dayes be accomplished the houre glasse of dais that god hath set him is run out accomplished so sodainely if he repent not he slippeth downe to hel so preuented of his appointed daies and so the wicked liueth not out halfe his daies Which verifieth the words of the holy Ghost by the prophet in the .55 Psal and last ver The sons .30 question I would presume good father to aske you one or .2 questions more If I shoulde not be tedious vnto you and so we wil end for this time The fathers aunswere Say on for it pleaseth me wel so long as ye aske to profit by or to get knowledge do not you remember Lillies verses good counsell that saith qui dubitat qui saepe rogat c. is qui nil dubitat c. Therefore aske good questions and spare not and I wil thanke God for you The sonnes .31 Question When I had heard the 8. Chapter of the prouerbs of Salomon as you commaunded me which Chapter describeth the excellencie of wisedome and also her good counsell with the antiquitie of Christ who is froÌ„ the beginning who made all thinges with the father the holy ghost for he is that worde which God spake al things were made as the Euangelist S. Iohn affirmeth in the .1 Cha of his Gospell that is this Christ dwelleth in the round compasse of this earth which is man I theÌ„ turned to the .7 Chap. of Eccl. I found these words written which wordes are these which séemed to me very straung be not then saith Salomon iust ouer much neither oâ—er wise againe be not thou wicked ouer much neither too wise These words are verie harde for my capacitie Doth the holy ghost alowe some infirmities or some follie Also in the .29 and .30 verse of the same Chapter the preacher hath these strange wordes my soule saith he hath made great inquisition but I finde it not I haue séene one maÌ„ among thousands but one woman found I not This also troubleth my capacitie also in the 4. Chapter of the Preacher these wordes somewhat troubleth me the wordes are in the last verse of the chapter which are these take héede to thy féete when thou entrest into the house of god and be thou more méete to heare then to offer the sacrifice of fooles These thrée places of scripture I woulde fayne vnderstand The fathers aunswere These places of scripture are for the preachers ministers to exclaime yet so far as God hath giuen me reuelation I wil shew you the sence therof for in these first words out of the .7 Chap. of Eccl. that .19 verse is comprehended great wisedom for wher the preacher saith be not thou iust ouermuch nor ouer wise it is far from God to be a litle vniust or a litle foolish or a litle wicked the holye ghost giueth very wise counsel for he first biddeth thée to be ware that thou boast not to much of thine owne iustnes nor yet of thyne owne wysedome nor yet to tarrie long in the company of the wicked least thou sit in the Chaper of the pestilent scorner as for the .29 and 30. verse of this Chapter That the Preacher coulde finde one man and no woman I take the sence is that the preacher did meane he could finde but one man with out sinne which is Iesus Christ God and man but of women sect he could neuer finde any and with this text of scripture I stopped the blasphemous mouth of the Papisticall Lady that kept such a sturre with me in your Aunts house at the buriall of your Vncle Temple when she affirmed that the Virgin Mary was without sinne I then answeared her that the onely man Iesus Christ was But of womeÌ„ neuer could be found anye at which péece of scripture she was qualified so I partly take the sence and meaning of that place but as for the wordes in the .4 Chapter of Ecclesiastes which is take héede to thy séete when thou commest into the house of God least thou offer there the sacrifice of fooles In this péece of scripture the holy Ghost giueth vs a caueat or warning to looke to our steps of lyfe that they be not euyll and filthie before God and so come polluted and filthie into the Church before God and so presume to pray and then our prayers turne vnto sinne and so proue wicked fooles to prouoke gods wrath on vs and this I take to be the sence of this scripture The sonnes .32 Question I pray you good father let me aske you one question more in which I desire to be resolued which question is set downe in the first Epistle of Saint Iohn and the .8 verse of the first Chap. The wordes are these if we say we haue no sinne we deceyue our selues and there is no truth in vs. And in the 3. Chap. of the same Epistle and the .9 verse is written cleane contrary for there he saith who so euer is borne of God doth not sinne for his seede remaineth in him neyther can he sinne because he is borne of God good father make these scriptures agree that I may be resolued The fathers aunswere In the first péece of scripture where the Euangelist saith if we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues there is no truth in vs. The holy ghoste condemneth the pure familist of loue