all our loue and chearefull obedience towards him For therefore wée loue him and obey him because we know hée hath loued vs first and written our names in the booke of life But on the contrarie the Doctrine of the Papists which would haue men alwaies doubt and feare in a seruile sort is most hellish and vncomfortable For so long as a man holds that what encouragement can he haue to serue God What loue to his Maiestie What hope in the promises What comfort in trouble What patience in aduersity Antil Touching this point I am flat of your minde For I thinke verily a man ought to bee perswaded of his saluation And for mine owne part I make no question of it I hope to bee saued as well as the best of them all I am out of feare for that For I haue such a stedfast faith in God that if there should be but two in the world saued I hope I should be one of them Theol. You are very confident indéed You are perswaded before you know I would your ground were as good as your vaine confidence But who is so bold as blinde Bayard Your hope is but a fancie and as a sick mans dreame You hope you can not tell what You haue no ground for that you say For what hope can you haue to be saued when you walke in no path of saluation What hope can a man haue to come to London spéedily that trauelleth nothing that way but quite contrary What hope can a man haue to reape a good crop of corne that vseth no meanes neither ploweth soweth nor harroweth What hope can a man haue to be fat and well liking of his body that seldome or neuer eateth any meat What hope can a man haue to escape drowning which leapeth into the Sea Euen so what hope can you haue to be saued when you walke nothing that way when you vse no meanes when you doe all things that are contrary vnto the same For alas there is nothing in you of those things which the Scriptures doe affirme must bée in all those that shall be saued There be none of the fore named signes and tokens in you You are ignorant prophane and carelesse God is not worshipped vnder your roofe There is no true feare of God in your selfe nor in your houshold You seldome heare the word preached You content your selfe with an ignorant Minister You haue no praiers in your family no reading no singing of psalmes no instructions exhortations or admonitions or any other Christian exercises You make no conscience of the obseruation of the Sabbaths you vse not the name of God with any reuerence you breake out sometimes into horrible dathes and cursings you make an ordinary matter of swearing by your faith your troth Your wife is irreligious your children dissolute and vngratious your seruants prophane carelesse You are an example in your owne house of al Atheisme and conscienceles behauiour You are a great gamester a rioter a spend-thrift a drinker a common ale-house-haunter an whoore hunter and to conclude giuen to all vice and naughtinesse Now then I pray you tell me or rather let your conscience tell mée what hope you can haue to be saued so long as you walk and continue in this course Doth not S. Iohn saie If wee say wee haue fellowship with him and walke in darkenesse we are liers Doth not the same Apostle auouch that such as say they know God and kéepe not his commandements are liers Againe doth he not say Heth at committeth sin is of the Diuell And whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God Doth not our Lord Jesus flatly tell the Jewes which bragged that Abraham was their father that they were of their father the diuell because they did his works Doth not the Apostle Paul say His seruants we are to whom we obey whether it be of sin vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnes Doth not the scripture say Hee that doth righteousnesse is righteous Doth not our Lord Jesus affirme that nor euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in Heauen Therefore I conclude that forasmuch as your whole course is carnall carelesse and dissolute you can haue no warrantable hope to be saued Phila. I doe verily thinke that this mans case which now you haue laied open is the case of thousands Theo. Yea doubtles of thousand thousands the more is the pity Asune Soft and faire sir you are very round indeed Soft fire maketh sweet mault I hope you know wee must be saued by mercy and not by merit If I should doe all my selfe wherefore serueth Christ I hope that which I cannot doe hee will doe for me And I hope to be saued by Iesus Christ as well as the best of you all Theol. Oh now I sée which way the game goeth You would faine make Christ a cloake for your sinnes You will sinne that grace may abound You will sinne frankly and set all vpon Christs score Truely there be many thousands of your minde which hearing of Gods abundant mercie in Christ are thereby made more bold to sin But they shall know one day to their cost what it is so to abuse the mercie of God The Apostle saith The mercy and louing kindnesse of God should leade vs to repentance But we sée it leadeth manie to further hardnesse of heart The Prophet saith With him is mercy that hee may bee feared But many thereby are made more secure and carelesse But to come néerer the marke you say you hope to be saued by Jesus Christ And I answer that if those things be found in you which the Scriptures do auouch to be in all that shall be saued by him then you may haue good confidence and assured hope otherwise not Now the Scriptures do thus determine it and set it downe That if a man bée in Christ and looke to be saued by him he must be indued with