hearing apte receiuing keeping and continuing of the vvoorde of God amongst vs. COnsidering o thou God of al holinesse that the certainetie of oure Christian faithe standeth by the Scryptures or immoueable woorde of thy truthe which as thy messenger procéedeth from thee by thy gratious inspiration or secreate brething wherunto as vnto a seast royal euery man of al nations vnder heauen are called but are of thy Church only receiued and deuoutly vsed to the instruction confirmation strengthening and establishing of thine only faithfull true flocke and be as thy blessed Apostle calleth them sacred and holy birause they be heauenly moste precious diuine healthfull and comfortable to the soule excelling all the wisedom of Philosophers and the vainly wise of this world and be therefore in their high power and maiestie woorthily aboue all aduanced segregate and put aparte by them selues from all other wrytings of prophane matters and the flitting descriptions of men not onely pertaining to this present worlde and for the vse of this temporal life but also from all Ethnicke superstitians salse woorshippings wicked sacrifices and erronious opinions vsed contrary to thy woord against thée the only eternal and true God which by lying custome and crueltie are corruptly crepte into thy Church to the foule féeding filling defiling and poisonning therof and is yet daily occasioned therby wout thy grace to be sinisterly drawne and seduced straying frō the right way and haled to death by will in oure selues from the life that is in thée euen to eternall death and destruction we beséeche thée moste humbly O thou gracious God to enspire vs with thy holy spirite of truthe to kindle in all our hartes the fire of thy loue light and truth that by thy power in them oure faithes may be strengthened oure soules also humbled rightly ledde and instructed in thy word of loue light truthe and of eternall life by vertue wherof at our first entrāce to Christ our high Pastor we may truely vnderstande our profession and promisse in holy baptisme and haue it accordingly wrytten with thy finger of grace in our hartes to the true knowledge of thy law and the spiritual vnderstanding therof to loue thée moste woorthily aboue all and our neighbor as our selues as also to knowe the promisses of thy mercie in thy sonne oure Sauiour Iesus Christ most soundly and purely as thy holy word expresseth therein whereby we may be well vpholden and zealously staide in our profession to treade our pathes right to be guided by the true light to heare gladly the voice of oure shepheard Iesus Christe to testifie his name to folowe him the onely true lighte and not to feare the powers of darknesse but to ouercome them by thy mighte although euen with the losse of our liues not only the dalyings dimme deuises and vanities of the wicked and to shun all suche hatefull enemics as are vsuall mockers daily deprauers sinnefull despisers wilfull impugners wicked seducers double dealers backe sliders pluckers back from thy word but also the sleights of their father Sathan the enticements of the worlde and the filthie motions of the fleshe And to that happie ende O Lorde we may be constant and thy woorde euer abide in vs stirre vs vp to continuall and hartie prayer quicken our zeale woorke in vs a true liuely quicke and frutefull faithe that it being a bright shining light in our hartes to the expelling of all Hipocrisie cloudinesse darknesse and erroure and also our conuersation being answerable to our profession the continuance of thy grace may stil comfortably shine vppon vs thy holy woorde may continue amongste vs may be truely preached vnto vs diligently boldly and zealously vttered ouer al and by al the ministers thereof by what occasion time and place so euer it be for vnto vs that shall be saued it is a thing moste precious and holy It is the woorde of life the woorde of reconciliation the lanterne vnto oure féete and a light vnto our pathes the fountaine of wisedome the breade of life the foode of the soule thy mightie power and swoorde of the spirite And for as much O heauenly father as thy woordes thus to vswarde come from heauen are spirite and life and are not to be wayed with the vaine imagination policie wisedome or witte of man nor yet to be applied vnto the hurtfull pleasures of this sinnefull worlde but to be moste holily and highly estéemed moste humbly had in credite reuerently thought vppon gladly inclined vnto heard with silence and receiued with all modestie ghostly gréedinesse we humbly beséeche thée that as thou haste euer heeretofore ben the only gratious director instructor and teacher of thy holy Patriarks and Prophets Apostles and holy fathers from time to time from the beginning and amongste al men for thine electes sake in Iesus Christe continuest yet so still vntill this day O traine vs vp also in thine heauenly knowledge we pray thée prepare our harts teach vs thy law and wryte thy woordes of life in the tables of oure heartes that in these our monstrous dayes of moste wilfull vanitie which in their strangenesse crieth oute by plagues to be punished we may aforehande be warned we may be yet better schooled thy wrath thereby preuented our soules more spiritually nourished filled with thy fauoure more mortified daily from the vanities of this brickel life guided to more thristian modestie and temperāce affected solie to the way of holinesse comforted in all troubles and aduersities boldned manfully against the face of the enemies stayed well armed and strengthened against all temptations stirred vp to the encrease of all vertues that thy woordes which shal iudge vs in the last day being by thy ministers truely preached and of vs also as zealously embraced and by any meanes not to be despised or slandered but on all partes surely holden and to shewe for the accordingly the true frutes of rightuousnesse we may be called of thée thy holy disciples auoide I say the sal