he haue destroied you and consumed you from off the face of the earth For remember I pray you what he saith in Deut. If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold of iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and I wil reward them that hate me I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood and my sword shall eat the flesh of mine aduersaries Phila. Truely Sir you may iustly feare that for our great contempt of the Gospell and generall coldnesse both in the profession and practise thereof God will take it from vs and giue it to a people that will bring foorth the fruit thereof Theol. Wée may well feare indéed lest for our sins especially our loathing of the heauenly Manna the Lord remoue our candle-sticke take away our siluer trumpets let vs no more heare the swéet belles of Aaron cause all vision to faile our Sabbaths to cease and bring vpon vs that most grieuous and sore famine of not hearing the word of the Lord spoken of by Amos the Prophet Then shall all our Halcion dayes and golden yeares be turned into wéeping mourning and lamentation God for his infinite mercy sake turne it away from vs. Phila. Amen Amen and let vs all pray earnestly night day that those fearful iudgements may according to Gods infinite mercies be held backe which our sinnes doe continually cry for and that his most glorious Gospel may be continued to vs and our posteritie euen yet with greater successe Asune No doubt it is a very great sinne to despise the word of God and I thinke there is none so bad that will doe it For we ought to loue Gods word God forbid else He that loueth not Gods word it is pitie he liueth Theol. These are but words of course It is an easie matter to speake good words And very many will say as you say but both you and they in your practise doe plainly shew that you make no reckoning of it you estéeme it no more then a dish-clout I thinke if the matter were wel tried you haue scant a Bible in your house But though you haue one it is manifest that you seldome read therein with any care or conscience and as seldome heare the word preached How else could you be so ignorant as you are Asune I graunt that I and some others are somewhat negligent in the hearing and reading of the word of God but you cannot say therefore we doe contemne it Theol. Yes verily Your continuall negligence and carelesnesse doth argue a plaine contempt Sure it is you haue no appetite nor stomacke to the holy word of God You had rather do any thing then either read or meditate in it It is irksome vnto you You read not two Chapters in a wéeke All holy exercises of religion are most bitter tedions vnto you They are as vineger to your téeth and smoke to your eies The immoderate loue of this world and of vanity hath taken away your appetite from all heauenly things And where as you shift it off with negligence as though that would excuse you the Apostle hits you home when hée saith How shal we escape if we neglect so great saluation Marke that he saith if we neglect Antile Belike you thinke men haue nothing else to doe but reade the scriptures and heare sermons Theo. I do not say so I doe not say ye should do nothing else For God doth allow you with a good concience and in his feare to follow the workes of your calling as hath béene said before But this I condemne in you and many others that you will giue no time to priuat praiers reading meditation in Gods word neither morning nor euening neither before your businesse nor after And although you haue often vacant time enough yet you will rather bestow it in vanity and idle pratling and gossipping then in any good exercise of Religion Which doth plainely shew that you neither delight in holy things neither is there any true feare of God before your eyes Antil I tell you plainly wee must tend our busines we may go beg else we cannot liue by the Scriptures If we follow Sermons we shall neuer thriue What do you thinke euery man is bound to read the Scriptures Haue we not our fiue wits Do we not know what we haue to do You would make fooles of vs belike But we are neither drunke nor mad Theol. That euery man of what condition soeuer is bound in conscience to heare and reade the word of God hath béen shewed and proued in the beginning of our conference But as for your fiue wits they will not serue your turne in these matters though you had fiftéene wits For all the wit reason and vnderstanding of naturall men in Gods matters is but blindnesse and méere foolishnesse The Apostle saith that the wisedome of the most wise in this world is not onely foolishnesse with God but indéed very enmitie against God And again he saith that the naturall man with al his fiue wits vnderstandeth not the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned Most prudently to this point speaketh Elihu saying There is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almightie giueth vnderstanding Antile I vnderstand not these Scriptures which you doe alleadge they doe not sinke into my head Theol. I thinke so indéed For the holy ghost saith Wisedome is too high for a foole Antile What do you call me foole I am no more foole then your selfe Theo. I call you not foole but I tel you what the Scripture saith which calleth all men though otherwise neuer so wise politike and learned very fooles till they be truly lightned and inwardly sanctified by the Spirit of God as appeareth Tit. 3. 3. Where the Apostle affirmeth that both Titus and himselfe before they receiued the illuminating Spirit of Gods grace were very fooles without wit and without all sense in Gods matters Phila. I pray you good M. Theologus let him alone For he will neuer haue done cauilling I see he is a notable cauiller Let vs therfore proceed to speake of the fift signe of Condemnation which is swearing Theol. It may well indéed be called a signe of condemnation For I thinke it more then a signe it is indéed an euident demonstration of a Reprobate For I neuer wist any man truly fearing God in his heart that was an vsuall and a common swearer Phila. I am flat of your minde for that For it cannot be that the true feare of God and ordinary swearing should dwel togither in one man sith swearing is a thing forbidden by flat statute And God addeth a sore threat to his Law that hee will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine but will most sharpely and seuerely punish that man Theol. You say true And God saith moreouer that if we doe not feare and dread his glorious and fearefull name Iehoua he will make our
him we care not for him so long as all goeth well with vs. But if we come into distresse or want any thing that we would faine haue then he is sure to heare of vs. As he saith by the Prophet In their affliction they will seeke me early And another Prophet saith Lord in trouble haue they visited thee They powred out a praier when thy chastisement was vpon them So then now I hope you do plainely sée the cause why the Lord bringeth his children into so many troubles and necessities Phila. I doe see it indeed and I am very well satisfied in it But yet let me aske you one thing further Are Gods children alwaies sure to be deliuered out of their troubles Theol. Yes verily and out of doubt so far foorth as God séeth it good for them For it is written Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth them out of all S. Peter saith The Lord knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptation As if hée should say He is beaten in it and well séene and experienced in it so as he can doe it easilie and without any trouble at all It is said of Ioseph being in prison that when his appointed time was come and the counsell of the Lord had tried him the King sent and loosed him the Ruler of the people deliuered him And againe the Scripture saith The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of all their troubles The Angell of the Lord tarrieth round about them that feare him and deliuereth them And in another place the Lord himselfe