for his persecutors whom before he called Stifnecked aduersaries Acts 7. of the holy ghost Traytours and murtherers of Christe Doubtlesse he would not haue praied for theÌ„ so ear nestly vnles their sinnes had bin forgiueable And therefore their sinne and offence was no more but simple blasphemy The thirde kinde of Sinne is Blasphemye against the Spirite They committe blasphemye againste the spirite or sinne againste Blasphemy against the Spirite the Holye Ghoste which willinglye vpon knoweledge and aduisedly contrarie to their owne conscience doo denye forsake impugne slaunder reuile and persecute the plaine open manifeste and knowne trueth stifly maliciouslye and obduratly perseuering and continuing without vnfained repentance in that their wilful blindnes and obstinat malice so loÌ„g as they liue in this worlde As did Pharo Saul Herod Iudas the traitor Iulianus Apostata Porphirius Himeneus and Alexander the Coppersmith with other But mark this diligeÌ„tlye that we can not as farre I can perceiue certainly iudge of these Blasphemers againste the spirite before the time of theire departure out of this present life because we cannot certainelye knewe whether at the ende of their life they can repent and by faith returne and take hold of the mercy of God or not We maye coniecture Coniecturare vncertaine but wee cannot as I suppose certainlye define of them Let vs consider that the théefe that hung on the righte hande of Luke 23. Christe euen at the last houre repeÌ„ted him with a strong and Faithefull prayer committed him selfe wholy vnto the mercy of Christ and was saued In consideratioÌ„ whereof let vs thinke it to be our bounden duetye as the Prophets Christ and his Apostles did to reuoke and calback againe open sinners and blasphemers to earnest repentance for their owne sinfulnes and to haue a sure truste in the mercy of God and in the merite of Christes passion and death thogh they bee euen at the departure out of this present life For it is neuer too late so long as life lasteth Let vs therefore with all feruentnesse call vppon them and exhorte them in any wise with a good courage and a sure and vndoubtfull Fayth aske call and crye for gods mercy for his sweet sonne our sauiour Iesus Christes sake and vndoubtedly they shal haue it For sith the beginning of the Worlde hitherto was there neuer one that in faith asked mercy hartelye but hee had it thorow the gracious goodnesse of our aforesayde merciful Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whom with the Father and the holye Ghost be all Lawde and Praise worlde without end Amen An aunswer vnto a godly Merchants letter wherin is plainlye opened the true way of confessing our sinnes THE grace and peace of GOD bee giuen vnto you thorough Iesus Christe c. Whereas in your last Letters to mee moste Trustye and assured Freende you instantlye desired me to write vnto you what I haue read and learned in holye Scripture touching The Confession of Sinnes Truelye Sir this your reasonable request I woulde if I were able right gladly satisfie But as you know I am farre vnable to pen this matter according to the woorthinesse therof Neuerthelesse when I consider with my selfe how muche I am bounden to you for your louing kindenesse dayly shewed to my poore kinsefolke and freendes in England I can-not but thinke it to bee my bounden duetye somewhat to gratifye you againe And albeit that ignoraunce rudenesse of stile and lacke of learning plucketh mee backe from the handling of this matter yet the consideratione of youre greate discretion and gentlenesse pricketh me forwarde to attempte what I can doo therein Certes I nothing doubte but that you will gentlye accept my simple rudenesse good will and endeuour in this behalfe no lesse then if the matter were Gloryouslye garnished with Eloquence and set foorthe with the moste profitable perswasions of the freshest Philosopher or Rethoritian in bothe Vniuersities in England I truste you will credite and imbrace the truethe though it bee neuer so basely and homelye written or declared vnto you For the trueth shall abide and flourish when al prophane painted perswasions and fond pharisaic all phantasies shall vanish awaye and be scattered abroad as drye dust before a whirle wind Wherfore to keepe you no longer from this matter I shall by Gods grace so breefelye as I can declare vnto you what I haue learned read in holye scripture concerning this article of confession of sinnes And that is this that followeth Of Confession of Sinnes THE holie scripture doothe diuerslye in suÌ„dry places set forth treat of the Confession of sinnes In some places it maketh mencion of a general and A generall Confession sollemn Confession openly made of all the People being assembled and gathered togeather at the appointment calling and exhortation of their high Magistrate Byshoppe Curate or publique Minister