Spirit adopted vs to be thine own children heirs apparent to the great crown O Lord opē our eies euery day more more to see consider of thy great and maruellous loue to vs in all these things that by the due consideration therof our hearts may be drawen yet neerer vnto thee euen more to loue thee feare thee and obey thee that as thou art enlarged towards vs in mercy so we may be enlarged towards thee in thankesgiuing and as thou doest abound towards vs in goodnes so we may abound towards thee in obedience and loue And sith deere Father thou art neuer weary of doing vs good notwithstanding al our vnworthines and naughtinesse therefore let the consideration of thy great mercy and fatherly kindnesse towards vs euen as it were force our hearts and compell vs to come into thy most glorious presence with new songs of thākesgiuing in our mouths We pray thee O most merciful God to forgiue vs all our vnthankefulnes vnkindnesse prophanenesse great abusing of thy mercies and specially our abuse and contempt of thy Gospel together with all other the sinnes of our life which we confesse are innumerable and moe than can be reckoned vp both in omission of good things and commission of euill We most humbly intreat thee to set them all ouer to the reckoning which thy son Christ hath made vp for thē vpon his crosse and neuer to lay any of them to our charge but freely forget all and forgiue all Naile downe all our sinnes and iniquities to the Crosse of Christ bury them in his death bathe them in his bloud hide them in his wounds let them neuer rise vp in iudgement against vs. Set vs free of the miseries that are vpon vs for sin and keep backe the iudgements to come both of soule body goods and good name Be reconciled vnto vs in thy deere Sonne concerning all matters past not once remembring or repeating vnto vs our old and abominable iniquities but accept vs as righteous in him imputing his righteousnesse to vs and our sinnes to him Let his righteousnesse satisfie thy iustice for all our vnrighteousnesse his obedience for our disobedience his perfection for our imperfection Moreouer we humbly beseech thy good maiesty to giue vs the true sight and feeling of our manifold sinnes that we may not be blinded in them through delight or hardened in thē through custome as the reprobates are but that wee may be euen weary of them and much grieued for them labouring and striuing by all possible meanes to get out of them Good Father touch our hearts with true repentance for all sinne Let vs not take any delight or pleasure in any sinne but howsoeuer we fall through frailty as wee fall often yet let vs neuer fall finally let vs neuer lie downe in sinne nor continue in sinne but let vs get vpon our feet againe and turne to thee with all our hearts and seeke thee whilest thou maiest be found and whilest thou dost offer grace mercy vnto vs. O Lord increase in vs that true and liuely faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy Sonne Christ and rest vpon his merits altogether Giue vs faith assuredly to beleeue all the great and precious promises made in the Gospell and strengthen vs from aboue to walke and abound in all true sound fruits of faith Let vs walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Let vs feele the power of thy Sons death killing sinne in our mortall bodies and the power of his resurrection raising vs vp to newnesse of life Let vs grow daily in the sanctification of the spirit and the mortification of the flesh Let vs liue holily iustly and soberly in this present euill world shewing forth the vertues of thee in al our particular actions that we may adorne our most holy profession and shine as lights in the middest of a crooked and froward generation amongst whom we liue being gainfull to all by our liues and conuersations and offensiue to none To this end wee pray thee fill vs with thy spirit and al spiritual graces as loue wisedome patience contentment meekenesse humility temperancy chastity kindnesse and affability and stirre vs vp to vse praier and watchfulnesse reading and meditation in thy law and all other good meanes whereby wee may grow and abound in all heauenly vertues Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes from day to day make vs such as thou wouldest haue vs to bee and such as we desire to be working in vs both will and deed purpose and power For thou O Lord art all in all thou wilt haue mercy vpon whom thou wilt haue mercy whō thou wilt thou hardenest Haue mercy vpon vs therefore deere Father and neuer leaue vs to our selues nor to our owne wils lusts and desires but assist vs with thy good spirit that we may continue to the end in a righteous course that so at length we may be receiued into glory and be partatakers of that immortal crown which thou hast laid vp for all that loue thee and truely call vpon thee Further we entreat thee O heauenly father to giue vs all things necessary for this life as food raiment health peace liberty and such freedome from those manifold miseries which we lie open vnto euery day as thou seest meet Blesse vnto vs all the meanes which thou hast put into our hands for the sustenance of this fraile life Blesse our stocke store corne and cattell trades and occupations and all the workes of our hands for thy blessing onely maketh rich and it bringeth no sorrowes with it Giue vs therefore such a competency and sufficiency of these outward blessings as thou in thy heauēly wisdome seest most needfull for vs. Moreouer we humbly beseech thee most louing Father in great mercy to looke downe from heauen vpon thy whole Church and euery member of it Be fauourable vnto Sten and build vp the wals of Ierusalem Behold with the eie of pity the great ruines and desolations of thy Church Heale vp the wounds and make vp the breaches thereof in all Nations Regard it as thine owne flocke tender it as thine owne family dresse it as thine owne vinyeard loue it as thine owne spouse Thinke thoughts of peace to it and alwaies looke vpon it in deep compassion Blesse it with thy grace guide it with thy spirit and defend it alwaies with thy mightie power scatter the deuices cōfound the counsels ouerthrow the forces of all that fight against it Specially we intreat thee deere father to set thy self against that Antichrist of Rome that man of perdition which setteth himselfe against thee and against all thy people In thine appointed time we pray thee giue him a deadly downe fal Beat downe all his power and authority daily more and more giue free passage to thy Gospell in all kingdomes that Babylon may fall and neuer rise vp againe The more the fauourites adherents of Rome labour to
