your owne skill for all my will for I may minde what is not meete and you may wish what is more conuenient Your enough is nothing too much for that which you said was both pleasurable to heare and profitable to learne And it may be my minde is little amisse For I would learne what I know not and get what I haue not For my part therefore I can be contented to proceede can you so too R. Yea verily for I am now at your direction Q. We will now then to the third thing you say he was to regarde which in prosperous time of life was desirous to prepare against perilous day of death R. As you please for that But doe you remember what it was Q. Very well I thanke you For this it was He must striue by all good meanes he may to enter into the first degree of eternall life R. You say true but what would you touching this point Q. I would first know how many degrees of life eternall there are for your naming of the first argues that there are diuers I would secondly learne what it is to enter into the first degree of eternall life For you say he must striue and striuing argues it is not common nor easie to enter into it Thirdly I would know by what meanes a man may come to enter thereinto For enter a man cannot into any thing without meanes R. And these things in some sorte will I manifest vnto you Touching the first therfore there are three degrees of life eternall The first is in this life when men being iustified and sanctified haue peace with God The second is in the ende of life when the body freed from all diseases paynes and miseries is layd to rest in the earth and the soule is receiued into heauen The third is after the daie of Iudgement when bodie and soule being reunited shall be both aduanced to eternall glorie Now to enter into the first of these 3. degrees of life eternall is to haue such peace with God through Christ as he that hath it can say with Paul I liue not but Christ liues in me The meanes to enter heereinto are three Repentance of sin Fayth in Christ and Newenes of life For none can enter heereinto but he that repents him of his sinnes beleeues in Christ and riseth to newenes of life He that repents not perisheth He that beleeueth not is condemned He that walketh not in newnes of life is yet in his sinnes Hence it is that Peter said vnto the Iewes A mende your liues and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. Act. 3.19 Hence is it that Paul said vnto the Iayler 16 31. Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued and thine household Dan. 4.24 Hence is it that Daniel said to Nebuchadnezar Breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes and thine iniquities by mercie toward the poore Loe let there be an healing of thine errour Hence it is that as Peter said of Ioyning vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge 2. Pet. 1.5 and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlines and with godlines brotherly kindenes and with brotherly kindenes loue if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall So may I say of mixing repentance with faith and with faith obedience and with obedience more if ye doe these things ye shall neuer fall for as Iohn the Euangelist sayth Apoc. 20.6 Blessed and holy is hee that hath part in the first resurrection for on such the second death hath no power By which is signified that hee which will escape the second death must be made partaker of the first resurrection of which none is in deed partaker but he that is regenerated iustified and sanctified regenerated by the spirit of God iustified by the death of Christ and sanctified with the gifte of the holy ghost for none but such can say with Paule I liue not now but Christ liueth in me Q. I but others than such haue parte in the first resurrection R. In shew they may but in truth they haue not Q. How then may a man come to be able to say with Paule I liue not now but Christ liueth in me R. By three especiall graces in which the first degree of euerlasting life consisteth Q. What three are these R. The first is a sauing knowledge by which a man doth truely resolue himselfe that God the father of Christ is his father Christ his sonne his redemer and God the holy ghost his sanctifier for as Christ sayth This is life eternall to know thee the onely God Ioh. 17.3 and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ The second is peace of conscience Pro. 15.5 Philip. 2. which as Salomon saith Is a continuall feast And as Paul saith Passeth all vnderstanding For as the same Paul saith The kingdome of God is righteousnes Rom. 14.17 peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost And no meruaile for the horrour of a giultie conscience is the beginning of death and destruction Syr. 25. 