his word commandeth heauen and earth and the sea All creatures must be obedient to his will and subiect to his ordinance This is the cause why all things both in heauen earth and the sea do kéepe their immutable and vnuariable courses times and seasons euen because he hath charged them so to doe And they must of necessity alwaies at all times and for euer obey for the creatures must obey the Creator This act of Parliament was made the first wéeke of the world and neuer since was or can be repealed Phila. But to call you backe againe to the point we had in hand resolue me I pray you of this Whether many of the deare children of God do not in this life sometimes want outward things and are brought into great distresse Theol. Yes certainly For Eliah did want was in distresse Paul did want was in many distresses The holy Christians mentioned in the Hebrewes did want and were in maruellous distresses Many of Gods deare ones haue in all ages wanted and at this day also doe want and are greatly distressed But this is a most infallible truth that howsoeuer Gods children may want be low brought yet they are neuer vtterly forsaken but are holpen euen in greatest extremities yea when all things are desperate and brought euen to the last cast To this point most notably speaketh the Apostle saying Wee are afflicted on euery side but yet we despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee perish not The Prophet Ieremie also saith The Lord will not forsake for euer but though hee send affliction yet will be haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies For hee doth not punish willingly or from his heart nor afflict the children of men The kingly Prophet saith Surely the Lord will not faile his people neither will hee forsake his inheritance The Lord himselfe saith For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee So then we may fully assure our selues and euen write of it as a most vndoubted and sealed truth that Gods children shall neuer be vtterly forsaken in their troubles Phila. Sith the care and prouidence of God is so great for his children as you haue largely declared what then I pray you is the cause why God suffereth his to bee brought into so many troubles and necessities Theol. Their profit and benefit is the cause and not their hurt For he loueth them when he smiteth them Hée fauoureth them when hée séemeth to be most against them He aymeth at their good when he séemeth to bée most angry with them He woundeth them that hée may heale them He presseth them that he may ease them He maketh them cry that afterward they may laugh He alwaies meaneth well vnto them he neuer meaneth hurt He is most constant in his loue towards them If he bring them into necessities it is but for the triall of their faith loue patience and diligence in prayer If he cast them into the fire it is not to consume them but to purge and refine them If he bring them into great dangers it is but to make them call vpon him more earnestly for helpe and deliuerance He presseth vs that we might cry we crie that we may be heard we are heard that we might be deliuered So that héere is no hurt done we are worse scared then hurt Euen as a mother when her childe is wayward threatneth to throw it to the Wolfe or scareth it with some pocar or bul-begger to make it cling more vnto her and bée quiet So the Lord oftentimes sheweth vs the terrible faces of troubles and dangers to make vs cleane and cling faster vnto him and also to teach vs to esteeme better of his gifts when wée enioy them and to be more thankfull for them as health wealth peace liberty safety c. So then still we sée here is nothing meant on Gods part but good As it is written All things worke together for good to them that loue God For euen the afflictions of Gods children are so sanctified vnto them by the spirit that thereby they are made partakers of Gods holinesse Thereby they inioy the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Thereby they attaine vnto a greater measure of ioy in the holy ghost Therby the world is crucified to them and they to the world Thereby they are made conformable to Christs death Thereby they are kept from the condemnation of the world Therby they learne experience patience hope c. So that all things considered Gods children are no losers by their afflictions but gainers It is better for them to haue them then to be without them they are very good for them For when Gods children are chastised it is as it should bée For to them the crosse is mercy and losse is gaine Afflictions are their schooling and aduersity their best Uniuersity It is good for me saith the holy man of God that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes By his afflictions therefore hée learned much and became a good scholar in Gods booke and well séene in his Statutes and Lawes Hée grew to great wisedome and iudgement by his chastisments All things turned about in Gods mercifull prouidence to his euerlasting comfort For I say againe and againe that all things tend to the good of Gods chosen people And therefore that estate which GOD will haue his children to bée in is alwaies best for them Because hée who can best discerne what is best séeth it to bée best for them whether it bée sicknesse or health pouerty or plenty prison or liberty prosperity or aduersity For sometimes sicknesse is better for vs then health and pouerty then plenty Are therefore the children of God sicke it is best for them Are they poore it is best for them Are they in any trouble it is best for them because their good Father will turne it to the best Hee will oftentimes cut vs short of our lusts and desires because hée seeth wée will bane our selues with them Hée in fatherly care will take the knife from vs because hée séeth wée will hurt our selues with it He will kéepe vs short of health and wealth because hée knoweth wee will bée the worse for them He will not giue vs too much ease and prosperity in this world for he knoweth it will poison vs. He will not allow vs continuall rest like standing pondes for then he knoweth we will gather scum and filth He dealeth fatherly and mercifully with vs in all things euen then seeking our greatest good when we thinke he doth vs most harme And to speake all in a word hée bringeth vs into troubles and straits to this end especially that he may heare of vs. For he right wel knoweth our nature he is wel acquainted with our disposition He knoweth we will not come at him but when we stand in neede of
him we care not for him so long as all goeth well with vs. But if we come into distresse or want any thing that we would faine haue then he is sure to heare of vs. As he saith by the Prophet In their affliction they will seeke me early And another Prophet saith Lord in trouble haue they visited thee They powred out a praier when thy chastisement was vpon them So then now I hope you do plainely sée the cause why the Lord bringeth his children into so many troubles and necessities Phila. I doe see it indeed and I am very well satisfied in it But yet let me aske you one thing further Are Gods children alwaies sure to be deliuered out of their troubles Theol. Yes verily and out of doubt so far foorth as God séeth it good for them For it is written Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all S. Peter saith The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation As if hée should say He is beaten in it and well séene and experienced in it so as he can doe it easilie and without any trouble at all It is said of Ioseph being in prison that when his appointed time was come and the counsell of the Lord had tried him the King sent and loosed him the Ruler of the people deliuered him And againe the Scripture saith The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of all their troubles The Angell of the Lord tarrieth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them And in another place the Lord himselfe saith concerning the righteous man Because hee hath loued mee therefore I will deliuer him I will exalt him because he hath knowen my name Hee shall call vpon mee in trouble and I will heare him I will bee with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him So also saith Eliphas the Temanite He shall deliuer thee in six troubles and in the seuenth the euill shall not touch thee Come my people saith the Lord enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy doores after thee hide thy selfe for a very little while vntill the indignation passeouer And the Prophet saith Vpon Mount Zion shall be deliuerance and it shall be holy and the house of Iacob shall possesse their hereditary possessions Almost innumerable places of the Scriptures might be alledged to this purpose but these may suffice Therefore let vs know for a certainety that so sure as trouble and affliction are to the Children of God so sure also is deliuerance out of the same As we may write of the one and make reckoning of it as sure as the coat of our backe so may we also in Gods good time write of the other and make full account of it as sure as the Lord is true Abraham was in trouble but deliuered Iob in trouble but deliuered Dauid in great troubles but deliuered The thrée Children in the Furnace but deliuered Daniel in the Lions den but deliuered Ionas in the Whales belly but deliuered Paul in innumerable troubles but yet deliuered out of all Phila. All this being true that you say it followeth that Gods children are chastised only for their good and euermore sure of deliuerance in his appointed time Which thing being so me thinketh there is no cause at all why they should be ouer heauie or too much cast downe in their afflictions Theol. Assuredly there is no cause at all but rather cause why they should reioyce clap their hands and sing care away For can a father forsake his children a sing his subiects a Maister his seruant or a Shéepe heard his shéepe Doth not Iehouah say I will nor leaue thee nor forsake thee Doth not our heauenly Father know wée haue néede of these things Hath not God geuen vs his word that wée shall not want outward things Hath hée not said They shall be cast vpon vs Why then should wee be dismaied Why should wée hang downe our heades Why doe wée not plucke vp our hearts and be of good cheare God is our deare Father he is our best friend hée is our daily Benefactor hée kéepeth vs at his owne costs and charges hée grudgeth vs nothing hée thinketh nothing too much for vs. He loueth vs most dearely he is most chary and tender ouer vs hée cannot endure the winde should blow vpon vs he will haue vs want nothing that is good for vs. If we will eate gold wée shall haue it He hath giuen vs his faithfull promise that as long as wée liue wée shall neuer want Let vs therefore reioice and be merry For Heauen is ours earth is ours God is ours Christ is ours all is ours As the Apostle saith All is yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods The world clap their hands and crow long before it bée day saying all is theirs but the children of God may say and say truely All is ours For they haue a true title proper interest through Christ in all the creatures Many are their priuiledges great are their prerogatiues They are frée of heauen and frée of earth They are the onely frée Denisens of the world Christ hath purchased them their fréedome Christ hath made them frée and therefore they are frée indéed They are frée from sinne frée from hell frée from damnation They are at peace with God men Angels They are at peace with themselues They are at peace with all creatures They are yong Princes Angels fellowes descended of the highest house of the bloud royall of heauen states of Paradise and heires apparent to the immortall Crowne Therefore God hath commanded his Angels to guard them being such yong Princes as they are yea he hath giuen a very straight charge to all his creatures to look to them to sée to them that they want nothing that they take us hurt so teasous so chary so tender is he of thē The angels must cōfort Iacob The whale must rescue Ionas The rauens must féed Elias The Sun and Moone must stay for Ioshua The Sea must diuide it selfe that Moses and his people may passe thorow The fire must not burne the thrée children The Lions may not deuoure Daniel All the creatures must change their nature rather then Gods children should not be holpen and deliuered Oh therefore how great is the happinesse of Gods chosen Who can expresse it who can vtter it They know not their owne happinesse it is hid from them Afflictions doe cloud it troubles doe ouershadow it crosses doe dim it and there is an interposition of the earth betwixt their sight and it But this is most certain and sure that the best is behind with the children of God all the swéet is to come Their happines doth not appeare in this world Their life is hid with Christ in God When Christ shall appeare then shall they also appeare with him in glorie It doth not
