like grosse sinnes they trust in God they shall be saued Theol. They erre not knowing the scriptures For many thousands are in great danger of losing their soules for euer which are frée from such notorious and horrible vices may many which in the world are counted good honest men good true dealers good neighbors and good Townes-men Asune I pray you Sir giue me leaue a little I haue heard all your speech hitherto and I like reasonably well of it but now I can forbeare no longer my conscience vrgeth me to speake For me thinkes you goe too far you goe beyond your learning in this that you condemne good neighbours and good townesmen You say many such men are in danger of losing their soules but I will neuer beleeue it while I liue For if such men be not saued I cannot tell who shall Theol. But you must learne to know out of the Scriptures that all outward honesty and righteousnes without the true knowledge and inward féeling of God auaileth not to eternall life As our Sauiour Christ saith Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen It is also written that when Paul preacht at Berea many honest men and honest women did beléeue that is such as were outwardly honest or honest to the world only for they could not be truly and inwardly honest before they did beléeue Therefore you sée that this outward honesty ciuility without the inward regeneration of the spirit auaileth not to eternall life and then consequently all your honest worldly men are in great danger of losing their soules for euer Asune What sound reason can you yeeld why such honest men should be condemned Theol. Because many such are vtterly void of all true knowledge of God and of his word Nay which is more many of them despise the word of God and hate all the zealous professors of it They estéeme preachers but as pratlers and Sermons as good tales they estéeme a Preacher no more than a shoomaker they regard the Scriptures no more then their old shooes What hope is there then I pray you that such men should be saued Doth not the holy Ghost say How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great saluation Asune You goe too farre you iudge too hardly of them Theol. Not a whit For all experience sheweth that they minde dreame and dote of nothing else day and night but this world this world lands and leases grounds and liuings kine and shéepe and how to way rich All their thoughts words and works are of these and such like things All their actions doe most manifestly declare that they are of the earth and speake of the earth and that there is nothing in thē but earth earth As for sermons they care not how few they heare And for the scriptures they regard them not they read them not they estéeme them not worth the while there is nothing more irkesome vnto them they had rather pill strawes or do any thing then heare read or conferre of the Scriptures And as the Prophet saith The word of the Lord is as a reproch vnto them that haue no delight in it Phila. I maruell much that such men should liue so honestly to the world-ward Theol. No maruell at all for many bad men whose hearts are worm-eaten within yet for some outward and carnall respects doe abstaine from the grosse act of sinne as some for credit some for shame some for feare of Law some for feare of punishment but none for loue of God for zeale or conscience of obedience For it is a sure thing that the wicked may haue that spirit which doth represse but not that which doth renew Phil. It seemeth then by your speeches that some which are not regenerate do in some things excell the children of God Theol. Most certaine it is that some of them in outward gifts and the outward cariage of themselues doe goe beyond some of the elect Phil. Shew me I pray you in what giftes Theol. In learning discretion iustice temperance prudence patience liberalitie affabilitie kindnesse curtesie good nature such like Phila. Me thinketh it should not be possible Theol. Yes truely For some of Gods deare children in whom no doubt the inward worke is truly and soundly wrought yet are so troubled encombred with a crabbed and crooked nature and so clogged with some master sin as some with anger some with pride some with couetousnesse some with lusts some one way and some another all which breaking out in them doe so blemish them and their profession that they cannot so shine forth vnto men as otherwise no doubt they would and this is their wound their griefe and their hart-smart and that which costeth them many a téere and many a praier and yet can they not get the full victorie ouer them but still they are left in them as the pricke in the flesh to humble them Phila. Yet loue should couer a multitude of such infirmities in Gods children Theol. It should doe so indeed but there is great want of loue euen in the best and the worser sort espying these infirmities in the godlie run vpon them with open mouth and take vpon them to condemne them vtterly and to iudge their hearts saying they be hypocrites dissemblers and there is none worse then they Phila. But doe you not thinke that there be some counterfeits euen amongst the greatest professors Theol. Yes no doubt there be and alwaies haue béen some very hypocrites in the Church but we must take héed of iudging and condemning all for some For it were very much to condemne Christ and his eleuen Disciples because of one Iudas or the whole Primitiue Church for Ananias and Sapphira Phila. But I hope you are of this minde that some regenerate men euen in outward gifts and their outward cariage are comparable with any others Theol. Questionlesse very many For they being guided by Gods spirit and vpheld by his grace do walke very vprightly and vnblameably towards men Phil. Yet there resteth one scruple for it seemeth verie strange vnto me that men of so discreet cariage as you speake of and of so many good parts should not be saued It is great pitie such men should be damned Theol. It séemeth so vnto vs indéed but God is onely wise and you must note that as there be some infirmities in Gods children which he correcteth with temporall chastisements and yet rewardeth their faith loue and inward seruice and obedience with eternall life so there be some good things in the wicked and them that are without Christ which God rewardeth with temporall blessings and yet punisheth them eternally for their vnbeléefe and hardnesse of heart Phila. Now you haue reasonably well satisfied me touching the doctrine of regeneration and the manifold errours and deceits that are in it and of it I pray you let vs now proceed and first of all tell me by
end that thereby men might be kept from the reading of the Scriptures For euen as a Lapwing with her busie cry draweth men away from her nest so the Popish generation by these fabulous deuices draw men from the Scriptures Antile Ah sir I see now a fooles bolt is soone shot You are more precise then wise The Vicar of Saint fooles shall be your ghostly father What tell you me of your opinion I would you should well know I neither regard you nor your opinion There be wiser men then you which doe both reade allow and take pleasure in these bookes Theol. Let him alone good Philagathus for you sée what he is There is no end of his crossing and cauilling But hée that is ignorant let him be ignorant And he that is filthie let him bée more filthy Let vs now turne our spéech to Asunetus for I sée he is heauie hearted and troubled in his mind How doe you Asunetus how doe you féele your selfe mée thinketh you are very sadde Asune I am the better for you Sir I thanke God I neuer knew what sinne meant till this day It hath pleased God now to giue mee some sight and feeling thereof I am greatly distressed in my conscience to thinke what I haue beene The remembrance of my former sinnes doth strike an horror into me when I consider how ignorantly and prophanely and how farre off from God I haue liued all my life it stinges and gripes me to the heart I doe now see that which I neuer saw and feele that which I neuer felt I doe plainly see that if I had died in that state wherein I haue liued all my life I should certainely haue beene condemned and should haue perished for euer in my sinne and ignorance Theol. I am very glad that God hath opened your eies and giuen you the sight and féeling of your miserie which indéed is the very first step to eternal life It is a great fauour and special mercy of God towards you that he hath so touched your heart you can neuer be thankfull enough for it It is more then if you had a million of gold giuen you It is the onely rare priuiledge of Gods elect to haue the eies of their soules opened that they may sée into heauenly and spirituall things As for the world it is iust with God to leaue them in their blindnesse Asune I do feele the burden of my sins I am greatly grieued for them I am weary of them I am sory that euer I sinned against God or that I should be such a wretch as to incur his displeasure and prouoke his Maiestie against me But I pray you good M. Theologiu sith you are a spirituall Physician and I am sicke of sinne that you would minister vnto mee out of Gods word some spirituall Physicke and comfort Theol. Truely I must néeds thinke that the promises of mercy and forgiuenesse of sinne made in the Gospell doe belong vnto you and that Jesus Christ is yours you are truely interested in him and haue a proper right vnto him For hée came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance You doe now féele your selfe to be a finner you are grieued for your sins you are wearie of them therefore Jesus Christ is for you all the benefits of his passion belong to you Againe he saith The whole need not the Physician but they that are sicke But you doe acknowledge your selfe to be sicke of sin therefore Christ Jesus wil be your Physician he wil swaddle you and lappe you hee will binde vp all your sores he wil heale al your wounds he will annoint them with the oyle of his mercy he will smile vpon you and shew you a ioyfull countenance he will say vnto you your sins are forgiuen In him you shall haue rest and peace to your soule Through him you shall haue ease and comfort For he taketh pity of all such as mourne for their sinnes as you doe Hée diddeth you and all that are in your case to come vnto him and he will helpe you Come vnto me saith he all yee that are weary and heauy loaden and I will ease you You are one of them that are bid to come for you are weary of your sinnes you féele the burden of