and deceits that are in it and of it I pray you let us now proceed and first of all tell mee by what means the new birth is wrought Theol By the preaching of the word as the outward meanes 1 Pet. 1 2.3 John 1â— 3 Acts 10.44 Ephes 4.3 and the secret worke of the spirit as the inward means Phil. Many hear the word preached and are nothing the better but rather the worse what I pray you is the cause of that Theol. Mens own incredulity and hardnesse of heart because God in his wrath leaveth them to themselves and depriveth them of his spirit without the which all preaching is in vain For except the spirit doe follow the word into our hearts Act. 16.14 wee can finde no joy taste nor comfort therein Phil. Cannot a man attain unto regeneration and the new birth without the word and the spirit Theol. No verily For they are the instruments and means whereby God doth work it Antil Why may not a man have as good a faith to God-ward that heareth no Sermons as hee that heareth all the Sermons in the world Theol. Why may not he which eateth no meat be as fat and as well liking as hee that eateth all the meat in the world For is not the preaching of the word the food of our souls Antil I like not so much hearing of Sermons and reading of the Scriptures except men could keep them better Theol. Faithfull and honest hearers do therefore hear that they may be more able to observe and do For a man cannot do the will of God before he know it and hee cannot know it without hearing and reading Antil I marvell what good men doe get by gadding to Sermons and poring so much in the Scripture or what are they better then others There are none more full of envie and malice then they They will doe their neighbour a shrewd turn as soon as any body and therefore in mine opinion they be but a company of hypocrites and precise fools Theol. You judge uncharitably Full little doe you know what they feel or what good Gods people get by hearing of the word For the work of the spirit in the hearts of the elect is very secret and altogether hid from the world John â— 8 as it is written The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whither it goeth or whence it cometh so is every man that is born of the spirit And againe The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Amil. Tush tush what needs all this adoâ— If a man say his Lords prayer his ten Commandements and his Beleefe keep them and say no body harme not doe no body harm and doe as hee would be done to have a good faith to God-ward and be a man of Gods beliefe no doubt hee shall be saved without all this running to Sermons and pratling of the Scripture Theol. Now you powr it out indeed you thinke you have spoken wise y. But alas you have bewrayed your great ignorance For you imagine a man may bee saved without the word which is a grosse errour Antil It is no matter say you what you will and all the Preachers in the world besides as long as I serve God and say my prayers duly and truely morning and evening and have a good faith in God and put my whole trust in him and doe my true intent and have a good mind to God-ward and a good meaning although I am not learned yet I hope it will serve the turn for my soules health For that God which made mee must save me It is not you that can save me for all your learning and all your Scriptures Theol. You may very fitly be compared to a sick man who having his brain distempered with heat raveth and speaketh idly he cannot tell what For the holy Ghost saith Pâ—o. 18.9 Hee that turneth away his ear from hearing the law even his prayer shall be abominable And again Prov. 13.15 He that destroyeth the word shall be destroyed So long therefore as you despise Gods word and turn away your ear from hearing his Gospel preached all your prayers your fantasticall serving of God your good meanings and your good intents are to no purpose but most odious and loathsome in the sight of God as it is written My soule hateth your new moons Esa 1.14 and your appointed feasts they are a burthen unto mee I am weary to beare them When you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eye from you and though you make many prayers I will not hear For your hands are full of bloud And again the Lord saith by the same Prophet He that killeth a bullock Esa 66.3 is as if he slâ—w a man hee that sacrificeth a sheep as if hee cut off a dogs neck he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines bloud hee that remembreth incense as if hee blessed an idol Where you see the Lord telleth you his mind touching thâ—se matters to wit that all your prayers services good meanings c. are abominable unto him so long as you walk in ignorance profanenesse disobedience and contempt of the Gospel For hee saith in the words immediately going before To him will I look even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Asun I grant indeed for them that are idle and have little to do it is not amisse now and then to hear a Sermon and read the Scriptures but wee have no leasure we must follow our businesse we cannot live by the Scriptures they are not for plain folk they are too high for us wee will not meddle with them They belong to Preachers and Ministers Theol Jâ—â—â— 10. Christ saith My sheep heare my voice and I give unto them eternall life If therefore you refuse to heare the voice of Christ you are none of his sheep neither can you have eternall life And in another place our Lord Iesus saith John 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word Ye therefore hear it not because ye are not of God Saint Paul writing to all sorts of men both rich and poore high and low men and women Colos 3.1 young and old exhorteth that the word of Christ may dwell plenteously in them all in all wisdom You see therefore that the Apostle would have all sorts of people that have souls to save to bee well acquainted with the Scriptures Therefore you may as well say you will not meddle with God with Christ nor with everlasting life as to say you will not meddle with the Scriptures Asun Well I cannot read and therefore I cannot tell what Christ or what Saint Paul may say but this I am sure of that God is a good man worshipped might he be hee is mercifull and that we must be saved by our good prayers and good serving of God Theol. You speak foolishly and
with faith in those that heard it And again Heb. â— 1â— They could not enter in because of unbeliefe Here we sâ—e that unbeliefe did bar out the old people from entring into the Land of Promise which was a figure of Gods eternall Kingdome And sure it is that the same unbeliefe doth barre out thousands of us For many will beleeve nothing but their owne fantasies They will not beleeve the Word of God especially when it is contrary to their lusts and likings profits and pleasures Though things be manifestly proved to their faces and both the Chapter and the Verse shewed them yet will they not beleeve or though they say they beleeve yet will they never goe about the practice of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another when God saith yee they will say nay and so give God the lye Some againe will say If all be true that the Preachers say then God help us Thus you see how infidelity doth bar men out of Heaven and cast them into Hell Phil. Let us heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. Chapter of Deuteronomie where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall have peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkenness to thirst that is one sinne to anotâ—er the Lord will not be mercifull unto him but the wrath of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and every curse that is written in this booke shall light upon him and the Lord shall put out his name from under Heaven Here we see how the mighty God doth thunder downe upon such as goe-on in their sins presuming of his mercie and saying in their hearts If I may have but a Lord have mercy upon mee three houres before death I care not But it is just with God when these three houres come to shut them up in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a just plagne for their presumption Therefore the Prophet David seeing the grievousnesse of this sinne prayeth to be delivered from it Psal 19. Keep me O Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not reigne over mee Let all men therefore take hood of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will hee shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that justice goeth from him as well as mercy Phil. Let us come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is proved in the 23. of Exodus verse 22. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evill In another place the Lord saith Levit. 18.3 After the doing of the Land of Egypt wherein ye dwelt shall ye not doe and after the manner of the Land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall ye not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Jeremie The word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord wee will not heare but we will do whatsoever goeth out of our mouth and we will do as we have done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem Jer. 44.16 Note here how they doe altogether refuse the Word of the Lord and how they follow the example of the multitude Wee see in these our dayes by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried downe the stream and for defence of it some will say Do as the most men do and the fewest will speak ill of you Which is a very wicked speech For if we will follow the course of the most we shall have the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let us therefore take heed of bending with the sway for the sway of the world doth weigh down all things that can be spoken out of the Word of God and openeth a very wide passage into hell Phil. Proceed to the fourth gate into hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Jeremy to be a very dangerous thing For hee saith Jer. 13.23 Can the Black moore change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe evill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leave an old custome of sinne as to wash a Black-moore white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall is most impossible So when men through custome have made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall unto them oh how hard it is to leave them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and feeling of sin Phil. Let us heare of the fifth gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is avouched by the Wise man in these words Ecclâ—s 8.11 Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe evill Where hee sheweth that one cause why men are so hardened in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediatly after they have sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone upon another and cause the earth to swallow up a third then men would feare indeed But it hath beene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he meet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall never come to their answer even as an old theefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take heed For as the Proverb saith Though the Pitcher goeth long to the Well yet at last it cometh broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies for there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you see how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction that is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the Law of the Magistrate Phil. Let us come to the sixth gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who when hee felt the world come in upon him with full streame said he would pull dâ—wne his barnes and build greater and say to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid up for many yeares Luke 12.19 live at ease eat drinke and take thy pastime But our Saviour calleth him
