forâ—ed to cry with a lowde voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Such were the cruel torments that I suffered for thee O sinfull man and for all mankinde as that by reason of the extreamitie thereof I thought my selfe euen forsaken of my father But so heauie was his displeasure against the sinne of all mankinde and all the punishment due for it layd onely vpon me that requisite it was that the stripes wherewith so great a disease should be healed should be grieuous and many And therefore thou must not thinke that I was forsaken of God though I were contemned of the world but highly in his fauour for it behoued that I should suffer and afterwardes enter into my Fathers glorie That I should fall into the handes of mortall men be crucified and made a Sacrifice for the sin of all mankinde that they might be made the righteousnes of mine heauenly Father in me who haue paid the rauÌ„some for all the posteritie of Adam and redeemed them out of the bondage of Sathan death and hell my death is to all beleeuers lyfe by my humilitie are they exalted by my contempt are thy made glorious by my pouertie are they made rich and by my miserie haue they eternall felicitie I descended also into hell to make man inheritor of heaueÌ„ So precious was my death and so glorious my conteÌ„pt that by death I haue not onely ouercome death but all men by me In my victorie consisteth thy victorie by my triumph all mankinde may iustly triumph I am the way the trueth and the life who so will goe to the Father must come through me who so will be saued must beleue in me and liue in me for to me hath mine heauenly Father giuen all power and aucthoritie both in heauen and earth that I might giue eternall lyfe to as many as he hath giuen me who as Ionas liued in the Whales belly three dayes and three nighces the third day was cast on land liuing So after my death being taken downe of the Crosse I was layd in the Sepulchre where I lay three dayes to accomplish the sayinges of the Prophets and to vereâ—ie that which was long before writen of me and that I rose againe the third day for the Iustification of all that beleeue shewing my selfe openly to my Disciples eating with them and talking with them and with a Clowd was taken vp into heauen and placed at the right hand of God mine heaueÌ„ly Father crowned with that glory honor and immortalitie wherewith I was indued before the fouÌ„ndation of the world who by my selfe haue purged thee from all thy sinnes and haue made free passage vnto mine heauenly Father for all theÌ„ that in a true faith followe me in life coÌ„uersation treading the steps of righteousnesse for whoÌ„ I remaine a continual intercessour Mediatour Aduocate vnto mine heauenly father for things necessary aswell for their bodies as their soules faithfully asking and praying for the same in my name yea y u maist not accept of any other meane or instrument to come vnto mine heaueÌ„ly father then my selfe for then doest thou greatly erre thou blasphemest mine heauenly father and dishonorest me for he wilbe serued honored praied vnto in mee and in the name of none other Thou must lay aside all prayers to Saincts and cast away all beleefe that there resteth in them any power to appease the wrath of mine heauenly father for thy sinnes or to procure thee helpe in thy necessities but must come in my name and then thou shalt be sure to be heard if thou beleeue yet not despising but faithfully imitating in good life and holy conuersation those blessed members of mine departed out of this life before thee As for all remission of sinnes al helpe and releefe thou must hoâ—e for and acknowledge to come froÌ„ mine heauenly father by my meanes onely and by none other Wherfore I say thou must beleeue in none other but in mee Iesus Christ crucified God and man sitting in heauen at the right hand of mine heauenly father and remayning a Mediatour betweene him and all those y t in faith come to mee Take hold of me therefore I say who am that Sonne of God and man that was borne of the Uâ—rgine Mary for the saluation of all mankinde who was conuersant here in this miserable worlde layde first in a Maunger most basely and wheÌ„ according to the course of other meÌ„ by sucking eating drinking I grew in stature I preached taught the will of my father glad tydinges vnto the world I was betraied and solde by Iudas I was bound and buffited I was rayled at and reuiled I was turned ouer from one to an other to Annas to Cayphas to Pylate to Herode to y e Hall held vp mine hande at Barre there falsly accused then scourged and caried to the place of Execution where I was most miserably tormented hanged on the Crosse then layd in the graue from whence I rose and now ascended aboue all heauens and al this for thy â—ake al this for no desert of mine but â—or the redemption of all mankinde â—rom the curse of the law for there is â—o coÌ„demnation to them that are in 〈◊〉 walking not after the flesh but â—fter the spirite The power of the â—pirite of life wich is in mee hath deâ—uered thee from the power of sinne â—nd death but he that hath not my â—pirite he is not mine but shall dye â—herefore must thou mortefie the â—edes of the flesh by the spirite that â—ou mayst liue Also thou must beâ—eue that as I ascended visibly into â—eauen with the very body wherein I suffered