of thy grace Open mine eies to sée the great wonders of thy law Reueale thy secrets vnto me be open hearted towards me thy vnworthy seruant Hide nothing from me that may make for thy glory the good of my soule Blesse all meanes vnto me which thou vsest for my good Blesse all holy instructions vnto my soule Blesse me at all times both in hearing reading thy word Giue me the right vse of all thy mercies and corrections that I may be the better for them Let me abound in loue to thy children Let my heart be very néerely knit vnto them that where thou louest most there I may loue most also Let me watch pray that I enter not into temptation giue me patience contentment in all things Let me loue thée more more the world lesse lesse So draw my minde vpward that I may despise al transitory things Let me be so rapt rauished with the sight and féeling of heauenly things that I may make a base rekoning of al earthly things Let me vse this world as though I vsed it not Let me vse it but for necessity as meat drink Let me not be carried away with the vaine pleasures and fond delights thereof Good Father worke thy good worke in me neuer leaue me nor forsake me till thou hast brought me to true happinesse Oh deare Father make me faithfull in my calling that I may serue thée in it be alwaies carefull to doe what good I may in any thing Blesse me in my outward estate Blesse my soule body goods and name Blesse all that belongeth vnto me Blesse my goings out commings in Let thy countenance be lifted vp vpon me now alwaies cheare me vp with the ioies comforts of thy spirit make me thankfull for all thy mercies For I must néeds confesse that thou art very kind vnto me in all things For in thée I liue mooue haue my being of thée I haue my welfare good being thou art a daily friend speciall good benefactor vnto me I liue at thy cost charges I hold all of thée in chiefe and I finde that thou art neuer weary of doing me good thy goodnes towards me is vnstanchable Oh I can neuer be thankefull enough vnto thée for all thy mercies both spirituall corporall But in such measure as I am able I praise thy name for all beséeching thee to accept of my thankesgiuing in thy son Christ and to giue me a profitable vse of al thy fauors that thereby my heart may be fully drawne vnto thée giue me O Father to be of such a good nature and disposition that I may be wonne by gentlenesse faire meanes as much as if thou gauest me many lashes Pardon all mine vnthankfulnesse vnkindnesse and great abusing of thy mercies and giue me grace to vse them more to thy glory in all time to come Strengthen me deare Father thus to continue praising glorifying thy name héere vpon earth that after this life I may be crowned of thée for euer in thy kingdome Grant these petitions most mercifull God not onely to me but to all thy déere children throughout the whole world for Jesus Christ sake in whose name I doe further call vpon thée saying as he hath taught me O our Father which art in Heauen c. FINIS Psal 52. 5. Iob 15. 14 Ephes 2. 1. Col. 1. 21. Col. 2. 13. 2. Cor. 3. 5. Phil. 2. 13. Iam. 3. 9. Iob 14. 4. Rom. 8. 8 Mat. 7. 16. Luke 18. 21. 2. Cor. 4. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 26. Iohn 3 3. Rom. 12. 2. Ephes 4. 13. 2. Cor. 5. 17. Gal. 5. 17. Math. 5. Acts 17. 12. Heb. 2. 3. Ier. 6. 10. 1. Pet. 1. 23. Ioh. 15. 3. Act. 10. 44. Ephes 4. 3. Act. 16. 14. Iohn 3. 8. Pro. 28. 9. Pro. 13 13 Esa 1. 14. Isa 66. 3. Iohn 10. Ioh. 8. 47. Col. 3. 16. Pro. 14. 15. Ier. 17. 9. Psa 58. 45. Eight infallible signes of saluation Iohn 3. 3. Iohn 2. 5. â—s 119. 114 â—s 145. 18. Ro. 12. 11. Apo 3. 19 Mat. 16. 24 Iob 1. 28. Eph. 4. 21. Phil. 4. 8. Eight signes of condemnation Nine manifest signes of damnation Pro. 16. 5. Pro. 15. 24 Iob 11. 5 15. Iob 20. 26. Iob 23. 13 2. Cor. 11. 1 Cor. 4. Ier. 9. 23. Theocritus Mat. 16. 14. Iob. 17. 14. Col. 3. 6. Graftons Chron. Ps 11. 9. Iere. 9. 1. Neh. 13. Esay 3. 9. 1. Pet. 3. 3. Pro. 30. 1. Pro 22. 14 Pro. 23. 17 Eccl. 7. 28. Eccl. 7. 28. Pro. 26. 5. Pro. 5. 3. 4. Iob 36. 14. Ier. 5. 8. Ier. 28. 6. 1. Cor. 10. 8. 2. Sam. 12. 10. Genes 24. 25. 1. Sam. 2. 22. 1. Sam. 4. 11. 1. Cor. 10. 11. Tit. 2. 6. Psal 119. 9. Eccl. 12. 1. Heb. 13. 4. 1. Cor. 6. 9. Heb. 12. 1. Pet. 2. Chrysost Math. Isocrates ad Deme. Pro. 6. 32. 1. Cor. 6. 18. Iob 31. 12. Pro. 6. 33. 2. Sam. 12. 10. Basil in Epist Gregor Iam. 1. 15. Est officina Terence Pro. 23. vers 3. vers 33. Gregorius Nazianz Hesiodus Otia si tollas periere cupidinis ar cus Iob 24. 15. Iob 23. 13 Eccl. 12. 24. Psal 91. 8. 1. Cor. 4. 5. Iob 10. Six remedies of adulterie 1. Tim. 6. 10. Luke 12. 15. Phil. 3. 19. Pro. 28. Pro. 20. 21. Demosthenesin Olinth 3. Two causes of Couetousnesse 1. Tim. 2. Ier. 6. 16. Mic. 3. 10. Deut. 5. 28. 1. Tim. 6. Pro. 23. 5. Herodotus Polym Mat. 6. Iob 30. 23. Iud. 4. 21. Leuit. 11. Iam. 4. Sophocles Eccl. 5. 9 Apo. 12 1. Can. 6. 4. Matth. 4. Pro. 14 13. Iob. 27. 20. Iob. 15. 20. Pro. 13. 6. 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Cor. 7. Heb. 13. 5. Ec. 2. 24. Gregorius Nazi Rom. 8. 1. Pet. 4. 18. Pro. 11. 24. Hesiodus Phocillides 1. Tim. 6. 7. Heb. 12. 5. Phil. 4. Cyril in Ioan. 4. Chrysost homil 51. Euripedes 1. Ki. 17. Gen. 21. 15. Exod. 15. 4. Exod. 17. 6. Psal 7. 8. Ps 34. 10. Psal 8. 4. 11. Mat. 6. 33. 1 Pet. 5. 7. Luke 12. Heb. 13. 5. Phil 4. 5. Luk. 12. Nahun 12. Pro. 10. 38. Ierom. ad Heliodorum Cyprian in Oratione dominica August Matth. 4. Luke 12. Iob 20. 22. Pro. 10. 12. Psa 37. 16. Pro. 25. 16. Pro. 16. 8. Psal 33. 9. 1 Reg 17. 2. Cor. 1. 8. 2. Cor. 11. 25. Heb. 11. 36. 2. Cor. 4. 8. Lament 3. Psal 94. 14. Esa 55. 8. Rom. 8. Heb 12. 10. Heb. 12. 14. 1. Thes 1. 6. Gal. 6. 14. Phil. 3. 10. 1 Cor. 11. 32. Rom. 5. 3. 4. Psa 119. 27. Hos 5. 15. Esa 26. 16. Ps 34. 20. 2. Pet. 1. 9. Ps 105. 19. 20. Psal 34. Ps 91. 14. 15. Iob. 5. Esa 16. 20. Obad. 17. Heb. 13. 1. Cor. 3. 22. Gen. 32. 1. Kin. 17. Iona. 2. Ios 10. Exod. 14. Dan. 3. Dan. 6. Col. 3. 3. 4. 1. Ioh. 3. 1. 1. Sam. 3. 48. 2. Sam. 25. 26. Psal 39. Deut.
