and comfort you withall eate a morsell thereof and draw out your Wine for his sake that sent it and doe not refuse or dislike both for the meanenesse of the Messenger that brings now presents his Lords affected loue expressed to you therein If you accept thereof thankefully and gladly I shall returne my Master intelligence and thinke my paines well bestowed rest well satisfied and account my selfe most bountifully by you to be rewarded if my suit be graunted namely your kind acceptance therof from my vnworthy hands Thine at all times to bring thee to my Lord and Master Iesus Christ his Courts H. G. THE PRODIGALS Teares The Prodigals testimony of his conuersion manifested in the detestation of his former follies HEare O heare you that walk after the lusts of your hearts you that spend your time in vanitie deferring the time of Repentance from Infancie to youth and from youth to Age not caring to turne from you the euill day which draweth neere nor applying your hearts to wisedome but how to satisfie the inordinate lusts affections of the flesh you draw on sinne after sinne multiplying traÌ„sgressions you are become a stiff-necked people hardning your hearts against the sweete and comfortable motions of Gods Spirite ready to awake you from this sleepe of sinne and to renewe in you that image which was well-neere defaced in you by meanes of your transgressions Heare the teares and attende the complaint of a conuerted peruert one that hath wandred too login the field of vanitie And now after the taste of those bitter huskes of penurie returnes home with blubbered face contrite heart and humbled spirit crying Peccaui I haue sinned I haue sinned walking in the foolishnes of mine owne heart and like the wilde Asse shifting the wind so haue I shut mine eares to the words of discipline and correction And what did the Prodigall in the Gospell which I did not He receiued his portion and consumed it and haue not I receyued the portion of Gods loue in as ample manner as any euen the portion of my heauenly Father which hee no sooner bestowed on me then I in the height of my heart wasted Nor did the prodigall goe further from his Father then I from the Instructions of my heauenly Father Departing from Bethel the house of God to Bethauen the house of iniquitie Oh miserable Exile From the mansions of peace concord and tranquillitie to the receptacles of sinne horrour and impietie From the smooth running streames of Syloe to the waters of bitternes from the tower of my strength to the vale of desolation Vnhappie exchange to depriue my selfe of so glorious inheritance so exquisite blessings so incomparable bounties for the vaine flourish of a little worldly delight which in the ende conuerted to bitternesse for a momentanie pleasure to forfeite an eternall Treasure not subiect to the change or mutability of Time nor exposed to the violence of any perturbations nor engaged to popular respect but in it selfe of it selfe perfectly refined deriuing her best luster from none other subject then the originall of all Beauties the Idaea of all perfections the mirrour of all lustres God himself And this to loose for any Earthly respect how much were the eies of my vnderstanding eclipsed to conceyue no better of an infinite goodnes then of a floting pleasure producing none other Fruite then bitternes anguish and sorrow And what remedie Esau could not regaine his Byrth-right with many teares And can my vnfayned repentance though I should blinde mine Eyes with weeping and groane in the heauines of my heart repossesse me of all that I haue lost Can the sighes of a troubled spirite and the extreame heauinesse which I sustaine by reason of the burden of my sinnes preuayle with the Lord who poyseth the sinnes of men and hath sworne in his wrath to be euenged of the wicked Yes Lord yes as I haue found grace and fauour in thy sight suffer mee to speake a word vnto thee be not displeased with me The Prodigals comfortable and vndoubted assurance that God will accept his teares and contrition relying and trusting in the mercies and promises of God REmember not my sinnes passed let thy mercies preuent them I am weakened and cleane out-worne and go mourning euery day I shall remember all my yeares vnto thee with bitternesse of heart I know Lord that Peter wept and was pardoned and shal I that knocke at the gate of thy mercie bee excluded Marie Magdalene had in her manie legions of Diuells yet with teares of vnfained repentance she was assoyled and made a Temple of the Holie-Ghost Behold Lord my teares are vnfayned my anguish of heart aboundant and my griefes bee not hid from thee Thou hast promised to looke to him that is poore that is broken in spirit and that trembleth at thy wordes Beholde Oh Lord I am poore depriued of thy fauour broken in spirite to haue offended so benigne a Sauiour and I tremble at thy words as at iudgements of terror worthily deseruing to be eternally thrust from thy presence and to haue my beeing with the reprobate Yet Lord wilt thou bee good vnto Israel thou wilt wash mee from my filthynes and cure my infirmities thou wilt binde vp my wounds with that good Samaritane powring the oyle of thy Diuine comforts into them For this Lord will I thanke thee and for this badge of thy loue will I sing praise vnto thee I will make melodie in my heart to the Lorde For it is a good thing to bee thankefull These teares which I shed shall witnes my contrition the prayses which I sing to thee shall expresse my affection and the speedie renewing of my wayes shall shew my conuersion The prodigals confession of the manner of his vanities with a feeling of Gods great goodnesse FAther I haue fed too long vppon the huskes of Vanitie I haue strayed too farre from thy Temple and walked in vnknowne wayes where I was famished for want of Spirituall foode all athirst for want of Spirituall drinke For the well was deepe and I had not wherwithall to draw but now since my returne I am replenished with all things thou hast put on me a new Garment so as I haue layde away all my olde affections and betaken me to a new spirituall Schoole Thou hast put vpon my finger a Ring to intimate that I am married and affianced to thee thou hast feasted me with thy choicest dainties expressing the ioy thou conceyuest at my conuersion I will stay therefore no longer in the Tents of Kedar nor with the inhabitants of Mâ—loch I am now for my Fathers houshold for my Father hath many seruants and in my Fathers house there bee manie mansions I haue fedde too long with the Hogge eating Akornes vnder the Tree but neuer looking vp from whence they came When thy greatest benefits O Lord were multiplyed vppon mee and thy Fatherly kindnes was shewne in aboundance I was as one that had
