example He made the whole world in six dayes and hee rested the seuenth wherefore hee blessed it Seeing God thus commands thee by his power perswades thee in his mercy and teaches thee both by rule and his owne most gratious example how canst thou bee so deuoid of grace nay of reason as not to obey so iust a Master so mercifull a Father so gracious a Teacher If thou make not a conscience of keeping this day howsoeuer a dull security may possesse thee to flatter thy selfe thou indeed makest conscience of nothing For I am perswaded if thou canst dispence with thy selfe to prophane this day either for thy profit or pleasure thou wilt not sticke vpon the like occasion to breake all the rest of the Commandements one after another Therefore for Christs sake bee watchfull that the Deuill deceiue you not nor none of his instruments draw thee away from this dayes duty Hee is alwaies busie and ready at hand to draw thee away from God but this day without doubt hee doubles all his forces hee will prouoke thine eies to sleepe hee will send heauinesse and dulnesse to thy heart and perhaps paine to thy body if he can so much preuaile any sleight any tricke to stay thee from Gods house and from the Congregation of his people hee will surely vse nay hee will sometimes doe it with religious pretences as to pray at home reade a Sermon study the Scripture and to spend the time in such Christian exercises as are infinitely good at other times But I once heard a religious Preacher affirme and I beleeued him that those who had ability of body to goe to Church and yet out of any euill disposition for good it can hardly bee absented themselues though they prayed they were not heard It behoues thee by how much greater his practises are against thee that day so much the more to fortifie thy selfe against him at no hand let him stay thee from the Church there GOD hath promised to bee present and there hee is Darest thou then silly wretch absent thy selfe from him I know thou darest not Goe then with a heart prepared to pray by prayer and going meditate on Gods great mercies in the creation of the world his greater mercy in redeeming it and mingle with thy meditation prayers that may apply these great blessings to thy selfe So approach and enter with reuerent and feruent zeale the house of GOD and throwing away all thoughts but such as may further the good worke thou art about bend thy knees and heart to God desiring of him his holy Spirit that thou maist ioine with the Congregation in zealous prayer and earnest attention to his word preached And though perhaps thou hearest a Minister preach as thou thinkest weakly yet giue him thine attention and thou shalt finde that hee will deliuer something profitable to thy soule either that thou hast not heard before or not marked or forgotten or not well put in practise And it is fit thou shouldest bee often put in minde of those things concerning thy saluation Thus if thou spend thy time at Church thou wilt bee ready to giue thy selfe to meditate of the holy Word thou hast heard without which truly hearing profiteth little For it is with the soule as with the body though meat bee neuer so wholsome and the appetite neuer so great yet if any ill disposition in the stomacke hinder digestion it turnes not to nourishment but rather proues more dangerous So the Word if after hearing it bee not digested by meditation it is not nourishing to the soule Therefore let the time thou hast to bee absent from Church bee spent in praising God praying to God and applying to thy selfe what thou hast heard If thou hast heard a sinne reproued that thou art guilty of take it for a warning doe it no more If thou hearest of a good action which thou hast ouerslipt striue to recouer time and resolue to put it in act Thus by practising what thou hearest thou shalt binde it to thy memory and by making it thine owne make thy selfe most happy Learne of Isaiah the true obseruation of the Sabbath If thou turne away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy will on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him not doing thy owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word Then shalt thou delight in the Lord and I will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth and feed thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Isaiah 58.13 It is a wonder to see how often God hath commanded this one Commandement and yet how slacke we are to keepe it Exod. 31. from the 12. verse is all commanding this againe in the 34.21 and diuers places more Learne then to prepare thy heart early for this day which if thou obseruest well God will blesse thee and thy labours all the weeke Thus farre I haue endeuoured to exhort thee to thy duty towards God 12 Of which the honour due to thy Parents is such a part as cannot bee separated for God commands it Honour thy father and thy mother it is the first Commandement of the second table as Thou shal haue none other Gods but mee is of the first Idolatry being the greatest