people In thine appointed time we pray thee giue him a deadly downe-fall Beat downe all his power and authority daily more and more giue free passage to thy Gospell in al kingdoms that Babylon may fall and neuer rise vp againe The more the fauorites and adherents of Rome labour to vphold their Idolatrous kingdome the more let it fall downe euen as Dagon before the presence of thine Arke Poure downe the vials of the fulnesse of thy wrath vpon the kingdome of the beast and let their riches wealth credite and authority dry vp euery day more and more as the riuer Euphrates Let it pity thee O Father to see thine owne spouse sit as a deformed and forlorne woman heere below weeping and mourning with her haire about her necke hauing lost all her beauty and comlinesse cheere her vp deare Father glad her with the ioie of thy countenance and so decke her and trimme her vp that thou maiest delight in her as a Bridegroome in his Bride Specially we intreat thee to haue mercy vpon thy Church in this land intend good vnto vs and not euill giue vs not ouer into the hands of the cruell Spaniard as our sinnes haue deserued Scatter we pray thee O Lord the deuises and breake the plots of all such as haue plotted the ouerthrow vtter subuersion of this church and common-wealth Blesse this Church more and more with the continuance of true Religion amongst vs. For thy great names sake and infinite mercies sake deale gratiously and fauourablie with vs our posteritie Turne from vs that vengeance which is due to vs for our sins For thou seest how iniquitie preuaileth and the wicked goe away with the goale Atheisme ouerspreadeth euery where and Popery seemeth to get a head againe Now therfore deare Father we most humbly beseech thee to take order speedily for the remedying repressing of these manifold disorders and grieuous enormities that are amongst vs. Be intreated of thy poore children to be good to this English Nation Heare the cries of thine elect heare the mourning of them that mourne in Sion Let the cries of thy children cry downe all the cries of the sins of the land and be reconciled vnto vs in the multitude of thy compassions that so thou maiest still continue a most mercifull protector of this thine English vineyard Wee pray thee good Father shew speciall mercy to our most Noble and gratious King Iames thine annointed seruant blesse him and keepe him in all his waies Blesse his gouernment vnto vs. Let thine Angels encampe about him and let thy holy hand be alwaies ouer him keepe him from treasons and deliuer him from the treacheries of his enemies giue him to see what belongeth vnto his peace and giue him a heart earnestlybent to set vpon the practise of the same giue him all graces necessary for his peace and necessary for his saluation continue his gouernment peaceable and prosperous amongst vs as thon hast made him the breath of our nostrils and a gratious instrument for the sauing of many thousand soules so let his owne soule be saued in the day of thy Son Christ Blesse his Maiesties most honorable priuy Counsellors giue such good successe vnto all their Counsels and policies in matters of state that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse honesty Blesse all the Nobility worke in them a care to glorifie thy name in their places make them faithfull to thee and faithfull to the Land Direct with thy good spirit all such as beare the sword of Iustice that they may draw it out to punish the wicked and to defend the godly and that they may with all good care and conscience discharge the duties of their places Increase the number of faithfull and zealous Ministers in this church Send thy Gospel to those places where it is not and blesse it where it is Remember them in thy mercy O Lord that are vnder any crosse or affliction whatsoeuer be comfortable vnto them heale vp their wounds binde vp their sores put all their teares into thy bottle and make their bedde in all their sorrowes and put such a good ende to all their troubles that they may redounde to thy glory and the furtherance of their owne saluation In the meane time giue them patience and constancy to beare whatsoeuer it shall please thy mercifull hand to lay vpon them Last of all in a word we pray thee blesse magistracy ministery and commonalty Blesse all thy people doe good to all that are true and vpright in their hearts And so deare Father we doe commit and commend our selues our soules and bodies into thy hands for this day and the rest of our life praying thee to take care and charge of vs keepe vs from all euill watch ouer vs for our good let thine Angels encampe about vs let thy holy hand be ouer vs keepe vs in all our waies that we may liue to thy praise and glory heere in earth keeping faith and a good conscience in all our actions that after this life we may be crowned of thee for euer in thy kingdome Grant these things good father to vs here present to all thine absent praying thee in speciall fauor to remember our friends kinsfolks in the flesh all our good neighbours welwillers all those forwhom we are bound to pray by nature by deserts or any duty whatsoeuer for Iesus Christs sake our onely mediator to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be giuen all praise and glory both now and for euermore Amen An Euening Praier to be vsed in priuate families OEternall God and our most louing and deare Father wethy vnwoorthy children doe héere fall downe at the foote of thy great Maiesty acknowledging from our harts that we are altogether vnworthy to come néere thée or to look towards thée because thou art a God of infinite glory and we are most vile and abhominable sinners such as were conceiued borne in sinne and corruption such as haue inherited our fathers corruptions and also haue actually transgressed all thy holy statutes and lawes both in thought words déeds before weknew thée and since secretly and openly with our selues with others our particular sinnes are moe then can be numbred for who knoweth how often he offendeth But this we must needs confesse against our selues that our hearts are full of pride couetousnesse and the loue of this world full ofwrath anger and impatiencie full of lying dissembling and deceiuing full of vanity hardnesse and prophanenesse full of infidelity distrust and selfe-loue full of lust vncleannes and all adhominable desires yea our harts are the very sinkes of sinne and dunghils of all filthinesse And besides all this we doe omit the good things we should doe for there are in vs great wants of faith of loue of zeale of patience of contentment and of euery good grace so as thou hast iust cause to procéed to sentence of iudgement
what meanes the new birth is wrought Theol. By the preaching of the word as the outward meanes and the secret worke of the spirit as the inward meanes Phila. Many heare the word preached and are nothing the better but rather the worse what I pray you is the cause of that Theol. Mens owne incredulity and hardnesse of heart because God in his wrath leaueth them to themselues and depriueth them of his spirit without the which all preaching is in vaine For except the spirit doe follow the word into our hearts we can find no ioy taste nor comfort therein Phila. Cannot a man attaine vnto regeneration and the new birth without the word and the spirit Theol. No verily for they are the instruments meanes whereby God doth worke it Asune Why may not a man haue as good a faith to God-ward that heareth no Sermons as he that heareth all the Sermons in the world Theol. Why may not he which eateth no meat be as fat and as well liking as he that eateth all the meat in the world For is not the preaching of the word the food of our soules Asune I like not so much hearing of Sermons and reading of the Scriptures except men could keepe them better Theol. Faithfull and honest hearers doe therefore heare that they may be more able to obserue and do For a man cannot do the will of God before he know it and he cannot know it without hearing and reading Antile I maruell what good men doe get by gadding to Sermons and poring so much in the scriptures or what are they better then others there are none more full of enuy and malice then they They will doe their neighbour a shrewd turne as soone as any body and therefore in mine opinion they be but a company of hypocrites and precise fooles Theol. You iudge vncharitably Full little doe you know what they feele or what good Gods people get by hearing of his word For the worke of the Spirit in the hearts of the elect is very secret and altogether hid from the world as it is written The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whither it goeth or whence it commeth So is euery man that is borne of the spirit And againe The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Asune Tush tush what needs all this a doe If a man say his Lords praier his Ten Commandements and his Beliefe and keepe them and say no body no harme nor doe no body no harme and doe as he would be done to haue a good faith to God-ward and be a man of Gods beliefe no doubt he shall be saued without all this running to Sermons and pratling of the Scripture Theol. Now you powre it out indéede you thinke you haue spoken wisely But alas you haue bewraied your great ignorance For you imagine a man may be saued without the word which is a grosse errour Asune It is no matter say you what you will and all the Preachers in the world besides as long as Iserue God and say my praiers duly and truely morning and euening and haue a good faith in God and put my whole trust in him and doe my true intent and haue a good minde to God-ward and a good meaning although I am not learned yet I hope it will serue the turne for my soules health For that God which made me must saue me It is not you that can saue me for all your learning and all your Scriptures Theol. You may very fitly be compared to a sicke man who hauing his braine distempered with heat raueth and speaketh idlely he cannot tell what For the holy Ghost saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his praier shall be abhominable And againe he that despiseth the word he shall be destroied So long therefore as you despise Gods word and turne away your eare from hearing his Gospel preached all your prayers your fantasticall soruing God your good meanings and your good intents are to no purpose but most loathsome and odious in the sight of God as it is written My soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feastes they are a burthen vnto me I am weary to beare them When you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare For your hands are full of bloud And againe the Lord saith by the same Prophet He that killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an idol Where you sée the Lord telleth you his minde touching these matters to wit that all your praiers seruices good meanings c. are abhominable vnto him so long as you walk in ignorance prophanenes disobedience and contempt of the Gospel For he saith in the words immediately going before To him wil I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Asune I grant indeed for them that are idle and haue little to do it is not amisle now and then to heare a Sermon and read the Scriptures but we haue no leasure we must follow our businesse we cannot liue by the scriptures they are not for plaine folke they are too high for vs we will not meddle with them They belong to Preachers and Ministers Theol. CHRIST saith My sheepe heare my voice and I giue vnto them eternal life If therfore you refuse to heare the voice of Christ you are none of his sheepe neither can you haue eternall life And in another place our Lord Iesus saith He that is of God heareth Gods word Ye therefore heare it not because ye are not of God S. Paul writing to all sorts of men both rich and poore high low men women yong and old exhorteth that the word of Christ may dwell plenteously in them all in all wisedome You sée therefore that the Apostle would haue al sorts of people that haue soules to saue to be wel acquainted with the scriptures Therefore you may as well say you will not meddle with God with Christ nor with euerlasting life as to say you wil not meddle with the scriptures Asune Well I cannot reade and therefore I cannot tell what Christ or what S. Paul may say but this I am sure of that God is a good man worshipped might he be he is mercifull and that wee must be saued by our good prayers and good seruing of God Theol. You speake foolishly and ignorantly in al that you say hauing no ground for any thing you speake but your own fansie and your own conceit and yet you will beléeue your own fansie against all Preachers against all that can be spoken out of the Word But I praie you giue me
