infernall spirit that falsely pretendeth dominion in the earth and in the ayre and how he enuieth and opposeth as much as in him is euery good dutie and seruice which thy dearest children owe and endeauour to performe vnto thee and aboue all other duties tending to thine owne glory and mans saluation he seeketh to hinder none with more bitter violence with greater enuy more wicked and subtill wiles then this of diuine prayer and endeauoreth to draw thine owne dearest children into manifold sinnes But Lord as thou hast commaunded vs to call vpon thine holy Name to pray vnto thee for faith repentance obedience and other graces and blessings So according to thine holy ordinance I fall downe prostrate vpon the knees of mine vnfayned heart praying thee to prepare mee to this holy dutie thou sayest Open thy mouth and I will fill it O Lord open thou my mouth and fill it with heauenly words furnish and fill my heart with a strong powerful and liuely faith constant and firme obedience that without wauering and straying thoughts I may at this time make my prayers supplications vnto thee through thy Spirit And thou O inuincible Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah stand vp for me against my most mortall and most malicious enemy satan who among his own is strong and powerfull but where thou my Captaine Christ Iesus appearest he is weake he cannot enter the house where thou dwellest O fortifie therfore O Lord and barre vp the doore of my soule that hee enter not nor preuaile against it with the fire of his tentations Lord thou knowest hee is enemie to thee how much more vnto mee Hee tempted thee but preuayled not but his tentations flesh and blood cannot withstand Therefore arme thou me against him with heauenly weapons and hee shall neither stoppe nor hinder mine intended prayers as he desireth and laboureth to doe Let my spirit O Lord bee strongly assisted by thy Spirit and my prayers shall be faithfull my heart shall entertaine no wandering wauering vnholy or prophane thoughts euill cogitations or wicked motions though I bee an vnholy lumpe of my selfe by nature prompt and more ready to thinke or doe euill then good yet by thy Grace Satan shall slie sinne shall die and thy Spirit shall be liuely in mee and my prayers powerfull and effectuall to thee in my mediator Christ Iesus O let thy heauenly helpe Lord in Iesus Christ descend into all the powers and parts of my soule and body that in speaking vnto thee I may feele the worke and operation of thy Grace so sufficient in my heart that I may obtaine a victorious conquest ouer satan sinne and mine owne corruptions and bee assured through Christ Iesus my Sauiour to bee either freed from his preuayling tentations or to bee able to resist them that all my prayers at all times may bee such as thou maist Fatherly accept them in thy beloued Sonnes mediation for mee howsoeuer weake and imperfect they bee in respect of my selfe who am full of imperfections which I humbly pray thee to grant for his sake who hath conquered him that couets my finall destruction Amen Lord euermore strengthen and increase my faith in Iesus Christ. A meditation or motiue when wee are dull to pray a most necessary preparatiue to prayer AS it is my griefe O Lord to consider the hardnesse of my heart my faintnesse and dulnesse to pray So can I not but comfort my selfe in the consideration of thy great mercie towards mee in often remouing my dulnesse and in steed thereof to giue mee thy holy Spirit and by him power effectually to call vpon thy holy Name which effectuall fauour of thine I haue oftentimes found and felt when I haue had an inward motion tending to a desire to pray and yet no power or ablenesse to open my mouth or aptnesse to mooue my tongue which hath caused mee many times to thinke that thou my God hast beene angry with me and in that thou hast with-holden thy Grace so long that thou hadst forsaken me So that I haue beeâ—e infoâ—ced oftentimes to keepe silence when I would haue prayed and to close my lippes when I would haue spoken Thus good Father haue I beene many times as I am presently troubled and inwardly greeued euen in my soule at the hardnesse of my heart and dulnesse of my spirit And yet at length I haue felt as it were the fire of feruent zeale so inflaming my heart as I haue suddenly spoken with my tongue I haue prayed vnto thee and thou hast heard me This holy and heauenly worke of diuine Prayer I finde to bee farre from mine or the best mans owne power it is the onely worke of thine owne spirit which I haue many times formerly discerned for when I haue beene most dull and most vnapt to pray thou euen then euen in my silent musing and meditation hast enabled mee to breake forth into words through faith which haue pierced the very heauen of heauens euen vnto the Throne of thy great Maiesty