fill you full of joy and peace in beleeveing that you may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Antil The Sunne drawes low Asunetus it is time for you and mee to be going Phil. Indeed the night will approach by and by and therefore we must of necessity break off Theol. Sith it is so wee will here surcease and go no further Asun Sir I will now take my leave of you I can never be thankfull enough for all the good instructions and comforts which I have heard from you this day I hope I shall remember some of them whilest I live I do therefore praise God for you and for your counsell and for this day which I hope shall be the first day of my repentance and true conversion unto God Theol. The Lord for his infinite mercies sake grant it And I most humbly beseech the Almighty God to establish you with his free spirit that you may proceed and go forward in a Christian course unto the end Phil. I pray you good M. Theologus pardon my boldnesse for you see I have been very bold to propound many questions unto you wherein you have fully satisfied me to the great joy and comfort of my soule I do therefore praise God for you and I hope I shall never forget some things you have uttered But I will now commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build us further Theol. Farewell good Philagathus The Lord blesse you and keepe you in all your wayes and the God of heaven preserve us all and continue us in his feare unto the end All glory be given to God A Table containing all the principall matters handled in this Booke and directing to the Page where they are set down MAns naturall corruption pag. 5 Mans misery in nature pag. 6 Mans nature corrupted but not destroyed by Adams fall ibid. Some sparks of Gods image still remain after the fall pag. 7 Man in the state of nature cannot do any thing that pleaseth God pag. 8 Man naturally neither sees nor feeles his misery ibid. Man in nature is under the tyrannie of Satan and curse of the Law pag. 10 Man growne to yeeres living and dying in the state of nature perisheth for ever pag. 12 Man continueth cursed till he be borne againe ibid. None can be saved but onely the Regenerate ibid. Regeneration what pag. 13 The quality of Regeneration pag. 14 Remnants of sin after Regeneration ibid. Regeneration unperfect in this life pag. 15 Meanes of Regeneration pag. 24 Eight infallible signes of salvation pag. 30 Eight signes of damnation pag. 31 Nine manifest tokens of damnation ib. Pride described pag. 33 Pride of gifts condemned pag. 35 Pride in apparell condemned pag. 42 Rules of the Word for apparel pag. 52 53 54 Whoredome and the dangers thereof pag. 58 Excuses of whoredome pag. 59 The fearfull effects of whoredome pag. 60 The punishment of whoredome pag. 61 62 The causes of whoredome pag. 65 66 Remedies against whoredome pag. 69 Covetousnesse what pag. 70 Covetousnesse wherein it doth consist ibid. Foure notes to discerne the inward covetousnesse of the heart by pag. 72 The evill effects of covetousnesse pag. 74 The vanity of this world and all worldly things pag. 77 Excuses of covetousnesse pag. 94 Remedies against covetousness pag. 101 102 Gods providence for his children in the things of this life pag. 103 For the things of this life Gods blessing is all in all pag. 119 Outward meanes alone doe not uphold us pag. 120 Gods children sometimes are brought to great distresse pag. 123 Gods children alwaies sure to be delivered out of trouble pag. 128 The great priviledges of Gods children pag. 129 Contempt of the Gospel a grievous sin pag. 135 136 Contempt of the Gospel punished pag. 137 Contempt of the Gospel the sin of this Age. pag. 138 Contempt of the Gospel a sure signe of wrath to the Land pag. 147 Swearing and the punishment thereof pag. 154 Excuses for swearing pag. 163 Causes of swearing pag. 166 Remedies against swearing pag. 167 Lying flattering and dissembling ibid. Punishments for lying pag. 175 176 Excuses for lying pag. 177 Causes of lying pag. 178 179 Remedies against lying ibid. Drunkennesse and the evil effects thereof pag. 110 181 Excuses of drunkennesse pag. 184 Causes of drunkennesse pag. 185 Remedies of drunkennesse ibid. Idlenesse and the wofull effects thereof pag. 190 Causes of idlenesse pag. 197 Remedies against idlenesse ibid. Oppression a most horrible sin pag. 198 Many woes denounced against oppressours pag. 199 Sundry kinds of oppression pag. 200 201 Causes of oppression pag. 215 Remedies of oppression ibid. Sinne hurts men in their bodies goods and name pag. 216 Sinne brings great danger to the whole Land pag. 224 Nine predictions of wrath to the Land pag. 229 The prayers and teares of the faithfull keep back the wrath of God from the Land pag. 322 323 Prayers of the Elect of great force ibid. The wicked fare the better for Gods children pag. 242 The best course to prevent Gods judgements and to keep backe his wrath from our Land pag. 244 Ten speciall things concerning the continuance of our peace pag. 250 251 Nine signes of a sound soule pag. 252 Saint Peters eight markes of salvation ibid. Seven infallible tokens of salvation pag. 253 Assurance of salvation in this life proved pag. 254 255 Objections against the assurance of salvation answered pag. 259 The ground-worke of our salvation pag. 261 Some doubts may stand with the assurance of faith pag. 262 It is no presumption to be perswaded of our salvation pag. 265 The wicked cannot be assured of their salvation pag. 266 The security of salvation which the wicked brag of is vaine pag. 267 268 Nine things required of all that shall be saved by Christ pag. 271 272 Many say they hope to be saved by Christ but few can give a reason why Christ died for them particularly and by name pag. 273 Few shall be saved proved by Scriptures reasons and examples pag. 277 278 But few even in the visible Church shall be saved pag. 284 Objections against the small number of the Elect answered pag. 285 Objections of Atheists and unbeleevers answered pag. 286 Reading of the Scriptures much commended pag. 294 Deferring of repenting dangerous pag. 299 God no Authour of mans condemnation but himselfe pag. 300 Objections against Predestination answered pag. 301 302 Gods decree no cause of Adams fall pag. 305 The decree of reprobation proved pag. 306 Prescience in God what pag. 307 The decree of election proved pag. 308 The first motive of election is in God himselfe pag. 309 Fore-seen faith and fore-seen workes no motives of salvation ibid. Faith dependeth upon election not election upon faith pag. 311 A reason yeelded why there is no end of cavilling and objecting against the truth pag. 315 Nine bars out of heaven pag. 316 Nine gates into hell ibid. The ignorance of the world pag. 32â—
he hath These then are four evident signes and tokens whereby wee may certainly discerne that mens hearts and entralls are infected with covetousnesse Phil. You have very well satisfied us in this point Now let us understand the originall causes of covetousnesse Theol. There be two speciall causes of covetousnesse Two causâ—s of coveâ—ousnessâ— The one is the ignorance and distrust of Gods providence The other is the want of tasting and feeling of heavenly things For till men taste better things they will make much of these till they feel heaven they will love earth till they be religious they will be covetous Therefore the cause is soon espied why men are so sharp set upon these outward things and do so admire riches worldly pomp pleasures and treasures Because they know no better they never had taste nor feeling of those things which are eternall Phil. Now as you have shewed us the causes of covetousnesse so let us also hear of the effects Theol. If I once enter into this I shall be entangled and wound up in a maze where I know not how to get out againe For the evill effects of this vice are so many and so great that I know not almost where to beginne or where to end Notwithstanding I will enter into it get out how I can Phil. If you do but give us some taste of them it shall suffice Theol. Then will I briefly dispatch things in order And first of all I reason from the words of the Apostle before alledged That if covetousnesse and the love of money be the root of all evil then it is the root of idolatrie the root of murther the roote of theft the root of lying the root of swearing the roote of symony the roote of bribery the roote of usurie the roote of lawing the roote of all contentions in the Church and the roote of all brabbling and brawling in the Common-wealth Moreover it spreadeth farre and neare it dwelleth in every house in every towne in every â—ttie it pryeth into every corner it creepeth into every heart it annoyeth our Physicians it infecteth our Divines it choaketh our Lawyers it woundeth our Farmers it baneth our Gentlemen it murthereth our Tradesmen it bewitcheth our Merchants it stingeth our Mariners O covetousnes covetousnesse It is the poyson of all things the wound of Christianity the bane of all