goe thither so desirous was hee of corporall health That poore woman who was long subject to a bloodie issue Matt. 9.20 is not affraide to throng through the people till she come to IESVS so carefull was shee to bee made whole Can blinde Bartimeus knowing that IESVS was comming by Marke 10. who was able to cure him be stayed from crying O Sonne of David haue mercie on me yea which thou wouldest admire ô my soule no sooner heareth he it sayde to him Bee of good comfort arise Hee calleth thee but assoone albeit he was blinde he threw away his cloathes and hastened unto IESVS Oh LORD GOD when shall the Naamans of this our Age leprous in soule by reason of their monsterous sinnes seeke after that water of the Spirit and of the Word which is onlie able to cleanse them when shall the men the women of this Age monsterouslie defiled from the toppe of the head to the soale of the foote through that continuall running issue of iniquitie which maketh them not only uncomely but loathsomelie stinking in the nosthirls of GOD of Angels and of men sensible of GOD runne with faith towards the Hemme of CHRISTS Garment even His blessed Worde that by it this their running stinking issue may bee happilie dried up when shall the blind men of this world find feete to runne with courage and with confidence towards that bright Sunne of Righteousnesse and light of the Worlde IESVS to the ende they may see that the things which bee seene heere are temporall and not to bee rested upon and that the thinges which are not seene otherwayes but by Fayth are aeternall and onelie to beeloved and longed for O my Soule for thine owne vvarning and vvakening remember CHRISTES loving Invitation Come unto Mee Matth. 11. all yee that labour and are heavie ladened and I will giue you rest to your Soules But with this forget not CHRISTES just Conviction if thou attempt to despise His alluring Charge O Hierusalem Hierusalem which killest ihe Prophets and stonest them that come to thee Luke 13. how often would I haue gathered thy children together as the Henne gathereth her Brood under her winges and yee would not Beholde your house is left unto you desolate If I had not come Iohn 15. and spoken unto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne OH LORD GOD vvhen shall the loose Christians of this last Age beeing enlightened and quickened in Soule by Thy Majestie in Mercie looking on their dead Soules in the Face of Thy Well-beloved beginne to accompt of that Heavenlie and wholesome Poole of Thy Sacred and saving Worde happilie now running plenteouslie through the force of Thy tender Mercies towardes us through everie Citie everie Village everie Cottage so that all persons of all Rankes blessed bee Thou for this Thy great kindnesse may freelie without feare in season and out of season resorte unto it as those olde Iewes accompted of the perishing Poole of Bethesda Iohn 5. which vvas not to bee found but in the Holie Land neyther in it but in the Tribe of Iuda neyther there but at Hierusalem I must confesse ô my Soule That that Iewish dead Poole of Bethesda in foure thinges resembled our Christian liuelie Poole of the blessed Worde of GOD And yet I dare affirme before GOD Angels and Men That our blessed Poole of the Worde surmounteth that of Bethesda so farre in one thing that if men could take it to heart where one Iew esteemed of that their Poole and resorted unto it hundreths thousandes should esteeme of this soft running Poole of GODS Worde not onelie carefullie resorting unto it but enduring their verie life heere joyfullie delighting to dwell beside it First vvhatsoever disease bodilie a man was subject unto this disease that Iewish Poole was able to cure even so this our Poole of the Worde of GOD is able to cure the Sinner of vvhatsoever Spirituall Sicknesse can over-take thy Soule because of anie sinne thou canst fall into Secondlie as none could bee cured in bodie by that Iewish Poole but such as stepped in into it and were wet there-with so impossible is it that anie sinner can bee freed from his sinnes by the meane of GODS Worde till his soule bee dewed by it and so till hee bee mooved and perswaded to heare to belieue and obey it Thirdlie as that Iewish Poole coulde not possiblie cure so much as one mans bodie till the Angel came downe and troubled the Water of it so this Poole of the Worde can cure the soule of no sinner 1. Cor. 3.6.7 till that blessed uncreated Angel even the Spirit of the Father and of His dearest Sonne come downe as it were to his soule joyning His owne inward Vertue with His owne outwarde Worde and that way stryking the heart by His owne Finger as Hee stryketh the eare by His Trueth Fourthlie as amongst the Iewes no man knewe at what time the Angel woulde come downe and trouble the Water for curing of their diseased bodies vvhich mooved the sicke persons looking and longing for health resorting to that Poole constantlie to lye still at it not departing after manie dayes vveekes monethes yea yeares as is manifest by