more that Lot was threatned the sooner hee was rescued The more that Ioseph was imprisoned the sooner to a kingdome he was exalted The more Moses the children were perplexed the sooner the red sea gaue place for their deliuerance The more bitterer was Christs passion the sweeter and firmer was our saluation Therefore to conclude he that will raigne with Christ must suffer with Christ for by and through many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen To the which God of his mercy for Christes sake bring vs all Amen A prayer of the Author of the Booke O Lord God father of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who preserueth al men by the grace and gift of thy holy spirit giue mee grace O mercifull father from the bottome of my hart to looke vnto the greeuousnesse of my owne sinne which euer condemneth me before thy Maiestie that I may not of my selfe presume to instruct others and forget to examine my selfe vnto ameÌ„dment of my life then learne to instruct other in thy lawe according vnto thy will and my bounden duetie because thou hast commaunded in thy holy word that after thou hast instructed vs we shoulde instruct others and not hide the tallent which is giuen vs nor yet quench thy holy spirit in vs. Graunt this O most mercifull father for thy sonnes sake our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome be all honour and glory for euer Amen ¶ A Dialogue of diuerse Quections demanded of the children to their father very necessary and profitable both for children and parents masters and seruants The youngest sonnes Question AFter that one of my Children had read a Chapter vnto me at supper out of the Actes of the Apostles my youngest sonne after supper sitting by the fire asked this question father sayth he what is God The fathers Answere My sonne all the wisest Philosophers that euer were could neuer yet coÌ„prehend or resolue this question the cause was they neuer searched to know him by his holy word but by their owne naturall wisedome by which wisedome it is vnpossible to please God or know him for God hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs in his holy word although S. Paul sayth God hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs by his creatures which are the heauens and earth and all things therein contayned By which they knowe there is a God but yet neither Philosopher nor any other can tel what God is but by his holy word In which he reuealeth himselfe vnto vs what he hath doone for vs and howe he hath so loued vs before wée were that he hath created all things for vs hath also giuen vs his deare only sonne Iesus Christ who beyng verie God equall with his father came downe from heauen and disdayned not the Virgins wombe and there tooke our nature on him and was made man in all points as we are onely sinne excepted and in our naturall fleshe was obedient euen vnto the very death of the Crosse wherin he suffered for vs the very paynes of hell both in soule and body was dead buried and rose againe the third day to iustifie vs and after fortie dayes he did ascend into heauen whence he came there he will sit vntill the day of iudgement hauing all power both in heauen and earth which is ment by sitting at Gods right hand And then he wil come and be our ioyfull iudge but vntill then he will be with vs in spirit and power by which spirit we haue reuelation knowledge of him and what God is And without this spirit it is vnpossible to vnderstand his holy will that is reuealed in his holy word which holy spirit is the holy Ghost which holy Ghost is the vertue and power of God procéeding from the father and the sonne the third person in the trinitie which three persons is but one God which God is almightie vnmeasurable incomprehensible and without all mens capacitie and wisedome For he is a spirit and therefore they that will worship him must worshippe and serue him in spirit and trueth â—m 18. â— 1.16 〈◊〉 6.16 for otherwise he is incomprehensible he is Alpha and Omega that is he is the first and the last without beginning or ende for no man hath séene God at any time vnto whom be all honour Amen Another sonnes Question Father you say that S. Iohn saith that no man hath seene God at any time I pray you tell vs then why God is pictured in forme like an olde man with a long white beard sitting in a golden chaire how can that be except he hath beene seene of some man The fathers aunswere My sonne I say that God is neyther olde nor young neither can any place containe him for hee filleth all places both in heauen and earth and the Sea and therefore he is euerywhere for heauen is his seate and earth is his footestoole and therefore he must haue a very great chaire to containe him Therefore such as dare presume to paint or picture him in any proportion dooth commit great and horrible blasphemie and are cursed of God himselfe Much lesse like an olde man with a long white Beard for that is the weakest sort of men But how can or dare any creature make his Creator Oh horrible execrable