say thou haue no sinne thou deceiuest thy selfe and there is no trueth in thee but if thou confesse and acknowledge thy sinnes I am faithfull and righteous remayning an Aduocate for thee vnto mine heauenly father to obteine thee forgiuenesse and to cleanse thee from all thine iniquitie Now whensoeuer thou approachest vnto mine heauenly father in my name for remission of sinnes call to minde that to the promise of forgiuenesse is annexed this condition that thou forgiue al others that haue trespassed against thee wherein it behoueth thee to be circumspect and carefull to weede out all malice all hatred dissention and hypocrisie out of thine heart together with al other impediments that may let thy free comming vnto mine heauenly father namely all sinne and iniquitie truely repenting thee thereof that thy conscience being made cleane condemne thee not but that thou mayst come boldly and freely vnto the Throane of grace and in my name receiue whatsoeuer thou shalt aske And for that that Sathan the Prince of this world is so vigilant and diligent to drawe men into many noysome attempts whereby they may decline from myne heauenly Father and followe him whereby vice may bee imbraced and vertue forsaken iniquitie set vp and iustice and equitie suppressed euill regarded goodnes defaced It behooueth thee in all thy prayers to make mention of thy frailtie with humble request vnto myne heauenly Father in my name that he will strengthen thee against all assaultes of wicked Sathan who seeketh by al meanes to ouerthrowe thee whereof thou hast had sufficient experience of late and in whose conflictes thou hast bene vtterly ouercome had not I assisted thee not only in the couetous desires and inordinate cares of this world wherwith he infecteth many but in his most dangerous assault wherein he sought to drowne thee in vtter dispayre his pollicies are verie deceitfull his hatred to wards godlines so great and his assaults so sharpe as it behooueth thee to haue thy weapons prepared for defence that he batter not the walles of thy Soule with the shot of sinne and temptations to sinne but that thou maist be able to withstand him to keepe him from entring into thy soule and that is by no other meane then by a true and an vndoubted faith in mee who haue already vanquished him whereby thou shalt also resist him but for asmuch as thine owne strength is mere weakenesse thy force very frailtie apt rather to yeeld then able to withstande him thou art willed to come for strength against his temptation vnto mine heauenly father by faithfull prayer in my name that those temptations wherewith he endeuoureth to draw thee into destruction namely the thinges that may offende mine heauenly father as contempt of his worde Idolatrie Couetousnesse Drunkennesse Malice Enuie Theft dispaire in trouble and to vse sinister and vnlawfull meanes in pouertie or any kinde of vice ouercome thee not but to bee preserued froÌ„ all thinges that are vngodly daungerous to thy soule for which also thou art willed to pray namely for deliueraunce from euill in which word is comprehended whatsoeuer may bee displeasaunt and offensiue vnto myne heauenly father from the tyrannie of Sathan and from all miseries both bodily and ghoâ—iâ—y not onely priuate appertayning only vnto thy self but for the whole Church that she being deliuered from all calamities thou mayst be partaker of the blessinges powred vpon the same in this life namely the true knowledge of my Gospell and fruition thereof and after this life inherite the Kingdome prepared for the â—â—ect of mine heauenly father from the beginning Nowe hast thou heard what things thou must pray for namely things eternall which are tending to the honouring of mine heauenly fathers name who hath bene before all worlds for spirituall things which are those things that tend to the saluation of thy soule and for corporall things which tend to the maintenaÌ„ce of this present life The consideration of which things ought to stirre thee vp to continuall and faithfull praier wherein as before is saide it behooueth thee to waigh vnto whome thou praiest and by whose meanes thy prayers are acceptable and thy petitions graunted Thou praiest vnto God myne heauenly father who made and created thee and all the worlde thou hast accesse vnto him through mee his Sonne for whose sake by whose mediation thy praiers are heard those prayers that are made by the spirit and vnderstanding not vnaduisedly or at aduenture but in faith and trueth And to the end that thou maist bee assured that it is mine heauenly father onely that both heareth thee and wil helpe thee thou must reteine in thy continuall remembrance how and in what maner he hath declared himself to be the only and true God and that not only in making thee and all creatures els whom by his mightie power hee likewise preserueth but especially in sending mee his onely Sonne into the worlde to take humaine nature vpon me to be familiarlie conuersaunt with man on earth to shewe myne heauenly fathers will the Gospell of eternall trueth his liuely and very perfect Image vnto men to the â—â—de that they should pray only vnto him who hath reueiled himself by me as appeareth by many and euident testimonies wherby thou maist and oughtest daily and diligently to exercise thy faith and therein without wauering to addresse thy self vnto the Throane of his grace in my name of whom he gaue testimonie to bee his onely Sonne and for whose sake hee hath promised to giue thee all thinges both corporall and spiritual which thou shalt faithfully pray for in my name and bee assured to receiue the fruite of thy faithfull praier But now thou must beware least as before is sayd thou bee founde vnthanckfull after the receiuing of the blessinges of my heauenly father of what kinde soeuer they bee