in thought word and worke O Lord our God we must needs confesse with mourning and sorrowing hearts and spirits that we were all borne in sin all conceiued in iniquity and that all our life hitherto hath beene most fearefully corrupted and stained with all manner of sinfull transgressions to the great dishonour of thine owne Maiestie to the great discomfort of our owne soules and to the euerlasting confusion both of soule and body in thy iust iustice and iudgement in the world to come Yea O Lord we cannot but confesse that so soone as euer wee came into the world thou mightest iustly for our sinnes haue taken vs both body and soule and giuen vs our portion in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone it is thy great mercy that thou hast spared vs hitherto and not consumed vs from the face of the earth To thee therefore God of endlesse compassion we most miserable wretches make our pitious mone to thee in Christ Iesus wee come now for mercy heare vs heale vs helpe vs and haue mercy vpon vs pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes let shine thy fauourable countenance towards vs and say vnto our soules that thou art our saluation Thou hast promised in thy holy and heauenly Word that a broken and a contrite heart thou wilt not despise Fulfill therefore now O Lord this thy gracious promise to vs that are weary and laden with the affrightments of sinne and that offer vp our prayers with grones that cannot bee expressed Wash vs O Lord in the bloud of Iesus Christ make vs cleane within and without by thy sanctifying and renewing grace preserue vs both in body and soule from the guilt and punishment of all our mis-doings assure our consciences of the same by faith and seals vs by thy good Spirit to the day of redemption And heauenly Father wée humbly intreate thee to worke thy good worke in euery soule of vs to giue vs faith in thy promises zeale to thy glory loue to thy truth obedience to thy will care and conscience to walke vpright before thee in all our wayes and to offer vp our soules and bodies a liuely sacrifice to the seruice of thy Maiestie in holinesse all the dayes of our life to come And in these our prayers we craue also at thy mercifull hands thy gracious blessings for all thy faithfull Children and elect persons wheresoeuer dispersed and howsoeuer distressed vpon the face of the earth and more especially for these thy churches amongst vs of Great Brittaine France and Ireland replenish the Kings most excellent Maiestie with all necessarie graces meet for so worthy a Personage Redouble thy gracious Spirit vpon our most hopefull Prince and multiply thy blessings vpon all His Royall Issue Blesse all the Nobility of our Land all the reuerend Clergy from the highest to the lowest all of the ciuill Magistracy all Schooles of learning with the two Vniuersities of Cambridge and Oxford and all the Commons of this Realme shew pitty vpon all thine that are in any kinde of tribulation or affliction especially vpon all those that suffer persecution for thy Gospels truth comfort all those that lye languishing in spirit Soule-sicke at the heart for remorce of their sinnes say vnto their Soules that thou art their Redemption Blesse moreouer we beseech thee all that are deare and neere vnto vs in the flesh as our Parents Father and Mother Brother and Sister and Kinsfolke together with our deare Friends and Christian acquaintance absent or present Lord bee present with them and keepe them as the apple of thine owne eye from euery euill worke and way to thy euerlasting Kingdome and saluation And holy Father we finally entreat thee to redouble thy gracious blessings vpon euery one of vs at this time humbled in Prayer before thee blesse vs bodily and spiritually giue vnto our bodies comfortable rest and sleepe that so wee may be the fitter to do the works of our seueral vocations before thée and grant vnto our soules the continuall assistance of thy grace that they may neuer sléepe in sinne but that they may be alwaies waking and wayting for the comming of our Lord Iesus to Iudgement that so Soule and body may bee preserued from the euill of sinne in this life and from the euill of damnation in the world to come and that for Christ Iesus his sake our sole Sauiour and onely Redéemer to whom with thée and thy blessed Spirit thrée glorious persons but one Essentiall God we offer vp all possible Thanksgiuing and praise this euening and euerlasting Amen FINIS Tormenting TOPHET OR A TERRIBLE DESCRIPTION of HELL Able to breake the hardest heart and cause it quake and tremble Preached at Pauls Crosse the 14. of Iune 1614. The fifth Edition corrected and amended Esay 30. 33. Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King he hath made it deepe and large the burning thereof is fire c. Printed at London by George Purslow and are to be sold by John Clarke 1620. TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull and my verie deare friends Sir Lestraunge Mordaunt of Massingham Hall in the Countie of Norfolke Knight Baronet and Lady Frances Mordaunt his most louing Bed-fellow HENRY GREENVVOOD Wisheth all increase of Grace in this Life and Eternall Life in Life to come IT is and hath beene long since Right Worshipfull the custome of the Learned that when they commended to publike view therein ayming a◠common good their Christian pains and diuine indeuors knowing that the truth hath and alwayes had many oppositions and detractions to present them to men of high place and well affected in Religion that so their works might passe with lesse feare and danger of disgrace and opprobry I though vnlearned making bold to imitate their Christian policie herein haue presumed to present that doctrine to your Worships eyes that lately in publike place was sounded in your eares both of which senses are great instruments in the furtherance of our soules in the way of Gods Kingdome for as the eare conuayeth grace to the affections of the soule so the eye bringeth much matter to the vnderstanding of the minde nay the eare cannot so often be an Andito as the eye an Oratour to the Conscience For which cause your Worships nothing more affecting than growth in grace and Religion I haue attempted to commend to your often consideration Tormenting Tophet for as nothing allureth the heart to grace more then Gods mercies so nothing is more preualent against sinne than his fearfull and terrible Iudgements If therfore your gracious Worships shall vouchsafe to accept of these my poore presented pains it will giue much content to mine own heart doubtlesse answerable comfort to your owne soules And to conclude as the Lord hath aboundantly blessed your Worships with graces internal blessings externall So to vse the words of the Apostle the very God of peace sanctifie you still throughout and I pray God that your whole spirits and Soules
dreadfull Maiesty bewayling bitterly all our offences committed against thee and quaking and trembling for feare thou shouldest in thy Iustice vtterly cast vs from thée into that wofull Lake that burnes with fire and brimstone Lord we confesse by birth our foule pollution by life our manifold transgression and therefore ashamed wee are that are but dust and ashes yea worse most lothsome and abominable sinners to come before thée or commence the least sute vnto thee that art a Maiesty most pure abhorring and seuerely punishing all that worke iniquity Therefore oh Lord our God wee most humbly beséech thee not to deale with vs according to thy iustice and our owne merits for then shall we be vtterly condemned but comming vnto thée as a child that feareth to bée beat for thy Christs sake with the eyâ— of pitty and fatherly compassion look thou graciously vpon vs behold vs in him in whom thy Iustice will soone turne it selfe into mercy thy frowne into fauour thine indignation into euerlasting saluation Lord for thy fauour now and euer we craue grant therefore to vs that aske for pardon of our sins at thy hands alone we séek grant that we may finde at thy gate of Saluation we earnestly do knocke good Lord therefore open vnto vs. But because thy sacred Word doth tell vs that thou wilt looke to none but those that are of a contrite heart and tremble at thy words Lord fit and prepare vs all by true humiliation to imbrace the sauing health of our soules grant gracious God that we may mourne our sinnes thorowly and lament our iniquities bitterly not so much because they might iustly condemne vs as that they haue so highly displeased thée and moued thy Maiesty to anger that hast béene so merciful a God vnto vs O giue vs hearts to grieue for that we cannot sufficiently grieue for our sinnes committed against thée And gracious Father we further intreat that we may not â—nely taste of the sowre of thy Law but likewise receiue in thy good time and in good measure the sweet and vnspeakable comfort of thâ— Gospell grant that thy Sonne Iesus may bée Iesus to vs all that his righteousnesse may couer our vnrighteousnesse that his death may bring our soules to life that in him and for his sake thou wouldest â—e well pleased to make vs thine by adoption to witnesse the same to our soules by the infallible testimony of thy blessed Spirit to work in our hearts a strong and resolute perswasion of Faith whereby we may graspe and hold fast this thy great mercy in Christ towards vs to the peace of our consciences in this life and the saluation of our soules in the life to come And holy Father for as much as all those that haue put on Christ are become new creatures grant vnto vs a new heart and renew a right Spirit within vs purge vs from our sinnes wash vs from our iniquities infuse thy sauing grace into our Soules whereby wee may dye to all that is euill and liue to all godlinesse of life all the dayes of our life to come Frame our hearts deare God to true and perfect obedience obedience being the best sacrifice that thou requirest oh grant that all our delight may be in thy Statutes that it may be euen our meate and drinke to walke in thy Commandements indeuoring alwayes and in all places to keepe a cléere conscience both towards thee and man Teach vs blessed Father to rely vpon thée alone by faith to feare loue honour and truely obey thee in wisedome and true sanctity to giue no worship from thee that is onely proper to thee reuerently to thinke and speake of thy most glorious name and word carefully to sanctifie thy Sabbaths and wholly set them apart for thy seruice Giue vs grace also thou that art the Author and giuer of all grace to carry our selues dutifully to man to honour and reuerently respect all our superiours both in nature and place to preserue and maintaine the good name goods and bodies of our brethren amongst whom we liue and not impaire hurt or maliciously massacre the same to keepe our