where the Lord saith thus Run to and fro by the streets of Jerusalem behold and enquire in the open places thereof if yee can find a man or if there be any that executeth Judgement and seeketh the truth and I will spare it Oh then marke and consider what a man may doe yea what one man may doe what an Abraham may doe what a Moses may doe what an Eliah may doe what a Daniel what a Samuel what a Job what a Noah may do Some one man by reason of his high favour with the Eternall is able sometimes to doe more for a Land by his prayers and teares then many prudent men by their counsell or valiant men by their swords Yea it doth evidently appeare in the sacred Volumne of the holy Ghost that some one poore Preacher being full of the Spirit and Power of Eliah doth more in his Study either for offence or defence either for the turning away of wrath or the procuring of mercy then a camp royall even forty thousand strong yea as the Spirit speaketh Though they all have their swords girded to their thighs Cant. 3.7 and bee of the most valiant men in Israel And this is cleerly proved in one verse of the booke of Psalmes where the Prophet having reckoned up the sinnes of the people addeth Psal 106.23 Therefore the Lord minded to destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood in the breach to turne away his wrath lest hee should destroy them See therefore what one man may doe with God Some one man doth so bind the hands of God that when he would strike he hath no power to doe it as it is said of Lot Gen. 29.30 I can doe nothing till thou be come out See how the Lord saith hee can doe nothing because hee will doe nothing Hee doth wittingly and willingly suffer his hands to be manacled and bound behind him for some fewes sake which he doth make more account of then all the world besides so precious and deare are they in his sight Likewise it is written that the Lord was exceedingly incensed against the Israelites for their Idolatrous Calfe which they made in Horch yet hee could doe nothing because Moses would not let him And therefore he falleth to entreating of Moses that Moses would let him alone and entreat no more for them Oh saith the Lord to Moses let mee alone Exod. 32 1â— that my wrath may wax hot against this people and that I may consume them Thus we see that except Loâ— goe out of the City and Moses let him alone he can doe nothing O the profoundnesse and altitude of Gods mercy toward mankind O the height and depth length and breadth of his love toward some O that the most glorious and invisible God should so greatly respect the sons of men For what is man that he should be mindfull of him or the son of man that he should regard him Let us therefore that are the Lords Remembrancers give him no rest nor let him alone untill we have some security and good assurance from him that he will turne away from us the wrath which we most justly have deserved that he will spare us and be mercifull unto us Yea as the Prophet saith Isa 62.7 Let us never leave him nor give him over till hee repaire and sâ—t up Jerusalem the praise of the world lest for default hereof that be charged upon us which was charged upon the head of some of the Prophets in Israel that they were like the foxes in the waste places that they had not risen up in the gaps neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel Ezâ—k 13.4 5 For now adaies alas wee have many hedge-breakers few hedge-makers many openers of gaps few stoppers many makers of breaches to let in the flouds of Gods wrath upon us but very few that by true repentance go about to make up the breach and to let downe the sluces that the gushing streames of Gods vengeance may be slopt and stayed Phil. I do now plainly see that there be some in high favour with God and as wee say greatly in his books â—â—th his love is so great unto them that for their sake he spareth thousands Theol. It is written in the Proverbs of Solomon that the righteous in a land are the establishment of the Kings throne and the wicked the overthrowing of the same The words are these Pro. 25.4 Take away the drosse from the silver and there will proceed a vessell for the finer Take away the wicked from the King and his Throne shall be established in righteousnesse Likewise in another place the wiseman affirmeth that the righteous are the strength and bulwarks of Cittes Townes and Corporations but the wicked are the weakening and undoing of all Pro. 27.8 Scornfull men saith he set a City on fire but the wise turne away wrath To this purpose most excellent is that saying of Eliphas in Job Job 21.30 The innocent shall deliver the Iland and it shall be preserved by the purenesse of their hands 2 Chro. 11.14 16 17. Wee read in the booke of the Chronicles that when the Levites and the Priests were cast out by Jeroboam they came to Jerusalem and all such as set their hearts to seeke the Lord God of Israel came with them And then afterward it is said they strengthened the Kingdome of Juda and made Rehoboam the sonne of Solomon mighty By all these testimonies it is evident that Princes Kingdomes Cities Towns and Villages are fortified by the righteous therein and for their sakes also great plagues are kept back Which thing one of the Heathen did well see into as appeareth by his words which are these When God meaneth well to a City and will doe it good then hee raiseth up good men but when hee meaneth to punish a City or a Country and do ill unto it then he taketh away the good men from it Phil. It is very manifest by all that you have alledged that the wicked fare the better every day in the yeare for the righteous that dwell amongst them Theol. All experience doth teach it and the Scriptures do plentifully avouch it Geâ— 30 2â— For did not churlish Laban fare the better for Jacob his kinsman Doth hee not acknowledge that the Lord had blessed him for his sake Did not Potiphar fare the better for godly Joseph Gen. 39.5 Doth not the Scripture say that the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for Joseph his sake and thee the Lord made all that hee did to prosper in his hand 2 Sam. 6.1 Did not Obed-Edom fare the better for the Arke Act. 27.24 Did not the seventy and sixe soules that were in the ship with Paul speed all the better for his sake Did not the Angell of God tell him in the night that God had given unto him all that sailed with him for otherwise a thousand to one they had beene all drowned
fill you full of joy and peace in beleeveing that you may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Antil The Sunne drawes low Asunetus it is time for you and mee to be going Phil. Indeed the night will approach by and by and therefore we must of necessity break off Theol. Sith it is so wee will here surcease and go no further Asun Sir I will now take my leave of you I can never be thankfull enough for all the good instructions and comforts which I have heard from you this day I hope I shall remember some of them whilest I live I do therefore praise God for you and for your counsell and for this day which I hope shall be the first day of my repentance and true conversion unto God Theol. The Lord for his infinite mercies sake grant it And I most humbly beseech the Almighty God to establish you with his free spirit that you may proceed and go forward in a Christian course unto the end Phil. I pray you good M. Theologus pardon my boldnesse for you see I have been very bold to propound many questions unto you wherein you have fully satisfied me to the great joy and comfort of my soule I do therefore praise God for you and I hope I shall never forget some things you have uttered But I will now commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build us further Theol. Farewell good Philagathus The Lord blesse you and keepe you in all your wayes and the God of heaven preserve us all and continue us in his feare unto the end All glory be given to God A Table containing all the principall matters handled in this Booke and directing to the Page where they are set down MAns naturall corruption pag. 5 Mans misery in nature pag. 6 Mans nature corrupted but not destroyed by Adams fall ibid. Some sparks of Gods image still remain after the fall pag. 7 Man in the state of nature cannot do any thing that pleaseth God pag. 8 Man naturally neither sees nor feeles his misery ibid. Man in nature is under the tyrannie of Satan and curse of the Law pag. 10 Man growne to yeeres living and dying in the state of nature perisheth for ever pag. 12 Man continueth cursed till he be borne againe ibid. None can be saved but onely the Regenerate ibid. Regeneration what pag. 13 The quality of Regeneration pag. 14 Remnants of sin after Regeneration ibid. Regeneration unperfect in this life pag. 15 Meanes of Regeneration pag. 24 Eight infallible signes of salvation