theron it doth the soule no more good then meate and drink doth the body being seene and felt and neuer fed vpon for as the body will dye although in see meate euen so will the soule for all the hearing reading of the word if that ye doe not meditate vpon it and gather faith and strengthen it and get hold of Christ which if ye doe Christ will bring you to the kingdome of his Father to which you can come by no meanes but by faith in him CHAP. 8. The sixt cause is to perswade them to teach their children THe sixt reason is to entreate and desire you in some sort to commaund you that all your children be they Males or Females may in their youth learne to read the Bible in their owne mother tongue for I know it is a great helpe to true godlinesse And let none of you plead pouerty against this for I know that if you bee neither couetous prodigall nor idle either of which sins will let no vertue growe where they come that you need not faile in this but if you will follow the commaundement of the Lord and labour sixe dayes and keepe the seuenth holy to the Lord and loue him with all your heart soule and strength you will not onely be willing but also able to see them all brought vp to read the Bible Salomon that was wise by the Spirit of God sayd Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth And ye are also commanded to write it vpon the walls of your houses and to teach it your childern I know sayth God that Abraham will teach his children and his childrens children to walke in thy commandements Also I further desire you because I wish all well and would be glad you should do as much good as could be in the wildernesse of this world that if any shal at any time desire you to be a Witnesse to the baptizing of their childe that then you shal desire the person so desiring to giue you his faithfull word that the child shall bee taught to read so soone as it can conueniently learne and that it shall so continue till it can read the Bible If this will not be granted you shall refuse to answer for the child otherwise doe not refuse to be a witnesse to any for it is a good Christian duety Moreouer forget not whether you answere for the child or no to pray that the child baptized may receiue the holy Ghost with all other children of the faithfull especially vvhen you are where a child is baptized for it is your duty to pray for the increase of the Church of God Pray for the peace of Ierusalem saith the Psalmist let them prosper that loue thee CHAP. 9 The seuenth cause is that they should giue their children good names THE seauenth cause is to entreate you that though I do not liue to be a witnesse to the baptizing of any of your children yet you would giue me leaue to giue names to them all For though I doe not thinke any holinesse to be in the name but know that God hath his in euery place and of euery name yet I see in the Bible it was obserued by GOD himselfe to giue choyse names to his children which had some good signification I thinke it good therefore to name your children after the names of the Saints of God which may bee a meanes to put them in mind of some vertues which those Saints vsed especially when they shal read of them in the Bible and seeing many are desirous to name both their owne children and others after their owne names this will be a meanes to increase the names of the Saints in the Church and so none shall haue occasion to mislike his name since hee beareth the name of such a Saint as hath left a witnesse to the world that hee liued and dyed in the true faith of IESVS Christ. The names I haue chosen you are these Philip Elizabeth Iames Anna Iohn and Susanna The vertues of them that bore those names and the causes why I chose them I let passe and only meane to write of the last name Susan famoused through the world for chastity a vertue which alwaies hath been and is of great account not onely amongst the Christians and people of God but euen among the Heathen and Infidels insomuch that some of them haue written that a woman that is truly chaste is a great partaker of all other vertues and contrariwise that the woman that is not truely chaste hath no vertue in her The which saying may well be warranted by the Scripture for who so is truly chaste is free from idlenesse and from all vaine delights full of humility and all good Christian vertues who so is chaste is not giuen to pride in apparell nor any vanity but is alwaies either reading meditating or practising some good thing which she hath learned in the Scripture But she which is vnchaste is giuen to be idle or if she do any thing it is for a vaine glory and for the prayse of men more then for any humble louing and obedient heart that shee beareth vnto God and his Word who sayd Sixe dayes thou shalt labour and so left no time for idlenesse pride or vanity for in none of these is there any holinesse The vnchaste woman is proud and alwayes decking her selfe with vanity and delights to heare the vaine words of men in which there is not only vanity but also so much wickednesse that the vain words of men and womens vainenesse in hearing them hath brought many women to much sorrow and vexation as wofull experience hath and wil make many of them confesse But some wil say Had they onely lent an eare to their words they had done well enough To answere which I would haue euery one know that one sinne begetteth another The vaine words of the man and the idle cares of the woman beget vnchaste thoughts oftentimes in the one which may bring forth much wickednesse in them both Man sayd once The woman which thou gauest mee beguiled me and I did eate But wee women may now say that men lye in waite euery where to deceiue vs as the Elders did to deceiue Susanna Wherefore let vs bee as she was chaest watchfull and wary keeping company with maides Once Iudas betrayed his Master with a kisse repented it but now men like Iudas betray their Mistresses with a kisse repent it not but laugh and reioyce that they haue brought sinne and shame to her that trusted them The only way to auoid al which is to be chaste with Susanna and being women to imbrace that vertue which being placed in a woman is most commendable An vnchaste woman destroyeth both the body and the soule of him shee seemeth most to loue and it is almost impossible to set down the mischiefes which haue come through vnchast women Salomon sayth that her steppes lead to hell
