heauen and wide gates into hell I pray you therefore proue them out of the Scriptures and lay them forth somewhat more largely Theol. The first which is Infidelity is proued out of the fourth chapter to the Hebrewes where it is written Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as vnto them but the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it And againe They could not enter in because of vnbeliefe Héere we sée that vnbeliefe did barre out the old people from entring into the land of promise which was a figure of Gods eternall kingdome And sure it is that the same vnbeliefe doth barre out thousands of vs. For many will beléeue nothing but their owne fansies They will not beléeue the word of God especially when it is contrary to their lustes and likings profits pleasures Though things be manifestly prooued to their faces and both the Chapter and the Uerse shewed them yet will they not beléeue or though they say they beléeue yet will they neuer goe about the practise of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another When God saith yea they will say no and so giue God the lie Some againe will say if all bée true that the Preachers say then God helpe vs. Thus you sée how Infidelity doth barre men out of Heauen and cast them into hell Phila. Let vs heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. of Deuteronomy where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst that is one sinne to another the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Héere we sée how the mightie God doth thunder downe vpon such as goe on in their sins presuming of his mercy and saying in their hearts If I may haue but a Lord haue mercy vpon me thrée houres before death I care not But it is iust with God when those thrée hours come to shut them vp in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a iust plague for their presumption Therefore the Prophet Dauid seeing the grieuousnesse of this sin praieth to be deliuered from it Keepe me ô Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not raigne ouer me Let all men therfore take héed of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will he shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that iustice goeth from him as well as mercy Phila. Let vs come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is prooued in the 23. of Exod. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill In another place the Lord saith After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein yee dwelt shall yee not doe and after the manner of the land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall yee not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the Children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Ieremy The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare But we will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth and we will doe as we haue done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Note héere how they doe altogether refuse the word of the Lord and how to follow the example of the multitude Wée sée in these our daies by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried down this streame and for defence of it some will say Doe as the most men doe and the fewest wil speake of you Which is a very wicked speach For if wée will follow the course of the most we shall haue the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let vs therefore take héed of bending with the sway For the sway of the world doth waigh downe all things that can bée spoken out of the word of God and openeth a very wide passage into Hell Phila. Proceed to the fourth gate into Hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Ieremy to be a very dangerous thing For he saith Can the blacke More change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe euill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leaue an old custome of sinne as to wash a black-more white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall are most impossible So when men through custom haue made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall vnto them oh how hard it is to leaue them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and féeling of sinne Phila. Let vs heare of the fift gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is auouched by the wise man in these words Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe euill Where he sheweth that one cause why men are so hardned in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediately after they haue sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone vpon another and cause the earth to swallow vp the third then men would feare indéed But it hath béene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he méet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall neuer come to their answer Euen as an olde théefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take héed For as the prouerbe saith Though the pitcher goeth long to the well yet at last it commeth broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies For there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you sée how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction That is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the law of the Magistrate Phila. Let vs come to the sixt gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who
away himselfe for euer Now the holy Ghost saith the Adulterer doth such an act giueth such a venture and willingly murthereth himselfe Oh therefore woe vnto him that euer he was borne For sure it is that great Crowner of heauen that crownes whom hée will crowne shal one day sit vpon it and giue iudgement Moreouer as the Adulterer sinneth against his soule so also he sinneth against his bodie after a speciall manner as witnesseth the Apostle Also he sinneth against his goods and outward estate as the holy man Iob testifieth saying Adulterie is a fire that deuoureth to destruction and it will roote out all our encrease Furthermore he sinneth against his name For the Adulterer shall finde a wound and dishonour and his reproch shall neuer be put away Item he sinneth against his wife who is his companion and the wife of his couenant And God saith in the same place Let none trespasse against the wife of his youth keepe your selues in your spirit and transgresse not Last of all he sinneth against his children and posteritie as the Lord said to Dauid Because thou hast despised me and done this therefore the sword shall neuer depart from thy house Beholde I will raise vp euill against thee out of thine owne house Now therefore to conclude this point we may sée how many deadly wounds men make in themselues by committing of adultery They wound themselues in their soules They wound themselues in their bodies They wound themselues in their goods They wound themselues in their names They wound themselues in their wiues and in their children What man except he were stark mad would thrust in himselfe in so many places at once The adulterer with his owne sin of adulterie maketh all these deadly wounds in himselfe And it is a hundred to one he will neuer get them cured but will die and bléed to death of them Lo thus you sée the dangerous quality and condition of this sin Shall we now therfore make light of it Shall we say it is but a tricke of youth Shal we smooth ouer the matter with swéet words when the holy Ghost maketh it so hainous and capitall Shal we make nothing of that which draweth downe Gods wrath vpon the soule body goods name wife and children That were an intolerable blindnesse and most extreame hardnesse of heart An ancient writer hath long agoe passed sentence vpon vs who make so light of this sin for saith he Adultery is the very hooke of the diuell whereby he draweth vs to destruction And another godly Father saith that Adulterie is like a furnace whose mouth is gluttonie the flame pride the sparkles filthy words the smoke an euill name the ashes pouertie and the end shame And so wée plainly sée that howsoeuer wée regard not this sinne but flatter our selues in it yet those whose eies the Lord hath opened haue in all ages condemned it as most flagitious and horrible yea the very Heathen will rise vp in iudgment against vs who haue spoken and written many things against this filthy beastly vice Phila. Now indeede you haue sufficiently branded the vice of adulterie and laid out the vglinesse thereof that all men may behold it starke naked and abhorre it If any man notwithstanding all this will venture vpon it hee may be saide to be a most desperate monster For what doth he else but as it were put his finger into the Lions mouth and as it were take the beare by the tooth and they may well know what will follow and what they may looke for Let all men therefore in time take heed to themselues and to their owne soules as they will answer it at their vttermost perill at the dreadfull day of iudgement when the secrets of all hearts shal be disclosed But now one thing resteth to wit that you should shew vs the speciall roots and causes of adulterie Theol. There be fiue speciall causes of it The first is our naturall corruption for the verie spawne and séed of all sinne is in our corrupt nature and this of all other is a most inherent sinne as witnesseth the Apostle Iames saying When lust hath conceiued it bringeth foorth sinne and sinne when it is perfected bringeth forth death The second is gluttonie and fulnesse of Bread for when men haue filled their bellies and crammed their paunches as full of good cheare wine and strong drinke as their skins can hold what are they méet for or what mind they else but adulterie and vncleannesse And therfore well saith one Great nourishment and grosse feed it is the shop of lust The Heathen Poet could skill to say Sine Cicere Baccho friget Venus Without meat and drinke lust waxeth colde And to this effect the wise king saith that their eies shall behold strange women whose hearts are set vpon wine and belly-cheare And therefore he aduiseth all men not to looke vpon the wine when it appeareth red when it sheweth his colour in the cup or stirreth very kindely and that for feare of this after-clap An ancient writer saith to the sam purpose Hee that delicately pampereth his belly and yet would ouercome the spirit of fornication is like him that will quench a flame of fire with Oyle Therefore to close vp this point sure it is though men pray heare and read much and be otherwise well disposed yet except they be absteinous in diet they will be much troubled with lust The third cause of adulterie is Idlenesse For when men are lazie luskish and idle hauing nothing to do they lie wide open to adulterie and lust créepeth into them Some Historiographers write the Crab-fish is very desirous to eat Oysters but because she cannot perforee open them she watcheth her time when they open themselues vnto the sun after the tide and then she putteth in her claw and pulleth out the Oyster Euen so sathan watcheth his opportunity against vs that he may infect and breath into vs all filthy lusts and adulterous desires when wée lie open vnto him by idlenesse Wisely therfore to this point said the Gréeke Poet Much rest nourisheth lust And another Poet saith Quaritur agistus quare sit factus adulter In promtu causa est desidiosus erat Slothfull lazinesse is the cause of Adulterie And therefore another saith Eschew idlenesse and cut the sinewes of lust The fourth cause of adultery is wanton apparell which is a ministrelsie that pipes vp a daunce vnto whoredome But of this enough before The fift and last part of adultery is the hope of impunitie or escaping of punishment For many being blinded and hardened by Sathan thinke they shall neuer be called to an account for it And because they can bleare the eies of men and carry this sin so closely vnder a cloud that it shall neuer come to light they thinke all is safe and that God séeth them not And therefore Iob saith The eie of the adulterer waiteth
they haue a thousand eies vpon them euery day and that not onely gazing vpon them but also prying very narrowly into them to spie out the least moat that they may make a mountaine of it For as in a cleane white paper one little spot is soone espied but in a péece of browne paper twenty great blurs are scant discerned euen so in Noble men Judges Magistrates Justices Preachers and Professors the least spot or specke is soone seene into but amongst the baser sort and most grosse liuers almost nothing is espied or regarded Phila. Sith the eies of all men are bent and fixed vpon such men as are of some note therefore they had neede verie heedfully to looke to their steps that they may take away all aduantage from them that seeke aduantage Theol. Yes verily And furthermore they had néed to pray with Dauid alwaies Direct my steps O Lord in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer mee And againe Order my doings that my footsteps slippe not vphold mee in mine integritie For if such men bée neuer so little giuen to swearing to lying to drinke or to women it is espied by and by and therewithall their credit is cracked their fame ouer-cast their glory eclipsed and the date of their good name presently expired Phila. Now as you haue shewed what great hurt these sinnes doe bring vpon our soule bodies goods and name so also I pray you shew what danger they doe bring vpon the whole land Theol. Questionlesse they doe pull downe the wrath of God vpon vs all and giue him iust cause to breake all in péeces and vtterly to subuert ouerthrow the good estate both of church and Common-wealth yea to make a finall consumption and desolation of all For they be the very fire-brands of Gods wrath and as it were touch-wood to kindle his anger and indignation vpon vs. For the Apostle saith For such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disodedience Phila. Declare vnto vs out of the Scriptures how the Lord in former times hath punished whole Nations and Kingdomes for these and such like sinnes Theol. In the fourth of Hosea the Lord telleth his people that hée hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land and the reason is added because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land By swearing lying killing stealing and whoring they breake out and blood toucheth blood Therefore shall the land mourne and euery one that dwelleth therein shall be cut off Héere then we sée what it is that wil incense God against vs and cause vs all to mourne So likewise the Lord threatneth by his Prophet Amos that for the cruelty and oppression of the poore hée would plague the whole land Shall not the land tremble for this sayth the Lord and euerie one mourne that dwelleth therein Againe the Lord sayeth by his Prophet Ieremie Doe they prouoke mee to anger and not themselues to the confusion of their owne faces Therefore thus sayth the Lord Behold mine anger and my wrath shall bee powred vpon this place vpon man and beast vpon the tree of the field and vpon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched Againe the Lord saith If yee will not heare these words I swear by my selfe saith the Lord that this house shall be waste and I will prepare destroyers against thee euery one with his weapons and they shall cut downe thy chiefe