wicked disobedience and returning vnto his Father driuen therevnto by necessitie was ioyfully receyued opening and humbly confessing and therewithall lamenting his former wickednesse only cleaueth vnto the mercies of God and desertes of our Sauiour Christ Iesus Thus therefore he loueth vs so feruently that he remembreth no our former wickednesse when once wée shall call vppon him but will with ioye graunt and giue vnto vs a wedding garment that is constant faith righteousnesse iustification thorowe Christ Iesus that with the same we being apparelled may be present at the kings feast wythout shame or confusion Thus by prayers poured out vnto God we shall with the fiue wise Virgines haue Oyle sufficient in our Lampes to maintaine the light and shall enter into the Palace of the bridegrome with ioy and gladnesse and all felicitie Thus we shall enter into the kingdome which God hath prepared for himselfe and his Aungels there to inioye the crowne of immortall glorie The example of the theefe hanging on the right hande of Christ applied to the efficacie of prayer The .xxi. Chapter HEre I might with examples declare the force and effect of prayer but for breuitie sake I will onely set before your eyes the example of the théefe which was hanged vpon the right hand of Christ at his passion He after that he had passed his life in such sort that there appeared no way but eternall damnation vnlesse by méere mercy he had béene receyued called vppon Christ for grace and mercy desiring him with heauie penitent and oppressed hart with hartie contrition with earnest repentaunce with constaunt liuely and stedfast fayth to remember him when he came to hys kingdome to deliuer him from the power of the deuill who was readie to receyue him to purge him from his vncleannesse wherwith he before had defaced the similitude of God that was placed in his owne brest had as it were desperatly throwne himselfe in the most cruell and horrible bondage of curssed Sathan But by calling for the louing mercies and incredible goodnesse of Christ Iesus then hanging vpon the crosse for the redemption of him and all mankinde miserably plunged inâ—o a Sea of miseries was by the raunsome of his most precious bloud most happily deliuered For after he had poured out his humble and hartie prayers his pityous complaints his wofull wretchednesse his sorowfull sighes his repentaunt teares â–ª he heard this comfortable answere This daye thou shalt be with me in Paradise Loe the readinesse of Christ Iesus in receyuing our prayers in graunting ouâ— peticions in wyping awaye our wofull wéeping in rewarding them that turne vnto him in comforting them that sorowfully doe séeke him and in exalting crowning and glorifying them that faythfully doe folowe him in workes in wyll in truth in trust in obedience and earnest charitie This théefe was as it may be gathered in his yong tender age lewdely losely and dissolutely brought vp wickedly nurtered vnaduisedly instructed lightly regarded trayned vp in euill company fostered in all abhomination rapine robbing stealing spoyling and such like neuer respecting the seuere iustice or gentle dealing the rigorous seueritie or louing mercies of God almightie the iudge of all men vntill his last ende approched and then being terrified with remorse of conscience and driuen into extreme agony with the remembrance of his wicked life knowing that he coulde not escape most terrible vengeaunce vnlesse he should flie to the present comfort of Gods méere mercie then relented and charitably rebuked his fellowe théefe for despysing and reuyling Christ Iesus and then faithfully calling vppon Christ was paciently ioyfullye and readilye receyued and as Christe promysed was that same daye brought vp into the most pleasant region of heauenlye delites euer to enioye an immortall crowne of eternall felicitie O most blysful estate obtayned by prayer O the maruellous mercies of Christ our sauiour O the most happie hope of a repentaunt hart He is crowned with immortall glorie which hath worthily deserued extréeme miserie He is accoumpted worthy of eternall saluation which for his desertes shoulde rather be condemned wyth deadly damnation He is deliuered from the power bondage and crueltie of Sathan which all his lyfe time for the most part hath vowed and yelded his seruice to all impietie going to warfare vnder the banner of the deuill a tormenting tyrant This miraculous effect and incomparable worke was brought to passe by pouring out of his pensiue heart most wofull complaints with hope in Gods mercies thorowe the manifolde merits of Christ Iesus our onely redéemer to be deliuered from present daunger of his damnable deserts If therefore we thinke that Christ is able to perfourme that which he hath promised if we think that his arme is not abridged if we thinke him not to be inconstant if we beléeue his faithfull promises if we giue credite to his reuealed worde and holy gospel if we doubt not of his infinite mercies if we think that his most precious bloud poured out most plentifully vpon the aultar of the crosse haue still his force for our iustificatioÌ„ we must also necessarily knowe that with the poore widowe we shal obtain our request thorow earnest prayer at God his hande that through him we shall be able to daunt the power of the Deuill that with the lost sonne we shall of our father be ioyfullye receyued that with the repentant théefe we shall reigne in Paradise for euer and euer in all felicitie For hartie prayer cannot be without stedfast faith 1. Iacob Postulet in fide nihil hesitans let him pray in fayth nothing doubting at all And Paule sayth Quomodo inuocabunt eum in quem non crediderunt howe shall they call vppon him in whome they haue not beléeued Fayth bringeth a suretie of eternall happinesse For. 3. Iohn so God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne for this purpose that euerye one which beléeueth on him shoulde not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting And agayne in the ende of the same Chapter it is written He that beléeueth the wordes which the sonne of God speaketh hath life euerlasting And in the fift Chapter it is sayde Verily verily I say vnto you hée that heareth my wordes and beleueth in him that sent me hath eternall lyfe And in the sixt Chapter we reade Haec est voluntas patris mei c. This is the will of my father which sent me that euery one that séeth the sonne and beléeueth on him should haue eternall lyfe Also in the same place Verily I say vnto you he that beléeueth me hath euerlasting lyfe And Iohn also in the .xx. chapter hath these wordes Haec auteÌ„ scripta sunt c. These things are written that you may beleue that Iesus is Christ the sonne of God and that beleuing you may haue lyfe thorowe his name And another sayth laetabuntur omnes qui sperant in te in aeternum exultabunt all shall reioyce that trust in thée O Lord they shall for euer be
