like grosse sinnes they trust in God they shall be saued Theol. They erre not knowing the scriptures For many thousands are in great danger of losing their soules for euer which are frée from such notorious and horrible vices may many which in the world are counted good honest men good true dealers good neighbors and good Townes-men Asune I pray you Sir giue me leaue a little I haue heard all your speech hitherto and I like reasonably well of it but now I can forbeare no longer my conscience vrgeth me to speake For me thinkes you goe too far you goe beyond your learning in this that you condemne good neighbours and good townesmen You say many such men are in danger of losing their soules but I will neuer beleeue it while I liue For if such men be not saued I cannot tell who shall Theol. But you must learne to know out of the Scriptures that all outward honesty and righteousnes without the true knowledge and inward féeling of God auaileth not to eternall life As our Sauiour Christ saith Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen It is also written that when Paul preacht at Berea many honest men and honest women did beléeue that is such as were outwardly honest or honest to the world only for they could not be truly and inwardly honest before they did beléeue Therefore you sée that this outward honesty ciuility without the inward regeneration of the spirit auaileth not to eternall life and then consequently all your honest worldly men are in great danger of losing their soules for euer Asune What sound reason can you yeeld why such honest men should be condemned Theol. Because many such are vtterly void of all true knowledge of God and of his word Nay which is more many of them despise the word of God and hate all the zealous professors of it They estéeme preachers but as pratlers and Sermons as good tales they estéeme a Preacher no more than a shoomaker they regard the Scriptures no more then their old shooes What hope is there then I pray you that such men should be saued Doth not the holy Ghost say How shall wee escape if wee neglect so great saluation Asune You goe too farre you iudge too hardly of them Theol. Not a whit For all experience sheweth that they minde dreame and dote of nothing else day and night but this world this world lands and leases grounds and liuings kine and shéepe and how to way rich All their thoughts words and works are of these and such like things All their actions doe most manifestly declare that they are of the earth and speake of the earth and that there is nothing in thē but earth earth As for sermons they care not how few they heare And for the scriptures they regard them not they read them not they estéeme them not worth the while there is nothing more irkesome vnto them they had rather pill strawes or do any thing then heare read or conferre of the Scriptures And as the Prophet saith The word of the Lord is as a reproch vnto them that haue no delight in it Phila. I maruell much that such men should liue so honestly to the world-ward Theol. No maruell at all for many bad men whose hearts are worm-eaten within yet for some outward and carnall respects doe abstaine from the grosse act of sinne as some for credit some for shame some for feare of Law some for feare of punishment but none for loue of God for zeale or conscience of obedience For it is a sure thing that the wicked may haue that spirit which doth represse but not that which doth renew Phil. It seemeth then by your speeches that some which are not regenerate do in some things excell the children of God Theol. Most certaine it is that some of them in outward gifts and the outward cariage of themselues doe goe beyond some of the elect Phil. Shew me I pray you in what giftes Theol. In learning discretion iustice temperance prudence patience liberalitie affabilitie kindnesse curtesie good nature such like Phila. Me thinketh it should not be possible Theol. Yes truely For some of Gods deare children in whom no doubt the inward worke is truly and soundly wrought yet are so troubled encombred with a crabbed and crooked nature and so clogged with some master sin as some with anger some with pride some with couetousnesse some with lusts some one way and some another all which breaking out in them doe so blemish them and their profession that they cannot so shine forth vnto men as otherwise no doubt they would and this is their wound their griefe and their hart-smart and that which costeth them many a téere and many a praier and yet can they not get the full victorie ouer them but still they are left in them as the pricke in the flesh to humble them Phila. Yet loue should couer a multitude of such infirmities in Gods children Theol. It should doe so indeed but there is great want of loue euen in the best and the worser sort espying these infirmities in the godlie run vpon them with open mouth and take vpon them to condemne them vtterly and to iudge their hearts saying they be hypocrites dissemblers and there is none worse then they Phila. But doe you not thinke that there be some counterfeits euen amongst the greatest professors Theol. Yes no doubt there be and alwaies haue béen some very hypocrites in the Church but we must take héed of iudging and condemning all for some For it were very much to condemne Christ and his eleuen Disciples because of one Iudas or the whole Primitiue Church for Ananias and Sapphira Phila. But I hope you are of this minde that some regenerate men euen in outward gifts and their outward cariage are comparable with any others Theol. Questionlesse very many For they being guided by Gods spirit and vpheld by his grace do walke very vprightly and vnblameably towards men Phil. Yet there resteth one scruple for it seemeth verie strange vnto me that men of so discreet cariage as you speake of and of so many good parts should not be saued It is great pitie such men should be damned Theol. It séemeth so vnto vs indéed but God is onely wise and you must note that as there be some infirmities in Gods children which he correcteth with temporall chastisements and yet rewardeth their faith loue and inward seruice and obedience with eternall life so there be some good things in the wicked and them that are without Christ which God rewardeth with temporall blessings and yet punisheth them eternally for their vnbeléefe and hardnesse of heart Phila. Now you haue reasonably well satisfied me touching the doctrine of regeneration and the manifold errours and deceits that are in it and of it I pray you let vs now proceed and first of all tell me by
when he felt the world come in vpon him with full streame said he would pull downe his barnes and build greater and say to his soule Soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many years Liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But our Sauiour calleth him foole for flattering himselfe in security and promising vnto himselfe long life Moreouer hée plainely tolde him that the same night hée should make a hellish and miserable end Note I pray you how Jesus Christ the fountaine of all Wisedome calleth this man a foole and yéeldeth a reason thereof to wit because hée gathered riches to himselfe and was not rich in God hee had great care of this life and none at all for that which is to come So then it followeth that all such are right fools indéed and may be Chronicled for fooles how wise soeuer they be taken and reputed in the world which haue much care for their bodies and none for their soules great care for this life and little for that which is to come Well let all such prophane worldlings as dreame and doat of long life and therfore deferre the day of their repentance and conuersion vnto God take héed by this mans example that they reckon not without their Host and be suddenly snatched away in the midst of all their pleasures and iollities as Iob saith Some die in their full strength being in all ease and prosperity Their breasts runne full of milke and their bones run full of marrow Wée sée therefore how dangerous a thing it is for men to flatter and sooth vp themselues with hope of long life Phila. Proceed to the seuenth gate which is Conceitednesse Theol. This is indéed a very broad gate into hell For the Scripture saith Seest thou a man wise in his owne conceit there is more hope of a foole then of such a one And againe The foole is wiser in his owne eies then seuen men that can giue a sensible reason The holy ghost we sée affirmeth that such as are puft vp with an ouer-wéening of their owne gifts are farthest of all other from the kingdome of Heauen For they despise the wisedome of God to their owne destruction They hold scorne to bée taught They will say they know as much as all the Preachers can tell them For what can all the Preachers say more then this We are all sinners we must be saued by Christ Wée must doe as we would be done to There is no more but doe well and haue well c. Alas poore soules they looke aloft they are desperatly hauen vp with conceiptednesse not knowing that they are poore naked blinde miserable These men trust altogether to their owne wit learning policy riches and great reputation in the world And because all men crouch to them and clap their hands at them therefore they swell like Turky Cocks set vp their feathers draw their wings vpon the ground with a kinde of snuffe and disdaine of all men as if they were the onely wights of the world Moreouer when men doe praise them for their gifts soothe them and applaud vnto them then is it a wonder to sée how they streake themselues as though they would forthwith take their flight and mount into the cloudes But let all insolent and conceited men hearken vnto the woe that is pronounced against them by the eternall King of glory saying Woe vnto them that are wise in their owne eyes and prudent in their own sight Againe let them hearken to the counsel of God which saith Trust vnto the Lord with all thy heart but leane not vnto thine owne wisedome Bee not wise in thine owne eies but feare God and depart from euill These silly conceited fooles thinke that because they haue the cast of this life and can cunningly compasse the things of this world and goe through-stich with them therefore they can compasse heauen also by their fine wits and déepe deuices But alas poore wretches they are greatly and grossely deceiued For the wisdome of the world is foolishnesse with God and he catcheth the wise in their owne craftinesse And againe the Lord saith I wil destroy the wisdome of the wise and will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent Let not these men therefore stand too much in their owne light let them not trust to their owne policies For they are all but as an ice of one nights fréezing which will deceiue them that trust vnto it Let them therefore become fooles in themselues that God may make them wise Let them deny themselues that God may acknowledge them Let them be humbled in themselues that God may exalt them For assuredly there is no vse after this life of the most exquistte wisedome of flesh it all endeth when we end For how dieth the wise man Euen as dieth the foole saith the holy Ghost And where all worldly wisedome endeth there all heauenly wisedome beginneth Thus therefore we sée what a wide gate into hell conceitednesse is and how many enter in thereat Phila. Now let vs vnderstand of the eight gate into hell which is ill company Theol. The spirit of God foreséeing the great danger of this and knowing how ready we are to be carried away with ill company doth giue vs most earnest warning to take héed of it as a most dangerous thing Enter not saith he in the way of the wicked and walke not in the way of euill men Auoid it goe not by it turne from it and passe by The reason héereof is yéelded in another place where it is said A companion of fooles shall be made worse Let men therefore take héede of ill company For many thereby haue béene brought to the gallowes and haue confessed vpon the ladder that ill company hath brought them vnto it and therefore haue admonished all by their example to take héed and beware of lewd company Moreouer the Scripture saith He that followeth vaine companions shall be filled with pouerty And againe in the same Chapter He that keepeth company with banquetters shameth his Father Let vs therefore with Dauid say I am a companion of all them that feare God and keepe his commandements And on the contrary let vs say with him I haue not haunted with vaine persons neither kept company with the dissemblers I hate the assembly of the euill and haue not companied with the wicked Let vs therefore by Dauids example shun the company of the wicked For as a man is so is his company It is the surest note to discern a man by For as al vnlike things are vnsociable so all like things are sociable Herein let vs beware we deceiue not our selues with vaine words and an opinion of our owne strength as if we were as strong as Christ could not be drawne away with any company No no we are more apt to be drawne then to draw to be drawne to euill by others then to draw others
