faithfull Father Abraham beleeued before hee was circumcised so Zaccheus belieued before he was circumcised As Abraham left his countrey and all that he had when God called him so Zaccheus left his office and the most part of his riches when he was called by the sonne of God and as Abraham desirêd to see the day of Christ and saw it and reioyced so Zaccheus desired to see Christ and he sawe him and reioyced Now is Zaccheus a Gentile become the child of Abraham and not only he but his whole house also is become the house of Abraham for when Zaccheus is conuerted his whole house is conuerted As the master is such are the seruauntes if he bee godly and religious they prooue godly and religious if he bee an Atheist they prooue Atheists likewise Therefore keepe no companie with the wicked for it is most pernitious but associate thy selfe with those that feare the Lorde that thou also mayest learne to feare the Lord who for his mercie graunt that we may with Zaccheus be desirous to see Christ ioyfull to receiue Christ liberall to releeue the members of Christ and readie to make a mends when we haue wronged anie of our brethren that so with Zaccheus we may be heites of saluation and the true sonnes of Abraham to raigne with Christ in heauen for euer by the meanes and merites of him that dyed and rose againe for vs. To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all glory Amen FINIS A praier for the Morning O Lord prepare our hearts to pray O Lord GOD our heauenly Father wee thy poore and wretched creatures giue thee most humble and heartie thankes for our quiet and safe sleepe and for raising vs vp from the same Wee beseech thee for Iesus Christs sake to prosper vs this day in our labour and trauell that it may bee to the discharging of our duety in our vocations principally to thy glory nexte to the profit of this Church and common-weale and last of all to the benefite and content of our masters Grant deare father that we may cheerfully and conscionably do our businesse and labours not as men-pleasers but as seruing thee our God knowing thee to bee the chiefe master of vs and that thou seest and beholdest vs with thy fatherly eies who hast promised rewarde to them that faithfullie and truly walke in their vocation and threatned euerlasting death and damnation to them that deceitfully and wickedly do their works and labours We beseech thee O heauenly father to giue vs the strength of thy spirit that godlie and gladlie we may ouercome our labours and that the tediousnesse of their irksome labour which thou for our sinnes hast powred vpon all mankind may seeme to vs more delectable and sweet Fulfill nowe O Lord these our requests for thy sonne our Sauiours sake in whose name we pray as hee himselfe hath taught vs. Our father c. A godly praier to be said at all times BEcause I haue sinned O Lord and done wickedly in thy sight and prouoked thee to anger by my abhominable wickednesse making my body which thou hast ordained as a vessel for thine honor an instrument to most detestable filthines O Lord be mercifull vnto me and pardon me this great wickednesse looke not vpon me good Father with the eyes of iustice neither doe thou drawe against mee the sword of iudgement for then howe shall I that am but dust stand in thy presence when thy wrathful indignation commeth forth as a whirle wind and thy heauy displeasure as a mighty tempest seeing the earth trembleth the depths are discouered and the very heauens are shaken when thou art angrie Exercise not therefore thy fury against me that am but chaffe before the winde and as stubble against a flaming fire though I haue sinned grieuously in thy sight preferring my wicked desire before thy holy commandement esteeming the pleasure of a moment before eternal euerlasting ioyes nay which is worse making more account of vilenes and vanity and extreame folly and madnes then of the glory and maiesty of the most excellent wonderfull and blessed God nothing dreading his displeasure whose wrath maketh the diuels to quake burneth vnquenchable vnto the bottomles pit of hel whose might is so great that by the breath of his nosthrils he can in the twinkling of an eye destroy a thousand worlds yet am I bold prostrating my selfe before the throne of thy maiestie heartily to beseech and humbly to intreate thee that thou wilt not deale with mee according to my merites for I haue deserued y t thoushouldest raine down fire brimstone from out of heauen vpon me to deuoure me or to open the earth vnder me to swallow me vp quicke vnto hell but thou art gratious and ful of compassion and rich in mercies therefore do men put their trust vnder the shadow of thy wings I haue none in heauen to flie vnto but thee nor in earth of whom I may