if you doe God will surely lead you into all truth Of what side soeuer you be doe nothing against your conscience nor despise the practise of religion in them that are contrarie to your opinion But if you be sure that they are in a wrong way pitie them and praie heartily to God for them that he will mercifully inlighten their mindes and turne their hearts To which ende you must endeauour to serue vnder God with the holy Ghost that you may help to ouercome the enemies of Gods truth not with the weapons of this world as reprochful speaches and bloody practises but with the armour of God as charitie humblenesse meeknesse patience for these are the meanes to ouercome euill with goodnesse and turne mens mindes from false opinions to the true religion True Christianitie is an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices wel-pleasing to God thorough Iesus Christ A true Christian doth faithfully intende to offer first himselfe and then others also vnto God In offering your selfe you must beginne with your heart for God saith Prov. 23 My sonne giue me thine heart Your heart must be wholly set vpon God alwaies desiring to enioy his grace and fauour Secondly your tongue must be sacrificed vnto God that it may be as the pen of a readie writer to glorifie and please God in euery word that commeth out of your mouth Thirdly your apparell gesture eating drinking buying selling borrowing lending labour pastime and all your behauiour must be sacrificed to God that in nothing you dishonour or displease him yea your bodie soule life all that you haue must be dedicated and giuen to the seruice of God A good subiect doth beare the minde to spende both life and goods in defence of his Prince and countrie therefore a true Christian ought much more to sacrifice all his power and possibilitie to vphold the kingdome of Iesus Christ first in maintaining the ministerie of his word and Sacraments 〈◊〉 4.18 which is an offering greatly accepted of God Secondly in succouring his poore with which kinde of sacrifices God is well pleased 〈◊〉 13.16 as it may appeare by that which the holy Ghost saith of a charitable man â—al â—12 â— He hath dispersed he hath giuen to the poore his righteousnesse endureth for euer Whatsoeuer mercie is shewed to a Christian in necessitie â—atth 25. is shewed to Christ himselfe and he that is any waie vnmercifull to a Christian is vnmercifull to Iesus Christ and so Christ will professe at the day of iudgement â—v 25.22 It is a singular sacrifice to doe good against euill kindly to succour your verie enimie in necessitie for thereby you doe your good will to offer your enemie vnto almightie God in turning him from enmitie and euill to peace and goodnesse Saint Iames saith Iam. 5 1â— he that turneth a sinner from going out of his waie shall saue a soule from death and shall couer a multitude of sinnes In what a fearefull case are they that sacrifice many to the deuill driuing them by enmitie or drawing them by euill allurements and naughtie examples as I haue done He that will offer the sweete sacrifice of turning others vnto God must first with all diligence turne himselfe from sinne that his life and conuersation may be holy and vnblameable for then others will beleeue that God is in him and therefore they will haue a good opinion of him All people by the light of naturall reason doe honour vertue and honestie But if your behauiour be faultie as mine is and euer hath beene you are vnfit to turne others beeing not turned your selfe Secondly if your conscience be cleere and your conuersation faultlesse you must not disdaine sinners Luk. 28 10 11. as the proud Pharisie did for then you marre all because pride is of the deuill and God resisteth the proude But you must pitie their case that doe euill and mourne for them as King Dauid did Psal 115 Thirdly you must pray deuoutly vnto God for them that he will mercifully ordaine some meanes to deliuer them out of the Deuills bondage and that it may please him to giue you the grace to be one of his workmen in so honourable a businesse Fourthly you must waite for any fit occasion that you may humblie and kindly intreate them to consider well in what a dangerous case they are displeasing God seruing the deuill and working their owne destruction If you see or heare that any vnder your gouernment doe sinne whether it be your childe or your seruant you are bound to breake them from their sinne by faire meanes if it may be els by correction and punishment But if you see any such sinners as are your betters in degree or such as you haue not the heart to rebuke you must so much the more earnestly pray vnto god for them and striue more painefully to shew them by the light of your conuersation what they ought to doe When you goe about to tell any one of his fault take God in your minde and humble your heart that you may doe it in the spirit of meekenesse gentlenesse peaceablenesse and patience carefully keeping out anger for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God Hee that doth worthily receiue the holy sacrament of Christs bodie and bloode doth offer vnto God many sacrifices together for that sacrament is a representation setting forth of the sacrifice of Christ who vpon the crosse offered himselfe vnto God the father to pacifie his wrath and to purchase his grace for all people whereupon almightie God doth offer his gracious pardon and heauenly blessings to all that will worthily receiue them And if you will worthily receiue the bodie and bloode of Christ you must offer vnto God first a sorrowfull heart for your sinnes confessing them to his glorie and your shame Secondly you must offer vnto God the sacrifice of faith in Iesus Christ beleeuing verily that he is the onely sonne of God God and man and crying vnto God for mercie in his name beseeching God that for Christs sake he will forgiue you your sinnes and clense you from all sinnefulnesse Thirdly you must offer vnto God a charitable heart towards all people for God will not accept your heart if it be not in charitie yea setled to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace Fourthly you must offer your selfe wholly vnto God to doe and to suffer his good pleasure Fiftly you must offer humble and heartie praise vnto God for all his gracious gifts giuen vnto mankinde specially for giuing his onely sonne Iesus Christ to be our Sauiour Sixtly you must offer of your goods a first fruites vnto God towards the supplying of breade and wine for the communion towards the reliefe of the minister and of the poore By baptisme ye are graffed into Iesus Christ as if branches of a wilde vine were graffed into a true vine and by worthie receiuing the holy communion
nature Be not a common swearer for a man giuen to swearing shall be filled with wickednesse You ought not to call God to witnesse vnlesse there be great neede and none other meanes to make the truth knowne O how grieuous it is to heare people old and yong sweare by God without feare of his displeasure Some swear not by God but by their faith and troth by the masse by some Saint by golde and siluer and many others waies But doe not you so 〈◊〉 7. for it is displeasing to God to sweare by that which is not God It is called swearing when any say Gods woundes Gods blood Gods heart Gods nailes Gods foote c. but you shall heare what Christ will call it when he cōmeth to iudgement In the meane time vse no such raging speaches for they grieuously take the name of God in vaine Blesse your selfe from cursing and banning for cursing is the vengeance of God Luk. 9.51 52 53 54. He that wisheth vengeance to fall vpon his verie enemie had neede to be well aduised what spirit is within him Take heede how you heare the word of God that you be not negligent nor contentious nor daintie nor vaineglorious but diligently hunger and thirst for the pure and plaine word of God which if you receiue it in meekenesse is able to saue your soule Some make iestes of Gods word but doe not you so For it is ill iesting with edge tooles Doe not alleadge any part of Gods word but to a good and godly ende and in the feare of God Take heede how you make any vowe to God or how you promise any thing with an oth for whē you haue vowed or sworne your soule is bound Therefore before you vowe consider whether it be pleasing to God and in your power to performe and when you haue made such a vowe rather loose your life then breake it Iesus Christ keepe you from beeing a vow-breaker as I am Mocke no bodie with their pouertie lamenes blindenesse or with any thing which they cannot helpe least you take the name of God in vaine For Salomon saith he that mocketh the poore reprocheth his maker It is a most horrible thing to blaspheme almightie God that is to thinke or vtter any thing dishonourable vnto him It is dangerous in some things to speake that of God which is true Because our blinde vnderstanding is not able to see the depth of his wisdome and righteousnesse Therefore it is your safest waie to be thoroughly perswaded that God in whatsoeuer he doth or suffereth to be done is most perfitly wise and righteous and to refraine your minde from prying into the high questions of Gods fore-knowledge and predestination for the more you look vpon the sunne the worse you shall see and the more you seeke into the secrets of God the weaker will your vnderstanding be Whatsoeuer calamitie or miserie falleth vpon you acknowledge your selfe to haue deserued it yea and much more Submit your heart wholly to God and praise him as well for aduersitie as for prosperitie for that is meete and right So you shall best please him and most ease your selfe They that wickedly blame God for any thing which commeth to passe do both wrong his blessed maiestie and hurt themselues Although all things goe crosse and contrarie vnto you yet praise and blesse