of thy vēgeāce amōgst vs thy iudgement also to eternal condemnation be receiued in time to euerlasting saluation throughe thy grace the only merites of thy sonne our Lord Iesus Christ Amen IIII. For Fayth BY reading or hearing thy holy worde O blessed sauiour we are taught that true fayth which is thine onely gifte is onely therby attayned and that by the power of thine heauenly spirite it is breathed into the onely hearts of all thine electe who receiue it by measure and quantitie according to the will and power of the same spirite and with thine eyes beholding it in them thou gloriest in them thou daily blessest them thou encreasest it in them thy countenance shineth vppon them thou amiably appearest and she west thy selfe vnto them yea so acceptable it is in thy sighte O swéete sauiour that thou béeing the king of eternall glory and maiestie art espoused to the soules of the faithfull
and makest them thereby to be partakers with thée of thine heauenly and diuine nature through the wonderful operation of thine holy spirite We are taught by thine holy Apostle that what so euer is not of this faith is sinne and that there is no possibilitie without it to please thée or to finde grace by sute at thyne holy hande And therefore all they that come vnto thée must in déede firmly beléeue that thou art very God and very Man yea and suche a God of mighte of mildenesse great mercy aboue all Gods as both can and euer will heare incline thine eare and abundantly rewarde all them that with liuely and true faith séeke thée and vnfaignedly desire to finde thée or to be relieued by thine holy hande By this fayth O Lorde we also obteine of God thy father all good things yea what so euer we craue at his hande in thy name Through this fayth also so many as beléeue are iustified made the sonnes and heires of God and enioy most certainly thereby the rewarde of euerlasting life O Lorde Iesu great is the power and working of this fayth for by it the consciences of the godly are quieted by it they truely know thée the onely high and eternall God by it they loue and feare thée be constant towards thée strong and pacient in al aduersitie their hope is firme for things to come by it they conceiue boldenesse to repaire to the throne of thy grace for mercy to haue sure trust in thee to inuocate thine holy name to adore and worshippe it to confesse the truthe before thée to obey it moste gladly to perseuer therein moste willingly to withstande the force of all tyrannie to yéelde vp in time their spirite and to goe through fayth to thine and their heauenly father Séeing then O graciouse God and Sauiour that this vertue is so heauenly so holy so mightie so acceptable and preciouse in thy sight that without it nothing can be well pleasing the will of thy maiestie or to serue happily our owne turnes and we also of suche frailtie can not attayne to this moste singuler treasure except it come from aboue euen from thée and infused into our hearts by the grace of thine holy spirite we moste hartily beséeche thée by the power thereof to make cleane our hearts to purge them of all error darknesse and ignorance of all mistrust infidelitie and vnfaythfulnesse and to plant moste spéedely in vs a true liuely and vndoubted faithe in the blessed and moste glorious Trinitie in God our heauenly father in thée O God oure only sauioure and in the holy ghoste our most deare and swéete comfortour by whome alone we be all highly blessed preciously redéemed and eternally sanctified and that also for thine only sake O blessed sauioure thine heauenly father is well pleased with vs our sinnes cléerely remitted vnto vs This faithe O swéete Iesu daily encrease in vs help most gratiously our vnbeléefe O Lord strengthen vs from faithe to faithe that we may at the laste thorow thine accustomed grace be made perfectly faithfull constante warriors and valiant conquerors in the defence of thine holy religio againste the power of Sathan the worlde and Antichriste and in all things to she we oure selues in this life bothe in our profession manners truly and frutefully faithful euen to the high exaltation praise of thy name which liuest and raignest with God the father and God the holy Ghoste true and perfecte God our onely mediator and aduocate world without end Amen V. To the attainement of Grace and for the due examination of suche desires and motions as are put daily into oure mindes BEholding O God our maker the miserable state of mākinde in this lyfe how diuersly therein and in finitely he is continually beset compassed and hedged in with bodily and ghostly euil stepping euery moment amōg the low shrubbes lurking stubbes stumbling blockes craggie rockes dead pits trappes catches snares grinnes furious and fierse beastes in the wildernesse of this worlde to present destruction alwayes vncertaine and feareful through danger whereunto in his wayes he may leane or trust wandring in this desert among doutful chaunces voide of certain hope farre off from comfort forsaken of frendes beset with many enemies and entised diuersly to sundry desires and motions so moste gréenously perplexed and inwardly afflicted in minde musing before thée O Lorde in thine heauenly presence vpon hys moste wretched state what shall betide him knoweth not what to doe which way to turne him whether to flée not certaine of his ende ignorant when howe and where he shall ende his dayes and leaue to earthe his moste wretched and earthie carcasse who during his shorte time possesseth two powers diuersly drawing and leading him althoughe onely one preuayleth either with him or againste him which is a willyng consente to vayne pleasures bredde in the corrupted fleshe or otherwise a more apte inclination to the good wil and motion of the spirit which are bothe contrary the one to the other and the one continually warring or waging battaile against the other whose fight if there be resistance are bothe very violente to preuaile