receiue any comfort but at thy fauorable hands which are stretched out day and night to receiue all that by earnest repentance turne to thee being ready to ease all those that are ladē with the burthen of their sin and to refresh their distressed consciēces In the multitude of thy mercies I approach vnto thee O Lord desiring thee to looke down from the height of thy sanctuary vpon me poore and wretched sinner and to wipe away mine offences to blot out my misdeeds especiallie this my vngratious vncleane and vngodly act that it may not come vp in remembrance with thee nor bee imputed to me for euer for thy sonnes sake O Lord in whome thou art well pleased in whome thou wast fullie satisfied vpon the crosse for my sinnes grant me free pardon and remission of that I haue so foolishly by my exceeding frailetie committed against thee in this shamefull deede But O thou my vncleane and vnthankefull soule my vngodly and rebellious heart what did I sinful wretch execrable caitife so blindly and desperately attempt Howe art thou become quite senselesse that thou wast so ready to anger thy most louing God and to prouoke thy most mightie Iudge that thou mightest satisfie thy filthie flesh suborned both by thine Gods most malitious aduersarie to grieue and vexe the spirit of the Lorde and to damne thy selfe for euer Hath not God of his singular fauour made the heauens of olde and placed the Sun and Moone in thē two glorious lights with innumerable starres a wonderfull workmanship for thy vse and benefit Hath he not lifted vp the cloudes by his strong arme and heaped treasures of raine haile and snowe to doe thee seruice Hath he not in the midst of the world laide the foundations of the earth that thou mightest haue a stable habitation and mightest from thence beholde euerie waie thou lookest the walles of his beautifull place Hath hee not gathered the waters into one place and made the drie land appeare and drawne forth
worship him As for the image we reade that to turne the glorie of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible creature is idolatrie Well may I then affirme with Moses Cursed be the Image and the Image maker The conclusion therefore of this poynt is this that we seeke the Lord and his strength euermore that wee pray vnto God in humilitie sinceritie and in full assurance of faith continually who without end is to be sought because without end he is to be beloued The third thing contained in our duetie is what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vs comprehended in these wordes If thou be pure vpright if the cloudes be ful they will powre forth raine vpon the earth vnpossible it is that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth vnto the Almighty should not bring forth the fruits of a godly life for if the tree be good the fruits cannot be bad if the head of y e water be pure it wil send forth pure waters into the cesterns Wherefore as good motions are stirred vp by praier so must they bee fostred by practise of life according to that of the Apostle Quench not the spirit nor grieue the holy one of God by whom ye are sealed to the day of redemption He quencheth dearly beloued the spirit which being once lightened with the sparkles of faith felte Gods motions in his hart doth neglect to increase the one to a flame the other to good workes in his life but with the dog turneth to his vomit with the Sow that was washed to her wallowing againe in the mire Therefore beloued loue and seeke the Lord pray to the almightie be pure and vpright in conuersation fly from sinne as from a serpent for if thou come neare it will bite thee The teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon to slay the soules of men and all iniquitie is as a two edged sword the woundes that it giues cannot bee healed I dare not stand as I would vpon these pointes fearing tediousnes wherefore let this suffice for the former general part concerning the duty we owe vnto God Now Gods promises for the performance herof yeeld vnto vs most plentiful matter of doctrine cōsolation First of his iustice that as he will suffer no sin vnpunished so he will leaue no good work vnrewarded but giueth to euery seueral actiō his seueral hire iust recompence of reward Shall the howre come in which al that are in their graues shal heare a voice come forth they that haue done vvel to the resurrection of life they that haue done euil to the resurrection of condemnation Shall the Lord search Ierusalem with Lanthornes Shall all foule corners be swept and all pleites and vvrinckles be vnfolded Shall the sea graue death and hell giue vp al that is in them and shal all the deade both great and small stand before God vvhen the bookes are opened and shall euery man haue