past remedy No meanes whatsoeuer can doe any good No gold no siluer no friends no riches no power no policy no flattery no bribery no reach no fetch or deuice whatsoeuer can preuaile one iot For a man being once in Hell hath no remedy He is in close prison he is shut vp vnder the hatches for euer there is no getting out againe He must suffer perpetuall imprisonment He cannot bring a writ of false imprisonment because hée is laid in by the most righteous and iust Judge who cannot possibly doe any wrong but he must lie by it For béeing there once he is there for euer If all the Angels of Heauen should entreat for a damned soule If Abraham Isaac and Iacob should make great sute If all the Prophets Apostles Martyrs shold be continuall solicitors of Christ for release if the father should make request for his son or the mother for her daughter yet can none of these be heard they must all haue the repulse For the sentence of Christ cannot be reuersed his decrée is vnrepealeable The due consideration of these things may make all hearts to quake and all knées to tremble In the troubles and afflictions of this life though a man come in neuer so great dangers yet he may winde out againe by one meanes or another by mony or friendship or rewards or such like meanes but in Hell fire this is it that gripes maketh the heart despaire that there is no remedy at all to be vsed If we should aske of a damned soule or an afflicted conscience what they would giue for the ease and redemption of their soules they would answere the whole world howsoeuer secure worldlings and wicked Atheists which see nothing nor feele nothing make nothing of it Héere by the way let vs consider the greatnesse of the losse of a mans soule which we shall the better perceiue and sée into if we can aright value and prise the soule If therefore it be demaunded what is the price of the soule or what is it worth our Lord Jesus answereth that it is more worth then all the world For saith he What shall it profit a man to win all the world and lose his soule Therefore the soule of the poorest begger is more worth then all the world Then I reason thus if the soule bée more worth then all the world then the losse of it is greater then the losse of the whole world For indéed it is a losse of all losses an vnrecouerable losse If a man should haue his house burnt ouer his head and all that he hath consumed in one night it were a great losse If a Merchant venturer should lose twenty thousand pound in one venture in one shippe or as they say in one bottome it were a very great losse If a king should lose his crowne and kingdome it were an excéeding great losse But the losse of the soule is a thousand time more than all these it is a matter of infinite importance If a Tenant bée cast out of the fauour of his Landlord it is a matter of griefe If a Noblemans Secretary be cast out of fauour with his Lord so that hée taketh a pritch against him it is a matter of great sorrow If a Nobleman himselfe be discountenanced cast out of all fauour with his Prince that was in great fauour it is a corsey a heart smart and a matter of excéeding gréeuance But to be eternally separated from God to be shut out of his fauor and to be cast away from his presence and the presence of his Angels is a matter of infinit more dolour and torment Marke then and behold what a thing it is for a man to lose his soule Oh therefore that men would bée wise in Gods feare that they would looke out in time make prouision for their soules Now then to close vp this whole point the summe of all that hath béene said is this That the torments of Hell are endlesse easelesse and remedilesse Asune The laying open of these doctrines of hell fire and the iudgement to come maketh me quake and tremble I am thereby much perplexed I feele great terror in my conscience I am afraid I shall be damned Antil Damned man What speake you of damning I am ashamed to heare you say so For it is well knowen that you are an honest man a quiet liuer a good neighbour and as good a towns man as any is in the parish where you dwell and you haue alwaies beene so reputed and taken If you should be damned I know not who shall be saued Asune I regard not your flatteries I beleeue God I beleeue his word I beleeue those things which M. Theologus hath alleaged out of the holy scriptures pointing me both to the chapter and the verse and whether it bee more meet that I should beleeue the Scriptures or your soothings iudge you No no Now I doe clearely see by the glasse of Gods law that my state is wretched and miserable For I haue liued in sinne and ignorance all the daies of my life being vtterly void of all Religion and true knowledge of God I am not the man indeed that you and others take me for For though outwardly I haue liued honestly to the worldward yet inwardly I haue not liued religiously to Godward Antile Tush tush now I see you are in a melancholy humour If you will goe home with me I can giue you a speedie remedie for I haue many pleasant and merry bookes which if you should heare them read would soone remedie you of this melancholy passion I haue the Court of Venus the Palace of pleasure Beuas of Southhampton Ellen of Rummin The merry Iest of the Frier and the Boy The pleasant story of Clem of the Clough Adam Bell and William of Cloudesley The odde tale of William Richard and Humfry The pretie conceit of Iohn Splinters last Will and Testament which all are excellent and singular bookes against heart-qualmes and to remooue such dumpishnesse as I see you are now fallen into Asune Your vaine friuolous books of tales iests and lies would more increase my griefe strike the print of sorrow deeper into my heart Antile Nay if you be of that minde I haue done with you Phila. I pray you if a man may be so bolde with you How came you by all these good bookes I should haue said so much trash and rubbish Antile What mattereth it to you What haue you to doe to enquire But I pray you Sir what meane you to call them trash and rubbish Phila. Because they be no better They be goodly geere trimme stuffe They are good to kindle a fire or to scoure a hot ouen withall And shall I tell you my opinion of them I doe thus thinke that they were deuised by the diuell seene and allowed by the Pope printed in hell bound vp by Hobgoblin and first published and dispersed in Rome Italy and Spaine and all to this
what meanes the new birth is wrought Theol. By the preaching of the word as the outward meanes and the secret worke of the spirit as the inward meanes Phila. Many heare the word preached and are nothing the better but rather the worse what I pray you is the cause of that Theol. Mens owne incredulity and hardnesse of heart because God in his wrath leaueth them to themselues and depriueth them of his spirit without the which all preaching is in vaine For except the spirit doe follow the word into our hearts we can find no ioy taste nor comfort therein Phila. Cannot a man attaine vnto regeneration and the new birth without the word and the spirit Theol. No verily for they are the instruments meanes whereby God doth worke it Asune Why may not a man haue as good a faith to God-ward that heareth no Sermons as he that heareth all the Sermons in the world Theol. Why may not he which eateth no meat be as fat and as well liking as he that eateth all the meat in the world For is not the preaching of the word the food of our soules Asune I like not so much hearing of Sermons and reading of the Scriptures except men could keepe them better Theol. Faithfull and honest hearers doe therefore heare that they may be more able to obserue and do For a man cannot do the will of God before he know it and he cannot know it without hearing and reading Antile I maruell what good men doe get by gadding to Sermons and poring so much in the scriptures or what are they better then others there are none more full of enuy and malice then they They will doe their neighbour a shrewd turne as soone as any body and therefore in mine opinion they be but a company of hypocrites and precise fooles Theol. You iudge vncharitably Full little doe you know what they feele or what good Gods people get by hearing of his word For the worke of the Spirit in the hearts of the elect is very secret and altogether hid from the world as it is written The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whither it goeth or whence it commeth So is euery man that is borne of the spirit And againe The things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Asune Tush tush what needs all this a doe If a man say his Lords praier his Ten Commandements and his Beliefe and keepe them and say no body no harme nor doe no body no harme and doe as he would be done to haue a good faith to God-ward and be a man of Gods beliefe no doubt he shall be saued without all this running to Sermons and pratling of the Scripture Theol. Now you powre it out indéede you thinke you haue spoken wisely But alas you haue bewraied your great ignorance For you imagine a man may be saued without the word which is a grosse errour Asune It is no matter say you what you will and all the Preachers in the world besides as long as Iserue God and say my praiers duly and truely morning and euening and haue a good faith in God and put my whole trust in him and doe my true intent and haue a good minde to God-ward and a good meaning although I am not learned yet I hope it will serue the turne for my soules health For that God which made me must saue me It is not you that can saue me for all your learning and all your Scriptures Theol. You may very fitly be compared to a sicke man who hauing his braine distempered with heat raueth and speaketh idlely he cannot tell what For the holy Ghost saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the law euen his praier shall be abhominable And againe he that despiseth the word he shall be destroied So long therefore as you despise Gods word and turne away your eare from hearing his Gospel preached all your prayers your fantasticall soruing God your good meanings and your good intents are to no purpose but most loathsome and odious in the sight of God as it is written My soule hateth your new moones and your appointed feastes they are a burthen vnto me I am weary to beare them When you stretch out your hands I will hide mine eies from you and though you make many praiers I will not heare For your hands are full of bloud And againe the Lord saith by the same Prophet He that killeth a bullocke is as if he slew a man hee that sacrificeth a sheepe as if he cut off a dogs necke he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swines blood he that remembreth incense as if he blessed an idol Where you sée the Lord telleth you his minde touching these matters to wit that all your praiers seruices good meanings c. are abhominable vnto him so long as you walk in ignorance prophanenes disobedience and contempt of the Gospel For he saith in the words immediately going before To him wil I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my words Asune I grant indeed for them that are idle and haue little to do it is not amisle now and then to heare a Sermon and read the Scriptures but we haue no leasure we must follow our businesse we cannot liue by the scriptures they are not for plaine folke they are too high for vs we will not meddle with them They belong to Preachers and Ministers Theol. CHRIST saith My sheepe heare my voice and I giue vnto them eternal life If therfore you refuse to heare the voice of Christ you are none of his sheepe neither can you haue eternall life And in another place our Lord Iesus saith He that is of God heareth Gods word Ye therefore heare it not because ye are not of God S. Paul writing to all sorts of men both rich and poore high low men women yong and old exhorteth that the word of Christ may dwell plenteously in them all in all wisedome You sée therefore that the Apostle would haue al sorts of people that haue soules to saue to be wel acquainted with the scriptures Therefore you may as well say you will not meddle with God with Christ nor with euerlasting life as to say you wil not meddle with the scriptures Asune Well I cannot reade and therefore I cannot tell what Christ or what S. Paul may say but this I am sure of that God is a good man worshipped might he be he is mercifull and that wee must be saued by our good prayers and good seruing of God Theol. You speake foolishly and ignorantly in al that you say hauing no ground for any thing you speake but your own fansie and your own conceit and yet you will beléeue your own fansie against all Preachers against all that can be spoken out of the Word But I praie you giue me