goodnesse For covetousnesse marres all it marreth all every where in all places in all degrees among all persons It marreth marriages for it coupleth young to old and old to young It marreth hospitality it marreth all good house-keeping it marreth almes-deeds it marreth Religion it marreth Professors it marreth Ministers it marreth Magistrates it marreth all things And therefore what sin so grievous what evill so odious what vice so enormous as this For this cause it was prettily said of one That all other vices are but factors to covetousnesse serve for Porters to fetch and bring in her living Shee maketh symony her drudge bribery her drudge usurie her drudge deceite her drudge swearing her drudge lying her drudge O what a Divell incarnate is this that setteth so many vices a work hath so many factors and underlings to serve her turne Are they not in a pretty case thinke you that are infected with this sinne Oh they are in a most miserable case It had beene good they had never beene borne For being alive they are dead dead I meane in their soules For covetousnes is soules poyson and soules bane Covetousnesse is the strongest poyson to the soul that is It is a confection of all the Spiders Toads Snakes Adders Scorpions Basilisks and all other the most venemous vermine of the whole world If the divell can get us to take downe but one peny weight of it it is enough hee desires no more for presently we fall down stark dead Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Tim. â— They that will be rich hee meaneth in all haste by hook or by crook fall into temptations and snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition For as covetousnesse is rank poyson to the soul so the Apostle compareth it to a deep gulfe wherein thousands are drowned And therefore hee addeth in the same place But thou O man of God flie these things In which words he doth most gravely advise all the Ministers of the word of God to take heed of it For as it is dangerous in all men so is it most dangerous and offensive in Preachers of the Gospel Phil. Indeed it must needs bee granted that covetousnesse is a very grievous sinne yea even a Monster with seven heads Yet for all that wee see in this our iron age how many of all sorts are infected with it and how few will give any thing to any holy use Most men now adayes have nothing to spare for Christ nothing for his Gospel nothing for his Church nothing for the poor children of God and needy members of Christ Christ is little beholden unto them for they will doe nothing for him no not so much as speake a good word in his cause or the cause of his poore saints Every little thing with them is too much for God and good men For when they come to giving unto holy and necessary uses then they will stick at a peny and grudge at a groat and every thing is too much But to bestow upon themselves nothing is too much Nothing is too much for lust for pleasure for back belly and building for cards and dice for whores and harlots for rioting and revelling for tavernes and brothel-houses Hundreds and thousands are little enough and too little for their expences this way It is lamentable to consider what masses of money are spent and bestowed upon these things But alas alas how heavie an account are they to make in the day of the Lord which so spend their lands livings and revenues I quake to think what shall become of them at last It were well for them if they might be in no worse case then a Crocodile or a Cur-dog Theol. It is most certain that you say and wee all have great cause to lament it and to take up the old complaint of the Prophet Jeremy saying From the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given unto Covetousnesse and from the Prophet even unto the Priests they all deale falsly And another Prophet saith Mich. 3.22 They build up Sion with bloud and Jerusalem with iniquity The heads thereof judge for rewards and the Priests thereof teach for hire and the Prophets thereof prophesie for money yet will they lean upon the Lord and say Is not tho Lord amongst us No evil can come unto us But these holy Prophets men of God do fully describe unto us the state of our time wherein though all be corrupted yet wee bear our selves stoutly upon God we presume of his favour because of our outward profession and
say in our hearts No evill can come unto us Asun You say very true Sir The world was never so set upon covetousnesse and men were never so greedily given to the world as now adaies And yet in truth there is no cause why men should bee so sharp-set upon this world For this world is but vanity and all is but pels trash Fâ—e on this muck Phil. Many such men as you are can skil to give good words and say Fie on this world all is but vanity yet for all that in your daily practice you are never the lesse set upon the world nor never the more seek after God You hear the word of God no whit the more you reade no whit the more you pray never the moâ—e which evidently sheweth that all your faire speeches and protestations are nought else but hypocrisie and leasing Your heart is not with God for all this All is but words there is no such feeling in the heart And therefore I may justly say to you as God himselfe said to his people This people have said well all that they have said Oh D ut 5.28 that there were an heart in them to feare me and keepe my commandements Theol. His words indeed are good if his heart were according For all things considered there is no cause why men should bee so given to this world for they must leave it when they have done all that they can As wee say To day a man to morrow none And as the Apostle saith 1 Tim. â— Wee brought nothing into this world and it is certaine wee shall carry nothing out Wee must all dye wee know not how soon why therefore should men set their hearts upon such uncertainties and deceiveable things for all things in this world are more light then a feather more brittle than glasse more fleeting than a shadow more vanishing than smoake more unconstant than the winde Doubtlesse saith the Prophet David man walketh in a shadow Psal 3â— 6. and disquieteth himselfe in vaine hee heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them I wonder therefore that these moles and muck-worms of this earth should so minde these shadowish things and so dote on them as they do If they were not altogether hardened and blinded by the Divelâ— they would not be so neerly knit to thee â—â—od and the penny as they are thinking and alwayes imagining that there is no happinesse but in these things which are but dung and drosse and at last they will give us the slip when wee think our selves most sure of them The wise King who had the greatest experience of these things that ever man had for hee enjoyed whatsoever this world could afford upward and downeward backward and forward yet could he finde nothing in them but vanity and vexation of spirit Moreover hee flâ—tâ—y avoucheth That all these things riches wealth honour pleasures and treasures will most notably deceive us in the end give us the slâ—p and be gone For he compareth riches and all the glory of the world to an Eagle or Hawke which a man holdeth upon his fist stroketh her maketh much of her taketh great delight and pleasure in her and saith hee will not take ten pounds for her yet all on the sudden shee taketh her flight and flyeth up into the aire and hee never seeth her more nor shee him The words of the holy Ghost are these Pâ—oâ— 25.5 Wilt thou cause thine eyes to flie after them meaning riches Thou maiest but they will not be found For they wil make themselves wings like to the Eagle which slieth up to heaven From thence wee may learne that though wee set our hearts neversomuch on any thing here below yet at the last it shall bee taken from us or we from it Therefore all worldly men doe but weave the spiders web and may fitly bee compared to the silly spider who toyleth her selfe and laboureth all the weeke long to fluish up her web that shee may lodge her selfe in it as in her owne house and free-hold But alas at the weeks end a maid in a moment with one brush of a broom dispossesseth her of her inheritance which shee had purchased with great labour and much adoe Even so when the men of this world have with much care and travell purchased great lands and revenues and gathered all that they can yet on the sudden death with one stroke of his â—â—refull dart will make them give up the ghost and then where are they It was prettily therefore said of a man in the light of nature Seneca No man hath ever lived so happily in this life but in his life time many things have befallen him for the which hee hath wished rather to die than to live And assuredly I thinke there was never any man lived any one day upon the face of the earth but some griefe or other either did or justly might invade his minde ere night either in the temptations of the World the Flesh or the Divell or in regard of soule body goods or name in regard of wife children friends or neighbours in regard of dangers to Prince Staie Church or Common-wealth in regard of casualties and losse by water by fire by sea or by land What a life therefore is this that hath not our good day in it Who would desire to dwell long in it For it lieth open every day to manifold miseries dangers losses casualties reproaches shame infamy poverty sicknesse diseases cholicks agueâ— tooth-ache head-ache back-ache bone-ache and a thousand calamities Phil. You have very well described unto us the vanity of this life and that no day is free from one sorrow or other one griefe or other the which thing our Lord Jesus ratifieth in the reason which hee bringeth why men should not distrustfully care for to morrow For saith hee sufficient to the day is the evill thereof Or as some read it The day hath enough with his owne griefe Wherein hee doth plainly shew that every day hath his sorrow his evill his griefe and his thwart But I pray you proceed further in this point Theol. This I say further That when men have swinked sweat carked and cared mosled and turmosled drudged and droiled by night by day by sea and by land with much care and sorrow much labour and griefe to rake together the things of this life yet at last all will away againe and wee must end where wee began For as Job said Iob. 1. Naked wee came into the world and naked wee must go out For even as a winde-mill beateth it selfe maketh a great noise whistleth and whisketh about from day to day all the yeare long yet at the yeares end standeth still where it begunne being not moved one foote backward or forward soe when men have blustered and blowne all that they can and have even runne themselves out of breath to scrape up the commodities of the earth yet at last they must spite
