knéele not standing is fitting so did the poore Publican Luke 18.13 GOD ordained body and soule and will be acknowledged by both 1. Cor 6. For yee are bought with a price Therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your Spirite which are Gods And if we will not willingly hée will be glorified in our destruction Therefore stand in awe with inward and outward obedience Esay 66.5 Heare the word of the Lorde yee that tremble at his word Psalme 134. Lift vp your hands in the Sanctuarie and blesse the Lorde Blessed Preachers performe it so ought the people Deuout Dauid saith Psal 63. I will lift vp my hands in thy Name Nehemiah 8.3 The people did with willing mindes heare the Word of God from the morning vntill Midday and the eares of the people were attentiue Vers 5. All the people stood vp Vers 6. And Ezra blessed the Lord the great GOD And all the people answered Amen Amen with lifting vp their hands and they bowed their heads and worshipped the Lorde with theyr faces to the ground Such Agilitie moueth vigilancie as a meanes of amendment but be frée from hypocrisie God abhorres it Be euer more zealous then thou séemest Lift vp thy hands with hart annexed for hands without heart is abhominable vers 8. So they read in the booke of the law of God distinctly gaue the sence caused them to vnderstand the reading Theyr Teachers did comfort them Vers 9. For all the people wept Alas little is our wéeping much sléeping Pride omits submission Re. 1.7 But all the kinreds of the earth shall waile because of him And some so soone as Sermon is done wrangle of worldlinesse and are more stout then studious Loue of Riches chokes the Word A good Cow chewes her cud increasing good bloud and we must meditate in the word whē we haue heard If we were pricked in our harts we would say to the Preacher and each to other as the people to Peter and the rest of the Apostles Acts 2.37 Men Brethren what shall we do Then Peter said vnto them Repent We know it God graunt we may doe it Mark 11. Iesus went into the Temple and cast out them that did abuse the same Ver 16. And would not suffer that any should carry any vessell thorow the Temple Ver 17. And he taught saying vnto them It is written My house shal be called of all Nations the house of Prayer Slacke we are to pray or repaire that House but where bodyes are fed and lasts fulfilled building is not spared For the neglect of building the Lordes House Haggai by them that dwell in their steled houses the Lord staied Heauen from deaw and the Earth from her fruite Nabuchadnezzer gloried in his building Dan. 4.30 but heard a woefull voyce Many braue buildings are burned God make vs more mindefull of his House and to vse our selues well therein Amen Of euill behauiour out of the Church THe more a man neglects the means of true knowledge the liker he is a Beast the more endued with that light of life the liker hée is his Creatour Yet Church-sléepers and slack-goers can on the Sabboth hast to an Alehouse and say the Preacher was too tedious which shewes they felt not the swéete taste for such sits longer in leaude demeanour and loues it Men can watch a day to compasse a match for backe and belly or to kéepe ill companie but to heare glad tidings is thought tedious Hee that is wearie of Gods word is weary of God Looke into it It is his Image by whome the Sonne hath reuealed him As some are carelesse so their Children growe gracelesse Boyes are in back-lanes swearing and swaggering in open Stréetes wrangling in houses playing in yardes worrying Dogges and Cattes committing mercilesse actions Had not Man sinned Beasts had not striued Some reioyce in the sight and in sinne Good Parents doe kéepe children and Seruants to their bookes repeating to them that the Preacher taught when lewd ones are in stréetes desturbing them They that instruct not their Familie are like to féele of theyr follie Iacob reformed his Houshold Cornelius feared God Genes 35. Acts 10. with all his house When children disfigure their faces Parents are grieued but they sée them disfigure their Soules and suffer it Let not your Boyes be rude in streetes to people that passe gracelesse youth grieue them daily casting scornefull words or worse There is difference of Youth the well trained vp are vertuous the idle are vicious and haue cause to crie Nocet indulgentia nobis Sufferance doth hurt vs. Some such at ten yeares are past recouery hanged by twenty Securitants consider it Then they crye out of their parents Had they feared God their children had not miscaried For this is his Edict Leuitic 19.30 Yee shall keepe my Sabbaths and reuerence my Sanctuarie I am the Lord. But such regarde not they scorne the Aged that giue them good counsell yet Age is a Type of Eternitie And God saith Vers 32. Thou shalt rise vp before the hoary head and honour the face of the Olde man and seare thy God I am the Lord. They that feare God dare not prophane his Sabbath But some trauell all that day Others heare a Sermon in the