For thanksgiuing is an acceptable worship vnto him for that thereby he is acknowledged the giuer and disposer of those thinges that tend to thy benefite and he that giueth him praise glorifieth him And this belongeth vnto the righteous and godly ones onely as the Prophet witnesseth saying The voyce of ioye and deliueraunce shall bee in the tabernacles of the righteous saying the right hande of the Lorde hath done valiauntly Thus must thou at all tims for all thinges and aboue al things giue thankes not only for the comforte of the present benefite which thou receiuest at the handes of mine heauenly father but also for that thou hast receiued an assured token of his fauour wherein thou mayst peaceablie passe the whole course of thy life in ful assurance that for my sake thou art at peace with him For if thou omit and neglect this due worship of thanksgiuing when thou hast receiued any singuler benefite or deliuerie froÌ„ any kind of daunger or riddaunce from any calamitie thou deemest mine heauenly father to bee the aucthor thereof and attribute
faithfulnes how to flye him and to followe me to eternall saluation whereof if thou frame thee faithfully to my wordes I will assure thee Heare me The sinfull man Oh what should I poore sinner doe whose sinnes surpasse the sand In number which the surging seas and waues haue cast on land No wit no wisedome or good will doth rest within my brest Thy wordes are all in vaine to me I am bereft of rest And know not how to winne again thy fauour which is lost In dolefull plight I striue in vaine to yeeld vp guiltie ghost That earth might passe to earth againe of which it first begun My soule where it deserues to be an wofull ghost vndun Solace Wilt thou oh man continue still so hard of heart in woe Refusing so the fruites of grace that from my mercie floe Whereby thou mayst at libertie be set from force of foe Reclaimd from sinne and Sathans will to rest no more in woe Repent therefore I say repent turne thou to me in haste Giue eare vnto me once againe be yet reformde at last Thou shalt perceiue that I forgiue all sinners when they crye Not wishing any sinfull soule in such dispaire to dye ALL the Prophetes beare me witnesse tha◠through my name all that beleeue in me shall receiue remission of sinnes Iohn sayth 〈◊〉 any man haue sinned he hath an Aduocate wit◠the father Iesus Christ the Righteous he i◠the propitiation for our sins I am that Christ of whom Osee testifieth and sayth in that I haue conquered Sathan already O Death I wilbe thy death O Hell I wilbe thy destruction I haue as Dauid sayth lead captiuitie captiue when I ascended into heauen in ouercomming the Deuill Sinne Death and Hel enemies to the soule of man These that were long before me haue testified of me whose testimonie of me is true And my father in the beginning promised that the seede of the woman should tread downe the Serpents head I was that pure seede of the Uirgine of whom the Prophetes spake long before and I haue performed it vppon the Crosse and thus doth the spirite testifie in the hearts of all the Children of my father Now if these witnesses cannot moue thee to beleeue beleeue my father in heauen who testifieth of me saying This is my welbeloued Sonne heare him My father hath sent into the world eternall life and that is by me his Sonne Well then come vnto me al ye that labour are heauy laden with the burthen of sinne come vnto me I will ease you Art thou loden therefore poore man ye more then loden thou art prest downe not to the ground but to y e very gulfe of hel thou maist thanke thy master Sathan for it who being pittilesse presseth downe with the weightie burthen of all wickednesse such as yeeld him seruice He will promise at the first nothing but ease nothing but pleasure but in the ende he lodeth with labour and paieth your hire with paine thou that hast had the tryall of it excuse him if thou canst no thou canst not nor thy self Wherfore I say defie him and condemne thy self who hast gone astraie who hast wrought wickednesse euen with greedinesse And I see that he hath led thee into such a Laberinth into such a deepe Dungion of dispaire that it wilbe hard for thee to winde thee out againe But I will worke thee such a way as if thou bee aduised by me if thou followe my counsayle and walke the way that I will shewe thee thou shalt spite of his heart breake his fetters in peeces get out of his prison and defie him and all his wicked retinue euen to their faces The sinfull man Oh Solace doth thy mercy so abound to pardon me Although like stinking filthie cloath my life appeare to thee If Sathan held me not in band fast linckt in fetters fell Who roares like raging Lyon whē I doe determine well Full faine I would returne to thee whose mercy now I see And do perceiue that Satan seekes the meanes to murther me Solace YEa that is his occupation he hath nothing els to liue by nor to maintaine his kingdome withall He first allureth men to al kinde of vice he stirreth them vp to rebell against the will of mine heauenly father and as much as in him lyes reteineth them therein but when they be somewhat touched with the knowledge and feeling of their error when the spirite beginneth to groane vnder the heauie burthen of sinne and sommoneth them to the leading of a new life and they begin to fall from him then beginnes he to bestirre himself then he begins to cogge and to lye then he renues the Commissions of his officers and wicked ministers to lay a newe assault to their soules who with great diligence execute their masters will in perswading the poore sinner that he beginnes to take an ill course if he decline from his wicked way when he refuseth to doe ill and chooseth to doe good when he leaueth darknesse and betakes him to the light of trueth He tolde Iudas that he was not