al the Phisitians in England are not able to cure this disease Gen. Why M. Parson where dothe it greeue you Par Oh at the heart at the heart Gen I maruell what it shoulde bee that doth take you so suddenly haue you not ben so troubled with it before Par. Oh no I neuer was in this case since I was borne before Gen. Be contented to tarrie the Lordes leasure a little while and you shall see that it will mend anon Par. Oh Lord help me oh Iesu help me God and our Lady helpe me Gen. Oh M. Parson that is very ill sayde do you not thinke that God can helpe you of himselfe but that you must intreate our Ladie to do somwhat for you in so saying you haue greatly dishonored God Par. Oh the Lord forgiue it me I confesse I haue offended him in it Gen. God bee praised that you are so soone reformed But I maruaile what it thoulde bee that doth trouble you so at this time Par. Oh it lieth heauie at my heart Gen. What should it be thinke you that doth lye so heauy Par. Oh it is my sinnes which are more then I am able to beare for now I feel my selfe pricked at the heart with griefe of my former life Oh Lord be merâ—ifull vnto me a sinner Howe greeuously haue I offended so louing a father how wickedly did I enter into the ministery howe negligently haue I taught how vitiously haue I liued how many soules through my negligence haue gone to the Diuell and I haue bene carelesse and taken no thought for them oh forgiue me these mine offences or take mee out of this vale of miserye that I sinne no more Gen. Oh comfort your selfe and knowe that with the * Psal 130.7 lord ther is mercy and with him ther is plenteous redemption yea like * Psal 103.13 as a father pitieth his owne child so is the Lord mercifull to them that feare him Par. Oh how comfortable are these sayings nowe vnto me which sometime I loued not to heare thereof Oh my benefices my benefices that haue wrought mee this wo Fye vpon them fye vpon them fye vppon them Oh I was neuer so farre in loue with them as I do now detest and abhorre them Oh that al dumb doggs vnpreaching prelates popish priests non residentes and vnlearned ministers would learn by mine example to be wise in time Oh that such as can preach woulde preach and such as can say nothing would giue ouer the place whiche is vnméete for them Oh that suche as are set as Cyties vpon a high hill woulde preach Christe the Lorde and them selues seruants oh that this saying were not to true * Phil. 2.21 that euery man seeketh his owne no man that which is Christes oh that labourers might be sent into the Lordes haruest and loiteres might bee rooted out Oh that such as know nothing but to shear the Sheepe and feede themselues did nowe knowe so much as I doe for I neuer had such pleasure in keeping my benefices as I doe nowe finde ioy being willing to forgoe them You tolde me Gentleman that you thought your self happy to come in my company but I may blesse the time that euer I saw you Oh how much am I bounde to the Lorde the hath ordeined such a means to worke mee my saluation praised be his name therefore Gen. Oh the Lorde bee praised for euer that now I finde that in you which long I haue sought for My minde did giue mee that the Lord had his worke in you now experience doth teach mee that it is vnfeinedly true and I doubte not but you are now willing to forsake your benefices and to goe home with me Par. I am more willing to depart with them then euer I was to haue them and am so out of loue with theÌ„ that it gréeueth me to think on them and my desire is that I were so cleane discharged of them that I might neuer here more of them Gen. You shall not neede to take anye further care but â—â—ntent your selfe and you shal haue that which is yours and be troubled no longer Par. But thinke you not that I maye haue my monye againe that I paied for them vnto my Patrons Gen. That question is not woroth the asking for they wil be farre from making a restitution that they wil not be knowen you paide any thing for them But I pray you what did your beâ—e sires cost you Par. I thinke my three benefices did stande me one way or another aboute a fiue hundred pounds Gen. What did they so Oh vnsatiable Symmonie I praie you in what order did they deale with you and with what shame lesse faces coulde they dâ—nâ—aunde monie for them Par. I haue of a long time kept secrete their counsell but now I will disclose their pollicie First you must obserue that my three benefices I had of three Patrons â— the first after sute made vnto him saide hee was contented that I should haue it before another on this condition that I would be thankful for the same and it should cost me nothing but my friends he said were contented to bestow the same vpon me and I should not be priuy of a peny that was giuen before the mony came to be paid and then I should reape the fruites of my benefice in two or three yeares after Another of my patrons would take no mony for hee knew it to be vnlawfull but if I would bestow a dish of Angels of Apples I shoulde saie