reconciliation with God when by casting off sinne in this houre he may in this houre cast off al these curses and miseries accompanying sinne and so both liue a blessed life all his time and close vp his daies with a blessed death which shall be the beginning of eternall life what foolish bodie wouldly forty or fifty yeares mortally languishing of some disease refusing to be cured all his best time and seeking helpe onely in his last worst time when the cure is doubt full by reason nature is decayed or if he recouer yet he cannot enioy his health aboue a day or a weeke or a month and then giue ouer life all But ten thousand times worse infatuated are they that would lie the whole age of a mā in a mortall languishment of soule as it were bedred by reason of sinne and neuer take the physick of repentance till they lie gasping for breath when it is vncertaine whether they shall then haue leasure to repent or if they repent whether it will be of force and able to fetch life in the soule being so farre gone in that desperate consumption or if they recouer and liue the true life which rarely happens they liue in a sort too late both to themselues and others CHAP. 4. THey haue euer proued vnprofitable in religion that haue held too much of that truantly rule the way to well doing is neuer too late Eccles Therefore Salomon calles vpon yong men to remember their Creator in their yong daies as if well doing were neuer too soone Heb. 3.13 And the Apostle exhorteth the Hebrues to call one vpon another to turne to God whilest it is called to day not to make it a morrowes worke his reason is Lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne See heere then one maine danger of dwelling in our sinnes and putting off our amendment from one day to another the longer we continue in sinne the more we are hardened in sinne so that at length wee cannot repent no though wee seeke it with teares as Esau did It is as easie to temper the flint stone betweene our fingers and to make it soft and pliable for sealing as to supple our stonie hearts and fit thē to receiue the impression of grace you thinke you can repent when you will and apprehend the mercies of God when your owne leasure serues you but you are deceiued it is not in man to order his waies nor to returne into the right path being mislead Sinne is cunning and will make you beleeue you may come and goe without entanglement or restraint especially whilest you haue day light enough before you But trust not this fleering Iahel for if you vse to turne in to sleepe in her tent and tast of her milke and butter which she can set in a Lordly dish she wil when you suspect least nayle your head to the ground that it shall be impossible to get loose from her Iudg. 16. This Dalila hath a crue of Philistines ready in a corner when she hath shorne the lockes of your strength vpon her lap to come vpon you and bind you with fetters and put out your eies that you shall neither haue power to start nor yet see the meanes to make an escape In your youth she will teach you to excuse your mistreadings with It is the time and when that excuse is out of fashion by reason of more yeares puld ouer your heads then she will reach you another Apologie It hath beene my custome and I cannot leane it and then followeth hardnes of heart that you cānot repent the greatest iudgemēt that God bringeth vpon a man or woman in this world for then we are past hope God hath decreed our destruction and all the prayers and suffrages of the faithfull which are of great force will doe vs no good God wil answere as hee did to Ieremie Doe not intreat noe for them Ier. 7.16 14.11 make no intercession to doe them good for I wil in no wise heare you I haue thrust them out of my sight I haue decreed to destroy them Yet you may preuent this iudgement yet your custome of euil is not so strong but you may breake it yet you may cast off a litle and a little by good custome that which you haue got at times by euill custome yet your hearts are tender flexible deferre not the new moulding of them til they be growne peruerse and incorrigible lay hold of offered grace whilest the accepted time the day of saluation lasts Remember he that promiseth mercie to the penitent hath not promised repentance to the presumer vpon mercy nor one day of life to the delayer of repentance But you are yong and healthy what then therefore you are not like to die do not lambes skinnes come to be sold as well as sheepes skinnes Doe we not see and heare where euer we go that men and women die that were neither sicke nor old wee may say we will go to morrow to such a place to see such a commodity to receiue such a summe of money to make merry c. and yet before this next euening may heare that voice Foole to preuent thy bargainings thy talkings thy merriments c. this night before the morrow thy soule shall be taken from thee Aske but that one street which leadeth from the City to the common iudgement hall how many times her stones haue beene bestained with the reeking gore of murdered men since the beginning of this last terme and tell me whether life be so sure a thing when so many sound bodies haue groand their last in a peaceable well gouerned City within the compasse of one terme and the limits of one street and how knowest thou whether thy time be not as short as theirs seeing as I said afore not onely wicked men vpon earth but all the Diuels in hell all the creatures in the world are armed against thee whilest thou remainest impenitent and weltrest in thy sinnes Thou knowest how short warning Esay 38.1 Ezekias had Put thy house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Numb 20.25 And Aron Bring Aron and Eleazar his sonne vp into mount Hor and cause him to put off his garments and put them vpon his sonne and then he shall die immediately vpon the top of the mount What if the like warning were giuen thee where is thy repentance then become where are thy good purposes for hereafter Then thou wilt cry out if I had knowne my time had beene so short Ifs at deaths aproch vaine foolish I would long ere this haue reformed my waies If it were now to begin my life I would take another course In what sanctimony and vprightnes would I walke before God man O that the Lord would spare me a little before I goe away from hence and be no more seene O that he would allowe me but one moneth or one weekes respite
THE PRENTISES PRACTISE IN GODLInesse and his true freedome Diuided into ten Chapters Written by B. P. PROVERBS 17.2 A discreet Seruant shall haue more rule then the Sonnes that haue no wisedome and shall haue like heritage with the Brethren LONDON Printed by Nicholas Okes for Iohn Bach and are to be sold at his shop in Popes head Palace 1608. TO THE RELIGIOVSly disposed and vertuous yong men the Apprentises of the City of London all happines both in this life and in the life to come PYthagoras the Philosopher expressing the double course of mans life by the letter Y intimateth that which our Sauiour Christ hath more plainly set downe concerning the double way whereof one hath a strait passage and narrow gate at the first which few do embrace but in the end thereof there is great comfort and rest for it guideth the passenger vnto eternall happinesse and saluation The other is wide and spacious at the beginning wherby many trauaile but in the end they find great trouble and straitnesse for it leadeth vnto euerlasting woe and destruction Both these waies are set before our eies as life and death for we may not be idle but of necessity must walke seeing our life is a pilgrimage and choose either to trauell the narrow way vnto life or to runne the broad way vnto death The way of life is a religious profession a vertuous and conscionable carriage when wee giue vnto God that which is Gods and to Cesar our Magistrates and Masters that which belongeth vnto them The gate of this way is narrow and the passage strait for the liberties of flesh and blood must be restrained our affections bridled and the whole man captiuated vnder the yoke