commended what others out of ignorance may obiect fat bee it from your Lordship so to iudge Phil. 3.6 Socra scho cap. 18. For it hath beene practised by the best sort of Christians euer since Christs time with such precise and strict seueritie as they did not onlie resist all externall acts of sinne but chastised their bodies with corporall affliction 2 Cor. 6.5 which is manifest in the liues of the Apostles by their much fasting watching and praying Likewise Saint Augustines conuersion and Saint Ieromes approbation of Paul and Antony the Heremites besides the discipline he vsed vpon his owne bodie with manie other ancient Fathers which for feare of being tedious I omit So that if these holie men were fain to vndertake such strait captiuitie for gaining of heauen what punishment should I endure for preuenting of hell 1 Pet. 4.17 whose whole course of life hath beene a race of errours especiallie when the spirit of God dailie knockes at my heart to prosecute the same austeritie which giues mee a more cleare reuelation of Gods fauours where now I finde the theorie so much to be true by practise that I call God to witnes I am no more able to expresse the felicities I enioie then remember the catologue of my past offences let therefore other men thinke as they please of this alteration 1 Cor. 4.3.4 it sufficiently contents me that the Saints in heauen reioyce at my conuersion For God hath spoken peace to my soule my soule preacheth peace to my conscience my conscience sings a comfortable sweet All-haile to my sad heart and should the world the flesh or the Deuill sound all their most powerfull instruments to plucke from this my resolution they may sacrifice my flesh vpon the worlds Altar but my faith shal be so sure found hanging vpon the hornes of this Sanctum Sanctorum as my heart is confident that your Lordships former fauour conferd on me was preordaind to be a meanes of sealing your redemption by the death and passion of our Sauiour were your past transgression red as scarlet for that I am bounde to acknowledge vnder God your Honours affable curtesie established my regeneration 1 Pet 4.8 and what the reward is in gaining a soule Ioh. 5.20 beleeue not mee but the promise of Christ exprest in holy writ Humbly intreating your Lordship so farre to continue your respect as when any shall question my fidelitie aduise them to suspend their censure till the fortunate fatall tribunall day of iudgement which will decide the question without malice The rather for that each of vs were baptized with the signe of the Crosse and both endeuouring to hit the same marke though with seuerall shafts But if it should fall out to be knowne that they themselues continue in any one wilfull sinne your Lordship may boldlie giue no more credence to their language in points of Religion then to a periured man in case of a triall For as the Law will not admit of the one certainlie God will not allow of the other wheâ— the pensill of holy Writ confirms that the Diuell holds them as we by one sinne as by a thousand 1 Ioh. 3. Aâ— which I leaue to your Honour graue iudiciall iudgement anâ— rest Your euerliuing Beadsman Thomas Bushel To the onely sonne and bloud of my owne body BEloued the Lord thy God hath commanded me to instruct thee thee to obey me vpon penaltie of eternall punishment that wilfullie breakes the couenant if my aduertisement agree with the pensill of the holie Ghost otherwise thou art free I only bound which to auoid the danger of my part I haue as God hath enabled my illiterate and humane apprehension bequeathed vnto thee by my wofull experience a briefe diuine and morall way how to prostrate thy louing obedience towards God and man for the surer preuenting Natures frailty the safetie of thy owne soule Gods glorie and the discharge of a fathers dutie that thou mightst not curse thy birth I thy being nor diuine prouidence repent of thy making hoping the president of my late erroneous life will cause thine to be religious otherwise my iniquities will bee added to thy transgressions though no ease to each of our sufferings Let therefore thy internall faculties of body and soule be zealous towards thy Creator in keeping his Commandements with a trembling feare of violating the least and a willing desire to performe them all in so doing thy mortalitie is sure to bee ratified with immortall glorie Let his iust iustice euer go before thee and his infinite mercie will not faile to follow thee Let thy meditations be alwaies vpon our Sauiours sufferings then thou canst not be so ingrate as to forget his blessings nor neglect thy duties Giue thankes to thy maker for thy nights sleeping and morne waking with humble desire of his continuall prouidence for the day following and at night call thy selfe to a strict account of what