rente wyth wylde beastes sometimes to be boyled in leade sometimes laide on the Grydiron some their tongues plucked out some their eyes some let blood to death and some their heads cut of that it were a most lamentable matter to lay downe such a blody record It was no maruell that Saint Paule Dauid Stephen and a great many more godly desired to be wyth the Lord â—ita quasi â—ia taesa for that this lyfe séemed to bée no more but a weary trauel vnto them Iob describing the estate of man â—ob 14.1 sayth Man that is borne of a woman is of short continuaunce full of trouble and trueth it is that many troubles and chaunges doo happen vnto him now healthy suddainly sicke now rich and now poore sometimes vp quickly down neuer continuing in a peaceable stay sometimes beloued of one and sometimes hated of twenty nowe merry and suddainly sorry now a liue and to morrow dead as the wyse man saith hodie mihi cras tibi to day to mée to morrow to thée thys wee sée the inconstancie of time Besides that if wée looke into the care of our education the care for the prouision of our necessaries how to get them and how to hold them maketh many a man amazed to sée the running whéele of Fortune I myghte speake very much of the sorrowe and care of men but it were too long it shal be inough to yéeld the reader to the Map of thys present age wherein we sée parents to slyde away and children to wexe stoute fréendes to fayle charitye to growe colde trueth banished fayth féeble againe iniquity to raigne enuye and mallice to beare the sway these doo shewe the estate to be so sorrowfull that a man woulde rather wysh death with quietnes then such a life with miserye Ish An other name that the Hebrewes doo gyue vnto manne is Ish which is found in diuers places of Scripture but aboue all I note one place cited out of the second of Genesis Therefore let a man forsake Father and Mother Gen. 2. c. which by the Euangelists and the Apostell is translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man some suppose thys word taketh hys roote froÌ„ the very essentiall power of man Ish and some from hys qualityes and bothe of them doo accorde with my purpose in this signification this is manifest that hée is flesh hee is earth so are the beastes of the fielde yet notwithstanding God hath made a difference in shape proportion and honor as Ouid sayth Pronaque cum spectent animantia cetera terram Os homini sublime dedit celumque videre Whyle brutish beastes doo groueling looke and downeward hang their eyes Mans countenaunce is lift aloft and looketh to the skyes Yea and though among a great many Philosophers their substaunce shall be made equall yet I finde the greater excellency in man by howe much he is made the more honourable not onely in this life wherein he is made Emperour of all Gods creatures all things are put in subiection vnder his féete but in the world to come Psal 8. where he shall be assures of immortalitie and life euerlasting whereas the beastes themselues doo lose the benefite of honour Before mans fall in the time of innocency there was no such power attributed to any creature as there was vnto man since which time though man be decayed and fallen into miserye corruption depriuation of life in this world by his disobedieÌ„ce yet by Christe hee shall haue restitution to his former beauty and state so that the true definition of Ish in my poore iudgement is a man in power decaying himselfe and therefore may iustly be called Anthropos according to the translation that is to say a subuertion or ouerthrowe which neuer happened neither by Gods appointment nor by anye meanes but by mans owne disobedience for as man béeing then in power and honour would wylfully fall and dishonour himselfe as appeareth in the 49 Psalm Psal 49.20 Man being in honour hath no vnderstanding but is compared vnto the beasts that perish Euen so wée sée in these dayes of restitution wherin Christ Iesus hath appeared perfectly in comfort in acceptation in redemption knowledge and hath crowned vs with glory and brought vs into fauour with his father againe wee not accounting thys fauour nor regarding our restoring to honour Doo wilfully and wyckedly fall vnto our olde vomit againe and in our selues doo deface the nobility that God hath giuen vs alwayes expressing our ouerthwart disposition and making it agréeable to our ouerthrowen nature which is as much to say as a nature turned vp side downe euen as one demaunding once of a Philosopher what a man was aunswered a trée turned vpside downe for sayd hée as the trée hath his roote downewarde and groweth vpwarde hath his nutriment below and spreadeth her limmes aboue euen so man hath his roote and nourishment