Cedar trees and cast them in the fire Likewise the Lord threateneth by his Prophet Ezechiel saying Because yee haue not walked in my statutes nor kept my iudgements therefore behold I euen I come against thee and will execute iudgement in the middest of thee euen in the sight of Nations and I will doe in thee that I neuer did before neither will I doe any more the like because of all thine abhominations For in the middest of thee the fathers shall eat their sonnes and the sonnes shall eate their fathers Againe by the same Prophet the Lord saith The land is full of the iudgement of blood and the citie full of crueltie Wherefore I will bring the most wicked of the Heathen and they shall possesse their houses I will also make the pompe of the mighty to cease and the holy places shall be defiled When destruction commeth they shall seeke peace and not haue it Calamity shall come vpon calamitie and rumour vpon rumour Then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet but the law shall perish from the Priests and counsell from the auncient The King shall mourne and the Prince shall be clothed with desolation and the hands of the people in the land shall bee troubled I will doe vnto them according to their waies and according to their iudgements will I iudge them and they shall know that I am the Lord. Last of all the Lord saith by his Prophet Heare O earth behold I will cause a plague to come vpon this people euen the sruit of their owne imaginations because they haue not taken heed to my words nor to my Law but cast it off Almost innumerable places to this purpose are to be found in the writings of the prophets but these may suffice to prooue the maine point to wit that the iust God doth punish whole nations and kingdomes for the sinnes and rebellions thereof Phila. Sith all these sinnes for the which the Lord did execute such vniuersall punishments vpon his owne people doe abound and ouerflow in this land may wee not iustly feare some great plague to fall vpon vs and the rather because our transgressions doe increase daily and grow to a full height and ripenesse so as it seemeth the haruest of Gods vengeance draweth neere and approacheth Theol. We may indéed iustly feare and tremble For if God spared not the Angels that sinned how shall he spare vs If he spared not his owne people what can wée looke for If hée spared not the naturall braunches how shall hée spare vs which are wilde by nature Are we better then they Can we looke to bée spared when they were punished Are not our sinnes as many and as great as theirs Doth not the same cause bring forth the same effect Is the arme of the Lord shortned Or is not God the same iust God to punish sinne now that he was then Yes yes assuredly And therefore wée haue great cause to mourne and lament to quake and tremble because there is a naked sword of vengeance hanging ouer our heads Thus did Ieremie thus did Amos thus did Abacuck when they plainely saw the imminent wrath of God approching vpon the people of Israel and Iudah Phila. I thinke we may the rather doubt and feare because the punishment of these forenamed vices is neglected by the Magistrate For commonly when they that beare the sword of Iustice doe not draw it out to punish notorious offenders and malefactours the Lord himselfe
THE PLAINE MANS Path-way to Heauen Wherein euery man may cleerely see whether he shall be saued or damned Set forth Dialogue-wise for the better vnderstanding of the simple By ARTHVR DENT Preacher of the word of God at South-Shoobery in Essex The ninth Impression Corrected and amended with a Table of all the principall matters and three Prayers necessarie to be vsed in priuate families hereunto added ZEPH. 3. 5. Euery morning the Lord bringeth his iudgement to light he faileth not but the wicked will not learne to be ashamed LONDON Printed for EDVV. BISHOP and are to be solde in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Brasen Serpent 1607. THE CONTENTS of this Dialogue FIrst it sheweth mans misery in nature with the meanes of recouery Secondly it sharply inueigheth against the iniquity of the time and common corruption of the world Thirdly it sheweth the markes of the children of God and of the Reprobates with the apparant signes of saluation and damnation Fourthly it declareth how hard a thing it is to enter into life and how few shall enter Fiftly it laieth open the ignorance of the world with the obiections of the same Last of all it publisheth and proclaimeth the sweet promises of the Gospel with the abundant mercies of God to all that repent beleeue and truly turne vnto him To the right Worshipfull Sir IVLIVS CAESAR Knight one of the Masters of the Requests to the Kings Maiestie Iudge of the high Court of Admiraltie and Master of S. Catherines A. D. wisheth all good things in Christ Iesus HAuing finished Right worshipfull and made ready for the Presse this little Dialogue I bethought me sith the common maner of all that write any bookes in this age is to dedicát the same to one or to other of great place to whom I might dedicate these my poore labours At last I did resolue with my selfe none to be more fit then your worship both in regard of some affinity in the flesh as also because of those manifold good parts wherewith the Almighty hath endued you Hauing therefore none other thing to present your worship withall in token of a thankfull heart for your curtesies shewed towards me behold I doe heere send vnto you this third fruite of my labours now published Most humbly beseeching you to take it in good worth not weighing the value of the thing which is of no value but the simple and good minde and meaning of the giuer This worke doth sharply reproue and euict the world of sinne and therefore is like to find many deadly enemies which with cruell hatred will most eagerly pursue it vnto death Zoilus also and his fellowes I know will bitterly carpe at it Therefore it flieth vnto your Worship for protection and humbly desireth to take Sanctuary vnder your wings Wherefore I humbly intreat you to take vpon you the patronage and defence of it that by your meanes it may be deliuered both from the calumnious obloquies of euill disposed persons and also from the worlds malignity so as it may take no iniury And concerning this little volume the summe of the matter of it you shall finde in the Epistle to the Reader As concerning the manner heere is no great matter in learning wit arte eloquence or ingenious inuention for I haue heerein specially respected the ignorant and vulgar sort whose edification I doe chiefely aime at yet somewhat there is which may concern the learned giue them some contentment Whatsoeuer it be I leaue it with your Worship beseeching you to giue it entertainement And so I doe most humbly take my leaue commending both your selfe your good wife and your whole family to the mercifull protection of the euerliuing God From South-Shoobery in Essex April 10. Anno Dom. 1601. Your Worships to command in the Lord ARTHVR DENT THE EPISTLE TO the Reader GEntle Reader seeing my little Sermon of Repentance some few yeeres since published hath beene so well accepted of I haue for thy further good published this Dialogue being the third fruit of my labour wishing to it the like successe that God thereby may haue the glory and thou who art the Reader comfort I haue in one part of this Dialogue produced some of the ancient writers and some of the wise Heathen also to testifie vpon their oath in their owne language and to beare witnesse of the vglinesse of some vices which we in this age make light of which I wish may not be offensiue to any In other parts of this worke I do in a manner relinquish them But in this case I haue in my weake iudgement thought them to be of some good vse to shew forth thus much that if we doe not in time repent forsake our sinnes seeke after God both the auncient Christian fathers whose eies saw not that we see nor their eares heard that we heare yea the very Heathen also shall rise vp in iudgement against vs. Let none therefore stumble at it But if any doe let them remember I am in a Dialogue not in a Sermon I write to all of all sorts I speake not to some few of one sort But that which is done herein is not much more then that of the Apostle As some of your own Poets haue said Act. 17. which is warrantable One thing deare Christian I pray thee let me beg of thee to wit that thou wouldest not reade two or three leaues of this Booke and so cast it from thee but that thou wouldest reade it throughout euen to the end For I do assure thee if there be any thing in it worth the reading it is bestowed in the latter part thereof and most of all towards the conclusion Be not discouraged therefore at the harshnesse of the beginning but looke for smoother matter in the middest and most smooth in the perclose and wind-vp of all For this Dialogue hath in it not the nature of a Tragedy which is begunne with ioy and ended with sorrow but of a Comedie which is begun with sorrow and ended with ioy This booke medleth not at all with any controuerfies in the Church or any thing in the state Ecclesiasticall but onely entreth into a controuersie with Sathan and sinne It is contriued into six principall heads First it sheweth mans misery in nature with the meanes of recouery Secondly it sharpely inueigheth against the iniquity of the time and common corruptions of the world Thirdly it sheweth the markes of the children of God and of the Reprobates together with the apparant signes of saluation and damnation Fourthly it declareth how hard a thing it is to enter into life and how few shall enter Fiftly it laieth open the ignorance of the world with the obiections of the same Last of all it publisheth and proclaimeth the sweet promises of the Gospell with the abundant mercy of God to all that repent beleeue and truely turne vnto him The Authour of all blessing giue a blessing vnto it The God of peace which brought againe
from the dead our Lord Iesus the great sheepeheard of the sheepe through the blood of the euerlasting couenant make vs perfect in all good workes sanctifie vs throughout amend all our imperfections and keepe vs blamelesse vntill the day of his most glorious appearing Amen Thine in the Lord A. D. The plaine mans path-way to Heauen Interlocutors Theologus a Diuine Philagathus an honest man Asunetus an ignorant man Antilegon a cauiller Philagathus WEll met good Master Theologus Theol. What mine old friend Philagathus I am glad to see you in good health Phila. Are you walking Sir heere all alone in this pleasant meadow Theol. Yea for I take some pleasure at this time of the yeere to walke abroad in the fieldes for my recreation both to take the fresh aire and to heare the swéet singing of birds Phila. Indeed Sir it is very comfortable especially now in this pleasant moneth of May and thanks be to God hitherto we haue had a very forward spring and as kindly a season as came this seuen yeeres Theo. God doth abound towards vs in mercies oh that we could abound towards him in thanksgiuing Phil. I pray you sir what a clocke hold you it Theol. I take it to be a little past one for I came but euen now from dinner Phila. But behold yonder commeth two men towards vs What be they I pray you Theolog. They be a couple of neighbours of the next Parish the one of them is called Asunetus who in very déed is a very ignorant man in Gods matters and the other is called Antilegon a notable Atheist and cauiller against all goodnesse Phila. If they be such it were good for vs to take some occasion to speake of matters of religion it may be we shall doe them some good Theol. You haue made a good motion I like it well If therefore you will minister some matter and mooue some questions I will bée readie to answer in the best sort I can Phi. But stay sir lo heere they come vpon vs. Theol. Welcome neighbours welcome How do you Asunetus and you Antilegon Asune Well God be thanked and we are glad to see your mastership in good health Theol. What make both of you héere at this time of the day There is some occasion I am sure draweth you this way Asune Indeed sir we haue some little busines for we came to talke with one of your parish about a Cow we should buy of him Theol. Hath my neighbour a Cow to sell Antilegon We are told he hath a very good one to sell but I am afrayd at this time of the yeare we shall finde deare ware of her Theol. How deare What doe you thinke a very good Cow may be worth Antile A good Cow indeed at this time of the yere is worth very nere foure pound which is a great price Theol. It is a very great price indéed Phila. I pray you M. Theologus leaue off this talking of kine and worldly matters and let vs enter into some speech of matters of religion whereby we may doe good and take good one of another Theol. You say well but it may be these mens businesse requireth haste so as they can not stay Asune No sir we are in no great haste we can stay two or three houres for the dayes are long if we dispatch our businesse by night it will serue our turne well enough Theol. Then if it will please you to walke to yonder Oke trée there is a goodly Arbour and handsome seats where wée may all sit in the shadow and conferre of heauenly matters Asune With a good will Sir Phila. Come then let vs goe Asune This is a goodly Arbour indeed and heere be handsome seats Theol. Sit you all downe I pray you Now friend Philagathus if you haue any questions to moue of matters of Religion we are all readie to heare you Phila. It may be these men are somewhat ignorant of the very principles of Religion and therefore I thinke it not amisse to begin there and so to make way for further metters Theol. I pray you do so then Phila. First then I demand of you in what state all men are borne by nature Theol. In the state of condemnation as appeareth Ephe. 2. 3. We are by nature the children of wrath as well as others And againe it is written Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sin hath my mother conceiued me Phila. Is it euery mans case Are not Dukes and Nobles Lords and Ladies and the great Potentates of the earth exempted from it Theol. No surely it is the common case of all both high and low rich and poore as it is written What is man that hee should bee cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Philaga From whence commeth it that all men are borne in so wofull a case Theol. From the fall of Adam who thereby hath not onely wrapt himselfe but all his posterity in extreame and vnspeakeable misery as the Apostle saith By one mans disobedience many were made sinners and by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation Phi. What reason is there that we all should thus be punished for an other mans offence Theol. Because we were then all in him and are now all of him that is we are so descended out of his loynes that of him we haue not only receiued our naturall and corrupt bodies but also by propagation haue inherited his foule corruptions as it were by hereditary right Phila. But forasmuch as some haue dreamed that Adam by his fall hurt himselfe only and not his posterity and that we haue his corruption deriued vnto vs by imitation and not by propagation therefore I pray you shew this more plainely Theol. Euen as great personages by committing of treason doe not onely hurt themselues but also staine their blood and disgrace their posteritie for the children of such Nobles are disinherited whose blood is attainted till they be restored againe by act of Parliament Euen so our blood being attainted by Adams transgression we can inherit nothing of right till wee be restored by Christ Philaga Doeth this hereditarie infection and contagion ouer-spread our whole nature Theol. Yes truely it is vniuersall extending it selfe thorowout the whole man both soule and body both reason vnderstanding will and affections for the Scriptures auouch that wée are dead in sinnes and trespasses Phila. How vnderstand you that Theol. Not of the deadnesse of the bodie or the naturall faculties of the soule but of the spirituall faculties Phila. Did Adam then lose his nature and destroy it by his fall or is our nature taken away by his fall Theol. Not so Our nature was corrupted thereby but not destroyed for still there remaineth in our nature reason vnderstanding will and affections and we are not as a block or a stocke but by Adams disobedience wee are blemished maimed and spoyled of all abilitie to vnderstand