like grosse sinnes they trust in God they shall be saued Theol. They erre not knowing the scriptures For many thousands are in great danger of losing their soules for euer which are frée from such notorious and horrible vices may many which in the world are counted good honest men good true dealers good neighbors and good Townes-men Asune I pray you Sir giue me leaue a little I haue heard all your speech hitherto and I like reasonably well of it but now I can forbeare no longer my conscience vrgeth me to speake For me thinkes you goe too far you goe beyond your learning in this that you condemne good neighbours and good townesmen You say many such men are in danger of losing their soules but I will neuer beleeue it while I liue For if such men be not saued I cannot tell who shall Theol. But you must learne to know out of the Scriptures that all outward honesty and righteousnes without the true knowledge and inward féeling of God auaileth not to eternall life As our Sauiour Christ saith Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen It is also written that when Paul preacht at Berea many honest men and honest women did beléeue that is such as were outwardly honest or honest to the world only for they could not be truly and inwardly honest before they did beléeue Therefore you sée that this outward honesty ciuility without the inward regeneration of the spirit auaileth not to eternall life and then consequently all your honest worldly men are in great danger of losing their soules for euer Asune What sound reason can you yeeld why such honest men should be condemned Theol. Because many such are vtterly void of all true knowledge of God and of his word Nay which is more many of them despise the word of God and hate all the zealous professors of it They estéeme preachers but as pratlers and Sermons as good tales they estéeme a Preacher no more than a shoomaker they regard the Scriptures no more then their old shooes What hope is there then I pray you that such men should be saued Doth not the holy Ghost say How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great saluation Asune You goe too farre you iudge too hardly of them Theol. Not a whit For all experience sheweth that they minde dreame and dote of nothing else day and night but this world this world lands and leases grounds and liuings kine and shéepe and how to way rich All their thoughts words and works are of these and such like things All their actions doe most manifestly declare that they are of the earth and speake of the earth and that there is nothing in thē but earth earth As for sermons they care not how few they heare And for the scriptures they regard them not they read them not they estéeme them not worth the while there is nothing more irkesome vnto them they had rather pill strawes or do any thing then heare read or conferre of the Scriptures And as the Prophet saith The word of the Lord is as a reproch vnto them that haue no delight in it Phila. I maruell much that such men should liue so honestly to the world-ward Theol. No maruell at all for many bad men whose hearts are worm-eaten within yet for some outward and carnall respects doe abstaine from the grosse act of sinne as some for credit some for shame some for feare of Law some for feare of punishment but none for loue of God for zeale or conscience of obedience For it is a sure thing that the wicked may haue that spirit which doth represse but not that which doth renew Phil. It seemeth then by your speeches that some which are not regenerate do in some things excell the children of God Theol. Most certaine it is that some of them in outward gifts and the outward cariage of themselues doe goe beyond some of the elect Phil. Shew me I pray you in what giftes Theol. In learning discretion iustice temperance prudence patience liberalitie affabilitie kindnesse curtesie good nature such like Phila. Me thinketh it should not be possible Theol. Yes truely For some of Gods deare children in whom no doubt the inward worke is truly and soundly wrought yet are so troubled encombred with a crabbed and crooked nature and so clogged with some master sin as some with anger some with pride some with couetousnesse some with lusts some one way and some another all which breaking out in them doe so blemish them and their profession that they cannot so shine forth vnto men as otherwise no doubt they would and this is their wound their griefe and their hart-smart and that which costeth them many a téere and many a praier and yet can they not get the full victorie ouer them but still they are left in them as the pricke in the flesh to humble them Phila. Yet loue should couer a multitude of such infirmities in Gods children Theol. It should doe so indeed but there is great want of loue euen in the best and the worser sort espying these infirmities in the godlie run vpon them with open mouth and take vpon them to condemne them vtterly and to iudge their hearts saying they be hypocrites dissemblers and there is none worse then they Phila. But doe you not thinke that there be some counterfeits euen amongst the greatest professors Theol. Yes no doubt there be and alwaies haue béen some very hypocrites in the Church but we must take héed of iudging and condemning all for some For it were very much to condemne Christ and his eleuen Disciples because of one Iudas or the whole Primitiue Church for Ananias and Sapphira Phila. But I hope you are of this minde that some regenerate men euen in outward gifts and their outward cariage are comparable with any others Theol. Questionlesse very many For they being guided by Gods spirit and vpheld by his grace do walke very vprightly and vnblameably towards men Phil. Yet there resteth one scruple for it seemeth verie strange vnto me that men of so discreet cariage as you speake of and of so many good parts should not be saued It is great pitie such men should be damned Theol. It séemeth so vnto vs indéed but God is onely wise and you must note that as there be some infirmities in Gods children which he correcteth with temporall chastisements and yet rewardeth their faith loue and inward seruice and obedience with eternall life so there be some good things in the wicked and them that are without Christ which God rewardeth with temporall blessings and yet punisheth them eternally for their vnbeléefe and hardnesse of heart Phila. Now you haue reasonably well satisfied me touching the doctrine of regeneration and the manifold errours and deceits that are in it and of it I pray you let vs now proceed and first of all tell me by
iust cause of mourning wéeping and lamentation because such abhomination is committed in Israel Dauids eies gushed out with riuers of téeres because men kept not Gods lawes and an horrible feare came vpon him because men forsooke the law of God Ieremy did sigh in secret wishing that his head were ful of water his eies a fountaine of téeres because of the sins of the people Nehemiah mourned for the transgressiō of Gods people Lots iust soule was vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the Sodomites shall we mourn nothing at all for these things shall we be no whit grieued for the pride of our land shall we shed no téeres for such horrible intolerable abhomination They are odious in the sight of God and men the aire stinketh of them It is Gods maruellous patience that the diuel doth not carry them away quicke and rid the earth of them or that fire brimstone doth not come downe from heauen consume them Antil You are too hot in these matters of attire you make more of them then there is cause Asune I conne him thanke Gods blessing on his heart I shall loue him the better while I know him because he is so earnest against such shamefull and detestable pride Is it not a shame that women professing true Religion should make themselues such pictures puppets and peacockes as they doe And yet I heare few preachers in the pulpit speake against it Antil I maruell you should be so earnest in matters of apparell You know well enough that apparell is an indifferent thing and that Religion and the kingdome of God doth not consist in these things Theol. I know right well that apparell in it owne nature is a thing indifferent but lewd wanton immodest and offensiue apparell is not indifferent For all such abuse taketh away the indifferency of them and maketh them sinfull and euill by circumstance For otherwise why should the Lord threaten by his Prophet that he would visit the Princes and the Kings children and all such as were clothed with strange apparell that is the fashions of other countries Zeph. chap. 1. 8. Againe why should the Lord so plague the proud dames and minsing minions of Ierusalem for their pride and vanity in attire if there were no euill in such kinde of abuse the Lord saith thus in the third of Esay against those braue gallant dames Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walke with stretched-out neckes and with wandring eies walking and minsing as they go and make a tinkling with their feet therefore shall the Lord make the heads of the daughters of Zion bald and the Lord shall discouer their secret parts In that day shall the Lord take away the ornament of the slippers and the calles and the round tires the sweet bals and the bracelets and the bonnets the tiers of the head and the stops the head-bands and the tablets the ear-rings the rings and the mufflers the costly apparell and the vailes and the wimples and the crisping pinnes and the glasses and the fine linnen and the hoods and the lawnes And in stead of sweete sauour there shall be stinke and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of dressing of the haire baldnesse and in stead of a Stomacher a girding of Sacke-cloth and burning in steade of beautie Then shall her gates mourne and lament and shee being desolate shall sit vpon the ground Thus we sée how terrible the Lord threatneth the gallant dames of Ierusalem for their excessiue and abhominable pride And this may wel be a Mirrour for the proud minions of our age which assuredly may well feare the Lord will bring some such iudgement vpon them as hée did vpon the daughters of Ierusalem For their sin is as great in this kinde as was the daughters of Zion and God is the same God now that he was then to punish it Antile Tush neuer speake so much of these matters of apparell For we must doe as others doe and follow the fashion or else wee shall not be esteemed Theol. If you follow them not you shall be more estéemed of God of his Angels Saints and all good men As for all others if you estéeme them more then these you shew what you are Antil Well for all that say you what you will pride is in the heart and not in the apparell For one may be proud of plaine apparell as well as of costly And some are as proud of their falling bands and little sets as others are of their great ruffes Theol. You speake foolishly For how know you that can you iudge mens hearts inward affections Can you say when mens and womens apparell is sober modest and Christian-like that they haue proud hearts are proud of that attire You goe very farre indéed to iudge the heart You ought to iudge charitably of such as goe soberly and modestly attired euen that their heart is according to their attire As for you we may rather thinke your heart is vaine light and foolish because your attire doth strongly argue it And as the Prophet saith The triall of your countenance testifieth against you you declare your sinnes as SODOME and hide them not Antile I pray you then set downe some rules for apparell out of the Scripture Theol. I may well set downe what I will but surely most men and women will do what they list For verily it may be thought that many of this age haue forsworn God his word al goodnesse For they are come to this point let God say what he will they will do what they list For as the Prophet saith They haue made a couenant with Hell and with death and are growen to an agreement Esay 28. 15. And I doe verily thinke if God himselfe should come downe from Heauen in his owne person and disswade men and women from this vanitie of apparell yet would they still vse it as it were in despite of God and as it were to anger him the more For they are so extraordinarily enamoured and so immoderately delighted with it and do so continually and altogether dote on it and are so wood mad of it that they will haue it though men and angels and all the world say nay nay which is more though they should go to the diuel quicke with it And therfore it is but lost labour to speake against it preach against it or write against it It is but euen to plough the sea or knocke at a deafe mans doore for there is no hope of any reformation Onely this we gaine that the world is reprooued and conuicted of sinne and these things shall stand in record against them in the last day so that they may say they had a faire warning and that there was a Prophet amongst them Philaga Yet for all this I pray you set vs downe some directions and rules out of Gods holy booke concerning attire For albeit some bee very bad and