stirreth daily the soule to great vnrest Which powers or partes of man O Lord in the time of innocencie before the fall of my first parents haddest coupled them togither in moste blessed concorde and vnitte but alasse nowe separated peace broken and set at discorde by the Serpente the enemie of peace and of mankinde and cannot liue ioyned togither wythoute contynuall warre ruffeling and wrangling together as things dyuers althoughe in déede but one I beséeche thée therefore O my God the greate God and maker of heauen and earthe to beholde with greate compassion my miserable state among the rest in this moste wofull and gréeuous conflicte my greate frailetie and weakenesse wythoute thy grace my darknesse and ignoraunce and the power of sinne raygning in myne earthely and mortall members that as thou arte God the author of peace the true light and guid and the only God of my strengthe to preuaile for me by thine holy spirit against the Prince of sedition and darkenesse of fraud and deceit of erroure and lies and the corrupted motions of the sinneful fleshe so graunt me the strengthe of thy grace a liuely and quicke féeling faithe also in thy promisses thorowe Christe that thereby my spirite being alwayes prepared quickned and directed by thy spirite it may yéelde to the only quickening and good motions therof that by the heauenly power of it I may at all times be constante in them and learn perfectly by due examination and with good desires out of thy worde of truth the euent of all attemptes stirres motions assaultes entisements dessres prouocations and affections to iudge truely of them to way rightly their natures from whence they come by what spirite to what ende whether worthy thy well liking tēding to thy
thee and of good heart come towardes thée wilt thou turne thy face away from me and not cheare me with thy comfortable swéete countenance As I am constrained and by thy swéete allurementes persuaded or rather enforced beholdyng myne owne imperfection to come vnto thée that arte altogither perfecte euen so arte thou by thy large promisses bounde to accept me Thou diddest say If I shall once be exalted I will then braw all things vnto me Thine exaltation vppon the crosse O Lord hath bene as I beleeue long since perfourmed as also thy rising againe from deathe and thine aftention into heauen These things therefore thus truly of thée performed and finished I requyre thee O Iesu to draw me vnto thée as thou by thy promisse arte moste iustly bounde I knowe thou arte not angrie or at the leaste not at destance with me for seeing thou haste commaunded me that I be not at hatred with mine enemie I can not doubt but that thou thy self also kéepest truely this thy swéete commaundement and so much the rather to be perfourmed of thée as thou arte more able than I to expresse the vse of charitie Thou cāst not say that thou art not bounde to loue me alleaging that I am thine ennemie or that I haue done thée manifolde iniuries which I muste needes moste truely confesse for if by thy precept of charitie thou hast straightly bounde me to loue myne enemies to doe them good to helpe them in their néede and to pray vnto God for them I know right wel that in thus doing thou arte muche more bounde than I. Wherefore if thou wilt not loue me as thy frend loue me yet at the leaste as thyne enemie doe me good help me in my necessities and pray to thine heauēly father for me as thou art in dede moste bound to doe I doe assuredly know that thy vertue thy goodnes and thine heauenly charitie is not so small nor so stenderly planted in thée that it will suffer it selfe to be ouercome of mine extreme vnkindnes or naughtinesse no how greatly so euer it aboundeth Thy commaundement chargeth me that I in any wise suffer not my selfe to be vanquished by the malice of my enemies and wilte thou suffer thy solfe to be ouercome by my diffrétship leudnesse This verily hathe no likenesse of truth in it Thou hast taught and commaunded me that I with doing good to mine enemies do ouercome and vāquish their malice and I then require thée O my mercifull Lord and onely sauicure that thou also thy selfe obserue this diuine precept and commaundemēt of God thy father as thy godly nature bindeth thée Paie thy debte I pray thée that is vanquish my vain stoutnesse my wickednesse great malice with the vertue of gentlenesse and with thy most bounteous and plentifull goodnesse And if I haue an harte before thée hardened as the Adamant rock or Diamond breake it then or mollifie it I beseeche thee with the piercing moysture of thy moste pretious bloude O stéepe mine heart well therein souple it make it softe and temper it with the moisture of thy grace O lette thy Spirite then for euer possesse me henceforthe assiste me and be my moste gratious and good guide that I may vntill the ende obey thy moste holy wil. O woorke mine harte a newe after thine accustomed manner and according to thy good promisses of olde And if thou answeare that thou hast many times mercifully for giuē me and that thou therefore wilte looke no more vppon me or harken to my sute I answere If thou gauest Peter in commaundemente that he should pardon his enemies not seuen times onely but seuentie times seuen times that is alwayes and as often as they shall offende him It foloweth then that thou also arte so muche the more bounde héerein than I for as much as thou doste excéede me and all men in all charitie and specially bicause that I haue sinned not of any deadely malice but thorowe ignorance and frailtie and for that bothe I and others sawe not rightly the maiestie of him whome we so offended neyther coulde we make a right viewe of the goodes which we did lose nor of the euils in which we daily did incurre But thou peraduēture wilt yet say I haue giuen thée such plentie of lighte and true doctrine by sending my faithfull preachers and ministers these many yeres vnto thée that thou art now without excuse and thy faulte