vppon him when the time of the yeare did serue hee was contented I shoulde bee heard before another but the apples muste be very ripe and as yellowe as golde My third patron was counted a man of a very good conscience and he woulde no mony at any hand but his wife must haue a gowne and that made of Satten laid with a siluer lace and the coller stiffened with as manie olde angels as came to a hundred pounde and she was so in loue with the same that if it laâ—e in her she would neuer were other fashion and when her husband saw it he liked the stuffe so wel that he woulde haue a suite of apparell of the same making so that to make them this gorgeous suite of apparel I was faine my selfe to weare a thred bare coate I knowe not how long Gen. Oh most wicked and Diuelish deuises is there such chopping and changing buying and selling of mens souls but that the mercy of the Lord is aboue al workes the for so wicked an abhomination the earth doth not grone vnder vs as being wery to beare vs. Haue they such shifts to dazle the eies of meÌ„ or do they think by such means to escape the iudgements of God Let them know that when the Lord wil make inquisition for sinne and the secretes os al hearts shal be opened this their wickednesse shall shew it selfe and without amendment shal not go vnpunished Oh how happy are
wise to doe euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge and if scripture will no serue to perswade you yet let me see what reason may mooue you do you think that our Lord Christ who is heire of heauen and earth whose seruantes we will say we are vnder whose banner we will say we fight if he then being our master and * Phi. 4.21 thought it no robberie to bee equall with God and yet made him selfe of no reputation and refused notto take vpon him the shape of a seruaunt and to humble himselfe vnto the death of the crosse for our sakes that we by his example might learn for his great loue to loue him againe and was taught obedience by the thinges that he suffered to submit himself to his fathers will and was contented for our sakes to beare this heauy burden before hee entred into his glory and do you thinke it reason that a gret many of you which are drawn from the Carts taile and set with Princes that you shall mocke him with the name of seruaunts and yet liue as master and say you fight vnder his banner and strike the stroke with his enemies in the end be accounted as his brethren eate and drinke in his kingdome no no master Parson deceiue not your selfe * Gal. 6.7 he will not be mocked they are those that * 2. Tim. 2.12 suffer with him and such as deny him he will deny them or thinke you that there is any new way to heauen better then Christe him selfe hath found no doubt you not if theer had beene any way easier then through many tribulations to enter into heauen the father wold haue reuealed it to his onely begotten son Therefore master Parson seeing the case standeth as it doth I maruaile that before you meant to be a builder in this woorke you had not first made your account what it would haue cost you for it is such a péece of worke as wil not be done without great charge for experience doth teach vs that it hath coste many a man all that they haue had yea and their liues also the they might be found painfull labourers in so sumptuous a building Par. Truely Gentleman I must needs confesse that the scripture is true and your reasons are verye good and if I thought there were no other sence to bee gathered out of the scripture then you haue shewed me I might chance to do that which some times I neuer thought to haue done but although there be many places that threaten punishment to the greeuous offenders yet I know there are some that teach vs that God is mercifull and I for my part doe not meane to come to heauen by mine owne desertes but I do only hope of the mercy of God Gen. To trust in Gods mercy you doe wel for if you should think to come to heauen by your own merites you should surely be deceiued but so to hope of his mercy as those that care not for it is to trust to a broken staffe and in the ende to be deceiued Par. Tushe I know God is merciful and some there be and that a great many that shal tast of his mercy and why shold not I be one of them as soone as an other Gen. But master Parson in any wise deceiue not your selfe but take the counsel of the wise man which saith * Eccle. 