giuing thee whatsoeuer is necessarie for thee And for that cause oughtest thou to be subiect and obedient vnto his will in all thinges and to pray for the setting forth and sanctifying of his holy name which is to haue his word truely taught louingly imbraced diligently followed him to be worshipped according to the trueth thereof in all thinges And therefore when thou intendest to pray either for good thinges to bee giuen thee or euill things to be taken frō thee thou must haue a principal regarde to the magnifying of his holy name and to the setting forth of his most worthie praises for his mercies and goodnesse with ardent desire that his holy name may be hallowed and his kingdome come That is that his holy spirite would so direct thee in all thy doinges thoughtes and desires that thine heart varie not from his will but bee so setled in the performaunce thereof in all thinges that true humilitie vnfeyned loue vndoubted hope and constaunt faith may begin in thee that tranquilitie and peace of cōscience which may assure thee through me to bee the heire of his euerlasting kingdome to the ouerthrowe of Sathans rule and destruction of all his power whereby he endeuoureth to leade all mankinde into vtter destruction Pray therefore that his kingdome may come which is his holy spirite which hee hath promised to powre out vppon those that earnestly desire it which shall guide thee to the true seruice of mine heauenly father here in this world vntill such time as I shall appeare in the Clowdes to chaunge thy mortal body and place it in that kingdome wherein thou shalt remaine in blisse vnspeakeable for euer Thou must pray also that myne heauenly fathers will bee done in earth as it is in heauen that is that not onely thy self but all the people of the earth may doe that which in his worde is prescribed and commaunded to be done and that there may bee such obedience such loue such godly behauiour in this world amōg men as is required to be that as the Angelles in heauen are obedient vnto his will and cōmaundements whereby he is glorified there so he might be obeyed to the magnifying of his name here in earth And therfore art thou commaunded faithfully to pray vnto him that he would vouchsafe to gouerne all men as Princes Pastors and Teachers Gouernours and Magistrates that they may performe his will here in earth as it is done in heauen And that all men may execute their vocations truely to the praise of his holy name In which three former petitions thou hast to learne that it behoueth thee principally in thy praiers to regarde the glorie of God mine heauenly father And now attend and thou shalt perceiue that as thou art commaunded in the former petitions to haue respect onely vnto the honour of myne heauenly fathers name So art thou also louingly called to craue corporall blessings namely for such thinges as are necessarie and expedient for the maintenaunce of this life by this petitiō Giue vs this day our daily bread which comprehendeth in it not onely request for bread but for a competent liuing and good successe in thy vocation namely that hee will blesse it and make thy trauayle prosperous in such sort as by the fruites thereof thou mayst be able without vnlawfull meanes to liue and be rather helpefull then burdensome to others Yea thou hast warrant in this petition to craue all things belonging to this life not onely sufficiencie of foode and apparell but also health of body and other temporall benefites The Prophet declareth in the Psalmes that hungrie and thirstie soules wandring in the wildernes called vnto myne heauenly father and were releeued and sent away replenished Yea those rhat lye in prison and in the shadowe of death fast bound in miserie and iron without all hope of healpe calling vpon him in hearty and faithfull prayer are heard their prayers graunted and they deliuered Such also as are afflicted and pining away with sicknesse and heauinesse of heart humbling themselues vnto him in prayer are cured of their diseases When thou art therfore in such or any other afflictiō be it sicknesse imprisonment pouertie daunger of enemies or any other trouble whatsoeuer referre thee to the cōsideration of this petition and there shalt thou finde that thou hast sufficient warrant to flye vnto mine heauenly father in my name in heartie prayer for deliueraunce from thy distresse who is nere vnto all them that cal vpon him yea to all that cal vpon him in trueth he will fulfill the desire of them that feare him he will heare their prayers and saue them In this petition therefore it behoueth thee and all aswell the rich as the poore to consider that it is not great aboundaunce of riches and store of all worldly thinges nor the labour industrie and earnest diligence of their vocations but the onely blessing of mine heauenly father whereby their store is preserued and the labour of their handes so prospered as it serueth for the preseruation of their mortall liues And therefore all men ought so to referre them selues vnto mine heauenly fathers will bee they poore or rich in zealous and heartie prayer as that in the good successe both of their store and calling they may referre the glorie vnto him the aucthor of all their welfare and whose blessing it is that maketh rich and releeueth the poore Thou hast heard before that it behoueth thee in all thy prayers first to craue forgiuenesse of thy sinnes and reconciliation with God myne heauenly father through mee And in this former most excellent forme of prayer which must be thy direction to all thy praiers thou art warranted to aske for remission of thy sinnes But vpon this condition namely that thou forgiue freely and from thine heart all those that haue offended thee Wherein thou hast then to consider that if thou come vnto mine heauenly father endewed as before thou hast been taught with especiall loue of him and vnfeyned loue towardes all men come freely and boldly vnto him in the name of mee thy continuall Mediatour and craue in a true faith that for my sake hee will forgiue thy sinnes and receiue thee againe into his fauour assuring thy selfe that hauing mee the high Bishop praying for thee through whom thou being iustified by faith art at peace and at one with God mine heauenly father Thinke therefore diligently vpon the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes in me and whensoeuer thine owne vnworthinesse through feare so cloyeth thy poore conscience that thou thinke nothing but condemnation due vnto thee Cast the eyes of thine heart through a liuely faith vppon my merites standing at no time vppon thine owne deseruinges craue reconciliation and remission for my sake assuring thy selfe to bee heard and receiued into mine heauenly fathers fauour againe And beware thou stande not righteous in thine owne conceit for if thou
a thousand times for sinne vnlesse thou bowe Hath Sathan thus be-witched thee hath worldly wealth vndone That sacred threed that Iesus for thy sweete Saluation spun Then thē wo worth the daies wherin thy cancred corps doe liue Throough foolish wil to fond delight such rash consent to giue The Rich-man Why what art thou that tauntest thus and thus controulest me I know thee not nor Iesus whome thou saiest my friend to be But for thy wealth or his I know can not my wealth surpasse My riches are as great I trowe as Iobs aboundance was And yet to see thy taunting termes thy carping crakes at mee Doe make me muze y t thou wilt not bow to mine high degree I think thou doest not know my welth my state vnknowen to thee Makes thee so rash I pray thee shew thy wealth and name to mee Solace My wealth is a contented minde my name a name of blisse No sweeter or more wholsome name in all the earth there is My will it is lykewise to wyn thy sinfull soule from woe To kill these wicked weedes in thee that in aboundance growe The Rich-man Canst thou redeeme the soule from woe that is in passing ioy Whom nothing can oppresse at all or worke the same annoy If furious foe should seeke to spill my bloud or worke my thrall My goods are great I haue enough to purchase helpe withall If health of bodie doe impaire and sicknes doe possesse My Corps with grief my goods can get best Phisick for redresse What if a time of dearth should come to pinch the poorer men Then were the time for me to make of euery penny ten For I haue store of euery thing that would be present gayn As Sheep and Oxen fruict and wul and euery kind of graine Which ten yeeres dearth could neuer spend what can annoy me then I liue secure I am at ease I stand no dreade of men What saist thou now am I in ease to seeke for ayde of thee No no goe packe a thousand maye haue their reliefe of mee Solace ALas thou foolish wretch whome the dregges of the vncertaine mucke of the world hath drowned in the puddle of pernicious securitie Thou laughest when in deede thou shouldest wéepe Thou singest when thou hast great occasion to sigh and thou triumphest in rash desire of finishing a sumptuous house of earthly and no durable matter where in déed thou shouldest rather put on thy mourning wéedes of sorrowe for the ruinous fall of a more precious building thy poore soule whome the heauy burden of thy sinfull and voluptuous life hath cast into the dungeon of darknes Hearken thou vnto me therefore and marke my wordes which flowe from the fountaine of perfect felicitie And thou shalt learne another lesson thou shalt sing another song and frame thy fancie after another fashion That is thou shalt condemne and dispise and in the bitternes of thy soule euen curse those thinges that thou holdest so deere and of so high price And sigh for sorrow that thou hast so much regarded the thinges that were none of thine The Rich-man What what you run at random sir your wits are not your owne I think poore man with tauntinge termes your wits are ouerflowen Doe I possesse that is not mine whose wealth is that I haue Whose is the substance of the store which friendly Fortune gaue Is not the golde that I haue got mine Oxen faire and fat My flocks of sheepe mine own pore man thou saist y u knowst not what But tame thy tongue or vse thy termes in better sorte to mee Take other mates for thine estate I am no mate for thee Solace Alas that sillie soule of thine dooth rest in wofull case It can not choose but rue to see thee runne so retchles race What though thy bodie liue at ease and wealth abound at will Wilt thou lyke witles wretch giue thanks for foolish Fortunes skill In fickle state alas art thou dame Fortunes wheele vnsure Can turne thy wealth to wante agayne when thou art most secure Thy sillie soule is sunck in sinne whose due deserte is woe Wherefore returne againe in time to friend and flye thy foe The Rich-man What should I flie oh foolish wight my Landes mine onely stay My store my stuffe my bagges of gold and cast my wealth away No no Ile know from whence thou art thy name thy force and will Before thy cunning shall conuert my Conscience to thy skill Solace AS my meaning is not that thou shouldest rashly or vnaduisedly cast away that aboūdance the gift wherof thou foolishly attributest to Fortune which indeed God hath bestowed vpon thee so I would not that thou shouldest put such affiance and such trust of a permanent and happy estate in that that so soone may vanish away like the flower that in the morning the dew maketh most fragrant fresh and swéete and before the euening with the scorching sunne beames is withered loseth his fashion and all beuty Euen so fareth it with the rich of the Earth who to gether with their aboundance fleete away the bodie to the graue their wealth they knowe not to whome what fond conceit therefore moueth thée thou foolish man thus madly to make fortune the maister of thine happynesse and to accompt this world the habitacle of thy sinfull carcas of a further more durable continuance then it is Think it certaine and nothing more certain that true felicity is not here to be sought for not here to be had nor here after the manner thou hast begun to be tasted To be made rich to become Lords Ladies Kings or Keysars to be noble or honourable worshipfull or Gentlemen or to abound with all the pleasures or pleasant delights that the whole world can yelde is no sparke of true happynesse and therefore deceiuest thou thy selfe thou runnest headlong into a laborinth of mischiefes in choosing this world to be thy throane of honour thy seat of happynesse and Fortune the mother nurce of thy prosperous estate as though there were no other place of blisse no other seat of honour nor other Aucthor of happynesse here thou foole the Glory the Pride the Pomp the wealth the brauerie the pastime and daliance honours and riches the aucthorities and preferments togither with all the Ornaments of bewtie and strength carnall reason and worldly wisdome what is it but the pricks of Sathan a sting to the good conscience and distruction to the wicked soule what is it but vanitie ye mere vanitie affliction of spirite The Rich-man This answers not to my demaund I aske thy name and why Thou doest controule me thus for that a care to liue haue I. I will avouch and verefie which I haue said before I am not yet afraid I knowe such preachers are there store That crye in euery pulpit still woe worth the wealthie ones They threaten
for his pride and tyrrannie for his striuing and presuming against the almightie God Sée then if he haue not spared the greatest and most mightie king of the world but punished him after so strange a fashion he will not spare thée There is no respect of persons with him But he that dooth his will and worketh righteousnes is accepted be he poore or rich high or lowe king or begger yea he rayseth the simple poore naked and néedie out of their miserie and trouble and plucketh downe the high the mightie and proud and sendeth those that accompt themselues rich and to haue no neede of his help them I say he sendeth captiue away he plucketh downe their proud Pecockes tayles and scattereth them in the imagination of their heartes and will feede the hungrie such as thou dispisest with good thinges And therefore once againe I say vnto thee that foolishly thou sayst vnto thy soul take thine ease or to thy body take thy rest I haue enough for my life I will goe builde c. When the Lorde of might can with the breath of his mouth shake those foolish buildings of thine in shiuers tumble them to y e ground make thy great aboundance nothing at all And therefore Saint Paul willeth Timothie to tell theÌ„ that are rich in the world that they should not be exalted with pride But contrarie thereunto It may be well perceiued how thou in thine aboundance beginnest to swell in contempt of other men through pride whereof thy wealth is the worker and pride the nurce of all other vices so that thou makest that the instrument of all euill which God hath ordayned to doe all men good How hast thou gone about to trample as it were poore Simple thy Tennant vnder thy feete Thou hast vtterly vndone him in taking his poore lyuing from him flattering him vntill thou hadst gotten him into thy spiders web then beganst to poyson him then beganst thou to threaten him so that the poore man may say that he sould his lybertie for a pound of flatterie But in déed tell me intendest thou to procéede in this péeuish purpose of thine Meanest thou to make such a mightie Mansion such a huge house with so many stories hye fearest thou not falling doest thou not know that he that climes highest is in most danger and hath the greatest fall let me aduise thée to frame thy plotte and proportion of thy building thus first for thy foundation digge the trench verie deepe euen to the verie roote of thine hearte search and see whitherâ— it be all firme ground there or not vpâ—n which thy building must be first founded and because it standeth so néere the sea side of Satan thou must take heede that there be no gulfes or quick Sandes therein driuen by the waues of wickednes whereby thy cogitations haue or hereafter may sinke into any mire or puddle of priuie conspiracie against thy soule which if thou finde thou muste ramme downe with the stampe of a good conscience as much Clay of true repentaunce as will serue the turne and then beginne the foundation with the Stones of a newe life hewen out with the Hammer of Gods word and layde by the dyrecte Line and leuell of a true fayth and the workeman of this building muste bee the holie spirite of God whome thou shalt finde if thou sake him with a singleâ—hart standing readie but not idle in the Market place of true religion working in the newe buildinges of such as vnfaynedly intende to become newe men But his hire will be â—omewhat hard he will not work bâ— the daye neither by the moneth nor by y yeare but wil couenaunt for al thy life and thou shalt couenaunt with him to giue all that thou haste at his disposition which couenaunt if thou breake yea when the building is euen finished he will cast it all to the ground againe and where thou hast promised thy soule and bodie to liue at rest and to take their ease thou must breake promise with them for this worke-man will haue thy selfe vnder him to be the principall ouerseer and surueyer to watch night and daie least a worke-man of a contrarie building plucke downe what he settes vp and destroy what he hath made but he will instructe thee and direct thee hereafter what thou shalte doe in this busines and how thou shalt proceede in this buiâ—ding if thou wilt frame thy fancie to follow it this buildinge will be so stately and high that if thou fall it will crush all to péeces and yet so precious and glorious that thine eye hath not séene thine eare heard neither can thine heart conceiue the precious and beautifull furniture and ornaments thereof But a hard péece of worke for a naturall man too curious to thy crooked conceite which I doubt will be hardly drawen from thy former follie from procéeding to finish another peece of worke whereof the wicked workman that I earst spake of is the aucthor and prickes thee forward to goe in hand with thine intended enterprice thy sumptuous Pallace which is for princes thy curious caruings haughtie hangings goodly gallaries pleasant walkes stately standings and princely prospectes to see abroad the Haukes to flie the houndes to runne And within thy rare Iewels of gold thy Cubbords of plate thy Cofers full whatsoeuer else delightsome vnto thee he perswades thee to be all good But alas he dooth but deceiue thée For God by the Prophet cryeth out â—ond saith Woe be vnto you that glorie in your vanities ioyning house to house and land to land The earth is full of golde and siluer there is no ende of their treasures I am angrie with their couetousnes saith God I will strike their iniquitie and not suffer such as thus glorie in their goods and the vaine pleasures of the world to haue any certaine rest But I will put a worme in their conscience which shall torment them with continuall anguish and perplexitie yea howsâ—euer the world goeth with them for such is the inextinguishable fire of vnsaciable couetousnes that it euer desireth and is neuer satisfied no although it obtaine as much to daie as it wisheth for to morrow it desireth as much more like an vnsatiable Sea and the fire that hath neuer enough But setteth as it were the end of sacietie in thinges wished and hoped for not in that which he hath haue it neuer so much And therefore it is sayd that desire of mony increseth as much as mony it selfe meaning that the more a man hath the more he coueiteth Whereby he offendeth God iniureth himselfe dooth wrong to his neighbour he dooth not his duetie to God he withholdeth things necessarie from himselfe and helpeth not his neighbour when he needeth he is to God vnthankfull to him selfe cruell to his neighbour froward And therefore Iohn in his first Epistle
mine heauenly father yea all they that came of y e stock of Adam are all become abominable and of none abilitie to doe good there is none that worketh righteousnes no not one my selfe excepted who according to y e promise of mine heaueÌ„ly father in the beginning made to Adam y t the seede of the woman should tread downe the Serpents head who was also promised to Abraham Isaak and Iacob where it was foretold that in their seede should all the kingdomes of the earth be blessed therefore must thou beleue that y e originall corruption which proceeded froÌ„ Adam remaineth yet in all flesh in generall whose reward is death But my father hath reserued vnto himselfe a certaine number knowne onely vnto himselfe which in my bloud he hath sanctified vnto eternall life whom by the holy Ghost he elected and chose out before the foundation of the world to be his childreÌ„ adopted and vnited into his fauour and mercie againe by me his onely sonne who in the time from the beginning of the world limited by the holy Prophets foreshewed came into the world in the very shape forme of a man and in all thinges lyke vnto a man sinne excepted conceiued in the wombe of a virgin whose name was Marie by the holy ghost and was incarnate and tooke substaunce of her bodie and borne into the world and growing in the fleshe according to the manner of sinfull men yet without sin according to the worde of the Prophetes And that I was y e Messias so long before promised who should bring ioy glad tidings vnto all the world and to set those at libertie that were in the boÌ„dage of Sathan sould vnder sinne and to giue light to them that sate in darknes and in the shadowe of death who haue bin from the beginning of the world begotten before all creatures and consecrated of mine heauenly Father to be the onely Hye Priest that should offer the Sacrifice that should appease his wrath for all the sinnes of the worlde to be the king to defend his people and the Prophet to shewe them his will and to guide their feete vnto the way of peace Who by offering vp my body in sacrifice once for all through the eternall spirite without spotte or sinne purged the consciences of men from dead workes to serue the liuing God mine heauenly Father and that for that purpose I lefte the heauenly Cittie the bosome of mine heauenly Father and being Lorde of all became a subiect and seruaunt to all laying aside all glorie and put on the base attire of mortall man being indued with two natures Deuine and Humaine without which the will of my Father could not haue bin executed according to his diuine prouidence for in my humanitie I was in this worlde parsonally dwelling among men eating and drinking among men and was verie man of the promised seed of Dauid and yet as touching my Godhead I was nothing inferiour to mine heauenly father but coequall with him and coeternall yet was I coÌ„tent to humble my selfe obey his will and to shewe his vnspeakeable loue and ardent desire he had of the redemption of mankinde wherein he gaue me his onely sonne to dye for the sinnes of the world who according to his determinate will did most willingly imbrace euen the death of the Crosse to redeeme them from death that were iustly condemned performing the message of mine heauenly father in all things doing nothing but what was decreed before the beginning of the world by the eternal counsaile I became poore to make thee rich and to be a meane to bring thee into the fauour of mine heauenly father againe I became bond to the will of mortall men to make thee free with the imortall God I became a straunger and a Pilgrim in earth to make thee a Citizen of heauen I became the sonne of mortall man to make thee the childe of the liuing GOD I suffered the paynes of Hell to purchaze thee heauen I was content to sufter the cruell death of the Crosse to procure thee lyfe eternal Thou must therefore faithfullie belieue that I am that Christ that true Messias that was promised to be the Sauiour of the world who was annoynted with the oyle of grace and was indued with all spirituall heauenly giftes here in earth aboue all others and that my flesh was so sanctified with my Diuinitie and Godhead that it could not suffer or see corruption Thou must belieue also that after I had preached the will of my father in Iudea and Galile in great humilitie where both by word and miracles I shewed my selfe to be the sonne of God as also by the preachings of the Prophets The Iewes by all meanes sought to take me but could not before my time was come and when the howre came when I should be deliuered into their hands according to the will of my Father I was vniustly accused of y e chief priests who consulting how they might haue me taken procured Iudas falsly to betray me promising him a bribe who although I could haue preuented him betrayed me with a kisse And then the chiefe Priestes bound me and brought me before Pylate and had prouided false witnes to accuse me wicked ministers to scourge me scoffers to deride me condemning me most vniustly to dye and to be hanged vpon the Crosse betweene two theeues as a principall malefactor and yet pure and altogether without spotte or sinne where most ignominiously and cruelly I was crowned with a Crowne of thornes in dispitefull and disdaynfull manner saluting me by the name of the king of the Iewes who being thirstie they gaue me most sharpe vinegar mingled with gall to drinke all which I most meekely and willingly suffered tooke all their torments patiently their raylings and reuilings mildlie their buffetings spittings at me meekelie longing for the redemption of mankinde to be baptized with that baptisme of so greeuous a death and to offer vp once for all the sacrifice of my bodie to reuiue them that were dead in sinne and to obtaine pardon for their transgressions euen the tender loue I had to the saluation of their poore soules by which oblation I haue purchased full satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world that whoe so beleeueth in me should not pearish but should obtaine eternall lyfe Thou must verely beleeue also that I dyâ—d vppon the same Crosse and euen giuing vp the ghost into the handes of mine heauenly Father I indured such agonie due for the sinne of mankinde which aunswered the Iustice of mine heauenly Father in so heauy exceeding manner in respect of mine humanitie that the verie anguish and conflict of the flesh and spirit I sweat water and â—loud and was
