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A01629 The true tryall and examination of a mans owne selfe wherein euery faithfull Christian, by looking into his conscience, may most plainely behold his spirituall deformity by nature, described, his actuall rebellion by disobedience detected, his promise breach at baptisme, by ordinary transgression apparantly proued, his lamentable estate through sinne discouered, his wilfull obstinacie by dayly disorder displayed, and lastly howe by earnest repentaunce, and faith in Christ Iesu, he is from all the same clearely pardoned, forgiuen, released and reconciled / done in Englishe by Tho. Newton. Hyperius, Andreas, 1511-1564.; Newton, Thomas, 1542?-1607. 1587 (1587) STC 11761.5; ESTC S4316 74,045 216

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〈◊〉 with any 〈◊〉 and against their will which is called Rape or rauishment Whether thou hast abused thy 〈◊〉 by carnall dealing in anie other sorte or with anie other persons or creatures than by the lawe of nature is ordained As by Sodomitrie or by Buggarie tearmed by some the dombe sinne and as I thinke for this cause so tearmed for that it is of such horror that it is not once to be named or spoken of among men Whether thou hast long time continued in that kinde of sinne whereof thou knowest thy selfe guilty Whether thou hast giuen any aide to others ●n their filthie dealings or whether thou hast bestowed any time labour or diligence in procuring and bringing about any dishonest lustfull and lecherous loues For the kind or trade of life Gouernour or Minister of the Church Whether hee haue admitted and winked at or tollerated anie beeing by others admitted to the ministerie of the Church whō either he himselfe or anie others did knowe to bee whooremongers or to keepe Concubines and harlots Whether hee haue suffered anie to bee partakers of the holie Supper of the Lorde notoriouslie knowen to bee Adulterers and Whooremongers Whether when he hath seene sins manifestly raigning and grieuouslie preuailing against this seuenth commandement or stewes and brothel-houses to be suffered and to goe vnpunished he haue beene negligent and remisse as occasion and opportunitie hath serued to reproue and inueigh against it and whether hee haue zealouslie aduised and earnestlie admonished the Magistrate to looke to his dutie in this behalfe in repressing and redressing these enormities Whether in ioyning anie persons together in Matrimonie specially them of the lighter sorte hee haue bene too readie rash inconsiderate as namely in not propounding vnto them the ends of Matrimonie for which it was by God ordained instituted in not declaring vnto them such pointes as appertaine to the dignitie of Mariage in not earnestly examining them what reasons moued them to enter into this holy estate The negligent looking vnto these and such like pointes is one speciall cause of so many ill agreeing matches so many lamentable diuorses c. Whether he haue suffered the patrimonie treasure substance goods of the Church to bee bestowed in almes vpon anie such persons as for their lewde life and filthie liuing were infamous Whether when women haue resorted vnto him for his aduise spiritual counsell hee haue felte himselfe anie waie moued to vnchastitie or otherwise inkindled and assailed with anie lecherous cogitations Finally whether in the Church or else where or by domesticall vsage familiar custome or anie other meanes whatsoeuer either by immodest countenance or vndiscreet iesture he haue giuen others occasion to conceiue of him ill opinion and sinister suspition ¶ Magistrate and publike Officer in the common wealth Whether in his Realm Countrie Dominion Precinct iurisdiction he haue suffered anie dens of baudrie open brothel-houses or Stewes from the which there mu●● needs grow and flowe ful seas of much mischiefe Whether he haue bene remisse and negligent to reforme and bring to amendement of life or else to punish banish out of the common wealth all such as for lewdnes and impuritie are generally infamous as baudes pandars filthie loue-makers adulterers whooremongers strumpets and all others whomsoeuer giuing offence in this behalfe Whether he haue at anie time or by any meanes so vsed demeaned himselfe that he hath bene thought to fauour support and beare with this kind of filthie life which suspition cōmonly ariseth when men in authoritie doe familiarly admit to their acquaintāce companie those that be lechers and whooremaisters and such as bee foule mouthed and baudilie languashed O● when they make much of such persons and delight in their fellowship or aduance and preferre them to dignities and honours or suffer them to inioy publike offices in the common wealth whereas other good honest vertuous persons are vnregarded and not accounted of Whether they haue suffered any Enterludes Stageplaies or games wherin haue bene shewed vttered or done anie filthie feates vnchast wordes or lewde actions Which kinde of shewes and playes are in many places seene not onely at times of prophane iollyties but now and then also euen at the solemne assemblies of some such as by profession shoulde bee deadly haters and vehement disswaders thereof Souldiour Whether in the time of warre hee haue constuprated and defloured anie virgins or matrones thinking himselfe as it were to haue lawfull interest ouer the bodie of those seely creatures being by force of arms of him conquered taken and subdued Phisicion and Apothecarie Whether he haue giuen counsell to any person for the preseruation and recouerie of his health to commit whooredome or some other vile act to become dronken c. Whether he haue ministred made anie medicines or drugges to inflame lust prouoke lecherie or procure dishonest loue Whether in deliuering medicines to anie woman or maiden he haue wantonly and vnchastly either handled or beheld her ¶ Schoolemaister Whether hee haue read to the youth in the schoole anie wanton writers or vnchast Authours whereby their mindes might catch infection And of such sort are there certaine Poets