the practise of that man who lay there thirtie eight yeares So amongst us Christians there is neyther Preacher nor Hearer King nor Subject Man nor Woman olde nor young can possiblie knowe vvhat day vvhat houre vvhat minute that blessed Spirit of GOD will joyne His Force and Vertue vvith that His Worde which is heard making it effectuall to quicken the dead to enlighten the blinde to convert such as haue gone astray to comfort the broken hearted and to confirme those who stand I vvould heerefore advyse thee O my soule if thou bee sensible of thine owne Spirituall wantes and if thou long to haue them supplied to resort thither where thou mayst heare this Word crying unto thy GOD with David One thing haue I desired of the LORD that I will require Even that I may dwell in the House of the LORD Psalm 27.4 all the dayes of mylife to beholde the beautie of the LORD and to visit His Temple Yea it were good ô my Soule in this respect that thou resolve with Anna that religious old widow Never to goe out of GODS Temple Luke 2 36.37 but to serue Him there with Fastinges and Prayer night and day But ô my soule lift up thy selfe on high and hearken even with greedinesse I pray thee to the ende thou mayest heare and consider that one thing yea that incomparablie profitable one thing wherein this Heavenlie Poole of GODS Worde accompanied with His Spirit excelleth yea surmounteth that visible Iewish Poole of Bethesda Could that Iewish Poole ô my soule even beeing troubled by the Angell possiblie cure moe at once or one onlie onlie one at one time beeing troubled could it cure for no moe at one time were cured by it beside
which may grieue GOD and please his Father that hee may obtaine his Fathers favour If an Husband finde that hee is wronged by his Wife let him not doe that which may grieue GOD and please his Wife to the ende he may obtaine his Wiues favour If a Wife finde that shee is wronged by her Husband let her not doe that which may grieue GOD and please her Husband to the ende shee may obtaine her Husbandes favour But let them all sticke constantlie unto GOD doing that alwayes which is good in His Eyes so bee sure that GOD shall eyther mooue King Husband Child Wife and so foorth to doe that which they shoulde doe or else strengthen Subject Childe Husband Wife c. to beare out with contentment the greatest wronges that can bee done unto them Wilt thou not then ô my Soule loue this GOD seeke this GOD serue this GOD with all men and against all men whether hee clappe thee or kuffe thee heale thee or wound thee quicken thee or slay thee TRue Saving Prayer O my soule may justlie be styled That Royall Ambassadour Prudent and Couragious Who lodging alwayes in a cleane Cabinet is directed from that Greatest King towardes that Greatest Monarch and who can no wayes upon anie condition bee mooved to stay from journeying forwardes till he come before Him to whome hee was sent discharging that Commission which hee carrieth in his Bosome and besides Him neyther to Mineon nor Courteour or anie of his Subjectes whatsoever Tell mee ô my Soule can anie in Heaven anie under Heaven teach thee to pray to thy Salvation besides that Great King even the Spirit of the Father and of His Dearest Sonne And therefore that Great Teacher of the Gentiles can resolue thee thus Roman 8.26 The Spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee know not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for us with sighes which cannot bee expressed This Ambassadour of Prayer comming from the Spirit cannot lodge but in the quickened Soule and renewed heart of GODS Childe Reprobates I confesse may possesse manie Delicates but this Delicate of Saving Prayer they cannot haue And therefore the same Great Teacher of the Gentiles can marrie as it were Prayer and Salvation after an unseparable manner together saying Rom. 10.13 Whosoever calleth upon the Name of the LORD to wit being ledde by the Spirite of Adoption the onelie Anker of Heavenlie Supplication shall bee saved Saving Prayer besides this is so prudent and couragious that beeing sent by this Spirite from the honest heart of GODS renewed Childe towardes that onelie Super-excellent Monarch GOD his Father it will not giue so much as a looke let bee a God-spcede as it were unto anie Angel unto anie Sainct in Heaven unto anie Man on earth beeing so directed by that Spirit by whome it was sent till it come in before that Great Majestie of the GOD of Heaven with whome onelie it hath to doe and there in His Bosome powre foorth the selfe O my soule Art thou not thus charged by GOD thy Father Psal 50.15 Call upon Mee in the day of thy trouble Art thou not thus charged by GOD thy Saviour When yee pray pray thus Our Father which art in Heaven Matth. 