and deceits that are in it and of it I pray you let us now proceed and first of all tell mee by what means the new birth is wrought Theol By the preaching of the word as the outward meanes 1 Pet. 1 2.3 John 1â— 3 Acts 10.44 Ephes 4.3 and the secret worke of the spirit as the inward means Phil. Many hear the word preached and are nothing the better but rather the worse what I pray you is the cause of that Theol. Mens own incredulity and hardnesse of heart because God in his wrath leaveth them to themselves and depriveth them of his spirit without the which all preaching is in vain For except the spirit doe follow the word into our hearts Act. 16.14 wee can finde no joy taste nor comfort therein Phil. Cannot a man attain unto regeneration and the new birth without the word and the spirit Theol. No verily For they are the instruments and means whereby God doth work it Antil Why may not a man have as good a faith to God-ward that heareth no Sermons as hee 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 hee that eateth all the meat in the world For is not the preaching of the word the food of our souls Antil I like not so much hearing of Sermons and reading of the Scriptures except men could keep them better Theol. Faithfull and honest hearers do therefore hear that they may be more able to observe and do For a man cannot do the will of God before he know it and hee cannot know it without hearing and reading Antil I marvell what good men doe get by gadding to Sermons and poring so much in the Scripture or what are they better then others There are none more full of envie and malice then they They will doe their neighbour a shrewd turn as soon as any body and therefore in mine opinion they be but a company of hypocrites and precise fools Theol. You judge uncharitably Full little doe you know what they feel or what good Gods people get by hearing of the word For the work of the spirit in the hearts of the elect is very secret and altogether hid from the world John â— 8 as it is written The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whither it goeth or whence it cometh so is every man that is born of the spirit And againe The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Amil. Tush tush what needs all this adoâ— If a man say his Lords prayer his ten Commandements and his Beleefe keep them and say no body harme not doe no body harm and doe as hee would be done to have a good faith to God-ward and be a man of Gods beliefe no doubt hee shall be saved without all this running to Sermons and pratling of the Scripture Theol. Now you powr it out indeed you thinke you have spoken wise y. But alas you have bewrayed your great ignorance For you imagine a man may bee saved without the word which is a grosse errour Antil It is no matter say you what you will and all the Preachers in the world besides as long as I serve God and say my prayers duly and truely morning and evening and have a good faith in God and put my whole trust in him and doe my true intent and have a good mind to God-ward and a good meaning although I am not learned yet I hope it will serve the turn for my soules health For that God which made mee must save me It is not you that can save me for all your learning and all your Scriptures Theol. You may very fitly be compared to a sick man who having his brain distempered with heat raveth and speaketh idly he cannot tell what For the holy Ghost saith Pâ—o. 18.9 Hee that turneth away his ear from hearing the law even his prayer shall be abominable And again Prov. 13.15 He that destroyeth the word shall be destroyed So long therefore as you despise Gods word and turn away your ear from hearing his Gospel preached all your prayers your fantasticall serving of God your good meanings and your good intents are to no purpose but most odious and loathsome in the sight of God as it is written My soule hateth your new moons Esa 1.14 and your appointed feasts they are a burthen unto mee I am weary to beare them When you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eye from you and though you make many prayers I will not hear For your hands are full of bloud And again the Lord saith by the same Prophet He that killeth a bullock Esa 66.3 is as if he slâ—w a man hee that sacrificeth a sheep as if hee cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines bloud hee that remembreth incense as if hee blessed an idol Where you see the Lord telleth you his mind touching thâ—se matters to wit that all your prayers services good meanings c. are abominable unto him so long as you walk in ignorance profanenesse disobedience and contempt of the Gospel For hee saith in the words immediately going before To him will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Asun I grant indeed for them that are idle and have little to do it is not amisse now and then to hear a Sermon and read the Scriptures but wee have no leasure we must follow our businesse we cannot live by the Scriptures they are not for plain folk they are too high for us wee will not meddle with them They belong to Preachers and Ministers Theol Jâ—â—â— 10. Christ saith My sheep heare my voice and I give unto them eternall life If therefore you refuse to heare the voice of Christ you are none of his sheep neither can you have eternall life And in another place our Lord Iesus saith John 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word Ye therefore hear it not because ye are not of God Saint Paul writing to all sorts of men both rich and poore high and low men and women Colos 3.1 young and old exhorteth that the word of Christ may dwell plenteously in them all in all wisdom You see therefore that the Apostle would have all sorts of people that have souls to save to bee well acquainted with the Scriptures Therefore you may as well say you will not meddle with God with Christ nor with everlasting life as to say you will not meddle with the Scriptures Asun Well I cannot read and therefore I cannot tell what Christ or what Saint Paul may say but this I am sure of that God is a good man worshipped might he be hee is mercifull and that we must be saved by our good prayers and good serving of God Theol. You speak foolishly and
his opportunity against us that hee may infect and breathe into us all filthy lusts and adulterous desires when wee lye open unto him by idlenesse Wisely therefore to this point saith the Greeke Poet Hesiodus Much rest nourisheth lust And another Poet saith Quaeritur Aegystus quare sit factus adulter In promptu causa est dâ—sidiosus erat Slothfull lazinesse is the cause of adultery And therefore another saith Eschew idlenesse Our 〈…〉 and cut the very sinews of lust The fourth cause of Adultery is wanton apparell which is a minstrellesse that pipes up a dance unto whoredome But of this enough before The fift and last cause of adulterie is the hope of impunity or escaping of punishment For many being blinded and hardened by Sathan think they shall never bee called to any account for it and because they can blear the eyes of men and carry this sinne so closely under a cloud that it shall never come to light they thinke all is safe and that God seeth them not And therefore Job saith Job 24.15 The eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twi-light and saith No eye shall see mee And in another place Job 23.13 How shall God know Can hee judge thorow the dark cloud But verily versly though the adulterer do never so closely and cunningly convey his sinne under a canopy yet the time will come when it shall be disclosed to his eternall shame For God will bring every work to judgement Eccl. 12.24 with every secret thought whether it be good or evill Psal 9â— For hee hath set our most secret sinnes in the sight of his countenance 1 Cor. 4. And hee will lighten the things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest For this cause Job