people In thine appointed time we pray thee giue him a deadly downe-fall Beat downe all his power and authority daily more and more giue free passage to thy Gospell in al kingdoms that Babylon may fall and neuer rise vp againe The more the fauorites and adherents of Rome labour to vphold their Idolatrous kingdome the more let it fall downe euen as Dagon before the presence of thine Arke Poure downe the vials of the fulnesse of thy wrath vpon the kingdome of the beast and let their riches wealth credite and authority dry vp euery day more and more as the riuer Euphrates Let it pity thee O Father to see thine owne spouse sit as a deformed and forlorne woman heere below weeping and mourning with her haire about her necke hauing lost all her beauty and comlinesse cheere her vp deare Father glad her with the ioie of thy countenance and so decke her and trimme her vp that thou maiest delight in her as a Bridegroome in his Bride Specially we intreat thee to haue mercy vpon thy Church in this land intend good vnto vs and not euill giue vs not ouer into the hands of the cruell Spaniard as our sinnes haue deserued Scatter we pray thee O Lord the deuises and breake the plots of all such as haue plotted the ouerthrow vtter subuersion of this church and common-wealth Blesse this Church more and more with the continuance of true Religion amongst vs. For thy great names sake and infinite mercies sake deale gratiously and fauourablie with vs our posteritie Turne from vs that vengeance which is due to vs for our sins For thou seest how iniquitie preuaileth and the wicked goe away with the goale Atheisme ouerspreadeth euery where and Popery seemeth to get a head againe Now therfore deare Father we most humbly beseech thee to take order speedily for the remedying repressing of these manifold disorders and grieuous enormities that are amongst vs. Be intreated of thy poore children to be good to this English Nation Heare the cries of thine elect heare the mourning of them that mourne in Sion Let the cries of thy children cry downe all the cries of the sins of the land and be reconciled vnto vs in the multitude of thy compassions that so thou maiest still continue a most mercifull protector of this thine English vineyard Wee pray thee good Father shew speciall mercy to our most Noble and gratious King Iames thine annointed seruant blesse him and keepe him in all his waies Blesse his gouernment vnto vs. Let thine Angels encampe about him and let thy holy hand be alwaies ouer him keepe him from treasons and deliuer him from the treacheries of his enemies giue him to see what belongeth vnto his peace and giue him a heart earnestlybent to set vpon the practise of the same giue him all graces necessary for his peace and necessary for his saluation continue his gouernment peaceable and prosperous amongst vs as thon hast made him the breath of our nostrils and a gratious instrument for the sauing of many thousand soules so let his owne soule be saued in the day of thy Son Christ Blesse his Maiesties most honorable priuy Counsellors giue such good successe vnto all their Counsels and policies in matters of state that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse honesty Blesse all the Nobility worke in them a care to glorifie thy name in their places make them faithfull to thee and faithfull to the Land Direct with thy good spirit all such as beare the sword of Iustice that they may draw it out to punish the wicked and to defend the godly and that they may with all good care and conscience discharge the duties of their places Increase the number of faithfull and zealous Ministers in this church Send thy Gospel to those places where it is not and blesse it where it is Remember them in thy mercy O Lord that are vnder any crosse or affliction whatsoeuer be comfortable vnto them heale vp their wounds binde vp their sores put all their teares into thy bottle and make their bedde in all their sorrowes and put such a good ende to all their troubles that they may redounde to thy glory and the furtherance of their owne saluation In the meane time giue them patience and constancy to beare whatsoeuer it shall please thy mercifull hand to lay vpon them Last of all in a word we pray thee blesse magistracy ministery and commonalty Blesse all thy people doe good to all that are true and vpright in their hearts And so deare Father we doe commit and commend our selues our soules and bodies into thy hands for this day and the rest of our life praying thee to take care and charge of vs keepe vs from all euill watch ouer vs for our good let thine Angels encampe about vs let thy holy hand be ouer vs keepe vs in all our waies that we may liue to thy praise and glory heere in earth keeping faith and a good conscience in all our actions that after this life we may be crowned of thee for euer in thy kingdome Grant these things good father to vs here present to all thine absent praying thee in speciall fauor to remember our friends kinsfolks in the flesh all our good neighbours welwillers all those forwhom we are bound to pray by nature by deserts or any duty whatsoeuer for Iesus Christs sake our onely mediator