praise of God according vnto his deseruing Shall vvee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of vvrath betweene sheepe and gotes the iust and vniust Finally shall there be an infallible generall and incorrupt iudgement wherein the booke of all our offences shall be laide wide open Now God bee mercifull vnto vs be fauorable O Lord bee fauorable But to proceede it is thy nature O Lorde to gather vp the wheate and burne the tares to cut down all fruitles trees cast them into the fire yea into a fierie furnace that neuer shall be quenched into an vtter darknes where is weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth then be fauorable O Lord be fauorable Doth not the Lord spare Dauid a king and a Prophet for murther doth he not spare the Sichemites for adulterie nor Absalom for treason nor Saul for tyrannie nor Eli for negligence nor Achab Ieroboam nor Iezabell for crueltie nor Herod Nabuchadnezzar Lucifer for pride nor Pharaoh for incredulitie then be fauorable O Lord be fauorable to vs in whom almost euery one of these sins doe dwell and remaine Did the Lorde for corruption ouerflow the world with water did hee burne Sodome for her villanie did he cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruite did hee stone a poore wretch to death for gathering chips on the Sabboth day then be fauorable O Lorde be fauorable vnto vs. But dooth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height nor the Oke for his strength nor the Poplar for his smoothnesse nor the Lawrel for his greennes No verely from the Cedar that is in Lybanon euen to y e hysop that groweth out of the wall yea euery one that bringeth not forth good fruite is hewne downe and cast into the fire it is a righteous thing with God to render vengeance to those that disobey him and to destroy such as haue forsaken the law by euerlasting perdition Behold the Lord shal come in the great and latter day of iudgement when none shall escape his iudgment seat with cloudes shall he come and euery eie shall see him euen they which pierced him thorow shall also waile before him being sūmoned al to appeare most fearfully before his imperial throne of maiesty thē be fauorable O Lord be fauorable A las with what eies shall we miserable sinners behold him so gloriously sitting in his roiall kingdome with all his mightie and holy angels and whole number of saints sounding with the voice of the archangell and trumpet of God causing the heauens to passe away with a noise and the elements to melt like waxe the earth to burne with the works thereof yea with what eies shall wee behold him when we see the Sun darkned the Moone eclipsed and the stars fall down from heauen But alas when he taketh the furbished blade into his hand when he is ready to throw the fiery thunderbolts of his wrath when hee summoneth before him the worme that neuer dieth the fire that neuer shall bee quenched to reuenge vppon the wicked into what a plight are they then driuen then leaue they off be fauorable O Lorde be fauorable and say to the hils O ye mountains come and couer vs O yee waters come and ouerwhelme vs wo wo wo how great is this darkenes The godly on the other side are bathed in such streames of blisse and aduanced to such happines as neither tongue can vtter nor heart conceiue The second thing wee haue to note in his promises is his mercy which exceedeth al his workes For God though hee haue giuē a curse of the law against sinners yet seeing Christ for the penitent hath borne the curse whereby his iustice is not impaired he is content to accept our weaknesse as our strength to recompence our imperfection with rewarde of greatest perfection and that which we can performe but in small part hee is content to accept as whole not for any
seeme too base in our eies are scorned for their labours as much as we should be for our idlenes Then saith Moses Noah began to be a husbandman In that it is here said that Noah began it doth not disprooue that hee gaue not himselfe to husbandrie before but it importeth that Noah began to set vp husbandrie againe after the floud before any other so this good man recomforted with the experience of Gods fauour which had exempted him and his seede out of all the world and reioycing to see the face of the earth agayne after the waters were gone though an olde man and weake then he was yet hee returneth to his labour afresh and scorned not to till and plant for all his possessions as though he were an husbandman such a lowlines is alwaies ioined with the feare of God that they y t are humbled with religion do not thinke themselues too good to do any good thing Here note by the way that none of Noahs sonnes are sayd to begin this worke but Noah himselfe the olde man the hoary head