selues chaste and vnspotted from all fleshly lusts and euery act of vncleannes iniuriously to take away no mans right or due to speake the truth and not to beare false witnesse against our brethren to be content with our owne estates more or lesse and not to repine at or couet that which is others O grant that our liues may bee vnreprouable before thée and men But because O Lord of our selues we are able to doe no good thing but it is thou that workest the will and the deed Lord therefore stand euer by vs with thy preuenting assisting and consequent grace whereby we may be able in some measure to do thy will on earth as thy Angels doe it perfectly in heauen Moreouer heauenly Father wee fully beléeuing our selues to be true and liuely members of that body mysticall whereof our blessed Sauiour is the Head doe earnestly desire at thy gracious hands the like mercy for the whole body of Christs Church as we beg for our owne soules Lord blesse and defend thy Church and Chosen in all Kingdomes of the earth wheresoeuer inlarge the bounds of thy Gospell increase the number of thy Saints daily adde vnto thy Church such as shall bee saued Blesse the Kings most excellent Maiesty with all spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus meet for so great and worthy a personage with the Prince and His whole issue in this Kingdome and beyond the Seas Grant that He may neuer want one out of his own loynes to sit vpon his Throne for the maintenance of thy Gospell till the comming of Christ in the clouds Blesse all afflicted members whether grieued in conscience troubled in body or persecuted for the Gospell according to their seuerall ocâ—â—sions and need Blesse those that are neerer and dearer vnto vs in the flesh as are our Parents and kindred whether father or mother husband or wife brother or sister or childe with our Christian acquaintances and friends kéep them all and vs with them to thine euerlasting kingdome and saluation And in mercy good Lord this night looke downe vpon vs preserue vs and ours from all dangers bodily ghostly within doores and without giue vnto our bodies a comfortable rest and sléepe that they may be more able to do the works of their particular vocations before thee and swéet Lord watch euermore ouer our poore soules kéepe vs from sin and euill both sleeping and waking and when that sléepe of death shall fall vpon vs grant that our soules may wake to thy glory and saluation euerlasting and that for Christ Iesus his sake our onely Lord and euerlasting Redéemer to whom with thée and thy good Spirit three persons but one God wee heartily desire to offer vp all thanksgiuing and praise this euening and euerlasting Amen THe grace of our Lord and Sâ—uiour Iesus Christ and the loâ—â— of God our heauenly Father and the most blessed presence of God the holy Ghost bee with vâ— all and within vâ— all both in Soule in Spirit and in body and with all things that remaine or belong vnto vâ— either within dores or without this â—ight and euerlasting AMEN FINIS
bee in the world that will say the more it is to bee lamented I am young I will liue a while after my hearts desire and in my old age I will repent mee of my sinnes for God hath promised who will be as good as his word At what Eze. 18. 2â— â—2 time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart I will put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance saith the Lord. And will pray to the Lord for forgiuenesse of their sinnes as Augustine Augustine said before his conuersionâ— Ignosce pater ignosce mihi at noli modò Forgiue mee my sinnes but not now let mee sinne in my youth and pardon me in mine age Thus they would desire to dye the death of the righteous but they would not liue the life of the righteous but let these gracelesse persons that thus defer repentance beware of two things 1 Let them beware of suddaine death let them take héed lest they be cut off in the middest of their sins as Iobs Children in the middest of their Iob 1. 18 banquetting and ryoting were suddainly slain by the fall of a house and as the Floud came vnlooked for and drowned the old world Liuie reporteth a fearefull example 〈…〉 of suddaine death saith hee There were two old men that frequented two Harlots and presently vpon the fact committed they both suddainely dyed the one was thrust thorow with a dagger the other dyed suddainly of an Apoplexy which is a disease ingendred of abundance of grosse humors which doe fill those vessels and receptories of the head from whence commeth feeling and mouing of the bodie as saith Galen and therefore 〈…〉 they that haue this disease are depriued of all sence feeling and moouing Let euery lusty Younkeâ— and desperate russian set this fearefull example before his eyes Againe the young man dyeth as soone as the old the Lambs skin is brought to the Market as well as the old Crones true is the saying of Augustine Vita dum crescit decrescit vita Augustine mortalis mors vitalis id est Life while it increaseth decreaseth life is dying and death is liuing â— Let all men that refuse the mercy of God and deferre their repentance know that repentance is not theirs at command but it is the great mercy of God and it is to bee â—â—ared that they that haue refused it offered when they would haue it they shall go without according to that country Prouerbe If you will not when you may when you will you shall haue â—ay And it is commonly seene that Qu 〈…〉 a â—â—â—â—s ita as a man liueth commonly hee dyeth Hee that will liue without repentance must look to dye without repentance 〈◊〉 God spared the Thiefe at the laâ—â— gaspe yet let no man presume of that for that was a medicine against desperation and not a matter of imitation saith one God spared one that no man might despaire hee spared but one that no man might presume Let euery man therefore in the feare of God without all delay seeke for amendment of life let them as Gregory wisheth Plangere plangenda Bewayle their sinnes that ought to bee lamented and as they haue giuen Rom. 6. 13 their members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to iniquitie so let them now giue them as weapons of righteousnesse to holinesse Repent deare brethren betimes Viâ—e Deo gratus toti mundo tumulatus Poet. Crimine muÌ„datus semper transire paratus That is Liue vnto God a thankefull wight And to the world dye Cleanse thy selfe from wickednesse Alwayes ready hence to flye Play the wise Steward lay vp treasures in heauen for thy soule imitate the Pismire which gathers in Summer whereby shee may liue in Winter Damascene reporteth an excellent Damascene History touching this purpose saith he There was a country where they chose their King of the poorest and basest sort of the people and vpon any dislikement taken they would depose him from his Throne and exile him into an Iland where hee should bee staâ—ued to death Now one wise fellow considering hereof sent money before into that Iland into which hee should be banished and when he was banished he was receiued into the Iland with great triumph So against thou be banished by death from this world without penny or farthing for naked thou camest and naked thou must goe thou must prouide wâ—â—le thou art in this life whereby thou mayst liue in Heauen hereafter Let nothing therefore make thée 〈…〉 erre thy amendment but whilesâ— Christ calleth thee runne vnto him Put on Ieromes resolution who said If my Mother were hanging Ierome about my necke if my brethren were on euery side howling and crying and if my Father were on his bare knees kneeling before mee to detaine mee in their wicked and sinfull course of life what would I doe I would shake off my Mother to the ground I would despise and hate all my kindred and kins-folkes and I would tread and trample my Father vnder my feete thereby to flye to CHRIST when hee calleth mee So shouldest thou resolue the amendment of life The Lord of heauen for his swéet Sonne Christ Iesus his sake grant to thée deare Reader and mee to both of vs his holy Spirit that wee may stand vnblameable before the Iudge at that great and generall day that we being â—lâ—athed with the long white robes of righteousnesse may bee in the number of those to whom it shall be said then Come yee blessed Children of my Father inherit the Kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world Grant this deare Father for thy deare Sonnes sake Christ Iesus our only Lord and Sauiour to whom with thee and the holy Spirit wee ascribe all Power Glory and Dominion and sing Halleluiah to thee O blessed Trinity for euer and euer Amen A True and Comfortable Exposition of the Lords PRAYER FOrasmuch as Prayer to the Soule is as necessarie as the â—eele to the Ship the Foundation to the House the moisture to the Tree and the sinewes and ioints to the body and forasmuch also as wee can haue neither grace to beleeue nor grace to obey without feruent and faithfull prayer I haue thought good as briefly as I can for the helping of the Ignorant in the performance of this Christian duety to expound the Prayer of our Lord being the perfect ground of all our prayers that so we praying in wisedome may pray with comfort for alacke thousands it is to be feared that haue this prayer Ad vnguem at their fingers ends are altogether ignorant of the worthy contents of the same Concerning which prayer I obserue these foure things First the occasion hereof and that â— was vpon the complaint and suite of the Disciples who being weake in this gift entreated Christs help saying Master teach vs to pray as Iohn Luk. â—â— â— â— also taught his Disciples And hee said