Forenoone and an other in the after but spend the other part of the Day in bargaining and other vnprofitable pastimes GODS WORD is compared to a Hammer to breake a stone Oh Sabbath-prophaner art thou harder Clay doth the Sunne make thée harde Pharaos heart art obdurate Be submisse and mollified Amend pray and praise God Laudate nomen Iehouae ¶ A proofe that the Sabbath must be obserued SAbbat signifies holy rest not ryot God hath commanded and reserued that one whole day of seauen to be celebrated to his Maiestie He gaue the example And he rested on the seuenth day Genes 2.2 from all his worke which he had made The kéeping of the Sabbath is a Morall precept God spake it Exod 20. God wrote it Exod 31.18 and the Tables of stone being broken God wrote the second time on tables of stone Exod. 34. as hee did on the first The Sabboth was commanded for a perpetuall couenant Ex 31.16 God allowed vs sixe dayes to worke reserued to himselfe one which men would rob him of The wicked would haue all dayes and the diuell would haue all soules To worke therein was death Ex 35. On which day Exod 16. the Iewes might kindle no fire Sixe dayes they might gather Manna on the seuenth there was none to be found they were forbidden to séeke it that day and euery man commanded to abide in his place the seueth day God tooke away the occasion from their labour signifying how holy he would haue the Sabbath kept It is a Sabbath of rest Leuit. 23. an holy conuocation and was commaunded to be celebrated from Euen to Euen S. Paule kept the whole day and continued his preaching till midnight
them on our lusts If a Ruffin say that he and his doe vse excesse to please his Wife he is not fit to rule a householde and vnlike the good Centurion to say Doe this and it is done Saith Iosua 24.15 As for me and my household wee will serue the Lord. Pray that she which allures thée and oft rules thee be not a let like Eue but a helpe as Sara not sauadge but sage Pro. 31. The price of the vertuous is farre aboue Rubies If she be such so is thy household prayse God for her if she be not pray God to conuert her Be not Cynicus somâ—â— suffer sorrow admonish her quietly loue her and winne her with lenitie If shée see that you gréeue indéed that shée offend God by her excessiue attire she cannot loue thee and vse it but leaue it if she loue thée Loue God and leaue it hee forbids it it is an offence to Gods children whom hee hath such care of that it were better for their offender that a Mill stone were hanged about his necke and that hee were drowned in the depth of the Sea Math. 1â— Mat. 18. Some lawfull thing to auoyd offence is to be omitted much more vnlawfull as such excesse And who dare disobey Gods word except such as in heart haue him not his word is sufficient to conuince yet the sayings of the Painims incomparable in efficacie to heauenly Diuinity may be expressed because their careful doings excell carelesse Christians Monta. Hate pride desire to be cleanly not gorgeous in apparell Hee toucheth the Momes not men which spend all at the Ale-house till hare skin appeares and dirtie not deyrie women which launch their hayre out long and leaue it in whitmeat Oh foole gorgeous apparrell is not an Ornament Sophocles but a shame and manifest shew of thy folly Hee toucheth those that would be extolled but haue shame in stead of fame for Ruffians speake rashly of their dishonesty Gay apparrelled women stand foorth as bayts to catch men Hee toucheth the disguised with fore-heads frizled Aurelius which buye Complexion and cause an euill action standing more bold then bashfull painted to play with The women of Lacedemon refused the rich Roabes King Dionisius sent them saying they would do them more shame then honour If such were now offered stretched out armes would reach them and gréedy Gehesa would haue them Some so delight the flesh that good sayings nor examples doe not amend their misdoings Demas forsaketh the heauenly conuersation of Saint Paul and imbraceth this present world the Vipers garled skinne whose venemous sting is deadly Oh eleuate thy heart to heauen Rom. 8. If any man haue not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Now let vs examine our selues Doth the Spirit of Christ which is alwaies in sharpe and painefull battels with the flesh and locked in that dungeon of dung delight to set out the same in excesse No for it is a meanes of carnall desires it hath respect to the soule by whom the body liueth It allowes the body that is néedfull and liues for life not for lust longs to bee with God and delights that natiue Kingdome It ioyes in the deliuerie from the inticements of the flesh world and diuell with whom it fights séeking to subdue the flesh by often abstinence watching prayer and forsaking pompe and pride But our painting is apparant that we are not in battell but are inordinate louers of our bodies Good God giue vs grace to amend that with a liuely faith we may apprehend Christs merits and be cloathed with his white