soule what hast thou done to day Hast thou employed thy time in studies well fitting Gods glory thy brothers benefit and thine owne soules health Whom hast thou oppressed Whom hast thou iniured O! these commemorations are able to rowse vp the sluggish soule from the sleepe of sinne and securitie and to bring him to the knowledge of himselfe and his owne infirmities Alas how many vaine houres wee spend with Nabuchadnezzar in walking vainly in the pride of our hearts nay euen in the royall places of Babel strowting in the very height of our hearts as vessels not composed of ordinary substance but admiring our owne demerites beginne to boast of our owne actions Heere we glory in gorgeous buildings when indeede our houses should be like Obadiahs temples dedicated to Gods worship There of our learning yet for all our learning we are but Agrippaes halfe-christians Heere of the applause of people and amidst our glory with Herod become miserable There of policie but Haman like it becomes starke folly vaine be the imaginations of man full of vanities falshood and vntrueths and wherein can we glory of our owne strength O then since our times is so short our houres so few and our constitution so weake let vs become respectiue of the time lest hauing lost it we be neuer able to recall it againe The Prodigalls care to redeeme his expence of time past O My soule thinke thou of this redeeme that time thou hast spent if not in houres for many haue beene the houres of my vanity yet in teares that the Lord God beholding thy contrition may take thy repentance in lieu of thy times expence Thou hast a reckoning O Lord of all my idle houres how vainely I haue consumed my daies in the affections of vanity O that I might redeeme the time with sorrowing and yet there is some comfort appearing For as thou hast a booke of accounts wherin my sinnes are set downe so I know thou hast a bottle wherein to put my teares albeit I be vnworthy to lift vp mine eyes to heauen to pray to thee yet am I not vnworthy by blinding mine eies with teares to weepe before thee True it is that teares be the best and soueraignest Balme to cure the wounds of a sin-bleeding Soule and neuer came teares from the heart which cured not the poison of sinne Mine eyes therefore like plentifull fountaines shall euer be sending forth water to rince the vlcers of my soule and fire of zeale to consume the thorny cares in which I haue beene too long enwrapped There shall be no impediment now if the progresse of my pilgrimage doe hinder mee from so heauenly an expedition O that I had not eyes to see my follies before this time or hauing eies woe is me I directed them not to the line and leuell of wisdome yet my comfort is though poenitentia sera raro est vera yet poenitentia vera nunquam est sera Neuer too late vnfainedly to forsake my euill wayes for thou wilt receiue the thiefe rather then faile euen at the last houre to expresse thy mercies and fatherly compassion to penitent sinners yet that example Ministers mee a double vse not to despaire at the last because there was one nor to deferre my repentance to the last because there was but one Happy thiefe happy theft the thiefe an heire in heauen the thiefe an inheritance in heauen Amongest the Scythians no fact was with such seueritie punished as theft for saith the Historian if it had beene lawfull to steale amongest them what had beene safe amongst them But I say no theft in this kind was lawful to this good thiefe for without it nothing at all had beene safe vnto him The Prodigals description of the diuersities of theft THe oppressors of the poore steale for they sucke the blood of the Orphanes and treasure vp vengeance for themselues The Monopolists steale for they doe ingrosse to themselues a peculiar gaine inlarging the Garnars with the Rich man to make their punishments the greater The Lawyer with his mentall reseruations for he who should procure his Clients peace prolongs his suite because he hath an Action to his purse as his aduersary had to his land The proud Pharisee steales for he meanes to steale Gods glory from him attributing that to his owne merites which is none of his making himselfe the Author and accomplisher of euery deseruing worke let mee be none of these good Father I see their miserable ends by their sinister meanes For how should vicious beginnings haue vertuous ends They peruerted the wayes of Iustice walking in crooked by paths where the Saints of God neuer traced Be it farre from me to be said to steale thy glory with the Pharisie or protract the poore widdowes cause with the trifling Lawyer or hoord vp vengeance for my selfe with the couetous ingroser or sucke the blood of the needy with the remorcelesse oppressor The Prodigall sheweth wherein true content consisteth I Will desire one thing of thee O my GOD and that shall bee all to taste true contentation and not the worldlings seeming content who professe themselues to be fully satisfied yet crie still more and more that content proceedes