from the seruitude and bondage of the Deuill vnder whome they were subiect and to set them at libertie with the raunsome and price of his most sacred and blessed bloud which was poured out vppon the Crosse by cruell and vnthankfull Iewes meaning I say that vnlesse hée beléeue this with stedfast faith and in consideration of the same present himselfe before the face of God firmely trusting that for Christes sake he shall be accepted and mercifullye receyued no man can come vnto the father of heauen or enioy the gracious aspect of the mightie God of Iacob but is vtterly destitute of the glory of God and is a firebrande of hell and heire of eternal misery And Paule saith Without fayth it is vnpossible to please god And againe Whatsoeuer commeth not of fayth is sinne and it is fayth that maketh a man to be saued For Christ sayth to a woman that came vnto him Fides tua te saluam fecit Thy fayth hath made thée hole which is to be vnderstanded not onely of bodily helth but also of heauenly safetie And againe qui non credit 〈◊〉 dicatus est He that doth not beleeue is alreadie iudged or condemned Therefore they which doe dispise reiect or contemne prayer if they be vnfaythfull are in most certaine peril and danger of hell fire But that they are vnfaithfull it shall by the assistance of almightie God be declared by the force fruits and effectes of fayth which bicause they are innumerable and infinite it is requisite that we speake of a few only which wil sufficiently shew vnto vs howe farre they abhorre from the excellent gifte wherewith the dartes of the deuils be quenched the host of Antichrist ouercommed and the firie flames of Hell extinguished That they lacke loue and obedience the speciall fruites of fayth which exercise not prayer The .xij. Chapter FAith whersoeuer it be doth bring forth or ingender repentaunce doth apprehende the spirit of god doth worke in mans harte loue and obedience which fruites and effects if they necessarilye porceede of faith as hereafter it shal appeare sée that by no meanes they may be seperated and contrarilye if they can neuer be founde in any of them which despise prayer as it shall be declared it must néedes of necessitie folowe they haue no fayth but are dry deade vnfruitfull and faithlesse people But first let vs sée whether repentaunce procéede of faith or no and then whither such men can be repentant Faith when it is giuen from heauen and placed in the heart of man then it doth as it were rule and gouerne all the motions of the minde it trieth and prooueth and sercheth all the corners of his cogitations it séeketh swepeth scoureth and clenseth away the filth the rust the drosse the dregges of all impietie For God in the first of Esay sayth if your sinnes be as red as scarlet I will make them as white as snowe which commeth onely by 〈…〉 on through which we appeare righteous before the throne of our mightie God and iustification commeth onely through faith in the most precious bloud of our onely sauiour Iesus Christ For Paule saith in the thirde chapter to the Romaines The righteousnesse or iustification no boubt which is good before God commeth by the fayth of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all that beléeue There is no difference For all haue sinned and lacke the prayse that is of valure before God but are iustified fréelye by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesu whome God hath made a seate of mercy through fayth in his bloud to shewe the righteousnesse which before him is of valure in that he forgyueth the sinnes that are passed which God did suffer to shewe at this time the righteousnesse that is allowed of him that he might be accounted iust and iustifier of him that beléeueth in Iesus Hitherto Paule But vnlesse the sharpe salue of hartie repentaunce be layde vnto the festred woundes of our sinfull hartes it is â—mpossible that they shoulde be purified cleansed or healed For therefore the scripture calleth vs so often to repentance Conuertimini ad me saluieritis Turne vnto me sayth the Lorde and ye shall be safe and againe Si conuersus fuerit impius c. If the wicked shall turne from his euill way and nolo mortem peccatoris I will not the death of a sinner but that he repent and liue and resipiscite credite euangelio repent and beléeue the gospell and non veni vocare iustos sed peccatores ad penitentiam I came not to call the iust but sinners to repentance So that here we sée plainely that first is seâ— conuersion to God and repentaunce then helth or life or safetie whereby we may well perceyue that vnlesse repentaunce doe launch and cut and rent our hartes we can not come to the perfection of obedient christians And againe An humble and contrite heart is an acceptable sacrifice to the Lorde to whome nothing is acceptable that procéedeth not of faith For the Apostle sayth Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne and with sinne howe can God be pleased It remayneth the â—â—â—re that repentaunce whereby the soule is sorrowfully charged but therewithall after shall chéerefully be discharged is engendred and brought forth by fayth For like as in a fielde or garden swéete pleasaunt or delectable flowers can not grow freshly abundantly before that wéedes and stones and thornes be rased vp and cast out euen so the most delitesome fruit of dame vertues grace can not plentifully replenishe the fielde or garden of mans hart vnlesse first the briers of vices and stones of wicked abhomination be by repentaunce cast out and exiled Zachaeus an example of an hartie repenter and that repentance is the salue to recure the wounds of wicked lyfe The .xiij. Chapter THerefore Zacheus the prince of Publicanes in the .19 of Luke when he had receyued the fayth of Christ burst out into these wordes and sayde Ecce Domine dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus c. Beholde Lorde the halfe of my goodes I giue to the poore and if I haue defrauded any man of any thing I render to him foure folde which wordes vndoubtedly doe giue a most certayne token of heartie repentaunce For he did so much detest his former iniquitie so much lament his olde enormities so willinglye condemne his practised prankes and deceitfull dealinges that he not onelye did purpose in time to come to auoyde the lyke but also did with most readie minde recompence them foure folde whome he had before deceiued or oppressed And in the seconde of the Actes when diuers at the preaching of Peter began to beléeue they being pricked in conscience exclamed on this sorte Yée men and brethren what shall we doe here they knowing by the sermons of the Apostle that they hadde a long time erred from the truth and serued rather their owne inuentions than the true God and therefore perceyuing that they were in daunger of