follow nature and the Diuell helpeth them forward and the world is a friend to them both and they like laden asses follow the Diuell with his treasure and make him their Lord and Master and yet some of them will not sticke to say they hope I will saue them though I haue often told them I will saue none by my seruants and I will not meddle with them for if they will serue mee they must cleane forsake mine enemy the diuell for hee is an enemy to me all mine and doth all the despight against vs that hee can and I will not saue him that will serue mine enemy therefore let them neuer presume vpon my mercy for I haue told them that the hope of the vngodly shall perish Hee that is an vngodly person a swearer a drunkard a prophaner of the Sabbaoth false in religion carelesse in life and yet hopes to be saued by me his hope is in vaine and grounded vpon no foundation for I neuer made promise to saue any such and therefore they haue no reason to say they hope I will saue them except they speedily returne from the diuell and his wayes and follow mee and my waies for I haue plainely told them He that will be my Disciple must for sake himselfe take vp his crosse and follow mee and assuredly I will saue him Now tell mee how would a man like one that should serue his vtter enemy and doe what his enemy could deuise to hurt and grieue him and then when hee had done all the hurt that hee could against him when he could do no more then hee would come to him and thinke to haue a great blessing and a great benefit of him hee should surely bee deceiued Then with what face can a sinner goe to Christ to saue him when hee dieth who would neuer serue Christ while he liued Though God had commanded him to cast all his care vpon him for hee would care for him yet hee hath spent almost all his time in seruing the world the flesh and the diuell Chap. 38. Reasons of casting our care vpon God I Wil tell you great reason why you ought to cast all your care vpon God and none vpon the world for God is our Father our Maker and gouernour and our feeder Christ is our Sauiour Now the father and gouernour knoweth what is fit for the childe better then the childe for the childe would surfet if hee might haue his owne will therefore let him be content with that which his gouernour will giue him Another great reason why wee should cast all our care vp-God is because when the diuell maketh all his poysonous baits wherewith hee draweth an innumerable company of soules to hell hee couereth them all with some worldly thing or other that they may not see the hooke some hee couereth with gold some with siluer some with earth some with clay some with honour some with beautie some with one thing and some with another Hee will not lay all his baits alike for hee is cunninger then a fisher hee knoweth a little bait will serue for a little fish and a great bait for a great fish for a great bait will not serue to catch a little fish nor a little bait will not serue to catch a great fish And besides this hee must haue the alteration of baits as the cunning fisher well knoweth but with these baits hee must haue a sharpe hooke to take them and a long line to draw them to himselfe So soone as hee seeth they haue swallowed the sweet bait hee lets them play a while with it but before it belong hee draweth them out of the sweete streame the water of life and throweth them into a panne of boyling liquor and as sometime the fisher is faine to intangle the fishes vvith his nets and so take them euen so Sathan findeth the humour of euery man and then he searcheth in the world to finde a bait fit for him hauing found the bait he presently poysoneth it then hee puts in a hooke and a line to draw him from the pure sweete streame the vvater of Life the Word of God and then hee lets them play a vvhile vvith the poysoned baits of the vvorld and so drawes them to him and throwes them into a furnace of boyling brimstone vvhose boyling shall neuer end Now there is none that can keepe vs from the baits of the diuell but onely God our Faher our gouernour our Sauiour our sanctifier and had wee not neede then cast all our care vpon God since vve are in so great a danger and none can keepe vs from the diuell but hee We cannot keepe our selues from the baits of the diuell no more then children can guide themselues in all their vvayes to feed learne gouerne clothe themselues vvithout the helpe of their father and gouernour Shall the children depend onely vppon their father and gouernour and shall not wee depend only vpon our God that is our Maker our Father and our gouernour and vvho vvhen vvee fell from him and followed the counsel of the diuel sent his onely Sonne to die for vs and to indure the paines of hell for vs the holy Ghost saith If hee hath giuen his sonne for vs will