that they might knowe what they ought to doe and if I find anie so obstinate that will not learne or so vngodly that doth refuse to reforme his life I reforme my house and send him out of the doores for I knowe the roome of such to bee better then their companie and that one skabbed shéepe may marre a whole flocke and the companie of the vngodly to be so dangerous as no plague nor pestilence is so infectious and I haue learned of Dauid to looke vnto * Psal 10.16 such as are faithfull in the land that they may dwel with me and such as feare God those I make my seruants Par. These orders in bringing vp of your seruants in the feare of God deserue great commendations But if they doe their seruice faithfully as it becommeth them do you keep them continually in the seruitude of Egypt Gen. No for I am taught to * Eccle. 7 21. Deut. 15.13 loue a discrete seruaunt as mine owne soule and not to defraud him of his libertie nor leaue him a poore man and it is my duetie to doe vnto my seruants that which * Colo. 4.1 is iust and equall knowing that meself haue a master in heauen Thus M. Parson haue I shewed you my bringing vppe and howe from my Childehoode vnto this daie I haue lead my life and of these orders if it please you I can be contented you shal be a partner and if you be now any better perswaded then heretofore I wil willingly bestow the charge on you to finde you meate and drinke and all other thinges necessary for you as long as you liue if you will accept such intertainment as I can make you Par. Sir I am bound to thanke you for your good will moste heartelie but I doe not yet find any such necessity to be chargeable vnto any man as long as I am able to discharge my selfe Gen. Oh it gréeueth me to heare you are you alwaies one manner of man you haue tolde me that you haue no wife nor child to care for and what can you more desire then food and raiment Par. But what neede I become subiect to any mā when as I maie be master of seruantes my selfe Gen. For any subiection at your handes I neuer meant to looke for but if you can like of this offer you shal haue a chamber as your owne a man at your commaundement and you shall fare no worse then my selfe which I trust shal be sufficient to content either of vs both Therefore if you can finde in your hearte to forsake your vngodlie promotion and liuings vnlawfullie possessed and becom a new man and seruaunt to God saie no longer nay but take this offer while you maie haue it Par. To haue a Chamber in your house and to forgoe a house of mine owne is so exchaunge the better for the woorse and to shut my selfe in a prison wheras I am now at libertie and whereas you offer mee one man to attend on me you maie knowe that I now am able to keepe thrée or foure faule fellowes which are readie at all times to serue my tourne and I am so well beloued amongst my parishioners that ther are few men or their wiues but are at my commandement to do for me the best that they maie therefore you to counsell mee to leaue all these commodities and bee chargeable to you is to trouble your selfe and doe me no pleasure Gen. Oh M. Parson I would not wishe you to thinke so but that I can be content to be at greater charge so that I might thereby doe you any good And these vanities which you account commodities are nothing but trains of the diuel to trap you in his gin for he could be contented to giue you all this worlde if it were his that hee might haue but your soule in the worlde to come therefore M. Parson I woulde you knew it that that which I haue sayde I wish you for the best and that you might be vnburdened of that great charge which is too heauie for you to beare Oh let not the loue of money worke the losse of your soule but be contented to lose somwhat for Christ which was contented to laie downe his life for you oh * VVis 1.12 seeke not your death in the error of your life make no tarying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not of from day to day vnlesse his wrath come suddenly and in the time of vengeance he do destroy you doe no longer sel your selfe to sinne this miserable world but set your affections in heauen where your redemer liueth for euer Come awaie from that whoore of Babylon drinke no longer of her poison leaue of from Papistrie and defie the Pope and al Poperie Par. Why I trust gentleman you doe not thinke that I am a Papist for so you might prooue me a traitor both to God and the Quéene Gen. Truelie M. Parson I haue taken you for no other al this while Par. Then I perceiue you haue beene farre deceiued for I would you knewe it I am as good a Protestant as the proudest of you al. Gen. What are you so I praie you what protestation can you make thereof that I maie be so wel persuaded of you Par. I can eate fleshe on Fridaies I care not if there were not one fasting daie in a whole yeare I can fal to my vittailes al the Lente I care not if the Pope were hanged so I mighte fare a penie the better for it I can bee