like grosse sinnes they trust in God they shall be saued Theol. They erre not knowing the scriptures For many thousands are in great danger of losing their soules for euer which are frée from such notorious and horrible vices may many which in the world are counted good honest men good true dealers good neighbors and good Townes-men Asune I pray you Sir giue me leaue a little I haue heard all your speech hitherto and I like reasonably well of it but now I can forbeare no longer my conscience vrgeth me to speake For me thinkes you goe too far you goe beyond your learning in this that you condemne good neighbours and good townesmen You say many such men are in danger of losing their soules but I will neuer beleeue it while I liue For if such men be not saued I cannot tell who shall Theol. But you must learne to know out of the Scriptures that all outward honesty and righteousnes without the true knowledge and inward féeling of God auaileth not to eternall life As our Sauiour Christ saith Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen It is also written that when Paul preacht at Berea many honest men and honest women did beléeue that is such as were outwardly honest or honest to the world only for they could not be truly and inwardly honest before they did beléeue Therefore you sée that this outward honesty ciuility without the inward regeneration of the spirit auaileth not to eternall life and then consequently all your honest worldly men are in great danger of losing their soules for euer Asune What sound reason can you yeeld why such honest men should be condemned Theol. Because many such are vtterly void of all true knowledge of God and of his word Nay which is more many of them despise the word of God and hate all the zealous professors of it They estéeme preachers but as pratlers and Sermons as good tales they estéeme a Preacher no more than a shoomaker they regard the Scriptures no more then their old shooes What hope is there then I pray you that such men should be saued Doth not the holy Ghost say How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great saluation Asune You goe too farre you iudge too hardly of them Theol. Not a whit For all experience sheweth that they minde dreame and dote of nothing else day and night but this world this world lands and leases grounds and liuings kine and shéepe and how to way rich All their thoughts words and works are of these and such like things All their actions doe most manifestly declare that they are of the earth and speake of the earth and that there is nothing in thē but earth earth As for sermons they care not how few they heare And for the scriptures they regard them not they read them not they estéeme them not worth the while there is nothing more irkesome vnto them they had rather pill strawes or do any thing then heare read or conferre of the Scriptures And as the Prophet saith The word of the Lord is as a reproch vnto them that haue no delight in it Phila. I maruell much that such men should liue so honestly to the world-ward Theol. No maruell at all for many bad men whose hearts are worm-eaten within yet for some outward and carnall respects doe abstaine from the grosse act of sinne as some for credit some for shame some for feare of Law some for feare of punishment but none for loue of God for zeale or conscience of obedience For it is a sure thing that the wicked may haue that spirit which doth represse but not that which doth renew Phil. It seemeth then by your speeches that some which are not regenerate do in some things excell the children of God Theol. Most certaine it is that some of them in outward gifts and the outward cariage of themselues doe goe beyond some of the elect Phil. Shew me I pray you in what giftes Theol. In learning discretion iustice temperance prudence patience liberalitie affabilitie kindnesse curtesie good nature such like Phila. Me thinketh it should not be possible Theol. Yes truely For some of Gods deare children in whom no doubt the inward worke is truly and soundly wrought yet are so troubled encombred with a crabbed and crooked nature and so clogged with some master sin as some with anger some with pride some with couetousnesse some with lusts some one way and some another all which breaking out in them doe so blemish them and their profession that they cannot so shine forth vnto men as otherwise no doubt they would and this is their wound their griefe and their hart-smart and that which costeth them many a téere and many a praier and yet can they not get the full victorie ouer them but still they are left in them as the pricke in the flesh to humble them Phila. Yet loue should couer a multitude of such infirmities in Gods children Theol. It should doe so indeed but there is great want of loue euen in the best and the worser sort espying these infirmities in the godlie run vpon them with open mouth and take vpon them to condemne them vtterly and to iudge their hearts saying they be hypocrites dissemblers and there is none worse then they Phila. But doe you not thinke that there be some counterfeits euen amongst the greatest professors Theol. Yes no doubt there be and alwaies haue béen some very hypocrites in the Church but we must take héed of iudging and condemning all for some For it were very much to condemne Christ and his eleuen Disciples because of one Iudas or the whole Primitiue Church for Ananias and Sapphira Phila. But I hope you are of this minde that some regenerate men euen in outward gifts and their outward cariage are comparable with any others Theol. Questionlesse very many For they being guided by Gods spirit and vpheld by his grace do walke very vprightly and vnblameably towards men Phil. Yet there resteth one scruple for it seemeth verie strange vnto me that men of so discreet cariage as you speake of and of so many good parts should not be saued It is great pitie such men should be damned Theol. It séemeth so vnto vs indéed but God is onely wise and you must note that as there be some infirmities in Gods children which he correcteth with temporall chastisements and yet rewardeth their faith loue and inward seruice and obedience with eternall life so there be some good things in the wicked and them that are without Christ which God rewardeth with temporall blessings and yet punisheth them eternally for their vnbeléefe and hardnesse of heart Phila. Now you haue reasonably well satisfied me touching the doctrine of regeneration and the manifold errours and deceits that are in it and of it I pray you let vs now proceed and first of all tell me by
what meanes the new birth is wrought Theol. By the preaching of the word as the outward meanes and the secret worke of the spirit as the inward meanes Phila. Many heare the word preached and are nothing the better but rather the worse what I pray you is the cause of that Theol. Mens owne incredulity and hardnesse of heart because God in his wrath leaueth them to themselues and depriueth them of his spirit without the which all preaching is in vaine For except the spirit doe follow the word into our hearts we can find no ioy taste nor comfort therein Phila. Cannot a man attaine vnto regeneration and the new birth without the word and the spirit Theol. No verily for they are the instruments meanes whereby God doth worke it Asune Why may not a man haue as good a faith to God-ward that heareth no Sermons as he that heareth all the Sermons in the world Theol. Why may not he which eateth no meat be as fat and as well liking as he that eateth all the meat in the world For is not the preaching of the word the food of our soules Asune I like not so much hearing of Sermons and reading of the Scriptures except men could keepe them better Theol. Faithfull and honest hearers doe therefore heare that they may be more able to obserue and do For a man cannot do the will of God before he know it and he cannot know it without hearing and reading Antile I maruell what good men doe get by gadding to Sermons and poring so much in the scriptures or what are they better then others there are none more full of enuy and malice then they They will doe their neighbour a shrewd turne as soone as any body and therefore in mine opinion they be but a company of hypocrites and precise fooles Theol. You iudge vncharitably Full little doe you know what they feele or what good Gods people get by hearing of his word For the worke of the Spirit in the hearts of the elect is very secret and altogether hid from the world as it is written The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whither it goeth or whence it commeth So is euery man that is borne of the spirit And againe The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Asune Tush tush what needs all this a doe If a man say his Lords praier his Ten Commandements and his Beliefe and keepe them and say no body no harme nor doe no body no harme and doe as he would be done to haue a good faith to God-ward and be a man of Gods beliefe no doubt he shall be saued without all this running to Sermons and pratling of the Scripture Theol. Now you powre it out indéede you thinke you haue spoken wisely But alas you haue bewraied your great ignorance For you imagine a man may be saued without the word which is a grosse errour Asune It is no matter say you what you will and all the Preachers in the world besides as long as Iserue God and say my praiers duly and truely morning and euening and haue a good faith in God and put my whole trust in him and doe my true intent and haue a good minde to God-ward and a good meaning although I am not learned yet I hope it will serue the turne for my soules health For that God which made me must saue me It is not you that can saue me for all your learning and all your Scriptures Theol. You may very fitly be compared to a sicke man who hauing his braine distempered with heat raueth and speaketh idlely he cannot tell what For the holy Ghost saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his praier shall be abhominable And againe he that despiseth the word he shall be destroied So long therefore as you despise Gods word and turne away your eare from hearing his Gospel preached all your prayers your fantasticall soruing God your good meanings and your good intents are to no purpose but most loathsome and odious in the sight of God as it is written My soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feastes they are a burthen vnto me I am weary to beare them When you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare For your hands are full of bloud And againe the Lord saith by the same Prophet He that killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an idol Where you sée the Lord telleth you his minde touching these matters to wit that all your praiers seruices good meanings c. are abhominable vnto him so long as you walk in ignorance prophanenes disobedience and contempt of the Gospel For he saith in the words immediately going before To him wil I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Asune I grant indeed for them that are idle and haue little to do it is not amisle now and then to heare a Sermon and read the Scriptures but we haue no leasure we must follow our businesse we cannot liue by the scriptures they are not for plaine folke they are too high for vs we will not meddle with them They belong to Preachers and Ministers Theol. CHRIST saith My sheepe heare my voice and I giue vnto them eternal life If therfore you refuse to heare the voice of Christ you are none of his sheepe neither can you haue eternall life And in another place our Lord Iesus saith He that is of God heareth Gods word Ye therefore heare it not because ye are not of God S. Paul writing to all sorts of men both rich and poore high low men women yong and old exhorteth that the word of Christ may dwell plenteously in them all in all wisedome You sée therefore that the Apostle would haue al sorts of people that haue soules to saue to be wel acquainted with the scriptures Therefore you may as well say you will not meddle with God with Christ nor with euerlasting life as to say you wil not meddle with the scriptures Asune Well I cannot reade and therefore I cannot tell what Christ or what S. Paul may say but this I am sure of that God is a good man worshipped might he be he is mercifull and that wee must be saued by our good prayers and good seruing of God Theol. You speake foolishly and ignorantly in al that you say hauing no ground for any thing you speake but your own fansie and your own conceit and yet you will beléeue your own fansie against all Preachers against all that can be spoken out of the Word But I praie you giue me