where Christ my mediator stands at thy right hand presenting in my behalfe my weake Petitions euen in his owne name and obtayneth mine humble desires according to thine owne will which worketh betâ—er things for mee then I can wish or will I am not therefore discouraged good Father thogh I seeme dull in spirit and as it were cleane destitute of faith for I know thy guifts are without repentance and though I feele not this heauenly worke of thy holy Spirit at all times a like in mee yet doe I assure me hee is in mee and will worke againe the same heauenly effects for where thy blessed Spirit hath once taken habitation and once sanctified the soule that soule is so effectually possessed by that â—pirit and that Spirit so possesseth that soule that he may be assured neuer to bee absolutely dispossest of the same howsoeuer hee may for a time seeme absent It is but to mooue mee to seeke him finding the want of him to long for him Though therefore deare Father my heart bee hard by nature and my spirit dâ—ll to euery holy and heauenly dutie so that I cannot outwardly vtter what I inwardly concâ—iue and desire with such earnestnesse and feruencie of spirit as I would but weakly and coldly yet doe I assure my selfe that thou considerest mine inward desires and hearest my most secret sighes as plainely as if I cryed vocally and aloud vnto thee I cannot therefore but confideÌ„tly assure my selfe that according to thy promise thou wilt heare and consider that I hunger and thirst for thy Grace that my dulnesse being remooued I may conceiue in my heart and frame with my lippes mine humble Petitions which thou hast promised to heare especially such as thine owne Spirit composeth in mee Deny not therefore good Father thy holy Spirit to me that faithfully craue him onely to be enabled effectually to pray vnto thee for thou hearest not the best man nor the best maâ—s best prayers for his
desired and a thousand discontents from which wee can neuer bee freed vntill wee come to our heauenly Country where Christ is ready to receiue vs where the holy Angels and Saints are euer expecting the increase of that heaueÌ„ly coÌ„pany whose ioy and happinesse increaseth by the increase of sanctified soules to accompanie them where the seruitude which in this life oppresseth vs shall bee turned into ioyfull libertie where we shall haue no more cause of mourning of sorrow or griefe God himselfe will wipe away our teares which the tribulations which we heere indure haue prouoked death shall haue no more power ouer vs wee shall haue there no night nor darkenesse we shall neede there neither sleepe nor corporall sustinance wee shall be free from sicknesse we shall feare there no enuie or malice of neighbours wee shall neither buy nor sell we shall neede neither gold nor siluer wee shall want no garments to adorne and couer our base bodies as heere wee need wee shall not be oppressed with the euills wherewith we are here infested But bee replenished and made rich in euery delightfull thing wee shall be there imbraced of our God as his deere Children our happinesse shall be so vnspeakeable as it cannot be manifested here what and how glorious it shall be there but we shal haue pleasure at Gods right hand for euermore If men therefore that now delight themselues in the multitude of their riches in their siluer and gold and boast themselues of the greatnesse largenesse of their possessions of their magnificent Mansions of their rare iewels the abundance of their plate and sumptuous feasts wherein they repose their felicitie and happinesse did duely consider the shortnesse and inconstancie of these deceiuing vâ—nities and other inferiours that delight themselues in all kindes of vices would but call themselues to minde what they lose by these false baytes of Sathan they would cast their most precious things ouer-boord into the sea of contempt as disdayning this worlds accounted best things and their dearest sinnes wherein they finde a kinde of counterfeit content and felicitie which shall bee futurely requited with future infelicitie and horrour Happie then shall that man bee euen heere seeme he neuer so vnhappie that for this pearle wil sell all his carnall and corporall delights to buy such a precious purchase and so permanent which hee shall hold to himselfe for euer freely without râ—nt without feare of forfeiture and without any other mans claime for euery man shall haue so competent a portion as none shall couet another mans The purchase in respect of the value is not deere And the Lord of whom he shall hold it will neuer expose his tennant nor exact any seruile seruice at his hands but such as shall bee vnto himselfe more glorious and sweet then the most honourable attendance of the greatest Potentate of the World Hee that hath a heart to conceiue the least portion of this