pag. 30 Eight signes of damnation pag. 31 Nine manifest tokens of damnation ib. Pride described pag. 33 Pride of gifts condemned pag. 35 Pride in apparell condemned pag. 42 Rules of the Word for apparel pag. 52 53 54 Whoredome and the dangers thereof pag. 58 Excuses of whoredome pag. 59 The fearfull effects of whoredome pag. 60 The punishment of whoredome pag. 61 62 The causes of whoredome pag. 65 66 Remedies against whoredome pag. 69 Covetousnesse what pag. 70 Covetousnesse wherein it doth consist ibid. Foure notes to discerne the inward covetousnesse of the heart by pag. 72 The evill effects of covetousnesse pag. 74 The vanity of this world and all worldly things pag. 77 Excuses of covetousnesse pag. 94 Remedies against covetousness pag. 101 102 Gods providence for his children in the things of this life pag. 103 For the things of this life Gods blessing is all in all pag. 119 Outward meanes alone doe not uphold us pag. 120 Gods children sometimes are brought to great distresse pag. 123 Gods children alwaies sure to be delivered out of trouble pag. 128 The great priviledges of Gods children pag. 129 Contempt of the Gospel a grievous sin pag. 135 136 Contempt of the Gospel punished pag. 137 Contempt of the Gospel the sin of this Age. pag. 138 Contempt of the Gospel a sure signe of wrath to the Land pag. 147 Swearing and the punishment thereof pag. 154 Excuses for swearing pag. 163 Causes of swearing pag. 166 Remedies against swearing pag. 167 Lying flattering and dissembling ibid. Punishments for lying pag. 175 176 Excuses for lying pag. 177 Causes of lying pag. 178 179 Remedies against lying ibid. Drunkennesse and the evil effects thereof pag. 110 181 Excuses of drunkennesse pag. 184 Causes of drunkennesse pag. 185 Remedies of drunkennesse ibid. Idlenesse and the wofull effects thereof pag. 190 Causes of idlenesse pag. 197 Remedies against idlenesse ibid. Oppression a most horrible sin pag. 198 Many woes denounced against oppressours pag. 199 Sundry kinds of oppression pag. 200 201 Causes of oppression pag. 215 Remedies of oppression ibid. Sinne hurts men in their bodies goods and name pag. 216 Sinne brings great danger to the whole Land pag. 224 Nine predictions of wrath to the Land pag. 229 The prayers and teares of the faithfull keep back the wrath of God from the Land pag. 322 323 Prayers of the Elect of great force ibid. The wicked fare the better for Gods children pag. 242 The best course to prevent Gods judgements and to keep backe his wrath from our Land pag. 244 Ten speciall things concerning the continuance of our peace pag. 250 251 Nine signes of a sound soule pag. 252 Saint Peters eight markes of salvation ibid. Seven infallible tokens of salvation pag. 253 Assurance of salvation in this life proved pag. 254 255 Objections against the assurance of salvation answered pag. 259 The ground-worke of our salvation pag. 261 Some doubts may stand with the assurance of faith pag. 262 It is no presumption to be perswaded of our salvation pag. 265 The wicked cannot be assured of their salvation pag. 266 The security of salvation which the wicked brag of is vaine pag. 267 268 Nine things required of all that shall be saved by Christ pag. 271 272 Many say they hope to be saved by Christ but few can give a reason why Christ died for them particularly and by name pag. 273 Few shall be saved proved by Scriptures reasons and examples pag. 277 278 But few even in the visible Church shall be saved pag. 284 Objections against the small number of the Elect answered pag. 285 Objections of Atheists and unbeleevers answered pag. 286 Reading of the Scriptures much commended pag. 294 Deferring of repenting dangerous pag. 299 God no Authour of mans condemnation but himselfe pag. 300 Objections against Predestination answered pag. 301 302 Gods decree no cause of Adams fall pag. 305 The decree of reprobation proved pag. 306 Prescience in God what pag. 307 The decree of election proved pag. 308 The first motive of election is in God himselfe pag. 309 Fore-seen faith and fore-seen workes no motives of salvation ibid. Faith dependeth upon election not election upon faith pag. 311 A reason yeelded why there is no end of cavilling and objecting against the truth pag. 315 Nine bars out of heaven pag. 316 Nine gates into hell ibid. The ignorance of the world pag. 32â—
Gospel and strengthen us from above to walk and abound in all the true and sound fruits of faith Let us walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Let us feele the power of thy Sonnes death killing sin in our mortall bodies and the power of his resurrection raising us up to newnesse of life Let us grow daily in the sanctification of the Spirit and the mortification of the flesh Let us live holily justly and soberly in this present evill world shewing forth the vertues of thee in all our particular actions that wee may adorne our most holy profession and shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and froward generation amongst whom wee live being gainfull to all by our lives and conversation and offensive to none To this end wee pray thee fill us with thy Spirit and all spirituall graces as love wisdome patience contentment meeknesse humility temperance chastitie kindnesse and affability and stirre us up to use prayer and watchfulnesse reading and meditation in thy Law and all other good meanes whereby wee may grow and abound in all heavenly vertues Blesse us in the use of the meanes from day to day make us such as thou wouldest have us to be and such as wee desire to be worke in us both will and deed purpose and power For thou O Lord art all in all thou wilt have mercie upon whom thou wilt have mercie and whom thou wilt thou hardenest Have mercy upon us therefore deare Father and never leave us to our selves nor to our owne wills lusts and desires but assist us with thy good Spirit that we may continue to the end in a righteous course that so at length wee may be received into glory and be partakers of that immortall Crowne which thou hast laid up for all that love thee and truly call upon thee Further wee intreat thee O heavenly Father to give us all things necessary for this life as food raiment health peace liberty and such freedome from those manifold miseries which we lie open unto every day as thou seest meet Blesse unto us all the meanes which thou hast put into our hands for the sustenance of this fraile life Blesse our flocke and store corne and cattell trades and occupations and all workes of our hands for thy blessing onely makes rich and it bringeth no sorrowes with it Give us therefore such a competencie and sufficiencie of these outward blessings as thou in thy heavenly wisdome seest most needfull for us Moreover wee humbly beseech thee most loving Father in great mercie looke downe from Heaven upon thy whole Church and every member of it Be favourable unto Sion and build up the walls of Jerusalem Behold with the eye of pitie the great ruines and desolation of thy Church Heale up the wounds and make up the breaches thereof in all Nations Regard it as thine own flocke tender it as thine own family dresse it as thine owne Vineyard love it as thine owne Spouse Thinke thoughts of peace to it and alwayes looke upon it in deep compassion Blesse it with thy grace guide it with thy Spirit and defend it still with thy mighty power scatter the devices consound the counsels and overthrow the forces of all that fight against it Specially wee intreat thee deare Father to set thy selfe against that Antichrist of Rome that man of perdition which setteth himselfe against thee and against all thy people In thine appointed time wee pray thee give him a deadly downfall Beat downe all his power and authority daily more and more give free passage to thy Gospel in all Kingdomes that Babylon may fall and never rise up againe The more the favourites and adherents of Rome labour to uphold their Idolatrous Kingdome the more let it fall downe even as Dagon before the presence of thine Arke Poure downe the Vials of the fulnesse of thy wrath upon the Kingdomes of the Beast and let their riches wealth credit and authority dry up every day more and more as the river Euphrates Let it pitie thee O Father to see thine owne Spouse sit as a deformed and forlorne woman here below weeping and mourning with her haire about her necke having lost all her beauty and comelinesse Cheere her up deare Father glad her with the joy of thy countenance and so decke her and trim her up that thou maist delight in her as a Bridegroome in his Bride Specially wee intreat thee have mercie upon thy Church in this Land intend good unto us and not evill Give us not over into the hands of our cruell enemies as our sinnes have deserved Scatter we pray thee O Lord the devices and breake the plots of all such as have plotted