good deedes thou hast omitted and what offences thou hast committed who were the occasions of the one and neglect of the other from such refraine vnlesse thou canst command thy selfe not they thee but if they proceed from thine owne stiffenecked nature condole thy infirmity chastize thy iniquitie with continuall abstinency vntill thou findst reason and religion to master thy passion and affection by this means thou wilt euer after sleepe in peace continue obedient and remaine in safetie but on the contrarie as thy conception was wretched so thy life will bee lamentable thy death miserable and thy torments ineuitable Let therefore thy beleeuing faith bee grounded vpon the rocke Christ Iesus for that is the true Religion the others are tost vpon the waues of time proceeding rather from mens frailtie then any setled veritie Yet lest thy conscience should be eclipsed and thy continuance reuerted into the dreadfull danger of a lukewarme Christian by beholding so many graue Senatours of seuerall Religious opinions I haue held it expedient vpon my death bed and according to my engagement as the soule of mee must answer the same at the tribunall day of iudgement to present vnto thy internall spirits these recited precepts Let thy heart and conscience bee incorporate to the bodie of Christs vniuersal Catholike Church performing so farre as in thee lieth all these prescriptions which he hath enioined thee to obserue obey and keepe in holy writ and when thy conscience together with thy ghostly Father approoues of thy inabilitie to bee capable of the Sacramentall mercie make a true confession of thy life past with an inward repentant contrition that euer thou didst offend and a constant resolution by Gods permission neuer more willing to offend but suffer death rather then violate thy condition as afterwards to commit a hainous sinne or wilfully continue in any other This being zealoushe kept God warrants thee saluation who then will accuse thee thy conscience cannot and Christ hath protested he will not if thou doest thy vtmost endeauor
acknowledge with soule heart and conscience if thou saueâ— me it is a miracle and if thou reâ— fusest it were but iust iustice aâ—suring my selfe in forbearing thy chastising affection I shall eueâ— despaire of thy mercy and be confident of permanent punishmentâ— for that the pensill of holy Wriâ— which will not be violated Heb. 12.5 Apoc. 3.19 hath plainely expressed those whom thou receiuest thou chastenest and that their long laughing must be turned into bitter mourning Ioel. 2.12 Luk. 6.25 before they haue any true hope of thy grace fauour or pardon O then deare Mediatour I beseech thee minister dayly on me thy discipline correction Pro. 3. Iob 5. and when thou thinkest it meet let my inward griefe be my ioy the agony of death my comfort but if those will not penetrate my flintie nature to make mee glorifie thy vnspeakeable blessings and apprehend my base ingratitude Grant mee sweet Sauiour a feeling inspiration of torments due vnto the damned that if then I may not without robbing thy Iustice obtaine by thy Mercie a share in thy sufferings Yet I humbly pray thee let me be a second Diues vpon earth for admonishing my poore Christian brethren to preuent the like fall of so fatall a danger and the rather for that thou perceiuest offendours bee not so much terrified by thy iudgements pronounced in holy Writ as they are mollified at the sight of mortall creatures miseries Wherein it makes me feare Sathan by thy permission hath a more predominate power then thou that createst them All which I leaue to thy diuine Sacred will and vnsearchable mercie begging pardon for my bold presumption or if thou please to make intercession Mat. 8.8 and say Amen to my petition The affliction of a Prodigall O Deare and Immortall God! I thy abiects creature haue so highly offended thy Deitie Essence and Glory in prophaning thy Name abusing thy Blessings and slighting thy Sufferings that I dare claime no priuiledge by thy death no comfort in thy promises nor no fauour from thy mercies but the rigour of punishment the wrath of iustice and reward of the damned O miserie of all miseries what haue I lost thy Glory that made mee thy Sonne that dyed for mee and thy Spirit that sanctified me Is there a creature from Adam so wretched was there a child conceiued from Euab more miserable then I that haue lost the ioyes of heauen and purchast the fire of hell O my birth life and death I am wrapt in sorrow hauing small hope but in dispairing no comfort but in grieuing nor any ioy but in lamenting O thou false heart and cursed senses why were yee made to bring my soule in torture and your selues in torment to denie them will not auaile you to expect pardon is vnpossible to confesse them will hardly mitigate