Roabe of righteousnesse to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all honour foreuer Amen Seruite Iehouae Newes to the poore too good to be true All will not beleeue it that doth it view THe Diuels reioycing doth decrease men shew good words deeds In mutuall comfort ioy and peace we croppe vp cursed weedes The Milsayld Ruffs doe all goe downe and little Bands in place Gods word preuailes in euery Towne for Pride hath great disgrace Starch is turned into Bread yee poore haue oft desir'd it Pride-popiniay doth learne to kneade which lately did mislike it Light of Loue is not so fine but frames her selfe to thrift And learnes good houswifery in time frequenting no euill shift Minion now must make White-meate full fit she is to learne it To garden plant to sow and set which brings this Realme much profit Cabadge Mill'ons Onions Leekes betimes in time of yeere Good newes you poore shall haue fat cheekes foode will not be so deare A recompence she now will make for all her time ill spent Rememberance doth make her shake and now she doth repent The needle and the spindle she full quicke oft time doth vse And loues in heauenly word to see and doth all vice refuse She that did watch great Ruffs to set and sleepe the Sabbath day Attentiue is and vigilant to heare Gods word and pray The Poking-yrons barre the doores goods safe in house to keepe From such as doe like knaues and whores molest men in their sleepe Great holes in cloth cut shall not be Good cloth it will be cheape The poore pray God this thing to see their hearts for ioy doe leape Pinkt Hats on thornes shall hang no more plaine stuffe will last 3. yeere You shall them haue good Brethren poore ere rugge begin to peere Valete in Christo ¶ A reproofe of hideous Oathes THE accustomable sinne of Swearing and detestable taking Gods Name in vaine apparantly appeare such little or nothing estimate his Maiestie The manner Acrothorax and Acolastus sweare by him with dialect disorder and a brauery in common talke as it they sware by Iohn or Ione and so vsed in sporting places as to heare may mooue a true beleeuing heart to bléede Not so onely but by all the parts of Christ particularly not considering how his parts were pierced for our sinnes and we exclude our selues from that benefit The Iewes rent him with nayles stripes and thornes and Swaggerers still doe teare him with their tongues Some vse it in buying selling and guilefull getting they are couetous to borrow much but sparing to pay They promise but breake performance Assertorie promissorie Others vse a perillous petition to get goods So GOD iudgeth them not considering the dreadfull Iudgement and seuere sentence pronounced Mat. 25. Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire when they shall obey to their decay Some As God shall haue part of their soule Oh wicked wretch thou owest not thy selfe GOD will haue thée soule body or the Diuell soule body Some by their faith Heb. 11. But without faith it is impossible to please God Others sweare by creatures whereby they displease God greatly which is iealous of his glory and sayth Ierem. 5.7 How shall I pardon thee for this thy children haue forsaken me and sworne by them that are no gods To reprooue this and the like Christ
youth Gen. 39.8 when he was offerrd he refused for he feard God The body is not for fornication but for the Lord yet such forsake Christ and make themselues the members of an harlot They are repugnant to those that kéepe themselues chaste for the kingdome of heauen sake which Christ hath set in a place of price and saith Mat. 19. Hee that can take it let him take it but a varlet takes an harlot Hee that hath not the gift to liue single and chast may séeke for mariage lawful for all men 1. Cor. 7.9 Heb. 13.4 and is an Antidotarie against fornication to bee vsed in the feare of God for the procreation of children and for the mutuall societie of each other Yet many of the sauadge sort maryed know not the right vse of mariage but linger after lusts like bruit beasts and like a Nicholaitan not content is cōmon with an other proud Paramour The vnmaried maried of leawd disposition must be aduertised by Solomon Pro. 23.27 A reproofe of Adultery A whore is a deepe ditch and a strange woman is a narrow pit Pro. 6. He that committeth adultery destroyeth his owne soule Her house inclyneth vnto death her paths vnto the dead None that go to her returne againe Pro. 2. neyther take they hold of the waies of life Oh drudges of drudgery ye refuse the heauenly felicity Adultery fornication vncleannes laciuiousnes Gal. 5. All kinde of vnleannesse must be abandoned Pro. 15. Psal 113. Ier. 23. Amos 9. A meanes of chastitie are fruits of the flesh the cōmitters thereof shal not inherit the kingdome of heauen It is to be feared that fornicators adulterers are Atheists for durst any doe such a thing before a king they doe it before the All-seeing King of kings The eyes of the Lord are in euery place beholding the euill the good Yet Asotus