of Gods Woorde The cause thereof was commonlye some greate plague vengeance or punishment wherwith God scourged them for theire sinfull hainous and abhominable offences committed and doon by them and their forefathers example thereof we haue in the second booke of Esdras where it is thus written In the foure and twenty â—eem 9. day of this moneth came the Children of Israell together with fasting and sackclothes and earth vpon them and seperated the seede of Israell from all the straunge Children and stoode and knowledged their sinnes and wickednesses of their fathers stoode vp in their place and read in the booke of the Law of the Lord their God foure times on the daye c. And after a solemne rehearsall of the iudgementes and greate mercifulnesse of God declared in holye scripture they conclude thus saying Thou O God art righteous in al that thou haste brought vpon vs for thou haste doone right As for vs wee haue beene vngodlye and our Kinges Princes Preestes and Fathers haue not doon after thy Law nor regarded thy commaundements thine earnest exhortations wherwith thou hast exhorted them haue not serued thee in thy Kingdome in thy greate goods that thou gauest them c. and are not conuerted from their wicked works Beholde therefore are wee in bondage this day Yea euen in the lande which thou gauest vnto our Fathers to enioye the Fruites and goodes therof beholde there are we bondmen c. Loe Héere is a solemne open Confession Would God that this example of publique Confession of sinnes were well practised through out all Christendome namely at this day séeing yâ— the plagues of God doo daily increase more and more vpon vs our sinful liues abhominations iustlye deseruing the same and much more There are also thrée Three more sort of confeson of sins more sortes of Confession of sinnes declared in the holy Scriptures The first is secret confession of sinne only vnto God The second is an open confession before men The third is a priuate and secret confessioÌ„ made vnto man Confessioâ— vnto God only As touching yâ— firste it
into the Congregation as a Christian Brother and so to esteeme him and take him What shall I saye of Peter Christes Apostle Peter Had not he a sure knowledge of Christe confessing him openlye before all the Apostles To be very Christe the sonne the liuing God Was not he eueÌ„ then indued with the holy Ghost and grace from aboue vnto whom Iesus Christe saide Blessed art Math. 16. thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not opened that vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen And yet after all this he had such a fall that contrary to his own conscience willinglye wtout anye compulsion threates or imprysonmeÌ„t he did most cowardlye and shamefullye forsake and deny Christ not without blasphemy swering that he neuer knew him cursing and committing him selfe to the Diuell if euer he had to doo with him What woulde the Nâ—â—atian and Annabaptiste saye vnto this Was it not a fall Could there be anye greater sinne then this Was it not doone of knowledge Was it not doone willinglye Was it not against his own conscience Yes doubtlesse it was no lesse but againste his owne conscience But yet thankes be vnto almightye God it was not the sinne of blasphemye against the holy ghost neither the sin vnto death the which Saint Iohn speaketh of for hee 1. Ioh. 5. continued not therin vnto his ende but immediatly he went foorth of the Bishops house and wept bitterly very muche lamenting his hainous offence and by faith he returned again vnto christ Mat. 26. knoweing his mercye to be infinite and without measure and so he was accepted vnto grace againe Christ appeared vnto him to his greate comforte after he rose againe from deathe to life and afterwards sending downe his holye Spirite indued him with wonderfull giftes of grace from aboue And then Peter became a strong Champion setting foorth Christe to be the only sauiour of the whole world Preaching and openlye confessing him before all men without any feare either of yâ— Scribes Pharises or Maiestrates Now good Madam lay this example of S. Peter to this text of S. Paule to the Hebrewes It can not be that they which were once lightned c. If they fall away c. that they should be renued again by repentance If a man would apply the aforesaide example of S. Peter vnto this text of S. Paule he would thinke that Peter should vtterly haue béen cast away from Gods fauour mercy and grace For first it can not be denied but that hee was once lightned that is indued with the true knowledge of Christe to be the onely Messias and sauiour of the world Secondlye he had also tasted of the heauenly gift which was a true faith in christ Iesus openlye confessing the same before al the Apostles béeing fully perswaded in his owne conscience what Christ was Thirdlye that Peter was become pertaker of the holy Ghoast and