in the higher parte and spreadeth hys twigs downewarde for behold his brayne which féedeth euerye artery downewarde and beholde euery limme bone heayre arme legge c. and you shall finde them all to growe downewarde not as though nature were an autor or president of ouerthwartnes but rather that it should bée a remembrance and signification of our growing downeward to the earth concerning our flesh froÌ„ wheÌ„ce wee came and that our roote béeing fedd aboue the earth did looke vp into heauen in the which he hath hys perfit féeding and assured life and although the workes of God are so wonderfull in theyr kynde that we are not able to searche out the déepenes of them nor to reason why it should be made thys way or that yet we may haue an honest godly gesse in the framing of our ouerthwart nature when wée suruey iudge our dispositions agréeable to the same to bee fit fruits for such a trée and the better to vnderstand this doo we not sée that we account least of that thing which is best for vs and best of that which is worst for vs doo wee not breake that which is commaunded vs and followe that which is not commaunded vs doo we not in stéede of godly exercises delight in fleshly pleasures in steede of charity put on enuy in steede of pitty vse stony harts doo wee not for patience vse vengeaunce for loue hatred for humility pryde for liberality couetousnes for vertue vice for honesty vngodlines as the Poet sayth Nitimur in veticum semper cupimusque negata we endeuour our selues in things vnlawfull and alwayes desire thinges forbidden we find the like in Adam who delighted in the Apple that was forbidden him and likewise in Lots wyfe that looked backe to Sodome which was forbidden her and so we sée and find in all men their vntowardly disposition wilfully to lose the nobilitie and power of their image and creation and to caste theyr honour in the dust manne may very well be compared in all his actions vnto the
of the flesh I will nowe onely speake of the world as one of the mightiest enimies that man hath in these dayes for by it the worde of God is little regarded and for the loue of it the Sabbaoth is the more prophaned by reason wherof iustice is corrupted truth is banished charitie is colde pittie is remoued from mens harts frēdship faynteth and naturall affection is quit altered agayne by it blindnes ruleth lyes are vsed periury is suffered honors are desired offices are bought blynd bayard is a good horse a slowe Iade is a good Gelding by it manhoode is not regarded chastitie is not estéemed worldly mariags vnfit matches are not gainsaid vertue had in small price trust is had in litle estimation and learning in no accompt we sée that for the wordes sake naturall loue betwixt the father and the childe is altered For the father that is a worldling accompteth not of that childe that is liberall no although his liberalitie be godly and commendable bestowed on the poore and howe many do preferre their children to learning for the ministrie sake or to the law for iustice sake or to any faculty for the same faculties sake but rather because they shall liue and beare a countenance in the world On the other side we sée the good nature of the childe chaunged for whome the father hath taken great paynes trauelled much watched often to procure liuinges vnto hym he thinketh to long the father doth lyue euery daye wisheth his death to haue his goodes and liuing besides that what going to lawe and mortal hatred betwixt frēds of néerest kinrede all for the world A freend chaungeth his frendship in respect of the worlde and so long as the other hath he is a freend and when he hath nothing then is he gone and his frendship beginneth to dissemble wisemen tal men honest men trusty men such as haue good qualities not estéemed if they haue no worldly shewe with all many a one haue shut vp his compassion from the poore putting on vngodlynesse lying and swearing that these things and these they haue giuen alredie diuers waies they are charged which is very oftentimes an vntruth many vnder the pretence of Christian profession hid their wicked actions and are lyke Cleophas they go with Christe but they knowe hym not It is not without cause that Esdras sayde that the world was ful of vnrighteousnesse and wickednes 2. Esd ◠27 and because of the sin and wickednesse of the world the Lord hath Prophesied vnto the world a mighty curse in Esa the prophet And therefore as the Apostle sayth Esa 24.1 Loue not the world neyther the thinges that are in the worlde if any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in hym for all that is in the world as the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of lyfe is