of the obedience of Iesus Christ as also such whom we are to obey serue vnder him The way of death is a sinfull and licentious life when we serue sin and Satan and make no conscience of obediēce neither towards god not man The gate of this way in the beginning is broad and the passage easie giuing liberty full head to our youthy affections and lusts of the flesh but the end is vtter perdition and straitnes Wherfore let euery yong man beholding these two waies choose that which leadeth vnto eternall life in heauen by a sanctified life for a time on earth walking sincerely with him who is the Way the Truth and the Life To this end I haue penned this insuing Tractate which welbeloued Brethren I haue commended vnto your fauourable acceptance that therin you might see which is the narrow way the way of life learne how to trauell therein neither let that diuellish prouerb a yong Saint an old Diuel direct your course but endeuor being yong to be Saints of God to dedicate your youth to him and his seruice onely who vndoubtedly will giue you constancie to perseuere that you may become Old Saints on earth and at last a ioyfull end that you may be Blessed Saints in heauen liue with him for euermore to whose gracious mercifull protection in the meane time I commend you all Amen Your euer louing Brother B. P. The Epistle to the Reader CHristian and Charitable Reader many are the discouragemēts that the children of God receiue at the hands of wicked men in this iron and declining age of the world from the sincere embracing of the Gospell or shewing forth the fruits of sanctification in this crooked and sinfull generation but much more from publishing any holy Treatise tending to this purpose to omit the bookes that are written not of vertue and verity but of vilenes and vanity which many offer now a daies as so many Sacrifices to the diuell by the which as with so many cups of poisō he infecteth the hearts of milliōs of people what great delight the enemy of mankind taketh herein he that can see any thing may easily discerne by the cursed instruments which he raiseth vp from time to time as his children the Papists whom wee had thought long agen had beene dead in their nests yet now like serpents hauing cast their coates begin to lift vp their heads out of their holes wīth fresh and new coloured heresie and with their poysoned pennes as a holy man of God saith haue defiled not inke and paper but heauen and earth with their detestable and satanicall wickednesse But to let them sinke in their sin til they come to the bottome of hell which is of old for thē prepared who sees not the whole world is rocked asleep in the cradle of security wallowing in their sins like fishes in the sea so that we may take vp that complaint which the Lord proclaimed from heauen in the daies of Hosea saying The Lord hath a controuersie with the world because there is no truth mercy nor knowledge of God but by swearing and lying and stealing and whoring they breake out and bloud toucheth bloud and being thus frozen in their dregs hauing made a league with death a couenant with hell it selfe they are of the same minde with these people of whom we spake saying Yet let no man rebuke or reproue another for the people are as they that rebuke the Priest not onely despising instruction and refusing admonition but they murmure at Moses and Aron and are ready to stone Caleb and Ioshua the two Captaines of the Lords host and we are become their enemies for telling them the truth Howbeit whē the eies of mercifull men are set vpon thē labouring to saue their soules from being condemned with the world beseeching them to breake vp the fallow ground of their hearts that the Lord might raine righteousnes vpon them they are ready to giue them Steuens reward for his sweet Apology Acts 7. and though they haue not the authority of the Magistrate yet with the vnruly euill of the tongue they assemble themselues as the Prophet Ieremy speaketh saying Come let vs smite them but how with swords or staues no surely but with the cursed weapō of the tongue according to the custome of al wicked men frō time to time with reprochings reuilings with their venemous arrowes as much as in them lies to shut and pierce thorow the hearts of the Saints of God with that odious and damnable name of Hypocrite and dissembler so that we may say with the Prophet Ieremy We are in derision dayly euery one mocketh vs and as he saith else where Woe is me that my mother hath borne me a contentious man whomall the world hateth Yea surely so far may we be from stirring one another vp in this kinde that wee may weep and sigh in secret as diuers of the Saints of God haue done wish with this Prophet Oh that my head were full of water and mine eies a fountaine of teares Ier. 9.1.2 that I might weep day and night for the slaine of the daughters of my people Oh that I had in the wildernesse a cottage of waifaring men Yea
the Saints or the children of the Diuell to the blessed freedome of the Sonnes of God Is their part in the saluation of Christ that dayly and hourely crucifie him afresh in a iolly scoffing brauery deride his passion as if his backe were broad enough to beare all their filth Do we looke that the Lord should performe the grant when wee faile in the condition is not our breach of couenant with him a frustrating of his indentment with vs Beleeue it my brethren beleeue it whilest wee remaine in our sins the Lords grant remaines void we cannot claime the benefite of one drop of Christs bloud nor of the least part of his merits the shaken sword of the Cherubin hangeth ouer vs we stand banished from the paradise of Gods fauor and liable to the seuerest penalty of those his lawes which we haue violated onely so long as that penalty is not inflicted so long doth the Lord expect if at any time wee will renue our couenant by repentance and so escape out of the snare of the Diuell of whom we are holden captiue to do his pleasure Moreouer when we were sprinkled in the holy Lauer of Baptisme which is as it were the wombe of the Church where our regeneration or new birth was first set a foot we vowed a vow to God which ought of all Christians to be most holily obserued that wee would perfect that newe birth of ours euery day more and more by beleeuing his word obeying his commandements mortifying our flesh cōpressing our lusts resisting the diuel renoūcing the world fighting māfully vnder his bāner against all oppositiō that finaly hauing finished our course we might receiue the crowne of life which he hath promised to them that continue faithfull vnto the death Now our impenitencie weltring in sinne is not onely a not fostring but a very killing of our spirituall nature in the first seede or kernell a breaking of our vowe to God nay a very denying of God and his word an abiect yeelding vs to his and our enemies a cowardly running away from the spirituall battell at the first stroke striking a wilfull losing of our immortall garland and an occasion to make Christ the great captaine and finisher of our faith vtterly to casheere vs out of his band as hauing in vs no sparkle of that generosity and braue-mindednes which ought to be in such as weare his colours and beare armes vnder his standard The wisedome of the world is to retaine to the strongest part and methinkes we hauing beene bred vp vnder the