enforced I would haue mine enfranchised let it be riches to mee to possesse thee cloathing to me to put on my Lord Iesus foode unto mee to feede on the bread of his word and life vnto mee to liue for my Sauiours glory So shall my riches be eternall not subiect to the casualties of Fortune or Chance for no moates can corrupt that treasure which is reserued in Heauen for the Elected So shall my cloathing neuer be worne out but like the Israelites garments continue euermore new For they which put on Christ shall continually haue their raiments renewed So shall my foode for it is Spirituall Manna feede my soule with holy and heauenly meditations nourished so shall my life neuer fade being by the Almighty preserued Alasse Lord if I should continue in my old transgressions and in the hardnesse of my heart assay to clime vp to heauen with the Gyants should not I be soone destroyed yea Lord what am I that I should be able to stand against thee Or is my house of Clay so firme that it can support it selfe without thee When the King of Iuda proclaimed warre against the King of Israel the King of Israel returned answere That the Thistle rebelled against the Cedar And should I that am lighter then vanitie oppose my selfe against the Eternall power of the Almightie No Lord I will rather humble my selfe before thy Throane and with teares of heartie remorce purchase pardon Thou hast hung the white banner out to expresse thy mercie vnto all such as will submit themselues I will descend therfore before the red signall of thy wrath denounce bloud and vengeaunce I haue fore-slowed my returne O Lord too long sleeping on the bedde of securitie I haue carowsed Balthazar-like
Senatour Sir Iohn Swinnerton which is seuen yeeres and a halfe since I was admitted Preacher to the Gaole of Ludgate and by your Honour and Worships Predecessors hitherto successiuely therein haue bin continued And most willingly long since your Honour and Worships in Court did generally condiscend the Stipend thereunto belonging to augment In acknowledgement heartie thankefulnesse in some lieu thereof vouchsafe to receiue the first Fruits of my poore Haruest a Bunch of Grapes of my first Vintage a Flower from a Slip of the first growth I do vnfainedly acknowledge I owe my self and mine by your Hon. and Wor. all to be commanded who haue been so good and beneuolent lately to me mine Continue fauorable still in receiuing of this my small grown Wheat leaue the Chaffe my Wine leaue the Dregges my sweete Flower leaue the vnpleasant sented Earth nay I hope a little Treasure though in a base Earthen Vessell presented to your view I am the miserable Sonne of Man that is subiect vnto Mutabilitie but poore meane and therefore the more respectlesse and least regarded in these dayes wherein Money is so loued and Mammonists adored respected and of all capped and crouched vnto with low-bended knee I am a Vine whose Branch is weake young and tender and stands in need of supporting Will your Honour and Worships vouchsafe with your powerfull hands to support mee I am a new gathered fresh flourishing Flower which soone fadeth I am in the Bud and Bloome soone blasted Vouchsafe your carefull Ouersights and Protections that the Critikes of this our Age wherein we liue may not breake into your Fields Orchards or Gardens which like a wild Boare will extirpate me wholly and I will by Gods grace as by dutie bound for euer heartily and dayly pray and supplicate vnto the Almightie for continuance of his great goodnesse and mercie towards your Honour and Worships Now the Lord Almightie who of his infinite goodnesse feeds you all with the finest Wheat and cloatheth you with the purest Wooll continue Peace Plentie Prosperitie Safetie and Health within the walls of that most famous and Honourable Citie whereunto God hath elected and made you the prime Gouernour and eminent Magistrat next vnder our most gracious Soueraign and dread Lord the K. Maiestie a place conspicuous to the whole World and admired at the state and ciuill gouernment thereof May it still so flourish in Plentie Honour and with discreet vnderstanding Magistrates The Lord God grant that all your successors may be such vigilant Watchmen for the preseruation maintenance thereof as now it is may that good care be continued still from generation to generation from predecessors vnto all successors and from this your Lo. time wherein all things quietly are gouerned and safely rest And when ye shal surcease to liue amōg men your names may liue for euer and be remembred for the good you haue done that as now men do reioyce to heare of your names whilst you are liuing they may lament for the losse of you when you are gone May this be an Inheritance bestowed by the Almighty to cōtinue vnto all your Ho. and Wor. successors to the Worlds end Amen Now that Blessednesse the Lord vouchsafe your Ho. Wor. which is mentioned in Psal 128. To feare him walke in his wayes quietly to eat the fruit of your endeuours the fatted Oxe in your Stalls the Sheepe of your Fould and the Doue that flyeth about the Courts of your owne Houses The Lord make your Wiues like Dauids Vine fruitfull make your Children like Oliue Branches decking and standing round about your Tables and may they drop sweetnesse and goodnesse to the Church and Common-wealth wherein they are borne bred and brought vp O Lord let them vestigiate the steppes of their Fathers to be an honour vnto their Posteritie Linage a godly President vnto successiue Posterities and Generations that many hundred yeeres hereafter it may be spoken both of you and your Children Loe these are the Men that feared the Lord and therefore God did so blesse them that they did see their Childrens children vnto the third and fourth generation to flourish prosper graciously and vertuously to liue and in Magistracie doing good their Parents to succeede Furthermore the Lord