vnexpressible happinesse let him seeke it while hee hath time let him aske Wisdome of him that giueth it freely let him heare and consider what comfortable words and serious promises are spoken of in the Scriptures touching this happinesse by the Prophets by CHRIST who is Truth it selfe and by his Apostles who beare witnesse of the same Truth that so being assâ—â—ed of the certaintie of this happinesse to come hee may labour to attaine it hungering and thirsting for it with continuall prayer to him that giues it Yours in Christian good will I. N. To the zealous Reader THinke not the Prayers contained in this little Booke too tedâ—oâ—s by reason of their length and proâ—ixitie for if thy heart be well prepared thou wilt thinke it no burden to thy tongue lips to speak vnto God Short prayers in deâ—d are most pleasing to them that vse prayers without â—eeling more for custome then comfort A truely 〈…〉 man is not onely not wearie in Prayer but the longer hee prayeth with the more feâ—uency he prayeth and the more ferueâ—t the more pleasing vnto God Pray therefore alwayes in all manner Prayer and Supplication in the 〈◊〉 as long as Gods holy Spirit 〈…〉 Spirit and watch thereunto with all perseuerance without wauering or wearinesse And so shall thy Prayers be acceptable to God and true comfort to thy selfe This is the way walk in it A HELPE to Happinesse A premeditation or consultation what are the best things men in this life should principally ayme at to attaine vnto highest happinesse which are hearing the Word and faithfull prayer EVery man by nature hath in himselfe a desire of the best things and in heart wisheth and endeauoureth to obtaine them wherin euery man hath his priuate and peculiar affection according to his inward qualification But as Nature and Grace mans corruption and Gods holy Spirit doe differ in euill and good so doe mens desires differ in choyce of things yet all seem to tend to the attaining of the things they conceiue to be best and they are such as may giue them the content they ayme at which they account happinesse And the most of men in stead of true happinesse desire and seeke things not only not best but meerely hurtfull things subiect â—o the outward senses which are often deceiuing taking that for best that is to bee abandoned and reiecting that which is to bee chiefly imbraced as truest happinesse The best things are such as the eye sees not the mouth tasteth not the handes hâ—ndle not neither are they subiect to natures vnderstanding For the things wee see touch or taste haue neither true goodnes such as to giue a man best content nor continuance to tarry with them and therfore are but shadowes of seeming happinesse which by experience are found fickle and vanishing Beautie Health of the body Riches Honour high Office Long life Delights Carnall pleasures Humane wisdom and Naturall Literature are things much esteemed But what happinesse is there in any of these Beautie decayes Health impayreth Riches vanish Honour is enuied Offices dangerous Long life a burden humane wisdome foolishnesse naturall Learning a puffe of vaine glory Wee may therefore conclude that if a man haue all the former seeming contentments yet may he not be happie for euery of them drawes with it as many disasters as variable accidents as many peeuish passions of the minde which draw him into as many calamities and miseries And therefore doth no truely wise man thinke that these are worthy the name of happinesse for then had many Heathens attained vnto that best But true happinesse consisteth onely in the enioying of Gods graces and Spirituall blessings which carnall men who enioy onely the former haue not But are possest with an erronious opinion of those things which seeme best rather by an implicite conceit following and allowing that for happinesse whiâ—h the most hold so and to attaine the same they vse all meanes labours and endlesse trauailes to get that which indeed is not of the world to be
remember so consider what correction is fit for my reformation for I am thine and vnder thine owne hand doe with mee what it shall please thee onely strengthen my faith that whatsoeuer thou layest vpon mee I may still trust in thee Yet Lord let not thy corrections be ouersharpe or ouer heauie or ouerlong for mee to beare for I am weake And therefore as thou increasest thy corrections so increase my strength to beare them And as my sinnes by thy Grace shall diminish so Lord with-draw withhold thy correcting hand that in what measure soeuer my troubles and tryalls bee my faith may bee so confirmed as I may bee able to beare whatsoeuer thou shalt be pleased to lay vpon me Hetherunto good Father as I haue felt thy correcting rod so also I haue found thy supporting hand thou woundest and thou healest nay rather Lord thou curest the wounds which my selfe