fayth hope patience against Desperation who were so hâ—at in contention one against an other that they forsooke one anothers companie in high displeasure and heate of their stomackes the one taking with him Luke the other Iohn What though we haue yeelded vnto practised and followed Oppression Extortion polling pilling and wresting what we can by hooke or crooke from our brethren Luke 19.2 So did Zacheus yet notwithstanding after his repentance his forsaking and ceassing from bad getting his restitution and almes giuing receiued that most chearefull and comfortable saying of Christ Luke 19. â— This day is saluation entred into thine house What though we haue been Theeues robbers and stealers of our neighbours goodes so was the Theefe that was crucified with Christ and yet vpon his humble contrite and sorrowfull confession of his sinnes he heard this most sweete word from Christ This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise What though we haue murthered and shead the blood or caused the blood to be shed of some of our brethren so did Dauid to Vrias and yet vppon his zealous inward true vnfained sorrowfulnes and repentance he was not taken away in his sinne but found pardon And so did the Iewes which put to death the Lord of life King Manasses was an Idolater he defiâ—ed the Temple of God he withstood and did beat downe the trueth he set vp Idolatrie 2. Kin. 21. he was a Coniurer and a Southsayer he shed a boundance of Innocent blood so that the streetes flowed therewith he committed more abhominations then the Cananites or Amorites whom for their filthinest the Lord cut off out of the land of the liuing he sacrificed his sonnes and daughters to Diuels and yet vpon his true returning to the Lord from the bottome of his heart he found fauoure and mercie 2. Chro. 33. If our sinnes then or the sinnes of any one of vs were as greeuous as euer were the sinnes of Manasses yet vpon our true and vnfaigned returne to the Lord shalâ— we despaire of his mercie shall we or may we or dare we thinke that the mercie and power of the Lod is shortened or that God is not the same God he was Is he not as readie to pardon and forgiue sinnes the sinnes of a man repenting returning and faythfully calling vpon him as euer he was the sinnes of Manasses All these examples and many more are written for our learning comfort and strengthening of our fayth hope and patience that we should in no wise despaire vpon our true repentance neither for the multitude nor greeuousnesse of our sinnes And likewise also it is written for the brusing and as it were euen for the breaking of the backe of all damnable Desperation and to hold the heartes and to restore the faynting and dullie sprites of all such as the seruitude and bondage of sinne this our third cause of Desperation doth vexe and presse downe It is I say written Luk. 9.56 that the Sonne of man is come to saue mens liues And he him selfe hath sayd I am come to call not the iust but sinners Math. 10. Math. 20. Ioh. 3. Wherefore Christ can into this world And againe Iesus Christ is come to giue his life a redemption for many Also God the Father hath not sent his S nne to iudge the Worlde but to the ende the Worlde may be saued by him Now what is it to saue not to iudge but to deliuer from death and damnation wherein we lay in the middest of the bondage of sinne for sinne is the death and damnation of the soule Now he can not saue vs except sinne be first taken from vs And therefore and for this cause came Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Ioh. 8. and he hath declared himselfe to the world to the end that he should take away sinnes and should destroy the workes of the Diuell If it be so that Iesus Christ be come into the world to take away sinnes and if the same were his intent and his message the purpose of Iesus Christ shall not fayle at all and his message remayneth stedfast and true he then without all doubt hath taken away this which the Diuell would perswade vs to be a cause of Desperation this great seruitude and bondage of sinne from all those that trust in him and do verily beleeue and perswade themselues in the bottome of their consciences that it is most true but yet how comes this to passe to wit by Iesus Christ onely by his owne free grace and mercie by the benefites and merites of himselfe who is our onely Sauiour Ioh. 1.29 without any other meane or merit for he is the only Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde Act. 4.12 As also S. Peter sayd to the Iewes There is none other saluation but onely in Iesus Christ for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued And so Christ himselfe sayd after he was rysen from the dead It must needes haue been that Christ must haue suffered death Luk 24.44 and that he must haue rysen the third day from the dead and that amendement of life and forgiuenesse of sinnes must be preached in his name to all people and to all nations O how sweete and comfortable are these wordes and sayinges of God which is the onely eternall trueth in deed O how worthy are they to be layde vp in the deapth of our hearts and to haue our whole confidence reposed freely vpon them Colloss 2. And to the Collossians it is sayd God hath quickened vs which were dead in sinnes with Iesus Christ forgiuing vs all our trespasses and hath put out the hand-writing that was against vs hee euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it on the Crosse What meaneth he by this but onely that Iesus Christ hath taken away the Obligation of our debt to wit that we did owe for our sinnes and hath taken it and tyde it with him selfe vpon the Crosse and hath in deed payde it full bitterly who also is for vs and will surely take away this great seruitude bondage of sinne which the Diuell would vse as an instrument of Desperation against vs in case we will beleeue his word and that we can settle out mindes and quiet our harts to account and esteeme his bitter passion and merites to be so great and of such value thâ—â— they are able effectâ—all and of sufficient strength to obtaine these aforesayd thinges for vs. And Christes prayer to his heauenly Father is heard and remayneth heard continually when he prayed â—o 17 20. saying I pâ—â—y not for these alone â—eaning his there present Disciples but for them al o which shall beleeue in mee through their worde Wherefore the same prayer includeth euery one of vs so farre foorth as we beleeue and place the same in our heartes and wholly repose our selues thereon â—ct 10.42.43 And
