that is worthy of his Fathers fauour that for his fathers sake will not with patience suffer one howers hardnes or take such part nay some part of the paines that his Father sustayneth Or that obayeth not his Fathers will in thinges tending to his owne welfare Suerly that sonne deserueth no fauour but to be beaten with many stripes And what man is hée that if some skilfull Phisition doe foreshowe him of some daungerous disease beginning to growe vppon his body which he himselfe as yet féeleth not but to preuent a greater inconuenience will hee not bee contented not onely to bestowe his money but for the safetie of his arme will he not be contented to suffer his finger to be cut off and to saue his bodie will he not abide his legge to be cut off yes no doubt If such cost be not too deare nor such paines too terrible to preueÌ„t the daunger of the bodie what man will not bee contented for the safetie of his soule to cut off all whatsoeuer is like to indaunger the same And art thou so loth to cut off that or cast from thee those things which are the cause of thy so pernicious a disease securetie Doest thou think thy goods nay thy ill gotten goodes so deare so helpfull and so precious as to indaunger the death of thy soule with the deteining of them when thou art promised life vpon the restitution of them vnfeynedly repenting Beware I say beware least it fester and thy desease gather further into thine heart and so destroye both bodie and soule The sicke-man who for his healthes sake refuseth not to take the most bitterest Potions and hardest medicines and yet are they most greeuous and most vnpleasaunt to him for the time yet because their effect and their working turne to his health he willingly receiueth them So must thou be contented for thy soule health to accept of such bitter afflictions and crosses in this life as shall please mine heauenly father to minister vnto thee which although they bee sharpe and vnsauerie for the time it turneth all thinges to good yea to the health both of soule and bodie Thou hast supped a little of the cup of pouertie and want which is but a milde potion a gentle medicine and yet so contrary to disgestion that it hath driuen thee into such a frantique perplexitie that thou shewest thy self very vnable to take those Purgations which must worke with a more stronger effect to the driuing out of all such noysome affections as by the corruptible and contagious ayre of Sathans breathinges haue infected thine heart whereof if thou bee not cured and the same cut off with the Rasour of a true and vnfeined repentaunce it will procure thee not onely death of bodie but vtter destruction both of bodie and soule Wherefore I say seeke remedie in time come vnto me who am the onely true Phisition of all sicke soules refreshing all them that bee heauie laden healing their spirituall deseases if faithfully and without wauering they seeke the same at mine handes and speedely returne vnto mee by that true and vnfeyned sorrowe for their sinnes which sheweth it selfe in amendement of life in that true sorrowe which causeth repentaunce vnto saluation Comfort thy selfe in this therefore that thy desease is foreshewed thee and that Phisition hath taken thee in hand to cure thee that haue all power in mine owne handes and let neither thy sinnes past trouble thee nor thine estate greeue thee but bee onely reioysing in that I haue promised forgiuenesse of the one and helpe in the other Thou hast an aduocate with the father euen me Iesus Christ the righteous who haue obteyned pardon for al thy sinnes and haue raunsomed thee out of the handes of Sathan a most especiall benefite in respect whereof al the plagues al the troubles calamities and afflictions in this life can light vpon thee are not to bee accompted greeuous but willingly to bee imbraced and paciently to bee accepted as a fatherly calling of thee from thy selfe vnto mee for better it is for thee to be afflicted here in this worlde with bodily and short afflictions then in the world to come with endles destruction And therefore I say beare thou not only with pacience but with a thankfull heart whatsoeuer shal please mine heauenly father to sende thee be it sweete or sowre for those that are his he correcteth and oftentimes suffereth the wicked and careles the secure and dissolute liuers to runne on still in their wicked waies whâ—me of Iustice hee shall reward with endles perdition being yet so full of mercie and so loth to haue the sinner to dye in his sinnes that I most louingly call them intreâ—ting them fayrely to returne from their wickednesse and be saued whom if they repent not by the gentle admonition of the word he scourgeth them he striketh them with his Rod of correction by pouertie by sicknesse by losse of frendes and other aduersities to the ende they may remember themselues and be called from their securitie to place their whole trust in him that is able to saue them and to cast them away who is able to releeue them and to vndo them able to bring them to the déepe of the graue and to bring them vp againe who is able to plucke downe and exalt able to kill and to make aliue againe The lost Sonne as long as he was in his iollitie as long as he had his prosperitie of wealth at his will his health of bodie and thinges at his owne desire wanting nothing that pleased his fantasies so long ranne he astray followed wantonnes imbraced wickednesse and imployed himself to filthinesse and sinne euen with greedines But when he was touched with pouertie when his wonted freendes forsooke him and had no meane to releeue himself then began he to 〈◊〉 his fantasies after an other fashion thou he made of necessitie a vertue he brideled his affectiâ—ns he tamed his euil desires and in al humilitie in true sorrowe for his disobedieÌ„ce he returned againe vnto his father and in great bitternesse of heart as one that vnfeinedly repented he cryed out and sayd Oh father I haue sinned I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am no more worthie to be called thy sonne accept me as one of thine hyred seruauntes whose submission obteyned pardon Dauid when he was in his prosperitie committed euill in the sight of mine heauenly father but when he was afflicted by the persecution of his owne sonne Absolon when he felt aduersitie then cryed he out and confessed his iniquitie bewraying his owne wretchednesse and acknowledged the mightie power of mine heauenly father to whom in great bitternesse of heart he prayed saying Oh Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thine heauie displeasure But haue mercie vppon mee for I am weake c. So great a let is a prosperous estate vnto the proceeding and going forward vnto that
heauenly Ierusalem to that eternall blisse which I haue purchased and so great an helpe and furtheraunce is affliction and aduersitie as thou maist iustly lament thy worldly happinesse and sing euen with great ioye that thine estate is thus altered to reclaime thee from putting thy trust in transitorie thinges faithfully to repose the same in the sure defence of mine heauenly fathers right hande Be thankfull I say accept it as a good preparatiue to vnfeyned repentaunce wherein prostrating thy self in heart praie faithfully and confesse thy sinnes vnfeynedly and I will comforte thee againe with heauenly solace inwardly The sinfull man TheÌ„ shewe me how I should coÌ„fesse and how I ought to pray I doe repent my sinfull life that I haue led astray Solace I Will referre to instruct thee in prayer vntill to another day because the day is so farre spent and because I would first haue thee to confesse thy sinnes and discharge thy conscience of the heauie burden of thine iniquities before thou enter into that most excellent exercise of praier for the heart that is inwardly kept downe with the doubt of remission of sinnes through me can neuer freely open it selfe in a perfect faith to be heard of mine heauenly father and as long as thou goest about to cloke thine iniquities and to hide them from the sight of mine heauenly father thou canst neuer be assured of pardon for thou must bee assured that he that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth them and forsaketh them shal haue mercie his sinnes be they as red as Scarlet I will make as white as wolle and were the 〈◊〉 purple I will make them as white as snowe Now confession is an inward constant and continuall acknowledging thy selfe to bee a sinfull man altogether corrupt whose righteousnes is as a stayned and filthy cloth in whome remayneth no goodnes at all for there is none that sinneth not there is none that doth good none that worketh righteousnes no not one All men are subiect to many infirmities And he that saith that he hath not sinned he is a lyer he deceiueth him self and in him is there no trueth No man can say mine heart is cleare and I am cleare from sinne If therfore euery man be sinfull and none can excuse himselfe but that hee deserueth to be punished that he deserueth in respect of his owne goodnes to be cast of and to be scurged with the rod of correction Thou canst not then say I haue not sinned no thou canst not but confesse with the lost sonne that thou hast gone astraye that thou hast rebelled against God mine heauenly father and wrought so many things against his will that thou art no more worthy to be accepted as his sonne deseruing iustly to bee cast of If then there remaine no hope of thine owne deserts whereby to be accepted into his fauour again wherby to be accepted as his soÌ„ne nay whereby to bee accepted as an hired seruant Therfore there is no way for thee no meane for thee no hope to be receiued againe but in al huÌ„blenes of heart to fall downe as one in his own conscience guiltie of death appealing vnto the mercie of mine heauenly father in me who for my sake will not onely not turne away his face from the humble confession of thy sinnes but of his mercie most plentifull will hee meete the voyce of thine humble confession euen in the middest of thine heart yea and vnfained cries as he heard the humble and zealous sighes of Dauid who when he had sinned and highly displeased mine heauenly father he went not as it wâ—re into a corner to hide his offences wiâ—h the Cloake of hipocrisie but bewrayed his owne vntowardnes layde open his iniquities and acknowledged his sinnes saying within himselfe I will speake against my selfe I will reueale mine offences vnto the Lorde and all his sinnes were forgiuen him Such a godly feeling had Dauid of his sinnes hee entred into consideration of his wickednes before he could thus râ—tourne vnto mine heauenly father in heartâ—â— confession So enter thou into thy selfe examine thine owne conscience and looke back into the whole course of thy life and thou wilt 〈◊〉 ashamed to see thy miserable estate thou wilt blush at the consideration of thy former life and find thy selfe a verie wretched sinner And condemne thy self worthy of farre greater punishment then thou art able to beare Thus must thou begin to take accompt of thy selfe before thou canst truely returne and vnfeinedly confesse thine iniquities vnto mine heauenly father whose wrath is so great against sinne that as long as thou retainest a will to goe forward in sinne and haue not a greater care to returne vnto him hee will forsake thee and not opeÌ„ the hands of his mercie to receiue thee Make haste cherefore to returne forsake thy selfe and flye vnto him take holde of his promises he hath promised in mee to receiue all sinners truely repenting into his mercie againe I came to cal the sinners not the righteous wherefore if thou be a sinner which vnles thou flatter thy selfe to deceiue thy selfe thou canst not denie then I say take hold of this promise Crie out and say Oh Lorde I am a sinner I am one that haue gone astray most wickedly haue I set mine affections and most vainely imbraced the things that can not auaile me in my distresse in which I am inuironed with so many daungers and troubles as without thine helpe I am vtterly forlorne Rest I say and stay thy selfe onely vpon the louing promises of myne heauenly father in mee in faith assuring thy selfe that I will strenghthen thee against all Sathans temptations Thus I say must thou consider thy corruption and with the eye of a perfect fayth looke into the whole course of thy former life and with the same eye to behold the mercies of mine heauenly father most freely promised in me without whose free goodnesse there is no hope of saluation whereby is my death and bitter passion made auaileable to wash away all the sinnes of as many as vnfeinedly beleeue confessing themselues wretched sinners who returning vnto mine heauenly father in a godly feare are accepted righteous before him Thy confession must be ioined with faith and amendement of life for the beliefe of the heart iustifieth and to confesse with thy mouth maketh thee safe whereby thou must consider that it is not enough to crie out and say Oh Lorde I haue sinned I am wicked I haue greeuously offended c. for all this is but winde it is but opening the mouth to none effect but thy confession must bee grounded vpon the inuincible Rocke of faith whereby thou must betake thee vnto his heauenly Maiestie condemning thy self wholy and altogether not faintly after the maner of hypocrites who thincke themselues discharged with their fewe wordes But with Daniell thou must crye out and say Oh Lord we haue
thrall Extende vnto mee wretched wight thy light and loue withall Oh Lorde my God forget mee not hyde not thy selfe from mee Although my flesh do striue to keepe my syllie soule from thee Showe not thyne anger as a foe let mercy be my staye It is no profite Lord for thee to cast my soule awaye Denie mee not a contrite heart a pensiue person poore An wofull wretch a sinfull soule that knocke here at thy doore Uouchsafe to turne thy face to mee forgiue my deedes amisse In feare I doo appeale to thee as one that guiltie is Deale not as my deserts doo craue but as of mercie thou Doost will and still delight to haue all sinfull heartes to bow Showe not thy force against thy foe that faine would come to thee And pardon my Offences all though Death be due to mee Oh plague mee not good Lord so sore I haue no force I fall I neuer wyll offende thee more if thou vouchsafe to call My soule from sinne and to affoord mee Solace sweete againe Loe here I doo against my selfe a sinfull wretch complaine Shame dooth beset mee round about my selfe consume in woe I am corrupt mine heart throughout I wander too and fro From sinne to sinne I run perforce I wander styll astraye Wherfore without thy due remorce I can not but decaye Since first I suckt my Mothersbrest yea since I sawe the daye The subtill Serpent hath not ceast to wrest mine heart astraye In sinne my mother did conceaue this cankred Corps of mine And Sathan seekes Lord to bereaue all that of right is thine He soweth 〈◊〉 and wicked seedes in mine vnstaid brest Wherof doo grow pernitious deedes which breede my soule vnrest Which I as yet cannot auoyde they fixe so fast one mee That froÌ„ my youth they haue auoid and keepe me Lord from thee So that I am full bought and sould betwene the Feend and synne And wickednes a thousand foulde myne heart doth lodge within The good I cannot which I would my nature proane to ill Withdraws myne harte froÌ„ what it should imbrace w t heauenly skil But Lord in sinne why should I dye syth thy good will is so To heare poor synners wheÌ„ they crie and them redeeme from woe And giuest them repaste againe from heauens high aboue And to repentant hearts full faine thou showest thy selfe in loue Ye thou doest saue through mercie meere those that deserue to dye When they to thee returne in feare oh Lorde now so doe I A thousand times before this daie thy mercies from aboue Haue saued them that went astraie to showe thy zealous loue Our fathers who were longe agoe when they were in dystresse Fell prostrate on their harts and loe thou gauest them redresse Ye wheÌ„ they were incompast round and no hope to auoyde Thy mercye Lord did so abounde that they were not destroyed Haue mercie therfore Lord on mee oh god on whome I call I wretched synner here to thee on prostrate heart doe fall Ease mee againe let mercie thine myne woefull hearte releeue And let not synne all goodnes mine through loosenes thus bereaue My soule alas in dolefull plight in hope of helpe doth crie Oh Lord extend thy louelie light that shines from heauen hye To guide my silly soule to blisse by shunnyng what is ill High time alas good Lord it is to frame mee to thy will Wherfore extend thy grace againe put foorth thy helpyng hand Let it reuiue what sinne hath slaine and loosen Sathans bande Lorde Iesus come oh come in haste Let Heauens Bowe come down That I a wretched wight at last maye ioye that passing Crowne Which y u by dreadful death hast won through pluÌ„ging panges on tree In loue to giue the same to those that feare to fall from thee Come come I say thou Solace true and fill mine hart with ioye My sinfull soule with grace renue whom Sathan would destroye No daye no time no minute is deuoyde of wo to mee But oh alas the cause is this I hold mee not by thee If thou absent thy selfe my soule my bones my bodie dust Corrupt with carke of wicked will as Iron doeth with rust If thou absent thy selfe my soule runnes headlong into yll And staggerryng too and fro it reeles and kickes against thy wyll Yf thou absent thy selfe my soule like wretched wight opprest Fast â—ettred in the boultes of sinne lyes groaning voyde of rest Yf thou absent thy selfe my soule sinckes into darkesome thrall But Lord driue darknes far froÌ„ mee sende light and loue withall So sinne shal passe and vertue slow within my dolefull brest Oh Iesu come Oh come in haste to set my soule at rest And thus my soule I doo commende into thy bosome sweete On whome I doo in heart depende heere prostrate at thy feete Solace Take heed take heed Oh sinful man let heart and tongue agree Leaue off to sinne repent foorthwith and I wyll dwell with thee Cast of the Cloake that is the cause to hinder thine intent Thy sinne and then in deede I wyll to thy request consent The sinfull man How shuld mine heart toong agree what meanest thou therin I haue at large thou maist perceiue vnfoulded all my sinne Solace I T is not ynough to shew thy selfe onely by outward wordes to be a sinfull man but thou must likewise as I haue tould thée before reforme thy former frowarde and peruerse wayes that is as thou knowest and hast confessed thy selfe heretofore to haue walked in errour in darkenes rebellyng against mine heauenly father So wold I haue thée to cléeue vnto the trueth to follow the light and obey mine heauenly father in performing those things which are commaunded thée For there be some that can make a gay gloze and showe of holinesse by such outward protestation when in deede they are farre from that true inwarde sorrow which causeth repentaunce vnto saluation whose dissimulation and hypocrisie deserueth double punishment The sinfull man Show mee therfore what must I doe and what must I obeye Uoutchsaufe mee grace I doe repent my gaddyng longe astray Solace WEll then for asmuch as the daie is gone and that there is no time to declare it now I will deferre it vntill to morrow and then I will tell thée what thou most doe and what leaue vndone In the meane time forget not to prayse myne heauenly father who hath made thee mée whoe haue redemed thée and the holye Ghoast whoe haue sealed thée as one of the adopted Children that shal be saued The Ende of the Frydaye or Fyfth Dayes Conference An earnest confession of sinnes with a Prayer for the forgiuenes thereof OH miserable and most wretched creature am I prest down oh Lord with so many euils with such notorious sinnes geuous offences heynous crymes manifould iniquities That I confesse my selfe manie thousand waies to haue offended thee and to haue deserued more punishmente then I am able to beare Oh Lorde such is myne vntowardenes my cursed