worlds wing should by this time haue taken out that point of wisedome and retaine to Gods side for his is the strongest and surest side O my brethren looke backe to your Baptisme and learne to amend Let not the royall Character which God hath set vpon vs by the ministery of his Church be any longer thus vilely blurd and defaced by our enormous sinnes Let vs not breake our vow to God lest he binde fast his curse to vs Leaue not the Lord of hosts to whom we haue giuen our names and those powerfull legions of his blessed Angels our consederates and guarders in his quarrel to ioine with the Diuell whom we haue defied with the world sin and the flesh a sort of cowardly rebels which will themselues cut our throates when we least suspect them But let vs newdeep our selues in the water of contrition and that will fetch againe the primitiue colour which was put vpon vs in the day of our Baptisme Ouer and beside all this whereas the patience and bountifulnesse and long suffering of our God in sparing vs so many yeares and waiting for our amendment though in the meane time wee force him to complaine that he is pressed vnder our sinnes as a cart is pressed vnder a hard load of sheues I say whereas this gracious patience of his should leade vs to repentance we by continuing in sinne do abuse his patience and heape vp greater wrath vpō our heads against the day of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God which will suddainely ouertake vs. God is prouoked saith the Psalmist euery day heere is forbearance but what followeth 2. if a man wil not turne after all Gods waiting thē he wil whet his sword bēd his bow make ready his arrows against such prouokers When we see wrath in a mans face it is an argument that he will strike we are wont to shun giue backe frō him Let vs take heed Gods face lookes very angerly we haue dared him so long and put him so to it that he cannot hold his fingers he must needes breake out into blowes And the blowes of his anger are no light stripes but euen deaths wounds as all the Land from Dan to Beersheba will beare witnes O then my Brethren if this Lion roare who wil not tremble crouch before him if he knit his browes that measureth heauen with his span and waigheth the mountaines in a ballance cleaueth the rockes with his voice who dares looke him in the face who shal be able to abide his frownes were we as huge and strong as Behemoth or Leuiathan hee will spurne vs as a chip and trample vs vnder his feete as the mire in the streetes if we incense his maiesty or stirre vp his wrath and iealousie against vs. Apoc. The Kings and great men and stout Captaines and Warriours hide themselues in caues and in holes of the earth frō the feare of the Lord when he riseth vp to be auenged of sinners O what shall the shrub in the wildernes do when the Okes of Bashan and the Cedars of Libanus are thus shaken how dare such silly wormes and grashoppers as we confront the almighty and prouoke him yearly hourely with new and new sinnes neuer once renuing our repentance at the blasting of the breath of whose displeasure the hilles melt and the foundations of the world shake and are remoued Though he haue worne one rod of pestilence to the stumps vpon vs and throwne it by standing and looking at our behauiour after it he can call for another and another if our great hearts be not come downe repentance a change appearing in our liues or he hath famine swords wild beastes bedlem waters treasures of snow and haile lightnings thunderbolts c. or he hath feuers palsies gouts choliks cākers wolfes tympanies c. to scourge presumptuous sinners that wil not be warned his store house is neuer vnfurnished with rods and scorpions too if we put him to it Surely my Brethren we are transformed with Nebuchadnezar into beasts and the hearts and vnderstandings of men taken from vs if this consideration moue vs not to abominate our sins and cease from our prouocations wherewith we haue prouoked this God of anger against vs especially when he hath put vp so many abuses and villanies of ours all our life hitherto wee iustly deseruing euery moment to be rooted
to bewaile my sinnes and sue for mercy Wouldst thou then be a new man be so now Wouldst thou then seeke Gods fauour seeke it now Wouldst thou then amend all faults amend them now Why doest thou not preuent those ifs and conditions which will then bee but foolish thoughts why doest thou not that this day nay day by day all thy life long which thou wouldest doe at such an extremity seeing thou knowest not which will be thy last day why doest thou not doubt al thy daies endeuour to be such a one al thy life as thou wouldest be at the point of death But put case thou knewest thy life would be lengthned out to some forty or fifty yeares more and that thou wert assured not to dy the vtmost expiration of those yeares be like then thou wouldst nothing but follow thy lustes the while and thinke the last yeare soone enough to reforme thee But blind fooles they are that are thus conceited if thou canst not with the straining of all thy sinewes pull vp a yong tree of two or three yeares planting how wilt thou hope to pull it vp when the spurs of the rootes are fastened deep on euery side and the boughes are like to the couering of a tent ouer thy head Assay to root out but one vice now whilest it is fresh and greene and thou shalt finde it a matter of some paines and difficulty and will it be easier thinkest thou seuen yeares hence when the custome of it is growne to a habit or as it were another nature and the generation therof multiplied to an hundred to a thousand Say a man were now to carry a basket of stones frō London Bridge to Islington setting forward about the stoopes with the basket on his shoulder feeling the waight thereof to pinch and wring him should presently like a true louer of his ease set it downe againe till another time and euery day the while come and put in more stones till it were heape full and running ouer would you thinke the basket would be lighter at last for these daily additions or this man likelier to cary it through then being grown rustie with many yeares sloth whē it made him shrug to stand vnder it in the beginning while his strength was fresh No no my deere brethren the longer we continue in sinne the fuller and heauier growes the basket and the vnweldier wee grow that must be the porters Come come vp with it carry it you must and it will neuer be lighter nor you better able to beare it then you be at this present straine your selues for a furlong or two though it sit vneasie at first you shall finde it lighter after a little vse Better smart once then ake euer set about it despaire not of the successe by consideration of the difficulty pray God both humbly and continually to impart vnto you his holy spirit and to shed it out in your hearts through Iesus Christ that you may compresse your owne affections and by his strength ouercome all impediments walke more in all holy obedience before him only be not your owne foe feed not that same humour of lingring let not loose the raines to your corrupt affectiōs which cry stil a little more sleep a little more slumber For the holy Ghost doth not assist cowards and sluggards such as fit idly with their armes folded together but those that labour and endeuour earnestly to tame their naturall