which hee shall rain upon him in stead of his meat Thus then it is cleere that mans life and good estate dependeth not upon the abundance of outward things but onely upon the blessing and providence of God Prov. 10.12 For his blessing onely maketh rich and it doth bring no sorrow with it Psal 37.16 For better is a little to the just then great abundance to many of the wicked Prov. 25.26 Better is a little with the fear of the Lord then great treasure and trouble therewith Better is a little with righteousnesse Prov. 16.8 then great revenues without equity Thus then I conclude this point Man liveth not by bread but by a blessing on bread not by outward means but by a blessing upon meanes For how can bread being a dead thing and having no life in it selfe give life to others Phil. I do not well understand the meaning of these words By every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Theol. Thereby is meant the decree ordinance and providence of God which upholdeth all things even the whole order of nature For the Scripture saith Hee spake Psal 33.9 and it was done hee commanded and they were created In which words wee plainly see that God doth but speake and it is done hee doth command and all creatures are preserved For God doth all things 〈◊〉 a word Hee created all with his word hee preserveth all with his word hee speaketh and it is done His words are words of power and authority Whatsoever he saith whatsoever hee calleth for it must be done presently without any delay there is no withstanding of him Hee calleth for famine and behold famine Hee calleth for plenty and behold plenty Hee calleth for pestilence and behold pestilence He calleth for the sword and behold the sword All Angels all men all beasts all fishes all fowls all creatures whatsoever must obey him and be at his beck He is the greatest commander his word commandeth heaven and earth and the sea All creatures must bee obedient to his will and subject to his ordinance This is the cause why all things both in heaven earth and the sea doe keep their immutable and unvariable courses times and seasons even because hee hath charged them so to doe And they must of necessity alwayes at all times and for ever obey for the creatures must obey the Creator This â—ct of Parliament was made the first week of the world and never since was or can be repealed Phil. But to call you back againe to the point wee had in hand Resolve mee I pray you of this whether many of the deare children of God doe not in this life sometimes want outward things and are brought into great distresse Theol. 1 Kiâ—g 17. Yes certainely For Elijah did want 2 Câ—r â— 8 2 Cor. 11.25 and was in distresse Paul did want and was in many distresses The holy Christians mentioned in the Hebrewes did want Heb. 1â— 3â— and were in marvellous distresses Many of Gods dear ones have in all ages wanted and at this day also doe want and are greatly distressed But this is a most infallible truth that howsoever Gods children may want and be low brought yet they are never utterly forsaken but are holpen even in greatest extreâ—iâ—ie yea when all things are desperate and brought even to the last cast To this point most notably speaketh the Apostle saying 1 Cor 4.8 We are affl cted on every side but yet wee despaire not wee are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee perish not The Prophet Jeremie also saith Lâ—â— 3. The Lord will not forsake for ever but though hee send affliction yet will hee have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies For hee doth not punish willingly or from his heart nor afflict the children of men The kingly Prophet saith Psal 94.4 Surely the Lord will not fail his people neither will hee forsake his inheritance The Lord himself saith For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee Iâ—a â—5 8 but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee So then wee may fully assure our selves and even write of it as a most undoubted and sealed truth that Gods children shall never be utterly forsaken in their troubles Phil. Sith the care and providence of God is so great for his children as you have largely declared what then I pray you is the cause why God suffereth his to bee brought into so many troubles and necessities Theol. Their profit and benefit is the cause and not their hurt For he loveth them when hee smiteth them Hee favoureth them when he seemeth to be most against them Hee aimeth at their good when hee seemeth to bee most angry with them He woundeth them that hee may heale them Hee presseth them that hee may ease them Hee maketh them cry that afterward they may laugh Hee alwaies meaneth well unto them hee never meaneth hurt Hee is most constant in his love towards them If he bring them into necessities it is but for the triall of their faith love patience and diligence in prayer If he cast them into the fire it is not to consume them but to purge and refine them If he bring them into great dangers it is but to make them call upon him more earnestly for help and deliverance He presseth us that wee might cry wee cry that wee may be heard wee are heard that we might be delivered So that here is no hurt done we are worse scared than hurt Even as a mother when her childe is way-ward threateneth to throw it to the Wolfe or scareth it with some poker or bul-begger to make it cling more unto her and be quiet So the Lord oftentimes sheweth us the terrible faces of troubles and dangers to make us cleave and cling faster unto him and also to teach us to esteeme better of his gifts when wee enjoy them and to bee more thankfull for them as health wealth peace liberty safety c. So then still we see here is nothing meant on Gods part but good as it is written Rom. 5. All things worke together for good to them that love God For Heb. 12 10. Heb. 12.14 even the afflictions of Gods children are so sanctified unto them by the Spirit 1 Thes 1.6 that thereby they are made partakers of the holinesse of God Gal. 6.14 Phil 3.10 Thereby they enjoy the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Thereby they attaine unto a greater measure of joy in the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 11.32 Thereby the world is crucified to them and they to the world Rom. 5.3 4. Thereby they are made conformable to the death of Christ Thereby they are kept from the condemnation of the world Thereby they learne experience patience hope c. So that all things considered Gods children are no losers by their afflictions but gainers It is better for them to have them than to
him but let us draw neer to the winding up of this matter and tell us in a word which be the chiefe causes of drunkennesse Theol. The causes are these Causes of Drunkennesse Ill company Ale-houses Idlenesse A wicked humour Phil. Which be the true remedies Theol. The remedies are these Remedies for Drunkennesse Avoiding of evill company Shunning of Ale-houses Labouring in your callings A good course of life Phil. Well Sir you have waded farre enough in this point Let us now come to the eighth signe of condemnation which is idlenesse Theol. Concerning idlenesse this I say briefly that it is the mother of all vice and the stepdame of all vertue yea it is the very bel-dame of all enormities It is the mother of whoredome the mother of pride the mother of theft the mother of drunkennesse the mother of ignorance the mother of error the mother of poverty the mother of flandering and backbiting pratling and gossiping brawling scolding quarrelling and what not Ydlenesse was one of the principall sinnes of Sodome as the Prophet Ezekiel testifieth saying Pride fulnesse of bread Ezek. 16 19 and abundance of idlenesse was in her and in her daughters Solomon is very plentifull in this matter Pro. 13.4 For saith hee The sluggard lusteth and hath nought And againe The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit Pro. 26 1â— then seven men that can give a sensible reason That is he taketh himselfe the wisest of many because hee spareth his body when others take paines Pro. 24 3â— hee saith Yet a little sleep yet a little slumber yet a little foulding the hands and his povetty commeth like a traveller that is unawares and his necessity like an armed man that is Eccles 4.5 strongly Then hee fouldeth his hands together and eateth his owne flesh Pro. 26.15 For Hee hideth his hand in his bosome and it grieveth him to put it to his mouth againe In another place the holy Ghost saith The sloathfull man will not plough because of Winter therefore hee shall beg in Summer and have nothing Againe Pro. 9.18 The sloathfull man is brother to him that is a great waster Moreover it is said Pro. 26.14 that the sluggard turnes himselfe upon his bed as the doore doth upon the hinges That is he keepeth his bed as if he were fastned to it And because the Spirit will abound in this point it is further written of the sloathfull man that he saith An huge Lyon is in the way Pro. 26.13 I shall be slaine in the streets That is when any good matter is in hand as preaching praying reading giving to the poore c. then hee draweth back hee shrinketh into the shell he findeth one let or other one excuse or other Then profit and pleasure businesse and idlenesse matters at home and matters abroad company and a thousand occasions will lye in his way as so many Lions to let and hinder him So then wee see how lively and plentifully the holy Scriptures do paint out the lazie lubbers of this world and sonnes of idlenesse which are as hardly drawne to any good thing as a Beare to the stake As for the duties of Religion they go as lively and as cheerfully about them as a theefe goeth up the ladder to be executed for his theft Phil. I do plainly see that this sinne of idlenesse is a very grosse evill and the root of many vices yet for all that there be a great number which thinke they were borne to live idlely as many young Gentlemen and such like which imagine they came into the world for no other purpose but to hunt and hawke card and dice riot and revell and so spend their daies in pleasure and vanity Againe there be many lazy lozels and luskish youths both