leaue it And if neither his Disease be suddenly taken from him nor he from his desease yet certainly his Paine cannot long continue in extremity but will at length be translated into a stupiditie it will produce a Stupefaction and numnesse in the parts it affecteth and so the Partie ouersensibly affected ceaseth to be sensible of his griefe Againe a violent and virulent Disease though it be a long time ere a man can wholly shake it off and bid it farewell sometime not till his last of time Diseases Silongus est habet intercapedinem dat refectiom locuâ—â— multum temporis donat necesse est vt exurgat desimat Jdem ibidem commonly comming on Horsebacke but going away on foote yet it is no small comfort vnto the sicke Patient that it commeth but by fitts it doth not keep a continuall Terme in his body but hath sometimes its recesses and Vacations it doth not alwayes sit in commission sometimes it hath an intermission and leaueth Man to himselfe to recollect his scattered spirits and repaire the ruined and crasie walls of his earthly Tabernacle whereby he is the better enabled to hold out against the furious assaults thereof Besides there are diuers artificiall Confections which the skilfull in Physicke are able to prescribe and prepare if not for the extirpation of his disease yet at least for the remission and mitigation of his Paine there are lenitiues to asswage and quallifie the raging madnes thereof Howsoeuer at length that Catholike Esculapius Doctor Death will one day visit the perplexed Patient and giue him a dyet drink that will vndoubtedly cure him of all his griefes Thus I say though a man bee infested with a disease that doth extremely plague and torture him yet he hath these comfortable hopes and helpes to sustaine him in it either He and his Disease will suddenly take their last farewell one of an other or if it continue any time with him it will in processe of time through extremity of pain produce a stupefaction or admit of some friendly intermission or at least of some gentle remission to make it the more supportable howsoeuer the Patient and his paine must one day part and then there is an end of all his sorrowes But alas it is not so here he that is cast into this fire is not capable of the least of all these comforts for the extremity of his paine is perpetuall his torments are both endles easeles It was indeed the opinion of Origen August lib 21. de Ciuitate Dei Cap 17. and his Disciples that all the damned yea euen the Deuils themselues should one day be absolued from their paines Tanto inuenitur erraâ—e dâ—formus contra Des veâ—bâ— peruersius quanto sibi videtur sentire â—lementius August ibidem and receiued into the sociâ—tie of the Saints which though it be a very merciful opinion yet it is a very foule errour and hath bin therefore iustly exploded by the Church as contradicting both reason and plaine text of Scripture Reason requireth a correspondeÌ„cy between the reward of righteousnes and the wages of iniquitie that as he which like a good tree bringeth forth good fruit shall be remoued from earth to heauen there to inherite euerlasting felicitie so hee which like a bad tree doth not bring forth good fruit should be cut downe from off the face of the earth and cast into perpetuall misery And the sacred Scripture doth plainly informe vs that Exinferno nulla redemptio from Hell there is no redemption As none can go from Heauen to Hell so none can goe from Hell Luke 16. 26. to Heauen No their heauinesse is continuall their plague desperate and cannot bee cured The breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle the Esay 30. 33. fire of Hell and being once kindled it neuer either of it selfe goeth out or can be put out for it is fire euerlasting and Math. â—5 41 Esay 66. Exod. 3. 2. vnquenchable and whosoeuer is call into it like Moses bush shal be burned but neuer consumed he shall there continue eternally both body soule in vnspeakable misery The extremitie of his paine shall not produce in him the least stupefaction for he shall be eternally and totally perfectly sensible of this fire His paine shall not admit of the least intermission or remission there shal not be the least moment of time but in which he shall feelingly confesse I am most extreamely and fearefully tormented in this flame He shall not obtaine so much as a drop of cold water in the eternity of his extremity to coole the tip of his tongue It is no smal content vnto one that is afflicted with a violent burning Feuer that he can turne and tumble himselfe too and fro in his bed in a vaine hope of ease But Hee that is cast into this fire shall be no more able to moue himselfe then a Tree that is hewen downe and cast into the fire For seeing that Jiqui â—â—erunt â—â—c 〈◊〉 Dâ—mand â—â—â—unt vincuâ—â—dâ—râ—m pentâ—◠〈◊〉 ligatu â—â—nibus pedibus mittentur in pananâ— aeternam Guil. Paris Math. â—2 Eâ—tâ—liquod soâ— amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sâ—câ—â— habuisse doloris Iob 16. 