5.6 say not tush the Lorde is mercifull he shall forgiue me my sinnes by they neuer so many for as he is mercifull so departeth wrath from him in the time of vengeance he shal destroy thee but because it is true that God is mercifull and some there be that shall tast of his mercie and you are one of them that woulde faine tast of his mercie I will tell you how you maie get it and also how you shal know when she is sure to haue it The prophet Esay saith * Esay 55.7 Let the vngodly man forsake his owne waies and the wicked his owne imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lorde so shall he be mercifull vnto him so by this you may see that the way to haue Gods mercy is to forsake your sinne and when you find from the bottome of your heart the you do loth your wickednesse and hate your sinnes as the greatest enemies you haue and leaue them as thinges daungerous to bee had in keeping when you finde this in you be sure that the mercy of the Lorde is not farre from you but if a man will not turne he will whette * Psal 7.13 his sworde and bend his bowe to the cutting down and vtter destruction of the wicked and vngodly Par. And must I needes put away my benefices thinke you before I am like to obteine the mercy of God and atteine to his heauenly kingdome Gen. Truly Master Parson I will tell you * Math. 7.14 the way to heauen is very straite and it will be a harde matter for one man with three benefices to passe throughe so narrowe a place therefore if you will bee sure to come thither your selfe I woulde wish you to leaue youre benefices behinde you Par. Why do you think that I meant to carry my benefices with me ther is no mā so vnwise I thinke but knoweth he shall leaue al things behind him when he dieth Gen. But if you bee not discharged of them while you may you shall bee sure to be troubled with them when you wil wish that you had neuer seene them when the bloude of your sheepe shall be required at your handes their sinnes will lie so heauy on your backe that when you are come to the gate ready to enter into heauen I feare me they will plucke you downe as farre as the bottomles pit of hel therefore if you will follow the counsel of him that wisheth you well now so deal with the worlde that hereafter you repent not your bargin and * Math. 5.2 agree with your aduersary while you are in the way least he deliuer you vnto the iudge and the iudge deliuer you vnto the Gailor and he cast you into prison thence not to come out till you haue made good the vtmoste farthing Par. For your good counsel I most heartely thanke you and follow it I would if I thought if best for me the pathes that lead to heauen I would fain tread and the way to hell I wold willingly auoid for I know that these places the one from the other do so farr differ that to know the way to heauen is onely my desire and that I might be sure not to misse the waie I coulde be contented to depart with one of my benefices with all my hart so that I might enioy the rest quietlie Gen. I am glad that you are come one step lower and it putteth me in hope the you will not stick to take a little more paine in this vile and transitorie world the you may rest for euer in the
you whome God hath drawne from dangerous dealings your happinesse is more then I can expresse you haue by these meanes gotten heauen and earth on your side the Lord himself doth fauor you the Sunn Moone will shew you a cheereful countenauce the earth shall serue for your pleasure the dew in the morning wil giue you a sweet sauor the flowers in the field wil cast you a pleasant smell The stones in the streetes are at league with you neither is there anye thing vnder the heauens that shal hurt you but all are sworne to your safety the Lorde shall send his Angelles to * Psal 34.7 pitch their tents about you so that al your enemies shal doe you no harme but death it selfe shall giue you the victorie when it commeth to playe his part it shall set you free from a greate many of miseries and * Apoc. 14.13 place you in an euerlasting happinesse But as for suche as continue in their wickednesse woe be vnto them it were better for them that they had neuer bene born for their state is accursed and the best of them is but * Mich. 7.4 as a brier or a rotten stake in a thorny hedge and though they florish a while as doth the flower of that field yet shal they wither as doth the grasse and * Esai 51.8 worms shal eate them euen as moths eat cloth and wool Wo be vnto them that through the stubbernesse of their hearts can not repente but heape vp for them selues wrath against the day of wrath and declaration of the righteous indgement of God * Rom. 2.5 which will rewarde euery man according to his workes Par. Then Woe the vnto all Patrons which buie and sell benefices Gen. Yea and happie are such Patrons as bestow them vpon such as are worthie of them and that take no monie for them but seeke onelie the glorie of God and the saluation of their brethren Parl Are there some such Patrons think you that doth so bestow their benefices Gen. Yea no doubt of it there are some such and that manie although because you haue not found them you think the contrarie Elias thought wheÌ„ ther was a slaughter amongest the prophetes of the Lorde that there had bene none left that did serue the true God but himself beacuse he knew them not but the * 3. Kin. 19. â—4 18 Lorde tolde him that there were seuen thousand which he had reserued that did neuer bowe their knees to Bâ—al So no doubt hath he now a remaant whome he doth preserue from that sinne of simmonie and do leaue it as a thing which doth highlie displease the Lorde