the overthrow and utter subversion of this Church and Common-wealth Blesse this Church more and more with the continuance of true Religion amongst us for thy great Names sake and infinite mercies sake deale graciously and favourably with us and our posterity Turne from us that vengeance which is due unto us for our sinnes For thou seest how iniquity prevaileth and the wicked goe away with the goale Atheisme over-spreadeth every where and Popery seemeth to get a head againe Now therefore deare Father we most humbly beseech thee to take order speedily for the remedying and repressing of these manifold disorders and grievous enormities that are amongst us 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 unto us in the multitude of thy compassions that so thou maist still continue a most mercifull protectour of this thine English Vineyard Wee pray thee good Father shew speciall mercy to our most Noble and gracious King Charles thine anointed Servant blesse him and keep him in all his wayes blesse his government unto us Let thine Angels encamp about him and let thy holy hand be alwayes over him keep him from treasons and deliver him from the treacheries of his enemies give him to see what belongs to his peace and give 〈◊〉 a heart earnestly bent to set upon the practice of the same give him all graces necessary for his place and necessary for his salvation continue his government peaceable and prosperous amongst us and as thou hast made him the breath of our nostrils and a gracious instrument for the saving of many thousand soules so let his owne soule be saved in the day of thy Sonne Christ Blesse his Majesties most honourable privie Counsellours and give such good successe unto all their counsels and policies in matters of State that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and 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 Justice
many will say As long as they be neither whore nor thiefe nor spotted with such like grosse sinnes they trust in God they shall be saved Theol. They erre not knowing the Scriptures For many thousands are in great danger of losing their souls for ever which are free from such notorious and horrible vices nay many which in the world are counted good honest men good true dealers good neighbours and good towns-men Asun I pray you Sir give mee leave a little I have heard all your speech hitherto and I like reasonable well of it but now I can forbear no longer my conscience urgeth mee to speak For mee thinks you goe too far you goo beyond your learning in this that you condemn good neighbours and good towns-men You say many such men are in danger of losing their souls but I will never beleeve it while I live For if such men be not saved I cannot tell who shall Theol. But you must learn to know out of the Scriptures that all outward honesty and righteousnesse without the true knowledge and inward feeling of God availeth not to eternall life As our Saviour Christ saith Matth. 12. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven It is also written that when Paul preached at 〈◊〉 Acts 17.18 many honest men and women did beleeve that iâ— such no were outwardly honest or honest to the word only for they could not be truly and inwardly honest before they did beleeve Therefore you see that this outward honesty câ—vility without the inward regeneration of the spirit avaâ—seth not to eternall life and then consequently all your honest worldly men are in great danger of losing their souls for ever Asun What sound reason can you yeeld why such honest men should be condemned Theol. Because many such are utterly void of all true knowledge of God and his word Nay which is more many of them despise the word of God and hate all the zealous professors of it They esteem Preachers but as pratlers and Sermons as good tales they esteem a Preacher no more then a shoemaker they regard the Scriptures no more then their old shooes What hope is there then I pray you that such men should be saved Doth not the holy Ghost say Hoâ— 2.5 How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Asun You go too far you judge too hardly of them Theol. Not a whit For all experience sheweth that they mind dream dote of nothing else day and night but this world this world lands leases grounds and livings kine sheep and how to wax rich All their thoughts words and works are of these such like things And their actions do most manifestly declare that they are of the earth and speak of the earth and there is nothing in them but earth earth As for Sermons they care not how few they hear And for the scriptures they regard them not they read them not they esteem them not worth the while there is nothing more irksome unto them they had rather pill strawes or doe any thing then hear read or conferre of the Scriptures And as the Prophet saith 〈◊〉 8.1 â— The word of the Lord is as a reproach unto them they have no delight in it Phil. I marvell much that such men should live so honestly to the worldward Theol. No marvell 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 sin as some for credit some for shame some for fear of law some for fear of punishment but none for love of God for zeal of conscience or of obedience For it is a sure thing that the wicked may have 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 certain it is that some of them in outward gifts and the outward carriage of themselves doe goe beyond some of the elect Phil. Shew me I pray you in what gifts Theol. In learning discretion justice temperance prudence patience liberality assability kindnesse courtesie good nature c. Phil. Me thinks it should not be possible Theol. Yes truly for some of Gods dear children in whom no doubt the inward work is truely and soundly wrought yet are so troubled and incumbred with a crabbed crooked nature and so clogged with some master sin as some with anger some with pride some with covetousnesse some with lusts some one way and some another all which breaking out in them do so blemish them and their profession that they cannot so shine forth unto men as otherwise no doubt they would and this is their wound their griefe and their heart-smart and that which costeth them many a tear and many a prayer and yet can they not get the fu l victory over them but still they are less in them as a prick in the flesh to humble them Ph. Yet love should cover a multitude of such infirmities in Gods children Theol. It should do so indeed but there is great want of love even in the best and the worst sort espying these infirmities in the godly runne upon them with open mouth and take upon them to condemne them utterly and to judge their hearts saying They be hypocrites dissemblers and there is none worse then they Phil. But do you not think that there be some counterfeits even amongst the greatest professors Theol. Yes no doubt there be alwayes have been some very hypocrites in the Church but we most take heed of judging condemning all for some For it were very much to condemne Christ and his eleven disciples because of one Judas or the whole Primitive Church for one Ananias and Sapphira Phil. But I hope you are of this mind that some regenerate men even in outward gifts and their outward carriage are comparable with many others Theol. Questionlesse very many For they being guided by Gods spirit and upheld by his grace doe walk very uprightly and unblamably towards men Phil. Yet there resteth one scruple for it seemeth very strange unto me that men of so discreet carriage as you speak of and of so many good parts should not be saved It is great pity such men should be damned Theol. It seemeth so unto us indeed but God is only wise And you must note that as there be some infirmities in Gods children which hee correcteth with temporall chastisements and yet rewardeth their faith love and inward service and obedience with eternal 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 unbeliefe and hardnesse of heart Phil. Now you have reasonably well satisfied mee touching the doctrine of regeneration and the manifold errours