wise if he would followe me but if he would forsake me and betray me then did he well But when he had performed his commaundement and done as he was bid what did that master of his for him for sooth for feare least he should haue truely repented and haue vnfeynedly returned to me againe he put such a pricke into his conscience that he neuer left him till he had hanged himselfe Such conflictes maketh hee in the mindes of men that haue once yeelded vnto his pestilent motions and obeyed his wicked will without remorse of conscience feare of death or loue of mee and that will not be in time reclaymed from their wickednesse whome the wordes of my mouth will not mooue nor the feare of hell fire fraye from their filthinesse these I say when they heare the iudgements of my Father against them for their sinnes he to the ende he may hold them still in blindnes fearreth them with threates and ouercommeth their wittes with most horrible and blasphemous perswasions that there is no saluation or hope of helpe in me in so much as he laboreth by all meanes and vseth all his pollicies to bring them to destruction resisting them alwayes from doing any good as he stoode at the right hande of Iehoshua to let him when hee prayde vnto myne heauenly father for the state of the people So hee endeuoureth to take my worde out of thine heart least thou shouldest beleeue and be saued yea he desireth to winnow those that will come forwarde to godlines as Wheate as he sifted Peter myne Apostle who perswaded him selfe to be able to stand strongly but loe euen with the feare that Sathan stroke him with he denied me three times but he repented went out and wept bitterly And afterward resisted him manfully nay he was not
mine heauenly father yea all they that came of y e stock of Adam are all become abominable and of none abilitie to doe good there is none that worketh righteousnes no not one my selfe excepted who according to y e promise of mine heaueÌ„ly father in the beginning made to Adam y t the seede of the woman should tread downe the Serpents head who was also promised to Abraham Isaak and Iacob where it was foretold that in their seede should all the kingdomes of the earth be blessed therefore must thou beleue that y e originall corruption which proceeded froÌ„ Adam remaineth yet in all flesh in generall whose reward is death But my father hath reserued vnto himselfe a certaine number knowne onely vnto himselfe which in my bloud he hath sanctified vnto eternall life whom by the holy Ghost he elected and chose out before the foundation of the world to be his childreÌ„ adopted and vnited into his fauour and mercie againe by me his onely sonne who in the time from the beginning of the world limited by the holy Prophets foreshewed came into the world in the very shape forme of a man and in all thinges lyke vnto a man sinne excepted conceiued in the wombe of a virgin whose name was Marie by the holy ghost and was incarnate and tooke substaunce of her bodie and borne into the world and growing in the fleshe according to the manner of sinfull men yet without sin according to the worde of the Prophetes And that I was y e Messias so long before promised who should bring ioy glad tidings vnto all the world and to set those at libertie that were in the boÌ„dage of Sathan sould vnder sinne and to giue light to them that sate in darknes and in the shadowe of death who haue bin from the beginning of the world begotten before all creatures and consecrated of mine heauenly Father to be the onely Hye Priest that should offer the Sacrifice that should appease his wrath for all the sinnes of the worlde to be the king to defend his people and the Prophet to shewe them his will and to guide their feete vnto the way of peace Who by offering vp my body in sacrifice once for all through the eternall spirite without spotte or sinne purged the consciences of men from dead workes to serue the liuing God mine heauenly Father and that for that purpose I lefte the heauenly Cittie the bosome of mine heauenly Father and being Lorde of all became a subiect and seruaunt to all laying aside all glorie and put on the base attire of mortall man being indued with two natures Deuine and Humaine without which the will of my Father could not haue bin executed according to his diuine prouidence for in my humanitie I was in this worlde parsonally dwelling among men eating and drinking among men and was verie man of the promised seed of Dauid and yet as touching my Godhead I was nothing inferiour to mine heauenly father but coequall with him and coeternall yet was I coÌ„tent to humble my selfe obey his will and to shewe his vnspeakeable loue and ardent desire he had of the redemption of mankinde wherein he gaue me his onely sonne to dye for the sinnes of the world who according to his determinate will did most willingly imbrace euen the death of the Crosse to redeeme them from death that were iustly condemned performing the message of mine heauenly father in all things doing nothing but what was decreed before the beginning of the world by the eternal counsaile I became poore to make thee rich and to be a meane to bring thee into the fauour of mine heauenly father againe I became bond to the will of mortall men to make thee free with the imortall God I became a straunger and a Pilgrim in earth to make thee a Citizen of heauen I became the sonne of mortall man to make thee the childe of the liuing GOD I suffered the paynes of Hell to purchaze thee heauen I was content to sufter the cruell death of the Crosse to procure thee lyfe eternal Thou must therefore faithfullie belieue that I am that Christ that true Messias that was promised to be the Sauiour of the world who was annoynted with the oyle of grace and was indued with all spirituall heauenly giftes here in