them Christ is altogether for such as you are He regardeth not the world that is the prophane and vnregenerate men He bids not them come he praieth not for them I pray not for the world saith hée They haue no part nor interest in him They haue nothing to do with him nor with his merits righteousnesse He is onely for the penitent sinner such as mourne for their sins He is a pillow of downe to all aking heads aking consciences Be of good comfort therefore feare nothing for assuredly Christ and all his righteousnesse is yours He will cloath you with it He will neuer impute your sins 〈◊〉 you or lay any of thē to your charge though they be neuer so many so or so 〈…〉 happy are you that haue such a Mediator and high Priest Rest therefore wholly vpon him and vpon that perfect eternal and propitiatory sacrifice which hée hath once offered Apply Christ apply his merits apply the promises to your selfe and to your owne conscience so shall they doe you good bring great comfort to your soule For put case you had a most excellent and soueraigne salue which would cure any wound it were laide vnto yet if you should locke it vp in your chest neuer apply it to your wound what good could it doe you Euen so the righteousnes merits of Christ are a spirituall salue which will cure any wound of the soule but if we doe not apply them to our selues by faith they can doe vs no good You must therefore apply Christ all the premises of the Gospel to your selfe by faith stand fully perswaded that whatsoeuer he hath done vpon the Crosse he hath done for you particularly For what is the iustifying faith but a full perswasion of Gods particular loue to vs in Christ The generall confused knowledge of Christ of his Gospell auaileth not to eternal life Labour therefore to haue the true vse of all these great and precious promises sticke fast to Christ for through him only we haue remission of sins and eternall life To him all the Prophets giue witnesse saith S. Peter that through his name al that beleue shal receiue remission of their sins Where the Apostle telleth vs that if a graund Jury of prophets were panelled to testifie of the way meanes to eternal life they would al with one cōsent bring in a verdit that remissiō of sins eternal life are only in Christ Let vs heare the fore-man speak one or two of the rest for in the mouth of two or thrée witnesses shall euery word stand The Prophet Esay saith He was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our
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
he may will and commaund But the abundant mercy of God towards mankind doth most of all consist in this that he hath giuen his onely sonne for vs when we were his enemies As it is written God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Againe God setteth out his loue towards vs seeing that while we were yet sinners Christ died for vs much more then being now iustified by his bloud we shal be saued frō wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more being reconciled we shall be saued by his life In all this then wée may cléerely behold the infinite mercy of God towards vs poore sinners For is it not a great matter that the sonne of God should take our nature vpon him should be so abased as he was should humble himself to death euen to the death of the Crosse For as the shadow of the Diall went backe ten degrées that Ezechias might receiue length of daies much happinesse so Christ the sonne of righteousnesse hath gone backe many degrées that we might haue eternall life His humiliation therefore is our exaltation his sufferings our ioy his death our life For we haue no other remedy or refuge but onely his merits righteousnes He is our city of refuge whither we must fly where we must take sanctuary He is the Balme of Gilead whereby our soules are cured He is that poole of Bethesda where euery man may bée cured of what disease so euer hée hath He is the riuer of Iordan where Naaman may wash away all his Leprosie He is that Pellican who by pecking a hole in his owne brest doth restore his yong to life againe by his blood Yet one thing we must note by the way which hath béene partly touched before that al the mercy of God and merits of Christ are to be restrained onely to the elect only to the true members of the Church As plainely appeareth in the 103. Psalm Where the mercies of God which there are largely described are restrained onely to them that feare him kéepe his couenant thinke vpon his Commandements to do them And touching Christ it is said that he is a prince a Sauiour vnto Israel that he shall redéeme Israel from all his iniquities Againe it is written That Christ being consecrate was made the author of eternall saluation to them that obey him None do or can obey him but onely the Elect therefore he is the authour of saluation onely to the Elect. And consequently the prophane world whatsoeuer they say whatsoeuer they brag boast haue no true title or interest in him This thing was figured in the law in this that the mercy seate which was a type of Gods mercy in Christ the Arke which was a figure of the Church were by the expresse commandement of God fitted each to other both in length and breadth For as the Arke was two cubits and a halfe long a cubit and a halfe broad iust so was the mercy seate Noting thereby that the mercy of God in Christ should onely bée fitted to his church belong only to the Church so as not one without the Church should be saued For he that hath not the church for his mother cannot haue God for his father Lastly we are to obserue that as God is infinit in mercy of great compassion towards penitent sinners so also is he most constant in the course of his mercies towards his children And therefore one of the Psalmes carrieth this foote His mercy endureth for euer his mercy endureth for euer his mercy endureth for euer Noting thereby both the constancy and eternity of Gods mercy To the same purpose it is thus written It is the Lords mercies that we are not consumed it is because his compassions faile not Let vs know therefore that God as touching his mercy to his children is of a most constant and vnchangable nature As he saith I am the Lord I change not For if God were of a changeable nature as we are and subiect to passions then were we in a most miserable case Then must he néeds smite vs downe and take vengeance of vs euery day and euery houre in the day because we prouoke him euery day euery houre in the day But the God of heauen is not as a man that he should be subiect to passions and affections he is of a most constant and immutable nature For though wée prouoke him euery day with new sinnes yet is he so farre off from taking reuenge that the next day he rewardeth vs with new mercies and breaketh through all our vnkindenesse to shew kindnesse vnto vs and through all our naughtinesse to doe vs good All our infirmities cannot make him breake off with vs or cease to loue vs. He is content to take vs with all faults and to loue vs dearely though we haue great faults He regardeth not our infirmities though we be oftentimes waiward and eluish yet for all that he loueth vs neuerthelesse Euen as a louing mother though her young suckling crie all night and be excéeding treafe and weiward so as she cannot rest an houre in the night yea though she endure much loathsomnesse trouble with it yet in the morning when she ariseth she loueth it neuerthelesse but dandles it plaieth with it smileth and laugheth vpon it so the God of all mercies whose loue towards vs far passeth the loue of mothers though we gréeue him with our infirmities continually yet loueth vs neuerthelesse and is content to put vp all to forget and forgiue all for he is a most constant louer Where he once sets and settles his loue he loueth most constantly nothing can alter him nothing can remoue him Euen as a Father when his little childe catcheth a fall breaketh his shinnes and hurteth his face is so far from being offended or displeased with him therefore that he doth pity him and bemone him séeking remedies for his hurt so our mercifull Father is so farre off from being angry displeased with vs for some slips and falles that he doth the more pity vs and lament our case Euen as a louing and wise husband though his wife haue many infirmities yet knowing that she loueth him dearely and that her heart is with him he is well content to winke at all her faults to hide them to beare with them yea and to make nothing of them louing her neuerthelesse for them So our deare husband and Spouse Jesus Christ because he knoweth we loue him and that he hath our hearts is content to beare with all our infirmities and to make light of them For this cause it is that he saith to his Spouse in the Canticles Though she was blacke and full of infirmities behold thou art faire my loue behold thou
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
aright or to will and doe aright As it is written Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God And againe It is God which worketh in you both the will and the deed euen of his good pleasure And as concerning the other point S. Iames saith That all men are made after the similitude of God meaning therby that there remaine some reliques and parts of Gods Image euen in the most wicked men as reason vnderstanding c. so that our nature was not wholly destroyed Phila. Then you thinke there be some sparks and remnants left in vs still of that excellent Image of God which was in our first creation Theol. I thinke so indéed and it may plainly appeare vnto vs in the wise spéeches and writings of Heathen Poets and Philosophers in all which wée may as by certaine ruines perceiue what was the excellent frame and building of mans creation Phil. Can a man please God in any thing which he doth so long as he continueth in the state of nature Theol. No not in any thing for till wée be in the state of grace euen our best actions are sinfull as preaching prayer almes déeds c. As it is written Who can bring a cleane thing out of that which is vncleane Iob. 14. 