Comicall Elegiake Epigrammatarie ¶ Scholler Whether he haue priuatly taken delight in reading such Authors and whether he haue ben therby induced to sinne Whether not onely by familiaritie with women and damsels of ill report and fame but also with ietting the streets by night with instrumentes of Musicke he haue procured dauncing and occasioned misrule whereby hee might seeme as it were to seeke opportunitie to finde fit time to compasse his vncleane conceits and fleshly imaginations And if ouer and besides this he haue at any time carryed weapons causing therewith braulings fraies to the hurting or wounding of any or which is worse of the murther and death of anie In this dooing he hath sinned also by manifest brech against the sixt cōmandement whereof we lately treated ¶ Husband and Wife Whether they haue faithfully kept the one to the other their bed vndefiled their faith vnspotted Whether to the actuall knowledge allowed betwene them they haue shewed thymselues the one to the other without lawfull and necessarie cause waiward churlish vnwilling whereby might haue growen danger of scortation vncleannesse and filthie offence Whether there hath ben betweene them anie bitter wordes or brawling iarres breeding an hatred the one to the other and peraduenture occasioning them or the one of them to commit sinne with some other partie Whether the loue betweene them haue beene hemmed in within the bounds of such christian sobrietie and decency that they haue not as it were in a beastly sort ouermuch dotage loued the one the other yeelding themselues to immoderate yea vnchast and as I may saie whoorish lust and loue He committeth adulterie with his owne wife that in this filthie sort loueth her doteth ouer her vnmeasurably
this cōmeth often so to passe as by example we will shewe ¶ If thou haue corrupted anye wares or any other thing which thy neighbour is to buy and then sell thē vnto him for good first of all thou knowest that thou herein hast sinned against the ix Cōmandement which forbiddeth thee to giue false witnesse But if thou diddest it with an intent and meaning to rake and scrape a priuate gaine vniustly to thy selfe with the losse and hinderance of an other thou art therein guiltie of the breach of the viii Commandement whereby is forbidden all theft If furthermore in this behalfe thou haue deceiued anie that is thy superiour or that is linked to thee in bloud as thy Father or thy Mother the Magistrate the Minister of the Church thy kinseman c. therein hast thou transgressed the fifth Commaundement of honouring Father and Mother To be short if this circumstance do also concurre that this cra●tie practise were by thee doone on the Sabbaoth day then hast thou heerein incurred the displeasure of Almightie God for prophaning and not sanctifying the Sabbath day Last of all it may bee that in this bargayning and selling some such woordes might passe from thee as might make thee further guiltie For if thou swearest vainely and without cause with an intent meaning to auouch any thing that thou wouldest haue to be beleeued then art thou therein guiltie of the thirde commaundement Thou shalt not take the name of the Lorde thy God in vaine ¶ Thirdly we shall doe well in the examining and dicussing of thy actions to giue thee charge circumspectly to consider euerie particular circūstance to wit the time the place the person the cause the end the maner the instrument c. No man wil denie but that the offence is farre greater hainouser which is committed on the Sabbath daye or at such time as all men for some publike calamitie are in a generall heauines againe when it is committed in the sight and face of many honest and graue persons furthermore when it is doone by or against any man in high authoritie moreouer when no manner of alluring occasion went afore to drawe or mooue thee to that euill Therefore we may not slightly passe ouer howe much and how greatly these circumstances doe aggrauate and augment thy fault 4 Fourthly it standeth thee vpon moreouer often and many times to consider with thy selfe and plainely to confesse that thou canst neuer call to memorie all thy sinnes committed and againe that thou canst neuer exactly ynough iudge ●ow greeuous detestable those be which doe alreadie come to thy remembraunce For truely and diuinely hath the Prophet set downe who can vnderstand his faults O clense me from my secret faultes For so standeth thy case that euen where thou least thinkest thou there sinnest most greeuously And the thinges which thou thinkest well and iustlie done are in the sight of God and before the tribunall seate of the highe iudge vncleane vnrighteous and de●ectrue And therefore the Prophet Isaiah cryeth out thus We haue been all as an vncleane thing and al our righteousnesse is as a filthy clout Seeing therefore the case thus standeth it is thy part and dutie plainely to confesse that much ignoraunce remayneth in thee and that the same is in thee a great sinne for the which vnlesse God in mercy do pardon thee hee may hurle thee headlong into eternall damnation 5 Fiftly thou must consider that there is cause ynough to condemne and pronounce thee guiltie for that thou hast not done those good workes which in the lawe are commaunded For looke how many sinnes in euerie particular commaundement are forbidden so many good workes in euery commaundement are commaunded To euery sinne there ought to answere his contrarie and that is some good worke ¶ Now if thou throughly examine thy conscience thou shalt soone espy that thou hast not perfourmed no not the least part and portion of those thinges which the lawe of God requireth at thy handes yea if thou narrowly search euery corner of thy selfe thou shalt finde that either thou hast fulfilled and perfourmed nothing at all or if thou hast perfourmed anye thing yet shalt thou finde it to be vnperfect corrupt and with some manner of contagion infected For all our obedience is maymed lame and vnperfect Wherefore thou must say as Christ hath taught vs all Although we had done all those things that are