our teares that they shoulde not gush out of our soules to water and refresh vs in the middest of our extremitie Matt. 2 Wherefore kil Herode that Christ may liue slay thy sinnes that thy soule may liue If wee liue after the flesh we shal die Gal 5. but if we die to the flesh wee shal liue and Herod being dead Christ wil returne againe into Egypt As Iacob was called Iacob which signifieth a supplanter â—en 3â— before hee was called Israel which is seeing God so wee must first bee Iacob and supplant our sinnes and take them by the heeâ—â— as Iacob did Esau and giue them a fall before wee can be Israelites and see God and be partakers of his kingdome â—od 19 As God gaue commandement to stone the beast which would approch and touch the mountaine so we drawing neere by heauenly meditations to Gods most holy mountaine it is enioined vs to kill the beast our sensuall pleasures and sinfull lusts which are nothing else but beastly Wherefore poure out thy heart like water We must repent our selues of all our sinnes Lament 2 as Hieremy exhorteth thee before the face of God like water not like honie oyle or wine If any other liquour beside water bee poured out of a vessell somewhat of the liquour will hang vnto the sides or remaine in the bottome especiallie clammy and limie substance as oyle and honey or at the least the sauour of that liquour is still retained and remaineth in the cup if both these faile yet will the glasse vessell or cup draw vnto it the outward colour of that liquor as it were wholie altered and changed into that colour But water doth none of these for it runneth out clearely it leaueth neither substance colour or sauour at all behind it Therefore we must as the Prophet warneth poure forth our spirits like water as to our power we may leaue no remainder no dregs no substance no shewe of sinne behind vs but poure it out al out of the vessels of our hearts Wherefore as God commanded Saul to destroy Amalech and to reserue no creature aliue 1. Sam 15 neither sheepe or oxen or any other thing Rom. 6. so God commandeth vs vtterly that we doe abolish the whole body of sinne that no part of sinne bee kept aliue in vs. When as the Israelites were vnder Pharao his bondage Exod. 10 and when as Israell was to sacrifice vnto the Lorde Pharao spake thus vnto Moses and to Aaron Go sacrifice vnto the Lord only let your sheep and cattel remaine Hee would haue a pledge and assurance of their returne and so would the Diuell haue of his captiues whome hee holdeth in there sinne when they should depart from their sinne by true repentance and returne vnto GOD. Hee would haue some sinne that wee shoulde not repent of that we may leaue as a pawne in his hande of our comming againe But aunswere thou the Diuell as Moses and Aaron did aunswere Pharao All our Cattell shall goe with vs their shall not remaine a hoofe behinde vs there shal no sinne tarrie behinde vs all shall be slaine and vtterly destroied As the Angell when he deliuered Peter out of prison Act. 1â— hee willed him to girde himselfe and to binde on his sandales not to leaue them behind him least hee should bee mooued to retire againe for them so wee going out of the prison of sinne let vs not leaue anie sinne behinde which maie cause vs to returne and may drawe vs backe after it Leuit. 8 The Bullocke that was slaine by Aaron the priest for a sinne offering was not onelie sacrificed but also all the fatte that was vppon the inwardes the kall of the liuer and the two kidneyes with their fatte were burnt vppon the altar yea the Hyde the flesh the doung was burnt with fire without the hoast as the Lord had commaunded Moses So wee for our attonement must offer this sinne offering wee must burne with fire and consume all our sinnes the very doung and excrements must be done away there must bee nothing left We must serue sin as the altars of idolatry Deut. 7 which God commanded should be throwne downe and crushed in peeces Our sinnes which we haue worshipped must be serued as the Calfe which the Israelites adored Moses grinded it to powder and gaue it to the people of Israel to drinke that so hee might be sure nothing should remaine of it But this tractate of true repentaunce Obiection will seeme needlesse to some to whome repentance it selfe seemeth needles For there be those who think that it needeth not or booteth not to repent themselues of that which cannot bee helped to bee sorrowfull for that which cannot bee called backe sinnes that are done cannot bee vndone and therefore it is in vaine to bee sorrowfull for them This is a lewd and vngodly obiection and the argument most weake Trewe it is Answere that euill deedes and actions committed cannot bee reuersed yet are they not so paste as if nothing remained