that were healed and as a fit preseruation for them onely that they should amend their liues and sinne no more and to leade innocent and godly liues and because that I would moue them the more to a zealous and godly carefulnesse to keepe them selues from thence forth from wantonnes and sinne I gaue them this caueat that they should beware that they returned not to their old filthines least a worse thing should happen vnto them afterwarde Nowe therefore for asmuch oh sinfull man as I haue shewed thee and ministred vnto thee a medicin for a farre more daungerous desease then can possesse the bodie an inwarde euill a spirituall malladie which had taken deepe roote in the bowelles of thine heart and festered it in such sorte as it was almost vncurable and haue now brought it to such perfection as there is some likelihoode of speedie cure if thou wilt bee ruled and aduised by my directions Thou knowest thou canst not denie that the couetouse desires foolish phantasies of this wicked world had so blinded thee and the pernicious deuices of subtile Sathan so lulled thee a sleepe that thou knewest none other happinesse but thine aboundaunce none other comforte but thy coffers of gold siluer no pleasure but thy pomp nor fearest any other paine but pouertie and not moued with pittie didest pinch thy poore Tenant and wert altogether ignoraunt what was the commoditie of the sacrifice of my bodie vpon the Crosse or to what purpose was my death and most bitter Passion placing al thine affections vpon transitorie toyes rūning headlong into thine vtter destruction without redemption had not I awakened thee out of that deadly slumber reclaymed thee from thine error brought thee out of that darkenesse and shewed thée light searched thine heart being so infected with this daungerous desease thou hadst neuer beene healed but hadst dyed in vtter dispayre and so haue beene damned for euermore Now if bodily infirmities and corporall deseases are to be preserued by such a due regarde of keeping them selues pure and vndefiled by auoyding wantonnes and amending their liues how much more hast thou cause to looke vnto thy selfe to keepe watch and warde night and day least vpon this thy recouerie that venomous serpent Sathan who first poysoned thee seeking yet still by all meanes to renue thy desease should finde the doore of thine affections open thrust in newe venome newe inchauntments and newe meanes to hinder thy curing and to make a newe wounde vncurable and so thine ende be worse then thy beginning Therfore so much the more must thou bee carefull and circumspect for the preseruation of thine health begun for the saftie of thy poore soule to amende thy life and to sinne no more which is thou must speedely rid away and cast out all the euill within thee by the hande of a liuely faith ioyned with an vnfeyned sorrow and true repentaunce which is a vertue much pleasing mine heauenly father for that it is an inwarde godly lamenting and mourning of the heart for things committed and done contrary to the blessed wil and holy commaundements of mine heauenly father a detesting and vtter abhorring of all vngodlinesse of all thinges whereby the displeasure of God may be prouoked or his loue abated a godly and zealous endeuour to doe well and a fearfull trembling to do euill wherby euery sinner returning vnto God acknowledgeth his offences condemneth himself and confesseth himself guiltie and iustly deseruing punishment casting himself downe in his owne conceipt in such remorce of conscience as hee seeketh and by all meanes possible endeuoureth himself to make amendes for his offences past framing his life so strictly and so sincerely in all his doinges as it may outwardly appeare and his conscience beare witnesse inwardly that he vtterly abhorreth sinne and coueiteth to leade a newe life And therefore Iohn Baptist when hee Baptised in Iordan Baptised none but such as repented and confessed their sinnes Wherefore I say repent and sinne no more that thy wickednesse may be forgiuen thee and thine infirmities be cured Learne of Dauid who when he was reproued of the Prophet Nathan for his sinnes cryed out against himselfe confessed his sinnes and not like an hypocrite feynedly before men but in great bitternesse of heart inwardly cryed out and said Lord I haue sinned against thee I haue done amisse in thy sight and as one wounded and throughly greeued for prouoking Gods heauie displeasure so against him that hee most earnestly prayed for mercie whose sorrowe was according to that that mine Apostle speaketh of causing repentaunce vnto saluation The sorrowe whereby the lost Sonne obteined his fathers fauour and pardon againe Such sorrowe had Peter when he had denyed me wherein he repenting wept bitterly Such a godly sorrowe had Iob who rent his cloathes and shoare his head and cast himselfe vnto the grounde Thou must beware that thy sorrowe be not as Esaus as Iudas and as Caines was who were also greatly greeued and inwardly pinched at y e feeling of their offences but not in respect that they were in any mislike with their sinnes but being rather hardened and as it were inwardly set against God mine heauenly father kicking against his mercie and louing promises fell desperatly frō him their sorrowe was not of faith and therfore caused not repentaunce vnto saluation but augmented their sinnes True repentaunce is altogether to put of the old man and not to fulfill the lustes of the flesh but euen to forsake thy selfe and to be renewed in righteousnesse not onely in outwarde apparaunce but euen in the very intentions and inwarde affections of the heart putting on the newe man which is newnesse of life being throughly perswaded of the fatherly loue and louing promises of mine heauenly father for otherwise it is impossible to yeeld thy self in vnfeined repentaunce vnto his mercy or endeuour thy selfe truely to turne vnto him as he desireth all men to do not wishing any to perish in his sinnes but most louingly calleth he all men not only by me his Sonne but by his messengers the Prophetes and true Preachers of my worde to returne from their wicked waies and bee saued Returne returne therefore euery one from his euill waies from the wickednesse of your inuentions and put not of from day to day for suddainely commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of vnbeleefe vpon the stubborne and stifenecked Repent I say repent and dye not in thy sinnes seeke mine heauenly father in me and thou shalt finde him and for my sake shall he pardon thee he shall be mercifull vnto thee and shall rid thee out of all thy troubles and defend thee from all miseries As he did Roboam who after he had offended humbled himselfe and obteined fauour Manasses likewise an Idolater hauing by his dissobedience procured the wrath of God against him was taken prisoner and of his
enemies was bound in fetters but vpon his true repentance humbling himselfe in prayer obteyned not only deliueraunce but pardon for his offences The Isralites in their great daunger repented their sinnes fell prostrate vnto God in true repentaunce and were deliuered Mary Magdaline vpon the like repentaunce humbled her self and I forgaue her sinnes The Niniuites a rebellious and obstinate people at the comming of Ionas preaching repentaunce repented in Sackcloth and Ashes and were saued But the old world whose hearts would not relent nor turne from their wickednesse by the preaching of Noe were they not suddainely taken and drowned in the great Flood Noe with a small number of persons excepted The Sodomites and men of Gomorrha who would not repent at the message of my father were burnt with fire and Brimstone suddainly from heauen Such was the vnbeleefe and careles wretchednesse of those of Ierusalem whose dissobedience was great would not repent had the sentence of destruction seuen yeares before pronounced against them and yet runne on still in their wickednesse were besieged and entrenched with their enemies Tytus and Vespatian who battered their walles sackt their Citie burned their houses and themselues in such miserie that for meere famine were driuen to eate their owne children and things clene contrary to the nature of men such is the iust iudgement of mine heauenly father against such as wil not â—e warned at my worde the Gospell of trueth such as neglect and contemne my messengers and set at naught the preaching of my will Wherefore I say againe vnto thee and not to thee only but to al in general rent your hearts and not your garments and returne speedely vnto him whose hands of mercie are now extended ready to receiue them that truely turne to him and his vengeaunce and wrath ready to be powred out vpon the rebellious people vpoÌ„ the sinfull and wicked ones that without regard of his mercie or feare of his Iustice imbrace wickednesse lock vp vanitie in their chestes euen with gréedines for which cause the wrath of my heauenly father is inkindled wherein he deliuereth the offenders into the hands of their aduersaries that shall destroye theÌ„ And yet such is his mercie and his loue so vnspeakeable that at what time soeuer they shall vnfeinedly repent them of their sinnes when soeuer they shall in heart returne to him he shall receiue theÌ„ in mercie and with his merueilous louing kindnesse shal he defend them as with a shield Wherfore I say vnto thee not onely vnto thee but to all those that haue their affections set on the things of this world Mortefie your members which are on the earth fornication vncleannes the inordinate and vnbrideled affections of the heart euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is Idolatrie which is now adaies most greedely imbraced But be assured and let no man neither thine owne peruerse imagination deceiue thee that neither Whoremonger neither vncleane person nor he that supposeth his safetie to consist in his riches an Idolater shal haue any parte of the inheritaunce of my Kingdome Among whom thou thy self hast walked and which things thou hast sometimes been defiled with fulfilling the desires of the corrupt flesh wherby the wrath of mine heauenly father was bent against thee But of my rich grace if thou repent and beleeue thou shalt be saued Wherfore beware thou harden not thine heart in euill returne without delay be warned runne not headlong into newe euilles as the corruption of thy peruerse nature prouoketh thee and whereby Sathan seeketh to drawe thee either into a careles going forward in euill or els into that false and damnable kinde of sorrow whereinto he drewe Caine Esau and Iudas whose sorrow was not to repentaunce vnto saluation as thou hast heard before but wherby they aggrauated and encreased the displeasure of God against them and into the same sorrowe he began to draw thee when thou were first touched with y e knowledge of thy sinnes of which kinde of sorrowe thou must beware and prepare thy heart to that sorrow of Dauids of Mary Magdalines and of the Theefe that was executed with me whose sorrow was vnto saluation not vnto death vnto amendement of life not vnto perseueraunce in wickednesse vnto righteousnesse not vnto sinne Thou must search thine owne conscience and roote out of thine heart al hypocrisie al vnbeleefe all hawtines and pride and in al humblenesse and lowlinesse of minde prostrate thy selfe before the tribunall seaâ—e of God the father making humble confession of thy former euill life and in an vnfeyned faith crye out that for my sake he will bee mercifull vnto thee that hee will forgiue thy sinnes and pardon thine iniquities who is readie in great mercie to returne to him that seeketh him by me with his whole heart who eschueth euil and doth the thing that is good that cleaueth vnto righteousnesse and auoydeth all occasions to doe euill And that with Dauid considering his waies turneth his feete vnto my testimonies and not to Couetousnesse chastizing himselfe with true mortification and casting away all impediments that may hinder or let the preceeding to the amendement of his sinfull life For he that will come vnto mee must bee contented to take in good parte to forgoe the pleasures of this world to bee of small reputation here to bee hated reuiled persecuted yea and to suffer death for my sake The sinfull man All this I can and will performe yea what thou wilt I shall I yeeld my self with wilâ—ing mind for thee to beare it all Solace ALas poore sillie man thou shewest thy selfe very valiaunt before the battaile and very coragious before the combat thou canst stande fast before thou be shaken as though thou were of thy self of power to doe what thou oughtest and to abstaine from doing that thou oughtest not to doe as though thou hadst no neede of my helpe nor waÌ„t of the aide of the holy Ghost or had such perfection alreadie as now there wanted no more in thee Beware of this presumption for it is a meane to queÌ„ch true zeale and a great hinderaunce vnto the worke of true repentance It is the dregges of Satans poyson that yet remaine in thy corrupted minde wherewith thine heart yet swelleth against instruction with a vaine conceipt of sufficient abilitie to doe good and to eschue euill and to beare the heauie burthen of death for my sake when in deede thou art not yet healed of thine olde sore but refusest as it were to receiue the medicine which for thine eternall health I minister vnto thee Sathan telleth thee that thou art able alreadie to worke miracles and to doe wonders and that thou knowest all thinges alreadie wanting nothing and why because he would keepe thee still in ignoraunce and from comming to knowledge It is his endeuour not in thee onely but he worketh to the same
heauen enduring for euer because he feareth not the destruction of the wicked nor longeth for the saluation prouided for the godly O miserable estate of the wicked Rich-men that repose their confidence in their muck and hazard their soules for the wealth of the world But awake awake thou foolish man that slumbrest thus in sinne looke vpon that godly Zacheus set him as a glasse wherein to behold the paterne of perfit repentaunce who being verie rich was voluntarily contented to restore not onely fowerfould that which he had wroÌ„gfully gotten but to giue the halfe of his goodes to the poore who had saluation for his reward Consider this O foolish man and refuse not to make restitution of thine indirectly gotten goods And of that which thou hast then left be thou liberall in so much as if thou sée thy poore brother to want that wherewith thou hast to relieue him thou maist not withhold it And let not the vnsatiable desire of momentanie pleasures to choake thine vnderstanding that my wordes can not reuoke thée from thy disobedience to a spéedie sorrow causing repentaunce vnto saluation walke not thus in a shadow disquieting thy selfe in vaine reposing thy trust in casuall riches whereof thou hast boasted thy selfe heretofore as though it could redéeme thy soule in the last day Wherefore I say be warned least thou be destroyed for euer least thou be pluckt out of thy foolish earthly tabernacle and quite and cleane rooted out of the land of the liuing which the righteous shall sée and laugh at and shall say Behold the man that tooke not God for his strength but trusted in the multitude of his riches which now not onely auaileth him not in the day of the Lords wrath but hath heaped vpon himselfe veÌ„geance for his reward Naball a very rich man refusing of his increase store to releeue the young men whom Dauid sent who in his couetousnes said Shall I take my bread my water my flesh substaunce which I haue gotten together giue it to them I know not But he was rewarded with death Wherefore I say consider this and turne vnto me in newnes of lyfe and in righteousnes which shall deliuer thée from death Set not thine affections altogâ—ther thus on worldly thinges which I perceaue hath made thée so druncken that thou perswadest thy selfe that thy prosperitie which is the nurce and foundation of all other vices and the ground of all impietie and disobedience against God mine heauenly Father is the mother of true happinesse Beware of that error for Dauid when he was in prosperitie hauing all thinges at will fell to Adulterie and murdred an innocent man But he scaped not scotfrée he was plagued with his owne sonne Absolon who rebelled against him so daungerous is the estate of prosperitie and so iust is the iudgement of mine heauenly Father against such as doe not bestowe his giftes to the helpe and reliefe of his poore brethren but who in stead of reléefe vse for their owne priuate gaine violence oppression Wherefore I say stand vp with Zache be merciful and helpefull vnto thy poore and needy brethren according to thy power and as thou hast plenteous giue plenteously turne not thy face from him that asketh of thee and what thou hast had of any man wrongfully restore it againe willingly be ready to giue and glad to distribute and what thou layest out mine heauenly Father shal paye it thee againe in heauen and shall defend thee in time of thy necessitie Trust not in vncertaine riches which hath already deceiued thee but in the liuing God mine heauenly father who performed his promises for euermore who shall make thee so rich in good workes that in me and for my sake thou shalt obtaine eternall lyfe The sinfull man Then loe I will restore in hast the landes and Graunge againe To Simple and no other man shall losse by me sustaine But will the poore and needy man releeue that are opprest And then I trust I shal possesse at last eternall rest Solace IF this restitution of thine procéede of an vnfained fayth and the residue of thy doings tend to the amendment of thy life assure thy selfe of eternall saluation yet not in respect of thine owne good works be they neuer so manye but for my sake who as thou haste heard haue purchased the same for all them that vnfainedly repent and turne from their wicked waies for when thou of thy selfe hast done al that thou canst yet arte thou an vnprofitable seruant therfore must thou quite and clean disclaime thine owne worthines for in the sight of mine heauenly father shall no man liuing be iustified But if thou be ouerburdened with the weight of thy sins come vnto me lay all thine offences in true repentance on me who continue an aduocate in the sight of mine heauenly father making continuall intercession for as many as faythfully beleeue whome I will cloathe with the weedes of righteousnes that they in the last day may appeare without spot and receaue the reward of eternall life Where thou hast also diligently to beware that seeing saluation and redemption to come onely by my death and by sacrifice of my body on the Crosse once for all the sinnes of the world and that I continue a mediator and aduocate vnto mine heauenly Father for thée for euer and that I am full of mercie slowe to wrath and ready to forgiue Take héede I say least the prince of this world thy woonted aduersarie Sathan put into thine heart a presumption of these mercies of mine perswading thée that there is no doubt of saluation because that I haue promised that weare thy sinnes as redde as Scarlet I will make them as white as Snowe and so hold thee still to fight against all goodnes and godlynes and to stand stoutely as it were in defiance of my louing calling and dispise the riches of the grace and mercie of God mine heauenly Father purchased by my bloud wherein I louingly call thée now to repentaunce wherein thou must vnfainedly returne to me and that spedily not driuing off from day to day saying as the wicked when they be reprooued of their sinnes accustomably doe That they know they shall haue time enough to repent ere they dye which is another stop and stumbling block that Sathan layes before them that are called that they should not repent but dye in their sinnes So tels hée thée and perswades thée that death shall not be so cruell vnto thée but shall spare thee and afoord thée time enough to say euen at the last gasp Lord haue mercie vpon me Lord forgiue me my sins and so forth which as he tels thee shall be sufficient for thée Thus he séeketh to stay thy true repentaunce euery way and in this foolish imagination of crauing pardon at the last while manie haue delayed the