helpe against Desperation Page 95. Saint Paul S. Iames their counsaile against the temptations and assaultes of Sathan Page 24. A description of the armour with which S. Paul would haue Christians to resist the Diuell Page 25. The first kind of Armour to resist the Diuell with Page 25. The second kind of Armour wherewith the Diuell is to be resisted Page 25. Whereby the Diuel is imboldned to tempt whereby on the other side he is discouraged Page 26. The third kind of Armour against Sathan Page 27. The fourth Armour against Sathan Page 28. What Fayth is Page 29. The fift kind of Armour to resist the Diuell Page 29. Christ himselfe an example how to resist the diuel Page 30. The Scriptures do minister store of Armoure against euery kind of temptation Page 31. The sixt kind of Christian Armour Page 32. Remedies against Ignoraunce Page 34. The dangers of willfull Ignoraunce Page 35. What the Ignorant must do Page 35. Counsayle very necessary for the Ignoraunt Page 36. What the Ministers of Gods word are Page 36. How the Ministers of Gods word are to be accounted of Page 37. Of the great seruitude and bondage of sinnes and of the remedies thereof Page 3â— Examples tending to the strengthening of our Fayth Hope and Patience against Desperation Page 39. 40. Wherefore Christ came into this world Page 41. 42. 43. What maner of righteousnes God requireth at our handes Page 45. Sinne dwelleth euen in the beleeuers and in the most righteous in the world but yet raigneth not neither can it condemne them and why Page 46. 47. Places of Scripture setting foorth Gods great mercie Page 49. A Catalogue or rehearsall of many thinges whereby the Diuell craftely tempteth many men to sinne and Desperation Page 50. How the Diuell tempteth by riches Page 50. How the Diuell tempteth by pouertie Page 51. How the Diuell tempteth by friendes Page 51. How the Diuell tempteth by enemies Page 52. How the Diuell tempteth by carefulnesse Page 52. How the Diuell tempteth by securitie and carelesnesse Page 52. How the Diuell tempteth by strength by health ablenesse of body beautie by honor dignie by quicknesse of spirit sharpnesse of wit Page 5â— 53. How the Diuell tempteth by Gods word and how he will abuse wrest misapply Gods word Page 53. 54. The true vse of those Scriptures which the Diuell seeketh to abuse to bring men to Desperation thereby Page 55. The comfort and commodities of the crosses and afflictions of Gods children Page 57. 58. Why God sendeth euilles to his children and how he sendeth comforts in the middest of euils Page 59. How God loueth and dealeth with his children Page 60. Gods roddes of what sort they are Page 61. What God seeketh to worke by dealing hardly with his children Page 62. Gods affection to his children like vnto a kind louing mothers affection Page 63. 64. God dealeth with his children as Phisitions and Surgions do with their Patientes Page 66. God vseth sometimes the seruice and ministerie of Diuels and of wicked men Page 67. The wicked are not beâ—ered by their troubles and afflictions Page 67. Whence it commeth that afflictions and crosses profit Gods children Page 67. The conceites and opinions of the wicked in their aduersities and troubles Page 68. 69. The endes that the Diuell bringes the wicked vnto by their afflictions troubles and crosses Page 70. Two commodities to be reaped by the lyues and manner of the deathes of the wicked Page 71. The great danger of custome of sinne and of delaying of amendement of life Page 71. 72. A comparison shewing the danger of long custome and weltering in sinne Page 72. 73. Whence repentance amendement of life are to be had and how they are to be come by Page 74 Many are and may be deceyued in the manner and time of their repentaunce Page 75. A note for such as deferre repentance vnto their last day Page 75. Examples shewing that it is dangerous trusting vnto the last hower Page 76. Notable examples of sodaine and vnprouided death out of holy Scriptures other writers Page 76. 77. 78 79. A catalogue or rehearsall of sundry lets and impedimentes which oftentimes fall out when we come to our last hower to hinder and put by that late repentance which so many trust to at the end of their liues Page 81. 82. The effectes of choler in time of extreame sicknes Page 82. The maner how the Diuell will busie himselfe to hinder repentance at our last pant Page 83. The example of Ioseph of Arimathea most worthy to be imitated Page 85. The vse and custome of the Egiptians to bridle euill actions Page 86. The notable and imitable example of King Ezechias Page 86. FINIS Of Desperation CHAPTER I. The first Chapter conteyning the Definition and Diuision of Desperation M T. Cicero that most worthy Father of the Romane eloquence was of that minde A definition oâ— euery thing which is to be disputed or reasoned of is necessary and wherefore that euery thing which was to be reasoned disputed of should first begin at the Definition thereof that so it might briefly be vnderstoode what the substaunce of the matter was whereof reasoning or disputation was to be holden Of the like opinion minde am I at this present