wickednes and to crosse the swing of their lusts those he deemeth worthy his aide and they in him shall be more then conquerors Set your hand to Gods hand the worke will be nothing The violent and resolute that breake thorow all opposition they and no other take heauen by maine force But say that the Black-moore could change his skin and the Leopard his spots and that you hauing learned all daies of your life to do euill could at the last repent and doe wel yet what an vnthākfull vnbeseeming thing were it to spend your youthful daies in the pleasures of the world the seruice of the Diuell then to bring your crooked worne daies to offer to the Lord To call the Diuell and the world to the feast and full dishes and let God stand at dore waiting among the beggers for the reuersion scraps The Lord himselfe is driuen to complaine of this base measure by his Prophet When ye bring the blind for sacrifices you say it is not euill and when ye bring the lame and sick ye say it is good enough for God Offer it now to thy Prince will he be content with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hostes Repent and be ashamed of this ingratitude play not the harlots with God let none haue the maidenhead of your youth but your deere Lord husband Let none enioy the flower and beauty of your time but hee that bought you with his precious bloud you are his giue him his owne let him haue it new and faire not when it is mangled misused that one cannot but blush in the presenting of it Cast your selues into his embracement in your youth health whilest you haue something to commend you his armes are open to receiue you stay not looking for a better match this is the best that euer you shall light on take it whilest it is offred you shall neuer repent you of your earlie bestowing Hereafter perhaps God will hold you vnworthy of his loue as hertofore you held him vnworthy of yours and scorne you in your old age and sicknes as you set not by him in your health and youth The fiue virgins for lingring but one houre and that in their youth and prime were shut out of the marriage chamber and had this answere to their knocking I know you not you are no friends nor guests of mine And shall we thinke the Lord will open vnto vs and giue vs a cheerful welcome lingring not houres but yeares and prostituting our virginity and prime to the world the Diuell Gods sworne enemies Yet the the doore is open you may fill your lamps with oile and be wise by their harmes But if you put it to hereafter the gates will be shut and all your knocking will be but so many fruitles strokes rebounding vpon your owne hearts Lastly whilest we lie soaking in sin and returne euery day to our old vomit we do pile vp more and more wood for our owne burning I meane we do increase our accounts against that firy day of wrath which will come vpon as a theefe in the night in which the heauens shall passe away with a noise and the element shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes that are therein shall be consumed then shall all the thoughts of our hearts be discouered and an account required of euery idle word that we haue spoken So strict shall that iudgment be Where wil the vngodly and sinner appeare
when the righteous shall scarse be saued whither will they turne them when they shall see the Lambe turned into a Lion their Sauiour their Iudge and their Iudge their witnesse against whose testimony there is no excepting they will wish mountaines lay on them to keep them from that meeting what will these differers of repentance being preuented and cast behind by their owne negligence answer for themselues in that great appearance before the awfull Maiestie that sits vpon the throne with what confusion and shame shal they stand when he shal say vnto them I sent you into the world to doe my will and you haue done your owne wils I allowed you time and meanes to repent you despised both time meanes and repented not I gaue you many good motions in your hearts to make you returne vnto me and you put me off still after so long waiting with What we will amend Did you thinke I would pardon you at last How could you then in common gratitude displease so gratious a Lord Did you thinke I would not pardon you what madnes besotted you that you durst offend me without hope of pardon I will now verefie my words which I spake by my messengers which I sent vnto you Because you haue hardened your hearts against me you shal not enter into my rest Goe ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels O how shall these impenitent lingerers then take on howling and rauing and cursing the day of their natiuity that the aire shal be euen crazed with their hideous and gastly clamours And what a comfort will it be to the godly both yong men and yong maides that haue haue serued God betimes and takem paines to mortifie their lusts to see the Lord at length proceed in iustice against the carelesse wicked ones which haue liued in all pleasures and ease in this life when they themselues haue beene afflicted and maligned and derided for the professiō of the Gospel of Iesus Christ O my Brethren and Sisters when the Lord in that day shall haue done to you all the good that he hath promised and shal haue made you Kings and Queenes to raigne with him and his roiall Son for euer then it shal be no griefe nor offence of mind vnto you that you haue not powred out your selues into all excesse of riot committed sinne with greedinesse as the prophane and vngodlie doe Then it shall not repent you that you haue consecrated the flower of your youth to GOD who is so bountifull a rewarder of them that seek him What hurt shall it be then vnto you that you haue shūned this lust that follie this vice and that wantonnes which you might haue committed whereunto you haue beene tempted what need you then stomack at it that you haue beene termed modest fooles and precisians and such other names of disgrace by the godlesse multitude whom you see damned by a iust sentence haled away to endlesse torments before your face where they shall beg that one of you may be sent to dip but the tip of your finger in water to coole their tongue in the middest of the flames shall not obtaine it who would not rather mourne for his sinnes now and forsake them now and change his course now though it be with some vnease and wrastling at the first then to wish hee had done so afterward when it is too late and to lament and roare in that remedilesse horrour and despaire for euer bearing a part in that dolefull morning and euening musicke of the wicked in Hell We haue wearied our selues in the waies of wickednes and destruction Wisd 5. and we haue gone thorow dangerous pathes but we haue not knowne the waie of the Lord. What hath pride profited vs or vvhat benefite hath the pompe of riches brought vs All these things are passed away with a shadow and as a post that rideth mainly by we haue had the righteous in derision and in a parable of reproch We fooles thought their life madnes and their end without honour But loe they are counted among the children of GOD and their portion is among the Saints So haue we erred in our imaginations and the sunne of vndestanding hath not risen vpon vs. Now wee know when it hurts vs to know now wee vnderstand when ignorance were a blessing To conclude this Chapterr and this first part