12. through his dissolute course of life hee often broke the Chaine of Gods Commandements he shall therfore by Gods commandement be fast tyed hand and foot witâ— such chaines as hee shall not be able to breake thus bound he shall be cast into Hell And whereas in Miserie it is accounted some Comfort to haue Companie Hee that is cast into this Fire shall indeed haue Companie but such as like Iobs friends will proue vnto him but miserable comforters their company shall be so little for his consolation as that it shal much conduce for the augmenting his affliction For not to speake of the horrid aspect of his Tormentors and the fearfull howlings of the Tormented hee shall then see those in hell with him of whose damnation himselfe was the procuring cause and this shall adde infinitely to his paines for as Hee who by his godly counsell and religious conuersation hath bin an instrument to conuert others vnto God shall shine as the starres in the firmament Dâ—n 12. 13. haue a peculiar reward of glory aboue others so Hee who by his wicked and lewd conuersation hath occasioned the fal of others shal for it besides his more generall paines haue some more speciall torment inflicted vpon him so that the very sight of such for whose sake he sustaineth his peculiar torments shall bring no small affliction to his Soule And hence it was as Diuines haue obserued that Diues being in Hell fire requested Abraham to dispatch Lazarus Luke 16. 27 28. to his Fathers house to premonish his Brethren that they might not come into that place of Torment not for any good hee intended toward his Brethren for Hell is as farre from Charitie as Heauen from Enuy but out of feare lest his paines should
Ierusalem a desolation God is so tender ouer his Prophets that he will not haue them so much as toucht hee hath reprooued euen Kings for their sakes So sensibly he is affected with the wrongs they sustaine that hee taketh them as done to Himselfe Do ye rob them of their Tythes Ye haue robbed Malac 3. 8. me saith the Lord. Doe ye neglect and despise them Ye despise me saith Christ Luke 10. 16. and him that sent mee euen God the Father And wil not the Lord reuenge these wrongs Yea hath hee not already in some measure punished this land for them Haue not the Coales your Forefathers haue stolne from Gods altar set their neasts on fire brought a curse vpon their substance that it hath not thriued vnto a third generation yea whilst they and you haue denyed God his Tenth part hath not God taken away your Nine parts and giuen you onely a Tenth Againe hath not the Lord taken vnto himselfe many conscionable and painefull Ministers which according to the course of nature might haue liued long to haue bin worthy Instruments for your euerlasting good because ye haue so vndervalued them and set so low an estimate vpon them But alas my Beloued these are but flea bitings if compared to the remoouing of our Candlesticke from amongst Reuel 2. 5. vs and is it not iustly to bee feared that he hath euen at this present some such work in hand I pray God he hath not But say he doe continue the light of his Gospel amongst vs yet what benefit can accrue vnto vs by this light if we be taken from it and cast into vtter darknesse â—his God can doe and will doe if wee doe not bring forth better fruit for euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall bee hewen downe and cast into the fire O consider of this all yee whose greatest glory is to bee the scourge of the Clergie lest that High Priest Christ Iesus take you in hand and ye be made to howle eternally in Hell for contemning his Substitutes his low Priestes here on earth Let the Word of the Lord and the Ministers therof be precious in your sight that you your posterity may be precious in the sight of the Lord. Haue those that are ouer you in the Lord labour amongst you in singular loue if not for their owne sakes yet for their Masters sake and for their workes sake considering how like Candles they consume and waste themselues away to light you in the way vnto perpetual happines Giue vnto them double honour and cut them not short of their due reuerence maintenance lest the