had tasted of the good woorde of God it appéereth euideÌ„tly by Christes sentence saying Blessed art thou Symon for flesh and bloud that is man shewed thee â—â—ot that but my father â—hich is in heauen Which â—as by the inspiration of â—is holy spirit Finally Peter had a taste of the world to come For hee did see in the mountaine the transfiguration of Christ so did Iames Mat. 17. the more and Iohn the Euangelist also Where in the presence of them all Christ was transfigured and shewed him selfe vnto them in the forme of a glorified body So that his face did shine as the Sun and his clothes appeared as white as the light There appeared also among theÌ„ Moyses and Elias And euen there the cleare voice of God the father of heauen was plainlye hearde among theÌ„ out of yâ— cloud saying vpon Christe This is my dearlye beloued sonne in whom I delite heare him Loe all this and much more Peter bothe hearde and sawe béeing almoste continuallye in Christes companye eating and drinking with him hearing daylye his heauenly doctrine preaching and teaching seeing euerye where as occasioÌ„ serued his great and wonderfull miracles And yet for all this what a great fall Peter had it appeared plainely by his deniall of Christ his louing maister and Sauiour and by the circumstaunces thereof whiche I touched before But yet to make Peters fall more horrible Christ saide vnto him and vnto al the other his Apostles when he sent them â—â—â—rth to preache the Gospell of saluation He that denieth Math. 10. me before men I shall denie him also before my Father Alas good Peter what case standâ—â— thou in nowâ— How dooth this saying of Christ touch thée remembringe this sayinge of Christe art thou not vtterly at thy wits end Is it not most certaine and true yâ— thou hast too horriblye fallen after that thou haddest tasted of all these gratious giftes before rehearsed Hast thou not contrarye to thine owne conscience moste shamefullye denyed thy maister sauiour Christ before men Ah good soule what shal becom of thée How wilt thou answere for thy self for it séemeth héer plainly that both S. Paule in the afore alleaged place to yâ— Hebrewes and also Christ him selfe in the scripture afore rehearsed haue giuen sentence of condemnation against thée Wherefore bothe the Nouacian the Annabaptist grounding them selues vppon these two places of holy scripture will plainelye pronounce thée to be a reprobate and that thou art dispatched and vtterlye cast awaye from all hope of saluation But héere let vs not too lightlye passe ouer but earnestlye weigh and deepely consider what may be said in this matter on Peters behalfe And firste it may be rightlye answered that that place of S. Paul vnto the Hebrewes maketh Heb. 6. nothing againste S. Peter neither yet againste any Christian man how gréeuouslye or how often soeuer hée hath sinned so that he hath not vtterlye forsaken Christe and fallen cleane awaye from him For S. Paule saith It cannot be that they which were once lightned c. If they fall away they should be renued by repentance Marke héer diligentlye that S. Paule saithe If they fall away He saithe not If they fall But if It is not all one thing to fall and to fall away they fall away For it is not all one thing to fall and to fall away For Peter did fall but hee did not fall away froÌ„ Christe but returned vnto him againe An olde prouerb it is A man runneth A Prouerbâ— very far that neuer returneth againe All we christians do daily fal for we daily break Gods coÌ„mandements but yet we do not fal away froÌ„ christ neither refuse we him to be our Sauiour but acknowledging our manifold sinnes and offences wée daylye returne vnto him againe by true repentaunce faithe and amendmeÌ„t of life nothing doubting of his great vnmeasurable mercy towards vs. They fal away froÌ„ christ Who falleth away froÌ„ Christe yâ— vtterly forsake him refuse him to be their sauiour neuer
returneth vnto him againe to obtaine his mercy but are becom plain Apostataes vtterlye forsaking yâ— christiaÌ„ faith making but a mocke of Christe perseuering in their obstinate Apostasie vnbeléefe euen till their liues end as did Iudas the 1. Tim. 1. 