God Thirdly because God doth there raigne perfectly and to him there is done absolute obedience Fourthly because from thence hee manifesteth himselfe to vs by Reuelations Oracles Visions and the like and from thence hee gouerneth the world sending light heate raine and such like So that in that he is said to bee in Note Heauen his Maiestie doth not onely appeare but also his Dominion and Power to which all things in heauen and earth are subiect as his Goodnes in the word Father so his power in these words in heauen are manifested to vs. Vses This therefore first teacheth vs that wee must humble our selues in ◠our prayers before the great God of heauen and earth who is able to damne both body and soule in hell fire Secondly wee must come before Him with all possible reuerence because Hee is not an ignoble father or earthly but an heauenly Father and a glorious Maiestie Thirdly wee must mount vp our hearts to heauen when wee pray and there be present with God Fourthly wee must pray especially for Heauenly things we must look for all good things for body and soule from thence and our conuersations must likewise be holy and heauenly Thus much of the second part of this Preface The second part of this Prayer are The secōd part the Petitions themselues in number sixe The first thrée concerne Gods glory The first Petition the latter three our owne good The first Petition Hallowed bee thy Name This is put in the first place to Note shew that Gods glory is to bee preferred aboue all things euen aboue the care of our owne soules saluation By hallowed or sanctified is not Hallowed meant that we should adde holinesse to God but to acknowledge Gods Maiesty holy and euery way excellent as it is the like phrase is vsed in the Gospell of Luke Wisedome is iustified Luk. 7. 35. of her Children That is acknowledged and declared to be iust By the name of God is not heere Name meant his Commandements as Leu. 22. 32. Neither the authority of God as Math. 28. 19. But by the name of God is vnderstood the Essence of God as 1. Kin. 5. 5. and Psa 116. 13. and his Attributes by which his Maiesty is made knowne in some measure to vs as his Wisedome Power Holinesse Mercy Iustice c. So that in this Petition we desire these three things First that we may bee enlightned to know the Maiesty of God aright Secondly that wee may confesse and acknowledge the Lord to be such a one as the Scriptures haue recorded of him concerning his Greatnes Worthinesse and Attributes that he is a spirituall substance most Wise most Holy Eternall Infinite that he is Great without quantity Sweet without quality Euerlasting without time in his Greatnesse Infinite in his Power Omnipotent in his Wisedome inestimable in his Iudgements terrible Inuisible yet séeing all things Immutable yet changing all things Immoueable yet mouing all things Thirdly that wee may giue vnto ◠him his due honour and beare his Image of holinesse before the world in the heart by louing him and beléeuing in him in the tongue by reuerent speaking of him by praying to him and praysing him in the whole man by obeying him and holily liuing to him These therefore faile in the performance of this first Petition First all Atheists that acknowledge no God Secondly all Heathen Idolaters ◠and ignorant persons that worship not God aright Thirdly all Infidels that depend not vpon his al-commanding Power and might Fourthly all proud personal that séeke not Gods glory but their owne Fiftly all swearers and all that vnreuerently take the name of this great IEHOVAH in their mouths Sixtly all hard hearts that will neither be allured by his mercies nor moued by his iudgements Seuenthly all vnthankfull wretches for the benefits continually receiued from him Eightly all that are negligent in offering vp the Spirituall sacrifice of prayer and call not vpon his Name Ninthly all prophane people and vngodly liuers whatsoeuer as Adulterers Drunkards Lyers c. Thus much concerning the first Petition The second Petition Thy Kingdome The secōd Petition Thy come This word Thy sheweth that there is a double Kingdome First the Kingdome of God Secondly the kingdome of Satan called the kingdome of darknesse Col. 1. 13. Wee pray therefore that sinne may not reigne in our mortall bodies that wee may not bee bond-slaues to the prince of the ayre but that the Lord would admit vs into his Kingdome and rule and reigne ouer vs by his holy Word and Spirit This word Kingdome is taken Kingdom many wayes in the Scriptures First it is taken for the gouernment of the whole world as Psalme 145. 13. Thy Kingdome is an euerlasting Kingdome and thy Dominion endureth throughout all ages Secondly it is taken for that gouernment whereby the Lord ruleth and reigneth in the hearts of the Elect in this World by his Word and Spirit which is called the Kingdome of Grace The Kingdom of God is within vs Luke 17. 21. Thirdly it is taken for that gouernment whereby hee ruleth in heauen most perfectly in the Saints and Angels and this is called the Kingdom of Glory In this Kingdome the Elect shall reigne with Christ for euer Psal 94. 14. In this Petition the first acceptance is not to be vnderstood but the second of Grace and the third of Glory So that in this Petition we desire these thrée things First that the Lord would build in vs the Kingdom of Grace and rule in our hearts by his Word and Spirit sanctifying our spirits to all obedience and godlinesse Secondly that this Kingdome of Grace may bee increased in vs dayly that wee may grow Ephes 4. 15. in grace and godlinesse from the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4. 7. to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4. 13. Thirdly that our hearts may bee inflamed to long for and desire the Kingdome of Glory that sinne and all wickednesse confounded we may perfectly glorifie our heauenly Creator as Paul prayed Phil. 1. 23. I desire to bee dissolued and bee with Christ and as the Saints of God Romans 8. 23. Wee that haue receiued the first fruites of the Spirit euen wee doe sigh and mourne waiting for the Adoption euen the Redemption of our body These therefore faile in the performance of the second Petition First they that suffer sin to raigne in their mortall members and yeeld obedience therevnto Secondly they that quench the Spirit of God and will not be ruled by the good motions and holy directions of the same Thirdly they that make no conscience of their wayes that contemne the counsell and hearing of the word and pray not heartily for the frée passage and flourishing estate of the same Fourthly they that labour not for perfection in grace Fiftly they that are not prepared for the comming of CHRIST neither wish nor long for
the resemblance betwéen them for as a debt doth bind a man either to make satisfaction or else goe to prison so our sinnes bind vs either to satisfie Gods Iustice or else to suffer eternall damnation And because wee cannot of our selues satisfie the one nor willingly would in our selues suffer the other in Christ therefore wee sue to the Lord for the forgiuenesse of them And vnder this forgiuenesse of sinnes are vnderstood these benefits as Iustification Sanctification Redemption and Glorification Againe by sinne heere is not Our sinne meant the guilt only but the punishment also due to vs for the same As we forgiue c. These words As we forgiue are not as Papists imagine the cause why God should forgiue vs because we forgiue others but a signe that God will forgue vs. Therefore these words as we forgiue are added for these two causes First for our instruction to teach â— vs that God requireth this at our hands that we should forgiue as we would be forgiuen that we should be merâ—â—full as hee is mercifull you know how he was serâ—â—d that hauing his debt forgiuen him would 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not forgiue his brother Secondly for our comfort â—o giue â— vs to vnderstand that if wee which bee sinfull men can remit wrongs and iniuries done against vs much more will our heauenly FATHER whose mercy is aboue al his works forgiue his seruants when in true repentance they shall turne vnto him O he is very ready to forgiue And in forgiuing our brethren we are to knowe that wee may forgiue the iniury done against vs but not the sinne therein done against God God only forgiueth sinnes Hee that stealeth offendeth the Law the iniury is done against him from whom hee stealeth but the sinne against Gods Law Thou shalt not steale hee may forgiue the iniury but God onely must the sinne So that in this Petition we desire these three things First vpon our confession and true humiliation for sinne that it would please the LORD not to lay to our charge either the guilt or punishment of our sinnes but in the righteousnes and in-vtterable passion of IESVS CHRIST hee would raze them out of the booke of his memory and saue our soules aliue Secondly that by the infallible testimony of his good Spirit and by a resâ—lute perswasion of faith hee 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ure our consciences of the fr 〈…〉 m and seale vs â—â—to the day of Redemption Ephes 4. 30. Thirdly seeing God requireth the like forgiuenesse at our hands towards our brethren wee further entreate his grace that we may as hearâ—â—â—y forgiue iniuries done against vs as we desire forgiuenesse of our own 〈◊〉 at the hands of God Thâ—se therfore faile in the performance of this fifth Petition 〈…〉 e here 〈…〉 ll Nouatians are ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who deny forgiuenesse of 〈…〉 after Baptisme 〈◊〉 the Church of Rome ◠〈…〉 ounded that auer 〈…〉 〈…〉 th remit the fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ment a doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 table and diue 〈…〉 Thirdly the Catharists are heere also confuted who thinke they can be without sinne in this life Fourthly they that confesse not their sinnes and grieue not for their corruptions Fiftly that runne by wilfull disobedience dayly vpon Gods score and haue neuer care to come out of his debt Sixtly that endeuour not to kéepe a cléere conscience towards God and men Seuenthly that labour not for the peace of conscience that the world can neither giue nor take away Eightly that are so maliciously bent against their brethren that by no meanes can be brought to forgiue them these men are so farre from forgiuenesse at the hands of God as in effect they pray that hee would neuer forgiue them a matter most fearefull and much to be lamented Thus much concerning the fifth Petition The sixth Petition And leade vs The sixth Petition 〈◊〉 into temptation But deliuer vs from euill Leade vs not to be led into temptation â—eadâ— vs noâ— is to be ouercome of temptation and ensâ—ared therewith as a 〈◊〉 is taken in the net CHRIST was tâ—â—pled but not led into temp 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lead vs into tempâ—◠〈…〉 o respects 〈…〉 〈…〉 in his 〈◊〉 〈…〉 trument of 〈◊〉 wrath Into temptation Temptation in ◠〈◊〉 Scriptures is taken two manner of wayes First for that temptation where with the Lord doth proue and trye those that are his of which 〈◊〉 speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—0 Feare not for God is coâ—â—â— to proue â—on that is 〈…〉 wil â—bey His Preâ—â—nts 〈…〉 〈◊〉 19. Againe Psa 66. 10. Thou O God hast proued thou hast tryed vs euen as siluer is tryed Gods tryals alway tend to his owne glory and the good of his children Secondly it is taken and that more generally for that temptation wherewith the Diuell doth assault men and this is any inticement of the Soule or heart either by the corruption of mans nature the allurements of the world or the suggestion of the diuell to any sinne And in this sence God is said not to tempt any man Iam 13. The Fathers define temptation to be a corrupt affection tending or enticing to euill and to imagine this to come néere God it is horrible blasphemy The matter of temptation is in vs euen our owne concupiscence the Diuell néedeth but to bring his bellowes to this â—ire and it is forthwith kindled But deliuer vs from euill By euill Put 〈…〉 〈…〉 is not heere meant temptation for temptations are many times profitable but by euill is meant the sinne to which we shall be tempted by the diuell the world and our owne concupiscence which is of it selfe simply euill Lead vs not into c. that is though thou sufferest vs to be tempted yet suffer vs not to be led away and ouercome of temptations but deliuer vs from whatsoeuer euill we shall at any time be tempted to So that in this sixt and last Petition we desire 3. things First wee craue for grace at the hands of GOD whereby wee may withstand sinne and repell the power of temptations and not be swallowed vp of them Secondly wee craue that by the â— power of Gods all-sufficient grace when sinne assaulteth vs we may not be ouer-come of it but ouer-come it and be deliuered from the power and slauery of it Thirdly seeing sinne many times â— is more powerfull ouer vs then grace in vs wee desire that it may not take rooting in vs to reigne in our mortall bodies but speedily wee may be recouered and deliuered from it These therefore faile in the performance of this Petition First all that imagine God to bee the author of sinne GOD is the permitter but not the Author God is the Author of euery action but not the Author of the euill inherent Secondly those that desire absolutely to bee freed from all temptations for it is not said Let me not be tempted but Lead me not into temptation for alas this is the