haue made for there is no sharper sword to my soule then mine owne sinne and thy chastisements do abate the edge thereof As thou knowest my sins Lord so thou knowest my troubles I am in danger deliuer me I am in want relieue mee I haue enemies defend mee In thee I trust for there is none besides thee whom I may trust Thou art that mighty Iehouah that omnipotent God of Hostes who hast infinite meanes to helpe releeue comfort and defend those that are thine though they bee beset with a thousand miseries with sicknes with pouertie with enemies with slaunder backbiting enuy malice strife of tongues imprisonment and with what else soeuer misery that Sathan can deuise against them thou hast yet more infinite meanes to deliuer them out of all And therfore Father if all troubles crosses trialls and callamities should meete and combine in one against me I shall not assisted by thy grace be ouermuch moaned or dismayd Though trouble and affliction bring sorrow and sorrow heauines for a time yet is my heart restored againe at length as it were to life againe by thy grace nay Lord I often find ioy in thy fauour euen in the midst of misery for as thou Lord continuest not long in thine anger so is not my heart in continuall heauinesse But as by thine holy aid I increase in faith euen so decreaseth my grief and sorrow and in my greatest troubles the apprehension of thy blessed presence with mee causeth my heart to leape for ioy within mee though by nature I am weake and prone to stoope and droope vnder the least affliction yet I finde thy grace euermore ready to support and strengthen me Therefore doe I yeeld thee all honor praise thanks together with my Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus and thy heauenly Spirit that euermore doth comfort me confirm my faith in thee Lord euermore encrease my Faith A Prayer for a man hindred by sicknesse or any kind of infirmity of his body or limbes whereby hee is disabled to follow and performe his lawfull calling fit especially for such as cannot maintaine their poore estates without performance of their honest labors O Great and most gracious Lord God mercifull and louing Father in Iesus Christ thou hast created me formed and framed me with all compleat limbs and lineaments in the beginning with all my senses perfect and aboue all with a measure of the knowledge of thee thy Christ wherein for that I haue not so walked as becommeth a sonne of so gracious and great a father but haue too much neglected my dutie and thankfulnesse erring estraying and ranging to and fro from one vanity and sin vnto another abusing al the parts and powers of my soule and body contrary to that light which thou hasâ— giuen me defiling my selfe and polluting those parts of my corrupt flesh which thou first createdst in mee clean and free from any of mine owne actuall pollutions Thou in great mercy hast inflicted these infirmities vpon my corporall parts to cure my diseased soule my spirituall and best part imprisoned inthrallâ—d in a most filthy and lothsome dungeon of dark and detestable impieties Lord I doe confesse my else worthy of greater punishments for my grieuous sinnes But thou art so mercifull and so commiserate a Father that as thou knowest the qualitie of my sinns so thou well knowest what quantity of correction may be sufficient to reforme me And therefore I doe wholly and in all submission commit my selfe vnto thy mercy knowing that thou hast power to mitigate or totally to remoue the paine and misery which my sinns haue iustly drawne downe vpon me Good Father remember that thou hast promised that whatsoeuer wee shall aske of thee in the name of thy beloued Sonne Christ and wauer not we shall receiue Lord I beleeue that thou art able to cure me of whatsoeuer infirmitie let not the weakenesse of my faith hinder thy good work vpon mee let not my former sinns preuent thy mercy for I constantly assure me that thou caÌ„st help me such is thy power and that thou either wilt helpe mee or so mitigate mine infirmities as I shall not onely bee able to beare them with patience but in a measure sufficiently follow my vocation such is thy mercy Father I haue a Mediatour with thee and such a mediator as is not ignorant of though neuer tainted or touched with any humane infirmitie he hath taken vpon him and satisfied for my sinnes and for my sinns I do acknowledge this mine infirmitie is fallen vpon mee Therefore Lord my sinnes being once sufficiently punished in him punish not me ouer-heauily for them againe I am vnfainedly sory for that I haue offended thee and doe heartily repent me of my sinnes and thou hast promised pardon to the penitent and mercy vnto such as are truly sory for their sinnes This being thine owne promise Lord and thou knowing my faith though weake and my repentance what should hinder thy mercies in