hee not with him give vs all things also And yet shal vve not dare to depend vpon him Is he not able to dry vp the waters of the red Sea that thou mightest goe on foot dry-shodde thorow Cannot hee raine thee Manna that thou needst not starue Cannot our God giue thee vvater out of the rocke He giueth thee vvater out of the rocke Christ euery day Oh that thou wouldest receiue it But I know what thou wouldest haue thou vvouldest haue Quailes to fulfill thy lusts for lust when it conceiueth bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death Then maist thou cry Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord it is hee that must deliuer me from this body of death And yet thou wilt not follow him nor depend vpon him Another reason why thou shouldest follow Christ and depend vpon him is because if the diuell finde thee at any time alone thou canst not escape his hands and therfore my greatest desire is that I might perswade you to cast all your care vppon God and none vpon the vvorld nay I pray God that Christ may preuaile with you for hee hath gone about to perswade you already and told you a reason for hee careth for you and if hee careth for you you need no more care for you shall bee well prouided for therefore obey him cast all your care vpon him and care not for this world liue as hee hath appointed you labour in your vocation sixe dayes and keepe the seuenth holy to the Lord and in all your labour vse no kinde of deceit nor desire to bee rich Doe you labour
Word preached because hee had no knowledge by the vvord to see his wants He had no knowledge because hee did not continually heare and read the word which would haue taught him to haue knowne God and himselfe If hee prayed sometime without knowledge and faith his prayers were vaine and friuolous And thus he seeth it was his owne negligence that brought him to hell because hee would not labour for the meat that perisheth not and now hee is so vexed at himselfe because he did not follow the counsell of our blessed Sauiour Christ that took such paines for him and gaue him so many warnings and told him how hee should finde it if he would follow his counsell that hee would now if it were possible bee reuenged on himselfe as Iudas whē he had done that which Christ had warned him of and saw that now it could not be vndone hee laid violent hands on himselfe to be reuenged vpon himselfe But when they see they cannot bee reuenged on themselues nor no way can mitigate their torment then they are ten thousand times more tormented with torments which cannot bee expressed then they will defie Sathan crie out against the world they loued so well and say Sathan laid all his baites by the things which are in the world yea manie baits hee laid and tooke manie euen with things that were lawfull to bee vsed in the world by the appointment of God as you shall see Meat is ordained of God for the nourishment of man and yet how manie doth Sathan take with the sinne of gluttonie and therefore take heede that thou eatest temperatelie Meat is ordained for the belly and the belly for meat but God will destroy both them and it Drinke is verie lawfull yet how manie doth Satan take with the sinne of drunkennesse and therefore Christ saith Take heede lest at anie time your hearts bee ouercome with drunkennesse and surfetting and cares of this world Mark this counsel of Christ Lest at anie time As if hee should say bee continuallie carefull lest thou art ouercome with surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of this world for thou mayest surfet and bee drunken with anie thing thou takest care for in this world And therfore Christ saith Take no care and doe not say What shall wee eat and what shall we drinke and wherewith shall we bee clothed for after these things seek the Gentiles And your heauenly father knoweth you haue neede of these things But first seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall bee ministred vnto you Oh the mercie of God which would tell you that your heauenly Father knew that you had neede of these things and hee would giue you that he knew sufficient Seeke ye the Kingdome of heauen and these things shall bee ministred vnto you Seeke yee the heauenly treasure and a little of this earthly trash wil serue the turne And if you knew all and how Sathan hath poysoned most of it you would be afraid to take anie of it But if you take nothing but at my hands saith Chirst Sathans poison shall neuer hurt you but if you beginne to bee your owne caruers Sathan will so sawce it with sweet poison that hee will deceiue the wisest worldling in the world And therfore see you take nothing but at the hands of the Lord for Sathan hath spred his net as the spider doth her webbe Now the spider lieth close hidden in a darke hole vntill the sillie flie bee entangled and then hee comes and taketh her as his owne and euen so Sathan lieth close vntill hee see you entangled within the things of this world and then hee claimeth the world and you and all for his owne CHAP. 40. The poyson of outward things SEe how Sathan hath poysoned all things in this world as apparel with pride honour with haughtinesse beauty with vanity recreations with swearing riches with couetousnesse a thing clean against reason for the naturall man would thinke that hee which is rich neede not be couetous and yet it is commonly seen the more rich the more couetous Yea and euen our vertues how doth Sathan seeke to poyson them as for liberality how doth hee seeke to poyson it with prodigalitie and honest labour with carefulnesse And therefore S. Iohn saith