saith concerning the righteous man Because hee hath loued mee therefore I will deliuer him I will exalt him because he hath knowen my name Hee shall call vpon mee in trouble and I will heare him I will bee with him in trouble I will deliuer him and glorifie him So also saith Eliphas the Temanite He shall deliuer thee in six troubles and in the seuenth the euill shall not touch thee Come my people saith the Lord enter thou into thy Chambers and shut thy doores after thee hide thy selfe for a very little while vntill the indignation passeouer And the Prophet saith Vpon Mount Zion shall be deliuerance and it shall be holy and the house of Iacob shall possesse their hereditary possessions Almost innumerable places of the Scriptures might be alledged to this purpose but these may suffice Therefore let vs know for a certainety that so sure as trouble and affliction are to the Children of God so sure also is deliuerance out of the same As we may write of the one and make reckoning of it as sure as the coat of our backe so may we also in Gods good time write of the other and make full account of it as sure as the Lord is true Abraham was in trouble but deliuered Iob in trouble but deliuered Dauid in great troubles but deliuered The thrée Children in the Furnace but deliuered Daniel in the Lions den but deliuered Ionas in the Whales belly but deliuered Paul in innumerable troubles but yet deliuered out of all Phila. All this being true that you say it followeth that Gods children are chastised only for their good and euermore sure of deliuerance in his appointed time Which thing being so me thinketh there is no cause at all why they should be ouer heauie or too much cast downe in their afflictions Theol. Assuredly there is no cause at all but rather cause why they should reioyce clap their hands and sing care away For can a father forsake his children a sing his subiects a Maister his seruant or a Shéepe heard his shéepe Doth not Iehouah say I will nor leaue thee nor forsake thee Doth not our heauenly Father know wée haue néede of these things Hath not God geuen vs his word that wée shall not want outward things Hath hée not said They shall be cast vpon vs Why then should wee be dismaied Why should wée hang downe our heades Why doe wée not plucke vp our hearts and be of good cheare God is our deare Father he is our best friend hée is our daily Benefactor hée kéepeth vs at his owne costs and charges hée grudgeth vs nothing hée thinketh nothing too much for vs. He loueth vs most dearely he is most chary and tender ouer vs hée cannot endure the winde should blow vpon vs he will haue vs want nothing that is good for vs. If we will eate gold wée shall haue it He hath giuen vs his faithfull promise that as long as wée liue wée shall neuer want Let vs therefore reioice and be merry For Heauen is ours earth is ours God is ours Christ is ours all is ours As the Apostle saith All is yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods The world clap their hands and crow long before it bée day saying all is theirs but the children of God may say and say truely All is ours For they haue a true title proper interest through Christ in all the creatures Many are their priuiledges great are their prerogatiues They are frée of heauen and frée of earth They are the onely frée Denisens of the world Christ hath purchased them their fréedome Christ hath made them frée and therefore they are frée indéed They are frée from sinne frée from hell frée from damnation They are at peace with God men Angels They are at peace with themselues They are at peace with all creatures They are yong Princes Angels fellowes descended of the highest house of the bloud royall of heauen states of Paradise and heires apparent to the immortall Crowne Therefore God hath commanded his Angels to guard them being such yong Princes as they are yea he hath giuen a very straight charge to all his creatures to look to them to sée to them that they want nothing that they take us hurt so teasous so chary so tender is he of thē The angels must cōfort Iacob The whale must rescue Ionas The rauens must féed Elias The Sun and Moone must stay for Ioshua The Sea must diuide it selfe that Moses and his people may passe thorow The fire must not burne the thrée children The Lions may not deuoure Daniel All the creatures must change their nature rather then Gods children should not be holpen and deliuered Oh therefore how great is the happinesse of Gods chosen Who can expresse it who can vtter it They know not their owne happinesse it is hid from them Afflictions doe cloud it troubles doe ouershadow it crosses doe dim it and there is an interposition of the earth betwixt their sight and it But this is most certain and sure that the best is behind with the children of God all the swéet is to come Their happines doth not appeare in this world Their life is hid with Christ in God When Christ shall appeare then shall they also appeare with him in glorie It doth not
their own Therefore the Prophet Ieremy saith Thus sayth the Lord Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength neither the rich man in his riches but let him that glorieth glorie in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me To this point also wel saith the Heathen Poet No man can escape the punishment of pride therefore in greatest prosperitie be not pussed vp Phil. Yet it is a world to see how proud surly haughty stately insolent and thrasonicall some be because of their gifts they thinke they touch the clouds with their heads and that the earth doth not bear them they take themselues to be petty Angels or some wonderful wights They contemne and disdame all others which haue not the like gifts They do contemptuously ouerlooke them as a lion should ouerlooke a mouse a king a begger or as wee say in a prouerbe As the diuel ouer-looked Lincolne Theol. Oh proud dust Oh haughty worms meat If they would bring their hearts before God and their consciences thoughts and affections to be iudged by this Law it would soone coole them and take them downe well enough they should sée their wants and imperfections to be so great that they indéed should haue no more cause to boast of their gifts then the black-more hath of his whitenesse because his téeth are white The holy Ghost cuts al our combes and pulleth downe all pride of flesh when he saith How small a thing doth man vnderstand of God! Phila. I pray you let vs proceed to speake of the outward and grosse pride of the World and first of all tell me what you thinke of pride in apparrell Theol. I thinke it to be a vanitie of all vanities and a folly of all follies For to be proud of apparrell is as if a théefe should be proud of his halter a begger of his clouts a child of his gay or a foole of his bable Phila. Yet wee see how proud many especially women be of such bables For when they haue spent a good part of the day in tricking and trimming pricking and pinning pranking and pouncing girding and lacing and brauing vp themselues in most exquisite manner then out they come into the streetes with their Pedlers shop vpon their backe and cary their crests very high taking themselues to be little Angels or at least somewhat more then other women Whereupon they doe so exceedingly swell with pride that it is to be feared they will burst with it as they walke in the streetes And truely we may thinke the very stones in the street the beames in the houses doe quake and wonder at their monstrous intolerable and excessiue pride For it seemeth that they are altogether a lumpe of pride a masse of pride euen altogether made of pride and nothing else but pride pride The. You séeme to be very hot in the matter Asune Marry Sir I like him the better for the world was neuer so full of pride as it is now adayes Theol. Alas alas indéed who can hold his peace at the pride of this age What a thing is it that flesh and blood wormes-meat dust and ashes durt and dung should so braue it out with their trim clouts