damnable vile presumptuous cursed wretch that dare presume to violate and breake Gods holy precept forbidden expressely in the first table and the seconde verse Good children beware of such horrible Papisticall blasphemies Another Question of the sonne Father I heard you once say that there was a man in Bridewell that affirmed by Scripture that it was not lawfull to feare God but to loue him Must we not feare God but loue him The fathers aunswere In déede there was a vile fellowe in Bridewel that affirmed out of the scriptures first out of the seconde Chap. of S. Luke the 17. verse out of the song of Zacharias in these wordes that we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him without feare all the dayes of our life but this feare is not meant towarde God but it is that wee shoulde not feare Gods rigor and iustice that he scourgeth the wicked withall but loue him as a father neyther yet feare what the wicked can doo vnto vs in all their extremities or malice neither yet feare any of theyr threates scornes scoffes persecutions or tortures whatsoeuer but because God hath deliuered vs out of the handes of our enemies we shoulde serue him without feare all the dayes of our life not cast off our louing feare of our good God that hath deliuered vs out of the handes of the deuill hell and damnation for euer Who woulde not feare to displease such a good God louing father also diuers scriptures are our warrant against this presumptuous villaine for God promiseth great blessings vnto all such as feare him As for example in the booke of Moses it is set downe howe God loueth
and glory for euer and euer In this is séene our sence and feling of God because we confesse that kingdome power and all glory for euer belongeth vnto god and so we take our leaue of God to his honour and glorye so that this prayer passeth all carnal capacitie and worldly wisedome The sonnes .25 Question Oh Lorde how doth many thousands pray at this day if it passe mans reason capacitie and wisedome goods father certifie vs. The fathers aunswere Many indéede there be that pray but their prayers are no better then the praier of a parrat because they haue neither sence nor feeling of the holy spirit of God without which spirit it is impossible to please God in prayer neyther yet to vnderstand what prayer is and therfore such prayer and praying turneth to great sinne prouoketh gods wrath And Christ calleth it lip-labour babling And saint Iames sayth that they aske and receiue not because they aske they knowe not what For the most part pray on this fashion Oh Lorde defend vs from all euill O Lord kéepe me from all mine enimies O Lorde sende that I want not O Lorde increase my wealth and not his fayth and graunt that I â—ay be able for to dwell in credite and countenaunce with my neighboures and that I may be able to beare office and aucthoritie among my neighbours and company O Lord blesse all my house goods that I coÌ„e not to misery bles al my freÌ„ds kinred But no sighing or sorrowing for sinnes no crauing for mercy nor groaning in the spirite No sobbing in repentance no intercession for heauenly benedictions and blessinges no thankes for our election creation saluation sanctification iustification and preseruation No prayer to God to honour his holy name no crauing that his kingdome might dwell among vs his holy woord No prayer that hiâ— holy will and our willes may be all one here in earth as it is in heauen but all for earthly thinges to haue our owne willes pleasures fulfilled no praying as christ hath taught vs as it is expressed in the .3 first petitions for our soules health And then for things necessary for this life No Salomons prayer for good wisedome and his holy spirit but all for worldly blessinges that he may maâ—e Iohn his sonne a Gentleman Ioane his daughter pennie white although the parents purchate Hell for his paynes This is the asheists Epicures belligooâ— and Carnall Protestantes forme and manner of prayer although they vse to say for order sake the thrée fiyst petitions First yet they practise them laste or neuer because they are worldly minded which cannot comprehende spirituall things And therefore if God doo fulfill their prayers it is in his wrath to their greater condemnation although they thinke them selues in great felicity and happines aboue others so dwel puffed vp with pride because of their great abundance and so come to aucthoritie and liue all their time in prosperity iollity without either pittie or coÌ„passion of poore neighbours or brethren except they repent they sodaynely slyp to hell And therefore to conclude as the Lords prayer is deuided in .6 petitions as soÌ„e say into .7 so I feare if that world were deuided into .6 or .7 parts I feare that .6 partes doth pray in vaine yea that are called christians Although we haue ben taught catechised more then .26 yéeres yea some more then .46 yéers therfore feare is come on me because the people set light thy lawe Psa 119. ver 53. The sonnes .16 Question How then is it possible