motions of the body the other moued but the outward limbes and sences with a suddaine fleshly feare without the spirite of God For let vs see how many great men gentlemen rich men which before that time were whoremongers adulterers vsurers theeues pirats rackers of rents and and vnmerciful to their poore tenants how manye that were swearers blasphemers Athiests of no Religion neither hote nor colde wantons and libertines haue beene sithens soundly conuerted haue taken an accounte of their liues of their behauiours of their sinnes and haue repented hartely for them and haue come vnto their Preachers and Ministers to learne the right way to be saued and haue euer sithens continued in that godly course which all we see this Iaylor did I know not what other preachers can testifie but for my selfe I can witnesse but of a verie few or rather none There were in some fewe places solemne generall fastes by the Pastors proclaimed many did resorte from manye places perchance many for the noueltie of the matter more then for any touch of conscience but the follie of some the great hypocrisie of a number the short continuance of the good mind the quicke forgetting of these iudgements and the murmuring of manye against these proceedings doe argue plainely that the best of vs all were farre from the perfect inioying of that sweete motion which called this Iaylor to a sorrowfull repentance and kept him alwaies in a perfect obedience If we consider this we may lament that the Lord in 38. yeares peace and preaching of the Gospel hath not by his grace giuen vnto vs so perfect harts and sorrowfull consideration of our sin neither such desire to seeke him nor such obedience to heare him belieue him and continue with him as at a suddaine hee gaue then vnto this poore and miserable Iaylor but now a happie and ioyful belieuer God graunt that we now seeing our want our imperfections and our blindnesse which is the curse of God vppon our sinne may with this Iaylor be perfectly by the spirite of God moued vpon the sight of our sinne to true repentance to humble hearts to an earnest desire to seeke our saluation in Christ that so we may continue in perfect obedience to the worde of life and vnder the protection of Christ escape those plagues miseries warres and calamities which our sinne rebellion and vnthankfulnesse doe now threaten to pull vpon vs. Lastly this Iaylor receiued no comfort ioye or peace of conscience vntill hee was moued by the spirit of God to loue comfort the preachers of the word to heare the voice of the Gospell and yeelde obedience vnto the same so we learne that we which are sicke are not to hope for health we that are weake are not to looke for strength and we that are wicked are not to promise vnto our selues pardon and forgiuenesse vntill we haue with sorrow confessed and acknowledged our sicknesse weakenesse and wickednes and haue sought helpe at the Lord and his word and haue freely and willingly submitted our rebelling affections to the orders and direction of the same The second circumstance Of whom he demaunded this question Hee came to the poore Apostles The keeper to his prisoners a free-man to them that were in bondage he that before thoght well of himselfe vnto men that were despised c. For now out of all question hee knew assuredly that they were the seruants of God and preachers of the truth Which opinion he had conceiued by this strange and wonderfull miracle which GOD for their sakes had lately wrought It may be marueled why he feeling his conscience sore burdened with feare sorrow griefe and remorse of sinne had not gon for comfort and consolation vnto the great Scribes and Pharisies which before had taught him Surely the spirit of God had secretly made him to see that they were all blinde guides that they were farre out of the right way therfore now at length was well content to forsake them all and to yeelde vnto the manifest truth which at this time appeared plainly and would no longer wilfully stoppe his eares and refuse the proffered grace Wherin hee did maruelously disgrace the whole company of the Priests Scribes Doctors in that hee preferred these mens learning counsell and doctrine before all theirs These being poore men straungers and in the outward shew of the world abiects and the other men rich glorious graue and in the opinion of most men learned and great Rabbies Besides all this he put him selfe in great daunger of excommunication of life and liuing which they had published against Io. 9. 23 34. all such as should enter either acquaintance or familiaritie with them which spake or taught in the name of Iesus whom they had crucified Yet we see that hee casting away all feare and not consulting with flesh and Gala. 1. 