it and séeke some other shelter for this will not serue your turne Phila. Now I must needs say you haue fully stopt his mouth and thorowly ferrited him out of his deepe burrow And it is most certaine that you say that the wise heathen haue condemned couetousnesse and all vniust gains which we both practise and defend and therefore will rise vp in iudgement against vs. But now let vs leaue this cauiller and proceed in our matters There is one thing yet remaining wherin I desire to be satisfied Theol. What is that Phila. I would gladly know which bee the speciall remedies against couetousnesse Theol. There be two speciall remedies against couetousnesse to wit Contentation and the meditation of Gods prouidence Phila. Let vs heare somewhat of Contentation out of the Scriptures Theol. The Apostle saith Hauing food and rayment we must therewith bee content For wee brought nothing into this world and it is certaine wee shall carry nothing out The Spirit also saith Let your conuersation bee without couetousnesse and bee content with your present estate Againe the Apostle saith Hee had learned in what estate soeuer hee was therwith to be content Note that he saith he had learned for he had it not of himselfe For Contentation is the singular gift of God as it is written The righteous eateth to the Contentation of his soule but the bellie of the wicked shall want Pro. 13. 25. An ancient Father saith We ought to accustome our selues to liue of a little and to be content that wee may do no wicked or filthy thing for lucres sake Another saith He is not poore that hath nothing but he that desireth much Neither is he rich that hath much but hee that wanteth nothing for contentation neuer wanteth There is no griefe in lacking but where there is immoderate desire in hauing If we will liue after nature we shall neuer be poore if after our owne appetite we shall neuer be rich Well therefore said the Poet Wax not rich vniustly but iustly Be content with thine owne things abstaine from other mens Thus then we sée that both God himselfe the fountaine of all wisedome men also both in the state of nature grace doe all ioyntly aduise vs to striue for Contentation and then shall we haue a soueraigne remedy against Couetousnesse Phila. Let vs heare somewhat of the second remedies against Couetousnesse Theol. An earnest thinking vpon the prouidence of God is a present remedy against the most foolish pining carefulnesse of men for this life For if we would seriously weigh déeply consider the prouident care that God hath had for his children in all ages touching food raiment and how strangely he hath prouided for them it might suffice to correct this euil in vs and minister vnto vs a notable preseruatiue against couetousnesse We read how wonderfully the Lord did prouide for his Prophet Eliah in the time of the great dearth drought that was in Israel Did not the Lord command the rauens to féed him by the riuer Cherith did not the rauens bring him bread flesh in the morning bread flesh in the euening and he drunke of the Riuer What should I speake how miraculously God prouided for Hager and her infant when they were both cast out of Abrahams house and brought to great extremity euen both of them ready to giue vp the ghost for want of food Did not God helpe at a pinch as his manner hath alwaies bin did not he send his angell vnto them both comfort thē prouide for them What should I speak how strangely God prouided for his church in the wildernes Did he not féed them with Manna from heauen and gaue them water to drinke out of the Rocke Hath not our heauenly Father made many royall and large promises that he will prouide necessaries for his children Shall we not think that hée will be as good as his word Doth hée not say The Lions lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke him shall want nothing that is good Doth hée not say Feare him all yee Saints for nothing is wanting to them that feare him Doth he not say No good thing shall bee withheld from them that walke vprightly Doth he not say Our heauenly father knoweth that we haue neede of these things and that all these things shall be cast vpon vs if we earnestly seeke his kingdome Doth he not bid vs cast all our care vpon him For he careth for all Doth he not bid vs take no thought what wee shall eate or what we shall drinke or wherewithall we shall bee cloathed Meaning thereby no distracting or distrustfull thought Doth he not say He will not leaue vs not forsake vs Doth he not say The Lord is at hand in nothing be carefull Are not these large promises sufficient to stay vp our faith in Gods prouidence shal we think God iesteth with vs shall we thinke he meaneth no such matter shall we imagine he will not kéepe touch Oh it were blasphemy once to thinke it For God is true and all men lyers He is faithfull that hath promised His word is more then the faith of a Prince more then ten thousand Obligations Why then doe we not rest vpon it why goe we any further why doe we not take his word why doe we not depend wholly vpon him why are we still couetous why are we stil distrustful why doe we dissemble deceiue Oh we of little faith Our Lord Jesus knowing right well the distrustfulnesse of our nature and the déepe root it hath in vs is not only content to make these great and royall promises vnto vs which were inough but also strengthneth and backeth vs with many strong reasons to support our weakenesse in this behalfe He therefore bringeth vs backe to a due consideration of things Consider saith he the Rauens consider the foules of the heauens For they neither sow nor reape nor carry into barnes and yet God feedeth them they want nothing Consider the Lillies how they grow they neither labour nor spinne yet Salomon in all his royaltie was not cloathed like one of these Oh therefore that wée would consider these Considers Oh that wée would consider that our life is more worth then meat and our bodies then rayment Oh that we would consider that with all our carking and caring we can doe no good at all no not so much as adde one cubite to our stature Truly truly if we would déepely ponder these reasons of our Sauiour and apply them to our selues they might serue for a bulwarke and sure defence against Couetousnesse If men would consider how that great King of heauen who hath his way in the whirl-wind and the clouds are the dust of his féet careth for the little wren and silly sparrow how he looketh to them how he tendereth them how he prouideth for them euerie day both break-fast
dinner and supper it might serue to correct our distrustfulnesse For who euer saw these or any other soule starue for hunger so good a father and so good a nurse haue they And are not we much better then they hath not God more care of vs then of them yes verily a thousand times For he loueth them but for our sakes how much more then doth he loue our selues Therfore I say again again if we would consider these things lay them to heart they wold nip couetousnes on the head driue it quite out of our hearts Let vs consider therefore that God prouided for man before man was then how much more will he prouide for man now that he is Is he our Father wil he not prouide for vs Is he our king and wil he not regard vs Is he our shepheard and wil he not looke to vs Hath he prouided heauen for vs and wil he not giue vs earth Hath he giuen vs his sonne Christ and shal he not with him giue vs all things Doth he prouide for his enemies and wil he not prouide for his friends doth he prouide for whoremongers wil he neglect his chosen Doth he send his raine cause his Sunne to shine vpon the vniust and shall he not vpon the iust Doth he prouide for them which are not of the family will he not prouide for his owne family Will a man féed his Hogges and not care for his seruants Or will he care for his seruants and not regard his owne children Oh then let vs consider these reasons let vs remember that our heauenly Father hath as great care for the preseruation of his creatures as once hée had for their creation Let vs therefore remember that our life consisteth not in these things but in the prouidence of God Let vs remember that he which giueth the day will prouide for the things of the day Let vs remember that God alwaies giueth for sustentation though not for satietie Let vs remember that God will not famish the soules of the righteous Let vs remember how God neuer failed his For who euer trusted in the Lord and was confounded Phila. What then is the cause that many do want outward things Theol. The cause is in themselues because they want faith For if wée had faith wée could want nothing For faith feareth no famine as saith an ancient Father And another saith For as much as al things are Gods he that hath god can want nothing if he himselfe be not wanting vnto God Therefore to haue God is to haue al things For if we haue him our friend we haue enough we néed goe no further For hée will make men our friends yea hée will make Angels all creatures to be seruiceable vnto vs he will giue them a speciall charge to looke to vs to guard vs and to doe continuall homage vnto vs. Therefore let vs make God our friend and then haue we done all at once that may concerne our good both for this life and a better But if he stand not our friend if wée haue not him on our side if he backe vs not then all other things whatsoeuer can do vs no good all is not worth a button For Quid prodest si omnia habes eum tamen qui omnia dedit non habere What is a man the better though hée haue all things and be without him which is the author of all things Phila. Herein you speake very truely no doubt For wee see many haue great plenty of outward things but because they haue not God they can haue no true comfort in them or blessing with them Theol. True indéed For man liueth not by bread onely saith our Lord Jesus but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And againe he saith Though a man haue abundance yet his life consisteth not in the things that he hath For without Gods blessing there can be no sound comfort in any thing Wée sée by dayly experience how the Lord curseth the wicked though they haue abundance For some hauing abundance yet are visited with continual sicknesses Some hauing abundance pine away with consumptions Others hauing abundance die of surfetting Others are snatched away by vntimely death in the middest of all their iollitie Others are visited with great losses both by sea and by land Others are vexed with curst wiues and disobedient children Some againe commit murders and treasons and so lose all at once Others are wasted and consumed by the secret curse of God no man knoweth how Some hauing great riches are giuen ouer to the murtherer some to the theefe some to the poisoner Therefore the wise king saith There is an euill sicknesse vnder the sun riches reserued to the owners thereof for their euill Eccles 5. 12. Zophar also the Naamathite saith When the wicked shall haue sufficient and enough he shall be brought into straits The hand of euery troublesome man shall be vpon him When he should fill his belly God will send vpon him his fierce wrath which he shall raine vpon him in stead of his meat Thus then it is cleare that mans life and good estate dependeth not vpon the abundance of outward things but only vpon the blessing and prouidence of God For His blessing only maketh rich and it doth bring no sorrow with it For Better is a little vnto the inst then great abundance to many of the wicked Better is a little with the feare of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith Better is a little with righteousnesse then great reuenews without equity Thus then I conclude this point Man liueth not by bread but by a blessing vpon bread not by outward meanes but by a blessing vpon meanes For how can bread being a dead thing and hauing no life in it selfe giue life to others Phila. I doe not well vnderstand the meaning of these words By euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Theol. Thereby is meant the decrée ordinance and prouidence of God which vpholdeth all things euen the whole order of nature For the Scripture saith He spake and it was done he commanded and they were created In which words we plainly sée that God doth but speake and it is done he doth command and all creatures are preserued For God doth all things with a word He created all with his word he preserueth all with his word he speaketh it is done His words are words of power authority Whatsoeuer he saith whatsoeuer he calleth for it must be done presently without any delay there is no withstanding of him He calleth for famine and behold famine He calleth for plenty and behold plenty He calleth for pestilence and behold pestilence He calleth for the sword and behold the sword All Angels all men all beasts all fishes all fowles all creatures whatsoeuer must obey him and be at his beck He is the greatest Commander
his word commandeth heauen and earth and the sea All creatures must be obedient to his will and subiect to his ordinance This is the cause why all things both in heauen earth and the sea do kéepe their immutable and vnuariable courses times and seasons euen because he hath charged them so to doe And they must of necessity alwaies at all times and for euer obey for the creatures must obey the Creator This act of Parliament was made the first wéeke of the world and neuer since was or can be repealed Phila. But to call you backe againe to the point we had in hand resolue me I pray you of this Whether many of the deare children of God do not in this life sometimes want outward things and are brought into great distresse Theol. Yes certainly For Eliah did want was in distresse Paul did want was in many distresses The holy Christians mentioned in the Hebrewes did want and were in maruellous distresses Many of Gods deare ones haue in all ages wanted and at this day also doe want and are greatly distressed But this is a most infallible truth that howsoeuer Gods children may want be low brought yet they are neuer vtterly forsaken but are holpen euen in greatest extremities yea when all things are desperate and brought euen to the last cast To this point most notably speaketh the Apostle saying Wee are afflicted on euery side but yet we despaire not we are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but wee perish not The Prophet Ieremie also saith The Lord will not forsake for euer but though hee send affliction yet will be haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies For hee doth not punish willingly or from his heart nor afflict the children of men The kingly Prophet saith Surely the Lord will not faile his people neither will hee forsake his inheritance The Lord himselfe saith For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassion on thee So then we may fully assure our selues and euen write of it as a most vndoubted and sealed truth that Gods children shall neuer be vtterly forsaken in their troubles Phila. Sith the care and prouidence of God is so great for his children as you haue largely declared what then I pray you is the cause why God suffereth his to bee brought into so many troubles and necessities Theol. Their profit and benefit is the cause and not their hurt For he loueth them when he smiteth them Hée fauoureth them when hée séemeth to be most against them He aymeth at their good when he séemeth to bée most angry with them He woundeth them that hée may heale them He presseth them that he may ease them He maketh them cry that afterward they may laugh He alwaies meaneth well vnto them he neuer meaneth hurt He is most constant in his loue towards them If he bring them into necessities it is but for the triall of their faith loue patience and diligence in prayer If he cast them into the fire it is not to consume them but to purge and refine them If he bring them into great dangers it is but to make them call vpon him more earnestly for helpe and deliuerance He presseth vs that we might cry we crie that we may be heard we are heard that we might be deliuered So that héere is no hurt done we are worse scared then hurt Euen as a mother when her childe is wayward threatneth to throw it to the Wolfe or scareth it with some pocar or bul-begger to make it cling more vnto her and bée quiet So the Lord oftentimes sheweth vs the terrible faces of troubles and dangers to make vs cleane and cling faster vnto him and also to teach vs to esteeme better of his gifts when wée enioy them and to be more thankfull for them as health wealth peace liberty safety c. So then still we sée here is nothing meant on Gods part but good As it is written All things worke together for good to them that loue God For euen the afflictions of Gods children are so sanctified vnto them by the spirit that thereby they are made partakers of Gods holinesse