them O then deare Sauiour seeing I haue brought my selfe by sinfull presumption to permaâ—ent perdition yet let mee beg at thy hands the agony of indiuiduall sorrow which thou ordainest for the damned that if then the spectacle of my deserued maladie cannot dissolue thy iustice into mercy yet may mitigate my endlesse misery and not die like a stupid dog void of sence knowing thou madest me the image of thy Creature The Contemplation of a Prodigall MY God Creatour and Sauiour of the world was not I made thy image to serue and glorifie none other but thy selfe How falles it out deare Father that I haue beene more contemptible against all thy Lawes Sap. 5. Statutes and Blessings Ioh. 3.5 then a sauage beast I cannot beleeue it proceeded from originall sinne in that thy sacred selfe suffered for sinne nor from my conception Ezek. 33. for that thou desirest my preseruation but altogether by Sathans assaulting the worlds prouoking natures betraying and my owne stiffenecked transgression What reason then can my selfe or mortall man conceiue that thou wilt saue me when I neuer truely serued nor honoured thee Art not thou a iust Iudge Ier. 25. as thou hast beene a mercifull Sauiour To plead weaknesse auailes not wilfulnesse I dare not nor wanting thy assistance I cannot Wherefore then doest thou giue mee longer sustentation when thou knowest I haue deserued damnation Fxod 9.16 Act. 4.27 Is it for that thou wilt exceed in thy mercies to increase my miseries Or else are not my sinnes fully compleat for thy determined sufferings Why thou knowest Sathan offended thee but once I haue euer they both obey and feare thee I haue neuer What madnesse then would it be in mee to presume that thou wilt breake the whole course of thy iustice for my sake knowing in mine owne conscience I haue lost the benefit of thy redemption by my wilfull presumption otherwise I might bee confident through vnfained repentance to haue assurance of saluation by thy death and passion which now grieues the intralles of my soule in that I was such a cursed reprobate to crucifie thee who sufferedst on the Crosse to saue me Mar. 10. â—7 so that according to humane iudgement my talent is eternall torment Howsoeuer I bequeath the disposure of my deiected soule to thee Rom. 9.15 which shedst thy innocent bloud on the behalfe of me But why should I being so base a creature reason with thee that art my maker knowing the clay ought not contest with the potter For it is in thy power and not in mine to make mee a vessell of honour or dishonour Therefore in obedience to thy vnsearchable Deity I will surcease all disputations and endeuour to preuent worldly perturbations that I may haue so much hope to be thy creature as my beleefe assures mee thou art my Creatour The Agonie of a Prodigall MY sacred Creator and celestiall Father didst not thou make me of running water and ruddie earth Doest thou not see how Sathan assaults me how the world insnates me and how my owne nature betraies me O my God how then canst thou but in pittie take compassion vpon me knowing I haue no power to preuent any of these precedent conspiracies but by thy diuine prouidence Wilt thou then leaue mee to my selfe that I might appeare worse miserable than the beast which perisheth O be more charitable for that thou madest mee thy image cast but thine eie vpon mee and turne not thy face from me then trie whether thou wilt denie thy mercy vnto mee were not sweet Sauiour my first parents sinners Did not thy selfe suffer for sinners and protestedst thou desirest not the death of sinners Shall then the iniquities of my onely offences blot out the remembrance of thy immortal mercies When thou art my aduocate I the offender thou my redeemer I the debtor Let mee not then perish for want of thy protection when it is not riches nor honor I would haue O my Father no! or releasement of my miseries I seeke O my Father no! or heauen I beg O my Father I dare not presume no! nor any thing I craue but the increase
humilitie thy honour let loue be thy laurell and loyaltie thy louer let aduersity be thy fortitude and fortune thy flatterer let vertue by thy veritie and patience thy paterne let wisdome be thy wealth and reason thy ruler let sinne be thy enemy and thy selfe her sister let truth be thy tongue and temperance thy taster let iustice be thy iudge and conscience thy Iuror let faith be thy father and obedience thy brother let children be thy blessing and education their portion let mercy bee thy matron and meeknesse thy minion let curtesie be thy kinsman and chastitie thy cosen-german let virginitie be thy affection and vtilitie thy afliction let repentance be thy profession and prayers thy peregrination let confession be thy contemplation and contrition thy regeneration Let life be thy lamentation