these qualities following First he must be a new creature Secondly hee must liue not after the lusts of men but after the will of God Thirdly he must be zealous of good works Fourthly hee must die to sinne and liue to righteousnesse Fiftly he must be holy and vnblameable Sixtly he must so walke as Christ hath walked Seuenthly hee must crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts Eigthly he must walke not after the flesh but after the spirit Last of all he must serue God in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the daies of his life Loe then what things are required of all that shal be saued by Christ Now therefore if these things be in you in some measure of tenth then your hope is currant sound good otherwise it is nothing worth For in vaine doe men say they hope to be saued by Christ when as they walke dissolutely The reason hereof is because the
heauen and wide gates into hell I pray you therefore proue them out of the Scriptures and lay them forth somewhat more largely Theol. The first which is Infidelity is proued out of the fourth chapter to the Hebrewes where it is written Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as vnto them but the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it And againe They could not enter in because of vnbeliefe Héere we sée that vnbeliefe did barre out the old people from entring into the land of promise which was a figure of Gods eternall kingdome And sure it is that the same vnbeliefe doth barre out thousands of vs. For many will beléeue nothing but their owne fansies They will not beléeue the word of God especially when it is contrary to their lustes and likings profits pleasures Though things be manifestly prooued to their faces and both the Chapter and the Uerse shewed them yet will they not beléeue or though they say they beléeue yet will they neuer goe about the practise of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another When God saith yea they will say no and so giue God the lie Some againe will say if all bée true that the Preachers say then God helpe vs. Thus you sée how Infidelity doth barre men out of Heauen and cast them into hell Phila. Let vs heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. of Deuteronomy where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst that is one sinne to another the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Héere we sée how the mightie God doth thunder downe vpon such as goe on in their sins presuming of his mercy and saying in their hearts If I may haue but a Lord haue mercy vpon me thrée houres before death I care not But it is iust with God when those thrée hours come to shut them vp in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a iust plague for their presumption Therefore the Prophet Dauid seeing the grieuousnesse of this sin praieth to be deliuered from it Keepe me ô Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not raigne ouer me Let all men therfore take héed of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will he shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that iustice goeth from him as well as mercy Phila. Let vs come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is prooued in the 23. of Exod. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill In another place the Lord saith After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein yee dwelt shall yee not doe and after the manner of the land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall yee not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the Children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Ieremy The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare But we will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth and we will doe as we haue done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Note héere how they doe altogether refuse the word of the Lord and how to follow the example of the multitude Wée sée in these our daies by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried down this streame and for defence of it some will say Doe as the most men doe and the fewest wil speake of you Which is a very wicked speach For if wée will follow the course of the most we shall haue the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let vs therefore take héed of bending with the sway For the sway of the world doth waigh downe all things that can bée spoken out of the word of God and openeth a very wide passage into Hell Phila. Proceed to the fourth gate into Hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Ieremy to be a very dangerous thing For he saith Can the blacke More change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe euill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leaue an old custome of sinne as to wash a black-more white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall are most impossible So when men through custom haue made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall vnto them oh how hard it is to leaue them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and féeling of sinne Phila. Let vs heare of the fift gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is auouched by the wise man in these words Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe euill Where he sheweth that one cause why men are so hardned in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediately after they haue sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone vpon another and cause the earth to swallow vp the third then men would feare indéed But it hath béene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he méet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall neuer come to their answer Euen as an olde théefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take héed For as the prouerbe saith Though the pitcher goeth long to the well yet at last it commeth broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies For there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you sée how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction That is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the law of the Magistrate Phila. Let vs come to the sixt gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who
iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him with his stripes we are healed This great Prophet we sée doth plainly affirme that Christ suffered for our sins by his suffering we are saued The Prophet Ieremy testifieth the same thing saying Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I wil raise vnto Dauid a righteous branch a king shall raigne and prosper shall execute iudgment iustice in the earth In his daies Iudah shall be saued Israel shal dwell safely and this is the name wherby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes This Prophet tumpeth with the other For he saith that Christ is the righteous branch that he is our righteousnes which is al one as if he had said our sins are pardoned only through him through him we are made righteous Moreouer he affirmeth that Iudah Israel that is the Church shall be saued by him The Prophet Zachary that I may speake it with reuerence telleth the same tale word for word Hée auoucheth the same thing with the other two Prophets For he saith In that day a Fountaine shall be opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse The meaning of the prophet is that in the daies of Christs kingdome the fountaine of Gods mercy in Christ should be opened and let out to wash away the sinnes and vncleannesse of the Church So then we sée that these thrée great witnesses doe all agrée in this that through Christ onely wée are washed from our sins and through him onely wée are made righteous Séeing then that eternall life is onely in the sonne therefore he that hath the son hath life Be of good courage therefore O Asunetus for no doubt you haue the son therfore eternal life Feare not your sins for they cannot hurt you For as all the righteousnes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all the most righteous men that euer liued vpon the face of the earth if it were yours could doe you no good without Christ so all the sinnes in the world can do you no hurt being in Christ For there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Plucke vp a good heart therfore be no more heauy and sadde for if you be found in Christ clothed with his perfect righteousnesse being made yours through faith what can the diuel say to you what can the Law doe They may wel hisse at you but they cannot sting you they may grin at you but they cannot hurt you For who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God maketh request for vs. Reioice in the Lord therfore againe I say reioice For greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world our Lord Jesus is stronger then all None can plucke you out of his hands he is a strong Mediator he hath conquered all our spiritual enemies he hath ouer come hell death damnation he hath led captiuitie captiue he hath spoiled principalities powers and hath made an open shew of them triumphed ouer them in his crosse He hath most triumphantly said O death I will be thy death O graue I wil be thy destruction O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victorie Séeing then you haue such a Mediator and high Priest as hath conquered the hellish armie and subdued all infernall power what néed you to doubt what néed you to feare any more Moreouer you are to vnderstand and to be perswaded that Gods mercy is excéeding great towards penitent sinners all such as mourne for their transgressions according as he saith At what time soeuer a sinner doth repent him of his sinnes from the bottome of his heart he will put them all out of his remembrance The Prophet Dauid doth most liuely fully describe vnto vs the mercifull nature of God in the 103. Psalme where he saith The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger of great kindnes he wil not alwaies chide neither keepe his anger for euer he hath not dealt with vs after our sins nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities For as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards those that feare him As far as the East is from the West so far hath he remoued our sins from vs. As a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him For he knoweth whereof we be made he remembreth that we are but dust The Historie of the lost sonne doth most notably set foorth the wonderfull mercie of God towards penitent sinners There is shewed how the Lord doth embrace tender make much of such poore sinners as haue broken and contrite hearts for their sinnes for it is saide that when the father saw his repenting sonne a great way off he had compassion on him and ran and fell on his necke and kissed him and cloathed him with the best robe put it on him put a ring on his hand shooes on his féet and caused the fat calfe to be killed for him Euen so the euer lasting father doth