cannot be recouered time passed can not be recalled Eccâ— nunc tempus acceptum sayth â— Cor. 6. 2. the Apostle Behold now the accepted time behold now the day of saluation This life is the time wherein our election must be made sure and sealed vp to our spirits by the infallible testimony of the good spirit of GOD This life is the time wherein enerman in his calling must worke out his saluation with feare and trembling This life is the time wherein wee must bee admitted into the kingdome of Grace if euer wee looke to be admitted into the Kingdome of Glory In this life must wee be matriculated into the mysticall body of the Church if euer we will look to sit at the Bridegroomes Table in Heauen In this life must we haue heauen in inchoation if after this life wee will haue iâ— in perfection The Husband-man will in no wise slacke his opportunity and omit his time in tilling and sowing his ground that in Summer he may haue the better croppe The Trades-man will not misse his Fayres Markets that hee may increase his stocke the more in those his painefull affayres The Storke in the Ayre the Turtle the Ieâ—em 3. â— Craâ—e and the Swallow obserue their times as sayth the Prophet the little silly creature the Ant by name â—â—ou 6â— gathereth in Summer whereby shee may liue in Winter Euen so should euery Christian take his time and treasure vp with the painefull Bee the hony of good works in the hiue oâ— his hart in this life that he may will the faithfull seruant be welcommed into his Masters ioy in the life to come But alas alas men are so assotted with blindnesse and ignorance that they may be sent to the very senslesse creatures for wisedome in this point Aske the beasts and they shall Iob. 12. 7 8 teach thee and the fowles of heauen and they shall tell thee saith the iust man Iob or speake to the earth and it shall shew thee or the fishes of thâ— sea and they shall declare vnto thee Esays Oxe knoweth his Masters stall Esay 1. 3. â— and his Asse his Masters crib but miserable man hath not knowne his Maker O let vs not be worse then Horse Asse and Mule that haue no vnderstanding but let vs in the feare of God know our times and seasons Let vs seeke the Lord while he may be Esay 5â—â— found and call vppon him while he is neere Let vs in no wise post off our amendment from day to day Let vs â—iue no longer in carelesse security like sensuall bruitish and hellish Epicures that neither beléeue nor yet respect the iudgement to come that â—ing that cursed Epitaph of Sardanapalus â—â—â—e bibe lude charum praesentibus exple Poet. Deliâ—â—â—s animum post mortem nulla voluptas Id est Eate drinke play and be merry liâ—e in all kinde of pleasure for after dâ—ath there is no pleasure That say with the old man in the Poet Because my dayes are shorâ— which I haue heere to liue To women wine and pleasant sport I meane my selfe to giue Let vs not be like those foolish Virgins that knocked at the gates of heauen too late when the doores were shut against them For after this life there shall be no place for pardon noâ—â—â—â—e for Repentance therefore in time looke to the wel-fare of thy deere Soule that thy Soule may fare well not for a time but for euer One depth saith the Psalmist calleth Psal â—â—â— for another The depth of our misery crieth for the depth of Gods mercy let vs therefore be as swift in running the race of Christianity as ouâ— liues are swift to leaue vs let vs bâ— as swift to kill sinne in vs as sinne is to kill vs. O beloued let vs bâ—e as swift to pull out the sting of the Scorpion which is sinne as he is with his sting swift and ready to stâ—bbe â—s aâ— the heart and wound our soules incurably that when death â—he end of our Race shall come which is mâ—sâ— certaine and yet his time most vncertaine it may be vnto â—â— â—â— it is to all the Saints of God Iaâ—â—a 〈…〉 〈…〉 um refâ—iâ—erâ—â— â—â—â—lâ— ascensiâ—â—is in câ—lum id est The gaâ—â—â—â— life the end of miseries the beg 〈…〉 of euerlasting refreshing and the 〈…〉 r of ascension to the highest aâ—â— happiest heauens So runne that ye may obtaine Text. Secondly Qualiter currendum id est How must we runne To obtaine So runne If wee will runne to obtaine wee must runne these three wayes First Directè recta via the right way Secondly Celeriter seu festinanter Swiftly or speedily Thirdly Perseueranter Perseuerantly holding out to the end First therefore that wee may obtaine we must run directly the right way that leadeth to life Those that run in a race will not make the furthest way about the néerest â—ay home as wee say but they will take the shortest cut that may be and run the directeâ—t way that can be that they may the rather obtaine So should wee run in the right way that leadeth to life if wee will obtaine life euerlasting 〈…〉 speaking of mans creation 〈…〉 sâ—â—th that Hâ—mo incedâ— erectus in coelum id est Man goeth right vplifting his eyes toward Heauen Os homini sublime dedit coelumque tueri Ovid. iussit Id est God gaue man a lofty face a face to behold the heauens whereas other creatures fasten their eyes vpon the centre of the world from whence they came hanging down their heads to the earth like Bul rushes As man therefore was created pure and vp right in Soule and straight and right in body carrying his head toward heauen so must he run if euer he will obtaine heauen in the straight way and right path that leadeth to Heauen Many there are that séek the Lord and finde him not because they seekâ— amisse so many there are that runne yea all men liuing are runners yâ—â— are they far from obtaining becausâ— they run amisse There are foure sorts of grounâ— yet but one â—ructiâ—erâ—us there are foure waâ—es in the world yet but â—â—â— and that a narrow one that leadeth to life Generally there are but these two the way of Godlinesse and the way of Inâ—quity whereof the one in the Gospell of Mathew is called The broad way and thâ— other The straight and â—arrow gate yet S. Iohn considering the multiplicity of this dangerous Labyrinth doth cut out this â—road way into thrée maine heads into â—uxury Couetousnesse and Pride â— Iâ—â—â—â— â—6 saying Whatsoeuer is in the world is either the concupiscence of the flesh the concupiscence of the eye or the pride of life Haec tria pro trino numine mundus habet 〈…〉 Id est This is the trinity which the world doth worship These wayes are wide and large and whole multitudes walke in the same Magna pleâ—â—â—â—dâ— homâ—num sed magna solitudo bonorum id est There
is a great plenty of men but there is a great scarcity of good men These wayes seeme pleasant to be walked in yet Nouissima illarum mors est The end of these wayes is death for the diuel like a subtill fisher sheweth the bait but hideth the hooke sheweth the vnprofitable profit and vnpleasant pleasure of sin but h 〈…〉 th the hooke from mens eyes which is death according to that of S. Paul Stipendium 〈…〉 mors est The wages of sinne is death here hell and damnation hereafter Sinne seemeth at thâ— first to fawne vpon a man but yet in the end it will with Caines dogge Gen. 4. plucke out the very throats of our soules In these main rodes the more is the pitty doth the greatest part of mankind run headlong to perdition without any checke of conscience remorse for their sinnes or any reclamâ—tion in the world Sinne neuer more then in these our dayes of the Gospell abounded the diuell hath more followers then Christ the whole multitude â—â—â—ed Crucifie him Crucifie him bâ—â— Mar. â—â— 1â— there was but one and thâ—t a â—â—lly woman that laboured to set him â—râ—e The saying of Paul to the Romans is verified in thâ—se our dayes of sin There is none righteous no not one Rom. 3. 10. 11. 12. There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh God all haue gone out of the way all are altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one Pride Whoredome Gal. â— 19. â—â— â—â— Adultery Fornication Vncleannesse Wantonnesse Idolatry Witch-craft Hatred Debate Emulation Wrath Contention Sedition Heresie Couetousnesse Drunkennesse Swearing Forswearing Blasphemy Prophanenesse coÌ„tempt of the Word despising of Gods Messengers and the like abominations are raigning in euery angle of this our Iland yea our Land is become a sinke of sin a pit of pollution and a place of abomination defiled with iniquity A vertice capitis vsque ad plantam pedis id est from toppe to toe hauing no sound part throughout it yea our whole Land is out of course And it is the great Lam. 3 2â— mercy of God that wee are not consumed Yea these last dayes of the world are like to the daies of Israels prouocation of the Lord in the wildernesse wherein wee preferre the slauery of Egypt aboue the sweete Manna of heauenly blisse Yea that saying of the Prophet is verified of the most part of mankind That the Children gather stickes the Ierem. 7. 8. Fathers make the fire and the women bake cakes for the Queene of Heauen That is they offered sacrifice to the Sun and Moone and Planets which they called the Queene of Heauen So the beast of Rome with his Antichristian crue doth sacrifice to Mary making her an idoll and calling her as in their Salue Regina and Regina Coeli laetare doth appeare the Queene of Heauen They make Ignorance the mother of their Deuotion Sir Iohn Lacke-latine and Sir Anthony Ignorance are their chiefest Clarkes and best Masse-mongers Yea the world is growne to that height of reprobation that that which is written in Iob is verified of many They say to Goâ— Depart â—rom vs Iob. 21 14. 