Conscientia mille testes O but heare in the end what is prepared for such wicked and insolent sinners who hath such pleasure in this world with their abhominations procures the heavie wrath of God even this is prepared for them Cruciabuntur in saecula saeculorum in stagno ardente igne sulphure they shal be tormented for ever ever in a burning lake of fire brimston O that the horror of this sētence might make vs mark our owne blindnes and amend our beastly life Nol ti fieri sicut equus et mulus quibus non est intellectus Be not like the horse or the Mule which hath no vnderstāding as the Prophet would say be not so brutish nor so voyd of reason nor yet set not thy saluation to such a small reckoning O thou reader I will request thee all mankind ever to remember and hold this most worthy and infallible sentence printed in thy heart Hoc momentum vnde pendit aeternitas This short life is the very moment whereon dependeth all eternitie either the eternall joyes of heaven or else the eternall paines of hell O J say againe remember this true sentence and haue a continuall care of this moment and spend it not in such idle vanities Agree with thine aduersarie quickly whiles thou art in the way going with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the Iudge and the Iudge deliuer thee to the jaylor and the jaylor cast thee in prison where thou shalt not come out till thou haue payed all How carefull should we be in this little moment of our life to prevent the intollerable and endlesse burning paines of hell What would the damned soules in hell doe if they were in this world againe how would they spend this moment to escape that vnspeakable torture that ever-burning Gehenna where nothing else is but goashing of teeth and everlasting horrour yea and worse than the tongue or heart of man can tell or thinke out of the which part there is no redemption Good Christian Reader againe I will request thee and all sinners to print this in the depth of thy heart And I my selfe I confesse to be a most greevous sinner when I thinke vpon the losse of pretious time it shrills my wearie soule with griefe it wearies my dayes and disturbs my rest with that holy Prophet Dauid I crie to God with a repenting heart O Lord remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my ignorance but according to thy great mercies remember thou me euen for thy goodnes sake O Lord The workes of our Lord God are great and wondrous they are incomprehensible and yet his mercies exceedes all his stupendious workes therefore once more let vs consider so neere as wee can the great works of God the creating of all things The heauens sayes the Prophet Dauid sets forth his glory and the firmament shewes the workes of his hands The earth the seas and all living creatures therein the strange course of every thing in heaven in earth the naturall inclination of all living creatures Look on the seas how they are limited that they shall not passe their bounds but keepes their due course Looke on the creation of mankinde he hath made vs according to his owne image and of the verie dirt and slime of the earth hath he created and formed vs he hath also made vs subject to many infirmities of Nature the filthinesse of our flesh the excrementall corruption of many sundry and strange diseases which are naturall and insident both to man and woman And what would this carcase of ours be if it had not the change of cleane cloathes it would be naught else but a masse of vermine and with time the smell of our flesh would be loathsom and so in the end wee would putrifie and consume to naught O man why is all this done onely to base our pride and God hath done it to let vs see what stuffe wee are made of and what bath our good God done more Within this earthly vessell of our body he hath placed a soule made of a devine and heavenly substance adorned with all her faculties and garnished with reason The Prophet Dauid sayes Little inferiour to the Angels And besides all this he hath cast vnder our feete all kinde of other creatures and aboue all his workes that work of vdspeakable loue that miraculous worke of our redemption and yet the mercie of our Lord God goes farre aboue and farre exceedes all his wondrous works for the holy Prophet Dauid sayes The Lord is good and kinde to all and his mercies are aboue all his great and wondrous works And heare what our good loving God sayes more with his owne mouth The mountaines shall remoue the hills shall fall downe but my mercie shall not depart from thee neither shall I breake the couenant of my peace saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee What great and true confidence may we then haue in Gods mercie he sayes againe by the mouth of his Prophet The Lord doth attend the sinners conuersion to the end he