earth aboue all others and that my flesh was so sanctified with my Diuinitie and Godhead that it could not suffer or see corruption Thou must belieue also that after I had preached the will of my father in Iudea and Galile in great humilitie where both by word and miracles I shewed my selfe to be the sonne of God as also by the preachings of the Prophets The Iewes by all meanes sought to take me but could not before my time was come and when the howre came when I should be deliuered into their hands according to the will of my Father I was vniustly accused of y e chief priests who consulting how they might haue me taken procured Iudas falsly to betray me promising him a bribe who although I could haue preuented him betrayed me with a kisse And then the chiefe Priestes bound me and brought me before Pylate and had prouided false witnes to accuse me wicked ministers to scourge me scoffers to deride me condemning me most vniustly to dye and to be hanged vpon the Crosse betweene two theeues as a principall malefactor and yet pure and altogether without spotte or sinne where most ignominiously and cruelly I was crowned with a Crowne of thornes in dispitefull and disdaynfull manner saluting me by the name of the king of the Iewes who being thirstie they gaue me most sharpe vinegar mingled with gall to drinke all which I most meekely and willingly suffered tooke all their torments patiently their raylings and reuilings mildlie their buffetings spittings at me meekelie longing for the redemption of mankinde to be baptized with that baptisme of so greeuous a death and to offer vp once for all the sacrifice of my bodie to reuiue them that were dead in sinne and to obtaine pardon for their transgressions euen the tender loue I had to the saluation of their poore soules by which oblation I haue purchased full satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world that whoe so beleeueth in me should not pearish but should obtaine eternall lyfe Thou must verely beleeue also that I dyâ—d vppon the same Crosse and euen giuing vp the ghost into the handes of mine heauenly Father I indured such agonie due for the sinne of mankinde which aunswered the Iustice of mine heauenly Father in so heauy exceeding manner in respect of mine humanitie that the verie anguish and conflict of the flesh and spirit I sweat water and â—loud and was
holy Ghost being y e third person of the Trinitie is a diuine person coessentiall and coeternall with my father me who proceedeth from mine heauenly father and mee It is the comforter and spirite of trueth the very pledge and earnest penye of thy saluation whereby thou art sanctified and assured in thy conscience that thou art the child of mine heauēly father and heire of eternall life and by it dwelleth mine heauenly father in thee It is the directiō to all goodnesse whatsoeuer whereby the Prophets haue prophesied mine Apostles preached all auncient Fathers written and al godly men tasted of the sweete and comfortable message which I haue brought into this worlde It is the water of life which by no meanes will flowe into the hearts of the wicked nor abide in the hearts of y e vnbeleuers but delighteth to rest in the hearts and to guide the soules of thē tha beleeue and cleaue vnto righteousnesse and thereby mayst thou answere the aduersaries of my worde and Gospel It is the holy Ghost that calleth men from darknesse to walke in light that procureth newnesse of life and that mortefieth the old man the world and the flesh and maketh thee strong against sinne death and Satan and that giueth knowledge of the trueth and power to imbrace it and which maketh my yoke easie and my burthen light that strengtheneth the weake hearts and feeble consciences to serue mine heauenly father whereby thou art conducted and guided the way that leadeth vnto the blisse that neuer shall cease It measureth all thy doings by the rule of my worde reformeth errors and reproueth the world of sinne of righteousnesse and of Iudgement and beareth witnesse in the hearts of all beleeuers that their sinnes are freely forgiuen thē in me It was the guyd whereby mine Apostles folowed me without the which no man can say that Iesus is the Lord. Thou must also faithfully beleeue in one Catholique Church vniuersall dispersed throughout the whole worlde being the whole companie of the faithfull beleeuers in mee who notwithstanding they are not of one vnite companie in bodily societie yet in respect of their mutuall and ioynt agreemēt of their faith of their life their Baptisme their holy Table and true Religion they are one Church and Cōgregation of those y t of the free grace and mercy of God mine heauenly father are chosen and predestinat to eternall life of which Church Congregatiō I am the head and whom the holy Ghost hath sanctified made holy and whome I commende vnto mine heauenly father to enioye that inheritaunce which I haue purchased with my blood who as long as they are conuersaunt in this miserable worlde and beare about them the heauy burthen of the flesh cannot do that which they should and therfore cannot be of such perfection nor be so purged from their originall corruption and infirmities which abideth in all flesh as is requisite vntill such time as I their head shall appeare whē they likewise shal appeare with me in glorie which Church godly Cōgregation y u must likewise beleeue to be so knit vnited together in the band of mutuall loue godly agreemēt that whatsoeuer good gift mine heauēly father bestoweth vpon them perticulerly they imploye it to the cōmon behoofe of all in generall And that as this Church and Congregation of al faithfull beleeuers in me is the true Catholique and apostolique Church so for them I haue purchased free forgiuenes of al their sinnes and that of y e mere loue of mine heauenly