4. The Apostle also saith They which are in the flesh cannot please God that is such as are still in their naturall corruption And our Lord Jesus himselfe saith Doe men gather Grapes of thornes or Figges of thistles Meaning thereby that méere naturall men can bring foorth no fruites acceptable to God Phila. This is a very harsh and hard saying I pray you for my further instruction make it more plaine Theol. Men in the state of nature may doe those things which of themselues are good but they doe vtterly faile in the manner of doing them they do them not as they should be done that is in faith loue zeale conscience of obedience c. neither yet with any chéerefulnesse delight or feeling but euen as it were forcing themselues to doe the outward actions Thus did Cain sacrifice the Pharisies pray Ananias and Sapphira giue almes and the Jewes offer vp their oblations and burnt offerings Phila. Haue men any true sight or liuely and sound feeling of this misery and wofull estate so long as they be meerely naturall Theol. No surely but are altogether blinded and hardened in it being nothing desirous to come out of it but doe greatly please themselues in it and can hardly bée perswaded that they are in any such wofull case as appeareth plainely in the example of that ruler who being commanded or rather required of our Sauiour Christ to kéep the commandements answered All these haue I kept from my youth And againe although the Church of Laodicea was wretched miserable poore blind and naked yet she thought her selfe rich encreased with goods and wanting nothing It followeth then that so long as men are in the state of nature they haue no true sight and féeling of their misery Phila. Do you not thinke that all men being meerely naturall are vnder the curse of the Law Theol. Yea certainly and not only so but also vnder the very tyranny and dominion of Satan though they know it not see it not féele it not or perceiue it not for all that are not in Christ are vnder the curse of the law and the power of darknesse and the diuel as appeareth Ephes 2. 2. where the diuell is called the prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience In another place he is called the god of this world who blindeth the eies of all vnbeléeuers And againe it is said that all men naturally are in his snare being taken captiue of him at his wil. Phila. Few will be perswaded of that they will say they defie the diuell and thanke God they were neuer troubled with him Theol. Their hot words do nothing amend the matter for the diuell is no more driuen away with words then with holy water but he sitteth in the tongues and mouthes nay possesseth the very hearts and intrals of thousands which say they defie him and are not troubled with him as appeareth manifestly by their particular acttions and the whole course of their life Phila. Me thinkes if the diuell do so inwardly possesle the hearts and consciences of men they should haue some sight and feeling of it Theol. The working of the Diuell in mens soules being an inuisible spirit is with such vnconceiuable sleight and crafty conueiance that men in the estate of nature cannot possibly féele it or perceiue it for how can a blind man sée or a dead man féele Phila. Shew this more plainely Theol. Euen as a crafty Juggler doth so prestigiate and blinde mens outward senses by the delusions of Sathan that they thinke they sée that which they sée not and féele that which they féele not Euen so the diuell doth so delude and bewitch our inward senses the naturall faculties of our soules that we hauing a mist cast before our eies thinke we are that which wée are not sée that which wée sée not and féele that which wée féele not For the déepe cunning of Sathan lieth in this that hée can giue vs our deaths wound and wée shall neuer know who hurt vs. Phila. Few will beleeue this to be true Theol. True indéed for few will beléeue the Scriptures few will beléeue this because few féele it where it is not felt it can hardly be beléeued only the elect do féele it and therefore only the elect do beléeue it As for all others they are the very prentises and bond-slaues of the diuell which is a thousand times worse then to be a galley-slaue Phil. How long do men continue in this wofull state of nature being vnder the curse of the law and the very slauery of Sathan and sinne Theol. Till they be regenerate and borne againe and so brought into the state of grace as our Lord Jesus saith Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Phila. Do not many die and depart this life before they be borne againe and consequently before they be brought into the state of grace Theol. Yes no doubt thousands for many liue fortie or thréescore yeares in this world and in the end die and goe out of this life before they knowe wherefore they came into it as it is written My people perish for want of knowledge Phila. What may we thinke of such Theol. I quake to speake what I thinke for surely I doe not sée how such can be saued I speake not now of infants and children whereof some no doubt are saued by vertue of the promise couenant through the election of grace Phil. It seemeth then that you thinke none can be saued but those only which are borne againe Theol. I thinke
so indéed Phil. I pray you tell me what that same regeneration and new birth is whereof you speake Theol. It is a renewing and repairing of the corrupted and decayed estate of our soules As it is written Be ye changed by the renewing of your minde And againe Be renewed in the spirit of your minde Phila. Explaine this more fully Theol. Euen as the wild Oliue retaineth his old nature till it be grafted into the swéet Oliue but afterward is partaker of a new nature so we til we be grafted into Christ retain our old nature but afterward are turned into a new nature as it is written If any man be in Christ he is a new creature Phila. I vnderstand not what you say Theol. You must know this that as there is a naturall birth of the whole man so there is also a spirituall birth of the whole man Phila. How is that Theol. When as the naturall faculties of the soule as reason vnderstanding will and affections and the members of the body also are so sanctified purged and rectified by grace that we vnderstand wil and desire that which is good Phila. Can not a man will and desire that which is good before he be borne againe Theol. No more then a dead man can desire the good things of this life For mans will is not frée to consent vnto good till it be enlarged by grace and an vnregenerate man doth sinne necessarilie though not by constraint For mans will is frée from constraint for it sinneth of it selfe but not from thrasdome vnto sin Phila. You speake as if a man could do no other thing but sinne till the new worke be wrought in him Theol. That is mine opinion indéed for a man his flesh are all one til he be regenerate they agrée together like man wife they ioine together in all euill they liue and die together for when the flesh perisheth the man perisheth Phila. Is not this regeneration a changing or rather a destroying of humane nature Theol. Nothing lesse It is neither an abolishing nor changing of the substance of bodie or soule or any of the faculties thereof but only a rectifying and repairing of them by remoouing the corruption Phila. Is then our naturall corruption so purged and quite remoued by the power of grace as that it remaineth not at all in vs but that we are wholly freed of it Theol. Not so For the reliques and remnants of our old nature which the Scripture calleth the old man doe hang about vs and dwell in vs euen vntill our dying day as it is plainly prooued in the ten last verses of the seuenth to the Romanes Phila. Then you affirme that this new man or new worke of grace and regeneration is vnperfect in this life Theol. Yea. For the new creature or new worke of grace can neuer be fullie fashioned in this life but is alwayes in fashioning And as our faith and knowledge in this life are vnperfect so is our regeneration and sanctification Phila. You said before that the regeneration or new birth is of the whole man which speech seemeth to imply that the new worke of grace is entire and perfect Theol. You mistake the matter For although the new birth is vniuersall and of the whole man yet it is not entire perfect pure and without mixture of corruption For it is written The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh The Apostle also prayeth that the Thessalonians may be sanctified thorowout in spirit soule and bodie Phila. This seemeth very obscure I pray you make it more plaine Theol. You must note this that the new worke and the old flesh and spirit grace and corruption are so intermingledly ioyned together in all the faculties of the soule and body as that the one doth euer fight against the other Phila. But tell me I pray you how you vnderstand this intermingling of grace and corruption in the soule Do you mean that grace is placed in one part of the soule and corruption in another so as they be sundred in place Theol. No that is not my meaning but this that they be ioyned and mingled together as I said in and thorowout the whole man For the minde or vnderstanding part is not one part flesh and another part spirit but the whole minde is flesh and the whole minde is spirit partly one and partly another The same is to be said of the will and affection Phila. I pray you expresse it more plainly Theol. Euen as the ayre in the dawning of the day is not wholly light or whollie darke as at midnight or at noone day neither is it in one part light in another part darke but the whole aire is partly light and partly darke thorowout and as in a vessell of luke-warme water the water it selfe is not only hot nor only colde but heat and colde are mixed together in euery part of the water so is the flesh and the spirit mingled together in the soule of man And this is the cause why these two contrarie qualities fight together Phila. Out of doubt this doctrine of regeneration is a very great mysterie Theol. Yes certainly it is a secret of secrets which the wise of this world cannot cōprehend Phila. Some thinke that courtesie kindnesse good nurture good nature and good education are regeneration and that courteous and good natured men must needs be saued Theol. They are greatly deceiued for these things doe not necessarily accompanie saluation but are to be found in such as are altogether prophane and irreligious yet wée are to loue such good outward qualities and the men in whom wée finde them Phila. What say you then to learning wit and policie are not these things of the essence of religion and prooue a regeneration Theol. No no for they be externall gifts which may be in the most wicked men as in Papists Heathen Poets and Philosophers yet wée are greatly to reuerence learned and wise men although the new and inward worke be not as yet wrought for that is onely of God that is from aboue Phila. The common people doe attribute much to learning and policy for they will say such a man is learned and wise and knoweth the Scripture as well as any of them all and yet he doth not thus and thus Theol. It is one thing to know the History and Letter of the Scriptures and another thing to beléeue and féele the power thereof in the heart which is onely from the sanctifying spirit which none of the wise of this world can haue Phila. It is a common opinion that if a man hold the truth in iudgement be no Papist or heretike but leadeth an honest ciuill life then he must of necessity be saued Theol. That followeth not for many come so far which yet notwithstanding haue not the inward touch Phila. That seemeth strange For many will say As long as they be neither whore nor theefe nor spotted with such