leaue a little If a man dreame that he shall be a king and in the morning when he is awake perswadeth himselfe it shall be so may hée not be iustly laughed at as hauing no ground for it euen so may all they which beleeue their owne dreams and phantasies touching saluation But it is true which Salomon saith A foole beleeueth euery thing that copper is gold and a counter an angel And assuredly great reason there is that he which will not beléeue God should be giuen ouer to beleeue the diuell his dreame and his fansie Asune I pray you instruct me better then Theol. You had néed indéed to be better instructed for the diuell hath slily deluded your soule and cast a mist before your eies making you beléeue the Crow is white and that your estate is good before God whereas indéed it is most wofull and miserable Asune Nay I defie the diuell with all my heart But I pray you tell me how it commeth to passe that I am thus deceiued Theol. This it is that deceiueth you and many others that you measure your selues by your selues and by others which is a false metwand For you séeme to lie straight so long as you are measured by your selues and by others but lay the rule of Gods word vnto you and then you lie altogether crooked Asune What other thing is there that deceiueth me Theol. An other thing that deceiueth you is your owne heart for you know not your owne heart but are altogether deceiued therein For the heart is deceiueable aboue all things He is a wise man and greatly enlightned that knoweth his owne heart But you are blind and know not what is within you but dimly imagin you shal be saued and hope you know not what of eternal life And because blindnes maketh you bold you wil séeme to be resolute in words and say it is pitty he should liue which doth any whit doubt of his saluation And assuredly you speake as you think as you know For ought that you know to the contrary it séemeth so though indéed and in truth it is not so for you are deluded with a false light And sometimes no doubt you haue pricks gripes terrors and inward accusations of conscience for all your bold and resolute spéeches Asune Truely I neuer heard so much before Theol. That is because you shut your eyes and stop your eares against God and all goodnesse You are like the deafe Adder which heareth not the voice of the Charmer though he be most expert in charming Asune Well then if it be so I would be glad now to learn if you would teach me And as you haue shewed me the meanes whereby the new birth is wrought so now shew mee the certaine signes and tokens thereof whereby all men may certainly know that they are sanctified regenerate and shall be saued Theol. There be eight infallible notes and tokens of a regenerate minde which may well be tearmed the eight signes of saluation and they are these A loue to the children of God A delight in his word Often and feruent prayer Zeale of Gods glory Deniall of our selues Patient bearing of the crosse with profit and comfort Faithfulnesse in our calling Honest iust and conscionable dealing in all our actions amongst men Phila. Now that you haue shewed vs the euident signes of mans saluation shew vs also the signes of condemnation Theol. The contraries vnto these are manifest signes of damnation No loue to the childen of God No delight in his word Seldome and cold praiers Coldnesse in Gods matters Trusting to our selues Impatience vnder the Crosse Vnfaithfulnesse in our calling Vnhonest and vnconscionable dealing Phila. No doubt if a man be infected with these they be shrewd signes that a man is extreamly soule-sick and in a very dangerous case But are there not yet more euident and apparant signes of condemnation then these Theol. Yes verily There be nine very cleare and manifest signes of a mans condemnation Phila. I pray you let me heare what they be Theol. Pride Whoredome Couetousnesse Contempt of the Gospell Swearing Lying Drunkennesse Idlenesse Oppression Phila. These be grosse things indeed Theol. They may not vnfitly be termed the nine Beelzebubs of the world and he that hath these signes vpon him is in a most wofull case Phila. What if a man be infected with some two or three of these Theol. Whosoeuer is infected with thrée of them is in great danger of losing his soule For all these be deadly venome and ranke poison to the soule and either the thrée first or the thrée last or the middle thrée are enough to poison the soule and sting it to death Nay to say the truth a man were as good gripe a toad and handle a snake as meddle with any one of these Phila. Is euery one of them so dangerous Theol. Questionlesse For they be the very Plague-sores of the soule If any man haue a Plague-sore vpon his body we vse to say Gods tokens are vpon him Lord haue mercy on him So we may truly say if any man be thorowly and totally infected at the heart with any one of these Gods tokens are vpon his soule Lord haue mercy on him Phila. Many do not thinke these to be such dangerous matters as you make them many there be which make light of them Theol. True indéed For the most part of men are altogether shut vp in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart hauing neither sight nor féeling of their sinnes and therefore make light of them thinking there is no such danger Phila. It is most certaine that men are giuen to lessen and extenuate their sins or else to hide them and dawbe them ouer with many cunning shifts and vaine excuses For men are euer readie to take couert and will writhe and wreath like snakes to hide their sins yea if it were possible to make sinne no sinne to make vertue vice and vice vertue Therefore I pray you lay open vnto me out of the scriptures the grieuousnesse and vglinesse of their sinnes Theol. The stinking filthines of these sins is so great and horrible that no tongue or pen of man is sufficient fully to manifest and lay open the same according to the proper nature and being thereof yet notwithstanding I wil do my indeuour to lay them open in some measure that all men may the more loath them Phila. I pray you then first of all beginne with Pride Theol. You say well For that indéed may well stand in the fore-front sith it is a masterdiuell and the master pocke of the soule Phila. Shew mee out of the Scriptures that pride is so grieuous and loathsome Theol. SALOMON saith Euery one that is proud in heart is abhomination to the Lord. Which plainely sheweth that God doth detest and abhorre proud men And is it not a fearfull thing think you to be abhorred of God And in the same Chapter vers 18. he saith
an harlot drop as an honie-combe the roofe of her mouth is fofter then oile yet her latter end is bitter as worm-wood and as sharpe as a two edged sword All these prudent speeches of the holy Ghost doe most euidently shew vnto vs what a feareful thing it is to commit whoredome and so to fall into the hands of whores and harlots Therefore Iob saith of the wicked Their soule dieth in youth and their life among the whore-mongers Phila. You haue very well shewed out of Gods booke the great danger of whoredome and adultery And it is greatly to be lamented that men in this age make so light of it as they doe and that it is so common a vice nay that some alas with griefe I speake it doe professe it liue by it and prostitute themselues wholly vnto it Theol. Such men and women may iustlie feare the plaguing hand of God for the Lord saith by his Prophet Though I fed them to the full yet they commited adultery and assembled themselues by companies in harlots houses They rose vp in the morning like fed horses euery man neigheth after his neighbours wife Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this Phila. Me thinketh if men were not altogether hardned in this sinne and euen past feeling and past grace this threatning and thundring of God himselfe from heauen should terrifie them Theol. A man would thinke so indéede but now we may take vp the old complaint of the Prophet I hearkened and heard and loe no man spake aright no man repented him of his euill saying What haue I done Euery one turned to their race as the horse rusheth into the battell Antile Tush whoredome is but a tricke of youth and wee see all men haue their imperfections Theol. You speake prophanely and wickedly For shall wee count that but a trick of youth for the which the Lord smote thrée and twenty thousand of his owne people in one day Shall we count that but a trick of youth for the which the Lord threatned Dauid his owne seruant that the sword should neuer depart from his house Shall we count that but a trick of youth for the which Hamor and Shechem the father and the sonne and many other both men women and children were cruelly murdred by Simeon and Leui the sonnes of Iacob Shall we count that but a trieke of youth for the which the Lord slew Hophni and Phineas the two sonnes of Eli the Priest in the battell of the Philistines Shall we thus set all at six and seuen and make light of such horrible villanies Doth not the seueritie of the punishments shew the greatnesse of the sinne Doth not the Apostle say These things came vpon them for our ensamples vpon whom the ends of the world are come and yet you passe it ouer with a tush and a tricke of youth as if God were to be dallied with No no be not deceiued God is not mocked They which will not be mooued now in hearing shall one day be crushed in pieces in féeling And they which now call whordome a tricke of youth shall one day howle and crie yell and yelpe for such trickes with woe and alas that euer they were borne Antil Oh sir you must beare with youth youth you know is fraile and youth will be youthfull when you haue said all that you can Theol. Yes but God doth allow no more libertie vnto youth then vnto age but bindeth all vpon paine of death to the obedience of his commandements The Apostle saith Let yoong men be sober minded Dauid saith Wherewith shall a yoong man cleanse his way In taking heede thereto according to thy worde The wise man saith Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth And further addeth that if they will needes follow their lusts their pleasures and their owne swinge yet in the end he will bring them to iudgement arraigne them condemne them and tame them in hell fire well enough Phila. Yet we see men are so violently carried after their lust and so desperately bent that they will haue the present sweet and pleasure of sin come of it what will Come sicknesse come death come hell come damnation they are at a point they will pay the highest price for their lustes They will purchase their pleasures with the losse of their soules Oh wofull purchase O damnable pleasures Theol. Swéet meat will haue sower sawce and a dramme of pleasure a pound of a sorrow Such cursed catifes shal at last pay a deare shot for their pleasures Such desperate wretches shall one day know to their euerlasting woe what it is to prouoke God to sin with so high an hand against him They shall well know in spight of their hearts that vengeance is prepared for the wicked and that there is a God that iudgeth the earth Let al men therfore take héed in time For whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge And the Apostle saith flatly That whoremongers and Adulterers shall not inherit the kingdome of God Let therefore no fornicator or vncleane person bee found amongst vs as was Esau But let vs abstain from fleshly lusts which fight against the soule And let euery one know how to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and nor in the lust of concupiscence as the Gentiles which know not God 1. Thess 4. 