concerning the dangerous peste of most wicked and damnable Desperation being the matter which now I haue in hand through Gods assistance to write of Definition of Dâ—speration is of two sortes The Definition then of Desperation I finde and read to be of two sortes as concerning the wordes and yet in sence and substance of matter little differing one from the other The first Definition of Desperation Whereof the one is Desperatio est horribilis mertis câ—rdis seu conscientiae trepidatio ex sensu irae diuinae propter peccatum concepta cum metu aeternae damnacionis sine vlla expectatione veniae Desperation is an horrible feare or trembling of the minde heart or conscience conceyued through a sense and feeling of Gods wrath for sinne with a feare of eternall damnation without all expectation or hope of pardon or forgiuenesse thereof The second Definition of Desperation The other which is a farre more auncient Definition is this Desperatio est malum quo quis diffidit de voluntate dei aestimans malitiam suam magnitudinem diuinae misâ—ricordiae bonitatis excedere Desperation is an euill through which a man mistrusteth dispaireth vtterly and is past all hope of the good will of God verily thinking that his naughtinesse or sinnes excell the mercies and goodnes of God according to that saying of the fâ—rst desperat man Cain Gen. 4.13 Mine iniquitie is greater then can be pardoned Genes 4.13 Thus it being made plaine and easie what Desperation is by these aforesayd Definitions it followeth in the next place to proceede after the same order that the sayd
are to 〈◊〉 had and â—ow they â—e to be â—me by lay it downe at our owne pleasure and that of our selues we can not put it into nor plant it in our heartes when and where we list except it first come from aboue for that it is an excellent and a rare gift of God Let vs earnestly and hartely with our humble and feruent prayers begge and craue the same at Gods hands Let vs practise much and often hearing reading meditating the word of God and with care diligence vse all ordinary meanes for the better more ready and speedie attaining of it for it is not so easie a matter to be come by as the world thinketh it It is not an howers worke when we lie on our death-beds that will serue the turne It is not Cry God mercy a little for fashion sakes that will do it Many are 〈◊〉 may be dâ—ceiued in the maner time of their repeâ—tance It is not a coursing or mumbling vp of a few Prayers at a mans last farewell that will auayle And yet if we were sure that that would serue yet we are very vnsure whether we shal haue time and leasure wit senses reason remembraunce at our last gaspe to do that yea or no. To trust to do it at our last hower is but a broken staffe to be relyed on and trusted vnto And yet it is not so vncertaine but on the other side it is as certaine that then we shall haue many byasses and barres many rubbes stops Note thâ— you that â—ferâ—e repâ—tance vnâ— your last end many lets and impedimentes to lie in our wayes and to hinder our course in going forward at that time with last gasping repentaunce which many infatuated fond foolish men relie so much vpon and trust so much vnto passing away their dayes and carelesly neglecting good opportunitie when time serueth like vnto those fiue foolish Virgins that made no preparation aforehand to be in a readines to enter in with the Bride-groome till it was too late this is I say a very broken staffe to trust vnto a thing very doubtfull and vncertaine to depende vpon or to make any reckoning of for a man to repent and cry God mercie and make himselfe fit and ready for God at his last hower because that very many in al ages and in all places haue been and are taken away oftentimes with a sodaine death and haue neither that howers nor halfe howers leasure that they before spake so much of and trusted so much vnto â—uke 17. â—7 â—amples â—ewing that â—s dangeâ—s trustâ—â— to the 〈◊〉 hower â—n 19.23 When the World was eattng and drinking planting and buylding when they were most secure and carelesse then sodainely came the Flood and ouerwhelmed them all Though it were a faire morning at Lots going out of Sodome yet by and by when they least thought of any such matter they were all sodainely destroyed When Nebuchadnezzar was most brag â—ni 4.12 and thought himselfe most safe and sure sodainely neuer dreaming nor once suspecting any such thinges was he pulled on his knees â—ke 12.20 â—es 5. are â—o notable â—â—mples of â—aine and prouided â—th in â—nias 〈◊〉 wife The Rich man thought himselfe neuer more like to haue lyued then when he so busily made such great prouision and layde vp stoore for many yeares yet was his soule sodainely taken from him the very same night And what knowest thou ô man that trustest so much and puttest off till the last day and hower whether that day and hower may not come as sodainely on thee and as vnlooked for as it did on any of these Augustine and Ambrose did write one of them to the other what his opinion was concerning the state of an olde Adulterer which in their time as he was going in the night time to his Whoore passing ouer a Bridge in his way fell into the Riuer and so being drowned was taken away sodainely in the very purpose of his wickednesse hauing neyther hower halfe hower nor minute to crie God mercie to repent and to pray in Ioannes Riuius a learned Writer Lib. 1. â—stultiaâ— mortaliâ— in procrâ—nanda rection vitae and of good credite affirmed that in his time and in a Village of his country two olde men lying with their Whores whom they had aforetime haunted in one and the selfesame night dyed sodainely taken as it were with the maner hauing likewise neither hower nor halfe hower to prepare themselues in for the one was sodainely stabbed to death the other was taken with a sodaine Apoplexie whereof he