effect in many whom he withdraweth from hearing my ministers messengers to pronounce my Gospel as he seeketh to withdrawe thee froÌ„ hearing mee saying to some why what wilt thou stande hearing of this man to prate in the Pulpit he hath no learning he hath no vtteraunce he hath this imperfection or that and so pluckes theÌ„ by the sleeue to goe gad to walke and to wander in their wonted waÌ„tonnesse and wicked waies in such abhomination as the stincke of their filthintsse hath infected many Some he sendeth to the hearing of the worde but why to heare for profite no but to cauell and to descant vpon the Preachers words and interpretation of this worde of that sentence so fall into a deuillish disputatioÌ„ wresting the trueth to their owne corrupt imaginatioÌ„s bringing into the Church scruples doubtful questions as the ministers of Satan to be stuÌ„bling blocks lets vnto y e passage of the deuine message of my heauenly father whereby hath growen so many Sects Scismes Heresies false constructions and deuillish doctrines that my Church is nothing so great as the most damnable Chappell of Antechrist And I see that of set purpose to hinder thine amendment hath he whispered thee in the eare and tolde thee that thou art cunning enough and that thou maist worke and accomplish al things by thine owne free will But thou art greatly deceiued for I will be knowne to be only righteous thy self to be ful of wickednesse not knowing what my righteousnesse is and yet takest vpon thee most arrogantly a perfection of wisedome and abilitie to know and doe all good thinges when in deede thou art mere foolishnesse and corruption it selfe Wherfore I say cast downe thy self in thine owne conceipt put of al presumption and hope of thine owne strength hearken not to Satan but consider that thou hadst vtterly perished in thy sinnes and beene quite and cleane cast away by reason of thy desease hast thou not had this meane to bee healed and to be purged and made cleane by my blood And therefore I say againe be warned and looke vnto thy selfe be watchfull to the ende least thou growe ouerbolde and so heape a more horrible vengeaunce of my heauenly father vpon thee The sinfull man Alas what must I sinner doe whereto poore wretch must I Imploye my self I thinke there be no shift but I must dye I will like wofull wight in hast of hayre-cloth make my bed And clad my carefull corps in sacke and cast dust on my head In mourning wise to pas my daies and pinch my self with fast As my forefathers did that I may purchase blisse at last Solace IN deede that hath bene the maner in the olde world as ceremonies vsed as shewes of great heauinesse and argumeÌ„ts of humilitie and outward tokens of repentance But consider this that these outward shewes are not alwaies accompanied with that inwarde working which cauleth repentaunce vnto saluation but rather a worldly shew of sorrowe vnto death for that that vnder this kind of disguising outwarde shew there may lurke deepe dissimulatioÌ„ hipocrisie making an outward shew of heauines and yet not ceasing inwardly to laugh to reteine their former wanton desires like a theefe that when he is brought before y e Iudge or Magistrate vpon hope to be acquitted can crye out and make a great shew of outward lameÌ„tation kneeling crouching and other hypocriticall meanes to be discharged and when he hath his libertie he caÌ„ fal to his old wickednesse a fresh like vnto the sturdie Begger that feineth him selfe lame his armes mayned his body crippled in this warres or in that worke by such a mishap and halting before men in hope to be releeued with other mens sweate shewing him self impotent who when he hath obteined his purpose and gotten his game he can turne his face and fleere to his fellowe hipocrites leape and skippe like lustie Uagabondes and vnder colour of this hypocrisie not onely deceiueth many with the outward dissembling shewe but when he seeth a bootie and oportunitie serueth hee can play the kindly Ruffian and take it by violence whose dissimulation deserueth dubble punishment Thus thou seest that the outwarde shew is often deceiuable but the true sorrowe the acceptable repentaunce is inwarde according to the wordes of the Prophet Ioell who cryeth out and sayth Rent your hearts not your garments and turne to the Lord your God and not to looke outwardly sowre as hypocrites disfiguring your selues with this or that kind of outward Ceremonie that the shew of your repentaunce may appeare more outwardly then in deede it is inwardly to which words of Ioell is added that it must be with fasting weeping and mourning in Sackcloth and Ashes prostrate on the grounde which in those daies was in deede a testimonie of repentaunce yet that outward shewe without the inward compuÌ„ction and renting of the heart with a godly and continual sorrowe and zealous lamentation for sinnes was mere hipocrisie And yet were not this visible shewes of Sackcloth and Ashes with many other like rites and ceremonies to be condemned in those daies for that they were giuen and accustomed not y t through the visible and externall shewe onely which was but the shadow could sufficiently appease the wrath of mine heauenly father but that therby they might so much the more eleuate and lift vp their mindes aboue the thing seene to a further and more higher consideration both of their owne corruption weakenesse and blindnesse and of the mercies and most louing promises of God mine heauenly father of which faithfull consideration of the visible shew grew an inward godly sorrowe causing repentaunce vnto saluation but the externall Ceremonie without faith in God mine heaueÌ„ly father was then not only not auaileable but very abominable But since the sacrafice of my body vpon the Crosse for sinne once for all was offered that outwarde Ceremonie is not materiall who by my death haue fulfilled and performed y e whole somme of all the lawe And therefore not onely such ceremonies as haue been in the old world but peeuish Pilgrimages Ceremonies Penaunce and such like foolish fantasies are now of none effect and are no parte of that true repentaunce which I require of thee to be an inward renting of the heart and an vnfeined continuall godly griefe for thy sinnes and a faithfull endeuour to frame thy life according to the wil of mine heauenly father Now as touching fasting knowe that the true fast is a member of thy true repentaunce wherein it behoueth thée to haue great regarde being a work as it is necessarie so not seldome abused as of hypocrites who chastice their bodies and afflict their soâ—les for a day bowing their heads like a Bulrush and making their bed with Sackcloath and Ashes as afore is said standing vpon their cinceritie and strickenes of life euen to
that is worthy of his Fathers fauour that for his fathers sake will not with patience suffer one howers hardnes or take such part nay some part of the paines that his Father sustayneth Or that obayeth not his Fathers will in thinges tending to his owne welfare Suerly that sonne deserueth no fauour but to be beaten with many stripes And what man is hée that if some skilfull Phisition doe foreshowe him of some daungerous disease beginning to growe vppon his body which he himselfe as yet féeleth not but to preuent a greater inconuenience will hee not bee contented not onely to bestowe his money but for the safetie of his arme will he not be contented to suffer his finger to be cut off and to saue his bodie will he not abide his legge to be cut off yes no doubt If such cost be not too deare nor such paines too terrible to preueÌ„t the daunger of the bodie what man will not bee contented for the safetie of his soule to cut off all whatsoeuer is like to indaunger the same And art thou so loth to cut off that or cast from thee those things which are the cause of thy so pernicious a disease securetie Doest thou think thy goods nay thy ill gotten goodes so deare so helpfull and so precious as to indaunger the death of thy soule with the deteining of them when thou art promised life vpon the restitution of them vnfeynedly repenting Beware I say beware least it fester and thy desease gather further into thine heart and so destroye both bodie and soule The sicke-man who for his healthes sake refuseth not to take the most bitterest Potions and hardest medicines and yet are they most greeuous and most vnpleasaunt to him for the time yet because their effect and their working turne to his health he willingly receiueth them So must thou be contented for thy soule health to accept of such bitter afflictions and crosses in this life as shall please mine heauenly father to minister vnto thee which although they bee sharpe and vnsauerie for the time it turneth all thinges to good yea to the health both of soule and bodie Thou hast supped a little of the cup of pouertie and want which is but a milde potion a gentle medicine and yet so contrary to disgestion that it hath driuen thee into such a frantique perplexitie that thou shewest thy self very vnable to take those Purgations which must worke with a more stronger effect to the driuing out of all such noysome affections as by the corruptible and contagious ayre of Sathans breathinges haue infected thine heart whereof if thou bee not cured and the same cut off with the Rasour of a true and vnfeined repentaunce it will procure thee not onely death of bodie but vtter destruction both of bodie and soule Wherefore I say seeke remedie in time come vnto me who am the onely true Phisition of all sicke soules refreshing all them that bee heauie laden healing their spirituall deseases if faithfully and without wauering they seeke the same at mine handes and speedely returne vnto mee by that true and vnfeyned sorrowe for their sinnes which sheweth it selfe in amendement of life in that true sorrowe which causeth repentaunce vnto saluation Comfort thy selfe in this therefore that thy desease is foreshewed thee and that Phisition hath taken thee in hand to cure thee that haue all power in mine owne handes and let neither thy sinnes past trouble thee nor thine estate greeue thee but bee onely reioysing in that I haue promised forgiuenesse of the one and helpe in the other Thou hast an aduocate with the father euen me Iesus Christ the righteous who haue obteyned pardon for al thy sinnes and haue raunsomed thee out of the handes of Sathan a most especiall benefite in respect whereof al the plagues al the troubles calamities and afflictions in this life can light vpon thee are not to bee accompted greeuous but willingly to bee imbraced and paciently to bee accepted as a fatherly calling of thee from thy selfe vnto mee for better it is for thee to be afflicted here in this worlde with bodily and short afflictions then in the world to come with endles destruction And therefore I say beare thou not only with pacience but with a thankfull heart whatsoeuer shal please mine heauenly father to sende thee be it sweete or sowre for those that are his he correcteth and oftentimes suffereth the wicked and careles the secure and dissolute liuers to runne on still in their wicked waies whâ—me of Iustice hee shall reward with endles perdition being yet so full of mercie and so loth to haue the sinner to dye in his sinnes that I most louingly call them intreâ—ting them fayrely to returne from their wickednesse and be saued whom if they repent not by the gentle admonition of the word he scourgeth them he striketh them with his Rod of correction by pouertie by sicknesse by losse of frendes and other aduersities to the ende they may remember themselues and be called from their securitie to place their whole trust in him that is able to saue them and to cast them away who is able to releeue them and to vndo them able to bring them to the déepe of the graue and to bring them vp againe who is able to plucke downe and exalt able to kill and to make aliue againe The lost Sonne as long as he was in his iollitie as long as he had his prosperitie of wealth at his will his health of bodie and thinges at his owne desire wanting nothing that pleased his fantasies so long ranne he astray followed wantonnes imbraced wickednesse and imployed himself to filthinesse and sinne euen with greedines But when he was touched with pouertie when his wonted freendes forsooke him and had no meane to releeue himself then began he to 〈◊〉 his fantasies after an other fashion thou he made of necessitie a vertue he brideled his affectiâ—ns he tamed his euil desires and in al humilitie in true sorrowe for his disobedieÌ„ce he returned againe vnto his father and in great bitternesse of heart as one that vnfeinedly repented he cryed out and sayd Oh father I haue sinned I haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am no more worthie to be called thy sonne accept me as one of thine hyred seruauntes whose submission obteyned pardon Dauid when he was in his prosperitie committed euill in the sight of mine heauenly father but when he was afflicted by the persecution of his owne sonne Absolon when he felt aduersitie then cryed he out and confessed his iniquitie bewraying his owne wretchednesse and acknowledged the mightie power of mine heauenly father to whom in great bitternesse of heart he prayed saying Oh Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thine heauie displeasure But haue mercie vppon mee for I am weake c. So great a let is a prosperous estate vnto the proceeding and going forward vnto that
my desertes and meere merites The sinfull man This sweete conclusion cōforts me who can not but confesse That these thy Lawes like wicked wretch I daily doe transgresse But sith thou freely doest obtaine the loue of God for me Uouchsafe me grace to mortifie my sinnes to come to thee And sith the night drawes on so fast passe to the rest in haste I will attend vnto the ende forgiue offences paste Solace THen remember thou that these foure commaundementes which thou hast alreadie heard doe perfectly instruct thee to the seruice of myne heauēly father and wherein his glorie and true worship doeth consist namely to acknowledge him the author of all thy welfare both of body and soule and by his mercies to be stirred vp to do those things y t may please him and to beware of ioyning any in worship with him or to giue him other worship thē is warranted prescribed by his word To be carefull in doing those things y t may be to the glory of his name to auoyde that y t by any meanes may dishonour y e same And lastly to hūble thy selfe truely acknowledging the corruption of thine heart condemning thine owne wayes works and to endeuour thy selfe to subdue the same for that it is the free mercie and goodnesse of mine heauenly father through the merites of me his sonne that sanctifieth and iustifieth thee and not thine owne workes In which foure former Commaundements is directly set downe the sūme of thy duetie appertaining to God mine heauenly Father Who to the ende that thou shouldest witnesse thine obedience vnto himself outwardly he hath prescribed vnto thee those dueties which thou oughtest to performe towards other men for that seruice worship of God is not accepted which is not ioyned with the loue of thy brethren neither is thy charitie to other men any thing accompted of where it is not grounded vppon that vnfayned loue of God which proceedeth of a true fayth and sincere seruice of him for he that loueth mine heauenly father keepeth his commaundements sheweth a sufficient witnesse that he loueth the children of God and as Iohn saith We know that we are trāslated from death to life because we loue the brethren So y t it apeareth to bee a sufficient testimonie of a blessed estate when thou for his sake doest truely performe those dueties which he hath commaunded thee vnto men The first whereof is to honour thy father and thy mother for who so curseth father or mother let him die the death but he that truely obeieth them and behaueth himself reuerently aswell inwardly heartely endeuouring him self to ayd them to helpe them and submitting his will vnto their willes in thinges honest as in outward reuerence nurture and seemely behauiour such a one I say hath a blessing promised namely to haue his daies prolonged vppon the earth and to be filled with al good thinges And on the contrary the stubborne stife-necked and gracelesse children shall be rooted out and taken away by vntimely death from the lande which mine heauenly father hath giuen them In which Comaundemēt thou must vnderstand thy selfe not onely to be inioyned to vse reuerence and to giue honour vnto thy parents namely to those that were the ministers of the bringing thee into this life but vnto all Magestrates Superiours and Ministers whō he hath ordeyned as Instruments by whom to conueye such graces and benefites vpon thee as are necessary expedient for thee towardes whom this Commaundement willeth thee so to behaue thy selfe in all thine actions as may witnesse of thine inward loue and reuerence towards them It behoueth thee not lightly to way the benefite proceeding from the due execution of the office of the Magistrates who are the messengers and ministers of God to administer Iustice to punish those that are wicked in this world and to stoppe their violence wherin they daylie seeke to rush in and to ouerthrowe the estate of the good by them is the tyrannouse and bloodie sworde of the wicked kept and held backe from the throates of the godly By them are the righteous defended and the vngodly punished And therefore must thou accept them as the ministers of God for thy wealth and to become subiect vnto them not onely for feare of punishmēt but for conscience sake in respect of the benefite thou receiuest by their aucthoritie The Elders sayth mine Apostle are worthie of dubble honour especially they which labour in the worde and doctrine whereby it appeareth that thou art not discharged of thy duetie required by this Commaundement when thou hast done thy duetie to thy father that begat thée and thy mother that bare thée but that thou owest a dubble duetie to such as open the will of mine heauenly father vnto thee which is the preacher and minister of his sacred word who are the Nurces and foster fathers of thy soule breaking vnto thee the bread and giuing thee the water of life whome thou must heare with reuerence for that they are the messengers of myne heauenly father to inuite thee to the banquet of eternall saluation By which Commaundement now thou mayst perceiue that thou art bounde to honour thy father and mother al Magestrates and ministers of God and to afforde them reuerence not onely in outward conuersation but in inward desire of their welfare And further thou must vnderstande that as children by this Commaundement are bounde to vse all reuerence to their Parents subiects to their Prince and Magestrates and all men vnto the ministers of the worde of my heauenly father so belongeth there a care to be in Parents to see their children and seruauntes to be brought vp and instructed not in wantonnesse not in careles proceeding from pleasure to pleasure from vice to vice but in the due knowledge sincere seruice and true worship of his holy name And the like care to rest in the hearts of all Magestrates to execute their dueties iustly to shewe them selues sharpe in the punishment of vice and subduing of the wicked members of the Realme and to extoll and defende with the sworde of their aucthoritie the godly vertuous which godly care also there ought especially to bee in the Preachers of his worde not onely as they haue freely receiued euen so freely to giue vsing their tallentes to the increasing of the knowledge of his worde where and into what Citie Towne or place soeuer they shall come by the preaching of the worde onely but to expresse and shewe forth the same likewise in life in conuersation and maners that men seeing their good workes may glorifie my father which is in heauen But the negligence of Parents in instructing their children and seruaunts in my fathers will or rather their fond foolish and vnparentike loue which they through a blind affection beare vnto their children they suffer them nay thrust them forward by their peeuish pampring them vp
a speciall fruite of repentance A guiltie coÌ„science shall condemne it selfe in the last dry An hard sentence for the couetouse men Luke 18 22. Mat 19.20 Hard for a rich man to be saued The state of wicked Rich men very miserable Luke 19 2. to 11. Zacheus a paterne of repentance Prou 28.8 We must releeue our poore brethren Psal. 39.6 49.6 Psal· 52.6.7.8 1. Sam. 25 The reward of Naball for not releuing the young men that came from Dauid Pro. 11.4 Prosperitie the nurce of vice 1. Sam 12 13· Dauid in prosperitie fell to vice Luke 19.8 â—ob 4 8.9 As we haue plentie we must giue plentifully God rewardeth those that giue to the poore Prou. 19 17. Psal 41.1 1. Tim. 6.18 We must not onely say we will but we must doe thus We may not not looke for saluation in respect of our owne works but in the merite of Christ. 1· Iohn 2 12. Iudâ— 21. We must disclaime our owne worthines Psal. 1.43.2 1. Ioh. 2.1 Heb. 9 24· Rom. 8.34 We may not so presume vppon the mercies of Christ as to neglect our owne indeuours to doe well Rom. 2.4 We muste take heede of driuing off from day to day to repent Manie be ouertaken with death while they defer their repentaunce from day to day We may not deferre our true repentance but spedely to returne vnto God No man can say my hearte is cleare froÌ„ sinne Luke 15.7 Ioye in heauen for a sinner that repenteth Act. 5 5·10 The hipocrisie of Annanias and Saphira rewarded with death The ende of the fourth dayes conference A prayer â—here be manie that in outwarde showe seem peacockes braue birdes who if euery birde might take his feather woulde show them selues to be poore bussards Some that show theÌ„selues to bee good members or at least seeke to be accompted profitable for the common wealth that are very catterpillers of the lande Luke 13.5 The exchaÌ„ge of welth into want is greuous The knockâ— that we giue other men to benefit our selues are sweet vnto vs thogh sower vnto them The poore mans sorrow are sallets in the rich mans dish â— Cor 5.11 We must make choise of companie to goe forward in vertue The conuersation of the godly a good example to follow Pouertie â— good spurre to pricke vs forward to obedience to God The spirit worketh coÌ„trary to the will of the flesh As flesh taken newly from the shambles soone fâ—streth so he that is lately called from error is soner withdrawen from the trueth againe with-out exercyse The pouerti of Iob was preparatiue to patience The humilety of Iob. Pacience accompanied with a godly sorrow The end of pacience God is neere vnto all them that suffer affliction with patience Psal. 143.3 Gen. 37.5.28 God was nere vnto Ioseph in his distres In our necessites we must referre the manner the meane the time to the prouideÌ„ce of God God helpeth when the helpe of man can take no place The read sea deuided it selfe to letâ— the children of Israell to goe through· God nere vnto Daniell in his troubles The three children delyuered from the whot Furnace Ier 18 As long as we are choaked with riches pleasures of the world we cannot truely repent Psal. 119·71 Affliction the meane to seeke the Lord. Act. 14.22 By manie troubles and not by pleasures we must enter into the kingdome of heauen we must returne to god when we bee called or els he will vse scurges to wyn vs. Psaâ— 119.71 Christ is the way that leadeth vnto eternall lyfe Deut. 8 2.3· Dan 9.9 Iudg 10.15.16 Vngodly sorrowe enmitye to god afflyction an argument of gods fauour 2 Sam. 16. Iudith 8.28 We haue deserued more punishments then we can beare We must suffer a little ye al afflictions for our saluations sake If we can suffer paynes for the curing of the body we must much more be contented to suffer afflictions for our soules sake As sharp medicines be often times most curable for the bodies so the sharpest afflâ—ctions most healthfull to the soule Chrâ—st the onely phisition of all sicke soules All the afflictions of this life is not answerable to the least part of the benefit of our saluation in Christ and therefore not to be accouÌ„ted greeuous Pro. 3.12 God punisheth oftentimes the iust and spareth the wicked Ezek. 33 1â— Luke 15.19 Io. 8.12 A notable example worthy to be noted of the lost sonne Prosperitie is a spurre to euill and aduersitie a pricke to vrge vs to trust in God He that is loden wit the heauie burden of sinne can neuer referre himselfe to heaâ—tie prayer before he be perswaded of the remission thereof thorowe Christ. Pro. 28.13 Confession what it is King 8.46 No man can say that he hath not sinned The way to obtaine the fauour 〈◊〉 God is to humble our selues and to appeale vnto his mercie in Christ. Psal. 32.5 The confession of Dauid If we woulde loâ—ke backe into the 〈…〉 life we shall find our selues the whole packe of vs wretched sinners With the eye of a true faith must we look into our former euils and with the same eye looke vpon the mercies of God promised in Christ. Confession must be ioyned with faith and repentance Rom. 10.10 Dan 9 5. The confession of Daniel God beholdeth aswell the inward thoughtes as the outward actions Wee must confesse our sinnes for two causes The first cause The second cause Psal. 3.6.218.18 The confession of the godly men profit vs. One is edified by anothers vnfeyned confessioÌ„ Mat. 5.16 Psal. 14.3.2 2. Pet. 1.3 Ioh. 9.15.2 We must lay away all our owne merites before we can take hold of Christes promises Gal 5.4 Gal. 3.8 Tit. 3.7 Act. 3.38.39 Rom. 10 9.10 Ephe. 2.8.9 Although our Iustification come freely thorow faith in Christ we are not discharged of doing our endeuour to fulfill the law Christ is our perfection through faith without whoÌ„ we remaine vnperfect We must take heede that wee neglect not our dueties in performing the lawe as farre aâ— we can notwitstanding Christ hath vndertaken to doe that which we cannot attaine vnto 1. Pet. 1.5.6.7 Zecha 8.16.17 2 Pet. 1.8 we must shew our faith to be a true faith by our work We must not only confesse our sinnes but we must leaue them and forsake them All men haue sinned When we confesse our synnes we muste take heed that 〈◊〉 be not only in the tongue but from the hart Some can make a fayre show of holines outwardly but repent not rightly inwardly who deserue doubble punishments Works without fayth are abominable We are bouÌ„d to doe good vnto all men The Couetous man esteemeth his aboundanâ— as his god The summe of the whole commaundemeÌ„ts is loue Ex· 20.2 Mat 22.37 Gall 5.14 We must esteeme the commandements as the very word of God God ioyned his maiesty with the word came downe to deliuer the same Mount Sinay smoaked and trembled at the presence oâ— the Lorde PsaÌ„ 19.7 When thou hast