and that in the sight of God angels and men For the time wil come when both they and al their gay clouts shal be buried in a graue yea as Iob saith The graue shall be their house and they shall make their bed in the darke And then shall they say to corruption Thou art my Father and to the worme Thou art my Mother and my sister What then shal it auaile thē thus to haue ruffled it out in all their brauery when as suddenly they shal go downe to destruction What did it profit the rich man to be sumptuously cloathed fare deliciously euery day when his body was buried in the dust his soule in hel fire Asune I pray you Sir what say you to these great ruffes which are borne vp with supporters and rebatoes as it were with post and raile Theol. What should I say but God be mercifull vnto vs. For such things do draw downe the wrath vengeance of God vpon vs al as the Apostle saith For such things sake the wrath of God cōmeth vpon the children of disobedience And truly truly we may wel feare that God wil plague vs for our abhominable pride Asune What say you then to these doubled and redoubled ruffes which are now in common vse strouting fardingales long locks fore-tufts shag-haire and al these new fashions which are deuised and taken vp euery day Theol. I say they are farre from that plainnesse simplicitie and modesty which hath béen in former ages our fore-fathers knew no such things It is recorded of William Rufus sometime King of this Land that when his Chamberlaine on a time brought him a new paire of hose he demaunded of him what they cost who answered thrée shillings Whereat the King being somewhat mooued commaunded him to prepare him a paire of a marke If Kings were then thought to excéed that bestowed a Marke vpon a paire of hose what is it to be thought of many meane men in these our daies yea such as haue no liuing and are searse of any good calling which bestow as much vpon one paire as the King did vpon two when he was thought most of all to excéed But alas alas we haue passed all bounds of modesty and measure there is no hoe with vs. Our land is too heauy of this sinne For the pride of all Nations and the follies of all Countries are vpon vs how shall we beare them And as for these new fashions the more new they be the more foolish and ridiculous are they For with our new fashions we are growen cleane out of fashion If we had as many fashions of our bodies as we haue of our attire we should haue as many fashions as fingers and toes But vaine men and women doe apparently shew their vaine minds by following so greedily such vain toies and fashions Asune It was neuer good world since starching and steeling buskes and whale-bones supporters and rebatoes full moones and hobby-horses painting and dying with selling of fauour and complexion came to be in vse For since these came in couetousnesse oppression and deceit haue increased For how else should pride be mainteined And sure it is within these thirty yeeres these things were not knowen nor heard of And what say you then to painting of faces laying open of naked breasts dying of haire wearing of periwigs and other haire coronets and top-gallants And what say you to our artificiall women which will be better then God hath made them They like not his handy worke they will mend it and haue other complexion other faces other haire other bones other breasts and other bellies then God made them Theol. This I say that you and I and all the Lords people haue great and
for the twi-light and saith None eie shall see me And in another place How shall God know can he iudge thorow the darke cloud But verily verily though the adulterer doe neuer so closely and cunningly conuey his sin vnder a canopie yet the time will come when it shall be disclosed to his eternall shame For God will bring euery worke to iudgement with euery secret thought whether it be good or euill For he hath set our most secret sins in the light of his countenance And hee will lighten the things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest For this cause Iob saith When I sinne thou watchest me and wilt not purge me from my sinne Phila. Now you haue shewed vs the causes of adultery I pray you shew vs the remedies Theol. There be six remedies for adultery which no doubt will greatly preuaile if they be well practised Phila. Which be they Theol. Labour Abstinence Temperance Praier Restraint of senses Shunning of womens company and all occasions whatsoeuer Phila. Well sir now you haue waded deepe enough in the second signe of damnation I pray you let vs proceed to the third which is couetousnesse And as you haue laid naked the two former so I pray you strip this starke naked also that all men may see what an vgly monster it is and therefore hate it and abhorre it Theol. I would willingly satisfie your mind but in this point I shall neuer do it sufficiently For no heart can conceiue or tongue sufficiently vtter the loathsomnesse of this vice For Couetousnesse is the foulest fiend blackest diuell of all the rest It is euen great Beelzebub himselfe Therefore I shall neuer be able fully to describe it vnto you but yet I will do what I can to strip it and whip it starke naked And howsoeuer that men of this earth and blind worldlings take it to be most swéet beautifull and amiable and therefore do embrace it entertaine it and welcome it as though there were some happinesse in it yet I hope when I haue shewed them the face thereof in a glasse euen the true glasse of Gods word they will be no more in such loue but quite out of conceit with it I will therefore hold out this glasse to them Saint Paul to Timothy brandeth this sinne in the forehead and boareth it in the eares that all men may know it and auoid it when hée saith Couetousnesse is the root of all euill Our Lord Iesus also giueth vs a watch-word to take héed of it saying Take heed and beware of couetousnesse As if he should say touch it not come not neare it it is the very breath of the diuell it is present death and the very rats-bane of the soule The Apostle laieth out the great danger of this sinne and doth excéedingly grime the face of it when he saith that the end of all such as minde earthly things is damnation Let all carnal worldlings and muckish minded men lay this to heart and consider well of it lest they say one day had I wist Phila. Good sir lay open vnto vs the true nature of Couetousnesse and what it is that we may more perfectly discerne it Theol. Couetousnesse is an immoderate desire of hauing Phila. I hope you doe not thinke frugality thriftinesse and good husbandry to be couetousnesse Theol. Nothing lesse For they be things commanded being done in the feare of God and with a good conscience Phila. Doe you not thinke it lawfull also for men to doe their wordly businesse and to vse faithfulnesse and diligence in their callings that they may prouide for themselues and their families Theol. Yes no doubt And the rather if they doe these things with calling vpon God for a blessing vpon the works of their hands and vse praier thanksgiuing before after their labor taking héed all the day long of the common corruptions of the world as swearing cursing lying dissembling deceiuing gréedy getting c. Phila. Wherein I pray you doth couetousnesse especially consist Theol. In the gréedy desire of the mind For we may lawfully doe the works of our calling and play the good husbands and good huswiues but we must take héed that distrustfulnes and inward gréedinesse of the world doe not catch our hearts For then are we set on fire and vtterly vndone Phila. Sith couetousnesse is especially of the heart how may we know certainely when the heart is infected Theol. There be foure speciall signes of the hearts infection Phil. Which be they Theo. The first is an eager and sharp set desire of getting Therefore the holy Ghost saith He that hasteth to be rich shall not be vnpunished And againe An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed The Heathen man also saith No man can be both iustly and hastily rich The second is a pinching and niggardly kéeping of our owne that is when men being able to giue will hardly part with any thing though it be to neuer so holy and good vse And when at last with much adoe for shame they giue somthing it commeth heauily from them God wot and scantly The third is the neglect of holy duties that is when mens minds are so taken vp with the loue of earthly things that they begin to slacke and coole in matters of Gods worship The fourth and last is a trusting in riches and staying vpon them as though our liues were maintained by them or did consist onely in them which thing our Lord Jesus flatly denieth saying Though a man haue abundance yet his life consisteth not in the things that hee hath Luke 12. 