wealth long heauinesse short ioy Phila. Now you haue indeed described it to the full and laide it out as it were in orient colours And a man would thinke he were bewitched or starke mad which heereafter should set his minde on it But yet I am desirous to heare a little more of that which I asked you before where in the strength and poyson of the world doth specially consist Theol. In this lieth a great strength of the world that it draweth downe the stars of heauen and maketh them fall to the earth as it is said of the Dragons taile Apoc 12. which is ambition conetousnes the loue of this world For we may wonder and lament to sée how the loue of these things hath wounded ouerborne many excellent seruants of God both Preachers and professors of the Gospell which thing doth plainly argue the strength of it For it is the strongest the very last engine that sathan vseth to impugne vs withall when none other will preaaile For when no temptation could fasten vpon Christ he bringeth foorth this last weapoÌ„ which neuer faileth All these things will I giue thee shewing him the glory of the whole world So then he hauing experience of this that it neuer faileth thought to haue ouercome Christ himselfe with it Héere therefore lieth the very sting and strength of the world the diuel For whom hath he not takeÌ„ with All these things will I giue thee whom hath he not wounded whom hath he not deceiued whom hath he not ouerthrowen with this he enticed Baalam with this hée beguiled Achan with this he ouerthrew Iudas with this he be witched Demas with this in these our daies he deceiued many of excellent gifts For assuredly he is a Phoenix amongst men which is not ouercome with this He is a wonderment in the world that is not moued with mony Phila. I am now fully satisfied for this matter But one thing commeth often into my minde to wit that these miserable worldlings can haue no sound comfort in their pleasures and profits because they haue no comfort in God nor peace in their owne consciences Theol. You say very true It is vnpossible that men louing this world should haue anie sound comfort in God For no man can serue two masters both God and riches Their case therefore is very dangerous fearefull though they neuer sée it nor féele it as I will shew you by a plaine example Put case one of these great rich worldlings should be clothed in veluet cloth of gold in most stately manner and also should be set at his table furnished with al the dainties of the world should be attended and waited vpon by many in most Lordly and pompous manner should sit in his goodly dining-chamber all glittering like golde should haue his first second third seruice serued in with minstrels and instruments of musicke in most royall sort he sitteth in his chaire like a King in his throne yet for all this if a dagger should be held to his heart all this while ready to stab him what pleasure what ioy what comfort can he haue in all the rest Euen so whatsoeuer pompe or pleasures wicked worldlings haue héere below yet their guilty hellish conscience is as it were a dagger held alwayes hard to their hart so as they can haue no sound coÌ„fort in any thing Or let me giue it you thus Put case a man hath committed high treason and were therfore apprehended arraigned and condemned to be hanged drawen and quartered what then can comfort him in such a case can mirth can musicke can gold can siluer can lands can liuings No no none of all these can help him or giue him any comfort For the continuall thoughts of death do so gripe him at the heart that none of all these can do him any good or any whit mitigate his griefe What then is the thing that may comfort him in this case Only a pardon sealed with the Kings broad seale and subscribed with his owne hand For as soone as he hath got this his heauy heart reuiueth and leapes for ioy This then assuredly is the very cause of all prophane Atheists and worldlings who are not asiured of the King of heauen his pardon for their sinne and then what ioy can they haue either in their meat drinke goods cattell wiues children lands reuenewes or any thing whatsoeuer For the dreadful thoughts of hel do eftsoones crosse them inwardly quite dampe dash all their mirth Their owne consciences will not be stilled but in most terrible manner rise vp giue euidence against them telling them flatly they shall be damned how merry and iocund soeuer they séeme to be in this world setting a good face on the matter For sure it is that inwardly they haue many a cold pull and many heart gripes And all their mirth and iollity is but a gigling from the téeth outward they can haue no sound comfort within And therefore the wise King saith Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse Likewise saith the holy man Iob Terrors of conscience come vpon the wicked man like waters in the night a whirle-winde carrieth him away secretly Eliphas the Temanite auouched the same point saying The wicked man is continually as one that trauaileth of child a sound of feare is in his eares c. Thus then wée sée that howsoeuer many carnall Atheists and vngodly persons séem outwardly to float aloft in all mirth and iollity bearing it out as wâ—e say at the breast yet inwardly they are piâ—ched with terrors and most horrible conuultions of conscience Antile You haue spoken many things very sharpely against couetousnesse but in my mind so long as a man couets nothing but his owne he cannot be said to be couetous Theol. Yes that he may For not only is he couetous which gréedily desireth other mens goods but euen he also which ouer niggardly and pinchingly holdeth fast his owne is such a miser that he will part with nothing We sée the world is full of such pinch-pennies that wil let nothing goe except it be wrung from them perforce as a key out of Hercules hand These gripple muck-rakers had as léeue part with their blood as their goods They wil pinch their owne backs bellies to get their god into their chests And when they haue once got him in there will they easily part with him trow yée No no a man will not part with his god for no mans pleasure He will eat peasebread and drinke small drinke rather then he will diminish his god Therefore the scripture saith Eate not the meat of him that hath an euill eye and desire not his dainty dishes For as hee grudgeth his owne soule so he will say vnto thee Eat and drinke when his heart is not with thee Thou shalt vomit thy morsels which thou hast eaten and lose thy pleasant speeches The
Priests were cast out by Ieroboam they came to Ierusalem and all such as set their hearts to séeke the Lord God of Israel came with them And then afterward it is said they strengthned the kingdome of Iudah and made Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon mighty By all these testimonies it is euident that princes kingdomes cities towns villages are fortified by the righteous therein and for their sakes also great plagues are kept backe Which thing one of the heathen did well sée into as appeareth by his words which are these When God meaneth well vnto a city and will doe good vnto it then hee raiseth vp good men but when hee meaneth to punish a citie or countrey and doe ill vnto it then he taketh away the good men from it Phil. It is very manifest by all that you haue alledged that the wicked fare the better euery day in the yeare for the righteous that dwell amongst them Theol. All experience doth teach it and the scriptures do plentifully auouch it For did not churlish Laban fare the better for Iacob his kinsman Doth he not acknowledge that the Lord had blessed him for his sake Did not Potiphar fare the better for godly Ioseph Doth not the Scripture say that the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Ioseph his sake and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand Did not Obed-edom fare the better for the Arke Did not the seuenty and six soules that were in the ship with Paul spéed all the better for his sake Did not the Angell of God tell him in the night that God had giuen vnto him all that sayled with him for otherwise a thousand to one they had béene all drowned Therfore the children of God may very fitly be compared to a great péece of cork which though it be cast into the sea hauing many nailes fastned in it yet it beareth them all vp from sinking which otherwise would sinke of themselues What shall we say then or what shall we conclude but that the vngodly are more beholden to the righteous thē they are aware of Phila. I doe thinke if it were not for Gods children it would goe hard with the wicked For if they were sorted and shoaled out from amongst them and placed by themselues what could they looke for but wrath vpon wrath and plague vpon plague till the Lord had made a finall consumption of them and swept them like dung from the face of the earth Theo. Sure it is all creatures would frowne vpon them The Sunne would vnwillingly shine vpon them or the Moone giue them any light The Starres would not be seene of them and the Planets would hide themselues The beasts would deuoure them the fowles would picke out their eies The fishes would make war against them and all creatures in heauen and earth would rise vp in armes against them Yea the Lord himselfe from heauen would raine downe fire and brimstone vpon them Phila. Yet for all this it is a wonder to consider how deadly the wicked hate the righteous and almost in euery thing oppose themselues against them and that in most virulent and spitefull manner They raile and slander scoffe and scorne mocke and mowe at them as though they were not worthy to liue vpon the earth They esteeme euery pelting rascall and preferre euery vile varlet before them And though they haue their liues and liberty their breath and safety and all that they haue else by them yet for all that they could be content to eat their hearts with garlicke so great so fiery so burning and hissing hot is their fury and malice against them Theol. They may very fitly be compared to a Moth that fretteth in pieces the same cloth wherein she is bred Or to a certaine worme or canker that corrodeth and eateth thorow the heart of the trée that nourisheth her Or vnto a man that standeth vpon a bough in the top of a trée where there is no more and yet with an axe choppeth it off and therewithall falleth downe with it and breaketh his necke Euen so the fooles of this world doe what they can to chop asunder the bough that vpholds them but they may easily know what will follow Phila. I see plainly they be much their owne foes and stand in their owne light and indeed know not what they doe For the benefit which they receiue by such is exceeding great and therefore by their mangling of them they doe but hold the stirrop to their owne destruction Theol. Now to apply these things to our selues and to returne to the first question of this argument may we not maruell that our nation is so long spared considering that the sins thereof are so horrible and outragious as they be Phila. We may iustly maruell at the wonderfull patience of God And we may well thinke that there be some in the land which stand in the breach beeing in no small fauour with his highnesse sith they doe so much preuaile