testimonie of your ignorance and then after a litle conference they will graunt that indeed it doth not profit theÌ„ Then we must replie and say God hath made all things to profit vs hath commanded that nothing be vsed vnprofitably no not so much as a vaine word speaking saying that for euerie idle word we must giue account at the day of iudgement Then they replie againe saying Mat. 12. if it do them no good it doth them no harme But we must reply and say it were good to beware least it do thy selfe harme Another sort wil replie and say I pray God I neuer do worse But to such we must answer I pray God you may do better you should first know whether you do not harm before you do it For in deed it must proceed of harme being spoken in doubting without faith for if you beleeued that they were layde vp in peace whome you praye for what need you pray for them at all But it shewes an vnbeleeuing heart and we know that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne and the Lord will say of them who hath required those things at your hand you haue wrought vanities Now therefore you will not leaue it because you vsed it then will you say also we will not leaue our lying nor our swearing nor our cursing because we haue vsed it It will grieue me if I heare you vse these speeches hereafter hauing no reason nor proofe of Scripture to maintaine it by or to be your warrant in it Therefore I charge you in the name of God that you vse them not but rather when you heare this or aniâ— other sinne condemned to lay hands vpon it see that you put it to death without delay according to the law of God Simeon wished to die and had good cause so to wish because God promised that he should be deliuered from this miserable life when he had scene his glorie and the light of Gentils The wicked wish to die that thereby they might haue deliuerance from their troubles worldly vexations as they suppose which in deed is rather an increasing and aggrauating thereof But the faithfull when they wish to die they do it in great zeale and loue of God vsing it as the best remedie against sinne that therby they might ceasse froÌ„ offending their good God shewing thereby that they are as it were weaâ—ie of the seruice and bondage of Sathan and sinne Therfore they desire death that therin they may glorifie God as in their liues they haue done and sought to do For man was not borne at his owne will neither shall he die at his owne will therfore they as it were begge leaue of God for it Sampson was a figure of Christ in that he Iudg. 16. glorified God at his death more then all his life in killing so manie of Gods enemies I shewed you that they are guiltie that killed themselues with surfets or drunkennesse or intemperat vsing of them selues yea although they teÌ„der their liues neuer so deere yet they are in the guilt because they vse the meanes that dotâ— shorten it According to thy word When Sathan hath once possessed 〈◊〉 theÌ„ profits and pleasures bring vs to our possession and though they do so professe religioÌ„ and godlinesse yet they can neuer haue anie comfort by it all their life For their owne hearts accuse them for hypocrites because they wayte not for the consolation of God according to his word whatsoeuer is not done according to that word can not be acceptable and this word they care not for neither set it in any estimation When AdaÌ„ seeth his nakednesse the suttle serpent can deceiue no longer but before he saw his nakednesse he is euer deceiued and led away with the multitude into innumerable errors Some say they shall be saued by mercy and some thinke by good workes and some by the Popes pardon others say by Purgatorie and these will haue a Masse song for them as long as the world standeth and all for one sillie soule thinking to be saued by it yet see their blindnesse for they seeme to thinke that their torment shall not ceasse as long as the world staÌ„deth else why should they find and hire men to say Masse for theÌ„ so long But these are the fat morsels of Bels priests for this cause is the Popish Creed made verie fauourable to the Clergie Well say that ignorance is the mother of their deuotion for when the couetousnesse of the priests and the ignorance of the people ioyned together then they inuented Purgatorie Masses prayers for the dead and then all their trinkets For if they had not held our fathers in ignorance they would neuer haue bin Papists But when they cast a mist before the eyes of men then the blind fel into the diteh which doth containe so manie grosse corruptions I shewed vpon this woord seruant that the godly would not leaue this priuiledge for all the riches in the world for that they are the seruaunts of God fellowes to Angels and princes for we serue him whom Salomon serued who is blessed for euer Euerie seruingman beares the cognisance of his maister vpon his sleeue But what will the Lord say when he commeth and findeth vs marked with the badge of Sathan surely he will say giue vnto Sathan that which is Sathans for all the houses of Israell are sprinkled with the blood of the Lambe and all Exod. 12. Ezech. 