of my Treatise whatsoeuer you haue beene in the yeares past be new men now I will not giue you respite till next yeare nor next moneth nor next morrow but euen this day this night this houre in which thou art admonished amend remember the name of the Lord is I AM for euer and he likes notthē that are alwaies I wil be repētance is neuer too soone so long as the sin is gone before Youth is the Spring Age is the Haruest in one we sowe in the other wee reape if in our youth we sowe the seed of vertue and obedience we shall in our age reap the fruits of ioy peace and perseuerance to euerlasting life if the tares of vice and licentiousnes it will be hard if euer the haruest bee other thē vnprofitable būdles which will but kindle the vnquenceable fire of hell vpon our heades Let your creation or your redemption or vow in Baptisme or the power and patience of the Lord or the terrours of conscience or Gods reiecting of our praiers or Christs denying you his intercessiō or the fighting of the creatures against you or the Lords curse vpon your blessings or the hardening of your harts by custome of sin or the vncertainty of your death or the difficulty of late repētance or the base vnbeseeming measure offred to God or the increasing of your accounts or the strictnes of the last iudgement or hell fire it selfe or all these together rouse and startle you from your bed of sloth and cause you to reforme your liues renounce the world worldly wickednes and to honour the Lord your God or euer he take is light frō you or euer your feet stumble in the darke mountaines lest while you looke for the light he turn it into the blacknes of the shadow of death But if you will not heare me that giue you seasonable warning my very heart shall mourne in secret for your stubbornnes mine eyes shall weep and raine down teares because the Lords people are sold vnto sin the children of my mother are caried captiue to destruction THE SECOND PART CHAP. 5. HAVING spoken of the mischeefes dangers which we stand liable to so long as we are vnconuerted Consider with me next the meanes which the Lord hath ordained for our conuersion that if wee haue a mind of returning we may make vse of them and not negligently passe them ouer without any fruit as our fashion hath beene in former times Almightie GOD hath giuen vs first our life being in this world he hath made
vs men Gods benefits and breathed in vs a reasonable soule whereas whē the clay was in his hand hee might haue moulded vs into any other shape hath giuē vs our sēses distributed all our limmes according to their proper and seuerall functions he hath put all the creatures in subiection vnder our feet so that from the glorious Sunne in the firmament to the little Emmet that creepeth vpon the dust euery thing doth vs seruice He hath preserued vs hitherto all our life long from innumerable dangers whereinto others haue fallen and whereinto we had fallen if his gracious hand had not vpholden vs And which passeth all this he hath by the death and sufferings of his owne Son redeemed vs from the mouth of hel into which else we euery mothers sonne of vs irrecouerably were fallen Now saith the Apostle this boūtifulnes of God leadeth vs to repentance Therefore hath he bestowed all these benefits vpon vs and promised many moe thereby to stir vs vp to abandon vicious life and to betake our selues to his holy blessed seruice Trie mee faith the Lord Mal. 3.10 whether I will not open the windows of heauen powre you out blessings without measure if you will returne vnto me O my Brethren if your hearts be not sauage how can it be but this kindnes of so great a Maiesty should binde vs to him for euer what beastly ingratitude is it to turne so many comforts and good things as he hath giuen vs that we might be the better able to serue him to the dishonor and iniury of so louing a giuer by vsing them to serue vs in sinne our dogs are not so vngratefull to their masters the Lions and Beares haue shewed more courtesie thankfulnesse to their benefactors That he hath spred our table with full dishes and made our cup to ouerflow that he hath allowed vs warme clothing by day and a well fethered nest to couch in at night bodily health to make these things sweeter and better tasted to vs are bounties that we can neuer deserue while we liue with all the obedience we are able to performe But that GOD for man should become man and that God for man should die in the flesh and sustaine so many shamefull indignities and intollerable paines in accomplishing the worke of our redemption this onely this wholly this more then all things doth challenge vnto it euen by speciall desert all our life all our labour all our seruice and al our loue That a man frākly giueth his goods to another is a token of no small bountie but to bestow his owne life for another and that not for friends but for enemies as the Sonne of God did when he died for vs it is an incomparable and an vncōceiueable bountie the Angels of heauen do wonder at it and desire as Peter saith contiually to behold and looke into it and surely if this bountie and gratiousnes of our God cannot win vs to cleanse our waies and forsake our sinnes all the dewes of grace are quite and cleane dried vp in our hearts and there is no hope that any thing will win vs. But it will fall out by vs as Esdras in his second booke and 9. chapter grauely denounceth against some like vs. Such as in their life haue receiued benefits from the Lord and haue not regarded to know him but haue abhorred his law whilest they were yet in libertie and when they had yet leisure of amendment and would not vnderstand but despised it they must be taught after death by paine what it is to recompence euill for good Another good meanes to bring vs to repentance is the consideration of Gods iudgements executed vpon sinners in all ages whō God hath made examples for our admonition on whom the ends of the worlde are come The Angels for one sinne were throwne out of heauen Adam for one sinne cast out of Paradise and all his posterity after him condemned to perpetuall miserie Lots wife for one sinne turned into a pillar of salt Moses and Aaron for one sinne debarred from entering the Land of Canaan Michel for one sinne plagued with barrennesse The whole tribe of Beniamin for one sin rooted out Threescore tenne thousand Israelites for one sinne of Dauids in three dayes consumed with pestilence Ananias Sapphira for one struck dead in the place And yet thou after many thousand sinnes criest still God is mercifull and presumest that thy part in that mercy will be as great as the thiefes vpon the Crosse God is mercifull I deny it not So the Physician is skilfull and yet giues ouer his patient sometimes because he sees him to be incurable If thou be damned it is not because the Lord wants mercie but because by deferring repentance thy heart is deaded and thou art past recouerie Tell me not of the thiefe vpon the Crosse for of two theeues one was damned It was a miracle and miracles were no miracles if they were common All the Scriptures thorow there is not one such another example to be found and therefore for thee presumptuously to goe on in thy sins vpon this shaddow of hope is all one as if som good fellow should hope his horse would speake English because once Balaams Asse vttered plainely the language of Moab Surely