so must thou likewise beleeue that in the same body I shall come againe in great glory and magestie to iudge both the quicke and the dead at whose hands all meÌ„ shalâ— receiue rewarde according to their well and euill doing which Iudgement shalbe finall generall whereat all men shall appeare all men shalâ— giue accompt of their doinges yea 〈◊〉 euery idle worde and euill thought and that then shall those that hauâ— done good be set in peaceable possesâ—sion for euer of the vnspeakable ioyeâ— of heauen and they that be found iâ— the seruice of Sathan and caried 〈◊〉 way with y e cares of this worlde thâ— Couetouse persons the Drunkerds the Extortioners Lyers Usurers and al those that haue not obeyed thâ— worde of my heauenly father in 〈◊〉 but haue liued in sinne and haue 〈◊〉 truely repented such I say shall bâ— cast into vtter darknesse where shaâ— be coÌ„tinual sorrow no ioy al paineâ— and no pleasure all griefe no glaâ—â—nesse with such continuall and endles torments as the tongue of man cannot expresse with howling weeping gnashing of teeth where the worme of the conscience shall neuer dye Thou must also beleeue that the
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
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
ayde whereof I can not truely turne to thee Assist me therefore sweete Iesu that I may now as I haue promised forsake sinne and cleaue vnto righteousnes mortesie the old man and be renued â—nto thee forsake Sathan and follow thee that vnto my liues ende I maye flye and eschue whatsoeuer worketh to true repentance that as thou hast sayde there may be more ioye in heauen for mee faythfully rereturning vnto thee then for many that neede no repentance And in the ende I may enioy that heauenly inheritaunce which by thy blood-shedding thou hast purchased for all such as in a true fayth follow thee Graunt this oh God mine heauenly father for Iesus Christes sake AMEN Oh Lord increase my Fayth The Fryday or fifth dayes coÌ„fereÌ„ce between Solace and the sinful man That where the sinful man being yesterday perswaded to redeliuer those things vnto Simple his Tenaunt which he had by flatterye threatning gotteÌ„ of him As also to make restitution of all his wrongful gotten goods to other men hee did it accordingly And wheâ— been had giuen euerye Birde his Feather hee became so naked and his estate so bare that for his suddayne chaunge he cryeth out in great heauines on this wise Solace comforting him and willeth him to beare the matter with patience and to confesse his sinnes c. The sinfull man ALas the life that late I did in precious price imbrace Is past and gone and poore estate hath taken riches place My Peacocks plumes are pluct full loe that flickred erst so hie Mine hautie harte in heauie chere doth wonted ioyes deny Where riches did ere while abound and bagges of golde were store Now want hath wonne the field again wo worth me wretch therfore Solace What is the matter oh sinfull man that this morning thou beginnest thus as a man bestraughted shewing thy self yet subiect to frailty which thou yesterday diddest promise manfully to withstanay The sinfull man Oh Solace helpe I am vndone now past are pleasant daies What thou didst will is done nowe my stately state decaies My substance all alas is gone now Simple and the rest Haue had their shares of all my store my share alas is least I am vndone I know not how to maintaine mee and mine I doubt I shall be sore opprest with poore estate in fine And that my Children shall be forste for want to begge their bread Why should we liue in this distresse wold they and I were dead This hard estate of mine I know would break an hearte of stone For that in my distresse I haue no wher to make my mone For those that did before acquaint themselues as friends to be Will now disdaine my poore estate and looke awry on mee Unles it be for my reproch to say loe this is hee That was aloâ—t but now is lowe what shall mine answere bee Solace AS for thine answere what it muste be to such as shall dyspise thee in respect of thy decaied estate take thou no greate care thou shalt hereafter vnderstand by the examples of such as haue bene aflicted with farre greater extremeties then thou arte how they haue borne the burden both of pouertie and other myseries and the contempt of men with pacience but first thou must aunswere to another question and that is where thou cryest out in such heauinesse and takest on as one ouer-flowne with the streame of vtter dispaire beinge out of all hope of helpe fluttering like a foolysh flie in the Cobwebs of Sathan from whence I deliuered thée ere while why hast thou so soone intangled thy selfe againe in his most venimous snare reteyning such a desperate sorrow for restoryng that which thou canst not denie but thou hadst wrongfullie gotten of other men wherby thou madest thy selfe rich and them not able to liue thy selfe to be of estimation and them to be contempned And now as thou saiest euery Bird hauing his feather y u art left halfe naked thy state decaied wherby it appereth that thou madest thy selfe a proud peacockâ— with the plumes of other Birds But this kind of Bird is not rare there are so many péeuish Buzzardes now a dayes that are deckt vp w e Peacocks feathers But weare their fethers restored froÌ„ whence thei were sinisterly and wrongfully