vndone The sum and whole effect whereof is comprehended onely in loue namely in louing God aboue all thinges and thy neighboure as thy selfe and to hate all things that make againste the fulfilling of the same loue The sinfull man Uouchsafe good Solace to declare now more at large to mee These ten Precepts which doe set foorth the way to come to thee Solace THâ—â— attend thou diligently and first coÌ„sider that these precepts are not of so small moment as y t they should be accepted as the coÌ„maundements of man but to be esteemed as the verie word of myne heauenly father whoe to make the same of the greater credite and aucthoritie amonge men ioyned his owne person his glorious maiestie to the same his words and came visiblye downe in a flame of fire vpon mount Synaye to deliuer them after a farre more glorious and wounderfull manner then man could doe couplinge his owne glorye with the worde to the ende that the same should not be so little accompted of so slenderly regarded or the aucthoritye thereof reiected as a thinge of small effect as words coÌ„monly are estemed as a puffe of wind now hard and by and by forgotten But because it should be of an euerlasting and permanent continuance they were wrytten in tablâ— of stone such was the weightines of the matter that myne heauenly father thought not the wordes of a man no not of an Angel of sufficient aucthoritie or credyte to delyuer the same And therefore came he himselfe downe after such a wounderfull manner as that the mount Synaye at his presence smoaked as a fournace trembling and quakinge miraculouslye whereby thou mayste perceyue y t whoso dyspiseth his Prophets and the performance of his commaundements dispiseth his word and so contempneth god myne heauenly father him selfe for he that dyspiseth the one contempneth the other Therefore muste thou not so lightly waye these precepts the will of mine heauenly father but highly reuereÌ„ce them attentiuely heare them duely follow them and faythfully beleeue them which are perfect conuerting the soule The testimony of the Lord is pure and giueth wisdome vnto the simple and in performing them is their great reward which rewarde yet notwithstanding thou mayst not accompt thy selfe worthy of when thou hast done that which is in the law commaunded thee as farre as is possible for to fulfill the same in al points so exactly as is required thou canst not but when thou haste done all that thou canst thou mayst confesse thy selfe an vnprofitable seruante nay examine the former course of thy life with that which mine heauenly father hath commaunded thée in the lawe and thou shalt not onely finde thy selfe guilty of the breach of one but of all the commaundements for if thou breake and transgresse one thou arte guilty of all And as mine Appostle Paule sayth thou arte not of thy selfe able to thinke a good thought much lesse to fulfill the whole law for they that are in the flesh cannot please God but thou art called from the wisdome of the fleshe whiche is death to the wisdome of the spirite which is life wherby thou mayst be directed to fulfill that righteousnesse which the lawe requireth namely to loue mine heauenly father with all thine hearte with all thy minde with all thy strength thy neighboure as thy selfe wherein consisteth the perfecte righteousnes of the lawe Now to declare the same more at large and to reherse the same particulerly for thy better instruction know this that the first of the same tenne precepts is a prohibition or forbidding that thou shouldâ—st haue any other God or Gods but mine heauenlye father onelye who hath made thée the whole world and all things therein coÌ„tayned who as hée deliuered the people of Israell from their bondage and captiuitie wherein they were grieued by the tirannye of Pharaoh King of Egypte by the handes of Moses and Aaron so hath hee deliuered thee and all mankinde by the sacrifice of my body vppon the crosse from the bondage of sinne from the tyraunte of Sathan and from the feare of death and hell which if there were none other were such an especial benefit that it might 〈…〉 thee to suche an inwarde acknowledging of his inestimable loue that in respecte of that that when thou were following the vngodlie lustes and féeding the vnlawfull desires of thine vntamed fleshe runnynge rashly foorth in that broade way that leadeth vnto death he vouchsaued to send mee his onely sonne to call thée and to with-drawe thee from the same and to set thee in the way that leadeth vnto eternall life thou canste not but accompte him thy god and be mooued to the willyng seruice of him To which especiall benefit if thou ioyne and call to mind the residue of his aboundaunt mercyes wherin he voutchsafeth thee all thinges necessary and expedient to the mayntenaunce of this mortall life and suffereth thee not to wante the thing which maye relieue and comfort thée in all necessities and especially if in fayth thou fall vnto him in my name requiring the same thou mayest be assured to obtayne all thinges at his handes which are requisite for thée not onely I say for the bodye but which is most precious for the soule which could not but haue coÌ„tinued in a most miserable and most dampnable estate had not hee giuen me vnto the death for the redemption thereof who as I haue before assured thée haue aunswered that for thee for which thou remaynedst accurssed namely for not performing all things contained in the lawe That haue I done for thée obeying the will of mine heauenly father therin whose mercy so abounded that he hath accepted thee vnto his fauour agayne through mée without whome thou hadste neuer beene reclaimed but perished in thy sinne In which his so singuler benefites and superaboundant mercies he declareth himselfe to be thy very true and onely God and therefore forbiddeth thee to haue any other God but himself whome thou must worship obey serue trust vnto beleeue and call vpon giuing him aswell by outward profession as by inwarde loue and affection vnfayned prayse and honour imparting the same to none other Least as Dauid sayth thou forget the name of the Lord thy God holde vp thine handes to straunge Gods Worship thy Lord thy God therefore and see that him onely thou serue and truely obey and that with the same true worshippe whiche is commaunded thée in his worde as by prayers supplications and giuinge of thankes magnifying him in the greatnes of his mercy wherein he aydeth reléeueth comforteth and defendeth them that being distressed faithfully call vpon him not running vnto any Saint or Angell but vnto him onely in and by me who am the waye and meane to bringe them vnto him I am the mediator and aduocat by whoÌ„ onely and by none other thou mayst haue free passage vnto
deede a most daungerous enterprise no doubt vnto them both But it is lawfull they say for a man to ouerthrowe his owne deede if it bee not formall if it want the wordes that binde as fast as yron fetters yea though he can confesse that his meaning was so yet they say that the lawe telles him it is voyde and that he is at libertie to take the aduauntage if he will yes it is all fish that comes vnto the Net men will spende more then the valew but they wil proue them selues to swerue from their owne meaning A lamentable thing that lawe the mistris of Iustice should bee so darkened through the hard consciences of men that she should seeme to plucke in her hande from giuing euery man his right contrary to the true meaning of the lawe maker and to the purpose of this Commaundement which as it forbiddeth openly to giue false testimonie in any matter so to doe any thing to the hinderaunce of other men in goodes or good name The last Commaundement forbiddeth thee not onely as before is sayd to take away any thing by fraude or violence from thy neighbor which was by the action or deede doing but this commeth neerer to search thy verie hearte and to reprooue the verie desire of things that are thy neighbours as his house his wife his Seruant his Maide his Oxe his Asse or any thing that he hath Thou art commaunded to settle all thine affections thoughts and desires of thine heart onely in God myne heauenly father But if thou be caried away with the desires of thy neighbours goods howe fulfillest thou this Commaundement Wherefore it behoueth the to cast away these vngodly desires of thy neighbours house his Land his liuing his commodities and profites and with a determinate consent to place them on good things on things that may be equally beneficiall to thy neighbour as to thy selfe that in heart thou maist by a true faith assure thy selfe that thou louest God aboue al things and thy neighbour as thy selfe Thou knowest th t I haue paâ—de the ransome both for thy body and soule and therefore keepe thy selfe vnder mine obedience without letting thy thoughts runne hither and thither to inkindell such desires in thine heart as will not be quenched vntill it breake out into such an inexstinguishable flame of burning affection to thy neighbors goods that it burne vp and consume all loue and feare of mine heauenly father and so tye thine imaginations altogether to the Pillers of such vanities as may drawe thee into destruction both of body and soule But some will say why it is lawfull for me to thinke what I list who can controll me It is a common saying that thoughts are free but although it be free to thinke as in deede in respect of men thoughts are not seene nor vnderstoode as of one by another But there is one that searcheth the verie heartes and raines in whose sight the thought appeareth manifestly wherein he expecteth and willeth such obedience to be as it may carrie with it a shewe of loue to him aboue all things and to thy neighbour as thy selfe Thou hast bene warned before in the other Commaundements to beware of such a resolute and determinate desâ—re of thy neighbors goods as carrieth with it a full perswasion will to haue it accomplished which thou hast heard to be an equal offence in y e sight of mine heauenly father with the deede it selfe But in this commaundement thou art forbiden to giue enterteinmeÌ„t to the very bare thought notwithstanding thou giue no resolute consent thereunto namely that if thou haddest fit oportunitie thou wouldest performe that wherunto thy thought hath moued thee Thou must not I say suffer thy thoughts to wander by carnall libertie vpon vaine and wicked things but vpon those things that are good and godly where euill thoughts are there is not loue that loue which is required of thee towardes mine heauenly father for that loue thinketh not euill against him whome it loueth neither doth it reioyce in iniquitie that loue oughtest thou to beare towardes thy neighbour so shall thy thoughts be preserued from thinking any euil or preteÌ„ding any wrong against him for he that truely loueth another imagineth nothing that he knoweth may be hurtful or a hinderaÌ„ce vnto him as in wishing his goods house or land or any other thing which is proper vnto him Of which thou canst not cleare thy selfe no not of a setled and resolute consent to desire thy poore Tenaunts house and liuing which in the ende brought foorth the verie effect of thy desire by pulling it from the poore man in deede nowe thine owne experience can tell thee that the thought brought foorth the desire and the desire neuer was quenched vntill it had accomplished the thing desired which is an argument sufficiently strong to prooue that euill thoughts wherein are settled no certeine consent are to be subdued for otherwise they will thrust thee forward in the broade way that leadeath vnto destruction Nowe therefore if such danger lye so secretly lurking in the thought which daunger men least suspect it behooueth thee to looke about the and to resist al euill not onely of the outward action of the determinate consent or in the word but in the very thought Looke into this commaundement and into thy corruptible nature y t bringeth forth the weedes of wickednes in such plentifull maner as thou shalt feele not only wickednes in thy thoughts in thy desires and resolute purposes but in thy verie actions and dealings amongst men And so to haue manifestly transgressed the whole Lawe for which transgression there is due the iust reward of death The sinfull man Alas then in what case am I if death be due to mee What doth auaile y t I haue heard so many things of thee What shal I do mine heart impleat with fearefull pangs of woe Had bene as good at first as now to yeeld vnto my foe Solace WHat hast thou so soone forgotten that thou hast a Mediatour me Iesus Christ who haue satisfied and fulfilled all things to thy discharge And that I remaine with mine heauenly father for euer making intercession for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Turne vnto me in forsaking thine euil and wicked life and I will appease mine heauenly fathers wrathe so that in mercie hee shall returne againe vnto thee as thou hast heard Thou hast in these former Commaundements heard all thine infirmities reueiled thy wicked life reprooued and thy corruption manifested for that feeling and perceiuing thine vnrighteousnesse and setting the same as it were face to face with the lawe thou maist see thine owne wretchednesse wherby thou mightest stand conuicted in thine owne conceites of all merites of thine owne and be forced to flie vnto me whose righteousnes shalbe reputed thy righteousnesse mine obedience thine obedience my merrites thine and my death to purchase thee eternal life Wherefore
Mediatour by whom thou shalt be sure to obteyne al thinges both for body and soule Aske therefore I say in my name for I pray vnto mine heauenly father for thee for whose sake he shall giue thee al thinges that thy ioye may be full The sinfull man Alas I knowe not how to aske nor what true prayer is I long to learne so sweete a meane to bring my soule to blisse Wherefore declare to me in haste how I must pray aright Mine heart is set to seeke the thing so pleasaunt in thy sight Solace TRue and faithfull prayer is the principall seruice wherewith God mine heauenly father is honored and pleased for that thereby is thy faith manifested and which beareth witnes openly that thou expectest all helpe all releefe all happinesse and welfare to come from him alone acknowledging him thine onely defence thine onely rocke and sure refuge in the day of thy tribulation who most louingly calleth thée to come vnto him in thy necessitie So y t thou mayst be assured that he is most readie and willing to hearken vnto thy petitions to graunt thy requestes Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee Which calling of thine must be faithful without hypocrisie that is it must bee vnfeyned and zealous euen from thine heart as a sure and certeine testimonie that thou accomptest him thine onely helper and defender and that thou reposest thy trust onely in him as the fountaine of all good whatsoeuer and from whence thy zealous and vnfeyned prayer shall drawe as from the head-spring of al releefe the pure water of continuall comfort namely in this worlde all thinges which shalbe expedient and necessary and in the ende eternall saluation wherein consisteth the whole care which thou art in this life teyed vnto and not so much to seeke the transitorie defence of thy mortall body nor thinges apperteining therunto as the preseruation of thy soule which shall liue for euer and euer wherein thou must beware that the affections which are naturally towardes the body exceede not nor blind thine vnderstanding in such sorte as thou seeke for superfluous meanes for the preseruation thereof and neglect those things wherein the safetie of thy poore soule consisteth which is the worship of mine heauenly father attributing vnto him both outwardly in thy deedes and inwardly in thine heart those dueties and preheminences which by the prescript rule of his deuine worde thou art bounde to yeeld and doe vnto him the cheefest and most acceptable maner whereof is this zealous hearty faithfull prayer which thou must direct vnto him alone through mee his Sonne by whom and by no other meanes thou mayst freely come vnto him reueyling thy necessities opening thy wants bewraying thy weakenesse confessing thy sinnes and yeelding al laude vnto his holie name and all possible thankes and praises for his most bountifull louing kindnesse towardes thee in which seuerall poyntes ought thy prayers to consist namely in coÌ„fessing thy sinnes for he heareth not sinners that is such as haue no feeling of their owne corruption and fall not to vnfeined repentaunce and seeke not forgiuenesse of their sinnes in mee And therefore aboue all things seeke first attonement with my heauenly father yea and that whensoeuer thou goest about to aske any thing at his handes thinke that thou art a sinner and that the remission thereof in true repentaunce is promised in mee to whom al the Prophetes beare witnesse that through my name all that beleeue in mee shall receiue the remission of their sinnes By whom being iustified by faith thou hast peace with myne heauenly father To whom as thou art bound to make all thy prâ—â—ers so must they be made in and by me by whom thou hast boldnesse through faith to goe vnto him euen to the seate of his grace And hauing reconciliation and attonement with him through me and free accesse vnto the throane of his Maiestie in faith lay open thy necessities assuring thy selfe that whatsoeuer thou pray vnto him for be it for spirituall or temporall benefites in my name he shall giue it thee for I am the Mediatour and high Bishop that make continuall prayers for thee and no man commeth vnto the father but by mee And therefore if thou abide in me and my wordes abide in thee aske what thou wilt and it shalbe done for thee Wherefore it behoueth thee duely to consider that I am onely the meane wherby thy petitions are heard and for whose sake they were graunted and al the promises fulfilled And that there is none other neither Sainct nor Angell or other through whome or for whose sake thou mayst looke for peace with God my heauenly father whoÌ„ thou hast offended but my self alone to whoÌ„ were al the promises made being heire of all thinges who am made vnto al the faithfull wisedome holines sanctificatioÌ„ redeÌ„ption wherefore namely that whoso reioyceth should reioyce in myne heauenly father through mee and to attribute euery good gift and euery perfect gift vnto him from whom al goodnes proceedeth and that with continual thanckesgiuing which is the thirde principall point of this especiall worship and seruice of God namely vnfeined prayer wherein when thou hast referred thy selfe and reueiled vnto him in my name either the multitude of thy sinnes and greeuous traÌ„sgressions and feeling thy selfe through a liuely faith to be vnited vnto his grace and fauour again or when thou hast declared vnto him thy corporall or spirituall wants as of a competent liuing of defence in daunger tranquillitie of minde peace with thy neighbors successe in thy vocation good health of body or of any other thing necessarie for thy reliefe and thou according to thy request hast bene heard and comforted It behooueth thee not as a thanckles person to runne on in petitioÌ„ only but to acknowledge the bountifull mercie of myne heauenly father in forgiuing thy sinnes and to yeeld him all possible thanckes for his protection for his superaboundant louing kindnes wherein hee hath releeued thee defended thee and preserued thee from those euils wherein without his ayd and outstretched arme thou couldest not but haue perished and those mercies of his not only to commend for a time but continually for that thou standest in a continuall present neede of his fauour without the which euerie day euery howre and euery moment bringeth with it euils enough to ouerthrowe thee yea both body and soule Wherefore I say it behooueth thee to the discharge of thy duety in this so precious a work praier first to confesse thy sinnes and to seeke attonement and peace with GOD myne heauenly father through mee in a liuely fayth Secondly to make thine humble praiers for corporall or spirituall necessaries and for the gift of them not to rest vnmindful or thankles but yeelding vnfeyned thankes not onely inwardly in heart but shewing the same in the