and carefull Father begins to teach the rest and shewes his sonnes the way how they should prouide for their sonnes and howe all the world after should liue by labour and trauell till they return to dust so the olde man whome age dispenceth with all to take his ease is more willing to prouide for the wantes of his children then they are which are bound to labour for themselues and their parens too as the Storke doeth feede the dam when shee is olde because the dam fed her when she was young What a shame is this to Shem and Iapheth that is to vs which are young and strong that the Father should be called a laborer when the sonnes stand by Now the ground was barren because of the floud and could not bring foorth fruite of it selfe because of the cursse therefore it pitied Noah to see the desolation and barrennes slime vpon the face of the earth which hee had seene so glorious and sweet and fertil with all maner of herbs and fruits and flowers before Therefore hee setteth himselfe to manure it which waited for nothing now but a painefull labourer to till and dresse it that it might bring forth delights and profits for sinful man as it did before By this we may learne to vse all means for the obtaining of Gods blessings not to lose any thing which we might haue or saue for want of paines for that is sin As Salomon noteth in the 24. of Pro. when he reprooueth y t slouthful husbandmā bicause his field brought foorth Nettles and Thistles in steade of grapes not because the grounde woulde not beare Grapes but because the slouthfull man woulde not set them Shall God commaund the earth and all his creatures to increase for vs and shall not we further their increase for our selues as wee increase and multiplie our selues so wee are bounde to ioyne hande and helpe that all creatures may increase and multiplie too or else the Fathers shoulde eate the childrens portion and in time there should bee nothing left for them that come after this regard Noah seemeth to haue vnto his posteritie and therefore h e gaue himselfe vnto husbandrie which is commended in him vnto this day and shall bee recorded of him so long as this booke is read whereby wee are warned that he which liueth only to himselfe is not to bee remembred of them which liue after But as Dauid cared howe the realme should be gouerned after his death aswell as he did during his life so though wee die and depart this worlde yet wee should leaue that example or those bookes or those workes behinde vs which may profit the Church and Common-wealthe when wee are dead and buried as much as wee did when we liued among them Euen as Noah planted a vineyard not for himselfe but for the ages to come after Some do thinke that Noah planted the first vineyarde and drunke the first wine and that there was no vse of grapes before which opinion they are led vnto that they might excuse Noah and mittigate his faulte if hee did sup too deepe of that cup the strength and operation whereof was not knowne vnto him nor vnto any man before But it is not like that the excellent liquor and wholsome iuice of the Grape did lie hid from the worlde so many hundreth yeeres and no doubt but there were vines from the beginning created with other trees for how coulde Noah plant a vineyard vnlesse he had slippes of other vines or grapes that grew before seeing he did not create fruites but plant fruites as we doe for this is principallie to bee noted that so soone as hee had oportunitie to doe good hee omitted no time but presently after the floud was gone that the earth began to drie he plied it with seedes and wrought it till he saw the fruits of his labour By this wee learne to omit no occasion to doe good but whensoeuer wee may doe good to count it sinne if we do it not But if we be so exercised then all our workes shall prosper like the vineyard of Noah because the fruite of the vine dooth cheare the countenance and glad the heart of man Therefore some haue gathered vppon the planting of this vineyard a signification of gladnes and thankefulnes in Noah for his late deliuerance as the Iewes by their solemne feastes did celebrate the memoriall of some great benefite but I rather Iudge that God would haue vs see in this example what men did in those daies and how wee are degenerate from our parents that we may prepare against the fire as Noah prepared against the water This is worthy to bee noted to that God did not so regard his husbandrie but that hee had an eie to his drunkennes and speakes of his fault as wel as his vertue whereby we are warned that though God blesse vs now while wee remember him yet hee will chasten vs so soone as wee forget him though we be in a good name nowe infamie wil rise in an houre though we be rich at this