in townes and villages which doe nothing all the day long but walke in the streetes sit upon the stalles and frequent Taverns and Ale-houses Many rich citizens especially women do ordinarily lye in bed till nine of the clock and then forsooth rise and make themselves ready to goe to dinner And after they have well dined they spend the rest of the day and a good part of the night also in playing prattling babling cackling prating and gossiping fie on this idle life Many profane serving-men also doe falsly suppose that they were borne onely to game riot swear whore ruflle it and roist it out and to spend their time in meer idlenesse But of all these well said the Heathen Philosopher Illos pariter indignantur dii homines Aristot quisquis otiosus Both God and men do hate the idle person Theol. It is a lamentable thing to see so many men and women live so idlely and so unprofitably as they do For alas there be too many which follow no honest calling live to no use no body is the better for them They doe no good neither to the Church or common-wealth They are like Drone-Bees they are improfitable burthens of the earth God hath no use of them the Church no good the Common-wealth no benefit their neighbours no profit the poore no reliefe They imagine they came into the world to do nothing but eat drinke and sleep and rise up to play They thinke they would spend their time in diceing and dancing in whordome and bravery in gluttony and belly-cheere in masting themselves like Hoggs of Epicurus Heard in pampering their panches and cramming their bellies in fatting themselves like Boares in a Franke till they bee well brawned Job 15.27 21.12 and as Job saith till their bones run full of marrow their faces strout with fatnesse and they have collops in their flanke Oh what a beastly life is this Fie upon it fle upon it It is more meet for Epicures than Christians for swine than for men for Sardanapalus and Heliogabalus and such like belly-gods than for the professors of the Gospel But of all such Job saith enough Job 11. They spend their dayes in pleasure and suddenly go downe to bell Phil But may it not be allowed unto Lords and Ladies Gentlemen and Gentlewomen and other great ones to live idlely sith they have wherewith to maintaine it Theol. God doth allow none to live idlely but all great and small are to be employed one way or other either for the benefit of the Church or Common-wealth or for the good government of their owne housholds or for the good of townes and parishes and those amongst whom they doe converse or for the succour and reliefe of the poore or for the furtherance of the Gospel and the maintenance of the ministery or for one good use or other To these ends our wits our learning our reading our skill our policie our wealth our health our wisedome and authority are to be referred knowing this that one day wee shall come to give an account of our Bailywick and to be reckoned withall for the employments of our Talents Job 5.7 For
thy God Deuâ— 38. cursed shalt thou be in the towne cursed also in the field cursed shall be thy basket and thy store cursed shall be the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land and the increase of thy kine and the flocks of thy sheep Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in and cursed also when thou goest out The Lord shall send upon thee cursing trouble and shame in all that thou settest thy hand unto Deut. 27. And further he saith That he will breake the staffe of their bread that ten women shall bake their bread in one oven and they shall deliver their bread againe by weight and they shall eat and not be satisfied You do therefore apparently see that these sins will draw down Gods wrath upon us and all that we have Phil. What hurt do these sinnes to our good name Theol. They bring reproach shame and infamy upon us and cause us to be abhorred and contemned of all good men They do utterly blot out our good name For as vertue makes men honourable and reverend so vice makes men vile and contemptible This is set downe where the Lord threatens Israel 2 Kin. 197. that for their sinnes and disobedience hee will make them a proverb and common talke yea a reproach and astonishment among all people Ezek. 5.5 In sundry other places of the Prophets hee threatens for their sins to make them a reproach a shame an hissing and nodding of the head to all Nations Phil. I do verily thus think that as sinne generally doth staine every mans good name which all are chary and tender of so especially it doth blot those which are in high places and of speciall note for learning wisedome and godlinesse Theol. You have spoken most truly and agreeable to the Scriptures For the Scripture saith E cles 10.1 As a dead Flie causeth the Apothecaries oyntment to stinke so doth a little folly him that is in estimation for wisdome and for honour Where Solomon sheweth that if a Flie get into the Apothecaries box of oyntment and die and putrifie in it shee marreth it though it be never so precious even so if a little sin geâ— into the heart and breake out in the forehead of a man of great sinne for some singular gifts it will blurre him though hee be never so excellent Phil. Shew me this I pray you more plainly Theol. Wee observe this in oll experience that if a Noble-man be a good man and have many excellent parts in him of curtesie patience humility and love of Religion yet if he be covetous the common people will have their eye altogether upon that and they will say Such a Noble-man is a very good man but for one thing hee is exceeding covetous oppresseth poore men and dealeth hardly with his Tenants keepeth no house doth little good in the Countrie where he dwelleth And this is it that marreth all Moreover let a Iudge a Iustice or a Magistrate be endued with excellent gifts of prudence policy temperance liberality and knowledge in the low yet if they be given to anger or taking of bribes oh how it will disgrace them amongst the people for they will say He is a worthy man indeed but there is one thing in him that marreth all hee is an exceeding angry and furious man hee is as angry as a waspe he will be in a pelting chase for every trifle he will fret and fume if you do but blow upon him And besides this hee is a very corrupt man he is a great taker of bribes hee loveth well to be bribed hee will do any thing for bribes Furthermore if any Preacher be a man of great gifts the common people will say of him Oh he is a worthy man indeed an excellent Scholar a profound Divine a singular man in a Pulpit but yet for all that he hath a shrewd touch which marreth all he is an exceeding proud man he is as proud as Lucifer He hath very great gifts indeed but I warrant you he knoweth it well enough For hee carrieth his crest very high and looketh very sternly and disdainfully upon all other men He is unmeasurably puft up with overweening and thinketh that he toucheth the clouds with his head Thus therefore wâ—â—re how the dead Flies marre all and how some one sinne doth disgrace a man that otherwise doth excell Phil. What is the cause why some one sin doth so blot and smut the most excellent men Theol. The reason hereof is because such men are as a candle set upon a candlesâ—icke or rather upon a scaffold or mountaine for all men to behold and looke upon And sure it is they have a thousand eyes upon them every day and that not onely gazing upon them but also prying very narrowly unto them to spy out the least mote that they may make a mountaine of it For as in a cleane white paper one little spot is soone espied but in a piece of browne paper twenty great blurs scant discerned even so in Noble-men Iudges Magistrates Iustices Preachers and Professors the least spot or speck is soone seene into but among the baser sort and most grosse livers almost nothing is espied or regarded Phil. Sith the eyes of all men are bent and fixed upon such men as are of some note therefore they had need very heedfully to look to their steps that they may take away all advantage from them that seek it Theol. Yes verily And furthermore they had need to pray with David alwaies Psal 119.13 Direct my steps O Lord in thy word and let no iniquity have dominion over mee Psal 41.12 And againe Order my goings that my foot-steps slip not uphold mee in my integrity For if such men be never so little given to swearing to lying to drinke or to women it is espied by and by and therewithall their credit is cracked their fame over-cast their glory ecclipsed and the date of their good name presently expired Phil. Now as you have shewed what great hurt these sins doe bring upon our soules bodies goods and name so also I pray you shew what danger they bring upon the whole Land Theol. Questionlesse they pull downe the wrath of God upon us all and give him just cause to break all in pieces and utterly to subvert and overthrow the good estate both of Church and Common-wealth yea to make a finall consumption and desolation of all For they be the very fire-brands of Gods wrath and as it were touch-wood to kindle his anger and indignation upon us For the Apostle saith Col. â— 6. For such things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience Phil. Declare unto us out of the Scriptures how the Lord in former times hath punished whole nations and Kingdomes for these and such like sins Theol. In the fourth of Hosea Hos 4.1 the Lord telleth his people that hee hath a controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land and the reason