Lord in his fury cut you off from the state of mercy lest ye be hewen downe and cast into the fire I haue I suppose not a little exceeded your expectation I am sure my first intention in giuing so much way vnto this last particulars extention but the time I haue borrowed of you in it I will God willing repay you to the full in the rest that follow Shal euery tree not bringing forth good fruit be hewen downe and cast into the fire My Honourable Lord I will giue you 3 The Lord Maior but a word take heed God doe not one day giue you a blow Hee hath ordained you a Magistrate vnder his Maiestie and hath put the Sword of Iustice into your hand I would desire you to take notice that he hath also an Axe in his hand therefore like a good tree bring forth good fruit in that place wherein he hath set you be the Orphans father and the Widowes husband be of a good courage and bee zealous for your great Lord and Master your Maker the Lord of hosts protect and countenance the good correct and cut down the bad lest the Lord hewe you downe and cast you into Hell fire Ye Reuerend Iudges of the Land and 4 Iudges and Lawyers all ye that trauell in the Study and Practise of the Law remember there is a dreadfull Judge aboue you euen the Lord of Heauen and Earth who will one day call all of you to a strict account for all your courses Therefore like good trees bring forth good fruite in your seuerall places as you will answer it at the Barre of his Tribunal Let neither the feare of greatnes nor vnrighteous Mammon let neither priuate spleene nor particular affection so preuaile with you as to interturbe and ouerturne the course of Iustice but walk vprightly and conscionably as hauing the feare of God before your eyes lest he hew you downe and cast you into hell fire All ye that exercise your selues in Ciuill 5 Tradesmen commerce come hither and consider what I shall say vnto you What will it aduantage you to bee Lords ouer the whole world to loose your owne soules Luke 9. 25. Therefore so Sell and Buy and Baâ—ter that ye make not shipwracke of a Good Conscience loose the kingdom of heauen into your Bargaines that is deale honestly and sincerely with al men as it becommeth the Seruants of Christ and doe not go about cunningly to intrap any with termes of Equiuocation and to cheat them with false Wares Measures and Weights for these things are an abomination vnto the Lord. But aboue all things take heed of that most frequent and most fearefull custome of swearing worth and credit into your Commodities lest while ye labour to make them marchantable and good penny-worths with man yee loose your credit and your penny that is your Crowne of Glory with God Thinke vpon it for beleeue it the time will come when the Lord shall weigh you in his Ballance Daâ— 9 25. as he did Belshazzar and shall if he find you too light seperate you from the Kingdome of Heauen as farre as the East is from the West and the North from the South for euery Tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shall bee hewen downe and cast into the Fre. In the next place taâ—e notice of this all ye whom the Lord hath linked together 6 Maried foâ—ke in Holy and Honourable Matrimony that so yee may bring forth fruit beseeming so holy and so honourable an estate Make conscience of performing those seuerall Offices and respects God in his Sacred Word requireth of you one towards another Bee Carefull Religiously and Constantly to obserue and pay those Solemne vowes yee made before God and Men at the Solemnization of your Nuptialls More particularly and principaâ—lâ— seeing Gen. 2. 24. God hath made you One of Two suffer not the Diuel to make you Two of One but liue peaceably discreetly and loyally together nourish mutuall affection and possesse your vessels that 1. Thess 4. 4. is your bodies in holinesse and honour and keepe your selues one to another Hâ—b 13. 4 as vndefiled members of Christs Body free from lusting after strange flesh least yee bee hewen downe and cast into the Fire Againe shall euery Tree not bringing forth good