saith Job 10. When I sinne thou watchest mee and wilt not purge me from my sin Phil. Now you have shewed us the causes of adultery I pray you shew us the remedies Theol. There be six remedies for adultery which no doubt will greatly prevail if they bâ— well practised Phil. Which be they Six remedies of adultery Theol. Labour Abstinence Temperance Prayer Restraint of our senses Shunning of womens company and all occasions whatsoever Phil. Well Sir now you have waded deepe enough in the second signe of damnation I pray you let us proceed to the third which is Covetousnesse And as you have laid naked the two former so I pray you strip this stark naked also that all men may see what an ugly monster it is and therefore hate it and abhor it Theol. I would willingly satisfie your minde but in this point I shall never doe it sufficiently For no heart can conceive nor tongue sufficiently utter the loathsomenesse of this vice For covetousnesse is the foulest fiend and blackest Divell of all the rest It is even great Beelzebub himselfe Therefore I shall never be able fully to describe it unto you but I will doe what I can to sttip and whip it stark naked And howsoever the men of this earth and blind worldlings take it to bee most sweet beautifull and amiable and therefore doe embrace it entertaine it and welcome it as though there were some happinesse in it yet I hope when I have shewed them the face thereof in a glasse even the true glasse of Gods Word they will be noe more in such love but quite oâ—t of conceit with it I will therefore hold out this glasse unto them St. Paul to Timothy brandeth this stâ—ne in the forehead and boareth it in the eares that all men may know it and avoyd it 1 Tâ—â— â— 1â— when he saith Covetousnesse is the root of all evill Our Lord Iesus also giveth us a watch-word to take heed of it saying Take heed and beware of covetousnesse 〈◊〉 12.15 As if hee should say Touth it not come not neare it it is the very breath of the Divell it is present death and the very ratsâ—bane of the soule The Apostle layeth out the great danger of this sinne and doth exceedingly grinde the face of it â—â—il 5 19. when he saith That the end of all such as mind earthly things is damnation Let all carnall worldlings and muckish minded men lay this to heart and consider well of it lest they say one day Had I wist Phil. Good Sir lay open unto us the true nature of covetousnesse and what it is that wee may more perfectly discerne it Theol. Covetousnesse is an immoderate desire of having Phil. I hope you do not think frugality thriftinesse and good husbandry to be covetousnesse Theol. Nothing lesse For they be things commanded being done in the feare of God and with a good conscience Phil. Doe you not thinke it lawfull also for men to doe their worldly businesse and to use faithfullnesse and diligence in their callings that they may pâ—ovide for themselves and their families Theol. Yes no doubt And the rather if they doe these things with calling upon God for a blessing upon the workes of their hands and use preyer and thanksgiving before and after their labour taking heed all the day long of the common corruptions of the world as swearing cursing lying dissembling deceiving greedy getting c. Phil. Wherein I pray you doth covetousnesse especially consist Theol. In the greedy desire of the mind For we may lawfully doe the workes of our calling and play the good husbands and good huswives but wee must take heed that distrustfullnesse and inward greedinesse of the world doe not catch our hearts For then wee are set on fire and utterly undone Phil. Sith covetousnesse is especially of the heart how may we know certainly when the heart is infected Theol. There be four speciall signes of the hearts infection Phil. Which be they Theol. The first is an eager and sharp set desire of getting Therefore the holy Ghost saith Pâ—oâ— â—8 Hee that hasteth to be rich shall not be unpunished Pâ—o. 20.2 And againe An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed Deâ—â—stâ—â—nes in Olinth 2. The heathen man also saith No man can be both justly and hastily rich The second is a pinching and niggardly keeping of our owne that is when men being able to give will hardly part with any thing though it be to never so holy and good use And when at last with much adoe for shame they give something it cometh heavily from them God wot and scantly The third is the neglect of holy duties that is when mens mindes are so taken up with the love of earthly things that they begin to slack and cool in matters of Gods worship The fourth and last is a trusting in riches and staying upon them as though our lives were maintained by them or did consist only in them which thing our Lord Iesus flatly denyeth saying Though a man have abundance Luk. 12.15 yet his life consisteth not in the things that
with faith in those that heard it And again Heb. â— 1â— They could not enter in because of unbeliefe Here we sâ—e that unbeliefe did bar 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 unbeliefe doth barre out thousands of us For many will beleeve nothing but their owne fantasies They will not beleeve the Word of God especially when it is contrary to their lusts and likings profits and pleasures Though things be manifestly proved to their faces and both the Chapter and the Verse shewed them yet will they not beleeve or though they say they beleeve yet will they never goe about the practice 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 yee they will say nay and so give God the lye Some againe will say If all be true that the Preachers say then God help us Thus you see how infidelity doth bar men out of Heaven and cast them into Hell Phil. Let us heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. Chapter of Deuteronomie where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkenness to thirst that is one sinne to anotâ—er the Lord will not be mercifull unto him but the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and every curse that is written in this booke shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under Heaven Here we see how the mighty God doth thunder downe upon such as goe-on in their sins presuming of his mercie and saying in their hearts If I may have but a Lord have mercy upon mee three houres before death I care not But it is just with God when these three houres come to shut them up in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a just plagne for their presumption Therefore the Prophet David seeing the grievousnesse of this sinne prayeth to be delivered from it Psal 19. Keep me O Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not reigne over mee Let all men therefore take hood of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will hee shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that justice goeth from him as well as mercy Phil. Let us come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is proved in the 23. of Exodus verse 22. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evill In another place the Lord saith Levit. 