is added because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing lying killing stealing and whoring they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud Therefore shall the Land mourn and every one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off Here then wee see what it is that will incense God against us and cause us all to mourne So likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Amos that for the cruelty and oppression of the poore he would plague the whole Land Amos 3.8 Shall not the Land tremble for this saith the Lord and every one mourne that dwells therein Againe the Lord saith by the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 7.19 1. Doe they provoke mee to anger and not themselves to the confusion of their owne faces Therefore thus saith the Lord Behold mine anâ—â—r and my wrath shall be poured upon this place upon man and beast upon the trees of the field and upon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched Jer. 2â— 5 Againe the Lord saith If yee will not heare these words I sweare by my selfe saith the Lord that this house shall be waste and I will prepare destroyers against thee every one with his weapons and they shall cut downe thy chiefe Cedar-trees and cast them into the fire Likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Ezekiel Ezek. 5.7 saying Because you have not walked in my Statutes nor kept my Judgements therefore behold I even I come against thee and will execute judgement in the midst of thee even in the sight of the Nations and I will doe in thee that I never did before neither will I doe any more the like because of all thine abominations For in the midst of thee the fathers shall eat their sons and the sons shall eat their fathers Againe by the same Prophet the Lord saith Ezek. 7.23 27. The Land is full of the Judgement of bloud and the Citie full of crueltie Wherefore I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses I will also make the pompe of the mighty to cease and the holy places shall be defiled When destruction cometh they shall seeke peace and not have it Calamity shall come upon calamity and rumour upon rumour Then shall they seek a vision of the Prophet but the Law shall perish from the Priest and counsell from the Ancient The King shall mourne and the Prince shall be clothed with desolation and the hands of the people in the Land shall be troubled I will do unto them according unto their waies and according unto their judgement I will judge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Last of all the Lord saith by his Prophet Jeremy Heare O earth Behold Jer. 4.19 I will cause a plague to come upon this people even the fruit of their owne imaginations because they have not taken heed to my words and to my Law but cast it off Almost innumerable places to this purpose are to be found in the writings of the Prophets but theâ— may suffice to prove the maine point to wit that the just God doth punish whole nations and kingdomes for the sins and rebellions thereof Phil. Sith all these sins for the which the Lord did execute such universall punishments upon his owne people doe abound and over-flow in the Land may wee not justly feare some great plague to fall upon us And the rather because our transgressions doe increase daily and grow to a full height and ripenesse so as it seems the harvest of Gods vengeance draweth neere and approacheth Theol. We may indeed justly feare and tremble For if God spared not the Angels that sinned how shall hee spare us If he spared not his owne people what can we looke for If he spared not the naturall branches how shall hee spare us that are wilde by nature Are we better then they Can we looke to be spared when they are punished Are not our sinnes as many and as great as theirs Doth not the same cause bring forth the same effect Is the Arme of the Lord shortned Or is not God the same just God to punish sin now that hee was then Yes yes assuredly And therefore we have great cause to mourne and lament to quake and tremble because there is a naked sword of vengeance hanging over our heads Thus did Jeremy Jer. 4.19 Amos 5.6 Hab. 3.16 thus did Amos thus did Habakkuk when they plainly saw the imminent wrath of God approaching upon the people of Israel and Judah Phil. I thinke wee may the rather doubt and feare because the punishment of these fore-named vices is neglected by the Magistrate For commonly when they that beare the sword of Justice doe not draw it out to punish notorious offendors and malefactors the Lord himselfe will take the matter into his owne hands and be revenged in his owne person which is most dreadfull and dangerous For Hâ—b 10 3â— it is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Theol. You have spoken a truth For if those which are Gods Deputies and Vicegerents in the earth doe their duties faithfully in punishing vice and maintaining vertue in smiting the wicked and favouring the godly then assuredly evill shall be taken out of Israel Gods wrath prevented and his judgements intercepted as it is written Psal 109.32 Phineas stood up and executed judgement and the plague was stayed But if they for feare favour affection gaine flatterie bribery or any other sinister respect will be too sparing and remisse in punishing of grosse offenders and be rather ready to smite the righteous then doe they exceedingly provoke Gods wrath against the Land and against themselves Phil. One thing I do greatly lament that there be either none at all or very slender censures either by the Civill or Ecclesiasticall authority for divers of these fore-named vices as pride covetousnesse oppression lying idlenesse swearing c. Theol. It is a thing to be lamented indeed For where doe we see a proud man punished a covetous man punished an oppressor punished a swearer punished a lyer punished an idle person punished Now because they know they cannot or shall not be punished therefore they are altogether hardened and imboldened in their sins as the Wise man saith Because sentence against an evill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are fully set in them to do evill Phil. One thing I doe much muse at wherein also I desire to be further satisfied viz. what is the cause that under so godly a Prince so many good lawes and so much good preaching and teaching there should notwithstanding be such an excesse and over-flowing of sin in all estates Theol. The causes hereof are divers and manifold But I will nominate foure especiall ones in my judgement The first is mans naturall corruption which is so strong as almost nothing can bridle it The second is ill presidents and
4. Antil 〈◊〉 18. But how answer you this God willâ— not the death of a sinner therefore he hath predestinated none to destruction Theol. God wils not the death of a sinner simply and absolutely as it is the destruction of his creature but as it is a meanes to declare his justice and to set forth his glory Antil God did fore-see and fore-know that the wicked would perish through their owne sin but yet he did not predestinate them unto it Theol. Gods prescience and fore-knowledge cannot be separated from his decree For whatsoever God hath fore-seene and fore-known in his eternall counsell he hath determined the same shall come to passe For as it appertaines to his wisdome to fore-know and fore-see all things so doth it appertain to his power to moderate and rule all things according to his will Antil What doe you call prescience in God Theol. Prescience in God is that whereby all things abide present before his eyes so that to his eternall knowledge nothing is past nothing to come but all things are alwaies present and are they so present that they are not as conceived imaginations formes and motions but all things are alwaies so present befoâ—e God that he doth behold them 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 and perfection Antil How can God justly determine of mens destruction before they have sinned Theol. This objection hath been answered in part before For I told you that God condemneth none but for sin either originall onely or else both originall and actuall For howsoever he doth in himselfe before all time determine the reprobation of many yet he proceeds to no excecution till there be found in us both just desertâ— and apparent cause Therefore they deale unsoundly and foolishly which confound the decree of reprobation with damnation it selfe sith sinne is the cause of the one and only the will of God of the other Phil. Well Sir sith we are so far proceeded in this question by the occasion of this mans objections and cavile I pray you now as you have spoken much of reprobation and the causes thereof so let us heare somewhat of election and the causes thereof and shew us out of the Scriptures that God hath before all worlds chosen some to eternall life Theol. Touching the decree of election there are almost none that make any doubt thereof therefore small proofe shall serve for this point Onely I will construct it by one or two testimonies out of holy Scripture First the Apostle saith Blessed be God Ephes 1.3 even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ as hee hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that wee should be holy and without blame before him in love You see the words are very plaine and pregnant for this purpose Another confirmation is taken out of the eight chapter to the Romans in these words Those whom hee knew before did he also predestinate to be like to be like to the image of his owne Sonne that hee might be the first-borne of many brethren Phil. Which be the causes of election Theol. The causes of election are to be found onely in God himselfe For his eternall election dependeth neither upon man neither yet upon any thing that is in man but is purposed in himselfe and established in Christ in whom we are elected This is fully proved in these words Ephes 1.5 6. Who hath predestinated us to be adopted through Jesus Christ in himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of his glory wherewith he hath made us freely accepted in his beloved Where we see the Apostle telleth us that his free grace and the good pleasure of his will are the first motives or moving causes of our election Phil. But the Papists fetch the first motive of election out of mans merits and fore-seen workes For say they God did fore-see who would repent beleeve and doe well and therefore he made choice of them Theol. But they are greatly deceived For I say againe and againe that there is nothing in us which did ever move God to set his love upon us and to chuse us unto life but he ever found the originall cause in himselfe as it is written Rom. 9. Hee will have mercy upon whom hee will have mercy and whom hee will hee hardneth And againe It is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Deut. 7.7 The Lord himselfe also testifieth that hee did chuse his people not for any respect in them but onely because he loved them and bare a speciall favour unto them 〈◊〉 then it is a certaine truth that Gods eternall predestination excludeth all merits of man and all power of his will thereby to attaine unto eternall life and that his free mercy and undeserved favour is both the beginning the midst and the end of our salvation that is to say All is of him and nothing of our selves Phil. Whether then doth faith depend upon election or election upon