more that Lot was threatned the sooner hee was rescued The more that Ioseph was imprisoned the sooner to a kingdome he was exalted The more Moses the children were perplexed the sooner the red sea gaue place for their deliuerance The more bitterer was Christs passion the sweeter and firmer was our saluation Therefore to conclude he that will raigne with Christ must suffer with Christ for by and through many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdome of heauen To the which God of his mercy for Christes sake bring vs all Amen A prayer of the Author of the Booke O Lord God father of my Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who preserueth al men by the grace and gift of thy holy spirit giue mee grace O mercifull father from the bottome of my hart to looke vnto the greeuousnesse of my owne sinne which euer condemneth me before thy Maiestie that I may not of my selfe presume to instruct others and forget to examine my selfe vnto ameÌ„dment of my life then learne to instruct other in thy lawe according vnto thy will and my bounden duetie because thou hast commaunded in thy holy word that after thou hast instructed vs we shoulde instruct others and not hide the tallent which is giuen vs nor yet quench thy holy spirit in vs. Graunt this O most mercifull father for thy sonnes sake our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whome be all honour and glory for euer Amen ¶ A Dialogue of diuerse Quections demanded of the children to their father very necessary and profitable both for children and parents masters and seruants The youngest sonnes Question AFter that one of my Children had read a Chapter vnto me at supper out of the Actes of the Apostles my youngest sonne after supper sitting by the fire asked this question father sayth he what is God The fathers Answere My sonne all the wisest Philosophers that euer were could neuer yet coÌ„prehend or resolue this question the cause was they neuer searched to know him by his holy word but by their owne naturall wisedome by which wisedome it is vnpossible to please God or know him for God hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs in his holy word although S. Paul sayth God hath reuealed himselfe vnto vs by his creatures which are the heauens and earth and all things therein contayned By which they knowe there is a God but yet neither Philosopher nor any other can tel what God is but by his holy word In which he reuealeth himselfe vnto vs what he hath doone for vs and howe he hath so loued vs before wée were that he hath created all things for vs hath also giuen vs his deare only sonne Iesus Christ who beyng verie God equall with his father came downe from heauen and disdayned not the Virgins wombe and there tooke our nature on him and was made man in all points as we are onely sinne excepted and in our naturall fleshe was obedient euen vnto the very death of the Crosse wherin he suffered for vs the very paynes of hell both in soule and body was dead buried and rose againe the third day to iustifie vs and after fortie dayes he did ascend into heauen whence he came there he will sit vntill the day of iudgement hauing all power both in heauen and earth which is ment by sitting at Gods right hand And then he wil come and be our ioyfull iudge but vntill then he will be with vs in spirit and power by which spirit we haue reuelation knowledge of him and what God is And without this spirit it is vnpossible to vnderstand his holy will that is reuealed in his holy word which holy spirit is the holy Ghost which holy Ghost is the vertue and power of God procéeding from the father and the sonne the third person in the trinitie which three persons is but one God which God is almightie vnmeasurable incomprehensible and without all mens capacitie and wisedome For he is a spirit and therefore they that will worship him must worshippe and serue him in spirit and trueth â—m 18. â— 1.16 〈◊〉 6.16 for otherwise he is incomprehensible he is Alpha and Omega that is he is the first and the last without beginning or ende for no man hath séene God at any time vnto whom be all honour Amen Another sonnes Question Father you say that S. Iohn saith that no man hath seene God at any time I pray you tell vs then why God is pictured in forme like an olde man with a long white beard sitting in a golden chaire how can that be except he hath beene seene of some man The fathers aunswere My sonne I say that God is neyther olde nor young neither can any place containe him for hee filleth all places both in heauen and earth and the Sea and therefore he is euerywhere for heauen is his seate and earth is his footestoole and therefore he must haue a very great chaire to containe him Therefore such as dare presume to paint or picture him in any proportion dooth commit great and horrible blasphemie and are cursed of God himselfe Much lesse like an olde man with a long white Beard for that is the weakest sort of men But how can or dare any creature make his Creator Oh horrible execrable damnable vile presumptuous cursed wretch that dare presume to violate and breake Gods holy precept forbidden expressely in the first table and the seconde verse Good children beware of such horrible Papisticall blasphemies Another Question of the sonne Father I