old saying is The coueteus man wanteth as well that which he hath as that which hée hath not because he hath no vse of that which he hath So then you sée there is a great strength of couetousnesse in the niggardly kéeping of our owne Antil Yet for all this men must follow their worldly businesse and lay to liue For it is an hard world and goods are not easie to come by Therefore men must plie their businesse or else they may go beg or starue Theol. I deny not but that you may follow the works of your calling diligently so it be in the feare of God and with a good conscience as I told you before but this gréedinesse and gripplenesse God doth condemne and also this excessiue loue of mony Phila. Beleeue me I know no body that hateth it I cannot see but that all men loue gold and siluer Theol. It is one thing to vse these things and another thing to loue them set our hearts vpon them For the Scripture saith If riches increase set not your heart vpon them Psa 62. S. Iohn also saith Loue not this world nor the things that are in this world He saith not vse not this world but loue not this world For vse it we may loue it we may not Therefore the Apostle saith that they which vse this world should be as though they vsed it not Where he alloweth a sober and moderate vse of the things of this life in the feare of God We must vse this world for necessities sake as we vse meat and drinke For no more of this world then néedes must for feare of surfetting The holy Ghost saith Let your conuersation be without couetousnes be content with things present Happy is that man therefore that is well content with his present estate whatsoeuer and carrieth himselfe moderately and comfortably therein For the spirit saith There is no profit to a man vnder the Sunne but that hee eat and drinke and delight his soule with the profit of his labours I saw also this that this is of the hand of God In which words the prudent King saith thus much in effect that this is all the good we can attaine vnto in this world euen to take a sober and comfortable vse of the things of this life which God bestoweth vpon vs. And further hée auoucheth That thus to vse them aright and with sound comfort is a very rare gift of God For as one saith He is a wise man that is not greeued for the things which he hath not but doth reioyce in the things that he hath vsing them to Gods glorie and his owne comfort So then I conclude this point and returne you an answer thus That we may in sober and godly manner vse gold siluer and the things of this life but at no hand to ouer-loue them or giue our hearts vnto them Antile Well yet for all this I cannot see but that these preachers and professors these learned men and precise fellowes are euen as eager of the world as couetous as any other Theol. Now you shew your venemous spirit against better men then your selfe And I haue a foure-fold answer for you First I answer that although godly men may be somewhat ouertaken this way and ouer-spirt a little yet they breake not out so grosiv as others Secondly if God leaue them sometimes to be ouercome of the world yet he in his great wisedome and mercy turneth it to their good For thereby he first humbleth them afterward raiseth them vp againe And so all things worke together for good to them that loue God Thirdly I answer that we liue by rules not by examples For euen the best of Gods people haue had their wāts and weaknesse Therefore we may not frame rules to liue by out of the infirmities of the most excellent seruants of God Wicked therefore impious is their allegation which alleage Dauids adultery Lots drunkennes Peters fall Abrahams slips Salomons weakenesse c. for a shelter defence of themseines in the like sins Lastly I answere that you do greatly wound your selfe in your own spéech so far off are you from mending your market any whit thereby For if Preachers and other godly men after many prayers and téeres much meanes vsed cannot escape scot-frée but somtimes are wounded and almost ouerthrowen by the world and the Diuel what then shall become of you which vse no meanes at all nor any gaine striuing but willingly giue place to the Diuell If the Diuell did ouer-master Dauid Lot Sampson Salomon and other such excellent Worthies alas what shall become of méere worldlings and Atheists If the most valiant men and thiefe Captaines in a battell goe downe what shall become of the faint-hearted souldiers and as Saint Peter saith If the righteous scarse be saued where shall the wicked and vngodly appeare So then I take you at the rebound and returne your owne weapon vpon your selfe that sith godly men cannot escape thorow this world without blowes what shall become of them which know not what godlinesse meaneth Antile Yet I say once againe that men must liue men must lay for this world wee cannot liue by the Scriptures And as for that which you call couetousnesse it is but good husbandrie Theol. I thought wée should haue it at last Now you haue paid it home you are come to the old bias and as an Hare to her old forme and her old couert For this is the very couert and thicket of the world wherein they would hide couetousnesse but I will do what I can to hunt you out of it by the Scriptures First Salomon saith He that spareth more then is right shall surely come to pouertie So then you sée that couetousnes bringeth pouerty Thus therefore I reason that which bringeth pouerty is no good husbandry but couetousnesse and too much sparing bringeth pouertie therefore it is no good husbandry The same Salomon saith He that is giuen to gaine troubleth his owne house That is the couetous man is an occasion of many euils in his estate and family From this Scripture I do thus reason That which troubleth a mans house is no good husbandrie but couetousnesse troubleth a mans house therefore it is no good husbandrie Last of all the old prouerbe saith Couetousnesse bringeth nothing home And therfore it is no good husbandrie For oftentimes we do sée that men for couetousnesse of more lose that which otherwise they might haue had One of the wise Heathen saith Euill gaine is as bad as losse But the couetous man doth séeke after wicked gaine and therefore séeketh losse and consequently is no good husband Another saith Vniust gaine bringeth both losse and misery And therefore it is far enough off from vertue and all good husbandry Thus then I hope you are so hunted both by God and men that this couert cannot hide you And therefore you must out of
dinner and supper it might serue to correct our distrustfulnesse For who euer saw these or any other soule starue for hunger so good a father and so good a nurse haue they And are not we much better then they hath not God more care of vs then of them yes verily a thousand times For he loueth them but for our sakes how much more then doth he loue our selues Therfore I say again again if we would consider these things lay them to heart they wold nip couetousnes on the head driue it quite out of our hearts Let vs consider therefore that God prouided for man before man was then how much more will he prouide for man now that he is Is he our Father wil he not prouide for vs Is he our king and wil he not regard vs Is he our shepheard and wil he not looke to vs Hath he prouided heauen for vs and wil he not giue vs earth Hath he giuen vs his sonne Christ and shal he not with him giue vs all things Doth he prouide for his enemies and wil he not prouide for his friends doth he prouide for whoremongers wil he neglect his chosen Doth he send his raine cause his Sunne to shine vpon the vniust and shall he not vpon the iust Doth he prouide for them which are not of the family will he not prouide for his owne family Will a man féed his Hogges and not care for his seruants Or will he care for his seruants and not regard his owne children Oh then let vs consider these reasons let vs remember that our heauenly Father hath as great care for the preseruation of his creatures as once hée had for their creation Let vs therefore remember that our life consisteth not in these things but in the prouidence of God Let vs remember that he which giueth the day will prouide for the things of the day Let vs remember that God alwaies giueth for sustentation though not for satietie Let vs remember that God will not famish the soules of the righteous Let vs remember how God neuer failed his For who euer trusted in the Lord and was confounded Phila. What then is the cause that many do want outward things Theol. The cause is in themselues because they want faith For if wée had faith wée could want nothing For faith feareth no famine as saith an ancient Father And another saith For as much as al things are Gods he that hath god can want nothing if he himselfe be not wanting vnto God Therefore to haue God is to haue al things For if we haue him our friend we haue enough we néed goe no further For hée will make men our friends yea hée will make Angels all creatures to be seruiceable vnto vs he will giue them a speciall charge to looke to vs to guard vs and to doe continuall homage vnto vs. Therefore let vs make God our friend and then haue we done all at once that may concerne our good both for this life and a better But if he stand not our friend if wée haue not him on our side if he backe vs not then all other things whatsoeuer can do vs no good all is not worth a button For Quid prodest si omnia habes eum tamen qui omnia dedit non habere What is a man the better though hée haue all things and be without him which is the author of all things Phila. Herein you speake very truely no doubt For wee see many haue great plenty of outward things but because they haue not God they can haue no true comfort in them or blessing with them Theol. True indéed For man liueth not by bread onely saith our Lord Jesus but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And againe he saith Though a man haue abundance yet his life consisteth not in the things that he hath For without Gods blessing there can be no sound comfort in any thing Wée sée by dayly experience how the Lord curseth the wicked though they haue abundance For some hauing abundance yet are visited with continual sicknesses Some hauing abundance pine away with consumptions Others hauing abundance die of surfetting Others are snatched away by vntimely death in the middest of all their iollitie Others are visited with great losses both by sea and by land Others are vexed with curst wiues and disobedient children Some againe commit murders and treasons and so lose all at once Others are wasted and consumed by the secret curse of God no man knoweth how Some hauing great riches are giuen ouer to the murtherer some to the theefe some to the poisoner Therefore the wise king saith There is an euill sicknesse vnder the sun riches reserued to the owners thereof for their euill Eccles 5. 