serues Asmodeus in Cities towns and countries Psa 97. Ye that loue the Lord hate euill A meanes of chastity is mediocrity in dyet labor watching prayer reading hearing meditating refrayning frō wāton cōpany vnchast speaches gawish apparrel gazing on the disguised frō wanton looks therfore rule thy rowling eies Iust Iob saith 31. I made a couenant with mine eies why should I think vpō a maid If thy heart be cleane thy eye is ruled if thy heart be wicked thy eye is wādring which fils thy hart ful of pollution Christ faith Mat. 5.28 Whosoeuer looketh on a woman Mat. 5.28 to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Kéepe in thy eye the heart will be the better vse it to thy booke 2. Sam. 11. Dauid looked on the wife of Vriah hee liked lusted and for it was perplexed and hauing a new heart hee prayeth to the Lord Psa 119.37 Turne away mine eyes from beholding vanitie Gen. 12. Pharaoh was plagued and all his house with great plagues for delighting in Sara vnknowne to them to be a wife Yee Lust-louers leaue it Yée Fornicators and Adulterers in pretence and action how shall ye escape the vengeance to come your idlenesse and drunkennesse bringeth Bastards I grudge not your collections but grieue at your small corrections Oh Salax bee sanctified resist Sathan Susanna consented not but withstood the stout Adulterers Be warned youth was neuer more wayward Consider this you that are marryed and are inordinate in abusing your bed O feare the Lord lest your propagation be vntoward extraordinary and stange abortiue or vntimely Imitate Tobias 8. He being newly maried to Sara rose out of the bed and said Sister arise and let vs pray that God would haue pitty on vs and the latter end of his prayer was this vers 7 And now ô Lord I take not this my Sister for lust but vprightly therefore mercyfully ordaine that we may become aged together And she said with him Amen And I pray God more may be so minded Amen Timete Iehouam ¶ Starch is here reprooued Poking-irons are ill vsed AS by Gods word Drunkennesse and Whoredome is conuinced so is Starch made of that which is the chiefest foode for the sustentation of vs here reprooued For whereas poore people that want bread should be nourished and fed therewith many to fulfill their fond affections feede their great Ruffs which shewes we haue more desire to carnall delights then loue to relieue the needy Many men women children want bread which earth doth vse for pride But Loue-lusts say they buy it and the efore not culpable of the making a ridiculous excuse for if there were no buyer there should be no seller There be wealthy Houswiues and good house-kéepers that vse no starch but faire water their Linnen is white and they looke more Christian-like in small Ruffes then Light of loue lookes in her great starched ruffs looke she neuer so hie with eye-lids awrye The princely Prophet saith Him that hath an hie looke and a proude heart will not I suffer Psal 101. Presuppose prettie pleasure did say Where finde you in Gods word starch forbidden It is like it was not vsed in the time of the Apostles therefore not named But the Diuell hath inuented it and many such deuises in these last lustfull dayes I finde that CHRIST saith Whatsoeuer yee would that men should doe to you euen so doe you to them Therefore consider would you the poore shuld vse vnprofitable meanes to make you suffer hunger and colde No Math 7.12 no pricked pride your fruits are faultie Whatsoeuer will serue necessarily for the sustētation of man ought not vnprofitably to be spent but the Meale Starch is made of will serue necessarily for the sustentation of man Ergò it ought not vnprofitably to be spent This Syllogisme consisteth of no false principles And if you think it not spent vnprofitably vpon great ruffs consider the effects First it hindreth our food Discōmodities of starch starching it wasteth our wood it spends the precious Time that might be spent better And people liue gréedily and néedily to maintaine it It frets out much Linnen and the poking-Irons seare it and wasting that people want it is to be feared it hath often moued GOD to seare the Corne and Grasse vpon the ground Wanton wenches are tempters and Inticers that ruffs must be great and starched Good men must resist them for Eue by inticing brought Adam to ruine There is as much spent in that haynous order as might sustaine manie poore people which aske Bread The answer is I haue it not when Newe-guise hath it about the necke Manie spend Daies and Nights vnprofitably to set great Ruffs yea oft when they should heare and learne Gods word Oh shamelesse Mares more liker then bashfull Maids that spend most parte of theyr life time about Starch and starching patting pulling thrusting rubbing wearing tearing and starching of cloth with hote Irons Lucifer inuenter of Pride hath inuented an exercise wherein Minion Meretrix takes alacritie Much wood