the name of God continually yea to the death and in dying Neuer despaire of Gods goodnesse but confesse his righteousnesse and your owne vnrighteousnes and so yeild your selfe to his good pleasure I Neuer kept holy the Sabbath day and therefore am full of all vnholinesse I forsooke the Church to followe euerie vaine pleasure or worldly profit I traueiled vpon sondaies in seruice time And when I went to Church the Deuill perswaded me to come late that I might tarrie the lesse while there Comming into Church I tooke no heede that I came into the house of God to pray vnto him and to learne my dutie out of his word and first I leaned vpon a seate or kneeled charily vpō one knee hiding my face or moouing my lippes that others might thinke I praied when indeede I either saide nothing or with no deuotion I little regarded what the minister praied or what he read in the word of God and if there were any sermon I minded not to heare it but wished for an ende of seruice and sermon that I might goe to my dinner and then to my vaine delights As for eueing praier I either lost it or came short vnto it or howsoeuer I made no reckoning of it being wholly giuen to foolish pastime Thus I made sonday the worst day of the weeke and my selfe the worst sinner of all the world But doe you make it the best daie of the weeke that you may be euery Sabbath daie by the grace of God made better and better till at the length you be fit to enter into the euerlasting Sabbath and rest of God in heauen Therefore leauing your worldly affaires and weaning your hearts from all pleasures of sinne you must desirously intend to keepe holy the Sabbath daie Arise early in the morning fall downe vpon your knees and humbly praie vnto God that he will giue you grace to keepe holy his sabbath daie according to his will Prepare your selfe so carefully to goe vnto the Church as if you were to goe out of this world into heauen Be not deckt in your apparell as if you were to plaie a part in a stage plaie or a may-game but come into Gods house as an humble suiter in such Christian plainenesse of raiment as decently may shewe the lowlinesse of your heart least you displease God and his Angels and giue much offence to Gods people yea and hinder your owne deuotion as I haue done Alas I haue beene exceeding vaine and tooke great pride in comming gaily to Church and so I quenched all desire of seruing God desiring chiefly to see and to be seene Come to Church with the first and not with the last least you come too late to speed Be more desirous and more delighted to serue God then to doe any thing els For it is hee to whome you must trust all other things will deceiue you and forsake you If you be diligent to serue God hee will be carefull to saue you he wil loue you he will come vnto you and dwell with you When you enter into the Church humble your hearts kneele downe vpon your knees lift vp your minde to God crie him mercie for your sinnes craue his grace in Christ Iesus that you may truly please him in all that you shall thinke say or doe When the minister readeth the praiers appointed ioyne you with him thinke that which he readeth word by word and at the ende of euery praier say heartily Amen When any part of Gods word is read giue diligent eare as though God himselfe spake vnto you from heauen When the Minister or any other is about to preach pray
earnestly to God in your heart that God will giue him grace rightly to vnderstand and well to vtter that which is needefull to be preached Doe not desire to heare fine words or wittie conceits for the word of God is most powerfull to saluation when it is most plainly preached because the minde intending onely the will of God the heart yeeldeth wholly to the working of the holy Ghost Although the preacher be long in his sermon yet be not wearie but giue heed to his words vntill he haue made an ende for it is a dishonour vnto God if you neglect to heare his messenger Take heede that you doe not giue any occasion to other folk to turne their minde from seruing God to gaze vpon you or to looke vpon any thing which you bring into the Church with you for so you should doe much harme vnto them and wrong vnto God All the while that you are in the Church keepe your mind steadfastly vpon God let nothing mooue you to turne your eies this way or that way but as a diligent waiting man attend vpon your Lord and master who will be greatly pleased to see your heart and mind earnestly intended vnto him Satan will practise many deuises to turne your heart from God specially by shewing you fine and beautifull women who doe commonly come glistering into the Church after seruice is well begun and then sit or stand in the sight of men When seruice is done betake your selfe vnto God and depart out of the Church for it is no fit place to talke of worldly matters If you must needes reckon or paie or receiue money vpon the Sabbath day yet let it be after euening praier Were I worthie to giue you counsell you should eate and drinke very measurably at Sondaie at dinner that you might be the fitter to serue God also in the afternoone Many come sieldome in the afternoone because they cannot find in their heart to leaue their worldly pleasure or profit and some thinke they can serue God so well at home as at Church But doe not you loose euening praier least you loose that which is praied for He is no good seruant that will not waite vpon his master both at dinner and at supper And goe you to Church for there all the parish ioyneth in praier with you wherefore you shall be heard the sooner Some that you make least reckoning of may be in greater fauour with God then your selfe and then you shall speede the better in praying with them What cause soeuer you alleadge of not comming to Church others will be readie to follow your example for they will thinke they may as well loose their praiers as you The better daie the better deede therefore loue to doe any worke of charitie to such as neede vpon the Sabbath daie to releeue the poore to visit the sicke to counsell the counsellesse to comfort the comfortles and to make peace betweene parties that are in disagreement Delight not much in worldly pastime for it is like the burning of thornes which make a great crackling for a little while but by and by all the noise commeth to nothing O take it vpon mine experience if you wedde your heart to worldly ioy you shall in the ende be ioilesse Therefore giue your minde to consider rightly of time to come and set your loue and delight vpon God and a good conscience for that is a continuall feast which neuer will forsake you And if you had once well tasted it you would not exchāge it for all the worlds good I say againe acquaint your heart with heauenly ioie betime for as that cloath which is thoroughly died blacke will afterwards take none other colour so the heart which is fully possessed with the loue of worldly ioie will very hardly be turned to loue the ioie of God Our blessed Lord God for Iesus Christs sake vouchsafe to giue you grace that you may rest in him and ioie in him which is the right keeping holy of the Sabbath day O The terrible wrath of almightie God I horriblie dishonoured my father and mother euen from my birth vntill they were dead and buryed Therefore I could neuer take good roote in any place whithersoeuer I came great meanes of happinesse haue beene offered vnto me but thorough want of grace I haue alwaies liued wretchedly and runne into many grieuous aduersities I began to dishonour greeue mock and scorne my deare mother so soone as I coulde speake and fell into an hellish vngraciousnes wherewith I haue disgraced and misused my selfe euer since In time also I began to dishonour and greeue my father in which cursed sinne I continued till his death Therefore fewe and troublesome are the daies of my life and that which is worst of all an euill ende is falling vpon me All children take warning by me honour your parents in heart in word and indeede Reuerence them obey them diligently and striue to please them Then will God surely blesse you and you shall prosper in bodie and soule But if you will be leade by the deuill to despice your parents to disobey them and greeue them God will despice you greeue you and destroy you If you haue any waie misbehaued yourselues to your parents cry them mercie vpon your knees and humblie intreat them to praie vnto God that he will forgiue you If your parents doe neede your helpe help them to the verie vttermost of your power When they be sick goe vnto them tarrie about them be readie and put forth your selfe to to doe any thing for them O that children did know what is the worth of a fathers or mothers blessing when their hearts be comforted by the dutifullnesse of their child They would rather then faile creepe vpon their hands and knees to please them The Deuill knoweth this to be true and therefore blindeth childrens eyes and hardneth their hearts least they by honouring their father and mother should procure to themselues the manyfold blessings of God When your parents die mourne for them and bury them in seemelie sort Neuer endure to say or heare any worde against your father or mother If you haue any grandfather and grandmother you must honour them as your father and mother Honour your vnckles auntes brethren and sisters yea and all your kindred for your fathers and mothers sake Moreouer honour all them that haue beene freindes to your father and mother you must honour the King as your father for he vnder God preserueth you in peace from iniurie and violence You must loue your country as your mother for in it you were borne and brought vp You must honour them that are in authoritie vnder the king and all your superiours For they are meanes to keepe good order that you may liue a quiet life in all godlinesse and honestie Meddle not with state-matters aboue your calling for it is a spice of a rebellious nature to call the doeings of higher powers into question and to