which affirme that they haue no sinne neyther yet can they sinne because they are déeified and also hominified but let such pestilent puritantes passe from which sect good Lorde kéepe vs and froÌ„ al iustitiaries which iustify theÌ„ selues as the wicked Papistes that haue no séede of grace left in them to helpe to worke their saluation and also haue works superabundant enough to serue them selues and others to saluation from which pestilent sect good Lorde deliuer vs. But as touching the wordes of the same Epistle the .3 Cha. and .9 vers where the Euangelist saith the regenerated man sinneth not neyther can he sinne because gods séede is in him In this text of scripture the holy ghost condemneth all those Atheists Epicures Papistes bellie gods and carnal Protestants worldlinges which cannot abide to heare that there is any faythfull christians on the earth any regenerated man such as gréene to sée God dishonoured nor truely reuerenced such as cannot abide to heare gods holye name abused suche as gréeue to sée the Lordes word prophaned suche as cannot abide to heare anye vayne or fylthie talke suche the wise proude loftie worldlinges scorne scoffe deride and taunt by the name of Puritants presitious and are all of the spirite and that he is gods childe as it is sayde in the booke of Wisedome the seconde Chapter Therefore they cannot abyde to heere that anye shoulde bée called good iuste or ryghteous and therefore with Tooth and Nayle they recyte the fourtéene Psalme sayyng that there is none good but God and the fyrste péece of Scripture that you recited
more that Lot was threatned the sooner hee was rescued The more that Ioseph was imprisoned the sooner to a kingdome he was exalted The more Moses the children were perplexed the sooner the red sea gaue place for their deliuerance The more bitterer was Christs passion the sweeter and firmer was our saluation Therefore to conclude he that will raigne with Christ must suffer with Christ for by and through many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen To the which God of his mercy for Christes sake bring vs all Amen A prayer of the Author of the Booke O Lord God father of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who preserueth al men by the grace and gift of thy holy spirit giue mee grace O mercifull father from the bottome of my hart to looke vnto the greeuousnesse of my owne sinne which euer condemneth me before thy Maiestie that I may not of my selfe presume to instruct others and forget to examine my selfe vnto ameÌ„dment of my life then learne to instruct other in thy lawe according vnto thy will and my bounden duetie because thou hast commaunded in thy holy word that after thou hast instructed vs we shoulde instruct others and not hide the tallent which is giuen vs nor yet quench thy holy spirit in vs. Graunt this O most mercifull father for thy sonnes sake our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome be all honour and glory for euer Amen ¶ A Dialogue of diuerse Quections demanded of the children to their father very necessary and profitable both for children and parents masters and seruants The youngest sonnes Question AFter that one of my Children had read a Chapter vnto me at supper out of the Actes of the Apostles my youngest sonne after supper sitting by the fire asked this question father sayth he what is God The fathers Answere My sonne all the wisest Philosophers that euer were could neuer yet coÌ„prehend or resolue this question the cause was they neuer searched to know him by his holy word but by their owne naturall wisedome by which wisedome it is vnpossible to please God or know him for God hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs in his holy word although S. Paul sayth God hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs by his creatures which are the heauens and earth and all things therein contayned By which they knowe there is a God but yet neither Philosopher nor any other can tel what God is but by his holy word In which he reuealeth himselfe vnto vs what he hath doone for vs and howe he hath so loued vs before wée were that he hath created all things for vs hath also giuen vs his deare only sonne Iesus Christ who beyng verie God equall with his father came downe from heauen and disdayned not the Virgins wombe and there tooke our nature on him and was made man in all points as we are onely sinne excepted and in our naturall fleshe was obedient euen vnto the very death of the Crosse wherin he suffered for vs the very paynes of hell both in soule and body was dead buried and rose againe the third day to iustifie vs and after fortie dayes he did ascend into heauen whence he came there he will sit vntill the day of iudgement hauing all power both in heauen and earth which is ment by sitting at Gods right hand And then he wil come and be our ioyfull iudge but vntill then he will be with vs in spirit and