to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be giuen all praise and glory both now and for euermore Amen An Euening Praier to be vsed in priuate families OEternall God and our most louing and deare Father wethy vnwoorthy children doe héere fall downe at the foote of thy great Maiesty acknowledging from our harts that we are altogether vnworthy to come néere thée or to look towards thée because thou art a God of infinite glory and we are most vile and abhominable sinners such as were conceiued borne in sinne and corruption such as haue inherited our fathers corruptions and also haue actually transgressed all thy holy statutes and lawes both in thought words déeds before weknew thée and since secretly and openly with our selues with others our particular sinnes are moe then can be numbred for who knoweth how often he offendeth But this we must needs confesse against our selues that our hearts are full of pride couetousnesse and the loue of this world full ofwrath anger and impatiencie full of lying dissembling and deceiuing full of vanity hardnesse and prophanenesse full of infidelity distrust and selfe-loue full of lust vncleannes and all adhominable desires yea our harts are the very sinkes of sinne and dunghils of all filthinesse And besides all this we doe omit the good things we should doe for there are in vs great wants of faith of loue of zeale of patience of contentment and of euery good grace so as thou hast iust cause to procéed to sentence of iudgement
an harlot drop as an honie-combe the roofe of her mouth is fofter then oile yet her latter end is bitter as worm-wood and as sharpe as a two edged sword All these prudent speeches of the holy Ghost doe most euidently shew vnto vs what a feareful thing it is to commit whoredome and so to fall into the hands of whores and harlots Therefore Iob saith of the wicked Their soule dieth in youth and their life among the whore-mongers Phila. You haue very well shewed out of Gods booke the great danger of whoredome and adultery And it is greatly to be lamented that men in this age make so light of it as they doe and that it is so common a vice nay that some alas with griefe I speake it doe professe it liue by it and prostitute themselues wholly vnto it Theol. Such men and women may iustlie feare the plaguing hand of God for the Lord saith by his Prophet Though I fed them to the full yet they commited adultery and assembled themselues by companies in harlots houses They rose vp in the morning like fed horses euery man neigheth after his neighbours wife Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this Phila. Me thinketh if men were not altogether hardned in this sinne and euen past feeling and past grace this threatning and thundring of God himselfe from heauen should terrifie them Theol. A man would thinke so indéede but now we may take vp the old complaint of the Prophet I hearkened and heard and loe no man spake aright no man repented him of his euill saying What haue I done Euery one turned to their race as the horse rusheth into the battell Antile Tush whoredome is but a tricke of youth and wee see all men haue their imperfections Theol. You speake prophanely and wickedly For shall wee count that but a trick of youth for the which the Lord smote thrée and twenty thousand of his owne people in one day Shall we count that but a trick of youth for the which the Lord threatned Dauid his owne seruant that the sword should neuer depart from his house Shall we count that but a trick of youth for the which Hamor and Shechem the father and the sonne and many other both men women and children were cruelly murdred by Simeon and Leui the sonnes of Iacob Shall we count that but a trieke of youth for the which the Lord slew Hophni and Phineas the two sonnes of Eli the Priest in the battell of the Philistines Shall we thus set all at six and seuen and make light of such horrible villanies Doth not the seueritie of the punishments shew the greatnesse of the sinne Doth not the Apostle say These things came vpon them for our ensamples vpon whom the ends of the world are come and yet you passe it ouer with a tush and a tricke of youth as if God were to be dallied with No no be not deceiued God is not mocked They which will not be mooued now in hearing shall one day be crushed in pieces in féeling And they which now call whordome a tricke of youth shall one day howle and crie yell and yelpe for such trickes with woe and alas that euer they were borne Antil Oh sir you must beare with youth youth you know is fraile and youth will be youthfull when you haue said all that you can Theol. Yes but God doth allow no more libertie vnto youth then vnto age but bindeth all vpon paine of death to the obedience of his commandements The Apostle saith Let yoong men be sober minded Dauid saith Wherewith shall a yoong man cleanse his way In taking heede thereto according to thy worde The wise man saith Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth And further addeth that if they will needes follow their lusts their pleasures and their owne swinge yet in the end he will bring them to iudgement arraigne them condemne them and tame them in hell fire well enough Phila. Yet we see men are so violently carried after their lust and so desperately bent that they will haue the present sweet and pleasure of sin come of it what will Come sicknesse come death come hell come damnation they are at a point they will pay the highest price for their lustes They will purchase their pleasures with the losse of their soules Oh wofull purchase O damnable