and second chapter willeth thee not to loue the worlde nor the things in the world for whatsoeuer is in the worlde is concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eies and the pride of life out of which as out of head-fountaines springe all other euils namely of the concupiscence of the flesh voluptuousnesse of the concupiscence of the eies riches and desire of thy neighbours goods by which came thy first motion to desire Simple thy TenaÌ„ts liuing And of the pride of life springeth ambition and desire of honour and to be great in the sight of men out of which sprang thy pernicious and foolish purpose to build c. Agayne of voluptuousnes commeth vnhonest and vncomly thinges of riches wicked thinges and of ambition foolish thinges all which are so linckt and knit together as imbrace one and thou art guiltie of all follow thou one and the rest will follow thee So that here is the case of coueitousnes who by reason of his riches becommeth so loftie that he would bring all other as it were vnder his girdle I goe for proofe but to thy selfe who notwithstanding thine aboundance wast not contented to see poore Simple to liue by thée but most gréedily hast thou eaten him vp and deuoured him of his lyuing to his vtter beggering which gréedy desire of thine I finde accompanied with so many euils and vanities of the minde choaking so the sences with the thornie cares of this worlde that I perceaue thée quite and cleane drawne from the true and holsome seruice of God to the most seruile and sinfull slauerie of deceitfull Sathan The rich-man Oh hold thy peace and say no more my wittes are cleane berest Thy words haue sackt my sences so I haue no comfort lefte Solace Well then adue farewell I will too morrow come againe Sith night is come farewell doe not these words of mine disdaine But think vpon thy former waies which thou hast past in sinne In sine my solace shall be sweet for thee to solace in Godly meditations for him whose heart is infected with coueitousnes Incline mine heart O Lord vnto thy testimonies and not to couetousnes Psal. 119. Oh tvrne awaie my eyes least they behold vanitie and quieken me in thy way Eodem 14. Take away the rebuke that I am affraid of for thy iudgements are great Eodem 42. ¶ A Godly and deuout prayer for the auoiding of Gods wrath against him that hath oppressed the poore to make himself rich fit for euerie riche man· OH most omnipotent and eternal Cod father of all power and knowledg the giuer of all goodnes and iust punisher of the wicked I prostrate my selfe here before the seat of thy meere mercy most humbly crauing pardon for mine infinite iniquities for mine obstinate and wilful rebellion against thy deuine maiesty for running so farre from true obedience I haue gone astray sweete Lord I haue gone astray I haue greedely followed that which I should not wilfully fled froÌ„ that which I should haue carefully imbraced O Lord the desires of the world haue vndone mee the pleasures thereof haue pearced mine heart so neare they haue wouÌ„ded my conscience so sore that vertue faith godlines are chased cleane away I haue streched out mine hands to take that I ought not and withheld them from doing that which I ought to haue done I doe confesse O Lord I cannot deny but I haue oppressed pinched the poore to make my self rich I haue foolishly framed my fantacie to follow fulfill all vnlawfull desires But pardon me oh heauenly Father pardon me and giue me grace with Zache to stand vp restore againe whatsoeuer I haue by forged flatterie by force or violence wrongfully takeÌ„ froÌ„ any body that thou mayst vouchsafe to come and dwell with mee to the comfort of my poore soule say vnto mee sweete Iesus as thou saidst to Zache that this daye saluation shall come into mine house Oh sweete Iesu come thou vnto me which art saluation it selfe a most comfortable sweet and most ioyfull newes it was to him so sweet and ioyfull oh Lord Iesu it will be to me that nowe am tyed with the Fetters of Sathan for then shall I be free that now am in bondage and then I shall be at liberty wherfore sweete Iesu say on not only say thou wilt but come vnto me as I know thou camest to seeke that was lost to call them home that went astray to accept again of him that wilfully ran from thee like the vntamed Heyfer who being too well fed winch and kick against thee But Lord I vnfainedly lament my disobedience and pray thy grace wherby I may forsake the euill and peruerse immaginations of my heart which haue so bewitched my sences that they are dull to doe good and expert to doe euill forward to vice froward to vertue But alter mine affections sweet Iesu change my desires that in stead of the pleasures of this world I may imbrace the path that leadeth vnto eternall life Washe me sweete Iesu wash me and make me cleane and put farr from me all vngodly gaine make me content with mine owne stir vp in me a willingnes to be ready to giue and glad to distribute slow to lust and willing to leade a newe life kill all concupiscence in mee both of the flesh and of the eyes and of the minde giue me in stead thereof earnest zeale to goodnes true lowlines of heâ—â—t and perfect patieÌ„ce ioyned with vnfayned fayth that I may laye vp in store a good foundatioÌ„ against the time to come that through thee sweete Iesu I may obtaine eternall life AMEN O Lord increase my fayth THE TVESDAY or second daies conference betweene Solace and the sinfull man Wherein after long perswasion vnderstaÌ„ding by many examples of the iust iudgement of God against worldly minded men and the greedy desire of wicked gaine beginnes to consider that hee hath greatly erred in reposing his trust in transitorie riches and in his aboundance to sell the ende of all happines And falles into a kinde of dispaire wherein he vttereth his griefe and afterward receiueth comfort Solace shewing himselfe to be Christ c. The sinfull man OH sinfull soule of mine sing forth the dolefull tunes of woe Let sobs sighs let trickling teares from thee like fountaines floe Let groanes in griefe bee nowe thy gaine let sorrow beare y e swaie Let Solace passe for thou hast loste thine health and wonne decaie Oh worth oh worth mee wicked wretch wo worth y e day wherein That my rebellious mind did giue the first consent to sinne Wo worth the day wherein I was seene first of womans eye Would God my life had ended when I first began to crie Then should not thus my silly soule bene wrapt in irkesome woe Nor it haue felt the carefull thrall that now is forste to showe My heart should not haue harborde woe nor coÌ„science cause
mightily defend mee THE THVRSDAY or fourth daies Conference betweene Solace and the sinfull Man VVherein the sinfull man confesseth his Fayth and is instructed by Solace what repentaunce is and what are the fruites thereof and the things that hinder it Solace WHere art thou man that yesterday didst promise to be here Come forth attend beleue in mee let fruitfull faith appeare The sinfull man Oh Solace art thou here so soone this day to meete with mee Say what thou wilt I doe beleeue attendant here on thee Who as a iust reward they had from their estate exile And all that come of Adams line through Adams sinne do fall Deseruing death by due desert and thus came first our thrall And then our God of passing loue most sory for our sinne Did promise that the womans seede should our saluation winne And promised to Abraham to giue his sonne to saue Mankind from Sathans tyrannie as I beleeue he gaue Thy selfe sweete Iesus I beleeue who were coequall than With God thy father were content to be both God and man To come into this vale of woe and walke amongst vs here To shewe for our saluation thy fathers wisdome clere Borne of the virgine Marie pure as was before decreede That thou that shouldest saue vs all shouldest come of womans seede Whose Godhead and humayne state should linke them selues in one Inuisible and visible and not be here alone The heauenly counsaile did decree thy selfe as man to dye And as a God againe for vs exalt thy selfe on hye And when thou here in earthly soyle in humaine weedes belowe Didst wander I beleeue thee then like other men to growe To shewe thy selfe as man to vs in humayne state to be In eche respect a man in deede from sinne yet onely free And wast content to beare reproch to suffer cruell Iewes To buffet thee to spit at thee and thee full vilely vse Who sought by many wylie meanes to take thy life from thee Procuring wicked ministers to punish thee for mee False witnesses vniustly came accusing thee of ill And thou a lambe most innocent were well contented still And when the time appointed came wherein thou shouldest die Thy torments were so terrible were forst as man to crie My God my God in my distresse why haste thou leaft mee thus No tongue can tell the great conflicts which thou hadst then for vs. Wherein thou gauest vp the ghost vnto thy father deere Discending to the deepe of hell to clense vs sinners here The wrath of God thy father was to Adams sinne so great That nothing could but thou his sonne his loue againe intreat Who on the Crosse I doe beleeue with heart and tongue confesse That thou for all offenders then didst purchase due redresse For our offences wlllingly thou didst accept to dye And to be layd in graue as man and seene with humayne eye The third day after to aryse againe out of the graue And to ascend aboue the Skies to whome thy father gaue Thy former glory and the seate at his right hand againe Where thou as Lord of all and some doste with him now remayne And there a Mediator true for sinners here belowe Thy selfe in mercie merueilous vnto thy father showe And when the time is full compleate from thence I doe beleeue In iudgement thou wilt come againe to all mankind to giue Their iust reward of life or death as they deserue to haue Who then shall take the flesh againe they caried to the graue And those that doe remayne aliue shall quickly changed be The wicked to their endlesse woe and iust shall goe with thee Into that sâ—â—te of passing blisse that neuer shall haue end And those that thou shalt find vniust thou wilt with Sathan send The holy ghost I doe likewise in heart confesse to be Whome I doe faithfully beleeue to be all one with thee And with the father who are three in parson but in deede In substance one a Trinitie in vnitie decreede Which holy ghost doth sanctifie thy chosen ones to liue Assuring all men to be thine that faithfully beleeue And those to be an holy church a congregation pure Whome Sathan can not with his wiles from thy precepts allure Dispersed through the world so wide yet faithfully agree In faith in baptisme and good will vnited all in thee As to their head and chiefe defence on whome they doe depend And whome with mightie hand thou doste most graciously defend And they like faithfull children doe communicate in one And doe not vse thy benefites eche man by him alone But what thou dost on one bestowe he doth impart to all And eche in godly loue supports another least he fall Whose sinne I faithfully beleeue is pardoned in thee Who by thy death I doe beleeue hast made mee likewise free And that our bodies now corrupt shall rise againe in fine In purerest wise and them into thine hands againe resigne And that our soules and bodies shall the heauenly ioyes possesse For euer more encrease my faith that I beleeue no lesse Solace WEL then if thine heart doe faithfully beleeue those things which thou hast here confessed doe not swerue nor stand doubtfull of any one of these seuerall Articles thou art in a good way and shalt shortly feele in thy selfe a merueilous chaunge through the working of this faith whose operation and effect as I told thee yesterday is wonderfull and to conclude looke vpon Gydion Barach Sampson Ieptha Dauid Samuell and the Prophetes who through the same faith subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obteyned the promises stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the force and violence of fire escaped the edge of the Sworde of weake were made strong became valiant in battataile and put to flight the Armies of the Aliauntes It is I say the foundation and groundworke of all other vertues whatsoeuer shewing it selfe by vnfained repentance which is an inward sorrowe for sinne and a continuall godly care of the amendement of life as thou shalt hereafter bee better instructed if faithfully thou imbrace my sayings and incline thine eares to knowledge The sinfull man Increase my faith I am corrupt which keepes mee dull perforce My flesh is fraile my will is weake good Solace shewe remorse And what as yet doth want in mee vnfold the same in hast That I a sinner may repent of all offences past Solace IF thou bee so well disposed and so readie in heart truely to turne vnto mee vnfeinedly to repent as by outward shewe thou seemest I wil proceede to shew thee how thou must finish y e good desire of thine to obteine eternall life The sinfull man Say on good Solace I attend I long in heart to heare The course of this thy purpose pure which is to mee so deere Solace THen vnderstand thou that when I walked in this vale of miserie in the similitude of mortall man healing all deseases and bodily infirmities I required for my rewarde of those
effect in many whom he withdraweth from hearing my ministers messengers to pronounce my Gospel as he seeketh to withdrawe thee froÌ„ hearing mee saying to some why what wilt thou stande hearing of this man to prate in the Pulpit he hath no learning he hath no vtteraunce he hath this imperfection or that and so pluckes theÌ„ by the sleeue to goe gad to walke and to wander in their wonted waÌ„tonnesse and wicked waies in such abhomination as the stincke of their filthintsse hath infected many Some he sendeth to the hearing of the worde but why to heare for profite no but to cauell and to descant vpon the Preachers words and interpretation of this worde of that sentence so fall into a deuillish disputatioÌ„ wresting the trueth to their owne corrupt imaginatioÌ„s bringing into the Church scruples doubtful questions as the ministers of Satan to be stuÌ„bling blocks lets vnto y e passage of the deuine message of my heauenly father whereby hath growen so many Sects Scismes Heresies false constructions and deuillish doctrines that my Church is nothing so great as the most damnable Chappell of Antechrist And I see that of set purpose to hinder thine amendment hath he whispered thee in the eare and tolde thee that thou art cunning enough and that thou maist worke and accomplish al things by thine owne free will But thou art greatly deceiued for I will be knowne to be only righteous thy self to be ful of wickednesse not knowing what my righteousnesse is and yet takest vpon thee most arrogantly a perfection of wisedome and abilitie to know and doe all good thinges when in deede thou art mere foolishnesse and corruption it selfe Wherfore I say cast downe thy self in thine owne conceipt put of al presumption and hope of thine owne strength hearken not to Satan but consider that thou hadst vtterly perished in thy sinnes and beene quite and cleane cast away by reason of thy desease hast thou not had this meane to bee healed and to be purged and made cleane by my blood And therefore I say againe be warned and looke vnto thy selfe be watchfull to the ende least thou growe ouerbolde and so heape a more horrible vengeaunce of my heauenly father vpon thee The sinfull man Alas what must I sinner doe whereto poore wretch must I Imploye my self I thinke there be no shift but I must dye I will like wofull wight in hast of hayre-cloth make my bed And clad my carefull corps in sacke and cast dust on my head In mourning wise to pas my daies and pinch my self with fast As my forefathers did that I may purchase blisse at last Solace IN deede that hath bene the maner in the olde world as ceremonies vsed as shewes of great heauinesse and argumeÌ„ts of humilitie and outward tokens of repentance But consider this that these outward shewes are not alwaies accompanied with that inwarde working which cauleth repentaunce vnto saluation but rather a worldly shew of sorrowe vnto death for that that vnder this kind of disguising outwarde shew there may lurke deepe dissimulatioÌ„ hipocrisie making an outward shew of heauines and yet not ceasing inwardly to laugh to reteine their former wanton desires like a theefe that when he is brought before y e Iudge or Magistrate vpon hope to be acquitted can crye out and make a great shew of outward lameÌ„tation kneeling crouching and other hypocriticall meanes to be discharged and when he hath his libertie he caÌ„ fal to his old wickednesse a fresh like vnto the sturdie Begger that feineth him selfe lame his armes mayned his body crippled in this warres or in that worke by such