6.9 c. Art thou not thus charged by GOD thy Redeemer thy Comforter and Keeper If anie man aske Wisedome let him aske it of GOD. Iames 1.5 Search search ô my soule the whole Olde Testament the whole New Testament and trye if there thou mayest forgather eyther with Praecept directing thee to pray unto anie in Heaven or under Heaven besides thy GOD or with anie Promise That if thou prayest unto anie besides His Majestie thou shalt come speede or lastlie with anie practise shewing thee that ever anie of GODS Children ever sent up their Prayers to anie besides that Blessed GOD in whome they believed Vnderstande understande heerefore O my Soule that the ignorant prophane vaine bablinges of the blinde superstitious Papistes can bee no Saving prayers indyted by the blessed Spirite of GOD but windie foolish effectlesse words comming from their owne deceived Braynes and fonde imaginations For if they come from GOD His Spirit they would bee directed unto God onelie but since they bee drawne up unto creatures they cannot come from the true Spirite of that Creator blessed for evermore but from the lying spirites of base cursed creatures THE blinde blooddie restlesse Seminarie compassing the Earth to and froe with Satan sowing alwayes where hee commeth anie occasion being offered unto him his poysoned and poysoning Popple eyther to impede the receiving or to hinder the grouth of the good Wheate of GODS Worde to the ende that hee may perswade Man and Women of all Rankes even with some Greedinesse readilie to imbrace his lying Doctrine touching the Invocation of Sainctes hath verie highlie here-to-fore and doeth verie farre as yet advaunce that effectlesse Comparison taken from the Courtes of Earthlie Kinges And this Comparison hee hath hatched to the ende he may the more subtillie advaunce the Grandour and augment the Wealth of that Vylde Court of ROME And with this not onelie draw away poore simple people from beeing truelie courteous with that KING OF GLORIE Blessed for ever but also to stirre them up albeit hee abhorreth to confesse this to kythe themselues grosse and avowed Traytors against His Majestie O shamelesse Papist Is not this thy fonde alleadgeance as Subjectes considering the Grandour of their Princes and their owne basenesse are accustomed to goe unto their Kinges by Noble-men and Courteoures So the Children of GOD considering the Excellencie of that Majestie wherewith their GOD is cloathed beeing sensible in the meane time of their owne vildenesse by reason of those sinnes wherewith they are clogged should not attempt to goe to their GOD but by those Saincts which bee in heaven Hadst thou ô effronted Papist hearkened unto that answere now neareby twelue hundreth yeeres agoe given to this purpose by that famous Bishop of worthie memorie Ambrose thou wouldest haue beene affraid from kepping so greedilie without anie shew or reason Ambrose on Rom. 8. this effectlesse comparison from keeping it so pertinaciouslie even to this day without anie kinde of shame For this cause men and women are mooved to goe unto Kinges by Noble-men and Courteoures because Kinges bee but men and know not to whom they should commit the governament of their Countrey but while a man hath to doe with his GOD from whom nothing can be hidde for all men are knowne by Him wee haue neede of no such mediator but of a devoate humble holie heart for whensoever such an heart shall speake GOD shall loving lie answere it But O deceived and deceiving Seminarie to what purpose will this thy comparison serue thee in that countrey where the King with whom thou hast to doe hath by a speciall Edict under His great seale and publicke Proclamation raised thereupon authorized His eldest Sonne to bee
comfortlesse confusion and remedilesse condemnation Alace alace O my Soule When shall the dead senselesse sinners of this Age reade with attention consider with meditation that fearfull Stile vvhich that good Spirit of GOD our Teacher giveth to that Evill spirit the Devill our irreconcilable Adversarie Is not that evill spirit stiled by that Good Spirit The Accuser of the Brethren Where-by thy Teacher Rev. 12.10 ô my Soule the Spirit of thy Father and of thy Saviour vvould teach thee That no sooner doe anie of the Children of our GOD commit especiallie anie grosse knowne sinne against His Majestie but as soone that Evill one praesenteth craftilie albeit maliciouslie the names and sur-names of those vvith their sinnes before GOD crying O LORD Thy Majestie madest this Man to Thine owne Image Thy Majestie delivered Thy Sonne to death for him Thy Majestie vvast readie by Thy Spirit to renewe him and yet for all this Thy great loue hath hee not defiled him selfe vvith abominable Idolatries blooddie Murders filthie Adulteries and Fornications brutish Drunkennesse mercilesse Oppressions c. Wilt Thou not ô just Iudge of the Worlde rub Shame upon the face of such a one vvho hath so grosselie rubbed Shame upon Thy Name and upon Thy Blessed Gospel professed by him Yea vvilt Thou not ô just Iudge of the World adjudge such a one to bee mine for ever vvho hath after the offer and proofe of such rare loue and kindnesse refused to bee Thine O my Soule vvouldest thou not bee loath that such an Accusation should bee made against thee