Thereby they inioy the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Thereby they attaine vnto a greater measure of ioy in the holy ghost Therby the world is crucified to them and they to the world Thereby they are made conformable to Christs death Thereby they are kept from the condemnation of the world Therby they learne experience patience hope c. So that all things considered Gods children are no losers by their afflictions but gainers It is better for them to haue them then to be without them they are very good for them For when Gods children are chastised it is as it should bée For to them the crosse is mercy and losse is gaine Afflictions are their schooling and aduersity their best Uniuersity It is good for me saith the holy man of God that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy statutes By his afflictions therefore hée learned much and became a good scholar in Gods booke and well séene in his Statutes and Lawes Hée grew to great wisedome and iudgement by his chastisments All things turned about in Gods mercifull prouidence to his euerlasting comfort For I say againe and againe that all things tend to the good of Gods chosen people And therefore that estate which GOD will haue his children to bée in is alwaies best for them Because hée who can best discerne what is best séeth it to bée best for them whether it bée sicknesse or health pouerty or plenty prison or liberty prosperity or aduersity For sometimes sicknesse is better for vs then health and pouerty then plenty Are therefore the children of God sicke it is best for them Are they poore it is best for them Are they in any trouble it is best for them because their good Father will turne it to the best Hee will oftentimes cut vs short of our lusts and desires because hée seeth wée will bane our selues with them Hée in fatherly care will take the knife from vs because hée séeth wée will hurt our selues with it He will kéepe vs short of health and wealth because hée knoweth wee will bée the worse for them He will not giue vs too much ease and prosperity in this world for he knoweth it will poison vs. He will not allow vs continuall rest like standing pondes for then he knoweth we will gather scum and filth He dealeth fatherly and mercifully with vs in all things euen then seeking our greatest good when we thinke he doth vs most harme And to speake all in a word hée bringeth vs into troubles and straits to this end especially that he may heare of vs. For he right wel knoweth our nature he is wel acquainted with our disposition He knoweth we will not come at him but when we stand in neede of
he haue destroied you and consumed you from off the face of the earth For remember I pray you what he saith in Deut. If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold of iudgement I will execute vengeance on mine enemies and I wil reward them that hate me I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood and my sword shall eat the flesh of mine aduersaries Phila. Truely Sir you may iustly feare that for our great contempt of the Gospell and generall coldnesse both in the profession and practise thereof God will take it from vs and giue it to a people that will bring foorth the fruit thereof Theol. Wée may well feare indéed lest for our sins especially our loathing of the heauenly Manna the Lord remoue our candle-sticke take away our siluer trumpets let vs no more heare the swéet belles of Aaron cause all vision to faile our Sabbaths to cease and bring vpon vs that most grieuous and sore famine of not hearing the word of the Lord spoken of by Amos the Prophet Then shall all our Halcion dayes and golden yeares be turned into wéeping mourning and lamentation God for his infinite mercy sake turne it away from vs. Phila. Amen Amen and let vs all pray earnestly night day that those fearful iudgements may according to Gods infinite mercies be held backe which our sinnes doe continually cry for and that his most glorious Gospel may be continued to vs and our posteritie euen yet with greater successe Asune No doubt it is a very great sinne to despise the word of God and I thinke there is none so bad that will doe it For we ought to loue Gods word God forbid else He that loueth not Gods word it is pitie he liueth Theol. These are but words of course It is an easie matter to speake good words And very many will say as you say but both you and they in your practise doe plainly shew that you make no reckoning of it you estéeme it no more then a dish-clout I thinke if the matter were wel tried you haue scant a Bible in your house But though you haue one it is manifest that you seldome read therein with any care or conscience and as seldome heare the word preached How else could you be so ignorant as you are Asune I graunt that I and some others are somewhat negligent in the hearing and reading of the word of God but you cannot say therefore we doe contemne it Theol. Yes verily Your continuall negligence and carelesnesse doth argue a plaine contempt Sure it is you haue no appetite nor stomacke to the holy word of God You had rather do any thing then either read or meditate in it It is irksome vnto you You read not two Chapters in a wéeke All holy exercises of religion are most bitter tedions vnto you They are as vineger to your téeth and smoke to your eies The immoderate loue of this world and of vanity hath taken away your appetite from all heauenly things And where as you shift it off with negligence as though that would excuse you the Apostle hits you home when hée saith How shal we escape if we neglect so great saluation Marke that he saith if we neglect Antile Belike you thinke men haue nothing else to doe but reade the scriptures and heare sermons Theo. I do not say so I doe not say ye should do nothing else For God doth allow you with a good concience and in his feare to follow the workes of your calling as hath béene said before But this I condemne in you and many others that you will giue no time to priuat praiers reading meditation in Gods word neither morning nor euening neither before your businesse nor after And although you haue often vacant time enough yet you will rather bestow it in vanity and idle pratling and gossipping then in any good exercise of Religion Which doth plainely shew that you neither delight in holy things neither is there any true feare of God before your eyes Antil I tell you plainly wee must tend our busines we may go beg else we cannot liue by the Scriptures If we follow Sermons we shall neuer thriue What do you thinke euery man is bound to read the Scriptures Haue we not our fiue wits Do we not know what we haue to do You would make fooles of vs belike But we are neither drunke nor mad Theol. That euery man of what condition soeuer is bound in conscience to heare and reade the word of God hath béen shewed and proued in the beginning of our conference But as for your fiue wits they will not serue your turne in these matters though you had fiftéene wits For all the wit reason and vnderstanding of naturall men in Gods matters is but blindnesse and méere foolishnesse The Apostle saith that the wisedome of the most wise in this world is not onely foolishnesse with God but indéed very enmitie against God And again he saith that the naturall man with al his fiue wits vnderstandeth not the things of the Spirit of God because they are spiritually discerned Most prudently to this point speaketh Elihu saying There is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almightie giueth vnderstanding Antile I vnderstand not these Scriptures which you doe alleadge they doe not sinke into my head Theol. I thinke so indéed For the holy ghost saith Wisedome is too high for a foole Antile What do you call me foole I am no more foole then your selfe Theo. I call you not foole but I tel you what the Scripture saith which calleth all men though otherwise neuer so wise politike and learned very fooles till they be truly lightned and inwardly sanctified by the Spirit of God as appeareth Tit. 3. 3. Where the Apostle affirmeth that both Titus and himselfe before they receiued the illuminating Spirit of Gods grace were very fooles without wit and without all sense in Gods matters Phila. I pray you good M. Theologus let him alone For he will neuer haue done cauilling I see he is a notable cauiller Let vs therfore proceed to speake of the fift signe of Condemnation which is swearing Theol. It may well indéed be called a signe of condemnation For I thinke it more then a signe it is indéed an euident demonstration of a Reprobate For I neuer wist any man truly fearing God in his heart that was an vsuall and a common swearer Phila. I am flat of your minde for that For it cannot be that the true feare of God and ordinary swearing should dwel togither in one man sith swearing is a thing forbidden by flat statute And God addeth a sore threat to his Law that hee will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine but will most sharpely and seuerely punish that man Theol. You say true And God saith moreouer that if we doe not feare and dread his glorious and fearefull name Iehoua he will make our
whatsoeuer a man sweareth by he calleth it as a witnesse vnto his conscience that hée speaketh the truth and lieth not which thing onely belongeth vnto God And therefore in swearing by creatures wée doe rob God of his honour Therefore to sweare by the crosse of the money or by bread or a mouse foot or the fire which they call Gods Angell or any such like is a robbing of God of his Honour and an ascribing of that to the creature which is proper onely to the Creator Asune What say you then to them which sweare by the Masse and by the Rood Theol. Their sinne is as great as the other For it is an hainous thing to sweare by idoles as S. Mary our Ladie by the Masse by the Rood c. The Prophet Amos saith They that sweare by the sinne of Samaria and that say thy God O Dan liueth euen they shall fall and neuer rise vp againe To sweare by the sinne of Samaria is to sweare by Idols for Samaria was full of idols Moreouer the Lord threatneth by the Prophet Zephany that he will cut off them that sweare by the Lord and by Malcham or by their King For the idolaters called their idol Molech their King Asune Seeing you condemne both swearing by creatures and swearing by idols what then must we sweare by You would haue vs sweare by nothing belike Theo. In our ordinary communication wée must not sweare at all either by one thing or another But as our Lord teacheth vs our communication must be yea yea nay nay For whatsoeuer is more then these commeth of euill And Saint Iames saith Before all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other oath but let your Yea be yea and your Nay nay lest you fall into condemnation Antile It seemeth you are an Anabaptist You condemne all swearing you will haue no swearing at all Theol. Not so For though I condemne swearing by creatures swearing by idols and vaine swearing yet doe I allow swearing before a Magistrate and priuately also in matters of waight and importance for the further bolting out of the truth This is warranted from Gods owne mouth where he saith Thou shalt sweare The Lord liueth in truth in iudgement and in righteousnesse And in these cases onely the name of God is to be sworne by as it is written Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and thou shalt serue him and shalt cleaue vnto him and shalt sweare by his name Asune May wee not sweare by God in our common talke Theol. At no hand For that is to take the name of God in vaine which you know is forbidden And one of the wise Heathen could say thus When an oath is laid vpon thee vndertake it for two causes either to deliuer thy selfe from some grieuous crime and accusation or else to preserue thy friends from danger So then that Heathen man in common talke wil not allow any oath much lesse to sweare by God Another saith Auoid an oath though thou sweare truely So then wée sée vaine swearing condemned euen by Heathen Asune Yea but for all that we must sweare men will not beleeue vs else Theol. Neither yet will they beléeue you any whit the more for your swearing For it doth manifestly appeare that thousands make no conscience at all of it They make no more conscience of it then of cracking of nuts and therefore what wise man will beléeue them though they sweare neuer so much But if you would make conscience alwaies to speake the truth from your heart without any oathes at all you should be better beléeued of all honest and wise men then otherwise with a thousand oathes Antile It is the custome to sweare Theol. But a wicked and diuellish custome Antile I hope sir we may sweare as long as we sweare truely and sweare by nothing but that which is good Theol. It hath béene answeared before that in vaine matters you may not sweare at all Antil As long as we doe no worse than that I hope God will hold vs excused Theol. God will not hold you excused when you breake his commandements and continue so doing Antil What say you then to them that sweare wounds and blood and such like in a brauery thinking that it setteth out their speech very well Theol. Hell gapeth for them And they shall know one day what it is to blaspheme God Antil What may we thinke of such as sweare by Gods life Gods soule Gods body Gods heart Theol. That their cause is most wofull and dangerous I quake at the naming of them They are most horrible monstrous and outragious blasphemies enough to make the stones in the stréet to cracke and the clouds to fall vpon our heads And we may thinke that all the Diuels in hell are in a readinesse to cary such blasphemous villaines headlong into that lake which burneth with fire and brimstone for euer Antil Doe you find in the Scriptures that God will so seuerely punish swearers Theol. Yes verily For besides that which hath béene spoken before wée haue diuers other examples First of Senacherib the King of Ashur who for his outragious blasphemies against the God of heauen was in most fearefull and tragicall manner slame by his own sonnes Adramelech and Sharezer and that in the Temple when he was worshipping his Idoll God Nisroch And yet behold a more fearefull example of Gods wrath against blasphemers Wée reade that an hundred thousand of the Aramites were slaine by the Israelites in one day for blaspheming of God And seuen and twenty thousand being left and flying into the city of Aphek for refuge were all slaine by the fal of an huge great wall What should I héere speake how the seuen sonnes of Saul the King of Israel were hanged vp before the Lord in mount Gibeah for the breach of the oath made to the Gibeonites long before In these examples we may plainly sée that the iust God euen in this life sometimes will be reuenged of blasphemers and oath-breakers And therefore the very Heathen in all ages haue béene very carefull for the performing of oaths as Pharaoh King of Egypt willed Ioseph to goe vp into the land of Canaan to bury his father according to his oath made to his father Phila. Me thinketh these so terrible fearfull examples of Gods vengeance against swearers and blasphemers should strike some terror into the hearts of our blasphemers Theol. One would thinke so indéed if any thing could doe it But alas they are so hardened in it and in all other sinne that nothing can mooue them except peraduenture there were a Law made that euery swearer and blasphemer should hold his hand a quarter of an houre in boiling lead This or some such like seuere law might peraduenture curbe them a little and make them bite in their oaths But otherwise they will neuer feare any thing till they be in hell