sin against God and disobedience to parents being the ring-leader in sinnes against man wee are first warned of them as if in case we should fall into them it were too late to auoid the other For if wee once become in heart Idolaters it will be no hard matter to be a bower down to an Image to abuse Gods holy Name and to prophane his Sabbath So if wee dare disobey good Parents at that breach theft murther adultery falsenesse couetousnesse easily enter Nay I dare say if thou breakest either of these Commandements thou breakest all of the first and second Table for as thou canst not bee idolatrous without breaking all the rest so thou canst not bee a disobedient childe but thou art a murderer a double one first of nature in thy selfe which if thy wicked purposes doe not smother will of her selfe breake forth into that duty For an example the story of AEneas Ihewes how much it was obserued by them that receiued not the Commandement from Gods owne mouth as did the Iewes yet he exposed himselfe to all dangers rather than hee would forsake his father Secondly thou art a murtherer of thy father who hauing stored vp all his ioy in thee hath by thy disobedience his gray head brought with sorrow to the graue which God forbid And what difference shall I say is there betweene a disobedient childe and an adulterer the one forsakes her by whom he giueth being vnto others the other despiseth those from whom hee had his owne being Truly this is a fearefull adultery and sinne is a crafty strumpet she will allure thee
I know thou wonderest by this time what the cause should bee that we two continually vnclasping our hearts one to the other I should reserue this to writing Whē thou thinkest thus deare remember how grieuous it was to thee but to heare mee say I may die and thou wilt confesse this would haue beene an vnpleasant discourse to thee and thou knowest I neuer durst displease thee willingly so much I loue thee All I now desire is that the vnexpectednesse of it make it not more grieuous to thee But I know thou art a Christian and therefore will not doubt of thy patience And though I thus write to thee as heartily desiring to be religiously prepared to die yet my deare I despaire not of life nay I hope and daily pray for it if so God will be pleased Nor shall I thinke this labour lost though I doe liue for I will make it my owne looking-glasse wherein to see when I am too seuere when too remisse and in my childes fault through this glasse to discerne mine owne errors And I hope God will so giue me his grace that I shall more skilfully act than apprehend a mothers duty My deare thou knowest me so well I shall not need to tell thee I haue written honest thoughts in a disordered fashion not obseruing method For thou knowest how short I am of learning and naturall endowments to take such a course in writing Or if that strong affection of thine have hid my weaknesse from thy sight I now professe seriously my owne ignorance and though I did not this following Treatise would bewray it But I send it onely to the eies of a most louing Husband and of a childe exceedingly beloued to whom I hope it will not be altogether vnprofitable Thus humbly desiring God to giue thee all comfort in this life and happinesse in the life to come I leaue thee and thine to his most gracious protection Thine inuiolable Eliza. Iocelin THE MOTHERS LEGACIE to her vnborne CHILDE HAuing long often and earnestly desired of God that I might bee a mother to one of his children and the time now drawing on which I hope hee hath appointed to giue thee vnto mee It drew mee into a consideration both wherefore I so earnestly desired thee and hauing found that the true cause was to make thee happy how I might compasse this happinesse for thee I knew it consisted not in honour wealth strength of body or friends though all these are great blessings therefore it had beene a weake request to desire thee onely for an heire to my fortune No I neuer aimed at so poore an inheritance for thee as the whole world Neither would I haue begged of God so much paine as I know I must endure to haue only possest thee with earthly riches of which to day thou maist bee a great man tomorrow a poore begger Nor did an hope to dandle thy infancy moue mee to desire thee For I know all the delight a Parent can take in a childe is hony mingled with gall But the true reason that I haue so often kneeled to God for thee is that thou mightest bee an inheritour of the Kingdome of Heauen To which end I humbly beseech Almightie God thou maiest bend all thy actions and if it bee his blessed will giue thee so plentifull a measure of his grace that thou maiesty serue him as his Minister if he make thee a man It is true that this age holds it a most contemptible office fit only for poore mens children younger brothers and such as haue no other meanes to liue But for Gods sake bee not discouraged with these vaine speeches but fortifie your selfe with remembring of how great worth the winning of one soule is in Gods