Loue not the world nor the things that are in the world for the loue of the world is enmity to God Then some worldly man will say What shall we doe nothing Yes but see how soone the Diuel will lay a snare to entangle the withal that thou maist be idle the verie bait with the which hee catcheth all for many desire goods that they may bee idle and the Diuell hath most leisure to talke with a man when he is idle and idlenesse bringeth a man to manie vaine recreations and so to much eating and drinking and to manie wicked sinnes The holy Ghost saith that we shall giue account for euery idle word that wee speake and therefore thou maiest not bee idle by anie meanes Thou must labour sixe daies for GOD hath commanded thee so to doe and thou must doe it not for anie care thou hast of the world but because GOD commanded thee and thou must shew thy selfe obedient to him and all thy care in thy labour must bee how to please him and leaue the successe of thy labor to him and thou must be carefull in thy labour that thou takest no care for thine owne profit nor thine owne pleasure but how to please God and then let it please thee but be sure it please not thee and offend God And thus thou must labour sixe daies and follow the commandement of God and his example after whose image thou wert made and whom thou art to imitate hee laboured and made in sixe daies these things for thee labour thou to obey him hee laboured and looked ouer his worke and saw it was good So thou must labour and looke ouer thy worke and see that it bee good before God Though there are manie imperfections in thee yet because thou art reconciled to GOD in Christ and now shewest thy humble obedience to his commandement that thou wilt neither bee idle nor yet labour for thine owne profit nor plesure nor doe thy owne wayes but see that thou dost those things that hee hath appointed thee taking hold of Christ by faith hee accepteth them for good through Christ who hath fulfilled all for thee for obedience is better then sacrifice Then also thou must rest the seuenth day for so for thy ensample he rested commanded thee to rest that day and to keepe it holy to the Lord. Now he commandeth thee to leaue all earthly businesse and attend vpon him and heare what further instructions hee hath for thee how to strengthen thy faith how to take hold on CHRIST and how to come to his kingdome Now thy care must be how to learne at his mouth to keepe his commandements
Now hee will shew thee the figure of that euerlasting rest which hee will bring thee to through Christ. Now if thou beest not very ready and diligent to attend vpon him the seuenth day thou shewest that all thy labour on the six daies was for thine own pleasure or profit more then for thy obedience toward the Lord thy God for if thou wouldest haue obeyed him in thy labour in the six dayes thou wouldest haue obeyed him in thy rest the seventh day also This shal be a witnes to thine own conscience least that thou bee deceiued as many bee who thinke that they labour all the weeke to please God when indeede they labour to please themselues because that commandement pleaseth their humour better then to keepe holy the Sabbath and they will bee willing to take one houre from the Lord in the morning and another in the afternoone or two it may be which sheweth that their mindes and affections are more on the world then on the true seruice and obedience they owe to God CHAP. 41. Prodigality set out SOme think that the prodigal man taketh too little care for the world but I say he is a wicked man and taketh too much care for the world and too little care to please GOD. Hee is an idle man and will not labour 6. dayes Hee is a disobedient man and wil not keepe holy the seuenth day He is a wast full man he wil spend wastfully for the vaine-glory of the world which somesay they care not for he leaueth those things w ch God hath giuen him and his family without care Yea he is a couetous man for he will borrow of others and spend it wastfully and neuer pay it againe He breaketh the cōmandement which saith Owe nothing to any man but this that you love one another for the holy Ghost saith The vngodly borroweth and paieth not againe but the mercifull man is liberall and lendeth Some will say they would pay if they had it but indeede they will not haue it because they will not obey God and liue as hee hath appointed them They are proud and will spend so far beyond their calling that they haue nothing to lend to the poore children of God because they spend either vpon the wicked or in excesse when there is no neede or vppon those that haue as little or lesse neede then thēselues Such a person is worse then an Infidel because be prouideth not for his owne houshold God doth not say Because hee taketh not care for his owne houshold for all his care should bee to please God but hee careth not to please God neither doth he obey God to labor 6. daies and to see his houshold labour for whilest he is idle or vsing some vaine pastime out of his calling his children seruants dissobey GOD and mispend their time and weaken his estate and all through his owne carelesnesse to please God Hee sheweth himselfe no good Christian for a good Christian life is a carefull life not carefull of the world but carefull least the world should hinder him any way frō seruing of God either in being too negligent in his calling and so prouide not for his houshold become worse then an Infidel or lest hee should bee couetous and become the man whom God abhorreth And yet there bee some so ignorant that they will say The prodigall man beareth