reioyce at the conuersion of any of his lost sons Yea there is ioy in the presence of the angels of God for one sinner that conuerteth Moreouer the Lord doth most liuely expresse his merciful nature and disposition in this that he is very loath we should perish willingly cast away our selues Therfore often in the holy scriptures he doth mourne for vs bewaile our wretchednes and taketh vp many pitifull complaints and lamentations for vs saying Oh that my people had hearkned vnto me and Israel had walked in my waies And againe Oh that thou hadst hearkened vnto my commandements then had thy prosperity been as the floud and thy righteousnesse as the waues of the Sea Againe he mourningly complaineth by his Prophet Hosea saying Oh Ephraim what shall I do vnto thee Oh Iudah how shall I entreat thee And in another place What could I doe more vnto my vineyard that I haue not done Mark here how compassionately the Almighty God doth yearn ouer vs and euen as it were blée◠vpon our wounds The Apostle also doth note the rich mercy maruellous loue of God to mākind in this that he doth beséech vs pray vs by the ministers of the gospel that we would be reconciled vnto him The words are these Now then are we embassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs sted that you be reconciled vnto God Is it not a strange thing that the omni potent God should fall to intreating of vs poore wretches It is all one as if a King should intreat a begger whom
for the twi-light and saith None eie shall see me And in another place How shall God know can he iudge thorow the darke cloud But verily verily though the adulterer doe neuer so closely and cunningly conuey his sin vnder a canopie yet the time will come when it shall be disclosed to his eternall shame For God will bring euery worke to iudgement with euery secret thought whether it be good or euill For he hath set our most secret sins in the light of his countenance And hee will lighten the things that are hid in darknesse and make the counsels of the heart manifest For this cause Iob saith When I sinne thou watchest me and wilt not purge me from my sinne Phila. Now you haue shewed vs the causes of adultery I pray you shew vs the remedies Theol. There be six remedies for adultery which no doubt will greatly preuaile if they be well practised Phila. Which be they Theol. Labour Abstinence Temperance Praier Restraint of senses Shunning of womens company and all occasions whatsoeuer Phila. Well sir now you haue waded deepe enough in the second signe of damnation I pray you let vs proceed to the third which is couetousnesse And as you haue laid naked the two former so I pray you strip this starke naked also that all men may see what an vgly monster it is and therefore hate it and abhorre it Theol. I would willingly satisfie your mind but in this point I shall neuer do it sufficiently For no heart can conceiue or tongue sufficiently vtter the loathsomnesse of this vice For Couetousnesse is the foulest fiend blackest diuell of all the rest It is euen great Beelzebub himselfe Therefore I shall neuer be able fully to describe it vnto you but yet I will do what I can to strip it and whip it starke naked And howsoeuer that men of this earth and blind worldlings take it to be most swéet beautifull and amiable and therefore do embrace it entertaine it and welcome it as though there were some happinesse in it yet I hope when I haue shewed them the face thereof in a glasse euen the true glasse of Gods word they will be no more in such loue but quite out of conceit with it I will therefore hold out this glasse to them Saint Paul to Timothy brandeth this sinne in the forehead and boareth it in the eares that all men may know it and auoid it when hée saith Couetousnesse is the root of all euill Our Lord Iesus also giueth vs a watch-word to take héed of it saying Take heed and beware of couetousnesse As if he should say touch it not come not neare it it is the very breath of the diuell it is present death and the very rats-bane of the soule The Apostle laieth out the great danger of this sinne and doth excéedingly grime the face of it when he saith that the end of all such as minde earthly things is damnation Let all carnal worldlings and muckish minded men lay this to heart and consider well of it lest they say one day had I wist Phila. Good sir lay open vnto vs the true nature of Couetousnesse and what it is that we may more perfectly discerne it Theol. Couetousnesse is an immoderate desire of hauing Phila. I hope you doe not thinke frugality thriftinesse and good husbandry to be couetousnesse Theol. Nothing lesse For they be things commanded being done in the feare of God and with a good conscience Phila. Doe you not thinke it lawfull also for men to doe their wordly businesse and to vse faithfulnesse and diligence in their callings that they may prouide for themselues and their families Theol. Yes no doubt And the rather if they doe these things with calling vpon God for a blessing vpon the works of their hands and vse praier thanksgiuing before after their labor taking héed all the day long of the common corruptions of the world as swearing cursing lying dissembling deceiuing gréedy getting c. Phila. Wherein I pray you doth couetousnesse especially consist Theol. In the gréedy desire of the mind For we may lawfully doe the works of our calling and play the good husbands and good huswiues but we must take héed that distrustfulnes and inward gréedinesse of the world doe not catch our hearts