sight and you shall quickly finde how great a place it is to be a Priest vnto the liuing God If it will please him to moue your heart with his holy Spirit it will glow and burne with zeale to doe him seruice The Lord open thy lips that thy mouth may shew forth his praise If I had skill to write I would write all I apprehend of the happy estate of true labouring Ministers but I may plainly say that of all men they by their calling are the most truly happy they are familiar with God they labour in his Vineyard and they are so beloued of him that hee giues them abundance of knowledge Oh bee one of them let not the scorne of euill men hinderthee Look how GOD hath prouided for thee sufficient meanes thou needest not hinder thy study to looke out for liuing as the Israelites hindred their worke to looke for straw If thou beest not content with this thou wilt not bee with more GOD deliuer thee from couetousnesse I desire thee that though thou takest a spirituall calling thou wilt not seeke after the liuings of the Church nor promotions though I honour them as I haue great cause but I would haue thee so truly an humble and zealous Minister that thy onely end should bee to doe God seruice without desire of any thing to thy selfe saue the Kingdome of Heauen Yet as I would not haue thee seeke these things so I would haue thee as carefull not to neglect Gods blessings but with all thankfulnesse to receiue what hee bestowes and to bee a carefull steward distributing it to those that haue need I could not chuse but manifest this desire in writing lest it should please God to depriue mee of time to speake And if thou beest a daughter thou maist perhaps thinke I haue lost my labour but reade on and thou shalt see my loue and care of thee and thy saluation is as great as if thou wert a sonne and my feare greater It may peraduenture when thou comest to some discretion appeare strange to thee to receiue these lines from a Mother that died when thou wert borne but when thou seest men purchase land and store vp treasure for their vnborne babes wonder not at mee that I am carefull for thy saluation being such an eternall portion and not knowing whether I shall liue to instruct thee when thou art borne let mee not bee blamed though I write to thee before Who would not condemne mee if I should bee carelesse of thy body while it is within me Sure a farre greater care belongs to thy soule to both these cares I will endeuour my selfe so long as I liue Againe I may perhaps bee wondred at for writing in this kinde considering there are so many excellent bookes whose least note is worth all my meditations I confesse it and thus excuse my selfe I write not to the world but to mine own childe who it may be will more profit by a few weake instructions comming from a dead mother who cannot euery day praise or reproue it as it deserues than by farre better from much more learned These things considered neither the true knowledge of mine owne weaknesse nor the feare this may come to the worlds eie and
bring scorne vpon my graue can stay my hand from expressing how much I couet thy saluation Therefore deare childe reade here my loue and if God take mee from thee bee obedient to these instructions as thou oughtest to bee vnto mee I haue learnt them out of Gods Word I beseech him that they may be profitable to thee 1 The first charge I giue thee I learned of Solomon Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth It is an excellent beginning and a fit lesson for a childe Looke with what the Vessell is first seasoned it retaines the taste and if thou beginnest to remember to serue GOD when thou art young before the world the flesh and the deuill take hold on thee God will loue thee and send his holy Spirit to take possession of thee who shall resist those enemies and not suffer them to hurt thee To moue thy heart to remember thy Creator betimes meditate vpon the benefits thou continually receiuest First how hee hath created thee when thou wert nothing redeemed thee being worse than nought and now of meere grace he hath giuen thee his holy Spirit sanctifying thee to an eternall Kingdome Thou canst not possibly vnderstand how great these mercies are but straight thy soule must cry What shall I doe for so gracious a God All the powers of my soule and bodie will I giue to his seruice my first thoughts will I dedicate to him like Abels sacrifice I will present to him the first fruits of my youth In the strength of my age will I fall downe before him and if I liue to old age that weaknesse will not let my knees bow nor my hands bee lifted vp yet shall my heart meditate on his goodnesse night and day and my tongue shall be alwaies telling of his maruellous works When thou hast thus remembred the infinite mercies of God it behoues thee to settle thy selfe to a constant seruice of him to order thy thoughts words and actions to his glory and to couenant with thy selfe that thou wilt not breake thy promises to God That thou maist the more easily performe these duties