14. The greatest heauines is the heauines of the heart saith Syrach and the greatest trouble is the trouble of conscience say I. As Syrach also saith Giue mee any plague saue onely the plague of the heart So say I giue me any trouble saue onely the trouble of conscience For as the plague of the heart passeth all other plagues so the trouble of conscience passeth all other troubles Pro. 18.14 The spirite of a man saith Salomon will sustaine his infirmitie but a wounded spirit who can beare it As one in Plautus saith Seruus in Mustellaria There is nothing more miserable than a mans owne guiltie minde In a prouerbe it is Seneca lib. de moribus Ibidem A guiltie conscience is as good as a thousand witnesses As Seneca saith The conscience goes beyond all the euill the tongue can speake An euill conscience is often safe without daunger neuer sure without care Hmbros lib. 2. de offic Bernar. in serm Bern. 3. considerat ad Euge. But saith Ambrose The peace of conscience makes a blessed life And saith Bernard He prepares a good dwelling for God whose reason neither hath been deceiued nor wil peruerted nor memorie defiled The opinion of good men with the testimonie of conscience is euer sufficient against the mouth of them that speake euil Horat. Hor. Iudgeth it an happie thing for a man to know no euil by himselfe nor to waxe pale through some default Hugo lib. 2. de Ani-cap 9. Hugo therefore speaking in the praise of a good conscience saith A good conscience is the title of religion the temple of Salomon the field of benediction the garden of delight the declinatorie of gold the ioy of angles the arke of couenant the treasure of the king the house of God the habitation of the holy ghost the booke
bodily lust in their olde crooked age couple themselues with yonkers which might right well haue bin their children and vnto whom they might also haue giuen sucke for such marriages are not blessed of God because the one marrieth for bodily lust the other for worldly couetousnes Chuse thee therefore such an husband as will loue thee and not thy goods onely as is equall to thee in condition state and age as also will tender thy children and see them brought vp in the feare of God that this may be pray alwaies vnto God that he wil blesse thee and prosper thee in all things Moreouer oh my sweete and louing wife looke well to the bringing vp of thine and my children bring them vp in instruction and information of the Lorde weed out of their mindes all kindes of vice and wickednes that their bodies may bee made the temples of the holy Ghost haue an eye vnto thy seruants giue them their couenants and suffer them not to be idle So gouerne thy house that there be found in it no vice but vertue no wickednes but godlines no sinne but honestie and christian behauiour Be thou also an example of godly life vnto thy children and seruants so mayest thou be sure to haue obedient children and faithfull seruants yea so also shalt thou be well reported of thy neighbours and beloued both of God and all good men And thus good wife adieu This is there the sicke mans exhortation to his wife and this or the like may the sicke man we speake of vse to his wife Q. This I assure you is a good one the ground of any it doth comprehend but what maner of one may hee vse to his children R. This which hereafter followeth or some other much like it in effect Oh my children God blesse you and send you many yea and those ioyfull and quiet dayes vpon earth Ye see in what case I am sore sicke and very weake abiding the good pleasure of God The end of this my life is come and I am glad of it and most heartily thanke the Lord my God for it let it not dismay you my most deare children that I shall now be taken away from you for albeit that I being your naturall father shall no more serue you nor prouide for you as hitherto I haue done yet doubte ye not but if ye goe forth as ye haue begun to feare God and to serue him he will not leaue you comfortles but in my stead he will be a father vnto you and prouide better for you than euer I was able to doe therefore if ye will haue God a mercifull and gentle Father vnto you behaue you your selues as dutifull and obedient children towards him feare him loue him honour him serue him pray vnto him call vpon his blessed name bee thankfull vnto him for his benefites and in all things seeke to please his godly maiestie Giue your mindes to the reading of the holy Scriptures and whatsoeuer you reade therein practise in your liues and conuersation be not onely hearers of the word but doers also for he that is not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shall be blessed in his deede Iam. 1.25 Moreouer auoide idlenes and too much childish pastimes let no time of your life passe away without fruite eschew all euill companie and haue nothing to doe with them that be vngodly though their words be sweet for a time their end is suddaine destruction Oh my children many thousands are cast away for that they haue not the feare of God