not of the father 1. Io. 2.15 6. but is of the world There is an olde saying Vide homo ne sic hereas vt cum mundo pereas Take héede man Augustine that thou sticke not so to the world that thou perish with the world The young man in the gospel had fulfilled all the commaundementes Mat. 19.21 and was desirous of the kingdome of heauen but when Christ bid hym go sell all that he had and giue it to the poore it touched his delight wherefore Saint Barnard sayth Durus est hic sermo c. This saying séemeth very harde Sel all that thou hast c. But yet it is a hard saying whē Christ shall say Goe ye wicked into euerlasting fire The great loue of the worlde as I haue sayde is the cause of much sinne as couetousnesse oppression extortion vsury wresting of iustice and putting poore men from their right and their thirst is so great that a great many will breake their bellies then leaue or moderate their lust they be lyke the flye in a Tarre-barrell the more he stirres the faster he is They are not lyke the Dogges of Egipt which running by the ryuer Nilus and being thirsty will but lappe and begone for feare the Crocodiles take them but these worldlinges wil so long lap tyl the Diuel hath wrapped them vp they force neyther for the feare of Sathan nor the fauour of God Saint Iames sayth Iames. 4.4 Who so euer wil be a fréend of the world maketh hym selfe an enimie of God we daylie sée how lyttle mē wil be at charges for gods glory in mayntaining preaching or in bringing vp schollers nay they will rather take away both preachers and schollers liuinges from them then adde any thing to it It is a pittiful matter to sée the hardnes of the rusticke worldlinges for some murmure at charitie some grudge at substance some strayne at the charges of souldiers not looking into the commoditie and ease of it but thinke they haue a gut drawen out of their body when they haue a pennie taken out of their purses For these purposes and I thinke they haue cause to grudge sometimes because their charge is the greatest burthen though they be the poorest iades The .v. meane in Christ to vanquish the force of sinne When two valued thinges of like quantitie shal be layde together that are of estimation as gold and siluer The sweetnes and estimation of the second lyfe will not euery man make choyse rather of the gold then of the siluer Nay rather if somthing and nothing or good and bad were set together would there not be an easie choyse I make no lesse differēce betwixt heauen and earth this lyfe and the lyfe to come For in the one there is misery sorow afflictiō tribulation disdayne contempt malice slaunder infamie enuie pouertie nakednesse sickenes and death In the other there is ioy felicitie acceptation helth sufficiencie company amōg the whole felowship of heauen euerlasting lyfe Psal 84.1.2 touching the description of the place of ioy Dauid sayth O howe amiable are thy dwellinges thou Lorde of hostes My soule hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lord. Esa 35 10 Likewise the Prophet Esay sayth The redéemed of the Lord shall come to Zion with prayse and euerlasting ioye shal be vpon their heades Esa 51.3 they shall obtayne ioy and gladnesse The same Prophet also sayth Surely the Lorde shall comforte Zion he shal comfort al her desolations and he shall make her desert like Eden and her wildernes like the garden of the Lorde ioye and gladnesse shal be founde therein Iohn 16.22 prayse and the voyce of singing Our sauiour Christ hym selfe sayth And ye nowe therefore are in sorrow but I wil sée you agayne your harts shall reioyce your ioy shall no man take from you O most comfortable reléefe euen the very deade may be raysed vp to heare these great and comfortable ioyes that are prouided for the Lordes beloued 1. Cor. 2.9
among the greater company then in resorting to Sermons or to the Churche hence groweth the greate abuse of the Sabaoth day in bowsing drinking gaming and pastime The heathen Poet did gyue good counsell Animum rege qui nisi paret imparat hunc frenis hunc tu compesce cataena 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rule thy minde vnles thy minde rule thée bridle him and fetter him fast with chaynes For this cause did the Apostle gyue counsell that wée should mortify our earthly members that is to say Kyll our carnall affections and delights But doo we goe about to kyll them when wee water them and allowe of them nay rather prefer them before godly meditations I wyll not condemne pleasures as I say that are vsed of the wise and well setled for their recreations nor yet our Englishe musicke vnles it be among wanton mindes or light braynes for if it be vsed among them Effect of Musicke you shall