these be they that destroy themselues with the workes of their owne hands as Salomon saith calling iniquitie vnto them both with hands words when they think they haue a friend of it they come to naught But what should I speake of ancient iudgements when those that haue beene executed at our owne doores haue not wrought vpon our hearts To omit all other what are wee the better for that dreadfull pestilence so lately amongst vs when Death like a mercilesse tyrant thrust all out of doores both old and young before him as if he would take possession of our houses one after another till hee had seazed the whole Citie into his owne vse O my brethren those that be not blinde may see there is not one sinne lesse this yeare then was the last In the Church there is as much carelessnesse and contempt of Gods word In the streetes as much pride In the shops as much lying and swearing In the Tauernes as much drunkennesse and excesse notwithstāding his Maiesties act of restraint In other places as much filthinesse and as little conscience and deuotion as euer there was before so that the Lord may complaine of vs as he did of old I haue smitten them and they haue not sorrowed I haue corrected them for amendment and they are worse and worse The Lord grant we be not cast off as a father casts off his vnthrifty sonne when no meanes will reclaime him and that the remouing of his plague from vs seeing wee are not bettered by it be not a kinde of cruell pity and a giuing vs vp to our owne hearts lust till our iniquity be full that wee may then fall
godly seruāts for the liberal disposition of a child is easily spilt with the leaud manners of a seruant Hence it commeth that almost their first words are ribauldrie and feareful othes and that they learne to blaspheme God before they can plainely speake GOD yea sometime they proue twofold more the children of Satan then their Tutors were For a new vessell will keep the tatch of the first seasoning a long time after Cause them therefore to frequent the holy exercise of religion as Preaching Catechising Praier Sacraments c. Bring them with you where they may be instructed in the waies of the Lord to doe righteousnesse especially on the Sabbath day because that is a day appointed and set apart of God himselfe for his worship and seruice wherein he wil haue our seruant as free as our selues and to the end we may prepare them the better to the sanctifying of the Lords day we are to call them vp betimes in the morning to praier wherein first we are to thanke the Lord for all his mercies to such vnworthy wretches and namely for the rest and preseruation the night past Then to beseech his Maiestie that hee would so prepare and fit our hearts to the profitable retaining of his most holy and blessed word and so direct the mouthes of his ministers that day in the vttering of it that it may be a comfortable sauour of life and saluation to vs and not a sauour of death vnto destruction And hauing ended this duty by 7. in the morning we may if wee will directly goe where there shall bee a Sermon vntill eight so comming home we are to goe to our owne Parish Church both in the forenoone and in the afternoone and after that to some Lecture as there be diuers blessed bee GOD in diuers parts of the City And hauing thus spent the day till six at night we are not to content our selues there thinking we haue done by this time a work of supererogation but to come directly from the Lecture to our houses and call our seruants together to praiers to almighty God that it would please his Maiestie to giue a blessing vpon that which we haue heard that wee may auoide the sinnes execute the good duties feare the threatnings and lay vp the comforts from the mouth of his ministers plainely shewed and laid down vnto vs. And hauing ended praiers for that instant we are to examine euery one of them particularly what lessons they haue learned at Church and what vses they were taught of those lessons and hauing done that to giue them a generall exhortation incouraging them to goe forward in godlinesse which hath promises of this life and of that which is to come and so to make an end for that time with singing a Psalm of thankesgiuing NOW as we are to performe these duties on the Sabbath day so we haue our duties to performe on the weeke daies also For it is not enough for any man to giue his family victuals and prouision one day in the weeke and let them fast all the rest of the weeke after for so he should soone make a leane houshold but we must deale with our seruants in Spiritual things as we deale with them in Corporall things that is as wee allow them meat and drinke sufficiently all the weeke daies and on the Sabbath day they haue extraordinary dishes So although we haue beene carefull to pray and instruct them in religion on the Sabbath day yet we must looke we do our duties in the weeke daies also although not like vnto the Sabbath for the Lord doth not require it at our hands This discipline and good order if wee would carefully inure our Prentises to seuen or eight yeares together till their first youth the age which is set vpon the very pinacle of temptations be past ouer methinkes it were enough to kill all the weedes of vices in them to make euen Atheists religious and grow into a habit of sanctimony and godlinesse Here I thinke it needfull for euery one of vs as we are yet seruants to know our duties also that wee may demeane our selues agreeably to our present condition Seruants duty First then wee are to follow the counsel of the Apostle to be obedient vnto our bodily masters with feare and trembling because they be in their places vnto vs as God God hath set thē ouer vs in his own stead and therefore we ought not onely to carry a reuerend estimation of them counting them worthy of all honor but to performe our duty and seruice vnto them not to the eie as men pleasers but as the seruants of Christ doing the will of God himselfe singlie and from the heart labouring continually to please them and submitting our selues to thē in all things as the holy Ghost commandeth But this must not be vnderstood absolutely but with an exception So they bee lawfull things For if a master command his seruant to speake a lie or to sweare his commodities cost so much when they cost much lesse or to breake the Lords Sabbath in such a case we ought rather to obey God then man but in all iust and lawfull impositions not crossing their roiall commandement we are to conforme our selues in all duty and obedience to them yea not only to the good and courteous but euen to the froward sower For this is thankworthy saith Saint Peter if a seruant for conscience toward GOD endure smart suffering wrongfully But it is a great fault in vs that are seruants that if correction be giuen vs though with iustice and discretion we will say most commonly wee deserue it not This is not the saying of the holy Ghost For saith he what praise is it for a seruant to be buffeted for his faults but and if yee fault not and yet suffer hard vsage and take it patiently then is there thanke with God And herein what better satisfaction or quieting of our mindes can we desire then the example of our Sauiour himselfe who neuer sinned neither was there guile found in his mouth yet he was reuiled and reuiled not againe he suffered beyond all degrees of patience opened not his mouth but committed reuenge to him that iudgeth righteously euen to God his Father So ought wee my Brethren when our masters bee out of reason and offer vs extreame measure to put it vp and endure it patiently knowing that they also haue a master in Heauen who beholdeth with an equall eie both vs and them and not to answer Sir I deserue it not For if correction should not bee giuen to the most of vs till wee confesse we deserue it it should neuer be giuen vs. Heere I cannot keepe silence but I must needes make known how good and gratious the Lord hath shewed himselfe in this case to mee his most vnworthy seruant and the rather to cause all other Prentises to thinke themselues not miserable but most happy when the Lord hath set ouer them such