to pray to haue our prayers perfect before God when we pray good sir certifie vs. The fathers aunswere By a firme constant and sure faith on in Iesus Christes merits with a true humble harty sorrowfull sobbing repeÌ„tance of our wicked life past prostrating our selues most humble reuerently before Gods mercy seat crauing mercy of god for all our sins past for christs sake then craue grace of our good and loouing father for his grace and holye spirite to frame in vs a better lyfe without which spirite it is vnpossible for God to heare vs and then be thankfull vnto God for all his benefites both spirituall and corporall bestowed vpon vs all our life time vnto this present hower but especially for our election creation saluation iustification sanctification and preseruation vnto this present day and hower that is to say first because God hath elected and chosen vs to saluation before that the world was made or created and secondly for that he hath created vs men and women not beastes but made vs christians and not infidels or Pagans And thirdely that he hath so loued vs that he hâ—th giuen vs his onely sonne to be our onelye and alone sauiour redéemer mediator and aduocate betweene God and vs continually be thankefull vnto God for that he hath giuen vnto vs his holye word to be peaceably preached amongst vs and that we are borne in such a mercifull Princes time And first also let vs continually pray vnto the almightie for the preseruation of her Maiesties longe prosperous raygne for all her Counsell Cleargie Nobilitie and for al Magistrates Citties Corporations Companies and fraternities and for all men kinredes Countries and Nations but especially for his Church dispersed dispised of all the world and wicked worlings and for the continuance of his holy word decrease of our fayth loue holy spirite wisedome grace and zealous preachers amongst vs for euer and to conuert or confounde all Amaziases Zedochiazes and passurs all Dombe Dogges Idle shepheards hippocrites Hirelinges Traytors Papistes Atheistes Epicures Bellie gods and all proud and prophane persons merciles miserable wise worldly wysardes and to bring into the way of truth all suche as doo erre and are deceiued And to be mercifull vnto all suche as are in anye neede miserie pouertie prison or extremitie but especially to pray for christes Churche prisoned persecuted tormented and tortered and for all such as are perplexed in mind or body in the bedds of their sickenesse or in the perrill of death and that it would please God to forgiue vs all our sinnes negligences ignorances and to amend â—â—r liues according to his holy word that we may liue in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our liues and then after all these prayers meditatations and thankes We must aske boldly of our good God althings necessary for this life if it be his will for Christes sake with a sure and constant fayth and beléefe to obtayne all our petitions and prayers at gods hande for Iesus christes sake In whose name we must alwayes conclude all our prayers with the same prayers that Christe hath taught vs to pray Our father c. The conclusion or glasse Thus ye sée as it were in a glasse how ye ought to pray and in what maner and sort and agayne ye haue hardâ— before how sencelesse and daungerous
daylie die vnto sinne lyue vnto righteousnesse which is called mortification of life for except we be regenerated into a spirituall body we shall neuer be partakers of christes naturall body and then voyde of all the benefites of Christes passion which is the som and effect of all our fayth sacramonts and religion For to be worldly minded is death euerlasting but to be spiritually minded is life euerlasting sayth S. Paul vnto the which god graunt vs for his mercy sake The sonnes .22 Question I pray you sir is there any such necessitie in Baptising young children that is if they die before they be baptised that they are damned as some affirme for the scripture savth except ye be Baptised ye cannot be saued The fathers aunswere Neyther is saluation tyed vnto these that are baptised nor yet damnation vnto such as are vnbaptised no more then they were all saued that were circumcised and all damned that were vncircomcised for then what had become of all the children that dyed in the wildernesse and all the women Iewes and all the Gentiles that neuer had circumcision But that is all Papistes religion popish womens opinion For. S. paul saith that neyther circumcision nor vncircumcision doth preuaile any thing but a new creature for euery faythfull christian doth beléeue that his childe is sanctified in the mothers wombe if eyther of them be faythfull and also saued frō euerlasting damnation by the fayth of their Parents if eyther of them be faythfull Christians or els our séede wers vncleane but if both Father and Mother are infidelles or Papistes then I doubt what their childrē are Because S. paul so affirmeth to the Corrinthians in his first Epistle the .7 Chapter and the .14 verse But because we are the