inexcusable Agaynst this doo I yet replie that euen to the Iewes thy peculier people thou gauost suche lights to sée and such knowledge to perceiue what thou was that they were yet inexcusable as thou thy selfe dyddest say And notwithstanding this thou beeing in triumphe vppon the Crosse diddest make their excuse and prayed for them saying that in putting thée to that cruell death they knew not what they dyd In consideration of which things seeing thou art myne onely aduocate myne onely Sauiour my God and dearely beloued of thy father my trust is in thée that thou wilt haue mercy vppon me and pray for me O pray for me therefore I beséeche thee make myne excuse to thyne and myne heauenly father O saue thou me and then shall I bée safe And if thou wilte yet lay to my charge O thou iuste God that I haue with earnest stoutnesse and rebellion offended thée myne answere agayne vnto thée is whych séest the secrotes of myne hearte that in so dooing I haue doone it not wilfully and of malice but rather of frayltie or through feruencie of zeale with all singlenesse of heart to seeke onely thy glory Wherein through wante of knowledge and the true lighte of thy holy Cospell I haue disobediently and stubbornly committed iniquitie but yet not in suthe wyse as doth the damned reprobate fixedly of wylfull malice or as an hater of thée who by all possible meanes séeketh thy dishonour and falleth with al gréedynesse from iniquitie to iniquitie Therefore I doubte not but suche zeale or frayletie ioyned with simplenesse is pardonable before thée through the gretnesse of thy mercy yea it is so much the more to the furtherance of thy glory o Christ rather than the only offences committed of meere simplicitie when the largenesse of thy mercyes so bountifully floweth from thee Yea and I know assuredly that throgh thy goodnesse and feruent charitie thou act inforced to vanquishe and vtterly ouerthrow my weakenesse wickeonesse malice and blindnesse euen to the pardoning of all from the firste to the laste that hathe beene amisse For if the iuste bloud of Abell called to God for vengeaunce agaynst his brother to hys condemnation and preuayled I know that thy bloud muche more effectually calleth to saluation and calling obteineth aboundaunce of Gods mercies for me Saue me therefore O my Lorde and swéete Iesu according to thy promyses and bonde of great charitie against the whiche neither thou oughtest nor canst resiste O saue me I beséeche
sore pressed oure consciences moste fovvly defiled burdened depely galled and vvounded the iudgementes of the highest not vvayed oure invvard senses benummed oure hartes hardened all diuine graces contemned and so vvith the plages of God the more svviftly by his iustice confounded heaping in the vvhile vēgeance vpō our selues against the day of his vvrathe and publike declaration of his proclaimed and iust iudgement and to be dampned vvith the vvorld vvith the Diuell and his Angels for euer vnto vvhom by vvhose custome and importune knocking at the doores of our gracelesse very vaine and most frutelesse hearts the knocking of the Lorde Christ vvilfully neglected vvee haue subiected oure selues and opened vvide vnto him to let in both him self his conioyned companions and vvith them all abhomination and vnrightuouseneste to quicken vvith more hast the flames of Gods furie to make ponderous and ouer heauie the svvitfe descending ballance of his very terrible irrcuokeable iustice To the ende therefore this small and moste simple volume may vnder youre godly protection gather the rather some estimation and credite passe forth for good to the vse of the godly I moste humbly beseeche youre vvorship so to accepte it in the simplicitie thereof and graunt thereunto your Christian furtherance that some good for Goddes glory may grovve thereby to some that some liues at the least may be somevvhat amended the furies of God the sooner preuented and the bright lighte of the sonne of god shine with more povver amongste vs to ouerthrovve vs in his feare to beate flatte to the earth our carthie and proude fleshe and to vvaste soone or consume for good and most happie chaunge our most damnable vvorks of darknesse I shall as of bounden duetie for this and for other the like causes deserued most humbly pray for you that God in mercie may euer blesse both you your moste vvorthy beloued in Christe your ofspring and vvhole familie Your humble and daily Oratoure THOMAS Paulfreyman An exhortation to the christen Reader BEing mindful de uout christian of god thine heauēly father and as best beseemeth thee an earthly creature always to remember thy maker that by a quickning spirite in the inwarde and newe man commended vnto thee from aboue thorough the free grace of election in Iesus Christ by whom thou art new borne to whom thou art coupled a quick and a lyuely member with whom thou art partaker of the Heauenly and diuine nature euen the nature of God thine eternall father In whom thine harte is prepared towardes him by whome thou seekest most truly to knowe him most earnestly to loue him diligently to seeke him faythfully to serue hym most lowly to honour him reuerently to feare and obey him and so foorth as his only worde of truth most straightly prescribeth and precisely requireth of thee of all people and in all estates thoroughout all generations In his hygh magnificence almightynesse etermtie great power and maiestie to loue him in his benignitie in his myldenesse tendernesse faithfulnesse truth and greate mercie to feare him in his lordly dignitie princely gouernment statelinesse rough countenance wrathefulnesse seuere iustice and iudgement and to offer daily vnto him the acceptable sacrifice of faithfull and hartie prayers in the name of his sonne Iesus Christe as hee himselfe most healthfully taughte thee and for whose onely sake promyse is made to heare thee that his myghtye hande may ener preserue thee vphold thee keepe thee safe norishe