16. bloud submitted himselfe happyly to bee a Scholer vnto these Apostles Application Doctrine First we learne in our extremities miseries feare doubts heauie trouble of conscience where we are to seeke for ease helpe and comfort not of the blinded proude and cruel Pharisie which is not acquainted with the motions of Gods spirit but of the pure word of God reuealed and preached vnto vs and of the true preachers and Apostles which leade vs directly to Christ no other When we will take comfort by the word we must not consult with the Papists Torrensis in confess Augustiniana lib. 1. cap. 7. Housius de expresso verbo the Iudasites terming themselues Iesuites for they will tell vs that the Scriptures are hard and obscure and that it is but lost labour to reade them c. But the spirite of God in the Scripture teacheth vs the contrarie that the worde of the Lord is a light Psal 119. Prou. 6. Esay 45. Iohn 6. 2. Pet. 1. vnto our feete and a lanthrone vnto our pathes When wee are troubled with concupisence the first motions of sinne the prickes of Sathan in our flesh which driue the godly to great sorrow we may not goe for counsell Torrens lib. 1. ca. 2. Cathechismus ex decret Cons Trident. in Sacra Baptism and remedy vnto the Pharisaicall Papist for hee will goe about to perswade vs that this Concupisence and the first motions are no sinne in their owne nature neither any sinne at all either in name or substance except Consent go with it which deuilish voice and lie is confuted by the word of God for it is called Enmitie against God it is against the commaundement Thou shalt not lust or couet It confirmes their horrible sin which Rom. 8. 7. Exod. 20. 17 1. Iohn 1. â— Mat. 5. 22. say They haue no sinne Christ accountes the motion of anger a deadly sinne and worthie iudgement Lastly the definition of sinne by Saint Iohn confutes them Sinne is the transgression 1. Iohn 3. 4 of the law Litle comfort shall the weake younglings finde in them which
estate Therfore the Lord sent them the voice of a more terible preacher which shooke both bodies and houses all at once assaying by this meanes to bring their impenitent harts to some shaking feeling and feare of conscience for their sinnes But as Which was felt about the yeare 1580. that Earthquake shewed them so our last Earthquake and other tokens sithens shew vs plainely now the estate wherin we stand which is that we yet continue in our sinnes That we despise the voice of the Gospel neede a more sharp preacher it openeth our securitie it threatneth Gods iustice in seueritie it promiseth our punishment shews vs that it is very neere the last time of warning Happie wee see are they which come when the Lord calleth them for many bee called but few are chosen few come What callings should we looke for more then wee haue had Wee haue had our daughter diseased our sonne sicke our seruant like to die wee haue seene fearefull signes ouer Ierusalem we haue heard of the gatherings of the confederacies and conspiracies of many nations against vs we haue found little faith in our friends little loyaltie in our owne naturall children great falsehoode in friendly face great diuisions quarrels and hartburnings amongst our selues many Malcontent dayly rising and a thousand other such callings besides the consideration of the silly threede of our happie estate depending vpon one and in earthly respects but one onely the vncertaintie of all things when God shall visite vs the turmoyles and hurliburlies that we may long before plainely see if God of his mercy helpe not These thinges are considered of few of many not accounted of and feared of none What will the ende of these things bee Let all the inhabitants of England crie Lord saue our Noble Queene Elizabeth from treason at home and from forraine enemies abroade Lord forgiue her her sinnes and vs our wickednes and graunt if it be thy will that she may yet long and long time in peace and in saftie preserue this her Noble Realme of England Amen Lastly we learne the great mercies of our God For he chideth before he stricke hee warneth before he destroyeth he punisheth not till he haue vsed all meanes to haue vs returne Hee giueth sinners both grace and space to repent and to seeke which waye they may be saued with this sinfull Iaylor The fift and last circumstance The time when he fell to haue this care what hee might doe to be saued He neuer fell to this consideration till the Lord drew him vnto it by his spirit For in the nature of maÌ„ ther is no good thought motion or power to returne from euill to consider and see our sinnes or to lament and be sorrie for them and at the word to seeke for remedy against them but rather a desire will and affection still to remaine in them Therefore Christ said No man can come vnto me except my father draw him This man Iohn 6. 37. 44. 3. 