Theo. The mercifull preseruation of our most gratious king who is the breath of our nostrils the long continuance of our peace and of the Gospell the kéeping backe of the sword out of the land which our sinnes pull vpon vs the frustrating of many plots and subtill deuices which haue béene often intended against our state yea and the life of his Maiesties most roiall person make me to thinke that there bée some strong pleaders with God for the publike good of vs all Phila. You may well thinke so indeed For by our sinnes wee haue forfeited and daily doe forfeit into Gods hands both our King our Countrey our Peace our Gospell our liues our goods our lands our liuings our wiues our children and all that wee haue but onely the righteous which are so neere about the King and in so high fauour doe step in and earnestly entreat for vs that the forfeitures may be released and that we may haue a lease in parley of them all againe or at least a grant of further time But I pray you sir are not we to attribute something concerning our good estate to the policy of the land the lawes established and the wisedome and counsell of our prudent Gouernours Theol. Yes assuredly very much as the ordinary and outward meanes which God vseth for our safety For though the Apostle Paul had a grant frō God for the safety of his owne life al that were with him in the ship yet he said Except the mariners abide in the ship we can not be safe Shewing thereby that vnto faith and praiers the best and wisest meanes must be ioyned Wée are therefore vpon our knées euery day to giue thankes vnto God for such good meanes of our safety as he hath giuen vs. Phila. Well then as the praiers of the righteous haue beene hitherto great meanes both for the auerting and turning away of wrath and the continuance of fauour so shew I pray you what is the
best course to be taken what in sound wisedome is to be done both to preuent future dangers and to continue Gods fauours and mercies still vpon vs. Theol. The best and surest course that I can consider or conceiue of is to repent heartily for sinnes past and to reforme our liues in time to come to seeke the Lord while he may be found and to call vpon him while he is néere to forsake our owne waies and our owne imaginations and to turne vnto him with all our hearts with wéeping with fasting and with mourning as the Prophet Ioel aduiseth For our God is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindenesse and repenteth him of the euill All the Prophets doe counsell vs to follow this course and doe plainely teach that if we all from the highest to the lowest doe méet the Lord with vnfained repentance and offer him the sacrifice of a contrite spirit vndoubtedly hée will be pacified towards vs and be mercifull to our transgressions This is most plainely set downe in the seuenth of Ieremy where the Lord saith thus to his people If you amend and redresse your waies and your workes If you execute iudgement betwixt a man and his neighbour and oppresse not the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow and shead no innocent blood in this place neither walke after other gods to your destruction then will I let you dwell in this place euen in the land which I gaue vnto your fathers for euer and euer So likewise he saith by the same Prophet Execute yee iudgement and righteousnesse and deliuer the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor and vex not the fatherlesse the widow or the strangers doe no violence nor shead innocent blood in this place For if you doe this thing then shall the Kings sitting vpon the Throne of Dauid enter in by the gates of this house and ride vpon chariots and vpon horses both hee and his seruants and his people And againe O yee disobedient children returne and I will heale your rebellion The Lord also saith by his Prophet Esay If yee consent and obey yee shall eate the good things of the land but if yee refuse and bee rebellious yee shall be deuoured with the sword For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it The Prophet Hosea saith Come let vs returne to the Lord for hee hath spoiled and he will heale vs he hath wounded vs and he will binde vs vp And againe O Israel returne vnto the Lord for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie and I will heale thy rebellion and will loue thee freely for mine anger is turned away from thee I will be as the deaw vnto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and fasten his root as the tree of Lebanon his braunches shall spread and his beautie shall bee as the Oliue trée and his smell as Lebanon The Prophet Michah telleth vs what is good for vs and what is our best course and what the Lord requireth at our hands namely these foure things To doe iustly to loue mercie to humble our selues and to walke with our God The Prophet Amos giueth the same counsell saying Seeke the Lord and yee shall liue Seeke good and not euill Hate the euil and loue the good and establish iudgment in the gate It may bee that the Lord of Hostes will bee mercifull vnto the remnant of Ioseph Also the Lord himselfe saith If this Nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague I thought to bring vpon them Iere. 8. 8. Thus we doe plainely sée what aduice and counsell the Prophets and holy men of God doe giue vnto vs. The summe of all is this that if we do truely repent and turne vnto him with all our hearts studying to obey him and walke in his waies then he wil grant vs any fauor that we wil require at his hands For euen as woolpacks and other sost matter beateth backe and dampeth the force of al shot so penitent melting and soft hearts doe beat backe the shot of Gods wrath and turne away his vengeance from vs. Moreouer wée may obserue in all experience that when potentates are offended or any great man hath conceiued a displeasure against a poore man that then he must runne and ride send presents vse his friends breake his sléeps and neuer be quiet till he haue pacified him Euen so must wée deale with our God séeing he hath taken a displeasure against vs. Oh therfore that we would spéedily vse all possible meanes to pacifie his wrath Oh that we would with one heart and voice euery one of vs from the highest to the lowest humble our selues before our God forsake our former euill waies be grieued for that we haue done and purpose neuer to do the like againe Oh that it might go to the hearts of vs that we haue so often so grieuously offended so louing a God and so mercifull a Father Oh that we would awakeonce at last rowse vp our drowzie hearts ransack our sleepy consciences crying out against our sins that our sins might neuer cry out against vs Oh that wée would iudge our selues accuie our selues endite our selues and condemne our selues so should wée neuer be adiudged accused endited or condemned of the Lord Oh that all hearts might sob all soules might sigh all loynes might be smitten with sorrow all faces gather blacknesse and euery man smite himselfe one the thigh saying What haue I done Oh that both Magistracy Ministery and communaltie would purpose and vow and euen take a bond of themselues that from hence foorth and from this day forward they would set their hearts to séeke the Lord and that they would wholly giue vp themselues to his obedience Oh that all men women and children would feare God kepe his commandements would eschew euill and doe good would studie to please God in allthings and to be fruitfull in all good workes making conscience to performe the duties of their generall callings and duties of their speciall callings duties of the first Table and duties of the second Table that so God might be sincerely worshipped his name truely reuerenced his Sabbaths religiously obserued that euery man would deale kindely mercifully iustly vprightly with his neighbour that there might be no complaining no crying in our stréets Oh I say againe againe that if all of vs of what estate degrée or condition soeuer would walke in the paths of our God then doubtlesse we should liue and see good daies all future dangers should bée preuented our peace prolonged our state established our King preserued and the Gospell continued Then should we stil enioy our liues our goods our lands our liuings cur wiues our children our houses and tenements our Orchards and Gardens yea as the Prophet saith we should eat the good things of the land spending our daies in much comfort peace and tranquillity and leaue
an harlot drop as an honie-combe the roofe of her mouth is fofter then oile yet her latter end is bitter as worm-wood and as sharpe as a two edged sword All these prudent speeches of the holy Ghost doe most euidently shew vnto vs what a feareful thing it is to commit whoredome and so to fall into the hands of whores and harlots Therefore Iob saith of the wicked Their soule dieth in youth and their life among the whore-mongers Phila. You haue very well shewed out of Gods booke the great danger of whoredome and adultery And it is greatly to be lamented that men in this age make so light of it as they doe and that it is so common a vice nay that some alas with griefe I speake it doe professe it liue by it and prostitute themselues wholly vnto it Theol. Such men and women may iustlie feare the plaguing hand of God for the Lord saith by his Prophet Though I fed them to the full yet they commited adultery and assembled themselues by companies in harlots houses They rose vp in the morning like fed horses euery man neigheth after his neighbours wife Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this Phila. Me thinketh if men were not altogether hardned in this sinne and euen past feeling and past grace this threatning and thundring of God himselfe from heauen should terrifie them Theol. A man would thinke so indéede but now we may take vp the old complaint of the Prophet I hearkened and heard and loe no man spake aright no man repented him of his euill saying What haue I done Euery one turned to their race as the horse rusheth into the battell Antile Tush whoredome is but a tricke of youth and wee see all men haue their imperfections Theol. You speake prophanely and wickedly For shall wee count that but a trick of youth for the which the Lord smote thrée and twenty thousand of his owne people in one day Shall we count that but a trick of youth for the which the Lord threatned Dauid his owne seruant that the sword should neuer depart from his house Shall we count that but a trick of youth for the which Hamor and Shechem the father and the sonne and many other both men women and children were cruelly murdred by Simeon and Leui the sonnes of Iacob Shall we count that but a trieke of youth for the which the Lord slew Hophni and Phineas the two sonnes of Eli the Priest in the battell of the Philistines Shall we thus set all at six and seuen and make light of such horrible villanies Doth not the seueritie of the punishments shew the greatnesse of the sinne Doth not the Apostle say These things came vpon them for our ensamples vpon whom the ends of the world are come and yet you passe it ouer with a tush and a tricke of youth as if God were to be dallied with No no be not deceiued God is not mocked They which will not be mooued now in hearing shall one day be crushed in pieces in féeling And they which now call whordome a tricke of youth shall one day howle and crie yell and yelpe for such trickes with woe and alas that euer they were borne Antil Oh sir you must beare with youth youth you know is fraile and youth will be youthfull when you haue said all that you can Theol. Yes but God doth allow no more libertie vnto youth then vnto age but bindeth all vpon paine of death to the obedience of his commandements The Apostle saith Let yoong men be sober minded Dauid saith Wherewith shall a yoong man cleanse his way In taking heede thereto according to thy worde The wise man saith Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth And further addeth that if they will needes follow their lusts their pleasures and their owne swinge yet in the end he will bring them to iudgement arraigne them condemne them and tame them in hell fire well enough Phila. Yet we see men are so violently carried after their lust and so desperately bent that they will haue the present sweet and pleasure of sin come of it what will Come sicknesse come death come hell come damnation they are at a point they will pay the highest price for their lustes They will purchase their pleasures with the losse of their soules Oh wofull purchase O damnable pleasures Theol. Swéet meat will haue sower sawce and a dramme of pleasure a pound of a sorrow Such cursed catifes shal at last pay a deare shot for their pleasures Such desperate wretches shall one day know to their euerlasting woe what it is to prouoke God to sin with so high an hand against him They shall well know in spight of their hearts that vengeance is prepared for the wicked and that there is a God that iudgeth the earth Let al men therfore take héed in time For whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge And the Apostle saith flatly That whoremongers and Adulterers shall not inherit the kingdome of God Let therefore no fornicator or vncleane person bee found amongst vs as was Esau But let vs abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule And let euery one know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and nor in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God 1. Thess 4. 