Acts 20.7 On the preparation to the Sabbath the bodie of IESVS was begged by Ioseph to be buried Mark 15. Luk. 23. for obseruing the sabbath God hath commanded the kéeping thereof with a Memento Sunday was the first day of the Worldes Creation and the day of Christs Resurrection S. Iohn calles it Dies Dominicus I was in the spirit on the Lords day for it was by the Apostles established Reu. 1.10 and Saturday the Iews Sabbath abolished Therfore it behooues vs carefully to kéepe Sunday the Lords day The Law is perpetuall so is the Sabbath and is to be sanctified to Gods seruice For though being vnder the Gospell we are deliuered frō the shadows of the ceremoniall law yet it foloweth of congruity that we indeuor to kéepe the morall precepts and be obedient to Gods commandements else we are not grafied in Christ which saith Math 5. Thinke not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfill If wee belong to him we will doe our industrie God is iealous of his glory which men diminish dishonouring him more on that day then in all the wéeke His Memento is not minded Man and beast must rest Yet rude ones ride on the Sabbath vpon small occasions All within thy gate must rest that is within thy power Childrē seruants and stranger Sée it performed preuent eternall punishment By Christ we haue Christian liberty to doo things of necessity for preseruation of life and of things in vtter decay on the sabbath Christ then healed a man and the Iews did lift shéepe from the pit and we must be carefull that the thing wee doe be such as cannot well be deferred to further time Néedlesse worldly workes wordes and worldly thoughts must be abandoned Nūb 15. God cōmanded all the people to stone a man that gathered sticks on the sabbath Math 1.80 Oh yee that follow lusts be obedient least yee be perpetually punished God lookes for our Obedience to obey is better then sacrifice Nehemiah 13. reprooued them that brake the sabbath in bearing sheaues and loading their Asses and that solde ware he told them that euill came on the Cittie because their Fathers did so The Lord by Ieremie 17.21 dehorteth from breaking the Sabbath and exhorteth people to hallow the same God promiseth a blessing if they obey if not a destruction Ioyfull promise is for performance For thus saith the Lord vnto the Eunuches that keep my Sabbaths choose the things that please me and take holde of my Couenant vers 5. Euen vnto them will I giue in mine house within my walles a place and a name better then of sonnes of daughters I wil giue them an euerlasting name that shall not be cut off In this Maior is a Benisson to him that knoweth not a woman if hee applie the Minor To euery man that kéepeth the sabbath not doing his owne wayes nor speaking his owne wordes God hath promised a blessing But God is forgotten and present pleasures thought on Some substantiall whome the world estéem of talke on their trash subtilty and sensualitie on that day and for a messe of potage with Esau lose their birthright Young-men some of them are like a generation of Vipers starting aside like a broken Bowe Neuters that delight not Gods Lawe say they belieue as the Church belieueth and how that is they knowe not as though they had a taste of the Whore of Babylon Lurking Masse-mongers doe seduce and make them luke-warme The body of Iezabel was deuoured but her Feete skull and handes remained And though the light doth disprooue Idolatrie some with deceiued tast thereof would burne incense to the Queene of heauen which God reprooued and seuerely punished Consider it yée that are thereto addicted They that loue darknes ha e the light least it should reprooue them Ierem. 44. Such are wilfull Absenters and some that heare are Sabbath-prophaners The true vse of the Sabbath is with the Assembly to heare Gods word read and preached to receiue the Sacrament with thanks and repentance to pray for our gratious King Iames Quéene and Royall progenie and for all Gods children being the Church vniuersall O Lord we thanke thee for our dread Soueraigne his great preseruation from Iannes Iambres and traitorly Iudas and we beséech thée to deliuer vs from such mercilesse papists Amen As at all times so chiefly on the Sabbath we must feede on the word and thanke our good God meditate comfort and counsell each other from euill to good and prouide for the poore at such time of the day as shall not hinder the seede sowne in vs. S. August makes mention of 3. kind of works that must be done on the Sabbath viz The works of godlines instructing the ignorant the works of Charitie giuing to the poore The works of necessitie to saue things in vtter decay As at all times so on this day let vs comfort the distressed praise him which rose then for our consolation and and Iustification The Iewes sabbath did put them in minde of their deliuerāce from the cruelty of Pharao vnto the desert where they were fed with Manna and so to the promised Canaan Our Sabbath puts vs in remembrance of our deliuerance from the fiery Pharao the diuell and that we shall possesse eternall rest if we obey God and keepe the true