be feared Thus wée sée how all flesh doth but make a vaine shew for a while vpon this Theatre of misery fetcheth a compasse about and is presently gone For as the Poet saith Seriùs aut citiùs sedem properamus ad vnam First or last we must all to the graue Asune You haue made a very good speech It doth me good to heare it I wonder all these things considered that men should be so wholly giuen to this world as they are I thinke the diuell hath bewitched them For they shall carry nothing with them when they die but their good deeds and their ill Theol. The drudges and snudges of this world may very fitly be compared to a Kings lumpter-horse which goeth laden all the day long with as much gold and treasure as hée can beare but at night his treasure is taken from him he is turned into a sory durtie stable and hath nothing left him but his galled backe Euen so the rich cormorants and caterpillers of the earth which here haue treasured and hoorded vp great heapes of gold and siluer with the which they trauell loaden thorow this world shall in the end be stript out of all let downe into their graue and haue nothing left them but their galled consciences with the which they shall be tumbled downe into the dungeon of eternall darkenesse Phila. Wherein doth the sting and strength of the world especially consist Theol. Euen as the great strength of Sampson lay in his haire so the great strength of the world lieth in her two breasts the one of pleasure the other of profit For she like a notable strumpet by laying out these her breasts doth bewitch the sonnes of men and allureth thousands to her lust For if she cannot winne them with the one breast yet she gameth them with the other if not with pleasure then with profit if not with profit then with pleasure Hée is an odde man of a thousand that sucketh not of the one breast or the other But sure it is which soeuer he sucketh he shall be poisoned For shée giueth none other milke but ranke poysen The world therefore is like to an alluring Iael which sitteth at her doore to entise vs to come in and eat of the milke of her pleasures but when she hath once got vs in she is ready euen while we are eating with her hammer and her naile to pearce thorow our braines Phila. I see plainely this world is a very strumpet a strong bait and a snarling net wherein thousands are taken It is very birdlime which doth so belime our affections that they cannot ascend vpward It is like the waights of a clocke hanged vpon our soules which draweth them downe to the earth it naileth vs fast downe to the ground It mortifieth vs into clay it maketh vs abhominable vnto God For I remember God made a law that whatsoeuer goeth with his breast vpon the ground should be abhominable vnto vs. How much more these carnall world-lings which are fast sodered to the earth Theol. The Apostle S. Iames séeing into the déep wickednesse of this world and knowing right wel how odious it maketh vs in the sight of God crieth out against it terming it adultery and all worldlings adulterers because they for sake Christ their true husband whorishly giue their hearts to this world O yee adulterers adulteresses saith he know yee not that the amitie of this world is the enmitie of God Whosoeuer therefore will bee a friend of this world maketh himselfe the enemy of God And who dare stand forth and say I will be the enemy of God Who therefore dare be a worldling For euery worldling is the enemy of God What then will become of you O yée wicked worldlings Phila. It appeareth then plainely by the Scriptures that the excessiue loue of this world and vnsatiable desire of hauing is a most dangerous thing and men do they know not what in seeking so greedily after it Theol. The heathen man will rise vp in iudgement against vs for he saith Vnsatiablenesse is the foulest euill amongst mortal men But many of our sea-gulfs and whirle-pooles make no conscience of it They thinke it is no sinne they deuoure and swallow vp all and yet are neuer satisfied They will haue all and more then all and the diuell and al. The whole world cannot satisfie their mind but God must create new worlds to content them These men are sicke of the Golden dropsie the more they haue the more they desire The loue of money increaseth as mony if selfe increaseth But the Scripture saith He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with filuer Oh therefore that wée would striue earnestly to get out of this gulfe of hell and tread the moone that is all worldly things vnder our féet as it is spoken of the Church and that we would set our affections on the things that are aboue and not on the things that are beneath that we would flie an high pitch and so are aloft as the Eagles looking downe at this world and all things in it as at our féet contemning it and treading the very glory of it vnder our féet that it may neuer haue more power ouer vs Phila. Oh happy and twise happy are they that can doe so And I beseech the Almighty God giue vs his holy spirit whereby we may be carried aboue this world into the mountaines of Myrrhe and the mountaines of Spices For how happy a thing is it to haue our conuersation in heauen that is to haue an inward conuersation with God by much praier reading meditation and heauenly affections This indeed is to clime vp aboue the world and to conuerse in the chambers of peace Oh therefore that we could seriously and thorowly conceiue and consider of this world as it is that we would well weigh the vanity of it and the excellency of that which is to come that we might loath the one and loue the other despise the one and imbrace the other loue God more than euer we did and this world lesse For what is this world but vanity of vanities Antil You doe exceedingly abase that which some make their god You speake contemptuously of that which most men haue in greatest price and admiration You disgrace that which multitudes would grace You make light of that which numbers make greatest account of Let vs therefore heare your reasons shew vs more fully what it is describe it vnto vs. Theol. The world is a sea of glasse a pageant of fond delights a Theatre of vanity a labyrinth of errour a gulfe of griefe a stie of filthinesse a vale of misery a spectacle of wo a riuer of téeres a stage of deceipt a cage full of Owles a denne of Scorpions a wildernesse of Wolues a cabben of Beares a whirl-wind of passions a fained Comedie a delectable phrensie where is false delight assured griefe certaine sorrow vncertaine pleasure lasting wo fickle
wealth long heauinesse short ioy Phila. Now you haue indeed described it to the full and laide it out as it were in orient colours And a man would thinke he were bewitched or starke mad which heereafter should set his minde on it But yet I am desirous to heare a little more of that which I asked you before where in the strength and poyson of the world doth specially consist Theol. In this lieth a great strength of the world that it draweth downe the stars of heauen and maketh them fall to the earth as it is said of the Dragons taile Apoc 12. which is ambition conetousnes the loue of this world For we may wonder and lament to sée how the loue of these things hath wounded ouerborne many excellent seruants of God both Preachers and professors of the Gospell which thing doth plainly argue the strength of it For it is the strongest the very last engine that sathan vseth to impugne vs withall when none other will preaaile For when no temptation could fasten vpon Christ he bringeth foorth this last weapoÌ„ which neuer faileth All these things will I giue thee shewing him the glory of the whole world So then he hauing experience of this that it neuer faileth thought to haue ouercome Christ himselfe with it Héere therefore lieth the very sting and strength of the world the diuel For whom hath he not takeÌ„ with All these things will I giue thee whom hath he not wounded whom hath he not deceiued whom hath he not ouerthrowen with this he enticed Baalam with this hée beguiled Achan with this he ouerthrew Iudas with this he be witched Demas with this in these our daies he deceiued many of excellent gifts For assuredly he is a Phoenix amongst men which is not ouercome with this He is a wonderment in the world that is not moued with mony Phila. I am now fully satisfied for this matter But one thing commeth often into my minde to wit that these miserable worldlings can haue no sound comfort in their pleasures and profits because they haue no comfort in God nor peace in their owne consciences Theol. You say very true It is vnpossible that men louing this world should haue anie sound comfort in God For no man can serue two masters both God and riches Their case therefore is very dangerous fearefull though they neuer sée it nor féele it as I will shew you by a plaine example Put case one of these great rich worldlings should be clothed in veluet cloth of gold in most stately manner and also should be set at his table furnished with al the dainties of the world should be attended and waited vpon by many in most Lordly and pompous manner should sit in his goodly dining-chamber all glittering like golde should haue his first second third seruice serued in with minstrels and instruments of musicke in most royall sort he sitteth in his chaire like a King in his throne yet for all this if a dagger should be held to his heart all this while ready to stab him what pleasure what ioy what comfort can he haue in all the rest Euen so whatsoeuer pompe or pleasures wicked worldlings haue héere below yet their guilty hellish conscience is as it were a dagger held alwayes hard to their hart so as they can haue no sound coÌ„fort in any thing Or let me giue it you thus Put case a man hath committed high treason and were therfore apprehended arraigned and condemned to be hanged drawen and quartered what then can comfort him in such a case can mirth can musicke can gold can siluer can lands can liuings No no none of all these can help him or giue him any comfort For the continuall thoughts of death do so gripe him at the heart that none of all these can do him any good or any whit mitigate his griefe What then is the thing that may comfort him in this case Only a pardon sealed with the Kings broad seale and subscribed with his owne hand For as soone as he hath got this his heauy heart reuiueth and leapes for ioy This then assuredly is the very cause of all prophane Atheists and worldlings who are not asiured of the King of heauen his pardon for their sinne and then what ioy can they haue either in their meat drinke goods cattell wiues children lands reuenewes or any thing whatsoeuer