heard you once say that there was a man in Bridewell that affirmed by Scripture that it was not lawfull to feare God but to loue him Must we not feare God but loue him The fathers aunswere In déede there was a vile fellowe in Bridewel that affirmed out of the scriptures first out of the seconde Chap. of S. Luke the 17. verse out of the song of Zacharias in these wordes that we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him without feare all the dayes of our life but this feare is not meant towarde God but it is that wee shoulde not feare Gods rigor and iustice that he scourgeth the wicked withall but loue him as a father neyther yet feare what the wicked can doo vnto vs in all their extremities or malice neither yet feare any of theyr threates scornes scoffes persecutions or tortures whatsoeuer but because God hath deliuered vs out of the handes of our enemies we shoulde serue him without feare all the dayes of our life not cast off our louing feare of our good God that hath deliuered vs out of the handes of the deuill hell and damnation for euer Who woulde not feare to displease such a good God louing father also diuers scriptures are our warrant against this presumptuous villaine for God promiseth great blessings vnto all such as feare him As for example in the booke of Moses it is set downe howe God loueth
righteously Fiftly and lastly to perseuer daily hourely and vnto our liues ende most triumphantly and by these fiue steps or degrées you may practise to keepe the whole decalog and will of God The sonnes 8. Question or request I pray you discribe vnto vs the true sence meaning of the Law decaloge or precept in a breefe some or expositioÌ„ The fathers description or exposition It is set downe by Moses as he receiued it from God in the Mount Sinai and he receiued it into two Tables and in 10. verses or precepts it is expressed and in the first Table is sette downe 4. precepts and in the second Table is written 6. precepts in which first table is set downe our duety toward God in the 4. first verses and in the seconde table our duety towards our neighbour for in the first table we are taught in the 4. first precepts to haue none other Gods but God onely Secondly not to reuerence or worship any thing in heauen or earth And thirdly not to abuse Gods holye name in any exercise And fourthly wee are commaunded straightle to remember to keepe holy the Lordes day And in the second table in the 6. precepts wee are commaunded in the first precept and fift commaundement for to honour our Parents Princes and Magistrates And the sixt commaundement forbiddeth murder The 7. forbiddeth adulterie The 8. forbiddeth theft The 9. forbiddeth periury and false witnes against thy neighbour And the 10. and last coÌ„maundement forbiddeth couetousnesse extortion vsury or any thing that shall preiudice thy neighbour So that in the first table practised is séene our loue holinesse faith and zeale towards God Euen so by our indeuour of the second Table is also séene our loue mercy faith and fidelity towardes our poore neighbours and brethren The summe and fulfilling of the whole lawe of God is first to loue God aboue all things whatsoeuer which is the fulfilling of the foure first preceps of the first Table And the second is to loue our neighbours brethren as our selues which is the fulfilling of the sixe last precepts in the second Table that is to liue in righteousnes all the dayes of our life which power the Lorde God graunt vs for Christes sake The sonnes 9. Question Because the scripture sayth that no man by the deedes of the Lawe can merite saluation How then is it possible to be certaine and sure of our saluation seeing we are bound to keepe the whole Lawe The fathers answere I haue sayd before that which naturall men cannot doo our Christ which is both God and man hath by his precious death and passion fully accomplished but yet we must doo our indeuour and good-will to practise his commaundement vnto the vttermost of our power And therfore the surest wae for vs is to take fast holde of Christ by a sure firme fath c. The sonnes 10. Question But what faith is that I pray you describe vnto my mother and vs the true sence and meaning thereof The fathers aunswer It is our beléefe Apostolicall commonly called the Créede of the Apostles As we say dayly I beléeue in God c. which Créede or beléefe is set downe in 12. Articles which 12. Articles are deuided into foure partes and in the first parte we confesse God our father to be almighty and the onely maker of heauen earth and in the seconde parte we doo also confesse Iesus Christ to be the onely sonne of God and the second person in the trinity who being equall with God hys and our father came downe from heauen vnto vs in earth and héere was inclosed in the virgines wombe there was made man in all poynts as we are only sinne excepted by the power of the holy ghost and was borne of the Virgin Mary in Bethlem in a stable betwéene an Oxe and an Asse cradled in a maunger or Crach and after he had liued obediently with his Mother the Virgin and his supposed father Ioseph at twelue yéeres of his age he did dispute with the mighty doctors in the middest of the Temple of Ierusalem and there expounded the scriptures and all that heard him wondred at his gratious