a mishap and halting before men in hope to be releeued with other mens sweate shewing him self impotent who when he hath obteined his purpose and gotten his game he can turne his face and fleere to his fellowe hipocrites leape and skippe like lustie Uagabondes and vnder colour of this hypocrisie not onely deceiueth many with the outward dissembling shewe but when he seeth a bootie and oportunitie serueth hee can play the kindly Ruffian and take it by violence whose dissimulation deserueth dubble punishment Thus thou seest that the outwarde shew is often deceiuable but the true sorrowe the acceptable repentaunce is inwarde according to the wordes of the Prophet Ioell who cryeth out and sayth Rent your hearts not your garments and turne to the Lord your God and not to looke outwardly sowre as hypocrites disfiguring your selues with this or that kind of outward Ceremonie that the shew of your repentaunce may appeare more outwardly then in deede it is inwardly to which words of Ioell is added that it must be with fasting weeping and mourning in Sackcloth and Ashes prostrate on the grounde which in those daies was in deede a testimonie of repentaunce yet that outward shewe without the inward compuÌ„ction and renting of the heart with a godly and continual sorrowe and zealous lamentation for sinnes was mere hipocrisie And yet were not this visible shewes of Sackcloth and Ashes with many other like rites and ceremonies to be condemned in those daies for that they were giuen and accustomed not y t through the visible and externall shewe onely which was but the shadow could sufficiently appease the wrath of mine heauenly father but that therby they might so much the more eleuate and lift vp their mindes aboue the thing seene to a further and more higher consideration both of their owne corruption weakenesse and blindnesse and of the mercies and most louing promises of God mine heauenly father of which faithfull consideration of the visible shew grew an inward godly sorrowe causing repentaunce vnto saluation but the externall Ceremonie without faith in God mine heaueÌ„ly father was then not only not auaileable but very abominable But since the sacrafice of my body vpon the Crosse for sinne once for all was offered that outwarde Ceremonie is not materiall who by my death haue fulfilled and performed y e whole somme of all the lawe And therefore not onely such ceremonies as haue been in the old world but peeuish Pilgrimages Ceremonies Penaunce and such like foolish fantasies are now of none effect and are no parte of that true repentaunce which I require of thee to be an inward renting of the heart and an vnfeined continuall godly griefe for thy sinnes and a faithfull endeuour to frame thy life according to the wil of mine heauenly father Now as touching fasting knowe that the true fast is a member of thy true repentaunce wherein it behoueth thée to haue great regarde being a work as it is necessarie so not seldome abused as of hypocrites who chastice their bodies and afflict their soâ—les for a day bowing their heads like a Bulrush and making their bed with Sackcloath and Ashes as afore is said standing vpon their cinceritie and strickenes of life euen to
the face of mine heauenly father saying we haue fasted and thou hast not seene it we haue pinched our Carcasses and thou hast not regarded it as though by the outward punishment of the flesh onely they shewed themselues sufficiently penitent when in deede they feede the olde man and mainteine their wonted wantonnesse with the crummes of a careles life and striking their fellowes with the fist of all kind of wickednesse and couetous desires Wilt thou now call this a fasting or a repentaunce acceptable to God Uerely such Hypocrites haue their rewarde But to fast truely thou must wash thee and make thee cleane thou must cast away and banish from thine heart all euill desires and lay al the works of wickednesse out of my sight thou must leaue to doe euill and learne to doe good seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed and defende the fatherlesse thou must giue thy bread to the hungrie harbour the poore and harborlesse clothe the naked and doe wrong or oppression to no man This is the fast most acceptable to which mine heauenly father hath promised many and great blessinges namely that thine infirmitie shall speedely bee healed thy soule comforted thy righteousnesse appeare before God and man and the mercies of mine heauenly father in mee imbrace thee on euery side and thou shalt want no maner of thing that is good of which fast proceedeth by meanes of a firme faith that sorrowe for the sinnes which proceede of the corruption of the olde man whereby the wrath of mine heauenly is incensed against thee causing repentaunce vnto saluation This fast this sorrowe and this repentaunce builded vppon the vnmoueable rocke of faith must bee the beginning of thy newe life The sinfull man But must I not sometimes abstaine my careles corpes from meate Or is it lawfull when I list all kindes of meate to eate Solace AS for meates thou needest not to put any difference betweene them for that God my heauenly father hath created and ordeined all thinges for the vse of man and those may euery one y t beleeueth lawfully receiue with thanksgiuing to the heauenly creator who hath made all thinges good and nothing to bee refused Wherrein notwithstanding is a godly abstinence and meane to bee vsed namely not to exceede in the greedie receiuing of those creatures as in Gluttonie in Drunkennesse and belly cheare whereby commeth not only sicknesse and daungerous deseases vnto the bodie but stirring vp the same to wātonnesse and many noysome desires procureth the wrath of my heauenly father It was one of the sinnes of Sodome whereby being puffed vp fell to wantonnesse and committed abomination before mine heauenly father for which they were destroyed This excesse is also an enemie to the studie of the holy Scriptures and especially to earnest and deuoute prayer for the fulnesse and ouercharging the stomacke quencheth the godly affection and stoppeth the zeale of the heart so that it cannot so effectually open it self to the comfort of the soule as in a moderate and competent diet it can and as is requisite it should doe to serue the liuing God Wherefore thou must beware of this excesse and imbrace not onely this kinde of abstinence but absteine also from Fornication and vncleannes from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule and keepe thy bodie from being defiled with euill concuviscence as a vessel of holinesse submitting thy selfe to all maner ordinaunce of man for my sake whether it bee vnto the King as vnto thy Superiour or vnto other Gouernours and Magistrates as vnto them that I haue sent for the punishment of them that doe euill and praise of them that doe well Take heed therefore of this leauen of the Pharasies which is hypocrisie whereby many seeme outwardly as Angels but inwardly are deuills Such a one was Iudas who vnder colour of a kisse which is a token of loue betrayed mee Such hypocrisie had Pharoah Saule and Achan and many others who had Honie in their lippes and Gall in their hearts such I say come nere mee with their mouthes and honour me with their lippes but their hearts are farre from me but they shall haue their rewarde their fayned fasting shall be turned into their vtter confusion their wisedome into mere foolishnesse and their vnderstanding shall perish Wherefore that thy repentaunce may both outwardly appeare to good example and inwardly to thine owne saluation thou must as it were reuenge thy selfe of thy sinnes that is thou must bridle thy corrupt flesh namely if thou haue offended in Gluttonie to chastice thy bodie with godly abstinence and fasting if in whoredome thou must bridle thine appetites with a continuall continencie and as thou hast imbraced Couetousnesse vsed Usurie and pilled the poore for lukers sake thou must not onely not hereafter vse it but thou must make penitent restitution which is a speciall fruite of repentaunce including a certaine due consideration of thine estate what it hath beene how it is and how thou hast behaued thee in the same and by what meanes thou hast made thy selfe so rich whether with thine owne or the sweate and labour of other men whereof thou canst not clere thee for me thinkes I heare the voyce not only of Simple thy Tenaunt but of many poore men more crying out and saying that thou hast vndone them Wherefore I say looke to thy selfe and discharge thy conscience for a guiltie conscience cannot stande in the last daye to pleade for his discharge but shall receiue his rewarde among the wicked in vtter darkenesse where shall bee weeping and gnasshing of teeth The sinfull man Alas must I restore againe the things I doe possesse Which I haue gotten heretofore or am remedilesse Then woe is mee I am vndone my state will then decay Good Solace pardon that and I will all things els obey Solace AH are you the man who ere while promised to beare all thinges for my sake And to be readie to performe whatsoeuer I willed thée towardes the obtayning of eternall lyfe and that for my sake thou wouldest be contented to suffer death I tould thee thou were valiant before the cumbat and wouldest stand fast before thou were shaken is this so sharpe a blast vnto thée that thou art forced through weakenes to runne vnder the defence of thine olde aduersarie who as I tould thée is so loth to let thée goe out of his captiuitie that he séeketh many meanes to kéepe thée in awe of him If this shake thée so sore what would my crosse doe What would death doe But now are my words of the scripture verified That it is hard for a rich man to enter into the kindome of heauen yea as impossible as for a Camell to goe through a néedles eye And why for that he putteth greater delight in his wealth then in my counsailes he hath greater pleasure in riches which endure but a while then in the ioyes of
amendment of their liues Death contrarie to their expectation hath summoned them to depart by and by whose long flattering themselues in their follie hath bin the cause of their sodaine destruction as to the Sodomites and men of Gomorra to those of Ierusalem and them that perished in the flood and so diuers others whose harmes may be a sufficient spectacle to see and plainely to behold the end of all senceles securitie But thou wilt pechaunce say why I haue séene many that for their wicked liues were euen markes for other men to poynt at with their fingers and they haue made godly ends and haue departed the world very deuoutly by which showe of repentance thou thinkest their sins forgiuen them but I say vnto thée that whoso goeth on still in his wickednes presuming to haue time enough in the end to cry for mercy he may cry and not be heard make no tarrying therefore to turne vnto the Lord let true repentance be thy dayly and continuall exercise examine thine own conscience search and see whether Sathan haue not thruste into thine heart this presumption if so cast it out speedely and follow not the greater number to doo euill accustome not thy selfe to sinne trusting in thine aboundance but imbrace my former counsaile stande not in a foolishe hope to repent at last be not deceiued let not Sathan hinder thée with his subtle deuices but resist them all manfully for I know thou canst not saye mine hearte is cleare from them canst thou speake thy conscience The sinfull man Alas my conscience dooth accuse me guiltie of them all I must confesse my carelesse life hath well deserued thrall But loe in hope I hold by thee my sinnes I will declare To thee who dooth already see that they corrupted are Wherein I liued long secure bewrapt in wealth at will I runne a race that now I rue and lingred long in ill Uouchsafe that I with heart hand may now restore againe The things which I by fraud haue had of any man for gaine And shewe what further dooth belong to traine me to thy blisse Uouchsafe to shew that I may come where all true Solace is Solace SEing then that thou doest confesse that thou hast bene hindred by these deuices and lets of Sathan and hast nowe a feling of thy corruptiō former wicked life beware thou giue not place herafter to his wiles but by a firme faith and confidence in mee withstand him and his ministers the world and the flesh for as the wickednes of the wicked shal not hurt him whensoeuer he truely vnfaynedly repenteth so shall not the righteousnes of the righteous auaile him whensoeuer he offendeth Repente thée therefore of thine offences past and from henceforth kéepe thee vpright in all thy dooings that there maye be ioye in heauen for thy repentaunce And for as much as the daye is so farre spent and the nighte so néere and that thou haste promised to make restitution of the things which thou hast wrongfully gathered go thy wayes performe it accordingly and beware of kéeping backe any thing leaste thou be taken in thine hipocrisie and rewarded with Annanias and Saphira who for kéeping back some of the price of their owne field were striken with present death how much more then shall mine heauenly father punish thée if thou keepe any thing backe that is none of thine owne In the morning I will be here againe in the meane time be carefull of thy promise finish it faythfully and too morrow will I further direct thée in the residue of thy course to eternall life The sinfull man Then will I hasten me away to finish it in haste And in the morning hasten me againe to thee as fast The end of the Thursday or fourth dayes conference ¶ A prayer for true repentance OH Lord my god father of meruailous louing kindnes who in my greate slumber and sleepe of sinfull securitye hast awakned me and by thy sweete and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ called me out of darknes to light out of errour to the trueth and haste opened the eyes of mine hearte to see mine owne corruption vouchsafe oh Lord for that thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake that as hee hath called me to the ende I should giue ouer the wayes of wickednes to walke in thy wayes and lawes to for sake sinne cleaue vnto righteousnes slye Sathan follow thee I moste humbly beseech thee to accept mee againe for his sake into thy fauour who long haue erred and gone astray to forgiue mee who haue offended thee and who am moste ignoraunt how truely to return to the and to repent my former corrupt and most sinfull life But vnto thee most mercifull Lord god in the name of Iesus Christe thy deare Sonne I prostrate my selfe in all humblenesse of heart bewayling my filthines and lamenting the frowardnes and corruption of my former life humbly appealing vnto thy mercies as one who haue rebelled moste traiterously against thee and most wickedly and wilfully transgressed thine holy precepts and will And yet suche is thine vnspeakeable mercy that thou hast most louingly warned mee to forsake mine euill and peruerse wayes and vntoward imaginations which I haue heretofore accompted most right and deare And which now by the light of thy counsailes I vnderstand to be altogether wicked altogether frowarde foolishe and meere vanitie it selfe I now feele mine owne corruption swete Iesu mine owne blindnes and error and perceiue thy wisdome which is infinite thy mercies vnspeakeable and loue aboue measure whereby sweet Iesu I am striken with a desire to be vnburdened of the weight of this mine obstinat errour which by the illusion of mine aduersarie Sathan I haue followed with such greedines that without thy meere mercies I haue no hope of saluatiō Extēd therfore o father of mercy for Iesus Christes sake thy fauour vnto mee againe and deale not in iustice as my deedes haue deserued but giue me that godly sorrow that true and vnfayned sorrow for my sins which may mooue in me repentance vnto saluation which may kill and speedely mortefy all euill desires all the corrupt affections and vngodly motions of the world and flesh the deceites of subtle Sathan whoe goeth about lyke a Lyon seeking whome he may keepe back from that most acceptable worke of true repentaunce And thou good Iesu knowest what and how manie and great are the letts and wiles which he vseth in laying stumbling blockes before the feete of those that endeuour thēselues to returne to thee And my wil which is peruers ready to yeeld vnto him slacke in comming vnto thee pulleth me often-times backward and suffereth me not to doe that which I should but thrusteth me forward to doe that which I should not to followe darknes and to forsake the light so louingly profered Oh good Iesu consider these conflictes of mine Looke vppon the want which I haue of thine holy spirit without the