as holy in the Church as any man although the flesh be somwhat fraile when I am abroade and a thousande such thinges can I doe which woulde be to long to reherse Gen. Oh I perceiue you are deceiued of your self for you are an Epicure out right What doe you account this to bee a Protestants life No M. Parson a Protestaunt is not knowne by these marks Par. No I praye you howe wil you know a Protestant Gen. If hee professe that there is no redemption * 1. Tim. 2.5 but in the bloud of Christ if the word * Gal. 3.24 of god dwel in him plentifully if his talke be alwaies of the * Heb. 9.26 commaundements of the Lorde if his profession and * Colo 6.7 Deut. 6.7 Rom. 2.13 his life doe agree if hee loue such as feare God for his sake if the world be * Psal 15.4 Gal. 5.24 crucified vnto him and he vnto the world if he be not hie minded but doth make himself equal with those of the lower sort If he * Phil. 3.8 count al the worlde but dung that he may winne Christ if hee loue * Psal 119. the lawe of the Lorde aboue golde or pretious stone If he be no * Ephe. 5.5 whoremonger no drunkard no vsurer no theefe no swearer no filthie talker no couetous person If he be no negligent Pastor if he be sory for his sinnes committed and doth seeke to become a
new man if he loue Christ and his Gospel so wel * Luk. 14.26 that he can be contented to loose his life for the same If you finde this in a man knowe him to be a Protestant as wel in deed as in name for this is required of him that wil be a professour of the gospel and bear the name of a Protestant Par. What are there no Protestaunts but such as haue al this in them then I think there be not manie Protestauntes amongest a great number of professors Gen. In deede I knowe Christes flocke is a litle flocke that it is an easier matter to bee called a Protestaunt then prooued a Protestant but yet some there are and that manie more then we knowe which do worship God in spirite and trueth and are appointed to be heires of the kingdome of heauen Of the which number M. Parson I long to finde you one and if you will once turn vnto Christ he wil be be merciful vnto you and there wil bee more ioie of so penitent a sinner then of * Luk. 15.7 ninety and nine iust persons If you did know the rewarde you should haue for following of Christe you would make haste to goe after him If you did knowe the ioies that God hath prepared for those that loue him were such as the * 1 Cor. 2.9 eye hath not seene the eare hath not hard nether the hart of man hath euer conceiued you woulde thirste after them as the Hart doth for the water brooks If you did knowe howe * Psal 84.1 amiable are the dwellinges of the Lorde of Hostes your soule woulde haue a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the Lorde yea your heart and your fleshe would reioice in the liuing God If you did know that in his presence is the * Psal 16.12 fulnes of ioy that at his right hand there are pleasures for euermore you wil chuse rather to be a * Psal 84.11 doore keeper in the house of youre God then to dwel in the tentes of the vngodlie If you did know the glorie they shal haue in his kingdome that suffer for his sake in this world you would set more by the * â—eb 11.16 rebuke of Christe then by al the treasures of Egipt Beware of that subtil serpent the Diuel which goeth aboute like a * â— Pet. 5.8 roaring Lion readie to deuour you it is his persuasions the makes you in loue with this world and if it lay in him he would saie vnto you as he did vnto Christ that he * Mat. 4.8 woulde giue you al the kingdomes in the worlde to fal downe worship him for riches and other vanities of the world being vnlawfully possessed are nothing but baites of that subtile Serpent to intrap such as be not warie of him Therefore as you loue the safetie of your self depart from that which is euil remember * Rom. 6.23 that euerlasting life is the gift of God and the reward of sinne is euerlasting damnation and know that one sweete loost from Christes cheekes is better then al the faire countenances of the world and an angrie countenaunce from his face is able to crush al their enimies in peeces Therfore auoid his displeasure beware of his wrath get into his fauor and continue in his fear and you shal stand though the earth fal and shal be sure of the victorie though al the world were set against you Par. For your good councel I most heartelie thank you with your gentle persuasions you haue greatlie moued me therefore I mean to take another order with my self which I trust shal like you wel enough Gen. I pray you M. Parson let me hear that order Par. Thus I doe determine to lay my plot because it is a feareful thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God and greate dangers are like to befal those that coÌ„tinue in their sinne I wil take such a order that I wil not spende much but liue sparingly a while vntil I haue gotten a good peece of mony in my purse that may maintaine me during my life and