12. Zophar also the Naamathite saith When the wicked shall haue sufficient and enough he shall be brought into straits The hand of euery troublesome man shall be vpon him When he should fill his belly God will send vpon him his fierce wrath which he shall raine vpon him in stead of his meat Thus then it is cleare that mans life and good estate dependeth not vpon the abundance of outward things but only vpon the blessing and prouidence of God For His blessing only maketh rich and it doth bring no sorrow with it For Better is a little vnto the inst then great abundance to many of the wicked Better is a little with the feare of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith Better is a little with righteousnesse then great reuenews without equity Thus then I conclude this point Man liueth not by bread but by a blessing vpon bread not by outward meanes but by a blessing vpon meanes For how can bread being a dead thing and hauing no life in it selfe giue life to others Phila. I doe not well vnderstand the meaning of these words By euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Theol. Thereby is meant the decrée ordinance and prouidence of God which vpholdeth all things euen the whole order of nature For the Scripture saith He spake and it was done he commanded and they were created In which words we plainly sée that God doth but speake and it is done he doth command and all creatures are preserued For God doth all things with a word He created all with his word he preserueth all with his word he speaketh it is done His words are words of power authority Whatsoeuer he saith whatsoeuer he calleth for it must be done presently without any delay there is no withstanding of him He calleth for famine and behold famine He calleth for plenty and behold plenty He calleth for pestilence and behold pestilence He calleth for the sword and behold the sword All Angels all men all beasts all fishes all fowles all creatures whatsoeuer must obey him and be at his beck He is the greatest Commander
words to their friends and doe iust nothing for them Phila. The world is ful of these masked counterfaits and lying and dissembling did neuer more abound Theol. It is too true that lying and dissembling are most rife and ouer common vices amongst all sorts of men but especially it doth ouerflow and super abound in shop keepers and seruants For both these make a trade and occupation of it they can do no other but lie It cleaueth vnto them as the naile to the doore Phila. I doe certainly know some shop keepers which to vtter their bad wares to blind the eyes of the simple doe trade in lying all the day long from Sun to Sun from the opening of the shop windows to the shutting of the same And what is their life if customers come in apace but swearing lying dissembling deceiuing they will lie as fast as a dog will trot as wee say It is a wonder that their shops and all their wares do not fire ouer their heads for their so common so lewd so abhominable lying that against their owne knowledge against their conscience against God against their neighbour against heauen and earth men angels Theol. True it is we may maruell at the long suffering of God in this behalfe But this is to be noted that God doth not immediatly punish all notorious sinners in this life but reserueth thousands to the iudgment of the great day In this life he onely culleth out some few whom hée smiteth for the example of others that they might feare and tremble and learne by other mens harmes to beware Therefore euen in this life we sée before our eies some liers some drunkards some whoremongers some swearers some misers of the world some ruffians and cut-throats striken downe by the reuenging hand of God But whereas God smiteth one of these in this life he letteth an hundred escape For if he should punish all offenders in this life to what purpose should the iudgement to come serue If he should punish none then we would think there were no God or that he were shut vp idle in heauen and would doe neither good nor euill nor once meddle in the matters of the earth as some Epicures haue dreamed Therefore to auoid both these extremities God in his heauenly wisedome hath thought good to méet with some euen in this world Phila. I am of this minde that the goods which men get by swearing lying and deceit will neuer prosper long Theol. You are not therein deceiued For God wil blow vpon all such kind of euil gotten goods and they shall put it in a bottomlesse purse as the Prophet saith Hag. 1. 6. The holy Ghost in the booke of the Prouerbs hath many excellent sayings to this effect as chapter 13. The riches of vanity shall bee diminished but hee which laboureth with the hand shall increase them Againe Hee that dealeth with a deceitfull hand shall become poore but the hand of the diligent maketh rich In another place he saith The deceitfull man rosteth not that which he hath caught in hunting That is he shal not long inioy or taste the pray which he hath gotten by fraud For either one trouble or other will come vpon him that he shall not be able to possesse or take delight in the spoile Therefore it is said The bread of deceit is sweet to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with grauell That is in the end the crafty person shall méet with many troubles For either his conscience will vpbraid him and checke him or vengeance will plague him for his deceit The feares cares and sorrowes which he shall haue shall be as it were so many sharpe stones to set his téeth on edge and to vex him Wherefore in stead of meat he shall féed on grauell and in stéed of wheat on pebble stones Small pleasure is taken in the end in goods ill gotten or liuings vnlawfully come by For the holy Ghost hath passed sentence vpon them that they shall neuer prosper Phila. It sometimes falleth out that they prosper for a time but as wee say the third heire shall neuer enioy them For God will curse them in our posteritie and our childrens children shall feele the smart of our sins Therfore the holy man Iob saith the of-spring of the wicked shall not be satisfied with bread For out of doubt God will blesse that onely which is got with a good conscience in the workes of our calling and it shall remaine blessed to vs and our posterity Therefore the Spirit saith The iust man that walketh in his vprightnesse is blessed and blessed shall his children be after him But God will not blesse but curse that which is got with an euill conscience as swearing lying dissembling deceiuing c. Theol. Some ancient writers haue spoken very prudently to this point For one saith Iniusta lucra breues habent voluptates longos autem dolores That is vniust gaine hath long sorow and short ioy Another saith Eligas damnum potiùs quà m turpe lucrum illud enim semel tantùm te dolere afficiet hoc verò semper That is choose losse rather then filthy lucre For the one will grieue thée but once the other for euer A third saith Meliùs est honestè pauperem esse quà m turpiter diuitem Hoc enim commiserationem illud verò reprehensionem adfert It is better to be honestly poore then wickedly rich For the one moueth pitie the other reproofe One of the wise Heathen also saith We may not wax rich vniustly but liue of iust thinges which he calleth holy things Phila. Haue we not examples in the Scriptures of such as haue beene punished for lying Theol. Yes For we read how the Gibeonits for their lying and dissembling were made drudges and slaues to the Israelites Gehezi also the seruant of Elisha the prophet for his lying and couetousnesse together was smitten with a most grieuous leprosie Ananias and Sapphira his wife for their lying and dissembling were striken downe starke dead by the immediat hand of God at the rebuke of Peter Zophar one of Iobs friends speaking of these kind of men saith They shall sucke the gall of Aspes and the Vipers tongue shall slay them They shall flee from the iron weapons and a bowe of steele shall strike them thorow Now then by all these examples wée may plainely see how greatly God abhorreth lying and dissembling Phila. Oh therefore that wee could follow the counsell of the Apostle who saith Lie not one to another sith yee haue put off the old man with his workes And againe Cast away lying and speake euery one the truth to his neighbour The maner of speech which the Apostle vseth is very forcible implying this much that we should in a kinde of disdaine or detestation cast it away and throw it from vs as a filthy stinking and beraied clout hanging about