that can befall vâ— freely to disport our selues in all licenciousnesse Yet if wee did but deliberately weigh our owne case as indeed it neerely concerneth vs so to doe Laying the pleasures of sinne which can last but for a little season in one Scale and the Penaltie for sin which will hold out to eternity in the other if wee did but seriously consider that the wrath of God is reuealed from Heauen against Rom. 1. 18. all vngodlinesse and vnrighteousnes of men as the Apostle speaketh that the Lord hath whet his Sword and bent his Bow and hath made his instruments Psal 7. 12. 13. ready to wound the hayrie Scalpe of him that goeth on in his wickednesse as the Prophet Dauid speaketh That the axe of his wrath is already laid vnto the roote of the Trees and that hee is resolutely determined that those Trees those Men which bring not forth good fruit shal be hewen downe and cast into the fire into Hell Fire there to be extremely and totally tormented eternally it would beget in our hearts a mortall hatred euen of our bosome and best beloued corruptions and worke with vs euen in the middest of our sinfull pleasures as the Handwriting vpon the Wall with Belshazzar Dan. 5. 6. in the midst of his Iollitie it would cause our countenance to be changed our thoughts to trouble vs the ioynts of our loines to be loosed and our knees to smite one against the other it would make vs with the Iailor to tremble and and fall before the Ministers of God Acts 16. 29. 30. say Sirs what shall we doe to bee saued Oh it is a terrible and fearefull thing Raro antecedentem scelestum deseruit pede paena claudo Car. lib 3. ode 2 to fall into the hands of the liuing God Though hee hath leaden heeles yet hee hath iron hands Serò sed serio He is indeed Tarditatem vindictae Supplic ij grauitate compensat slow to proceed in Iudgment but when he comes as come hee will hee strikes home and layes it on heauily Therefore my Beloued let vs take heed The certaintie of the penâ—lâ—â—â— we doe not dally with God and slight his terrible Iudgements as if they did nothing concerne vs for that the Lord will render vengeance vnto the children of disobedience and visit the iniquities of impudent and impenitent sinners with the intollerable eternall torments of hell fire is a truth as cleare as that God is truth wee haue it deliuered from his own mouth and recorded vnder his owne hand his sacred Word endited by the Holy Ghost hath most clearely reuealed it vnto vs and questionlesse we may venture to take his word and build vpon it for God is not as man Numb 23. 19. that hee should lye neither as the sonne of man that he should repent hath hee sayd and shall he not doe it and hath he spoken and shall he not accomplish it Certainly Heauen and Earth shall sooner passe away Luke 16. 17. saith our Sauiour then the least iot or title of the Law shall fall And therefore the penaltie here threatned shal most certainly be inflicted Yea to intimate the vndoubted certaintie thereof it is not heere said in the future Tense The tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall bee hewen downe and cast into the fire but is â—ewen downe and cast into the fire it being as certaine as if it were already inflicted So hee which beleeueth not is already Iohn 3. 18. condemned saith our Sauiour The Law hath already denounced the Sentence of malediction against the Sinner Cursed is hee that confirmeth not all the Deut. 27. 26. words of the Law to doe them And what the curse of the law is is not vnknown to the veriest Babe in Christianitie it is the eternall destruction of body and soule in hell fire So that there is nothing wanting vnto the certaintie of this Penaltie but a more solemne declaration and a reall execution thereof which shall be then effected when the Sonne of man our Lord Iesus Christ shall come in the clouds in his Glory accompanied with all his holy Angels to iudge the quicke and the dead then shall hee pronounce that dreadfull Sentence of condemnation Discedite a me maledicti Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels and then shall it be put into execution for they shall goe into euerlasting torments verse 46 And let no man delighting in impiety The Generalitie or exteâ—â— of the Penaltie delude his own soule with a vaine hope of impunitie let him not thinke to escape the iudgement of God whilest he commiteth Rom. 1 32. such things as are worthy of death for the Lord is a powerfull and an impartiall Iudge Who can stand before his wrath or who can abide the fiercenesse of his wrath His wrath is powred out like fire and the very Rocks are broken by him saith the Prophet King Nebuchadnezzar though a most puissant Prince a great Tree as the Scripture stiles him Dan. 4. 11. strong and high vnto heauen in whose boughes the Birds of the ayre did build their nests yet saw in a Vision a Watcher a holy One comming downe from Verse 14. Heauen who cried alowd Succidite arborem Hew downe the Tree and Destroy it Tophet is prepared for the Esay 30. 33. King saith the Prophet Esay Though his excellencie mount vp vnto the heauens and his head reach vp to the clouds yet shall he perish for euer like his owne dung saith Iob. Iob 20. 