27 had his part of two motions The one outward by the miracle the other inward by the holy Ghost Application Doctrine Where first we see that all our labour trauaile is lost in preaching and opening the Scripture outwardly to the eare except the spirit also preach inwardly to the heart For men are of themselues deafe and dull till God doe open their harts and giue them a new vnderstanding as he gaue to Lidia to this Iaylor and many other Againe we see how naked weake miserable we be of our selues and that if wee were not gouerned and nourished by better power then our owne how quickely miserably wee should perish Therefore this consideration may serue to conquer the spirit of pride in our freewill men when they shall know that in their flesh and humaine nature ther is no goodnes at all that they can performe nothing that is good without him that said Without me ye can do nothing 1. Cor. 4. 7. Act. 20. 35. What hast thou saith Paule which thou hast not receiued We learne that faith is not in the power nature of maÌ„ to beleue or not to beleue wheÌ„ Ep. 1. 18. 19 1. Cor. 12 â— 9 11. it pleseth him but that it is the free gift of God for Christs sake vnto those that are his choseÌ„ For if it were in the nature of man then all Phil. 1. 29. 2. Thes 3 2. men shuld beleue But Al men haue not faith therefore it is in vs a worke supernaturall wrought by the spirite of God onely The want of the presence and working of which spirit in the harts of men makes them that they haue no desire to heare the word and when they doe heare it they take no profit by it for it is saide But the word which they heard profited them not because it was not mixted Heb. 4. 20 with faith in them that heard it Where wee see a notable relation betweene fayth the word The one can neuer be effectual without the other They goe both together Therefore as soone as there was a fayth kindle in the hart of this Iaylor by the holy Ghost he seekes presently for the word as the body for the soule For as the body is a dead thing without the soule so the word also hath no life effect or motion without faith Now wee see why many Gentlemen Countriemen and others are yet either Atheists â—esters in Religion or despisers of the word because as yet with this Iaylor they haue not receiued the gift of faith c. Here we vnderstand that all shall not be saued against the error of Origen for without faith none can be saued but none haue faith but they onely whome God the father gaue vnto his sonne Christ But hee saith I pray not for the world but for them which thou Ioh. 17. 9. hast giuen me Therefore the elect which are separated from the world that is the reprobate by the free election and donation of God and are garded by the continuall prayer of Christ are they onely that shall bee saued Of which number wee see now this Iaylor by his calling and faith to bee one For Gods election oftentimes lyeth hid vnder a wicked life till the time of their conuersion come which the Lord hath appointed All are not wee see drawne to Christ in one manner for there bee many which professe Religion and talke much of Christ whome God the father by his spirite neuer drew but either their bellie hope of honor vaine glorie c. No maruaile though they belieue not rightly and though they continue not long in a good course Such are many of our earnest Iesuites Papists and libertine professors of the Gospell of Christ Lastly when it is saide that this Iaylor was drawne to this Religion to this godly care and in like manner all the elect wee learne what vnwillingnes what slacknesse what negligence wee vse in our comming to Christ and that wee of our owne nature haue no list affection or good will to come longer then God by his spirite moueth vs and compelleth vs. Therefore if Christ should looke for vs till wee should come of our selues wee should surely neuer see him nor haue any part in him Let vs therefore desire the Lord that as he by his holy spirit drew this Iaylor from the miserable thraldome of ignorance error and iniquitie and planted a desire in him to seeke the truth and by the same gaue him both comfort saluation So in like manner that he will by the same spirite moue our hard hearts to lament our sinne open our blinde eyes to see our imperfection and draw our proude stomakes to humble our affections to the obedience of the word and kindle in vs a loue to like and seeke the same that wee also in our most extremities may by Christ receiue light helpe and euerlasting comfort which the Lord God graunt vnto vs for his deare Sonne Iesus Christs sake to whome with the holy Ghost three persons and one eternall God be al honor power praise glorie and dominion both now and euer Let all praise and glorie be giuen to God alone FINIS