18.3 After the doing of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt shall ye not doe and after the manner of the Land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall ye 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 Jeremie The word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord wee will not heare but we will do whatsoever goeth out of our mouth and we will do as we have done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem Jer. 44.16 Note here how they doe altogether refuse the Word of the Lord and how they follow the example of the multitude Wee see in these our dayes by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried downe the stream and for defence of it some will say Do as the most men do and the fewest will speak ill of you Which is a very wicked speech For if we will follow the course of the most we shall have the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let us therefore take heed of bending with the sway for the sway of the world doth weigh down all things that can be spoken out of the Word of God and openeth a very wide passage into hell Phil. Proceed to the fourth gate into hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Jeremy to be a very dangerous thing For hee saith Jer. 13.23 Can the Black moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe evill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leave an old custome of sinne as to wash a Black-moore white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall is most impossible So when men through custome have made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall unto them oh how hard it is to leave them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and feeling of sin Phil. Let us heare of the fifth gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is avouched by the Wise man in these words Ecclâ—s 8.11 Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe evill Where hee sheweth that one cause why men are so hardened in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediatly after they have sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone upon another and cause the earth to swallow up a third then men would feare indeed But it hath beene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he meet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall never come to their answer even as an old theefe 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 heed For as the Proverb saith Though the Pitcher goeth long to the Well yet at last it cometh 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 see 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 Phil. Let us come to the sixth gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who when hee felt the world come in upon him with full streame said he would pull dâ—wne his barnes and build greater and say to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares Luke 12.19 live at ease eat drinke and take thy pastime But our Saviour calleth him
own person Can hee abide any to spet at his Scepter or to throw a stone at it No surely hee will not Therefore the holy Ghost saith Hee that despiseth Moses lawes dieth without mercy under two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall hee be worthy Heb. 20.28 which treadeth under foot the Sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament as an unholy thing wherewith hee was sanctified Heb. 2.5 and doth despite the Spirit of Grace And againe If they were punished which obeyed not the word spoken by Angels how shall wee escape if wee neglect so great salvation Heb. 1â— If they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth how shall wee escape if wee turne away from him that speaketh from heaven Therefore our Saviour Christ saith That it shall be easier for Sodom in the day of judgment Luke 10.12 than for the contemners of the Gospel Moreover hee saith The Queene of the South shall rise up in judgement â—gainst all froward despisers of his word Mat. 12. For shee came from the uttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedom of Solomon and behold a greater than Solomon is here For Christ is greater than Solomon his doctrine and wisedome far more excellent And therefore their sinne is the greater which contemne it They shall never be able to answer it For the Spirit saith Prov. 13.13 Hee that despiseth the word shall bee destroyed S. Peter also telleth us 1 Pet. 3.9 that the old world and men of the first age are now in hell-fire because they both despised and were disobedient to the doctrine of Christ 1 Pet. 5.10 which though not personally yet in his divine Spirit he spake by Noah So then wee see cleerly God will never take it at our hands that his glorious Gospel should be so universally and openly contemned as it is Phil. You have spoken most truly and also shewed it out of the Scriptures that the contempt of the Gospel is a most hainous sinne yet for all that it is most lamentable to consider how little men esteeme it and how light they make of it Many regard it no more then an egge-shell they thinke it not worth a galley halfe-penny they will not goe to the doore to heare it they take it to bee a breath from us and a sound to them and so the matter is ended They esteeme it but as a noise or empty sound in the aire or as a voice a farre off which a man understandeth not they never felt the power of it in their hearts Therefore they preferre their sheep their farmes their oxen their profits their pleasures yea every thing before it they know it not to bee any such precious jewell as it is Although our Lord Jesus himselfe compare it to a hid treasure and a most precious pearle yet these filthy swine of the world tread it under feet for they know not the price of it Though Solomon the wise Prov. 3. saith All the merchandise of gold and silver pearle and precious stones are not to bee compared to it yet these beasts these dogs and hogs of the world contemne it They esteeme a cow more then Christs most glorious Gospel They are like Esops cocke which made more account of a barley corne then all the precious stones in the world they are like little children that esteeme their rattle more then a bagge of gold they are like the Gadarens which esteemed their hogs more then Christ and his Gospel they make nothing of it they thinke it not worth the while Many of them sit idle in the streets even upon the Sabbaths while the Gospel is preached in their Churches many are at cards and tables in the Ale-houses Many on the Sabbath sleep upon their beds all the Sermon while in the afternoon Many will heare a Sermon in the forenoon and they take that to be as much as God can require at their hands and that hee is somewhat beholden to them for it but as for the afternoon they will heare none then they will to bowls or tables These men serve God in the forenoon and the devill in the afternoon Some runne after whores and harlots on the Sabbath some runne to dancing and bear-baitings some sit upon their stalls some sit in their shops some by the fire side some sit idle in the streets some goe to the stole-ball and others look on O miserable wretches O cursed caitiffes O monstrous hell-hounds which so grosly and openly contemne the Gospel of Christ What will become of them in the end Assuredly their damnation sleepeth not A thousand deaths wait for them they lie open on all sides to the wrath of God And we may wonder at his marvellous patience that hee doth not throw downe balls of wilde-fire from heaven to consume and burne up both them their shops and houses and even make them spectacles of his vengeance for so notorious contempt of such sacred holy and high things Theol. You have spoken very truly zealously and religiously and I doe greatly commend you for it And I must needs affirme the same things for they cannot bee denied And for mine owne part I thinke the Gospel was never so openly contemned in any age of a people living under the profession of it and under a godly and Christian Prince as it is in this age For howsoever some make a shew of religion yet they have denied the power thereof They turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Jude 4. as St. Jude saith They make the Gospel a cloak for their sinnes They receive it and embrace it as it will best stand with their profits and pleasures their lusts and likings their credits and policies and not a jot further They will practise it at their leasure Tit. 1.16 These men professe they know God but by their works they deny him and are abominable disobedient and to every good worke reprobate This age is full of such carnall Protestants Phil. This age indeed aboundeth with many hollow-hearted hypocrites dissemblers and time-servers which howsoever they make a face and beare a countenance as though they loved the Gospel yet their heart is not with it Their heart is with Atheisme their heart is with Popery they have a Pope in their belly they bee Church-papists Howsoever now and then they come to the Church and heare a Sermon and shew a good countenance to the Preacher yet their heart goeth after covetousnesse The Lord complaineth of this by the Prophet saying Ezek. 33.32 This people will sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not do them For with their mouthes they make jests and their heart goes after covetousnesse God complaineth of this also by the Prophet Jeremie saying Will you steal murder Jer. 7.9 and commit adultery and sweare falsly and stand before me in this house whereupon my name is called and say Wee are delivered though wee have done