marke I pray thee these following rules for ordering thy life and God will blesse thee and all thy good endeuours 2 At thy first waking in the morning be carefull of thy selfe that thou harbor in thy braine no vaine or vnprofitable but of all no vngodly fancy to hinder thy morning sacrifice but straight frame thy selfe to meditate on the mercies of God the maliciousnesse of the deuill and thine owne weaknesse Thine owne weaknesse is apparant to thee for euen but now thine eyes were closed thou couldst not see to defend thy selfe thy strength was gone so that thou wert not able to resist the weakest creature a gnat or a flea might glut themselues with thy bloud The Deuils malice is as easily perceiued for euen now hee lies lurking ready to catch euery good motion from thy heart suggesting things more delightfull to thy fancy and perswading thee to deferre thy seruice of God though but for a little while But bee warned and armed against his tentations for bee assured if thou once yeeld to neglect praying to God but one halfe houre when that time comes thou shalt finde thy selfe farre more vnapt and thy heart more dull to pray than before whereas if thou disposest thy selfe to pray though thou beest heauy and vncheerefull in it yet God who searches the heart and sees thy desire to pray though thou canst not will enlighten thee and prepare thy heart against the next time that thou shalt finde comfort Therefore take heed the Deuill deceiue you not for you see his malice is not small that seekes to cousen you of all happinesse present and to come For bee assured you can take no true ioy in earthly pleasures no longer than you seeke after heauenly Hauing thus discerned the infinite malice of the Deuill and your owne exceeding weaknesse how doe you thinke you were preserued from his snares while you slept or doe you thinke hee onely besets you when you are awake No bee not deceiued hee is not so faire an enemy his hate is such to you that if hee could hee would teare your body and drag your soule to hell while you slept Alas all this hee might haue done your strength was small to resist him Now you must needs confesse who it is that is only able to preserue you that it is God and that it is his mercy not your desert that you are preserued and gather to your selfe a strong resolution with all your force to serue him all the day and to resist all the tentations of the deuill Then being thorowly awake for sure God likes not sleeping prayer begin to giue God thankes and to desire the continuance of his mercy towards thee in these words till thou canst finde such as may better expresse thine owne soule O eternall God gracious from the beginning and mercifull to the latter ending of the world I giue thee humble thankes that according to thine abundant goodnesse thou hast graciously defended mee this night from all dangers that might haue happened vnto mee I beseech thee continue this thy fauourable goodnesse toward mee and so grant mee thy grace that in all my thoughts words and actions I may seeke thy glory and euermore so liue in thy feare that I may die in thy fauour for thy Sonne my onely Sauiours sake Amen 3 Hauing thus inuited God into your soule take heed you offend not against so great and glorious a guest Thinke if thou seest a superiour entertained with such obseruance of the Master such diligence in the seruants such a generall care that all things may giue a testimony of his welcome O thinke sinfull soule what care oughtest thou to haue when the liuing God vouchsafes to dwell in thee Oh watch Oh be wary Doe not my deare Childe Oh not wilfully offend him for hardly are presumptuous sinnes forgiuen but if out of weaknesse thou offend against him runne straight before hee can bee gone for hee is mercifull and will stay a while after thou hast sinned to expect thy repentance but if thou doest not make haste then the deuill who will not delay to seeke thy destruction hee will accuse thee mocking thy impietie and God will leaue thee being more offended at thy neglect or rather contempt of his mercy than at thy first offence Therefore runne quickly esteeme no sin small but what member soeuer caused thee to offend him bring it before him and let it assist thee chiefly in thy repentance If thine eye teach thee wantonnesse couetousnesse or the like let them powre forth teares to purchase thee a pardon If thy tongue haue offended toward God or thy neighbour bring it with shame and sorrow to confesse in priuate what it was not ashamed to glory of in publike Learne to be ashamed to commit sinne but being committed hope not to hide it from God by any other meanes