presently gaue vp his Ghost And what knoweth any of vs all or what greater priuildge hath any of vs all but that we may be sodainly preuented caried away in the midest of our sinnes as these were And whether we haue not the like examples of such hastie deathes heere in England whereby many of vs haue been disappoynted of these two or three howers at their last end to make vs readie in I report me to the deathes of Earle Godwin â—e Godâ— his soâ—e and â—efull â—h and Grimwood of Hitcham whereof the Earle after he had trayterously slaine the brother of King Edward the third being charged afterwardes by the King therwith at Windsore where he happened to sit at table with the King hee falsely denyed the fact and for his better excuse hee falsely forsware it and besides all this he moreouer tooke a peece of bread and put it into his mouth wished that he might be choaked thereof if hee were guiltie of his blood and it followed in deed according to this desire for hee beeing choaked therewith yeeled vp his Ghost and fell downe dead in the presence and sight of all at the Table and from thence was had to Winchester to be buried And likewise the sayd Grimwood of Hitcham in the Countie of Suffolke Grimwood his sodaine and feareful death knowen to be a wilfull forsworne man in the Haruest time next after his periurie feeling no paine complayning of no disease being strong and able to labour as he was stacking vp Corne sodainely his Bowels fell out of his body whereof immediatly he dyed most miserably But what need I to stand bestowing time paper and incke troubling both my selfe future Readers in setting downe the maner of the sodaine deaths of many men seeing that both holy and prophane Writers dayly experience it selfe may fully fraught store and furnish vs with infinite examples of this sort And what charter priuiledge or certaine holde of life hath any of vs all more then these heere before recited or thousandes of others in the like case haue had O let vs not presume therfore to runne on headlong in the long and hardened custome of our sinnes nor to delay and put off the reforming of our wicked liues vntil the last hower And although we be not striken with sodaine death but haue both certaine dayes and howers
may be implunged into for the better auoyding of these perilles reade reade againe meditate ponder and put in practise the direction aduice and counsayle in the beginning of this present sixt Chapter The example of Ioseph of Arimathia most worthy to be imitated And take this lesson of Ioseph of Arimathia that like as he in his life time had made readie a Sepulcre in the middest of his Garden which was the place of his pleasure as all Gardens of great men most commonly are Euen so thou in the middest of these things wherein thou takest thy greatest felicitie and delight remember yet thy Graue and what one day thou knowest not how soone shall become of thy poore soule and afterward of thy soule and body for euer Remember and learne likewise at the Egiptians who perceiuing the mindfulnesse of death to be a good helpe to brydle their euill actions â—he vse and â—ustome of â—â—eâ— Egiptiâ—ns vsed to bring a Picture or Image resembling Death into their great and solemne Feastes which fearefull and ouglie sight trembling and shaking they tooke to be a speciall occasion to keepe the beholders in sobrietie by the remembrance of their end which they must all come vnto sooner or later And finally learne at the good King Ezechias â—he notable â—nd imitable â—xample of â—ing Ezeâ—hias when thou shalt be by any occasion put in the remembraunce of death be afâ—aide of Gods threatninges and sorrow a little before hand least thou be constrayned to sorrow howle and cry remeddesse alwayes afterwardes for according to the old saying Qui ante non cauebit post dolebit he that will not beware before shall afterward be sory Ecclesiasticus 7.40 And hee that in all his doinges remembreth the end shall neuer lightly do amisse The which wise remembraunce of our endes he vouchsafe to plant in our hearts who hath full dearely bought vs Iesus Christ the righteous to whom with his and our heauenly Father and the holy Spirit three persons and one eternall maiestie of Godhead all worthy glorie honour and prayse be worthely attributed for euer and euer Amen CHAP. VII The seuenth Chapter conteyning the Generall Preseruatiue against the despaire or doubting of Gods mercie arysing vpon any cause whatsoeuer FOr as much as it is a thing manifestly to be prooued by holy Scriptures that a man endued with true fayth it selfe may notwithstanding now and then be toubled and assaulted with motions of doubtinges wauering yea and of despairing therefore for the brideling suppressing and ouercomming of these assaultes it shall be good to put in practise these fiue thinges especially First we are to thinke and consider thus much The first preseruatiue against Despaire that as not to murther not to steale not to commit adulterie and all the rest of the Decalogue or ten Commaundementes are the Commaundementes of God and we are carefull and striue with our selues that wee should not breake any of them least that in breaking any of them we should so highly offend God that he would therefore powre downe vpon vs his heauie wrath and in his indignation seueerely punish vs as by many examples wee see he hath done to others in the like offences So also it is Gods commaundement as well as any of the other are 1. Ioh. 3.23 That wee beleeue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and therefore we must thinke wee offende against God as greeuously or rather farre more greeuously in violating and breaking this Commaundement by incredulitie doubting wauering and despairing as if we should shed mans blood commit whoredome theft periurie or any other such like notorious