and death thy preparation Let thy speech be plausible and thy protestations irreuocable Let thy studies be celestiall and thy sorrowes supernaturall Let thy sighes be Sacramentall and thy groanes coëternall Let thy diet be debility and thy attire decencie Let want be thy infirmitie and Will thy integritie Let thy hope be heauenlie and feare thy frailty Let grace be thy guide and God thy glory Thus in a word thou pledge of my posteritie thinke speake and deale with God as if all the world did behold thee and liue and conuerse with man as if God saw thee So shalt thou appeare the liuely image of thy maker the crowne of thy mother the honour of thy name and the repairing of the Angels God leade thee by the hand and a fathers blessing goe with thee as thou perseuerst in the practise of these precedent precepts To his louing brother Edward Bushel Esquire BEst beloued to annihilate your least suspition of my fidelitie or selfe-wild imbecilitie in this my retirde pleasing life I ingenuously acknowledge that mutuall fraternitie ioyned with inward spiration to glorifie God is best pleasing most accepted and greatest rewarded So that I am confident a publique religious life is better than any monasticke priuate liuing by how much virginitie is esteemed aboue mariage yet the leaw warranted to be honourable according to the Apostles words If thou doest marry thou doest well but if thou canst abstaine 't is better So likewise if thoâ— canst liue priuate without wilfull sinne it is well but if thou canst publique it were better And where he saith better to marry then to burne 1 Cor. 7.9 euen so my conscience assures me that it is better to liue priuately without sinne than burne publiquely in sinne for you know in the one there is hope of saluation but in the other certaintie of damnation Which reduc'de mee to apply for experiment this soliâ—ary course to prohibite mee from former follies and preuent futurâ— perils For you know from minâ— infancie I so much naturally delighted in a male-contented life aâ— our parents disciplinde gentle correction to withdraw me fearing 〈◊〉 was bewitched Likewise in the height of my prodigallity both your selfe and others were witnesses how I then made triall at a poore fishers habitation which God knowes would haue long continued had not my populaâ— name beene knowne yet in those dayes such was my childishnesse that more fear'd the preiudice of my base reputation then the displeasure of my Sauiour like iesting Pilate which beleeued the innocencie of Christ howsoeuer to satisfie the Iewes crucified him Luk. 23.14 Besides for almost three yeeres you know I was tost vpon the waues of time in expectation of a familiar companion who at last to my great griefe vnfriendly left mee for no other reason I could imagine but that he would verifie our Sauiours speech Mat. 20.16 Many that are first shall be last and the last first So that it is no new fantasie but hatching from my cradle as God knowes some particular friends that my determination was long agoe bent to leaue the world deny my selfe regaine the time and follow him were it within the caues of the earth if his Diuine pleasure allotted mee But what through the rawnesse of yeeres natures frailtie and instigation of others I remain'd so long with taking leaue of my houshold and striuing to satisfie the humours of mortall friends that almost my vitall hope was turned into despaire of immortall glory But thankes be to the Diuine prouidence my own conscience is enlightened by the Gospel of Christ to warrant mee his mercies will heare my supplications from a poore Cell as hee did Ionas in the Whales belly Ion. 2.1 So that if now I should reuolt hauing had a yere of vnparallel'd experience for either temporall fortune or fear of corporal affliction I must account the offence vnpardonable when the pensill of holy Ghost hath dictated the same by these irremarkeable fatall words If wee sinne wilfully Heb. 10.26 after the receiuing the knowledge of the truth there remaines no more sacrifice for sinne but a fearefull looking for iudgement Therfore I hope by Gods permission your beliefe of my fidelitie will expell all doubts scruples or feares knowing that I haue bequeathed these lines to ensuing memorie as a recorded witnesse on the contrarie against mee at the Day of Iudgement 2 Pet. 2.21 In the meane time let him that is tied to loue you as his owne soule perswade your diligent search into the world without partialitie and then I dare boldly say you will find nought worth louing no fortune worth valuing nor no pleasure worth following but he that first made you in conscience then he ought onely to be lou'd valu'd and seru'd For my owne part I by woefull experience haue found it you by tradition from a brother may shun it Let not then others