5. Héerein let vs consider the wise spéech of an ancient Father Sinne while it is in dooing ministreth some pleasure but when it is committed the short pleasure thereof vanisheth awaie and long sorrow commeth in stead of it Neither let vs héere reiect the saying of a wise Heathen Shunne pleasure for feare of smart Sowre things follow sweet and ioy heauinesse Antile Yet for all this you shall not make me beleeue that whoredome is so hainous a mattter You make more of it then it is Theol. True indéed For you and such as you are will beléeue nothing against your lusts and fleshly delights and that is the cause why you are deafe on this eare I will therfore adde a word or two more out of the oracles of God to that which hath vin spoken The wise king saith He that committeth Adulterie with women destroieth his owne soule and so is accessarie to his owne death which is no small matter For wée vse to say if a man hang himselfe drowne himselfe or any manner of way make away himselfe that he was cursed of God that Gods hand was heauie against him that the diuell ought him a shame and now he hath paid it him And all the countrey rings of such a strange accident when and where it falleth out and the Crowner of the Countrey doth sit vpon it How much more may all the world wonder at this that a man should destroy his owne soule and wittingly and willingly cast
and thither neuer so much yet at the last we must be faine to be shut vp in Gods wrath Antile What I pray you do you make it so great a matter if a man be a little ouertakē with drinke now and then There is no man but he hath his faults and the best of vs all may be amended If neighbours meete together now and then at the Ale house and play a game at Maw for a pot of Ale meaning no hurt I take it to be good fellowship and a good meanes to increase loue amongst neighbours and not so hainous a thing as you make it Theol. I sée you would fain make faire weather of it and smooth ouer the matter with swéete words as though there were no such great euill in it But howsoeuer you mince it and blaunch it ouer yet the Apostle saith flatly That drunkards shall not inherite the kingdome of God I thinke this one sentence is enough to amaze and strike thorow the hearts of all drunkards in the world For it is as much in effect as if the Apostle had said All drunkards are notorious Reprobates and hell-hounds branded of Sathan and deuoted to perpetuall destruction and damnation But you say you meane no hurt I answer whatsoeuer you meane your actions are naught and your fellowship as bad For what good meaning can you haue or what good fellowship call you it for poore labouring men artificers and such like to sit idlely all the day long in Tauernes and Ale-houses mispending their time and their money in gaming rioting swearing staring swilling bezzeling bibbing brauling and brabling There is no true fellowship in it it is méere impiety if we may call it impiety for poore mèn to liue idlely dissolutely neglecting their callings while their poore wiues and children sit crying at home for bread being ready to starue to beg or to steale I pray you speake your conscience what good fellowship is there in this Antile Yet for all that there be some which abstaine from Ale-houses and yet are as bad as any other For they will backe-bite and slaunder their neighbours they will doe them a shrewd turne as soone as any other they are enuious they censure vs and disdaine our company Yet we thinke our selues as good as they for all their shewes of holinesse Theol. You speake more then you know or can iustifie against some better then your selfe But if it were so you should but iustifie one sin by another a lesser by a greater which is to no purpose Antile Will you then condemne all good fellowship Theol. No no I doe greatly allow godly and Christian fellowship and acknowledge it to be one of the chiefest comforts we haue in the world I know we are commanded to loue brotherly fellowship But as for your pot-companionship I hate it and abhorre it For it is written He that followeth the idle shall be filled with pouertie And againe He that keepeth company with banquetters shameth his Father And in an other place He that loueth pastime shall be a poore man and hee that loueth Wine and Oyle shall not be rich Phila. Good M. Theologus talke no more with him but let vs draw neere vnto the windevp of this matter and tell vs in a word which be the chiefe causes of Drunkennesse Theol. The causes are these Ill company Ale-houses Idlenesse A wicked humor Phila. Which be the true remedies Theol. The remedies are these Auoiding of ill company Shunning of Ale-houses Labour in our callings A good course of life Phil. Well Sir you haue waded farre enough in this point let vs now come to the eighth signe of condemnation which is idlenesse Theol. Concerning idlenesse this I say briefely that it is the mother of all vice and the stepdame of all vertue yea it is the very veldame of all enormities It is the mother of whoredome the mother of pride the mother of theft the mother of drunkennesse the mother of ignorance the mother of error the mother of pouerty the mother of slandering and back-biting pratling and gossipping brawling scolding quarelling and what not Idlenesse was one of the principall sinnes of Sodome as the Prophet Ezechiel testifieth saying pride fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse was in her and in her daughters Salomon is very plentifull in this matter For saith he the sluggard lusteth and hath nought And againe The sluggard is wiser in his owne conceit then seuen men that can giue a sensible reason That is he taketh himselfe the wisest of many because hée spareth his body when others take paines he saith Yet a little sleepe yet a little slumber yet a little folding of the hands and his pouerty commeth like a traueller that is vnawares and his necessity like an armed man that is strongly Then he foldeth his hands together and eateth his owne flesh For he hideth his hand in his bosome and it wearieth him to put it to his mouth againe In an other place the holy Ghost saith The slothful man will not plough because of winter Therefore he shall begge in sommer and haue nothing Againe the slothfull man is brother to him that is a great waster Moreouer it is said that the sluggard turneth himselfe vpon his bed as the doore doth vpon the hinges That is he kéepeth his bed as if he were fastened to it And because the Spirit will abound in this point it is further written of the slethfull man that he saith An huge Lyon is in the way I shall be slaine in the streets That is when any good matter is in hand as preaching praying reading giuing to the poore c. then hée draweth backe he shrinketh into the shell hée findeth one let or other one excuse or other Then profit and pleasure businesse and idlenesse matters at home and matters abroad company and a thousand occasions will lye in his way as so many Lions to let and hinder him So then we sée how liuely and plentifully the holy Scriptures doe paint out the lazy lubbers of this world and sons of idlenesse which are as hardly drawen to any good thing as a Beare to the stake As for the duties of Religion they goe as liuely and as cheareful about them as a théefe goeth vp the ladder to be executed for his theft Phila. I doe plainely see that this sinne of Idlenesse is a very grosse euill and the root of many vices yet for al that there be a great number which thinke they were borne to liue idlely as many yong Gentlemen and such like which imagine they came into the world for no other purpose but to hunt and hawke card and dice riot and reuell and to spend their daies in pleasure and vanity Againe there be many lazy lozels and luskish youths both in Townes and Villages which doe nothing all the day long but walke in the streetes sit vpon the staules and frequent Tauernes and
you sée how the stones and timber of your houses shall descant vpon you And howseeuer you put on your brazen brows harden your hearts against these threatnings of the most terrible God and Lord of hosts yet one day you shall spite of your hearts will ye nill ye be brought forth vnto iudgement you shall once come to your reckoning you shall at last be apprehended conuented and arraigned at the bar of Gods tribunall seat before the great Judge of all the world Then sentence shall passe against you euen that most dreadfull sentence Goe ye cursed into hell-fire there to bee tormented with the Diuell and his Angels for euer O then woe woe vnto you For what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule saith our Lord Jesus Surely euen as much as if one should winne a farthing and lose an hundered thousand pound For if hée shall be cast into Hell-fire which hath not giuen of his owne goods righteously gotten as our Sauiour auoucheth where then shall hée be cast that hath stollen other mens goods And if he shal be damned that hath not clothed the naked what shall become of him that hath made naked them that were clothed Oh therefore repent in time O ye cruell oppressors séeke the Lord whilest he may be found call vpon him while he is néere lay aside your sauage cruelty visit the fatherlesse and widow in their distresse deale your bread to the hungry helpe them to their right which suffer wrong deale mercifully with your tenants racke not your rents any more pinch not the poore soules for whom Christ died pittie them I say but pinch them not deale kindly friendly with them remember your great accounts consider the shortnesse of your daies and the vanitie of your life rent your hearts and not your clothes Turne vnto the Lord with all your heart with wéeping fasting and mourning preuent Gods wrath with a sacrifice of téeres pacifie his anger with the calues of your lips and with a contrite spirit be gréeued for that which is past and amend that which is to come stand it out no more at the swords point against God For it will not boot you to striue he is too strong for you Your only wisdom is to come in Come in therfore come in ye rebellious generation submit your selues to the great King humble your selues vnder his mighty hand cast downe your swords and targets yéeld vnto your God So shall you escape the vengeance to come so shall God accept you haue mercy vpon you receiue you to fauor grant you a generall pardon for all your rebellions and admit you into the number of his faithfull and loyall subiects Phila. I doe conceiue by diuers speeches which you haue alledged