sinne O what a haynous sinne must it needes be to cast no doubtes nor despaire in the helpe of a mortall man in the time of neede and yet to mistrust and despaire of the like in God As for example We can settle our heartes to beleeue in our mortall Fathers if we stand in neede of meate drinke or cloathes An examâ—â—â— that man men put more truâ—â— in mortaâ— man therâ— God wee then call on them and if they promise vs any such thinges we can set our heartes at case and count it as a thing done we doubt nothing of their good wil towards vs nor of the performaunce of their word vnto vs wee depende vppon them wee relye onely on them and none other and what they giue their word to do for vs we make as sure reckoning of it as if it were alreadie in our handes Againe if we stand in neede of a peece of money as of x. â—nother â—xample â—ewing â—at many â—on put â—ore trust 〈◊〉 mortall â—â—n then 〈◊〉 God xx li. xxx li. or be it more or lesse to discharge some dangerous Bond or for any such like vse by a set day or to saue our bodyes out of prison and in the meane time before the day appointed come some one of our honest rich neighbours that is counted an honest substantial man and of good credite promise vs certainly so much money as we want and stand in need of to serue our turne with and bids vs trust vnto it that before that day he will be sure to helpe we herevpon trust his honest promise we beleeue his word make as sure account of it as if we had it already in our purses and take no more thought nor care for it O how much more should we trust Gods most faythfull iust and true word and promise beleeue him without all distrust doubting or despaire and depende vpon him who is a thousand times more able and more willing to do vs good and to keepe touch with vs then euer was or euer shal be any mortall earthly Father or friendly neigbour The second thing in this case to be considered of is that euery one of vs The second generall help against despâ—â—ation is particularly to beleeue that he is in the number of those that shal be saued by the merites of Christes death passion for the promises of saluation in Christ are indefinite excluding no particuler man as for example God so loued the world Iohn 3 16. that he gaue his onely beloued Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting In which generall wordes is included euery particuler beleeuing person although he haue not his name seuerally particulerly set downe and heere God excludeth none from his promise vnlesse through their vnbeleefe and despaire they exclude their owne selues If the King of Great Britaine of his owne meere mercie and motion of compassion or at the sure and mediation of some Noble man or other that is deare vnto him should freely pardon and forgiue all the malefactors and prisoners of any Gaile within his Kingdomes may we not account them very fond foolish men and not worthy the benefite of the Kinges gracious Pardon if some two or three should doubt and despaire that this generall Pardon
PHYSICKE TO CVRE THE MOST dangerous Disease of Desperation Collected for the direction and comfort of such Christians as trauayling and being heauie loaden in their Consciences with the burthen of their sinnes stand in danger either in time of their sicknesse to fall away from their God through deepe Despaire or else in time of their health to yeelde to one desperate end or other to the ruine and vtter confusion of both bodyes and soules for euer By W. W. Prou. 18.14 Who can beare a wounded spirite Aug. in lib de vtilitate paenitentiae agendae Ne desperatione augeâ—muâ— peccata propositus est penitentiae pâ—â—â—uâ—â—â—â—sus nâ— sperando auâ—â—amus 〈◊〉 est â—â—e mortis incerâ—â—â— AT LONDON Printed for Robert Boulton and are to be sold at his shop in Chauncerie lane 〈◊〉 Holborne 1605. TO THE RIGHT Honorable the Lord THOMAS HOWARD Earle of Suffolke Baron of Walden Knight of the most honorable order of the Garter Lord High Chamberlaine to the Kinges most excellent Maiestie and one of his most honorable priuie Counsaile GReat manifolde and terrible Right Honorable are the tumults turmoyles troubles feares and anguishes which the remembrance of sinnes bypast and present conioyned with the carefull contemplation and inward consideration of Gods greeuous threatninges and wrathfull indignation set foorth in holy Scriptures bring vnto weake troubled and ignorant consciences Great againe is the diligence and continuall is the wandering to and froâ— of Sathan that deadly and mortall foe of mankind to tempt and assault to bring to desperation deuoure sinners at all times in all places but especially in the dayes of affliction troubles plagues pestilences and sicknesses yea and most of all at the hower of death when man is at the weakest and most vnfit and vnable to withstand him when mans memorie fayleth him and his sences waxe dull his body is tormented and feebled his heart faynteth his wittes decay and euery part of his body ceasseth to performe and fulfill his due office then euen then I say most vigilant diligent and busie is that foule feende to vexe trouble disquiet to turmoyle men and to worke blasphemie and desperation in their heartes by laying before the eyes of their consciences al their former sinfull maner of lyuing and vngodly conuersation the breach of Gods commaundementes and his greeuous wrath against offenders the vnsupportable paynes and torturing tormentes death and damnation which are prepared for the wicked with the Diuell and his damned Angels The consideration of these thinges and the great negligence carelesnesse and contempt of prouiding remedies and phisicke in due time against this dangerous disease of Desperation hath moued mee at this present to employ my Penne according to that one poore talent which the Lord God hath committed vnto mee to