not trouble any widow or fatherlesse child If thou vex or trouble such and so hee call and cry unto mee I will surely heare his câ—ie Then shall my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wives shall be widowâ—s Deut. 12. and your children fatherlesse Againe he saith Thou shalt not oppresse an hired servant that is needy and poore but thou shalt give him his hire for his day neither shall the Sunne goe downe upon it for hee is poore and therewith sustaineth his life lâ—st hee cry against thee unto the Lord and it be sinne unto thee Exod. 22. Moreover the Lord saith Thou shalt doe no injury to a stranger for yee were strangers in the and of Egypt Mal. 3. And God himselfe threatneth that hee will be a swift wi nesse against those which keep backe the hirelings wages and vex the widow and the fathe lesse 1 Thes 4.6 The Apostle saith Let no man oppâ—esse or defraud his brother in any matter For the Lord is an avenger of all such things Eccl. 5.6 Solomon also saith It in a countrie thou seest the oppression of the pooâ—e and the defrauding of justice and judgement be not astonied at the matter for hee that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they All these holy Statutes and Lawes enacted and provided against oppressors doe plainly shew what care the Lord hath for his poore distressed no desolate people Phil. But these oppressing hell-hounds are such as care for nothing No law of the Almighty can bridle them nothing can feare them nothing can restraine them they have made a covenant with hell and death They are frozen in their dregs they are past feeling And as Job saith Job 24.14 These are they that abhorre the light they know not the waies thereof neither continue in the paths thereof Their hearts are as hard as the Adamant Nothing can move thâ—m nothing can worke upon them There is great crying out every where of the stone in the reines which indâ—ed is a great torment to the bodie buâ— th re is no complaining of the stone in the heart I meane a stony heart which is the sorest disease that possibly can fall into the soule of a man and yet in thâ—se times it groweth very rife For mens hearts are as hard as brasse and as the neather Mill-stone as the Scripture speaketh For many especially of these unmercifull and oppressing tyrants s y in their hearts God will doe neither good nor evâ—ll Zeph. 1.23 Therefore they put the evill day far from them and approach to the seat of iniquity They are at â—ase in Sion they lye upon beds of I vorie and stretch themselves on their beds and eat the Lambs of the flocke and the calves out of the stall They sing to the sound of the Viol Amoâ— 6.3 9. they invent instruments of musick like David they drink wine in bowles and no man is sorry for the affliction of Joseph that is the troubles of Gods people The Prophet Esay also complaines of these kinde of men Isa 5.12 saying They regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the worke of his hands And another Prophet saith Psal 10.11 They say in their hearts God hath forgot he hides away his face and will never see They are so proud that they seek not for God They thinke alwayes there is no God his Judgements are farre out of their sight their wayes alway prosper and therefore they say in their hearts Tush wee shall never bee moved nor come in danger Theol. You have spoken very well touching the steelinesse and hardnesse of these mens hearts who are so unmercifull to their poore neighbours that almost none can live by them They doe so disturbe and disquiet all things that poore men can dwell in no rest by them Therefore truly saith the wise King A mighty man molesteth all both hireth the foole hires those that passe by but the poore man speaketh with prayers That is by the way of entreaty and supplications For the poore are affraid â—im they quake when they see them as the beasts quake at the roaring of a Lion Many poore Farmers poore Husbandmen poore Herds poore Labourers poore Widowes and Hirelings doeâ— quake and tremble when these greedy Wolves come abroad And as Job saith The poore of the earth hide themselves together For alas Job 24.4 in their hearts they cannot abide the sight of them they had as leeve meet the Divell as meet them for feare of one displeasure or another For either they feare that they will warne them out of their houses or parley about more Rent and straiter covenants or beg away their best kine or borrow their horses or command their carts or require a weeks work of them and never pay them for it or a twelve-months pasture for a couple of Geldings or that they 'le make one quarrell or another unto them one mischiefe or another So that these poore soules cannot tell what to doe or which way to turne them for feare of these cruell Termagants They are even weary of their lives For they have no remedy for these things but even to beare it off with head and shoulders Therefore they often wish they were out of the world and that they were buried quicke They say it any will knock them on the head they will forgive him O most piteous case O lamentable hearing These poore silly creatures are faine to drudge and moile all the yeare long in Winter and Summer in frost and snow in heat and cold to provide their Rents that they may be able to pay their cruell Land-lord at h s day For else how shall they be able to looâ—e him in the face Yet their Rent is so rack't that all they can doe is little enough to pay it and when that is paid alas the poore man and his wife and children have little left to take to or to maintaine themselves withall they are faine to gnaw of a crust to fare hardly and goe tâ—inly clad Sometimes they have victuals and sometimes none The poore children cry for bread Poore widowes also and poore fatherlesse children are found weeping and mourning in their housâ—s and in their streets So that now we may with Solomon Eccl. 4.1 Turne and consider all the oppressions that are wrought under the Sunne We may behold the teares of the oppressed and none comforteth them For the mighty ones doe wrong the weaker even as the stronger beasts doe push and harme the feebler These giuing oppressors doe pinch the poore even to the quicke They pluck away from the fatherlesse widowes that little which they have If there be but a cow or a few sheep left they will have them If there be a little commodity of house or land oh what devices they have to win iâ— in and to wring it away Those tyrants will goe as nigh as the