the displeasure and terrible hate of the Lord hosts desired earnestlye to knowe by what meanes they myght escape the vengeance being readie to fall on their heades and sorowfully lamented their dauÌ„gerous ignorance And Peter answereth with these words Delictorum paenitentiaÌ„ agite c. Repent your offences Here we sée that the salue wherwith their heauy harts wounded with wickednesse were first refreshed was hartie repentaunce after they came to the faith of Christ Iesus The Niniuits 3. Ionae beleeued God commaunded a generall fasting which did well declare their remorse of conscience for their former contempt of Gods commaundement and refusall of his mercies and tormenting of his Prophetes whereby they turned away at the last the wrath of the Lord from themselues and their citie all which doe proue that where faith is there is repentaunce Nowe let vs consider a while whether true repentance may be found in them that continue the vse of prayer or no. â—â—scription of repentaunce and the partes therof and the example of the saued theefe The .xiiij. Chapter REpentauncâ— is a true griefe and sorrow for the offence committed against GOD wherewith the minde is opprest the sorrowfull hart most miserably tormented the senses troubled the vnderstanding ouerwhelmed the life afflicted the woonted wanton ioyes altogither banished but so that the valiant force of a liuely faith doth agayne reuiue the languishing spirit with an earnest desire and constant assurance hoping for frée pardon for the merites of Christ his passion whereby is ingendered a full purpose neuer more to haunt the brothell houses of sinne and iniquitie but alwaies to liue in pure conuersation and sincere pietie Herein be principall and especiall partes due contrition and constant faith Contrition maketh a man to tremble and quake to consider the violent 〈◊〉 â—he oâ— God incensed against sinne wherewith he is brought into extreme feare terror and anguishe and for that detesteth the horrible filthynesse and deformitie of the same And in such case is it possible to stand and not to desire pardon To require mercie To craue deliuerance To complaine our estate To lament our miseries To seeke a salue To procure an holesome medicine whereby we may be restored to our helth No no and especially seing fayth instilled into our hartes by the spirite of God doth perswade vs that we shall obtaine if we call that we shall be raunsomed if we require it that we shall be healed if humbly with hartie prayers we repaire to the good Phisition of the soule Christ Iesus our Lord and sauiour What madnesse were it to thinke that any man being sure of most miserable tormentes if he holde his peace and is alreadie plunged into the desperate consideration of the same and féeling their extreme bitternesse and cruell sharpnesse if on the contrarie part he were sure to escape so great a daungâ—r so apparent a perill so mischieuous a miserie by opening his mouth and desiring mercie that he woulde not with readie minde with chéerefull hart with all spéedie hast prostrate himselfe before the iudge and in most lowly wise and carefull humilitie beséech him of his gracious goodnesse and desired bountie to delyuer him The théefe which was hanged with Christ on his right hande when he had receyued the boldnesse of fayth and therewith was brought to godlye repentaunce did desire Christ most humbly to remember him whan he came to his glorious euerlasting kingdome Ye he did not refuse to call vpon him but by calling was delyuered from the power of Sathan from the mouth of hell from the anguish of the soule from the death eternall to which he had surely bene condemned if he had despised or not regarded the profite of faithfull prayer The things that hinder the fruiteful exercise of praier desperation and the contrarie thereof that is securitie The .xv. Chapter WHat is it therefore that hindreth a man so that he doth not vse the fruitefull exercise of prayers â–ª Surely eyther desperatioÌ„ or else securitie Desperation drowneth a man in deadly sorrowes in bitternesse of soule in the furious floudes of most déepe and despitefull dolours Therefore wheresoeuer it is founde it shutteth out cleane the force of fayth But securitie maketh a man carelesse hardneth his heart indureth his stonie spirites and causeth to cry peace peace when destruction hangeth ouer his heade This also when contrition is absent hath no parte or porcion in a faythfull heart Whereof it foloweth that true repentaunce whereby the harts of christians are regenerated their willes chaunged their mindes framed a newe their desires reformed their liues amended their cogitations cleÌ„sed their thoughtes purified their spirite sanctified cannot be founde in those that doe not continually burst out in most hartie prayers desiring grace goodnesse pardon and amendment and consequently that such are not faithfull but faithlesse not fruitfull but fruitlesse not gracious but gracelesse persons Secondly faith doth apprehend the spirite of god For Christ saith Iohn 7. If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke He that beleueth in me as the scripture sayth shall haue floudes of water of lyfe flowing from his bellye and this he spake of the spirite which they that beleue him should receyue And ad Ephesios 1. Paule sayth In whome speakyng of Christ also ye after that you had heard the worde of truth I meane the gospell of your saluation wherein you beleue were sealed with the holye spirite of promise which is the earnest pledge of our inheritaunce to redéeme the purchased possession and that vnto the lawde and glory of god The spirite of God therefore doth possesse the hartes of the faythfull But let vs now consequently consider whither iâ— may be founde in such that will not feare God which saint Paule séemeth to denye Romanes 8. By these wordes Non enim accepistis spirituÌ„ seruitutis in timore sed accepistis spirituÌ„ adoptionis filioruÌ„ dei in quo clamamus Abba pater c. For ye haue not againe receyued the spirite of bondage in feare but ye haue receyued the spirit of adoption of the sonnes of god whereby we cry Abba father For that spirite doth testifie to our spirite that we are the sonnes of God and in the fourth to the Galathians bicause you are the sonnes of God God hath sent the spirite of his sonne into your harts crying Abba father Here in these places Paule doth manifestly shewe that the spirite of God when it resteth in the hartes of the faythfull doth so mollifie mans stony minde so breake downe the brazen walles of sléepie securitie so confounde the pernitious and pestilent purposes of negligent impietie and agayne so comforteth the sorrowfull soule so refresheth the weary wil so repaireth and healeth the broken hart that neyâ—her by contempt of Gods wrath is proudâ—ed neyther by lacke of trust and confidence helth is togither banished but contynuall prayer is poured out to God as to a father that with naturall yea more then naturall affection