spéeches and at the age of 30. yeeres was baptised of Iohn in Iordayne and then went into the wildernes and was tempted 3. times of the deuill and then came to Ierusalem méekly ryding on an Asse and there was receiued of men and children with hosanna confessing him king of Israell and the sonne of the highest and there hee whypped out of the Temple the buyers and sellers and money chaungers and after he hadde reprooued the Scribes and Pharises and taught the Scripture vnto hys Disciples hee was Iudasly solde vnto the Scribes and Pharises mocked reuiled scorged buffeted condemned of Pilate crowned with thornes crucified on the Crosse betwene two theeues and accurssed of God hys father and dyd suffer on the Crosse the very paynes of hell bothe in bodye and soule for thée and me was dead and buryed for thée and me and the third day he rose againe to iustifie thee and mee And after forty daies when hee hao accomplished his fathers wyll in the sight of all his Apostles and many other hee did ascend vp into heauen where he sits and there he shall remaine vntill the day of iudgement where he maketh continuall intercession vnto God our Father for thée and mée who hath all power bothe in heauen and earth to helpe thée and me and will surely come againe the last day in power and glory and be a ioyfull Iudge for thée and mée This is the sum of the second part of our beléefe and in the third part of our beléefe we beléeue in the holy ghost that he is the third person in the trinitie equall with the father and the sonne and that he is the vertue and power of God procéeding both from the father and the sonne and also the Illuminator of hys elect yea â—â—d the sanctifier and preseruer of all hys saints the holy Church of God And in the fourth part of our beléefe wee beléeue and confesse the communion of saintes to be all those which beléeue that Iesus Christ is the their onely mediator and sauiour which communion of saints we beleeue is the vniuersall Church of Christe dyspersed throughout all the world commoÌ„ly called the Catholike Church dispersed héere and there vppon the face of the whole earth of which comyany Iesus Christ is the head and not the Pope which head will not lose one of his elect for we are as déere vnto him as the apple of his eye although we be héere contemned dispised derided and tormented yet our firme faith and beléefe is that our sinnes are forgiuen vs onely by our redéemer and mediator Iesu Christes merits and that our bodies and soules shal be at the ioyfull day of iudgement triumphantly with him in heauen for euer and euer and this is the whole summe of our faith But this fayth is not mans
his owne children that feare him as the wordes of the thrée men or Angels affirmeth when they vsed these words vnto Abraham Shall God say they hyde any thing from Abraham because he and all his house feare him Also Iosua or Iesus the Captaine that conducted the children of Israell after Moses vsed these words vnto them Deo you sayth he what you wyll but I and all my house wil serue and feare the Lord. Also the holy Prophet Dauid hath these warrants throughout all his Psalmes to feare God as first in the 2. Psalme verse 11. Commaunding saith sée that yée serue the Lorde in trembling and in feare Also in the 25. Psalme verse 3. They that feare the Lorde shall knowe his secrets And in the 34. Psalme vet 9.10 Feare the Lord hys holy ones for they that feare him shall lacke no good blessing And againe Come néers my children and I shall teach you howe to feare the Lord. And in the 128. Psa The holy ghost pronounceth thē blessed that feare the Lord. Also in the first Chapter of Salomons Prouerbs verse .7 The holy Ghost sayth That the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome And Eccl. in his 4. Chap. ver 13. saith that a poore child which feareth God is better then a king that doteth Thus you proued by warrants of scripture the way to feare God Yet this wretch forgeth other places out of the scripture like the deuill for his purpose As out of the 8 Chap to Ro. 25. ver in these words yee haue not rescued that spirit of bondage that ye sholde feare any more but the villaine abuseth the text corruptly for the Apostle meaneth no such thing but that we shoulde not feare condemnation nor wauer or dispayre as the Papists teacheth vs to make vs dwell in bondage and feare of our saluation in Christes merits onely but to be euer in doubt dispayre which pestilent doctrine maketh thousandes to feare God and not loue him Feare not him that can kyl the body but feare him which can kill both soule and body The sonnes fourth Question Good father who are those that feare God and not loue him are there any such I pray you discribe who they be The fathers aunswere All they are those which binde themselues to the obseruation of Gods lawes and the popish ceremonies and thinke except they obserue and kéepe them they are damned for euer And when they sée that they are not able to kéepe them thē they liue in seruile feare of God and his Lawes wyshing that there were neyther God lawes nor precept These I say are those that feare God not loue him for they haue receiued the spirite of bondage that S. Paule speaketh of in his 8. Chap. to the Rom. which carnall spirit maketh them dwell euer in feare of hell