thee directe strengthen defende and deliuer thee in all places at all tymes and in al cases of necessitie bothe of bodge and soule and to giue thee also thorough Christ his holy spirite as a seale of assurance to certifie thee that thou arte the chyld of God inwardly to inflame and comforte thee to warke true faith into thee to dispose with cherefulnesse the frutes of true charitie to quiet thee in al tempests of aduersitie yea and to leade thee still on by the hande for the tyme and from time to tyme vnto the place of rest the cheerefull and safe porte the restfull hauen or moste sure rode of eternalioy and felicitie If thou desire to enioy all these and suche lyke blessings as are moste needefull for thee both for body and soul from the hand of God and according to the measure of the gift of Christ O hearken then vnto the voyce of the Lord thy God Incline bubly thine eare prepare thine hart sike him early in holinesse turne thee vnto him without delay receyue him with most pure affection and lift vp sone thy sickely soule to beholde the glory of his countenaunce O bond thy body of earth downe to the face of the earthe Grone in thy selfe to God with greefe and lay open simply before him the felt secretes of thy sinful hart Call daily vppon him and so aduisedly trie him as thou hast assured trust in him And before thou duetifully at temptest thy godly contemplatiōs prayers praises and thanks giuing to God prepare thee earnestly a sitte soule for the presence of so high and great a God. Forget not before whome thou presentest thy selfe and vnto whome thou doste minde to talke Be not vainly or wiekedly presumptuous in thine high and great attempt before him Abase thy selfe tremble in his presence Remember god beholdeth al disorders in thee with a piercing sharpe and reuenging eye 1 Examine therfore thy selfe before with indgemente Descende deepely into thine owne bowells and see there whether thou be as of ryghte thou oughtest truely penitent for thy former sinnes and wickednesse 2 Whether thou determinest thence forth from thine hearte not to tourne againe vnto them as dothe a cleane washed swine which newly defiles hir selfe in the lothsome and foule stinking mire 3 Whether thou bee in his sighte a louble faced or deepe dissembling hipotrite touching thy dealings with him and the worlde as thy booke in thee of records moste playnely witnesseth vnto thee 4 Whether thou bee as by name thou professest a zelouse fauorer of the word of life 5 Whether thou with the Prophet Dauid vnseinedly hatest all supersticiouse vanities contrary to the word of life 6 Whether thou with the said prophete feelest in thy selfe to be grieued with the enemies of God and with all such as rise vp ageinst him or to suppresse the word of life 7 Whether thou weyest wyth thy selfe that like as thy body being but of an earthy and corporall substaunce cannot possiblie liue without the vsual nourishmente of materiall bread and meate so the soule in the spirituall state therof cannot liue but be sterued and dye euen the eternall and euerlasting deathe withoute the spirituall nutriment and heauenly sweete tast of the woorde of God whiche to the soule is the onely breade of lyse and whereafter thou shouldest hunger too vpholde thy lyfe 8 Whether thou stedfastly beleue to be saued by the only merites death and bloudshed of Christ crucified vpon the crosse withoute thyne owne and other mens
merites eyther their most damnable and idolatrous deuised vanities 9 Whether thou thynkest it not the Dyuels bewytchyng by his maligne mimsters to bee depriued of so pious and precious a prepared raunsome 10 Whether thou at the receyuing of the holy mysteries of Christes body and bloud vnderstandest them to bee his owne only ordinance for the vse of his holy churche and to bee witnesses therein of the open and publike confession of the true saithe whiche thou haste in him and to be saued onely by his bodilye death and the bloudy sacrifice vppon the Crosse once for all offered vnto God his heauenly father for thine for mine for al the sinnes of the whole worlde euen so many as haue this acceptable saithe of God in them 11 Whether thou haue regarded by the word of God touching the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud the difference therin betwixt the Diuelles faith and thine either the saithe of an Hipocritishe and dampnable reprobate 12 Whether thou hast by true saithe repugned the Deuill who boldely chalēgeth thee as he thinketh he may be bolde and maketh equall compart son with thee of thy saithe touching simplie the confession of Christe as of his Conception by the holy Ghost of his Natiuitie and birth of the virgine Marie to be also the Sonne of God liued perfecte and vndefiled man vppon the earthe his doings to be onely omnipotent most miraculous wonderfull suffered most sharpe and cruell death was buryed rose againe ascended into the heauens verie God and very man yea and of his retourne also againe vnto iudgement All these things the Diuels beleeue and confesse with thee but yet vtterly vnperswaded to be his onely sufficient sauioure and redeemer by his precious bloude shedde and deathe euen as those saithlesse wickednesse which in theyr vnsoundnesse stubbornesse vnstayednesse touching the couenant of God in his sonne Christe for their saluation accompt the price of his precious bloud to be insafficient for them withoute the very absurde and most fond annexing of their owne and other mennes merites and so to make Christe vnto them selues to be at the moste but a mingled peeced botched and patched Sauioure 13 Whether thou hast on this maner folowing considered of Sathans chalenge and comparison with thee and sayde thus vnto hym in the secrecies of thy faithfull soule for thy defence O thou very mortal most cruel and damned enemie I vnfaynedly from myne hart defie thee I withstande thee to the face thou hast naught to doo with me or to make suche comparisous