15. These then are foure euident signes and tokens whereby we may certainly discerne that meus harts and intrailes are infected with couetousnesse Phila. You haue very well satisfied vs in this point Now let vs vnderstand the originall causes of Couetousnesse Theol. There be two speciall causes of Couetousnesse The one is the ignorance and distrust of Gods prouidence The other is the want of tasting and féeling of heauenly things For till men taste better things they will make much of these till they feele heauen they will loue earth til they be religious they will be couetous Therfore the cause is soone espied why men are so sharpe set vpon these outward things and doe so admire riches worldly pompe pleasures and treasures Because they know no better they neuer had taste or feeling of those things which are eternall Phila. Now as you haue shewed vs the causes of Couetousnesse so let vs also heare of the effects Theol. If I once enter into this I shall bée entar gled and wound vp in a maze where I know not how to get out againe For the euill effects of this vice are so many and so great that I know not almost where to begin or where to end Notwithstanding I will enter into it get out
Ale-houses gaming rioting and lewd company Would to God therefore that both these kind of publike persons would cast off idlenesse and slouth and with diligence faithfulnesse care and conscience performe the duties of their places For it is an excellent thing for any to be a good man in his place As a good Magistrate that ruleth well that gouerneth wisely which fauoureth good men and good causes and defendeth them which also setteth himselfe against bad men and bad causes and punisheth them sharpely and seuerely which moreouer maintaineth vertue euen of a very loue he beareth vnto it in his heart and punisheth vice of a very zeale and hatred against it and not for his credit only or to please some or because he must needs doe it and can doe no lesse or for any such sinister respect but euen of a loue to God a care of his glory a conscience of dutie and a feruent zeale against sinne So likewise it is a notable thing for a Minister to be a good man in his place to bée studious in the law of God diligent and painfull in preaching and that of a loue to God a zeale of his glorie déepe pity and compassion toward the soules of the people séeking by all meanes possible to winne them vnto God carrying himselfe in all his actions amongst them wisely religiously vnblameably and in offensiuely So againe it is a worthy thing to be a good rich man which doth much good with this riches which kéepeth a good house relieueth the poore ministreth to the necessity of the Saints and giueth chéerefully and with discretion where néed is So also it is a commendable thing to be a good neighbour or a good Townes man by whom a man may liue quietly peaceably ioyfully and comfortably And lastly to be a good poore man that is humble lowly duetifull painefull ready to helpe and ready to please Oh I say this is a most excellent and glorions thing when euery man kéepeth his standing his range and his ranke when all men with care and conscience performe the duties of their places when the husband doth the duty of an husband and the wife of a wife when the father doth the duety of a Father and the child of a child when the Master doth the duty of a Master and the seruantof a seruant when euery man setteth God before his eies in doing those things which especially belong vnto him For héerein consisteth the honor of God the glory of the Prince the crowne of the Church the fortresse of the Common-wealth the safety of Cities the strength of kingdomes and the very preseruation of all things Antil You haue said well in some things But yet I doe not see but that rich men and women may liue idlely sith they haue enough where withall to maintaine it For may not a man doe with his owne what he list Theol. No verily For you may not take your owne knife and cut your owne throat with it neither may you take your owne are and kill your owne childe with it Therefore that reason is naught Albeit therefore wealthy men women haue great plenty of all things so as they néed not to labour yet let them bée profitably emploied some other way Let them exercise themselues in one good thing or other If they can finde nothing to doe let them giue themselues much to priuate praiers and reading of the scriptures that they may be able to instruct and exhort others Or else let Ladies and Gentlewomen doe as that good woman Dorcas did that is buy cloth cut it out work it sewe it make shirtes smockes coates and garments and giue them to the poore when they haue so done For it is said of Dorcas that shee was a woman full of good workes and almes-deeds which shee did She was a mercifull and tender hearted woman she was the poore mans friend she clothed the poore and naked shée knew it was a sacrifice acceptable to God Oh that the wealthy women of our land would follow the example of Dorcas But alas these daies bring foorth few Dorcasses Phila. As you haue shewed vs the causes of the former euils so now I pray you shew the causes of this also Theol. The causes of Idlenesse are Euill examples Bad education Liuing out of calling Phila. Shew vs also the remedies Theol. The remedies are Good education Labour in youth Good examples Diligence in a lawfull calling Phila. Now then let vs come to the last signe of condemnation which is oppression And I beseech you good sir speake your minde of it our of the Scriptures Theol. It is so infinite a matter that I know not where to begin or where to make an end of it It is a bottomlesse sinke of most grieuous enormities I shall enter into a Labyrinth where I shall not know now to get out againe But sith you are desirous to heare something of it this I say that it is a most cruell monster a bloody vice a most vgly and hidious fiend of hell The Scriptures in very many places do cry out vpon it arraigning it adiudging it and condemning it downe to hell They doe also thunder and lighten vpon all those which are stained and corrupted with this vice calling them by such names and giuing them such titles as are taken from the effects of this sinne and most fit for oppressours as namely that they grinde the faces of the poore that they plucke off their skinnes from them and their flesh from their bones that they eate them vp as they eate bread These are they which striue to deuoure all like sauage beasts to get the whole earth into their hands either by hooke or by crooke by right or by wrong by oppression fraud and violence These Caterpillers and Cormorants of the earth are like vnto the Whale-fish which swalloweth vp quick other little fishes They are like the Lion that deuoureth other beasts They are like the Falcon which seizeth plumeth and prayeth vpon other fowles These gréedy Wolues deuoure all and swallow vp the poore of the Land Therfore the Prophets of God do thunder out many great woes against them First the Prophet Esay saith Wo vnto them that ioine house to house and field to field till there be no place for the poore to dwell in that they may be placed by themselues in the middest of the earth Secondly the Prophet Ieremy saith Woe vnto him that buildeth his house by vnrighteousnesse and his chambers without equity Thirdly the Prophet Micah saith Wo vnto them that couet fields and take them by violence and so oppresse a man and his house euen a man and his heritage Fourthly the Prophet Abacuc crieth out saying Woe vnto him that buildeth a Towne with bloud and erecteth a City by iniquity S. Iames also most terribly threatneth these kind of men saying Goe to now you rich men weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you Your