before their eyes neither will be ruled by good counsell Therefore desire alway the fellowship of them that be good and vertuous haue all your trust and confidence in the Lord your God take nothing in hand before you haue craued his helpe by feruent prayer and after that thing done giue God most heartie thankes therefore acknowledging him the onely giuer of all good things The sabboth day and such other fruitfull dayes spend them holilie and godlily giue your selues to prayer to hearing of Sermons and to reading of the worde of God See that ye defile not the name of the Lord your God with vaine and vnlawfull oathes reuerence your elders honour your mother be obedient vnto her pray for her doe for her whatsoeuer lyeth in your power that God may blesse you and giue you long and ioyfull life vpon the earth Be no euill speakers of any man but be courteous and gentle vnto euery man Let no lightnes appeare in you neither in gesture nor countenance be true and faithfull cast away all pride and embrace humilitie auoide superfluous eating and drinking vse temperance in all your doings be not moued to anger against any man but be patient and ready to forgiue all men be mercifull to the poore helpe all men to the vttermost of your powers studie to doe good vnto all and hurt none loue all men euen your very enemies be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnes these few lessons if ye obserue ye shall doe well As a most mercifull father God will blesse you continue his fauour toward you multiply his graces vpon you and wonderously prosper you vpon the face of the earth But these if ye neglect and despise the Lord will be angry with you set his face against you neither will he euer leaue till he haue vtterly ouerthrowne you Take heede therefore ô my good children to the commaundements of our God apply your hearts alwaies to obserue them that so it may alwaies goe well with you and the gratious fauour of God euer bee continued towards you Thus desiring the Lord to be with you to blesse and preserue you to his gracious protection I commend you Thus in generall friend mine you see what manner of admonition the sicke man we talke of may giue to the whole company of his children if God hath blessed him with many Q. I doe so and I thanke you for it But may I not in like sorte see what in particular he may say to his eldest sonne the first fruite peraduenture of his bodie assuredly the heire of all his lands R. Yes that you may So then let me For moe haue many than either one alone or none at all R. Thus then may he say vnto him of all the sonnes that God hath giuen me thou art my first borne for thee I thank him for in thee lieth the hope of my posteritie Looke therefore that thou seruest God all the dayes of thy life that thou mayest be the father of many children through the blessing of God If thou dost resemble me as in countenance and lineaments of body so likewise in manners and conditions of life it shall not repent me to haue begot such a sonne neither shall it forethinke thee to haue had such a father Take heede therefore that thou dost not degenerate and grow out of kinde Follow mee in all things as thou hast seene me follow Christ After
depart from your husbands neither know any mā besides them but keepe the bed vndefiled that your mariage may be honourable in the sight of God and of his holy congregation And if GOD doth blesse you with children looke that you bring them vp to the glory of God in his feare and doctrine Engraffe in their young breasts euen from their tender age vertue godlinesse and good manners Looke well vnto your household and be examples to your maides of godlinesse and honestie Be no gadders abroade nor haunters of tauernes but keepe your houses continually except some earnest and lawful busines prouoke you to goe forth Be no bablers nor vaine talkers but for the most part vse silence For silence in a woman is an ornament vnto her Apparell your selues in comely aray with shamefastnes and discreet behauiour 1. Pet. 3.4 not with broydred haire either golde or pearles or costly garments but as it becommeth women that professe godlinesse through good workes Let the hid man which is in the heart be without all corruption with a meeke and quiet spirit which is before God a thing much set by For after this manner in time past did the holy women which trusted in God tire themselues and were subiect to their husbands as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him sir whose daughters yeare whiles ye doe well not being afraid of any terrour These few lessons if you obserue doubt you not my deare daughters but God will well prosper you and giue you a ioyfull and quiet life vpon earth In steede of me he will be your father and will defend you better than euer I could or should pray to him therefore for his blessing and vexe not your selues much for my