ends set aâ— end to your owne happinesse no natures frailtie barre the fruition of your future felicity but be surâ— to curbe the one and scorne the other in so doing your conscience shall say I was your friend noâ— your flatterer as mine must alwaies acknowledge you a father more then a brother Yet giue me leaue louingly to chide your wilfulnesse since by Diuine prouidence I haue rebuked my ignorance Your causes of discontents it s knowne rise early will you therefore keepe them in perpetuall waking Those crosses that stand betwixt you and happines are mortall must you then make your sorrowes perpetuall and immortal The way to shorten them is to sleight them and the best meanes to mitigate them is not to minde them I by experience doe sensibly feele it you by practise may bee sure to finde it O then gentle brother let not griefe for a wildernesse Mar. 8.36 preuent your birth-right in Paradise for vnder correction deerest Sir if you cannot brooke a temporall misfortune in my conscience you will neuer attaine to a spirituall blessing when our Sauiour and all his Elect are witnesses against you Mar. 10.24 yet I must confesse your afflictions are greater then mine though my sinnes are a thousand for one of yours Howsoeuer not equall
in demerites nor disasters to the Apostles therefore ioy as they did in calamities that you may bee found a Cosin-germane to Iob shewing alwaies true Faith by your Workes otherwise were you my Father as you are my Brother I should forget nature and greatly feare you haue no share in Christs death Pardon dearest heart if I haue soared too high it is in your power to clip the wings but God knowes I esteeme your soules safetie more then man or mortall felicitie All which I leaue to his Diuine prouidence and your perseuering goodnesse To the Religious and Vertuous Lady the Lady Elizabeth Willoughby YOur Beadsman fearing the distance of place and dispensation of wedlocke might cause a reuolt from your Ladiships former welwishes induc'd mee to recommend these weake lines as an Antidote to preserue me from the shipwracke of your displeasure whose vertuous societie I euer honoured more then temporall felicitie for that I was daily an eye witnes of your pious charitie religious discourse and noble hospitalitie which makes mee presume the goodnesse of your chaste disposition wil rather condole my misfortunes of inward griefe then attribute discontinuance to the weaknesse of nature or want of matrimoniall affection especially hauing so much conference with a graue Diuine before my departure as your Ladiship may more perspicuously perceiue by these following lines wherein I spar'd not the reuealing of my woefull tragicall life to his iudiciall contemplation humbly intreating him that as I had opened the bowels of my miseries so hee would impart the trueth of his knowledge Whereupon with a modest and solemne countenance desired my age who replied about sixe and twentie he then began to expresse his sorrowes that so young a man should haue trenched into such lowd offences yet questionlesse if contrition did proceed from my heart there was no doubt but vpon true repentance God would forgiue mee Citing the parable of the Prodigall Luk. 15. the president of Mary Magdalen anâ— diuers others for confirming Hope and preuenting Despaire He thus hauing ended I gaue him much thankes for his fatherly counsell assuring his reward was celestiall not temporall wishing it might stand with his occasions leaue and liking to heare mee a word who seemed to bee more willing then I was readie at last imparted vnto him that I presumed a retired strickt Monasticke life would be the safest and surest hope to depend on for by such meanes I fhould not onely auoid sinne the occasion but discipline my selfe and the rather for that I had affection to the life from my infancie Besides the often dreaming what ioy I found in it intimating my conscience daily reiterated the same and that if I did continue wilfully in any one sin â—here was no foundation for Diuine mercy to build on Heb. 10 which the world custome and frailtie of nature had prohibited mee from the one and induc'd mee to the other as by my confession he knew too true Yet by no meanes he would not giue way alleaging the life was neither lawfull requisite nor honest for that it was not allowed by the Lawes of God to cloister vp my selfe nor admitted by our Church expressing Scripture that I was not borne for my selfe but for others and that my prayers could not bee so much auaileable as when two or three were gathered together But if these reasons might not disswade mee from my intended resolution yet the vow of mariage prohibited me though it was solemnized in the rawnesse of my youth by reason I had promised before God to forsake father mother and cleaue