the setting foorth of this Treatise following therby to arme and furnish poore ignorant Christians with some necessarie counsaile comfort and spirituall physicke whereby they may become the more able and readie in time of neede to defende themselues yea and to propell and driue backe their common enemie the Diuell tempting and entising to the most deadly sinne of Desperation These my poore laboures written both for the comfort of my selfe and strengthening of mine owne Fayth and for the like good of others if they will for their owne good take the paines to reade consider and accept thereof I your Honours poore incumbent of the medietie of the Rectorie of Ruskington in Lincolnshire the true and vndoubted Patronage whereof lately was the Kinges Maiesties and now is yours to dispose at your Honours good lyking haue attempted to send forth to the view of the world vnder your shielding protection and patrocinie And so with my humble petition for th' acceptance hereof with that submission that best befitteth my selfe and belongeth to a person of so great place calling I humbly lake my leaue At Ruskington in Lincolnshire this first of Nouember 1604. Your Hon. euer readie to be commaunded in all Christian dutie William Willimat A PREFACE TO THE Christian Reader IT is a wonder of the world a wonder to be seriously marked and diligentlye considered of and a wonder being seriously marked diligently considered of worthy to be deeply waighed and inwardly to be layde vp in mens heartes as a thing most necessarie profitable and auaileable to Christian pietie and euerlasting felicitie both of soule and body The first thing to be wondred aâ— and seriouslâ— to be consâ—dered of to see and to thinke of it how carefull watchfull diligent earnest and painefull almost all the world euery where is to auoyde to preuent to cure and to remedie all such troubles crosses griefes maladies infirmities and sicknesses as do or may befall the body And on the other side to see or finde so few watchfull carefull and painefull to auoyde preuent cure or expell the most dangegerous wounds of the spirit the troubles of the conscience or Desperation a mischiefe of al other mischiefes most needfull to be looked vnto â—he second â—hing to be â—onored at 〈◊〉 seriously 〈◊〉 be conâ—â—dered of It is a wonder to see and consider how many there are in the world which either loath and are afraide of bodily sicknesse or loue likes health will send for and seeke runne and ride after bodily Physitions and enquire after the best the most expert most skilfull of them to learne by their direction and to be aduised by their counsaile though it cost their pursse full deare how to purge and auoyde such corrupt humours as may breed though not presently bring foorth noysome diseases and sicknesses how carefull and how scrupulous they are to keepe a temperate order and a dyet in eating and drinking and how moderate they will be in sleepe and all other bodyly exercises And on the other side how few there be in the world that will either abate their sleepe for-goe their pleasures abridge their dyets or seeke after the spirituall Physition or prepare physick to purge and expell those dangerous peccant humors of notorious and hainous sinnes which in time will both breed and bring foorth the most deadly disease of Desperation the very Peste of soule and body for euer It is a wonder to see The third thing to be wondred at how many abhor and are afraide of worldly pouertie and for the auoyding thereof and for the loue and liking of transitorie riches will with great carke and care rise vp early and late take their rest they will fare hardly and go clad full barely they will hazard both bodyes and soules they will toyle and teare their flesh in vnmeasurable laboures by land and sea be the weather faire be it foule per mare pauperiem fugientes per saxa perignes And yet on the other side how few can abide any costes charges or paines to escape and remedie spirituall decayes to auoyde pouertie of conscience or in time before it be too late to beware that they be not plunged ere they
vnrepentant and wicked ones they worke after an other fashion and are of cleane contrary operation The conceits opinions of the wicked in their aduersities troubles whiles that they ascribe their aduersities and troubles either to blinde Fortune and Chaunce as though Fortune had a certaine power to worke without the working and prouidence of God or els vnto them that are not of their owne sect fayth and religion as did wicked Ahab to godly Elias 4. King 18. or to the Magistrates or to the Ministers of Gods word or to Fayth and Religion it selfe or to the Planets Starres and influences of the Elements yea and some will blame God him selfe as though they them selues were so innocent and blamelesse that God deales not well with them to lay vppon them such crosses and punishmentes and so very busie they make themselues to shift off all blame euer to otheres faultes And although their sinnes be multiplyed to exceeding multitudes of offences yet they will not see nor confesse any such thinges in them selues nor any thing consider nor regarde the punishmentes of God layde vppon them and cleauing vnto them for the same But through their hardnesse of hart and want of fayth which is the mother of all blasphemie abhomination they can not spy whose hand it is that is against them nor wherefore or els beeing euen as it were violently forced to know it that it is the working of the Lord against them and his vengeance in heauie displeasure vpon them yet they will not be mooued thereby nor any thing at all stirred vp to amende their lyues but like vnto King Pharao the more God correcteth them the more obstinatly they swarue decline and flie away from him being like vnto gracelesse children with whom neither wordes threatninges