2. Tim. 4. traitor Iulianus Apostata Simon Magus Porphirius Hymeneus and Alexander the Coppersmith Secondarily as touching the saying thretning of Christ saying He that de nieth me before men I shall Math. 10. deny him before my father It is to be considered that al the terrible thretnings that are in the holy scripture threatned against great sinners are threatned conditionally A good and general rule to be noted that is to saye if the sinners do not truely repent and return vnto God by Faith amendmente of life this plague and punishment or that shall light vpon them But if they at the Preaching reading or hearing of Gods holy woord doo repent return vnto God by faith godly life then that Plague threatned shall not once touch theÌ„ Example by the Niniuites vppon whome Ionas Gods Minister and preacher Ionas 3. or rather God by him pronounced this terrible iudgement saying There are yet Forty daies and then shall Niniuye bee ouerthrown But there as the Scripture sayth the people of Niniuy beleeued God and earnestly repented them of their greate sinnes and so was the sentence of GOD retracted and the Citye saued and not ouerthrowne So likewise this terrible sentence of Christe He that denyeth mee before men I shall deny him before my Father must néedes haue this condition ioyned A conditioÌ„ with it If he dooth not repent neither return again But Peter did bothe repent and returne againe vnto Christe For albeit his Faithe was weake and faynte as was the faith of all the Apostles yet it was not vtterlye extincte For Christe had saide vnto him before Symon I haue praied for Luke 22 thee that thy faith faile not And in any wise take héede and note this well Christe said not He that denyeth me I shal denye him though hee repente and return But remember wel that Christ said M 〈…〉 9. I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce Peter therfore repented and returned vnto Christ again and so was receiued vnto grace and was saued Wherfore good Madam in this hard Texts of S. Paule vnto the Hebrewes way wel this condition if they full away For they only fall away which coÌ„mit that moste horrible crime which is called in the holy Scripture The sinne vnto death blasphemy against the spirit and sinne against the holy ghost which neuer shall be forgiuen neither in this world neither in the world to come Question But héere it might be demaunded what that sinne againste the holye Ghost is and wherein it differeth from all other gréeuous sinnes Answer Wherunto I answere That ther is difference in sins it may cléerlye be gathered of Christes woordes saying I saye vnto you Math. 12. All sinne and blasphemye shall be forgiuen vnto men but the blasphemye againste the spirite shall not be forgiuen vnto men Loe héer is the matter plainelye opened by our Sauiour Christe what kinde of sinnes shall be forgiuen and what neuer forgiuen Blasphemye againste the spirite shall neuer bee forgiuen all other sinne and Blasphemye shall bee forgiuen And Christe in sayinge All sinne shall be forgiuen compriseth both originall sinne and also actuall sin Moreouer Christe speaketh héere of thrée sortes Three sorts of Sinnes Sinne. Blasphemy Blasphemye against the Spirite of sinnes The first he calleth Sinne the secoÌ„d Blasphemy and the third Blasphemye againste the Spirite Which the scripture also calleth The sin vnto death and the sinne against the holy ghost These thrée kinds of sinnes and the difference of euery of them I intend by Gods helpe seuerallye to declare vnto you so breefelye as I can and so for this time commit you vnto God and firste consider well what sinne is Sinne is euery wilfull disobedience Act or déed Sinne. that is doon contrary vnto the Lawe and Commaundementes of God without murmur grudg or euill speaking either against the Lawe commaundementes or God him selfe that is the maker and giuer of the law As is Idolatrye superstition periurye swearing vnaduisedlye breaking of the Holye Daye dishonouring father and Mother Murther malice hatred enuy wrath strife treason sedition slaunder Whoredome theft and such like All these and such other are called and are indéed sinne so long as the dooers of them doo neyther murmur repine grudge nor speake euill againste God or his holye Lawe neither allowe in their conscience the thing and euil that they doo but rather doo vtterlye disalow accuse and condemn in their owne conscience those their owne damnable actes as euill and detestable The seconde kinde of Sinne is Blasphemye marke it well and consider howe it differeth first from sinne and then from the sinne againste the holy ghost Blasphemy Blasphemye is more haynouse then is sinne alone for all blasphemye is sinne but all sinne is not blasphemye For trueth it is that blasphemye compriseth in it selfe bothe sinne and also a murmure grudge reuiling euill speaking slander and reproche of God and Godlynes but it is alwaye coupled with ignoraunce and vnbeleefe and proceedeth not of such obstmate malice as continueth to the ende of the life as doth the sinne against the holy Ghost In this sinne of Blasphemy S. Paule offended before his conuersion vnto the faith of Christ Iesu For thus he speaketh of him selfe Before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a Tyrant but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorauntlye in vnbeleefe Loe heere it is plain and euident that this blasphemye though it be a greate offence yet it is remissible and forgiueable and is not excluded from Grace and mercy because it procéedeth of Ignoraunce and not â—f knowledge nor of obstinate malice that dooth