no man is to be proud of his gifts because they are none of his own he hath but received them to use We count him worthy to be laughed at as a fool who having borrowed brave apparell of others as a silk gown a sâ—tten doublet a chain of gold velvet breaches c. should proudly jet it in the streets in them as if they were his own even so are they worthy to be chronicled for fools which are proud of good gifts which are none of their own Therefore the Prophet Jeremy saith Jer. 25.3 Thus saith the Lord Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom not the strong man in his strength neither the rich man in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me To this point also well saith the heathen Poet Tâ—eoâ—tiâ—us No man can escape the punishment of pride therefore in greatest prosperity be not puffed up Phil. Yet it is a world to see how proud surly haughty stately insolent and thrasonicall some be because of their gifts they think they touch the clouds with their heads and that the earth doth not beare them they take themselves to be petty angels or some wonderfull wights they contemne and disdaine all others which have not the like gifts they doe contemptuously over-look them as a lion should over-look a mouse a King a begger or as we say in a proverb as the Divell looked over Lincoln Theol. Oh proud dust Oh haughty wormes meat If they would bring their hearts before God and their consciences thoughts and affections to be judged by his law it would soon cool them and take them down well enough they should see their wants and imperfections to be so great that they indeed should have no more cause to boast of their gifts then the Blackmoor hath of his whitenesse because his teeth are white The holy Ghost ours all our combs and plucketh down all pride of flesh when he saith Job 26.14 How â—mall a thing doth man understand of God Phil I pray you let us proceed to speak of the outward and grosse pride of the world and first of all tell me what you think of pride in apparell Theol I think it to be a vanity of all vanities and a folly of all follies For to be proud of apparell is as if a thiefe should be proud of his halter a beggar of his clouts a child of his gay or a fool of his bable Phil. Yet wee see how proud many specially women be of such bables For when they have spent a great part of the day in tricking and trimming pricking and pinning pranking and pouncing girding and lacing and braving up themselves in most exquisite manner then out they come into the streets with their pedlers shop upon their back and carry their crests very high taking themselves to be little angels or at least somewhat more then other women Whereupon they doe so exceedingly swell with pride that it is to bee feared they will burst with it as they walk in the streets And truly we may think the very stones in the street and the beams in the houses doe quake and wonder at their monstrous intolerable and excessive pride For it seemeth that they are altogether a lump of pride a masse of pride even altogether made of pride and nothing else but pride pride Theol. You seeme to be very hot in the matter Asun Marry Sir I like him the better for the world was never so full of pride as it is now adayes Theol. Alas alas indeed who can hold his peace at the pride of this age What a thing is it that flesh and bloud worms meat dust and ashes dirt and dung should so brave it out with their 〈◊〉 clouts and that in the sight of â—od Angels and men For the time will come when both they and all their gay clouts shall be buried in a grave Yea as Job saith Iob 12.13,14 The grave shall be their house and they shall mâ—ke â—heir bed in the dark And â—hâ—n tâ—ey shall say to corruption Thou art my Father and to the worm Thou are my Mother and my sister What then shall it availe them thus to â—aâ—e râ—â—fled it out in all their bravery wâ—o as suddenly they shall 〈…〉 struction What did it prove tâ—e riâ—h man to bee sumptuously clothed and fare deliciously every day when his body was buried in the dust and his soul in hell fire Asun I pray you Sir what say you to these great ruffes which are born up with supporters and rebatoes as it were with post and rail Theol. What should I say but God be mercifull unto us For such things doe draw down the wrath and vengeance of God upon us all and as the Apostle saith Gal. 5.6 For such things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience And truly truly we may wel fear that God wil plague us for our abominable pride Asun What say you then to these doubled and r doubled ruffes which are now in common use strouting fardingales long locks fore-tufts shag hair â—nd all these new fashions which are devised and taken up every day Theol I say they are far from that plainnesse simplicity and modesty which hath been in former ages our fore-fathers knew no such things It is recorded of William Rufus Graftous 〈◊〉 â—4 sometime King of this land that when his Chamberlain on a time brought him a new pair of hose he demanded of him what they cost who answered three shillings Whereat the King being somewhat moved commanded him to prepare him a pair of a mark If Kings were then thought to exceed that bestowed a mark upon a pair of hose what is it to be thought of many mean men in these our dayes yea such as have no living and are scarce of any good calling which bestow as much upon a pair as the King did upon two when he was thought most of all to exceed But alas alas we have passed all bounds of modesty and measure there is no hee with us Our Land is too heavie of this sinne For the pride of all Nations and the follies of all countries are upon us how shall we bear them And as for these new fashions the more new they be the more foolish and as foolish they that use them For with our new fashions we are grown clean out of fashion If we had as many fashions of our bodies as we have of our attire we should have as many fashions as fingers and toes But vain men and women do apparently shew their vain minds by following so greedily such vain toyes and fashions Asun It was never a good world since starching and steeling busks and whale-bones supporters and rebatoes full moons and hobby-horses painting and dying with selling of favour and complexion came to be in use For since these came in covetousnesse oppression and deceit have increased For how else should pride bee maintained and
say in our hearts No evill can come unto us Asun You say very true Sir The world was never so set upon covetousnesse and men were never so greedily given to the world as now adaies And yet in truth there is no cause why men should bee so sharp-set upon this world For this world is but vanity and all is but pels trash Fâ—e on this muck Phil. Many such men as you are can skil to give good words and say Fie on this world all is but vanity yet for all that in your daily practice you are never the lesse set upon the world nor never the more seek after God You hear the word of God no whit the more you reade no whit the more you pray never the moâ—e which evidently sheweth that all your faire speeches and protestations are nought else but hypocrisie and leasing Your heart is not with God for all this All is but words there is no such feeling in the heart And therefore I may justly say to you as God himselfe said to his people This people have said well all that they have said Oh D ut 5.28 that there were an heart in them to feare me and keepe my commandements Theol. His words indeed are good if his heart were according For all things considered there is no cause why men should bee so given to this world for they must leave it when they have done all that they can As wee say To day a man to morrow none And as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. â— Wee brought nothing into this world and it is certaine wee shall carry nothing out Wee must all dye wee know not how soon why therefore should men set their hearts upon such uncertainties and deceiveable things for all things in this world are more light then a feather more brittle than glasse more fleeting than a shadow more vanishing than smoake more unconstant than the winde Doubtlesse saith the Prophet David man walketh in a shadow Psal 3â— 6. and disquieteth himselfe in vaine hee heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them I wonder therefore that these moles and muck-worms of this earth should so minde these shadowish things and so dote on them as they do If they were not altogether hardened and blinded by the Divelâ— they would not be so neerly knit to thee â—â—od and the penny as they are thinking and alwayes imagining that there is no happinesse but in these things which are but dung and drosse and at last they will give us the slip when wee think our selves most sure of them The wise King who had the greatest experience of these things that ever man had for hee enjoyed whatsoever this world could afford upward and downeward backward and forward yet could he finde nothing in them but vanity and vexation of spirit Moreover hee flâ—tâ—y avoucheth That all these things riches wealth honour pleasures and treasures will most notably deceive us in the end give us the slâ—p and be gone For he compareth riches and all the glory of the world to an Eagle or Hawke which a man holdeth upon his fist stroketh her maketh much of her taketh great delight and pleasure in her and saith hee will not take ten pounds for her yet all on the sudden shee taketh her flight and flyeth up into the aire and hee never seeth her more nor shee him The words of