6. 7. Regum timendorum in proprios greges Reges in ipsos imperium est Iouis Hâ—r Carm. lib. 3. Ode 1. Clari Gygant â—o triumpho cunsta supercilio mouentis God hath an vnresistable power ouer the most Commanding Princes By him Kings raigne Princes Nobles and all the Pro 8. 15. 16. Iudges of the earth doe rule saith Salomon the greatest Prince that euer ruled vpon the earth At his foot stoole the mightiest Monarchs must lay downe their Crownes and make their appeaâ—ance before his most dreadfull presence submâ—ting themselues to be censured and sentenced and suffer according to their demerits God spareth none though neuer so mightie yea for that respect hee dealeth more sharpely with them For as Hieronimus Guadalupeâ—sis vpon this Text obserueth The more Potent a man Quanto quisque potentior sinon ferat fâ—uctum tonto maiori dâ—gnus est supplicio qui â—occasio est multis non ferendi bonos fructus Scilicet in vulgus manout exemplâ— regentum Claudianus is if he doe not bring forth good fruite the greater punishment he deserueth because He is an Occasion vnto many of their not bringing forth good fruit Men ordinarily suffering theÌ„selues to be directed lob-led by the exaÌ„ple of their Superiors like the Spaniard that held his neck awry because Alphonso of Arragon his king was
fruit be hewen downe and cast into the fire Consider this all yee whom the Lord hath blessed with the fruite of the Wombe least this temporall blessing proue 7 Parents your eternall bane Thinke it not enough that yee bring forth children into the world and prouide for them an earthly inheritance vnlesse yee also bring them vp vnto the Lord and so fit them for the Kingdome of Heauen Alasse what is their first generation more then their Corruption for they are shaped in wickednesse Psal 51 5. and conceiued in sinne and so poore Infants Damnati antequam nati they are damned before their mothers are deliuered and being so what is your Temporall prouision vnto them though neuer so plentifull if after their ioy in this World if they know any they be so farre from knowing any in the next that on the contrary they lye howling in Hell flames for euer If therefore you truely loue your Children for their sakes vndertake a second labour and bring forth this good fruite of your Fatherly loue towards them once more trauell in paine of them but as Paul did of the Galathians till Gal. 4. 19. Christ be formed in them labour that they may be begotten a new in Christ by 1. Pet. 1. 23. the immortall seede of the Word and bee made heyres of the Kingdome of Heauen Let it be your care whatsoeuer it cost to haue them brought vp euen from their Child-hood in the feare of God That when they leaue this world they may attaine vnto the Land of euerlasting life there to raigne with Christ world without end And if you will not doe thus much for their sakes at least doe it for your owne sakes For know to bring forth this good fruit of true fatherly affection to bee carefull for the Spirituall well-fare of your Children and to promote and further it to the vtmost of your power is a dutie God strictly inioyneth And if through neglect hereof your Children Ephes 6. 4. rebell against God he will require their blood at your hands For as God doth visite the sinnes of the Fathers vpon the Children So he doth visite the sinns of the Children vpon the Fathers For an instance remember Old Eli when his 1. Sam. 2. Sonnes trespassed against God He did not sharpely reprooue and correct them but suffered theÌ„ to run on in their Sins this was his ruine In a word remeÌ„ber the IudgeÌ„t here threatned in my Text be moued thereby to bring forth the good fruite of true Fatherly affectioÌ„ instruct your Children in the feare of the Lord reproue correct theÌ„ wheÌ„ they offend the Lord least the Lord hew you downe and cast you into the fire In like manner yee Children remember the Rocke out of which yee 8 Children were hewen the Stocke whereof yee are stemmes your Parents from whom next vnder God yee haue receiued your naturall beeing Oh wound not their tender hearts with your vntoward carriage and rebellious courses the only course to accelerate and hasten their heads to the graue but like good Children bring forth the good fruit of filiall feare and affection that yee may exhilarate reioyce their Soules to the prolonging of their dayes Reuerence them inwardly in your hearts outwardly in your Behauiour yeeld vnto them all dutifull obedience in the Lord least ye pluck their Curse vpon your heads and the Lord hearing it hew you downe cast you into the fire 9 Masters of families Yee that haue the care of Seruants committed to your charge bring forth the Good fruite of Good Masters in your seuerall Families doe vnto your Seruants that which is iust and equall Col. 4. 