you sée how the stones and timber of your houses shall descant vpon you And howseeuer you put on your brazen brows harden your hearts against these threatnings of the most terrible God and Lord of hosts yet one day you shall spite of your hearts will ye nill ye be brought forth vnto iudgement you shall once come to your reckoning you shall at last be apprehended conuented and arraigned at the bar of Gods tribunall seat before the great Judge of all the world Then sentence shall passe against you euen that most dreadfull sentence Goe ye cursed into hell-fire there to bee tormented with the Diuell and his Angels for euer O then woe woe vnto you For what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule saith our Lord Jesus Surely euen as much as if one should winne a farthing and lose an hundered thousand pound For if hée shall be cast into Hell-fire which hath not giuen of his owne goods righteously gotten as our Sauiour auoucheth where then shall hée be cast that hath stollen other mens goods And if he shal be damned that hath not clothed the naked what shall become of him that hath made naked them that were clothed Oh therefore repent in time O ye cruell oppressors séeke the Lord whilest he may be found call vpon him while he is néere lay aside your sauage cruelty visit the fatherlesse and widow in their distresse deale your bread to the hungry helpe them to their right which suffer wrong deale mercifully with your tenants racke not your rents any more pinch not the poore soules for whom Christ died pittie them I say but pinch them not deale kindly friendly with them remember your great accounts consider the shortnesse of your daies and the vanitie of your life rent your hearts and not your clothes Turne vnto the Lord with all your heart with wéeping fasting and mourning preuent Gods wrath with a sacrifice of téeres pacifie his anger with the calues of your lips and with a contrite spirit be gréeued for that which is past and amend that which is to come stand it out no more at the swords point against God For it will not boot you to striue he is too strong for you Your only wisdom is to come in Come in therfore come in ye rebellious generation submit your selues to the great King humble your selues vnder his mighty hand cast downe your swords and targets yéeld vnto your God So shall you escape the vengeance to come so shall God accept you haue mercy vpon you receiue you to fauor grant you a generall pardon for all your rebellions and admit you into the number of his faithfull and loyall subiects Phila. I doe conceiue by diuers speeches which you haue alledged that goods gotten by oppression and cruelty will neuer prosper long For oppressors coine their mony vpon their neighbours skins How then can it be blessed Theol. You haue spoken a truth For as it hath béen shewed before that those goods which are gotten by swearing and lying are cursed so all these that are gotten by oppression and violence are more cursed Therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremie as the Partrich gathereth the yong which shee hath not brought foorth so he that gathereth riches and not by right shall leaue them in the midst of his daies and at his end shall bee a foole and his name shall be written in the earth Phila. Would to God our Magistrates and Gouernours would take speedy order for the remedying of these things and for the redressing of such grieuous enormities as are amongst vs or that they themselues woulde step in and deliuer the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor Theol. Iob was an excellent man for such matters For it is said of him That he brake the iawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckt the prey out of his teeth Where we sée how Iob was a meanes to deliuer the innocent and to pull the Lambe out of the Lions clawes Moreeuer it is written of him in the same chapter that the blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon him and that hée caused the widowes heart to reioyce that he was the eie to the blind the féet to the lame and the father to the poore and when he knew not the cause hée sought it out diligently Oh what a notable man was this Oh that we had many Iobs in these daies Wise Salomon doth most grauely aduise vs all to follow Iobs example in this behalfe Deliuer saith he them that are oppressed and drawne to death For shouldest thou withdraw thy self from them which go downe to the slaughter would to God that this holy counsell were well weighed and practised amongst vs Phila. I maruell much with what face these cruell oppressors can come before God in his holy Temple to pray and offer vp their sacrifices vnto him For we see many of them though they haue such foule hands and foule hearts as wee haue heard yet for all that will most impudently presume to come to the church and pray or at least when they are laide in their beds a nights and halfe asleepe then wil they tumble ouer their praiers or be pattering some Pater nosters Theol. Alas alas poore soules all that they do in matters of Gods worship is but hypocrisie dissimulation For in truth they care not for God they loue him but from the téeth outward their mouths are with him but their heart goeth after couetousnesse and their hands are full of blood And therefore God doth both abhorre them and their prayers For saith he Though they stretch out their hands yet will I hide mine eyes from them and though they make many prayers yet will I not heare them For their hands are full of blood Moreouer the holy Ghost saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his praier is abhominable Dauid saith If I regard wickednes in my heart God will not heare my praier Our Lord Iesus also affirmeth that God heareth not sinners that is stubburne and carelesse sinners So then we may cléerely sée by all these testimonies of holy writ what account God maketh of the praiers of oppressors and all other prophane vngodly men namely that hée doth hate them and abhorre them as most loathsome and odious in his sight Phila. Now in conclusion shew vs the causes of oppression Theol. The causes are these Crueltie Couetousnesse Hard-heartednesse An euill conscience The Diuell Phila. Let vs heare also of the remedies Theol. The remedies are these Pitie Contentation Tender affections A good conscience Much prayer Phila. Now sir as you haue at large vttered your mind concerning these grosse corruptions of the world and haue plainely and euidently proued them to be the deadly poison of the soule so also I pray you satisfie vs in this whether they be not hurtfull also to the body