15. â—or we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes who is the Almighty that wee should serue him Full little thinking that the Lord shall answer them with the like Disâ—â—â—â—â—e Depart from me yee Math 7. 2â— workers of iniquity Thus we â—ée how the worldlings run in the race of iniquity the broad way to the lake vnquenchable some in the race of Atheisme some in Papisme some in Mahumetisme some in Paganisme but few there are that run in the race of Christianisâ—â—â— But thou that wouldest be saued thou that wouldest so runne that thou maist obtaine run not in any of these wayes but flye from sin as from a stinging Serpent and a biting Cockaâ—riâ—â— For they that doe such things shall not â—al â— â—â— inherite the Kingdome of God The right way therefore wherein Hâ—c 〈…〉 we must runne is the way of Godlinesse the way of Christianity the way of the Word of God framing all our thoughts words and operations according to the precise and strict rule of the same For Factores legis iustificabuntur id est The doers of the â—aw shall be iustified saued and glorified This way of Godlinesse is a blessed way to walke in It is sweeter than Psal â—â— Mat. 11. 3â— the hony or the hony combe Iugum Christi sâ—â—ue est onus suum leue id est The yoke of Christ is easie and his burthen light Mandata â—â—â—s graâ—ia â—on 1. Ioh. 5. 3. sunt id est His Commandements are not grieuous and his Commandements Psal 119. are exceeding large Her wayes are wayes of pleasure and her pathes Prou. 3. 17 â—sâ—l 119. â—â—5 prosperity It is a lanthorne to our feet and a lâ—ght vnto our pathes It is a pillar of fire to carry vs thorow the wildernesse of this world to the Celestiall Canaan It is the power of God Rom. 1. 1â— to saluation to euery Beleeuer both lew and Grecian It is able to saue our Iam. 1. 2â— soules it is able to make vs wise to saluation is is profitable to teach to improue 2. Tim. â— 15 1â— 17. to correct to instruct in righteousnesse and to make vs perfect in all good works It is comfortable in all cases and parts of our life both in prosperity and aduersity both in life and death If we fight it is a sword if we hunger it is meate if wee thirst it is drinke if wee be naked it is a garment if we be in darknes it is light yea in a word the Word of God is The high-way to Heauen Enter therfore Mat. 7. 13. in at the straight gate of amendment and run in the same from faith to faith from grace to grace from vertue to vertue from strength to strength till thou beest a perfect man in Christ Iesus Cast away the workes of darknesse Rom 13. 12 13 14 and put on the armour of light walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie and drunkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnesse nor in strife and enuying but put on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Bee Mat. 10. 16 wise as the Serpent be innocent as the Doue Amongst diuers points of wisedome to bee found in the Serpent this is one namely Shee casteth her coat and so renouateth her age as Aristotle saith These three beasts Arist de nat Aâ— mal lib. 8 cap. 17. Stellio Tum Vere tum Autumno both in the Spring as also in Autumne doe cast their skinnes viz. the beast like a Lizzard called in Latine Stellio Quia habet maculas quasi stellas collo infixas Because hee hath spots in his necke like starres Lacertus the Lizzard and Lacertus Serpens the Serpent And to doe this
farre from recantation as they willingly chose to lose their lines in tribulation And thus were the thrée Children tryed in the furnace By affliction are the children of the â—oâ—d and the so wâ—s oâ— â—eliai discâ—râ—ed Euen a◠〈…〉 vesselâ— will breake 〈…〉 in pieces when they come to the fire and the sound onely hold out So the wicked like counterfaits will bewray themselues when they come to the faggot and the godly onely stand to it as we reade in the Gospell of S. Luke They depart from him in the Luke 8. 15. time of tribulation Many will with Peter vow to follow Christ Iesus and to sticke close to him but when they come to Pilars Hall a silly Mayd will make them forsweare him The Lord therefore afflicteth vs to try our Faith our Patience our Hope and other vertues Faith is exercised in affliction by Faith considering the causes of Gods permission and by beleeuing most assuredly his promises concerning our deliuerance Hope is exercised in affliction by Hope assuring our selues of the rewards promised to all those that suffer patiently Loue is exercised in affliction by Loue. considering the loue of Christ in suffering for vs and thereby we are prouoked to suffer for him againe Obedience is exercised in affliction ObedieÌ„ce by conforming our wils to the will of Christ saying with Christ Not as we will but as thou wilt O Lord God of Hosts Patience is exercised in affliction Patience by suffering quietly willingly and cheerefully and by welcomming them sent of God for our good Humilitie is exercised in affliction Humility by abasing our selues in the sight of God acknowledging that they are but as flea-bitings in respect of the torments of hei which by our lewd liues for euermore we haue deserued Fifthly the Lord suffereth vs to be afflicted in this world that the greatnesse of his power the infinitenesse of his mercy might bee shewne in the deliuery of vs. We reade in the Gospel of Iohn that the Apostles hauing asked our Sauiour the reason why the man was borne blind he answereth them Ioh. 9. 2 3. Not for his fathers nor for his owne sin but that the workes of God should be shewne on him From which wee may truly gather thus much namely that the man was borne blind especially to this end that our Sauiour might haue occasion to shewe the greatnesse of his power in curing him Againe in the same Gospell wee reade that Lazarus dyed to this end that God might be glorified in raising him from death The wonderfull Ioh. 11. power of the Lord was shewed in the deliuery of the three Children from sire by his Angell of Ionas from drowning by the Whale of Susanna from death by Daniel of Daniel from the Lâ—ons by his owne immediate power of Eliah from staruing by the Râ—…ens And our gracious Soueraigne Lord King Iames from the sword in Scotland and from the Powder-treason in England by his extraordinary fauour and wonderfull loue which hee had to this his gracious seruant which the Lord in mercy vouchsafe vnto him and his Royall Progeny for euermore Thus the Lord bringeth men into deepe afflictions that his power might bee shewne in bringing them out againe Dominus deducit ad inferos 1. Sam. 2. 6 reducit id est The Lord bringeth to hell and bringeth backe againe to great afflictions and out of them Poet. againe Vna eademque manus vulnus opemque tulit The same hand that woundeth the same hand cureth Vulnerat â—ob 5. 18. medetur percutit sanum reddit â— Hee maketh the wound and bindeth it vp he smiteth and his hand maketh whole So that howsoeuer many are the troubles of the righteous in their iourney to heauen yet the Lord powerfully in his good time deliuereth them out of all if hee seeth it best for their good otherwise suffering for the testimony of the truth and the glory of his name they shall change this life for a better Thus haue I somwhat largely spoken of Afflictions both in regard of their necessity as they cannot bee shifted of any that run in the way of Godlinesse as also in regard of their conueniency being more helpe then hindrance in this spirituall iourney that so we may make good vse of theÌ„ when it shall please the Lord to send them And thus much shal suffice for this third point namely for perseuerance in this course of Godlinesse beséeching the Lord of his goodnesse to giue vs grace that we may not shrinke back for feare of afflictions but wade throrow with patience holding out in this Race to the end of our Race So runne that ye may obtaine Text. The third thing in order to be spoken of is Prâ—mium promissum id est the promised reward But before I enter into the handling thereof one thing necessarily must bee obserued and that worthy of annotation The Apostle saith not here Seeme sâ— to 〈…〉 that ye may obtaine or make â—â— outward shâ—w of running 〈…〉 â—â— run that ye may obtaine â—n which speeâ—h he excludeth all hypocrisie and banisheth all counterfait godlinesse from this Christian Race For in this visible Church there are many that outwardly professe CHRIST but inwardly serue Belial Christians in name but Reprobates in déede Saints in shew but diuels in conuersation Many Hypocrites there are like painted Sepulchers dissembling Pharises faire without but foule within Lambes in apparition but Wolues in condition Ones habitu Bernard as saith S. Bernard Vulpes actu crudelitate lupiâ— id est Sheepe in shew Foxes in deed and Wolues in crueltie Mente sub agnina latitat mens saepè lupina Poet. Id est They haue Lambs skinnes but Wolues hearts Yea howsoeuer they séeme to be members of Christs body courteous and kind to the flock of Iesus zealous louers and earnest embracers of the sincere milke of the word running in the path of true godlinesse yet neuerthelesse they are a Mat. 3. 7 generation of Vipers of whom the Euangelist speaketh ready to sucke out the very heart blood of the Saints of God and rend them in pieces like rauening Wolues they haue Mel in ore fel in corde id est Hony in their mouthes but gall in their hearts sugred words to intrap but poysoned hearts to torment carrying themselues like Iudas who saluted his Master with a kisse hauing the poyson of Asps lying vnder his lips For Quando bonum ore faris mala corde tamen Poet. meditaris Oscula quae Domino Iudas dedit haec mihi tu daâ— Id est When men speake well and thinke ill their kindnesse is treason as was the kisse of Iudas And for all other enmities in the world this is the greatest as saith Cassiodorus Grauissimum 〈…〉 inimicitiae est genus corde aduersarios lingua simulare deuotos id est This is a most grieuous kind of enimie when men pretend much loue in