especiallie by such an Accuser Forget not then forget not then to accuse thy selfe before thy GOD to the ende that His Majestie may bee mooved out of pittie for thy Savioures sake to excuse thee yea to defende thee even before and against the Devill thine Accuser and deadliest Enemie BLinde Man slipping the first Path in the which hee should stay his steppes is made to fall from that high vvay in the which alone hee should walke heere and to deboash him selfe in that by-way vvhich leadeth him alace towardes that Lake out of the which there is no redemption because man cannot seeke after that true Director and Guide vvho neyther can deceiue nor bee deceived While hee looketh for Life hee findeth in ende nothing but Death yea vvhile delighting unhappilie in his praesent foolish sportes hee promiseth great commodities and comforts to himselfe confusion yea condemnation proue in ende to bee his portion What Noble wise man ô my Soule having his young Childe to put to Schoole doeth not even after deliberation make choise both of that Master by whom hee would haue him to bee taught and of that Pedagogue by whom hee would have him attended O Man I must tell thee were thy Raiment never so course were thy Cheare never so sober yet thou lodgest within thy Clay Bodie an immortall Soule which would bee wiselie committed to some good Master to some faithfull and painfull Pedagogue But where shall such a one bee found Let no man seeke after Man to bee his Pedagogue seeke after Man to bee his Master but after that Blessed GOD vvho onelie made Man and is able to instruct man truelie to governe man rightlie And so let man seeking after a Master after a Pedagogue runne to the Face of GOD runne to the Mouth of GOD even unto holie Scripture by the which Hee sheweth Him selfe to man by the which Hee speaketh unto man inquiring there To what way he shall take him selfe in what way he shall keepe him selfe while hee so journeth heere to the ende when that Night of Death shall fall downe upon him hee may set his feete upon the Thresholde of the Gate of that Citie and bee received with joye to lodge even for ever in the inwardest Palaces of that Citie Rev. 21.27 within the which no uncleane thing can possiblie enter Oh my Soule when shall the men of this Worlde prooue as holilie wise about the governing of their Soules which must necessarilie either liue or die for evermore as Monoah the father of Sampson was circumspect about the dressing of the bodie of that his sonne who was onelie to liue for a while with him Hee was not praesent with his Wife vvhen the Angel of God appeared unto her but can hee not runne to his God and say I pray Thee my Lord let the man of God whome Thou sentest come againe nowe unto us Iudg. 13.8 and teach us what wee shall doe unto the Childe when hee is borne Alace alace ô my Soule who runneth thus to God Who prayeth thus to God That Hee by His Spirit would teach them by that blessed Booke of His Worde what they shall doe to their owne Soules and to the Soules of those who belong unto them while they liue heere Oh Lord God vvhen shall that true aunswere given by Thy Majesties gracious Mouth made unto David Thy Scholler inquiring Thy Majestie about this purpose bee hearkened unto by the men of this Age bee believed by the men of this Age By what meanes shall a young man redresse his way By taking heede there-unto according to Thy Worde Psal 119.9 That which our Master spake to the vylde Sadducees touching the grounde of their fearefull errour denying the rising againe of the dead may bee moste truelie applied unto all kinde of sinners debording from the vvayes of Pietie of Righteousnesse or of Sobrietie Thou art an Idolater a Blasphemer a prophaner of Gods Sabbath a Traitor an Oppressor a Murderer a false man an Adulterer a Fornicator a Drunkard because thou knowest not and believest not the Scripture to bee that Booke vvhere-by God thy Master teacheth thee vvhat is that thou shouldest eschew vvhat is that thou shouldest imbrace IN manie respectes ô my Soule is the estate of man now alace couched under Sinne to bee pittied but in this respect especiallie That beeing naturallie sensible of the mortall Clay Vessell hee is naturallie senselesse of the immortalt heavenlie Soule What man having a maimed or diseased bodie hearing vvho can cure him knowing vvhere he may find that Cure seeketh not incontinent for that man longeth not even with wearinesse to be with that man and yet alace while man is not onlie wounded but dead in soule through a greater number of sinnes lying on it than there be haires on his head he cannot only refuse to heare that Physician to come to that Physician who is onelie able to cure him but he can finde an heart to hate such a tongue to revile such yea now and then a verie hand to stryke such as advise him to heare that Physician to belieue that Physician and to bee content to receiue his Potions and to use that his Salue which is only able to cure his soule Naaman the Syrian beeing infected with Leprosie 2. Kings 5. informed by that base handmaid who served in his house That there was a man in Israel able to cure him will not stint till he