For then are we set on fire and vtterly vndone Phila. Sith couetousnesse is especially of the heart how may we know certainely when the heart is infected Theol. There be foure speciall signes of the hearts infection Phil. Which be they Theo. The first is an eager and sharp set desire of getting Therefore the holy Ghost saith He that hasteth to be rich shall not be vnpunished And againe An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed The Heathen man also saith No man can be both iustly and hastily rich The second is a pinching and niggardly kéeping of our owne that is when men being able to giue will hardly part with any thing though it be to neuer so holy and good vse And when at last with much adoe for shame they giue somthing it commeth heauily from them God wot and scantly The third is the neglect of holy duties that is when mens minds are so taken vp with the loue of earthly things that they begin to slacke and coole in matters of Gods worship The fourth and last is a trusting in riches and staying vpon them as though our liues were maintained by them or did consist onely in them which thing our Lord Jesus flatly denieth saying Though a man haue abundance yet his life consisteth not in the things that hee hath Luke 12. 15. These then are foure euident signes and tokens whereby we may certainly discerne that meus harts and intrailes are infected with couetousnesse Phila. You haue very well satisfied vs in this point Now let vs vnderstand the originall causes of Couetousnesse Theol. There be two speciall causes of Couetousnesse The one is the ignorance and distrust of Gods prouidence The other is the want of tasting and féeling of heauenly things For till men taste better things they will make much of these till they feele heauen they will loue earth til they be religious they will be couetous Therfore the cause is soone espied why men are so sharpe set vpon these outward things and doe so admire riches worldly pompe pleasures and treasures Because they know no better they neuer had taste or feeling of those things which are eternall Phila. Now as you haue shewed vs the causes of Couetousnesse so let vs also heare of the effects Theol. If I once enter into this I shall bée entar gled and wound vp in a maze where I know not how to get out againe For the euill effects of this vice are so many and so great that I know not almost where to begin or where to end Notwithstanding I will enter into it get out
dinner and supper it might serue to correct our distrustfulnesse For who euer saw these or any other soule starue for hunger so good a father and so good a nurse haue they And are not we much better then they hath not God more care of vs then of them yes verily a thousand times For he loueth them but for our sakes how much more then doth he loue our selues Therfore I say again again if we would consider these things lay them to heart they wold nip couetousnes on the head driue it quite out of our hearts Let vs consider therefore that God prouided for man before man was then how much more will he prouide for man now that he is Is he our Father wil he not prouide for vs Is he our king and wil he not regard vs Is he our shepheard and wil he not looke to vs Hath he prouided heauen for vs and wil he not giue vs earth Hath he giuen vs his sonne Christ and shal he not with him giue vs all things Doth he prouide for his enemies and wil he not prouide for his friends doth he prouide for whoremongers wil he neglect his chosen Doth he send his raine cause his Sunne to shine vpon the vniust and shall he not vpon the iust Doth he prouide for them which are not of the family will he not prouide for his owne family Will a man féed his Hogges and not care for his seruants Or will he care for his seruants and not regard his owne children Oh then let vs consider these reasons let vs remember that our heauenly Father hath as great care for the preseruation of his creatures as once hée had for their creation Let vs therefore remember that our life consisteth not in these things but in the prouidence of God Let vs remember that he which giueth the day will prouide for the things of the day Let vs remember that God alwaies giueth for sustentation though not for satietie Let vs remember that God will not famish the soules of the righteous Let vs remember how God neuer failed his For who euer trusted in the Lord and was confounded Phila. What then is the cause that many do want outward things Theol. The cause is in themselues because they want faith For if wée had faith wée could want nothing For faith feareth no famine as saith an ancient Father And another saith For as much as al things are Gods he that hath god can want nothing if he himselfe be not wanting vnto God Therefore to haue God is to haue al things For if we haue him our friend we haue enough we néed goe no further For hée will make men our friends yea hée will make Angels all creatures to be seruiceable vnto vs he will giue them a speciall charge to looke to vs to guard vs and to doe continuall homage vnto vs. Therefore let vs make God our friend and then haue we done all at once that may concerne our good both for this life and a better But if he stand not our friend if wée haue not him on our side if he backe vs not then all other things whatsoeuer can do vs no good all is not worth a button For Quid prodest si omnia habes eum tamen qui omnia dedit non habere What is a man the better though hée haue all things and be without him which is the author of all things