A SINFVLL Mans Solace Most sweete and comfortable for the sicke and sorowful Soule Contriued into seuen seuerall Daies Conference betweene Christ and a carelesse Sinner Wherin euerie man from the highest to the lowest from the Richest to the poorest and aboue all the sorowfull Sinner maye take such sweet repaste of Resolution to amendment of lyfe and confirmation of Fayth that in respect of the Heauenlie Solace therin faithfully remembred all the pompes and pleasures of this wicked worlde shall be plainely perceiued to be meere miserie Writeen by IOHN NORDEN IOHN 6. Hec est voluntas Patris mei qui misit me vt omnis qui videt filium credit in eum habeat vitam eternam ego resuscitabo eum in nouissimo die ¶ Printed at London by Richard Iones 1585. and of the yongest of those of my profession in that place and yet as a chicken vnder the wings of your Lordships fauour I rest in hope of defence frō the scarring practises of such as deseruedly or vndeseruedly make profers and manifest meanes to bereaue the credite of all and some of those that are or should be as I for functions sake desire to bee namely as one able to execute with truth to prosecute our vocation the office of Attorneis which office as it hath and ought to be of credite so ought it to be executed with honesty and trueth as it is not vnknowen to too many of vs is growen into contempt of many In respect I thinke of the ignoraunce that the rudest sort are blinded with that they see not their owne ease and benefite slaundering the honest minded for the misbehauiour of the vnsatiable and vnhonest dealers sakes But right honorable omitting that it resteth to craue humble pardon for my presumptuous andacitie wherein as a poore Cobler I presume to shew my selfe as it were readie to take a pensell in hand to frame a goodly whole and perfect picture whē in deede I know not how to cast the proportion of the very shooe it selfe yet alwayes hoping pardon hauing by experience a certaine sparke and feeling of sundry extraordinary and approued errours manifest resting and daily encreasing among the lowest as also among those of higher calling and countenaunce I presumed vpon my slender learning to make a shew of the erronious and peruerse conceit that a man of these our dayes in the time of the cleare light was so besotted in the miste of the voluptuous cares of this cankered world that he could not see the way to trueth but betooke himselfe to the way of sinfull securitie a man yet breathing whose reformatiō I heartily wish And to the end that by his folly other may learne wisedome and that by his reformation other may bee reformed I haue attributed vnto this poore piece of worke of mine the Title of A Sinfull Mans Solace for that it is comfortable to all men and hurtfull to none I haue contriued it into seuen seuerall dayes conference betweene Christ and a Sinner Wherein it may appeare that as the mindes of men being euill the dayes dangerous and good endeuours rare and seldome So is our Heauenly Solace our Mediatour Christ the readier through his grace to redresse the one and to stirre vp the other wherein his willingnes and care of our saluatiō his mercy and fauour shewed and our peruersitie and weakenes laid open and Sathan vanquished Which right honorable I haue endeuored to set downe according to the trueth as well for mine owne priuate comfort as for the commoditie that others may reape of the same Although perchance it may be obiected against me that I am of an other profession vnlerned without experience a greene head of no iudgement I yeeld me guilty of all onely my profession as a Christian I stand to defend though not a professed Diuine but a poore Punie that is willing to be instructed of the more learned and godly diuines presuming herein to make trial whither it wil winne me condemnation or good liking praise or dispraise fauour or ill will But being so resolued of your good Lordships good liking of the thing tending to a good purpose though not so pithily and exactly handled as beseemed this piece of work I rest so much the more in hope that your fauour will breed other mens good affection to this trauaile tending to the good o◠all men and to the hinderāce of none We wander right honorable in a wildernes of euils we are beset with many dangers familiar and houshold perils and annoiances which breed in our bosomes not seene not heard not felt nor vnderstood by reason that naturall inclinatiō to euil doth blind our eies dull our sences in such sort as neither vertue trueth nor grace can take any place in vs but is repulsed by the hand of sinne and Sathan ruleth in our hearts and poisoneth all our desires stirring vs vp to all mischiefes hardning so our heartes that we very seldome reforme our liues nor althogh we be daily called to vnfained repentance like vntamed coltes too well fed that know neither master want or wo we run headlong after the fleshly motions of our vnstaied will worse then the silly birds of the ayre the beasts or wormes of the earth who know their times and seasons and keepe the law of their natural custome as ancient writers doe reporte that the Storke by the Skyes knoweth the time and season of the yeare the Crane the Turtledoue and diuers other birdes beastes and wormes by their comming and departure doe argue that they haue a certayn knowledg that it is not alwayes Summer nor alwayes Winter and according to the time they laboure they rest they come they goe they fast and feed and therfore doth the Ant as the least among the rest gather in the Summer to supply his want in the Winter By the due course of which sillie and vnreasonable Creatures maye Man feele and vnderstand his owne imperfection and weakenes who being ordayned from the beginning Supreame gouenour as it were of all the rest of Gods creatures in respect of the giftes of reason and wisdome whereby he ought to direct his way to the prayse of God by his sincere and godly lyfe falleth into diuers and sundry noysome and vndecent conceites sinfull motions and vngodly deuices whereby to winne vnto himselfe here that that shall be to him in the time to come a meere impediment and stay of his entraunce into eternal ioyes which earthly eyes can not see neither can the mindes of mortall men conceaue for that naturall reason draweth from the true sence of spirituall motions vnto vnseemely attempts to follow vice with gredines lyke vnto the brute beastes whome no stayed counsaile dooth gouetne but euen the meere naturall motions whereunto it is incidēt for them to yeeld wherin if men showe themselues lyke brutish to yeeld and giue their rash consents to euery fleshly motion It may well be sayd of them which the Poet Iuuenall sayth
goods together canst thou saie I haue gotten them with paine and trauaile of my bodie with the sweat of my face nay canst thou excuse thee if thou be charged to haue encroched by violence that that other poore men haue sweat for other haue trauailed for painfullie purchased with great dayly labour how I saie canst thou excuse thy self herein But to come nearer vnto thy curssed wretchednes admit thou can excuse thée of this as thou canst not it shallbe further demaunded of thee how thou hast bestowed those things that the Lord hath made thée Steward of here and what wilt thou answere wilt thou saie here is thine owne It will not discharge thee for he commauÌ„deth them that be rich in this world to be ready to giue and glad to distribute but thou art not onely not readie to giue but takest from other that which is not thine thou art not glad to distribute but greedie to lay vp where the rust and moth doth corrupt and euill disposed persons haue their mindes stirred vp to venter their liues and soules to rob thee of And in the mean time thou thy selfe robbest thy selfe of the freedome of a godly mind and tiest thy poore soule to the Gates of destruction with the cordes of pride and selfe loue not making any accompt how to auoyd thy casting into vtter darknes where shal be wéeping and gnashing of teeth as an vnprofitable seruant neither makest thou any accompt how to auoyd buâ—ning among the Tares as a weede of the world or to shun the company of the goates that shall be set at the left hand of the Lord in the last iudgment as matter for the fire that neuer shal be quenched as thou hast heard by the reward of the former Rich man in the 10. of Luke But to come againe to thy riches which thou so honorest and to thy stinâ—king carcas which thou so daintilie feedest and finely â—lâ—â—hest Remember that Iobe was rich with whose aboundaunce thou madest coÌ„parison before yet not with his integritie but marke how soone his prosperitie was changed into aduersitie his goods into griefe his wealth into wickednes his health into sicknes and all his glorie into vtter contempt of all his friendes so vaine and variable are riches and so subiect to sodaine change is your health of body that you care so much for Riches I say are casuall and rise and fall at the pleasure of the giuer yea were thy riches as much as Abrahams or Iobs Dauids or the greatest Kinges in the world yea were it as much as the world could contain and were it neuer so secreatly hidden or conueied vnder those curious Lockes and keies that thou saiest thou wilt prouide in Brazeâ— or Iron Chests neuer so strongly thou couldest not bring it without the compasse of Gods omnipotent power but that he is able to pluck it from thée to make it to melt away like waxe at the scorching fire what madnes therefore art thou in thou foolish man to saie to thy soule or body take ease or liue at rest for thou hast enough for thy life thinkest thou not that as God is the Aucthor to giue so to be in his power to take away as he exaltith so he can pluck downe as he maketh rich so he can make poore againe And therefore the most sure and certaine meane long to enioye these giftes of God is to acknowledge thy selfe to be but his Tenant at will of all that thou possessest therfore bound to dispose at his pleasure for feare of Fortune and not to repose thine happinesse in thine aboundance neither thine vnhappines in the want of transitorie wealth considering that as thou camest into this worlde naked so shalte thou naked returne from whence thou camest to earth of which thou were created and leaue the honour of thine house behinde thee for the pomp of thy wealth shal not follow thee But what thou hast carefully heaped vp others shall prodigally waste And therefore is the abouÌ„dance of wealth so farre from making men truely happie as it rather turneth to their vtter destruction and euen poyson vnto their soule Geizi vnder the name of Elizeus tooke reward of mony to make himselfe rich But it wrought with ill effect it poysoned him it caused him to fall into Leprosie as white as Snow Ananias and Saphira for kéeping backe parte of the price of their owne possessioÌ„s to their owne vse were rewarded with present death But call to minde the horrible ende of that notorious Arch-traytor Iudas who for monie betrayed his Maister and Lord the Sauiour of the world Iesus Christ. Whose corrupt conscience by reason of his briverie and treason so pricked him that in desperate madnes he hanged himselfe burst in sunder in the midst that all his bowels gusshed out An infinite number of such examples whereof couetousnes hath bin the aucthor thou mayst reade both in y e scripture as also in prophane histories coÌ„firmed to be odious in y e sight of God by his iust iudgmeÌ„ts following such couetous desires of men Wherfore looke thou vnto thy self search thine heart try thy thoughts examine thine affectioÌ„s cléere thée if thou can of this pernicious desire no thou canst not say thine handes are cléere of taking thy Chestes free froÌ„ whording that which was wrongfully gotten Wash theÌ„ thine hands clense thine heart and rid thy cofers of their ill gotten goods least God of his iustice come downe and finde thée thus polluted reward thee according to thy deserts he seeth it that will not suffer thée to escape scot-free Thou maist perchance saie y t thou must prouide for a deare yeare thou saist thou hast enough for many deare yeares many thowsands haue the lesse Let Simple thy Tennant for one be witnes did not Christ feede with flue barly loaues and two fishes fiue thowsand men beside women childreÌ„ with seuen loaues a few small fishes fed he not foure thowsaÌ„d wheÌ„ y e childreÌ„ of Israel wanted water in y e wildernes to kill their thirst was it not giuen theÌ„ out of an hard Rock did not God send vnto Eliah bread water in y e desert in his great wearisome iournie which sheweth the care tender mercie of y e good God towards them y t feare him And to shewe his Iustice lykewise vpon y e stubborne rebellious stifnecked what did he to Nabugodozer y e mightie king that estéemed himselfe rather a God then a mortall man did hée not pluck him froÌ„ his kingly throne froÌ„ his seate of glorie and set him amongst the wilde beastes of the field And in stead of his Pallace of admirable bewtie was he not forced to shrowd himselfe with the bushes in the wild field and for his daintie fare was faine to feede among the beastes of the land on grasse and greene hearbes contrarie to the course of man onely
and second chapter willeth thee not to loue the worlde nor the things in the world for whatsoeuer is in the worlde is concupiscence of the flesh concupiscence of the eies and the pride of life out of which as out of head-fountaines springe all other euils namely of the concupiscence of the flesh voluptuousnesse of the concupiscence of the eies riches and desire of thy neighbours goods by which came thy first motion to desire Simple thy TenaÌ„ts liuing And of the pride of life springeth ambition and desire of honour and to be great in the sight of men out of which sprang thy pernicious and foolish purpose to build c. Agayne of voluptuousnes commeth vnhonest and vncomly thinges of riches wicked thinges and of ambition foolish thinges all which are so linckt and knit together as imbrace one and thou art guiltie of all follow thou one and the rest will follow thee So that here is the case of coueitousnes who by reason of his riches becommeth so loftie that he would bring all other as it were vnder his girdle I goe for proofe but to thy selfe who notwithstanding thine aboundance wast not contented to see poore Simple to liue by thée but most gréedily hast thou eaten him vp and deuoured him of his lyuing to his vtter beggering which gréedy desire of thine I finde accompanied with so many euils and vanities of the minde choaking so the sences with the thornie cares of this worlde that I perceaue thée quite and cleane drawne from the true and holsome seruice of God to the most seruile and sinfull slauerie of deceitfull Sathan The rich-man Oh hold thy peace and say no more my wittes are cleane berest Thy words haue sackt my sences so I haue no comfort lefte Solace Well then adue farewell I will too morrow come againe Sith night is come farewell doe not these words of mine disdaine But think vpon thy former waies which thou hast past in sinne In sine my solace shall be sweet for thee to solace in Godly meditations for him whose heart is infected with coueitousnes Incline mine heart O Lord vnto thy testimonies and not to couetousnes Psal. 119. Oh tvrne awaie my eyes least they behold vanitie and quieken me in thy way Eodem 14. Take away the rebuke that I am affraid of for thy iudgements are great Eodem 42. ¶ A Godly and deuout prayer for the auoiding of Gods wrath against him that hath oppressed the poore to make himself rich fit for euerie riche man· OH most omnipotent and eternal Cod father of all power and knowledg the giuer of all goodnes and iust punisher of the wicked I prostrate my selfe here before the seat of thy meere mercy most humbly crauing pardon for mine infinite iniquities for mine obstinate and wilful rebellion against thy deuine maiesty for running so farre from true obedience I haue gone astray sweete Lord I haue gone astray I haue greedely followed that which I should not wilfully fled froÌ„ that which I should haue carefully imbraced O Lord the desires of the world haue vndone mee the pleasures thereof haue pearced mine heart so neare they haue wouÌ„ded my conscience so sore that vertue faith godlines are chased cleane away I haue streched out mine hands to take that I ought not and withheld them from doing that which I ought to haue done I doe confesse O Lord I cannot deny but I haue oppressed pinched the poore to make my self rich I haue foolishly framed my fantacie to follow fulfill all vnlawfull desires But pardon me oh heauenly Father pardon me and giue me grace with Zache to stand vp restore againe whatsoeuer I haue by forged flatterie by force or violence wrongfully takeÌ„ froÌ„ any body that thou mayst vouchsafe to come and dwell with mee to the comfort of my poore soule say vnto mee sweete Iesus as thou saidst to Zache that this daye saluation shall come into mine house Oh sweete Iesu come thou vnto me which art saluation it selfe a most comfortable sweet and most ioyfull newes it was to him so sweet and ioyfull oh Lord Iesu it will be to me that nowe am tyed with the Fetters of Sathan for then shall I be free that now am in bondage and then I shall be at liberty wherfore sweete Iesu say on not only say thou wilt but come vnto me as I know thou camest to seeke that was lost to call them home that went astray to accept again of him that wilfully ran from thee like the vntamed Heyfer who being too well fed winch and kick against thee But Lord I vnfainedly lament my disobedience and pray thy grace wherby I may forsake the euill and peruerse immaginations of my heart which haue so bewitched my sences that they are dull to doe good and expert to doe euill forward to vice froward to vertue But alter mine affections sweet Iesu change my desires that in stead of the pleasures of this world I may imbrace the path that leadeth vnto eternall life Washe me sweete Iesu wash me and make me cleane and put farr from me all vngodly gaine make me content with mine owne stir vp in me a willingnes to be ready to giue and glad to distribute slow to lust and willing to leade a newe life kill all concupiscence in mee both of the flesh and of the eyes and of the minde giue me in stead thereof earnest zeale to goodnes true lowlines of heâ—â—t and perfect patieÌ„ce ioyned with vnfayned fayth that I may laye vp in store a good foundatioÌ„ against the time to come that through thee sweete Iesu I may obtaine eternall life AMEN O Lord increase my fayth THE TVESDAY or second daies conference betweene Solace and the sinfull man Wherein after long perswasion vnderstaÌ„ding by many examples of the iust iudgement of God against worldly minded men and the greedy desire of wicked gaine beginnes to consider that hee hath greatly erred in reposing his trust in transitorie riches and in his aboundance to sell the ende of all happines And falles into a kinde of dispaire wherein he vttereth his griefe and afterward receiueth comfort Solace shewing himselfe to be Christ c. The sinfull man OH sinfull soule of mine sing forth the dolefull tunes of woe Let sobs sighs let trickling teares from thee like fountaines floe Let groanes in griefe bee nowe thy gaine let sorrow beare y e swaie Let Solace passe for thou hast loste thine health and wonne decaie Oh worth oh worth mee wicked wretch wo worth y e day wherein That my rebellious mind did giue the first consent to sinne Wo worth the day wherein I was seene first of womans eye Would God my life had ended when I first began to crie Then should not thus my silly soule bene wrapt in irkesome woe Nor it haue felt the carefull thrall that now is forste to showe My heart should not haue harborde woe nor coÌ„science cause
forâ—ed to cry with a lowde voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Such were the cruel torments that I suffered for thee O sinfull man and for all mankinde as that by reason of the extreamitie thereof I thought my selfe euen forsaken of my father But so heauie was his displeasure against the sinne of all mankinde and all the punishment due for it layd onely vpon me that requisite it was that the stripes wherewith so great a disease should be healed should be grieuous and many And therefore thou must not thinke that I was forsaken of God though I were contemned of the world but highly in his fauour for it behoued that I should suffer and afterwardes enter into my Fathers glorie That I should fall into the handes of mortall men be crucified and made a Sacrifice for the sin of all mankinde that they might be made the righteousnes of mine heauenly Father in me who haue paid the rauÌ„some for all the posteritie of Adam and redeemed them out of the bondage of Sathan death and hell my death is to all beleeuers lyfe by my humilitie are they exalted by my contempt are thy made glorious by my pouertie are they made rich and by my miserie haue they eternall felicitie I descended also into hell to make man inheritor of heaueÌ„ So precious was my death and so glorious my conteÌ„pt that by death I haue not onely ouercome death but all men by me In my victorie consisteth thy victorie by my triumph all mankinde may iustly triumph I am the way the trueth and the life who so will goe to the Father must come through me who so will be saued must beleue in me and liue in me for to me hath mine heauenly Father giuen all power and aucthoritie both in heauen and earth that I might giue eternall lyfe to as many as he hath giuen me who as Ionas liued in the Whales belly three dayes and three nighces the third day was cast on land liuing So after my death being taken downe of the Crosse I was layd in the Sepulchre where I lay three dayes to accomplish the sayinges of the Prophets and to vereâ—ie that which was long before writen of me and that I rose againe the third day for the Iustification of all that beleeue shewing my selfe openly to my Disciples eating with them and talking with them and with a Clowd was taken vp into heauen and placed at the right hand of God mine heaueÌ„ly Father crowned with that glory honor and immortalitie wherewith I was indued before the fouÌ„ndation of the world who by my selfe haue purged thee from all thy sinnes and haue made free passage vnto mine heauenly Father for all theÌ„ that in a true faith followe me in life coÌ„uersation treading the steps of righteousnesse for whoÌ„ I remaine a continual intercessour Mediatour Aduocate vnto mine heauenly father for things necessary aswell for their bodies as their soules faithfully asking and praying for the same in my name yea y u maist not accept of any other meane or instrument to come vnto mine heaueÌ„ly father then my selfe for then doest thou greatly erre thou blasphemest mine heauenly father and dishonorest me for he wilbe serued honored praied vnto in mee and in the name of none other Thou must lay aside all prayers to Saincts and cast away all beleefe that there resteth in them any power to appease the wrath of mine heauenly father for thy sinnes or to procure thee helpe in thy necessities but must come in my name and then thou shalt be sure to be heard if thou beleeue yet not despising but faithfully imitating in good life and holy conuersation those blessed members of mine departed out of this life before thee As for all remission of sinnes al helpe and releefe thou must hoâ—e for and acknowledge to come froÌ„ mine heauenly father by my meanes onely and by none other Wherfore I say thou must beleeue in none other but in mee Iesus Christ crucified God and man sitting in heauen at the right hand of mine heauenly father and remayning a Mediatour betweene him and all those y t in faith come to mee Take hold of me therefore I say who am that Sonne of God and man that was borne of the Uâ—rgine Mary for the saluation of all mankinde who was conuersant here in this miserable worlde layde first in a Maunger most basely and wheÌ„ according to the course of other meÌ„ by sucking eating drinking I grew in stature I preached taught the will of my father glad tydinges vnto the world I was betraied and solde by Iudas I was bound and buffited I was rayled at and reuiled I was turned ouer from one to an other to Annas to Cayphas to Pylate to Herode to y e Hall held vp mine hande at Barre there falsly accused then scourged and caried to the place of Execution where I was most miserably tormented hanged on the Crosse then layd in the graue from whence I rose and now ascended aboue all heauens and al this for thy â—ake al this for no desert of mine but â—or the redemption of all mankinde â—rom the curse of the law for there is â—o coÌ„demnation to them that are in 〈◊〉 walking not after the flesh but â—fter the spirite The power of the â—pirite of life wich is in mee hath deâ—uered thee from the power of sinne â—nd death but he that hath not my â—pirite he is not mine but shall dye â—herefore must thou mortefie the â—edes of the flesh by the spirite that â—ou mayst liue Also thou must beâ—eue that as I ascended visibly into â—eauen with the very body wherein I suffered so must thou likewise beleeue that in the same body I shall come againe in great glory and magestie to iudge both the quicke and the dead at whose hands all meÌ„ shalâ— receiue rewarde according to their well and euill doing which Iudgement shalbe finall generall whereat all men shall appeare all men shalâ— giue accompt of their doinges yea 〈◊〉 euery idle worde and euill thought and that then shall those that hauâ— done good be set in peaceable possesâ—sion for euer of the vnspeakable ioyeâ— of heauen and they that be found iâ— the seruice of Sathan and caried 〈◊〉 way with y e cares of this worlde thâ— Couetouse persons the Drunkerds the Extortioners Lyers Usurers and al those that haue not obeyed thâ— worde of my heauenly father in 〈◊〉 but haue liued in sinne and haue 〈◊〉 truely repented such I say shall bâ— cast into vtter darknesse where shaâ— be coÌ„tinual sorrow no ioy al paineâ— and no pleasure all griefe no glaâ—â—nesse with such continuall and endles torments as the tongue of man cannot expresse with howling weeping gnashing of teeth where the worme of the conscience shall neuer dye Thou must also beleeue that the