the which number I beseech him dailie to encrease that the feete of the ministers â—â—aie be * Esai 52.7 Rom. 10.15 beautiful and themselues messâ—ngers that maie bring glad tidings of peace and tidinges of good things Par. I shall bee counted but a foole amongst my felows for playing of his part and they will make it a game to laugh at for dealing in this maner but the best waie is to giue them leaue and abide their skoffs with patience vntil the Lorde roote them out or giue them heartes of repentance Gen. You saie verie well it is our parts to * Psal 27.16 tarrie the Lords leasure and be contented to bear the railinges of our aduersaries for a while these daies will not continue for euer there will come a laughing time for vs when they shal weepe and howle for the miserie that shal come vpon them and shal be faine one day to saie of you this * VVis 3.5 is he whome we somtimes had in dirision we â—ooles thought his life madnesse and his end without honor but lo how he is counted amongest the Sonnes of God and his portion is amongst the saints these words shal the vngodlie saie with griefe of heart when themselues are tormented and you shal be comforted when you shal haue ioies vnspeakable and they shal be cast into vtter darknesse where shal be weeping and gnashing of téeth And nowe that you may set some order concerning your selfe and suche stuffe as you haue at home I wil send two of my men with you that shal deale for you as they woulde for me and in hope that it shal not be long before I see you againe Par. I thanke you sir moste heartelie and I praise God highlie that haue stirred vp such an instrument to cal mee to repentance I will ride to my benefices and discharge my selfe clean of them and with as much speed as I may I wil waite on you in the meane time I pray God blesse you and yours and continue that good mind in you which now you are of that you and I with al our housholde maie so serue God in this transitorie worlde that wee may ioie with him for euer in the world to come Gen. Amen FINIS A godly and necessary prayer into this booke O ETERNALL and euerlasting God which hast made thy dwellings aboue the heauens by the Scepter of thy mighte doest rule all the powers in the world all which should sound to thy praise and redounde to the honour of thy glorious name we most vile wretches whom thou hast made of the dust of the earth throw down our selues here before thy maiesty as vnworthy to be made thy footestoole submitting our selues vnto thee and acknowledging our sinnes we appeal to thee for mercye VVe confesse O Lorde that our wickednesse is great our misdeedes many our sinnes innumerable and thou art iust thy iudgements are ouer all the worlde and the punishments due for our sinnes are intollerable Forgiue them O Lord forgiue theÌ„ mollifie our hard hearts and gyue vs right spirites that we may see our sinne and learn to tremble before thy maiesty fear to offend any longer Oh be thou fauourable vnto vs or els we are lost for euer If thou be angry what may make vs merry if thou be offended how may we be pleased If vve haue lost thy fauour what friendship can help vs If thou withdraw thy grace from vs what good shal our riches do vs If thou be not on our side what shal we do with the help of man If we be whole in body sick in soule rich in substance poore in godlines haue the worlde at will and know not how to vse it If we haue such liberty to do waht vve vvould any yet so sinfull to do nothing as vve shoulde Oh the finne of so corrupt hearts what miserie vvill it bring vs vvhat vvoe will it vvorke vs howe many plagues are there ordeined for so great sinnes and vvhat a continuall paine vvill our vngodly pleasure purchase for vs O Lorde if thou let vs liue heere a vvhile in wealth ease to the end vve shal liue for euer hereafter in misery wo alasse that euer vve were born to see such woâ—ul days oh far be that froÌ„ vs O Lorde and continue thy
mercy tovvardes vs for euer VVe confesse that our sinnes haue wel deserued thy vvrath and our vvickednesse is great ynough to prouoke thy anger and we know that thy mercies already shewed vnto vs haue beene more then our deseruinges vve haue alwayes felt thy fatherly affection towardes vs vvhen we haue shewed our selues vnnaturall children and revvarded thee euill for good Oh lord forgiue it vs forgiue our vngodly behauiour lay not our sins to our charge but continue thy mercy tovvardes vs still Looke fauourably vppon this Realme blesse va vvith thy goodnesse and defende vs from Sathan and all his ministers ouerthrow their deuelish deuices and bevvray their vngodly pollices preserue our Queene vvhome thou hast placed ouer vs let her rule faithfully in thy feare make her dayes happy and sende her a long life if it be thy good pleasure and vvhen this her earthly princely state shall ceasse giue her a heauenly kingdome where shee may reigne for euer make her counsellers vvise in thy feare to giue such councel as may tende to thy glory let he nobles know that