present pouerty may come sodainely though we bee well while wee are heere yet we may fall sicke before night euen as Noah is praysed in one verse and dispraised in an other euen nowe God commends him for his lowlines and nowe discommendes him for his drunkennesse as though hee had forgot all his righteousnes so soone as hee sinned and woulde call in his praise againe This was to shewe that Noah was not saued from the floud because hee deserued to bee saued but because God had a fauour vnto him for he which was not drowned with water was drowned after with wine As the Pharisies when they had done wel were proud of it and lost their reward so when Noah had done a good worke he spotted it with sin and was dispraised where hee was praised as though God repented him that he
commended him Hee planted well but he drunke not well therefore that which was good did him hurt then seeing hee was trapped with a good worke vvhatsoeuer we doe wee may remember howe easie it is to sinne if wee misse in the matter or in the manner or time or the place or the measure as Noah did Hee which planteth the vineyarde is worthy to taste of the grape but if thou haue found hony saith Salomon eate not too much least thou surfet So if thou hast found wine drink not too much least thou surfet A little wine is better then a great deale and if thou wilt followe the Apostles counsell thou must drinke it but for thy stomackes sake least that happen to thee which thou shalt heare of this noble Patriarch Though hee were neuer so righteous before God and men though he escaped the destruction which lighted vpon all the world though he had al the foules of the ayre and beasts of the lande at his command though hee passed the pilgrimage of man nine hundreth yeeres yet Noah was but a man so ancient so righteous so mightie so happie Noah shewed himselfe but a man for drinking the wine which himselfe had planted he was drunken This is Noahs fault he was drunken with his owne wine as Lot was defiled with his owne daughters If Cham his sonne had taken too much and stript himselfe as his father did the holie ghost would scarce haue spoken of it because he was a man of no note but when the father forgate himselfe and gaue this offence marke the maner of the holie Ghost as though he would shew you a wonder hee displaieth Noahs drunkennesse as C ham displaied his nakednesse as if hee would say come and see the strength of man Hee which was counted so righteous hee which beleeued the threatning like Lot when the rest mocked hee to whome all the foules of the ayre and the beastes of the earth flocked in couples as they came to Adam hee which was reserued to declare the iudgementes of God and to beginne the worlde againe Noah the example of sobrietie the example of moderation is ouercome with drinke as if hee had neuer beene the man How easie how quicklie the iust the wise the prudent hath lost his sense his memorie his reason as though he had neuer beene the man And how hard is it to auoid sinne vvhen occasion is at hand and pleasant opportunitie tempteth to sinne it is easier for the birde to go by the net then to breake the net so it is easier for a man to auoide temptations then to ouercome temptations therefore God forbad Balaam not onelie to curse the people as Balacke woulde haue him but hee forbad him to goe with Balackes seruauntes knowing that if hee vvent with them and sawe the pompe of the Courte and hearde the King himselfe speake vnto him and felt the tickling rewarde it woulde straine his conscience and make him doubt whether hee shoulde curse or blesse Peter but vvarming himselfe at Cayphas fire vvas ouercome by a silly Damsel to do that which he neuer thought euen to forsweare his Lord God therefore Daniell woulde not eate of the kinges meate least hee should bee tempted to the kinges will shewing vs that there is no way to escape sinne but to auoide occasion Therefore Dauid prayeth Turne away mine eies from vanity as though his eies would drawe his heart as the baite tilleth on the hooke Noah thought to drinke hee thought not to be drunke but as hee vvhich commeth to the field to sounde the trumpet is slaine as soone as he vvhich commeth to fight so the same vvine distempereth Noah vvhich hath distempered so manie since Where hee thought to take his rewarde and taste the fruite of his owne handes God set an euerlasting blot vpon him vvhich stickes fast till this daie like a barre in his armes so long as the name of Noah is spoken of that vvee cannot reade of his vertue but wee must reade of his sinne vvhereby euery man is vvarned to receiue the gifts of God reuerentlie to vse them soberlie and to sanctifie himselfe before he reach foorth his hand vnto them that they may comfort and profit