holy Ghost being y e third person of the Trinitie is a diuine person coessentiall and coeternall with my father me who proceedeth from mine heauenly father and mee It is the comforter and spirite of trueth the very pledge and earnest penye of thy saluation whereby thou art sanctified and assured in thy conscience that thou art the child of mine heauēly father and heire of eternall life and by it dwelleth mine heauenly father in thee It is the directiō to all goodnesse whatsoeuer whereby the Prophets haue prophesied mine Apostles preached all auncient Fathers written and al godly men tasted of the sweete and comfortable message which I haue brought into this worlde It is the water of life which by no meanes will flowe into the hearts of the wicked nor abide in the hearts of y e vnbeleuers but delighteth to rest in the hearts and to guide the soules of thē tha beleeue and cleaue vnto righteousnesse and thereby mayst thou answere the aduersaries of my worde and Gospel It is the holy Ghost that calleth men from darknesse to walke in light that procureth newnesse of life and that mortefieth the old man the world and the flesh and maketh thee strong against sinne death and Satan and that giueth knowledge of the trueth and power to imbrace it and which maketh my yoke easie and my burthen light that strengtheneth the weake hearts and feeble consciences to serue mine heauenly father whereby thou art conducted and guided the way that leadeth vnto the blisse that neuer shall cease It measureth all thy doings by the rule of my worde reformeth errors and reproueth the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of Iudgement and beareth witnesse in the hearts of all beleeuers that their sinnes are freely forgiuen thē in me It was the guyd whereby mine Apostles folowed me without the which no man can say that Iesus is the Lord. Thou must also faithfully beleeue in one Catholique Church vniuersall dispersed throughout the whole worlde being the whole companie of the faithfull beleeuers in mee who notwithstanding they are not of one vnite companie in bodily societie yet in respect of their mutuall and ioynt agreemēt of their faith of their life their Baptisme their holy Table and true Religion they are one Church and Cōgregation of those y t of the free grace and mercy of God mine heauenly father are chosen and predestinat to eternall life of which Church Congregatiō I am the head and whom the holy Ghost hath sanctified made holy and whome I commende vnto mine heauenly father to enioye that inheritaunce which I haue purchased with my blood who as long as they are conuersaunt in this miserable worlde and beare about them the heauy burthen of the flesh cannot do that which they should and therfore cannot be of such perfection nor be so purged from their originall corruption and infirmities which abideth in all flesh as is requisite vntill such time as I their head shall appeare whē they likewise shal appeare with me in glorie which Church godly Cōgregation y u must likewise beleeue to be so knit vnited together in the band of mutuall loue godly agreemēt that whatsoeuer good gift mine heauēly father bestoweth vpon them perticulerly they imploye it to the cōmon behoofe of all in generall And that as this Church and Congregation of al faithfull beleeuers in me is the true Catholique and apostolique Church so for them I haue purchased free forgiuenes of al their sinnes and that of y e mere loue of mine heauenly father and mine obedience vnto the death and nothing of their deserts in so much as there remaineth none other satisfaction or attonemēt to bee made with mine heauenly for the sinnes of y e world but my self only that none can obteine remission of their sinnes but such as bee made true mēbers of the same Church by me for besides the same Congregation there be none but such as work iniquities to whō I will say depart from me I know you not for whom there is a place of endles woe prouided Also thou must beleeue that although the corruptible bodies of mākinde must perish putrefie returne againe to dust of which it was first created yet that in the last day they shal rise again with the same bodies and couered with the same skinnes which now they haue and which thē shall be renewed and glorified they that are departed this life alreadie shall take againe their owne bodies which then shall bee of farre greater glorie then either in this life they were or that any heart can imagine And those that at my comming shall be founde liuing in this worlde shall suddainely bee chaunged and those that bee of this Congregation the true members of this Church shalbe placed in the vnspeakeable ioyes of eternall blisse but those that haue giuen them selues in this world to the fulfilling of the lustes and desires of the flesh liued in wantonnes chambering the Couetouse persons the Usurers Drunkardes Gluttons and vngodly persons shall not enioy the benefite of that sacrifice which with mine owne body I offered on the Crosse once for all but shalbe cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth THese things must thou faithfully and vndoubtedly beleeue to be the very trueth and groūd of true religion which who so beleeueth not is no true member of that holy Catholique Church which is predestinate to be saued And therefore by a firme and constaunt faith thou must take holde of these things which I haue declared vnto thee being the ground of thy saluation freely promised in me of which faith the holy ghost is y e giuer who frameth the hearts of all men to beleeue the promises of my heauenly father touching their saluation in mee sealeth vp the sam◠promises in their hearts whereby they perswade themselues to be members of the same true Church and of the company of those that are predestinate to be saued which fayth bringeth forth the fruites of a godly life the beginning whereof as I sayde before is vnfeyned repentance grounded vpon this true and vndoubted fayth in which two Faith and repentance is conteined the whole summe of my Gospell wherefore as thou hast heard what this faith is howe it worketh and what it should bee exercised in So must thou reteine it and bring foorth the fruites thereof that it may appeare a liuely an effectuall and not not a dead fayth And forasmuch as the night is so neere I will for this day here make an ende And in the meane time woulde haue thee to meditate of my former wordes not forgetting them but diligently inclyning all thy studie will and whole heart effectually to followe that which may testifie in thy conscience that thou art
the same inwardly which thou desirest to seeme outwardly And in the morning when thou comest againe I will proceede to direct thee to that repentance wherein thou must exercise thy selfe towardes the amendement of thy former life The sinfull man Would GOD the night were not so neere thy talke delighteth mee Encrease my fayth to morrowe I will waite againe on thee The ende of the VVednesdaye or third dayes Conference A PRAYER FOR the encrease of faith and for the direction of the holy spirite to frame our liues according to the rule which God the father in his sonne Christ hath prescribed vnto vs. OH God my God giuer of al good things and the sure defence and succour of all them that faithfully beleeue in thee Loe I thy silly creature the worke of thine owne handes who in my great darkenes and ignorance humbly craue of thee the light that shineth from on high that faith sweete Lord without the which no maÌ„ can please thee which proceedeth from the holy Ghost the most wholsome water of life whereof oh Lorde giue mee some taste some sparcle whereby I may come vnto thee wherby I may frame my life according to thy blessed and heauenly will and whereby I may truely serue thee and doe worship to thine holy name Vouchsafe oh Lorde vouchsafe in Iesus Christ thine onely and welbeloued sonnes name and for his sake to be mercifull vnto my wretchednes to forgiue my wickednes to strengthen my weakenes to pardon my dulnes and more and more to encrease my fayth and to vouchsafe mee perfect knowledge of goodnes and ablenes by thine holy spirit to follow thee to frame myne heart vnfaynedly to loue thee my will to seeke al my powers to doe their dueties to praise thee Lord increase my faith which is the principall meane whereby we take hold of thy most louing and most comfortable promises in Christ our Sauiour thyne only and welbeloued Sonne whome thou of meere loue of our saluation sentest into this miserable world here to suffer the opprobrious death of the Ctosse to appease thy wrath for our sinnes and to risâ— agayne for our iustification The worlâ—â—hereof sweete IeIesus thou hast not onely most willingly as an obedient sonne performed according to thy fathers will but hast reueyled and manifested the mystery thereof to all the worlde and trayned out the way that wee should walke in to come to that vnspeable happy habitation the endlesse blessings and passing ioyes whereof no tong can expresse Thou hast by thy death sweete Iesus purchased agayne for vs that which before we had lost in Adam Thou hast redeemed vs again out of the hands of death and raunsomed vs from the cruell bondage of Sathan that enemy of al mankind whose head although thou haue troden downe and payd the vttermost which could be demaunded for our redemption spoyled him of all his power and vnarmed him of all his weapons gotten the victorie ouer death and hell Yet such is our weakenes our corruption and the hardnesse of our beliefe in thee that he remayneth yet tyrannous diligently attending watching and seeking whom he may deuour whom he may leade with blindnesse into error and false religion into the wayes of wickednesse to destruction both of body and soule And we most wretched sinners prone to doe that which is contrary to thy will haue of our selues no power to â—â—thstand him no ablenes to auoyde his tyranny Wherefore most louing Iesus I the most wretched and sinfull the most ignorant and blind creature most humbly pray thyne ayde thyne assistance and gracious protection not onely to defend mee from the clawes of Sathan and his ministers the World and lustes of the corrupt flesh but also grace to guyde my life in fayth vnfeyned perfect loue and true feare of thee myne onely Sauiour and Redeemer hauing none other hold none other helpe strength defence or hope to be defended saufely conducted in a godly life and conuersation but thy selfe sweet Iesus thou inuincible captaine thou lambe of God who takest vpon thee the sinnes of the world whose will is that we should bee saued and be preserued from the hands of that cruell Aduersary the Deuill But alas good Iesus so blynded are we that we can not see the way to thee so deafe that we refuse to heare thee and so disobedient that we come not willingly vnto thee we haue not attended when thou hast taught vs but haue refused to bee instructed when thou hast directed vs. But most louing Iesus the cause is the want of that most excellent gift of thyne a true fayth which thou hast offered and I neglected and therefore haue I not hethertoo bene perfectly assured nor certeynly perswaded in heart of the performance of those most comfortable blessings which are promised in thee Oh sweete Iesus haue thou remorse of this my dulnesse plucke out of myne heart the Beame of vnbeleefe and voutsafe mee now the right vse of that most singuler meane of following thee the eye of a perfect and true faith and let naturall reason the Mother of error no longer deceyue mee or drawe mee into conceites contrary to thy most blessed will but being indued with thy gift of vnfeyned faith I may truely repent mee of all my former euils and so euermore hereafter euen to my liues end cleaue stedfastly to pure religion the true seruice of thee Oh Lord giue me one sparcle of this true fayth wherby I may be able to comprehend rightly to vnderstand what thy diuine will and pleasure is in all things That I may frame mine outward desires to the fulfilling therof and by thine holy spirit continually keepe downe the prowde attempts vnlawlawfull desires and carnall lustes of the flesh withstand the deuill in all his assaultes and manfully ouercome the vayne pleasures of this wicked world Oh giue mee the shielde of a true fayth and the brestplate of vnfeyned repentance to fight that good fight that happy fight whereby I may be crowned with the glorious crowne of victorie and whereby I may bee accepted into the number and societie of that holy congregation and fellowship of the faithfull the Catholique Church wherof sweete Iesus thou art the head and onely defence in whome whosoeuer ouercommeth thou hast ordeyned the Diademe of al true happines wherwith thou hast promised to crowne them and to set the title of triumph vpon their heads to place them in that heauenly countrie that celestial inheritance wherein there shalbe no more feare no more cares no more vanities or affliction of spirit but continuall peace vnfained loue vnspeakable ioyes and endles felicitie for euermore Wherefore sweete Iesu vouchsafe mee that spirituall weapon the shield of a true fayth that fighting therewith against all the assaults of sinne vnder the Banner of thy protection I may in the ende be crowned with the Crowne of Eternall life among the rest of thy chosen children sweete Iesu Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth And euermore
mightily defend mee THE THVRSDAY or fourth daies Conference betweene Solace and the sinfull Man VVherein the sinfull man confesseth his Fayth and is instructed by Solace what repentaunce is and what are the fruites thereof and the things that hinder it Solace WHere art thou man that yesterday didst promise to be here Come forth attend beleue in mee let fruitfull faith appeare The sinfull man Oh Solace art thou here so soone this day to meete with mee Say what thou wilt I doe beleeue attendant here on thee Who as a iust reward they had from their estate exile And all that come of Adams line through Adams sinne do fall Deseruing death by due desert and thus came first our thrall And then our God of passing loue most sory for our sinne Did promise that the womans seede should our saluation winne And promised to Abraham to giue his sonne to saue Mankind from Sathans tyrannie as I beleeue he gaue Thy selfe sweete Iesus I beleeue who were coequall than With God thy father were content to be both God and man To come into this vale of woe and walke amongst vs here To shewe for our saluation thy fathers wisdome clere Borne of the virgine Marie pure as was before decreede That thou that shouldest saue vs all shouldest come of womans seede Whose Godhead and humayne state should linke them selues in one Inuisible and visible and not be here alone The heauenly counsaile did decree thy selfe as man to dye And as a God againe for vs exalt thy selfe on hye And when thou here in earthly soyle in humaine weedes belowe Didst wander I beleeue thee then like other men to growe To shewe thy selfe as man to vs in humayne state to be In eche respect a man in deede from sinne yet onely free And wast content to beare reproch to suffer cruell Iewes To buffet thee to spit at thee and thee full vilely vse Who sought by many wylie meanes to take thy life from thee Procuring wicked ministers to punish thee for mee False witnesses vniustly came accusing thee of ill And thou a lambe most innocent were well contented still And when the time appointed came wherein thou shouldest die Thy torments were so terrible were forst as man to crie My God my God in my distresse why haste thou leaft mee thus No tongue can tell the great conflicts which thou hadst then for vs. Wherein thou gauest vp the ghost vnto thy father deere Discending to the deepe of hell to clense vs sinners here The wrath of God thy father was to Adams sinne so great That nothing could but thou his sonne his loue againe intreat Who on the Crosse I doe beleeue with heart and tongue confesse That thou for all offenders then didst purchase due redresse For our offences wlllingly thou didst accept to dye And to be layd in graue as man and seene with humayne eye The third day after to aryse againe out of the graue And to ascend aboue the Skies to whome thy father gaue Thy former glory and the seate at his right hand againe Where thou as Lord of all and some doste with him now remayne And there a Mediator true for sinners here belowe Thy selfe in mercie merueilous vnto thy father showe And when the time is full compleate from thence I doe beleeue In iudgement thou wilt come againe to all mankind to giue Their iust reward of life or death as they deserue to haue Who then shall take the flesh againe they caried to the graue And those that doe remayne aliue shall quickly changed be The wicked to their endlesse woe and iust shall goe with thee Into that sâ—â—te of passing blisse that neuer shall haue end And those that thou shalt find vniust thou wilt with Sathan send The holy ghost I doe likewise in heart confesse to be Whome I doe faithfully beleeue to be all one with thee And with the father who are three in parson but in deede In substance one a Trinitie in vnitie decreede Which holy ghost doth sanctifie thy chosen ones to liue Assuring all men to be thine that faithfully beleeue And those to be an holy church a congregation pure Whome Sathan can not with his wiles from thy precepts allure Dispersed through the world so wide yet faithfully agree In faith in baptisme and good will vnited all in thee As to their head and chiefe defence on whome they doe depend And whome with mightie hand thou doste most graciously defend And they like faithfull children doe communicate in one And doe not vse thy benefites eche man by him alone But what thou dost on one bestowe he doth impart to all And eche in godly loue supports another least he fall Whose sinne I faithfully beleeue is pardoned in thee Who by thy death I doe beleeue hast made mee likewise free And that our bodies now corrupt shall rise againe in fine In purerest wise and them into thine hands againe resigne And that our soules and bodies shall the heauenly ioyes possesse For euer more encrease my faith that I beleeue no lesse Solace WEL then if thine heart doe faithfully beleeue those things which thou hast here confessed doe not swerue nor stand doubtfull of any one of these seuerall Articles thou art in a good way and shalt shortly feele in thy selfe a merueilous chaunge through the working of this faith whose operation and effect as I told thee yesterday is wonderfull and to conclude looke vpon Gydion Barach Sampson Ieptha Dauid Samuell and the Prophetes who through the same faith subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obteyned the promises stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the force and violence of fire escaped the edge of the Sworde of weake were made strong became valiant in battataile and put to flight the Armies of the Aliauntes It is I say the foundation and groundworke of all other vertues whatsoeuer shewing it selfe by vnfained repentance which is an inward sorrowe for sinne and a continuall godly care of the amendement of life as thou shalt hereafter bee better instructed if faithfully thou imbrace my sayings and incline thine eares to knowledge The sinfull man Increase my faith I am corrupt which keepes mee dull perforce My flesh is fraile my will is weake good Solace shewe remorse And what as yet doth want in mee vnfold the same in hast That I a sinner may repent of all offences past Solace IF thou bee so well disposed and so readie in heart truely to turne vnto mee vnfeinedly to repent as by outward shewe thou seemest I wil proceede to shew thee how thou must finish y e good desire of thine to obteine eternall life The sinfull man Say on good Solace I attend I long in heart to heare The course of this thy purpose pure which is to mee so deere Solace THen vnderstand thou that when I walked in this vale of miserie in the similitude of mortall man healing all deseases and bodily infirmities I required for my rewarde of those
that were healed and as a fit preseruation for them onely that they should amend their liues and sinne no more and to leade innocent and godly liues and because that I would moue them the more to a zealous and godly carefulnesse to keepe them selues from thence forth from wantonnes and sinne I gaue them this caueat that they should beware that they returned not to their old filthines least a worse thing should happen vnto them afterwarde Nowe therefore for asmuch oh sinfull man as I haue shewed thee and ministred vnto thee a medicin for a farre more daungerous desease then can possesse the bodie an inwarde euill a spirituall malladie which had taken deepe roote in the bowelles of thine heart and festered it in such sorte as it was almost vncurable and haue now brought it to such perfection as there is some likelihoode of speedie cure if thou wilt bee ruled and aduised by my directions Thou knowest thou canst not denie that the couetouse desires foolish phantasies of this wicked world had so blinded thee and the pernicious deuices of subtile Sathan so lulled thee a sleepe that thou knewest none other happinesse but thine aboundaunce none other comforte but thy coffers of gold siluer no pleasure but thy pomp nor fearest any other paine but pouertie and not moued with pittie didest pinch thy poore Tenant and wert altogether ignoraunt what was the commoditie of the sacrifice of my bodie vpon the Crosse or to what purpose was my death and most bitter Passion placing al thine affections vpon transitorie toyes rūning headlong into thine vtter destruction without redemption had not I awakened thee out of that deadly slumber reclaymed thee from thine error brought thee out of that darkenesse and shewed thée light searched thine heart being so infected with this daungerous desease thou hadst neuer beene healed but hadst dyed in vtter dispayre and so haue beene damned for euermore Now if bodily infirmities and corporall deseases are to be preserued by such a due regarde of keeping them selues pure and vndefiled by auoyding wantonnes and amending their liues how much more hast thou cause to looke vnto thy selfe to keepe watch and warde night and day least vpon this thy recouerie that venomous serpent Sathan who first poysoned thee seeking yet still by all meanes to renue thy desease should finde the doore of thine affections open thrust in newe venome newe inchauntments and newe meanes to hinder thy curing and to make a newe wounde vncurable and so thine ende be worse then thy beginning Therfore so much the more must thou bee carefull and circumspect for the preseruation of thine health begun for the saftie of thy poore soule to amende thy life and to sinne no more which is thou must speedely rid away and cast out all the euill within thee by the hande of a liuely faith ioyned with an vnfeyned sorrow and true repentaunce which is a vertue much pleasing mine heauenly father for that it is an inwarde godly lamenting and mourning of the heart for things committed and done contrary to the blessed wil and holy commaundements of mine heauenly father a detesting and vtter abhorring of all vngodlinesse of all thinges whereby the displeasure of God may be prouoked or his loue abated a godly and zealous endeuour to doe well and a fearfull trembling to do euill wherby euery sinner returning vnto God acknowledgeth his offences condemneth himself and confesseth himself guiltie and iustly deseruing punishment casting himself downe in his owne conceipt in such remorce of conscience as hee seeketh and by all meanes possible endeuoureth himself to make amendes for his offences past framing his life so strictly and so sincerely in all his doinges as it may outwardly appeare and his conscience beare witnesse inwardly that he vtterly abhorreth sinne and coueiteth to leade a newe life And therefore Iohn Baptist when hee Baptised in Iordan Baptised none but such as repented and confessed their sinnes Wherefore I say repent and sinne no more that thy wickednesse may be forgiuen thee and thine infirmities be cured Learne of Dauid who when he was reproued of the Prophet Nathan for his sinnes cryed out against himselfe confessed his sinnes and not like an hypocrite feynedly before men but in great bitternesse of heart inwardly cryed out and said Lord I haue sinned against thee I haue done amisse in thy sight and as one wounded and throughly greeued for prouoking Gods heauie displeasure so against him that hee most earnestly prayed for mercie whose sorrowe was according to that that mine Apostle speaketh of causing repentaunce vnto saluation The sorrowe whereby the lost Sonne obteined his fathers fauour and pardon againe Such sorrowe had Peter when he had denyed me wherein he repenting wept bitterly Such a godly sorrowe had Iob who rent his cloathes and shoare his head and cast himselfe vnto the grounde Thou must beware that thy sorrowe be not as Esaus as Iudas and as Caines was who were also greatly greeued and inwardly pinched at y e feeling of their offences but not in respect that they were in any mislike with their sinnes but being rather hardened and as it were inwardly set against God mine heauenly father kicking against his mercie and louing promises fell desperatly frō him their sorrowe was not of faith and therfore caused not repentaunce vnto saluation but augmented their sinnes True repentaunce is altogether to put of the old man and not to fulfill the lustes of the flesh but euen to forsake thy selfe and to be renewed in righteousnesse not onely in outwarde apparaunce but euen in the very intentions and inwarde affections of the heart putting on the newe man which is newnesse of life being throughly perswaded of the fatherly loue and louing promises of mine heauenly father for otherwise it is impossible to yeeld thy self in vnfeined repentaunce vnto his mercy or endeuour thy selfe truely to turne vnto him as he desireth all men to do not wishing any to perish in his sinnes but most louingly calleth he all men not only by me his Sonne but by his messengers the Prophetes and true Preachers of my worde to returne from their wicked waies and bee saued Returne returne therefore euery one from his euill waies from the wickednesse of your inuentions and put not of from day to day for suddainely commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of vnbeleefe vpon the stubborne and stifenecked Repent I say repent and dye not in thy sinnes seeke mine heauenly father in me and thou shalt finde him and for my sake shall he pardon thee he shall be mercifull vnto thee and shall rid thee out of all thy troubles and defend thee from all miseries As he did Roboam who after he had offended humbled himselfe and obteined fauour Manasses likewise an Idolater hauing by his dissobedience procured the wrath of God against him was taken prisoner and of his