The ready Path to the pleasant Pasture of delitesome and eternall Paradyse so called bicause herein is declared how and by what meanes we shall easily obtayne the surpassing pleasures of heauenly felicitie Scene and allowed according to the order appointed Ioel. 2. Omnis qui inuocauerit nomen Domini saluus erit Euery one that shall call vppon the name of the Lorde shall be safe ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Denham for Iohn Iudson To the Reader ALBEIT THE WHOLE worlde be miserably plunged and daungerously drowned in the terrible seas of Gods heauie wrath and sore displeasure yet most deare christians such are the vnspeakeable riches and incomparable treasures of his heauenly mercy that be wyll not disdaine to relieue vs to saue vs to helpe vs to holde vs to heale vs and to harbour vs in the most pleasaunt and comfortable rest of his most gracious and eternall fauour if with humble mindes with sorowfull and repentaunt heartes wyth a constaunt and liuely fayth we will prostrate our selues before the euerlasting throne of his immortall Maiestie hoping to be mercyfullye paciently and graciouslye receyued onely for the merites of Christ Iesus our onely triumphant and mightie Sauiour But bicause men nowe in these our dayes are in hart hardened in lyfe lycentious in loue lasciuious in maners miserable in wordes wylfull in sense vnsauerie in doings disordered in talke vntemperate in wyt wylde in reason retchlesse in rage vnreasonable in foly forwarde in fansie frowarde in vice venimous in vylanie vaunting in soule sinfull in charitie colde in furie flaming in faith fruitlesse and to conclude in gouerning themselues gracelesse and godlesse it is necessarie before they can haue accesse to God in mercie through Christ Iesus before they can passe to the most pleasaunt habitation of Gods euerlasting and immortall kingdome before they can be enfraunchised CytiZens in heauenly Ierusalem that they expell pride banishe arrogancie expell hypocrisie detest all impietie clense awaye the dregges of stinking Poperie washe out the spottes of disobedient adulterie and wype out the blemish of all blasphemous ydolatrie which by none other meanes can more conueniently bee brought to passe then by consideration of the terrible threates of God against obstinate harde hearted and rebellious aduersaries against stifnecked vngracious and disobedient seruaunts against vnnaturall vnthankefull and gracelesse children against them which contemptuouslye dispise his commaundements which spitefully neglect his fatherly counsell which wylfully transgresse his holye lawes which disobediently refuse to giue eare to his aduise and censure which voluntarily cast themselues headlong into the perillous puddle and gaping goulfe of all abhominable vncleanesse vnlawfull wickednesse and extreme miserie I haue therefore deare christian in this my short treatise wherein my principall and especiall purpose is to bring men to the most necessarie profitable and holesome exercise of godly prayer first declared the horrible estate and second death of such who doe not and will not practise earnest and hartie prayer nowe whilest God doth lende them leasure and giue them oportunitie to reforme their loosenesse of lyfe to returne vnto him with hope of mercie to escape the vengeaunce ready to be poured out vpon stifneckned sinners I haue I say first declared and manifestly proued that such vnlesse they repent shall haue none other ende but eternall condemnation in the bottomlesse pit of hell fire in most bitter â—nguish immortal miserie Secondarily I haue plainely set foorth with certaine proofe the most happie ende the blisfull estate the good condition of those who with hartie minde and earnest affection and pure Zeale imbrace the godlye practise of perfite prayer By the first part the terror of Gods intollerable vengeaunce maye batter downe the strong walles of prowde and vnbroken hartes by the seconde the brused consciences of the sorowfull christians may be happily repaired and raised vp againe By the first sleepy security may holesomely be banished by the second godly certainetie of saluation maye easily be procured through the first mans hart maye be wounded through the second it may be salued by the first mans mind is as it were launched by the second healed by the first roughly scoured by the second freshely bewtified by the first opened by the second clensed by the first cut out and framed by the second polished by the first halfe deliuered from the bondes of cruell Sathan by the second safely brought into the gracious fauour of our immortall Sauiour Thirdly least something should seeme to bee wanting for the better instruction of the simple Christians I haue brieflye giuen certaine rules and precepts wherewith if alwayes our prayers be well ordered we shall vndoubtedly obtaine our good requestes at the handes of God which thing assuredly as it is profitable at all times so in these our most myserable and wofull dayes it is most necessarie For when our enimies doe inuade vs it is then tyme to prepare to battaile When vice raigneth then it is necessarie to see that vertue be succoured When Sathan triumpheth then it is highe time to pray that he may be displaced When true humilitie once is defaced then it is time for hypocrysie to be suppressed and nowe when rebels rage sometime in inward cogitations sometimes in outward irruptioÌ„s it is necessary for the helth and safegarde of good christians with earnest and hartie mindes to desire God that all their enimious wicked enterprises maye bee confounded their endeuours ouerturned their deuillish purposes altogither disappointed and that the princely estate of our most gracious and godly soueraigne Lady Queene EliZabeth may for euer bee mightily preserued worthily maintained and most prosperously confirmed which I beseech God in the bowels of Christ Iesus mercyfullye to graunt For prayer in what estate soeuer we be is eyther our onely stay comfort refuge and consolation or else our principall defence and safegarde There withall the subtile assaultes of craftie Sathan are easily escaped his sleightes auoyded his rage refrayned his furie brideled and all his endeuours vtterly disturbed And contrariwise by prayer especially the mercies of God are liberally graunted his grace obtayned his fauour founde his loue allured and his gracious goodnesse bountyfully bestowed Wherefore let vs imbrace the godly practise of hartie prayer as the sure seale of our eternall saluation as the pledge of our redemption as the certaine token of our blessed election and so vndoubtedly wee shall at the last raigne for euer and euer with Christ in all felicitie in his glorious and immortall kingdome which he graunt for the merites of his most precious passion to whome with the father and the holy ghost be all honor praise and glory world without ende Amen God saue our Noble Queene ElyZabeth and sende continuall peace amongst hir louing subiectes I. T. ¶ The readie path to the pleasaunt pasture of delitesome and eternall Paradise c. How gracious fauourable and mercifull God is to his creature man and of his first fall and the decay of his successors or