a noble mind But hee beares a wicked mind they know not what a noble minde is that say so Our Peeres and Princes are called Noble men because they beare noble mindes that is they are vertuous and temperate discreet gouerning the Cōmon-wealth according to their calling regarding the vertuous keeping vnder the vicious holding in the prodigall who would run away with a whole kingdom if they might haue it nay no kingdome is able to satisfie prodigal persons for their disobedient humour wil neuer be satisfied because they doe not labour to keepe the commandement of God Some are more infected w th this sin then others but all that are not infected with prodigalitie haue a disobedient humour they are vndiscreet because they cannot spend whē they should and spare with discretion when the time is They are vnthankful because they do not heartily thank God for his blessings but wish they were more Neither wil they bee thankefull to the King nor a worthy noble Prince or Peere for if they spend a little prodigally in their seruice they will thinke they are indebted to thē though all of it were by the Prince liberally bestowed on them but indeede such are not to be about Princes or Peeres no more then the couetous Some wise and learned men haue disputed whether the couetous or the prodigal be the worst member in the Common-wealth but I pray God you nor yours be none of both but here what the holy Ghost saith The couetous is the man whom God abhorreth The prodigall is worse then an infidell And thus I leaue them and pray to God for Christs sake they and wee may leaue both those and al other sins and take hold of Christ by faith and liue through him with God for euer and euer CHAP. 42. Difference betweene an act habite of sinning NOw you must know this that the deare children of God for want of discretion doe sometime an act w ch may be called couetous yet not vpon a couetous humor and an act that may be called prodigall and yet not vpon a prodigall humour but for want of discretion at that time for there is none so discreet at all times that is not somewhat infected with either of these sins for wee are infected with all sins and therefore God in great mercy to man made the Sabbath or Lords day so that if a man did in sixe dayes ouerslip himselfe as indeed we all do and did not reconcile himselfe to God euery night as we ought to do yet on the Sabbath day the Lord calleth him to him and sheweth him his faults and wisheth him to bee reconciled vnto him through Christ and breatheth into his face the breath of life again and renueth in him the image of God again that was decayed by his sin and so he goeth home a renued man And therfore I say say truly that all the writers in the world cannot expresse what hurt that man woman or childe doeth himselfe that doth not attend on the Lord on the Sabbath day neither can any man or woman doe their seruants more hurt thē to keepe them frō the Lords house that day The Lord hath charged thee that thou if thou hast any vnder thee shalt see thē come and come thy selfe as thou wilt answere it for the Lord himselfe is now there prepared to teach thee and thine and therfore go to him and go prepared clense thy heart of all earthly things know that hee is there to see thine heart and all thine affection and behauior Some wil say I would
else they will none but hee was one that left an example to the whole Church of God to be thankefull and patient CHAP. 25. How to reade with profit I Pray reade the story of Iob and not onely reade but gather some fruite out of it and euer when you begin to read any part of the scripture lift vp your harts soules and mindes vnto God and pray priuately or publikely but of priuate prayer neuer faile and desire God for Christs sake to inlighten your vnderstandings to sanctifie your hearts and to make them fit to receiue the good seede of his word and to giue you grace to bring forth fruite to Gods glory for Christ saith In this is my father glorified that you bring forth much fruite and be made my Disciples And againe he sayeth Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Here you may see you must glorifie God and you must leaue an example to the Church that you serue and loue God this did Iob and I pray God for Christs sake that you may doe the like and that you may doe it you must pray to God continually yea and in priuate for his grace and assistance CHAP. 26. The preheminence of priuate prayer THis is the most excellent vertue and happinesse that belongeth to priuate prayer no man by any meanes can depriue a man of it Some haue had their Bibles taken away that they could not reade Preachers haue beene banished that could not heare they haue beene separated from company that they could not haue publike prayer yet priuate prayer went with them thereby they talked with God and made all their miseries knowne vnto him and craued his assistance in all their troubles And this is the greatest comfort that all good Christians haue that no man can bar them from priuate conferēce with God Then take heede you doe not barre your selues from it since none else can doe it and you know not what need you shall haue of it nor what accident may happen to you in your liues nor what need you shall haue of it in the houre of death Therefore if you would alwaies haue it you must alwaies vse it and then you shall see what profit will come by it and then you will bee humbly faithfully familiarly acquainted with God CHAP. 27. The benefit of acquaintance with God OH heauenly and happy acquaintance for the longer thou vsest it the stronger will be thy faith