all men not like to bee but deuoured was by the hande of myne heauenlye Father safelye preserued and defended So weare Sidrach Mysach and Abednago deliuered from the hote burning Ouen by mans Iudgement impossible to be saued from the forâ—e of the most cruell and terrible flame So néeare is he to them that truste in him that hée fayleth them not in their greatest extremytie Nowe if he failed not these true Beléeuers in suche harde Conflictes hée wyll faile none of his in thease so small Callamyties as is Pouertie Sicknesse and suche like No in their greateste daungers is hée néere them Hee hath a carefull eye vnto all them that in their miseries be they great or small many or fewe easie or extreame in Patience tourne to him and in true and vnfeined repentaunce appeale vnto his mercie If he haue pronounced sayth the Prophet any Plagues against any Cyttie or Nation yea against any priuate man If the same Cytie Nation or priuate parson shall repent I saith mine Heauenly Father yea I will repent mée of y t which I haue entended for their punishment Such is the great goodnesse and tender mercie of God mine Heauenly Father towardes those that faythfullye repent their sinnes and are heartely sorie for the same that when hée séeth a man carried into such sencelesse Securytie as thou erewhile didst slumber in hauing as thou saydste thy bodye so well prouided for and all thinges so plentifullye aboute thée hee openeth the bowelles of his tender mercie and powreth foorth swéete and gentle Admonytions to the ende he might reclayme thee without whippynges schurges or afflictions to driue thée further in the way to amendment of life who in his anger hath not dealt rigorously with thée but moste louinglye who canst not attribute the cause of thine affliction to procéede from him but of thine owne couetouse desire and inordinate worldelye carefulnesse in punishing other men by wrongfull oppression to enriche thy selfe withall with which thine hearte being so choaked that thou so long as it was ouercharged with such wrongfull gotten pelfe couldest not perceiue thine owne weakenes nor fall vnto that vnfayned repentaunce which is the way to eternall life And therefore if thou be ouertaken with pouertie thanke thy selfe But beare it with pacience rule thine affections and take the wante of thy former wealth with vnfayned prayse vnto mine heauenly father saying with Dauid Oh Lord it is good for mee that I haue bene afflicted that mine estate is thus altered that I maye seeke and learne thy lawes and testimonies make thy selfe readye in this small battayle to fyghte valyauntly against all other afflictions all other troubles and callamityes whatsoeuer may be fall thée for it is not thy great aboundance of wealth thy delicate fare thy mellodious musick no not high aucthoritye honour dignitie Golde siluer or precious stones whereby thou muste enter into that Celestiall Iherusalem but with great afflictions manye troubles and sharpe aduersityes muste thou enter into that eternall Cytie Prepare thy selfe therefore I saye for although thou feele as yet not so much as one finger of mine heauenly father thou must make thée ready to beare the weight of his whole hand which he will laye in more heauye manner vpon thee if these gentle intreatings may not suffice to trayne thee to this godlye sorrow for thy former offences which may cause repentance vnto saluation Let him not finde thee a wilde and wilfull vntamed Colte whome this tender bitte will not holde nor retaine backe from thy former follyes Least hee put a more sharpe snaffle to kéepe thee from thy kickings and striuings and set more cruell Spurres to pricke thee forwarde to a godly life Learne of Dauid to accepte this exchaunge of thine estate not as a let but as a greate helpe to the learnyng of the law of the Lorde which is the verye waye direct path that leadeth vnto me who am the waye that leadeth too Eeternall life To this end weare the Children of Israell afflicted that they might humble theÌ„ selues and be saued for whom Daniell prayed confessing their callamyties and miesries to procéede of their owne sinnes which vppon their vnfayned repentaunce were remitted whose afflictions thou seest did not let but further their sorrow which causeth repentance vnto saluation But thy desperate moannyng thy vngodly sorrow what is it but to showe thy selfe an enemie vnto my crosse a despiser of the grace and mercye of myne heauenly father an hinderer of thine owne saluation and a friend vnto Sathan the prince of darkenes wherfore I saye content thy selfe with pacience to accept not onlie this burden which thou hast layd vpon thy selfe with thyne owne handes but what so euer hereafter shalbe layd vpon thée for if thou be the childe of myne heauenly father thou must be contented to be corrected for it is an argument of his care of thy saluation for whome he loueth him he punisheth confesse therefore in time with Dauid and bewraye thine owne wretchednes thine owne infirmytie and weakenes and thy transgressions againste him and then shall hee with fauoure looke vppon thy miserye and in his good time shall he renue thy comfort and releaue thée againe referre thy selfe in fayth and true obedience vnto his will wrestle not so wylfully agaynst his fatherlie and most louing callinges he is both iust and mercyfull he punisheth but with fauoure not in rygoure in loue not in hatred for thy saluation and not to distroie thée but howsoeuer he dealeth with thee be it neuer so roughlie perswade thy selfe thou haste deserued a thousande times more yea thou art not able to beare the leaste parte that may be iustly laid vpoÌ„ thee yea weare thou depriued of all thy bodyly comfortes weare thy wealth cleane gone weare thy Wife thy Children and friends taken from thee weare thou persecuted tossed and turmoyled with the force of cruell enemies weare thy bodye from the soule of thy foote to the Crowne of thine head stricken with suche vile and loathsome sickenesse or disease as men did eschue thée thy friendes forsake thée and had no worldly meane to helpe thee Or weare thou pinched with the Crosse of most bitter wante of thinges necessarie too relieue sustaine and kéepe thy selfe and Famylie hanynge no hoape of helpe no certaintie of any manner of comfort in thy necessities but standing at the pits brincke of present vndoing for euer what wouldst thou doe wouldest thou dispaire wouldest thou giue ouer any longer to repose thy trust in mine heaeÌ„nly Father séeke ayd reliefe comfort or maintenaunce by other meanes then his prouidence which is his word should assigne thée wouldest thou not waite a little while in patience couldest thou not be coÌ„tented one moment to suffer a little affliction to get eternall lyfe Then surely art thou not worthy to be accompted among the childreÌ„ of mine heauenly Father for what sonne is hée
thou must praye for grace and assistance to doe that which in those two Tables is conteyned And what by reason of thine owne weakenes thou canst not performe thereof thou must beware that although I haue vndertaken to stand betweene thy selfe the curse due for the same thou thinke not thy selfe so discharged of performance thereof as farre as thou canst least by the careles câ—sting of the burden thereof vppon mee thou runne headlong into those euils that Sathan shall pricke thee vnto perswading thy selfe that I haue vndertaken to release thee of that which heretofore was layde on thee to be performed and so thincke it needlesse to doe that which is commaunded thee Take heede I say take heede least that this conceite drawe thee into a negligent going forward to doe good and a promisse to doe euill But bring foorth the fruites of amendement of life work righteousnesse execute iudgement growing and proceeding from fayth to fayth ioyning thereunto a good conuersation with knowledge and much patience accompanied with brotherly kindnes and loue wherein thou must shewe thy selfe willing to doe good vnto all men to speake the trueth from thine heart to imagine no deceit against thy neighbour but to doe vnto him as thou wouldest others should doe vnto thee shewing thy selfe fruitfull in the knowledge of the trueth confirming thy free election in mee by the workes proceeding of the Spirit through a liuely and a woorking faythe wherein acknowledging thy true and earnest repentaunce by disclayming thine owne merits thou shalt in the ende receiue that swéet and endles solace which by my death I haue purchased whiche is the moste comfortable presence of my father in heuen life euerlasting without the· which there is nothyng but vtter destâ—â—ction The sinfull man Then Lorde of lords oh Solace sweet Oh louing Iesu deere Whose passing power by word of trueth created heauens cleere The Sea that surgeth too and fro the earth and Creatures all Thy wisdome is surpassyng high thy mercies great withall So that the workes which thou hast done doo all depend on thee And I among them all the woorst crye come Lorde come to mee Who am a Uessell fraught with wo whose dayes are past in sinne My nature proane to wickednesse reteines mee yet therin But thou that art the God of blisse extende thy mercie meere Let not the furious Feend preuaile against thy Creatures heere Thou canst attend before I crie support before I fall Thou canst relieue before I craue forgiue before I call Thy grace is of so great effect thy counsaile Lord so pure That whome thou wilt preserue and keepe remaineth most secure Thou art of grace the giuer true the God of mercie meere Who wouldest not that Sinners die but turne to thee in feare So that Oh Lord abounding so with loue and mercie store Thou didst vouchsafe to send a salue to cure my cruell sore Thy onely Sonne delight and ioy who came in humaine weede Into this vale of deepe annoy to kyll the Serpents seede Who did betray and bryng to woe our former Parentes twaine Whom thou hadst set in blessed state for aye there to remaine And I poore wretch the seede of sinne so subiect vnto yll Haue swerued from y e word of trueth and sore transgrest thy wyll Imbracing with great greedinesse my substance and my store Which I by couin and deceit haue gotten heretofore And in delight haue past my dayes as Sathan rulde my will I framde my â—â—nfies all and some to thinges peruers and ill Haue mercie mercie Lord on mee whoe haue deserued thrall Refuse mee not though I be dust by nature proane to fall Blot out of thine accompting Booke what I haue done amisse Oh pardon my Offences all and place my soule in blisse Wash me from all vngodlinesse make soule and body cleene That not a spot of filthinesse in neither may be seene I doo confesse O Lord to thee I doo confesse my sinne And doo condempne my selfe of all that I haue liued in I am a frowarde Childe to thee prouokyng thee to Ire But Lord vouchsafe call mee againe I would full faine retire From wandring in such vanities to walke the wayes of light Extend thy loue Lorde let me liue from hence a life vpright I disobeyed thy Preceptes and did what Nature would I did not that that Uertue wyld and what of right I should Most wickedly I walked in the wayes that were vniust Esteeming filthy Carcase so as it had not ben dust Oh Lorde I stood no feare of thee nor reuerenst thy name But as a disobedient wretche haue lead my life in blame Thy Lawes I cast behinde my back and doo not them fulfyll I follow with all greedinesse mine owne corrupted wyll I haue most lewdly lead my life without remorce of minde Neglecting true repentance styll to wickednes inclinde I roue at randone too and fro from sinne to sinne I runne And therin wallow as the Sow in durtie soyle in Sunne The Solace whiche I should haue shund I sought with gredinesse And shund the Solace which I shuld haue held as happinesse Which thou O lord thou doost behold yea what I thinke or saye What I haue done and what I doo and how I gad astraye How I despised thy commaund and how I breake thy wyll How like a senceles man I run by rash conceit to yll Wherfore I neede to say no more my sinnes my soule annoy Mine heart doeth harbour such conflict that gone is all my ioy Solace Dispaire not man let sorrow passe take solace now of mee I am the God that neuer was nor wyll vnfaithfull bee My mercie is a thousand fould to him that doth repent Repent therfore saye on be bould the contrite is not shent What if thou be a sinfull man in hart repent therfore Be sure thou shalt haue pardon then but see thou sinne no more The Thiefe that hung on tree w t mee as he gaue vp the Ghost Did craue that he might saued bee whose praiers were not lost And Marie Magdaline that was a sinfull woman came To mee in heart repenting sinne and I forgaue the same By death I say I ouerthrew the Serpent and his trayne Mine heauenly fathers wyll I dyd obey without disdaine Upon the Crosse with euyll men my Corps were nayled fast Not as a Sinner but for thee when helpe of hope was past Proceede therfore confesse in haste what thou hast done amisse For Sinne I know remains in thee as in all men there is The sinfull man Then Lorde I see thou doest beholde with thy supernall eye The creaturs which in thraldome bee and hearest when they crie I sinfull soule distressed sore in plungyng pangues of woe Doo craue the cruÌ„mes of mercie store which from thy Table floe For Lorde I see that thou art prest to ease my sinfull sore Refuse me not vouchsafe mee rest in heart that call therfore Who by my sinfull lyfe haue lost thy loue and purchast
thrall Extende vnto mee wretched wight thy light and loue withall Oh Lorde my God forget mee not hyde not thy selfe from mee Although my flesh do striue to keepe my syllie soule from thee Showe not thyne anger as a foe let mercy be my staye It is no profite Lord for thee to cast my soule awaye Denie mee not a contrite heart a pensiue person poore An wofull wretch a sinfull soule that knocke here at thy doore Uouchsafe to turne thy face to mee forgiue my deedes amisse In feare I doo appeale to thee as one that guiltie is Deale not as my deserts doo craue but as of mercie thou Doost will and still delight to haue all sinfull heartes to bow Showe not thy force against thy foe that faine would come to thee And pardon my Offences all though Death be due to mee Oh plague mee not good Lord so sore I haue no force I fall I neuer wyll offende thee more if thou vouchsafe to call My soule from sinne and to affoord mee Solace sweete againe Loe here I doo against my selfe a sinfull wretch complaine Shame dooth beset mee round about my selfe consume in woe I am corrupt mine heart throughout I wander too and fro From sinne to sinne I run perforce I wander styll astraye Wherfore without thy due remorce I can not but decaye Since first I suckt my Mothersbrest yea since I sawe the daye The subtill Serpent hath not ceast to wrest mine heart astraye In sinne my mother did conceaue this cankred Corps of mine And Sathan seekes Lord to bereaue all that of right is thine He soweth 〈◊〉 and wicked seedes in mine vnstaid brest Wherof doo grow pernitious deedes which breede my soule vnrest Which I as yet cannot auoyde they fixe so fast one mee That froÌ„ my youth they haue auoid and keepe me Lord from thee So that I am full bought and sould betwene the Feend and synne And wickednes a thousand foulde myne heart doth lodge within The good I cannot which I would my nature proane to ill Withdraws myne harte froÌ„ what it should imbrace w t heauenly skil But Lord in sinne why should I dye syth thy good will is so To heare poor synners wheÌ„ they crie and them redeeme from woe And giuest them repaste againe from heauens high aboue And to repentant hearts full faine thou showest thy selfe in loue Ye thou doest saue through mercie meere those that deserue to dye When they to thee returne in feare oh Lorde now so doe I A thousand times before this daie thy mercies from aboue Haue saued them that went astraie to showe thy zealous loue Our fathers who were longe agoe when they were in dystresse Fell prostrate on their harts and loe thou gauest them redresse Ye wheÌ„ they were incompast round and no hope to auoyde Thy mercye Lord did so abounde that they were not destroyed Haue mercie therfore Lord on mee oh god on whome I call I wretched synner here to thee on prostrate heart doe fall Ease mee againe let mercie thine myne woefull hearte releeue And let not synne all goodnes mine through loosenes thus bereaue My soule alas in dolefull plight in hope of helpe doth crie Oh Lord extend thy louelie light that shines from heauen hye To guide my silly soule to blisse by shunnyng what is ill High time alas good Lord it is to frame mee to thy will Wherfore extend thy grace againe put foorth thy helpyng hand Let it reuiue what sinne hath slaine and loosen Sathans bande Lorde Iesus come oh come in haste Let Heauens Bowe come down That I a wretched wight at last maye ioye that passing Crowne Which y u by dreadful death hast won through pluÌ„ging panges on tree In loue to giue the same to those that feare to fall from thee Come come I say thou Solace true and fill mine hart with ioye My sinfull soule with grace renue whom Sathan would destroye No daye no time no minute is deuoyde of wo to mee But oh alas the cause is this I hold mee not by thee If thou absent thy selfe my soule my bones my bodie dust Corrupt with carke of wicked will as Iron doeth with rust If thou absent thy selfe my soule runnes headlong into yll And staggerryng too and fro it reeles and kickes against thy wyll Yf thou absent thy selfe my soule like wretched wight opprest Fast â—ettred in the boultes of sinne lyes groaning voyde of rest Yf thou absent thy selfe my soule sinckes into darkesome thrall But Lord driue darknes far froÌ„ mee sende light and loue withall So sinne shal passe and vertue slow within my dolefull brest Oh Iesu come Oh come in haste to set my soule at rest And thus my soule I doo commende into thy bosome sweete On whome I doo in heart depende heere prostrate at thy feete Solace Take heed take heed Oh sinful man let heart and tongue agree Leaue off to sinne repent foorthwith and I wyll dwell with thee Cast of the Cloake that is the cause to hinder thine intent Thy sinne and then in deede I wyll to thy request consent The sinfull man How shuld mine heart toong agree what meanest thou therin I haue at large thou maist perceiue vnfoulded all my sinne Solace I T is not ynough to shew thy selfe onely by outward wordes to be a sinfull man but thou must likewise as I haue tould thée before reforme thy former frowarde and peruerse wayes that is as thou knowest and hast confessed thy selfe heretofore to haue walked in errour in darkenes rebellyng against mine heauenly father So wold I haue thée to cléeue vnto the trueth to follow the light and obey mine heauenly father in performing those things which are commaunded thée For there be some that can make a gay gloze and showe of holinesse by such outward protestation when in deede they are farre from that true inwarde sorrow which causeth repentaunce vnto saluation whose dissimulation and hypocrisie deserueth double punishment The sinfull man Show mee therfore what must I doe and what must I obeye Uoutchsaufe mee grace I doe repent my gaddyng longe astray Solace WEll then for asmuch as the daie is gone and that there is no time to declare it now I will deferre it vntill to morrow and then I will tell thée what thou most doe and what leaue vndone In the meane time forget not to prayse myne heauenly father who hath made thee mée whoe haue redemed thée and the holye Ghoast whoe haue sealed thée as one of the adopted Children that shal be saued The Ende of the Frydaye or Fyfth Dayes Conference An earnest confession of sinnes with a Prayer for the forgiuenes thereof OH miserable and most wretched creature am I prest down oh Lord with so many euils with such notorious sinnes geuous offences heynous crymes manifould iniquities That I confesse my selfe manie thousand waies to haue offended thee and to haue deserued more punishmente then I am able to beare Oh Lorde such is myne vntowardenes my cursed
vndone The sum and whole effect whereof is comprehended onely in loue namely in louing God aboue all thinges and thy neighboure as thy selfe and to hate all things that make againste the fulfilling of the same loue The sinfull man Uouchsafe good Solace to declare now more at large to mee These ten Precepts which doe set foorth the way to come to thee Solace THâ—â— attend thou diligently and first coÌ„sider that these precepts are not of so small moment as y t they should be accepted as the coÌ„maundements of man but to be esteemed as the verie word of myne heauenly father whoe to make the same of the greater credite and aucthoritie amonge men ioyned his owne person his glorious maiestie to the same his words and came visiblye downe in a flame of fire vpon mount Synaye to deliuer them after a farre more glorious and wounderfull manner then man could doe couplinge his owne glorye with the worde to the ende that the same should not be so little accompted of so slenderly regarded or the aucthoritye thereof reiected as a thinge of small effect as words coÌ„monly are estemed as a puffe of wind now hard and by and by forgotten But because it should be of an euerlasting and permanent continuance they were wrytten in tablâ— of stone such was the weightines of the matter that myne heauenly father thought not the wordes of a man no not of an Angel of sufficient aucthoritie or credyte to delyuer the same And therefore came he himselfe downe after such a wounderfull manner as that the mount Synaye at his presence smoaked as a fournace trembling and quakinge miraculouslye whereby thou mayste perceyue y t whoso dyspiseth his Prophets and the performance of his commaundements dispiseth his word and so contempneth god myne heauenly father him selfe for he that dyspiseth the one contempneth the other Therefore muste thou not so lightly waye these precepts the will of mine heauenly father but highly reuereÌ„ce them attentiuely heare them duely follow them and faythfully beleeue them which are perfect conuerting the soule The testimony of the Lord is pure and giueth wisdome vnto the simple and in performing them is their great reward which rewarde yet notwithstanding thou mayst not accompt thy selfe worthy of when thou hast done that which is in the law commaunded thee as farre as is possible for to fulfill the same in al points so exactly as is required thou canst not but when thou haste done all that thou canst thou mayst confesse thy selfe an vnprofitable seruante nay examine the former course of thy life with that which mine heauenly father hath commaunded thée in the lawe and thou shalt not onely finde thy selfe guilty of the breach of one but of all the commaundements for if thou breake and transgresse one thou arte guilty of all And as mine Appostle Paule sayth thou arte not of thy selfe able to thinke a good thought much lesse to fulfill the whole law for they that are in the flesh cannot please God but thou art called from the wisdome of the fleshe whiche is death to the wisdome of the spirite which is life wherby thou mayst be directed to fulfill that righteousnesse which the lawe requireth namely to loue mine heauenly father with all thine hearte with all thy minde with all thy strength thy neighboure as thy selfe wherein consisteth the perfecte righteousnes of the lawe Now to declare the same more at large and to reherse the same particulerly for thy better instruction know this that the first of the same tenne precepts is a prohibition or forbidding that thou shouldâ—st haue any other God or Gods but mine heauenlye father onelye who hath made thée the whole world and all things therein coÌ„tayned who as hée deliuered the people of Israell from their bondage and captiuitie wherein they were grieued by the tirannye of Pharaoh King of Egypte by the handes of Moses and Aaron so hath hee deliuered thee and all mankinde by the sacrifice of my body vppon the crosse from the bondage of sinne from the tyraunte of Sathan and from the feare of death and hell which if there were none other were such an especial benefit that it might 〈…〉 thee to suche an inwarde acknowledging of his inestimable loue that in respecte of that that when thou were following the vngodlie lustes and féeding the vnlawfull desires of thine vntamed fleshe runnynge rashly foorth in that broade way that leadeth vnto death he vouchsaued to send mee his onely sonne to call thée and to with-drawe thee from the same and to set thee in the way that leadeth vnto eternall life thou canste not but accompte him thy god and be mooued to the willyng seruice of him To which especiall benefit if thou ioyne and call to mind the residue of his aboundaunt mercyes wherin he voutchsafeth thee all thinges necessary and expedient to the mayntenaunce of this mortall life and suffereth thee not to wante the thing which maye relieue and comfort thée in all necessities and especially if in fayth thou fall vnto him in my name requiring the same thou mayest be assured to obtayne all thinges at his handes which are requisite for thée not onely I say for the bodye but which is most precious for the soule which could not but haue coÌ„tinued in a most miserable and most dampnable estate had not hee giuen me vnto the death for the redemption thereof who as I haue before assured thée haue aunswered that for thee for which thou remaynedst accurssed namely for not performing all things contained in the lawe That haue I done for thée obeying the will of mine heauenly father therin whose mercy so abounded that he hath accepted thee vnto his fauour agayne through mée without whome thou hadste neuer beene reclaimed but perished in thy sinne In which his so singuler benefites and superaboundant mercies he declareth himselfe to be thy very true and onely God and therefore forbiddeth thee to haue any other God but himself whome thou must worship obey serue trust vnto beleeue and call vpon giuing him aswell by outward profession as by inwarde loue and affection vnfayned prayse and honour imparting the same to none other Least as Dauid sayth thou forget the name of the Lord thy God holde vp thine handes to straunge Gods Worship thy Lord thy God therefore and see that him onely thou serue and truely obey and that with the same true worshippe whiche is commaunded thée in his worde as by prayers supplications and giuinge of thankes magnifying him in the greatnes of his mercy wherein he aydeth reléeueth comforteth and defendeth them that being distressed faithfully call vpon him not running vnto any Saint or Angell but vnto him onely in and by me who am the waye and meane to bringe them vnto him I am the mediator and aduocat by whoÌ„ onely and by none other thou mayst haue free passage vnto