may take mercy on him and thereby be exalted Yet heare more what God speakes to Ezechiel the Prophet Say vnto them as I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the sinner should turn frō his sinful life liue And farther with what great cōpassion goes he on to allure perswade his people to convert O sayes he Turne you turne you from your wickednes for why will you perish and die O you house of Israell How many kind loving perswasions doth our loving God giue vs to draw neere and come home to him What gentle kind corrections what large and great space of repentance what wonderfull sweet Parables of our Saviour Jesus Christ in the Evangell Of the good sheepheard who brought back the sheep vpon his shoulders which had gone astray what joy and feasting makes hee with his friends and of the honest woman when shee findes her lost peace of siluer And the pittifull father with teares of mercie compassion receaved his forlorn sonne with what joy and gladnes did hee embrace him Here doth our sweet Saviour Iesus shew what great joy is in heaven at the convertion of a sinner Our loving God again entring in more conference with the sinner he begins to reason with him Thou sayest that I am ritch and encreased with goods and full of substance and that I haue need of nothing and doest thou not know how poore thou art how wretched how miserable how blinde and how naked thou art Then our Saviour goes on with sweet perswading speeches to allure the sinner saying I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried be the fire that thou mayest be made ritch and white rayment that thou mayest be cloathed and that thy filthie nakednesse may not be seene and anoint thine eyes with eye-salue that thou mayest see And
when he with chaines of loue keepes his owne fast to him he sayes As many as I loue I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and amend Now againe at last he concludes with fervent compassion Behold I stand at the dore and knock if any man heare my voice and open the dore I will come in vnto him and I will sup with him and hee with mee What more comfortable speeches would the heart of mankinde craue or what greater consolation can wee Caitiue and distressed sinners desire who would refuse to open the dore of his heart to entertaine such a worthie guest of infinite loue and mercie even Christ Jesus the onely sonne of God omnipotent he gaue his life to ransone the soules of sinners he left the glorious heavens for our cause and cloathed him selfe with our wilde and filthy nature Many yeeres did he preach he suffered cold hunger and reproach he was tempted and fasted forty dayes in the wildernes in the agony of his Prayers he sweat bloud he was tortured sold and imprisoned his head was crowned with sharpe thornes his body torne with scourges he was mocked buffeted and spet in the face his body hung on the Crosse betwixt two theeues and his armes out-stretched his hands and feete peirced with nailes of iron and his side and heart wounded to death neither was we bought with siluer gold or pretious stones but with the infinite price of the bloud and life of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the onely sonne of our ever-living God O it was our sinnes and wickednes put him to death and laid all his cruell torments on him it was our wickednes made him fast forty dayes when he was tempted in the wildernes we crowned his Imperiall head with sharpe thornes we bound his delicate armes with cords wee mocked him wee stripped him naked and scourged his blessed bodie we buffeted and spat in his most glorious face we laid the Crosse on his patient shoulders we cast lots for his vpper garments we crucified him betwixt theeues and nailed his innocent hands and feet to the Crosse it was for vs he sweat bloud and water in his prayers and it was we even onely we who peirced and wounded his heart and it was wee who made him in his cruell paines of death cry out in his last passion My God my God why hast thou forsaken me All this and much more hath our wickednes done to the incomprehensible Majestie of almighty God Heare with what great admiration the Prophet Isay cries out speaking of the Passion of Jesus Christ long before his comming Who will sayes he beleeue our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed Then he begins and tells of his sufferings torments for our sinnes saying Surely he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowee yet we did judge esteeme him plagued and smitten of God and humbled but hee was wounded for our trasgressions it was for our iniquities he was punished The burthen of our sinnes was laide on his backe like a simple sheepe so was he led to the slaughter in patient silence suffered he all sorts of paines neither was wickednes with him fraud