which are there are innumerable Euen as a learned Geometrician finding Hercules his foot 's length vpon the high hill Olympus drew out his whole picture by the proportion of the same though farre vnequall to it so we may ghesse at the greatnesse of the ioyes of Heauen though far vnequall to them As the Quéene of Sheba hauing heard the wisedome of Salomon which before shee beleeued not sayd to Salomon Loe the one halfe was not told mee So the Saints of God inioying the vnspeakeable ioyes of Heauen may say it is true which we haue heard concerning the ioyes of Heauen by the mouth of preaching Ministers but loe the thousand part of them was not told vnto vs. The greatnesse of these ioyes doe appeare in the entertainment of the faithfull Seruant into ioyes by our Lord Iesus saying Enter into thy Masters ioy Our Sauiour saith not Let thy Masters ioy enter into thee but Enter thou into it shewing vnto vs that the ioyes of Heauen are so many as the thousand parts of them cannot be contained in the soule of man Thus at large haue I spoken of this reward the more to allure all men to runne in the Race of Christianitie which is the high way to this glorious reward Foure things there are that being well considered are excellent motiues to cause men to leaue the broad way of iniquity and to betake themselues to runne in this Race Celestiall The day of death The day of doome The ioye of Heauen and the torments of Hell Let euery Christian therefore as he tendreth his euerlasting saluation cast his eyes vpon this reward and runne in the race of Godlinesse so long as life shall last that whensoeuer it shall please the Lord to call him out of the vale of teares hee may hauing his name written in the booke of Life be welcommed into his Masters ioy with this blessed haruest song Come thou blessed of my Father inherite the Kingdome prepared for thee from the beginning of the world To the which thrice-blessed Kingdome he bring vs that hath so dearely bought vs euen Iesus Christ the righteous who hath taken away the sinnes of the world To whom with God the Father and God the Holy Ghost thrée Persons but one eternall and euerliuing God we ascribe both now and euer as is most due all power glory dominion and thanksgiuing Amen A MORNING PRAYER O Most glorious God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and in him our Father the Fountaine of all our wel-fare and the giuer of all grace wee thy poore children according to our bounden duty are at this present assembled together before thee in Prayer to offer vp euen from the ground of our hearts the Morning Sacrifice of Thanks-giuing for all thy louing mercies and tender kindnesses whatsoeuer bestowed vpon vs. We highly blesse thy Maiesty for electing vs in thy Christ to life eternall before all worlds for creating vs after thine owne most glorious Image in purity and perfection of holinesse for iustifying vs by the perfect obedience of thy Sonne for sanctifying vs by thy holy Spirit and for the hope that thou hast giuen vs of our future glorification with thée hereafter in Heauen We also returne vnto thée all due and possible praise for preseruing of vs hitherto of thine especiall goodnesse and mercy supplying abundantly all our necessities both in soule and in body and at this present wee heartily magnifie thy name for thy watchfull prouidence ouer vs this night and for thy blessing vpon vs and ours keeping vs from diuers dangers that might iustly for our sinnes haue come vpon vs both spirituall and corporall O what shall wee render vnto thée for all these thy mercies done vnto vs what are we that thou shouldest thus respect vs or what are our deseruings that thou shouldest thus esteeme vs To vs O Lord to vs most miserable sinners there nothing belongeth but shame and confusion If thou Lord markest strictly what is done amisse who is able to abide it O how farre doth thy mercy exceede thy iustice O the deepenesse of thy fauours towards vs So vnsearchable are they as no man can expresse them so vn-vtterable as no man can declare them And most mercifull Father wee humbly intreat for thy Christs sake the continuance of these mercies towards vs blesse vs this day and euer with thy heauenly protection and benediction guide vs by thine owne Spirit into all godlinesse that wee may profitably and conscionably walk before thee in our vocations both generall and particular blesse vs in the house and blesse vs in the field blesse vs in the basket and blesse vs in the store blesse vs in our out-goings and in our commings in compasse vs on euery side with thy mercies guard thine Angels round about vs keep vs from the euill of this world and euery worke of darknes and sanctifie both our soules and bodies with thy feare to thy seruice that as heretofore we haue serued the Diuell and the World by prophanenesse so euer hereafter redeeming the time wee may apply our selues vnto holinesse To which end we most earnestly craue O heauenly Father the presence of thy Spirit alwayes to direct vs the powerfull preaching of thy Gospell alwayes to instruct vs the holy vse of thy Sacraments alway to confirme vs that all heresie and vngodlinesse remoued farre from vs by these meanes sanctified vnto vs wee may glorifie thy holy Name by our holy conuersations in this life and be glorified of thee euerlastingly in the life to come And because by reason of our sins in stead of thy mercies we haue deserued thy furious indignation against vs we therefore seriously begge at the Throne of thy mercy in the meritorious mediation of Iesus Christ that thou wouldest remoue farre from vs and our Land all thy fearefull and heauy iudgements whatsoeuer as famine pestilence sword and the like and giue vs all grace from the King to the beast that we may be truely humbled for all our iniquities that wee repenting vs of our euill which is sinne thou maist be pleased to repent thee of thy euill which is punishment for sin Heare vs O blessed Lord God in these our Petitions pardoning our sinnes and granting to vs all our requests with all other thy graces that wee stand in need of that may make for thy glory and the sauing of our poore soules at the dismall day of Iudgement and that for Christ Iesus his sake To whom with thee and thy blessed Spirit three glorious persons but one immortall God we desire to returne all possible praise power Dominion and Thanksgiuing this morning and euerlasting Amen AN EVENING PRAYER O Most gracious God and in Iesus Christ our most louing and most mercifull Father the Father of all mercies and God of all consolations wee thy poore seruants do most humbly cast downe our selues before the Throne of thy dreadfull Maiesty confessing and acknowledging our manifold sins from time to time most grieuously committed against thee
and bodies may be kept blamelesse to the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen From Hempsted in Essex Ianuary 10. 1629. Your Worships alwaies ready to be commanded in the LORD Henry Greenwood To the CHRISTIAN Reader CHristian Reader I commend to thy charitable view this terrible and lamentable description of Hell a subiect most necessarie in these dayes wherein Iniquity hath gotten the vpper hand the greatest part of mankinde laboureth of this dangerous disease namely hardnesse of heart and contempt of all grace I therefore for the remouing of this damnable euill haue prepared this Tormenting Corrasiue Blame me not if I be too bitter in denouncing Gods Iudgements against sinne the presumption of the time compels me this only is the ayme of my intention herein that many may be saued from the damnation hereof Thus commending this Tractate to thy Christian consideration and thy selfe to Gods most blessed protection I rest Thine euer-louing and wel-willing brother in the Lord Henry Greenwood Tormenting TOPHET Or A terrible description of Hell able to breake the hardest heart and cause it quake and tremble Esay 30. 33. Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King hee hath made it deepe and large the burning thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a Riuer of Brimstone doth kindle it ALbeit the LORD in the beginning created man in glorious manner omnino ad imaginem sui ratione sapientem vita innocentem dominio potentem altogether after his owne most glorious Image in purity and in perfection of holinesse both in soule and body yet withall he gaue him naturam flexibilem a mutable and changeable nature creating him in potestate standi seu posse cadendi in power of standing and in possibility of falling power of standing that he had from God his Creator possibility of falling that he had from himselfe being a creature A reason whereof S. Augustine giueth Augustine in his booke of Confessions Because the Lord created man ex nihilo of nothing therefore he left in man possibility to returne in nihilum into nothing if he obeyed not the will of his Maker And as Basil saith Si Deus dedisset Basil Adae naturam immutabilem deos potius quà m homines condidisset id est If God had giuen Adam an immutable and vnchangeable nature he had created a God not a man for this is a maine truth in Diuinity immutabiliter esse bonum proprium solius est Dei id est to bee immutably and vnchangeably good only proper to God Adam therfore being thus created that he might either stand or fall by the Diuels subtill suggestion and by the abuse of his owne frée will receiued a double downe-fall the fall of sinne by disobedience and the fall of death by sinne the last fall being the wages of the first fall as ye may read Rom 6. last verse The wages of sinne Rom. 6. 23. is death The Lord therefore hauing pitty vpon this his miserable estate vouchsafed in his Sonne to shew mercy vpon some by election to saluation as to shew iustice vpon other some by reprobation to damnation According to which irreuocable decrée the LORD hath prepared euen from the foundation of the earth answerable places a glorious habitation for the one and a terrible dungeon for the other Which generall truth is confirmed in the words of my Text hauing particular reference to the reprobat Assyrians For as the Lord in his mercy doth promise in this Chapter to his people repenting them of their sins manifold blessings spirituall and corporall temporall and eternall so doth he threaten in his iustice terrible vengeance to their enemies the Idolatrous Babylonians and Assyrians not only temporall but also eternall not to the meane subiect alone but to the King himselfe saying Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King c. Not to insist therefore too long vpon introductions lest it should be said to me as once a flowting Cynick sayd to the Citizens of Myndus a little City with great gates Shut your gates lest your City run out I come to the Text it selfe which containeth in it a terrible and lamentable description of Hell prepared of old for the tormenting of all vngodly people of the world of what estate or condition soeuer they be euen for the King For Tophet is prepared of old it is euen prepared for the King c. In which terrible Description of Hell I obserue so many seuerals as the Beast had heads in the Reu. 13. 