faith That is whether did God chuse us because we doe beleeve or whether doe we beleeve because we are chosen Theol. Out of all doubt both faith and all fruits of faith do depend upon election For therefore we beleeve because we are elected and not therefore elected because wee beleeve As it is written Act. 13.41 So many as were ordained to everlasting life beleeved Antil If men be predestinate before they be borne to what purpose serve all precepts admonitions lawes c. It sorceth not how wee live For neither our godly or ungodly life can alter the purpose of God Theol. This is a very wicked and carnall objection and sheweth a vile and dissolute mind in them that use it But I would wish such men to consider the end of election which is that we should lead a godly 〈◊〉 As it is plainly set down in the first chapter to the Ephesians ver 3. where the Apostle saith God hath chosen us before the foundation of the world But to what end that wee should live as wee list No no saith hee But that wee should be holy and unblameable before him Againe he saith Rom. 9.16 Wee are predestinate to be made like the image of his Sonne that is to be holy and righteous For most certaine it is that wee can judge nothing of predestination but by the consequents that is by our calling justification and sanctification For when once we feele the work of grace within us that is that wee are washed by the new birth and renued by the holy Ghost finding in our selves an unfeigned hatred of sinne and love of righteousnesse then are we sure and out of all doubt that we are predestinated to life And it is even as much is if God had personally appeared unto us and whispered us in the eare and told us that our names are taken and written in the
whereof prayers and instructions are a part Moreover I demand whether you were ever angry or no Asun Yes an hundred times in my dayes and I thinke there is no body but will be angry at one time or other especially when they have cause Theol. Then you have broken the sixth Commandement which chargeth us to avoid wrath anger malice desire of revenge and all such like forerunners unto murder Furthermore I aske you whether you did never look upon a woman with a lust in your heart Asun Yes for I thinke there is no man free from thoughts that way I had thought thoughts had beene free Theol. No thoughts are not free before God for God knoweth our thoughts and will punish us arraign us and condemne us for thoughts Men know not thoughts and therefore can make not Lawes against thoughts but because God is privie to all our most secret thoughts therefore hee hath made Lawes against them and will condemne them Therefore I conclude that if you have nourished adulterous thoughts in your heart you are guilty of the breach of the seventh commandement which forbiddeth all secret thoughts and provocations whatsoever to adultery But further I demand whether you did never pilfer purloine and steale some small things from your neighbour as pasture poultry conies apples and such like Asun I cannot cleere my selfe in these things for I had thought they had been no sinne Theol. Then have you broken the eight Commandement and stand guilty of eternall death For God in this Commandement chargeth us to have as great care of our neighbours goods as of our owne and not to injure him any manner of way 〈◊〉 thought word or deed Therefore all deceit pilfring oppressing and all unjust dealing with our neighbours goods is here condemned Moreover let me ask you whether you did never lie or dissemble Asun Yes assuredly Theol. Then have you broken the ninth Commandement wherein God chargeth us both in witnesse bearing and all other matters to speake the plaine truth from our heart without lying or dissembling Last of all I demand whether you did never in your heart desire something that was not your owne as your neighbours house or ground kine or sheepe c. therein bewraying the discontentment of your heart Asun I am as guilty in this as in any thing For God forgive me I have often desired and lusted after this and that which was none of mine owne and so have bewrayed my discontentment Theol. Then I perceive by your owne confession that you are guilty of the breach of all the Commandements Asun I must needs confesse it for I see now more into that matter then ever I did I never heard so much before in my life nor was ever asked any such questions as you aske mee I had thought many of those things which you asked mee had been no sinnes at all Theol. I could have convicted you in a thousand other particulars wherein you doe daily and hourely breake the Law of God But my purpose was onely to give you a taste of some particular transgressions and therewithall some little light by the way into the meaning of the Law that thereby you might be brought to some better sight of your selfe and might a little perceive in what case you stand before God and by that little conceive a great deal more Asun Well now I do plainly see that I have been deceived and am not in so good estate before God as I thought I had been Moreover I see that thousands are out of the way which thinke they are in a good case before God whereas indeed they are in blindnesse and in their sinnes But Lord have mercie upon us I doe now plainly see that I am farre from keeping the Commandements and I thinke no man doth keep them Theol. You may sweare it I warrant you For neither Saint Paul David or the Virgin Mary could ever keep any one of the Commandements I am glad you begin to see into the Law of God and to have some taste that way For as a mans knowledge and in-sight is into the Law so is hiâ— knowledge and in-sight into himselfe Hee that hath a deep in-sight into the Law of GOD hath also a deep in-sight into himselfe Hee that hath no in-sight into the Law can have no in-sight into himselfe For the Law is that glasse wherein we doe behold the face of our soules before GOD. The Apostle saith By the Law cometh the knowledge of sinne Therefore those which are altogether ignorant of the Law and never behold themselves in this glasse doe commit an hundred sinnes a day which they know not of and therefore are not grieved for them For how can a man be grieved for that which hee knoweth not But now further I pray you to give mee leave to aske you some moe questions of the principleâ— of Religion to the end that you knowing and feeling your ignorance may be humbled therewith bewaile iâ— in time and seek after the true knowledge of God But yet by the way I will aske Antilâ—gon a question or two because I desire to understand what knowledge hee hath in the grounds of Religion Tell me therefore Antilegon what was the reason why Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost Antil I could answer you but I will not What authority have you to examine me Shew your commission When I see your warrant I will answer you in the meane time you have nothing to doe to examine mee Meddle with that you have to do withall Theol. I perceive you are not onely ignorant but wilfull and obstinate and refuse all instructions Therefore I will leave you to God and to your galled conscience But I pray you Asunetus answer this question What thinke you what was the reason that Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost Asun Belâ—eve me Sir that is an hard question You may aske a wise man that question For I cannot answer it Theol. What say you then to this Who was Christs mother Asun Marry Sir that was our blessed Lady Theol. What was Pontius Pilate Asun I am somewhat ignorant I am not book-learned but if you will have my simple opinion I thinke it was the Divell For none but the Divell would put our sweet Saviour to death Theol. What is the holy Catholike Church which you do beleeve Asun The communion of Saints the forgivenesse of sins Theol. What do you pray for when you say Thy Kingdome come Asun I do pray that God would send us all of his grace that wee may serve him and doe as wee ought to doe and keep us in a good minde to God-ward and to have him much in our minde For some God blesse us have nothing but the Divell in their minde they doe nothing a Gods name Theol. What is the Sacrament Asun The Lords Supper Theol. How many Sacraments be there Asun Two Theol. Which 〈◊〉 they Asun Bread an 〈◊〉 Theol. What is the principall end
glory and the great peace and comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen us good Father by thy grace and holy Spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome covetousnesse contempt of thy Gospel swearing lying dissembling and deceiving O deare Father let us not be overcome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures fond delights wherewith thousands are carried head-long to destruction Arme our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh and the Divell that wee may overcome them all through thy help and keep on the right way to life that wee may live in thy feare and dye in thy favour that our last dayes may be our best dayes and that wee may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore deare Father we intreat thee not onely for our selves but for all our good brethren thy deare children scattered over the face of the whole earth most humbly beseeching thee to blesse all them to cheere them up and glad them with the joy of thy countenance both now and alwayes Guide them all in thy feare and keep them from evill that they may praise thy Name In these dangerous dayes and declining times wee pray thee O Lord raise up nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto thy Church Raise up also faithfull Pastours that thy cause may be carried forward Truth may prevaile Religion may prosper thy Name onely may be set up in the earth thy Sons Kingdome advanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all adversary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their devices scatter their forces overthrow their armies When they are most wise let them be most foolish when they are most strong let them be most weake Let them know that there is no wisdome nor counsell power nor policie against thee the Lord of hosts Let them know that Israel hath a God and that thou which art called Jehovah art the onely Ruler over all the world Arise therefore O most mighty God and maintain thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite thorow all their loines and bow downe their backes yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will