5. Héerein let vs consider the wise spéech of an ancient Father Sinne while it is in dooing ministreth some pleasure but when it is committed the short pleasure thereof vanisheth awaie and long sorrow commeth in stead of it Neither let vs héere reiect the saying of a wise Heathen Shunne pleasure for feare of smart Sowre things follow sweet and ioy heauinesse Antile Yet for all this you shall not make me beleeue that whoredome is so hainous a mattter You make more of it then it is Theol. True indéed For you and such as you are will beléeue nothing against your lusts and fleshly delights and that is the cause why you are deafe on this eare I will therfore adde a word or two more out of the oracles of God to that which hath vin spoken The wise king saith He that committeth Adulterie with women destroieth his owne soule and so is accessarie to his owne death which is no small matter For wée vse to say if a man hang himselfe drowne himselfe or any manner of way make away himselfe that he was cursed of God that Gods hand was heauie against him that the diuell ought him a shame and now he hath paid it him And all the countrey rings of such a strange accident when and where it falleth out and the Crowner of the Countrey doth sit vpon it How much more may all the world wonder at this that a man should destroy his owne soule and wittingly and willingly cast
cause why men should be so giuen to this world For they must leaue it when they haue done all that they can As we say To day a man to morrow none And as the Apostle saith We brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we shall carry nothing out We must all die we know not how soone why therfore should men set their hearts vpon such vncertaine and deceiuable thinges for all things in this world are more light then a feather more brittle then glasse more fléeting then a shadow more vanishing then smoke more vnconstant then the winde Doubtlesse saith the Prophet Dauid Man walketh in a shadow and disquieteth himselfe in vaine he heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them Psalm 39. 6. I wonder therefore that these Moules and Muck-wormes of this earth should so minde these shadowish things and so dote on them as they doe If they were not altogether hardned and blinded by the diuell they would not be so néerely knit to the clod and the peny as they are thinking and alwaies imagining that there is no happinesse but in these things which are but dung and drosse and at last they will giue vs the slip when we thinke our selues most sure of them The wise king who had the greatest experience of these things that euer man had for hée enioyed whatsoeuer this world could affoord vpward and downeward backward and forward yet could find nothing in them but vanity and vexation of spirit Moreouer he flatly auoucheth that all these things riches wealth honour pleasures and treasures will most notably deceiue vs in the end giue vs the slip and be gone For he compareth riches and all the glorie of this world to an Eagle or Hawke which a man holdeth vpon his fist stroketh her maketh of her taketh great delight and pleasure in her and saith he wil not take ten pounds for her yet al on the sudden she taketh her flight and flieth vp into the ayre and he neuer séeth her more nor shée him The wordes of the holy Ghost are these Wilt thou cause thine eyes to flie after them meaning riches Thou mayst but they will not be found For they will make themselues wings like to the Eagle which flieth vp to Heauen From thence wée may learne that though wée set our hearts neuer so much on any thing here below yet at the last it shall be taken from vs or we from it Therefore all worldly men doe but weaue the Spiders webbe and may fitly be compared to the silly Spider who toileth her selfe and laboureth all the weeke long to finish vp her webbe that she may lodge her selfe in it as in her owne house and frée hold But alas at the weeks end a Maid in a moment with one brush of a broome dispessesseth her of her in heritance which she had purchased with great labour and much adoe Euen so when the men of this world haue with much care and trauell purchased great lands and reuenewes and gathered all that they can yet on the sudden death with one stroke of his direfull dart will make them giue vp the ghost and then where are they It was pretily therefore said of a man in the light of nature No man hath euer liued so happily in this life but in his life-time many things haue befallen him for the which he hath wished rather to die then to liue And assuredly I thinke there was neuer any man liued any one day vpon the fare of this earth but some griefe or other either did or iustly might inuade his minde ere night either in the temptations of the world the flesh or the diuell or in regard of soule body goods or name in regard of wife children friends or neighbours in regard of dangers to Prince Estate church or Common wealth in regard of casualties and losses by water by fire by Sea or by land What a life therefore is this that hath not one good day in it Who would desire to dwell long in it For it lieth open euery day to manifold miseries dangers losses casualties reproaches shame infamie pouerty sicknesse diseases collickes agues tooth-ache head-ache backe-ache bone-ache and a thousand calamities Phila. You haue very well described vnto vs the vanitie of this life and that no day is free from one sorrow or other one griefe or other Which thing our Lord Iesus ratifieth in the reason which he bringeth why men should not distrustfully care for to morow For saith he Sufficient vnto the day is the euill thereof Or as some reade it The day hath enough with his owne griefe Where in hee doth plainely shew that euery day hath his sorrow his euill his griefe and his thwart But I pray you proceed further in this point Theol. This I say further that when men haue swinked and sweat carked cared moiled and turmoiled drudged droiled by night by day by sea and by land with much care and sorrow much labour and griefe to rake together the things of this life yet at last all will away again and we must end where we began For as Iob said Naked wee came into the world and naked we must goe out Iob 1. For euen as a wind-mill beateth it selfe maketh a great noise whisleth and whisketh about from day to day all the yéere long yet at the yéeres end standeth still where it begun being not mooued one foot backward or forward so when men haue blustered and blowen all that they can haue euen run themselues out of breath to scrape vp the commodities of the earth yet at last they must spite of their beards end where they began end with nothing as they began with nothing end with a winding shéet as they began with swadling clouts For what is become of the greatest Monarchs Kings Princes Potentates and Magnificoes that euer the world had Where is Cyrus Darius Xerxes Alexander Caesar Pompey Scipio and Hanniball Where are the valiant Henries and noble Edwards of England Are they not all gone downe to the house of obliuion Are they not all returned to their dust and all their thoughts perish Though they were as Gods yet haue they died as a man are fallen like others Who now careth for them who talketh of them who feareth them who regardeth them do not beggars tread vpon them Yet while they liued they were the Lords of the world they were as terrible as Lions fearefull to all men full of pompe and glorie dignitie and maiestie They plowed vp all things they bare all before them and who but they But now they haue giuen vp the ghost and are as Iob saith gone downe to the house appointed for all the liuing Their pompe is descended with them and all their glorie is buried in the ashes They are now couered vnder a cled cast out into a vault made companions to toades and the wormes do eat them and what is become of their soules is most of all to
be feared Thus wée sée how all flesh doth but make a vaine shew for a while vpon this Theatre of misery fetcheth a compasse about and is presently gone For as the Poet saith Seriùs aut citiùs sedem properamus ad vnam First or last we must all to the graue Asune You haue made a very good speech It doth me good to heare it I wonder all these things considered that men should be so wholly giuen to this world as they are I thinke the diuell hath bewitched them For they shall carry nothing with them when they die but their good deeds and their ill Theol. The drudges and snudges of this world may very fitly be compared to a Kings lumpter-horse which goeth laden all the day long with as much gold and treasure as hée can beare but at night his treasure is taken from him he is turned into a sory durtie stable and hath nothing left him but his galled backe Euen so the rich cormorants and caterpillers of the earth which here haue treasured and hoorded vp great heapes of gold and siluer with the which they trauell loaden thorow this world shall in the end be stript out of all let downe into their graue and haue nothing left them but their galled consciences with the which they shall be tumbled downe into the dungeon of eternall darkenesse Phila. Wherein doth the sting and strength of the world especially consist Theol. Euen as the great strength of Sampson lay in his haire so the great strength of the world lieth in her two breasts the one of pleasure the other of profit For she like a notable strumpet by laying out these her breasts doth bewitch the sonnes of men and allureth thousands to her lust For if she cannot winne them with the one breast yet she gameth them with the other if not with pleasure then with profit if not with profit then with pleasure Hée is an odde man of a thousand that sucketh not of the one breast or the other But sure it is which soeuer he sucketh he shall be poisoned For shée giueth none other milke but ranke poysen The world therefore is like to an alluring Iael which sitteth at her doore to entise vs to come in and eat of the milke of her pleasures but when she hath once got vs in she is ready euen while we are eating with her hammer and her naile to pearce thorow our braines Phila. I see plainely this world is a very strumpet a strong bait and a snarling net wherein thousands are taken It is very birdlime which doth so belime our affections that they cannot ascend vpward It is like the waights of a clocke hanged vpon our soules which draweth them downe to the earth it naileth vs fast downe to the ground It mortifieth vs into clay it maketh vs abhominable vnto God For I remember God made a law that whatsoeuer goeth with his breast vpon the ground should be abhominable vnto vs. How much more these carnall world-lings which are fast sodered to the earth Theol. The Apostle S. Iames séeing into the déep wickednesse of this world and knowing right wel how odious it maketh vs in the sight of God crieth out against it terming it adultery and all worldlings adulterers because they for sake Christ their true husband whorishly giue their hearts to this world O yee adulterers adulteresses saith he know yee not that the amitie of this world is the enmitie of God Whosoeuer therefore will bee a friend of this world maketh himselfe the enemy of God And who dare stand