forgiuing my sinns and my sinnes being forgiuen what should hinder that thy sweet saying Be thou whole and I shall be whole Lord as thou canst do all things by thy word without meanes so by blessing whatsoeuer meanes that which thou wilt shall bee done the very clay in the street openeth the eyes of the blinde thou giuing a blessing vnto it which in humane opinion should rather make blinde them that see But such is thy great power and vertue of thy word as things most contrary to humane reason obey thee and worke the effect wherunto thou appointest them as the cluster of figgs healed Hezekias and the washing in Iordan cured Naaman the Syrian of his leprosie Thou Lord art the great Phisician curing Phisicians that cannot cure themselus howe much lesse others without thee Therefore I know that nothing can hinder thy healing of mee but mine owne vnbeliefe sin which are the chiefe diseases of my soule that thus pollute my body so that soule and body being sicke I come an humble patient and petitioner desirous only to touch the hem of thy garmeÌ„t for
or his prayers sake but for thy best beloued Soâ—nes sake and such onely prayers as proceed from thine owne Spirit Fulfill therefore good Father all my godly desires through Christ Iesus Amen Let vs pray that wee may pray A Prayer to God for the helpe of his holy Spirit and other blessings Spirituall and Corporall comprehending the most needfull blessings fit at all times for all men to bee desired GRacious Lord God and most louing in Iesus Christ thou hast of thine owne free fauour willed all men in all their troubles dangers and wants of Spirituall and corporall things to come vnto thee to aske in the Name of thy Sonne and they shall receiue whatsoeuer they faithfully pray for to seeke helpe of thee and they shall finde it in due and conuenient time to knocke and they shall be admitted into thy holy presence But good Father as thou hast thus commanded me worke in me power truely to performe what thou commandest to pray I am of my selfe dull to seeke I am by nature blinde to knock I am weake and therefore thou seemest to command things to mee impossible to be effectually performed say therefore vnto mee and performe it namely that thy Spirit may bee a sufficient helpe vnto me Thou well knowest mine insufficiencie Lord for I cannot of my selfe thinke a good thought how then can I of my selfe pray and obtaine seeke and finde what I want or knock and bee heard This sacred vertue none by nature hath it is of thine owne free Grace and they onely to whom thou vouchsafest thine owne Spirit to helpe their weakenesse such in deed can faithfully aske such can dilligently seeke and constantly knock they onely obtaine what they aske they finde what they seeke and they are heard and admitted into thy presence when they knock Oh! admit me Lord into the number of them to whom thou hast vouchsafed this blessed priuiledge for they belong onely to the truely faithfull to such as thou hast chosen of thine owne purpose whom thou hast made fit to aske apt to seeke and constant to knock Apt I am to aske many things because I want manie and I know thou art able and willing to grant euery good thing But I am ignorant so to aske as I may obtaine for I know not what to aske as I ought and therefore though I often aske I receiue not because I aske amisse tending my prayers rather to the obtayning of carnall then Spirituall and heauenly riches and finde them not because thou seest the granting of them rather hurtfull then profitable vnto me Send therefore deare Father send downe thine holy Spirit who onely knoweth how and for what to pray though I bee ignorant of hee knoweth thy will though I bee weake he is powerfull and though I be corrupt He is holy as thou art holy â—ee onely knoweth my wants and how they may bee supplied Therfore none but he Lord can make my Petitions effectuall none but he can speake for me with me and in me Good Father denie him not vnto me leaue mee not destitute of his helpe When he commeth he shall teach mee all things fit for mee to learne hee will prompt and tell mee what is fit for me to aske he will prepare my heart hee will rectifie mine affections he will abandon my darkenesse deadnesse and dulnesse he will vntie my faultring tongue and open my closed lippes hee will inlarge my knowledge and increase my faith If I pray without the helpe of this thy blessed Spirit I doe but vtter a bare voyce O Lord which cannot come into thy presence nor returne any comfort to mine owne soule but speaking in and by him I shall assuredly bee heard for when I pray sinceerely and effectually in deed it proceedeth not from mee but from thine owne Spirit that speaketh in mee and beareth the greatest burden of my prayers though the words passe thorow my lippes they are not mine but his Holy Father euer louing louing