sée what a monstrous effecte it vseth it maketh theyr thoughts and mindes to runne astray a great waye of and fall into dyuers and sundry desires and vnlawfull wishes and ambitious appetites besides that it shapeth a thousande fantasies and imaginations in theyr conceits making themselues in their fantasies to be of great valure and estimation whereas they are nothing towarde to what proportion eyther of behauiour ambition or desire they frame themselues that be louers of Musicke they can best iudge that haue delighted it but this I am sure though preferred in many houses before the preaching of the Gospell yet I knowe the Gospell delighteth the godly so much as they vtterly refuse musicke in respect of the greater for in the Gospell we finde this swéete harmony Ioh. 14. the gates of heauē are open mercy and loue is sent vnto vs euerlasting life is prepared for vs in the kingdome of heauen and what better melody The other yéeldeth but vncertaine soundes not distinct lightlye heard and quickly gon and therefore fitter rather for an vnsensible flesh then for a reasonable spirite and thys pleasure of the minde beeing first growen strong and ripe in the minde dooth worke in the flesh so mightily that all good order being excluded these are placed First idlenes then the delight of euill company thirdly euill and filthy words and last immoderate dyet and what procéedeth from all these 4. you shall iudge by the sequell As for the first which is Idlenes the Poete sayth Otia si tollas periere Cupidinis ercus Idlenes Take away Idlenes and thou doost breake Cupides bowe againe Queritur Aegistus quare sit factus adulter In promptu causa est desidiosus erat Why was Aegistus an adulterer because he was Idle King Dauid came from hys fluggish bed at noone day and walked on the roofe of hys house when he beheld from thence Bath-sheba the wyfe of Vriah 2 Sam 11.2 and did by hys idlenes engender hys adulterous practize The wise man saith Idlenes bringeth much euill Eccl. 33 26 Likewise S. Paul speaketh of young wyddowes to Timothy Being idle they learn to goe frō house to house 1 Tim. 5 13. Now to the next vice which is euill company which is a great occasion to translate a good disposition and make it become very bad Euill companye as the wyse man saith Ex malo consortio malus eris by company of the wicked thou shalt learne wickednes Gen. 6.2 The children of God being in the company of the daughters of wycked men discending of the stocke of Cain were rauished with their beautye and tooke them agaynst the wyll of God insomuch as he beholding the wickednes of their harts sayd It repenteth me that I made man Eccl. 13.1 It is sayd in Ecclesiasticus He that toucheth Pitch shal be defiled with it Also in the Reuelation it is sayd by the whore of Babilon Goe put of her my people that ye be not partakers in her sinnes Reu. 18.4 If a Lambe stand by a Woolfe or towe néere the fire the one shal be in hazard to be deuoured the other to be burned If a mā goe among bryers he shal be plucked scratched and defaced in euery side euill company hath wholy consumed many a man discredited his house blotted out his good name impouerished his estate and consumed the body in most horrible diseases The Prodigall childe that fell into bad company is a good example to many prodigall children in Englande to make them auoyd that thing that bringeth shame diseases pouerty hanging or some other bad death there is no mā so vnreasonable but he will auoyde the plague leprosie and such contagious diseases and shun and detest such as are infected with them but those spirituall diseases as doo infect both body soule are neuer auoyded nor detested nor the company of them that haue them the horrible punishment whereof is expressed in many places of Scripture especially if you reade the Homily againste adultery there is a most terrible punishment ordeyned of God in all ages against adulterous personnes of all estates and degrées yet we haue a great many stony harts hauing vysardes of impudency on their faces that do know God haue heard his word his threats against such horrible sinne and yet notwithstanding wyll delight in that filthy and damnable sinne and wyll buylde presumptuously on the mercy of God but this let them be warned and in the bowels of Christ I charge them take héede that they build not theyr pleasure and lust but theyr fayth vpon the mercy of God if they doo the building wyll fall euen as Sampsons house did vpon theyr owne pates and crush them to péeces for the seruaunt that knoweth hys Masters wyll and wyll not doo it shall be whypped with many scourges If such adulterers wyll not bee terrified with the temporall punishments of which