his son That he would condemne others for sinne Antile But how doe you prooue the decree of reprobation to wit That God hath determined the destruction of thousands before the world was Theol. The Scripture calleth the reprobates The vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The Scripture sayth God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath Therefore it followeth that some are appointed vnto wrath The Scripture sayth of the reprobates That they were euen ordeined to stumble at the Word The Scripture sayth They were of olde ordeined to this condemnation Antile But how answer you this God willeth not the death of a sinner Therefore hee hath predestinate none to destruction Theol. God willeth not the death of a sinner simply and absolutely as it is the destruction of his creature but as it is a meane to declare his iustice and to set forth his glory Antile God did foresee and foreknow that the wicked would perish through their owne sinne but yet he did not predestinate them vnto it Theol. Gods prescience and foreknowledge cannot be separated from his decrée For whatsoeuer God hath foreséene foreknowen in his eternall counsell he hath determined the same shall come to passe For as it apperteineth to his wisdom to foreknow and foresée all things so doth it apperteine to his power to moderate and rule all things according to his will Antil What do you call prescience in God Theol. Presence in God is that whereby all things abide present before his eies so that to his eternall knowledge nothing is past nothing to come but all things are alwaies present And so are they present that they are not as conceiued imaginations formes and motions but all things are alwaies so present before God that he doth behold them in their verity and perfection Antil How can God iustly determine of mens destruction before they haue sinned Theol. This obiection hath béene answered in part before For I told you that God condemneth none but for sinne either originall only or else both original and actual For howsoeuer hée doth in himselfe before all time determine the reprobation of many yet he procéedeth to no execution till there be found in vs both iust deserts and apparant cause Therefore they deale vnsoundly and foolishly which confound the decrée of reprobation with damnation it selfe sith sinne is the cause of the one and onely the will of God of the other Phila. Well Sir sith we are so farre proceeded in this question by the occasion of this mans obiections and cauils I pray you now as you haue spoken much of reprobation and the causes thereof so let vs heare somewhat of election and the causes thereof and shew vs out of the Scriptures that God hath before all worlds chosen some to eternall life Theol. Touching the decrée of Election there are almost none that make any doubt thereof therefore small proofe shall serue for this point Onely I will confirme it by one or two testimonies out of the holy Scriptures First the Apostle saith Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue You sée the words are very plaine and pregnant for this purpose An other confirmation is taken out of the 8. Chap. to the Romanes in these words Those whom he knew before did he also predestinate to be like to the image of his own Sonne that he might be the first borne of many brethren Phila. Which be the causes of Election Theol. The causes of Election are to be found onely in God himselfe For his eternall election dependeth neither vpon man neither yet vpon any thing that is in man but is purposed in himselfe and established in Christ in whom we are Elected This is fully prooued in these words Who hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glory wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Where wée see the apostle telleth vs that his frée grace and the good pleasure of his will are the first motiues or moouing causes of our Election Phila. But the Papists fetch the first motiue of election out of mans merits and fore-seene works For say they God did fore-see who would repent beleeue and doe well and therefore he made choise of them Theol. But they are greatly deceiued For I say againe and againe that there was nothing in vs which did euer mooue God to set his loue vpon vs and to choose vs vnto life but he euer found the originall cause in himselfe As it is written Hee will haue mercy vpon whom he will haue mercy and whom hee will hee hardneth And againe It is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie The Lord himselfe also testifieth that hée did choose his people not for any respect in them but onely because hée loued them and bare a speciall fauour vnto them So then it is a certaine truth that Gods eternall predestination excludeth all merits of man and all power of his will thereby to attaine vnto eternall life and that his frée mercy and vndeserued fauour is both the beginning the middest and the end of our saluation That is to say all is of him and nothing of our selues Phila. Whether then doth faith depend vpon election or election vpon faith That is whether did God choose vs because we doe beleeue or whether doe we beleeue because we are chosen Theol. Out of all doubt both faith and all fruits of faith doe depend vpon election For therefore we beléeue because we are elected and not therfore elected because we beléeue As it is written So many as were ordained to euerlasting life beleeued Antil If men be predestinate before they be borne to what purpose serue all precepts admonitions lawes c It forceth not how we liue For neither our godly or vngodly life can alter the purpose of God Theo. This is a very wicked and carnall obiection and sheweth a vile and dissolute minde in them that vse it But I would wish such men to consider the end of our election which is that we should lead a godly life As it is plainely set downe in the first to the Ephesians where the Apostle saith God hath chosen vs before the foundation of the world But to what end that we should line as we lift No no saith he But that we should be holy and vnblameable before him Againe he saith We are perdestinate to bee made like the image of his Sonne that is to be holy and righteous For most certaine it is that we can iudge nothing of predestination but by the consequents that is by our calling iustification and sanctification
when he felt the world come in vpon him with full streame said he would pull downe his barnes and build greater and say to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many years Liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But our Sauiour calleth him foole for flattering himselfe in security and promising vnto himselfe long life Moreouer hée plainely tolde him that the same night hée should make a hellish and miserable end Note I pray you how Jesus Christ the fountaine of all Wisedome calleth this man a foole and yéeldeth a reason thereof to wit because hée gathered riches to himselfe and was not rich in God hee had great care of this life and none at all for that which is to come So then it followeth that all such are right fools indéed and may be Chronicled for fooles how wise soeuer they be taken and reputed in the world which haue much care for their bodies and none for their soules great care for this life and little for that which is to come Well let all such prophane worldlings as dreame and doat of long life and therfore deferre the day of their repentance and conuersion vnto God take héed by this mans example that they reckon not without their Host and be suddenly snatched away in the midst of all their pleasures and iollities as Iob saith Some die in their full strength being in all ease and prosperity Their breasts runne full of milke and their bones run full of marrow Wée sée therefore how dangerous a thing it is for men to flatter and sooth vp themselues with hope of long life Phila. Proceed to the seuenth gate which is Conceitednesse Theol. This is indéed a very broad gate into hell For the Scripture saith Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceit there is more hope of a foole then of such a one And againe The foole is wiser in his owne eies then seuen men that can giue a sensible reason The holy ghost we sée affirmeth that such as are puft vp with an ouer-wéening of their owne gifts are farthest of all other from the kingdome of Heauen For they despise the wisedome of God to their owne destruction They hold scorne to bée taught They will say they know as much as all the Preachers can tell them For what can all the Preachers say more then this We are all sinners we must be saued by Christ Wée must doe as we would be done to There is no more but doe well and haue well c. Alas poore soules they looke aloft they are desperatly hauen vp with conceiptednesse not knowing that they are poore naked blinde miserable These men trust altogether to their owne wit learning policy riches and great reputation in the world And because all men crouch to them and clap their hands at them therefore they swell like Turky Cocks set vp their feathers draw their wings vpon the ground with a kinde of snuffe and disdaine of all men as if they were the onely wights of the world Moreouer when men doe praise them for their gifts soothe them and applaud vnto them then is it a wonder to sée how they streake themselues as though they would forthwith take their flight and mount into the cloudes But let all insolent and conceited men hearken vnto the woe that is pronounced against them by the eternall King of glory saying Woe vnto them that are wise in their owne eyes and prudent in their own sight Againe let them hearken to the counsel of God which saith Trust vnto the Lord with all thy heart but leane not vnto thine owne wisedome Bee not wise in thine owne eies but feare God and depart from euill These silly conceited fooles thinke that because they haue the cast of this life and can cunningly compasse the things of this world and goe through-stich with them therefore they can compasse heauen also by their fine wits and déepe deuices But alas poore wretches they are greatly and grossely deceiued For the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse with God and he catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse And againe the Lord saith I wil destroy the wisdome of the wise and will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent Let not these men therefore stand too much in their owne light let them not trust to their owne policies For they are all but as an ice of one nights fréezing which will deceiue them that trust vnto it Let them therefore become fooles in themselues that God may make them wise Let them deny themselues that God may acknowledge them Let them be humbled in themselues that God may exalt them For assuredly there is no vse after this life of the most exquistte wisedome of flesh it all endeth when we end For how dieth the wise man Euen as dieth the foole saith the holy Ghost And where all worldly wisedome endeth there all heauenly wisedome beginneth Thus therefore we sée what a wide gate into hell conceitednesse is and how many enter in thereat Phila. Now let vs vnderstand of the eight gate into hell which is ill company Theol. The spirit of God foreséeing