present for the memorie the remorse the guilt of them remaineth It was sometime tolde a Philosopher that he ought not to mourne for his dead son because there was no remedie all the sorrowe and lamentation that he made could not reuiue him but the Philosopher answered that therefore hee had iust cause of lamenting because it coulde not bee otherwise so ought the godly to grieue that they haue sinned and also because it could not be otherwise Obiection Othersome there be who when as they see that of their sinne there hath come good as God out of euill thinges can bring good thinges to passe they thinke this kind of sinne hath a priuiledge and protection and that it is not to bee repented of of vs. Shall we repent our selues say they of that which hath done vs so much good nay let vs rather bee glad of it and reioice There was a religious woman by profession who hauing had two base children being willed by hir confessour in time to bee sorrowfull for this loose and lewde behauiour she answered that there was no reason of that for as much as those children proued so good men the one beeing the great schooleman Gratian and the other Peter Lombarde the maister of the Sentences she rather wished that she had more such children shee was so far from sorrowing for those which she already had Answere But this conceite is as idle as the former and hath no reason in it The Apostle setteth it down as a flat conclusion and Canon in diuinitie that we must not sinne that good may come of it Shall we sinne then saith he that grace may abound Rom. 6 Nay God forbid How shall wee that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Wherefore let vs who are burdened with our sinnes come before God in a godlie sorrowe for them that he might ease vs of them Let the straie sheepe returne vnto his shepheard the sicke
liue by lawes then by examples yet are examples more forcible with vs and we are led to good or euill by them we work by theÌ„ as an artificer by his rule and as young schollers who write by their examples Wee are proane to patterne this prodigall person in his preposterous and peruerse affections and wee liuely beare his image which is earthly so as this Poeticall fiction fitteth vs. Tantalus a labiis sitiens fugientia captat Flumina Quid rides Horae mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur But the Lord renew vs all in the inwarde man that wee may followe him in his regenerate and renewed disposition and grant that we may be like him in his image which is heauenly Therefore in his person take out thine owne proportion 〈…〉 In his beginning and proceeding in his sin we may clearly see the self same course that sinne in like sort doth so begin and take deepe root in vs that foreseeing the same we may the better either in time preuent it or else with speede withdraw our feele out of it In his infelicitie let vs see our owne miserie into which we fal by our wilful iniquitie that sin as a serpent full of deadly poyson may be hated of vs that trembling at his iudgement we follow not his misgouernment We treade not in his steps vnles we will be whipped with his stripes In the course of his return he chalketh out the way vnto vs of our returne His humilitie confession and forme of supplication must he the condition of our reconciliation Last of all in the happy reconcilement and returne of vs prodigall children vnto our fathers house the church of the liuing god behold the Lords goodnes and the blessinges which in store the lord hath laide vp for all that doe repent and come home vnto him â—â—l 51 â—â—l 68 â—â—l 45 they immediatly hear of ioy and gladnes that the bones which he hath broken may reioice The singers go before the minstrels followe after and with ioy and gladnesse shall they be brought and enter into the Kinges pallace where there is mirth without heauines health without sicknes fulnes without scarcitie life without death Thus haue wee laid togither in one summe matters of much price the quintessence and dimensions as I may so cal this hystorie of al diuinitie so as to conclude this treatise is a treasure house which leadeth vs not to a bare contemplation but to a full fruition not to the naked knowledge but the vse not to the promise but the practise of the abundaunt and ouerflowing grace of God vnto vs most miserable sinners vnder the parable and person of this man the prodigall sonne in the sequell portraied and painted out vnto thee which I wish thee to reade religiouslie to meditate vpon fruitfullie and to practise such instructions as it affoordeth dutifully and the Lord accompanie thee with his grace effectuallie Thine in the Lord Iesu SAMVEL GARDINER A Table of all the Contents of the Chapters contained in this Booke The