praiers to pierce the Heauens He sweat drops of bloud to purge and sweeten vs vnto our God hee cried with bitter torment vpon the crosse to saue his seruants from the dreadfull curse He did die as a malefactor to become to euery beleeuer a benesactour Euil did he none wee are the offenders Heauen is his desert Hell ours deserued wee haue merited damnatiō and he purchast for vs saluation Wee were bound to the Law we were vnder the curse in danger of death and subiect to wrath but hee hath sent vs his Gospel preched peace promised pardon and obtained grace If the law would condemne vs hee hath fulfilled it for vs his works preuent wrath his crosse the curse Conscience by the law would accuse the Gospell by grace will quiet it and acquite vs. If iustice demand her due his paines were our full paiment Hee is the waie for vs to walke in Hee is the trueth wee may beleeue him Hee is the life happy is he that liues in him By him and through him all our wants are suplied and all grace and goodnes obtained Are we in corruption His purity purgeth vs. Are we disobedient Hee was most obedient Are we subiect to wrath he couers vs. Wander we he recouers vs. Seeke we safety He affoords vs solace Want we a surety He is our pledge None in so great debt but he can discharge None so in disgrace but he can procute him peace He is ascended for life that wee might not descend to the place of death Wee need not feare the Law Sathan sinne hee hath gotten vs heauen life and saluation without daunger of Hell death or damnation Precepts HEre is peace O happy man by Christ procured Seek in him thy soules safety Behold heer ioy spiritual security Call boldly God father it pleaseth this Iesus to be thy brother Belieue in him constantlie rely on him Loue him and long for him say when Lord how long Lord come Lord Iesus come quickly In the meane space liue in loue worke righteousnesse seeke peace in holines keepe in the limits of sobriety continue in chastitie and bee neuer without charitie and expect assured felicity which the father of mercy euermore grant thee Amen The Picture of the Holy Ghost HE is the third person his property is proceeding from the Father and from the Son He works euer from both together with both Hee is Christs Vicegerent in his kingdome The Pope may bee packing as the diuels darling his onely Vicar General in his Church Hee raised vp the Prophets hee instructed the Apostles and now qualifieth all Christs true messengers The bad he maketh good in the good hee encreaseth grace He reforms our waies informes our iudgement and confirmes our faith Hee changeth discord into duties of loue and turneth all misdeeds into Almes deedes pratling into deuoute praier foolish prating into powerfull and perswasiue preaching the Preachers tong he makes the pen of a ready writer Euill lusts wher hee commeth hee killeth the dead works of darkenes he expelleth He is the spirit sanctifying the elect hee is not partiall but dealeth measurably to all without sinister respect He is to the Saints the blessed Comforter hee perswades them all to call God Father He works repentance and giueth therupō true peace of conscience Christs Church is his Temple and he the saueguard of his sheep He signifieth our innarrable sighs and maks vs expresse our desires in praier vnto God He helps vs to indite to frame our wils to make our meditations to moderate our affectiōs orderly to dispose al our actions Our eics by him do see into the Scriptures he is the true commentarie to vnderstand the word Hee learneth men to handle controuersies without contētion to make a separation but without Schisme By him crosses are not without comfort and the day of prosperitie not without meditation of a change He maketh euery thing to the godly profitable and the greatest afflictions neuer insupportable It is onely he that worketh in his faith by the word distastful wearisomnes of the world a hopefull perswasion of heauen without any dreadfull feare of hell Hee knits piety to right policy and seuereth true deuotion from foolish superstition Here in this life hee beginneth grace sets on to goodnesse perswads to holinesse vrgeth to charitablenesse presseth on to godlie practise settling the soule in religious purenesse and so leades it forward with a resolued constancie to endlesse happinesse and perfects all in the life to come Precepts OH vnstable man get the strength by this Spirit pray him earnestlie to settle thy soule in safetie Make him thy master his motions thy first mouer Aduise by his Counsell walke euer by his course Silence thy selfe when he giues sentence bee not secure