than by hearty repentance so indeed thou maist winne his mercy to couer thy transgression and in his Sonnes passion he will bury thine offences so as hee will hide them from himselfe but then thou must delay no time goe quickly get thee alone weare thy knees wring thy hands beat thy breast know as little measure in thy sorrow as thou didst in thy sinne The Lord will not despise a contrite heart and though hee let thee kneele long hee will haue mercy at the last Learne of Iacob to wrestle with God and to cry with a feruent spirit I will not let thee goe vnlesse thou blesse me Our Sauiour saith The Kingdome of Heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force 4 Thus you see it must be an eager not a slothfull course that must bring you to Heauen Take heed therefore that you auoid all the kinds of this sinne Whatsoeuer you goe about doe it with cheerefulnesse Be ashamed of idlenesse as thou art a man but tremble at it as thou art a Christian For bee sure the deuill neuer is so happy in his tentations as when hee emploies them on a slothfull man who cannot endure to take so much paines as to resist him Solomon promises no other patrimony to a sluggard but pouerty GOD hates the slothfull Witnesse the fiue foolish Virgins and the vnprofitable seruant Matth. 25. The one Christ would not know the other is branded with two shamefull markes euill and slothfull and his talent taken from him What more wretched estate can there be in the world first to bee hated of God as an idle Drone not fit for his seruice then through extreme pouerty to bee contemned of all the world Oh then at no hand yeeld thy youth to sloth but so soone as thou hast made thy prayer to God prepare to rise and rising vse this Prayer In thy Name Oh blessed Sauiour I arise who with the Father and the holy Spirit created mee and with thine own most precious bloud hast redeemed mee I beseech thee this day to gouerne keepe and blesse mee lead mee forth in euery good way therein direct and confirme mee and after this fraile and miserable life bring mee to that blessed life which hath no end for thy great merit and mercies sake Amen 5 Thou art no sooner broke out of the armes of sloth but pride steps in diligently waiting to furnish thee with any vaine toy in thy attire And though I beleeue there are diuers sorts of pride more pestilent to the soule than this of apparell yet this is enough dangerous and I am sure betraies a mans folly more than any other Is it not a monstrous thing to see a man whom God hath created of an excellent forme each part answering the due proportion of another should by a fantasticall habit make himselfe so vgly that one cannot finde amongst all Gods creatures any thing like him One man though not resembling another in shape or face yet for his rationall soule is like another but these fashionists haue I feare changed their reasonable soules for proud soules without reason could they else deforme and transforme themselues by these new fangled fashions and apish behauiour crindging shrugging starting and playing the fantastiques euery way So that they may truly say when they are fashionable that they are not like other men and I beleeue wife men will not be sorry for it For who would be like them I desire thee for Gods sake shunne this vanitie whether thou bee sonne or daughter If a daughter I confesse thy taske is harder because thou art weaker and thy temptations to this vice greater for thou shalt see those whom perhaps thou wilt thinke lesse able exalted farre aboue thee in this kinde and it may bee thou wilt desire to bee like them if not to out-goe them But beleeue and remember that I tell thee the end of all these vanities is bitter as gall Oh the remembrance of mis-spent time when thou shalt grow in yeeres and haue attained no other knowledge than to dresse thy selfe When thou shalt see halfe perhaps all thy time spent and that of all thou hast sowed thou hast nothing to reape but repentance late repentance how wilt thou grieue How wilt thou accuse one folly for bringing in another and in thy memory cast ouer the cause of each misfortune which hath befallen thee till passing from one to another at last thou findest thy corrupt will to bee the first cause and then thou wilt with griefe enough perceiue that if thou hadst serued God when thou seruedst thy fond desires thou hadst now had peace of heart The God of mercy giue thee grace to remember him in the dayes of thy youth Mistake me not nor giue your selfe leaue to take too much liberty with saying My mother was too strict No I am not for I giue you leaue to follow modest fashions but not to be a beginner of fashions nor would I haue you follow it till it bee generall so that in not doing as others doe you might appeare more singular than wise but in one word this is all I desire that you will not set your heart on such fooleries and you shall see that this modest carriage will win you reputation and loue with the wise and vertuous sort And once againe remember how many houres maist thou giue to God which if thou spendest in these vanities thou shalt neuer bee able to make account of If thou dost but endeuour to doe well God will accept the will for the deed but if thou wilfully spend the morning of thy time in these vanities God will not bee put off with such reckonings but punishments will follow such as I pray God thou maist not pull vpon thee