first Booke Cap. 1 OF the Argument Allegory and manifolde vse of this principal parable pag. 1 Cap. 2. Of the common condition of parents in their children vnder the person of the prodigall sonne his father and therewithall the estate of the râ—â—litant Church pag. 10 Cap. 3. The badges and tokens of vndutiful children shewed in the example of the prodigall childe pag. 15 Cap. 4. Of the ignorance and want of knowledge of his happie estate in his fathers house the grand cause of his departure froÌ„ the house vnder which the dangerous effects of our ignorance and the happie fruits of the knowledge of Gods worde are specified and expressed pag. 22 Cap. 5. Of selfe loue pride and presumption another cause of his departure from his father pag. 31 Cap. 6. Of his hastines and rashnes not hauing a wise foresight and prospect to the ende another cause of his departure from his father pag. 35 Cap. 7. What the prodigall sonne did when hee had receiued his portion from his father pag. 42 Cap. 8. Of the wast which the prodigall sonne made of his portion vnder which how transitory worldly riches are euidently is declared pag. 59 Cap. 9. Of the maner how the prodigall son lauished out his portion vnder which the damnable effects of whâ—rdom and riotous liuing are displaied pag. 5â— Cap. 10. The danger that commeth by euill company expressed by the danger that the prodigall sonne fell into pag. 63 Cap. 11. Of the dearth and want which the prodigal sonne endured when he went from his father into a farre countrey wherein wee are taught what hurt we do our selues by departing from God to embrace this present world pag. 70 Ca. 12. Of the miserable slauery of the prodigall son wherein the slauerie of sin is manifested pag. 78 Cap. 13. A comparison betweene the seruice of God and the seruice of the diuel wherein is shewed how easie Gods seruice is and howe hard the other is vnder the hardnes of the prodigall sonne his seruice who could not obtaine the off all and reuersion of the sâ—ines husks pag. 86 Ca. 14. An exhortatioÌ„ to auoid sin and to liue a godly life the only vse and purport of the premisses pag. 98 The second Booke Cap. 1. OF our necessarie return from sin conuersion vnto God typically shadowed and set forth vnto vs in the example of this mans returne pag. 112 Ca 2. The prodigall son his resolution of the amendment of his life and of returning to his father the fundamentall point of our true repentance pag. 119 Ca. 3. That we must with the prodigal son ioine faith to our repentance the better to incite and pricke vs forward to returne vnto our father pag. 129 Cap. 4. Of the benefit of afflictions an especial mean which God vseth to worke our repentance and to cause our returne to our fathers house with the prodigall sonne pag. 135 Cap. 5. Of the prodigal son his confession of his sins a most necessarie effect of our true repentance pag. 150 Cap. 6. The prodigall sonne his forme of confession of his sinnes pag. 159 Cap. 7. Of the prodigall sonne his extreame humilitie considered in the remainder of his formal confession â—â—d of the commendation and vertue of humilâ—te pag. 174 Cap. 8. Howe God out of euill things bringeth foorth good as making the sins of the prodigal son the occasion of his humble and dutifull confession pag. 179 Cap. 9. Of the prodigall sonne his execution of his purpose wherein is considered the present necessitie of our speedie repentance without our further delaying it pag. 184 A praier pag. 193 The third Booke Cap. 1. That the meere mercie of God is the maine motiue of our comming home to God and the sole efficient cause of our whole saluation plainlie insinuated by this circumstance of this Hystorie of the father his seeing the prodigall sonne when he was yet a farre off pag. 198 Cap. 2. Of
haire the knots of death and to stand in stead of halters to choake him vp And so hanging by the hairie scalpe betweene heauen and earth vntill he was smitten vnto the ground by Ioab and miserablie finished his accursed life he is left as an example to rebellious children of feare trembling I pray God this example may warne such children that those who tread in the selfe same steps may in time take heed least iustly they bee whipped with the selfe same stripes And if it may be as well remembred as it is ill forgotten it will curble their wilde and wicked affections and keepe them in obedience How they do walke in this mans path imitate his lewdnes if they do not surpasse it it is easie to be seene if you suruay the trickes and fetches which they vse to serue their owne turnes to get to their possession the inheritance and right and substance of their fathers Some are taught to chalenge with boldnes inough their legacie and portion that was left them