pleasures Theol. Swéet meat will haue sower sawce and a dramme of pleasure a pound of a sorrow Such cursed catifes shal at last pay a deare shot for their pleasures Such desperate wretches shall one day know to their euerlasting woe what it is to prouoke God to sin with so high an hand against him They shall well know in spight of their hearts that vengeance is prepared for the wicked and that there is a God that iudgeth the earth Let al men therfore take héed in time For whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge And the Apostle saith flatly That whoremongers and Adulterers shall not inherit the kingdome of God Let therefore no fornicator or vncleane person bee found amongst vs as was Esau But let vs abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule And let euery one know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and nor in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God 1. Thess 4. 5. Héerein let vs consider the wise spéech of an ancient Father Sinne while it is in dooing ministreth some pleasure but when it is committed the short pleasure thereof vanisheth awaie and long sorrow commeth in stead of it Neither let vs héere reiect the saying of a wise Heathen Shunne pleasure for feare of smart Sowre things follow sweet and ioy heauinesse Antile Yet for all this you shall not make me beleeue that whoredome is so hainous a mattter You make more of it then it is Theol. True indéed For you and such as you are will beléeue nothing against your lusts and fleshly delights and that is the cause why you are deafe on this eare I will therfore adde a word or two more out of the oracles of God to that which hath vin spoken The wise king saith He that committeth Adulterie with women destroieth his owne soule and so is accessarie to his owne death which is no small matter For wée vse to say if a man hang himselfe drowne himselfe or any manner of way make away himselfe that he was cursed of God that Gods hand was heauie against him that the diuell ought him a shame and now he hath paid it him And all the countrey rings of such a strange accident when and where it falleth out and the Crowner of the Countrey doth sit vpon it How much more may all the world wonder at this that a man should destroy his owne soule and wittingly and willingly cast
they haue a thousand eies vpon them euery day and that not onely gazing vpon them but also prying very narrowly into them to spie out the least moat that they may make a mountaine of it For as in a cleane white paper one little spot is soone espied but in a péece of browne paper twenty great blurs are scant discerned euen so in Noble men Judges Magistrates Justices Preachers and Professors the least spot or specke is soone seene into but amongst the baser sort and most grosse liuers almost nothing is espied or regarded Phila. Sith the eies of all men are bent and fixed vpon such men as are of some note therefore they had neede verie heedfully to looke to their steps that they may take away all aduantage from them that seeke aduantage Theol. Yes verily And furthermore they had néed to pray with Dauid alwaies Direct my steps O Lord in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer mee And againe Order my doings that my footsteps slippe not vphold mee in mine integritie For if such men bée neuer so little giuen to swearing to lying to drinke or to women it is espied by and by and therewithall their credit is cracked their fame ouer-cast their glory eclipsed and the date of their good name presently expired Phila. Now as you haue shewed what great hurt these sinnes doe bring vpon our soule bodies goods and name so also I pray you shew what danger they doe bring vpon the whole land Theol. Questionlesse they doe pull downe the wrath of God vpon vs all and giue him iust cause to breake all in péeces and vtterly to subuert ouerthrow the good estate both of church and Common-wealth yea to make a finall consumption and desolation of all For they be the very fire-brands of Gods wrath and as it were touch-wood to kindle his anger and indignation vpon vs. For the Apostle saith For such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disodedience Phila. Declare vnto vs out of the Scriptures how the Lord in former times hath punished whole Nations and Kingdomes for these and such like sinnes Theol. In the fourth of Hosea the Lord telleth his people that hée hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land and the reason is added because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing lying killing stealing and whoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off Héere then we sée what it is that wil incense God against vs and cause vs all to mourne So likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Amos that for the cruelty and oppression of the poore hée would plague the whole land Shall not the land tremble for this sayth the Lord and euerie one mourne that dwelleth therein Againe the Lord sayeth by his Prophet Ieremie Doe they prouoke mee to anger and not themselues to the confusion of their owne faces Therefore thus sayth the Lord Behold mine anger and my wrath shall bee powred vpon this place vpon man and beast vpon the tree of the field and vpon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched Againe the Lord saith If yee will not heare these words I swear by my selfe saith the Lord that this house shall be waste and I will prepare destroyers against thee euery one with his weapons and they shall cut downe thy chiefe Cedar trees and cast them in the fire Likewise