ignorance and with the wicked infection of pride enuy wrath couetousnesse and all sinnes euery vice vpon occasion putting it selfe into my sermons Moreouer if I preached anie thing according to the word of God I vtterly vnpreached and denied it in my life and conuersation Alas how many soules may iustly challenge me before the face of Iesus Christ for giuing cause of their damnation I cannot say vpon my conscience that in all this time wherein I haue taken vpon me to be a minister I haue done my duetie so much as to the sauing of one soule A true minister of Christ should be a meanes to turne all euill from his sheepe and to procure all blessings vnto them But I contrarily haue beene a meanes to turne blessings from them and to bring miserie vpon them It had bin better for me to haue gotten my liuing by begging from doore to doore yea lesse had bin my sinne if I had liued by stealing and robbing for he that is a minister and doth not discharge his dutie is a theefe and a robber in the highest degree because he robbeth God of his people and robbeth people of their saluation How is it possible for me to escape the vengeance of hell fire All you that purpose to be ministers in the Church for Christs sake take warning by me Before you enter into the ministerie examine your heart according to your conscience in the sight of God what mooueth you to be a minister and what you principally desire and intend for looke what you minde that you will follow and to compasse the same neglect all other things Therfore if you perceiue that your mind is chiefly set vpon worldly gaine or glorie take no soules to keepe for you will let them sink or swim and notwithstanding what shew soeuer you make they shall be sorily respected and many waies vnfitted But if you doe chiefly aime at the glorie of Christ in the saluation of ChristiaÌ„s you are the blessed of the Lord God increase the number of you for you wil not sticke to loose any worldly commodity yea your owne life rather then hazard the losse of one soule Enter therfore in the name of Iesus Christ But before you take a charge of soules vpon you giue all diligence that you may haue a good vnderstanding in the word of God and that the power of godlines may be in your life and conuersation for if the blind lead the blind they fall both into the ditch and he is gracelesse that hauing sight doth lead the blind out of the way because the blind will follow their leader The peoples eyes are neuer well opened vntill the light of their minister doe so shine before theÌ„ that they may see his good works and glorifie God in following his ensample O happie is that minister that euer he was borne who before he vndertaketh a charge of soules Matth. 4. hath the grace to ouercome the temptations of Satan as Christ did Beeing made a minister and hauing a charge of soules beare alwaies in mind that you must be answearable to Christ for euery one of them So that whatsoeuer a minister might possibly doe to saue them you shall deerely abuie it if you performe it not This mooued S. Paul to warne euery one 〈◊〉 28. teach euery one in all wisdome that he might present euery one perfect in Christ Iesus Therefore you knowing the terriblenes of the Lord must approoue your selfe vnto God and to euery conscience of man woman and child in the sight of God carefully and discreetely waiting vpon your charge that you may giue to euery one their portion of meate in due time You must truly teach Gods people the waie of saluation out of his word Therefore in vnderstanding and expounding the holy Bible follow the consent of auncient and learned writers those especially who are reported to haue liued an holy life for God in all ages doth most respect them that feare him and they haue most certen knowledge of his will Others although they seeme exceedingly learned yet they are full of errors because the spirit of deceit hath power in them Therefore take heede Desire not to be singular nor to differ from others for it is a signe of a naughtie spirit which hath caused much euill in the world from the beginning Teach people that which doth necessarily concerne their saluation for it is a temptation of the deuill to busie folkes minds with by-matter that they may neglect the maine worke of sauing their soules A minister ought diligently to take particular knowledge of his charge who be yong in vnderstanding who be ripe in discretion who be sick in sinne and who be sound in soule that he may accordingly diet them Much preaching and teaching doth not take that good effect which it might if peoples vnderstanding were ripened to heare it There is a certaine teaching called the A b c of Gods word because euen as a scholler must learne to know letters and to spell them together before he can read Heb. 5.12 so must a Christian first learne the ground worke of religion before he can well proceede in the vnderstanding practise of Gods word I haue found elderly people that seemed to be much delighted in hearing the word of God preached yet notwithstanding strangely ignorant in the foundation of faith As for example they did beleeue in the sonne of God and yet did not thinke that he was in time before the virgin Marie How is it possible that people should be ignorant of such points commonly preached and printed Because they are not instructed orderly pithily and plainly orderly as children are taught to read pithily for many wordes and toilesome circumstances doe bring an ignorant hearer into a wood where he looseth himself plainly for tearms of art and fine eloquence are not sutable to the gospel of Christ because in darkning the vnderstanding of some tickling the eares of others they hinder the working of the matter Fie vpon all vaine glorious shewes for the kingdome of God is not in word 1. Cor. 4.20 but in power If you doe not so teach the will of God that the verie ignorant may well vnderstand it and keepe it in rememberance what answer can you make to Iesus Christ when he calleth you to a reckoning Although a scholler be taught to knowe his letters yet many times he is not well instructed to spell them together So the foundation points of religion may be taught and yet not put well together for example Rom. 3.28 Christians are iustified by faith in Iesus Christ without the works of the law This is one point â—at 16.27 â— Cor. 5.10 Christ will iudge all people according to their works answerable to the practise of their liues This is an other point Now vnles these two points be rightly ioyned together the deuil wil make some vtterly neglect works and other altogether to presume vpon their owne deserts Iustifying faith
verie carefull of bringing vp their children whereupon a learned Iewe was wont to saie that Christians were called tillers because they did diligently till the heartes of those that were vnder their charge sowing in them the seedes of godlinesse There are too few such tillers now adaies that heauenly husbandrie and blessed tillage is laide aside Our most mightie Lord God for his sonne Iesus Christs sake restore it and be mercifull to young children that his holy Ghost may fill their hearts with grace and goodnesse Amen Amen AS I grew in age so I increased in sinne prouoking Gods displeasure continually who notwithstanding patiently indured me yea deliuered me out of many deadly dangers whereinto I by follie and sinne did thrust my selfe from time to time Moreouer of his great goodnesse he gaue me knowledge of his righteousnesse and of mine owne sinnes moouing me oftentimes to leaue the waie of damnation and turne vnto his blessed maiestie thorough Iesus Christ assuring my heart that in so doing I should be blessed but otherwise cursed and condemned But all this did not preuaile with my reprobate heart which beeing vtterly hardened in sinne and voide of repentance causeth me to heape vp wrath vpon wrath and vengeance vpon vengeance to the increasing of mine euerlasting torments in hell fire All maner of people yong and olde take heede by me Haue no more Gods but one Consider well what he hath done for you He made you at the first like vnto himselfe in wisdome and holinesse and when you were by sinne made like the deuill and must therefore haue beene condemned to hell torments God sent his onely sonne who taking vnto him a bodie and soule was a man and suffered great wrong and a shamefull death to procure your pardon and to buie you out of the Deuills bondage that ye might be renued to the likenesse of God And now he hath sent the holy Ghost to enter and take possession of your hearts clensing you from sinne which is the Deuills likenesse and making you righteous which is the likenesse of God to the ende ye might be fit to keepe companie with all Saints in the ioyes of heauen Call to mind how long ye haue intertained the deuill and kept out the holy Ghost and with how great patience God hath hitherto suffered you and kept you aliue because he would not haue you perish but 〈◊〉 and be saued O what is the reason that people doe not loue this God aboue all things yea aboue their owne life Surely the 〈◊〉 is because they lacke faith for they doe not esteeme it their onely happinesse to be in the fauour of God but like vnto bruit beastes giue credit to deceitfull shewes and flattering enticements and so are wilfully snared of the Deuill who with his alluring baites draweth them on to destruction and the further he draweth them the surer he is of them Therefore all people for Gods sake take heede doe not delaie the time as I haue done thinking to turne vnto God to morrow and next daie for the longer you continue in sinne the harder it will be to repent because the deuill doth euery day get more and more power in you till your