the holy Ghost are these Pâ—oâ— 25.5 Wilt thou cause thine eyes to flie after them meaning riches Thou maiest but they will not be found For they wil make themselves wings like to the Eagle which slieth up to heaven From thence wee may learne that though wee set our hearts neversomuch on any thing here below yet at the last it shall bee taken from us or we from it Therefore all worldly men doe but weave the spiders web and may fitly bee compared to the silly spider who toyleth her selfe and laboureth all the weeke long to fluish up her web that shee may lodge her selfe in it as in her owne house and free-hold But alas at the weeks end a maid in a moment with one brush of a broom dispossesseth her of her inheritance which shee had purchased with great labour and much adoe Even so when the men of this world have with much care and travell purchased great lands and revenues and gathered all that they can yet on the sudden death with one stroke of his â—â—refull dart will make them give up the ghost and then where are they It was prettily therefore said of a man in the light of nature Seneca No man hath ever lived so happily in this life but in his life time many things have befallen him for the which hee hath wished rather to die than to live And assuredly I thinke there was never any man lived any one day upon the face of the earth but some griefe or other either did or justly might invade his minde ere night either in the temptations of the World the Flesh or the Divell or in regard of soule body goods or name in regard of wife children friends or neighbours in regard of dangers to Prince Staie Church or Common-wealth in regard of casualties and losse by water by fire by sea or by land What a life therefore is this that hath not our good day in it Who would desire to dwell long in it For it lieth open every day to manifold miseries dangers losses casualties reproaches shame infamy poverty sicknesse diseases cholicks agueâ— tooth-ache head-ache back-ache bone-ache and a thousand calamities Phil. You have very well described unto us the vanity of this life and that no day is free from one sorrow or other one griefe or other the which thing our Lord Jesus ratifieth in the reason which hee bringeth why men should not distrustfully care for to morrow For saith hee sufficient to the day is the evill thereof Or as some read it The day hath enough with his owne griefe Wherein hee doth plainly shew that every day hath his sorrow his evill his griefe and his thwart But I pray you proceed further in this point Theol. This I say further That when men have swinked sweat carked and cared mosled and turmosled drudged and droiled by night by day by sea and by land with much care and sorrow much labour and griefe to rake together the things of this life yet at last all will away againe and wee must end where wee began For as Job said Iob. 1. Naked wee came into the world and naked wee must go out For even as a winde-mill beateth it selfe maketh a great noise whistleth and whisketh about from day to day all the yeare long yet at the yeares end standeth still where it begunne being not moved one foote backward or forward soe when men have blustered and blowne all that they can and have even runne themselves out of breath to scrape up the commodities of the earth yet at last they must spite
it For God is true and all men lyars Hee is faithfull that hath promised His word is more then the faith of a Prince more then ten thousand obligations Why then doe wee not rest upon it why goe wee any further why doe we not take his word why doe wee not depend wholly upon him why are wee still covetous why are we still distrustfull why doe we dissemble and deceive Oh wee of little faith Our Lord Iesus knowing right well the distrustfulnesse of our nature and the deep root it hath in us is not only content to make these great and royall promises unto us which were enough but also strengtheneth and backeth us with many strong reasons to support our weaknesse in this behalfe He therefore bringeth us back to a due consideration of things Consider saith hee the Ravens Luke 12. consider the fowles of the heavens for they neither sow not reap nor carry into barnes and yet God feedeth them they want nothing Consider the lillies how they grow they neither labour nor spinne yet Solomon in all his royalty was not clothed like one of these Oh therefore that wee would consider these Considers Oh that wee would consider that our life is more worth then meat and our bodies then raiment Oh that wee would consider that with all our carking and caring wee can doe no good at all no not so much as add one cubite to our stature Truely truely if wee would deeply ponder these reasons of our Saviour and apply them to our selves they might serve for a bulwark and sure defence against covetousnesse If men would consider how that great King of heaven who hath his way in the whirle-wind Nahum 1.3 and the clouds are the dust of his feet careth for the little Wren and silly Sparrow how hee looketh to them how he tendreth them how hee provideth for them every day both break-fast dinner and supper it might serve to correct our distrustfulnesse For who ever saw these or any other fowle starve for hunger so good a Father and so good a Nurse have they And are not wee much better then they Hath not God more care of us then of them Yes verily a thousand times For he loveth them but for our sakes how much more then doth he love our selves Therefore I say again and againe If wee would consider these things and lay them to heart they would nip covetousnesse on the head and drive it quite out of our hearts Let us consider therefore that God provided for man before man was then how much more will hee provide for man now that hee is Is hee our Father and will hee not provide for us Is he our King and will he not regard us Is hee our shepherd and will hee not look to us Hath hee provided heaven for us and will hee not give us earth Hath hee given us his Sonne Christ and shall hee not with him give us all things Doth hee provide for his enemies and will hee not provide for his friends Doth hee provide for whoremongers and will hee neglect his chosen Doth hee send his rain and cause the sunne to shine upon the unjust and shall hee not upon the just Doth he provide for them which are not of the family and will hee not provide for his owne family Will a man feed his hogges and not care for his servants Or will hee care for his servants and not regard his own children Oh then let us consider these reasons let us remember that our heavenly Father hath as great care for the preservation of his creatures as once hee had for their creation Let us therefore remember that he which giveth the day will provide for us the things of the day Let us remember that God alwayes giveth for sustentation though not for satiety Let us remember Pâ—â—v 10.28 that God will not famish the souls of the righteous Let us remember how God never faileth his For who ever trusted in the Lord and was confounded Phil. What then is the cause that many do want these outward things Theol. The cause is in themselves because they want faith For if wee had faith wee could want nothing For faith feareth no famine as saith an ancient Father Hieron ad Heliodorum Cypr. in oratione Dominica Another saith Forasmuch as all things are Gods hee that hath God can want nothing if himselfe bee not wanting unto God Therefore to have God is to have all things for if we have him our friend wee have enough we need goe no further For hee will make men our friends yea hee will make Angels and all creatures to bee serviceable unto us hee will give them speciall charge to looke to us to guard us and to doe continuall homage unto us Therefore let us make God our friend and then have we done all at once that may concerne our good both for this life and a better But if hee stand not our friend if wee have not him on our side if hee back us not then all other things whatsoever can doe us no good All is not worth a button For August Quid prodest si omnia habes cum tamen qui omnia dedit non habeas What is a man the better though hee have all things and bee without him which is the author of all things Phil. Herein you speak very truly no doubt For we see many have great plenty of outward things but because they have not God they can have no true comfort in them or blessing with them Theol. True indeed For Matth. 4. Man liveth not by bread only saith our Lord Iesus but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And again heâ— saith Lâ—ke 12. Though a man have abundance yet his life consisteth not in the things that hee hath For without Gods blessing there can bee no sound comfort in any thing Wee see by daily expeâ—ience how the Lord curseth the wicked though they have abundance For some having abundance yet are visited with continuall sicknesses Some having abundance pine away with consumptions Others having abundance dye of surfeiting Others are snatched away by untimely death in the midst of all their jollity Others are visited with great losse both by sea and by land Others are vexed with curst wives and disobedient children Some againe commit murthers and treasons and so lose all at once Others are wasted and consumed by the secret curse of God no man knoweth how Some having great riches are given over to the murtherer some to the thiefe some to the poysoner Therefore the wise King saith There is an evill sicknesse under the sun riches reserved to the owners thereof for their evill Eccl. 5.12 Zophar also the Naamathite saith When the wicked shall have sufficient and enough Job 20.23 hee shall be brought into straits The hand of every troublesome man shall be upon him When hee shall fill his belly God will send upon him his fierce wrath