commanded vs. yet we are vnprofitable seruauntes Againe The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God for it is not subiect to the lawe of God neyther in deede can bee Againe in the 7. Chapter I knowe that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to will is present with me but I finde no meanes to perfourme that which is good And I delight in the lawe of God concerning this inner man but I see an other lawe in my members rebelling against the lawe of my minde and leading me cap●i●e vnto the lawe of sinne which is in my members 6 Sixtly thou must cast in thy mind to consider and record the paines and punishmentes which God threatneth and inflicteth vpon those that disobey and transgresse his commandements Of these paines punishmentes and plagues some be corporall and externall some spirituall and internall Of the first sort are barrainesse and steriliti● of the earth hunger and dearth dissentions and warres diseases pestilence banishmentes shipwrackes inundations and ouerflowings stormes calamities burninges c. Of the latter sort are ignoraunce of the scriptures famine of the woorde of God blindnesse of the minde incredulitie and vnbeliefe induration or hardening of the heart deliuerie and giuing vp into a reprobate sense c. A great beadroll of plagues are reckoned vp in the 28. of Deuteronomie But when it pleaseth him the Lorde can and will send many mo than are there expressed For hee daily prepareth and maketh readie newe scourges whips for disobedient men eue● as they dayly commit newe sinnes and offences For alas what miserie doe wee nowe day by day tast and proue what daungers What diseases What other incommodities which as it is to bee thought were not so much as once knowen by the very bare names vnto men in the olde men nor so much as once by any meanes spoken of And withall thou shalt remember and call to minde the examples of such as by the iust iudgement of God are read reported of in the bookes of the sacred scriptures others also to haue been plagued with these punishments either bodily or spiritually and it shall also much further thee to adde hereunto such as thou of thine own knowledge within thy time and memorie hast knowen to haue felt the heauie hande of God 7 Seuenthly it shal be very behouefull for thee to consider that for thy sinnes and offences others linked vnto thee in consanguinitie and kinred are punished namely thy Parentes thy children thy brethren thy
memory of thy guilt and transgression and that therefore it necessarilie standeth thee vppon to fall to most earnest repentance to consider and thinke with thy selfe that this whole life which we here liue ought to bee a continuall meditation of repentance and that in the meane while we ought patiently to suffer all miseries and calamities sith we our selues were the cause thereof and by our owne fault haue deserued the same Last of all seeing we cannot by any meanes shewe forth worthy repentance and pacifie God his anger iustly conceiued againg vs yea with the sway of sin preuailing in vs wee rather exasperate his furder wrath it remaineth for vs therefore to take this sure course euen to lift vp the eies of our mind vnto our Mediator lesus Christ and to beseech the Father to respect the righteousnesse and obedience of him alone not to call into accompt the vnrighteousnes and disobedience either of our first parent or of vs our selues but to impute the righteousnes of Christ vnto vs as though it were our owne And hereunto let the words of the Apostle by al meanes moue and stirre thee As by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by the instifieng of one the benefite abounded towarde all men to the iustification of life c. These and the like reasons drawing thee to the acknowledgement of thy sinne to repentaunce to true inuocation of the name of God and humble imploring of his fatherly mercie thou maiest well thinke thou hast laide a good foundation and made a good entraunce into the tryal and examination of thy selfe CHAP. 3. He that wil profitablie and rightlie trie and examine himselfe must diligently consider his promise made at Baptisme and how well m euery point he answereth the same BVT it may bee thou comfortest thy selfe and waxest bolde for that long ago thou wast baptized and thereupon makest thy reckoning that all thy sins aswell originall as actuall before committed were then remitted and forgiuen thee and that therefore there is no cause to charge thee or laie before thee any thing touching originall sin and that thou canst not for that sinne be any more called into question and drawen into iudgement Heere loe is there offered vnto thee an occasion of a newe and altogether a more seuere and precise examination For certainely if thou purpose earnestly effectually to try thy selfe it is thy part and dutie exactly diligently to searche as hath beene sayde afore euery corner of thy Conscience whether in euery degree and respect thou haue vsed thy selfe and dealt according to that solemne vowe and profession which thou madest and vnder-tookest at thy Baptisme Whereby it shall most plainely appeare whether there be any of those remnaunts of originall sinne and olde Adam yet remaining within thee or no. That thou maiest the sooner the readier and the reuerentlyer bringe this to passe it shall bee good for thee first diligently to weigh and consider such speciall things materiall points as are commonly vsed and solemnized at the very time that Baptisme is ministred namely what each seuerall action meaneth togeather with each circumstance and necessarie braunch thereunto belonging And this being done orderlie to proceede to the thorough search of each corner of thy inward conscience Marke well therefore what was done at the time that thou wast Baptized and solemnely receiued into the Church in the sight of God and his Angels and of godlie beleeuing brethren FIrst there acknowledging thy selfe by nature to be the child of wrath ouerwhelmed drowned in sins and so long as thou so liuedst to be vnder the power of the Prince of darkenes thou