with mee in my christen and most holy profession I know full wel thy malice and stoutnesse which hath ben in thee from the beginning bothe agaynste the annoynted of God and all his Experiēce teacheth me of thy not slumbring of thy wandring about and seeking watchefully to deuoure and to spoyle mee of my faith wherby I must be saued I tell thee thou most wicked one thy trauell is all in vayn I am none of thyne nor nothing inclined to thyne affection or motions I am Gods I tell thee and the perswaded childe of God by his spirit of truth who by grace possessing me and by his power mightily working in mee hath moste graciously planted in my harte the frutefull tree of pictie of true and perfect fayth fast roted in me deply stayed and surely setled euen with the finger of god my father touching the dignitie price and true estimation of his sonne and mine onely sauiours most preciouse body for mine only health and eternal saluatiō And though I haue falne or fainted as traiterously thou hast tripped me yet of frailtie haue J falne not wilfully of malice as thou haste most maliciously tempted me which God hath seene in me in mercy therfore hath raised me vp ageyne and wil stil vpholde me in spite of thee Art thou ignorant of this thou griseled and foule helly monster that I am not such a one as thou art or as thou woldest haue mee to bee doubtefull of my faythe as the wicked are to leaue the freedome of Gods spirite and to bee entangled agayne in thine infernall filthy bands Thinkest thou that I beeyng nowe called to the lighte and knowledge of the sweete woorde of life whereof I haue truely tasted and haue in detestation mine olde conuersation will be newly agayne deceiued offer to approche eyther once nibble or smell to thy beslubbered brackishe and most filthy embrued baytes Notest thou me of suche slipperinesse that hauyng farre entraunce in the spirite and feele the incomparable ioyes therof that I will nowe ende in the greefes and sorrowes of the fleshe to sette so lyttle by the Kyngdome of Iesus Chryste that taking holde of the Plough will now looke backe agayne to bee as a Dogge and to returne agayne to my vomite or as a beastely Swyne to beraye my selfe agayne in the myre to defourme the Image of God and to defile his holy Temple No no Sathan thou arte deceiued I tell thee truely for thy discouragemente I am now better schooled well armed and better warned to let thee goe for naughte Knowest thou not that I haue put vppon me to endure for euer my Lorde and God my Chryste and Sauioure Art thou forgetfull O thou enemie that I in true faythe professing his name and receyuing woorthily hys bolye and most blessed Sacraments by the onely rule of his word am armed ouer all with his only healthful and most mercifull merites to strengthen me mightily ageinst thee who is made mine with all that he hathe and I am onely hys hoth body and soule one bodye wyth him fleshe of his fleshe and bone of his bones Ah Sathan this certeinty and truth in faith considered wastefull are thy wretched wandringes and wylye waightings to wreck and vex my soul Away from me away J say thou cursed and spightfull spirite or stay if thou lust to offer boldly vnto mee as thou darest thy very blashlesse and bragge attempts of malignitie I yet tell thee they shall not hurt me neither do I any thing esteeme thee J regard not thy force J feare not thy fury The Lorde is my God he is the God of my strēgth and considence thou hast of thy selfe no powre at all ageinst me For what so euer thou attempteste or seekest to performe therin to thy wil thou wantest powre But that which thou doest is by his onely omnipotent hande and sufferaunce that is my God whose waight and mightinesse thy broosed braines hath selte to make thee stonpe for euer to hamper thee at his will to thine owne irons to ouer throwe thee soone in thine owne tourne and to blowe thee backewarde at will euen with the breath of his mouth into the bailesse and deepe botomelesse pitte whose bonde slaue thou art and a drudge enforced and in thine outrage by his permission a knowne peerelesse paricide a very restlesse pitilesse and most gracelesse raunging roge the only ring leader and infectuouse ranke roote of all reproch
Of whiche truth the Apostle thus wryteth vnto thee that without al contradiction she must nedes be vnto thee either the sanoure of life vnto life or the sauoure of death vnto death Such iudgemēt will truth haue ouer thee and stand in full effect there will be no meane but to be either with thee or else flatly againste thee as it shall truely finde thee at thy fal frō this life there wil be no daliāce it will for euer saue thee or eternally damne thee how so euer thereof thou makest thine account or leanst of will to the contrary with thy very blinde wicked and peruerse hart Feare therfore harken to the truth in time haue sure confidence in truthe thine helper is at hand be and the truth are one he is grateful he is faithful dout thou not double not nor wilfully withstand not the offred graces of thy mylde master thy iust Lord and moste louing God and be not before him and in the presence of his holy Angels vnprepared or a dallier a man indifferent a slacke Simme a drousie one a lyngrer a double deaier a wanton or a carelesse one among the reiectes and wretches of this worlde that in their coldenesse darkenesse hopelesse houeryng vayne deuising wilfulnesse tolitie forgeifulnesse contempte of God and Godlynesse tempteth so hygh so magnificent terrible great God of maiestie most deadlily to danger them elues who diuersly in a moment and in the twinkling of an eye is able by his iustice to destroy thee to cracke sodainely in sunder the thred of thy life to twine strōgly the cordes of thy perdurable eternal death Therfore as he ought in his mightinesse of euery wighte to be feared so he shold not of any one either presumptuously or vainely be tempted But for thy part obey him in his will and suffer him