Iesus giue vnto your Honour and Worships from the first day of this New yeere at the expiration of your dayes the New Heauens and the New Man Christ Iesus in the immortalitie of your Soules and of his infinite mercie graunt that as here on Earth yee feast like Princes yee may be partakers of that most Royall Feast and Banquet of Iesus Christ the Prince of Glorie and Light of the whole World who came a Light at this time into the World to light all thither And this blessednesse I will dayly and heartily pray vnto Almightie God to bestow on you all at the end of this your mortall liues The Lord Iesus with that blessed Life of Glory indow you and all your Posterities for euermore Amen Your Honor and Worships much bounden and in the seruice of my Lord and Master Iesus Christ at all times to be commanded Henry Goodcole TO ALL GODLY zealous religious sanctified and Christian-minded People who expect and vnfainedly desire the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ fruition thereof to the euerlasting ioy of their Soules PEruse mee Will you please Then finde helpe for each Disease Soule and Body I apply And cure both their Maladie Such good meanes not disdaine When to thee so friendly sent Lest in sicknesse thou remaine And thy folly doe repent Had I wist breedes much woe Gentle Patient be no foe To the health and happie states Of such peerelesse louing Mates Farewell good Soule till wee meet In Heauens Blisse each to greet Expect wee doe and dayly pray Lord graunt to vs that happie day CHristian and conscionable Reader thou mayest now iustly with Apelles reprooue and deride me who thus haue presumed to diuulge and diue into the height of all Learning Arts Sciences Knowledge Wit and Skill whose vnskilfulnesse in all of them recommands me to the lowest degree that may be to be abased I know it is but lost labour to cast water into the Ocean an vnthankefull respectlesse Gift to cast a Sheaue of Wheat into a rich mans Garner or to put a small Bunch of Grapes into a vaste Wine-presse small encrease thereof can issue Yet seeing I am called and sent into my Heauenly Lord and Masters Haruest hired and sent to his Vineyard in both to worke and not to loyter That I haue in both endeuoured I present thee good Christian friends this little of my hard labour and gleaned Corne obtained by following others of my fellow Labourers Though theirs was pure yet mine not without Chaffe receiue my Grapes though not without some soure and sharpe distaste altogether disliking your Pallat and disappointing your expectation The Lord of the Vineyard hath sent by me some Bread and Wine to strengthen
not receiued or as one that had not tasted them For why the vanityes of the world had bewitched me and the deluding Objects of seeming happines had captiuated me But now Lord I am escaped the snare of the Fowler the Net is broken and my soule is deliuered or as a brand from the fire so haue I bin preuented by thy mercies The Prodigals bequest to God ANd what shall I giue vnto the Lord for all that hee hath giuen vnto mee Sacrifices and burnt-offerings thou wilt not haue but a contrite and broken hart O Lord thou wilt not despise My heart is prepared my heart is prepared I will giue thee what thou hast so long time asked And if thou say as thou sayedst vnto Dauid Giue mee thy heart I will answer with Dauid I will giue thee my heart It is thine O Lord it is thine for thou sufferedst thine owne heart to be pierced for it and should I then detaine it from thee that hast so dearely purchased it I will reserue it only for thee thou shalt make it thine owne Temple for the heart is the Temple of God To whom fitter may I bequeath my heart then to thee who hast giuen thy selfe for a ransome thy Spirit for a pledge thy word for a guide the world for a walke and reserues a kingdome for my inheritance To whom fitter then to thee that createdst mee after thine owne forme renewed it when I had defaced that forme illuminated mee with thy Spirit inuested mee with thy grace and ministreth whatsoeuer thou knowest to be necessary for the conseruation of Nature Who fitter then thou whose mercy preuenteth mee falling whose grace conducteth me walking and whose comforts raise me drowping I will therefore with vnfained repentannce returne to thee for I shall find fauour in thy fight My heart will I sacrifice vnto thee for more acceptable it is vnto thee then many burnt offerings I will not suffer it to stray from thee O Lord for I feare as Dina was defloured when she strained from home so my heart by gadding from thee her best home and surest Sanctuary may chance to be corrupted with the filthinesse of this world Shee hath many suiters and all hope to haue her Giue her mee sayeth the Tempter giue her mee saith riches giue her mee saith pleasure but none of these shall haue her for what is riches that I should set my minde vpon them or pleasure that I should giue my selfe ouer vnto her Haue I not tasted the vanitie of the one and the perill of the other For wherein can the Epicure glory or the sensuall man please himselfe hee hath tasted of pleasures in aboundance and slaued his best affections to vnworthiest obiects Hee hath drunke deepe of the Babylonian Cup exposed himselfe to the places of publique shame and made himselfe heire of beggary What delights were vpon Earth which this licentious man embraced not what consorts hee embraced not what meanes of spending houres and that without tediousnes he vsed not And is there any thing so vaine Behold his time is expired the period and date of his dayes extended and all his former delights like a vapour vanished And great is his account when it shall be demaunded of him Where is thy talent What aduantage hast thou made of it O quam amar a est ea voluptas c. saith a blessed father which ruines thy soule depriues thee of an inheritaunce driues thee from heauen presseth