endure to the liues end Neither is it the sin vnto death and therfore we maye lawfullye praie for such blasphemers As S Iohn saith If any man 1. Iohn 5. see his Brother sin a sin that is not vnto death let him ask and he shall giue him life In this simple blasphemy for so we may cal it many of the Iewes offended taking Christe to be nothing lesse then the Sonne of Dauid or Messias because his parents were very poore and him selfe supposed to be but a poore Carpenters Sonne which bare but a simple port in the worlde Yea and some of them that crucified Christe were ouerwhelmed in this simple blasphemy And therfore Christe prayed for them saying Father forgiue Luke 23. them for they know not what they doo So Peter in his Sermon excused the crucifiers of Christe saying Now deare brethren I knowe that you haue doon it thorough ignoraunce c. Repent you therfore and returne Acts. 3. that your sinnes may be doon away So did S. Steuen also praye
is an humble and lowly confession of sins made vnto God euen from the hart As when a sinner examineth his life by the commaÌ„dements of God so findeth his conscience burdned and encombred with sinne and feeleth thereby what danger of damnation that he is in this feeling of his sicke conscience wil greatly moue him to séeke a Phisition And when hée perceiueth that there is no medicine will heale his disease but onely the mercye of God he will not cease to make all the suite that hee can to obtaine it Hee will without any delaye prostrate him selfe before God and with an humble lowlye and contrite hart minde acknowledg him selfe gréeuouslye to haue offended his Godlye maiesty in thought consent delectation woorde and déede He will neuer leaue off his lamentable suite and faithfull praier and requeste of this his bountifull mercye till he obteine it The swelling rage of his putrified conscience will neuer be asswaged till the precious oyle of Gods mercy haue suppled it mittigated it quieted it and vtterly cured and healed it Of this maner of confession the holye Scripture doth many times treate both by plaine authoritye and examples By authority If we knowledge our sinnes Authoritie 1. Iohn 1. saith S. Iohn God is faithfull and iuste to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse Examples there bee manye Of which I will at this time content my selfe with two or three King Dauid féelinge the Dauid intollerable burthen of his sinnes cryed out saying Haue mercy vpon me O God after thy greate goodnesse Psal 51. and according vnto thy great mercies doo awaye mine offences Washe me againe from my wickednesse and clense me from my sinne For I knowledge my faultes and my sinne is euer before me Against thee onlye againste Psal 24. thee haue I sinned for thy names sake O Lord be mercifull vnto my sinne for it is great The Publican also The Publicane Luke 18. saith Be mercifull O God to me a sinner This confession and knowledging of our sins vnto God if with a contrite and sorrowfull hart it be doone in faith God which knoweth the secretes of euerye mans minde will accepte and allowe though the repentant sinner vttereth not one woorde with his mouth Example of the sinfull The sinfull woman Luke 7. woman that came vnto Christe She spake nothing but wepte and lowlye fell down at christes féete and washed them with the teares of her Eyes and dryed them with the haires of her heade and annoynted them with oyntement All which thinges were euident witnesses of her true and vnfained repentance of her sinnes and fruites of her sure faith that she had in Christes goodnesse For whose comfort Christe saide thy sinnes are forgiuen thee thy Faith hath saued thee goe thy way in peace This earnest confession of sinnes vnto God should euerye Christian daylye practise and exercise vnfaynedlye Of this aforesaide confession to God springeth out the Confession of our owne sinfulnesse before men For he that felt a taste of the mercye of God as hée shall sée occasion to Confession of sinnes before men glorifie God by his example will not be ashamed either priuatelye before one man or openlye before manye men yea thoughe all the whole worlde were present to confesse him selfe to haue béene an horrible transgressour of Gods Holye commaundementes He will nothing doubte but that hée with this his meeke Confession shall muche glorifie God and mooue the Hearers by his example to abhorre sinne and chaunge their euill life Of this wée haue an euidente example in Gods chosen vessel S. Paule which after his conuersation vnto the faith of Christe was not ashamed many times openlye to confesse before Act. 22. 16. men what an vnmercifull Tirant vngratious graft he was against the Holye Congregation of christe before his conuertion to the Faithe This thinge also ashamed hée not to write and set forth to the whole world sayeing I am not woorthy to be 1. Cor. 15. 