nor beating can preuaile Like vnto them that will neither daunce with the piper Math. 11.17 Luk. 7.31 32 nor lament with the mourner And so farre off are they from being recouered won and reformed by meanes of any crosses afflictions troubles lighting on them and following them euen as the shadow doth the body that they will sooner burst out into all maner of impatientnes bitternes and spightfull poysonfull rayling and blaspheming wordes against the righteousnes of God saying That their punishment is greater then their sinnes and heauier then they can brooke or beare and that they are wronged and are not indifferently dealt with and so at the length after heaping one sinne in the necke of an other the Diuell brings them on and by little and little windes them into that he gapes for The endes that the Diuel bringes the wicked vnto by their afflictions troubles and crosses namely into a reprobate minde and deadly Desperation in so much that at the last they fall to and yeelde to murthering hanging drowning or by other such meanes most miserably to dispatch themselues with their owne handes like vnto Saule Achitophel Iudas so giuing them selues ouer to the Diuell and as they lyued for a while most wretchedly so they depart out of the world as diuellishly forgetting vtterly altogether inconsiderate retchlesse and carelesse what shall become of them afterwards for euer By whose liues Two commodities to be reaped by the liues and maner of the death of the wicked and maner of deathes the children of God may yet reape two commodities first they shall be eased of the great troubles disturbance and discommoditis and of the leawd and euill examples which they gaue to others whiles they lyued And secondly they which remaine aliue after them may learne and take warning by their shamefull fals and by their terrible examples and desperate deaths lay hold on repentance and amendement of their lyues before it be too late CHAP. VI. The Sixt Chapter concerning the Remedies against Desperation arising and growing by long custome of sinne and by delaying putting off the forsaking of sinne from day to day IT is written that the continuall and long custome of sinne and the delaying and putting off from time to time of the amendement of life The great danger of custome of sinne and of delaying of amendement of life is one of the greatest and most dangerous deceites and cunning stratagems and pollicies which the enemie of mankind doth vse towards the children of Adam for he is not ignorant how that like as Linkes in a Chaine one catcheth hold and hangeth by an other and one draweth an other Euen so by continuance long custome and secure sleeping in sinne one sinne draweth on an other and so euery day sinne is added to sinne so that by tolleration and procrastination sinne so mightely encreaseth by this meanes waxeth so headstrong that in the end the saying of the Poet prooueth very true to wit Qui non est hodie oras minus aptus erit Hee that is not ready to day to forgoe forsake sinne to morrow-day shall he be more vnfit A comparison shewing the danger of long custome and weltering in sinnes The Diuell knoweth well enough how that like as old festered and long groweÌ„ soares diseases of the body are farre more dangerous more troublesome and harder to be healed require a longer time by much to be cured then if they had bin looked to at the first Euen so the diseases of the soule as swearing theeuing whoring drunkennes and such like being once long accustomed setled hauing gotten an habite are either neuer or seldome and that with greater difficultie afterwardes rooted out then at the first beginning they might haue been And so by these diseases of the soule the habite thereof hauing once taken roote in man and the Diuell by them hauing gotten the surer hold and possession he endeuâ—reth most diligently by all wayes and meanes applyeth to keepe men still on in vre and practise with old and long accustomed sinnes vntill at the length in extremitie of sicknesse towards the hower of death if not before hee may by such causes and occasions plant worke in the heart of man deepe despaire to his vtter confusion for euer To resist therefore to remedie and helpe this cankerlike creeping infectious euill let vs to day while it is yet to day study to turne againe vnto God cast out the Diuel and with him this great cause and occasion of Desperation euen long custome of sinne and delay of amendement of our liues the thing that so hangeth on and presseth vs downe let vs in time while we haue time take a better course looking vp vnto Iesus Christ and set him before the eyes of our fayth as the only marke to shoot at And for as much as we can not turne againe vnto the Lord forsake our former wallowing in our former long accustomed sins except the Lord our God reach vs his helping hand to turne vs vnto him and that repentance is not in our owne power to take it vp Whence reâ—entance â—mendemeÌ„t 〈◊〉 life