with all pacience to try thee through aduersitie cōmitting thy selfe wholely vnto his only wil mercy for surely he will beholding in thee the power of saithe not suffer thee to be tempted aboue thy strengthe or yeelde thee so farre to fall but with his owne right hand will raise thee quickly vp againe And I exhorte thee also to take heede that thou possesse not in his sight at any time an vnstayed ofte wauering and winde shaken hart through Sathans blustrings stormie and tempestuous blastes stirred vppe daily and hourely againste thee and that by Goddes permission for good least by thine impaciencie diffidente trembling and sore shakes of thine vnchristen inconstancie thou be sodainly turned to thy shiftes put to thy faultie flight and so be dispossessed of thy verie healthful safe and most sure holde or else spoiled with reproche of thy christen armor or be occasioned by desperate pursute to starte from the face of the ennimie to stacker fearfully at his offered blowes and in hazarde to take hurt by some dangerous and sodain fal◠greatly to dishonor thee before Christe thy captaine and with him infinite armies of heauēly soldiors whose tents to encourage thee are pitched round about thee I say therefore vnto thee O Christian stand thou cherefully to thy charge in all things and defende manfully thine owne dismaie thee not J say for the Lorde God him selfe will be thy defender and keeper and wil stand by thee to strengthen thee and to deliuer thee from all daungers And if legions of diuels should copasse thee trench thee in round about plant their power and bēd forcibly their shot agaynst thee well may they threatningly thunder far frō thee rore rattle and rumble in the aire ouer thee tumble terribly about thee parche something thy tender skin and wonderfully in such sort amase thee yet shall they not preuayle agaynst thee hurte any member of thee or once remoue thy fast fixed soote but shalt stād sure fer euer euen as the highe mightie steadie and strong mounte Sion for Gods arme stayeth thee who by his power hathe ouercome the diuell euen the great diuell Sathanas him selfe he holdeth him at will by his infernall chaynes his whole cursed armie also hell gates and al the powers of hell O praise therfore thine almightie God exalt his glorious name for euermore watche and pray continually pray with vnderstāding pray at al times and in al places as his holy spirite shall moue thee for the vpholding of thee and for the auoyding of the engins sleights and tēptations of the enimies that God himselfe may be pleased thy soule strēgthned the diuels chased vāquished or put to flight And when thou prayest deceiue not vaynly thy selfe be not blinded with the proud Pharisie in thine owne conceite boasting of thy righteousnesse in the presence of God neither glorying in any thing for he throughly beholdeth thee and seeth that truely in thee euen thy secrete and hidde sinnes a masse of all abhomination as thou oughtest chiefly therein to be thine owne iudge But humble thy self before him with the penitent and poore wretched Publicane confessing thy sinnes and wickednesse and feare not then to attayne grace through suche true faith hūblenesse Moreouer forget not that as God is a moste highe heauenly and diuine substance and a spirite of al goodnesse and truth so wil he also of thee be spiritually worshipped praysed and prayed vnto euē in the truth by the word of truth and frō the depth and bocome of thine hart This also I put thee in remēbrāce of a thing greatly requisite that in the tyme of thy prayers which thou daily consecratest to god be they more or lesse long or short thou be not withdrawen with the snarling suggestions secret twitches inward motions or wylie sleightes of the enimie Sathan thorough the abuse of thy senses and outwarde bodily members as thine eyes thine eares and suche like that whilest thy tongue onely oft babbleth and vaynely wastest muche breath thine hearte whiche God chiefely respecteth and dothe very gladly desire bee fardest off and bee moste vaynely turned another way gretly to displease him to vexe sore thine owne conscience and to make vtterly frustrate al thine attempts or importune sutes of greate necessitie This I say also vnto thee If thou desire to be the child of God and voyde of al doubts so in dede to be fauour frō thy hart Christ thy forerunner and sauiour by whose onely grace thou arte adopted the childe of god Make not towards him thy fidelitie crased mingled or patched let it goe soundly and al whole togither both frō thy body thy soule Let him alwayes enioy frō thee the whole perfect mā the man regenerate new borne and made by his spirit the child of light ful of agilitie and liuelinesse whose soule mounting with felicitie still vp to the heauens is there resident with Chryst the sauiour and alwayes conuersant in heauenly things And let him also bee euermore vnto thee thine onely whole ful perfect and sufficient redemer ear nest petitioner and ready pacifier of the diuine fury against thee for al causes who with
great glory as thou sholdest confesse is ascended on high and sitteth with almightinesse power and maiestie on the right hand of his heauenly father with open and fresh bleeding wounds the many fest marks impressions before him for euer of the purchased most preciouse redeemed inheritance euen for thee most notoriouse and deadly sinner by the secrete testimonie of thine owne conscience These things such like of thee thus christenly considered thou mayest bee bold with thy most merciful and louing god But yet agayne I say vnto thee hold thee sure vnto thy sauiour christ swarue not frō him nor frō the vertue of his onely merites wherby thou must be onely saued Cleaue then close to the rocke of assurance leane to no loose nor sandie safetie Trust not to the rottennesse of our humane deuises labour not to languish in a maze of vncertaintie Bemoyle not thy selfe in suche myre of mortalitie and shun