all men not like to bee but deuoured was by the hande of myne heauenlye Father safelye preserued and defended So weare Sidrach Mysach and Abednago deliuered from the hote burning Ouen by mans Iudgement impossible to be saued from the forâ—e of the most cruell and terrible flame So néeare is he to them that truste in him that hée fayleth them not in their greatest extremytie Nowe if he failed not these true Beléeuers in suche harde Conflictes hée wyll faile none of his in thease so small Callamyties as is Pouertie Sicknesse and suche like No in their greateste daungers is hée néere them Hee hath a carefull eye vnto all them that in their miseries be they great or small many or fewe easie or extreame in Patience tourne to him and in true and vnfeined repentaunce appeale vnto his mercie If he haue pronounced sayth the Prophet any Plagues against any Cyttie or Nation yea against any priuate man If the same Cytie Nation or priuate parson shall repent I saith mine Heauenly Father yea I will repent mée of y t which I haue entended for their punishment Such is the great goodnesse and tender mercie of God mine Heauenly Father towardes those that faythfullye repent their sinnes and are heartely sorie for the same that when hée séeth a man carried into such sencelesse Securytie as thou erewhile didst slumber in hauing as thou saydste thy bodye so well prouided for and all thinges so plentifullye aboute thée hee openeth the bowelles of his tender mercie and powreth foorth swéete and gentle Admonytions to the ende he might reclayme thee without whippynges schurges or afflictions to driue thée further in the way to amendment of life who in his anger hath not dealt rigorously with thée but moste louinglye who canst not attribute the cause of thine affliction to procéede from him but of thine owne couetouse desire and inordinate worldelye carefulnesse in punishing other men by wrongfull oppression to enriche thy selfe withall with which thine hearte being so choaked that thou so long as it was ouercharged with such wrongfull gotten pelfe couldest not perceiue thine owne weakenes nor fall vnto that vnfayned repentaunce which is the way to eternall life And therefore if thou be ouertaken with pouertie thanke thy selfe But beare it with pacience rule thine affections and take the wante of thy former wealth with vnfayned prayse vnto mine heauenly father saying with Dauid Oh Lord it is good for mee that I haue bene afflicted that mine estate is thus altered that I maye seeke and learne thy lawes and testimonies make thy selfe readye in this small battayle to fyghte valyauntly against all other afflictions all other troubles and callamityes whatsoeuer may be fall thée for it is not thy great aboundance of wealth thy delicate fare thy mellodious musick no not high aucthoritye honour dignitie Golde siluer or precious stones whereby thou muste enter into that Celestiall Iherusalem but with great afflictions manye troubles and sharpe aduersityes muste thou enter into that eternall Cytie Prepare thy selfe therefore I saye for although thou feele as yet not so much as one finger of mine heauenly father thou must make thée ready to beare the weight of his whole hand which he will laye in more heauye manner vpon thee if these gentle intreatings may not suffice to trayne thee to this godlye sorrow for thy former offences which may cause repentance vnto saluation Let him not finde thee a wilde and wilfull vntamed Colte whome this tender bitte will not holde nor retaine backe from thy former follyes Least hee put a more sharpe snaffle to kéepe thee from thy kickings and striuings and set more cruell Spurres to pricke thee forwarde to a godly life Learne of Dauid to accepte this exchaunge of thine estate not as a let but as a greate helpe to the learnyng of the law of the Lorde which is the verye waye direct path that leadeth vnto me who am the waye that leadeth too Eeternall life To this end weare the Children of Israell afflicted that they might humble theÌ„ selues and be saued for whom Daniell prayed confessing their callamyties and miesries to procéede of their owne sinnes which vppon their vnfayned repentaunce were remitted whose afflictions thou seest did not let but further their sorrow which causeth repentance vnto saluation But thy desperate moannyng thy vngodly sorrow what is it but to showe thy selfe an enemie vnto my crosse a despiser of the grace and mercye of myne heauenly father an hinderer of thine owne saluation and a friend vnto Sathan the prince of darkenes wherfore I saye content thy selfe with pacience to accept not onlie this burden which thou hast layd vpon thy selfe with thyne owne handes but what so euer hereafter shalbe layd vpon thée for if thou be the childe of myne heauenly father thou must be contented to be corrected for it is an argument of his care of thy saluation for whome he loueth him he punisheth confesse therefore in time with Dauid and bewraye thine owne wretchednes thine owne infirmytie and weakenes and thy transgressions againste him and then shall hee with fauoure looke vppon thy miserye and in his good time shall he renue thy comfort and releaue thée againe referre thy selfe in fayth and true obedience vnto his will wrestle not so wylfully agaynst his fatherlie and most louing callinges he is both iust and mercyfull he punisheth but with fauoure not in rygoure in loue not in hatred for thy saluation and not to distroie thée but howsoeuer he dealeth with thee be it neuer so roughlie perswade thy selfe thou haste deserued a thousande times more yea thou art not able to beare the leaste parte that may be iustly laid vpoÌ„ thee yea weare thou depriued of all thy bodyly comfortes weare thy wealth cleane gone weare thy Wife thy Children and friends taken from thee weare thou persecuted tossed and turmoyled with the force of cruell enemies weare thy bodye from the soule of thy foote to the Crowne of thine head stricken with suche vile and loathsome sickenesse or disease as men did eschue thée thy friendes forsake thée and had no worldly meane to helpe thee Or weare thou pinched with the Crosse of most bitter wante of thinges necessarie too relieue sustaine and kéepe thy selfe and Famylie hanynge no hoape of helpe no certaintie of any manner of comfort in thy necessities but standing at the pits brincke of present vndoing for euer what wouldst thou doe wouldest thou dispaire wouldest thou giue ouer any longer to repose thy trust in mine heaeÌ„nly Father séeke ayd reliefe comfort or maintenaunce by other meanes then his prouidence which is his word should assigne thée wouldest thou not waite a little while in patience couldest thou not be coÌ„tented one moment to suffer a little affliction to get eternall lyfe Then surely art thou not worthy to be accompted among the childreÌ„ of mine heauenly Father for what sonne is hée
sinned we haue dealt wickedly we haue most traiterously rebelled against thee These words came not faintly from y e tongue but with force and faith from the very roote of the heart And why because he had searched and tried yea he had a feeling an inward greefe for the sinnes of the people whose confession was accepted and whose prayer was heard The sinfull man Before I doe confesse to thee my sinne thou doest beholde The same at large what need I theÌ„ my sinnes thus to vnfolde Solace INdeede I doe beholde most plainely aswell the very intent of the heart the inner parte thereof as the outwarde actions the externall and visible corrupt conuersation there is no secrete thought no imagination that passeth vnreueiled by the light of my knowledge but whatsoeuer thou doest whatsoeuer thou speakest and whatsoeuer thou thinkest when and where I see and perceiue it altogether And yet notwithstanding it is requisite for thee for two causes to make confession of thine eniquities and that openly And why namely that mine heauenly father may bee knowne and acknowledged to be onely righteous only good yea and goodnesse it selfe a mercifull and pacient GOD and a most louing father and thy selfe to bee altogether vnrighteous fraught with euill in whom remaineth no goodnesse at all Thus must thou cast downe thy self condemne thy self and reprehende thine owne corruption and take holde onely of the goodnesse of GOD the Father in the merites of mee his Sonne by whose death thou art deliuered from death and deserued damnation which is an especiall cause to moue thee to this vnfeined and open confession of thine offences The seconde cause is to the ende that this thine open acknowledging of thy sinnes may bee to the edifying of other men As thou seest the confession of Dauid to bee profitable not onely vnto himselfe but to others not onely to them that were then present but euen to this day is hee to bee set before the eyes of sinners as a fitt patterne to measure their sorrowes by and to bewraye their owne wretchednesse in humble confession and to referre themselues onely to the mercies and louing promises of God mine heauenly father to bee releeued and comforted in their afflictions as Dauid was Yea the confessions which the faithfull haue made heretofore serue nowe to edefie other men at the consideration of whose humilitie and the good successe of their vnfeyned confession wherein they returned vnto mine heauenly father and were accepted againe into his fauour thou canst not but bee the more stirred vp to the like maner of humbling thy selfe acknowledging thy selfe a wretched sinner and to put thine whole trust and confidence in my death and bitter Passion and bee more and more stirred vp to serue and honour mine heauenly father in newnesse of life to the good and godly example of other men who seeing the mercie of GOD my father so plentifully shewed vnto thee shall in like maner make haste vnto the Throane of his grace in open confession of their sinnes that so one by the example of an other nay many at y e good example of one may bee edefied and glorifie God my father which is in heauen who deliuered mee ouer to suffer death for the redemption of them that truely turne to mee Wherefore I say acknowledge thy self sinfull and greatly indebted vnto mee in respect of thy many and wilfull transgressions wherby my gâ—ace may the more appeare in thee disclaime all desertes and merites of thine owne and cast thy selfe downe in thine owne conceipt as one not worthie of any comforte at all at mine handes appealing altogether to my merites in such sorte as by thine example other men may learne to confesse their iniquities and condemne them selues to bee guiltie and to haue deserued to bee punished and whereby they may be taken from them selues namely from the proude opinions of their owne good worke for in the sight of mine heauenly father can no man by his owne merites be accepted righteous but through me are they acceptable and iust in his sight And therefore saith Iob what if I should flatter my selfe and stand in mine owne coÌ„ceipt righteous and iust when my deedes shall be layd open when they shall be manifested I cannot answere one of a thousande thinges layd to my charge Therefore sayth he I will make my praiers and supplication vnto the Iudge If therefore thou be desirous to be iustified before mine heauenly father thou must sâ—y away all desertes of thine owne and confesse that there is nothing in thee but meere wickednesse horrible confusion vtter dispaire of thine owne goodnesse yeelding thy self guiltie of many euills For if thou seeke perfect righteousnesse thou must not stand vpoÌ„ thine owne abilitie to fulfill the law for so makest thou my death to be 〈◊〉 vain which through faith is that true vndoubted righteousnesse which iustifieth thee before mine heauenly father makest thee heire of eternall life Thorowe me is preached the forgiuenesse of sinnes and hee that beleeueth is iustified from those things from which he could not haue bin by the lawe that is by his owne workes Wherefore thou must coÌ„fesse me with thy mouth beleeue in thine heart that mine heauenly father raysed me from the dead to iustifie thee for with thine heart must thou beleeue vnto righteousnes and confesse with thy mouth vnto saluation By my grace I say art thou saued through faith and not by thine owne workes be they neuer so glorious in the sight of the world The sinfull man TheÌ„ what auaile good works are they of none effect in deede And bootes it not to keepe the lawes that Moses first decreede Solace THou must vnderstand that although in respect of thy good workes be they neuer so many and faire in the vewe of the worlde thou mayest not presume vpon the same so farre as to chalenge for the same the reward of eternall life and that thou must confesse when thou hast done all that thou canst thou art an vnprofitable seruant it behoueth thee with all diligence and godly care to endeuour to doe all that is commaunded thee in â—â—ese lawes of mine heauenly father writteÌ„ by the inspiration of y e holy ghost by Moyses in the two Tables wherein consisteth the whole summe of that which is required of euery man to be done in respect of the outward action and inward working which is in doing good to man whom thou seest and to loue God mine heauenly father whom thou seest not but by the eye of that true faith which taketh his light of the Gospel of trueth whereby thou art directed to the meane which worketh that perfection for thee which of thy selfe thou art not able to reache vnto namely my selfe without whose perfection thou must needes continue imperfect and vnable to doe any thing that is good by whome to whome
thou must praye for grace and assistance to doe that which in those two Tables is conteyned And what by reason of thine owne weakenes thou canst not performe thereof thou must beware that although I haue vndertaken to stand betweene thy selfe the curse due for the same thou thinke not thy selfe so discharged of performance thereof as farre as thou canst least by the careles câ—sting of the burden thereof vppon mee thou runne headlong into those euils that Sathan shall pricke thee vnto perswading thy selfe that I haue vndertaken to release thee of that which heretofore was layde on thee to be performed and so thincke it needlesse to doe that which is commaunded thee Take heede I say take heede least that this conceite drawe thee into a negligent going forward to doe good and a promisse to doe euill But bring foorth the fruites of amendement of life work righteousnesse execute iudgement growing and proceeding from fayth to fayth ioyning thereunto a good conuersation with knowledge and much patience accompanied with brotherly kindnes and loue wherein thou must shewe thy selfe willing to doe good vnto all men to speake the trueth from thine heart to imagine no deceit against thy neighbour but to doe vnto him as thou wouldest others should doe vnto thee shewing thy selfe fruitfull in the knowledge of the trueth confirming thy free election in mee by the workes proceeding of the Spirit through a liuely and a woorking faythe wherein acknowledging thy true and earnest repentaunce by disclayming thine owne merits thou shalt in the ende receiue that swéet and endles solace which by my death I haue purchased whiche is the moste comfortable presence of my father in heuen life euerlasting without the· which there is nothyng but vtter destâ—â—ction The sinfull man Then Lorde of lords oh Solace sweet Oh louing Iesu deere Whose passing power by word of trueth created heauens cleere The Sea that surgeth too and fro the earth and Creatures all Thy wisdome is surpassyng high thy mercies great withall So that the workes which thou hast done doo all depend on thee And I among them all the woorst crye come Lorde come to mee Who am a Uessell fraught with wo whose dayes are past in sinne My nature proane to wickednesse reteines mee yet therin But thou that art the God of blisse extende thy mercie meere Let not the furious Feend preuaile against thy Creatures heere Thou canst attend before I crie support before I fall Thou canst relieue before I craue forgiue before I call Thy grace is of so great effect thy counsaile Lord so pure That whome thou wilt preserue and keepe remaineth most secure Thou art of grace the giuer true the God of mercie meere Who wouldest not that Sinners die but turne to thee in feare So that Oh Lord abounding so with loue and mercie store Thou didst vouchsafe to send a salue to cure my cruell sore Thy onely Sonne delight and ioy who came in humaine weede Into this vale of deepe annoy to kyll the Serpents seede Who did betray and bryng to woe our former Parentes twaine Whom thou hadst set in blessed state for aye there to remaine And I poore wretch the seede of sinne so subiect vnto yll Haue swerued from y e word of trueth and sore transgrest thy wyll Imbracing with great greedinesse my substance and my store Which I by couin and deceit haue gotten heretofore And in delight haue past my dayes as Sathan rulde my will I framde my â—â—nfies all and some to thinges peruers and ill Haue mercie mercie Lord on mee whoe haue deserued thrall Refuse mee not though I be dust by nature proane to fall Blot out of thine accompting Booke what I haue done amisse Oh pardon my Offences all and place my soule in blisse Wash me from all vngodlinesse make soule and body cleene That not a spot of filthinesse in neither may be seene I doo confesse O Lord to thee I doo confesse my sinne And doo condempne my selfe of all that I haue liued in I am a frowarde Childe to thee prouokyng thee to Ire But Lord vouchsafe call mee againe I would full faine retire From wandring in such vanities to walke the wayes of light Extend thy loue Lorde let me liue from hence a life vpright I disobeyed thy Preceptes and did what Nature would I did not that that Uertue wyld and what of right I should Most wickedly I walked in the wayes that were vniust Esteeming filthy Carcase so as it had not ben dust Oh Lorde I stood no feare of thee nor reuerenst thy name But as a disobedient wretche haue lead my life in blame Thy Lawes I cast behinde my back and doo not them fulfyll I follow with all greedinesse mine owne corrupted wyll I haue most lewdly lead my life without remorce of minde Neglecting true repentance styll to wickednes inclinde I roue at randone too and fro from sinne to sinne I runne And therin wallow as the Sow in durtie soyle in Sunne The Solace whiche I should haue shund I sought with gredinesse And shund the Solace which I shuld haue held as happinesse Which thou O lord thou doost behold yea what I thinke or saye What I haue done and what I doo and how I gad astraye How I despised thy commaund and how I breake thy wyll How like a senceles man I run by rash conceit to yll Wherfore I neede to say no more my sinnes my soule annoy Mine heart doeth harbour such conflict that gone is all my ioy Solace Dispaire not man let sorrow passe take solace now of mee I am the God that neuer was nor wyll vnfaithfull bee My mercie is a thousand fould to him that doth repent Repent therfore saye on be bould the contrite is not shent What if thou be a sinfull man in hart repent therfore Be sure thou shalt haue pardon then but see thou sinne no more The Thiefe that hung on tree w t mee as he gaue vp the Ghost Did craue that he might saued bee whose praiers were not lost And Marie Magdaline that was a sinfull woman came To mee in heart repenting sinne and I forgaue the same By death I say I ouerthrew the Serpent and his trayne Mine heauenly fathers wyll I dyd obey without disdaine Upon the Crosse with euyll men my Corps were nayled fast Not as a Sinner but for thee when helpe of hope was past Proceede therfore confesse in haste what thou hast done amisse For Sinne I know remains in thee as in all men there is The sinfull man Then Lorde I see thou doest beholde with thy supernall eye The creaturs which in thraldome bee and hearest when they crie I sinfull soule distressed sore in plungyng pangues of woe Doo craue the cruÌ„mes of mercie store which from thy Table floe For Lorde I see that thou art prest to ease my sinfull sore Refuse me not vouchsafe mee rest in heart that call therfore Who by my sinfull lyfe haue lost thy loue and purchast