and damnation and yet toyle and moyle themselues to obscure the lawe of God by their own righteousnes merits and by theyr hipocriticall ceremonies of ciuil life These I say feare God as the wicked feare the magistrates lawes of this land for they rather cursse them thē loue thē such a seruile feare haue the ignorant Athists the meritmongers the papists the double harted protestants for they feare Gods law his iudgemēt for feare of damnatiō but they loue him not Euen as the wicked feare the Prince her laws for feare of Tiborn but they loue her and her lawes as well as they loue Tyborne and all this is because the haue neither true faith true loue nor true feare of God or Prince And therefore are they neuer able to vnderstande or make any true destinctiō either of Gods lawe beléefe gospell sacrament or praier to satisfy them selues or any other in affliction but desperately voyde of all swéete ioies of heauenly comfort and consolation for euer without regeneration The sonnes 5. Question Father you sayde that no man is able to keepe and fulfill Gods commaundements VVhy should God Giue such a lawe that no man is able to keepe and yet you say if that wee doo not fulfill and keepe them we shall all be damned for euer The fathers ansvvere My sonne marke what I say God that made the law made it as he is him selfe that is iust righteous and holy and so made he man also at his first creation iust righteous and holy And so made God Adam like himselfe and then able to kéepe and performe the whole lawe Therefore man must of force séeke and practise all the meanes and wayes possible how to fulfill and kéepe the same lawe in euery poynt and title which we may by his grace working in vs bee made able to doo in some measure but yet not so perfectly by the entring in iudgement with vs he may iustly condemne vs but he will not haue any to-be saued otherwise then by mercy offered in his sonne Christ and obtayned by faith in him The sonnes 6. question or obiection Howe is it possible because you say that no man is able to keepe and fulfill it much lesse in euery poynt and title The fathers aunswer That which man is not able to doo by reason of hys fall God hath so loued vs before Adams fall that he did prouide for vs in his mercy and grace A man euen God and man Iesus Christe his onely sonne who came downe from heauen from God his father and disdayned not to be inclosed in that Virgins wombe and there was made man by the power of the holy ghost in all points as we are onely sinne excepted and in our flesh and nature suffered his passion on the Crosse for vs and on it suffered the very paines and torments of hell vnto bitter death and was buried by which death and passion he hath fully accomplished our saluation and also fulfilled the whole lawe in euery point and title and also appeased Gods wrath and vanquished the deuill hell and damnation and set open the gates of heauen for al faithful beléeuers and brought vs into fauour againe with God his and our faithfull father and is ascended into heauen where hee sitteth and hath all power bothe in heauen and earth and there is our daily mediatour vnto God his and our father for vs vntill he shall come againe to be our ioyfull Iudge but yet we must striue and practise daily to fulfill to the vttermost of our power Gods holy will and commandements The sonnes 7. Question or obiection How is it possible except you can describe vs some meanes or way to practise it good deere father direct vs. The fathers aunswere By these fiue steppes or degrées which if you can keepe vnto the ende you shal kéepe Gods commandements to please him although not fulfilled it for that Christ hath doone already Which steppes are these first to heare the word of God diligently reuerently and louingly Secondly to learne it simply faithfully obediently Thirdly to vnderstand it humbly spiritually and truely Fourthly to practise it holily constantly and
fantasie or dreame nor the holy papists formed faith nor the Athistes frozen faith nor yet any euill faith nor an hereticall fayth but a full and firme assuraunce of saluation grounded and founded vpon the promises made in the beloued mediator Iesus Christ The sonnes 11. Question Is there any that professeth any other fayth but this which you haue alreadye described I pray you good father let vs vnderstand who they be and what they are The fathers aunsvvere Yea there is an Historical faith which the deuils Athists Epicures and all belly Gods haue that is they doo beléeue that there is a God and that the Scriptures be true and also feare and tremble but they neuer practise to doo hys wyll neither yet loue they God nor hys holie worde but they loue theyr owne pleasure and bellyes more then God therefore they shall be saued with the deuils for theyr counterfaite hypocriticall holy and euill life will not ferue There is also the Scribes Pharises and Fryers and Papists formed frozen faith which teache men that by their merits cerimonies and holye seruice that they shall escape Purgatorye and deserue heauen And so they shall as soone as the Athist Epicure bellye Gods and deuils There is yet an other sort of people that perswade themselues they haue a great faith and think that they are highly in Gods fauoure because they can make great spéeche of scripture