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
God beleeue him to bee know him rightly behold him inuisibly conceiue him without Idolatry Remember euer his presence consider his powerfull prouidence Thou art of him thou art in him thou wast made for him Seeke his friendship force of nothing in respect of his fauour Loue him aboue all hold on his side against all and be subiect to him before all reuerence thou his maiestie obey his commands awefully in all actions seeke his glorie and praise his name continually that thou maiest of him be blessed eternally Amen The Picture of the holy Trinity GOD the true God is but one in vnity yet three in Trinity One in substance without diuision three in person by distinction the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost In order one afore and after an other but essentially all coequall coeternall together Al God not three Gods yet euer three persons neuer the same in propriety maner of working Heere is admiration but no demonstration This Catholik and Christian verity is an innarrable mystery Precepts BEleeue this the word teacheth it but corrupt reason is against it Beware of curious searching it is a matter vnsearchable Stand not vpon this to know how it may bee subiect thy reason to faith in sobriety It is a godly ignorance in that to be vnskilfull which the Scripture concealeth Hee that suffers herein his reason to wade farther than faith may lose his reason and beliefe his Christianitie for infidelity Presume not mā in this matter aboue that which is writtē This is a deep mystery this doctrine of the Deity the inscrutable point in Diuinity The Lord giue thee true wisedome resolued faith with reuerend feare Amen The Picture of the Father IN the vnity the Father is the first in the Trinity He is not begotten but from euerlasting begetteth the Son of his whole substance He made all things by the Sonne through the holie Ghost What he willed hee made good and all of nothing by his word This gracious father of his mere mercie hath chosen many without their merite He calles his ere they come when they come hee confirmes their faith He knows them before they bee and makes thē friends by grace of deadly foes by nature of Sathans slaues his faithfull Seruants of Seruants deare Sonnes children adopted yea kings priests and Coheires with Christ He careth for his children whē he mostcasts thē down He can allow them their godly will but he permits them not to be wantō when they do offend hee will fatherly forewarn if they repent he will not punish He is full of commiseration he doth speedily pardon the Penitent and withall sheweth great gladnesse to doe them good He doth send them his spirit to assure thē of peace freely promiseth to bestow on them grace either to preuēt their fal or to pardō their fault Though we be neither worthy of beeing nor breath and deserue nothing yet he affoords vs his blessing and giueth needfully anything Earthly Fathers are such as they be for a seasō but this Heauenly Father is so for euerlasting He forbeareth with patience and keepes his in eternal remembrāce He hateth neuer where hee loueth euer Bountifull hee is in his blessings largious in his liberality full graciously fauourable without end in goodnesse Hee is strict but not extreame in iustice Hee calleth man to make satisfaction vpon paine of destruction yet if man can make no payment his mercy hath ordained meanes to discharge the debt Ere sinfull man do die his sinlesse Son must suffer death Wrath must not reward vs his great goodnesse will needs haue vs guiltlesse Is not his loue enlarged towards vs vnspeakably doth he not purchase vs peace with the price of bloud He giueth an obedient Sonne for a rebellious Sinner Wrathfull displeasure must sease vpon Gods naturall Sonne and an innocent that pity may be shewed to adopted childrē to escape torment The euer worthily beloued must vndergoe paines of Hel to make for the vnworthie of loue free passage to Heauen See Sinner see the incrediblenesse of so great grace Stand thou Sinner amazed at this wōdermēt of good O matchlesse mercy Did euer a Father satisfie his wrath vpon his dearest son to appease his anger towards his deadly foe did euer a louing Father put his darling to death to preuent from his enimy the force of his wrath We see it not stories record it not nature suffers it not Yet this father killeth his best Sonne to kisse his worst creature forsaketh the Gracious for a time to receiue the Gracelesse to mercy for euer Precepts OH therefore let vs euer loue and praise the Lord this heauenlie Father for his goodnes Oh let vs not cease to declare the wonders which he doth for vs the children of men Amen The Picture of the Sonne THe Son is the second person in the Trinity the Fathers naturall Son begotten frō eternity the Image and substance of his Father without inequality From the father by the Holy Ghost hee worketh together with the Father in all things he is God he is man perfect in both natures He hath a Father he hath a mother euē both truely also no father nor mother but respectiuely He is mā-God God-mā yet not two persons but onely one Christ One not by conuersion but by assumption not by cōfusiō of substāce but by vnity of persō This is the seed promised the prophet foretold the prince of peace This is Melchisedech the priest of the high God the king of Salem the Iewes Messiah the Christians Sauiour This is he that wil summō all to appear giue true iudgemēt vpō al both quik dead in the last day Satā here he vāquished subdued the flesh cōquered the world He hath mitigated Gods wrath performed our work iustice is satisfied the law fulfilled Hee hath made an attonement obtained mercy freed vs frō punishment The father of his mercy gaue him for vs hee in loue bestowed himself of vs. The father did wil our peace hee spared no paines Hee came into the world poore to make vs ritch Hee was to the wicked a derision that wee with Angels might bee had in admiration He was blasphemed to make vs blessed buffeted and scorned to make vs secure in true comfort He wrought righteousnesse that wee might bee free of wickednesse Hee was innocent to procure vs pard on being penitent His holinesse is our happinesse his suffering our safety his grace our good Hee was heere in trouble for vs his life paineful and miserable so his end for vs dolefull and his torments intollerable In all his life that wee read of hee did neuer laugh but often lament Hee mourned to see mens madnesse and wept for their wo. Here he sighed sore to make vs sing hee sobd and sorrowed much to make vs merrie Hee bare vpon him vnutterable torment patiently that wee might auoid the plagues of God eternally His prayers were loud cries and strong to make our
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