vnto my wife assuring mee I should neuer haue his consent nor hardly the Church of Rome notwithstanding they allotted such bug-beares to fright the poore Laitie Whereupon I rose vp God knowes as a man going to the gallowes or like Iudas that betraied our Sauiour and thus according to my weake apprehension replied Where hee exprest cloistering and that man was not borne to himselfe but for others I beleeued it assuring him my selfe neuer meant it but onely to turne those purple robes of prodigalitie into an Hermites weed denying none to visite 1 Tim. 4.8 but willing to instruct any so farre as God would enable mee promising future life shold be answerable to my speech and where he said prayers are not of that force as when two or three were gathered together I confessed it if so be they were all ioyn'd with inward spiration to glorifie God otherwise they rather hindered then furthered citing the first chapter of Ionas for my president But touching the lawfulnesse I alleadged that our Sauiour prayeâ— alone the Apostles wandred iâ— sheepskins alone Tim. 8.2 whose liues we ought to follow intimating theâ— aduice My Sonne come out of euill company Besides the wordâ— of our Sauiour Mat. 5.29 If thy eye offend puâ— it out much more in my opinion cast off the world And for marriage where he said I must leaue father mother and cleaue vnto my wife I could not deny it replying vnto him that if I was to leaue father and mother for a wife certainely I was to leaue father Luk. 9.23 mother and wife for Christ especially himselfe expressing and confirm'd by three Euangelists Mat. 10.37 that 〈◊〉 were not worthy of him if I would not as it did more transâ—arent appeare by the seueritie of â—ur Sauiour who would not adâ—it one of his Apostles to perâ—orme the dutifull rites of a sonne Luk 9.62 〈◊〉 bearing his owne father when â—e called him much lesse the rites â—f marriage Yet he suddenly anâ—vered that both Saint Paul and â—â—e Church hath forbid the same without it were by consent and that but for a time which made mee breake into a kind of passion with these words vttering Had our Sauiour said to the man hee should not taste of his Supper though inuited Luk. 14.20.24 for that his excuse was the marriage of a wife Againe where hee said No man hauing put his hand to the plough anâ— looking backe was fit for the king dome of God Notwithstandinâ— hee intreated but so much time aâ— to take leaue of his houshold Besides had God said Man was thâ— glory of his Maker the womaâ— the glory of the man the man thâ— head of the woman and yet haâ—â— not the head priuiledge to serue hâ— Creator without consent of thâ— feet intimating vnto him that miserable was the bondage to soule and bodie if they were not called both at one time But seeing the holy Apostle had not allowed it I assured him I would doe my endeauour to gaine her consent howsoeuer I resolu'd him I should rather depend vpon the mercie of my Sauiour for that offence 1 Cor. 7.17 then continue more in offending and follow the president of holy Saint â—eromes Confession where hee â—aith If his father stood weeping â—n his knees before him and his mother hanging on his necke beâ—inde him and all his brethren â—â—sters children howling on eueâ—de
due and offending others but leaue the sequel to their owne consciences who â—an best iudge of innocencie As for my selfe with shame I must acquite the title and pleade guilty which grieues my very soule that so matchlesse a Peere should bee lost by such insinuating caterpillars who in his owne nature scorn'de the least thought of any base vnworthy or ignoble act though subiect to infirmiries as ordain'de to the wisest for so much I must assure you was his hatred to bribery corruption or symmonie that hearing I had receiu'de the profits of first fruits for a Benefice which his pious charitie freely gaue presently sent to me and being asked of his Lordship I sodainly confessed whereupon hee fell into so great a passion that repli'de I was cursed in my conception and nursed with a Tiger for deceiuing the Church threatning I should be no longer his seruant for that one scab'de Sheepe might infect the whole flock Yet notwithstanding vpon my submssion the noblenesle of his disposition forgaue me the fact and receiu'de me into fauour but neuer could obtaine a spirituall liuing afterwards which makes me certainly beleeue they that minister'd those hellish pils of bribery gilded them ouer not onely at first with a shew of gratuity or in the loue of courtesie but waited the opportunitie of his necessitie otherwise it had beene impossible to haue wrought an impression So that by such stratagems the wisest men may proue weakest amongst all officers for those whose consciences are innocent of mitigating iustice either by bribery gratuity