that person who first stepped in after the troubling of it as the Scripture testifieth But as for our Poole of the Worde blessed be that GOD who hath enriched and honoured thee O my soule with it it can cure and make whole at one time scores hundreths thousands diseased in soule what ever sinnes they haue committed O Peter the healing Streames of this curing Poole flowe so aboundantlie out of the fountaine of thy mouth that Spirite of Iesus thy Master who came downe upon thee in the day of Pentecost joyning His vertue with them that not one soule only not tē only not 20 only not an hundreth only not a thousand only but even three thousand diseased yea dead soules are that day added unto the Kirke Acts 2.41 Coulde this be considered O my soule O how frequently O how busilie O how joyfullie would men of all ranks and conditions resort to this blessed Poole of the Worde of GOD O how carefullie and attentiuely Acts 10.33 would men resorting unto it with Cornelius hearken to it Yea ô how earnestlie would they in their Chambers awaiting for the Spirit of GOD vvith the Apostles pray for the Spirit to the ende that His Vertue being joyned with that Worde they resolue for to heare in the publicke Congregation they might haue their deade diseased soules cured and quickned thereby WOe is mee vvoe is mee O my Soule that so manie baptized in the Name of IESVS should thinke and speake of that good Worde of IESVS vvhich is the onelie Worde of Life as that Reprobate Pharaoh thought and spake of that good Word of GOD sounded by Moyses and Aaron unto the Israelites and to himselfe Exod. 5.9 directing his Taske-masters thus to speake to the people Let them not regard vaine wordes When vvee Christians consider this O my Soule vvee all condemne Pharaoh but alace howe manie bee there amongst us who saye not onelie in their heart but with their lippes yea by their workes The vvordes of GOD are vaine wordes O Idolaters Blasphemers Adulterers and other grosse Sinners If anie time yee resorte to the House of GOD vvhat rounde ye one to another And when yee goe foorth from His House what bee your speaches Let yonder Blast goe yonder wind shaketh no Corne. Hearken for GODS cause O my Soule Our GOD hath not mens Cornes in such account neyther counteth Hee so baselie of His Worde that Hee will daine to shake their Cornes with it For Hee hath a baser winde of the which Hee accounteth not so much whereby Hee is able to shake all the Cornes in the Worlde Besides this I must tell thee O my soule Albeit that Worde which the men of GOD preach shaketh not mens Cornes yet it can shake Kinges it can shake Queenes and Subjectes of all estates That same Pharaob who durst open his blasphemous mouth against GOD and His Worde founde this to bee true by a dolefull experience For shooke not that Worde of GOD him spoken by Moyses unto him out of his Royall Chariot when hee was ryding securelie there in the bottome of the Sea yea in the Dungeon of Hell Shooke not that Worde spoken by Ieremie unto Zedekiah King of Iudah not onelie out of his Royall Palace of Ierusalem of Iudea but scattered it him not unto Babel ô poore Iewes saw ye ever an Edie winde as wee call it scatter an heape of light Chaffe towardes the foure corners of the Earth so miserablie as that Worde of GOD spoken by IESVS and His Apostles unto your Fathers hath scattered you and your praedecessoures these sixteene hundreth yeares agoe I know a Blast or two of this winde of the Worde of GOD which shooke a King so that it chaunged his countenance it loosed his loynes and made his knees to smyte one against the other sitting at his owne Table Dan. 5.5.6 at a Banquet Royall accompanied with his Queene and Counsellers I knowe a Blast of this Winde blowne by a man of GOD standing at a Barre to bee accused which made his Iudge to shake and tremble for while Paul is disputing of Righteousnesse and of Temperance and of the Iudgement to come Foelix the Iudge trembled so that hee might abyde Paules praesence no longer saying Goe thy wayes for this time and when I haue a convenient time I shall call for thee Act. 24.26 VVere the emptie Houses and olde Livinges amongst us fearfullie burdened miserablie wracked and daylie chaunged from man to man from surname to surname looked unto it might bee seene that even the deboashedest amongst us might learne to scarre from attempting to style that good VVorde of GOD vanitie or winde If thou loue thy selfe heerefore ô my Soule abhorre to thinke and speake of the VVorde of thy GOD vvith Pharaoh and learne to thinke and speake of it as thy GOD hath directed thee and so thinke and speake thou of it as of that Milke whereby the New-borne Babes of GOD are nourished as of that Bread 1. Pet. 2.1 Deut. 8.3 Luke 24.32 Ier. 23.29 vvherewith GODS Children are fedde as of that Wine vvhereby they are refreshed and comforted as of that