taken their gallant shewes would be turned into simple attire their flagrant hue into adurtie dunghill and themselues in another likenesse as may appéere now in thy selfe who feelinge the want of that that before thou didste wrongfully possesse thou appearest in thy likenesse that is where thou madest a show to bée a profitable Bée to gather Honnye for y e CoÌ„mon-wealth thou appearest a very Droan deuouring that y e other meÌ„ gather yea a verie Catterpiller eating vp y e fructs of y e sweat of other mens labors But such Peacocks such Droans such Catterpillers and such hipocrites shal haue their reward And though they appeare not for a publike example as y u doost but passe their dayes in iollytie liue in worldly estymation great credit I say vnto thée y â— vnles they repent they shal perish be cast off in y e last day to receiue their reward among y e wicked But this sodain change froÌ„ welth to waÌ„t I perceiue is not a litle gréeuous to thee it hath giueÌ„ thée such a knock in the head y t it hath almost astonished thee yet y e blow thou gauest poore Simple thy tenant such like thou feltest not no such knocks aswere for thy benefit thou thoughtst to be swéet smoothings louing strikings y e other men delited to haue at thine hands thou were sure y t Simple wold not refuse to plesure thée to forgo al y t he had that wer y e coÌ„teÌ„t to take but his want was not thine wo it was thy welth his sorow was thy ioy his sighs wer â—allets in thy dish peÌ„ce in thy purs whilst y u were in the sunside there was no shadow whilst y u wer warm ther was no cold thou being ful faring daintily thoughtst not of huÌ„ger no y u thoughtst neither of heauen nor hell runnyng headlong as it were arme in arme with Sathan the prince of this world who prouided for thée also such pleasaunt companions to keepe thee companie with their pleasaunt conceites to egge thée forward to vtter destruction as thou were almost past all recouerie thy iornie was so pleasaunt to thy worldly eyes that thou were loth to returne But being now sumwhat reclaimed thou must turne a cleane contrarie way into another countrie heauenly Ierusalem in which iornie it behoueth thée to procéede without looking backe and to refuse and auoyde the companie of thy woonted companies as drunckerds gluttons coueitous men Idolators extortioners vserers and coueitous persons who are the subiects of Sathan prince of darknes and now must frequent and desire the familiaritie and society of the godly sober zealus deuout and men of
vndone The sum and whole effect whereof is comprehended onely in loue namely in louing God aboue all thinges and thy neighboure as thy selfe and to hate all things that make againste the fulfilling of the same loue The sinfull man Uouchsafe good Solace to declare now more at large to mee These ten Precepts which doe set foorth the way to come to thee Solace THâ—â— attend thou diligently and first coÌ„sider that these precepts are not of so small moment as y t they should be accepted as the coÌ„maundements of man but to be esteemed as the verie word of myne heauenly father whoe to make the same of the greater credite and aucthoritie amonge men ioyned his owne person his glorious maiestie to the same his words and came visiblye downe in a flame of fire vpon mount Synaye to deliuer them after a farre more glorious and wounderfull manner then man could doe couplinge his owne glorye with the worde to the ende that the same should not be so little accompted of so slenderly regarded or the aucthoritye thereof reiected as a thinge of small effect as words coÌ„monly are estemed as a puffe of wind now hard and by and by forgotten But because it should be of an euerlasting and permanent continuance they were wrytten in tablâ— of stone such was the weightines of the matter that myne heauenly father thought not the wordes of a man no not of an Angel of sufficient aucthoritie or credyte to delyuer the same And therefore came he himselfe downe after such a wounderfull manner as that the mount Synaye at his presence smoaked as a fournace trembling and quakinge miraculouslye whereby thou mayste perceyue y t whoso dyspiseth his Prophets and the performance of his commaundements dispiseth his word and so contempneth god myne heauenly father him selfe for he that dyspiseth the one contempneth the other Therefore muste thou not so lightly waye these precepts the will of mine heauenly father but highly reuereÌ„ce them attentiuely heare them duely follow them and faythfully beleeue them which are perfect conuerting the soule The testimony of the Lord is pure and giueth wisdome vnto the simple and in performing them is their great reward which rewarde yet notwithstanding thou mayst not accompt thy selfe worthy of when thou hast done that which is in the law commaunded thee as farre as is possible for to fulfill the same in al points so exactly as is required thou canst not but when thou haste done all that thou canst thou mayst confesse thy selfe an vnprofitable seruante nay examine the former course of thy life with that which mine heauenly father hath commaunded thée in the lawe and thou shalt not onely finde thy selfe guilty of the breach of one but of all the commaundements for if thou breake and transgresse one thou arte guilty of all And as mine Appostle Paule sayth thou arte not of