thee to hell and makes thee eternally wretched what fruits then of so many idle houres What comfort in the vaile of bitternesse or by the riuer wherein repent thou wouldest but no time is admitted weepe thou wouldst but teares are fruitles suffer thou wouldest but sufferings are effectlesse There is no ioy left which may any way solace thy poore forlorne spirit Being placed there where neither the Saints can come vnto thee or thou to the Saints O misery aboue miseries to loose and to loose that irrecouerably which should haue beene kept eternally instead of felicitie to gaine misery instead of comfort and spirituall consolation death ruine and perdition Shall then pleasures haue my heart that produce no better fruits then bitter repentance No no leaue me all delights and all outwardly-seeming comforts goe farre from mee You cannot content me for I am of a more incircumscribed nature Once I confesse were you too much possessed of my heart for my affections were deuoted my vnderstanding darkened and all my intellectuall powers and faculties so exposed to your seruice as I walked in darknesse and yet which was more miserable imagined that I was in light I was blind and knew it not in darknes perceiued it no naked and felt it not But the Lord hath giuen me sight that I may see his glory light that I may walke in his light and apparrelled me with the best ornaments of his diuine Spirit a defence against the inclemency of all seasons taking vppon me the whole spirituall armour of a Christian to discomfit Sathan subdue the flesh renew the spirit and confirme in me the power of the Almighty The Prodigall describeth how the things in this present world doe hinder man in his best deuotions seruice vnto God and his forsaking of them YEt honour with her ambitious and elated titles challengeth a part in me it is a fine thing to haue store of attendance to be great in the eye of the world to haue the chiefe place in Feasts to be admired c. once it is mortally dangerous and as the world goes of a thousand least meritorious Euer to be gaping with the fish and with a greedinesse to apprehend euery occasion lest while the water is in troubling the meanes of obtaining be cut off Deserts in precedencies of this kind least obserued where all Arts be oft-times exiled learning discountenanced and ignorance for a purple Magistrate honoured vt pueri Iunonis auem alas poore honour when merite seldome possesseth thee The Laconians would not haue honour hereditarie from the father to the sonne without the demerits of the sonne Alas then how many of Iuuenalls Blockes should we see represented vpon the Theatre of Honour Braue descents basely disparaged and prodigality without one prodigalls teare in greatest families Farewell then Honour thy name is onely worthy because onely men of name possesse thee thou art not a fit harbor for the poore Prodigall to lodge his heart in Yet riches be faire inducements and worthy a heart of gold True they are so but many Mammons haue them They build on a weake foundation they know how to enlarge their Barnes but not to communicate to the necessity of the Saints They can sing a Requiem to their soules with Now soule take thy ease but they remember not what the Prophet saith There is no rest to the vngodly Then must my heart plant my pauillion else-where for she would gladly haue a resting
reuiued the state of himselfe depends on anothers word hee is not his owne for why hee is slaued to his owne indigested passions But my disease hath bin much otherwise I was sicke and knewe it not had Vlceres running and felt them not For I was obdurate and became as one that heard not Custome in sinne tooke away from mee all sence of sinne Oft hearde I the Lord inuiting and his holy spirit inducing me to returne with the Shunamite But beholde I cryed with the Sluggard Yet a little and then a little presuming on mercie and deferring my returne There was no portion of sacred Scripture mentioning mercie but I had it no sentence of Iustice but I would turne from it making the arme of his mercie longer then the arme of his justice I delayd from this day till tomorow and I found my selfe more vnapt too morrow then today For I was bound to the yoke of seruile affections and turned my minde from correction pampering my selfe with Sure God will bee mercifull Am not I his Image And will hee see his owne similitude defaced Did he not creatc mee and framed hee mee to destroy me Though I haue worthily incensed my Creator I can be no lesse then his creature Tush tush God hath forgotten it Let vs eate and drinke and be merry Miserable foode that famisheth the eater vncomfortable drinke that poysons the taster and harsh melodie that confounds the hearer The prodigals Resolution NOw Father will I change my diet it shall be meate and drinke to mee to doe thy will The melody which I make shall be in my heart vnto the Lord and if I daunce it shall be as Dauid did before the Arke and if I sing in this strang land in this place of my pilgrimage it shall be the Lords Song Thus will I conuert my selfe vnto the Lord and regaine my inheritance with many teares I will weepe and weepe bitterly iudicium enim est quod ille teneat qui pro amissione tui amare flebit Is it a light thing for thee O my Soule to be bereft of that soueraigne Good which ruleth thee and conducteth thy feete in the wayes of Peace O no Sell all thou hast heere is a gemme of an incomparable valew loose this and thou makest shipwracke of thy Soule depriues thee of all hope the tempest is great nor can the Port be attained except the Anker be fixed Rise then poore disconsolate spirit and meete thy Sauiour that is walking vpon the Sea as vpon drie places meete him and entertain him for both Seas and winds obey him hee is the best Pilote though thy shippe sincke he will preserue thee For hee came not to wound but to heale to saue not to