thou art forbidden to sweare by heauen or by earth but for the confirmation of the trueth and determining of strife and controuersies betweene men hee hath vouchsafed the vse of his owne name which is his word to be taken as a witnesse of the trueth wherein thou must haue a speciall regard that thou take not him as a witnesse in an vntrue matter but with great reuerence to vse it to the decyding and manifesting of matters of great importaunce hauing onely the superioritie ouer all creatures to iustifie righteousnesse and to bring the wickednesse of the wicked vpon their owne pates Wherefore it behoueth thee to examine thy former life and to consider whether thou haue not taken the name of myne heauenly father in vaine either by neglecting and not performing his precepts and thy dueties commaunded thee by his word whether there haue bene such a due regarde in thee of the fulfilling that which the worde hath directed and appoynted thee to doe and auoyded that which by the same word thou were forbidden whether thou haue refrayned thy toÌ„gue from blasphemous othes and from taking any other to witnesse in matters of doubt then my heauenly father wherein if thou be guiltie thou shalt not escape vnpunished vnlesse in my name thou speedely returne to the true seruice of my heauenly father againe whose mercy extendeth vnto thousandes of them that loue him and obserue his will Wherefore leaue of to walke any longer in the waies that may lead thee froÌ„ y e reuerent honoring of God mine heaueÌ„ly father and from a godly feare to offend him for he that dispiseth his worde shalbe destroyed but he that feareth the CoÌ„maundement shal be rewarded The fourth commandeth thee to keepe holy the Saboth day which is the seuenth day wherin mine heauely father after the finishing of all his Creatures rested from his worke and sanctified it vpon which day hath he commaunded thee to cease from thy labours and daily businesse and to referre thy selfe to such godly exercises as may bee to the glory of his name namely deuout praiers and giuing of thankes hearing his word as also which is the principal misterie of this Saboth day thou must rest from the workes of the olde man as the fulfilling of the lustes of the flesh to tame thy peruerse affections of thine heart and wholy to imploy thine endeuour to the wil of mine heauenly father For the Prophet saith that he is blessed that doth this and the sonne of man that taketh holde on it hee that keepeth the Saboth and polluteth iâ— not and keepeth his hands froÌ„ doing any euill If thou abstaine from thine owne wicked waies vpon the Saboth day and consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord honouring him not seeking thine owne wil nor speaking a vaine worde Then shall hee lift thee vp vpon the high places of the earth and blesse thee for the true obseruation and hallowing of the Saboth day is ceassing from sinnes which are thine owne waies by reason of that corruption which is rooted in thy peruerse Nature whereby thou bringest foorth the fruites of wickednes Thou must therefore remember that the Saboth or seaueth day as it is a day wherein thou must cease from thy worldly and bodily labours so to ceasse from doing things displeasing mine heauenly father which may not bee for that day onely but all thy life Thy Seruants thine Oxen thy Cattell and all which is within thy gates must likewise that day leaue their labors and referre them selues to reste wherein thou haste to consider that it is thy charge and duetie to see vnto and haue regard vnto thy seruants and family this day to keepe them from wantonnesse and loosenesse of life and to exhort and prouoke them to the Seruice of mine heauenly father to spende aswell that day therein as all other dayes in the weeke in thine owne priuate businesse and labour whom if thou suffer to runne and gad abroad to wantonnesse and sinne like vntamed Coltes and like strâ—y sheepe that seeme to haue no guyde It can not but bewray thine owne coldnesse in the true seruice of God and then vngodly behauiour growing by thy carelesse regard to see them to performe their dueties to GOD and man will be a witnesse against thee that thou hast not hallowed the Saboth day in such decent maner as is commaunded thee It pleased myne heauenly father to giue thee the vse of sixe daies in seauen to labor thy selfe thine in thy worldly businesse contenting himselfe with one day to bee serued in not to the ende that in these sixe daies there should bee no regard of him or wherein he expecteth no seruice at thine handes but thou must serue him daylie and continually in prayers and supplications and in executing thy vocation with trueth and honest dealing which hee accepteth as a pleasaunt seruice of him and in the seuenth to imploye thee wholy to the truely keeping holy thereof As ceasing from doing thine owne will which is corrupted with Couetousnesse and vncleannes and to mortefie thyne owne euill desires and inordinate affections euill concupiscence and couetousnesse which is Idolatry wherein thou hast to take heede that thou accompt not this day ordeined onely for corporall rest as too many doe or the ende thereof to bee for a time of banquetting playing sporting wantonnesse excesse vnreuerent meetings and vndecent behauiour as the more parte by their vngodly conuersations bewray their opinions to bee quite contrary to myne heauenly fathers most grâ—â—ious institution thereof for where it ought to be a time for the body to refresh it selfe with rest and the soule to bee comforted with hearing the word and seruice of God mine heauenly father the same day is made more wearisome to the body by vnseemely practises and pastymes and the soule more intangled with vices then before in so much as the remembraunce of that daies wantonnes holdeth their mindes subiect to desire that day againe wherein to fal to their wonted wallowing in wickednesse In which Commaundement thou hast to consider how thou hast resisted and suppressed thine euill affections and vngodly desires And how thou hast endeuoured thy self to the seruice of myne heauenly father And whether according to the trueth and prescript rule thereof thou haue led thy life wherein as thou canst not excuse thy selfe but acknowledge thy selfe guiltie and worthy of reproofe so hast thou free passage vnto mine heauenly father through me by whose death and bitter passion the curse which was due for the not performing thereof is taken away and his mercie ready if in a true faith thou betake thy selfe vnto mee thyne onely Mediatour anv Sauiour carefully suppressing thine euill affections and so much the more cosidering that my righteousnes is made thy righteousnesse wherein thy godly and zealous endeuour shall please mine heauenly father and be acceptable not for the worthinesse thereof but through
his necke For thou must consider this that as mine heaueÌ„ly father can not abide euill but punisheth the same when and in whomsoeuer be findeth it so whether it be in y e heart hidden froÌ„ the sight of man spokeÌ„ with the tongue or committed with the hand he hateth the same if it be in the heart inwardly and not executed hee pronounceth it of like effect as if it were done and therefore he that hateth his brother is a manslaier yea whosoeuer is angrie with his brother vnaduisedly shalbe culpable of iudgement and whosoeuer shall say vnto his brother thou foole shalbe worthy to be punished in hell fire Thou must therefore beware of this dâ—ngerous most pernicious euill hatred against thy brother and cast it cleane out of thine heart and take heede that rash and vnaduised wordes bewray not thine inward affection to sauour of the same but place in steede thereof such an vnfayned loue towards all men that thy mercifull dealing with men may shew thine inward affection to be right and truely setled towards GOD thine heauenly Creatour an example whereof thou mayst see in Iob Whose pitifull compassion towarde all such as were in extremitie was such that he deliuered the poore that cried the fatherlesse him y t had none to helpe him the blessing of him that was readie to perish came vppon mee saith he and I caused the Widowes heart to reioyce Euen so see that thou impart according to thine abilitie to the comfort of my needy members least in that great and fearefully day it be sayd vnto thee among the damned persons Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the deuill and his angels For I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate a thirst and yee gaue mee no drinke c. Let this therefore mooue thée to open the bowels of pittie and to shewe compassion vpon those that want wherein thou hast heard consisteth an acceptable deede before mine heauenly father insomuch as it appeareth that those shalbe saued that show mercie vnto the poorest least of his members and those damned that shut vp their compassion from them And therefore open violence and wilfull murther is not onely to be auoyded but also all hardnes of heart and vncharitable dealing towards thy neighbour and poore brethren The third Commaundement of the second Table forbiddeth thee to commit adulterie a most horrible a most detestable offence in the sight of mine heauenly father for which he caused to perish in one day three tweÌ„tie thousand the sharpenesse of which Scurge argueth the great hatred which my heauenly father heareth towards y e kind of sinne It is wickednes iniquitie to be condemned a fire y t deuoureth al to destruction and consumeth not onely the substance but corrupteth the body and destroyeth the soule And therefore sayth the wise man he that committeth adulterie with a woman is destitute of vnderstanding he that doeth it destroyeth his owne soule he shall find a wounde and dishonour and his reproch shall neuer bee put away wherefore abstaine from fornication dedicate thy body as a vessell of holinesse wholy vnto mine heauenly father Be not deceiued for Fornicators Idolaters Adulterers nor Wantons shall enter into the kingdome of heauen But there be some that for a Buckler to defend their vncleanesse and wantonnesse of life take hold as a sufficient excuse to say the flesh is weake and therefore if they fall nowe and then through frailety they make light accompt of the matter but take heede for this cloake can not couer thy filthines this defence will be as a two edged sword to cut thine owne Soule from that most glorious inheritaunce prepared for such as vnder the buckler of a true faith fight against al vngodly lustes of the flesh and subdue those euill desires and affections that rise vp against the deuine will of mine heauenly father The excuse of the frailtie of their flesh could not stay the hand of mine heauenly father from striking those three and twentie thousand for their fornication and whoredome knowest thou not that thy body is a member of God and wilt thou make it the member of an harlot beware of it for he that coupleth himselfe with an Harlot becometh one body with her so excludeth himselfe from being any loÌ„ger the member of me Iesus Christ. Thou must learne therefore to walke in those waies wherin mine heauenly father hath promised conduction and continuall protection through mee which is not to followe thine owne peruerse desires but to yeeld thy selfe to such holines of life and godly conuersation as thou maist stand certeinly assured of mercie and fauour at the hands of myne heauenly father The frailtie of thy corrupt flesh thou sayest draweth thee into many noysome and daungerous desires often yeelding vnto the wil of natural reason whereby thou fallest into breach of this Commaundement What is the cheefest matter that mainteineth this kind of fire and feedeth those vngodly affections in thee If thy dulnes can not conceiue it knowe this that idlenesse the mother of euill thoughtes euill company the practise of impietie euill speach the spectacle of vngodly behauiour glotony the mayme of temperance and sobrietie excesse in apparell the mistres of pryde are the spurres that pricke the weake flesh forward to the fulfilling and putting in practise of the vngodly motioÌ„s that spring from the euill and vngodly affections of the heart Take heede of these things therefore they are the subtile instruments of Sathan that lye in continual waite to entangle thee against this Commaundement which can so much the more easely intrap thee by how much they are little suspected of thee naturall reason telleth thee that it is lawfull for thine heart to imagine what it listeth and why because it woorketh onely inwardly and sheweth not the desire in outward action but I say that who so looketh vpon a woman to lust after her that man hath committed adulterie with her already Then I say that it is not sufficient for thee to say I did no such thing I haue not committed this externall action whereby I haue bene apprehended or called in question before the magistrate but it behoueth thee to enter into thy cogitations and to subdue this intent and when Sathan begins to batter the Walles of thine heart with such wicked desires meete him with a strong fayth and tumble him downe with the Weapon of a chaste minde that hee make no spoyle of thine honest and chast behauiour But to auoyde the danger of this assault there is a meane prouided namely wedlock which is honorable whereunto thou art not onely licensed but commounded but not rashly or vnaduisedly but in the Lord which is to make thy choyce so as that loue and godly affection not vnto lust but vnto a chaste life mooue thee thereunto for that as adulterie is
abhorred and deserueth punishment so the chast and godly vniting of man and wife well pleaseth myne heauenly father wherunto he promiseth many blessings Wherefore thou must beware of letting the reines of thine euill affections loose to runne whether the same shall mooue thee as also to beware of idlenesse which hath so darkened the mindes and dulled the sences of many that in steede of godly meditations they entertaine vngodly and vnchaste desires the smoke whereof breaketh out and ascendeth into the nostrels of the eternall iudge who seeth howe secret soeuer it be Thou must also beware and haue due regard to shunne the familiarity of such as haue their heartes infected with the poyson of this disease who stick not most filthily to execute y e horrible fact but most impudently among their companions vomit out their detestable behauiour in open words like the shamelesse slaues of Sathan not onely to the bewraying of their owne most wicked and damnable life but to the infection and incouraging of others to their lewdnes by their so impudent and arrogant impietie whose examples more drawe vnto vice then the vertuous conuersation of the honest and godly can mooue vnto vertue For such fellowes as cā behaue thēselues after such shamelesse and impious maner are nowe reputed proper merrie and pleasaunt conceated fellowes and those that are ciuile and honest reckoned and accompted and for the most part contemned and condemned as silly soules and doltish fooles whose simplicitie whose chastetie and whose innnocēt life shall one day laugh those braue and pleasaunt conceated fellowes who nowe laugh at them to scorne It is not their painted gestures their glorious glose of speach nor braue attire shall stand to pleade for but against them vnderstand therefore that not only the outward action of fornication nor the inward desire but euery idle wanton word is forbiddē by this cōmaūdemēt But these things are little suspected thought word to bee any thing at al against this Cōmaundement but be not deceiued euill words corrupt good maners and out of the heart proceedeth euill thoughts adulteries fornication and vncleannesse for which things sake commeth the wrath of God vppon the children of disobedience wherefore imbrace continencie and chastetie not onely in outward behauiour but let thy heart bee voyde of vaine and vndecēt thoughts and thy tongue free from vnseemely and vngodly speach that as thy body is the member of mee so it may for euermore continue The fourth Commaundement of the second Table forbiddeth thee to steale which is to take that which is proper vnto another man and imploy it to thine owne behooue or otherwise to dispose that which is not of right thyne owne contrarie to the true property of the same thing which Commaundement reacheth not onely to the forbidding thee by open or priuie violence to take thy neighbours goodes or by other sinister meanes to filch or to steale to rifle or robbe him of that which he hath but also it plainely prohibiteth thee by any fraudulent meanes to deceiue or defraud him of any thing that is his which Commaundement as it is expressed briefly in these words Thou shalt not steale so is it to bee vnderstoode that vnder the name of stealing are all those cunning deuises which are vsed in wares bought and solde as also in al other dealings betwene men brought within the compasse of this Commaundement And therefore not onely robberies pickinges and such vnlawfull meanes as are punishable by the lawes and ordinaunces of a Realme are to be auoyded but al other meanes whatsoeuer vsed to the obteyning of an other mans goodes which are not grounded vpon that loue which euery man by the prescript worde of mine heauenly father is bounde to beare towardes his neighbour which is to doe that vnto an other which he desireth to be done vnto himselfe and therefore behoueth it all men to haue a diligent eye vnto this Commaundement that they enterprise nothing to enrich them selues to the hinderaunce or losse of an other man considering that it is contrary to their owne natures willingly to be robbed of that they haue to bee defrauded deceiued or by any meanes beguiled or extorted vpon and therefore should they holde their owne vnwillingnes in that behalfe as a necessary rule to guide their dealinges aright with other men But this cuttes deepe the stricktnesse then of this Commaundement bringes within the breach thereof the most of al callings the more to be lamented And the reason is that desires of mens priuate gaine hang so in their light that they can by no meanes see their doinges to other men that their natures would be loth to suffer to be done vnto themselues As for example tell me admit thou hadst beene Tenaunt vnto Simple and Simple had beene thy Landlord couldest thou haue founde in thine heart willingly to haue surrendred thy title of thy liuing at his request and to haue depriued thy selfe of any place of refuge for thy selfe thy wife or children to haue satisfied his greedie desire or couldest thou haue beene contented with a willing minde at his pleasure to haue augmented thy rent or haue giuen so great an Income as the payment therof should so plucke thee vpon the knees of a poore estate as thou shouldest not be able in many yeares to recouer thee againe or by reason of the greatnesse of thy rent yerely thou couldest not bee able to lay vp a penie for a pounde at the yeares ende nay not able to maintaine thine estate with such credit as thy vocation requireth no thou couldest not willingly abide nay thou couldest not suffer it with patience And yet see the hardnesse of thine heart see the blindnesse of thy couetous desires thou couldest finde in thine heart not only to pinch poore Simple thy Tenaunt not only with an Income great and greeuous but also with an excessiue rent but in the ende to ioyne flatterie with threatninges and thereby expellest him shortly after from the thing hee so dearly bought proceeded this dealing with him from this loue which thou oughtest to beare towardes all men Thinkest thou that this although it beare not with it the burthen of open reproach as publique theft robberies doe commeth not within the compasse of this Commaundement yes no doubt for vnder colour of thine owne title thou hast robbed the poore man three times by a greeuons fine by a great rent and last of al by depriuing him of his right for neither of which thine iniurious deedes towards him art thou able to plead not guiltie before that heauenly Iudge that will one day take accompt of the least of thē Therefore the way to keepe thee from breach of this Commaundement is to measure thine actions and dealinges with other men by the rule of perfect loue calling to minde thine owne vnwillingnesse to bee hardly dealt withall by an other man not onely in these cases before
recited but in bargayning buying selling and other affaires whatsoeuer wherein men of occupation whatsoeuer haue to looke vnto their doinges whether they proceed of y t loue or not or otherwise nay they may assure thēselues that their couetous desire of vnlawfull and vngodly gaine will heape vpon their heades the punishment pronounced against the transgressours of myne heauenly fathers will Thou seest then that all vngodly gaine is herein forbidden then cannot vnmeasurable Usurie excuse it selfe though vnder colour of tolleration of a reasonable gaine it be cloaked to y e ouerthrowe both of the giuer and taker although the taker can flatter himselfe a while with his vngodly enriching himselfe with the goodes of other men yet may he assure himselfe that he hath pawned for a little foolish and transitorie mucke of the worlde both body and soule into the handes of Sathan neuer to be redeemed without true repentaunce in mee Iesus Christ. So that it behoueth thee not onely to beware of open violence and robberies but of all such fraudulent and deceiptfull dealing as may bee an hinderaunce vnto thy neighbour The fifth Commaundement of the seconde Table forbiddeth thee to beare false witnesse against thy neighbour which is to iustifie and to maintaine an vntrueth in open place of Iustice and iudgement against him wherein also the tongue is enioyned to shunne through want of loue to speake not onely any thing to the losse or hinderaunce of thy neighbour in his goodes but also which may take away or depriue him of his good name and credite for a good name is chosen aboue great riches and louing fauour is aboue siluer and aboue golde And therefore art thou by this Commaundemēt prohibited to speake any thing which may rayse any slaunder or bring any blot vnto him by any meanes As it doth too often fall out in these daies that either of malice and ill will against the partie or for affection and loue to his aduersary or in hope of gaine many are lightly wanne to depose an vntroath before a Iudge or Magistrate which is a thing most haynous in the sight of myne heauenly father as may appeare by the punishment that he prouided for those that transgressed therein namely that the false witnesse bearer should bee rewarded with the self same punishment that the cryme whereof they accused another layd iustly vpon the offender And therefore let him that wrongfully chargeth and accuseth an other make his iust accompt that when all secretes shalbe reueiled God which is the aucthor of all trueth will finde him guiltie of sufficient matter euen in Iustice to cast him into vtter destruction where shalbe weeping and gnashing of teeth This Commaundement ought to bee diligently regarded and had in continuall remembrance for that it is a good bridle to keepe backe the tongue which is an vnruly euil from ouer rash iudgements and more hastie then vpright verdictes not onely in causes of great waight and moment but in matters of small importance for as it forbiddeth all men to giue a false testimonie in any cause depending betweene partie and partie before the Iudge or Magistrate so doth it charge the Iudge not rashly or vnaduisedly to pronounce his sentēce of iudgement but with due deliberation and indifferencie to consider and way such circumstaunces as may best procure the equitie of the cause to come to light wherein there is to bee warely auoyded al those meanes and occasions of parcialitie namely respect of persons in iudgement malice affection and bribes which are the poysons that infect the hearts and blind y e eyes of those Iudges whō the loue of iustice nor feare of the highest Iudge can not direct to the punishment of the wicked and setting free of the poore oppressed and in whose eyes it seemeth no great matter to giue sentence to the bearing out of an euill matter But let such be assured that he that beareth the sworde of all Iustice hauing no respect of persons wil one day take accompt of these Iudges that haue giuen their sentence to the ouerthrowe of the right of any mans cause to iustifie that which in all equitie ought to be condemned and will with the sworde of his Iustice cut off such parciall ministers from the inheritaunce of his eternall blisse for can there be a more haynous or more execrable offence against mine heauenly father then to awarde him the crowne of a iust man that deserueth the reward of a wicked person And on the contrary to giue iudgemēt of execution against him whose cause deserueth the sentence of victorie A thing most odious in the sight of him whose eyes of Iustice doth not onely see such manifest and open iudgements but beholdeth their hearts wherein they wish and with circumstaunces endeuour to bolster out the euil causes of euil men as much as in them lyeth to the mayntenaunce of wickednesse and ouerthrow of Iustice. Wherfore oh Iudges consider whose places ye supplye whose aucthoritie you haue and how you execute your dueties in so high a calling haue no respect of persons say not to the wicked thou art righteous least the people curse and abhore you but rebuke the wicked and defende the righteous that the blessing of goodnesse may come vpon you And that in the great and fearfull day you may stande before him that shall giue iudgement according to euery mans desertes Further this Commaundement includeth within the compasse thereof as flatly against the same the wresting of the true sence and meaning of wordes or writinges contrary to the trueth of the meaning thereof and otherwise then it would be founde if it were decided by an indifferent Iudge which is a most pernicious practise put in vre when I was in this world tossed and tormented by the wicked Iewes where there were witnesses came in against mee affirming that I sayd I could destroye the Temple and builde it againe within three daies quite contrary to the meaning of my wordes who meant the Temple of my bodie and not their Temple of Ierusalem So is it now a common matter among men to construe y e words of their deedes as Obligations Leases and all other writinges to a sence by al cunning quillets that can be found by the skilfullest and cunningest Lawyers to frustrate their owne deede their owne manifest act clene contrary to the true meaning therof as though their cunning deuised lawe trickes as long as by circumstaunce of sophistical arguments the matter could bee cloaked with reason should without the breach of this Commaundement wipe away the apparant right due vnto one to lay it vpon an other who in Iustice hath none how can that man that thus seeketh to ouerthrowe his owne act or that Lawyer that worketh the meanes bee able before GOD to discharge themselues when their owne consciences shall accuse them that they haue swerued from the true intent and meaning of his owne