1. knowing that yee also haue a Master in Heauen Command them not but in the Lord and that louingly Allow them a befitting competency be it in matter of indâ—ment for the Backe or aliment for the Belly and doe not with-hold their wages from them But aboue all instruct them in the knowledge and feare of God as well by your examples as precepts and allow not their profanation of the Lords Sabaths the least Conniuence Least the Lord hew you downe and cast you into the fire And yee that are Seruants serue your 10 Seruants Masters faithfully both in word and deede and obserue them with all respectiue reuerence and submit your selues vnto them to obey them in the Lord least the Lord hew downe you also and cast you into the fire In a word to drawe towards a conclusion giue me leaue to drawe out an Eare or two of the Corne we haue already inn'd for I feare growing too voluminous and large in particularizing farther Yee haue heard how gracious and bountifull a God the Lord hath vowed to shew himselfe vnto all those that submit themselues vnto his lawes and labour to serue him faithfully in bringing forth good fruite in leading a holy and religious course of life that he will reward and crowne their holy endeauours with an eternall weight of Glory in the kingdome of Heauen Yee haue likewise heard how seuere and terrible a Iudge hee will reueale himselfe vnto all such as runne disobedient and rebellious courses that hee will wound the hayrie Scalpe of euery one that goeth on in his wickednesse yea that hee will hew downe and cast into the fire euery Tree not bringing forth good fruite If therefore the sweete blessings of Gerizim the louing mercies of God cannot worke vpon our rebellious hearts to reclaime vs from our wicked wayes let the bitter cursings of Eball the dreadfull terrours of the Law make vs feare to offend least the Lord in his wrath deliuer vs vp vnto a reprobate minde and in that fearefull estate hew vs downe that is by a violent Death rent our Soules and Bodies a sunder cast vs both soule body into the fire to be intollerably eternally tormented in the flames of Hel. My beloued as God is Iealous of so he is Zealous for his glory if he be not glorified a nobis of vs by our conuersion he will be glorified de nobis vpon vs by our confusion if we do not turne vnto him he wil turne vs into Hell â—or it is a conclusion so ratified as neuer to bee repealed that Euery one whether Iew or Gentile bond or free high or low rich or poore Euery tree not bringing forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire O then let euery one of vs make a diligent search into his owne bosome iudge himselfe least he be iudged of the Lord. Let vs dissect rip vp that body of sinne which is within vs not only that Naturall corruption which we haue all alike succâ—ssiuely receiued from our first PareÌ„ts but also those personal transgressioÌ„s which euery man hath made himselfe guilty of more or lesse Then hauing faithfully laid open our sinfulnes let vs look on it with a loathing eye a lamenting heart vnfeinedly deploring the time
of the King of Heauen for she only is Hâ—ire to the Kingdome of Heauen â—herefore saith our Sauiour to his Disciples Qui perseuerauerit Matth. 24. 13 hâ— that contâ—nueth to the end shall bee saued and to the Church of Smyrna Reuel 2. 10. Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee a Crowne of Life And vpon these termes doth Saint Paul assure himselfe and euery faithfull Christian a Crowne of righteousnesse I haue fought a good fight and haue finished my 2. Tim 7. 8. course I haue kept the faith Hence forth is laid vp for me the Crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord the righteous Iudge shall giue mee at that day and not to mee only but vnto all them also that loue that his appearing The absolute necessity of this Perseuerance for all such as expect the Happinesse of a better life hath so deepely sunke into the thoughts of Gods Children in all ages that they haue constantly resolued to suffer the bitterest torments the pregnant malice of the Diuell and his Factors could inflict vpon them rather then to loose the blessed hope of their Heauenly inheritance If therefore wee respect our Future Haâ—pinesse let vs not bee like thâ— plant Ephemeâ—on which doth spring