in Iesus Christ inkindle mine inward godly desires through the heauenly heate of that Sacred fire touch my tongue with that celestiall cole from thine Alter then shall my heart be prepared then shall my lippes be opened then shall I speake with my tongue according to the meaning of thine owne Spirit then shall mine vnderstanding be inlarged then shall I appâ—ehend thy mercie and fully enioy thy fauour in Christ my Redeemer then shall I finde and feele in my heart an assured testimony that my prayers are come vp into thy presence then shall my guilty conscience burdened with sinne be eased and all my wants spirituall and corporall outward and inward bee fully and timely supplied and all my feare bee remooued and all things howsoeuer seeming contrary shall worke together yea together to my perpetuall peace and comfort in thee Then shall I receiue in this corrupt and weake vessell of dust the Image of my Redeemer bring forth the fruits of his Kingdome and euen here feele and be assured to bee sealed vp in the number of thine Elect Saints and enioy the glorie of that future Kingdome in full which heere I partake and know but in part according to that measure of knowledge which it hath pleased thee through thy holy Spirit to reueale vnto mee in this mortality where yet I finde the merits of my Redeemer preuayling to the washing away of my sinnes I heare his voyce and heere desire to follow him and to obey thee in him submitting my selfe to vndergoe whatsoeuer crosse for his sake as hee endured the death of the Crosse for mine euermore looking for longing to be dissolued freed from this worlds vanities and to bee partaker of the glory which by his death hee hath purchased for all that in faith and holy desire Looke for his second comming for which all that are guided by that thy Sacred Spirit inwardly and dayly cry Come Lord Iesus come quickly and end these dayes of sinne In the meane time thou knowest louing Father that I am inforced to bee combred about manie things of faâ—re inferiour condition following the things of my worldly calling which much hinder mee in the performance of better things and which often hinder the liuely working of thy holy Spirit in me I am much and often oppressed with the strength of mine owne inherent corruption often assayled by that my deadly enemie Satan who seeketh by all meanes to stop the course of thy Spirit in mee But thy Grace is sufficient to preuent him for me Thou knowest also deare Father that I am much and often afflicted heere and stand subiect to many and seuerall tryals as to Sicknesse of the body danger of the decay and losse of my Limbes and the vertue and vse of my Senses vnto Pouertie Enimies and Persecution for the constant profession of thy sincere Religion vnder the burden and feare of these ineuitable miseries I should faint but that I know thee and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ and haue the assistance
in some vaine obiect or other in my silent and solitary trauailes and iourneys laying before the eyes of my corrupt minde infinite bayts to allure mee to sin against thee that so I may offend thee that by offending thee thou in thy displeasure mayest inflict some crosse or hinderance vnto my trauels and so to preuent the good successe of mine endeauors But grant good Father in Iesus Christ that neither sin Sathan nor mine owne corrupt desires hinder thy blessings vpon my trauels but that I may constantly continue in thine obedience and thy loue towards mee not onely in these my trauailes but vnto my liues end Amen Lord increase my faith and prosper my Iourney A motiue to a Prayer for patience in godly Parents that are afflicted in minde for the disobedience and vngodly liues of their children whom if good counsell cannot reforme prayer is to bee made to God for them if that will not preuaile to leaue them to God and the Lawes IT is not the least crosse that can befall godly and religious parents to see and obserue their owne flesh blood their owne dearest children to bee disobedient rebellious and by their lewd liues to become scandalous in themselues and a shame and slander vnto their parents and friends A griefe it is of all griefes especially vnto such parents as haue had not onely a fatherly but a religious care of their holy education And their griefe cannot but bee so much the more by how much the world condemnes the parents censuring them euill by obseruing the vngodly liues of their children A great temptation to a carefull father that hath done his vttermost godly endeauor to educate his children in the feare of God wherin the wise indifferent and impartiall obseruer cannot but spare his condemnation finding this corrupt world so fraught with multitudes of wicked youth whose examples abroad doe worke more euill in children then the wisest and most godly father