the Lord threateneth by his Prophet Ezechiel saying Because yee haue not walked in my statutes nor kept my iudgements therefore behold I euen I come against thee and will execute iudgement in the middest of thee euen in the sight of Nations and I will doe in thee that I neuer did before neither will I doe any more the like because of all thine abhominations For in the middest of thee the fathers shall eat their sonnes and the sonnes shall eate their fathers Againe by the same Prophet the Lord saith The land is full of the iudgement of blood and the citie full of crueltie Wherefore I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses I will also make the pompe of the mighty to cease and the holy places shall be defiled When destruction commeth they shall seeke peace and not haue it Calamity shall come vpon calamitie and rumour vpon rumour Then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priests and counsell from the auncient The King shall mourne and the Prince shall be clothed with desolation and the hands of the people in the land shall bee troubled I will doe vnto them according to their waies and according to their iudgements will I iudge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Last of all the Lord saith by his Prophet Heare O earth behold I will cause a plague to come vpon this people euen the sruit of their owne imaginations because they haue not taken heed to my words nor to my Law but cast it off Almost innumerable places to this purpose are to be found in the writings of the prophets but these may suffice to prooue the maine point to wit that the iust God doth punish whole nations and kingdomes for the sinnes and rebellions thereof Phila. Sith all these sinnes for the which the Lord did execute such vniuersall punishments vpon his owne people doe abound and ouerflow in this land may wee not iustly feare some great plague to fall vpon vs and the rather because our transgressions doe increase daily and grow to a full height and ripenesse so as it seemeth the haruest of Gods vengeance draweth neere and approacheth Theol. We may indéed iustly feare and tremble For if God spared not the Angels that sinned how shall he spare vs If he spared not his owne people what can wée looke for If hée spared not the naturall braunches how shall hée spare vs which are wilde by nature Are we better then they Can we looke to bée spared when they were punished Are not our sinnes as many and as great as theirs Doth not the same cause bring forth the same effect Is the arme of the Lord shortned Or is not God the same iust God to punish sinne now that he was then Yes yes assuredly And therefore wée haue great cause to mourne and lament to quake and tremble because there is a naked sword of vengeance hanging ouer our heads Thus did Ieremie thus did Amos thus did Abacuck when they plainely saw the imminent wrath of God approching vpon the people of Israel and Iudah Phila. I thinke we may the rather doubt and feare because the punishment of these forenamed vices is neglected by the Magistrate For commonly when they that beare the sword of Iustice doe not draw it out to punish notorious offenders and malefactours the Lord himselfe
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
past remedy No meanes whatsoeuer can doe any good No gold no siluer no friends no riches no power no policy no flattery no bribery no reach no fetch or deuice whatsoeuer can preuaile one iot For a man being once in Hell hath no remedy He is in close prison he is shut vp vnder the hatches for euer there is no getting out againe He must suffer perpetuall imprisonment He cannot bring a writ of false imprisonment because hée is laid in by the most righteous and iust Judge who cannot possibly doe any wrong but he must lie by it For béeing there once he is there for euer If all the Angels of Heauen should entreat for a damned soule If Abraham Isaac and Iacob should make great sute If all the Prophets Apostles Martyrs shold be continuall solicitors of Christ for release if the father should make request for his son or the mother for her daughter yet can none of these be heard they must all haue the repulse For the sentence of Christ cannot be reuersed his decrée is vnrepealeable The due consideration of these things may make all hearts to quake and all knées to tremble In the troubles and afflictions of this life though a man come in neuer so great dangers yet he may winde out againe by one meanes or another by mony or friendship or rewards or such like meanes but in Hell fire this is it that gripes maketh the heart despaire that there is no remedy at all to be vsed If we should aske of a damned soule or an afflicted conscience what they would giue for the ease and redemption of their soules they would answere the whole world howsoeuer secure worldlings and wicked Atheists which see nothing nor feele nothing make nothing of it Héere by the way let vs consider the greatnesse of the losse of a mans soule which we shall the better perceiue and sée into if we can aright value and prise the soule If therefore it be demaunded what is the price of the soule or what is it worth our Lord Jesus answereth that it is more worth then all the world For saith he What shall it profit a man to win all the world and lose his soule Therefore the soule of the poorest begger is more worth then all the world Then I reason thus if the soule bée more worth then all the world then the losse of it is greater then the losse of the whole world For indéed it is a losse of all losses an vnrecouerable losse If a man should