that goods gotten by oppression and cruelty will neuer prosper long For oppressors coine their mony vpon their neighbours skins How then can it be blessed Theol. You haue spoken a truth For as it hath béen shewed before that those goods which are gotten by swearing and lying are cursed so all these that are gotten by oppression and violence are more cursed Therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremie as the Partrich gathereth the yong which shee hath not brought foorth so he that gathereth riches and not by right shall leaue them in the midst of his daies and at his end shall bee a foole and his name shall be written in the earth Phila. Would to God our Magistrates and Gouernours would take speedy order for the remedying of these things and for the redressing of such grieuous enormities as are amongst vs or that they themselues woulde step in and deliuer the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor Theol. Iob was an excellent man for such matters For it is said of him That he brake the iawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckt the prey out of his teeth Where we sée how Iob was a meanes to deliuer the innocent and to pull the Lambe out of the Lions clawes Moreeuer it is written of him in the same chapter that the blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon him and that hée caused the widowes heart to reioyce that he was the eie to the blind the féet to the lame and the father to the poore and when he knew not the cause hée sought it out diligently Oh what a notable man was this Oh that we had many Iobs in these daies Wise Salomon doth most grauely aduise vs all to follow Iobs example in this behalfe Deliuer saith he them that are oppressed and drawne to death For shouldest thou withdraw thy self from them which go downe to the slaughter would to God that this holy counsell were well weighed and practised amongst vs Phila. I maruell much with what face these cruell oppressors can come before God in his holy Temple to pray and offer vp their sacrifices vnto him For we see many of them though they haue such foule hands and foule hearts as wee haue heard yet for all that will most impudently presume to come to the church and pray or at least when they are laide in their beds a nights and halfe asleepe then wil they tumble ouer their praiers or be pattering some Pater nosters Theol. Alas alas poore soules all that they do in matters of Gods worship is but hypocrisie dissimulation For in truth they care not for God they loue him but from the téeth outward their mouths are with him but their heart goeth after couetousnesse and their hands are full of blood And therefore God doth both abhorre them and their prayers For saith he Though they stretch out their hands yet will I hide mine eyes from them and though they make many prayers yet will I not heare them For their hands are full of blood Moreouer the holy Ghost saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his praier is abhominable Dauid saith If I regard wickednes in my heart God will not heare my praier Our Lord Iesus also affirmeth that God heareth not sinners that is stubburne and carelesse sinners So then we may cléerely sée by all these testimonies of holy writ what account God maketh of the praiers of oppressors and all other prophane vngodly men namely that hée doth hate them and abhorre them as most loathsome and odious in his sight Phila. Now in conclusion shew vs the causes of oppression Theol. The causes are these Crueltie Couetousnesse Hard-heartednesse An euill conscience The Diuell Phila. Let vs heare also of the remedies Theol. The remedies are these Pitie Contentation Tender affections A good conscience Much prayer Phila. Now sir as you haue at large vttered your mind concerning these grosse corruptions of the world and haue plainely and euidently proued them to be the deadly poison of the soule so also I pray you satisfie vs in this whether they be not hurtfull also to the body
goods and name Theol. I haue dwelt the longer in these common vices of the world because almost all sorts of men are stained with one or other of them and therefore they can neuer be enough spoken against For the whole world lieth in them as S. Iohn testifieth If men therefore could be recouered of these diseases no doubt there would be a ready passage made for the abundance of grace and wée should haue a most flourishing Church and Common-wealth but as long as these doe lie in the way there is small hope of greater mercies and blessings to be powred vpon vs or that euer we shall come to haue an inward conuersation with God For these vices blinde our eies burden our hearts and as the Prophet Ieremy saith hinder many things from vs. But touching your petition I must néeds grant that as these vices are the very bane of the soule and most certaine signes of condemnation so are they very dangerous to the body goods name yea and to the whole land both Church and Common-wealth Phila. Shew vs out of the Scriptures what danger they bring to the body Theol. The Lord our God saith that if wée will not obey him nor kéepe his commandements but break his couenant he will appoint ouer vs hastie plagues consumptions and the burning ague to consume the eies and to make the heart heauy So also he saith that if we will not obey his voice to obserue all his commandements and ordinances that then he wil make the pestilence cleaue vnto vs vntill hée haue consumed vs that hée will smite vs with the Feauer with the botch of Egypt with the Emeroids with the Scabbe and with the Itch that also he will smite vs with madnesse and with blindnes and with astonishment of heart So then you see what great euils the Lord threatneth to inflict vpon our bodies in this life for these and such like sinnes But on the centrary the holy ghost saith Feare God and depart from euill so health shall be vnto thy nauell and moisture vnto thy bones Phila. What euill doe these forenamed sins bring vpon vs in our goods and outward estate Theol. They cause God to curse vs in all that we set hand vnto as plentifully appeareth in the forenamed Chapters where the Lord saith thus If thou wilt not obey the commandements of the Lord thy God cursed shalt thou bee in the towne cursed also in the field cursed shall be thy basket and thy store cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land and the increase of thy kine and the flockes of thy sheepe Cursed shalt thou bee when thou commest in and cursed also when thou goest out The Lord shall send vpon thee cursing trouble and shame in all that thou settest thy hand vnto And further he saith That hee will breake the staffe of their bread that ten women shall bake their bread in one ouen and they shall deliuer their bread againe by waight and they shall eat and not be satisfied You do therefore apparantly sée that these sins will draw downe Gods wrath vpon vs and al that we haue Phila. What hurt doe these sinnes to our good name Theol. They bring reproch shame infamy vpon vs and cause vs to be abhorred and contemned of all good men They doe vtterly blot out our good name For as vertue maketh men honorable and reuerend so vice maketh men vile contemptible This is set downe where the Lord threatneth Israel that for their sinnes and disobedience he will make them a prouerbe common talke yea a reproach astonishment amongst all people In sundry other places of the Prophets he threatneth for their sinnes to make them a reproach a shame and hissing and nodding of the head to all Nations Phila. I doe verily thus thinke that as sinne generally doth staine euery mans good name which all are charie and tender of so especially it doth blot those which are in high places and of speciall note for learning wisedome and godlinesse Theol. You haue spoken most truely and agréeable to the Scriptures For the Scripture saith As a dead flie causeth the Apothecaries ointment to stinke so doth a little follie him that is in estimation for wisedome for honor Where Salomon sheweth that if a flie get into the Apothecaries box of ointment and die and putrifie in it she marreth it though it be neuer so pretious Euen so if a little sinne get into the heart and breake out into the forhead of a man of great fame for some singular gifts it will blurre him though he be neuer so excellent Phila. Shew this I pray you more plainly Theol. Wée obserue this in all experience that if a Noble man be a good man and haue many excellent parts in him of courtesie patience humility and loue of Religion yet if hée be couetous the common people will haue their eye altogether vpon that and they will say Such a Noble man is a very good man but for one thing hée is excéeding couetous oppresseth poore men dealeth hardly with his tenants kéepeth no house doth little good in the country where he dwelleth And this is it that marreth all Moreouer let a Judge a Justice or a Magistrate bée endued with excellent gifts of prudence policie temperance liberality knowledge in the law yet if they be giuen to anger or taking of bribes oh how it will grieue them amongst the people For they will say Hée is a worthy man indéed but there is one thing in him that marreth all he is an exceding angry and furious man he is as angry as a waspe he will be in a pelting chafe for euery trifle hée will fret and fume if you doe but blow vpon hun And besides this he is a very corrupt man hée is a great taker of bribes hée loueth well to bée bribed hée will doe any thing for bribes Furthermore if any Preacher be a man of great gifts the common people will say of him Oh hée is a worthy man indéed an excellent Scholar a profound Diuine a singular man in a Pulpit but yet for all that hée hath a shrewd touch which marreth all he is an excéeding proud man hée is as proud as Lucifer He hath very great gifts indéed but I warrant you hée knoweth it well enough For hée carrieth his crest very high and looketh very sternely and disdainefully vpon all other men Hée is vnmeasurably puft vp with ouerwéening and thinketh that he toucheth the clouds with his head Thus therefore we sée how the dead flies marre all and how some one sinne doth disgrace a man that otherwise doth excell Phila. What is the cause why some one sinne doth so blot and smut the most excellent men Theol. The reason héereof is because such men are as a candle set vpon a candle-sticke or rather vpon a scaffold or mountaine for all men to behold and looke vpon And sure it is