friendship fauour or courtesie let him cast the first stone and be canoniz'd for a Saint vpon earth But the report goeth that it is the policy of other States when once the subiect groanes vnder oppression to select some man of worth for allaying clamor of the vulgar and congratulate the giddy multitude which if his misfortune were such he was not the first nor I am confident wil be the last So that in time it may reflect some comfort to you and others that honoured him in their hearts but not with their lips To my Christian Brethren the Ofsprings that proceeds from Vniuersities BEloued Brethren if you haue past the exercises Ceremonies and degrees with approu'd allowance by the coÌ„mon lawes of man to take the orders of Priesthood Minister Teacher Pastor and Shepherd which is the most worthy honorable blest title confirm'd on man Let not then Deare brethren my affectionate aduice be displeasing in perswading your diligent resolutions to search the lawes statutes and commands which God both requires and expects at your hands for if any of you vndertake the tuition oâ— soules and then by the neglect oâ— your duties there should perish either man woman or child you are to answer for their sufferings Ezek. 23. though no ease to the parties grieued So that as the dignitie of your profession doeth excell the power and authoritie of Kings Emperours or Monarches euen likewise their perils hazards and dangers are equall to their greatnesse by how much the one commands but the bodie temporall and the other Charge of the soule eternall O then gentle Sirs let me intreat you for my poore brethrens sake Gods glory and the safegard of your owne soules search narrowly into the fraile dispositions conditions of your owne natures and then ponder whether your abilities are of that efficacie and power to discharge so noble a calling without degradation of the title perill to your soules and losse of our poore brethren setting aside the president of others which I pittie some feare diuers suspect the best Yet I hope there will bee found many righteous Abrahams chaste Lots godly Daniels and patient Iobs Otherwise wee of the Laitie are in great danger if the Clergie should be lost for how can the bodie liue when the head is dead First then deare brethren let mee perswade you to follow the old Prouerbe Looke before you leape read and consider vpon the oath requir'd by man next examine your hearts if you can keepe the same which is expected by God then whether you are in loue and charitie whether more flesh then spirit more addicted to pleasures then deuotions more delighted in worldly trifles then heauenly treasures or whether more for reuenue of the place then Gods glory and profit of your brethren For if any of those temporalties haue gained the vpper hand yet it were weakenesse to attempt but madnesse to vndertake vnlesse you can command them not they you Otherwise your soules are in danger and they infortunate that are planted vnder your iurisdiction For beleeue it hopefull Sirs you cannot serue God and Mammon 2 Cor. 11.13 which those vainely expects remission whose liues be not answerable to their profession for if the Deuills should omit their accusations yet the poore soules which perish vnder their tuition will cry out vengeance for their condemnations and God is iust as he is mercifull So that I feare their language Doe as I say and not as I doe will not protect them Yet worthy Sirs you perceiue the calling was honorable from the institution and the reward is glorious aboue any if you liue answerable But on the contrary miserable wretched damnable to your selues and others that neuer iniur'd you so that it is better to bee an open wicked man then a luke-warme Christian Diuine for the one ruines but himselfe the other hazards many yet I had rather be no man then either of them Wherefore deere brethren if vpon mature deliberation you finde your selues able to encounter those enemies which originall nature and custome hath claim'd a priuiledge goe on boldly in the celestiall enterprise and take these precepts along with you as a help to your pious indeauours Let the sensible faculties of your hearts be holy religious and zealous towards God with an inward affection to edifie your charge according to the directions of Christs Catholike Church exprest in holy Writ not making any difference or respect of persons Instruct them publikely admonish them priuately rebuke them sharpely Iam. 2.9 and if those will not recall them proclaime it openly without fearing the displeasure of any humane creature For they are not worthy to bee Commanders that either distrusts in their Generall or feares their Souldiers But aboue all let me intreat you to be mindfull of Baptisme The Sacrament and visiting the sicke For the first easeth your professions the second testifieth your integrities and the third dischargeth your duties For as it confirmeth their saluation or damnation so likewise it remaines the highest pinacle of your profession and if it be possible adopted Sirs entertaine no wedlocke but rather striue to curbe nature with sparenesse of dyet 1 Cor. 9.27 then satisfie the flesh to vse such helpers For your selues had need bee well grounded with inward spirations nay in a manner gods on earth that vndertake such bosome friendes and performs the weightie charge which will bee requir'd at your hands hoping