Fire vvherby that Drosse of the remnant of their sinnes is purged from them and they are purified as good Golde to be layde up in that cleane Treasurie which is aboue as of that heavie Hamber which is able to breake and bruise in pieces all such as dare attempt to contemne it yea in a worde as of that Meate vvhereby their hungrie Soules are fedde and as of that Medicine vvhereby their sicke and bruised Soules Ezek. 47.12 are bound up and cured O LORD GOD VVhen shall Men beginne to haue the Preaching of the Sacred VVorde albeit it bee sounded by Heard-men by Fishers and so by the verie off-scouringes of the Earth in anie kinde of reverence For what heard by mans eare in this our dead time is so neglected is so despised by mans heart as Thy Majesties Worde preached is Alace alace ô LORD GOD that blinde man should willinglie suffer himselfe to bee deceived by that great Deceiver Satan that hee can even despise speciallie that which Thy wise Majestie hath highlie advanced Tell me Tell me ô my soule whereby is it that thy mercifull wise GOD hath appointed that saving Grace to bee conveyed to thee on Earth here which is onlie able to bring thee to that perfect Glorie which is aboue It is not ô my soule by the touching of thine hand or anie other member of thy bodie nor by the taste of thy mouth nor by the smelling of thy nosthirls nor by the sight of thine eyes that thy GOD will gift thee with that grace on Earth in time which must crowne thee with glorie when time shall cease but it is by the hearing of thine eare that thy GOD will doe this Let others neglect this let others mocke this alwayes ô my Soule when thou hearest this I charge thee that thou rejoyce Yea I charge thee that thou
Yea knowest thou not Him who knewe the verie thought of the heart of Simeon the Pharisee speaking thus within himselfe of thy Saviour If this Man were a Prophet Hee would surelie haue knowne what manner of Woman this is which toucheth Him Luke 7.39.40 for shee is a Sinner Oh! ô my soule when shall that which was seene felt and confessed by olde Bernhard who lived in that blinde Age which was couched under grosse Darknesse bee seene bee felt and bee confessed by us who liue nowe hauing that great shyning light of the Gospel continuallie with her hote pearcing Beames stryking as it were our verie Eyes so that wee cannot hyde our selues from them eyther LORDS Day or Weeke day yea eyther by day or by night Bringeth hee not in the wicked man speaking thus to himselfe Parietes inquit sunt undiqueue quis me videt I am inclosed on all sides with walles vvho seeth me Alwayes how is that wicked man answered by him Esto nemo te videt non tamen nullus videt te Angelus bonus videt te angelus malus Bernhard videt te bonis malis Angelis major Deus I giue thee sayeth Bernhard that no man seeth thee yet darest thou say that none seeth thee the good Angell seeth thee the evill angell seeth thee also and vvhich is more one who is greater than good and evill angels seeth thee to wit GOD. When that evill angell the devill O my Soule seeth thee thy irreconciliable Adversarie and bitter Accuser ô my Soule seeth thee When GODS good Angell seeth thee that witnesse seeth thee who vvill beare testimonie against thee yea thy loving Brother seeth thee whom by thy sinne thou grievest fearefullie When thy GOD seeth thee that judge seeth thee who neyther can bee possibilie frustrate of His purpose nor anyways corrupted when He goeth to judgement Attempt not heerefore O my Soule to commit sinne upon hope of secresie for I must assure thee from the mouth of thy GOD that if thou shalt sinne against Him thou shalt bee seene by Him SInne and Evill are so joyntlie knit together O my Soule let Satan alleadge vvhat he will let men misled by Satan alleadge what they please that vvhosoever committeth sinne doeth evill albeit neither in the eyes of other men neither in his owne eyes yet in the eyes of that good GOD before whome sinne was never good before whom sinne shall never be good yea before whom sinne hath ever beene evill sinne shall ever remaine evill commit it who so will I pray thee heerefore O my soule while thou breathest heere forget not to thinke grauelie upon that warning and vvakening Sentence which is delivered by the Spirit touching David his adulterie and murther And when the wife of Vriah heard that her husband Vriah was dead 2. Sam. 11.26.27 shee mourned for her husband So when the mourning was past David sent and tooke her to his House and she became his Wife Alwayes hearken hearken O my soule unto that which followed But the thing that David had done was evill in the sight of the LORD Alwayes lest this evill which ever accompanieth sinne be mistaken by thee O my Soule thou must know that howbeit Sinne bee evill in the sight of the LORD yet the evill of Sinne is not hurtfull to the LORD against whom it is committed but onelie unto that Soule by the which it is committed For as mans goodnesse cannot profite his GOD Ioh 35.6.7 8. so his sinne cannot harme His Majestie Oh! ô my Soule When shall the deboashed Gospellers of this our Tyme suffer these Oracles of GOD to take roote downwarde in their heartes to the ende they may bring foorth Fruite upwards in their lyues Doe they provoake Mee to wrath sayeth the Lord and not themselues to the confusion of their owne faces Ierem. 