father and mine obedience vnto the death and nothing of their deserts in so much as there remaineth none other satisfaction or attonemēt to bee made with mine heauenly for the sinnes of y e world but my self only that none can obteine remission of their sinnes but such as bee made true mēbers of the same Church by me for besides the same Congregation there be none but such as work iniquities to whō I will say depart from me I know you not for whom there is a place of endles woe prouided Also thou must beleeue that although the corruptible bodies of mākinde must perish putrefie returne againe to dust of which it was first created yet that in the last day they shal rise again with the same bodies and couered with the same skinnes which now they haue and which thē shall be renewed and glorified they that are departed this life alreadie shall take againe their owne bodies which then shall bee of farre greater glorie then either in this life they were or that any heart can imagine And those that at my comming shall be founde liuing in this worlde shall suddainely bee chaunged and those that bee of this Congregation the true members of this Church shalbe placed in the vnspeakeable ioyes of eternall blisse but those that haue giuen them selues in this world to the fulfilling of the lustes and desires of the flesh liued in wantonnes chambering the Couetouse persons the Usurers Drunkardes Gluttons and vngodly persons shall not enioy the benefite of that sacrifice which with mine owne body I offered on the Crosse once for all but shalbe cast into vtter darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth THese things must thou faithfully and vndoubtedly beleeue to be the very trueth and groūd of true religion which who so beleeueth not is no true member of that holy Catholique Church which is predestinate to be saued And therefore by a firme and constaunt faith thou must take holde of these things which I haue declared vnto thee being the ground of thy saluation freely promised in me of which faith the holy ghost is y e giuer who frameth the hearts of all men to beleeue the promises of my heauenly father touching their saluation in mee sealeth vp the sam◠promises in their hearts whereby they perswade themselues to be members of the same true Church and of the company of those that are predestinate to be saued which fayth bringeth forth the fruites of a godly life the beginning whereof as I sayde before is vnfeyned repentance grounded vpon this true and vndoubted fayth in which two Faith and repentance is conteined the whole summe of my Gospell wherefore as thou hast heard what this faith is howe it worketh and what it should bee exercised in So must thou reteine it and bring foorth the fruites thereof that it may appeare a liuely an effectuall and not not a dead fayth And forasmuch as the night is so neere I will for this day here make an ende And in the meane time woulde haue thee to meditate of my former wordes not forgetting them but diligently inclyning all thy studie will and whole heart effectually to followe that which may testifie in thy conscience that thou art
the same inwardly which thou desirest to seeme outwardly And in the morning when thou comest againe I will proceede to direct thee to that repentance wherein thou must exercise thy selfe towardes the amendement of thy former life The sinfull man Would GOD the night were not so neere thy talke delighteth mee Encrease my fayth to morrowe I will waite againe on thee The ende of the VVednesdaye or third dayes Conference A PRAYER FOR the encrease of faith and for the direction of the holy spirite to frame our liues according to the rule which God the father in his sonne Christ hath prescribed vnto vs. OH God my God giuer of al good things and the sure defence and succour of all them that faithfully beleeue in thee Loe I thy silly creature the worke of thine owne handes who in my great darkenes and ignorance humbly craue of thee the light that shineth from on high that faith sweete Lord without the which no maÌ„ can please thee which proceedeth from the holy Ghost the most wholsome water of life whereof oh Lorde giue mee some taste some sparcle whereby I may come vnto thee wherby I may frame my life according to thy blessed and heauenly will and whereby I may truely serue thee and doe worship to thine holy name Vouchsafe oh Lorde vouchsafe in Iesus Christ thine onely and welbeloued sonnes name and for his sake to be mercifull vnto my wretchednes to forgiue my wickednes to strengthen my weakenes to pardon my dulnes and more and more to encrease my fayth and to vouchsafe mee perfect knowledge of goodnes and ablenes by thine holy spirit to follow thee to frame myne heart vnfaynedly to loue thee my will to seeke al my powers to doe their dueties to praise thee Lord increase my faith which is the principall meane whereby we take hold of thy most louing and most comfortable promises in Christ our Sauiour thyne only and welbeloued Sonne whome thou of meere loue of our saluation sentest into this miserable world here to suffer the opprobrious death of the Ctosse to appease thy wrath for our sinnes and to risâ— agayne for our iustification The worlâ—â—hereof sweete IeIesus thou hast not onely most willingly as an obedient sonne performed according to thy fathers will but hast reueyled and manifested the mystery thereof to all the worlde and trayned out the way that wee should walke in to come to that vnspeable happy habitation the endlesse blessings and passing ioyes whereof no tong can expresse Thou hast by thy death sweete Iesus purchased agayne for vs that which before we had lost in Adam Thou hast redeemed vs again out of the hands of death and raunsomed vs from the cruell bondage of Sathan that enemy of al mankind whose head although thou