before our death yet as I before sayd full many are the stoppes lets and impedimentes which both may also dayly do fall out to hinder put by this late repentance that so many will needes trust vnto A catalogue of lets and impedimnts which oftentimes fall out when we come to the last hower that hinder and put by that late repentance which so many trust vnto and make all their reckoning of putting off from day to day from yeare to yeare till this last time approch and fâ—l on them in deed For so long as the extremities of sicknes do nippe and pinch our mortall bodyes the doloure panges and paynes racking and tormenting our flesh will keepe our mindes so occupied sometime calling on the Phisition for helpe sometime turning tossing and seeking for ease in euery corner of the bed yea and from bed to bed while strength doth serue sometime taking this Receipt and sometimes that as the Phisitions shall minister sometimes turmoyled and occupied both in minde and body by the working and purging of the Apothecarieâ— drugges receiued sometimes disquiet and brawling with those that are attending about vs crying out on them as though their vsing and handling of vs were the occasion of our greater panges and paines with these and such like circumstaunces are both bodyes and mindes exercised and vexed so long as the vigour and strength of flesh and blood are able to endure and hold out and so busied herewith continually that we seldome haue any rest or leasure to frame our selues to any quiet calling on God to any repentaunce or vnfaigned and zelous crying for mercie for if we sometimes endeuour our selues to begin to go about it yet behold one thing or other soone striketh all out of minde and disturbes vs so that neuer a whit the better But if after the powers and senses of our bodyes be once worne and weakened and the feeling of the extreame dolours and pangues of the sicknesse be mittigated wherby the body after a time of wrestling and wearying of it selfe is now somewhat quieted Moe lets 〈◊〉 impedimeÌ„t of late repentance 〈◊〉 conuerting to God and so the minde more setled we then begin againe to take better holde yet still on either the care of children wife for want of sufficient prouision for them or griefe to depart from them or the remembrance of landes goodes houses and possessions and other worldly treasures the loue liking and delights whereof haue possessed our heartes all our life time before will now so afresh enter and trouble our heades and mindes that yet time serues not for to continue any such godly and christian exercises as we in health time when we should haue done it made no account of and deferred vntill the last hower The effectes of choler in time of extreame sicknes Sometimes are we troubled and diseased with melancholy and frensies choler shooting vp into our braines and with such crampes convultions caused by much euacuation and such abundance of choler in our vaines that hereof followes the natural effectes rauinges blasphemings vnsensible talking wrything of the lippes strange and vnaccustomed wresting and turning of the necke buckling of the ioyntes whole body yea often times such extraordinay strength that three or foure men can not hold vs nor rule vs without bondes With these and such like strange effectes are many men depriued not onely of the right vse of the partes of their bodyes but also of their reason right wittes and last of all of life it selfe Are not heere then lettes and stayes enough from the performance of that amendement of life prayer and crying God mercy which we proroged and put off in our life time Put case that we be neither cut off with sodaine death nor annoyed at our last end with any of these aforesayd lets and impediments of strange diseases and extraordinary effectes thereof nor with any other such like noysome troublesome circumstaunces or sicknesses but that we haue time leasure and quietnesse to do all such things as any of vs al trusted vnto at our last farewell with the world The Diuelâ— will be moâ—â— busie to hinder repentance at oâ—â— last hower yet will that deadly enemie that mortall aduersay of ours Sathan the Diuell at that time aboue all other apply himselfe and let vs looke for no other but what vile sinne we haue committed delighted in in all our life time that will he lay to our charge and clogge our conscienses with to bring vs into desperation with and by them he will put vs in minde and terrifie vs with Gods seuere threatninges against sinne Hee will obiect against vs that saying of our Lord Christ Matth. 19. that if we would haue entred into life we should haue kept his Commaundements Math. 7. Hee will tell vs that not hee that sayth Lord Lord but hee that doth the will of the father of he uen shall enter into the kingdome of God Hee will put vs in minde that Not the hearers of the Law Rom. 2. Rom. 8. but the doers shall be iustified Hee will threaten vs that because we haue liued according to the flesh we shall die Hee will cracke vs â— Cor. 6.9.10 that the vnrighteous shall not inherite the kingdome of God and that neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterers nor Wantons nor Buggerers nor Theeues nor the Couetous nor Drunkards nor Raylors nor Extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God And that such as haue lyued according to the workes of the flesh which are repeated vp Gala 5. 2. Cor. 5. shall not attaine to the kingdome of God â—er 2. And that wee must be presented before the iudgement seate of Christ Apocal. 20. and euery man receiue particularly according as he hath done in this life 2. Peter 2. good or euill euery man shall receiue according to his workes And that God spared not the Angels when they sinned 1. Pet. 4. And if the Iust shall scarce be saued where shall the Wicked man and sinner appeare When all these and a great deale more describing and setting foorth vnto vs the rigour of Gods seueare iustice and the reckoning wherevnto wee shall be called shall be put into our mindes on our death-beds and that damned Sathan which all the dayes of our liues before laboured to make vs carelesse and negligent of the knowledge or consideration of any of these thinges that so he might make vs the more boldly and blindly to runne headlong into sinne shall charge vs with this and much more like stuffe appealling to our owne consciences for witnesse hereof and so herevpon plant in our guiltie heartes deepe Desperation Alas in what case shall our poore soules then stand Would a man then for a thousand worldes and all the profites and pleasures thereof be brought to such a quandarie O thou therefore that readest or hearest this damnable and miserable state that sillie soules