heart be fulfilled with wickednesse and so God doe euerlastingly forsake you Neuer be at quiet with your heart vntil you be in loue with God Studie and striue to compasse the loue of God ioye in whatsoeuer furthereth you vnto it grieue in all that hindereth you from it How shall I endeauour to loue God loue that which is good and hate that which is naught for good cōmeth of God and euill is of the deuill The thought is the beginning of your good and of your euill An euill thought is sent from the deuill and if you entertaine it it bringeth in the deuill A good thought is sent from the holy Ghost as a messenger vnto your soule if you receiue it and make much of it in your heart the holy Ghost will enter and putting out the Deuill will fill you full of heauenly grace Therefore doe as the Psalme biddeth you 4.7 lift vp your heads O ye gates and be ye lifted vp ye euerlasting doores and the King of glorie will come in Withdrawe your minde from all euill thoughts and thinke vpon God and godlinesse cleaue thereunto with full purpose of heart and studie how you may alwaies doe his will with diligence and suffer his pleasure with patience assuring your selues that if you giue your minde to serue him hee will not saile you nor forsake you but preserue you to his euerlasting kingdome and glorie doe not endure to thinke say or doe any thing against your conscience but alwaies be carefull to please God My heart beeing not knit vnto God but to the world I framed my religion to mine affection and mine affection to imagination first I was hote against the Romane religion then being much befreinded by some that fauoured that religion I to gratifie thē grew in good liking of it also yea so farre forth that I became a recusant was receiued into the Church of Rome by a Seminarie Priest and did what I could to perswade manie others to leane that waie But when trouble was likely to fall vpon me I went to Church againe and so by little and little fell off yet so as wheresoeuer I found any of that religion I was still sutable vnto them After this I beeing kindely vsed of some that were commonly called Puritans tooke liking of their opinions yea and in some points was readie to runne beyond them and all this in great shew of zeale towardes God so that I made my selfe beleeue that I was in the right waie and did well I doe often wonder at my selfe how feruent I was first a Protestant then a Romane Catholike afterward a Precisian so that I tooke vpon me to rebuke many yea and some of high degree as though I had beene a verie man of God full of the holy Ghost whereas indeede the deuill was in my heart and therefore all my waies were sinnefull and displeasing vnto God O all ye Christian people take heede by me doe not rashly giue your minde to fancie this or that religion but first of all settle your heart in the feare and loue of God Make conscience betweene God and your soule of all that you thinke say or doe Serue God in your spirit vnfainedly turning from sinne and striuing to please him Till you be thus setled in true godlinesse it is vaine yea and daungerous to hammer meddle with points of religion for your heart beeing vncleansed and your affections vnrighted God is not your leader but the deuill who will strangely deceiue you and make you proude of your doings when you stinke in your sinnes before the face of God Therefore submit your selues humblie to God weane your soules from sinne that ye may be wedded to Iesus Christ and by his spirit bring forth such fruits as are pleasing to God which
of Christs bodie and bloode ye are fedde and filled with the graces of Christ as graffes are nourished with the sap of that tree whereupon they are graffed I wicked wretch receiued first for fashion sake negligently afterward inclining to the Romane religion I receiued for feare of the lawes of this land against my will disdainfully reckoning it as a thing of naught which I receiued Whereby I doe thinke in my conscience I did sore displease almightie God The Lord Iesus Christ giue grace that no man or woman may hereafter receiue his bodie and bloode vnworthily I was not giuen to pray vnto God nor indeede knew howe to praie and therefore was not blessed in that which I did practise All people be carefull to praie alwaies in the beginning continuance and ending of all good emploiment Whensoeuer you are about to thinke to say or to doe any thing praie vnto God that he will for Christs sake giue you the grace to thinke saie and doe his will and for euery blessing which hee giueth vnto you be mindefull and forward to giue him thankes When you purpose to praie vnto him or to praise him quicken your faith in this maner first beleeue that you are in the sight and hearing of God beleeue it so verily as you did see him with your bodily eies Secondly consider his almightie maiestie and your owne vile basenesse being as you are a sinner dust ashes and thereupon humble your heart as if you would cast your selfe flatte vpon the ground before him Thirdly with all reuerence and diligent discretion lift vp your minde and vtter your heart vnto him You may well praie to God or praise him in your heart although your mouth speake it not but you cannot well speake vnto him with your mouth vnlesse your heart doe wholly intend and thinke vpon that which you say for it is your heart that God giueth heede vnto In your praier and thankesgiuing shunne the pride of words for God loueth plaine speech and vse no needlesse circumstance because he loueth no idle words Be very carefull and fearefull least in any thing that you say vnto him you displease him for we are apt to displease God euery way yea euen when we thinke to please him Pray very leisurely for hast maketh wast Because I wanted instruction how to praie I am desirous to helpe others the best that I can Let your first praier be for the forgiuenesse of your sinnes in some such maner as this O almightie and most dreadfull Lord God I loathsome sinner vnworthie to liue in thy sight doe humbly beseech thee that for thine onely sonne Iesus Christs sake thou wilt vouchsafe to forgiue me my sinnes and to clense me from my sinfulnesse that I may be thine humble and true seruant for vnto thee all honour and glorie is due world without ende Amen When you purpose to thinke vpon to speake or to doe any thing pray for grace good speede O almightie God Lord of heauen and earth the onely giuer of all good speede and prosperitie I beseech thee â—o forgiue me my sinnes and so to blesse me â—n this businesse which now I doe intende â—hat it may be prosperous to thy glorie thorough Iesus Christ thine onely sonne who with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be honoured in heart word and deede henceforth for euer and euer Amen When you receiue any blessing or prosperitie from God praise him heartily O most blessed and bountifull Lord God what am I that thou giuest such blessing vnto me I am a vile sinner worthie of nothing but miserie and damnation and therfore it is thy meere mercie that I am thus blessed O good Lord I humbly beseech thee to continue thy gracious fauour towards me and to make me euery way vnfainedly thankfull vnto thee for the same thorough Iesus Christ thine onely sonne who with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be vnfainedly praised for euer and euer Amen When sicknesse or any aduersitie falleth vpon you the first thing you doe humble your selfe vnto God O most holy and righteous Lord God I doe confesse that thou maiest iustly destroie me bodie and soule for my many and grieuous sinnes wherewith I haue daily and hourely displeased thee all my life long therefore I am bound to praise thee because thou hast suffered me all this while and now doest so fauourably chasten me to the end that I should repent and not be condemned O most mightie Lord nothing can happen vnto me without thine ordinance Therefore I beseech then that I may humbly patiently and thankefully take this thy correction to the amendment of my life and to the glorie of thy blessed name thorough Iesus Christ thine onely sonne who with thee and thy holy Ghost three persons and one God be rightly worshipped obeied and praised for euer and euer Amen When any crosse or aduersitie doth lie so heauie vpon you that you can not endure it make humble supplication to God O father of mercie and God of all comfort I vile wretch am much grieued vnder the burden of my sinnes and thou hast not laide the whole weight of them vpon me I doe heartily thank thee that thou hast not ouerwhelmed me with thy dreadfull wrath which I haue all my life time deserued and â—lso I humblie beseech thee that if it may â—and with thy good pleasure thou wilt â—ouchsafe to ease me of this which I nowe â—uffer that I may the better be able to doe â—hee seruice but if it please thee not thy will 〈◊〉 holy thy wil be done onely vouchsafe me â—omfort and patience most blessed Lord â—hat thy holy name may be glorified of me â—n mine obedient suffering thorough Iesus Christ thine onely sonne who with thee â—nd the holy Ghost three persons and one God be honoured and praised for euer and â—â—uer Amen I was not accustomed to say grace when I was young but sometime saide it for a â—aine glorie and finding the fashion of the world to be like vnto the manner of bruit â—oastes following nature and not grace I became a beast my selfe falling to meate without any acknowledgement of Gods goodnesse Afterward finding that Iesus Christ himselfe and all good Christians vsed to say grace I was touched in conscience and meant to vse it but hauing not the power to subdue mine owne will nor the heart to contrarie the course of them with whome I liued I remained as a reprobate vncouth and vnframable to euery good worke All people for Gods sake accustome your selues to haue grace before and after you eate and drinke If it seeme vncouth vnto you as it doth to many people be afraide for it is an ill signe shewing that your heart is a stranger to God and if you be strange to him he will be strange to you Therefore by any meanes ouercome that ill qualitie and giue your selfe to grace But you may say it is so out of vse with most