For the dreadful thoughts of hel do eftsoones crosse them inwardly quite dampe dash all their mirth Their owne consciences will not be stilled but in most terrible manner rise vp giue euidence against them telling them flatly they shall be damned how merry and iocund soeuer they séeme to be in this world setting a good face on the matter For sure it is that inwardly they haue many a cold pull and many heart gripes And all their mirth and iollity is but a gigling from the téeth outward they can haue no sound comfort within And therefore the wise King saith Euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull and the end of that mirth is heauinesse Likewise saith the holy man Iob Terrors of conscience come vpon the wicked man like waters in the night a whirle-winde carrieth him away secretly Eliphas the Temanite auouched the same point saying The wicked man is continually as one that trauaileth of child a sound of feare is in his eares c. Thus then wée sée that howsoeuer many carnall Atheists and vngodly persons séem outwardly to float aloft in all mirth and iollity bearing it out as wâ—e say at the breast yet inwardly they are piâ—ched with terrors and most horrible conuultions of conscience Antile You haue spoken many things very sharpely against couetousnesse but in my mind so long as a man couets nothing but his owne he cannot be said to be couetous Theol. Yes that he may For not only is he couetous which gréedily desireth other mens goods but euen he also which ouer niggardly and pinchingly holdeth fast his owne is such a miser that he will part with nothing We sée the world is full of such pinch-pennies that wil let nothing goe except it be wrung from them perforce as a key out of Hercules hand These gripple muck-rakers had as léeue part with their blood as their goods They wil pinch their owne backs bellies to get their god into their chests And when they haue once got him in there will they easily part with him trow yée No no a man will not part with his god for no mans pleasure He will eat peasebread and drinke small drinke rather then he will diminish his god Therefore the scripture saith Eate not the meat of him that hath an euill eye and desire not his dainty dishes For as hee grudgeth his owne soule so he will say vnto thee Eat and drinke when his heart is not with thee Thou shalt vomit thy morsels which thou hast eaten and lose thy pleasant speeches The
yet appeare what they shall bee but when hee commeth they shall bee made like vnto him Their names are already taken and entred into the booke of life and one day they shal be crowned One day it shall be said vnto them Come yee blessed c. One day they shall enioy his presence where is fulnesse of ioy and at whose right hand there is pleasure for euermore Psal 16. Therefore let all Gods secret ones reioyce sing and be mery For howsoeuer in this world they be contemned trodden vnder the foot made no bodies and walke as shadowes being counted as the very rags of the earth and the abiects of the world yet the time wil come when their happinesse and felicitie shall be such as neuer entred into the heart of man it is endlesse vnspeakeable and vnconceiueable Phila. I doe now plainely see that there is no cause why Gods people should be too heauy and dumpish in their afflictons I see that though they be not free from all afflictions yet are they free from all hurtfull afflictions For no rod no crosse no chastisement is hurtfull vnto them but all in the conclusion commeth to a blessed issue Theol. You haue vttered a great and a most certaine truth For there is no affliction or trial which God imposeth vpō his children but if they endure it quietly trust in his mercy firmely and tary his good pleasure obediently it hath a blessed and comfortable end Therefore the people of God may well be merry in the middest of their sorrowes They may with patience comfort submit themselues to their Fathers corrections taking them patiently and euen kissing his holy rod and saying in themselues Sith my Father will haue it so I am content séeing it is his minde I am willing withall As old Ely said It is the Lord let him doe what hee will And as Dauid in like submission said in a certain case Behold here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his owne eyes And in another place he saith I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou Lord hast done it Behold here then the patience of Gods Saints and their humble submission vnto his most holy will They know all shall end well and that maketh them glad to thinke of it I conclude then that the children of God are happy in what state soeuer they are happy in trouble happy out of trouble happy in pouertie happy in plenty blessed in sicknesse blessed in health blessed at home likewise and abroad and euery way blessed But on the contrary the wicked are cursed in what state soeuer they are cursed in sicknesse cursed in health cursed in plenty cursed in pouertie cursed in prosperitie cursed in aduersitie cursed in honour cursed in dishonour For all things worke together for their destruction Nothing doth them any good They are not any thing the better either for Gods mercies or iudgements All weathers are alike vnto them They are alwayes the same in prosperitie and aduersity they are no changelings And as we say A good yeare doth not mend them nor an ill yeare paire them Phila. You haue long insisted vpon this point Now proceed to the fourth signe of a mans damnation which is the contempt of the Gospell and lay open both the greatnesse of the sinne and the danger of it Theol. This sinne is of another nature then the former It is a sinne against the first Table It toucheth the person of God himselfe For to contemne the Gospell is to contemne God himselfe whose Gospell it is If to contemne the Ministers of the Gospell be to contemne God and Christ as our Lord Jesus auoucheth Luke 10. 16. how much more then to contemne the Gospell it selfe Therefore it is dangerous meddling in this sinne It is to meddle with edged tooles to meddle with princes matters to touch the Arke to come héere the holy mountain which all were things full of great perill and danger Yea it is to spill the Sacrament It is Noli me tangere It is to raile at a King It is to spit God in the face It is high treason against the King of glory Therefore this sinne of all other can neuer be endured and may at no hand be borne withall For can a mortall King endure the contempt of his lawes can he put vp the contempt of his owne person Can he abide any to spit at his Scepter or to throw a stone at it No surely hée will not Therefore the holy Ghost saith He that despiseth Moses Lawes dieth without mercy vnder two or three witnesses Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall hee bee worthy which treadeth vnder foot the Sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament as an vnholy thing wherewith hee was sanctified and doth despise the Spirit of grace And againe If they were punished which obeied not the word spoken by Angels how shall wee escape if we neglect so great saluation If they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth how shall wee escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heauen Therefore our Sauiour Christ saith That it shall be easier for Sodome in the day of iudgement then for the contemners of the Gospell Moreouer he saith The Queene of the South shall rise vp in iudgement against all froward despisers of his Word For she came from the vttermost parts of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and behold a greater then Salomon is heere For Christ is greater then Salomon his doctrine and wisedome farre more excellent And therefore their sinne is the greater which contemne it They shall neuer be able to answer it For the spirit saith Hee that despiseth the word shall be destroied S. Peter also telleth vs that the old world and men of the first age are now in hell fire because they both despised were disobedient to the doctrine of Christ which though not personally yet in his diuine spirit he spake by Noah So then we sée clearely God will neuer take it at our hands that his glorious Gospell should be so vniuersally openly contemned as it is Phila. You haue spoken most truly and also shewed it out of the Scriptures that the contempt of the Gospell is a most hainous sin 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 eg-shell they thinke it is not worth a gally half-penny they will not goe to the doore to heare it they take it to be but a breath from vs 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 afar off which a man vnderstandeth not they neuer felt the power of it in their hearts Therefore they preferre their sheep their Farmes their Oxen their profits their pleasure yea euery
words to their friends and doe iust nothing for them Phila. The world is ful of these masked counterfaits and lying and dissembling did neuer more abound Theol. It is too true that lying and dissembling are most rife and ouer common vices amongst all sorts of men but especially it doth ouerflow and super abound in shop keepers and seruants For both these make a trade and occupation of it they can do no other but lie It cleaueth vnto them as the naile to the doore Phila. I doe certainly know some shop keepers which to vtter their bad wares to blind the eyes of the simple doe trade in lying all the day long from Sun to Sun from the opening of the shop windows to the shutting of the same And what is their life if customers come in apace but swearing lying dissembling deceiuing they will lie as fast as a dog will trot as wee say It is a wonder that their shops and all their wares do not fire ouer their heads for their so common so lewd so abhominable lying that against their owne knowledge against their conscience against God against their neighbour against heauen and earth men angels Theol. True it is we may maruell at the long suffering of God in this behalfe But this is to be noted that God doth not immediatly punish all notorious sinners in this life but reserueth thousands to the iudgment of the great day In this life he onely culleth out some few whom hée smiteth for the example of others that they might feare and tremble and learne by other mens harmes to beware Therefore euen in this life we sée before our eies some liers some drunkards some whoremongers some swearers some misers of the world some ruffians and cut-throats striken downe by the reuenging hand of God But whereas God smiteth one of these in this life he letteth an hundred escape For if he should punish all offenders in this life to what purpose should the iudgement to come serue If he should punish none then we would think there were no God or that he were shut vp idle in heauen and would doe neither good nor euill nor once meddle in the matters of the earth as some Epicures haue dreamed Therefore to auoid both these extremities God in his heauenly wisedome hath thought good to méet with some euen in this world Phila. I am of this minde that the goods which men get by swearing lying and deceit will neuer prosper long Theol. You are not therein deceiued For God wil blow vpon all such kind of euil gotten goods and they shall put it in a bottomlesse purse as the Prophet saith Hag. 1. 