power by which spirit we haue reuelation knowledge of him and what God is And without this spirit it is vnpossible to vnderstand his holy will that is reuealed in his holy word which holy spirit is the holy Ghost which holy Ghost is the vertue and power of God procéeding from the father and the sonne the third person in the trinitie which three persons is but one God which God is almightie vnmeasurable incomprehensible and without all mens capacitie and wisedome For he is a spirit and therefore they that will worship him must worshippe and serue him in spirit and trueth â—m 18. â— 1.16 〈◊〉 6.16 for otherwise he is incomprehensible he is Alpha and Omega that is he is the first and the last without beginning or ende for no man hath séene God at any time vnto whom be all honour Amen Another sonnes Question Father you say that S. Iohn saith that no man hath seene God at any time I pray you tell vs then why God is pictured in forme like an olde man with a long white beard sitting in a golden chaire how can that be except he hath beene seene of some man The fathers aunswere My sonne I say that God is neyther olde nor young neither can any place containe him for hee filleth all places both in heauen and earth and the Sea and therefore he is euerywhere for heauen is his seate and earth is his footestoole and therefore he must haue a very great chaire to containe him Therefore such as dare presume to paint or picture him in any proportion dooth commit great and horrible blasphemie and are cursed of God himselfe Much lesse like an olde man with a long white Beard for that is the weakest sort of men But how can or dare any creature make his Creator Oh horrible execrable damnable vile presumptuous cursed wretch that dare presume to violate and breake Gods holy precept forbidden expressely in the first table and the seconde verse Good children beware of such horrible Papisticall blasphemies Another Question of the sonne Father I heard you once say that there was a man in Bridewell that affirmed by Scripture that it was not lawfull to feare God but to loue him Must we not feare God but loue him The fathers aunswere In déede there was a vile fellowe in Bridewel that affirmed out of the scriptures first out of the seconde Chap. of S. Luke the 17. verse out of the song of Zacharias in these wordes that we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him without feare all the dayes of our life but this feare is not meant towarde God but it is that wee shoulde not feare Gods rigor and iustice that he scourgeth the wicked withall but loue him as a father neyther yet feare what the wicked can doo vnto vs in all their extremities or malice neither yet feare any of theyr threates scornes scoffes persecutions or tortures whatsoeuer but because God hath deliuered vs out of the handes of our enemies we shoulde serue him without feare all the dayes of our life not cast off our louing feare of our good God that hath deliuered vs out of the handes of the deuill hell and damnation for euer Who woulde not feare to displease such a good God louing father also diuers scriptures are our warrant against this presumptuous villaine for God promiseth great blessings vnto all such as feare him As for example in the booke of Moses it is set downe howe God loueth
his owne children that feare him as the wordes of the thrée men or Angels affirmeth when they vsed these words vnto Abraham Shall God say they hyde any thing from Abraham because he and all his house feare him Also Iosua or Iesus the Captaine that conducted the children of Israell after Moses vsed these words vnto them Deo you sayth he what you wyll but I and all my house wil serue and feare the Lord. Also the holy Prophet Dauid hath these warrants throughout all his Psalmes to feare God as first in the 2. Psalme verse 11. Commaunding saith sée that yée serue the Lorde in trembling and in feare Also in the 25. Psalme verse 3. They that feare the Lorde shall knowe his secrets And in the 34. Psalme vet 9.10 Feare the Lord hys holy ones for they that feare him shall lacke no good blessing And againe Come néers my children and I shall teach you howe to feare the Lord. And in the 128. Psa The holy ghost pronounceth thē blessed that feare the Lord. Also in the first Chapter of Salomons Prouerbs verse .7 The holy Ghost sayth That the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome And Eccl. in his 4. Chap. ver 13. saith that a poore child which feareth God is better then a king that doteth Thus you proued by warrants of scripture the way to feare God Yet this wretch forgeth other places out of the scripture like the deuill for his purpose As out of the 8 Chap to Ro. 25. ver in these words yee haue not rescued that spirit of bondage that ye sholde feare any more but the villaine abuseth the text corruptly for the Apostle meaneth no such thing but that we shoulde not feare condemnation nor wauer or dispayre