haue troden downe and payd the vttermost which could be demaunded for our redemption spoyled him of all his power and vnarmed him of all his weapons gotten the victorie ouer death and hell Yet such is our weakenes our corruption and the hardnesse of our beliefe in thee that he remayneth yet tyrannous diligently attending watching and seeking whom he may deuour whom he may leade with blindnesse into error and false religion into the wayes of wickednesse to destruction both of body and soule And we most wretched sinners prone to doe that which is contrary to thy will haue of our selues no power to â—â—thstand him no ablenes to auoyde his tyranny Wherefore most louing Iesus I the most wretched and sinfull the most ignorant and blind creature most humbly pray thyne ayde thyne assistance and gracious protection not onely to defend mee from the clawes of Sathan and his ministers the World and lustes of the corrupt flesh but also grace to guyde my life in fayth vnfeyned perfect loue and true feare of thee myne onely Sauiour and Redeemer hauing none other hold none other helpe strength defence or hope to be defended saufely conducted in a godly life and conuersation but thy selfe sweet Iesus thou inuincible captaine thou lambe of God who takest vpon thee the sinnes of the world whose will is that we should bee saued and be preserued from the hands of that cruell Aduersary the Deuill But alas good Iesus so blynded are we that we can not see the way to thee so deafe that we refuse to heare thee and so disobedient that we come not willingly vnto thee we haue not attended when thou hast taught vs but haue refused to bee instructed when thou hast directed vs. But most louing Iesus the cause is the want of that most excellent gift of thyne a true fayth which thou hast offered and I neglected and therefore haue I not hethertoo bene perfectly assured nor certeynly perswaded in heart of the performance of those most comfortable blessings which are promised in thee Oh sweete Iesus haue thou remorse of this my dulnesse plucke out of myne heart the Beame of vnbeleefe and voutsafe mee now the right vse of that most singuler meane of following thee the eye of a perfect and true faith and let naturall reason the Mother of error no longer deceyue mee or drawe mee into conceites contrary to thy most blessed will but being indued with thy gift of vnfeyned faith I may truely repent mee of all my former euils and so euermore hereafter euen to my liues end cleaue stedfastly to pure religion the true seruice of thee Oh Lord giue me one sparcle of this true fayth wherby I may be able to comprehend rightly to vnderstand what thy diuine will and pleasure is in all things That I may frame mine outward desires to the fulfilling therof and by thine holy spirit continually keepe downe the prowde attempts vnlawlawfull desires and carnall lustes of the flesh withstand the deuill in all his assaultes and manfully ouercome the vayne pleasures of this wicked world Oh giue mee the shielde of a true fayth and the brestplate of vnfeyned repentance to fight that good fight that happy fight whereby I may be crowned with the glorious crowne of victorie and whereby I may bee accepted into the number and societie of that holy congregation and fellowship of the faithfull the Catholique Church wherof sweete Iesus thou art the head and onely defence in whome whosoeuer ouercommeth thou hast ordeyned the Diademe of al true happines wherwith thou hast promised to crowne them and to set the title of triumph vpon their heads to place them in that heauenly countrie that celestial inheritance wherein there shalbe no more feare no more cares no more vanities or affliction of spirit but continuall peace vnfained loue vnspeakable ioyes and endles felicitie for euermore Wherefore sweete Iesu vouchsafe mee that spirituall weapon the shield of a true fayth that fighting therewith against all the assaults of sinne vnder the Banner of thy protection I may in the ende be crowned with the Crowne of Eternall life among the rest of thy chosen children sweete Iesu Amen Oh Lord increase my fayth And euermore
loue wherewith thou must loue him with all thine heart with all thy strength and with all thy soule which is an acceptable worshipping of him for he that loueth him with all his heart reserueth no loue for an other in respect of any hope remayning in his heart to be reléeued by any other meanes theÌ„ by him alone to which loue is ioyned the doing of such thinges as are acceptable and pleasant in his sight which are conteyned in his worde the rule of the true worshipping which is the doing of that which pleaseth him and the leauing vndone of those thinges which displease him for it is the second poynt of the true worshipping of God to kéepe his Commaundements and to serue him according to the prescript rule of his word and not by such blinde deuotion as is not warranted by the same and which is not grounded vppon the alone loue of mine heauenly father nor flowing from the fountaine of that holy spirit whereby the children of myne heauenly father crye Abba father and which beareth witnesse vnto their spirites that they are adopted and made y e children of him through that faith which worketh by loue and from whence doe flowe al good workes as a badge whereby the true worshippers are discerned and knowne to which effect doth mine Euangelist Iohn testifie saying He that loueth God keepeth his word But he that imparteth the worship of him with any other he affirmeth with his owne mouth that he loueth him not but hateth him on whoÌ„ hee hath decreed to take vengeaunce in his posteritie in many generations Wherefore if thou haue heretofore by prayer or otherwise worshipped or serued any together with myne heauenly father or by bowing thy selfe to Images or by any other