before are layd downe yet lette them looke to the day of iudgement where the vpright Iudge Christ sitteth who hath pronounced the swéete sentence already in Mathew Math. 19. Verily I say vnto you that when the sonne of man shall sit in the throne of hys maiestye ye which followed me in the regeneration shall syt also vpon the xii thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israell And whosoeuer shall forsake house or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wyfe or children or landes for my names sake he shall receiue an hundred fold more and shall inherite euerlasting life Let them looke into thys sentence and they shall find a promised pleasure which shall drowne all carnall and filthy delights if at least wise hée haue any desire to be the child of God and doo expect and looke for the lyfe to come The thyrd vice which corrupteth a man is filthy talke 3. Vice filthy talke which indéede dooth set our nature so at liberty that we shame not to fall in the sandes and shore of filthy pleasure for if the tongue as the Apostle sayth
clogging accusing pressing down as a heauy lump of lead shaming at condemning our own reasons and wils for giuing entertainmeÌ„t vnto sin in asmuch as sometimes ye shal find the tormeÌ„ts gréeues of conscieÌ„ce to worke greater sorrow care in our minds theÌ„ if we were either in prison or ready to goe to execution and although there bée 2. consciences the good and the bad Two consciences forasmuch as I write vnto the good people of God I will haue to doo but with the conscience of the good referring the other to his continual hardnes And although oftentimes we sée not the conscience of the good by their wickednes of sin for that they are not yet called yet if theyr consciences do not shew her force of accusation no doubt it is imprisoned and so hid in the great heape of corruptioÌ„ that though it cannot now speake in the end wil breake foorth that we sée in many disordered personnes in these daies which in the hardnesse of their hartes haue contynued in theyr sinne a long tyme vntouched or vndisclosed Yet in the ende when God wyll call them or sathan bring them to shame or wheÌ„ no man can iustly accuse them how be it suspect them of euill liuing being called to examinacion before any magistrate then who can better accuse then the conscience who doth first condemn and then strike a great feare in the ende produceth two witnesses that is eyther the stammering tongue or els the blushing face to accuse the guilty wyth hys owne mouth and make him speake although he sée eyther shame to discredite him or the magistrate to punish hym or the Gallowes to confound him Therefore is the conscience called Mille testes a thousand witnesses because it dooth more euidently know that which is hid in him then a thousand men and dooth boyle and burne in the harts of wicked men like a fire As Tully sayth Nolite putare quemadmodum in fabulis sepenumero videtis In oratione pro Roscio eos qui aliquid impie scelera te que commiserunt agitari perterreri taedis ardentibus sua quemque fraus suus terror maxime vexat suum quemque scelus exagitat amentiaque afficit suae malae cogitationes conscientiaeque animi terrent c. Thinke not as Poets haue fayned that they that haue committed something vngodly or wickedly are vexed and scourged with burning Torches it is our owne guile and our owne feare doth most trouble vs it is our owne wickednes doth torment vs and amaze vs our owne wicked thoughts and consciences that dooth affright vs c. There is a great accusation of the conscience in the hart of the sinner as when the Scribes and Pharisies had taken a woman in adultery they brought her to Christ to sée what sentence he woulde gyue against her because they hadde found in Moses Lawe that such a one should be stoned to death but they dyd it not for Iustice but to tempt him Then he writ wyth hys finger on the ground and said béeing vrged by them for his sentence Let him that is among you without sinne cast the first stone at her And when they heard it Ioh. 8.7.9 being accused by their owne consciences they went out one by one beginning at the eldest euen vnto the last It is most true that Iuuenall sayth â—â—t 13 Euasisse putes quos diri conscia facti Mens reddit attonitos et surdo verbere caedit Doost thou thinke he can escape whoÌ„ the conscience of a moste horrible facte maketh amazed and whippeth with a deafe scourge And as the same Iuuenall saith in an other place Nocte dieque suum gestat in pectore testem But day and night where that he goe or rest hee â—till doth beare a witnes in his brest Conscientia S. Paule speaking of the Gentiles sheweth that they haue the effect of the Lawe