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 bloud toucheth bloud Therefore shall the Land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off Here then wee see what it is that will incense God against us and cause us all to mourne So likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Amos that for the cruelty and oppression of the poore he would plague the whole Land Amos 3.8 Shall not the Land tremble for this saith the Lord and every one mourne that dwells therein Againe the Lord saith by the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 7.19 1. Doe they provoke mee to anger and not themselves to the confusion of their owne faces Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold mine anâ—â—r and my wrath shall be poured upon this place upon man and beast upon the trees of the field and upon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched Jer. 2â— 5 Againe the Lord saith If yee will not heare these words I sweare by my selfe saith the Lord that this house shall be waste and I will prepare destroyers against thee every one with his weapons and they shall cut downe thy chiefe Cedar-trees and cast them into the fire Likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 5.7 saying Because you have not walked in my Statutes nor kept my Judgements therefore behold I even I come against thee and will execute judgement in the midst of thee even in the sight of the Nations and I will doe in thee that I never did before neither will I doe any more the like because of all thine abominations For in the midst of thee the fathers shall eat their sons and the sons shall eat their fathers Againe by the same Prophet the Lord saith Ezek. 7.23 27. The Land is full of the Judgement of bloud 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 cometh they shall seeke peace and not have it Calamity shall come upon calamity and rumour upon rumour Then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet but the Law shall perish from the Priest and counsell from the Ancient The King shall mourne and the Prince shall be clothed with desolation and the hands of the people in the Land shall be troubled I will do unto them according unto their waies and according unto their judgement I will judge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Last of all the Lord saith by his Prophet Jeremy Heare O earth Behold Jer. 4.19 I will cause a plague to come upon this people even the fruit of their owne imaginations because they have not taken heed to my words and to my Law but cast it off Almost innumerable places to this purpose are to be found in the writings of the Prophets but theâ— may suffice to prove the maine point to wit that the just God doth punish whole nations and kingdomes for the sins and rebellions thereof Phil. Sith all these sins for the which the Lord did execute such universall punishments upon his owne people doe abound and over-flow in the Land may wee not justly feare some great plague to fall upon us And the rather because our transgressions doe increase daily and grow to a full height and ripenesse so as it seems the harvest of Gods vengeance draweth neere and approacheth Theol. We may indeed justly feare and tremble For if God spared not the Angels that sinned how shall hee spare us If he spared not his owne people what can we looke for If he spared not the naturall branches how shall hee spare us that are wilde by nature Are we better then they Can we looke to be spared when they are 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 just God to punish sin now that hee was then Yes yes assuredly And therefore we have great cause to mourne and lament to quake and tremble because there is a naked sword of vengeance hanging over our heads Thus did Jeremy Jer. 4.19 Amos 5.6 Hab. 3.16 thus did Amos thus did Habakkuk when they plainly saw the imminent wrath of God approaching upon the people of Israel and Judah Phil. I thinke wee may the rather doubt and feare because the punishment of these fore-named vices is neglected by the Magistrate For commonly when they that beare the sword of Justice doe not draw it out to punish notorious offendors and malefactors the Lord himselfe will take the matter into his owne hands and be revenged in his owne person which is most dreadfull and dangerous For Hâ—b 10 3â— it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Theol. You have spoken a truth For if those which are Gods Deputies and Vicegerents in the earth doe their duties faithfully in punishing vice and maintaining vertue in smiting the wicked and favouring the godly then assuredly evill shall be taken out of Israel Gods wrath prevented and his judgements intercepted as it is written Psal 109.32 Phineas stood up and executed judgement and the plague was stayed But if they for feare favour affection gaine flatterie 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 exceedingly provoke Gods wrath against the Land and against themselves Phil. One thing I do greatly lament that there be either none at all or very slender censures either by the Civill or Ecclesiasticall authority for divers of these fore-named vices as pride covetousnesse oppression lying idlenesse swearing c. Theol. It is a thing to be lamented indeed For where doe we see a proud man punished a covetous man punished an oppressor punished a swearer punished a lyer punished an idle person punished Now because they know they cannot or shall not be punished therefore they are altogether hardened and imboldened in their sins as the Wise man saith Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to do evill Phil. One thing I doe much muse at wherein also I desire to be further satisfied viz. what is the cause that under so godly a Prince so many good lawes and so much good preaching and teaching there should notwithstanding be such an excesse and over-flowing of sin in all estates Theol. The causes hereof are divers and manifold But I will nominate foure especiall ones in my judgement The first is mans naturall corruption which is so strong as almost nothing can bridle it The second is ill presidents and
out in velvets and silkes and most brave and glittering outsides but inwardly are full of filthinesse and sin they have fine delicate bodies but most ugly black and filthy soules if a man could see into their soules as hee doth into their bodies hee would stop his nose at the stink of them For they smell ranke of sin in the nostrils of God his Angels and all good men Phil. Then I p rceive by your speech that the case of all ignorant and profane men is fearfull in the sight of God and that all good men are to pity them and to pray for them Theol. If two blind and deafe men should walk in a â—â—â—ten path that leads to a great deep pond wherein they are like to be drowned if they goe forwards and two men farre off should whoope unto them and will them not to goe forward lest they be drowned yet they neither seeing any man nor hearing any man goe forward and are drowned were not this a lamentable spectacle to behold Even so is it with all the ignorant blinde and deafe soules of the world for they cast no perils but walke on boldly to destruction And though the Preachers of the Gospel whoop never so loud unto them or give them never so many warnings and caveats to take heed yet they being inwardly blinde see nothing spiritually deaf hear nothing and therefore goe on forward in their sins and ignorance till they suddenly fall into hell pit Put case also two great Armies should pitch a field and fight a main battell upon a plaine and that some man should stand upon the top of a mountaine hard by and behold all and should see with his owne eyes how thousands and ten thousands went to wrack and fell downe on every side as thicke as haile the whole plaine swimming in bloud and should also heare the groaning of souldiers wounded and the dolefull sighs and groanings of many Captaines Colonels giving up the ghost were not this a most wofull spectacle Even so when wee doe cleerely see Satan wound and murder thousand thousand soules is it not a farre more tragicall and lamentable sight and ought it not even to kill our hearts to behold it but alas men have no eyes to see into these things And yet certaine it is that Sathan doth continually and in most fearfull manner massacre innumerable soules Thus have I shewed you the wofull estate of