haue his house burnt ouer his head and all that he hath consumed in one night it were a great losse If a Merchant venturer should lose twenty thousand pound in one venture in one shippe or as they say in one bottome it were a very great losse If a king should lose his crowne and kingdome it were an excéeding great losse But the losse of the soule is a thousand time more than all these it is a matter of infinite importance If a Tenant bée cast out of the fauour of his Landlord it is a matter of griefe If a Noblemans Secretary be cast out of fauour with his Lord so that hée taketh a pritch against him it is a matter of great sorrow If a Nobleman himselfe be discountenanced cast out of all fauour with his Prince that was in great fauour it is a corsey a heart smart and a matter of excéeding gréeuance But to be eternally separated from God to be shut out of his fauor and to be cast away from his presence and the presence of his Angels is a matter of infinit more dolour and torment Marke then and behold what a thing it is for a man to lose his soule Oh therefore that men would bée wise in Gods feare that they would looke out in time make prouision for their soules Now then to close vp this whole point the summe of all that hath béene said is this That the torments of Hell are endlesse easelesse and remedilesse Asune The laying open of these doctrines of hell fire and the iudgement to come maketh me quake and tremble I am thereby much perplexed I feele great terror in my conscience I am afraid I shall be damned Antil Damned man What speake you of damning I am ashamed to heare you say so For it is well knowen that you are an honest man a quiet liuer a good neighbour and as good a towns man as any is in the parish where you dwell and you haue alwaies beene so reputed and taken If you should be damned I know not who shall be saued Asune I regard not your flatteries I beleeue God I beleeue his word I beleeue those things which M. Theologus hath alleaged out of the holy scriptures pointing me both to the chapter and the verse and whether it bee more meet that I should beleeue the Scriptures or your soothings iudge you No no Now I doe clearely see by the glasse of Gods law that my state is wretched and miserable For I haue liued in sinne and ignorance all the daies of my life being vtterly void of all Religion and true knowledge of God I am not the man indeed that you and others take me for For though outwardly I haue liued honestly to the worldward yet inwardly I haue not liued religiously to Godward Antile Tush tush now I see you are in a melancholy humour If you will goe home with me I can giue you a speedie remedie for I haue many pleasant and merry bookes which if you should heare them read would soone remedie you of this melancholy passion I haue the Court of Venus the Palace of pleasure Beuas of Southhampton Ellen of Rummin The merry Iest of the Frier and the Boy The pleasant story of Clem of the Clough Adam Bell and William of Cloudesley The odde tale of William Richard and Humfry The pretie conceit of Iohn Splinters last Will and Testament which all are excellent and singular bookes against heart-qualmes and to remooue such dumpishnesse as I see you are now fallen into Asune Your vaine friuolous books of tales iests and lies would more increase my griefe strike the print of sorrow deeper into my heart Antile Nay if you be of that minde I haue done with you Phila. I pray you if a man may be so bolde with you How came you by all these good bookes I should haue said so much trash and rubbish Antile What mattereth it to you What haue you to doe to enquire But I pray you Sir what meane you to call them trash and rubbish Phila. Because they be no better They be goodly geere trimme stuffe They are good to kindle a fire or to scoure a hot ouen withall And shall I tell you my opinion of them I doe thus thinke that they were deuised by the diuell seene and allowed by the Pope printed in hell bound vp by Hobgoblin and first published and dispersed in Rome Italy and Spaine and all to this
iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him with his stripes we are healed This great Prophet we sée doth plainly affirme that Christ suffered for our sins by his suffering we are saued The Prophet Ieremy testifieth the same thing saying Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I wil raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch a king shall raigne and prosper shall execute iudgment iustice in the earth In his daies Iudah shall be saued Israel shal dwell safely and this is the name wherby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes This Prophet tumpeth with the other For he saith that Christ is the righteous branch that he is our righteousnes which is al one as if he had said our sins are pardoned only through him through him we are made righteous Moreouer he affirmeth that Iudah Israel that is the Church shall be saued by him The Prophet Zachary that I may speake it with reuerence telleth the same tale word for word Hée auoucheth the same thing with the other two Prophets For he saith In that day a Fountaine shall be opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse The meaning of the prophet is that in the daies of Christs kingdome the fountaine of Gods mercy in Christ should be opened and let out to wash away the sinnes and vncleannesse of the Church So then we sée that these thrée great witnesses doe all agrée in this that through Christ onely wée are washed from our sins and through him onely wée are made righteous Séeing then that eternall