the great danger of this and knowing how ready we are to be carried away with ill company doth giue vs most earnest warning to take héed of it as a most dangerous thing Enter not saith he in the way of the wicked and walke not in the way of euill men Auoid it goe not by it turne from it and passe by The reason héereof is yéelded in another place where it is said A companion of fooles shall be made worse Let men therefore take héede of ill company For many thereby haue béene brought to the gallowes and haue confessed vpon the ladder that ill company hath brought them vnto it and therefore haue admonished all by their example to take héed and beware of lewd company Moreouer the Scripture saith He that followeth vaine companions shall be filled with pouerty And againe in the same Chapter He that keepeth company with banquetters shameth his Father Let vs therefore with Dauid say I am a companion of all them that feare God and keepe his commandements And on the contrary let vs say with him I haue not haunted with vaine persons neither kept company with the dissemblers I hate the assembly of the euill and haue not companied with the wicked Let vs therefore by Dauids example shun the company of the wicked For as a man is so is his company It is the surest note to discern a man by For as al vnlike things are vnsociable so all like things are sociable Herein let vs beware we deceiue not our selues with vaine words and an opinion of our owne strength as if we were as strong as Christ could not be drawne away with any company No no we are more apt to be drawne then to draw to be drawne to euill by others then to draw others
thereof and also to purchase vnto your selfe the sincere ministery of the Gospell and to make conscience to liue vnder it estéeming your selfe happy if you haue it though you want other things and vnhappie if you haue it not though you haue all other things For it is a péerelesse pearle an incomparable Jewell For the purchasing whereof we are aduised by our Lord Jesus to sel all that we haue rather then to goe without it Againe our Sauiour Christ giueth the same counsell to the Church of Laodicea in these words I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried by the fire that thou maiest be rich and white raiment that thou maist be cloathed and that thy filthy nakednesse do not appeare and annoint thine eies with eie-salue that thou maist see Where you sée the word of God is compared to most pretious gold whereby we are made spiritually rich and to glittering attire wherewith our naked soules are cloathed and to an eye-salue wherewith our spirituall blindnesse is cured We are aduertised also by Jesus Christ whose counsell is euer the best that wée should buy these things whatsoeuer they cost vs. The same counsel also giueth wise Salomon saying Buy the truth but sell it not So then you sée the counsell which héerein I giue you is not mine owne but the counsell of Iesus himselfe and Salomon the wise And who can or who dare except against their counsell Asune Is your meaning that men must of necessitie frequent preaching of the word will not bare reading serue the turne Theol. I tolde you before that reading is good profitable and necessary but yet it is not sufficient We must not content our selues with that onely but wée must goe further and get vnto our selues the sound preaching of the Gospell as the chiefest and most princiyall meanes which God hath ordained and sanctified for the sauing of men As it is plainely set downe 1. Cor. 1. 21. When as the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue The meaning of it is that when as men neither by naturall wisedome nor the contemplation of the creatures could sufficiently attaine to the true knowledge of God the Lord according to his heauenly and infinite wisedome thought of an other course which is to saue men by preaching which the world counteth foolishnesse And by the way note that the preaching of the word is not a thing of humane inuention but it is Gods owne deuice and came first out of his braine as the next and néerest way to saue mens soules Wise Salomon also in the Booke of the Prouerbes telleth vs that the preaching of Gods word which hée calleth Uision vsing the word of the Prophets which called their Sermons Uisions is not a thing that may be spared or that wée may be at choise whether we haue it or no but he maketh it to be of absolute necessity vnto eternall life For he saith Where vision faileth the people are left naked So indéede it is in the Originall But the old translation giueth vs the sense thus Where the word of God is not preached there the people perish Then you sée that Salomon striketh it dead in telling vs that all they which are without preaching of the word are in excéeding danger of losing their soules Oh that men could be perswaded of this Saint Paul also saith that faith commeth by hearing the word preached For hée saith How can they heare without a Preacher If faith come by hearing the word preached then I reason thus No preaching no faith no faith no Christ no Christ no eternall life For eternall life is only in him Let vs then put them together thus Take away the word take away faith take away faith take away Christ take away Christ and take away eternall life So then it followeth Take away the word and take away eternall life Or wée may reade them backeward thus If we will haue heauen we must haue Christ If we will haue Christ we must haue faith If we will haue faith we must haue the word preached Then it followeth thus If we will haue heauen we must haue the word preached Then I conclude that preaching generally and for the most part is of absolute necessitie vnto eternall life as meate is of absolute necessity for the preseruation of our bodies as grasse and fodder are of absolute necessity for the vpholding of the life of beasts and water of absolute necessity for the life of fishes Then this being so men are with great care and conscience to heare the Gospell preached to frequent Sermons to resort much to Gods house and habitation where his honour dwelleth with Dauid to say One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visit his holy Temple With godly Mary to say One thing is necessary and so choose the better part With the poore Cripple at Bethesda to wait for the moouing of the waters by the Angell that his impotency may be cured I meane that wée should tie our selues to the first moouing of the spirituall waters of life by the Preachers of the Gospell that our spiritual impotency may be holpen and relieued For the ministery of the Gospell is that golden pipe whereby and where-through all the goodnesse of GOD all the swéetenesse of Christ and all heauenly graces whatsoeuer are deriued vnto vs. Which thing was shadowed in the law by the Pomegranates in the skirts of Arons garments and the golden Belles betwéene them round about that is a golden Bell and a Pomegranate a golden Bell and a Pomegranate The golden Belles did signifie the preaching of the Gospel and the Pomegranates the swéet sauour of Christes death Noting thereby that the swéet sauour of Christs death and all the benefits of his passion should be spread abroad by the preaching of the Gospell Thus you sée that if euer men purpose to be saued they must make more account of the preaching of the Gospel then they haue done not thinke as most men do that they may be without it yet doe well enough And some had as léeue be without it as haue it For it doth but disquiet them and trouble their consciences but woe be vnto such Phila. Yet we see where the word is soundly preached there be many bad people and the reasons thereof in mine opinion are two The one that God taketh his holy spirit from many in hearing the word so that their hearing is made vnfruitfull The other that the diuell hath an hundred deuices to hinder the effectuall working of the word so as it shall doe no good at all nor take any effect in multitudes of men But you Master Theologus can better laie open this matter then I. I pray you therefore
art faire thou art all faire my loue there is no spot in thee Marke that he calleth his Church faire all faire and without spot not because she was so in herself but because she was made so in him And assuredly the eternall God beholding her in his son doth so estéeme and account of her For as hée that beholdeth any thing thorough a red glasse doth take it to be red as is the colour of the glasse so God the Father beholding vs in his son doth take vs to bée of the same nature and quality that he is that is perfectly righteous For this cause it is that he loueth vs setteth his heart vpon vs and will not be remooued from vs. For his loue to his children is alwaies one and the same although we haue not alwaies the like sight and féeling of it As the Moone is alwaies the same in substance and quantity though sometime it séemeth vnto vs to be wasted into a very small scantling Let vs know then to our great comfort that the loue of God towards vs in his deare sonne is constant and alwaies alike and that he wil not discountenance vs or shake vs off for some infirmities no nor yet for many infirmities for the merciful God doth accept of his children because their generall care is good and the vniuersall Tenor of their life tendeth vnto righteousuesse howsoeuer they may greatly faile in many particular actions Two or thrée fits of an Ague do not prooue a diseased body nor two or thrée good daies a sound body euen so some few infirmities doe not argue a wicked man nor two or thrée good actions a good man but we must haue an eye to the certaine and settled course of a mans life Euen as men are truely said to walke in a way when they goe in it although sometimes they trip and stumble so Gods children doe walke in the way of righteousnes although sometimes they stumble and step out of it or sometimes be violently haled out of it by theeues For Sathan and the violence of our lusts doe often hale vs out of the way but we must get into it againe as soone as we are escaped Now then to conclude draw to an end sith God is so infinitely mercifull and constant in his mercy sith such great and precious promises are made to vs in Christ sith the Lord doth not regard our infirmities when our harts are with him Therefore O Asunetus be of good chéere let nothing trouble you feare not the assaults of the Diuell regard not his temptations for assuredly your sinnes are forgiuen Christ is yours heauen is yours and all