But let innocent Humilitie raise you pious Prayers restore you that Christs death may be effectuall for you In so doing my afflictions may be mitigated your dangers preuented and all our shipwrackt soules saued To his Christian Brethren Vniuersall IF any of you haue permitted betraying nature to inact so deadly a sinne as detestable Adulterie let my present calamities preuent your future miseries otherwise I shall be certaine to condole your deaths as I am confident you will curse your births for when you commit that loathsome sinne of lust you waken the indignation of Gods iust iustice witnesse your owne consciences VVill yee then persisist in offending vpon hope of his mercifull suffering O my deare Brethren I might sooner beleeue the Deuill should bee called then any of you chosen without so true a reformation as your contrition shall manifest the detestation before God and man Otherwise according to my poore iudgement your conuersion hath no foundation for Christ to consecrate his pious absolution What your Genius may out of Rhetoricke policie or selfe-wil'd fidelitie incorporate a more easie way of sustentation by his death and passion Yet I feare those that depend vpon such Diuinitie trenches too neere the Diademe of his Sacred Maiestie for euer receiuing remission by his miserie Iam. 2.13 Psal 85.10 in regard God himselfe assures vs his Mercie and Iustice kisseth each other But peraduenture some of you will not deny to reply the wordes of my wickednesse That which is bred in â—he bone will neuer out of the flesh Howsoeuer I now find the Apostles saying to be true He that â—ues in the flesh dyes in the spiâ—it For it speakes death vnto â—ee and I am perswaded vpon â—ontinuance damnation to each â—f you O then co-partners let â—â—y too late vicious affection â—use a timely depriuation for when I beheld by diuine prouidence the naked trueth there I found his fatherly commiseration had indued man with the facultie of reason to bridle stiffe-neckt nature Besides vpon extreamitie ordain'd him matrimoniall vnitie for auoiding inconstancie But searching into the chastitie of sauage beast I loath'â— my selfe and hated the inchanters which so sure as there is aâ— God each of you must doe thâ— like either in this life or bee forâ— ced in the other to your condemnation without redemption O then I beseech you that anâ— the imaginarie creatures of youâ— Maker bee a little more modeâ— then the brutish beast that Goâ— may ioy in your creation and reward your soules with saluation Otherwise as your conceptions were wretched in the wombes Prou. 1.24 so I feare preiudicate torments will follow your tombes Wherefore then baptized Christians will yee bee any longer deluded with wicked Iesabels or betraying Abimelechs Ezek. 18.23.25 When GOD himselfe protesteth you may yet bee saued if you doe but truely repent Luk. 5.32 What father could haue said more Matt. 9.13 What Sauiour would haue demanded lesse without defying his Essence to satisfie your basenesse I appeale to your own consciences whether any of you that knowes the danger and yet will perseuere in so heinous a sin can expect remission by his death and passion Howsoeuer God forbid that I should foretell your palace to be in hell But if spirations will not penetrate curtesies nihilate chastisements mollifie nor future torments terrifie giue mee leaue to mistrust despaire in your atchieuing to the Paradise of Heauen O infortunate Sirs if your greatnesse pleads protection Act. 10.33 34. remember God respecteth no persons if your customary presidence pleads prescription Iudg. 7. remember the burning of Sodome and Gomorrah and if his mercies confer'd on Mary Magdalene allures your prouocations remember his Iustice punished legions of your progenitors O my beloued brethren it grieues my verie soule that our Sauiours compassion towards one offendour Rome 2. shall be made a shelter for millions to continue in offending when his iust Iustice executed vpon thousands for such transgressions will hardly bring any to a true cessation till the vice haue left them not they it Therefore I must conclude with Gods owne words Apoc. 22.12 I will exercise Iudgement in weight and Iustice in measure FJNJS