if he doe censure Bestow thy selfe by his direction and willingly be led by his instruction If he premonish be forewarned if hee call backe run not on Stay Where hee bids thee shop and stand not when he moueth thee to set forward If thou hast him not intreat the Lord to send him If thou hast him carefully hold him If thou wouldest trie the true Spirit discerne his motions by the word his habitation in thee by sanctified worke The Scripture is his Scantling hee works not ordinarilie but as the word doth warrant and hee abids in none that are wicked and disobedient Bee no Schismaticke he will forsake thee be no Heretique be will not harbour with thee Displease not him despight him not by thy prophanenes If thou quench his grace thou loosest thine owne good Let him guide thee after the word and thou shalt bee euer well-pleasing to God accompanied of Angels approued of godlie men and be rewarded in heauen which benefit the blessed trinitie vouchsaf thee Reader Amen The Picture of the Diuell HEe is that damned Ghost the first siner the first Seducer One knowing much yet neuer obedient but by constraint Hee is but a Slaue as base as he is beggerly as malicious as cursedly mischieuous Blasphemously careles of God tyrannously cruell to men A continual Tempter Gods gaoler a dreadfull tormentor Euer is he out with God and a hater of the good What God commands hee condemnes hee will allow what God dislikes A bright Angell hee was in heauen but now the black Fiend in hell To no man a friēd to the Church a most malicious foe He is driuen out of the penitent he harbours in the disobedient The leaud are his lodging the prophane his habitation Hee is the vncleane spirit the place most full of abomination is his common harbour All his motions are to satisfie lust he would haue vs liue after our liking to worke wickednesse to rage in rebellion against God He knows himselfe to be damned all he cares for is to make other like himselfe This cursed spirit is that Lion roaring strong fearefull that old Serpent subtil guilfull that red Dragon bloodie terrible Hee raigneth where hee gets any rule and whom hee
Let it grace thy person and commend thy condition Let thy words declare it and thy workes paint it out to the world Thou shalt by goodnesse get with God fauour and among good men friendship which the God of goodnesse giue vnto thee now and alwaies Amen The Picture of Badnesse THis is sinne the cretures deformitie the turning of the will from God and the minde from good It is the seed of Satan the fruit of tentation and mans destruction The Diuel is the Father concupiscence the Mother The Serpent subtilly suggested it our first parents foolishly did entertaine it Satan yet is euer in begetting it worldly obiects prouoke it the senses let it in vnto the soule Consent is conception the heart is the wombe of conceiuing It quickneth by fleshly reasons it trauelleth in desire to bee doing It bringeth foorth by opportunity the Midwife expelling first Gods feare laying aside his precepts contemning his presence Holy piety hath heere no place conscience is not called to this businesse remembrance of Gods mercies is quite out of minde thoughts of his wrath hidden in the earth Gods word must be no warrant goodnesse is forgotten These bring not sinne to birth these hinder sin for comming forth Doubting of Gods word makes preparatiō lust laies it in bed infidelity brings it to perfection It is wrapt in vanitie it is laid in the cradle of security The Diuel closeth the eies with ignorance and filleth the eares with Sophistrie the head is couered with presumption of mercy ouer the heart is laid hardnesse the iudgement is ouerspread with blindnesse It is nursed by the world suckled vpon the breasts of pleasure and profit It growes great by custome and spreads by community Bad examples doe countenance it plausible tearms confirme it It is cloathed with the hope of pardon tied with the girdle of common fauors imagined to bee of Gods special grace Shamlesnesse attends it perswasion of time enough to repent giues it rest and conceit of finding fauour in the end rocks it asleepe Sinnes sleepe is conscience deadnesse the iudgements blindnesse the wils peruersenesse affections disorderlinesse and a resolued carelesnesse Tho sinne haue such a sleepe yet sometime vpon a fearefull terror it will suddenly awake and waking the pleasant ditty of Satans song gets it soone asleepe againe It hath foure parts the Tenor carke and care thou for the world the Meane thou maiest repent when thou wilt the Treble reioice thy selfe in thy youth the Base thinke death is