Yet alas this is but one sort of pride and so farre from being accounted a vice that if the time mends not before you come to vnderstanding you will heare a well drest woman for that is the stile of honour more commended than a wife or honest or religious woman And it may bee this may moue you to follow their idlenes but when you haue any such desire draw your selfe to consider what manner of persons the commended and commenders are and you shall finde them all of one batch such as being vaine themselues applaud it in others But if you will desire praise follow the example of those religious women whose vertuous fames time hath not power to raze out as deuout Anna who serued the Lord with fasting and prayer Luke 2. Iust Elizabeth who serued God without reproofe Religious Ester who taught her Maids to fast and pray Est. 4. 15 and the chaste Susanna whose story I hope the strictest will allow for a worthy example I am so fearefull that thou shouldst fall into this sinne that I could spend my little time of life in exhorting thee from it I know it is the most dangerous subtill sinne that can steale the heart of man it will alter shapes as
and delude thee Againe in being disobedient thou art a theefe an impudent theefe for thou doest not onely secretly steale but openly detaine the honour reuerence and obedient duty which all the world can witnesse is thy fathers And how wilt thou auoid being a false witnesse will not one sinne draw on another Wilt not thou bee ready to excuse thy vnnaturall obstinacy by throwing calumnious aspersions on thy parents giuing thy tongue leaue to lie against thy conscience And lastly Oh horrible how easie a step is it to couet what thou thinkest thy parents life too long detaines from thee Thus thou seeft in being disobedient thou breakest six Commandements from which outrage I beseech Almighty GOD preserue thee and giue thee grace to bee obedient to him and to thy parents I am sure thou hast a father who will neuer command thee any thing contrary to the Commandements of God Therefore I haue no need to speake to thee how farre a father ought to bee obeyed but humbly desire of God to continue him in his good desires with long life that he may bring thee vp in the feare of the Lord and to giue thee a heart ready to embrace all religious learning 13 The next duty equall to this thou must performe to all the world in generall Doe to all men as thou wouldst they should doe vnto thee This is the commandement our Sauiour giues vs Loue one another by this wee shall bee knowne to be his if we loue one another as hee hath loued vs. Yet of all that is commanded vs there is nothing more contrary to our wicked nature than this louing our neighbour as our selues Wee can with ease enuie him if hee be rich or scorne him if he be poore but loue him nay the Deuill hath more craft than so It were hard for him if men should once begin to loue one another therefore hee vseth all Art to stir dissention among as many as he can to mix loue with dissimulation To auoid this consider well that God is the Author of peace and loue and that strifes and contentions proceed of the Deuill Then if thou beest the child of God doe the workes of God loue thy neighbour as he hath cōmanded lest thou prouoke our blessed Sauiour when hee shall see that marke of the Deuill malice in thee to say as once to the vnbeleeuing Iewes You are of your father the deuill and the lusts of your father will you doe Ioh. 8.44 Oh take heed thou offend not God thus grieuously that hee shall disclaime thee as none of his because thou doest not loue those that are his This if well weighed were enough to make euery man charitable if it were onely for feare to hate whom God loued But to beleeue or iudge that God should hate where thou doest were such an impious vncharitablenesse as a good Christian must needs tremble at God hath giuen thee no authoritie to iudge any man but he hath commanded thee to loue thine enemie Loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt and persecute you that you may be the children of your father which is in heauen Matth. 5.44 A man may finde wayes enow to possesse the Deuill of his soule but none with lesse pleasure to himselfe than this hee may sell it as did Iudas to satisfie a couetous desire hee may lose it as does many a lazie man his worldly estate because hee will not trouble himselfe to looke ouer an account of his fortune hee sinkes ere hee thinkes of it so fares it with a negligent Christian. Thirdly hee may pawne it like a foolish vnthrift who pawnes that which should keepe him all his life to purchase a gay toy which shall serue him a day or two so doth hee that pawnes that rich iewell his soule to the griping vsurer the Deuill for pleasure haply hee meanes one day to redeeme it but runnes on his selfe-pleasing course till the vse hath deuoured the principall and his vnmercifull Creditor hales him to a dungeon where he has time for euer to be waile not only his present misery but the losse of infinite happinesse