then I wil departe from my liuings and repent for al matters halfe a dozen yeares hence Gen. But what if you should chauuce to dye M. Parson before these yeares come out Par. In deede that is the worst I neuer thought on that Gen. Oh in any wise haue care of that for death commeth manye times vnlooked for and you are not sure of your life one houre and if death should ouertake you in your sinnes you are lost for euer Therefore I wold wish you not to delay the time any longer but deale wisely for your selfe while you may for if you be once gone * Psal 50.22 no man may deliuer you nor make agreement vnto God for you Par. Truely Gentleman you say honestly your persuasions are verie strong and if I might be sure to obteine the fauor of God and inherite the kingdome of heauen by suche meanes as you haue shewed me and that there were no doubte of it I could be contented to yeeld vnto you but I must tel you plain my benefices are swéete and if I should forsake them all and go to the diuel at last it would grieue me Gen. To put you oute of doubte for that matter heare what Christe himselfe saith which is the dore whereby you must enter into heauen whosoeuer * Mar. 19.29 saith he forsaketh house or brethren father or mother wife or children goodes or landes for my names sake shal receiue an hundred folde in this world and in the world to come life euerlasting Par. What is ment by that hundred fold that if I put awaie my benefices I shall haue them againe and manie more then I care not how soone I depart with them Gen. No M. Par. you must not thinke so but this knowe that God is able to giue you a thousande times more as you maie see by the example of * Iob. 42.10 Iob but the meaning is this that you shal in this whorlde haue such peace of conscience which the vngodlie are without that you shal saie with Paule you are as * 2. Cor. 6.10 hauing nothing and yet possessing all things and in the world to come ioies vnspeakable in a life that shal last for euer Therefore M. Parson think no time so happie as that which you bestow in procuring of your self that which wil stick by you for euer Par. Oh this comfort is great and these wordes haue stroken me to the heart Gen. How doe you M. Par me thinkes your collour doth begin to change Par. Oh oh oh Gen. What are you not wel that you looke so ill Par. Oh sicke sicke Gen. I woulde we had some Ginger for you or a little Aquauitie Par. Oh I am sicke I am sicke Gen. Wil you ride to some towne and we will send your water to some phisition Par. Oh no
mercy tovvardes vs for euer VVe confesse that our sinnes haue wel deserued thy vvrath and our vvickednesse is great ynough to prouoke thy anger and we know that thy mercies already shewed vnto vs haue beene more then our deseruinges vve haue alwayes felt thy fatherly affection towardes vs vvhen we haue shewed our selues vnnaturall children and revvarded thee euill for good Oh lord forgiue it vs forgiue our vngodly behauiour lay not our sins to our charge but continue thy mercy tovvardes vs still Looke fauourably vppon this Realme blesse va vvith thy goodnesse and defende vs from Sathan and all his ministers ouerthrow their deuelish deuices and bevvray their vngodly pollices preserue our Queene vvhome thou hast placed ouer vs let her rule faithfully in thy feare make her dayes happy and sende her a long life if it be thy good pleasure and vvhen this her earthly princely state shall ceasse giue her a heauenly kingdome where shee may reigne for euer make her counsellers vvise in thy feare to giue such councel as may tende to thy glory let he nobles know that their honors consisteth in thy worship Teach magistrates to humble themselues and seeke the aduancement of thy glory let them know that they are not placed in office by thee to gouern as they list or do that which seemeth good in their owne eyes but to suppresse sinne support vertue let them draw their swordes to cut downe vice and imbrace godlines as that which is onely their worship teach the ministerie to teach the trueth vnto their flocke and seeke the safety of thy people and not their owne priuate gayne let them not be such as can teach others and not them selues that can shere the sheepe and not feed the flocke let not the desire of filthy lucre make them carelesse to do their duety but let the remembrance of thee which wilt call them to an account cause them to haue a care of their charge Teach masters of housholdes mystresses and Dames children and seruauntes to serue thee and lead their liues in thy feare O Lord learne theÌ„ to know that to dwell vnder thy defence is only to be happy and not to obey thee is to be accursed and to heap vp for our selues wrath against the day of wrath vvhen euery man shall be revvarded according to his vvorkes let the power of thy majestie vvhich canst vvith a vvorde shake all the povvers in heauen and earth strike so deepe into our hearts that we may set more by thy fauour then all the fayre countenaunces