vs with that secret blessing which God hath hid in them or else euery thing the best giftes of God may hurt vs as the pleasant wine stained and confounded the great Patriarch when he delighted too much in it which hee might haue drunke as Christ did at his last Supper and this disgrace had neuer beene written in his storie but God would haue a feareful example like the pillar of salt to stand before those beastes whose onely strife is to make triall who can quaffe deepest and shewe all their valiantnesse in wine Because there is such warning before vs nowe we haue the drunkarde in schooling I will spend the time that is left to shew you the deformity of this sinne If anie heare mee which haue beene ouertaken with it let them not maruell why he cannot loue his enemies which loueth such an enemie as this which leadeth till hee reeleth dulles him til he bee a foole and stealeth away his sense his witte his memorie his health his credite his friendes and when shee hath stripped him as bare as Noah then shee exposeth him like Noah to Cham and all that see him doe mocke him it is a wonder almost that any man shoulde bee drunke that hath seene a drunkard before swelling and puffing and foming and spuing and groueling like a beast for who would be like a beast for all the world Looke vpon the drunkarde when his eies stare his mouth driuels his tongue faulters his face flames his hands tremble his feete reele howe vglie howe monstrous howe loathsome dooth he seeme to thee so loathsome doost thou seeme to others when thou art in the like taking And howe loathsome then doest thou seeme to God Therefore the first lawe vvhich Adam receiued of God was abstinence which if hee had kept hee had kept all vertues beside but intemperancie lost all In abstinence the lawe came to Moses and he fasted when hee receiued it to shewe that they which receiue the word of God receiue it soberlie A temperate man seldome sinneth because the flesh which dooth tempt is mortified least it shoulde tempt but when the handmayd is aboue the mistris and a man hath lost the image of God and scarse retayneth the image of man all his thoughts and speaches and actions must needes be sinne and nothing but sinne because the band of vertue sobrietie is broken which kept all togither when didst thou wante discretion to consider when didst thou wante patience to forgiue when didst thou want continencie to refraine when didst thou want hart to pray but when sobrietie was fledde awaie and intemperancie filled her roome if shame let to sinne it casteth out sinne if feare let to sinne it casteth out feare if loue lette to sinne it expulseth loue if knowledge let to sinne it
by his power a pure substance of ayre between heauen and earth that fishes might multiplie in the seas foules in great abundance flie in the open face of the firmament tender plants hearbes flowers and trees in al variety grow and fructifie vpon the ground yea creeping things cattell and beastes increase in infinite number in pastures fields gardens orchards and groues all these to do thee pleasure Hath he not further giuen thee springs and riuers gold and siluer pearles and iewels euen plentie of streames stones and mettall to furnish thee with whatsoeuer for profit thou needest or for pleasure desirest Hath he not made thee Lord and ruler ouer al his creatures euen ouer the huge Elephants the Whale the strong Lyon and Vnicorne and horse of warre ouer the sauage Tigers Beares Wolues ouer the mighty Eagle Griffin Vultur Ostrich and Hawke Art thou not clad and defended fed and inriched cheared and renowned by these his creatures and that all the partes of thy body and sences of thy minde might bee partakers of his goodnesse and with his sweetnes refreshed comforted and delighted in great measure yea aboue all this hath hee not breathed into thy body an immortall soule that thou mightest remaine with him in glorie for euer Did hee not at the first frame thee like vnto himselfe that he might therefore loue thee as his sonne Did he not cast into thy spirit the beames of his wisedome that thou through thy vnderstanding mightest beholde him and his glorie and stirred vp sparkes of goodnesse in thy heart that thou mightest by thy affection imbrace him and his bountie and bee made perfectly blessed by his infinite happinesse who when Adam thy vngratefull father by distrusting him that had faithfully promised was throughlie able to fulfill his will and resolutely determined exceedingly to aduance him hauing giuen him this whole worlde in testimony thereof by discontenting his minde with the excellent estate hee was placed in of vnspeakeable loue vnlesse hee might bee as good as God himselfe proudlie desiring to make dust the fellowe of him who