Rest An absenter sayes God heard Iob on the dunghil Daniel in the denne so may he me in my house Saint Dauid saith Psal 122. I was glad when they sayd vnto mee Let vs goe into the house of the Lord. Psa 84. My soule longeth yea euen faynteth for the Courts of the Lord. Hée accompanied the holy conuocation Psal 42. I went with them to the house of God with the voyce of ioy and prayse It must be the finall cause The swéete Singer saith Psal 81 Sing aloud vnto God our strength make a ioyfull noyse vnto the God of Iacob The ruder sort make not a ioyfull noyse they can sing few tunes for Psalmes nor in tune but disturbe the Congregation Dauids heart and swéete loud voyce makes harmony illustrating the glory of God which ordeyned heart and voyce He a type of Christ saith Psal 35.18 I will giue thee thanks in the great congregation I will prayse thee among much people Louers of God are ioyfull to prayse him among many and to sée God praysed by many Let vs not let it but loue it imbrace the truth and prayse God for it To the which blessed Trinitie be eternall honour prayse and glory Amen Tota ipsa anima laudet Iah ¶ Against the euill effects of Dicing and Carding DIcing and Carding are accustomed with company that vseth excesse they goe to an Alehouse and call for an Out-house and sit wrangling dishonouring God seruing of Sathan and cause vexation The winner spends it prodigally procuring Gods displeasure The sadde lozer gripes for money gréedily to be reuenged rashly hee ventureth more
which turnes still to the lesse Then the youth entreth into a Shoppe booke the day come money hee hath none his Land is accepted friendly he is excited hee makes a sale and sets vp that buyer the money soone spent he sets vp a wispe and is drudge to swearers and drunkards If that serues not then begging théening and killing venturing soule and body for money but tyed at Tiborne take example The cry of the carelesse Our wofull Parents loued our bodies but hated our soules woe to the time of that libertie Yet some will not be warned they are remisse in that dutie and bring their children to misery O securitant thou art the cause of thy childes destruction if not damnation and thy childe the meanes of thine Hadst thou béene carefull his precious time had not béene spent in play whereof came idle speaking strife swearing pouerty théeuing hanging preiudiciall effects of dicing and carding Some say My sonne is no Dicer nor Carder but thou permitst him to a proparatiue by such like play All euill is so prompt to spring from our corrupt natures that euill learned in youth is hard to bee remooued if good it is like to bee setled Therefore rightly are children compared to Vessels which commonly kéepe the taste of the first liquor Yet many will not be counselled but giue euill example to their household Tully toucheth them Plus nocent exemplo quam peccato They hurt more by the example then by the thing it selfe The actions of House-kéepers doe animate the household Eph. 5.16 Men must redéeme the time Vertue must bee annexed to faith Let vs vse holy conuersation and godlinesse Pet. 1. Passe the time of your soiourning heere in feare To preuent youths vicinitie to vice in stead of dice and carding reade good bookes pray and prayse God Euery minute requires the aduancement of Gods glory and good of each other Vnprofitable actions become not Christians they are no motiues to mooue men to praise GOD. Carelesse Libertines must leaue them they are no good works of the Gospell nor the light Christ gaue charge should shine among men but meanes to haue God blasphemed and the Diuell serued They are no holy actions no fruits of the Spirit rather wantonnesse whereof ensueth contentions and fruits of the flesh A good trée brings foorth good fruit Mathew 7. The fruitlesse combers the ground Mat. 21.19 like the wilde Figge trée that Christ withered Forasmuch as the effects of carding and dicing are euill and the exercise thereof may bee left without damage to any it is sufficient to prooue they ought not to bee vsed To reprooue many things in briefe 1. The. 5.22 Abstaine from all appearance of euill that is from things that haue a shew of euill much more from things meanes of euill The effects shew that dicing and carding causeth euill Not to mée nor by mée saith one Oh thou spendest the time that might be spent better and shewest an euill example farre from grauitie and integritie Whatsoeuer are appearance of euill ought to bee omitted but dicing and carding are appearance of euill ergo they ought to bee omitted The assumption is prooued by the euill effects besides the offence giuen to the godly Mathew 18. Christ pronounceth woe to Offenders 1. Cor. 8 13. Some néedfull things are to be omitted to auoyd offence much more néedlesse Whatsoeuer is vnprofitable and may bee omitted without damage ought not to bee vsed but carding and dicing are vprofitable and may bee omitted without damage ergo they ought not to be vsed Dicing and carding which consisteth