Supersticious maner not warranted by his worde perswaded thy selfe to haue pleased him thincke thy selfe not onely deceiued but thereby to haue deserued the curse which hee hath pronounced against Idolaters in their posteritie many generations nowe therefore examine thy selfe and and see whether thou haue serued myne heauenly father only in this loue and done all that which he hath commanded thee in the Lawe to doe And thou shalt see thy selfe yet vnder that heauie curse for not performing that which is commauÌ„ded the what is there then to be done thou must presently mortifie and keepe downe those affections which draw thee into this disobedience and come neerer vnto mine heauenly father in performing those dueties which are enioyned thee by his word which thou must set before the eyes of thine hearte as a profitable rule or scholemaster to direct thee vnto me on whome thou must take hold by fayth in loue as the true and onely mediatour meane to bring thee vnto mine heauenly Father without the ayde or assistance of any other insomuch as thou maist stand assured in me that thou art freely acquitted and discharged of that curse through the meere mercie of mine heauenly father which without mee threatneth destruction not onely vnto thy selfe but to thy posteritie by many generations whereby thou mayst perceiue that where the law openeth vnto thee nothing but thy corruption as the ministerie of death thou hast yet neuerthelesse saluation promised in me through faith whereby thou mayst apprehende and take holde thereof to thine vnspeakeable comforte acknowledging thy selfe onely beholden vnto mee for the same and to none other no not to thine owne good works The third Commaundement prohibiteth and forbiddeth thee to take the name of myne heauenly father in vaine which is that for as much as he is thy God and hath prescribed vnto thee in his worde the maner and meane how thou oughtest to worship him and truely serue him which is as before 〈◊〉 said to loue him and to keepe his Commaundements thou art by this commaundement enioyned to performe it accordingly and not to omit this true worship or to ioyne the same with any other not agreeable to his worde for that it is a derogation of his glory and a taking of his most glorious name in vaine when thou obseruest not his wil in performing his precepts in such sort as his name may bee honoured thereby And thereby thou maist perceiue that such as liue in this world carelesly and without feare of transgressing his will are by this CoÌ„maundement vnderstood to take his name in vaine As also those that as soone as by reason of any sâ—ight occasion their natures are stirred vp to a certeine choloricke humour or their affections moued fall by and by into most horrible and blasphemous othes in such outragious vnseemely maner that sighting as it were against his most glorious Maiestie they seeke to trample his due honour vnder their feete And that not onely such periured and forsworne persons as either for their owne lucre for the auoyding of punishment or shunning of shame feare not to make myne heauenly father the author of all trueth the defence of their most abominable and false lyes But those common swearers whose mouthes by reason of custome runne ouer as it were most vnreuerently euen in coÌ„mon speech with most blasphemous and vndecent othes which who so vseth beare he otherwise neuer so fayre a shewe of liuing vprightly in his vocation dishonoreth his maker and heapeth his displeasure against himself against the day of vengeaunce for it is no excuse to sâ—y why although my tongue vse now and then to swerue it is but a custome mine heart standeth as it ought and rightly affected towards God Assure thy selfe this excuse is vâ—ine for such filthinesse proceeding out of the mouth bewraieth the heart to bee vncleane and very vnreuerently disposed Wherefore if thou haue bene or be now thus corrupted with the dregges of such blasphemie cast it out cease to sweare vainely or vntruely by mine heauenly father or by mee his Sonne who am one with him or by any other thing and say not tush it is but a foolish custome or smal matter beware I say beware for it is no small matter for mine heauenly father will not holde him guiltles that thus abuseth his holy name But such is the slender credite now adaies remayning among men that the one will not beleeue the other without pauning his faith and his troth in buying in selling in gaming and euen in familiare conference a greeuous and a lamentable thing for which such blasphemers shall not escape vnpunished Thou art also forbidden by this Commaundement to sweare by any other thing theÌ„ by mine heauenly father and that in matters wherein an oth is tollerable and commaunded much lesse in friuolous and vaine causes for that thou takest to record and referrest y e iudgement of the cause to him by whom thou swearest and therefore if it bee by any besides mine heauenly father thou takest away his honour and giuest it to an other and so intitulest the creature with that superioritie which is due only vnto thine euerlasting creator Wherby