unto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be joy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all favour wee intreat thee O Lord to shew speciall mercie to thy Church in this Land wherein wee live Continue thy Gospel amongst us yet with greater successe purge thy House daily more and more take away all things that offend Let this Nation still be a place where thy Name may be called upon and an harbour for thy Saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and have care of them that thy Gospel may be left unto them as a most holy inheritance Defend us against forraigne invasion keep out Idolatry and Popery from amongst us Turne from us those plagues which our sins cry for For the sins of this Land are exceeding great horrible and outrageous and give thee just cause to make us spectacles of thy vengeance to all Nations that by how much the more thou hast lifted us up in great mercy and long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse us downe in great wrath and long warre Therefore deare Father woe most humbly intreat thee for thy great Names sake and for thy infinite mercies sake that thou wouldest be reconciled to this Land and discharge it of all the horrible sins thereof Drown them O Lord in thy infinite mercy through Christ as it were in a bottomlesse gulfe that they may never rise up in judgement against us For although our sins be exceeding many and fearfull yet thy mercie is farre greater For thou art infinite in mercy but wee cannot be infinite in sinning Give us not over into the hands of the Idolaters lest they should blaspheme thy Name and say Where is their God in whom they trusted But rather deare Father take us into thine owne hands and correct us according to thy wisdome for with thee is mercie and deep compassion Moreover wee most heartily beseech thy good Majestie to blesse our most gracious Soveraigne King Charles Queene Mary Prince Charles and the rest of the Royall Progenie We beseech thee also to blesse his Majesties most honourable privie Counsellors counsell them from above let them take advice of thee in all things that they may both consult and resolve of such courses as may be most for thy glory the good of the Church and peace of this our Common-wealth Blesse the Nobility and all the Magistrates of the Land giving them all grace to execute judgement and justice and to maintaine truth and equitie Blesse all the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel increase the number of them increase thy gifts in them and so blesse all their labours in their severall places and congregations that they all may be instruments of thy hand to enlarge thy Sons Kingdome and to win many unto thee Comfort the comfortlesse with all needfull comforts Forget none of thine that are in trouble but as their afflictions are so let the joyes and comforts of thy Spirit be unto them and so sanctifie unto all thine their afflictions and troubles that they may tend to thy glory and their owne good Give us thankfull hearts for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall for thou art very mercifull unto us in the things of this life and infinitely more mercifull in the things of a better life Let us deeply ponder and weigh all thy particular favours toward us that by the due consideration thereof our hearts may be gained yet neerer unto thee and that therefore we may both love and obey thee because thou art so kind and loving unto us that even thy love towards us may draw our love towards thee and that because mercy is with thee thou maist be feared Grant these things good Father and all other needfull graces for our soules or bodies or any of thine throughout the whole world for Jesus Christs sake in whose Name wee further call upon thee as he hath taught us in his Gospel saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. A Prayer to be used at any time by one alone privately O Lord my God and heavenly Father I thy most unworthy childe do here in thy sight freely confesse that I am a most sinfull creature and damnable transgressour of all thy holy Lawes and Commandements that as I was born and bred in sin and stained in the womb so have I continually brought forth the corrupt and ugly fruits of that infection and contagion wherein I was first conceived both in thoughts words and workes If I should goe about to reckon up my particular offences I knew not where to begin or where to make an end For they are more then the haires of my head yea far more then I can possibly feele or know For who knoweth the height and depth
of his corruption Who knoweth how oft he offendeth Thou only O Lord knowest my sins who knowest my heart nothing is hid from thee thou knowest what I have been and what I am yea my conscience doth accuse mee of many and grievous evils and I doe daily feele by wofull experience how fraile I am how prone to evill and how untoward unto all goodnesse My mind is full of vanity my heart full of profanenesse mine affections full of deadnesse dulnesse drowsinesse in matters of thy worship and service Yea my whole soule is full of spirituall blindnesse hardnesse unprofitablenesse coldnesse and security And in very deed I am altogether a lump of sin and a masse of all misery and therefore I have forfeited thy favour incurred thy high displeasure and have given thee just cause to frowne upon me to give me over and leave me to mine own corrupt will and affections But O my deare Father I have learned from thy mouth that thou art a God full of mercy slow to wrath of great compassion and kindnesse towards all such as groane under the burthen of their sins Therefore extend thy great mercy towards me poor sinner and give me a generall pardon for all mine offences whatsoever seale it in the bloud of thy Son and seale it to my conscience by thy Spirit assuring me more and more of thy love and favour towards me and that thou art a reconciled Father unto me Grant that I may all time to come love thee much because much is given and of very love feare thee and obey thee O Lord increase my faith that I may stedfastly beleeve all the promises of the Gospel made in thy Son Christ and rest upon them altogether Enable me to bring forth the sound fruits of faith and repentance in all my particular actions Fill my soule full of joy and peace in beleeving Fill me full of inward comfort and spirituall strength against all temptations give me yet a greater feeling of thy love and manifold mercies towards me work in my soule a love of thy Majesty a zeale of thy glory and hatred of evill and a desire of all good things Give mee victory over those sinnes which thou knowest are strongest in me Act me once at last make a conquest of the world and the flesh Mortifie in mee whatsoever is carnall sanctifie mee throughout by thy Spirit knit my heart to thee for ever that I may feare thy Name renue in mee the Image of thy Son Christ daily more and more Give mee a delight in the reading and meditation of thy Word Let me rejoyce in the publike Ministery thereof Let me love and reverence all the faithfull Ministers of thy Gospel Sanctifie their doctrines to my conscience seale them in my soule write them in my heart give me a soft and melting heart that I may tremble at thy words and be alwayes much affected with godly Sermons Let not my sins hold back thy mercies from me nor mine unworthinesse stop the passage of thy grace Open mine eyes to see the great wonders of thy Law Reveale thy secrets unto me be open-hearted toward mee thy unworthy servant Hide nothing from me that may make for thy glory and the good of my soule Blesse all meanes unto me which thou usest for my good Blesse all holy instructions unto my soule Blesse me at all times both in hearing and reading thy Word Give me the right use of all thy merciâ— and corrections that I may be the better for them Let me abound in love to thy children Let my heart be very neerly knit unto them that where thou lovest most there I may love most also Let me watch and pray that I enter not into temptation give mee patience and contentment in all things Let me love thee more and more and the worldlesse and lesse So draw my mind upward that I may despise all transitory things Let mee be so rapt and ravished with the sight and feeling of Heavenly things that I may make a base reckoning of all earthly things Let me use this world as though I used it not Let me use it but for necessity as meat and drinke Let me not be carried away with the vaine pleasures and fond delights thereof Good Father worke the good worke in me and never leave mee nor forsake mee till thou hast brought mee to true happinesse Oh deare Father make mee faithfull in my calling that I may serve thee in it and be alwayes carefull to doe what good I may in any thing Blesse me in my outward estate Blesse my soule body goods and name Blesse all that belong unto mee Blesse my goings out and comings in Let thy countenance be lifted up upon mee now and alwayes cheere me up with the joyes and comforts of thy Spirit make me thankfull for all thy mercies For I must needs confesse that thou art very kind to mee in all things For in thee I live move and have my being of thee I have my welfare and good being thou art a daily friend and speciall good benefactour unto mee I live at thy cost and charges I hold all of thee in chiefe and I find that thou art never weary of doing me good thy goodnesse towards me is unchangeable Oh I can never be thankfull enough unto thee for all thy mercies both spirituall and corporall But in such measure as I am able I praise thy Name for all beseeching thee to accept of my thanksgiving in thy Son Christ and to give me a profitable use of all thy favours that thereby my heart may be fully drawne unto thee give me O Father to be of such a good nature and disposition that I may be won by gentlenesâ— and faire meanes as much as if thou gavest me many lashes Pardon all mine unthankfulnesse unkindnesse and great abusing of thy mercies and give me grace to use them more to thy glory in all time to come Strengthen me deare Father thus to continue praising and glorifying thy Name here upon earth that after this life I may be crowned of thee for ever in thy Kingdome Grant these petitions most mercifull God not onely to mee but to all thy deare children throughout the whole world for Iesus Christs sake in whose name I doe further call upon thee saying as he hath taught mee O our Father which art in Heaven c. FINIS