and flourish and fade in a day but as the Oliue tree flourishâ—th and fruâ—â— iâ—eth all the yeare long so let vs continue in bringing forth good fruit perseuerantly To be short the way to Heauen though it be Narrow yet it is Long and our life at the Longest but Short Let vs therefore that we may the better compasse so great a Iourney get vp betimes out of our beds of Sinne euen in the morning of our age at the first houre of the day and quickly make our selues ready that so we may set forth betimes towards the Celestiall Canaan And when we haue once set our feete in the way of righteousnesse the direct and only Rode to that Holy Citie If at the end of our liues when we can trauaile no longer wee would rest in Abrahams bosome let vs labour to imitate him in his iourneying vnto the terrestriall Canaan that is let vs eundo pergere still bee going forward Gen. 129. from grace to grace whatsoeuer Remoraes doe encounter vs in the way whatsoeuer afflictions doe befall vs hauing our eies fixt vpon those heauenly ioyes whereof the troubles and afflictions of this life are not worthy The older we grow in yeares the more let vs grow in goodnesse Let our Workes our Loue our Seruice our Faith our Patience be like the Thyatirians Reuel 2. 19. more at the last then at the first Thus like good Trees bringing forth good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly wee shall at length bee brought by him who is Alpha and Omega Reuel 1. 8. the beginning and the ending vnto the beginning of that vnspeakable Happinesse which shall haue no ending But happily you will reply in the words of Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2. 16. who is sufficient for these things Is not our Father an Amorite and our Mother a Hittite The best of men by Nature is no better then a Brâ—ar a Micha 74. Math. 7. Thorne a Thistle And doe men gather Grapes of Thornes and Figges of Thistles Ex Spinis non nascitur Rosa Such as is the Tree such is the Fruite T is true And therefore to bring forth Good fruit presently plentifully perseuerantly we must be ingrafted into the true Vine and abide in it I am that Vine saith Christ and yee are the branches Iohn 15. 5. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth good fruit For without me ye can doe nothing If a man verse 6. abide not in mee hee is cast forth as a branch that is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned But how are we ingrafted into Christ by Faith How doe wee abide in Him By Loue. How doth He abide in vs by his Holy Spirit through whose gracious opperation we are inabled to bring forth the good fruits of the Spirit Now for asmuch as no Arme of Flesh can command this Faith this Loue this Holy Spirit Therefore O LORD GOD wee doe here in all humilitie addresse our selues vnto thy diuine Maiestie entirely desiring thee in mercy to looke downe from Heauen vpon vs miserable wretches heere on earth Wee acknowledge O Lord and thou knowest that of our selues wee haue no power to order our wayes aright vnto thee for wee are a crooked generation a people by nature the children of wrath so that if thou shouldest leaue vs to our selues we must looke for no lesse then like fruitlesse Trees to bee hewen downe and cast into the fire But good God remember that thou art our Creatour and we thy Creatures that thou art our Father and wee thy children Oh neglect not the work of thine Hand neither suffer vs thy children to perish but looke vpon vs in the sweet compassions of a tender hearted Father for the blood of Christ pardon all our sinnes past throw behinde thy backe those cursed fruits we haue hitherto continually brought foorth to the dishonour of thy Great and Glorious Name that they may neuer be layd vnto our charge and enable vs for the time to come to doe what thou requirest and then require what thou wilt and we will doe it O Lord stretch foorth thine hand and engraft vs by a true and liuely Faith into the Body of thy Sonne Iesus Christ Dwell in vs O heauenly Father and blessed Sonne by thy holy Spirit that by the gracious and powerfull operation thereof like good trees we may bring forth good fruit that we may euery day more and more abound and increase in grace and goodnesse till wee come to bee perfect men in Christ lesus Graciously heare vs most mercifull Father and graunt vs whatsoeuer thou knowest to bee good for vs and that for thy Sonne and our Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake To whome with thee and the blessed Spirit bee ascribed of vs and of all thy Saints all praise power and Glory for euer Amen FINIS