shoulde daunt the power of the Deuill valiauntly vanquishe the host of Sathan puyssantly conquere the campe and companie of our enimies ouerthrow the kingdome of bloodie Belzebub breake downe the gates of the nethermost hell and beate downe the walles of the Deuill his defensed Castle and deliuer vs poore afflicted people from the cruell rage and violent clause and tearing téeth of oure deuouring enimye This was perfourmed at the fulnesse of tyme in the latter dayes when God sent his Aungell to the most happie holye sacred and pure Virgin who being ouershadowed with the spirit of the most highest brought forth Christ Iesus our onely Sauiour our onely redéemer our onely succour safegarde and defence our sure and stedfast rocke our stable and constant hope the rampire and castle of our helth the soueraigne salue of our heauie and sorowfull heartes the sole and singular and moste holsome remedie for all our diseases In this case therefore we must doe our diligent indeuour that we maye applye this playster to oure gréeuous wounde and so fruitfully enioy the commodities of the same For lyke as a great and infinite treasure lying hydde in the earth will not enrich vs vnlesse with labour care and diligence we digge vp the same and like as a great swift and couragious courser will nothing profite vs in flying from our enimies vnlesse we learne how to sit fast vpon him and so to escape and as the surpassing knowledge cunning and science of a learned and well experienced phisitian will not helpe to cure our maladie and sicknesse or procure our health and safetie vnlesse we open our disease vnto him and desire hys ayde comfort and assistaunce euen so the meruellous mercies the manifolde merites and incomparable desertes the euerlasting goodnesse and bountious liberalitie the riches and excellent greatnesse of the inestimable grace of God through our swéete Sauiour graunted vnto vs wyll not cure our disease will not inlarge the boundes of our libertie will not deliuer vs from the bondes and chaines of Sathan wherewith we are clogged wyll not enrich vs with the glorious giftes and precious pearles of iustice holinesse eternall life and purity vnlesse we with humble hearts with thankefull mindes with heauie chéere with hart oppressed wyth greeuous grones lamenting our former iniquities confessing our manifolde misdeedes detesting all impietie crauing pardon for our committed blasphemie and hartily sorowing for our accustomed idolatrye stubburnesse and wilfull disobedience doe display our miserie and open before him our shamefull nakednesse and in the bowelles of Iesus Christ in whome he is well pleased desire him with constaunt faith with certaine hope with earnest and continuall prayer to haue mercy vpon vs to illuminate our hartes with the spirite of knowledge to scoure away the clowdes of ignoraunce to wash away the spottes of sinfull disobedience to kindle in vs a feruent heauenly true burning and godly charitie and to worke in our hartes a continuall desire alwayes to fulfill hys most blessed will and therewith all to giue vs the power of his holye spirite to performe the same to the glorie of his eternall maiestie the comfort of the godly the fruitfull edification of our brethren and the saluation of our owne selues soules for euer and euer in his glorious and immortall kingdome The meane and way how to come to our heauenly father with a promise of the Authour to intreate of prayer and a diuision of hys worke The thirde Chapter IF we will therefore be the sonnes of God if we will be pertakers of those infinite and celestiall commodities which were gotten and purchased by the most pure bloude of the immaculate Lambe if we will be healed by the swéete salue of his bloudy wounds we must not slacke to runne vnto God our heauenly father with continuall and heartie prayer Which prayer bicause it is a thing so necessarie for christians that without the same we cannot attaine to the grace of God and merites of our sauiour Christ and seing that daylye experience doth apparauntly but pitifully teach vs that in these oure dayes it is an exercise that is nothing at all or verie lightly vsed of many which beare the name of Christ but in déede are not christians I meane and minde by the assistance of almightie God and ayde of his holy spirit to intreate something of the same I saye of prayer that the prowd contempt of the disdainfull Epicures which passe not for prayer may be something abated and diminished that the licentious life of beastly belly Gods which take al their delite in worldly filthinesse may by the terrour of Gods iudgement be corrected and amended that the rarelesse concupisence of worldly wicked men which wallow in welth and worldly banities maye by the knowledge of the bounden dueties be cut off and contemned that such as be deceiued by simplicitie may be reformed that such as knowe not how to praye so that they may mercifully be hearde may charitably be instructed that such as are alreadie forwarde in the same may thervnto be the more incensed For Saint Chrysostome saith that prayer is as the roote and foundation of al vertues For as the foundation doth make a shippe or house to be strong and holdeth it that it may not be dissolued so the exercise of prayer doth holde our lyfe and maketh it strong on all partes and so that without this no good can happen vnto vs nor anye thing which belongeth to our health I will therefore that I may the more orderly procéede diuide my whole talke into thrée principall partes and first by the grace of God I will declare that if we doe reiect or nothing regarde earnest and hartie prayer that we be in present daunger of eternall damnation Secondly that if with pure prayer we doe as we ought call vpon God in Iesus Christ our blessed sauiour for the assistaunce of hys holy spirite we shall be sure of most happie blissefull immortall saluation and thirdlye God guiding me I will shewe plainely how we may praye so that assuredly we shall obtaine our request For although the singular goodnesse and incredible mercies of almightie God our louing father cannot allure vs the terrible vengeaunce which he poureth downe vpon stifnecked sinners maye perchaunce constraine vs to accomplish that which of dutye we shoulde performe Then when by continuall feare of grieuous plagues and punishmentes we are driuen from former negligence to néedefull and healthfull diligence when by terrour of seuere iustice the rayne of our lose libertie is drawen in more straightlye so that we may not runne lyke roysting rouers at randome to the heauie displeasure of our almightie iudge as willingly we woulde and vnwisely were wont it may he that the constaunt hope of so bountifull a rewarde so princely pearles and surpassing a benifite as is eternall saluation maye prouoke and entise our appetite to shewe some earnest zeale and heartie desire to please and serue our maker Afterwards least some