you sée how the stones and timber of your houses shall descant vpon you And howseeuer you put on your brazen brows harden your hearts against these threatnings of the most terrible God and Lord of hosts yet one day you shall spite of your hearts will ye nill ye be brought forth vnto iudgement you shall once come to your reckoning you shall at last be apprehended conuented and arraigned at the bar of Gods tribunall seat before the great Judge of all the world Then sentence shall passe against you euen that most dreadfull sentence Goe ye cursed into hell-fire there to bee tormented with the Diuell and his Angels for euer O then woe woe vnto you For what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule saith our Lord Jesus Surely euen as much as if one should winne a farthing and lose an hundered thousand pound For if hée shall be cast into Hell-fire which hath not giuen of his owne goods righteously gotten as our Sauiour auoucheth where then shall hée be cast that hath stollen other mens goods And if he shal be damned that hath not clothed the naked what shall become of him that hath made naked them that were clothed Oh therefore repent in time O ye cruell oppressors séeke the Lord whilest he may be found call vpon him while he is néere lay aside your sauage cruelty visit the fatherlesse and widow in their distresse deale your bread to the hungry helpe them to their right which suffer wrong deale mercifully with your tenants racke not your rents any more pinch not the poore soules for whom Christ died pittie them I say but pinch them not deale kindly friendly with them remember your great accounts consider the shortnesse of your daies and the vanitie of your life rent your hearts and not your clothes Turne vnto the Lord with all your heart with wéeping fasting and mourning preuent Gods wrath with a sacrifice of téeres pacifie his anger with the calues of your lips and with a contrite spirit be gréeued for that which is past and amend that which is to come stand it out no more at the swords point against God For it will not boot you to striue he is too strong for you Your only wisdom is to come in Come in therfore come in ye rebellious generation submit your selues to the great King humble your selues vnder his mighty hand cast downe your swords and targets yéeld vnto your God So shall you escape the vengeance to come so shall God accept you haue mercy vpon you receiue you to fauor grant you a generall pardon for all your rebellions and admit you into the number of his faithfull and loyall subiects Phila. I doe conceiue by diuers speeches which you haue alledged that goods gotten by oppression and cruelty will neuer prosper long For oppressors coine their mony vpon their neighbours skins How then can it be blessed Theol. You haue spoken a truth For as it hath béen shewed before that those goods which are gotten by swearing and lying are cursed so all these that are gotten by oppression and violence are more cursed Therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremie as the Partrich gathereth the yong which shee hath not brought foorth so he that gathereth riches and not by right shall leaue them in the midst of his daies and at his end shall bee a foole and his name shall be written in the earth Phila. Would to God our Magistrates and Gouernours would take speedy order for the remedying of these things and for the redressing of such grieuous enormities as are amongst vs or that they themselues woulde step in and deliuer the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor Theol. Iob was an excellent man for such matters For it is said of him That he brake the iawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckt the prey out of his teeth Where we sée how Iob was a meanes to deliuer the innocent and to pull the Lambe out of the Lions clawes Moreeuer it is written of him in the same chapter that the blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon him and that hée caused the widowes heart to reioyce that he was the eie to the blind the féet to the lame and the father to the poore and when he knew not the cause hée sought it out diligently Oh what a notable man was this Oh that we had many Iobs in these daies Wise Salomon doth most grauely aduise vs all to follow Iobs example in this behalfe Deliuer saith he them that are oppressed and drawne to death For shouldest thou withdraw thy self from them which go downe to the slaughter would to God that this holy counsell were well weighed and practised amongst vs Phila. I maruell much with what face these cruell oppressors can come before God in his holy Temple to pray and offer vp their sacrifices vnto him For we see many of them though they haue such foule hands and foule hearts as wee haue heard yet for all that will most impudently presume to come to the church and pray or at least when they are laide in their beds a nights and halfe asleepe then wil they tumble ouer their praiers or be pattering some Pater nosters Theol. Alas alas poore soules all that they do in matters of Gods worship is but hypocrisie dissimulation For in truth they care not for God they loue him but from the téeth outward their mouths are with him but their heart goeth after couetousnesse and their hands are full of blood And therefore God doth both abhorre them and their prayers For saith he Though they stretch out their hands yet will I hide mine eyes from them and though they make many prayers yet will I not heare them For their hands are full of blood Moreouer the holy Ghost saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his praier is abhominable Dauid saith If I regard wickednes in my heart God will not heare my praier Our Lord Iesus also affirmeth that God heareth not sinners that is stubburne and carelesse sinners So then we may cléerely sée by all these testimonies of holy writ what account God maketh of the praiers of oppressors and all other prophane vngodly men namely that hée doth hate them and abhorre them as most loathsome and odious in his sight Phila. Now in conclusion shew vs the causes of oppression Theol. The causes are these Crueltie Couetousnesse Hard-heartednesse An euill conscience The Diuell Phila. Let vs heare also of the remedies Theol. The remedies are these Pitie Contentation Tender affections A good conscience Much prayer Phila. Now sir as you haue at large vttered your mind concerning these grosse corruptions of the world and haue plainely and euidently proued them to be the deadly poison of the soule so also I pray you satisfie vs in this whether they be not hurtfull also to the body
the grosse sinnes of the world you will by and by say he is an hypocrite And thus you take vpon you to iudge mens hearts as though you knew with what affection these things are done Antile I confesse I am a sinner and so are all other for ought I know There is no man but he may be amended I pray God send vs all of his grace that we may please him and get to heauen at last Theol. Now you would shuffle vp all together as though you were as good as the best and as though there were no difference of sinners but you must learne to know that there is great difference of sinners For there is the penitent and the vnpenitent sinner the carefull and the carelesse sinner the sinner whose sinnes are not imputed and the sinner whose sinnes are imputed the sinner that shall bée saued and the sinner that shall bée damned For it is one thing to sinne of frailty another thing to liue in it dwell in it and trade in it and as the holy Ghost speaketh to sucke it in as the fish sucketh water and to draw it vnto vs with cart-ropes and cords of vanity To conclude therefore there is as great difference betwixt a sinner and a sinner as betwixt light and darkenesse For though Gods children be sinners in respect of the remnants of sin within them yet the Scriptures call them iust and righteous because they are iustified by Christ and sanctified by his grace and holy spirit And for this cause it is that S. Iohn saith He that is borne of God sinneth not Antile What I pray you did you neuer sin Theo. Yes and what then what are you the better Antile You Preachers cannot agree amongst your selues One saith one thing and another saith another thing so that you bring the ignorant people into a mammering and they know not on which hand to take Theol. The Preachers God bée thanked agrée very well together in all the maine grounds of religion and principall points of saluation But if they dissent in some other matters you are to trie the spirits whether they be of God or no. You must try all things and kéepe that which is good Antile How can plaine and simple men trie the spirits and doctrines of the Preachers Theol. Yes For the Apostle saith The spirituall man discerneth all things And S. Iohn saith to the holy Christians You haue receiued an ointment from that holy one and know all things that is all things necessary to saluation Those therefore which haue the spirit of God can iudge and discerne of doctrines whether they be of God or no. Antile I am not booke-learned and therefore I cannot iudge of such matters As for hearing of Sermons I haue no leasure to goe to them I haue somewhat else to doe Let them that are bookish and heare so many Sermons iudge of such matters For I will not meddle with them they belong not vnto me Theol. Yet for all that you ought to reade the Scriptures and heare the word of God preached that you may bée able to discerne betwixt truth and falshood in matters of religion Antile Belike you thinke none can be saued without Preaching and that all men stand bound to frequent Sermons but I am not of your mind in that Theol. Our Lord Jesus saith My sheepe heare my voice And againe he saith He that is of God heareth Gods word Yee therefore heare it not because you are not of God You see therefore how Christ Jesus maketh it a speciall note of Gods child to heare his word preached Antile But I thinke we may serue God well enough without a Preacher For Preachers are but men and what can they doe A Preacher is a good man so long as he is in the Pulpit but if he be out of the Pulpit he is but as another man Theol. You speake contemptuously of Gods messengers and of Gods sacred ordinance But the Apostle doth fully answer your obiection saying Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God and how can they heare without a Preacher In which words the Apostle telleth you flatly that you can neither haue faith nor serue God aright without preaching Antile When you haue Preached all that you can you can make the word of God no better then it is and some put in and put out what they list The Scriptures are but mens inuentions and they made the Scriptures Theol. We preach not to make the Word better but to make you better As for putting in and putting out it is a méere vntruth And whereas you say the scriptures were made by men it is blasphemy once to thinke it and you are worthy to receiue your answer at Tiburne Antile Now I see you are hot I perceiue for all your godlinesse you will be angry Theol. I take it to be no sinne to be angry against sinne For your sinne is very great and who can beare it Antile All this while you speake much for Preaching but you say nothing for Praier I thinke there is as much neede of Praier as Preaching For I finde in the Scriptures Pray continually but I finde not Preach continually Theol. No man denieth but that praier is most néedfull alwaies to be ioyned vnto preaching al other holy exercises for it is the handmaid to all But yet we prefer preaching aboue it because preaching is both the directour and whetstone of praier yea it stirreth vs aright in all spirituall actions and seruices whatsoeuer without the which wée can kéepe no certaine course but are euer ready to erre on this hand or that Now whereas you say you find Pray continually but not Preach continually you might if you were not wilfully blinde finde also Preach continually For the Apostle saith to Timothy Be instant Preach the word in season and out of season that is alwaies as time and occasion shall serue Antile You extoll preaching but you say nothing for reading I beleeue you condemne reading Theol. Doth hée that highly commendeth gold condemne siluer I do ingenuously confesse that both publike and priuate reading of the scriptures are very necessary and profitable and would to God it were more vsed then it is For it is of singular vse both to increase knowledge and iudgement and also to make vs more fit to heare the word preached For such men as are altogether ignorant of the History of the bible can heare the word with small profit or comfort Phila. It seemeth that this man neither regardeth the one nor the other because for ought that I can see hee careth not greatly if the Scriptures were burnt Theol. Oh sirrah you speake very malapartly you may speake when you are bidden Who made you a Iudge You are oue of his Disciples and that makes you to speake on his side Phila. No sir I hope I am Christs Disciple and no mans But assuredly I cannot hold my peace at your vile