was from euerlasting infinitly full of wisedome power grace and maiestie and had done al this at the perswasion of the most traiterous rebell of his right gratious king and spitefull enemie of his most bountifull master euen then when this most villanous conspiring with Gods notorious aduersarie had deserued immortall hatred against him and all that pertained vnto him yea thee as yet vnborne but contained in him whose whole masse by his impious disobedience became by iust iudgement a temple of cursed estate for euer and for euer thou also thy selfe bringing foorth fruite of contempt of his lawe who is most holy merciful and mighty yet euen then I say of vnspeakeable pittie and compassion intended nay promised nay laboured to deliuer him and thee from that dreadfull vengeance which ye had purchased by your owne wicked and vngracious demerits and to reconcile you base abiects and vile castawaies and yet stubborne and spitefull haters of the great God Iehoua who when there was no meanes to be found in heauen nor seas nor in the earth nor vnder the earth but that hee should damne his onely begotten Sonne the very brightnes of his glory who neuer offended him but was an eternall delight vnto his soule and reioycing vnto his spirit that thou mightest be saued a grosse lumpe of slime and clay still vexing him by thy wickednes yet deliuered his sonne into the full power of Sathan to put him to a most shamefull death by the handes of most detestable persons and did cast him farre away out of his fauour and threw him downe into the bottomlesse pit of his vnsupportable wrath indignation that thou mightst bee placed betweene his owne armes in the kingdome of heauen in all royalty and glory as his deere and entirely beloued sonne Why therefore wast thou O my vnholy and vnthankful nature so ready and prone so violent and headlong to commit thinges lightly displeasant in his sight who in a manner and as far as it was possible slewe himselfe for thy safetie when he had no creature so disobedient vnto him as thee O thou my inwarde soule and spirit of my minde awake and stand vp to defend thy self for thou art besieged with mightie enemies the prince of darkenes the rulers of the ayre the spirituall craftines and policies of hell why arisest thou not thou sluggard thy foes in great number are prepared with many ambushments hauing a huge armie all maliciouslie bent with venemous darts to pearce thorow thy heart they are entred thy holde at all fiue gates of thy outwarde sences yea they haue broken downe thy inwarde doores and haue left thee but one window towardes heauen to escape by euen thy praiers whereto the spirit of God waiteth thy speedy comming make hast O thou heauie with sleepe or thou art taken by thy cruell enemies whose handes are of yron and their teeth of steele to grind thy very bones to powder hearken no longer to that stinking harlot thy wicked appetite which lying in thy bosome desireth nothing but thy vtter destruction she perswadeth thee that thou art in no present danger that she may reioice at thy miserable ende It may be thou art fed to the slaughter that though thou go on a little way in thy pleasant path thou maiest returne backe when thou wilt and thy little wandering will not greatly be regarded O thou vnwise and sottish of heart when wilt thou vnderstand Hath the sonne of God indured such paine for the smallest of thy sinnes and makest thou so light account of so grieuous crimes Doth the lawe thunder curses and plagues and euerlasting tormentes against thy least inordinate motions and didst thou not dreade to performe so shamelesse a practise Knowest thou not that the eyes of God and his Angels behold thee doing that thou wouldest be ashamed to do in the presence of vngodly men or vncleane beastes or doest thou not consider howe thou didst grieue the spirit of God who hath vouchsafed of his infinite mercie to dwell in thy bodie to this ende chiefelie that hee might mortifie thy carnall lusts Why didst thou then defile his temple which he hath sanctified to be an house for himselfe to dwel in take heed thou driue not out so worthy and noble a ghest by such swinish and fleshly behauiour who if he once depart then shalt thou be an hold for diuels and legions of damned spirits that they may stuffe thee full of all manner of iniquitie and then at length become pitch and brimstone to maintaine the fire of Gods scorching wrath in thy sinewes spirits and inwarde bowels drinking out in full measure the dregs of the wyne of his rage and fury and canst thou be so blind and rechlesse that for the vaine pleasure of sinne for a little while thou wilt constrayne God to torment thee euerlastingly who it may bee euen at this instant if thou wilt still trie his