1. Tim. 1. called an Apostle because I persecuted the congregation of God And in an other place he sayth I was a blasphemer and a tirant c And after Christ Iesus came into the Worlde to saue sinners of whom I am cheefe This example of Saint Paule verye fewe of the Papistes in Englande haue followed vnlesse it Few of the Papists of England follow this example were by constrainte for feare of bodilye punishment And therefore for my parte I suspect them to remaine Papistes still in their heartes For if they had vnfainedlye abhorred Papistrye they woulde after this example of S. Paul with al their harts haue confessed theÌ„selues to be deceiued and also to haue with false doctrin deceiued the people and therfore haue openly and hartelye asked them mercye for the same by dooing wherof doubtlesse they shoulde very muche haue glorified God The thirde manner of Confession of sinnes is a priuate Confession to man And that is of two sortes The fiâ—ste is for the direction establishement and comforte of a mans owne Conscience Priuat confession of sin is needful to many for knowledg counsell and comfort towardes God The other is touching the reconsiliation and confession of a mans faulte and trespasse to his Neighbor whome he hath offended And as touching the first waye of priuate Confession to man I thinke it is a good and holesome maner and fashion conuenient and néedefull to be vsed and obserued of manye of Gods People for three causes that is for knowledge counsell and for comfort Firste for knowledge For knowledge as when a simple man or womaÌ„ that hath heard little or no preaching of Gods woorde by reason wherof they haue almost no knowledge of God or his Commaundementes neither of the profession of Baptisme neither of faith neither haue they in a manner any knoweledge at all of the way of Saluation by Christes death Is it not needefull thinke you for suche ignoraunte Personnes to hunte and séeke out some discrete and learned minister of Gods woorde and to acknowledge vnto him their greate ignorance and to require at his mouth the knowledg of the Lawe of the Lord and of the waye of saluation Is it not written That the Priestes lippes Malac. 2. shoolde be sure knowledge that men maye seeke the law at his mouth for he is a messenger of the Lord of hostes It is méete therefore that Préestes shoulde haue good knowledge in Gods woorde for they are appointed to be shepheards ouer the flock of Christe to féed the soules of gods People with the delicate food of Gods woord specially with the holy bread of life Christe Iesu that came down from heauen to saue al his people from their sinnes But alas for pitie the spirituall shéepeheardes in many places of the world and speciallye in England are verye rude vnlearned and vnable to teache other men because they themselues lacke the knowledge and righte
vnderstandinge of the holye Scriptures For how should they teach others béeing vnlearned themselues Doubtelesse it hath beene hearde of in not a fewe places of England that the Parishioner hath beene better learned in holye Scripture then the Parson or Vicar which thinge is muche to bée lamented Is it not a greate shame It is very strange that the sheepe should haue more wit learning then the sheepheard yes it is vtterlye against nature that the Sheepe should be wiser and better learned theÌ„ the sheephearde But no men are so muche in this behalfe to be blamed as the Byshoppes partelye for admitting such doltishe dodipoles to the office of the ministrye and partelye for the instituting to fat beneficies and to the cure and charge of Christian soules so many vnlearned Idyotes which neither can nor will féede them with the Spirituall foode of Gods woord Our Lord redresse this matter Amen Secondarily this priuate Confession is verye For counsel needefull for Counsell speciallye for suche persons whose consciences are encombred with scrupulouse Superstition of meates vowes or with perplexed doubts in causes of matrimonye of restitution of wronge gotten or withholden goods of reconciliation and such other Or else if they bee sore assaulted with diuers temptatioÌ„s of their ghostly enemy the deuill and knowe no remedyes how to auoyde them In all these and suche like doubtfull cases whome ought they rather to goe vnto and aske counsell then of the heardman of their Soules In worldelye affaires and businesse which waye a man maye defend his righte tytle of enheritaunce and howe he maye ouerthrowe his aduersarye that woulde doo him wrong men will spare for no laboure nor cost but will retaine of their counsel the best lear nedmen of law that they can get muche more in spirituall matters for the soules health oughte euery true Christian to seeke for the beste learned and discret este Ministers of Gods woorde to satisfie their conscieÌ„ces in doubtfull causes and to shewe theÌ„ apte remedies for the auoiding of their sundrye