say that the Scripture is not sufficient for their saluation but they must seeke other traditions which say that to belieue in Christ is not sufficient except he keepe the whole law which impudently and wickedly affirme that Christ by his death hath not sufficiently purged their sins but that there is an other Purgatorie appointed to clense and make cleane the faithfull Col. 2. 8. thorough which euery one must passe that shall enter into heauen Contrarie to the preaching of the true Apostles and the sacred word for wee are bid to take heede of Tit. 1. 14 mens traditions that wee bee not deceiued by them Againe that wee follow not commaundements of men which turne from the truth And in the very next verse to my text Act. 16. 31. Paule tolde this Iaylor that it was sufficient both for him and his housholde to be saued Ioh 3. 18. 5. 24. if he did onely belieue Christ hath said He that belieueth shall be saued Hee that belieueth in the sonne shall not come into iudgement Hee Wisd 3. 1. that heareth my word and belieueth in him that sent me hath life euerlasting hee shall not bee iudged but hath passed from death vnto life The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Heb. 1. 3. Christ by himselfe hath purged our sinne therefore we neede no other Purgatories we defie such as haue inuented them to the derogation of Christs power and honour Litle comfort may a wounded conscience Torrensis lib â— ca. 4. lib. 8. cap. 4. Consilium Tridentiâ—um sess 6. â—an 12. â—3 can â—5 16. find at their hand who teach That men must alwaies doubt and neuer assure themselues of their election in Christ what motions so euer they feele and that they must alwaies carrie an vncertaine opinion whether they shall perseuere vnto the end or not But let them come to the pure fouÌ„taine of the word of God and then they shall heare the spirite Iam. 1. 7. tell them that except they belieue the Forgiuenes of sinnes without doubting or if they wauer vncertainely in doubtfull dumpes they shall neuer obtaine anye thing of the Mat. 9. 2. Lord they shall heare Christ say Son stand not in doubt but comfort thy selfe assure thy selfe Thy sins are forgiuen thee They shall heare that Abraham after the promise was made vnto him neuer doubted of the Rom. 4. 18. 19 performance of it not considering himselfe and the weakenesse of his owne body but the promise and the abilitie of the Lorde that had promised They shall heare the spirite of God tell the Corinthians and vnder them vs that we being sometime disobedient hauing now receiued and belieued the word Are sanctified are iustified in the name 1. Cor. 6. 11 of the Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirite of our God They shall heare Paule in the full assuraunce of his election to reioyce without doubting I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and in that that I now liue in the flesh I Gala. 2. 20. 〈◊〉 by the faith in the sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me They shal heare the spirite exhorting them to go boldly Heb. 4. 16. 10. 19. to the throne of grace and not to doubt but rather that by the bloud of Christ they may be bolde trust perfectly not doubtingly 1. Pet. 1. 13. on the grace that is brought vnto them c. Aske of the Papists which teach this doubting doctrine what is ment by that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fulnesse of faith whereof the Scripture makes so much mention calling it the full Assurance of vnderstanding and the effectuall Col. 2. 2. faith they must needs if they answere truely say that it is A peculiar application whereby euerie perfect beleeuer that feeleth the earnest pennie of his election doth applye vnto 1. Thes 1. 3. himselfe the promise of eternall life in Christ Iesus Now for perseuerance vnto the end of which the Papists would haue vs to doubt Let them consider whether they saye not daily in their beliefe I belieue euerlasting life If they doe let them consider what they be that Christ saith shall be saued They that indure to the end Such as be not werie in weldoing Mat. 24. 13. 2. The. 3 13 Then if they belieue that any shal be saued they must needes also belieue that they shal endure to the end So that they must needes confesse that the faithfull shall indure vnto the end such I meane as are appointed to eternall life And if this argument suffice not let vs see what speeches the full assurance of this perseueraÌ„ce vnto the end hath brought forth in the elect and godly Dauid sayth Doubtlesse goodnes and mercie shall follow me Psal 23. 9. all the daies of my life c. Paule saith I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall seperate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christ Rom. 8. 38. Iesus our Lord. Againe the same Paule saith vnto such as afterwarde had receiued the word and belieued in this Cittie of Phillippie where our Iaylor was I am perswaded Phil. 1. 