of the world which are but vaniti let not any thing be our delight but that vvhich may please thee let nothing make vs sory but that which doth offend thy maiesty Also we beseech thee to looke vppon thy vvhole Churche vvheresoeuer with fauour beholde it comfort the afflicted members therof deliuer them with speed or giue them patience to tarry thy leasure let them not faint in that good course they haue begon that suffer for thy truch but be thou their help in trouble and lay no more vppon them then they are able to beare And although we at this time here at home haue not so great cause to complayne as many of our brethren in other countries But thou O Lord hast delt more fauourably vvith vs then with them yet let vs not be proude of our estate but giue vs heartes of humilitie to prostrate our selues before thy maiestie for vve know that our deseruings are not such nor thy hande is not so shortned but that thou canst strike vs as well as them let not so great wickednesse lodge in our brests that our prosperity shoulde make vs to forget thee for although vve sleepe now in secutitie and thinke our selues out of danger yet thou canst quickly set the nations about vs vpon our eares and giue vs ouer to a worse mischeefe euen amongest our selues thou canst soone make a whole man a sicke body and of a liuing body a dead corps and all our pleasures may soone be gone the aduersitie of one howre may make vs to forget all our sinnes haue truly deserued these and greater plagues but that thy mercy tovvardes vs hath beene great vvhich I beseech thee for euer to continue Forgiue vs our sinnes and pardon vs for thy sonne Christs sake quicken vs as thou art wont to do thy chosen giue vs a taste of the ioyes of thy kingdome that vve may knowe it is better to be a dore keeper in thy house then to dwel in the tentes of the wicked vngodly let not the vaine delights of this corrupt world lead vs vnto vanity nor let the alterations of this changeable time turne our harts from thee but teach vs to knovve that thou art alvvayes one and the same dost neuer forget such as doe put their trust in thee VVe know that thy fatherly care ouer thy children is great that they shal not loose a haire of their head but thou wilt knowe how they come forÌ„ it oh learn vs for so gret loue to loue thee againe and feare to offend so deare a Father keep farre from vs the breach of thy laws couetous mindes lying lipes swearing tongues malicious hearts vnchast and vngodly behauiour which doth offend thee and prouoke thine anger againsty vs beate down our stoute stomcks that we may stand in awe feare thy displeasure that the plagues due for our sinnes may be turned away from vs. O Lord make vs wise in time plaÌ„t in our harts a loue to thy iudgements and alwaies haue im minde that thou which madest the eye must needs see which madest the eare must needs heare and thou which seaâ—chest the hearts and reins must needs find out our wickednesse And because of our selues we are not able to doe any thing that is good but prone and apt to all kinde of sinne and wickednesse we beseech thee so to assist vs with the ayde and help of thy holy spirite that we may through the same do those things vvhich of our selues we are not able that it may be to thy glory and for the health of our owne soules Oh let these our praiers pearce the heauens and enter into thine eares and giue vs this and all other things necessary for vs from this time to the end of our liues and after death a life to liue for euer for thy deare sonnes sake in whose name vve beg it of thee in that praier vvhich he himselfe hath taughte vs saying Our father c.
wel for of that minde haue I alwaies bene that it is no matter what we doe our selues nor how we liue for Christe by his death hath purchased pardon for al. Gen. Oh now I perceiue you are farre deceiued to thinke you maie liue at your pleasure and that Christe will be a baude to your sinne for Christe died not for vs to the intent that we should continue in sinne but that we * Rom. 6.4 should die vnto sinne and liue vnto righteousnesseâ— and let no man take such libertie by the death of Christ that he may liue as he list and yet goe for a good Christian for S. Paule saith * Gal 5.24 they that are Christes haue crucified the fleshe with the affections and lusts thereof and again * â— Tim. 2 9. all that will cal on the name of Christ mast depart from iniquitie Par. What are you there now I praie you let vs talke no more of that matter but let vs returne to our women againe which we had in talke but now me thought that communication did like me well I praie you by what tokens shall a man knowe a bad woman Gen. If she serue not the true God but false Gods of her owne inuention as did * 2. Chr. 5.16 Maacha whome her owne sonne Asa put from her authority and burnt the idole that she had made If she be as very a harlot as * Gen. 39.12 Putyphars wife which whould haue committed Whoredome with her seruaunt