camest penitently to the Church deepely and solemnely there protesting that thou wouldest forsake the Diuel and all his workes and that thou wouldest liue a newe and better life from thenceforth that thou wouldest become a new man cleane contrary to that thou wast afore and that thou wouldest serue God alone in all synceritie and godlinesse of life Thou diddest thē also presently make professiō of thy faith beliefe in God the father in Iesus Christ his sonne in the holy Ghost making there thy humble praier beleeuing that thou shouldest be receiued into fauour and grace not for any works of righteousnesse in the selfe which were none at all but thorough the meere mercie of God by the bloude of Christ and by the lauer of regeneration After thou haddest thus bewailed the wofull state of thy miserable vnworthines and publiquely protested thine earnest repentance and withall thereunto added a sounde confession of thy faith then was there likewise set foorth vnto thee the promise of God made vnto all that truely repent and turne vnto him by a liuely faith and are baptized Hee that shall beleeue and bee baptized shall bee saued Amend your liues and be baptized euerie one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sinnes These contestations and promises beeing thus solemnely made on both parts thou wast bapt sed that is to say thou wast dipped or sprinckled with water therewithall the Word of God was pronounced forth hauing vertue after a maruelous sort to wash take away thy sinnes by the bloudsheads of Christ The Word was added to the Element so was it made in thee a Sacrament eue● a Sacrament and Seale of the righteousnes of faith Of that faith I saye which thou euen a little while afore diddest professe and of that righteousnesse which God promised vnto thee And it is as it were an Indenture of Couenants or mutuall hand-writing obligatory between God and thee For in this action of thy baptisme there passeth a certaine mutuall bond or obligatō between you euen much like as betweene Barterers Bargainers but most aptly properly and specially betweene the husband and the wife For the couenaunt promise and bonde here made is not for any short while but euen for the whole space of thy life and so long as thou continuest in this world the memorie of this promise couenant by thee made ought surely to bee imprinted in thy minde yea still euē so long as thy life lasteth it behooueth thee all that euer thou canst to endeuor thy selfe to accomplishe and performe thy promised couenants Thou art now in this sort engraffed into Christ and incorporated into his holy congregation being the Church thou art receiued into the number fellowship of the faithfull Moreouer the very fourme manner customable rite of Baptisme it selfe is a perpetuall witnesse of thy vowed promise and admonisheth thee of thy duetie all the daies of thy life Namely first when thou wast put down into the Font dipped into the water or sprinckled therewith there was signified vnto thee the mortification of thy selfe and all thy members in that thou diddest there openly and solemnely professe that thou wouldest die vnto sinne Againe thy raising and lifting
God and hearing the sasacred scriptures recited and alleaged thou haue reuerently and godly bent thy selfe to that holy exercise attentiuely and religiously listening to that which was sayde Sinnes outward WHether in taking a solemn oth for any matter thou haue done it in any other sort then by reuerently calling on the name of God and citing him to witnesse and recorde of thy speech and dealing For by him only and by none other ought we too sweare And therefore great is their fault and greeuously doe they sinne that swear by heauen by earth by the members of God by Saintes by the crosse and such like Whether thou haue constantly affirmed any thing to be true whereof thou diddest not then knowe the certainty or at least wherof thou stoodest in doubt Whether thou haue sworne to doe any thing which thou diddest neuer meane to doe Whether thou euer procuredst any man to sweare knowing that he shold thereby take a false oath and sweare vntruely Whether thou haue euer in vaine vsed the naming of the woundes and death of Christe or other like thinges or actions of Christ to euil and lewde purposes or to wicked cursing and banning Whether otherwise at any other time thou haue rashly that is to say without iust and vrgent cause abused taken in vain the name of God Whether thou haue vsed thus to do of a certain peeuish wilful custome which certainly is a very wicked and horrible thing Whether thou haue not performed and done that which by solemne vow oth thou promisedst to do Whether thou haue bound thy selfe by vowe or oth to doe any thing that hath beene vnlawfull and wicked Whether thou haue mis-spent and abused those giftes wherewith God hath endued thee to any other purposes then to the aduauncement and setting foroth of Gods glory Whether I say thou haue abused those giftes eyther to the contumelye and dishonour priuilye or apertly of God or to any hurt and hinderāce of thy neighbor For in the gifts that God bestoweth vpon vs there shineth out the great dignity and Maiesty of God his blessed name Whether thou haue applied to vanitie such things as properly rightly are appertinent to God and of him onely are truely said and spoken And whether in thy familiar talke with others thou haue spoken of God and heauenly matters vainly scoffingly lightly ridiculously or vnreuerentlye Whether thou haue misused the holy Word of God conteined in the sacred Scriptures eyther by wresting it violently to other sense than it was meant spoken and vttered or in applying it to such matters and purposes as it ought not to bee applied vnto as namely to guming iesting balletting singing slanderous libelling pasquilling c. Whether thou haste adiured or enforced any man to sweare to doe or confesse any thing hauing no authority so to do or for no necessary matter or cause of importaunce but rather about some trifling toy and friuolous conceit or some such drift as tended