departure I am to goe before you and you are to follow after me God send vs all a good going And thus Gods blessing be with you my daughters This is the admonition the sicke man may make vnto his daughters if he hath any or many Q. What if he hath but one R. Then as heere he seem'de to speake plurally as hauing many so there he may speake singularly because he hath but one Q. If then he chaunges the person he neede not vse any other admonition R. True except he himselfe will or he knowes some cause why he should chaunge his stile Q. But what manner of admonition may he giue vnto his seruants for they are a parte of his family aswell as others and those you said he was to admonish also R. This or the like syrs you my seruants ye see in me what shall be the ende of you and all flesh else euen a departure from this vile and transitorie world For we are but straungers and pilgrimes on the earth as all our fathers were We haue heere no continuing citie but we seeke one to come The ordinance of God is that all men shall once dye There liueth no man that shall not die A man in his time is but grasse and flourisheth as as flower of the field Our life is euen as a vapour that appeareth for a little time then vanisheth away On this condition came wee into the world that we should againe goe out We haue been sure of death euer since we had life These things doe ye now see practised in me The time of my departure out of this world is at hand I thought it good therefore to send also for you and to take my leaue of you till we meete againe in the kingdome of God I thanke you for the good seruice that ye haue done me I haue not forgotten your seruiceable hearts and good will towards me but I haue giuen to euery one of you such a portion of money as shall declare some part of my thankefull and wel willing heart toward you Now this remaineth to bee craued at your hands that as ye haue hitherto faithfully truely and honestly serued me in my life time euen so after my departure so long as ye tary heere ye will shew the like faithfulnes truth and honestie toward your mistresse Consider that so long as I liued I was a stay vnto her and vnto the things that concerned her but now her chiefe hope next vnto God consisteth in you Therefore I pray you looke well vnto the things that appertaine vnto her see that nothing goe to wrecke waste and decay Prouide that through your diligence her things may rather encrease than decrease Ye know I hope the dutie of a good seruant notwithstanding at this my departure from you I will put you in remembrance of it that when I am gone ye may yet remember my admonitions and so the more speedily aunswer vnto your vocation Eph 6. Col. 3. 1. Tim. 6. Tit. 2. 1. Pet. 2. The duty of a good seruant is to serue his maister and mistresse willingly and with a free courage euen for conscience sake not with the eie but with the heart to obey them to honour them gently to aunswere them not to picke or steale away their goods but to be faithfull vnto them in all things See rherefore that yee on this manner behaue your selues toward your mistresse auoide all stubbornnesse churlishnes cursed speakings telling of tales lying picking wast idlenes negligence and sluggishnes eschew all euill and riotous company Fly drunkennes and whoredome Abstaine from vaine oathes and foolish pastimes So behaue your selues in all your life and conuersation that the name of God and his doctrine be not ill spoken of Let the light of your godly behauiour so shine before men that ye may doe worship to the glorious Gospell of our Sauiour Christ in all things And in this seruing your mistresse with a glad ready and faithfull will thinke your selues to serue the Lord your God and to doe that thing which is pleasing in his fight and that he also will see your paines recompenced Col. 4. as the holy Apostle faith Ye seruants be obedient vnto them that are your bodily maisters in all things not with the eye seruice as men pleasers but in singlenes of heart fearing God And whatsoeuer you doe doe it hartily as though ye did it to the Lord and not vnto men knowing that of the Lord ye shall receiue the rewarde of inheritance for ye serue the Lord Christ But he that sinneth shall receiue according to his sinne For there is no respect of persons with God If ye serue your mistresse truly and faithfully heereafter when ye your selues shal be householders God shall likewise send you true and faithfull seruants But if ye serue her falsely and vngodlily then shall ye of your seruants be likewise serued heerafter For with what measure that ye mete with all shall other mete to you againe Mat. 7.2 saith our Sauiour Christ Liue therefore according to your vocation in the feare of God and ye shall prosper right well God shal blesse you and neuer leaue you succourses As the holy man Tobit saith be not afraid truth it is we leade