loue wherewith thou must loue him with all thine heart with all thy strength and with all thy soule which is an acceptable worshipping of him for he that loueth him with all his heart reserueth no loue for an other in respect of any hope remayning in his heart to be reléeued by any other meanes theÌ„ by him alone to which loue is ioyned the doing of such thinges as are acceptable and pleasant in his sight which are conteyned in his worde the rule of the true worshipping which is the doing of that which pleaseth him and the leauing vndone of those thinges which displease him for it is the second poynt of the true worshipping of God to kéepe his Commaundements and to serue him according to the prescript rule of his word and not by such blinde deuotion as is not warranted by the same and which is not grounded vppon the alone loue of mine heauenly father nor flowing from the fountaine of that holy spirit whereby the children of myne heauenly father crye Abba father and which beareth witnesse vnto their spirites that they are adopted and made y e children of him through that faith which worketh by loue and from whence doe flowe al good workes as a badge whereby the true worshippers are discerned and knowne to which effect doth mine Euangelist Iohn testifie saying He that loueth God keepeth his word But he that imparteth the worship of him with any other he affirmeth with his owne mouth that he loueth him not but hateth him on whoÌ„ hee hath decreed to take vengeaunce in his posteritie in many generations Wherefore if thou haue heretofore by prayer or otherwise worshipped or serued any together with myne heauenly father or by bowing thy selfe to Images or by any other Supersticious maner not warranted by his worde perswaded thy selfe to haue pleased him thincke thy selfe not onely deceiued but thereby to haue deserued the curse which hee hath pronounced against Idolaters in their posteritie many generations nowe therefore examine thy selfe and and see whether thou haue serued myne heauenly father only in this loue and done all that which he hath commanded thee in the Lawe to doe And thou shalt see thy selfe yet vnder that heauie curse for not performing that which is commauÌ„ded the what is there then to be done thou must presently mortifie and keepe downe those affections which draw thee into this disobedience and come neerer vnto mine heauenly father in performing those dueties which are enioyned thee by his word which thou must set before the eyes of thine hearte as a profitable rule or scholemaster to direct thee vnto me on whome thou must take hold by fayth in loue as the true and onely mediatour meane to bring thee vnto mine heauenly Father without the ayde or assistance of any other insomuch as thou maist stand assured in me that thou art freely acquitted and discharged of that curse through the meere mercie of mine heauenly father which without mee threatneth destruction not onely vnto thy selfe but to thy posteritie by many generations whereby thou mayst perceiue that where the law openeth vnto thee nothing but thy corruption as the ministerie of death thou hast yet neuerthelesse saluation promised in me through faith whereby thou mayst apprehende and take holde thereof to thine vnspeakeable comforte acknowledging thy selfe onely beholden vnto mee for the same and to none other no not to thine owne good works The third Commaundement prohibiteth and forbiddeth thee to take the name of myne heauenly father in vaine which is that for as much as he is thy God and hath prescribed vnto thee in his worde the maner and meane how thou oughtest to worship him and truely serue him which is as before 〈◊〉 said to loue him and to keepe his Commaundements thou art by this commaundement enioyned to performe it accordingly and not to omit this true worship or to ioyne the same with any other not agreeable to his worde for that it is a derogation of his glory and a taking of his most glorious name in vaine when thou obseruest not his wil in performing his precepts in such sort as his name may bee honoured thereby And thereby thou maist perceiue that such as liue in this world carelesly and without feare of transgressing his will are by this CoÌ„maundement vnderstood to take his name in vaine As also those that as soone as by reason of any sâ—ight occasion their natures are stirred vp to a certeine choloricke humour or their affections moued fall by and by into most horrible and blasphemous othes in such outragious vnseemely maner that sighting as it were against his most glorious Maiestie they seeke to trample his due honour vnder their feete And that not onely such periured and forsworne persons as either for their owne lucre for the auoyding of punishment or shunning of shame feare not to make myne heauenly father the author of all trueth the defence of their most abominable and false lyes But those common swearers whose mouthes by reason of custome runne ouer as it were most vnreuerently euen in coÌ„mon speech with most blasphemous and vndecent othes which who so vseth beare he otherwise neuer so fayre a shewe of liuing vprightly in his vocation dishonoreth his maker and heapeth his displeasure against himself against the day of vengeaunce for it is no excuse to sâ—y why although my tongue vse now and then to swerue it is but a custome mine heart standeth as it ought and rightly affected towards God Assure thy selfe this excuse is vâ—ine for such filthinesse proceeding out of the mouth bewraieth the heart to bee vncleane and very vnreuerently disposed Wherefore if thou haue bene or be now thus corrupted with the dregges of such blasphemie cast it out cease to sweare vainely or vntruely by mine heauenly father or by mee his Sonne who am one with him or by any other thing and say not tush it is but a foolish custome or smal matter beware I say beware for it is no small matter for mine heauenly father will not holde him guiltles that thus abuseth his holy name But such is the slender credite now adaies remayning among men that the one will not beleeue the other without pauning his faith and his troth in buying in selling in gaming and euen in familiare conference a greeuous and a lamentable thing for which such blasphemers shall not escape vnpunished Thou art also forbidden by this Commaundement to sweare by any other thing theÌ„ by mine heauenly father and that in matters wherein an oth is tollerable and commaunded much lesse in friuolous and vaine causes for that thou takest to record and referrest y e iudgement of the cause to him by whom thou swearest and therefore if it bee by any besides mine heauenly father thou takest away his honour and giuest it to an other and so intitulest the creature with that superioritie which is due only vnto thine euerlasting creator Wherby
thou art forbidden to sweare by heauen or by earth but for the confirmation of the trueth and determining of strife and controuersies betweene men hee hath vouchsafed the vse of his owne name which is his word to be taken as a witnesse of the trueth wherein thou must haue a speciall regard that thou take not him as a witnesse in an vntrue matter but with great reuerence to vse it to the decyding and manifesting of matters of great importaunce hauing onely the superioritie ouer all creatures to iustifie righteousnesse and to bring the wickednesse of the wicked vpon their owne pates Wherefore it behoueth thee to examine thy former life and to consider whether thou haue not taken the name of myne heauenly father in vaine either by neglecting and not performing his precepts and thy dueties commaunded thee by his word whether there haue bene such a due regarde in thee of the fulfilling that which the worde hath directed and appoynted thee to doe and auoyded that which by the same word thou were forbidden whether thou haue refrayned thy toÌ„gue from blasphemous othes and from taking any other to witnesse in matters of doubt then my heauenly father wherein if thou be guiltie thou shalt not escape vnpunished vnlesse in my name thou speedely returne to the true seruice of my heauenly father againe whose mercy extendeth vnto thousandes of them that loue him and obserue his will Wherefore leaue of to walke any longer in the waies that may lead thee froÌ„ y e reuerent honoring of God mine heaueÌ„ly father and from a godly feare to offend him for he that dispiseth his worde shalbe destroyed but he that feareth the CoÌ„maundement shal be rewarded The fourth commandeth thee to keepe holy the Saboth day which is the seuenth day wherin mine heauely father after the finishing of all his Creatures rested from his worke and sanctified it vpon which day hath he commaunded thee to cease from thy labours and daily businesse and to referre thy selfe to such godly exercises as may bee to the glory of his name namely deuout praiers and giuing of thankes hearing his word as also which is the principal misterie of this Saboth day thou must rest from the workes of the olde man as the fulfilling of the lustes of the flesh to tame thy peruerse affections of thine heart and wholy to imploy thine endeuour to the wil of mine heauenly father For the Prophet saith that he is blessed that doth this and the sonne of man that taketh holde on it hee that keepeth the Saboth and polluteth iâ— not and keepeth his hands froÌ„ doing any euill If thou abstaine from thine owne wicked waies vpon the Saboth day and consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord honouring him not seeking thine owne wil nor speaking a vaine worde Then shall hee lift thee vp vpon the high places of the earth and blesse thee for the true obseruation and hallowing of the Saboth day is ceassing from sinnes which are thine owne waies by reason of that corruption which is rooted in thy peruerse Nature whereby thou bringest foorth the fruites of wickednes Thou must therefore remember that the Saboth or seaueth day as it is a day wherein thou must cease from thy worldly and bodily labours so to ceasse from doing things displeasing mine heauenly father which may not bee for that day onely but all thy life Thy Seruants thine Oxen thy Cattell and all which is within thy gates must likewise that day leaue their labors and referre them selues to reste wherein thou haste to consider that it is thy charge and duetie to see vnto and haue regard vnto thy seruants and family this day to keepe them from wantonnesse and loosenesse of life and to exhort and prouoke them to the Seruice of mine heauenly father to spende aswell that day therein as all other dayes in the weeke in thine owne priuate businesse and labour whom if thou suffer to runne and gad abroad to wantonnesse and sinne like vntamed Coltes and like strâ—y sheepe that seeme to haue no guyde It can not but bewray thine owne coldnesse in the true seruice of God and then vngodly behauiour growing by thy carelesse regard to see them to performe their dueties to GOD and man will be a witnesse against thee that thou hast not hallowed the Saboth day in such decent maner as is commaunded thee It pleased myne heauenly father to giue thee the vse of sixe daies in seauen to labor thy selfe thine in thy worldly businesse contenting himselfe with one day to bee serued in not to the ende that in these sixe daies there should bee no regard of him or wherein he expecteth no seruice at thine handes but thou must serue him daylie and continually in prayers and supplications and in executing thy vocation with trueth and honest dealing which hee accepteth as a pleasaunt seruice of him and in the seuenth to imploye thee wholy to the truely keeping holy thereof As ceasing from doing thine owne will which is corrupted with Couetousnesse and vncleannes and to mortefie thyne owne euill desires and inordinate affections euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is Idolatry wherein thou hast to take heede that thou accompt not this day ordeined onely for corporall rest as too many doe or the ende thereof to bee for a time of banquetting playing sporting wantonnesse excesse vnreuerent meetings and vndecent behauiour as the more parte by their vngodly conuersations bewray their opinions to bee quite contrary to myne heauenly fathers most grâ—â—ious institution thereof for where it ought to be a time for the body to refresh it selfe with rest and the soule to bee comforted with hearing the word and seruice of God mine heauenly father the same day is made more wearisome to the body by vnseemely practises and pastymes and the soule more intangled with vices then before in so much as the remembraunce of that daies wantonnes holdeth their mindes subiect to desire that day againe wherein to fal to their wonted wallowing in wickednesse In which Commaundement thou hast to consider how thou hast resisted and suppressed thine euill affections and vngodly desires And how thou hast endeuoured thy self to the seruice of myne heauenly father And whether according to the trueth and prescript rule thereof thou haue led thy life wherein as thou canst not excuse thy selfe but acknowledge thy selfe guiltie and worthy of reproofe so hast thou free passage vnto mine heauenly father through me by whose death and bitter passion the curse which was due for the not performing thereof is taken away and his mercie ready if in a true faith thou betake thy selfe vnto mee thyne onely Mediatour anv Sauiour carefully suppressing thine euill affections and so much the more cosidering that my righteousnes is made thy righteousnesse wherein thy godly and zealous endeuour shall please mine heauenly father and be acceptable not for the worthinesse thereof but through
my desertes and meere merites The sinfull man This sweete conclusion cōforts me who can not but confesse That these thy Lawes like wicked wretch I daily doe transgresse But sith thou freely doest obtaine the loue of God for me Uouchsafe me grace to mortifie my sinnes to come to thee And sith the night drawes on so fast passe to the rest in haste I will attend vnto the ende forgiue offences paste Solace THen remember thou that these foure commaundementes which thou hast alreadie heard doe perfectly instruct thee to the seruice of myne heauēly father and wherein his glorie and true worship doeth consist namely to acknowledge him the author of all thy welfare both of body and soule and by his mercies to be stirred vp to do those things y t may please him and to beware of ioyning any in worship with him or to giue him other worship thē is warranted prescribed by his word To be carefull in doing those things y t may be to the glory of his name to auoyde that y t by any meanes may dishonour y e same And lastly to hūble thy selfe truely acknowledging the corruption of thine heart condemning thine owne wayes works and to endeuour thy selfe to subdue the same for that it is the free mercie and goodnesse of mine heauenly father through the merites of me his sonne that sanctifieth and iustifieth thee and not thine owne workes In which foure former Commaundements is directly set downe the sūme of thy duetie appertaining to God mine heauenly Father Who to the ende that thou shouldest witnesse thine obedience vnto himself outwardly he hath prescribed vnto thee those dueties which thou oughtest to performe towards other men for that seruice worship of God is not accepted which is not ioyned with the loue of thy brethren neither is thy charitie to other men any thing accompted of where it is not grounded vppon that vnfayned loue of God which proceedeth of a true fayth and sincere seruice of him for he that loueth mine heauenly father keepeth his commaundements sheweth a sufficient witnesse that he loueth the children of God and as Iohn saith We know that we are trāslated from death to life because we loue the brethren So y t it apeareth to bee a sufficient testimonie of a blessed estate when thou for his sake doest truely performe those dueties which he hath commaunded thee vnto men The first whereof is to honour thy father and thy mother for who so curseth father or mother let him die the death but he that truely obeieth them and behaueth himself reuerently aswell inwardly heartely endeuouring him self to ayd them to helpe them and submitting his will vnto their willes in thinges honest as in outward reuerence nurture and seemely behauiour such a one I say hath a blessing promised namely to haue his daies prolonged vppon the earth and to be filled with al good thinges And on the contrary the stubborne stife-necked and gracelesse children shall be rooted out and taken away by vntimely death from the lande which mine heauenly father hath giuen them In which Comaundemēt thou must vnderstand thy selfe not onely to be inioyned to vse reuerence and to giue honour vnto thy parents namely to those that were the ministers of the bringing thee into this life but vnto all Magestrates Superiours and Ministers whō he hath ordeyned as Instruments by whom to conueye such graces and benefites vpon thee as are necessary expedient for thee towardes whom this Commaundement willeth thee so to behaue thy selfe in all thine actions as may witnesse of thine inward loue and reuerence towards them It behoueth thee not lightly to way the benefite proceeding from the due execution of the office of the Magistrates who are the messengers and ministers of God to administer Iustice to punish those that are wicked in this world and to stoppe their violence wherin they daylie seeke to rush in and to ouerthrowe the estate of the good by them is the tyrannouse and bloodie sworde of the wicked kept and held backe from the throates of the godly By them are the righteous defended and the vngodly punished And therefore must thou accept them as the ministers of God for thy wealth and to become subiect vnto them not onely for feare of punishmēt but for conscience sake in respect of the benefite thou receiuest by their aucthoritie The Elders sayth mine Apostle are worthie of dubble honour especially they which labour in the worde and doctrine whereby it appeareth that thou art not discharged of thy duetie required by this Commaundement when thou hast done thy duetie to thy father that begat thée and thy mother that bare thée but that thou owest a dubble duetie to such as open the will of mine heauenly father vnto thee which is the preacher and minister of his sacred word who are the Nurces and foster fathers of thy soule breaking vnto thee the bread and giuing thee the water of life whome thou must heare with reuerence for that they are the messengers of myne heauenly father to inuite thee to the banquet of eternall saluation By which Commaundement now thou mayst perceiue that thou art bounde to honour thy father and mother al Magestrates and ministers of God and to afforde them reuerence not onely in outward conuersation but in inward desire of their welfare And further thou must vnderstande that as children by this Commaundement are bounde to vse all reuerence to their Parents subiects to their Prince and Magestrates and all men vnto the ministers of the worde of my heauenly father so belongeth there a care to be in Parents to see their children and seruauntes to be brought vp and instructed not in wantonnesse not in careles proceeding from pleasure to pleasure from vice to vice but in the due knowledge sincere seruice and true worship of his holy name And the like care to rest in the hearts of all Magestrates to execute their dueties iustly to shewe them selues sharpe in the punishment of vice and subduing of the wicked members of the Realme and to extoll and defende with the sworde of their aucthoritie the godly vertuous which godly care also there ought especially to bee in the Preachers of his worde not onely as they haue freely receiued euen so freely to giue vsing their tallentes to the increasing of the knowledge of his worde where and into what Citie Towne or place soeuer they shall come by the preaching of the worde onely but to expresse and shewe forth the same likewise in life in conuersation and maners that men seeing their good workes may glorifie my father which is in heauen But the negligence of Parents in instructing their children and seruaunts in my fathers will or rather their fond foolish and vnparentike loue which they through a blind affection beare vnto their children they suffer them nay thrust them forward by their peeuish pampring them vp