thy selfe able to thinke a good thought much lesse to fulfill the whole law for they that are in the flesh cannot please God but thou art called from the wisdome of the fleshe whiche is death to the wisdome of the spirite which is life wherby thou mayst be directed to fulfill that righteousnesse which the lawe requireth namely to loue mine heauenly father with all thine hearte with all thy minde with all thy strength thy neighboure as thy selfe wherein consisteth the perfecte righteousnes of the lawe Now to declare the same more at large and to reherse the same particulerly for thy better instruction know this that the first of the same tenne precepts is a prohibition or forbidding that thou shouldâ—st haue any other God or Gods but mine heauenlye father onelye who hath made thée the whole world and all things therein coÌ„tayned who as hée deliuered the people of Israell from their bondage and captiuitie wherein they were grieued by the tirannye of Pharaoh King of Egypte by the handes of Moses and Aaron so hath hee deliuered thee and all mankinde by the sacrifice of my body vppon the crosse from the bondage of sinne from the tyraunte of Sathan and from the feare of death and hell which if there were none other were such an especial benefit that it might 〈…〉 thee to suche an inwarde acknowledging of his inestimable loue that in respecte of that that when thou were following the vngodlie lustes and féeding the vnlawfull desires of thine vntamed fleshe runnynge rashly foorth in that broade way that leadeth vnto death he vouchsaued to send mee his onely sonne to call thée and to with-drawe thee from the same and to set thee in the way that leadeth vnto eternall life thou canste not but accompte him thy god and be mooued to the willyng seruice of him To which especiall benefit if thou ioyne and call to mind the residue of his aboundaunt mercyes wherin he voutchsafeth thee all thinges necessary and expedient to the mayntenaunce of this mortall life and suffereth thee not to wante the thing which maye relieue and comfort thée in all necessities and especially if in fayth thou fall vnto him in my name requiring the same thou mayest be assured to obtayne all thinges at his handes which are requisite for thée not onely I say for the bodye but which is most precious for the soule which could not but haue coÌ„tinued in a most miserable and most dampnable estate had not hee giuen me vnto the death for the redemption thereof who as I haue before assured thée haue aunswered that for thee for which thou remaynedst accurssed namely for not performing all things contained in the lawe That haue I done for thée obeying the will of mine heauenly father therin whose mercy so abounded that he hath accepted thee vnto his fauour agayne through mée without whome thou hadste neuer beene reclaimed but perished in thy sinne In which his so singuler benefites and superaboundant mercies he declareth himselfe to be thy very true and onely God and therefore forbiddeth thee to haue any other God but himself whome thou must worship obey serue trust vnto beleeue and call vpon giuing him aswell by outward profession as by inwarde loue and affection vnfayned prayse and honour imparting the same to none other Least as Dauid sayth thou forget the name of the Lord thy God holde vp thine handes to straunge Gods Worship thy Lord thy God therefore and see that him onely thou serue and truely obey and that with the same true worshippe whiche is commaunded thée in his worde as by prayers supplications and giuinge of thankes magnifying him in the greatnes of his mercy wherein he aydeth reléeueth comforteth and defendeth them that being distressed faithfully call vpon him not running vnto any Saint or Angell but vnto him onely in and by me who am the waye and meane to bringe them vnto him I am the mediator and aduocat by whoÌ„ onely and by none other thou mayst haue free passage vnto
amendment of their liues Death contrarie to their expectation hath summoned them to depart by and by whose long flattering themselues in their follie hath bin the cause of their sodaine destruction as to the Sodomites and men of Gomorra to those of Ierusalem and them that perished in the flood and so diuers others whose harmes may be a sufficient spectacle to see and plainely to behold the end of all senceles securitie But thou wilt pechaunce say why I haue séene many that for their wicked liues were euen markes for other men to poynt at with their fingers and they haue made godly ends and haue departed the world very deuoutly by which showe of repentance thou thinkest their sins forgiuen them but I say vnto thée that whoso goeth on still in his wickednes presuming to haue time enough in the end to cry for mercy he may cry and not be heard make no tarrying therefore to turne vnto the Lord let true repentance be thy dayly and continuall exercise examine thine own conscience search and see whether Sathan haue not thruste into thine heart this presumption if so cast it out speedely and follow not the greater number to doo euill accustome not thy selfe to sinne trusting in thine aboundance but imbrace my former counsaile stande not in a foolishe hope to repent at last be not deceiued let not Sathan hinder thée with his subtle deuices but resist them all manfully for I know thou canst not saye mine