with enemies but with their vassailes and therefore not to be vanquished by lawe of Armes but the awe and authority of maisters so they resolued for weapons to carry whippes and other instruments of seruile feare where they no sooner assaulted the enemy then with the sight of their whippes they became so dismayed as they tooke themselues to flight so as that which saith the Historian they could not atchieue by the power of their swords they atchieued by the feare of their whips I would haue the spirit to deale so with the flesh to put her in minde she is but a seruant and must obey and now and then to shew the badge of her authoritie the symbole of her power and the extent of her might Miserable doe wee account that State to bee where indiscreet Gouernours manage the affaires of State and subiect to ruine must that Armie needes be which is guided by an effeminate Leader Alas then poore Soule wheresoeuer thou bee for many of this sort I know there be that transferreth the gouernment of thy State the helme of thy Shippe to so dissolute a Guide so secure a Pilote as the irregular passions of the flesh These like Ionah sleepe in the shippe and prouide not for a tempest these neuer fore-see ruine vntill it suddenly come vpon them euen in the imminencie of danger so securely be they rocked in the sleepe of Obliuion as they take it for a dreame That Sage of Greece thought no foole could bee better charactered then with Non putaram thinking least when greatest apparancie of danger demonstrated her selfe Foolish flesh that would gladly gouern yet knows not how would steere the Barke and precious Vessell of my Soule yet neyther expert in
weighing anchor nor how to ballase thy shippe euenly to wit with the lastage of Reason and poyse of Discretion nor knowest thou thy Points and Distances and therefore hazardest thy Shippe in Shelues and Sands continually Little knowest thou that rockes be neerest where the seas seeme whitest Not a Syrens voyce but may tempt thee and draw thee to folly thou hast no power ouer thy selfe and therefore vnfit to haue power or soueraignetie ouer another No as thou wast created a seruant thou shalt subiect thy selfe to the guidance of reason the line and square of a discreete obedience I will see thee play the subiect better before thou be King Better is it for me that my flesh serue in a Turkes galley then in tyrannicall discipline to dominiere ouer my soule poore and miserable soule that hath such a guardian The Prodigals desire vnto God for mortification of the Flesh to inable him to subdue it to the Spirit O Lord let me I pray thee be rather imprisoned in my flesh then by my flesh for the one endureth but a moment in comparison of the other Peter was in prison and was deliuered Paul in prison and was released Manasses pressed with many yrons yet at last enfranchised But when was Demas that was imprisoned to the World freed or the Sodomites imprisoned to the filthie lusts of their flesh exempted or the proud Pharises imprisoned to outward Obseruances publique Reuerences Hypocriticall Semblances when shall they bee dismissed Kill me in my flesh so I may liue in the spirit for I know Lord that hee who will saue his life must loose it no affliction no crosse no perturbation shall separate mee from the loue I beare to my Sauiour and little is it for me to giue him my life now when he requireth it that gaue for mee his life freely before I did aske it Who would not goe to Heauen although it were with Eliah in a Whirlewinde When Dauid speakes of Troubles hee speaketh of Troupes and Heapes and Starres and Sands and rightly too for fit it is that our troubles in some sort answer the proportion of our sinnes They are multiplyed like the Starres in the Firmament or the Sands vpō the Sea-shore that cannot be numbred Our sinnes therefore like Sands in number should be seconded with troupes of Troubles succeeding in order The righteous neuer want them they are so inured with them as they terme them to be but exercises to trye them and not Terrors to the end to dismay them I know the Worldling makes not Troubles his exercises nor Afflictions his trialls It is miserie enough for him to loose his temporall estate or to be bereft of honour or the like and the reason is for that hee expecteth no further he findes his Non vltra heere the period of his hopes extend no further then to bee rich to be obserued that in the fulnesse of his estate his soule may be at peace Farre be his peace from the mansion of my soule Farre be my hopes enlarged aboue his farre be it from mee to liue with him in this World deliciously and staruing my soule in the World which is to come eternally Though I carrie not so much with me liuing I shall carrie more with mee dying a sincere Conscience and the inestimable Treasures of an vndefiled Soule And these will weigh downe all earthly mindes being possessed by such corrupt mindes and opinions Socrates answered one wittily being demanded Who could carry a Citie about with him saith he the worldly minded man Alas poore rich man haeret lateri laetales arundo Thou hast bought thy many Possessions at a deare rate when Earth shall receiue thee those many acres of earth shall leaue thee and then must thy account bee made for thou canst be no longer Steward Here the Prodigals Vow to Heauen his Legacie to Earth that as he is resolued for his Creatour in Heauen thou mayest be willing to bee dissolued from the Tabernacle of the Earth Thou wilt not die one houre to liue for euer but the Prodigall wisheth he may quickly die that hee may liue for euer Nothing so sweet to thee as life for life is to thee aduantage but nothing more sweet to this poore Prodigall then death for death is to him aduantage Thou thinkest of thy accompts in this life onely hee of his accompts after this life Death to thee is entrance to sorrow Death to him is ender of sorrow reade but his Legacie and thou shalt heare him resolued for death If I could leaue any thing poore Earth behind me it should be my prayers that the simple honest-minded man may quickly leaue thee Vertue is no Tenant for thee shee shall bee shut soone out of doores hauing no other Trade then honestie If I should giue thee any thing it should be that which thou needest lesse vanitie more stayednesse lesse hypocrisie and more sincerenesse If I should begge any thing of thee it should neyther bee fame nor popular praise for I am mortified and doe not loue it it should be that thou wouldest rumour my vices that others hearing them may be cautioned If thou wouldst haue me doe aught for thee I will doe it willingly so it be not to stay with thee If I should aske any thing now at my farewell from thee it should be no curious monument for what would that auaile me I haue a better monument prouided for me with this Imprease Nec spe nec metu will I tarry with thee As I did once loue thee so am I willing to leaue thee for I haue obserued such as loued thee die in their beds vnquietly As I made thee once my palace bee now my graue I loue thee not so ill but I will leaue something with thee my body thou shalt haue for thou fosteredst it but my soule shall fly to him that made it This is all the legacie I will make to earth it now rests that I make my vowes to heauen this little which I gaue to the first is too much this all which I giue to the second is too little yet will my vowes be acceptable to heauen proceeding from him that willingly for heauen forsakes earth I haue soiourned long enough vpon earth now am I for my war-fare to heauen hauing charity for my scrip confidence for my staffe and desire for my guide charity towards my brother confidence in God and desire towards heauen in my abode heere I haue patience to indure prouidence to retire resolution to conquer Patience to indure afflictions prouidence retiring to Christs compassion and resolution to conquer all incursions I will neuer so presume on Gods mercy as to forget he is a Iudge or despaire on Gods mercy to forget he is a Father I will rather with the seruants of God suffer afflictions though with bitternesse then enioy pleasures of sinne for a season and loose my inheritance My best Arithmeticke shall be numbring of my dayes that when my dayes bee