to the daunger of such as bee good honest and godly Whether thou haste coniured Deuils or vsed the damnable art of Negromancy seeking help of wicked spirites or desiring to haue some thing by them brought to passe as though they had beene fit Ministers for such offices and purposes Whether thou haue adiured or enchanted any creatures vnreasonable euen such as be brute and dumbe or any hearbes and plantes or such like things hoping and meaning thereby to worke some straunge feat and wonderfull practise For the kinde of life WHether entring into any function or Colledge or into any other kind of life and solemnly promising by oth to obserue maintaine and keepe the lawes and orders therof thou haue accordingly so done and discharged thine oth As namely when a Iudge an Aduocate an Atturney or such like is first nominated and admitted to his place let him consider howe he dischargeth his oth whereby he then solemnely promiseth iustly truely to exercise his office So likewise a Graduate when he taketh his degree in Shooles A Scholler when he is admitted in a College a Citizen when he is enfranchized or elected into any office A Souldier when he is sworn to his Captaine a Craftes-man when he is made free and receiued into the society and fellowship of those of the same trade mystery or occupation c. Buyers and Sellers Whether the sooner to vttet their wares they haue vsed othes to their chap-men in bargaining and dealing with them affirming and protesting the same wares to bee good and faultlesse which notwithstanding they knewe well ynough to be defectiue naught deceitfull and faulty Whether they haue sworn that they payed more for their wares then in truth they did or that they would not sell the same any better cheape then the price they pitched and yet afterwarde haue done otherwise ¶ Suters for mariage Whether the sooner and easier to win the good will and consent the one of the other they haue vsed othes and asseuerations faithfully to doe this or that and to bee those persons which they pretended to be and yet in trueth haue bin found and prooued otherwise ¶ Souldiers These of all other sorts of people are found the readiest commōly to abuse vnreuerently the name of God and wilfully to make custome of periurie Finally whether in committing any of these afore-named thou haue been therby the cause of offence to others and ministred vnto them occasion to commit the like For being the cause of offence eyther in worde or deede to others thou makest thy selfe guilty of their sinne ouer and beside thine owne And whether when thou hast seene others disorderly to commit any of these outrages before expressed thou haue plainly shewed thy selfe to bee ●n vtter misliker thereof reproouing and reprehending them also for the same when time and place serued For in not dooing this thou consen●est vnto them in their folly and so ●y consenting entanglest and wrappedst thy self in other mens sinnes broughtest their euils vpon thine own head The fourth Commaundement Remember the Sabboth day that thou keepe it holy Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke but the seuenth day is the Sabboth of the Lord thy God In it thou shalt not do any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruaunt nor thy maide nor thy beast nor thy straunger that is within thy gates For in six daies the Lorde made heauen and the earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lorde blessed the sabboth day and hallowed it Sinnes inward COnsider here whether thou hast at all times reuerently and honorably thought of the ministery of the worde of the administration of Sacraments of the ceremonies and al exercises necessary expedient and profitable to the Church of God both for the encrease of Godlinesse and also of Discipline order and decency whether thou haste at all times willingly and dutifully framed and submitted
shoppe or set his wares to sale Stage-player Whether by his Enterludes Stage-playes he haue drawn the people away from spirituall exerercises and godly meditations ¶ Musicion Mynstrel Whether hee haue bene the author and occasioner of wanton dancing or other vnseemly pastimes ¶ Craftes-men of any trade whatsoeuer Whether they haue wrought on the Sabboth and holy dayes when no necessitie enforced them but onely for lucre sake or whether they haue caused their apprentises and seruants the same dayes to worke without eyther going to church or giuing themselues to godly meditations as the Taylor or Botcher to sow a garment the husbandman to hedge ditch plowe garden cleanse his Stable c. whereas at these times these thinges and so of others might ought to be forborne Whether any person whosoeuer hee be haue enticed and procured others to any vaine games vnlawfull sports or other light and lewde exercises as dice-playing and such like House-holder Whether as specially on the Sabboths and festiuall dayes so also sometimes on the worke dayes he haue propounded or caused to be propounded and taught to his children and family the cheefe heads of Christian religiō namely such as be taught and contayned in the Catechisme Finally whether any person by cōmitting any of these aforesayd faults haue therby giuen occasion to others to commit the like and whether hee haue beene a stumbling blocke and cause of fall vnto others eyther in worde or deede And again whether in seeing others to do ill thou haue not let them vnderstande thy great mislike thereof For thine assenting to others sinnes loadeth thee a newe with mo sinnes and maketh thee a partaker thereof The fift Commandement Honour thy Father thy Mother that thy dayes may be prolonged vpon the Land which the Lorde thy God giueth thee Sinnes inward For the trade of life SOnne Daughter Orphan and Warde Whether thou hast at all times reuerently thought and had a good opinion of thy parents gouernors wishing well vnto them and praying for them and in all thinges to their good liking shewing thy dutifull obedience Whether by reason of their base degree and condition pouerty afflictiō misery or any such like respect thou haue