profane and ignorant men Phil. If it be so you that be Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel and have taken upon you the cure and charge of soules have need to looke about you and doe what in you lieth to save soules and as good shepherds in great pitie and compassion to labour to pull them out of the pawes of this roaring Lion which goes about continually seeking whom hee may devoure Theol. It standeth us upon indeed very seriously and carefully to looke to it as we will answer it at the dreadfull day of Iudgement For it is no small matter that we have taken in hand which is to care for the flocke which Christ hath bought with his bloud Would to God therefore that wee would leave striving about other matters and strive together all about this who can pull most out of the Kingdome of Sathan sinne and ignorance who can win most soules and who can performe best service to the Church This were a good strife indeed and would to God that wee might once at last with joyned forces goe about it and with one heart and hand joyne together to build up Gods house If through our owne follies the worke hath been hindered or any breach made let us in wisdome and love labour to make it up againe if there have been any declining and coldnesse let us now at last revive let us stirre up our selves that we may stirre up others let us be zealous and fervent in spirit that we may through Gods grace put life into others and rouze up this dead declining and cold age wherein we live So shall God be glorified his Church edified his Saints comforted his people saved his throne erected and the kingdome of the Divell overthrowne Phil. What thinke you were the best course to effect this which you speake of Theol. This is a thing that must be exceedingly laboured in of us which are the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel And here is required diligence and as wee say double diligence for the people are every where very ignorant Some are stones altogether uncapable of instructions others are froward and wilfull some will receive the doctrine but not the practice some againe are altogether set upon peevishnesse and cavilling So that a man were better take upon him the charge of keeping Wolves and Beares then the charge of soules 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 Satan and to bring them to God It is as wee say an endlesse piece of worke and infinite toile a labour of all labours I quake to thinke of it For men are so obstinate and irrefragable that they will be brought into no order they will come under no yoke They will not be ruled by God nor bridled by his Word They will follow their owne swinge They will runne after their owne lusts and pleasures They will rage and storme if you goe about to curb them and restraine them of their wills likings and liberties They will have their wills likings and liberties They will have their wills and follow their old fashions say what you will and doe what you can Is it not thinke you a busie piece of worke to smooth and square such Timber-logs so full of knots and knobs Is it not a tedious and irksome thing to thinke upon 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 far out of frame Phil. Well Sir you can but doe your endeavour and commit the successe to God You can but plant and water let God give the increase You are Ministers of the Letter but not of the Spirit You baptize with water but not with the holy Ghost If you therefore preach diligently exhort admonish and reprove publikely and privately studying by all good example of life and seeking with all good zeale care and conscience to doe the uttermost that in you lyeth to reduce them from their evill wayes I take it you are discharged though they remaine stubborne and incorrigible For you know what the Lord saith by his Prophet Ezech. 3â— 9 If you do admonish them and give them warning then you shall be discharged and their bloud shall be required at their owne hands Theol. You have spoken the truth And therefore sith some must needs take upon them this so great a charge it will be our best course to labour much with them in Catechizing and private
and majesty shall the Son of God be brought unto his royall Throne Thus then Christ being set upon his Iudgement seat all the â—â—â—dly shall be convented before him and he shall stand over them 〈◊〉 a naked sword in his hand The Divell 〈◊〉 stand by them on the one 〈…〉 and â—â—â—ir owne conscieâ—â—◠〈…〉 the gaping gulfe of Hell underneath them ready to devoure them Then shall the bookes be opened not any books of paper and parchment but the books of mens consciences For every mans sins are written and recorded in his conscience as it were in a Register book Then will God bring every work to judgement with every secret thought and set them in order before all the Reprobates 1 Cor. 4 5. Then will God lighten the things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest Then shall all the ungodly be arraigned convicted and hold up their hands at the Barre of Christs Tribunall Seat and shall cry guilty Then shall that most dreadfull sentence of death and condemnation be pronounced against them by the most righteous Iudge Maâ— â—5 4â— Goe yee cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the Divell and his Angels Oh dolefull sentence Oh heavie hearing Whose heart doth not tremble at these things Whose haire doth not stand up on their head For then shall thousands which in this world have flourished as the Cedars of Libanus be cast down for evermore and shall drinke as a just recompence for their iniquity of the bitter cup of Gods eternall wrath and indignation in the kingdome of darknes and in the fearfull presence of Satan and all the cursed enemies of Gods grace Phil. Well now as you have declared unto us the terrour the suddennesse the end and the manner of Christs coming to judgement so lastly shew us the right use of all these things Theol. Saint Peter telleth and teacheth us the right use of all for saith he Seeing all these things must he dissolved 1 Pet. 3 11. what manner of persons ought we to be in holy conversation and godlinesse As if hee should say Sith the Heavens shall passe away with a noise the Elements shall melt with heat and the Earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt up sith also the coming of Christ shall be with great terrour to a fearfull end and in a fearfull manner O how ought wee to excell in goodnesse So then Saint Peter telleth us that the true use of all is this that hereby we be brought neerer unto God then to be more obedient to his will and to walke in all his commandements making conscience of all our wayes and studying to please GOD in all things and to be fruitfull in all good workes living soberly justly and holily in this present evill world and shewing forth the vertues of him which hath called us out of darknesse to this marvellous light that so wee may be prepared against the day of his appearing that it may not take us tardy For our life ought to be a continuall meditation of death wee should alwayes live as if wee should dye or that our bed should be our grave wee must live continually as if Christ should come to judgement presently as it is reported of a godly man in the Primitive Church that whether hee ate or dranke or whatsoever he did he thought alwayes he heard the Trumpet of the Lord with these words Arise yee dead and come unto Judgement Put case it were certainly knowne that Christ would come to Iudgement the next Mid-summer day O whâ—t an alteration would it make in the world how would men change their mindes and affections who would care for this world who would set his heart upon riches who would regard brave apparell who durst deceive or oppresse who durst be drunke who durst sweare lye and commit adultery Nay would not all men give up themselves to the obedience of God would not all serve