1. Reuelation that must be tormented in her First the certainty of this place of torment Tophet is prepared of old Secondly the parties for whom for all vngodly wretches yea euen for the King It is euen prepared for the King Thirdly the impossibility of getting out once in He hath made it deepe Fourthly the great number that shall be tormented in her expressed in this word Large Fiftly the extremity and bitternes of the torments of Tophet the burning thereof is fire Sixtly the eternity and euerlastingnesse of the torments of Tophet much wood so much as shall neuer be wasted Seuenthly the Authour or inflictor of these fearefull tortures and that is the Lord offended in these words The breath of the Lord like a Riuer of brimstone doth kindle it wherein I note the seuerity of God against sinne and sinners The certainty of this place of torment The first part is here described by thrée by the Name by the Act by the Antiquity First by the Name Tophet Secondly by the Act is prepared Thirdly by the Antiquity of old Tophet is prepared of old This Tophet was a valley neere Tophet vnto Ierusalem iuxta piscinam fullonis agrum Acheldema ad austrum Sion that is Neere to the Fullers poole and the field Acheldema on the South side of Sion Called also Gehinnom the valley or dale of Hinnom Quia locus iste in praedio erat viri cuiusdam Hinnom Aretius dicti Because this place was in the possession of a certaine man called Hinnom as saith Aretius In which place the Iewes following the cursed example of the Ammoniâ—es did sacrifice their children in the fire to the Idoll Moloch Quem pro Mercurio colebant whom they worshipped for Mercury as saith Montanus or rather pro Saturnâ— Montan. in Esay colebant for Saturne as saith Scultetus Quem Poetae proprios fingunt Scultet in Esay deuorasse filios whom the Poets fained to haue deuoured his owne Children This Moloch was Idolumaereum Scultet in Esay concauum passis brachijs ad excipiendos infantes sacro nefario destinatos subiectis prunis torrendos that is A brazen Idol hollow within his hands spred abroad to receiue Infants that were through their cursed Idolatry tortured in the fire and sacrificed to him as writeth Scultetus Snepfsius describeth this Snepfsius in Esay Idoll on this manner Idoli statua erat cuprea sic enim
superbia quid diuitiaruÌ„ copia What hath pride pronted him or what hath the pompe of riches done him good Alas these could not saue his Soule For as sayth the Psalmist a man by Psal 4â— 67 his riches cannot redéeme his brother he cannot giue his ransome to God so precious is the redemption of soules and their continuance for euer And in Samuel we read That-kings are not exempted from the iudgments of God If yee doe wickedly yee shall 1. Sam. 12 25. perish and your King In the first Epistle to the Corinths wee may read who they are that are threatned with Tophet neither fornicators nor Idolaters nor adulterers 1. Cor. 6. 9. nor wantons nor theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdome of God This is spoken of Kings as well as of others And in the Reu. wee finde Reu. 21. â— that the fearefull and vnbeléeuing the abominable murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers Idolaters and all lyers shall haue their part in the Lake that burneth with fire and brimstone and this is spoken of the King as well as of the Btgger for the Lord in iudgement fréeth from hell not according to place but grace not outward condition but inward disposition Nay moreouer great men Noblemen and mighty Princes are not only lyable to Tophet but the greatest part of them shall to the diuell Not many wise men nor many mighty not many noble are called for as God 1. Cor. 1. 2â— 1. 〈…〉 2. â— would haue all men saned and come to the knowledge of the truth i. some of all sorts some Iewes some Gentiles some Kings some Nobles some Preachers some Rich some Poore so of all these the greatest summe goe downe to Tophet Yet for all this great men must not bée reprooued forsooth the truth that maketh against them must not be imbraced of them Abner could not abide to heare Isbosheth 2. Sâ—m â— tell him of his going in â—o Rizpah his father Sauls Concubiae Ahab hated Micaiah the sonne o◠〈…〉 Imlah for not prophesying as he said good vnto him The people cryed out in Esayes time Dicite nobis placentia placentia Esay 30. that is speake pleasing things vnto vs. The Priests and people of Anathoth let 11. 21. threatned Ieremy to take away his life if he prophested to them in the name of the Lord. Amaziah said to Amos the Prophet Amos 7. 12. 23. Goe bee gone prophesie in Iudah but prophesie no more in Bethel for it is the Kings Chappell and it is the Kings Court. They hated him that rebuked in the Amos 5. 10 gate and abhorred him that spake vprightly The people in the time of Micah liked Mica 2. 11. them well that prophesied to them of Wine and strong Drinke I pray God that the great Ones of this Land be not tainted with this corruption Well for mine owne part I had rather be stormed against for preaching Tophet to you here then ye should curse mee in Tophet hereafter for smoothing and flattering you Yet this reprehension of great men I would wish it might be done in wisdome and humility which I beseech Rom 12. â— you O King by the tender mercies of God reforme these and these things for some in this case are indiscréet and too too sawcy and rather exasperate the hearts of their hearers against them then winne them to the Lord by their exhortation Vse If then Kings and great men bee not exempted from Tophet what should this worke in them but obedience to that counsell of the Psalmist Bee wise now therefore O yee Kings Psal 2. serue the Lord in feare Looke vp to heauen acknowledge your selues subiects to a greater As the Lord hath honoured Kings aboue others so hee looketh for a greater returne of honour from them than from others for where the Lord gineth much there the Lord requireth the more Kings and Princes are the Kéepers Deu. 17. 18 of the two Tables of the Law of God and to them is committed from God the gouernment both of Church and Common-wealth they must therefore be carefull that the Word may runne very swiftly throughout euery Angle of their Realmes So shall God gaine Psal 147. an vniuersall glory and Kings themselues a more fiable subiection Kings and Queenes are called nursing Esay 49. 23 Fathers and nursing Mothers and al to commend vnto them the care they should haue of Gods glory and the good of their people Iosua was such a Ruler that remained Ios 24. 1â— resolute and constant in the worship of God to his liues end Dauid prepared a place for the Arke 1. Ch. 15. 1. of God was carefull for the Church of the Lord. Iehoshaphat Ezechias and Iosias 2. Ch. 17. â— ch 29. 1 2. ch 34. 1 2. were reformers of their Kingdomes enemies to idolatry and graciously defended the Word of God And blessed be God for our Kings most excellent Maiesty who is maiesticall in his place in religion zealous in life vertuous and in mercy aboundantly gracious The Lord increase his graces in him the Lord anoint him with the oyle of Holinesse aboue his fellow Princes and the Lord kéepe him from this terrible Tophet and let all people that beare good will to this our English Sion to this my Prayer say Amen It is euen prepared for the King Secondly wée may here perceiue Obseru 2. Acts 10. with Peter that verily there is no respect of persons with God in iudgement he iudgeth the rich as the poore the father as the child the master as the seruant the King as the begger as the Prophet Dauid sayth With righteousnes shall he iudge the world and the people with equity Though wickednesse among men be Eccl. 3. 16. in the place of iudgement yet the Lord our God will deale iustly Though among men there is respect of persons to be had without which a confusion would and this is necessary to be vrged for men are full of contempt and too sawcy with them of superiour place and authority yet when all shall be summoned before the tribunall of God the Lord will indifferently procéede to iudgement without any respect of persons Vse And this should not only pull down the haughty minds of the noble who think for their greatnesse here it will bée easier for them hereafter than others but also this should bee an vnalterable president to all Iudges of the world As they sit in Gods place so they should imitate the Lord in iudgement this should make them obey the counsell of the Lord deliuered by the Prophet Dauid Bee learned yee that are Psal 2. Iudges of the earth O the care that Iehosaphat tooke for iust and righteous iudgement after he had made Iudges and set them in euery City of Iudah hee gaue them this charge Take heede what ye doe 2. Ch. 19. 1 6 7. for yee execute not the iudgements of man
there wil come a day when ye shall cry Lord Lord and his eares shall bée shut to your prayers and his Iustice shall cast you into the déep dungeon of Tophet there to remaine till Mat. â— 26. ye haue payed the vttermost farthing The fourth part of the Description The 4. part And large of Tophet mentioned in this word Large As the Lord hath made hell Deepe so hath he made it Large in regard of the great number that shall be tormented Oecolam in Esay Obserâ—â—â— Esay â— 14 in her as saith Oecolampadius This word is vsed in the fift Chapter of this Prophesie Hell hath inlarged her selfe and hath opened her mouth without measure It hath set open her mouth as it were with a gag and all to receiue the great multitudes that shall discend into her It is called Lacut magnus in the Reuelation 14. 9. A great Lake That this doctrine is too true witnesse that of the Gospell of Mat. 20. 16. Multi vocati Many are called but few conuerted Many called but few chosen The most High made this world for 4. Esd 8. 1. many but the world to come for very fewe Obiect But some man may obiect against these Scriptures other Scriptures to proue the great number of them that shall be saued and so by consequence the small number that shal be tormented in Tophet Saint Mathew saith That many Math. 8. 11 shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of God many an innumerable company shall be saued Saint Iohn in Reuelat. 7. 9. doth point out that great number that shall be saued with that nota stellifera that starry note Behold I saw a great multitude of all Nations and 〈…〉 and People 〈…〉 tongues 〈…〉 before thâ—â— Throne and 〈…〉 the Lambâ— â—lothâ—â—â— in long wheâ—◠〈…〉 and 〈…〉 â—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 whiâ—◠〈…〉 â—â— wâ—â—â— of â—â—â—â—â—y and 〈…〉 iâ— thâ—i◠〈…〉 in 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 It may séeme by these 〈…〉 that â—any shall â—e 〈…〉 and noâ—â—â—â—â— a multitude damned I 〈…〉 that though the nâ—mber 〈…〉 of the Elect â—e great by â—â—â—â—lfe considered to 〈…〉 praise of 〈…〉 mercy be it 〈…〉 yet if it bee 〈…〉 to the number of those that 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—â— God 's 〈…〉 〈…〉 Alas â—hen â— re 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—heâ— are â—â—â— a handfull and t 〈…〉 hell will be made eâ—â—éediâ—g 〈…〉 â—his great â—estruction of 〈…〉 in helâ— is liuelily shad 〈…〉 〈…〉 to vs in the iudgements of God on 〈…〉 〈…〉 with mercy as in the 〈…〉 of the old world â—◠〈…〉 holy 〈…〉 〈…〉 there aliue only N◠〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—â— the destruction of 〈…〉 by â—â—â—â— how few â—sâ—aped there aliue onely Lot with his daughters in the destruction of Iericho by the sword how few escaped there aliue only Rahab with her family that Ios 6. 