9. Reuel 10. the mourners are marked and al the chosen are sealed with the seale of the liuing God Well was it sayd the poore receiue the Gospell The young men are more forward in the truth and more zelous then the aged Once the younger brother stole away the blessing froÌ„ the elder therefore the elder hated him euen for his zeale wheÌ„ was Iacob hated more then he is now when was he so hated and persecuted as he is now by Esau Yet in the old time men were more zealous in their age then euer we heare of them to be in their youth yea they were zealous in the Lords businesse Age hindered not Noah Gen. 6. from building of the Arke when God commaunded him age hindered not Simâ—on froÌ„ reioycing and mirth when he beheld embraced the Lord Iesus Christ Then old Simeon embraced Christ and he enioyed him with heartie ioy in zeale but now where is old Simeon there are but few of them to be seene comming to the Temple to receiue Christ but now yong men receiue yong Dan. 1. 1. Sam. 2. 3. 1. Tim. 4. PhilemoÌ„ 10 Simeons yong Daniels yong Samuels yong Timothies and yong Onesimus and the yong infants begin to speake againe The yong haue him they are zealous and I hope they wil keepe him though old men neglect him Sathan thou hast too much for nothing alreadie Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation He which
he said to Christ if you will fall downe and worship me I will giue Luke 4. 7. you all things you would haue if you will leaue the societie the exercises the professiō and the companie of the children of God and of the seruice of God and serue me and worship me in preferring your couetousnesse your pride your enuie your lust before the seruice of God then you shall grow rich and you shall not be so scrupulous to sweare for your gaine sometime or to lye for your pleasure and to cosin for riches and you shall haue good lucke and shall haue euery thing at your hearts desire But if we do his will we shall speede as Ionah did we shall haue the wrath and vengeance of God vpō our heads for he hath nothing to giue vs although he makes vs beleeue we shall haue great kingdomes Yes we shall haue hell for our reward which wil make al their hearts to ake which receaue it other reward he hath none So the deuill is alwayes a very seruiceable and pleasant deuill to such as fly from God he can finde occasiōs at all times and meanes and instrumēts fit for that purpose If thou wilt fly from God the deuill will lend you both spurres and a horse yea a post horse that will carrie you swiftlie lustilie away vnto all vanitie and vngodlie lusts But see what Ionah got by his iourney notwithstanding all the furtherances that Sathan could worke for him he lost his money lost his ioy lost his credit and almost lost his life too Thus we see in Ionah what it profiteth a man to flye frō God in obeying and practising the euill motions and tēptations of Sathan in steed of the knowen will of God for the very dumbe creatures were bent against him for his disobedience the wind blowes as though it would ouer turne all the waters roare as though they will drowne all the ship reeles and tumbles as though she were wearie of all the mariners crie and cast out their wares apace as though they would loose all And yet the wind could not ouerthrow him nor the waters drowne him nor the whale eat him and thus Ionah fled from God but not God from Ionah But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea and there was a great tempest so that the ship was like to be broken First God spake gentlie to him Arise Ionah go to Niniuie then he would not go but seeing wordes would not serue the Lord would take another way and try whether that could make him obedient to his voice So the Lord caused a mightie tempest to arise in the sea which set them all in a maze and made them examine both whence the tēpest came also wherefore or for whose sake it troubled them so sore that Ionah might see at the least if he would see it that the vegeāce of God doth alwayes accōpany the stubburne and disobedient whither soeuer they go and for the accōplishment therof that all the creatures of God are bent against them to molest trouble and crosse them in their euill wayes God sent a great wind He that made the windes commaunded Psal 141. 18 Isa 13. them and they obey his voyce the wind the waters obey him but man will not obey him He saith not that a wind arose but saith The Lord sent a great wind then it was not by chance nor yet by witchcraft for the mariners notwithstanding they were infidels were not so grosse as to ascribe it vnto anie such cause but rather thought it to be sent from some reuenging power being prouoked to indignation by some particular person among them that had committed some hainous fact else why did they cast lots to know him and find him out that had sinned and whose sinne did procure the tempest to be sent Though this tempest had almost drowned Ionah yet he saith the Lord sent it so the Lord sendeth wind to bring ships to land in safetie and the same Lord sendeth tempests to drown breake and sincke other ships Therefore Iob sayd when he was bereft of all his substance at once and left as poore as might be that the Lord had taken them from him which also gaue all to him adding also a thāksgiuing Iob. 1. 