they haue a thousand eies vpon them euery day and that not onely gazing vpon them but also prying very narrowly into them to spie out the least moat that they may make a mountaine of it For as in a cleane white paper one little spot is soone espied but in a péece of browne paper twenty great blurs are scant discerned euen so in Noble men Judges Magistrates Justices Preachers and Professors the least spot or specke is soone seene into but amongst the baser sort and most grosse liuers almost nothing is espied or regarded Phila. Sith the eies of all men are bent and fixed vpon such men as are of some note therefore they had neede verie heedfully to looke to their steps that they may take away all aduantage from them that seeke aduantage Theol. Yes verily And furthermore they had néed to pray with Dauid alwaies Direct my steps O Lord in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer mee And againe Order my doings that my footsteps slippe not vphold mee in mine integritie For if such men bée neuer so little giuen to swearing to lying to drinke or to women it is espied by and by and therewithall their credit is cracked their fame ouer-cast their glory eclipsed and the date of their good name presently expired Phila. Now as you haue shewed what great hurt these sinnes doe bring vpon our soule bodies goods and name so also I pray you shew what danger they doe bring vpon the whole land Theol. Questionlesse they doe pull downe the wrath of God vpon vs all and giue him iust cause to breake all in péeces and vtterly to subuert ouerthrow the good estate both of church and Common-wealth yea to make a finall consumption and desolation of all For they be the very fire-brands of Gods wrath and as it were touch-wood to kindle his anger and indignation vpon vs. For the Apostle saith For such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disodedience Phila. Declare vnto vs out of the Scriptures how the Lord in former times hath punished whole Nations and Kingdomes for these and such like sinnes Theol. In the fourth of Hosea the Lord telleth his people that hée hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land and the reason is added because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing lying killing stealing and whoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off Héere then we sée what it is that wil incense God against vs and cause vs all to mourne So likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Amos that for the cruelty and oppression of the poore hée would plague the whole land Shall not the land tremble for this sayth the Lord and euerie one mourne that dwelleth therein Againe the Lord sayeth by his Prophet Ieremie Doe they prouoke mee to anger and not themselues to the confusion of their owne faces Therefore thus sayth the Lord Behold mine anger and my wrath shall bee powred vpon this place vpon man and beast vpon the tree of the field and vpon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched Againe the Lord saith If yee will not heare these words I swear by my selfe saith the Lord that this house shall be waste and I will prepare destroyers against thee euery one with his weapons and they shall cut downe thy chiefe Cedar trees and cast them in the fire Likewise the Lord threateneth by his Prophet Ezechiel saying Because yee haue not walked in my statutes nor kept my iudgements therefore behold I euen I come against thee and will execute iudgement in the middest of thee euen in the sight of Nations and I will doe in thee that I neuer did before neither will I doe any more the like because of all thine abhominations For in the middest of thee the fathers shall eat their sonnes and the sonnes shall eate their fathers Againe by the same Prophet the Lord saith The land is full of the iudgement of blood and the citie full of crueltie Wherefore I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses I will also make the pompe of the mighty to cease and the holy places shall be defiled When destruction commeth they shall seeke peace and not haue it Calamity shall come vpon calamitie and rumour vpon rumour Then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priests and counsell from the auncient The King shall mourne and the Prince shall be clothed with desolation and the hands of the people in the land shall bee troubled I will doe vnto them according to their waies and according to their iudgements will I iudge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Last of all the Lord saith by his Prophet Heare O earth behold I will cause a plague to come vpon this people euen the sruit of their owne imaginations because they haue not taken heed to my words nor to my Law but cast it off Almost innumerable places to this purpose are to be found in the writings of the prophets but these may suffice to prooue the maine point to wit that the iust God doth punish whole nations and kingdomes for the sinnes and rebellions thereof Phila. Sith all these sinnes for the which the Lord did execute such vniuersall punishments vpon his owne people doe abound and ouerflow in this land may wee not iustly feare some great plague to fall vpon vs and the rather because our transgressions doe increase daily and grow to a full height and ripenesse so as it seemeth the haruest of Gods vengeance draweth neere and approacheth Theol. We may indéed iustly feare and tremble For if God spared not the Angels that sinned how shall he spare vs If he spared not his owne people what can wée looke for If hée spared not the naturall braunches how shall hée spare vs which are wilde by nature Are we better then they Can we looke to bée spared when they were punished Are not our sinnes as many and as great as theirs Doth not the same cause bring forth the same effect Is the arme of the Lord shortned Or is not God the same iust God to punish sinne now that he was then Yes yes assuredly And therefore wée haue great cause to mourne and lament to quake and tremble because there is a naked sword of vengeance hanging ouer our heads Thus did Ieremie thus did Amos thus did Abacuck when they plainely saw the imminent wrath of God approching vpon the people of Israel and Iudah Phila. I thinke we may the rather doubt and feare because the punishment of these forenamed vices is neglected by the Magistrate For commonly when they that beare the sword of Iustice doe not draw it out to punish notorious offenders and malefactours the Lord himselfe
will take the matter into his owne hands and bee reuenged in his owne person which is most dreadfull and daungerous For it is a fearefull thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God Theo. You haue spoken a truth For if those which are Gods deputies and vice-gerents in the earth doe their duties faithfully in punishing vice and maintaining vertue in smiting the wicked and fauouring the godly then assuredly euill shall bée taken out of Israel Gods wrath preuented and his iudgments intercepted as it is written Phineas stood vp and executed iudgement and the plague was staied But if they for feare fauour affection gaine flattery bribery or any other sinister respect will be too sparing and remisse in punishing of grosse offenders and be rather ready to smite the righteous then doe they excéedingly prouoke Gods wrath against the land and against themselues Phila. One thing I doe greatly lament that there be either none at all or very slender censurers either by the Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall authority for diuers of these fore-named vices as pride couetousnesse oppression lying idlenesse swearing c. Theol. It is a thing to be lamented indéed For where doe wée sée a proud man punished a couetous man punished an oppressor punished aswearer punished a liar punished an idle person punished Now because they know they cannot or shall not be punished therefore they are altogether hardned and imboldned in their sinnes as the wise man saith Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to doe euill Phila. One thing I do much muse at wherein also I desire to be further satisfied to wit what is the cause that vnder so godly a prince so many good lawes and so much good preaching and teaching there should notwithstanding be such an excesse and ouerflowing of sin in all estates Theo. The causes héere of are diuers and manifold But I will nominate soure especiall ones in my iudgement The first is mans naturall corruption which is so strong as almost nothing can bridle it The second is ill presidents and externall prouocations to euill The third is the want of teaching in many congregations of the land by reason whereof many know not sinne to be sinne The last reason is the corruption and negligence of some such as are in authority Phila. Doth not this inundation and ouerflowing of sinne with the impunity of the same Prognosticate great wrath against vs Theol. Yes vndoubtedly as hath in part béene shewed before And there he diuers other presages of wrath though not of the same kinde which are these Vnthankefulnesse for the Gospell The abuse of our long peace Our generall security Our secret Idolatries Our ripenesse in all sinne Our abuse of all Gods mercies Our abuse of his long patience The coldnesse of professors Our not profitting by former iudgements as pestilence famine dearth and the shaking of the Sword Phila. This last I take to be a speciall token of approching vengeance that we haue not profited by former warnings Theol. True indéed For it is an ordinary thing with God when men will not profit by milde corrections and common punishments then to lay greater vpon them And when a former trouble doth vs no good we are to feare a finall consuming trouble For so we reade in the Prophecie of Hosea that at the first God was to Ephraim as a moth and to Iudah as rottennesse but afterward when as they profited not by it he was to Ephraim as a Lion and to Iudah as a Lions whelpe So the Lord saith in another place that if they will not come in and yéeld obedience at the first call of his wrath then he will punish them seuen times more But if they continue in their stubbornnesse then he threatneth to bring seuen times more plagues vpon them according to their sins If by all these they would not be reformed but walke stubbornely against him then he threatneth yet seuen times more for their sins and the fourth time yet seuen times more The proofe héereof wée haue in the booke of the Iudges Where we read how the people of Israel for their sins were in subiection to the King of Aram Naharim eight yéeres afterward because they profited nothing by it but returned to their old sinnes therfore they serued Eglon king of Moab eightéene yéeres After that againe for their new sinnes and prouocations the Lord gaue them vp into the hands of Midian seuen yéeres After all this for the renewing of their sins the Lord solde them into the hands of the Philistins and the Amonites which did gréeuously vex and oppresse them for the space of eightéene yéeres Last of all we reade that when neither famine nor pestilence could cause them to returne vnto him then he deliuered them vp to the sword of their enemies and held them in bondage captiuity thréescore and ten yéeres After all this when they were deliuered out of Captiuity and returned home safely to their owne nation and inioyed some good time of peace and rest yet at last they fell to renewing of their sinnes and therfore the Lord plagued them most grieuously by the diuided Gréeke Empire euen by Magog and Egypt Seleucidae and Lagidae and that by the space almost of thrée hundred yéeres And this is it that the Prophet Hosea did foretell that the children of Israel should remaine many daies without a King and without a prince without an offering and without an image without an Ephod and without Teraphim Phila. You haue very largely laide open this last token of vengeance to wit that God at the first doth but beat vs vpon the coat but if we continue in sinne he will whip vs on the bare skinne and if men will not yeeld at the first gentle stroaks then he wil strike harder and harder till he haue broken our stout stomacks and made our great hearts come downe Therefore it is good yeelding at the first for we shall get nothing by our sturdinesse against him We doe but cause him to double his strokes and strike vs both sidelings and ouer-thwart For he cannot indure that we should gruntle against him with stubborne fullennesse But now to the point Sith there are so many presages and foresignes of Gods wrath I pray you shew what it is that staieth the execution and very downefall of the same Theo. The praiers and téeres of the faithfull are the speciall mean that stay the hand of God from striking of vs. For the praiers of the righteous are of great force with him euen able to do all things Saint Iames saith that the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent and bringeth the example of Elias to proue it For saith he Though Elias was a man subiect to the like passions that we be yet was he able by his praiers both to open