Phila. Herein you speake very truely no doubt For wee see many haue great plenty of outward things but because they haue not God they can haue no true comfort in them or blessing with them Theol. True indéed For man liueth not by bread onely saith our Lord Jesus but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And againe he saith Though a man haue abundance yet his life consisteth not in the things that he hath For without Gods blessing there can be no sound comfort in any thing Wée sée by dayly experience how the Lord curseth the wicked though they haue abundance For some hauing abundance yet are visited with continual sicknesses Some hauing abundance pine away with consumptions Others hauing abundance die of surfetting Others are snatched away by vntimely death in the middest of all their iollitie Others are visited with great losses both by sea and by land Others are vexed with curst wiues and disobedient children Some againe commit murders and treasons and so lose all at once Others are wasted and consumed by the secret curse of God no man knoweth how Some hauing great riches are giuen ouer to the murtherer some to the theefe some to the poisoner Therefore the wise king saith There is an euill sicknesse vnder the sun riches reserued to the owners thereof for their euill Eccles 5. 12. Zophar also the Naamathite saith When the wicked shall haue sufficient and enough he shall be brought into straits The hand of euery troublesome man shall be vpon him When he should fill his belly God will send vpon him his fierce wrath which he shall raine vpon him in stead of his meat Thus then it is cleare that mans life and good estate dependeth not vpon the abundance of outward things but only vpon the blessing and prouidence of God For His blessing only maketh rich and it doth bring no sorrow with it For Better is a little vnto the inst then great abundance to many of the wicked Better is a little with the feare of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith Better is a little with righteousnesse then great reuenews without equity Thus then I conclude this point Man liueth not by bread but by a blessing vpon bread not by outward meanes but by a blessing vpon meanes For how can bread being a dead thing and hauing no life in it selfe giue life to others Phila. I doe not well vnderstand the meaning of these words By euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Theol. Thereby is meant the decrée ordinance and prouidence of God which vpholdeth all things euen the whole order of nature For the Scripture saith He spake and it was done he commanded and they were created In which words we plainly sée that God doth but speake and it is done he doth command and all creatures are preserued For God doth all things with a word He created all with his word he preserueth all with his word he speaketh it is done His words are words of power authority Whatsoeuer he saith whatsoeuer he calleth for it must be done presently without any delay there is no withstanding of him He calleth for famine and behold famine He calleth for plenty and behold plenty He calleth for pestilence and behold pestilence He calleth for the sword and behold the sword All Angels all men all beasts all fishes all fowles all creatures whatsoeuer must obey him and be at his beck He is the greatest Commander
fire when it will be too late to repent Phila. What may be the cause of this so often and great swearing for surely it is no inherent and in-bred sinne in our nature as some of the other sinnes be Theol. No verily But these thrée I iudge to be the cause of it Custome Want of admonition Want of punishment Phila. What then are the remedies for it Theol. The remedies are these Disuse Praier Friendly admonition Some sharpe Law Phila. Well Sir now we haue heard enough of swearing I pray you proceed to the next signe of damnation which is lying Theol. Swearing and lying be of very néere kindred For he that is a common swearer is for the most part a common lier also For hee that maketh no conscience of swearing will make no conscience of lying And as the Lord hateth the one so also he hateth the other And as he punisheth the one so he will punish the other Therefore Salomon saith Lying lips are an abhomination vnto the Lord. Saint Iohn saith Without shall be dogges enchanters whoore-mongers murtherers and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lies Againe the same holy man of God saith that liers shall haue their part and portion in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Phila. These scriptures which you alleadge doe manifestly declare that God abhorreth liers and hath reserued great torments for them Therefore the princely Prophet Dauid saith that he would banish all liers out of his house He that telleth lies saith he shal not remaine in my sight A lying tongue is one of the sixe things which God doth hate and his soule abhorre Yet for al this we see the lamentable experience how many haue euen taught their tongues to lie as the Prophet saith and there is no trueth in their lips This vice is almost as common as swearing For it is hard to finde a man that will speake the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth from his heart in simplicity and plainnesse at all times in all places and amongst all persons without all glozing or dissembling either for feare gaine flattery men-pleasing hiding of faults or any sinister respect whatsoeuer Where I say is this man to be found I would fain see him I would faine