hearte is cleare from them canst thou speake thy conscience The sinfull man Alas my conscience dooth accuse me guiltie of them all I must confesse my carelesse life hath well deserued thrall But loe in hope I hold by thee my sinnes I will declare To thee who dooth already see that they corrupted are Wherein I liued long secure bewrapt in wealth at will I runne a race that now I rue and lingred long in ill Uouchsafe that I with heart hand may now restore againe The things which I by fraud haue had of any man for gaine And shewe what further dooth belong to traine me to thy blisse Uouchsafe to shew that I may come where all true Solace is Solace SEing then that thou doest confesse that thou hast bene hindred by these deuices and lets of Sathan and hast nowe a feling of thy corruptiō former wicked life beware thou giue not place herafter to his wiles but by a firme faith and confidence in mee withstand him and his ministers the world and the flesh for as the wickednes of the wicked shal not hurt him whensoeuer he truely vnfaynedly repenteth so shall not the righteousnes of the righteous auaile him whensoeuer he offendeth Repente thée therefore of thine offences past and from henceforth kéepe thee vpright in all thy dooings that there maye be ioye in heauen for thy repentaunce And for as much as the daye is so farre spent and the nighte so néere and that thou haste promised to make restitution of the things which thou hast wrongfully gathered go thy wayes performe it accordingly and beware of kéeping backe any thing leaste thou be taken in thine hipocrisie and rewarded with Annanias and Saphira who for kéeping back some of the price of their owne field were striken with present death how much more then shall mine heauenly father punish thée if thou keepe any thing backe that is none of thine owne In the morning I will be here againe in the meane time be carefull of thy promise finish it faythfully and too morrow will I further direct thée in the residue of thy course to eternall life The sinfull man Then will I hasten me away to finish it in haste And in the morning hasten me againe to thee as fast The end of the Thursday or fourth dayes conference ¶ A prayer for true repentance OH Lord my god father of meruailous louing kindnes who in my greate slumber and sleepe of sinfull securitye hast awakned me and by thy sweete and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ called me out of darknes to light out of errour to the trueth and haste opened the eyes of mine hearte to see mine owne corruption vouchsafe oh Lord for that thy sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christes sake that as hee hath called me to the ende I should giue ouer the wayes of wickednes to walke in thy wayes and lawes to for sake sinne cleaue vnto righteousnes slye Sathan follow thee I moste humbly beseech thee to accept mee againe for his sake into thy fauour who long haue erred and gone astray to forgiue mee who haue offended thee and who am moste ignoraunt how truely to return to the and to repent my former corrupt and most sinfull life But vnto thee most mercifull Lord god in the name of Iesus Christe thy deare Sonne I prostrate my selfe in all humblenesse of heart bewayling my filthines and lamenting the frowardnes and corruption of my former life humbly appealing vnto thy mercies as one who haue rebelled moste traiterously against thee and most wickedly and wilfully transgressed thine holy precepts and will And yet suche is thine vnspeakeable mercy that thou hast most louingly warned mee to forsake mine euill and peruerse wayes and vntoward imaginations which I haue heretofore accompted most right and deare And which now by the light of thy counsailes I vnderstand to be altogether wicked altogether frowarde foolishe and meere vanitie it selfe I now feele mine owne corruption swete Iesu mine owne blindnes and error and perceiue thy wisdome which is infinite thy mercies vnspeakeable and loue aboue measure whereby sweet Iesu I am striken with a desire to be vnburdened of the weight of this mine obstinat errour which by the illusion of mine aduersarie Sathan I haue followed with such greedines that without thy meere mercies I haue no hope of saluatiō Extēd therfore o father of mercy for Iesus Christes sake thy fauour vnto mee againe and deale not in iustice as my deedes haue deserued but giue me that godly sorrow that true and vnfayned sorrow for my sins which may mooue in me repentance vnto saluation which may kill and speedely mortefy all euill desires all the corrupt affections and vngodly motions of the world and flesh the deceites of subtle Sathan whoe goeth about lyke a Lyon seeking whome he may keepe back from that most acceptable worke of true repentaunce And thou good Iesu knowest what and how manie and great are the letts and wiles which he vseth in laying stumbling blockes before the feete of those that endeuour thēselues to returne to thee And my wil which is peruers ready to yeeld vnto him slacke in comming vnto thee pulleth me often-times backward and suffereth me not to doe that which I should but thrusteth me forward to doe that which I should not to followe darknes and to forsake the light so louingly profered Oh good Iesu consider these conflictes of mine Looke vppon the want which I haue of thine holy spirit without the