21. euen for the persecuting hād of God which did so molest him If some had so much losse by tempest as Iob and such danger as Ionah they would surely say with Iob Blessed be the name of the Lord for it Now the wind blowes the water tosses the whale swims all to meet Ionah which flies from God to see if they can turne his hart which sleeps in disobedience The ship goes roundly for a time the Prophet is sleeping the mariners are sporting their sailes flaunting the waters calming the windes guiding so merily sinne goes on before the tempest comes The wind blowes not yet therfore go on yet a litle yet a little more but yet the tempest rushes vpō them before they be ware of it and tumbles them vp and downe suddenly all is like to be vndone Now Ionah is in more danger then the Niniuites And now ó that he had stayed at home and saued his money saued his credit saued his life from the danger of the furious vnmerciful streame Here we may see what paines a sinner takes all to hurt him selfe He came to the hauen and payd the fare and entred the ship and hoist vp sailes and went on forward and all to flie from God and yet he fled not from him but to him Therfore Dauid saith if I take the morning Psal 139. 7. 8. 9. wings and flie aloft lo thou art there if I go into the neathermost depth thy hand will find me out therefore whither shall I flie from thee so that when we thinke that we flie from God in running out of one place into another we do but run from one hand to the other for there is no place where Gods hand is not and whither soeuer a rebellious sinner doth run the hand of God wil meet with him to crosse him and hinder his good successe although he prophecieth neuer so much good vnto him selfe in his iourney The winds could not further Ionah the waters could not beare him his sleep could not saue him the ship could not hold him the mariners could not helpe him the whale would not spare him but he poore man must be cast out lest all through him be cast away The ship that was full of wares of great value was readie to sinke when Ionah entred into it He trusted to the winds and the winds could not further him he trusted to the waters and the waters could not beare him he trusted to the ship the ship could not hold him he trusted to the mariners the mariners could not help him What had he offended the winds or the waters or what had he offended the ship that bare him such
is thought to be the best yet the Lord taught not Peter one prayer and Iohn another but taught theÌ„ all one prayer vnto one onely God If per aduenture he will thinke vpon vs that we perish not This if perhaps and peraduenture cost Adam Paradise thrise three wordes were changed the first God said to Adam if thou doest eate of this tree thou shalt surely dye then Euah reported these wordes thus lest peraduenture we dye the Serpent seeing her in such a minde so carelesse or forgetfull of the commaundement he came and quite changed the matter and said you shall not dye thus sinne creeps vpon vs while doubtfulnesse remaineth in vs so God saith you shal be saued the treÌ„bling flesh saith peraduenture I shall c. then coÌ„meth SathaÌ„ he saith thou shalt dye So that if you wil aske Sinners faith what is the faith of sinners or if you would haue it defined it is this peraduenture yea peradueÌ„ture no if you wil aske me whereupon this faith is grounded it is vpon ifs ands this is the faith of the vngodly to say if so be God will helpe vs for they caÌ„not assure themselues of any helpe But we may not doubt of our God and say it may be or if peraduenture for we may freely pray to our God with confidence and may say our God and the God of Ionah wil surely helpe vs and hath helped vs but yet let vs know that we haue sinned like infidels and do deserue to be punished like the Egyptians If so be he will c. This if commeth in like a little leauen which sowreth the whole lumpe of dow and like the moth which eateth the whole wedding garment and this same litle thiefe hath stolen away all the Papistes faith Wickednesse lyeth sicke in bed and calleth to euery one that commeth by call vpon thy god pray for me if so be he will looke vpon vs and helpe vs and so the best hope when the tempest commeth is present death If so be he will thinke vpon vs. Our God thought vpon vs in the time of trouble he thought vpon vs and layd the tempest when our enemies called vpoÌ„ their gods Saints and Angels but what do we meane beloued wheÌ„ mercy is come to send for iudgement for though we be