not yet at hand Heereby it snorts in a carnal safety spreads in bredth waxeth big and hie by hardnesse of heart It is very foule at the first worse by continuance but loathsome at the last It bastard-like brings shame to the begetters disgrace to the abettours confusion to the followers Where it getteth strēgth there hardlie it is cast out where it is not timely mastred there it wil haue the vpper hand It is lordly and couets to rule it is raging and tyrannous if it raigne Hee that subdues it easily kils it and hee that striues not to stifle sinne workes his owne woe and neglects his owne safetie Sin where it is not killed will kill if it die we liue i◠it liue we die most certainely It was at the first personall it is now original and naturall From Gods mercie in the elect onely veniall in it selfe and in all other deadlie and mortall Good is propounded in the suggestion pleasure is conceiued in the consent and so wickednesse is approued by the heart deceiued till the time come of torment Seduced soules bewitched with the works of the flesh know not the euill of sinne but behold and see how it defaceth Gods image makes man a monster of Gods child the diuels creature It dislodgeth goodnesse it keepes out godlines inwardlie it delights the hart with filthinesse and outwardlie sets the hand to act vnrighteousnes God and man by it are at ods who werebefore at one the Earth in creation blessed by transgressiō is accursed It takes from vs what good we haue brings the euils vppon vs which naturallie we hate It cast the Angels out of Heauen Adam out of Paradise by it Reuben lost his birthright Iudas his Apostleship by it commeth death to men terribile and their persons to God execrable It maketh the Law condemne vs and conscience to accuse vs. By it godlie exercises grow loathsome godly companie becomes irkesome No blessing should bee wanting if sinne put not in a barre euer contentment without discomfort euer internall peace without externall disgrace It is wickednesse that workes our wretchednesse Shame is sinnes raiment dishonour the cognizance reproach the praise an ill name the recompence In itselfe it is vanity the gaine but misery It is a strife with the truth an heresie against veritie Idolatrie against sincerity It is a conflict with God and a resisting of goodnesse nothing worse then heerein to haue the victory Mans opposing of the word is a taking part with Satan against the Lord and mans ioy in sinning is to be glad of the diuels triumphing All men haue sinne but hee that committeth sinne is a slaue to sinne It rules in some in other it is ruled Hee that makes the least of it shall as with wisards haue least to doe with it It is as an impudent guest tho it come seldome yet is euer troublesom smal kindnesse doth work great boldnesse much curtesie intollerable saucinesse It is euer to the godly vexation of spirit if but once in act yet greatly grieuous if it be liked and often welcome and neuer forbidden there grace and goodnesse will grow into a consumption and the partie runne headlong into perdition It is of diuers colours and keepes not one shape it is of diuers natures and not of one sort In one it is pride lordly in an other humility in shew but indeed hypocrisie In the cholerike it is irefull in some other nature lustfull It is somtime adulterie and maks a man filthy it is sometime drūkennesse and makes a man beastly It hath the commandements ten witnesses to name it it hath also the same law to declare against it One precept tearmes it Idolatrie an other saith it is adultery this maketh it superstition that trecherie and rebellion as the Law looks vpon sinne so the commandements doe name it and thereupon withall disclaime it It turnes a man into it selfe and makes a man to shew it against himselfe One sinne is linked in with another and euery one forceth out the proper fruit of it owne nature By couetousnesse man growes niggardly an oppressour vnmercifull by pride arrogant hauty and hatefull by gormandizing gluttonous by faithlesnesse treacherous by ignorance superstitious by carnall seruice Idolatrous by contempt of other and abuse of wit against the word hereticall and by immoderat passion and strong affection Schismaticall It is in euery one more or lesse the childe hath it but knowes it not the yong man is caried with it but