22. intertained the Israeliticall Spies To come to later times in the destruction of Ierusalem by Titus Vespasian how few escaped there aliue Many hundred thousands of them were starued to death many hundred thousands of them taken captiues to the Roman Empire some put to one death some to another and few escaped aliue and those of the meaner sort agricolae vinitores Husbandmen and labourers in Vineyards If beloued in the iudgements of God in this world so few haue escaped aliue how few thinke you shall scape at the dreadfull day of iudgemeÌ„t when of euery idle word that men shall Mat. 12. 36 speake a great account must bee made for the same yea when Inquisition Wâ—â—d 1. 9. shall bee made for the very thoughts of the vngodly If the Iust shall scarce bee saued where shall the sinner appeare Againe that great is the number of those that shall to Tophet and therefore Tophet made large to giue them fiery intertainment it appeareth in the very liues of men vpon earth for where there is one that commeth to the profession of the truth truly with the sincere heart of Nathaniel there Ioh 1â— are ten yea twenty yea more that walke in the way of sinne in the road to Tophet without any check of conscience remorce for their sinnes or reclamation from their sinfull courses in the world some in the way of Atheisme some in Paganisme some in Epicurisme some in Brownisme some in Anabaptisme some in Mahometism some in Papisme yea some in Diuelisme a matter with many teares to be lamented But wouldst thou not be with this 〈…〉 large company in this large place of torment O then follow not a multitude to doe euill Reuel 18. 4. Come out from amongst them for if thou beest partaker with them in their sinnes thou must be partaker with thâ— in their punishments Fashion not thy selfe after the wicked fashion of this world rather walke alone by thy selfe to heauen than goe with the multitude to hell Walke in the narrow way of grace to saluation shun the broad and large way for that will bring thée to Tophet which as thou hearest is made excéeding déepe and large The fift part of the description of The fift part The burning therof is fire hell in these words The burning therof is fire expressing the bitternesse of the torments of Tophet There is great controuersie among the learned about this fire Whether it be true An in inferno ignis substantiall fire or fire allegoricall if it be true fire whether it be materiall corporall or spirituall If it be Corporall whether it burneth the body only or soule and body also Whether there be true fire in hell Quaestio 1. or whether these words the burning thereof is fire bee taken allegorically Caluin would haue it taken allegorically Caluin in Esai and thinks there is no true fire in hell His reason is this If Wood and the Worme be taken metaphorically why not then the fire also But this is no argument to proue 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 this fire allegoricall For in the holy Scriptures things spoken together are not alway taken in the same manner and nature For example sake CHRIST is called a Dore a Vine a Rocke a Stone figuratiuely and doth it therefore follow that hee was not God and Man substancially Againe in S. Lukes Gospell our Luk 〈…〉 Sauiour saith I appoint you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed to me that ye may eate and drinke at my Table in my Kingdome Eating is allegoricall but will you say that the Kingdome is allegoricall also I confesse that wood in hell is taken allegorically but that fire is taken so I vtterly deny Bullinger holdeth true and substantiall 〈…〉 in 〈…〉 fire in hell and so do the most and best of the learned Christ punished with fire in this world Sodome and the Mâ—â—murers Gâ—â— â—9 in the Booke of Numbers Chapâ—râ— Numb 1â— and called thâ— name of that place Thâ—â—â—â—â—â—â— because the fire of the Lord burnt amongst them And
limitem diuinae misericordiae They shall bee cast into outward darknesse out of the limits both of grace and mercy Though their weeping in hell may seeme penitentiary yet they doe but lugere poenas non peccata they doe but mourne their sorrowes not lament their sinnes And though Diues his prayer for his brethren may séem to procéed from a charitable soule yet it was not for their good but for his owne for hee knew that if they should come to hell his lewd and vicious example being part occasion thereof his torments should be doubled nay centupled vpon him In hell therefore there beeing neither grace nor deuotion but still affected iniquity their torments must be euerlasting The third reason Drawne from that stinging attribute of Gods Iustice because life was offered them heere and they would none it is iust with God that when in hell they begge it they should goe without it yea that they should seeke death and neuer finde it Once they were offered saluation being gone in Adam but that offer being neglected let them neuer looke for another O if this long torment were alwaies thought vpon it would make vs vse this short time of our life better they are Spirituall Lunatikes and worse then mad Bedlomites that will purchase an eternall torment for so short a pleasure I beséech you therefore beloued brethren for your soules sake which should bee more worth vnto yov than a thousand worlds let not these infinite torments bee passed ouer with a short or shallow consideration but write the remembrance of them in the inward parts of your soules with the Diamond of deepest meditation that so this Tophet may neuer be your destruction The seuenth and last part of the The seuenth and last part The breath of the Lord c. Description of Tophet set downe in these words The breath of the Lord like a Riuer of Brimstone doth kindle it In which words there is not only a Prosopopeia in the breath but a Topographia in the brimstone vsed both which figures do notably expresse the furious indignation of the Author and the fierce seuerity of the act the Author or Inflictour of all these fearefull punishments is the Lord God offended at whose anger the Heauens do melt the Earth quakes and the whole Creation trembles into whose hands to fall is most fearefull For the Heb. 2â— â—9 Lord our God is a consuming fire The Lord is the decreer appointer and commander of all these fearefull torments and the Lord doth execute them vpon the damned both immediatè immediately from himselfe and mediatè mediately by his instruments as by the diuels fire darknes stinch and other creatures Feare therfore in the feare of God this fearefull and terrible name IEHOVAH that at the day of neede ye may find him a mild and gentle Lamb and not A roaring Lyon of Iudah Reuel â— The seuerity of punishment is set down by a double allegory Breath and Brimstone To expresse the rage and â—yranny of Saul against the Lambes of IESVS this word is vsed in the Acts And Act. 9. 1. Saul yet breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord c. So here to expresse the furious indignation of the Lord against sinners the Breath of the Lord is vsed Like a Riuer of Brimstone The perplexing property of brimstone is to burne Darkely to grieue the sight Sharply to afflict the more Loathsomly to perplexe the smell We reade in the Scriptures that the Lord being much prouoked punished not onely with fire but with burning brimstone which is ten to one more terrible As vpon Sodome he rained fire and Gen. 19. 24 brimstone from heauen I will raine vpon him a fore raine Eze. 38. 22 haile-stones fire and brimstone Vpon the wicked God shall raine Psal 11. 6. snares fire and brimstone and stormy tempest this shall bee their portion to drinke The beast and the false prophet Apoc. 19. 20. both aliue were cast into the Lake of fire and brimstone Oh who can expresse now the lamentation of Tophet for the breath of the Lord like a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it As this should be of power to keep you from the least iniquity so it should possesse you with the knowledge of the right nature of sinne that it is the most odious and loathsome thing in the world A stinking carcase stinketh Gregor not so in the nostrils of man as a polluted sinner stinketh in the nostrils of Almighty God As Plato saith of vertue That if it Plato could be seene with a bodily eye it is so splendid and glorious a thing that all the world would bee rauished with the loue of her So may I say the contrary of vice That if sinne could be seene in his owne colours and in his right nature all the world would loath and vtterly detest it But miserable man the more is the pitie conceiueth not aright of sinne one would think that Adam had committed but a smal sin in eating the forbiden fruit at the intreaty of Eue yet he and all his pouerity guilty of eternall death for the same One would thinke that that poore man had committed but a small fault In gathering a few chippes on the Sabbath day wee haue fouler matters committed on our Sabbaths and go vnpunished yet hee was stoned to death for his labour one would thinke that Ananias Acts. 5. detaining part of the money and maintaining â—he contrary with a lye had committed but a smal fault yet he was strooke dead for the same at the feet of Peter one would think that an idle word were but a small sin yet of euery idle word that men shall speak a great account must bee made for the same And as men coureiue of sinne so they imagine of punishment they thinke that the Lord will not deale so seuerely with them and yet my Text sayth That the breath of the LORD like a Riuer of Brimstone doth kindle it The terror of whose wrath is indurable Harken here all you that make but a sport of sinne looke vpon your punishments prescribed the least sinne that euer you haue committed being Zach. 5. 8. weighty as lead is able to sinke your soules downe to damnation Cease therefore from euill and doe that which is good Cast away the workes of darknesse and put on the armour of light hate the little sinne as wel as the great an idle thought as well as blasphemy make much of offered grace to saluation Christ now knocketh at the doore of your Soules and would gladly come in and dwell with you For it is his delight to dwell Prou. 8. with the sonnes of men shut him not out as did the Bethleemites Bid him not be gone as did the Gadarens but Be ye open ye euerlasting doores that the King of glory may come in that you hauing giuen him entertainment here he may do the like by you hereafter placing you