forth and say I will be the enemy of God Who therefore dare be a worldling For euery worldling is the enemy of God What then will become of you O yée wicked worldlings Phila. It appeareth then plainely by the Scriptures that the excessiue loue of this world and vnsatiable desire of hauing is a most dangerous thing and men do they know not what in seeking so greedily after it Theol. The heathen man will rise vp in iudgement against vs for he saith Vnsatiablenesse is the foulest euill amongst mortal men But many of our sea-gulfs and whirle-pooles make no conscience of it They thinke it is no sinne they deuoure and swallow vp all and yet are neuer satisfied They will haue all and more then all and the diuell and al. The whole world cannot satisfie their mind but God must create new worlds to content them These men are sicke of the Golden dropsie the more they haue the more they desire The loue of money increaseth as mony if selfe increaseth But the Scripture saith He that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied with filuer Oh therefore that wée would striue earnestly to get out of this gulfe of hell and tread the moone that is all worldly things vnder our féet as it is spoken of the Church and that we would set our affections on the things that are aboue and not on the things that are beneath that we would flie an high pitch and so are aloft as the Eagles looking downe at this world and all things in it as at our féet contemning it and treading the very glory of it vnder our féet that it may neuer haue more power ouer vs Phila. Oh happy and twise happy are they that can doe so And I beseech the Almighty God giue vs his holy spirit whereby we may be carried aboue this world into the mountaines of Myrrhe and the mountaines of Spices For how happy a thing is it to haue our conuersation in heauen that is to haue an inward conuersation with God by much praier reading meditation and heauenly affections This indeed is to clime vp aboue the world and to conuerse in the chambers of peace Oh therefore that we could seriously and thorowly conceiue and consider of this world as it is that we would well weigh the vanity of it and the excellency of that which is to come that we might loath the one and loue the other despise the one and imbrace the other loue God more than euer we did and this world lesse For what is this world but vanity of vanities Antil You doe exceedingly abase that which some make their god You speake contemptuously of that which most men haue in greatest price and admiration You disgrace that which multitudes would grace You make light of that which numbers make greatest account of Let vs therefore heare your reasons shew vs more fully what it is describe it vnto vs. Theol. The world is a sea of glasse a pageant of fond delights a Theatre of vanity a labyrinth of errour a gulfe of griefe a stie of filthinesse a vale of misery a spectacle of wo a riuer of téeres a stage of deceipt a cage full of Owles a denne of Scorpions a wildernesse of Wolues a cabben of Beares a whirl-wind of passions a fained Comedie a delectable phrensie where is false delight assured griefe certaine sorrow vncertaine pleasure lasting wo fickle
you sée how the stones and timber of your houses shall descant vpon you And howseeuer you put on your brazen brows harden your hearts against these threatnings of the most terrible God and Lord of hosts yet one day you shall spite of your hearts will ye nill ye be brought forth vnto iudgement you shall once come to your reckoning you shall at last be apprehended conuented and arraigned at the bar of Gods tribunall seat before the great Judge of all the world Then sentence shall passe against you euen that most dreadfull sentence Goe ye cursed into hell-fire there to bee tormented with the Diuell and his Angels for euer O then woe woe vnto you For what shall it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule saith our Lord Jesus Surely euen as much as if one should winne a farthing and lose an hundered thousand pound For if hée shall be cast into Hell-fire which hath not giuen of his owne goods righteously gotten as our Sauiour auoucheth where then shall hée be cast that hath stollen other mens goods And if he shal be damned that hath not clothed the naked what shall become of him that hath made naked them that were clothed Oh therefore repent in time O ye cruell oppressors séeke the Lord whilest he may be found call vpon him while he is néere lay aside your sauage cruelty visit the fatherlesse and widow in their distresse deale your bread to the hungry helpe them to their right which suffer wrong deale mercifully with your tenants racke not your rents any more pinch not the poore soules for whom Christ died pittie them I say but pinch them not deale kindly friendly with them remember your great accounts consider the shortnesse of your daies and the vanitie of your life rent your hearts and not your clothes Turne vnto the Lord with all your heart with wéeping fasting and mourning preuent Gods wrath with a sacrifice of téeres pacifie his anger with the calues of your lips and with a contrite spirit be gréeued for that which is past and amend that which is to come stand it out no more at the swords point against God For it will not boot you to striue he is too strong for you Your only wisdom is to come in Come in therfore come in ye rebellious generation submit your selues to the great King humble your selues vnder his mighty hand cast downe your swords and targets yéeld vnto your God So shall you escape the vengeance to come so shall God accept you haue mercy vpon you receiue you to fauor grant you a generall pardon for all your rebellions and admit you into the number of his faithfull and loyall subiects Phila. I doe conceiue by diuers speeches which you haue alledged that goods gotten by oppression and cruelty will neuer prosper long For oppressors coine their mony vpon their neighbours skins How then can it be blessed Theol. You haue spoken a truth For as it hath béen shewed before that those goods which are gotten by swearing and lying are cursed so all these that are gotten by oppression and violence are more cursed Therefore the Lord saith by his Prophet Ieremie as the Partrich gathereth the yong which shee hath not brought foorth so he that gathereth riches and not by right shall leaue them in the midst of his daies and at his end shall bee a foole and his name shall be written in the earth Phila. Would to God our Magistrates and Gouernours would take speedy order for the remedying of these things and for the redressing of such grieuous enormities as are amongst vs or that they themselues woulde step in and deliuer the oppressed from the hand of the oppressor Theol. Iob was an excellent man for such matters For it is said of him That he brake the iawes of the vnrighteous man and pluckt the prey out of his teeth Where we sée how Iob was a meanes to deliuer the innocent and to pull the Lambe out of the Lions clawes Moreeuer it is written of him in the same chapter that the blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon him and that hée caused the widowes heart to reioyce that he was the eie to the blind the féet to the lame and the father to the poore and when he knew not the cause hée sought it out diligently Oh what a notable man was this Oh that we had many Iobs in these daies Wise Salomon doth most grauely aduise vs all to follow Iobs example in this behalfe Deliuer saith he them that are oppressed and drawne to death For shouldest thou withdraw thy self from them which go downe to the slaughter would to God that this holy counsell were well weighed and practised amongst vs Phila. I maruell much with what face these cruell oppressors can come before God in his holy Temple to pray and offer vp their sacrifices vnto him For we see many of them though they haue such foule hands and foule hearts as wee haue heard yet for all that will most impudently presume to come to the church and pray or at least when they are laide in their beds a nights and halfe asleepe then wil they tumble ouer their praiers or be pattering some Pater nosters Theol. Alas alas poore soules all that they do in matters of Gods worship is but hypocrisie dissimulation For in truth they care not for God they loue him but from the téeth outward their mouths are with him but their heart goeth after couetousnesse and their hands are full of blood And therefore God doth both abhorre them and their prayers For saith he Though they stretch out their hands yet will I hide mine eyes from them and though they make many prayers yet will I not heare them For their hands are full of blood Moreouer the holy Ghost saith He that turneth away his eare from hearing the Law euen his praier is abhominable Dauid saith If I regard wickednes in my heart God will not heare my praier Our Lord Iesus also affirmeth that God heareth not sinners that is stubburne and carelesse sinners So then we may cléerely sée by all these testimonies of holy writ what account God maketh of the praiers of oppressors and all other prophane vngodly men namely that hée doth hate them and abhorre them as most loathsome and odious in his sight Phila. Now in conclusion shew vs the causes of oppression Theol. The causes are these Crueltie Couetousnesse Hard-heartednesse An euill conscience The Diuell Phila. Let vs heare also of the remedies Theol. The remedies are these Pitie Contentation Tender affections A good conscience Much prayer Phila. Now sir as you haue at large vttered your mind concerning these grosse corruptions of the world and haue plainely and euidently proued them to be the deadly poison of the soule so also I pray you satisfie vs in this whether they be not hurtfull also to the body
of Israel were as the sand of the sea yet but a remnant shall be saued Phila. How doe you ballance it in the visible Church or in what comparison do you take it Let vs heare some estimate of it Some thinke one of a hundred some but one of a thousand shall be saued Theol. Indéed I haue heard some learned and godly Diuines giue such coniectures but for that matter I can say nothing to it But onely let vs obserue the comparison of the holy Ghost betwixt a remnant and the sand of the sea and it will giue some light into the matter Phila. Doth not the knowledge of this doctrine discourage men from seeking after God Theol. Nothing lesse But rather it ought to awake vs and stirre vp in vs a greater care of our saluation that we may be of the number of Christs little flocke which make an end of their saluation in feare and trembling Phila. Some make light of all these matters Others say As for the life to come that is the least matter of an hundred to be cared for As for that matter they will leaue vnto God euen as pleaseth him they will not meddle with it For they say God that made them must saue them They hope they shal do as well as others and make as good shift as their neighbours Theol. It is lamentable that men should be so carelesse and make so light of that which of all other things is most waighty and important For it shall not profit a man to win the whole world and lose his owne soule as the authour of all wisedome testifieth Asune I pray you Sir vnder correction giue me leaue to speake my minde in this point I am an ignorant man pardon me if I speake amisse For a fooles bolt is soone shot Theol. Say on Asune I doe verily thinke that God is stronger then the diuell Therefore I cannot beleeue that he will suffer the Diuell to haue moe then himselfe He will not take it at his hands Hee loueth mankind better then so Theol. You doe carnally imagine that God will wrestle and striue with the diuel about the matter As for Gods power it doth neuer crosse his will For God can doe nothing against his will and decrée because he will not Asune Yea but the Scripture saith God will haue all men saued Theol. That is not meant of euery particular man but of all sorts some Some Iewes some Gentiles some rich some poore some high some lowe c. Asune Christ died for all therefore all shall be saued Theol. Christ died for all in the sufficiency of his death