cares not the grown man forced with it but resists not and old age with it Crammocklike crooked but feeles it not Yet is nothing more in vse to be knowne more hindering mans good to be auoided more subtill to be looked vnto more inward to be felt more perilous to bee preuented more forcibly assaulting vs to be strongly of all resisted By it Satan gets of the heart possession by it is hindered the spirits illumination Our vnderstanding by sinne is darkned our thoughts from God estranged the heart in goodnesse is fainted the faculty of the will weakened and the quietnesse of conscience interrupted Faith fals to doubting hope le ts goe her hold and loue turnes her liking into loathing Yea if repentance vpon euery sin cut not the cord of vanitie and grace grow vp in the roome with sincerity this death in sinne will bring death for sinne which will turne saluation offered but carelesly reiected into confusion deserued but now not greatly feared Precepts LOue not Reader the works of darknesse lest thy eies cannot behold the light To saue thee from sinne learne the commandements know thy natural inclination and striue for amendment Heare how God threats and stand in awe obserue his iudgements to discerne of his wrath Other mens punishments for thy personall faults make thē admonishments that thou no more doe fall Oppose Gods precepts to temptations of pleasure the reward of that heauenly life to this temporvrie and earthly losse For sake not God for any worldly good Sinne not heere as a seruant to Satan neglect not true holinesse which is with God commendable and shall be recompenced with endlesse happines Remember thou must die and therefore liue to die Consider the day of account to make a good reckoning As thou art heere so looke to stand there if heere sinnefull there shamefull if heere regardlesse of the commandement there certainly expect seuere punishment from which the Lord deliuer thee Amen The Picture of Heauen HEauen is the hauen of rest desired of all hoped for of many but onely enioyed of the best It is the highest place the seat and throne of God the habitation of Angels the harbour for the iust It is the court of the great King the mighty Creator It is the Lords Tabernacle the faithfull mans receptacle the Region resplendent the comfortable continent the Citie of safetie security the sacred sanctuarie of peace prosperitie All in it are without misery neuer after subiect to calamitie It is a Paradise for pleasure a Citie for beauty and a Kingdome for state Heere is life temporall there life eternall here the beginnings of grace there the perfection of goodnesse There is God in his fulnesse of glory yet to none dreadfull there he raignes in iustice and yet with none wrathfull The company are all triumphant as heere they haue beene members Militant All is in tune concord neuer discord sweet melody neuer any bitter malady Such fulnesse there is of all things such loue mutually in all such respect from all to each others state and place as no excesse is seen nor any defect is felt who that haue least can desire no more and those that haue most discerne no want in other All is beautifulnesse there without blemish immeasurable beyond all motion excellent beyond all imagination The wals thereof are of stones most precious the streets paued with pure gold all the worke is framed curiously set out with all sorts of pearle very sumptuously and adorned with al skil mostgloriously It is decked with all delights replenished with all pleasure garnished with algraces beutified with the best companie flourishing with the flowre of all nations There is the roiall Priesthood the peculiar people the children of light the new creatures the elect by Gods preordination the separated Society by Gods effectuall vocation and the holy Saints by the spirits sanctification There are metioifully together the Head and his body Christ and his Church the Prince of peace with his Patriarks and Prophets Priests and Professors Apostles and Apostolicall men Saints true seruants to God Ministers of the Gospell and Martyrs for the truth They are all there noble none ignominious all Kings raigning all victoriously triumphing None contemptible all honourable All inuested in glory crowned in Maiestie cloathed in sincerity Their faces shine with comely beautie their hearts are filled with pietie their tongues extoll the Lord with spirituall alacritie and in their hands they hold Palms in token of victorie This heauenly happinesse cannot bee imagined the blessings are so many they cannot bee numbred so innumerable as they cannot be comprehended so incomparable as cannot be equaled of such value as cannot bee prized so great as not to bee measured and of such eternitie as they neuer can be ended They be ioifull in an euer-reioicing ioy they cry aloud Hosannah and sing cheerefully Halleluiah They stand before the face of God in