by their mother Othersome do sue to be ouerseers of their fathers to be tutors ouer them charging them with dotage with the sonnes of Sophocles that they are vnable to manage their matters therfore they do craue the gouernment of their goods and ouersight of their persons Othersome do flatly charge them with iniustice and vnnaturall partialitie that they worke not by a rule leuel proportioÌ„ in the course of their affectioÌ„s in heaping vpon one more theÌ„ on another without iust occasion as if it were vnlawfull for Iacob to loue Ioseph more then al his brethren or for Christ to loue his disciple Iohn more then the other of his fellow disciples But as they are with this prodigall companion troubled and tormented with a greedie worme DisobedieÌ„t children are great â—â—â—ders which maketh them to gape with mouths so wide for their parents substance buzzing like the flies that pestered Pharao his Court and could not bee driuen away but they will still returne seaze and prey vppon them so are they alway of a gadding spirit they are neuer well but when they are ranging and their feet stand vpon thornes vntil they be gone out of their parents house They had rather be companions with vaine and lewd persons who may flatter them in their fondnesse then to be in presence of their carefull pareÌ„ts who may traine them vp in goodnesse They haue lost that eare with Malcus that should heare good counsell and they followe with Absalon such kinde of counsellors as leade them to destruction A similitude Herein they doo resemble the birds of the ayre who albeit they bee neuer so well tended in the cage yet couet they to bee out and to flie abroad skipping too and fro from one twigge vnto another But the birds herein do folow but the instinct of their naturall inclination which God hath giuen vnto them whose naturall habitation is in the aire neuer vsing to light vppon the ground but when hunger and needfull prouision of foode and other necessities driue them thereunto and therefore are excused but lewd children like monsters do putte off nature coursing abroad when nature teacheth them to abide at home and therefore iustly and condignely are accused Doth not nature teach them there to abide most where they haue most cause there to liue where they find greatest loue and not to bereaue them of their comfort and solace in the ende of their life who haue beene vnto them by such infinite troubles and vnspeakeable charges the bginners authors maintainers of their liues A similitude See we not how Spaniâ—ls waite diligently vpon their maisters who do vse to feede them and shall sonnes giue no attendance vpon their deare parents who not onely feede them but do take such cares for them If the loue of parents with all the loue againe that childreÌ„ can shew can neuer be requited take wee heede we turne not thankfulnesse into sinfulnesse and obedience into stubburnnesse and naturall loue into all vngodlie lust He that rendereth â—ill for good euill shall neuer saith the wise man depart out of his house Prou. 15. Christ that desired that the fragments of the â—aues wherewith the people were sufficed in the wildernes should be kept as a grateful remeÌ„brance â—f that kindnes no doubt would haue such maine â—â—d vnspeakable benefits which wee receiue from â—r parents to be in no wise forgotten The sorrows â—hich parents do sustaine for their children be side â—â—e many cares of their well doing as exceeding 〈◊〉 nuÌ„ber are not to be rehearsed which no doubt as sharp arrowes would stick sore vnto their sideâ— and would soone ouercome theÌ„ were there not aâ— inward loue which ouerruled all making them patient and willing to endure them 1. Kin. 4 The tender loâ—â— seated and rooted in their hearts is like the meaâ— that Elisha the man of God did cast into the pottâ— whereby the sowernes bitternes of death whicâ— was in the pot was taken away and their meaâ— made sauorie and sweete vnto them The regaâ— whereof if children were not gracelesse might râ—uish their affections retaine them in obedienâ—â— and keepe them at home and weane them froâ— their wilde and wanton vagaries ietting and iaâ—â—ting like a Post to fro who staieth not in a placâ— alwayes turning vp and downe like an hour-glaâ—â— that is turned euerie houre The fourth Chapter Of the ignorance and want of knowledge of his hapâ—â— estate in his fathers house the grand cause of 〈◊〉 departure from the house vnder which the dangâ—rous effects of our ignorance and the happy fruâ—â— of the knowledge of Gods worde are specified 〈◊〉 expressed THere was no occasion giuen him 〈◊〉 his father why hee should so much 〈◊〉 like to bee in presence with his fathâ—â— Thy destruction O Israel is of thy sâ—â—â— He might haue pleaded iudicially