written in their harts their consciences bearing witnes Rom 2 15 and as long as we liue in this worlde God graunt that this witnes may alwayes stirre and sting vs till we be ashamed of sin vnlesse after this life it be opened as in an inditement to accuse at the iudgment seate Reu. 20 12 as Iohn maketh mention And I saw the dead both great small stand before God and the (a) That is their consciences bookes were opened and an other booke was opened which is the booke of life the dead were iudged of those thinges which were written in the bookes according to their works Thus we may sée the conscience in thys world that accuseth and the conscience in the worlde to come that condemneth God grant the we may in this worlde so behaue our selues as with Horace to say Hic murus ahaeneus esto This is a brasen wall when a man may knock his breste and say I knowe nothing héere that maketh me ashamed or a feard Miscellan prelect sepâ— time Toâ— primi He that wyll sée more of the conscience let him looke in the Bishoppe of Exceter hys booke Not in Ally though indéede he wryte of conscience at large But D. Wolton that is now Bishop who wryte larger in his booke called the Conscience dedicated to a godly zealous knight S. Iohn Gilbert mine olde good master louing fréend a fit Patrone for such a booke and title there he shal find inough touching the conscience The third enemy vâ— to sinne An other most terrible enemy vnto mankind for sinnes sake is death who by reason that our bodye is all spotted corrputed with sinne hath his lawfull accesse vnto mankind and foloweth him step by step from place to place of what estate or degrée soeuer he bée either King Prince Duke Marques Earle lord baron knight or whether he be rich or mighty wise or politike tyll at last he plucketh him downe and depriueth him of life wife children houses lands goods and all those thinges in the world wherin he setled his hart The cause of this his power is that man beeing corrupted wyth sin is rewarded with death a certaine appoyntment of God in our first parent for his sin and disobedience â—n 2.17 As appeareth in Genesis 2. In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death In that he dyd eate he disobeyed and so sinned which sinne hath runne into all hys posterity by discent hetherto â—m 5 12 and shall vnto the worlds ende and that is the cause that Death triuÌ„pheth ouer vs in this world in ouerthrowing vs. S. Paul sayth Stipendium peccati mors â—om 6 23 The rewarde of sinne is death Likewise the Apostle Iames sayth â—m 1.15 When lust hath conceaued it bringeth forth sinne and sin wheÌ„ it is finished bringeth foorth death So that there is no doubt among men but by reason of sinne death hath taken hold in them â—om 5.12 and as sin is entred into all the worlde as the Apostle sayth euen so death
Which ioyes as S. Paul sayeth although our hartes cannot conceiue yet let our harts beléeue those vnspeakeable ioyes and although the worthinesse and excellency of the place be such as we may dispayre of in our owne iudgement because of our great vnworthines and the multitude of sinnes yet if we beléeue that Christ is that sonne of the liuing God and that he hath payed the ransome for our sinnes and that he hath nayled our sinnes to his crosse also if we turne vnto him loue him and obey him with all our hart with all our minde and with all our soule then will he assuredly bring vs vnto that place of consolation as he sayeth in Iohn And though I goe to prepare a place for you Iohn 14 3 I will come agayne and receyue you vnto my selfe that where I am there might ye be also Ma. 19.28.29 Also the Euangelist Mathewe sayth And Iesus sayde vnto them verely I say vnto you that when the sonne of man shal sit in the throne of his maiesty ye which followed me in the regeneration shall sit also vpon the twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israell And who so euer shall forsake houses or brethren or sisters or father or mother or wife or childreÌ„ or laÌ„ds for my names sake he shall receiue an hundred folde more and shall inherite euerlasting life These wordes are not spoken by a mortall man who may lye and deceyue but they are spoken by the very sonne of God hym selfe whose word shal stand and endure for euer tyme shall not chaunge it nor age shall not weare it out And furthermore forasmuch as the nature of maÌ„ is desirous to be resolued whether wée shall know one another after this lyfe I thought good to answere briefely that as our state shal be farre better so shall also our knowledge be farre clearer for in this world we are the more ignoraunt our sences deceyued by reasoÌ„ of a corruption But in the world to come when we