inestimable fauour in the view of Angels with brightnesse ouershining the Sunne Mercy embraceth them without doubt of miserie in comfort without discontentment in peace endlesse in glory matchlesse There is mirth without sadnesse health without sicknesse sobernesse of countenance without sorrow tranquillity without vndermining trecherie liuelihood without labour goods and riches without greeuance in getting without care in keeping and a full felicity of all things without adding without diminishing Ther is flowrishing youth neuer decaying strength neuer abating comelie countenance neuer withering liuelinesse is without fading couragiousnesse of heart and spirit without danting There is euer loue without lothing or dislike victorie without feare of after vanquishment gladnesse without diminution of goodnesse Mortalitie hath put on immortalitie corruption glorification No sin is there to be seene the Law is fulfilled the curse is remoued death subdued the promises of the Gospell fully accomplished Faith hath her perfect work in charitie hope her desired happinesse loue a large scope in euerlasting vnitie There is no Foe to fight no Cousener to collogue no Parasite to dissemble no Superiour among them to command no Inferiour to yeeld obedience no maligning enuie no proud Soueraignetie All are now equall members no diuided orders no sorrainers but brethren no strangers but all of the houshold of faith Children of one holie Father coheirs with Christ their elder brother There are no teares the cause is taken away No torment Christ freed them by his punishment no dreade Christ set them at libertie from death no crying there is no paine no pangs or sorrowfull passion they possesse peace in Paradise No disease can infect the body it is not subiect to sicknesse it is freed from infirmities and cannot be distressed by calamities There is no sighing nor sobbing through sorrow of heart such accidents cannot happen no lamētable complaints for iniuries offred no wrongs can there be wrought No ill successe nor wofull wants no griefe of mind nor anguish of spirit no cruell oppression nor ominous action find there a subiect to harbour in neither
practiser nor patron Care combers no mans mind nothing weakneth the vnderstanding nothing blunts the apprehension Iudgement cannot bee infected with error zeale with corrupt affection patience with anger Will is there without wilful frowardnesse the heart without deceit and hardnesse Thoughts are not troubled they be not corrupted affections not distempered they bee not disordered The holy spirit rules all the holy Lamb leades all God by his power preserues them by his grace doth euer assist them All mercies are receiued thankefully al commands are obeied rightly in hart without hypocrisie willinglie without grudging readilie without lingring faithfully without altering ioifully without murmuring and constantly without ceasing Their drinke is the sweet water of life Angels foode their delicate nourishment Christs righteousnesse their holie raiment and their perfect fulnes ioifull contentment In a word there is happinesse with goodnesse felicitie with vnitie safetie with solace peace with perfection pleasure with profit agreement with grace lowlinesse without contempt exaltation without pride security without carnality stability without wauering abundance without euer-wanting All persons generallie haue the participation of ioy and euery one in particular the fruition of glory Nothing there is here to the eie discernable nothing there but innarrable all things to humane reason incredible A man may imagine much a tong may speake much the eare may heare much yet heauenly happinesse is beyond all relation all imagination The name of heauen to all is louely many doe wish it hartily All Religions aime at it the Iew expects it the Turke wisheth it the wickedest desire it the Papist would merit it the Schismaticke seekes for it the sound Protestant the deuout Christian by faith begges it and hee through Iesus Christ shall enioy it to whom be praise and glorie for euermore Amen Precepts O Mortall man doe thou often meditate of this happinesse Let it eat vp thy heart with desire to enioy it Let carking for this world bee expelled with thy care of heauen neglect not this felicity the things heere are transitorie vanitie Delight not in the pleasures of death to lose for them the paradise of life To winne the world by works of darknesse what is thy gaine if thou lose true goodnesse To pawne thy soule for sinne is it not madnesse Exchange not God for the Diuell goodnesse for badnesse heauen for hell