him diligently would not all men and women flocke to Sermons would they not give themselves to prayer and reading would they not repent them of their sins would they not crie for mercy and forgivenesse See then what the knowledge of a certaine day approaching would effect And ought wee not to doe all these things with as great care and zeale seeing the day is uncertaine For who knoweth whether Christ will come this moneth or the next this yeare or the next Mat. 14 44. Hee himselfe saith Be ready watch for in the houre that yee thinke not of will the Sonne of man come Wee thinke hee will not come this yeare nor next yeare nor this hundred yeares It may be therefore that he will come suddenly upon us wee know not how soone For in an houre that wee little thinke of will he come Therefore our Saviour saith in the thirteenth Chapter of Marke Verse 33. Take heed watch and pray for you know not when the time is And in the Gospel of Saint Luke hee saith Luk â— â—â— Take heed that your hearts be not overcome with surfeiting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares For as a snare shall it come upon all them that dwell upon the face of the earth We heare therefore how many watch-words and caveats our Saviour giveth us when hee saith Be in a readinesse awake take heed watch and pray and looke about you lest that day come suddenly upon you and take you napping It standeth us all therefore upon to be at an houres warning upon paine of death and as we will answer it at our uttermost perill Phil. Proceed to speak of the torments of Hell Theol. Concerning the torments of Hell I doe note three things which I will briefly speake of and they be these The extremitie perpetuitie and remedilesness thereof First touching the extremitie thereof it standeth specially in these three things First that it is a separation from all joy and comfort of the presence of God Secondly that it is an eternall fellowship with the Divell and his Angels Thirdly it is a feeling of the horrible wrath of God which shall seize upon body and soule and shall feed on them as fire doth upon pitch and brimstone for ever The Scriptures doe note the extremity of it in calling it Apoc. 11. â— A lake that burnes with fire and brimstone for ever in saying Iob. â—â— â—1 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth in affirming Mark 1 44. that their worme dyeth not meaning the worme that gnaweth their conscience or the torment of conscience and the fire never goeth out in terming it Tophet which is deep and large and the burning thereof is fire and much wood and that the breath of the Lord as a river of brimstone doth kindle it All these things be terrible to our senses and yet can they not fully expresse the thing as it is indeed For no heart can conceive or tongue expresse
the greatnesse and extremity of the torments of Hell As the joyes of Heaven never entred into the heart of man no more did the torments of Hell All the torments and troubles that fall upon men in this life are but the sparkles of the furnace of Gods totall wrath All fires are but as it were pictures of fire in comparison of Hell fire For as one writeth Hell fire is so extremely hot that it will burne up a man seven mile before hee come at it Yet the Reprobates being alwayes in it shall never be consumed of it As the Salamander is alwayes in the fire and never consumeth so the wicked shall be alwayes in the fire of Hell and never consume For Hell is a death alwayes living and an end alwayes beginning It is a grievous thing to a man that is very sicke to lye long upon a feather bed how much more upon a hot gridiâ—on but how most of all to burn alwaies in Hell fire and never be consumed Another extremity of it consisteth in this that the torments of Hell are universall that is in every member at once head eyes tongue teeth throat stomacke back belly heart sides c. All punishments of this life are particular For some are pained in their head some in their backe some in their stomacke c. yet some particular paines are such as a man would not suffer to gaine all the world But for a man to be tormented in all parts at once what sight more lamentable who could but take pity of a dog in the street in that case Thus then we see that the extremitie of Hell torments is greater then can be conceived or uttered For who can utter that which is incomprehensible Wee can goe no further in comprehending that which is incomprehensible then to know it to be incomprehensible Phil. As you have shewed us the extremity of Hell torments so now proceed to the perpetuity Theol. The Scriptures doe set forth the perpetuity of Hell torments in saying they are for ever The wicked shall be cast into the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for ever The fire never goeth out When as many hundred thousand yeares are expired as there be stones by the Sea side yet still there be so many more to come For that which hath no end can never come to an end If all the Arithmeticians in the world were set a worke to doe nothing but number all the dayes of their life even the greatest numbers that they could possibly set downe and should in the end adde all their numbers together yet could they never come any thing neere to that length of time wherein the wicked shall be tormented If the whole circumference of the Heavens were written about with figures of Arithmeticke from the East to the West and from the West to the East againe yet could it not containe that infinite time and innumerable yeeres wherein all unbeleevers shall suffer eternall torture For in things infinite time hath no place For time is the measure of those things which are subject to measure Therefore because hell torments are infinite they cannot be measured by any time neither can that which is infinite be diminished For if you substract from that which is infinite ten thousand thousand millions of millions yet it is thereby nothing diminished or made lesse Put case a man should once in an hundred thousand yeeres take a spoonfull of water out of the great Ocean Sea how long would it be ere he had so emptied it Yet shall a man sooner empty the Sea by taking out a spoonfull once in an hundred thousand yeares then the damned soule shall have any ease Therefore a certaine Writer saith If a damned soule might be tormented in Hell but a thousand yeares and then have ease there were some comfort in it for then there would be hope it would come to an end but saith hee this word Ever killeth the heart O consider this yee that forget God O yee carnall worldlings thinke on this in time For if you will not now be moved in hearing you shall then be crushed in pieces in feeling What availeth it to live in all possible pleasures and carnall delights here for some sixty yeares and then to suffer this eternall torment what shall it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his soule They be more then mad which will hazzard their soule for a little profit and a few stinking pleasures But this is the manner of men they will have the present sweet come of it what will though they pay never so deare for it though they goe to the highest price though they lose their soules for it Oh the unspeakable blindnesse and madnesse of the men of this world The Divell hath put out their eyes and therefore leadeth them whither he lists For who cannot lead a blind man whither he lists 1 Sam. 11.2 Nahash the Ammonite would make no covenant with the Israelites but upon condition that he might put out all their right eyes So the Divell doth covenant with all the wicked to put out both their eyes that he may lead them directly into Hell Phil. Now Sir a word or two more of the remedilesnesse of Hell fire Theol. The Scriptures do affirm that as the torments of Hell are extreme so they are without all hope of remedy Psal 4â— 8 as it is written A man can by no meanes redeem his brother