soone such shoures as wil wrecke thy soules fidelitie Then cry as J sayd and ceasse not to craue pardon of God thy father in his sonne name ' Doubte not of thy sute what so euer it be for it shal by good motiō be so vpright so reasonable so acceptable before him and allowable and shal touch therwith so neere the tendernesse of his mercy his truthe and fidelitie that of necessitie graunt muste bee made vnto thee he wil not denie thee the requests of thy lippes yea he will so graciously tender thee that foreseing thy cause of inwarde complaynte he wyll prepare quickely thine heart most faithfully to call vpon him Beleeue therfore faithfully trust of assurance and thou shalte surely obteine thy desire with greate mercy and fanour at his holy hande Thy sinnes shal not be imputed vnto thee thou shalte bee blessed and righteouse in the sighte of God all the dayes of thy life so happily shall thine hart be prepared so mightily shal thy prayers preuayle for thee they will forcibly pearce the celestiall and high heauens approche neare to the onely throne of grace and maiestie cry incessantly for thee will not returne from the presence of God nor once be satisfied before the full graunt of their humble sute for thy sauing health and cōmoditie To conclude in all thy godly attemptes whether in praying fasting geuing of Almes frequenting the holy Sacramentes or rendering moste hartie thankes vnto God for his infinite Mercies Graces Blessinges and Benefites bestowed vppon thee and vppon his whole Churche from the beginning vntill this present day and what soeuer in holinesse thou commendest daily vnto him let it always be done vprightly orderly with christian comelynesse and modestie with peace of conscience faithfully constantly cherefully and in charity as the only worde of God moste straitely byndeth thee Which I pray to God may clerely shine into thee by the power of his holy spirite who quicken thee this day to morow and for euer and kindle in thee towardes him the firie flames of his true loue throughe his sonne Chryst Iesus who speedely graunt thee the same signement of his holy hand and satisfie thee with inward ioy in all thy moste lowefull and diuine desires Amen FINIS A deuout meditation of the godly Christian with a briefe Confession and Prayer WHen I O heauenly father thorowe the glorie of thine only eternal gracs am euē in the middest of many muses lamentable mournings déepe sighings and inwarde monings to my self most happily stirred to the due consideration of my self and in what perillous state I euer stande here in this wretched worlde how in the breuity therof I am compassed with many miseries with greuous plagues and punishmentes with dreadful calamities perilles and dangers with diuers maladies sicknesses aand infirmities bothe of body and mind how by the mighty power also pollicie of mine ancient and most deadly enimy the olde subtile serpent this deceitful vaine world as also mine own weaknes corruption apte inclination most vile subiection to sinne I am daily assaulted and tempted to sinne and in cōmitting sinne become the seruant of sin must acordingly looke for death the iuste reward of sinne bicause diuersly therwith and damnably through disobedience the breach of thy law in thought word and déede I haue and do most gréeuously offend the will of thy Maiestie and am become thereby a very Sathanist the childe of the diuel to hasten thy furies vpon mée that he shuld vse his tirānie against me for so witnesseth by accusation my wounded conscience whereby my soule is daylie dysquieted sore clogged gretly destled maruelously amased made monstruouse before thée and hated of thée wherevnto my freedom and innocencie being lost of my owne concupiscence am accustomably blinded drawne and entised and by the malice thereof both vnderstanding heart and wil are holden captiue and in deadelie slauery to the diuel the only author and beginner of all euell concupiscence and sinne By which occastō in stead of healthsome and profitable thinges I ofte desire very noysome most pernitious and hurtfull things And my soule also which in the excellencie therof through reason and the vprightnesse of the inward man should beare the beauty of thy heauenly and most glorious ymage in perfect puritie and innocencie through the corruption therof is sowly deformed and sore blemished and made accordingly his euill fauoured most filthy image and so woorthily by thy iustice shaken off and caste from the presence of thy deitie So that héereby O Lord thou hast yet by the continuance of thy grace moued me to consider that if thy mercies did not abounde vppon me or that thy gratious fauoure should nowe or at any time in this most deadly plight vtterly forsake me and not rather cōfortably with spéedy and most swift sway turne againe towardes me and bring therwith from thine heauenly presence the distilling moystures and large flowing streames of thy celestiall dewe plentifully drawne from the swéete fountains of my sauioure to refresh comfort make whole againe clense beautifie my very leprous moste sinneful and sicke soule and of thy méere mercie to reduce hir to hir pristinate former state my case should be most miserable my bands shuld be indissoluble I shoulde become a cursed reiect remain a fire brand of hell for euer But as thy loue O Lord is vnspeakeable and thy fatherly mercie toward me infinite which willest not the deathe of a sinner but rather he should fourne from his wickednesse and liue and offrest him time and space to repēt and amende so haste thou now in mercie remembred me looked back againe vpon me cheared and comforted me encreased true faithe in me thy spirit hath renued me stirred me to call moste humbly vnto thée set me frée from the ennemie pitied my soules deformitie prepared the most healthful remedie for the bloud of thy sonne Iesus hathe clensed me whereby thou haste so quickened me that my soule reioyseth within me with most earnest