and shut the heauens Abraham likewise preuailed so farre with God by his praiers for Sodome that if there had béene but ten iust men found in it it had béene spared The almighty God saith in the 15. chap. of Ieremy Though Moyses and Samuel stood before me yet mine affection could not bee toward this people Which doth plainely shew that Moyses and Samuel might haue done much with him had he not béene so fully bent against his people for their sins as he was So likewise he saith in the Prophecie of Ezechiel Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were amongst them they should deliuer but their owne soules by their righteousnesse Which also sheweth that if there had béene any possible entreating of him for the Land these thrée men might haue done it but now he was resolutely determined to the contrary In respect therefore that the zealous preachers and true professors of the Gospell doe so much preuaile wish God by their praiers they are said to be the defence and strength of Kingdomes and Countries of Churches and Common wealthes as it is said of Eliah that he was the Chariot of Israel and the horsmen thereof Elishah also was enuironed with a mountaine full of horses and Chariots of fire And sure it is that Eliah and Elishah are not onely the Chariots and Horsemen of Israel but also by their praiers they do cause God himselfe to be a wal of fire round about it as the Prophet saith in the 22. of Ezechiel verse 30. the Lord God saith I sought for a man among them that should make vp the hedge and stand in the gappe before me for the land that I might not destroy it but I found none Which sheweth that if there had béene but some few to haue stood in the breach he would haue spared the whole land This also appeareth more plainely in the Prophecie of Ieremy where the Lord saith thus Run to and fro by the streets of Ierusalem behold and inquire in the open places thereof if yee can finde a man or if there be any that executeth iudgement and seeketh the truth and I will spare it Oh then marke and consider what a man may doe yea what one man may doe what an Abraham may doe what a Moyses may doe what an Eliah may doe what a Daniel what a Samuel what a Iob what a Noah may doe Some one man by reason of his high fauor with the Eternal is able sometimes to do more for a land by his praiers and téeres then many prudent men by their counsell or valiant men by their swords Yea it doth euidently appeare in the sacred volume of the holy Ghost that some one poore Preacher being full of the Spirit and power of Eliah doth more in his study either for offence or defence either for the turning away of wrath or the procuring of mercie then a Campe-royall euen forty thousand strong or as the Spirit speaketh though they all haue their swords girded to their thighes and be of the most valiant men in Israel All this is clearly proued in one verse of the booke of the Psalmes where the Prophet hauing reckoned vp the sins of the people addeth Therefore the Lord minded to destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood in the breach to turne away his wrath lest he should destroy them Sée therefore what one man may do with God! Some one man doth so binde the hands of God that when he should strike he hath no power to doe it as it is said of Lot I can doe nothing till thou be come out Sée how the Lord saith he can doe nothing because he will doe nothing Hée doth wittingly and willingly suffer his hands to be manacled and bound behind him for some fewes sake which he doth make more account of then all the world besides so pretious and deare are they in his sight Likewise it is written that the Lord was excéedingly incensed against the Israelites for their idolatrous Calfe which they made in Horeb yet he could doe nothing because Moyses would not let him And therefore he falleth to intreating of Moyses that Moyses would let him alone and entreat no more for them Oh saith the Lord to Moyses let me alone that my wrath may wax hote against this people and that I may consume them Thus wée sée that except Lot goe out of the City and Moyses let him alone he can doe nothing Oh the profoundnesse and altitude of Gods mercy towards mankind Oh the height and depth length and breadth of his loue towards some Oh that the most glorious inuisible God should so greatly respect the sonnes of men For what is man that hée should be mindfull of him or the sonne of man that he should regard him Let vs therfore that are the Lords remembrancers giue him no rest nor let him alone vntill wée haue some security and good assurance from him that he will turne away from vs the wrath which we most iustly haue deserued that he wil spare vs and be mercifull vnto vs. Yea as the Prophet saith Let vs neuer leaue him nor giue him ouer till he repaire and set vp Ierusalem the praise of the world lest for default héereof that be charged vpon vs which was charged vpon the head of some of the Prophets in Israel that they were like the foxes in the waste places that they had not risen vp in the gaps neither made vp the hedge for the house of Israel For now adaies alas wée haue many hedge-breakers few hedg-makers many openers of gaps few stoppers many breakers of breaches to let in the flouds of Gods wrath vpon vs but very few that by true repentance goe about to make vp the breach and to let downe the sluces that the gushing streames of Gods vengeance may be stopt and staied Phila. I doe now plainely see that there be some in high fauour with God and as wee say greatly in his books sith his loue is so great vnto them that for their sakes he spareth thousands Theol. It is written in the Prouerbs of Salomon that the righteous in a land are the establishment of the kings throne and the wicked the ouerthrowing of the same The words are these Take away the drosse from the siluer and there will proceed a vessell for the finer Take away the wicked from the King and his throne shall be established in righteousnesse Likewise in another place the wise man affirmeth that the righteous are the strength and bulwarke of Cities Townes and Corporations but the wicked are the weakening vndoing of all Scornefull men saith he set a City on fire but the wise turne away wrath To this purpose most excellent is that saying of Eliphas in Iob The innocent shall deliuer the Iland and it shall be preserued by the purenesse of their hands Wée reade in the booke of the Chronicles that when the Leuites the
heauen and wide gates into hell I pray you therefore proue them out of the Scriptures and lay them forth somewhat more largely Theol. The first which is Infidelity is proued out of the fourth chapter to the Hebrewes where it is written Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as vnto them but the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it And againe They could not enter in because of vnbeliefe Héere we sée that vnbeliefe did barre out the old people from entring into the land of promise which was a figure of Gods eternall kingdome And sure it is that the same vnbeliefe doth barre out thousands of vs. For many will beléeue nothing but their owne fansies They will not beléeue the word of God especially when it is contrary to their lustes and likings profits pleasures Though things be manifestly prooued to their faces and both the Chapter and the Uerse shewed them yet will they not beléeue or though they say they beléeue yet will they neuer goe about the practise of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another When God saith yea they will say no and so giue God the lie Some againe will say if all bée true that the Preachers say then God helpe vs. Thus you sée how Infidelity doth barre men out of Heauen and cast them into hell Phila. Let vs heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. of Deuteronomy where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst that is one sinne to another the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Héere we sée how the mightie God doth thunder downe vpon such as goe on in their sins presuming of his mercy and saying in their hearts If I may haue but a Lord haue mercy vpon me thrée houres before death I care not But it is iust with God when those thrée hours come to shut them vp in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a iust plague for their presumption Therefore the Prophet Dauid seeing the grieuousnesse of this sin praieth to be deliuered from it Keepe me ô Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not raigne ouer me Let all men therfore take héed of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will he shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that iustice goeth from him as well as mercy Phila. Let vs come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is prooued in the 23. of Exod. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill In another place the Lord saith After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein yee dwelt shall yee not doe and after the manner of the land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall yee not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the Children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Ieremy The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare But we will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth and we will doe as we haue done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Note héere how they doe altogether refuse the word of the Lord and how to follow the example of the multitude Wée sée in these our daies by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried down this streame and for defence of it some will say Doe as the most men doe and the fewest wil speake of you Which is a very wicked speach For if wée will follow the course of the most we shall haue the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let vs therefore take héed of bending with the sway For the sway of the world doth waigh downe all things that can bée spoken out of the word of God and openeth a very wide passage into Hell Phila. Proceed to the fourth gate into Hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Ieremy to be a very dangerous thing For he saith Can the blacke More change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe euill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leaue an old custome of sinne as to wash a black-more white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall are most impossible So when men through custom haue made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall vnto them oh how hard it is to leaue them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and féeling of sinne Phila. Let vs heare of the fift gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is auouched by the wise man in these words Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe euill Where he sheweth that one cause why men are so hardned in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediately after they haue sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone vpon another and cause the earth to swallow vp the third then men would feare indéed But it hath béene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he méet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall neuer come to their answer Euen as an olde théefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take héed For as the prouerbe saith Though the pitcher goeth long to the well yet at last it commeth broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies For there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you sée how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction That is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the law of the Magistrate Phila. Let vs come to the sixt gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who