hee cannot give his ransome unto God so precious is the redemption of the soule and the continuance for ever To this purpose Abraham said to the rich man Luk. 16.16 being in Hell torments Betwixt you and us there is a great gulfe set so that they which would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to us Our Lord Iesus also saith 〈◊〉 19. What shall a man give for the recompence of his soule Where our Saviour doth plainly affirme that there is no ransome or recompence though never so great to be given for a damned soule For the soule being in Hell can never be released it is past remedy no meanes whatsoever can doe any good no gold no silver no friends no riches no power no policy no flattery no bribery no reach no fetch or device whatsoever can prevaile one jot for a man being once in Hell hath no remedy hee is in close prison he is shut up under the hatches for ever there is no getting out againe he must suffer perpetuall imprisonment Hee cannot bring a writ of false imprisonment because he is laid in by the most righteous and just Iudge who cannot possibly doe any wrong but hee must lye by it For being there once he is there for ever If all the Angels of Heaven should intreat for a damned soule if Abraham Isaac and Jacob should make great suit if all the Prophets Apostles and Martyrs should be continuall solicitors to Christ for release if the father should make request
needs smite us downe and take vengeance of us every day and every houre in the day because wee provoke him every day and every houre in the day But the God of Heaven is not as a man that hee should be subject to passions and affections hee is of a most constant and immutable nature For though we provoke him every day with new sins yet is he so farre off from takeing revenge that the next day hee rewardeth us with new mercies and breaketh through all our unkindnesse to shew kindnesse unto us and through all our naughtinesse to doe us good All our infirmities cannot make him breaks off with us or cease to love us Hee is content to take us with all faults and to love us dearly though wee have great faults Hee regardeth not our infirmities though wee be oftentimes wayward and elvish yet for all that hee loveth us neverthelesse Even as a loving Mother though her young suckling cry all the night and be exceeding trease and wayward so as shee cannot rest on houre in the night yea though shee endure much lothsomenesse and trouble with it yet in the morning when shee riseth shee loveth it never the lesse but dandleth it playeth with it smileth and laugheth upon it so the God of all mercies whose love towards us farre passeth the love of mothers though we grieve him with our infirmities continually yet loveth us neverthelesse and is content to put up all to forget and forgive all for hee is a most constant lover Where he once sets and settles his love hee loveth most constantly nothing can alter him nothing can remove him Even as a Father when his little childe catcheth a fall breaketh his shinnes and hurteth his face is so farre from beeing offended or displeased with him therefore that hee doth pity him and bemoane him seeking remedies for his hurt so our mercifull Father is so farre off from being angry and displeased with us for some slips and falls that hee doth the more pitie us and lament our case Even as a loving and wise husband although his wife have many infirmities yet being assured shee loves him dearly and that her heart is with him hee is well content to winke at all her faults to hide them to beare with them yea and to make nothing of them loving her no whit the lesse for them so our deare husband and Spouse Christ Iesus because hee knoweth wee love him and that hee hath our hearts is content to beare with all our infirmities and to make light of them For this cause it is that hee saith to his Spouse in the Canticles though shee was black and full of infirmities Behold thou art all faire Câ—nt 4 1 7. my Love Behold thou art faire thou art all faire my Love there is no spot in thee Mark that hee calleth his Church faire all faire and without spot not because shee was so in her selfe but because shee was made so in him and assuredly the eternall God beholding her in his Sonne doth so esteeme and account of her For as hee that beholdeth any thing through a red glasse doth take it to be red as is the colour of the glasse so God the Father beholding us in his Sonne doth take us to be of the same nature and quality that hee is that is perfectly righteous For this cause it is that hee loveth us and setteth his heart upon us and will not be removeed from us For his love to his children is alwaies one and the same although we have alwaies the like sight and feeling of it as the Moone is alwaies the same in substance and quantity though sometimes it seemeth unto us to be wasted into a very small scantling Let us know then to our great comfort that the love of God towards us in his deare Sonne is constant and alwaies alike and that he will not discountenance us or shake us off for some infirmities no nor yet for many infirmities for the mercifull God doth accept of his children because their generall care is good and the universall tenour of their life tendeth unto righteousnesse howsoever they may greatly faile in many particular actions Two or three fits of an ague doe not prove a diseased body nor two or three good daies a found body then so some few infirmities do not argue a wicked man nor two or three good actions a good man but we must have an eye to the certain 〈◊〉 settled course of a mans life Even aâ—â— men are truely said to walke in a way when they go in it although sometimes they trip and stumble so Gods children do walk in the way of righteousnesse although sometimes they stumble and step out of it or sometimes be violently haled out of it by theeves For Satan and the violence of our lusts do often hale us out of the way but wee must get into it againe as soon as wee are escaped Now then to conclude and draw to an end Sith God is so infinitely mercifull and constant in his mercy sith such great and precious promises are made to us in Christ sith the Lord doth not regard our infirmities when our hearts are with him therefore O Asunetus be of good cheere let nothing trouble you feare not the assaults of the Divel regard not his temptations for assuredly your sinnes are forgiven Christ is yours heaven is yours and all the promises of life and salvation belong unto you So as you need not doubt you cannot miscarry your name is written in the Book of life Asun I am greatly comforted and cheered up with your words Your preaching of the Gospel and laying open of Gods abundant mercy in Christ and of the promises doe exceedingly revive me and even as it were put new life into me they are as Sacke and Sugar unto my soule and sweeter then the honey and the honey-combe they are as Physicke to my sicke soule and as ointment to my spirituall wounds I do now begin to see what misery is in man and what mercy is in God And I know by wofull experience that where misery is not felt there mercy is not regarded but now it hath pleased God to give mee some feeling of mine owne wretchednesse and misery and yet with good comfort in his mercy For I thanke God for it I begin now to grow to some perswasion that the promises do belong unto me my sins are forgiven and that I am one of them that shall be saved Theol. I doe greatly rejoice that God hath according to his rich mercy wrought this good worke in you I do from the bottome of my heart give him the praise and glory of it Happie are you that ever you were borne in whom the Lord hath wrought so gracious a work It is his high favour and speciall mercy towards you for it is the onely priviledge and prerogative royall of Gods owne children truely to repent and deâ—â—eve I beseech God therefore to encrease your faith and to