the promises of life and saluation belong vnto you so as you néed not to doubt you cannot miscarry your name is written in the booke of life Asune I am greatly comforted and cheared vp with your words your preaching of the Gospell and laying open of Gods abundant mercy in Christ and of the promises do exceedingly reuiue me and euen as it were put new life into me they are as Sacke and Sugar vnto my soule and more sweete then the hony and the hony combe they are as Physicke to my sicke soule and as oyntment to my spirituall wounds I doe now beginne to see what misery is in man and what mercy is in God And I know by wofull experience that where misery is not felt there mercy is not regarded but now it hath pleased God to giue me some feeling of mine owne wretchednesse and misery and yet with good comfort in his mercy For I thanke God for it I begin now to grow to some perswasion that the promises doe belong vnto me my sins are forgiuen and that I am one of them that shall be saued Theol. I doe greatly reioyce that God hath according to his rich mercy wrought this good worke in you I doe from the bottome of my heart giue him the praise and glory of it Happy are you that euer you were borne in whom God hath wrought so gratious a work It is of his high fauour and speciall mercy towards you for it is the only priuiledge and prerogatiue royall of Gods owne children truely to repent and beléeue I beseech God therefore to increase your faith and to fill you full of ioy and peace in beléeuing that you may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Antile The Sunne draweth low Asunetus it is time for you and me to be going Phila. Indeed the night will approach by and by and therefore we must of necessity breake off Theol. Sith it is so wée will héere surcease and goe no further Asune Sir I will now take my leaue of you I can neuer be thankefull enough for all the good instructions and comforts which I haue heard from you this day I hope I shall remember some of them whilest I liue I doe therfore 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 conuersion vnto God Theol. The Lord for his infinite mercies sake grant it And I most humbly beséech the Almighty God to establish you with his frée spirit that you may procéed and goe forward in a Christian course vnto the end Phila. I pray you good M. Theologus pardon my boldnesse for you see I haue beene very bold to propound many questions vnto you wherein you haue fully satisfied me to the great ioy and comfort of my soule I doe therefore praise God for you and I hope I shall neuer forget some things which you haue vttered But I will now commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build further Theol. Farewell good Philagathus The Lord blesse you and kéepe you in all your waies and the God of Heauen preserue vs all and continue vs in his feare vnto the end All glory be giuen to God FINIS A Table containing all the principall matters conteined in this Booke and directing to the Page where they are set downe MAns naturall corruption Page 5 Mans misery in nature 6 Mans nature corrupted but not destroied by Adams fall ibid. Some sparkes of Gods Image still remaine after the fall 7 Man in the state of nature cannot doe any thing that pleaseth God ibid. Man naturally neither seeth nor feeleth his miserie 8 Man in nature is vnder the tyrannie of Sathan and curse of the Law 9 Man growne to yeeres liuing and dying in the state of nature perisheth for euer 11 Man continueth cursed till he be borne againe ibid. None can be saued but onely the regenerate 12 Regeneration what ibid. The qualitie of regeneration 13 Remnants of sinne after regeneration 14 Regeneration vnperfect in this life ibid. Meanes of regeneration 23 Eight infallible signes of saluation 30 Eight signes of damnation 31 Nine manifest tokens of damnation ibid. Pride described 33 Pride of gifts condemned 35 Pride in apparell condemned 40 Rules of the world for
of the Gospel amongst vs for the death of thy sonne al that happinesse which we haue thereby also because thou hast chosen vs to life before we were and that of thy meere goodnes vndeserued fauor towards vs hast called vs in thine appointed time iustified vs by thy grace sanctified vs by thy spirit adopted vs to be thine own childrē heirs apparant to the great crown O Lord open our eies euery day more more to see and consider of thy great marueilous loue to vs in all these things that by the due consideration therof our harts may be drawne yet neerer vnto thee euen more to loue thee feare thee obey thee that as thou art enlarged towards vs in mercy so we may be enlarged towards thee in thanksgiuing as thou doest abound towards vs in goodnes so we may aboūd towards thee in obedience loue And sith deere father thou art neuer weary of doing vs good notwithstanding all our vnworthines naughtines therefore let the consideration of thy great mercy fatherly kindnesse towards vs euen as it were force our hearts and compell vs to come into thy most glorious presence with new songs of thankesgiuing in our mouths We pray thee O most mercifull God to forgiue vs all our vnthankfulnes vnkindnes prophannes great abusing of all thy mercies specially our abuse contempt of thy Gospel together with al other the sins of our life which we confesse are innumerable mo then can be reckoned vp both in omission of good things commission of euill We most humbly intreat thee to set thē all ouer to the reckning which thy son Christ hath made vp for them vpō his crosse neuer to lay any of them to our charge but freely forget all forgiue all Naile downe all our sins iniquities to the Crosse of Christ bury them in his death bathe them in his blood hide them in his wounds let them neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. Set vs free of the miseries that are vpō vs for sin keep back the iudgements to come both of soule body goods and good name Be reconciled vnto vs in thy deere son concerning all matters past not once remembring or repeating vnto vs our old abhominable iniquities but accept vs as righteous in him imputing his righteosnes to vs our sins to him Let his righteousnes satisfie thy iustice for all our vnrighteousnes his obedience for our disobedience his perfection for our imperfection Moreouer we humbly beseech thy good maiesty to giue vs the true sight feling of our manifold sins that we may not be blinded in them through delight or hardned in them through custom as the reprobates are but that we may be euen weary of them much grieued for them labouring and striuing by al possible means to get out of them Good Father touch our harts with true repentance for all sin Let vs not take any delight or pleasure in any sin but howsoeuer we fal throgh frailty as we fall often yet let vs neuer fall finally let vs neuer lie downe in sin nor continue in sin but let vs get vpon our feete againe turne to thee with all our hearts seeke thee whilest thou maiest be found whilest thou doest offer grace and mercy vnto vs. O Lord encrease in vs that true and liuely faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy sonne Christ rest vpon his merits altogether Giue vs faith assuredly to belieue all the great and precious promises made in the Gospell and strengthen vs from aboue to walke and abound in all the true sound fruits of faith Let vs walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Let vs feele the power of thy sons death killing sinne in our mortall bodies and the power of his resurrection raising vs vp to newnesse of life Let vs grow daily in the sanctification of the spirit and the mortification of the flesh Let vs liue holily iustly and soberly in this present euill world shewing foorth the vertues of thee in all our particular actions that we may adorne our most holy profession and shine as lights in the middest of a crooked and froward generation amongst whom we liue being gaineful to all by our liues conuersations offensiue to none To this end we pray thee fill vs with thy spirit and all spirituall graces as loue wisedome patience contentment meekenesse humility temperancy chastity kindnesse and affability and stirre vs vp to vse praier and watchfulnesse reading meditation in thy law and all other good meanes whereby wee may grow and abound in all heauenly vertues Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes from day to day make vs such as thou wouldest haue vs to be and such as we desire to be working in vs both will and deede purpose and power For thou O Lord art all in all thou wilt haue mercy vpon whom thou wilt haue mercy and whom thou wilt thou hardenest Haue mercy vpon vs therefore deere Father and neuer leaue vs to our selues nor to our owne wils lusts and desires but assist vs with thy good spirit that we may continue to the end in a righteous course that so at length we may be receiued into glorie and be partakers of that immortall crowne which thou hast laid vp for all that loue thee and truely call vpon thee Further we entreat thee O heauenly father to giue vs all things necessary for this life as foode raiment health peace liberty and such freedome from those manifold miseries which we lie open vnto euery day as thou seest meete Blesse vnto vs all the meanes which thou hast put into our hands for the sustenance of this fraile life Blesse our stocke and store corne and cattell trades occupations and all the works of our hands for thy blessing only maketh rich and it bringeth no sorrows with it Giue vs therfore such a competency and sufficiency of these outward blessings as thou in thy heauenly wisdome seest most needfull for vs. Moreouer we humbly beseech thee most louing Father in great mercy to looke downe from heauen vpon thy whole Church and euery member of it Be fauourable vnto Sion and build vp the wals of Ierusalem Behold with the eye of pity the great ruines and desolations of thy Church Heale vp the wounds make vp the breaches thereof in all Nations Regard it as thine owne flocke tender it as thine owne family dresse it as thine owne vineyard loue it as thine owne spouse Think thoughts of peace to it alwaies look vpon it in deepe compassion Blesse it with thy grace guide it with thy spirit defend it alwaies with thy mighty power scatter the deuises confound the counsels ouerthrow the forces of all that fight against it Specially we intreate thee deare Father to set thy self against that antichrist of Rome that man of perdition which setteth himselfe against thee and against all thy