simple rude ignoraunt people as many there be the more it is to be lamented shoulde perswade themselues that they serue God well by prayer when they deface his glory by some of their own superstitious inuentions or popishe Ipocrisie it will not be farre from our purpose briefly to prosecute the nature of true prayer That such as neglect prayer be in daūger of hell fire the first part of the Authors diuision which is continued vnto the .18 Chapter The fourth Chapter BVt first I haue to proue that such as neglect the exercise of praier are in daunger of hell fire And that plainely appeareth bicause they flatly breake the commaundement of god and wickedlye contemne the councell of Christ our sauiour They depriue God of his honour and worship they are trées which beare no fruite they are voyde of faith hope and trust in Gods mercy That they contemptuously dispise the commaūdement of God and Christ our sauiour it is euident For the princely Prophet in the person of God saith and flatlye commaundeth on this sorte Inuoca me in die tribulationis eruam te glorificabis me that is call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thée and thou shalt glorifie me And Christ our sauiour chargeth vs on this maner O rate ne intretis in tentationem And sainct Paule replenished with the holye ghost writeth thus Instate deprecatione vigilantes in ea cum gratiarum actione Pray earnestly and continually watching there with all and giuing thankes And againe Christ sayth Petite accipietis quaerite inuenietis pulsate aperietur vobis Aske and you shall receyue seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you And I will destroy sayth the Lorde in the first of Sophonie the men that haue not sought after the Lorde of Iacob Such infinite places there are to be founde in the scriptures which plainely testifie vnto vs that God straightlye commaundeth vs to call vpon him and threatneth destruction to such as séeke him not Nowe therefore such as doe not take this meanes which God hath prouided to come vnto him must needs incurre the displeasure of him And alas howe are we able to withstande the seuere iudgement of so mightie a god why doe we not tremble and quake to see our selues in so great a grieuous daūger ▪ for as Paule sayth it is a terrible thing to fall into the handes of the lyuing lord Who shall deliuer vs from the torments that he shall cruciate and torment vs withal Who shal saue vs if he condemn vs Who shall blesse vs if he curse vs Who shall restore vs to any life if he doe lay vpon vs most bitter death Desperate is the estate of such as will not call vpon him and they vndoubtedly can looke for nothing else but extréeme and cruell punishment For euen as a Prince here vpon earth if he take a fellone which hath transgressed the lawes disturbed the common welth disquieted good and godlye subiectes violated his faith dispised magistrates and vilanously committed treason against his liedge soueraigne Lord if to such a one he of his frée goodnesse gentle moderation and mercy do graunt so much fauour that if he giue vp a supplication vnto his maiestie he will graunt him pardon for his committed crimes hainous offences and then the rebellious transgressour of the lawes eyther thorow negligence or contempt doe refuse so gentle an offer will neuer let him escape without greeuous horrible and dreadfull tormentes so God prince of all princes and Lorde of Lordes whose mightie maiestie we vnthankefull creatures haue not duely reuerenced whose name worthily we haue not glorified whose glorious prayse we haue not magnified whose iustice we haue not feared whose fatherly mercies we haue not imbraced whose commaundementes we haue contemned whose fearefull iudgementes we haue not regarded whose decrées and ordinances we haue neglected whose counsels we haue cast off and vngratfully refused whose burning wrath and hote indignation we haue deserued if we doe reiect his fatherly goodnesse and tender care wherewith he doth call vs vnto him againe by prayer and supplication through his derely beloued sonne Christ Iesus our sauiour and still continue wilfull and obstinate in our olde cankred and hatefull disobedience will vndoubtedly cast vs headlong into vtter darckenesse and painefull pangues and bitter anguish with the Deuill and his cursed Aungels For as he is gentle so is he iust as he is amiable so is he terrible as he is mercifull so is hée wrathfull to the humble and penitente he is a milde and fauourable comforter to the stifnecked and disobedient he is an yrefull reuenger to the true christians a present reliefe in daunger to disdainefull hypocrites a consuming fire to poore afflicted and oppressed Abels a chéerfull and faithfull friende to persecuting Cainites an open enimy to his séely shéepe a carefull shephearde to rauening Wolues a ramping Lion to simple soules a couragious capitaine to disceitfull Deuils a perpetuall torment to faithfull people a sure defence to tering Tigres a deuouring aduersarie For in his wrath he will consume his enimies and in his fury will confounde all his rebellious aduersaries Therefore Dauid sayth serue the Lorde with feare and reioyce vnto him with reuerence Kisse the sonne least he be angrye and so ye perish from the right way If his wrath be kindled yea but a litle blessed are al they that put their trust in him The dreadfull ende of them against whome Gods wrath is kindled and the daunger of the contempt of gods grace The fift Chapter THe Prophet here knewe the dreadfull ende of those against whome the wrath of God is incensed and they re of God inflamed he I say knewe to what pitious estate what lamentable miserable ende what horrible condition they should come to at the last Therefore he accounteth them blessed holy heauenly happie that put their trust in the Lord that serue him with feare that worshippe him that obey the commaundementes of his diuine maiestie with iust reuerence For in the sixtene of numbers we may some thing perceiue how God will punishe contemptuous persons and rebellious despisers of his will and commaundement where he maketh the earth to open hir mouth and to swallowe vp Core Dathan and Abiram with their tentes wiues children in the sight of all the people of Israel bycause they refused to come at the call of Moyses being a man as we are What therefore shall he doe vnto vs if we despise the commaundement giuen vs of hymselfe so often repeated in the scriptures of purpose by the holy ghost so constantlye confirmed by godly Prophetes so manifestly declared by Christ himselfe hys dearely beloued sonne perfite God and man which came downe from heauen to teach vs this lesson Quisquis inuocauerit nomen domini saluus erit whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord he shall be safe What shall he I say doe vnto vs