to good Therefore God saith by his prophet Let them returne vnto thee but returne not thou vnto them Undoubtedly he is an odde man that is not made worse with ill companie For can a man touch pitch and not be defiled therewith Can a man carry coales in his bosome and not bée burnt Daily lamentable experience sheweth that many of them which thinke thēselues strong are this way most gréeuously smutted Let a man thinke therefore hée neuer abandoneth euill till hée abandon ill company For no good is concluded in this Parliament For ill company is the suburbes of hell Furthermore it is to be obserued that some vpon admonitions and some inward compunctions of their owne conscience doe leaue their sinnes vntill they haue new prouocations and vntill they come amongst their old copesmates and sinne-companions and then are they carried backe againe to their old bias and returne to their folly as a dog returneth to his vomit For wee sée some which otherwise are of good natures and dispositions most pittifully and violently carried away with ill company For euen as gréene wood of it selfe is vnapt to burne yet being laid on the fire with a great deale of seare wood it burneth as fast as the rest So many toward youthes which of themselues are not so prone vnto euill as others yet with this violent streame and blustering tempest of ill company are carried cleane away Phila. Let vs come to the last gate which is the Euill example of Ministers Theol. It gréeueth me and I am almost ashamed to speake of this point For is it not a wofull and lamentable thing that any such should be found amongst the sons of Leui Is it not a corsey that the Ministers of Christ shuld be of a scandalous conuersation For if the eie be darke how great is the darknesse If they bée examples of all euill to the flocke which should be patterns lights and examples of all goodnesse must it not néeds strengthen the hands of the wicked so as they cannot returne from their wickednesse But this is an old disease euill sicknesse which hath alwaies béene in the church The Prophet Ieremy doth most gréeuously complaine of it in his time saith That from the Prophets of Ierusalem is wickednesse gone foorth into all the land For both the Prophet and the Priest doe wickedly I haue seene saith he in the Prophets of Ierusalem filthines They commit adulterie walke in lies they strengthen also the hands of the wicked that none can returne from his wickednesse they are all vnto me as Sodom and the Inhabitants thereof as Gomorah And in the ninth verse of the same Chap. he sheweth that it was no pleasure or toy vnto him so publikely to reprooue them but that he did it with excéeding griefe as being forced thereunto both in regard of Gods glory the good of his Church His words are these Mine hart breaketh within me because of the prophets and al my bones shake Moreouer in the same Chapter is set downe how the Lord would féed them with wormewood and make them drinke the water of gall and sundry other waies plague them for their flatteries seducements corrupt doctrine and euill example of life Phila. Most certaine it is that the euill example of Ministers and especially of Preachers is very dangerous offensiue for thereby thousands are hardned in their sins For men will say Such a Minister and such a Preacher doth thus and thus and therefore why may not we doe so too They are learned and know the word of God therfore if it were euil I hope they would not doe it For they should be lights to vs and giue vs good examples Therefore sith they do such things we cannot tell what to thinke or what to say to the matter they bring such simple folke as we are into a mammering Theol. Oh that I could with the Prophet Ieremy quake and shake to thinke of these matters Oh that I could mourne as a Doue in penning of it Oh that I had in the wildernesse a cotage and could with Iob be a brother to the Dragons and a companion to the Ostriches whilest I haue any thoughts of those things Oh that I could wéepe mourne without sin before I yéeld you an answer ï For wéepe indéed I may but answer I cannot Alas with much griefe I speake it all is too true that you say And héerein the people haue a vantage against vs if I may call it vantage But let this be mine answer If the blinde leade the blind both shal fall into the ditch Blind guides and blinde people shall perish together If because we are wicked they will be more wicked then both they and we shall burne in hell fire together Then let them recken their gaines and sée what they haue got They haue small cause so to triumph ouer vs. For thereby their market is neuer a whit amended let them take this for answer And let vs that are the Ministers of Christ and Preachers of the Gospell looke narrowly to our selues and make straight steps to our féet For if we tread neuer so little awry we may sée how many eies are vpon vs. Let vs therfore with Dauid pray continually Order my goings O Lord that my footsteps slip not For when my foot slipped they reioyced against me And as for the people let them follow the examples of those which walke vnblameably as God be thanked some such there be and let them flie the examples of such as are offensiue So shall God haue more glory they more peace in their owne hearts Thus haue we heard what a wide gate is opened into hell by the euill example of Ministers and especially of Preachers Phila. Well sith there be so many bars out of heauen and so many gates into hell it is a very hard matter to breake thorow all these barres and so to enter into life and as hard a matter to misse all these gates and to escape hell He quits him well that can doe it Theol. True indéed And as hard a thing as this is so hard a thing is it for flesh and blood to enter into the kingdom of heauen And yet most men make light of it and thinke it is the easiest matter of an hundred Asune As hard as it is yet I hope by the grace of God I shall be one of them that shall enter in For so long as I doe as I would be done to and say no body no harme nor do no body no harme God will haue mercy on my soule And I doubt not but my good deeds shall weigh against my euill deeds and that I shal make euen with God at my latter end For I thanke God for it I haue alwaies liued in his feare serued him with a true intent Therefore I know that so long as I keepe his commandements and liue as my neighbours doe and as a Christian man ought to doe he will
of your comming to receiue the Sacrament Asune To receiue my maker Theol. What is the principall vse of a Sacrament Asune The body and bloud of Christ Theol. What profit and comfort haue you by a Sacrament Asune In token that Christ died for vs. Theol. I can but pitie you for your ignorance for it is excéeding grosse and palpable Your answers are to no purpose and bewray a wonderful blindnesse and senselesnesse in matters of Religion I am sory that now I haue not time and leasure to let you sée your folly extreame ignorance as also to lay open vnto you the sense and meaning of the Articles of the faith the Lords prayer and the Sacraments al other the grounds of Christian Religion Asune What course would you wish me to take that I may come out of ignorance and attaine vnto the true knowledge of God Theol. Surely I would wish you to be diligent in hearing of Sermons and reading the Scriptures with praier and humility Also that you would peruse Catechismes and other good bookes and especially Viâ—els grounds of Religion and the workes of the two worthy seruants of God Master Gyffard and Master Perkins and other mens that haue done great seruice to the Church and for whom thousands are bound to giue God thanks If you take this course you shall by Gods grace within a short time grow to some good measure of knowledge in all the maine grounds of Christian religion Phila. I had not thought any man had beene so ignorant as I now perceiue this man is Theo. Yes verily there be thousands in his case And I doe know by experience that many will vse the very same answers or at least very little differing Phila. I warrant you if you had questioned with him of kine or sheepe purchasing of lands taking of Leases or any other matter vnder the sunne you should haue found him very ripe and ready in his answers Theol. I am so perswaded too For let a man talke with worldly men of worldly matters and their answer is neuer to seeke They will talke very freshly with you of such matters if it be all the day long For they haue a déepe insight into earthly things and doe wholly delight to talke of them being neuer weary For it is their ioy their meate and their drinke But come once to talke with them of Gods matters as of faith repentance regeneration c. you shall finde them the veriest dullards dunces in the world For when spéech is had of these things they are so befogged that they can not tell where they are nor what they say Phil. In my iudgement such mens case is very pitifull and dangerous And so is this mans case also if God doe not very speedily pull him out of it Theol. Questionles For God saith My people perish for want of knowledge Our Lord Jesus saith that ignorance is the cause of all errours Yee erre saith he not knowing the scriptures The Apostle saith that ignorance doth alienate vs from the life of God For saith he The gentiles were darkened in their cogitation being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them So then it is cleare that ignorance is not the mother of deuotion as the Papists doe auouch but it is the mother of errour death and destruction as the Scripture affirmeth Our Lord foreséeing the great danger of ignorance how thereby thousands are carried headlong into Hell doth admonish al men to search the Scriptures which do testifie of him that so they might get out of the most dangerous gulfe of ignorance wherein multitudes are implunged Therefore the Noble men of Berea are commended by the holy Ghost because they receiued the word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Oh therefore that men would earnestly séeke after the knowledge of God in time and as the Prophet saith Seeke the Lord whilest he may be found call vpon him whilest he is neere Phila. I do see that all ignorance in matters of faith is dangerous but I thinke wilfull ignorance is of all other most dangerous Theol. Wilfull ignorance no doubt is a plaine prognostication and demonstratiue argument of eternal death For it is a most horrible and feareful thing for men to refuse instructions despise counsels harden their hearts stop their eares and close vp their eies against God This is the very vp-shot of our decay Phila. I pray you what call you hardnesse of heart Theol. An heard heart is that which is neither mooued with Gods mercies nor scared with his iudgements neither feareth the law nor regardeth the Gospel neither is holpen by threatnings nor softned by chastenings which is vnthankful for Gods benefits and disobedient to his counsels made cruell by his roddes and dissolute by his fauours vnshamefast to filthinesse and fearelesse to perils vncurteous to men and retchlesse to God forgetfull of things past negligent in things present and improuident in things to come Phila. Lay foorth yet more plainely the state of ignorant and hard hearted men and shew how lamentable it is Theol. If a man be outwardly blind we do pity him and say There goeth a poore blinde man but if he be both blind and deafe doe wée not more pity him and say Oh in how miserable a case is that man But if he bée both blinde deafe and dumbe doe we not most of all pity him and say Oh that man is in a most wofull taking and in a most pittifull plight How much more then are they to be pitied which as concerning their soules are both blinde deafe and dumbe For the diseases of the soule are far more dangerous and more to be pittied then those of the body Would it not pitty a mans heart to see a poore shéepe in a Lions mouth whilest he teareth him renteth him pulleth out his guts Euen such is the case of ignorant men in the clawes of the diuell For the diuell hath them vnder him rideth them at his pleasure and teareth their soules in péeces the gronings of souldiers wounded the doleful sighes and gronings of many Captaines and Coronels giuing vp the ghost were not this a most wofull spectacle Euen so when wée doe clearely sée Sathan wound and murther thousand thousands soules is it not a farre more tragicall lamentable sight and ought it not euen to kill our hearts to behold it But alas men haue no eies to sée into these things And yet certaine it is that Sathan doth continually and in most fearefull maner massacre innumerable soules Thus haue I shewed you the wofull estate of prophane and ignorant men Phila. If it be so you that be Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell haue taken vpon you the cure and charge of soules haue need to looke about you and to doe what in you lieth to saue soules as good shepheards in great pittie and compassion to labour to
fire vpon Gods Altar were consumed with fire He that blasphemed and transgressed the third commandement was stoned to death He that brake the fourth commandement in gathering sticks vpon the Sabbath was likewise stoned Absolon transgressing the fift Commandement was hanged in his owne haire Cain transgressing the sixt in flaying his brother Abel was branded with the marke of Gods wrath Sichem the sonne of Hamor transgressing the seuenth in defiling Dina the daughter of Iacob was slaine by Simeon and Leui the sons of Iacob Achan sinning against the eight Commandement in stealing the wedge of Gold and the Babylonish garment was stoned to death Ananias Sapphira sinning against the ninth commandement in liing and dissembling were suddenly smitten with death Ahab transgressing the tenth commandement in ceueting and discententment was deuoured of dogges Or if you will haue originall sinne therein onely forbidden then infants are therefore punished with death Thus we sée there is no dallying with God but if we sin we are as sure to beierkt for it as the coat is on our backe Therfore let vs not deceiue our selues nor make light of sin For sin is no scar-bugge and we shall one day finde it so And howsoeuer we make light of some sins yet in very déed all sinne is odious in the sight of God yea all sin is hainous and capital in this respect that it is against a person of infinite being it is against God himselfe it is against the highest Maiesty For the greatnesse of the person offended doth enhaunce and increase the greatnesse of the sinne As for example If a man raile at a Justice of peace hée shall be stocked if hée raile being the sonnes of idlenesse will step short in the end of that they looked for For the spirit saith The sluggard lusteth but his soule hath nought We must therefore leaue bare words and come to déeds For our Lord Iesus saith Not euery one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Where wée sée Christ in plaine tearmes doth exclude out of his kingdome all those whose Religion consisteth onely in good words and smooth spéeches but make no conscience to practise the Commandements of God Dauid hauing made some good preparation for the building of the Temple and perceiuing his sonne Salomon to haue stuffe and prouision enough to perfectt and finish it doth most wisely incourage him to the worke in these words Vp and be doing and the Lord shall be with thee Oh that men would follow this counsell of Dauid That they would vp and bée dooing And not sit still and doe nothing that they would leaue words and countenances and set vpon the practise of Gods Law and study with all care and conscience to bée obedient to his will Then assuredly God would be with them and blesse them and much good would come of it For the Scripture saith In all labour there is profit or increase but the talke of the lips onely bringeth want Phila. Most mens minds are so wholly drowned in the loue of this world that they haue no heart to obey God nor any delight in his commandements Theo. The greatest part of men are like vnto the Gadarens which estéemed their Swine more then Christ As wée sée in these our daies how many make more account of their kine and shéepe then of the most glorious Gospell of Christ They highly estéeme dung and contemne Pearle They are carefull for trifles and regard not the things of greatest moment And therefore may very fitly be compared to a man who hauing his wife and children very sicke doth vtterly neglect them and is altogether carefull for the curing of his hogs eares Phila. We are somewhat digressed from the matter we had in hand I pray you therefore if you haue any more matter of good counsell to giue vnto Asunetus that you would presently deliuer it Theol. I haue little more to say saue onely I would aduise him often to remember and much to muse of these nine things The euill he hath committed The good he hath omitted The time he hath mispent The shortnesse of this life The vanity of this world The excellency of the world to come Death then the which nothing is more terrible The day of iudgement then the which nothing is more fearefull Hell fire then the which nothing is more intolerable Phila. This is short and sweet indeed You haue touched some of these points before in this our conference But I am very desirous to heare somewhat more of the two last which yet haue not beene touched Theol. Sith you are desirous I will briefely deliuer vnto you that which I haue receiued from the Lord. First concerning the day of iudgement I find in the volume of Gods booke that it shal be very terrible and dreadfull For The sonne of man shall come in the clouds of heauen with power and great glory S. Peter saith The day of the Lord shal come as a thiefe in the night In the which the heauens shall passe away with a noise the elements shall melt with heat the earth with the works that are therein shall be burnt vp The Apostle telleth vs that at the comming of Christ all the whole world shall bée of a light fire and that all castels towers goodly buildings gold siluer veluets silkes and all the glittering hue glory and beauty of this world shall be consumed to powder and ashes For he saith plainly The heauens and the earth which are now are reserued vnto fire against the day of iudgemēt and of the destruction of vngodly men Moreouer he doth strongly prooue that as the world was once destroied by water so the second time in the end thereof it shall be destroied by fire The Apostle Paul doth witnesse the same thing For he saith Christ shal come from heauen with all his mighty Angels in flaming fire And in another place he noteth the terrour of his comming to iudgement saying He shall come with a shout with the voice of the Archangel the trumpet of God We sée by experience that the comming of mortall Princes to any place is with great pompe glory They haue great traines and troupes behind them and before them They are accompanied with many Nobles goodly Lords and gallant Ladies doe attend vpon them The Sword-bearer Trumpetters and harbengers go before many flaunting and stately personages follow after Now then if the comming of mortall Princes be so pompous and glorious how much more glorious shall the comming of the sonne of man be in whose sight all mortal princes are but dust The Scriptures doe affirme that his second comming vnto iudgement shall be with such resplendent and vnspeakeable glory that euen the most excellent creatures shall blush at it For the Sunne shall be darkened the Moone shall not giue her light