deede a most daungerous enterprise no doubt vnto them both But it is lawfull they say for a man to ouerthrowe his owne deede if it bee not formall if it want the wordes that binde as fast as yron fetters yea though he can confesse that his meaning was so yet they say that the lawe telles him it is voyde and that he is at libertie to take the aduauntage if he will yes it is all fish that comes vnto the Net men will spende more then the valew but they wil proue them selues to swerue from their owne meaning A lamentable thing that lawe the mistris of Iustice should bee so darkened through the hard consciences of men that she should seeme to plucke in her hande from giuing euery man his right contrary to the true meaning of the lawe maker and to the purpose of this Commaundement which as it forbiddeth openly to giue false testimonie in any matter so to doe any thing to the hinderaunce of other men in goodes or good name The last Commaundement forbiddeth thee not onely as before is sayd to take away any thing by fraude or violence from thy neighbor which was by the action or deede doing but this commeth neerer to search thy verie hearte and to reprooue the verie desire of things that are thy neighbours as his house his wife his Seruant his Maide his Oxe his Asse or any thing that he hath Thou art commaunded to settle all thine affections thoughts and desires of thine heart onely in God myne heauenly father But if thou be caried away with the desires of thy neighbours goods howe fulfillest thou this Commaundement Wherefore it behoueth the to cast away these vngodly desires of thy neighbours house his Land his liuing his commodities and profites and with a determinate consent to place them on good things on things that may be equally beneficiall to thy neighbour as to thy selfe that in heart thou maist by a true faith assure thy selfe that thou louest God aboue al things and thy neighbour as thy selfe Thou knowest th t I haue paâ—de the ransome both for thy body and soule and therefore keepe thy selfe vnder mine obedience without letting thy thoughts runne hither and thither to inkindell such desires in thine heart as will not be quenched vntill it breake out into such an inexstinguishable flame of burning affection to thy neighbors goods that it burne vp and consume all loue and feare of mine heauenly father and so tye thine imaginations altogether to the Pillers of such vanities as may drawe thee into destruction both of body and soule But some will say why it is lawfull for me to thinke what I list who can controll me It is a common saying that thoughts are free but although it be free to thinke as in deede in respect of men thoughts are not seene nor vnderstoode as of one by another But there is one that searcheth the verie heartes and raines in whose sight the thought appeareth manifestly wherein he expecteth and willeth such obedience to be as it may carrie with it a shewe of loue to him aboue all things and to thy neighbour as thy selfe Thou hast bene warned before in the other Commaundements to beware of such a resolute and determinate desâ—re of thy neighbors goods as carrieth with it a full perswasion will to haue it accomplished which thou hast heard to be an equal offence in y e sight of mine heauenly father with the deede it selfe But in this commaundement thou art forbiden to giue enterteinmeÌ„t to the very bare thought notwithstanding thou giue no resolute consent thereunto namely that if thou haddest fit oportunitie thou wouldest performe that wherunto thy thought hath moued thee Thou must not I say suffer thy thoughts to wander by carnall libertie vpon vaine and wicked things but vpon those things that are good and godly where euill thoughts are there is not loue that loue which is required of thee towardes mine heauenly father for that loue thinketh not euill against him whome it loueth neither doth it reioyce in iniquitie that loue oughtest thou to beare towardes thy neighbour so shall thy thoughts be preserued from thinking any euil or preteÌ„ding any wrong against him for he that truely loueth another imagineth nothing that he knoweth may be hurtful or a hinderaÌ„ce vnto him as in wishing his goods house or land or any other thing which is proper vnto him Of which thou canst not cleare thy selfe no not of a setled and resolute consent to desire thy poore Tenaunts house and liuing which in the ende brought foorth the verie effect of thy desire by pulling it from the poore man in deede nowe thine owne experience can tell thee that the thought brought foorth the desire and the desire neuer was quenched vntill it had accomplished the thing desired which is an argument sufficiently strong to prooue that euill thoughts wherein are settled no certeine consent are to be subdued for otherwise they will thrust thee forward in the broade way that leadeath vnto destruction Nowe therefore if such danger lye so secretly lurking in the thought which daunger men least suspect it behooueth thee to looke about the and to resist al euill not onely of the outward action of the determinate consent or in the word but in the very thought Looke into this commaundement and into thy corruptible nature y t bringeth forth the weedes of wickednes in such plentifull maner as thou shalt feele not only wickednes in thy thoughts in thy desires and resolute purposes but in thy verie actions and dealings amongst men And so to haue manifestly transgressed the whole Lawe for which transgression there is due the iust reward of death The sinfull man Alas then in what case am I if death be due to mee What doth auaile y t I haue heard so many things of thee What shal I do mine heart impleat with fearefull pangs of woe Had bene as good at first as now to yeeld vnto my foe Solace WHat hast thou so soone forgotten that thou hast a Mediatour me Iesus Christ who haue satisfied and fulfilled all things to thy discharge And that I remaine with mine heauenly father for euer making intercession for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Turne vnto me in forsaking thine euil and wicked life and I will appease mine heauenly fathers wrathe so that in mercie hee shall returne againe vnto thee as thou hast heard Thou hast in these former Commaundements heard all thine infirmities reueiled thy wicked life reprooued and thy corruption manifested for that feeling and perceiuing thine vnrighteousnesse and setting the same as it were face to face with the lawe thou maist see thine owne wretchednesse wherby thou mightest stand conuicted in thine owne conceites of all merites of thine owne and be forced to flie vnto me whose righteousnes shalbe reputed thy righteousnesse mine obedience thine obedience my merrites thine and my death to purchase thee eternal life Wherefore
giue ouer the opiniō of thine own good works and cleaue vnto the mercies of mine heauenly father in me and so much the more by howe much nowe thou maiest see thine vtter decaye without me But thou maist beware that thou in respect of thy saluation promised in mee neglect not these dueties enioyned thee towards mine heauenly father and thy neighbor as hath bene tolde thee before but so much the more endeuour thy selfe to performe thē that louingly and faithfully not in the outwarde shewe onely but with the inward affection of the heart imbracing that with a godly desire which thou art commaunded and hatefully eschewing that which thou art forbidden to doe assuring thy self by a liuely and working faith that thou art sealed with the holy Spirite proceeding from my father and mee freely by my merrits without any deseruings at all of thine owne to eternall saluation The sinfull man Now doth that Solace sweet appeare which thou hast promist mee And that mine owne deserts are not the meane to come to thee Thy merites are mine onely stay thy mercie meere extende Let faith in thee direct my life my words and thoughts amend The darkesome night is come I see there is no longer stay Tell mee good Solace neede I not come yet an other day Solace THou seest that I haue spent these sixe daies in calling thee from thine error and instructing thee what thou oughtest to doe to reforme thy wicked life yet remaineth there some thing els for thee to be exercised in to mayntaine that fauour of mine heauenly father towardes thee which I haue purchased for thee And therefore although to morrowe bee the Sabboth day which as thou hast learned it behoueth thee to sanctifie with ceasing from all worldly labors and to giue thee to deuine exercises yet for asmuch as all mine endeuour tendeth to the safetie of thy soule I would haue thee to repaire hyther againe to morrowe when I will declare vnto thee the residue breefly that belongeth vnto thee and that behoueth thee to learne to the finishing of all the course of thy life that after this life ended through my merites thou mayst enioye eternall saluation The sinfull man With willing minde I will attende mine heart doth long to see Those heauenly ioyes wherein I trust at last to liue with thee The ende of the Saterdaies Conference betweene Solace and the sinfull man A PRAYER TO God the Father for pardon in Iesus Christ for transgressing his Commaundements for grace to bee directed to the true fulfilling of the same OH God my God oh fountaine welspring of al mercy louing kindnes vouchsafe fauourably to looke down vpon my corruptiō and wickednesse and set before the eyes of thy Iustice the merites of thy Sonne Iesus Christ for whose desertes and due obedience sake leaue to be angrie and turne to me in loue take away the curse which is due for my transgressions and wilfull disobedience Alas what should become of mee if I should receiue according to my desertes for which there is nothing due but the iust reward of death For merciful Lord God when I compare the whole course of my life past with the righteousnesse of thy deuine institutiōs and most sacred Commaundements I find my selfe a very Traytour a most monstrous Rebell against thee the God of my welfare Oh Lorde when the Iustice and iust iudgements of thy deuine Maiestie shew themselues vnto my deserts wherby my conscience accuseth mee to haue deserued eternall death I cannot but fall into vtter dispayre of being acquitted before thee Only herein a◠I comforted sweete Lord that I haue pardon promised in the death and merites of thy deare Sonne mine onely Sauiour and Redemer Iesus Christ in whose name I here present and prostrate my self vnto thee and for his sake most humbly pray thee to forgiue my transgressions and to pardon al my sinnes vouchsaueing me grace from henceforth faithfully and truely to frame all my desires vnto the fulfilling of all thy most godly Commaundements and that in vnfeyned loue of thee aboue all things and to shew the same outwardly to the performāce of my duety to my neighbours whom thou hast cōmaunded me to loue succour helpe releeue and doe vnto as I would that other men should doe vnto me Graunt me sweet Lorde for Iesus Christes sake grace to doe that which I am commaunden in thy lawes and carefully to shunne and auoyde that which I am herein forbidden that I may keepe not onely mine handes but all mine actions and doinges yea mine heart and thoughtes free from displeasing thee And for asmuch as my corruptiō keepeth doune mine vnderstanding and will so that I am not able to performe that which I ought but am ready to do that which I ought not vouchsafe to accept the merits of thy Sonne Iesus Christ as a sufficient discharge for that which I cannot do and for his sake to forgiue mine insufficiencie to performe thy will Sweete God Amen THE SVNDAYE and last dayes Conference betweene Solace and the sinfull Man VVherein Solace directeth him in prayer which is the principall and last work belonging to the attainement of eternall life by faith in Christ. Solace WHat art thou so earely here this morning oh man thou shewest thy selfe now to bee very desirous of my solace as it seemes by thy diligent attendaunce this morning The sinfull man Ye Solace loe I looke for thee mine only comfort deare Whose comfort now I find in deed proceede from heauens cleare And therefore I attend on thee mine only guide and stay Whom thou doest call I see cannot gad like a wretch astray Mine heart is set to secke the way through thee y t guides to blisse Whereby I shall at last possesse the ioye that perfect is Which I in heart by faith doe feele though in this vale of woe Where Sathās forces fell abound and sinnes by custome growe Which vale I long to leaue in haste to take my rest with thee In heauens hye where only ioye and nothing els can bee Solace THou doest well to bee wearied and greeued at the vewe of those abuses and daylie offences which thou perceiuest in the world to moue mine heauenly father to displeasure which in deede are many and greate and to haue a longing desire to leaue them and to giue them ouer to the end thou mayst the more freely come vnto me But thou must beware thou kicke not nor murmur against mine heauenly father in respect of any miserie temptation or trouble to befall thee here in this world and to be discharged or vnburdened thereof to wish for death but referring thy cause vnto his omnipotent and mercifull prouidence in heartie and faithfull prayers through me Waite his good pleasure arming thy self manfully to fight against Satan and his wicked ministers assuring thy self through an vndoubted faith that whatsoeuer thou shalt aske my heauēly father in my name he shall giue it thee I am thy
Mediatour by whom thou shalt be sure to obteyne al thinges both for body and soule Aske therefore I say in my name for I pray vnto mine heauenly father for thee for whose sake he shall giue thee al thinges that thy ioye may be full The sinfull man Alas I knowe not how to aske nor what true prayer is I long to learne so sweete a meane to bring my soule to blisse Wherefore declare to me in haste how I must pray aright Mine heart is set to seeke the thing so pleasaunt in thy sight Solace TRue and faithfull prayer is the principall seruice wherewith God mine heauenly father is honored and pleased for that thereby is thy faith manifested and which beareth witnes openly that thou expectest all helpe all releefe all happinesse and welfare to come from him alone acknowledging him thine onely defence thine onely rocke and sure refuge in the day of thy tribulation who most louingly calleth thée to come vnto him in thy necessitie So y t thou mayst be assured that he is most readie and willing to hearken vnto thy petitions to graunt thy requestes Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee Which calling of thine must be faithful without hypocrisie that is it must bee vnfeyned and zealous euen from thine heart as a sure and certeine testimonie that thou accomptest him thine onely helper and defender and that thou reposest thy trust onely in him as the fountaine of all good whatsoeuer and from whence thy zealous and vnfeyned prayer shall drawe as from the head-spring of al releefe the pure water of continuall comfort namely in this worlde all thinges which shalbe expedient and necessary and in the ende eternall saluation wherein consisteth the whole care which thou art in this life teyed vnto and not so much to seeke the transitorie defence of thy mortall body nor thinges apperteining therunto as the preseruation of thy soule which shall liue for euer and euer wherein thou must beware that the affections which are naturally towardes the body exceede not nor blind thine vnderstanding in such sorte as thou seeke for superfluous meanes for the preseruation thereof and neglect those things wherein the safetie of thy poore soule consisteth which is the worship of mine heauenly father attributing vnto him both outwardly in thy deedes and inwardly in thine heart those dueties and preheminences which by the prescript rule of his deuine worde thou art bounde to yeeld and doe vnto him the cheefest and most acceptable maner whereof is this zealous hearty faithfull prayer which thou must direct vnto him alone through mee his Sonne by whom and by no other meanes thou mayst freely come vnto him reueyling thy necessities opening thy wants bewraying thy weakenesse confessing thy sinnes and yeelding al laude vnto his holie name and all possible thankes and praises for his most bountifull louing kindnesse towardes thee in which seuerall poyntes ought thy prayers to consist namely in coÌ„fessing thy sinnes for he heareth not sinners that is such as haue no feeling of their owne corruption and fall not to vnfeined repentaunce and seeke not forgiuenesse of their sinnes in mee And therefore aboue all things seeke first attonement with my heauenly father yea and that whensoeuer thou goest about to aske any thing at his handes thinke that thou art a sinner and that the remission thereof in true repentaunce is promised in mee to whom al the Prophetes beare witnesse that through my name all that beleeue in mee shall receiue the remission of their sinnes By whom being iustified by faith thou hast peace with myne heauenly father To whom as thou art bound to make all thy prâ—â—ers so must they be made in and by me by whom thou hast boldnesse through faith to goe vnto him euen to the seate of his grace And hauing reconciliation and attonement with him through me and free accesse vnto the throane of his Maiestie in faith lay open thy necessities assuring thy selfe that whatsoeuer thou pray vnto him for be it for spirituall or temporall benefites in my name he shall giue it thee for I am the Mediatour and high Bishop that make continuall prayers for thee and no man commeth vnto the father but by mee And therefore if thou abide in me and my wordes abide in thee aske what thou wilt and it shalbe done for thee Wherefore it behoueth thee duely to consider that I am onely the meane wherby thy petitions are heard and for whose sake they were graunted and al the promises fulfilled And that there is none other neither Sainct nor Angell or other through whome or for whose sake thou mayst looke for peace with God my heauenly father whoÌ„ thou hast offended but my self alone to whoÌ„ were al the promises made being heire of all thinges who am made vnto al the faithfull wisedome holines sanctificatioÌ„ redeÌ„ption wherefore namely that whoso reioyceth should reioyce in myne heauenly father through mee and to attribute euery good gift and euery perfect gift vnto him from whom al goodnes proceedeth and that with continual thanckesgiuing which is the thirde principall point of this especiall worship and seruice of God namely vnfeined prayer wherein when thou hast referred thy selfe and reueiled vnto him in my name either the multitude of thy sinnes and greeuous traÌ„sgressions and feeling thy selfe through a liuely faith to be vnited vnto his grace and fauour again or when thou hast declared vnto him thy corporall or spirituall wants as of a competent liuing of defence in daunger tranquillitie of minde peace with thy neighbors successe in thy vocation good health of body or of any other thing necessarie for thy reliefe and thou according to thy request hast bene heard and comforted It behooueth thee not as a thanckles person to runne on in petitioÌ„ only but to acknowledge the bountifull mercie of myne heauenly father in forgiuing thy sinnes and to yeeld him all possible thanckes for his protection for his superaboundant louing kindnes wherein hee hath releeued thee defended thee and preserued thee from those euils wherein without his ayd and outstretched arme thou couldest not but haue perished and those mercies of his not only to commend for a time but continually for that thou standest in a continuall present neede of his fauour without the which euerie day euery howre and euery moment bringeth with it euils enough to ouerthrowe thee yea both body and soule Wherefore I say it behooueth thee to the discharge of thy duety in this so precious a work praier first to confesse thy sinnes and to seeke attonement and peace with GOD myne heauenly father through mee in a liuely fayth Secondly to make thine humble praiers for corporall or spirituall necessaries and for the gift of them not to rest vnmindful or thankles but yeelding vnfeyned thankes not onely inwardly in heart but shewing the same in the
cattell destroyed and howses and all his substaunce consumed he betooke him vnto the Lorde saying Oh Lord naked came I into the worlde and naked shall I returne to earth againe thou hast giuen and thou hast taken away now blessed be thy name for euermore Who in his extreme miserie dispayred not neither limited a time of his releefe but referring himself vnto mine heauenly fathers wil in perfect patience was in the ende holpen and wonderfully releeued Wherefore I say thou mayst be assured of releefe in all thy necessities if thus thou betake thee in my name vnto myne heauenly fathers will Looke vpon the three children in the hot Ouen who choosing rather to dye then to commit Idolatrie cryed out faithfully saying Our God whom we serue can deliuer vs But if he will not knowe this oh King that we will not worship thy God Which three childreÌ„ were in the Ouen and not consumed mine heauenly father was readie to deliuer them they did not indent and compouÌ„d with him that if hee would deliuer them they would defie the Image of Nabugodoazer but referred themselues vnto his prouideÌ„ce in true obedience So what dauÌ„ger necessitie or trouble soeuer thou hap to fall into thou must with Dauid and these three children submit thy self vnto mine heauenly fathers will without appointing the maner or time to be releeued And with Iob to say the name of God be praised for euermore Cast thy care vpon mine heauenly father in my name he shall nourish thee he shall defende thee releeue and succour thee and shall not suffer thee to be in perpetuall trouble And therefore thou must pray in hope and that alwaies not being wearie for that thou hast an ende of thy troubles and releefe in thy necessities promised when in what maner by what meanes thou mayst not appoint but whether he tarie long ere he helpe thee or sende thee releefe presently it is for thy best And therefore in all thy prayers thou must ad this if it be his will for that he knoweth what is most conuenient for thee what is for thy benefite whereof thou art altogether ignoraunt But reioyce alway pray continually in al things be thankfull for this is the will of God mine heauenly father in me his Sonne towards all men The sinfull man What are the thinges for which I ought most specially to pray Instruct me that from hence I may thy sacred will obey Solace IN deede it behoueth thee to haue consideration what thou requirest at mine heauenly fathers handes who although he will thee to come freely vnto him and he will helpe thee he doth not admit thee to come in such wise as that thy petitions should vary from his worde wherin he hath prescribed vnto thee what thou shouldest aske namely whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer thinges are iust whatsoeuer thinges apperteine vnto loue whatsoeuer thinges are godly vertuous and tending to y e glorie of his holy name In these thinges oughtest thou to be carefull and for such things to make thy zealous and heartie prayers in my name and thou shalt obteyne both corporall and spirituall thinges to thine vnspeakeable comforte But thou must put a difference betweene the thinges thou prayest for namely to aske spirituall thinges as forgiuenesse of sinnes and to be preserued from sinne and eternall death for the gift of the holy Ghost for euerlasting life without any condition in a true faith for I wil not the death of a sinner but rather that he reâ—â—rne and liue And therefore thou mayst take 〈◊〉 of reconciliation in me and assure thy self of eternall life In the same faith also as thou hast heard thou mayst flye vnto him in my name for all thy corporall necessities but with this condition namely if it please him And it is required of thee that before thou enter into this so excellent and so precious a worke thou examine thy selfe namely whether hatred against thy brother malice desire of reuenge or any other vncharitable matter be depeÌ„ding betweene any other and thy selfe If so then behoueth it theeâ— before thou approach vnto mine heauenly father in requesting any thing spirituall or temporall to growe into a godly desire of vnitie and from thine heart to forgiue whatsoeuer thou haue against any man that myne heauenly father may forgiue thee For knowe this that if thou forgiue not those that haue offended thee be it neuer so highly mine heauenly father will not pardon thee of thine offences which are many and great against him But being in a charitable desire of other mens welfare as of thine owne thou hast free accesse through mee vnto myne heauenly Father to whome thou mayst come boldly for things appertaynig both to body and soule as thou art taught by these words Our father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen Giue vs this day our dayly bread and forgiue vs our offences as wee forgiue them that haue offended vs And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euill In which breefe forme of prayer consisteth the whole summe both of spirituall and corporall requestes And whatsoeuer thou askest it is comprehended within this praier or otherwise it is without any warrant and therefore not to be graunted And therefore by this rule it behooueth thee to guide all thy petitions for in this forme of prayer are conteined things eternall things spirituall and corporal things present things to come which things onely ought to stirre vp thy dull mind to faithfull and heartie prayer The sinfull man Declare thou these thinges more at large good Solace that I may In faith be stirred vp in thee for what and when to pray Solace THen vnderstande that by this forme before recited thou art taught not onely that prayer is necessarie and that it is commaunded as a principal seruice and worship of mine heauenly father but thou art directed to whom and for what to pray Thou must pray therefore yea aboue all thinges to whom to mine heauenly father for what especially for thinges tending to eternall saluation and then for bodily necessaries when continually least thou fall into temptatioÌ„ Thou must pray vnto mine heauenly father why because he is God eternal omnipotent maker and creator of all things the preseruer the defender the saftie and life of all and without whose deuine prouidence nothing can continue Buâ— by whom or by whose or what meanes doth he heare thee and graunt thy requestes only by me and whatsoeuer thou shalt aske of him in my name he shall giue it thee And therefore whensoeuer thou praiest thou must be faithfully perswaded that he is fatherly affected towards thee and is become so fauourable vnto thee for my sake that he both heareth thee and will graunt thy requestes And therefore oughtest thou to call him father who for my sake accepteth thee as his sonne