kill Hee it is that is protection to the fatherlesse a Castle of defence to the desolate For who euer trusted in him and was left succourlesse though my friends forsake mee yet the Lord taketh mee vp Hence it is that my soule reapeth comfort It is not the high-towring Cedar of this world that expresseth his minde by his looke his spirt by his gate shall depriue me of this prerogatiue he was ambitious heere hee will be as despicable there Humility is the best step and directest path to this honour she thinkes none worse then her selfe and in that shewes her owne eminency she neuer entertaines comparison confessing herselfe the miserablest of all creatures without comparison The prodigall desireth Humility to accompany him in his way to God SOueraignesse of Vertues let me haue thy company I shall more delight in thy aspect then the obiect of Beautie Thou hast perfection in thee and not knowing thy selfe thou knowest farre aboue thy selfe Blessed Attendant may thou liue in the Court free without a writ of Protection at Princes instalments may thou euer bee in their Election may thou be as thou shouldest be worne but not out worne by greatnes Thou art the best seruitour of Honour elated mindes can not possesse thee because their sphere is farre aboue thee I wish admiration of ages that thou might ride on thy foote-cloth but I doubt it thou wouldst change thy nature with thy honour it is dangerous sitting in a poysoned saddle Humility can ride without stirrops Thou it was presented thy selfe when I was not my selfe Ambition had puffed me vp Wantonnesse brought me on my knees Selfe-conceit made mee admire my selfe Emulation not in vertue for seldome appeares it in the vitious but in the corriualship possest me of a phrensie aloue-sicke fancy I was made a Cage of vncleane Birdes no impiety to which I was not slaued Humility I thanke thee thou readst a Lecture of Mortification vnto mee before I knew not what Mortality meaned Thou Anatomizedst to me my Constitution keepe me but company a little while longer and I will answere thy hopes But let mee rip vp mine owne errors a little further I know he deserues not Humilities conuoy that Apologizeth his sinnes Two causes I haue of inward sorrow one of outward The two inward haue relation to my selfe onely the outward to others generally The first in my selfe instanced the second to others traduced The inward motiue causes of sorrow of sinnes committed vertuous workes omitted Many come into my remembrance which I am ashamed to expresse yet because maladies concealed are most augmented I will augment my shame that the Lord may couer my sinne The Prodigals hearty suite vnto God to pardon the sinnes of his youth FOrgiue O Lord my secret sinnes and race out of thy memorie the exorbitances of my youth Spare the sprigge O Lord for it was tender soone wreasted from the primarie seedes of goodnes and drawne into the mazie labyrinth of all errours May not my crooked wayes be once made streight that the oblation that I offer might be accepted with Abel and I find fauour in thy sight Yes Lord these penitent teares I offer will be able to appease thy wrath It is recorded that Antipater on a time charging in a Letter which hee wrote to Alexander his mother Olympias with great crimes was answered againe by Alexander One mothers teare will race out many of these Letters Though the mother should forgether childe or the child the mother that bare him yet Lord wilt thou be mindfull of our teares and cancell that great Bill thou hast against vs if we returne vnfainedly to thee and in the sorrow of our heart make confession of all our sinnes Behold Lord I haue committed great folly and from the bortome of my heart confesse that I haue worthily deserued thy displeasure My commissions and omissions like two heauy poises weigh me downe Erect my hope O Lord for I haue none to flie vnto but thee Woe is me what excellent works of mercy haue I ommitted and what shall I answere O Lord when thou shalt aske me where is the naked thou clothed the afflicted which thou visited the succourlesse which thou releiued the hungar-starued which thou fed
I therefore wash my couch with teares and fall downe before thy foote-stoole For what am I that I should persist in my sinnes or whence came I that I should promise to my selfe continuance Esau compareth mans life to the Grasse that soone withereth Iob to a Post a Shuttle a Breath a Vapour Dauid lengthens his dayes but to a Spanne if then as Grasse it must of necessitie fade if a Post it must runne if a Shuttle it must passe if a Breath sonne blowne ouer if a Vapour soone vanished if a Spanne soone shortened O that my feet were as hinds feet that I might walke the way of thy statutes not looking backe like Lots wife nor behind the plow-stilt with the sluggard for cursed is he that doth the busines of God negligently Heerein Lord haue I grieuously offended repairing to thy Temple but without reuerence praying but with small seruencie trusting in thee but with a doubtfulnesse And how can these many obliquities be streightned but by the leuell of thy Word that can make all things streight It is true Lord it is true that the generall deprauednesse of all the World giues sinne vpon earth a Pasport But thou O Lord seest thou the sinnes of men and wilt be auenged Thou carriest thy Fanne in thine hand to sweepe the vngodly from off the face of the earth And where then shall be a place for all the Inhabitants of the earth Loe all shall then become saieth the Prophet Ieremie in the same place as a naked Tree in the wildernesse bereft of both flowers and fruit because like to the wilde Figge-tree it brought foorth no fruit when thou expectedst it should Lord I pray thee though mine haruest bee but yet in the blade accept my slender indeuours and so ripen them that they may bring a plentifull croppe to thee in propagating thy