with his soâ—â— as hee did sometimes with the children of Israâ—â— saying in this wise Mich. 6 O my people what haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I grieued thee testifie agaynst me Could his sonne alledge agaynst him his vnnaturall inclemencie his vnkinde increatie his want of thinges necessarie Coulde hee dispute for his departure from his father as Iacob did for his departure from his vncle when hee speaketh thus I will depart Gen. 30. for Laban his countenance is not towards me now as it was yesterday and three dayes agoe Was hee so seruilelie detained in obsequie as he should so inordinatelie affect this libertie No no let God bee true and euerie man else a lyar that he may be iustified in his sayings Psal 50 and cleare when he is iudged It was his foolishnesse and want of experience being the yonger brother which opened the window vnto all mishappes and violentlie did throwe him into all extremities He was as a blinde man who coulde not iudge of colours as a fleshlie man who conceyueth not the thinges that are
sinner very grosse garlicke leekes and onions and in regard thereof thy breathâ—s 〈◊〉 loathsome to euery good man who shunneth thy presence and indureth not thy company but thou vilde wretch who hast no nostrels without sense feeling art not annoied with theÌ„ they neuer trouble or come neare thy conscience 〈◊〉 is oppoâ—te vnto all â—â—d the â—â—se of all â—â—ll And it is no maruel that sinne doth this euill because it is all euill in it self as being in his nature no positiue thing 〈◊〉 the priuation of all goodnes It is flatly opposit to al vertue therfore it must needs bee an exceeding euill A sinner must needs be depriued of all goodnes because by sinne he shutteth himselfe from God the authour of all goodnes As the wife of Lot by reason of her sin â—n 19 was in iust iudgment molten into a piller of salt so is a sinner barren and fruitles like vnto lande that is sowed with salt which can bring forth no fruit â—militude As there be manie who doe rise vp agaynst a poore widow and offer her much wrong because shee hath no husbande or friend to assist her and pleade her iust cause so if we loose God as we do by our sinne the diuell and all creatures seeke after our soules vtterlie to destroy them saying God hath forsaken him Psa 71 persecute him and take him for there is none to deliuer him Dauid therefore putteth vp this his sute to god Be not thou far from me O Lord for what then will follow Psal 51 Manie oxen will come about mee manie fat Bulles of Basan will compasse mee about on euery side God is willing to abide with thee wherfore take thou heed thou constrainest him not by thy wilfull sinnes against his will to depart from thee If thou accountest not of him as thou oughtest and giuest him not that honour which is due vnto his name he hath no reason to abide with thee If thou placest a strange woman A similitudâ— blacke and mis-shapen at the vpper end of the Table and makest thy Ladie a peerlesse princesse to wait vpon the table and to serue her is not she iniuried in the highest maner and doth she not indure the fowlest disgrace that possiblie can be and hath she not good cause to forsake thy fellowship to dwel no more with thee In the like maner sinfull man dealeth with his god preferring his inordinate loose lusts the beggerly creatures and substance of the earth before the eternall creator of all thinges the maker of the world For this cause God doth stomacke this peruerse peeuishnes and cannot abide it but thereupon immediatlie he withdraweth himselfe and with himselfe all his blessings and his graces from vs and we are worthily serued 〈…〉 As Iacob when he saw that Laban his countenance was chaunged against him and that hee looked sowrely and grimlie vpon him he resolued with 〈◊〉 to abide no longer with him but to depâ—â—◠〈◊〉 him so God serueth vs if we as Laban looke not vpon him as we ought to do but are of a crooked and froward disposition Exod. 3 3 This is a lamentable and heauie case and who doeth not tremble that considereth iustlie of it When as God made answere vnto the people of Israel that he would not ascend with such a people so stubborne and stiffenecked the people were driuen to their dumps vpon it and wept verie bitterlie and so ought we to do when God forsaketh vs and taketh his presence and fauour from vs. I might lead you further with a large discourse and treatise of this matter for large is the compasse and bounds of sinne Infinite reasons might bee vrged to enforce vs to a hatefull detestation thereof but if there were nothing else beside the prodigall sonne his example and punishment is a motiue of much moment to perswade the same We might here intreate iustlie of the grieuous