folk that if I offer to say grace among them they wil thinke scornfully of me and reckon me a precise foolish bodie I answer first if you be the disciple of Christ you serue a good master be not ashamed of him and his seruice least he be ashamed of you at the day of iudgement Secondly if you for seruing God be ill thought of a blessed soule are you â—tth 9.10 â—â— It is a great fauour of God if hee vouchsafe to giue you the grace to suffer any wrong for his sake For great is their reward in heauen that are any waie persecuted for righteousnesse sake Grace before meate O blessed Lord God I humblie beseech thee to pardon my sinnes and to blesse the foode which it pleaseth thee to giue me that I may be thereby nourished made able to doe thee true seruice in my calling through Iesus Christ thine onely sonne our Lord and Sauiour Amen Grace after you haue eaten and drunken O most mercifull Lord God I am bound to giue thee humble and heartie thankes for thy manifold blessings giuen vnto me and to all mankinde Therefore I beseech the to giue me grace that I may be continually thankfull vnto thee thorough Iesus Christ thine onely sonne our Lord Amen Vse often to say the Lords praier so called because our Lord Iesus Christ made it and taught it his disciples It is a most heauenly praier short and sweete containing all that we neede in fewe wordes Therefore you must say it very leisurely and also vnderstandingly According to my weake vnderstanding I will by the grace of God briefly open vnto you the meaning of the Lords praier O father of Iesus Christ The Lâ— prayâ—ned and thorough him the father of all true Christians of which number I trust that by thy grace I am one Thy glorious maiestie and powerfull greatnesse filleth heauen and earth but in heauen thy ioyfull countenance is to be seene Thy name is holy O let the holinesse thereof be euery day more and more set forth that al the world may honor thee in heart word and deede Thou art the onely rightfull King of heauen and earth but the Deuill by temptation hath made vs rebell against thee O let the kingdome of thy grace come into our hearts and put out Satan for euermore Thine Angels and Saints in heauen doe altogether obey thy will O graunt that we children of men here vpon earth may likewise be obedient vnto thee in all things Our bodies doe daily neede the comfortable supplie of foode raiment lodging and such like O giue vs therefore such continuall comfort as thou knowest we cannot be without and because it is dangerous to our foules to haue too much or too little of worldly goods we beseech thee to giue vs neither more nor lesse but iust so much as by thy grace may best fit vs to serue and please thee Our sinnes doe deserue thy wrathfull vengeance and euerlasting torment in hell fire yet of thy wonderfull mercie thou doest offer vnto vs thy gracious pardon thorough Iesus Christ with condiâ—â—on that we shall heartily forgiue all that â—ffend vs O good Lord we doe forgiue â—hem from the bottome of our hearts and â—s we doe forgiue them and not seeke reâ—enge against them so wee praie thee to forgiue vs and not to late thy heauie vengeance vpon vs. The deuill by meanes of this world and our owne naughtie inclination can easily ouercome vs and tempt vs to his pleasure Therefore we beseech thee that thou wilt not giue vs ouer into his handes but by thine almightie goodnesse preserue vs from Satan and all his partakers For the kingdome of all blessednesse is thine thou art the right owner of all goodnesse all power commeth from thee and therfore all glorie and praise is due onely to thee O father almighty with thy sonne and thy holy Ghost for euermore Be it euen so Amen Pray often and with great deuotion vnto God that all Christian people may be knit together by the holy Ghost in one faith and one charitie and shew forth the mightie power of God in their liues and conuersations that the Iewes Turkes and all misbeleeuing people may thereby take knowledge that Christian religion is the onely true worshipping and seruice of God and thereupon turne to be true Christians For it is not warre nor worldly conquest that turneth people vnto God but the holy praiers and heauenly liues of them that serue God IF God will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine what shall become of me who haue all my life time most grieuously taken his name in vaine euery kind of way For first I professed my selfe a Christian that is a child of God thorough Iesus Christ but indeed I haue been heretofore the child of the deuill because I haue done his will and not Gods will Secondly I tooke vpon me to be a minister of Christ that is a messenger sent of God to ioyne with the holy Ghost in trayning people to be children of God but indeede I ioyned in worke with the deuill to make people his children The verie name and word of God I vsed vainely rashly vnreuerently and vndiscreetly to glorifie and please my selfe not to glorifie and please him All Christians take heede to your selues if you weare the Kings liuerie serue not the Kings enemie You were christened in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy Ghost therefore serue God and not the Deuill least it be prooued against you at the day of iudgement that ye tooke Gods name in vaine and so ye be found guilty At that daie neither shall the onely preaching nor the onely hearing of Gods word be allowed for both take the name of God in vaine because the one preacheth and practiseth not the other heareth and doth not the will of God therefore both shall be cast away with this grieuous sentence I knowe you not Matth. 23. Luk. 13 27. awaie from me ye workers of vnrighteousnesse Therefore frame your selues to be obedient vnto your Lord God and doe not think speake write heare or professe his name or his word without due discretion and groat reuerence Doe not make so light reckoning of your God as to vse his name or his word in idlenesse It is idle to call vpon the name of God without good cause and reuerent manner as some will say O God what a iest is this O Iesu who euer hard the like In any such speaking you are too bold with your God It is also a vaine taking of Gods name to praise him in scorning or blaming oothers as some will not be content to say of an idle bodie he liueth idlelie but they will say God be thanked he liueth idlelie O doe not thank God for any sinne because you should so doe him great wrong and of all things he cannot abide it to be noted as the cause of sinne which is farre from his most holy
word or deede first consider well whether you haue giuen anie cause either speciallie touching that partie or by anie misbehauiour examine your heart before the face of God as he shall iudge your soule and if you finde your selfe anie waie in fault crie God mercie both for your owne sinnes and for his that hath thereupon done you harme for if you had not giuen cause he had not sinned in harming you by word or deede But if your conscience be cleare that you be hurt by them to whome you haue giuen no cause then if you can haue true patience you are Gods owne childe If a man were by the lawes of the Realme condemned to die a grieuous death and might escape with condition that his coate should be beaten and he take it patientlie it is to be thought that he would be verie glad of the condition and striue to be patient you are a sinner and therefore by the law of God worthie to suffer death in hell fire where the damned are euer in extreame pangs of death and yet they neuer die God of his mercie offereth you pardon through Iesus Christ vpon condition that you shall patientlie suffer the aduersities and iniuries of this world Therefore looke well to your selfe and by your patience keepe your soule Matth. 1 23 24 25 least breaking the condition you forfeit your pardon and so be tormēted Take heed how you iudge of any bodie for you may be many waies deceiued euen in that which you see much more in that which you heare and most of all in that which you surmise Doe not wish no nor imagine any euill to happen vpon any of Gods people but thinke and wish well to all yea to your e-enemies praie earnestly to God for them Doe not reioice to see or heare any euill of others but sorrow and grieue at it nor grieue to see or heare of the prosperitie of others but reioice at it Then are you in charitie els not Whatsoeuer aduersitie happeneth vnto you humble your selfe to God and take it patientlie least you hurt both body soule with worldlie sorrow as I haue done Haue a good conscience towards God and be in charitie and peace with all people then nothing can ouercome you Be slowe to speake and when you speake let your speach be gracious powdred with heauenlie salt that you may harme none of Gods people in any word that you vtter Before you speake be well aduised what you say of whome and to whome what you say for you must giue a reckoning of euerie idle word One needles word draweth out an other and commonly causeth much euill communication Take heede of whome you speake for you must not call any bodies name into question vnlesse it be to some good and charitable purpose It is an hellish propertie of mine to occasion speach of any in place where they are likelie to be ill spoken of whereby I set them as a marke for others to shoote at Take heede to whome you speake for some are of that qualitie that you can hardlie saie any thing to them but they wil pick some euill out of it Therefore let your words be few and wiselie spoken Neuer speake word to reproach