as the Papists teacheth vs to make vs dwell in bondage and feare of our saluation in Christes merits onely but to be euer in doubt dispayre which pestilent doctrine maketh thousandes to feare God and not loue him Feare not him that can kyl the body but feare him which can kill both soule and body The sonnes fourth Question Good father who are those that feare God and not loue him are there any such I pray you discribe who they be The fathers aunswere All they are those which binde themselues to the obseruation of Gods lawes and the popish ceremonies and thinke except they obserue and kéepe them they are damned for euer And when they sée that they are not able to kéepe them thē they liue in seruile feare of God and his Lawes wyshing that there were neyther God lawes nor precept These I say are those that feare God not loue him for they haue receiued the spirite of bondage that S. Paule speaketh of in his 8. Chap. to the Rom. which carnall spirit maketh them dwell euer in feare of hell and damnation and yet toyle and moyle themselues to obscure the lawe of God by their own righteousnes merits and by theyr hipocriticall ceremonies of ciuil life These I say feare God as the wicked feare the magistrates lawes of this land for they rather cursse them thē loue thē such a seruile feare haue the ignorant Athists the meritmongers the papists the double harted protestants for they feare Gods law his iudgemēt for feare of damnatiō but they loue him not Euen as the wicked feare the Prince her laws for feare of Tiborn but they loue her and her lawes as well as they loue Tyborne and all this is because the haue neither true faith true loue nor true feare of God or Prince And therefore are they neuer able to vnderstande or make any true destinctiō either of Gods lawe beléefe gospell sacrament or praier to satisfy them selues or any other in affliction but desperately voyde of all swéete ioies of heauenly comfort and consolation for euer without regeneration The sonnes 5. Question Father you sayde that no man is able to keepe and fulfill Gods commaundements VVhy should God Giue such a lawe that no man is able to keepe and yet you say if that wee doo not fulfill and keepe them we shall all be damned for euer The fathers ansvvere My sonne marke what I say God that made the law made it as he is him selfe that is iust righteous and holy and so made he man also at his first creation iust righteous and holy And so made God Adam like himselfe and then able to kéepe and performe the whole lawe Therefore man must of force séeke and practise all the meanes and wayes possible how to fulfill and kéepe the same lawe in euery poynt and title which we may by his grace working in vs bee made able to doo in some measure but yet not so perfectly by the entring in iudgement with vs he may iustly condemne vs but he will not haue any to-be saued otherwise then by mercy offered in his sonne Christ and obtayned by faith in him The sonnes 6. question or obiection Howe is it possible because you say that no man is able to keepe and fulfill it much lesse in euery poynt and title The fathers aunswer That which man is not able to doo by reason of hys fall God hath so loued vs before Adams fall that he did prouide for vs in his mercy and grace A man euen God and man Iesus Christe his onely sonne who came downe from heauen from God his father and disdayned not to be inclosed in that Virgins wombe and there was made man by the power of the holy ghost in all points as we are onely sinne excepted and in our flesh and nature suffered his passion on the Crosse for vs and on it suffered the very paines and torments of hell vnto bitter death and was buried by which death and passion he hath fully accomplished our saluation and also fulfilled the whole lawe in euery point and title and also appeased Gods wrath and vanquished the deuill hell and damnation and set open the gates of heauen for al faithful beléeuers and brought vs into fauour againe with God his and our faithfull father and is ascended into heauen where hee sitteth and hath all power bothe in heauen and earth and there is our daily mediatour vnto God his and our father for vs vntill he shall come againe to be our ioyfull Iudge but yet we must striue and practise daily to fulfill to the vttermost of our power Gods holy will and commandements The sonnes 7. Question or obiection How is it possible except you can describe vs some meanes or way to practise it good deere father direct vs. The fathers aunswere By these fiue steppes or degrées which if you can keepe vnto the ende you shal kéepe Gods commandements to please him although not fulfilled it for that Christ hath doone already Which steppes are these first to heare the word of God diligently reuerently and louingly Secondly to learne it simply faithfully obediently Thirdly to vnderstand it humbly spiritually and truely Fourthly to practise it holily constantly and