punishments of the life to come in hel fire to be inflicted vpon sinners for fire and brimstone storme and tempest this is the portion of their cuppe But it is inough to consider of the intollerable hell which they endure in this life in their tormented consciences â— is most 〈…〉 The first hellish torment is the gnawing and consuming worme of conscience which dismaieth the minde and driueth it into a dreadfull despaire The ende thereof is as sowre as the beginning was sâ—reeâ—e As a man when hee drinketh dead and badde wine the bitternesse of it he â—asteth in the ende A similitude so man drinking sinne as an Asse drinketh water this wine ouercommeth him and hee feeleth the hurt that it doth him in the end Sinne sheweth vs a colour as the wine doth in the glasse and it presenteth vnto vs a vaine shewe of delight and it maketh vs drunken but by and by it aggrauateth and surchargeth the heart and so inflameth it with a fire and hel of griefe as it suffereth vs not to rest or take any quietnesse As Iob Iob. 1 in the mids of his troubles and afflictions waÌ„ted not a swift messenger to grate his eares with sorrowes and to bring him bad tydings so a sinner hath peales and alarums in his eares crying out agaynst him rubbing his memorie with a rehearsall of such blessings and benefites which he hath lost and such curses and iudgements which hee hath runne into by sinne These are prickes in our sides and thornes in our eyes which do wound vs continuallie and suddenlie bereaue vs of all former ioy of our sinfull pleasures 2. Sam. 13 As Ammon assoone as hee enioyed his pleasure of his sister Thamar immediatelie loathed her as much as euer hee loued her so all vngodlie pleasure is suddenlie dashed and is turned into sorrow The second torment which sinne Sin excuseth and câ—uereth it selfe procureth is shame and confusion making vs to holde downe our heades like bulrushes to seek solitarie places wherein to hide our heades our consciences pronouncing vs so guiltie of sin as for verie shame we dare not behold the face of man As a woman that hath a blemish in her face A similitude shee is alwaies hiding it that she might not seeme deformed when as shee that is beautiful vncouereth her face is very glad when euery one beholdeth her so euery sinner deformed with sin would shrowd his sinne vnder the cloake of shame and excuse it hide it as much as he can that it might not bee knowne and espied in him as Adam did with God and Dauid with Nathan Gen. 3 2. Sam. 11 onely the godlie and vpright man holdeth vp his head looketh vp to heauen and is not ashamed The third tormeÌ„tor of a woful sinner A sinner is tormented with the feare of punishment is the fear of iudgement which is alwaies before his eies He coÌ„sidereth with himselfe what he hath deserued and he feareth to be recompenced after his deseruings His minde
grieuous misdeeds committed both against heauen which is thy seate and earth which is thy footstoole O Lord I dare not looke vp vnto heauen I haue so sinned against heauen by sinning against thee that dwellest in heauen and by making more account of this worlde then of heauen I dare not lift vp mine eies vnto thee I haue so sinned against thee so as the sight of thee feareth me and thy feare most mightie God is on euerie side I doe acknowledge my wickednesse and my sinne is euer before thee Against thee onely haue I sinned and doone this euill that thou maiest bee iustified in thy sayings and cleere when thou art iudged I am hee whome thou diddest vouchsafe by adoption and grace to make thiâ—e owne sonne thou hast nourished and brought mee vppe but I haue rebelled against thee The Oxe did knowe his owner and the Asse his maisters crib but I thy sonne did not knowe thee I thy seede and chosen did not obeie thee Wherefore thou gauest mee ouer vnto my owne heartes lustes and diddest let mee followe mine owne imaginations So as I committed all kinde of filthinesse and receiued such recompence of my wickednesse as was meete so as now I am a stranger and forreiner vnto thee I am not therefore worthie of the name of a sonne O let me be numbred among thy hired seruantes O father beholde me in the face of thine annointed for one day in thy courts is better then a thousand with the vngodlie I had rather haue the place of meanest seruice and to bee a doore keeper in thine house then to dwell in the tentes of the vngodlie and sit in the seate of sinners I am he for whose sake thy onlie begotten sonne became man bowed the heauens and came downe made himselfe of no reputation but humbled himselfe euen vnto the death the death of the crosse Thou hast giuen this sonne for mee a most vilde seruaunt that of a seruant I might be made a sonne by beeing conformable vnto the image of thy