and vse great grauity so that Butter would not séeme to melt in theyr mouthes before such as are the principall Preachers and wyll inuite them home to theyr house to cloake theyr holy hypocrisy but let a poore professor méete any of these and salute them then they wyll looke so lofty with their eye leddes and speake so strangely as though they had neuer séene or knowne them and yet of theyr olde familiar acquaintance But let a poore man make hys mone vnto them of hys néede then are they dry and altogether without any sappe of Christian loue and charity which showeth theyr hypocriticall fayth and infidelity these carnall Protestants are all one with vsurers I wyll not say Vsurers I wyll not say Leasemongers Extorcioners and proude prophane myserable merciles worldlings There is yet a simple sort of Protestants which thinke they are very religious but they are such as S. Paule speaketh off which are euer learning and yet ignoraunt asses and as proude as Pecocks All these wyll runne as fast to heauen as the Athists Epicures Papists and deuils these haue faith but without repentaunce of life it is but presumption which will bréede in the end repentaunce without fayth which bréedeth desperation from which the Lorde kéepe vs. There is also the Annabaptist and the pestilent Famelists fayth from which horrible secte good Lord of hys mercy deliuer vs all The sonnes 12. Question How shoulde one attaine vnto a sure and constant faith because you say that no ciuill lyuing can please God wythout a sure and constant fayth The fathers aunswere There is no meanes or way to attaine vnto such a faith but by frée grace from God through Iesus Christ our Lord and that onely by daily and faithful praiers vnto God our father for his onely sonnes sake and also for his holy spirite to instruct and teach vs howe to pray by none other prayer but that prayer which Christ hath taught vs in his holy Gospell which prayer soundeth thus Our father which art in heauen c. The sonnes .13 Question I pray you sir is this prayer to be deuided into parts as you haue done the commaundements and the beléefe The fathers aunswere Yea for it is deuided into .6 petitions .2 partes and in the first part is thrée petitions in the second part i◠other thrée and the first thrée petitions excelleth the thrée last as much as the firste table excelleth the second for in the thrée first petitions we craue of God all thinges necessary for our soules in the thrée last petitions we aske of God al things néedefull for our bodyes quietnesse of minde and preseruation from Sathan c. But as touching that preamble which soundeth thus Our father which art c That is none of the petitions The sonnes 14. Question What meane you by this word preamble is it not one of the .6 petitions as the rest are The fathers aunswere No it is no more but a faythfull and reuerent presentation of our selues vnto God our father in which humble faythfull salutation we acknowledge God to be our father and to be in heauē but as touching the first petition which soundeth thus hallowed be thy name in this we craue pray our good father that we may reuerence and with all our power honor sanctifie and kéepe holye his name that is that we abuse not his name by swearing by it in vayne neyther prophane it in any seruice or seremonie for that is sorcerie although the ignorant think they do god good seruice And as touching the .2 petition whiche soundeth thus thy kingdome come In this petition we craue of our good father that his kingdome may dwell with vs and raigne with vs which kingdome is his holie word all his heauenly gyftes graces therunto belonging in which petition we also pray that God woulde giue vs his holy spirite and power to withstand Sathan all his wiles for euer And in the .3 petition we craue of our louing father that we may haue power and grace to do his holye will in all our actions affections and conuersations in this life euen in earth as it is faythfully done in heauen In whiche .3 holy petitions we craue of our good God all thinges necessary for our soules As in the first table we are taught in the first foure preceptes And in the fourth petition which soundeth thus Giue vs this day our daylie bread In this petition we craue all thinges that is necessary for this life whatsoeuer In which also is concluded all thinges necessarye for this life both blessinges spirituall and blessinges temporall and that in any wise we abuse it not prodigally And in the fifth petition forgiue vs our offences as we do forgiue them that offende vs. In which prayer we aske vengance of God if we forgiue not one another therein also we showe our christian loue and chayity one towards an other yea our fayth and fidelitie And in the sixt and last petition whiche soundeth thus And leade vs not into temptation but delyuer vs from euyll In this Petition we craue of our Good Father that hee wyll not cast vs of from him to be tormented of the Diuell at his malicious will and so confounded for euer or giue vs ouer to our owne willes and pleasures but that we may by his mercifull protection be be preserued for euer In whiche thrée last petitions we craue all thinges necessary for our bodies and safetie fro◠sathan And as for the addition whiche soundeth thus For thine is the kingdome power