looke vpon such a man It would doe my heart good to behold him I would reioyce to set mine eyes vpon such a man Theo. Such a man as you speake of is hardly to be found among the sonnes of men They be blacke Swans in the earth they be white crowes they be rare birds For there be very few that will speake the truth from their heart yet some such I hope there be But for the most part amongst the greater sort lying dissembling and fraud do beare all the sway There is no truth no honesty no conscience no simplicity no plaine dealing amongst men in these most corrupt times Faith and truth are parted cleane away And as the kingly prophet saith The faithfull are failed from among the children of men They speake deceitfully euery one with his neighbour flattering with their lippes and speake with a double heart Men now adayes studie the Arte of lying flattering fawning glosing and dissembling they haue a heart and a heart They haue hony in their mouth and gall in their heart Their tongues are as soft as butter and oile but their hearts are full of bitternesse poison and wormwood They are full of outward courtesie and ciuility full of court holy water when there is no truth nor plainenesse in their inward affection They will speake you faire when they would cut your throats They will shew you a good countenance when they would eate your heart with garlicke In outward shew they will carry themselues plausibly when their hearts are full of venome malice This viperous brood do but watch their times opportunities till they can get a man vpon the hip and then they will sting him worke their malice vpon him These fauning curs will not barke till they bite They will lurke and lie close til they spie their vantage and then they wil shew themselues in their kinde then they will hoist a man and turne him ouer the perke if they can These men are like the waters which are most déepe where they are most calme like a dangerous rocke hid vnder a calme sea or as the Heathen say like the Syrens song which is the Sailers wrecke like the Fowlers whistle which is the birds death like the hid bait which is the fishes bane like the Harpyes which haue virgins faces and Uultures tallons or like Hyena which speaketh like a friend and deuoureth like a foe or as the Scripture saith like Ioab the captaine of the hoast which spake kindly to Amasa an other Captain kissed him when presently hée stabd him or like vnto the Herodians and Pharisies seruants which came to our Lord Jesus with many fawning insinuations calling him good master telling him that he was the plaine truth that he taught the way of God truely he regarded no mans person and many good morrows and all this géere when as in very déed their purpose was to intangle him in his words and to entrap him that they might catch aduantage against him so cut his throt giue him pap with a hatchet This it is which the wise man saith A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet And againe As siluer drosse ouerlaid vpon an earthen pot so are fawning lips and an euill heart And in another place hée saith Hee that beareth hatred will counterfait with his lips but hee laieth vp deceit in his heart When hee shall shew his voice fauourably trust him not For their are seuen abhominations in his heart Hee will couer hatred by deceit but his malice shall be discouered in the congregation In another place he pronounceth a curse vpon all these hollow hearted hypocrites and meale-mouthed flatterers For saith he Vnto him that blesseth his friend with a loud voice betimes in the morning rising vp earely a curse shall be imputed Phila. You haue very well described the conditions of the men of this age which haue faces countenances and tongues but no harts which professe lying and dissembling which say hee cannot liue that cannot dissemble which haue faire faces and false hearts which haue forgotten that plaine honesty is deepe policy Theol. The holy Ghost often in the Prouerbs of Salomon calleth all vnregenerate men fooles or as it is in the Hebrew men without hearts Because they haue no heart to God no heart to his word no heart to his children no heart to godlinesse no heart to any thing that good is They are without an honest heart an vpright heart a plaine heart They are all in words nothing in déeds They promise mountaines and performe mol-hils They will speake well of religion and practise nothing They wil giue faire
gold and siluer is cankered and the rust of them shall bee a witnesse against you and shall eat your flesh as it were fire Lastly S. Paul saith flatly that extortioners shall not inherit the kingdome of God Thus we sée how many fearefull woes and threats are denounced from heauen against these pestilent cut-throats of the earth Phila. And all little enough For they are steeped in their sinne and the staine of it is so soked into them as it will hardly euer be washed out True it is that you said that these cruell oppressing bloud-suckers are the most pernicious and pestilent vermine that creepeth vpon the face of the earth and yet I thinke there were neuer moe of them then in these daies For now the wicked world is full of such as doe sundry waies bite pinch and nip the poore as we see by euery daies lamentable experience but you can speake more of it then I. Therefore I pray you lay open the sundry kinds of oppression vsed in these daies Theol. There is oppression by vsury Oppression by bribery Oppression by racking of rents Oppression by taking excessiue fines Oppression in bargaining