Heauen is a holy place the vncleane enter not thereinto Suppose no such easie passage as fabulous Poets paint out Straite is the way vnto it narrow is the gate to goe into it many seeke it few doe find it Let thy way be veritie thy path pietie the spirit thy conductor the word a directour thy eie faith thy staie hope The straitnesse of it is affliction the narrownesse true contrition the suburbs the Church the dore Christ by whom thou shalt enter into the pallace euen the Paradise of God Striue then to auoid heere wickednesse to escape all future wretchednesse that thou maiest possesse this true blessednesse for euermore This God grant thee Christ merit for thee the holie Spirit therof certainely assure thee and thy godlie life witnesse the same to thee that thou maiest end thy daies comfortably Amen The Picture of Hell HEll is the place for the impenitent euerie such person is the hellish inhabitant It is the prison for those that be separate from Gods presence the dreadful dungeō of vtter darkenes the fearefull Topheth and deep pit bottomlesse It is the lake burning with brimstone the hollow caue and Chaos of confusion It is terrour with lamentation it is dread with desolation and horrour with vtter destruction There is death there is euer dying and yet nener without being It is a gulph deuouring a swallowing whirle pole a flaming furnace Gods iustice makes it his power vpholds it and it is blown with the bellowes of his wrath There is scorching fire vnquenchable and freezing cold intollerable Stinking smoak is for the smell loathsome filth for the stomacke the eare shall heare a hideous noise the eie shall see gastlie sights and horrible visions what not there to breed amazedment what not there to cause fearefull astonishment It is the valley of Gods vtmost vengeance the fulnesse of his wrath perfection of his plagus The Lords gaole the exilement of soules the sinck of sinners the foule harbour for infernall Hags Oh what woe is there with wailing from hearts comfortlesse what riuers of teares because of torturing torments and yet remedilesse Forlorne creatures cursed caitifs full of trauell painefull wearines ful of frightings fearefull terrours endlesse They bee in themselues helpelesse of Gods mercy hopelesse Oh the clamorous outcrying the yelps and yelling the sighs and sobbing the mad rage that there is and roaring No heart so hard as can suffer a mortall eie to behold it no eare to heare it nor mind to muse of it The diuell there hath his full damnation the fiends are outragious and filled with furie the rest fret and sume and are as in a wood frensie Their desire is reuenge their deuotion cursing their blessing blaspheming The wicked there be so fagoted vp with the bands of Gods iustice as bundles of sticks so cast into the fire by the power of his might so held in vndurable torment by his perpetuall displeasure as they blaspheme Gods benignitie for feeling his iustice in seueritie They bee in a huge Sea of miserie in an Ocean of calamitie Fire flames and flashing about them the worme of conscience gnawing within thē rage madnesse irefull indignation among thē vgly visages of blacke diuel saffrighting them monstrous apparitions an vncomfortable companie about thē Sulphure and hot burning cinders vnder them the reuenging hand of God ouer them and pouring forth the viols of his wrath full of variety of plagues without ceasing vpon them Egyptian plagues are there encreased the tempests of lightening and thunder multiplied They may remoue from place to place so exchange in plagues but neuer either be eased of pangs or freed from paine They are chained vp perpetually to endure reall punishment vpon body and soule eternally They haue heauie hearts loadned with passion they be wofully distressed with all Calamities without any commiseration There is care but no comfort vexation without consolation lamentation but none shew compassion They weepe they crie they waile mourne they houle and pitiously bemone their euer-during miserie Ah alas saith one in cold freezing and yet extremely burning Woe to mee saith an other in hote water-scalding and yet so cold as his teeth may bee hard chattering his body may behold so to quak and in euery ioint to quiuer as if bone from bone would fall a sunder Hence such roaring such yelling such bitternesse in banning such scritching and outcries at the sudden renewing of torments at the continual remouing into exchange of tortures and yet remaining alwaies in contrarie plagues as the eare neuer heard the eie neuer saw nor minde of man able to apprehend Wofull dolefull horribly fearefull