had them in contempt or made the lesse account of them Whether because they haue at somtime somewhat sharply chastised thee or because of some wrong which they haue done vnto thee or because thou thinkest they haue not had that care of thee which they ought thou haste therfore withdrawne thy duty alienated thy mind any waies from them ¶ Parents Gardians Whether they haue borne a right fatherly mind and affection toward their childrē wishing their welfare and wel-doing prouiding the best for them that they possibly could in all things ¶ Lay people Whether of the spirituall fathers Parentes that feede thy soule that is to say the Ministers of Gods holy word and sacraments and of their office function and calling thou haste reuerently and religiously thought Whether thou hast willingly receiued and heard their doctrine exhortations reprehensions and ecclesiasticall discipline by them deseruedly inflicted vpon thee either publikely or priuatelie and that without murmuring resistance or gainsaying ¶ Minister of the Church Whether as much as in thee lay thou hast earnestly heartilie laboured to bring vnto God to the knowlege of their saluation in Christ those that were cōmitted to thy charge ouersight euer remēbring that God would one day require an account of them at thy hand ¶ Scholler Whether thou haste caried the same good mind and affection towards thy Masters which tooke paines to trayne thee vp in vertue learning as thou oughtest to bear toward thy parents ¶ Schoole-master Whether thou haue caried a Fatherly minde affection towardes thy Schollers carefully deuising and seeking all wayes means to profit them ¶ Subiectes and Inferiors Whether thou haste esteemed the Magistrates which be the common parents of the country defending vs our wiues children and goodes from iniurie and oppression and procuring vnto vs peace quietnes and tranquility as the lawfull Ministers of God vnto whome thou owest honour feare tribute custome and all thinges else euen for conscience sake knowing that thou art bounde to obey them yea though they were wicked ¶ Magistrates Whether they considering remembring that they must make an account and giue a reckoning of their gouernment and that they beeing Deputies heere on earth vnder God ought to minister Iustice and to iudge in all thinges according to right haue accordingly endeuored them-selues at all times to seeke the quietnesse tranquility of their subiectes and carefully in singlenesse of heart to prouide for their commodity and welfare ¶ Seruauntes and Hand-maydes Whether they haue beene obedient and submitted them-selues to their Maisters and Mistresses with feare and trembling seruing them heartily in singlenesse and simplicity of minde euery where and at all times rather wishing their furtherance and profit then their losse and hindraunce ¶ Masters and Mistresses Whether they knowing them-selues to haue a Master in Heauen with whome there is no respect of persons haue dealt iustly and equally with their seruants shewing mildnesse vnto them and curtesy not rigor and threatning Sinnes externall and outward SOnnes Daughters Orphans Wards Whether they haue shewed toward their Parents in euery place all tokens of honour reuerence and good-will Whether they haue willingly obeied their commaundementes and euerie way taken heed least they should prouoke them to anger Whether they haue spoken or done any thing wherby to bring them into heauinesse and griefe as either by wishing euil vnto them by threatning them by complaining on them to others neglecting the studies and businesse whereunto by them they haue beene enioyned vnthriftily spending their time shamefully and wastfully consuming their money excessiuelie royoting away the wealth charges which their carefull Parents to help them withall were willing to bestowe on them or else by anie other way or meane whatsoeuer Whether they haue dutifully holpen succoured and relieued them when they haue beene sicke driuen into pouertie or throwen into daunger ¶ Parent Guardian Whether thou thy selfe with al diligence hast trained vp and instructed thy children in godlines in the feare of the Lorde and in holines of life also caused them by others to be instructed and trained Whether thou haue beene an example of vertue and godlinesse vnto thy children committing nothing before them vnseemely filthy or vnciuile either in word or deede Whether thou haue fondly dandlingly cockered them not chastising correcting them but letting thē haue their owne wanton willes winking at their faultes and so with too smooth countenance and familiar gesture vtterlie marring them Whether thou hast frō time to time fedde thy children with money and other things or suffred thē to haue the same to
thy brother in any bargain or to preuent him of his commoditie or whether thou hast attempted or done any thing to that end VVhether thou hast bereft or by any means empaired any mās good name and fame which all honest men doo more esteeme that worthily than either money or any other worldlie treasure and whether thou hast done it secretly and closely by vndermining his credit with lewde speeches or by affixing and setting vp infamous and slanderous libels or pictures or by openly charging him with some crime not committed or if it were committed yet secret and not knowen or by exaggerating another mans fault or through thy silence and dissimulation soothing a matter as though that were committed which in very deede was not committed Or by accusing of him before a Iudge and that not so much for anie loue thou bearest to iustice as for malice and spight to the partie for desire to do him a shrewd turne Whether thou haue lent out thy monie corne wine or any other thy goods with conditiō to receiue again more than thou lentest and gaue out whether the same bee in monie or in ware or in anie other thing whatsoeuer Whether for lending any thing thou hast taken to pawne apparell horse house grounde c. VVhich pawne thou hast in the meane while vsed and worne without allowance or abatement of anie parte of the principall