pull them out of the pawes of this roaring Lion which goeth about continually seeking whom hee may deuour Theol. It standeth vs vpon indéed very seriously and carefully to looke to it as wée will answer it at the dreadfull day of iudgement For it is no small matter that we haue taken in hand which is to care for the flocke which Christ hath bought with his bloud Would to God therefore that wée would leaue striuing about other matters and striue together all about this who can pull most out of the kingdome of Sathan sinne and ignorance who can winne most soules and who can performe best seruice to the church This were a good strife indéede and would to God that we might once at last with ioined forces goe about it with one heart and hand ioine together to build vp Gods house If through our owne follies the worke hath béen hindred or any breach made let vs in wisedome and loue labor to make it vp againe If there hath béene any declining and coldnesse let vs now at last reuiue let vs stirre vp our selues that we may stirre vp others Let vs be zealous and feruent in spirit that wée may through Gods grace put life into others and rowse vp this dead declining cold age wherein we liue So shall God be glorified his church edified his Saints comforted his people saued his throne erected and the kingdome of the Diuell ouerthrowne Phila. What thinke you were the best course to effect this which you speake of Theol. This is a thing that must bée excéedingly laboured in of vs which are the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell And héere is required diligence and as we say double diligence for the people are euery where very ignorant Some are stones altogether vncapable of instruction others are froward and wilfull Some will receiue the doctrine but not the practise some againe are altogether set vpon péeuishnesse and cauilling So that a man were better take vpon him the charge of kéeping Wolues and Beares then the charge of souls For it is the hardest thing in the world to reforme mens disorders and to bring them into order to pull mens soules out of the kingdome of Sathan and to bring them to God It is as we say an endlesse péece of worke an infinite toyle a labour of all labours I quake to thinke of it For men are so obstinate and irrefragable that they wil be brought into no order they wil come vnder no yoake They will not be ruled by God nor bridled by his word They wil follow their owne swinge They will run after their owne lusts and pleasures They will kicke and spurne if they be reprooued They will rage and storme if you goe about to curbe them and restraine them of their wils likings and liberties They wil haue their wils and follow their old fashions say what you will and doe what you can Is it not thinke you a busie péece of worke to smooth and square such Timber-logs so full of knots and knobs Is it not a tedious and irkesome thing to thinke vpon And would it not kill a mans heart to goe about it For how hard a thing is it to bring such into frame as are so farre out of frame Phila. Well sir you can but doe your endeuour and commit the successe to God You can but plant and water let God giue the encrease You are Ministers of the letter but not of the spirit You baptise with water but not with the holy Ghost If you therefore preach diligently exhort admonish and reprooue publikely and priuately studying by all good example of life and seeking with all good zeale care and conscience to do the vttermost that in you lieth to reduce them from their euill waies I take it you are discharged though they remaine stubborne and incorrigible For you know what the Lord saith by his Prophet If you doe admonish them and giue them warning then you shall bee discharged and their blood shall bee required at their owne hands Theol. You haue spoken the truth And therfore sith some must needs take vpon them this so great a charge it will bée our best course to labour much with them in Catechising and priuate instructions and that in most familiar and plaine manner For much good hath béene done and is done this way The ignorant sort must be much labored vpon this way and so no doubt much good may be done For in all labour there is profit Héerein we that are the Ministers of Christ must be content to bée abased and to teach the poore ignorant people in most plaine maner asking them many easie questions often questioning with them in most plaine and louing maner till we haue brought them to some taste and smacke of the principles of Christian Religion We must not be ashamed to vse repetitions and tautologies and to tell them one thing twenty times ouer and ouer againe héere a line and there a line héere a little and there a little precept vpon precept as the Prophet speaketh I know riht well nothing goeth more against the stomacke of a scholar and him that is learned indéede then to doe thus It is as irkesome and tedious as to teach A. B. C. Some can at no hand endure it But truely truely I finde now after long experience that if we will doe any good to these simple and ignorant soules we must enter into this course and wée may not be ashamed of it For it will be our crowne and our glory to winne soules howsoeuer wée be abased Let vs therefore be well content to stoupe downe that Christ may be exalted Let vs be abased that God may be honoured Let vs doe all things in great loue to Christ who hath said If thou louest me feede feede feede my flocke Let vs therefore testifie our loue to him by féeding his flocke Let vs doe all things in great loue and déepe compassion towards the poore soules that goe astray As it is said that our Lord Jesus was mooued to pity and his bowels did yearne to sée the people as shéepe without a shéepeheard Let it likewise mooue vs throughly and make our hearts to bléede to sée so many poore shéepe of Christ wandring and straying in the mountaines and wildernesse of this world caught in euery bramble and hanged in euery bush ready to be deuoured of the Wolfe Thus haue I shewed you what course in my iudgement is best to be taken for the deliuering of poore ignorant soules out of the captiuity of Sathan and sinne Phil. Now as you haue declared what course is best to be followed of your part which are the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell so I pray you shew what is best to be done of vs which are the people of God Theol. The best counsell that I can giue you if it were for my life is to be much exercised in the word of God both in the hearing reading and meditation
iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him with his stripes we are healed This great Prophet we sée doth plainly affirme that Christ suffered for our sins by his suffering we are saued The Prophet Ieremy testifieth the same thing saying Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I wil raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch a king shall raigne and prosper shall execute iudgment iustice in the earth In his daies Iudah shall be saued Israel shal dwell safely and this is the name wherby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes This Prophet tumpeth with the other For he saith that Christ is the righteous branch that he is our righteousnes which is al one as if he had said our sins are pardoned only through him through him we are made righteous Moreouer he affirmeth that Iudah Israel that is the Church shall be saued by him The Prophet Zachary that I may speake it with reuerence telleth the same tale word for word Hée auoucheth the same thing with the other two Prophets For he saith In that day a Fountaine shall be opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse The meaning of the prophet is that in the daies of Christs kingdome the fountaine of Gods mercy in Christ should be opened and let out to wash away the sinnes and vncleannesse of the Church So then we sée that these thrée great witnesses doe all agrée in this that through Christ onely wée are washed from our sins and through him onely wée are made righteous Séeing then that eternall life is onely in the sonne therefore he that hath the son hath life Be of good courage therefore O Asunetus for no doubt you haue the son therfore eternal life Feare not your sins for they cannot hurt you For as all the righteousnes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the most righteous men that euer liued vpon the face of the earth if it were yours could doe you no good without Christ so all the sinnes in the world can do you no hurt being in Christ For there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Plucke vp a good heart therfore be no more heauy and sadde for if you be found in Christ clothed with his perfect righteousnesse being made yours through faith what can the diuel say to you what can the Law doe They may wel hisse at you but they cannot sting you they may grin at you but they cannot hurt you For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God maketh request for vs. Reioice in the Lord therfore againe I say reioice For greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world our Lord Jesus is stronger then all None can plucke you out of his hands he is a strong Mediator he hath conquered all our spiritual enemies he hath ouer come hell death damnation he hath led captiuitie captiue he hath spoiled principalities powers and hath made an open shew of them triumphed ouer them in his crosse He hath most triumphantly said O death I will be thy death O graue I wil be thy destruction O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie Séeing then you haue such a Mediator and high Priest as hath conquered the hellish armie and subdued all infernall power what néed you to doubt what néed you to feare any more Moreouer you are to vnderstand and to be perswaded that Gods mercy is excéeding great towards penitent sinners all such as mourne for their transgressions according as he saith At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart he will put them all out of his remembrance The Prophet Dauid doth most liuely fully describe vnto vs the mercifull nature of God in the 103. Psalme where he saith The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger of great kindnes he wil not alwaies chide neither keepe his anger for euer he hath not dealt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards those that feare him As far as the East is from the West so far hath he remoued our sins from vs. As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust The Historie of the lost sonne doth most notably set foorth the wonderfull mercie of God towards penitent sinners There is shewed how the Lord doth embrace tender make much of such poore sinners as haue broken and contrite hearts for their sinnes for it is saide that when the father saw his repenting sonne a great way off he had compassion on him and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him and cloathed him with the best robe put it on him put a ring on his hand shooes on his féet and caused the fat calfe to be killed for him Euen so the euer lasting father doth reioyce at the conuersion of any of his lost sons Yea there is ioy in the presence of the angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth Moreouer the Lord doth most liuely expresse his merciful nature and disposition in this that he is very loath we should perish willingly cast away our selues Therfore often in the holy scriptures he doth mourne for vs bewaile our wretchednes and taketh vp many pitifull complaints and lamentations for vs saying Oh that my people had hearkned vnto me and Israel had walked in my waies And againe Oh that thou hadst hearkened vnto my commandements then had thy prosperity been as the floud and thy righteousnesse as the waues of the Sea Againe he mourningly complaineth by his Prophet Hosea saying Oh Ephraim what shall I do vnto thee Oh Iudah how shall I entreat thee And in another place What could I doe more vnto my vineyard that I haue not done Mark here how compassionately the Almighty God doth yearn ouer vs and euen as it were blée◠vpon our wounds The Apostle also doth note the rich mercy maruellous loue of God to mākind in this that he doth beséech vs pray vs by the ministers of the gospel that we would be reconciled vnto him The words are these Now then are we embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs sted that you be reconciled vnto God Is it not a strange thing that the omni potent God should fall to intreating of vs poore wretches It is all one as if a King should intreat a begger whom