6. that he which hath begun this good work in you will performe it vntill the day of our Lord Iesus Christ Thus we see that wee are to comfort our selues in this that if wee pertaine vnto Christ we may not doubt of our election or perseuerance which both we must be assured of not by reason of any perfection strength or goodnesse in our selues but onely relying on the might and mercie of Iesus Christ which by his bloude hath redeemed our dayly and fleshly imperfections and fals that our continuaunce in him and by him may neuer be finally broken off Thus we see to whome we must goe with this Iaylor for comfort in our extremitie whome we must auoide We see further that GOD hath at all times confirmed his trueth spoken by his seruants with manifest signes and tokens whereby they that were not quite forsaken might bee called to the knowledge of the same What good our signes and tokens haue done to vs I can not see but onely that manye by them are made the more hard harted and carelesse no doubt to their farder condemnation This Iaylor no sooner saw the power of God making manifest and giuing testimonie vnto the truth which the Apostles had preached but he presently yeelded vnto it imbraced it sought his remedie by it forsooke his olde customes and masters was content and willing to learne He no sooner saw the iudgements of God but straight he remembred his sinne he repented hee bad farwell to his former delightes pleasures pastimes wantonnesse and wickednesse and of an enemie became a friend of a persecutor a professor of a proude master an humble seruant and of a sinfull Iaylor a penitent beleeuer Therefore as
God in this man vttered long sithence vpon occasion which I haue termed The Iaylors Conuersion This being the first thing of mine that euer past the presse I thought to make bold to Dedicate it to the first friend that euer was truely possessed of my hart The first fruits were stil most accepted desired of the Lord The first childe by nature is best beloued of the father The first faith is euer most firme most deare and sweete to the possessor My first faithfull affection hath inforced me to offer these simple first fruites to you that had the gift of my first faith Which affection you first wonne by curtesie after confirmed it by desert which being planted young hath now growne to be olde being begun long sithence hath continued to this present inuiolable and as the greene bayes whome no tempest can blast euer flourishing so I hope shal continue so long as life shal giue leaue to loue If I could as easily bestow on you a great part of the world as I doe willingly giue you this smal portiō of words thogh you bee great already yet would I make you greater But seing words for want of welth must shewe my will consider in these words not the words but the working of the spirit of God And I dare presume to say that if you can imitate rightly this one example these words in short time though you bee good already yet shall they make you better The Lord that hath giuen you a great portion of faith hath bestowed on you great worldly blessings of wisedome and welth increase this faith so dayly multiplie these blessings vpon you that you may go forward frō faith to faith from vertue to vertue from life to life till in the day of the Lord your imperfections being made perfect you may receiue the Crowne of immortall glorie prepared for such as loue the Lord vnfainedly Honiton in Deuon this 30. daye of Iune 1596. Your louing friend Hugh Dowriche Vaine floting blastes of worldly blisse that neuer stay Are smoke-like mounting spied but quickly quite decay Like vewes of fawning shades that plant alluring baytes Erre fully come their farwell shewes their hid deceytes No trust in trustlesse trash no faith in friendly shewes Truth quailes in Hectik fits whilst falshoode greenely growes Yea masking visars fraude great grace in gracelesse findes No place for naked truth No time for fraudlesse mindes Esteemed vice soores high on gales of witlesse windes Knocke VVisedome while she faint on rocke of flintie hart No answere but I will not come you may depart If supreame voice to Conscience call to counte for sinne Greene Figleaues grace defects as sinne had neuer binne Hygh Cedars stoutly vaunt that fruitlesse haruest yeelde The Volgo bright yet good for neither fish nor feelde Let not false Susis springs finde poores in Corkie hart Yeelde not to loose the truth though clad in carefull smart Establish vertues throne And say to sinne depart To the friendly Reader THere is dayly preaching and daily printing of good Sermōs and good Bookes and yet there is little profiting and little amendment seene to follow either in words or workes We haue had precept vpon precept Sermon vpon Sermon in euery corner here a little and there a little and yet Egypt cannot speake the language of Canaā Esay 8 13. Esay 19. 18. Some professors cannot see what is belonging to their profession liue there after The Vineyeard yeeldeth but briers thornes The companie of vaine Papisticall Libertine Esay 27. 5. Ierem. 7. 