Glory the Churches Vnitie and the benefit of such as thou hast ioyned to mee in neighborhood affection or affiance Much adoe thou knowest Lord there was in the building of the materiall Temple and euery one was enioyned to bring in something towards the erection of it My portion O Lord is but small yet is my loue with the greatest Though I can not bring Gold from Ophyr nor the Cedar and Firre from Lebanon yet will I offer my prayers in thy Temple confessing thee before much people Marie reioyced that she had a little oyle to sprinckle vpon Christ the widdow of Zareptah was ioyfull that she had a little food for the Prophet I will likewise be glad and reioyce if I can reserue but one small moity for the Saints of God for workes of this nature neuer passe vnrewarded A cup of colde water is as acceptable as the silkes of Tyre or the Treasures of Aegypt happy then am I if rich in spirit though poore in state purchasing for a Cup of colde water the water of Life But there must euer be something done by man before the promise bee performed by God The battell must be fought ere the victory be atchieued the tree must bee planted ere it bring forth fruit and the seede must bee throwne into the ground before it multiply We must haue a perfect knowledge of God ere we can dedicate our members seruants to righteousnes offering them to GOD. But how should wee know God there is an harbinger which goes alwayes before the knowledge of God to prepare his house and that is Loue the bond of perfection Now how should we loue him whom wee haue not seene being at enmitie amongst our selues whom we daily see So good is our loue now a dayes as the Italian Prouerbe may be verified of it Tanto buon che val niente So good as it is good for nothing Yet how poore and fruitlesse soener God desires it let him then haue it for hee onely deserues it I will loue thee my Lord and will consecrate my vowes vnto thee where I meane thus to expresse them In the humblenes of my spirit without deiection and in the confidence of my heart without presumption will I humble my selfe before thee with reuerence and offer vp my vowes vnto thee with affiance I will come nearer thee in spirit because remoued from thee by the veile of my flesh the one shall caution mee of my shame the other put me in minde of my glory Hagar shal not get the vpperhand ouer her mistris my flesh shall bee taught to obey that if neede were she might safely gouerne As there is but one Sunne to giue light to the vniuersall World so there shall be but one Sonne to enlighten my little world and that is the Sunne of my Soule This Sonne shall obserue the same course which the naturall Sunne obserueth Her two Tropickes shall be reduced to two remembrances of my birth and of my death That as the Sunne by these two equall circles equally distant turneth either higher hauing bin at the lowest or lower hauing beene at the highest so my Soule transported too high with the remembrance of her dissolution to wit her liberty may be brought backe to the remembrance of her birth the very originall of her miserie I will not haue my flesh to intermeddle in these considerations for shee is like an harsh Instrument that soundeth nothing but discord when the Soule tels the flesh of a dissolution she trembles and feares her accounts like an Vsurer at the sight of deaths head or as Felix hearing Paul dispute of the last Iudgement Many obiects of delight there be which captiuate the flesh being conuersant only in outward thinges I will haue the flesh therfore be put to silence lest my soule conceiue a difficulty in departing when so harsh and disconsonant musicke sounds in her eare the sunne of my soule shall purifie the corruptions of my body which impure mettall must of necessitie be refined or it will blemish the excellencie and beauty of that is contained in it I know a mirtle is a mirtle though planted amongst nettles and at one time or other the soules beautie will shew it selfe enlightning the poore case which couers it I know also that the cause of my long straying hath proceeded from my indirect disposing preferring the bodies aduice before the iudgement of the soule But the Prouerbe shall be confirmed in my flesh Euill councell shall be worse for the Councellour I will chastise my flesh for her rash and indiscreete aduising and admire the resolution of my spirit that euer stoode in opposition against her Recollect your selues you wandring vnsetled thoghts of mine fixe your intention where there is no further extension the fruition of perfit content I knowe the time hath beene when vanity so betwitched you as like poore Vlysses companions you were forced too willing a force to heare the inchanted harmony of euery Syren But now you haue that Moli that hearbe of experience that will charme the inchantresse and teach you true resolution Shall a little taste or distaste
â—n the vessells of the Temple prophaning thy most Holie Name till thy terrible Hand appeared I haue Dauid-like feasted on Beauty and drunke deepe in bloud till by a Nathan rowzed and by a taste of thy iudgements throughly awaked I haue Manasses-like erected High-places although not publiquely in the streete yet secretly in my heart till by captiuitie and bondage tamed Lastly like the Prodigall as I am haue I wandered from my Fathers house the house of my spirituall-Father till by penurie I was inforced to return home againe And what were the pleasures which drew mee from the obedience of my Father Nothing but bitternesse anguish sorrow How tedious were those houres of my choycest delights hauing euer for one minutes sweetnes an houres distaste For what earthly ioyes bee not attended by repentance and farre worse bee those ioyes which be not attended by repentance Different be the sorrows of the iust and vniust as their ioyes the one continuate the other abridged The righteous man may be