6. The holy Ghost in the booke of the Prouerbs hath many excellent sayings to this effect as chapter 13. The riches of vanity shall bee diminished but hee which laboureth with the hand shall increase them Againe Hee that dealeth with a deceitfull hand shall become poore but the hand of the diligent maketh rich In another place he saith The deceitfull man rosteth not that which he hath caught in hunting That is he shal not long inioy or taste the pray which he hath gotten by fraud For either one trouble or other will come vpon him that he shall not be able to possesse or take delight in the spoile Therefore it is said The bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with grauell That is in the end the crafty person shall méet with many troubles For either his conscience will vpbraid him and checke him or vengeance will plague him for his deceit The feares cares and sorrowes which he shall haue shall be as it were so many sharpe stones to set his téeth on edge and to vex him Wherefore in stead of meat he shall féed on grauell and in stéed of wheat on pebble stones Small pleasure is taken in the end in goods ill gotten or liuings vnlawfully come by For the holy Ghost hath passed sentence vpon them that they shall neuer prosper Phila. It sometimes falleth out that they prosper for a time but as wee say the third heire shall neuer enioy them For God will curse them in our posteritie and our childrens children shall feele the smart of our sins Therfore the holy man Iob saith the of-spring of the wicked shall not be satisfied with bread For out of doubt God will blesse that onely which is got with a good conscience in the workes of our calling and it shall remaine blessed to vs and our posterity Therefore the Spirit saith The iust man that walketh in his vprightnesse is blessed and blessed shall his children be after him But God will not blesse but curse that which is got with an euill conscience as swearing lying dissembling deceiuing c. Theol. Some ancient writers haue spoken very prudently to this point For one saith Iniusta lucra breues habent voluptates longos autem dolores That is vniust gaine hath long sorow and short ioy Another saith Eligas damnum potiùs quà m turpe lucrum illud enim semel tantùm te dolere afficiet hoc verò semper That is choose losse rather then filthy lucre For the one will grieue thée but once the other for euer A third saith Meliùs est honestè pauperem esse quà m turpiter diuitem Hoc enim commiserationem illud verò reprehensionem adfert It is better to be honestly poore then wickedly rich For the one moueth pitie the other reproofe One of the wise Heathen also saith We may not wax rich vniustly but liue of iust thinges which he calleth holy things Phila. Haue we not examples in the Scriptures of such as haue beene punished for lying Theol. Yes For we read how the Gibeonits for their lying and dissembling were made drudges and slaues to the Israelites Gehezi also the seruant of Elisha the prophet for his lying and couetousnesse together was smitten with a most grieuous leprosie Ananias and Sapphira his wife for their lying and dissembling were striken downe starke dead by the immediat hand of God at the rebuke of Peter Zophar one of Iobs friends speaking of these kind of men saith They shall sucke the gall of Aspes and the Vipers tongue shall slay them They shall flee from the iron weapons and a bowe of steele shall strike them thorow Now then by all these examples wée may plainely see how greatly God abhorreth lying and dissembling Phila. Oh therefore that wee could follow the counsell of the Apostle who saith Lie not one to another sith yee haue put off the old man with his workes And againe Cast away lying and speake euery one the truth to his neighbour The maner of speech which the Apostle vseth is very forcible implying this much that we should in a kinde of disdaine or detestation cast it away and throw it from vs as a filthy stinking and beraied clout hanging about
Priests were cast out by Ieroboam they came to Ierusalem and all such as set their hearts to séeke the Lord God of Israel came with them And then afterward it is said they strengthned the kingdome of Iudah and made Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon mighty By all these testimonies it is euident that princes kingdomes cities towns villages are fortified by the righteous therein and for their sakes also great plagues are kept backe Which thing one of the heathen did well sée into as appeareth by his words which are these When God meaneth well vnto a city and will doe good vnto it then hee raiseth vp good men but when hee meaneth to punish a citie or countrey and doe ill vnto it then he taketh away the good men from it Phil. It is very manifest by all that you haue alledged that the wicked fare the better euery day in the yeare for the righteous that dwell amongst them Theol. All experience doth teach it and the scriptures do plentifully auouch it For did not churlish Laban fare the better for Iacob his kinsman Doth he not acknowledge that the Lord had blessed him for his sake Did not Potiphar fare the better for godly Ioseph Doth not the Scripture say that the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Ioseph his sake and that the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand Did not Obed-edom fare the better for the Arke Did not the seuenty and six soules that were in the ship with Paul spéed all the better for his sake Did not the Angell of God tell him in the night that God had giuen vnto him all that sayled with him for otherwise a thousand to one they had béene all drowned Therfore the children of God may very fitly be compared to a great péece of cork which though it be cast into the sea hauing many nailes fastned in it yet it beareth them all vp from sinking which otherwise would sinke of themselues What shall we say then or what shall we conclude but that the vngodly are more beholden to the righteous thē they are aware of Phila. I doe thinke if it were not for Gods children it would goe hard with the wicked For if they were sorted and shoaled out from amongst them and placed by themselues what could they looke for but wrath vpon wrath and plague vpon plague till the Lord had made a finall consumption of them and swept them like dung from the face of the earth Theo. Sure it is all creatures would frowne vpon them The Sunne would vnwillingly shine vpon them or the Moone giue them any light The Starres would not be seene of them and the Planets would hide themselues The beasts would deuoure them the fowles would picke out their eies The fishes would make war against them and all creatures in heauen and earth would rise vp in armes against them Yea the Lord himselfe from heauen would raine downe fire and brimstone vpon them Phila. Yet for all this it is a wonder to consider how deadly the wicked hate the righteous and almost in euery thing oppose themselues against them and that in most virulent and spitefull manner They raile and slander scoffe and scorne mocke and mowe at them as though they were not worthy to liue vpon the earth They esteeme euery pelting rascall and preferre euery vile varlet before them And though they haue their liues and liberty their breath and safety and all that they haue else by them yet for all that they could be content to eat their hearts with garlicke so great so fiery so burning and hissing hot is their fury and malice against them Theol. They may very fitly be compared to a Moth that fretteth in pieces the same cloth wherein she is bred Or to a certaine worme or canker that corrodeth and eateth thorow the heart of the trée that nourisheth her Or vnto a man that standeth vpon a bough in the top of a trée where there is no more and yet with an axe choppeth it off and therewithall falleth downe with it and breaketh his necke Euen so the fooles of this world doe what they can to chop asunder the bough that vpholds them but they may easily know what will follow Phila. I see plainly they be much their owne foes and stand in their owne light and indeed know not what they doe For the benefit which they receiue by such is exceeding great and therefore by their mangling of them they doe but hold the stirrop to their owne destruction Theol. Now to apply these things to our selues and to returne to the first question of this argument may we not maruell that our nation is so long spared considering that the sins thereof are so horrible and outragious as they be Phila. We may iustly maruell at the wonderfull patience of God And we may well thinke that there be some in the land which stand in the breach beeing in no small fauour with his highnesse sith they doe so much preuaile Theo. The mercifull preseruation of our most gratious king who is the breath of our nostrils the long continuance of our peace and of the Gospell the kéeping backe of the sword out of the land which our sinnes pull vpon vs the frustrating of many plots and subtill deuices which haue béene often intended against our state yea and the life of his Maiesties most roiall person make me to thinke that there bée some strong pleaders with God for the publike good of vs all Phila. You may well thinke so indeed For by our sinnes wee haue forfeited and daily doe forfeit into Gods hands both our King our Countrey our Peace our Gospell our liues our goods our lands our liuings our wiues our children and all that wee haue but onely the righteous which are so neere about the King and in so high fauour doe step in and earnestly entreat for vs that the forfeitures may be released and that we may haue a lease in parley of them all againe or at least a grant of further time But I pray you sir are not we to attribute something concerning our good estate to the policy of the land the lawes established and the wisedome and counsell of our prudent Gouernours Theol. Yes assuredly very much as the ordinary and outward meanes which God vseth for our safety For though the Apostle Paul had a grant frō God for the safety of his owne life al that were with him in the ship yet he said Except the mariners abide in the ship we can not be safe Shewing thereby that vnto faith and praiers the best and wisest meanes must be ioyned Wée are therefore vpon our knées euery day to giue thankes vnto God for such good meanes of our safety as he hath giuen vs. Phila. Well then as the praiers of the righteous haue beene hitherto great meanes both for the auerting and turning away of wrath and the continuance of fauour so shew I pray you what is the
giue mee at that day not to mee onely but to all them that loue his appearing Héere we sée that he knew there was a crowne prepared for him and for all the elect And the same spirit which did assure it vnto Paul doth assure it also to all the children of God For they all haue the same spirit though not in the same measure S. Iohn saith also Hereby we are sure we know him If we keepe his Commandements In-which words S. Iohn telleth vs thus much that if we doe vnfeinedly endeuour to obey God there is in vs the true knowledge and feare of God and consequently wée are sure we shall be saued S. Peter saith Giue all diligence to make your calling and election sure Wherefore should the Apostle exhort vs to make our election sure if none could be sure of it In the second to the Ephesians the Apostle saith flatly that in Christ Iesus we doe already sit together in the heauenly places His meaning is not that we are there already in possession but we are as sure of it as if we were there already The reasons hereof are these Christ our head is in possession Therefore he will draw al his members vnto him as he himselfe saith Secondly we are as sure of the thing which we hope for as of that which we haue But we are sure of that which we haue which is the worke of grace Therefore we are sure of that wée looke for which is the crowne of glory Many other places of the holy Scriptures might be alleadged to this purpose but I suppose these may suffice Phila. As you haue shewed this by the Scriptures So also shew it yet more plainely by euident reason out of the same Theol. How can a man in truth call God his Father when he saith Our Father wich art in Heauen and yet doubt whether he be his Father or no For if God indeed be our Father and we his children how can we perish how can we be damned will a father condemne his owne children or shall the children of God be condemned No no. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus And who can lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who can condemne It is therefore most certaine and sure that all such as doe in truth call God their Father and haue God for their Father shall be saued Againe how can a man say in truth and féeling that he beléeueth the forgiuenesse of sin and yet doubt whether he shall be saued For if he be fully perswaded that his sinnes are forgiuen what letteth why he should not be saued Moreouer as certainly as we know that wée are called iustified and sanctified so certainely wée know we shall be glorified But we know the one certainely and therefore the other Asune I will neuer beleeue that any man can certainely know in this world whether hee shall bee saued or damned but all men must hope well and be of a good beliefe Theol. Nay we must goe further then hope well We may not venture our saluation vpon vncertaine hopes As if a man should hope it would be a faire day to morrow but hée cannot certainely tell No no. We must in this case being of such infinite importance as it is grow to some certainety and full resolution Wée sée worldly men will be loath to hold their lands and leases vncertainely hauing nothing to shew for them They will not stand to the courtesie of their land-lords nor rest vpon their good willes They will not stay vpon vncertaine hope No they are wiser then so For the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light They will be sure to haue something to shew They will haue it vnder seale They will not stay vpon the words and promises of the most honest men and best Land-lords They cannot bée quiet till they haue it in white and blacke with sound counsell vpon their Title and euery way made as sure vnto them as any Law of the Land can make it Are then the children of this world so wise in these inferiour things and shall not wée bée as wise in matters of tenne thousand times more importance Are they so wise for earth and shall not wée bée as wise for Heauen Are they so wise for their bodies and shall not we be as wise for our soules Shall we hold the state of our immortall inheritance by hope well and haue no writings nor euidences no seals no witnesses nor any thing to shew for it Alas this is a weake Tenure a broken title a simple hold indéed Asune Yet for all that a man cannot be certaine Theol. Yes S. Iohn telleth vs we may bée certaine For he saith Heereby we know wee dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit He saith not we hope but we know certainly For he that hath the spirit of God knoweth certainly he hath it and he that hath faith knoweth that he hath faith he that shall be saued knoweth hée shall be saued For God doth not worke so darkely in mens hearts by his spirit but that they may easily know whether it be of him or no if they would make a due triall Againe the same Apostle saith He that beleeueth in the Sonne of God hath the witnes in himselfe That is he hath certaine testimonies in his owne conscience that he shall be saued For we must fetch the warrant of our saluation from within our selues euen from the worke of God within vs. For looke how much a man feeleth in himselfe the increase of knowledge obedience godlines so much the more sure hée is that he shall bée saued A mans owne conscience is of great force this way and will not lie or deceiue For so saith the wise man As water sheweth face to face so doth the heart man vnto man That is the mind and conscience of euery man telleth him iustly though not perfectly what he is For the conscience will not lie but accuse or excuse a man being in stead of a thousand witnesses The Apostle also saith No man knoweth the things of man but the spirit of a man that is in him And againe the Scripture saith Mans soule is as it were the candle of the Lord wherby he searcheth all the bowels of the belly So then it is a cleare case that a man must haue recourse to the worke of Gods grace within him euen in his owne soule For thereby he shall be certainely resolued one way or another For euen as Rebecca knew certainely by the striuing and stirring of the twinnes in her wombe that she was conceiued and quicke of child so Gods children know certainly by the motions and stirring of the holy Ghost within them that they haue conceiued Christ and shall vndoubtedly be saued Phila. I pray you let vs come to the ground worke of this
members must be sutable to the head But Christ our head is holy therfore we his members must be holy also as it is written Be ye holy for I am holy Otherwise if we will ioine prophane vnholy members to our holy head Christ then we make Christ a monster As if a man should ioyne vnto the head of a Lion the necke of a Beare the body of a Wolfe and the legges of a Foxe were it not a monstrous thing would it not make a monstrous creature Euen such a thing doe they goe about which would haue Swearers Drunkards Whoremongers and such like to be the members of Christ and to haue life and saluation by him But sith you doe so much presume of Christ I pray you let mée aske you a question Antil What is that Theol. How doe you know that Christ died for you particularly and by name Antile Christ died for all men and therefore for me Theol. But all men shall not bée saued by Christ How therefore doe you know that you are one of them that haue speciall interest in Christ and shall be saued by his death Antil This I know that we are all sinners and cannot be saued by any other then by Christ Theol. Answer directly to my question How doe you know in your selfe and for your selfe that you are one of the Elect and one of those for whom Christ died Antil I know it by my good faith in God because I put my whole trust in him and in none other Theol. But how know you that you haue faith or how shall a man know his faith Antile I know it by this that I haue alwaies had as good a meaning and as good a faith to Godward as any man of my calling and that is not booke-learned I haue alwaies feared God with all my heart and serued him with my praiers Theol. Tush now you goe about the bush and houer in the aire Answer me to the point How doe you know certainely and assuredly that Christ died for you particularly by name Antil You would make a man mad You put me out of my faith you driue mee from Christ But if you go about to driue mee from Christ I will neuer beleeue you For I know wee must be saued onely by him Theo. I go not about to driue you frō Christ but to driue you to Christ For how can I driue you from Christ seeing you neuer came néere him How can I driue you out of Christ séeing you were neuer in him But this is it that deceiueth you many others that you think you beléeue in Christ because you say you beléeue in Christ As though faith consisted in words or as though a man had faith because he saith so If euery one that saith he hath faith therefore hath faith euery one that saith he beléeueth in Christ doth therefore beléeue then who wil not haue faith who will not beléeue But in very déed your faith and the faith of many others is nothing else but a méere imagination But all this while you haue not answered my questiō touching your particular knowledge of Christ Antile I can answer you no otherwise then I haue answered you And I thinke I haue answered you sufficiently Theol. No no you faulter in your spéech your answer is not worth a button you speake you wot not what you are altogether befogd and benighted in this question But if there were in your heart the true knowledge liuely féeling of God then I am sure you would haue yéelded another and a better answer Then you would haue spoken something from the sense and féeling of your owne heart from the worke of Gods grace within you but because you can yéeld no sound reason that Christ died for you particularly and by name therefore I suspect you are none of them which haue proper interest in him and in whom his death taketh effect indéed Phila. I thinke this question would grauell a great number and few there be that can answer it aright Theol. It is most certaine I doe know it by lamentable experience that not one of an hundred can soundly and sufficiently answer this question none indéed but only those in whom the new worke is wrought do by the inward worke of the spirit féele Christ to be theirs I haue talked with some which are both witty sensible and learned who notwithstanding when they haue been broght to this very point and issue haue stucke sore at it staggred very much And howsoeuer they might by wit and learning shuffle it ouer and in a plundred sort speake reason yet had they no feeling of that which they said and therfore no assurance and consequently as good neuer a whit as neuer the better It is the sanctifying spirit that giueth féeling in this point And therefore without the féeling of the operation of the same spirit it can neuer be soundly answered Thus then I doe close vp this whole matter As the vinebrauch cannot liue and bring forth fruit except it abide in the Ume no more can wée except we abide in Christ and be truely grafted into him by a liuely faith None can haue any benefit by him but they only which dwel in him None can liue by Christ but they which are changed into Christ None are partakers of his body but they which are in his body None can be saued by Christ crucified but they which are crucified with Christ None can liue with him béeing dead but those which die with him béeing aliue Therefore let vs root down-ward in mortification that we may shoot vpward in sanctification Let vs die to sinne that we may liue to righteousnesse Let vs die while we are aliue that we may liue when we are dead Asune If none can be saued by Christ but onely those which are so qualified as you speake of then Lord haue mercy vpon vs then the way to heauen is very straight indeed and few at all shall be saued For there be few such in the world Theo. You are no whit therein deceiued For when all comes to all it is most certaine that few shal be saued Which thing I wil shew vnto you both by scripture reason and examples Asune First then let vs heare it proued by the scriptures Theo. Our Lord Jesus saith Enter in at the straight gate For it is the wide gate and broad way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in thereat because the gate is strait and the way narrow that leadeth vnto life few there be that find it Againe he saith Many are called but few are chosen In another place we read of a certaine man which came to our sauiour Christ asked him of purpose whether few should be saued To whō our Lord Jesus answered thus Striue to enter in at the straight gate For many I say vnto you will seeke to enter in and shall not be able In which answer
when he felt the world come in vpon him with full streame said he would pull downe his barnes and build greater and say to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many years Liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But our Sauiour calleth him foole for flattering himselfe in security and promising vnto himselfe long life Moreouer hée plainely tolde him that the same night hée should make a hellish and miserable end Note I pray you how Jesus Christ the fountaine of all Wisedome calleth this man a foole and yéeldeth a reason thereof to wit because hée gathered riches to himselfe and was not rich in God hee had great care of this life and none at all for that which is to come So then it followeth that all such are right fools indéed and may be Chronicled for fooles how wise soeuer they be taken and reputed in the world which haue much care for their bodies and none for their soules great care for this life and little for that which is to come Well let all such prophane worldlings as dreame and doat of long life and therfore deferre the day of their repentance and conuersion vnto God take héed by this mans example that they reckon not without their Host and be suddenly snatched away in the midst of all their pleasures and iollities as Iob saith Some die in their full strength being in all ease and prosperity Their breasts runne full of milke and their bones run full of marrow Wée sée therefore how dangerous a thing it is for men to flatter and sooth vp themselues with hope of long life Phila. Proceed to the seuenth gate which is Conceitednesse Theol. This is indéed a very broad gate into hell For the Scripture saith Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceit there is more hope of a foole then of such a one And againe The foole is wiser in his owne eies then seuen men that can giue a sensible reason The holy ghost we sée affirmeth that such as are puft vp with an ouer-wéening of their owne gifts are farthest of all other from the kingdome of Heauen For they despise the wisedome of God to their owne destruction They hold scorne to bée taught They will say they know as much as all the Preachers can tell them For what can all the Preachers say more then this We are all sinners we must