but not in efficacy vnto life For onely the Elect shall bée saued by his death As it is written This is my bloud in the new Testament which is giuen for you meaning his Disciples and chosen Children And againe Christ béeing consecrated is made the author of saluation to all that obey him Asune God is mercifull and therfore I hope he will saue the greatest part for his mercy sake Theol. The greatest part shall perish but all that shal be saued shal be saued by his mercy As it is written He will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy And whom he will he hardneth And againe It is not in him that willeth or in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy Therefore though God be infinite in mercy and Christ infinite in merit yet none shall haue mercy but onely the vessels of mercy Antile Can you tell who shall be saued and who shall be damned Do you know Gods secrets When were you in Heauen When spake you with God I am of the mind that all men shall be saued For Gods mercy is aboue all his works Say you what you will and what you can God did not make vs to condemne vs. Theol. You are very peremptory indéed you are more bold then wise for Christ saith few shall be saued you say all shall be saued Whether then shall we beléeue Christ or you Antil If there should come two soules one from heauen and another from hell and bring vs certaine newes how the case stood then I would beleeue it indeed Theol. Put case two soules of the dead should come the one from heauen the other from hell I can tell you afore-hand certainly what they would say and what newes they would bring Antil What I pray you Theol. They would say there be few in heauen and many in hell heauen is empty and hell is full Antil How know you that How know you they would say so Theol. I am sure if they speake the truth they must néeds say so Antil Must they needs Why I pray you must they needs Theol. Because the word of God saith so Because Moyses and the Prophets say so If you wil not beléeue Moyses and the Prophets neither will you beléeue though one though two though an hundred should rise from the dead Antile Yes but I would Theol. I pray you let me aske you a question Whether doe you thinke that God and his word or the soules of dead men are more to be credited Antile If I were sure that God said so then I would beleeue it Theo. If his word say so doth not he say so Is not he and his word all one Antile Yet for all that if I might heare God himselfe speake it it would moue me much Theol. You shew your selfe to be a notable Infidell You wil not beleeue Gods word without signes and miracles and wonders from the dead Antile You speake as though you knew certainely that hell is full You doe but speake at randome you cannot tell you were neuer there to see But for mine owne part I beleeue there is no hell at all but onely the hell of a mans conscience Theol. Now you shew your selfe in kinde what you are You say you beléeue no hell at all And I think if you were wel examined you beléeue no heauen at all neither God nor diuell Antile Yes I beleeue there is an Heauen because I see it with mine eies Theol. You will beléeue no more belike then you sée but blessed is he that beléeueth and séeth not You are one of the rankest Atheists that euer I talked withall Antile You ought not to iudge you know not mens hearts Theol. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh You haue sufficiently bewraied your heart by your words For the tongue is the key of the minde As for iudging I iudge you onely by your fruits which is lawfull For wée may iustly say It is a bad trée which bringeth foorth bad fruit and he that doth wickedly is a wicked man But it is you and such as you are that wil take vpon you to iudge mens hearts For though a mans outward actions be religious and honest yet you will condemne him And if a man giue himselfe to the word and praier reformeth his family and abstaineth from
pull them out of the pawes of this roaring Lion which goeth about continually seeking whom hee may deuour Theol. It standeth vs vpon indéed very seriously and carefully to looke to it as wée will answer it at the dreadfull day of iudgement For it is no small matter that we haue taken in hand which is to care for the flocke which Christ hath bought with his bloud Would to God therefore that wée would leaue striuing about other matters and striue together all about this who can pull most out of the kingdome of Sathan sinne and ignorance who can winne most soules and who can performe best seruice to the church This were a good strife indéede and would to God that we might once at last with ioined forces goe about it with one heart and hand ioine together to build vp Gods house If through our owne follies the worke hath béen hindred or any breach made let vs in wisedome and loue labor to make it vp againe If there hath béene any declining and coldnesse let vs now at last reuiue let vs stirre vp our selues that we may stirre vp others Let vs be zealous and feruent in spirit that wée may through Gods grace put life into others and rowse vp this dead declining cold age wherein we liue So shall God be glorified his church edified his Saints comforted his people saued his throne erected and the kingdome of the Diuell ouerthrowne Phila. What thinke you were the best course to effect this which you speake of Theol. This is a thing that must bée excéedingly laboured in of vs which are the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell And héere is required diligence and as we say double diligence for the people are euery where very ignorant Some are stones altogether vncapable of instruction others are froward and wilfull Some will receiue the doctrine but not the practise some againe are altogether set vpon péeuishnesse and cauilling So that a man were better take vpon him the charge of kéeping Wolues and Beares then the charge of souls For it is the hardest thing in the world to reforme mens disorders and to bring them into order to pull mens soules out of the kingdome of Sathan and to bring them to God It is as we say an endlesse péece of worke an infinite toyle a labour of all labours I quake to thinke of it For men are so obstinate and irrefragable that they wil be brought into no order they wil come vnder no yoake They will not be ruled by God nor bridled by his word They wil follow their owne swinge They will run after their owne lusts and pleasures They will kicke and spurne if they be reprooued They will rage and storme if you goe about to curbe them and restraine them of their wils likings and liberties They wil haue their wils and follow their old fashions say what you will and doe what you can Is it not thinke you a busie péece of worke to smooth and square such Timber-logs so full of knots and knobs Is it not a tedious and irkesome thing to thinke vpon And would it not kill a mans heart to goe about it For how hard a thing is it to bring such into frame as are so farre out of frame Phila. Well sir you can but doe your endeuour and commit the successe to God You can but plant and water let God giue the encrease You are Ministers of the letter but not of the spirit You baptise with water but not with the holy Ghost If you therefore preach diligently exhort admonish and reprooue publikely and priuately studying by all good example of life and seeking with all good zeale care and conscience to do the vttermost that in you lieth to reduce them from their euill waies I take it you are discharged though they remaine stubborne and incorrigible For you know what the Lord saith by his Prophet If you doe admonish them and giue them warning then you shall bee discharged and their blood shall bee required at their owne hands Theol. You haue spoken the truth And therfore sith some must needs take vpon them this so great a charge it will bée our best course to labour much with them in Catechising and priuate instructions and that in most familiar and plaine manner For much good hath béene done and is done this way The ignorant sort must be much labored vpon this way and so no doubt much good may be done For in all labour there is profit Héerein we that are the Ministers of Christ must be content to bée abased and to teach the poore ignorant people in most plaine maner asking them many easie questions often questioning with them in most plaine and louing maner till we haue brought them to some taste and smacke of the principles of Christian Religion We must not be ashamed to vse repetitions and tautologies and to tell them one thing twenty times ouer and ouer againe héere a line and there a line héere a little and there a little precept vpon precept as the Prophet speaketh I know riht well nothing goeth more against the stomacke of a scholar and him that is learned indéede then to doe thus It is as irkesome and tedious as to teach A. B. C. Some can at no hand endure it But truely truely I finde now after long experience that if we will doe any good to these simple and ignorant soules we must enter into this course and wée may not be ashamed of it For it will be our crowne and our glory to winne soules howsoeuer wée be abased Let vs therefore be well content to stoupe downe that Christ may be exalted Let vs be abased that God may be honoured Let vs doe all things in great loue to Christ who hath said If thou louest me feede feede feede my flocke Let vs therefore testifie our loue to him by féeding his flocke Let vs doe all things in great loue and déepe compassion towards the poore soules that goe astray As it is said that our Lord Jesus was mooued to pity and his bowels did yearne to sée the people as shéepe without a shéepeheard Let it likewise mooue vs throughly and make our hearts to bléede to sée so many poore shéepe of Christ wandring and straying in the mountaines and wildernesse of this world caught in euery bramble and hanged in euery bush ready to be deuoured of the Wolfe Thus haue I shewed you what course in my iudgement is best to be taken for the deliuering of poore ignorant soules out of the captiuity of Sathan and sinne Phil. Now as you haue declared what course is best to be followed of your part which are the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell so I pray you shew what is best to be done of vs which are the people of God Theol. The best counsell that I can giue you if it were for my life is to be much exercised in the word of God both in the hearing reading and meditation