11 and Machiauelion professors are become cōpanions to theeues they are euen found to be the den and the sinke of loth some hypocrisie which the eye of Christ viewed his heart lothed his whip purged The swords edge is rebated to them it cannot Pearce the shaft is shot in vaine it cannot sticke The force of the Gospell is become now so weake it cannot moue them The bellowes are burnt the ledde is consumed in the fire the founder Ierem. 6 ◠hath melted in vaine The preachers haue lost their labours and the Printers haue spent their care their time their strength in nothing for The wicked yet still wrestle against God like wild Buls tumbling in a Ierem. 1. ◠net yea they haue made a new couenant with death and with hell they haue clapped hands vpon a new bargaine As Sathan told Eua she should not die so our lying fancies haue told vs that No plague shall come neere vs. Long peace and wealth hath brought vs to wanton 1. Cor. 4. Babels estate we are a virgine not to be oppressed by any we are tender and delicate the mistresse of felicitie we are a Lady of kingdomes with a perelesse prosperitie in the middest of Esay 47. 1◠our neighbours miseries wee neuer feared of our owne calamities our necke is framed of yron sinewes it cannot bow our browes are ouer-plated Esay 48. 4◠with brasse they cannot blush The trumpe hath blowen yet can bee not bring againe them that Were lost in the land of Assiria Though the preachers with their Cornets haue seuen and seuen times compassed Iericho yet the cursed wals fal not though the voice the crie and the force of the Gospell of signes and wonders haue beene heard and felt in euery corner yet the weedes ouertoppe the Corne the soule lost in the sincke of error and land of transgression returnes not againe the Papists deceiued by the full flesh pots of Egypt are not yet reclaimed the Atheists Brownists Anabaptists Libertines and carnall carelesse and dissolute professors that are for their sinne suffered to be led into heresies are not yet contented to ioyne in one godly vnitie to worship and serue the Lord in the mount of Ierusalem the vision of peace We doe not yet see that blessed time when Ephraim shall be are no euill will to Iuda nor Iuda vexe Ephraim when preachers shall not wrangle for trifels and bee deuided one from an other but all ioyne together to flie vpon the shoulders of the Pihlistins the common enemies of the Gospell All our preaching cannot draw on that happie time when Iuda and Israel shall walke both together When all preachers and professors that now hate backbite and slaunder one an other shall so ioyne hands and hearts together that neither of thē walke or continue any longer in the hardnesse of their froward harts It was a certaine signe of Gods heauie plague against Iuda and a sure token that their destruction was at hand when the peoples eares began to be Vncircumcised when they could not patiently harken to the truth and when the word was to thē as a reproch that they could not delighte in it If the same tokens may be now any way á signe to England of her destruction as it was to Ierusalem then may Englands Musicke be well turned into Iudahes mourning and say Woe bee vnto me Woe is me now My heart my health
vt plura det Pâ—rge mi quidnam titubas eundo Hic labor certé hoc opus est Catenas Nocte subnigra miseré Reclusis Rumpere tetras Siue diuinas Calamo loquelas Pingis aut sacrum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ore pandis Pingis pandis veneranda pulchré Dogmata Iouae Hinc hinc laudes mihi crede celsae Te manent Sedes manet ampla vtrinque Digna praeclaris quid enim recusas Proemia factis Plura des nobis igitur Iehouae Seruiens nobis patriae tibique Et mihi Da quos voluisse dix'ti Dare libellos Diuites Dowrich per-amice Dotes Si tui cunctis animi paterent Pluribus notae At taceo tacendi Aposiopesis Nomen Amici Ergo mi nunquam titubes eundo Hic labor certé hoc opus est Cateruas Quas Catenatas tenet atra nigri Ianua Ditis Soluere vinclis Quo pede coepisti sic benè semper eas Per Guilielmum Palfraeium Gener. Lin-colniensis Hospitij Socium Ad Carcerum Custodes S. P. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Terrae motu concussus ad vnum Et verum motus vertitur inde Deum Quid facis O Saeuo stringens tua viscera ferro Sola Saius Animae quaeritur vna tuae Heu cohibete manus Custodes Carceris omnes Mittite sub Christi colla superba Iugum Paule Comesque Sila Captiui corpora nullas Fregistis Domino sed reserante fores Ille aperit vobis Neopoitae Ianitor aulae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ac Fletus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 que vias Et soluit duris religatos crura cathenis Ad Christum vt properent Liberiore pede Discite ab hoc Omnes exemplo vera vereri Numina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE IAYLORS Conuersion The Argument PAule and Silas were by the spirite of God sent into Macedonia and passing through many places of the Countrie came vnto the chiefe Cittie called Phillippie Where preaching the word they found a fortune-telling Deuill which had long time abused the simple people Paul not able to beare with this deceite of Sathan by the word of the Lord expels him Hereof rose a grieuous persecution against the word The worst part was the greatest They preuailed Paul and Silas were whipt and cast into prison They praied and the Lord heard them and sent an Earthquake The Iaylor would haue killed himself but Paul staies him The Iaylors eyes are opened he humbleth him selfe he seekes the way to be saued he obtaineth it for himselfe and his whole familie c. THE TEXT Actes 16. 