be saued by Christ Wée must doe as we would be done to There is no more but doe well and haue well c. Alas poore soules they looke aloft they are desperatly hauen vp with conceiptednesse not knowing that they are poore naked blinde miserable These men trust altogether to their owne wit learning policy riches and great reputation in the world And because all men crouch to them and clap their hands at them therefore they swell like Turky Cocks set vp their feathers draw their wings vpon the ground with a kinde of snuffe and disdaine of all men as if they were the onely wights of the world Moreouer when men doe praise them for their gifts soothe them and applaud vnto them then is it a wonder to sée how they streake themselues as though they would forthwith take their flight and mount into the cloudes But let all insolent and conceited men hearken vnto the woe that is pronounced against them by the eternall King of glory saying Woe vnto them that are wise in their owne eyes and prudent in their own sight Againe let them hearken to the counsel of God which saith Trust vnto the Lord with all thy heart but leane not vnto thine owne wisedome Bee not wise in thine owne eies but feare God and depart from euill These silly conceited fooles thinke that because they haue the cast of this life and can cunningly compasse the things of this world and goe through-stich with them therefore they can compasse heauen also by their fine wits and déepe deuices But alas poore wretches they are greatly and grossely deceiued For the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse with God and he catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse And againe the Lord saith I wil destroy the wisdome of the wise and will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent Let not these men therefore stand too much in their owne light let them not trust to their owne policies For they are all but as an ice of one nights fréezing which will deceiue them that trust vnto it Let them therefore become fooles in themselues that God may make them wise Let them deny themselues that God may acknowledge them Let them be humbled in themselues that God may exalt them For assuredly there is no vse after this life of the most exquistte wisedome of flesh it all endeth when we end For how dieth the wise man Euen as dieth the foole saith the holy Ghost And where all worldly wisedome endeth there all heauenly wisedome beginneth Thus therefore we sée what a wide gate into hell conceitednesse is and how many enter in thereat Phila. Now let vs vnderstand of the eight gate into hell which is ill company Theol. The spirit of God foreséeing the great danger of this and knowing how ready we are to be carried away with ill company doth giue vs most earnest warning to take héed of it as a most dangerous thing Enter not saith he in the way of the wicked and walke not in the way of euill men Auoid it goe not by it turne from it and passe by The reason héereof is yéelded in another place where it is said A companion of fooles shall be made worse Let men therefore take héede of ill company For many thereby haue béene brought to the gallowes and haue confessed vpon the ladder that ill company hath brought them vnto it and therefore haue admonished all by their example to take héed and beware of lewd company Moreouer the Scripture saith He that followeth vaine companions shall be filled with pouerty And againe in the same Chapter He that keepeth company with banquetters shameth his Father Let vs therefore with Dauid say I am a companion of all them that feare God and keepe his commandements And on the contrary let vs say with him I haue not haunted with vaine persons neither kept company with the dissemblers I hate the assembly of the euill and haue not companied with the wicked Let vs therefore by Dauids example shun the company of the wicked For as a man is so is his company It is the surest note to discern a man by For as al vnlike things are vnsociable so all like things are sociable Herein let vs beware we deceiue not our selues with vaine words and an opinion of our owne strength as if we were as strong as Christ could not be drawne away with any company No no we are more apt to be drawne then to draw to be drawne to euill by others then to draw others
fire vpon Gods Altar were consumed with fire He that blasphemed and transgressed the third commandement was stoned to death He that brake the fourth commandement in gathering sticks vpon the Sabbath was likewise stoned Absolon transgressing the fift Commandement was hanged in his owne haire Cain transgressing the sixt in flaying his brother Abel was branded with the marke of Gods wrath Sichem the sonne of Hamor transgressing the seuenth in defiling Dina the daughter of Iacob was slaine by Simeon and Leui the sons of Iacob Achan sinning against the eight Commandement in stealing the wedge of Gold and the Babylonish garment was stoned to death Ananias Sapphira sinning against the ninth commandement in liing and dissembling were suddenly smitten with death Ahab transgressing the tenth commandement in ceueting and discententment was deuoured of dogges Or if you will haue originall sinne therein onely forbidden then infants are therefore punished with death Thus we sée there is no dallying with God but if we sin we are as sure to beierkt for it as the coat is on our backe Therfore let vs not deceiue our selues nor make light of sin For sin is no scar-bugge and we shall one day finde it so And howsoeuer we make light of some sins yet in very déed all sinne is odious in the sight of God yea all sin is hainous and capital in this respect that it is against a person of infinite being it is against God himselfe it is against the highest Maiesty For the greatnesse of the person offended doth enhaunce and increase the greatnesse of the sinne As for example If a man raile at a Justice of peace hée shall be stocked if hée raile being the sonnes of idlenesse will step short in the end of that they looked for For the spirit saith The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath nought We must therefore leaue bare words and come to déeds For our Lord Iesus saith Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Where wée sée Christ in plaine tearmes doth exclude out of his kingdome all those whose Religion consisteth onely in good words and smooth spéeches but make no conscience to practise the Commandements of God Dauid hauing made some good preparation for the building of the Temple and perceiuing his sonne Salomon to haue stuffe and prouision enough to perfectt and finish it doth most wisely incourage him to the worke in these words Vp and be doing and the Lord shall be with thee Oh that men would follow this counsell of Dauid That they would vp and bée dooing And not sit still and doe nothing that they would leaue words and countenances and set vpon the practise of Gods Law and study with all care and conscience to bée obedient to his will Then assuredly God would be with them and blesse them and much good would come of it For the Scripture saith In all labour there is profit or increase but the talke of the lips onely bringeth want Phila. Most mens minds are so wholly drowned in the loue of this world that they haue no heart to obey God nor any delight in his commandements Theo. The greatest part of men are like vnto the Gadarens which estéemed their Swine more then Christ As wée sée in these our daies how many make more account of their kine and shéepe then of the most glorious Gospell of Christ They highly estéeme dung and contemne Pearle They are carefull for trifles and regard not the things of greatest moment And therefore may very fitly be compared to a man who hauing his wife and children very sicke doth vtterly neglect them and is altogether carefull for the curing of his hogs eares Phila. We are somewhat digressed from the matter we had in hand I pray you therefore if you haue any more matter of good counsell to giue vnto Asunetus that you would presently deliuer it Theol. I haue little more to say saue onely I would aduise him often to remember and much to muse of these nine things The euill he hath committed The good he hath omitted The time he hath mispent The shortnesse of this life The vanity of this world The excellency of the world to come Death then the which nothing is more terrible The day of iudgement then the which nothing is more fearefull Hell fire then the which nothing is more intolerable Phila. This is short and sweet indeed You haue touched some of these points before in this our conference But I am very desirous to heare somewhat more of the two last which yet haue not beene touched Theol. Sith you are desirous I will briefely deliuer vnto you that which I haue receiued from the Lord. First concerning the day of iudgement I find in the volume of Gods booke that it shal be very terrible and dreadfull For The sonne of man shall come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glory S. Peter saith The day of the Lord shal come as a thiefe in the night In the which the heauens shall passe away with a noise the elements shall melt with heat the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp The Apostle telleth vs that at the comming of Christ all the whole world shall bée of a light fire and that all castels towers goodly buildings gold siluer veluets silkes and all the glittering hue glory and beauty of this world shall be consumed to powder and ashes For he saith plainly The heauens and the earth which are now are reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgemēt and of the destruction of vngodly men Moreouer he doth strongly prooue that as the world was once destroied by water so the second time in the end thereof it shall be destroied by fire The Apostle Paul doth witnesse the same thing For he saith Christ shal come from heauen with all his mighty Angels in flaming fire And in another place he noteth the terrour of his comming to iudgement saying He shall come with a shout with the voice of the Archangel the trumpet of God We sée by experience that the comming of mortall Princes to any place is with great pompe glory They haue great traines and troupes behind them and before them They are accompanied with many Nobles goodly Lords and gallant Ladies doe attend vpon them The Sword-bearer Trumpetters and harbengers go before many flaunting and stately personages follow after Now then if the comming of mortall Princes be so pompous and glorious how much more glorious shall the comming of the sonne of man be in whose sight all mortal princes are but dust The Scriptures doe affirme that his second comming vnto iudgement shall be with such resplendent and vnspeakeable glory that euen the most excellent creatures shall blush at it For the Sunne shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light