thy righteous professions sake know that the Lord hath set such a master ouer thee for thine euerlasting good to try thy constancy or to make thee more feruent in thy prayers or to diminish thy loue of the world or for an example of patience or an instance of comfort to others in like case As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten saith our Sauiour Christ Apoc. 3.19 Whosoeuer be the instrument the chastening is Christs see that thou do thy duty vnto thy master to the vttermost of thy power though he be neuer so moody euen as if he were another Moses the mildest man vpō the earth that the name of God his doctrine be not euill spoken of Assure thy selfe he shal be no harder to thee then the Lord shall see good and expedient for thee for we see some men want neither power nor will who somtimes in their suddē anger would kil their seruāts but thē the Lord manifests his prouidence towards his children in restraining them from those outrages which in that madding passion they are incited to Pray vnto the Lord to turne thy masters heart that hee may haue a feeling of his sinnes that so he may come to repentance and in the meane time ouercome thou his euill with goodnes and the Lord will either vnexpectedly alter his wil and affections or allow thee such other secret ioyes as shall ouerballance all thy griefes and discomforts If then thou wilt goe to heauen thou seest the iorney thither lies not in plaine waies thou must goe thorow good report and bad derisions and skornes and molestations but the end of the iorney is a sufficient recompence for all cumbers and inconueniences of the way the paines are light and momentany the waight of glory to which they bring vs is vnspeakeable and euerlasting So long as thou wast of the world the world loued her owne now that thou hast forsaken and bid defiance to her she takes thee for an enemy loades thee with hatred disdaine infamy slander and all maner of contempt No matter all this worse shall worke to the best to them that loue God when the softnes and delicacy and ease of worldlings shall be their owne destruction All the holy men of old time all the cheefe lights of the Church all those that now walke in long white robes with palmes of victory in their hands yea he that Saint Iohn saw in the middest of the seuen golden candlestickes whose face did shine as the Sunne in his strength euen he also hath begunne to vs in this bitter cup and shall we shrinke to pledge them when there are but a few smal drops left for vs to sip off If carnall men suffer so much to satisfie their lusts to get riches or dignities to feed themselues with a little smoake of vaine glory or to taste some sleight pleasure which bringes repentance at her heeles If they feare not the waues of the sea nor the flames of fire nor the crossings of men to attaine these shall we be so without all heart or so nice that wee will not abide a scoffe or a reprochfull word to attaine those solid substantiall and eternall pleasures and good things in comparisō of which all the honours riches commodities allurements sweetnes of the world are to bee esteemed not onely toyes and trifles but very dregs and drosse refuse not worth the taking vp No no when we haue once resolutely vowed our selues to Gods seruice GOD putteth another spirit into vs and a generous heart that though we be sometimes moued with these oppositions yet wee are neuer so farre oppressed by them as to forsake our righteousnesse or cast our lot in amongst sinners but in the middest of them our eie is so fixt vpon the end of our race and the heauenly garland reserued for such as perseuere and hold on that shrewd words serue as a good gale of wind and shrewd deedes as a violent streame to carry vs the more swift towards the port where wee would be Thus hauing finished this small Treatise I would beseech you as the Apostle saith to suffer these few lines of exhortations Ephes 6. and that you faint not in your afflictions but bee strong in the Lord putting on the whole armour of GOD that yee may be able to stand against all the assaults of the Diuell hauing your loynes girt about with veritie and hauing on the breast plate of righteousnesse and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace and aboue all take the shield of faith wherewith yee may quench all the firy darts of the wicked and take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of GOD that being thus armed with these spirituall weapons ye may bee able to wrestle against principalities and powers and against our spirituall enemies the gouernors of the darknes of this world Now the Lord from heauen raine downe his grace into our hearts and strengthen vs with might in the inner man that wee may stand fast and encourage one another against all the bents of worldly aduersitie that being rooted and grounded in loue we may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length depth and height and know the loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge that wee may bee filled with all fulnes of God Vnto him therfore that is able to do exceeding abundantlie aboue all that we can aske or thinke be all praise glory maiesty dominion and power thorowout all gerations both now and for euermore Amen A Morning Praier to be vsed in priuate families O LORD our God and heauenly Father we thy vnworthy children do heere come into thy most holy heauenly presence to giue thee praise and glory for all thy great mercies and manifold blessings towards vs especially for that thou hast preserued vs this night past from all the dangers and feares therof hast giuen vs quiet rest to our bodies brought vs now safely to the beginning of this day and doest now a fresh renue all thy mercies vpon vs as the Eagle renueth her bill giuing vs all things abundantly to enioy as food raiment health peace liberty freedome from many miseries diseases casualties calamities which we are subiect vnto in this life euery minute of an houre and not onely so but also for vouchsafing vnto vs many good things not onely for necessity but euen for delight also But aboue all deare Father we praise thy name for the blessings of a better life specially for thy most holy word and sacraments and all the good we enioy thereby for the continuance of the Gospell amongst vs for the death of thy Sonne all that happinesse which we haue thereby also because thou hast chosen vs to life before we were and that of thy meere godnes and vndeserued sauour towards vs and hast called vs in thine appointed time iustified vs by thy grace sanctified vs by thy