shal be chaunged into an incorruptible estate then our sences shal be much more clearer and we shall know farre the better and let vs be thus perswaded that that worlde is a world of knowledge not of ignoraunce as our sauiour Christ him selfe sayth vnto the chiefe priest that would knowe whether he were Christ the soÌ„ne of God or no He answeared thou haste sayde it neuerthelesse I say vnto you hereafter shall ye sée the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God Mat. 26 24. and comming in the cloudes of heauen which is to no purpose that they sée his sitting and his comming vnlesse they know it and yet he speaketh this vnto the wicked Iewes that did crucifie him that they should sée it know it Much more assuredly shall the righteous sée him and knowe him The Apostle Paul touching this matter sayth 1. Cor. 13.12 Nowe we sée through a glasse darkely but then shal we sée face to face Now I knowe in part but then shall I know euen as I am knowen So that now what remayneth more comfortable to the godly and to them that thirst after Christ Iesu then to go to a place after this life replenished with all ioye comforte consolation and euerlasting lyfe vnto the which also our sauiour christ Iesus shall conducte vs by his mightie power and in the which is all fulnes of knowledge perfection of a blessed state The God of all blessing and comforte for his sonne Christ Iesus his sake spéedely bring vs vnto that celestiall ioye peaceable estate To whome both with the holy ghost be all glory dominion and power now and for euer So be it A Prayer O Mercifull God the king of all creatures and gouernour of all thinges which of thy mercy and goodnes didest bring thy people out of Egipt from the bondage of Pharo and didest conducte them through the red sea into the comfortable land of CanaaÌ„ we beseech thee of thy accustomed mercy deliuer vs froÌ„ the bondage of sinne the tiranny of Sathan and the persecution of the world and conduct vs vnto the heauenly Ierusalem the onely Canaan of our euerlasting inheritaunce where we may raigne in eternall felicitie with thee and the sonne Iesus Christ to whome both with the holy Ghost be all honour and glory now and for euer Amen FINIS A Christian exercise for priuate Housholders Question WHat doo you chiefely professe Aunswere Christianitie Question What is the badge of a Christian Aunswere Fayth Question VVhat is fayth Aunswere The verye same thing that cannot playnely be expressed in wordes for it is aboue the reach of man and therfore not vnder the reason of man Howe beit we may giue eche to other intelligence of it by wordes out of the Scripture and by the deedes of the godly which is that it is the séede of assured reconciliation sowen by God in our heartes for his sonne Iesus Christ his sake to stirre vs to comfort and to bind vs to obedience to giue vs a true certificate in our consciences that we are called againe to be the children of God and that we are ingraffed into the body of his sonne Iesus Christ and to be his members So that although fayth be such a thing as is giuen â—â—om aboue as a seale of gods mercy Yet it is required here be low of vs as a talent of assuraunce and knowledge Luke 19. receiued of him to be increased by vs. Question What doth fayth woorke in vs Aunswere The knowledge of God the assuraunce of our redemption and the consolation of conscience through the holy Ghost Question Let me vnderstand at large your meaning by this Aunswere By the knowledge of God we learne that he is our creator our gouernour and defender in all necessities daungers And as he hath a speciall care daylie to prouide for our bodies in giuing the plentifulnesse of the earth so are we perswaded that he hath a more care for our soules to preserue them to be honorable ornaments in his heauenly mansion Furthermore by this knowledge we confesse hym to be the Almightie God to whom all honour ought to be attributed of thinges in heauen and thinges in earth whereby we abandon all Idolatrie and superstition as meere inuention of man and as perswasions of Sathan to delude men and deface the knowledge of the high and mightie God whom we worship as our maker and acknowledge to be our defendour in all euilles ghostly and bodyly By the assuraunce of our redemption we are perswaded that Christ Iesus hath payed the ransome of our sins and is the sufficient sacrifice to appease gods wrath and hath for all the church fulfilled the whole lawe hath vanquished death sinne and hel and hath don all that for vs which is required of vs so that in hym God is well pleased and by hym the gats of heauen are opened and euerlasting life is promised By the consolation of the conscience through