the humbler thy heart the earnester thy zeale the holier thy life and this makes God accept you in Christ and then thou art hee that Christ speaketh vnto when he saith Aske what you will and it shall bee done vnto you Thy faith will be the stronger because thou shalt see that God heareth thy prayers and granteth thy request The more humble will thy heart be because thou seest thine owne miserie and corruption and that all grace and goodnes comes to thee from God and this will make thee more earnest and zealous in prayer and thy earnest and faithfull prayer will moue God according to his promise to giue thee grace and faith for the Apostles prayed and said Lord increase our faith And this grace and faith will worke in thee holinesse of life and then shalt thou be able to fulfil Christs saying Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen CHAP. 28. How long wee haue neede of priuate prayer NOw that you and euerie one of you shall haue neede of priuate praier from the very beginning of your life to the verie last houre of your daies my owne experience teacheth mee and the word of God a true witnesse affirmeth that we are wholly corrupted by the fall of Adam with sin and therefore continually wee ought to suspect our selues and to call vpon God without ceasing for his helpe grace and assistance in all our actions for wee know that our owne flesh is our owne enemie and that it is made of the earth and is so heauie and earthly-minded that it can neuer seeke for heauenly things without the especiall grace of God and the diuell hath made an entrance into this earthly bodie by reason that our owne parents Adam and Eue did take of the fruite of disobedience at his hands and did eate at his appointment so that now he claimeth such an interest in vs that none but Christ can keepe him out and therefore we haue no way but to call continually on the name of God in Christ to assist vs with his gracious spirit which will keepe away the diuell ouercome the world and conquer our owne flesh for vs. CHAP. 29. Who pray priuately THis is certain that there are none godly but those that pray priuately and truely to God according to his word and there is no vngodly person no swearer no prophaner of the sabbaoth no drunkard no adulterer no couetous person no prophane person nor none that is of a false religion not warranted by the word of God that doth pray priuately truely and faithfully By these considerations you shal find out the true markes of the children of God for the wicked can heare the word reade come into publike assemblies of praier the hypocrite wil talke of faith as if he had come presently from heauen but to goe into a priuate place and lay open his heart before God confesse his own imperfections and pray that hee may not be an hypocrite hee is farre inough from it The swearer the adulterer the couetous the idolater nor no vncleane person dare come to God in the name of Christ except they leaue their wicked waies and without they bring Christ with them they cannot come to God and Christ delighteth not to goe with those that are continually breakers of his fathers commandements for Christ himselfe telleth them that he that keepeth the commandements and teacheth men so to doe hee shall bee great in the kingdome of heauen and to him that ordereth his conuersation aright will I shew the saluation of God saith God by the Psalmist Moreouer Christ saith Hee that will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me As if he should say I am gone to heauen and if you meane to follow mee thither you must forsake your selues I know this will bee a crosse vnto you but you must take it vp and follow me or else you may not come there CHAP. 30. The way to rule our corruptions Againe when the children of God who would faine be with their father see that they cannot rule their owne flesh then with humble hearts they goe to God and crie and call to him for helpe that he would helpe to bridle their vnruly affections euen but for that day and at night they will waite vpon his maiestie a gaine and thus they will neuer leaue
victorie by the helpe of his Captaine and so long as hee is a souldier vnder him hee shall alwaies haue the victorie for the diuell himselfe is afraide of this Captaine the world will flie at his presence and thine owne affections will fall downe before thee if hee come CHAP. 35. Be not hurt by a little temptation THere is another thing which I must admonish you of that ye be not ouercome of a little temptation for that is the basest thing in the world euen as if a great Captaine should bee ouercome of a meane souldier that had neither might nor policy which must needes returne with shame to the Captaine But it is much more shame for a Christian that hath vowed to forsake the diuell the world and his owne affections to bee ouercome by the weakest of them all There be many that thinke if the diuell ouercome them not in a great sin all is well though that indeede he set them on work continually on trifles and by this meanes keepe men in some deuice or other Hee cares not what they doe so they serue not God and so he may blindfold them that they cannot see their owne sinnes And thus they are in a very dangerous and euill case and know not what they doe yet they shadow their folly that the world may not perceiue it then they thinke it is well enough Thus the diuell leads them quietly to hell and they neuer know whither they are going till they come there euen as a winde carrieth a ship and they that are in it know not where they shall bee set on shore For the diuell is a cunning fowler he