summe VVhether when thou hast lent vnto Merchants Occupiers and Artificers any money thou hast done it in hope to partake with thē in the gaine which they make with the monie borrowed of thee VVhether thou hast bought land or any other thing at a higher price than it is wel worth but yet with this clause and condition that the partie which felleth it shall bee bounde to buy the same of thee againe and thou in the meane space till he redeeme it take inioy all the profit and commoditie arising and growing thereof to thine owne vse This cunning shifte is tearmed Cloaked vsurie For they cleanlie couer it with the honest names of buieng and selling whereas beeing well considered it is nothing els but plaine mutuation VVhether thou hast borrowed vppon vsurie when thou haddest no neede but onely to lend out the same monie againe to others for greater gaine and bigger vsurie or whether thou borrowedst it to spend and consume vnthriftily VVhether any person haue wastfully spent his wealth or lewdly in dissolute companie made hauocke of his thrift whereby hee hath afterwardes bin driuen to be burdenous chargeable vnto others For the trade of life MInister of the Church VVhether he were preferred to anie spirituall function or whether he himselfe haue preferred anie others for reward gaine or vpon any other such considerations to and fro had and concluded as might well bee reckoned in lieu of reward or monie This foule crime because of Symon Magus who desired with monie to buy the gift and power by laying on of handes to giue the holy Ghost is nowe called Snnonie VVhether for doing his dutie in celebration of the Sacraments other offices appertinent therunto he haue purposelie respected gaine and reward VVhether he entered into the office of the ministerie for gaine ease and commoditie rather than for any other cause VVhether he haue left one Church and gone to another in hope of bigger commoditie and greater gaine or any way therby seeking with more wealth to inrich himselfe VVhether he haue suffred the goods of the Church so to be imbezilled and wasted that thereby the Ministers and poore people hauing their maintenaunce and liuing by that Church are nipt and skanted and cut short of necessaries for their sustentation VVhether hee receiue and take the profites of sundrie Churches without a iust and necessarie cause I meane that to be a iust and necessarie cause when of the prosites of that other Church a Minister cannot maintaine himselfe or when as at that time there cannot another fitte bee found able to take the charge of the same VVhether he haue caused the goods and reuenues of the Church whereof he hath charge and gouerement to be bestowed and imployed to those vses which in right they ought to bee namely to the maintenaunce of the Ministers exhibition to poore scholers releefe of aged persons widowes Orphanes fatherlesse children c. VVhether in disposing and bestowing of the goods of the Church hee haue giuen more than meete was to those that had lesse neede neglecting those whose necessitie and want in all equitie and conscience ought to haue ben specially releiued VVhether he hath conuerted the stipend and maintenance which he hath receiued of the Church vpon necessarie and honest vses namely in keeping and nourishing an honest and well gouerned familie and in reliefe of the poore not consuming the same in riot in banqnetting in brauerie or among harlots c. Whether he haue pulled or taken to himselfe anie thing as annexed to his Church which in truth is not annexed vnto it Whether he haue receiued the prosite and stipend of anie Church wheron he hath no care to bestow any trauell or diligence in teaching Whether of those thinges that belong to the Church he haue translated anie thing to other vses than hee ought to doo and haue committed and referred the vse thereof to anie such as doo no manner of good to the Church Whether he haue admitted or alowed any phantastical opinions or pickpurse rites whereby the Minister and such as serue in the Church doe make priuate gaine of which sortes be the dreaming opinions and superstitious rites of deliuering soules for monye out of Purgatorie of merits and satisfaction for sins of pilgrimages of kissing and offering to carued Images reliques of the dead c. ¶ Gouernour of the Common wealth Whether he attained the dignitie preheminence and power whereunto he is aduanced truly and iustly that is to saie without fraud or deceit without force or violence without wrōg to any manner of person Whether he haue so behaued himselfe toward his superior Magistrate as he ought to haue done yeelding vnto him all due honour Whether hee haue offered or done wrong to anie other beeing placed in dignitie and office although somwhat his inferiour denying vnto him his lawfull right authoritie fees relieues seruices and appertenaunces to his place and calling appendant and also so haue affoorded vnto him assistaunce ayde defence and suche like Whether he haue incroched vppon anie other mans right or chalenged to himselfe that which belonged to others forciblie wresting aud drawing that within the compasse of authority wherein he had no interest prescribing lawes and orders to them ouer whome his authoritie stretched not Whether he haue omitted foreslowed to helpe and de end suche as were committed in trust vnto him insomuch that through his carelesse and wilful negligence or malice they haue suffered harme incurred inconuenience Whether he haue inioyned assessed those to paiments of