their honors consisteth in thy worship Teach magistrates to humble themselues and seeke the aduancement of thy glory let them know that they are not placed in office by thee to gouern as they list or do that which seemeth good in their owne eyes but to suppresse sinne support vertue let them draw their swordes to cut downe vice and imbrace godlines as that which is onely their worship teach the ministerie to teach the trueth vnto their flocke and seeke the safety of thy people and not their owne priuate gayne let them not be such as can teach others and not them selues that can shere the sheepe and not feed the flocke let not the desire of filthy lucre make them carelesse to do their duety but let the remembrance of thee which wilt call them to an account cause them to haue a care of their charge Teach masters of housholdes mystresses and Dames children and seruauntes to serue thee and lead their liues in thy feare O Lord learne theÌ„ to know that to dwell vnder thy defence is only to be happy and not to obey thee is to be accursed and to heap vp for our selues wrath against the day of wrath vvhen euery man shall be revvarded according to his vvorkes let the power of thy majestie vvhich canst vvith a vvorde shake all the povvers in heauen and earth strike so deepe into our hearts that we may set more by thy fauour then all the fayre countenaunces of the world which are but vaniti let not any thing be our delight but that vvhich may please thee let nothing make vs sory but that which doth offend thy maiesty Also we beseech thee to looke vppon thy vvhole Churche vvheresoeuer with fauour beholde it comfort the afflicted members therof deliuer them with speed or giue them patience to tarry thy leasure let them not faint in that good course they haue begon that suffer for thy truch but be thou their help in trouble and lay no more vppon them then they are able to beare And although we at this time here at home haue not so great cause to complayne as many of our brethren in other countries But thou O Lord hast delt more fauourably vvith vs then with them yet let vs not be proude of our estate but giue vs heartes of humilitie to prostrate our selues before thy maiestie for vve know that our deseruings are not such nor thy hande is not so shortned but that thou canst strike vs as well as them let not so great wickednesse lodge in our brests that our prosperity shoulde make vs to forget thee for although vve sleepe now in secutitie and thinke our selues out of danger yet thou canst quickly set the nations about vs vpon our eares and giue vs ouer to a worse mischeefe euen amongest our selues thou canst soone make a whole man a sicke body and of a liuing body a dead corps and all our pleasures may soone be gone the aduersitie of one howre may make vs to forget all our sinnes haue truly deserued these and greater plagues but that thy mercy tovvardes vs hath beene great vvhich I beseech thee for euer to continue Forgiue vs our sinnes and pardon vs for thy sonne Christs sake quicken vs as thou art wont to do thy chosen giue vs a taste of the ioyes of thy kingdome that vve may knowe it is better to be a dore keeper in thy house then to dwel in the tentes of the wicked vngodly let not the vaine delights of this corrupt world lead vs vnto vanity nor let the alterations of this changeable time turne our harts from thee but teach vs to knovve that thou art alvvayes one and the same dost neuer forget such as doe put their trust in thee VVe know that thy fatherly care ouer thy children is great that they shal not loose a haire of their head but thou wilt knowe how they come forÌ„ it oh learn vs for so gret loue to loue thee againe and feare to offend so deare a Father keep farre from vs the breach of thy laws couetous mindes lying lipes swearing tongues malicious hearts vnchast and vngodly behauiour which doth offend thee and prouoke thine anger againsty vs beate down our stoute stomcks that we may stand in awe feare thy displeasure that the plagues due for our sinnes may be turned away from vs. O Lord make vs wise in time plaÌ„t in our harts a loue to thy iudgements and alwaies haue im minde that thou which madest the eye must needs see which madest the eare must needs heare and thou which seaâ—chest the hearts and reins must needs find out our wickednesse And because of our selues we are not able to doe any thing that is good but prone and apt to all kinde of sinne and wickednesse we beseech thee so to assist vs with the ayde and help of thy holy spirite that we may through the same do those things vvhich of our selues we are not able that it may be to thy glory and for the health of our owne soules Oh let these our praiers pearce the heauens and enter into thine eares and giue vs this and all other things necessary for vs from this time to the end of our liues and after death a life to liue for euer for thy deare sonnes sake in whose name vve beg it of thee in that praier vvhich he himselfe hath taughte vs saying Our father c.