holy things neither is there any true feare of God before your eyes Antil I tell you plainly we must tend our businesse we may goe beg else we cannot live by the Scriptures If wee follow Sermons we shall never thrive What do you thinke every man is bound to reade the Scriptures Have we not our five wits Doe wee not know what we have to doe you would make fooles of us belike But we are neither drunke nor mad Theol. That every man of what condition soever is bound in conscience to heare and read the word of God hath been shewed and proved in the beginning of our conference but as for your five wits they will not serve your turne in these matters though you had fifteene wits For all the wit reason and understanding of naturall men in Gods matters is but blindnesse and meere foolishnesse The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3.15 Rom. 8.7 That the wisedome of the most wise in this world is not onely foolishnesse with God but indeed very enmity against God And againe he saith 1 Cor. 2 14. That the naturall man with all his five wits understandeth not the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned Most prudently to this point speaketh Elihu saying Job 32.2 There is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding Antil I understand not these Scriptures which you do alledge they do not sinke into my head Theol. I thinke so indeed for the holy Ghost saith Prov. 24.7 Wisedome is too high for a foole Antil What do you call me foole I am no more foole then your selfe Theol. I call you not fool but I tell you what the Scripture saith which calleth all men though otherwise never so wise politick and learned very fooles till they be truly enlightened and inwardly sanctified by the Spirit of God as appeareth Tit. 3.3 where the Apostle affirmeth that both Titus and himselfe before they received the illuminating Spirit of Gods grace were very fooles without wit and without all sense in Gods matters Phil. I pray you good Mr. Theologus let him alone for hee will never have done cavilling I see hee is a notable caviller Let us therefore proceed to speake of the fift signe of condemnation which is swearing Theol. It may well indeed be called a signe of condemnation For I think it more than a signe it is indeed an evident demonstration of a Reprobate For I never knew any man truely fearing God in his heart that was an usuall and a common swearer Phil. I am flat of your mind for that For it cannot bee that the true feare of God and ordinary swearing should dwell together in one man sith swearing is a thing forbidden by flat statute And God addeth a sore threat to his Law That hee will not hold him guiltlesse that takes his name in vaine but will most sharply and severely punish that man Theol. You say true And God saith moreover that if wee do not feare and dread his glorious and fearfull Name JEHOVAH Deut. 18.53 he will make our plagues wonderfull He saith also by his Prophet Mâ—lachy Mâ— 35. that hee will bee as a swift witnesse against swearers The Prophet Zachary saith Zach. 5.24 that the flying booke of Gods curse and vengeance shall enter into the house of thâ— swearer and he shall be cut off Therefore let all swearers take heed and look to themselves in time for we see there is a rod in pisse laid up in stor for them Phil. These threatnings being sâ— great and grievous and that from thâ— God of heaven himselfe a man woulâ— think should cause mens hearts to quake and tremble and make them affraid to nap out such oathes as they do if they were not altogether hardned past feeling and past grace Theol. True indeed But yet wee see by lamentable experience how men are given over both to sweare and forsweare For at this day there is no sinne more common amongst us than swearing for many there bee which cannot speak ten words but one shall bee an oath And numbers have got such a wicked custome of swearing that they can by no meanes leave it no more than a Black-moore can change his skinne or a Leopard his spots For it is made naturall unto them through custome and they have got the habit of it I do verily think if it were high treason to sweare yet some could not leave swearing And sure I am as light as we make of it that it is high treason against the Crowne of heaven yea it is a sinne immediatly against God even against his owne person and therefore he hath forbidden it in the first Table of his law Phil. Questionlesse this vice of swearing is of all other sinnes most rife in this Land For you shall have little boyes and children in the streetes rappe out oathes in most fearfull manner It would make a mans heart quake to heare them Wee may think they have sucked them out of there mothers breasts but sure wee are they have learned them from the evill example of their parents And now adayes wee cannot almost talk with a man but in ordinary speech he will belch out one oath or another Theol. I will tell you a strange thing and with great grief I speak it I do verily thinke there are sworn in this Land an hundred thousand oathes every day in the yeere Phil. No doubt Sir you are within compasse For now almost so many men so many oathes excepting some few in comparison Nay I know divers of mine owne experience which if they may be kept in talke will sweare every day in the yeare an hundred oathes for their parts Theol. O what a lamentable thing is it wee may well take up the old complaint of the Prophet Jeremy who saith Jer. 23.20 that in his time The land did mourne because of oathes And wee may well wonder that the Land sinketh not because of oaths For if God were not a God of infinite patience how could he endure his most sacred and glorious Name to bee so many thousand times blasphemed in one day that by such miserable wretches as we be Phil. Wee may indeed admire and wonder at the patience and long-suffering of God that he spareth us so long giveth us so large a time of repentance But sure it is that the Prophet saith That howsoever the Lord is slow to anger yet hee is great in power Nah. 1.3 and will not surely cleare the wicked Though he may winke at their monstrous oathes for a time yet hee forgetteth them never a whit but scoreth them up and registreth them in his book of accounts so as they stand in record against them And when the great day of reckoning shall come hee will fet them all in order before them and lay them to their charge Let not the wicked swearers and blasphemers therefore thinke that they shall alwaies scape scot-free because
thy God Deuâ— 38. cursed shalt thou be in the towne cursed also in the field cursed shall be thy basket and thy store cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land and the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in and cursed also when thou goest out The Lord shall send upon thee cursing trouble and shame in all that thou settest thy hand unto Deut. 27. And further he saith That he will breake the staffe of their bread that ten women shall bake their bread in one oven and they shall deliver their bread againe by weight and they shall eat and not be satisfied You do therefore apparently see that these sins will draw down Gods wrath upon us and all that we have Phil. What hurt do these sinnes to our good name Theol. They bring reproach shame and infamy upon us and cause us to be abhorred and contemned of all good men They do utterly blot out our good name For as vertue makes men honourable and reverend so vice makes men vile and contemptible This is set downe where the Lord threatens Israel 2 Kin. 197. that for their sinnes and disobedience hee will make them a proverb and common talke yea a reproach and astonishment among all people Ezek. 5.5 In sundry other places of the Prophets hee threatens for their sins to make them a reproach a shame an hissing and nodding of the head to all Nations Phil. I do