nor deceit was never found in his mouth this Innocent was put to death amongst theeues and malefactors for the sinnes of the world The Evangelist S. Iohn sayes For God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And what shall this life everlasting be the Apostle tells thee That eye hath not seene nor care hath not heard nor yet the heart of man can not imagine what happinesse and glory is prepared for them that shall be saued Now deere and loving Reader consider with what little paines thou may in this little moment of thy life prevent the everlasting paines of hell and make conquest of the eternall glory of heaven to see and behold the vnspeakable Majestie of God set on his triumphant Throne evironed compast with the glorified Saints the innumerable Martirs who hath suffered for the faith of his sonne Iesus Christ when the woman in travaile and bitter paines of hir birth is releeved of her naturall burthen how will the pleasure of her child expell the paines and giue her comfort Even so after the weariednesse of this world the paines and anguish then comes the joyfull pleasure of heavens which expells all our vexations comforts our soules and wipes all the teares from our eyes what persecution what crosse or worldly temptation should hold or keepe vs backe from such an infinite treasure from such an endlesse joy Let vs say with that constant and blessed servant of Jesus Christ Who shal separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednes or perrill or sword as it is written for thy sake are wee killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then Conquerours through him that loued vs for I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. And a little before this happy and godly Apostle sayes in this same Chapter For I count the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory which shall be showne to vs in the life to come And for this respect When hee considered of the joy of heauen hee esteemed all the ritches all the glorie and all the honour of this world but vayled filth and stinking dirt How carefull then should wee be of this word Eternall and that in this moment wee should be good provisors Our Saviour desires vs saying Negotiamini dum venio Be diligent and lay much treasure to thee fore against I come and seeke for a reckoning of thee For behold sayes he I come quickly and my rewardis with mee to giue euery man according to his workes And what shall this reward be if thou be vpright constant and continue firme and faithfull to the end Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the crowne of life In hope of this glorious Crowne how gallantly should thou fight against all the wofull miseries of this world and still contemne all their earthly temptations In the word of GOD the wise man forwarnes the saying My sonne when thou art to come to the seruice of GOD stand fast in Iustice and in feare and prepare thy minde for temptation Heere thou art forwarned in what estate thou shalt be in time of battell and howe to lye at thy guard against thy three ghostlle enemies The Deuill the World and the Flesh Stand therefore and your loynes girde about with viritie hauing on the
cares and take vp our crosse and follow Christ His yocke is sweete and his burthen is light we shall not walke in darknesse Let vs say with S. Augustine Et tu Domine vsque quoquam diu quam diu Cras cras quare non modo quare non hac hora finis est turpitudinis meae O Lord how long wilt thou suffer me thus How long How long shall I say to morrow to morrow why should I not convert now Why should there not be an end of my filthy lyfe even at this very instant And let vs all say with the holy Prophet Dauid O Lord create a new heart in me and renew my spirit and that we May cast off the ould man and put on the new man O Lord giue vs grace hereafter that we may walke circumspectly and not like mad and insolent fooles in ignorance blindnesse and errour that we may redeme the time that we haue spent in sleuthfulnesse and idlenesse Try me O GOD and search my heart saieth Dauid proue me and examine my thoghts Consider if there be any way of wickednesse in me and then O Lord lead me in the way of eternitie I pray GOD let vs never like dogs turne to our vomet stay still with vs O Lord because it is neere the night When S. Peter saies And if the righteous scarcely can be saued where shall the vngodlie and the sinner appeare What a perellous speech is this for vs poore and miserarable sinners who still heapes sinne vpon sinne Therefore deare brother let vs cry O Lord enter not into judgement with vs take all our sinnes and iniquities and bury them in the bleeding wounds of thy dearly beloved Sonne Jesus Christ Let the temporall punishments of this life deliver vs and redeme vs from the eternall