life is onely in the sonne therefore he that hath the son hath life Be of good courage therefore O Asunetus for no doubt you haue the son therfore eternal life Feare not your sins for they cannot hurt you For as all the righteousnes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the most righteous men that euer liued vpon the face of the earth if it were yours could doe you no good without Christ so all the sinnes in the world can do you no hurt being in Christ For there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Plucke vp a good heart therfore be no more heauy and sadde for if you be found in Christ clothed with his perfect righteousnesse being made yours through faith what can the diuel say to you what can the Law doe They may wel hisse at you but they cannot sting you they may grin at you but they cannot hurt you For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God maketh request for vs. Reioice in the Lord therfore againe I say reioice For greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world our Lord Jesus is stronger then all None can plucke you out of his hands he is a strong Mediator he hath conquered all our spiritual enemies he hath ouer come hell death damnation he hath led captiuitie captiue he hath spoiled principalities powers and hath made an open shew of them triumphed ouer them in his crosse He hath most triumphantly said O death I will be thy death O graue I wil be thy destruction O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie Séeing then you haue such a Mediator and high Priest as hath conquered the hellish armie and subdued all infernall power what néed you to doubt what néed you to feare any more Moreouer you are to vnderstand and to be perswaded that Gods mercy is excéeding great towards penitent sinners all such as mourne for their transgressions according as he saith At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart he will put them all out of his remembrance The Prophet Dauid doth most liuely fully describe vnto vs the mercifull nature of God in the 103. Psalme where he saith The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger of great kindnes he wil not alwaies chide neither keepe his anger for euer he hath not dealt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards those that feare him As far as the East is from the West so far hath he remoued our sins from vs. As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust The Historie of the lost sonne doth most notably set foorth the wonderfull mercie of God towards penitent sinners There is shewed how the Lord doth embrace tender make much of such poore sinners as haue broken and contrite hearts for their sinnes for it is saide that when the father saw his repenting sonne a great way off he had compassion on him and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him and cloathed him with the best robe put it on him put a ring on his hand shooes on his féet and caused the fat calfe to be killed for him Euen so the euer lasting father doth reioyce at the conuersion of any of his lost sons Yea there is ioy in the presence of the angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth Moreouer the Lord doth most liuely expresse his merciful nature and disposition in this that he is very loath we should perish willingly cast away our selues Therfore often in the holy scriptures he doth mourne for vs bewaile our wretchednes and taketh vp many pitifull complaints and lamentations for vs saying Oh that my people had hearkned vnto me and Israel had walked in my waies And againe Oh that thou hadst hearkened vnto my commandements then had thy prosperity been as the floud and thy righteousnesse as the waues of the Sea Againe he mourningly complaineth by his Prophet Hosea saying Oh Ephraim what shall I do vnto thee Oh Iudah how shall I entreat thee And in another place What could I doe more vnto my vineyard that I haue not done Mark here how compassionately the Almighty God doth yearn ouer vs and euen as it were blée◠vpon our wounds The Apostle also doth note the rich mercy maruellous loue of God to mākind in this that he doth beséech vs pray vs by the ministers of the gospel that we would be reconciled vnto him The words are these Now then are we embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs sted that you be reconciled vnto God Is it not a strange thing that the omni potent God should fall to intreating of vs poore wretches It is all one as if a King should intreat a begger whom
against vs as most damnable transgressors of all thy holy commandements yea such as are sunke in our rebellions and haue many times often committed high treason against thy maiesty therefore thou maist iustly cast vs all downe into hell fire there to be tormented with Sathan and his Angels for euer And we haue nothing to except against thy maiesty for so doing sith therein thou shouldest deale with vs but according to equity and our iust deserts Wherfore déere Father we do appeale from thy iustice to thy mercy most humbly intreating thée to haue mercy vpon vs and freely to forgiue vs all our sinnes past whatsoeuer both new and old secret and open knowen and unknowen and thatfor Jesus Christs sake our only mediator And we pray thée touch our hearts with true griefe vnfained repentance for them that they may be a matter of continuall sorrow hart-smart vnto vs so as nothing may grieue vs more then this that wée haue offended thée béeing our speciall friend and Father Giue vs therefore deare Father euery day more and more sight féeling of our sinnes with true