thereof and also to purchase vnto your selfe the sincere ministery of the Gospell and to make conscience to liue vnder it estéeming your selfe happy if you haue it though you want other things and vnhappie if you haue it not though you haue all other things For it is a péerelesse pearle an incomparable Jewell For the purchasing whereof we are aduised by our Lord Jesus to sel all that we haue rather then to goe without it Againe our Sauiour Christ giueth the same counsell to the Church of Laodicea in these words I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried by the fire that thou maiest be rich and white raiment that thou maist be cloathed and that thy filthy nakednesse do not appeare and annoint thine eies with eie-salue that thou maist see Where you sée the word of God is compared to most pretious gold whereby we are made spiritually rich and to glittering attire wherewith our naked soules are cloathed and to an eye-salue wherewith our spirituall blindnesse is cured We are aduertised also by Jesus Christ whose counsell is euer the best that wée should buy these things whatsoeuer they cost vs. The same counsel also giueth wise Salomon saying Buy the truth but sell it not So then you sée the counsell which héerein I giue you is not mine owne but the counsell of Iesus himselfe and Salomon the wise And who can or who dare except against their counsell Asune Is your meaning that men must of necessitie frequent preaching of the word will not bare reading serue the turne Theol. I tolde you before that reading is good profitable and necessary but yet it is not sufficient We must not content our selues with that onely but wée must goe further and get vnto our selues the sound preaching of the Gospell as the chiefest and most princiyall meanes which God hath ordained and sanctified for the sauing of men As it is plainely set downe 1. Cor. 1. 21. When as the world by wisedome knew not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue The meaning of it is that when as men neither by naturall wisedome nor the contemplation of the creatures could sufficiently attaine to the true knowledge of God the Lord according to his heauenly and infinite wisedome thought of an other course which is to saue men by preaching which the world counteth foolishnesse And by the way note that the preaching of the word is not a thing of humane inuention but it is Gods owne deuice and came first out of his braine as the next and néerest way to saue mens soules Wise Salomon also in the Booke of the Prouerbes telleth vs that the preaching of Gods word which hée calleth Uision vsing the word of the Prophets which called their Sermons Uisions is not a thing that may be spared or that wée may be at choise whether we haue it or no but he maketh it to be of absolute necessity vnto eternall life For he saith Where vision faileth the people are left naked So indéede it is in the Originall But the old translation giueth vs the sense thus Where the word of God is not preached there the people perish Then you sée that Salomon striketh it dead in telling vs that all they which are without preaching of the word are in excéeding danger of losing their soules Oh that men could be perswaded of this Saint Paul also saith that faith commeth by hearing the word preached For hée saith How can they heare without a Preacher If faith come by hearing the word preached then I reason thus No preaching no faith no faith no Christ no Christ no eternall life For eternall life is only in him Let vs then put them together thus Take away the word take away faith take away faith take away Christ take away Christ and take away eternall life So then it followeth Take away the word and take away eternall life Or wée may reade them backeward thus If we will haue heauen we must haue Christ If we will haue Christ we must haue faith If we will haue faith we must haue the word preached Then it followeth thus If we will haue heauen we must haue the word preached Then I conclude that preaching generally and for the most part is of absolute necessitie vnto eternall life as meate is of absolute necessity for the preseruation of our bodies as grasse and fodder are of absolute necessity for the vpholding of the life of beasts and water of absolute necessity for the life of fishes Then this being so men are with great care and conscience to heare the Gospell preached to frequent Sermons to resort much to Gods house and habitation where his honour dwelleth with Dauid to say One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visit his holy Temple With godly Mary to say One thing is necessary and so choose the better part With the poore Cripple at Bethesda to wait for the moouing of the waters by the Angell that his impotency may be cured I meane that wée should tie our selues to the first moouing of the spirituall waters of life by the Preachers of the Gospell that our spiritual impotency may be holpen and relieued For the ministery of the Gospell is that golden pipe whereby and where-through all the goodnesse of GOD all the swéetenesse of Christ and all heauenly graces whatsoeuer are deriued vnto vs. Which thing was shadowed in the law by the Pomegranates in the skirts of Arons garments and the golden Belles betwéene them round about that is a golden Bell and a Pomegranate a golden Bell and a Pomegranate The golden Belles did signifie the preaching of the Gospel and the Pomegranates the swéet sauour of Christes death Noting thereby that the swéet sauour of Christs death and all the benefits of his passion should be spread abroad by the preaching of the Gospell Thus you sée that if euer men purpose to be saued they must make more account of the preaching of the Gospel then they haue done not thinke as most men do that they may be without it yet doe well enough And some had as léeue be without it as haue it For it doth but disquiet them and trouble their consciences but woe be vnto such Phila. Yet we see where the word is soundly preached there be many bad people and the reasons thereof in mine opinion are two The one that God taketh his holy spirit from many in hearing the word so that their hearing is made vnfruitfull The other that the diuell hath an hundred deuices to hinder the effectuall working of the word so as it shall doe no good at all nor take any effect in multitudes of men But you Master Theologus can better laie open this matter then I. I pray you therefore
presence of God Secondly that it is an eternall fellowship with the diuell and his angels Thirdly it is a féeling of the horrible wrath of God which shall seize vpon body and soule shall feed on them as fire deth vpon pitch and brimstone for euer The scriptures do note the extremity of it in calling it a lake that burneth with fire brimstone for euer in saying there shal be weeping gnashing of teeth in affirming that their worme dieth not meaning the worme that gnaweth their cōscience or their torment of conscience the fire neuer goeth out in tearming it Tophet which is deepe and large the burning thereof is fire and much wood and that the breath of the Lord as a riuer of brimstone doth kindle it All these things hée terrible to our senses and yet can they not fully expresse the thing as it is indéed For no heart can conceiue or tongue expresse the greatnesse and extreamity of the torments of hell As the ioyes of heauen neuer entred into the heart of man no more did the torments of hell All the torments and troubles that fall vpon men in this life are but as sparkles of the fornace of Gods totall wrath All fires are but as it were pictures of fire in comparison of hell fire For as one writeth Hell fire is so extreamely hot that it wil burne vp a man seuen mile before he come at if Yet the reprobates being alwaies in it shall neuer be consumed of it As the Salamander is alwaies in the fire and neuer consumeth so the wicked shall be alwaies in the fire of hell neuer consume For hell is a death alwaies liuing an end alwaies beginning It is a grieuous thing to a man that is very sick to lie vpon a featherbed how much more vpon a hot gridiron but how most of all to burne alwaies in hell fire neuer be consumed An other extreamity of it consisseth in this that the torments of hell are vniuersall that is in euery memberat once head eies tongue téeth throat stomacke backe belly heart sides c. All punishments of this life are particular For some are pained in their head some in their backe some in their stomacke c. Yet some particular paines are such as a man would not suffer to gaine all the world But for a man to be tormented in all parts at once what sight more lamentable who could but take pity of a dog in the stréet in that case Thus then wée sée that the extremity of Hell torments is greater then can be conceiued or vttered For who can vtter that which is incomprehensible We can go no further in comprehending that which is incomprehensible then to know it to be incomprehensible Phila. As you haue shewed vs the extremitie of Hell torments so now proceed to the perpetuity Theol. The Scriptures do set forth the perpetuity of hell torments in saying they are for euer The wicked shall be cast into the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone for euer The fire neuer goeth out When as many hundred thousand yéeres are expired as there be stones by the Sea side yet still there be so many more to come For that which hath no end can neuer come to an end If all the Arithmeticians in the world were set a worke to do nothing but number all the daies of their life euen the greatest numbers that they could possibly set down and should in the end adde all their numbers together yet could they neuer come any thing néere to that length of time wherein the wicked shal be tormented If the whole circumference of the heauens were writtē about with figures of Arithmeticke from the East to the West and from the West to the East againe yet could it not containe that infinite time and innumerable yéeres wherein all vnbeléeuers shal suffer eternall torture For in things infinite time hath no place For time is the measure of those things which are subiect to measure Therefore because Hell torments are infinite they cannot be measured by any time neither can that which is infinite be diminished For if you subtract from that which is infinite ten thousand thousand millions of milions yet it is thereby nothing diminished or made lesse Put case a man should once in an hundred thousand yéeres take a spooneful of water out of the great Ocean Sea how long would it be ere hée had so emptied it Yet shall a man sooner empty the Sea by taking out a spoonfull once in a hundred thousand yéeres then the damned soule shall haue any ease Therfore a certain writer saith If a damned soule might be tormented in Hell but a thousand yeeres and then haue ease there were some comfort in it sor then there would be hope it would come to an end but saith he this word euer killeth the hart Oh consider this yée that forget God! O yée carnall worldlings thinke on this in time For if you will not now be moued in hearing you shal be thē crushed in péeces in feeling What auaileth it to liue in all possible pleasures and carnall delights héere for some 60. yéeres and then to suffer this eternall torment What shal it profit a man to win the whole world lose his soule they be more then mad which will hazard their soules for a little profit and a few stinking pleasures But this is the nature of men they will haue the present swéet come of it what wil though they pay neuer so deare for it though they goe to the highest price though hey lose their soules for it Oh the vnspeakeable blindnes madnes of the men of this world The diuell hath put out their eies therfore leadeth them whither he list For who cannot lead a blind man whither he list Nahash the Ammonite would make no couenant with the Israelites but vpon condition that he might put out all their right eies So the diuel doth couenāt with al the wicked to put out both their eies that he may lead them directly into Hell Phila. Now sir a word or two more of the remedilesnesse of hell fire Theol. The scriptures do affirme that as the torments of hel are extreme so they are without all hope of remedy as it is written A man can by no meanes redeeme his brother he can not giue his ransome vnto God so precious is the redemption of the soule and the continuance for euer To this purpose Abraham said to the rich man being in hell torments Betwixt you and vs there is a great gulfe set so that they which would goe from hence to you cannot neither can they come from thence to vs. Our Lord Jesus also saith What shall a man giue for the recompence of his soule Where our Sauiour doth plainely affirme that there is no ransome or recompence though neuer so great to be giuen for a damned soule For the soule being in Hell can neuer be released it is