saued with Israell we haue deserued to be plagued with Pharao because we are not thaÌ„kfull for this namely that the Lord hath thought vpon vs in our distresse for he trauelleth with mercie and laboureth till he be deliuered he goeth loden like a bee but wants a hiue There are two hands a hand to giue and a hand to receiue Gods hand to giue and mans hand to receiue the hand of God is a bountifull and a mercifull hand a hand lodeÌ„ with liberalitie full of gracious gifts therefore let vs stretch foorth the good hand to A good hand receiue it thankfully to embrace it cheerfully to entertaine it and carefully to keepe it let vs receiue it by the hand of faith the hand of loue and the hand of prayer for who so commeth with this hand shall be filled and who so commeth without it shall go emptie away because they haue despised the wayes of God for when I instructed theÌ„ Proâ— 1. 24. 25. they would not heare what I taught them they would not learne saith the Lord. And they sayd euerie man to his fellow come let vs cast lots that we may knowe for whose sake this euill is vpon vs. So they cast lots and the lot fell vpon Ionah Now we are come to casting of lots that we may know who troubles the ship for the ship is tossed and readie to sinke but no man will confesse who is the cause thereof therfore they haue concluded among them selues saying come let vs cast lots that we may find him out Danger made them feare and feare made them gather together their wits and droue them into an earnest examination of the cause thereof and perswaded them to vse such meanes to auoyd these dangers as were best knowen vnto them whereupon they prayed vnto their gods seeing they could not mend them then they fall to casting of lots thereby to find out him that was the cause of all this sturre for they thought assuredly this tempest was sent from some angrie god to molest them all for the sinne of some notorious wretch that was gotten in amongst them whom now they labour to find out by casting of the lots They did not vse to cast lots this was no custome amoÌ„gst the mariners but the tempest was so strange that verie infidels might perceiue therin the mightie power of God These were like worldlings which neuer confesse God but when he commeth in a tempest they will not see his mercie vntill his iustice appeare like Pharaos sorcerers which confessed not Exod. 8. 1â— Gods maiestie while they liued at ease but when the Lord plagued them then they cried out this is the finger of God Let vs caâ—t lots The lot fell vpon Ionah in the end not because he was the greatest sinner of theÌ„ all Luke 13. 1. 2. c. for so is the opinion of the common people to censure them worst whom they see most afflicted If anie one be seene to beare his crosse then manie will say this is a wicked man and so thinke well of them selues supposing that God is bent against them to plague them For he correcteth them as he did his Sonne but if iudgement begin at the house of God what shall become of the vngodly â— Pet. 4. 17. 18. Then they said euerie man to his fellow come let vs cast lots that we may know c. Euerie man excuseth him selfe though they be sinners yet they are not great sinners They thought that there was but one sinner among them for euery one of them said it is not I they were not of Dauids spirite who when he saw the people plagued 2. Sam. 24. 10. said Lord it is I. They had past many tempestes before but they neuer cast lots for their casting of lots doth note some speciall danger supposing this tempest to be sent from some angrie god and that for some one mans sinne amongst them therefore they determined to seeke him out by lots and hauing found him to sacrifice him vnto the god that was so offended by him But if they knewe the angry gods they should haue taken their sinnes by the throte and sacrificed them vnto them In that they cast lots it sheweth that their heads were full of doubts in this time of extremitie for the wind sayd I will ouerturne theÌ„ the waters sayd I wil drowne them the ship said I cannot hold them the mariners said we cannot help Ionah nor our selues for God was gone from them and Ionah his conscience accused him within sin was bleeding and God knocked at the dore of his heart saying it is for thee the tempest is come thou fugitiue It doth not