Ioseph if he had not beene the honester man Af she be as couetous as * Gen. 3.15 Rachell that was contented to giue another woman leaue to lie by her husband Iacob for a little Mandragoâ—as If she be such a one as Paul speaketh of that do waÌ„der from * 1. Tim. 5.13 house to house idle and not idle onely but as a tatler and busibodie speaking thinges that are not comly If she be worldly minded wretchedlie giuen so drunken with the same that she set more by the carefulnes of the worlde then by Christ his Gospel as did * Luk. 10.4 Martha if she be as Popeholy as the péeuishe woman in the Popishe time that could not saie their Paternoster without a payre of beades If you find anie of these in a Woman praie for her that she maie amend her maners and haue grace to come out of the snare of the diuell of whom shee is holden captiue at his pleasure Par. I praie God amend them all and now you haue shewed me how I shal know the difference betweene a good woman and a bad I praie you let me heare what good councell you would giue vnto your women and maidens that might be a staie for them in their tender yeares Gen. I would wish them aboue al things first to seeke to serue God and leade their liues in his feare and by the example of Sara Râ—â—uels daughter to fliâ—â— vnto the Lorde in al their disâ—â—esses and to say with her oute of the 〈◊〉 of a good conscience * Tob. 3.16 thou knowest Lord that I had neuer desire vnto man but haue kept my soule cleane and from â—â—â—â—â—nely lâ—st I haue not kept company with such as passe their time in sporte neither haue â—â—â—iade my self partaker with their 〈◊〉 walke in light behauiouâ—â—â— husband haue I consented to take not for my pleasure but in thy feare and in any wise I would withe them to beware of gadding by the example of * Gen. 34.1 Dina the daughter of Lea which on a time would needs go abroade to see and to be seene and loste her virginitie before she came home let them beware of proud hearâ—â— and wanton lookes by the daughters of Sion * Esai 3.16 which did walk with stretched out neckes coy lookes going tripping nicely and tinkling with their féet that these plagues fal not on them whiche the Lord promised the daughters of Sion that he would shaue their heades and discouer their filthinesse and take away the gorgeousnesse of their attire their Caules and the round tyres after the fashion of the Moone the sweete perfumes the braâ—lets and the Wimples the bonnets the slops the headbandes and the Tablets the eare ringes and noâ—eiewels the costly apparel the vailes the crisping pinnes the glasses and the fine linnen the hoods and the launs and in steed of good smel giue them stinch and for their girdle a rent and for wel set hatre baldnesse and in steed of a stomacher a sackcloth and for their beautie sunburning Par. But what shal they haue for their Dublets doe you finde that mentioned in the Scriptures Gen. No I neuer did read of it and therfore I thinke there was no abhomination so great before Par. Why is it an abhomination for a Woman to weare a dublet thinke you Gen. The holy Ghost thought so when he gaue a commaundemente to the contrarie Par. I praie you what commandement is there for it Gen. This we may find writtten in Deutronomium that * Deut. 22.5 a Woman ought not to weare that which perteineth to a man nor a man that which perteineth to a woman for all that doe so are abhomination vnto the Lorde Par. Then by this saying it is no more lawfull for a woman to were a dublet then it is for a man to weare a Peticoate Gen. In deed as you saie they be both alike and both abhominable in the sight of God Par. I thinke our gentlewomen doe not know this that they doe now a daies so much vse it Gen. Whether they doe or no I knowe not but if they doe not it is through want of knowledge in the worde of God which is the cause of this and a great manie such faultes but if there be anie that doe know it and vse it I would wish them to leaue it if they set more by the fauour of God then they do by the pride of a dublet Par. Some there may bee that will reforme themselues if they haue committed this fault through ignoraunce but manie of them I thinke wil still continue as fine as a dogge in a dublet Gen. Well let them looke to this and all other such faults as they wil aunswere for it and because ignorance is the cause of manie of these faultes some there be that would frame themselues to better maners if they knew which way I would wish theÌ„ euerie morning before they attire them selues to set the bible before them as a glasse that they maie be sure to put on such cloths as they maie seeme comely in the sighte of God and there they shal see * 1. Pet. 3.3 the Apostle wil tel them that they must beware of embroidered haire or hanging on of Golde either putting on of gorgeous apparel and the hid man which is in the heart must bee without corruption of a meeke and quiet spirite which is before God a thing muche set by and after this maner