7.19 Eccles 8.13 It shall not bee well with the Wicked neyther shall hee prolong his dayes but hee shall bee lyke a shadow because hee feareth not before GOD. As thou lovest thy selfe then ô my soule strengthen thy selfe against all Sinne if thou wouldest not haue mee to repent albeit alace out of tyme after death and judgement That ever I was borne For that Evill which ever accompanieth the Sinner for Sinne must in despight of Devils and men at length ceaze upon the Sinner unlesse by sincere repentance GOD beeing mercifull unto him for His Sonne IESVS His sake hee quyte himselfe tymouslie of Sinne. THE Wyse Gardener judgeth of his Tree by its Fruite as the vertuous Husbandman judgeth of his Seede according to his Harvest But oh O my Soule When shalt thou learning to bee holilie and truelie wyse beginne to judge of Sinne thine onelie Enemie by that fruite by that harvest alace which it bringeth foorth Oh LORD GOD oh LORD GOD how fearfullie bitter is that fruit which that rotten poysoning tree of Sin bringeth foorth How fearfullie hurtfull is that uncouth harvest which followeth it I must tell thee heere O my Soule that that Sinne whereinto I was conceived and borne and which alace I must alwayes keepe within my bosome while I liue heere bringeth foorth fruite bringeth foorth sheaues yea such stoukes such stackes which bee so fearfullie bitter so horriblie hurtfull that if this bitternesse and hurt coulde bee perceived even by us who call our selues GODS Children wee should bee easilie mooved with that chosen Vessell of GOD uncessantlie to crye out O miserable man that I am who shall deliver mee from this bodie of death Knowest thou not ô my Soule Roman 7. that thou and this my bodie came joyntlie in one minute joyned together in this Worlde as two kynde Twinnes loving other moste entirelie embracing other most kyndlie Yea knowest thou not ô my Soule that thou and this my bodie haue lived since that time of my birth in this Worlde some yeares together as husband and wife moste strictlie married one to another even before GOD and by GOD and yet that bitter roote of Sinne which alace was conceived was borne and which hath lived with us will haue in despight of all wee can devise or doe thee O my soule separate from this bodie of mine and this my bodie separate from thee But will bitter Sinne stay heere notwithstanding this bee a sharpe stroake Not ô my Soule For Sinne even after this separation is made will haue that bodie within the which it some-time lodged for heere I am speaking ô my Soule of the verie condition of GODS Sainctes onelie albeit it bee dislodged and put out of the bodie by death couched under the vildest stinke and most pestiferous flewar that ever came to the nosthrils of man notwithstanding that that bodie was sometime pleasant to the eyes of the beholders and savourie to the smell of such as approached neare unto it in such sorte that the loving father may not suffer that his tender childe beeing dead to abide in one house with him that the pittiefull hearted mother can bee
in praying unto Him while He refuseth as thou thinkest to heare thee Hast thou Grace to desire to continue in praying unto Him while Hee delayeth as thou thinkest to heare thee Yea which is more findest thou the smallest measure of griefe because thou canst not desire to continue in praying unto Him as thou wouldest that thou canst not pray unto Him as thou shouldest Bee assured that God whom thou thinkest to be farre from thee is neare thee is with thee yea is in thee by His Spirite as in His Temple hearing thee albeit thou hearest not that He heareth thee pitying thee albeit thou feelest not that He pitieth thee and for to deliver thee albeit thou thinke that thou canst not bee delivered Answere me answere me ô my soule if thou canst If thy God heard thee no wayes pitied thee no wayes and were never to helpe thee couldest thou desire to be heard of Him to bee pitied by Him to bee helped by Him Yea if thy good God longed not as it were to doe thee good couldest thou eyther long or lament that thou longedst not for good at His hands For as he who never saw the Sunne cannot misse the sight of the Sunne so hee who never sawe God cannot misse God Thus it is not nature that misseth Grace but Grace which misseth Grace onlie And therefore he spake truelie who said Num oranti beneficia denegabit Augustine qui orantes at ne deficiant sua pietate instigat Can that good God refuse to grant His Gifts unto that person who praying unto Him for them is stirred up by His Goodnesse not to faint but to continue in praying unto Him THou canst not be ignorāt ô my soule being acquainted with holie Scripture that as cruell Pharaoh