humiliation vnder the same Giue vs also that true and liuely faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy Sonne Christ and all his merits applying the same to our owne soules so as we may stand fully perswaded that whatsoeuer he hath don vpon the crosse he hath done for vs particularly as well as for others Giue vs faith good Father constantly to beléeue all the swéete promises of the Gospell touching remission of sin and eternall life made in thy son Christ O Lord increase our faith that we may altogether rest vpon thy promises which are all yea and Amen Yea that we may settle our selues and all that we haue wholly vpon them both our souls bodies goods name wiues children and our whole estate knowing that all things depend vpon thy promises power and prouidence that thy word doth support and beare vp the whole order of nature Moreouer we intreate thée O Lord to strengthen vs from aboue to walke in euery good way to bring foorth the fruits of true faith in all our particular actions studying to please thée in all things and to be fruitfull in good works that we may shew forth vnto all men by our good conuersation whose children we are and that we may adorne and beautifie our most holy profession by walking in a Christian course and in all the sound fruits practise of godlinesse and true religion To this end we pray thée sanctifie our hearts by thy spirit yet more and more sanctifie our soules and bodies and all our corrupt naturall faculties as reason vnderstanding will and affections so as they may be fitted for thy worship and seruice taking a delight and pleasure therein Stirre vs vp to vse praier watchfulnesse reading and meditation in thy law all other good meanes whereby we may profit in grace goodnes from day to day Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes that we may daily die to sin and liue to righteousnes draw vs yet néerer vnto thée helpe vs against our manifold wants Amend our great imperfections renue vs inwardly more and more repaire the ruines of our hearts aide vs against the remnants of sinne Enlarge our harts to run the way of thy Commandements direct all our steps in thy word let none iniquity haue dominion ouer vs. Assist vs against our speciall infirmities master sins that we may get the victory ouer them all to thy glory and the great peace comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen vs good father by thy grace and holy spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome couetousnes contempt of thy Gospel swearing lying dissembling and deceiuing O déere father let vs not be ouercome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures and fond delights wherewith thousands are carried headlong to destruction Arm our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh the diuell that we may ouercome them all through thy helpe kéepe on the right way to life that we may liue in thy feare die in thy fauor that our last daies may be our best daies that we may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore déere father we intreat thée not onely for our selues but for all our good brethren thy déere childreÌ„ scattred ouer the face of the whole earth most humbly beséeching thée to blesse them all to chéere them vp glad them with the ioy of thy countenance both now and alwaies Guide them all in thy feare and kéepe them from euill that they may praise thy name In these dangerous daies and declining times we pray thée O Lord raise vp nursing fathers and nursing mothers vnto thy Church Raise vp also faithfull Pastors that thy cause may be caried forward truth may preuaile Religion may prosper thy name onely may be set vp in the earth thy Sonnes kingdome aduanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all aduersary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their deuises scatter their forces ouerthrow their armies When they are most wise let them be most foolish when they are most strong let them be most weake Let them know that there is no wisedome nor counsell power nor policy against thée the Lord of hostes Let them know that Israel hath a God and that thou which art called Iehouah art the onely ruler ouer all the world Arise therefore O most mighty God and maintaine thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite through all their loines and bow downe their backs yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will vnto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be ioy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all fauour we intreat thée O Lord to shew speciall mercy to thy Church in this Land wherein we liue Continue thy Gospell amongst vs yet with greater successe purge thy house daily more and more take away all things that offend Let this Nation still be a place where thy name may be called vpon an harbour for thy saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and haue â—are of them that thy Gospell may be left vnto them as a most holy inheritance Defend vs against forraine inuasion kéepe out idolatry and Popery from amongst vs. Turne from vs those plagues which our sinnes crie for For the sins of this Land are excéeding great horrible and outragious and giue thée iust cause to make vs spectacles of thy vengeance to all Nations that by how much the more thou hast lifted vs vp in great mercy long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse vs downe in great wrath and long war Therefore deare father we most humbly intreate thée for thy great names sake for thy infinite mercies sake that thou wouldest be reconciled to this