can worke good in them at home by their best counsell It is no maruel then that a good man may haue euill children who though hee propagate their bodies cannot infuse grace and goodnes into their hearts he can not frame their inclinations to vertue further theâ— God by his diuine Spirit doth second his good endeauors The Husbandman may soyle his land with the best Marle he may be carefull in plowing circumspect in sowing painefull in harrowing as much as in him lieth preuent the vermin that might deuoure the seed sowen Yet it is not his labour diligence or best skil that can forme the blade nor infuse the graine in the eare A good and godly father may infuse his best couÌ„sell into the eares of a refractory sonne and harrowe him with sharp threats to preuent venemous vices that deuoure best counsell But hee cannot imprint grace in his heart nor work the practise of godlinesse in him he cannot driue away Sathan and his wicked instruments from deuouring the good seed sowne in his sonne Euill examples and wicked counsell preuaile more with corrupt flesh then most diuine perswasions or disswasions It is a vaine thing to sowe good corne vpon a stony rocke it will take no root so to giue best counsell to a stubburne and an obdurate heart can not fructifie yet must not parents therfore giue ouer but againe and againe early and late endeauor to encourage his children in veâ—tue and goodnesse and to reclaime them from sin according to the counsell of the Preacher in Ecclesiastes Jn the morning sow thy seed and in the euening let not thine hand rest for thou knowest not whether shall prosper this or that or whether both shall bee a like good So should parents bee alike instant at all times to instruct their children with holy counsell for they know not whether God haue appointed this or that time or this or that aduice to conuert them from euill to good for as one drop often falling descends at last to moisten the root of the tree So time and timely counsell may mollifie the hardest heart and reforme the peruersest mind for as the wind bloweth when and where it listeth and no man knoweth from whence it commeth so may the Spirit of God come into the heart when man thinketh least of it therfore ought parents to pray earnestly and often for godly liues of their Children in whom then if God haue any share it will in time preuaile The reason why the world is so ful of loose lasciuious vnbrideled youth is much in the euill examples of Parents the want of the feare neglect of the seruice of God for the example of a father may something alter the nature of a son in good or euill For there is a kinde of ineuitable imitation in the son of the fathers qualities If they be good nature rebelleth against them in the son because it is corrupt if they be euill nature it selfe teacheth the son without further documeÌ„t how to resemble the father in euill And nothing can help the one or bridle the other but grace which cannot be obtayned but by prayer Another maine cause of Childrens lewdnesse is too much lenitie in Parents and too much libertie in Children wherein idle doting and foolish mothers are commonly most guilty who because they haue giuen their Children suck of their breasts when thâ—y were young they giue them leaue when they become able to sinne to suck their puâ—ses to feede them fat in vices in haunting Tauernes idle and vngodly companies drinking gaming and which is not the least pampering them in pride the beginning of their fall wherein many silly fathers are as guilty in winking at the mothers folly or not hauing the wit or spirit to redresse it vntill their children become so farre plunged in impieties as when they would they cannot not reclaime them and so in fine are inforced to see them to their vnspeakeable griefe come either to publike shame and obloquie or to vntimely and fearefull ends which may befall the vngodly Children of most godly Parents What then Shall the Parents beare the shame of their Children that kick against all good counsell and will obstinately run to their owne ruine No. But if Parents be totally remisse in wholesome counsell erre in their example in the eye of their Children no maruell if they taste of the shame and griefe of and for their Children But least good men men fearing God hauing vngodly Children to whom they haue done their best duties in their youth to teach them the way of godlinesse and they depart from it should be too much deiected and cast downe through griefe conceiued for the wickednesse of their Children let them consider that as they cannot make one haire black that is white no more can they make him good that is euill neither can they keepe them in awe that are wilfully rebellious nor preuent them of confusion that voluntarily seeke it Foolishly vnaduised then are they that will taxe a good Father