his son That he would condemne others for sinne Antile But how doe you prooue the decree of reprobation to wit That God hath determined the destruction of thousands before the world was Theol. The Scripture calleth the reprobates The vessels of wrath prepared to destruction The Scripture sayth God hath not appointed vs vnto wrath Therefore it followeth that some are appointed vnto wrath The Scripture sayth of the reprobates That they were euen ordeined to stumble at the Word The Scripture sayth They were of olde ordeined to this condemnation Antile But how answer you this God willeth not the death of a sinner Therefore hee hath predestinate none to destruction Theol. God willeth not the death of a sinner simply and absolutely as it is the destruction of his creature but as it is a meane to declare his iustice and to set forth his glory Antile God did foresee and foreknow that the wicked would perish through their owne sinne but yet he did not predestinate them vnto it Theol. Gods prescience and foreknowledge cannot be separated from his decrée For whatsoeuer God hath foreséene foreknowen in his eternall counsell he hath determined the same shall come to passe For as it apperteineth to his wisdom to foreknow and foresée all things so doth it apperteine to his power to moderate and rule all things according to his will Antil What do you call prescience in God Theol. Presence in God is that whereby all things abide present before his eies so that to his eternall knowledge nothing is past nothing to come but all things are alwaies present And so are they present that they are not as conceiued imaginations formes and motions but all things are alwaies so present before God that he doth behold them in their verity and perfection Antil How can God iustly determine of mens destruction before they haue sinned Theol. This obiection hath béene answered in part before For I told you that God condemneth none but for sinne either originall only or else both original and actual For howsoeuer hée doth in himselfe before all time determine the reprobation of many yet he procéedeth to no execution till there be found in vs both iust deserts and apparant cause Therefore they deale vnsoundly and foolishly which confound the decrée of reprobation with damnation it selfe sith sinne is the cause of the one and onely the will of God of the other Phila. Well Sir sith we are so farre proceeded in this question by the occasion of this mans obiections and cauils I pray you now as you haue spoken much of reprobation and the causes thereof so let vs heare somewhat of election and the causes thereof and shew vs out of the Scriptures that God hath before all worlds chosen some to eternall life Theol. Touching the decrée of Election there are almost none that make any doubt thereof therefore small proofe shall serue for this point Onely I will confirme it by one or two testimonies out of the holy Scriptures First the Apostle saith Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Heauenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue You sée the words are very plaine and pregnant for this purpose An other confirmation is taken out of the 8. Chap. to the Romanes in these words Those whom he knew before did he also predestinate to be like to the image of his own Sonne that he might be the first borne of many brethren Phila. Which be the causes of Election Theol. The causes of Election are to be found onely in God himselfe For his eternall election dependeth neither vpon man neither yet vpon any thing that is in man but is purposed in himselfe and established in Christ in whom we are Elected This is fully prooued in these words Who hath predestinated vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glory wherewith he hath made vs freely accepted in his beloued Where wée see the apostle telleth vs that his frée grace and the good pleasure of his will are the first motiues or moouing causes of our Election Phila. But the Papists fetch the first motiue of election out of mans merits and fore-seene works For say they God did fore-see who would repent beleeue and doe well and therefore he made choise of them Theol. But they are greatly deceiued For I say againe and againe that there was nothing in vs which did euer mooue God to set his loue vpon vs and to choose vs vnto life but he euer found the originall cause in himselfe As it is written Hee will haue mercy vpon whom he will haue mercy and whom hee will hee hardneth And againe It is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie The Lord himselfe also testifieth that hée did choose his people not for any respect in them but onely because hée loued them and bare a speciall fauour vnto them So then it is a certaine truth that Gods eternall predestination excludeth all merits of man and all power of his will thereby to attaine vnto eternall life and that his frée mercy and vndeserued fauour is both the beginning the middest and the end of our saluation That is to say all is of him and nothing of our selues Phila. Whether then doth faith depend vpon election or election vpon faith That is whether did God choose vs because we doe beleeue or whether doe we beleeue because we are chosen Theol. Out of all doubt both faith and all fruits of faith doe depend vpon election For therefore we beléeue because we are elected and not therfore elected because we beléeue As it is written So many as were ordained to euerlasting life beleeued Antil If men be predestinate before they be borne to what purpose serue all precepts admonitions lawes c It forceth not how we liue For neither our godly or vngodly life can alter the purpose of God Theo. This is a very wicked and carnall obiection and sheweth a vile and dissolute minde in them that vse it But I would wish such men to consider the end of our election which is that we should lead a godly life As it is plainely set downe in the first to the Ephesians where the Apostle saith God hath chosen vs before the foundation of the world But to what end that we should line as we lift No no saith he But that we should be holy and vnblameable before him Againe he saith We are perdestinate to bee made like the image of his Sonne that is to be holy and righteous For most certaine it is that we can iudge nothing of predestination but by the consequents that is by our calling iustification and sanctification
heauen and wide gates into hell I pray you therefore proue them out of the Scriptures and lay them forth somewhat more largely Theol. The first which is Infidelity is proued out of the fourth chapter to the Hebrewes where it is written Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as vnto them but the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it And againe They could not enter in because of vnbeliefe Héere we sée that vnbeliefe did barre out the old people from entring into the land of promise which was a figure of Gods eternall kingdome And sure it is that the same vnbeliefe doth barre out thousands of vs. For many will beléeue nothing but their owne fansies They will not beléeue the word of God especially when it is contrary to their lustes and likings profits pleasures Though things be manifestly prooued to their faces and both the Chapter and the Uerse shewed them yet will they not beléeue or though they say they beléeue yet will they neuer goe about the practise of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another When God saith yea they will say no and so giue God the lie Some againe will say if all bée true that the Preachers say then God helpe vs. Thus you sée how Infidelity doth barre men out of Heauen and cast them into hell Phila. Let vs heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. of Deuteronomy where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst that is one sinne to another the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Héere we sée how the mightie God doth thunder downe vpon such as goe on in their sins presuming of his mercy and saying in their hearts If I may haue but a Lord haue mercy vpon me thrée houres before death I care not But it is iust with God when those thrée hours come to shut them vp in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a iust plague for their presumption Therefore the Prophet Dauid seeing the grieuousnesse of this sin praieth to be deliuered from it Keepe me ô Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not raigne ouer me Let all men therfore take héed of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will he shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that iustice goeth from him as well as mercy Phila. Let vs come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is prooued in the 23. of Exod. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill In another place the Lord saith After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein yee dwelt shall yee not doe and after the manner of the land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall yee not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the Children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Ieremy The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare But we will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth and we will doe as we haue done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Note héere how they doe altogether refuse the word of the Lord and how to follow the example of the multitude Wée sée in these our daies by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried down this streame and for defence of it some will say Doe as the most men doe and the fewest wil speake of you Which is a very wicked speach For if wée will follow the course of the most we shall haue the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let vs therefore take héed of bending with the sway For the sway of the world doth waigh downe all things that can bée spoken out of the word of God and openeth a very wide passage into Hell Phila. Proceed to the fourth gate into Hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Ieremy to be a very dangerous thing For he saith Can the blacke More change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe euill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leaue an old custome of sinne as to wash a black-more white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall are most impossible So when men through custom haue made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall vnto them oh how hard it is to leaue them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and féeling of sinne Phila. Let vs heare of the fift gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is auouched by the wise man in these words Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe euill Where he sheweth that one cause why men are so hardned in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediately after they haue sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone vpon another and cause the earth to swallow vp the third then men would feare indéed But it hath béene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he méet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall neuer come to their answer Euen as an olde théefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take héed For as the prouerbe saith Though the pitcher goeth long to the well yet at last it commeth broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies For there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you sée how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction That is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the law of the Magistrate Phila. Let vs come to the sixt gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who
to good Therefore God saith by his prophet Let them returne vnto thee but returne not thou vnto them Undoubtedly he is an odde man that is not made worse with ill companie For can a man touch pitch and not be defiled therewith Can a man carry coales in his bosome and not bée burnt Daily lamentable experience sheweth that many of them which thinke thēselues strong are this way most gréeuously smutted Let a man thinke therefore hée neuer abandoneth euill till hée abandon ill company For no good is concluded in this Parliament For ill company is the suburbes of hell Furthermore it is to be obserued that some vpon admonitions and some inward compunctions of their owne conscience doe leaue their sinnes vntill they haue new prouocations and vntill they come amongst their old copesmates and sinne-companions and then are they carried backe againe to their old bias and returne to their folly as a dog returneth to his vomit For wee sée some which otherwise are of good natures and dispositions most pittifully and violently carried away with ill company For euen as gréene wood of it selfe is vnapt to burne yet being laid on the fire with a great deale of seare wood it burneth as fast as the rest So many toward youthes which of themselues are not so prone vnto euill as others yet with this violent streame and blustering tempest of ill company are carried cleane away Phila. Let vs come to the last gate which is the Euill example of Ministers Theol. It gréeueth me and I am almost ashamed to speake of this point For is it not a wofull and lamentable thing that any such should be found amongst the sons of Leui Is it not a corsey that the Ministers of Christ shuld be of a scandalous conuersation For if the eie be darke how great is the darknesse If they bée examples of all euill to the flocke which should be patterns lights and examples of all goodnesse must it not néeds strengthen the hands of the wicked so as they cannot returne from their wickednesse But this is an old disease euill sicknesse which hath alwaies béene in the church The Prophet Ieremy doth most gréeuously complaine of it in his time saith That from the Prophets of Ierusalem is wickednesse gone foorth into all the land For both the Prophet and the Priest doe wickedly I haue seene saith he in the Prophets of Ierusalem filthines They commit adulterie walke in lies they strengthen also the hands of the wicked that none can returne from his wickednesse they are all vnto me as Sodom and the Inhabitants thereof as Gomorah And in the ninth verse of the same Chap. he sheweth that it was no pleasure or toy vnto him so publikely to reprooue them but that he did it with excéeding griefe as being forced thereunto both in regard of Gods glory the good of his Church His words are these Mine hart breaketh within me because of the prophets and al my bones shake Moreouer in the same Chapter is set downe how the Lord would féed them with wormewood and make them drinke the water of gall and sundry other waies plague them for their flatteries seducements corrupt doctrine and euill example of life Phila. Most certaine it is that the euill example of Ministers and especially of Preachers is very dangerous offensiue for thereby thousands are hardned in their sins For men will say Such a Minister and such a Preacher doth thus and thus and therefore why may not we doe so too They are learned and know the word of God therfore if it were euil I hope they would not doe it For they should be lights to vs and giue vs good examples Therefore sith they do such things we cannot tell what to thinke or what to say to the matter they bring such simple folke as we are into a mammering Theol. Oh that I could with the Prophet Ieremy quake and shake to thinke of these matters Oh that I could mourne as a Doue in penning of it Oh that I had in the wildernesse a cotage and could with Iob be a brother to the Dragons and a companion to the Ostriches whilest I haue any thoughts of those things Oh that I could wéepe mourne without sin before I yéeld you an answer ï For wéepe indéed I may but answer I cannot Alas with much griefe I speake it all is too true that you say And héerein the people haue a vantage against vs if I may call it vantage But let this be mine answer If the blinde leade the blind both shal fall into the ditch Blind guides and blinde people shall perish together If because we are wicked they will be more wicked then both they and we shall burne in hell fire together Then let them recken their gaines and sée what they haue got They haue small cause so to triumph ouer vs. For thereby their market is neuer a whit amended let them take this for answer And let vs that are the Ministers of Christ and Preachers of the Gospell looke narrowly to our selues and make straight steps to our féet For if we tread neuer so little awry we may sée how many eies are vpon vs. Let vs therfore with Dauid pray continually Order my goings O Lord that my footsteps slip not For when my foot slipped they reioyced against me And as for the people let them follow the examples of those