verily thus think that as sinne generally doth staine every mans good name which all are chary and tender of so especially it doth blot those which are in high places and of speciall note for learning wisedome and godlinesse Theol. You have spoken most truly and agreeable to the Scriptures For the Scripture saith E cles 10.1 As a dead Flie causeth the Apothecaries oyntment to stinke so doth a little folly him that is in estimation for wisdome and for honour Where Solomon sheweth that if a Flie get into the Apothecaries box of oyntment and die and putrifie in it shee marreth it though it be never so precious even so if a little sin geâ— into the heart and breake out in the forehead of a man of great sinne for some singular gifts it will blurre him though hee be never so excellent Phil. Shew me this I pray you more plainly Theol. Wee observe this in oll experience that if a Noble-man be a good man and have many excellent parts in him of curtesie patience humility and love of Religion yet if he be covetous the common people will have their eye altogether upon that and they will say Such a Noble-man is a very good man but for one thing hee is exceeding covetous oppresseth poore men and dealeth hardly with his Tenants keepeth no house doth little good in the Countrie where he dwelleth And this is it that marreth all Moreover let a Iudge a Iustice or a Magistrate be endued with excellent gifts of prudence policy temperance liberality and knowledge in the low yet if they be given to anger or taking of bribes oh how it will disgrace them amongst the people for they will say He is a worthy man indeed but there is one thing in him that marreth all hee is an exceeding angry and furious man hee is as angry as a waspe he will be in a pelting chase for every trifle he will fret and fume if you do but blow upon him And besides this hee is a very corrupt man he is a great taker of bribes hee loveth well to be bribed hee will do any thing for bribes Furthermore if any Preacher be a man of great gifts the common people will say of him Oh he is a worthy man indeed an excellent Scholar a profound Divine a singular man in a Pulpit but yet for all that he hath a shrewd touch which marreth all he is an exceeding proud man he is as proud as Lucifer He hath very great gifts indeed but I warrant you he knoweth it well enough For hee carrieth his crest very high and looketh very sternly and disdainfully upon all other men He is unmeasurably puft up with overweening and thinketh that he toucheth the clouds with his head Thus therefore wâ—â—re how the dead Flies marre all and how some one sinne doth disgrace a man that otherwise doth excell Phil. What is the cause why some one sin doth so blot and smut the most excellent men Theol. The reason hereof is because such men are as a candle set upon a candlesâ—icke or rather upon a scaffold or mountaine for all men to behold and looke upon And sure it is they have a thousand eyes upon them every day and that not onely gazing upon them but also prying very narrowly unto them to spy out the least mote that they may make a mountaine of it For as in a cleane white paper one little spot is soone espied but in a piece of browne paper twenty great blurs scant discerned even so in Noble-men Iudges Magistrates Iustices Preachers and Professors the least spot or speck is soone seene into but among the baser sort and most grosse livers almost nothing is espied or regarded Phil. Sith the eyes of all men are bent and fixed upon such men as are of some note therefore they had need very heedfully to look to their steps that they may take away all advantage from them that seek it Theol. Yes verily And furthermore they had need to pray with David alwaies Psal 119.13 Direct my steps O Lord in thy word and let no iniquity have dominion over mee Psal 41.12 And againe Order my goings that my foot-steps slip not uphold mee in my integrity For if such men be never so little given to swearing to lying to drinke or to women it is espied by and by and therewithall their credit is cracked their fame over-cast their glory ecclipsed and the date of their good name presently expired Phil. Now as you have shewed what great hurt these sins doe bring upon our soules bodies goods and name so also I pray you shew what danger they bring upon the whole Land Theol. Questionlesse they pull downe the wrath of God upon us all and give him just cause to break all in pieces and utterly to subvert and overthrow 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 upon us For the Apostle saith Col. â— 6. For such things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Phil. Declare unto us out of the Scriptures how the Lord in former times hath punished whole nations and Kingdomes for these and such like sins Theol. In the fourth of Hosea Hos 4.1 the Lord telleth his people that hee hath a controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land and the reason
Therefore the children of God may very fitly bee compared to a great piece of corke which though it be cast into the sea having many nailes fastned in it yet it beareth them all up from sinking which otherwise would sink of themselves What shall we say then or what shall wee conclude but that the ungodly are more beholden to the righteous than they are aware of Phil. I do 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 themselves what could they looke for but wrath upon wrath and plague upon plague till the Lord had made a finall consumption and swept them like dung from the face of the caâ—â—â— Theol. Sure it is all creatures would frowne upon them The Sun would unwillingly shine upon them or the Moone give them any light The starres would not be seene of them and the Planets would hide themselves The beasts would devoure them The fowles would pick out their eyes The fishes would make warre against them and all creatures in heaven and earth would rise up in armes against them Yea the Lord himselfe from heaven would raine downe fire and brimstone upon them Phil. Yet for all this it is a wonder to consider how deadly the wicked hate the righteous and almost in every thing oppose themselves against them and that in most vivulent and spitefull manner They ruile and slander seoffe and scorne mock and mow at them as though they were not worthy to live upon the earth They esteeme every pelting rascall and preferre every vile varlet before them And though they have their lives and liberty their breath and safety and all that they have else by them yet for all that they could be content to eat their heart with garlick 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 tree that nourisheth her or unto a man that standeth upon a bough in the top of a tree where there is no more and yet with an axe choppeth to off and therewithall falleth down with it and breaketh his neck Even so the fooles of this world doe what they can to chop asunder the bough that upholds them but they may know easily what will follow Phil. 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 receive by such is exceeding great and therefore by their maligning of them they doe but hold the stirrup to their owne destruction Theol. Now to apply these things to our selves and to returne to the first question of this argument may we not marvell that our Nation is so long spared considering that the sins thereof are so horrible and outrageous as they be Phil. We may justly marvell at the wonderfull patience of God and wee may well thinke that there be some in the land which stand in the breach being in no small favour with his Highnesse sith they doe much prevaile Theol. The mercifull preservation of our most gratious King who is the breath of our nostrils the long continuance of our peace and of the Gospell the keeping back of the sword out of the land which our sins pull upon us the frustrating of many plots and subtill devices which have beene often invented against our State yea and the life of his Majesties most royall person make me to thinke that there be some strong pleaders with God for the publike good of us all Phil. You may well thinke so indeed for by our sins wee have forfeited and daily doe forfeit into Gods hands both our King our Country our Peace our Gospell our lives our goods our lands our livings our wives our children and all that we have but only the righteous which are so neere about the King and in so high favour doe step in and earnestly intreat for us that the forfeitures may be released and that we may have lease in parley of them all againe or at least a grant of further time But I pray you Sir are not wee to attribute something concerning our good estate to the policie of the Land the Lawes established and the wisdome and counsell of our prudent Governours Theol. Yes assuredly very much as the ordinary and outward