the poore sheepe is thredbare ere he hath done and hath not a fleece left him to couer himselfe withall So he runs froÌ„ Court to Court to sue to plead till he haue speÌ„t his cloake for his coate were it not better to haue cast lots for the coate at first for the law is like a butlers boxe play still on till it come to the candlesticke Therefore it is lawfull for to end a controuersie in a hard matter to vse this meane wheÌ„ other meanes haue â—in tried Now whether it be lawfull to cast dice if lots may not be vsed as I haue proued but in hard matters weighty causes when the thing is doubtful and all good meanes are tried before to auoide strife that question is decided which none but voluptuous Arguments against â—â—cing men make question offâ— namely whether dice-play be a meet exercise for a Christian soule Salomon saith the lot causeth coÌ„teÌ„tioÌ„ Pro. 18. to cease therfore lots are to end striffe but these lots make striffe for before thou takest the dice thou knowest thine own and no man striueth to take it froÌ„ thee but wheÌ„ thou castest the dice thou doest as it were aske whether thine owne be thine own and so makest a strife of no strife Art thou not worthy to lose the gifts of God which venterest to lose them when thou needest not doest thou not deserue to forfeit thine own which art so greedy of anothers that thou wouldest haue his liuing for nothing but for turning of a dye Esau did not sell his birthright so lightly but he had somewhat for it which refreshed his hunger but God hath giuen thee a liuing and thou spendest it vainly But the mariners did cast lots to find out the sinner they did not cast dice to see who should win as dicers do for to whom the lot falls he takes all which deserues to loose all as well as the others and hath no right vnto it by any law for God hath not alowed one man to take an others goods for the tripping of a dye but either they must be merited or they must be giuen or they must be bought or else it is vnlawfully vngodly vncoÌ„scionablely to take them Besides the brawles cousinages the othes annexed to this game which would not agree with it vnles it had bene a meete coÌ„panioÌ„ for them thou takest another maÌ„s goods for nothing whereas God hath appointed thee to get thy liuing with the sweat of thy brows Gene. 3. 19. for thou takest away that which others haue sweat for whereas thou shouldest liue by working thou seekest to liue by playing like the ape which liues by â—oying Doth any dicer thinke he doth well tell me what thinkest thou for euery sinner doth coÌ„deÌ„ne in his prayer to God that which he excuseth before men if they which are gamsters repent it how can they which are gamsters defend it Thou shouldest do nothing but that thou wouldest haue God find thee doing if he should come to iudgemeÌ„t wouldest thou haue him take thee at dice I am sure thou wouldst not haue God see thee so vainly occupied neither canst thou thinke that Christ or his Prophets or Apostles or his EuaÌ„gelists were dicers for no such lots are named in the holy Scriptures yet the Lords day is most prophaned with his exercise cardes and dice tables as though they kept all their vanities to celebrate holy dayes What hast thou to alledge for dice now â—uidence is giuen vp against theÌ„ hast thou any patron to speake for theÌ„ but thy vaine pleasure filthy couetousnes which are condeÌ„â—ed already and therefore haue no voyce by law take away these take away dice. The patron coÌ„demnes the clients wheÌ„ one voyce coÌ„demnes another if the exercise were lawfull such patrons as pleasure couetousnes would not speake for it Take thy pleasure therfore in that which is good the angels wil reioyce with thee if this were good God would prosper theÌ„ better that vse it but neither winners nor loosers are gainers I know not how but there is not so much wonne as lost as though the deuil did part stakes with them draw away with a blacke hand wheÌ„ no maÌ„ seeth for the winner saith he hath not wonne halfe so much as the looser hath lost One would thinke that some of theÌ„ should flow when so many eb there is neuer an eb without a flowing neuer one looseth but another winneth but at dice. What a cursed thing is this that turnes no maÌ„ to good which robbes others beggers theÌ„ selues the schoole of deceit the shop of oths the field of vanities Thou dost not only hazard thy money in this game but veÌ„trest thy saluatioÌ„ castest dice with the deuil who shal haue thy soule For euery thing that coÌ„meth to a maÌ„ he giueth thaÌ„kes but that which coÌ„meth by dice he is ashamed to giue thankes which sheweth that in conscience that gaine is euill gotten and that he sought it without God Can this be good when wâ—â—st men vse it most if it were good the euill would like worse of it then the good but the more a maÌ„ sauoreth of any goodnes the more he begins to abhorre it and his conscience doth accuse him for it as for sinne They which doubt whether God do allow it neede but looke how he doth prosper them that vse it but they trust not in God as the termes of their occupatioÌ„ descries for they cal all their casts chances as though they relied not vpoÌ„ God but vpon chaunce Therefore if dice make strife without cause if they take away others goods for nothing if we may not liue by playing but by labour if they which haue bene dicers repent it amongst their sinnes if the holy men neuer vsed this recreation but the worst most delight in it if thou would not haue God see thee when thou playest at dice nor take thee at it when he comes to iudgement if nothing but pleasure couetousnes speake for them if they do