which walke vnblameably as God be thanked some such there be and let them flie the examples of such as are offensiue So shall God haue more glory they more peace in their owne hearts Thus haue we heard what a wide gate is opened into hell by the euill example of Ministers and especially of Preachers Phila. Well sith there be so many bars out of heauen and so many gates into hell it is a very hard matter to breake thorow all these barres and so to enter into life and as hard a matter to misse all these gates and to escape hell He quits him well that can doe it Theol. True indéed And as hard a thing as this is so hard a thing is it for flesh and blood to enter into the kingdom of heauen And yet most men make light of it and thinke it is the easiest matter of an hundred Asune As hard as it is yet I hope by the grace of God I shall be one of them that shall enter in For so long as I doe as I would be done to and say no body no harme nor do no body no harme God will haue mercy on my soule And I doubt not but my good deeds shall weigh against my euill deeds and that I shal make euen with God at my latter end For I thanke God for it I haue alwaies liued in his feare serued him with a true intent Therefore I know that so long as I keepe his commandements and liue as my neighbours doe and as a Christian man ought to doe he will
against vs as most damnable transgressors of all thy holy commandements yea such as are sunke in our rebellions and haue many times often committed high treason against thy maiesty therefore thou maist iustly cast vs all downe into hell fire there to be tormented with Sathan and his Angels for euer And we haue nothing to except against thy maiesty for so doing sith therein thou shouldest deale with vs but according to equity and our iust deserts Wherfore déere Father we do appeale from thy iustice to thy mercy most humbly intreating thée to haue mercy vpon vs and freely to forgiue vs all our sinnes past whatsoeuer both new and old secret and open knowen and unknowen and thatfor Jesus Christs sake our only mediator And we pray thée touch our hearts with true griefe vnfained repentance for them that they may be a matter of continuall sorrow hart-smart vnto vs so as nothing may grieue vs more then this that wée haue offended thée béeing our speciall friend and Father Giue vs therefore deare Father euery day more and more sight féeling of our sinnes with true humiliation vnder the same Giue vs also that true and liuely faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy Sonne Christ and all his merits applying the same to our owne soules so as we may stand fully perswaded that whatsoeuer he hath don vpon the crosse he hath done for vs particularly as well as for others Giue vs faith good Father constantly to beléeue all the swéete promises of the Gospell touching remission of sin and eternall life made in thy son Christ O Lord increase our faith that we may altogether rest vpon thy promises which are all yea and Amen Yea that we may settle our selues and all that we haue wholly vpon them both our souls bodies goods name wiues children and our whole estate knowing that all things depend vpon thy promises power and prouidence that thy word doth support and beare vp the whole order of nature Moreouer we intreate thée O Lord to strengthen vs from aboue to walke in euery good way to bring foorth the fruits of true faith in all our particular actions studying to please thée in all things and to be fruitfull in good works that we may shew forth vnto all men by our good conuersation whose children we are and that we may adorne and beautifie our most holy profession by walking in a Christian course and in all the sound fruits practise of godlinesse and true religion To this end we pray thée sanctifie our hearts by thy spirit yet more and more sanctifie our soules and bodies and all our corrupt naturall faculties as reason vnderstanding will and affections so as they may be fitted for thy worship and seruice taking a delight and pleasure therein Stirre vs vp to vse praier watchfulnesse reading and meditation in thy law all other good meanes whereby we may profit in grace goodnes from day to day Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes that we may daily die to sin and liue to righteousnes draw vs yet néerer vnto thée helpe vs against our manifold wants Amend our great imperfections renue vs inwardly more and more repaire the ruines of our hearts aide vs against the remnants of sinne Enlarge our harts to run the way of thy Commandements direct all our steps in thy word let none iniquity haue dominion ouer vs. Assist vs against our speciall infirmities master sins that we may get the victory ouer them all to thy glory and the great peace comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen vs good father by thy grace and holy spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome couetousnes contempt of thy Gospel swearing lying dissembling and deceiuing O déere father let vs not be ouercome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures and fond delights wherewith thousands are carried headlong to destruction Arm our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh the diuell that we may ouercome them all through thy helpe kéepe on the right way to life that we may liue in thy feare die in thy fauor that our last daies may be our best daies that we may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore déere father we intreat thée not onely for our selues but for all our good brethren thy déere childreÌ„ scattred ouer the face of the whole earth most humbly beséeching thée to blesse them all to chéere them vp glad them with the ioy of thy countenance both now and alwaies Guide them all in thy feare and kéepe them from euill that they may praise thy name In these dangerous daies and declining times we pray thée O Lord raise vp nursing fathers and nursing mothers vnto thy Church Raise vp also faithfull Pastors that thy cause may be caried forward truth may preuaile Religion may prosper thy name onely may be set vp in the earth thy Sonnes kingdome aduanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all aduersary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their deuises scatter their forces ouerthrow their armies When they are most wise let them be most foolish when they are most strong let them be most weake Let them know that there is no wisedome nor counsell power nor policy against thée the Lord of hostes Let them know that Israel hath a God and that thou which art called Iehouah art the onely ruler ouer all the world Arise therefore O most mighty God and maintaine thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite through all their loines and bow downe their backs yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will vnto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be ioy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all fauour we intreat thée O Lord to shew speciall mercy to thy Church in this Land wherein we liue Continue thy Gospell amongst vs yet with greater successe purge thy house daily more and more take away all things that offend Let this Nation still be a place where thy name may be called vpon an harbour for thy saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and haue â—are of them that thy Gospell may be left vnto them as a most holy inheritance Defend vs against forraine inuasion kéepe out idolatry and Popery from amongst vs. Turne from vs those plagues which our sinnes crie for For the sins of this Land are excéeding great horrible and outragious and giue thée iust cause to make vs spectacles of thy vengeance to all Nations that by how much the more thou hast lifted vs vp in great mercy long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse vs downe in great wrath and long war Therefore deare father we most humbly intreate thée for thy great names sake for thy infinite mercies sake that thou wouldest be reconciled to this