in this case if in that case he commaunded the earth to swallowe them vp quicke and cary them to hell We may assuredly vnlesse with repentaunt hartes we call vpon him looke for nothing else but vtter ruine and confusion but eternall damnation and immortall miserie but for the terrible troubles of tormented deuils and most cruell stroakes of most heauie plagues Let the desperate estate of cruell and cursed Cain make vs beware who woulde not after his hainous and bloudy fact come to the throne of Gods mercye with teares and lamentation to bewayle his wickednesse but mistrusting the infinite goodnesse and marueylous riches of the grace and fauour of our mightie maker and tender father became abhominable before the face of God and a terrible example to all such as contemne the great mercies of God layde open to all them that with humble and ready minds will thankfullye by prayer receiue them Let the consideration of vniust Iudas who after he had betrayed Christ the holy one of Israel and vnspotted lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde did hunge himselfe and woulde not take holde of the promises of God but desperatly dispaired of the goodnesse of him among the companie of whose Apostles before he was numbred stirre vs more feruently to runne to God in Christ our sauiour withall diligence with all continuaunce withall certayne hope and pure faith in supplication in prayer and thankes gyuing For if we doe as did these miserable men not looke to be profred mercy but refuse the same we shall be accounted breakers of the commaundements of God dispisers of his worde wicked workers of iniquity and consequentlye worthy of the same most vnhappy reuengement iust iudgement which they were afflicted withall An aunswere to a captious cauillation that might be layed to the Author The sixt Chapter BUt some perchaunce will say that these two last examples doe not so much belong to negligence in prayer as to an horrible terrour in their owne conscience conceyued for the cruell factes they had committed I aunswere that herein both may plainelye be perceyued For that which in this place is most for my purpose in these examples we sée the iustice of God executed against them that did violate his commaundement by treason murder and falshoode Therefore death and hell fire is the guardon and rewarde of such as despise the will of God and the will of God is that we shoulde glorifie his name by pouring out our prayers vnto him Againe wée may easily sée that not onely desperation but also a will to committe these horrible crimes came through lacke of feruentnesse and by a colde negligence in prayer wherein they shoulde haue desired in all there doings the direction of Gods holy spirite which if they had done they had assuredly béene frée both from the terrour of desperation and also from the guiltinesse of so mischieuous vilanies For saint Chrysostome sayth Siue quis virginitatis amore tenetur siue quis studet amplecti honorabilem coniugij castimoniam siue quis meditatur inijcere fraenum iracundiae cum mansuetudine familiaritatem habere siue quis putet ab inuidentiae lue purus esse denique si quis aliud quippiam facere studet quod ad rectè vniendum pertinet duce precatione commodum facilem habiturus est pietatis cursum Whether a man be in loue with virginity whether he indeuour to imbrace honorable and chaste matrimonie whether he couite to bridle anger and to be gentle or courtious whether he wish to be cleane and pure from the pestilent and foule spot of enuie or to conclude if he desire to doe any thing whatsoeuer it be that pertayneth to good and godly life by prayer hée shall easily and commodiously attaine vnto it The lacke therefore of feruentnesse and the daungerous negligence in praier doth bring all wickednesse vncleanesse desperation murther and all impietie This therefore is the cause vndoubtedly why in these most miserable dayes of ours both here in the Realme of Englande and almost throughout all the places of the whole worlde men runne hedlong into the pit of ignorance and error that they swarme togither to stirre vppe wilfull and witlesse warfare that they swarne awaye from the straight path of christian righteousnesse that they ryfle in rancor hatred abhominable enmity that they swel with the venimous poyson of pride presumption that they with all endeuor plucke downe the golden pillers of godly peace vnitie that violently they breake the bands of heauenly concord that they roote out the stampe of true religion that they impugne the state of holesome veritie that they darcken the bright and shyning beames of christian knowledge clogge themselues with the filthie fetters of all abhominable outrage and iniquitie But what Doe we thinke that the God of Iacob and Lorde of Israel nowe at the last sléepeth Or do we think that he which neyther slumbreth nor sléepeth now winketh at our wickednesse and wil not sée it Or do we thinke that he which destroyed afore time the people that wrought wyckednesse before his face hath now chaunged his nature and is no more displeased with blasphemous behauiour Or doe we thinke that we are of habilitie to withstande his furie when he shall rise vp to take vengeaunce vppon vs for our horrible vices daylie more and more increasing amongst vs Or doe we thinke that we haue a speciall priuiledge and prerogatiue to doe what séemeth good in our foolishe fantasies and ydle braynes without correction more than other haue had before Or doe we thinke that the power is eyther daūted or his arme abridged or his might impaired Or doe we think that he loueth vs more than he did his chosen charge and peculiar people of Israell Or can wée thinke so blasphemously that nowe he taketh delite in our filthie doings in wanton wils and prowde pranckes and cursed hypocrisie No no. Let vs not flatter our selues nor dally with God but let vs wisely consider iustly ponder our loose and lewde liues wherby we deserue most sharpe plagues and punishmentes most heauy hasty reuengement most seuere and rigorous iudgement let vs knowe that the passing pacience and gentle sufferaunce of God our heauenly Father doth allure vs to spéedie repentaunce to continuall care yea to hearecloth and ashe◠that so we may yéelde vnto his maiestie for a pleasaunt and swéete sacrifice the bewtifull buddes of dutiful obedience And let vs well consider the mighty wrath of God nowe long ago set on fire against vs and therewithall knowe that he sléepeth not although he sustaine vs that he wincketh not although he woontedly doe warne vs and that he is not pleased although to proue vs by gentlenesse hys plagues be something ceased nor that we can abide his displeasure bursting out like a deuouring tempest although he for hys mercie sake doe abide paciently for our returne nor that we be priuiledged or authorised to vse the workes of