sisters c. euen as thou also somewhile must smart for others sinnes For thus doe we miserable and wretched men draw one an other into daunger and one of vs is guide and companion vnto another in running headlong to the place of torment damnation This doeth God himselfe affirme when as in the beginning of his decalogue he sayth I am the Lorde thy God a ielous God visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vpon the third and vpon the fourth generation of them that hau● me So for one sinne of king Dauid there were slame many thousandes of his people and for his adulterie committed with Vrias wife the child which she bore him dyed And againe For the sinnes of the people the Lord setteth ouer them cruell tyrauntes and rauening hypocrites Hely the Priest and all his posteritie was punished for the sinnes of his children Ah what a sea of mischiefes doth euen one sinne bring with it 8 Eightly there is yet one thing behinde to be considered which is most dreadfull and formidable By reason of thy sinnes thou art made guiltie of eternall damnation and after greeuous punishmentes sustayned here in this worlde there remayne yet behinde other tormentes to be suffered in an other and the same much more terrible bitter and lasting For there both bodie and soule together are subiected and adiudged to eternall tormentes and fire that neuer shall bee quenched which God from afore the beginning of the world hath prepared for the Diuell and all the contemners of his precepts and commaundements Now how horrible a thing it is and what an vnspeakable punishment it is euerlastingly to be depriued of the presence face of Almightie God and to burne in hell with vnquenchable fire that shal neuer be consumed there is no man that can so much as conceiue in mind or cogitation Goe to nowe therefore whosoeuer thou art and by this that we haue alreadie spoken of the law of the Lord learne to examine thy conscience and to make perfect tryall and suruey of thy selfe Doubtlesse when thou hast a little while continued and gone forward in this way and course which wee haue heere shewed and attentiuely considered such things as haue beene declared I doubt not but that thou wilt by and by and without delay euen wi●● sighes and teares burst out into this confession O heauenly father J haue sinned against heauen and against thee I am not worthie to bee called thy Sonne I am not worthie to lifte vp mine eves towardes heauen Looke howe much I being once in Baptisme purged from my sinnes in the bloud of thy sonne and sanctified by receiuing the holy Ghost did in the same please thee somuch againe must I needes by reason of my manifolde sinnes since cōmitted displease thee Nowe the sinnes which I haue committed if I should go about to number them they are infinite For there is not one of thy holy precepts commaundements against which I haue not committed many offences sundry transgressions Many be they which I haue committed in acte and deede and such as I haue not actually brought to passe and done yet through my corrupt cogitations and vncleane will I am as deepely guiltie of as if I in act had committed them To be briefe my sinnes surmount the sands of the Sea if I make diligent search and inquirie of the greuousnesse of my sinnes I truely find them haynouser greater than I am able to vtter What say I vtter Nay than I can in mind conceiue or in inwarde cogitation comprehende Certes so often as I looke into and behold with the eyes of my minde my frowarde heart cankered stomack peruerse disposition euer enclined to euil which thou Lord most cleerely throughly seest togither with my desire and delight to performe the same the verie remembrance of my great and greeuous maliciousnesse driueth mee into such perplexitie that I no wayes know whither to turne me Whither Lorde shall I go from thy spirit and whither shal J flee from thy presence Yea this further doth merueilously disquiet torment greeue mee for by my sinnes I haue giuen offence that is occasion of fall and ruine to a great sort of others being harmlesse honest persons Wilt thou Lord as a iust and vpright iudge require the bloud of them also at my hands What shal I further do seeing I haue burdened and spotted my conscience by assenting also to other mens sinnes in not disswading reclaiming them before they did euil in not reprouing and rebuking them after they had done euil Ah how much better had it beene that being a man I had neuer beene so familiar among men What miserie is this I am the cause of an other mans offending an other man likewise to me and thus doe wee all encumber and loade one another with sinnes and dragg pull hale drawe one another into the break-necke fall and lamentable gulfe of eternall damnation If thou Lorde wilt strictly looke what is amisse narrowly enquire of our iniquities O Lorde who shal be able to abide it Moreouer when I do somewhat further consider my sinnes I see a great heape yet behind many mo than now come to memorie manye lewde prankes heretofore by me most wickedly haue been don which I then thought had not been wicked neither can I at this present houre sufficiētly so iudge deeme of them which ignorance blindnesse and infirmitie of mine in this behalf I must needs confesse wil I nill to be imputable vnto me for a most greeuous and haynous sinne And herein I perceiue that although I had committed none euil at all afore yet to haue herein again deserued euerlasting tormentes I had almost sayed why Lord wouldst thou that this naughtie and corrupt ignorance should thus originally be bred in vs and thus still to cleaue vnto vs Alas I haue no sacrifice to offer vnto thee to satisfie for mine ignorance Nowe what shall I say of my negligence in not doing those good works which thou in thy law hast commanded and appointed Or if I haue done any at all yet was it not sincerely done but many wayes infected with hipocrisie and other vices For to omitte a good worke and to doc an ill worke are with thee accompted alike All these things therefore I cōfesse do most vehemently good cause why disquiet and greeue inee For my sinnes are they for which O God thou iustly inflictest greeuous punishments and plagues aswell spirituall and internall as corporall and externall And whereas I dayly finde the same by experience true partly in my selfe partly in others yet such is my blindnesse hardnesse of heart that I am nothing at all as yet mooued thereby vnto any repentance or amendment To al these aforesaid euils there is to be added yet another heap of mischiefs vz that for these sinnes of mine a great many other innocents gyltles persons be ioyntly with me for