méerely vpon blinde hazard lot and chance are to be reiected Dicing consists in lot-casting being a religious ordinance for serious matters to determine doubtfulnesse Lotte was cast for Mathias Acts 1. God is the disposer of the Lot Pro. 16.33 Oh it is base to bée vsed in boyes play Publius Quanto alcator in arte melior est tanto nequior est How much the Dicer is cunning in his Arte so much the worse hee is S. Amb. lib. 1. De offic chap. 23. Playes pastimes are swéete when they are repugnant to the rules of christianitie Ciprian Play at Cards is an inuention of Satan which he found out that he might the easier bring in Idolatry for the coat cards which are vsed were sometime the Images of Idols and false gods Iustinian the Emperour abhorred Dice play by his Authenicall Lawes suppressed it Magistrates forbid it Preachers reprooue it for the word of God doeth menace it the Fathers reiect it and the Pagans detest it Gen. 1.27 Man was inuested in Gods likenesse we should imitate Gods properties hee wrought that could make all things at a thought Gen. 2.15 and so appoynted vs. And the Lord God tooke the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dresse it and to keepe it If man in his inocencie ought to worke much more now being polluted Gen. 3.19 In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate bread till thou returne vnto the ground Some will not worke in Winter and therfore begge in Summer It is written 2. Thess 3. That if any would not worke neyther should they eate If thou be wealthy and wilt not worke Adam was wealthier and hée wrought Walke thou in the Fields behold Gods benefits and prayse him Walke in thy house pray read and meditate for dicing and carding is vnwholsome bréedes Gout and Dropsie They bee called honest recreations yet Sathans inuentions The prophane are cald Good fellowes so haue béene Diuels Gods word doth direct vs to passe the short time of our pilgrimage Iames 5.13 Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merry let him sing Psalmes But prayer seemes vnpleasant and Psalmes too much solemnity Hymnes and spirituall songs some haue no skill in when bawdy catches delight them Mat. 12. Idle words for which men shall giue an account of at the day of Iudgement séeme swéete Idle words are Vanae inutiles nugae in quibus plerique vitam terunt Vaine and vnprofitable tryfles in which many waste their life Idlenesse is the cause of idle words Otium puluinar est Satanae Idlenesse is a Feather-bed of the Diuell Idle words are with idle actions You turne the Dye thinke how you turne to folly Thou doest cast thy Card thinke how you cast away time Thou bidst thy Bowl rub thinke thou shalt be rotten Refrayne from vanitie and also crueltie sée no blinde things fight nor blinde Beares whipt Mat. 5. Blessed are the mercifull Pro. 12. A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast Let good motiues bee a meanes to preuent such pastimes as are meanes to preuent repentance Christ saith Watch and pray Mat. 26.41 The world saith Watch and play The holy Ghost bids vs Heb. 12. Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. But common Gamesters are commonly wranglers and séeme voyd of peace and holinesse O
liuely faith apprehendeth him which makes vs iust in that respect wee are iustified not formally as it is inherent righteousnes in vs but relatiuely in respect of the obiect for we are vnrighteous Be a good Souldier therefore we must resist sin continually which is so sharpe a life as few vse Luke 8. Séede was sowen in 4. places but one fertill Impious people are plenty sanctified are dainty Arist Plurima pessima The most men are the worst Preciosa non sunt numerosa Good men are least in number When all the world was drowned in the deluge but 8. faithfull were preserued before many heard of it but few would be warned Gen. 19. When the Lord rayned vpon Sodom and vpon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from heauen thrée were segregated from thousands Exo. 12.37 And the children of Israel iournied from Ramases to Succoth about 600000. on foot that were men beside children God said Surely there shall not one of this euill generation see that good Land which I sware to giue vnto your Fathers Deut. 1.35 Caleb Ioshua and little ones were accepted the other were cōmanded to turne backe How many were excluded from the heauenly Canaan which this Land was a type of I leaue to the Lord. It is a fearefull example Psa 95.11 for he calles it his Rest It is mentioned Eze. 14.22 Among many God reserued but a small remnant for his Church Rom. 9.27 S. Paul doeth paralell the place of Esay 10.22 Esaias also cryeth concerning Israel though the number of the children of Israel bee as the sand of the Sea a remnant shall be saued These documents rather threatnings should deterre men from their owne detriment 2. Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them downe to hell And spared not the old World And turning the Cities of Sodome and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with an ouerthrow making them an ensample vnto those that after should liue vngodly Yet conscience is scant sinne is excessiue Mat. 24.37 As the daies of Noah were so shall also the comming of the Sonne of man be Consider the comparison They eat and dranke so do wée superfluously they bought and sould so doe we deceitfully they loued the world so doe we egregiously here repugnant they planted we plucke vp to the preiudice of the next possessors Euery one for himselfe the Prouerbe is fearfull Manie are deluded and from Heauen excluded For God is not feared Christ bids vs watch for his sudden comming These motiues might mooue vs to contrition vigilant expectation and supplicate for mercie euery houre When Sodom and her sister were consumed and all the world drowned few faithful were found How few God shall find when hée comes with fierce Fire hée Omniscient knowes He shewes by his Word the world shall be worse Luke 18.8 When the Son of man cometh shall he find Faith on earth Alas what order of life will this world leade No true Faith no Saluation This excites to examine our selues not doing as most do For Atheisme Neuterisme Self-loue Idolatry and all other impietie cryes in the eares of the Lord that liuely Faith is little and that Christ shall finde very little The Diuells lease drawes to ende therefore he is gréedy to get Reu. 12. Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the Sea for the Diuell is come downe vnto you hauing great wrath because hee knoweth he hath but a short time Mark 9. When Christ commanded him out of a Childe Vers 26. He cryed and rent him sore and came out of him So now his time is short and hée makes hauocke fiercely séeking whom he may deuoure Hee aymes at the vertuous so doe his Adherents He spares such as serue him he knowes they are his they helpe him to entice Gods children Hillarius Dulce Diabolo nos poccare It is sweete to the Diuell to see vs sinne Leo aut impetrat mortes aut impetit mores If he cannot kill a man he will corrupt him He is subtill to seduce This worlde growes vngodly the néerer the ende the more vngodly Saint Paule prophecied 2. Tim 3. This know also that in the last dayes perillous times shall come Hee expresseth a Catalogue whereby is apparant that men shall be committers of capitall sinnes Traytours heady high-minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God It appeares people will grow gracelesse God little regarded but dishonoured and lusts fulfilled so that such as run to riot shall liue most in quiet and that any thing that increaseth sinne wil be much gaine got by the Diuell and all quickly Bawdy Bookes will be perused the good lesse vsed A floud of wickednes will flowe The prophane shall be extolled Good people not estéemed For haters of that which most shall loue shal be hated and most men shall make pleasures their God That which men shall loue most they shall make their God But men shall loue pleasures most Ergo Men shall make pleasures their God It may be saide then of Selfe-loue Pride and Pleasure Haec tria pro Trino Numine mundus habet This is the Trinitie which the world doth worship Noah forewarned the olde World which was drowned Preachers do teach vs Lawes doth enforce vs yet our harts are vnreformed The righteous soule of Lot was vexed at peoples impietie which were destroyed and hee preserued 2. Peter 2.9 The Lorde knoweth how to deliuer the godly out of temptations and to reserue the vniust vnto the day of iudgement to be punished If Gods seuere threatnings nor louing admonitions the multitude destroyed the small number preserued make vs not to amende Yet thinke of Christs wordes whereby is shewed few are saued in respect of the damned A malefactor feareth no halter till he haue it and many feare no Hell till they féele it Therfore to such I expresse an Epitome of paines ¶ A short discourse of long Destruction THe Pangs of Hell are so vnspeakeable as no mortall tongue can expresse The Damned shall féele the seuere wrath of God lie vpon them for euer which is greater sharper then all Fier Swords Paines Plagues of this world They shall be enuironed filled terrified and tormented of dreadfull Diuels whom they haue serued Soule and bodie for euer shall suffer horror A liuing death pangs must be abided A dying life neuer ended An euerlasting burning intollerable yet in explicable Our fire may be extinguished but that is fier that neuer shal be quenched the destruction is euerlasting Mark 9. 2. Thess 1.9 Infinite pangs are prepared for the enemies of the infinite GOD. Had they euer liued here they had euer bene obstinate therefore euer punished Feare and tremble yee that derogate God of his glory and attribute it to creatures Yée prophane Prodigalls bolde to blaspheme him burne not in Brimstone Oh Atheist belieue in the Almightie O Neuter nourish no iniquitie Brutish Bawds sucking Sodomites Corne-hoorders sore-stallers poore-staruers pitilesse partialls which concurre to defraude