temptationes of their ghostlye enemye the Deuill For if hee bee a good Spirituall Phisition he will minister vnto the patient a conuenient medicine for the healing of his spirituall sicknes disease And the patients duety if he wil recouer his health is no lesse then thankfully and obedientlye to imbrace receiue the wholsome counsel of his spirituall Physition For the wise man Pro. 22. saith He that is wise will be counselled When Iohn the Baptist preached in the desart the people came vnto Math. 3. him from Ierusalem and all the regions round about Iordan confessing their sinnes And the Publicanes came also to be baptised and saide vnto him Maister what shall we doo Loe Luke 3â— heere the Publicanes which were verye extorcioners and bribers at the Preaching of Iohn the baptist came vnto repentaunce and calling him Maister asked him counsell how they should order their liues Then he like a discrete ghostly Father saide vnto them thus Require no more then is appointed you As though he shoulde saye For as muche as héeretofore you haue beene extortioners and verye Caterpillers and bribers and haue taken more of the poore people for taske tribute and custome then you ought to haue doon Now séeing you are conuerted and become the disciples of the heauenlye doctrine you muste with all diligence change your euill life vnto a better and oppresse the people no longer but take your appoynted duetyes and no more So likewise the souldiers also asked him and saide What shal we do then And hée sayde vnto them Do no man violence nor wrong and be content with your wages c. If the same trade were likewise had in vse amonge vs that are now liuing so that when soeuer wee were encombred with any gréeuous temptation or entangled or ouerthrowne in the same if wee euen then as soone as wée coulde possible would consulte with our souls phisition to knowe which waye wée mighte beste auoyde the temptation héereafter were it not a godlye fashion and woorthy praise and commendation Example If a young An Example man béeing sore tempted vnto Whordome and manye times ouercome of his temptation hath yeelded and giuen him selfe ouer vnto the Deuill for that time committing the very act of filthie Whordome and adulterye If he I saye vpon the consideration of his own damnable state that he standeth in would goe vnto a discrete godlye and well learned Preacher of Gods woorde and plainelye vtter vnto him his abhominable deedes in generall woordes and aske his best counsell and aduise therin Truly this Preacher would firste declare vnto him by Gods woord what great daunger of eternall damnation that he then stoode in and plainely tel him that God saithe in the Holye Scripture That neyther Whoremongers nor adulterers shall inherite the Kingdome of God And that God thretneth to Iudge and condemne both Adulterers and fornicatours And so grounding him selfe vppon the Scripture and suche like thereby beating into his Conscience the feare of God he woulde 〈◊〉 him in any wise earnestlye repeâ—te him selfe of his greate sinne and commit him self by earnest faithfull continuall Praier to the mercye of God in Christe Iesu And in any wise without any delaâ—e refuse that filthis and detestable fashion of liuing or else though he séemed neuer so much outwardli in this miserable worlde to flourishe yet should he continually liue without the fauor of God and vnder his great wrath and vengeance not béeing in that state the seruante of God but the diuels slaue bondman out of Gods Kingdom and subiect to eternall death and damnation This thing earnestly How a great sinner should vse him self to recouer the fauour of God heard diligently waied and déepelye from the verye he art considered If this sinner were one of Gods flocke at the hearing of this terrible sentence of the Lawe hée would tremble quake for feare wéepe wail and lament his horrible and detestable state crye and cal incessantly for the vnspeakable mercye of God in Christe Iesu trusting by his onelye meanes to obtain and get again the fauoure of God which thorowe his carelesse disobedience he had lost And feather he woulde humblye desire Counsell which way he might best héerafter auoid that horrible crime of filthy whordome and adultery Then his discreete Preseruatiues agaiÌ„st whordome ghostlye father would exhorte him in anye wise with al his due diligence daily and continuallye to practise these whole some preseruations and moste present remedies against whordoÌ„ That is to say Firste to eschue idlenesse and alwaies be occupied in some honest labour and busines Then to auoid al occasions of euill all suspect houses and wanton company Againe to beware of filthye communication wanton songs histories of baudry neither speak nor heare suche filthynesse Further to vse sobrietye and temperaunce in the vse of meate drinke sleepe and apparell Moreouer to be daily conuersante with