paines of hell Let vs all say with S. Austein Hic vre hic seca vt in aeternum parcas O good GOD mollifie our hearts and let vs not be hardned when we heare thy voyce giue vs that strength of grace that the filthy vapors of our sinnes extinguish not thine holy spirit in vs. Da seruo tuo Domine cor docile Giue vnto thy servant O Lord a tractable heart to receaue instruction And O GOD we pray thee to remember thy promise Ad quem respitiam nisi ad pauperculum contritum corde timentem sermones meos To whom will I haue regard or shew my favour but vnto the poore and humble of heart vnto the contreat spirit and to such as trimble at my speeches Thou never yet O Lord despised the sacrifice of a contreat heart So long as the sinner remaines within the darkned and misty vapors of all wickednesse he can not beholde the odeous and vylde leprosie nor the filthy apparell which sinne cleideth his soule with all the devill blinds him but when he reteares himselfe from wickednesse and walkes on the faire way of Repentance or when he stands vpon the Mountaine of Amendement and then lookes forth from the turrat of a good-life beholding the filthy shape and the ougly portrate of sin O how will he then detest himselfe that hath bene so long swatring in that filthie myre in that stinking puddle of sinne putrified with all abhominations and how loathsome will such company be to him thereafter he will eschew them as a contagious pest and say with the Prophet Dauid Discedi te à me omnes qui operamini iniquitatem quoniam exaudiuit Dominus vocem fletus mei Goe from me all ye workers of iniquitie because my GOD hath heard my weeping voice and hath receaved my prayer or else he will intreate the wicked man with gentle perswasions with good examples and loving admonitions to shake off that filthie and contagious habiet which infects the soule and keepes him back and debarres him from the loue of GOD and makes the Death of Christ to be for him in vaine S. Iohn the Evangelest sayeth It is onely to them who beleeveth in him that hee hath given power to be the sonnes and children of GOD. It is most sure that onely want of faith maketh the sinner obstinate he is a lyer and can not beleue in GOD. O thou poore and distressed creature looke vpon thine owne miserable estate how thou gallops post to hell and will not looke back but goeth on thy cairlesse journey When we walke alone on the fields when we walk solitare in our chalmer when we ly in our bed will we but meditate vpon the fearfull and terrible Majestie of GOD whom all the Heavens can scarce containe of his vnspeakable glory of his Almightie power And it is onely this great and Omnipotent Iehouah that we offend To thee onely haue I sinned saith Dauid And let vs remember how for the eating of a sillie apple contrare the Lords commandement he condemned all mankinde and nothing could appease his wrath nor yet ransome the world but the bloud and death of his owne dearly beloved Sonne Jesus Christ When wee thinke on this severitie and of GODS terrible anger against sinne how loath should we be to offend GOD and yet in very contempt of GOD the wicked man will perseveir in all kinde of wickednesse and still deferre his Repentance till at last there shall be no time given him yea not the halfe quarter of an houres minute granted to him Heare how the Prophet Dauid saieth of such men Convertentur ad vesperam famem patientur vt canes circuibunt civitatem And in the evening they shall convert they shall runne about the Cittie and barke like dogs they shall houle for meate but surelie they shall not be satisfied O that in time we wold take heed to this woful speech And what more GOD will mock them and hold them in derifion It is to these that our Saviour will say Nescio vos I knowe you not Why Because you had no Oyle in your lampes And when he hath knowen them and all their wicked deedes which shall be accusers of them and laid open to beare testimonie against them O what will he then say to them Ite malidicti in ignem aeternum Goe you accursed vnto the eternall fire of Hell And besides all this remember the sharpe reckoning must be made when the least idle word we speake we must giue a count of it O GOD according to the multitude of thy mercies be mercifull to vs miserable sinners in that fearfull and terrible day of judgement In time convert vs O Lord and we shall be converted How happie is that man who can withstand the dangers of this life with a well resolved minde and still calles on GOD to assist him in all his actions for the temptations of this world are many and wondrous strong The devill is subtle and we are easily insnared and this our flesh is exceeding subject to many infirmities So that without Gods helpe we are not able of our selues to fight Then with the Prophet Dauid Let vs