meanes which God useth for our safety For though the Apostle Paul had a grant from God for the safety of his owne life and all that were with him in the ship yet he said Acts 28.31 Except the Mariners abide in the ship wee cannot be safe Shewing thereby that unto faith and prayers the best and wisest meanes must be joyned We are therefore upon our knees every day to give thankes unto God for such good meanes of our safety as hee hath given us Phil. Well then as the prayers of the righteous have been hitherto great meanes both for the hindering and turning away of wrath and the continuance of favour so shew I pray you what is the best course to be taken and what in sound wisdome is to be done both to prevent future dangers and to continue Gods favours and mercies still upon us Theol. The best and surest course that I can consider or conceive of is to repent heartily for sins past and to reforme our lives in time to come to seek the Lord while he may be found and to call upon him while he is neer to forsake our owne wayes and our owne imaginations and to turn unto him with all our hearts with weeping with fasting and with mourning as the Prophet Joel chap. â— adviseth For our God is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the evill All the Prophets doe counsell us to follow this course and doe plainly teach that if we all from the highest to the lowest doe meet the Lord with unfeigned repentance and offer him the sacrifice of a contrite spirit undoubtedly hee will be pacified towards us and be mercifull to our transgressions This is most plainly set downe in the seventh Chapter of Jeremy where the Lord saith thus to his people â—er 7. If you amend and redresse your wayes and your workes If you execute judgement betwixt a man and his neighbour and oppresse not the stranger the fatherlesse and the widow and shed no innocent bloud in this place neither walke after other gods to your destruction then will I let you dwell in this place even in the Land which I gave unto your fathers for ever and ever So likewise he saith by the same Prophet Jer. 22.5 Execute yee judgement and righteousnesse and deliver the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor and vexe not the fatherlesse the widow or the strangers doe
glory and the great peace and comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen us good Father by thy grace and holy Spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome covetousnesse contempt of thy Gospel swearing lying dissembling and deceiving O deare Father let us not be overcome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures fond delights wherewith thousands are carried head-long to destruction Arme our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh and the Divell that wee may overcome them all through thy help and keep on the right way to life that wee may live in thy feare and dye in thy favour that our last dayes may be our best dayes and that wee may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore deare Father we intreat thee not onely for our selves but for all our good brethren thy deare children scattered over the face of the whole earth most humbly beseeching thee to blesse all them to cheere them up and glad them with the joy of thy countenance both now and alwayes Guide them all in thy feare and keep them from evill that they may praise thy Name In these dangerous dayes and declining times wee pray thee O Lord raise up nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto thy Church Raise up also faithfull Pastours that thy cause may be carried forward Truth may prevaile Religion may prosper thy Name onely may be set up in the earth thy Sons Kingdome advanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all adversary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their devices scatter their forces overthrow 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 wisdome nor counsell power nor policie against thee the Lord of hosts Let them know that Israel hath a God and that thou which art called Jehovah art the onely Ruler over all the world Arise therefore O most mighty God and maintain thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite thorow all their loines and bow downe their backes yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will unto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be joy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all favour wee intreat thee O Lord to shew speciall mercie to thy Church in this Land wherein wee live Continue thy Gospel amongst us 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 upon and an harbour for thy Saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and have care of them that thy Gospel may be left unto them as a most holy inheritance Defend us against forraigne invasion keep out Idolatry and Popery from amongst us Turne from us those plagues which our sins cry for For the sins of this Land are exceeding great horrible and outrageous and give thee just cause to make us spectacles of thy vengeance to all Nations that by how much the more thou hast lifted us up in great mercy and long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse us downe in great wrath and long warre Therefore deare Father woe most humbly intreat thee for thy great Names sake and for thy infinite mercies sake that thou wouldest be reconciled to this Land and discharge it of all the horrible sins thereof Drown them O Lord in thy infinite mercy through Christ as it were in a bottomlesse gulfe that they may never rise up in judgement against us For although our sins be exceeding many and fearfull yet thy mercie is farre greater For thou art infinite in mercy but wee cannot be infinite in sinning Give us not over into the hands of the Idolaters lest they should blaspheme thy Name and say Where is their God in whom they trusted But rather deare Father take us into thine owne hands and correct us according to thy wisdome for with thee is mercie and deep compassion Moreover wee most heartily beseech thy good Majestie to blesse our most gracious Soveraigne King Charles Queene Mary Prince Charles and the rest of the Royall Progenie We beseech thee also to blesse his Majesties most honourable privie Counsellors counsell them from above let them take advice of thee in all things that they may both consult and resolve of such courses as may be most for thy glory the good of the Church and peace of this our Common-wealth Blesse the Nobility and all the Magistrates of the Land giving them all grace to execute judgement and justice and to maintaine truth and equitie Blesse all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel increase the number of them increase thy gifts in them and so blesse all their labours in their severall places and congregations that they all may be instruments of thy hand to enlarge thy Sons Kingdome and to win many unto thee Comfort the comfortlesse with all needfull comforts Forget none of thine that are in trouble but as their afflictions are so let the joyes and comforts of thy Spirit be unto them and so sanctifie unto all thine their afflictions and troubles that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Give us thankfull hearts for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall for thou art very mercifull unto us in the things of this life and infinitely more mercifull in the things of a better life Let us deeply ponder and weigh all thy particular favours toward us that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may be gained yet neerer unto thee and that therefore we may both love and obey thee because thou art so kind and loving unto us that even thy love towards us may draw our love towards thee and that because mercy is with thee thou maist be feared Grant these things good Father and all other needfull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine throughout the whole world for Jesus Christs sake in whose Name wee further call upon thee as he hath taught us in his Gospel saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer to be used at any time by one alone privately O Lord my God and heavenly Father I thy most unworthy childe do here in thy sight freely confesse that I am a most sinfull creature and damnable transgressour of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements that as I was born and bred in sin and stained in the womb so have I continually brought forth the corrupt and ugly fruits of that infection and contagion wherein I was first conceived both in thoughts words and workes If I should goe about to reckon up my particular offences I knew not where to begin or where to make an end For they are more then the haires of my head yea far more then I can possibly feele or know For who knoweth the height and depth