apparell 49 51 Whooredome and the dangers thereof 54 Excuses of whooredome 56 The fearefull effects of whooredome 60 The punishment of whooredome 56 57 The causes of whooredome 63 Remedies against whooredome 67 Couetousnesse what ibid. Couetousnesse wherein it doth consist 68 Foure notes to discerne the inward couetousnesse of the heart by 69 The euill effects of couetousnesse 71 The vanitie of this world and all worldly things 76 Excuses of couetousnesse 90 Remedies against couetousnesse 97 Gods prouidence for his children in the things of this life 98 For the things of this life Gods blessing is all in all 104 Outward meanes alone do not vphold vs. ibid. 105 Gods children sometimes are brought to great distresse 108 Gods children alwaies sure to be deliuered out of trouble 113 The great priuiledges of Gods children 116 Contempt of the Gospell a grieuous sinne 120 Contempt of the Gospell punished 121 Contempt of the Gospell the sinne of this age 122 Contempt of the Gospell a foresigne of wrath to the Land 130 Swearing and the punishments thereof 138 Excuses for swearing 146 Causes of swearing 149 Remedies against swearing ibid. Lying flattering and dissembling 150 Punishments for lying 158. 159 Excuses of lying 160 Causes of lying 161 Remedies against lying ibid. Drunkennesse and all the euill effects thereof 163 Excuses of drunkennesse 167 Causes of drunkennesse 167 Remedies for drunkennesse 168 Idlenesse and the wofull effects thereof 174 Causes of Idlenesse 179 Remedies against Idlenesse 179 Oppression a most horrible sinne 180 Many woes denounced against oppressours 181 Sundry kinds of Oppression 182. 183 Causes of Oppression 197 Remedies of Oppression 197 Sinne hurteth men in their bodies goods and name ibid. Sinne bringeth great danger to the whole Land 205 Nine predictions of wrath to the Land 210 The praiers and teares of the faithfull keepe backe the wrath of God from the Land 213 Praiers of the elect of great force 214 The wicked fare the better for Gods children 220 The best course to preuent Gods iudgements and to keepe backe his wrath from our Land 224 Tenne speciall things concerning the continuance of our peace 230 Nine signes of a found soule 232 Saint Peters eight markes of saluation ibid. Seuen infallible tokens of saluation 223 Assurance of saluation in this life prooued 352 Obiections against the assurance of saluation answered 237. The ground-worke of our saluation 241 Some doubts may stand with the assurance of faith 242 It is no presumption to bee perswaded of our saluation 244 The wicked cannot be assured of their saluation 245 The security of saluation which the wicked bragge of is vaine 247 Nine things required of all that shall be saued by Christ 250 Many say they hope to be saued by Christ but few can giue a reason why Christ died for them particularly and by name 252 Few shall be saued proued by scriptures reasons and examples 256 But few euen in the visible Church shall be saued 262 Obiections against the small number of the elect answered 263 Obiections of Atheists and vnbeleeuers answered 264 Reading of the Scriptures much commended 272 Deferring of repentance dangerous 277 God no authour of mans condemnation but himselfe 278 Obiections against predestination answered 279. 280 Gods decree no cause of Adams fall 283 The decree of reprobation prooued 284 Prescience in God what 285 The decree of election prooued 286 The first mouiue of election is in God himselfe 287 Fore-seene faith and fore-seene works no motiues of saluation ibid. Faith dependeth vpon election not election vpon faith 288 A reason yeelded why there is no end of cauilling and obiecting against the truth 292 Nine barres out of heauen 293 Nine gates into hell 294 The ignorance of the world 301 The answers of ignorant men to the grounds of religion 319 The meanes to get out of ignorance 322 Ignorance a most dangerous thing 323. 324 The charge of Ministers exceeding waightie and most carefully to be looked vnto 328 What is the best course for Ministers to take to bring the people out of ignorance 331 What is the best course for the people to take that they may be brought out of the bondage of sinne and captiuitie of Satan 333 Preaching a matter of absolute necessitie vnto eternal life 337 Without preaching the people are in great danger of losing their soules 336 Sathans cunning in frustrating the hearing of the Word and making all preaching vtterly vnprofitable 339 The Preachers counsell to the ignorant man 341 Six great dangers in sinne 342 Six most fearefull euents of sinne 343 God in all ages hath seuerely punished the transgressers of his law 344 Euery sinne though neuer so little in our eies is hainous and capitall because it is against a person of infinite maiestie 346 Nine profitable considerations 346 If men would leaue words and fall to doing great good would come of it 348 Nine things much to be thought vpon 350 The description of Christs comming to iudgement 351 The terror the suddennesse the end the maner and the vse of Christs second comming described 352 353 The torments of hell with the extremitie perpetuitie and remedilesnesse thereof described 361 The ignorant man vpon the hearing of the day of iudgment and hell fire laide open is pricked in his conscience bewaileth his former life repenteth earnestly for his sinne and ignorance and desireth spirituall Physicke and comfort of the Preacher 374 The Preacher ministreth vnto him much spiritual comfort and doth in ample manner laie open vnto him all the sweete promises of the Gospell and the infinite mercy of God in Christ to all true penitent and broken hearted sinners 375 The ignorant man being afflicted in his conscience is exceedingly comforted with the hearing of Gods abundant mercy preached vnto him and thereupon doth gather great inward peace conuerteth vnto God with all his heart and doth exceedingly blesse God for the Preachers counsell 391 FINIS A Morning prayer to be vsed in priuate families O Lord our God and heauenlie Father we thy vnwoorthy children doe heere come into thy most holy and heauenly presence to giue thee praise and glory for all thy great mercies and manifold blessings towards vs especially for that thou hast preserued vs this night past from all the dangers and feares thereof hast giuen vs quiet rest to our bodies and brought vs now safely to the beginning of this day dost now afresh renew all thy mercies vpon vs as the Eagle reneweth her bill giuing vs all things abundantly to enioy as foode raiment health peace libertie and freedome from many miseries diseases casualties and calamities which we are subiect vnto in this life euery minute of an houre and not onely so but also for vouchsafeing vnto vs many good things not onely for necessitie but euen for delight also But aboue all deare Father we praise thy name for the blessings of a better life specially for thy most holy word and sacraments and all the good we enioy thereby for the continuance
land and discharge it of all the horrible sinnes thereof Drowne them O Lord in thy infinite mercy through Christ as it were in a bottomlesse gulfe that they may neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. For although our sins be excéeding many and fearefull yet thy mercy is farre greater For thou art infinite in mercy but we cannot be infinite in sinning Giue vs not ouer into the hands of the Idolaters left they should blaspheme thy name and say Where is their God in whom they trusted But rather deare Father take vs into thine owne hands and correct vs according to thy wisedome for with thée is mercy and déepe compassion Moreouer we most hartily beséech thy good Maiesty to blesse our most gratious King Iames and to shew much mercy to him in all things Guid him in thy feare and kéepe him in all his waies working in his soule vnfained sorrow for sinue true faith in the promises a great care to please thée in all things and to discharge the duties of his high place in all zeale of thy glory and faithfulnesse towards thy Maiesty that as thou hast crowned him héere in earth so hée spending his daies héere below in thy feare may after this life be crowned of thée for euer in the Heauens Wée béeseech thee also to blesse his Maiesties most henorable priuy Counsellors Counsell them from aboue let them take aduise of thée in all things that they may both consult and resolue of such courses as may be most for thy glory the good of the Church and the peace of this our Common-wealth Blesse the Nobility and all the Magistrates in the Land giuing them al grace to execute iudgement and iustice and to maintaine truth and equity Blesse all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell increase the number of them increase thy gifts in them and so blesse al their labours in their seueral places and congregations that they all may be instruments of thy hand to inlarge thy Sonnes kingdome and to winne many vnto thee Comfort the comfortlesse with all néedfull comforts Forget none of thine that are in trouble but as their afflions are so let the ioyes and comforts of thy spirit be vnto them and so sanctifie vnto all thine their afflictions and troubles that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Giue vs thankefull hearts for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall for thou art very mercifull vnto vs in the things of this life and infinitely more mercifull in the things of a better life Let vs déepely ponder and weigh all thy particular fauours towards vs that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may bée gained yet néerer vnto thée and that therefore wée may both loue and obey thée because thou art so kinde and louing vnto vs that euen thy loue towards vs may draw our loue towards thée and that because mercy is with thée thou maiest bée feared Grant these things good Father and all other néedefull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine throughout the whole world for Jesus Christs sake In whose name we further call vpon thée as hée hath taught vs in his Gospell saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. A praier to be vsed at any time by one alone priuately O Lord my God and heauenly Father I thy most vnworthy childe doe héere in thy sight fréely confesse that I am a most sinnefull creature and damnable transgressor of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements that as I was borne and bred in finne and stained in the wombe so haue I continually brought foorth the corrupt vgly fruits of that infection contagion wherein I was first conceiued both in thoughts words works If I should goe about to reckon vp my particular offences I know not where to begin or where to make an end For they are mo then the haires of my head yea farre moe then I can possibly féele or know For who knoweth the height and depth of his corruption who knoweth how oft he offendeth Thou onely O Lord knowest my sins who knowest my heart nothing is hid from thée thou knowest what I haue béene what I am yea my conscience doth accuse mée of many gréeuous euils and I doe daily féele by woful experience how frail I am how prone to euill how vntoward to all goodnesse My minde is ful of vanity my hartfull of prophanenes mine affections full of deadnesse dulnesse drowzinesse in matters of thy worship seruice Yea my whole soule is full of spirituall blindenesse hardnesse vnprofitablenes coldnesse and security And in very déed I am altogether a lumpe of sin a masse of all misery therefore I haue forfaited thy fauour incurred thy high displeasure haue giuen thée iust cause to frown vpon me to giue me ouer leaue me to mine owne corrupt will and affections But O my déere father I haue learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercy flow to wrath of great compassion kindnesse towards all such as grone vnder the burden of their sinnes Therefore extend thy great mercy towards me poore sinner and giue me a generall pardon for all mine offences whatsoeuer seale it in the bloud of thy sonne and seale it to my conscience by thy spirit assuring me more and more of thy loue fauour towards me that thou art a reconciled father vnto me Grant that I may in all time to come loue thée much because much is giuen and of very loue feare thée and obey thée O Lord increase my faith that I may stedfastly beléeue all the promises of the Gospel made in thy son Christ rest vpon them altogether Enable me to bring foorth the sound fruits of faith and repentance in all my particular actions Fill my soule full of ioy and peace in beléeuing Fill me full of inward comfort and spirituall strength against all temptatious giue me yet a greater féeling of thy loue manifold mercies towards me worke in my soule a loue of thy Maiesty a zeale of thy glory an hatred of euill and a desire of all good things Giue me victory ouer those sins which thou knowest are strongest in me Let me once at last make a conquest of the world and the flesh Mortifie in me whatsoeuer is carnall sanctifie me throughout by thy spirit knit my heart to thée for euer that I may feare thy name renue in mée the image of thy sonne Christ daily more and more Giue me a delight in the reading and meditation of thy word Let me reioyce in the publike ministery thereof Let me loue and reuerence all the faithfull Ministers of thy Gospell Sanctifie their doctrines to my conscience seale them in my soule write them in my hart giue me a soft and melting heart that I may tremble at thy words and be alwaies much affected with godly sermons Let not my sinnes hold backe thy mercies from me nor mine vnworthines stop the passage