any man woman or child It is naught to reuile our enemie worse to speake ill of him that neuer did you harme but an horrible wickednesse to disgrace your friend Some will say Is it not lawfull to call a spade a spade I answer you by a notable example S. Iude writeth that Michael the Archangel beeing in strife with the deuill durst not giue any reproachfull word Whie durst he not Surelie for displeasing God If it be displeasing to God that an holie Angel should speake any reproach to the deuil how can we safely quip taunt revile defame curse and banne one an other A word of reproach is grieuous to him of whome it is spoken maketh others to thinke hardlie of him and may cause his destruction Cursers are murderers for if it please God to suffer their curse to take effect the partie cursed is murdered by the deuill They that sooth and flatter others in euil are murderers for they thrust them forward into destruction Neuer practise any deceit to draw an other into danger for God hateth blood thirstie and deceitfull men Be not double tongued to speake faire to ones face and foule behind his backe Make no debate nor be a tale-carrier for all such are set a work by the deuill to cause mischiefe and murder in the world Vse no man woman or child vncharitably be kinde to all and cruell to none Be carefull to succour the needie least they perish through want of that which you might doe for them Goe often to them that are sicke but goe with a good intent to good purpose Sicknesse warneth the sicke to prepare towards heauen Therefore you must not talk much of earthly matters for a small touch plucketh him downeward that is weakely going vp the hill but helpe him vpward the best that you can with heauenly communication Take heede that you giue none euill example in word or deed for it is like the poysoned infection of the plague which may goe farre and cause the destruction of many If you would be cleere from all blood-guiltynesse flee from enmitie and labour to be in peace and to make peace To be in peace first and foremost with God for if there be enimitie betweene God and you you take the waie to murder your owne soule Secondly if you can possiblie with a good conscience haue peace withall people yea sue and seek for it Because enmitie can hardly be without much vncharitablenesse And greeuous is the danger thereof as I finde and feele by woefull experience If your waies please God as mine did neuer he will make your enemies to be in peace with you And then you shal prosperously practise to be a make-peace betweene God and your neighbour and betweene neighbour and neighbour by your godly life and good counsell When you see or heare that anie are in enmitie pitie their case as if their houses were a fire and they themselues liklie to be burned pray vnto God for them that they may be rightly agreed and practise what good meanes you can to quench the fire but come not to neere it least you be also fired meddle not to much with the pointes in controuersie for it is a very dangerous businesse Keepe your selfe alwaies indifferent not holding with one nor with the other for a partaker cannot be thought to beare an euen hand betweene them Remember well the saying of Salomon Prov. 10 It is honour for a man to keepe himselfe out of contention but fooles will be medling Striue to liue quietly So shall you escape many troubles preuent much mischeefe and inioy many blessings ALas how shall I doe without holinesse none shall see God I haue alwaies possessed my bodie in vnholinesse and dishonour for euen from my childehoode I was
and am defiled with fleshly lust which hath consumed my bodie and cancred my soule so that I am before God a most ougly monster and a detestable loathsome wretch This hellish fire was first kindled in my heart by seeing lewde behauour and harkening to filthy talke whereby I grewe to be of so beastly an imagination that I could hardly see or heare anie thing but presently I turned it to some meaning of lust To quench this fire I some time thought vpon Origens remedy sometime I purposed marriage but all in vaine for to this daie I continue inflamed with it and neuer had the grace to be freed from it O all ye children of men liue in the feare of God and beginne betimes to hate this foolish and filthie sinne for if it once take possession of your heart it will haunt you like an euill spirit Therefore doe not endure to see heare or thinke any vnclennesse If any beginne to talke read or sing matter of beastlinesse flee out of their compaine for it is the deuill that setteth them a work to fire your hearts Whatsoeuer lewd ballet booke or picture coÌ„meth to your hands teare it all to peeces or burne it to ashes for whosoeuer made it the deuill deuised it for your destruction If God doe see that you hate all causes of filthinesse he will loue you deerelie and many excellent graces he will giue vnto you Parents and gouernours of children keep them carefully from the delite of this sinne It is not good that boyes and girles should lie in bed together nor plaie in priuate places for the deuill watcheth his time to work his temptation vpon them It is strange and I should not beleeue it but that I remember it since I was a child how younglings will draw one an other to this filthie sinne All people if you desire by the grace of God to be preserued from this fierie filthines in the name of Iesus Christ settle your hearts to praie and to practise for chastitie O most holy Lord God who in the beginning of this world didst make man and woman and marrie them together ordaining that they should with so vndefiled hearts increase their kind as in eating and drinking they nourish their bodies But euer since Sathan by temptation had drawne them awaie from thee thine holy ordinance is broken for people doe rather giue themselues to the delight of beastly lust then to the desire of blessed increase Whereupon they pamper and paint out themselues that they may followe their filthinesse allure one an other thereunto Moreouer by the procurement of our old enemie the deuill this world is so full of temptation that I am continualy in danger by seeing hearing or some one waie or an other to be infected by loathsome lust yea although there were not such abundance of outward alurements yet mine owne heart is readie to betraie me to the deuill Therefore I doe humbly beseech thy blessed maiestie that it may please thee to preserue me from all temptations of lust all the daies of my life And if it be thy will that I shall marrie good Lord giue vnto me a vertuous wife that we may christianly liue together not in the vnsatiable lust of vncleanes as they that know thee not but in such godly temperaÌ„ce that our minds may be holy our bodies healthie our children if thy pleasure be to send vs any holy and able to doe thee seruice Most mercifull God grant me this my prayer for thy sonne Iesus Christs sake to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and glory henceforth for euermore Amen Now with daily prayer ioyne diligent practise Giue your selues to some good exercise and labour flie from idlenesse Pamper not your bodies with gluttonie and drunkennesse but vse verie sober diet abhor all brauerie of apparel be cloathed only as becommeth a christian in your degree Whatsoeuer it be that mooueth you any way to the thought or desire of lust leaue it and turne from it I doe heartly wish holinesse to al people but being a wreched man I doe specially intend my confession vnto men All men young or old I beseech you giue your heart and mind to holy thoughts and heauenly desires detest all motions of filthinesse which tend to displease God destroie you bodie and soule Doe not muse of woman nor let your eies be delighted in behoulding their beautie and finenesse giue no regard to their coie behauiour tripping and dauncing Take no pleasure in hearing their delicate talking sweet singing and amorous playing for the deuill is readie when you are any way touched with delight of women presently to kindle his fire in your heart Be not much familiar with any woman specially alone for it will cause danger to you and suspition to others If you see a woman to be verie fellowly iudge her not for she may be good but be you a stranger vnto her least Satan make you naught Doe not dally iest or plaie with woemen least it happen vnto you as to the flie that playeth about the caÌ„dle till she haue spoyled her flying As you must carefully keepe your selues from being enflamed with lust so also you ought to take great heede that you giue none occasion to enflame any of Gods people O what an hellish part it is to ioyne with the deuill in tempting others A man and his wife should not dally one with an other in the sight of any no not of their owne children least it mooue them to euill thoughts An heathen man among heathen people was put to great disgrace because he kissed his wife in the sight of his daughter This is a notable example for christians that make no conscience to infect others by word and deede apparell gesture and euerie waie that can be deuised â—th 18.6 you knowe that Christ saith it were better for a man to be cast into the sea with a milstone about his necke then to giue any occasioÌ„ to make an other to sinne O ye women I pray you that for Christs sake ye will consider why God was so displeased with the daughters of Sion Esa 3.16 for their fine attire and wanton behauiour and also why the holy Ghost doth will christian women to decke themselues with vertues and not with costly raiment Surely it semeth to me that one cause is the great danger of men who are inticed to lust by the trimnesse of women And is not an other cause the wasting of Gods goods vpon vaine ornaments Take heede least God doe one daie call you to a reckoning for euerie pennie idly bestowed and for euerie man by your meanes tempted O the modestie of women what an heauenly preseruatiue and remedie it is against lust Yong men pray humbly and feruently to God that you be not stained with lust and if you finde your bodies dangerouslie subiect thereunto striue to keep your minds cleane Rather then yeild to any vnlawfull act of fleshlinesse intend your selfe