sonne but I alas haue liued in the flesh haue quenched the spirit and haue walked like an infidel I haue forgotten God that made mee and the strong God of my saluation I haue beene reprobate and abhominable and vnto euery good work vnprofitable whither therefore shall I flee for succour if I looke vp to heauen I am dismaied for I haue sinned against heauen if I repaire vnto thee I am yet in miserie for I haue sinned against thee I am hee whome thou didst preuent with thy liberall blessinges vpon whome thou diddest bestowe a great portion of thy grace whome thy tender mercie embraced on euerie side But I haue wantonlie and wickedlie wasted them by liuing in my lustes and not in thy lawes by fulfilling the lustes of the flesh and of the minde by working all wickednesse and that with greedinesse Thou induedst mee with wisdome aboue others with a greater knowledge of thy word then others I was planted in the house of the Lord that I might flourish in the courtes of my God by being ingrafted into the bodie of the Church and communion of thy saintes and made partaker of thy holie sacraments Thou hast not done so to other nations neither haue other people had such knowledge of thy lawes But woe is me I haue despised these thy mercies broken thy couenants dishallowed thy most holie and reuerend name I haue sinned O father not meanlie as other men but mightilie aboue other for I haue sinned against heauen thy holie place before thee the holiest and in earth the place where thy name is called vpon I am not therefore worthie neither do I desire to be called thy son but let me be thy seruant and o Lord saue thy seruant who putteth his trust in thee O remember not my olde sinnes which I haue coÌ„mitted since I went from thee but of thy goodnes preserue thou him that is appointed to die Thy great bountie shewed to hired seruaunts remaining in thy house putteth mee in hope of the like to bee shewed vnto mee thy Sonne returning to thy house Thy seruants haue enough and I thy sonne O faether like vnto a runnagate continew 〈◊〉 scarcity they eate of the plenteousnesse that commeth from thy Table but I am constrained to beg my bread in desolate places And this misery O father I must needes confesse is of my selfe for I woulde needes depart from thee the health of my life the light of my countenance and my mercifull God Wherefore now sitting by the waters of Babylon I cannot but weepe when I remember thee O Sion But turne thou my captiuitie as the riuers of the south and let mee heare of ioie and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioice Though I haue sinned against thee yet I come vnto thee and though thy iustice must shewe vengeaunce vpon sinne yet I appeale vnto thy mercie in thy deere sonne Christ for the pardoning of my sinne I haue sinned and doone wickedlie yet I knowe thy mercie is aboue my sinnes One depth swalloweth vp an other let the depth therefore of thy mercie deuoure and swallowe vp the depth of my sinnes Thy hande is not so short but thou canst saue nor thy eare so thicke but thou canst heare Heare mee therefore O King of Heauen nowe I call vppon thee and bee mercifull vnto my sinnes for they are great Shew some token of kindnesse which thou doest vse to shew to those who put their trust in thee before the sonnes of men Thou diddest not repell the Publican disdaine the Pharisie refuse the Harlot or exclude the thiefe Peter who denied thee and Paule who persecuted thee vppon their returne were receiued into grace Father I returne consider my complaint for I am brought very lowe deliuer my soule out of trouble and my life from the bloudthirstie and though I be not worthy to be thy sonne yet make mee thy seruant so I thy seruant shall reioice in thee I shall bee euer giuing of thankes for the operation of thy hands Grant this grace oh deere father for Iesus Christ his sake thy most deere son and my only blessed Sauiour Amen The ende of the second Booke of the regresse of the prodigall Sonne THE THIRD BOOKE Discouering of the ioyfull welcome home of the prodigal Son and the honorable entertainment which his Father gaue him The first Chapter That the meere mercie of God is the maine motiuâ— of our comming home to God and the sole efficient cause of our whole saluatioÌ„ plainly insinuated by this circumstance of this historie of the fatheâ— his seeing the prodigall sonne when hee was yeâ— a farre off A Reuerend and holie Bishop when as Saint Augustines A Bishops saying of Augustine mother was in exceeding heauinesse for hir sonneâ— peruersenesse before hee was conuerted seeing her strange passions and hir aboundaunt teares which shee powred out for him grauely aunswered thus It is impossible for thy sonne to perish for whome such â—eaers are