art faire thou art all faire my loue there is no spot in thee Marke that he calleth his Church faire all faire and without spot not because she was so in herself but because she was made so in him And assuredly the eternall God beholding her in his son doth so estéeme and account of her For as hée that beholdeth any thing thorough a red glasse doth take it to be red as is the colour of the glasse so God the Father beholding vs in his son doth take vs to bée of the same nature and quality that he is that is perfectly righteous For this cause it is that he loueth vs setteth his heart vpon vs and will not be remooued from vs. For his loue to his children is alwaies one and the same although we haue not alwaies the like sight and féeling of it As the Moone is alwaies the same in substance and quantity though sometime it séemeth vnto vs to be wasted into a very small scantling Let vs know then to our great comfort that the loue of God towards vs in his deare sonne is constant and alwaies alike and that he wil not discountenance vs or shake vs off for some infirmities no nor yet for many infirmities for the merciful God doth accept of his children because their generall care is good and the vniuersall Tenor of their life tendeth vnto righteousuesse howsoeuer they may greatly faile in many particular actions Two or thrée fits of an Ague do not prooue a diseased body nor two or thrée good daies a sound body euen so some few infirmities doe not argue a wicked man nor two or thrée good actions a good man but we must haue an eye to the certaine and settled course of a mans life Euen as men are truely said to walke in a way when they goe in it although sometimes they trip and stumble so Gods children doe walke in the way of righteousnes although sometimes they stumble and step out of it or sometimes be violently haled out of it by theeues For Sathan and the violence of our lusts doe often hale vs out of the way but we must get into it againe as soone as we are escaped Now then to conclude draw to an end sith God is so infinitely mercifull and constant in his mercy sith such great and precious promises are made to vs in Christ sith the Lord doth not regard our infirmities when our harts are with him Therefore O Asunetus be of good chéere let nothing trouble you feare not the assaults of the Diuell regard not his temptations for assuredly your sinnes are forgiuen Christ is yours heauen is yours and all the promises of life and saluation belong vnto you so as you néed not to doubt you cannot miscarry your name is written in the booke of life Asune I am greatly comforted and cheared vp with your words your preaching of the Gospell and laying open of Gods abundant mercy in Christ and of the promises do exceedingly reuiue me and euen as it were put new life into me they are as Sacke and Sugar vnto my soule and more sweete then the hony and the hony combe they are as Physicke to my sicke soule and as oyntment to my spirituall wounds I doe now beginne to see what misery is in man and what mercy is in God And I know by wofull experience that where misery is not felt there mercy is not regarded but now it hath pleased God to giue me some feeling of mine owne wretchednesse and misery and yet with good comfort in his mercy For I thanke God for it I begin now to grow to some perswasion that the promises doe belong vnto me my sins are forgiuen and that I am one of them that shall be saued Theol. I doe greatly reioyce that God hath according to his rich mercy wrought this good worke in you I doe from the bottome of my heart giue him the praise and glory of it Happy are you that euer you were borne in whom God hath wrought so gratious a work It is of his high fauour and speciall mercy towards you for it is the only priuiledge and prerogatiue royall of Gods owne children truely to repent and beléeue I beseech God therefore to increase your faith and to fill you full of ioy and peace in beléeuing that you may abound in hope through the power of the holy Ghost Antile The Sunne draweth low Asunetus it is time for you and me to be going Phila. Indeed the night will approach by and by and therefore we must of necessity breake off Theol. Sith it is so wée will héere surcease and goe no further Asune Sir I will now take my leaue of you I can neuer be thankefull enough for all the good instructions and comforts which I haue heard from you this day I hope I shall remember some of them whilest I liue I doe therfore praise God for you and for your counsell and for this day which I hope shall be the first day of my repentance and true conuersion vnto God Theol. The Lord for his infinite mercies sake grant it And I most humbly beséech the Almighty God to establish you with his frée spirit that you may procéed and goe forward in a Christian course vnto the end Phila. I pray you good M. Theologus pardon my boldnesse for you see I haue beene very bold to propound many questions vnto you wherein you haue fully satisfied me to the great ioy and comfort of my soule I doe therefore praise God for you and I hope I shall neuer forget some things which you haue vttered But I will now commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build further Theol. Farewell good Philagathus The Lord blesse you and kéepe you in all your waies and the God of Heauen preserue vs all and continue vs in his feare vnto the end All glory be giuen to God FINIS A Table containing all the principall matters conteined in this Booke and directing to the Page where they are set downe MAns naturall corruption Page 5 Mans misery in nature 6 Mans nature corrupted but not destroied by Adams fall ibid. Some sparkes of Gods Image still remaine after the fall 7 Man in the state of nature cannot doe any thing that pleaseth God ibid. Man naturally neither seeth nor feeleth his miserie 8 Man in nature is vnder the tyrannie of Sathan and curse of the Law 9 Man growne to yeeres liuing and dying in the state of nature perisheth for euer 11 Man continueth cursed till he be borne againe ibid. None can be saued but onely the regenerate 12 Regeneration what ibid. The qualitie of regeneration 13 Remnants of sinne after regeneration 14 Regeneration vnperfect in this life ibid. Meanes of regeneration 23 Eight infallible signes of saluation 30 Eight signes of damnation 31 Nine manifest tokens of damnation ibid. Pride described 33 Pride of gifts condemned 35 Pride in apparell condemned 40 Rules of the world for
against vs as most damnable transgressors of all thy holy commandements yea such as are sunke in our rebellions and haue many times often committed high treason against thy maiesty therefore thou maist iustly cast vs all downe into hell fire there to be tormented with Sathan and his Angels for euer And we haue nothing to except against thy maiesty for so doing sith therein thou shouldest deale with vs but according to equity and our iust deserts Wherfore déere Father we do appeale from thy iustice to thy mercy most humbly intreating thée to haue mercy vpon vs and freely to forgiue vs all our sinnes past whatsoeuer both new and old secret and open knowen and unknowen and thatfor Jesus Christs sake our only mediator And we pray thée touch our hearts with true griefe vnfained repentance for them that they may be a matter of continuall sorrow hart-smart vnto vs so as nothing may grieue vs more then this that wée haue offended thée béeing our speciall friend and Father Giue vs therefore deare Father euery day more and more sight féeling of our sinnes with true humiliation vnder the same Giue vs also that true and liuely faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy Sonne Christ and all his merits applying the same to our owne soules so as we may stand fully perswaded that whatsoeuer he hath don vpon the crosse he hath done for vs particularly as well as for others Giue vs faith good Father constantly to beléeue all the swéete promises of the Gospell touching remission of sin and eternall life made in thy son Christ O Lord increase our faith that we may altogether rest vpon thy promises which are all yea and Amen Yea that we may settle our selues and all that we haue wholly vpon them both our souls bodies goods name wiues children and our whole estate knowing that all things depend vpon thy promises power and prouidence that thy word doth support and beare vp the whole order of nature Moreouer we intreate thée O Lord to strengthen vs from aboue to walke in euery good way to bring foorth the fruits of true faith in all our particular actions studying to please thée in all things and to be fruitfull in good works that we may shew forth vnto all men by our good conuersation whose children we are and that we may adorne and beautifie our most holy profession by walking in a Christian course and in all the sound fruits practise of godlinesse and true religion To this end we pray thée sanctifie our hearts by thy spirit yet more and more sanctifie our soules and bodies and all our corrupt naturall faculties as reason vnderstanding will and affections so as they may be fitted for thy worship and seruice taking a delight and pleasure therein Stirre vs vp to vse praier watchfulnesse reading and meditation in thy law all other good meanes whereby we may profit in grace goodnes from day to day Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes that we may daily die to sin and liue to righteousnes draw vs yet néerer vnto thée helpe vs against our manifold wants Amend our great imperfections renue vs inwardly more and more repaire the ruines of our hearts aide vs against the remnants of sinne Enlarge our harts to run the way of thy Commandements direct all our steps in thy word let none iniquity haue dominion ouer vs. Assist vs against our speciall infirmities master sins that we may get the victory ouer them all to thy glory and the great peace comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen vs good father by thy grace and holy spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome couetousnes contempt of thy Gospel swearing lying dissembling and deceiuing O déere father let vs not be ouercome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures and fond delights wherewith thousands are carried headlong to destruction Arm our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh the diuell that we may ouercome them all through thy helpe kéepe on the right way to life that we may liue in thy feare die in thy fauor that our last daies may be our best daies that we may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore déere father we intreat thée not onely for our selues but for all our good brethren thy déere childreÌ„ scattred ouer the face of the whole earth most humbly beséeching thée to blesse them all to chéere them vp glad them with the ioy of thy countenance both now and alwaies Guide them all in thy feare and kéepe them from euill that they may praise thy name In these dangerous daies and declining times we pray thée O Lord raise vp nursing fathers and nursing mothers vnto thy Church Raise vp also faithfull Pastors that thy cause may be caried forward truth may preuaile Religion may prosper thy name onely may be set vp in the earth thy Sonnes kingdome aduanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all aduersary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their deuises scatter their forces ouerthrow their armies When they are most wise let them be most foolish when they are most strong let them be most weake Let them know that there is no wisedome nor counsell power nor policy against thée the Lord of hostes Let them know that Israel hath a God and that thou which art called Iehouah art the onely ruler ouer all the world Arise therefore O most mighty God and maintaine thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite through all their loines and bow downe their backs yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will vnto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be ioy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all fauour we intreat thée O Lord to shew speciall mercy to thy Church in this Land wherein we liue Continue thy Gospell amongst vs yet with greater successe purge thy house daily more and more take away all things that offend Let this Nation still be a place where thy name may be called vpon an harbour for thy saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and haue â—are of them that thy Gospell may be left vnto them as a most holy inheritance Defend vs against forraine inuasion kéepe out idolatry and Popery from amongst vs. Turne from vs those plagues which our sinnes crie for For the sins of this Land are excéeding great horrible and outragious and giue thée iust cause to make vs spectacles of thy vengeance to all Nations that by how much the more thou hast lifted vs vp in great mercy long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse vs downe in great wrath and long war Therefore deare father we most humbly intreate thée for thy great names sake for thy infinite mercies sake that thou wouldest be reconciled to this