to marrie for mariage is an honourable calling and holy before God It is farre better to be maried and very poore with honestie then to be vnmaried and very rich with dishonestie If you meane to marrie pray vnto God that he will giue you grace well and wisely to gouerne and maintaine a maried life praie also that hee will match you with a godly wife And as you praie so practise by all good meanes to procure the blessings which you praie for Commending your selfe to the pleasure of God be well aduised before you make choise of a wife and when you haue once setled your minde let nothing cause you to repent or forsake your choise I had beene a married man and freed from the flames of lust but that I gaue eare to those that disliked the partie whome I had good cause to like and to loue notwithstanding whatsoeuer they could say against her I was accursed and therefore vnsteadfast in all good courses Beeing determined to marrie a woman hate the thought of making her your concubine before shee be your lawfull wife least God in great displeasure doe lay some one plague or an other vpon you O that you knew what a blessednes it is for a man and a woman to come into the Church before the face of God and his Angels there to be maried beeing both vndefiled I Haue beene a thiefe many waies when I was a child I remember I was giuen to steale apples and afterward I purloined diuers things yea money from my father and mother I bought things and neuer paied for them I did steale bookes and deceiued others by many shifts when I was put in trust to buie any thing for an other I made them beleeue that I paied more for it then indeede I did and commonly took vp much commodities for mine owne vse and left it vpon their reckoning whome I serued specially when I was a young scholler in the Vniversitie where I did much wrong my good friends When I bought any thing I made much adoe to get it better cheape then it was worth dispraising it and promising to helpe the seller to custome I haue bought things for halfe the worth of such as haue wanted money Contrariwise if I sold a thing I falsly praised and prized it at more then it was worth professing that I would not haue parted from it but for neede of money or for loue of the buier I haue made them paie extreamely that were earnest to buie any thing which I had If I found any thing I closely kept it to my selfe yea and sometimes I found things before they were lost Once one found certain monie who seeing me goe that waie thought it had beene mine and therefore gaue it me and I tooke it for mine owne although I lost none I haue taken reward for doing many things which I did not as I ought to haue done I haue not well rewarded many that did for me yea I haue diuers times done euill to them that did good to me In matter of reckoning when some haue not remembred so much as I owed vnto them I paied them according to their remēbrance and kept the residue to my selfe against my conscience I haue taken wages for schooling children and ministring in the Church but did not truly performe my dutie and therefore am a theefe I haue beene giuen to gaming and therein practised deceit which people doe call foule-plaie but before the face of God it is very theft I haue by faire words and pleasing promises gotten many things of others for which I made no recompence I haue set some to worke for me haue paid them too little for their paines I haue beene a broker to helpe one to get goods from an other once I was a meanes to make a man giue house and land from his kinred to an other In performing which worke I wrought with the deuill and practised much deceit I haue borowed things and either not restored them at all or not in so good sort as I receiued them I haue heartned some to trust others by whome they haue beene deceiued I haue many waies wasted and hurt the goods of other folke carelesly couetously and spitefully I haue oftentimes beene very partiall in question touching goods betweene partie and partie because I haue beene ill conceited of the one or well opinioned of the other or thought to be a gainer by the businesse I haue many waies counselled aided and concealed vnrightfulnesse By all these waies and many more which I can not remember Zach. 5.1 2 3 4. I haue beene a theefe and therefore the huge booke of Gods curses written against theeues doth take holde vpon me and will not leaue me till I be brought to naught O ye people of God for Christs sake be carefull to keepe your selues true and iust Doe not get so much as a pinne with an euill conscience for howsoeuer the deuill blindeth you yet one daie you shall see that all naughtie gaine will haue a naughtie end Practise no deceit nor crueltie in buying selling chopping changing borrowing lending gaming or any waie els for God will surely laie his vengeance vpon all that make any vniust gaine or diminish the goods of others Make no commoditie by any trade or practise that hindreth your neighbour or is against a common good Doe not take or hold from any that which in conscience is due vnto them for goods wrongfully gotten or kept from the right owner doe continually crie vnto God for iustice against you Therefore if you haue by any manner of meanes hurt hindred or diminished the good of any yeelde due recompence vpon true repentance to the partie wronged or if he be dead to his heires or if he be dead without heires or you cannot finde the partie to whome restitution is due giue it to the poore But if you haue no abilitie to make satisfaction confesse the wrong to the partie whome you haue wronged and praie him to forgiue and at least praie vnto God continually that he will plentifully recompence them whom you haue iniuried powring vpon them his blessings in bodie and soule If you thinke that Christs religion doth not require satisfaction of wrongs you are deceiued Luk. 19.8 for Zacheus instructed of Christ offered that if he had done wrong to any man he would giue to the partie wronged foure times so much as the dammage came to Therefore needes must single satisfaction be due a pennie for a pennie and a pound for a pounde If you ask whether I follow this lesson or no I answer my conscience doth tie me vnto it Therefore some satisfaction I haue made and some more by the grace of God I will make and that which I cannot doe thorough want of abilitie I must craue of God that he will supplie I doe not speake to honor my selfe but to glorifie God who is my iudge and to benefit you who are his people I haue paide twentie shillings at
a most righteous iudge and will examine whatsoeuer you saie of any bodie Secondly you must loue the party of whoÌ„ you speake for it is verie true that euill will cannot speake well but one way or an other it will outrunne your conscience Therefore if your heart be out of charitie with any refraine your selfe from medling with them because the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God 〈◊〉 1.20 Thirdly whatsoeuer you see or heare of others either meddle not with it according to S. Pauls lesson Striue to be quiet and doe your businesse â—hess 4. or if it so concerne you that you must needes thinke and speake of it take good heed that you doe not mistake any part of it for mistaking breedeth lies and it is a sinne to bely the deuill many things are so said and so done that they may be taken well or ill yea what can be said or done but some one or other will turne it to an euill meaning like vnto the spider that out of the best flowers will suck some poison But be you of the mind to take euerie thing the best waie knowing that it is the deuills propertie to make the worst of euerie thing You may be deceiued in that which you haue vpon your owne knowledge because you cannot see the heart and meaning of the partie much more in that which you haue by hearesaie for reports are commonly verie faultie and seldome hold truth in euerie point wherefore almightie God to shew vs an example what we ought to doe â—n 18. 〈◊〉 21. when the crie of the sinnes of Sodom came vp to heauen came downe to see whether it were true or not before he would seeme to beleeue it whereby you learne to be slow of beleefe in hearing euill of others But if you be well assured that an other hath said or done wrongfully the wrong is either to you or to others If any haue wronged you you must by the commandement of your master Iesus Christ Mat. 1â— first tel the partie of his fault secretly and charitably 16. if he so amend you are satisfied If he regard not your talke you must take one or two with you and tell him of his fault againe in charitable manner and if then he amend you must rest contented 17. but if he continue in his fault you must complaine to such as haue authoritie to iudge betweene you If one wrong an other and you be priuie to it and sure of it you must be carefull that you wrong neither of them because they are both your neighbours and brethren therefore first desire the partie that doth the wroÌ„g to right it which if he will not doe you must discouer it least before God you be a partaker in the wrong doing I Was neuer content with that which God gaue me but continually disliked my state murmuring and casting out complaints enuying the prosperitie of others iudging them not so worthie of it as my selfe yea wishing in my heart that I had their goods Beeing promised a liuing which I could not haue till the death of him that had it and hath it I often desired to heare of his death Wherefore by the iust iudgement of God he is likely to