his necke For thou must consider this that as mine heaueÌ„ly father can not abide euill but punisheth the same when and in whomsoeuer be findeth it so whether it be in y e heart hidden froÌ„ the sight of man spokeÌ„ with the tongue or committed with the hand he hateth the same if it be in the heart inwardly and not executed hee pronounceth it of like effect as if it were done and therefore he that hateth his brother is a manslaier yea whosoeuer is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shalbe culpable of iudgement and whosoeuer shall say vnto his brother thou foole shalbe worthy to be punished in hell fire Thou must therefore beware of this dâ—ngerous most pernicious euill hatred against thy brother and cast it cleane out of thine heart and take heede that rash and vnaduised wordes bewray not thine inward affection to sauour of the same but place in steede thereof such an vnfayned loue towards all men that thy mercifull dealing with men may shew thine inward affection to be right and truely setled towards GOD thine heauenly Creatour an example whereof thou mayst see in Iob Whose pitifull compassion towarde all such as were in extremitie was such that he deliuered the poore that cried the fatherlesse him y t had none to helpe him the blessing of him that was readie to perish came vppon mee saith he and I caused the Widowes heart to reioyce Euen so see that thou impart according to thine abilitie to the comfort of my needy members least in that great and fearefully day it be sayd vnto thee among the damned persons Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angels For I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate a thirst and yee gaue mee no drinke c. Let this therefore mooue thée to open the bowels of pittie and to shewe compassion vpon those that want wherein thou hast heard consisteth an acceptable deede before mine heauenly father insomuch as it appeareth that those shalbe saued that show mercie vnto the poorest least of his members and those damned that shut vp their compassion from them And therefore open violence and wilfull murther is not onely to be auoyded but also all hardnes of heart and vncharitable dealing towards thy neighbour and poore brethren The third Commaundement of the second Table forbiddeth thee to commit adulterie a most horrible a most detestable offence in the sight of mine heauenly father for which he caused to perish in one day three tweÌ„tie thousand the sharpenesse of which Scurge argueth the great hatred which my heauenly father heareth towards y e kind of sinne It is wickednes iniquitie to be condemned a fire y t deuoureth al to destruction and consumeth not onely the substance but corrupteth the body and destroyeth the soule And therefore sayth the wise man he that committeth adulterie with a woman is destitute of vnderstanding he that doeth it destroyeth his owne soule he shall find a wounde and dishonour and his reproch shall neuer bee put away wherefore abstaine from fornication dedicate thy body as a vessell of holinesse wholy vnto mine heauenly father Be not deceiued for Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers nor Wantons shall enter into the kingdome of heauen But there be some that for a Buckler to defend their vncleanesse and wantonnesse of life take hold as a sufficient excuse to say the flesh is weake and therefore if they fall nowe and then through frailety they make light accompt of the matter but take heede for this cloake can not couer thy filthines this defence will be as a two edged sword to cut thine owne Soule from that most glorious inheritaunce prepared for such as vnder the buckler of a true faith fight against al vngodly lustes of the flesh and subdue those euill desires and affections that rise vp against the deuine will of mine heauenly father The excuse of the frailtie of their flesh could not stay the hand of mine heauenly father from striking those three and twentie thousand for their fornication and whoredome knowest thou not that thy body is a member of God and wilt thou make it the member of an harlot beware of it for he that coupleth himselfe with an Harlot becometh one body with her so excludeth himselfe from being any loÌ„ger the member of me Iesus Christ. Thou must learne therefore to walke in those waies wherin mine heauenly father hath promised conduction and continuall protection through mee which is not to followe thine owne peruerse desires but to yeeld thy selfe to such holines of life and godly conuersation as thou maist stand certeinly assured of mercie and fauour at the hands of myne heauenly father The frailtie of thy corrupt flesh thou sayest draweth thee into many noysome and daungerous desires often yeelding vnto the wil of natural reason whereby thou fallest into breach of this Commaundement What is the cheefest matter that mainteineth this kind of fire and feedeth those vngodly affections in thee If thy dulnes can not conceiue it knowe this that idlenesse the mother of euill thoughtes euill company the practise of impietie euill speach the spectacle of vngodly behauiour glotony the mayme of temperance and sobrietie excesse in apparell the mistres of pryde are the spurres that pricke the weake flesh forward to the fulfilling and putting in practise of the vngodly motioÌ„s that spring from the euill and vngodly affections of the heart Take heede of these things therefore they are the subtile instruments of Sathan that lye in continual waite to entangle thee against this Commaundement which can so much the more easely intrap thee by how much they are little suspected of thee naturall reason telleth thee that it is lawfull for thine heart to imagine what it listeth and why because it woorketh onely inwardly and sheweth not the desire in outward action but I say that who so looketh vpon a woman to lust after her that man hath committed adulterie with her already Then I say that it is not sufficient for thee to say I did no such thing I haue not committed this externall action whereby I haue bene apprehended or called in question before the magistrate but it behoueth thee to enter into thy cogitations and to subdue this intent and when Sathan begins to batter the Walles of thine heart with such wicked desires meete him with a strong fayth and tumble him downe with the Weapon of a chaste minde that hee make no spoyle of thine honest and chast behauiour But to auoyde the danger of this assault there is a meane prouided namely wedlock which is honorable whereunto thou art not onely licensed but commounded but not rashly or vnaduisedly but in the Lord which is to make thy choyce so as that loue and godly affection not vnto lust but vnto a chaste life mooue thee thereunto for that as adulterie is
giue ouer the opiniō of thine own good works and cleaue vnto the mercies of mine heauenly father in me and so much the more by howe much nowe thou maiest see thine vtter decaye without me But thou maist beware that thou in respect of thy saluation promised in mee neglect not these dueties enioyned thee towards mine heauenly father and thy neighbor as hath bene tolde thee before but so much the more endeuour thy selfe to performe thē that louingly and faithfully not in the outwarde shewe onely but with the inward affection of the heart imbracing that with a godly desire which thou art commaunded and hatefully eschewing that which thou art forbidden to doe assuring thy self by a liuely and working faith that thou art sealed with the holy Spirite proceeding from my father and mee freely by my merrits without any deseruings at all of thine owne to eternall saluation The sinfull man Now doth that Solace sweet appeare which thou hast promist mee And that mine owne deserts are not the meane to come to thee Thy merites are mine onely stay thy mercie meere extende Let faith in thee direct my life my words and thoughts amend The darkesome night is come I see there is no longer stay Tell mee good Solace neede I not come yet an other day Solace THou seest that I haue spent these sixe daies in calling thee from thine error and instructing thee what thou oughtest to doe to reforme thy wicked life yet remaineth there some thing els for thee to be exercised in to mayntaine that fauour of mine heauenly father towardes thee which I haue purchased for thee And therefore although to morrowe bee the Sabboth day which as thou hast learned it behoueth thee to sanctifie with ceasing from all worldly labors and to giue thee to deuine exercises yet for asmuch as all mine endeuour tendeth to the safetie of thy soule I would haue thee to repaire hyther againe to morrowe when I will declare vnto thee the residue breefly that belongeth vnto thee and that behoueth thee to learne to the finishing of all the course of thy life that after this life ended through my merites thou mayst enioye eternall saluation The sinfull man With willing minde I will attende mine heart doth long to see Those heauenly ioyes wherein I trust at last to liue with thee The ende of the Saterdaies Conference betweene Solace and the sinfull man A PRAYER TO God the Father for pardon in Iesus Christ for transgressing his Commaundements for grace to bee directed to the true fulfilling of the same OH God my God oh fountaine welspring of al mercy louing kindnes vouchsafe fauourably to looke down vpon my corruptiō and wickednesse and set before the eyes of thy Iustice the merites of thy Sonne Iesus Christ for whose desertes and due obedience sake leaue to be angrie and turne to me in loue take away the curse which is due for my transgressions and wilfull disobedience Alas what should become of mee if I should receiue according to my desertes for which there is nothing due but the iust reward of death For merciful Lord God when I compare the whole course of my life past with the righteousnesse of thy deuine institutiōs and most sacred Commaundements I find my selfe a very Traytour a most monstrous Rebell against thee the God of my welfare Oh Lorde when the Iustice and iust iudgements of thy deuine Maiestie shew themselues vnto my deserts wherby my conscience accuseth mee to haue deserued eternall death I cannot but fall into vtter dispayre of being acquitted before thee Only herein a◠I comforted sweete Lord that I haue pardon promised in the death and merites of thy deare Sonne mine onely Sauiour and Redemer Iesus Christ in whose name I here present and prostrate my self vnto thee and for his sake most humbly pray thee to forgiue my transgressions and to pardon al my sinnes vouchsaueing me grace from henceforth faithfully and truely to frame all my desires vnto the fulfilling of all thy most godly Commaundements and that in vnfeyned loue of thee aboue all things and to shew the same outwardly to the performāce of my duety to my neighbours whom thou hast cōmaunded me to loue succour helpe releeue and doe vnto as I would that other men should doe vnto me Graunt me sweet Lorde for Iesus Christes sake grace to doe that which I am commaunden in thy lawes and carefully to shunne and auoyde that which I am herein forbidden that I may keepe not onely mine handes but all mine actions and doinges yea mine heart and thoughtes free from displeasing thee And for asmuch as my corruptiō keepeth doune mine vnderstanding and will so that I am not able to performe that which I ought but am ready to do that which I ought not vouchsafe to accept the merits of thy Sonne Iesus Christ as a sufficient discharge for that which I cannot do and for his sake to forgiue mine insufficiencie to performe thy will Sweete God Amen THE SVNDAYE and last dayes Conference betweene Solace and the sinfull Man VVherein Solace directeth him in prayer which is the principall and last work belonging to the attainement of eternall life by faith in Christ. Solace WHat art thou so earely here this morning oh man thou shewest thy selfe now to bee very desirous of my solace as it seemes by thy diligent attendaunce this morning The sinfull man Ye Solace loe I looke for thee mine only comfort deare Whose comfort now I find in deed proceede from heauens cleare And therefore I attend on thee mine only guide and stay Whom thou doest call I see cannot gad like a wretch astray Mine heart is set to secke the way through thee y t guides to blisse Whereby I shall at last possesse the ioye that perfect is Which I in heart by faith doe feele though in this vale of woe Where Sathās forces fell abound and sinnes by custome growe Which vale I long to leaue in haste to take my rest with thee In heauens hye where only ioye and nothing els can bee Solace THou doest well to bee wearied and greeued at the vewe of those abuses and daylie offences which thou perceiuest in the world to moue mine heauenly father to displeasure which in deede are many and greate and to haue a longing desire to leaue them and to giue them ouer to the end thou mayst the more freely come vnto me But thou must beware thou kicke not nor murmur against mine heauenly father in respect of any miserie temptation or trouble to befall thee here in this world and to be discharged or vnburdened thereof to wish for death but referring thy cause vnto his omnipotent and mercifull prouidence in heartie and faithfull prayers through me Waite his good pleasure arming thy self manfully to fight against Satan and his wicked ministers assuring thy self through an vndoubted faith that whatsoeuer thou shalt aske my heauēly father in my name he shall giue it thee I am thy
a speciall fruite of repentance A guiltie coÌ„science shall condemne it selfe in the last dry An hard sentence for the couetouse men Luke 18 22. Mat 19.20 Hard for a rich man to be saued The state of wicked Rich men very miserable Luke 19 2. to 11. Zacheus a paterne of repentance Prou 28.8 We must releeue our poore brethren Psal. 39.6 49.6 Psal· 52.6.7.8 1. Sam. 25 The reward of Naball for not releuing the young men that came from Dauid Pro. 11.4 Prosperitie the nurce of vice 1. Sam 12 13· Dauid in prosperitie fell to vice Luke 19.8 â—ob 4 8.9 As we haue plentie we must giue plentifully God rewardeth those that giue to the poore Prou. 19 17. Psal 41.1 1. Tim. 6.18 We must not onely say we will but we must doe thus We may not not looke for saluation in respect of our owne works but in the merite of Christ. 1· Iohn 2 12. Iudâ— 21. We must disclaime our owne worthines Psal. 1.43.2 1. Ioh. 2.1 Heb. 9 24· Rom. 8.34 We may not so presume vppon the mercies of Christ as to neglect our owne indeuours to doe well Rom. 2.4 We muste take heede of driuing off from day to day to repent Manie be ouertaken with death while they defer their repentaunce from day to day We may not deferre our true repentance but spedely to returne vnto God No man can say my hearte is cleare froÌ„ sinne Luke 15.7 Ioye in heauen for a sinner that repenteth Act. 5 5·10 The hipocrisie of Annanias and Saphira rewarded with death The ende of the fourth dayes conference A prayer â—here be manie that in outwarde showe seem peacockes braue birdes who if euery birde might take his feather woulde show them selues to be poore bussards Some that show theÌ„selues to bee good members or at least seeke to be accompted profitable for the common wealth that are very catterpillers of the lande Luke 13.5 The exchaÌ„ge of welth into want is greuous The knockâ— that we giue other men to benefit our selues are sweet vnto vs thogh sower vnto them The poore mans sorrow are sallets in the rich mans dish â— Cor 5.11 We must make choise of companie to goe forward in vertue The conuersation of the godly a good example to follow Pouertie â— good spurre to pricke vs forward to obedience to God The spirit worketh coÌ„trary to the will of the flesh As flesh taken newly from the shambles soone fâ—streth so he that is lately called from error is soner withdrawen from the trueth againe with-out exercyse The pouerti of Iob was preparatiue to patience The humilety of Iob. Pacience accompanied with a godly sorrow The end of pacience God is neere vnto all them that suffer affliction with patience Psal. 143.3 Gen. 37.5.28 God was nere vnto Ioseph in his distres In our necessites we must referre the manner the meane the time to the prouideÌ„ce of God God helpeth when the helpe of man can take no place The read sea deuided it selfe to letâ— the children of Israell to goe through· God nere vnto Daniell in his troubles The three children delyuered from the whot Furnace Ier 18 As long as we are choaked with riches pleasures of the world we cannot truely repent Psal. 119·71 Affliction the meane to seeke the Lord. Act. 14.22 By manie troubles and not by pleasures we must enter into the kingdome of heauen we must returne to god when we bee called or els he will vse scurges to wyn vs. Psaâ— 119.71 Christ is the way that leadeth vnto eternall lyfe Deut. 8 2.3· Dan 9.9 Iudg 10.15.16 Vngodly sorrowe enmitye to god afflyction an argument of gods fauour 2 Sam. 16. Iudith 8.28 We haue deserued more punishments then we can beare We must suffer a little ye al afflictions for our saluations sake If we can suffer paynes for the curing of the body we must much more be contented to suffer afflictions for our soules sake As sharp medicines be often times most curable for the bodies so the sharpest afflâ—ctions most healthfull to the soule Chrâ—st the onely phisition of all sicke soules All the afflictions of this life is not answerable to the least part of the benefit of our saluation in Christ and therefore not to be accouÌ„ted greeuous Pro. 3.12 God punisheth oftentimes the iust and spareth the wicked Ezek. 33 1â— Luke 15.19 Io. 8.12 A notable example worthy to be noted of the lost sonne Prosperitie is a spurre to euill and aduersitie a pricke to vrge vs to trust in God He that is loden wit the heauie burden of sinne can neuer referre himselfe to heaâ—tie prayer before he be perswaded of the remission thereof thorowe Christ. Pro. 28.13 Confession what it is King 8.46 No man can say that he hath not sinned The way to obtaine the fauour 〈◊〉 God is to humble our selues and to appeale vnto his mercie in Christ. Psal. 32.5 The confession of Dauid If we woulde loâ—ke backe into the 〈…〉 life we shall find our selues the whole packe of vs wretched sinners With the eye of a true faith must we look into our former euils and with the same eye looke vpon the mercies of God promised in Christ. Confession must be ioyned with faith and repentance Rom. 10.10 Dan 9 5. The confession of Daniel God beholdeth aswell the inward thoughtes as the outward actions Wee must confesse our sinnes for two causes The first cause The second cause Psal. 3.6.218.18 The confession of the godly men profit vs. One is edified by anothers vnfeyned confessioÌ„ Mat. 5.16 Psal. 14.3.2 2. Pet. 1.3 Ioh. 9.15.2 We must lay away all our owne merites before we can take hold of Christes promises Gal 5.4 Gal. 3.8 Tit. 3.7 Act. 3.38.39 Rom. 10 9.10 Ephe. 2.8.9 Although our Iustification come freely thorow faith in Christ we are not discharged of doing our endeuour to fulfill the law Christ is our perfection through faith without whoÌ„ we remaine vnperfect We must take heede that wee neglect not our dueties in performing the lawe as farre aâ— we can notwitstanding Christ hath vndertaken to doe that which we cannot attaine vnto 1. Pet. 1.5.6.7 Zecha 8.16.17 2 Pet. 1.8 we must shew our faith to be a true faith by our work We must not only confesse our sinnes but we must leaue them and forsake them All men haue sinned When we confesse our synnes we muste take heed that 〈◊〉 be not only in the tongue but from the hart Some can make a fayre show of holines outwardly but repent not rightly inwardly who deserue doubble punishments Works without fayth are abominable We are bouÌ„d to doe good vnto all men The Couetous man esteemeth his aboundanâ— as his god The summe of the whole commaundemeÌ„ts is loue Ex· 20.2 Mat 22.37 Gall 5.14 We must esteeme the commandements as the very word of God God ioyned his maiesty with the word came downe to deliuer the same Mount Sinay smoaked and trembled at the presence oâ— the Lorde PsaÌ„ 19.7 When thou hast