say thou haue no sinne thou deceiuest thy selfe and there is no trueth in thee but if thou confesse and acknowledge thy sinnes I am faithfull and righteous remayning an Aduocate for thee vnto mine heauenly father to obteine thee forgiuenesse and to cleanse thee from all thine iniquitie Now whensoeuer thou approachest vnto mine heauenly father in my name for remission of sinnes call to minde that to the promise of forgiuenesse is annexed this condition that thou forgiue al others that haue trespassed against thee wherein it behoueth thee to be circumspect and carefull to weede out all malice all hatred dissention and hypocrisie out of thine heart together with al other impediments that may let thy free comming vnto mine heauenly father namely all sinne and iniquitie truely repenting thee thereof that thy conscience being made cleane condemne thee not but that thou mayst come boldly and freely vnto the Throane of grace and in my name receiue whatsoeuer thou shalt aske And for that that Sathan the Prince of this world is so vigilant and diligent to drawe men into many noysome attempts whereby they may decline from myne heauenly Father and followe him whereby vice may bee imbraced and vertue forsaken iniquitie set vp and iustice and equitie suppressed euill regarded goodnes defaced It behooueth thee in all thy prayers to make mention of thy frailtie with humble request vnto myne heauenly Father in my name that he will strengthen thee against all assaultes of wicked Sathan who seeketh by al meanes to ouerthrowe thee whereof thou hast had sufficient experience of late and in whose conflictes thou hast bene vtterly ouercome had not I assisted thee not only in the couetous desires and inordinate cares of this world wherwith he infecteth many but in his most dangerous assault wherein he sought to drowne thee in vtter dispayre his pollicies are verie deceitfull his hatred to wards godlines so great and his assaults so sharpe as it behooueth thee to haue thy weapons prepared for defence that he batter not the walles of thy Soule with the shot of sinne and temptations to sinne but that thou maist be able to withstand him to keepe him from entring into thy soule and that is by no other meane then by a true and an vndoubted faith in mee who haue already vanquished him whereby thou shalt also resist him but for asmuch as thine owne strength is mere weakenesse thy force very frailtie apt rather to yeeld then able to withstande him thou art willed to come for strength against his temptation vnto mine heauenly father by faithfull prayer in my name that those temptations wherewith he endeuoureth to draw thee into destruction namely the thinges that may offende mine heauenly father as contempt of his worde Idolatrie Couetousnesse Drunkennesse Malice Enuie Theft dispaire in trouble and to vse sinister and vnlawfull meanes in pouertie or any kinde of vice ouercome thee not but to bee preserued froÌ„ all thinges that are vngodly daungerous to thy soule for which also thou art willed to pray namely for deliueraunce from euill in which word is comprehended whatsoeuer may bee displeasaunt and offensiue vnto myne heauenly father from the tyrannie of Sathan and from all miseries both bodily and ghoâ—iâ—y not onely priuate appertayning only vnto thy self but for the whole Church that she being deliuered from all calamities thou mayst be partaker of the blessinges powred vpon the same in this life namely the true knowledge of my Gospell and fruition thereof and after this life inherite the Kingdome prepared for the â—â—ect of mine heauenly father from the beginning Nowe hast thou heard what things thou must pray for namely things eternall which are tending to the honouring of mine heauenly fathers name who hath bene before all worlds for spirituall things which are those things that tend to the saluation of thy soule and for corporall things which tend to the maintenaÌ„ce of this present life The consideration of which things ought to stirre thee vp to continuall and faithfull praier wherein as before is saide it behooueth thee to waigh vnto whome thou praiest and by whose meanes thy prayers are acceptable and thy petitions graunted Thou praiest vnto God myne heauenly father who made and created thee and all the worlde thou hast accesse vnto him through mee his Sonne for whose sake by whose mediation thy praiers are heard those prayers that are made by the spirit and vnderstanding not vnaduisedly or at aduenture but in faith and trueth And to the end that thou maist bee assured that it is mine heauenly father onely that both heareth thee and wil helpe thee thou must reteine in thy continuall remembrance how and in what maner he hath declared himself to be the only and true God and that not only in making thee and all creatures els whom by his mightie power hee likewise preserueth but especially in sending mee his onely Sonne into the worlde to take humaine nature vpon me to be familiarlie conuersaunt with man on earth to shewe myne heauenly fathers will the Gospell of eternall trueth his liuely and very perfect Image vnto men to the â—â—de that they should pray only vnto him who hath reueiled himself by me as appeareth by many and euident testimonies wherby thou maist and oughtest daily and diligently to exercise thy faith and therein without wauering to addresse thy self vnto the Throane of his grace in my name of whom he gaue testimonie to bee his onely Sonne and for whose sake hee hath promised to giue thee all thinges both corporall and spiritual which thou shalt faithfully pray for in my name and bee assured to receiue the fruite of thy faithfull praier But now thou must beware least as before is sayd thou bee founde vnthanckfull after the receiuing of the blessinges of my heauenly father of what kinde soeuer they bee For thanksgiuing is an acceptable worship vnto him for that thereby he is acknowledged the giuer and disposer of those thinges that tend to thy benefite and he that giueth him praise glorifieth him And this belongeth vnto the righteous and godly ones onely as the Prophet witnesseth saying The voyce of ioye and deliueraunce shall bee in the tabernacles of the righteous saying the right hande of the Lorde hath done valiauntly Thus must thou at all tims for all thinges and aboue al things giue thankes not only for the comforte of the present benefite which thou receiuest at the handes of mine heauenly father but also for that thou hast receiued an assured token of his fauour wherein thou mayst peaceablie passe the whole course of thy life in ful assurance that for my sake thou art at peace with him For if thou omit and neglect this due worship of thanksgiuing when thou hast receiued any singuler benefite or deliuerie froÌ„ any kind of daunger or riddaunce from any calamitie thou deemest mine heauenly father to bee the aucthor thereof and attribute
the meane of thy releefe to fortune wherby thou dishonorest him and quenchest that faith whereby thou oughtest to bee perswaded that what good soeuer light vpon thee he sendeth the same as a certeine token and pledge of his especiall fauour and loue towards thee The sinfull man Loe then I see that praier is through thee the meane to haue What so I want if that in faith and trueth the same I craue And that vnfained thankes I must giue for his passing loue Wherein he doth vouchsafe releefe from heauens high aboue Solace IT is euen so looke therefore vnto the performance thereof accordingly together with the residue of those dueties which thou art bounde vnto towards mine heauenly father as also towards thy neighbours And beware least thou looke backe and returne to thy former wickednes to thine olde vomit Thou art nowe cured sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto thee I haue broken the bandes of Sathan wherein thou wast fast tyed thou art nowe at libertie Bee watchfull therefore and trust in myne heauenly father pray continually and offer the sacrifice of prayse and thanckesgiuing cease not to doe good but refuse to doe euill Walke all the daies of thy life in this narrowe way that tendeth to eternall life and shunne the broad way that leadeth vnto death wherein thou hast walkest in time past but nowe being reclaymed auoyde it that this life once ended thou maist without feare in a cleare conscience appeare enter into that blessed estate wherin y u shalt find nothing but such surpassing eternal ioy and so sweete solace as neither tongue can declare the eare hath not heard the eye seene neither can the hearte of man conceiue the sweetenesse thereof wherein thou shalt liue for euer and receiue such a beautiful Diademe and Crowne of glorie at the hands of mine heauenly father as passeth all vnderstanding Wherefore perseuere in the trueth here imbrace it vnto the end without fainting take holde of the promises in faith reioyce in mee Let the foolish and momentarie pleasures of this worlde goe esteeme them not they are the baytes of Sathan to allure thee to the broad way but be warie auoyde his entisements wherewith he endeuoureth to drawe men into destruction and such as obey him shall haue no part of the promised blessed inheritance but haue their portion in hell fire to whome I will say Depart from mee ye workers of iniquitie into euerlasting torments where shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Looke therefore vnto thy selfe while thou hast an acceptable time be sober and watchfull vnto the ende Mine heauenly Father blesse thee and the holy Ghost guide thee to all goodnes for euermore Amen The sinfull man AL thanks praise oh Lord I doe in humble wise commende To thee who doest such solace sweet vnto poore sinners sende Wherewith thou hast reuiued so my sinfull soule from woe That tongue cānot thy praises due for want of wisedome showe But yet as farre as heart and tōgue can giue I yeeld to thee Accept it Lord though passing thankes thou doe deserue I see For when I was in sinfull plight in Sathans bands opprest Thy tender Sonne came downe to mee to shewe the way to rest My soule did harbor all that was vnto my soule annoye But he hath fraught y e same againe with all surpassing ioye My darknes he hath turnd to light wherein I see the way That leades to life how to shunne what led me long astray The pleasant shewes and fawning cheere of worldly wealth I see The fond delightes peeuish toyes did worke but ill for mee Therewith I was puft vp aloft with plumes of pride so hye That nothing did remaine for me but iust desert to dye For sinne a thousand folde I did within myne heart retaine A burning zeale there was in me to heape vp foolish gaine My heart was led w t deepe delight myne eyes did gaze awrye My truethles tongue within myne head for greedie gaine did lye No pittie or compassion was within my careles breast A thousand cares of worldly wealth my wicked heart possest I thought not on an others woe I passe not for his paine I spared not to pinch the poore to reape my selfe the gaine And thus I liued long secure in sinfull soyle a sleepe Till Solace came and did awake me out of slumber deepe And set before my blinded eyes the reckles race I runne Which now I see I must forsake or rest for aye vndone Wherfore all praise in heart I yeeld oh Lord of Lords to thee Unto thy Sonne and holy Ghost for thus receiuing mee Psal. 119. Oh how sweete are thy wordes vnto my throate yea sweeter then honie vnto my mouth 1. Cor. 15. Death where is thy sting hel where is thy victorie the sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie thorowe our Lord Iesus Christ. A farewell to the Booke I If thou oh sillie Booke doe chaunce to light into the hand O Of any such as takes delight ech others worke to scand H Heare with good will what they will say take not in greefe disdaine N No Booke so good but gets reproofe and trifeling toyes the gaine N No praise exspect way not dispraise ech man will verdict giue O Of thee and me but haue regarde how he or they doe liue R Rash iudgement doth vnstayed mindes in ech degree bewray D Disdaine thou not the deadly doomes therefore of such as they E Euen so farewell in ragged shewe thou must depart from mee N Not pullisht as some pleasaunt Bookes that profite lesse then thee Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos FINIS The foolish conceites of most men that this world doeth fauour as it were at will is commonly thus Worldlie wealth and bodily health are the principall thinges now a daies regarded A great care of the wealthy is to haue a gaye house deckt both within and without after the daintiest fashion 〈…〉 is had to the situation of a worldlie building and none at all for the place where the soule must dwell at last Might without regard to right thinkes the poorer will yeeld for feare And the Landlords think the Tenant bound to yeeld to all his tyrranie Poore men must stoope and yet the more they yeeld the more they are opprest Faire wordes moue men to doe that they after repent The mildnes of the poore make the rich often more cruel By flatterie or threatning by hooke or by crooke he will haue it The rich regard not a poore mans griefe but their owne pleasure and profit The sharper to the poore the sweeter to the rich The poore-mans petition makes the rich man the prouder· The countenaunce of the rich makes the poore man quake The couetous man hath no regarde to the equitie but to thextremitie to worke the poore much w◠Threatning and flatterie seeme contraries and
beleue consisteth in the trinitie Luk. 3 21.22 2. Io. 5.7 2. Cor. 13.13 Gen. 1.1.16 Mat. 3.16.17 Mat. 28.19 Reue 1.8 Gen. 1. Esa. 6.1 45.12 Psal. 33.6 God the creatour of all things· 1 The 1.9 Heb. 2.15 Luk. 1.74 Mat. 4.10 Luk. 4.8 Gen. 1.31 1. Ioh. 1.5 1 Io. 2·29 Gen. 2.26 Ecle 17.3 Wis. 2.23 Rom. 5.12 Gen 3 8. After the fall of Adam sin entred there is none that doeth good 1 Cor. 2·8 Gall. 5 17. 1 Io. 3.8 Dewt. 28.47 Rom. 5·12 wiâ— 13.1 Rom. 3.10 Gen. 3.15 wis 13.1 Ier· 31.30 Ro. 31·33 Ephe. 1.4.5 Gall. 4.4 Mat 1 18 Ier 31 22 Ioh â— 14 Luk 2 7 Esa 61 2 Luk 2 32 Io 12 46 Col 1 15. Psal 45 7. Io 18 37. Act 7 37. 1. Io 3 8. Ioh 5 15. Io 1 14. Christ had two natureâ— deuine and humaine Mar 11 12 13. 2 Sam 7.16 Esa 7 10. Mat 1 23. Mat. 1.23 Christe dyed for the sinnes of the world Ioh. 8.26.40 Mat. 8.20 Luk. 9.58 See the vnspeake able benefite of Christs death Christ the true messias Luk. 2.32 Mat. 26.63 Ioh. 1.14 Luk. 4.15 Mat. 4.15 8.4 Io. 21. Mat. 11 29· Io. 5.18 7.29 Ioh. 7.30 5.32 Mat. 26.34 Mar. 14.1 Luk. 22·2· Mat. 26·53 Mat. 26. Mar· 14· Luk 22. Ma. 27 30.31· Ioh. 18. Mar 15. Luk 23. Ioh. 19. Mat 27.34 Ioh 10.15 Luk. 12.50 Rom. 4 25. Ioh 3 15. Tit. 2.11 Psal 69·6 Mat 27 34. Luk. 22.44 Mat. 27.46 Psal. â—â— â— Mar. 15.34 So heauy was the iust iudgment of god against sinne that Christ through his tormentes in respect of his manhood had thought his faâ—â—er had forsakeÌ„ him Esa. 53. Luk. 24·4 Luk. 24.7 2 Coâ— 5.21 Christ hath payd the ransome for the sins of Adam All men in Christ ouercome death Christ is the way the truth the life Mat 28 18. Io 17 2. Iona 1 17. Mat 27.50 Mar 15 37. Mat 12.40 Ioh. 2 19. Mat. 28 6· Ioh 20.5 Mar 16.19 Luk. 24.51 Collo 20. 1. Pet. 2.21 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 Rom. 8.34 Lu. 3.22 Io. 10.1.2.3 Christ is the onely way meane to bring vs to God Heb. 12.24 Mat. 1 2â— Christ God man sitting at the right haÌ„d of the father making continual mediation for vs. we must mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit Act. 10.42 Rom. 14.9.10 â—3 Io. 5.27 Christ will come againe to iudge both the quicke and the dead and giue to euery man according to their workes Ephe. 5.5 â— Cor. 6.9.10 Ephe. 5.4 2. Cor. 13.14 1. Ioh. 5.7 Mat. 3.16.17 Ioh. 14.16 1. Pet. 1.2 Rom. 8.15.16 1. Ioh. 3.24 Lu. 16.7 2.25 2. Pet. 1.2 Ioh. 4.10 7.38 Gal. 3.2 Mat 13 58. Maâ— 6.5.6 Mat. 10 19.20 Eph. 5 8. Ioh· 13.6 Mat 11.29.30 Iob. 9.19 Lu 1 7.4·75 Io 14.6 Mat. 25.34 1. Ioh. 4.6 Io. 16.8 Luke 24.49 Luke 3.29 Luke 10.20 Ioh. 13 1â— Mat. 15 13. Rom. 12.5 Mat. 13.58 Mar. 6.5.6 Rom. 7.14.15 1. Ioh. 1.4.8 Mat. 26.41 Luke 22.46 Mat. 6.12 Mat. 18.19.20 Ioh 17.21 Rom. 12.5 1. Cor. 1.9 Mat. 6.11 1. king 8.50.51 Luk. 1.77 Ioh. 20.23 Lu. 1.78 Rom. 11.30 1. Pet. 3.20.21 Ioh. 20.21 Mat. 7.23.26 Iob. 19.26.27 Mat. 27.52.53 Mat. 13.30.43 Iohn 5.29 1. Cor. 6 9.10 Ephe. 5.51 Vnbeleeuers are not members of the true Church Act 5.31 11.18 26.8 Tim. 1 2â— Faâ—th and repentance the summe of the Gospell We must bring foorth the fruites of faith We must bee the same inwardly which we would seeme outwardly Beleefe in the holy ghost Heb. 11.32 The operatioÌ„ of faith is wonderfull Faith the foundation of all other vertues Faith must be accompanied with repentance The flesh is fraile AmendemeÌ„t of life the chiefest remedie for the sicknesse of the soule A good caueat Those that are lulled a sleepe thorowe the allurements of Sathan in the pleasures of this world thinke none other happinesse but worldly felicitie The sicknes of the soule much more to be respected then the disease of the body we must haue regard least the doore of our affectioÌ„s open to entertaine the intisements of Sathan We must amend our liues sinne no more The difinitition of true repentance Mat. 3 2. Iohn Baptist baptised none but such as repeÌ„ted their sinnes Psal. 51.4 Dauid repented at the warning of the Prophet Nathan True confession 2. Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrowe Iob. 1.20 Gen. 4.13 Mat 27.5 The sorrowe of Esawe Iudas Cains Euell Act. 1.18 That sorrow which is not of faith causeth not repentance vnto saluation What true repentance is 2. Pet. 3.9 Iet 3.1 Hos. 14.2 Ier. 3.14 18.11 We must speedily repent least we dye in our sinnes Deut. 4.29 2. Cron. 12.12 Roboam repented 2. Cron. 33.12.13 The repentance of Manasses Iudith 4.9.10 The children of Israell repented Marie Magdaline The niniuites Men of the old world not repenting at the preaching of Noe wee drowned The Sodomites and meÌ„ of Gomorra burned with fire brimstone Ierusalem destroyed The iudgemenâ—s of God great against such as neglect his word God is readie to receiue them that truely turne to him Iud. 2â— 14 Col 3.5.6 We must mortifie our euill affections Ephe. 55. Ephe. 2.3 If we repent and beleeue we shal be saued The sorrowe of Esau Cain and Iudas damnable A godly sorrowe God is redy in great mercie to imbrace them that truely turne to him He that will come vnto God must forsake the 〈…〉 of the world We may not presume of our selues to doe any gâ—oâ— thing We can stand fast before we be shaken Presumption is a meane to quench true zeale Sathans deuices to detaine vs from hearing the word of God Some come to heare the word for cauelations sake The beginning of scismes is the misconstruction of the Scripture The Church of God cals them the chapple of Antichrist Mat. 7.13.14 We must cast our selues downe in our owne conceites The death of Christ tooke these ceremonies away The outward showe of repentance is not alwayes accompanied with inward contrition Dissimulation odious before God The maner of sturdie beggers hypocrisie DissimulatioÌ„ deserueth double punishment Ioel. 2.13 Mat. 6.17 The outward showe of repentance meere hipocrysie without inwarde punction In the old world the outward ceremonies were helpes to repentance Dan. 9.3.4.5 The external shewe without faith more abominable True fasting Esa. 18.5 The true fast consisteth not altogether in the abstineÌ„ce from meates Mat. 6. â—6 What true fasting is Psa. 1.16.17 Esa. 58.7 many blessings promised to true fasting Rom. 14.1.3.14 All meates to be taken with thankesgiuing Luke 16.19 1. Pet. 4.3.4 Excesse to be auoyded Ezek â—6 4â— Gluttonie one of the sinnes of Sodomâ— Excesse in eating an enemie to studie and prayer 1. Thes. 4.34 â— Pet. 2.11.12 We must obey those ordinances of man that tend to the glory of God Luke 12.1 Hypocrysie the leuen of the Pharysies Mat. 2.27.3 Exod. 8.8 1. Sam. 15.13 Ioh. 7.20 Esa. 29.13 We must reuenge our selues of our sinnes To make restitution of our goods ill gotten is
done all that thou canst thou art an vnprofitable seruant He that breaketh one commaundement is guilty of all 2 Cor 3 5. Rom 8.8 The first coÌ„maundement Gen 1·1 Act. 14.15 Gen 56 2.4 Exod 12.2 Rom 6.20 Heb 2.14 By the death of Christe are we deliâ—ered from the bondage of Sathan Christ hath answered that discharged vs of that we remaine accursed for Mat. 4.10 Act. 2·20 21 Heb. 11.6 Luk. 4.8 Psal. 44.20.21 Mat. 4.10 We must worship God as we are coÌ„maunded in his worde In all our sutes we must flie vnto god through Christ. It darkneth the mercies of Christ to ioyne anye with him in prayer Esa. 45.21 Heb 1.3 Esa. 44.21 Reuel 22.9 The 2 commaundemeÌ„t Deut. 4.15 We muste make vs no graueÌ„ Image Psal. 97.7 Wis. 15.4 A foolysh obiection Sap. 11.5 Rom. 1.23 The naturall deuises and foolish conceites of men preuayle not with God Luke 8.12 The true worship of God is hearing and doing his word God is a ielous God Hos. 2.4 God is merciful vnto thousands of theÌ„ that loue him and keepe his commaundements The word of God is the onely rule whereby wee must direct the worshiping of him Rom. 8.15.10 Gal. 5.4 Iohn 14.23 2. Cor. 3 The lawe the ministrie of death The third coÌ„maundement Not onely periured persons but all those that vnaduisedly vse the name of God are guiltie of the taking of his holy name in vaine The tongue bewrayeth the affeâ—â—ion of the heart The Lord wil not hold him 〈…〉 abuseth his name A lamentable thinâ— that one man will not beleeue another without swearing In things that we are allowed to sweare we must sweare by none other then by God himsel And why Mat. 5.34 Heb. 6.16 Iohn 1.1 1. King 8.31.32 Proueb 13.13 The 4. Commandement Gen. 2.2.3 What wee ought to doe vpon the Saboth day Esa. 56.2 Esa. 5 8.13.14 The chiefe hallowing of the Sabboth day is ceasing from sinne Housholders are bound to see their families vpon the Saboth day to serue God and to auoyde euill The vntowardnesse of children and seruaÌ„ts doth argue the fathers and masters coldnes in the seruice of Cod. we must serue God not onely on the Saboth day but euery day howe Gal. 5 24. Col 3.5 We may accompt the Saboth onely ordeined to take our bodily rest in The Saboth day abused We haue free passage to God through Christ. It is the free mercie of God in Christ that iustifieth vs. The seruice of God that is not ioyned with the loue of our neighbour is not acceptable 1. Io. 5.2 A testimonie who are the children of Cod. 1. Ioh. 3.15 The fifth coÌ„maundemenâ— Mat. 15.4 Mar. 7.10 Disobedient children God will punish Rom. 13. â— Whome we ought to reuerence The office of a Magistrate most necessarie being duely execucuted The benefite that the Magâ—strate bringeth vnto the common-wealth by executing his authoritie Rom. 13.4 1 Tim. 5.17 〈◊〉 ministers of the word of Gâ—d worthy double honour Preachers the 〈◊〉 of our soules The father ought to haue a care to the bringing vp of his Children and seruanrs Magistrates ought to haue a care to execute their dueties The Ministers Preachers ought to shewe the wil of God not only by word but in life The negligence of Parents dangerous Magistrates ought to haue a care to their dueties Sparing of Iustice dangerous Three things lets vnto iustice Ministers 〈◊〉 Preachers ought to regard their calling Mat. 21.19 Mar. 11.13.14 Preachers must beware least they showe themselues as trees that beare onely leaues and no fruite The 6. Commaundement We must not kill the mâ—aning thereof We must releeue our brethren wherin we are able Hardnesse of heart an argument of little christianitie Ier. 22.13 we ought not to withhold the workemaÌ„s hire An error in the wealthy We must auoyde this crueltie to theit brethreÌ„ This now a dayes not accompted crueltie â—hat can be cloaked with some cuÌ„ning deuise A vaine imagination 1 Ioh 3 2â— Mat 5.20 A notable example of coÌ„passioÌ„ in Iob. Iob. 19.12 mat 25.41 The 7. Commaundement 1. Cor. 10.8 Adulterie an henous offence against God Iob. 31.11.12 Pro. 6.31 1. Thes. 4.3 1. Cor. 6.9 A vaine and wicked excuse The excuse of the frailtie of our flesh a vaine excuse 1. Cor. 6.15 The principal meanes that drawe vs to lust That which we little suspect soonest ouercoÌ„meth vs. Math. 5.28 Euil thoughts forbidden Mariage a meane to auoyde fornication· 1. Cor. 7.36 Chaste wedlocke pleaseth God Idlenes must be auoyded The companie of the wicked to be auoyded The shameles slaues of Sathan Their examples pernicious They that caÌ„ roll out an howres talke of his filthy behauiour are nowe reckoned merrie and pleasant conceated fellowes and more esteemed then the ciuill men 1. Cor. 15.33 Mar. 7.21 Ephe. 5.6 The eight coÌ„maundemeÌ„t whereby we are forbiden to steale What is ment by stealing We may vse no meane to enrich our selues to the losse of another man Our owne vnwiâ—lingnes to be ill dealt withall shuld guyde vs to deale well with other Our priuate gaine hangs in our light that we can not see when we do wrong to other men 〈◊〉 were good 〈◊〉 euery rich 〈◊〉 would consider this The couetous man robbeth many Loue the beâ—â— rule to measure our doing with other men Men of occupation must looke vnto their dealingâ— Vsurie cannot excuse it selfe Pro. 28.8 Psal. 15.5 Mat. 6.34 The ninth CommaundemeÌ„t wherin we are forbidden to beare false witnesse Mat. 19.18 We may not hurt the credite or good fame of our neighbour Deut. 19.18.19 A punishmeÌ„t prouided for such as did hurt their neighbour in goods or good name The tongue an vnruly euill The Iudge must be circumspect in giuing iudgement Things to be auoyded of a iudge A great offence before God yea a most execrable offence to gâ—â—e iudgement against the trueth Pro. 14.23 wresting meÌ„s words and writings to a coÌ„traâ—ie meaning is to be auoyded Mat. 26.61.62 The wordes of Christ wrested to a wrong sence A pernicious practise A foolish and mod wicked deuise to ouâ—â—throwe a mans owne deede when his conscieÌ„ce can accuse his meaning to be so Many spend great summes of money in Law to proue them selues to swerue froÌ„ their true meaning The tenth coÌ„maundement wherein we are forbidden to couet any thing that is our neighbours Luke 10.27 We may not suffer our thoughts to wander after vaine desires Although thoughts are free God will one day take accompt of them Our thoughts although thei be not accompanied with a resolute intent to doe the thing is to be auoyded in euill 1. Cor. 5.6 Loue thinketh not euil Thought bringeth foâ—â—h desire and the desire neuer leaueth vntill the purpose be brought to passe By the lawe is our corruption reueiled The righteousnesse of Christ reputed ours By the lawe we see that without Christ we can not be saued We may not grudge or murmure when we are in any trouble we must arme our selues to fight against Sathan his wicked