sorrowfull for a night but ioy coÌ„meth in the morning But the wicked sustaine an Eternall torment their rest is but a seeming rest their comfortes meere shadowes but no reall comcomforts They haue euer a worme gnawing and consuming them the reason is their hearts be not fixed on the desire of Eternitie hut on momentarie delights which as they be short in continuance so in the ende they yeeld repentance The Continent saith the Phylosopher must of necessitie be greater then the contained For otherwise how should it comprehend a substance ampler then it selfe But man planting the affections of his Soule vppon a mundane delight hoping to satisfie her large Circumference with so straight a Centre erreth both in Diuine and humane phylosophie Of a thing so little in seeming nothing so extended as the nature of the soule for it aspires higher and higher till it attaine to that height then which nothing can bee higher the reason wherefore she can not come to her expected and indeed limited end is the heauy masse burthen which she carrieth euer about her to wit this vnbrideled Flesh the which not brought into subiection like vnto a turbulent and factious Souldier maketh head against her Captaine and although shee cannot vtterly vanquish him yet by her two Confederates The Prodigall sheweth how the Soule is annoyed with the Flesh and her two Confederates the Worlde and the Diuell c. THe Worlde and the Diuell shee is euer annoying the Soule now moouing her to elation of minde presently to despaire now to forget her Creator by repâ—esenting her owne beautie presently she expresseth the seueritie of GODS iudgments his wrath to sinners and the multitude of her owne transgressions And if the Soule doe desire dissolution with Paul then commeth the flesh and presenteth her with the deluding obiects of Vanitie seeking to captiuate her Guardian with new temptations This mooued that deuout Father to weepe bitterly who walking one day in the field chanced to espie a Sheepheards boy who had catched a Bird and tied a threed to the legge of her The Bird was euermore flickering and endeuoured to soare vp but the threed kept her backe that shee could not This poore Bird is my soule saith he that desireth to mount vp and liue with her Creator but this threed the flesh holds her backe that she can not An obseruation worthy of our consideration that lie manacled with the fetters of sinne subiected to the slauish delights of the flesh and exposed to miserable seruitude by reason of the corruptions of our flesh The best remedy I could euer find to set my soule at liberty was the taming and macerating of my body to giue her as litle countenance as may be lest whilest her fancie be satisfied the fortresse of my soule be razed The Laconians euer had their gouernement most flourishing when their diet was most sparing I must deale so with my body temper and moderate her affections if shee suggest any thing into the eare of my Soule presently to reprooue her for her boldnesse It is not for the Maide to professe her selfe a Councellour to her Mistresse If she present vnto her eye the sundry moouing delights of the world to chastice her sharply daring to seduce her Mistresse from her allegeance towards her Creator No assay should passe vnpunished for impunitie confirmeth sinne strengthening the meanes of sinning through the want of punishing Choose not thou with Martha the worser part set all houshold affaires aside let temporary delights vanish and let such as set their mindes vpon them perish I haue but one soueraigne end at which my soule aymeth let her obtaine that and it sufficeth The Prodigals relation of the destruction of the wicked THe candle of the wicked shal be soone put out but the light of the Righteous shall remaine for euer their flourishing shall abide when the other fadeth for behold though the wicked flourish like a greene palme tree and seeme happy in all outward blessings though his Garnars be full his fields fruitfull his creatures aboundant though his pastures be fat and his children mans greatest blessing be like the Oliue-branches about his table yet doe I know his faire buildings shall be destroyed his Garnars which he enlargedd consumed his faire and fruitfull fields laid waste his treasures rifled his pastures with all his hierds dispersed and his children vtterly rooted out and extinguished But the Righteous man whose gaine is godlinesse whose profession is vprightnes and conuersation holinesse prouideth for himselfe an estate of an other nature Hee hath his eye euer fixed vpon his end he will not enrich himselfe by oppression or inhaunce his meanes by his brothers ruine For hee knoweth that the Lord will see a conuenient time to execute iudgement He noteth how many haue bin taken tripping in their wickednes Balthasar in his mirth Herod in his pride the Philistines in their banquetting the men of Ziglag in their feasting the Israelites in their rioting with Manna and Quailes Iobs children in their drunkennes the Sodomites in their filthinesse the Steward in his security the churle in his plenty the old world in their marrying the Aramites in their sensuall liuing Miserable end when men-end in their sinne where iudgement must receiue them where sinne left them woe and alas shal be their best melody sorrow and vexation their inseparable attendants call to minde this O my soule and tremble sleepe not in thy sinnes lest the sleepe of death surprize thee cast vp thy accounts each Euening let not thy soule take her rest till by the free confession of thy sinnes thou find rest of conscience for when the night commeth none can worke I will worke therefore while it is day The day hath resemblance to mans life as the night hath to death I will imitate the Sunne that shineth euer brightest when it setteth making the period of my dayes a happy concluder of many toylsome houres which I haue