beleue consisteth in the trinitie Luk. 3 21.22 2. Io. 5.7 2. Cor. 13.13 Gen. 1.1.16 Mat. 3.16.17 Mat. 28.19 Reue 1.8 Gen. 1. Esa. 6.1 45.12 Psal. 33.6 God the creatour of all things· 1 The 1.9 Heb. 2.15 Luk. 1.74 Mat. 4.10 Luk. 4.8 Gen. 1.31 1. Ioh. 1.5 1 Io. 2·29 Gen. 2.26 Ecle 17.3 Wis. 2.23 Rom. 5.12 Gen 3 8. After the fall of Adam sin entred there is none that doeth good 1 Cor. 2·8 Gall. 5 17. 1 Io. 3.8 Dewt. 28.47 Rom. 5·12 wiâ— 13.1 Rom. 3.10 Gen. 3.15 wis 13.1 Ier· 31.30 Ro. 31·33 Ephe. 1.4.5 Gall. 4.4 Mat 1 18 Ier 31 22 Ioh â— 14 Luk 2 7 Esa 61 2 Luk 2 32 Io 12 46 Col 1 15. Psal 45 7. Io 18 37. Act 7 37. 1. Io 3 8. Ioh 5 15. Io 1 14. Christ had two natureâ— deuine and humaine Mar 11 12 13. 2 Sam 7.16 Esa 7 10. Mat 1 23. Mat. 1.23 Christe dyed for the sinnes of the world Ioh. 8.26.40 Mat. 8.20 Luk. 9.58 See the vnspeake able benefite of Christs death Christ the true messias Luk. 2.32 Mat. 26.63 Ioh. 1.14 Luk. 4.15 Mat. 4.15 8.4 Io. 21. Mat. 11 29· Io. 5.18 7.29 Ioh. 7.30 5.32 Mat. 26.34 Mar. 14.1 Luk. 22·2· Mat. 26·53 Mat. 26. Mar· 14· Luk 22. Ma. 27 30.31· Ioh. 18. Mar 15. Luk 23. Ioh. 19. Mat 27.34 Ioh 10.15 Luk. 12.50 Rom. 4 25. Ioh 3 15. Tit. 2.11 Psal 69·6 Mat 27 34. Luk. 22.44 Mat. 27.46 Psal. â—â— â— Mar. 15.34 So heauy was the iust iudgment of god against sinne that Christ through his tormentes in respect of his manhood had thought his faâ—â—er had forsakeÌ„ him Esa. 53. Luk. 24·4 Luk. 24.7 2 Coâ— 5.21 Christ hath payd the ransome for the sins of Adam All men in Christ ouercome death Christ is the way the truth the life Mat 28 18. Io 17 2. Iona 1 17. Mat 27.50 Mar 15 37. Mat 12.40 Ioh. 2 19. Mat. 28 6· Ioh 20.5 Mar 16.19 Luk. 24.51 Collo 20. 1. Pet. 2.21 1. Ioh. 2.1.2 Rom. 8.34 Lu. 3.22 Io. 10.1.2.3 Christ is the onely way meane to bring vs to God Heb. 12.24 Mat. 1 2â— Christ God man sitting at the right haÌ„d of the father making continual mediation for vs. we must mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit Act. 10.42 Rom. 14.9.10 â—3 Io. 5.27 Christ will come againe to iudge both the quicke and the dead and giue to euery man according to their workes Ephe. 5.5 â— Cor. 6.9.10 Ephe. 5.4 2. Cor. 13.14 1. Ioh. 5.7 Mat. 3.16.17 Ioh. 14.16 1. Pet. 1.2 Rom. 8.15.16 1. Ioh. 3.24 Lu. 16.7 2.25 2. Pet. 1.2 Ioh. 4.10 7.38 Gal. 3.2 Mat 13 58. Maâ— 6.5.6 Mat. 10 19.20 Eph. 5 8. Ioh· 13.6 Mat 11.29.30 Iob. 9.19 Lu 1 7.4·75 Io 14.6 Mat. 25.34 1. Ioh. 4.6 Io. 16.8 Luke 24.49 Luke 3.29 Luke 10.20 Ioh. 13 1â— Mat. 15 13. Rom. 12.5 Mat. 13.58 Mar. 6.5.6 Rom. 7.14.15 1. Ioh. 1.4.8 Mat. 26.41 Luke 22.46 Mat. 6.12 Mat. 18.19.20 Ioh 17.21 Rom. 12.5 1. Cor. 1.9 Mat. 6.11 1. king 8.50.51 Luk. 1.77 Ioh. 20.23 Lu. 1.78 Rom. 11.30 1. Pet. 3.20.21 Ioh. 20.21 Mat. 7.23.26 Iob. 19.26.27 Mat. 27.52.53 Mat. 13.30.43 Iohn 5.29 1. Cor. 6 9.10 Ephe. 5.51 Vnbeleeuers are not members of the true Church Act 5.31 11.18 26.8 Tim. 1 2â— Faâ—th and repentance the summe of the Gospell We must bring foorth the fruites of faith We must bee the same inwardly which we would seeme outwardly Beleefe in the holy ghost Heb. 11.32 The operatioÌ„ of faith is wonderfull Faith the foundation of all other vertues Faith must be accompanied with repentance The flesh is fraile AmendemeÌ„t of life the chiefest remedie for the sicknesse of the soule A good caueat Those that are lulled a sleepe thorowe the allurements of Sathan in the pleasures of this world thinke none other happinesse but worldly felicitie The sicknes of the soule much more to be respected then the disease of the body we must haue regard least the doore of our affectioÌ„s open to entertaine the intisements of Sathan We must amend our liues sinne no more The difinitition of true repentance Mat. 3 2. Iohn Baptist baptised none but such as repeÌ„ted their sinnes Psal. 51.4 Dauid repented at the warning of the Prophet Nathan True confession 2. Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrowe Iob. 1.20 Gen. 4.13 Mat 27.5 The sorrowe of Esawe Iudas Cains Euell Act. 1.18 That sorrow which is not of faith causeth not repentance vnto saluation What true repentance is 2. Pet. 3.9 Iet 3.1 Hos. 14.2 Ier. 3.14 18.11 We must speedily repent least we dye in our sinnes Deut. 4.29 2. Cron. 12.12 Roboam repented 2. Cron. 33.12.13 The repentance of Manasses Iudith 4.9.10 The children of Israell repented Marie Magdaline The niniuites Men of the old world not repenting at the preaching of Noe wee drowned The Sodomites and meÌ„ of Gomorra burned with fire brimstone Ierusalem destroyed The iudgemenâ—s of God great against such as neglect his word God is readie to receiue them that truely turne to him Iud. 2â— 14 Col 3.5.6 We must mortifie our euill affections Ephe. 55. Ephe. 2.3 If we repent and beleeue we shal be saued The sorrowe of Esau Cain and Iudas damnable A godly sorrowe God is redy in great mercie to imbrace them that truely turne to him He that will come vnto God must forsake the 〈…〉 of the world We may not presume of our selues to doe any gâ—oâ— thing We can stand fast before we be shaken Presumption is a meane to quench true zeale Sathans deuices to detaine vs from hearing the word of God Some come to heare the word for cauelations sake The beginning of scismes is the misconstruction of the Scripture The Church of God cals them the chapple of Antichrist Mat. 7.13.14 We must cast our selues downe in our owne conceites The death of Christ tooke these ceremonies away The outward showe of repentance is not alwayes accompanied with inward contrition Dissimulation odious before God The maner of sturdie beggers hypocrisie DissimulatioÌ„ deserueth double punishment Ioel. 2.13 Mat. 6.17 The outward showe of repentance meere hipocrysie without inwarde punction In the old world the outward ceremonies were helpes to repentance Dan. 9.3.4.5 The external shewe without faith more abominable True fasting Esa. 18.5 The true fast consisteth not altogether in the abstineÌ„ce from meates Mat. 6. â—6 What true fasting is Psa. 1.16.17 Esa. 58.7 many blessings promised to true fasting Rom. 14.1.3.14 All meates to be taken with thankesgiuing Luke 16.19 1. Pet. 4.3.4 Excesse to be auoyded Ezek â—6 4â— Gluttonie one of the sinnes of Sodomâ— Excesse in eating an enemie to studie and prayer 1. Thes. 4.34 â— Pet. 2.11.12 We must obey those ordinances of man that tend to the glory of God Luke 12.1 Hypocrysie the leuen of the Pharysies Mat. 2.27.3 Exod. 8.8 1. Sam. 15.13 Ioh. 7.20 Esa. 29.13 We must reuenge our selues of our sinnes To make restitution of our goods ill gotten is