30. And he brought them out and said Syrs what must I doe to be saued IN this verse is expressed onely a question demaunded by the Iaylor In which question these fiue circumstances are to be considered First The person that doeth demaunde it Secondly Of whome he demandeth it Thirdly What the question is which is demaunded Fourthly What it was which brought this man to this godly care to demaund this question And lastly the time when he fell to this consideration what hee ought to doe to be saued For the first In the person that doth demaunde the question these three things are to be considered First his Office Secondly his Charge Thirdly his sodden Alteration By Office hee was the common Iaylor which though it be an Office necessarie yet commonly I know not how it falleth out they continue not long honest men that haue it but for the most part are of nature cruell hard-harted and oftentimes blinde and farre from the knowledge of the truth as this man was Application Doctrine The Lord doth not giue vnto euerie man one order and kinde of life but hath by a maruailous wisedome disposed men into seuerall callings as they may best serue for the performance of seuerall duties which are either for order pollicie regiment or the glory of God established in the Church And therefore euerie man is to consider of his calling and place whereunto hee is appointed to acknowledge it to bee the ordinance of the Lord to content himselfe with it as with a thing deliuered vnto him from the Lorde to frame himselfe so in it as hee may onely seeke the glorie of God and not his owne pleasure profit or glorie c. Euerie Office which is either commaunded by the worde or not contrarie to the same is good lawfull and honest of it selfe in his owne nature if any Office bee contemptible odious or lothsome vnto vs it is made so by reason of the wickednesse crueltie couetousnesse and follie of him that doth possesse it As the Publicanes the Rent gatherers or Romaine Baylifes made their Office odious among the Iewes by Requiring more then that which was appointed vnto Luk. 3. 13. them The souldiers made their calling odious by doing of violence Accusing innocents falsely for their owne luker Not being content with their wages But robbing stealing and spoyling besides The Scribes and Pharisies made their prefession odious By their horrible and wicked hypocrisie The laylors Mat. 23. 23. make their Office odious by vnmercifull abusing of the poore prisoners robbing theÌ„ by their great fees selling them but a little libertie for a great deale of money murdering the simple by penurie by pinching them of their allowance and ordinarie dutie and such like c. Nay to fal to a higher reckoning Kinges and Princes haue made their seate and Crowne infamous by their sinne and wickednesse as Ieroboam by Idolatrie 1. King 12. 28. Ahab and Iesabel by couetous oppression sheding of innocent bloud and persecuting Gods Prophets and truth Dauid by murder and whordome caused the enemies of The Lord to blaspheme Noblemen and Gentlemen 1. Kin. 21. 8 make their degree odious by their pride contempt of the word wantonnesse couetousnes whordomes libertie in sinning iniurie and such like Iustices turne iustice into wormwoode and iudgement into gall condemning the innocent and iustifying the wicked dishonouring their calling Lawyers defame their vocation the godly and honourable vse of the law by taking the patronage of bad matters by defiling their hands with bribes their closets with gifts against the poore and helpelesse being content for gaine to giue counsell with the wicked against the iust with the mightie against the simple with the rich against the poore fatherlesse and widdow against Law by Law against right by making sower sweete and sweete sower by altering cases and making right no right where it is for their profit against conscience hauing no conscience where commoditie shewes it selfe Physitions haue made their necessarie and good science odious and infamous among the common people and most men in these daies by their vntollerable and excessiue couetousnes by taking such great summes of money for little labour and oftentimes when to the parties diseased they doe no good at all but rather hurt without either pietie pittie or conscience Protestants and professours Protestants by profession but Papistes indeede