heare of my death When I haue heard that such and such were in possibilitie of preferment or had obtained it I fretted and fumed at it because I would haue had it my selfe When I saw a man haue a wise of good condition I could finde in my heart to wish him dead and my selfe maried to his wife And when one maried a wife whome I liked I stomacked it much because I had her not I haue wished a good seruant from one to another Thus and many other waies I haue coueted my neighbours goods both to my selfe and to others because I had not faith and charitie O all Christian people hate this hellish couetousnes the roote of all euill Be highly content with that which God giueth you and you get by good meanes for that which you get by ill meanes God giueth not but by the sufferance of God the deuill helpeth you to it Therefore with goods well gotten quiet your minde and be very thankfull to God Couet not to be rich for when a man is ouerloaded he can hardly trauell and you are trauailers passing through this world into heauen But if you foreslow the time till heauen gate be shut against you what will all this worlds good auaile you your bodie must to the graue your soule to hell your goods whereupon you haue bestowed all your time studie and labour must remaine to whome you know not Therefore haue a measure in your worldly cares Mat. 6 1â— 20 21. and as your deere Lord and Sauiour willeth you giue your minds to grow rich towards God laying vp treasure in heauen where it shall be safely kept till you come and there you shal inioy the same for euer Desire rather to make sure vnto your selues the saluation of your soules then the goods of the bodie for looke what you desire most you will most intend Of the two it were better to neglect the bodie â—â—th 6.33 then the soule because he that seeketh to assure vnto himselfe the good of his soule shall haue the good of his bodie into the bargaine If this were setled in the hearts of people they would not couet so vnmeasurably This vnmeasurable couetousnesse doth shewe that the heart is not right set towards God for if it were turned to him it would be thoroughly sufficed with his grace whether you had much or little of worldlie goodes Like as the needle in a diall will neuer be quiet vntill it be set right to the north starre and then it will rest It cannot be but that a couetouse man is a breaker of this commandement because his heart is in the hand of the Deuill and he turneth it whither he will But many will saie such and such haue to much and I haue to little I answer how know you they haue to much and you to little Because they haue inough and spare but we want that which is necessarie yea but yet you liue We liue indeede but not so well as they that haue more Ah you doe not fare so well nor goe so gaie nor please your eies with the sight of worldly wealth If it be the felicitie of this worlde that you looke for take heede least you be one of them to whome Christ saith Woe be vnto you rich Luk. 6.29 because you haue receiued your comfort that is you haue that which you sought after Yea but you will say we haue it not I answer God loueth you so much the better But you will say why doth he not giue vnto me as well as to others A good child resteth content with that which his father giueth him But if that reason will not serue why doe parents keepe kniues froÌ„ little children least they
should hurt their bodies so God keepeth worldly goods from you least you should by the ill vsing of them harme your owne soules Doe you thinke that the poore begger Lazarus doth now grieue at the miserie wherein he was when he lay at the rich mans gate full of sores and readie to starue through want of foode No verily He reioyceth and praiseth God for his pouertie and for his patience wherewith he endured the good pleasure of God knowing that if he had contrariwise beene rich he might haue thereby lost his saluation as Diues did It is a greater matter to vse riches well then most people imagine Els would not our Sauiour Christ haue said â—th 19.24 25 as he did say That it is easier for a camell to go through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen And yet least they to whom God giueth riches should be discomforted hee told his Disciples that God is able to saue the rich Whereby you vnderstand that to be rich and to be saued requireth a most mightie grace of God for it were a great miracle to make a camell goe through a needles eie All this I say to the ende that you should not couet more then you may with a safe conscience your soule beeing first prouided for procure vnto your selfe But some say I could be contented with a little were it not for my children I must needs confesse that it is a godly care to prouide for your children but let it be without couetousnesse Let not your children be either brought vp or settled in the world with goods vnconscionably gotten from others It is better for them to be poorely brought vp and to haue but little left them Haue you not seene many whose friends haue left them much goods fallen into more follie then they that had little or nothing left theÌ„ But if you say some fewe get all into their hands and then deale vnmercifully with vs. Doe you beleeue in God Yea. Then you must throughly perswade your selfe that he is your father and in his fatherly care prouideth that for you which he well knoweth will doe you most good notwithstanding all the couetousnesse and crueltie of this world yet God if it please him could giue you plentie and because he doth not it appeareth that he purposeth to punish you Will you therfore be out of patience knowing that whome God loueth he correcteth Surely I had rather be a patient poore man and Gods child then a cruell rich man and Gods rod for commonly the child is receiued into fauour and the rod is cast into the fire Howsoeuer the world goe be patient and submit your self to the pleasure of God Doe not enuie nor condemne those that are any waie in more prosperitie then you For if you doe so ye are not in charitie and if you be not in charitie Christ is not in you but the deuill Therefore striue by your patience to possesse your owne soule and by the holy Ghost contrarie to the nature of flesh and blood be exceeding glad that you may be one of Christs companie although in the lowest degree that may be yea the verie foote reioycing at the prosperitie of any other and sorrowing in their aduersitie as if it were your owne This if you can doe you are a Christian indeede and although you be in low degree vpon earth yet your Lord and father will highly aduance you in the glorie of heauen Remember what Saint Iames saith â—m 1.9 Let a brother of low degree reioyce in his aduancement O that I were a brother of that heauenly coÌ„panie and my name written in the booke of life although it were with condition to suffer all possible miserie in this world If you saie I giue you such counsell as I could neuer take my selfe I confesse it but you would not be in my case if you knew it as I do although you might haue al the goods of the earth for death and hell haue taken sure hold vpon me and I am so hardened in sinne through long custom in wickednes delay of repentance that my soule is readie to despaire of Gods mercie Therefore while time serueth while grace is offered vnto you make sure worke Striue by obeying the will of God to enter in at the straight gate for Christ saith â—k 13. â— 24 25. many wilt seeke to enter and shall not be able because they seeke not till it be too late This is my state and therefore I perish All people yong and old praie daily and deuoutly to God that it will please him through Iesus Christ to giue you the graces of faith hope and charitie that you may cleane fast vnto him with full purpose of heart and being sufficed with that which he vouchsaseth to giue you put him in trust with soule and bodie assuring your selues that he will not faile you nor forsake you if his pleasure be to trie your faith and trust by crosses and aduersities reioyce therein for his mind is to crown you therfore in the world to come Loue all christians as your owne selfe yea loue your verie enemies pray for them and practise in word and deede to be kind vnto them By these graces you shall performe the kingly law of libertie and so be kings vnto God ruling raigning ouer your thoughts and affections according to his pleasure being set at libertie from the law of sinne bondage of the deuill Almightie God for Iesus Christs sake fulfill you all with the holy Ghost Amen Amen NOw I beseech all that giue your mind to booke learning patiently to reade or heare this last part of my confession intended to your good When I went first to schoole I was ful of all vngraciousnesse and misbehaued my selfe to God to my parents and to all people which cursed qualities poisoned whatsoeuer learning I could get All children that goe to schoole feare God and praie vnto him heartily that he will giue you the grace to stand in awe of his almightie maiestie and to be afraid of displeasing him for the feare of God is the beginning of wisdome All learning without the feare of God is as a sword in the hand of a madde man likely to doe much mischiefe and no good Hate all naughtie conditions and behaue your selues lowely and gently to euerie man woman and child Praie often to God and saie O almightie God the giuer of all good learning and true wisdome I sinfull wretch doe humbly beseech thee that for thine onely sonne Iesus Christs sake thou will send thine holy ghost into mine heart that I may be cleansed from sinne and get so much learning and knowledge as may best fit me to be thy faithfull seruant in that state of life whereunto it shal please thee to call me Amen Vse commonly to praise God in some such manner as this O most bountifull Lord God I doe humbly and heartily thank thee