will neuer lay a great baite where hee knowes a little one wil serue the turne and hee is so full of policy that hee seeth a great baite would make the partie afraide to come neere it but thus doth the diuell first hee giueth a little baite and saith to him whom hee meaneth to catch I warrant thee thou maiest take this goe neere it taste of it it will not hurt thee many swallow a greater baite then this and thou seest no hurt come of it as hee said to Eue It is but an apple it may doe thee much good to bring thee to knowledge and make thee like a God And therefore now wee see wee had neede set a speciall watch ouer our selues that we may spy the diuel when hee goeth about thus to intrap vs in his engines with his alluring baits and returne his baits againe and when hee offereth vs any of them may say I defie thee Sathan and by Gods grace haue knowledge that thou art a wicked serpent and diddest deceiue our first Parents with an apple I will not play with thy baits bee they neuer so sweete pleasant or beautifull I know thy subtiltie and I know that I serue a Captaine Christ that thou art afraide of and he will bring vs to a happier Paradice then thou didst put vs out of and hee will make mee like a God and renue the image that thou didst decay in vs. Thou didst scoffe at mee and saidst I should haue knowledg when thou wouldest haue vtterlie ouerthrowne mee yet I haue this knowledge I thanke the almightie God for it that now I can see thy policy and how thou camest to our Parents when they were alone thou thoughtest they could not stand by themselues but thou shalt neuer finde mee alone I know I cannot stand by my selfe and therefore I draw neere vnto my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by faith and I will attend vpon him and will not leaue his Commaundement vndone for all thy baits and alluremēts thou canst shew mee in the world where thou callest thy selfe Prince but thou gettest it by wicked policy and thou rulest it by a wicked tyranny destroying the good and maintaining the wicked bestowest thy trash on them not for any loue thou bearest to them but to make them thy wicked instruments that thou maiest doe the more hurt by them And as soone as they haue serued thy turne a while thou wilt bring them to shame in this world and euerlasting destruction in hell fire And therefore now I would haue thee know that I haue knowledge and perceiue that all these vsurping tyrants haue learned all their mischieuous policies of thee vsing all meanes they can possibly to destroy the good and with their paltrie trash which they call their wealth they winne the wicked to their wils and when they haue their purpose a while they will picke some quarrell against them although they haue no reason for it and although they follow their wicked wils neuer so much yet in the ende they will ouercome them And so Sathan dost thou deale with all that serue thee and therefore thou art an vsurping tyrant for the earth is my Lords who hath made it and all that is therein and that which belongeth vnto thee is nothing but that trash that he careth not for it is like tares and the worser sort of graine more fit to feede swine then for the children of so mightie a King as my Lord is who hath such treasure for those that belong vnto him as thou shalt neuer come neere Yet this is thy despight and enuie because thou canst get none of it thy selfe thou wouldest haue mee haue none of it neither But thou shalt not deceiue me with these earth then baits which one day my almightie God shall set on fire about their eares that loue them so well when themselues shall be suddenly strangled with the smoak thereof and it makes mee maruell how thou shouldest deceiue so many as thou dost with them for once my gracious Lorde drowned them all that loued them many times he sinketh very much trash in the sea that Pirats might see they shall sinke one day and all those that sell their soules for such trash except they turne speedily vnto my Lord and and Sauiour Iefus Christ who is a Sauiour and will saue all sinners that turne vnto him But thou art a destroyer and wilt destroy all those that follow thee thou knowest my Lord burnt Sodome and Gomorrha with other Cities which were full of the glistering drosse to shew that hee cared no more for it then Kings do for counters for if he had respected it he would neuer haue burnt it and consumed it with fire Yet thou Sathan doest deceiue worldly wise-men giuing them drosse for gold which is no better then copper counters and in the mean time thou makest thē deceiue themselues of an euerlasting treasure Earthly treasure may bee compared to glasse which is so brittle a metall it can neuer continue long for as it might bee now a man hath it to doe him good and in the turning of a hand it is broken and worth nothing euen so it is with the trash and pelfe of this world and the life of man which is but a breath and what can be of lesse power then a breath The