Oppression in letting of leases Oppression in letting of houses Oppression in letting of grounds Oppression in binding poore men to vnreasonable couenants Oppression in thrusting poore men out of their houses Oppression in hiring poore mens houses ouer their heads Oppression in taking of fées Oppression by Lawyers Oppression by Church Officers Oppression by engrossers Oppression by forestallers Oppression of the Church Oppression of the Ministery Oppression of the poore Oppression of widowes Oppression of Orphanes And thus we see how all swarmes with Oppressions and nothing but Oppressions Oppressions Phila. In truth this is a most cruell and oppressing age wherein we liue yea a very iron age It seemeth that the great ones minde nothing else they are altogether set vpon oppression they dote and dreame of it they finde sweet in it and therefore they are mad of it As Salomon saith Oppression maketh a wiseman mad It seemeth therefore that this vice is of such maruellous force that it can bereaue men of their wits and make men starke mad of getting goods by hooke or by crooke they care not how nor from whom so they haue it Yet no doubt the most wise God hath enacted many good lawes for the suppressing of this euill and doth threaten the execution of them in his owne person and especially his Law doth prouide for the safetie of the poore the fatherlesse the widow and the stranger But you M. Theologus can repeat the statutes better then I because you are a professed Diuine Therefore I pray you let vs heare them from you Theol. In the 22. Chapter of Exodus God made this law following You shall not trouble any widow or fatherlesse childe if thou vex or trouble such and so hee call and crie vnto me I will surely heare his crie Then shall my wrath be kindled and I will kill you with the sword and your wiues shall be widowes and your children fatherlesse Againe he saith Thou shalt not oppresse an hired seruant that is needy and poore but thou shalt giue him his hire for his day neither shall the Sunne goe downe vpon it for he is poore and therewith sustaineth his life lest hee crie against thee vnto the Lord and it be sinne vnto thee Moreouer the Lord saith Thou shalt doe no iniury to a stranger for yee were strangers in the land of Egypt And God himselfe threatneth that he will be a swift witnesse against those which kéepe backe the hirelinges wages and vex the widow and the fatherlesse The Apostle saith Let no man oppresse or defraud his brother in any matters For the Lord is an auenger of all such things Salomon also saith If in a country thou feest the oppression of the poore and the defrauding of iustice and iudgement be not astonied at the matter for hee that is higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they Eccles 5. 7. All these holy statutes and lawes enacted and prouided against oppressors doe plainely shew what care the Lord hath for his poore distressed and desolate people Phila. But these oppressing hel-hounds are such as care for nothing No Law of the Almighty can bridle them nothing can feare them nothing can restraine them They haue made a couenant with Hell and death They are frozen in the dregs they are past feeling And as Iob saith These are they that abhorre the light they know not the waies thereof neither continue in the pathes thereof Their hearts are as hard as the Adamant Nothing can mooue them nothing can worke vpon them There is great crying out euery where of the stone in the reines which indeed is a great torment to the bodie but there is no complaining of the stone in the heart I meane a stonie heart which is the sorest disease that possibly can fall into the soule of man and yet in these times it groweth very rife For mens hearts are as hard as brasse and as the neather Milstone as the Scripture speaketh For many especially of these vnmercifull and oppressing tyrants say in their hearts God will do neither good nor euill Therefore they put the euil day far from them and approch vnto the seat of iniquity They are at ease in Zion they lie vpon beds of Iuory and stretch themselues vpon their beds and eat the lambes of the flocke and the calues out of the stall They sing to the sound of the viall they inuent instruments of musicke like Dauid They drink wine in bowles and no man is sory for the affliction of Ioseph that is the troubles of Gods people The Prophet Esay also complaineth of these kind of men saying They regard not the work of the Lord neither consider the work of his hands And another Prophet saith they say in their harts God hath forgotten he hideth away his face and will neuer see They are so proud that they seeke not for God They think alwaies there is no God his iudgements are far out of their sight Their waies alwaies prosper and therefore they say in their hearts Tush we shall neuer be moued nor come in danger Theol. You haue spoken very well touching the stéelinesse and hardnes of these mens harts who are so vnmerciful to their poor neighbors that almost none can liue by them They do so disturbe disquiet al things that poore men can dwell in no rest by them Therefore truly saith the wise king A mightie man molesteth all both hireth the foole hireth those that passe by But the poore man speaketh with prayers that is by the way of entreatie and supplications For the poore are afraid of them They quake when they sée them as the beasts quake at the roaring of the Lion Many poore Farmers poore Husband men poore Heards poore Labourers poore widowes and hirelings doe