These are strange enough that a man should sell eternitie of ioy for wealth or sleepe away the time wherein hee might make such a purchase or pawne an inestimable treasure for things not worth esteeme But yet they are all better than hee that giues away his soule for nothing as doth the enuious man The couetous gets riches the slothfull ease the wanton pleasure but this hater of his brother gets nothing no not in present but torment fretting and vexation he is not the fatter for his meat nor doth hee rest though hee sleepe yet he for whom or against whom hee thus toiles his spirit haply eats sleepes and laughes at his enuiers folly or peraduenture pitties him The more easily to auoid this sinne consider well the disprofits of it Reade in the first Epistle of Saint Iohn 3. Chap. 14. and 15. Verses and in the 4. chap. the 8. and the 20. verses reade the 13. of the first to the Corinthians there Saint Paul shewes that without charitie euen spirituall graces are of no worth As the want of it brings infinite miserie so the posession infinite ioy By Charitie wee performe our Sauiour Christs commandement who often requires this of vs as if hee should say I haue satisfied my father for all the commandements that you haue broke Now your taske is easie I leaue you nothing to doe but to loue one another doe this and you doe all By it we fulfill the Law Rom. 13. 8. and 10. verses By it wee abide in the light 1 Iob. 2. 10. Is it possible when these are well weighed that any man should bee so mad to beare an vncharitable heart about him or so foole hardy to harbour a spleene that shall hazard his saluation Can wee be so cruell to our selues as to deny Christ one commandement For all his loue to vs he requires but this testimony of our loue to him which we cannot choose but performe if we doe loue him Therefore take heed if thou feele any malice towards thy brother bee sure thy heart is not vpright toward God So root it out from thy heart that no sting of it bee left for it will grow faster than Ionahs Gourd Answer mee not with Flesh and bloud cannot doe this I know it But if thou desire God to giue thee his holy Spirit thou shalt bee strong to suffer and ready to forgiue Thou must not in any thing bee subiect to the flesh for the wisdome of the flesh is death But alwayes make thy spirit thy guide for there is life and peace The deuill would desire no greater aduantage than that thou wouldst trust thy soule to the discretion of thy corrupt flesh he would soone inueigle that to betray thee But when thou hast put thy selfe vnder the spirit submitting thy will to the will of God he is no more able to hurt thee The next excuse I would take from thee is a very foolish one but so common that I feare you may happen on it and that is this If I should suffer wrongs patiently what will become of my reputation what will the world say Truly if you remember Christ hath suffred more for you than it is possible for you to suffer yet hee neuer reuiled any of his enemies nor strake his persecutors but prayed for them And his example teaches all that loue him to doe the like He wils you to turne the left cheeke to him that smote the right to giue to him that takes from you and to goe with him that compels you But these are strange rules for a generous spirit in these times nay sure if I be strucke I must strike againe else I am a coward Indeed as for giuing if it were to one that would desire it at my hands I had rather giue a fragment of my right than goe to law but if hee will not sue to mee I le spend all I am worth ere I yeeld Or I would goe out of my doore to shew a man his way but I would faine see who could compell mee I mary this is of the right straine but now looke with a considerate eye vpon this custome of the world and the former Commandement of Christ and thou shalt finde them iust opposite Therefore take heed and let it bee thy chiefe care neuer to prize thy reputation with men equall to the saluation of thine owne soule But if thou desirest to keepe thy credit vnblemished serue God with an vpright heart and doe nothing to any man that thou wouldest not bee content hee should doe vnto thee Open thy hand to the poore according to thy abilitie meddle not with other mens occasions but where thou maist doe good and hast a calling to it And if it bee in thy power to hurt thine enemy let it passe doe him good if thou canst and boast not of it he that sees thee in priuate will openly reward thee Lastly let thy heart bee kept alwayes in awe of this want of charity by continuall remembring that thou hast of thy Sauiour no other forme of praier to desire forgiuenesse for thy selfe than that wherein thou couenantest to forgiue others All the other petitions wee present vnto God absolutely onely this is conditionall hee forgiue vs as wee forgiue others Our Sauiour hath taught vs no other way to desire it and in the 18. of Matthew hee shewes God will no otherwise grant it Sine fine finis Heb. 9 17. 2 Tim. 3.15 16 There wanis not poore at euery doore