not prosper which take pleasure in it if they trust not vpon God but relie vpon chance if thou doest not onely venture thy money but hazard thy soule then the best cast at dice is to cast them quite away FINIS A PRAYER FOR THE MORNING O Lord prepare our hearts to prayer _â— Lord God our heauenly father we thy poore wretched creatures giue thee most humble heartie thanks for our quiet and safe sleepe and for raising vs vp from the same We beseech thee for Iesus Christ his sake to prosper vs this day in our labor and trauel that principally it may be to thy glorie next to the profit of our Maister and the Common-weale and last of all to the discharging of our dutie in this our vocation Grant deare father that we may cheerfully and conscionably do our businesse and labours not as men-pleasers but as seruing thee our God knowing thee to be the chiefe Maister
of vs and our Maisters that thou seeing and beholding vs with thy fatherly eyes promising reward to them that faithfully and truly walke in their vocation and threatening euerlasting death and damnatiō to them that deceiptfully and wickedly do their works and labours We besech thee ô heauenly father to giue vs the strength of thy spirit that godly and gladly we may ouercome our labours and that the tediousnesse of this irksome labour which thou for our sins hast powred vpon al mankind may seeme to vs delectable and sweet Graunt ô deare Father that we may chearfully walke in our vocation and faithfully serue thee in this our seruice and gladly and ioyfully go foorth in our labors Fulfill now ô Lord these our requests for thy son our Sauiours sake in whose name we pray as he him selfe hath taught vs. Our Father c. Another Prayer ETernall God all mightie and most mercifull we thy vnworthie seruants prostrate before the throne of grace do yeeld our selues bodie and soule vnto thee for all thy benefits which thou from our birth hast heaped vpon vs as though we had alwayes done thy will although we occupied about vaine things neuer marked neuer loued neuer serued neuer thanked thee so heartily for them as we esteeme a mortall friend for the least curtesie Therefore we come with shame and sorow to confesse our sinnes not small but grieuous not few but infinite not past but present not secret but presumptuous against thy expresse word and will against our owne conscience knowledge and liking if any had done them but our selues O Lord if thou shouldst require but the least of thē at our hands Sathan would chalenge vs for his and we should neuer see thy face againe nor the heauens nor the earth nor all the goodnesse which thou hast prepared for man what shall we do then but appeale vnto thy mercie and humbly desire thy fatherly goodnesse to extend that compassion towards vs which thy beloued sonne our louing Sauiour hath purchased so mightily so mercifully so graciously so dearely for vs. We beleeue and know that one drop of his bloud is sufficient to heale our infirmities pardon our iniquities and supplie our necessities without thy grace our strēgth our guide our life we are able to do nothing but sinne as woful experience too long hath taught vs and the example of those which are voyd thereof whose life is nothing else but the seruice of the world the flesh the deuill therefore good Father as thou in especiall fauor hast appointed vs to serue thee like as thou hast ordained all other creatures to serue vs so may it please thee to send down thine heauenly spirit into this earthly mansion to illuminate our minds mollifie our hearts cleanse our affections subdue our reason regenerate our willes purifie our natures with thy spirit so shall not thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy word returne void but accōplish that for the which they were sent vntill we be renued into the image of thy sonne Good Lord we beseech thee to looke downe in the multitude of thy compassions vpon thy militant church this sinfull Realme thy gracious handmaid our dread Soueraigne her honorable Counsellers the ciuill magistrats the painfull ministers the two Vniuersities the people that sit in darknesse and all that beare thy crosse gather vs into one communion of thy truth giue vnto euery one a spirit vnto his calling that being mindfull of the account and that we are called Christians may firmely resolue speedily begin and continually perseuere in doing and searching thy most holy will Good Lord blesse sanctifie our meeting that no temptation hinder me in speaking or them in hearing but that thy word may be heard spoken as the word of God which is able to saue our soules in that day howsoeuer it pleaseth thee by weake foolish things to magnifie thy selfe there is no cause ô Lord most iust why thou shouldest heare sinners which art displeased with sin but for his sake which hath suffered for sin and sinned not in whose name we are bold to lift vp our hearts hands and voyces vnto thee saying as he hath taught vs O our Father c. FINIS