doth tender his adopted children his chosen vessels his louing friendes which appéereth by crying in fayth Abba father It is therefore prooued that they which crie not with hartie affection vnto God our heauenlye father haue not the spirite of God consequently that they are reiected from the number of the saints and sonnes of god Thirdly fayth worketh in mans hart loue and obedience For that doth most perfitely paint out the tender mercies the great good wil the gracious fauour the louing kindnesse of God the father to man in creating him of God the sonne in raunsoming him of God the holye ghost in directing him in creating him by making him of nothing a noble creature in redéeming him by making of a bonde seruant to the Deuill an adopted sonne to himselfe in directing him by restrayning him from most abhominable impietie whether hée woulde runne and cast himselfe headlong into present daunger and kéeping him in the fauour of his tender father creator These with innumerable and infinite commodities more will mooue almost a senselesse hart to contend with all endeuour to loue to please to folowe to praise to obey to reuerence to worship and honour him by whome they are bestowed and giuen and vndeseruedly fréely bountifully without respect of the receyuer his worthynesse and onely for the giuers mercie The effects of fayth in Mari of Bethania which is Marie Magdalene with an enumeration of causes why they bee condemned which reiect prayer The .xvi. Chapter MArie of Bethania after shée had receyued fayth so loued Christ that she not onely was wylling to doe that which was commaunded in the lawe of God but also exercised an extraordinarie meanes whereby shée did shewe forth hir burning and feruent loue towardes Christ For when he was set at meate in a Pharyseis house she brought an Alablaster boxe of oyntment and shée stoode at his féete behind him wéeping and began to washe his féete with teares and did wipe them with the heares of hir head and kissed his féete and annoynted them with oyntment and Christ testifieth in the same place the seuenth of Luke that she loued much Christ also sayth in the fourtéenth of Iohn If anye man loue mée he will kéepe my saying and againe qui non diligit me sermones meos non seruat he that doth not loue me kéepeth not my saying whereby it appeareth that fayth is not without the loue of god The loue of God is not without obedience obedience is not where prayer is not exercised as it is proued before Therfore they which contemne or neglect or doe not vse contynuall prayer are vnfaithful disobedient rebels against God and his annoynted Nowe therefore séeing that for such lacke of duetie on our partes the holy and heauenlye will of our eternall God is nothing regarded the swéete and holesome counsell of Christ Iesus our mercifull and mightie mediatour wilfully condemned the profered and promised mercy by the holye ghost in scripture plentifullye declared wickedly refused seing that God is spoyled of his reuerence depriued of his honour robbed of his glorie prayse and of our dutifull obedience seing that they which doe not exercise continuall prayer are trées bearing no fruite which are good for nothing but to be cut downe and cast into the fire seing that they are faythlesse desperate secure fruitlesse and harde hearted hypocrites trusting more to the fonde illusions of their vaine fantasies than the riches of Gods eternall mercies bathing themselues in the sincke of sinne and foule puddle of blasphemous iniquity it must néedes of necessitie folow that they are burning firebrandes of hell sonnes of the Deuill and heires of eternall damnation For as the Prophet Nahum saith the first Chapter Deus emulator vlciscens dominus vlciscens dominus habens furorem vlciscens dominus in hostes suos irascens ipse suis inimicis God is a zelous and a reuenging Lorde a reuenging Lorde and wrathfull a reuenging Lorde against his enimies and angry against his aduersaries Ante faciem indignationis eius quis stabit quis resistet in ira furoris eius Who shall stande before his face when his indignation is hote and in the daye of hys wrath who shall be able to resist For when he is angrye the heauens shake for feare the earth quiuereth the rockes doe breake a sunder the mountaines shippe the Lyons rore the Tygers tremble and all the inhabitauntes of the worlde are readie to desire the hilles to couer them Such is the terrour of his maiestie such is the horrour of his displeasure such is the burning fire of his hote indignation He will not therefore spare those which trayterously spoyle him of his glorie bereaue him of his due honor reuerence depriue him of his worship who may for the same cause loke for nothing else but eternall death and extreme horrible and deadly damnation For séeing he is ielous and a reuenging Lorde séeing he is a most mightie terrible and fearefull iudge séeing he is a God that hath all power dominion and rule at his commaundement séeing nothing is able to withstande hys will séeing neyther place in heauen neyther habitation in earth nor house in Hell is hidden from his presence and agayne seing on the otherside he is so iustly prouoked so yrefully inflamed so wrathfully mooued against such as robbe him of hys reuerence it is most certaine and so sure as the Lorde liueth that they shall come to vtter and extréeme and most miserable confusion The second part of the authors diuision that is that they be most certaine of the inheritance of heauen which doe exercise prayers comprising the .vii. Chapters folowing The .xvij. Chapter BVt now let vs leaue to speake of those and conuert our talke to the state of such as doe with earnest humble and hartie desire imbrace the most godly exercise of prayer They asuredlye are most certaine to be enheritours of euerlasting and most blisfull saluation for euer and euer eternally For Christ saith Iohn 14. Quicquid petieritis nomine meo hoc faciam vt glorificetur pater per filium Si quid petieritis per nomen meum ego faciam First whatsoeuer you shall require in my name that I will bring to passe that the father may be glorified by his sonne If you shall require any thing in my name I will doe it Here Christ promiseth vnto vs that we shall obtaine whatsoeuer we shall require in his name If therefore we shall require euerlasting life in glorie and all felicitie with him and his Aungels he will gladly willingly and readily graunt it vnto vs For here he is not constrayned to promise it Therefore he is willing to graunt it and againe he doth not promise more then hée is able to perfourme bicause he is GOD omnipotent equall with the father in all power godhead and diuinitie For he saith of him selfe My father and I are all one it remaineth then that of his siguler grace incredible goodnesse wherwith