goe to the Church but there will be little but I say vnto thee I feare that thou wilt not learne that little If God for thy disobedience wil speak but a little to thee that day yet thou hast a great deale to say to him confesse thy sins shew thine obedience be an example to them which would stay frō the presence of God pray for his grace vpon thee and them the whole Church appeale to the promise of God When two or three be gathered together in his name he will be with them pray that GOD may send his word plentifully for Christs sake although our sinnes deserue to haue it taken away altother seek to doe some good to the poor although there be but a poore company of you gathered together Moue the people to prouide themselues a Preacher tell them of their wants speake to the Magistrates mourne to see the Alehouses full and the Church of God emptie CHAP. 43. The seruice of the Sabbath ought to be be publike SOme will goe to the Church of God in the forenoone and in the afternoone they will serue God at home but thou canst not doe God so great seruice at home serue him six daies at home and the seuenth go to the Church of the Lord if God bee truely worshipped there as I pray God he euer may bee in our Churches to the worlds end and I pray God you may bee true worshippers of God And alwaies in the Church of God both forenoone and afternoone let there be one the more for thee But of this I warn you for the loue I beare to your soules bodies if you cannot get the people to prouide a Preacher w ch may dispēce the Word truly sincerely remoue you where you may haue and heare the Word so preached for where the Word of the Lord is not truly preached the people perish for want of knowledge But if you can get a Preacher where you dwell and doe good both to your selfe and others I thinke it better so for the haruest is great but the laborers are few therefore pray the Lord of the haruest to send forth labourers into his haruest for the true laborers indeed are not few but verie few for as the holy Ghost saith All seeke their own and not that which is Iesus Christs All is taken heere as it is in many other places for the most part for the most seek their own nay it would seeme well if some would be contented with their owne but they seeke more then their owne if they examine themselues well they shall find it so whereas the true Preachers of Gods word will be contented with lesse then their owne so they may win soules vnto Christ they care not They count al the world dung as indeede it is so they may bee Christs and draw many to him I hope in God that through his grace som of you wil be preachers I pray God for Christs sake to enlighten you with his Spirit and giue you grace that you may betruly godly and very zealous for the glorie of God labouring by all meanes possible to encrease the glorious kingdom of Christ. And of this bee sure if you will lose nothing of your own you will neuer winne manie to Christ and marke how the holie Ghost saith They seeke their owne He doth not say They seeke more then their owne but They seeke their owne As if he should say as indeede hee meaneth They busie themselues about seeking their owne but in the meane time they neglect the great worke and the great businesse that I haue set thē about to gather together the souls that Iesus Christ the Son of God shed his heart bloud for contrarie to all reason they look for their wages before they haue done their work S. Paul which was called to be a Preacher of the Word of God saith Woe be to me if I preach not the Gospel But hee doth not say Woe bee to mee if I seek not goods He saith Necessitie is laid vpō me to preach the Gospell But he doth not say Necessitie is laid vpon me to get goods Yet some of them will say they must not lose their goods right rather they must go to law for them but contrary to the Law of God they neglect their duty in his Church they doe not studie how to diuide the word of God aright to giue to euery one that which is fit for him What doth the holie Ghost call negligent Preachers but dumb dogs that will not barke The dog will barke and giue warning to the whole household within if anie danger be neere but those that shold deliuer my message vnto the people they busie themselues about their owne affaires they slumber and delight in sleeping they will not call out to the people and giue them warning of the danger that is neere them I pray tell me or let any man tell me if he be a good seruant which will goe about his owne busines and neglect his masters or no no man will account of such a seruant but will cast him off for naught euen so God will cast them off for naught that seek their owne neglect the diligent seeking of that which is Iesus Christs CHAP. 44. The honourable calling of Ministers stained by worldlines I Must needs say I haue bin verie desirous and haue of ten begged of GOD that some of you might be Preachers yea and all of you and yours if it might please his diuine Maiestie to bestow such graces vpō you as were meet for so high a calling But God knowes I neuer desired it because you should get any thing in the world but because you should get seruants to God and soules to Christ and because you might be so enlightned with the Word through the holy Ghost working within you that you might make no account of the world as indeede it is nothing nay it is worse then nothing for nothing doth no hurt and the world doth much hurt I pray not for the world saith Christ but for those thou hast giuen mee out of the world those that though their bodies be in the world yet their hearts their minds and their affections are as high as heanen If you be risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God set not your affections on things which are on the earth but on things which are in heauen I pray GOD for Christ his sake you may bee of those which Christ prayed for those which haue their mindes and hearts busied about heauenly things neuer taking care for the things of the world Woe is mee which feare lest anie of you or yours should loue this world but if it please God that anie of you heereafter should bee a Preacher and loue the world I cannot expresse the greefe it would be to me euen so long as I were in the world If