against vs as most damnable transgressors of all thy holy commandements yea such as are sunke in our rebellions and haue many times often committed high treason against thy maiesty therefore thou maist iustly cast vs all downe into hell fire there to be tormented with Sathan and his Angels for euer And we haue nothing to except against thy maiesty for so doing sith therein thou shouldest deale with vs but according to equity and our iust deserts Wherfore déere Father we do appeale from thy iustice to thy mercy most humbly intreating thée to haue mercy vpon vs and freely to forgiue vs all our sinnes past whatsoeuer both new and old secret and open knowen and unknowen and thatfor Jesus Christs sake our only mediator And we pray thée touch our hearts with true griefe vnfained repentance for them that they may be a matter of continuall sorrow hart-smart vnto vs so as nothing may grieue vs more then this that wée haue offended thée béeing our speciall friend and Father Giue vs therefore deare Father euery day more and more sight féeling of our sinnes with true humiliation vnder the same Giue vs also that true and liuely faith whereby we may lay sure hold on thy Sonne Christ and all his merits applying the same to our owne soules so as we may stand fully perswaded that whatsoeuer he hath don vpon the crosse he hath done for vs particularly as well as for others Giue vs faith good Father constantly to beléeue all the swéete promises of the Gospell touching remission of sin and eternall life made in thy son Christ O Lord increase our faith that we may altogether rest vpon thy promises which are all yea and Amen Yea that we may settle our selues and all that we haue wholly vpon them both our souls bodies goods name wiues children and our whole estate knowing that all things depend vpon thy promises power and prouidence that thy word doth support and beare vp the whole order of nature Moreouer we intreate thée O Lord to strengthen vs from aboue to walke in euery good way to bring foorth the fruits of true faith in all our particular actions studying to please thée in all things and to be fruitfull in good works that we may shew forth vnto all men by our good conuersation whose children we are and that we may adorne and beautifie our most holy profession by walking in a Christian course and in all the sound fruits practise of godlinesse and true religion To this end we pray thée sanctifie our hearts by thy spirit yet more and more sanctifie our soules and bodies and all our corrupt naturall faculties as reason vnderstanding will and affections so as they may be fitted for thy worship and seruice taking a delight and pleasure therein Stirre vs vp to vse praier watchfulnesse reading and meditation in thy law all other good meanes whereby we may profit in grace goodnes from day to day Blesse vs in the vse of the meanes that we may daily die to sin and liue to righteousnes draw vs yet néerer vnto thée helpe vs against our manifold wants Amend our great imperfections renue vs inwardly more and more repaire the ruines of our hearts aide vs against the remnants of sinne Enlarge our harts to run the way of thy Commandements direct all our steps in thy word let none iniquity haue dominion ouer vs. Assist vs against our speciall infirmities master sins that we may get the victory ouer them all to thy glory and the great peace comfort of our owne consciences Strengthen vs good father by thy grace and holy spirit against the common corruptions of the world as pride whoredome couetousnes contempt of thy Gospel swearing lying dissembling and deceiuing O déere father let vs not be ouercome of these filthy vices nor any other sinfull pleasures and fond delights wherewith thousands are carried headlong to destruction Arm our soules against all the temptations of this world the flesh the diuell that we may ouercome them all through thy helpe kéepe on the right way to life that we may liue in thy feare die in thy fauor that our last daies may be our best daies that we may end in great peace of conscience Furthermore déere father we intreat thée not onely for our selues but for all our good brethren thy déere childreÌ„ scattred ouer the face of the whole earth most humbly beséeching thée to blesse them all to chéere them vp glad them with the ioy of thy countenance both now and alwaies Guide them all in thy feare and kéepe them from euill that they may praise thy name In these dangerous daies and declining times we pray thée O Lord raise vp nursing fathers and nursing mothers vnto thy Church Raise vp also faithfull Pastors that thy cause may be caried forward truth may preuaile Religion may prosper thy name onely may be set vp in the earth thy Sonnes kingdome aduanced and thy will accomplished Set thy selfe against all aduersary power especially that of Rome Antichrist Idolatry and Atheisme curse and crosse all their counsels frustrate their deuises scatter their forces ouerthrow their armies When they are most wise let them be most foolish when they are most strong let them be most weake Let them know that there is no wisedome nor counsell power nor policy against thée the Lord of hostes Let them know that Israel hath a God and that thou which art called Iehouah art the onely ruler ouer all the world Arise therefore O most mighty God and maintaine thine owne cause against all thine enemies smite through all their loines and bow downe their backs yea let them all be confounded and turned backward that beare ill will vnto Sion Let the patient abiding of the righteous be ioy and let the wicked be disappointed of their hope But of all fauour we intreat thée O Lord to shew speciall mercy to thy Church in this Land wherein we liue Continue thy Gospell amongst vs yet with greater successe purge thy house daily more and more take away all things that offend Let this Nation still be a place where thy name may be called vpon an harbour for thy saints Shew mercy to our posterity deare Father and haue â—are of them that thy Gospell may be left vnto them as a most holy inheritance Defend vs against forraine inuasion kéepe out idolatry and Popery from amongst vs. Turne from vs those plagues which our sinnes crie for For the sins of this Land are excéeding great horrible and outragious and giue thée iust cause to make vs spectacles of thy vengeance to all Nations that by how much the more thou hast lifted vs vp in great mercy long peace by so much the more thou shouldest presse vs downe in great wrath and long war Therefore deare father we most humbly intreate thée for thy great names sake for thy infinite mercies sake that thou wouldest be reconciled to this
heauen and wide gates into hell I pray you therefore proue them out of the Scriptures and lay them forth somewhat more largely Theol. The first which is Infidelity is proued out of the fourth chapter to the Hebrewes where it is written Vnto vs was the Gospell preached as vnto them but the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it And againe They could not enter in because of vnbeliefe Héere we sée that vnbeliefe did barre out the old people from entring into the land of promise which was a figure of Gods eternall kingdome And sure it is that the same vnbeliefe doth barre out thousands of vs. For many will beléeue nothing but their owne fansies They will not beléeue the word of God especially when it is contrary to their lustes and likings profits pleasures Though things be manifestly prooued to their faces and both the Chapter and the Uerse shewed them yet will they not beléeue or though they say they beléeue yet will they neuer goe about the practise of any thing but reply against God in all their actions And for the most part when God saith one thing they will say another When God saith yea they will say no and so giue God the lie Some againe will say if all bée true that the Preachers say then God helpe vs. Thus you sée how Infidelity doth barre men out of Heauen and cast them into hell Phila. Let vs heare of the second gate which is Presumption of Gods mercy Theol. This is set downe in the 29. of Deuteronomy where the Lord saith thus When a man heareth the words of this curse and yet flattereth himselfe in his heart saying I shall haue peace although I walke according to the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart thus adding drunkennesse to thirst that is one sinne to another the Lord will not be mercifull vnto him but the wrath of the Lord and his iealousie shall smoake against that man and euery curse that is written in this booke shall light vpon him and the Lord shall put out his name from vnder heauen Héere we sée how the mightie God doth thunder downe vpon such as goe on in their sins presuming of his mercy and saying in their hearts If I may haue but a Lord haue mercy vpon me thrée houres before death I care not But it is iust with God when those thrée hours come to shut them vp in blindnesse and hardnesse of heart as a iust plague for their presumption Therefore the Prophet Dauid seeing the grieuousnesse of this sin praieth to be deliuered from it Keepe me ô Lord saith he from presumptuous sins let them not raigne ouer me Let all men therfore take héed of presumptuous sins For though God be full of mercy yet will he shew no mercy to them that presume of his mercy But they shall once know to their cost that iustice goeth from him as well as mercy Phila. Let vs come to the third gate which is the Example of the multitude Theol. This is prooued in the 23. of Exod. where the Lord saith flatly Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill In another place the Lord saith After the doings of the land of Egypt wherein yee dwelt shall yee not doe and after the manner of the land of Canaan whither I will bring you shall yee not doe neither walke in their ordinances Against this Law did the Children of Israel offend when they said in the stubbornnesse of their heart to the Prophet Ieremy The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare But we will doe whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth and we will doe as we haue done both we and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the cities of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem Note héere how they doe altogether refuse the word of the Lord and how to follow the example of the multitude Wée sée in these our daies by lamentable experience how thousands are violently carried down this streame and for defence of it some will say Doe as the most men doe and the fewest wil speake of you Which is a very wicked speach For if wée will follow the course of the most we shall haue the reward of the most which is eternall perdition Let vs therefore take héed of bending with the sway For the sway of the world doth waigh downe all things that can bée spoken out of the word of God and openeth a very wide passage into Hell Phila. Proceed to the fourth gate into Hell which is the Long custome of sinne Theol. This is noted by the Prophet Ieremy to be a very dangerous thing For he saith Can the blacke More change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good which are accustomed to doe euill Noting thereby that it is as hard a matter to leaue an old custome of sinne as to wash a black-more white or to change the spots of a Leopard which because they are naturall are most impossible So when men through custom haue made swearing lying adultery and drunkennesse as it were naturall vnto them oh how hard it is to leaue them For custome maketh another nature and taketh away all sense and féeling of sinne Phila. Let vs heare of the fift gate which is the Long escaping of punishment Theol. This is auouched by the wise man in these words Because sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the children of men are set in them to doe euill Where he sheweth that one cause why men are so hardned in their sinnes is because God winketh at them and letteth them alone not punishing them immediately after they haue sinned For if God should forthwith strike downe one and raine fire and brimstone vpon another and cause the earth to swallow vp the third then men would feare indéed But it hath béene shewed before that God taketh not that course but though he méet with some in this life yet he lets thousands escape and that makes them more bold thinking they shall neuer come to their answer Euen as an olde théefe which hath a long time escaped both prison and gallowes thinkes he shall alwaies so escape and therefore goeth boldly on in his thefts But let men take héed For as the prouerbe saith Though the pitcher goeth long to the well yet at last it commeth broken home So though men escape long yet they shall not escape alwaies For there will come a day of reckoning a day that will pay it home for all Thus you sée how impunity leadeth numbers to destruction That is when men are let alone and neither smitten by the hand of God nor punished by the law of the Magistrate Phila. Let vs come to the sixt gate which is the Hope of long life Theol. This is affirmed by our Lord Iesus concerning that rich worldling who