children of wrath by Adams corruption vnto whom the promise of gods mercy and fauour reacheth vnto lyfe euerlasting we therefore bring our children to be Baptised in the same fayth that we protest because they are the seales of our fayth An other Question or obiection 23. Because you said before that the infidells and papists childrē are not christians borne as you proued by S. Paules words in the .7 Chap. to the Cor. and 14. ver 1. Epistle we pray you are Papistes no better then infidels are they not Christians The aunswere to the obiection Although they are borne in christendome yet are they not therefore true christians no more then they are al true English men that are borne in Englād there should not be so many Mongrills neyther yet so many vnnatural rebels as the trayterous vile Iesuites filthy papistes that are borne in Englande neyther loueth God Christ Prince nor yet their owne natiue cuntrie of which sorte I woulde there were not so many in this land But to our purpose and proofe is it possible for such to be Christians that are gods vtter enimies Is it possible for him to be a christian that denyeth Christes powes to be sufficiēt for our saluation but the pestilent Papistes and Traytors Iesuites denieth and teacheth that fayth onely in Christes merites is not sufficient for our saluation therefore it is not possible that any such Papistes can be christians And except their righteousnesse excéede the righteousnesse of the scribes and Pharisies they shall neuer come where Christes kingdome is the scribs and pharisies beléeued that because they were Abrahams children and circumcised therfore they were saued And the Papists belefe is because they haue left in them some féede of grace to doo good workes by it they deserue saluation because they are Baptised and so they shall with the vnbeléeuing Iewes that were circumcised therfore good children of all people beware the Papists The sonnes .24 Question I pray you good father certifie vs also of the holy communion and as you haue don of Baptisme the true sence effect thereof The fathers aunswere This Sacrament is the signe seale and pledge of our saluation redemption which Christs our sauiour hath left vs to remember his precious death and passion and to increase our fayth vntyll he come agayne to be our ioyfull iudge and so remember that by the mercifull eating and drinking of Christes very body and blood in the substance of bread and wine by a firme fayth we are surely partakers of all the benefites and blessinges of Christes death and passion for as the material bread doth comforte our hartes and the naturall wine doth reuiue our spirites and sences euen so the spirituall eating of Christes bodie the true bread of life doth comforte our spirituall bodies the spiritual drinkeing of his precious blood shed for vs on the crosse doth reuiue and reioyce all our spirituall sences and powers of the soule vnto life euerlasting if we lift vp our hartes and mindes vnto Christe which is in heauen and with al thanks féede on him by fayth This is the true and right receyuing of the Lordes supper and the true sence and meaning in which we must remember Christes death and passion vntil he come againe to be our ioyfull iudge The sonnes 25. Question I pray you sir how must we frame our selues for to receyue this holy sacrament faithfully and worthily The fathers Aunswere First we must remember the gréeuousnesse of our sinnes from the verie bottome of our hartes and vnfaynedly detest them and euer after frame and force our selues vnto a godly vertuous and sober life secondly we must trye and examine our selues whether we haue a true firme and a constant fayth on and in the promises of Christe Iesus or no And thirdly we must humbly louingly and brotherly yea faithfully reconcile our selues vnto suche as in any kind we haue offended euen vnto our enimies and so hauing left our gyft on the alter we may then come boldly offer our gyft in Christian loue charitie with out the which we must not dare presume to receyue the holy communion this is the best way that I know howe to frame our selues to receyue this holy sacrament The sonnes .26 Question I pray you sir doth all men that receyue this sacrament receiue the spirituall graces alike The fathers aunswere As in Baptisme none but the faithfull doth receyue the forgiuenesse of sinnes euen so none in the Lords supper are partakers of the benefites and graces of Christ but such as receyue him with a true and vnfayned fayth as for the faith les they receiue not the thing finished but a bare sacrament vnto their vtter destruction From the which the almightie of his mercy deliuer vs for euer The sonnes .27 Question I pray you good father let me aske you one question more which is this we reade in the .14 Psal of Dauid these words there is saith the prophet no good man no not one and in his .37 psal he playnely expresseth both a iust a wicked mā I pray you good father make those scriptures agree that I may be resolued The fathers aunswere My sonne marke this