King of Aegypt had fearce Taske-masters set by him over the Lords Israel So that cruell Dragon Satan thy greatest Enemie hath his owne bloodie Taske-masters sent foorth against Gods secret ones to shame them to slay them and that those his Taske-masters resemble in one thing especiallie the Taske-masters of Pharaoh Pharaohs Taske-masters as holy Scripture testifieth Exodus 5.13 are not contented to intimate Pharaohs will unto the poore Israelites but they must with fearce countenances sharpe tongues strong handes hasten them without all delay to doe it Even so Satans Taske-masters doe not onlie command those over whom they are set and in whom they doe reigne to obey the Devils will but they hasten them so to obey it that they can neyther eate nor drinke nor sleepe as it were till Satans will be executed by them But who be the Taske-masters of Satan ô my Soule Let that Disciple whome Iesus loved and in whose Bosome hee lovinglie sometime lay resolue thee The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes 1. Iohn 2 16 and the pryde of life Young Ammon is so boasted and beaten by that Taske-master The lust of his flesh nighing after his sister Tamar that he pyneth away frō day to day 2. Sam. 13. till having obeyed the command of that fearce filthie Taske-master he defile his sister unnaturallie Young Absolom is so beaten and boasted by that alluring Taske-master The pryde of lyfe longing after a Crowne that he can take no rest by night nor by day 2. Sam. 15. till hee put even the Crowne off his own olde father upon his head contenting that his father in the meane time for safetie of his lyfe flee out of Hierusalem bare-headed and bare-footed That uncouth Traytor Iudas is so boasted and beaten by that deceiving Taske-master The lust of the eyes and so Matth. 26.14.15 of Covetousnesse that he cannot be stayed possiblie by all that his Master hath done to him by all that his Master hath done for him by all that his Master hath spoken to him in the audience of his brethren touching him who should betray Him from betraying of Him and all to the ende that hee may see thirtie pieces of Silver delivered unto him Lament lament herefore O my Soule the miserable estate of these pitied by others albeit not by themselues who esteeme themselues to bee the greatest amongst men Will Noble men will great men bee commanded by that Great Good God speaking unto them and hasting them to doe His Good Will by those His kindly smyling and meeke Taske-masters in whose mouthes Hee hath put His Worde And yet they dare bee contented to bee commanded by and to bee as most miserable slaues couched under that Evill one Satan and those his furious Taske-masters hasting them to doe the Devils evill will Will our Gentle-men O my Soule be servants to anie man content to bee Schollers to bee Trades-men to bee Crafts-men And yet they can rejoyce to suffer themselues to be abused by Satan by Sinne by the which in such sorte hee fighteth against their Soules that no slaue roweth in a Galley so farre against his will under the uncouth bondage of that cruell Monster the Turke as a very world of these men in this our Age row with both their hands and feet as it were under the Devil hastned in the meane time by his foresaide Taske-masters and yet not against their will but willinglie not with griefe but with joy Let the Adulterer the Idolater the Murderer the Fornicator the Drunkard the Seditious man the Oppressor the False man the Covetous man lay his hand to his heart so shall hee finde this to be true The consideration hereof made wise Salomon acquainting us with the nature of the wicked man and counselling us to beware of him thus to speake Enter not into the way of the Wicked and walke not in the way of evill men avoyde it Prov. 4.14.15.16 goe not by it turne from it and passe by it For they cannot sleepe except they haue done evill and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall HAth thy God ô my soule sweetlie this day sounded in thine eares the soft voyce of Consolation promising unto thee comfort deliverie and His best things be not offended if to morrow thine eares be made to heare the sharpest sound of the bitter winde of Confusion threatning thee with greater troubles and griefes than ever thou heardest or felt before O Iaakob hath not thy God propined thee liberallie with the Birth-right Gen. 17.29 enriched thee gloriouslie with His blessing but must thou not heare afterwards that Esau thy Brother hath avowed to kill thee whereupon thou must be contented not onlie to turne thy backe upon thy tender Parents but with paine and griefe to serue a churlish Laban for twentie and one yeares O Ioseph seest thou not to day thy Brethrens Sheaues standing up and doing reverence to thy sheafe but must thou not be contented even after that to see thy Brethren stripping thee naked Gen. 37. 39. of thy partie coloured Coate and thereafter first putting thee in a Ditch and then selling thee to the Midianites to bee carried downe to Aegypt O